《Data-Driven Daoist》 Chapter 1: Death Is a Dog The boy¡¯s corpse slammed against the carriage wheel. And in that lifeless body, Johan snapped awake. A hooded figure loomed six feet away. With a sickening squelch, he wrenched a spear from the remains of a woman. Inside the carriage, the wails of an infant cut off abruptly, replaced by the wet, meaty sounds of tearing flesh. Level 0 Heavenly Allocation: Mind, Body, Spirit. ¡°You¡¯ve awakened your spirit root.¡± The killer¡¯s head turned, now directly facing Johan. A fallen torch illuminated his silhouette in the night, casting a long shadow. His grey eyes reflected the orange afterglow, the rest of his face covered by a buffalo skull-shaped bone mask under the hood. ¡°I see now.¡± He grasped towards Johan as if beckoning a child, and the clamshell pendant around his neck snapped free. It floated through the air and landed on the man¡¯s outstretched palm. ¡°You¡¯ll make a fine servant to our clan.¡± Johan¡¯s knee wobbled, and he collapsed, retching out his dinner. He had been in Taiwan just a minute ago, visiting a secluded shrine up in the mountains, when a green meteor fell from the sky, blasting him¡ª ¡°Halt, evildoer!¡± A voice shouted from above. There was a flash of red light, followed by an explosion where the murderer stood. The hot air singed Johan¡¯s skin, and his ears rang, deafened by the blast. Despite it, Johan kept his teary eyes open. ¡°You court death,¡± the hooded man said, and his gnarled spear cut through the dust screen, piercing at the levitating figure of a young man in white robes. The young man deflected the spear but was pushed back with a grunt. The hooded man scoffed, unaffected by the explosion. ¡°Merely a Mid Qi Gathering whelp, yet daring to challenge me.¡± He stomped on the ground, blowing up more dust and dirt, and threw his spear towards the young man. Then he bolted in the opposite direction. The carriage behind Johan shook, and dark shadows leapt out before joining the hooded man. ¡°This cowardly¡ª¡± The young man cut at the spear, red light covering the edge of his sword. But as the two weapons collided, the spear exploded into a cloud of miasma. ¡°Where am I? What¡¯s going on?¡± Johan said, jaws agape, the pungent vomit clinging to his shirt. No one replied. ¡°You shall not escape!¡± A red light cleaved through the cloud of miasma, and the young man leapt out, chasing after the hooded man with the speed of a motorcycle. Johan was left alone in a field laden with the corpses of his loving family. No. Not . But . That was his name in this life. And with the name, eighteen years¡¯ worth of memories assaulted his brain. His eyes rolled up, his consciousness drowning in the dark. *** When he came to, his mouth was filled with the taste of bile and earthy, powdery dirt. Yu Han coughed, gagged, then spat out blood and mud. The stench of vomit assaulted his nose, mixed with the odour of human cadavers. ¡°Yu Han. Johan. Yu Han. Johan. Who the hell am I?¡± Two entries for the same variable¡ªsomething that should have been a global constant. Yu Han, an unfamiliar moniker that felt like home. He had lived the past eighteen years as this fat kid, the youngest son of a couple that owned a diner. A kid who was loved deeply, and who knew how to love back. Na?ve Yu Han wore his heart on his sleeve. But he was also Johan, a former computer scientist turned consultant at Nexus Assurance Auditors. A successful executive with millions in the bank. To his ex, he was nothing but a narcissistic psychopath, claiming the only thing he loved more than his abs were his spreadsheets. His siblings called him a scoundrel. He received no invites to any birthdays. Ever. He had no one to join him on his first vacation in years. It stung more than he let on. If not for his dad, the only person who saw past his indifferent exterior and acknowledged the awkward kid inside, he would have truly been alone. Johan cared¡ªhe just didn¡¯t know how to show it. And when he did show it, he always got burnt. His father told him his way of loving was too cold, too calculated for others to understand. That was why no one ever reciprocated it. That was why Johan learned to bury that love deep inside. He learned how to stop caring. How to be selfish and ruthless. And because of that, he was successful. He could have it all¡ªcontrol, money, women. At the cost of everything else. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was alone until the very end, praying to a nameless god in that nameless shrine. Did he inhale some psychedelic fumes in the Taiwanese forest? The land god¡¯s shrine was pretty mouldy, after all. Would that be enough to give him such a realistic acid trip? Or was he abducted by a competitor? Perhaps they trapped him in a hyper-realistic virtual reality simulation. He did scrap a proposal by one virtual reality gaming lab recently; they had wanted to test their helmet on humans, with Nexus Assurance Auditors¡¯ name behind the trials. Idiots, the lot of them. He had said so to their face. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Did they kidnap him? Was he now the human test subject? Or was it aliens? Were they behind that green meteor? A UFO? A scraping sound snapped Yu Han out of his reverie. Half of his being screamed at him to accept this current reality, while the other half cursed. And the pain that tore his heart¡­ It was the same as when his mum, mother, had passed away after an abrupt heart attack. ¡°Mother¡­ Father¡­ Brother.¡± Their corpses remained silent. Yu Han felt his face dampen with tears. ¡°Why the hell am I crying? These¡­ these are Yu Han¡¯s emotions! Not mine. I-I am Johan!¡± Johan didn¡¯t cry. Not because he didn¡¯t feel, but because crying was unmanly. A weakness. He had to be strong, even if his feelings begged to be expressed. But under Yu Han¡¯s gasps for breath, Johan¡¯s cultivated indifference crumbled. Two lifetimes juxtaposed like a kaleidoscope. Johan and Yu Han assimilated, and all that remained was confusion. One fact was for sure: The pain of loss was just as much Johan¡¯s, because now he was Yu Han. ¡°Why¡­¡± The hooded man had been standing in the middle of the road with a bunch of dogs on a leash. Yu Han¡¯s elder brother had hailed the fellow traveller from the carriage¡¯s bench. They were close to their home city, and it was only polite to greet a fellow journeyer. What followed was a massacre. ¡°Why was I the only survivor¡­?¡± Yu Han muffled his scream, biting into his arm. Both his lives had been upended in a single day. Yu Han trudged over to the cart behind the carriage. The mule that pulled it was dead. His father sat on the driver¡¯s bench, head dangling to the side, a black hole piercing his forehead. Yu Han dragged his heavy legs to the carriage next. The horse didn¡¯t have a head. His brother had fallen off the driver¡¯s bench. He would never get up again. The door was ajar. Blood leaked out like tar. He looked inside. The carriage coach was large, built big enough to seat Yu Han alongside his family. The torso of his sister-in-law had been chewed through by those vile creatures, and the baby, Yu Han¡¯s niece, was in her embrace even as death took them both¡ª The scraping sound returned. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Yu Han shouted. No reply came. He searched for the source in the moonlight. One lone torch hung alight from the carriage wall. The others had gone out. They had been on their way back from a small fishing village up north; the cart was full of dried seaweed, cured fish, and fermented freshwater shrimp in clay jars full of preservative liquid. , Yu Han remembered, and he sprinted back to the cart, taking the crude iron sword from his father¡¯s belt. ¡°¡­Father.¡± The weapon was heavy. Unlike Johan, who had chiselled abs, Yu Han was a pampered youngest son. He weighed over a hundred and sixty kilograms, with pudgy hands and stumpy feet. He lifted the sword, its feeling unfamiliar. Could he even swing it? He tried once, but his hands shook. The sword hit the side of the cart with surprising force. Two jars of fermented shrimp rolled out, each the size of Yu Han¡¯s head ¡°Oh shit!¡± Yu Han panicked, but the jars didn¡¯t break. The ground was soft. He dropped the sword and picked one jar up, then returned it to the cart. These were valuable commodities. He picked up the second jar next. The lid was loose. It barely stayed on, but there was a layer of thick cloth under the lid, so nothing escaped. That was good. If the cloth was removed, they would have to eat the fermented shrimp within a few days, or they would spoil. When they got back home, they¡¯d sell these for a good price. Who would sell it? No one. Yu Han wiped his tears. He was being such a sissy. That was when he noticed the beast. A creature slogged out from the nearby woods. It looked like a black dog, about the size of an adult German Shepherd. It bled from the many scars on its body. Its eyes were covered with a black cloth bearing the Chinese character for "suppress" in dripping blood-like strokes. It was thin, as if it had starved for months, ribs poking out and fanged maw dripping with drool. One of those monsters the hooded man had commanded. The things that had killed the mule, the horse, Yu Han¡¯s sister-in-law, and his niece. The dog-like creature growled, snout low as it sniffed the ground left and right. It made no attempt to get the black cloth off its eyes. Was it blind? Yu Han gulped and took a step back. The ground was rocky underfoot. No reaction. The creature was upwind. Did it rely more on scent than sound? The trees were too far. There was a possibility of tripping if he sprinted. Nowhere to hide. Move against the wind A second step, as lightly as he could. Hard, considering his mass. Sweat dripped down his chin, his collar and armpits damp. Third step. The creature perked up. It pointed its snout at Yu Han. The creature sniffed, moving towards Yu Han¡¯s mother¡¯s corpse. Fourth step. Yu Han stepped on a twig. The sound was soft, but it was as though a crack of thunder had echoed throughout the universe. The creature paused, this time directly facing Yu Han. It growled, then barrelled forward with a monstrous bark. Yu Han threw the vat lid towards the creature and scurried for the carriage, almost falling. Through the corner of his eye, he saw the lid miss by a mile, swivelling in the air like a frisbee. But the creature jumped at the lid, biting it with its maw of serrated fangs, like a dog playing fetch. The creature¡¯s unexpected distraction gave Yu Han just enough time to reach the carriage. ! A loud howl broke the night sky as the creature crushed the vat lid. Yu Han climbed in, then shut the carriage door. He blocked it with his large body, feet pressing against the floor for support. Just in time, as something heavy crashed against the door from outside. Once. Twice. Thrice. ¡°Oof!¡± Thank God it didn¡¯t think to jump in through the window. The creature snarled, continuing its assault. It was a nightmarish sound, like rocks grinding against each other. Yu Han¡¯s mind raced, instinctively categorising each observable feature. The door cracked. Yu Han counted the seconds between each ram. Bam! Bam! About seven seconds. Did it take some distance before charging? The door cracked again. Yu Han moved to the side, flipping the lock. He held the jar above his head, moving what distance he could from the door. Three seconds. Yu Han kicked at the door. It flung open, exposing the creature mid-charge. It leapt inside the carriage with a yelp, crashing on the opposite wall just under the window. Yu Han smashed the jar on its head before it got up. The jar broke, the fermented shrimp and liquid splashing out. The creature cried like a kicked puppy; the sound was so loud that Yu Han felt it in his bones. Then it erupted into violent sneezing, clawing frantically at its snout as it thrashed in the liquid. Yu Han lunged from the carriage, shutting the door behind him. His trembling hands, slick with blood, snatched up the last torch. The heat seared his face as he thrust the flames against the carriage. Inside, the snarls grew louder, more frenzied. The fire refused to catch. Yu Han¡¯s blood ran cold. Was the wood too dense? Treated to repel flames? Every second, the carriage quaked with thunderous thumps. The door held. But for how long? The beast, though still reeling from the olfactory assault, was regaining its senses fast. Suddenly, a splintering crack pierced the air as a hole burst through the door. The creature''s head rammed through, maw snapping wide. Chapter 2: Fat Fury The carriage exploded with a bone-rattling sneeze, and the creature¡¯s head flung back inside. ¡°Come on! Work, damn it!¡± The flames danced mockingly, licking the carriage without effect. The creature¡¯s thrashing reached a mad crescendo, and the splintering cracks of wood hammered Yu Han¡¯s heart like a ticking time bomb. The carriage wasn¡¯t meant to imprison monstrous dogs with endless stamina. The thing would break out, and when it did, Yu Han was going to be its second dinner. He could feed it for ages, with his large flabs of¡ª ¡°Fat!¡± He ran to the front of the carriage. There, the ceramic jar! It was under the driver¡¯s bench, affixed to the carriage with rope. It had the animal fat they used for cooking and lighting the torches! He took off his shirt and filled it with lard, creating a dangling bundle. The carriage shook like there was a hurricane inside. Yu Han was lucky the dog hadn¡¯t flung itself out the window by random chance. Yu Han lit a corner of the cloth bundle, then threw it through the window into the carriage. The creature perked up, then bit the bundle like a rottweiler. Animal fat spilled onto its face, which then touched the fire on the cloth¡¯s edge. A blaze rose, like the wrath of an angry volcano. Yu Han scooped up more fat from the ceramic jar and threw it into the carriage, aiming at the dog. He couldn¡¯t see its full body, but the flames acted as a guide. ¡°Fish oil. We had some.¡± There was a supply in his father¡¯s cart. Yu Han sprinted to it, then rummaged through the cart¡¯s contents. He found three oil jars and one tung oil-filled hemp-cloth bag. He darted back to the carriage and threw the oil jars and the hemp cloth inside one after another. The creature bellowed like a berserker, its cries growing louder and louder. Soon, lines of red glowed in the space between the wooden boards of the carriage wall. Black smoke, thick and dense, swirled into the sky. It faded slightly to a heavy grey. The heat singed Yu Han¡¯s eyebrows. Before he knew it, his skin was covered in soot. He coughed, backing up far enough to escape the smoke and the aroma of burning lacquers and treated textiles. The fire raged. It consumed the carriage. The beast. His sister-in-law and niece. For an hour, then two. And then there was no more. Yu Han wiped the tears off his face, collapsing on his back like a falling statue. A cloud of smoke blocked the sky. As it thinned, the stars were revealed. He searched for Ursa Major and Orion, but the heavens were foreign. Strange characters appeared in front of Yu Han¡¯s eyes. Demonic Taint Purified. Pure Qi Acquired: +110 Pure Qi: 110/110 Tribulation Overcome (Preemptive): [Purify Tainted Entities: 1/1.] Yu Han reached through the vanishing characters with his pudgy, blistering hand. ¡°This has to be virtual reality,¡± he said, yawning. He wanted to sleep and never wake up. Out in the open, a wild beast might get him. Maybe another ¡°Tainted Entity¡± would appear. The hooded man had commanded many of these mutts, after all. Did he have enough strength to fight back? A clopping sound from the distance attracted his attention. Yu Han clambered to his feet. Far away, a line of riders galloped his way on horses. They carried flags and were armoured. The flags looked familiar. Guards from the nearby Riversong Commandery City, his home in this life. Was he saved? Yu Han collapsed again, his body failing him. Soon, a shadow covered the sky. The thin eyes of a city guard peered at Yu Han through an ornate helmet. ¡°By the Lotus King¡¯s mercy, what happened here?¡± asked the man. ¡°T-There was a man in a hood, he had these beasts, and they¡ª¡± ¡°Bi Suo Tou?¡± The guard¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s he babbling about?¡± he asked another guard. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s in shock,¡± was the reply. ¡°Can you not speak proper words, wretch? We can¡¯t understand you.¡± The first guard sounded annoyed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Han asked, taken aback by the unprompted insult. He heaved his entire weight against the ground and finally sat up. ¡°A strange text appeared, and it said that the dog was a demonic¡ª¡± ¡°The hell is a Dou Gu? Poor bloke¡¯s gone crazy,¡± the second guard interrupted. ¡°These bodies, they¡¯re your family, kid?¡± he asked as he hopped down from the horse and kicked Yu Han¡¯s mother¡¯s corpse. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk, cruel bandits. Didn¡¯t even take the loot.¡± ¡°More for us. Hey, I recognise this lady.¡± A third, bushy-bearded guard said. ¡°She¡¯s that proprietress from the¡ªthe¡ª¡± ¡°Yu Family¡¯s River Diner. Damn, they had good Writher and Clam Soup. Check if she¡¯s got any jewellery. I¡¯ll check over there.¡± The second guard walked over to the cart. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bushy Beard took out a knife and started stripping Yu Han¡¯s mother. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. What the hell were these guards doing? ¡°You filthy NPC! Get your dirty hands off her!¡± With a sudden burst of strength, Yu Han shot up. He dashed to Bushy Beard and grabbed him by his collar. ¡°You disrespec¡ªugh!¡± ¡°Stay down, lard-bucket.¡± Bushy Beard punched Yu Han in the gut. He fell to his knees, clutching his abdomen and coughing out blood as his vision swam. ¡°Commander, what do we do with him?¡± Bushy Beard asked the first guy. ¡°He¡¯s blabbering shit. The shock must¡¯ve messed him up.¡± ¡°Take him. The City Lord might have use for him. The gangs were eyeing the river banks for a while; the Lord wants part of it,¡± the commander ordered. ¡°Fifth, report back.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± said a voice. A guard galloped off the way they came. Yu Han opened his mouth, just as Bushy Beard¡¯s fist crashed into the side of his head. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *** He woke up amidst the stripped corpses of his family. He was in the cart, now tied to one of the rider¡¯s horses. It was being used as a vehicle to bring the cadavers back. His father slept eternally on his left, and his mother pillowed his head on her lap, just like she used to when he was a kid. Objects were strewn around, ¡°loot¡± they had deemed trash. His father¡¯s lucky charm, a green booklet¡ªa family heirloom written in unreadable words, like the shellfish clam pendant the hooded man had stolen. The cart rocked. Yu Han put the booklet in his pocket. ¡°The fatty¡¯s awake,¡± a gruff voice said. There was a chorus of laughter. ¡°A silver¡¯s on me, he mumbles crap again.¡± More laughter followed. Yu Han lay helpless, with no physical agency. So he worked his brain, the only thing he could do. He closed his eyes and listened, trying to ignore the pain all over his body. ¡°The old wench from Plum Garden kicked the bucket. Which of the flowers do you think is gonna take over?¡± ¡°Maybe An Rong. She¡¯s currying favour with the City Lord¡¯s son, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Damn, the bastard?¡± ¡°No, the second proper one. But with how different he looks compared to the City Lord, some say he could also be a¡ª¡± ¡°If the Madam hears that, you can say goodbye to that promotion.¡± They gossiped like housewives. Plum Garden was the brothel near Yu Family¡¯s River Diner, and was also a riverside establishment. Yu Han had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Mind your language. The city¡¯s in sight,¡± the guard commander said. . Yu Han got it. He spoke English. The NPC dialogue was in Chinese, or some language that resembled it. A memory automatically surfaced. Yellow Tongue, it was called by the locals ¡°Bird,¡± Yu Han said as a swallow flew above. First in English. Then in Yellow Tongue. ¡°Bird.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°Cat, dog, horse, man.¡± He switched back and forth between English and Yellow Tongue. ¡°The sky is blue. The wind is green. Dad, if you were in this world, would you still say humans are born kind? I couldn¡¯t live like you back on Earth. It cost me all my friends, my girlfriend, and your other sons and daughters. I didn¡¯t want that anymore. Being alone sucks ass, but I can¡¯t live like you here either. Not with these kinds of¡ª¡± ¡°Here¡¯s your silver,¡± a guard said, tossing a coin at Bushy Beard, who was sitting on the cart¡¯s bench. They reached the city an hour after sunrise. It was a bustling settlement enclosed by sturdy stone walls, shadowed by watchtowers at regular intervals. Merchants went in and out. Thatched roofs peered over the wall. That was the outer area where the common folks lived, a maze of narrow, winding alleys that snaked between tightly packed clay and timber houses. The outer market square thrummed with activity, vendors shouting over the din as they hawked fish, herbs, and vibrant textiles to the early morning crowd. Smoke curled from street food stalls, mingling with the earthy scent of rain on cobblestones and the sharp tang of livestock. They passed by a small temple, hymns eachoing from inside accompanied by the smoke of incense. Everyone made way for the imposing guards, whispering to each other. The reactions were so lifelike. ¡°Evil technology,¡± Yu Han muttered. No way they were NPCs. AI wasn¡¯t this advanced yet. He had really crossed over or something, like in the novels. That green meteor or the shrine had to be the culprit. Or was it the clam necklace? The cart stopped by Yu Family¡¯s River Diner. There was an ink painting on the sign board alongside the text. A man stirring a pot of seafood in a bamboo grove, mountains in the background. Yu Han had drawn it himself. Despite their obvious differences, Johan and Yu Han had one thing in common¡ªart. Johan used to draw manga on his iPad in secret when he was a teenager, and Yu Han¡¯s parents had hoped he would be a learned man in the three Chinese scholarly perfections¡ª calligraphy, poetry, and painting. Yu Han couldn¡¯t do the first two. Too stiff, too dull, too many words on paper. But with painting, he could let his imagination fly. When he painted that signboard, his old man cried. With a wobbly hand, Old Man Yu had managed to ink the name of the diner, scared he would ruin Yu Han¡¯s masterpiece. But the words ¡®Yu Family¡¯ were now covered up. The guards dragged him inside the house and his bad feeling came true. ¡°Oh my, young master,¡± someone said. ¡°To have gone mad from such a tragedy. We can¡¯t leave your family¡¯s legacy in a madman¡¯s hand, can we? City Lord, please, save this restaurant and all the people who work here.¡± It was the gods-damned head chef, the weaselly-eyed bastard. He kowtowed to a grey-eyed, well-dressed man in tiger robes and a gold pin through his topknot. They had given Yu Han a clean shirt, and nothing else. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± he said. ¡°This is my house¡ª¡± ¡°Shut your trap, fatass.¡± Bushy Beard kicked him in the guts. A waiter helped him up, a street lad that Elder Brother had once saved from drowning. At Yu Han¡¯s insistence, his family gave him a job, and they had been friends ever since. He was a full head taller than Yu Han, who was only about 5¡¯7¡±. Long black hair, sharp eyes, a killer face. The only one here who didn¡¯t look at Yu Han like he should have died with his family. Something warmed in Yu Han¡¯s heart. Not everyone was an asshole. Maybe Dad was right. ¡°Thanks, Jie Tong.¡± ¡°We are a generous lord. Give the poor boy an allowance every month,¡± the City Lord said. A wiry man whispered to the City Lord, ¡°Do we bring the boy to the central square? The Lord Cultivator said that all under twenty-one must be gathered for the talent testing.¡± ¡°Surely he meant only children of nobility,¡± the City Lord said, beckoning the guards and the entourage to leave with him. ¡°Welcome to the real world, chunky.¡± Bushy Beard smirked. ¡°Keep your head low.¡± Less than ten minutes later, the head chef kicked Yu Han out of his own house. ¡°Take this coin. Eating and eating and eating. Shouldn¡¯t have come back.¡± ¡°We gave you a job. My father¡ª¡± He slapped Yu Han across the face. ¡°Get out before I kick you out.¡± The other waiters rolled their sleeves in anticipation. They were all in this together. ¡°You all¡­¡± Yu Han fumed. Never in his two lives had he been stabbed in the back like this. Until now, he had been the one doing the backstabbing. ¡°Y-Young master, let¡¯s go,¡± Jie Tong said. ¡°You¡¯ll stay with me tonight. We can¡­ we can think from there.¡± ¡°Your sister won¡¯t mind?¡± Jie Tong shook his head. ¡°Jie Hua won¡¯t care.¡± They walked into the slums, past the streets, and reached Old Wang¡¯s Daughter¡¯s Cape by the river. According to legend, she had been the greatest beauty in the city. But she had drowned herself here in grief after her man died in a war. The cape was named in her memory. The path was narrow, less than ten meters away from the water. The waves crashed on the beach, the sand uneven under Yu Han¡¯s feet. Nearby, leaves rustled on a lone poplar tree. A small shrine dedicated to the river god stood underneath. It was surrounded by weeds. Perhaps nobody had taken care of it in years. ¡°Do you know how to swim?¡± Yu Han asked. He didn¡¯t expect Jie Tong to live so close to the river. No answer came. The other boy halted, and Yu Han nearly stumbled into him. ¡°Jie Tong?¡± Yu Han said. Jie Tong was silent as he reached for his belt. Then he pulled out a dagger. Chapter 3: Escape Cardio ¡°Jie Tong, y-you¡ª¡± Yu Han stuttered as the other boy sprung forward, holding the blade at waist level and stabbing upwards. The blade rose with a silver flash. Before it could pierce Yu Han¡¯s jaw, he leapt back by sheer instinct. His fat body should not have had such agility, and Yu Han barely kept his balance as the sand shifted. Jie Tong stabbed again from above. This time it hit, cutting into Yu Han¡¯s nose. Yu Han screamed, shoving Jie Tong away like a sumo-wrestler. The dagger left a gash, and blood trickled down to his lips. A metallic taste filled his mouth, but there was no pain. The push sent Jie Tong stumbling back. He tutted. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were this strong,¡± he said. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°We took you in. We gave you a life!¡± Jie Tong spat out the herbs he had been chewing. He tossed the dagger up, then snatched it from mid-air. ¡°You didn¡¯t know I was from the Bloody Grass Gang, did you?¡± Jie Tong smiled. It looked exceptional on his handsome face. ¡°We have a deal with the head chef, you see.¡± ¡°What deal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. You disappear, we get part of the restaurant¡¯s profits.¡± Yu Han shivered. His brother had saved a snake. ¡°Does Jie Hua know?¡± Yu Han asked. Jie Tong¡¯s twin sister was a kind soul, or so she had seemed. Yu Han knelt, his knee giving out, supporting his body with both palms on the sandy shore. Jie Tong frowned. Was that guilt? He threw the dagger up again, and this time when he snatched it, he was already charging at Yu Han. ¡°A dead man shouldn¡¯t speak!¡± Five metres. Three. The distance shrunk. Jie Tong swung the dagger, eyes wide. Yu Han dug his hands into the sand. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dagger came down. Yu Han flung the sand straight at Jie Tong¡¯s face. ¡°!¡± Jie Tong howled, clawing at his eyes. Yu Han¡¯s fist was waiting. It connected with Jie Tong¡¯s jaw. His head snapped back, but before Yu Han could throw another hook, Jie Tong flailed the dagger blindly. Even if he did beat him, what would Yu Han do then? Kill him? Could he? ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Jie Tong snarled, hoisting the dagger in front of him with a shaky grip and rubbing his eye with his other hand. Yu Han clambered to his feet and stepped back, carrying fistfuls of sand. ¡°Get back here!¡± With bloodshot eyes, Jie Tong attacked again. He took out another smaller dagger and held it in a reversed grip. Yu Han hurled more sand. ¡°!¡± This time, Jie Tong flailed even more wildly. Yu Han kept his distance. Any random strike from those blades could be deadly, and he wasn¡¯t about to risk it. He would not last in a battle of attrition either; he was already wheezing as though he had done a marathon. And Jie Tong, even partially blinded now, would recover soon. His flailing looked random, but it blocked Yu Han¡¯s advance in a skillful manner. The guy might have training in self-defence. The sound of the river crashed into his ears, deafening the sound of his beating heart. Jie Tong could not swim. Johan could. As could Yu Han. He acted decisively and dived into the water. An obese body had many weaknesses, but sinking wasn¡¯t one of them. Yu Han paddled furiously. Water surged into his mouth, and blood streamed from the gash on his nose. All his wounds stung. ¡°Coward! Come back and fight like a man!¡± Jie Tong¡¯s shouts rang from the shore. A splash nearby¡ªbarely inches to Yu Han¡¯s right. A dagger! Yu Han couldn¡¯t afford to focus on that. He had to keep moving. He swam. More splashes. Jie Tong was throwing anything he could get his hands on. Yu Han expelled as much air as he could from his lungs, then dived under. Half a minute later, he rose for air, hoping that he had swum more than a couple of feet. ! A stone hit his shoulder. He bit back a cry and kept swimming for the opposite shore. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The river flowed through the city, and it wasn''t the widest. It should have been less than a hundred metres, but it felt like miles. Yu Han risked a look back. He could see Jie Tong on the shore. The other boy glared like an asura, then ran towards the exit of the cape. No bridges connected the slums with the proper parts of the city on the other side. But Yu Han wasn¡¯t the fastest swimmer. If Jie Tong ran fast enough, he might reach the other shore in time to catch him. ¡°Shit,¡± Yu Han cursed, doubling the strokes. Soon, he was so tired he was doggy paddling. After what felt like hours, he reached the water hyacinths and reeds on the river bank. He grabbed a bunch and pulled himself ashore. He was about to collapse. No way in hells could he stay awake. The gash on his nose had also started hurting. The adrenaline must have worn off. It dripped red, and Yu Han grew more light-headed as time passed. He had lost too much blood. But why could he still move? The fatty Yu Han would have long since¡ª Pure Qi Assimilated! Pure Qi: 60/110 Endurance: 5 -> 6 [Body Origin: 4.80 -> 5.00] The sudden system-like status message jolted Yu Han to clarity. ¡°This has to be a VRMMO.¡± He could not pass out here. He didn¡¯t want to test what would happen if he died, virtual reality or not. Either way, there was no log out button. He took stock of his surroundings, coming ashore on muddy ground. With each step, bubbles rose like a swamp, accompanied by a shitty smell. This place was called South Street¡¯s Muddy Shore if his memory served right. To his left, there were a few houses, better than those in the slums, but no noble manors. A small path to the right led towards the city proper. Some riverside stalls were there, markedly empty of customers. The stall owners gave Yu Han strange looks. Some disdainful, some concerned. ¡°Young man, are you okay?¡± an old shopkeeper asked. ¡°Why¡­ aren¡¯t there any customers?¡± Yu Han found it strange. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? The folks are off to try their luck with the Lord Cultivator in the central square. They think if they beg hard enough, he might take some young¡¯uns to their fancy sect places. Fools. That¡¯s obviously only for the noble kids. Whole thing is bad for our business, I tell you. But do you need some¡ªhey!¡± Yu Han bolted. That wiry guy with the City Lord had said there was a recruitment going on. And that every kid under twenty-one must be present. Yu Han pressed his gigantic body into an alley, crawling under a broken fence and climbing out into another street with scraped shoulders, elbows, and knees. There were so many people here. The colours and smells shocked him. This had to be another world. No game was this detailed. As if in a trance, he stumbled forward, his legs heavy like lead, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Each step sent a jolt of pain through his body. The gash on his nose itched, and there was a constant ache where the stone had hit. A playing kid crashed into him, knocking him over. ¡°Hey, watch it!¡± a lady yelled. She splashed Yu Han with a ladle. Probably keeping the dust down. ¡°He said he was in a gang,¡± Yu Han muttered under his breath as he pulled himself up. If he ran at full speed, which wasn¡¯t quick, it would take fifteen to twenty minutes to reach the central square. A horse-drawn wagon whooshed past, and the wheel almost crushed Yu Han¡¯s feet. ¡°Get out of the way, chubby,¡± the wagoneer yelled. Yu Han dodged the vehicle and pushed into the crowded street, weaving through people and animals and raising a chorus of shouts and curses. Jie Tong wouldn¡¯t know Yu Han¡¯s plans. He would search near the shores and follow the clues from there. All he had to do was ask around for a bleeding fatty. And then he could catch up. The NPCs here were assholes. If cultivators here were anything like the stuck-up pricks in those Xianxia stories, they would not appreciate the City Lord misinterpreting their intentions. Yu Han had no place in this city. He¡¯d offended a gang, and probably the city guards too. This was a gamble. If he had talent, he¡¯d be recruited. And which mortal dares defy a cultivator? The hooded man had said that Yu Han had ¡°awakened his spirit root.¡± If that meant what he thought it meant, he could flip all these shitters to hell. Yu Han trudged from one street to another, through alleys and yards, and finally to the main artery of the city. It was alive with activity, children running in the streets, vendors selling their wares, the clatter of carts on cobblestones. Yu Han pushed through the throng. He couldn¡¯t slow down, couldn¡¯t catch his breath, couldn¡¯t¡ª A sharp pain shot through his side, and he doubled over, gasping. He clutched his face, which burned like a hot spike had been driven into it. But he kept running. He was so close! He spotted a narrow alleyway between two buildings and veered into it. It was filled with refuse and discarded trash, the air thick with the stench of rotting food and urine. But it would lead directly to the square! He stumbled over a mouldy log, nearly losing his footing. But when he tried to balance himself, his other foot slipped on something slick, and he barely managed to catch himself against a wall. His hands came away wet and sticky. Blood? No, it was just slime. He wiped his hands on his pants, shivering from more than just the cold. He pressed on, feeling his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He could see the end of the alley up ahead, and less than a hundred feet from that would be the central square. He could already hear the crowd! But as he reached it, a shadow moved, blocking his path. Yu Han skidded to a stop, his heart leaping into his throat. A group of older boys lounged against the wall, each one bigger and tougher than the last. Were they gang members? Same ilk as Jie Tong? One of them, a boy with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. ¡°What¡¯s the rush, tubs?¡± He sneered. ¡°You lost or something?¡± Yu Han¡¯s mind raced. He raised his hands, trying to look non-threatening. ¡°I¡¯m just passing through,¡± he said, his voice cracking. ¡°I don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± The scarred boy laughed, a harsh sound that echoed off the alley walls. ¡°You¡¯re already in trouble, tubs. You see, we got business here. You gotta pay a toll if you wanna see the Lord Cultivator.¡± Yu Han¡¯s heart sank. How long had it been since someone pried money away from his fingers? Too long to count. He took out the coin pouch the Head Chef gave him and tossed it over. ¡°We got a rich kid here!¡± The boy laughed. The rest of them cackled along. He opened the coin pouch, then stared at Yu Han for a long moment. Sweat dripped down Yu Han¡¯s face. Or was it blood? The boy shrugged. ¡°Not enough.¡± ¡°Find me tonight, and I¡¯ll give you the rest.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re talking.¡± The boy grinned, then moved aside. ¡°Go ahead. But you owe us. Where do we find you?¡± ¡°Yu Family¡¯s River Diner. I¡¯m the son.¡± The boy looked stunned, ¡°You¡¯re that¡ªfuck. Take this back.¡± He forced the coin pouch into Yu Han¡¯s hand. ¡°What?¡± Yu Han was confused. Did the guy have bipolar syndrome? ¡°Get out of here. I ain¡¯t no ingrate.¡± Relief washed over Yu Han, so strong it nearly brought him to his knees. He nodded. ¡°Thank you. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± the boy said, waving him off. ¡°Now beat it before I change my mind.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He ran past them, out of the alley and back into the main street. The central square was up ahead, thousands of people gathered around the perimeter. Behind loomed the City God Temple. In the middle, there was a raised platform where a slender man in elaborate robes stood in front of a crystal ball, and around the platform were the city¡¯s nobles, rich, and powerful, each with youths in tow. He would make it. Jie Tong, that sucker, if Yu Han got out of here¡ª ¡°Lookie here,¡± a voice boomed, and someone pushed Yu Han like a bull. He recognised the voice. ¡°To whom do we owe the pleasure?¡± Bushy Beard said, a mocking grin on his face. Chapter 4: Cultivator ¡°Let me pass,¡± Yu Han said. His mind churned, trying to come up with a solution. ¡°Looks like someone hasn¡¯t learned his lesson.¡± Bushy Beard¡¯s voice lowered. He stared down at Yu Han with narrowed eyes. ¡°Lord Cultiv¡ª¡± Yu Han opened his mouth again, but was interrupted by a punch to the forehead. He stumbled back, crying out. ¡°Should¡¯ve left you in the forest to be a wolf snack.¡± Bushy Beard spat on Yu Han¡¯s face. The slime dripped, smelling meaty. Yu Han held in a sob and yelled, ¡°Let me through! Are you going to defy Lord Cultivator¡¯s commands?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Bushy Beard said, ¡°and what commands would those be?¡± He cracked his knuckles, then lifted Yu Han up by his collar. ¡°He¡ª¡± ! Yu Han¡¯s cheek stung. ¡°Go on, why did you stop?¡± Bushy Beard said. ¡°The talent¡ª¡± Another slap, this time on the other cheek. ¡°Quit stalling and speak, fatass.¡± Bushy Beard laughed. ¡°Who the fuck gave you permission to just waltz in here when the nobles are doing their business?¡± ¡°Lord Cultivator ordered that¡ª¡± ! ¡°Every person under twenty-one years¡ª¡± ! ¡°Must show up for talent testing!¡± Bushy Beard threw him on the ground, then kicked him in the gut. ¡°And what the fuck does that have to do with a waif like you? You think you¡¯re fucking worthy? You, a boring bucket of lard?¡± ¡°Y-You dare defy Lord Cultivator?¡± Yu Han swallowed the metallic bile and yelled, ¡°A mere mortal dares? Whether I am worthy or not, it¡¯s for Lord Cultivator to decide!¡± ¡°Y-You!¡± Bushy Beard stammered. ¡°Defiant little bastard. If I say you aren¡¯t worthy, then be it gods or devils or Cultivators or Buddhas, I don¡¯t care¡ªyou ain¡¯t worth shit!¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Han smirked, looking up with a grin as blood and bile leaked from his mouth. ¡°H-Heh.¡± ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Bushy Beard unsheathed a dagger. It was longer than Jie Tong¡¯s fish knife and better made, the shiny edge glinting in the sun. The same knife that Bushy Beard had used to strip his mother¡¯s corpse. ¡°You think your judgement is better than Lord Cultivator¡¯s?¡± Yu Han did his damnedest to sound shocked. ¡°Lord Cultivator this, Lord Cultivator that!¡± Bushy Beard twirled the dagger, the red strings on the handle whipping like lines of blood. ¡°This is Riversong City.¡± He pointed his dagger behind Yu Han. ¡°Listen up, you rats and vermin! Here, it¡¯s the City Lord and us warriors that rule. Not some stranger from another land!¡± A murmur rose from behind. Yu Han looked back. It was the gang with the scarred boy. They had come out of the valley. Pedestrians had gathered around too, breaking off from the outer perimeter of the crowd. They were whispering to each other. With each insult Bushy Beard uttered, the crowd grew louder. Scarred Boy looked like he could barely hold in his rage. The pedestrians had clear anger on their faces too. A sudden pain struck the back of Yu Han¡¯s head. He coughed, collapsing once more. A force pressed down on his neck. Bushy Beard had stepped on him. The pressure on Yu Han¡¯s neck increased, and his vision grew dim. ¡°M-Mother¡­¡± ¡°Your beloved Lord Cultivator is gonna leave, and we¡¯ll still be here. You think after this stunt you pulled, you have any place in the city? I could kill you here for treason, pig bastard,¡± Bushy Beard said. ¡°And even if that sissy on the stage lets you test your talent, if I say no, that¡¯s that! Even a dragon has to bow to a local snake.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A voice drifted into Yu Han¡¯s ears, followed by a chorus of screams and a gurgling sound. Something wet splattered over his body. He gagged as it got into his mouth. Metallic. It was blood. Yu Han¡¯s vision still swam, so he couldn¡¯t see what had happened. But he had a hunch. Slowly, his vision cleared. He tried to get up, but something heavy fell on his body. ¡°Ugh.¡± Yu Han collapsed again, facing a throng of people who ran away. ¡°Quiet,¡± the same voice from before said. And a heavy pressure descended on Yu Han, far stronger than Bushy Beard¡¯s foot. The crowd must have felt it too, as all at once they stopped. One old man fell to his knees, head touching the ground. Soon, more followed, and in less than ten seconds, thousands of people knelt. Scarred Boy fell on his butt with a pale face, while his mates had long run back into the alley. No one uttered a sound. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. A football-shaped object rolled in front of Yu Han. It looked straight at him, a mocking expression stuck on the face for eternity, but pupils glazed over. Bushy Beard¡¯s head. Yu Han pushed Bushy Beard''s headless body off him, taking the dagger sheath in the process. The dagger had fallen to the side, and as Yu Han stood, he took it too. The Cultivator looked like he was barely in his twenties, but was probably older than that. He wore a white robe with golden streaks. Cyan eyes, long hair floating in the wind. He reached out, and the flying sword returned to his outstretched palm. Just like how the Hooded Man had stolen Yu Han¡¯s clam necklace. ¡°You two. Come here,¡± the cultivator commanded. Yu Han gulped. He trudged forward, hanging the dagger at his belt, forcing one foot in front of the other. ¡°Fuck¡ª¡± Scarred Boy¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Touch the talent orb,¡± the cultivator ordered. Yu Han did so, while begging in his heart that the hooded man had not lied. The orb lit up with a red light. The kneeling nobles gasped. A chorus of shocked voices rose. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 0/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 [Body Origin: 5] [Spirit Origin: 7.8] [Mind Origin: 10.8] Traits: [Existential Anchor] Mortal Level 1 [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Mortal Level 10 Qi Affinity Mortal Level 7 Arts: [Deep Sleep] Mortal Level 1 Initial Step Level 1 ¡°Mortal Grade Qi Affinity and a Bloodline. Yet the red light of a Common Talent,¡± the cultivator said. ¡°Not the worst.¡± He then asked, ¡°What is the Bloodline called?¡± ¡°Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline, m-my lord,¡± Yu Han stammered, his brain overheating. The cultivator frowned. ¡°What is the Bloodline Art?¡± ¡°B-Bloodline? It says I only have one Art¡ª¡± ¡°You dare question me?¡± ¡°Deep Sleep, sir!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°No wonder you still have Common Talent, despite a second trait.¡± The cultivator didn¡¯t sound impressed. ¡°Stand there.¡± He gestured where two boys with fancy wardrobes stood alongside a confused girl in pigtails. They were by the grand stairway leading up to the City God Temple. ¡°T-Thank you for your benevolence, Lord Cultivator!¡± Yu Han lowered his head, then stumbled away. He sat down beside the girl, who covered her nose. The two boys looked as if they could strangle him. Yu Han wanted to collapse. He could not. ¡°Touch the orb,¡± the cultivator commanded Scarred Boy next. The boy nodded like his neck was broken, then touched the orb. This time, the light was orange. ¡°Just like the City Lord¡¯s son.¡± ¡°How can a street rat¡ª¡± The shouts drowned out all other sounds. The boy in black and gold robes had an ugly expression. He had the same grey eyes as the City Lord, but his face was more chiselled. The City Lord, kneeling and shaking, looked as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°Refined talent.¡± The cultivator, for the first time, smiled. ¡°Not bad, junior brother. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°L-Li Yao,¡± the scarred boy replied. ¡°Strong name. Go sit with the rest.¡± Li Yao bowed, then escaped to Yu Han. There was a large grin on his face, even as his eyes moved erratically and sweat dripped from his head like he was in a desert. He sat next to Yu Han. The City Lord¡¯s son gave him a venomous look, but Li Yao looked at the sky and kept muttering, ¡°Crazy, crazy. No, for real? Crazy! What are these floating words?¡± ¡°Silence,¡± the cultivator said, and the crowd quietened once more. Not even the cats meowed. ¡°Junior Brother Sima Yan, to be a cultivator, one must cut their mortal ties,¡± the cultivator said. Sima was the family name of the City Lord, and according to his memories, also the surname of the king¡¯s family. ¡°This unworthy one accepts Senior Brother¡¯s teaching,¡± Sima Yan replied. He bowed deeply, perhaps to hide his scowling face from the cultivator. ¡°Your father disobeyed my edict. All under twenty-one must test their talent.¡± ¡°T-that¡ª¡± ¡°What if we had missed Junior Brother Li Yao, with the same Elite Grade Qi Affinity as you? What if he had joined another sect?¡± Sima Yan bowed lower. After a long pause, he said, ¡°That would be undesirable.¡± ¡°What if we missed more talents? Do not think me too cruel, Junior Brother. To give me no face is to give my Stormy Reef Sect no face. What punishment should be appropriate?¡± ¡°This one asks leniency for his foolish father,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°Foolish is not the end of it!¡± the cultivator roared, his voice visibly distorting the atmosphere. He sliced at the City Lord with his palm, and a heart-wrenching screech rose. The City Lord¡¯s right arm flew into the sky, a fountain of blood trailing behind. ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one. Am I clear?¡± the cultivator said. ¡°Y-Your wish is my command,¡± the City Lord whimpered from a puddle of his own blood. ¡°Junior Brother. Remember this: For a mortal to insult a cultivator, his nine generations must die. This mercy will not repeat.¡± ¡°I am forever in your debt.¡± The cultivator harrumphed. Then he gestured at the crowd. ¡°Continue the test.¡± The guards took the City Lord, who had passed out from the pain, away. No one dared to be tardy, and a line formed with both noble scions and commoner children. ¡°Crazy,¡± Li Yao said again. ¡°This can¡¯t be real.¡± Many guards rode off with announcements all throughout the city. One came close; it was the guard commander. ¡°Father,¡± the fancily-dressed kid with Sima Yan said. The guard commander nodded, then whispered something to Sima Yan, whose face had paled. His eyes locked onto Yu Han¡¯s. Johan had seen those eyes many times. Hate. ¡°What¡¯re you looking at, scrub?¡± Yu Han barked with his nastiest impression of a bully. ¡°Junior Brother Yu, was it? If you have something to say, say it. No need to gloat.¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Yu Han rolled his eyes, ¡°Bandits, the lot of you. Leeching us common folks like worms. You know, my whole family was killed by bandits yesterday. My life, everything, gone!¡± ¡°That is unfortunate. What does it have to do with us, though?¡± ¡°That Bushy Beard, he stripped my mother¡¯s corpse and took her necklace. Some guards you are! Meant to protect us, but worse than actual bandits. At least left the bodies alone!¡± Yu Han screamed, tears falling. He mixed truth with lies, and didn¡¯t even have to fake his crying. His family was dead! His voice was carried by the wind to the commoners gathered. The guards looked away. Did they feel shame, or anger from being exposed? Quiet discontent spread like a wave through the commoners, and even Li Yao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You serious?¡± ¡°Junior Brother,¡± Sima Yan said, ¡°we must leave such mortal sentiments behind.¡± ¡°I will, oh I will,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But I ain¡¯t no monster.¡± He grinned. ¡°Because I know that unlike you back-stabbing nobles, there¡¯re good folks out there who know how to repay kindness with kindness. Like my good brother Jie Tong, who we saved from a life in the slums. If not for his kind help, I wouldn¡¯t ever have the idea to plead the Lord Cultivator for justice!¡± Sima Yan, Li Yao, the guard commander, and the city guards nearby all gritted their teeth. ¡°Who?¡± the guard commander asked. ¡°What, surprised? My brother Jie Tong may be part of the Bloody Grass Gang, but he has a heart of pure gold! He knows what you nobles do, every dirty trick, every ounce of cruelty. You rotten leeches aren¡¯t even worth his fart.¡± Yu Han¡¯s smirk stretched across his chubby face. ¡°Didn¡¯t think us common folks could bite? Ha, look at you noble-faced shitters. Daring to defy Lord Cultivator. Serves your father and that Bushy Bastard right!¡± Yu Han cackled. Chapter 5: No Next Time! ¡°Never knew there were this many people in the city,¡± Li Yao said, gesturing at the long line. ¡°Ain¡¯t no way that guy is under twenty-one. Wait, hold the¡ªthat¡¯s the swindler Old Dog Black! He¡¯s middle-aged¡ª¡± ¡°You dare deceive me so blatantly?¡± the cultivator said to the swindler. ¡°My lord¡ª¡± Old Dog Black grinned, rubbing his hands together ¡°¡ªbein¡¯ an immortal¡¯s been a long dream of¡ª¡± The cultivator slashed out with his palm, and Old Dog Black¡¯s head flew into the sky, accompanied by terrified screams of fear. The girl next in line to Old Dog Black fainted. ¡°To even attempt to deceive me is to ask for death. You, mortal, clean up the mess.¡± A guard dragged Old Dog Black¡¯s body away. Before a minute had even passed, the line shrank by a third. ¡°Serves him right,¡± Li Yao cackled. ¡°That guy had no mercy. Whether woman or children, he would¡ª¡± Li Yao¡¯s voice droned into the background. He kept talking even when someone from the crowd threw him a letter tied to a rock. Yu Han¡¯s head grew groggier, but he forced himself awake. This was nothing, just a little pain. What was it compared to all those all-nighters doing his Ph.D.? Yu Han checked over the faces of each candidate. For ninety-nine percent, the orb didn¡¯t glow. The day neared afternoon, and the last candidate touched the orb. No light. ¡°Disperse.¡± The cultivator¡¯s voice echoed, and no one dared to stay. The central square became empty in record time. Only two boys had passed the test after, both with Common Talent, and both were glaring murderously at Yu Han. ¡°You, come here,¡± the cultivator said to one of them, a buff teen with a curly stubble. This one had been glaring murder at the cultivator too. He was the kid the guards had dragged in for the test. ¡°That insolent man, what was he to you?¡± the cultivator asked. The buff teen didn¡¯t reply for a long time, gritting his teeth so hard cracking sounds rang out. ¡°My brother,¡± he said finally. Yu Han wanted to run up to whatever god or game developer was setting up this scenario and give him a piece of his mind. ¡°The way of a true cultivator is to root out karmic ill-will by the ninth bloodline.¡± The cultivator unsheathed his sword and placed it at the teen¡¯s neck. ¡°Tell me one reason I should keep you alive.¡± ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll kill you one day?!¡± the teen screamed, unable to hold it in. ¡°You, and you!¡± He pointed at the cultivator, then at Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill both of¡ª¡± The cultivator snapped his finger, and the teen passed out. ¡°Has guts, this one. The Stormy Reef Sect has use for such fodder. Junior Brother Sima, take him to the ship. Does he have family?¡± ¡°My lord¡ª¡± the guard commander¡¯s son started, but Sima Yan stopped him. ¡°Their parents died of old age many years ago.¡± ¡°No wife?¡± ¡°The brother was the type to spend all his salary on brothel flowers.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you mercy, but your debt grows, Junior Brother,¡± the cultivator said. ¡°And you, big one.¡± Yu Han forced himself up. ¡°Sir, please give me orders.¡± ¡°The ship has a mortal doctor. Get yourself treated. Your life belongs to the sect now. All of yours. Understood?¡± Yu Han, Sima Yan, Sima Yan¡¯s lackey, the pig-tailed girl, Li Yao, and the remaining boy with a head shaved like a monk, all nodded. Jie Tong hadn¡¯t shown up, even at the end. Finally, the guards had done something useful. *** The ship was a wooden behemoth, overshadowing all other vessels at the port. Its hull was dark, with swirling patterns on the planks polished to a sheen, and towering masts piercing the sky. The figurehead, an azure dragon coiling around a trident, gleamed with sapphire eyes. Chinese calligraphy lined the edges, faintly glowing in the midday sun, along with ornate cannons larger than any Yu Han had seen. Yu Han stepped aboard. The deck was wide, with rows of kids who all bowed the moment the cultivator set foot aboard. They should all be younger than twenty-one. Surprisingly, no one appeared to be under fifteen. Aren''t pre-teens qualified for cultivation? ¡°We greet Senior Brother Qiao Jinhai!¡± They scattered, some practising martial arts, others meditating. More chatted among themselves, clumped up in small groups. All appraised Yu Han and the new arrivals. To the left, a grand staircase led below deck. He followed it down, finding the mess hall filled with long tables; the clatter of chopsticks echoed with slurps and gulps. The kitchen was there too, and through a side door, the living quarters. Yu Han noted both for later. Farther down, the barracks. He moved aft, reaching the training hall on the same level, a spacious area with weapon racks lining the walls. There was no steel, though¡ªall wood. ¡°Excuse me, Senior Brother. Do you know where the doctor is?¡± Yu Han asked the person who had the gentlest-looking face among those training. ¡°Polite guy, aren¡¯t you? One down. It¡¯s a room marked with a green ginseng.¡± ¡°Gratitudes.¡± The doctor was an old man wearing a peculiar robe¡ªthe same robe the individuals who had been serving food to the youths in the mess hall wore. Same as those cleaning the ship deck. ¡°My word, lad, how are you still standing? Even the starting Heavenly Allocation shouldn¡¯t be¡ªhold still, fool!¡± the doctor said. He dipped a silver rod into a blue concoction bubbling in a cauldron, applied the glue-like liquid to a cloth patch, then stuck it on Yu Han¡¯s nose. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. It stung like crazy. And oh, the smell! Sharp and acrid, like burning rubber mixed with rotting garlic. Yu Han gagged and his eyes watered, but the blurry vision didn¡¯t hamper the ¡°status screen,¡± or whatever it was. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 0/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 [Body Origin: 5.00] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 10.80] All he had to do was think ¡°status.¡± He tried other phrases, too; system, menu, stats, and even hello, bot, Jarvis. As long as the intention was there, it seemed to work with any phrase. After he had come ashore, there was a system message about Pure Qi and Endurance, but when he touched the orb and the larger screen appeared, nothing about Endurance was there. He concentrated on the Pure Qi word. There was a feeling of half fullness, but nothing else. He then concentrated on Body Origin. [Body Origin: 5.00] Endurance: 6 Vitality: 6 Strength: 4 Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 The Body Origin had a decimal, while the rest didn¡¯t. Yu Han patted his tummy. It. Fucking. Wiggled. His Instagram model ex had left him for a short, fat janitor who cleaned the gym they worked out at. He made less than 1% in a year of what Johan did in a month. The guy had apparently ¡°treated her right.¡± After the breakup, he used to call that guy a ¡°half-foot tubby.¡± It was petty jealousy. After Johan got boo¡¯ed out of the gym by the gym-bros, he had pulled some strings to get the janitor fired. Maybe this was karma. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now he was the half-foot tubby. From a hundred and eighty-five centimetres with a Greek god body to¡­ this. Yu Han held in his tears. He concentrated on the other two origin stats. [Mind Origin: 10.80] Intelligence: 13 Memory: 15 Perception: 10 Clarity: 7 Focus: 9 [Spirit Origin: 7.80] Adaptability: 15 Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 8 Purity: 5 ¡°Whoa,¡± Yu Han exclaimed. ¡°Hold it in, young man,¡± the old man said. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt for long.¡± ¡°T-Thanks,¡± Yu Han said. His Mind Origin stat was particularly high, the only one higher than 10. Spirit Origin wasn¡¯t bad, with a high Adaptability substat. These were substats, right? He didn¡¯t know if this system status screen was a unique cheat, or if others had it too. . Adaptability and Memory were his highest, both at 15. His Intelligence was 13 too. Yu Han grinned. He knew it was an ego boost, but if only he could show his ex this screen¡­ She didn¡¯t have high regards for his brains. They used to fight day and night about this. Even after all the time and money he invested in her career, she wanted to drag Johan to some crappy ¡°¡®emotional intelligence¡±¡¯ therapy sessions. Johan didn¡¯t need a therapist to tell him he was smart. This was a matter of reputation. ¡°Mean Johan needed band-aids for his feelings cause his girlfriend said so, boo-hoo!¡± God forbid¡­ What would his friends say if they found out? He would be laughed out of their mahjong club. Last he heard, she was married to that fat guy. Bitch. Yu Han¡¯s mood fell. He tinkered with the numbers in his mind. The ¡°Origins¡± were primaries, perhaps. They seemed to be some kind of¡­ mean? Median? Yu Han had been burned by data before, so he always double-checked the mean. He¡¯d had one too many hard lessons trusting them as they were. These buggers might appear unweighted at first glance, but before he knew it, the weights would change after more data was added and suddenly the company would have a six million dollar blunder. If he didn¡¯t blame the entire ordeal on ¡®poor teamwork¡¯ and ¡®a lack of communication¡¯, that would have been it for him. It was less stressful for Yu Han to think of them as weighted averages with equal weights, not just an innocent, unweighted mean. He needed a pen and paper. Yu Han then concentrated on the Traits and Arts. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0/1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 0/800 Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 0/200 What the hell was True Qi? Why were there no Pure Qi? Traits didn¡¯t have mastery, while Arts did. His Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline trait was at Mortal Grade, Level 10. The rest had different levels. Does that mean he could level up? The VRMMO theory was getting stronger by the second. And¡­ ¡°Requirements not satisfied¡­¡± Yu Han muttered. This was the Trait the cultivator couldn¡¯t see. ¡°No big movements, and don¡¯t get your nose wet, you hear me? It¡¯s going to leave a scar unless you get an elixir. Take this pill for three days and sleep,¡± the old man said, then kicked him out of the room. Yu Han stood in front of the door, stroking his chin. ¡°What requirements?¡± Asking the cultivator was risky. After all, how could he ¡°dare?¡± He liked his head on his neck. The guy wouldn¡¯t even explain what a Bloodline was. It was like those junk food Xianxia stories. Sects were supposed to be educational institutions, but they hoarded knowledge like paid journals. Yu Han made his way back to the deck. In the mess hall, he asked one of those robed waiters if he could take some food. ¡°Y-Yes, lord. All these are for you cultivators!¡± ¡°Do you have red chilli powder?¡± There was a girl slurping down a stew that oozed red fumes. It gave Yu Han an idea. The waiter gaped, then nodded. ¡°Can you bring me some?¡± Yu Han got a fried dough stick and a few small pouches of red chilli powder. He ate on the deck; the ship had set sail. The city folks beat drums and blew Chinese flutes and trumpets. Was it a grand farewell, or were they saying good riddance? The cultivator was like a calamity, after all. That old shopkeeper¡¯s words rang in his ears. Yu Han kept his distance from the other recruits, and no one approached. Did Dad hear about the meteor? He would cry, even if none of his other siblings would. Would they? They didn¡¯t like him, but they never said they hated him. He had six siblings in his life as Johan. They would take care of Dad. They were better humans. Yu Han had one sister, married to a travelling merchant. How would she react when the news of what happened to their parents and eldest brother reached her? ¡°You crazy son of a bitch,¡± a voice said from behind. Li Yao patted Yu Han¡¯s back, then held him in a bear hug. ¡°You nasty motherfucker!¡± His laughter boomed. ¡°Take your hand off that dagger, tubs. This father, Li Yao, isn¡¯t an ingrate like the guards.¡± ¡°You want my money again?¡± Li Yao spat over the ship¡¯s edge. ¡°You tricked me good. Go to your family¡¯s diner at night? Hah, don¡¯t blame you.¡± ¡°Why did you give me the coins back?¡± ¡°You gave me food once. For free. Damn, was I starving. I ate my shoes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yu Han sometimes gave leftovers away to those who couldn¡¯t pay. His parents praised his virtues. It disgusted the Johan part of him, but maybe this kind of thing wasn¡¯t totally useless. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your tantrum, we non-fancy kids would never get the chance to test our talents either. Now look at me, a ¡®Refined Talent!¡¯ Did you see the look on Sima Yan¡¯s face?¡± ¡°It was a coincidence.¡± ¡°I know. I thought you were na?ve, giving away food for free. But turns out you¡¯re vicious, and hella smart, tubs. And I like smart people. Tell me if anyone bothers you. This father, Li Yao swears that they¡¯ll have to get through me first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Yu Han¡¯s eyes focused on the river shore. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Li Yao followed his gaze. There was a hooded person. It wasn¡¯t his parents¡¯ murderer, but it was someone he knew. Behind the young man was a horse, on which hung a girl, bandaged from head to toe and covered in rags. Even her eyes were bandaged, with red blood leaking out. Was she dead? The youth removed his hood. Bruised, battered, he shed tears of blood. His mouth opened. Yu Han couldn¡¯t hear him. It was too far. But he knew what the youth, Jie Tong, said. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Yu Han touched his nose where the patch was. It hurt. The old man said it would leave a scar. ¡°Come and try, asshole,¡± Yu Han said back. He¡¯d be ready. Chapter 6: Status "Jie Tong, that snake,¡± Li Yao said, ¡°He escaped.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Yu Han asked. Both boys were in gangs, so that wasn¡¯t strange. Still, small world. ¡°There¡¯s no kid in the Riversong underworld that doesn¡¯t know about the Jie twins. They¡¯ve been lying low for a while. It wasn¡¯t until you blabbered about your ¡°good brother Jie Tong¡± that I realised what he was up to.¡± Li Yao waved a piece of paper in front of Yu Han. It was the rock-tied letter someone from the crowd had thrown at Li Yao. ¡°You¡¯re one vindictive son of a bow. What did he do to you?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°You ruined him.¡± ¡°He did this to my nose,¡± Yu Han said. If Elder Brother was alive, would Jie Tong try the same thing? He¡¯d always looked up to him. Or pretended to. No changing a snake. Yu Han was one, though he bit people more through numbers and fine print than physical daggers. ¡°No wonder,¡± Li Yao said, shaking his head. He tapped the fencing on the bulwark in a peculiar rhythm. ¡°They got his sister first.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s dead?¡± Yu Han asked. He felt a slight pang. Jie Hua didn¡¯t try to kill him¡ªshe was always kind. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad, tubs. She¡¯s a vicious bitch,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Works with poison. And, well, they got her another way. Probably still alive, knowing those two. They¡¯re like cockroaches.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Yu Han paled and gripped the railing hard. What was done was done. ¡°The moment the Bloody Grass execs heard of your little tantrum, they knew the Jie siblings would be hot potatoes. So one exec knocked her out while she was in the middle of a job. He and his goons had their way with her, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Better if she died.¡± ¡°I disagree, tubs. If you¡¯re alive, you can always get back at them. See the shock on their face as you pull out the dagger.¡± Li Yao patted Yu Han¡¯s back like they had known each other for years. ¡°That¡¯s what Jie Hua did while the guy was pulling his tiny dagger out, get me? This guy had been courting Jie Hua for years, but I guess love turned to hate in front of coin. They were taking turns and thought she was out cold, but the bitch had a trump card. And when it was the exec¡¯s turn again, she used it. She was too weak after that, though, and the rest gave her a vicious beatdown. Didn¡¯t kill her, though. She was worth a lot. Jie Tong killed them somehow, then escaped with a horse.¡± ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Yu Han asked. It hadn¡¯t been many hours since Yu Han set Jie Tong up and the letter was delivered to Li Yao. The other boy grinned, his scar stretching, though it made him look oddly friendly. ¡°We¡¯re rats. We hide and peek. Don¡¯t worry about them for now. We¡¯ll be dragons henceforth. Cultivators! Don¡¯t you feel the power after that, what was it, Heavenly Allocation thing? What can two vengeful mortals do, throw sand at us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate sand, Li Yao. It¡¯s effective.¡± The living quarters were one floor down, same floor as the mess hall and kitchen. It occupied the area right below the captain¡¯s quarters in the aft of the ship. ¡°This ship is bigger than a luxury liner,¡± Yu Han gasped. Li Yao had decided that they¡¯d share the same cabin. It was part of a bigger wardroom, with nine other cabins in this one, and over ten wardrooms in total. Only the shabbiest wardrooms had recruits living in them, the best still empty. ¡°A what now?¡± Li Yao asked. He marvelled at a candle that had lit by itself. ¡°Nothing, just talking to myself.¡± That was a slip of the tongue. Yu Han did not trust Li Yao. Li Yao jumped onto the bed. ¡°Damn fine feather. Cultivators are rich. You think Qiao Jinhai owns all of this, or his sect does?¡± ¡°Maybe both. He said we were sect property. Might mean he¡¯s sect property too. And anything he owns,¡± Yu Han said. He sat down on his bed slowly. His back cracked, and there was a strange pull on the left side of his neck. It. Fucking. Hurt. ¡°You need to lose that?¡± Li Yao said with a grin. ¡°Lose what?¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao gestured at all of him. Yu Han clenched his fist. If he could, he would punch that grin in. Johan didn¡¯t care about feelings, but Yu Han had been mocked all his life for his body. It didn¡¯t feel good. But Li Yao was right. Swimming had increased his endurance substat. That meant that in this world, at least for cultivators, one could see improvements in bodily parameters as numerical representations. And Johan was great with parameters that had numerical representations. He could put it on a spreadsheet. ¡°Gonna get some food.¡± Li Yao jumped up. ¡°Keep that dagger close, tubs.¡± With that, he was off. Yu Han blew out the candle. Only the moon and starlight leaked in through the circular window, alongside the sound of water splashing against the ship¡¯s hull. There was a quiet murmur from somewhere. Dinner was served all night long. Luxurious. Yu Han heaved his weight up the bed. Even such a minor task seemed herculean now. Then how the hell was he going like a machine the whole day? Cultivator bullshit? If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I¡¯m really¡­ here now.¡± He stared at the ceiling. A tear welled up, but he hurriedly wiped it away. His new life had begun. His old had ended with the snap of a finger, no explanations given. What was that green meteor? Why did that hooded man kill Yu Han¡¯s family without provocation? Whether it was Yu Han or Johan, neither had any answers. They would live as one. As a cultivator. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Maybe if they became strong enough one day, they could rip the fabric of reality off like the protagonists did in the stories, and see if this world really was a virtual reality experiment. Until then, he needed sleep. It had been a long day. *** Yu Han found himself standing in a white space. Above, there was a ceiling that looked like the inside of a clam¡¯s shell. It had some darker greys lining the ridges. Under his feet, the ground was soft and pillowy in some places, and hard-like asphalt in others. ¡°Is this the waiting screen?¡± Yu Han said out loud. ¡°Logout! Help! Report error!¡± Nothing. Maybe it was the hub area or lobby, the designated ¡°safe zone¡± between missions? Where were the NPCs? He wouldn¡¯t mind some kind of immortal master in his dreams or¡­ anything, really. ¡°Hello?¡± Not even crickets. ¡°Did I transmigrate again? Are you guys gonna put me in another VR game? Status!¡± Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 0/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 [Body Origin: 5.00] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 10.80] Yu Han sat down. It was the same game. He pinched his cheeks. It hurt¡ªso it wasn¡¯t adream. ¡°Think,¡± he told himself. ¡°What happened? Analyse the series of events.¡± He was in pain. He¡¯d blown out the candle. He cried, just a bit. Then he¡¯d fallen asleep. ¡°Gather the key words. Try to find a match.¡± The cultivator from Stormy Reef Sect, Qiao Jinhai. He sounded like an arrogant prick, but not a prankster. He wouldn¡¯t gain anything by doing this. Yu Han ¡°awakened¡± his spirit root and memories as Johan in the middle of dying. The hooded man had stolen his clam necklace. Was that some kind of mystical treasure that caused his spirit root to activate? The other candidates like Li Yao only saw the floating characters after touching the orb. Speaking of clams, though¡­ Yu Han brought up his traits. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Mortal Level 1 [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Mortal Level 10 [Qi Affinity] Mortal Level 7 Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline. That clam necklace definitely had something to do with his awakening. And Qiao Jinhai had mentioned something else. Bloodline art. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Mortal Level 1 Initial Step Level 1 Deep Sleep. Was this what it meant? ¡°I¡¯m lucid when asleep?¡± Was this his special ability? Being trapped alone in a white void while his mind should be resting? Losing sleep was no joke! Johan was the type who couldn¡¯t give a shit about sleep if it meant working more hours, first during his PhD, then in the company. That had lasted until he started losing his gains. Several podcast episodes on sleep later, it was his new favourite hobby! And now his special bloodline superpower was losing sleep. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± Yu Han slapped his cheek. Yup, still hurt. There were positives too. He would effectively have twice the time of most people. Well, in the stories, cultivators didn¡¯t need food or sleep when they were strong enough. Maybe in the long run, that would negate any advantage his Deep Sleep Art would provide¡ªif this really was caused by Deep Sleep. He concentrated on the words. [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 0/200 Nothing changed. It had Deep in the name, so it wasn¡¯t a bad guess that it was related to Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline. ¡°But Writhing Clams¡­ what even are they? Qiao Jinhai was not impressed. Are they some kind of monsters, like that dog-thing?¡± Their family had two heirlooms. The clam necklace and the booklet. If the clam was special, maybe the booklet was too? Yu Han had it in his pocket before falling asleep. He reached inside. It was empty. He didn¡¯t bring it inside his dream. For a second, his enthusiasm waned. ¡°Wait a minute. If I didn¡¯t have the booklet, why do I have my clothes on?¡± As he said that, something felt heavy in his pocket. He reached inside again, and there it was, the booklet! It was fuzzy and blurry, as if glitching. He traced the edges and felt the pressure of his fingers against the paper. The texture, the scent¡ªwithout a doubt, it was his family heirloom. ¡°This¡­ could be useful.¡± Suddenly, more text appeared in front of his eyes. Requirements Met! Auxiliary Art Learned! Echoing Dreamscape (-> Existential Anchor, Deep Sleep) ¡°Oh my god. Game-master, I¡¯ll give you a million dollars. Just let me out of this hellhole!¡± Yu Han yelled into the white space. ¡°Ten million? I¡¯ll even throw in the Nexus Assurance name for the trials!¡± Still no reply. ¡°Fine, have it your way, jerks.¡± Unlike other VRMMO games, the Arts and Traits here¡ªwere they skills?¡ªdidn¡¯t have any descriptions. A lot could be gleaned from names. ¡°Dreamscape.¡± The system message had the line: Echoing Dreamscape (-> Existential Anchor, Deep Sleep) So this new Auxiliary Art had something to do with Deep Sleep, the Bloodline art, and Existential Anchor, a Trait which was bugged out in the screen with a ¡°Requirements not satisfied¡± message. ¡°If this landscape is a dream, what can it echo?¡± What was an echo? It was a reverberation of a sound. A reflection of reality. A parallel, a fake. Yu Han imagined Jie Tong standing four feet away. A mirage of a boy appeared, holding a blurry stick that vaguely resembled a dagger. ¡°A dead man shouldn¡¯t speak!¡± a distant voice called. The mirage faded a second later, passing through Yu Han as if charging. He felt a slight prick on his nose where the dagger had stabbed in real life, but no sensation elsewhere on his body. Yu Han tried again. With the Guard Commander, Bushy Beard, Head Chef, Sima Yan, Li Yao, Qiao Jinhai. With each iteration, the reflections got clearer, though they still only lasted seconds. ¡°I can echo what I¡¯ve seen in reality,¡± Yu Han murmured. ¡°And echo only the sensations that occurred in real life. If Jie Tong¡¯s dagger stabs my chest, I feel nothing. But on my nose, it hurts¡ªthough the pain is muted, as if felt through an illusion.¡± Was it eidetic, the details true to nanoscale? Or was it like actual dreams, Yu Han¡¯s brain interpolating the gaps in memory, just like how missing values were filled in using mean imputation? Yu Han concentrated on his hands. A piece of yellow paper and a brush dipped in ink appeared. They glitched. He quickly sketched Asuka from Evangelion. Then his dad. Father, mom, elder brother, each of Johan¡¯s six siblings. Objects lasted longer. But after about ten minutes, they vanished. Could this dream only reflect what saw? Yu Han looked up at the sky of the white space. It shimmered. All around, there was a blurry forest. To the left, a shrine. Above, a meteor. Rotten wood. Obsidian skull. Green fire. Skin burnt, flesh peeled off his skeleton. It crashed into the earth. The white space shattered, and Yu Han lost consciousness. Chapter 7: Unpaid Johan slammed the door to the greenhouse open. Dad was there, watering the carrots. ¡°Why did you sell the mansion?¡± Johan demanded. ¡°For capital. The company needs funds,¡± came Dad¡¯s low voice, as if he hadn¡¯t ruined his life¡¯s work on a whim. ¡°Then why did you give that capital away?¡± ¡°It was salary, not a giveaway. The employees built the company. They deserve proper pay.¡± ¡°If you had fired some of them, then we wouldn¡¯t have to¡ª¡± ¡°Johan, listen,¡± Dad said, and Johan stopped. ¡°Even without the mansion, we can live. But the factory workers, their families, they would starve without the pay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re their employer, not their caretaker. This isn¡¯t rational,¡± Johan said. ¡°You¡¯re breaking apart our family to save some strangers! If Mum was here, she would never agree to this.¡± Dad sighed. Johan felt a pang of guilt in his heart for bringing up Mum. But he didn¡¯t back down. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Dad finally said. ¡°If I sacrificed the employees, we could get out alive and unhurt.¡± But there was no guilt in his voice. He stood firm in his conviction. ¡°But that¡¯s not how you live.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± . Johan pressed down on his temples, feeling the throb. ¡°It¡¯s a lonely and boring life. Even if you succeed, there will be no one to enjoy that success with you. It¡¯s all meaningless,¡± Dad said. ¡°Nonsense.¡± Johan walked out. More than a decade later, Johan admitted Dad was right. *** +1 True Qi +2 Arts True Qi -> Deep Sleep +205 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape ¡°You okay, tubs?¡± Li Yao shook Yu Han. The headache was agonising. It was as if someone had hit him with a hammer. ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°This daddy Li Yao is not your father.¡± Red and blue spots fluttered in Yu Han¡¯s vision, and he groaned. It felt like a hangover dialled to eleven. What the heck happened? His hand instinctively reached for the dagger. ¡°Stop that. Did you hit your head or something?¡± Li Yao said, prying the dagger from Yu Han¡¯s hand and setting it on the bed. ¡°Go to the doctor.¡± ¡°Get away,¡± Yu Han slurred. His vision slowly focused. Li Yao shrugged, then pointed at Yu Han¡¯s nose and ears. Yu Han touched them. His fingers came away with red flakes. Dried blood. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Yu Han said. He got out of the bed in a haze. ¡°You need help, tubs?¡± Yu Han said something, but he didn¡¯t know what. Nor did he know how he stumbled his way to the doctor. ¡°Did you overuse your Art, young man? This is why young¡¯uns are¡­¡± the old doctor trailed off, clicking his tongue. ¡°You need to be careful. Your Qi is completely depleted.¡± ¡°Uh, is that so?¡± Yu Han said. The hangover-like feeling was fading. What remained was a dull throb. He brought up the status screen. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 1/110 Pure Qi: 50/110 ¡°Do you mean True Qi?¡± he asked the old man. ¡°Not that. But the spiritual energy every being possesses. You cultivators can control it, but us mortals¡­¡± The old doctor shook his head. ¡°As for True Qi, this old servant can¡¯t mention sect secrets. Be patient. The masters at Verdant Blade will teach you when the time is right.¡± He gave Yu Han three more pills and some exercises. Yu Han left without asking about Pure Qi and Tribulations. He would need to know more about the unwritten rules of the trade before sharing anything that might be a secret. After all, he had gotten Pure Qi after killing that creature. While he was going up the stairs, the voice of Qiao Jinhai echoed. ¡°Every disciple shall gather on deck within the burning of an incense stick.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. How long was that? Wouldn¡¯t it depend on the make of the stick? Yu Han trotted up, holding the guardrails. There was a thick rope coiled at the bottom, lining the edge between the stairs and the wooden wall. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 2/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 5/300 Was the headache-like side effect the result of staying ¡°conscious¡± throughout his sleep, or Qi depletion, like the old doctor said? Or was it that green meteor? The moment Yu Han thought of the meteor, the headache worsened. After a few deep breaths, he could think again. He barely earned any True Qi for Deep Sleep. But Echoing Dreamscape had a Mastery of ¡°Initial Step Level 2.¡± Since Deep Sleep started at ¡°Initial Step Level 1,¡± and his True Qi for it was 2/200 after gaining +2 Arts True Qi, it was a safe guess to assume that Echoing Dreamscape also started at Level 1 with 0/200. And after he gained 205, 200 went into levelling up, leaving 5 extra. Yu Han covered his face with his hands. The sun was too bright. The chatter hurt his ears. The wooden deck under his feet rocked in an unsteady rhythm. He thought he might belch. Qiao Jinhai sat cross-legged at the front of the deck while recruits got into neat rows. Behind him was the Branching Dragon River, with other far smaller vessels moving out of the way like scurrying ants before an elephant. On the horizon, the silhouette of a city. Echoing Dreamscape started with the Grade ¡°Mortal Level 9.¡± The Grade of the Art didn¡¯t show any changes despite the Arts True Qi gain, nor did the Grade have a progress bar. On the other hand¡­ [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0/1100 For this Trait, there was a True Qi progress bar under Grade. And from Qiao Jinhai¡¯s words previously, his Deep Sleep Bloodline Art was connected to the Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline Trait. But despite the Art gaining True Qi, the Trait didn¡¯t change. Why? Too many questions, and all he had were conjectures. Not enough answers. There was a pattern in the numbers, though. And patterns made Yu Han giddy. He rubbed his temple and closed his eyes, trying to visualise a word document with bullet points. The status window was open too. According to the status screen, to level up the Deep Sleep Art from Level 1 to Level 2, he would need 200 Arts True Qi. And for Echoing Dreamscape, the requirement was 300 Arts True Qi from Level 2 to Level 3. Something else followed this pattern. The Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline, which had the Grade of Mortal Level 10, showed a True Qi progress of 0/1100. The next level to 10 was 11, and a hundred times 11 was 1100, which checked out. There was an issue with this guess. The level under his name, assuming it was his ¡°character level,¡± was 0, with the True Qi showing 1/110. The next level would be 1, and 1 times a hundred was 100. Where did the extra ten come from? Yu Han had overlooked something. What was it? Coming from an era where he had the answer to all questions in his pocket, it was frustrating that he simply couldn¡¯t Google a solution. ¡°I¡¯ll never take tech for granted.¡± ¡°What¡¯re you muttering about, tubs?¡± Li Yao appeared from nowhere and patted his shoulder. ¡°Numbers,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You need better hobbies. I plan to check out the training floor after this. Join me. I¡¯ll teach you how to use that dagger,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°The dagger owner¡¯s little brother eyes you wherever you go, like a hungry mutt. You might need it soon.¡± Li Yao pointed at Bushy Beard¡¯s brother, who stood with Sima Yan and the guard commander¡¯s son. Their eyes met. Yu Han shuddered. ¡°Daggers are for stabbing. Knives are for slashing, right?¡± Yu Han asked the taller boy. Or teen. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Seventeen. And yeah, daggers stab. But no one said you couldn¡¯t slash with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m older.¡± By either one year or a couple of decades. Was he a wizened old uncle or a fat little kid now? ¡°You want this daddy to call you Senior Brother?¡± Li Yao got into line behind Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until Qiao Jinhai is done, then we can fight it out.¡± Was that a joke? Yu Han patted his pocket full of pouches. That was a joke, right? ¡°Quiet,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. He levitated to his feet. ¡°Before we reach the next city, I will announce the rules you must follow. The disciples recruited earlier than Riversong already know this, but it is worth repeating. Because failure to adhere will mean punishment, if not death.¡± He walked between the rows of recruits like a drill sergeant. ¡°One: No conflict within the ship. The Ver¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai coughed ¡°¡ªStormy Reef sect has yearly tournaments. All disputes shall be settled there. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A deafening chorus rang out. Yu Han was slow to reply, as were Li Yao and the rest from Riversong. Qiao Jinhai continued. ¡°Two: The sect has its own Cultivation Arts which you will receive when we reach the sect. No other Cultivation Arts are allowed! If we discover you have studied something else, the lightest punishment would be the crippling of your cultivation base, am I clear?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± This time, the recruits from Riversong City replied in time. ¡°Three: The ship has formations to gather the natural Qi. Just by being on the ship, your body will assimilate the Qi into True Qi. Many of you must have earned some by now. Those from Riversong, report your True Qi gain with your name, one by one. If I find out that you have lied, I shall cut off your tongue. You.¡± Qiao Jinhai pointed at the first recruit on the row. ¡°Junior Brother Sima, start.¡± ¡°Three. Sima Yan,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°Two. Pang Jiming,¡± the guard commander¡¯s son said. ¡°Two. Ma San,¡± said Bushy Beard¡¯s brother. ¡°T-two. Guo Yexi,¡± said the girl with the pigtails. ¡°Two. Chen Da,¡± the kid with a side of his head shaved, shouted. ¡°¡­One. Yu Han,¡± Yu Han said. Sima Yan and Bushy Beard¡¯s brother whispered to each other. ¡°Four! Li Yao!¡± Li Yao shouted out with a grin. The murmurs rose, and Sima Yan¡¯s relaxed look changed into a scowl. As did Yu Han¡¯s. ¡°What? No need to be jealous,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°If you beat this daddy in a fight, you can be the senior brother.¡± Yu Han corrected his expression, while Sima Yan pursed his lips as if he had eaten something sour. ¡°Four: Only those with a True Qi gain of one are allowed to disembark, though I highly advise not to. In the path to immortality, insects like you will need every advantage you can get. Especially during the first year in the sect,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°If you still want to disembark, you must be back on ship before I am. Or I shall count that as desertion, and the punishment is capital. The same if any with a True Qi gain over one disembarks. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The agreement was accompanied by laughter, as a few people hid their faces. They were grouped together near the back. Were they fellow ones? It seemed there were not many who were even qualified to disembark. ¡°Okay, now disperse¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai stopped. ¡°I¡¯ll need one of you to come with me. Decide amongst yourselves. You have five minutes.¡± Qiao Jinhai sat down and closed his eyes. ¡°You good enough to train, tubs?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°No large movements. But I¡¯ll train. I¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, Fatty.¡± One large boy with a cleft lip approached Yu Han. ¡°I heard you had a gain of one despite having a Bloodline?¡± There were some stifled laughs. ¡°What do you want?¡± Yu Han said. The boy strode to the group that had looked embarrassed when Qiao Jinhai mentioned who could disembark. Yu Han had planned to rest up like the old doctor had advised. He had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Senior Brother Qiao, we have unanimously decided that Junior Brother Yu Han shall join you,¡± Cleft Lips shouted. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Big one,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°Report back in an hour at the gangway.¡± What could he do? He sent a venomous look at Cleft Lips. ¡°I¡¯ll do as Senior Brother says.¡± Qiao Jinhai clapped, the sound waves spreading out in visible ripples. ¡°That is all. Disperse.¡± Chapter 8: Yellow Cow ¡°You¡¯re grabby with your hands, Tubs,¡± Li Yao said. He picked up three dumplings with his chopsticks and threw them into his mouth. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Han asked. He slurped his spicy braised beans, his face smoking red. ¡°You look like you want to throw that at someone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate throwing stuff.¡± Especially if it was piping hot soup. Aim for the eyes, and they¡¯d be on the floor screaming. Yu Han made popping sounds with his lips. The hot chilli seemed to cool his anger. He ignored the snickering from the other kids and made his way to the deck. Qiao Jinhao floated up. With a wave of the cultivator¡¯s hands, the gangway opened up, and a bridge extended down like stairs. There was already a line of fancily dressed nobles waiting at the pier. No one dared to make a sound. There were no dock workers around. A portly man with a fu manchu stepped up. ¡°Lord Cultivator. This one from Three Whiskers City welcomes¡ª¡± ¡°Gather all under twenty-one,¡± Qiao Jinhai interrupted. ¡°We shall conduct the talent test at the central square before the City God Temple, where the feng shui is the strongest.¡± He floated down, and the mortals gasped. Yu Han had to run down the stairs to keep up. He wheezed, looking back at the ship. The coiling azure dragon figurehead stared back. No one was on deck to see him off. By the time they reached the central square, he was coughing and choking. ¡°Junior Yu,¡± the cultivator said to him, ¡°this one shall cultivate, as I am close to a breakthrough.¡± He waved his hands, and the talent-testing orb appeared from nowhere, perched on a wooden pedestal. ¡°For all whose talent makes the orb glow, have them wait. Do not touch the orb. Do not let any talent get away. I will ascertain their exact traits on the ship, where eyes are fewer.¡± Qiao Jinhai grabbed Yu Han¡¯s shoulder. It was a slight force, not even a pinch, yet Yu Han felt his body about to break apart like glass. ¡°Do not touch the orb. Do not make me waste my Qi.¡± Yu Han tried to nod. His head barely moved. Qiao Jinhai took his hand away, and Yu Han collapsed on all fours, gasping for breath. The cultivator sat down, cross-legged. He held a hexagonal crystal in his hand. Yu Han pushed against the stone floor of the central market. His hand slipped on moss, and he hit his chin. ¡°Fu¡ª¡± He propped himself up, the straw straps of his sandal biting against his skin. He walked up to the portly guy and barked, ¡°F-form up. One line. We do this fast.¡± ¡°Of course, my lord. But we have prepared a grand feast¡ª¡± The portly man frowned. ¡°You want to waste Senior Brother¡¯s time? You, a mere mortal, dare?¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°N-no, Lord Cultivator. That wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± A line formed. For a city of this size, it was pathetically short, and all the kids were in fancy robes. ¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Did you know what happened to the last city lord who tried to fool Senior Brother Qiao?¡± Yu Han slit his neck with his thumb. The portly man paled. ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one.¡± Within the hour, the line extended tenfold. Yu Han watched the orb closely. ¡°No light. Fail,¡± he shouted. ¡°Fail.¡± ¡°Fail.¡± ¡°Red light.¡± The crowd gasped. ¡°Pass!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Han pointed at a haughty-looking teen. The teen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Fail!¡± By the end of the day, five had passed. One was a noble. Qiao Jinhai nodded at the five. By the time they left, the sun had set. Even though many children also took the test, non under fifteen passed either. Yu Han collapsed onto his bed and awoke in his dreams. He tested out the Echoing Dreamscape Art. He thought of the birds, the cats, the cattle in the city. The portly man, his fu manchu. Qiao Jinhai, the crystal in his hands. Li Yao¡¯s grin. Cleft Lips walking back to his group. The slum girl lighting up with joy when the orb shone red. The mirages grew clearer. They still stayed for mere seconds, but somehow, they became more solid. More detailed. Whether it was a person, an object, or an event, Yu Han could replay it here. ¡°You¡­ fail!¡± A hand was pointed to a shocked teen. The hand floated mid-air. Yu Han could visualise himself too. And the details on the hand were exact. The scrapes from the clay jar, the nails, the lines, the clothes. Was it because Yu Han had spent time memorising the details, or did the Art really reflect reality in the dream without changing details? ¡°More tests need to be done.¡± Yu Han imagined his dad. Then a computer. Then he passed out in his sleep. He didn¡¯t see any dreams that night. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. He woke up with a headache, the same feeling of Qi depletion. But there was no nosebleed, so he didn¡¯t go to the doctor. +1 True Qi. +2 Arts True Qi -> Deep Sleep +10 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape The True Qi to his character progress was the same, as was for Deep Sleep. For Echoing Dreamscape, it was magnitudes lower. The days continued, as did the tests. Qiao Jinhai should have picked a new assistant after that one city, but he was impressed with Yu Han¡¯s efficiency and had him continue with a promise of future reward. They made it to another city four days later. ¡°You dare defy Lord Cultivator? You? A mere mortal?¡± ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one.¡± ¡°Pass!¡± ¡°Fail!¡± ¡°Fail!¡± The days when the ship travelled, Yu Han trained with Li Yao. ¡°One more! Atta boy. Tubs, at this rate I¡¯ll have to change what I call you,¡± Li Yao said, then hit the wooden dummy with the wooden sword. Yu Han collapsed, sweating buckets. He stood up, taking out a rope. It had a knot halfway through. Yu Han wrapped the rope around himself¡ªthe end of the rope touched the exact same place it always did. He ate less. Moved more. Did calisthenics. Why wasn¡¯t he getting thinner? ¡°You liar,¡± Yu Han spat. ¡°I¡¯m motivating you,¡± Li Yao replied, running a finger over his scar. Pure Qi Assimilated! Pure Qi: 10/110 Strength: 4 -> 5 [Body Origin: 5.00 -> 5.20] ¡°Finally.¡± Yu Han covered his grin with a sweaty palm. He did a few squats, then some push-ups. He collapsed after two. A great improvement from the half he did at the start of the training! That night, he grew cocky and tried to visualise the green meteor. He woke up with a nosebleed. ¡°Are you dreaming of a pretty woman, Tubs? You gotta lose weight first.¡± ¡°Eat shit.¡± He didn¡¯t get the same +205 True Qi for the trouble. +11 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape Yu Han splashed his face with cold water. But there was one more gain. Clarity 7 -> 8 [Mind Origin: 10.80 -> 11.00] The more he learnt about the system, the more confused he got. He¡¯d decided before to treat the averages as weighted, with all the weights being the same, rather than as simple means. But even now, as more ¡®data¡¯ or stats were being added, the weights of each substat remained the same at 0.20. Solving one maths problem gave him the will to push through more physical labour. Three more cities, and more recruits joined the ship. Yu Han uttered routine words in each city. He trained his body during the day and his Art during the night. Qiao Jinhai got more irritable as time passed. He cultivated at each chance he got, and more of those hexagonal crystals turned to dust in his palms. Soon, the morning of his twentieth day in this game-like Xianxia world broke. Yu Han opened his status screen, and then the paper scroll he¡¯d managed to threaten out of a city noble. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 19 (+18)/110 Pure Qi: 10 (-50)/110 [Body Origin: 5.20 (+.2)] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 11.00 (+.2)] Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 38 (+36)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 199 (+194)/300 Nothing else had changed. The + and - numbers in his paper indicated the difference from the first morning of his waking on the ship. It was easier to have some checkpoints. Not all numbers rose consistently. Some days, he didn¡¯t earn even one True Qi, some days he got two. The ship docked again. Strangely, Qiao Jinhai stood at the gangway before Yu Han today. His gaze was locked on a large rock on the river bank. The moment the ship passed the rock, he tapped the rail. A wave spread out from his finger, travelling through the ship. He sighed. He seemed¡­ relieved? Yu Han stood quietly by his side. No need to ask questions about matters that didn¡¯t concern him. The ship docked, and Qiao Jinhai walked down. As usual, the city nobles awaited on the dock. Each city had its distinct style, with varying architectures, but the houses and buildings here looked more foreign. As did the people. There was a loud gong from the nearby River God Temple. ¡°Lord Cultivator, it is our pleasure to meet you on this verdant day.¡± The frontmost noble bowed with a flourish. "Welcome to our humble Goldleaf City.¡± Qiao Jinhai smiled and . Something was wrong. Yu Han glanced back at the ship. At first, he didn¡¯t notice the difference. But then it clicked. There was no more azure dragon. Now it was a bearded old man with emerald eyes, holding a green longsword. Yu Han followed after the procession. Qiao Jinhai exchanged pleasantries with each noble that approached. They reached the central square. Yu Han frowned, head tilting. Qiao Jinhai had changed. Did he achieve the breakthrough? ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here,¡± Qiao Jinhai said, as if finally noticing Yu Han. ¡°No matter. Stand at the side and see to the needs of those that pass.¡± Yu Han nodded subserviently. ¡°Lord Cultivator, shall I gather our sons and daughters?¡± the city lord asked. ¡°By the sect¡¯s will. Let us hope the heavens bless the youths of this city.¡± ¡°It will be their honour to serve the Verdant Blade Sect.¡± He bowed. Yu Han kept his head lowered, but his eyes nearly popped out of his head. His nose twitched. Sweat dripped down from his forehead, dampening the ground. He smelled a scheme. A line formed. It was short, and every person in line wore fancy clothes. No riff-raff in sight. The first person to touch the orb was a pretty girl with raven hair. Her black eyes were glossy, like marbles. She smiled sweetly, wearing a phoenix hairpin. The orb shone with orange light. The crowd gasped. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your name?¡± Qiao Jinhai asked, a fond smile on his face. ¡°Huang Linxue, Lord Cultivator!¡± ¡°Ah, the only daughter of City Lord Huang?¡± Qiao Jinhai nodded. ¡°The scion of a dragon can¡¯t be a snake.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Huang Linxue looked troubled. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Qiao Jinhai asked. The usual cold edge of his voice returned. He would not accept falsehood. ¡°Lord Cultivator, if I may.¡± The city lord spoke up, trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°During my younger days, I was a bit unruly, unfortunately. I have another daughter from a concubine. She turns twenty-one in three days. This one was confused if we should let her be tested.¡± ¡°Father, perhaps Sister is better suited to be here, in the city, where she can contribute.¡± Both Huangs looked at Qiao Jinhai. ¡°Rules are rules. Wait on the side, Junior Sister. In the meantime, Junior Brother Yu will explain to you the rules we have for our travel.¡± Qiao Jinhai sent Yu Han a glare. Yu Han gestured for her to join him. ¡°Come, come, Senior Sister. There aren¡¯t many rules on the ship, but¡­¡± Yu Han blabbered on. His mind raced, trying to figure out what was going on. Why had Qiao Jinhai¡¯s attitude changed? Why did he not specify to bring ¡°All. Under. Twenty-one.¡± as usual? Huang Linxue bit her lip. Her eyes had the same look as when Sima Yan looked at Li Yao. ¡°It¡¯s the little cowgirl.¡± ¡°Wow. No wonder the ninth prince wants her.¡± ¡°, what ninth prince? Heard the lord was saving her as a gift for the emperor.¡± In front of the orb stood a girl with a face that vaguely resembled Huang Linxue¡¯s. She was nervous, fidgeting left and right. Similar height to Yu Han. Slightly tanned, with green eyes, pink lips, shoulder-length dark hair. Pretty average face, nothing compared to Huang Linxue¡¯s. She wore shabby serving girl clothes, with dirty hands and muddy feet. Full hips. And a bust. Chapter 9: Rooster The girl touched the orb. It lit up with red light. Huang Linxue¡¯s face scrunched like she had licked the sourest lemon. But in a blink, it changed back. ¡°Name?¡± Qiao Jinhai asked the girl. ¡°H-Huang Niuniu.¡± The girl was flustered. She lowered her face and fidgeted with her fingers. ¡°A trait, huh? Not bad. Wait at the side with your sister.¡± The girl nodded, then ran to Huang Linxue. With each step, they bounced, and the gulps rang out from the crowd, Yu Han among them. is ¡°Sister.¡± She gasped for breath. ¡°L-Lord Father said that if I pass, I should take care of your needs.¡± ¡°What nonsense. Are you a maid?¡± Huang Linxue huffed. ¡°Take a seat. We must show the proper attitude of a cultivator.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Huang Niuniu nodded. They bounced again. Yu Han sensed drama. He pried his eyes away, though the temptation was there. Yu Han was a teenager, in body and in half his soul. The other half protested. Instagram model, Korean. They met at a Dubai auction¡ªshe selling her first, Johan winning the bid. Sizzling nights were followed with heartfelt talks. No father, mother in a cult. She never knew love. A month in, they began dating. She closed her OnlyFans, stopped livestreaming. Cooked for him. Dreamed of kids. Got along well with his family. Said she didn¡¯t want his money anymore. Somehow she gave all of it back. Over the years, she became more demanding. More emotional. More fights. Counselling? He scoffed. Nothing was wrong with him. Accusations flew. They stopped talking. Stopped fighting. Sex became a stranger. Then she left him for the janitor, traumatising him for two lives. Yu Han scooted away. The talent tests continued. Even if someone failed, Qiao Jinhai would say a word of consolation. The change in attitude was like night and day. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the end, seven kids passed. An old lady wearing similar servant robes handed Huang Niuniu a large knapsack. ¡°The lady¡¯s essentials are here. And¡­ some for you,¡± the old lady said. ¡°Thanks, grandmother.¡± ¡°I wish my real grandkid was a good girl like you. Take care of yourself. And¡ª¡± the old woman patted her head, her expression faltering as it turned to Huang Linxue ¡°¡ªbe careful.¡± ¡°My Lord, we have prepared a grand feast for you. Perhaps you may find it agreeable to join?¡± City Lord Huang said, each gesture theatrical. ¡°In all of Martial Eagle Kingdom, our Goldleaf city boasts the best food, fresh from the mountains and rivers.¡± ¡°Certainly, I can¡¯t refuse that now, can I?¡± Qiao Jinhai smiled. He scanned the seven who passed the test. ¡°Shall our new heroes join the feast?¡± It sounded like a question, but was more like a commandment. ¡°They shall have time to bid farewell. Filial piety is the utmost of virtues,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. Yu Han stiffened, and the bad feeling grew worse. ¡°Certainly, my lord.¡± City Lord Huang stroked his beard. That was when Huang Linxue spoke up. ¡°Lord Father, and Senior Brother Qiao. Do forgive me for my presumption for speaking out of turn. May I have a word?¡± ¡°Feel free, Junior Sister. No need to be so formal.¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°Perhaps we should let Huang Niuniu go to the ship ahead of us? The silly girl has never been to such feasts, and her mannerisms might offend. This Linxue thinks maybe she would feel more comfortable that way. Isn¡¯t that right, dear sister?¡± ¡°Honoured Sister is right, Lord Father, Lord Cultivator. I wouldn¡¯t want to bother anyone.¡± Cow Girl¡ªHuang Niuniu lowered her head. ¡°Junior Yu, head back with this Junior and tell her the rules on the ship.¡± ¡°Leave it to this Yu Han.¡± He patted his chest. ¡°And, from the next city onward, you shall not accompany me. Concentrate on your cultivation, or you shall be dust in the wake of your peers,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. Then he was led away by the city lord and other recruits, the whole group bustling with laughter and jokes. Yu Han and Huang Niuniu were left. Yu Han tried to discern her expression, but her face showed no change. She merely looked at the back of those that left. ¡°Shall we go, Junior N-Niuniu? Junior Huang?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Niuniu. Or Niu¡¯er. You might anger my sister if you call me Junior Huang,¡± the girl said. She had a sweet smile on her face. It was dazzling, as if coming directly from her heart. ¡°Then, Junior Niuniu, let¡¯s make haste.¡± They walked back to the pier, and Yu Han told her the rules of the ship. Huang Niuniu carried a large pack like a snail. Maybe she had higher strength stats than him? This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. The figurehead remained changed, as if the azure dragon had been an illusion. The old immortal¡¯s emerald eyes gleamed in the orange light of sunset. Huang Niuniu ran to the River God Temple and a lit an incense at the small shrine outside. She walked back, her gaze going over the distant city. ¡°Let¡¯s go up,¡± she said. ¡°Be careful,¡± Yu Han said as Huang Niuniu almost tripped on the gangway, the ship rocking with the waves. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve never ridden on one of these.¡± Yu Han showed her the wardrooms. Huang Niuniu put the bag down, sitting down beside it. ¡°Well then, take care.¡± Yu Han walked away. A few guys were watching the new arrival. ¡°Oi, look at that,¡± one whispered, elbowing the other. Yu Han rolled his eyes, but left. No need for drama. Yu Han didn¡¯t need plot. Qiao Jinhai returned at daybreak with the recruits. They smelled of alcohol. The recruits hugged their family, bidding each goodbye. As the ship left shore, the drums and trumpets sounded, while the recruits waved their loved ones goodbye. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he saying anything?¡± one boy asked, observing the new recruits from near the stairs. ¡°Maybe Qiao Jinhai is from this city?¡± a girl replied. Everyone looked shocked at his change in attitude. Yu Han was basking in the sun near the conversation. He asked Li Yao, who was leaning against the mast, ¡°What¡¯s the name of our country?¡± The boy cleaned his ear with his pinky. ¡°Riversong?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the city name.¡± ¡°Oh right. Right. I think it was White Lotus Kingdom? Or was it Sima Kingdom?¡± During lunch time, Yu Han confirmed it was called White Lotus, not Martial Eagle, when one of the new recruits called Sima Yan a grass-eating girly boy from White Lotus. ¡°You dare?¡± Sima Yan raged, and Pang Jiming, the guard commander¡¯s son, tackled the boy to the ground. A sudden pressure descended. Plates fell, chopsticks clattered. Some passed out. ¡°Who dares break the rules?¡± Qiao Jinhai floated up the stairs. ¡°S-Senior Brother. These new Juniors provoke us to our face¡ª¡± Sima Yan tried to say, kneeling. ¡°Silence.¡± Qiao Jinhai held Pang Jiming up. He touched the boy¡¯s hand. It snapped. Pang Jiming screamed. ¡°I said silence.¡± Qiao Jinhai repeated, and Pang Jiming passed out. The cultivator threw Pang Jiming to the wood. ¡°Take him to the doctors. Do not waste my time by repeating this mistake. Next time, I won¡¯t be so merciful.¡± ¡°We beg for forgiveness.¡± Sima Yan relented. ¡°The Martial Eagle Kingdom is thrice the size of you merchants from White Lotus. Isn¡¯t it natural for you to bow to us?¡± The recruit who started it all dusted his robes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Senior Brother?¡± Qiao Jinhai nodded. ¡°The weak bow to the strong. That¡¯s the rule of the world.¡± Sima Yan paled. ¡°The White Lotus Kingdom¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai snapped his fingers. Sima Yan¡¯s head slammed on the ground. ¡°Do not waste my time again.¡± The cultivator left. All that remained was a deafening silence. ¡°Hey hey, tubs,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°What just happened?¡± Yu Han had a hunch, but he didn¡¯t want to voice it. What did he care if nobles from the White Lotus Kingdom were ditched? The trend continued for the next cities. While in White Lotus, Qiao Jinhai had seemed to speedrun through each city, as f he wanted to get away even a second sooner. But in Martial Eagle waters, he took his time. The recruits from here were happier, more chipper. All nobles. Those from the White Lotus Kingdom kept their heads down. Yu Han¡¯s life continued. He wrapped the rope around him again. Finally! His circumference was about a third of an inch smaller. There were more improvements. Echoing Dreamscape Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 -> Initial Step Level 3 And his current stats were: Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 39 (+20)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 [Body Origin: 5.20] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 11.00] Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 55 (+17)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 4 (+105)/400 The True Qi gain for Echoing Dreamscape had gone down, but it levelled up. He could keep the mirages going for almost twenty seconds now. And they were far clearer, both visually and aurally. He could simulate smell too, but not touch. ¡°You can do it!¡± Li Yao cheered from the side. He removed the bag of rice on Yu Han¡¯s back. ¡°F-Five!¡± Yu Han collapsed. Vitality: 6 -> 7 [Body Origin: 5.20 -> 5.40] Yu Han gasped for breath. ¡°Good job.¡± Li Yao squatted by Yu Han, who lay on his stomach, sleek from sweat. The other boy left. He spent more time with some of the other recruits from White Lotus Kingdom recently, mainly the ones that weren¡¯t nobles. Meanwhile, the nobles gathered around Sima Yan. Including the nobles from Martial Eagle Kingdom, there were three unwritten factions on the ship, with the third bullying the other two. Yu Han got up, but his head spun. He crawled to the side of the training hall, then threw up in a bucket. ¡°Are you okay?¡± a voice said. Yu Han forced his head up, and green eyes stared back. Huang Niuniu. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look fine. Are you trying to lose weight?¡± Yu Han coughed. ¡°I¡¯m training. Leave me alone.¡± Yu Han pushed Huang Niuniu aside and tried to walk away. ¡°Small steps. You can do it.¡± The girl grabbed his shoulder. Her grip was strong. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± She took Yu Han¡¯s hand. ¡°Thanks for explaining the rules to me. Take this, it¡¯ll make the nausea go away. Make tea with it, let the hot water rest for three hundred breaths. You can use it to make ten cups of tea.¡± The girl ran off. There was a dried root in Yu Han¡¯s hand. Expensive stuff. ¡°That¡¯s a baby ginseng,¡± the doctor later confirmed. ¡°It isn¡¯t poison, boy.¡± After the tea, he collapsed on the bed. Deep Sleep felt clearer, his shoulders light. *** ¡°Dad, the world isn¡¯t such a kind place. You don¡¯t have to put your neck out for others like this,¡± Johan said. ¡°I know, son. Reality is cruel. Harsh. That¡¯s why we have to cherish those that show us kindness. No matter how minor the connection is, cherish it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t, then all that¡¯s left in this unforgiving world is the icy wind biting into our bones. Son, kindness connects the world with rays of hope. Never give up on it.¡± *** Yu Han had experienced a weird dream. But it wasn¡¯t as weird as the scene in front of him. Qiao Jinhai was laughing and drinking with a new recruit. Huang Linxue was all smiles too; she served them both wine. The deck was windy, but they had set up a pavilion. ¡°Perfectly said, Junior Brother Wu Di! Truly a dragon amongst men!¡± ¡°Senior Qiao, you praise me too much.¡± Wu Di clasped his hand with Qiao Jinhai¡¯s. They might as well have sworn a brotherly oath. ¡°They say when he touched the orb, it shone yellow,¡± Li Yao whispered. ¡°Profound Talent. He has another Trait, apparently.¡± ¡°We leave the Martial Eagle Kingdom to the sea soon, Junior Wu,¡± Qiao said. ¡°The remaining journey will take twenty days. Is there anything else you need in the meantime?¡± When Wu Di had come aboard, a line of mortal servants had carried luggage into the most luxurious wardroom. Wu Di claimed it all for himself. ¡°Ah, Senior Qiao. I walk the path of a cultivator, and I know I have to sever mortal ties. But, but¡ª¡± ¡°Say it. Let this Senior Brother Qiao see if I can solve the problems.¡± ¡°The nights are lonely. I left behind all my concubines in the mortal world. I wonder¡­¡± Wu Di eyed the other recruits, his gaze going over each girl. Even Huang Linxue wasn¡¯t spared, and her smile faltered. ¡°If anything can be done.¡± His eyes stopped on Huang Niuniu¡¯s bust. Huang Linxue lit up. ¡°In that case, I know the perfect candidate. Niuniu, come here.¡± ¡°¡­Sister?¡± Huang Niuniu took a step back. Chapter 10: Shame In Chapter Author''s Notes: This chapter might trigger some people. It''s the reason the story is tagged with ''Sensitive Content.'' Please feel free to skip it. Minor Spoilers: Yu Han reaches a decision on what happens in this chapter on chapter 13, and this mini-mini-arc is then resolved on chapter 15. I would be grateful if you could read until then before coming to a decision about the story and the main character. I want to make one thing very clear: This is Fiction, not Reality. I, the author, am not glorifying nor defending the actions taken by bad people in this chapter. Thank you for reading, hope to see you in the comment sections soon. (((£¾£¼))) Edit 07/11/2024: This is a rewritten version of the original chapter, for which I had put the above content warnings. *** Huang Niuniu¡¯s green eyes widened, and her voice shook. She raised two trembling arms like she was shielding herself. There were red streaks on her hand, bruised and bloody, as if she had been whipped. Two guys blocked her from behind. Recruits from the same city as Wu Di. ¡°Come quickly, Niuniu. Pay respects to Senior Brother Wu Di. No other daughter of a prostitute will get such honour,¡± Huang Linxue said with a smile. Her tone was full of concern for Huang Niuniu, but even the stupidest among them knew what was going on. ¡°Are you defying my orders?¡± ¡°Sister. I¡ªLord Father wished me to¡ª¡± ¡°Stop that.¡± Huang Linxue¡¯s voice fell, but her smile stayed. ¡°How can a prostitute¡¯s daughter be my sister?¡± ¡°What are you¡­ saying?¡± Huang Niuniu tried to take another step back. Someone pushed her from behind. ¡°That¡¯s the girl the ninth prince is fascinated by?¡± Wu Di licked his lips. ¡°Senior Brother Qiao. I haven¡¯t slept on ships much, but I imagine it might be similar to camping out during war. The nights do get too lonely without a wench.¡± Wu Di had a tall, lean physique, with broad shoulders and huge biceps. He wore a robe without an undershirt, showing off his chiselled body. His red hair was tied in a ponytail with a phoenix ribbon. A scar ran down one brow, making his crimson eyes more menacing. Like an arrogant cock surveying his territory. ¡°Her mother was the flower of all the scholars before she passed,¡± Huang Linxue added. ¡°I¡¯m sure she was taught all the ways to please a man. Otherwise, how could his majesty the ninth prince be so infatuated with her, and not me, who is of proper noble lineage? She¡¯ll serve you well.¡± ¡°Is that so? Stealing a wench from that arrogant prick, can¡¯t say this Lord Wu Di isn¡¯t tempted.¡± Qiao Jinhai watched over the conversation without any expression. ¡°It¡¯s the same ninth prince who chose to go to Severing Sky Sword Sect rather than our Verdant Blade Sect?¡± ¡°None other.¡± Wu Di grinned. ¡°Let me go! Let me go¡ª!¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s cries rang out. She struggled but could not escape the grasps of the two brutes. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t do this. Sister, I¡¯ve never talked with Brother Chu Fei aft¡ª¡± ¡°How dare a courtesan¡¯s daughter call him Brother?¡± Huang Linxue covered her mouth with a fan and giggled. ¡°Think of this as punishment for stealing a ginseng from my bag, Niuniu. I now feel like the whipping wasn¡¯t punishment enough.¡± ¡°Reward, you mean.¡± Wu Di said. ¡°Indeed, reward.¡± Huang Linxue giggled. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ sisters¡­¡± Huang Niuniu broke down crying. No one helped her. No one cared. Not even Yu Han. ¡°Junior Niuniu, serve Junior Wu Di well. He is someone meant for greatness,¡± Qiao Jinhai said. ¡°No, no no no¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu bit the arm of one brute holding her down. He yelped, and she took the chance to slip out of his grasp. ¡°Help!¡± She ran towards the stairs. ¡°You dare defy me?¡± Qiao Jinhai rose, his voice trembling. ¡°Halt, wench!¡± He snapped his fingers, and Huang Niuniu collapsed. ¡°Help¡­ somebody, help.¡± She fell in front of Yu Han, who had been watching from near the stairs with Li Yao, ready to bolt any moment. ¡°P-Please,¡± Huang Niuniu said, looking straight at him. Yu Han turned away. He needed no drama. He was just a fatty. Weak. Pathetic. Spineless. What could he even do? He could run! Huang Niuniu was so close. He could grab her and¡ª His inner Johan demanded. Qiao Jinhai snapped his fingers again. Huang Niuniu¡¯s legs cracked from the knees. Her wails were heart-wrenching. ¡°Senior Brother Qiao, you have my thanks¡ª¡± Wu Di was about to bow to the senior brother, but was cut off by Qian Jinhai¡¯s raised hand. Qiao Jinhai leapt down, his face twisted into the wrathful visage of an asura. Everyone parted like the red sea as he walked to the fallen girl. ¡°A mere mortal¡­. A worthless creature with trash-like Common Talent dares to defy my words?¡± Qiao Jinhai¡¯s voice was a low, grating snarl, his jaw clenched so tightly it sounded like grinding metal. With a flick of his finger, Huang Niuniu¡¯s head snapped upward, her entire body following as if yanked by an unseen force. She dangled midair, held by an invisible grip. Her legs hung like broken sticks, like plastic straws that had been chewed through. Blood and urine dripped from her ripped trousers onto the floor. A nasty stink was in the air. She had lost her continence. ¡°You think you¡¯re above me?¡± Qiao Jinhai loomed over her, his eyes blazing. ¡°Just like the others, looking down on me because I haven¡¯t broken through?¡± Huang Niuniu sobbed uncontrollably. ¡°P-Please¡­ mercy¡­ I¡ªI¡­¡± ¡°Again you talk back. Again you all look down on me!¡± Qiao Jinhai glared. ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡± Qiao Jinhai seized her head and slammed it against the floor. ¡°P-Pleas¡ª¡± ¡°You dare defy me?¡± He smashed her head down again. Blood splattered. Bones shattered. The floorboards cracked. ¡°Every single one of you!¡± He spat on her crumpled form and, unsatisfied, delivered a vicious kick, sending her limp body rolling across the ground, her face now a bloodied, unrecognizable mess. ¡°Looking down on me.¡± The kick sent her rolling over. She had long passed out; her face an unrecognisable mess. No one spoke. The silent was overpowering, the only sound being Qiao Jinhai¡¯s ragged breathing. ¡°Take her to the holding cells below,¡± Qiao Jinhai commanded. ¡°I¡¯m not done with her. There needs to be an example of what happens when a mortal defies a Lord Cultivator.¡± ¡°Leave it to this Wu Di,¡± Wu Di cupped his hands. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Collect her teeth and blood. The sect will fetch a good price for her as a cultivation cauldron.¡± Qiao Jinhao said. A few more disciples heeded his commands. Wu Di picked up Huang Niuniu and slung her over his shoulder like a sack. ¡°Move out of the way, Fatty,¡± the larger youth commanded. He had a dissatisfied expression, as if he was denied something owed to him. ¡°O-Oh, yes.¡± Yu Han scurried aside. He¡¯d been dazed. Wu Di walked down the stairs, and Huang Niuniu¡¯s unconscious figure disappeared under the eaves. *** ¡°Did you hear the cries? It was like a ghost was screaming. Crazy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it when Wu Di¡¯s around. He¡¯s upset about his fun being ruined.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, he should complain to Senior Qiao.¡± ¡°He did, man.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°I think Senior Qiao will let him have her soon.¡± ¡°I bet she¡¯ll enjoy it. Why did she put on a whole show when it¡¯s much better to serve Wu Di than to get nearly beaten to death?¡± Yu Han tried his hardest to filter out the chatter. This was a fault of the era. Gender equality was a product of prosperous times, and feminism was a cancer anyway. He hated when his ex would drone on and on about it. Hot soup went down the wrong pipe, and Yu Han choked, gulping down a jug of water, not caring if it wet his clothes. ¡°Everything fine, tubs?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Just tired.¡± He¡¯d tossed and turned in bed all night. His rebellious mind kept going back to what had happened. How he could¡¯ve helped. How he didn¡¯t. Yu Han had assured himself like self-hypnosis, all the way until dawn. ¡°You brought that Cow Girl to the ship, right?¡± ¡°I guided her, not brought. Like Senior Qiao said.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like her?¡± Yu Han¡¯s chopsticks clattered against the ceramic bowl. He held them tighter so that they wouldn¡¯t slip. But he held them too tight, and they broke. ¡°...fuck. The hell I do,¡± he wheezed out. ¡°Sorry, that was a bad joke.¡± That was the first time Li Yao had sincerely apologised for anything. ¡°The strong bully the weak. I wonder if it¡¯s the same in sects.¡± ¡°Most definitely,¡± Yu Han said. He headed for the training hall. On the way, two guys bumped into him. ¡°Watch it, fatty!¡± one yelled. ¡°So how was it?¡± the other guy asked his companion. ¡°You went to deliver food to that wench, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy. She¡¯s all healed up with this immortal elixir. It glowed like emeralds. After forcing her to chug it down, Senior Qiao chained her to the wall and¡ª¡± He stopped. ¡°And what?¡± ¡°She was naked,¡± the other one gulped. ¡°That body¡­ hot damn. She was glowing.¡± ¡°I bet she was.¡± ¡°I mean literally. Maybe cause of the elixir? Wu Di was there too and¡ª¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why he was so pissed!¡± ¡°Yeah, he almost lost it like a dog in heat. Would¡¯ve bedded her then and there if not for Senior Qiao.¡± ¡°You mean her?¡± Both of them guffawed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell this to anyone. Senior Qiao first said he was gonna break each of her bones one by one while having her stay awake. He changed his mind after she glowed.¡± ¡°Damn. Does he want to keep her as a wench now? I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna be cultivators, my friend. And then we¡¯ll have as many immortal elixirs and women as¡ªthe fuck you looking at, fatty?¡± the second guy said. ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Han came to. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been glaring at us. Got a problem, buddy?¡± ¡°Oh, no no. You misunderstand, I slept poorly last night. My eyes are itchy.¡± ¡°Then keep your head down. People might think you¡¯re picking a fight.¡± The two walked away. Yu Han touched his face. He pushed himself the hardest he could that day. Days passed. It had been forty-five days since he had come to this world. Yu Han was on the deck. The sky was cloudy. All around, as far as the eye could see, there was only water. The birds had left too. Qiao Jinhai had been staring at the sea recently, for hours on end, muttering something. Everyone could see he was worried. Recently, he had been dreaming more about his life as Johan. Sometimes, memories as Yu Han with a loving family would appear too. Progress with Echoing Dreamscape had slowed. Deep Sleep and his Character Level progressed as usual. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 44 (+5)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 66 (+10)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 11 (+7)/400 After what happened to Huang Niuniu, Yu Han had spent even more time in the training hall. He made a very obvious show of training with his dagger. Li Yao had gathered the riffraff from White Lotus Kingdom into a cohesive, if chaotic, group. This group treated Yu Han well, and otherwise kept their heads down. The White Lotus nobles were the ones who were mainly being bullied. But that had nothing to do with him. That night, inside the white space of Deep Sleep¡ª A mirage of Li Yao appeared. ¡°This is how you use a dagger, tubs. You aim up, from under the ribcage. Watch closely.¡± The illusory Li Yao demonstrated a series of quick, precise movements¡ªa thrust to the kidney, a stab under the armpit, a disarming flick of the wrist. ¡°Speed and surprise, that¡¯s your advantage,¡± his mirage explained, miming concealment of the weapon in loose sleeves. ¡°Aim for soft spots. One good hit. Let him bleed out.¡± The mirage disappeared. Yu Han summoned a dagger with Echoing Dreamscape, then imitated Li Yao¡¯s movements. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Not enough,¡± he said. He summoned Li Yao¡¯s mirage again. He imitated Li Yao, going through the motions mechanically. The Yu Han of this world had zero fighting experience, and Johan had only gone to the gym to get an aesthetic physique. He had never dabbled in martial arts. Thrust. Parry. Slash. Again. Even now, the dagger felt alien in his pudgy hands. Many times, it slipped out. If this were the real world, he would have injured himself ten times over. Yu Han kept analysing each movement. Even in this mirage-like space of Dream Sleep, sweat beaded on his brow. Or was it his avatar? His arms ached, his breathing stuttering. Images flashed unbidden¡ªHuang Niuniu¡¯s bruised hand, Qiao Jinhai¡¯s insecure rage, Wu Di¡¯s leering grin, the indifferent faces of bystanders. Including his own. He practised concealing the blade in his sleeve, drawing it smoothly. His movements became sharper, more desperate. The dagger blurred in the dim light. Yu Han¡¯s eyes narrowed, focused on an imaginary opponent. In his mind, it wore Wu Di¡¯s face. Yu Han stopped, then threw the imaginary dagger away. ¡°Why the hell am I so bothered?¡± he shouted out. The sound didn¡¯t even echo. Yu Han plopped down on his back, speaking aloud. ¡°I know it¡¯s Huang Niuniu. What happened to her bothers me.¡± He raised his palms in front of his face. Yu Han thought, trying to dive deeply into his psyche. He swore he wouldn¡¯t fool himself. After all, even if he tried, he couldn¡¯t lie to himself. Other than a slight lustful urge every teenager felt towards girls, Yu Han didn¡¯t feel anything. His heart didn¡¯t flutter, his mind didn¡¯t go blank. It wasn¡¯t lovesickness. The same went for Johan. The girl¡¯s physique resembled his ex far too much. It made him wary and on guard rather than attracted. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Yu Han remembered an incident. After Elder Brother had saved that snake Jie Tong from drowning, Yu Han had begged his parents to not let him go empty-handed. They paid for medicine, and seeing Jie Tong was a strong lad with seemingly decent character, they gave him a job. From time to time, Yu Han would give food away for free to customers who looked like they couldn¡¯t pay. They were leftovers, nothing to his family. Apparently, he¡¯d given food to Li Yao once, though he couldn¡¯t remember it. There were many such incidents. Yu Han had a big, fat, righteous bone in him. And now, half of him was Yu Han, truly and purely. He wasn¡¯t replaced by Johan. Their memories, souls, and personalities seemed to have melded into one confused mess. As if it was Yu Han who remembered his past life as Johan. The half that was Johan was still quintessentially him, though. Yu Han cringed into a ball. ¡°I can¡¯t fucking believe it,¡± he said, covering his face. ¡°I want to stand up for her because it¡¯s the thing to do.¡± The answer felt right. It felt just. As if his whole being accepted it as the only plausible conclusion. ¡°Nope, nope. No way in hell. Fuck that shit. I stick my neck out for no one.¡± Yu Han slapped his cheeks, repeating the famous quote. The conclusion was false! There had to be some other reason. And even if it was correct, Yu Han had literally no other reason to stand up to an insecure maniac who could kill him with a sneeze. Not to mention that rapist redhead with supposedly infinite future talent. Even if Qiao Jianhai spared him, Wu Di might keep a grudge and make his life in the sect hell. The data points just weren¡¯t there. Two was not enough. Two strikes aren¡¯t out. Yu Han wasn¡¯t delusional; he wasn¡¯t some hero with plot armour. The next day, he tried what he practised in the training hall. The dagger slipped from his hand. ¡°Be careful with that, tubs.¡± Li Yao jumped back. ¡°Why won¡¯t it work?¡± Yu Han said to no one. ¡°You think you¡¯re some kind of prodigy?¡± Li Yao shook his head, hitting the dummy with a wooden sword. ¡°It takes weeks before you get a foot in. Months to be decent, and years to be a master.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Yu Han sighed. In his dreams, he saw fast progress. But apparently, training in Deep Sleep didn¡¯t create muscle memory in real life. It was weird, though. The dagger felt at home now. He had the feeling, the instinct from all that practice. Right until he actually practised. The moment his physical body moved, that feeling disappeared, as if forgetting a word at the tip of his tongue. The strange feeling nagged him, and he tried one more time. And an accident happened. The dagger nicked the area between his thumb and index finger. Blood gushed out like a fountain. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Stop standing there and go to the doctor.¡± Li Yao said, disbelief on his face. ¡°Press that down with a cloth!¡± The wound was deep. It hurt, and Yu Han¡¯s eyes grew blurry with tears. Li Yao helped him down the stairs. Standing by the doctor¡¯s door were Huang Niuniu and Huang Linxue. Chapter 11: Enemy ¡°Dear sister, why must you look so down? It¡¯s a joyous occasion.¡± Huang Linxue said. ¡°Even though you upset Senior Brother Qiao greatly, he¡¯s so kind to let you use an immortal elixir for healing. Senior Brother Qiao was not pleased. He only had one of those and he had to use it on a trash like you.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m grateful.¡± Huang Niuniu said, her eyes glossed over. ¡°He even let you go without further punishment,¡± Huang Linxue said, cupping Huang Niuniu¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve really made me lose face as your sister here. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Huang Niuniu wore a pair of newer clothes. However, ¡°wore¡± was quite a strong term here. The robes were hanging loosely on her body, and she didn¡¯t try to even fix them. As though someone else had quickly thrown them on her. As though the girl herself no longer cared. She was lightly bruised. One side of her face was swollen, and there were strangulation marks on her neck. It was a far cry from yesterday though. Even her legs were healed. ¡°Now, look chipper. You¡¯ll be Elder Brother Wu Di¡¯s woman when we arrive at the sect, and you know he hates maidens who aren¡¯t cute, right?¡± She fixed up Huang Niuniu¡¯s robe, covering the cleavage. ¡°Okay,¡± the girl said. Her voice was raspy. It lacked a soul. ¡°Well then, you should return to your chambers by yourself, or do you want this heiress to hold your hand like a maid? My, how childish you are. Sister has to leave now, so don¡¯t be too lonely, okay?¡± Huang Niuniu remained silent. Huang Linxue giggled, her face blooming like a flower. ¡°Stay in your chambers until told otherwise. I¡¯ll be your best sister and bring you food every day, okay?¡± Huang Linxue said. ¡°Put on a smile. You like smiling, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s how you tricked Elder Brother Chu Fei. If only he could hear how you seduced Elder Brother Wu Di, would he still care?¡± There was a slight quiver from Huang Niuniu, almost imperceptible. But Huang Linxue must¡¯ve noticed it, and she giggled once more. ¡°Oh, do you wish to consult the doctor? My, such a bloody wound. Niuniu, step aside, can¡¯t you see you¡¯re blocking the door?¡± It was as if Huang Linxue had only just noticed Yu Han and Li Yao. Li Yao opened his mouth, probably to tell them to scram for blocking the way. But even with the pain blinding his senses, Yu Han stopped him with a hand. ¡°Elder Brother Wu Di is going to challenge that Sima person,¡± Huang Linxue said. ¡°I¡¯ll cheer for him in your stead. It¡¯s only my duty as a proper sister-in-law to the Wu heir. Apply the lesser salve to those unsightly marks, Niuniu. Didn¡¯t Auntie teach you how to be presentable in front of men? A wife¡¯s shame is the husband¡¯s dishonour. How incompetent can you be?¡± Huang Linxue trotted off. ¡°Hey, you wanna bleed out?¡± Li Yao pushed Yu Han from behind. ¡°Move away, Cow Girl.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Huang Niuniu said. There was no blame in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± Yu Han said, gritting his teeth through the pain. ¡°She was obviously¡ª¡± ¡°Say what?¡± Huang Niuniu said. She walked to him, then took his hand. ¡°It looks so painful.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Did someone bully you?¡± ¡°This guy bullied himself. Thinks he¡¯s a master with a dagger after a day and a half.¡± Li Yao scoffed. He didn¡¯t urge Yu Han anymore, but the disdain in his voice as he talked to Huang Niuniu was there. ¡°Accidents happen. Take this.¡± Huang Niuniu took out a glass vial. It had a thick liquid inside. ¡°A magical salve. It heals¡­ wounds. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why apologise?¡± ¡°There was¡­ a better one. I took it.¡± Huang Niuniu said as she pressed the vial into Yu Han¡¯s good hand. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t hurt yourself again. I have no more medicine.¡± She bowed, preparing to leave. ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Yu Han was shocked. ¡°You need this more than me!¡± Huang Niuniu laughed brokenly. ¡°How can a salve ever heal my wounds?¡± she said. Yu Han felt lightheaded. Was it the blood loss? sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fight back,¡± Li Yao said, his voice low. ¡°Bite, scratch, scream. Go for his eyes, even if it cost you your life. Because at this rate¡ª¡± ¡°Easy for you to say!¡± Huang Niuniu screamed suddenly. That was the first emotion she had shown. ¡°Easy for you¡­¡± ¡°A coward has no right to cultivate.¡± Li Yao would not back down. ¡°The moment you accepted your fate, you were already dead.¡± Even Yu Han, with Johan¡¯s obliviousness, knew it wasn¡¯t the right thing to say to someone who was tortured and almost raped. But he didn¡¯t stop Li Yao. His eyes fixed on the glass vial. He took the cap off again, slowly. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Huang Niuniu gasped. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ maybe I shouldn¡¯t be alive.¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Bye. Yu Han, was it? Don¡¯t¡­ make that face. I wronged the heavens. I was punished.¡± Huang Niuniu slowly limped off. Like a zombie, she kept muttering, ¡°That¡¯s right, I shouldn¡¯t have been born.¡± Yu Han applied the salve to his wound. It stung for a second, then itched. The wound was still there, but the blood clotted in real time. ¡°Amazing,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°They must have the cure for cancer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a cancer? Hot damn, tubs. Hey, there¡¯s some left. Give me some!¡± Li Yao snatched the vial from Yu Han¡¯s hand and applied the salve to the scar on his face. It didn¡¯t work. ¡°Might only work on fresh wounds?¡± Li Yao muttered, giving the vial back. There was still some salve left. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Yu Han didn¡¯t visit the old doctor. No need to tell anyone that Huang Niuniu had given him precious medicine again. This was the third strike. On deck, there was a duel going on. ¡°Come on, come on, come on!¡± Wu Di laughed as he sidestepped a sword strike from Sima Yan, swivelling his feet around and kicking out. Sima Yan blocked with the wooden sword but was pushed back. Wu Di punched, forcing Sima Yan to dodge left, but a kick was already waiting. ¡°Is this all White Lotus trash is capable of?¡± Wu Di said. ¡°I¡¯m not even breaking a sweat!¡± The duel had been going on for a while. Wu Di had requested it. He wished to exchange pointers with his fellow sect brothers. Everyone knew he wanted to vent after losing the chance to ¡®play with¡¯ Huang Niuniu. Qiao Jinhai simply shrugged and said, ¡°Why not?¡± As if he didn¡¯t care as long as it kept the Profound Talent happy. After that, during the day, Wu Di would challenge nobles from the White Lotus Kingdom. If someone didn¡¯t want to fight, he would still attack, calling the other a coward. If more than one person fought back or tried to ambush, the noble recruits from Martial Eagle Kingdom would retaliate. He¡¯d won all the matches. Soon, other nobles would challenge White Lotus noble recruits. Some challenged the riffraff too. If a White Lotus noble or commoner beat a Martial Eagle noble, Wu Di would punish that Martial Eagle noble for making his country lose face. But he forbade the other Martial Eagle nobles from retaliating against the winner in revenge. In his life as Johan, although he wouldn¡¯t like Wu Di, he wouldn¡¯t actively speak out either. Let alone do anything. Yet now, Yu Han burned. Was it shame? Guilt? Or anger? No one had challenged Yu Han yet. Maybe they thought he wasn¡¯t worth it. But it was simply a matter of time until someone wanted to vent, or get an easy win, or just humiliate him. Wu Di finished the duel with a knee to Sima Yan¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Ugh.¡± The grey-eyed young master keeled over, losing his grip on his sword. ¡°Trash.¡± Wu Di spat on him. He then pointed at Li Yao. ¡°You, beggar. Come, you¡¯re next. Heard you¡¯re leading the other mongrels from White Lotus.¡± Li Yao grinned, cracking his knuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll rip that tongue off.¡± He was always confident¡ªtoo confident. ¡°Ho, you got guts.¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t tell if that confidence was just an act, or if Li Yao truly believed he could beat Wu Di. It didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Drag it out,¡± Yu Han whispered. He thought for a bit, then added, ¡°Don¡¯t lose to that pervert.¡± Li Yao winked, then stretched his neck with a slow, deliberate motion. Wu Di got into a fighting stance. It was like one of those martial arts stances from Hong Kong kung-fu movies. Yu Han had seen it seven¡ªno, eight times now. His legs bent just enough to stay mobile, knees loose and ready to spring like coiled steel. His upper body was steady, fists raised but not clenched, like he was saving all his power for that perfect moment. There was nothing sloppy about Wu Di¡¯s fighting style¡ªbrutal, yes, but precise. Li Yao stood lazily by comparison, the wooden sword Sima Yan had used hanging loose in his hand. His weight shifted from foot to foot, not quite getting into a stance. ¡°I¡¯ll let you strike first. Come!¡± Wu Di¡¯s voice cut through the air. ¡°Your funeral.¡± Li Yao flashed a grin, then lunged forward. Li Yao swung the sword like a club diagonally at Wu Di¡¯s shoulder. Not a clean strike, but it would bludgeon if it landed. ¡°Amateur.¡± Wu Di sounded almost disappointed. He twisted his upper body ever so slightly, but that was enough to avoid the strike, his knee already going up in response. His left hand moved too. It went for Li Yao¡¯s sword arm. ¡°Go dow¡ªugh.¡± Wu Di jumped back with a grunt. In Li Yao¡¯s other hand, there was another object. It was a wooden training knife, shining with polish as it caught the sun. He must have hidden it in his sleeves. Wu Di¡¯s knee had collided with the tip, hard. That must have hurt. ¡°You dirty bastard. Have you no honour?¡± Wu Di raged. His followers echoed his indignation, some taking steps forward as if to gang up. Yu Han¡¯s focus was on the way Wu Di backed off, slightly favouring the other knee. It didn¡¯t look like a crippling injury, but it had some effect. Li Yao spread his arms, one hand holding a dagger, the other a sword. He looked fricking cool. ¡°Sorry fellas. Grew up in the slums. Can you eat honour?¡± he said. ¡°You dare bark like that?¡± The Martial Eagle nobles looked like they wanted to join the fight. ¡°Stay back, this dog is mine to beat.¡± Wu Di raised his hand. The two fighters circled each other. ¡°How did a mongrel like you even pass the talent test?¡± Wu Di said, repairing his stance. ¡°With my martial arts, of course. It¡¯s a special one.¡± Li Yao twirled the dagger. ¡°Name it. This Wu Di is a scion of the Swooping Eagle Pouncing Panther style.¡± Wu Di demanded. ¡°It¡¯s called!¡± Li Yao roared, charging. ¡°How dare you!¡± Wu Di cried, incensed. The fight dragged out for half an hour, far longer than anyone expected. People started whispering that Li Yao was much better than Sima Yan. Sima Yan looked stoic, but his fists were clenched. ¡°A wise man knows when to bow,¡± Sima Yan said, but the voice reached Yu Han. Pang Jiming with his arm in a crutch wasted no time flattering the young master, but Ma San¡¯s vitriolic gaze was fixed on Yu Han. At the end, Li Yao was exhausted. He hadn¡¯t sustained many injuries. Wu Di was sweating too, but he couldn¡¯t strike a decisive blow. Something clattered. Li Yao had dropped his weapons. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wu Di demanded. ¡°You win.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sane?¡± ¡°I surrender.¡± Li Yao grinned, walking back to the group of White Lotus riffraff. ¡°Coward!¡± one Martial Eagle noble shouted. ¡°Have you no shame?¡± another said. More insults followed. ¡°I know your type. Good. Good. At least one of you trashes can make me break a sweat. You¡¯re the first, and I hope Huang Niuniu will be the second!¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s right, Brother Wu Di. His stamina just can¡¯t keep up with you!¡± ¡°With that cowardly action, he must have been an obedient housewife in his previous life.¡± The insults turned into taunts. A vein bulged on Li Yao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Sorry, fuckers. I ain¡¯t into men.¡± The taunts got louder. Yu Han filed that thought away. ¡°Tomorrow, we fight again.¡± But Wu Di didn¡¯t seem dissatisfied. ¡°That¡¯s it for today.¡± He clapped, as if he had the authority to make everyone disperse. That night, Qiao Jinhai had an unexpected announcement. ¡°Stay off the deck. We are about to pass through a storm. It isn¡¯t my responsibility if you fall overboard,¡± the cultivator said. ¡°And cease the challenges for now. No mishaps shall be permitted!¡± He looked troubled. He kept obsessively looking at a wooden token. He¡¯d walk around the ship, go on deck, fly up, and come back while swearing. Something worried him. The storm hit the ship a few hours later. The ship rocked like a log going down a waterfall. Rain fell against the small window in Yu Han¡¯s room. Outside, all he could see were titanic waves. The ship would climb one, then dive down, like a roller coaster. Surprisingly, the sudden changes in motion were not felt inside the ship. Definitely Xianxia magic. Was Huang Niuniu trapped in her cell, or did they really let her stay in her chambers? The rain helped Yu Han sleep better. In the White Space, the only thing he simulated nowadays were Wu Di¡¯s fights. He took notes. Slowly. Steadily. Even with preparation, he would surely lose the fight. The base stats were just not there. Yu Han wasn¡¯t delusional. He didn¡¯t have the ability to dodge even one of Wu Di¡¯s punches, let alone fight back. But there were other ways. All he would need was another chance. Memory: 15 -> 16 [Mind Origin: 11.00 -> 11.20] The mirages became more solid, clear, and vibrant. They lasted longer. Three days later, the storm passed. ¡°You dare!¡± Qiao Jinhai¡¯s voice echoed like a volcano throughout the ship. ¡°I can smell your fear, worm. Delicious,¡± another voice resounded. Calmer, but chilling, like a beast¡¯s growl. There was an explosion, as if the ship had hit an iceberg, followed by Qiao Jinhai¡¯s pained scream. Chapter 12: Duan Xiaolong It was like a missile had suddenly hit the ship. Yu Han was flung out of his bed, kissing the floor with a painful thud. ¡°Motherfu¡ª¡± Li Yao¡¯s curse rang from somewhere. Yu Han¡¯s vision buzzed blue and red, and when the stars cleared up, he found himself leaning on a wall for balance. ¡°What business does fellow Daoist have with this Verdant Blade Sect¡¯s vessel?¡± Qiao Jinhai¡¯s voice echoed. It was unusually subdued, unlike his usual arrogant tone. ¡°Merely hunting a worm who dared to steal. The little worm should tremble. Kneel and beg for mercy,¡± replied a low, rumbling voice, as if a beast was speaking. ¡°Fellow Daoist surely jests¡ª¡± Another explosion rocked the ship. The floorboard creaked, and dust and wood chips fell from the ceiling. Li Yao opened the door and rushed out. ¡°Are you coming or what?¡± he yelled at Yu Han. ¡°We¡¯re dead if the roof collapses!¡± Outside the door, a few more recruits ran through the wardroom corridor. Yu Han clenched his fist, then wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. ¡°Wait up!¡± he shouted, following Li Yao out. More explosions followed. The humid sea air became thick with mist. Yu Han and the other recruits raced up the stairs, their footsteps echoing against the trembling wood. ¡°Li Yao.¡± Yu Han tugged on the taller boy''s arm. ¡°Are we seriously running the explosion?¡± They paused halfway up the stairwell, the hatch in sight. Yu Han was out of breath, heart pounding. Li Yao turned to Yu Han, eyes wide with panic, but before he could answer¡ª ¡°You leave me no choice!¡± Qiao Jinhai''s voice thundered from above. ¡°Celestial Bamboo Grove Sword Formation!¡± Another violent explosion, louder than any before, tore through the ship. The stairs shook, the walls groaned. Wood cracked and shattered around them. The hatch at the top of the stairwell exploded from its hinges, disintegrating into a cloud of dust. Some screamed, others cried. Yu Han and Li Yao grabbed onto the railing. The deck above them buckled, then collapsed. Floorboards vanished, splintering like shrapnel, leaving a jagged hole that exposed the scene above. They didn¡¯t see the sky. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A brilliant flash of green light illuminated the hatchway, shaped like a crescent moon. It hurtled straight towards them, followed by a swarm of wood shrapnel. Yu Han¡¯s breath caught in his throat. Instinctively, his hands shot up, as if he could block the strange projectile. But deep down, he knew it was useless. Then the opaque silhouette of a man appeared in the green crescent¡¯s path. He held a staff diagonally in front of him. The crescent collided with the staff, and the screech of metal on metal rang out. The green light shattered, the force blowing the shrapnel out of the way. And then the silhouette disappeared. Yu Han wasn¡¯t sliced in half, nor turned into a sieve. ¡°Cornered prey will bite back, as they say. But this... this is the first time I''ve seen one turn its teeth on its own brood,¡± the beastly voice said. ¡°You have shown me a new level of desperation.¡± There was a chirping sound. ¡°You¡¯re right, Little Pillar,¡± the beastly voice said. ¡°This is the worm¡¯s final writhing.¡± The dust settled, and the scene on deck became visible. On one side was Qiao Jinhai. His clothes were in tatters, and he was bleeding from many wounds on his body. He held a sword with his right hand and, with his left, a piece of paper. Around him, three bamboo sticks floated in orbit. They swirled fast, leaving afterimages of green blurs. His opponent was a muscular young man with blue eyes as chilling as a glacier. The sleeves of his indigo-white robes were ripped, biceps bulging. He was shorter than Wu Di, but with far more bulk. He had spiky jet-black hair that fell to his waist. The enemy cultivator spared a glance at the onlookers on the gangway. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°How fare the stolen mice, Little Pillar?¡± Spiked Hair said through fanged teeth. ¡°Did the worm catch them in its jaws?¡± There was a chirping sound again. ¡°Keep the toys safe while I hunt the interloper.¡± Spiked Hair formed a claw with his hand, and mist seemed to gather in a ball inside it. ¡°You dare ignore me in the midst of a duel, barbarian?¡± Qiao Jinhai said, as if he could not believe the offence. ¡°Duel?¡± Spiked Hair cackled. ¡°Does a hawk duel with its prey?¡± ¡°You court death!¡± Qiao Jinhai stomped with his left foot, and with the momentum, chopped down with the sword in his hand. A green crescent slashed out. The same light that had been launched towards Yu Han¡¯s group just moments ago. Yu Han gaped. ¡°Still not begging for your life?¡± Spiked Hair punched, the ball of mist in his clawed hand flying out. The two supernatural forces collided, and with the sound of shattering glass, the ball of mist broke through the green crescent. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± Qiao Jinhai roared, spitting out blood. The blood hit the three orbiting bamboo sticks. He chopped down with his sword again, and this time, the bamboo sticks followed the motion. ! Four green crescents flew out. ¡°You die, barbarian!¡± Qiao Jinhai slashed and thrusted as if out of control. More green crescents flew out in all directions. That wasn¡¯t it. The first four green crescents broke through the mist ball and sliced Spiked Hair apart. Spiked Hair¡¯s remains turned into mist and scattered. ¡°That can¡¯t be it!¡± Li Yao shouted. ¡°Like a blind insect being toyed with,¡± Spiked Hair¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°Your fear fuels my joy. Struggle more.¡± It was cold, but with an undertone of certain mirth. Qiao Jinhai slashed more, perhaps trying to hit Spiked Hair randomly. ¡°Curse you! Curse you!¡± he cried out. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be my better while you hide like a rat!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. Cry! Cry and beg more.¡± Many green slices flew towards Yu Han¡¯s group at the mouth of the destroyed hatch. Each time, a semi-opaque silhouette would appear and shatter the attacks. It had a humanoid figure, but it wasn¡¯t human. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got, worm? I cannot savour such ¡ªwhat trick is this?¡± Spiked Hair said. The green energy left by the shattered crescents started to pulse. In the mist, it appeared like the disappearing glow of a lighthouse. ¡°You just noticed?¡± Qiao Jinhai laughed, blood spewing out of his mouth. He opened his arms wide, and his sword flew out. The three bamboo sticks stopped too. ¡°But it¡¯s too late. I will have your life, barbarian. Behold, the true form of our sect¡ª¡± ¡°Pathetic.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± A staff weaved between the three bamboo sticks and made contact with Qiao Jinhai¡¯s jaw. Something broke. Qiao Jinhai flew back, smashing against the guardrail. The wood crunched, and the cultivator fell overboard. There was a chirp followed by a strange sound, as if someone was blowing a raspberry. ¡°I-Is he dead?¡± Li Yao said. Yu Han gulped. ¡°You ask me, but who am I supposed to ask?¡± A bundle was thrown onto the deck from the direction Qiao Jinhai had fallen from. It was Qiao Jinhai, now tied up, with his mouth gagged. He had fainted, and judging by the shape of his face, was severely injured too. A figure landed beside him. It was Spiked Hair. He hadn¡¯t been on the deck at all¡ªhe was probably hanging from the side of the ship. ¡°Little Pillar, spectacular work,¡± Spiked Hair said. Another chirping sound. The semi-opaque silhouette gradually became more visible, like smeared glass clearing up. It was a monkey with blue fur, big round eyes, and a long furry tail. It had armour like a terracotta soldier, and a bronze staff tucked under one arm. It jumped from one leg to another, scratching its furry head. It pointed at Qiao Jinhai, then at Yu Han¡¯s group, then finally at itself, and squeaked. ¡°Savour the taste,¡± Spiked Hair said, tossing it a hexagonal crystal. ¡°Slowly.¡± The monkey called Little Pillar carried Qiao Jinhai and climbed up the mast. He hung the unconscious cultivator from the mast, then squatted at the top, biting the hexagonal crystal like it was a drug. ¡°Let us take stock of the new hunt,¡± Spiked Hair said with a menacing grin. Yu Han blinked, then opened his eyes. Spiked Hair was gone, and in his place, there was only mist. The man¡¯s voice echoed from down the stairs. ¡°Like larvae, you are tricked. All recruits on board, scurry before me within a cup of tea''s time. Let this Duan Xiaolong see who is worthy.¡± *** Duan Xiaolong stood in the middle of the training area with his arms crossed. His Spiked hair moved with the rocking of the ship. Below, all the recruits had gathered. Sima Yan, Ma San, Wu Di, Huang Linxue. Huang Niuniu. Her injuries hadn¡¯t cleared up yet. She was tucked away in the corner, like she was trying to disappear. She¡¯d shiver every now and then, wrapping her arms around herself. ¡°It wasn¡¯t even a fight,¡± Li Yao said. The boy looked like he had met his favourite superhero. ¡°That composure. Crazy. Fucking insane. Are all cultivators this¡­ this¡ª¡± ¡°Cool?¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao snapped his fingers. ¡°Exactly. There¡¯s some shit going on. If we don¡¯t die, I¡¯m gonna get myself a monkey.¡± Did he imagine it, or was that a smile on Duan Xiaolong¡¯s face? It seemed that for a split second, the cultivator had looked at Li Yao with interest. ¡°Your worthless lives belong to me,¡± the cultivator said. It was a low voice, with that uneven growl. There was a murmur in the crowd. ¡°Look at you, chittering like mice.¡± Duan Xiaolong sneered, and instantly, the crowd fell silent, as if a hundred unseen hands had grasped their throats. ¡°My claim is of the strong. I conquered this ship in a duel, and now I will set the rules.¡± He scanned the crowd. ¡°Like newborn foals, you have been tricked by worms. But once tricked, your value is gone.¡± Duan Xiaolong clapped, the sound ringing like crashing cymbals. ¡°You will earn back that value in combat.¡± He sat down cross-legged. He pointed at two boys. ¡°You were late, so you will be the first to redeem yourselves. Fight. Keep me entertained on this tedious voyage.¡± There was a chirping sound. The blue monkey appeared behind one of the boys and pushed him from behind with the staff. ¡°Chirp!¡± The monkey waved its staff at the others, screeching. Yu Han moved out of the way. Soon, there were only the two boys, Duan Xiaolong, and the monkey left. ¡°Need I hold your hand?¡± Duan Xiaolong sighed. ¡°U-Umm. Lord Cultivator? What shall we¡ª¡± Duan Xiaolong snapped his fingers. ¡°Worthless.¡± The monkey struck the boy in the ribcage with the bronze staff. The boy flew like a comet, spraying a shower of blood as he slammed into the ship¡¯s wooden wall. A Letter to my Readers: (Rewrote Chapters 10 and 11) I rewrote the chapters 10 and 11. The revamp is major, so I would recommend readers to re-read the story from there again, otherwise the following chapters might feel confusing (since I also rewrote/edited every chapter from chapter 10 so that the story is consistent). Check it out here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/97091/book/chapter/1887314/chapter I would like to write a letter to you guys. The reason I rewrote was because during chapters 10 and 11, a certain traumatic experience happens to a character. I feel like I wrote the scene well. Most other authors I showed the scene (some whose story I''m sure you''ve read) agreed that there was nothing intrinsically wrong with writing such dark scenes in fiction either, and that there was nothing wrong with the scene I wrote. The fiction was tagged with ''Sensitive Content.'' Keeping up with Royalroad guidelines, I made sure that there were no detailed descriptions of the traumatic event. It happened off-screen, and what we saw was the events leading up to it and the consequences afterwards. The action wasn''t glorified in any way. The main character of this novel might start out as a narcissistic scumbag, but he had his boundaries, too. Fiction is fiction. Reality is reality. Dark scenes have been written in far greater detail in great works such as A song of ice and fire (Game of Thrones), and Outlanders. Some might say: "Well those are written by brilliant authors. They have the writing skills to make such dark topics work." I reject such statements. Nothing is off limits in fictions, no matter what the skill level. Otherwise, how is an author to learn his craft, if he doesn''t at least attempt to write a challenging subject? Should he just be happy writing about happy people in happy land where nothing ever goes wrong? I believe that humans are storytelling machines. Story is how we explore this vast universe. We make up the most heinous and the most happiest fantasies imaginable, put them into words on paper or a document, then ask the question: "then what happened?" Our species evolved to tell stories, whether it''s a comedy or a tragedy. We write stories as a way of simulation. If a tiger attacks the village, what is to be done? Ancient storytellers probably pondered these questions too. They wrote a story to tell it to the villagers. I can be based on a real tiger attack. It can be brutal, tragic, and apologetically real. The villagers now at least have a semblance of an idea of what to do next. Is the storyteller is good? Well, the villagers will have a good time too. If they are bad, at least the villagers know there are tigers in the world. Everyone can be a storyteller. Me, who has middling skills at best. G.R.R. Martin, with his monumental skills with the pen, or a budding author who has never written a single word before. My skill level has nothing to do with my qualifications to write. If I''m good, it just means more people will read my story and enjoy it. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Finally, what an author writes in a fictional setting is not some hidden clue to their ''real personality.'' If Thomas Harris writes about cannibals (Silence of the Lambs), does that mean he eats human meat? If my neighbour Leah writes she is a Space Princess, does that actually make her one? On the other hand, if anthere was an actual cannibal, does that in reverse say something about his writing skills? Some people confuse reality and fiction because of medical conditions. Some are simply so self-righteous that they are blind. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So why did I rewrite the scene? I''d like to explain it first by the valuable wisdom a reader of the story (and fellow writer, MDW) shared with me in the comment sections: There are no masters but fellow disciples stumbling in the dark while trying to walk the narrow righteous path. Remember to be like the Bamboo rather than the Oak. Both attempt to reach the heavens as they grow. Though mighty, Oak is inflexible. Bamboo bends to the wisdom of the storm and survives, while Oak breaks before the implacable winds. The problem was the sudden and jarring tone-shift. Some fellow authors pointed this out to me. It wasn''t a problem to keep the scene. I was in my right to do so. But, the synopsis of the story, the chapters before chapter 10, and the title of the book do not point to a story with such dark elements, especially not at the beginning 10 chapters. After sleeping on the issue, I agreed. So I kept the ''trauma'' but changed ''how it happened.'' Other authors and some dear readers (on discord and Patreon too) have told me that the rewrite suited the tone of the story much better. I hope you all will think the same too. Thanks for reading this even though it wasn''t a chapter. I probably made a ton of logical fallacies in this letter. The next real chapter comes out in 6 hours! (I might remove this ''chapter'' in a few days). I''m now on RS rank 40 I think? I couldn''t have done it without you guys. You, all, rock. I''d hug you if I can (please don''t show up at my door at midnight). Best regards, CatVI Chapter 13: Simulation In Chapter Author''s Notes: I did a rewrite of chapters 10 and 11, then fixed up chapter 12, so everything made sense. Sorry if the story feels off for people who read the last versions. The monkey turned to the second boy and bashed him on the forearms with the staff. He went flying, too. The sound of bones breaking echoed like snapping twigs. Duan Xiaolong waved his hands, and two balls of mist appeared. They were grey, with neon green and red leaking from inside like the aurora. He threw the balls, and the mist permeated the two mangled boys with a . Their splattered blood rolled back into their bodies, and the snapped limbs twisted into place. Still bruised, but now looking human, at least. The blue monkey chirped, scratching its furry head. It pointed at the two comatose kids, then at the gathered crowd. ¡°Squeak!¡± The recruits took a collective step back. ¡°Little Pillar, you have the brains of a lion.¡± Duan Xiaolong guffawed. ¡°Mice need both reward and punishment.¡± The cultivator flicked a hexagonal crystal up like a coin, catching it again. He then threw it at the centre of the arena. It landed with perfect precision on its side. Didn¡¯t even spin. ¡°Challenge others. Prove your might, or forever be prey,¡± Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°Those who win shall taste the compounding rewards.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± a voice said. It was Wu Di. ¡°It¡¯s a spirit stone!¡± ¡°Even vermin can recognise a treasure,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Indeed it is. For each triumph, you shall gain more and more. For each loss, you lose all.¡± Yu Han recognized the crystal. It was a common item that appeared in Xianxia stories, usually holding some manner of qi, or being used as a currency. A potent energy source for both cultivators and items alike. Qiao Jinhai had held those same crystals whilst he meditated on the bow of the ship. Although the one Duan Xiaolong offered was far dimmer and smaller, only the size of a fingernail. ¡°You, heir of the Southern Duchy.¡± Wu Di pointed a finger at a lanky figure standing far behind. It was one of his groupies. ¡°Y-Yes, young master?¡± the boy stuttered. ¡°This Wu Di has always admired the Threefold Hawk Claw of the Southern Duchy. Today, I shall judge its worth.¡± ¡°Young master, you couldn¡¯t possibly mean¡ª¡± The blue monkey grunted, adjusting the staff. ¡°This unworthy one will be in your care.¡± The boy bowed. They went to the traditional south and north starting positions of the training hall. Duan Xiaolong patted his knees. ¡°Good, good! Fight like you¡¯re starving. Only then can you satiate me. Claw, punch, cleave, break! Let us enjoy a bloodbath without fear of death or injuries.¡± One of the boys who had been bludgeoned into a bloody mess by Little Pillar stirred awake, coughing out blood. His eyes snapped open, and he rolled over, retching more. Little Pillar lifted both boys up and disappeared. Yu Han wouldn¡¯t risk it. But that kind of healing¡­ Wow. ¡°Fight!¡± Duan Xiaolong sliced the air with his palm. Wu Di got into his signature stance. ¡°Come, Junior Brother. Let me taste your claw.¡± ¡°Pardon my rudeness.¡± The lanky boy bowed, then lunged forward. He shaped his fingers into hooks and swiped up from below. Wu Di moved back with a minimal twist of his body. Lanky stepped forward, his other leg spinning into a roundhouse kick. Wu Di blocked with his forearms, then with one straight hook at Lanky¡¯s torso. Lanky¡¯s other foot came up, intercepting the fist with his knee. ! There was a loud collision. Lanky¡¯s feet extended into a sweeping kick as the other foot touched down. Wu Di struck the kick on the shins with his elbow. There was a meaty thud and Lanky screamed, losing his balance. Wu Di lunged forward into Lanky¡¯s guard, only to have a clawed hand grasp his neck from below. Wu Di grunted, as if suffocated, but kicked out with his knee. Lanky let go, retreating seven steps. Three gashes were left on Wu Di¡¯s neck. The blood dripped down, painting his chest and abs in crimson. ¡°Not bad.¡± Wu Di swiped the gash on his neck, then flung the blood away. ¡°You almost got my artery.¡± Lanky was favouring one leg, taking the pressure off the one that had been struck on the shins. ¡°The Swooping Eagle Pouncing Panther style lives up to its name.¡± Lanky¡¯s timidness was gone. What was left was a menacing grin. ¡°I shall crush it to the ground.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Let me see you try!¡± With a roar, Wu Di ran. Lanky crouched low. Wu Di punched, a right hook. Lanky struck with his left hand, his fingers clawed as they swiped the side of Wu Di¡¯s punch, aiming straight for his face. He had a longer reach. Wu Di grinned, then bent his arm mid-punch. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± The elbow struck Lanky¡¯s forearm the moment the joints crossed each other. There was a sound of bone breaking. Lanky¡¯s scream caught in his throat. Wu Di stepped into his guard again. Lanky raised his knee, one last desperate attempt¡ª Wu Di extended his right hook again. It hit Lanky squarely in the jaw. Blood splattered, teeth flew. The light went out of Lanky¡¯s eyes. ¡°Bravo.¡± Duan Xiaolong cracked a finger. ¡°A daring confrontation. Take the reward.¡± Wu Di bowed, picking up the hexagonal crystal. There was a glint in his eyes that Yu Han didn¡¯t miss. Duan Xiaolong threw two more mist balls. One hit Wu Di on the forehead, the other striking the unconscious Lanky. The lost teeth magically reattached themselves, and Lanky¡¯s nosebleed stopped too. ¡°Fucking miracles,¡± Li Yao gasped. ¡°Move the loser to the infirmary. He may reclaim his challenge after a week of rest,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°The winner gets respite for the night.¡± Wu Di grinned. He bowed again, then walked away. Until he reached Huang Niuniu. The redhead loomed above the scared girl. She shrunk even more, her breath growing haggard. "Qiao Jinhai can¡¯t stop me now. Wait a while. When we get to the sect, I shall show you how a beast claims prey.¡± He extended a hand, brushing her hair with a finger. Which was suddenly grabbed by a fist. The finger snapped. ¡°None of that,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. The praise had left his voice, replaced by cold anger. ¡°One can hunt for sustenance, but never humiliate.¡± Wu Di nodded. He bit his lips, his eyes trembling wide. Duan Xiaolong scoffed. He created another mist ball, and threw it at Huang Niuniu. ¡°Wounds not from battle are disallowed, young fowl.¡± He suddenly looked up at the ceiling. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is this what they say? When the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole lurks behind?¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Little Pillar, bring us the pitiful oriole.¡± The monkey who had suddenly appeared again chirped, then vanished once more. A few moments later, a cry rang out from above, followed by a sickening thump. It was a voice Yu Han recognized. Sima Yan and Pang Jiming paled, while a murmur grew. A bloody body was thrown over everyone¡¯s heads into the training arena. It fell, then bounced. Miraculously, the boy was still conscious. ¡°W-Why¡ª?¡± Ma San asked. ¡°I-If Qiao Jinhai¡¯s your enemy, let me kill him!¡± Duan Xiaolong crouched beside the boy, then tapped one bloody cheek, prying the wound there open until teeth showed. ¡°What I do with my prey is none of your business.¡± He created a mist ball larger than any before and poured the magic through the wound like liquid oxygen. Ma San screamed. His joints snapped, eyes bulging. The wounds wiggled as if seaming themselves together, but then burst again, splattering blood and gore. But Ma San didn¡¯t lose consciousness. His defiant eyes stared back. Little Pillar carried the boy downstairs. ¡°Lucky you,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°He would¡¯ve come for your ass soon.¡± Yu Han nodded. Duan Xiaolong was a strange character. On one hand, he was cruel, getting his monkey minion to clobber little kids until bone poked through their flesh. On the other, he always healed the kids with the mist after a beating, and after every duel too. Most importantly, he protected Huang Niuniu. He even healed her. The redheaded cock was still simmering at the side, nursing his broken finger. Duan Xiaolong hadn¡¯t healed that. There were some duels after that, between White Lotus nobles and riffraff, then against Martial Eagle scions. Li Yao beat up the large fella with the cleft lip. Sima Yan fought a wide kid from the Martial Eagle Kingdom and triumphed, earning a resounding cheer. Finally, Wu Di made his move again. ¡°You think you can beat me with your broken finger?¡± Pang Jiming said. Before the duel, Duan Xialong healed his broken arm. ¡°Arrogance will be your downfall.¡± ¡°Enough talk.¡± Wu Di beckoned the boy. ¡°Come.¡± Wu Di won, taking the spirit stone Pang Jiming had earned from a previous duel, and then twice the total as rewards from Duan Xiaolong. That night, Wu Di won a total of eight fights. Yu Han counted. How many crystals was that? Duan Xiaolong didn¡¯t specify how much ¡®more and more¡¯ meant. ¡°This is valiance! This is how prey becomes predator. Good job, mice.¡± Duan Xiaolong looked as if he was truly enjoying himself. He threw Wu Di a mist ball. ¡°Mend your bones. Tomorrow, you fight again. If you dare.¡± Wu Di bowed. ¡°W-Wait!¡± a voice growled through the crowd. ¡°Have you not learned your lesson?¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Prey may be weak, but never stupid.¡± Little Pillar chirped, thumping the staff on the floorboard. ¡°Fat bastard!¡± Ma San pointed at Yu Han. He was bloody, bruised, evidently nowhere near healed. Veins bulged under his skin like wriggling worms. But his voice was resolute. ¡°I challenge you to a fight to the death!¡± ¡°What say you?¡± Duan Xiaolong asked Yu Han. Yu Han unsheathed his dagger. He would take no chances. ¡°The little pig has fangs.¡± Duan Xiaolong laughed. ¡°Tonight, you rest. Tomorrow, the second chapter of the voyage starts proper. You may fight in a week.¡± ¡°Bu¡ª¡± Little Pillar kicked Ma San¡¯s knee from behind. It snapped. Then, with the sickening sounds of grinding bone over Ma San¡¯s scream, it started healing. The recruits dispersed. ¡°Why did you bring out the dagger if you¡¯re probably gonna stab yourself again?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Not only are you going to lose the fight, but you¡¯re gonna lose all face with it.¡± ¡°Can you eat face?¡± ¡°Pork face ain¡¯t so bad, tubs.¡± That night, in Deep Sleep, Yu Han echoed the moment Duan Xiaolong healed Huang Niuniu. He couldn¡¯t do that. He just took her kindness without giving anything back. And after they arrive at the sect, this kind girl would probably suffer misfortune. So Yu Han should at least make an effort to lessen that misfortune. He replayed all eight of Wu Di¡¯s fights. After he had gained the point in the Memory substat, the mirages had improved. Or was it because Mind Origin increased? He replayed the duels Wu Di orchestrated before Duan Xiaolong¡¯s arrival next. Punches, kicks, elbow, knees. Yu Han stood in front of the projection, unblinking. The punches went through him like mirages. The kicks hit him on the temple. Since these never happened to him in reality, he didn¡¯t feel the effects. But he could train his mind. Yu Han didn¡¯t look away, even if his body screamed at him. He had to get over the instinct to close his eyes. After that, Yu Han dispelled the illusions, replacing it with a scene from the ship. It was the mess hall. He sat on a bench before a piping hot bowl of soup. It was red, the chilli oil floating at the top of the broth like a layer of spill. ¡°I¡¯ll have to hide this. Seaweed?¡± Yu Han grabbed the bowl. The illusions shifted. The stairway. The guardrail. The rope. Yu Han measured the distance from the hatch to the deck, then the height of the stairway. He brought out a brush, painting the wood where the rope should be. The ink didn¡¯t leave any traces. The scene was blurry; it glitched left and right. It seemed he could only paint on the mirage of the exact paper he had used to paint in real life, and couldn¡¯t arbitrarily modify other objects. He¡¯d already figured out that making objects last longer would require more fuel for Echoing Dreamscape. He would pass out faster. But it would be worth the effort. Because tomorrow¡­ +11 Arts True Qi -> Echoing Dreamscape [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 22 (+11)/400 Tomorrow, he was going to butcher a cock. Chapter 14: Cock Fight Yu Han got up earlier than Li Yao, a rare occurrence. He lumbered over to the common basin in the wardroom and freshened up with salt water and coal. The wardrooms were in the same floor as the mess hall. It was sparsely populated now, with barely any disciples. On one side were the stairs that led up to the hatch. A few recruits were gathered there, murmuring. ¡°Crazy. Is this what cultivators are capable of?¡± ¡°How much do you think the ship costs?¡± ¡°My father owns a fleet. He would kill my eldest brother for such a vessel.¡± The wood of the stairs was mending itself. Like it had a mind of its own, the wood creaked, inching close together at specific intervals. Jagged edges joined, and splinters flew in from somewhere. The rope lining the side of the rails had been repaired halfway too. It gave Yu Han an idea. He surveyed the position of the tables, their distance from the stairwell. His heartbeat rose. He waited until the recruits went away, then trotted over. He squatted by the lowest stair, then measured the distance up. He climbed five treads, then held the railing on both sides and heaved his weight up, as if doing a calisthenics exercise. His head didn¡¯t touch the ceiling. After one and a half months of staying here, he¡¯d finally found a perk of being short. And fat. Yu Han pushed against the railing, feet hovering above the stairs, and jumped down. He hurriedly looked around. No one was paying attention, so he went back up the stairs. . The rope by the railing was still snapped about a third of the way up. Yu Han pulled the rope, then spread one end along that stair, tying that end up on the railing on the other side. Then he went up and tied the other end of the rope a few steps below, where it was originally tied. ¡°Move it, fatty!¡± A recruit came down. Yu Han¡¯s heart flinched. It was one of Wu Di¡¯s groupies. The guy jumped down three steps at a time, then turned around. ¡°Gonna get your ass kicked today,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that it wasn¡¯t one of us Martial Eagle nobility.¡± He paused, then grinned. ¡°That¡¯s a nice dagger you have.¡± Yu Han immediately unsheathed it. The guy frowned. Yu Han had the high ground. Even if he just jumped down with the dagger facing the general direction of the guy, it would be fatal. ¡°I¡¯ll see you, fatty.¡± Yu Han sighed, hands trembling so much that he almost dropped the dagger. When the guy was gone, he finished tying the rope to the guardrail, then tugged at it. The portion of the rope that was spread along the stairstep below and tied to the opposite guardrail pulled taut. Yu Han went to the kitchen. ¡°More chilli oil,¡± he said. The chef in the serving robe was sweating buckets. ¡°But my lord, this is just oil at this point!¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Yu Han shushed the waiter. ¡°More means more. Make ten, no, twenty bowls of this. Put them in decorative bowls, not the normal ones. And heat the oil until it¡¯s sizzling.¡± The chef hesitated. ¡°Your wish is my command.¡± ¡°Cover it with toppings.¡± The waiter put seaweed and fish flakes over the bowls. ¡°You think I¡¯m weak?¡± Yu Han fumed. ¡°Chilli flakes. Fried garlic. Roasted peppers. Yeah, more.¡± By the end, the waiter was probably cursing Yu Han¡¯s five ancestors. ¡°This is for a special occasion. Don¡¯t tell anyone unless you want to take responsibility,¡± Yu Han said. Threatening came naturally to his Johanistic soul. ¡°My lips are sealed.¡± ¡°Place one bowl on each table. Make it seem like decoration.¡± The waiter went away. Yu Han grabbed his trembling right hand with his left. He thumped his chest. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Yu Han sat down on a bench where the table already had a bowl of sizzling chilli oil. Between him and the stairs, there were three more tables. He could have sat closer. He crossed his fingers. If this overly cautious attitude cost him, then so be it. As long as no one laughed. Yu Han patted his tummy. It wiggled. Abs nowhere in sight. He¡¯d probably become the laughingstock of the generation. Soon, more recruits filtered in. Some had quick breakfasts, then went their own ways¡ªto the deck, or down below. ¡°Whoa, the ship¡¯s fixing itself?¡± a girl said. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± ¡°Why? The rope looks like it''s tied all wrong.¡± ¡°What if you mess up the repairs? You think you can take responsibility?¡± Yu Han wiped his sweat with a steamed towel, the type the waiters gave the recruits to clean their hands. The whole setup might be a bust. Wu Di might clobber Yu Han into shrimp paste. Yu Han checked his gear. Dagger, check. Pouch full of chilli powder? Check. Better hide it in his sleeve though. ¡°What¡¯re you up to, tubs?¡± Li Yao said as he sat beside him. He had a simple bowl of rice stacked with a mountain of fatty pork bellies. ¡°I¡¯m going to butcher a chicken,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I have a favour to ask.¡± ¡°You want me to challenge Ma San?¡± ¡°Only if it seems like he¡¯ll challenge me first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a favour, tubs. Just an errand. You didn¡¯t answer my question. What are you planning?¡± ¡°I told you. There¡¯s a chicken running around that pisses me off.¡± Wu Di walked into the mess hall. Unlike previous days, his body language was shifty. Every time a girl passed by, his eyes would follow like a hawk¡¯s. ¡°He¡¯s just some wannabee rapist, isn¡¯t he? Like a stinky bandit drooling over the village flower.¡± Yu Han¡¯s voice broke through the crowd. ¡°You crazy son of a bitch.¡± Li Yao¡¯s eyes twinkled with realization. ¡°You¡¯re confident?¡± Yu Han nodded and said loudly, ¡°He was a stooge for that crook Qiao Jinhai, just to get in bed with a girl! Talk about being pathetic. A loser like him couldn¡¯t even get a girl if he begged her, so he had to use threats and violence. Ugly fucking flunky if I¡¯ve ever seen one. Yet he dares act like he owns the place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing complicated, my tubby bro,¡± Li Yao said in a near-shout. ¡°These fellas, they¡¯re strong to the weak and weak to the strong. You¡¯ll find them bullying poor slum folks, but then they bow to kings like loaches.¡± ¡°Slippery ones?¡± ¡°You said it, brother.¡± The mess hall was pin-drop silent. Through the corner of his eye, Yu Han noticed Duan Xiaolong sitting at a nearby table. The other recruits scurried to empty it. Wu Di¡¯s visage turned ugly like a raging asura. Then it reverted back into a sunny smile. ¡°This fat brother,¡± he said, sitting on the bench opposite Yu Han and Li Yao¡¯s. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear what you said clearly. Do you dare to repeat it?¡± Yu Han¡¯s hands trembled under the table. He grabbed one with the other and squeezed. ¡°Did kissing Qiao Jinhai¡¯s ass so many times make you deaf? Got shit stuck in your ears, or your brain?¡± Someone dropped a plate somewhere. A monkey chirped. Li Yao swallowed a pork piece whole without chewing. ¡°This fat brother has a slanderous mouth,¡± Wu Di said. ¡°She is my woman. The proper heiress of the Huang clan, Huang Linxue, granted her to me in place of the Huang Patriarch. What we do is none of your business.¡± ¡°Everyone saw her screaming and begging the moment she saw your ugly face. If it wasn¡¯t for that thief Qiao Jinhai, she would¡¯ve probably preferred to jump off than be with you.¡± ¡°Niuniu stole a ginseng from my collection once,¡± another voice interjected. It was Huang Linxue. She covered her mouth with a sleeve, saying, ¡° She gave it to you, didn¡¯t she? Did she seduce you with her insidious charm too? Is that why you¡¯re jealous of Brother Wu Di?¡± ¡°Who the hell is Chu Fei, and why¡¯d he dump you for her?¡± Yu Han shot back. ¡°Bitch thinks I¡¯m the jealous one here.¡± Li Yao guffawed. Huang Linxue¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°You teamed up with this ugly flunky¡ª¡± Yu Han pointed his chopsticks at Wu Di with a chilli pepper still hanging ¡°¡ªbecause you¡¯re a jealous little tramp.¡± ¡°Now listen here¡ª¡± ¡°You think that everyone is blind? That you can play pretend with your shitty etiquette and no one will be the wiser?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°So what if this red cock here gets Huang Niuniu in the end? At most, that¡¯ll make this Chu Fei guy break up with Huang Niuniu. But why the hell would he ever go back to a tiny-eyed, flat-chested, snake-faced¡ª¡± ¡°You¡ª!¡± Huang Linxue stood up, her palms slamming the table. ¡°Even I have bigger boobs than you, washboard.¡± A single voice erupted with uncontrollable laughter. It was Duan Xiaolong. He slammed the table so hard it broke. Soon Li Yao laughed too, followed by some of his riffraff friends, the White Lotus nobles. ¡°You¡­ you insolent, fat bastard!¡± Huang Linxue clenched her fists. ¡°You still have the face to stay here?¡± Yu Han spat. The laughter grew louder. ¡°Big brother Wu Di!¡± Huang Linxue cried. Big pearls of tears fell freely from her face like a waterfall. ¡°T-This barbarian is bullying me.¡± Wu Di had been strangely silent, his gaze simmering. He didn¡¯t respond when Huang Linxue tugged his shoulder, merely flicking her away. ¡°E-Elder Bro¡ª¡± ¡°Women should stay out of this,¡± Wu Di said. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Huang Linxue clamped up. ¡°This fat brother,¡± Wu Di said. He waited for the laughter to die down. His red eyes turned colder, like a setting sun. His back straightened, like an unbreakable pillar. ¡°You spoke so much horsedung. But can you back it up?¡± ¡°What does it matter?¡± Yu Han said. He grabbed his bowl with one hand and stirred the pepper mixture with the other. ¡°Everyone knows I spoke the truth. You¡¯re just a big, ugly bully.¡± ¡°The truth is decided by the fist,¡± Wu Di said. ¡°Or do you think you can complain to the city court and impeach me?¡± ¡°How can the truth possibly be¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re cultivators. This truth you speak of is nothing but the cry of an ant. At the end of the day, it¡¯s the gossip of trash who couldn¡¯t beat me in a duel.¡± Wu Di said. He grabbed Yu Han¡¯s tea, then poured it. On Yu Han¡¯s head. Wu Di grinned. ¡°This Wu Di can shove your fat head into your excreta hole, while all you can do is gossip like a wronged scholar who got his courtesan stolen by a duke¡¯s son.¡± Huang Linxue snickered. Soon, the Martial Eagle nobles followed up. Even some others joined. ¡°Yu Han, was it?¡± Wu Di said. ¡°Ants should know their place. If they speak up without the strength to back it up, they¡¯ll get squashed.¡± ¡°Using violence when you can¡¯t beat me with words?¡± ¡°After this Wu Di breaks your jaw, you won¡¯t even be able to speak words.¡± Wu Di raised his hand. ¡°Senior Brother Duan Xiaolong, I would like to challenge my fat brother here,¡± he said. Yu Han unsheathed his knife, and Wu Di¡¯s eyes snapped to the blade¡¯s edge. Duan Xiaolong sliced the air with his hand. ¡°Granted. If there¡¯s a disagreement, such as who is prey and who is predator, you merely fight it out.¡± Wu Di grinned. Yu Han slashed with the dagger. The red-haired cock leaned forward, reaching for the weapon. He grabbed Yu Han¡¯s hand, squeezing so hard that Yu Han felt his bones crack. It hurt. It hurt so freaking much. He let the dagger go. Wu Di watched it fall, his face turning away from Yu Han, who then threw a bowl full of sizzling chilli oil at his face. Chapter 15: Changing Situation Wu Di¡¯s hands came up in the path of the chilli oil, the sizzle still camouflaged by a layer of fried toppings above. The bowl smashed into his hand. The oil splattered on his skin. Fingers. Arm. Face. Wu Di screamed. He instinctively whacked the bowl away, but that caused more oil to pour on his exposed shoulder and torso. Oil flew everywhere. Others screamed. Yu Han¡¯s neck burned. Some splatters must have dropped on his neck as he turned. Wu Di had long let go of his hand. Yu Han hopped over the bench with his pudgy legs, but one foot caught on the edge and he tripped. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Wu Di roared. Yu Han grasped the floorboard, then heaved himself up, holding the corner of another bench. He darted away, rounding the next table just in time to see Wu Di hop on the previous one. The redhead had blisters all over his skin. One eye was closed, and one hand twitched as if it was constantly being shocked by electricity. The veins on his face bulged like wriggling worms, and his other eye was marred with bloody lines as tears poured out of it. ¡°Get back here!¡± Wu Di shouted, jumping off the table to the bench by Yu Han. Yu Han picked up a random food bowl and threw it at Wu Di. The other boy¡¯s body jerked to the left and he dove, the food bowl missing by a mile. As his blistered skin touched the floorboard, he screamed, barely stopping himself from skidding. Yu Han picked up the ¡°decorative bowl¡± next and threw it. Wu Di kicked up, hitting the bowl like it was a football. It flew back and Yu Han ducked. The bowl hit the floor farther away and burst like a water baloon, hot chilli oil spilling everywhere. Yu Han ran. ¡°Y-You think the same trick will work twice, you snivelling pig?¡± Wu Di¡¯s rasping voice came from behind. It was closer now! He picked up the next bowl. Yu Han feigned throwing. Wu Di stopped in his tracks. His arms went up, and one knee rose too, in his signature pose. And as Yu Han pulled his arms back, Wu Di flinched, hopping two steps back. ¡°You scared?¡± Yu Han grinned. Wu Di lunged. ¡°Bastard!¡± Yu Han chucked the hot oil without letting the bowl go. Some spilled on his hand. It stung like a thousand needles. Wu Di blocked his chest with his arms, then lunged to the left, but a good portion splashed on his torso and leg. ¡°!¡± he screamed, collapsing and writhing on the ground. ¡°Talk like a man, chicken,¡± Yu Han taunted, and Wu Di¡¯s screams got louder. His back bent like a bow, and he kicked up to his feet. ¡°Cock-a-doodle-doo!¡± Yu Han passed by the third table, but before he could take the last bowl there, a hand pushed it aside. It was one of the Martial Eagle Nobles. ¡°You¡¯re dead after this,¡± the boy said. Then he was blown back with a crimson shower of blood. The blue monkey chirped, thudding the staff on the floorboard. ¡°No interference,¡± Duan Xiaolong said, throwing a mist ball at the meddling kid¡¯s mangled form. Yu Han ran up the stairs. He held the guardrail and heaved his body up, but his sweaty palms slipped. He fell, his fat body cushioning the collision, then used all fours to crawl up the stairs like a dog. ¡°Nowhere to run! Nothing to throw now, pig!¡± Wu Di shrieked. Yu Han risked a look back. He was at the foot of the stairwell. Yu Han got up, leaning on the guardrail as he looked down at Wu Di. He exaggerated sniffing the air. ¡°Does anyone smell burnt chicken?¡± Wu Di jumped three stairs with a blistered face. Yu Han scampered backwards. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One step, three stairs. Wu Di was four stairs down. Above, the hatch had not fixed itself yet. The wind freely flowed into the stairwell. On both sides, the wooden wall held. Paired with the sloped ceiling, it created a perfect tunnel for the wind. Yu Han was halfway up. He fumbled, as if he had tripped. And as if trying to find balance, he grabbed a rope tied to the guardrail with one hand, and the other flailed forward as if to block Wu Di. ¡°I have you now¡ª!¡± A cloud of red dust flowed down from Yu Han¡¯s outstretched palm, covering the whole stairwell like mist. The walls, the floor. The burns on Wu Di¡¯s body, and his one open eye. It was the red chili powder he¡¯d hidden in his sleeves! The tall redhead cried. He raised one arm and knee up, taking a small step back. This was the form he took in fights whilst defending. Yu Han had simulated it hundreds of times. Right now, Wu Di overlapped with the mirage in Yu Han¡¯s Echoing Dreamscape. Wu Di moved another step back, arm blocking vitals. Switch balance. Right knee up, left foot down. Exactly before the rope of the step. Yu Han pulled the end of the rope he had grabbed before. The whole thing went taut, catching Wu Di¡¯s ankle. The boy fell back. His arms shot out and his legs kicked the step, as he flew down. Yu Han coughed, chilli powder still in air. He pushed against the guardrail, then heaved his body up and jumped, foot kicking out. Wu Di fell to the floor, arms and feet breaking his fall as though he was doing a tricep dip. His head was towards the messhall, knees towards the stairwell. ¡°Get fucked!¡± Yu Han shouted. Over a hundred and sixty kilos of weight. Acceleration from the jump. The pull from the height. All that force concentrated on his one extended foot. Which stomped on Wu Di¡¯s crotch. There was a wet squelch, followed by a bone cracking. A cry so miserable that it could make the oceans weep and the heavens rage. The mess hall was silent. Wu Di foamed at the mouth, then passed out. Only Yu Han¡¯s heaving breaths echoed. Repeatedly. ¡°Get up!¡± He spat on Wu Di¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re not dead,¡± he yelled. He wasn¡¯t talking to Wu Di. Among the crowd of onlookers, there was a girl at the very back, hidden in the shadows. ¡°As long as you live, you can stand back up! Crawl if you have to! Plot, stalk, scheme, then stab him in the eye! Cough, cough!¡± Huang Niuniu remained motionless. Yu Han couldn¡¯t see her reaction. Yu Han brought a coin pouch out, the booklet with the foreign script tied to it. It was the same pouch the head chef had given him, the one that Li Yao returned. He grabbed a handful of coins and dropped them on Wu Di. ¡°Go get yourself fixed, chicken. Next time you try to rape a girl, I won¡¯t be so forgiving.¡± There was a slow clap. ¡°Magnificent.¡± Duan Xiaolong stood up. ¡°The pig. No, the tiger wearing the skin of the pig hunts the rooster.¡± He came over to the boys, mist ball floating. The first one hit Yu Han. It was like breathing in air after chewing a mint candy, but throughout his entire body. The burns on his hand and neck itched. ¡°This is troubling.¡± Duan Xiaolong hovered the second mist ball above Wu Di. ¡°I cannot mend damage to one¡¯s Primordial Yang. The flesh is weak there, more so for virulent men.¡± The cultivator looked down at Wu Di. There was a disdainful curl to his lips. ¡°More so for roosters with uncontrolled urges. This healing shall cost far more than you are worth,¡± he said to Yu Han. ¡°But a Profound Talent is worth more than a thousand Common ones.¡± The ship stopped. The inertia threw Yu Han backward, the money pouch slipping from his grasp. He fell on the stairs, head instinctively going up. The ceiling had vanished. Far above in the sky was a man in flowing white robes. He had a long white beard and a pointy moustache. There was a green-bladed sword in his hand. The edge gleamed like emerald. The other hand held a wooden token, the same kind Qiao Jinhai was always clutching. He gazed down towards Qiao Jinhai, still tied up on the mast. Duan Xiaolong bowed to the man. ¡°This one greets the Core Formation Elder from the Verdant Blade Sect. May I ask for your name?¡± There was no surprise on his face, as if he¡¯d expected the visit. The Elder clicked his tongue. The sound wave shattered against Yu Han¡¯s eardrums. He could not move. He could not talk. He could barely even breathe. There was a pressure against his very being. As if a mountain was holding him down. ¡°A barbarian from the wildlands,¡± the old man said with a soothing voice. It was as if an aged grandfather from a village teashop had spoken. The Elder nodded. ¡°Perish.¡± He slashed out with his sword. It was the same green crescent as Qiao Jinhai¡¯s, but the light was deeper green, with glass-like emerald lining the edge. Slowly, it came down. Duan Xiaolong took out a paper slip. Yu Han felt his blood pressure rise, and a wet feeling spread through his pants. Duan Xiaolong threw the paper slip. It hit the green crescent and a wall of blue appeared, like parts of the aurora. Moving, shifting. The green crescent stopped, and reality ground to a halt. It felt as if a million ants were creeping up Yu Han¡¯s skin. Bile rose up in his mouth. He wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t. They stung, dry. The sea breeze brought a salty scent. Under him, the constant rock of the ship was long gone. It was as if he was on dry land again. There was a low droning sound, as if a bee buzzed just outside his cognition. The sound would not leave him alone. All-encompassing. It came from the colliding wall of blue and the green crescent. Blood splattered on the floorboard. Duan Xiaolong bled from all his orifices. ¡°The prey has taken the bait.¡± A jet of water shot towards the Elder. It must have come from the ocean, outside of Yu Han¡¯s view. The Elder dodged. The water jet continued up. And up. And up. Until it cleaved the clouds apart. The Elder slashed again and another green crescent shot out, but not at Duan Xiaolong. It was aimed at whatever else was attacking him. Another jet of water. The green crescent shattered. And a shadow blocked out the sun. A fish tail whipped from behind the Elder. It was large. Gargantuan. Bigger than the ship itself. And it flung the Elder away like a baseball. There was a muffled groan, then a shallow roar. Like the bellow of a whale underwater. A hundred swords appeared out of nowhere in the sky, reflecting the sunlight off each other like interconnected prisms. But all light shone green. The swords flew like a swarm, each covered in a green light like comets. They dove down around the ship, going into the ocean like torpedoes. And the ocean exploded. The ship heaved up¡ªfinally, some movement. Then it crashed onto the ocean again. But Yu Han was stuck to the ship floor as if with glue. More of the deck had disappeared, and there was a large, gaping hole on the side of the ship. In the sky, the Elder had appeared once more. Yu Han saw the lines of sweat on his temple. ¡°There¡¯s been a misunderstanding, fellow Daoist,¡± the Elder said. And Yu Han finally saw the being that had been battling the Elder. Chapter 16: Blood Feuds It was a woman riding a shark. She had flowing blue hair and an eye-patch, and she wore desert pants and a baggy shirt, a sabre tied to her waist. The shark was huge. Only part of its body could be seen from the hole in the ship¡¯s side. But even that was bigger than the ship. Yu Han figured it was larger than any blue whale on Earth. It had gill slits on both sides that seemed to roar like race-car engines, with grey skin that shone like asphalt under the sun. And it had a breathing hole at the top. ¡°When you tried to kill my martial nephew, it was a misunderstanding?¡± the woman said. Her voice was high-pitched, sonorous like a bird¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Verdant Blade Sect about that same misunderstanding after I have your head, geezer.¡± ¡°A jest, fellow Daoist, merely a jest.¡± The Elder waved his hand. His voice was even, but nine bamboo sticks suddenly appeared around him and rotated like satellites. ¡°This old man was merely testing this talented junior¡¯s improvements. Martial nephew Duan truly is a dragon amongst men!¡± ¡°Oh, you know his name?¡± the lady asked. She stomped the shark creature, and the behemoth wiggled like a cat, then circled the ship like in a movie. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know the name of the youngest disciple of the Ninth Elder, the Healing Mist Palace Master of the Stormy Reef Sect?¡± the old man said. ¡°But considering you¡¯re here, this old man supposes that the Ninth Elder is already the new sect master.¡± A jet of water rose from the sea like a vaulting pole. The old man dodged, and the water jet punched a hole through a cumulonimbus in the sky. Based on a brief visual analysis, Yu Han figured the clouds were at least a few kilometres away. And this lady was shooting water at them like they were BB bullets. The old man waved his hand and a green orb materialised. It flew towards Duan Xiaolong, who grabbed it. ¡°A token of my goodwill, martial nephew. I hope you weren¡¯t offended by this old man¡¯s mischief.¡± It was a hexagonal crystal. But the shade was different from the ones Duan Xiaolong used as prizes or the one Qiao Jinhai had used. It was deep blue with a golden core. Duan Xiaolong looked at the lady, who shrugged. ¡°The blood. It pours from my scars with cascading pain,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. His voice was flat. The old man sighed. He waved his hand again, and one more crystal was handed over. Duan Xiaolong bowed. His spiky hair rustled in the wind, and blood dripped down onto the deck. Yu Han felt as if some restriction had left his body. He could move, turn his head. Coins were scattered on the floor, the pouch nowhere to be seen. The other recruits were either kneeling or had fallen over, like him. Li Yao was a few steps away, clenching one fist with the other, excitement visible in his eyes. Huang Niuniu was no longer in the corridor. Sima Yan was smiling. Wu Di was groaning. ¡°That matter is settled,¡± the lady said. ¡°Then, fellow Daoist, how shall we settle the matter of that little thief behind you?¡± She pointed at Qiao Jinhai, who was still tied to the mast. ¡°Imagine my shock when we learned that a Stormy Reef Cultivator was recruiting disciples in the White Lotus Kingdom,¡± she said, crossing her arms, ¡°when we¡¯d sent no one.¡± ¡°Oh, this matter.¡± The old man laughed as though there was nothing wrong. ¡°Our Verdant Blade Sect and the Stormy Reef Sect are allies in the Traditional path. With the turmoil in your sect, this old man¡¯s colleagues had merely thought it better to help recruit disciples for you. After all, you would lose face if you missed the only time for sect recruitments in the White Lotus Kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh, how gracious of you,¡± the lady spat. The shark-creature gurgled. Yu Han felt the vibration in his bones. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take everyone away now,¡± she said. ¡°Heard there was a Profound Talent this time. Little Duan, stir the ship. We¡¯re leaving.¡± Duan Xiaolong looked at the groaning Wu Di, then at Yu Han. ¡°This martial nephew acknowledges the Elder¡¯s request.¡± ¡°This¡­ fellow Daoist. Doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± the old man said. He floated nearer to the ship. Another jet of water shot out. This time Yu Han saw where it came from. Tiny droplets would gather near the lady and sink to the ocean. Then the jet would rise. Despite the pain and the bleak reincarnation, Yu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It was a promise of power. He would go back and rip the skull off the hooded man who killed his family. Jie Tong too. And the head chef. And the city lord. Sima Yan was having an impromptu council with the other White Lotus nobles while the Martial Eagle nobles kept their heads down, like kids caught being naughty. ¡°What isn¡¯t right? You just told us you recruited these disciples for us,¡± the lady said. ¡°Was that a lie?¡± More water droplets gathered. The bamboo sticks around the old man changed their orbit direction. ¡°Of course, for the White Lotus Nobles, we shall give them to you. But historically, Martial Eagle Kingdom nobles have gone to our sect. What use would it be to create useless blood feuds, dividing families?¡± ¡°Ahaha!¡± The lady threw her head back. ¡°What face you have.¡± Yu Han stood and inched closer to Li Yao. ¡°This isn¡¯t a matter of face, fellow Daoist. Now, what say you?¡± the old man said. The glow on the bamboo sticks brightened. ¡°A hundred to a head equal in grade to them. And they get to choose after you pay for all¡ªhuh?¡± The lady looked at Duan Xiaolong and nodded. ¡°Ten thousand for the Profound kid. And a thousand for every Refined.¡± ¡°This, fellow Daoist, this¡ª¡± ¡°And a hundred thousand for the ship.¡± The lady stomped again. ¡°Of course, equal in grade.¡± The shark-creature brushed past the vessel. They touched, ever so lightly. And the ship groaned as if it would break apart at any moment. Yu Han leaned against the wall for balance. It was like the world was turning upside down underfoot. The old man didn¡¯t speak. The light around him intensified, and the bamboo sticks orbited so fast that Yu Han could hear them cutting the wind. The lady gathered more water droplets. The pressure from before descended again. Yu Han struggled to breathe. ¡°Fucking insane¡­¡± Li Yao muttered. ¡°Crazy gods. Crazy. They¡¯re gonna fight again. Holy landlords¡­¡± Yu Han prayed to Buddha, Jesus, and the Devas. The ship had a gaping hole just from collateral damage. If they fought any closer¡­ He gulped. ¡°I suppose that is fair.¡± The old man flicked his wrist. A palm-sized meteor flew towards the lady. She waved her hand, and the meteor vanished. Then he flicked a finger at Duan Xiaolong. The spiky-haired cultivator stood straighter, orifices still bleeding and his face far too pale. Yu Han filed that information away. Perhaps there were restrictions, like everything in life. ¡°Martial Eagle,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. ¡°Those of you who wish to follow us to the Stormy Reef Sect, stay where you are. For those who wish to go to the Verdant Blade Sect, move up to the deck. Be quick.¡± A pressure descended again. What was this? For a few seconds, no one moved. Murmurs rang out. ¡°It seems everyone wants to stay with us, Elder,¡± the lady said with a laugh. The old man harrumphed, and the pressure that had been holding them in place broke. Slowly, one, then two recruits made their way up the stairwell. Then more followed. Finally, there was a rush, like a Black Friday sale. Soon, a third of the total recruits were on the deck, while all from the White Lotus Kingdom remained in the mess hall. Then there was Wu Di. ¡°E-Elder,¡± a voice rang out. It was Qiao Jinhai, who had finally awakened. The man shouted while still tied to the mast, ¡°T-There¡¯s a wisp girl. More importantly, Junior Wu Di, the Profound Talent! He¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°How can that be? He must choose us. His relatives are¡ª¡± The old man stopped, then appeared in the mess hall in front of Wu Di¡¯s groaning form. ¡°T-This¡­ His Primordial Yang.¡± The old man gasped. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The lady broke out in booming laughter. ¡°The Profoundly talented eunuch chose us, it seems.¡± ¡°Trickery,¡± the old man grumbled, then waved his hand. A vial appeared with shimmering liquid inside, glowing in the colours of the rainbow. Just the projections on the ground created fractal forms of mystical herbs, and the light condensed around the vial in a sphere, as if to block any magical effects from leaking out. ¡°Damn lavish.¡± The shark lady grinned, but the smile in her eyes died. She eyed the vial with clear greed. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m seeing the Verdant Light Healing Elixir being used on a level zero. Are you sure he won¡¯t explode?¡± The old man scoffed and uncapped the vial without replying. A shallow roar rang out, accompanied by a chilly wind. The aroma was like mint tea, cool to the nose. Yu Han felt as though the burns on his hands were healing. The contents of the vial were probably far more effective than the one Huang Niuniu had given him. Maybe Qiao Jinhai had used something like this to heal Huang Niuniu? Just the visual effects were out of this world. It was probably even stronger than Duan Xiaolong¡¯s healing mist ball. The old man poured the solution onto Wu Di. Spectral light gathered around the boy as the liquid seeped into his flesh. One blink later, the burns had healed as if they were never there. Wu Di opened his eyes. ¡°Gah¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless, old man,¡± the lady said. ¡°Primordial Yang can¡¯t be healed, even with such elixirs.¡± ¡°Child,¡± the old man said. ¡°Your Profound Talent remains unbroken.¡± He patiently explained the situation to Wu Di. ¡°Who do you choose? Historically, the Martial Eagle Wu family has always gone to the Verdant Blade Sect. We have had star disciples with your surname.¡± Wu Di stared at him blankly. He touched his crotch. His whole body trembled, as if someone had stabbed him in the heart. ¡°!¡± he roared. Screamed. Cried. At the heavens. And at Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll skin your whole family and fee¡ª¡± ¡°Get in line. You¡¯re not the first one.¡± Yu Han scoffed. He had dropped the dagger, so he took a step away. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Wu Di cried. He lunged. The blue monkey chirped, and Wu Di was thrown back. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The old man looked Yu Han over from head to toe, as did the lady. ¡°Interesting,¡± she said. Yu Han didn¡¯t regret crushing the cock¡¯s balls. But would he be able to bear the consequences? ¡°Child, calm yourself.¡± The old man patted Wu Di¡¯s shoulder, and the boy clamped up as if electrocuted. Yet his eyes, bloodshot, glared at Yu Han. ¡°Every twenty years, the Grasping Moon Hidden Realm opens, where disciples from the traditional sects in the region fight for heavenly treasures and earthly fortunes. The next time is three years from now. You will have your chance. Now decide. Which sect shall you choose?¡± A minute passed. Wu Di¡¯s breath grew more haggard. His fingers dug into his palm, and blood dripped down like a waterfall. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Wu Di said. He walked up the stairwell¡¯s remains. ¡°Yu Han. You will live in fear. You will see me in your nightmares. Three years. I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Sure thing, cock.¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Wait¡­ I mean hen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The blue monkey threw Wu Di to the deck. ¡°Well, then, that¡¯s settled.¡± The lady waved her hand. The shark growled, and the ocean rumbled. The water near the hole in the ship bulged up. One, two, three, seven dome-shaped geysers shot into the sky, with something inside all of them. Strange things were rising from the sea. Chapter 17: Long Drizzle The domes broke and seven boats appeared. They looked like leisure boats, the type scholars would use for a relaxing ride on the lake with courtesans by their side, reciting poetry that praised womanly beauty, manly courage, and heavenly wisdom. They had rows of seats on both sides, with a quaint open roof covering them. At the back was a large cottage-like structure, with tiled roofs and a small chimney. Yu Han looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching them. The burns from the chilli oil were still there, albeit healing because of Duan Xiaolong''s mist. It stung less now. He didn¡¯t want to cry. ¡°Girls, get onto the Drizzle One and Two. Boys, get onto Three to Seven,¡± the lady said. The boats, Drizzle by name, moved on their own near the gaping hole. It was a ten metre jump. ¡°Jump,¡± Duan Xiaolong said to Guo Yexi. The poor girl almost fainted, but nodded. She walked to the edge, then closed her eyes. ¡°M-Mother, watch over me.¡± With a squeak, she jumped. And floated down gently to the boat. ¡°Wow!¡± she exclaimed. After that, the process went faster. Each boat looked like it could hold ten people. Soon, the two boats filled up. ¡°One more,¡± the lady said. ¡°We have a shy one.¡± It was Huang Niuniu. ¡°Elder, that¡¯s the wisp¡ª¡± ¡°Qiao Jinhai, know your place. How can I go back on a deal?¡± The Elder interrupted him, but those wizened eyed followed every one of Huang Niuniu¡¯s motions. ¡°Sister? Sister! What are you doing?¡± a voice called out. Huang Linxue was on deck. She had the face of a distressed diva, hair sticking to her face, and she was scowling like a sour lemon. ¡°We are noble ladies of the Martial Eagle Kingdom. Why would you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut it, girl,¡± the lady said, and Huang Linxue stopped with a yelp. Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t on her. She looked at Yu Han. Her wounds were gone. There was something in her hand. She hesitated. The blue monkey pushed her, and she fell out of the hole. She screamed as she gently floated down to the boat. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two boats moved away, and two more came. ¡°Now, boys. Chop chop. We don¡¯t have all day. The geezer might ask for his money back!¡± the lady said. Yu Han was on to Drizzle Five, with Li Yao and other riffraff from the White Lotus Kingdom. ¡°Tubs, do you think Sima Yan¡¯s up to something?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han hadn¡¯t noticed anything. ¡°They were looking at you like you¡¯re a snack.¡± ¡°Gross.¡± ¡°Be careful. Ma San and Pang Jiming, and those nobles.¡± Li Yao slapped his leg. ¡°Wait, wait! I remember!¡± ¡°What did you remember?¡± ¡°Tubs, remember the other non-noble kid who got accepted with Ma San and us?¡± ¡°The one with the shaved head?¡± ¡°Chen Da. I thought the name sounded familiar. I couldn¡¯t recognise him at first because he shaved his head.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Yu Han¡¯s stomach dropped. He had a bad feeling about this. ¡°He¡¯s from the Bloody Grass Gang. Jie Tong¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°Fuck. No wonder.¡± The kid had glared at Yu Han like he had stolen his life savings. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Bloody Grass Gang sell Jie Tong out? He¡¯s got no reason to hate me.¡± ¡°The execs sold him out. The kids at the bottom are orphans, like me. And they stay together.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Wash your neck, tubs. This daddy can¡¯t help you with so many fuckers after you. And Wu Di in three years? That¡¯s what that old man said, right? Don¡¯t know how they¡¯ll track you down or what a Hidden Realm is, but I wouldn¡¯t count a cultivator¡¯s words as empty boasting,¡± Li Yao laughed. ¡°He¡¯s gonna be a sight to see in three years if he finds out you kicked the bucket.¡± ¡°I told him to get in line.¡± ¡°Bwahaha!¡± Yu Han was joking, but the situation didn¡¯t look good. Not two months in, he had so many people after his life. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Jie Tong, maybe Jie Hua. Their friend with the shaved head. Sima Yan and company, including Ma San. Wu Di, and probably the whole Verdant Blade Sect, considering how much they valued his Profound Talent. Slapping faces came naturally. On Earth too, Johan had no problem creating feuds. He was lucky that on Earth, there was a semblance of social order, although London challenged that assumption many times. But in this world, it was dog-eat-dog. And some dogs could shoot lasers and live for¡ª ¡°Do you think cultivation increases lifespan?¡± Yu Han asked. Li Yao cracked his neck, leaning against the boat rails behind the seat. The sea breeze waved his hair. The Drizzle One started moving. ¡°They call them Immortals,¡± Li Yao said. Yu Han covered his face, half in excitement¡ªhe had freaking superpowers!¡ªand half in sorrow. He would never see his family again. Not his dad. And not his¡ª They were a travelling merchant band. They went far and wide. Did they leave the country? Did they¡­ The next time their band was supposed to visit Riversong was nearly a year and a half from now. They visited every two years, and the last time was five months ago. Something hit Yu Han¡¯s face. ¡°Oof!¡± he cried. ¡°Tiger who wears a pig¡¯s skin,¡± Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice called out. It was a pouch. There was his dropped dagger, too. ¡°Don¡¯t lose your fang. And remember to savour your winnings.¡± Yu Han pocketed them. Duan Xiaolong was running on water. He extended a palm, and a wisp of mist shot towards Yu Han. He nodded, then sprinted away, joining the lady on top of the shark. The other seven recruits on the boat stirred, each eyeing Yu Han. ¡°Hey now,¡± Li Yao called out, ¡°What I hate more than a cock is a snake.¡± ¡°We were just looking, brother Li,¡± one recruit said, and then they all looked away, chit-chatting in groups. Bandits would come. They¡¯d steal his riches, rape his wife, burn his house with his sons trapped inside. That was what happened to Old Wang, a farmer who lived in the village where Yu Han¡¯s parents got their supply of fermented shrimps. But gods be damned if someone could pry money from his hands. Li Yao had given it back. That¡¯s why Yu Han wouldn¡¯t stab him in his¡ª ¡°My¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± When the White-haired Elder stopped the boat! Yu Han had fallen, and the pouch was gone. With the coins. And the booklet! It didn¡¯t matter. Their memory would live on with him forever. The Drizzle rode the ocean waves, cutting through the water that glowed in the moonlight. Sometimes they would catch sight of another Drizzle or the giant shark on the horizon. In the cottage-like area at the back of the Drizzle, there were beds, bathrooms, and toilets. There was a pantry too, with preserved food. Yu Han used the last of the salve from the vial Huang Niuniu had given him. Duan Xiaolong¡¯s mist ball had already mended most of it, but Yu Han hoped it would quicken the progress. He didn¡¯t want any strange infections while on the high seas. ¡°Did you notice?¡± Yu Han asked Li Yao. ¡°More True Qi. This boat, it gathers Qi like the ship,¡± Li Yao said. Their cultivation speeds increased. Yu Han now received two True Qi most days. The speed of Arts progression didn¡¯t increase, though. ¡°That bastard, Qiao Jinhai,¡± Li Yao cursed. ¡°He must¡¯ve lied his ass off! Why¡¯s the True Qi cultivation on a little boat faster than the ship?¡± ¡°Or he restricted it for White Lotus Kingdom recruits. The wardrooms must¡¯ve been¡­ pre-selected. I don¡¯t believe that giant ship would have worse capabilities than this boat,¡± Yu Han said. The shark lady had blackmailed the old man for it, after all. One day, Li Yao shot up in a hurry and made a fuss, pacing around the boat like he was on too much caffeine. Yu Han raised an eyebrow. ¡°I have¡­ I have a tribulation?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Yu Han focused. ¡°My True Qi progress halted at a hundred and ten,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Are you showing off?¡± Yu Han grumbled. Geniuses, Refined Talent. ¡°It¡¯s been stuck like that for a few days,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Today, I poked at the floating words. And¡­ the tribulation message appeared.¡± ¡°What does it say?¡± Li Yao winked, but gave no answer. In the following days, the remaining recruits on the Drizzle also raised a hubbub. Everyone had reached the end of their progression at Level 0. Now, to progress, it seemed they would need to pass this tribulation. And whatever the tribulation was, people were tight-lipped. Yu Han was sure of that. These kids thought they could hide secrets from him. A general air of competition grew. The boys became more diligent in training. Yu Han tried and failed to limit the amount he ate. He tried stretching, calisthenics, and training with Li Yao. He slept with the dagger practically every day. The winnings pouch had twenty-five of the hexagonal crystals. Spirit stones. Where did Wu Di get so many? Well, they were his now. He was careful not to ever show the pouch. Especially since there wasn¡¯t a ready supply of chilli oil or red pepper powder on the boat. Then, one day, a storm hit the Drizzle. ¡°Get in! Damn it, grab the rope!¡± Li Yao threw a rope at a boy who had fallen overboard. They heaved, with Yu Han taking the rear. They pulled the boy up. He wasn¡¯t breathing. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Yu Han straddled the boy. He pumped the boy¡¯s chest with his full weight. Ribs cracked. ¡°Breathe into his mouth!¡± Yu Han roared, and Li Yao complied. Yu Han hummed the tune. Soon, the boy spluttered out seawater. Things changed after that. The boy thanked Yu Han, but he didn¡¯t grovel, and like everyone else, he would keep his distance, just laying at the back of the boat with a blank look. Others did the same. But now, when they looked at Yu Han, there was an unspoken respect in their eyes. ¡°He tried to pass the tribulation by tying himself to the boat and diving underwater. Crazy bastard,¡± Li Yao grumbled, then went back to stabbing the air with his hand. The Drizzle was like a lonely speck of dust on the empty ocean. Outside, lightning would crash and maelstroms would whirl. Waves larger than mountains would try to swallow the boat. The pitter-patter of rain was a constant background noise. But the small boat would not topple. It would rock steadily, like a lullaby. Magic. The herculean storm passed. Finally, it was the seventy-fifth day since Yu Han had arrived in this world. The other recruits sported stubble or beards. Li Yao showed his off like a badge of honour. Yu Han despaired. His chin was smoother than a baby¡¯s butt. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 105 (+61)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 103 (+37)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 45 (+23)/400 His traits remained the same. ¡°Hey, come out, guys!¡± a voice shouted from outside. ¡°Land! I see land!¡± Chapter 18: First Village of New Tidings The mountain rose from the water like a sword. Behind, many more silhouettes stood tall, covered in a fog so faint the outlines could barely be seen. There was no landmass below, no island or shore. It was as if the mountains were half submerged in the sea. As the Drizzle made its way towards the faraway scene, the other six boats gradually came into view. The nearest was a Drizzle with a red roof on the cottage. Someone waved from there, but it was too far to see who. "W-Wait, is that¡­?" a boy shouted out. There was a whirlpool in the Drizzle¡¯s path. The water spun in spirals and sank in the centre to unknown depths. But it was silent. As the Drizzle approached, the giant whirl shifted. It moved out of the way, like a creature gatekeeper. Everyone was speechless. More whirlpools appeared. Tornadoes rose from the ocean surface to the clouds, and thunder hit the waters from above. All silent. As if just a mirage. And all moved out of the Drizzle¡¯s way. "Hey, we should go inside," Yu Han said. "It¡¯s not going to be nice if someone falls in." No one moved from their spot, eyes glued to the disasters and the mountains as if hypnotised. Yu Han stayed, but positioned himself closer to the door so he could run in the moment anything happened. An hour passed. The distant land seemed to get no closer. Then the water colour changed, from the deep blue of the high seas to a fainter mossy green. Sounds returned. The whirling water, the raging storm, the crashing thunder. This time, the Drizzle navigated around the natural catastrophes. The sound was overpowering, and when the Drizzle floated past whirlpools, the moisture in the air would send a tingling feeling down Yu Han¡¯s back, as if he was constantly being stung by static. "What do you think the previous whirlpools were?" Yu Han shouted over the sound. "Whirlpools?" Li Yao tilted his head. "These spiralling water things," Yu Han said. He blocked a splash of water with a sleeve. The Drizzle was still stable as ever, but the waves crashing against the boat''s edge would spill inside from time to time. "No idea, tubs," Li Yao said. "Why you asking?" "I think they might¡¯ve been mirages. And if the whirlpools and thunder can be mirages, then maybe the mountains are too," Yu Han shouted. "¡­What¡¯s a mirage?" "Gah!" Li Yao was a smart kid, but Yu Han sometimes forgot he was from the slums, hence not really educated. The fact that he could read and write had given him the wrong impression. "When you take too much Goblin Mushroom, you see stuff that isn¡¯t there." "Ah! I could use some Goblins." Li Yao grinned. The Drizzle left the disasters behind, and now it was just the mossy waters. "The mountains are getting closer," a boy said. He was the one who had almost drowned. He was right, though. The first mountain was no longer just a silhouette. There was no shore gradually leading up to the mountain. The mountain simply rose from the water, like a wall. It was shrouded in a green canopy. Birds flew up, and through the gaps in the trees, some moving forms could be seen. The waters here were calmer, tranquil even, with smaller waves. The mossy green colouration transitioned to more teal and lime, as if painted by someone. But as they neared the mountain more, the waves became more rapid. The mountain was huge, at least a few kilometres tall, and multiple times that wide. As the Drizzle neared it, it almost blocked out the silhouette of the mountain range behind it. Yu Han counted the number of peaks he could see. Even at a casual glance, there were far more than a hundred. It was a mountain range. A partially sunken one. "Mangrove mountains," Yu Han muttered. "There¡¯s people," Li Yao said. A lonely dock. Nine people stood there in similar uniforms. Each had unique points, but the colouration was similar to Duan Xiaolong¡¯s robes. As the Drizzle neared the dock, they could see the people more clearly. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The main colour of the robes was indigo, with white patterns of storms, coral, fish, and other designs on one side. There were two old men and seven youths¡ªtwo female and five male. They ranged from teenage to middle-aged; but with cultivators, could Yu Han really be sure that they were as old as they looked? They carried varied weapons: swords, spears, and one lady had a giant fan. There were also three animals: a panther with navy blue fur, a giant pelican sitting on one old man¡¯s head, and¡ªwas that¡ª "That lady¡¯s wearing a snake," Li Yao said. She wore the green-and-white striped creature like a necklace. The sect must have had a focus on animals. Like those beast-taming sects in Xianxia novels? The name didn¡¯t match, though. Stormy Reef. But on the other hand, Duan Xiaolong had powers utilising mist, and the Shark Lady could shoot out jets of water. So they must have specialised in water too. Suddenly, two of the figures dashed forward, the lady with the snake and another guy. "Oi, what¡¯s that?" someone said with a trembling voice, pointing at the water¡¯s surface. Further from their Drizzle, a shadow appeared underwater. A scream rose from another nearby Drizzle, one of the boats with the girls. "Snake! A giant snake!" a girl said. The voice was faint because of the distance and the wind, but the panic in it could clearly be heard. "H-Hel¡ª" "There¡¯s one there too!" Cracked Ribs pointed at the water nearby. A long, slithering form was silhouetted under the water. "Get away from the edges!" Yu Han shouted out, preparing to bolt inside. The water bulged, then broke like a geyser, splashing everyone. "N-No, stay away!" A kid fell down on his butt. A giant red snake loomed above him. Part of its body was still underwater, the rest slithering out like a vine. It was hard to see how big it truly was. But even just the girth of the thing was as big as a school bus. That large mouth would have no trouble swallowing three kids whole. It had emerald eyes, murky like clouds. Black spots lined its slippery red hide, with the scales gleaming in the sun. It pulled its head back, maws wide open. Everyone was frozen. Yu Han couldn¡¯t move either. A primal part of his being wanted to jump into the sea, because that open maw seemed like it could swallow the Drizzle itself whole. But would he survive in the water? Could he outswim an ocean predator? The situation was not the same as with Jie Tong. "Move! Now!" Li Yao shouted, yanking Yu Han towards the safety of the cabin. The snake hissed and lunged forward with terrifying speed. Wind raced, water burst. And then the snake was beheaded merely inches from the Drizzle¡¯s roof. The blood flew into the air like rain, but when it was about to fall on the boat, it was repelled by an unseen force. The snake¡¯s head fell into the water on the other side with a large splash. The headless part of its body whirled like a limp noodle and collapsed backwards into the water too. A scream rose from the other Drizzle. By the time Yu Han saw what had happened, the water near the two Drizzles had been dyed red. It bubbled like acid, then the two headless bodies of the snakes floated to the surface. "Insane. A-Are these demons? The stories weren¡¯t a lie!" "Fool. These have to be flood dragons. Look at the size, they¡¯re bigger than trees!" The other recruits spoke, excitement mixed with fear and anxiety. Even Li Yao was gesturing wildly with his hands. Yu Han touched his forehead. He didn¡¯t know if the salty moisture was sweat or sea. "What a welcome," Yu Han said. "It¡¯s not usually like this,¡± a voice said. ¡°The two Crimson Coiling Sand Snakes might have burrowed underneath the water bed, so we missed them. Monsters don¡¯t usually wander this far." "Far from what?" Yu Han asked. Then he realised he didn¡¯t know the voice. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You¡¯ll find out in due time." It was a young man, one of the two who had dashed from the dock. "Welcome to the Stormy Reef Sect, junior brothers," he said with a picturesque smile, sheathing his long, blue-edged sabre. "From now on, your life will be changed forever." They could only gape. This was the might of a cultivator! *** "You have had a long journey. Rest for tonight," the old man with the pelican said. The Drizzles docked, and the recruits climbed out one by one. "Ask little Duan to heal any injuries," the old man said, and Duan Xiaolong, who stepped off the giga-sized shark, nodded. The Shark Lady waved her hat. "I¡¯ll check on the other cohorts, lest we face trickery again." And then, she was off with the shark, in the direction they had come from. Duan Xiaolong healed the kid with the broken ribs, and a few others who were injured. They were led up the mountains to a small village. There were no others present, and each disciple got their own little hut. "Rest well, for this is the First Village of New Tidings," the senior brother that guided them said, "and tomorrow, we¡¯ll pass out the basic cultivation art." There was a murmur of excitement. Li Yao slapped his cheeks. "Damn bugs." There were many mosquitoes. Yu Han tried to match the trees he saw on the way up with those from Earth. Some looked like banyans, others were like jackfruit. The place was very tropical, and quite humid too. He didn¡¯t see any trees fruiting, but there were some scattered flowers here and there. The birds perched on the hut roofs and the tree branches looked normal enough. Sparrows, gulls, and a crow here and there. The beds were straw, and the roofs were thatched. Around midnight, it rained. Yu Han used the outhouse, then collapsed on the bed. +1 True Qi Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 106 (+1)/110 Pure Qi: 10/110 Yu Han thought as he washed his face with water from a well nearby. In the morning, a middle-aged man with a donkey cart had delivered clay jars full of food. They sat on straw mattresses on the ground and ate out of giant tree leaves shaped like hearts. After breakfast, they all gathered in the village yard. "Many things are a mystery to you," the old man with the pelican said. "All will be explained in time. Today, you¡¯ll learn the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique, the basic Cultivation Art of the Stormy Reef Sect. Don¡¯t worry about its efficacy. No matter which sect, all basic Cultivation Arts are similar. Some permutation of the Ancient Qi Breathing Technique of the ancients." "Close your eyes." The old man sat down cross-legged on a reed zabuton. Yu Han and the other recruits sat on similar zabutons. "Now imitate my breathing. Listen to my chants." His voice started off slow, reciting one syllable after another. High tones, low valleys, they dragged on as though he was grasping for breath. Three inhales, two exhales every minute. Then it quickened, like a rising tide. Fifteen breaths a minute. Fifty. Five hundred. Pure Qi Assimilated! +1 True Qi Chapter 19: Mountains Under Water Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 107 (+1)/110 Pure Qi: 9 (-1)/110 Pure Qi had decreased by one, while True Qi increased. Did this meditation turn Pure Qi into True Qi? Or was there another kind of relationship? Yu Han opened his eyes. When they had started meditating, it was early dawn. The air had been filled with fog, and the barest hint of the sun could be seen through the occlusion light. Now, the sun hung overhead. Judging by the sun¡¯s position, that seemed to be the case. But it didn¡¯t make sense that Yu Han was so skilled in meditation on his first try. Was he some kind of genius? Yu Han looked around. The other recruits were still deep in their trance. Only Yu Han had woken up. "Don¡¯t worry, child. Not everyone has the same talent. Close your eyes again, and let the qi flow in you," the old man¡¯s voice sounded. He still had his eyes closed, the pelican napping on his head. Was that telepathy? Yu Han closed his eyes. He imitated the breathing technique, and as if by magic, the old man¡¯s chant was heard again. Whatever the case, until now, Yu Han had only gained True Qi after a night¡¯s rest, as if whatever he had done through the day would be assimilated with a night¡¯s sleep. He would only see the True Qi gain notification the next morning. But now, after this meditation session, he earned True Qi. He was so close to levelling up. Or at least hitting the Tribulation Bottleneck like everyone else. That reminded him of the system message from the first day. What was it? Demonic Taint Purified. Pure Qi Acquired: +110 Pure Qi: 110/110 Tribulation Overcome (Preemptive): [Purify Tainted Entities: 1/1.] It had said he had overcome a Tribulation. What were tribulations in the first place? In the novels, they were lightning bolts falling down on cultivators trying to break through. But here, that didn¡¯t seem like the case. Did he gain the Pure Qi back then because he preemptively passed the Tribulation? Or was it because he killed the dog? Or were there different types of Tribulations, and clearing each one, like completing missions in an RPG game, would grant him different amounts of points? Pure Qi? The boy on the boat had wanted to pass his Tribulation by drowning himself. Yu Han had asked others what their Tribulations were, but no one replied, as if silenced by some unwritten rule. The chant receded into the background like a low drone. ! Yu Han¡¯s attention snapped into focus. "That will be all," the old man said. Noise returned like a tide. The chirping of birds, the leaves brushing in the wind, and the voices of the other recruits. "T-True Qi, I earned True Qi," one boy said. "Me too." "I meditated so well on the first try. Am I a genius?" "Earning True Qi now means you weren¡¯t talented enough to hit the Tribulation Bottleneck before today. Some talent you have." Another boy laughed, and others joined him. Other than these two types, there was a third type of recruit that was neither in their Tribulation Bottleneck nor did they earn True Qi. Like the guy with the cleft lip and his group. "Now, now, children. No need to squabble. Take your seats." The old man clapped. The sound was gentle, but it seemed to slap away all distracting thoughts from their minds. Everyone resettled. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "The first ritual. It is a gift to you new recruits," the old man said. The pelican opened its giant mouth and yawned. "The zabuton and the mats. This yard is engraved with a trancing array, and with the power of this old man¡¯s spell, you have now felt how it is to go deep into meditation. Remember the feeling, grasp it with all your heart. You¡¯ll have to do that without the aid of formations and spells if you want to make progress in the path." There were a few sighs, including Yu Han¡¯s. No wonder. Back when he was Johan, he meditated every day because the podcasts said so. It was helpful, especially with his temper problems. But he¡¯d never gone into a trance like this before. "To those who have earned True Qi, this is the power of meditation. Unlike pills and passive True Qi gain, you actively will the power to act within. Train diligently. You will soon hear the voice of the Dao when you reach the Tribulation Bottleneck." The recruits stirred. "To those who are in your Tribulation, worry not, even if you haven¡¯t gotten any True Qi like some of your peers have," the old man continued. "Meditation refines your Spirit just as exercise refines the Body. It may refine your Mind too." The way the old man said it, he might have been referring to the three primary stats rather than body, mind, and spirit in their literal meaning. Or maybe both. "When you level up and reach the next realm, the Body Tempering Realm, your qi will flow smoother, your attacks will hit harder, your senses will work stronger, than someone who merely relied on passive assimilation of qi into True Qi." Yu Han jotted every piece of data down mentally, hoping he wouldn¡¯t forget. "To those who have had no gains, worry not either. Every being in this world has their own part to play. We are but specks floating in the ocean of life. Why worry?" the old man said. Yu Han rolled his eyes. "Your meals are ready in the west-wing hut. Your journey to the rookie camps will take three more days. Your seniors will guide you down the mountains," the old man said. "Cultivate well. The next time we meet, perhaps you will be in the Qi Gathering or even Foundation Building stage." Yu Han stood and stretched, his back popping. Some kids laughed. When their eyes met, they tutted and walked away. Brunch was rice porridge with deep-fried fish and stir-fried veggies. It was a hearty meal, and after eating, his stomach felt warm. They walked down the mountain trail. Dew drops still clung to the grass, and in the distance, the other mountains were still covered in fog; the sun had failed to chase it away. Insects buzzed, birds chirped, small creatures burrowed under bushes. "Damn bugs!" Li Yao groaned. Yu Han felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. When he looked behind him, he saw that they had come down quite a bit. He couldn¡¯t see the gate to the small village anymore. It was a quiet, peaceful night. No partying, no staying up playing video games. Falling asleep after physical exertion, then meditating in the morning. "Hey, we¡¯re leaving you behind, tubs," Li Yao called out. Sima Yan was walking at the forefront, with other noble scions. The boy glanced at Li Yao and Yu Han. There was something in that gaze. They got back into the Drizzle again. Same number of people as last time. Same faces, too. The boats gently wafted through the tranquil waters between mountains, each going their separate ways. The mountains stood green all around, most appearing the same. They were covered in strangely familiar yet unknown trees, with birds and beasts all around. The land between the mountains would have been lush valleys if they weren¡¯t underwater. But now, the mountains had turned into islands. The first day, most islands were disjointed, neither bridge nor roads on them. Yu Han had tried to meditate the whole time, as did everyone else. But that same feeling of timeless trance did not return. After the night, he earned True Qi. +1 True Qi. The next day, he saw a bridge connecting two mountains. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "A village," Li Yao said. "I could use a drink." He had gotten a stick from somewhere. He stabbed it into the water and pulled a fish out. "Nice." There were villages on both islands connected by the bridge. On the roads were villagers leading donkey carts. But the donkeys looked strange. One had two tails. Another had a small horn. Otherwise, they looked identical to the slothful creature Yu Han knew of. When the Drizzle passed by, a man heaving large jars with a stick across his shoulders raised his hand. "Good luck!" he shouted. The villagers wore similar clothes to the sect disciples, indigo and white. "Tubs, you think they¡¯re all part of the sect?" "Wouldn¡¯t be surprised. Xia¡ªnevermind." Slip of the tongue. Why would Yu Han know about Xianxia Sects? "You keep saying these cryptic things. Sounds fishy." "Fuck, clean that fish elsewhere. You¡¯re getting scales all over me!" "Now you smell fishy too." Yu Han kicked Li Yao¡¯s butt, and Li Yao jumped away. They passed by many lakes. On their way, they saw a large Bodhi tree rising from the water, solitary like a giant and as big as a hill. There was a mountain with hundreds of waterfalls gorging down from impossible heights. Birds circled the peak, their call drowned out by the crash of water. In one ¡°valley,¡± the Drizzle drifted over transparent water. Underneath were the remains of a long-abandoned town. +1 True Qi Night passed again and dawn broke, golden light shining through the fog. "Crazy magic," Li Yao murmured. The Drizzle sailed upstream, on a river up the mountain. It reached up for kilometres and finally broke through the clouds. The view was breathtaking. Yu Han and the others gathered around the railing. All around, there were mountain peaks. Some peaks had ice, some had rock. The Drizzle was now near the impossibly huge peak Yu Han had seen from the sea. So close Yu Han felt like he could touch it. Smoke rose from many mountains. Maybe villages, maybe towns. In one direction was the boundless sea with the moss-coloured water. Far away, the sky was dark, as if a storm lurked there. It seemed the Drizzle had never travelled too far inland, away from the ocean. Judging by the distance to the ocean now and the direction they had come from, they had been sailing at the outer edges of this primordial mountain range. Far inland, there were silhouettes of peaks even taller than the one nearby. "Look over there." A boy pointed towards the mountains that bordered the ocean. There was a crescent-shaped bay there, and on the shore of that bay, there was a city. Tall walls, high spires, spreading out beyond the mountains and away from Yu Han¡¯s sight. Perhaps it went all the way up to the nearby tallest peak. A city that big could house millions. The Drizzle moved that way. It sailed down the mountains and river, towards the city. This world was amazing, so different from Earth. Yu Han sat down and meditated. He had a feeling he would succeed. Pure Qi Assimilated! +1 True Qi. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 0 True Qi: 110 (+4)/110 Pure Qi: 8 (-1)/110 The True Qi bar was filled. Finally, Yu Han heard the Dao¡¯s voice. And he levelled up. Chapter 20: Progress True Qi: 110/110 ¡°Your Journey Ends, Your Journey Begins.¡± Tribulation: [With merely water and no food, tread ten mountains a day for ten days.] Preemptive Tribulation Passed: [Purify Tainted Entities: 1/1.] Yu Han¡¯s eyes snapped open. The mist hit his face, two worlds covered in fog. He had heard a voice. Neither man nor woman, neither young nor old. It whispered into his ears. Yu Han stood up. ? The voice was reciting poetry! Dawn broke. A new day arrived. +1 True Qi. You Have Levelled Up. Heavenly Allocation: Mind +5 Primordial Qi. A strange, energetic feeling welled up inside, threatening to spill out. ¡°No fucking way!¡± And as if in replacement for the energy, his voice leaked out without control. He¡­ wasn¡¯t stuck in the bottleneck. He had straight up advanced. It was something he thought was possible, logically thinking. But when it actually happened, the shock felt¡­ felt¡­ Yu Han brought up his status menu. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 1 (+1)/200 Pure Qi: 8/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 1/648 There were two new things! Yu Han sat back down. ¡°You reached the Bottleneck, didn¡¯t you?¡± Li Yao was sharpening a branch into a fishing spear with a knife from the kitchen. The boy always rose before everyone. ¡°It¡¯s funny how obvious your reactions are. Where¡¯d the ruthless, devious tubs go?¡± ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t wrong,¡± Yu Han said. He didn¡¯t just reach the Bottleneck¡ªhe broke through it. ¡°You heard the voice?¡± Li Yao winked. ¡°It caught me off guard.¡± ¡°I thought it was a ghost at first.¡± Li Yao stopped. ¡°We could use this if we knew someone was close to a Bottleneck.¡± Yu Han rubbed his chin. ¡°Wait for them to gain True Qi in the middle of a fight, and when they¡¯re surprised by the voice and distracted, finish them off?¡± ¡°More like if we knew someone¡¯s tribulation, we could stop them from completing it. How would you even know if they got True Qi?¡± ¡°Enough character data. Build a prediction model of their behaviour.¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Yu Han left the cabin. When he sat down to meditate, he went into that trance-like state. And he was definitely in meditation, not sleep. If it was sleep, Deep Sleep and Echoing Dreamscape would have kept him lucid. Either way, this was dangerous. If he lost it in some wilderness, he¡¯d have no one but himself to blame if he became wolf chow. A genuine connection. His dad would¡¯ve told him to nurture it. Especially in this bleak world, where the strong preyed on the weak. A warm feeling welled up in his heart again. Yu Han pulled up the sheet again. Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 2/648 Unlike True Qi, Pure Qi, and Lifeforce, Primordial Qi only had one number and no slashes. Just a 5. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Lifeforce. Life, force. Why was it 648, such a weird number? It slowly ticked up, too. Yu Han had no idea what he was doing to make the number go up. Judging from the name, it seemed to have something to do with ¡°life.¡± In different medias on Earth, lifeforce could mean anything. Vitality, health points, a mystical energy for some magic and whatnot. There were no set definitions, and what it did was up to the author. Yu Han concentrated on the letters. Nothing happened. There was also Primordial Qi. Yu Han concentrated on Primordial Qi: 5. A weird feeling surged through him. Like a guide, appearing in his mind. But it had no letters or words. Merely pure knowledge. Or rather, instinct. Yu Han instinctively knew what to do with it. He brought up his stats menu. [Body Origin: 5.20] [Spirit Origin: 7.80] [Mind Origin: 12.20 (+1.00)] His Mind Origin had gone up a full point! Before, it was 11.20, and now it was 12.20. He was reminded of the strange message at the start. Heavenly Allocation: Mind He pulled up the substats. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 (+1) Memory: 17 (+1) Perception: 11 (+1) Clarity: 9 (+1) Focus: 10 (+1) All substats in Mind Origin had gone up by one! At first glance, the numbers looked like a simple mean, but because of past experience, Yu Han doggedly treated them as weighted averages, with each substat having a weight of 0.20. Adding the weighted sum up would get the ¡®Origin¡¯ number. Since each of the five substats had gone up by 1, the primary stat went up by five multiplied by 0.20, which is one. Yu Han nodded. Simple math didn¡¯t need calculators. Primordial Qi appeared in the substat menu too. He concentrated on the number. Something seemed to click, then move away. Yu Han focused on a substat in Mind Origin. Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 16.13 (12.20)] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 + 5 -> 22 (17) Perception: 11 Clarity: 9 Focus: 10 Yu Han wished he could jump up and cheer. Heavenly Allocation. After he levelled up, it selected one Primary Stat or Origin Stat, and increased each substat by one. It was like the Automatic Stat Point Gain in video games. Primordial Qi, on the other hand, were points he could manually allocate. He could allocate them in any of the substats, regardless of which Origin it belonged to. That was what these ¡°new¡± instincts told him. Worse yet, after gaining stat points, his physical, mental, or spiritual stat would change. Meaning this Dao System could directly modify living, breathing beings. Mind Origin was now 16.13. That didn¡¯t make sense if the weights were 0.20 for each substat! Yu Han counted with his fingers. He multiplied each of the substats by 0.20 and summed the results up. Not that he should complain. But why? The answer was simple. Yu Han grinned. He burst into laughter. He felt vindicated. It wasn¡¯t a simple mean after all, but a weighted average. Now, the weights changed. But again¡­ Why?! ¡°Hey, Crazy Tubs, you look scary. Look in another direction.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You look like someone stole your wife.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± Yu Han scratched his palm. His nails had grown longer, so it hurt. But he kept scratching. Would he, though? By the looks of it, Sects guarded knowledge litigiously. In novels, they would have libraries and archives, with only allowed individuals having the rights to access them. There was far too little information. And too many questions! A pressure rose within Yu Han. He concentrated on his substats again. The strange heaviness that had moved from Primordial Qi to his Mind Origin substats shifted back. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 Clarity: 9 Focus: 10 His instincts told him that he could choose to ¡°apply¡± the changes made. But just changing them around wouldn¡¯t immediately finalise it. He played around with the stats more. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 13.33 (12.20)] Intelligence: 14 + 2 -> 16 (14) Memory: 17 Perception: 11 + 1 -> 12 (11) Clarity: 9 Focus: 10 + 2 -> 12 (10) He reverted his changes and spread the stats equally. Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 13.20 (12.20)] Intelligence: 14 + 1 -> 15 (14) Memory: 17 + 1 -> 18 (17) Perception: 11 + 1 -> 12 (11) Clarity: 9 + 1 -> 10 (9) Focus: 10 + 1 -> 11 (10) ¡°A-ha!¡± Yu Han raised his fists up. He shouted at the sky, ¡°I¡¯ll have your secrets soon.¡± The other recruits gave him odd looks. Li Yao went inside the cabin, giving Yu Han a look that seemed to say not to talk to him anymore. Yu Han felt his face heating, and sat back down. But when data clicked into place, it felt better than a full body massage. Didn¡¯t it? But¡­ Why? Yu Han closed his eyes and meditated for five minutes. Satisfaction came in steps. He didn¡¯t need all the answers right now, so his heart should stop beating so quickly and his blood pressure should go down. Right this instant. It was only logical. He slapped his right knee. It had been twitching like an unruly child. He tested Body Origin and Spirit Origin next. Adding the Primordial Qi equally would keep the weights stable at 0.20, but adding them unequally, whether he added them all into one Origin Stat, or whether he added them to all of them, would change the weights chaotically. No need to finalise the Primordial Qi changes this instant. He didn¡¯t know what most of the substats did. All he knew was that Memory made the mirages in Echoing Dreamscape more substantial, and they lasted longer without him passing out into actual sleep. He had gained other substats too. Twice, there was a message that showed assimilation of Pure Qi. Fifty Pure Qi for a stat gain in Endurance and Strength. The weights hadn¡¯t changed then. But¡­ ?! And why the heck was Lifeforce such a weird number? Why did the Dao System recite poetry? Was it sapient? Why did it warn everyone not to share their Tribulation details? Was it benevolent? What was Pure Qi? Yu Han pulled his hair. He was going to make this his bitch! He meditated again. Whether it took a day, a year, or a gods-darned century, he was going to get his answers. This dataset was actually pretty good. The numbers were clear with no strange outliers other than one ¡®requirements not met.¡¯ The problem was the absence of Excel. So he had to do the math the old-fashioned way. Unlike his past life, he should be rational about data-crunching. No hiring hackers or data brokers to steal corporate secrets, nor private eyes to tail his competitors to gather dirt. He couldn¡¯t do it even if he tried. So he might as well be proper here. He wasn¡¯t gonna make his dad disappointed. Never again. Even if they lived in different realities now. The Drizzle passed by water valleys and mountaintop rivers, nearing the city. Many boats entered and exited the city like ants. It seemed to be the central hub of the area. But no boats crossed The Drizzle, as if their vessel had the waterway all to themselves. They passed by the city. Finally, with tropical rain pounding the world all around, the boat arrived at a large village. The mountainside was lined with numerous huts, their outlines blurred by the falling rain. The palm trees swayed in the wind, their large leaves rustling. Near the river back was a large statue of a bearded man wielding a spear. Beside it, a small shack. The sound of chants and prayers came from it in waves. It praised the god of the rivers, the lakes, and the land. The voices mixed with the sound of rain. The little jetty sat there all empty, like it was waiting for Drizzle to arrive. Thunder cracked. Lightning flashed. Yu Han closed his eyes. When he opened them, a silhouette loomed at the dock. Chapter 21: Elder Scribe ¡°The Sect owns this slice of the world,¡± Duan Xiaolong said after receiving them at the dock ¡°From the clouds in the sky to the eels hiding in holes in the rice fields.¡± He pointed at each of the recruits. ¡°Your bodies, your souls, your future accomplishments.¡± They had gotten off the Drizzle, having been the first to arrive. Within an hour, the remaining six Drizzles also reached the village, and now all the recruits stood in the rain. The pitter-patter didn¡¯t drown out Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice. It only seemed to accentuate it, backdropped by the chants coming from the nearby river god temple. As the rain fell, the fresh scent of mud and grass tickled Yu Han¡¯s nose. He could also smell the burning incense and the soot from the oil lamps. ¡°In return, the Sect will nurture you. Give you words, riches, and strength of your own, from Cultivation Arts to Spirit Stones. And finally, a chance to own part of the Sect itself.¡± Duan Xiaolong crossed his arms. His monkey, Little Pillar, hopped from one foot to another, swinging the staff above his head like a helicopter. ¡°So, first order of business, scribe your names. From mice, you become men.¡± Yu Han patted his shoulders. The rain chased away all the mosquitoes, but he itched. Perhaps there were other bugs that bit. Johan had an amazing portfolio. Much of it was because of undiscovered insider trading, and the rest came from manipulation. Duan Xiaolong took a step back, and another silhouette stepped forward. It was a wiry man with a thin moustache, and a long, silky beard that reached his torso. He had sunken eyes and large black irises. Whereas Duan Xiaolong stood in the rain, letting the world wash him, this man had an invisible shield that bounced the raindrops off. Even in the downpour, he was pristine and dry. The recruits stirred. If not an immortal spell, what else could this be? Shock, awe, and surprise radiated out in murmurs. Yu Han wore simple straw sandals, and his feet were covered with thick mud. They felt slippery between his toes. And he hadn¡¯t had a good bath in weeks. The wiry man took out a brush and a scroll. He waved his hand and a Talent Orb appeared, floating midair. ¡°I am the Ninth Scribe Official of the Outer Sect, and the Elder in charge of this year¡¯s Rookie Village. You may call me Elder Scribe,¡± the man said. ¡°You shall stay here for the upcoming two weeks, until all the recruits arrive. After this, we shall journey to the Outer Sect, where most of you shall live your entire lives.¡± He let go of the scroll, and it hung midair as if by a magical force. He wrote on it with a brush. ¡°Unless you take a long-term external mission. Or betray the Sect, or are perhaps excommunicated. Few reach the inner Sect, and fewer still become Core Disciples. Whatever the case, it all depends on your talent and hard work. Form a line in front of the Orb.¡± The recruits formed a line. They had tested their talents once before. The first recruit timidly walked forward. It was the girl from Yu Han¡¯s hometown, Guo Yexi. She was a squeamish little thing and always looked at Yu Han with fright or disdain. But now, after all this time, it was a nostalgic sight. Only some months and weeks had passed, but it felt like years. He really was in another world. Guo Yexi reached forward. Duan Xiaolong coughed, and the girl shrank back. ¡°The proper beginnings, Elder Scribe,¡± Duan Xiaolong said. The wiry man narrowed his beady eyes at Duan Xiaolong. Yu Han, or rather, Johan thrived in internal competition. He was the type to offend others easily, so wiggling his way into a powerful faction was paramount. ¡°This is no longer the Sect you once knew.¡± Duan Xiaolong said to Elder Scribe, holding his ground. ¡°The reefs has been shredded by the claws of the mist, whilst the nobles lay crying.¡± He took a step forward, and an invisible pressure shook the curtain of rainfall. ¡°Speak the proper beginnings.¡± Whatever invisible shield was protecting Elder Scribe from the rain seemed to turn off for a second, and he was drenched in water. But the man snorted, and the water dried off. ¡°Your Traits and Levels shall be noted. For the exceptionally gifted, there shall be rewards. For the diligent too, you will receive your due. Although I doubt you would break through the first bottleneck so easily, no matter how diligent you are.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The pressure went away, and Duan Xiaolong stepped back. Guo Yexi touched the orb. It lit up with the ever so familiar red light. After each recruit tested their talents, the Scribe would mutter some words to them. Their lips would move, but no sound would reach through the rain. The Scribe would tap the orb, then send the recruit to wait at the side. About one in ten would have Refined Talent, making the orb glow orange. Each time, Elder Scribe would bear an expression of approval and write for longer than usual. Li Yao had his turn. Then finally, it was Yu Han¡¯s turn. ¡°A Bloodline. What is it?¡± ¡°Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline,¡± Yu Han answered. The Scribe clicked his tongue. ¡°Perhaps gained rather than inherited. Any past cultivators in the family? What is your profession?¡± ¡°Not that I know of, sir,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°My parents ran a seafood diner.¡± ¡°Then gained it is.¡± Elder Scribe wrote something. He looked over Yu Han head to toe. ¡°You shall not have the chance to be so gluttonous in the Sect¡ªalthough it may be what caused you to gain the Trait.¡± Yu Han clenched his fist. ¡°Any Bloodline Arts?¡± ¡°Deep Sleep.¡± Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 107 (+4)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 50 (+5)/400 ¡°Nor shall you be slothful. The heavens bless you with talent to cultivate, but curse you with mediocrity.¡± Elder Scribe smiled. ¡°What is the use of having a thousand ants when one tiger can cull millions?¡± Whatever faction the Scribe was from, Yu Han would call HR about it. Maybe it was the stereotypical noble faction? Was Duan Xiaolong a commoner, then? Qiao Jinhai had called him a barbarian from the wastelands. Yu Han didn¡¯t bring up Echoing Dreamscape. He might get a reward for it, but he would rather keep some cards close to hand. Same with Existential Anchor. He couldn¡¯t explain why it didn¡¯t show up in the Talent test, nor did he know what the Trait was even for, other than the fact it granted him an Auxiliary Art that only worked with Deep Sleep. ¡°We are done. Move to the side.¡± ¡°Do not miss steps,¡± Duan Xiaolong growled. ¡°Young Master Duan, do you have to be so tedious?¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°How can this obese child pass the first bottleneck before reaching the Sect? I am merely hastening the process.¡± The blue monkey chirped. It was a familiar sound before violence. ¡°Fine.¡± Elder Scribe snorted. He tapped the orb without looking at it, turning to face Duan Xiaolong. ¡°Look. What a waste of time.¡± He gestured at the orb. Duan Xiaolong¡¯s face tensed. ¡°Turn your head. Do not dare insult a Core Disciple.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elder Scribe shrunk back. This was the first time he¡¯d shown fear. He looked at the Talent Orb, then at Yu Han¡¯s face with a dark scowl. ¡°Child, have you passed your tribulation?¡± Yu Han nodded. If they knew, they knew. No need to deny the obvious and appear more suspicious. He snuck a glance at Duan Xiaolong. Yu Han rubbed his eyes. The spikey-haired cultivator had already looked away. ¡°How?¡± the Scribe roared. ¡°What Tribulation was¡ª¡± The man caught himself, then threw a suspicious glance at Duan Xiaolong. ¡°It matters not. Do not utter the name of the Tribulation, lest you bring bad luck on all of us!¡± He snorted, then wrote more words down. ¡°Unbelievable. For the first of this batch to be thing. What is the world coming to? Child, what was your Heavenly Allocation?¡± ¡°Mind.¡± ¡°Ha! Look at this, the heavens truly mock you!¡± Elder Scribe said as he wrote more. ¡°With Common Talent, Mortal Grade Qi Affinity, do you even have a chance at reaching the Foundation Building Realm? Young Master Duan, the reward is wasted on such a unique specimen. Let us merely grant him spirit stones and reserve the reward for someone¡ª¡± ¡°Break the rules and find out.¡± ¡°Young Master, let us be logical. How can someone with a Mind Allocation for his first level up ever hope to utilise the rewarded Elite Grade Martial Arts? The rewards mention nothing of granting Psychic Arts, as even the least of those are far above this child¡¯s level.¡± ¡°His fate is his. None shall be allowed to intervene.¡± ¡°It is a waste!¡± ¡°You dare call the rules a waste? I am sure the Law Enforcement Hall would love to learn of that, Ninth Scribe. If you want another dismissal, this Duan will pave the way.¡± Elder Scribe fumed. He pointed at Duan Xiaolong, then at Yu Han. ¡°You, you. Fine.¡± He threw something at Yu Han. It was a token with a strange character on top. He couldn¡¯t read it, but it looked familiar. It was the same strange script his lost booklet had. ¡°It shall grant you an incense stick¡¯s access to the first floor of the Scripture Hall in the outer Sect, or a day¡¯s access to the smaller library in the Rookie Village. You may choose one Elite Grade Martial Art from there. Now scram, you unpleasant creature.¡± Yu Han scrammed and joined those waiting. ¡°Tubs, did that guy bully you?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°You guys were talking for longer.¡± ¡°He and Duan Xiaolong seem to have some animosity,¡± Yu Han said, avoiding giving a clear answer. ¡°Keep your secrets, then.¡± Yu Han remembered how Li Yao had guarded him on the Drizzle. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡± He gestured around. ¡°We¡¯re not the only ones with ears.¡± The taller boy grinned, then stepped back. Through the curtain of the rain, Yu Han saw a figure running from the river god temple to join the line. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your fate is yours, tiger who wears a pig¡¯s skin,¡± a voice said. ¡°But it is the fault of the deer for having delicious flesh that attracts a predator. This Duan Xiaolong has some tips for the strange junior.¡± Yu Han straightened his back. Duan Xiaolong was looking at the recruit line still, lips unmoving. He was speaking directly into Yu Han¡¯s ears. ¡°You may rightfully exchange the token for an appropriate price. None may force you. Have it written in blood and ink. Understood?¡± Yu Han¡¯s lips quivered, but he didn¡¯t speak. Merely nodded. ¡°Can you read?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°Imperial Script?¡± Yu Han shook his head. ¡°Earthly Script?¡± He shook his head again. ¡°Common, then. For White Lotus, it would be the Yellow tongue. It matters not. They are mostly the same.¡± Yu Han nodded like his neck was broken. ¡°Don¡¯t choose the Scripture Hall.¡± Chapter 22: Rookie Village Library ¡°Have you decided how to allocate your Primordial Qi, Little Tiger?¡± Duan Xiaolong said in his mind. Yu Han shook his head. ¡°Tubs, you having a seizure?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Yu Han glared at Li Yao, who rolled his eyes. ¡°A wild boar needs to learn how to charge. A tiger, how to rend flesh. It makes no sense for either to invest in trap making.¡± Yu Han waited. But with that final sentence, Duan Xiaolong¡¯s voice did not return. The line grew shorter, and by the time the last recruit¡¯s turn was over, the rain had ended. ¡°Each of you, select a hut from the Slope of Snaking Leaves. Do not quarrel, do not steal,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Those who have been asked, visit me tomorrow at the main courtyard.¡± The wiry man bowed slightly to Duan Xiaolong, then walked towards a better-built house. *** ¡°You broke through?¡± Li Yao yelled. ¡°We gotta pour some wine at the shrine!¡± They were now in a small hut halfway up the mountain on the Slope of Snaking Leaves, one secluded from the nearby ones. One that had a large doorway. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Shush. Do you want everyone to find out?¡± Yu Han covered Li Yao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Dude, that¡¯s¡­ what kind of Tribulation? Ah, crazy. I can¡¯t ask about that.¡± ¡°The Scribe mentioned something about bringing bad luck.¡± Yu Han explained his conversation with Elder Scribe, but left out the part about Duan Xiaolong telepathically advising him. ¡°You obviously need to choose the Scripture Hall in the outer Sect. They probably have far better stuff!¡± ¡°Do you know what an outer Sect is?¡± ¡°Tubs, in Riversong and the surrounding cities, we have what are called Mortal Martial Arts Sects. They¡¯re basically gangs and dojos, but are modelled after Immortal Sects. At least, that¡¯s what they claim.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t calling you stupid, by the way.¡± ¡°It hurts more if you explain that, fatty!¡± Li Yao said, pouring wine for Yu Han. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°You have your secrets, I have mine.¡± ¡°So childish.¡± It rained again that night. The howling gales acted as a backdrop, with the thatched roof creaking. But no water leaked, and the hut stayed strong. In his Deep Sleep, Yu Han went over the events of the previous days. The illusory whirlpools, the infinite mountains, the crescent-shaped city. He practised observing Martial Arts from the various duels, re-enacted as a mirage. After Deep Sleep ended, true sleep began. *** ¡°This shellfish and this booklet have been passed through our Yu Family for generations.¡± ¡°Father, what¡¯s written here?¡± his elder brother asked. ¡°A generous gift to our ancestor. Long forgotten in time.¡± His elder brother put the booklet away. Mother fastened the shellfish into a necklace. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it safe!¡± Yu Han beamed, then went out to play. *** +1 True Qi. Pure Qi Assimilated. +1 True Qi. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 3 (+2)/200 Pure Qi: 7 (-1)/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 25 (+23)/648 The next day, Yu Han finished his business, thoroughly washing his hands with soap. It was a simple soap, maybe made from animal fat. But it had an herby scent and worked fine. There were no indoor bathrooms, so he bathed by the lake. It was early, the sun barely visible. He had the lake all to himself, once again scrubbing with the soap as hard as he could. This was the first proper bath he¡¯d had in months. In the hut, there had been a set of neatly folded clothes. It had the same indigo and white motif, but no elaborate designs. Once he had washed up, Yu Han tried donning it. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. It wouldn¡¯t fit. He put his old clothes back on. In front of Elder Scribe¡¯s house, there was already a line of five kids. As Yu Han approached, their heads turned his way. ¡°We are here to claim our rightful rewards. What do you seek, commoner?¡± asked the short boy in front of Yu Han. ¡°Same as you.¡± ¡°What a joke.¡± The boy turned away. No one else bothered Yu Han. If Johan had been forced to dine with a guy who graduated from a third-rate university, he¡¯d probably show a similar reaction. But he was Yu Han now, and the prejudice stung. Kids went in, and in a few minutes, they trotted out happily. The line had grown longer behind him. He even saw Li Yao at the end. It seemed a total of eleven recruits were eligible for rewards. Finally, it was Yu Han¡¯s turn. He went through the large front gate. A young girl greeted him, then led him to the end of a corridor. ¡°Wait here,¡± she said. ¡°The Elder will call for you.¡± ¡°This poor Elder will have to depend on the Young Hero when the time is right.¡± He heard Elder Scribe¡¯s voice from a nearby room. It was far more polite than when he¡¯d talked to Yu Han. ¡°Worry not, respected Elder. This one will remember such grace forevermore.¡± A second voice replied. The door to the room opened, and the short jerk walked out. He spotted Yu Han and scoffed before leaving. ¡°Next.¡± Yu Han squeezed in the narrow frames. Everything here seemed to be built for skinny people. The room looked like a wizard¡¯s study, stuffed full of knick-knacks. Skulls, plants, many scrolls scattered around. Elder Scribe sat on a chair in front of a messy table, penning a scroll with a brush. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± The wiry man¡¯s voice dropped. ¡°I greet the Elder Scribe.¡± There was silence. He hadn¡¯t seen a mechanical clock in this world yet, but a ticking sound seemed to echo in his mind. ¡°You know, child, the Sect rules do not stipulate that you cannot exchange for an alternative reward,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Perhaps Young Master Duan already mentioned that to you last night?¡± Yu Han¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What, surprised? You were shaking your head and nodding as though talking with a ghost. Who else but Duan Xiaolong could have used telepathy?¡± The Elder Scribe looked pleased, as if he had revealed a huge secret. ¡°He has taken an interest in you. Rootless tend to be like that. What has he told you?¡± ¡°Without Senior Brother Duan¡¯s permission, I dare not utter.¡± Yu Han shrank back under the Scribe¡¯s gaze. ¡°Not without a spine, obese you may be. Then this Scribe has an offer for you. Mayhap a hundred Spirit Stones will suit you better? Or a night¡¯s cultivation in my Elite Grade Cultivation Cave? Oh, you shall gain so much True Qi, even with such paltry talents.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Speak freely.¡± Elder Scribe tapped the table softly. Yu Han recognised persuasion when he saw it. Or was this a threat? Was access to the Library really that valuable? Well, in stories, Sects did hoard knowledge like dragons. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Spirit Stones are,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Such an unlettered imbecile.¡± The Scribe huffed. ¡°They are money and riches. What can you even gain from the scrolls? Can you read? Only true scions of noble blood can gain from the library.¡± Yu Han decided to probe. ¡°This one has learned the Common Script a bit.¡± The Scribe¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Is that so? Fine. Have it your way. Name your chosen reward.¡± Was that hope in his voice? ¡°I wish to spend a day at the Rookie Village Library and choose a Martial Arts manual.¡± The Elder gritted his teeth. ¡°Why not choose the Scripture Hall at the Outer Sect? They have a vaster collection. Surely you can gain more there.¡± ¡°This one is foolish, and cannot read Imperial or Earthly Scripts.¡± ¡°Foolish? With a Mind Allocation, how long can it possibly take to learn the language?¡± Elder Scribe stood. ¡°Such a divine wastrel.¡± ? A silence followed. For minutes, the Elder Scribe didn¡¯t say anything. He merely stared at Yu Han. There was ill will in that gaze. He had no choice. It wasn¡¯t his fault that he broke through! And now with Duan Xiaolong in the picture, the situation was more complicated. Should he back down? Accept the hundred Spirit Stones? Be a pig rather than a tiger? Duan Xiaolong seemed to have a strange goodwill towards him. In the long run, nurturing that relationship could pay off better than bowing down to the Scribe. If the Scribe was one of those stereotypical nobles, bending the knee would do little good. They wouldn¡¯t give him any benefits; they¡¯d merely take more away. ¡°It seems you have made up your mind,¡± the Scribe said. ¡°Good. Good. This child dares to stare back.¡± ¡°My granddaughter shall lead you to the library. Twelve hours from when you enter, your time there ends. If you step out, your time is to end too!¡± The Scribe slapped the table. A precariously placed scroll fell to the floor. It unrolled on its own, revealing neat handwriting. It had both Common Script and the unknown one, and some diagrams of tiny humans doing martial arts. ¡°Now begone. Yu Han, was it? We shall meet once more after.¡± Yu Han left the room, and the girl outside led him to the library. ¡°How did a mere commoner break through?¡± she said, biting her lip. ¡°No, don¡¯t say. The heavens are unfair. This is just my luck.¡± She stomped. ¡°Daring to steal my¡ªno. It matters not.¡± They arrived in front of an old door. The girl opened it. It was a spacious room. There was one circular table with cushion seats laid out on a mat, and three shelves against the walls. One had a handful of old books and scrolls. The other two were filled. A closed window let the morning light into the room. It clearly reflected the greed in the girl¡¯s eyes as she gazed at the red ribbon-bound scroll placed on the table. She turned to Yu Han. Her small face had an intense scowl. ¡°I will wait outside. Call for me when you wish to leave.¡± Yu Han tried to enter the room. ¡°Dally at your own cost.¡± Yu Han grumbled. He turned ninety degrees and entered through the door, squeezing his girth through. The squeeze to his tummy made his bladder itch. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t need to pee within the next twelve hours. Yu Han immediately went for the scroll on the table. The Scribe had definitely placed it there. Were they that confident that his granddaughter would be the one to get it? It was probably Sect property. In Xianxia stories, casually sharing Sect secrets could lead to severe punishments. Perhaps the Scribe had planned for his granddaughter to break through and rightfully receive this reward? Now Yu Han had ruined that. Damn government officials. They would always rig the game like this, letting their relatives have jobs in cosy positions whilst the rest fought over scraps. Johan had blackmailed many after finding that out! He opened the scroll. ¡°Chicken scratch.¡± It might as well have been. It was written in that strange script, with diagrams of a dancing lady. It made him curious¡ªwhat was written in the booklet that he had lost? He scanned the whole scroll. There were pictures, large and small letters, parts with different indentations, and sketches of birds and flowers. The more he looked, the stranger the thing became. He went to the two shelves filled with newer books and scrolls. They were all written in that language. Or maybe it was a few different languages, and he couldn¡¯t tell the difference. In these two shelves, there were thirty-seven books and scrolls, and not a single one in Common. He went to the final shelf filled with the old books and picked one up. ¡°Oh?¡± It was in Common Script! It read, ¡°Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms - The Elite Infantry Manual of the Bull Mountain Kingdom.¡± It was an old book, bound with brown string and coarsely cut paper. ¡°This one. This one too!¡± A total of eight manuals. All in Common Script. Yu Han surveyed the room again. The other two shelves, the nine manuals in Common Script. The one placed on the table. He had an idea. Chapter 23: A Business Opportunity Yu Han laid the nine manuals written in Common Script on the table. Three books, five scrolls. Of them, one was a sword scripture. One was an archery technique and another was a lightness skill. Three were fist techniques, two leg techniques, and the final one for the polearm. Yu Han read the names. Fist techniques: ¡°Iron Mountain Fist, Sevenfold Strikes of the Waves, Thunderclap Punch.¡± Leg techniques: ¡°Whirlpool Kick Method, Bronze Crane Leg.¡± Polearm technique: ¡°Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms.¡± Sword scripture: ¡°Silver Serpent Sword Dance.¡± Archery art: ¡°Waterfall Piercing Arrow.¡± And finally, the lightness skill: ¡°Feather Scale Step.¡± Yu Han read each of the techniques from start to end. The sketches were detailed, the brushstrokes impeccable. It seemed as though they were penned by the same person. They were copied, then. It must have been Elder Scribe. The writing on these manuals matched the scroll that had fallen to the floor. If he could confirm again by going into Deep Sleep, that would be better. But he couldn¡¯t wake at will. No alarm clocks. Yu Han went back to check the other two shelves. He isolated similar shapes, then checked the manuals over. Except the scroll placed on the table. It was a dangerous situation. Yu Han went back to reading the Common Script manuals, the plan growing more concrete in his mind. The books were not that thick. The Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms was the longest with a hundred and thirty pages, but most of it was diagrams, and the text amounted to twenty pages at max. The others ranged from five pages to fifty. Among then, seven had diagrams, and the other two¡ªthe sword technique and lightness skill¡ªonly had densely packed words. Two hours passed. He put the manuals back in their place and moved back to the other two shelves. He took the first scroll and unrolled it. He couldn¡¯t read it, but he observed every stroke and every crease. After that, he took the next book, and the next. After another hour, he had scanned through all thirty-seven manuals. Thirty-eight including the red ribboned scroll on the table. Including the ones written in Common Script, there were forty-seven. There were eight real options. That would depend on what Yu Han was capable of currently. He eliminated the sword scripture first. He stabbed himself just by swinging a dagger around. Maybe he could get a wooden sword, but he would need years of training before he became good at such close combat. And he didn¡¯t want to get close to the enemy. So he eliminated the fist and leg techniques too. He¡¯d basically have to be in the enemy¡¯s stab range to be close enough to punch. No thank you! Archery looked like a good option. But back on Earth, even in medieval times, good bows were expensive. And similarly to the sword, it would take months, if not years, to get good enough. Arrows might be one-time use, and if someone got close to him, he would be done for. So the best thing would be to select a technique for preserving his life. ¡°Feather Scale Step.¡± After reading the manual, Yu Han concluded that it was a movement technique. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. According to the flowery words of the author, it allowed the practitioner to tread as lightly as drifting petals, each step weightless, evading the mortal pull of the earth. When mastered, the body would become as light as mist, slipping through cracks in the wind, untouchable by blade or strike. It was as if the author was mocking him! Ptui! Yu Han patted his belly. It jiggled. What a cruel joke. If he were eighty kilos lighter, then maybe. For now, anyway. Yu Han took up the final manual. It was the first one he had read, Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. It was a manual for elite infantry of a certain kingdom. It started with a halberd. There was a picture in the manual. It looked like a spear, but other than the extended spear-tip, there was also a dagger axe and a scythe-like hook for pulling. It looked like a complicated weapon. Yu Han knew very little about it, and most of Johan¡¯s knowledge came from media like comics and video games. The author of the manual mentioned that it was a standard training weapon for infantry, who usually came from poor backgrounds. It gave them a chance to challenge horseback riders and shield bearers. The forms trained the body for combat, emphasizing stability, agility, and endurance. When practised, it would build strength in the shoulders, core, and legs, all while coordinating with the weapon''s movement. The forms varied widely¡ªswings, thrusts, hooks, arcs, chops, drags¡ªbut all used the weight, momentum, and inertia of the weapon, plus the wielder¡¯s footwork, to create the strikes. Forms included the Heavy Ox Swing, Mountain Root Stance, Stone-Cutting Chop, and sixty-nine others. It all sounded interesting. And tedious. And beyond Yu Han¡¯s comprehension. But one passage caught his eye. ¡°¡­ take heed, oh mighty soldier. For the 72 forms build the body of the humble farmer and merchant into the sculpted figure of a soldier. It sheds the unneeded meat and fat from days of slow living, forging the flesh and bones to the divine form of the infantry. Move in the war they shall, from one battle to another. They will fight in the field for days without tiring and take on sword and cavalries alike with superior reach¡­¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t change many things. His talent in cultivation, Traits, Arts. But there was one thing he could make measurable progress on: Fat loss. Throughout the last two months, he had been trying it. He was two knots thinner on the rope he used to measure his waist. He could do fifteen pushups now, and almost fifty squats without falling. He wanted a scale. He imagined himself writing each day¡¯s measurements, including his waist circumference, weight, and calorie intake on a nice spreadsheet, then optimizing each variable to result in greater weight loss per day, week, month, and year! Diet was the hardest part. Both the ship and the Drizzle had an almost unlimited amount of food, as did the two villages. It was so easy to overeat, as if the instincts of his body hijacked his mind to gorge himself on food. He needed something else. A push. A catalyst. An inciting incident. Otherwise, it was hard to find the motivation to keep such intense, consistent effort. Yu Han sighed. Either he needed to push himself by putting himself in a scenario where backing out wasn¡¯t an option, or something needed to happen. He didn¡¯t want to do the former, and he didn¡¯t want the latter to surprise him. Yu Han decided on the manual, then went over what he would say once more in his mind. It wasn¡¯t a perfect plan. But he had enough data to support it. First, a revision. Yu Han looked over all the manuals in the room one last time. Then he scoured the place, just in case he¡¯d missed anything. Two more hours went by. Finally, he wiped the sweat off his brow. The urge to pee was growing stronger. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a matter I¡¯d like to ask,¡± Yu Han said, standing near the door. It would be nice if he had a clock or a watch, but by estimation, it had barely been five and a half hours. ¡°Have you selected your manual already, commoner?¡± a discontented voice said. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. This Yu Han thinks he is too dull to remember,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°So I was wondering if Elder Scribe¡¯s previous offer was still on the table.¡± There was a shuffling sound, then the door swung open. Yu Han took a step back. ¡°Why retreat?¡± the girl asked, excitement and confusion visible on her face. ¡°I-If I leave the room, the token is useless.¡± ¡°It only happens when you select a manual and record it in the scroll. My grandfather does the recording,¡± the girl said. ¡°Were you serious?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°Although perhaps I need to clarify. This Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms does sound quite interesting. If only they had a more detailed copy. And maybe a few more extra training resources. My life at the Sect is only starting, after all.¡± ¡°You wait here.¡± The girl left. Yu Han sat down at the table, the red ribboned scroll spread open. There was a diagram of a lotus flower. A sketch of a woman danced on top of it. From one form to another, a total of a hundred and eight. It was obviously meant for a female. ¡°You dare play mind games with me, obese boy?¡± Elder Scribe barged in. Yu Han hastily stood. Elder Scribe¡¯s eyes went to the open scroll on the table, and a corner of his brow twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t dare!¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get what you said out of my mind as I read these manuals.¡± He pointed at the shelf with the Common Script manuals. He¡¯d already put everything back. ¡°I think what you said made sense. I can exchange my reward for something more suitable for me.¡± ¡°Do you think the Sect rules are a game? Change your mind whenever you want?¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°If it can¡¯t be helped, then I¡¯ll just take that scroll,¡± Yu Han said, picking up the red ribboned scroll on the table. ¡°It looks impressive.¡± ¡°Wait! We shall not be hasty,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Let this Scribe consult the lawbooks.¡± With that, the wiry man left. The girl stood by the door, fidgeting. Elder Scribe returned in less than five minutes. Yu Han tried his best to maintain a poker face. ¡°Ahem,¡± Elder Scribe coughed. ¡°There is no explicit clause against changing one¡¯s mind halfway, for this specific reward-giving scenario. You can no longer take a manual from here, and the next person will only have the remaining time.¡± The Sect rules were malleable; there were loopholes. Nice to know. ¡°Thank the heavens.¡± Yu Han pretended to sigh in relief. ¡°I think the Elder is rational, logical, and far-sighted beyond my own judgement.¡± ¡°It is my experience, young child. Now speak. What shall you wish to exchange for the token?¡± Elder Scribe asked. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A separate copy of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms,¡± Yu Han said, as subserviently as he could. The girl gave a nod. A separate copy, not the one in the room, wouldn''t qualify as a reward for the token. ¡°An appropriate halberd.¡± She looked at her grandfather but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Ten informative books written in Common Script.¡± Elder Scribe frowned. ¡°And a thousand spirit stones.¡± Chapter 24: The Fine Print The girl gasped, and the Scribe¡¯s eyes bulged like saucers. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Elder Scribe roared, spittle flying. ¡°Do you presume this is your uncle¡¯s house? Whatever you want, you shall get?¡± Yu Han acted disappointed. ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯ll just consult with Senior Brother Duan Xiaolong, then.¡± He rolled up the red-ribboned scroll again. ¡°Wait! We shall talk like scholars,¡± Elder Scribe said, as if his previous rage was a lie. ¡°The copy of the Martial Arts and the halberd are reasonable. But why do you need a thousand spirit stones? Do you think they are like tree leaves, plucking them whenever you desire?¡± A rookie mistake. He hadn¡¯t made one like this since his internship days. ¡°I want to send a letter to my family,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°My parents were killed by a bandit attack just before the Sect recruitments. I have some family left. If I don¡¯t send word back to them, they¡¯ll¡­¡± He had a sister. She was part of a travelling merchant group. Did she already know what happened? Did she hear about Yu Han leaving with the Sect? Would she be targeted by the kingdom nobles for being associated with him? He teared up. He wiped his face with his sleeve. ¡°A man shall not cry,¡± Elder Scribe said, his voice far softer now. ¡°You can certainly send a letter to the White Lotus Kingdom with the Unending Drizzle Hall. Yet it shall not take a thousand spirit stones!¡± ¡°I want to hire someone to teach me the Imperial and Earthly Scripts. If I knew them, I could have selected any of those manuals,¡± Yu Han said, pointing at the two shelves. ¡°I am sure they are far superior to the ones written in Common.¡± ¡°No such thing, fool. This one merely translated them here,¡± Elder Scribe said. was ¡°If it can¡¯t be done, then¡ª¡± Yu Han started rolling up the red-ribboned scroll more. ¡°Grandfather!¡± the girl whispered. There was a depressed tremble in her voice. ¡°Quit that this instant. This is not a game, obese boy!¡± Elder Scribe frowned. ¡°The Cultural classes will only start from your second year. Fine, hire your tutor. I¡¯ll provide you with another scroll of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. A version that is more common in the marketplaces.¡± ¡°As for the ten other Arts manuals in Common Script¡­¡± Elder Scribe¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°To be greedy is to court misfortune. Do not think because I am a mere Scribe in the Outer Sect that you can bargain with me.¡± A pressure descended. It pushed down on Yu Han¡¯s shoulders like a boulder. Yu Han bowed. ¡°Not Arts manuals, but books.¡± ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°Informative texts. They can be about anything. Cultivation knowledge, herbs, animals, the surrounding area. Common sense of our Sect, or the law book. I will leave it to Elder Scribe¡¯s judgement.¡± The pressure went away. Yu Han looked up. Elder Scribe had a contemplative face. ¡°I do not overestimate myself. I am Mind Heavenly Allocation. How dare I even hope to learn eleven Martial Arts at the same time? What I lack is knowledge. I am only a commoner, and I merely wish the Elder Scribe could enlighten me with appropriate directions. But I don¡¯t wish to waste your time. Hence, a few paltry books¡­¡± ¡°Paltry?¡± Elder Scribe scoffed. ¡°Were your family theatre actors?¡± ¡°We ran a simple diner.¡± ¡°Wrong choice of profession, then. I know what sort of knowledge your ilk wants.¡± Elder Scribe went silent. For minutes, no one talked. And as time passed, the girl started fidgeting more and more. Her gaze went from the red-ribboned scroll in Yu Han¡¯s hand, to her grandfather¡¯s face, to the window, then back to the scroll again. Yu Han debated whether he should start rolling the scroll again. ¡°Enlighten you. Yes, that is it,¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°How can a mere commoner, not even properly in the Body Tempering Realm, take advantage of me? This is a fair exchange.¡± He spoke resolutely. ¡°It shall be done.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Yu Han put the scroll back. ¡°What is your fascination with that scroll?¡± Elder Scribe asked. Yu Han thought for a moment, then decided it was better to say the truth. At least partially. ¡°It had different handwriting than the other manuals here. And its placement.¡± ¡°Forget about the placement if you know what¡¯s good for you,¡± Elder Scribe said, his sharp gaze and condescending tone returning. ¡°Yes. It was placed on the shelves like all other scrolls.¡± Elder Scribe nodded. ¡°The Spirit Stones, the manuals, and the ten books will be delivered to your hut. Give me the token.¡± ¡°If I could kindly have it written in ink and blood?¡± ¡°You dare doubt my integrity?¡± Elder Scribe shouted. ¡°Certainly not,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But what if someone from the Law Enforcement Hall confronts me?¡± ¡°So you ask for ink and blood. Duan Xiaolong, that¡ª¡± Elder Scribe paused. ¡°We shall follow the rules.¡± ¡°And if I may clarify some other relevant laws? I merely wish to be careful not to inconvenience the Elder after our exchange. But I am unlearned and may accidentally slip.¡± A vein bulged on the wiry man¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡­ think of me as some private tutor.¡± ¡°I dare not!¡± Yu Han lowered his head. ¡°Speak!¡± ¡°The books and scrolls you¡¯ll give me. Would it matter if I shared them with others?¡± ¡°Do you secretly hope that I will give you some forbidden codex of knowledge? Share if you want. Such books are a dime a dozen in the marketplaces.¡± ¡°And what of the manuals here? Of course, I am not going to go back on our agreement and take one out, but I have read through the others. If I were to disclose their contents, would that be against the law?¡± ¡°If one could teach Martial Arts by that alone, would we need Sects and masters?¡± Elder Scribe said. ¡°Doom your friends if you wish by teaching them from memory. You have been here for how long? Six hours? Go ahead if you dare. If you knew Earthly Script, that would be another matter entirely.¡± He picked up the red-ribboned scroll. ¡°Most Arts here, can be found at high prices or in the libraries of the various Halls, Pavilions, and Palaces. Some are rare, but not intrinsic to the Sect, collected from outside. Some were created by past disciples, both strong and weak. However, a few¡­ well, it would not be my place to interpret the law when the Law Enforcement Hall bears their wrath.¡± Yu Han gulped. ¡°You may doom your comrades with the ones in Common if you ever wish to stab them in the back. What a jest, sharing Arts verbally without mastering them yourself!¡± Elder Scribe laughed. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°That will be all. This one is eternally grateful for your guidance,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Your appearance is deceiving. Obese and weak, yet a sharp mind. Alas, with your minuscule talent¡­¡± Elder Scribe shook his head. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t offend someone with a trick like today¡¯s, and use that wit of yours appropriately, you may find a place for yourself in the Sect yet. You were lucky. With the recent changes to the Sect, someone mild-tempered like me is now in charge of the rookie village.¡± It seemed that Elder Scribe was saying that second part to himself. He waved his hand, and a scroll appeared. Elder Scribe waved his brush, and characters in Common Script appeared as if magic. After a while, the scroll was complete, and Elder Scribe wrote his name at the end. Dong Chou nicked his thumb with a finger. He pressed it down for the blood fingerprint. ¡°Now your turn, child.¡± He handed the brush over. Even at a simple glance, Yu Han saw four clauses with loopholes¡ªthree he could use later, but the last one could fuck him over. The dissatisfaction must have shown on his face. ¡°Hurry, we don¡¯t have all day,¡± Dong Chou grumbled. In normal circumstances, he would never sign such a dubious document. But he didn¡¯t have a choice this time. Yu Han wrote his name. Then he unsheathed the dagger, and, biting his lip, slowly inserted the tip into his finger. He hissed. ¡°What weak willpower,¡± Dong Chou sneered. Yu Han sweated profusely. He stamped the bloody fingerprint. ¡°Give him a salve,¡± Dong Chou said, and his granddaughter brought a small vial to him. It wasn¡¯t the same kind as the one Huang Niuniu had given him; the liquid didn¡¯t shine. The girl handed over some gauze too. Yu Han applied the salve. It had a pungent smell, and it stung. He then tied the gauze over his finger. ¡°We are done here,¡± Dong Chou announced. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°If I could be delivered the objects discreetly¡ª¡± ¡°Did I stutter?¡± Yu Han nodded, muttering a few words of thanks as he briskly walked out. ¡°How can a cultivator not even withstand such small amounts of pain? Commoners, truly no backbone,¡± the girl said as she led him away. ¡°And how can a halberd and ten books possibly be delivered discreetly?¡± ¡°But you made the correct judgement, late as it were,¡± the girl added. ¡°Or else who knows what could have happened.¡± She could barely hide the excitement in her voice. Yu Han whispered a curse in English. ¡°What did you say?¡± the girl asked. ¡°D-Does this compound have an outhouse?¡± The girl gaped, then flushed red. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Unscholarly peasant of no virtue! Get out!¡± With a giant thud, the door slammed closed behind him. The sky was clear, no signs of rain. The yard had dried up too, and the line was no longer there. He jogged, then ran. ¡°Hey, tubs, where were you?¡± Li Yao called out from somewhere. Yu Han ignored him and went straight into the forest. The outhouses were there. A minute later¡ª ¡°Ahh,¡± Yu Han moaned. ¡°Keep it down!¡± someone yelled from the next stall. Yu Han strode away from the outhouses. It was afternoon, and daylight still remained. Peeing, yes. But more than that, a successful negotiation. He didn¡¯t have to blackmail, nor threaten. He did use the red-ribboned scroll, but that was more of a theatrical detail. Yu Han jumped off a tree root over a mud puddle and onto soft grass. It was still muddy here with the trees shading the area. With the thousand Spirit Stones, and the twenty-five from before, he would have a thousand and twenty-five. He didn¡¯t know how big a fortune that was, or if it was just chump change. ¡°Halt, Yu Han,¡± a flat voice called out. It was Sima Yan, flanked by Pang Jiming and Ma San. Chapter 25: Delivery ¡°What do you want?¡± Yu Han took a step back, his hand going to his dagger. ¡°Your timidity embarrasses our Riversong City,¡± Sima Yan said with disdain. ¡°Why were you at the Elder¡¯s residence for so long?¡± ¡°None of your business,¡± Yu Han replied. He unsheathed the dagger and tried to walk away. ¡°You dare disrespect the Young Master?¡± Pang Jiming said. He rolled up his sleeve and blocked Yu Han¡¯s way. Ma San went behind him. ¡°You lived and breathed in my Riversong City,¡± Sima Yan said, hands behind his back. ¡°Your family have paid tax and veneration to ours for generations. Yet now that you have some semblance of cultivation talent, you forget that obligation. If your ancestors knew, they would no doubt be rolling in their graves.¡± He patted Yu Han¡¯s shoulder, as if not afraid of the dagger at all. ¡°Speak. What has Elder Scribe given you? Isn¡¯t it your duty as a dweller of my city to pay heed?¡± ¡°Now that ain¡¯t fair, is it?¡± a voice called out. Sima Yan¡¯s face darkened, turning towards the voice. But a shadow flew over, whooshing through the air. ¡°Young Master, watch ou¡ª¡± Pang Jiming was horrified. Sima Yan jumped back. ¡°You dare?¡± A large stone impacted the ground where he was standing. If it had landed on a normal person, it would probably break a bone. ¡°You! Do you know the consequences of your actions?¡± Sima Yan said to Li Yao. ¡°I¡¯ll be rewarded,¡± the other boy said with a grin. He was accompanied by three other kids, including the one who almost drowned himself on the Drizzle. ¡°The heavens are fair. I stopped a daylight robbery, so what consequences are there?¡± ¡°Robbery?¡± Sima Yan scoffed. ¡°What we do here is none of your business, street dog,¡± Ma San said. ¡°Scram!¡± ¡°But it is!¡± Li Yao stood beside Yu Han. ¡°The robber here stole my brother¡¯s family diner after they paid taxes for generations. The moment his folks were murdered, rather than seeking justice for them, they stole him from his home.¡± ¡°Li Yao, you¡­¡± Yu Han muttered. Such actions were incomprehensible once. But then again, Yu Han had risked his head just because a girl had given him medicine. ¡°Yours? Riversong City belongs to the Sima Clan,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°We broke the mountains, toiled the land, diverted the river so that peasants could settle there. Yet here you are, an ungrateful dog. But you forget that a dog does not bark at a tiger!¡± ¡°Look around, Sima Yan,¡± Li Yao said, opening his hands wide. By now, a crowd was gathering. ¡°This is the Stormy Reef Sect. Not your backyard. If you want us to pay taxes, you gotta have the fist for it first!¡± He unsheathed his own dagger. ¡°A mere commoner dares?¡± Pang Jiming roared out. ¡°Young Master Sima, who is this ruffian?¡± Some more well-dressed recruits gathered around Sima Yan. They had changed into the indigo and white robes, but kept the ornamentation. Meanwhile, the riffraff from White Lotus Kingdom stood beside Li Yao. ¡°Commoners? We¡¯re all cultivators here,¡± one boy, who Yu Han knew was a son of a farmer, shouted. He had refined talent just like Li Yao and Sima Yan. ¡°You can bully us at home, but you think we¡¯ll let you bully us here too?¡± ¡°Barking because you can. Did you forget your family still lives on my father¡¯s land?¡± a well-dressed fatty shouted. ¡°Do you have no fear?¡± ¡°Family?¡± a tall boy said. He was a refined talent too, and had been a beggar before selection. ¡°I got none. So I can go and kill your mortal folks in their sleep when I get strong like Senior Duan.¡± ¡°You!¡± Threats boomed, fists were held back. The commotion attracted the attention of people who manned this village. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± a middle-aged man shouted. ¡°No infighting in the Sect, or you¡¯ll be whipped!¡± He wore an armband that said ¡°All Must Submit Beneath the Sky.¡± There were five others with him. A pressure descended. It wasn¡¯t as bad as with Dong Chou or Duan Xiaolong, and nowhere near the Shark Lady and Verdant Blade Elder¡¯s level. But it forced everyone to shut their mouths. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°You, fat one,¡± the man said. Yu Han thought he was being called, but the man pointed at the noble kid. ¡°Are you crazy? Threatening a fellow Sect member¡¯s family is punishable by a thousand floggings in the Outer Sect, if not crippling and imprisonment! Be glad you are still in the rookie village.¡± ¡°This one was merely angry, and misspoke¡ª¡± ¡°Ten floggings. Submit yourself to the Law Enforcement Hall!¡± The middle-aged man snapped his fingers. ¡°You, tall one. You too.¡± ¡°Wait, no!¡± The fatty paled. ¡°Have mercy!¡± ¡°Ten¡¯s nothing,¡± the former beggar said. Two of the five law enforcers dragged the fatty away, and the former beggar went willingly. ¡°No one, and I mean will threaten a fellow Sect member¡¯s family. Too many generational grudges in one Sect will bring its downfall, and such acts will be seen as treason. Am I clear?¡± A few affirmations rang out. ¡°Am I clear?¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Brother!¡± ¡°Now go back. You¡¯ll only be here until the rest of the recruits arrive. Next time someone causes a commotion, don¡¯t expect this senior to be so kind.¡± With that, the man walked away with the three remaining cultivators. The noble and commoner faction glared at each other, and a few more insults were thrown. Then each went their own way. Sima Yan¡¯s cold grey eyes lingered on Yu Han and Li Yao for longer. ¡°You know nothing,¡± Sima Yan said. ¡°But soon you will. There isn¡¯t only the Outer Sect, but the Inner Sect, too.¡± With that, the noble scion left. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, tubs,¡± Li Yao said, throwing his arms around Yu Han¡¯s shoulder. ¡°They can¡¯t stand us bottom feeders rising up. All their lives, they¡¯d step on us. Thought it was their right. Now they can¡¯t, and it pisses them off. Funny, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I said it before, didn¡¯t I? If anyone wants to get to you, they¡¯ll have to go through this daddy.¡± ¡°Just because I gave you some leftover food? I don¡¯t even remember it.¡± Li Yao threw his hand behind his neck as he walked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, tubs. I would have died that day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t eaten in three days. Had a fever¡ªmy little sister died from the same thing. I went to your place for ten days. And ten days, you and your folks fed me.¡± ¡°Was it during the Pale Breath Sickness a few years back?¡± Li Yao nodded. Pale Breath Sickness¡ªit had caused an epidemic in Riversong City five years ago. Like influenza, it was accompanied by a fever. The sick person¡¯s breath would stink too, hence the name. The best way to treat it was good nutrition and plenty of water. Yu Han had caught it then too, but he was eating well and could walk around fine. His memory was a bit fuzzy, though. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They stopped in front of the hut area where the commoners stayed. The nobles had chosen another part of the mountain village. ¡°That beggar kid, what¡¯s his name?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°He has no name. Goes by Little Bamboo, apparently made his home in an abandoned bamboo forest. We call him Xiao Zhuzi.¡± ¡°The kid who almost drowned?¡± ¡°Li Weidong. The farmer¡¯s son is Hu Feng.¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Do you feel touched? Are you gonna cry?¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± Yu Han kicked at him, but the other boy ran away. ¡°Stay put, tubs. You¡¯ve a face that likes offending people.¡± Yu Han grumbled under his breath. ¡°Li Yao.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Yu Han bowed. No matter how minor the goodwill, he would nurture that connection. ¡°I said don¡¯t mention it.¡± Li Yao scratched his cheeks. Was he feeling shy after Yu Han¡¯s sudden sincerity? ¡°I¡¯ll go train my sword arm. Did you know the village has a training compound?¡± ¡°Of course it does.¡± Li Yao ran off. As for Sima Yan, Yu Han had no solution. The boy had it out for him. Not only did Yu Han, just by the virtue of existing, cause his father to lose a hand, he also manipulated Ma San¡¯s brother into offending Qiao Jinhai, hence committing suicide by talking too much. No apology would suffice. And after the Riversong City Lord had usurped his family diner with the Bloody Grass Gang, Yu Han didn¡¯t feel like bowing. The hut here was smaller than the one in the first village. There was a heated Chinese kang bed, and barely enough room to stand. Yu Han laid down. He¡¯d come here with just a dagger. He¡¯d be leaving with far more. Just like Sima Yan, others might be attracted towards the goodies he might have. *** ¡°Is Yu Han here?¡± a voice said. There was a pounding on the door. Yu Han snapped awake. ¡°What? Who? Coming.¡± His mind was still fuzzy. He opened the door. It was night already. A man stood outside with a large woven bag. There was also a long pole wrapped in cloth. ¡°Yu Han? Elder Scribe sent the delivery,¡± the man said. ¡°Well, then, this one shall leave. Cultivate well, Junior Brother.¡± Some recruits were gathered near the door of their own huts, and a few others were around too. They gossiped among themselves. ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother!¡± Yu Han shouted out. ¡°Please tell the respected Elder Scribe that this Yu Han will forever remember his guidance. I shall deliver the package to the outer Sect without fail, come bandit or monster!¡± The Senior Brother turned. Then, with a confused nod, he left. Yu Han took the things and went inside. His bullshitting came automatically. It was plausible¡ªwhy else would the Elder send him things? He closed the door, then peeked out the window. People were still there, talking to each other. The package was smaller than he expected. On top of the woven bag, there were neatly folded clothes. Was the guy being thoughtful? Yu Han doubted it. ¡°Next!¡± There was a cloth parcel. Yu Han opened it. A stack of books was tied inside. The first one was a copy of Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms, bound in brown paper rather than green. Ten other old books of varying sizes were under it. Yu Han left the cloth-covered stick for last. He peered inside the woven bag. There was no giant pouch. Only a small wooden box. Chapter 26: Resources A brown box without any decorations or characters. It had no hinges; it was the type where the lid and the body could be completely separated. Yu Han picked it up. The box was palm-sized, but weighed nearly a kilogram. He opened it. Inside, on a cushioned bed, was a hexagonal wooden token. It had a strange character on it. Yu Han noticed a piece of paper stuck on the lid. The handwriting belonged to Dong Chou. ¡°Exchange at the Treasure Hall or the Sea of Gold Commerce Branch.¡± Was it something like a credit note? Bond? If it wasn¡¯t a scam, then this was preferable. Lugging around a thousand hexagonal crystals in a pouch¡­ Just the jingling sound would attract evildoers. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Han carefully closed the lid, then put the wooden box into the bag again. He quickly changed. The old robes stank and had strange stains and a few tears here and there. The new ones felt refreshing, as if newly washed and ironed. He wished he had a mirror so he could see his face and getup. He carefully placed the box into a pocket with a string to tie the opening closed. Next, he looked at the cloth-covered stick. It was the halberd. He gently unwrapped it from the bottom, not wanting to injure himself accidentally. It was coarse to the touch, so probably not well suited for clothing. But it was coloured like hemp, probably good against rain and heat. The handle of the halberd was polished wood. Not shiny like lacquer; it had the texture of dry plank. At the top was the blade, covered by a leather mask of sorts. The leather mask was tied closed with thick threads. Yu Han untied it, then removed the mask. A greyish-black edge, dark on coarse metal. It wasn¡¯t steel, more like cast iron sharpened to a thin blade. One prong pierced straight¡ªthe main head of the halberd. There was a dagger-axe on one side, probably meant for chopping and crushing. On the other side was an inward-facing hook. It was shaped like a sickle, but smaller. This was the first time in both his lives that Yu Han held an actual weapon meant for killing. Knives didn¡¯t count. Neither did the dagger he had now, nor the swords he had used during role-playing. This was¡­ real. It had a weight to it. Yu Han lifted the halberd up by the handle. The small hut was so small it nearly nicked the roof and the walls. It was heavy. It was like lifting a barbell, but all the weight was concentrated on one end. In total, the halberd was probably eight feet long. Yu Han didn¡¯t have a scale, but maybe it was around eight or ten kilograms? He wanted to swing it, see what would happen. He had a weapon! He couldn¡¯t use it. People might steal it. But this¡­ It was his. He couldn¡¯t help but grin. Yu Han covered the halberd blade with the leather sheath, and then wrapped it back in the cloth. There was a cloth strap too, probably to strap it across his back. He opened the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. He had read it once, but now, after touching the halberd, the feeling was completely different. It had a total of seventy-two forms, as the name implied. But there eight variations on how he could combine the seventy-two forms together to make a complete Martial Arts movement. Five were focused on training various aspects of the body. One was for offence, one for defence, and the other a mix of both. Satisfied, Yu Han put the book down. He then placed the ten other books on his bed. The Scribe had mentioned that he knew what Yu Han¡¯s ¡°ilk¡± desired the most. Actions proved words true. Stolen novel; please report. Yu Han read the names of the books. ¡°Young Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations: From Body Tempering to Building my Foundation.¡± ¡°A Thousand and Thirteen Deadly Herbs of the Sunken Mountains - Sima Clan¡¯s Visual Guide for Future Juniors.¡± ¡°Sunken Mountains Forager¡¯s Guide, Fifth Edition.¡± ¡°Ocean Gu, River Gu, Lake Gu.¡± ¡°Creatures Compendium: Demons, Spirits, Monsters, and Beasts.¡± ¡°Most Valuable Parts (Give to Junior Wang).¡± ¡°Checklist of Common Resources and Their Locations (Give to Junior Wang).¡± ¡°Blue Strategies Part 3: Groupings.¡± ¡°Four Meditations on the Hundred Thousand Waterways.¡± ¡°Rookie Cheat Sheet - Sure Ways of Getting Noticed in the Rookie Tournament.¡± Yu Han guessed they might be miscellaneous journals and books in the scribe¡¯s collection. The first book was a journal written by a cultivator of the Story Reef Sect called Ji. Yu Han flipped through it. It listed the practitioner¡¯s journey and insights through the Body Tempering Realm. That was the lion¡¯s share of the book. The last two pages were dedicated to the next two realms. There was some basic information about the Qi Gathering Realm. As for the Foundation Building realm, there was merely one line: ¡°The mind completes.¡± Yu Han put the book down. He would read it in detail later. The next two books, one on poisonous herbs and mushrooms, the other on medicinal ones, listed how to identify them, with diagrams and common locations. A fitting name. Mountains half sunk in water, creating mystical islands. Yu Han hoped it didn¡¯t have outdated knowledge. At least not by too much. ¡°Ocean Gu, River Gu, Lake Gu¡± was an interesting book. It listed common creatures called ¡°Gu¡± that lived in water. It had bugs, small snakes and other reptiles, and also¡ª ¡°A jellyfish?¡± The last seventy percent of the book was focused on strange undersea creatures. If going by Earth¡¯s animal kingdoms, there were creatures from Cnidaria, Porifera, Chordata, and Arthropoda. Only the small ones, though. And there were also fungi, algae, moss, and protozoa. Perhaps they weren¡¯t categorized by biological features, but something more mystical? Yu Han scratched his head and put the book down, not sure how it would help him. The ¡°Creatures Compendium¡± was similar, but listed larger creatures. There was a distinction between Spirit Beasts, Demonic Beasts, Monstrous Beasts¡ªcommonly called just Monsters¡ªand Primal Beasts, called just Beasts. Spirits and Demons were somehow different from Spirit Beasts and Demonic Beasts. Same with true Monsters and Monstrous Beasts, as with Primals and Primal Beasts. Yu Han resisted the urge to read through the whole thing. Maybe there was something on the Deep Writhing Clam? Or the dog that had attacked him? The next two books were compiled by a Sect Senior for a Junior called Wang. He hadn¡¯t met any Wangs yet. ¡°Most Valuable Parts¡± taught how to harvest parts from hunted Beasts and Monsters. It listed the common Beasts and Monsters around the oceans of the Sunken Mountains, and in the many lakes and rivers. And some place called a Hidden Realm. But it merely alluded to it and didn¡¯t go into detail. Yu Han couldn''t remember right away. The answer would be revealed to him during Deep Sleep, so he put the issue out of his mind. The ¡°Checklist of Common Resources¡± was the one Yu Han was most excited about. Yu Han had a belief that in any world, money made you powerful. And if you were powerful, you could make more money, and that money would make you even more powerful. It was a virtuous cycle. Again, it mentions specific locations in the Hidden Realm. And the checklist had information on what the Sects valued most. There was the Mission Hall where he could exchange loot for money, but the Sect apparently had various other sub-organizations, from large Clans to small Groups. That was the subject of the next book, ¡°Blue Strategies Part 3: Groupings.¡± Members of the Sect could team up and form specialized units. The author, who apparently commanded over a thousand people and was at the Mid Foundation Building Realm, discussed the best way to go about it. Starting with Courtyards, going up to a Pavilion, and finally a Palace. The next book, the ¡°Four Meditations,¡± was a collection of poems and short stories about the local area and the Hidden Realm. It had poems on small settlements, respected Land Gods and Wandering Spirit Beasts, and what the poet thought about them. There were poems on fallen heroes, brave heroines, and wretched traitors, too. One short story, about an unthinking crab that the poet had befriended, spanned three pages. The crab lived near earthworms, making its home by an isthmus. They met first in a dream. The author would visit the crab once a year and talk about what strangeness he had seen. The first anecdote spoke of a pool of boiling blood in a hidden cenote, where herbivore snake-headed birds dropped corpses of hunted creatures. The blood would remain in the pool, but the flesh and bones would dissolve and act as fertiliser for their staple food, a blood-red species of fern. It was weird. The poet had never broken through to the Qi Gathering Realm. Still, one miss out of ten was acceptable. Yu Han put it down and picked up the last one. It was a cheat sheet. Yu Han loved cheat sheets. ¡°One year after the orientation of the rookies, there shall be held a grand tournament,¡± Yu Han read aloud. ¡°It will serve as a welcome to the next batch of rookies, and a prelude to the yearly ranking tournaments of the Outer Sects.¡± The author suggested strategies on how to best attract the attention of Sect higher-ups and other distinguished personages. It guaranteed that if the reader followed the steps, they would definitely be taken by an Outer Sect Elder as a disciple. Yu Han scoffed. But still, the strategies could be enlightening. And if he used the information correctly, he could exchange some favours. Yu Han felt restless. Despite the late hour, didn¡¯t feel like sleeping at all. He checked the pocket. The wooden box was tightly secured. The pouch with the twenty-five spirit stones that Duan Xiaolong had given him was tied to his waistbelt. He covered the stack of books with the cloth, leaving only the Cheat Sheet and Ji¡¯s Contemplations out. The halberd was too big, and these beds were melded to the floor for heating, so there was no way to put anything under them. It was then that Yu Han heard some shouts. ¡°Slow, don¡¯t hurry!¡± Li Yao shouted. ¡°Go to my hut! I have the medicine.¡± Yu Han peeked out of the window. Li Yao and a few others were carrying a boy on a stretcher. The boy was bruised, with deep, bleeding lines across his body. It was Xiao Zhuzi, the former beggar, that was to be flogged! Chapter 27: Genuine Connection Yu Han exited his hut and followed the crowd. Li Yao and the rest took Xiao Zhuzi to his hut and laid him down on the kang bed. Yu Han watched from outside the door. ¡°Flip him over!¡± Li Yao said. They did. Xiao Zhuzi¡¯s back had five deep bruises, oozing with blood. It was as though he had been whipped with a serrated steel wire. ¡°I-It¡¯s fine, Brother Li. T-This much is nothing,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said through gritted teeth. Yu Han took in a breath. If it was him, he¡¯d have either passed out or died from the pain. He did not have much pain tolerance. ¡°You shut up,¡± Li Yao said. He took out a clay vial and uncapped it, smearing a thick, green concoction on Xiao Zhuzi¡¯s back. ¡°Hold him down!¡± Four others held down Xiao Zhuzi¡¯s limbs. The tall kid cried out. ¡°Can handle flogging, but can¡¯t handle a little sting?¡± Li Yao said, then smeared the green medicine on the next bruise. More screams followed. ¡°Brother Li, the bandages.¡± A recruit Yu Han didn¡¯t know brought some gauze. ¡°Nice work,¡± Li Yao said. The treatment continued. After about half an hour, Li Yao had finished wrapping the wounds in the gauze. ¡°Rest, you bastard,¡± he swore. ¡°Crazy son of a¡­¡± ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s my tribulation,¡± Xiao Zhuzi stammered through wheezes. ¡°Shut up. Close your eyes or I¡¯ll knock you out,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Give him some space. I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± ¡°Brother Li is the best to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act cute. It¡¯s gross.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Yu Han watched, and a strange feeling welled up inside of him. In his previous world, this would be called friendship. Johan didn¡¯t have even one close friend. ¡°Take care, Xiao Zhuzi,¡± said the kid who had almost drowned himself. What was his name again? ¡°That¡¯s a man, that Little Bamboo. Don¡¯t let those shitty nobles tell you what you can or can¡¯t do,¡± Hu Feng, the farmer¡¯s son, guffawed. ¡°Did you see how that fatty was screaming? While you, brother, begged the Law Enforcers to flog you more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too loud!¡± Li Yao pushed the others out of the hut. It was cramped, with six people barely fitting¡ªfour of whom had held Xiao Zhuzi down, with Li Yao applying the medicine, and Xiao Zhuzi being the final one on the bed. Everyone left, admiration in their voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t Xiao Zhuzi get injured in the first place because he stood up for the kid Brother Li calls tubs?¡± one voice spoke. ¡°That¡¯s him, right?¡± Another pointed at Yu Han. He really was too noticeable with his size. ¡°The Sect Senior Brother gave him a package a while ago.¡± ¡°Ah, I know that. The Elder entrusted him with a delivery. Do you think he¡¯ll get rewarded?¡± They gossiped right in front of his face. Yu Han grumbled. They probably didn¡¯t mean harm, but he didn¡¯t like it. He entered the hut. ¡°Yo,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°This kid passed his tribulation, apparently. You don¡¯t have to feel bad.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You should!¡± Li Yao slapped his shoulders. Yu Han rolled his eyes. Xiao Zhuzi was breathing lightly. Every few seconds he would groan. The gauze bandages were already damp with dark blood. ¡°If you didn¡¯t speak out for me, this wouldn¡¯t have happened,¡± Yu Han said. Xiao Zhuzi opened his eyes. ¡°Ain¡¯t no bother, brother. Them nobles think we are easy to bully. No more.¡± There was defiance in his pained eyes. ¡°Never again.¡± ¡°Aye, well spoken,¡± Li Yao praised. ¡°Can¡¯t tell you ¡®bout my tribulation. But I passed it. Hah, I passed. I¡¯m alive, and I¡¯m gonna be so strong those noble bitches will lick my beggar feet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°But quit yapping. You coughed out blood!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t have that backbone. He could be stubborn, but to willingly ask for pain to pass a tribulation? He was nowhere near that desperate. No, not a fluke. He¡¯d killed that dog with wits when he should have died. When his family had died. It was skill. A form of power. Yu Han opened the pouch and took out ten Spirit Stones. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Stop that. I ain¡¯t do it for money,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°I know. But it can buy you some medicine,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°If you refuse, I won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Y-You had to crush some balls for that money,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°Heh, that noble Wu kid. I admire you, brother.¡± ¡°I said enough talking!¡± Li Yao snatched the coin-sized hexagonal crystals from Yu Han¡¯s hand. ¡°If Tubs is giving it, then you take it. Why so much nonsense?¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll buy us wine.¡± With that, Xiao Zhuzi closed his eyes. ¡°Keep it for me, Brother Li. Find me a pouch.¡± Li Yao and Yu Han exited the hut. ¡°Do you know how much a Spirit Stone is worth?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°You gave him . Don¡¯t regret it later, tubs.¡± ¡°Rude.¡± Yu Han hastened his pace. ¡°I bought him off. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°There you go again. In the past, you were kind without blushing or playing it off.¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± Yu Han grumbled. ¡°Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for Little Bamboo.¡± ¡°Li Yao. Come to my hut tomorrow morning,¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao backed away. ¡°I ain¡¯t swing that way.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Han gaped. This fucker! ¡°Fine, be a little¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pick up breakfast from the canteen on the way.¡± With that, the scar-faced brat was gone. ¡°I hope he trips on poop,¡± Yu Han muttered. He went back to his hut. The two books lay face up on the bed. If someone had come in and seen them, that would suck royally. At least he had remembered to close the doors. The window was only open a crack, but that was still careless. Yu Han locked them from inside, then collapsed on the bed. It creaked because of his weight. Even the bed was fat-shaming him. ¡°Shut up.¡± He closed his eyes. Just a while ago, he was feeling refreshed from his nap. But now he was tired. In Deep Sleep, Yu Han echoed the Verdant Blade Sect Elder. Grasping Moon Hidden Realm. Is it the same one mentioned in the books or not? He echoed the library. He first materialized the manuals written in Common Script. Bronze Crane Leg. He unrolled the scroll. The material felt both real and illusory in his hand. The words blurred, but only slightly. He could still read them, as if he was reading with an eyeglass of the wrong power. The diagrams were trickier. Some were very detailed, with thin, sharp lines, and annotations written in tiny letters. Yu Han squinted. Ever so slightly, the diagrams focused. But not enough. He read the scroll. The prerequisite for this Martial Art was to hold the horse stance for six hours, and have enough flexibility to do the splits. He materialized the next one. And the next. He then echoed a book written in the unknown script. The writing looked real enough, even though he understood nothing. Next, and next. Then the booklet. It only had fifteen thin pages, bound by what looked to be a dried tendon. The cover was some kind of leather. He flipped through it. There were no diagrams; only densely packed text. Father had thought it was a poem. Elder Brother had thought it was a diary by some barbarian or foreigner. Yu Han dismissed the booklet and materialized the halberd. In the Echoing Dreamscape, it didn¡¯t have the same weight. It felt as if it should be heavy, an illusion of weight. But when Yu Han swung it, it would fly like a stick. He tried to imitate the forms in the ¡°Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms.¡± ¡°Leg here. Arm, like this?¡± He dragged the halberd on the ground, then twisted his torso while holding the pole. It swung overhead with high momentum. ¡°Fuck!¡± The halberd ricocheted off the white floor and bounced up. He was supposed to connect the swing into another swing from the opposite direction and end it with a hooking motion. But he¡¯d lost control. Yu Han tried again. Then again. In the white space, the solitary fatty continued training until his mind went blank and he slipped into real sleep. *** +2 True Qi. Cultivation Art Learnt -> Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 5 (+2)/200 Pure Qi: 7 /110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 51 (+26)/648 Fortitude 8 -> 9 [Spirit Origin: 7.80 -> 8.00] Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 110 (+3)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 57 (+7)/400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 3 (+3)/200 It was the breathing technique the Elder with the pelican had taught them. Yu Han stared at the stat gain with confusion too. What did he do? Was it the training? Did he have some kind of epiphany? S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He shook his head. He would dive into that later. Right now, he had an appointment with Li Yao. He brushed his teeth with a branch, salt, and coal. He then went to the well, drew a bucket of water, and walked to the outhouse. The ground was muddy. It had rained again last night. The recruits came out one by one. Some were practicing their techniques in the yard, while others chatted in groups. Yu Han finished his business and thoroughly washed his hands with soap, ignoring the stink eyes from the nobles. He walked back to his hut. Li Yao was waiting there. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°Is that dumpling?¡± Yu Han¡¯s stomach rumbled. Man, was he starving. ¡°Only veggies, though,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Meat for lunch.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± With a peg less enthusiasm, Yu Han took a bowl and went inside. There wasn¡¯t a mat, so no place to rub the mud off. He sat down on the bed, then tossed one dumpling into his mouth. They were fried, and the juices leaked out. Even though there was no meat, it tasted pretty good. As he ate, a strange warmth settled in his stomach. ¡°They call this spirit food,¡± Li Yao said with his mouth full. ¡°We recruits apparently get it for free during our stay at the Rookie Village.¡± ¡°What happens after?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± Li Yao gulped down the food. ¡°The Senior Sister said Elder Scribe would let us know when everyone arrives.¡± Li Yao swallowed. ¡°So why did you call me?¡± Yu Han looked into Li Yao¡¯s eyes. For one minute. Then two. ¡°What?¡± Li Yao¡¯s grin cracked. ¡°Look, tubs, I really am not into¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Yu Han shook his head. A connection of goodwill, no matter how small¡­ Yu Han would nurture it. He didn¡¯t want to live like Johan. At least, not fully. ¡°How well can you read?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Well enough. Don¡¯t underestimate us gang folks. We had to count money daily.¡± Yu Han washed his hands with a pitcher of rainwater from outside. He then took out two books, placing them on the bed. ¡°These are¡­¡± Li Yao picked one up. ¡°Rookie Cheat Sheet. Young Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations? Where did you get these?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll let you read them. But you have to keep it secret. Not even Xiao Zhuzi and the others can know!¡± Li Yao gulped, nodding like his neck was broken. ¡°I ain¡¯t a fool.¡± ¡°I really hope so,¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao started reading the ¡°Cultivation Contemplations,¡± while Yu Han picked up the ¡°Cheat Sheet.¡± A few minutes later. ¡°Tubs?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°What¡¯s this mean?¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± Yu Han said. ¡°That means ¡®the river of blood flows in streams.¡¯¡± ¡°Nice. Thanks.¡± A minute later: ¡°Tubs, this part is hard.¡± ¡°Coarse grains of qi are like rice.¡± And again. ¡°Tubs. Why is this red flower of the asshole spelled weird?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the red torso acupoint!¡± ¡°Tubs!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Yu Han regretted his decision already. Chapter 28: Outer Sect ¡°To think there would be trash like you here,¡± a long-haired teen from the newest batch of recruits said. ¡°Has your clan gone mad? Why did they let the cripple out?¡± Some others in his cohort laughed. The target of their ire was a medium-built boy with sparkling black hair and red eyes. The boy didn¡¯t reply. He merely walked away, wearing a smile. ¡°No wonder she left you for a better man.¡± ¡°Yeah! You should have left the Fang Clan some face and hidden away. Yet you show your face in an immortal Sect without shame.¡± ¡°Go away, cripple. No one wants a drunk, brothel-addicted scumbag like you here.¡± ¡°You here for something? Daring to show your mug in a tradition immortal sect. Did the orthodox ones not need you? Yuck.¡± More jeers followed. ¡°With that, it¡¯s almost three hundred.¡± Li Yao rubbed his hands and blew hot air on them. It was getting colder, and the mist was lasting longer every morning. A week had passed, and it had been nearly ninety days since Yu Han arrived in this world. More batches of recruits had arrived, each accompanied by a great Senior Brother or Sister, perhaps at Duan Xiaolong¡¯s level. Dong Chou would take them in and scribe their talents. A loud gong rang out. ¡°Gather all in the yard by the next hour!¡± a voice echoed. It was the Senior Brother from the Law Enforcement Hall. Soon the yard was filled up. It was a large field, but without grass, the soil hard like asphalt from years of maintenance. There was a small shrine by the side, with a few incense sticks. It depicted an official figure holding down a bird-headed man. Dong Chou was there, as were the few other permanent figures from the Rookie Village. There were many new faces, but nobles tended to mix with nobles, and the commoners were grouped together. Nobles numbered almost two-thirds, and more than a few insults were hurled. Girls and boys generally occupied different Sections of the yard. Yu Han wasn¡¯t opposed to competition. But it had to be regulated. The Law Enforcement Hall members were there; the Blue Strategies Book described them a bit. They were one of the permanent wings of the Sect. Any organisation that had the name ¡°Hall¡± or ¡°Clan¡± here was permanent, part of the Sect¡¯s inner structure. Meanwhile there were other organisations that could be created and dissolved¡ªafter registering with the Sect, of course. ¡°Oi, look.¡± Li Yao pointed at a group of girls. A bunch of teenage girls were surrounding Huang Niuniu, who was speaking with a smile on her face. She left the group, going to the shrine. Two other girls followed her, one with white hair, the other with hair in twin tails. They prayed at the shrine. ¡°Looking a lot brighter.¡± Li Yao whistled. Yu Han shrugged. She was her own person. If she could heal from trauma fast, then all the good for it. But that smile looked fake. It wasn¡¯t the one she showed him when they first met. She was brutally tortured. Then almost raped. Yu Han hoped, despite all that, she¡¯d get the smile back. ¡°The last of you have arrived,¡± Dong Chou said, and the murmurs stopped. ¡°The rewards have been passed out, and your fates scribed in the Sect scrolls.¡± Yu Han blinked, and Dong Chou was looking elsewhere. ¡°You shall now leave the Rookie Village. You are the three thousand one hundred and seventy-third cohort of the illustrious Stormy Reef Sect. Be proud. From today henceforth, you are all Outer Sect Members.¡± The voices of the recruits rose. ¡°Silence. You now say goodbye to the Rookie Village. Your Senior Brothers and Sisters will take you to the Outer Sect proper. Gather your belongings and line up at the pier. The Drizzles await.¡± With that, the recruits scattered. Yu Han checked his hut carefully in case he¡¯d left something behind. He had found a hemp basket he could carry like a backpack; it was mainly for gathering firewood. He carried the books in it, covered in a cloth wrap. The halberd hung on his back. It was hard to carry it like that at first, but after a week of practice, it was easier. The pouch with the remaining fifteen spirit stones was at his waist, and the one thousand spirit stone token was secure in his pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Yu Han joined the line with Li Yao. Li Weidong, Xiao Zhuzi, and Hu Feng were there too. ¡°Looking chipper, Little Bamboo,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°All thanks to you, brother.¡± Apparently, Li Yao had exchanged some of the spirit stones for a better healing salve. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Xiao Zhuzi was the third to officially break through to Level 1, after Yu Han and Dong Chou¡¯s granddaughter. He¡¯d received a reward too, but the guy was tight-lipped. Which was only proper. They got onto the Drizzle. There were about twenty kids cramped on it. All riff-raff, but Yu Han spotted the red-eyed kid too. ¡°Are red eyes common?¡± Yu Han asked Li Yao. He¡¯d read somewhere on the internet that it wasn¡¯t possible naturally. Or was it a disease? ¡°Never seen ¡¯em before,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s conjunctivitis.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? A Daoist spell?¡± He¡¯d seen red hair. Not the red of Earth redheads, but brilliant red, as if painted. Yu Han had spotted some blue and green hair too, and irises of the same colours. Even Wu Di had amber eyes, and not red. This boy¡¯s eyes looked almost vampiric. He stood by the guardrails, peering into the riverbanks with a distant gaze. ¡°You falling for him?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I thought you liked the Cow Girl, and then you made a move on me. And now this¡ª¡± ¡°Stone-Cutting Chop!¡± ¡°Fuck! Careful with that halberd, you fat ass!¡± Li Yao punched back. ¡°Mountain Root Stance!¡± Yu Han had only shared the Cheat Sheet and Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplation with Li Yao. But he would admit that their relationship had improved a lot in the last days. He felt less embarrassed to call him a friend, at least. But only inside his head. Li Yao didn¡¯t know how to use a halberd, but apparently, he had some spear training. So they practised together, and now Yu Han could somehow imitate one of the complete variations of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms from memory. The Art hadn¡¯t appeared in his Arts list, and he was less proficient at it than a toddler swinging a stick. But there was progress. The muscle soreness from the first days of practice had still not faded. Two days ago he was able to complete one variation for the first time, and he¡¯d passed out sweating and wheezing. The Drizzle passed within kilometres of the city again. There seemed to be some festivity going on. There was a large procession on one side, led by a man on a giant tiger. In another place, a temple was being built, with bald monks scattering ash near the shore. This close to the city, there were many villages, small hamlets, and clumps of huts. Some had large pavilions, and one near a tall mountain housed a palace. Finally, the Drizzle stopped at a stone dock with many other boats. Farther away, there seemed to be a port, with vessel sized ships docked. The hubbub was like that of a fish market. The place was near the impossibly tall mountain Yu Han had spotted before. The smaller dock was filled with recruits. Some were praying at a nearby river god temple, and others were checking the place out, chatting in groups. There were others too, older Sect disciples judging by their robes. Some greeted the recruits, while others looked wary. Most were busy with their own matters. Yu Han saw three men unloading a haul of strange fish nearby, then carrying the catch to a nearby building. The buildings here were made of stone and wood. They were old and had an ancient aura to them. Figures of people wielding swords and spears against monsters were etched into the eaves, and each pillar seemed to have calligraphy on it. Soon, all the recruits were gathered. They were led by a group of ten older Disciples, four of whom were accompanied by companion beasts. They walked over a stone road, passed a large dam, and arrived at the foot of stone steps that seemed to go on forever. ¡°From this point on,¡± a Senior Sister said, her voice melodious like a bird¡¯s song, ¡°we enter the central area of the Outer Sect. The whole outer perimeter of the Sunken Mountains is the Outer Sect of the Great Stormy Reef Sect. But here you¡¯ll find the most important Halls. And here, you¡¯ll live for the first year.¡± They were then led up the mountain. The stone stair steps were huge, and the mountain was probably bigger than Everest. After a few hours, Yu Han had almost passed out. The writing on a nearby wooden sign mocked him. ¡°To those who carry naught but their own weight, The Stairs of Trial, first of nine you may face, If your knees are weak, young child, fix your broken gait.¡± Li Yao had long since taken the halberd, but Yu Han refused to hand over the books. ¡°Car-di-oooooooo,¡± he wheezed. ¡°You¡¯ve gone crazy.¡± ¡°I. Burn. Calories!¡± By the time they were a tenth of the way up, they could already see a vista. The surrounding mountains weren¡¯t as tall, and the neighbouring one¡¯s peak was already at their current height. ¡°Oi oi, is that another palace?¡± Li Yao gaped. ¡°There too!¡± Each mountain had some large palace-like structures popping out from the green canopy. They were magnificent entities. Wood on stone, seamlessly merged with nature, azure-white robed disciples scurrying about. The mountains here weren¡¯t sunken. There were rivers nearby but the valleys in between were normal, and it seemed to be as such for the whole Central Outer Sect region. Yu Han saw one valley nearby that seemed to be some kind of marketplace, with the hustle and bustle clearly visible. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t have to climb the full set of stairs. The stairway split, one part continuing up, the other curving down the side of the mountains towards a populated valley. Yu Han only tripped twice on the way down. By the time they reached the bottom, a large crowd of disciples had already gathered. This valley had a giant stone platform in the middle, and the Senior Brothers and Sisters brought the rookies to the edge of the platform. The older disciples kept quiet. There were some cheers here and there, a few voices evaluating the new arrivals, and others mocking disdainfully. Suddenly, a mist appeared in the valley. It had been sunny until recently, and it was only halfway through the afternoon. But now the mist obscured Yu Han¡¯s sight. The mist swirled like currents, gathering on the stone platform stage and spiralling into a ball shape. And then the ball burst, revealing a middle-aged man. He wore the same azure-white robes, but his were more orange, with the white patterns on the blue revealing a dragon. There was a gourd at his waist, and a sword hung on his back. There were white streaks in his neatly trimmed black beard. An oppressive pressure waved out, quieting all voices. Li Yao gulped from beside Yu Han. And Yu Han, in real-time, felt the soreness of his muscles disappear. The man raised his palm and snapped his fingers. The sound exploded out. There was a low whistle, as if a missile was heading their way. Yu Han snapped his head up. A line of blue fire fell from the sky and landed beside the man without raising dust. The heat scorched the air, and the aftershock hit Yu Han like a drum. But the lingering mist seemed to protect him with a ripple. The figure that emerged from the fire was a woman. She had blue eyes, her hair flowing loose, wearing modest robes that covered most of her skin other than her palms and feet. A small cat rested on her shoulder. To her right, the stone platform split open, and water bubbled out. It rose like a geyser and then solidified into the form of a tall, bald man wearing azure-white monk garbs. Li Yao gurgled, his eyes moving erratically. Yu Han calmed his beating heart. He was shocked too. He¡¯d seen the magical powers of Qiao Jinhai and Duan Xiaolong, even the old man from the Verdant Blade Sect and the Shark Lady. But this was on another level. ¡°Welcome, children, to your new home,¡± the man with the sword said. His voice was deep, as if rising from the ocean depths. ¡°Here you shall live, and here you shall die.¡± The man snapped his fingers again. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And a recruit standing five steps away from Yu Han exploded into a shower of blood. Chapter 29: A Bloody Orientation The blood that splattered on the surroundings peeled off as if it had a life of its own. And as the blood pooled together, the voice of an old man screamed. ¡°Impossible! How could you have known?¡± ¡°Brave demon. Or should I say foolish?¡± the middle-aged cultivator said. He snapped his finger again, and the mist spiralled around the ball of blood gathering mid-air. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet! I refuse to fall here!¡± the same voice roared. It was hoarse and nasally, as if the speaker had a fever. The blood cocoon shattered, and from inside, a black skeleton wrapped in blood bandages broke out. It had the face of the recruit who had been blown up. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The mummy flew into the sky. But after a few seconds, it seemed to hit a barrier. Thunder flashed down from the sky and flung the mummy back onto the earth. The smell of burnt flesh wafted. it made Yu Han want to vomit. ¡°Curse you! Curse you, curse you¡ª¡± ¡°The demon has gone mad,¡± the pretty lady that had appeared from the blue comet commented. She gathered her palms before her chest into a lotus flower and chanted a mantra. The cat meowed. Blue flames gathered around the mummy and stuck to him like glue. ¡°No!¡± the mummy screamed. ¡°This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Lies! Lies!¡± It flew west next. But thunder flashed, and in the mummy¡¯s path, a Sect Disciple wearing azure armour appeared. He pierced the mummy with a spear made of solidified electricity. ¡°Argh!¡± The mummy retreated, flying north. Water gushed, and a Senior Sister atop a giant python blocked the mummy¡¯s path. The python sprayed green, sizzling liquid at the mummy while expertly avoiding splashing the new recruits. The mummy screamed again. It went east, but a burly man with an axe cleaved the mummy¡¯s right hand apart, and it disintegrated into black and red particles. A lone swordsman stood to the south. He cleaved the mummy¡¯s skull in half, the blue light of the sword covering the sky like a dome. But the mummy still lived. A baleful wind gathered around him, and he flew up again. ¡°It¡¯s useless, demon. You should¡¯ve prepared for death when you dared to infiltrate our Sect!¡± the middle-aged cultivator with grey streaks in his beard guffawed. He unclasped the gourd at his waist and pulled out the cork. Sparkling liquid slithered out, and the scent of fine wine entered Yu Han¡¯s nose. The liquid expanded, and soon it was just mist. It cleansed all dirt from Yu Han¡¯s body, and the remaining gore sizzled as though doused in acid. "Then so be it! This Daoist shall seize your brightest disciple!" With a chilling roar, the mummy dove down. Towards the recruits. Towards the red-eyed boy. Red Eyes took a step back, wearing a vicious expression, not of fear, but defiance. ¡°Come, evil creature.¡± Red Eyes roared, punching out with his left hand, the intricate golden ring on his finger shimmering like a lantern in the mist. ¡°Give me your body!¡± the mummy cried. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The tall, bald cultivator appeared in front of Red Eyes. The mummy crashed into his outstretched palm. It roared, cried, struggled, but to no avail. The bald cultivator pointed at the ground and drew a circle. The ground split open, and the overwhelming sound of crashing waves drowned out all sound. Water bubbled out from the hole and grabbed the mummy. ¡°No! I am unresolved, I don¡¯t accept¡ª¡± ¡°Virtue in silence,¡± Bald Monk said. The bubbling water, alongside the mummy, flowed deep into the earth. The ground shifted, closing the hole. ¡°A tribute to the Gods of the Mountain and Rivers,¡± Bald Monk prayed. A ring chimed. ¡°Well done, Junior Brother,¡± Grey-Streaked Beard said. Bald Monk just nodded. He turned to Red Eyes. ¡°Remarkable courage. The Sect expects great things from you.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The next moment, he was on the stone platform again. The other Seniors who had stopped the mummy¡¯s path still remained there, looming in four directions. They radiated power and prestige. ¡°Li Yao,¡± Yu Han called out. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be him.¡± Li Yao pointed at the swordsman to the east. ¡°He is me, I am him. Here we both are¡ª¡± There was madness in his eyes. Desire, hope, fanaticism. ¡°Li Yao.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, tubs. Why¡¯re you kneeling?¡± ¡°Help me stand.¡± Yu Han had buckled. His knees had no strength. Li Yao pulled Yu Han up, but Yu Han¡¯s mind was on a book. ¡°Creatures Compendium: Demons, Spirits, Monsters, and Beasts.¡± But the book said that Demonic Beasts and Spirit Beasts were polar opposite creatures from the same root. Spirit Beasts were beasts and animals that gained spirituality and lived in harmony with nature. Meanwhile, Demonic Beasts did not always have spirituality, and they cultivated by stealing other living beings¡¯ spirituality. Powerful Demonic Beasts were called Demons, while their opposite was Spirit. Demons were hated existences, bringing kingdom-ending calamities. While Monstrous Beasts were called monsters, they apparently weren¡¯t ¡°real¡± creatures. They looked the part, and acted the same too. They could mate with real animals and beasts, and the offspring would be real, but they weren¡¯t. And whenever a being with spirituality was near them, they would go into a killing frenzy. Beasts, or Primal Beasts, were animals that could cultivate, but had no crystallised spirituality. Yu Han substituted the word "spirituality¡± with ¡°sentience.¡± But that demon was humanoid. Did that mean that humans¡­ could become demons? Yu Han shuddered. The surroundings were still in an uproar. But after a prompt from Grey-Streaked Beard, they quietened down. ¡°Such events are mere preludes to our life. Every year, there are foolish Demonic Cultivators trying to mix in. Don¡¯t let it rattle you too much, children, for one day you must take up arms against them,¡± he said, then took a large swig of the gourd. After a few seconds, he continued. ¡°You¡¯re recruits. Newbies, fresh blood. For one year, you¡¯ll receive a grace period. None shall duel you unless you seek it out. None may force you. The Law Enforcement Hall takes such cases seriously. You¡¯re exempt from external missions too. No need to attend cultural classes, but you will still need to select an internal mission. Each month, you will receive a Sect stipend, equal for all.¡± Yu Han could echo this later¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t forget the information. But his Johan-instincts itched to write it down on paper or type it on a note-taking app. ¡°With missions, you¡¯ll earn contribution points, which you may exchange for currency or other treasures to aid your cultivation. You can join a courtyard, pavilion, or palace if you¡¯re lucky, maybe even one of the halls. And the ambitious may create their own Courtyard. Our Stormy Reef Sect won¡¯t hinder a disciple¡¯s entrepreneurial spirit, as long as you follow the rules.¡± Grey-Streaked Beard held up one finger. ¡°But remember: one year. After that, you¡¯ll take part in the Assessment Tournament for Rookies. In one year, your progress will be judged, and it will be decided whether the Sect should invest more, or less. What you can contribute to the Sect, with your future as a bargain. You may even attract the attention of an Elder, or perhaps be taken into the Inner Sect or even Core as personal disciples! All will depend on your performance.¡± He put his finger down. ¡°In one year, the grace period will end. Most will end up as Outer Sect Disciples. But don¡¯t worry; such a life isn¡¯t bad either. You contribute to the Sect, the Sect nurtures you back. There are many opportunities for Outer Sect Disciples too. If in time you reach the Qi Gathering Realm, you can be promoted to an Inner Sect Disciple, or if out of time, then a Sect Steward. Start your own village, grow your Courtyard, do business. All actions for the Sect, and we shall flourish together.¡± Halls were permanent structures of the Sect, like the Alchemy Hall, Scripture Hall, and Law Enforcement Hall. Courtyards were the lowest form of organisation that Sect Disciples could create and register with the Sect. Like their own faction, or business company. There were requirements to grow it to the next level, the Pavilion, and finally the Palace. A Palace had the same standing as a permanent Hall. But it was also competition. And for Yu Han, competitions were something to be gamed. ¡°Your Sect Seniors will give you a basic tour of the Outer Sect Facilities. That is all. Cultivate hard, and one day you¡¯ll stand where we stand now.¡± With that, Grey-Streaked Beard disappeared into mist. The Blue-Fire Lady collapsed into flames, and Bald Monk sunk into the ground with the water, the hole closing over him. ¡°Gather around, gather around. Teams of ten and no more!¡± A Senior Brother herded the disciples, and soon they split into groups. ¡°Quiet down! Chirping like a bunch of chickens won¡¯t make you strong like the Inner Sect Elders.¡± In Yu Han¡¯s group was Li Yao, Li Weidong, Hu Feng, and Xiao Zhuzi. ¡°We need five more,¡± said a Senior Brother with a topknot. He wore simple azure-white robes, and at his waist hung a large stone slab. ¡°Can I join?¡± Red Eyes approached them. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the Junior who almost suffered misfortune. Sure, share some of that with us, why don¡¯t you?¡± Topknot said. Red Eyes stood there. Was that an awkward or nonchalant smile? It was hard to say. He stroked his gold ring. ¡°A jest, brother! Of course you can join. Didn¡¯t you hear that demon? He said you were the most talented of the generation. Look at how the nobles are glaring at you! You¡¯ll have a pleasant Sect life.¡± Red Eyes moved next to Li Weidong. He bowed to the rest. ¡°I¡¯m called Fang Zhao. A mere cripple. Please don¡¯t take the demon¡¯s words seriously¡ªdemons are known to sow discord.¡± The rest introduced themselves too. ¡°Senior Sister, Senior Sister, do we really join them? They look poor. But that one guy is handsome!¡± a melodious voice said. ¡°Why not? I know them. They¡¯re not bad people.¡± It was Huang Niuniu who replied. She approached with two other girls who were squished around her like bunnies. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Huang Niuniu said to Yu Han. ¡°I¡¯ve decided that most men are smelly.¡± Chapter 30: Sea of Gold ¡°I guess your sister has a sweet smell, then.¡± Yu Han snickered. ¡°This fatty dares?¡± one of the girls said. ¡°Senior Sister isn¡¯t a liar!¡± ¡°Song Yinuo, he is my benefactor,¡± Huang Niuniu urged the girl. ¡°But Sister Niu¡ª¡± ¡°Song Yinuo. No more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The twin-tailed girl called Song Yinuo turned to the group. ¡°I¡¯m Song Yinuo. Be pleased you get to meet me.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m Shi Miao,¡± the other girl, with pink and white hair, stammered. She then buried her face in Huang Niuniu¡¯s side. Yu Han heard a gulp. It was Li Weidong. ¡°You¡¯re the Cow Girl,¡± the farmer¡¯s son said. ¡°You court death!¡± Shi Miao suddenly scowled with the face of an asura and took out a dagger. ¡°Shi Miao,¡± Huang Niuniu chided. Shi Miao sighed. ¡°Okay. I forgive him.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Huang Niuniu patted her head. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Y-You mustn¡¯t. I¡¯m already betrothed.¡± Shi Miao retreated, but then hugged Huang Niuniu again. ¡°Only for today.¡± ¡°Lilies bloom whilst the frogs shall see, none can say what their fates may be,¡± Topknot recited a poem, earning a few claps from Li Weidong and Li Yao. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me how I should feel,¡± Huang Niuniu said to Yu Han again, and the rest shut up. ¡°It¡¯s called coping. And besides, even if you think men are smelly, no need to tell that to me.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Huang Niuniu hesitated, but then seemed to muster her courage and said, ¡°I appreciate you standing up for me. But I can¡¯t return your feelings.¡± ¡°What feelings?¡± Yu Han felt his voice crack ¡°You like me, right? That¡¯s why you¡­ fought Wu Di.¡± ¡°Delulu.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re delusional!¡± Yu Han shouted, a vein popping in his temple. Him? Like? A girl who he¡¯d barely spoken to? If it was Johan, yeah, he wouldn¡¯t mind bedding a few one-night stands and being done with it. But Yu Han lived differently. A connection, no matter how small¡­ he would nurture it as long as there was goodwill. ¡°You gave me the medicine. I vented my anger. That¡¯s it,¡± Yu Han said. That was the connection. No love required, no need to even be friends. Just return goodwill with goodwill. ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± He articulated it clearly, leaving no room for doubt. Huang Niuniu stepped back with a pale face. ¡°Sister Niu!¡± Song Yinuo supported her. ¡°You fatty! I¡¯ll have your tongue,¡± Shi Miao scowled. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Shi Miao.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s complexion paled. She bit her lip and stared at Yu Han. ¡°What is it?¡± Yu Han was getting annoyed. It would be fine if the girl wanted to be his acquaintance. She seemed kind, and in this life, Yu Han wanted to be around people of a different moral compass. But he wouldn¡¯t force it. ¡°No need to deny it so vehemently,¡± Huang Niuniu said, as if wronged. ¡°You¡ª!¡± Yu Han pointed a trembling finger at her. ¡°What part of ¡®I don¡¯t fucking like you¡¯ don¡¯t you under¡ª¡± ¡°What drama is this?¡± a new voice called out from behind him. Yu Han turned and saw Dong Chou¡¯s granddaughter. ¡°The other groups are leaving. Should we head out too?¡± she said. ¡°This one is Dong Tianlan.¡± ¡°Oh, Junior Tianlan,¡± Topknot said. ¡°How is the illustrous Ninth Scribe Official doing nowadays after that humiliating dismissal? Everyone was surprised when the Scripture Keeper¡ª¡± Topknot wiggled his brows ¡°¡ª Scripture Keeper of the Outer Sect took charge of the Rookie Village this year. Will you not join the other Five Great Sunken Mountain Clan Scions?¡± ¡°My grandfather is fine,¡± Dong Tianlan said. If she was offended by the sarcasm, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°He entrusted this boy with a delivery. I must oversee it.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then let us tarry not,¡± Topknot said. ¡°Junior, your name is¡­¡± ¡°Yu Han.¡± Topknot neared him and whispered in a voice no one else could hear, ¡°Junior Brother Yu. Lady troubles delay cultivation. It¡¯s better to not have too many entanglements.¡± He then gave a knowing look, gestured at Dong Tianlan and Huang Niuniu, the latter still glaring at Yu Han. ¡°Senior Brother, will it be fine if we stop by the Sea of Gold Commerce along the way?¡± Dong Tianlan said. ¡°It¡¯s near the Treasure and Mission Halls, so why not?¡± Topknot led the way. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°You better be grateful,¡± Dong Tianlan grumbled, as if she didn¡¯t want to be here. ¡°If not for Honoured Grandfather¡¯s grace, how could a commoner like you¡ªnever mind.¡± ¡°Tubs, don¡¯t you wanna tell Huang Niuniu that you like men?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna tell Li Weidong you kissed him once?¡± Yu Han shot back. ¡°He did what?!¡± Li Weidong was alarmed. ¡°When you drowned. He gave you life mouth to mouth¡ªbastard! You dare punch me? You started it!¡± Yu Han kicked out. ¡°Help, Brothers! Tubs wants to steal my flower! First Wu Di, and now poor me!¡± Li Yao had a really punchable face right now. Hu Feng was laughing. Li Weidong stood there in shock, eyes popping like a goldfish. ¡°Commoner men. So depraved,¡± Song Yinuo squinted. ¡°I think it is men in general,¡± Dong Tianlan said. ¡°They¡¯re very smelly,¡± Huang Niuniu agreed, The atmosphere was good. They joked, and Topknot, whose name turned out to be Yong Lefan, would recite a sarcastic poem or two as well. They walked through the simple road of the valley, with many other teams around, spotting a large temple with a constant flow of disciples. ¡°That is the Land God Temple. We are, after all, part of the Great Xia Dynasty. The enshrined deity is a past Elder of our Sect who perished protecting the Crown Prince. Later, when the prince became the Emperor, he showed great grace to our Sect.¡± At that, Fang Zhao shifted uncomfortably, while Song Yinuo nodded as if proud. They passed by a large marketplace, the one Yu Han had seen from above. ¡°This is the Outer Sect Market. You can buy and barter for most of what you need here.¡± They saw a majestic stone building bustling with Outer Sect Disciples. ¡°This is the Mission Hall. You will later select an Internal Mission here, and then when you¡¯re ready, pick up External Missions. And this is the Treasure Hall. You can exchange your Contribution Points here, and pick up your monthly quota of Spirit Stones and Elixir. You get ten Spirit Stones, five contribution points, and one random Body Tempering Pill at the Mortal Grade a month, depending on what¡¯s available. ¡°Of course, these are only the Outer Sect Branches. The Inner Sect is a different world. The Cloudy Rain Peak Mountain separates the Central Area of the Outer Sect from the rest of the Sunken Mountains, which are part of the Sect too. From your second year, most disciples will base themselves in the Great Barrier City outside, near the coast.¡± Yong Lefan pointed at the impossibly tall mountain they had crossed. Then he pointed at a second tall mountain in the distance. ¡°That mountain, the Thunder Spear Peak, separates the Outer Sect from the Inner Sect. Do not approach it if you have no business there.¡± Finally, they reached a one-story wooden courtyard. Banners of gold hung from the eaves, and the two guards outside wore shining armour that seemed to be made of pure silver. There was a square in front of it, seemingly made of obsidian. The fountain in the square spurted steaming water. The place screamed opulence. ¡°This is the Sea of Gold Commerce, Junior Tianlan. We can wait here until your business finishes.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long. Come,¡± Dong Tianlan said. Yu Han followed her through the large gates. The two guards didn¡¯t stop them. Inside, there was a lobby. The walls were covered with ink paintings. The chairs oozed luxury with their cashmere-like cushions, and the potted plants were like nothing Yu Han had seen before. One was like a transparent cactus, a fish swimming inside. Another bore gold coins. ¡°I do not enjoy coming to this place,¡± Dong Tianlan said. ¡°Bring the token to the counter. They can help you send the letter too.¡± She pointed towards a place where it seemed like receptionists were welcoming customers. He gathered himself and approached an empty counter. ¡°Welcome to the Sunken Mountains Branch of the Sea of Gold Commerce. I am Little Three of Counter Three. How may I help you?¡± the lady said. She had a picture-perfect smile, her voice soothing. Classic poster girl. ¡°I was told that I could exchange this for money or services.¡± Yu Han carefully brought out the wooden box and placed it on the counter. Little Three picked it up and opened it. ¡°Indeed. This is worth a thousand Spirit Stones. Would you like Spirit Stones, treasures, or services?¡± ¡°I want to send a letter to a family member in the White Lotus Kingdom.¡± ¡°The trade ship will leave in a month¡¯s time. It may take up to six months for the letter to reach them. You can also use the Familiar Messenger Service, which will cost more.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Normal courier is three hundred Spirit Stones. With a familiar, it would cost six hundred, but it will arrive within two months.¡± There was no reason to waste so much money on the letter. His sister was only supposed to arrive at Riversong Prefectural City a bit more than a year from now. If they heard what happened to the Yu family, they would avoid it too. They wouldn¡¯t be in danger. He should choose the three hundred Spirit Stones option and use the rest of the cash on himself. Yu Han gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll take the familiar.¡± This was his last remaining family member, a genuine connection of blood and love. Six hundred Spirits Stones to ensure her safety was a cheap price. If he was unwilling to pay even that, how disappointed would dad be? ¡°Great. Please follow me.¡± Little Three led Yu Han to a room in the back. It was lit by lamps, and two black and gold zabutons lay beside a low, circular table. There was a cup of tea gently wafting steam. ¡°Do you have a letter prepared, or would you like ink, pen, and paper? It will cost one Spirit Stone extra.¡± ¡°Give me the pen and paper, please.¡± Yu Han sat down. ¡°You may take the tea. It is free of charge.¡± Little Three went away and came back with the tools. ¡°Take your time. Do be aware that the Sect will check all communications that leave through us, but the Sea of Gold Commerce will not.¡± Yu Han closed his eyes. He wiped his tears away. He wrote. Bandits, not a hooded man. Sima Yan and his family. Stay away. Go to another kingdom. Make a life there. I am well, so you better be too. Ten pages'' worth of feelings. Nonsense and screams mixed in with whatever came to his mind. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Do you have an address?¡± His brother-in-law¡¯s caravan was a nomadic one. He could mention the name, but what if his sister¡¯s family was already on the run? Yu Han shook his head. Little Three took out a crystal ball and placed it on the table. ¡°For three hundred Spirit Stones extra, you can imbue the familiar¡¯s memory with the recipient¡¯s details. Do you wish to purchase this service?¡± If this was Earth, Johan would have been amazed and angry at the same time. Yu Han nodded. ¡°Great! It will take half an hour. Please think about the recipient with as much detail as you can. Your relationship, what they do now, their circumstances. You may also imbue instructions for places and people to avoid, and what care must be taken. The familiar will seek out the recipient for one year, and if it can find them, they will deliver the letter. But they cannot bring a letter back. Although for six hundred¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay! Will I at least know if the familiar found the recipient?¡± ¡°That you will.¡± ¡°If I want to convert the remaining one hundred Spirit Stones¡ª¡± ¡°Ninety-nine.¡± ¡°¡­Ninety-nine Spirit Stones to gold notes and deliver that to the recipient, can that be done?¡± ¡°As long as the parcel weighs less than a pound and a half, it is possible, although a conversion fee will apply.¡± ¡°How much can I get total?¡± ¡°After the fees and taxes, this much.¡± Little Three said a long number. Yu Han gulped. That was enough to buy ten Yu Family Diners! Or outside of cities, buy a land deed and be a minor noble! ¡°I¡¯ll convert.¡± Chapter 31: Lower Bounds ¡°Great! I will let you imbue the familiar.¡± Little Three stood up. ¡°Since you spent a thousand Spirit Stones, with a Sea of Gold Token no less, you will receive the second-tier Bronze Level membership for the Sea of Gold Commerce! You will receive discounts on special services and other selected materials.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a special rule for newly arrived rookies, Mr. Yu Han. For someone of your circumstance to already have this much spending power, we, the Sea of Gold Commerce, shall invest in your future.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Han lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯ll imbue the familiar.¡± ¡°Shall I let Miss Dong Tianlan know of the delay? She seemed quite incensed when I went out last,¡± Little Three said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. She can practice meditation and patience.¡± Yu Han closed his eyes and thought about his family. *** When Yu Han came out of the Sea of Gold Commerce with a tired gait, he no longer had his backpack of books or halberd. But he did have a fuming Dong Tianlan. ¡°Unbelievable. I show you kindness and you make me wait,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s the Sea of Gold Commerce¡¯s fault. Their bureaucracy is way too slow. They should be like respected Elder Dong Chou and not make others wait.¡± Was he being sarcastic? He didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t care. Dong Tianlan didn¡¯t reply. They went back to the group, where Yong Lefan greeted them with a false smile. ¡°As expected of the scion of the illustrious former Scripture Keeper of the Outer Sect. You must have had a matter of great importance to take nearly an hour.¡± Yong Lefan, on the other hand, had sublime skills in passive aggressiveness. ¡°It is all the Sea of Gold Commerce¡¯s fault,¡± Dong Tianlan said. She glared at Yu Han. ¡°At least, that¡¯s what this brother claims.¡± Li Yao raised a brow, then pulled Yu Han to the side. ¡°Where¡¯s your stuff?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡± The group started moving again. ¡°Why is Song Yinuo glaring death at Fang Zhao?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Apparently, she knew the guy¡¯s former fianc¨¦e. He was some kinda wastrel.¡± Fang Zhao remained mostly silent despite a few offhand jabs thrown his way by the twin-tailed teenager. They passed by a carriage station that went to the Great Barrier City, and saw what looked to be a large butchery. It was shaped like a fish market with many stalls and tented coverings. Carts full of animal carapaces were being brought from a nearby jetty and the carriage station. The jetty had boats that all looked the same, with the Sect characters on them. ¡°The seafood catch must be checked at the previous dock, where you arrived. Then the passable stock will be delivered here by the Sect¡¯s own boats. The rest are sold to local buyers and middlemen.¡± He pointed at the butchery, which had a long row of stalls where the butchers were cutting the meat on waist-tall stone slabs. ¡°There¡¯s a butchery to process your hunt in the Great Barrier City, and many of the Outer Sect villages and towns too. But some hunts can only be processed here,¡± Yong Lefan explained. They moved on, rounded a few mountains, passed by more valleys, and by the end of the day, they had seen many facilities of the Outer Sect. An Alchemy Hall, a Medicine Hall, a Training Ground, a Meditation Plaza. And many, many more. ¡°That mountain is where you will stay for at least the first year of your Sect life, my juniors. The Nest of the Storm-Like Heroes.¡± Yong Lefan pointed at the next peak over. From their angle, Yu Han saw a residential area lined up with huts and cottages. It was about a thirty minutes¡¯ walk from the Marketplace, and half that from the Training Ground. ¡°In summer the huts are warm. In winter, your qi shall keep it firm.¡± Yong Lefan nodded proudly, as if he had just uttered an epic poem. ¡°After the final itinerary of the day, you¡¯ll select a hut there. It¡¯s one for each. My recommendation: Don¡¯t select the one near a stone waste tank. It¡¯s where the sewage gathers. You cannot smell it, but it¡¯s a matter of face, no?¡± The houses had large yards; many already had disciples in them. As they chatted, older disciples passed by them towards the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. Some gave them cheerful greetings, others stared at them with annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. They¡¯re wary of your talent. Resources are limited, and if you rise, they who have been stuck here without the ability to afford a better cultivation cave will fall.¡± Yong Lefan gave Dong Tianlan a side glance. ¡°The state of affairs is far better with the new Sect Master. The old powers that be can only keep their heads low.¡± Dong Tianlan remained expressionless. They reached the junction of the Meditation Plaza and Practice Fields. ¡°Well then, dear juniors. This Yong shall leave. You have two choices now. A Sect Senior can guide you in a two-hour guided meditation, or you can join the introduction to the practice grounds. Can you find the way?¡± Yong Lefan asked. They all affirmed. ¡°Great, great. Enjoy the tournament afterwards. The coming year will be your turn. Well then, until next time.¡± He sauntered off, humming a poem. ¡°Interesting fellow. How heavy do you think that stone slab was?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°It looked like a stone book,¡± Hu Feng said. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a weapon?¡± Yu Han guessed. ¡°It¡¯s a Stone Book of Sealing. It probably houses his contracted Spirit Beast, although I don¡¯t know why he has such a large one. Maybe he has more than one Spirit Beast contracted?¡± It was Fang Zhao who replied. This was the most he¡¯d spoken. ¡°Trying to act cool? Pretend to be a scholar now? Who doesn¡¯t know of the depraved past of the Fang Family¡¯s cripple? It¡¯s no use trying to woo Sister Niuniu!¡± Song Yinuo scowled. ¡°Maybe you could be a bit kinder, Yinuo? I think you¡¯re such an adorable girl. You could make so many friends.¡± Huang Niuniu gave Fang Zhao an apologetic look. ¡°But Sister, do you know what this guy did? There¡¯s no one in the Great Xia Dynasty who doesn¡¯t know of his¡ª¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t,¡± Yu Han blurted out. Song Yinuo¡¯s voice was becoming grating. ¡°You guys are just commoners from the Lower Bounds Province!¡± ¡°No I¡¯m not. I¡¯m from the Riversong Commandary of the White Lotus Kingdom. Li Yao, did we have provinces?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Not that I remember,¡± Li Yao shrugged. ¡°Tsk, tsk. This is why commoners are so dumb. You call them kingdoms, but that¡¯s only because the Great Xia Dynasty thinks they¡¯re too insignificant to be part of the Empire properly. In Great Xia scale, they¡¯re basically small Prefectures in the various Circuits of the Province. There are about a hundred such prefecture-kingdoms in the Lower Bounds alone. And the only reason the empire grouped them into a proper Province, is because it makes paperwork easier. Your kings are nothing but magistrates, your nobles are glorified bailiffs. You guys are from the boonies. You know nothing!¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting so proud, but why are you in a Sect in such a backwaters Province?¡± Li Weidong asked, crossing his arms. ¡°Fool, the Stormy Reef Sect isn¡¯t in the Province. Do you have any idea why it¡¯s called ¡®Lower Bound¡¯? Of course you don¡¯t. It¡¯s the lowest, southernmost boundary of the Empire.¡± ¡°Then where is this place?¡± ¡°Think about that yourself,¡± Song Yinuo turned her face away. ¡°And whether you really want to consort with vile creatures such as this guy.¡± She stuck a thumb towards Fang Zhao. ¡°Yinuo,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t stop me. Everyone should be aware of this guy. Why did you come to the Stormy Reef Sect anyway? Your Fang family only consorts with Orthodox Sects. But here you are, breaking years of conduct to join a Traditional Sect that¡¯s far below your family¡¯s leve¡ª¡± ¡°Yinuo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Song Yinuo moved her hands in front of Huang Niuniu¡¯s face, flustered. ¡°It¡¯s not good to talk down of the Sect you are now part of, even if you come from a good family. What if someone overhears?¡± Huang Niuniu said. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I was wrong.¡± Song Yinuo¡¯s head drooped. ¡°The Stormy Reef Sect is awesome. My respected patriarch said even I can make a name for myself here, although I¡¯m just the hundred and seventh daughter of the family¡¯s Yi generation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine with me, Yinuo, but you met the others only today.¡± Huang Niuniu cupped the girl¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t bully others. Maybe he¡¯s here for the same reason you are¡ªto make a name for himself.¡± ¡°Sister! I knew it. You understand me the best.¡± Song Yinuo cheered up instantly. ¡°I know you¡¯re a good girl. Would you judge me wrongly after knowing my past? I am also from these boonies, you know.¡± ¡°B-But you¡¯re at least a noble.¡± ¡°A concubine¡¯s daughter. Nothing more.¡± Song Yinuo broke down in tears. Shi Miao and Huang Niuniu comforted her. ¡°¡­Dude. Did you see them wiggle?¡± Hu Feng said, saliva running down his chin. Li Yao and Li Weidong nodded. Yu Han took some distance. It was the fault of the era, not of the men. Johan wouldn¡¯t mind, but Mother taught Yu Han to be respectful to ladies. Throughout all that, Fang Zhao remained silent. ¡°It seems my presence isn¡¯t welcome,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave. We don¡¯t have to stick together for the final parts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one spoiled brat whining. You can stay, she can leave,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You fat pig¡ª¡± Song Yinuo shouted. ¡°Yinuo, he¡¯s my benefactor,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Shi Miao, let¡¯s go and leave the smelly guys alone.¡± She bowed to everyone. ¡°You really don¡¯t like me?¡± she asked Yu Han. ¡°Scram,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so rude. But it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll go to the Meditation Plaza. I¡¯ll see you next time.¡± Yu Han¡¯s nose itched. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave too,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°It was great knowing you, brothers. But I fear being with a cripple like me will attract more ire. I¡­ No, forget it. We are all part of the Great Xia Dynasty, whether I am here at the Stormy Reef Sect or the Divine Capital.¡± With that, he walked away. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Perhaps the practice fields,¡± Fang Zhao said without stopping. ¡°Be careful not to offend anyone.¡± Dong Tianlan left, leaving that warning. She headed in the direction Huang Niuniu went. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the practice fields too!¡± Hu Feng suggested. ¡°The tournament¡¯s from dawn tomorrow, right? We can sleep well tonight and head off to the arena. I heard the Sect Master is going to show up for the opening ceremony.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t mind. He already knew meditation, but wanted to see what the practice fields would be like. Apparently, they would teach all disciples a basic Martial Art of the Sect that paired well with the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. Although he already had Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms, having direct guidance would be better. As for the tournament, it would be the perfect place to gather some data and see if there were any business opportunities. Where there were people, there was money. And he had to admit, he was looking forward to seeing what strange superpowers his senior disciples would show. They made it to the Practice Fields in good time. It was a large field, with training dummies lined up on one end. There was a barrack-like structure on one side, with weapon racks full of blunted armaments. There were places for washing up too. Most importantly, it was huge. It could probably hold a few thousand practitioners at a time. A buff, bald dude in a messy robe stood in the middle with arms crossed. Yu Han¡¯s group were near the front, so they had a good view. ¡°We¡¯ll start the introduction now,¡± Buff Baldy said. Yu Han covered his ears. His voice was booming. ¡°The technique you¡¯ll learn here is the Eye of the Storm Martial Movement. It¡¯s a twin technique with the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. If the Cultivation Art is the Calm, then the Martial Art is the Storm. I¡¯ll go through the movements.¡± Buff Baldy got into horse stance, then punched out with both hands consecutively. After a few seconds, he jumped, and while midair, he kicked out as if climbing up stairs, but in all directions. He landed, crouched, and swiped with his leg. With the momentum, he spun and got on his arms, then kicked out more with his legs above his head. It took about five minutes for Buff Baldy to get through the movements. ¡°As you go through the motion, you breathe. The breathing is the same as the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. You do both, at the same time, and get twice the benefits!¡± The crowd of about a hundred and fifty recruits gaped. ¡°This is the benevolence of the Sect! Always remember. Lesser Sects don¡¯t have such deep heritage. We at Stormy Reef only accept the valiant, and we train you to become heroes. I¡¯ll be here for the upcoming year, spending my own precious time to train the future backbone of the Sect,¡± Buff Baldy shouted, his eyes wide and fists clenched. He stared right at Yu Han. A bad feeling rose in Yu Han¡¯s heart. ¡°Li Yao, have we met this guy before?¡± ¡°Not that I remember.¡± ¡°Then why does he look like he wants to murder me?¡± ¡°You have an ugly face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Yu Han took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°But it seems that some cowards have snuck into our Sect too!¡± Buff Baldy said. ¡°Someone who fights with underhanded methods, targeting the eyes and going for the crotch. Someone who cost our Sect a Profound Talent, forcing him to leave for a rival Sect because of his sheer cowardice, ruining the reputation of the great Stormy Reef Sect.¡± Yu Han walked away. Brisk pace. Jog. Run! ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s the hurry?¡± He was suddenly blocked by three boys. ¡°Let¡¯s stay. Maybe you¡¯ll get lucky and receive one-on-one tutelage,¡± Sima Yan said, no smile on his face. ¡°You scheming little¡ª¡± ¡°So let¡¯s pit it. Underhanded means versus righteous martial arts.¡± Buff Baldy¡¯s voice came from right behind him. Yu Han turned, his heart beating like a drum. ¡°Junior Yu Han. Come, I¡¯ll determine if you have been paying attention,¡± Buff Baldy said. His face morphed into anger itself, sharp eyes digging holes into Yu Han¡¯s own. ¡°If you don¡¯t perform, as your Senior Brother, I¡¯ll have to discipline you.¡± Chapter 32: Path Closed ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to unsheathe your dagger?¡± Pang Jiming taunted. ¡°You like doing that, don¡¯t you? Filthy beggar.¡± ¡°Are you teaming up to bully a new recruit?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We can¡¯t be challenged for one year. You can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Challenge?¡± Buff Baldy sneered. ¡°I¡¯m at Level 10, the final stage of the Body Tempering Realm. Do you think you¡¯re even worth a challenge?¡± He took a few forceful steps towards Yu Han and grabbed him by the collar. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t finish the sentence as he was thrown towards the centre of the field. ¡°Fuck!¡± He flew like a thrown ball and crashed against the ground with a painful thud. ¡°Junior Yu Han, this won¡¯t do. Me and the other Sect Seniors spend our time and effort to teach you techniques. But you totally disregard us!¡± Buff Baldy said with a booming voice. ¡°Come now. Demonstrate the steps, it¡¯s simple! If you do, I might even reward you with Spirit Stones.¡± Yu Han got up. His mind was muddled. The impact had left him seeing stars. The ground beneath felt unsteady, as if he was still on the ship. And there was a storm raging. Buff Baldy crossed his arms. ¡°We¡¯re waiting. Do you dare waste our time?¡± ¡°This is my first day! How do you expect me to¡ª¡± ¡°Senior Brother, let me do the demonstration.¡± Sima Yan stepped forward. He went into horse stance, then repeated the forms of the Eye of the Storm Martial Movements. From the punches to the kicks to the spins. It wasn¡¯t perfect. It lacked substance. But the form was there. ¡°You planned this,¡± Yu Han blurted out. Sima Yan ignored his comment and finished the movement. He bowed to Buff Baldy, and then to the audience. Buff Baldy started clapping. ¡°Excellent! As expected of a Sima Scion. Like your elder cousin, a dragon amongst men you are. It probably won¡¯t take you long to enter the Inner Sect either.¡± He gestured at Yu Han with his chin. ¡°You, on the other hand. What a wastrel. Can¡¯t even do the first movement! Not even a horse stance.¡± He got into a stance, hand pointing towards Yu Han. ¡°But I¡¯ll give you a chance, seeing as it¡¯s your first day. You¡¯re free to use any tactic you want against me, and I¡¯ll use my righteous martial arts. If you can leave even a scratch, you¡¯re forgiven. I¡¯ll even give you a hundred Spirit Stones. Ready?¡± Yu Han felt his body sink into an icy pit. He wasn¡¯t getting out of this one. He unsheathed¡ª ¡°Go.¡± Buff Baldy was in front of him before he could take the dagger out. A fist hit his stomach, and a wave of pain radiated from the point of contact. ¡°Fatty, you offended someone you shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Buff Baldy whispered. ¡°Each time you come to the practice field, you¡¯ll end up in the medical hall for a week. Don¡¯t blame me for this. We all have to survive.¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t breathe. It felt like his organs were flipping into the wrong positions. The inside of his body screamed. It itched. As if his bones were being ground to dust. His vision turned red. The only clear part he could see was the impassive face of his attacker. Then it was just red. *** Yu Han sat in the white space of Deep Sleep. He brought up the status screen. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 15 (+10)/200 Pure Qi: 5 (-2)/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 14 (-321)/648 He echoed the status screen from the morning. Lifeforce: 335 (+284)/648 This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. One punch to the guts, and 321 Lifeforce was gone. How did it work? Was it an exact numerical representation of his current health, wounds, injuries? Or was it more metaphysical? Yu Han felt a heavy fatigue. Like his eyes were not awake, even if his mind was. He prodded the place where he was punched. In the Dreamscape, it appeared normal. But with a hit so hard, there should have been a bruise. But Yu Han could echo sounds and smells too. And touch, partially. Heat was harder. He concentrated on his abdomen. A dull throbbing appeared. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But it was muted. The force of the punch had spread all through his body, and now his entire body felt weak, as if held down by weights. He echoed a chair. Lifted it up. Then smashed it on the ground. ¡°Bloody slut-fathering, mule-fucking¡ª¡± The cursing continued until true sleep took him. *** ¡°Why the hell am I here again?¡± Yu Han awoke in Deep Sleep again. Judging by what had happened, he would appear in Deep Sleep even if he was knocked out. But twice in a row? He would appear in Deep Sleep when he slept. He would appear in it after being knocked out. But then again, when he was first knocked out, it was the same as losing consciousness, and not truly a state of sleep. Just like how sedation wasn¡¯t sleep, and neither was fainting nor a coma. Even if his body was in that state of unconsciousness long enough, it would not naturally enter a state of sleep. Yu Han tried to echo the podcast episode where he heard this. A dialogue between a sleep expert and some podcast host. One guess could be that his body had fainted after the punch. Then he was taken somewhere to recover. His body naturally recovered, and he would have woken up. But something had forcefully inserted him back to sleep. Perhaps for the express purpose of recovery. +1 True Qi Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 21 (+6)/199 Pure Qi: 0 (-5)/110 Lifeforce: 54 (+50)/648 True Qi had increased by six in total. Five of them came from Pure Qi, which was at 0 now. And one True Qi was his natural gain. It could also be that regardless of whether he was sleeping or fainted, he could enter Deep Sleep at night, but that was a worse guess than the former. Lifeforce had increased by a whopping fifty in one day. So something was happening to his body that increased recovery. Deep Sleep needed true sleep. But it could be imbued by medicine too. Yu Han waved his hand and the old showcase full of ceramic and china appeared. Grandma¡¯s treasured collection. He immediately felt weaker. Johan¡¯s memories needed more ¡°fuel¡± to echo. Then Sima Yan appeared, and Buff Baldy. Yu Han opened the showcase, then picked up a teapot. He threw it towards Buff Baldy¡¯s bald head. It went through it like the mirage it was, and shattered on the ground. He had broken this teapot in a tantrum in real life too, as he had done to the chair. Yu Han clapped, then held his hand out towards Buff Baldy¡¯s mirage. ¡°Be material!¡± he shouted. Something intangible left his body, and he felt weaker yet. He picked up a teacup and threw it. This time, it shattered on Buff Baldy¡¯s head. No wound appeared. The mirage only stood there. ¡°Heh.¡± It helped him vent. That¡¯s what was most important. *** He woke up, vision blurry. He was lying on a warm bed, a soft pillow under his head and a feathery blanket covering him. A wooden ceiling stared back at him. A snake dangled from one of the arches. It hissed, then slithered away. His vision cleared. He was in some kind of cubicle, like the infirmary beds covered by white curtains. One side was open. Huang Niuniu sat on a stool, sewing an azure-white robe. . The money pouch, the Bronze Membership Token of the Sea of Gold Commerce, and¡­ what else? Storage cost five Spirit Stones a month, and was only discounted for Bronze Members. Huang Niuniu came over, gazing at him from above. Her green eyes were clear as emerald. If she wore a suit and a skirt, she¡¯d look like a highly successful Japanese office lady. ¡°I bet you could cosplay as 2B,¡± Yu Han blurted out. Why did he say that? Huang Niuniu nodded, then went away and continued sewing. ¡°¡­I¡¯m awake.¡± ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Deep Sleep lasted longer the third time. He woke up again to poking and prodding. An old man with three strands of hair on his head helped him sit up. ¡°No permanent internal injuries. You¡¯re lucky that Gong Muhua held back. Only lifeforce depletion.¡± ¡°Can I sue him?¡± ¡°Like in court?¡± The old man was taken aback. ¡°It was merely an accident in the practice fields. It happens.¡± He patted Yu Han¡¯s back, then pulled the needles from his body. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Be brave, young man. Simple acupuncture shouldn¡¯t hurt,¡± the old man said. ¡°You leave today. Gong Muhua already paid the fees. What a nice senior, taking responsibility for his wrongs. Don¡¯t trouble him too much.¡± ¡°He said the same would happen every time I went to the practice field.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°Then you endure it. The new Sect Leader won¡¯t let such things happen for long. But now, there¡¯s just too much¡­ Aye. Be a good lad. Your dao companion has been waiting on you for three days.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Blind. Take the chance when you have it. Listen to this old man. When I was young¡­¡± The story lasted an hour. An epic tale of how the old man met his wife in a mountain cave inside the heart of a sunken island. He left when Li Yao and Fang Zhao showed up. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± Li Yao patted his back. There was a complicated look on his face. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t worry, tubs. We¡¯ll get back at them.¡± ¡°Brother Yu, it¡¯s nice to see you awake,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I was worried the internal force would have left permanent damage.¡± ¡°You guys¡­¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Li Yao said suddenly. ¡°I was a bad brother.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°That bastard, Gong Muhua, said that anyone who ¡®conspires¡¯ with a coward will receive no teaching from him. And I¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to take the fall for me. I¡¯ll figure something out. Just go, man.¡± Yu Han shook his head. He would have left Li Yao if he was in that position. ¡°Li Yao tried to sneak into Sima Yan¡¯s hut and got caught,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°He was flogged ten times. Sima Yan somehow convinced someone high up that it was your idea. They¡¯ll take away the first month of Spirit Stone stipends for you.¡± Yu Han groaned. ¡°Can I just go back to sleep?¡± Chapter 33: Hut ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive Hu Feng,¡± Li Yao said on their way back. ¡°At least Li Weidong and Xiao Zhuzi visited you on the first day. Yeah, I get it, he doesn¡¯t want to get involved, but¡ª¡± ¡°You guys shouldn¡¯t get involved either.¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You too, Huang Niuniu.¡± ¡°Call me Niu¡¯er.¡± Huang Niuniu carried a large backpack like a snail. ¡°I don¡¯t know you that well,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Where are the other two girls?¡± ¡°They were taken as direct disciples because of their talents. They¡¯re in the Inner Sect now,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han turned to Fang Zhao. ¡°I know you even less. If I were you, I would be like Hu Feng. Why would I hang out with a guy who¡¯s marked by some haughty noble?¡± Fang Zhao just laughed. ¡°I decided to live freely, not bound by decorum.¡± ¡°You speak pretty politely for that. You were a noble, yeah?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Still am. Just a crippled one.¡± Fang Zhao stopped, then clasped his hands. ¡°This Fang Zhao shall take his leave. I report for my mission in an hour, lest I miss the boat. I¡¯ll visit again in the next days if you¡¯ll have me.¡± With that, he was off. ¡°I have to select a mission,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Tubs¡­¡± Li Yao wore a sad expression. ¡°There¡¯s not many left, and you probably will end up¡­ No, I can¡¯t¡ª¡± He burst out laughing. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°It pays well. But yeah¡­¡± Li Yao was laughing so hard he had to crouch. ¡°You gotta select a hut too. Most are taken, so probably only the shittiest ones are left.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I have reserved a place.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t reserve. It¡¯s first come, first served,¡± Li Yao said, confused. ¡°Follow me.¡± Huang Niuniu led the way to the residential area. There were many huts lining the wide mountain. They were spread out like an old American suburb, each hut having a fence, a yard, and even a detached outhouse. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my place. There¡¯s this rock in the outhouse and the hut. When you hit it with another rock, water comes out,¡± Li Yao explained. ¡°I know. There were these rocks in the other two villages too,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Wait, really?¡± Li Yao was shocked. It was a secluded place, covered by the canopy and only accessible by a branching sideway. ¡°Let me show you,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Yu Han¡¯s first,¡± Huang Niuniu insisted. ¡°What do you want?¡± Yu Han faced the girl. ¡°I didn¡¯t fight Wu Di only for you. I had something to prove to myself. You don¡¯t need to feel any kind of debt.¡± ¡°I have had enough of men telling me what to do.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If you stick with me, you¡¯ll probably be targeted. We¡¯re not friends. We aren¡¯t even acquaintances. Just go away. I¡¯ll select my own hut.¡± For a few seconds, there was silence. ¡°That¡¯s him, right? The fatty.¡± ¡°Sucks to be him.¡± Other disciples were there too. Some were in their yards, others walking the road, probably heading off to their mission. ¡°I need to talk to you. In private,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I won¡¯t bother you after that.¡± ¡°Fine, but we¡¯re going to Li Yao¡¯s place first.¡± He didn¡¯t want pity. He didn¡¯t need any traumatised girl sticking to him for mental support. It would just delay her own healing. Li Yao didn¡¯t interrupt them while they were talking, and after that, he led them to a large hut by a stream. Xiao Zhuzi and Li Weidong were outside. ¡°You rascals. Did this daddy make you wait?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Inside,¡± Li Weidong said. They entered. The door was barely big enough for Yu Han to fit through, but the hut was far larger than those in the Village of New Tidings and the Rookie Village. There was a large bed, a table and a chair, and a wardrobe. Probably 20 square metres in size. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Hu Feng sat on the chair. ¡°You fucking bastard!¡± Li Yao rolled up his sleeves and was about to slug the farmer¡¯s son, but Xiao Zhuzi and Li Weidong held him back. ¡°Let me go! I¡¯ve never seen a fucker so spineless¡ª¡± ¡°Listen to us, Brother Li! Calm down!¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°Sit on the bed.¡± Li Weidong had to drag him there. Another awkward silence followed. Hu Feng stood up, approached Yu Han, and bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t publicly take your side,¡± he said. ¡°This is my only chance to be someone. I will not ruin it.¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve done the same. You don¡¯t need to apologise,¡± Yu Han said, but it didn¡¯t feel good. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hu Feng placed a pouch on the ground. ¡°Please take this.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Please, take it for my sake. I was able to ask for my stipend early.¡± Yu Han hesitated at that. ¡°Take it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You¡¯ll need all the help you can get if you want to be alive a year from now.¡± ¡°Me, Little Bamboo, and Li Weidong each pitched in five Spirit Stones,¡± Hu Feng said. ¡°Wish I could run Gong Muhua over with a cart. This is pure bullying.¡± Xiao Zhuzi clenched his fist. His eyes were bloodshot. But then he said with a tired sigh, ¡°We can¡¯t do anything. We¡¯re just rookies. Sima Yan has a cousin that¡¯s an Inner Sect Disciple.¡± ¡°They say he might become a Core Disciple soon,¡± Hu Feng said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this before. Corrupt officials donate lots of gold to the City God Temple to wash out all the bad stuff they¡¯ve committed. Feels really good on your conscience, doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Li Yao, stop,¡± Yu Han said. He picked up the pouch. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. You¡¯d be a fool to sabotage your future for a guy you met less than three months ago. I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡± Everyone was quiet. Hu Feng broke the silence. ¡°If I can get to Qi Gathering, I¡¯ll make Gong Muhua¡¯s life hell. He¡¯s been stuck at Level 10 for seven years. We¡¯re all Refined Talents. We¡¯ll outpace him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll break his knees,¡± Xiao Zhuzi said. ¡°And slit his wrists,¡± Li Weidong said. ¡°Take it all the way. In the gangs, you go for the eye,¡± Li Yao shouted, vitriol in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m a Common Talent,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you when you make it big.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She was already by the door. ¡°Or your hut may be taken. They might send someone to clean it after the complaints.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Yu. I¡ª¡± Hu Feng started again. ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Yu Han said, somewhat forcefully. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can exchange information later. Keep me updated on Gong Muhua¡¯s movements.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Hu Feng nodded triumphantly, as if he had found a silver lining. ¡°Better not talk to me either. I¡¯m not gonna be afraid of Gong Muhua,¡± Li Yao said, somewhat sarcastically. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much leeway Refined Talents have, do you?¡± Li Weidong shook his head. ¡°He won¡¯t touch you. If nothing goes wrong, we¡¯ll reach Qi Gathering within a few years. If he directly antagonises you, you¡¯d be justified for revenge. He won¡¯t risk it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll still gouge his eyes out.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll slit his wrists. But secretly,¡± Li Weidong said. His face clouded over. ¡°We¡¯ll wait here. We four have the same mission.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch my wine.¡± With that, Li Yao followed Yu Han and Huang Niuniu out. ¡°They aren¡¯t bad,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Just forced by circumstance.¡± Li Yao didn¡¯t reply. They went back to the main street, then walked to the end of the road, where a side path went down the mountainside. The huts were more dilapidated here, their owners older than the recruits. He even saw a little kid. Maybe some Outer Sect Disciples started families? ¡°What¡¯s your Internal Sect Mission?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°We¡¯re at the butchery!¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°They say it¡¯s one of the most coveted spots. They needed Refined Talents.¡± ¡°Free meat?¡± ¡°Exactly. Sometimes they bring in Monsters and Beasts full of Qi. No one cares if you swipe a few pieces,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°The boss said it¡¯s a great way to practice swordsmanship too! Learn where to strike on a monster and all that.¡± ¡°Good for you,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what my mission is?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, looking back at them. ¡°What¡¯s your mission?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± she replied without changing her expression. Yu Han glared at her. They walked down the mountain for half an hour more. The huts were sparser here. Even if one shouted inside one, the neighbours couldn¡¯t hear it, probably. At the very end of the line, by another offshoot stream, were two huts side by side. One on an upper ledge of the mountain, the other about twenty feet down from where the first one¡¯s fence ended. ¡°The one above is yours,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°They don¡¯t like this place, say it¡¯s full of negative energy,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°See that stone thing over there?¡± Li Yao pointed to a stone structure about a hundred metres further down from the huts. ¡°All the poop goes there. But then again¡ª¡± Li Yao stopped. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°No! Let¡¯s check your house out.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just leave me hanging.¡± A bad feeling rose in Yu Han¡¯s gut. Something was wrong. Huang Niuniu opened the fence gate, then went inside and opened the hut door while covering her nose. ¡°Fuck, it smells! Did something die in here?¡± Li Yao retreated. He didn¡¯t to select this one. He¡¯d just followed because Huang Niuniu seemed so confident. Huang Niuniu nodded. ¡°I put some dead birds and snakes here so that the smell would chase away anyone who wanted to take this place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what reserving means,¡± Li Yao retorted. ¡°Yes, it is. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to it. Men are far smellier.¡± Huang Niuniu didn¡¯t let off. She grabbed a stick by the doorway and picked up the corpses. They had rotted, pus and slime falling off as she picked them up. One snake corpse snapped in two. She threw them all in a sack and put them in the backyard. Soon, there was a fire going. ¡°I¡¯m not living here.¡± Yu Han was close to retching. ¡°It¡¯s good practice for your mission,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She brought out a glass vial, then closed the doors and windows. ¡°It¡¯s a special concoction for the bad things. After an hour, we¡¯ll air the hut, and it¡¯ll be good as new.¡± She spoke in a strange way, as if she was speaking to a baby. Yu Han shuddered. ¡°I think I have to go,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later. Better hurry to the Mission Hall. Don¡¯t be too sad, it¡¯s not that bad.¡± By the time Yu Han could ask him to explain, he was off. ¡°What a mischievous friend you have. I heard suspense isn¡¯t good for your heart. Especially for fat people like you,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You only have three realistic choices for a mission now. The first is¡ª¡± ¡°Did you just call me fat?¡± Chapter 34: Janitor ¡°I have to shovel poop?¡± Yu Han asked. He had to sit down. They had aired the room for a few hours, and the disgusting smell was completely gone. Before entering the hut again, Yu Han had given the doorsill a few kicks and ended up hurting his legs. It was a door meant for skinny people. ¡°Silly man,¡± Huang Niuniu had giggled. She had pulled Yu Han back by the collar and ladled some water from the pitcher near the door, then splashed it on the doorstep. Then she got down and prayed. ¡°We have to thank the Land Gods for protecting our homes from evil ghosts and demons.¡± Afterwards, they entered the hut. Yu Han had to squeeze through the front door while cursing to its grandmother. After he entered, he took in the interior details. There was a mud brazier near the window. Some firewood was stacked against the wall, with ashes gathered on the brazier pan. Maybe for cooking? A set of metal pots and pans hung from nails on the wall. On a raised, earthen counter-like structure, there were a few plates, cups, bowls, and chopsticks laid about. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They were sitting on the bed now. Normally, being with a pretty girl on the bed would give rise to all kinds of imaginations. But when she said he had to be a janitor, what excitement was there left to talk about? ¡°A Night Soil Collector doesn¡¯t only shovel poop.¡± Huang Niuniu put a hand on her chin. ¡°They deposit it to the proper place to compost. The Sect¡¯s medicinal and alchemy fields need quite a lot.¡± ¡°I¡­ refuse!¡± Yu Han might be fat. He might be poor and talentless in the traditional sense. But he had his pride as a person from another world! Other transmigrators and reincarnators in novels got all sorts of nice things. Cheat artefacts, hidden bloodlines, and maybe a powerful family. Meanwhile, he got a hundred pounds of extra flub. ¡°Yu Han. Yu Han.¡± Huang Niuniu waved a hand in front of Yu Han¡¯s face. He snapped back into focus. ¡°In any case,¡± he said, ¡°no means no. I refuse. In fact, I think I want another house. My goal is to gather allies and protect myself in one year¡¯s time. If I isolate myself in this dingy place, then that would be a bust.¡± ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°The other commoners are afraid of Gong Muhua and Sima Yan¡¯s cousin. You need to enter a powerful Pavilion, a Palace, or a Hall. With the other internal mission options, luck won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°I have to verify that for myself,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to trust me. But won¡¯t you hear me out?¡± ¡°I have no tea to serve you.¡± ¡°I have!¡± The girl started a fire in the mud brazier. She took one of the old pots hanging on the wall and poured water into it from the pitcher outside. Then she took out a hemp bag. She opened it, and the scent of tea leaves wafted out. She emptied the bag, putting Yu Han¡¯s two sets of spare sect robes on the bed alongside his money pouch there. And there was the bronze token from Sea of Gold Commerce and his dagger. ¡°You¡­ Thanks.¡± Yu Han sighed in relief. They weren¡¯t lost. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She stared into the bag and seemed to hesitate for a second, then closed it. ¡°I don¡¯t have tea cups.¡± She took two clay cups from the mud counter. ¡°These will have to do.¡± In a few minutes, the water was boiling. At the same time, it started raining outside. The pitter-patter creating a soft backdrop. The hut had a thatched roof. On the way here, most of the houses near the main road had tiled roofs. Some were too big to even be called huts, although that was the official designation. Only the oldest structures still had thatch. Yu Han shifted his weight on the bed. It creaked. ¡°How do they heat this?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you see that character written near the foot of the bed? In the circle,¡± Huang Niuniu said. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. There certainly was something. It looked like a squiggle character written in either Earthly or Imperial Script. Yu Han couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Can you read what it says?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I can¡¯t read Earthly and Heavenly Scripts. I don¡¯t know,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Then she perked up. ¡°Can you read Imperial Script?¡± Yu Han shook his head. ¡°I see, that¡¯s why¡­¡± Huang Niuniu brushed a strand of her hair behind her ears. When the tea was ready, she handed him a cup, then sat back on the bed. It creaked. Yu Han didn¡¯t want to admit that he was insecure. But Johan was the type to think fat-shaming worked. It gave motivation for fat people to lose weight. Yu Han didn¡¯t want to be like that. ¡°The Night Soil Collectors work for the Medical Hall and the Alchemy Hall. You have to shovel poop, like you said. But if you show good conduct, proper talent, and steady progress, there¡¯s a chance that one of the Halls may take you in.¡± ¡°What are the other remaining options?¡± ¡°Training Partner is one.¡± ¡°¡­A training partner for whom?¡± ¡°Outer Sect Disciples who hire people to test out their martial prowess.¡± ¡°So a punching bag?¡± ¡°I assume you mean you get punched like a sandbag? Yes.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°The Butchery has slots, but they only want Refined Talent. Then there¡¯s Porters for the Hunting Teams; they carry the Monstrous and Primal Beasts hunted by the stronger cultivators.¡± ¡°Is there a guarantee for their lives?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Huang Niuniu raised an eyebrow. Yu Han covered his face. ¡°There has to be something else.¡± ¡°You can look when you go to the Mission Hall to select your Internal Sect Mission.¡± ¡°What did you choose?¡± ¡°Guess.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice turned flat. Yu Han had a guess, but he didn¡¯t want to say it. ¡°There¡¯s a tournament going on!¡± Yu Han stood up. ¡°They said that, right? For last year¡¯s Rookies. I¡¯m going to check it out. I wanna see at which level they attract attention from the Sect higher-ups. They have to¡ª¡± ¡°The tournament ended yesterday,¡± Huang Niuniu said, her brows relaxed as if looking at a baby. ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± ¡°How long do you think you were in the Medical Hall?¡± ¡°Three days. No, wait, four.¡± That was the number of times he¡¯d entered Deep Sleep. ¡°It¡¯s been a week, Yu Han.¡± The words were slow and drawn out. She tilted her head, then blew on the hot tea. Yu Han took a sip too. At this rate, it would go cold. They sat in silence for a long time. The rain intensified, and the sound of the trees around them swayed in the wind, leaves rustling and brushing branches echoing. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Mission Hall after the rain stops,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It¡¯s just shovelling poop. I can do it.¡± Huang Niuniu nodded. They didn¡¯t speak. Did half an hour pass? Or an hour? Yu Han¡¯s heart was feeling itchy. ¡°Why are you being so kind to me?¡± he asked. It took a long time to gather the courage to ask. His face heated up. ¡°If you feel some kind of debt because I fought Wu Di, you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± ¡°I loved it!¡± Huang Niuniu scooted closer and grabbed his hands, bringing them to her soft bosom. ¡°You were the only one who stood up for me. You castrated him! A Wu Scion, a Profound Talent. I know you might have other reasons for doing so. But¡ª¡± Tears dropped down her cheeks. She was flushed red, green eyes glittering. She then bit her lips and closed her eyes. ¡°It gave me hope. That one day I¡¯ll be able to burn it all down.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± Yu Han¡¯s mind was ultra-focused on the soft sensation on his hands, so her statement caught him off guard. ¡°Burn what down?¡± ¡°It all.¡± ¡°What is ¡®it¡¯?¡± ¡°It which is not impossible. I can scream, bite, and scratch. I¡¯ll never forget , neither forgive.¡± Her voice was soft. Huang Niuniu never raised her voice. As if she never got angry. The only thing oozing out of her body was sadness. She wasn¡¯t crying anymore. ¡°I¡¯m unwanted. I should never have been born. But I was. So here we are. I¡¯ll throw a tantrum, and the world just has to put up with it. With me.¡± She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her robes. It was now that Yu Han got a good look at them. Her azure-white robes looked old, but they were a bit baggy. They didn¡¯t contour her body, not showing her curves or cleavage like her previous garment. It was modest. ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Huang Niuniu took some distance. ¡°I can¡¯t. Men are too smelly. Girls are soft and sweet.¡± ¡°Get your head out of your ass.¡± Yu Han gulped down the cold tea. ¡°I showed you the weak can fight back. So you want to mother me?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Mother you? Yes!¡± Huang Niuniu clapped. ¡°I do. Think of me like a mother, okay? Don¡¯t try to be like other men. We can be friends!¡± ¡°Fuck you, I have a mom. We can be acquaintances at best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I-I¡¯m so glad. Actually, if you said you liked me or you fought Wu Di because you wanted to charm me, I wouldn¡¯t be giving you this. I would keep it as payment for the ginseng I gave you and the whipping I received as a result.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me anything,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But if it¡¯s money, I can borrow it at zero percent interest.¡± ¡°Consider it a present! A gift from me to you. If you fought Wu Di because you wanted to charm me, that would mean you did it for your own selfish sake. So I wouldn¡¯t bother, since it¡¯s quite valuable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone who could twist logic like that and wasn¡¯t either a lawyer or an idiot.¡± Huang Niuniu took something out of the hemp bag. She hid it behind her back, then moved closer to Yu Han, sticking to his arm like a koala. Her body pressed against his. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Her red, wet lips parted. She smelled like tea. Yu Han¡¯s heartbeat accelerated. He closed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you take advantage of me, I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll¡ª¡± Something touched Yu Han¡¯s lap, pressing down on his crotch. ¡°Oi!¡± He wheezed. His heart felt like it would burst out of his chest. He didn¡¯t want to be a player anymore, but it had been so long since he¡¯d touched a woman. ¡°Open them.¡± He did. Chapter 35: Psychic On his lap was a little booklet. The one he had lost on the ship. Yu Han narrowed his eyes, thinking of Huang Niuniu¡¯s previous words. ¡°You would have kept it?¡± He didn¡¯t know if he should feel anger at the audacity of this girl, or disappointment that his fantasies didn¡¯t come true. So he took a deep breath, deciding to feel happy that he got his heirloom back. He pocketed it. ¡°Bring it out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mine. This present doesn¡¯t count! Give me another one.¡± ¡°I said bring it out,¡± Huang Niuniu repeated. ¡°This Yu Han will never suffer a loss. If you say you¡¯ll give me a present, then you have to¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to know what¡¯s written there?¡± Yu Han brought the booklet out. He traced the worn green cover and opened it. It had thirteen thin pages, but the last two pages were ripped out. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°I can show you later!¡± ¡°Oi!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Mother said that men like to be kept in suspense,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yu Han had to admit, Huang Niuniu was keeping him on a wire¡¯s edge. Who could have thought that this was the same girl who went through a horrible assault? ¡°The rain stopped.¡± Huang Niuniu stood and patted her baggy robes. Two round depressions were left behind where she sat. Yu Han touched them. They were warm. He moved his hand away before Huang Niuniu turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They opened the hut door. Water sprinkled from above, shaken off the roof by the movement. Yu Han took a step back. The yard had a layer of grass, so it wasn¡¯t that muddy. But the road outside was. ¡°How am I supposed to dry clothes in this humidity?¡± Yu Han grumbled. It rained three times a day. He closed the door behind them and double-checked the lock. It was a simple metal hook. He needed better security. ¡°Leave them in your room,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°The heat will dry them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to stink.¡± ¡°Bear with it. When you collect Night Soil¡ª¡± ¡°Geez, don¡¯t remind me of that.¡± Yu Han started walking. On the muddy path, there were stones laid about. He tried to step on them rather than the mud, but some still got on his ankle. ????????N???? ¡°After you return from the Mission Hall, drop by my place!¡± Huang Niuniu shouted from his gate. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you live.¡± She pointed at the hut down below. Yu Han¡¯s was on a protruding section of the mountain, and there was a few feet of drop below. The path circled around the ledge and led to another hut they¡¯d seen before. ¡°Mother said men should be on top!¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You¡¯re trying something, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m warning you, men are all the same.¡± Yu Han grinned. He liked this. ¡°I¡¯m your mother now, smelly man. Don¡¯t you dare, or your ancestors will roll in their graves.¡± With that, she was off. Yu Han walked the muddy roads with a chipper mood. He felt light, as if a bucket of stress had left his body. His heart sped up. His ears flushed. He¡¯d never known a feeling like this. Is this what they call¡­ It felt amazing! In his last life, either he was roasting someone disguised as banter or he was being roasted. Never had he ever had such a smooth back and forth. The trees in the mountain had a thick canopy. Yu Han didn¡¯t know what they were. Some had three-pointed leaves like ginkgo, others were cloud-like cypresses, but most had roundish or oval leaves. The canopy suffocated the sunlight as it passed by, creating speckled patterns of light on the ground. The air was fresher. The colours seemed brighter. The songbirds sang in melodious tunes. Even the cicadas¡¯ cries didn¡¯t hurt his mood. Maybe this world wasn¡¯t so bad. No pollution, no fast food. Maybe a friend or two like Li Yao and Huang Niuniu? He accidentally stepped off a stone into a puddle. Mud splattered on his trousers. Yu Han reached the Mission Hall in good time. It was a stone building. At the wooden temple gate that served as an entrance were two statues. One held two swords, and the other made a hand mudra. Their inanimate clothes seemed to rustle in the wind. There were couplets on the statues, and something engraved on the stone platform below. Yu Han couldn¡¯t read it. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He entered the door, no obstruction to his girth, and sighed in relief. After watching the flow of the disciples inside, he figured out where the Rookie counter was. There weren¡¯t any other Rookies there. He spoke to the middle-aged man there. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick a mission.¡± ¡°Quite late, ain¡¯t¡¯cha? Most are taken already, boy. The good ones, at least.¡± ¡°This junior humbly asks what is possible.¡± ¡°Fine. Common Script or Imperial?¡± ¡°Common, sir.¡± ¡°Here.¡± The man passed a few rolls of paper. ¡°Was a lot easier before. Didn¡¯t need two versions, but after that upstart¡ª¡± ¡°Hey now, are you insulting the Sect Master?¡± a young man from the next counter yelled out. The middle-aged man rubbed his palms, as if praying. ¡°Dare not, dare not. I misspoke.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only seven not marked as taken,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Well, you arrived a week late,¡± the middle-aged man replied. The three Huang Niuniu mentioned were the most probable ones. The others were things like being a lab rat for testing alchemy pills and the like. ¡°I¡¯ll take the Night Soil Collector mission.¡± ¡°We got a hero! The second one this cohort.¡± The middle-aged man clapped. He took Yu Han¡¯s name. ¡°Matches. Here you go.¡± He handed over two tokens. And a sharp knife. One token was wooden with a character for ¡°Rookie¡± on one side in red strokes, and a beast claw ripping through a hurricane on the other. The other was similar to the ¡°Reward¡± token Dong Chou had given him when he was the first to break through to Level 1 in the cohort. ¡°Your Sect identity token. Drop some blood here.¡± He pointed at the beast claw. Yu Han gritted his teeth and pricked his finger. It didn¡¯t hurt, but the expectation of pain was nauseating. He smeared the drop on the beast token. It was absorbed like water soaking into a towel. The middle-aged man took the token back, did something with it behind the counter, then returned it. Now it was a bit thinner. ¡°Don¡¯t lose it. If you do, you pay a huge fine to get another one. If you die somehow within this year, the Sect will know who did it and where. As long as you have this token, no one should mess with you.¡± Yu Han gripped the token like it was his third life. ¡°With the other one, go to the Scripture Hall. You get to take one Elite Grade Art.¡± ¡°The Sect taught us the Eye of the Storm Martial Movements and Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. We still get more?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Be grateful. Lots of times, folks select arts to their profession. Other times they select defensive, movement, or other strange techniques. What you find depends on your luck. By the way, for the Night Soil Collector mission, you can report there after you¡¯ve gotten to Initial Step Level 1 in one offensive type Art.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Not my job to tell you. Better go to the Scripture Hall now, if you don¡¯t have any more business.¡± The middle-aged man shooed Yu Han away. He didn¡¯t mind. With lighter steps, Yu Han approached the Scripture Hall. Most disciples called this place the library. There were three floors. The top floor had a terrace, where a lady was sipping tea. On the guardrail of the terrace, a large vulture nibbled on a piece of meat. Yu Han¡¯s eyes crossed the vulture¡¯s. It turned its neck away, hiding the piece of meat from view. Yu Han entered the library with a grumbling stomach. ¡°Select one.¡± The librarian, another middle-aged man¡ªbut this time with much stronger bearing and a plain, nonchalant attitude¡ªgave Yu Han a large scroll after confirming he only knew Common Script. Yu Han unrolled it. It listed hundreds, maybe thousands, of Arts and their basic descriptions. ¡°Honoured Elder, do I not get to read the manuals myself to properly select one?¡± Yu Han asked, hoping the question wouldn¡¯t offend. The librarian wore a modified Azure-white robe. An emblem hung from his waist, bearing the mark of the Scripture Hall in yellow-strokes. ¡°This token doesn¡¯t give you access to an infinite world of knowledge,¡± the librarian said, then went back to reading. He found an empty spot in a section of the library by a tea stall. There were a few disciples chatting in hushed tones. Yu Han took a seat. The other group of disciples gave him wary looks, but then ignored him. Yu Han started from the side. They were overwhelmingly Martial Arts. A few Spiritual Arts had some sort of elemental trait requirement, and only three arts were under the section for Psychic Arts. ¡°Seventh Kingdom Outward Repulsion.¡± ¡°Cleansing Sleep Hidden Art.¡± ¡°Thousand Petal Awareness.¡± The Seventh Kingdom Outward Repulsion could grant the user the ability to repel force directed their way. It had a requirement of Focus over ten. The Cleansing Sleep Hidden Art didn¡¯t make sleep more cleansing. It cleansed the need for sleep from the system. After some proficiency, the user could sleep an hour less with the same effect. A line in the description claimed that this art could apparently be taken to a mastery level where no sleep was necessary. Well, he actually did, but he preferred the real thing. As for the Thousand Petal Awareness, it could amplify one¡¯s senses. It had the highest grade, Elite Grade Level 9. So it was quite a powerful art. The other two were Level 8 and 5, respectively. He read, then re-read the description. The Art couldn¡¯t permanently increase the senses. One had to concentrate, and there was a cost of something. ¡°¡­The Art symbolises an ever-expanding awareness, with each petal representing a heightened sense. Yet care more for your mind, young disciple. For if you accidentally unbloom the flower with opposite motion of breathing, it dulls the senses to the outer world, which can be fatal in battle. Such follies must be avoided if you must¡­¡± Yu Han made his decision. If the warning was true, he could shovel poop in peace. ¡°A Psychic Art?¡± The librarian looked up for the first time and observed Yu Han. ¡°Don¡¯t waste this chance on a gamble.¡± ¡°This one unfortunately started with Mind Heavenly Allocation.¡± There was a snicker from somewhere. A few of the disciples leaving the library proper pointed at him and laughed. ¡°Then it¡¯s not a hopeless gamble.¡± The librarian rang a bell. After a while, a white and orange cat brought a scroll in its mouth. The librarian took the scroll and handed it over, then fed the cat. ¡°The scroll will burn in three days. Memorise it, or make a copy. You can teach others the scripture at their own peril. The Sect will not take responsibility.¡± ¡°The Sect is generous, letting us spread its teachings without bar.¡± Yu Han took the risk to prod. ¡°If it was an Art of actual value, you would have to make a binding vow not to speak of it. This Art is merely something developed by a failed Elder long dead,¡± the librarian said. ¡°The Sect Master prefers knowledge to be spread and enriched. Before, if the Sect found out, you would be punished heavily. But the Sect Master is right. With so many hidden and open marketplaces present, there is no way to control leaks without soul-binding vows of secrecy.¡± Yu Han bowed in appreciation, then left, making a stop at Sea of Gold Commerce. When he returned to his hut, he remembered that he should drop by Huang Niuniu¡¯s place. He walked down the path. A scent wafted out from the Cow Girl¡¯s abode¡ªa stink so bad it could make the smell of animal corpses seem aromatic. Chapter 36: Spite Yu Han retreated. ¡°Stop right there, mister,¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Come inside. Mother knows best.¡± Yu Han forced himself to go. He wished he could learn an Art like in video games; touch the skill book and , learned. Other transmigrators in the stories had that kind of cheat. Why didn¡¯t he? Huang Niuniu¡¯s place was similar to his. Wide doorway, but not as tall as his halberd. After entering, he put the halberd down. The cloth wrap had mud and a bunch of vines, grass, and leaves sticking to it, especially at the top where the head was. An effort at camouflage. Hopefully other disciples thought it was just a pole or something. There was an actual metal lock with a keyhole dangling from a nail on the wall. ¡°I bought it,¡± she said. ¡°Sit here.¡± He took a seat on a straw mat by the brazier. There was a large pot of something simmering atop the brazier. Green lumps in a base of purple liquid. Yu Han teared up, and his vision grew blurry. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It¡¯s going to take thirty more minutes. Wait patiently.¡± ¡°I have this Art.¡± Yu Han took out the Thousand Petal Awareness. ¡°You selected a Psychic Art?¡± Huang Niuniu looked doubtful, then read the contents. ¡°It¡¯s in Common script.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­I can only read Imperial.¡± ¡°Teach me Imperial. I¡¯ll teach you Common,¡± Yu Han eagerly said. ¡°There are more useful scriptures in Imperial script than Common, you know? This is an unfair agreement. You just want to spend more time with me.¡± ¡°How can you be so confident in your wrongness?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll throw this in.¡± From under his robes, he took out the Cheat Sheet. He actually had more books, placed between his underclothes and sect robes. ¡°Common again.¡± ¡°This too.¡± Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations. He¡¯d only brought these two books, ones he wouldn¡¯t mind losing since he had already read them thoroughly. He would gradually bring the others back, after buying a lock. As for the halberd, he wanted to start practising the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms immediately. ¡°I said I can¡¯t read Common Script!¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. She grabbed something that looked like jellyfish feelers and put it in the pot, then stirred with a ladle. ? ¡°It¡¯s a good deal. I teach you Common, and then you read these. I have more,¡± Yu Han said. He realized he might sound too eager. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll be spending a lot of time together anyway,¡± Huang Niuniu said, as if it was a done deal. Yu Han blinked. ¡°You¡¯re the second one who took the Night Soil Collector job.¡± ¡°You guessed right.¡± She winked, then asked what the books were. After Yu Han explained, she thought for a bit. ¡°I have yet to finish my tribulation. I think I can do it. A week. Yes, one week.¡± ¡°If you need help, I can¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. The bad luck isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Huang Niuniu looked panicked for a second. ¡°Oh gods above, forgive my child. He doesn¡¯t know propriety.¡± If Yu Han had a water balloon, he¡¯d throw it. ¡°I already selected my Art. Though it¡¯s not really an Art.¡± She took out a scroll. Yu Han assumed it was written in Imperial script. ¡°Thrice Monk¡¯s Guide to Fasting Brews,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You took it for me?¡± Yu Han¡¯s eyes opened. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Unlikely.¡± If he had a mirror, he would definitely see a silly grin on his face. ¡°I said I didn¡¯t.¡± Huang Niuniu slapped the mat. ¡°I want to focus on Alchemy. I was rejected from working in the Alchemy Fields. That¡¯s why I took the job as a Night Soil Collector.¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, you didn¡¯t have to say it.¡± Yu Han felt weirdly disappointed. ¡°You have a Trait, right? What¡¯s your Bloodline Art?¡± ¡°A secret.¡± Huang Niuniu averted her eyes. ¡°Say it,¡± Yu Han pushed. ¡°Those Verdant Blade fuckers were talking talking something about wisps?¡± ¡°Men, so obsessive. You¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± Huang Niuniu rolled her eyes. ¡°The booklet. You really don¡¯t know what¡¯s written there?¡± Yu Han shook his head. Huang Niuniu pointed at the pot. ¡°Three and a half recipes. One for this. Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite.¡± ¡°It was a cookbook?¡± ¡°An alchemy cookbook of brews. This brew helps nurture your Strength stat. Another is the Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite, and then the Saltwater Soup of Seventeen Sins. It raises resistance to poison and toxins, I think?¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°You think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s written weirdly. Also, the final one. It has a complete recipe.¡± ¡°Then why three and a half?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for Spirit Beasts, not human Cultivators.¡± Yu Han flipped through the booklet.It was bonafide Cultivator stuff, if Huang Niuniu was to be trusted. Yu Han didn¡¯t trust her completely yet. She definitely had some purpose, some ulterior motive. But he wanted to trust her. So he would nurture this connection. Fingers crossed, this brew wasn¡¯t poison and this wasn¡¯t some convoluted plot to kill him. ¡°Take it.¡± Yu Han handed the booklet over. ¡°It¡¯s more useful to you.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Huang Niuniu said, even as she took it away like a mouse stealing cheese. ¡°Where did you get the ingredients?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I assume if they are for actual Alchemical Brews, they shouldn¡¯t be stuff you can find on the roadside.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate roadsides.¡± Huang Niuniu put a red mushroom with black spots in the pot. Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice fell, and she cast a gaze to her lap. ¡°Senior Brother Duan gave me some Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Wu Di¡¯s possessions. I think you got the ones from the duel, right?¡± she said. Yu Han affirmed. ¡°He had more. Gold, silver, tonic, pills. Even Spirit Stones. Senior Brother Duan gave them to me after he learned what¡­. Wu Di was planning. I went to the Outer Sect marketplace. I found all of the ingredients for the Strength and Vitality Spite. Not for the other two, but I think I can for a few of the fasting brews.¡± ¡°I can pay you back,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°If this thing actually works.¡± ¡°It does. I¡¯ve had them through this week.¡± ¡°No wonder the bad smell doesn¡¯t bother you.¡± Yu Han realized he¡¯d gotten used to the stink. It was still irritating, but no longer overwhelming. ¡°Men are smelly, after all,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han didn¡¯t know what to say, so they stayed silent. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Huang Niuniu ladled it into two bowls. ¡°Let it cool down. If you let it burn your mouth, it¡¯ll infect.¡± ¡°How is this done?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°How is this food?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tonic for a specific purpose, and you have to follow the rules.¡± Huang Niuniu blew on the bowl hard, but the half-alive concoction within, neither liquid enough to flow nor solid enough to float, didn¡¯t so much as move. The steam rising from it changed from deep blue to light purple, then indigo with a hint of red. It took less than five minutes for it to cool. The bowl contained at least half a litre. ¡°How did it lose heat so fast?¡± Yu Han was amazed. ¡°That¡¯s not written in the booklet.¡± Huang Niuniu pinched her nose with one hand, then chugged the whole contents of the bowl down in one breath. Her throat moved like a snake swallowing prey. Yu Han stared until she was finished. Then he followed in her steps. ¡°Wow.¡± He grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my tongue.¡± Huang Niuniu ladled in two more bowls. ¡°Can¡¯t you stop the brazier?¡± Yu Han suggested. ¡°It must be drunk within a tea¡¯s time after cooling, or the effects won¡¯t be as good,¡± Huang Niuniu said. That night, Yu Han had a dinner of unspeakable quality. He held in the urge to vomit and filled his belly with thrice-cursed sludge. As he walked back to his place, the semi-solid liquid inside his belly sloshed loud enough for him to hear it. The next morning, he woke up refreshed. Vitality: 7 -> 8 [Body Origin: 5.40 -> 5.60] Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 28 (+7)/200 Pure Qi: 0 /110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 451 (+81)/672 (+24) Yu Han shot up. He¡¯d gained a point in Vitality. More importantly, his Lifeforce capacity had increased. It made sense from the name. Vitality, the power that gave continuance to life. He thought back. No. So not enough data points. He would need to increase another Body Origin Stat and find out. One thing could be pretty clearly attributed to the Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite. He¡¯d recovered a whopping 81 points of Lifeforce. During his recovery at the Medical Hall, he was gaining 40 to 50 every day, and at the end, he¡¯d left with a Lifeforce of 270. Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite worked better than whatever medicine the Medical Hall fed him. Huang Niuniu had bought the ingredients with her own money. He went deeper into each Origin Stat. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 Clarity: 9 Focus: 10 [Body Origin: 5.60] Endurance: 6 Vitality: 8 Strength: 5 Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 [Spirit Origin: 8.00] Adaptability: 15 Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 9 (+1) Purity: 5 Other than the point in Vitality from today, and the one in Fortitude from before, the numbers remained normal. Yu Han checked his Traits. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0/1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 1 (+1)/800 No change in Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline or Existential Anchor. But Qi Affinity had gained one measly point. Yu Han left it at an educated guess. He didn¡¯t have the resources to delve deeper yet. Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations did mention the relationship between one¡¯s Cultivation Art and Qi Affinity Trait being special, but the poetic prose of the book merely alluded to the fact. More data would be needed to verify. He then checked his Arts. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 135 (+25)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. True Qi: 71 (+14)/400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 30 (+27)/200 Deep Sleep gained far more True Qi than expected. Usually, it would gain one, sometimes two per night. Or rather, per Deep Sleep session. But during his recovery, it seems he earned about three to four Arts True Qi per session. Yu Han made more mental notes, though he wanted physical notes. He¡¯d buy paper when he went to the marketplace. He didn¡¯t think he would have the chance to gain any new information soon. So he had to address the elephant in the room: Primordial Qi allocation. A knock on the door broke him out of his contemplation. Chapter 37: Ox Tail Huang Niuniu brought in a sealed box; inside, there was rice and eggs. ¡°How much did it cost?¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t reject the goodwill. It was a simple affair. There were some chopped root vegetables with the rice. They tasted like taro. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for the Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite too. The ingredients must have cost a lot.¡± Huang Niuniu swallowed a mouthful of rice, then washed it down with a bowl of tea. ¡°The recipe booklet is yours. I can¡¯t take payment for that.¡± ¡°Then in the future, I¡¯ll give you money to buy half the ingredients. Take this first.¡± He handed her the Spirit Stones Hu Feng had given him. ¡°Okay. Did it work?¡± she asked. ¡°I gained a point in Vitality,¡± Yu Han said with a wide smile. The effect of the point gain was intangible yet, but he felt more energetic. Was it a placebo? He couldn¡¯t say. ¡°It sped up my Lifeforce recovery too. It¡¯s like a health potion.¡± ¡°Lifeforce?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Yu Han finally found something that he could share without a Common or Imperial Script barrier. He explained what had happened when he Levelled Up. ¡°Have you allocated the Primordial Qi yet?¡± Huang Niuniu picked up another piece of boiled egg and put it in Yu Han¡¯s bowl. She then poured him another bowl of tea. ¡°I haven¡¯t. But I know how I will,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°If the first Heavenly Allocation matters so much, are you going to go all in on Mind?¡± She hit the bullseye. Yu Han was hesitant to explain. After a minute, he opened his mouth, but Huang Niuniu held her chopsticks up to his lips. ¡°Shush. Don¡¯t share the details with me.¡± ¡°I trust you.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Okay, not completely. I won¡¯t say, then.¡± Secretly, Yu Han was relieved. Nitty-gritty data was the prelude to countermeasures. ¡°I think I can break through my Tribulation soon.¡± ¡°Do you need any help?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me.¡± Yu Han changed the subject. ¡°Since you took the Thrice Monk¡¯s Guide to Fasting Brews, you didn¡¯t select an Offensive Art.¡± ¡°I know that we need to have one at Initial Step Level 1 before we can report in for duty,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have something. It should work. I¡¯ll show you later.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t ask for details. ¡°Is Brother Yu home?¡± A voice sounded. ¡°Fang Zhao?¡± Yu Han opened the door. The youth with sparkling black hair and red eyes stood there, looking like a scholar. ¡°Sorry to disturb you in this inauspicious time,¡± he said. ¡°I wanted to check if you have settled in.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Yu Han made way. Fang Zhao followed, but stopped when he noticed Huang Niuniu. He greeted her and took a seat on the mat. Huang Niuniu poured him a mug of tea. ¡°We have no more rice, but here¡¯s half an egg.¡± She took another mug and put the egg on it. Yu Han had no more plates or bowls. ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Fang Zhao said. They chatted for a while, and before long, it started raining. Yu Han kept the window open and the cool wind breezed in. ¡°I heard that porters have a high mortality rate,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Why did you select that?¡± ¡°I made a deal with the Senior Brothers of the Courtyard. I won¡¯t require extra Spirit Stones, but they¡¯ll have to give me the blood of any Monstrous or Primal Beasts hunted.¡± ¡°Are you planning to do Alchemy?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes lit up. Fang Zhao shook his head, but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°How can a cripple enter a Sect?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You can at least cultivate, Brother Fang. So how the hell are you a cripple in the first place? Do you require blood as a cure, or maybe you have a very disadvantageous trait?¡± Fang Zhao¡¯s head snapped in Yu Han¡¯s direction. He laughed. ¡°I knew Brother Yu was perceptive. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t cultivate, but that I can¡¯t progress.¡± ¡°Have you seen your Tribulation?¡± Yu Han asked. Fang Zhao nodded, setting down his mug When Huang Niuniu moved to pour more, he hurriedly rejected it. That was his sixth cup. This Cow Girl, unless stopped, would keep pouring and pouring. The brazier crackled with the remnants of firewood. ¡°I have.¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t pass it?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, then covered her mouth. ¡°Sorry. We shouldn¡¯t be prying into your affairs.¡± Yu Han sent her a glare. ¡°It¡¯s not prying.¡± It was. He was being shameless here. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sister Huang. As they say, many heads are better than one. Perhaps I can¡¯t share the details now, but one day, maybe I¡¯ll ask your help.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s good that you know to ask for help.¡± Yu Han knew that Johan would scoff at such weakness. But weak as they were, they needed allies. Didn¡¯t need to be friends; business partners would be enough. Fang Zhao had shown enough goodwill for it, mocked and ridiculed as he was. He didn¡¯t look down on Yu Han. Of course, that all could be a fa?ade. It was tiring to live in constant doubt, though. Yu Han leaned forward. ¡°Tubs! You in?¡± Another voice interrupted Yu Han¡¯s chain of thought. Li Yao came in like he owned the place and grabbed a mug of tea. He didn¡¯t even dry his shoes on the reed rug. ¡°What¡¯s your talent?¡± Yu Han asked Fang Zhao. ¡°It shone at least,¡± Fang Zhao replied. ¡°Hey now, not even a greeting?¡± Li Yao grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re going to clean that mud before you leave.¡± Yu Han gave him a punch. The four chatted about the Sect, their lives before it, and what they wanted to do in the future. Yu Han, Fang Zhao, and Huang Niuniu were reserved, but Li Yao bared his heart out alongside a plethora of bad language. The rain continued, sometimes strong, sometimes weak. As the droplets crashed against the windowsill, they scattered into particles and mist inside the hut. The outside world was covered in a haze of grey. But after the rain, Yu Han knew the dust would be washed away. The birds would sing, the insects would chirp. Colours would look more vibrant, and new growth of vegetation would emerge. A smile broke out on Yu Han¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯re you laughing at, tubsy?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Gotta lose all that. Are you planning to sit on the Monsters to death?¡± The day ended, and a new one began. That, too, ended. Just like that, a month passed by. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 69 (+41)/200 Pure Qi: 0/110 Primordial Qi: 5 Lifeforce: 667 (+216)/720 (+48) [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 Clarity: 9 Focus: 10 [Body Origin: 6.00 (+0.40)] Endurance: 6 Vitality: 9 (+1) Strength: 6 (+1) Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 [Spirit Origin: 8.20 (+0.20)] Adaptability: 16 Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 9 (+1) Purity: 5 He dragged his feet and didn¡¯t allocate the Primordial Qi. He¡¯d gained a point in Vitality, Strength, and Adaptability¡ªthough he had no idea why he¡¯d gained the latter. Lifeforce capacity seemed to increase by 24 with each point in Strength or Vitality. It was still too soon to come to a judgement about it, though; the math wasn¡¯t that clear. He had actually topped Lifeforce. ¡°Ouch.¡± But he hurt himself just now during one of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. ¡°Again,¡± Yu Han said. He started from the first form of the first variation. Mountain Root Stance! He planted the base of the halberd on the soft ground, then got into a horse stance as he held the halberd diagonally. Kicking the base of the halberd, he used the force to chop down. Stone Cutting Chop! Before the sheathed blade of the halberd could hit the ground, Yu Han rotated his big body and swung. It cut through the air with a whoosh. Heave Ox Swing! One form after another, as if fighting an invisible enemy. The Yu Han from a month ago could barely hold the halberd straight. Going through one variation would make him drop to his knees. But now, he smoothly went into the second variation. Then the third. Fourth. Finally, the fifth. With the last movement of the fifth variation, which happened to be Mountain Root Stance again, he stopped. A clapping came from his left. And a ding sounded in his mind. Requirements met! Martial Art Learned -> Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. ¡°I got it!¡± Yu Han jumped up. When he landed, mud splashed, and it got onto his trousers again. ¡°The Art?¡± Huang Niuniu jumped down from the fence. ¡°Finally!¡± ¡°Sorry for being so slow.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t complaining. But this means we can report in for duty tomorrow.¡± ¡°Evening or morning?¡± Yu Han asked. He¡¯d seen the Night Soil Collector come with a donkey cart to the nearby stone waste tank, but it was always deep into the night. ¡°We¡¯ll leave around evening,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It¡¯s an Elite Grade Art, right? What¡¯s the Level?¡± Yu Han brought up the Arts window. [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 1 (+1)/200 sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elite Grade Level 2. That¡¯s not high,¡± Yu Han said. He scratched his ear. ¡°At least it¡¯s Elite Grade. Be satisfied, you greedy man!¡± Huang Niuniu gave him a playful pinch. ¡°I have to make do with a Mortal Grade Art.¡± She clapped her hands, then unhooked two objects from her waist. They had wooden handles with a leather grip, and long, coiled ribbons attached. Yu Han moved to the fence and leaned on it. The first time he¡¯d seen it, it was mesmerising. And now, he couldn¡¯t get enough. Huang Niuniu made a half-circle on the ground in front of her with her left foot, her right foot straight. She then swiped her arms. The ribbons fluttered like fireworks in the sky. She twisted her body, the ribbons following her like streams of water. They cut the air with swishing sounds, and as she rotated her wrists, they spiralled into drills. With each step, her gait would change. With each movement, the ribbons swam around her. Like dragons flying around a mountain, or the currents of water in a whirlpool. Suddenly, she shot her arms forwards. The ribbons shot out at a tree stump. Both hooked around the axe buried in it, one on the base of the handle, the other at the neck. She pulled, and the axe flew towards her, the ribbons unwinding mid-air. She spun, then jumped, but missed the axe. It clattered to the side. ¡°Silly flowerbugs. I still can¡¯t get it.¡± She stomped. Yu Han eyed the axe warily. ¡°Can¡¯t you do it with a duller object?¡± ¡°It has to be! Otherwise, how can I claim to use this in battle? It¡¯s originally a ribbon dance, after all.¡± ¡°It appeared as a Martial Art in your Dao Records. That¡¯s enough.¡± That was what they called the status screen. Originally, it was a dance taught to concubine daughters alongside other art forms like painting and calligraphy. A way for the concubines to show their worth, because how could they ever be the main wife? They were merely dignified courtesans, at the end of the day. Huang Niuniu had modified the dance, practising with two snake-whips instead of ribbons. No matter how much she tried, though, the Martial Art would not register. They then had the idea of covering the whip with two long ribbons sewn together like a sheath. She had to up her practice since the aerodynamics changed so much. But it finally appeared a week ago. ¡°Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance doesn¡¯t sound like a Martial Art, though. I¡¯m glad my plan worked out. Maybe I should change the name.¡± With a finger on her cheek, the girl thought. ¡°Do you think the name in your Dao Records will change?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great question. Who should I ask?¡± Huang Niuniu stuck her tongue out. ¡°I allocated my Primordial Qi. You should do it tonight.¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°What if you use it with your Bloodline¡ª¡± ¡°So pushy! I said I don¡¯t want to say it.¡± Huang Niuniu stomped, flattening a patch of grass. Yu Han held his hands up in surrender. Primordial Qi Allocation. He really wanted more information before making such a life-changing decision. In MMORPGs¡ªand any game, really¡ªthe first stat allocation determined a lot of things. He remembered that one time he made a Dexterity Mage, then had to delete the account. His fists clenched. The mocking. Never once was he invited to a raid. But the decision was already made. All he had to do was click some buttons. Chapter 38: Allocation Alone in his room, Yu Han wrapped his waist with a knotted rope. His fingers traced each knot until one met the other end of the rope. ¡°Four knots down.¡± He knew he was about a hundred and seventy centimetres tall. When he first arrived in this world, a guesstimate of his weight would be around a hundred and sixty kilograms. Today he was around twenty kilos fewer. A smile broke out. He could¡¯ve made more rapid progress. Herculean fasting, exercise, cardio, and all the other tricks in the book. He¡¯d tried that after having Huang Niuniu¡¯s fasting brew. The first chance he got, he binged himself unconscious. The Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality and Spirit Spite were definitely calorie-rich. It had been a constant push and pull. Now, he had enough endurance to push through exercise. Enough flexibility to perform Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms adequately. Enough strength to not let the halberd drop mid-stance. Now, he could min-max. Optimise his routine for true fat loss. Yu Han gave himself a goal, though it was somewhat involuntary, as that¡¯s when the Rookie Tournament would be held. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 12.20] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 17 Perception: 11 Clarity: 9 Focus: 10 He concentrated on the Memory stat. [Mind Origin: 16.13 (+3.93)] Memory: 22 (+5) He sat cross-legged on the mat. Midday light floated in through the window. Gradually, the insect chirps faded from his senses, as did the coarse texture of the mat underneath. A force bubbled up within him. First at his feet, then upwards, going through his hips, torso, chest, neck, and settling in his brain. A tingling pain rose and fell, like waves. Once. Twice. Thrice. Yu Han forced his eyes to stay shut and clamped down on his mouth, teeth clenched. Again, the pain rose, then it fell. The cycle of threes, repeated five times. Then it ebbed, as if it was never there. His tense muscles relaxed. When he came to, the light outside had changed into a shade of orange. His robes were soaked in sweat. Primordial Qi: 0 [Mind Origin: 16.13] Memory: 22 Yu Han decided to go all in on his advantage. The only viable supernatural power he had was related to Deep Sleep, and the Auxiliary Art Echoing Dreamscape. He could have raised his Body Origin or Spirit Origin Stats too, but the latter was too elusive, with no information to speak of. As for Body Origin, with his weight loss pace, he would be gaining stats in them anyway. Not to mention the brews. So Mind it was. The reason why he was able to complete the variations of Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms in barely a month was because of the relentless practice he¡¯d done in Deep Sleep. But the muscle memories did not transfer over. Neither did the instincts. What did was merely an echo of a feeling that he¡¯d touched and swivelled the halberd many times more than in reality. The forms, the changes, one stance to another. He trained his mind, resisting his urge to close his eyes or freeze in front of attackers. Wu Di. Gong Muhua. The Demonic dog. So that he would never flinch. With more stats in Memory, he could more easily recall past events, not only of Yu Han, but of Johan too. And the echoes would remain longer. Be more tangible. That was his only advantage. In one year, Sima Yan would come bearing his wrath. Who knew, maybe he¡¯d find a way before that. So Yu Han decided to specialise. Deep Sleep wasn¡¯t useless. With time and practice, with Echoing Dreamscape, he would find a way. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Are you done?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Let me change first.¡± Yu Han took out another set of robes. Huang Niuniu had started with Body Allocation. She put her Primordial Qi there too, though Yu Han refrained from asking which substats specifically. She had been training in the Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance since she was seven, apparently. Fourteen years of practice. Yu Han believed that the only reason he got his Martial Art at Initial Step Level 1 merely a week after her was because of the practice in Deep Sleep. His hands shook as he tied the waist belt. It was too late, anyway. He couldn¡¯t go back and change the allocation. He lightly clapped his cheek. Huang Niuniu stood outside the door with a backpack. Her robes were a bit faded now; the azure dye was not of the best quality. Or was it from wear and tear? Outside the fence, they saw Li Yao hopping over. ¡°Heading out, tubs?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Today¡¯s the big day, huh?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°Make sure to thank me whenever you use the outhouse.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll burn incense too.¡± They both laughed. The idea of being a poop shoveller had been crazy at first, but one month was long enough to come to terms with it. Besides, he had another card in his mind. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 181 (+46)/200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 139 (+68)/400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 133 (+103)/200 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 25 (+25)/200 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 1/200 Thousand Petals Awareness! It was a strange Art, with more limitations than uses despite being the highest Grade Art he possessed. Li Yao carried a parcel. He placed it on the ground, untied the binding rope, opened the hemp cloth, and lifted out a slab of meat. ¡°From a Level 4 Monster. I had to drink with my Senior until my liver almost burst. Better be grateful,¡± Li Yao said. It had been a while since he had honest-to-goodness meat, not the stuff Huang Niuniu prepared for the brews. Yu Han could feel the saliva forming already. Unlike the ship, the Drizzle, and the two starting villages, the Sect didn¡¯t provide free food here. There was a canteen, but it cost cash. Huang Niuniu took the parcel back to her place. Meanwhile, Yu Han went into his hut and came back out with a book. It had a simple cloth cover, and the paper was coarse and of low quality. It looked like it was bound by an amateur. That was because Yu Han had bound it. He echoed a YouTube video about bookbinding, passing out because of the strain. The next few days, he bound the book with makeshift material. The contents were penned by himself. He passed the book to Li Yao. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°You selected a Sword Art from the Scripture Hall, right?¡± ¡°Yep, they let me use a sword to butcher the beasts and monsters rather than a knife,¡± Li Yao said, patting the old sword at his waist. ¡°The Sword Stream Separation Art is my past and present. Future Sword Saint Li Yao, at your service.¡± He read the title on the book. ¡°Silver Serpent Blade Dance? Wait, is this¡­?¡± His eyes grew wider. ¡°Don¡¯t ask where I got it. Maybe it¡¯ll be helpful to you. Although it doesn¡¯t have diagrams, just some weird philosophy and poems I don¡¯t understand.¡± Yu Han scratched his head. It was a copy of one of the manuals from the Rookie Village library. The only reason he felt confident enough to share it was because it didn¡¯t have diagrams. Yu Han wasn¡¯t sure enough that his anime art style would capture the intricacies of the diagrams drawn in the other Martial Art Manuals, like Bronze Crane Leg or Thunderclap Punch. He wanted to do something tangible for Li Yao. The other young man quickly flipped through the book. ¡°Crazy son of a¡ªI get it. Huh? Is that what this means?¡± He sat down. On the mud. ¡°No way. You can use a sword like that?¡± he said like a madman. ¡°Li Yao?¡± Li Yao paid him no heed. ¡°If I can use it with my left hand, then I can dual-wield two swords at the same time. But if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°Blade begets blade, like a coiling serpent eating another snake. Silver light flashes; the dragons weave death at the infinite gate.¡± It was a poem. The brute Li Yao recited it as if it was the sweetest set of words in the world. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. Yu Han glared. She pouted, then changed her hairstyle from a bun to a ponytail. Yu Han nodded, satisfied. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s nearly evening.¡± ¡°We¡¯re leaving him?¡± Huang Niuniu pointed at the hysteric Li Yao. ¡°We don¡¯t know him,¡± Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu gave Li Yao one last look. Then they headed down the mountain. It hadn¡¯t rained for two days, so the path was nearly dry. The sky was blue here and orange there, soft white clouds dotting it like cotton. Soon, the blue hue of the sky deepened, purple appearing at the edges. The orange receded as the sun sank below an unseen horizon. Stars appeared. The moon was a crescent. They carried a lantern through the ups and downs of the mountain pass. In the periphery of the Outer Sect, the mountains weren¡¯t sunken in water, but had normal valleys, coves, and ridges. They passed by the Grotto of Three Old Frogs, then walked beside the Old Banyan Tree of Wang¡¯s Wife. After two hours, with night at the doorstep, they arrived at an old gate. There was a fence on both sides. It glowed with metal light under the shine of the moon and stars. Written on the gate pillar was ¡°Alchemists of the Night.¡± If they walked along the fence for an hour, they would see the majestic Alchemy Hall of the Outer Sect, with its varnished pillars, tiled roofs, and many courtyards. But the only thing the Night Soil Collectors got was a ranch. They walked under the gate. On one side, there was a stable with many donkeys and mules. A few had two tails, and some had horns. They all looked dumb. There were large carts piled up. Bales of hay were gathered below a tarp beside a shed with many shovels. ¡°You the new guys?¡± A Senior Brother was latching up a cart to a donkey. ¡°A girl, how rare. Womenfolk don¡¯t like this work.¡± ¡°We¡¯re reporting in for duty, Senior Brother,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Quiet. You¡¯ll startle old Five.¡± The Senior Brother patted the donkey. ¡°I have the east shift, so I¡¯m taking the waste to the gorge. Senior Brother Wen will show you the ropes tonight. He¡¯s the supervisor. The Elder in charge doesn¡¯t show up much.¡± With that, he was off. The cart creaked and rode out of the gates. ¡°It¡¯s fast.¡± Yu Han expected donkey carts to be slower. The ones he¡¯d seen in Riversong City, and even along the villages and towns in the Sunken Mountains, didn¡¯t move that fast. They stopped in front of the only serviceable building. It was a courtyard, seemingly well taken care of. The door opened. A man in full body armour stood there, a serrated hatchet in one hand, a bucket of red liquid in the other. Chapter 39: Night Alchemists ¡°No need to be alarmed,¡± the Senior Brother said. ¡°This isn¡¯t blood.¡± He held the door ajar, his deep voice muffled by his helmet. ¡°Come in, I¡¯ll get you up to speed. Or do you want to start already?¡± The Senior Brother raised his arm, bringing the hatchet up to his own neck, then seemed to realise he was holding it. He set it down, then scratched his neck. ¡°Y-Yu Han.¡± Huang Niuniu pinched his sleeve. Yu Han gulped, then took a step inside the courtyard. There was a clothesline in the yard. The skinned remains of small, monkey-like creatures were drying. ¡°We haven¡¯t had new recruits in five intakes,¡± the Senior Brother said. ¡°I¡¯ll wash up quick. Don¡¯t touch anything. We¡¯re gonna have so much fun, the three of us.¡± He laughed, then walked off. ¡°Did that sound high-pitched to you?¡± Yu Han asked. No reply came, so he poked Huang Niuniu¡¯s arm. ¡°Huh?¡± The girl snapped out of a reverie. ¡°Are those babies?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth, woman,¡± Yu Han snapped. ¡°Some things you can¡¯t say out loud.¡± ¡°Stormy Reef Sect is an age-old, traditional Sect,¡± Huang Niuniu said, as if to convince herself. ¡°It¡¯s not one of the few orthodox, but not demonic either.¡± ¡°I made you wait,¡± a voice boomed. A man in his late twenties stepped out from the inner house. He had the Sect¡¯s azure-white robes on. Short hair, a messy stubble, brown eyes set in a large square face. He grinned, showing two missing teeth. ¡°I¡¯m Wen Liujie, the eldest disciple of the Night Alchemists.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you drying baby skins?¡± Huang Niuniu shouted, pointing at him. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude,¡± Yu Han said, wishing he could hide. ¡°You mean these?¡± Wen Liujie¡¯s eyes widened. He walked to the clothesline and unclipped one of the skins. ¡°These aren¡¯t babies, Junior Sister.¡± Huang Niuniu sighed in relief. ¡°They¡¯re fully grown.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll be a porter.¡± The girl would have run off if it wasn¡¯t for Yu Han holding her hand like an immovable statue. ¡°Let me go, you brute!¡± ¡°You suggested this job, and now you want to leave me here alone? In your dreams!¡± Yu Han whisper-shouted into her ear. Wen Liujie closed the courtyard door. With a click, he locked it. ¡°We Night Alchemists get some worksite perks too,¡± Wen Liujie said, rubbing his hands. ¡°You¡¯re going to love this job. Trust me. Don¡¯t listen to all the nasty rumours.¡± ¡°There are nasty rumours?¡± Huang Niuniu asked with a trembling voice. ¡°Of course there aren¡¯t. Ignore that. The Coverall was too stuffy. Made my brain dizzy so I spouted nonsense.¡± Wen Liujie pushed them both into the inner house. ¡°You¡¯ll both receive Coveralls too. They¡¯re like Elite Grade Artefacts. Haven¡¯t started the job yet, and you already got good perks.¡± ¡°You mean the armour?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Why do we need armour to shovel poop?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t armour,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Just work robes. They protect your normal clothes so they won¡¯t get dirty.¡± He took them by the hand and nearly dragged them both into a room, locking every door behind them. They arrived in a changing room. From the wall, two more Coveralls hung. ¡°They¡¯re yours,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Can protect against fangs and claws, swords and arrows. You¡¯d need around two thousand Spirit Stones to buy one.¡± Yu Han touched various parts of the Coveralls. Huang Niuniu¡¯s back was pressed against the door. She kicked it a few times, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Are there dangers in this job?¡± ¡°Danger?¡± Wen Liujie looked angry. ¡°Who said that? Was it those bastards at the Mission Hall? I¡¯ll have a word with them.¡± Yu Han quivered. ¡°No danger? Then I¡¯ll leave,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I thought I could practise my Martial Art. I like danger. It¡¯s my first and last name. I¡¯ll be a porter.¡± ? Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Yu Han had a plethora of curses ready to go. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t be hasty, Junior Sister,¡± Wen Liujie said. Suddenly, he was in front of the door, shoving the Coveralls into her hands. ¡°This job is perilous and rewarding. You¡¯ll be the unsung heroes of the Sect. It¡¯s no less dangerous than warring with another Sect,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Hurry, put on your Coveralls. The night is young; tonight you¡¯ll have your first.¡± ¡°First what?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Taste.¡± ¡°Of?¡± ¡°Heroism.¡± Wen Liujie nodded. He stood firmly in front of the door. ¡°I lied. I don¡¯t like danger.¡± Huang Niuniu was crying. Big pearls of tears dripped out like a faucet. ¡°Junior Sister, this brother was just joking,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Of course there¡¯s no danger.¡± He then added, ¡°You both already signed the job at the Mission Hall, right?¡± His gaze shifted away as he asked. They nodded reluctantly. Wen Liujie gave them a thumbs up. His smile was radiant, as if a huge weight had lifted off his shoulders. ¡°Then why bother complaining? Accept reality,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s too late to back down. Not that you want to, right?¡± He slapped his forehead. ¡°I misspoke. Why would you even want to leave? Of course you don¡¯t. This is a highly rewarding job with many perks.¡± He placed one palm on Yu Han¡¯s shoulder, the other on Huang Niuniu¡¯s. ¡°Without us, the Sect can¡¯t function.¡± His eyes quivered, an unsounded scream echoing in every word he said. Yu Han accepted his fate. The Coveralls had an official name: Night Repelling Coveralls. The hard bits looked wooden, but it was actually thick leather. In YouTube videos, putting on armour was time-consuming. Yu Han hoped that in this case, magic would take over. Especially after having to drip their blood over the centre plate of the Coveralls. They had to bind it; it was an artefact, at the end of the day. Wen Liujie guided them through how to clasp and unclasp every belt, hook, and chain. Best practices, things to avoid. He left them in the changing room. Huang Niuniu went to a smaller room at the side. ¡°I¡¯ll poke your eyes out if you peek.¡± They changed into their Coveralls. After about an hour, they were on a donkey cart going towards the marketplace. The two of them didn¡¯t have their helmets on. Yu Han¡¯s was held under his arm, while Huang Niuniu placed hers on her lap. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta get used to the stuffiness,¡± Wen Liujie said, back in his Coveralls. ¡°What if you get ambushed and a stray arrow hits you?¡± ¡°Who would ambush Night Soil Collectors?¡± ¡°Just theorising.¡± They rounded back to the Old Banyan Tree of Wang¡¯s Wife. From there, they took another path that led to the back of the Outer Sect Marketplace. There was another residential area there. ¡°It looks tight,¡± Huang Niuniu complained. ¡°Did you clasp it too much?¡± Wen Liujie sat at the driver¡¯s bench. ¡°It isn¡¯t tight, just looks like it.¡± Huang Niuniu covered the mound at her chest. ¡°This was the loosest I could make it.¡± On Wen Liujie, the Coveralls looked heroic. The one Huang Niuniu wore outlined her curves faithfully, like an exoskeleton suit from a sci-fi anime. Since it was new, the leather also shined. When she¡¯d climbed onto the cart, Yu Han had wished he had his helmet on. He could¡¯ve stared without being judged. ¡°It looks good.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t know what to say, so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. ¡°That¡¯s not something I want to hear.¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. She squirmed uncomfortably in place. Girls always liked it when Johan praised their body. Did his compliments come out as harassment because he was fat? He was reminded of a popular meme. His mood fell. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you had one my size. What¡¯ll you do if I get thinner?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Junior Brother is ambitious.¡± Wen Liujie gave him a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to the Crafting Hall. They¡¯ll probably remove a few plates to refit.¡± The donkey made a sneezing sound. It then farted. Huang Niuniu looked like she was about to cry again. Her face was illuminated by the lantern hanging from a pole by the driver¡¯s bench. Above, the starlight shone, but not outshining the moon. She hugged her knees, burying her face in them. As the cart moved, she rocked along with it. They were sitting on a large piece of tarp on the cart. No other places to sit. In this job, they couldn¡¯t avoid getting dirty. Yu Han felt a tingling sensation. ¡°Midnight cometh,¡± Wen Liujie said. He rang a bell and the soft chime was carried by the cold wind. ¡°The helmet keeps the stink out. It¡¯s stuffy, but necessary. Works for rain too.¡± Wen Liujie rang the bell again. Huang Niuniu raised her head, then rubbed her eyes. She put the helmet on. Yu Han followed suit. After half an hour, they arrived at a stone structure. They were at the base of the mountain now, downhill from most buildings. The stone structure had a cylindrical base with a tightly shut stone hatch on one side. A set of stairs rose to its top, where there was a well-like protrusion with a pulley system. The well had a stone lid over it too. ¡°They paved the ground?¡± Yu Han said as he stepped onto stone slabs. It was like an arena. Wen Liujie crouched before a small stone with some characters carved onto it. He hummed a sutra and clapped thrice, then seven times. It was a shrine. It depicted an earthworm coiling around itself like a sleeping snake. ¡°Pray to the God of Underground Spaces,¡± Wen Liujie said. The playful tone was gone. They both followed suit. ¡°Stand here.¡± Wen Liujie tapped a stone square in the ¡°arena¡± with his boot. It was about twenty metres away from the stone hatch. ¡°Weapons out.¡± Huang Niuniu held her ribbon-whips. Yu Han removed the leather sheath from the halberd blade. ¡°I¡¯m going to open the door. Initial Step Level 1 will be more than enough to handle them.¡± Wen Liujie held up a token and pointed it at the stone hatch. ¡°What are we fighting?¡± Yu Han asked. After all the shifty denials and excuses, it was obvious that this job wasn¡¯t merely shovelling poop. Part of him felt deceived, but another part felt excited. Who would want to shovel shit in a fantasy world? ¡°Expect the unexpected,¡± Wen Liujie said. He jumped away, out of the arena. ¡°Let me see your strengths! Don¡¯t worry. If it looks bad, the shrine will buy you some time. Otherwise, I¡¯ll step in.¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± Yu Han cursed. The stone hatch opened, a cloud of dust rising as it slid sideways. An intense stench that even the mask-like helmet couldn¡¯t block assaulted Yu Han¡¯s nose. A dark entrance. ¡°Eek!¡± Huang Niuniu took a step back. Something chittered. Multiple somethings. Then there was the noise of hard objects tapping on stone in rapid succession. ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± she said, losing her breath. The tips of her hair turned blue. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A pair of eyes glowed in the dark hole, accompanied by the wet sound of tearing flesh. Chapter 40: Flight Eating Creatures The creature stepped into the moonlight, leaving a brown clawprint in its wake. It walked like a gorilla, its two upper limbs long, with sharp claws that clicked against the stone. Its hind limbs were stumpy and clawed, and with each step, there was a squelching sound. Its skin was crusted, like dried earth, with patches of sickly fur here and there. The head was small, mostly taken up by its gaping mouth. It had two fan-like ears and holes for a nose. The most uncanny part was the position of its beady, rock-like eyes. They were not at the same level¡ªthe left eye was closer to its scalp, and the right one near its mouth. The creature roared, flexing its spikes, the red shine of its eyes homing in on Yu Han. The thing was no taller than a toddler. ¡°It¡¯s small?¡± Huang Niuniu said. A semblance of confidence tinged her voice. The creature crouched low, kicking the stone floor. More exited the dark hole. Two, seven, fifteen. There was a small herd of them. Their stony claws didn¡¯t reflect light, and their needle-like teeth looked rusted. One scratch or a bite, and it would probably give him eight different infections. A thump sounded from behind him. Yu Han instinctively looked back. Huang Niuniu had fallen to her knees. He couldn¡¯t see much of her face through the helmet, but her eyes were red, glossy with tears. ¡°I-I¡ª¡± she stammered. She glowed. It was as if, under those coveralls, her skin had turned into a neon lamp. From the gaps of the leather parts, blueish-green light leaked out, some setions with tints of yellowish orange, while in others it was red or purple. Her green irises looked like two LED lights, with the same hue as the roadside signs in a cyberpunk game. It was mesmerising. ¡°Best keep your eyes forward,¡± came Wen Liujie¡¯s voice. There were multiple clatters. Yu Han snapped his head back. The first creature was barely five metres away. It moved like it had lost control of its limbs, one striking the ground after another, rather than anything that could be called a gait. It screeched. A wave of nausea hit Yu Han. Lifeforce -7 Behind him, Huang Niuniu screamed. He planted his left foot in front. He gritted his teeth, the halberd blade feeling oddly heavy. That one sound attack took 7 Lifeforce. There were fifteen of the things. If they all hit him, that would be 105 gone. He couldn¡¯t afford that. Would he pass out if his Lifeforce hit 0? Or would he still be alive if his neck was punctured, but he had Lifeforce remaining? He had no plans to test that. The first creature jumped in a strange feat of acrobatics. It somersaulted a few times midair, hind limbs waving as if searching for ground. Its maw was open, dripping with sickly pus and saliva. ¡°Heavy Ox Swing!¡± Yu Han instinctively shouted the name of the form. The halberd blade missed the creature. Yu Han used the momentum and turned, dragging the head of the halberd low and swinging again. The dagger axe on the other side of the blade punctured the gut of another creature. Yu Han hit the third with the halberd body, the other creature still hanging off of it. He had stood in front of punches and kicks, swords and fangs, and even the flying sword and crescent attacks of the Verdant Blade Sect a thousand times in his dreams. He would not flinch! That¡¯s what the training was for. Suddenly, a force slammed into his leg. ¡°Oof!¡± Lifeforce -11 He flinched, barely holding his balance by hitting the ground behind him with the halberd handle. He kicked out, and the creature that had bitten his leg flew away. But the one hanging from the dagger axe dropped on his helmet. It clawed the back of his head, and Yu Han grabbed it with his free hand and threw it aside. It screeched as it bounced. Lifeforce -6 Yu Han¡¯s heart felt cold. There was no such stance. Memories faded. Yu Han flailed randomly. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Fuck! Get off!¡± He kicked another away, then swung his halberd with one hand. The blade hit this time. The downward momentum was enough to cleave a creature in two. It raised a gurgling sound, then stopped moving. Pure Qi +1 Yu Han¡¯s eyes lit up. A creature was about to bypass him, towards Huang Niuniu, who was a sitting duck. He kicked out, barely stunning it. But four more took the chance to gnaw at his armour. Each tackle felt like he was hit by a charging dog. The fangs and claws couldn¡¯t pierce the Coveralls, but the leather was already scarred. How long would it last? A fatter creature at the back halted. Its belly expanded, then a harrowing growl echoed out. Lifeforce -23 The nausea this time was worse. Yu Han held in a retch. It felt as if the ground under his feet had tilted. One of the four creatures climbed up his torso. It jumped, aiming its claw towards his head. Yu Han saw doubles. He could barely keep balance, let alone dodge. A resounding crack blasted the creature into the air. Another impact hit Yu Han¡¯s thigh, knocking away the creature that had bitten into the leather. Lifeforce -3 ¡°I-I can fight!¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them!¡± ¡°Stop hitting me!¡± ¡°S-Sorry.¡± The silken ribbons danced, the whip inside them echoing one hit after another. This time, she didn¡¯t aim for the creatures on Yu Han, but the ones surrounding them. As her arms moved, it left streams of neon light in their wake. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Soon, her calculated strikes were replaced by wild flailing. She spun the ribbon whips around, barely avoiding hitting herself and Yu Han. The long lines of violence whirled around them. The ribbon whips had wider coverage, snapping like thick cords and repelling the creatures. As she whipped around, Huang Niuniu kept screaming like a madwoman. Each time her ribbon whips landed, she would shout, ¡°Get away! Stay back!¡± and similar exclamations. Her luminescence was still there. It didn¡¯t seem to do much other than create a spectacle. Blue, green, red, and the other colours of the rainbow in different hues and values. It was as if she was a light engineer, creating a neon piece for the F¨ºte des Lumi¨¨res in Leon. Or rather, she herself was the art piece, a whirling human of leaking glows randomly brandishing two makeshift ribbon whips. Her technique aside, it gave Yu Han the chance to get into stance again. The offensive variation, starting with Stone Cutting Chop! The halberd sliced the air, then bisected one of the creatures from neck to hip. Pure Qi +1 Heavy Ox Swing! Using the inertia, he planted one foot forward and twisted his body. It separated two more creatures in half. Pure Qi +2 ¡°Watch out!¡± Huang Niuniu shouted. Yu Han randomly jumped away and dodged a creature coming from behind, but was hit by Huang Niuniu¡¯s whip. Lifeforce -11 ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± She let go of one ribbon whip and snaked the other at a creature that was mid-leap. The ribbon whip coiled around the creature¡¯s torso. With the loudest shout of the night, Huang Niuniu spun the whip like a sling. The creature flew into the night sky with a fading screech. ¡°That¡¯s dangerous,¡± Wen Liujie said as the screech stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape.¡± ¡°Try to herd the remaining ones toward my halberd.¡± Yu Han moved from one stance to another. Most of them missed, but straightforwardly keeping the variation kept him in flow. ¡°Get back. Go that way. No, not that¡ªListen to me!¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s frustrated voice echoed. With each snap of the ribbon whip, she would corral the creatures together. ¡°Ox Horn Pierce!¡± Yu Han shouted, his halberd going straight through three of the creatures. But now they were stuck on the blade. ¡°Damn it.¡± Yu Han pulled the halberd back and kicked the oozing corpses loose. ¡°I did it!¡± Huang Niuniu cheered. Her glow intensified. Yu Han turned his head just in time to see her choke one of the creatures with her ribbon whip. Yu Han joined the fray again. The fight continued, and with one final shout, Huang Niuniu smashed the final creature on the ground with a slinging whip. It burst into bits and pieces. Huang Niuniu collapsed to her knees again. ¡°Are we done?¡± she asked, gasping and wheezing. Her light rose and fell with her breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Han said. He wanted to lie down, sleep for the night, but he kept himself standing. ¡°So you glow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a useless bloodline art. Not even bright enough to blind people.¡± ¡°It looked pretty.¡± ¡°So are you saying I¡¯m just a pretty face?¡± Huang Niuniu glared with red light. Literally. ¡°No one said anything about face.¡± ¡°You snail.¡± Huang Niuniu huffed and turned away. A clap sounded. ¡°Great work. Not the best fight, but for rookies, it¡¯s good enough.¡± Wen Liujie walked over, crouching above the corpse of one of the creatures that Yu Han killed. ¡°You stinking, dog-bedding, sister-sucking¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu let out a barrage of curses, only stopping when Yu Han thwacked the back of her helmet. It was as if someone flicked a switch, and the light show abruptly ceased. ¡°I hate you!¡± she shouted at Wen Liujie, then removed her helmet. Her face was wet with sweat, hair sticking to her temples, nose, ears, and lips. She looked like she had just run a marathon in the sewers. She keeled over and vomited. ¡°You need to get used to this, Junior Sister,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°These Filth Eating Ghouls are the weakest of the bunch. But look here.¡± He held up a button-sized rock. It was deep purple, with patches of green and yellow. ¡°You get to keep this.¡± He tossed it to Yu Han. ¡°A Monster Core. About ten for a Spirit Stone. This cleanup, you got fifteen. Not a bad day¡¯s work, is it?¡± Yu Han removed his helmet. ¡°Better keep it on, Junior Brother. We go down the hatch next¡ª¡± Yu Han vomited too. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Wen Liujie said. Fifteen minutes later, after copious amounts of water and more retching, Yu Han and Huang Niuniu stood in front of the hatchway. ¡°The well¡¯s open,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Now the boring part.¡± The older man put the lantern on a hook by the hatch. He brought out two stones and tapped them together. One of them glowed. ¡°Use another light source.¡± He looked at Huang Niuniu, who looked away biting her lips. ¡°Never bring fire in the tanks,¡± he warned. ¡°Or it¡¯ll go boom.¡± Yu Han shivered. Wen Liujie led the way down. ¡°The stairs are slippery,¡± he said, tightening the latches on the three shovels at his waist. With each of Yu Han¡¯s steps, something gooey would slip out under his feet. He kept a palm on the nearby wall. It was filled with yellowish slime and other unidentifiable matter. A shiver ran up his spine. ¡°I think I stepped on poop,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She¡¯d been crying for a while now. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it,¡± he whispered. ¡°I touched snot,¡± she whimpered. They reached the bottom, and Wen Liujie hung the lantern on a hook on the wall. The underground space was cylindrical too. There was a cesspool filled with filth, with sticks poking out of the waste here and there. A bunch of holes opened up above it on the opposite wall, depositing indescribable matter into it. From above, the moonlight shone through the well hole. A large bucket, twice as big as Yu Han, was attached to it. Wen Liujie grabbed the bucket and pulled it down, placing it on the stone ground by the waste pool. After some tinkering, one side of the bucket fell down like a sled. Wen Liujie stood and turned towards them. ¡°Now what?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Now we shovel,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°I hate you,¡± Huang Niuniu replied. The tips of her hair glowed. Chapter 41: Night Shift Yu Han tied the end of the rope to the donkey¡¯s harness. The animal yowled, sneezing up a hassle, then slowly trudged forward, pulling the basket full of hard excreta up from the well. ¡°Some pull it up themselves if they have enough strength,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Last time, one guy got stuck in the¡ªnever mind. Give me a hand.¡± Yu Han, Huang Niuniu, and Wen Liujie poured the contents of the basket into the donkey cart. They weren¡¯t just shovelling crap like idiots. Because of the Filth Eating Ghoul infestation, excreta would turn hard like bricks. Ghouls would spawn because of the intense Yin Qi, eat the waste, and excrete far more toxic material. The Night Soil Collectors mainly removed that, and afterwards filled the rest of the cart with normal waste. Yu Han brought the status screen up as he worked. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 69 / 200 Pure Qi: 7 / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 681 / 720 ¡°How much Pure Qi do you have?¡± Yu Han asked Huang Niuniu. ¡°Six,¡± the girl replied between heavings. She had power in her arms despite the soft and cuddly look. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°Why do you have more? I helped just as much!¡± ¡°How the Dao decides to reward Cultivators, only the Dao knows. It is fair, always,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°If I kill a lot of mosquitoes, can I get Pure Qi?¡± Yu Han asked. Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Not a bad dream to have. Unfortunately, you can only get it by killing Monstrous Beasts like these Filth Eating Ghouls, or cleansing Demonic taint,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Primal Beasts don¡¯t give any.¡± Yu Han shovelled up a hard nodule that had fallen over, dumping it back on the cart. ¡°Getting one or two Pure Qi for one Monster or Demon seems like a bad reward.¡± Yu Han had gotten a hundred Pure Qi for killing that Demonic Dog. Of course, he knew they wouldn¡¯t get the same amount. ¡°Junior Brother is greedy. Good. With the perks us Night Soil Collectors have, you¡¯ll be more than satisfied!¡± Wen Liujie laughed, the sound hollow from within his helm. ¡°Killing Demonic Beasts gives you anywhere from nothing to a million times more Pure Qi, for the same level foe.¡± Yu Han dropped the shovel. ¡°A million?¡± ¡°Maybe even a billion. Or more! The Dao decides, though rewards are based on the threat level. Monsters¡ªMonstrous Beasts¡ªare mindless imitations of life that have the potential to be life. Demonic Spawns, on the other hand, are consumers of Spirituality. The threat they pose to the existence of the world is of a different magnitude.¡± Yu Han gulped. ¡°Demonic Cultivators, too?¡± Wen Liujie¡¯s eyes turned sharp, glaring at Yu Han through the helmet gap. ¡°Careful when mentioning them. The rumours are false.¡± ¡°What rumours?¡± ¡°That Night Soil Collection is a fast track to Demonic Cultivation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ?!¡± ¡°Ignore that. Where did you learn about Demonic Cultivators?¡± ¡°A book called Four Meditations,¡± Yu Han said. He would not ignore that rumour, and would definitely ask around. ¡°I found it in the Marketplace.¡± ¡°The Sect should regulate it more. I appreciate the Sect Master¡¯s new policies, but still.¡± Wen Liujie shook his head. ¡°Demonic Practitioners follow a different Dao. Part of the Grand Dao, but far more insidious. They cultivate using Monster Cores without purification. They steal Spirituality. They consume the soul when consuming flesh, too.¡± He then warned them with a grave timbre, ¡°Cultivators at your level won¡¯t be able to use Monster Cores directly, even if you try. Not before Qi Gathering, at least. Just because Night Soil Collectors have an easy way of farming more Monster Cores, doesn¡¯t mean you can mindlessly use them.¡± ¡°Is that why there¡¯s the rumour?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Other Night Soul Collectors got greedy and used the cores directly?¡± ¡°Who said that? It¡¯s a rumour. Ignore it.¡± Wen Liujie laughed. ¡°Wait for the cultural classes. If you aren¡¯t exchanging them for spirit stones, then at least use them to make pills, elixirs, brews, or anything else. Never consume them directly.¡± Yu Han and Huang Niuniu looked at each other, nodding. ¡°We understand, Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Good. We¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s head to King Earthworm Gorge.¡± They got on the donkey cart again. This time, all three of them squeezed onto the driver¡¯s coach¡ªWen Liujie on the left, Yu Han in the middle, and Huang Niuniu on the right. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So you glow?¡± Yu Han whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Her irises glowed yellow as she winked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing useful, anyway.¡± They fell into silence. ¡°What do we use Pure Qi for, anyway?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Is it some kind of secret? I didn¡¯t hear about it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the meditation class?¡± Wen Liujie asked. ¡°There are¡­ circumstances,¡± Yu Han said. A fiery hotness bubbled up inside him. Apparently, the Senior Brother in charge of teaching them had looked for Yu Han too. Yu Han doubted is was to invite him over for tea. ¡°The nobles, huh?¡± Wen Liujie patted Yu Han¡¯s back. ¡°Endure. Their time is over with the new Sect Master.¡± Enduring was the only thing Yu Han could do. Eleven months. ¡°Some call Pure Qi a reward from the Dao for cleansing the world of otherworldly filth. Others say it¡¯s the True Qi of the very world itself. Whatever the case, you earn it when you kill Monsters and Demons, but never righteous Cultivators, normal animals like Primal Beasts and Spirits. Assimilating it can hasten your True Qi gain.¡± ¡°For only my Realm Level, or for Arts and Traits too?¡± ¡°Everything. They say stats also have hidden True Qi progress, but the Dao blinds us to it. With large quantities of Pure Qi assimilated, you may gain stats too,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Be careful, though. There¡¯s a limit to how many stats you can gain with training. If you gain more in Mind, that means you¡¯ll eventually gain less in Body.¡± Wen Liujie¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°But any extra stat is better than no stats. The Heavenly Allocation happens only once per level up, same with Primordial Qi. The Trials at each level are fickle too.¡± ¡°Trials?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Like Tribulations. For every level up, you have to complete a Trial. They¡¯re nowhere as bad as Tribulations. They say the nine trials before the Tribulation at every tenth level prepare you for it. But look at me, stuck at Level 9 for three years.¡± There was clear self-deprecation in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine,¡± Wen Liujie said to himself. ¡°With Common Talent, it takes decades to get to Qi Gathering, even if the initial progress feels fast. Unless, of course, you¡¯re rich. Then breaking through to Qi Gathering in a year may even be possible.¡± The donkey cart travelled away from the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. They passed by a snaking mountain path through a lush forest, the donkey¡¯s hooves thumping as it trudged through soft earth. Huang Niuniu had fallen asleep, leaning her head on his shoulder. ¡°Have you decided to be companions?¡± Wen Liujie asked. ¡°Companions?¡± ¡°Dao companions. It¡¯s none of my business. But I¡¯d have to give you a gift.¡± Yu Han was glad he had his helmet on. ¡°We¡¯re friends brought together by circumstances.¡± Part of him wanted to lie just for the gift. Wen Liujie nodded. ¡°Make a life in the Sect. For us Common Talents, dreams of immortality are too far away. I¡¯ll be happy if I can live until a hundred.¡± It was mentioned in Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations that Body Tempering Cultivators barely lived until a hundred. Most normal folks in this world had a far lower life and health span than on Earth. If one could live until seventy or eighty, that was a huge accomplishment. Qi Gathering Cultivators could live up to a hundred and twenty, and for Foundation Building, it was a hundred and fifty. ¡°Core Formation. It¡¯s something that doesn¡¯t concern us,¡± Wen Liujie said. His voice fell like the last chord of a song. Sombre, yet full of desire. They emerged onto a road separating a lagoon from a shallow river. ¡°This is the Blue Firefly Lagoon,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°After the Wisping Serpent Isthmus, we reach the King Earthworm Gorge.¡± The path was an isthmus. Blue fireflies twinkled around them like stars. ¡°Pretty,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Wisps aren¡¯t bad. Wisps are cute,¡± she said with repeated nods. As if trying to convince herself. Long grass with corn-like heads grew in the lagoon. Frogs ribbited, and after looking carefully, Yu Han could see the rushing figures of thumb-sized fish swimming in the shallow water. The isthmus path was well paved, wide enough for three donkey carts to travel side by side. The small river was like a quiet serpent, only the sound of its shallow breath audible. They passed some half-snapped trees, a few shadowy boulders, and one small shrine by the lagoon. On the other side of the isthmus was dry land. The ground had opened up, steep cliffs going down into a quiet abyss. It was a land of cracked earth, with giant crevices and deep gorges. Far away, they could see the looming forms of night-covered mountains. But here, the land was barren, the bottom deep. Wen Liujie drove the cart to a small shrine erected on dry wood. It had a similar statue of a stone earthworm. He got out of the cart, then lit an incense stick. A few feet away, there was a giant crevice, which gradually opened up, then met back together about twenty metres away. ¡°There are stairs,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Behind the shrine, there was a hole in the ground, with stairs sculpted into the earth. ¡°Never descend without praying to the Land God. The Monsters who lurk there are prey of the God and his spawn. They welcome visitors, but never thieves. If you stay with the Night Alchemists long enough, they¡¯ll give you some perks. As I said, we¡¯re totally great, and not like the rumours.¡± ¡°Gods really exist?¡± Yu Han asked. Huang Niuniu slapped his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t blaspheme, you dummy!¡± Wen Liujie laughed. ¡°That they do. From old ghosts to powerful spirits. They have mysterious powers. You can respect them, deny them, worship them, fear them. When you¡¯re strong enough, you can even kill them.¡± Huang Niuniu squeaked, ¡°Senior Brother! Watch what you¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re Cultivators, Sister Huang. We defy the heavens, while the gods live in it. Our Stormy Reef Sect is a Traditional Sect that leans more towards Orthodoxy. Our relationship with the Imperial and Divine Courts is mutually beneficial, friendly, and without discord. But there are Evil Gods out there, spectres masquerading as deities, stealing faith from mortals. It¡¯s our job to hunt them if one appears.¡± This world was mysterious. Maybe it wasn¡¯t all RPG stats and numbers like Yu Han thought. They dumped the excreta nodules and corpses into the gorge. ¡°These ghouls were too weak,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°A little stronger, and you could harvest them for parts. It¡¯s better to dump them here for the Earthworm Spirit Beasts to process. See that mountain over there?¡± He pointed at the faraway looming form. ¡°The alchemy and medicinal fields start there. Beyond that, you can find the Spirit Rice fields. The underground domain of the King Earthworm Gorge also has an opening there, and the Alchemy Hall, Agriculture Hall, and Medical Hall can directly harvest Spirit Fertilizer from the gorge exit.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if the Waste Tanks were connected to this place?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°There are some small tunnels. If they were too big, the other Mountain and River Gods would throw a fit.¡± ¡°Gods have politics?¡± Excitement bubbled up in Yu Han. Cultivators. Spirits. Demons. Gods. What else? ¡°That reminds me¡­¡± Yu Han looked around. He¡¯d read about this isthmus in Four Meditations. ¡°Is there a crab around here?¡± Huang Niuniu frowned, confused. Wen Liujie laughed. ¡°I see the Junior Brother has heard of it too.¡± They drove the cart back. This time, at the midpoint of the isthmus, they stopped near one of the boulders. Under Wen Liujie¡¯s urging, they got down. The Senior Brother clapped his hands, then bowed at the boulder. He stomped, creating a large sound. The boulder moved. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Eek!¡± Huang Niuniu screamed. The dirt and moss fell off. Claws clicked, feet tapped. Under the moonlight, a giant orange shell revealed itself. The thing was the size of a mini-truck. Yu Han looked up, falling down on his butt. Two beady eyes stared back. Chapter 42: Perks A metallic scrape cut through the silence as the reeds shifted under the crab¡¯s many feet. It loomed, massive, rusted orange as if painted with mud and orange peels. Razor-sharp pincers clicked. Huang Niuniu grabbed Yu Han¡¯s Coveralls and dragged him backward. ¡°It¡¯s going to eat us!¡± she screamed. ¡°Calm, Sister,¡± Wen Liujie said. The creature came ashore, each leg shifting in eerie unison. Jagged spikes jutted from its back, long vines of weed and moss hanging from them like ornaments. Its two enormous front claws were asymmetrical and bristly, while its eight walking legs were long and pointed. Its obsidian eyes remained empty of emotions, except for a hint of orange from those narrow, flame-like vertical pupils fixed on its onlookers. Each of the eye-stalks resembled a club topped with a long, pointy horn. One of stalks rotated left, the other leaned forward. ¡°The Non-Thinker Crab.¡± Wen Liujie stepped forward. He bowed, and the giant orange crab inclined its head in return. It shook its bigger claw. A piece of leather parchment fell out, and Yu Han saw strange scribbles on it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it says,¡± Wen Liujie said. The crab picked up the parchment with its pincers and went back into the lagoon, perching back into a shallow burrow. Its many spikes and two eye-stalks seemed to blend into its carapace, creating the illusion that it was just a boulder. ¡°So that¡¯s the crab that can¡¯t think,¡± Yu Han muttered. They got back on the cart. Soon, the crab was just a blur in the distance. ¡°Did you hear about it in the Heavenly Friendship Palace?¡± Wen Liujie asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It¡¯s in the book I mentioned before, The Four Meditations on the Hundred Thousand Waterways. The author apparently befriended a crab that couldn¡¯t think in a place called the Wisping Serpent Isthmus.¡± ¡°It was here long before I came to the Sect,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°About seven decades¡ªthat¡¯s what the Seniors say. Many people have contracted it, only to find out that it couldn¡¯t think. It sits just there with that parchment, asking disciples if they know what it says. Don¡¯t be like it, okay? Give proper effort to the job, and you¡¯ll receive many resources in return.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look like Common Script. Was it Imperial or Earthly?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Imperial,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She wiped her forehead with a small towel. Her legs shook, knees clicking together with every rumble of the cart. ¡°It¡¯s neither. It¡¯s a paper from¡ª¡± Wen Liujie hesitated. ¡°Probably a Ruin Trinket.¡± ¡°Ruin Trinket?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to think about it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Sect¡¯s Hidden Realm, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yu Han said. It was a mysterious place mentioned in quite a few of the books. Not only in Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations, but also in The Four Meditations and the Rookie Cheat Sheet. A place where monsters spawned endlessly, as did the remains of past empires and kingdoms. It was a land of unlimited riches and treasures, opportunities and dangers. Many of the Sect¡¯s External Missions related to it. In Blue Strategies Part 3, it mentioned that one of the most common reasons for disciples to create their own Courtyard¡ªa non-permanent sub-Sect organization not under the purview of any Hall¡ªwas to form teams to venture into the Hidden Realm. ¡°Shi Miao told me her master took her to the Hidden Realm,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°They hunted many monster cores to level her Trait.¡± ¡°Why does it matter if it¡¯s a Ruin Trinket?¡± Yu Han asked Wen Liujie. ¡°You¡¯re demoted.¡± ¡°To what?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I¡¯d rather just quit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m promoting you again.¡± Wen Liujie sighed. ¡°Get used to the Sect, Junior Brother. There are many things to do here, even for us Common Talents. It¡¯s better not to think about things concerning the Hidden Realm. Yes, you can get richer there. But you¡¯ll also find death and betrayal.¡± The conversation was over, and Yu Han didn¡¯t probe any more. The information in the books was limited. Dong Chou gave him mostly practical books, other than The Four Meditations. They all gave Yu Han a basic idea of Sect life, such as Cultivation realms, herbs, creatures, Gu, and Sect factions. None went into detail, though. Yu Han guessed it was around 3 a.m. when they got back to the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. After changing out of their Coveralls¡ªapparently, the Coveralls would mend themselves with Qi if placed in their compartment¡ªWen Liujie took them on a tour of the single building in the compound. ¡°Behold, as I show you the Night Alchemist¡¯s greatest perk!¡± He opened a door. ¡°Here you wash your bodies. The Sect provides us with Qi-rich medicinal gels and essential oils,¡± Wen Liujie said. The door led to the back of the building. There was another changing room there, and another bamboo door that led outside the building. ¡°I told others not to use it today. A special service just for you two.¡± Wen Liujie grinned. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. A stone pool lay outside with steaming water, surrounded by a high wooded palisade and covered with a giant tent-like roof. The pool was partitioned by a bamboo fence¡ªone side for men, the other for women. ¡°A hot spring!¡± Huang Niuniu jumped. ¡°Junior Sister is wise. A spiritual hot spring, no less. Every time after work, you can use it,¡± Wen Liujie said. The monkey in the hot spring chirped. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. The Blizzard-Eyed Aquatic Monkeys like to come down. They follow the rules, males and females sticking to proper sides.¡± ¡°There¡¯s going to be monkey hair in the hot springs,¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. She was then splashed with water. ¡°Kyaa!¡± ¡°They¡¯re Spirit Beasts, Junior Sister. Even they have face.¡± Wen Liujie chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll log your records for today. The oils and soap are in the changing room. You can take them home if you want, too. After you use the hot spring, meet me again. There are other goodies.¡± He puffed out his chest. Yu Han smiled wryly. Was the turnover rate for this job really so high? Or was the recruitment rate just that low? ¡°Hot spring! Hot spring!¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s mood was through the roof. ¡°Stepping on poop was worth it.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± They went into separate changing rooms. Yu Han took off his Sect robes, placing them into a marked wooden compartment. He grabbed a hemp towel and dipped into the hot spring. ¡°Ahhhh.¡± ¡°!¡± a monkey said. ¡°You said it.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t mind the three monkeys. They looked like Little Pillar, Duan Xiaolong¡¯s Spirit Beast¡ªfar smaller, though. From the other side, splashing sounds could be heard with Huang Niuniu¡¯s humming. ¡°This is the life.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t even have the energy to scrub. The heat caressed his very soul, the fog of the spring clearing away his stress. It started raining. Yu Han appeared in Deep Sleep. He sighed. It was time to test out the effects of adding those five points to the Memory substat. ¡°What the fu¡ª¡± He jumped up. There was a football-sized crab in his Echoing Dreamscape. ¡°The Non-Thinker Crab?¡± he yelled. The crab was an exact imitation of the giant one he¡¯d seen near the isthmus. ¡°How did you get here?¡± The crab clicked its claws. It circled Yu Han. . Its feet tapped the white floor. It gurgled, eyes dancing up and down. Unlike in real life, where it appeared like a slothful monolith, in the dream it was like a puppy. One moment it would be scuttling near Yu Han¡¯s feet, and the next it would be thumping against the shell-like wall of the Echoing Dreamscape. Yu Han¡¯s heartbeat sped up. He had thought this place was his secret sanctuary. But a crab got in! The crab tore a hole in the Echoing Dreamscape wall. On the other side was a cavern filled with speleothems. ¡°What the fuck are you doing, you stupid¡ª¡± Yu Han paled. He was horrified. The crab gurgled. A bunch of milky white orbs materialized from thin air and fell to the ground. One rolled to Yu Han¡¯s feet. He picked it up. ¡°Pearls?¡± The crab tugged Yu Han¡¯s pant sleeve. It took out a small piece of parchment, clicked its claws, then pointed at it. Then at Yu Han, then the parchment again. There were densely packed characters there. They looked less like Chinese and more like Arabic or Sanskrit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You tore a hole through my wall!¡± The crab¡¯s body dropped, as if dejected. It waved a claw at Yu Han, then scuttled into the hole accompanied by the sounds of dripping water coming from the other side. A second later, the hole closed like it was never there. All that was left were a bunch of pearls. ¡°What the hell just happened¡­?¡± Was it the effect of those five extra points? That couldn¡¯t be it. He woke up. One monkey was pulling his hair, the other two splashing warm water on his head. ¡°Stop that. I¡¯m awake,¡± Yu Han pushed the mischievous creatures away. He rushed out of the hot spring, then wiped himself with a dry towel and took out the Sect robes from the wooden compartment. ¡°They¡¯re clean?¡± And crisp. As if washed, dried, then aired. It felt like he was wearing a warm hug. But his mind was on the crab. Huang Niuniu came out a few minutes after he did. She was steaming, her face flushed red. The sweet scent of flowers wafted from her hair. ¡°I fell asleep,¡± she said with a blush. ¡°I¡¯ve only been in a hot spring once.¡± ¡°The monkeys woke me up.¡± ¡°They¡¯re nice.¡± They met up with Wen Liujie in the small study besides the large discussion chamber. There were many bamboo-bound scrolls on the shelves. ¡°I remember the first time I was here. I almost drowned after falling asleep.¡± Wen Liujie took out a wooden chest. He inserted a silver key. With a loud click, the chest opened. He took out two glass vials, passing one to Yu Han and the other to Huang Niuniu. ¡°A Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Normally, you would assimilate Pure Qi with your Cultivation art. That takes too long, though. With this potion, you can assimilate Pure Qi into Realm True Qi three to five times faster, but there will be waste.¡± ¡°Do we get this for free?¡± Yu Han asked. This was a huge gain. ¡°A vial a week. You can buy more for a ten percent discount, too. We¡¯re part of the Alchemy Hall, technically, so we get much of their stuff.¡± Wen Liujie grinned. ¡°It¡¯s best to take it when you have more than ten Pure Qi. It will waste a few, but you can gain eight to nine True Qi in one night.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother Wen!¡± Huang Niuniu sounded a lot cheerier, especially after the hot spring. Her half-crying, half-resentful voice from shovelling waste was gone, like it had been an illusion. ¡°Thank the Sect, not me,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°You should come around once or twice a week. With you two, the other Seniors can have some leeway too. You see that map there?¡± He pointed at a large map of the Outer Sect central area. In places, there were nails embedded with bamboo slips hanging. Each nail was the location of a waste tank. Each bamboo slip had a name. ¡°There are bamboo slips with your name. You need to hang them at least a week prior to indicate the waste tank you want to clean up. It¡¯s best to give each tank a few good days so that enough Filth Eating Ghouls can spawn.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How many disciples work here?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Why so many questions? Who sent you? Was it the butchery?¡± Wen Liujie barked. ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°Just work at your pace.¡± Wen Liujie patted his shoulder. ¡°It looks like there are a few hundred waste tanks,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°There¡¯s only about five on the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. Less than ten if you count the marketplace and a few of the nearby Halls too. As for the ones on the other mountains, leave that to your other Senior Brothers.¡± They both nodded. It was what it was. They didn¡¯t expect it to be relaxing work. ¡°And try to head over at night,¡± Wen Liujie added. ¡°Why?¡± Yu Han questioned. He had no plans of wasting Deep Sleep time. ¡°It should take a few days for your Lifeforce to fully recover, right? Other than that, the Ghouls prefer darkness. Also¡ªnever mind. Tell me if you want to exchange the cores.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hold on to them for now,¡± Huang Niuniu replied, giving Yu Han a meaningful look. They selected two waste tanks on the Nest of Storm-Like Heroes for the next week. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Yu Han pointed at a notice board beside the map. Articles were pinned to it like the quest board in an JRPG tavern. ¡°You can only ask about that when you get promoted twenty times.¡± Wen Liujie pushed them out of the room. ¡°I can find out on my own, you know,¡± Yu Han said, but was ignored. They headed back. When Yu Han¡¯s back hit the bed, dawn was already there. He had no trouble sleeping, even with the nap in the hot spring. In his Echoing Dreamscape, the crab appeared again. Chapter 43: Training Yu Han echoed a cool-looking stick and threw it to the other end of his Dreamscape.! The crab jumped up. It scuttled towards the stick faster than a dog, picked it up, held the prize above its head, then placed it at Yu Han¡¯s feet. ¡°You¡¯re a doggie!¡± Yu Han gasped. ¡°A doggo trapped in a crab¡¯s body?¡± The crab circled Yu Han, clicking its claws. Yu Han wanted to pet it, but its back had some pointy-looking spikes. He picked up the stick and poked the crab with it. It wiggled its body as if being tickled, then rolled over. Yu Han placed a palm on its hard-shelled belly and gave it a good scritch. The crab¡¯s many legs went haywire, twitching as if electrocuted. ¡°Are you a good doggy-crabby? A craggy? A dobby! Wait, no¡­¡± Yu Han noticed his voice becoming more high-pitched as he talked. ¡°Why did you appear inside my Deep Sleep?¡± The crab pushed Yu Han¡¯s hand away with a claw, then heaved itself upright. It moved dizzily for a while, as if drunk. Then it stood at attention, both claws raised up, the pincers snipping quickly. Yu gave it a good pat, spikes be damned. It brought out a parchment from somewhere. It spread the parchment on the Dreamscape floor and pointed at the words, then at Yu Han. ¡°I told you before.¡± The crab looked confused. Its beady eyes gleamed, its feet tapped, its claws snipped, and its body wiggled in anticipation. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It dropped, all tension leaving its body, and clicked away sideways. As it walked, pearls rolled around it. It moved to a portion of the wall and tapped it with its claws. The wall collapsed; this time, the hole was smaller. Yu Han held his breath. The crab went into the hole, and in a blink, the wall was fixed again. Yu Han gathered the pearls and put them on the previous pile¡ªthey hadn¡¯t disappeared yet. But as he did, he noticed a change. He picked up one of the old pearls. It had turned a shade of blue. Inside the pearls, something moved. Like a silhouette of a boy? Or a crab? He couldn¡¯t make it out. A few more pearls had turned bluish too. Yu Han threw them, stepped on them, clashed them together. Nothing happened. Could he choke to death in Deep Sleep? Yu Han echoed a monster core. It was like a broken rock¡ªangular edges, irregular shape, like a toenail-sized square that had been hammered until it had too many surfaces. It was smaller than the pearl; maybe about six or seven pressed together would be the same size. The pearls were a mystery, as was the crab. It was called the Non-Thinker Crab. But by its reactions, it could think. The ability to ¡°ask¡± was a pretty advanced cognitive process. There weren¡¯t enough data points, but the hypothesis was formed. Why does it keep showing up in my dream? The Wisping Serpent Isthmus was a twenty minutes¡¯ donkey cart ride away from here. Could the crab¡¯s ability extend that far? ? Nothing to it. For now, there was no apparent harm. But the crab could somehow modify Yu Han¡¯s Dreamscape Walls. With enough interaction, maybe Yu Han could find out more about his own Auxiliary Art. Yu Han put the crab out of his mind. He sat down and materialized Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplation. The paper felt solid. As he traced his finger over it, the coarse surface felt far more real than last time. The feedback wasn¡¯t like real paper quite yet. This couldn¡¯t be the only improvement after adding those five points of Primordial Qi, though. He put it down beside him. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. He echoed today¡¯s fight, and the Filth Eating Ghouls jumped out. As the first Ghoul let out a sound attack, he saw the other Ghouls in the periphery attack flinch. They moved with a dizzy gait, as if disoriented. Yu Han hadn¡¯t noticed before because he had been too focused on one Filth Eating Ghoul¡¯s movements. Or perhaps he was too nervous? Yu Han came up with a plan. The sound attack took somewhere from six to eleven Lifeforce points. If he could tank through it without losing focus, he could take advantage of their disorientation and wreak havoc. He willed the mirage to move to the next sound attack. Then the next one. Yu Han nodded, satisfied. He went through the fight again. A few more points stood out. They lived in literal excreta. Thinking logically, their olfactory senses would likely be subdued. How Yu Han would make use of that possibility, he did not know. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He concentrated on their features next. Gaping maw, pointy teeth, jagged claws. He could not afford to be injured. Losing Lifeforce was fine, but no actual physical harm was acceptable. That was a question he¡¯d wondered about before He made a literal mental note on an echoed notebook to look more into it. The interaction of Lifeforce loss was weird, too. In tonight¡¯s fight, he was sure that none of the Ghouls¡¯ attacks pierced through his armour. So why did he lose Lifeforce still? Maybe the sound attack inflicted magical or Qi damage. Did normal attacks also have that? Yu Han shook his head. He shouldn¡¯t be pondering stuff with no clear answer yet. No two creatures had eyes in the same position. Wen Liujie mentioned that the Ghouls preferred darkness. Meaning it was a choice? So counting light as a large weakness was out. Yu Han remembered Huang Niuniu¡¯s power. He echoed the scene of her rampaging with the whip, trying to figure out if her light show had any effect. Yu Han wasn¡¯t an expert on Filth Eating Ghoul body language, though, so he couldn¡¯t be sure. He made a note of a few movements, deciding to gather more data with more encounters. He swiped away the mirage. Then he echoed his own movements. It would be so much nicer if a life-sized Yu Han echo appeared. Instead, what appeared was the part of Yu Han¡¯s body he could see in his own vision, and a vague grey cloud denoting the rest of his body. The disembodied limbs moved with the halberd as the Filth Eating Ghouls attacked. When Yu Han started fighting, he would try to go through the offensive variation from start to finish, even though there was no need. It wasn¡¯t intentional. That was how he had practised for a month. It was muscle memory, the easiest thing to do. He had to learn how to best choose the individual forms of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. He brought up the Art window. [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 42 (+41)/200 ¡°Holy cow!¡± He jumped up. He¡¯d gained 41 Arts True Qi! Why? How? After a month of practice, he¡¯d barely earned one. This was the first time he¡¯d earned so much. The first time he¡¯d used Echoing Dreamscape¡ªto echo the green meteor that blasted him to this world¡ªhe¡¯d earned more Arts True Qi too. Was it the actual use of the Art? The perilous situation? Fighting against monsters? In Xianxia stories, the protagonists would power up every time they went through a life-and-death fight, sometimes in the middle of those fights. Yu Han wasn¡¯t in a life-and-death fight. The danger wasn¡¯t high. But maybe actual combat had virtue? He went through the fight as many times as he could. Stone Cutting Chop. Heavy Ox Swing. Ox Horn Pierce. He had to be careful of that. As he pondered and brainstormed, his eyes became heavy. He woke up to the sound of rain. Taking a herbal branch and some salt, he washed and rinsed his mouth thoroughly, then went to the attached outhouse and finished his business. From his window, he could see a path leading to the proper Nest of Storm-Like Heroes. Another led down to Huang Niuniu¡¯s house. Yu Han stretched. The first few times he¡¯d worked out without stretching, he couldn¡¯t move afterwards. It was sheer luck that he didn¡¯t rip a muscle. The rain stopped. Sometimes it would last for hours, other times only a few minutes. After warming up the legs, arms, torso, and neck, he took his halberd. The ground was wet, and in some places muddy. He hopped over a puddle, then took a stance in the middle of the grassy yard. His feet were already wet. The wetness had bothered him at first., but he was used to it now. Progressive Overload! He started with a set of eight. It was easy. Then sixteen. Harder yet. His arms felt weak, a line of sweat already forming on his forehead. He started the third set. Five¡­ Eleven¡­ Nineteen. ¡°Twenty. Twenty-one! Tweeenty-twooo!¡± He let the halberd drop. His muscles ached like they were on fire. He breathed in and out. It felt good. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Personal record broken. He would write it in his notebook after the exercise. Next, Heavy Ox Swing. Yu Han devised a specific protocol for this. He would first drag the halberd, then swing it in one direction. Using the leftover momentum, he would swing it in another direction. He would continue this until he was tired or lost his balance. It was training his brakes¡ªthe pulling motion. Most people trained the pushing motion just fine, but neglected the pull. It was paramount to keeping his balance. He didn¡¯t want to accidentally tumble while in a fight. ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± Afterwards, he held the Mountain Root Stance for fifteen minutes. Stability and legs! He did a hundred Swift Hoof Lunges. Cardio! He finished with multiple sets of slow, methodical Ox Horn Pierces and Grass-Cutting Hooks. Cool down! This was Yu Han¡¯s routine now. With enough grit and sweat, weight and cardio, he was going to get his abs back! Chapter 44: Numbers ¡°You don¡¯t have time,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She stirred the Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite in the pot. ¡°And I don¡¯t have money.¡±She ladled a large portion into his bowl, and steam rose alongside a pungent aroma. By now, he was used to it. It smelled appetising, even. Was this what they called an acquired taste? In his previous life, many stinky foods were seen as delicacies in different parts of the world. Some even gained fame as probiotics. Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite was probiotics on steroids. ¡°That¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said after finishing his portion. He rubbed the scar on his nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t get any stipend for the first month.¡± From his pouch, he took out two objects. One was a wooden box, the other a vial. The vial was the Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir they¡¯d received from Wen Liujie. Or rather, from the Alchemy Hall for being a Night Soil Collector. Yu Han opened the box, revealing a greenish-red pill. It had a coarse surface, as if many leaves had been pressed together to form a round shape. This was the Body Tempering Pill. Each rookie would receive one a month as a stipend. Yu Han didn¡¯t receive any spirit stones this month, but at least the pill and the five contribution points weren¡¯t taken away. Both had other ¡®official¡¯ names, given by their inventors and such. But in most places, they were grouped together by their functions. One helped assimilate Pure Qi, the other tempered the body. Huang Niuniu took hers out too. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I won¡¯t sell these.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s putting the cart before the donkey.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s verify that,¡± Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu gave him a resentful look. Yu Han pretended not to notice and cleared his throat. Both of them had agreed not to use the resources immediately after receiving them. Yu Han had suggested selling them. Would he have any face left if he didn¡¯t at least try to defend his position? ¡°Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite aside, the Vitality Spite is crucial. Other than raising our Vitality substat, it helps recover our Lifeforce,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Can you tell me why?¡± ¡°Without it, we¡¯ll have to wait longer between each time we clean up the Filth Eating Ghouls,¡± Huang Niuniu replied. ¡°If we sell these, we may continue the Vitality Spite for longer. We can hunt the monsters sooner. Get more Pure Qi. Well, that¡¯s just wishful thinking.¡± ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Did you check the prices?¡± Yu Han nodded, taking out a notebook¡ªa bunch of coarse paper threaded together with hemp rope. ¡°The Body Tempering Pill goes for around ten spirit stones. The Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir goes for anywhere from ten to fifteen. Let¡¯s say fifteen, for calculation¡¯s sake. We get four elixirs a month. So with the pill, how much is that in spirit stones?¡± Huang Niuniu glared at him. ¡°Really? Now?¡± ¡°The best way to learn is by using it in everyday life.¡± ¡°4 multiplied by 15 is¡­ 60? Adding 10 is 70! Huh? Even if we sell all of them, that¡¯s not even a week¡¯s worth of Vitality Spite.¡± Huang Niuniu beamed. ¡°How can things be that easy?¡± ¡°If we forget about Strength Spite, a month¡¯s Vitality Spite costs around 300 spirit stones.¡± Yu Han put the notepad away. ¡°How much do each of us have to pay?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s forehead scrunched up. ¡°One hundred fifty.¡± ¡°So how much do I owe you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a fool. 150.¡± Yu Han clapped, and Huang Niuniu broke into a smile. ¡°How¡¯re you gonna pay them back?¡± Huang Niuniu asked with a grin. She extinguished the fire in the brazier and put the pot and bowls away. ¡°Put them on my tab,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay them back later.¡± ¡°There is no ¡®later.¡¯ If you don¡¯t hurry up and get super strong, Sima Yan will take ¡®later¡¯ away from you,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She opened the window, and sunlight peered in. It was midday. There was no fog; the sky was blue and clear. ???? ¡°Let¡¯s continue. I¡¯ll have to hunt 1,500 Filth Eating Ghouls to pay you back. Why?¡± ¡°10 cores per spirit stone. Multiplying 150, the number of Ghouls, by 10 is 1,500. Just add a zero at the end.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you let me off the hook?¡± Yu Han pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m poor.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable. Can we even hunt more than 200 Filth Eating Ghouls a month? If we go ten nights a month, with each visit hunting 15 to 20 on average¡ª¡± That was a number they got from Senior Wen ¡°¡ªHow much is that?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°If 15, then we hunt 150 in total. Meaning 15 spirit stones. If 20 Ghouls, then the total number is 200, and we get 20 spirit stones! Easy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so proud. Even my niece could do this, and she isn¡¯t even three years old.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfair to compare me to a merchant¡¯s family,¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. The half-eaten remains of Yu Han¡¯s niece flashed by his mind. He had meant his niece from his previous life. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look sad.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry.¡± Yu Han closed his eyes. ¡°Fine, be like that. Let¡¯s say I let you kill all the Filth Eating Ghouls without touching one,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You can pay me back in ten months? So you won¡¯t be needing any Vitality Spite in the meantime?¡± ¡°Of course I will.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even paying me for cooking.¡± Yu Han started stretching on the mat. They would go out soon, and it was a bad idea to walk a few kilometres without a proper warm-up. ¡°After paying you back, we¡¯ll hunt an extra 3,000 combined for our monthly supply of Vitality Spite.¡± ¡°Are you planning on offending all the other Senior Brothers?¡± Huang Niuniu joined him in stretching. Trying to hunt 3,000 Filth Eating Ghouls meant they would monopolise the waste tanks. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s go back to the idea of selling the cores, pills, and elixirs to make the money. How much are we short by?¡± Huang Niuniu was silent. ¡°The subtraction table,¡± Yu Han reminded her. ¡°Say we earn 10 spirit stones each selling the cores per month.¡± ¡°10 from the pill. 60 from the elixirs. 10 from the cores. 10 from the stipend. 90 doubled is 180. So subtracting from 300¡­ 120? I hate that you¡¯re forcing me to learn this.¡± ¡°Not my fault. I don¡¯t want to increase my debt. You teach me Imperial Script, and I¡¯ll teach you mathematics.¡± Huang Niuniu growled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who chose it.¡± Yu Han had given her a choice between Common Script and Math. Huang Niuniu had made quite the improvement, considering it had only been one month. ¡°I know. I want to complain.¡± ¡°Complaints bring pain. The best way is to shut up and do it.¡± Huang Niuniu proudly stuck her chest up. ¡°You¡¯re in for a world of pain soon, mister. Eleven months go by fast.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to put your lot in with me. And you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu covered Yu Han¡¯s mouth with her palms. ¡°I want to see how you¡¯ll fight back.¡± ¡°Sima Yan will probably target you too.¡± ¡°So we get him first, before we get Wu Di.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve invested all the spirit stones Senior Duan gave you on yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll help me fight Wu Di and Huang Linxue, won¡¯t you?¡± They weren¡¯t having the same conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s calculate Pure Qi next,¡± he said. Huang Niuniu pinched his cheeks. ¡°Violence won¡¯t save you from numbers!¡± ¡°Then please make it painless¡± Huang Niuniu pinched harder. ¡°Now say we won¡¯t sell the pills or the elixirs, so our earnings are around 20 spirit stones each per month with the stipend and the cores. But now, we can get around 70 Pure Qi each month too, and with the elixir, we might level up in two months.¡± ¡°How can I get Pure Qi if I let you kill all the monsters?¡± ¡°Say we team up.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You forgot that the elixir wastes some Pure Qi,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget. I was testing you.¡± Huang Niuniu rolled her eyes. ¡°¡®Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations¡¯ mentions that Pure Qi can be assimilated to increase stats too, but we can¡¯t control the process.¡± ¡°Then if we want to level up, we¡¯ll have to use up the Pure Qi early using the elixir and turn them into True Qi.¡± Huang Niuniu pulled her hair. ¡°If we choose spirit stones for the Vitality Spite, we can¡¯t choose True Qi by using the elixir. If we choose Pure Qi to True Qi, we can¡¯t choose stats. Why is this so hard?¡± ¡°How can striving for immortality be easy?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want it to be?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°I want it to be simple. And it is.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°We have to earn enough spirit stones to get us enough Vitality and Strength Spite without selling the pill and elixirs. We have to kill enough monsters that we can choose both stats and True Qi for Pure Qi Assimilation.¡± Huang Niuniu raised her hands up. She walked away and brought out a wooden comb. She had bought it from the marketplace after much deliberation, then got offended when Yu Han told her to ¡°just buy it if she likes it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Yu Han said. He picked up one of the books stacked on Huang Niuniu¡¯s bed. There were two stacks. One had eleven books¡ªYu Han¡¯s original collection. The other had three so far, each made of coarse paper bound with hemp rope, similar to his notepad. ¡°Young Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations: From Body Tempering to Building Foundation.¡± ¡°Most Valuable Parts (Give to Junior Wang).¡± ¡°Checklist of Common Resources and Their Locations (Give to Junior Wang).¡± These were written in Imperial Script. ¡°I want you to read me Deadly Herbs next,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Not the Rookie Cheat Sheet?¡± ¡°Can I poison people with it?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Depends on who you ask. Do you wanna calculate Contribution Points next?¡± Huang Niuniu threw a book at his face. ¡°Hey! These are expensive.¡± Yu Han would read the contents aloud, she would write them down in Imperial. At the same time, she would explain the characters to him. Yu Han would sketch the diagrams with charcoal, though he was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to faithfully transfer the drawings. After enough buttering up from Huang Niuniu, he said, ¡°Fuck it,¡± and went ahead. Yu Han flipped through ¡°Most Valuable Parts¡± and ¡°Checklist of Common Resources.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take an External Mission,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll hunt monsters in the Hidden Realm.¡± They wouldn¡¯t earn enough from doing daily chores. They would have to gamble. Senior Wen had warned them. And in the books, the dangers were clearly outlined. ¡°Anything for power,¡± Huang Niuniu said. There was a dangerous gleam in her eyes as she trembled, fists clenched, teeth gritted. ¡°Shi Miao told me she got a hundred Pure Qi in a day there. We¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. One: We get the cores and other parts for the spirit stones by hunting monsters in the Hidden Realm. Let¡¯s not think about using the cores to grind our Traits for now. We don¡¯t have the alchemy recipe. Two: We buy the ingredients for the Vitality and Strength Spites with the spirit stones.¡± ¡°We could probably exchange the parts for Contribution Points too,¡± Huang Niuniu reminded him. ¡°We¡¯ll get some per External Mission too.¡± ¡°Three: Contribution Points. Four: The Pure Qi for both True Qi and Stats. Five: Plenty of combat experience, Arts True Qi. Hitting five birds with one stone.¡± Yu Han finished listing off their priorities. ¡°In our dreams?¡± ¡°Six: Gather allies!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind inviting Fang Zhao, but not Li Yao.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good guy.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that later. First¡ª¡± ¡°We hunt the Filth Eating Ghouls?¡± Huang Niuniu interrupted. Yu Han nodded. They walked a few kilometres and arrived at the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. There, they changed into Coveralls and took a donkey cart to the waste tank near the Outer Sect Marketplace. ¡°Tell me about the crab,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han explained it in as much detail as he could. As they neared the Marketplace, the density of disciples increased. Most scowled when they saw them. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the dung duo,¡± a sneering voice called out, accompanied by a cacophony of jeers. ¡°One must know their standing, hide their filthy stench in the night. Why are Night Soil Collectors prowling about during daylight, the realm of the living?¡± Sima Yan blocked their path, surrounded by Pang Jiming, Ma San, and about a dozen other teenagers. Chapter 45: Round Two ¡°Get them!¡± Yu Han shouted so loud that Sima Yan took a step back.Pang Jiming and Ma San drew their weapons, and the other teens followed suit. But Huang Niuniu acted fast. She jumped up onto the tarp-covered cart. Grabbing a shovel, she lifted the tarp and scooped up some leftover shit from the day before. ¡°Out of the way!¡± she shouted at the top of her lungs, moving the shovel back as if she were about to fling it. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, whore!¡± Sima Yan scuttled back, sword held in front of him. ¡°Move away, or you¡¯ll get a face full of shit,¡± Yu Han said. By now, he¡¯d loaded his shovel too from the driver¡¯s coach. The donkey pulling the cart had stopped upon seeing the road blocked. Now, with Sima Yan out of the way, the creature slowly trotted forward. Sima Yan and Pang Jiming glared at Yu Han with bloodshot eyes. Their sword hands trembled. Ma San looked as if he were about to lash out, but a hysteric "No!" from Sima Yan stopped him in his tracks. There were others around too¡ªordinary disciples coming and going from the Marketplace. All stopped to look at the strange standoff. The shovels remained aimed at the dozen or so kids. The donkey moved forward. Soon, Sima Yan¡¯s group was left behind, boiling in rage. ¡°That¡¯s what I fucking thought,¡± Yu Han yelled, spitting. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any honour, coward?¡± Sima Yan yelled back. Huang Niuniu made a motion as if to throw the load. Sima Yan yelped and immediately shut his mouth. Laughter rose from the onlookers. A Senior Brother bent over, slapping his thigh. More followed. Sima Yan¡¯s face turned so red he looked like he was about to pop, and Pang Jiming put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°They¡¯re not worth it, my lord,¡± he said. ¡°Just some nobodies, without even the guts to go to Martial Arts training or meditation practice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Brother Sima.¡± A girl grabbed Sima Yan¡¯s hand, pressing against him. ¡°Just a fatty and his fatter hag. What can they do?¡± ¡°Pang Jiming,¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°We¡¯re Cultivators now. Grow some balls of your own and quit licking Sima Yan¡¯s.¡± Insults were thrown back. There was a dangerous gleam in Ma San¡¯s eyes. Yu Han stared them down until they were out of sight. They dumped their shovel loads back onto the cart, and Huang Niuniu took her seat next to him on the coach. ¡°That girl was Liyi Tong if I remember correctly.¡± ¡°You know her?¡± Huang Niuniu shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s jealous of Shi Miao and Song Yinuo.¡± ¡°Not of you?¡± Yu Han stopped his gaze before it could linger on her curves. ¡°I¡¯ll blind you.¡± They went through the back roads of the marketplace. As expected, the disciples in charge of maintaining order there didn¡¯t let them pass by with a stinky cartload. ? There were wooden shops between lines of tent-like stalls. Hundreds of disciples milled about. In the distance, they could see the Reward Hall, and beside that, the Mission Hall. The cart rounded a small hill. One side of it was filled with stalls mainly selling low-grade herbal potions and poultices. One vendor loudly touted his immortal pest repellant, while two salvage dealers got into a fistfight trying to impress a customer. At the top of the hill were some cooking stalls selling unfussy food. The prices were cheap here, the worst of the lot doing business. Because rent was cheap¡ªafter all, the waste tank was just downhill. When they reached it, the sky had already clouded over. A grey gloom covered the sun. It would rain soon. ¡°We go by the plan,¡± Yu Han said. He¡¯d shared his analyses from Deep Sleep. Huang Niuniu nodded, brandishing her ribbon whips. ¡°Sound and strike?¡± ¡°If things get tough, we run to the shrine.¡± Yu Han brought out the token and pointed it at the stone tank. The token glowed slightly, and a slight mental prick hit Yu Han. He accepted the prick, just as Senior Wen taught him. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The stone hatch opened. Despite the clouds, the daytime still offered enough light to see inside the tank. It was just a hollow cavity, with stone stairs going down. For a few minutes, nothing happened. One Filth Eating Ghoul peeked out. Then more. ¡°Ugly.¡± ¡°They literally eat shit, girl.¡± ¡°Maybe a hero will be born among them, with eyes in the right places?¡± Huang Niuniu unclasped the whip buckle, ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice. The Filth Eating Ghouls started gathering near the hatch, but they didn¡¯t step out. They growled, cried, screeched. In the daylight, their eyes didn¡¯t glow. Finally, one stepped out. It looked up at the sky, its mismatched eyes squinting. It gurgled, looked at Yu Han, and took a few more steps forward. Its brethren followed. The first one inhaled, its abdomen bulging. ¡°Ready?¡± Yu Han moved into a lunging stance. The Ghouls screeched. Lifeforce -7 The nausea hit. Yu Han gritted his teeth through it. The other Ghouls around the one that screeched stumbled, unsteady. ¡°Now!¡± Yu Han lunged forward with a Swift Hoof Lunge. The spear-like blade of the halberd pierced the head of the Ghoul. Pure Qi +1 Two snaking whips shot out to Yu Han¡¯s left, wrapping around the lanky upper limbs of two Ghouls. The whips pulled taut, and the two Ghouls were flung away. Yu Han breathed in so deeply that some of the stink bypassed the coverall helmet¡¯s protection. He yelled. The Ghouls who were trying to get up flinched back. Stone Cutting Chop! Heavy Ox Swing! The first attack sliced one, the next bisected two. Pure Qi +2 From the corner of his eye, he saw another creature being flung away by a whip. ¡°Remember to kill them!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t rush me!¡± a hoarse cry returned. Yu Han¡¯s shout served to disorient the three rushing at him, too. It was akin to strategies of shouting and clanging metals to keep beasts away. He struck out with his halberd, mushing the brains of one. The other two managed to get their claws in. Lifeforce -11 ¡°Get away!¡± Yu Han shouted. They flinched but almost instantly pounced back. Yu Han kicked one away, but the other tried to bite his arm. Yu Han punched. Monsters though they may be, these creatures were only the size of toddlers. Yu Han chopped down and put it out of its misery. The one he kicked had somehow grabbed hold of his leg. Yu Han stomped on the monster. With a loud squelch, the Filth Eating Ghoul burst like a gore-filled balloon. ¡°Why won¡¯t you die?¡± a shrill voice yelled. Four Filth Eating Ghouls lay around Huang Niuniu with their heads twisted in the wrong direction. A fifth was trying to get her, and the girl was randomly whipping it. Finally, one whip managed to tangle the creature¡¯s torso. She pulled, and it flew towards her. She kicked out; the Ghoul flew back like a basketball. She ran up to it before it could get to its feet and jumped, stomping on its head with all her weight. The fight was over. ¡°I got 6 Pure Qi,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I have 5.¡± Yu Han had killed seven, while Huang Niuniu took care of five. ¡°The math is wrong!¡± Huang Niuniu said after counting. ¡°Maybe Pure Qi isn¡¯t given per kill. How¡¯s your Lifeforce? I lost 21.¡± ¡°¡­40.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you go hand-to-hand even though you have a weapon.¡± Yu Han handed her his dagger. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°This dagger cost 150 spirit stones.¡± Huang Niuniu kicked his shin lightly. No Lifeforce was lost, even though he lost some when Huang Niuniu hit him with friendly fire. She took the dagger nonetheless. They removed the monster cores. They were given a special bladed scoop for it. Then they dumped the corpses onto the cart. The well lid had to be removed manually. If it was a month ago, Yu Han would never have been able to do it. With Huang Niuniu helping, it wasn¡¯t that hard. The girl had her first Heavenly Allocation in Body, after all. And Yu Han suspected she had put quite a few points into Strength. They lowered the large bucket, then took out a long rope and tied the pulley of the well to the donkey. Then they entered the stone tank hatch. The cesspool stunk. There were a few strange plants growing here and there. ¡°Look, that one¡¯s like you.¡± Yu Han pointed at a brownish stalk with a leafy flower on top. The edges of the petals glowed slightly. Even in the lantern light, the luminescence wasn¡¯t lost. ¡°That¡¯s an ingredient for the Fasting Brew!¡± Huang Niuniu perked up. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine if we boil it.¡± Yu Han¡¯s stomach dropped. He spat out some polite curses and started shovelling. After the large bucket was full, he went up and had the donkey pull it back. They spent an hour loading waste onto the cart. Afterwards, they headed up the hill again. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t rain, and the sky was clear again. They were nearing afternoon. ¡°Wait here,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She took a side path into the marketplace. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 74 / 200 Pure Qi: 10 / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 699 (-21) / 720 He assimilated two Pure Qi into True Qi by normal meditation and gained five. Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms True Qi: 77 (+35) / 200 Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms showed good progress too. At this rate, he could level the mastery up in a few days. These Arts and stats. It was hard to consciously notice the differences when they went up. Yu Han didn¡¯t know if it was normal to become so proficient in just a month. In his past life, he¡¯d seen weapon masters on YouTube claiming that real-world mastery might take years. On the contrary, in ancient times, many hastily drafted soldiers were farmers and serfs. They wouldn¡¯t have had much training, but they could cleave and chop and sever a head from a body nonetheless. Not to mention, most of those commoner soldiers would use spears¡ªsomething quite close in form to a halberd. Huang Niuniu returned carrying a basket full of herbs. ¡°I can make the Fasting Brew now.¡± ¡°You realise we¡¯ll be eating those¡­ Is it a good idea to put them on a shit-covered cart?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if we boil them.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Huang Niuniu stuck her tongue out. Despite that, the basket was thoroughly covered with fabric, so it probably wouldn¡¯t be contaminated. ¡°Next one?¡± Yu Han asked. The day was still young. ¡°We can. But Senior Wen said the other stone tank might have more monsters.¡± She thought for a bit. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Chapter 46: Fasting Brew A disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall blocked their path near the next stone tank.¡°The Night Soil Collectors conduct their business at night. Why are you two going around during the day?¡± the woman asked. She had one hand on the hilt of her sword. ¡°There¡¯s no rule about that,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s always been done,¡± the woman shot back. ¡°Not to mention having monsters running around during daytime.¡± ¡°The Filth Eating Ghouls are weak during the day. Do you want us to risk our lives and fight when they¡¯re at their strongest?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°To avoid being a bother?¡± ¡°Does Disciple Wen Liujie know?¡± ¡°We are free to choose our own itinerary,¡± Yu Han said. He didn¡¯t want to offend anyone, but he stood his ground. ¡°We¡¯ve had reports that you threatened to ruin public order by flinging waste materials on the streets,¡± the woman said. ¡°Senior Sister, that¡¯s obviously a lie! What would we gain by doing that?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But I¡¯d like to make a report back.¡± ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± ¡°This morning, someone tried to block our path to a waste tank. If we were late cleaning it, the waste would have clogged the cesspool, causing it to overflow into the outhouses in the area. Thank god we made it in time! I suspect it¡¯s a devious plan against the Sect¡¯s public order.¡± Yu Han said, looking wronged. ¡°I¡¯m a weak rookie. The next time that happens, I¡¯ll probably be late cleaning up stone tanks. I¡¯ll head back and let Senior Wen know. Maybe he can personally clean it up.¡± The woman laughed. ¡°Is that so? We in the Law Enforcement Hall will keep it in mind.¡± Wen Liujie was busy trying to break through, and so he had left most of the duties to younger disciples. The Night Soil Collectors, being an outcast group by their very nature, supposedly had a strong internal unity. Yu Han had yet to see it. But marking a stone tank and letting it simmer for far longer than necessary was a common tactic to petition for their rights. The woman stepped aside. Yu Han tapped the donkey with the stick, and the cart moved. He bowed to the woman. ¡°Was that okay? She¡¯s from the Law Enforcement Hall.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s brow creased. ¡°Did we break any laws?¡± ¡°Maybe an unwritten one. Senior Wen seemed pretty discontent when we told him we¡¯d be doing our rounds during the daytime.¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t written, it¡¯s fart.¡± Yu Han scoffed. ¡°Besides, that Senior Sister wasn¡¯t angry at us. Whoever made the stupid report made her go out of her way to check the matter. She had to warn us, and she did.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°If not, she¡¯d insist, and we¡¯d have no choice but to turn back. She¡¯s probably more pissed off at Sima Yan¡¯s group.¡± Huang Niuniu breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°How can you be sure?¡± Yu Han knew internal review¡ªat least at Nexus Assurance Auditing, the company he worked at for most of his life. Those bastards earned free money sitting on their butts. They wanted no trouble; they just wanted to drink coffee and cash in checks for doing nothing. Even if there were problems, it didn¡¯t concern them unless it was reported. They¡¯d only go out of their way to investigate if it was serious stuff like embezzlement or insider trading. If someone made a formal report, though, no matter how minor the issue, they¡¯d have to investigate, even if just for show. It wasted valuable time they could spend on real problems, creating thankless work. They arrived at the next stone waste tank. ¡°Ready?¡± Yu Han asked. Huang Niuniu nodded. She took the vanguard this time. Yu Han opened the hatch. Soon, Filth Eating Ghouls gathered near the entrance. They snarled, but stayed inside. The daylight was bright; it didn¡¯t seem like it would rain soon. Even when clouds blocked the sun, it wasn¡¯t dark enough. ¡°Can we lure them out?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°What if we throw a ghoul corpse? Maybe they¡¯ll get mad and rush out?¡± Yu Han suggested. ¡°Or they might get scared,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°How about we dump some waste? They¡¯ll be attracted to the food!¡± ¡°There¡¯s way more in the cesspool. They don¡¯t have to come out into the sun for that.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. They fell silent. Time passed, and Huang Niuniu took a few careful steps forward. As she neared the entrance, the Filth Eating Ghouls snarled louder. The leading monster reached out, about to jump, but controlled itself. ¡°This much should be enough,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She lashed out with her whip, wrapping it around the torso of the leading Filth Eating Ghoul. ¡°Come here!¡± she shouted, pulling the whip. The Filth Eating Ghoul flew, and as it neared, Huang Niuniu unsheathed the dagger and stabbed it into the monster¡¯s head. The remaining creatures were instantly riled up. They growled, then rushed at her. ¡°Nice thinking,¡± Yu Han praised. Her ribbon whips had a range of about twelve feet, long enough to keep her safe while attacking. ¡°Next time, we could probably just throw a stone.¡± ¡°Should¡¯ve said that sooner,¡± Huang Niuniu grumbled. She let the dagger fall at her feet and unclasped the other ribbon whip. ¡°Take some distance.¡± Yu Han jumped a few steps back. Huang Niuniu took a stance with both her feet slowly dragging on the ground. Her arms moved, and the ribbon whips danced in the air. The cloth ribbons fluttered like silken flames, but their heavy whip cores struck the stone ground with surprising force. They tore the air with loud whooshing sounds, and when colliding with the ground, the noise echoed like beating drums. ¡°This is so annoying,¡± Huang Niuniu complained. Her Martial Art was called Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance. The previous two times, because she¡¯d been using the ribbon whips like normal whips, she didn¡¯t gain much Arts True Qi. She had to go through the motions of the dance. ¡°I can¡¯t fight like this,¡± she said. ¡°The loud noise is keeping the monsters at bay, though,¡± Yu Han commented. The motion of the whips was less erratic, but because Huang Niuniu was concentrating on the dance, she couldn¡¯t skillfully bind the monsters or throw them. The Filth Eating Ghouls tried jumping her, but they would either be hit by the whip or become disoriented because of the noise. For some strange reason, though, all twenty-two monsters kept their focus on Huang Niuniu and didn¡¯t try to bypass her to attack Yu Han. ¡°The noise scares them, but it also attracts them?¡± Yu Han guessed. The swishing sound of the ribbon whips was loud enough to drown out his voice. ¡°What did you say?¡± Huang Niuniu shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you!¡± ¡°Keep dancing like that. Try to hit as many Filth Eating Ghouls as you can,¡± Yu Han said. Whenever he saw a disoriented monster, he¡¯d jab out with the halberd. Slowly, the Filth Eating Ghouls got used to the sound and didn¡¯t get disoriented. ¡°My arms hurt,¡± Huang Niuniu complained. She¡¯d been dancing for almost fifteen minutes now. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Eight left!¡± With her tanking the aggro, Yu Han had been able to pick off fourteen of them one by one. Some of the Ghouls tried to use their sonic attack. But every time they tried, Huang Niuniu would interrupt them with a whiplash, then Yu Han would lunge in and finish the work. After five minutes, Huang Niuniu collapsed onto her back. She threw her helmet off, her shoulder-length hair sticking to her sweaty forehead. Yu Han killed the last monster with a Heavy Ox Swing. ¡°Finally,¡± she gasped. ¡°Let me check¡ª¡± She shot up to a sitting position. ¡°74 Arts True Qi! And 1 Pure Qi.¡± Yu Han checked his own gains. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 74 / 200 Pure Qi: 22 (+12) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 692 (-7) / 720 Next, the Art. Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms True Qi: 92 (+15) / 200 ¡°My Martial Art only gained 15 True Qi,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll conclude that even if one doesn¡¯t give a monster the finishing blow, as long as they participate in the battle, they¡¯ll get a fair share of Pure Qi. On the other hand, even if I¡¯m the one killing the monsters, my Martial Arts True Qi won¡¯t increase much unless I use it in the battle in a meaningful way.¡± ¡°Duh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to verbalize this.¡± ¡°Pull me up.¡± Yu Han grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet. They harvested the cores and threw the corpses in the cart. It was about eighty percent full already. Next was the hardened nodules. The duo made their way to the King Earthworm Gorge, dumping all the waste and corpses into the crevice. ¡°Feels like I¡¯m committing an environmental crime.¡± On Earth, many companies would try to save costs by illegal dumping. It would destroy the ecosystem, but save their wallets. Here, however, they had magic to take care of all the side effects. ¡°Do you wanna go down there?¡± Huang Niuniu peered down the stairway. The stairs going down into the gorge itself were wide, but had no guardrails. One slip, and it was straight down to excreta hell. ¡°No thanks,¡± Yu Han said, crossing his arms. ¡°Maybe we can find more precious herbs? Or the deadly ones?¡± ¡°No thanks!¡± ¡°What a bore.¡± They stopped by the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard to clean up, where they met a few coworkers. Some talked, others were silent. The Coveralls were placed in their proper storage, allowing the cuts to self-mend by some alchemy magic. There was still daylight when they returned home. Huang Niuniu prepared the Fasting Brew. It was mostly various herbs, roots, and flowers boiled in water. ¡°Calorie zero?¡± Yu Han commented. ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®Kai Luo Lie?¡¯¡± ¡°The amount of energy in food. It¡¯s the evil stuff that makes you fat!¡± Huang Niuniu scuttled back and patted her body. ¡°You think I¡¯m fat?¡± ¡°Not ¡®you¡¯ you. ¡®You¡¯ as in the general people.¡± The brew had a pale yellow colour. Huang Niuniu scooped out the plants and placed them in a pot. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like p¡ª¡± ¡°Shush!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡ª¡± ¡°If you have nothing good to say, don¡¯t say it,¡± she said adamantly. Yu Han sipped the brew and cringed. It was like licking rock salt. She didn¡¯t even put salt in it, so why was it so¡ª The bitterness hit. ¡°Gulp it down. Wash it down with water,¡± Huang Niuniu led by example. Her white face turned green, then purple. Yu Han pinched his nose and did the same. ¡°Ugh.¡± He trudged back home. With no motivation to train, he fell on the bed. He sat up and took out a vial from his sack. Huang Niuniu and he had agreed to take the Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir tonight. Senior Wen had advised them to take it either while doing a closed-door cultivation in a cultivation cave or before sleep. He popped the vial and chugged it down. The mellow sweetness touched his tongue, tasting like cough medicine. In his Dreamscape, the crab appeared again, reenacting their previous interactions. It dropped more strange pearls. Some of the previous pearls had turned sapphire blue, the mirage inside of them still obscure but comparatively clearer. The hole in the Dreamscape wall was child-sized this time, and the crab¡¯s size was similar to a large dog. It went away, disheartened. Yu Han did more tests. His conclusion: echoed events and objects lasted about 1.2 times longer. They had clearer details. The area of the dreamscape had also increased a tiny bit. The next morning, Yu Han woke up screaming. Chapter 47: New Plans ¡°I knew this was a bad idea!¡± Yu Han screamed. He heaved himself out of bed and rushed to the outhouse.He¡¯d had the Fasting Brew, then a magical cultivation drug. An upset stomach was the least of his worries. After half an hour, Fatty Yu came out with weak knees. ¡°Fuck hole-in-the-ground toilets, fuck water rocks. I¡¯m going to make indoor plumbing and commode toilets if it¡¯s the last thing I do¡ª¡± He stopped, then headed back in again. The curses continued for two hours. When he was done, he filled a bucket with water. It would be a poor bath, but with soap from the hot spring, at least he¡¯d feel clean. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 78 (+9) / 200 Pure Qi: 11 (-11) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 711 / 720 [Mind Origin: 16.13] [Body Origin: 6.00] [Spirit Origin: 8.20] ¡°Huh?¡± It worked. He¡¯d gained 9 True Qi. Assuming 1 or 2 were from Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique and natural True Qi gain, 7 or 8 were from assimilated Pure Qi. Not a bad deal by any means. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 189 (+8) / 200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 179 (+40) / 400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 188 (+55) / 200 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 127 (+35) / 200 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 37 (+12) / 200 Next, traits. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0 / 1100 Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 2 (+1) / 800 Yu Han stared at the Qi Affinity trait. Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations alluded to a lot of things, and Senior Wen had confirmed a lot of the allusions. ? If a cultivator had Mortal Grade Qi Affinity¡ªwhich was Common Talent that shone red with the Talent Orb¡ªtheir usual limit would be the Qi Gathering Realm. For Refined Talents¡ªElite Grade Qi Affinity¡ªthe limit was Foundation Building. For Profound Talents, with Qi Affinity above Elite like Wu Di¡¯s, they could aim to break through Foundation Building. With enough practice and dedication, and a little bit of luck, going from Body Tempering to Qi Gathering wouldn¡¯t be an issue. But for Common Talents like Yu Han, Huang Niuniu, and Senior Wen Liujie, they would spend most of their lives trying to grind the Qi Affinity to the next Grade. That would require monster cores, treasured herbs, special pills, and other immortal opportunities. Yu Han dried himself with a hemp towel, then filled the water bucket again and used it as a mirror. The scar was ugly. He got dressed and grabbed the halberd. It was time for morning training; he could worry about immortal opportunities another time. Neglecting daily progress through grit and sweat would be the height of folly. This training would be the very thing that would enable him to grasp future opportunities. After two hours, with one light drizzle in between, he completed the final form of the fifth Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Form variation. Stat gained. Endurance: 6 -> 7 Strength: 6 -> 7 [Body Origin: 6.00 -> 6.40] Lifeforce: 711 / 768 (+48) ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Yu Han cheered. Two stats into Body. He¡¯d decided to go all-in with Memory, so it was blessings from the heavens that he had Huang Niuniu and her Deep Sea¡¯s Strength Spite. As for Endurance, Yu Han guessed it was all the cardio he was doing. On that end, all the aerobic and anaerobic exercise should be contributing to both Endurance and Strength. He continued training. Mountain Root Stance! Stone Cutting Chop! Swift Hoof Lunge! Grass-Cutting Hook! One form after another, one variation after the next. He felt stronger; he could go further. The increased Lifeforce would give him more leeway too. He would get all the monster cores he could to grind up his Qi Affinity. He trained for two more hours. It was easy with the regular pings to progression, though it wasn¡¯t always a stat gain. It could be merely a progression of True Qi, whether realm or Arts, or it could be an observable difference in what he could do. Either way, every bit was a huge dopamine spike. Yu Han was getting addicted. ¡°Did you have an upset tummy too?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Holy cow!¡± Yu Han jumped back. The halberd slipped from his hands¡ªluckily, he always trained while the blade was sheathed. ¡°You scared me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a cow!¡± Huang Niuniu yelled. ¡°Mother was a village girl. It¡¯s actually a very common name in the countryside. It¡¯s even lovable. Why does everyone keep¡ªnevermind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an insult. It¡¯s an exclamation, like ¡®By the Heavens!¡¯ or ¡®Oh my god.¡¯¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your mother¡¯s name?¡± ¡°¡­ Hong Doudou.¡± ¡°Red Bean?¡± Yu Han pursed his lips. He would not chuckle! ¡°How much True Qi did you get?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, scowling. She had definitely noticed his grin. ¡°Eleven.¡± Huang Niuniu stared. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I got the same,¡± she said suspiciously. ¡°We have to get more Pure Qi Assimilating Elixirs.¡± ¡°You¡¯re aiming to be an alchemist. Make more for us,¡± Yu Han said. Behind Huang Niuniu, a tall young man walked their way on the dirt road. ¡°Why¡¯s he here?¡± Huang Niuniu frowned as she followed Yu Han''s gaze. ¡°Tubs! Good news,¡± Li Yao called as he ran toward them. ¡°I got a trait.¡± He had two swords slung on his waist on both sides and wore sleeveless robes. His hair had grown out, and there was a hint of stubble. It didn¡¯t cover up the scar on his face, making it look more pronounced. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get drunk tonight. All booze on me,¡± Li Yao said, giving Yu Han a fist bump. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll never say no to free food.¡± ¡°You better say no,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Or was it a lie that you wanted to lose weight?¡± ¡°Stop butting in, woman.¡± Li Yao scowled. ¡°Stop enabling him, boy,¡± Huang Niuniu shot back. As they argued, an intense battle waged within Yu Han. But now an intense, overpowering desire for some good, sugary drinks welled up inside him. He punched the fence. ¡°Tubs?¡± Li Yao looked flabbergasted. ¡°Sorry Li Yao. I¡¯m not drinking,¡± Yu Han replied gloomily. ¡°Seriously?¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Well, good job rejecting. Wanna know what my trait is?¡± ¡°And how you got it.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t got a clue.¡± Li Yao walked past him to the yard. With both hands, he smoothly unsheathed his swords. They were old iron¡ªone had a wooden hilt while the other one had metal. He dual-wielded both swords, then jumped into motion. His right sword made large, sweeping slashes, while the left sword was more precise. As he moved, the silver sword flash seemed to dance in the light. It would pierce, thrust, cut. Simultaneously, the other sword would slash, chop, sever. Both hands moved without obstructing each other. If Yu Han were to fight him, he would lose. No, Li Yao would easily block. Li Yao¡¯s sword display finished. He didn¡¯t look tired at all, a huge grin on his face. ¡°What¡¯s the trait called?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Ambidextrous Sword Arms,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I was practicing the sword technique you gave me with my left hand, and my original one with my right. And before I knew it, I had the trait.¡± Yu Han was amazed. ¡°Hey, hey. Let¡¯s meet up at Barfing Dragon Tavern this evening. You¡¯ll have time after your work, right?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I still think that name is extremely disrespectful. Dragons are sacred creatures.¡± Huang Niuniu pouted. ¡°No booze, only food,¡± Yu Han replied. ¡°Will we sell the cores?¡± Huang Niuniu shook her head. ¡°We need to cultivate our Bloodlines. It¡¯s better to keep it.¡± ¡°I would rather not use cores from Filth Eating Ghouls for that. We¡¯ll have to refine the cores to an elixir, right? I say we sell these ones and get less¡­ unhygienic cores.¡± ¡°The Night Alchemists only receive tutelage regarding Night Alchemist matters. Senior Wen was drying Filth Eating Ghoul carcasses for a pill too. I¡¯m sure I can use it somehow. At least for practice. But if you insist¡ª¡± Yu Han held his hands up. ¡°Then you practice. We can get more in the Hidden Realm, in any case.¡± By now, Huang Niuniu had become Yu Han¡¯s second-best friend. She wanted something from him, and he was sure she had some plans. But other than being evasive, she treated him sincerely. Yu Han remembered the words of his past-life father. Dad wasn¡¯t wrong. With friends, even the icy cold world could give him warmth. ¡°Hidden Realm?¡± Li Yao looked excited. ¡°You guys planning to go? You¡¯ll need an official Sect-sanctioned External Mission for that.¡± Huang Niuniu and Yu Han exchanged glances. She looked discontented, but Yu Han decided to push. ¡°Want to join?¡± ¡°Fucking need to ask?¡± Li Yao grabbed both his shoulders and shook him. ¡°I¡¯m in! When, where, how? What do I need to do?¡± ¡°Let go,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We have our ways.¡± Because of the stigma associated with Night Soil Collectors, not many joined. They were always treated like second-class disciples, like taboos not to be associated with. It made sense. Even in mortal cities, they were the lowest of the low class. Here though, it was important work. A job that needed to be done. So the Sect, the Medical Hall, and the Alchemy Hall had put in many incentives. Pure Qi Assimilating Elixirs. Mortal Grade Alchemical Methods that Huang Niuniu was eyeing. The hot springs, the Coveralls, and many more. ¡°That¡¯s Fang Zhao,¡± Li Yao said. The red-eyed young man trod the same path Li Yao did. He soon reached the three. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Yu Han asked. The young man looked up. ¡°The sky?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a greeting.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Fang Zhao said. He looked down. ¡°Are you busy now? There¡¯s a matter I¡¯d like to ask Brother Yu and Sister Huang.¡± The three exchanged glances. ¡°What is it?¡± Fang Zhao looked troubled. But he soon gathered himself. His fists were clenched, eyes resolute. ¡°Would you like to go to the Hidden Realm with me?¡± Chapter 48: Boy Wonder ¡°Whoa, what a¡ª¡± Li Yao started to say.¡°Shush, man,¡± Yu Han interrupted him. He turned to Fang Zhao. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside,¡± Fang Zhao replied. Yu Han moved aside, and the four of them entered his hut. Huang Niuniu put the fire on in the brazier and placed some tea in the pot. It was cheap stuff that needed to be boiled rather than brewed, bought alongside other herbs at the Marketplace. ¡°Is she your wife or what?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Didn¡¯t think Tubs would be the first one to find a girl.¡± Huang Niuniu used the fire-poking stick to fling a burning piece of firewood towards Li Yao. ¡°Whoa, crazy bitch!¡± Li Yao yelped. ¡°My hut! My hut¡¯s gonna burn, you idiot!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°Sister Huang, calm. Calm! Take a deep breath.¡± Fang Zhao said, sweating. Huang Niuniu tried to hit Li Yao with a flaming stick, and the three of them had to calm her down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Li Yao said, and she finally relented. She picked up a broom and swept away the ash and char. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new mat,¡± she muttered, glaring murderously at Li Yao with bloodshot eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine! Just a mat. You can reduce my tab.¡± Yu Han wiped his forehead. This girl had some random triggers. The interlude passed, and they sat down with warm cups of tea, drinking in silence. Li Yao looked nervously at Huang Niuniu, who in turn sat quietly next to Yu Han. Fang Zhao put his cup down. ¡°I¡¯m from the Trueforge Fang Clan.¡± There was silence. ¡°It¡¯s a big clan from the Divine Xia Capital!¡± Fang Zhao insisted. Three heads tilted in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s far stronger than the Stormy Reef Sect. We have our own Province! That¡¯s like a hundred of your White Lotus or Martial Eagle Kingdoms put together. I¡¯m telling you, our patriarch¡ª¡± ¡°We get it, geez. So you¡¯re a big shot. Then why do you want to go into the Hidden Realm, and why with us?¡± Li Yao asked. He had composed himself, and his questions were important, though Yu Han would have liked it if Fang Zhao could give more information about himself. A cripple. Large clan. And wasn¡¯t there something about his engagement being broken? ¡°I worked as a porter, but the Courtyard I affiliated with let me go,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°You were kicked out?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. Fang Zhao smiled helplessly. ¡°I didn¡¯t take any spirit stones or cores, not even meat and bones. All I needed was the blood.¡± ¡°So why were you let go?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Even though you¡¯re from such an impressive family? Young masters are treated well anywhere, aren¡¯t they?¡± She bit her lip. Li Yao and Yu Han knew her history, but Fang Zhao didn¡¯t. Yu Han hoped he wouldn¡¯t unknowingly trigger her. ¡°It¡¯s exactly because of that. I¡­ didn¡¯t leave the family on the best terms. I wasn¡¯t supposed to even be in the Stormy Reef Sect. And I¡¯m not the only person from the Divine Capital here. A Core Disciple summoned the leader of our Courtyard, and¡­ well, I¡¯m ashamed to admit that my behavior in the capital wasn¡¯t up to par.¡± Although he said that, there was no shame or guilt on his face. ? ¡°Core Disciple, huh?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°They¡¯re all monsters who reached Foundation Building before the age of fifty. No wonder¡ªa puny Courtyard boss in the Outer Sect wouldn¡¯t dare go against him.¡± He thought for a bit, then continued, ¡°But you¡¯re asking Tubs, who is far weaker than that Courtyard boss, to do exactly that.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes widened, as if she¡¯d just realised it. ¡°I knew it. You young masters are always¡ª¡± ¡°Huang Niuniu,¡± Yu Han interrupted, trying the trick she used against Song Yinuo and Shi Miao. ¡°Call me Niu¡¯er!¡± ¡°Then tell me what your trait is¡ª¡± ¡°Not here.¡± Huang Niuniu covered his mouth. ¡°I promise, I will. Not here.¡± Li Yao rolled his eyes at their antics, but turned back to Fang Zhao. ¡°As it happens, Tubs, Cow Girl, and I plan on going to the Hidden Realm soon.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°People always go ¡®missing¡¯ in the Hidden Realms, if you know what I mean. Why would we take the risk to bring you, who¡¯s got Core Disciples on your back? Not to mention, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re a cripple?¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Fang Zhao hesitated. ¡°Why?¡± Li Yao pressed. ¡°Are you going to be dead weight? We¡¯re small-time folks here, just some bumpkins from a countryside kingdom¡ªnothing grand like whatever Divine Capital.¡± Fang Zhao looked down, his face shrouded in thought. Li Yao took the chance to gesture at Yu Han. Yu Han nodded. He wished he could say he didn¡¯t care about offending the Core Disciple by befriending Fang Zhao. After all, Fang Zhao didn¡¯t care when Yu Han offended Sima Yan, or rather, his Inner Sect cousin. If he said that, though, it would be a lie. But he still wanted to give Fang Zhao a chance. A connection of goodwill, no matter how small, must be nurtured. ¡°Brother Fang, what can you offer?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°And what do you need in return?¡± ¡°How can we trust you?¡± Huang Niuniu added, her hostility towards Fang Zhao clear as day. Time passed. It started raining, then stopped again. When Yu Han finished his third cup of tea, Fang Zhao finally looked up. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, then. About my past,¡± he said. ¡°What I need is blood, and in return, the only thing I can offer is a debt of gratitude.¡± --- Fang Zhao awakened his spirit root when he was ten. His first days of cultivation were fast, with his clan¡¯s full backing. Within a week, he filled his True Qi at level 0 and saw the tribulation. That was when things went wrong. On the eighth day, his True Qi returned to 0 / 110. ¡°How?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of True Qi going down¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt,¡± Huang Niuniu warned. She was oddly invested in the story. Fang Zhao gave her a faint smile, then continued speaking. His family tried everything, from having him slay monsters to feeding him treasured pills and elixirs valuable enough to buy kingdoms. Nothing worked. Even if he filled up his Pure Qi reserves, they would deplete too. As for his Arts, his family had very strict rules regarding them. The Fang Clan cultivated a special lineage of earth-related traits. Gems, jewels, orbs. At level 1, they would awaken special bloodline Traits, and it was forbidden to cultivate any Art that didn¡¯t fall into one of the clan¡¯s cultivation plans. So he never learned any Arts either. Day after day, month after month, he toiled away. But no matter what he did, his True Qi and Pure Qi would always revert back to zero. When he was fifteen, his parents went to find an elusive cure in a dangerous Hidden Realm. ¡°Did they return?¡± Yu Han asked, clenching his fist. Fang Zhao shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve come to terms with their passing. The clan didn¡¯t give up on me though, even after that. My grandfather, the patriarch, still¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°But I¡ª¡± He lost hope. In grief, he indulged¡ªwine, women, gambling. ¡°I knew it, you young masters are all the same!¡± Huang Niuniu said, looking disgusted as Fang Zhao continued his story. But again, there was no shame in his face or voice. ¡°I know. I¡¯m disgusting. My fianc¨¦e broke off our engagement.¡± ¡°She did well.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d be disappointed too.¡± Fang Zhao didn¡¯t care back then. His bad behaviors continued. For how much he couldn¡¯t excel in cultivation, he excelled in bedding women, losing clan money, and throwing lavish, unspeakable parties. ¡°Holy hell, man, can you invite me next time¡ªOuch!¡± Li Yao shut his mouth after a kick from Huang Niuniu. ¡°I didn¡¯t really care about the engagement. I feel sorry that the Fang Clan lost face. But what really hurt was when my best friend abandoned me.¡± A scion of a clan just as prestigious as the Fang. The man had apparently stuck with him even as the clan retracted their support. ¡°But I messed up,¡± Fang Zhao admitted. That was the first time he showed guilt. He crossed a line he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°What did you do?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I slapped his fianc¨¦e¡¯s butt.¡± ¡°¡­Dude,¡± Yu Han said. Li Yao facepalmed. Huang Niuniu looked like she was about to slap someone. ¡°I know, I know. I regret it! I was drunk, I was pissed off at his high expectations. Why was he the only one not disappointed in me? I wanted to see if I could push and push and¡ªwell, yeah. His fianc¨¦e beat me up and strung me from the city gates. If it wasn¡¯t for him, she would have killed me then and there. An imperial princess¡ªeven the patriarch couldn¡¯t complain.¡± ¡°Yeah, if he did, I¡¯d slap butt,¡± Huang Niuniu muttered. ¡°Wait, no. That came out wrong! What I mean is, I¡¯m angry at you. Why are you looking at me like that?¡± She pushed Yu Han¡¯s face away. Li Yao laughed. The mood lightened. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°He told me to never show my face in front of him. My grandfather¡­ he didn¡¯t exile me. Not until I took the Bloodline Awakening Elixir.¡± ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say your clan naturally awakens a Trait at Level 1?¡± Fang Zhao nodded. ¡°Taking the Elixir would awaken a completely different Trait. And I did. I¡¯m glad that I at least get to keep the Fang name. But the clan has disowned me otherwise.¡± ¡°Why would you take the risk?¡± ¡°I needed a Trait that could help me cultivate True Qi.¡± After his best friend severed all connection, his life took its lowest turn. Not even his other debaucherous friends joined him in parties. He was the butt of all jokes, even among the courtesans. That was fine. He didn¡¯t drink, didn¡¯t eat, didn¡¯t indulge. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. I was looking at the sky one day, and it was like I woke up from a dream.¡± ¡°Atta man, brother,¡± Li Yao praised. ¡°Easy to say without proof,¡± Huang Niuniu countered. ¡°I needed to cultivate. Somehow, anyhow, no matter the cost. So I awakened the Trait, Red Fiend Ancestry, from an elixir made out of the True Blood of a powerful Red Fiend¡ªa monster that could rival the Sect Leader in strength.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you get the money?¡± ¡°My parents had left me some funds in case of emergencies.¡± He touched his ring. It wasn¡¯t the golden one on his left ring finger, but a nondescript stone one on his right index. The Trait gave him the Bloodline Art called Cyclic Lifeblood Conversion. He could use the blood of others to heal. At Level 0, the effect was so minor it wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning. But the other perk was what mattered. He would drink the blood of beasts, and gain True Qi. The Trait apparently helped him conserve some True Qi too. ¡°I have¡­ more control over True Qi now. I can preserve 2 True Qi for a night, without it depleting the next day. I need more blood to train the trait too,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I need to go to the Hidden Realm.¡± ¡°Not monster cores?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°The Bloodline Refining Elixirs, a special family of elixirs made from monster cores and blood, can work too, but most other elixirs won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°And so you want to join us,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Wow. What a story. You were fucking trash.¡± ¡°Finally, you said something good,¡± Huang Niuniu agreed. Fang Zhao could only smile. He placed a pouch in front of him, then bowed. ¡°As a Level 0, I can¡¯t take any Hidden Realm missions. But Brother Yu, as a Night Alchemist, you can take me. Take this unworthy Fang Zhao with you. This pouch has a thousand spirit stones, the last in my possession, but the debt will not be paid back. Just give me time, and I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Where did you get that ring?¡± Yu Han interrupted. ¡°The golden one, with the cat engravings.¡± Chapter 49: The Ring Yu Han asked himself.¡°Brother Yu?¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°This is just a cheap ring. If you want, I can give you my other ring. It¡¯s¡­ precious, and I can¡¯t make it work for you. But when I reach Core Formation¡ª¡± ¡°A Level 0 dreaming of Core Formation? Fang Zhao, you¡¯re ambitious.¡± Li Yao laughed. ¡°Hey, Yu Han! That¡¯s a thousand spirit stones. Let¡¯s take Fang Zhao to the Hidden Realm a few times; he can at least carry our luggage. It¡¯s way better than a stupid ring.¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes were glued to the pouch with the spirit stones. Yu Han ignored them and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want the ring. I¡¯m just curious when and where you got it. The designs on it are interesting¡ªit¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a cat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tiger, Brother Yu,¡± Fang Zhao replied hoarsely, his other hand covering the ring. ¡°It¡¯s just a trinket I picked up from a random vendor.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember. Was it after the celebration party of my awakening? I don¡¯t know.¡± Fang Zhao¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Was it before the crippling symptoms showed up, or after?¡± Yu Han pressed. ¡°Come on, Tubs, it¡¯s just a ring.¡± Li Yao gave him a pat. ¡°No need to be so concerned about it.¡± His fingers squeezed Yu Han¡¯s shoulder painfully. ¡°I think it was before my True Qi started depleting,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Maybe the previous day.¡± ¡°So it was after your awakening, but before the True Qi depletion,¡± Yu Han said with a large smile. He was following Xianxia tropes here, but the feeling of unveiling a mystery was amazing. Yu Han chided himself. That was when he noticed something strange. Fang Zhao, Huang Niuniu, and Li Yao¡¯s veins were bulging, and their eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Guys?¡± Yu Han said, a bad premonition stirring. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring. You shouldn¡¯t question it so much, Yu Han.¡± Huang Niuniu hugged his upper arm so hard it hurt. ¡°Yeah, my sister-in-law is right. Just a ring. Nothing special. It can¡¯t be the thing causing the True Qi depletion, right, Brother Fang?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Brother Li makes sense. It¡¯s just a ring,¡± Fang Zhao said forcefully. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The bad feeling intensified. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just a ring,¡± Yu Han said in a panic. ¡°Huh?¡± Huang Niuniu let go of him, followed by Li Yao. Li Yao looked around as if he was unable to focus his eyes on one thing. ¡°What did I¡­?¡± ¡°Niu¡¯er, Li Yao, let me and Brother Fang have a chat,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But stand guard near the fence just in case.¡± ¡°Why? Are you keeping a secret from me?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. Her eyes lit up. ¡°You called me Niu¡¯er!¡± ¡°Keeping a secret from ?¡± Li Yao grinned. But Yu Han¡¯s expression was grim. He nodded at Li Yao, and the other man grew serious. ¡°Fine, Tubs. You better explain later. Let¡¯s go, Sister Huang.¡± Li Yao took off, dragging the confused girl behind him. ¡°Let me go, you brute!¡± They closed the door behind them. The last thing Yu Han saw was Huang Niuniu¡¯s scrunched-up face. ¡°Brother Yu, is there something you¡¯d like to ask?¡± Fang Zhao said. He seemed unable to remember the previous interaction. ¡°If it makes you trust me, then¡ª¡± ¡°Take off that ring.¡± ¡°Brother Yu, it¡¯s just a ring.¡± His voice turned hoarse. He squeezed his left finger with his other hand so hard it bruised. ¡°Take it off!¡± Yu Han yelled. Yu Han didn¡¯t mind risking Fang Zhao, though. Whatever the secret of the ring was, he would take it as investing in a wildcard. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Brother Yu, it¡¯s just a ring!¡± Fang Zhao shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s just a dumb ring!¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you take it off?¡± A pressure descended, and Yu Han fell to his knees. It was the same type of pressure as when the Shark Lady and the Verdant Blade Sect Elder were fighting. ¡°There¡¯s something weird about it! Think logically¡ªwhat else changed between your awakening and True Qi depletion? It¡¯s the ring. But you keep insisting it¡¯s ¡®just¡¯ a ring. Even if I think with my ass, it¡¯s suspicious!¡± As for why Yu Han wasn¡¯t affected by whatever mind-stuff infected Fang Zhao, Li Yao, and Huang Niuniu, he¡¯d think about it later. Fang Zhao raised his cup and threw it at the wall. It shattered. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring!¡± He stood up shakily, then screamed, spit flying out. His eyes bulged as if they were about to fall out. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring!¡± He kicked the brazier. Ash and sparks flew. ¡°It¡¯s just a ring!¡± He threw the money pouch, crashed into the bed, and stomped against the wall. ¡°A ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring, a ring¡ª¡± ¡°Then take it off!¡± Yu Han pressed himself into the corner as Fang Zhao rampaged. This would be a pain to clean up. If the hut caught fire, he would rush out the door. The situation was dangerous. If a devil or immortal popped out and squashed Yu Han, then that was that. But if so, why hadn¡¯t it happened until now? It was reckless, yes. He hadn¡¯t thought the plan through. Maybe there was a safer way, but with the first occurrence of the mind-control, it was already too late. If there was a dangerous party, it already knew Yu Han was immune to its effects. ¡°No! No, no, no, no, ¡ª¡± Fang Zhao clutched his head. He roared, then collapsed to his knees. Blood dripped from his eyes. Cold sweat dripped down Yu Han¡¯s back. He wanted to scram. He inched closer to the door. Suddenly, Fang Zhao¡¯s screams stopped. A sound like glass shattering echoed through the room. ¡°Tubs!¡± Li Yao kicked the door open. Huang Niuniu rushed past him and shoved Fang Zhao aside, standing protectively between him and Yu Han. ¡°Get away! It¡¯s dangerous,¡± Yu Han yelled. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. We tried to open the door, but it was like a solid wall. But with that sound¡ªTubs, what the hell is happening?¡± Li Yao asked. Huang Niuniu unsheathed her dagger and approached the prone Fang Zhao. It was the one Yu Han had taken from Bushy Beard¡¯s corpse. ¡°Since you¡¯re down, let me end your misery.¡± Her voice had a sinister undertone. ¡°Niu¡¯er, stop it,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Brother Yu¡­¡± Fang Zhao looked up. He was crying blood and tears. Veins bulged across his face. His lips were bitten bloody. ¡°I can¡¯t take it off.¡± He tried to pull the golden ring off, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°It¡¯s the ring,¡± he said, like a man in a daze. ¡°I can¡¯t take it off!¡± He bit down on his finger. But Fang Zhao¡¯s teeth stopped at his skin. A film of light shimmered. ¡°I can¡¯t take it off!¡± he yelled, then rushed toward Huang Niuniu. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± In a blink, he disarmed her and snatched the dagger. ¡°It¡¯s this damn ring!¡± Fang Zhao screamed. ¡°It¡¯s you! It¡¯s you who crippled me!¡± He placed his finger on the ground and chopped. Huang Niuniu screamed, and Yu Han closed his eyes. ¡°What in the¡­¡± Li Yao¡¯s shocked voice came through. Yu Han peeked. The blade warred with the light film around Fang Zhao¡¯s finger. The film was mostly white, with splashes of orange and black. Fang Zhao pushed, but the dagger couldn¡¯t pierce through. ¡°Damn it! Then my wrist. Li Yao, give me a sword!¡± Fang Zhao demanded. ¡°Dude, ain¡¯t no way¡ª¡± ¡°Give it,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Tubs, you crazy son of a dog.¡± Li Yao unsheathed a sword and tossed it to Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao caught it. He tried to cut off his wrist, then his entire arm. The light film blocked the blade, an impenetrable defense. ¡°Brother Li, please. Take my arm,¡± Fang Zhao begged, his face broken and desperate. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Li Yao licked his lips. It took Yu Han back to the alley in Riversong City, where Li Yao had blocked his path with malice. Fang Zhao nodded. ¡°This cursed damn ring. If I have to sacrifice an arm to be rid of it¡­¡± He held out his arm. Li Yao unsheathed his other sword and struck without a word. The blade clanked off the light film. ¡°Damn it!¡± Fang Zhao collapsed. ¡°All these years of suffering. Mother, Father¡­ my fianc¨¦e¡­ my friends. Wang Shen¡­. It¡¯s this stupid ring.¡± ¡°Maybe the Sect has a solution?¡± Huang Niuniu suggested. ¡°We mustn¡¯t,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°The ring eluded even the Fang Clan Patriarch. It has to be something special. If unwanted ears found out, we¡¯d all be in trouble. Whatever magic nonsense the ring did, I was unaffected. Keep that a secret too.¡± Li Yao and Huang Niuniu both nodded. ¡°Fang Zhao, let me give you some good news,¡± Yu Han said. Fang Zhao looked up helplessly, still muttering about the ring. ¡°We¡¯ll take you to the hidden realm. Meet us at the Old Banyan Tree of Wang¡¯s Wife in six hours.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going today?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°It¡¯s for something else,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°What does it matter?¡± Fang Zhao said bitterly. ¡°Whatever I do, this cursed thing is going to take it away again!¡± ¡°What was your original plan with the Red Fiend Ancestry and Cyclic Lifeblood Conversion?¡± It took much longer for Fang Zhao to regain his calm and reply. ¡°I¡¯ve shown something unsightly.¡± He had wiped the blood and tears away. The room was a mess. ¡°I meant to take the trait from Mortal Level 7 to as high as needed to preserve all 110 True Qi. Then pass the Tribulation and level up.¡± ¡°And you would repeat that for every level?¡± ¡°It could take a millennium or more!¡± Fang Zhao said through gritted teeth. ¡°But now with this ring, even that plan is out of the window.¡± ¡°Take a rest, and we¡¯ll meet later. You can vent your anger then,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We¡¯ll keep what happened today an absolute secret.¡± Fang Zhao laughed with self-deprecation, and the other two affirmed. ¡°Brother Yu, you¡¯ve already helped me more than I can ever repay. Not even my clan and the imperial alchemists, doctors, exorcists, and other illustrious masters¡ªnot even the gods¡ªnoticed this ring. At least I know¡­ what to purge!¡± Fang Zhao said. Yu Han kicked Li Yao and Fang Zhao out, then whipped out a handmade notepad from under the bed and scribbled the events down in English. He wrote so fast that the charcoal pen almost broke. ¡°What are you writing?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. Chapter 50: Wisp ¡°All the Xianxia and Wuxia tropes I can remember,¡± Yu Han replied.¡°Immortal Heroes and Chivalry of Martial Arts Tropes? What¡¯s that? An Art?¡± ¡°Shush! Let me concentrate.¡± He wrote and wrote. After an hour, Huang Niuniu left huffing. The rain came and went. ¡°Young masters, jade beauties, protagonists. Fatty best friend? Damn it, I¡¯m going to be lean soon, and I¡¯m not called Wang!... wait, didn¡¯t Fang Zhao mutter the name of someone called Wang Shen? Okay, that¡¯s eerie. Hidden grandpa, dark dragon sealed in left hand¡ªwait! That¡¯s an isekai trope, not Xianxia!¡± Huang Niuniu returned and began searching through the hut while Yu Han was still scribbling down any amount of information that came to mind. He would later go through it in Deep Sleep by echoing Johan¡¯s memories. It would deplete his Qi faster, but Johan had browsed some wikis and TV tropes pages about Eastern fantasy, so it was worth it. ¡°Found it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She pulled out a pouch from under the bed with a stick. After dusting it off, she opened the pouch and took out a token. It looked like the one Dong Chou, the Elder Scribe in the Rookie Village, had given him. ¡°What¡¯re you going to do with it?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°He gave it to you,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you decide.¡± Yu Han wanted to keep the money. But he chose to live this life without shame, so as not to make his dad¡ªJohan¡¯s dad¡ªdisappointed. He was unable to honestly say that he would return the money pouch, though. Better to leave the decision to someone he could trust. ¡°I¡¯ll return it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She muttered as she sat down, ¡°It would be unheroic otherwise.¡± Huang Niuniu bit her lips. ¡°We should ask for compensation, though.¡± The mat was burnt, the brazier bent. The bedsheet was dirty, and not one clay pot or pan was left in one piece. The wooden ones fared better, as did the metal pot for boiling. After another hour, Yu Han had written down all he could remember at the moment. ¡°You plan to take Fang Zhao too, don¡¯t you?¡± Huang Niuniu said. She lightly swung her feet from the bed¡¯s edge. Her garb was baggy and didn¡¯t accentuate her figure, but there was something playful in her actions. Yu Han didn¡¯t deny it. He hid the notebook with the tropes and took out another one. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the Filth Eating Ghouls first,¡± he said, and Huang Niuniu sat up straighter. ¡°Unless something utterly unexpected happens, I don¡¯t think the Filth Eating Ghouls will provide much of a challenge,¡± Yu Han concluded after flipping through his notes. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get careless, though,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°But we shouldn¡¯t overestimate our foes either. Although, I guess it¡¯s better than underestimating them.¡± The notes read as follows: Type: Monster (Has core?) Threat Level: Easy Physical Description: Mismatched eyes, crusty skin with strange patches of hair growing out of it. Upper arms are longer, and legs are stumpy. Pointy teeth, rusty claws. ? Weaknesses: Noise, sound, physical damage. Maybe fire? Dislikes light, although unsure if it weakens them. Yu Han had gone over their fights with the monsters many times in Deep Sleep and had discovered more. Before speaking, though, he stared at Huang Niuniu. For minutes. ¡°What?¡± She shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Niu''er?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s called the Flickering Sea Wisp Lineage, my trait,¡± Huang Niuniu said with a helpless sigh. ¡°A wisp.¡± ¡°When Qiao Jinhai saw me glow, became meaner.¡± ¡°He asked the name of my Trait. I told him of course¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, he didn¡¯t know? He asked mine immediately.¡± Yu Han was shocked. ¡°I don¡¯t think he asked the Trait name of any Common Talent recruit.¡± ¡°He did so for me.¡± ¡°Maybe its because I¡¯m from the Martial Eagle Kingdom? I don¡¯t know.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°That incompetent¡ª¡± ¡°It might¡¯ve been worse if he knew from the start.¡± She smiled. It wasn¡¯t the smile she showed him the day they met. ¡°After I told him my Trait, he started cursing. He fed me that elixir. I forgot it¡¯s name, but the same one the old men used on Wu Di.¡± Yu Han couldn¡¯t remember instantly either. He held her hand. It was cold. ¡°And your Bloodline art?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Bioluminescence.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± That¡¯s a bio-chemistry term. Did the Dao know biochemistry? Yu Han shook his head. Of course it did, and maybe it called it bioalchemy. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me its name? I don¡¯t know why the Verdant Blade Sect wanted it, but the Stormy Reef Sect didn¡¯t lock you up in a cell. You don¡¯t the Trait name to Elder Scribe, didn¡¯t you? She nodded. ¡±I don¡¯t see anything bad about it.¡± Yu Han said. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Huang Niuniu bit her lip. ¡°It¡¯s not useless either. I could come up with a hundred different uses in a minute,¡± he puffed up his chest. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Huang Niuniu looked down. There were many things he could ask here. Johan would have tried to come up with a solution. Or lie. Or apply some communication hack he¡¯d learned from a podcast. Yu Han was confused by the number of choices; his head swam. It was good that Huang Niuniu wasn¡¯t looking at him. Yu Han patted his thigh twice, then chose to wait. As a wise man once said, sometimes it¡¯s better to shut up and listen. ¡°It¡¯s mocking me,¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s voice sounded hoarse. ¡°How?¡± Yu Han honestly had no idea. ¡°What¡¯s a wisp?¡± she asked. ¡°Any living being that glows?¡± Yu Han thought back. That¡¯s what wisps were in the White Lotus Kingdom. Creatures that produced light. ¡°Like fireflies, moray eels, some weird squids too, and plankton.¡± It was like how creatures with tentacles were called writhers in the yellow tongue. They were mentioned in Creature Compedium, and the book on Gu too. ¡°You don¡¯t know its other meaning?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Dummy,¡± Huang Niuniu looked towards the ceiling. ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡± ¡°Hey now¡­¡± Yu Han could probably find out by asking Li Yao if there was another meaning. He wanted to. Maybe it would come in handy if he went about optimizing Huang Niuniu¡¯s role in his team. That was the long-term plan. Get trusted teammates. Gathering allies, as it were. The keyword here was trust. Would asking Li Yao be polite? Would it not break her trust by snooping around? ¡°Courtesans who die young,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Sell girls and prostitutes. Women of the night. Concubines too, if their standing is low.¡± She paused, bringing her hand to her chest. ¡°My mother was a wisp. Now I¡¯m one too.¡± ¡°It has another meaning,¡± Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu tilted her head with an unasked question. ¡°Something that¡¯s impossible to catch,¡± Yu Han said. It was the legend of the Will-o¡¯-the-wisp. ¡°A sudden light in the marshes; no one knows what it is. It misleads travellers, often guiding them to their doom.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s supposed to be better?¡± Huang Niuniu giggled. ¡°It can be a spirit, a ghost,¡± Yu Han racked his brain for more answers. ¡°Or a fairy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Huang Niuniu hopped up from the bed. ¡°Your Bioluminescence Bloodline Art is useful,¡± Yu Han went on the offensive. ¡°The Filth Eating Ghouls are bothered by light. You can disorient them with your whip sounds. If they come too close, you can blind them too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Huang Niuniu poked his forehead. ¡°There has to be more.¡± ¡°We could use it for communication. You can make small lights to pass messages. Maybe if you get strong enough, you can¡ª¡± ¡ª¡°shoot a laser!¡± ¡°A Lei Sha?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°A condensed beam of light that can burn through stone, metal, anything.¡± Huang Niuniu pursed her lips, then puffed up her cheeks as if holding in a laugh. ¡°Niu''er?¡± Yu Han tapped one of her cheeks. ¡°Huang Niuniu? Little Cow?¡± She laughed. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a joke.¡± ¡°Light? Burning through metal? Isn¡¯t that fire?¡± She slapped her leg, almost keeling over. After laughing for a few good minutes, she wiped her tears with her sleeve. ¡°It exists,¡± Yu Han got defensive. ¡°If I had a magnifying glass, I could show you¡ª¡± ¡°Show me,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She grabbed his hand. ¡°You have all these ideas, don¡¯t you?¡± She pressed it against her chest. Yu Han nodded as if hypnotised. The look in her eyes was at times wonderous, at times demanding, and at times capricious. ¡°So many ideas. Who the heck uses chilli oil and pepper powder to fight? How¡¯d you think of jumping off the stairs?¡± she asked, gripping his hand so hard he was afraid it might break. ¡°Just look at the data.¡± ¡°Data?¡± ¡°It¡¯s everything. Information about the terrain, the enemy¡¯s weaknesses, allies¡¯ abilities. My own strengths.¡± ¡°Data.¡± ¡°Define your goal. Gather data. Clean it up. Transform it into a usable form. Mine it for knowledge. Visualize it if that makes it easier. Reach some conclusions. Based on all that, make data-driven decisions,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°The data told me to beat Wu Di¡¯s ass.¡± ¡°As I thought, you¡¯re strange,¡± Huang Niuniu let go of his hand. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing!¡± She twirled around in place. ¡°It¡¯s the best thing. It¡¯s refreshing. I can¡¯t wait to hear how you plan to survive until next year. How that data or whatever will tell you to kick Sima Yan¡¯s ass too.¡± ¡°Is my mortal peril amusing to you?¡± Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for Johan¡¯s narcissistic personality mixed with Yu Han¡¯s, he would be offended. Johan, though, felt elated. He would kick Sima Yan¡¯s ass. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± she asked. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make lunch then.¡± ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t hungry.¡± It would be useless if he forced himself to ingest calories despite taking the fasting brew. ¡°Who said anything about you?¡± Huang Niuniu stuck her tongue out. ¡°Wait, you¡¯ll cook normal food?¡± Yu Han demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t need to lose weight, unlike you.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± The past month, he¡¯d lived on stinky Spite. One reason he could endure it was Huang Niuniu joining him in the torture. ¡°Traitor!¡± ¡°You¡¯d look quite handsome if you lost a few stone,¡± Huang Niuniu left without mercy. ¡°You have a fat butt!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°You have a fatter butt,¡± Huang Niuniu shouted back. ¡°You¡ª¡± Yu Han opened his mouth to counter and got a face full of mud. ¡°Cough! Why you little¡ª¡± ¡°Eat that mud if you want to.¡± With that, she left. ¡°Aaagh. That bitc¡ª¡± Yu Han quickly rinsed his mouth. Mud was on his robe too. He was too lazy to change it. Putting it in the magical cleaning compartment at the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard would take care of it. He went through his notes once more. Li Yao was used to fights, albeit against humans. Yu Han didn¡¯t doubt that he¡¯d get used to slashing up monsters in no time. Fang Zhao was a wild card. There was his ring, his family, and the core disciple he somehow offended. Broken engagement, lost parents, cripple? A protagonist template if there ever was one. A hero¡¯s path was littered with sacrifice. Mainly of his friends and family as backstory. In Xianxia stories, the protagonist would luckily survive most disasters, coming out stronger for it. The same couldn¡¯t be said about their friends, though. In many other stories, however, when the protagonist ascended, their dogs and chickens ascended with them, not to mention family. What opportunities would Fang Zhao bring? If Yu Han treated him with sincerity, like Dad so often preached, would that sincerity be returned? The data was polarizing. Many samples told him to stay away from Fang Zhao. Others told him to stick close enough that he could steal Fang Zhao¡¯s opportunities, but not so close to become friends. The final ones told him to let life happen. Yu Han clenched his fist. He¡¯d let life happen. A few hours later, they met up with Fang Zhao and Li Yao. ¡°What do we do?¡± Li Yao asked. He was decked out in leather armour, his two swords hanging from his waist. Yu Han threw him a shovel. Chapter 51: Test Runs ¡°Are we really doing this?¡± Li Yao¡¯s complaints rang out like nectar to Yu Han¡¯s ears. The small shovel Yu Han had given him now hung from his waist belt.¡°Shut up and get ready,¡± Yu Han shouted. He was standing by the donkey cart with Huang Niuniu. ¡°I¡¯m opening the hatch soon.¡± ¡°Fuck, it already stinks. At least give me that helmet!¡± Li Yao shouted. He held one sword horizontally in front of his chest, the other in a reverse grip. ¡°Brother Yu,¡± Fang Zhao said, ¡°this one agrees. Even if you want to test our¡ª¡± ¡°Beep boop! Can¡¯t hear you.¡± Yu Han accepted the mental prod from the token. With a low rumble and a cloud of eye-watering stench so thick it was visible, the hatch slid away. The afternoon light had long shifted to the reddish glow of early evening. A quick glance showed at least ten of the buggers in the entrance. ¡°Oh my heavens,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°It stinks¡ª¡± The first creature lunged. It spun mid-air like an out-of-control shuriken and aimed a claw at Li Yao¡¯s face. ¡°Get the motherf¡ª¡± He cleaved sideways, separating the creature in two. Gore splashed all over his body alongside the black bile. ¡°I¡¯m gonna hurl.¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. More Filth Eating Ghouls followed. They hollered and roared, their meaty stumps thumping on the stone ground like asynchronous drums. Four went for Li Yao, six for Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao¡¯s face was already green. ¡°W-Why can I still smell it?¡± Fang Zhao wailed. ¡°I¡¯m not breathing with my nose!¡± He kicked a ghoul away, then stomped on the head of another. A punch behind him sent the third flying. The gooey remains clung to his fist, and the boy looked like he was about to vomit. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for calling me fat,¡± Yu Han muttered. ¡°You¡¯re so petty,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Her voice was full of the judgement one of his teenage sisters used to display¡ªthe icky, condescending kind, as if he was the biggest loser. ¡°We¡¯re losing Pure Qi here, ma¡¯am,¡± Yu Han said, defending his choices. ¡°If we can¡¯t get something in return, it¡¯s bad business.¡± ¡°Smelly merchant.¡± Huang Niuniu shifted away. They¡¯d go to the Hidden Realm together. So wasn¡¯t it only proper to test their abilities? What was she so dissatisfied about? Li Yao¡¯s sword moves were precise. Sudden thrusts would pierce the ghouls¡¯ throats, and as he spun, the other sword danced between monster limbs and separated them from their bodies. One of the things got a strike on his leather arm guard, leaving deep scratches, though it wasn¡¯t enough to penetrate. Li Yao shook his arm, sending the ghoul off balance. With a vengeful chop, he split the ghoul¡¯s skull in two. Fang Zhao also wore armour over his robes. It looked like the protectors kendo practitioners wore, but more flexible. He had his own small shovel slung on his belt. Apparently, he also trained with the sword, but was adamant about not using it. Until now, he¡¯d only used punches and kicks. Unlike Li Yao, whose moves had a reckless flair to them, Fang Zhao was methodical. One punch to disorient the ghoul, then a kick to the downed monster¡¯s neck. When he was surrounded, a roundhouse kick would send them flying. The fight ended in less than five minutes. Yu Han clapped. ¡°Good work. How much Pure Qi did you get?¡± ¡°Fuck off, fatty!¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I¡¯m He vomited. ¡°Weak, weak. Look at Fang Zhao. He grew up with a silver spoon, but he¡¯s handling this¡ª¡± Fang Zhao vomited too. ¡°Come on. With you guys like this, how¡¯re you going to handle the Hidden Realm?¡± Yu Han smirked. ¡°You weren¡¯t much better,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Li Yao wiped the sludge off his blade with a hemp towel. ¡°This is ruined now. Shit.¡± He tried to wipe off a stain on his armour, but it just made the brown spot bigger. ¡°You have a water stone, right? Let me wash off, man.¡± £Ò ¡°Do you think I gave you that shovel for show?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We¡¯ve got work to do, buddy. This isn¡¯t just a test.¡± Li Yao and Fang Zhao both grimaced. Fang Zhao sighed. ¡°Seven.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°What?¡± Li Yao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Pure Qi.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. Five for me. Why¡¯d you get more?¡± Li Yao asked. Fang Zhao shook his head. The boy looked much better compared to when he was trying to chop his own arm off, but from time to time, he would look at the tiger-engraved ring and a dark look would flash on his face. Then he would randomly punch trees and stomp the ground. At the end of the day, he was still a teenager. ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡± Li Yao ran out of the stone tank, to Yu Han¡¯s laughter. ¡°Boy, you¡¯re still not a man.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Yu Han passed him and Fang Zhao a damp piece of cloth. ¡°Wrap it around your face like a scarf.¡± They both did. ¡°Y-You.¡± Li Yao pointed a trembling finger at him. The other hand went for his sword. ¡°You had this! You didn¡¯t give it to us until now!¡± It was a scented mask to keep out the stench. The Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard had many Yu Han could borrow. ¡°It¡¯s not cheap. I thought you were strong enough to handle some bad smell. Guess I thought wrong.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill you!¡± Li Yao lunged. ¡°Calm, brother! Calm!¡± Fang Zhao held him back. The look he sent Yu Han¡¯s way wasn¡¯t friendly, though. Yu Han cackled. They harvested the cores and threw the corpses into the cart. ¡°Want these?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Keep them,¡± Li Yao said disdainfully. The stone tank was dark. This one had a strange multicoloured fungus hanging from the ceiling like stalactites. ¡°Best not to touch that,¡± Yu Han warned Fang Zhao. ¡°It¡¯ll itch in strange places.¡± Fang Zhao took his finger back. He raised a brow at Huang Niuniu harvesting the fungus with her dagger. ¡°It¡¯s her hobby.¡± Yu Han shrugged. The poop-shovelling work went fast. They soon rode the cart down the hill back towards the residential huts. Li Yao and Fang Zhao were on the driver¡¯s bench, with Li Yao taking the reins. Yu Han and Huang Niuniu sat on the cart atop the tarp. ¡°The next one¡¯s that way, right?¡± Li Yao stopped the donkey and pointed at a side road with the pole. ¡°Yup, and two more after that.¡± Li Yao poked the donkey¡¯s behind. It sneezed, then walked forward. ¡°Sima Yan lives around here. Bastard¡¯s probably gonna have things to say if he sees us,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Move the cart around?¡± Yu Han grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Ew, fuck! Your hand¡¯s got shit on it!¡± The coverall gloves did have waste stains. Yu Han had grown used to being around unmentionables, and after every shovelling session, both he and Huang Niuniu would look like filth-painted canvases. They took another branch road back to the main vein. ¡°Since we took this spot, won¡¯t the Sect blame us if we don¡¯t do our job?¡± Huang Niuniu wondered. They had marked the spot as theirs on the map. Other Night Soil Collectors wouldn¡¯t approach it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll talk with Senior Wen,¡± Yu Han said. That man was overeager to keep the hard-earned new recruits, so Yu Han was confident that he could persuade him. ¡°It¡¯s better to target Sima Yan directly; the others in the area did nothing wrong,¡± Huang Niuniu chided. ¡°And how are we supposed to do that?¡± ¡°Senior Wen said each outhouse has a tunnel to the nearby cesspool,¡± Huang Niuniu mused. ¡°We can block it with the hard waste nodules.¡± Yu Han punched his fist in the air. ¡°Oh, yeah. We have to identify which drain is for which hut,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°There has to be records, right?¡± ¡°Wait, rather than blocking it with the nodules, how about collapsing it?¡± Huang Niuniu added. Even through the helmet gap, her eyes shone with excitement. ¡°That way, the Sect can¡¯t pin it on us. If we block it, they might guess someone did it. We¡¯re the most likely suspects, since we have the access token. If it¡¯s collapsed, well, that could have happened naturally.¡± ¡°You two¡­¡± Li Yao massaged his forehead. ¡°Daring to talk about destroying Sect property. You got guts.¡± Fang Zhao smiled uneasily. ¡°Where do Ma San and Pang Jiming live?¡± Yu Han grabbed his shoulder again. ¡°And that bastard Gong Muhua!¡± ¡°Let go, you shit-scooping¡ª¡± Yu Han and Huang Niuniu took the next stone tank. It was shorter than most they¡¯d seen, half of it buried in the side of a steep cliff. Huang Niuniu prayed to the small shrine as usual. The hatch opened. A few seconds passed, then one Filth Eating Ghoul stepped out. ¡°It¡¯s a bit bigger, isn¡¯t it?¡± Huang Niuniu said. She was right. The forearms were thicker, and it was a head taller than most ghouls they¡¯d seen. It kicked the stone ground with its stumpy hind legs. ¡°What¡¯re you waiting for? Fight!¡± Li Yao jeered. The ghoul snapped its head his way. It took a few more steps. More ghouls revealed themselves from behind. The sun had long since set. In the dark, many pairs of eyes glowed like flickering LEDs. Yet the moonlight was clear, giving each an unsaturated silhouette. The first ghoul breathed in. ¡°Alright, same plan. We endure the first attack, then rush in when they¡¯re disoriented.¡± Huang Niuniu made a tiny sound to show she was on board. The Filth Eating Ghoul¡¯s belly expanded, and when it resembled a balloon, it screeched out. Lifeforce -35 Yu Han collapsed to one knee. ¡°What in the¡ª¡± The nausea hit like waves. As the initial urge to vomit receded, the next rose up. His vision swam, doubles appearing atop the rushing forms of the ghouls. A quick glance at Huang Niuniu showed that she was on all fours. ¡°Hey, tubs! Are you alright?¡± Li Yao had already unsheathed his double blade, but Fang Zhao was faster. He ran towards them with large strides. Yu Han roared. A deep guttural sound echoed out from his throat, so hoarse that it hurt. He held the halberd with a death grip. Mountain Root Stance! The blade cleaved the outstretched hand of the first ghoul. Stone Cutting Chop! The next attack beheaded the second ghoul. Swift Hoof Lunge! The third pierced the chest of the next monster. Pure Qi +7 ¡°You little midgets think you can outmatch me?¡± he yelled. His voice boomed with condescension. It seemed to rattle the swarm of ghouls, though for merely a moment. They snarled and shot forward again. A bright light came from behind, casting his shadow long. The ghouls screeched in fear, blocking the light with their monstrous palms. It was Huang Niuniu. She had taken her helmet off, and her whole face shone like a headlight. The lights flickered, and she coughed, the colour draining from her face. ¡°Sister Huang!¡± Fang Zhao, who had already rushed near, supported her. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡± Huang Niuniu bled from her orifices. But Yu Han¡¯s eyes were not on her. She¡¯d only illuminated the area for a second. ¡°Tubs, this ain¡¯t good.¡± Li Yao stood beside him. His sword hand shook. That second of light was enough to reveal a new enemy. A cold gale howled out from the stone tank hatch, and a huge, furry hand, way bigger than Yu Han¡¯s head, reached out from within. ¡°Shit.¡± Chapter 52: Boss Fight ¡°Kill as many as you can!¡± Yu Han shouted, lunging forward with a Swift Hoof Lunge. The halberd tip pierced the skull of the foremost ghoul, and a Heavy Ox Swing to the right took care of another. ¡°They¡¯re still stunned from the light!¡±¡°Don¡¯t need to tell me twice, tubs!¡± Li Yao took the other side. His swords danced between the ghouls, separating arm from body and head from neck. Fang Zhao followed suit. He jumped, kicking the face of one ghoul, then kicked out around him like a hurricane. The ghouls fell, but they weren¡¯t dead yet. Using his falling momentum, he stomped one on the head. The little round ball burst like a watermelon. The ghouls were stirring now. Growls rang out, followed by screeches. ¡°Retreat!¡± Yu Han shouted. There were still around thirty left, not to mention the big one at the back. He kicked one ghoul away. Then, using defensive forms to parry the coming claws and fangs, he reached near Huang Niuniu. ¡°T-The shrine¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu wheezed. Blood dripped from her nose and eyes. They no longer glowed. ¡°Can you see?¡± She nodded. ¡°W-We must go to the shrine. Senior Wen said it could buy us some time!¡± ¡°We can get to the donkey cart¡ª¡± ¡°We can¡¯t! If we leave it like this, these ghouls will scatter. We¡¯ll get severely punished by the Sect.¡± ¡°Better than dying!¡± ¡°You will in one year if you get held back by this. We can do it.¡± Huang Niuniu squeezed his hand. ¡°Think of an idea.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t know if he should feel pleased by her trust and concern, or panicked. ¡°If the worst comes to pass,¡± he said, ¡°we¡¯ll break out to the donkey cart.¡± She nodded while biting her lips. Fang Zhao and Li Yao had fallen back. Li Yao was fine. He slashed his sword midair, splattering blood on the ground. But Fang Zhao bled from his right arm. Yu Han grimaced. The ghouls were laced with toxic waste. It would be okay if the poison wasn¡¯t fast-acting. If it was, though, they¡¯d be one man down. Yu Han chose to believe that Fang Zhao wouldn¡¯t fall so easily. ¡°We move back to the shrine,¡± Yu Han said, interrupting his own thoughts. He carried Huang Niuniu under an arm and dragged her to the small shrine dedicated to the god of underground spaces. Li Yao and Fang Zhao held the rear, focusing on defence. If one ghoul stepped forward, Li Yao would leave a gash on its body, deflecting the claw of another with his left-hand sword. Fang Zhao would find perfect moments to hit the ghouls in the torso with kicks and punches, bypassing their claws. With their stumpy legs, it took time for them to get up after falling down once. Finally, they were within a metre of the shrine. When the ghouls neared, they screeched out. One took a step forward, but then, as if afraid of something, scampered back. They were barely five metres away. Soon, the creatures had surrounded them. ¡°Fuck, this is bad,¡± Yu Han muttered. He let Huang Niuniu fall. ¡°Be a gentleman,¡± the girl joked. She seemed to have recovered a bit. ¡°Don¡¯t spout negative stuff, tubs. We¡¯re gonna get out of this.¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Just some common Monstrous Beasts. I can take on a hundred, even if I¡¯m Level 0.¡± There was a savage glint in Fang Zhao¡¯s eyes. His right fist clenched as blood fell from his upper arm. He held his left fist forward, the cat-engraved ring gleaming gold. A large roar startled the four. The big one had come out. It was two metres tall. Its proportions were similar to the smaller Filth Eating Ghouls, stumpy legs and long, gorilla-like upper limbs with huge forearms. It had three eyes, each embedded in uncanny places on its face. Its maw was wide open, square teeth jutting out in strange directions. ? Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°It has to be Level 4 at least,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°But not unbeatable.¡± ¡°The problem is these thirty other little ones,¡± Li Yao commented. The big one roared again. Was it a sound attack? No, its belly didn¡¯t expand. But with that roar, the smaller ghouls seemed to find courage. They crouched, jumped, teetered, and moved forward, inch by inch. When one came in range, Yu Han pierced its head with the halberd. Another one was slapped away by Huang Niuniu¡¯s ribbon whip. ¡°Fang Zhao!¡± Yu Han got an idea. ¡°When punching the fiends or blocking, imagine you¡¯re using their claws and fangs to cut off your hand.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°More specifically, your left ring finger.¡± Realisation dawned on his face, and he grimaced. ¡°This trashy ring had better be useful for at least one thing!¡± ¡°Niu¡¯er,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You have the longest range. When you see a Filth Eating Ghoul preparing for their sound attack, disrupt it. Like that one!¡± One ghoul three metres away started breathing in. A ribbon whip clashed with its expanding belly and it was thrown back, inflating like a balloon. ¡°I¡¯ll finish off the ones that get too close. Li Yao¡ª¡± ¡°Final line of defence? Leave it to me.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll try to break free and head to the donkey cart if things seem dire. But otherwise, let¡¯s kill these creatures.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± the other three shouted. The ghouls inched closer. Yu Han poked the ones that got too close. One ghoul made a banzai charge, only to be cut down by Li Yao, while Huang Niuniu interrupted the sound attack of another ghoul. It growled and tried to stand up, but was grabbed by the larger one. The boss roared, then threw the ghoul at them like a projectile. ¡°Fuck!¡± Yu Han tried to raise the halberd in time. Fang Zhao was faster. He punched the incoming ghoul with his left hand. A metallic sound rang out, and a light film of white with black and orange hues appeared. The ghoul gurgled and flew back, hitting the floor. There was a large dent on its torso. It vomited blood, then went still. ¡°Holy hell,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°That¡¯s sick!¡± Fang Zhao looked at the ring in surprise, then at Yu Han. There was wonder in his eyes. ¡°You have ideas,¡± Huang Niuniu said, squealing in joy. ¡°Give us more.¡± She whipped out, hitting ghoul after ghoul. At first, Yu Han was only defensive, using longer-ranged strikes to fight back. But with the ghouls disoriented by Huang Niuniu¡¯s whip sounds, he and Li Yao would take the chance to go in and wreak havoc. Soon, ten more ghouls were down. ¡°The big one¡¯s coming!¡± Huang Niuniu shouted. The blood on her face had dried. She didn¡¯t use her Bioluminescence anymore. Was it Qi depletion? Or did she choose not to? ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Fang Zhao said, cracking his knuckles. The ghoul boss snarled. It raised its mouth towards the sky and roared, thumping its chest. Then, kicking the ground, it charged towards them like an angry gorilla. It stepped within three metres, Fang Zhao in its path. It raised a clawed arm and slashed. Fang Zhao dodged the first slash, but the boss¡¯s other hand was coming. Fang Zhao wasn¡¯t fast enough to move out of the way. So he punched out with his left hand. The light film appeared, clattering against the ghoul boss¡¯s claw like a shield. ¡°If you want this hand, take it!¡± Fang Zhao roared. He was pushed back five steps. Blood leaked out from the corner of his lips. Yet he grinned, a savage glint in his eyes. The ghoul roared as if insulted, following its attack with more. Fang Zhao dodged the ones he could, and blocked the rest with his left hand. ¡°I¡¯m Level 0 and you can¡¯t beat me,¡± the exiled young master yelled. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d kill myself in shame!¡± Yu Han and Li Yao weren¡¯t standing still, either. With the ghoul boss breaking into the shrine¡¯s area, the other ones seemed to gather their courage too. They came in one after another, and the fight turned into a melee. These ghouls were stronger than the ones in the other tank. But Yu Han was stronger too! He¡¯d gained stats, and the Coveralls weren¡¯t for show. Lifeforce -11 ¡°Come get me!¡± Yu Han whirled with the halberd held low. The scythe-hook on one side nicked the stumpy legs of three ghouls. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Yao moved in. With two swift strikes, two ghouls were down. Yu Han finished the third off with a Stone Cutting Chop. Lifeforce -25 A sound attack hit. Huang Niuniu tried her best, but her movements were weak. That one big Bioluminescence Nova must have drained her; it was admirable she could still move. Within five minutes, they¡¯d taken care of ten more. Now only eleven remained, including the boss. A glance at that fight showed a battered Fang Zhao. He had a large gash on his chest, and his right arm was a bloody mess. But the look in his eyes was savage, and his lips were stretched into a huge grin. He weaved between the ghoul boss¡¯s attacks, laughing like a maniac. ¡°We finish this quick!¡± Yu Han said. His heart was pumping, his muscles aching. He could vomit any second. The sweat stunk inside his Coveralls. He wanted a shower, a bath, and a nice sleep. But¡­ Swift Hoof Lunge! A ghoul¡¯s chest shattered. He struck one with the handle, making it fall. A quick jump and a stomp, and it was dead. The halberd swivelled right, catching a ghoul under the armpit with the hook. He pulled and the arm came off. Li Yao finished it off with a left-handed slash, while his right hand deflected a claw with the other sword. He kicked, and the ghoul flew back. Yu Han chopped its skull in two. Huang Niuniu hit one¡¯s head with her whip. Li Yao threw a dagger he¡¯d hidden who knows where, and the final ghoul was dead. Without pause, they joined the fight with the boss. Fang Zhao had full aggro. He cackled as if today was his best day in life. ¡°I can fight! This cripple Fang Zhao, even with a cursed ring, can fight!¡± he roared, voice louder than the ghoul boss¡¯s. A chop by Yu Han caught it in its side, cutting deep. Li Yao slashed its outstretched wrist. It was too big to cut through, but the ghoul roared in pain. It jumped back, ignoring Huang Niuniu¡¯s attempt to stop it. ¡°Don¡¯t let it escape,¡± Yu Han shouted. But it didn¡¯t escape. It breathed in, belly expanding. Chapter 53: Delve ¡°Stop it! We can¡¯t let it use the sound attack,¡± Yu Han shouted.Faster than his sentence could end, Huang Niuniu whipped the ghoul boss on the head. Her other whip, swung with her left hand, struck the expanding belly. ¡°Nice work¡ª¡± Yu Han celebrated too fast. The ghoul boss staggered a few steps but kept breathing in. He rushed forward without caring about defence. If that sound attack hit, the nausea alone would leave him stunned. Swift Hoof Lunge! The ghoul boss dodged backward. Its eyes gleamed with mirth. ¡°Fuck!¡± A dark form flew past him, landing in the ghoul boss¡¯s open mouth. It was a severed Filth Eating Ghoul head! The monstrous face of the smaller beast stared back at Yu Han from inside the ghoul boss¡¯s mouth. The ghoul boss fell on its butt. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Kill it!¡± Li Yao shouted. Yu Han didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He struck with the halberd at the same time the ghoul boss spat the head out. Ox Horn Pierce! Rage-filled red eyes glared back. The blade thrust into its chest, and it opened its mouth to let out a sound. ¡°Shit!¡± No way to dodge. Something clicked inside his brain. The world went quiet. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next second, a massive buzz hit him. He didn¡¯t hear the boom he was expecting, but his head felt like someone had smashed it with a metal pipe. Lifeforce -277 *** ¡°Water! Quickly, bring some water!¡± Huang Niuniu said. She sounded panicked. A wet sensation hit his face. It was cold, and Yu Han was awake instantly. He tried opening his eyes. Light flooded through, as if hitting his brain directly. He snapped his eyes shut again. That was when the headache hit him. He cried out. ¡°He¡¯s awake!¡± Li Yao said. They splashed more water on him. Someone massaged the soles of his feet and his palms in strange circular motions. Huang Niuniu was crying. Fang Zhao tried to calm her, and Li Yao was saying something too. Each sound hit his brain like a hammer. But with each passing second, the headache faded. The sounds stopped hurting. His body gradually relaxed. ¡°Maybe he needs air?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°On it!¡± Li Yao shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare¡ª¡± Yu Han shouted, then held his chest as a frenzy of coughs exploded out. After what felt like an eternity of coughing his guts out, he could breathe normally again. He slowly opened his eyes. It wasn¡¯t daytime. The night was dark, and there was a small lantern by his head. Huang Niuniu massaged his palm, still crying. Li Yao slapped his cheeks twice, then held up six fingers. ¡°How many fingers?¡± ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°Close your eyes, tubs. Rest a bit.¡± Yu Han complied. A few minutes later, he counted the fingers correctly. Fang Zhao supported him from behind, helping him sit up. ¡°The ghoul boss?¡± ¡°You mean the big one?¡± Li Yao moved away, showing a headless ghoul collapsed on the ground. ¡°Fang Zhao was right behind you. After you passed out, you let the halberd go. It didn¡¯t pierce all the way through, so he punched the spear handle and pushed it inside. I finished it off with a masterful slash, if I do say so myself.¡± ¡°You pushed through the sound attack?¡± Yu Han asked the red-eyed boy, ignoring Li Yao¡¯s posing. Fang Zhao was topless, and his chest was wrapped with blood-dampened bandages. His right arm was secured by a bandage sling, made from broad strips of cloth from his shirt. It was tied around his neck. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think Brother Yu blocked most of the damage,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Are you calling me fat?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°What? No, that¡¯s not what I¡ª¡± Yu Han laughed weakly. ¡°It¡¯s a joke. And the hell do you mean you¡¯re fine? You¡¯re the most injured out of all of us.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°You almost died,¡± Huang Niuniu said, wiping her tears. She was still sobbing. The blood around her eyes and nose had dried into flakes. ¡°But I didn¡¯t. It was a calculated risk!¡± ¡°What if no one was there?¡± she shouted. ¡°If you¡¯d passed out and¡ª¡± ¡°You, Li Yao, and Fang Zhao were there. I wouldn¡¯t go in if I was alone. I¡¯d just run,¡± Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu fell silent. She kept massaging his feet, brooding away. Yu Han brought his profile up. Lifeforce: 351 (-369) / 768 ¡°Heh, nice.¡± Yu Han giggled. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°I lost 369 Lifeforce. Get it?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°You ?¡± Huang Niuniu cried. ¡°How much did you guys lose?¡± he asked. ¡°83,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I¡¯m still Level 0 thanks to this ring.¡± Fang Zhao shrugged. There was anger in his voice, but now it was subdued. ¡°Niu¡¯er?¡± She looked away. ¡°Huang Niuniu.¡± ¡°544,¡± she said as quietly as a mosquito. ¡°How dare you get mad at me, heretical woman?¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not from the fight,¡± Huang Niuniu said defensively. ¡°It¡¯s from when I overused Bioluminescence.¡± ¡°How the hell is that not part of the fight? You can¡¯t just self-destruct like that.¡± Yu Han shook his head. ¡°How¡¯d you even do it? That huge light nova?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was dark, and there were monsters. So I panicked, and¡­ I don¡¯t know. Too many questions!¡± she snapped. ¡°We have to go back to the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. Or Fang Zhao¡¯s going to be in trouble.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I don¡¯t think my arm is broken. The gash was just large. Same for my chest. It might take a while to heal, but¡ª¡± ¡°These monsters lived in cesspools. You have poop in your bloodstream now,¡± Yu Han interrupted. Fang Zhao paled. His teeth chattered. ¡°There¡¯s a cure for it back at the yard,¡± Yu Han said. While they had been talking, Li Yao had finished harvesting the cores. ¡°There¡¯s 38 of the small ones,¡± he said as he dumped them on the cart. ¡°Still bigger than normal Flesh Eating Ghouls,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°And one big motherfucker.¡± Li Yao threw the ghoul boss¡¯s head onto the cart. He handed Yu Han a core. It was the size of a fingernail, a few times bigger than normal cores. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much the corpses and the cores are worth,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Senior Wen. We¡¯ll split it four ways.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not needed,¡± Fang Zhao insisted. ¡°You¡¯ve helped me so much. I can¡¯t take money from you¡ª¡± ¡°This and that are separate matters,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But I¡ª¡± ¡°Take the money if you know what¡¯s good for you. You think I want to give it to you?¡± Yu Han grumbled. ¡°But work is work.¡± ¡°I gained Pure Qi, though,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Which you¡¯ll lose.¡± Fang Zhao didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Is this normal?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Tubs, I don¡¯t think just the two of you are strong enough to handle these kinds of battles by yourselves.¡± ¡°You calling me weak?¡± Yu Han raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yup.¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°It¡¯s not normal,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯m closing the hatch. We¡¯re not in any shape to shovel now.¡± He wanted to rush back and dip in the hot spring. The throbbing sensation in his head wasn¡¯t totally gone. He¡¯d take some medicine for infection too, just in case; the yard had plenty. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t close it yet.¡± Huang Niuniu stood. She put her helmet back on and took out the glowing rocks. ¡°I never knew you had such a good work ethic,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°That¡¯s not it. As Li Yao guessed, this isn¡¯t normal. There shouldn¡¯t be monsters this powerful in this tank. It was cleaned a week ago by a Senior.¡± ¡°You mean¡­?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s down there causing such rapid growth. Remember what we found in the other tank?¡± Huang Niuniu said. They¡¯d found an ingredient for the fasting brew. It was a treasured herb. So maybe there was something similar in this case? ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± Yu Han glanced at Fang Zhao. His eyes fell on the ghoul boss¡¯s carcass on the cart. The donkey was eating some grass from the roadside. Unfortunate enough to encounter a foe many times their Level, but fortunate enough to survive, and even come out stronger. Whether via breakthroughs in powers or finding treasure and loot. They walked to the hatch. ¡°Fang Zhao, you should stay here. There¡¯s dirty stuff down there, which is bad for your wound,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Let him come. If there is something, it wouldn¡¯t be fair if he doesn¡¯t see it,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯d like to join you,¡± Fang Zhao agreed. Huang Niuniu lit up the glowing rock. She led the way down. ¡°Be careful of the stairs. They¡¯re slippery.¡± ¡°I think I stepped on poop,¡± Li Yao said. Both he and Fang Zhao had scarves on. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 79 (+1) / 200 Pure Qi: 39 (+28) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 351 / 768 ¡°That¡¯s a lot of True Qi.¡± Yu Han whistled. It echoed in the dark tank. Huang Niuniu and Li Yao had also earned a lot, apparently. Especially Huang Niuniu with her Bioluminescence. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 189 / 200 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 179 / 400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 198 (+10) / 200 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 188 (+61) / 200 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 80 (+43) / 200 Both Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique and Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms were close to levelling up. Even Thousand Petals Awareness had gained True Qi. He must¡¯ve been subconsciously using it. He wasn¡¯t proficient enough to intentionally use it. The only explanation was that there sound, but he had used Thousand Petals Awareness to block it off somehow. The Psychic Art was meant to enhance senses, but the manual had mentioned how, if practised improperly, it could be used to mute senses. Yu Han had been practising it. Until now, he could only slightly enhance or mute his sense of smell (because of their work) and taste (because of Huang Niuniu¡¯s brews). Never before had sight, sound, and touch worked. But this time, they did. Although it didn¡¯t block the effects of the attack, only the sound. Perhaps it had been only for that split second? Or perhaps muting the sound cost him less Lifeforce? It was hard to know. ¡°There¡¯s light,¡± Fang Zhao said. A few stairs down, Yu Han saw a faint, pulsing glow coming from the arch-stone doorway to the cesspool. The group crept nervously to the end of the stairs. Li Yao yelped. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Chapter 54: Webs and Worm A web of luminous fungi draped the opposite wall, their pale light flickering like a slow, steady heartbeat. With each pulse, it illuminated the shocked faces of his companions.The web of fungi had hundreds of fist-sized fruiting bodies. They looked like upside-down puffball mushrooms. The outer skin was transparent like a jellyfish, and inside was a flame-like luminescence. That wasn¡¯t what shocked them. The fungi extended from the cesspool, and around the pit were tens of Filth Eating Ghoul corpses. Some were broken, others with large chunks taken out. The culprit of the massacre lay within the cesspool. A huge earthworm. Just the part of its body that was visible was over two metres long. It was about as wide as Yu Han¡¯s thigh. Its muted green, mucus-covered segments glowed faintly. On its head were two earthy brown spots, like eyes. It was injured, chunks of its flesh taken out here and there. Worse, the fungi actually grew out of the earthworm¡¯s body. The web spread from it across the cesspool and climbed up the opposite wall. Those strange fruits were on the cesspool¡¯s surface too. The fungi pulsed in sync with the worm¡¯s muted glow. ¡°Is that a monster?¡± Li Yao unsheathed his swords. As if responding to the sound, the creature lifted its front end, and a low hiss echoed. The seams at its tapered front segment split open, revealing a small, circular maw lined with ridges rather than teeth. The worm hissed again. ¡°Eek!¡± Huang Niuniu hid behind Yu Han. A pressure pulsed out, rising and falling with the pulsating glow. ¡°It¡¯s at least in the Qi Gathering Realm!¡± Fang Zhao said, his face paling. ¡°We need to leave¡ª¡± ¡°Shush,¡± Yu Han said. His back was cold with sweat. The moment he¡¯d seen the creature, his knees had gone weak, and if not for Huang Niuniu suddenly clutching his arm from behind, he would¡¯ve fallen. The worm hissed again. Its body shook, the waste in the cesspool shifting slightly. But it didn¡¯t move, the hard nodules holding it in place. ¡°It¡¯s trapped,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°So, easy Pure Qi?¡± Li Yao whispered. But the worm seemed to understand. It opened its maw again and hissed louder. The pressure increased, and with it, the glowing fungi. A second later, the worm¡¯s head drooped down, the pressure vanishing. ¡°It might understand us,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°So not a monster? Let¡¯s assume it killed the Filth Eating Ghouls. Remember the characteristics of monsters?¡± ¡°They¡¯re imitations of life without spirituality and only instinct. They crave spirituality, so they¡¯ll try to kill any being that has spirituality on sight,¡± Fang Zhao said. Yu Han nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve read monsters also fight other monsters. But this worm grew angry, or at least reacted, when Li Yao called it easy Pure Qi.¡± As if confirming his guess, the worm hissed again. ¡°It¡¯s a spirit beast,¡± Yu Han concluded. The worm lifted its head, then bobbed it up and down. The fungi glowed brighter, as if draining all energy from the worm. Its head thumped back on the stone edge of the cesspool. Yu Han took a cautious step towards it. ¡°W-Wait, don¡¯t be hasty,¡± Huang Niuniu whisper-shouted. ¡°Niu¡¯er, remember where we dump waste?¡± ¡°King Earthworm Gorge¡ªoh!¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The land god of the gorge, and also the god of underground spaces, is supposed to be a super-strong Earthworm Spirit. We pray to it in the shrine outside.¡± ¡°Ah, right!¡± Li Yao slammed a fist into his open palm. ¡°It had an earthworm statue too. Wait, you mean this is the land god?¡± His face paled. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Serves you right for blasphemy,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Hey now.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the land god,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Would a super-strong land god be defeated by the likes of Filth Eating Ghouls?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the land god¡¯s brood, then,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Spirit beasts have clans too. This earthworm might be related to the land god. No¡ªit is.¡± ¡°We have to help it!¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It looks so pitiful. Why are there nets growing out of its body?¡± ¡°Fungi,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was defeated by the Filth Eating Ghouls. I remember Senior Wen saying that there are some small tunnels connecting this area to King Earthworm Gorge. Maybe something happened to it in one of the tunnels underneath, and it had to surface?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t explain the fungi, though. What are those things?¡± Li Yao asked, taking careful steps behind Yu Han. The rest of the group followed. Huang Niuniu stepped on a ghoul arm accidentally. The sound of bone snapping echoed out, and she whimpered an apology. ¡°Definitely treasures,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I refuse to believe that something that looks so awesome is worthless. Fang Zhao, you¡¯re from a big clan. What do you think?¡± He tried to recall if there were similar things mentioned in any of the books he¡¯d read, but nothing came to mind. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something quite like this. But those flames inside the fruits and the web¡ªthe only way they could glow like that is if they had Qi.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all right to take them without asking permission first,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°From the Sect?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°The earthworm.¡± Yu Han stood before the creature. It lifted its head slowly, as if using the last of its abilities. Yu Han extended a palm. ¡°N-No, it¡¯ll eat you!¡± the girl pleaded. Yu Han patted its head. It was soft. The earthworm hissed again. The sound was lower and more drawn out. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a yeast infection,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°A what now?¡± Fang Zhao asked. ¡°Fungus infection. They happen to humans too, right?¡± Yu Han said. The three shook their heads. ¡°Never mind. The web is growing out of its body. Every time it moves, the light glows larger, and it weakens. I think the fungi is sapping its energy,¡± Yu Han extended his halberd into the cesspool over the earthworm¡¯s body. He aimed for a few hyphae and chopped down. The web severed, and the portion of the fungi wall connected to the earthworm through that Section dimmed. ¡°Let¡¯s cut all the webs,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°O-Okay,¡± Huang Niuniu readied her dagger. ¡°On it.¡± Li Yao grabbed his swords. He gave one to Fang Zhao, who used it with his left arm. With each section of the web cut, the glow on the wall dimmed. But the flames inside the fruits would remain. They would quiver a bit, as if about to go out. ¡°What¡¯ll we do next?¡± Li Yao asked as they worked. ¡°It¡¯s a shame to waste all these spirit plants.¡± ¡°How are they plants? They¡¯re clearly fungi,¡± Yu Han said. It was a shame, too. But then again, didn¡¯t he choose to live without shame? S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fungi are plants too, tubs. Don¡¯t be such a smartass.¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°No, they¡¯re not. You know what? We¡¯ll come back to this later,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Maybe they won¡¯t go to waste. The flames are still there, see?¡± One of the flames dimmed before growing stronger again. ¡°Most spiritual plants and herbs have specific harvesting methods. If¡­¡± Fang Zhao stopped. He continued to work. ¡°If what?¡± Li Yao probed. The boy didn¡¯t reply. He squinted his brows in deep thought. Yu Han and Huang Niuniu sent him glances, but continued to cut the webs. Yu Han had the longest reach. Within a few minutes, the parts of the web above the cesspool were severed. ¡°Didn¡¯t Senior Wen mention that if we work for the Night Alchemists long enough, the land god of King Earthworm Gorge might give us perks?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°That means they¡¯re our friends, right?¡± ¡°I think so too,¡± Yu Han replied. ¡°Okay, big guy, let¡¯s see if we can pull you out.¡± The four of them grabbed the earthworm¡¯s exposed upper body. The creature wiggled in their grasp, hissing now and then. Its green glow pulsed, but it didn¡¯t make any large movements. ¡°Now pull!¡± Yu Han shouted. They were able to pull it out for a few inches before they stopped. More webs were beneath the cesspool, connected to the fungi wall on the other side. ¡°This is going to take a while,¡± Yu Han muttered. He eyed the fruits. Now and then, they would dim. ¡°Brother Yu, gather the fruits,¡± Fang Zhao said. He had a resolute expression. ¡°I have a way to preserve them.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll explain later. For now, just gather the fruits, or they may go to waste.¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the other side. My halberd has a hook, so I should be able to pick all the ones on the wall.¡± He looked at Huang Niuniu with a serious expression. ¡°About the ones in the cesspool¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not going in.¡± ¡°There might be holes, Niu¡¯er. I wouldn¡¯t tell you to go in¡ª¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡ªall the way.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the only ones with Coveralls. It would be too cruel to let Li Yao and Fang Zhao go¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± The other two laughed. Even the worm seemed to hiss in fits. ¡°Give me the halberd,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m the same height as you, and I have more strength.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn,¡± she said. Yu Han looked at the thick pool of sludge. He wouldn¡¯t go in completely. But who knew if there was a hole there? If he fell in, that would be a very sad way to die again. ¡°Yeah, tubs, you¡¯re the only one fat enough!¡± Li Yao smirked. ¡°Bastard, what do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so fat that if you fell into a hole, you¡¯d just get stuck and not go in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Calm, Brother Yu, calm!¡± After raging for a bit, Yu Han decided to go in. He knew that near the tank¡¯s edge, the pool wasn¡¯t deep. Night Soil Collectors had to go in and clean it up from time to time if the holes were clogged. The hole locations were marked with sticks poking out of the cesspool here and there. As long as he avoided those places, it would be fine. They brought down the long rope used to tie the donkey¡¯s harness to the well¡¯s pulley. He gave the halberd to Huang Niuniu and tied one end of the rope around himself. The other two would pull him out if anything went wrong. Yu Han climbed over the edge, then stepped into the cesspool. The gooey, mucky texture hugged him up to his torso. With one hand, he held the core harvesting scoop, and with the other, a hemp bag. He trudged through, then suddenly stopped. Something snapped beneath his feet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, tubs?¡± Li Yao asked. Chapter 55: Hisses ¡°Shit,¡± Yu Han said.¡°Well, duh,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I think I stepped on something.¡± He hooked the thing with his boot. ¡°What do you want us to say? Huh, tubs?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Should we clean your shoes? Were you expecting to step on flowers in a cesspool?¡± ¡°Brother Yu, I don¡¯t think this is the time to be joking around,¡± Fang Zhao murmured. ¡°You guys suck,¡± Yu Han said discontentedly. The muck clung to his leg like cement. He lifted his foot; it was like doing a leg raise with unspeakable weights. After a few seconds, he reached into the muck and pulled out the object. It was a hand. He let out a scream he would forever wish to forget. ¡°Dude, it¡¯s just a ghoul,¡± Li Yao tutted. He tried to hold in a laugh as he pulled the earthworm with Fang Zhao. The earthworm had no such intentions. It hissed repeatedly as if gasping for breath, but the noise sounded oddly mischievous to Yu Han. He threw the hand at Li Yao. The taller boy had no problem dodging. Yu Han carefully circled around the marked holes until he reached the first of the fruits. With the same bladed scoop used for harvesting cores, he carefully severed the webs connected to the fruit and put it in the bag. On the opposite side, Huang Niuniu lifted the halberd like a pole and cut the fruit stems. The bulb-like fruits fell like mangoes in a storm. ¡°Don¡¯t damage them!¡± Yu Han shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t pressure me!¡± Huang Niuniu yelled back. As they plucked the treasures, the flame-like glow within the bulbs quivered and dimmed. Yu Han used to call his ex¡¯s current husband a sewage rat. If they could see him literally trudging through shit, they would probably blow their tops. The work continued. ¡°A bit more,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Pull!¡± The earthworm hissed. Fang Zhao and Li Yao tugged with all their strength, and the worm¡¯s full body was finally outside the cesspool. ¡°Heavy!¡± Li Yao dropped the squishy flesh. It thumped on the floor and hissed. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t bully it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She had a similar hemp bag, now full of fruits. After picking the final one on the wall, she asked, ¡°What do we do with the plants?¡± ? ¡°The fungi!¡± ¡°Whatever. If we keep it, the Sect might see all the plucked stems.¡± ¡°Bring it down, then.¡± ¡°I can burn it?¡± she said, sounding oddly excited. ¡°Heck, you dumb woman. Use the halberd to scrape it off the wall,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Sister Huang, let this one help.¡± Fang Zhao moved to the other side. He grabbed the bottom end of the web and peeled it off the wall. ¡°I¡¯m done here too,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I got twenty-three fruiting bodies. How about you?¡± Huang Niuniu didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You didn¡¯t count, did you?¡± Yu Han was ignored. He groaned, then trudged through the mud back to the ¡°shore.¡± After climbing out, he put the bag down. The light of the glow stone had started to dim. They hadn¡¯t noticed at first because the glow from the fungi wall, the fruiting bodies, and the earthworm supplemented it. But with the fruits dimmed and the web brought down, it was noticeable. The arch-stone doorway cast a shadow inside the cesspool cavern. From it, he could see faint moonlight from above. A pitter-patter sounded. ¡°It¡¯s raining,¡± Yu Han said. He looked down at his body. The Coveralls were painted in poop. He was like the swamp monster, but a thousand times smellier and less threatening. The rain would hopefully wash it away. Huang Niuniu slung the hemp bag on her back, hugged a bundle of webbing, and walked to him, followed by Fang Zhao, who had a similar bundle. It was like fishing nets made of white hyphae, all piled up. Suddenly, the webs lit up, followed by Huang Niuniu screaming. She glowed, slinging the webs down. ¡°What happened?¡± Yu Han asked, alarmed. She looked confused. ¡°I-I, the light, it¡ªfelt like it was¡ª¡± She clamped up. ¡°What?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°If something¡¯s wrong, tell us. If you keep it a secret and it worsens then¡ª¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. She shushed him, a thoughtful look in those green, slightly glowing eyes. The girl carefully touched the webs. A slight hue transferred from the fungi and seemed to disappear inside her coveralls. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was an undertone of excitement in her subtle movements. She stared at him, her pupils quivering. It amazed Yu Han how he instantly understood that Huang Niuniu didn¡¯t want to talk about it now. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Maybe it was the remnant Qi in the plant acting up?¡± She cocked her head. When did she become so good at lying? ¡°If you say so, Cow Girl.¡± Li Yao shrugged. If he noticed anything, he didn¡¯t show it. Fang Zhao stared her, then the webs, and finally shook his head. Huang Niuniu put the stuff down beside Yu Han¡¯s bag. The earthworm hissed. ¡°Oh, you poor thing,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She knelt beside it. The full length of the creature was about five metres. The sections that had been inside the cesspool had fewer bite marks and other injuries, but it still looked horrifying, with hair-like fungal tendrils piercing out of its body. It hissed. The sound was a lot more chipper than when it was connected to the fungi wall. Huang Niuniu gently pulled one of the hyphae. This time, the fungi didn¡¯t glow at her touch. ¡°Should I pull them out?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to treat this.¡± ¡°What do you want, earthworm?¡± Yu Han asked the creature. It had shown enough understanding. ¡°I think it¡¯s better to wait for an expert. Do you want us to take you to King Earthworm Gorge?¡± It hissed, and its body convulsed in a frenzy. It opened its segmented mouth and flailed its head about. ¡°Whoa, whoa! Okay, that¡¯s a clear no. Medical Hall? Hiss once if no, twice if yes.¡± It hissed once. After a while, Yu Han found out it wanted to go to the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. He tapped his helmet. ¡°Earthworm,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°What do we do with the fungi and the fruiting bodies? They probably used you as fertiliser. Do you want them?¡± It gurgled, then spat a blob of shit at the bags. Then it hissed once. ¡°That¡¯s a no,¡± Li Yao said. Yu Han shared his thoughts. ¡°The problem is whether these fruits would remain usable by the time we reach the Night Alchemist¡¯s hut. The cart has a waterproof tarp, so they probably won¡¯t get wet if we keep the bags under it.¡± That wasn¡¯t the main issue. After plucking, their luminescence had become unstable. One moment, they would dim; the next, they would glow brightly. The frequency of this ebbing glow had gotten faster. Everyone looked at Fang Zhao. Even the earthworm raised its head weakly, pointing the two dots on its top towards the red-eyed boy. Fang Zhao had been silent. He squatted near the fruits, counting them. ¡°A hundred and thirteen.¡± He caressed the stone ring on his right index finger. From time to time, gas bubbles would pop in the cesspool, and the earthworm would hiss. The rain outside fell louder. Fang Zhao touched a fruit. Each was about the size of a fist. One second, nothing happened. The next, the fruit vanished. ¡°A ghost!¡± Huang Niuniu shouted. Li Yao¡¯s eyes widened, and the worm started hissing as if it found Huang Niuniu¡¯s reaction amusing. ¡°It¡¯s a storage ring. The last of what my parents left me,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I plead you all to keep it a secret.¡± ¡°You have my word,¡± Yu Han said, but inside, he was boggled. Evil fucking technology. One thing to see it in stories, another in real life. ¡°Won¡¯t it spoil inside?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t. I don¡¯t know what dao or magic is used, but the storage ring has a preservation effect,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°How much can it hold¡ªwait. Don¡¯t tell me,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°No one speaks a word of this outside. Got it?¡± Li Yao and Huang Niuniu nodded. ¡°So it isn¡¯t a ghost? How can something just disappear?¡± Huang Niuniu seemed unconvinced. Yu Han ignored her. He stared down at the earthworm. The earthworm hissed as if offended. ¡°Earthworm, we trust you,¡± he said. There was no other choice. It bopped its head. ¡°Fang Zhao, leave a few fruits outside,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°The damaged ones. And an appropriate amount of webbing. Make sure that exactly the same number of stalks and stems are in the outside pile.¡± The work finished quickly. Li Yao, Huang Niuniu, and Yu Han made rounds in the cavern to clean up any evidence of the excess fruits and double-check if they missed anything. At Yu Han¡¯s urging, Fang Zhao checked the area too. There was nothing else. The four of them carried the earthworm up the stairs. ¡°Hey, you brutish men!¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Carry gently. Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s in pain?¡± The worm hissed in agreement. Its tail was wrapped around Huang Niuniu like a belt. She hugged the part before the tail tightly to her bosom, while the others carried parts of its body all the way up to its head like sacks. ¡°You poor thing. That must¡¯ve hurt a lot,¡± the girl said. ¡°Niu¡¯er, at this rate you¡¯ll get swindled bad,¡± Yu Han reminded her. For some reason, it looked to him that the worm was enjoying the hug. It did a mischievous wiggle. ¡°You smelly men won¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Have it your way.¡± They exited the tank, and the rain washed the filth away. The storm was intense, and the gale rose, the whooshing sound deafening all other noises. Above, lightning flashed. A few seconds later, thunder boomed. They tugged the earthworm under the tarp, above the pile of Filth Eating Ghoul corpses. The creature seemed happy, swallowing a severed ghoul arm. ¡°Keep the bag with the fruits under the tarp too,¡± Yu Han said. They made their way back to the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. Yu Han was out of energy, his head throbbing still. He¡¯d lost a lot of lifeforce. Huang Niuniu was worse. She¡¯d dozed off despite the rain, her head on his shoulder. Fang Zhao sat on the tarp, bandages seeping red. He had a slight fever; the wound must have gotten infected. His eyes bore into the golden ring on his left hand. The earthworm kept munching on the ghoul corpses. Li Yao was the only one in good condition, excluding the donkey. He drove the cart slowly, as the rain blocked their vision. It would be bad if the cart got stuck. None of them were in the proper shape to carry the earthworm back in this weather. And almost all of them needed medical attention. They reached the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard, and Li Yao drove the cart through the gates. ¡°Wake up, Niu¡¯er.¡± Yu Han nudged the girl. She swatted his hand away, then groggily straightened herself. They pulled it into the cart-shed, the same warehouse-like structure with the ten-odd donkeys. As they entered, the other beasts mewled out. A few were sleeping; some were eating piles of straw put in bamboo baskets and hung to the fences of their individual pens. There were some empty pens too. Yu Han and Li Yao got off first, then helped the earthworm down with Fang Zhao¡¯s help. The shed was dry, if not humid. They found a straw-covered empty pen and put the earthworm down. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Senior Wen.¡± Huang Niuniu ran off. The three boys sat, leaning against the fence. ¡°What a fucking day,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Never knew poop shovelling could be so¡­ so¡ª¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Insane,¡± Li Yao corrected. ¡°The secrets you have to keep because of me increase,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I¡¯m pathetic.¡± ¡°Shut it. We got the story straight. No one speaks of anything unnecessary,¡± Yu Han firmly spoke. Two affirmations and a double hiss came in reply. Huang Niuniu returned, Wen Liujie behind her. The girl¡¯s helmet was off. She was pale, her eyes nervous. Because there was a heavyset, grey-haired man looming behind them. He wore a rough-looking robe that had obvious modifications for comfort. An emblem with the marks of the Alchemy Hall in yellow strokes hung from his waist. His face soured into a scowl the moment he saw the earthworm munching on a ghoul corpse. ¡°You thief!¡± Chapter 56: Feral Spot The grey-haired man was between them in an instant.¡°Junior Feral Spot, look at what has happened to you!¡± He crouched down and held the hissing worm up with a clothe-covered palm. ¡°Time and time again, you¡¯ve been warned not to steal from the medicine fields!¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He looked middle-aged, maybe late forties, with brown eyes under thin brows that squinted at the earthworm¡¯s maw. His sleeves were ripped off, revealing arms rippling with muscle, much like Duan Xiaolong¡¯s. A slight pressure extended from the man, and Yu Han held his breath. The worm wiggled, as if trying to escape the man¡¯s grasp, but he held it tight. After a while, he dropped the worm. ¡°You nearly died, Junior Feral Spot. Your insides are filled with Blue-vein Underspore roots. You¡¯re lucky you could escape above ground when it sprouted within you. Otherwise, you¡¯d just be fertiliser now.¡± The worm hissed once. The man looked confused, then angry again. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re trying to say, this time, we at the Alchemy Hall won¡¯t listen to any excuses! We¡¯ll have a word with your patriarch, and then let¡¯s see how you can be so wilful.¡± The man stood up. He scanned all those present, including the donkey. The worm hissed, then pointed at the bag with the fruiting bodies using its tail. The man reached out, and the hemp bag floated to him. Yu Han had already guessed the man was higher up, judging by the way Senior Wen and Huang Niuniu were acting. The man opened the bag, then whistled. He pulled out five fruiting bodies. ¡°Five Lanterns of the Blue-Veined Underspores. Junior Feral Spot, you¡¯ve really blessed the Sect this time.¡± The worm hissed and wiggled. ¡°But if you think you can pay back the debt of a Profound-grade Lantern with five Elite-grade ones, you¡¯re sorely mistaken!¡± the man barked. The worm hissed back. It was slapped twice by the man and collapsed on the floor. He opened the other hemp bag containing the fungal webs and nodded. ¡°Disciple Wen.¡± ¡°Yes, Elder Chang?¡± the disciple said. ¡°Did you know about this beforehand?¡± Wen Liujie looked wronged as he said, ¡°How can that be? I was with you when Junior Huang showed up.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve consorted with Junior Feral Spot before in your little gambles. How can I know you didn¡¯t plan this with the stupid worm?¡± ¡°Elder Chang, you may question Worm Daoist Feral Spot¡¯s integrity, but not mine. My body and soul belong to the Night Alchemists, while the Worm Daoist isn¡¯t even an employee. How can we compare?¡± Elder Chang tugged at his goatee. ¡°You speak sense.¡± It had been referred to as "Junior" by Elder Chang too. What the heck was its identity? Yu Han snapped out of his musings when Elder Chang turned his gaze on him. His eyes passed over Li Yao and Fang Zhao. ¡°You two aren¡¯t part of the Night Alchemists.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Li Yao, respected Elder. I work at the butchery,¡± the boy said. His words were eloquent, but the intonation was that of a slumrat. ¡°This one is Fang Zhao. I worked as a porter.¡± Fang Zhao bowed. Elder Chang questioned Yu Han next. ¡°You¡¯re Yu Han? The new hire alongside this Huang girl?¡± Yu Han nodded. Before he could reply, Elder Chang said, ¡°Explain what happened. Don¡¯t miss anything.¡± ¡°This Yu Han will follow Elder Chang¡¯s orders. Today, Niu¡¯er and I planned to recruit fellow disciples for a Hidden Realm excursion¡ª¡± ¡°Ho, and Wen allowed it?¡± Wen Liujie looked mighty pissed off as he glared at Yu Han and Huang Niuniu. ¡°We hadn¡¯t consulted him.¡± Yu Han ignored the seething Senior Disciple. ¡°We were still in the planning phase. We asked Li Yao and Fang Zhao to join us and hoped to test their skills against Filth Eating Ghouls. After all, the papers said nothing about allowing fellow disciples to help out with the duty.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Certainly, that¡¯s true. Most would rather not, as Pure Qi is a valuable resource¡ªnot to mention the cores. Continue,¡± Elder Chang urged. Yu Han narrated the events up to descending into the cesspool faithfully. After that, he continued with the story the five of them¡ªincluding Worm Daoist Feral Spot¡ªhad agreed on along the way. Five fruits, instead of more than a hundred. Definitely no mention of Fang Zhao¡¯s storage ring, either. ¡°¡ªand then Niu¡¯er went to call Senior Wen,¡± Yu Han finished. ¡°The ghouls must have eaten a number of lanterns. What a supreme waste of treasure!¡± Elder Chang squeezed the worm¡¯s head underfoot as it kept hissing. ¡°If you¡¯re going to use your body as nutrients for the herb, then at least protect the harvest, you incompetent fool!¡± The worm hissed. ¡°Disciple Wen.¡± ¡°Take Junior Feral Spot to the spirit compost pit. No medicine. Let him purge the Blue-veined Underspores by himself. His clan seniors will pick him up to hand out punishment.¡± Senior Wen cupped his hands. He coiled the weakened worm like a pile of robes, then lifted it like a sack. The worm hissed, making threatening tail gestures at Elder Chang. ¡°Stupid, spineless creature. It¡¯s going to cause a calamity one of these days,¡± Elder Chang said. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking these lanterns and the Blue-Veined Underspore roots. Saving a Foundation Establishment Realm Spirit Beast is no light matter, even if by accident, so you all would normally receive a hefty some of contribution points. But the Gorge-Crawling Earthworm Tribe will want to keep Junior Feral Spot¡¯s mess-up a secret. They will reward you for your contributions separately. Worry not, for I¡¯ll make sure that the rewards you receive are greater than what the contribution points would have offered. Am I clear?¡± They all nodded. Yu Han blinked, and suddenly, Elder Chang was two steps away from him. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Elder Chang said. ¡°The Lanterns of the Blue-Veined Underspores are potent healing treasures. They can be made into pills and elixirs to train Vitality, and even potions to regenerate Lifeforce fast. If the Law Enforcement Hall judges that I have coerced you into handing something so valuable over, that will be bad for both of us. You will hand this over willingly. Am. I. Clear?¡± This time, Yu Han nodded with gusto. ¡°Good.¡± The Elder¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°I¡¯ll send over an elixir and a potion for each of you after refining these. Moreover, a Hidden Realm excursion, was it? Not bad to have ambition, but be careful that you don¡¯t end up dead in a ruin. The Sect Master¡¯s reforms are a long way from being finished, and rot still stains the Sect underbellies even now. I¡¯ll tell Wen to only approve level-appropriate missions for you, but in return, you¡¯ll have higher clearance at the Night Alchemists¡¯ internal resources. Such as borrowing equipment for the excursion. If the others are dissatisfied, tell them that it¡¯s the reward for covering up Junior Feral Spot¡¯s mischief. They¡¯ll understand. But do you?¡± ¡°Understood loud and clear!¡± Yu Han said. He had the urge to salute. ¡°For now, clean up. Rest. Wen will give you appropriate medicine. Especially you, Fang Boy, otherwise that infection is going to claim your life. Finally, you, Huang Girl¡ª¡± the Elder pointed at Huang Niuniu. She jumped to her feet and stood as straight as a pole. ¡°Y-Yes.¡± ¡°Next time, plan your relief stops better, lest you answer nature¡¯s call in another Elder¡¯s presence so abruptly. I may be understanding, but others won¡¯t take such blatant disregard for prestige lightly.¡± ¡°This one understands. Thank you for your teaching.¡± The girl repeatedly bowed. Elder Chang gave some words of encouragement to Yu Han and the other two, then left. ¡°You peed in public?¡± Yu Han felt light-headed. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± Huang Niuniu protested. ¡°I¡¯d been holding it in for so long. When I went into the main hall, Elder Chang suddenly released this overwhelming aura like he was going to punch me. I just had a little accident.¡± ¡°Did you knock before entering?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°We were in a hurry!¡± Huang Niuniu was still defensive. ¡°Jesus,¡± Yu Han cried. His legs were too weak, and he sat down. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hot springs.¡± Huang Niuniu tried to pull him up. ¡°I-I have to clean up quickly.¡± ¡°Give me five minutes.¡± Yu Han fell flat on his back. He wanted to sleep. *** They took antibiotics that glowed¡ªor that was the most apt comparison Yu Han could make. Wen Liujie tried to convince both Fang Zhao and Li Yao to quit their current jobs and join the Night Alchemists. Apparently, they had a natural talent for shovelling poop. ¡°Trust me, I have an eye for this.¡± Fang Zhao looked uncertain, but Li Yao flatly refused. They all washed up first with well water and then spent an hour in the hot springs. There were five monkeys tonight. Each species enjoyed the spring without bothering the others. They discussed how to distribute the loot again, just to hammer out the details. Yu Han was insistent that such allocations must be written in ink or blood to stop future discord. Finally, Fang Zhao and Li Yao left, clutching an assortment of healing salves and antibiotic-like pills. Li Yao would walk Fang Zhao to his hut, making sure he didn¡¯t collapse from fever halfway. They¡¯d meet again the next morning. Huang Niuniu went to see Feral Spot at the spiritual compost pit, and Yu Han was left alone with a pacing Wen Liujie. ¡°It¡¯s utter foolishness to go there with only a month of training. Do you think the Hidden Realm is a joke? Every year, dozens of disciples lose their lives there! Monstrous and Primal Beasts aside, the ruins are full of traps, and the environment is hostile enough to kill on its own. Yet you want to leave the cosy job of being a Night Alchemist to gamble on chancing upon treasure?¡± Yu Han coughed. ¡°We merely wish to explore the safest areas and see if we can hunt some monsters for extra cores and Pure Qi. We have no wish to explore ruins.¡± ¡°That has to be a lie. If it is, I¡¯ll fire you.¡± ¡°Nice!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for jokes, Junior Brother Yu,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°Are you still Initial Step Mastery Level 1 in your Martial Arts?¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°Do you have a lightness skill, at least?¡± ¡°Does it look like I have one?¡± Yu Han said, displeased. ¡°Lightness skills are Martial Arts too. They don¡¯t only depend on your physical capabilities, but how the Dao enhances them,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°You don¡¯t even know this, but want to go hunting monsters! How foolish can you be?¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t mind the nagging. He took the chance to ask a question. ¡°Senior Wen, what exactly are Martial Arts?¡± Chapter 57: Arts ¡°What on earth did you do to offend that Gong Muhua so much?¡± Wen Liujie said. They were at the discussion chamber of the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard¡ªthe large room with the map and the notice board. Yu Han sat by the low long-table on a straw zabuton. On the table was the empty vial of the disinfectant potion he¡¯d just taken. Wen Liujie paced the discussion chamber with tense steps. His hands, clasped behind his back, held a scroll he¡¯d just taken from one of the many shelves lining three sides of the chamber. ¡°I exist,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Explain,¡± Wen Liujie said. He stopped pacing, a serious look on his face. Yu Han narrated the events and the final words Gong Muhua had whispered to him before knocking him out. Buff Baldy had whispered. They lapsed into silence. ¡°I don¡¯t remember any Inner Sect disciple by the name of Sima. At least, not a notable one,¡± Wen Liujie said, scratching his stubble. ¡°Still, how dare he so blatantly defy the Sect Leader¡¯s edict?¡± ¡°So the Sect prohibits it? I thought this kind of survival-of-the-fittest mentality was the norm.¡± ¡°It is. Perhaps even a year ago, it would¡¯ve been praised. But now,¡± Wen Liujie said, ¡°it directly goes against the vision of the current Sect Master.¡± ¡°What vision is that?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Orthodoxy,¡± Wen Liujie said. Then he shrugged. ¡°Though I¡¯m not completely sure what that means. A part of it is equal opportunities for all, whether you¡¯re noble or commoner, Common Talent or Profound. There are some nuances that are lost on me.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. That Gong Muhua¡­ I¡¯ll have a word with some people I know. I can¡¯t directly help you with this, but let¡¯s find out who¡¯s backing him. We Night Alchemists might be scorned, but everyone needs us. How dare a baldy make a move on a junior so blatantly?¡± Yu Han tried to be positive, but his mind cherry-picked the bad parts. ¡°Did you train in any Martial Arts before awakening your Spiritual Root?¡± Wen Liujie asked. Yu Han shook his head. Even in his past life, he was focused on aesthetics when working out. ¡°Let¡¯s say¡ª¡± Wen Liujie sat opposite Yu Han on a zabuton, tapping a finger on the table ¡°¡ªthere¡¯s an unawakened mortal who practiced your Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms for decades. Then there¡¯s a cultivator who has the Art listed in his Dao Records, but he¡¯s only been practicing for a month. Who¡¯d usually win?¡± ¡°The cultivator?¡± Yu Han asked. It went like that in the stories¡ªeven the weakest cultivator was stronger than the strongest mortal. Besides, cultivators here had stats. ¡°Of course not,¡± Wen Liujie grinned. ¡°Do you think you can beat an expert mortal practitioner in a fight? He¡¯d play you like a flute. Proficiency matters.¡± ¡°You mean a drum.¡± Yu Han patted his belly. Wen Liujie opened his mouth, then laughed. ¡°Now let¡¯s say they practiced for the same amount of time. Who¡¯d win?¡± ¡°The cultivator.¡± ¡°Right you are!¡± Wen Liujie snapped his fingers. ¡°But suppose they have the same proficiency after training an equal number of years. Why would the cultivator certainly win?¡± ¡°Stats. Primordial Qi allocation is a cheat, not to mention Heavenly Allocations. The base quality is different.¡± Yu Han had only received stat gains a few times and had levelled up once. Even with that, the difference between him and the Fatty Yu of a few months back felt like night and day. ¡°What if the cultivator was Level 0? The initial Heavenly Allocation boosts the cultivator¡¯s base qualities, yes, but suppose he never levels up his realm stage. He doesn¡¯t gain any stats either. He purely practices his Martial Arts. The difference in Heavenly Allocation can be neglected over decades if the mortal practitioner trains his base qualities harder. Who would win in this case?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still going to go with the cultivator. Because it feels like you¡¯re leading up to something.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°The cultivator would still win, all else remaining almost equal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mastery, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I thought Mastery was the numerical representation of our proficiency in Arts. Is there more to it?¡± [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 188 / 200 Yu Han was proficient enough in the Art to face off against ghouls reliably now, but it was still Initial Step Level 1. If he brought it up to Level 10, or even 100, would that still be in the realm of mortals? ¡°Indeed, Mastery is exactly that,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°But it¡¯s also more than that. Mastery and Stats are similar in that way. Both are numerical representations of the cultivator¡¯s specific qualities, but they also represent the Enhancements granted to you by virtue of having an awakened Spirit Root.¡± ¡°Enhancements?¡± ¡°Mastery represents your technical expertise in an Art; how much your Origin stats and respective substats boost each action you take with that Art; what limits of flexibility you can achieve within that Art. It makes it truly your own. And so much more.¡± ¡°Wait, so there¡¯s a direct boost? How come I don¡¯t feel it?¡± Yu Han clenched his fists. Was that action also enhanced in some way? ¡°It¡¯s a mysterious thing. I have no explanation for it. Perhaps masters at the highest realms of cultivation know better? Remember when the Filth Eating Ghouls attacked you? Even if they didn¡¯t break through the Coveralls, their feeble talons and claw swipes cost you Lifeforce. It¡¯s this very mysterious Enhancement. Imagine it being the creature¡¯s very soul inflicting damage to your soul. Now imagine this damage being transferable to your physical self too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s scary. I knew monsters had levels. But mastery in arts too?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°They may or may not. But even normal actions are enhanced. You have Mastery, but you also have Stats, don¡¯t you? Monsters do too.¡± ¡°That slipped my mind.¡± Yu Han scratched his head. ¡°Each type of Art primarily depends on one Origin stat, though there are ones that can depend on multiple. Do you know what they are?¡± ¡°I have a book where it¡¯s recommended that people with an initial Heavenly Allocation of Body should take Martial Arts. For Spirit, they should take Spiritual Arts, and for Mind, it¡¯s Psychic Arts. I imagine for Martial Arts, then, it depends more on the Body Origin Stat.¡± Wen Liujie nodded. ¡°Depending on what type of Art, they might depend on one individual substat more than the other. Lightness skills depend more on Agility, for example, and your Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms should depend on Strength and Dexterity, while having a direct beneficial effect on Vitality and Endurance too. It¡¯s a good Art, although not particularly battle-focused.¡± ¡°Then what about Niu¡¯er¡¯s Flowing Fragrance Weaving Silk Flower Dance?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°It was just a dance for mortal concubines, if I remember correctly. She has an Art for it in her Dao Records.¡± ¡°Anything the Dao recognizes can be an Art,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°It¡¯s in the hands of a cultivator that we can bring out the true power, even if the inventor might be mortal. There are many great stories about it. A mortal assassin awakening by luck, taking his self-invented dagger technique to the pinnacle. A prince of trash cultivator talent, rising to the top and becoming emperor by virtue of mastering an axe method passed down among mortal lumberjacks for generations.¡± ¡°By the way,¡± Yu Han said curiously, ¡°How much Enhancement do you think my actions get?¡± ¡°It depends on the Art and your stats, of course. What¡¯s your Body Origin?¡± ¡°Six point four,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Not your strongest suit, then. With the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms still being at Level 1, that would be about one to three parts enhanced out of a thousand.¡± ¡°Is it even noticeable, then?¡± Yu Han huffed. A 0.1 percent increase? What was he going to do with that? ¡°Don¡¯t just think about it in the physical sense,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°It has mystical effects too. A gate unbroken by mortal force might crumble under the same amount of force in the hands of a cultivator. But it¡¯s true that with a maximum of 0.3 percent Enhancement, it won¡¯t boost your powers much¡ªwhat?¡± Wen Liujie frowned at Yu Han¡¯s bewildered look. ¡°You know what a percentage is?¡± Did ancient China have such advanced maths? ¡°Junior Brother, you mentioned your Body Origin was 6.40 yourself. Why wouldn¡¯t I know what a percentage is? Is this some strange attempt at humiliation?¡± ¡°What? Who said that? Of course I respect you. I was just confused, since Li Yao and Huang Niuniu didn¡¯t know.¡± Yu Han tried to handwave the offence away. This world had a magical status screen with decimal points. Of course they¡¯d develop the percentage! ¡°Of course, Senior Wen is much more learned.¡± Wen Liujie puffed his chest out. ¡°This too is because of the teachings I received as a Night Alchemist.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t teach it at the cultural classes?¡± Yu Han asked. Cultural classes were apparently something of a voluntary education offered by the Sect. From what he knew, it was a mix of religious teachings, brainwashing, reading and writing, and other lessons. ¡°They indeed do.¡± Wen Liujie coughed. ¡°But being part of the Night Alchemists makes us unique. The teachers pay special attention to us. They even let us have one learning bench by ourselves. Other disciples leave you alone to study in peace too.¡± ¡°As I was saying, 0.3 is still too little. So you should stop thinking about going to the Hidden Realm.¡± Wen Liujie crossed his arms with a smile, as if he¡¯d convinced Yu Han. ¡°Err¡­¡± ¡°Give me a thousand spirit stones. That¡¯s the cost of the lesson, Junior Brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you have the corpse of the big Filth Eating Ghoul. The core, too,¡± Yu Han said. The four had agreed on this before. ¡°That¡¯s generous of you.¡± Wen Liujie cast him a suspicious glance. ¡°If your cute juniors were to perish in the Hidden Realm because you didn¡¯t prepare them enough, wouldn¡¯t that weigh on your conscience for years to come?¡± ¡°Are you trying to act cute? Stop it, it¡¯s scary.¡± Wen Liujie scooted away. ¡°If I were to prepare you, I¡¯d have you train for ten years first. Finish your term as a Night Soil Collector first, then you can go.¡± ¡°It might even develop into a heart demon,¡± Yu Han said through gritted teeth. ¡°Fine, you¡ªdid you just curse me? I was about to agree. That¡¯s not how bargaining works.¡± ¡°It was your imagination,¡± Yu Han denied with a straight face. Wen Liujie sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll have some relatively safe External Missions ready. Start low, then gradually ramp it up.¡± After that, Yu Han flattered Wen Liujie until the guy was disgusted and kicked him out. He met up with Huang Niuniu, who had her fun patting the worm, and they headed for Yu Han¡¯s hut. ¡°E-Eek! Why is that here?¡± Huang Niuniu pointed at Yu Han¡¯s hut. A boulder blocked the fence gate. Chapter 58: Eight Legs It was about as tall as Yu Han and wide enough to block the gate. Under the moonlight, it took on a slightly paler orange hue. ¡°Last time it was larger, right?¡± Yu Han said. He cautiously approached it. The boulder was about the height of his torso now. Last time, it had loomed far larger, like a mini-truck. ¡°The colour is a bit strange too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s come to eat you,¡± Huang Niuniu said, clutching his robes with a death grip, her feet planted on the ground. Yu Han couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Did you put all of your Primordial Qi into strength or something?¡± A click came from the boulder. It stood, shaking off the dirt, and two club-like eye stalks extended from sockets on top of its carapace. They were obsidian black, with a narrow orange slit in the middle. Kind of like the Eye of Sauron, but with black where the orange was, and orange where the black was? ¡°Are you an evil, soul-consuming warlock who¡¯s come to steal a ring from us?¡± Yu Han asked. The crab lurched forward, its eight legs snapping into motion. ¡°It¡¯s going to eat us, run!¡± Huang Niuniu dragged Yu Han back with all her might. But the crab was faster. It circled around them and blocked their path. ¡°Niu¡¯er, relax. I told you it keeps appearing in my dream, right?¡± Yu Han stepped on her foot. ¡°Ouch.¡± He patted her head. She let go, then hid behind him. ¡°Unsheath your halberd just in case,¡± she whispered. The crab bobbed up and down. One of its eyes extended a bit more than the other, as if to look behind Yu Han. Huang Niuniu squealed and hid her face. The other eye stalk rotated a full 360 degrees on its axis, clockwise, then counter-clockwise. It came up to Yu Han and wiggled its body. Yu Han gave it a good pat. The spikes retracted seamlessly back into their slots where his hand made contact. ¡°Hehe, robocrab.¡± It did a little crab-dance under Yu Han¡¯s pats. ¡°C-Can I do it?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. This was a girl who thought a worm was cute after being initially afraid of it. How could she possibly resist the urge? A few minutes later, she was draped on top of the creature like a bubble blanket, patting all over its body. It was a bit creepy, honestly. ¡°I¡¯m never eating crab soup again!¡± Huang Niuniu said, her voice euphoric. ¡°Okay, maybe not in the next week!¡± The crab¡¯s eye stalks retreated into their sockets, then one peeked out. It looked at Huang Niuniu, then at Yu Han. It shook its larger claw, and a leather parchment dropped. Yu Han picked it up. ????¦Á¦­?£Â¦¥? He¡¯d seen this many times in his dreams. The parchment was full of boxy letters, crammed together as if the author didn¡¯t have anything else to write on. It was definitely not Yellow Tongue common. Nor was it the Imperial Script Huang Niuniu was teaching him. The girl in question finally extracted herself from the creature and took the paper from him. She stared at it. The moonlight was bright, so it wasn¡¯t too hard to see. A few minutes passed. Yu Han played with the crab, but one of its eye stalks was always pointed in Huang Niuniu¡¯s direction. Finally, clouds covered the moon. Huang Niuniu gave the parchment back. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it says,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Sorry.¡± The crab seemed to deflate. No, it actually deflated. It was now the size of a head. Mysteriously, the parchment got smaller alongside it. Yu Han thought. It wasn¡¯t that Yu Han wanted to. But the Sect had other nice characters like Gong Muhua and Sima Yan. The crab scuttled backwards into Yu Han¡¯s yard. It dug a hole barely as wide as its carapace, then slotted itself in. Its spikes, legs, and eye stalks all retracted into its body. The claws remained, and it used them like shovels to throw dirt on top of itself. After the camouflage was complete, the claws also retracted. What was left now was an orangish-brown boulder covered in dirt. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Yeah, boulders aren¡¯t orange, buddy,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Your carapace isn¡¯t even round, but more boxy.¡± ¡°Shush, it¡¯s sleeping.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a spirit crab in my front yard, Niu¡¯er, I get to¡ª¡± ¡°Shush!¡± She covered his mouth with her palm. Her eyes stared into his, green, sparkling. A hint of neon light illuminated her irises. It was beautiful. ¡°Talk tomorrow,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She removed her hands, then took three steps back. Suddenly, she covered her face with her palms and ran off. ¡°Why are you the one getting embarrassed?¡± Yu Han shouted, his face heating. ¡°Shush!¡± she yelled back. He watched her silhouette disappear into her hut. She¡¯d only tripped once on the way. He entered the yard and stared at the crab-boulder for a while, then sighed. He got out of his robes and took out a clean pair. They usually used the magical cleaning compartments at the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard as their laundry machines. The cleaned robes felt like a sunshine hug. He drifted off quickly. In his Deep Sleep, he waited a while, but the crab didn¡¯t appear. Yu Han brought up a status menu. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 0 / 1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 2 / 800 Qi Affinity hadn¡¯t increased. No clue on how to grind Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline either. His eyes were drawn to the most mysterious trait he had. ¡°Existential Anchor. Are you the reason why Fang Zhao¡¯s ring had no effect on me?¡± Yu Han asked. No one was there to answer his doubts. It was the only thing he could think of. Huang Niuniu, Li Yao, and Fang Zhao were seemingly mind-controlled when Yu Han had questioned the existence of the ring. Yet Yu Han hadn¡¯t felt a thing. Did this Trait literally anchor his existence, so to speak? Maybe he got this trait because of his Transmigration. Either the very event granted it, or that green meteor that blasted him into this world. He brought the screen down, then checked his profile. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 80 (+1) / 200 Pure Qi: 38 (-1) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 383 (+32) / 768 He¡¯d already assimilated 1 Pure Qi somehow. Was it the breathing technique? He usually tried to keep the breathing according to the Cultivation Art whilst he trained his Martial Art. He¡¯d had little success as of yet, but he was getting better. His Lifeforce had recovered quite a bit too, probably because of the elixir he had at the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. For some strange reason, he felt pride bubbling up. This was a legacy left behind by his family, the Sect having nothing to do with it. The only reason he could benefit from it now was because he tried to live up to his¡ªJohan¡¯s¡ªdad¡¯s expectations. Huang Niuniu appreciated their connection and nurtured it back. Part of him, Johan, wanted to scoff. It was too early to decide. He wasn¡¯t against giving it a chance, though. At the end of his previous life, he¡¯d felt a bone-deep loneliness. A mirage of her appeared in the dreamscape. Her shoulder-length black hair. Plain face. Glowing green irises. Yu Han wiped it away in a panic. ¡°What the fuck?¡± It was the crab. It was the same football size as it had been in the yard. Yu Han squatted beside it. ¡°Remember me?¡± It cocked its body left, tilting its eye stalks right, then took out the parchment and held it to Yu Han. Yu Han slumped. ¡°Sorry, buddy, don¡¯t know.¡± The crab collapsed, its legs retreating into its body. It just lay there for a while. A few pearls popped into existence around it. ¡°What are these?¡± Yu Han held a pearl to its drooping eyes, and it became alert. It extended its legs again, then circled Yu Han while clicking its claws. After a while, Yu Han figured it didn¡¯t know. ¡°They don¡¯t appear in real life. Only in this Dreamscape.¡± Yu Han went to the pile of pearls and picked up a blue one. ¡°It turns blue after a few days. Look, this one has a mirage of us playing fetch.¡± The crab held the blue pearl in front of its eyes. It then made a very obvious motion of shrugging. ¡°No idea, huh? Maybe you did know once. You just forgot?¡± Crab. Memory. Unsafe Memory. ¡°There was a programming language back home called Rust. I learnt it for a while. They called us Rustaceans, and our mascot was an orange crab thing called Ferris.¡± . ¡°Never mind,¡± Yu Han said. Many projects he¡¯d greenlit at Nexus Assurance Auditors used it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back now?¡± Yu Han asked the crab. It would usually make a hole in his Dreamscape and go into that tunnel. The crab started playing with the pile of blue pearls. ¡°Fine, then.¡± Yu Han took some distance. He echoed their fight, trying to find new observations. Every minute piece of data mattered. Enough data could string together into information, and then into knowledge. If they had stumbled upon the horde of Filth Eating Ghouls without knowing about Fang Zhao¡¯s ring, the fact that the shrines could protect them, or that the ghouls were sensitive to sound and light, they might not have gotten away with such minor injuries. Luck played a role in their success. But data did too. These constant revisions of his battles, and the day¡¯s events, were like a foundation for his future safety. To Yu Han, it was no less important than cultivation. ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± Yu Han had an idea. He closed his eyes and breathed in. One breath. Five. Fifty. He inhaled and exhaled according to the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. He¡¯d never tried doing it in Deep Sleep for some reason. In waking times, he hated sitting still doing nothing but meditation. That was why he tried to incorporate it into his Martial Arts practice¡ª A click broke him out of his meditation. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What the fu¡ª¡± He fell. He¡¯d been levitating halfway up the Dreamscape. Before he could echo in his bed to break the fall, he collapsed onto the shell-like dreamscape floor. ¡°Ouch.¡± He bounced, falling flat on his back. The crab clicked again. Yu Han sat up and stared. It stood in front of a human-sized hole. It clicked its larger pincer, then beckoned Yu Han. Its other pincer held the blue pearl. ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Han gulped. ¡°You want me to go with you?¡± Chapter 59: Crabscape ¡°Nope,¡± Yu Han said. The crab froze. It jumped, all its protrusions retracting back into its boxy body, which fell with a thump. Yu Han thought. Was he a fool? What if he got stuck there? What if his psyche got trapped in a crab¡¯s body, his real body lying comatose? A million different things could go wrong. Yu Han sat back down to meditate again, closing his eyes. That experience was shocking. Meditating with the Cultivation Art had an effect Yu Han had never seen before, even when he¡¯d cultivated his Psychic Art, Auxiliary Art, or Martial Art. . Yu Han peeked. The crab retracted its claw. ¡°Do you want something?¡± No reply. It was just a box. He closed his eyes again. Better to meditate. Yu Han opened his eyes, fuming. After some questioning, he got nothing, so he sat back down to meditate again. ¡°You little¡ªyou¡¯re doing this on purpose!¡± Yu Han shouted. It just plonked there, no movements. ¡°Be quiet. I have to meditate.¡± Yu Han closed his eyes. In his heart, he was expecting a click. But nothing happened for a while. Did it learn its lesson? He took a breath. One. Five¡ª ¡°That¡¯s it, you little orange¡ª¡± Yu Han jumped up and stomped to the crab-box, cursing. He picked it up, about to shove it inside its hole. With it here, he¡¯d never be able to meditate. When he¡¯d shoved the crab halfway through the hole, Yu Han realized something. His hand had crossed the threshold too. ¡°Fuck.¡± He let go of the crab. But it was too late. A small suction dragged at him. It was weak, really, like a gentle breeze. But strangely, it was enough to bring him through. Behind him, the wall closed. ¡°I messed up,¡± Yu Han muttered, sitting down. The ground on this side was wet, like the inside of a coastal cave. ¡°I got tricked by a crab.¡± The heinous villain in question scurried about around a stalagmite. Its eight legs splashed water from puddles, distorting the reflection of the light source above. Yu Han looked up. Rays of light, like that of the stars and moon on a cloudless sky, pierced through the stalactite-covered ceiling from little holes. As he stared up, water dripped on his face. It was cold, the feeling of it far more real than anything he had ever conjured. The ground under his feet was coarse, cold stone¡ªslippery, damp, covered in strange moss and algae. ¡°What is this place?¡± Yu Han stood up, using a stalagmite to steady himself. He took one step after another, careful not to slip. . The crab pointed deep into the cave with its pincers. Who knew what would happen if he hurt himself in another being¡¯s territory? The cool air of the cave failed to calm his beating heart. He had taken the crab for a fool. Now look at him, lured in by cute acting. The wall behind, which should have led to his dreamscape, was now coastal cave stone. Water dripped from hairline-thin cracks into a puddle below. He punched it, then kicked it. It wouldn¡¯t budge. He could wait until he naturally woke up. But again, what if he got stuck? His gut told him it was a fool¡¯s errand. The crab walked from one stalagmite to another, knocking against them as if checking its territory. Its other pincer still held the blue pearl. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. It clicked, then blew bubbles out of its mouth. It kept pointing deeper into the cave. ¡°Fine then, have it your way. If something goes wrong, Niu¡¯er won¡¯t forgive you. She¡¯ll tell the Sect.¡± Yu Han tried to sound menacing. The crab clicked. One eye-stalk was focused on Yu Han, while the other moved around like a windmill, as if looking for something. It crawled between two stalagmites, then picked up a pearl. It held the shiny orb in front of its eyes. The orange pupil-like flame inside those obsidian stalks narrowed. It walked forward. He knew ghost crabs could move in all directions, but didn¡¯t they still favour sideways walking? The crab tapped against the rocky walls a few times, as if in reply. After a while, they reached the end of the cave. There was a cavernous area with a pond in the middle, where transparent water shimmered light blue. Photon specks rose from the pond, then disappeared into nothingness. The crab dropped both the blue pearl and the normal one into the pond. Then it did a dance¡ªhopping up and down, clicking its pincers in front of its body one by one. The bottom of the pond was visible from where Yu Han stood. It was filled with pearls. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of pearls stacked one atop the other. Like grains of sand on a lake bed. Only one of them was blue. The crab got to its feet, then did a crab bow. With a plop, a few more pearls materialized around it. It hurriedly gathered them, then threw them in the pond again. It then took out half a coconut shell from somewhere. It scooped out some water, taking great care not to touch the pond directly. It then came before Yu Han, holding the coconut shell up. ¡°You want me to drink the water?¡± Yu Han asked. The crab threw it at him, completely soaking his in-dream clothes. Yu Han remained silent. Before he could curse, the crab walked around him, back the way they came. ¡°Wait here! You¡¯re gonna be my dinner!¡± Yu Han chased after the little bastard. He¡¯d been played a fool one too many times! ¡°Fuck the data!¡± he yelled. The sound echoed in the cave tunnel. The wet clothes stuck to his body uncomfortably. This was a dreamscape. He could easily echo dry ones. He tried. It didn¡¯t work. Yu Han ground to a halt. He was being led around by a noose, but it was still safest not to antagonize the master of the realm. The first priority was to get out safely. The crab had long disappeared from view. Yu Han trudged back down the eerie path until he was at the start again. The crab was there. So was the human-sized hole back to Yu Han¡¯s dreamscape. The crab clicked, eye-stalks dancing up and down one by one. Yu Han dashed through the hole, jumping and falling with a roll onto his own dreamscape floor. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± he yelled. He turned to the crab, still in the hole. ¡°Hey buddy, come here. I got a surprise for you.¡± He echoed an iron maiden, then a pot of boiling water, a seafood cracker, and finally a crab pick. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. Swear to Jesus.¡± The crab clicked. It spun around three and a half times, its eight legs moving like clockwork. The little movement ended with its back at Yu Han¡¯s face. Yu Han echoed a stick. ¡°You like playing fetch, don¡¯t you? Come here, you snivelling little¡ª¡± The hole vanished. ¡°Fucker.¡± Yu Han threw the stick. Yu Han decided to echo traps and weapons the next time he was in the dreamscape. If the crab appeared again, he would catch it, boil it, then eat it without sharing with Huang Niuniu. Yu Han clicked his tongue. ¡°You gotta be kidding me,¡± he gasped out. His fingers tapped against his thigh anxiously. All the pearls had turned blue. There were hundreds of them. Before, it would take a few days for the pearls to complete their transformation. Now, not a single normal one was left. Not even the ones the crab had poofed into existence today. The pearls were scattered all over that part of the dreamscape. They were something Yu Han couldn¡¯t echo away even if he tried. He panicked. How the hell was he going to practice his Arts, or even move? Yu Han echoed a bamboo basket, then put the pearls in it. After about half an hour, he was almost done. There were already 159 pearls in the basket, with three more lying about. He picked one up and placed it in the basket. Memory: 22 -> 23 [Mind Origin: 16.13 -> 16.60] Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The basket full of blue pearls disappeared. Yu Han¡¯s mind crashed and refused to work for a while. ¡°So let me get this straight. You¡¯re a crab that loses its memories daily. You leave strange pearls in my dreamscape, then when they turn blue and reach a sufficient number, they grant me a stat in memory?¡± Yu Han breathed in and out. But if he checked now, he¡¯d be distracted. He couldn¡¯t be distracted. The crab was taking up all his attention! He threw the cultivation anomaly out of his mind and conjured a pen and paper. ¡°Crab pearls gradually turn blue and seem to have a¡­ mirage in them? Mirage.¡± Yu Han tapped the notepad. ¡°The keyword here is ¡®memory.¡¯¡± He organized the data. ¡°It¡¯s not a mirage, it¡¯s a memory? I got a point in it. The crab loses it. Is it giving me its points? Why? How? Can it visit other beings¡¯ dreams? It does! The Four Meditations seemed to mention something similar.¡± As he spoke, the speed at which he jotted down the words became faster. It would be fine if the mirage of the notebook vanished¡ªjust writing it down helped him remember. ¡°First of all, I won¡¯t be drowning¡ªliterally¡ªin pearls if the crab decides to stick around. I¡¯ll just get more points in Memory¡ªfingers crossed. I only got the point when enough pearls turned blue. My Memory stat went from 22 to 23, but the number of blue pearls in the basket was 160.¡± Yu Han eyed the two that remained. One had a mirage of the crab digging a sandbox Yu Han had echoed. The other showed it tasting a mirage of Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality¡¯s Spite. ¡°What is the significance of that number? Why did the two blue pearls remain?¡± There was another important question. ¡°Why did so many pearls turn blue this time so fast? What happened?¡± Yu Han¡¯s smile grew larger. ¡°Why did the crab take me into its crabscape? Why did it throw the pearls in the pond? What is¡­ what is a dreamscape?¡± He looked around in wonder, the smile on his face turning into a grin. It was all data. And he was going to find out all those ¡°whys,¡± even if he had to brute force it. He hadn¡¯t had this much fun in months! He woke up to the sound of rain, and the first thing he did was open his Dao records. Chapter 60: Training Bull Art Levelled Up!Art Levelled Up! Anticipation grew in his heart. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 86 (+6) / 200 Pure Qi: 34 (-4) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 414 (+31) / 768 Yu Han fist-pumped. His clenched fist wouldn¡¯t stop trembling. Without using any elixirs, he had assimilated four Pure Qi into True Qi, alongside the natural gain of two, and without any waste. Not to mention, this time he had been broken out of meditating partway through by the crab. If he could continue the whole duration of Deep Sleep, how fast could he level? Even at the current rate, he¡¯d be at the threshold in less than a month. The trial stopped many from progressing fast, but just getting a foot in the door was worth celebrating. There were trade-offs, though. Yu Han would have to optimise this. If he spent the whole time meditating, he couldn¡¯t echo the day¡¯s events. That was how he usually collected data for further analyses. Analysing the data in his Deep Sleep, without any distractions, made it easier to come to a useful interpretation. Either way, he¡¯d focus on meditation for now. He needed to test the limits of this skill. Yu Han touched his face. His grin had been stuck there for a while. He shook his head, but his stomach felt bubbly, as if butterflies were fluttering about. His Bloodline Art was not useless after all. If he didn¡¯t have it, he wouldn¡¯t have Echoing Dreamscape. And now, super cultivation. Was his efficiency as good as a Refined Talent now? He¡¯d have to ask Li Yao. Yu Han brought up his Arts next. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 199 (+10) / 200 He punched the bed. His nostrils flared. He¡¯d definitely level it tonight. But that number pissed him off. It reminded him of his life as Johan, before he was rich. Companies would always sell stuff at ten pounds and ninety-nine pennies. Still, that was far more True Qi gain than usual. [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 183 (+4) / 400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 15 (+17) / 300 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 29 (+41) / 300 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 81 (+1) / 200 The grin crawled back onto his face like it had never left. Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique had levelled. Using it in Deep Sleep must have really tipped the Dao. Ji¡¯s Cultivation Contemplations had mentioned that to gain mastery in an Art faster, one had to use it in creative ways. Creative ways here did not mean randomly flailing around¡ªalthough that too could have its merit. The best gain came when an idea bore fruit. In this case, Deep Sleep had a giggle-inducing synergy with the Cultivation Art. Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms had levelled up too. It had been on the precipice, and that fight with the ghoul boss¡ªnot to mention the ghoul minions¡ªfinally helped it break through. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. True Qi: 33 (+33) / 1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 7 (+5) / 800 Another surprise. Qi Affinity gained 5 True Qi. More importantly, his Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline gained 33! The books he had read said the best way to cultivate a Trait, especially Bloodline-related ones, was through cores, herbs, pills, and elixirs. Yu Han interpreted that as using the ¡°biomass¡± of other creatures to enhance his own genetic quality. Yu Han considered cores to be biomass too, since they grew inside biological creatures. Of course, that was a strong assumption. It was just a hypothesis without proof. An important thought to ponder later. What was important now was figuring out why Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline gained so much True Qi. The most obvious possibility was that using the Cultivation Art had fired some neurons, so to speak. Either it was the very act of using the Cultivation Art in Deep Sleep, or after using it, a hidden facet of his Bloodline had revealed itself. What was it, though? There was a third possibility. He¡¯d left his Dreamscape and entered the Crabscape. Echoing Dreamscape was an ability tied to Deep Sleep, which was in turn granted by his Bloodline. There was a connection there, and the Bloodline should have set the limits of what was possible with Echoing Dreamscape. Perhaps when he somehow broke that limit by venturing outside of the defined area, the Bloodline also improved? Too many guesses, too little data. He stretched, and satisfying pops rang out through his body. His Lifeforce had been recovering nicely. He hopped off the bed. The straw mat hadn¡¯t been changed after Huang Niuniu burnt it, and the ashes from the stove under the brazier had to be taken out. He brushed his teeth with salt and a branch, then gargled. It would have been good if the water-producing stone could generate hot water too. The rain stopped. Yu Han took up his halberd, which had been placed on the floor. A few nights, he¡¯d kept it leaned against the wall. Then one day, Huang Niuniu said, ¡°What if the halberd falls on your neck while you¡¯re asleep? What if the sheath magically comes off?¡± He opened the door to a partially cloudy sky. There was grey on the horizon, the mist gradually thinning. Yu Han got into Mountain Root Stance. He placed the halberd vertically in front of him, holding it in such a way that it was easier to deflect or block attacks with minimal movement. Stone-Cutting Chop! He imagined an enemy staggering back after having its claws deflected. Taking the chance, he chopped its head apart. Heavy Ox Swing! He twisted his body, cleaving the three ghouls behind in one fast motion. The halberd felt more at home. When he changed from one form to another, a minute amount of resistance seemed to have disappeared. When the blade collided with an imaginary enemy, it was as if there was more weight behind the attack too. It could just have been his imagination. But he¡¯d been practicing Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms for many hours now, both in reality and in the Dreamscape. After going through all the variations, Yu Han moved on to the second part of the morning practice. He breathed in the specific patterns of Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. It started slow, then gradually ramped up to a ridiculous 500 breaths per minute. That was worse than hyperventilation, and he couldn¡¯t do it consciously. A magical trance would take over his body. The starting breaths were deep, and he would hold them for set times. At the end, they would be shallow inhalations and exhalations. For him, it was impossible to achieve that while moving his body to the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. Apparently, the Eye of the Storm Martial Movements somehow allowed it. He gritted his teeth. If he messed up the breathing, he would mess up the footwork, and when he did that, his whole form would collapse. It was like trying to shove a square block into a triangular hole. Yu Han kept at it for hours without much success. But it did feel as if he could use the Martial Arts better in distracted situations. At the end, he was sweating like he was in a sauna. How many calories did he burn? He¡¯d been living off the Spites Huang Niuniu made. They had to be super rich in calories, because his weight loss had not been dramatic. Someone clapped. Huang Niuniu stood outside the fence. ¡°The crab¡¯s still here.¡± She pointed at the camouflaged crustacean. ¡°I forgot about him,¡± Yu Han said. He¡¯d been so engrossed in the Art level-ups that he¡¯d completely overlooked the little shite. ¡°Can I pat him?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. She didn¡¯t wait for permission and came into the yard. With a determined look, she placed a palm on the crab. It stirred, and one eye poked out of its socket. It rotated 360 degrees as if to scan the area, then stopped when it noticed Yu Han. Its legs and claws extended next. ¡°Good morning,¡± Huang Niuniu said. . The crab showed her the parchment. ¡°I wish I could tell you what it is,¡± the girl said with a sad smile. The crab¡¯s body sagged. But at the same time, it seemed to grow bigger. Before, it was only at Yu Han¡¯s torso. Now it grew until it was at his chest level. ¡°You¡¯re so magical,¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han glared at the orangish-red shell. Did the colours change too? It had played Yu Han like a fiddle. Although Yu Han got a point in Memory out of it, it was still kidnapping, in a way. Crabnapping? Yu Han would not suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. The crab showed him the parchment, but Yu Han pushed it away. The crab drooped. Huang Niuniu pinched his cheeks as if protesting on behalf of the crab. Yu Han sheathed the halberd. The ground where he had practiced was covered in grass, so it wasn¡¯t as muddy. But his trousers were still splattered with a good amount of mud. He doubted it. He could tell the crab that perhaps it was giving away its own memories in the form of pearls. Why should he, though? He had a one-year time limit before Sima Yan¡¯s group came for his ass, maybe even less. He needed all the advantages he could get. Besides, the crab had crabnapped him without permission. It shrank until it was dog-sized, then picked up a fallen branch and placed it at Yu Han¡¯s feet. It then looked up, its obsidian eyes glossy with flame-like wonder. Chapter 61: Unsafe Memory Yu Han picked up the stick and threw it. The crab scurried after the stick, caught it, then brought it to Yu Han¡¯s feet again. Yu Han threw it again. It fetched it. After a few rounds, Yu Han picked the crab up and shouted, ¡°You remember!¡± The crab wiggled its legs mid-air, its eyes rotating like a windmill. ¡°Can I play too?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, fiddling with her fingers and peeking up at them. Yu Han set the crab down and handed over the stick. She threw it with all her might and it flew far outside the fence, down the ledge, and into a bush. The crab stared at her, clicking its pincers. To Yu Han, it sounded either annoyed or excited¡ªor both. Huang Niuniu blushed. The crab raced away. It was small enough now to duck under the fence. ¡°I thought you said it forgot how to play this game,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Something happened yesterday. I went into the crabscape.¡± ¡°Crab-what?¡± ¡°The other side of the hole it punches into my dream¡ªOuch, don¡¯t pinch me! I didn¡¯t go in at first. It tricked me¡ªow! Why¡¯re you still pinching me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let a crab trick you.¡± Huang Niuniu pressed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re the idea-man. You can¡¯t be tricked.¡± ¡°I think you overestimate my intelligence,¡± Yu Han said. He glanced at his stats. Intelligence was still 14. ¡°If your expectations are too high, that¡¯s too much pressure.¡± She let go of his hand and crossed her arms. ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°There was a pond and¡ªhuh?¡± Yu Han asked. The crab returned. The stick was missing. Instead, it had fetched Li Yao and Fang Zhao. The crustacean limped to Huang Niuniu¡¯s feet, then rolled over. Its legs jerked towards the sky as though zapped by electricity. ¡°Oh, you poor thing.¡± She picked it up. But the crab struggled, then jumped out of her arms. It scuttled to the hole in the yard, grew in size, and nestled itself in like a rock. A few seconds later, it was a boulder again. ¡°You made it sad,¡± Yu Han said accusatorily. Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°I-I¡¯ll go make the Spite. Explain the story later.¡± She ran off past a surprised Fang Zhao and Li Yao, dashing towards her hut. ¡°What¡¯s with the crab?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Tubs, is it for dinner?¡± ¡°Not this one.¡± Fang Zhao bowed. Then the still-injured boy fell to his knees, finally kowtowing. ¡°Oi!¡± Yu Han took a step back. What followed was the most snivelling expression of gratitude he had ever seen in this life. He and Li Yao had to threaten Fang Zhao at blade-point; the endless words of thanks wouldn¡¯t stop coming out, and it creeped out the Johan part of Yu Han in ways he didn¡¯t know were possible. The guy was resolute even then, and only the threat of silent treatment finally made him shut up. They headed to Huang Niuniu¡¯s afterwards. Before opening the door, Yu Han gave both boys a stern glare. The two were already tearing up from the smell. ¡°What you¡¯re about to see stays between us. Break this trust, and that¡¯s it,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Not even to Li Weidong¡¯s group.¡± ¡°Wow, tubs, what kinda treasure you got in there, other than your wife?¡± Li Yao joked. ¡°The smell is as fragrant as dead dogs.¡± But his eyes were serious when he gave a firm agreement. ¡°May the heavens smite me otherwise,¡± Fang Zhao said with a nod. Yu Han opened the door to find Huang Niuniu ultra-depressed as she brewed the Spite. A few minutes later, they sat on the mat with a bowl of the concoction. ¡°Tubs¡­¡± Li Yao stared at the thing, sweat gathering on his forehead. ¡°Thank me later.¡± Yu Han gulped it down. Fang Zhao and Huang Niuniu followed, the latter even licking her lips. Li Yao sighed and followed suit. Yu Han didn¡¯t tell them where they got the recipe. He grabbed his second serving and finished it too. The taste somehow got better every time he had it. Even the stink that rose up from his stomach and into his nose felt homely. ¡°We¡¯re out of spirit stones for real now,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to sell the cores.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense to hold onto them at this point.¡± They¡¯d already given the core of the ghoul boss away. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°But the Alchemy formulas¡­ Maybe I can ask for a relevant one from Senior Feral Spot?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You need a proper Martial Art.¡± ¡°Are you calling my flower dance ugly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very pretty,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But the ghouls don¡¯t appreciate it enough.¡± Fang Zhao interrupted them with a cough. He placed a pouch on the floor with his good hand. ¡°Please take this.¡± It was the same pouch containing the thousand spirit stones token. ¡°Sister Huang was kind to give it back before, but with all the help I¡¯ve received, I won¡¯t be able to sleep well if I don¡¯t contribute¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu snatched the pouch up so fast Fang Zhao was left staring, round-eyed, at his empty hands. ¡°Thanks,¡± the girl said as she hid it in her bosom. ¡°This¡¯ll last a long time, even with us four.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take it for free either,¡± Li Yao said, slapping his thigh. ¡°Tubs will pay my share!¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± Li Yao tossed a pouch over to Huang Niuniu. ¡°I¡¯ll give more. Just ask. I¡¯m Level 2 now, I can earn more money.¡± He laughed. Yu Han¡¯s face fell. ¡°You jealous?¡± Li Yao grinned. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Yu Han had been happy that he¡¯d discovered a gimmick with Deep Sleep and Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique, but the joy felt less colourful now. They¡¯d be receiving the second Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir tonight. He¡¯d wipe that smug look off Li Yao¡¯s face in no time. ¡°You were injured quite badly yesterday,¡± Yu Han said to Fang Zhao. The teen was still injured, but nowhere near as grievously as yesterday. ¡°Did you take an elixir or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my Bloodline Art.¡± ¡°Cyclic Lifeblood Conversion? I thought it only helped you convert blood into True Qi?¡± ¡°And also Lifeforce. Lifeforce is a type of Qi too, after all,¡± Fang Zhao said. His eyes looked redder as his fingers twitched, a nail scratching the golden ring as if to harm it. ¡°Would it work even though you¡¯re Level 0? I only unlocked Lifeforce at Level 1,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°All beings have Lifeforce, just as they have Qi. At the Body Tempering Realm, one can merely use it more consciously.¡± ¡°This Deep Sea¡¯s Vitality Spite, too,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Although I can¡¯t actively convert it like blood, I¡¯m sensitive to things that affect Lifeforce. This is a fantastic brew, Sister Huang. Perhaps at the Profound Grade, if I may guess.¡± Yu Han tried his best not to look shocked. If he ever went back to the White Lotus Kingdom, he would have to find out how his ancestors got their hands on this thing. He¡¯d go back and find the hooded man who killed his family. Johan never left a score unsettled. ¡°What¡¯s with the crab?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°That¡¯s a Spirit Beast, right? Are you planning on taming it?¡± ¡°Brother Li, we don¡¯t do taming in the Stormy Reef Sect,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°The Heavenly Friendship Palace Master would have a word to say if you even attempted it.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I thought of contracting a Spirit Beast to act as my aid in the Hidden Realm. With my resources, though¡­¡± He slumped his shoulders. ¡°This token is the last of my funds. If it was another sect, I could probably trade a good Spirit Beast for a thousand mortal-grade spirit stones. But here, it needs to be willing from both sides.¡± ¡°Makes sense in hindsight,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°That Elder Chang treated the worm like it was a person.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I guess it is.¡± Li Yao shrugged. ¡°So, tubs, are you planning on contracting it?¡± ¡°No idea. Wen Liujie said it had contracted many disciples before, but none lasted. It¡¯s a famous Spirit around here.¡± ¡°Whoa. Lucky, then? Why¡¯d the contracts fail?¡± Yu Han explained the situation without delving too deep into his abilities. He hadn¡¯t even shared the full details with Huang Niuniu either, like how his Echoing Dreamscape and Deep Sleep worked. She only knew that his dreams were more lucid, and he could remember them better. After giving a cursory overview of the crabscape, blue pearls, and the pond, leaving out how the pearls gave him points in Memory, Yu Han asked for their opinions. ¡°Dunno.¡± Li Yao scratched his ears. ¡°I¡¯ll ask around if I find anything.¡± Fang Zhao spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about similar incidents before.¡± ¡°Of crabs losing memory?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Of Spirit Beasts leaving esoteric objects to others,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Not exactly of crabs, though. Non-Thinker Crab. Do you know if that is its species¡¯ name, or a title specifically for that crab?¡± ¡°Title? Oh, right. Like Worm Daoist Feral Spot, and the Gorge-Crawling Earthworms.¡± Yu Han shook his head. ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°That makes it difficult to know if this is a trait of the species, or unique to this crab,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°As for the pearls, it could be a trade, or a gift. Or it could just be losing them without knowing.¡± ¡°A trade?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a bird that leaves jewelled feathers for seed. A white-eyed carp that may leave a scale for wine. Usually, the Spirit Beasts take something in return.¡± Yu Han shuddered. Was the crab taking something from him? ¡°It¡¯s never theft, though. It would be a Demonic Beast in such a case. For Spirit Beasts and Gods, you would have to know about and agree to the exchange. They rarely gift with nothing in return, and only do so if you¡¯ve helped them out selflessly. Unless, of course, it¡¯s the pearls.¡± Yu Han let out a relieved sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s losing them without being aware,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It always sees the pearls popping up in the dream, doesn¡¯t it? It could just take them back.¡± She glared at Yu Han. ¡°You aren¡¯t tricking it somehow, are you?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Yu Han said defensively. He had thought about doing it, but still hadn¡¯t. Maybe in the future? The crab did trick Yu Han into the crabscape. Tit for tat? ¡°If it isn¡¯t losing it, then it really could be a gift. But why would it gift so many pearls willy-nilly? It¡¯s not like it can gift without a cost, either.¡± ¡°Maybe as thanks after it asks what the parchment is?¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°And the memory is the cost?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± Fang Zhao replied. ¡°If it was a gift, the cost would be the creation of it. The memory loss comes afterwards, right? If it was a gift, it would lose ownership of the pearls. In which case, the pearls would not turn blue with its memories. A gift, once given, severs the karmic bond. But the memories somehow flow to the pearls still, so it¡¯s not a gift. I¡¯ve never heard of a gift that disadvantages the gift-giver so much either. The heavens can¡¯t be that fickle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°What the hell is a karmic bond?¡± ¡°I might not look like it, but remember, I¡¯m from a great clan. As for the karmic bond, it¡¯s a mysterious thing. I can¡¯t explain it properly myself.¡± Yu Han didn¡¯t press. ¡°The crab is clearly losing its memory. So this karmic bond or whatever isn¡¯t severed.¡± ¡°If the karmic bond is still there, it¡¯s not a gift. That¡¯s what I heard from my clan elders in the past. And if it¡¯s not a gift, then the crab still owns the pearls. It has power over it. And this¡­ continued ownership is somehow disadvantageous to it?¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°It might think it¡¯s a trade, but it isn¡¯t. Maybe it just doesn¡¯t know better because it forgets? Even if the trade or gift is fair in the moment, the crab later loses memory of it, thus somehow reconnecting the karmic bond? Could the whole pearl-giving then turn into an unfair trade for the crab as a penalty?¡± ¡°You could tell it not to give the pearls away, gift or not,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It would just forget, no?¡± Fang Zhao replied. ¡°It remembers how to play fetch,¡± Huang Niuniu countered. ¡°Just tell it firmly, and then return all the subsequent blue pearls to its own dreamscape. It will remember.¡± Yu Han had shared his hypothesis that the blue pearls kept the crab¡¯s memories. That if they returned the blue pearls to the crabscape, or perhaps the pond within it, then the crab would keep its memories. ¡°There¡¯s another problem with that, though,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Brother Yu should know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°Third parties,¡± Yu Han said. Chapter 62: Possibilities Abound ¡°There¡¯s a villain out there who wants to sabotage the crab¡¯s memories?¡± Huang Niuniu exclaimed, shooting to her feet.¡°Sit down.¡± Yu Han rolled his eyes. Li Yao burst into laughter but quietened after a glare from the angry cow girl. ¡°Brother Yu¡­¡± Fang Zhao scratched his chin. ¡°You said the crab wasn¡¯t even aware of the pearls turning blue, right?¡± ¡°That seemed like the case. Usually it takes a few days for the pearls to be fully blue,¡± Yu Han replied. ¡°If the crab visited some other person¡¯s dream,¡± Fang Zhao said, ¡°and lost the blue pearls there, would it even remember? It can¡¯t even remember the pearls turning blue, let alone if it visited another dream.¡± That was the problem. ¡°Maybe it can visit the dreams of other creatures too. Monsters, animals, birds, even insects or fish,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Insects and fish aside, can monsters dream?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°If a crab can, I think fish can too!¡± Huang Niuniu clapped. ¡°They¡¯re all seafood.¡± ¡°Hey now,¡± Yu Han chided her. ¡°Can trees?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Good questions. We should think about it later,¡± Yu Han said, forcefully bringing the discussion back to the main topic. ¡°Suppose it did somehow remember its dreams. Like Huang Niuniu said, I could just tell it not to go into other dreams and to always take back the pearls. But we¡¯re assuming the crab can control pearl creation. From what I remember, the pearls always pop out of nowhere, and sometimes they even surprise the crab.¡± ¡°Even if you told it that, would it listen?¡± Li Yao saidasked ¡°Sometimes it does listen. Other times it¡¯s willful,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Maybe you should stop being mean to it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that it¡¯s a ,¡± Yu Han said, poking her puffy cheeks. Huang Niuniu slapped the offending finger away. ¡°Communication with it is hard, woman. Next time, you give it a try. Maybe you can understand its clicks and dances better. Besides, the crab wants to know what¡¯s in the parchment. If we tell it not to visit another¡¯s dreams, that means cutting off the path to its ¡®dream.¡¯ Get it?¡± ¡°We¡¯re also assuming that the crab can control its visits to other dreams,¡± Fang Zhao added. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s something it has to do for sustenance. Maybe it needs to visit a variety of dreams? And can a simple Spirit Beast remember to always bring its memory pearls back? As Brother Yu said, communication is hard. One slip, and it might go back into the loop.¡± ¡°Memory pearls! That¡¯s a good name,¡± Yu Han praised. ¡°If the memories are permanent after the crab brings them into its own dream, then I don¡¯t think it will fall into the same memory-loss loop,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Again, Sister Huang, we can¡¯t assume those memories will always remain permanent,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to try! Yu Han, you have to make sure that at least the memory pearls with memories are placed into its own dream. You can do it, can¡¯t you?¡± She grabbed his hands. ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± Her eyes were three inches away from his. ¡°W-What memories?¡± Yu Han¡¯s mind blanked. ¡°The ones where you explain everything we discussed here to the crab.¡± Yu Han pushed her away. ¡°No promises.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise!¡± She beamed. Fang Zhao coughed. ¡°To me, this just sounds like a problem of convenience.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°As long as we somehow convince it to bring the memory pearls back to the crabscape most of the time, the crab¡¯s problem can be considered mostly solved. It¡¯s inconvenient if I have to remind it each time, though.¡± ¡°If it remembers that Brother Yu doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s written on the parchment, it might stop visiting,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°So if it forgets to always bring back memory pearls after that, for whatever reason, it¡¯s back to square one.¡± ¡°The crab had those pearls in its own dream too, didn¡¯t it?¡± Li Yao added. ¡°Why didn¡¯t they turn blue? Unless this is all a ¡®mirage¡¯ tubs sees. Maybe he¡¯s being haunted by a ghost?¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Li Yao grinned. ¡°Mirage¡± was a word Yu Han had taught him. Yu Han glared at the jokester, but he had a point¡ªnot about the haunting. Why did only the pearls in Yu Han¡¯s Dreamscape turn blue? There were thousands upon thousands of pearls in the crabscape pond. None of them were blue, at least the ones at the topmost layer. Who knew if there were blue pearls buried under? Yu Han wasn¡¯t about to dive in there. The point was, all the pearls in Yu Han¡¯s Dreamscape gradually turned blue, but seemingly none in the crabscape did. ¡°The pearls are neither a gift nor a trade,¡± Fang Zhao said decisively. ¡°What if it¡¯s lending them out, without even knowing?¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Lending?¡± Yu Han rubbed his nose. ¡°If it isn¡¯t an exchange or a gift,¡± Fang Zhao said, ¡°but lending, then it would still belong to the crab. The karmic bond remains, and the crab would still have power over them. This bond might somehow transfer the crab¡¯s memories to the pearls in another being¡¯s dream. It simply doesn¡¯t know about it. It doesn¡¯t even know to gather back all the lent-out pearls, let alone control the process.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just a hunch, though. Could be anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good. Fang Zhao, you reason well,¡± Yu Han said. The boy laughed. ¡°Just some scattered knowledge.¡± Last time, Yu Han had come back unharmed from the crabscape. He could go in and make it play with the pearls there, see if they turn blue. Yu Han was there only when asleep. While there, he used all his time for his prime purpose: becoming stronger. Maybe the crab could only enter the crabscape while asleep too? During which, it spent every second on its prime purpose: finding out what was written on the parchment. It would probably tirelessly visit as many dreams as it could, leaving pearls there, and thus losing memories. And because it lost memories, it would never run out of dreams to visit. ¡°W-What if it really is a ghost?¡± Huang Niuniu suddenly said. She¡¯d been quiet for a while. ¡°Boo!¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯m serious. Isn¡¯t it weird that it can visit dreams? I¡¯ve only heard of ghosts and gods doing that.¡± ¡°For example¡­?¡± ¡°They say the City Lord¡¯s daytime patrol officers visit a person in their dreams before they die,¡± Huang Niuniu said, trembling. ¡°The City God sends down edicts with dreams too. Last time, a hundred cows mysteriously died during Father¡¯s birthday banquet, which we then used as beef. If not for the City God¡¯s edict, the Huang Clan would have had to pay a huge fine, because death of draft cattle is a serious matter. Everyone was saying I would die next because of my name. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a real cow, though, and¡ª¡± ¡°Never knew City Gods helped cover up corruption,¡± Yu Han said with a whistle. ¡°City Gods and their officials are usually distinguished mortals of the region, granted a title after death by the Imperial and Divine Courts,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°But distinguished doesn¡¯t always mean moral. Though I remember Grandfather saying that unless one is moral, it¡¯s hard to walk the divine path.¡± ¡°Can one walk this divine path while being alive?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I assume the Land God of King Earthworm Gorge isn¡¯t a long-dead earthworm.¡± ¡°It could be,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°The power of faith and incense is mysterious. I don¡¯t know much about it.¡± ¡°Let us know how the whole crab thing goes,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°I need to practise thinking now. Mind Allocation really feels weird.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Your Level 2 Heavenly Allocation is in Mind? Then Level 1 was in Spirit?¡± The taller boy nodded. ¡°Did anyone bully you? Or throw off-hand insults about how you¡¯re trash and all?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Are you asking for a fight?¡± Li Yao rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Bring it on.¡± ¡°Remember that Elder Scribe?¡± Yu Han explained. ¡°He was like that with me because of my Mind Heavenly Allocation.¡± ¡°Most cultivators will reach Qi Gathering, even if it takes until the end of their lives,¡± Fang Zhao said with a forlorn smile. He squeezed the tiger-engraved ring, adding, ¡°Spirit Origin truly shines starting from Qi Gathering. But even in Body Tempering, it boosts the effects of one¡¯s Cultivation Arts. As for Mind Origin, they say only at Foundation Building can you make proper use of it.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Yu Han furrowed his brows. Those points in Memory really helped his Echoing Dreamscape, so Yu Han didn¡¯t think them a waste. He would allocate them in Memory for the next level too, unless his plans suddenly changed. But it still sucked knowing that he likely couldn¡¯t get 100% out of his allocations. ¡°The usual limit of a Refined Talent is Foundation Building,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°For a Common Talent with higher levels in their Mortal Grade Qi Affinity, they may reach Qi Gathering faster. As for whether they can break through to Level 21, only the heavens can tell.¡± ¡°We can do it,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°We will do it.¡± She looked at Yu Han. Her eyes sparkled. Yu Han turned away. They talked a while longer, having some more cups of tea. Li Yao and Fang Zhao left. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out how to be more useful,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I¡¯ll learn all the alchemic recipes. We¡¯ll get our Qi Affinity trait up to Elite Grade, certainly even higher. We¡¯ll do the same for our bloodlines, too. Foundation Building is just the start. We can¡ª¡± Yu Han pinched her nose. ¡°¡ªbecome immortals!¡± Huang Niuniu finished with a nasally voice, a smile blooming on her face. Yu Han pinched harder, and Huang Niuniu kicked him out of the hut. They promised to meet in the evening to pick up the Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir. Yu Han planned to spend the rest of the day before that at home, training. Elder Chang had said that the Law Enforcement Hall would visit. At night, he¡¯d talk with the crab. Part of him, the Johan part, still thought it was a waste to ruin a potential Memory stat point farm to do the right thing. But Huang Niuniu¡¯s disappointed face was enough to keep those thoughts at bay. For now. The sky was clear. In the distance, a strange mist rose between the mountains, preparing to melt in the sunlight. Yu Han strolled to his hut, careful not to stain his trousers with mud. The ground was soft, so he tried to use the rock faces peeking out of the mud as stepping-stones. In front of his hut, a sect disciple stood with arms clasped behind her back. Her armband read: ¡°All Must Submit Beneath the Sky.¡± Chapter 63: Officer ¡°Did you know there¡¯s a Spirit Beast in your yard?¡± the Senior Sister from the Law Enforcement Hall said. She was the one who had blocked their path before.¡°It appeared one day,¡± Yu Han replied. He bowed to the ¡®police officer,¡¯ saying, ¡°How can I be of help?¡± The lady turned his way. She appeared in her late twenties, with long hair in a ponytail, mismatched red and green jewelled earrings, and dark pupils. She was about five inches taller than Yu Han. Yu Han spotted no obvious weapons but had no doubt that a punch would fold him. ¡°What happened in the Stone Sewage Tank 21?¡± she said. ¡°Report everything, not missing a single detail.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Maybe we can go ins¡ª¡± ¡°Here is fine,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Speak.¡± Yu Han reported everything he could while omitting all the crucial details. Not to mention Fang Zhao¡¯s storage ring¡ªhe had no reason to mention the 108 odd fruits either. The lady nodded away, stopping him from time to time to ask for clarifications. After a while, her eyes closed, and she asked, ¡°How have you benefited?¡± ¡°We killed the big Filth-Eating Ghoul and harvested a better core.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°The favour from the Gorge-Crawling Earthworm Tribe shouldn¡¯t be small.¡± ¡°What else?¡± Yu Han made a motion of thinking. ¡°Elder Chang said he¡¯d give us a potent healing elixir made from the Lanterns of the Blue-Veined Underspores.¡± ¡°Keep speaking.¡± ¡°Uhh¡ª¡± ¡°All of us got more Arts True Qi because the fight was intense. I levelled up my Cultivation Art and my primary Martial Art.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Martial Art based on the movements of a sweeping ox tail as it slaps away the flies.¡± ¡°How else have you benefited?¡± the woman pressed on. ¡°I dunno,¡± Yu Han said. The woman nodded. ¡°Remember that if you¡¯ve orchestrated the incident for personal gains in cahoots with Worm Daoist Feral Spot, he might get away without punishment. You won¡¯t.¡± ¡°The Law Enforcement Hall is so fair,¡± Yu Han said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s working tirelessly to actualize the sect leader¡¯s vision.¡± Ponytail Police stared at him. For a whole minute, she didn¡¯t blink. Yu Han got creeped out. Was it a bad idea to be sarcastic? Wait, did he just make her lose face? Yu Han sweated. The Johan part of him felt a demonic pleasure after a successful gotcha moment. Perhaps not the best of ideas against superpowered drug addicts. ¡°How¡¯s Wen Liujie?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something profoundly wrong with him,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But he¡¯s a good Senior Brother.¡± ¡°I have a message for him,¡± Ponytail Police said. ¡°Tell him it¡¯s from Tan Ruoxuan.¡± ¡°I-Is that Senior Sister¡¯s name?¡± Tan Ruoxuan nodded. ¡°And what might this message be?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Level up,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s all. You should be questioned two or three more times by different Law Enforcement Hall disciples. Unless we have reason to suspect foul play, you probably won¡¯t be dragged to the Law Enforcement Hall.¡± ¡°This one has a clear conscience,¡± Yu Han said. The five of them, including Feral Spot, had gotten their story straight. Unless someone messed up or had the ability to peer into Fang Zhao¡¯s storage ring, they wouldn¡¯t find anything. Tan Ruoxuan left. She appeared to only take a few steps but had already crossed over a hundred metres. Yu Han went into the yard. The day was young; he had the whole afternoon left. He brought out the halberd and went to train. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. From form number one of the 72 forms, he went at it, cycling through the eight variations. He focused more on the offensive, defensive, and mixed variations, rather than the five meant solely to condition the body. Yu Han had noticed a problem with his coordination while analysing the battle in his Dreamscape. Sometimes, when he was panicked, his arms would move in the way the form demanded, but not his feet. They said footwork was seven-tenths of any Martial Art, even fist arts. Yet if Yu Han kept losing his footwork mid-fight, it would severely hamper the effectiveness of his Martial Arts. So he trained. **Ox Horn Pierce!** **Heavy Ox Swing!** **Stone Cutting Chop!** **Swift Hoof Lunge!** **Grass Cutting Hook!** One form after the other. But in between, he closed his eyes. He imagined the scenes from the Echoing Dreamscape simulations. The ghoul jumped. He pierced it, taking care not to hook the corpse on the blade. Another ghoul tackled his leg. His arms shook. Painful. He chopped down. **Stone Cutting Chop.** His feet remained still, as if forgetting to move. Yu Han opened his eyes. He roared. His feet moved back. The imaginary foe was chopped down. Yu Han dragged his feet in a semi-circle, turning with his left shoulder. The chop transitioned into a **Heavy Ox Swing.** ¡°Phew,¡± he sighed. That sequence was the most common attack sequence he had. But it was also the place where his footwork would falter the most, especially if a ghoul attacked at his feet. They were tiny creatures; they couldn¡¯t attack his arms or head unless they jumped. And they needed considerable wind-ups for such high jumps that Yu Han could see it coming. He closed his eyes again. The halberd handle felt so at home. Like a broomstick? He used to be more obedient as a kid, doing a lot of chores. More like, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue. Chores were boring. But Mum and Dad paid them. It was small, just an extra on top of their allowance. Most of the time, it was in snacks. **Mountain Root Stance.** **Stone Cutting Chop!** The blade of the halberd went down, the handle rose up. He was supposed to move his left leg out of the way while keeping balance. But many times, he would lose it. Because **Mountain Root Stance** was a defensive form. It would block the attack with the long pole of the halberd. The impact of the attack wouldn¡¯t let Yu Han smoothly transition into a **Stone Cutting Chop.** He was supposed to have moved his leg while blocking the attack, dissipating the hard force with soft resistance. Oftentimes he would forget or miss the timing, messing up the sequence. So he trained again and again. It rained. In the marketplace, there must be a sea of oil-paper umbrellas by now. Womenfolk preferred it. But guys, he noticed, liked to just shrug the rain off. Was there a reason for it? The water washed away his sweat. The blade arced in mid-air, drawing a line in the curtain of rain. He liked the rain too. After each shift as a Night Soil Collector, if it rained, the grime would be washed off. After the rain, it didn¡¯t take much time for the clothes to dry either. Maybe less than fifteen minutes even. Yu Han didn¡¯t know why. This place was pretty humid, so such fast drying made no sense. Were the clothes made in a special way? Were they magical? The rain stopped. The grassy yard couldn¡¯t totally stop the mud from forming. His trousers were splattered with mud all over. Yu Han finished the defensive variation. He huffed, breathing deep and exhaling slow. His arms trembled, the halberd too heavy. He didn¡¯t have the strength to wield it for hours on end uninterrupted yet. He had to place it down and rest from time to time. But he was improving. From not being able to do even two push-ups, he could do nearly 80 now. Two hundred squats were easy, but jumping jacks still wore him out. Especially the knee joints, which would hurt like crazy even after fifty. He was still around 140 kilos heavy. He was sure that the body composition had changed. Before, it would have been more fat. Now, after training and conditioning his body, he must¡¯ve gained quite a few pounds of muscle? He couldn¡¯t be sure. Muscle growth depended a lot on diet too, and his diet had been alchemy brews. Granted, the Deep Sea¡¯s Spites used a lot of poisonous insects, and insects were always a good source of protein. Yu Han found a puddle. He flexed. It wasn¡¯t his imagination that his biceps got just a bit bigger. Right? He flexed his neck. Yu Han cursed. The triple butt chin was on the way to becoming a double butt chin. That was improvement, right? He jumped on the puddle. He then went to cool off. A hundred slow **Grass-Cutting Hooks.** Then he slung the halberd over his shoulders like a barbell. Because the blade made one side heavier, he had to carefully position the halberd¡¯s centre of gravity. Slow squats. **One.** **Two.** **Three.** He carefully placed his arms. His right hand was quite close to the blade-head, and if he was careless, he might injure himself. After finishing the cool-down sequence, Yu Han changed into a cleaner set. He got his notes out and wrote down the improvements. Arts True Qi + 4 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 33 (+4) / 300 ¡°Huh.¡± Yu Han placed the charcoal pen down. Sometimes, he did gain True Qi during the day. Very rarely though. It was almost always after he¡¯d wake up. It might be a good idea to check why. In *The Four Meditations,* the author had mentioned talented disciples breaking through to the next level mid-fight. That¡¯s levelling up, gaining True Qi. So True Qi gain didn¡¯t have to be limited to the time of waking. Yu Han had a guess that maybe that was the time the Dao did its ¡®system update,¡¯ so to speak. Or perhaps, True Qi was gained through the day but was only shown the next morning? These outliers, where he gained True Qi after waking but during the day, had Yu Han leaning more towards a third possibility. Yu Han closed his eyes, sitting cross-legged on the bed. He breathed according to the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. At the same time, he concentrated on the feelings of the breath going in and out with *Thousand Petals Awareness.* Touch and taste, forgetting sight, sound, and smell. He met up with Huang Niuniu that evening and went to the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. ¡°Did you save the Body Tempering Pill?¡± Wen Liujie asked. They both nodded. Wen Liujie passed over two vials. Yu Han watched the solution inside the glass. In his pocket, there was a small box with the pill. Tonight, he would take both. Chapter 64: Tempering ¡°A Senior Sister called Tan Ruoxuan sent a message,¡± Yu Han said. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Wen Liujie¡¯s face fell. He remained silent for a while, tapping the table. ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°Level up.¡± Wen Liujie knitted his brows. ¡°We¡¯ll be off then,¡± Yu Han said as he and Huang Niuniu bowed. ¡°I won¡¯t be here for the next week,¡± Wen Liujie said. ¡°You¡¯ll find the elixir in this room, same time next week. No one will touch it. Drop by tomorrow too, because the healing elixir Elder Chang promised will be delivered. Oh, and Worm Daoist Feral Spot wants to meet you tomorrow as well. Meet him in the compost pit. It¡¯s probably about the reward from the Gorge-Crawling Earthworm Tribe.¡± Before Yu Han and Huang Niuniu had made it out the front door, Wen Liujie rushed past them with a large pack on his back. He rode a donkey off into the night. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into him?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Tackling the trial, probably,¡± Huang Niuniu said. They returned to her place. Yu Han had a fasting brew. ¡°I¡¯ll buy enough ingredients for the Spites for four people,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She walked him to her fence gate. Yu Han waved goodbye and walked around the ledge. He turned back to look. In Huang Niuniu¡¯s yard, there was a large stone. She sat on it cross-legged, looking at the sky. From time to time, parts of her body would shine. Fireflies gathered. The puddle by the stone shimmered with specks of blue. Yu Han tapped the camouflaged crab. It didn¡¯t react. ¡°Come to my Dreamscape. I have something to share,¡± Yu Han said. He was hoping for a click but got none in return. Was the crab in another being¡¯s dream now? He shook his head and entered the hut, closing the door behind him. The sounds of the wind and insects dulled. Moonlight shone through the cracks of the wooden windowpanes. He took off his clothes like Wen Liujie had advised and laid on the mat. It still wasn¡¯t replaced, not that he cared much. In mangas and novels, disciples would be sitting cross-legged in these situations. He felt that lying down was the most comfortable. He took out the pill. He swallowed it with a mug of water. Then, he chugged down the elixir. He closed his eyes. A strange heat seemed to rush up from his stomach. It wasn¡¯t painful. It came in waves, like a rotating fan blowing hot wind his way. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. He concentrated on his breathing and the ebbing and flowing sense of heat. Suddenly, he jolted awake. In his Dreamscape. He opened the status screen, but no changes yet. ¡°Click.¡± The crab was there. ¡°You listened,¡± Yu Han gave it a pat. It wobbled left and right. It then growled. ¡°How the hell are you growling?¡± Could crabs even make such sounds? The crab blew bubbles. A few materialized into pearls and fell to his feet. Yu Han picked one up. ¡°You gotta take these back.¡± The crab tilted its body. It took out a parchment. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Han said. It drooped, tilting until it flipped over. Then it kept stabbing up with its legs. ¡°Are you¡­ throwing a tantrum?¡± Yu Han gaped. He helped the crab upright, then materialized a stick. The crab perked up. It scuttled around the stick like an out-of-control Roomba. Yu Han threw the stick. The crab chased after it. It picked it up on the other end of the Dreamscape, bringing it to Yu Han. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Yu Han squatted, looking intently at the crab. ¡°You lose your memories. They¡¯re in the blue pearls.¡± He showed the crab the two remaining blue pearls. ¡°If you leave these in another person¡¯s dreams, you¡¯ll forget what happens.¡± The crab stared at the pearls. Yu Han pointed at the ones the crab materialized today. ¡°They¡¯ll all turn blue. You have to take them back to your pond. Get it?¡± The crab stared. It scurried back, bringing Yu Han the stick again. ¡°Geez,¡± Yu Han sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll¡ª¡± The crab picked the stick up with a pincer and poked Yu Han¡¯s ankle. ¡°Listen to me¡ª¡± Poke. ¡°Fine.¡± Yu Han threw it. The crab caught it this time after jumping. It brought the stick again. Yu Han reached to grab it, but the crab moved it away. It pointed at the blue pearl. Yu Han had no idea what it was up to. But he handed the pearl over. The crab stashed it somewhere, then gave Yu Han the stick again. The crab made another growling sound, its body vibrating. More pearls appeared. ¡°Christ. Okay, I¡¯ll explain while we play,¡± Yu Han said. The crab bopped its body up and down. ¡°Was that a nod?¡± More bops. ¡°I¡¯ll take it as nods.¡± Yu Han threw the stick and explained, as plainly as he could, what they had discussed before. ¡°¡­so when you pick up the stick, you own it, and you''re the only one who can use it. If you give it to me, it¡¯s my stick now, and you can¡¯t use it anymore. You can let me ¡®borrow¡¯ your stick, either just to look at it or to actually use it. I can¡¯t modify the stick while you¡¯ve lent it to me, but I can throw it or draw a crab in the sand with it. But while I¡¯m borrowing it, you have to wait until I¡¯m done. Only one person, or crab, can own the stick at a time, and while someone else is borrowing it, they usually would have to follow your rules about it. But you don¡¯t know the rules, and never tell them, and forget to take the sticks back. Get it?¡± Click click! The crab threw a pearl at his face. ¡°The stick is the pearls. They have your memories. You need to take the pearls back. Or never lend them out.¡± They played the game of fetch for what felt like hours. Halfway through the explanation, Yu Han, for some reason, switched to explaining ownership and borrowing in the Rust programming language. It used Ferris the Crab as a mascot and was very particular about memory safety. The comparison didn¡¯t completely hold, though, so Yu Han got muddled after a while. ¡°In any case, can you at least control how to make these pearls?¡± Yu Han asked the creature. It scratched its shell. Then, facing a direction, it blew bubbles. A few of them turned into pearls. ¡°So you can¡­¡± Yu Han nodded. ¡°How do you turn them blue?¡± The crab paced around. Suddenly, it turned into a two-metre-tall crab behemoth. ¡°Whoa,¡± Yu Han fell to his butt. That transformation was super quick. The crab looked at the stick, then the pearls. It hit the pearls with an enormous front claw. The whole Dreamscape shook. ¡°Hey, careful!¡± It could somehow repair the Dreamscape walls after tearing a hole in them, but Yu Han could do without a sudden demolition. The crab lifted its pincers up. The pearls were blue. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Yu Han gasped. It hit the pearls again. This time, the Dreamscape didn¡¯t shake. By the time it lifted its claw, it was one metre tall, and the pearls had increased in numbers. The newly spawned ones were halfway to fully blue. ¡°I don¡¯t even know anymore,¡± Yu Han patted the crab¡¯s shell. ¡°I think we¡¯re done here. Take the pearls back to your pond. From now, don¡¯t create them in other people¡¯s dreams. Okay?¡± The crab shrank more. It jumped up over Yu Han¡¯s head and scurried off. ¡°Did you understand¡ª¡± Yu Han turned around. The crab had punched a hole in the wall again. It went in. A loud burn sounded from the other side, followed by a gust of wind. ¡°I said take the pearls with you,¡± Yu Han shook his head. He picked up the pearls. He would throw them in the hole to the other side. he thought. If he kept them, he would be able to farm Memory points. That was his main specialization until now. He had less than eleven months until the Rookie Tournament. After that, Sima Yan would act. Can¡¯t tell with these whiny brats. Not to mention, they were planning to go to the Hidden Realm to hunt monsters. This was intentional danger-seeking. They¡¯d be taking Fang Zhao with them. If he really did have the luck of a xianxia protagonist, he would attract trouble like an old lady attracting spam emails. Even a single point in Memory might save his life. The crab crawled out of the hole with half a coconut shell. It was halfway filled with water. ¡°Don¡¯t you dar¡ª¡± It splashed Yu Han. ¡°Damnit.¡± The crab tugged his pants. It placed the shell down. With one claw, it pointed at the pearls; with the other, at the coconut shell. Yu Han placed the pearls there. He tried to echo clean clothes on his body, or erase the water. Nothing worked. The crab picked up the shell and went back into its hole. Before the hole closed, it peeked out with one eye stalk, rotated it 360 degrees like a wheel, then retracted it back. The hole closed. If the crab remembered what happened today, it would stop losing its memories. Maybe it would stop visiting him since it knew Yu Han didn¡¯t know what the parchment said. No more blue pearls. No more easy points in Memory. Yet somehow, Yu Han didn¡¯t feel too bad. Of course, there was a part of him that felt regretful. But it was nothing compared to what Johan would have felt if he lost easy money. Yu Han sat down with wet, imaginary clothes. He closed his eyes in his dream, breathing in and out with the rhythms of the Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. Five. Fifteen. Fifty. Yu Han thought. It was fun playing fetch. Would it still be in his yard the next morning? His mind grew lighter with every breath. Or was it his body? Was he floating? No need to answer those questions. It was just a dream anyway. His body prickled, as if thousands of needles were being inserted into him. But each needle was warm, and they scratched invisible itches he never knew were there. Soon, his will faded. A breath in. Five out. He awoke but had trouble opening his eyes. An intense stink assaulted his nose. He remembered he was on the floor and that he had taken the Body Tempering Pill. A sudden blow to his stomach knocked the wind out of him. Chapter 65: Gains Art Levelled Up!Vitality: 9 -> 10 [Body Origin: 6.40 -> 6.60] Yu Han¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he was greeted by two eyestalks staring down at him, the full weight of the crab¡¯s body on his chest. ¡°Get off!¡± he shouted, trying to push the crab off him. ¡°How the hell did you get in here?¡± The crab¡¯s eyes rotated as it waved its claws above its head in a frenzy. Its eyestalks would pause for a few seconds, then start rotating in the opposite directions. It growled. Yu Han coughed. ¡°C-Can¡¯t breathe¡ª¡± The crab relented, and Yu Han shot up, pointing at it. ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡± It waved its pincers. ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Yu Han muttered. It barged into his dreams, then his yard. And now his house! It was like one of those horror games, where every time he closed his eyes, the ghost would get closer. Except it was a crab, dancing its crust off. It jumped down, then left the hut. A strange growl came from outside, accompanied by the sound of rain. Yu Han hadn¡¯t even noticed. That was when the smell hit his nose, followed by a horrid taste. It was like eating three-week-old mouldy fish innards, with a side of rotten duck eggs. He spat, scrunching his nose, running to a hemp bag. Vomit threatened to spill out, but he held it in. He carefully untied the knot, then took out a cloth, similar to the scented cloths he¡¯d lent Li Yao and Fang Zhao. He wrapped the cloth around his face like a scarf, but the smell didn¡¯t leave. The medicinal scent of the cloth simply accentuated the stench. Somehow, that made it worse. He removed the cloth and noticed an oily, black stain on it. That was when he remembered the effects of the Body Tempering Pill. It would forge the body, and during the process, eject impurities. Yu Han¡¯s whole body was covered by an oily black substance. On the mat, there was a Yu Han-shaped silhouette, and his spit looked like a coffee stain. He took the soap and ran out of the hut into the rain, the cool droplets massaging his whole body. He opened his mouth and took in the rain, gurgling carefully so that he wouldn¡¯t swallow a mouthful of impurity. After washing his mouth to the best of his abilities, he cupped the rainwater and brought it to his nose. A few times, the water shot all the way in, and he dropped into a sneezing fit. But finally, his nose was rinsed, the horrible smell receding. As he scrubbed his body with soap, a pincer tapped his foot. ¡°What do you want?¡± Yu Han asked. The crab rolled upside down, pointing at its belly with its elongated legs. There was an oily spot there. It stared at him, claws striking the muddy ground impatiently. ¡°Serves you right for jumping me.¡± It hit the mud harder, splashing it on Yu Han¡¯s body. ¡°I get it, geez.¡± Yu Han took some foam and scrubbed the crab¡¯s belly. The rain washed the soap away almost immediately. After scrubbing and scrubbing at his own body, he finally felt skin. He was out in his loincloth. The thing looked as if it had been dipped in gasoline. He¡¯d have it throw this away. Yu Han went back into his hut, dried off with a towel, and put on a clean set of robes. He¡¯d been cycling through the three sets he had. On Earth, such heavy washing machine usage would damage your clothes, no matter how well it was designed. Here, magic didn¡¯t need to tumble the clothes to wash or dry them. The crab entered. Yu Han expected it to shake the water off like a dog for some reason, but it didn¡¯t. It tapped the brazier, then took a mug with its pincers and looked inside¡ªliterally, an eyestalk sticking into it. It set the mug down, turned to Yu Han, and plopped to the ground. A few minutes passed. Both stared at each other. Yu Han thought. What was it? He brought out a notebook and¡ª He¡¯d taken the Body Tempering Pill, and a Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir too. He opened the Dao Records. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 True Qi: 105 (+19) / 200 Pure Qi: 12 (-22) / 200 Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 493 (+79) / 792 (+24) Yu Han whistled. He pumped his fists. Suppose he got two True Qi from natural accumulation. Or even three. That left sixteen from other sources. If the gain from the Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir was the same as before at eight, that meant an additional eight from cultivating in his Dreamscape. How? Why? Was it because of the duration, that he might have been cultivating for hours? Yu Han didn¡¯t know if there was any time dilation between reality and the Dreamscape. For all he knew, he could have been cultivating there for days, hence the progress. Or maybe cultivating in Dreamscape time was manyfold higher in quality than reality. How he wished he had an FMRI. Or knew how to even use it. He shook his head. Whatever the case, cultivating in the Dreamscape was a priority now. There was nothing urgent to analyse. If he could get to the True Qi level cap sooner, he¡¯d see what the trial was. Like Tribulations, Trials were stuff you didn¡¯t share with others. So Li Yao, that bum, was of no help. If it were up to Yu Han, he¡¯d optimize the process so that the least amount of True Qi got wasted. He could gather data, plot it, run it through some equations. He clapped, startling the crab. It scuttled to the door, peeked out, then shrank to the size of a tennis ball. It was a Spirit Beast. What did Tan Ruoxuan call it? A collector crab. What did it collect? Yu Han brought up the stat panels. Primordial Qi: 0 S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Mind Origin: 16.60] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 23 Perception: 11 Clarity: 9 Focus: 10 [Body Origin: 6.60] Endurance: 7 Vitality: 10 Strength: 7 Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 [Spirit Origin: 8.20] Adaptability: 16 Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 9 Purity: 5 Only Spirit Origin hadn¡¯t changed. He had no idea how to grind it. That one time he got Fortitude, it was not by design. Could Li Yao help? His initial Heavenly Allocation was in Spirit, after all. Or should Yu Han just focus on Mind and Body? Intelligence, Memory, Perception, Focus, Adaptability. These were the five stats that were above or equal to ten points. Today, Vitality joined that rank. Lifeforce: 493 / 792 One point, plus 24 Lifeforce capacity. But was that always the case? He couldn¡¯t remember. In any case, at least with points in Body Origin Substats, he could literally see the change reflected. With Memory, he had noticed the change with his Arts. But what about Adaptability? Why was it so high, and what did it do? He needed to find out more about each substat individually. They had to matter. Wen Liujie had mentioned that for Lightness Skills, Agility was more important. Like how the crux of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms was Strength and Dexterity. Yu Han stretched. It relaxed his muscles, helping him concentrate. There was another message. He grinned. Another Art had levelled up. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 4 (+5) / 300 ¡°Finally.¡± Yu Han sighed. This was his first Art. It had a seemingly consistent growth; nothing he¡¯d done had increased the speed. But after the crab showed up, his True Qi gain increased. Not enough data to be sure. What mattered here was the result; he could find out later and optimize the ¡°why.¡± [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 True Qi: 189 (+6) / 400 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 29 (+14) / 300 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 40 (+7) / 300 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 85 (+4) / 200 The other Arts made good progress, too¡ªespecially the Cultivation Art. It seemed that using it while Deep Sleep was active really was the way to go. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 35 (+2) / 1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 8 (+1) / 800 Traits were still confusing. Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline got two True Qi, while Qi Affinity increased by one. Existential Anchor remained unchanged. Yu Han stared at it. Although there might have been other reasons, something about this trait¡¯s name convinced him that it had protected him against the mind control of Fang Zhao¡¯s ring. He poked the screen. ¡°Do something,¡± he whispered. The crab climbed up his robes like a spider and perched on his shoulder. ¡°Not you.¡± He glanced at the crustacean. Two club-like eyes looked back. Yu Han rolled up the mat. It was completely unusable now. He would burn it outside, but who knew what kind of fumes it would emit if he burned the impurities? It was oily. So maybe fat? Yu Han¡¯s heart pumped. He took the measuring rope. No change. Still the same waist size. Maybe he¡¯d gone down some millimetres, but it was too small a change to notice. Then again, it wasn¡¯t as if the impurities amounted to litres of oil. Huang Niuniu peeked through the window. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Did you bathe?¡± She knitted her brows. ¡°Scrubbed myself in the rain,¡± Yu Han replied. ¡°Hey, after taking a Body Tempering Pill, women should be just as smelly as men, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the soul, mister.¡± Huang Niuniu came in. She looked fresh, like a bloomed flower, and her hair was still wet. She placed the oil-paper umbrella by the door. ¡°It¡¯s so tiny,¡± she said, gesturing to the crab. The crab clicked. ¡°Cute.¡± Li Yao and Fang Zhao arrived soon after. ¡°Took the pill?¡± Li Yao sniffed. ¡°Gotta air it out.¡± He looked at the crab, followed by Fang Zhao. Huang Niuniu stood there too, as if waiting for something. ¡°What?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it,¡± Huang Niuniu said, ¡°going to show us the parchment?¡± Chapter 66: Heavenly Friendship So this was what had been nagging at the back of Yu Han¡¯s mind. Usually, the crab would show him the parchment. But the entire morning had gone by, and it hadn¡¯t. The crab gargled and hopped down from Yu Han¡¯s shoulder. After hopping from one set of legs to another, it raised its claws halfway, as if starting a gesture, but then let them fall limply to the side with a dramatic clack. It furrowed its eyestalks, then shook them left and right. ¡°The hell¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It¡¯s the opposite.¡± The taller boy raised a brow. ¡°Its memories! It remembers?¡± Huang Niuniu said. Yu Han nodded. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°You did it!¡± The girl tackled him into a hug. ¡°Oof!¡± It felt good. She pushed him away, then crouched to the crab¡¯s level. It shrank further¡ªliterally. Now it was the size of her palm. She picked it up. ¡°You remember?¡± she asked, sparkles in her eyes. The crab rotated its pincers, jumped down from her palm, and flipped a mug before scuttling underneath it like a hermit crab. ¡°It remembers,¡± Huang Niuniu said for the third time. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you happy?¡± She glared at Yu Han. It was a strange feeling. The memory pearls could have been a stats factory. Maybe in a year, he would have more Memory stats than any Body Tempering Cultivator had the right to have. Who knew how his Echoing Dreamscape would have evolved because of it? Permanent objects in Deep Sleep? Could he echo computers from his past life? Kit-Kats? Movies? There was no entertainment in this world. Could he explore vast business ideas? But now, that had all gone up in smoke. The crab would remember¡ªhopefully¡ªto create the pearls in the crabscape, initializing the ¡°blueification¡± process there, then dumping them in the pond. From now on, it wouldn¡¯t repeat the same figurative day over and over. It would collect memories. Learn from them. Devise plans. It would think. To Yu Han¡¯s own detriment. He¡¯d convinced himself it was the right thing to do. It was what Dad would have done, would have wanted Johan to do. He¡¯d lived up to Huang Niuniu¡¯s expectations. So why did it leave a bitter taste in his mouth? The crab got out from under the mug. It grew larger, now dog-sized, and brought out the parchment, which it placed on the floor. It stared at it with its stalk-like eyes, the flame-like irises growing larger and smaller. Huang Niuniu cupped Yu Han¡¯s cheeks, forcing him to meet her gaze. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you happy?¡± she asked again. ¡°Li Yao got to Level 2 before me.¡± ¡°At this rate, I¡¯ll pass you too, smelly idea-man.¡± ¡°Why? Did you figure something out?¡± She pointed at the crab. ¡°What do we do with him?¡± Yu Han rolled his eyes. ¡°.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a male crab. I checked,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°I have no idea. It broke inside my hut this morning.¡± Yu Han scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s a Spirit Beast. A member of the Sect, right? Does it have a clan of its own or something?¡± Yu Han remembered what Tan Ruoxuan had said. ¡°It¡¯s apparently called a Collector Crab.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a surprise,¡± Fang Zhao, who had been trying to get the crab to pincer-cut his finger off, said. ¡°Collector Crabs are just normal animals.¡± ¡°What do you know about them?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°They¡¯re common near coastlines,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°They¡¯re a type of Ghost Crab, usually no bigger than a palm. They dig large holes and collect shiny rocks, metal pieces, and coral. Sometimes you can find gold and silver coins too.¡± He removed his finger, now covered by the white light, from the crab¡¯s pincers. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of one becoming a Spirit Beast.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Normal animals can become Spirit Beasts, right?¡± Li Yao asked. Fang Zhao nodded. ¡°I¡­ guess so. Maybe it¡¯s a special species of Collector Crab? No, it is. Although animals and Primals that become Spirit Beasts usually aren¡¯t as powerful as those from Spirit Beast clans, they become spirits from nothing. No wonder it has so many abilities.¡± Fang Zhao counted on his fingers. ¡°Changing its shape. Dream visiting. Memory Pearl creation. Oh, and it can change its shell colour, too. I wonder what level it is. Usually, a Spirit Beast at the late Qi Gathering or early Foundation Building Realm would only have so many ¡®Arts,¡¯ so to say.¡± Yu Han considered this. The Creature Compendium explained a lot of things Fang Zhao had mentioned. Monsters, Spirits, Demons, and Primals all had levels and their own unique line of Arts. These were facts confirmed by powerful Spirit Beasts who could communicate with Human Cultivators. ¡°We can talk about this later.¡± Huang Niuniu scrunched up her nose. ¡°It smells here.¡± Li Yao laughed. Huang Niuniu took out a glass vial. ¡°We¡¯ll leave this here and close the door and windows. It¡¯ll drive away the smelly man-smell.¡± It was the same concoction she had used after ¡°reserving¡± Yu Han¡¯s hut with dead animals. The group followed her out, the crab scuttling behind them. It tugged at Yu Han¡¯s pants. ¡°Let¡¯s build him a house in the yard!¡± Huang Niuniu suggested. ¡°Or a hole. Do you think it wants special sand?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to plan our Hidden Realm excursion,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that. Maybe it¡¯ll go back to the isthmus now that its memory problem is solved? It isn¡¯t originally from here, and¡ª¡± Yu Han fell silent. He¡¯d noticed an important question. If the crab always lost its memory, why did it come all the way here from the Wisping Serpent Isthmus to vandalize Yu Han¡¯s Dreamscape? Yu Han guessed. The first night after they¡¯d seen the crab, it had appeared in his dreams. It had physically shown up much later. Could it intrude in his dreams all the way from the isthmus? That distance was no joke. That would mean the crab had some overpowered Arts. Or did physical distance not matter in the dream? ¡°And it might want to go somewhere else,¡± Yu Han continued, ¡°even if not to the isthmus. To find more people to ask about the parchment.¡± He looked down at the crab. It shook its eyestalks left and right. ¡°It says no,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It wants to stay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions,¡± Yu Han said, exasperated. ¡°There might be a way to find out,¡± Li Yao added. He¡¯d been keeping quiet for the most part. The movements of his eyes suggested that he was fiddling with his Dao Records. ¡°How?¡± Li Yao looked at the crab, then at him. ¡°The Heavenly Friendship Palace.¡± The crab lost it. *** They walked out of the other end of the marketplace, past the Stairs of Trial, and arrived at the docks. This was where the Drizzles had last dropped them off. ¡°We can make it back before midnight, right?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°We have to meet Worm Daoist Feral Spot.¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take that long,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Let¡¯s get on that boat; it should be full soon.¡± He gestured to a long boat. It could likely fit twenty people, with half already present. ¡°A Sect transport. We shouldn¡¯t have to pay for it, since the disciple manning it is doing his internal Sect mission,¡± Li Yao said. Then he passed a few round rocks to the boatsman. Monster cores. ¡°What gives?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have to,¡± Li Yao said, laughing, ¡°but this is just the way things are.¡± The crab jumped from Yu Han¡¯s shoulder to the water. It sank. A second later, its eyestalks surfaced like periscopes. It swam ahead. ¡°Oi!¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It can¡¯t wait to be your friend!¡± Huang Niuniu squealed. ¡°Look at how excited it is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how the Heavenly Friendship Palace works,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Despite the name.¡± He turned to Fang Zhao, who had plopped down next to him. The teen was still injured, arm in a crutch. But his skin tone looked a lot rosier. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Surprisingly, it might be so,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°They have a method to establish a special connection between your soul and the Spirit Beast¡¯s. Unlike taming, the relationship here is equal. But from what I hear, it has a lot of downsides.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± ¡°These are only rumours. Things like the Spirit Beast being able to sever the connection at will. You can¡¯t force commands on it. Not sure about the rest.¡± ¡°How are those downsides?¡± ¡°In many other Traditional Sects, Spirit Beast taming gives the contractors much more power over the beasts. In Orthodox Sects, although the relationship between Spirit Beast and Cultivator can be considered equal, their methods¡ªby virtue of being so fantastic¡ªcan even grant special abilities. Like a soul world.¡± ¡°A what now?¡± Yu Han asked. A "soul world¡± sounded awesome. ¡°They can store Spirit Beasts in their souls,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°The Stormy Reef Sect¡ª¡± he breathed out ¡°¡ªperhaps does not have such legendary techniques.¡± The boat was soon full, and the boatsman pushed off with the oar. The waters were calm, the sky sunny, although clouds were gathering on the horizon. The group was by the boat¡¯s edge, so water splashed up at them in small quantities from time to time. Yu Han gazed at the crab-periscope. At the very mention of the Heavenly Friendship Palace, it had morphed into its mini-truck size, grabbed Yu Han, and ran off. After some shouting and screaming, followed by threats, it had let go. It was eager to form a connection. A contract, as Fang Zhao had said. Was it because Yu Han helped it solve its memory issue? That could be a reason. But the crab had denied it when Yu Han asked. It had pointed at Yu Han¡¯s head, then retracted its eyes, claws, legs, and spikes, falling like a boulder. It repeated this action a few times, but Yu Han had no idea what it meant. Huang Niuniu scooted closer. She hugged the oil-skin umbrella, looking down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Shush.¡± It was Li Yao who whispered. The voice was so quiet that Yu Han almost missed it. Li Yao and Huang Niuniu shared a glance, then Li Yao nodded. He took out a small paper and a charcoal pen. After writing something, he passed it to Yu Han. ¡°This is how much you owe me, tubs. Those monster cores ain¡¯t cheap, and there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m gonna be paying for all our fees.¡± Yu Han took the paper. It read, ¡°.¡± Update: laptop died Sorry guys, my laptop died. All the edited chapters are on it, and I am in a location where I can''t repair it untill the 11th. I''ll keep track of chapters and post them immediate after I get it repaired or buy a new one. Sorry for the delay. This happened in the middle of travelling and it feels like a thousand things are going wrong at once (I got sick, phone screen broke, got paperwork calls from bank, etc. ????) sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.(Chapter must be a certain length so copying the same message here) Sorry guys, my laptop died. All the edited chapters are on it, and I am in a location where I can''t repair it untill the 11th. I''ll keep track of chapters and post them immediate after I get it repaired or buy a new one. Sorry for the delay. This happened in the middle of travelling and it feels like a thousand things are going wrong at once (I got sick, phone screen broke, got paperwork calls from bank, etc. ????) Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Sorry guys, my laptop died. All the edited chapters are on it, and I am in a location where I can''t repair it untill the 11th. I''ll keep track of chapters and post them immediate after I get it repaired or buy a new one. Sorry for the delay. This happened in the middle of travelling and it feels like a thousand things are going wrong at once (I got sick, phone screen broke, got paperwork calls from bank, etc. ????) Chapter 67: Accord The boat left the central area of the Outer Sect. The mountains turned into islands, rivers taking the places of valleys. After twenty minutes, they disembarked at a stone pier. The crab waited for them there, waving its claws left and right.Other than their group of four, three more passengers got off: a woman with a fish in a bucket, a portly middle-aged man carrying a bag full of letters and scrolls, and a boisterous tall youth trying to chat up the Bucket Woman. "I''m telling ya, sis," the youth said, "the fish ain''t worth so many stones. It ain''t even a carp! How can it pass the dragon''s gate? Better to trade it with these formation papers. I made them myself!" The woman briskly walked away without lending an ear. "," the young man spat. ¡°Doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her.¡± The middle-aged man bid the boatsman farewell, and the boat left the pier soon after to continue its journey. This was the Heavenly Friendship Mountain, hosting the Heavenly Friendship Palace. Up above, Yu Han saw a tall wooden structure peeking through the canopy. A stone stairway led there, two shrines depicting a dragon and a phoenix flanking the steps. Huang Niuniu lit two incense sticks, then clapped a prayer. The stone steps wound through serene, forested groves, their leaves rustling in the breeze. Yu Han''s legs burned from the climb, sweat dampening his collar despite the cool morning air. His physique had improved a lot after his grueling practice, but there was something about climbing stairs that put the capital C in ¡°Cardio.¡± The crab would climb up ahead of them, then scuttle backwards until it was near Yu Han again. It would gurgle, click, then race ahead once more. After ten minutes, the path opened to a clearing where the Heavenly Friendship Palace stood, its seven-tiered pagoda reaching toward the clouds. The dark wood of its walls had weathered to a deep charcoal, and green-glazed tiles crowned each level like stacked jade plates. Red pillars supported wraparound balconies, where Yu Han spotted a few disciples leaning on the railings, their voices carrying down. Every disciple was accompanied by a Spirit Beast. A pair of ginkgo trees flanked the entrance, their yellow leaves carpeting the flagstone courtyard. There were two more shrines here, dedicated to a tiger and a tortoise. The smell of incense wafted in the wind, mixing with the earthier scent of wet wood and autumn leaves. As they approached the main doors, Yu Han noticed intricate carvings of cranes and clouds adorning the wooden panels, worn smooth by countless hands over the years. The sheer size of the structure made his neck ache as he tried to take it all in. The young man from the boat hadn¡¯t followed them. He had made a huge commotion of forgetting something and had retreated after walking halfway up the stairs. Disciples came and went. Most had companion Spirit Beasts; a small green tiger crept after an aged man with sparse hair; a girl, perhaps no older than thirteen, talked sweetly to a sparrow with three eyes. There were hundreds of disciples, and just as many Spirits. The crab had gone haywire. One of its eyes would follow one Spirit and the other would follow another, until they got tangled up and it collapsed in a mess. Every time it happened, it would glare at Yu Han for some reason. But Yu Han''s mind wasn''t on his buddy. It wasn''t even on the myriad creatures straight out of a fantasy. He could have appreciated it all a lot more if not for a sudden stalker entering their lives. "When did you notice them first?" he whispered to Huang Niuniu. "The last week or so," she said. "I thought it was my imagination at first. But¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ I felt the gaze so strongly." "No doubt, Cow Girl''s right," Li Yao said, playing with the sheath of one of his swords. "That fella might as well have been shouting it. I noticed him halfway through the marketplace. It was like he was waiting there for her." "How come you noticed so quick?" Yu Han asked. "Tubs, I''m a street rat. We''re good at stalking, but we sure as hell don¡¯t wanna stalked." "Was he the only one?" Yu Han asked. Li Yao nodded. "Today, yeah. Can''t be sure if there are more, though, or if they take turns." "Fucking arseholes.¡± Yu Han grimaced. Huang Niuniu grinned. "Why''re you happy? You have a stalker now," Yu Han said. "Guess!" She giggled. "Too late. I''ll tell you the answer." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She paused. "Well?" Yu Han asked impatiently. "You really didn''t guess!" "You''re crazy." "It''s the right of girls to feel happy when a man worries for them," she said, beaming. "?" Fang Zhao''s eyes bugged out, and Li Yao laughed. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Little boy Han''er is growing up!" "You guys suck,¡± Yu Han grumbled. "Let¡¯s not create a commotion here," Fang Zhao said. They passed through the gates into a large hall. "I know his face now," Li Yao said. "I''ll ask around, see what I find." "We''re going to the Hidden Realm soon," Yu Han said. "It''ll suck if a problem crops up." "I-I don¡¯t have to go with you if you think it''s too dangerous," Huang Niuniu said. "You will go," Yu Han demanded. "We''ll take care of the stalkers." "I''m betting he''s part of a Courtyard," Li Yao said. "Cow Girl, think. Why would someone want to follow you? Think of all the possibilities and tell us later. It''ll help narrow the shits down." She nodded. The hall took up multiple stories of the pagoda height-wise. Stairs led up from three of the cardinal directions. In the east¡ªthe only direction without stairs¡ªthere were rows of tables with demure-looking men and women wearing strange Chinese hats. Disciples would approach them with their Spirit Beasts. At a few tables, strange burning scrolls were being used. At others, the disciples merely talked, the Spirit Beasts growling from time to time. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Maybe talk to one of them Palace Disciples?¡± Li Yao pointed at a table that had just emptied. ¡°The head butcher came here with an Eagle Spirit Beast. They made a contract here, and since then, he¡¯s been talking with the bird day and night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best if Brother Yu and the little crab go alone,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I¡¯ve been observing. It seems the Palace Disciples only consult with one disciple and Spirit Beast pair at a time.¡± He pointed at a girl who sat on one giant turtle and carried a small one in her palm, showing it to an elderly Palace Disciple. ¡°Or one disciple and multiple Spirit Beasts.¡± ¡°Go now.¡± Li Yao pushed Yu Han¡¯s back. ¡°Or we¡¯ll have to wait forever.¡± The crab scuttled ahead, then turned to look at Yu Han. It walked back, tugging his pants. It was now the size of a mouse. ¡°I get it. Let¡¯s go and see what this is all about.¡± Yu Han approached the table. A young disciple sat there wearing the strange top hat. It had bells hanging from it, like those hats university graduates wore during convocations, but more ornate. The disciple eyed the approaching Yu Han and the crab. There was a droopy look on his face, as if he hadn¡¯t slept in days. "What can this one do for you?" he asked. His voice drawled on, taking double the time to say each word. "Senior Brother, the matter is like this," Yu Han said. "I''ve recently befriended a Spirit Beast." The crab clicked its pincers. "I would like to form a contract with it¡ª" ", not contract. Is your Adaptability higher than five?" the Senior Brother asked. "It won''t work if it''s lower. Your Spirit Origin will shatter." Yu Han''s eyes widened. "It''s higher than five," he said. The man looked up, a glimmer of interest dawning in his eyes. ¡°Token.¡± Yu Han handed over his Sect identity token. "You''re a rookie?" The man blinked rapidly, looking at the token colours. Yu Han nodded. "Rare to have high Adaptability, then. Most start with far less. You have to train it with special formations; otherwise, grinding becomes a hassle. Did you dump all your Primordial Qi into it?" Yu Han laughed hesitantly. "Never mind. It''s not a terrible choice if you''re going to form accords with more Spirit Beasts." The man snapped his fingers. "It¡¯s like having double the number of Arts. The accord scroll is free once for rookies. It¡¯s an achievement just to find a Spirit Beast willing to bond with you, regardless of how mighty or not the beast may be.¡± He tossed over a scroll and a small knife. "Both of you drip blood on the bottom two boxes." Yu Han unfurled the scroll. It was written in a script he didn''t understand. Or were they something magical rather than normal characters? Like runes? At the bottom, there were two ornately designed square fields. "The Heavenly Friendship Accord will establish a contract between your Dao Records. What rewards you get from the accord is up to you," the man said. ¡°Our methods are less forceful on the companion Spirit Beast than other traditional sects¡¯, and the Spirit Beasts can nullify it too, in addition to the cultivator. We¡¯re looking for friends here, after all, and not slaves. I¡¯d advise against breaking it yourself, Junior Brother, unless you¡¯re fine with losing a few Points in Adaptability." Yu Han filed that knowledge away. He observed the scroll again. Yu Han nicked his finger with the knife, then smeared the blood on one of the fields. He placed the scroll on the floor. The crab walked on top of it. Its eyes roamed the runic landscape of the written words. It clacked forward, then back. "Can you even read it?" Yu Han asked. One of its eyes turned to him, then back to the scroll. It shoved away the knife and held aloft a claw. Then, from the gap of its pincers, a drop of blue liquid fell on the scroll, landing on the second signature box. Yu Han gave the scroll to the Senior Brother, who placed it on a marble circle in the middle of the table. "And let it hence be called, the pact of heavens forms the friends. And let it hence be known, blessings of the earth and seas, does the heavens send." A sudden poem. The Senior Brother hit a stone bell with a cinnabar stick. The sound rang loud but soothing in Yu Han''s ears. The scroll caught on fire. From both ends, the wall of flames¡ªone green and one blue¡ªburned inward until all that was left were ashes. The heat seemed to sear Yu Han''s brain in a way that felt homely. Like sitting near a fireplace, hearing his dad tell a fairytale. He closed his eyes. The warmth originated from his heart and spread through his body. But the sensation left as quickly as it came. He opened his eyes to see the crab had turned into a rock again, with all its spikes and limbs retracted. "Check your Dao Records," the Senior Brother said. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 Active Accords: 1 True Qi: 105 / 200 Pure Qi: 12 / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 501 (+8) / 792 A new section had shown up. Active Accords: 1 Yu Han concentrated on it. Active Accords: 1 Name: *** Type: Spirit Beast Species: Cerebrant Collector Crab Level: 10 Arts: 4 Traits: 2 Yu Han tried to concentrate on the Arts and Traits, but nothing else appeared. The Senior Brother took out a ceramic jar from somewhere. He recited another poem, and a gust of wind rose. It carried the ashes of the parchment and placed them into the jar. Yu Han¡¯s mind was only half on the event. He went through his Dao Records again for anything else that was new, but it was only the pet window. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± the man said. ¡°We¡¯re done. Have a nice day.¡± ¡°I thank the Senior Brother for his help.¡± Yu Han bowed. ¡°Thank the Palace Mistress and Sect Master. Take good care of the Spirit Beast.¡± The crab clicked, bouncing left and right on its many legs. ¡°That goes without saying.¡± With another bow, Yu Han turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said to the crab. Huang Niuniu, Fang Zhao, and Li Yao had been waiting for a while. But the crab didn¡¯t follow. It stared up at Yu Han with its eyestalks, then fell over on its back, feet jerking erratically. ¡°What the hell¡¯s wrong with you now?¡± The crab scuttled back onto its feet, then pointed at Yu Han with a claw. ¡¸You can talk?!¡¹ it said. Chapter 68: Eight and Two ¡°Y-You can talk?¡± Yu Han shouted back.¡°Quiet down, Junior Brother,¡± the palace disciple warned. ¡°This is a place of bonds, not arguments.¡± Yu Han bowed. ¡°My apologies. It¡¯s just that¡ª¡± ¡°Your little companion can communicate with you now.¡± The disciple smiled. ¡°It means it must have high Mind or Spirit Origin. What you get from a Heavenly Friendship Accord often depends on esoteric factors. The possibility of smooth communication is not a bad reward.¡± The crab tugged his pants harder. ¡¸Hey. Hey? Hey! Big, round, two-legged one. Why can you talk sea-speak now? You couldn¡¯t! You couldn¡¯t, right? Am I going crazy? You don¡¯t even have an accent. Why? I wanna know. Tell me!¡¹ S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The crab''s voice had the bright, bubbly lilt of a child who''d just discovered something amazing. It reminded him uncannily of his six-year-old nephew back home¡ªthe same eager pitch, the same rapid-fire energy that came with wanting to know everything at once. ¡°Wait a second,¡± Yu Han said to the crab. It froze, then ran around in circles as if it had drank a full jug of coffee. Yu Han turned to the Palace Disciple. ¡°May I ask if the Senior Brother can hear it?¡± ¡°, Junior Brother. Spirit Beasts are not objects,¡± the palace disciple said. ¡°And no, the accord exists between you and him. You communicate not fully through words but through a direct linkage of minds. Whilst I can hear what you say, the crab¡¯s tongue is unknown to me.¡± ¡°Hey, crab!¡± Yu Han stopped the out-of-control UFO with legs. ¡°Can you understand what the honoured Senior Brother said?¡± The crab turned its eyestalks at him. It¡ªhe¡ªpointed a pincer at the palace disciple.¡¸The tall two-legged being? The one with the square shell on its head? The one sitting on the mangled corpse of the branchy one in the green expanses?¡¹ ¡°¡­If you mean a hat and a chair, then yes.¡± ¡¸No! It must be still young, since it is so thin. Do two-legged ones grow taller or wider when they¡¯re adults? Hey! Tell me. Are you fully grown, big two-legged one?¡¹ ¡°Did you just call me fat?¡± Yu Han¡¯s veins bulged. ¡°You little¡ª¡± ¡°Kindly vacate the area if you are done,¡± the palace disciple said. ¡°May your accord be strong and long-lasting. Bond with your companion Spirit Beast elsewhere.¡± Yu Han apologised again and grabbed the crab. He moved past an old man holding the leash of an equally old sheepdog. The crab clicked his pincers at the dog, and the dog barked. ¡¸Are the two-legged ones smarter than the four-legged furry ones? She can¡¯t speak sea-speak, but she can speak, and I can understand. She says that her two-legged one is smart. Are you smart? You¡¯re smarter than the white-haired, hunching two-legged one, aren¡¯t¡ª¡¹ ¡°Jesus, can you keep it quiet?¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll answer all your questions if you answer mine. But later¡ªmy friends are waiting.¡± The crab jumped on Yu Han¡¯s shoulder and patted his head. ¡¸My two-legged one is the best. It already has friends. Do you need me to tell you how to make better friends? You go in the large path between waters and hide like a rock, and the two-legged ones will come to you and¡ª¡¹ ?¨¤£Î??????? ¡°Hey, tubs, why the long face?¡± Li Yao laughed. ¡°He won¡¯t shut up,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°He can talk now?¡± Huang Niuniu¡¯s eyes sparkled, her mouth opening in an O-shape before turning into a wide smile. She took the crab and asked him, ¡°You can talk?¡± ¡¸Let me go, softer two-legged one! My wider two-legged one will be jealous. Wait, why are you softer than my two-legged one? He has more soft bits. How can you survive without a shell¡ª¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m the only one who understands it,¡± Yu Han said, rolling his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a perk of the Heavenly Friendship Accord. Like Fang Zhao said.¡± The boy in question nodded. ¡°Many such bonding rituals with Spirit Beasts grant the ability to talk with them. Can you understand it fully?¡± ¡¸¡ªAnd then I said that crabs are the best, but old grandpa sea-turtle said that his shell is stronger¡ª¡¹ the creature, now small as a kitten, blubbered into Huang Niuniu¡¯s ear. It was a strange juxtaposition of clicking and low growling on the outside, but ¡°inside,¡± Yu Han could hear what he said perfectly. ¡°Just about. At least, I understand the words, but after stringing them together, I¡¯m not sure how much sense it makes,¡± Yu Han whispered to Fang Zhao. ¡°I think he might be stupid.¡± ¡¸Who? My two-legged wide one. Point with your five-pronged pincers to the stupid two-legged one! I¡¯ve never seen one before.¡¹ The crab hopped off Huang Niuniu¡¯s shoulder and landed with a clack. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Yu Han pointed at the crab. ¡¸Silly two-legged one. I¡¯m an eight-legged, hard-shelled one. Is it under me?¡¹ The crab extended one eyestalk to look below him. ¡°We can ask him questions,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°He should be able to answer.¡± That was the main reason why Fang Zhao suggested coming to the Heavenly Friendship Palace in the first place. ¡¸Do you want me to grow as big as you, two-legged one?¡¹ ¡°I have a name.¡± ¡¸Me too! What¡¯s your name?¡¹ ¡°Yu Han. What¡¯s yours?¡± The crab stopped on the stairs leading down to the pier and glanced at Yu Han. His eyestalks rotated on their axis clockwise, then counterclockwise. ¡¸What¡¯s my name?¡¹ He shook his body. ¡¸Maybe I don¡¯t have one. Did I lie to you? Hey, did I? Why?¡¹ ¡°Oh.¡± Yu Han covered his mouth. ¡°What is it?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. She¡¯d been dying to know what he and the crab were chatting about. ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember his name,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Poor thing,¡± the girl picked up the crab and nestled him in her arms. Strangely, the crab retracted into a boxy rock, falling silent. Yu Han pondered. He now had a companion. Not a pet, but a strange, equal connection with a mysterious being. He wasn¡¯t a dog or a cat, but a crab. Active Accords: 1 Name: *** Type: Spirit Beast Species: Cerebrant Collector Crab Level: 10 Arts: 4 Traits: 2 A crab with the name ***. And a level of freaking . He could probably take a hundred Yu Hans in a fight. In the Rookie Cheat Sheets, it mentioned that the average level of Rookies after a year would be four or five. The talented ones would be around six or seven, and only the absolute geniuses and black horses the Elders had somehow overlooked¡ªintentionally or unintentionally¡ªmight be at Level 8 and higher. In living memory of the author, there had not been anyone who had broken through to Qi Gathering in a year. It was a shame that one couldn¡¯t use Spirit Beasts in the main tournament, but apparently there were spin-off tournaments to show off their prowess, with their own rewards. Yu Han was quiet on the way back, his mind rife with Huang Niuniu¡¯s stalkers, the crab, the coming Hidden Realm excursion, and the rewards they would get from Elder Chang and the Gorge-Crawling Earthworm Tribe. As they got down from the boat, Yu Han came to a decision. ¡°We¡¯ll give you a name,¡± he said to the crab. ¡¸But I already have one. I bet it¡¯s an awesome name.¡¹ He poked an eyestalk out. He was still in Huang Niuniu¡¯s embrace. ¡¸I¡¯ll remember it in no time. Maybe it¡¯s in one of the bubble pearls I left in another dream? That could be it, right, Yu Han? Yu Han is such a weird name. I bet my name is better.¡¹ ¡°But we¡¯ll still need some way to refer to you. It¡¯s disrespectful to keep calling you Crab.¡± ¡¸Why? I am a crab.¡¹ He clicked a pincer. ¡°Us humans find it disrespectful. I don¡¯t like it when someone calls me a wide two-legged one. Calling me an average-sized two-legged one is fine but the using my name, my unique identifier, is the best.¡± ¡°Is that what he¡¯s been calling us?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. She angled the crab so that their eyes met and emphasised, ¡°I. Am Huang. Niuniu. You can call me Niu¡¯er!¡± The crab¡¯s eyestalks rotated towards Yu Han. ¡¸The soft one speaks to me. Does she know my name?¡¹ Yu Han shook his head. The crab visibly drooped. It shrank even smaller. ¡°Why do you keep shrinking and expanding?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡¸The world looks big when I¡¯m small. It looks small when I¡¯m big. I get bored if the world looks the same. Hey, Yu Han. Han Yu? Yu Han! Can I get my new name now?¡¹ They walked through the marketplace. The afternoon was coming to an end. ¡°I¡¯ll drop by the butchery,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Meet you at the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard tonight?¡± He then leaned in and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s another stalker. Appeared when we got down from the boat. I¡¯ll see what I can sniff out.¡± They nodded. When they reached the Halls, Fang Zhao was ready to depart too. ¡°I¡¯ll head over to the Mission Hall too,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to let them know that I can¡¯t continue as a porter. I¡¯ll be selecting another Internal Sect Mission.¡± The red-eyed boy peered at the crab and said in a low voice, ¡°With his level, if you¡¯re planning to bring him to the Hidden Realm, our safety would be guaranteed.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d rather fight everything head-on,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Did I look that desperate?¡± Fang Zhao stared, dumbfounded. ¡°Like the whole world owed you a billion spirit stones.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too much.¡± Fang Zhao let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Not the world, but this damn¡­ thing¡­ should owe me trillions.¡± He carefully touched the crab and got a light pincer tug in return. ¡¸Hey, Yu Han! I think this red-pearl-socketed one likes me. Does it want my shell? Tell it the shell¡¯s mine, but I can find one for it.¡¹ ¡°See you guys tonight.¡± Fang Zhao left at a brisk pace. ¡¸It left. What did it say? Your two-legged land-speak is so weird.¡¹ ¡°He. His name is Fang Zhao. The previous two-legged one is called Li Yao. Fang Zhao said that you¡¯ll keep us safe in the Hidden Realm.¡± ¡¸They¡¯re males? How? Hidden Realm? Where is that? Do you think the Hidden Realm knows what¡¯s written in the dried dragon skin parchment?¡¹ Yu Han lost his breath. He hurriedly said, ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡¸Yay!¡¹ They walked back to the hut. It was a surprisingly sunny day, as it didn¡¯t rain again. ¡°Do you like it when I call you Han¡¯er?¡± Huang Niuniu asked. ¡°Only my parents called me that,¡± Yu Han replied. ¡°It fits, then. Mother will call you Han¡¯er.¡± She giggled. Then she glared sternly at him. ¡°I¡¯m angry.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You introduced Li Yao and Fang Zhao, but not me.¡± ¡°Say please.¡± She pinched him. ¡¸Hey, Yu Han, what¡¯s the soft one called? Does it have a name? Why is it clawing you?¡¹ Yu Han chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡¸Hey, why are you laughing?¡¹ ¡°The soft one was angry that I didn¡¯t introduce her to you. Then you asked for her name.¡± The crab stared at her, the orange pupils in his eyestalks gaping. Huang Niuniu looked down, her own eyes sparkling like clear water. ¡°She¡¯s called Huang Niuniu,¡± Yu Han said. ¡¸It¡¯s a she?¡¹ The crab wiggled in her embrace. ¡¸How? Why? Since when? Is she a soft Huang Niuniu? Are there harder ones out there with shells?¡¹ Yu Han cackled. It wasn¡¯t so bad, having this crab around. Others might have gotten annoyed at so many questions, but it reminded him of his past life. When Johan was younger, he asked so many questions that even the teachers got annoyed. He¡¯d been accused of not being able to read the room or giving his classmates a fair chance to speak. Bullcrap was what it really was. They reached Yu Han¡¯s hut when the sun had just about gone down. The crab clicked and clacked on the floor, then grew until he was the size of a basketball. ¡¸Give it to me,¡¹ he said. ¡¸My new name!¡¹ Chapter 69: Not Ferris the Rustacean ¡°I have a few names¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu started.¡°Why do you get to choose?¡± Yu Han interrupted. She pouted. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who has the accord with him.¡± He pointed at the crab, who was single-mindedly looking at him. ¡°I have the perfect name.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°Let¡¯s hear the name, then.¡± ¡°Ferris!¡± Yu Han beamed. It was perfect! It was the mascot of the Rust Programming Language. Rust used an innovative borrow-checking system of memory allocation. The crab obviously had some manner of control over ¡°memory¡± as a domain¡ªeither the substat or its own memory issues. He¡¯d initially explained the ¡°bubble pearls,¡± as the crab had called them, using Rust¡¯s ownership and borrowing. And while the four of them were talking through the crab¡¯s memory problem, didn¡¯t Fang Zhao mention that the crab was probably lending his bubble pearls out? It was the perfect¡ª ¡°No!¡± ¡¸That name sucks.¡¹ ¡°Are you you guys don¡¯t understand each other?¡± Yu Han said, aggravated. The two looked at each other, then at Yu Han, shaking their heads. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Ferris good?¡± ¡°How would I even pronounce it? Fei Li Su? What does it mean?¡± Huang Niuniu said. Her eyes were bloodshot. ¡°A name is important. If it¡¯s funny or weird, do you know how much bullying it can cause?¡± She glared at Yu Han, looming near him like a ghost. ¡°Do you?¡± She was speaking from experience. ¡°Then¡­ Rust?¡± he suggested. ¡°No!¡± ¡¸It sucks more!¡¹ Huang Niuniu shoved him. The crab clicked his pincers and threw a tantrum. ¡°Lao Se Tu? What does it mean? Why do you come up with such weird names, Han¡¯er? Are you dumb?¡± ¡¸I don¡¯t like this anymore. Can I not have a name? Can you call me Crab? Mighty Crab? Great Crab? Carapace Control Kata Crab?¡¹ ¡°What even is that?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s one of my things. I always had it, and I can teach it to you if you want, but you have to promise not to give me a name, and to get a shell.¡¹ ¡°Okay, fine. What names do you have?¡± Yu Han massaged his temples. For the next five minutes, Huang Niuniu explained the rationale behind each name she selected. The crab didn¡¯t know what she was saying. ¡¸I bet the soft one would like to learn Carapace Control Kata. She¡¯s so soft¡ªshe should really get a shell. Can you tell her to get a shell?¡¹ Huang Niuniu finished. ¡°Well?¡± she asked. One name caught his attention. ¡°Fei Rui, what does it mean?¡± he asked. ¡°In autumn nights, when wisdom comes at a price, the young traveller trades gold for scrolls of ancient secrets thrice,¡± Huang Niuniu recited. ¡°It means to hold nothing back for wisdom. Auspicious in meaning, wise in form.¡± ???????§£§§? Yu Han repeated what she said to the crab. Out of all the names Huang Niuniu had selected, it was closest to Ferris in pronunciation. The language here, similar to Chinese, just didn¡¯t pronounce Western names correctly. The crab collapsed to one side. ¡¸So¡­¡¹ ¡°So?¡± Yu Han watched as it stood on its many feet again. The crab raised its claws. ¡¸Cool!¡¹ And started dancing. ¡¸She¡¯s so much better at names than you. Why didn¡¯t you let her choose name too? I bet she could find a better one than Yu Han. Fei Rui is so cool!¡¹ The crab stopped, retracted its protrusions, and turned into a shelled box again. ¡°What the heck?¡± Yu Han knocked on it. There was no response, but a subtle feeling of joy and confusion emanated from the crab¡¯s shell. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Yu Han didn¡¯t know. The Heavenly Friendship Accord had unpredictable effects, according to the palace disciple. The crab stayed like that even when they left for the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard. He couldn¡¯t make an exact assumption. Arts, traits, weapons, wit¡ªany of these could tilt a fight one way or the other. Not to mention luck, allies, and other variables out of his control. There wasn¡¯t enough data. But there was enough data about one thing. A proof of his dad¡¯s belief. A connection, no matter how small and insignificant, must be nurtured. He¡¯d asked Dad why he thought that so many times. Each time would yield a different answer. Dad hadn¡¯t been making things up. And the benefits, according to him, were bountiful¡ªeven if they weren¡¯t tangible. ¡°The world is dark and freezing, with strong wind, constant rain, and an eternally gloomy sky. The only thing it does is take from you. But goodwill¡ªit can only give back. It will give you warmth, light, and a shelter, so that the rain can¡¯t touch you.¡± And on he would go. Johan had scoffed at such idealism. It wasn¡¯t even funny. Yet he gave Li Yao food once when they were younger. He didn¡¯t even remember it, but that event had a lasting impact on the other boy. So much so that he stuck his neck out for Yu Han at every turn, even risking offending nobles and sect seniors. Sacrificing the chance to learn from Gong Muhua, sticking with him while most others ostracised him. Li Yao had acted like a bastion so that others couldn¡¯t easily target him. He didn¡¯t stop Huang Linxue, Wu Di, and Qiao Jinhai from scarring Huang Niuniu for life. He¡¯d only made a move and ¡°crippled¡± Wu Di after the cracks of her trauma had settled in her psyche for good. And he only did it for selfish gains, as if to prove something to Dad. But she appreciated it. She took care of him when he was out cold from Gong Muhua¡¯s strike. She reserved his hut, researched his job, and now cooked for him¡ªnot only the Spites from the booklet, but even wasting a chance at selecting a better Art for a Fasting Brew. Because it would help him. The crab, Fei Rui (if he decided to take the name), somehow gave him a point in Memory. Granted, that was before Yu Han figured out how to solve the memory issue. But afterwards, Fei Rui, a Level 10 being, accorded with Yu Han, a Level 1 fatty. Based on his chatter, he was more than willing to fight for Yu Han in the Hidden Realm. They¡¯d rescued Feral Spot. Today, the Gorge-Crawling Earthworm Clan was supposed to pay the favour back. That was why they were heading over to the Night Alchemists¡¯ Yard. All of these cases proved¡ªor at least hinted at¡ªDad being right. So the least he could do was grant an amnesiac crab a name. It was still a box even now. Huang Niuniu put it in a hemp bag and slung it over her shoulder. When she noticed Yu Han looking at her, she cocked her head. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Lips, a nose, and a pair of pretty eyes.¡± She staggered. Yu Han walked ahead. Yu Han had revealed the real cause of Fang Zhao¡¯s crippling. Would he also pay back the goodwill? Was he doing goodwill wrong? He had two good friends, a crab that really seemed to like him, and Fang Zhao, who was turning into his third friend. At least the connections were nurtured. How amazing would it be if Dad were here to see all this? He could tell Yu Han if he was doing it right. ¡°Tubs, is it always this empty?¡± Li Yao yammered. He waited in front of the Night Alchemists¡¯ Yard gates with Fang Zhao. Inside, it was like a haunted villa. No humans in sight. Donkey braying came from the warehouse-like shed. In the main compound, only one window shone with a faint light from the lamps¡ªthe discussion chambers. ¡°We don¡¯t have many colleagues,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It means we get more perks.¡± The main compound door opened, responding to Yu Han¡¯s token. They went straight to the discussion chamber. Elder Chang waited there, seemingly enthralled by a narrow crack on the wall. ¡°Huang girl, what do you have in that bag?¡± he asked the moment they entered. ¡°A-A crab,¡± she replied. A blush crept on her face. Last time she spoke with Elder Chang, she¡¯d had a little accident. ¡°Good,¡± Elder Chang said. Yu Han was confused. ¡°All four are here.¡± Elder Chang pointed at a chest on the floor. ¡°Four Healing Potions of the Blue Waved Waters. Four Rot-Negating Body Tempering Elixirs.¡± ¡°The Healing Potions should take care of most wounds at your level. I¡¯d recommend holding off taking the Body Tempering Elixirs for now. Consume them when you reach Level 10. Or else¡­¡± He splayed his fingers, bursting from a closed fist. ¡°You¡¯ll go boom.¡± They stood silently. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to thank me?¡± Elder Chang said. The orange light of the lamp illuminated his stern face, and his thickset form cast an ominous shadow on the opposite wall. ¡°Yu Han thanks Elder Chang for his generosity!¡± Yu Han cupped his fists and bowed. The rest followed. ¡°Wen sent a message saying he has kept appropriate missions in the far left cabinet, on the wall with the mission board. Junior Feral Spot awaits you in the Spiritual Composting Pits,¡± Elder Chang said. His gaze returned to the crack on the wall. ¡°Do you know who did this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Where did Wen go?¡± Elder Chang asked. ¡°He left on a donkey somewhere, saying he wouldn¡¯t be here for the next few weeks.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know why?¡± ¡°This Senior Sister Tan Ruoxuan told him to level up. I am not sure if that has something to do with it.¡± ¡°Thank the heavens for your crab,¡± Elder Chang said. ¡°A Level 10 Spirit Beast willing to accord with a Level 1 rookie, while not unprecedented, is far from common.¡± Yu Han was unsure how to reply to that. ¡°Now your excursion is much safe¡ªunless you mess up catastrophically. Good. Luck is also part of cultivation,¡± Elder Chang said. ¡°Keep your wealth hidden. I advise you to request something discreet from the Gorge-Crawling Worm Clan. Others would kill for what you might have. Even now, the Rot-Negating Body Tempering Elixirs are something most Level 10 Outer Sect disciples crave in their dreams. This batch came out excellent, with all four at the upper Elite Grades. You are dismissed.¡± Yu Han gulped. Another hot potato. Not to mention the hundred-odd fruiting bodies in Fang Zhao¡¯s storage ring. They bid their farewells, and Li Yao and Fang Zhao carried the chest out. Yu Han went to the adjacent study and removed a bag from the cabinet. It had many rolled paper notices. On the map of waste tank locations in the Outer Sect dangled the markers indicating his and Huang Niuniu¡¯s booked shifts for the following week. They didn''t put those there. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 70: Big Small Worm There was a note on the table. Yu Han picked it up and read it under the dim moonlight emanating from the window. Today was the 15th day of the ninth month. Day 134 since he¡¯d arrived in this world. . He carried the bag out of the main compound. ¡°Why did he use such a big chest for only eight vials?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know the size of the vials. Maybe they¡¯re as big as jugs?¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°You wish,¡± Li Yao replied. ¡°There¡¯s a standard size for this sort of stuff.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s cushioning or some kind of protective measure,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Should I¡­?¡± He gestured at his storage ring. ¡°Not here,¡± Yu Han cautioned. His eyes darted around as he spoke quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s see what Feral Spot has for us first. If Elder Chang sees us leaving without the chest, he¡¯ll have questions.¡± ¡°I was asking if I should hold on to the vials separately,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°We can carry back the empty chest.¡± Yu Han looked the red-eyed boy over. Fang Zhao¡¯s gaze was unflinching. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t risk detection, though. This place should be safe as is.¡± Fang Zhao nodded. They went behind the main compound and into the courtyard, which was not small. One side faced the main gate of the Night Alchemists¡¯ Yard. The ¡°yard¡± was there, with the storage and donkey sheds. Another faced the mountains. The hot spring was located there. About a hundred metres behind the main compound was an area encircled by a wooden palisade. Yu Han pointed his token at the palisade. . A handle appeared, and Yu Han pulled the makeshift door open. Inside, there stretched a field of night soil mixed with the remains of monsters, waste from alchemical processes, and other manners of spiritual remnants. Here and there, beast skulls and fragmented cores glinted under the moonlight. The earth gave off a faint, sweet-metallic scent, like ozone after rain. Steam wisped up in places where the soil was freshly turned. ¡°Oof, this smell.¡± Li Yao covered his nose. ¡°Almost as bad as Cow Girl¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°Then next time you can eat this,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°It¡¯s a joke!¡± Li Yao pleaded. A hiss attracted their attention, and they followed the sound. Stone walkways were constructed between the waste fields for ease of movement. Yet the walkway felt warm underfoot, almost pulsating. There was an eerie lack of crickets, as if the bugs avoided the area entirely, leaving it in stark silence compared to the surrounding wilderness. ???????????¨§s On the other end of the walkway was the pit. It was literally a pit; a big hole dug in the ground. Feral Spot was rolling around as if in a spa. As it moved, the night soil shifted, clumps of it falling into the hole from the field surrounding it. It hissed in their direction. The two spots on its forehead oddly resembled eyes. ¡°Is it male or female?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Do worms have sexes? Wait, how is it hissing?¡± ¡°Senior Feral Spot is a boy,¡± Huang Niuniu said. The hemp bag slung over her shoulder rustled. She put it down and opened it up. The crab¡ªFei Rui¡ªscuttled out and waved at Feral Spot. ¡¸I can get bigger than that worm. Yu Han, do you want to see me get bigger than that worm?¡¹ ¡°Do you like your name, or do you want another?¡± Yu Han asked. Feral Spot stilled in the compost pit, then slithered through the soil until his head was hovering above the crab. ¡¸Fei Rui is fine,¡¹ the crab said. ¡¸I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever remember my other name, even though I think I want to know. Hey, Yu Han, how come I was in the lagoon for so long?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Han said. ¡¸How come I was in the lagoon for so long?¡¹ Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Feral Spot hissed. ¡°You guys can speak to each other?¡± Yu Han asked, eyes wide. But then again, both were Spirit Beasts. It wouldn¡¯t be weird. ¡¸Big smelly worm doesn¡¯t know seaspeak. But it says mudspeak is better than seaspeak. Not mudspeak¡­ Qi speak? What¡¯s Qi?¡¹ The crab turned an eyestalk to Yu Han. ¡¸Yu Han. It changed.¡¹ ¡°What did?¡± ¡¸The sparkly thingy in front of me. It says my name in seaspeak. Can you teach it to the other two-legged ones? Then I can talk with them!¡¹ Yu Han pulled up the accord panel. Active Accords: 1 Name: Fei Rui (***) sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Type: Spirit Beast Species: Cerebrant Collector Crab Level: 10 Arts: 4 Traits: 2 So the past name remained, but obscured? Maybe it was like the Yu Han (Johan) that appeared in his own profile. Fei Rui clicked his pincers at the worm. The worm hissed and wiggled. They were clearly communicating. Qi Speak? With Qi? If Feral Spot could communicate with Fei Rui, why didn¡¯t he speak to them directly? He could probably speak with Elder Chang just fine. It was a goofy Spirit Beast, sure, but it was in the Foundation Building Realm. Yu Han would have to be careful if he wanted to probe. The others must have thought the same¡ªthey kept a respectful distance as Feral Spot and Fei Rui talked. ¡¸¡ªAnd then the moon flew away and the brighter moon appeared. The sun? Is it called the sun? No, not that one. The other one that¡¯s red and blue and green and¡­ My two-legged one is called Yu Han. Do you have a two-legged one? Does poop taste good?¡¹ Yu Han sighed, exasperated. ¡°What are they saying?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°That¡¯s my question.¡± ¡°Wait, couldn¡¯t you understand the crab before?¡± ¡°Yep. But only Fei Rui.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the crab,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°He wants me to teach you all seaspeak so that he can speak with you.¡± ¡°He wants us to learn what-speak?¡± Li Yao shot him a confused look. ¡°Seaspeak.¡± It would be a hassle if he had to always interpret between Fei Rui and everyone else¡ª ¡°Niu¡¯er, what the hell are you doing?¡± The girl patted Feral Spot with a gloved hand. The worm hissed. ¡°I think he likes me,¡± she said. ¡°Niu¡¯er, he¡¯s a Foundation Building Realm Spirit Beast¡ª¡± Yu Han stopped mid-sentenced and stumbled back. A ball of waste splattered where he had been standing. ¡°You¡ª¡± The worm hissed derisively. If he was serious, there was no way Yu Han would be able to dodge an attack from a Foundation Building Realm Spirit Beast. The worm hissed again at Fei Rui. ¡¸Yu Han. Big little worm Feral Spot wants to tell you that you three boys will get goodies. He says his daddy is a big worm and has a cave full of things, and he¡¯ll give you three good things. I want to see the cave, but he said I can¡¯t now¡ªbut he can bring me later. Is that okay?¡¹ ¡°Can Senior Feral Spot speak with us directly using this Qi Speak?¡± Yu Han asked. Duan Xiaolong had somehow telepathically spoken with Yu Han. Perhaps this Qi speak was the same thing. Fei Rui rotated his body towards the worm, then towards Yu Han again. ¡¸Big little worm Feral Spot said that he only entered Foundation Building recently, and his presence control¡ª¡¹ Feral Spot hissed. He tapped the soil-covered ground of the pit with his softly glowing tail. ¡¸Essence control? Yep. His essence control is bad, and if he talks with you, your head will go boom. Wait, why?¡¹ Fei Rui clicked at the worm. ¡¸He says the soft thingy inside your head-shell will go boom, but maybe head-shell won¡¯t. Is that better?¡¹ ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Yu Han deadpanned. ¡¸Soft Niuniu can choose what she wants,¡¹ Fei Rui clicked a pincer towards the girl. ¡¸What do you want, Soft Niuniu?¡¹ ¡°Holy fuck, you¡¯re right,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Right about what?¡± Huang Niuniu tilted her head. ¡°The worm likes you more than he likes us,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°We three don¡¯t get to choose our rewards, but Niu¡¯er can.¡± Huang Niuniu grinned. She patted the worm¡¯s slippery form and said, ¡°Should I ask him to let you choose too?¡± ¡°Only Tubs?¡± Li Yao said. ¡°You go sit to the side.¡± Huang Niuniu scoffed. Fei Rui scuttled up to Yu Han and tugged his pants. ¡¸Yu Han. Yu Han! Big small worm Feral Spot says you can¡¯t choose. He has nice things for you, but if you ruin Soft Niuniu¡¯s chance to get an even nicer thing, he can make your soft-inside-head-thing go boom.¡¹ ¡°Oi!¡± Yu Han took a step back. The worm rolled over and hissed with mirth. Yu Han had no idea if that was a joke or not, but he¡¯d better not risk it. ¡°Brain,¡± he said to Fei Rui. ¡°It¡¯s called a brain. Crabs have them too, but yours is decentralised.¡± ¡¸What?¡¹ ¡°You¡¯re a Cerebrant Collector Crab, though. You might have some kind of brain matter in that shell of yours.¡± Yu Han ignored Fei Rui¡¯s follow-up question and conveyed Feral Spot¡¯s intentions. ¡°Niu¡¯er, leave it be. Just get what you want and we¡¯ll take what he has for us.¡± Li Yao and Fang Zhao affirmed too. No need to offend a Foundation Building powerhouse for nothing. ¡°I know what I want,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She scanned the three boys¡¯ faces, then lowered her head. ¡°Niu¡¯er?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it later.¡± She came near the worm and whispered something to it. Feral Spot lifted his head out of the pit, now almost at Huang Niuniu¡¯s eye level. He nodded, then dove below the earth. ¡¸Big small worm Feral Spot said to wait here. Wait, why doesn¡¯t he have something for me? Why do you get nice things?¡¹ ¡°We saved him,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Apparently.¡± ¡¸You saved me too. Do I have to give nice things?¡¹ It was strange. When Yu Han looked into Fei Rui¡¯s eyes, the flame-like pupils embedded inside his obsidian eyestalks, he felt no sarcasm or demand. Only innocent curiosity. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I didn¡¯t save you. And I might have selfish motivations even if I did. Not to mention, all the two-legged ones here helped me out, trying to think through your problem.¡± ¡¸What¡¯s a selfish motivation?¡¹ Fei Rui asked. ¡¸What should I do then?¡¹ ¡°A thanks would be enough.¡± Fei Rui clicked, then did a little dance with his eight clickity legs. ¡¸Thanks!¡¹ ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Huang Niuniu replied. She and the other two boys had been listening to Yu Han speak. ¡°She said you¡¯re welcome,¡± Yu Han told Fei Rui. ¡¸Really? Yay!¡¹ Fei Rui danced. Almost an hour passed, but they waited. Chatting, complaining. Before he knew it, Yu Han had grown used to being in bad-smelling environments. Huang Niuniu was probably the same, and the scented scarves helped Li Yao and Fang Zhao push through. Clouds covered the moon, and his skin tingled. He somehow knew it would rain soon. The pit soil bubbled, and Feral Spot appeared again with two briefcase-sized boxes. Chapter 71: Loot Boxes ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be four?¡± Li Yao whispered. ¡°Shut it, dude,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯m just saying there should be four.¡± ¡°And? Are you going to bargain with a Foundation Building Realm Spirit Beast?¡± Li Yao shrugged. Fang Zhao watched the interaction with a troubled smile. The two boxes trudged through the sludge as if they could move on their own. One stopped in front of Huang Niuniu. ¡¸Big small worm says she¡¯ll have one all to herself, and you three males get the other one,¡¹ Fei Rui said. ¡¸I don¡¯t like this. Talking to him and then to you and him again feels boring.¡¹ He retracted into a box. ¡°Oi,¡± Yu Han said, tapping the crab¡¯s shell. No response. No sooner had Yu Han thought that than Fei Rui stuck out his eyestalks and said, ¡¸I can translate a bit more, but I want to go home soon.¡¹ Feral Spot hissed. He pushed against Huang Niuniu¡¯s gloved palm, then pointed at the box with his tail. ¡°You¡¯re so nice. Thank you!¡± Huang Niuniu beamed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually had it.¡± Feral Spot hissed pridefully, still pointing at the box. It was black wood, with hinges made of an unknown metal or alloy. No locks, just a clamp shutting the box lid. Huang Niuniu opened it. Inside were four items in a bed of straw cushioning. Two were whips, each unlike the other. ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t ask for these,¡± Huang Niuniu said, surprised. ¡°I only wanted the Martial Art.¡± Yu Han sighed in relief. He¡¯d been pushing her to get a proper Martial Art. She listened. Feral Spot wobbled its head up and down, left and right. God only knew what it was trying to convey. Huang Niuniu thanked him, tears pooling in her eyes. She picked one ribbon-whip up. The cloud that had been covering the moon moved away, as if to reflect its light on the ever-so-slightly shiny form of the dancing instrument. It had a metallic core, covered by a patina of copper and bronze hues as if to mimic rust. It was thin and flat, like a ribbon should be. When Huang Niuniu untied the thread holding the main body in place, it swirled loose as if it was made of silk. Looking closely, the ribbon part wasn¡¯t a seamless metal appendage, but many small, articulated plates joined together. They were lozenge-shaped, each no larger than a fingernail, and created a continuous chain like fish scales, each flowing into the next. The tip of the ribbon was like an arrowhead, glinting with a sharp edge. ¡°Wow,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Pretty.¡± She picked up the next one. It was a bone-whip, the core polished and smooth like it was made of white river stones. It wasn¡¯t shaped like a ribbon, but a proper whip. She unfurled it with an unsettling grace. ?????¦­?????¦¥? The body was a vine of interlocking vertebrae and other bone parts, probably from beasts. It looked like the skeleton of a long, thin snake, each vertebra held together by white, almost translucent tendons and sinews. The handle was bone too, but had a leather-like grip, greyish brown in colour. The metallic ribbon-whip¡¯s handle was wand-shaped in contrast, made of wood and affixed with a brown leather grip. Feral Spot pointed at the next item in the box. It was a rectangular piece of green jade with a red tassel, about a finger¡¯s length and half a centimetre thick. The jade wasn¡¯t uniformly green but had swirling white tints, the texture similar to clouds in the sky. Etched on its surface were strange geometric shapes, surrounding Chinese-like characters. Huang Niuniu held it up. ¡°Is this jewellery?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a jade slip,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± Li Yao asked. ¡°It¡¯s an archive one can read with their mind,¡± Fang Zhao replied. ¡°They¡¯re usually for Qi Gathering Realm cultivators and up, but this one¡¯s a higher grade, judging by its make. Mortal Grade jade slips won¡¯t have such intricate formations carved into them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Huang Niuniu said. She squeezed the jade slip. Then squeezed harder. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re supposed to squeeze it,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Hold it up to your head.¡± Huang Niuniu glared at Fang Zhao, then Feral Spot. ¡°You should¡¯ve said that sooner!¡± The worm wiggled in amusement. Huang Niuniu touched the jade slip to her temple, eyes closed. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A small gasp left her mouth. She stumbled, but steadied herself at the last moment. Her closed eyes scrunched so hard it looked painful. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Yu Han didn¡¯t know if he should interrupt this process. He clenched his fists in his pocket. Finally, after a few minutes, she opened her eyes. ¡°Han¡¯er¡­¡± Yu Han was by her side in a second. She leaned on his shoulder. As she rubbed her cheeks there, Fei Rui climbed up Yu Han¡¯s side, then his shoulder, then hers. ¡¸Soft Niuniu okay?¡¹ he asked. He nudged her with a pincer. ¡°My head hurts,¡± she said weakly. ¡°It¡¯s a Martial Art that uses whips, not ribbons.¡± The worm nodded. He hissed four times, the subtle green glow on his body ebbing and flowing. ¡¸Big small worm said even though their Worm clan likes to collect human things that wiggle and squiggle like worms, they didn¡¯t have any that used flat pieces of cloth-things. So it found a human thing. Ah! This is a Martial Art? I have one too! I bet mine is better. Um, right¡ªit found a Martial Art for Soft Niuniu that is like dancing and uses two whips.¡¹ Yu Han conveyed the interpretation, then asked, ¡°What is it called?¡± ¡°Spiral Dance of the Willow and the Wisp,¡± she said, laughing. ¡°Dance like the wisps resting within the thousand vines of the willow tree. Spiral, neverending. From birth until death. Um¡ªthat¡¯s what the jade slip said.¡± ¡°No fucking way,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°Willow Wisp? The tree, not will-o¡¯-the-wisp?¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¸Carapace Control Kata!¡¹ Fei Rui said. Yu Han imagined a crab going through tai-chi movements. It was ridiculous no matter how he thought about it. ¡°I want to try using the whips,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Can you stay back?¡± Yu Han and the rest gave her some space. Huang Niuniu took the metallic whip first. Its handle was like an unbloomed flower, whilst the whip body resembled silver roots. ¡°This one¡¯s called the Lotus Razor,¡± Huang Niuniu said, unfurling the weapon with a flick. The whip body flew outwards in a graceful arc. As it uncoiled through the air and reached full extension, the metallic scales parted like flowers, exposing hidden, razor-sharp blades between the joints. The handle of the whip extended too, transforming the elegant weapon into a chain of daggers shining in the moonlight. She retracted the whip with another fluid motion, and the scales joined together with mechanical precision. ¡°Since when were you that good?¡± Yu Han asked, amazed. The whole sequence felt so practised, as if she had done it thousands of times. ¡°It¡¯s light,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°Lighter than even my ribbon whips. The jade slip told me about the razor blades.¡± ¡°Be careful with that, Niu¡¯er.¡± Yu Han shuddered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get backstabbed, even unintentionally!¡± Huang Niuniu blushed. ¡°T-That was so long ago! I¡¯ve never hit you again in the middle of a fight, have I?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that long ago,¡± Yu Han said, forcing the point. She was clumsy and unpredictable. He wanted no accidents. The girl puffed out her cheeks and picked up the bone-like whip. ¡°This one¡¯s called the Pale Spine,¡± she said. She uncoiled it, then took a stance. ¡°I-It¡¯s a bit tricky.¡± After thinking for a while, she struck out. The skeletal whip gouged the air with a loud whoosh. When it was halfway through its motion, Huang Niuniu pressed the handle harder and angled her wrist. Suddenly, rib-like bones protruded out from the whip-body with a series of clicks. ¡°That¡¯s nasty,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Can Sister Huang really control this within a fast-paced fight?¡± Fang Zhao asked. Cold sweat dripped down Yu Han¡¯s back. In MMORPGs, there were friend and foe identification systems baked into the game. Chances of friendly fire were nil unless the event or game specifically included it. That wasn¡¯t the case here. If this dumb girl accidentally tripped an ally mid-fight, that would be a team wipe. And unlike games, they wouldn¡¯t respawn. ¡°Niu¡¯er¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± Huang Niuniu did something to the whip handle, and the whip-ribs retracted. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just have to practise super fiercely.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°One whip for damage, the other for binding. You¡¯ll be the hidden ace of our team.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just saying things to flatter me. I¡¯m still mad!¡± Huang Niuniu smiled as she slung the whips onto her belt. ¡°The jade slip said they were both Earth grade, and can be used until the late Qi Gathering and even early Foundation Building stage.¡± She stopped, then gazed warmly at Feral Spot. ¡°That¡¯s so far away. I don¡¯t even know when I¡¯ll become Qi Gathering. Senior Feral Spot, thank you so much. Thank you. These whips, the Martial Art, they¡¯ll keep me and Han¡¯er safe.¡± The worm stilled, then hid its face under the pit soil. A subtle pink glow replaced parts of the green hues near its head. ¡°Hey, Cow Girl! What about us? It¡¯s no fair if you only talk about Tubs!¡± Li Yao smirked. ¡°Brother Li, read the mood. The mood!¡± Fang Zhao said hurriedly. Yu Han felt his face heating up. But the girl was unfazed. She picked up the final item from the box. It was a wooden bracelet with flowing patterns on the surface. Its inner curve had a string of miniature monster cores, all worn smooth to perfectly align with the bracelet¡¯s arc. They flanked a single standard-sized spirit stone, slotted cleverly so as not to scrape against the wearer¡¯s skin while equipped. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a bracelet with the jewellery on the inside.¡± Huang Niuniu cocked her head. ¡°Senior Feral Spot, what does it do?¡± The worm hissed a reply, finally showing its head from the pit again. ¡¸It keeps the monsters from finding you! I bet it wouldn¡¯t be allowed when she plays hide and go seek with the monsters,¡¹ Fei Rui interpreted, and Yu Han conveyed the reply. ¡°A Spirituality Shrouding Charm?¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°That¡¯s quite valuable. Especially since we¡¯ll be going to the hidden realm.¡± ¡°You know about it?¡± Yu Han asked as Huang Niuniu put on the bracelet. ¡°Like the name says, these Charms are a type of magical tool that can hide one¡¯s Spirituality from Monsters.¡± ¡°Monsters are imitations of life that want to life,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It was mentioned in a book called ¡®Creature Compendium.¡¯ They despise beings with spirituality?¡± In his mind, spirituality meant sentience. But if even non-human living beings had it, it wasn¡¯t sapience. Perhaps sapience was just a higher ¡°grade¡± of spirituality? ¡°That¡¯s the explanation the elders give us, too.¡± Fang Zhao nodded. ¡°They say monsters hate life because they are not life, yet they yearn for it with every fibre of their fake being. Meanwhile, us true living creatures have spirituality, the crucial thing they lack. All living beings have it, from humans that can think to little water bugs that cannot. Monsters can sense this spirituality like a starving shark smelling blood. And like sharks, they go into a frenzy. They wish to snuff out the owner of the spirituality, to steal it and make it theirs. Demonic cultivators and demons also cultivate by stealing this spirituality, but unlike monsters, they already possess spirituality and want to enhance it by consuming others¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a thoughtful reward,¡± Yu Han said. He didn¡¯t know if all these were more valuable than what they could have gotten with contribution points, but the facts stood that these were highly tailored for Huang Niuniu. ¡°Enough chatter,¡± Li Yao said, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Let¡¯s open the next box!¡± Huang Niuniu''s fingers hovered just above the clamp for a moment as she shot Li Yao a sly grin. ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake, hurry up!¡± Li Yao groaned, throwing his head back. With a sharp click, the clamp gave way, and the lid creaked open. Chapter 72: Vengeful Cow ¡°You have to be kidding me.¡± Li Yao crossed his arms. ¡°She gets two cool weapons, an Earth Grade Martial Art, and a Spirituality Shrouding Charm. Meanwhile we only get one Charm each?¡± ¡°Brother Li, even one Spirituality Shrouding Charm is a valuable asset for Courtyards, not to mention small groups,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Even you?¡± Li Yao scoffed. ¡°A young lord from a super clan or whatever¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m exiled in all but name.¡± Fang Zhao rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m as penniless as you. And no artisan worth his salt would sell a Charm of this quality for less than five hundred Elite Grade spirit stones. Before, yes, that amount was paltry for me¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, now.¡± Li Yao glared. ¡°¡ªBut now I¡¯m like you. Poor, destitute, and¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re rude, ain¡¯tcha?¡± ¡°¡ªstricken by poverty. All I have are Mortal Grade spirit stones. An artisan would never trade them for that unless I paid a hefty premium.¡± ¡°Rudeness aside, this favouritism is too much still, I tell ya,¡± Li Yao grumbled. ¡°Too much!¡± He laughed and closed the chest with a thud. The second box had, as Li Yao said, three Spirituality Shrouding Charms¡ªbracelets similar to Huang Niuniu¡¯s, but older and more worn out. Yu Han traced a finger on his. It was a bigger bracelet, as he had all that fat as extra width. It wouldn¡¯t be weird if there was. Fang Zhao checked his too, then sighed. ¡°The spirit stone looks to be full. We¡¯ll have to change them out after they deplete, but even so, they should last a month at least.¡± Feral Spot nodded and let out a series of gurgling sounds. ¡¸Big small worm said it¡¯s going to hide you from most monsters under Level 10. But you can¡¯t hit them with your spirituality thing, or else they¡¯ll notice. How do you hit monsters with spirituality, Yu Han? Is it like a stick?¡¹ Fei Rui had grown in size. He no longer perched on Yu Han¡¯s shoulder, but walked around the stone path, intently poking Feral Spot in different segments. Every time he poked, the glow in that area would dim or brighten. ¡°Good question. Who should I ask?¡± Yu Han said, then shared Fei Rui¡¯s interpretation. ¡°It¡¯s intent,¡± Fang Zhao said. ¡°Our spirituality remains shrouded if we don¡¯t try to do them harm. Even if the intent to harm is there, the monsters won¡¯t notice our spirituality as long as we remain hidden. Once we act, though, the intention is clear to even the most dimwitted monster, and they will react, thus breaking the Charm¡¯s shroud.¡± ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s still neat,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Imagine going up to a monster, whistling like nothing¡¯s wrong, then stabbing it in the throat at the last second.¡± The worm sent a disdainful hiss his way. ¡°It shrouds our spirituality, not our physical bodies.¡± Fang Zhao tapped his foot. ¡°Even a normal tiger will pounce on food that delivers itself to its den, though it will be confused. Not to mention monsters, which are naturally more aggressive. Which reminds me¡ªremember that these Charms are meant for monsters, but not for primal beasts, which also abound in the hidden realm. Sometimes it¡¯s easy to tell them apart, but other times it¡¯s not.¡± Li Yao waved his hand. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I get it. Do we head back now?¡± ¡°Nothing else to do,¡± Yu Han said. He turned to Feral Spot. ¡°Senior Feral Spot, is it okay to share with others the Martial Art you¡¯ve given to Niu¡¯er?¡± ????????¨º???? After some back and forth between Yu Han, Fei Rui, and Feral Spot, they got an affirmative answer. It also cleared a doubt Yu Han had: He could share what he got from Dong Chou, the Elder Scribe. The Outer Sect Scripture Hall also didn¡¯t forbid him from sharing the Thousand Petal Awareness psychic art. That was because the Outer Sect mostly taught Arts that were either already common in the broader cultivation world, or were of no importance to the Sect intrinsically because of their quality. Only in the Inner Sect would disciples gain access to Arts intrinsic to the Stormy Reef Sect. They would have to swear binding vows, which would have severe consequences if broken. Besides that, there were many Arts widely circulated between Courtyards, Pavilions, and Palaces that the Sect had no interest in. It was nigh impossible to regulate these under-the-table trades with the resources the Sect was willing to give the Law Enforcement Hall. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. On the other hand, if an inner or core disciple traded Arts intrinsic to the Sect, they would go out of their way to make an example out of the branded rule-breakers. ¡°Is it the same for Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique and Eye of the Storm Martial Movement?¡± From what the Elder with the pelican and the hateful Gong Muhua had said, these were Arts developed in the Stormy Reef Sect. They should count as intrinsic, right? But there was nothing said about not sharing these Arts. Feral Spot scoffed, but he was patient enough to explain. The two Arts were merely the most basic form of the Stormy Reef Sect¡¯s legacy. They even had many common variations in the Outer Sect. For example, Gong Muhua had only demonstrated the Fist and Leg techniques of the Eye of the Storm Martial Movements that day, and later, Yu Han didn¡¯t go to the practice fields. It apparently had variations that used swords, spears, and sabres. Despite the variation, though, after Body Tempering, they would give diminished returns for time and resources spent training. But they had enhanced versions that were suitable for cultivators at Qi Gathering and above. Those were hidden behind vows of loyalty and ranking within the Sect. If a cultivator outside the Sect learnt these sorts of basic Arts, they would become beholden when they reached a certain level. By that time, it would already be too late. They¡¯d either have to switch their specialisation to a different Art midway, or pay a hefty price of either spirit stones or freedom to get guidance from the Sect. It was a trap by those with deep histories. Many other Sects purposefully spread these arts outside the Sect to net loose cultivators¡ªcultivators that didn¡¯t belong to any major faction. The Stormy Reef Sect was better in that way¡ªit merely didn¡¯t care. According to Feral Spot, if not for some reason only known to the top echelons of the Sect, they wouldn¡¯t even recruit disciples from the Lower Bound Province. After all, the outer perimeter of the Sunken Mountains had many towns and villages¡ªnot to mention the Great Barrier City with its population of millions. The number of disciples recruited from the Province was five hundred in a good year, and less than a hundred in bad years. Yu Han took this all in, and after a moment of silence, bowed. Li Yao and Fang Zhao followed, and finally Huang Niuniu also dusted herself off and stood up, showing due respect. The worm moved his head left and right, then wiggled. ¡¸Big small worm is embarrassed.¡¹ Fei Rui giggled. His childlike voice was pleasant to Yu Han¡¯s ears. ¡°Thank you.¡± Huang Niuniu caressed the worm¡¯s soft skin, saying a final word of gratitude. She followed up with a strange request that caught Yu Han off guard. ¡°Can you collapse some tunnels? Sima Yan, Gong Muhua, Pang Jiming, Ma San¡ª¡± She listed off a series of names and the numbers of their huts. ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of big bullies. They eat good food and sleep on soft beds. But I don¡¯t want to let them shit in peace.¡± Feral Spot raised his worm-head and hissed with amusement. ¡¸Big small worm says he won¡¯t let them poop.¡¹ Fei Rui tugged Yu Han¡¯s pants. ¡¸Yu Han. Can two-leggers live without excreting bad things? You did it this morning. Why shouldn¡¯t the others excrete?¡¹ ¡°Because Niu¡¯er has profound wisdom.¡± Yu Han gave her a thumbs-up. ¡°Cow Girl, I didn¡¯t know you were this vindictive!¡± Li Yao grinned. ¡°Sister Huang, respects.¡± Fang Zhao cupped his hands. Huang Niuniu furiously blushed, not used to such direct praise. They bid the worm farewell and left the Night Alchemist¡¯s Yard, though the night was a long way from over. They walked the muddy paths, sometimes cutting through forest groves and other times striding in the moonlight. Fei Rui was at his full height now, a lumbering crab the size of a mini-truck. Yet the stereotype of big creatures moving slowly didn¡¯t apply to him. The ghostly crab-like creature frolicked to and fro, asking Yu Han a million questions about anything and everything. ¡°About the tail¡ªI found out some stuff,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°He¡¯s from a Courtyard that calls themselves the Mad Bloodhounds. They¡¯re one focused on hunting monsters and primals in the Hidden Realm.¡± ¡°I heard of them when I was working for my previous Courtyard,¡± Fang Zhao said, an undertone of grievance in his voice. After all, he had been unfairly kicked out, cutting off his supply of monster blood. ¡°Their leader was in the late Body Refining Realm. What was his name?¡± ¡°He goes by Bloodhound One,¡± Li Yao said. ¡°Real name is Wang something. I asked around, but got different answers. The Mad Bloodhounds don¡¯t have such a good reputation. Last year, two of their new recruits died in the Hidden Realm. They were barely out of their Rookie Year. Rumour is the Mad Bloodhounds did something, but the Law Enforcement Hall found nothing.¡± ¡°Tricky¡­¡± Yu Han clicked his tongue. ¡°They¡¯re linked to some other disappearances too. But the Mad Bloodhounds contribute greatly to the Sect with their hunts, and they have the backing of one of the Clans.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°The Liang Clan,¡± Li Yao said. Any organisation with ¡°Hall¡± or ¡°Clan¡± in its name was permanent in the Sect. The Liang Clan was one of five core Clans of the Sect, said to have been there since the Sect¡¯s nascent days. Yu Han didn¡¯t know the full history¡ªthere were quite a few rumours around. One thing was certain. They were nobles and directly opposed to the current Sect master, who rose from a commoner background. ¡°Can you find out more about those disappearances?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°On it,¡± Li Yao said. He left with Fang Zhao after they made plans to meet up the next day. ¡°Niu¡¯er, be careful,¡± Fang Zhao said as they left. ¡°Best not to go out alone. And don¡¯t train outside with the new Art and whips. We¡¯ll keep some cards hidden. Fei Rui, I¡¯ll ask you to shrink too. If someone targets us, then we¡¯ll at least have a surprise for them.¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¸That sounds fun!¡¹ Fei Rui said as he shrunk to the size of a dachshund. ¡°I wanted to show you what I figured out about my trait,¡± Huang Niuniu said to Yu Han with a pout. ¡°It¡¯s really pretty, and I can cultivate True Qi faster. Then you can give me ideas on how to cultivate even faster.¡± ¡°Does it have to be outside?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, actually,¡± Huang Niuniu said. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find out.¡± As they neared their huts, Fei Rui, who had climbed a tree, jumped down in front of Yu Han. ¡¸There¡¯s a male two-legged one hiding in a tree over there.¡¹ The crab pointed towards the copse of trees near the stone tank with one of his eyestalks. ¡¸He¡¯s looking at Soft Niuniu¡¯s hut.¡¹ Chapter 73: Glowing Traits ¡¸Is he a predator?¡¹ Fei Rui asked. ¡¸Does he want to eat Soft Niuniu?¡¹ ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Huang Niuniu asked, inching closer. Had she noticed the look on his face? Yu Han thought, schooling his expression. It would be bad if the observer found out they were onto them, though he couldn¡¯t be sure if their faces could be seen from so far away. Who knew if the observer had some magical tool of night vision? He grabbed her hand and went to his hut. They entered, and Yu Han closed the door. He lit a glowing stone, placing it by the brazier, then peeked out the window. The stone tanks and the grove couldn¡¯t be seen from here, so the other side probably couldn¡¯t see them either. ¡°H-Han¡¯er, this is too soon¡ª¡± Huang Niuniu said quickly. Yu Han saw her blush in the bluish moonlight. ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡± He covered his face, then brought his mouth near her ear to whisper, but she squeaked. ¡°I-It tickles.¡± ¡°Shush. There¡¯s a guy spying on your hut from the stone tanks.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Fei Rui spotted him.¡± Yu Han turned to the crab. ¡°Did you get a good look at his face? Can you recognise him if you saw him in the streets?¡± ¡¸We¡¯ve seen him before!¡¹ Fei Rui raised its claws and clicked. ¡¸It¡¯s one of the two-legged ones from the wooden thing that carried you to the Heavenly Friendship Palace.¡¹ Yu Han described the guy who was following their group¡ªor more specifically, Huang Niuniu¡ªearlier that day. ¡¸Yes! Yes. That¡¯s him.¡¹ Fei Rui scuttled sideways to the window, then climbed the wall until one eyestalk peeked out. ¡¸I can¡¯t see him. But that was the guy. Do you want me to sneak out and see him again? Should I eat him?¡¹ ¡°Huh¡­ can you?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡¸I haven¡¯t eaten two-legged ones before. He¡¯s weak, so I can crack his head-shell really fast and eat what¡¯s inside.¡¹ Yu Han shuddered. He shook the thought away and said, ¡°Leave it for today. We¡¯ll see if he shows up again tomorrow. I¡¯ll have to talk with Li Yao and Fang Zhao. However, if this is a problem¡­¡± If the guy tried to approach Yu Han¡¯s hut while they slept, they¡¯d be defenceless. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I can keep one eyestalk in my dream and one eyestalk outside it. If the weak, bad two-legged one comes, I can eat him!¡¹ Fei Rui said in his innocent, boyish voice. ?????¦­??¨ºs ¡°Y-You can do that?¡± ¡¸You can¡¯t? Why? It¡¯s so easy!¡¹ The crab laughed, tap dancing with his many legs. ¡°Don¡¯t eat him. Can you knock him out?¡± Fei Rui nodded with his two eyestalks. It was weird how quickly Yu Han was getting used to his body language. ¡°Then do that. Niu¡¯er¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She was puffing her cheeks out so much he suspected they would pop. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said, crossing her arms. ¡°Stay here tonight¡ª¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°N-Nothing.¡± ¡°... Take the bed. I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡± Yu Han¡¯s hut still had traces of the burnt mat. He hadn¡¯t really cleaned in recent days. He made a mental note to get something like a futon if possible. If not, then a thick mat. Yu Han turned off the glowing stone and lay down on the floor. It was hard and cool, yet somehow not so bad. His spine was straight, and as he moved, it made soft popping sounds. Huang Niuniu was on the bed. She shuffled and rustled for a while. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try anything,¡± she said suddenly. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Yu Han exclaimed. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t want to. But he wouldn¡¯t. Thankfully it was dark. If she could see his face now, he would return to the White Lotus Kingdom and never come back. Stolen story; please report. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. Don¡¯t you dare try it.¡± ¡°Come on, woman. I really won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Geez.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Really?¡± Her voice grew smaller. ¡°Really!¡± Yu Han reassured her. ¡°Dummy,¡± she replied. There was a ticklish feeling in his heart. She was so¡ª They were going to the Hidden Realm soon. He had Sima Yan at his back, and Huang Niuniu had stalkers. Fei Rui¡¯s existence was reassuring, though. Even a year from now, unless the crab perished or decided to no longer accord with him, he could provide protection. Protection. Yu Han took a glance at Huang Niuniu. Her form was just a silhouette on the bed. This world¡­ did it have protection? He was about to slap himself, but stopped. The noise might wake her up. Her breathing was soft, slow, and deep. Was she asleep or just pretending? She mothered him so much. She would probably be a great mum. But with the dangers on the horizon, if she were to have a child, it would bring more horrors than happiness. He decided not to dwell on it. She was his friend. Second after Li Yao. Fang Zhao was the third. Fei Rui was the fourth. A warm feeling hugged his heart. It was nice. Yu Han smiled. ¡°Are you awake?¡± she asked. ¡°Go to sleep,¡± he replied. ¡°Look at this.¡± In the dark, Yu Han saw her raise an arm. Her palm glowed softly, illuminating the room in a cool blue light. She breathed in, then out. Suddenly, from outside the window, a glowing speck of light floated in, followed by a few more. , Yu Han realised. There were many in these mountains, and more in the lagoons and swamps. ¡¸Glowy wings,¡¹ Fei Rui giggled. ¡¸Wow, so many!¡¹ The crab had taken perch on the windowsill, one eyestalk visible and the other retracted. As more fireflies came in, he clicked at them with his claws but didn¡¯t harm them otherwise. ¡°When I breathe with my Bioluminescence,¡± Huang Niuniu said, ¡°wisps come. They breathe with me.¡± Her light glowed and dimmed, sometimes like a heartbeat, other times like a tide. Yu Han noticed the rhythm. ¡°Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique?¡± ¡°You¡¯re smart. I love it.¡± ¡°Does it work?¡± ¡°I gained 20 True Qi yesterday. Even with the Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir, maybe nine or ten was from this,¡± she said, moving her palms in the air. The dozen-odd fireflies danced in the air, creating a mesmerising swirl of light. ¡°There were wisps in the water puddles. In the sky, the trees. They give me parts of themselves and take my light.¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°I can cultivate in my dream,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°It¡¯s not worse than your speed.¡± ¡°Are we having a competition?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you behind.¡± Yu Han laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be left behind either.¡± Huang Niuniu shifted to her side, looking down at Yu Han. Her green eyes glowed in hues of teal and yellow. ¡°Good night, Han¡¯er.¡± ¡°Sleep tight, Niu¡¯er.¡± He closed his eyes. Soon, he appeared in the white space of his dreamscape. For a while, he lay there, looking at the shell-like ceiling. Then a strange feeling pricked his chest. He sat up. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± he said. There was a cave entrance on his dreamscape wall, appearing like a dark hole on the white surface. Through it, he saw the speleothems on the other side. Stalactites from the ceiling, stalagmites from the floor. Columns where they both connected, and helictites growing in random directions. ¡¸It¡¯s my home,¡¹ Fei Rui said. The crab reached up to Yu Han¡¯s waist now. Only one eye was poking out, the other retracted into his shell. ¡°Can you see both inside the dream and outside at the same time?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡¸I have to really think about it, but when I think hard enough, I can. I think I can do it better after cracking my Tribulation.¡¹ ¡°You know your Tribulation?¡± Yu Han was overjoyed. That meant the crab was at his experience cap. ¡¸Sorry, Yu Han. I can¡¯t tell you what it is, even though I really, really want to.¡¹ ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But if you need some help, you can ask.¡± ¡¸You¡¯re the best!¡¹ Fei Rui clicked and clacked to the cave entrance, then called Yu Han over. He stood up and felt a slight difference in his being. The dreamscape and the crabscape connected to it somehow felt a lot more real. He hadn¡¯t levelled up. He stepped through the boundary of the two scapes. A cool wind brushed his face. Sometimes this wind would go through the barrier too. Fei Rui described each speleothem in the crabscape. He would tap one, then pinch another. ¡¸You can come here whenever you want. In your two-legged one¡ª¡¹ ¡°Human.¡± ¡¸Human dwellings, you give each other leaf-soaked water. I don¡¯t have dried leaves,¡¹ Fei Rui said. He disappeared between two columns. Yu Han looked up. The ceiling was densely covered with rock formations. But through some of the cracks, rays of light shone through. Yu Han had a guess that his own dreamscape was like the inside of a clam¡¯s shell. The creases on the white wall bore a resemblance to that. The texture of the walls was also similar to aragonite and calcite crystals. He had tried licking them, but they didn¡¯t taste salty. If it wasn¡¯t, that was fine. If it was a clam shell though, why was it hollow? And¡­ could it be opened? Fei Rui appeared with half a coconut shell filled with water. ¡°Don¡¯t splash that on me,¡± Yu Han said. ¡¸But if you drink it, you¡¯ll become weird for a while. You¡¯ll see what I see and dream what I dream. The last time that happened, I¡­¡¹Fei Rui paused. ¡¸I don¡¯t remember.¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t drink then.¡± ¡¸Great!¡¹ Fei Rui splashed him with the water. ¡°Damn it, crab¡­¡± Yu Han wiped away at his face. ¡°Where do you even keep these coconut shells?¡± ¡¸In my stash! D-Do you want to see my collection?¡¹ Fei Rui¡¯s one eye sparkled. ¡°Sure, why not.¡± He followed the crab through a branching path in the tunnel. There were about three or four of these branching paths. They arrived at a clearing, small enough that only two or three Yu Hans could fit inside. Shield formations covered the walls, and the centre of the clearing had a rimstone dam. It was filled with the strange water halfway through, inside which were many objects. A proud Fei Rui started gushing about his prized collection. Multicoloured pearls, not just white and blue. Coconut shells. But shells from other molluscs too, of all shapes and sizes. Bits of corals, sponges, and sea quartz. Small, nearly fossilised starfish, sand dollars, and sea urchins. There were a few pretty fish scales that reflected light, under which were teeth from unknown creatures. Maybe sharks? But one item stood out. The dried dragon-skin parchment. Chapter 74: Accorded Gifts ¡°Why is that here?¡± Yu Han asked, a possibility rearing its head in his mind as Fei Rui continued chattering. ¡¸And this is the third tooth bit from the Dreamtide Leviathan¡ªwhich one?¡¹ Fei Rui stopped mid-explanation, tilting his body and looking up at Yu Han with one exposed eye. ¡°The parchment,¡± Yu Han said. ¡¸That one?¡¹ Fei Rui pointed at the object. He clicked his bigger claw, and the parchment was suddenly between his pincers. ¡¸This one?¡¹ ¡°How did you do that?¡± Yu Han fell into a squat near the crab and stared at it with wide eyes. ¡¸Do what?¡¹ Fei Rui asked. He shook his claw again, and the parchment teleported back to the rimstone dam. ¡¸This?¡¹ Another shake, and it was pinched in his claw. ¡¸This?¡¹ ¡°That,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°You can teleport objects?¡± ¡¸Just this.¡¹ Fei Rui scratched his shell. ¡¸Why do I know what teleporting is? Oh right! Grandpa could do it¡ªwho¡¯s Grandpa?¡¹ ¡°I always thought you had a storage space like Fang Zhao¡¯s ring,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°But it¡¯s actually your crabscape.¡± ¡¸My what?¡¹ ¡°Crabscape. Like, my white space is called a dreamscape. And you¡¯re a crab, so crabscape.¡± ¡¸Why not humanscape?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Yu Han shrugged. ¡°Do you want me to call mine human dreamscape and yours crab dreamscape?¡± ¡¸Crabscape is okay, Yu Han. I like it, since I am crab. What do you call the place outside of our dreamscape?¡¹ ¡°Just reality.¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fei Rui tip-tapped to the rimstone dam. ¡¸I can¡¯t bring out more things to ¡®just reality.¡¯ Only this dried dragon-skin parchment. And the bubble pearls! For other things, Grandpa said I have to set up a ritual and offer sacrifices to the Dao.¡¹ Yu Han filed all that away in his mind. This crab knew stuff intrinsic to the reality of this strange new world. The problem was, Fei Rui didn¡¯t know he knew. ¡°You can bring the pearls out?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done it until now?¡± Fei Rui checked the speleothems like an architect inspecting the foundation of his designs. He traced a claw over a web of coralstone wall, then plugged a loose stone into a stalactite that dripped water from a hole. ¡¸I don¡¯t know,¡¹ he said. ¡¸Do you?¡¹ Yu Han didn¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s good that you didn¡¯t. If you lost a pearl with your memories in reality and a cultivator found it, they might want to find out what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡¸If it¡¯s good, then it¡¯s good!¡¹ Fei Rui left the clearing through the tunnel they had used to enter. ¡°This whole cave system¡ªis it a representation of your mind?¡± Yu Han asked. ¡¸I don¡¯t know.¡¹ Fei Rui skittered through the stone outgrowths nimbly. ¡¸This tunnel and, um, let me count.¡¹ He tapped seven of his legs one by one. ¡¸Six others are mine. But then one tunnel leads to a place where, if I go, I will be forever doomed. Grandpa said so.¡¹ ¡°¡­ That¡¯s heavy. Why will you be doomed?¡± ¡¸Because others will find me.¡¹ They stopped. Fei Rui pointed at a squarish tunnel hidden behind a portion of the cave almost covered with speleothems. ¡¸That¡¯s the one. The Tunnel of Doom!¡¹ ¡°Did Grandpa name it the ''tunnel of doom?¡¯¡± Yu Han asked. ¡¸The Tunnel of !¡¹ Fei Rui emphasised. ¡¸oom!¡¹ ¡°Sure, buddy.¡± Yu Han smiled. ¡¸I did. Oh, right. Grandpa said if I was smart and didn¡¯t get lost, then I wouldn¡¯t be doomed, but others will. He said I¡¯ll have to go there sooner or later if I want to be stronger.¡¹ ??¦­?£Â????? Suddenly, a cold wind flowed from the squarish entrance, sending shivers down Yu Han¡¯s neck. He heard waves. It was a soothing sound, the sound of the ocean. And it sang so softly, as if to beckon them. He wanted to see what was there. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Yu Han took a step back, gulping. ¡¸Do you wanna go?¡¹ Fei Rui asked. ¡°Hell no!¡± Yu Han turned around. ¡°Can we block it?¡± ¡¸Nope. I can, but I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll have to go there if I want to crack my Tribulation.¡¹ Fei Rui paused, using his claws to shield his front as if to cover his mouth. ¡¸Oops.¡¹ The longer they stayed there, the stronger the sound of the waves got. ¡°I think I¡¯m done,¡± Yu Han said. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to my dreamscape.¡± ¡¸Wait, Yu Han!¡¹ Fei Rui caught the fabric of his pants with his smaller claw. ¡¸Can you wait? Please? Please? We can go to my pond room, and I¡¯ll make the bubble pearls and hit them. Then we can go back. Please?¡¹ Yu Han couldn¡¯t say no to those eyes. After they arrived at the pond, by the end of the main tunnel, Fei Rui went about blowing pearls into existence. On the way, Yu Han had noted the locations of the six other tunnels. One had Fei Rui¡¯s stash. Yu Han would explore the others in due time¡ªexcept the Tunnel of Doom. He took a better look at the location. As usual, there were multitudes of speleothems. This place really was like an unknown coastal cave. Rays of pearly light shone down from hidden cracks in the ceiling, piercing through the wisping white mist that gathered there. The pond was on the other end of the cavernous area, hugging the wall. It was like the previous rimstone dam but far bigger and deeper, filled with water glowing a soft blue. Droplets dripped down from the soda straws and stalactites hanging above the pond. Was that how this was formed? How long did it take¡ªand where was this water even coming from? Fei Rui said they might share their eyesight if Yu Han drank the water. If it was coming from an external location, then why did it have that kind of effect? The mysteries of the dreamscape grew by the day. Few answers, yet infinite questions. Yu Han looked over to where Fei Rui was working. The crab had stacked the normal pearls to one side and would grab one, then smash it. It would gain a hint of blue, after which he would throw it into the pond. As Yu Han scanned the stack of pearls, a strange feeling tugged at his mind. He didn¡¯t panic. Instead, he concentrated on the feeling. Was it coming from the pearls? There was a strange connection there. Each time he focused on a pearl, something would try to ¡°lock in,¡± for lack of a better term. This feeling wasn¡¯t there before. The feeling wasn¡¯t completely unfamiliar, though. It was something he was quite familiar with, but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. He contemplated some more, but no answers came. Yu Han shook his head. The crab was soon done. He led Yu Han out of the crabscape with a happy hop to his scuttling gait. This time though, even after they left the crabscape, the entrance didn¡¯t close. ¡¸I¡¯ll have to break the accord if I want to close it,¡¹ Fei Rui said, looking down. ¡¸Do you want me to?¡¹ ¡°Of course not,¡± Yu Han said. The Johan part of him screamed at the very mention of breaking the accord. As if he would let go of a Level 10 crab! But putting that aside, Yu Han enjoyed Fei Rui¡¯s company. His questions were so pure, straight to the point despite the meandering vocabulary, each sentence revealing how differently he saw the world. Yu Han enjoyed conversations, but to Johan, they were a chore. Each word exchanged between humans was filled with unspoken judgement, and when Johan failed to read between the lines, it was his fault. With Fei Rui, there was none of that. ¡¸Yay!¡¹ the crab cheered. ¡¸Can you make me something to play with?¡¹ ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡¸Your stick with the sharp thing!¡¹ Yu Han echoed his halberd. Fei Rui grew bigger. He delicately pinched the halberd handle and raised it above his head. Then, with a strange gurgle, he scuttled left and right. It looked like a strange ritual, but if it kept him busy, that was fine. Yu Han was about to echo the person stalking Huang Niuniu when a realization hit him. The feeling when he looked at the pearls was similar to when he used Echoing Dreamscape! ¡°Fei Rui!¡± Yu Han said, stopping the crab¡¯s play. ¡°Pearl! Give me a pearl.¡± Fei Rui shook a claw, and a pearl dropped in front of Yu Han. He picked it up, concentrating on it. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then the pearl turned lime green. ¡¸Whoa! Yu Han. How¡¯d you do that?¡¹ Fei Rui shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Han said. The pearl looked almost like a marble, its colour a translucent green. Inside, a faint silhouette of the stalker. Yu Han sat down and concentrated. He echoed a few more events. Yu Han looked at the halberd that Fei Rui was holding. These echoed objects lasted longer than events and scenes, though they¡¯d still disappear after a while. The duration increased with points in Memory. He held a pearl and echoed the halberd into it. It turned lime green, and a small halberd formed inside. A dagger, the books, food. ¡°What do I use these for?¡± Yu Han scratched his head. He didn¡¯t have a pond of memory pearls. His memories didn¡¯t seem to be affected from this copying and pasting yet, though he¡¯d have to wait until he woke up to be sure. ¡¸I know! I know!¡¹ Fei Rui pinched one of the pearls and looked it over. He placed it on the ground, then poked it with a claw. An echo of Li Yao practising his sword art appeared. He slashed with his right sword and stabbed with his left, and the strong moves sent a gust of wind Yu Han¡¯s way. Each grunt and each droplet of sweat appeared far more real. This wasn¡¯t the hazy blur of the usual echo. This was a mirror of reality! Almost exactly what he had seen, felt, heard, and smelled back when he watched Li Yao train. ¡°It¡¯s Ultra HD 4K on a Super AMOLED Display¡­¡± Yu Han gasped. ¡°With VR.¡± It was actually far better than that. Fei Rui poked the pearl again, and Li Yao disappeared. Inside, the mirage of Li Yao remained. ¡°It¡¯s not one-time use,¡± Sweat gathered on Yu Han¡¯s temple. ¡°I can display holographic yet ultra-realistic video recordings now. Wait a moment¡ª¡± Fei Rui could bring the parchment out from the crabscape. He said he could bring pearls out too. Then¡­ ¡°What about this one?¡± Yu Han stared, amazed, at the lime-green pearl and then the crab. Chapter 75: Casting Memories Yu Han entered the crabscape and tried to echo a stick. It worked. He echoed Huang Niuniu showing off her bioluminescence on his bed. It worked. "I can use Echoing Dreamscape... as long as I¡¯m in a dreamscape?" A surge of excitement flowed through Yu Han. "Fei Rui. You can enter other people''s dreams, right?" ¡¸I think so? Fei Rui thinks so. Maybe?¡¹ The crab scampered back and forth.¡¸I can. Not just people, but bugs and fish and cats and¡ª¡¹ "How did you do it? Can I go with you?" Yu Han wouldn''t go even if he could, but just knowing the possibility would open up many options. ¡¸I''ll show you.¡¹ Fei Rui scuttled out of the entrance connecting Yu Han''s dreamscape to his. His legs tapped on the white dreamscape floor. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ Fei Rui raised a claw, then lowered it again. He walked back into the crabscape tunnel. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ He scurried back and forth in a panic. ¡¸Why won''t it work?¡¹ He looked up at Yu Han. "How am I supposed to know?" Yu Han asked. ¡¸It was here. The Tunnel of Many Strange Dreams. It''s not here anymore. It''s the Tunnel of Yu Han now! Why?¡¹ "Because of the accord," Yu Han slapped his forehead. He crossed the threshold back to his dreamscape and sat down on an echoed cushion. "Can you enter every being''s dreams?" Fei Rui shook his eyestalk. "How do you know you can enter a dream?" ¡¸I don''t know. I-I would meet a living thing during the day, and then, I would think about that living thing when I walked the Tunnel of Many Strange Dreams. Sometimes the tunnel would be closed off by a wall. Other times it would be open and I could wade into their dreams. Now it''s gone. Why?¡¹ Yu Han thought for a moment. The Tunnel of Many Strange Dreams could connect to other beings'' dreams, each dreamer like a server with their own unique address. When Fei Rui searched for dreamers, it was like sending out discovery requests across this vast dream network¡ªfirst checking if a creature had any accessible dream connections at all, like an API checking for open ports. If they were receptive to connections¡ªsimilar to a public API endpoint¡ªFei Rui would attempt to establish a link, like sending a connection request. Some beings had their dreams completely closed off, returning a ¡°403 Forbidden¡± response, while others were open to these dream-connections, accepting his request with a ¡°200 OK.¡± Once a connection was established, Fei Rui could enter their dreams, as if he had gained authorised access to their dream server. But now it was like the Tunnel of Many Strange Dreams was permanently coupled with Yu Han''s API endpoint. The security protocols were updated, and maybe it couldn''t connect to other servers? Yu Han shared his thoughts. ¡¸No! No! It''s no fun. Why do I have to be stuck in my cave and here? I want to go out and play!¡¹ The crab rolled over on its back and threw a tantrum, hitting the floor. "Maybe if you break the accord, you can do it again?" ¡¸No! I don''t wanna.¡¹He flipped upright. ¡¸After the accord, my mind-cave¡ª right, my changed in the other tunnels too. I feel it, but just now when I went with you, we didn''t check. We should''ve checked. Why didn''t we? Is it my fault or yours? I''m gonna check now!¡¹ "Wait, leave a few pearls." Fei Rui left a bunch and went into the crabscape, shouting up a fuss. Yu Han echoed a memory into it: Sima Yan talking with Qiao Jinhai. He then held the pearl steadily, trying to see if he could make the echo appear. If Fei Rui was telling the truth and they could really take these memory pearls out, then Yu Han could do so much with them. R??????£Â§§? A video recorder? If he could go to the Law Enforcement Hall and show direct proof of Gong Muhua being a dick, would they give him justice? A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. An archive for sharing Arts Manuals? He could show Huang Niuniu the memory of him flipping through those scrolls and books in the Rookie Village Library. He didn''t know if the memories stored in the pearls were permanent, or if replays consumed them somehow. Maybe after playing them a few times, they would disappear? Or the pearls would be destroyed? Whatever the case, he could at least temporarily make an archive in his dream. A stack of pearls, each a datapoint, with the stack being the dataset. And with enough data, he could run some algorithms on them. Of course, he¡¯d first have to feed the data into something capable of running the algorithms. But even if none of that was possible, he could review it personally, going through one pearl at a time, taking notes. Yu Han thought. Then again, the pearls Yu Han had consumed to get the point in memory had Fei Rui''s memories. And they weren''t merely copied from Fei Rui, but moved, causing memory loss for the crab. The situations weren''t similar. Pearls with Yu Han¡¯s memories were lime green, where Fei Rui''s were a light shade of blue. There were many more avenues he could explore. But it all depended on if they could bring the memory pearls outside. If so, then it mattered how long they could last outside, or if the pearls could replay the memories. What if it had a memory with a halberd or some legendary cultivator weapon? If he could copy that in real life with a memory pearl, didn''t that mean they were basically copying and pasting spirit stones? Or rather, what if they tried to copy-paste and mass produce spirit stones? It was improbable. But was it possible? Fei Rui still wasn''t back. Sometimes Yu Han would hear frustrated screams from the tunnel. Yu Han chuckled. Just having the ability to store memory echoes for longer times was a huge gain. This accord was a gift that kept on giving. And he got it because he was kind to a crab. But he couldn''t change the past now. All he had was the present. Yu Han reused Echoing Dreamscape on a pearl that already had a memory. The mirage inside changed from him beating up Wu Di to Ma San¡¯s raging voice as he cursed Qiao Jinhai. He next tried to find out if he could extend the original recording. Since he couldn''t play the memories, he would have to wait for Fei Rui to return. Yu Han echoed a shelf, the one he''d seen in the Rookie Village Library. He had scanned every nook and cranny of it, so it was the shelf he had most details of. Then he held the pearl to the shelf. Nothing happened. He tried some other things. He threw the pearl at it. Threw the shelf at the pearl. Traced the shelf all over with the pearl. It didn''t work. Yu Han kicked the shelf. He went back to testing. After what felt like hours and nearly a hundred ideas, he found a direction. He had to consciously use Echoing Dreamscape while holding the pearl. The space target where he wanted the mirage to appear is inside the pearl, even though he couldn''t see or sense that place. Somehow, Yu Han''s art was interacting with the pearls. He tried Echoing Dreamscape and slowly, one second at a time, observed what happened. There was an intention to echo a memory. After that, a prick in his mind. The pearl changed colour, and the memory was now embedded into it. He couldn''t feel any changes. There were three pearls remaining. He picked up another pearl and placed it on his palm. He activated Echoing Dreamscape. After about a hundred breaths, the pearl completely turned lime green. Yu Han matched it with the previous pearl alongside a few more he had echoed to full capacity. Two left. The next one was like the previous, no changes. But with the final one, something clicked in his brain. Until now, it had always been instinctual. The first time he did it by accident, he got the Art. From there, he merely followed his intuition, never delving too deep into the ¡°how¡± of things. Yu Han knew it cost him Qi. The old doctor on the ship said he showed symptoms of Qi depletion after echoing the green meteor that blasted him to this world. Wasn''t Lifeforce also a type of Qi? It was like HP from video games. Ji''s Cultivation Contemplation mentioned that after breaking through to Qi Gathering, one would gain access to another resource, literally called Qi. Was that the one that was depleted? Or was it another type of Qi variant one might access at higher levels? Just because it didn''t show on his Dao Records didn¡¯t mean he couldn''t use it. After all, he was using Echoing Dreamscape at Level 0, even without Lifeforce showing up. He closed his eyes. Green flame. Rotten wood. A black skull¡ª He might accidentally trigger Echoing Dreamscape. Why was it that sometimes when he imagined things, the art would trigger, and other times it wouldn''t? It had to be about intention. But how did it notice that intention? What was the moment that the intention''s intensity crossed a threshold that flipped the switch, so to speak? Yu Han echoed a computer. It was a latest model from a new Japanese company, a concept that crammed the latest hardware into the machine without caring about energy efficiency. Yu Han and Nexus Assurance Auditors had received a few units for testing. With the pearl, Li Yao had felt more real. His sword seemed as if it could slice Yu Han up, even in the dreamscape. What if he echoed this computer into the pearl? Would it become... real? Yu Han thought. But what if? He could run as many algorithms as he wanted with a computer vision model after capturing the echoes as a dataset¡ª Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Han woke up to Fei Rui nudging him. The crab stood over him, both eyestalks sticking out. ¡¸Yu Han,¡¹ Fei Rui whispered. ¡¸The two-legged monsters are outside the fence.¡¹ Chapter 76: Interlopers ¡¸There are two of the two-legged ones,¡¹ Fei Rui said. The crab scuttled as quietly as he could. ¡¸They talk like monsters. Are they humans?¡¹ Yu Han''s heart caught in a tight grip. He looked up and saw Huang Niuniu calmly sleeping, her chest moving in a slow rhythm. He crawled to his halberd. He took the dagger that Huang Niuniu had placed by the bed. The door was tightly clamped, but a well-placed attack even by someone like Yu Han might break it, let alone cultivators of a higher level. But it was hard to open from the outside. Yu Han felt like his heart was about to explode, each beat loud enough that everyone in a hundred miles could hear it. The window, unlike the door, could be opened with just a stick. Yu Han took position under it, slightly to the side, but kept an eye on the door. He focused his mind, concentrating on a certain Art he hadn''t had much time to practise. Thousand Petal Awareness! His sight grew dim, as did his senses of touch and taste. Like petals wilting. Unlike them, his sense of sound bloomed like spring. And he finally heard the foes. The voices were quiet, barely louder than their breathing, and intentionally produced to blend in with natural sounds. But he heard them. "Did they fuck?" A rough voice said from outside. "This fat arse ruined our shit. A virgin wisps worth more¡ª" "Best not to get angry, son," another voice said. Older. "In this line of work, you¡¯ve got to keep your emotions in check." The other one didn''t reply. For a while, there was silence. Then footsteps. A soft grunt. The sound of someone landing on damp grass. If Fei Rui hadn''t woken him, he would never have noticed these sounds. If he didn''t have Thousand Petal Awareness, he might have missed them even if he was awake. Yu Han grabbed the dagger tighter. His eyes went to Fei Rui. ¡¸I''ll eat them,¡¹ the crab said. With each step, he grew bigger. And bigger. And bigger, until Fei Rui took up almost half of the hut. His steps were silent, eight long legs positioned all over the hut to support his body. Some legs pushed against the wall, others on the floor. His claws opened, looming over the window like a guillotine. The amber irises in those obsidian eyestalks grew dimmer until they went out completely. ¡¸They won''t hurt my Yu Han.¡¹ Then, all at once, his orange shell changed colour, blending in with the environment. Like a spider, the ghost crab hid, waiting for prey to step into the trap. It was an eerie sight. Yu Han shuddered, not because of the foes outside, but his own accorded Spirit Beast. A moment passed. Yu Han crawled back to his mat, closed his eyes, and pretended to be asleep. He turned over onto his belly, hiding the dagger from view. He wasn''t the best actor. He could only use the disparate tricks and tips he''d seen in YouTube and Instagram videos. Yu Han decided to fully trust Fei Rui''s power. Voices sounded near the door. Through the wood, it was as if Yu Han could see two silhouettes casting menacing shadows. It was all in his imagination, but his mind conjured up the worst-case scenario. ?????£Î?????¨§???? "No gaps." "Check the window. Peek in if you can." A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "Aye, old man." A few more seconds. Footsteps moved from the door to the window. After a while, the steps faded. Yu Han counted the seconds. "They didn''t fuck. The smell ain''t there. And Dao Companions wouldn''t sleep separately, right?" "They probably noticed you tailing them and are on their guard." The older voice sounded annoyed. "This is the first time she''s slept over at the fatty''s place, right?" "I''d like to see you do better." "Forget it. Let me check." There were some rustling sounds. "The girl''s a virgin. Her Primordial Yin¡¯s still there." The old one sounded relieved. "We''ll fetch a good price." Yu Han risked peeking out. Fei Rui had shifted positions slightly. ¡¸I can go out and eat them,¡¹ Fei Rui said. ¡¸They are weak. Levels 5 and 6. Weak, Yu Han. They''re so weak.¡¹ Yu Han subtly shook his head. ¡¸Okay. I''ll listen to Yu Han.¡¹ Time passed, and the footsteps moved around his hut. Then someone climbed to the roof and jumped back off. There was some rustling near the outhouse, and someone probably fiddled with the fences too. "Don''t mess up. Those were expensive," the old voice said. "I know! Arrays are my shit, so don''t butt in." "Did you see the Spirit Beast?" "It''s just a tiny crab. What? Level 3 at most, right?" "I''d say Level 2. But never underestimate Spirit Beasts. The Arts they have are too unpredictable." "Do you think it noticed us?" "This is your first hit? Second?" "Second." The younger voice sounded defensive. "Now, now. Don''t get mad, son. Spirit Beasts don''t understand human speech so readily, even if noticed. As for hearing through psychic whispers?" The words were followed by a chuckle. "Our voices will sound like beastly growls to it because of the psychic misdirection. Not to mention the fatty, who''s a Level 1." "Nice. Where''d the boss get these artefacts?" "Don''t ask too many questions." The old voice lowered, an unspoken warning dripped in each word. For a while, the talks stopped. "I say we take the girl now. With the pill bomb, the fat one and the crab won''t awake for a few days at least." "They have friends, remember? And the Night Alchemists might check up on them." "Then how about we carry them both back? Leave a note that they went to the Hidden Realm by themselves or something?" "Then you carry the fat one." "You have higher cultivation!" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Disrespectful young''uns, making the old do the work." Yu Han tensed, focusing on Fei Rui''s pincers, which seemed to glint even in the dark. The footsteps went around the hut once more. "Forget it. For some reason, the Law Enforcement Hall''s been questioning them recently too." "You think they''ll mention us?" "I would if noticed someone tailing my wife." "Fuck." "The boss ain''t happy. The noble parasites are causing¡ª" Their sound went further away. ".... an eye... tomorrow..." "...Hidd... Realm¡ª" Yu Han counted to two hundred, then opened his eyes. Faint moonlight leaked through the gaps of the window board. "Are they gone?" he whispered. It was a risk. ¡¸I think so,¡¹ Fei Rui said. His childlike voice calmed Yu Han''s beating heart. The crab''s colour changed back to the usual orange. He shrunk, and soon, he was the size of a pug. "I didn''t know your Camouflage Art was so potent," Yu Han said. ¡¸What''s that?¡¹ "The art you use to change colour." ¡¸Carapace Control Kata?¡¹ Fei Rui nodded. ¡¸I didn''t know either!¡¹ The crab pinched the hem of Yu Han''s robe. ¡¸Yu Han! The Tunnel of Many Dreams is in another tunnel now. I didn''t know tunnels could move. How come? They don''t have legs! Not eight legs like me, or two legs like you.¡¹ Yu Han didn''t know how to respond. ¡¸Are you scared?¡¹ Fei Rui sounded angry. ¡¸I can eat the bad humans.¡¹ "You can beat them up if I say so, or if you think it''s necessary," Yu Han said. "Don''t eat them. They aren''t tasty." ¡¸Really?¡¹ "They would taste like rotten eggs." ¡¸Yum!¡¹ ¡°Just don¡¯t eat them.¡± ¡¸If you say so.¡¹ Huang Niuniu stirred. She smoothly changed position to her left sid. Her legs kicked out, and she seemed to almost sneeze. But didn''t. It bothered Yu Han. He lay down. How long till daybreak? Could he even fall back to sleep now? Shouldn''t he be fretting, trying to think of a countermeasure? Yu Han thought. Sleep needed a constant heartbeat. Slow. Steady. Even getting up and walking to the bathroom would raise one''s heartbeat, let alone having criminals prowl outside one''s home. Surprisingly enough, Yu Han opened his eyes in the dreamscape not much later. "When did I fall asleep?" The moment was elusive. He had previously tried to figure out which moment his psyche transitioned from the outside world to within. Maybe if he could solve the riddle, he''d have Fei Rui''s ability to look inside the dream and reality at the same time. ¡¸Yu Han! Yu Han!¡¹ Speaking of the crab, it picked Yu Han up and carried him into the crabscape. They passed into one of the six branch tunnels. This one looked the same as all the others. Speleotherms, water dripping, light shining through cracks. From the wet stone floor, wisps of fog rose, broken by the march of eight legs. At the tunnel''s end was a fork. One path led to a dead end with a rimstone dam, almost identical to Fei Rui''s stash room. The other was covered with speleotherms. Beyond, a great, liquid darkness. The black wasn''t of a continuous colour. It flowed, like thick mud. ¡¸The Tunnel of Many Strange Dreams,¡¹ Fei Rui said. His voice seemed to echo, even though it only sounded in Yu Han''s mind. ¡¸Wanna go?¡¹ "Nope." ¡¸Come on. We can go into Mister Grass''s dream. The bad two-legged humans aren''t there. They can''t hurt you!¡¹ "Can grass even dream?" Yu Han took a careful step towards the ¡°API Endpoint.¡± A faint roar of wind. The splash of a stream, broken by rocks. A bird''s cry. A snake''s hiss. "What''s going on?" Yu Han concentrated, this time using Thousand Petal Awareness. The sounds grew more varied. Dogs. Leaves. Fish. Lovers. Schemes. Fei Rui tugged at his trouser cuff.¡¸You''ll fall into the water,¡¹ he said. ¡¸You need to think of whose dream you want to visit.¡¹ "Will it even work if I do it?" ¡¸I don''t know. Do you know?¡¹ Yu Han thought of Huang Niuniu. Chapter 77: Echoes and Projections Fragments flew up from the great lake of blackness and constructed a tunnel. Voices grew louder. He heard himself. Li Yao. Wu Di. Qiao Jinhai. A kind voice gently calling Huang Niuniu¡¯s name. Her own screams. ¡¸Most dreams are just a bunch of rocks in a muddy pond,¡¹ Fei Rui said. ¡¸Yours is the best dream I''ve been in. It''s so big, and you can make things in it. Are we going into Soft Niuniu''s dreamscape? I bet it''s soft. Why are the voices so loud?¡¹ Her own screams drowned out every other sound. Yu Han let his mind relax. He didn''t want to visit the dream anymore. Still, he wanted to know what was there. But he shouldn''t. The tunnel fell away, and Yu Han felt something drain out of his being, just slightly. He had a hunch that Fei Rui lost more of whatever it was that had to be consumed to visit another dreamscape. ¡¸It''s tiring, isn''t it?¡¹ Fei Rui said. ¡¸Dream Wading takes so much Essence. Yu Han, what''s Essence?¡¹ "I don''t know." ¡¸Me neither!¡¹ "Let''s head back." They returned to Yu Han''s dreamscape. "Can you make more pearls?" ¡¸Six more. I can make around thirty per night, I think. It takes not so much Essence for each, but I don''t have more Essence after thirty pearls. And if I make too much, it hurts the inside of my shell. I think that''s where my brain is.¡¹ Yu Han conjured his dagger. "Fei Rui, I''m doing some tests. Can you help me?" Children loved it when adults took them seriously. Fei Rui was probably older than both Yu Han and Johan combined, but with his memory loss and upbeat personality, he had the mental age of a child. ¡¸I can!¡¹ The crab perked up. He raised both claws and spun around. ¡¸I can help a lot!¡¹ "We can transfer memories, or echoes, into the pearls. Is there a way to transfer a pearl into the echo?" Fei Rui poked a claw into the dagger. Nothing seemed to change for a while. Suddenly, the dagger became more real, the glitchy effects of the mirage fading away. Fei Rui dropped it, and it bounched on the ground with a metallic clank. ¡¸There!¡¹ Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How''d you do that?" Yu Han asked, shocked. ¡¸All I had to do was make the bubble pearl inside the sharp pointy thing and it works. The pearl becomes the whole echo, and the echo is the pearl. Like you and me!¡¹ ????£Á£Î¨®§£¦¥???? The dagger might have been just an echo, but in the dreamscape, objects he was so intimately familiar with appeared solid. Yu Han couldn''t treat them as holograms even if he wanted to. But even so, slight hints would remain regardless of how real they felt to the touch. Now, there were none. Yu Han picked up the dagger. "Heavy..." The weight was nigh identical to reality. He traced the edge with a finger. The dagger hadn''t been sharpened after he took it from Bushy Beard''s corpse. There were a few nicks here and there, and scratches on the blade. Huang Niuniu used it frequently, it seemed. He cut his finger. ¡°Ouch!¡± It bled. The pain was far less muted, the blood dripping like the ghost of the real thing. It splattered on the white dreamscape floor. ¡¸Yu Han. You''re hurt. Did the stick hurt you?¡¹ "I''m fine." Yu Han tried to echo the wound away, but a mental pressure built up. Slowly at first, then like an avalanche. A transparent haze covered the wound. An image of a healthy, uncut finger overlapped with the version that was cut open. The healthy image slowly overwrote the wounded one until no cut remained. But the blood on the floor and the dagger did. "It''s real," Yu Han gaped. Until now, the changes he made to other objects were always a reflection of changes that had happened in reality. He couldn''t echo something and modify it on the go. When Jie Tong''s dagger cut into him in the dreamscape, unless it was on the nose, it would not leave a wound. What would happen if his dreamscape body died? Or got maimed? Was he brave enough to test that out? A heaviness cloaked his brain. It was the feeling of Qi depletion. Yu Han echoed a wooden board hanging from a tree, then had Fei Rui turn it more real with a pearl. Then he took the pearl with Li Yao practising his swordsmanship and had Fei Rui project the image right in front of the wooden board. Li Yao''s sword cleaved through the wooden board, even though in reality, they had used it as practice for Huang Niuniu''s Martial Art. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. As the board was destroyed. After a while, the echo of the events reached their end. Li Yao disappeared, and in his place, a lime green pearl appeared on the ground. As for the shattered board on the three, the object echo, they remained. Yu Han had Fei Rui stop the projection. ¡¸This is hard work!¡¹ An unharmed pearl appeared between Fei Rui¡¯s pincers. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡¸I did thing I do to make the projections, but in the opposite way. Yay!¡¹ Fei Rui looked at the with proud eyestalks. Was the lime green light a bit dimmer now? ¡°Can you project it again?¡± Fei Rui did. The wooden board appeared. Unharmed. They then started and stopped the projections multiple times. Event projections would retreat into the pearls by themselves after the events had fully played out. Object projections needed to be manually stopped. If the object broke while projected, the brightness of the lime green pearl would dim a bit. Was it something like energy depletion? Could this energy regenerate? Yu Han shrugged. "The pearls make the projections of echoes more real. Whether I cast an echo into a pearl or Fei Rui casts a pearl into an echo, it doesn''t matter." He stabbed out with the dagger. It cut through the wind. "If I cast a pearl into my body, will what I train here become real? Will it transfer to reality?" Yu Han felt his heartbeat quicken. Until now, practising Martial Arts here didn''t have much effect on his real-life mastery. But practising his Cultivation Art did. "Is it about mental practices?" If so, Yu Han could grind Thousand Petal Awareness here. "Fei Rui, can you cast a pearl into me?" ¡¸Uh...¡¹ The crab collapsed sideways. ¡¸I don''t know. When I think about it my head hurts. What a strange idea. Why do you want to do that?¡¹ Yu Han explained his reasoning. ¡¸Let me try!¡¹ Fei Rui clutched Yu Han¡¯s leg with a claw. After a while, he removed it. ¡¸...It won''t work. You are like a bubble pearl. Me too! It''s like casting a bubble pearl onto a bubble pearl. It won''t work. Not for you, and maybe not for me either. Sorry, Yu Han.¡¹ "Don''t apologise. This is how we test. Theorise boldly and experiment to find out what''s true." ¡¸Theorise boldly!¡¹ Fei Rui danced. ¡¸Theorise boldly! Theorise boldly!¡¹ Yu Han asked him what he meant by them being similar to bubble pearls, but didn''t get a coherent answer. ¡¸We''re memories. Memories can''t have memories of itself. Memories are things that other things have of other things. Maybe.¡¹ Yu Han held out the dagger. "Can we cast two pearls into one echo?" They could. ¡¸Wow!¡¹ "Ouch..." The dagger fell from his hand and shattered, fragments of two pearls flying out in all directions before disintegrating. ¡¸Oh no! Yu Han, you''re bleeding from your face holes.¡¹ Fei Rui panicked. ¡¸You broke the pearls!¡¹ "E-Ears. And nose." Yu Han collapsed. He tried to echo away the headache, but didn''t succeed. "So we can cast multiple pearls into an echo. But it strains my... whatever it is that gets strained because of the projection. Let''s just call it my mind. If it fails, the pearls break." They didn¡¯t break even when the projection of their respective echoes had broken, like the wooden board. ¡¸It strains your mind. We don''t want that.¡¹ "We don''t," Yu Han agreed. It looks like this was the limit. For now. Three pearls remaining. Fei Rui made them, then slumped into a corner. Yu Han echoed a memory of him practising the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms into the pearl. Again, the memory limit was about a hundred seconds. He gave the pearl to Fei Rui, who activated it. A swooshing sound appeared like a halberd cutting through wind, but no image of Yu Han. ¡¸Oops. Sorry, I''m so tired. I forgot to bring out the colourful things.¡¹ The crab fiddled with the pearl again. The halberd appeared, followed by Yu Han¡¯s full body. "It''s real." Yu Han gasped. Why? How? Before, only the parts Yu Han could see would appear. While practising, he couldn''t see his back. But here it appeared, from the sweat stains on the shirt to the folding of the fabric as Yu Han moved. It didn''t echo only Yu Han''s memory of the events. This particular practice session was before he met Fei Rui, so it wasn''t his memory either. So whose memory was he echoing? He echoed the dagger again. His head felt heavy. Any moment now, he would blank out. He held the pearl. Lime-green, its light a constant intensity. It rolled on his palm like a marble toy. The mirage of the dagger within swirled. It was like an icon for the dagger in an MMO game. If he pressed it, it should appear from his inventory. But in the dreamscape, it didn''t. He couldn''t figure it out. He kept echoing different images into the pearl. From the dagger, to the halberd, to Feral Spot, to Elder Chang, to anything and everything. Finally ending with tonight''s experience of listening in on the trespassers from the Mad Bloodhounds. His weariness grew. He figured out no way to activate it. He was just Level 1. It would take months, if not years, to get Qi. He tried, using the same intuition as when erasing echoes. But rather than erasing, he tried to take them back into himself. "....Go to sleep..." Huang Niuniu''s voice sounded. Yu Han was taken back to when he was lying in the medical hall bed. He blinked, and he was back in his dreamscape again. "What the hell just happened?" He stared at the pearl. The image of that day swirled within. "Did I just mentally read the pearl?" He tried again. This time, he saw himself slowly opening his eyes. Then he was back in his dreamscape again. He changed the echo to one where he was fighting the Filth Eating Ghoul Boss. Concentrating fully, he took back the memory. "...retreat to the shrine!" Each memory read would last barely a second before he was booted out. He tried again and again, and the timespan seemed to lengthen. From a second to two, then three and four. It was as if a sense Yu Han never knew was there slowly activated. "I''m not taking the memories back. I''m reading them from the pearl without projecting them outside." Yu Han jotted that down. The accord really was a gift that kept on giving. Until now, he¡¯d been continuously discovering the new synergies between Echoing Dreamscape and Fei Rui''s pearls. "Memories can be echoed into the pearls to store them for longer. Fei Rui can project these memories from the pearls. This type of projecting makes them more ''real,¡¯ somehow. Realer than without first echoing them into pearls. I can read memories without projecting them. Maybe he can too? Fei Rui said he can bring pearls out to reality. If so...isn''t that like having my own DVD player?¡± Yu Han paused to catch his breath, then continued. ¡°Can I play the projections in real life? Will it retain their ''real'' effects in reality? If I use a pearl to project Li Yao slicing with his sword, can it harm objects in reality and not just in the dreamscape?" So many questions, so few answers. "I¡¯m too weak to handle multiple pearls projected in the echoes¡ªor the pearls are too weak." Yu Han held the final pearl and debated echoing a smartphone into it. How about the unit he had at his death, in the Taiwanese mountain forest? A concept phone, with the latest tech stuffed into it, including satellite calling. A black brick with a tiny touchscreen at the top, for some strange reason modelled like a Casio scientific calculator. He echoed his watch, a Seiko with a tourbillon. No electronic parts. The memory seemed to paste from his mind like sludge leaving a drain. The image of the watch appeared in the pearl. He tossed it to Fei Rui, who had been waiting with claws clicking. And the watch appeared. Chapter 78: Vast Gains The watch¡¯s second hand moved, and the tourbillon spun like a little hurricane in a glass orb. ¡¸What''s this?¡¹ Fei Rui held the watch up in wonder. ¡¸Ah¡ª¡¹ He threw it away, retracting his eyes, limbs, and spikes into his boxy body. "What''s wrong¡ª?" Then Yu Han saw the anomaly. The watch was engulfed in green flames as it sailed through the air in an arc. Green. Burning. It seared his soul. The watch exploded into fragments of pearls, each shooting outwards like shrapnel. But each fragment was too small, like grains of sand. The watch, along with its memory pearl core, had been utterly destroyed. A sudden pain appeared in his head. It was all too familiar. When he had echoed the green meteo¡ª *** Art Levelled Up! Art Levelled Up! Art Levelled Up! Art Grade Levelled Up! Fortitude: 9 -> 10 Adaptability: 16 -> 17 Clarity: 9 -> 10 Focus: 10 -> 11 Memory: 23 -> 24 Yu Han woke to Huang Niuniu shaking him. "Don''t die!" she cried, wobbling Yu Han''s body. "I''m awake. Stop! Stop it," Yu Han stammered out. Each shake felt like it was ejecting his soul out of his body. Huang Niuniu wailed. "I thought you were dead!" "How?" "You''re bleeding out of everything!" Yu Han opened his eyes. The daylight felt like someone was holding a spotlight to his pupils. "Ugh." Huang Niuniu''s tears fell onto his face. She was a mix of terror and anger, biting her lips, her brows knitted above her glossy eyes. She took a damp piece of cloth and tapped his cheeks. When she removed it, it was stained with blood. Yu Han felt a strange sensation near his lips, eyes, nose, and ears. He touched them, fingers coming away wet and red. "I overused my Art," he said to Huang Niuniu. "It''s Qi depletion." He hoped it was. Echoing the watch into the pearl was a calculated risk. The most he had expected was the pearl to explode, which it did. But the green flames appeared again. He hadn¡¯t directly echoed the green meteor, just something on his person during the moment of his death. Previously, when he had echoed things like smartphones and gunpla models, the green flames were absent. They were a strain on his reserves, and he would be ejected out of the dreamscape faster, but never once did he go directly to Qi depletion. So what was the difference? Was it that he had the watch while the green meteor blasted him away? Or was it the act of projecting it into a pearl? It wasn''t registered as an Art. After all, it was like a combination ability of Fei Rui and Yu Han. Before the accord, he couldn''t do it, so if the accord was broken, he would probably lose this ability too. "Where''s Fei Rui?" He had ben pretty spooked by the green flame. Huang Niuniu placed Yu Han''s head on her lap and cleaned the blood off his face. "He wasn''t here when I woke up," she said, sounding worried. Yu Han heaved himself up despite the headache and scanned the hut. No boxy crab. He opened the door and saw a pretty obvious crab covered in soil outside. He was pretending to be a rock again. "Fei Rui?" Yu Han wobbled over to him, then sat down, not caring about the damp grass or mud. ¡¸It hurts,¡¹ Fei Rui said. He sounded like a kid about to cry. An eye peeked out of the socket. Somehow, it was shedding tears. Did crabs have tear ducts? Fei Rui extended a claw. The shell near the pincers was burnt and cracked. ¡¸It hurts.¡¹ "I''m sorry," Yu Han said. "I didn''t know the green flame would appear." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡¸It hurts.¡¹ "I didn''t know it would affect you in reality." Maybe Fei Rui felt that nothing would be accomplished without a good wail. So he did. Yu Han didn''t know how this mental speak worked. It really needed an equivalent phrase to crying one''s lungs out. ¡¸It hurts!¡¹ Fei Rui shrunk into a palm-sized crab. Yu Han picked him up and caressed his shell. "There, there. It''s going to be fine." Yu Han really hoped it would. But the green flame was an anomaly. Was it the same one from the meteor? Did it follow Yu Han to this world somehow? From now on, he would have to be careful with echoes of objects or events from his life as Johan. He wouldn''t let Fei Rui activate the projections either. "Is he crying?" Huang Niuniu asked. "You can tell?" "Look at all those tears. Give him to me!" Yu Han passed the crab over. ¡¸Soft Niuniu, do you see this?¡¹ Fei Rui held the tiny pincers up. ¡¸It hurts. Can you see it? My shell was good before, but after that green fire, it became all soft like you. What do I do now?¡¹ Huang Niuniu didn''t understand him, of course. But she saw the discolouration of the shell and said every consoling word in her vocabulary. Strangely, it worked. Although part of Yu Han wanted to have Fei Rui bring a pearl to reality as soon as possible, he leaned against the wall, letting his mind rest. His brain felt like a smoothie, and from time to time, his vision would blur. He brought up the status screens one by one. He had woken up to a huge amount of notifications. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 Active Accords: 1 True Qi: 107 (+2) / 200 Pure Qi: 12 / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 401 (-100) / 792 True Qi had risen by two. He didn''t take any elixirs, nor did he meditate inside the dreamscape, so it was just the natural gain. Active Accords: 1 Name: Fei Rui (***) Type: Spirit Beast Species: Cerebrant Collector Crab Level: 10 Arts: 4 Traits: 2 The accord section was the same. Yu Han had hoped that in the Arts, it would show Carapace Control Kata. If the Art name Fei Rui had been using was real, at least. He then opened the stats panels. He''d gained how many stats? Five? That was the same as a Level Up. Primordial Qi: 0 [Mind Origin: 17.33 (+0.73)] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 24 (+1) Perception: 11 Clarity: 10 (+1) Focus: 11 (+1) [Body Origin: 6.60] Endurance: 7 Vitality: 10 Strength: 7 Agility: 4 Dexterity: 5 [Spirit Origin: 8.60 (+0.40)] Adaptability: 17 (+1) Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 10 (+1) Purity: 5 "What''re you smiling about?" Huang Niuniu asked. "I became stronger," Yu Han said. Now, all his substats in Mind Origin were at ten or more. In MMORPGs, that would usually mean something. In this world, maybe it didn''t. Yu Han''s head felt like a ten-tonne brick at the moment, so he couldn''t really test out if he felt different. Especially with the gains to Focus, Clarity, Fortitude, and Adaptability. He had some idea what Memory and Adaptability did. But for Focus, Clarity, and Fortitude, he didn''t know. The exiled scion from the ever so great clan should have received tutelage. Yu Han opened the Arts panels next. Arts: [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 7 (+3) / 300 He¡¯d had some hope that the Grade Level increase might''ve been Deep Sleep, but it wasn''t. It was the Art directly tied to his Bloodline, and for Bloodlines which were traits, one could only increase Grade Levels and not Mastery. [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 10 (+1) Mastery: Initial Step Level 6 (+3) True Qi: 130 (+1441) / 700 "One thousand four hundred and forty-one," Yu Han whispered. The Grade went from nine to ten. Was it all the testing? Was it the synergy with the memory pearls? That final explosion with the watch? The permanent fixture of Fei Rui''s crabscape to Yu Han''s dreamscape? It was probably all of those and more. Three levels in one go. Seeing all those numbers go up made Yu Han wonder if having a brain haemorrhage from time to time wasn''t so bad. Yu Han didn''t want to find out. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 35 (+6) / 300 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 (+1) True Qi: 46 (+6) / 300 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 148 (+63) / 200 Of the other Arts, only Thousand Petals Awareness had risen considerably in True Qi. Yu Han had almost instinctively gone into focus mode with the Art¡ª Wen Liujie had mentioned that different Arts, even with the broad categorisation of Martial, Spiritual, and Psychic, relied on different substats within each of the Origins. Maybe for this specific kind of Psychic Art, it relied most on Focus or Clarity, or both? Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 1 True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 70 (+35) / 1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 11 (+3) / 800 Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline''s True Qi had doubled, gaining 35. Qi Affinity gained 3. At the rate he was gaining points in Qi Affinity, he could probably raise the level within a few years. But the thing was, he didn''t know what he was doing to raise the affinity. There was too little data to even plot a correlation. It was hidden somewhere, within all the changes and experimentations. Fei Rui scuttled to Yu Han and clasped the hem of his shirt. He gently tugged on it. ¡¸Yu Han. It doesn''t hurt much anymore. Soft Niuniu put the sticky thing on.¡¹ He raised the injured claw. It was covered with some wax-like substance. One of the minor healing ointments they had gotten from the Night Alchemists Yard. "Good thinking," Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu beamed, though she looked troubled. Fei Rui tugged his shirt again. When Yu Han looked down, Fei Rui was holding a lime-green pearl in his pincer. Chapter 79: Reality Projection ¡¸Do you want me to do the thing?¡¹ Fei Rui asked. ¡¸Will the green flame hurt me?¡¹ "Do you want to?" Yu Han asked. Fei Rui nodded. ¡¸I can''t be afraid of green flames. I''m a big crab, and Soft Niuniu has the ointment to make the pain half go away. It''s only half as painful now. Ouch.¡¹ Yu Han took the pearl. It felt like glass on his fingers. Shiny, smooth. Huang Niuniu closed in, an expectant look in her eyes. "Is it for me?" "This isn''t jewellery," Yu Han said. "Senior Brother Feral Spot was the first to give me an ornament. Aren''t you ashamed?" "This isn''t an ornament either." "Then what is it?" Huang Niuniu snatched it. "There''s something inside. Is that Fei Rui? Wow. He''s so big!" Yu Han had echoed the memory of when Huang Niuniu''s stalkers from the Mad Bloodhounds had trespassed into his yard. They had talked, thinking that Yu Han wouldn''t be able to hear them. If so, that was a huge weight off his shoulders, but he couldn''t be sure yet. Maybe he was just resistant, not immune. Or maybe Existential Anchor really was behind this resistance, and he could train it in the future to become immune? "Give it to Fei Rui," Yu Han said. "Let''s see if it works." Huang Niuniu handed the shining green pearl to the crab. ¡¸Your pearls are green and mine are blue. The flame was green. Can I have a blue flame?¡¹ Fei Rui pondered aloud. He squeezed the pearl, and the lime green glow dimmed. "E-Eek!" Huang Niuniu fell and stumbled towards Yu Han as if she''d seen a ghost. "W-What''s that?!" On the opposite wall was a giant Fei Rui, supporting himself with his long legs, claws positioned over the window like a guillotine. ¡¸That''s me!¡¹ Fei Rui jumped up. ¡¸It''s me! Wow. I''m a big crab. So big!¡¹ He tugged Yu Han. ¡¸Did you see? That''s me!¡¹ "I-Is that Fei Rui?" Huang Niuniu shifted her gaze between the palm-sized crab and the eerie behemoth. The projected Fei Rui went into full camouflage. "Eek!" Huang Niuniu grabbed Yu Han tighter. In reality, it was daytime. But over what was real, the nighttime environment seemed to have been overlaid. It was disorienting. Like watching two scenes in a monitor that kept glitching. The view shifted and the projection of Yu Han lay down. "There are two Han''ers!" Huang Niuniu seemed to have just noticed it. If it was just him, the view would have shifted to utter darkness because he had closed his eyes. But camouflaged Fei Rui was still there. As was the dagger he held, and Huang Niuniu on the bed. ¡°There¡¯s two of me!¡± She noticed it too. About thirty seconds had passed. The memory would last seventy or so more. Noise came from the door. "No gaps." "Check the window. Peek in if you can first." "Aye, old man." Huang Niuniu''s eyes widened. "T-This is... last night? Someone tried to break in? Pearls¡­ This is Fei Rui''s memory?" "Smart girl," Yu Han said. She had picked up on the clues, and probably what Yu Han had shared about his dreamscape. There was the pearl too, and Fei Rui''s matter with memories. "It''s my memory." "They didn''t fuck. I think so. The smell ain''t there. Dao Companions wouldn''t sleep separately, right?" The voices came from the projection. Huang Niuniu blushed deeply. "I''ll kill them!" "Calm down¡ª" "I''ll blind them and burn their noses!" "The girl''s a virgin, her Primordial Yin¡¯s still there," the old man said. "We''ll fetch a good price." Huang Niuniu fell silent, trembling. She closed her eyes. Her breathing got faster as if she was hyperventilating. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Yu Han was an idiot. He looked at Fei Rui. "Stop the projection¡ª" "Don''t!" Huang Niuniu shouted. "Don''t." Footsteps went around the hut. No more voices sounded as the projection ended. The dark scene overlaid with the daytime reality faded, as did the Yu Han on the floor, the Huang Niuniu on the bed, and the Fei Rui on the wall. In xianxia novels, arrays were like magic circles or rituals from RPG games, complete with mysterious effects. If so, it was too late now. Or maybe it couldn''t hear the projection? Yu Han was surprised by how calm he was. Was this Johan? No, Johan would first throw a tantrum before suddenly becoming deathly calm. The pearl no longer had its radiance. The lime green colour had faded quite a bit, and the mirage inside was blurry. ¡¸Can''t project this anymore,¡¹ Fei Rui said. ¡¸I think if I keep this inside the dreamscape it''s going to get better. There''s the swirly mind thing... Ah, right, Essence! Essence. It needs Essence!¡¹ Yu Han was starting to feel grateful for the red-eyed boy. It was like having an encyclopaedia. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, Fang Zhao didn''t know everything. But he knew enough about the basics thanks to his upbringing, and probably from his years of effort to solve his problem. "They... could''ve broken in. They¡ªWhy didn''t you wake me?" Huang Niuniu demanded. "I didn''t want to alert them." "But¡­ Fine," she huffed. "We''ll speak outside," Yu Han said. He didn''t know if his house was bugged now. "I''m hungry. Let''s go to my hut. I''ll cook some¡ª" "No." Her hut could be bugged too. Yu Han put every valuable thing he had in a bag. The books, scrolls, spirit stones, monster cores, tokens, and some other miscellaneous stuff. Then they went to Huang Niuniu''s and gathered her valuables too. Before they could leave, Li Yao and Fang Zhao arrived. "What''re you guys up to?" Li Yao asked. The sky was gloomy¡ªperhaps it was about to rain. Yu Han took all of them to a secluded spot. After confirming with Fei Rui that no one was around, he explained what had happened the night before. "This is troubling," Fang Zhao said with a sharp glare. "Brother Yu is right. There are arrays and formations that can record and transmit sound. It''s a peculiar favourite of various organisations that work in the shadows." "Sounds about right. If our gang had one, I can think of a hundred ways to make some good cash out of it," Li Yao added, then thumped Fang Zhao in the back. "How''d a young master like you know, though?" "I''ve... had run-ins with the less desirables of the Divine Capital," Fang Zhao said. "First to find a cure, and then..." He looked away, ashamed. "Did it help?" Li Yao asked. Yu Han rolled his eyes. "It wasn''t totally useless. I was able to pass my tribulation preemptively." Fang Zhao shook his head. "I don''t know if it was worth it, though. That pain... only near demonic-level unorthodoxy could come up with such methods of training. I don''t even know¡ª" "You passed your tribulation?" Yu Han interrupted. "I thought that if I could pass preemptively, I would cure my crippled cultivation. Originally, my tribulation was something that I wouldn''t be able to pass preemptively if I wanted to practise my clan''s unique Arts. We''d tried; it didn''t work." Fang Zhao stared down at the tiger-engraved gold ring. "After I gained the Red Fiend Ancestry, the Tribulation changed. I was exiled from the clan, but it opened up the way to pass the Tribulation. I sought help from an underground organisation from the Divine Capital, and successfully passed the Tribulation. But as you know, it didn''t cure my ailment." "So the only thing stopping you from levelling up is the quantity of True Qi. You don''t have any other barriers?" "If you don''t count gaining 110 True Qi before it gets depleted as a barrier." Fang Zhao let out a bitter laugh. "Even with all the backing of my family with elixirs and pills, formations and artefacts, the most I could gain was 37 True Qi in a day. If I had taken the resources over time, it would have been enough for thousands of True Qi." "Only thousands?" Yu Han asked. "Your family should have elixirs and pills that can grant far more than that, right?" Judging by the experience scaling, or rather, True Qi scaling, a thousand True Qi would very quickly become chump change. Echoing Dreamscape at Level 6 needed 700 True Qi to level up. If Realm level acted the same way, then even thousands of True Qi would be a drop in the bucket for someone whose level was in the 30s or 40s. "There was a limit to how good an elixir I could take. My clan and I, we were willing to risk my life. But any more, and that would be committing suicide." "You wanted to raise your Trait level so that it could protect you against the decay?" Yu Han asked. "But what if you had enough blood to refine to 110 True Qi at once? Or rather, 111?" Fang Zhao looked stumped. "Huh? I-I didn''t think of that." "Can''t your clan gather enough blood?" "Wait, slow down a bit, Brother Yu." Fang Zhao raised his hand. "They definitely could! They just probably need one Monster in Core Formation or Nascent Soul realm." He then shook his head, even though his face showed clear excitement. "It won''t work. Same problem as before. I can''t refine blood of such high grade. I''d die!" Yu Han thought for a bit and said, "What if your clan gathers many low-level monsters and bloodlets them into a pool? All you''d have to do is go in and start refining." "C-Could it work? No way. No way?" Fang Zhao had crashed. "No. No, it won''t! I can''t possibly refine for so long. No... I can! I have the Healing Potion of the Blue Waved Water and a share of the¡ª" Fang Zhao stopped, looked around if someone was there, and sighed in relief. Yu Han nodded. " I''m exiled from the clan because I awakened a foreign trait." Fang Zhao''s voice broke. "They won¡¯t help me gather the blood. I should have had them gather the blood before I took the elixir.¡± His laugh was barely a buzz of hopelessness. A rasping sound, like stones grinding together. "Even if I start now, even if I had your help, it might take years." He then cheered himself up with two loud slaps to his face. "I can do it. Let it take years or decades. I''ll do it!" .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Li Yao cackled. "Dude, you''re like those wrinkled shrews in the brothels, going crazy after hitting 30. What''s it called again?" "Bipolar?" Yu Han said. He glanced at Huang Niuniu but hurriedly looked away. "Not that. But I think that word works too!" Li Yao laughed more. He covered his mouth, his eyes narrowing. A cold anger settled in his voice as he said the next words. "Let''s talk about Fang Zhao''s issue later. Those Mad Bloodhounds are courting death. The question is, how do we deliver?" Yu Han nodded, although he made a mental note to go through the Four Meditations again. It might just have the answer to Fang Zhao''s Level 1 dilemma. ¡¸Yu Han! There''s people over there,¡¹ Fei Rui said. He pointed down the main path. ¡¸I think they''re stronger than the human monsters from last night.¡¹ Chapter 80: Plotting a Play They stood in a copse in the forest, one side shielded by a thicket of bushes and the other by a small group of trees and vines. From here, Yu Han could see the main path leading down the mountainside by their huts, and the few side paths, one of which led to the nearby cesspool. Three Sect disciples walked down the main mountain path, with Tan Ruoxuan in the lead. "They''re from the Law Enforcement Hall," Yu Han said. "Do you think we should tell them?" Huang Niuniu asked. "They can help us, right?" "That''s not the best idea," Fang Zhao said. "The Sect Master wants this Sect to become Orthodox, but for now, there is still much infighting. Their connections up high might tell them whatever we tell the Law Enforcement Hall." "Yeah, I agree with Red Eyes," Li Yao said. "The Mad Bloodhounds are chummy with the Liang Clan, remember? One of the great five clans." He turned to Yu Han. "And from what you said, these fellows know I''ve been snooping around. Even if we tell them, without a crime actually happening, there might be no evidence." "But they''re the Law Enforcement Hall," Huang Niuniu said. "If they don''t enforce the law, what''s the point?" "When Brother Yu got knocked out by Gong Muhua, did they enforce the law?" Fang Zhao said. "Cow Girl, I know you''re angry. I am too." Li Yao snapped his fingers twice in front of his chest. "If we give away what we know now and the enemy finds out, they''ll hide any evidence. Next time, they''ll be extra careful, and we might not even know where they''ll hit from. Now, funnily enough, we''re in the shadows while they''re acting in the open. If they find out how much we know, this will be reversed." "So what does it matter even if we''re in the shadows? Can we do¡ª" Huang Niuniu stopped. "The Hidden Realm. They know we''ll be going there. They''ll make a move then." Li Yao nodded. "They probably don''t plan to kill, with the rookie token on us. But they want you enough to try something. We just don''t know what. But at least we know they''re up to no good." "We can set a trap," Huang Niuniu said. "The two trespassers yesterday were Levels 4 and 6. What can we, one Level 2, two Level 1, and a Level 0, do to them?" "And a Level 10," Yu Han said. Huang Niuniu beamed. "I have an idea," Yu Han said. "What kind of clan is the Liang Clan?" The three Law Enforcement Hall disciples had checked Yu Han''s hut and were now moving towards Huang Niuniu''s place. "They''re a weird bunch," Li Yao said. "They mostly do their own thing. No shops in the city nor the Outer Sect marketplace. Said they don''t accept Sect disciples unless they marry in. They manage the Sect''s various formations. Most seem to be of the scholarly kind. Like a clan of hermits unconcerned with worldly matters." "If they''re hermits, how did the Mad Bloodhounds get so close to them?" Yu Han asked. He moved a few vines to get a better view of the Law Enforcement Hall disciples. The movement caused water to drop from the canopy. "I heard one of the guys calling the nobles parasites last night. Didn''t sound like they liked nobles much." "The guy they''re close with married into the Liang clan," Li Yao said. "Or so they say." "Can this one guy give them enough guts to interfere with the Law Enforcement Hall''s work?" Yu Han said. "A core disciple of non-noble origin," Li Yao murmured. "And a direct disciple of the Liang Patriarch, and also his son-in-law. Bloodhound One saved his arse in the Hidden Realm when they first joined the Sect. It''s a well-known story." "Well, fuck it," Yu Han cursed. "Thinking back, the Law Enforcement Hall didn''t find anything strange about previous disappearances. Either this backing really is that powerful, or they''ve perfectly hidden any evidence." "So what do we do?" Li Yao asked. Tan Ruoxuan''s head flicked in their direction. "They¡¯ve noticed us. The senior disciple in the lead, Tan Ruoxuan," Yu Han said, "seems to have some with Wen Liujie, who''s the senior disciple at the Night Alchemist''s Yard." Li Yao snorted. "Didn¡¯t take you for a gossip, tubs." "I''m just guessing here." Yu Han laughed. He stepped out from the copse and raised an arm towards the three, waving. "We don''t mention the Mad Bloodhounds. But we can at least mention what we can. If they appear again tonight, I''ve got a surprise for them." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Yu Han grinned. Tan Ruoxuan hopped from the path to a stone and with one last jump, landed in front of Yu Han. Her mismatched earrings shook back and forth, her ponytail swaying. "Are you all running away?" She pointed at the sacks Yu Han and Huang Niuniu held. "Where?" "Monsters appeared last night," Yu Han said, with the best impression of a scared fatty. "They jumped on the roof and started digging around the yard. I think they did something to the roof, too, with how long they were growling up there." Tan Ruoxuan''s gaze intensified. "What did you see?" The other two Law Enforcement Hall disciples caught up. They were both male, and nodded towards Li Yao and Fang Zhao respectively. "I heard them," Yu Han said. "They were growling, but the noise was different from Filth Eating Ghouls. It was much quieter. If not for Fei Rui waking me up, I might have only noticed while they were snacking on me." "Fei Rui?" Tan Ruoxuan asked. "Who is that?" Yu Han held up the palm-sized crab. Fei Rui raised a claw and clicked. "My accorded Spirit Beast," Yu Han said proudly. "We only accorded yesterday in the Heavenly Friendship Palace." "Monsters prowling so openly in the Outer Sect¡¯s centrum is a serious matter." Tan Ruoxuan nodded. "Though I suspect it might not be monsters. They wouldn''t prowl in such an organised manner. Either Primal Beasts, Spirit Beasts, or humans." She turned, her ponytail flicking behind like a whip. "Follow us." The group went to Yu Han''s hut. "Search every grass and pebble," Tan Ruoxuan said, and the other two disciples went to work. One jumped on the roof, the other went behind the hut. Tan Ruoxuan started with the front yard. "Do you think this has anything to do with Senior Feral Spots?" Yu Han asked nervously. "If it''s Spirit Beasts, I mean. We came to an agreement because of Elder Chang. But what if¡ª" "You don''t have to worry about Feral Spots. He''s a talented but idiotic fool," Tan Ruoxuan said. "Never malicious." Huang Niuniu was glaring at Yu Han too. He could feel her gaze boring into him like a drill. Yu Han didn''t know if he was feeling jealous or aggrieved. "Senior Tan, come up here," the man on the roof said with an urgent note in his voice. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tan Ruoxuan jumped up to the roof. She brushed aside some of the thatch and took out a well-concealed piece of paper. "Formations..." Tan Ruoxuan said. "A Common Grade Thunder Stun Manifestation Formation." "A what?" Yu Han asked. "A formation to stun the hut," Tan Ruoxuan said. They found four more formations around the hut. "If all of them went off at once," Tan Ruoxuan said, "whoever was in the hut would be out cold." "Can a Spirit Beast do this?" Fang Zhao asked, eyes almost falling out. Yu Han wished he could give a thumbs up. "Not likely," Tan Ruoxuan said. "This is human work." "I definitely heard growls, though," Yu Han stressed. "They didn''t sound like a human language at all." Tan Ruoxuan gave him a contemplative look. "There are... ways." "Someone''s targeting you, Tubs," Li Yao said. "But why?" "I don''t know. What would I¡ªah." Yu Han stopped. "Did something come to mind?" Tan Ruoxuan said. "Do not hide anything for your own good." "T-This¡ª" Yu Han shifted from one foot to the other "¡ªI have an agreement with Elder Chang. I am unsure how much I can share." "That''s fine," Tan Ruoxuan said. "I know what you''re talking about. Certainly, people might target you for those." "Han''er, does this mean someone might be targeting Senior Feral Spots too?" Huang Niuniu said. "What if they tricked the poor senior into¡­ you know? And if we didn''t coincidentally find him, he might have already perished!" "You might be on to something, Junior Huang," Tan Ruoxuan said. "Feral Spots''s stupidity is common knowledge, and the Gorge-Crawling Earthworm Tribe has their fair share of adversaries." Yu Han couldn''t complain about the results. "What if they''re jealous of my good relationship with Senior Feral Spots?" Huang Niuniu''s eyes popped. "That''s not a bad guess either," Tan Ruoxuan said. "We have to check your hut too." There, they found 13 array papers. "This is an organised attack on the Sect''s prestige!" One Law Enforcement Disciple shouted. The other nodded, while Tan Ruoxuan scribbled something down. "We check Li Yao and Fang Zhao''s abodes." She pointed at the group, including the crab. "Stick with us." They found array papers there too. "Fuck!" Li Yao cursed, then looked at Yu Han. He came near and whispered, "You only noticed because of the crab, right? Right?" "Get good, loser." Yu Han shoved him away. "This is troubling," Tan Ruoxuan said. "You have three options. Either spend the night at the Law Enforcement Hall, the Night Alchemist''s Yard, or stay at your own places. The Law Enforcement Hall is short on hands with the recent upheaval, though, so we can''t protect all four of you at once. It''s easier if you stick together." Yu Han ran his fingers through his hair. "What if they still try something if we go to the Night Alchemist''s Yard?" "At their own peril," Tan Ruoxuan scoffed. "Most underestimate Night Soil Collectors. But it''s a dirty job that needs to be done. The yard has its own protections." "Will you still send someone?" Yu Han asked. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } One of the disciples whispered something to Tan Ruoxuan. "The Law Enforcement Hall has its plans. Telling you now might jeopardise it. Which time did these ''monsters'' arrive yesterday?" "I''m not sure," Yu Han said. "Maybe halfway through the night, around the end of the hour of the ox?" That was around 2 or 3 a.m. in modern time standards. "Be safe. Don''t try anything risky," Tan Ruoxuan said, scanning Yu Han, Huang Niuniu, Li Yao, Fang Zhao, and finally Fei Rui. "You have the aura of schemers. But remember, the Sect is your ally, not your enemy." The disciples left after telling them again to be extra careful. Li Yao and Fang Zhao also packed up and headed over to the Night Alchemist''s Yard. They had some simple food, spent the day training and going through missions they might be able to take in the Hidden Realm. Then they acted out a play, with Li Yao acting as Ma San, Fang Zhao as Sima Yan, and Yu Han as Pang Jiming. Chapter 81: Labelling a Dataset "Do we have to do this?" Li Yao asked, leaning by the door. "Your acting was pretty good in the Law Enforcement Hall," Yu Han said. "Now do as I say." "Fine," Li Yao said, stepping inside the room, though he made it amply clear he didn''t like the idea. He took a deep breath, and imitating Ma San, Sima Yan''s follower, shouted out a few curses. Fang Zhao followed up with his best impression of a noble young master. He didn''t even have to try. He literally was one. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...Dude, that made me want to punch you in the face," Li Yao said. "You''re way too good at this. Don''t tell me you used to be like that." Fang Zhao facepalmed. The play continued. Huang Niuniu added in some lines as Liyi Tong, the well-endowed suitor of Sima Yan. "These utterly spineless commoner scum," Fang Zhao said. "They think they can oppose us nobles just because they group together like mutts in a courtyard. One must have the wisdom to know when to bow, but these mutts lack even that." "Shall we kill this fella?" Li Yao said with a tired drawl. "Not a rookie. Let''s slit his throat and be done with it." "Halt, Ma San," Fang Zhao commanded. "My cousin has his ways. This courtyard¡ªMad Bloodhounds, was it? They venture into the Hidden Realm quite often. The next time they do so, they shall not come back." "As expected of the young master. So smart!" Huang Niuniu said. "They dare to touch our prey," Fang Zhao said. "They should be glad that we grant them a swift death." Yu Han glared at Fang Zhao, speaking through gritted teeth. "I''ll throw him in the ditch over there." "Wait, Pang Jiming," Fang Zhao interrupted. "Take what he has. Such treasures, a commoner does not deserve." They rehearsed multiple variations of the dialogues. Some more haughty, others less theatrical. Senior disciples dropped in from time to time. Some to mark their shifts, others to select Hidden Realm Missions, and one chippy young man who spent five hours in the hot springs. There were no other females working for the Night Alchemist''s Yard besides Huang Niuniu. Midnight approached. The quartet huddled over the list of Hidden Realm missions suitable for them. Meanwhile, the crab was spinning on the ground. ¡¸The two-legged ones from yesterday didn''t come,¡¹ Fei Rui said. ¡¸This is a good hiding place!¡¹ "Thanks." Yu Han patted the crab''s shell. Fei Rui was steaming. He had followed them to the hot spring. Crab flesh would stiffen when heated, so Yu Han had panicked. Fei Rui had turned more orange as time went by, a truly delicious colour. But other than that change, the crab said he liked the experience. It made his insides feel funny. No decrease in lifeforce, though. Yu Han shook his head. "The stinkbug mission looks the best." Li Yao singled out a paper. "Ten contribution points per litre of their inner liquid, or thirty mortal grade spirit stones. The place they spawn is close to the gateway village. We have all the stuff here to protect us from the stink." Li Yao had used the word for the unit of liquid, which was close to a litre in Yu Han''s opinion. As for the gateway village, that was a sizeable community of human cultivators under the Stormy Reef Sect inside the Hidden Realm. It acted as a hub for all who ventured into the Hidden Realm, located right by the entrance on the Hidden Realm side. "We can test out the white blood thing Tubs mentioned," Li Yao said. "Kinda weird to think that bugs have blood, though. Weirder that Fang Zhao wants to eat it." " it. Convert into qi," Fang Zhao emphasised. "Not eat. If the goal is to get blood, then we don''t need to bother with the insect. I suggest this mission." He pushed a notice forward. It had a picture of a boar with mushrooms growing on the back. "Rot-Dweller Swine, usually around Levels 2 to 5. A common species of beasts. The mushrooms on its back are valuable for alchemy. Per hunt, we can get five contribution points after turning in the mushrooms. Plus two if we turn in the core, in case the swine is a monstrous beast. We can sell the other materials for around five spirit stones." "Ain''t that less than the stinkbugs?" Li Yao countered. "The Miasma Shieldbug secretes most of its miasma the moment it senses danger. It''s written right here." Fang Zhao pointed at a section of text on the notice. Yu Han had been surprised that the red-eyed boy knew both common and imperial scripts. "The miasma is made from the liquid inside this sack-shaped organ. It secretes the miasma if it so much as a stranger in the area. After killing it and harvesting its pouch, only a bit of liquid is left. We''d have to kill around a hundred or even more to get a litre of the liquid. The rest of its body is useless too." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "I''m sure we can come up with a clever way to trap more at once. Like a net?" Li Yao suggested. "They''re smaller than cats. What if we knock them out somehow, and then harvest their sacks?" "No good." Fang Zhao read through the text. "Even if they''re unconscious, if their body receives damage, they secrete miasma. In the past few centuries, I don''t think anyone at our level has come up with a way to harvest their liquid en masse. If so, the Alchemy Hall would not pay so much for it. I say we still go for the Rot-Dweller Swine. It''s a common monstrous spawn near the Second to Last Bog." They heatedly discussed what mission to take. Yu Han ruled out any with incomplete information or requiring long periods of investigation. Huang Niuniu refused any where the monster was cute. Yu Han flipped through the notices once more, to no avail. A sideways glance showed Fang Zhao and Li Yao discussing the common strategies of boar hunting. The red-eyed boy had stuck with them. Besides the one thousand mortal grade spirit stone token, he shared his own sinful past, as if looking for redemption. Yu Han picked up the Four Meditations on the Hundred Thousand Waterways and flipped to the page that mentioned the pool of boiling blood. It was in a cenote, tucked away between two island-like mountains in a bog near the passageway back to reality. If the author hadn''t accidentally tripped into it, he wouldn''t have found it; the cenote entrance was covered with lush foliage. He''d fallen in the pool of boiling blood, but was somehow unharmed. But when the snake-headed birds dropped in the dead hunt, they would dissolve immediately, the flesh and blood melting into the liquid, but the pristine bones and scales falling to the bottom. Here, reality was probably the Sunken Mountains, the passageway being the access point connecting it to the Hidden Realm. Was that bog the Second to Last Bog? There were still about two weeks until Wen Liujie came back. They were planning to head out immediately after that. Yu Han turned his gaze back to the table, putting the book back. On the table was another important piece of parchment. A rudimentary map of the Hidden Realm. In the middle of the map was the gateway village, with words marking the aforementioned access point to the Sunken Mountains. Around it were many mountains, rivers, bogs, lagoons, canyons, and other landforms. One of the bogs right beside the gateway village, between two mountainous areas, was the Second to Last Bog that Fang Zhao had mentioned. Yu Han hoped it was the same bog as in the anecdote in the Four Meditations. "How the hell is the entrance in the middle of the map?" Li Yao asked. "Or is it an exit?" "It''s another world, my friend," Fang Zhao said. "We enter through an opening on this side, and appear there. Although I would imagine parts of this Hidden Realm overlap with many locations from our world. Considering the number of entrances it has, and the warning about foreign cultivators. From the Great Xia Dynasty, there''s the Sword Sacrificing Dragon Gate. All the rest are outside our borders, such as the demonic Ten Thousand Poisonous Thunder Sect and the orthodox Bloodless Hand Temple." The Stormy Reef Sect didn''t own the Hidden Realm. Only a small part of it. "It''s hard to wrap my head around." Li Yao stroked his beardless chin. "Another world. How do they even know where this world ends and the others begin?" "You''d have to debate with the scholars about that." Fang Zhao shrugged. "From what Wen Liujie said," Yu Han said, "the danger isn''t only the other Sects. Our own Sect fellows might take the chance to even out any grievances. Even without grievances, we have Courtyards like the Mad Bloodhounds." That night, in his dreamscape, Yu Han Memory Cast a shelf, one he had seen in the Rookie Village Library. The halberd from the previous night was still here, so hopefully this shelf would be semi-permanent too. After memory casting some paper and a charcoal pen, he created various labels and stuck them on the shelf. , and more. He waited a few breaths. The paper, now ripped into smaller pieces, didn''t suddenly eject out a broken memory pearl. There was no way to come to a direct conclusion. He would need to conduct more tests. Yu Han shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. There was only one shelf for now, and it had limited space. He wrote down the final label, titled . He then echoed memories of relevant events into the pearls, starting with the events falling under the category. The memory of today''s play flowed into the pearls, each containing a hundred seconds of recordings. He followed it up with echoes of Sima Yan, Pang Jiming, Ma San, and that one time he had heard Liyi Tong speak. "Remember these," Yu Han said to the crab. Fei Rui nodded. While Memory Casting, Yu Han tried to project the memory from the pearl by himself again. It didn''t work. All in all, he had seventeen pearls worth of Memory Casting today. Fei Rui needed the rest to save his own memories too. The preparations were far from complete. But this was what he could do for now. He sat cross-legged. he pondered. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Martial Arts didn''t work, but the Cultivation Art did. His Bloodline Art, Deep Sleep, was a prerequisite to enter the dreamscape. Echoing Dreamscape worked too, of course; he could earn True Qi in it. What was left was the Psychic Art. Could he train it here? Yu Han closed his eyes, breathing in the rhythms of Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique. But this time, his mind focused on each sensation according to the instructions of Thousand Petals Awareness. First sound, then smell. Sight was blocked. He tasted the saliva in his mouth. Finally, touch. His chest rising and falling. A subtle trickle of something caressing his skin. His face. His throat. Going in and out of his lungs. Then he isolated touch, letting all other sensations fall mute. Chapter 82: Choices and Changes Yu Han woke up the next morning to an unfamiliar ceiling. He was lying on a mat on the floor of the resting quarters¡ªa small wing where Night Soil Collectors could stay the night after working their shift. Fang Zhao sat cross-legged on another mat, and Li Yao was nowhere to be seen. Although there were kidnappers out to get her, Huang Niuniu had been reluctant to sleep in the same room as three smelly men. So she had slept in a smaller storage room beside the resting quarters, with Fei Rui guarding her. There were no specific resting quarters for women, as she was the only girl to work this job in decades. Yu Han heaved himself up. For some reason, his muscles were sore. It had been a while since he felt this way. The smell of compost hit his nose, followed by the humid sting of the morning wind. The window was open. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 Active Accords: 1 True Qi: 118 (+11) / 200 Pure Qi: 4 (-8) / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 441 (+40) / 792 Eight Pure Qi assimilated into True Qi, and three True Qi from other sources. In five days, he would receive another Pure Qi Assimilating Elixir. Then another, seven days later. There were the usual gains for Deep Sleep. [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 10 (+3) / 300 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 10 Mastery: Initial Step Level 6 True Qi: 149 (+19) / 700 Before, a night of Echoing Dreamscape usage would grant him around seven to ten True Qi. Now, combined with the memory pearls, he had doubled the gain. It was a shame that the increase didn''t spike exponentially like the previous night. [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 65 (+30) / 300 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 52 (+6) / 300 S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 1 True Qi: 189 (+41) / 200 Normal training with Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms yielded little improvement, the best came with real combat. His cultivation art shot ahead in True Qi though. Same with Thousand Petals Awareness. Yu Han thought. Despite having access to nearly ten Martial Arts, Yu Han would keep his physical efforts limited to the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms for now. In the future, the best way to allocate his time both awake and asleep were Psychic Arts. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Yu Han stretched. His joints made popping sounds. "Where''s Li Yao?" he asked Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao blinked at him. "Brother Li has to report in at the butchery." "Oh, right." With everything happening recently, Yu Han had almost forgotten that Li Yao had his own internal Sect mission. "What are you going to do?" Yu Han asked Fang Zhao. "With the porter job gone, you''ll still need an internal mission. Otherwise, you won''t get the monthly stipend." Beyond that, the boy could be punished by the Law Enforcement Hall, since an internal mission was mandatory even for rookies. "I''ll apply to be a Night Soil Collector," Fang Zhao said without hesitation. "You''ll get mocked. They already call us the Dung Duo." "Let them." There was a superiority in Fang Zhao''s reply. "Brother Yu, Night Soil Collecting is a dirty but essential job. The Sect knows it, even if most others don''t. Even when I asked around about it, I only knew you guys had a legitimate way to access the Hidden Realm. But it was only after we fought those Filth Eating Ghouls that I realised just how much special treatment you get. Combat experience, a healing hot spring, access to peak Elite grade armour, a caring senior brother, and unique missions for the Hidden Realm. This is a treasure trove. Elder Chang and Senior Wen even hinted last time that we were free to join. So why would I not?" "Makes sense." Yu Han nodded. At first, he had thought it was only a janitor job. How wrong he''d been¡­ Huang Niuniu had said that it wasn''t impossible to join the Alchemy or Medical Hall via the Night Alchemists'' Yard later. "I don''t have an Offensive Art at Mastery Level 1, though," Fang Zhao said. "Even if I request to join at the Mission Hall, I won''t get a Coverall until then." "What Art did you select from the Scripture Hall?" "Steady Bull Steps." He took out a bamboo scroll from his pack. Before coming to the Night Alchemists'' Yard, all four of them had packed up valuables, lest the Mad Bloodhounds try to pull something. "It''s a Martial Art, but more for Endurance and Strength to lug things around. It''s useful for porter work." Fang Zhao rubbed his stone storage ring. Yu Han remembered what Fang Zhao had told him about his clan: They wouldn''t be allowed to learn Arts unrelated to their clan''s unique trait. So the boy probably didn''t have any Offensive Art manuals to speak of. "Brother Li offered to share his sword manuals," Fang Zhao said with a shake of his head, "but I don''t feel any affinity for weapons." He raised his palm above his eyes, the tiger-engraved gold ring catching the daylight. "At least for now." He clenched his fist, the anger in his eyes palpable. Yu Han rummaged through his pack and brought out five books, which he had bound with reed-grass paper and hemp rope. After thinking for a while, he took out another. "See if you feel an affinity for any of these." Yu Han passed them to Fang Zhao. Charcoal letters adorned each book. And finally, They were the Elite Grade Martial Arts Yu Han had copied into his dreamscape from the Rookie Village Library. "T-These are¡­!" The red-eyed boy gasped. "Don''t ask where I got them," Yu Han said. "They''re copies. The text is correct, but the diagrams might be slightly inaccurate. So take absolute care." "Are you sure?" Fang Zhao said. "You all have already helped me more than enough. Any more and¡ª" "Just pay us back when you can," Yu Han said. For a while, the red-eyed boy didn''t say anything. Finally, he stood and cupped his fists. "Thanks." Yu Han left the resting quarters and found Huang Niuniu and Fei Rui whispering about something. "You guys can''t even understand each other." An exasperated sigh escaped his lips. "H-Han''er!" Huang Niuniu hopped up to her feet. The two whips, Pale Spine and Lotus Razor, were at her waist. Fei Rui clicked his way to his feet, then expanded until he was the size of a capybara. ¡¸No baddies yesterday. I looked. Big small worm wasn''t there either. Where did he go?¡¹ "Probably to eat shit," Yu Han said. He didn''t really like that worm. The morning passed with some small drizzles. No other disciples came. The rest of the Night Soil Collectors really favoured doing their rounds during night-time. Yu Han tested projecting the echoes in real life with both objects and events. They would all have an overlapping effect on reality, but everything was holographic to the sense of touch. Sounds, sights, and smells could be projected, but not touch, nor taste. How would he even eat a memory of a bowl of rice if his hand went through it like a ghost''s? After each projection, the lime-green pearls would dim, unable to be projected again. It was lucky that the main compound was empty. Otherwise, he wouldn''t want to test his unique skills here. Fei Rui was there to alert him just in case. Later, he took some fruits from the pantry, munching on a pear as he stepped out into the main yard. "Let''s leave in an hour and finish before evening," he suggested to Huang Niuniu. The girl nodded, forehead dripping with sweat. Her baggy clothes clung to her body as she set the whips on the ground. She had been practising relentlessly with her new weapons. But the Spiral Dance of the Willow and the Wisp was an Earth Grade Martial Art. It wasn''t so easily learnt. At least the yard was big enough that she could freely whip about without harming herself or Fang Zhao, who was also training there. Fang Zhao was going through martial arts movements with practised ease. When he had first started, there was some visible resistance. But within these few hours, his movements seemed masterful. One strike with the palm, followed by another. A total of seven, with seven different variations. From time to time, the boy would flip through the Sevenfold Strikes of the Waves manual, muttering. "I got it," he said suddenly. "What?" Yu Han raised a brow. "The Art. It appeared!" The red-eyed boy pumped his fists. "Initial Step Mastery Level 1. Finally, I''m moving forward!" His words were laced with meaning, as if he had been allowed to breathe after years of suffocation. Huang Niuniu shot him a glare. "S-Sister Huang, the Art you practise is Earth Grade, while this fist Art is merely Elite Grade. You don''t have to feel jealou¡ª" "I''m not jealous!" She huffed, then stomped inside the main compound. "Han''er, we''re leaving. Let''s get some Pure Qi." "Let me finish eat¡ª" "Han¡¯er!" Yu Han and Huang Niuniu put on their Coveralls. When they came out, Li Yao was there, standing deathly silent, watching Fang Zhao train. His face was pale, one arm above a sword hilt as if ready to draw any time. "What''s wrong?" Yu Han asked. "...They told me to either quit the butchery or quit hanging out with you," Li Yao said, his voice eerily calm. "Said the Night Soil Collectors carry evil stuff with them. If I butcher meat like this, I''ll be putting the evil stuff in the food." "That''s not scientific," Yu Han said. "Was it Sima Yan?" "Don''t know. Maybe. Probably." Li Yao looked his way. "Fuck them. I''ll join the Night Soil Collectors with Fang Zhao. You think I can ask Senior Feral Spots to clog the butchery supervisor''s outhouse too?" "Ask Niu''er." Yu Han shrugged. The four left, two heading towards the stone tank cesspools on a donkey cart, the other two heading towards the Mission Hall. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Yu Han and Huang Niuniu each earned around ten Pure Qi that day. Pure Qi: 14 (+10) / 200 Meanwhile, Fang Zhao and Li Yao successfully joined the Night Alchemists'' Yard. Five days later, Elder Chang arrived. "Follow me." His command was not to be denied. He led Yu Han to one corner of the warehouse-like donkey shed. As the thickset man approached a giant bale of hay with heavy steps, Fei Rui blocked his way, pincers ready for war. Chapter 83: Sowing Discord ¡¸You shouldn''t have come here, you dense two-legged¡ª¡¹ Before Fei Rui could finish, Elder Chang slapped him away with a wide palm. Fei Rui rolled like an oversized egg and landed on his back. His legs twitched at the sky. ¡¸No! No no no! It''s mine, it''s mine¡ª¡¹ Elder Chang moved the bale of hay. There was a hidden space in the bale, with random items littered inside. Paper, parchments, glass vials, half a broom, a Coverall glove, two spirit stones, dried ghoul skins¡ª ¡¸It''s my stash!¡¹ "You dumb crab." Yu Han massaged his temples. "The Cultivator shares the Spirit''s burden," Elder Chang said to him. "If your companion steals, that is your responsibility." "I didn''t¡­" Yu Han crouched down to Fei Rui¡¯s level. "Where did you get all these?" ¡¸From the wooden cave you humans live in,¡¹ Fei Rui said tearily. "You can''t take without permission," Yu Han said. , he added inwardly. ¡¸B-But big small worm said I could! He does it all the time, so how come he can do it and I can''t? He doesn''t even like collections and stashes, but he eats all these¡ª¡¹ "Just because Worm Daoist Feral Spot said it''s okay, doesn''t mean you can break Sect rules!" Yu Han said. He made sure to say the worm''s name extra loud. "So it''s that thief again!" Elder Chang was incensed. He pushed Yu Han aside, saying, "Even if the thief tries to lead your companion astray, it''s your duty to guide them back to the proper path. Got it?" Yu Han nodded ferociously, like he was digging with his chin. Elder Chang berated Fei Rui, who shrunk until he was the size of a teacup. He made promises to have a ¡°talk¡± with Feral Spot. Yu Han prayed for the Annelida soul. After that, Elder Chang gathered the four into the discussion chambers. "You''ve both applied to join the Night Soil Collectors. Good, good. I knew I didn''t misjudge you." There was a smile on Elder Chang''s face. "At the end of the day, the greed of a Cultivator overcomes any stigma they have towards waste work." Li Yao and Fang Zhao offered uneasy smiles. "Your Coveralls will be delivered by the night," Elder Chang said. "As promised before, you may use yard property in your Hidden Realm excursion. Take some of the processed Filth Eating Ghoul skin and put it in the small compartment under the larger one, where the Coveralls are stored. Lest they don''t get repaired." Yu Han''s hands shook. "Four vials of Pure Qi assimilating Elixirs will be delivered too," Elder Chang said. "The Dawn Mist Crane tribe is busy with the name change of the Unending Drizzle Hall, but the delivery work inside the Sect continues. Got it?" But Yu Han nodded. "I''ve heard from the Law Enforcement Hall," Elder Chang said. "Dare you still venture to the Hidden Realm with foes at your back?" They had discussed this thoroughly. All four of them had agreed that with Fei Rui, their safety was not totally compromised. "We fear no scum," Li Yao said. "If they come, we''ll send them running with swords between their neck and heart." "Quit the posturing," Elder Chang said. Li Yao blushed. It was the first time Yu Han had seen the guy show any shame. Elder Chang passed on four pieces of paper. "Beaconing Talismans. If you''re near enough to the gateway village, the Law Enforcement Hall disciples stationed there will rush to help." "Our gratitudes!" Yu Han was the first to bow, followed by the others. "Indomitable spirit. Keep at it," Elder Chang said. "In a few levels, you''ll be eligible for rewards from the Medical and Alchemy Halls. Keep Cultivating, keep fighting, and don''t listen to Wen''s cowardly philosophy. He is tired of bickering about honour with his family is all." With that, he was gone. Yu Han, Li Yao, and Huang Niuniu took their Pure Qi Assimilating Elixirs that night, while Fang Zhao saved his. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The first time Fang Zhao and Li Yao went out on ghoul exterminating rounds¡ªtechnically their second time¡ªYu Han and Huang Niuniu acted as seniors to show them the ropes. They trained during morning, and during the afternoons they cleaned the waste. Yu Han''s experiments continued at night in Deep Sleep. He now had five shelves full of data¡ªmemories saved in pearls, sorted into specific categories. He would sometimes train in the crabscape, too, to see if there were any effects. There weren''t any negative ones. His Arts True Qi gains were normal. Though he did notice some anomalies. "Did you hear that?" Yu Han said to Fei Rui as they passed by the Tunnel of Doom. ¡¸Things on the other side make noises sometimes,¡¹ Fei Rui said, rubbing one claw against the other. ¡¸Wanna go in? We can tell them not to make noises by making them unable to make noises.¡¹ "Hell no!" Yu Han firmly refused. "I don''t want to be doomed." ¡¸I''ll have to go there to pass my tribulation. Yu Han, won''t you come with me? Won''t you? Won''t you?¡¹ "We can talk about this later," Yu Han said. ¡¸Okay!¡¹ Another five days passed, leaving four days until Wen Liujie¡¯s return, according to the letter. Fang Zhao had successfully learnt all six Martial Arts. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s not fair!" Huang Niuniu pouted. "Sister Huang¡­" Fang Zhao tried to placate the young woman. "It''s not that I''m more talented than you. What I learnt are Elite Grade Martial Arts. Yours is an Earth Grade one! Besides, you have the strange method of training True Qi with wisps, while I can''t even level up. How can I compare to you?" It disgusted Yu Han that such empty flattery worked. Was Huang Niuniu dumb or smart? Or was she just bipolar? That night, she successfully learnt the Spiral Dance of the Willow and the Wisp too. It was beautiful, fireflies surrounding her as the deadly whips sliced through the air. They celebrated, and she cooked meat stew. The smell somehow overpowered the musky odour of the compost pits. "I don''t think it''s supposed to look like this." Li Yao poked the floating meat, which looked like a drowned, washed-up corpse. "Cow Girl, you followed the recipe, right? Just spices, sauces, and meat?" "Shut up and eat, you brute," she commanded. The stew tasted fine to Yu Han. After all, he was used to eating the spites. The others would have to acquire the taste, or they wouldn''t be able to enjoy Huang Niuniu''s¡ª A possibility crossed Yu Han''s mind. He shook his head. His taste buds were changed forever. He would need to have her cook some other dishes. Fei Rui leapt down from a beam on the ceiling. "Good heavens, crab!" Li Yao shouted. "Scared the shit outta me. Can''t you¡ª" "Don''t yell at him!" Huang Niuniu shouted back. ¡¸Yu Han, one of the two-legged monsters is here. I think they''re not monsters at all, but humans!¡¹ "Where is he?" Yu Han asked the crab. Finally, after ten days of no activity, the Mad Bloodhounds had come to spy on them. ¡¸Just outside the wooden sticks buried in the ground behind the hot water place that makes my insides feel funny.¡¹ Yu Han explained the situation to the others. "I-It''s a pervert!" Huang Niuniu was horrified. She enjoyed taking baths in the hot springs. The monkeys were good company, and in the female side of the partition, only female monkeys were allowed. "There''s three monkeys there, according to Fei Rui. None of them noticed," Yu Han said. "What do we do now?" Li Yao asked. There was a deadly gleam in his eyes. Fang Zhao cracked his knuckles. "Fei Rui, can you knock him out?" Yu Han said. "Without being detected?" The crab spun for a minute as if to think, then nodded with his eyestalks.¡¸I can go like this!¡¹ Fei Rui''s camouflage activated. ¡¸And then I can go behind him and bam him on the head!¡¹ "What if he dies, though?" Yu Han asked. Loss of consciousness through head blows were only movie myths. He consulted with the others, and Li Yao had a solution. He pointed at a certain spot on his neck. "Here. Choke it for a bit and he''ll pass out, ''cause he won''t be able to breathe and blood won''t go to his head." After Yu Han''s translation, Fei Rui ran up and down the corridor. He practised with the wooden pillar and said, ¡¸Okay!¡¹ It didn''t soothe Yu Han''s worries at all. Murder was a serious crime. But they couldn''t live in fear. If they were coming for Huang Niuniu, Yu Han would rather strike first. They walked to the changing areas while talking loudly, pretending as if they would use the hot springs. A few minutes later, there was a soft thud from outside. ¡¸I got him!¡¹ Fei Rui shouted. They left the main compound and saw Fei Rui hanging an unconscious young man on a tree with some vines. The peeper''s neck was swollen. But there was breath. "We can throw him in the pits," Li Yao said. He played with his swords. "Tell Feral Spot to be quiet. He''ll be part of the Sect in a few months." "That''s a joke, right?" Yu Han asked. "Maybe." Li Yao grinned. He proceeded to loot the unconscious young man. Some papers with strange characters on them, a brush with a spirit stone attached. A sword, a dagger, some spirit stones and monster cores, two vials. And of course, all the clothes. They decided to keep everything in Fang Zhao''s ring. "Fei Rui, go into his dream," Yu Han said. "Remember the pearls I showed you before? The ones where we are acting out the play?" Yu Han paused. "And the ones with big baddie Sima Yan and his gang of bad guys. Take them and project it in his dreams. Can you do that?" ¡¸Okay!¡¹ Fei Rui giggled. He did a small dance, then retracted one eyestalk. ¡¸This is so much fun. We make plans and then we play with the bad guys before eating them, right?¡¹ "We don''t eat them," Yu Han said. "If you want food, we can buy it for you from the marketplace." ¡¸Can I eat an apple?¡¹ "Sure." Fei Rui completed the assignment. The unconscious guy was squirming and muttering nonsense about fucking up nobles. Only the crab knew how successful their attempt was, but Yu Han decided to trust in him. "Throw him in the ditch by the Grotto of Three Old Frogs," Yu Han said. "You think this will work?" Li Yao said. "If it does, our enemies will fight each other," Yu Han said. "If it doesn''t, it''ll at least buy us some time." The Mad Bloodhounds didn''t make any moves for the two days, though they did hear that a commoner courtyard had beaten up a few noble disciples so badly that the Law Enforcement Hall had to get involved. The Mad Bloodhounds were the prime suspects, and because of the nagging from a certain Inner Sect disciple, they were under investigation. "Evil fucking genius!" Li Yao clapped Yu Han''s shoulder. The next day, Yu Han reached his True Qi cap, and his Trial appeared before his eyes. Chapter 84: Level Up Trial Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 1 Active Accords: 1 True Qi: 200 (+82) / 200 Pure Qi: 31 / 200 Primordial Qi: 0 Lifeforce: 792 / 792 Trial: [Investigate the Outerplanar Threat.] Yu Han had seen the Dao Record recite such literature once before, when he had reached Level 1 from Level 0. At that time, it was for a Tribulation, which a cultivator must pass to break through major realms in cultivation. Such as from Level 0 to 1, or Level 10 to 11. But for Trials, they usually were easier to complete than Tribulations and were needed for levelling up the minor realms, such as level 1 to 2. In this case, it was his first Trial, so he didn¡¯t know what the standard texts for them were like. But the text for his Level 0 Tribulations weren¡¯t poetic. The previous Tribulation texts were [Purify Tainted Entities: 1/1] and [With merely water and no food, tread ten mountains a day for ten days]¡ªalthough he hadn''t needed to pass the latter one. The poem attached to that Tribulation was a cryptic warning about not sharing it with others. It could be considered a clue to properly pass the Tribulation, as apparently sharing them made passing the Tribulation much harder. Just like the Tribulation, this poem came with the Trial text itself. A flavour text, if Yu Han used game terms. That was what Ji''s Cultivation Contemplation had said. There were many common Trials and Tribulations. Kill a certain number of monsters, or solve a certain array pattern, or do a series of tasks in a specific order with restrictions applied. If one had to kill a specific monster, it was fine for the Cultivator to ask around about the monster, and even how to kill it. As long as he didn''t mention it was his Trial, it was supposed to be fine. There were records of people boasting about their Trials after passing them, without anything happening. But the stigma associated with talking about Trials and Tribulations was just too strong, deeply embedded into the psyche of older Cultivators. Most preferred not to share them if possible. There had to be a reason for such superstitions, especially in a magical world like this one. Young Ji, the author of Cultivation Contemplations, assumed it might have something to do with fate, karma, destiny, and a Cultivator''s path beyond the Nascent Soul realm. Yu Han thought as he went through the Trial text again. Yu Han came into contact with filth regularly. He really hoped the Trial wasn¡¯t to purge himself of a weird fungal infection like the Underspores that had infected Feral Spot. [Purifying Tainted Entities] was a killing task. The [With merely water and no food, tread ten mountains a day for ten days] Tribulation was a series of tasks. Was he supposed to kill this ghost? He tried to find mention of these in the books: Ocean Gu, River Gu, Lake Gu, Creatures Compendium, and even the Four Meditations on the Hundred Thousand Waterways. In the Ocean Gu section of the first book, he found a mention. Yu Han shuddered. The image brought to mind the grotesque movies. Thinking logically, every human being had parasites. Yu Han didn''t know if Cultivators of higher levels could somehow expel them from their mortal flesh. Maybe they could even refine the microbiome inside their guts and intestines somehow. At his level, Yu Han definitely couldn''t. Maybe one of the parasites inside his body was this Parasitic Fireworm? You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "Your Level 2 Trial was a killing trial, right?" Yu Han asked Li Yao, who had just come out of the hot springs and was relaxing on a three-legged chair. It originally had four legs, but Fei Rui had stolen one to add it to his collection. "Are you trying to curse me?" Li Yao raised an eyebrow. "Merely talking around your Trials causes no karmic harm, Brother Li," Fang Zhao said from the yard. He went through each motion of the many Martial Arts. Somehow, he was connecting moves from Bronze Crane Leg with Feather Scale Step seamlessly. ¡°As long as you do not blatantly share the Trial commands as they appeared in your Dao Records.¡± "I had to kill some monsters," Li Yao said. "Not in the Hidden Realm, obviously. Went to a pioneering village on a Drizzle. The monsters had nested in a cave." "Some say Trials are the Great Dao''s way of purging filth from the world using borrowed swords," Fang Zhao said. "Some say that the Primordial Qi and Heavenly Allocation are rewards from the Great Dao for service rendered. I don''t agree, though." He kicked up with one leg, and punched backward with both fists parallel to each other. "Because sometimes, Trials of different groups of cultivators clash, which has caused war, famine, and uncountable deaths. Demonic Cultivators go through Torments in addition to Trials, which cause suffering to themselves and others. And the Great Dao may bestow Temperings upon a Cultivator, which are like Trials but without one''s True Qi being filled, and without any Heavenly Allocation or Primordial Qi rewards. They are rewarded in other ways, but according to my clan seniors, the difficulty of Temperings may be greater than a Trial''s, or even a Tribulation''s. But the rewards always feel lesser than direct enhancement of stat points. It is fortunate that we can refuse Temperings, but they say that doing so is bad luck." "It''s amazing you can speak so much while prancing about like that," Li Yao praised. ¡°You should¡¯ve tried being a teacher.¡± ¡°The scholarly cultivation is not for me.¡± Fang Zhao spun around with a roundhouse kick to a stop, breathing out with a low whistle. "Show off." Huang Niuniu scowled, hugging her two whips. "Cow Girl, do you have to be so petty?" Li Yao laughed. "Don''t call me Cow Girl!" "Cow Girl. Cow Girl, Cow Girl, Cow¡ªFuck! Don''t you know attacking a fellow disciple is a crime¡ªStop it!" Li Yao deflected one whip with one sword, and the other whip with another sword. Huang Niuniu chased him around, daring him to misbehave again. Fei Rui tugged Yu Han''s sleeve. The crab was the size of a cat now. ¡¸I also have a Tribulation. It''s better than your Trial,¡¹ he said smugly. "Sure it is." Yu Han sighed. The crab bounced off, becoming larger and blocking Li Yao''s path. Huang Niuniu thought Fei Rui was helping her, but the crab grabbed her whips and ran off. The girl chased after. Two more days passed. He had cultivated the first day, but True Qi didn''t rise as expected. After one more shift of killing Filth Eating Ghouls, his Pure Qi amount surpassed 50 again. Pure Qi: 51 (+20) / 200 He had hoped that it would be assimilated for stat points, but it didn''t. That night, Wen Liujie returned, covered in bandages. "What happened to you?" Huang Niuniu asked. "Did you make someone mad?" "Junior Huang, is that any way to congratulate your supervisor for breaking through?" Wen Liujie said through his bandages. He looked like a mummy, with both arms apparently broken. "Are you Level 10 now?" Huang Niuniu asked. Wen Liujie laughed proudly. "Indeed I am. With the increase in level, my stipend also increased. But here''s the good part. The contribution points stipend increased even more because I''m part of the Night Alchemists'' Yard. See how good the benefits are?" He came closer and spoke with a quieter voice. "If you guys think that recruiting two more members will get you promoted above me, think again." "Senior Wen, I think there is something profoundly wrong with how you view the world," Huang Niuniu said. "You guys don''t understand," Wen Liujie countered. "To have a stable job is a precious thing in today''s economy. My view of the world is good for promotions, while you gamble for luck in the Hidden Realm." "Didn''t you break through in the Hidden Realm?" Huang Niuniu said. "This is this, that is that," Wen Liujie said. "I broke through in the Hidden Realm because I had the foundation laid out after years of work experience." "Why did you call us?" Yu Han interrupted the two idiots before their conversation could spiral further. "Oh, right," Wen Liujie said. "I heard about your stalker problem from Ruoxuan and Elder Chang." "So you call her by her last name?" Huang Niuniu asked sheepishly. "Shut it!" Wen Liujie shot her an annoyed glare. He then asked Yu Han, "You guys realise that the Hidden Realm isn''t a playground? Not only do other hostile Sects have access to it, you also have to look out for stabs in the back from your own Sect brothers and sisters. Why take the risk still?" "It''s a calculated risk," Yu Han said. With Fei Rui, and the resources they had access to such as the Coveralls, healing potions, the 108 Lanterns of the Blue Veined Underspores (that could apparently heal too), and the Beaconing Talisman, it wouldn¡¯t be so risky. They would go in for some experience, and come back after testing the waters. "All calculations break down when you meet a fist with your face," Wen Liujie said. "Or a claw with your kidney, or a sword with your skull." "Senior Brother is right," Yu Han said. "I-I am?" Wen Liujie was taken aback. "We''ve selected a mission to hunt Rot-Dweller Swines," Yu Han said. "We understand that we''ll have to hand over one swine''s worth of mushrooms that grow on their backs as tax, and the rest of the hunt we can keep." "That''s correct." "But it''s still combat, and wild boars are nothing to scoff at. They can maim and cripple, and Rot-Dweller Swines can infect people with strange diseases too. It may still be too dangerous for us!" "So you do understand," Wen Liujie exclaimed through his bandaged face. "We''re wondering if we have access to missions that are safer, such as gathering herbs or plants," Yu Han said. "Niu''er wants to train in alchemy in the future. So this line of work may suit her more. The missions you gave us earlier were mostly about hunting monsters, with few foraging and gathering ones." "Worry not, Junior Yu," Wen Liujie went around the desk to one of the cabinets and opened a lower drawer with his feet. "Take the scrolls here. They''re gathering missions suitable for Levels 1 to 5. The treasured plants are things that the Alchemy or Medical Halls need. They should be much safer, unless you pick a mission that asks you to gather poisonous plants. You won''t, right?" "Of course not!" Yu Han promised. He went through the mission and surprisingly found a suitable one; a mission where they had to gather Lesser Nurturing Blood Ferns. As he slept that night, he went over the last details of his upcoming Hidden Realm adventure in his dreamscape. If nothing unexpected happened, the day after tomorrow they would leave. They had enough members, a good mission, and excellent equipment¡ªand hopefully the team would function properly. They would keep safe, not delving deeper into the Hidden Realm than they had to, then try to return within the same day. Two days at maximum. The reason they weren''t leaving tomorrow was because Huang Niuniu was also at her True Qi cap. Her Trial was apparently a task-type; she had to do something in the rain near a large body of water. It rained nearly every day here, so the chance was good that she would break through to Level 2 soon. Yu Han mused. A hundred and fifty days since he became a Cultivator. He was Level 1 now. How far could he reach in his lifetime? Reaching Level 2 before leaving for the Hidden Realm would be best. Ten more stat points would boost his power a lot, but there was no clue of the Parasitic Fireworm¡ª ¡¸Yu Han, watch out!¡¹ Fei Rui shouted. A green shadow leapt out of nowhere, lunging towards Yu Han''s head. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 85: Ghost Dreams Yu Han buckled his knees, collapsing in the most unelegant manner. This split-second decision saved him as the green shadow flew over his head. "What the actual flying fuck?" Yu Han rolled forward and sprung to his feet. "What was that?" ¡¸It went into the wall!¡¹ Fei Rui said. He clicked his pincers and grew to his full size, shielding Yu Han from the front. ¡¸There!¡¹ He pointed at another portion of the dreamscape wall. The white, chalk-like surface rippled as if it was water. Then a line of green shot out! "It''s fast!" Yu Han shouted, instinctively echoing his halberd. The green line was like a zigzagging comet. It had a blazing tip and an iridescent tail, flying through the air. ¡¸Yu Han, I can hit it!¡¹ Fei Rui said, bringing a pincer down on it faster than Yu Han could react. But the green comet dodged! It swivelled around Fei Rui''s claw, going straight for Yu Han. Yu Han''s mind was far calmer than he had expected. By the time the green comet was within mere feet, Yu Han had already gone into Mountain Root Stance. The blade of the illusory halberd hit the comet head on. This halberd had not been memorycast with a pearl, so it only had the default level of reality. But it deflected the green comet away. It was absorbed into the dreamscape floor like sinking into mud. Yu Han''s dreamscape was shaped like a shallow bowl with a curved lid. The floor was flat in the centre, but curved upward around the edges. Instead of a perfect dome overhead, the ceiling reached its highest point off to one side, creating an asymmetrical curve. As if they were inside a strange clam. The passage leading to Fei Rui''s crabscape was built into the inner wall of this bowl-like space. So technically, there were no separate walls, as all of it was contiguous. ¡¸It''s swimming in the wall,¡¹ Fei Rui said. His periscope-like eyestalks followed the creature across the floor of the dreamscape, then to the walls, and all the way to the ceiling. Directly above Yu Han''s head. ¡¸It''s charging!¡¹ Fei Rui stood to his full height with his elongated legs, easily stepping above Yu Han to act as an umbrella. ¡¸It stopped? It can see us!¡¹ S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Each second passed with a hundred beats of Yu Han''s heart. Fei Rui''s gaze moved back and forth. A few times, he almost struck out with his claws, but stopped at the last second. As if the attack he was expecting didn''t come. Yu Han''s mind raced. Yu Han noticed a charred section of the halberd blade. It was just an echo, not the real thing. But until now, only Yu Han and Fei Rui had been able to damage echoes. "Fei Rui, drop me some pearls." ¡¸Do you have a plan?¡¹ Yu Han nodded, and Fei Rui conjured all thirteen pearls he had left for the day. He''d used up the rest for memory management. Yu Han took one and memorycast his halberd. With another, he memorycast the Coveralls. "Can you project them?" Yu Han placed the two pearls on the ground. ¡¸Leave it to me¡ªit''s here!¡¹ A green flame shot out from the wall opposite the crabscape passage. Fei Rui hammered it from above like a mason swinging down a hammer. Just the force of the wind was enough to dishevel Yu Han''s hair. He scrambled to pick up the pearls again, the others jangling in his pocket. The flame dodged, but Fei Rui''s second claw was waiting. The two forces clashed, followed by two pained roars. ¡¸Ouch! Yu Han, it hurts!¡¹ Fei Rui cried. A beastly growl blared. The flame flickered off, revealing a translucent worm with a segmented body. It growled, fire covering its form again. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "It''s the Parasitic Fireworm." Yu Han was sure of it. How did it get into his dreamscape? Was it before the Trial mentioned it, or after? And why did it resemble the green flames of the¡ª ¡¸Here you go!¡¹ Fei Rui had taken the chance to project Yu Han''s coveralls and halberd. If possible, Yu Han would have liked to memorycast a whole scene where both the objects were present to save on pearls. But object memories, when memorycast, remained longer. Event memories vanished after the event finished replaying. Under Fei Rui''s protection, Yu Han put on the Coveralls. The Parasitic Fireworm had charged thrice more, but was each time deflected by Fei Rui. "Thanks, Fei Rui. You''re the best!" ¡¸It hurts so much, Yu Han¡­¡¹ "I''m so sorry. This is my fault," Yu Han apologised. He stood straight with Mountain Root Stance, ready to attack with a Stone Cutting Chop the moment the Parasitic Fireworm would appear. ¡¸Yu Han isn''t bad. It''s this bad green worm! It''s so ugly too, not handsome like Big Small Worm Feral Spot at all.¡¹ Yu Han had only gotten a glimpse at the worm. He echoed the image in front. Fei Rui smashed down on it, hitting the floor so hard that Yu Han was afraid he would smash it open. After all, Fei Rui had vandalised Yu Han''s dreamscape walls many times before the accord was established. ¡¸Sorry,¡¹ the crab apologised. "No, I should''ve warned you first," Yu Han said through gritted teeth. It wasn''t friendly fire, but , did it scare the hell out of him. He echoed the Parasitic Fireworm again. It looked as though it were made of glass or gel-like plastic, its segmented body almost transparent except for the faint green vein going from one end to another. It was flat. The hole on one end was bigger, with jagged, shard-like protrusions hooking inside in circular layers. That was probably the mouth. The tail end also had a hole at the tip of what looked like a spike. The dreamscape quaked. "What''s happening?" Yu Han asked. ¡¸It''s angry!¡¹ Fei Rui''s was looking straight at the floor. ¡¸It''s going and with all that green fire down there¡ª¡¹ Before the crab could finish speaking, the floor began to ripple. ¡¸I-It''s blowing fire at us from afar! Why? Yu Han, it isn''t charging but breathing out fire. Why?¡¹ "To the crabscape!" An ominous feeling gnawed at Yu Han. "Hurry!" Fei Rui shrunk¡ªhe wouldn''t fit through the tunnel otherwise. Yu Han ran forward, kicking against the ground like his life depended on it. But his feet sank. "What¡ª?¡± ¡¸Yu Han, we¡¯re going to drown¡ª¡¹ Yu Han sank into the white dreamscape floor. Then, while retaining his momentum, flew up towards a starry sky from the grass-covered ground. "What the ¡ª" He reached the peak of his trajectory, flailing his hands and feet. ¡¸I''ll catch you!¡¹ Fei Rui had also appeared from the rippling grassy ground. The crab grew to his full size mid-air and hooked around Yu Han''s waist. "Why the hell are there trees on the other side of the dreamscape wall?" Yu Han shouted as Fei Rui crashed through spruce and fir. "Wait, spruce?" That was an earth tree! Yu Han''s world also had spruce-like trees¡ªthe locals called it a word that Yu Han translated to spruce in his mind. But it wasn''t. These were. ¡¸The bad ugly worm is swimming under the ground,¡¹ Fei Rui warned. But Yu Han couldn''t help looking around. They were in a forest. Probably on a mountain somewhere. The ground was covered in weeds and plants that kicked Yu Han''s nostalgia into overdrive. Far above, there were barely any stars in the sky. Through the canopy, on the horizon, he saw a dome of diffused light. Was that a skyglow? Was that... light pollution?! "I''m... back?" Yu Han pinched his cheeks. It hurt. That proved it wasn''t a dream, thanks to his Deep Sleep Bloodline Art. ¡¸Yu Han! You''re distracted!¡¹ Fei Rui picked him up and jumped. Not a second later, a foot-thick line of green flame scorched the spot they were just standing. "Sorry!" Yu Han bit his tongue, using the pain to focus. Yu Han knew he could feel pain in the dreamscape. But he didn''t know what would happen if he died here, assuming this forest¡ªwhich resembled the Taiwanese forests so much it hurt Yu Han''s brain to even think about it¡ªwas still his dreamscape. What an arrogant thought that would be! Yu Han spotted another green flame coming their way. This time, he rolled out of the way with Horn-Bearer''s Roll, a dodging technique that was part of the Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms. ¡¸It''s charging!¡¹ Fei Rui shouted. A moment later, a barrel-thick green comet hurled their way. Fei Rui grabbed Yu Han and jumped. "It''s huge!" Yu Han yelled. The worm changed its course midair. This time, Yu Han saw jet-like plumes bursting from its sides, as if using them to change direction. "Not good¡ª" Fei Rui grabbed a spruce tree, crunching into it with a claw. Then, like Spider-Man, he swivelled left, dodging the worm again. "You''re fucking awesome!" Yu Han shouted, the air escaping his lungs as the g-force-like momentum threatened to knock him out. Fei Rui laughed! ¡¸Bad ugly worm thinks I''m stupid enough to fight it head on. Yu Han, why is it so big here? It was little like a snake before. Now it''s as big as Big Small Worm!¡¹ "I have no fucking clue," Yu Han replied. "But we have to kill it!" That was his Trial. Yu Han cursed. This was harder than his Tribulation! If not for Fei Rui, he''d be dead already. That worm was way above his level! The cat and mouse game continued between Fei Rui, who carried Yu Han, and the worm. After a while, Yu Han had determined three patterns. The worm would shoot a flamethrower, but while shooting, it had to remain still. As it did so, the flame on its body would go out. It could burrow into the ground, and then lunge forward, tackling with massive force and a flame-covered body. While in midair, it could change directions once, and only once. At the end of its lunge, it could directly burrow into the ground. Sometimes, Fei Rui would try to clash with the Parasitic Fireworm while Yu Han hid behind him. The worm would do its single manoeuvre and go for Yu Han. Yu Han had a plan. Fire was weak to water. And what were worms weak to? Salt. And Yu Han had an ocean''s worth of salt in his memories. Chapter 86: Far Away Lights "We''ll bait it!" Yu Han said as Fei Rui jumped from one tree to another like a flying squirrel. "Take this pearl. The moment the worm charges at you, project it¡ª" A line of green fire tunnelled through the canopy, the heat searing off the green leaves to ashes. "Fuck!" The fire had almost touched his Coverall helmet, but Fei Rui had pulled them down quickly enough. ¡¸What does that word mean?¡¹ Fei Rui asked. "Forget I ever said that," Yu Han shouted back. "We''ll wait until the worm does its charge. Then you''ll¡ª" The worm charged. Fei Rui struck down with one claw and shielded Yu Han with the other. The worm dodged as usual, but Yu Han swiftly rolled aside. The worm dug into the mountain. Yu Han sent the pearl to Fei Rui. He had echoed a large amount of seawater into it. As an object echo rather than a scene of the ocean, and it had taken time. After a hundred breaths had passed, Yu Han realised he couldn''t echo anymore. But that was enough! "Next time the worm charges, project this right onto its face. I¡¯m this amount of water will put it down!" ¡¸What do you mean, put it down?¡¹ "Douse the fire, kill the worm," Yu Han explained. The ground under them quaked. "It''s coming!" Fei Rui grabbed his Coverall and leapt ontp a tree right as the Parasitic Fireworm burst out from the ground. ¡¸I have a better idea. Can I try it?¡¹ Fei Rui said. Yu Han had finished memorycasting the second pearl. He quickly echoed two giant sacks of salt in two more pearls, sacks he''d seen in the Verdant Blade Sect''s ship kitchen. "Go ahead." The worm aimed at them like a firehose. The green coat of flames dimmed, concentrating on its mouth. ¡¸Bully! Bad ugly worm wants to cook us,¡¹ Fei Rui hissed. His eyestalks glared at the offender. The worm blasted its flamethrower. Fei Rui jumped left and the line of fire followed, boring through three tree trunks. Fei Rui pinched the pearl, and the lime-green light started glowing. A sign before the object was projected. But the glowing speed was slower. He chucked the pearl at the worm. The orb hit the monster right below its mouth and the worm¡¯s upper body staggered slightly back, but continued spewing fire. ¡¸I missed!¡¹ Fei Rui cried. ¡¸I was aiming for its mouth.¡¹ "It''s fine, we have more¡ª" Yu Han tried to comfort the crab. He didn''t have to. A pool''s worth of water suddenly appeared underneath the worm in a sphere. For a split second, the worm was drowned in the salty solution. But then the sphere broke, the water falling away. A screech like teeth scratching glass howled out into the night sky. Yu Han covered his ears, but realised the Coverall helmet blocked his palms. His brain rattled. He felt dizzy. Strangely, no lifeforce was lost. Was it because he had instantly activated Thousand Petals Awareness to mute his hearing? ¡¸Yu Han, I think it worked!¡¹ Fei Rui cheered. He jumped forward, blitzing towards the worm. Yu Han got a better view of the monster. It was shaking left and right, the section of the body outside of the hole convulsing. A large amount of water must have flowed down the hole too, so it squirmed like a rope tying itself up and wiggled out of the hole. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The fire was gone. Its translucent skin looked muddier; other than that, there was no physical change. But by its howling and mad thrashing, it was definitely feeling it. Yu Han handed Fei Rui the two pearls with salt sacks. The crab projected them. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. As the duo approached the writhing worm, Yu Han noticed another change. Parts of its body swelled, especially near the mouth. But the parts that had been in the hole had contracted. He ripped open a salt sack and poured the contents on the Parasitic Fireworm. Fei Rui did the same. A second later, the crab grabbed Yu Han and hurriedly jumped back. A giant green flame engulfed the creature, followed by a scream. The salt visibly liquefied from the intense heat, and a pungent smell wafted out. The concentrated saline coated the worm''s body with a glass-like glaze that swiftly turned muddy in colour. "You goofed up," Yu Han said. The worm thrashed. Crusts of salt flew out, stuck to pieces of the worm''s own body. Cooked. Charred. Over-seasoned. The salt would run down its length, and spread inside its body through its wounds. The osmosis damage would cause intense dehydration and tissue damage. The minutes passed. The thrashing slowly grew quieter. Suddenly, the worm''s body ignited again. "Is it that stupid?" Yu Han prepared three more pearls filled with salt-sacks. ¡¸It is. It so is!¡¹ Fei Rui had a patronising attitude. He looked at the charred portion of his claw with one eye and glared at the worm with another. The fire lasted ten minutes. Green, like emerald. It spread from the worm to the surrounding foliage, covering an area of about ten feet in diameter. "It''s not going to start a forest fire, is it?" Yu Han doubted it. The forest was damp, as if it had just rained. And the green fire from the worm''s previous attacks hadn¡¯t spread. As expected, the flames died down. It left a circular area where the ground had become almost completely flat, albeit slanted since it was on a mountain. "Is this... clay? Chalk?" It was white. The same colour as his dreamscape wall. In the middle of the white circle, there was a smaller inner circle where the surface reflected the moonlight like a mirror. From this inner circle, ripples undulated out to the white outer circle, and then the mountain ground. As if they were on water, not land. By the hole, there were some small objects. White triangles with veins of green, as if ceramics had been glued together by liquid emerald. "Are those teeth?" Yu Han¡¯s breath rose and fell, as did the tension from his shoulders. He let go of the halberd and removed the helmet from his face. He could feel sweat dripping down his forehead, and each of his muscles ached. It all felt real. Too real. He had never known his dream body could give him such accurate feedback. ¡¸Yu Han, what is this place?¡¹ Fei Rui scuttled around the white circle, taking care not to let the ripples touch him. His eyestalks were aimed at the sky. ¡¸Where are all the stars?¡¹ "I don''t know," Yu Han said. "I might know." He checked his body. It was definitely that of Yu Han, not Johan. Fat, but far fitter than five months ago. "Let''s take a look that way." Yu Han pointed at the direction of the skyglow. If it really was a skyglow, that had to be a city. ¡¸How do we go back?¡¹ Fei Rui asked. ¡¸Maybe we can find a way to go back first and then we can go towards the dome of terrible light?¡¹ "We can easily find our way back here," Yu Han pressed. It would be a lie if he said he didn''t care about going back. But if this really was Earth, then there was no choice to even consider. He would stay here. "Maybe there are treasures in this place," Yu Han said, trying to convince the crab. "Food we''ve never had before. Places of infinite knowledge. Enough money to buy anything in the world!" ¡¸Can I add them to my collection?¡¹ "I''ll open you a bank account," Yu Han said. "A savings account? How about a high-yield Savings account? Heck, if you want to store some artwork in Switzerland I can even¡ª" ¡¸What''s a bank account?¡¹ Fei Rui''s eyes glowed. Something about that phrase seemed to have tickled a primal part of its being. ¡¸What''s a Switzerland?¡¹ "It''s¡ª" Ripples spread from the circular mirror, swaying beneath their feet. Yu Han felt as if he had been transferred to a ship sailing the high seas. He lost his balance and fell. His body sank in the ripples. Like quicksand. There was no escape. "No¡ª!" The world of Earth vanished. He reached out, trying to grab something. Anything. He grasped nothing. With a plop, he was flung back to his dreamscape, followed by Fei Rui, the worm''s teeth, and his halberd. ¡¸That was fun!¡¹ Fei Rui cheered, both his claws clicking the air. ¡¸Again!¡¹ Yu Han flung himself to his feet and started tapping the white shelled ground. The taps evolved to thuds, and finally punches. "No! Fuck!" No ripples. Nothing. It was as if the other side of the white wall didn''t exist at all. "Where is it¡ª" ¡¸Yu Han, you dummy,¡¹ Fei Rui said with a childlike laugh. ¡¸It''s here.¡¹ The crab scuttled a few metres away from Yu Han, nearer to the centre of the dreamscape, but not quite. It was directly below the highest point of the dreamscape''s bowl-shaped ceiling. "...Oh, right." Yu Han jumped up. He was glad that Huang Niuniu wasn''t here to see his shameful display. He neared the location where Fei Rui was tapping with his feet. There was a circular mirror embedded into the white-shelled wall. It was about a metre wide, the same size as it had been on the other side. His face reflected back. The sweat was drying. There were no bruises. Hair stuck to his forehead. He touched the mirror. A small ripple waved outwards, and between each peak of the ripple, the scene in the mirror changed from Yu Han and this side of the dreamscape to the green foliage of that side. And as each second passed, Yu Han felt something drain from his body. Otherworldly Taint Purified. Pure Qi Acquired: +150 Trial Overcome: [Investigate the Outerplanar Threat - Completed. Vanquished Ghost Dreams Parasitic Fireworm (Outerplanar): 1.] The ripples erupted into violent swells. "Not enough¡ª" It was as if Yu Han''s very being was being drained to break whatever barrier existed between the realities. Fei Rui said something, but Yu Han could not hear. He did not care. All he wanted was to go back. See his dad one last time. Tell his siblings he was sorry. +1 True Qi. You Have Levelled Up. His vision shattered, the dreamscape falling apart like reflections on a broken mirror. What replaced it wasn''t Earth, but the dark void of sleep. Chapter 87: Progress Heavenly Allocation: Body +5 Primordial Qi +3 True Qi ¡¸Good morning, Yu Han!¡¹ Fei Rui''s puppy-sized body appeared in Yu Han¡¯s vision. ¡¸Last night was fun. We killed the bad ugly worm and went for a walk in the place beyond your dreamscape. What was that place? Why did you want to go back?¡¹ "Good morning," Yu Han said. ¡¸Good morning!¡¹ Fei Rui ran off without needing answers. Yu Han heaved himself up, using a hand to block the sunlight stinging his eyes. The room was empty; Fang Zhao and Li Yao must''ve already gotten up. After that, they would all take Huang Niuniu to complete her Trial by a nearby river. Name: Yu Han (Johan) Level: 2 (+1) Active Accords: 1 True Qi: 4 (+4) / 300 Pure Qi: 181 (+150) / 300 Primordial Qi: 5 (+1) Lifeforce: 737 (-55) / 912 (+120) It was full at 792 before. Now lifeforce had gone up by 120. Yu Han couldn''t remember seeing the ¡°lifeforce lost¡± notification. Did he simply miss it in the heat of the battle? It felt surreal. There was an easy way to verify. He could echo a scene from his past life, and then echo what he had seen yesterday. Match up the trees for similarities. He felt guilty. His wish to go back was too strong. The urge was undeniable. But now, as he woke up, he had to accept that this was his new reality. Was there really a portal connected to Earth in his dreamscape? Yu Han doubted it. It was a dream, after all. The scene beyond his dreamscape might just be limited to that mountain. Or Yangmingshan National Park, where Yu Han had been in the moment of his death. He told himself not to get his hopes up. After all, he was still Yu Han, not Johan in the dream. He could echo objects there. And he could only do so in his dreams. That might not be reality. Yu Han opened all three windows in the room, lining the same east wall. The sunlight came in unobstructed. The day was sunny, no mist on the horizon. Today was the 150th day since he''d come to this world. Since that green meteor blasted him out of existence. The meteor had it. The watch Fei Rui memorycast had burnt green. This Ghost Dreams Parasitic Fireworm also commanded green fire. There was something going on, and it had something to do with the green meteor. But what? It was hard to investigate in the real world. He didn''t have unrestricted access to knowledge with the Internet like before. Fire burnt green when copper, boron, and some other elements were introduced to it. That probably wasn''t the case with the green meteor, though. That was a lead. Yu Han brought up his stat panels. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 17.33] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 24 Perception: 11 Clarity: 10 Focus: 11 [Body Origin: 7.60 (+1.00)] Endurance: 8 (+1) Vitality: 11 (+1) Strength: 8 (+1) Agility: 5 (+1) Dexterity: 6 (+1) This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. [Spirit Origin: 8.60 (+0.40)] Adaptability: 17 (+1) Magnitude: 5 Density: 6 Fortitude: 10 (+1) Purity: 5 A smile crept up to his face. Yu Han clenched his fists in front of his eyes, then unclenched them. It was subtle, the power. But there was a feeling of confidence inside of him. He could do more with his body now. He would have to test it out when practising Martial Arts. But part of his very being told him that he was stronger. He hadn''t felt like this during the first two Heavenly Allocations at Levels 0 and 1. Why now? Had he become more perceptive? Was it the perception stat, or maybe the high Mind Origin overall? They would go to the Hidden Realm the next day. Yu Han didn''t want to wait to allocate the Primordial Qi. Who knew; even one substat being higher could save his life. He brought up the Arts panels. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Deep Sleep] Type: Bloodline Grade: Mortal Level 1 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 49 (+39) / 300 [Echoing Dreamscape] Type: Auxiliary Grade: Mortal Level 10 (+1) Mastery: Initial Step Level 6 (+2) True Qi: 420 (+271) / 700 [Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique] Type: Cultivation Grade: Mortal Level 5 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 (+1) True Qi: 116 (+351) / 400 [Ox Tail 72 Sweeping Forms] Type: Martial Grade: Elite Level 2 Mastery: Initial Step Level 2 True Qi: 143 (+91) / 300 [Thousand Petals Awareness] Type: Psychic Grade: Elite Level 9 Mastery: Initial Step Level 3 (+2) True Qi: 136 (+447) / 400 Looking at the progress of his Arts over the last two weeks, Yu Han couldn''t help but be satisfied. After he had figured out the trick of Cultivating inside his dreamscape, the True Qi gain for Arts had skyrocketed. Calm Before the Storm Breathing Technique had levelled up a few days back. The average True Qi he could get from that was around 20 to 35 for each night of Cultivation. Because of it, his natural Realm True Qi gain had risen from 1 to 2 per day to 2 to 4. It might have looked like a small increase, but in Yu Han''s case, that was practically doubling it. Thousand Petals Awareness had levelled twice. Now it was easier for Yu Han to boost or mute a sense¡ªespecially the sense of touch, which he practised every night in his dreamscape while Cultivating. He would still blank out after a while and start levitating in space, though he had no idea why. But he could retain his conscious mind for longer now. Echoing Dreamscape had been at 347 True Qi the day before. So in addition to his usual gain of around 15 to 25, he¡¯d gained an extra 50 True Qi. He had hoped that it would explode like it did before, when he had done all the tests with memorycasting. Yu Han opened up the Traits panels. Traits: [Existential Anchor] Grade: Mortal Level 2 (+1) True Qi: Requirements Not Satisfied [Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline] Grade: Mortal Level 10 True Qi: 159 (+89) / 1100 [Qi Affinity] Grade: Mortal Level 7 True Qi: 11 / 800 He froze. Existential Anchor had levelled up. There had been no notification. He was sure of it. Usually when an Art would level up, it would notify him. Yu Han concentrated on the words: Existential Anchor. Nothing happened. No answers or hints. The trait was probably why he was unaffected by Fang Zhao''s ring''s mind control. He could also hear through the psychic whispers of the Mad Bloodhounds. The trait also didn''t appear on talent orbs; Qiao Jinhai and Dong Chou had been none the wiser. So for now, all it had given him were advantages. And he had a hunch that his transmigration was the reason he had this trait. But it would be nice to know what it actually did! Yu Han wasn''t complaining about the level up. He more than welcomed it. But he needed more data. The shock from the Existential Anchor almost made him miss the huge True Qi gain to Deep Writhing Clam Bloodline. Yu Han had looked up what a Deep Writhing Clam was. It was basically a clam octopus. There were normal animal variants, and many different types of Primal Beasts. The running theory on why Cultivators had such varied beast-type bloodlines was that far into the past, perhaps millions of years ago, they had an ancestor; that ancestor was a spirit beast who could take human form, and had married a Cultivator. The usual way to increase these bloodline trait levels was via pills, potions, elixirs, spirit foods, and gruelling Body Cultivation, each more painful than the other to tickle out every last bit of potential from the flesh, bones, and blood. Yu Han didn''t want to do the last one, and he was too poor to regularly use pills and spirit foods. His belly rumbled. Yu Han brought up the stats panel again. After some thought, he decided to put everything into Memory. Though in his past life, there was a growing trend of generalisation rather than specialisation, Yu Han knew the only advantage he had over others was his dream abilities. Because of it, he could Cultivate Psychic and Cultivation Arts there directly, unlike Martial Arts, which would not increase. This effectively gave him more hours to train. And the only stat that had reflected tangible improvements to his Echoing Dreamscape was Memory. It was also a question of how important the Origin stat''s value was, as opposed to the importance of each substat. If the relation between the Origin Stat and the substats really was a weighted average, dumping all his points into his highest substat would increase the Origin stat the most. This would have the upside of giving him both the highest stats in Memory, and the highest in Mind Origin. Psychic Arts depended on Mind Origin. Of course, different Arts would probably depend on different substats, like how with Body Origin, lightness skills depended more on Agility and Dexterity¡ªas opposed to archery Arts, which might depend on Strength and Dexterity. Yu Han hadn''t decided to dump all his future points into Memory either. But it should be fine at least for the initial levels, where he could maximise his training potential in Deep Sleep with Echoing Dreamscape. He concentrated on the words and put 5 Primordial Qi into memory. Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 22.0 (17.33)] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 24 + 5 -> 29 (24) Perception: 11 Clarity: 10 Focus: 11 Immediately, an intense pain shot through his head. He groaned, falling on his butt. The cold ground rattled his bones, and the sunlight scorched his eyes. "Fuck¡ª" With each second, the pain would increase. It started as a stinging throb, then developed to feeling as if someone was poking around under his eyeballs with a barbed stick. He pulled back the Primordial Qi. Primordial Qi: 5 [Mind Origin: 17.33] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 24 Perception: 11 Clarity: 10 Focus: 11 And the pain slowly vanished. Chapter 88: Balancing the Mind Yu Han groaned. How long had it been since he¡¯d collapsed? It felt like merely a minute, but his body was dripping with sweat. He was lying flat on his back, heaving deep as if he was drowning. That was the first possibility that came to Yu Han''s mind. It was a common mechanic in some games, although comparing reality to games was probably not the best idea. "If that is the case," Yu Han pondered through the rapidly receding headache, "what is the limit? What governs it? Is it a permanent limit, or does it increase with level?" He decided to go with the assumption that there was a limit and brought up the Mind Origin panel again. This time, very carefully, he added in only 1 point to Memory. Primordial Qi: 4 (5) [Mind Origin: 18.25 (17.33)] Intelligence: 14 Memory: 24 + 1 -> 25 (24) Perception: 11 Clarity: 10 Focus: 11 "Is it fine now?" Yu Han waited a few seconds. There was something there, like the preemptive feelings of motion sickness before getting into a car. Slowly, the feeling intensified, manifesting into a prickling headache. "Fuck." Yu Han took away the point. "So Memory is a no go." He looked through the stat sheets. Should he stick to Mind Origin? Or should he try to put some points in Body or Spirit Origin? Body Origin stats like Strength would probably show the most immediate results. As for Spirit Origin, Yu Han knew no Spiritual Arts. His Bloodline Art Deep Sleep might have used Qi, but he couldn''t actively channel it. It would be useless for now. "Let''s put it in Mind Origin." With Body Origin, he could go back to taking the Spites. There was also the monthly allocation of Body Tempering Pills, not to mention the Rot-Negating Body Tempering Elixir. He debated between the four other Mind Origin substats. "Thousand Petals Awareness became stronger with the points I gained to Focus and Clarity. I don''t know which one it ties to, though. The manual doesn''t mention it." Yu Han got up. He stretched his torso first, then moved on to some dynamic lunges. His joints made popping sounds. "Intelligence and Perception are the only ones I haven''t gained stat points in outside of Heavenly Allocations." Since he didn''t know what they did, Yu Han decided to use one point in each of them. Maybe he could figure out their effects by comparing the changes? Going by their normal definitions, Intelligence was the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. And Perception was the ability to become aware of something through the senses. Of course, English was a tricky language; these words had other used definitions too. "Shouldn''t Thousand Petals Awareness actually depend more on Perception, if I go by the standard definition?" Martial Arts could be tied to more than one substat, so that was a possibility for Psychic Arts too. Perhaps Thousand Petals Awareness depended on Clarity, Focus, and hopefully, Perception too. He made the changes. Primordial Qi: 3 (5) [Mind Origin: 18.25 (17.33)] Intelligence: 14 + 1 -> 15 (14) Memory: 24 Perception: 11 + 1 -> 12 (11) Clarity: 10 Focus: 11 He immediately felt the difference. "Wait, I haven''t applied the changes yet!" Yu Han stopped mid-twist. What was the change, then? He sat down, closed his eyes, and scanned every part of his body. He closed off each sense with Thousand Petals Awareness, leaving only touch. Soon, he found the anomaly. "It''s my head!" Or specifically, it was his mind. It was as if a pressure that was always there had lifted a bit. The pressure was a familiar one. Intensified, it took the form of a headache. The headache that happened when he put points into Memory. Now, this pressure had lowered. As if his mind was returning to a normal state after taking off training weights. "What the hell is going on?" Yu Han went to his stash and took out his notes. After an hour of pondering different possibilities, he made a hypothesis. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "I was already over the limit." Yu Han scratched the word ¡°Memory¡± with his charcoal pen. Perhaps with the previous Primordial Qi allocation, all five to Memory, he had inadvertently crossed the limit, but only a little. So minuscule that his conscious brain could not sense it. Now, with the hit he had just received from the headache, the sensation was still fresh in his mind. He also had a higher level of Thousand Petals Awareness and with it, he noticed what was wrong. It was perhaps a bit like chronic fatigue. Maybe his Mind had been working over capacity. Yu Han tested it out more. He moved points around. To Mind Origin, then to Body and Spirit Origin too. After some thorough notetaking, he made some observations. Adding points to Body and Spirit Origin substats did not lessen the pressure. He had to add them to Mind Origin substats. If he added three points to substats other than Memory, the pressure disappeared completely. Adding the fourth or fifth point did not make his mind feel any lighter. He could add it in any way possible. One point each to Intelligence, Perception, and Focus, or all three points to Intelligence. The pressure would still fade away. And finally, most importantly, if he added four points to non-Memory substats, and the final fifth point to Memory, the pressure did not return! Based on these observations¡ªor data points, so to speak¡ªhe could assert some claims. Adding Primordial Qi changed the limit. What else changed while adding Primordial Qi? The weight of each substat! That didn''t automatically mean that this limit and the weights of each substat corresponded to each other. It might just be that this limit depended on other factors, such as his Common Talent or Mortal Grade Qi Affinity. It could be related to how many total stats he had, or his level¡ªor anything, really. But he couldn''t verify the other guesses. So he decided to focus on the weights. "And it''s not because I''m conscious about my body weight!" he assured himself. Yu Han still didn''t know the formula for the weights. If he had added Primordial Qi equally to each substat, then the Mind Origin would just be the arithmetic mean. But he had added all five Primordial Qi before to Memory. So Memory might have gotten more weight before, being represented more in the Mind Origin number than the other substats. After the previous Primordial Qi Allocation, he had gained points in Memory, Clarity, and Focus. It was hard to know if that had changed the weights of each substat. He hadn''t done much math on it. With the current Heavenly Allocation, though, the weights had not changed at all for Body Origin. It rose by a mean of one, and the Body Origin Stat was the Arithmetic Mean of its substats. Same for Spirit Origin. Yu Han had gained points in Body Origin and Spirit Origin substats after the previous Primordial Qi allocation. Meaning that natural, drug, or training-induced stat point gain probably didn¡¯t change the weight. Nor the Primordial Qi limit for each substat. "When I gained the point in Memory because of Fei Rui''s pearls, I didn''t feel any pain." He already had Thousand Petals Awareness back then, though it wasn''t such a high level. So it was Primordial Qi. How he distributed them set the limit. "Maybe?" It was still a claim. Totally falsifiable, but Yu Han had no wish to human experiment on himself. "I need to talk with Niu''er, Li Yao, and Fang Zhao if possible. Also Fei Rui." There weren''t any taboos against sharing stat information. Huang Niuniu and he had once chosen not to be so transparent. At that time, he didn''t trust her so much. Now, though, he did. Yu Han felt guilty. If he could choose between going back to Earth or staying here with his friends, he would without a doubt choose to go back. Would that hurt her? What would Li Yao and Fang Zhao think? Would he be betraying her? S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Come to think of it, Fei Rui could cross over with me. Can that be possible with Huang Niuniu too?" Yu Han pinched his nose. "Yeah¡ªit was probably just part of the dream rather than actually being Earth." He hoped otherwise. Really did. But too much expectation might ruin his day, month, and year. Yu Han tinkered with the numbers a bit more. "I need that one point in Memory. As for the rest..." Primordial Qi: 0 (5) [Mind Origin: 17.85 (17.33)] Intelligence: 14 + 1 -> 15 (14) Memory: 24 + 1 -> 25 (24) Perception: 11 + 3 -> 14 (11) Clarity: 10 Focus: 11 He decided to put only one point in Intelligence. Yu Han didn''t know if changing his Mind stats might force psychological changes on his being. If he suddenly became too intelligent or analytical, even more so than now, would he still be the same person? In the many LitRPG novels that he used to read, people who went deep into stats like INT or WIS would show skewed psychological development. In other words, they''d become crazy in different ways. Yu Han didn''t want to risk it with Intelligence. Not that he really needed to put points there¡ªhe was smart enough! As for putting three points in Perception, that was because if Perception raised his perception, he might be better able to notice any changes. He had a hunch that it also would benefit his Thousand Petals Awareness. Just adding one point to each of the substats was the worst choice. It was too generalised, and raised Mind Origin the least at 17.50. Funnily enough, even putting one point into Memory first without adding the four extra points would bring the Mind Origin up to 18.25! Putting all five into Memory brought it up to 22! It really was a weighted mean. The more Primordial Qi he had in each substat, the more they would be represented in the Origin value. That might hypercharge some Arts, but he could barely even breathe with all Primordial Qi in Memory, let alone fight. He sat down, and first shut off all other senses than his touch. Thousand Petals Awareness! The previous time he applied the Primordial Qi, there were waves of changes to his body. This time, he wanted to feel them as much as he could. He concentrated on Perception, Intelligence, and Memory, and finally on Mind Origin. A force bubbled up. It came mysteriously from somewhere deep inside his body. Parts of it appeared at his feet, going upwards through his hips, torso, chest, neck, and finally into his brain. A pain pricked him alongside this force, but it felt muted. In the blank void that was his inner vision, a slight, lime green light appeared. It glowed with the pain. Once. Twice. Thrice. The green light was the force. It rose from within him, then cycled through his body, following invisible pathways. "Are these... meridians?" The elusive channels mentioned in Ji''s Cultivation Contemplation. This cycle of three rose and fell five times, always ending at his head. Finally, the tide ebbed completely. He opened his eyes. Primordial Qi: 0 [Mind Origin: 17.85 (+0.52)] Intelligence: 15 (+1) Memory: 25 (+1) Perception: 14 (+3) Clarity: 10 Focus: 11 The world seemed more real. Yu Han drank in the change. Art Levelled Up! Focus: 11 -> 12 [Mind Origin: 17.85 -> 17.95]