75-80

Chapter 75: Welcoming Gift

It only took a couple of days for someone to show up out of nowhere. It was just some guy with unassuming looks waiting for me at the library while talking to the librarian.

"Why do people who send letters or need to meet with my personal disciple come here? You do know that this isn't his home, right? This is a public space," the librarian complained. His voice was as dull as always, and he seemed like he was giving a lesson and teaching rather than reprimanding someone.

On the other hand, the unassuming guy kept bowing and apologizing. By the Qi around the newcomer, he was around a one-star or two-star Qi Gathering Cultivator.

I walked up next to him, but his eyes were still on the librarian, and he kept apologizing without a care in the world other than what was in front of him.

How careless...

Even though I was a whole large realm below him, if I wanted to kill him right now, it would not be hard to do so. He had his guard down, and his senses were dog shit. If he hadn't had such plentiful Qi and a blue uniform, I would not have believed someone as unskilled as him could be a Qi Gathering Cultivator.

No, perhaps I was being too harsh on him. Most of my experience with Qi Gathering Cultivators was with people like Ye An and Song Song. They were both very skilled.

"Is everything alright here?" I asked, and instead of jumping away in fright that someone had gotten so close to him, the guy only looked at me with a surprised look.

"It seems like Song Song has sent someone to pick you up," the librarian said, nudging his chin toward the newcomer.

"Do I need to come immediately?" I inquired.

"Yes," the inner disciple answered, this time without the apologetic look he had toward the librarian.

Even some second-rate cultivator with third-rate capabilities would look down on someone with lower cultivation than them.

"Well, I will just get a backpack from the second floor and come right down," I said, turning my back on the man and walking up the stairs.

While climbing the stairs to the second floor, I couldn't stop my mind from wandering toward the journey ahead. A part of me still doubted whether I made the right decision with this one. But I was not going to fight or suppress that side of me because the day I stopped doubting my decisions would be the beginning of a countdown to my untimely death.

On the second floor, the place no longer had books scattered around like before when I used to do research. Now, they were categorized on their own shelves. Techniques were separated from theories, making it easier for people to find what they needed without wasting time searching.

But I didn't linger long. Instead, I walked toward the hidden room on the second floor, where the old man usually stayed. However, to my surprise, the place was open, and the old man was sleeping inside.

"This guy... did he think no one would stumble upon something like this? What if anyone other than me came here," I whispered.

Despite expressing my displeasure, I carefully retrieved a wooden coffin-like backpack from a corner of the room. I tried not to wake the old man. The backpack was made of wood and had strange inscriptions carved into it.

I had already packed everything except for the Monster Encyclopedia I had painstakingly built. So I picked it up, placed it in the wooden backpack, and searched for Speedy.

While the wooden backpack wasn't a storage ring, it was something the librarian had personally inscribed arrays on it. So its weight was barely noticeable. However, that might also be because of my raw strength.

It didn't take long to find Speedy; the big guy crawled under one of the shelves, bumping into it. I grabbed him, placed the wooden backpack down, and carefully tucked the turtle inside. Thankfully, he fit snugly, and there was even a small opening in the box-like backpack where he could poke his head out. Speedy did just that and gave a happy squeal.

"You should try to act this cute when the ladies are around," I joked as we returned to the first floor.

As soon as I stepped foot on the first floor, the inner disciple here to pick me up stared at me like a hawk.

"C'mon, we have to set off," he said in a monotone voice.

He spoke oddly, unlike the guy who had practically been groveling toward the librarian. But I followed without making an issue out of it.

"See you guys later," I waved at the librarian. "Tell the old goat I also said hello. Also, make sure to check on him. I think he was sleeping, but it would be quite morbid if he died due to consuming too much tea, and I walked in on his corpse and didn't notice anything."

Thinking about how these words would annoy the old goat brought me joy. The librarian raised a questioning brow at my comment, but in the end, he just shrugged and nodded.

As we left the library, a thin veil of snow covered the stone yard and the surrounding trees. Where there had once been a view of greenery as far as the eye could see, now everything was blanketed in white.

The inner disciple didn't stop to appreciate the scenery and simply walked down the stairs. I followed beside him, but he turned to me and frowned. I thought he might be angry for a moment, but he just turned away and looked straight ahead without saying a word.

What was wrong with him? He hadn't spoken a word since we left the library.

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Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, he stopped abruptly, and I did too. He turned toward me, and our gazes met. I was about to offer a friendly smile and say something when, without warning, I felt a stinging sensation on my cheek, and my head jerked to the side.

I... was slapped?

As my head turned, I saw a dozen people around us staring. Some gawked, while others whispered.

Ah, this was quite embarrassing. Being publicly humiliated like this was not pleasant. 

"Why did you walk next to me like we were equals?" the inner disciple said. "You should know your place, trash. How do you think it felt being an inner disciple made to come and pick up someone like you?"

He continued his rant, but I had already tuned him out, focusing instead on noting down all his features.

He had straight dark hair, green eyes, and fair skin, though not as pale as Ye An's. His face was unassuming, with the only standout feature being his green eyes, which, at most, made him above average in looks.

From now on, this was not someone I would forget. I will remember him for the rest of my life.

Fighting him now would be foolish; my chances of winning were fifty-fifty at best. I knew nothing about this guy or his techniques, and we were too close. Despite his lack of awareness, I doubted I could activate a level 2 array in time before he knocked my teeth out.

No, my odds of winning were not favorable at all. I shouldn't let my emotions override my logical thoughts. What if the guy had some kind of defensive artifact?

"Sorry," I apologized, stepping back and staying behind him.

This guy was Song Song's subordinate. No doubt, he was accustomed to resolving things through violence.

"Good, Song Song was right. You do learn fast," he smirked and began walking.

I removed my wooden backpack and gently placed it on the grass beside the stone pathway, making no noise.

Staring at his back, I moved carefully, making as little sound as possible as I approached him.

Artifacts were not sentient, so they typically detected an attack based on the speed of approach.

Finally, I was within arm's reach of him.

Slowly, I extended my arms toward him, mimicking a friendly gesture. I moved slowly enough so no low-level defensive artifact would pick up my movements. It would register as harmless.

"Huh?" The guy finally noticed, but by then, it was too late as I wrapped my arms around his neck and put him in a chokehold. "What the hell?"

I also wrapped my legs around his waist and held him in place, ready to incapacitate him further.

He struggled and scratched at my arms, but it was futile. While Earth's martial arts were mostly ineffective here, certain dominant moves still worked on cultivators.

The rear naked choke was one such example. It was an absolutely dominant move. Even someone much weaker could defeat someone much stronger with it.

While he struggled, I leaned in and whispered, "Do you think I could break your neck from this position if I tried?"

Hearing that, he made raw grunting noises and struggled even harder. Ultimately, he jumped up and slammed back-first into the stones below. But since I was between him and the rocks, I took most of the damage, and a piercing pain ran through my back.

However, the damage inflicted was nowhere near enough to incapacitate me or release his hold. Instead, I tightened my grip around his neck as his body began twitching uncontrollably.

Shifting the position of my arms, I placed one hand under his chin and the other at the top of his head, then twisted as if trying to screw a giant bolt. "How about we test that? I bet I can break your neck, and you bet that I can't. If you win, you get to keep your life."

He emitted pitiful groans and attempted to say something, but I was done listening. Though I was done with pushing, it was clear that with him in this position, I could break his neck. But committing murder in front of so many people would be dumb. 

Not long after, he stopped moving. For a moment, I almost considered releasing him. Instead, I tightened my grip further, and he began thrashing once again.

Did he think I was foolish enough to let go because he stopped moving? What a silly guy.

After a while, he ceased moving again, and I maintained my hold on him until his face turned purple. I doubted he could fake that.

Releasing him, I rose to my feet, but despite my clear victory, I remained vigilant, ready for any retaliation. After several moments of him remaining motionless, I retrieved my wooden backpack. I donned it, all while keeping a watchful eye on him.

By now, the onlookers had fallen silent. Perhaps they would gossip about my alleged cowardice in attacking a man when his back was turned. However, I cared little for their opinions as long as they refrained from voicing them in my presence.

Grasping the inner disciple by his clothes, I dragged him away, his lower body scraping against the ground like a discarded ragdoll. What a pity; his once-bright blue robe was now tarnished with dirt.

But where to now?

He was meant to lead me to Song Song.

She would likely be at the front gates. If not, then she'd be in the inner sect. I'd need someone to inform her that one of her subordinates had gone rogue. Perhaps he needed to be disciplined... Or maybe I should simply dispose of him myself and bury him in the forest. No one would ever find his body.

In my experience, these people never let things slide. Murder might be too extreme to commit within Sect grounds, but crippling his cultivation was just another Tuesday.

But such thoughts were quickly dismissed. Song Song needed all the pawns she could get her hands on. A useless guy like this was still valuable as a meat shield.

With his fate postponed for now, I dragged him toward the front gates, drawing more attention from outer disciples along the way.

By the time I reached the front gates, about three dozen people had gathered just before them. They ranged in age from teens to thirties. Among them stood the jade-like beauty Ye An, along with Liu Bo and two other familiar faces he was hanging out with. Though I hadn't met those two, I remembered from Liu Feng's memories that they were Liu Heng and Liu Qian, the latter being the Liu Clan Leader's daughter.

A lone figure in the group's center stood, capturing everyone's gaze.

From an outsider's perspective, she was stunning, with long, dark silky hair, blue eyes, a diamond-shaped face, and a petite chin. The gracefulness of her movements and her hourglass figure would make any man willing to do anything for her. But the illusion shattered upon meeting her eyes. One didn't need to be a mind reader to see the raging flames of unquenchable madness hidden behind them.

That was Song Song, the woman I had decided was my safest bet.

She was in conversation with one of her subordinates when she suddenly stopped and turned toward me as if sensing my gaze. As our eyes met, a smile spread across her face, and the intensity of madness in her eyes multiplied tenfold.

That crazed look in her eyes put me at ease for some inexplicable reason. With her here, nobody could touch me anymore.

Approaching closer, I halted when the rest of the crowd noticed me. With one swift motion, I threw the guy I had been dragging along, and he landed roughly on the stone pavement in front of Song Song's feet.

Chapter 76: An Innocent Mind, Tainted!

Song Song stared into my eyes, then without hesitation, kicked the unconscious guy in the head. His body flew away like a rag doll, bouncing off the ground several times before coming to a halt.

That kick inflicted more damage than I had, and there was a good chance she might have killed him with it. Though her kick wasn't at full power, the guy was defenseless in his unconscious state.

A small stream of blood seeped from his head, adding to the danger he was in.

"You know, I actually went through a lot of effort to not kill him," I stated, meeting Song Song's gaze while keeping an eye on everyone else and their reactions.

Most seemed undisturbed, as expected from Song Song's subordinates. However, my cousins had a strange look in their eyes as they stared at the downed guy. Ye An also appeared disinterested in anything happening around her.

"Then you shouldn't have bothered. Saving pretty girls, I can somewhat understand," her smile hinted at something more as she glanced at Ye An. "But being gracious to useless people is a whole other deal."

"I thought you could use another meat shield, and not everyone can afford to break the Sect's rules without a second thought," I shrugged.

"You are under my protection. I feel insulted that you even think someone would dare touch you. If they have a problem with you, they can come and talk to me," she stated confidently.

If she acted more like this, more people would be willing to follow her. However, her brazen behavior put many people off. Certain people, like my clan, seemed to have decided to back Song Song. Not only one, but three of my cousins from the inner sect came out.

"I will keep that in mind for the next time," I said, nervous with so many people staring at me. "By the way, why would you send someone so annoying to come and get me? Did you think this would have ended any other way than with him getting a beating?"

Song Song's smile didn't waver as she said, "We were short on hands."

Short on hands? I looked at all the people around us. 

Aha, no one else was from the outer sect, and the others were too prideful about their position to do something like this.

My cousins might have been a better option, but Song Song wanted to show something to everyone else.

"As you can see, you are the only outer disciple coming with me and my group. Due to my position, many in the group objected to you coming with us and how you should have been with the rest of the outer disciples, marching to the cities on foot," Song Song said, her eyes wandering around the crowd as if she was pointing out who disagreed with having me on the team.

Was she trying to show me off to others? Now that I understood her motives, I decided to play along for now.

"I agree with them on that point. No outer disciple has a place where an inner disciple is needed for the job. Just like an inner disciple is not needed in a job that requires a Foundation Establishment elder," I said nonchalantly, my gaze settling on the downed guy who was bleeding profusely, forming a small pool of blood below his head. "Then again, with what that guy had shown, I never thought you were running a charity case here."

"Well, someone has to guide the unskilled and the stupid to make better decisions," she blatantly said.

"Looks can be quite deceiving," I added, responding with my own smile. "By the way, how is your preparation this time?"

Song Song showed me the silver ring on her pinky finger, "I already gathered all the foodstuff we will need for the rest of the journey here."

Smart. Not only was Song Song prepared, but she also had control of the food in the group. Seeing how these inner disciples acted, I wondered how many were careful enough to pack their own food. Hunting would not be easy with monstrous beasts running rampant, so Song Song had quite the power in the group already.

"Well, if you need me for anything, I'm at your service," I bowed my head and went through the whole theatrical scene for the onlookers.

Song Song's base was already weak, and the last thing she needed was an outer disciple disregarding her authority. However, I wanted to bring a couple of things to her notice.

But for now, I stepped back and went toward my cousins, as no one else appreciated my presence there that much.

The closer I got to my cousins, the more an awkward knot formed in my stomach. The only one I personally knew was Liu Bo, the friendly guy. But the other two were just faraway memories.

"Thank you for helping me with that problem a couple of months back," I first showed them that I was grateful for their help.

"No need to thank me, you're part of the Liu Clan. We are family, after all," Liu Qian said, her shoulder-length dark hair and a nonchalant look on her face making it hard to figure out what she was thinking.

On the other hand, Liu Heng, with his dark hair, dark eyes, and a strict look on his face, simply nodded. He seemed like the kind of guy who would remind the teacher that they had forgotten to give them homework.

All in all, the meeting with my cousins was underwhelming.

Just as I was about to relax and stay in the background without getting in anyone's way, Liu Bo put an arm around my shoulders. "Here it is, my favorite younger cousin. How has the outer Sect been treating you?"

"Well enough, I suppose," I smiled, trying to end the conversation there.

But Liu Bo didn't get the message and continued, "Heh, I bet. Anyway, I came around to try to visit you whenever I could. But you were always in the library, not your dorm, even at night. I swear, I have seen the twins more often than I have seen you, and you have been in the Sect a year longer than them."

I was about to answer him with some excuse I just made up when someone, not even an arm's length away from me, said, "Well, some people often just get too absorbed in their work. Sometimes, I also get too into reading recipe books and forget the time while tasting how different ingredients work together."

I held myself back from flinching at the soft feminine voice. Turning toward the source, I found a young girl resembling Song Song. She was shorter than Song Song had silky dark hair tied in twin tails, deep blue eyes, and a smaller chest. Even the rest of my cousins turned toward the newcomer, surprised. They too hadn't sensed her approaching.

Where did someone like this come from out of nowhere? I didn't even notice her when I was looking over the ground.

"My name is Song Sia, one of Song Song's cousins on her father's side. Though not to confuse each other, you can just call me Sia," she introduced herself and bowed her head in respect. "By the way, I heard what happened with Han Lan. It seems like you went out of your way to bring him unharmed, even though what you did was self-defense."

Who was Han Lan? Did she mean the guy I strangled? 

It felt weird seeing someone who resembled Song Song so much speaking so kindly. Since she was Song Song's cousin, who was related by blood, there was a good chance she was someone from the bloodline of the Blazing Sun Immortal.

"Thanks," I answered. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you before. Song Song never told me about her relatives."

"What?" Sia had a panicked look on her face. "We practically grew up together! How could she not mention me? Practically all her childhood stories involve me in some way!"

Even the one where Song Song drowned one of the Sect Leader's concubines to death? I wanted to ask but held my tongue.

Sia's eyes watered up, and she went toward Song Song, no longer sticking around to talk to us. After the weird encounter, even Liu Bo let go of me, and my three cousins exchanged looks.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"No," Liu Qian answered. "Though we didn't think Song Song would accept her in her group. While Sia is impressive, she and many of her relatives live under Song Song's shadow."

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Huh, that was interesting.

Despite the weird news, I stayed in my lane and did not dig further into this matter. At least Sia looked kind enough.

As Song Song talked to the guards and my cousins whispered amongst themselves, I took a book from my robe's inner pockets and began writing down the stats before setting off.

Name: Liu Feng

Age: 17

Talent: C (fifty-three spirit root branches)

Cultivation: Body Tempering (nine-star)

Strength – 9.3 → 9.9

Agility – 9.2 → 9.9

Endurance – 9.8 → 9.9

Qi – ? → 1

Techniques:

-Sonic Fang Fist (Mortal Grade)

-Rushing Bull Step (Mortal Grade)

-Turtle Shell Body (Mortal Grade)

-Dancing Jade Amor (semi-Earth Grade)

-Falling Moon Claw (Earth Grade)

Skills:

-Array Conjurer - Lvl 1 → Lvl 2 (Practitioner)

Since I could sense my own Qi better, I decided to quantify the Qi I had right now as 1. I did not have more Qi than the average person now, so this was the average person's Qi, too. However, it wasn't a standard number, as some might have had a bit more or less than that.

With that done, we walked outside of the Sect walls, and for a second, I was expecting a flying ship or some other mode of transportation. But there were none. This made sense since it wasn't just land; monstrous beasts were on the hunt for food during winter.

Even flying monstrous beasts wanted to eat, and no doubt, a flying boat filled with Qi Gathering Cultivators would be a good snack. Humans, even cultivators, were just prey in the sky when it came to flying monstrous beasts of the same cultivation rank.

So, we were traveling on foot toward our destination.

It didn't take long for Song Song to motion for me to come over with her hand. She was at the front of the group, and I was in the middle. As I approached her, many people's gazes settled on me again, making me increasingly uncomfortable.

When I walked next to Song Song, she shooed away her cousin and said, "Can you put a silencing array around us?"

"Sure," I put my hand in my pocket, gripped a spirit stone, and put up a level 2 silencing array anchored to the stone. The array followed us even as we walked.

During that split second it took me to put up the array, I glanced back and noted in my mind some people who did not seem pleased to see me close to Song Song. For most, it seemed to be a matter of pride about how I, an outer disciple, was closer to their leader than them.

The only one not looking at me was the bloodied guy I had strangled to unconsciousness. He was awake and had a bandage wrapped around his head courtesy of Sia. But he no longer looked my way and seemed actively trying to avoid my gaze.

I would have been more worried about him, but my cousins were watching him. They seemed to have their own plan for the guy.

"So, why did you call me here?" I asked Song Song.

In response, she took out a detailed map with a clear route. "This is the plan for the journey until we reach our destination. I wanted a second opinion on this."

She handed me the map, and I must admit, the map had many details handwritten. It seemed like Song Song had learned a lot since our last meeting.

Reading through the map, I tried to find any mistakes or inconsistencies. There were none.

"What's up with your relative? I never knew you had a cousin who was also your dear childhood friend," I said while handing her back the map. "Also, as far as I can tell, there seem to be no inconsistencies or mistakes. There should be no major hiccups on the way there."

"Are you talking about Sia?" Song raised a questioning brow as she put the map back in her storage ring. "While she might be my cousin, calling her a friend is a bit of a stretch. She was mostly my servant... Well, more like a minion who did whatever I wanted when we were young."

As I suspected, Sia greatly exaggerated her friendship with Song Song. 

It was nothing against her, as she seemed like a lovely young woman. But Song Song was not the kind of person who made friends with people just because they were nice. She liked being around people with some basic competence.

"What, did you finally start falling for a pretty face again?" She smirked. "My cousin might be pretty, but she is empty-headed and dumber than a rock. While it is not my business to ask what you do with your nocturnal activities, I will warn you that you should at least get someone competent. Even bedding her would bring you trouble from my clan, as they would force you to marry her."

Though her words resembled a warning, the smile on her face showed that she was amused by this whole thing and was just looking for her dose of daily entertainment.

"Not interested at all, just curious," I shrugged.

"What a shame; I thought I could get you to fluster this time," she said before looking back at the team following us. Noticing her gaze, everyone looked down and dared not to meet her gaze. "Here is another puzzle for you to solve. Why do you think there are so many women in my team?"

"Is there a prize for solving this puzzle, or am I just here to entertain you?" I smiled back, reciprocating her gesture.

While it might sound weird if said out loud, speaking with Song Song sometimes felt like hanging out with a friend. I didn't know if that said more about me or the crazy girl beside me.

"Prize?" Song Song rubbed her chin before a mischievous glint danced in her eyes. "Then how about this: if you can guess the exact reason why they are here, you can have any of them as a concubine."

"No thanks, I already have a fiancée," I answered immediately. "Also, one of those girls you offered is my cousin. But I will try and guess this for free since this journey will otherwise be quite dull."

Also, what was up with her and offering women off as concubines? I guess it was more accepted in these times. Perhaps she saw her father or a relative do something similar.

Not just women but anyone weak had next to no rights in this world. The opinions of non-cultivators did not matter either. But Song Song was pushing that a bit further. Also, my cousin was the future of the Liu Clan; I doubt Song Song had the power to just make her or any other girl here with a powerful clan behind them anyone's concubine.

Back to the puzzle.

Why were there so many women in the group? While there were men, almost twenty of the thirty members of the group were women.

The first thing that came to mind was that Song Song had said that her teacher was also a woman. Also, Song Song herself was not charismatic enough to attract these people.

Now, the question came as to why her teacher had primarily sent women to Song Song's group? I doubted she cared much about the gender of the person who helped her disciple.

The only conclusion that made sense was that she had some kind of leverage that attracted mostly female disciples. What kind of leverage did a Core Elder have with access to all the information in the Sect? The answer was obvious.

"There are so many women in your team because of the techniques they practice. It probably has something to do with your teacher, and she no doubt knows some techniques that help when the cultivator is female," I said.

There were weird things like Dual Cultivation, so there were bound to be techniques that worked or were more effective and helped with cultivation when the user was female.

Song Song stopped and looked at me, her eyes wide, "You… are right on that one. I knew you would probably guess it was a technique. But I didn't think you would even pinpoint that it was my teacher. You know, you're quite scary with those guesses sometimes. But yes, you're absolutely correct."

Well, guessing that her teacher was the one who did the talking was common sense. It wasn't like Miss Psycho here would be good at negotiations that didn't involve threatening someone's life.

"For your information, it is a kind of technique that increases someone's cultivation speed as long as they have their virginity intact," Song Song stated.

My face scrunched up like I had just swallowed a lemon. I felt pretty uncomfortable conversing with Song Song about these things. 

"I did not need to know that," I said.

"What?" The smile on her face seemed to grow wider as she noticed my discomfort. "I thought you were interested in strange techniques and things like these. Do you want me to tell you exactly how the technique works? I practice it myself, so feel free to ask for any details."

It seemed I shouldn't have shown any discomfort, as Song Song would try her best to bring it up in any conversation she could now!

Also, I didn't recall ever telling Song Song about my interest in martial techniques. How did she find that out?

But for now, I put such questions in the back of my mind. I tried to regain my composure, calmly stating, "It is still uncomfortable to talk with another person about these things. Though it might be an interesting book to read in the privacy of my own room."

"Heh," she jested. "The guy who is supposed to know everything is scared of women? Who would have thought?"

Her hawk-like gaze settled on me, trying to read any slip-ups. But I had learned from my mistake, and it was clear that she was trying to get a rise out of me. So I just smiled back and added, "True, I am allergic to pretty women. Though you're okay, you can stick around."

She chuckled at my backhanded insult and shrugged. The interest she had shown before had already faded in her gaze. Instead, she returned to business and asked, "What do you think of the group?"

What did I think of her group? Nothing much. I didn't know them that well.

But I doubted that was the kind of answer she was looking for. Was she talking about the build of the team? Perhaps asking me to assess their balance? Well, once again, I knew next to nothing about them or how they fought.

"The only thing I can tell for sure is that there is a traitor in your team," I stated the obvious.

That made Song Song stop in her tracks, and any chance of her teasing and joking any longer disappeared in an instant. Instead, everything was replaced by her murderous aura that flared like a bonfire.

Welp, this wasn't something my silencing array could stop or hide.

The rest of the team, who were too busy sending me piercing looks before, began looking worried, and some turned pale.

Thankfully, only murderous intent was not enough to break my barrier since I was now a level 2 Array Conjurer.

Song Song looked at her team, and an eerie darkness formed in her eyes, "Who is it?"

Chapter 77: Just A Weird Girl!

"Who is it?" she asked.

"I have no idea," I shrugged. "But your enemies would be stupid not to put at least one spy in your team."

In this case, I was putting myself in the shoes of whoever Song Song was against. If there was one thing someone could trust Song Song to be, it was unpredictable. So it would make sense to have someone keep an eye on our dear psycho girl here so she didn't do something like... just decide to lead this team toward one of the rival camps and slaughter them.

"If your enemies did not put a spy in your team, there is nothing to worry about. You will win this, or you would have already won by now," I stated the obvious.

Of course, her enemies were not dumb; we both knew that. One of her enemies was surely her other cousin, the kid who was the Sect Leader's son. Given how the Sect Leader himself had come into power, I doubted he raised a naive son.

Song Song calmed down and sighed. With her sigh, it seemed like everyone else on the team also breathed an internal sigh of relief.

"It seems like the only people I can trust here are you and your cousins," Song Song shook her head.

"Do not trust my cousins," I quickly refuted her. "While they might work for you, they ultimately have the clan's best interests in mind. If betraying you benefits the Liu Clan, then you can be sure they will stab you in the back."

"Oh? Is that so?" Song Song asked rhetorically as an eerie feeling ran up my spine and a strange chill spread through my body. "Then, what about you? Should I trust you? If your cousins have their clan's intentions at heart, what about you?"

Well, I had stumbled into very dangerous waters here. I would have to answer carefully, or I would not take a step further before my head would be rolling at my feet. But at the end of the day, anything other than the truth would be a lie. But I had to be careful how I came off.

"If I were in your place, I would not trust me either, just to be sure," I shrugged. "But there is one thing that you can trust."

"And what is that?" she asked.

"You can trust my lack of strength. I am only a Body Tempering Cultivator, and if I decide to betray you or stab you in the back, you can rip my head off before I can even bring the knife down," I answered with the facts that she could easily prove.

Almost immediately, Song Song put a hand on my shoulder, and I felt a soft Qi run through my body in a split second and leave before it did any harm. She had gotten better at imbuing Qi in someone else's body compared to the last time we did this.

"You truly are a Body Tempering Cultivator and don't have Qi spread through your body like any Qi Gathering Cultivator would," she stated her findings and let go of my shoulder before stating. "I have decided to trust you on this. You haven't lied or led me wrong until now."

"Well, if I were to lie about the traitor, the only benefit a spy would get was making you appear paranoid or crazy…" I carefully thought of my following words and contemplated if I wanted to say such things to her face. Ah, screw it. "But we both know you don't need much help since they already see you like that."

"True," she agreed without any of the anger.

Huh, she was more self-aware about her problems than I expected.

While Song Song looked at everyone in her team like a hawk searching for her prey, I kept my eyes on the one person I knew for a fact would betray Song Song if she ever got the chance, and that was Ye An.

"You can put the array down and return to the others. I need some time to think," Song Song said, waving me away.

"Call me if you need anything," I said before dismissing the silencing array around us with a single thought and returning to the rest of the team.

Unlike before, it seemed like they no longer seemed angry or even thinking of me. Everyone was looking at the ground, not daring to raise their heads to meet Song Song's gaze.

I stayed back with my cousins, who spoke very little the whole way, only occasionally staring at some of the people in the crowd. To be more precise, Liu Bo talked a ton and acted as friendly as always. But the other two were stone-faced and impossible to read.

Slowly, the sky turned dark as we continued on the road. Song Song had not stopped or told anyone after what I had told her. Perhaps telling her was not the best decision, but she needed to know. Because if anything were going to happen to her, this was the perfect time for someone to pull off an assassination and blame it on the monstrous beasts.

Was she even paying attention to her surroundings?

It was weird even thinking about how Song Song could be overthinking something. She was not that kind of person at all and often reprimanded me for doing it.

Instead of calling out to her, I muttered a chant under my breath, and the Qi around me fluttered for a split second. No barrier arose, but it was enough for attentive individuals to notice.

My cousins were the first to sense the irregularity since they were so close to me. Only two other people sensed it after them: Song Song, who immediately turned toward me, and Ye An. The latter's sense of this was a bit worrying since it showed that her Qi senses were recovering, meaning that her cultivation could be recovering, too.

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But I had no time to worry about Ye An, and instead, I met Song Song's gaze and pointed at the sky.

She looked up and noticed it was getting dark, and realization dawned in her eyes.

For a group of this size, traveling at night was dangerous. Many monstrous beasts out there would have an advantage or could ambush us. Someone like Song Song might not be in danger, but many would be, and I definitely would also be in danger.

"Everyone, stop!" Song Song ordered, and the group complied. "Tonight, we will set camp along the road and rest. We will set off again Tomorrow as soon as the sun rises."

My cousins immediately turned toward Liu Qian, who removed a string necklace with a bronze ring attached to it. She then put the ring on her pointing finger, causing four backpacks to pop out.

My two cousins and Liu Qian picked up their backpacks with little ado. Liu Qian then glanced at the last backpack, then at me, and then back at the backpack again. "We prepared this for you. We didn't think you would have time to prepare your own, and we assumed Song Song didn't send you a message."

That was considerate of them, and although the backpack might not be needed since I already had my own, I picked it up and unrolled a sleeping bag.

"Thanks," I smiled. "I can set up four tent arrays for all of us. Also, by 'us,' I mean the family and not the whole group."

"No need. If we get better or more convenient things, others might grow jealous. Some might even ask you for help to make something of their own, and if you refuse, it will just create needless conflict," Liu Qian stated matter-of-factly.

The way she spoke about it seemed like she was familiar with such situations. Unlike me, they had no one from the inner sect of the Liu Clan supporting them, so their journey to the inner sect must have been filled with hurdles.

Liu Qian was also tactful in how she handled things. Despite growing up as the princess of the Liu Clan, she seemed like someone worthy of following—a good leader with a good head on her shoulders. If she survived to adulthood, the Liu Clan had a bright future.

"Do you guys need any help starting a fire?" A familiar voice interrupted my bonding time with my cousins.

It was Song Sia, wearing an awkward smile. "I went to help Song Song set up a tent, but she told me to go and wander around being helpful. So here I am! At your service!"

"No need, Lady Sia," Liu Qian shook her head, her nonchalant demeanor present as always, even when speaking to someone so respectfully. "But you are a member of the Song Clan, essentially royalty compared to us. It would be dishonorable if we allowed you to do such menial work."

"As the youngest, that work falls to me," I stepped forward with a smile. "I have a couple of arrays in mind that would help with that."

Despite my standing with Song Song, I was still a junior compared to my cousins. Also, they had helped me with that whole inner disciple problem a while ago, so the least I could do was cook a good meal for them.

Without waiting for any of them to respond, I moved a step away from the rolled bed I had placed on the damp, grassy ground. I put my palm on the earth and felt its wetness.

Starting a fire here was going to be annoying. But I pointed at the ground and muttered a fire barrier array under my breath, and a small red circle formed around a patch of grass just bigger than my head. The ground began steaming as all the water evaporated, and soon after, the now-dry grass caught on fire.

But before I could ask Liu Qian if she had any pans or pits in that storage ring, Song Song's cousin came and sat beside me. She was starry-eyed as she stared at the fire I had started.

"Wow, Song Song was right. You're really good with arrays! Did you memorize an array just in case you needed to start a fire?" Song Sia looked at me with a smile, her eyes gleaming with childlike excitement.

"Something like that," I answered vaguely.

"Oh! Cool! Do you think I can work with this fire..." she scratched her head and uncomfortably smiled. "Despite Song Song telling me to go around doing menial work or something, I brought nothing to start a fire with or anything like that."

"Did you bring cooking tools?" I inquired.

"Of course!" Song Sia smiled brightly and showed me the bronze ring on her finger. A dozen pans and pots popped out in front of her. "Tada! Look at this!"

She had enough space to carry so many pots and pans but brought nothing to start a fire with?

Perhaps Song Song was right; her cousin seemed to lack foresight. She had turned out quite peculiar in her own way for someone who grew up with Song Song.

"Did you bring any meat or other foodstuff?" I asked.

"Yep!" She then took off her strange ring and handed it to me. "You can check it all and take anything you need from in there!"

I raised a questioning brow and examined the storage ring in my hand. It felt and looked like a typical ring; there wasn't even a speck of Qi around it.

How were these things made?

Despite my curiosity, I turned toward Song Sia and clarified, "I can't use Qi to open a storage ring."

"Oh! Sorry about that!" Song Sia hurriedly took back her storage ring and began listing the contents she had brought.

Was she actually this slow, or was it all an act? It made little sense for someone who grew up with Song Song as a friend to be so naive.

Though some people were just born less astute, and no amount of life experience could change that.

If she was acting, then she was an exceptional actress. Also, she would have had to act around Song Song all the time, too, and my psycho friend had an instinct about these things. 

Even as Song Sia put everything up and began making some meat stew, she kept up a one-sided conversation with me, unaware of my lingering gaze.

There were no inconsistencies in her acting, not an ounce of suspicion. She hadn't even noticed me looking at her.

From an outside perspective, if someone were a spy, Song Sia fit the description perfectly. She had been with Song Song for a long time and could have kept an eye on her. But at the same time, she did not come from the part of her family connected to the Sect Leader.

"So, how did you and Song Song meet each other?" Sia asked, trying to make some small talk.

"It kind of just happened," I answered vaguely.

She didn't seem to mind the answer and continued talking about food and some recipes she came up with when she was younger.

"By the way, Song Song seems quite happier with you around," Sia remarked. "She seemed more at ease, too."

I raised a questioning brow and looked at Song Song, who was leaning against a tree and staring at the group like a hawk. Then I turned back toward Sia and asked, "Does this look like someone happy?"

Sia chuckled, her voice soft and friendly, nothing like her cousin's. "Yes, Song Song is usually much worse."

After that, she picked up the pot and walked away with a happy leap in her step, calling out to anyone hungry.

What a strange girl...

Chapter 78: A War of Meaning!

After Sia finished cooking, she handed everyone a plate of delicious-smelling soup. It had been a lot of hard work for her, but she did it with a smile. 

As part of the group, I also received my own metallic plate of food. I stared at it for a good minute while the others ate theirs. 

"Is something wrong?" Liu Bo asked. 

"No, I'm just waiting for it to cool down," I responded. 

With one plate in hand, I used the other to scratch the back of Speedy's head as he lay on my lap. 

I had prepared a couple of countermeasures against poison and such. However, if there was any paralysis poison in the soup that would stop me from moving immediately, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. 

As soon as Speedy's feet touched the ground, he walked out of my lap and rolled onto his back. When I pushed him upright, he still rolled onto his back, and we played this little game. 

Turning toward my cousins, I asked, "What are the chances that this food is poisoned?" 

They already had mouthfuls of soup, so just my suggestion alone made them all stop and stare at me. Thankfully, I had cast a weak silencing array around us so none of the cultivators with good hearing could overhear our conversation. 

Liu Qian looked at me and then at the soup. She wasn't the one who answered; instead, the strict-looking guy, Liu Heng, said, "Lady Sia has been cooking for Lady Song and her guests for a while and manages the kitchen duties in her abode. The chances of her doing something like poisoning her now are zero." 

He was right. If Sia had been cooking for Song Song regularly, she would have already taken her shot by now. 

Despite knowing that, I only acted like I was eating the soup, and when no one was looking, I slipped some to Speedy. The little guy had a slow metabolism, and I was here in case anything happened, with antidotes prepared. Also, animals in this world were generally more resistant to poisons that would harm humans. 

However, the little guy only ate as I spoon-fed him and then walked around briefly before snuggling beside me. 

I no longer had any real reason to believe the food was poisoned. It probably wasn't, to begin with. However, someone had to be cautious in the group, and it was better to be safe than sorry. 

For now, Sia was off the suspicion list. If she wanted to do something to Song Song, she would have done it long ago. Instead of concentrating on her, I should get to know the others in the group. Sia was not the only suspect here. 

As everyone ate their food, I tried to listen to their conversation while sneakily keeping my pinky on Speedy's neck. There was no change in pulse. 

I didn't enjoy possibly feeding the little guy poisons. Still, since he had a slow metabolism, if any poisons acted only when a human was asleep, the little guy would have already shown signs. But there was nothing. 

Despite all the precautions, I had assumed things needlessly. 

Standing up, I addressed my cousins, "Please look after Speedy, and don't let him wander too far away." 

I would hate to have to kill some vindictive little bastard if they decided to harm Speedy just for fun. Song Song needed all the meat shields she could have, even the dumb ones. 

After walking a dozen steps from the camp, I took a spirit stone from my pocket and muttered something under my breath. A pulsing light shot out from the stone, forming a translucent misty barrier around the camp. 

It was an alarm array that would make loud noises if anything trespassed into our camp. 

Typical alarm arrays only worked on larger beasts and did not send out alarms for any bugs that passed through. But since I was looking out for any possible assassin this time, I also set up a weak defensive array so no flies or mosquitoes could pass through. The barrier was not strong, but if it was broken, it would trigger an alarm too. 

As an Array Conjurer, the more I learned about arrays, the more I understood just how versatile the art of Array Conjuring was. At the same time, I knew of all the possible weaknesses, and there was no perfect array. 

For example, even this sequence of arrays I had put up had no defense against poisonous gas attacks. But if I put up a barrier that stopped air from coming in from the outside, then it would just lock us in, and someone from the group could release an odorless gas, killing us all while we slept. 

Covering one weakness often created another... 

The spirit stone in my hand dimmed until all that was left was a dull color, and after that, the stone turned into dust. 

After dusting off my hand, I approached Song Song, who was standing away from the group and still staring at everyone like a hawk. Despite seeming so concentrated, her gaze immediately shot toward me when I got close. 

"Do you need me to set up an array around you when you sleep?" I offered. 

Though I didn't say it outright, my offering implied that she needed an array in case someone from her team decided to attack her in her sleep. 

Song Song shook her head, "No need. I can handle small things like an assassination plot on my own if the perpetrator has the guts to attack me directly."

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I nodded and decided to trust her since she was not the kind of prideful person who would put herself in danger just to not seem weak. 

"Goodnight, then," I bowed slightly, mainly to show others I respected Song Song's authority. In reality, neither of us cared about such formalities. 

While others might refuse to get their own arrays, I was not so picky. As I set up my rolling bed, I used a new spirit stone to cast a solid defensive array around me. 

Though it offered comfort and peace of mind, this method of making arrays was expensive. If I kept using Level 2 Arrays like this, I would soon run out of spirit stones. 

As I lay down, letting my mind wander, sleep came quickly. In the distance, I heard Song Song setting up the first watch guards, but that had nothing to do with me. I was the barrier guy and had already done my job. Also, I doubted these people would trust that an outer disciple would be able to protect them or work well in watch duty. 

Despite how arrogant they might come off with claims like that, I didn't blame them. In their eyes, Body Tempering Cultivators couldn't even see Qi. 

How could someone like that even keep watch? 

Slowly, I drifted to sleep. 

..... 

The next thing I felt was standing up and being in a vague, average-looking coffee shop. 

Huh? What was happening? 

It didn't take long to realize I was just lucid dreaming. 

For one, I was in my last world, in a small coffee shop. I was not a customer but a waiter. 

People moved around, and one of them even bumped into me, "Excuse me, sir-" 

Whatever the guy was about to say, I pushed his face away and walked out of the coffee shop. He said something I should have listened to. 

While some might have gotten absorbed in a whole other life and returned, I had nothing waiting for me here. 

As soon as I stepped away from the coffee shop, I was somehow at the front door of my apartment. Apartment number thirty-eight... same as always. It was almost nostalgic in a way. 

I pushed the door open and walked into an overpriced cottage. There was barely any room for anything. As a single male, everything was minimalistic, and it looked like almost no one lived there—except for some pictures on the wall of two young boys and their parents smiling behind them. 

That was me and my brother. 

My previous life was average, though even an average life had its own tragedies. It was much later in life that I realized that I would end up seeing everyone who raised me die. 

If someone lived an average life, they would see their grandparents, uncles, and even parents die before them. In some cases, even older siblings would die before them. 

But eventually, time would heal all wounds, and there was no other choice but to continue living. 

There was no excitement in my life; the only interesting thing about me might be that I liked reading things. Even then, that was boring to most people. 

I walked over and opened the fridge, but nothing was in it. 

"What a shitty dream; I wanted to at least taste some frozen pizza or something," I grumbled. 

I was born in an age too late to explore the earth and too early to explore space. 

I was not born during the Great War—at least, there was no war anywhere near where I lived—and it didn't affect me in any way. Nor was I born during the Great Depression. 

My war was a spiritual war to find meaning in my life. 

I never really found it... 

With those thoughts in mind, I fell asleep escaping me as I awoke. 

..... 

The morning sunlight stung my eyes as the sun rose. Unlike summer or spring, when the forest was bustling with insectoid sounds, the only thing I heard were the footsteps of the patrolling guards. 

Opening my eyes, the first thing that greeted me was Ye An's cold face staring down at me, just outside of my barrier's border. 

Holy shit! Fuck! 

I was startled and almost jumped up and got ready for a fight. But Ye An was doing nothing other than staring at me like a creep. 

"What're you doing?" I groaned and stood up while dispelling the barrier around my bed. 

"Do you sense anything strange about me?" Ye An asked out of nowhere, answering my question with one of her own. 

"What? No?" I answered, confused and still a bit groggy. 

Also, what was up with the weird questions? She sounded like an alien had replaced the real Ye An, and she asked if I sensed anything strange. I might have been worried about their well-being if it was anyone else. 

But this was Ye An; aliens taking over her body could not make her worse. 

"Good," she nodded. "The crazy bitch shouldn't be able to notice either." 

"What is this about?" I asked while rolling up my bed and putting everything in place. I also made sure that Speedy hadn't gotten lost and put the sleeping little guy in my box-like backpack. 

"Would you tell Song Song if I told you what is happening?" She inquired. 

"Absolutely, yes," I answered without missing a beat. There was no use lying about that; even Ye An knew I would tell her. 

"Well, then I won't tell you," she stated nonchalantly. 

Whatever had happened was probably related to her cultivation. There was no other sensible reason she would ask me if I sensed anything weird. Ye An might have recovered some of her cultivation and likely attempted to hide it from Song Song. 

I had no idea how she had recovered her broken foundation, but it probably had something to do with her monstrous spiritual roots. 

Also, did she have no one else to ask that, or did she trust my senses that much? There was no way; after months in the Sect, Ye An had made no friends she could remotely trust other than the guy she tried to kill at one point and who was the unofficial second-in-command of her worst enemy. 

Despite how wild it sounded, it wasn't so strange when one really thought about it. After all, Ye An might seem milder now that she had somewhat lost her cultivation. But she was even worse than Song Song when it came to socializing. 

Did I have some personality traits that made it easier for women with antisocial traits to approach? I mean, it was just Song Song and Ye An, but that was two too many. 

Also, Ye An here was trusting my Qi senses too much. Song Song was at a whole other level, even amongst Qi Gathering Cultivators, when it came to that. But it wasn't like I would warn Ye An about that; she might have to find out the hard way. 

After that, Ye An wandered into the distance, and I watched her as she walked away. 

But I had no time to let my mind wander for long as Sia had already cooked breakfast for everyone on the team. Just like she had done yesterday for dinner, she was pretty hard working. 

The breakfast was some kind of sandwich, and as I looked at the meal, I couldn't help but think about my dream. All the food I had eaten in this world was alright, but it was bland. 

Then again, I only ate in the dining hall, and except for that one time, I hadn't been to any fancy restaurants. 

I missed some good old pizza... 

This time today, I waited for everyone to begin eating, and after they were okay, I ate some myself. 

"These are pretty good, though it would have been better if they were a bit spicy," I mumbled. 

While eating the sandwiches, I kept an eye on everything around the camp, and it seemed like my cousins were talking with Song Song about something. But just as I was staring at them, Song Song suddenly disappeared. 

Which was strange since she was moving at a speed I couldn't even sense. I could somewhat sense her Qi when she moved during the entrance exam. 

Has she gotten stronger? 

My cousins seemed confused at first and then turned toward me. 

I first noticed the soft smell of lavender; next, she whispered from behind. "Something is coming." 

As if on cue, the sound of some trees crashing in the distance rang out.

Chapter 79: It's That Instinct Again!

With monsters charging at us, there wasn't much we could do. Well, more specifically, there was not much I could do.

When I had certain advantages, I was confident in defeating a one-star Qi Gathering Cultivator. On average, that was not the case. Here, everyone other than me was a Qi Gathering Cultivator, and they likely had more fighting experience.

So, without mincing my words and being honest with myself, I was the least valuable person on this team. Song Song coming here to stay next to me might just send a horrible message to everyone else when the monsters come around. She was the team leader, favoring and rewarding the weak never worked for any leader in history... ever.

"I will be okay," I reassured her. "You should be out there dealing with the enemy. Let others see you as the competent leader you have shown yourself in this journey so far."

"I'm thinking about it," she stated nonchalantly as if she were discussing the weather.

Thinking about it? Thinking about what?

"As you used to say, sometimes there is no time to think. Sometimes it's the time for action," I said as the sounds of crashing trees and something crawling on the ground grew louder. Every cultivator who had super hearing by normal standards heard something slapping on the muddy grounds.

Did the possible enemy have some tentacle-like limbs that it used to move?

"You seem to forget that most people on this team are replaceable," she said. "Even your so-called cousins. I can tell that they're only here because of their clan or some benefit of their own. Perhaps letting them all perish would be the smart thing to do; it would also take care of the possible spy in one fell swoop."

I really hoped no one else heard that and that they were more distracted by the sounds of trees crashing down. No one would be willing to follow someone who didn't value their lives at all.

Just as I was about to reason with her, Song Song continued speaking, "Also, who is to say that the traitor or traitors won't reveal themselves? They could use this chance to stab me in the back."

Perhaps telling her about the spy in the group might not have been smart. It seemed like it affected her more than I had anticipated. What would be even more ridiculous was if there really was no spy on her team. It could be that her master had dismissed any and all possible spies.

But right now, that was not important. What was important was that Song Song should be already performing!

However, explaining such things to Song Song in a logical manner had a low chance of working on her. I knew Song Song well enough to know that she would never do what others might consider right and would only base her actions on her own worldview.

"Don't worry..." I put up the best reassuring smile I could muster and said. "I will handle your back."

Song Song's gaze was directed at me, and her intense blue eyes felt like they were staring straight through me.

If she were a gamer in my last world, she would be the kind of person who killed all the NPCs in a stealth mission. So, technically, no one saw her.

She was pulling the same analogy here. She trusted me, so if the rest of her team died, she would be sure there were no traitors. Because no one would be left alive.

"I never asked, but why did you join my team again? We both know you would not put yourself in needless danger," Song Song inquired out of nowhere.

"Is this the best time to ask such questions?" I pointed to where the sound was coming from and how some of the trees in the distance fell.

"Do I seem stressed for time to you? I'm in no rush. This is the perfect time to ask such questions," she stated.

What was she playing at here?

I put my sandwich down and stood up, staring into the distance and narrowing my eyes at the approaching figures. But it was hard to determine what it was, even though my eyesight was supposed to be quite good as a cultivator.

"Because..." I began saying.

My mind worked faster than ever before to come up with the correct response. Because of how Song Song spoke, it seemed like whatever she sensed was strong enough to kill the disciples if she did not intervene.

My heart began beating faster, traces of panic formed, and my thoughts jumbled for a few seconds. Before I tightened my fists, the pain of my nails digging into my palm woke me up.

Song Song looked at me with an expectant gaze, the perfect picture of calmness.

"I joined you because I thought it would be safer than just staying in the Sect," I told the truth while hiding certain things that would make me sound crazier than the psycho girl next to me.

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"Well…" this time, it was her turn to be surprised as she stared at me wide-eyed. "Huh, you're actually telling the truth. This is even more unbelievable than the bullshit the sickly bitch was spewing."

But just as she seemed to be thinking of something, an explosion rocked the ground, and out of the broken trees burst more trees?

These new trees had faces carved in them, with red sap oozing out of their eyes that looked quite creepy. Their roots swished about like whips cracking in the air around them. Also, most of their trunks had differently colored rocks sprouting out of them, increasing their defenses.

There was no declaration of war or cliché villainous speeches. The battle began almost immediately, and everything turned into chaos. People used different techniques, and the trees swung their roots, hitting a couple of disciples.

I turned toward Song Song, about to tell her something, but she was no longer next to me and seemed to have listened to her advice as one of the trees suddenly had a hole carved in its body.

With all the chaos around, I backed off before any stray attack could hit me and observed the battle from a distance. Simultaneously, I used my Qi, attempting to sense if these beings had a leader or anything of the sort. But it was all for nothing, as the Qi these trees possessed melded so well into the forest that I couldn't even sense them.

Despite the chaotic battle, my gaze was drawn toward the tree monsters.

Cultivators categorized other species of animals and those that could cultivate as monstrous beasts. But not every one of them was necessarily a 'beast'. A plant-type monstrous beast was rare in the wild, and generally, there was little information on them.

Trees over a thousand years old or around that age could grow to become something like this. Time was only a rough estimate, as reports suggested that if a tree lived in a rich Qi environment, it could begin cultivating even faster.

These kinds of monstrous beasts were usually relatively peaceful. Still, there were times when they fed on human blood and saw humans as nutrients.

During my reading, I often contemplated how a plant with self-awareness would view a human. No doubt we might seem like barbarians to them. Or perhaps we were an inferior species who needed so much to survive and could not naturally live that long.

But despite what I had read, my information was limited and often, perhaps even incorrect.

Even I hadn't known they could hide their presence so well in a forest. I should update that part in my Monstrous Beast encyclopedia.

I observed everything about these creatures: how they moved and attacked, the instinctive tactics they used, how they manipulated their Qi during battle, and everything else in between.

These were things that I planned to write down after the battle, but opening a book and writing things down was quite dangerous at the moment.

I tried to recall if any monstrous beast resembling these trees was something I had written down about in my encyclopedia. Though I considered myself well-versed in monstrous beasts since I had written a whole book about them, certain similarities sometimes made me wary of providing my team with incorrect information.

The battle grew more gruesome as one of the trees smacked its whip-like roots on the arm of one of the inner disciples, causing the arm to twist at a weird angle. Another root swung in the same position in a blur, and the guy's arm went flying.

The arm flew through the air, and the morning sunlight illuminated the severed appendage. Unlike what one would expect, the arm was not cleanly cut; it looked more like someone had used a dull knife to sever it. The poor guy fell to his knees, holding onto his bleeding stump and screaming to the heavens.

But that turned out to be the wrong decision, as while I couldn't see it clearly, another swing from the tree's roots came toward the one-armed guy, and this time the target was his throat. Thankfully, another inner disciple used his sword to cut off the root midway before the attack could land.

Unlike how one would imagine battles like these, there was no glory, only carnage, and blood littering the ground that I could smell all the way from here. When I thought of battles, I usually assumed carefully crafted plans and schemes. This was nothing like that, and any moment now, one of the inner disciples was going to inadvertently kill one of their teammates due to friendly fire. They were throwing attacks wherever there seemed to be some root coming for them without thought of what their attack could hit.

One of the many tree-like monstrous beasts turned toward me and charged at me. I had no idea whether it did so instinctively because I was alone and far away from others or perhaps it picked me as the weakest in the group. But as the creature charged, it didn't take long until it almost reached me.

Instead of engaging in direct combat with one of the creatures I had just seen sever some guy's arm with just the swings of its roots, I decided to back off and jumped backward. That was when the tree used its roots and extended them, grabbing onto some other trees. It quickly ripped them off the ground and hurled them at me.

As soon as the trees thrown by the monstrous beast blocked my vision, I dodged to the side. It was a good thing I did because one long, thin root pierced through the tree and the ground where I had previously been.

Interesting. Could it use some rudimentary strategy when fighting? Did it have a semblance of basic intelligence, or did it learn from seeing someone else do something like this?

I would rather stay on the sidelines of this fight, but it wasn't like I could keep backing off and going too far away from the group. That would just invite more trouble!

I wanted to test a couple of things on both people and monstrous beasts alike, and this was as good a time as any.

Taking a deep breath, my Qi instantly exploded out of my body as I looked at the tree and focused all the malicious intentions in my mind toward the creature.

Yes, this was the killing intent move I had been practicing occasionally. But without being able to control my Qi accurately, it wasn't quite at the level I wanted.

The monstrous beast froze for a split second, but that wasn't enough to halt its momentum as it kept charging at me.

Maybe not only did I lack Qi control, but maybe my mindset wasn't quite there either. It wasn't like I had enemies I hated so much that it would enhance this technique. The person I most wanted to kill was Ye An, and even then, I was in no rush to do such things.

There was not a lot of malicious intent in me for anyone. Thinking about killing someone was just a waste of time. That shit made it impossible to concentrate on anything other than hatred; I wouldn't even be able to read a book in peace if I left such emotions running rampant on a daily basis.

I was about to maneuver out of the way of the roots again, dodging another attack, when suddenly, the monstrous tree halted in place. Cracks spread around its body and exploded in a gory mess of wood, red sap that looked like blood, and other chunks of stone fused with flesh.

Behind the beast stood Song Song, her hand extended outward without a drop of blood on her clothes. She stared at me with a frown, and for a second, I almost thought she was angry at me for something. But it seemed more like she was contemplating something.

Song Song turned toward the rest of the battle, then suddenly, a chill crawled up my spine as she began chuckling. Not the happy kind either, but the kind that belonged to a clearly deranged individual.

"This technique… How didn't I think of something like this before?" Song Song muttered under her breath.

The next instant, my body shook and froze in place as a sense of terror overwhelmed me. Irrational despair filled my body, and a malevolence so evil permeated the surrounding area that it churned my stomach and made me feel like throwing up.

However, despite this, I couldn't help but stare at Song Song as just her standing there had made all the enemies freeze in place. Sadly, it seemed like she lacked control, and even our allies were affected by this, which was no surprise since she was using this for the first time.

Yes! This was the technique I had envisioned! Song Song had the Qi Control and temperament to pull something like this off! This was the killing intent I had imagined when someone actively used it.

Then, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I could taste the copper in my tounge, and the feeling of maliciousness in the air grew heavier.

One of the disciples finally gave in, hunching over and vomiting his breakfast and dinner. "Bluegghh!"

Dark spots began crawling at the corner of my eye as Song Song's killing intent spiked once again.

Was I about to pass out?

Shit, I think she might be a bit too compatible with something like this!

Chapter 80: A Degree in Monsterology!

Song Song's intensity continued to increase, reaching a point where the tree-like monstrous beasts began writhing in discomfort. 

However, they weren't the only ones affected; the rest of our team also appeared to be in poor condition. Some were vomiting, while others shook uncontrollably, overtaken by irrational fear.

"Nice! Liu Feng, you truly are a genius! How did you even think of utilizing maliciousness in an active form? It's such a simple concept, yet no one had ever thought of it before," Song Song complimented me, her malicious Qi rising to such levels that even the leafless trees around us began to wither.

It was an intriguing reaction, almost as if Song Song's killing intent had a tangible presence, actually causing harm.

Using killing intent actively was a concept I had borrowed from fantasy stories in my previous life. Yet here, in this world, it seemed entirely new. 

Or at least, no one had publicly displayed this ability until now. However, there might be some dude from before who figured out something like this. Still, like the rest of the cultivators, he hid this information for himself, and that information died with him. 

Killing intent was not a concept unique to me in this world. It was something that cultivators or other beings who could manipulate Qi naturally emitted when their emotions were uncontrolled. Typically, human cultivators viewed the release of killing intent as a sign of emotional instability, something to be ashamed of.

Cultivators were meant to be detached from worldly emotions or strived to be so.

However, reality often deviated from these ideals, much like those YouTube videos titled "A Day in the Life of a Millionaire," portraying a seemingly perfect routine.

Uncontrolled killing intent was more commonly associated with monstrous beasts, further emphasizing why no cultivator wished to be compared to such creatures.

My thoughts drifted, but my gaze remained fixed on Song Song's back. Her silky hair fluttered as a red outline enveloped her body.

No... Song Song wasn't creating an energy barrier around herself; her intensity hadn't heightened. I was just beginning to see what I had sensed all along!

Was this Qi?

However, as excitement surged within me at the prospect of seeing Qi, my concentration shattered under the overwhelming killing intent. The red aura around Song Song blurred and vanished from my vision entirely.

Glancing at the other inner disciples who had joined us on this journey, I couldn't help but ponder how they must see the situation. Just catching a glimpse of Qi had me enthralled; undoubtedly, they had a clearer view.

Everyone inherently possessed killing intent, and those manipulating Qi could do so actively. Moreover, the more brutal and potent one's thoughts and mindset were, the greater the effect.

A technique like this might not be useful to someone like me, but for Song Song... it was akin to a fish in water.

While Song Song was engrossed in her newfound ability, and everyone's focus was on her, I took a deep breath and decided to play a more active role in the battle.

Crouching down, I executed the Rushing Bull Step technique, instantly appearing before the monstrous trees.

Despite the overwhelming killing intent affecting everyone indiscriminately, as the creator of this "party trick," I knew the best method to resist it and had grown accustomed to such situations.

For a moment, I entertained the idea of using Falling Moon Claw, my Earth Grade Technique. However, the thought vanished as quickly as it came. I wasn't in a dire enough situation to resort to such a technique, and the Liu Clan had yet to fabricate a backstory for how it got such a thing.

Employing Sonic Fang Fist, the air sang like a whip around my fist as it collided with the trunk of the monstrous tree. Though my fist remained unharmed, the tree showed no signs of damage either.

Damn, this monster had problematic defenses! Song Song made penetrating them appear effortless, but clearly, it wasn't the case.

The tree's roots swished menacingly, prompting me to leap backward. However, the tentacle-like roots extended further than one would expect, pursuing me relentlessly.

Despite its speed and ability to utilize Qi in its attacks, I had familiarized myself with its movements. As a vine grazed my cheek, the wind's whiplash left a shallow cut, causing a trickle of blood to seep down my face.

Instead of retreating, I advanced, catching the monster off guard. Its subsequent attacks were delayed, granting me an opportunity to close the distance once more.

Rather than resorting to punches or martial techniques, I leaped into the air, positioning myself for a kick. Activating Rushing Bull Step, my legs tensed. I delivered a powerful kick to the tree monster's face, causing it to topple over as I created some distance between us.

Typically, these monstrous beasts remained firmly rooted to the ground, but Song Song's outburst had already disrupted their balance.

After skidding to a halt on the wet ground, I turned around to witness the fallen tree monster, its roots wriggling in an attempt to regain its footing. Unlike its rocky exterior, the area beneath its trunk and initial roots appeared ashy and gray.

Upon seeing this, a memory stirred within me. Tree-like monstrous beasts were rare, making them easier to recall. While I couldn't recall its exact name, I remembered something far more crucial—its weakness!

Without consulting anyone, I swiftly seized the sword of an inner disciple beside me. She appeared too dazed to notice as her weapon was no longer in her hands. 

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Charging toward the fallen monster, numerous roots shot in my direction as if instinctively deeming me the most significant threat. 

At this moment, I might have appeared even more dangerous than Song Song in their eyes.

Having learned their attack patterns, I dodged, leaped aside, and suffered only a minor cut below my shoulder. But it was a small price to pay as I reached the fallen monstrous tree, poised to rise again.

Without allowing it a chance to recover, I used the sword to slash at the ashy area just below its trunk. The sword was a precaution in case its blood was acidic. I couldn't recall it being so, but the sources I had consulted hadn't documented everything about a specific monstrous beast.

The monstrous tree froze, emitting a human-like screech as red blood gushed from the wound, accompanied by intestines and various organs not typical of a tree.

"Everyone! Target the area beneath their roots—that's their weakness!" I shouted, backing off as a barrage of roots surged toward me, leaving another scratch under my armpit.

Upon landing beside the girl whose sword I had borrowed, I returned her weapon with a friendly smile. "Thank you for lending me your weapon."

Inspecting her sword, I found no signs of acidic activity, alleviating concerns.

However, another issue arose. Despite my instructions, Song Song's overwhelming malicious intent made it difficult for both monsters and humans to move freely. Even the monsters were inferior to Song Song in cultivation, indicating she had reached a higher stage than our last meeting. 

Scanning for anyone unaffected by the murderous aura, I spotted Ye An, wearing an unreadable expression as she stared at Song Song. It seemed she was plotting something, but she had neglected to play her part as the weakened cultivator. Her immunity to the murderous intent hinted at a partial recovery in her cultivation.

"Song Song!" I called out to our leader, snapping her out of her trance. She turned her eerie gaze toward me, then glanced at the monstrous trees.

"It appears I lost myself in thought for a moment," she remarked, her expression unsettling.

"This isn't the time for jests. I've done what I could, and I'd rather avoid unnecessary injuries," I countered.

Song Song's remark about becoming more like me might have been a joke, but the truth was we were both influencing each other. I found myself adopting a darker aspect of the cultivation world she exposed me to—a corrupted system I could never hope to change. 

The remainder of the battle mirrored its brutal beginning. Still, armed with the knowledge of the monsters' weakness and with Song Song effortlessly toppling them, it became a massacre. We emerged victorious with ease.

After the dust settled, the inner disciples were left panting, some attending to the wounded. We suffered a few casualties, but I could do little to aid them. While I possessed basic medical knowledge, magical healing pills rendered such skills obsolete.

The only two individuals who appeared unaffected were Song Song and Ye An. The latter feigned exhaustion, though I had observed her minimal involvement in the battle. Moreover, her supposed fatigue lacked the characteristic sweating expected from physical exertion, even with her extraordinary physique.

Song Song seemed to share my suspicions, casting wary glances toward Ye An as she wiped blood from her hands with a white cloth.

Sensing a looming confrontation, I approached Song Song as she conversed with another inner disciple, who appeared visibly shaken. Despite sustaining a rough blow to his arm, his limb remained intact, unlike some other unfortunate comrades.

As the disciple retreated, Song Song turned her attention to me. A faint tilt of her lip hinted at something resembling a smile, though it exuded an eerie aura.

"Can I dissect the bodies of the monstrous beasts?" I cut to the chase, devoid of small talk or jests.

"Sure," she shrugged, conjuring a sword with a white silver handle from her silver storage ring. "Here, use this to cut up the bodies."

It was a convenient offer; I had intended to request a sword from one of the inner disciples. Accepting the weapon, I felt a subtle vibration emanate from the blade as I tightened my grip. Though not a blade expert, it was evident this weapon held significance. Given Song Song's status, I doubted she wasted space in her ring on trivial items.

Under different circumstances, I might have delved into inquiries about the sword. However, more pressing matters demanded attention.

Approaching the corpses of the fallen monstrous beasts, I noted their red, human-like blood staining the ground, a stark contrast to the trees we had just battled.

Unlike before, when the inner disciples had regarded me with disdain and hostility, their demeanor now was passive. Despite my gray uniform, they no longer viewed me as beneath them.

I suppose fighting a life-and-death battle against a common enemy has a way of bringing people together.

I began dissecting the trunks of the monstrous trees, finding that the sword effortlessly pierced their defenses. Without the ability to use Qi as when they were alive, their defenses were significantly diminished. However, it was still surprising how easily the blade sliced through them.

Shaking off stray thoughts, I focused on my task, using the sword to cut open the trees and a stick to manipulate the organs within. After inspecting each one, my heart sank, and I took a deep breath.

As expected...

Retrieving my Monster Encyclopedia from my wooden backpack, I flipped through the pages until I found the entry for the Eight-Pronged Human Wishing Tree. "This is the one... Yes, they don't primarily consume humans. Most plant-like monstrous beasts don't consider humans their primary food source."

Since the trees had no human remains in their stomachs, it confirmed that they hadn't eaten humans, corroborating the Monster Encyclopedia's information.

Approaching Song Song, I found her alone. Without seeking permission, I erected a silencing array to ensure our conversation remained private.

Song Song raised a questioning brow as she looked at me. "Wasn't it you who suggested we act more cordially? To set an example of mutual respect within the team? Erecting a silencing barrier without permission doesn't exactly convey that message."

I could see the mischievous glint in her eyes, indicating she was teasing me, not genuinely concerned about formalities.

"This isn't the time for formalities," I said, my tone serious, causing her playful demeanor to fade. Her eyes narrowed as I continued. "Plant-like monstrous beasts don't need to consume humans to survive. So, why did they attack us out of nowhere?"

I had harbored suspicions since the monsters began displaying strategic combat tactics despite lacking human-like intelligence. Even without Foundation Establishment, they exhibited signs of training.

"Do you think it's the work of a spy?" Song Song's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.

"It's a possibility," I nodded, sharing my theory. "But there's a more concerning possibility—that someone is leading these monsters. This suggests this year's Beast Waves won't be a mindless stampede. Perhaps someone has united the monstrous beasts... and this was a calculated attack."

Song Song's eyes widened, recognizing the gravity of the situation.

A monster leading other monsters...

Humans maintained an advantage over monstrous beasts due to our organization and unity.

But if monstrous beasts were organized and united, it was a terrifying prospect. We were about to face something no one was prepared for.