69-74 Dao of Cooking

Chapter 69: Special Blend

The sudden tremor almost sent the boiling pot and sizzling pan crashing onto the counter. Lei managed to save them by pure instinct alone, fingers aching as he placed them back on the counter. Still, the earth kept shaking, as if somewhere, something had smashed right into it.

Wooden walls groaned and flexed but held true. Earthquakes weren't common in Jiangzhen, but not unheard of either. Once he was done with the pot, Lei immediately went to check on the others. He found them standing before the table, eyeing the entrance door.

That was when the tremors stopped.

"That was strange," he muttered. "Is everyone all right?"

"Yes, looks like it's over now," Fatty Lou said, one hand tight around Stone's shoulder. "All good here, Chef. Nothing to worry about."

"Good, then. The food will be ready in a bit."

With that, he returned to the kitchen and pulled the pot and pan back on the stove.

The simmering stew sent coils of delicious smoke around it. He waved a hand over them and sucked in a deep breath. Beside the pot, he had his steaks sizzling on a wide pan, coated with a crust so crisp that the knife's tip crunched loudly as it trailed across their surface.

He checked them both.

[Earthshaker Stew - Earth-Grade - Middle Quality dish]: A stew cooked and nourished by the hands of a Heavenly Cook, mixed with strange essences of the world.

[Earthshaker Steak - Earth Grade - Low Quality dish]: Lean cuts from the Earthshaker Boar, cooked on a wooden stove and carrying the hints of Chef's Touch.

The real crown of the meal would be the Earthshaker Stew, but Lei still wanted to cook a pair of steaks for Snake and Stone. Like most kids, they tended to prefer simple, delicious meals over more complex, watery sorts of food.

I wasn't much different back then. I was obsessed with fries...

So much so that he would have his mother prepare him some fries whenever he was hungry. It wasn't until he was all grown up that his mother told him the reason she never turned him down. Eating fries first thing in the morning wasn't exactly healthy during his growth phase, after all.

Simply put, it was convenient for her.

Odd how those memories were still fresh in Lei's mind. He felt a need to cherish them, as it was becoming harder and harder to hold onto that side of himself the longer he stayed here.

I'm one of them now, right? One of the locals. No longer the one who came to this world by some trick of fate.

He removed the steaks from the pan and let them rest, fishing a spoon from the counter and moving over to the stew. A spoonful of rich, meaty soup flushed the bitterness in his mouth with unmistakable brilliance. It was salty, but not overly so. A stray piece of meat had managed to sneak onto his spoon, melting on his tongue and dissolving into a wave of pure bliss that flooded down his throat.

The warmth was something of a dream—a cook's answer to the biting winds outside. It instantly found a home around his stomach and sent a streak of spiritual energy-mana blend throughout his body.

"It doesn't get any better than this," Lei muttered, smiling broadly at the taste. "Boys, prepare the table. Food is ready!"

Stone lumbered in through the kitchen door, squeezing tight around Snake, who tried to be the first one to get to the plates. It didn't take much for Stone to brush past him, cradling the plates carefully with both arms, pausing on his way back for a second to take a breath of the stew.

"It smells delicious!" he said, gulping loudly as his eyes strayed to the steaks. "I-I can take those too, Big Brother Lei. Just put them over these plate—"

"You're going to drop them. Move! I'll get the steaks," Snake barked from behind, arms crossed over his chest as he eyed Stone with a contemptuous gaze. He then shrugged at Lei. "You see what I'm dealing with, Big Brother Lei? This fool of a rock makes everything hard."

"A kitchen has its rules, little Snake," Lei said to him, leaning closer to his face. He pointed a finger at Stone, who held bowls and plates cradled over his arms. "You have to earn your keep if you want to eat. Your brother here is doing two men's work, for which he'll get his share. What about you? You certainly speak a lot for a staff that shies away from hard work."

"I was about to take… What?" Snake's eyebrows danced hesitantly. "But we're not kitchen staff—"

Lei shook his head at him. "You are now. Get those spoons and the steaks right away. Make sure not to slip on your way out. And hey, before that, open the door for your brother! You should help each other instead of bickering constantly!"

Snake scooped the spoons and grabbed the steaks resting on the plates with such speed that Lei blinked at him. The slippery boy was instantly at the door, holding it with the tip of his left foot while Stone lumbered out with plates in hand, then closely followed after him.

It's times like these that I remember you're just kids rather than monstrous geniuses.

He was struck by a sudden thought that soon these brats would grow out of their shells and become respected geniuses in the wide world. His heart tightened. It felt like he was about to lose something dear to him.

Is this how parents feel when they watch their kids grow?

A little sad he might be, but Lei still smiled at that. These kids had been left all alone in the streets, orphaned by that cultivator attack and abandoned by Jiangzhen's folk. He'd done everything in his power to patch that emptiness gnawing at their hearts, and would continue to do anything to keep them safe.

I say we're making good progress here. Some good work.

He took the stew pot and went to the main hall. Stone and Snake were busy with plates while Fatty Lou and Zhu Luli conversed quietly. As always, Little Yao hoarded Little Mei's attention and was poking her cheeks with her claws.

Pleasure welled within Lei's chest as he placed the pot on the table. Once he removed the lid, a cloud of delicious smoke spread across the main hall.

"Oh?" Fatty Lou said, instantly taken by the strong smell. He then gave Lei a strange smile. "We were just talking about whether it was you who triggered some sort of earthquake with your cooking. A Heavenly Cook's dishes can do that, right?"

"I'm not sure," Zhu Luli said, one eyebrow arched in amusement. "But I guess it can be done?"

"Humorous, as usual." Lei shook his head at them and poured himself into a chair, feeling the warm wood's easing touch. A moment of peace. Of reflection and gratitude. Things might change after this meal, and not necessarily for the better. He hoped the food would help, though. He hoped it with all his heart.

"Before we start, I want to say a few important things," he said, feeling a bit nervous as he poured some stew for the kids. Two big steaks were placed between Snake and Stone, the pair gazing greedily at the beautifully crusted cuts, so he didn't want to make them wait too long.

All eyes turned to him as Lei continued, "That stew can be dangerous. It has a unique blend of energy inside, so we'll all eat slowly, one spoonful at a time. Say something if you feel any discomfort. It can be too much for some of us."

Thanks to the Maiden's Flame, he now had a way to work around the two different energies, but that also muddled his normal path of cultivation. Rather than laboring with spiritual energy to manage one minor circle at a time, Lei could now use the unique energy blend to force the minor circles, which to some degree solved the problem of his lacking spiritual roots.

He wasn't particularly worried about the kids and Zhu Luli, but Fatty Lou… he didn't know how his brother-in-arms would react to this unique energy.

"Dangerous?" Snake said doubtfully.

"Can food be dangerous?" Stone echoed after him.

Fatty Lou glanced at Lei and smiled nervously. "Oh, it can. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience."

"I had that pleasure as well," Zhu Luli nodded. "But with your talent, I don't think you'll have any trouble with it."

"Let's dive in, then!" Snake stabbed at his stew with the wooden spoon, scooped a big piece of meat from inside, and drove it into his mouth, Stone following suit.

Their eyes widened.

It didn't take long for the table to quiet down as everyone became too occupied with the food. The slurping, the chewing, the smacking of lips… Every little bite was followed by a string of praise that widened the smile on Lei's lips.

Because that's what it's all about for a chef. You cook for people, and you watch them cast their worries away by simply lending an ear to the delicious tunes of thick broth. Even a little smile, Lei thought, made all the difference. That was the pleasure found in the simplest things.

"Something's different," Zhu Luli said once she finished her first bowl, a frown of a smile hanging over her lips. She seemed hesitant, as if trying to make out a particularly sneaky word that lingered at the tip of her tongue. "Spiritual energy… but this? Is this mana?"

Lei knew she'd be the first one to catch that. He asked with nervous expectation, "Yes, how does it feel?"

"Feels… funny," Zhu Luli muttered. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. "It's tame, but still has that feisty feeling to it. Like a spiritual beast being held with a tight leash. If it snaps—"

"Uhh," Fatty Lou groaned beside her and patted his stomach. There was a dreamy, somewhat pained expression on his face. "It's jabbing me good, I give you that. But it'll have to do more work if it wants to convince me of its dangerous nature."

"What do you mean?" Lei asked.

"I mean that it's not anything like how we felt against those rotten bastards," Fatty Lou said, pouring himself a second bowl. He smacked his lips loudly after a spoonful of stew. "But Heavens, it's tasty! Good thing we don't have a backyard full of those damned boars. That'd be the end of me."

"He's trying to say that this mana is different. It's milder in nature, as if not smeared by those people's touch. Just a mindless lump of energy," Zhu Luli said strangely. "If you don't poke it, it just stays there behind the meridians."

"Try a minor circle," Lei said curiously. "I know I can handle it, but if we want to let kids and especially Brother Lou do something with that, we have to first make sure it's safe."

Zhu Luli eyed him for a moment before nodding and excusing herself from the table. She moved to the side and crossed her legs on the ground, taking deep, long breaths to start her cultivation session.

Lei was about to use his Spiritual Sensitivity skill to keep an eye on her when something prickled his skin. A sound dinged inside his ears.

[You have leveled up! 3 stat points gained!]

"Oh?" he muttered absently, blinking at the notification blaring before his face. "Just like that?"

"Wait, what happened?" Fatty Lou asked.

"I'll tell you later," Lei said, and waved the notification off as he focused on Zhu Luli. Getting a level from a few people trying his dishes came as a surprise, but he was more curious about how Zhu Luli would handle the energy.

It was as though the air gained a sudden weight that slumped over Lei's shoulders when he felt a sudden spike in Zhu Luli's meridians. The Spiritual Sensitivity skill only provided a general feeling that let him know about the start of a minor circle, but that was enough for him to understand that the woman had found her flow.

One circle after another, she kept at it, the energy coursing through her veins. Lei felt a certain attraction to that spiritual energy-mana blend, as if somehow that particular energy was a part of his own. Now that he thought about it, it seemed only right, as he was the one who granted the dish his so-called unique essence.

At the seventy-ninth circle, the circulation slowed down considerably. The last they'd talked, Zhu Luli was at the 9th Stage of the Body Tempering Stage, having completed just seventy-five circles, but this time it looked like the dish alone gave her four additional circles.

That's not small at all. Even Mortal-grade, High Quality dishes gave her at most one or two circles lately.

An Earth-tier dish, one that carried that unique essence as well, seemed to be suited for cultivators. As if to prove that, Zhu Luli forced her way into the 80th circle. A scowl tugged at her lips, hands clenching tight around her robe. Sweat trickled slowly down her chin.

She was struggling, but even then, she continued and made for the last minor circle. If she could complete the 81st circle, that would mean she was ready to break through to the Qi Condensation Stage.

"Snake, Stone, and Little Mei." Lei turned to the kids and waved a hand at them. "That's enough food for now. Join your Teacher and start cultivating. I want you to focus on that energy."

"But Big Brother Lei—"

"No buts. You can eat once you're done with your cultivation session. The food's going nowhere."

Stone and Snake reluctantly set down their bowls, grumbling their way beside Zhu Luli. They closed their eyes and aligned their breathing. Little Mei, too, nestled beside her bowl, mimicking the posture of her brothers and began breathing deeply with a fierce focus that made Lei smile.

Across the room, Fatty Lou watched them, one eyebrow raised. He turned to Lei, spoon hovering over his stew. "You think they'll manage anything with this?"

"I trust them, but…"

"But?"

"I don't trust you, Brother Lou," Lei said with a shake of his head. "Think you can handle that? You seem fine, but you know what happened the last time we tried something strong."

Fatty Lou's eyes flashed strangely before he cleared his throat. "Let's not open up the old books, shall we? About the energy, I can say that though it feels strange, I don't feel any pain, or any lightness, for that matter. Completely opposite—it feels like it seeps into my meridians on its own."

"Wait, what?" Lei's eyes widened. "But hasn't Sister Luli just said it's a lump of mindless energy?"

"Oh, it is, but there's something familiar about it. Like I know this energy, I'm pretty sure I felt it before," Fatty Lou said solemnly.

"When?" Lei asked.

"Whenever I ate your food," Fatty Lou said. Then all of a sudden, he let out a burp, then slapped his thigh as he barked out a laugh. "Oh, that was nice. Think I'll join the group. Cultivate a little."

"You're sure?"

"Oh, I'm dead sure. But do keep the stew hot, please. I'm not done with it," Fatty Lou said, and he rose from the table. It took him a moment to settle beside the cultivating group and begin his breathing.

That left only Lei standing.

This is not how I thought it was going to be. Hope it all goes well.

It seemed like more and more he was relying on hope as of late.

Chapter 70: Breakthrough

The moment that strange energy entered his meridians, Snake's whole world had changed. Through the fleshy walls of his body and the ethereal meridians, he watched the constant circulation with fists clenched.

He was close to the 8th Step of Body Tempering Stage, and this time he just knew he could push through that final boundary. His fingers itched. His body shook with excitement. He could feel the strength of his muscles building slowly as the energy fed into them.

Big Brother Lei's food is the best.

Not just because they were full of energy, but also the feeling about them. It was like his father's cooking. Close. Warm. Every time he tasted it, even after a long day under Teacher Luli's training, he felt his mind ease and thoughts grow silent.

It was during times like these he realized how good life could be. People around the table. Loved ones talking and smiling. His brothers and sisters. Stone slurping those bowls as if he had a horse chasing after him.

Home. That's how it felt. The restaurant or Big Brother Lei's old place in the ruins. Wherever he went, so long as he was with them, he was in the place where he should be. He belonged to these people, and these people to him.

He almost poked Stone with an elbow but decided against it. A smile bloomed on his lips. Just this once, he'd leave his Little Brother alone.

...

Zhu Luli marvelled at the strange energy coursing through her meridians. Every minor circle felt like a completely new experience, one that she couldn't get enough of. It almost seemed like the energy wanted to be used, but also there was an underlying, different strength to it that threatened to take control.

Therefore, she watched the circulation with all her focus, stepping in whenever the energy tried to ooze out from her meridians. A little poke there, a little poke here. Her command over spiritual energy remained strong even as her heart thumped in her chest.

She didn't want to think too much about it, but when the 80th minor circle was completed, a giddy jolt ran down her back. She was getting close… close to the Qi Condensation Stage.

In her mind, she knew that she'd already bound a star, which was the most difficult part of the breakthrough. The rest was just an energy issue. Get enough spiritual energy to complete 81 minor circles, then she'd be in the Qi Condensation Stage. Nothing complicated.

That didn't mean she could keep a steady mind, though. This would be her first step to what many thought of as the true start of the Immortal Path. A new world waited for her, a world that she'd dreamed of since she was a little girl.

What would've Father said if he were here?

Surely he would've grumbled that she didn't let him help her with the resources. Zhu Clan had more spiritual pills than one could count, Sages who could teach the Immortal Path, and Divination Masters that could've made the star-binding process a whole lot easier.

But Zhu Luli had refused all of that. Her Father might've forgotten, but he was the one who told her that every cultivator had their own path. Without adversity, simply coursing through the cultivation stages meant little if one wished to be something more than one of those Young Masters in the capital. They were a dime a dozen. Nothing special.

Above all that, she wanted to prove to her Father that she wasn't a weak, fragile statue carved from glass and teetered on the brink of destruction with but a touch. She was her own woman, not just the Zhu Clan's Youngest Miss who'd grown under the mighty mountain that was her father. She could do everything on her own. No, she had to, lest she'd think less of herself.

The odd energy sent a jolt of excitement when the 80th circle was completed. It was finally here, the last minor circle that would complete the first major circle of her lifetime.

Through her bond, she could feel the joy of that distant star, how it trembled in expectation, waiting to be fully immersed into her own soul.

We will become whole after this.

With a final, concentrated breath, Zhu Luli forced the energy into her meridians and winced when pain bloomed in her mind. She wrapped mental chains around the emotion and leashed it to the cage of her soul. Leashed it there and commanded it to stay silent. Nothing, not even her own emotions, could prevent her from taking this final step.

...

Wang Lou breathed in deep and felt the energy stir in his meridians. The taste of that stew was still fresh in his mouth. He would've cherished it a little longer, and perhaps eaten two or three more bowls, but the pressure had become too much for him to handle. That was why he'd decided to cultivate.

As he watched the energy course through his body, his mind started to wander.

It'd been a time of chaos lately, a time of happenings that seemed to drag them around and around with no particular destination. It seemed at every turn they came across something they never expected to see or be swept into. And yet, life had the tendency to flourish during difficult times.

His old man didn't stare at him like he was a useless, talentless fool anymore. His gaze now had a tenderness Wang Lou hadn't known existed. Perhaps it was the old age. Death creeping about. The earth calling him back. Or perhaps Wang Lou had really become something more than a 'Fatty' that wasted his life doing this or that after he'd met with Brother Lei.

That brother-in-arms of his was a different man. Certainly not from this little town. That much had been made very clear the first time they'd met. He had a funny way of talking, a strange gap in the knowledge that made little sense to him, but what impressed Wang Lou was the man's dedication.

A little stall around the market, with barely any money to run the damned thing. What fool could've dared dream of something like that? Honest work got you nowhere. Wang Lou knew it well. He'd once told his old man that being a baker or a butcher didn't change the fact that they were born as lessers. Men with simple means. Men who didn't deserve to hope for more.

And yet he did. He yearned for more. Who could blame him? A tiny ant gazing up at the heavens, dreaming he would become a dragon in the future. Trouble was, he never put the work in. He just waited for it to happen. A lightning strike to find him and show him the truth. The path upon which he would walk. The road that was his destiny, but hidden from his mortal eyes.

Now that he thought about it, a sadness washed over him. Life waited for no one. Thoughts and dreams left unrealized so long as you didn't strive for them.

I'm trying now, aren't I?

All those turns and twists. It was a big hurricane. The stall. The mountain. The kids. The restaurant. There was so much to think about, so many things to care about that he couldn't just stop. He had no time to waste. People depended on him. People! On him!

That was the strange reality he found himself in, and he couldn't have asked for anything better.

He pushed, with teeth clenched, heart thundering in his chest, the energy to round into another minor circle. A cultivator's will was steel, Sister Luli had told him. A cultivator's shackle is their own mind. So he leashed his thoughts and drove out the ones that kept telling him that he was a failure, a nobody trying to rise against the odds.

So be it. Even if the endless skies proved too high, even if this grand world had no place for a good-for-nothing man like him, so be it. He would live for his own. The ideals he'd come to cherish would be the cornerstone of the rest of his life. He had things to fight for, and those weighed more than anything he ever knew before.

Something stirred in his core. The energy rose in response, circling around his meridians with a speed he could hardly trail. His body ached and trembled. Sweat poured down his face.

Scowling, he swept his inner world with an eye and paused when he saw the little seed growing in the thick of his core. A lusterless dot that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

It was calling out to him, with a beckon that seeped into his soul. Arms cradled him and filled him with warmth. His thoughts grew distant. He himself grew distant. A spectator watching his own body from above, and yet, deep down, aware of all the changes.

What is this?

What could be so warm, so close that even though he'd just seen it then, he felt like it was there all along? He tried to touch it. Found himself being drawn to its two-colored shell. One half was completely white, the other a deep black. A hole opened on its surface and let his soul in.

Once there, the realization dawned on him.

This was his own Dao. Born out of his yearning. Of lives lived. Of paths walked, all different and strange. Inside was empty still. His soul could only fill a part of it. It would take time. Time to realize this Duality.

…..

Lei tapped a foot to the ground, arms crossed over his chest, watching the group cultivate in what seemed like a storm of different emotions.

Brother Lou had a serene, almost intoxicated expression on his face, fingers trembling slightly. Zhu Luli's face was twisted up in a stubborn frown, one that looked so sharp that it could cut through stone.

Snake was smiling. Ever the slippery brat, he was smiling even as sweat drops trickled down his cheeks. Next to him, Stone was one furious rock, face red and muscles bulged in defiance. Waves of spiritual energy-mana blend spread from him.

Lastly, Little Mei and Little Yao were busy rocking back and forth. The little squirrel was sprawled over on Little Mei's lap, stretched into a shape that seemed more like a furry rope than a real animal. Hard to understand how she could cultivate in that form. Perhaps, Lei then thought, it didn't matter so long as she somehow kept skin contact with Little Mei.

They both looked fairly relaxed.

Lei himself felt at ease. Looked like the new energy didn't harm them in any way. Pushed them, sure, but a little push might be just the thing they needed.

Beyond the main hall's town, he could feel the city stir. Mana rose in waves from the three sources, spreading over Jiangzhen like a foul, thick fog. Once they were done here, they would first pay a visit to Aunt Lifen's place. Then…

Lei swallowed. Then they would put an end to this madness and quench those sources one by one.

"Ohh!" Fatty Lou pried his eyes open, staring about himself in a daze. He rose to his feet and stretched his legs out, then let out a satisfying sigh. "That was some good cultivation there, a good session, I daresay!"

Zhu Luli's skin glistened with ethereal lights, her eyes deep as an endless sea. "Finally," she muttered. "Qi Condensation Stage!"

Snake, Stone, and Little Mei were the last ones to finish their sessions. They looked strangely at each other.

"Ready?" Lei said, a smile tugging at his lips.

Everyone nodded.

"Then prepare to head out. We have a city to sweep."

Chapter 71: Thorn

Jiangzhen was one old, rusted cauldron in which boiled a sickly, yellowish concoction. It reeked of rot and pus and every bit of evil to Lei's senses. He scrunched his nose up, felt his Spiritual Sensitivity skill jolt alarmingly, then motioned for the group to follow him as he made for Aunt Lifen's place.

On their way, they came across dozens of guards lying senseless on the ground, tongues lolling out, faces riddled with spots that looked like pockmarks. They picked some of their weapons, Lei himself getting a solid-looking mace that strangely reminded him of that spiritual ladle.

Zhu Luli, Snake, and Stone remained bare-handed. The former two had fingers sharper than a normal sword's tip, and the latter had fists that made the concept of a weapon pointless for him. Lei had seen them in action for some time prior, but he was still curious to see their new strength.

On the other hand, he had his stats. He could tell how drastic a change had happened in his own body. He hardly felt the weight of the mace in his hand. His breaths came out in a constant rhythm even though he sprinted across the streets.

But you're also taking care of me, eh?

The Dao Seed's tiny sprout fluttered joyfully at the remark, sending a wave of pure energy around his body. Like the sun's first sprinkle of light, it cast a warm glow over his meridians and illuminated the pristine paths through which the new spiritual energy-mana blend coursed.

Onward, they continued.

It took them some time to reach Aunt Lifen's place, where a deserted sight welcomed them. The wooden door clanked weakly against the walls, letting all the wind in. Nothing, not even one person, was in sight. The rooms were empty, save for the cauldron Zhu Luli had brought here in the morning, which was half-full with the remedy.

They must've taken her.

Lei didn't let the sight get to him. He left the questions unanswered, and instead led the group toward the eastern market. It was past time to stop and talk through this. Meaningless to search for Aunt Lifen as well.

The moment we'll get our hands on that source, they will be forced to show their hand.

Through the Spiritual Sensitivity skill, he could tell the current coming from the Library had a thicker, almost suffocating feel to it. The other two currents, one situated close to the Governor's place, and the other resting in the Eastern Market, were milder in comparison.

You're at the Library, then? You wait there.

Lei clenched his fists and bolted through the streets until he reached the Eastern Market. He motioned for the group to slow down, trudging silently through one of the back streets, casting an eye across the square from here.

This place was where his old stall had been. Where everything had started. Now, everything lay in a scattered mass. Stalls overturned, the ground riddled with cracks, and some buildings crumbled onto their own foundation. The rot was visible here, a stretch of heavy fog that hung thick in the air.

"I don't see anybody," Zhu Luli said, craning her head from the street and gazing deeply at the square. "There's no one here."

Lei scowled. That made no sense. The current streamed from below the heart of the square, oozing through the cracks in the earth. There was something there, but why was nobody in sight? They couldn't have left it there without protection, could they?

"This whole thing stinks of a trap," Fatty Lou said, shifting on his feet. "If Brother Lei's right and one of the formation pieces lay here in that square, they should've been guarding the place with their lives."

"Perhaps they are," Lei said, heart thumping in his chest. "But we can't see it. I'll go first. Be careful and keep your eyes on me."

"But we don't know what's in there!" came Stone's voice, after which everybody turned at him and the boy flushed. "I-I mean, can't we do something else?" he stammered.

Lei shook his head. "Be good now, Little Stone. I'll just go and check. I'll be counting on you."

"Uh…" Stone's chin drooped down and Snake patted him on the back. That surprised Lei. Looked like the competitive duo seemed to understand that this wasn't the time for their old games.

"Shouldn't I—" Zhu Luli tried to say, but Lei raised a hand at her and nodded with strength.

"This is my city," he said, gazing across the rotten fog. "And my responsibility."

Mace in hand, he strutted out from the street and let the fog coil around his body. Each breath sent a stabbing pain down his throat, rotten mana trying to ooze into his veins and meridians.

Lei willed the Maiden's flame to burn, and burn it did, roaring into action as it sent tongues of flame toward seeping rot. A warmth cuddled him tight. Clashed against the rot with brutal precision. Tendrils of flame squeezed the rotten spheres and flushed the life out of them, biting deep into their cores.

They had no chance against the inner flame that burned within Lei's chest.

His shoulders relaxed. The grip around the mace remained strong, however. At each step, he expected something to lunge at him, skin prickling with invisible fear. And yet the fog stood a spectator until he skirted around the cracks and arrived at the core of the square.

Ah…

When he stared down the crack in the earth, the Spiritual Sensitivity screamed in his mind. A strong aura oozed out from the hole, coming from a piece of metal that shaped like a thorn. Black tendrils had been wrapped around it, nearly coating its surface, but there were gaps that simmered with a greenish, rotten light.

What is this?

It certainly didn't look like a formation flag. From how the skill responded to its presence, it was unmistakably from another world, probably carried here by those bastards. Even now, it sucked the air inside and belched out foul, sickly rotten mana in waves.

He was about to turn back and motion for the group when his feet slipped, and a tiny rock tumbled down into the hole. It plummeted below with a loud thud. The air shifted. A dark shadow lashed out with impossible speed.

Lei threw himself sideways, banged his head on the ground, and smelled of rotten pus. The shadow missed him by a hair's breadth and streaked across the square, crashing into a building and drilling halfway in. Rocks and walls rained down in a shower of dust.

The Spiritual Sensitivity skill roared. Lei trusted it with blind devotion and rolled back—back from the crack—and saw another streak lunging from inside the hole like a dark tendril.

Dozens of them stretched out and made for him. Their tips glinted sharp. He barely had time to raise the mace when one of them streaked near his face. It smacked into the mace and bounced shakily off, the impact sending a tremor down Lei's arms.

Breath rasped in his chest, fingers shaking as adrenaline took control. He ducked under another tendril and came out swinging the mace, the heavy weapon finding purchase with a sickening squelch. Pus spilled out from where it crushed the tendril. It wriggled back and forth, like a dying worm thrashing in a final, desperate attempt to find solace.

Lei scrambled away from it, moving through the other tendrils.

That was when a silver light glistened in the yellow of the fog.

Zhu Luli waved a contemptuous hand toward the tendrils, and a web of silver lights stretched forth, cutting deep into their web. She swatted one away with her other hand and grabbed the one making for Lei with ease.

More came from the hole. Hundreds of tendrils stretched in an endless tide.

Then Fatty Lou was running, Snake and Stone trailing him, Little Mei a little further back with a strained smile on her face. His brother-in-arms wrapped his arms around a particularly large tendril and squeezed it tight, and tighter still, until the thing burst in a shower of pus.

Stone's fists smashed into two streaks, Snake coming up behind him and finishing them with fingers sharper than swords. A long shadow fell upon them. Both kids looked up, only to witness a little squirrel tearing the large tendril with a sweep of its claws. When Little Yao landed back with grace, her gaze snapped to Little Mei as if expectant. The little girl gave the squirrel a proud, approving nod.

That seemed to motivate Little Yao like no words before.

Right, Lei thought. He wasn't alone. He had company with him. People that he could trust.

"We move!" he roared, fingers curling painfully tight around the mace, and started making his way to the core. Others closed the distance and joined him, the group stretching in a formation that left little to no holes.

They fought with all their worth. Fingers slashed, weapons crushed, rot spilled, and hissed against the broken earth. Lei felt himself a fool when he saw how the kids handled themselves. Snake and Stone were a deadly duo, always looking out for each other, covering themselves whenever a tendril tried to seep through their hold.

Zhu Luli, on the other hand, was a force of nature. It seemed breaking through the Qi Condensation Stage had allowed her to use her Thousand Node Fingers outside of her body. She weaved threads of Qi across the air, their tips brutally sharp and terribly efficient at cutting these ungodly things.

Even she had trouble keeping up with Fatty Lou, though. Lei could hardly believe his eyes. His brother-in-arms crushed the tendrils like one might crush a handful of grapes with but a palm. He even sent some of them reeling with the back of his hand, clicking his tongue after them as if disappointed.

But the tendrils had already blotted the sky in a dark, dreary black. It seemed there was no end to them. The closer they got to the core, the harder it got moving through the wall of shadowy streaks. Lei had to open a path with his mace, swinging it madly, arms aching in a song that couldn't quite reach his ears.

Power ran in his blood. He felt it. The Dao Seed's constant supply bolstered the spiritual energy-mana blend in a way that left him breathless.

"I'll try to make a jump for it!" he roared over the din of crashing echoes, hoping the others would hear him. "Hold the path for me!"

He saw Fatty Lou nod. Zhu Luli gazed solemnly at the dark wall and mouthed a 'Yes' to him. With that, Lei hauled the mace and whirled it over his head to widen the path. He pushed forward. The tip of the long crack revealed itself like a cut across a black sleeve.

Lei sucked a deep breath, then he was running, breath hissing in his throat, tendrils flashing around him. The world spun and turned and twisted. He felt a cold touch near his back. Another one to his feet. Shadowy arms trying to hold him.

He didn't let them. His feet crunched over the tip of the crack, and he launched himself downward to the thorn that gleamed dangerously green. Most of the tendrils wrapped around it were busy trying to hold the group, leaving only one or two of them to guard the otherworldly metal.

The momentum weighed down his shoulders like a mountain. Lei fought against gravity and hauled the mace high, Maiden's fire burning in his chest. A single move. That was what he needed. One impact to crush the damned thing.

What few tendrils were left near the thorn stretched out to him, their sharp tips inching slowly toward his chest. Lei closed his eyes. A wound or two seemed a good bargain against getting rid of the rot. He had his people behind his back. Pain was just a price to pay.

Silver light glistened on the dark of his lids. His eyes snapped open. A web of pristine light lashed out from beside him and smashed into the tendrils, sending them sprawling to the sides and leaving the thorn wide open.

Lei screamed as he brought down the mace with all his strength. The tip of the weapon crushed into the thorn. A painful wail sounded in his mind. Metal screeched. Then something cracked. It was the most beautiful sound he'd heard in his life.

He crashed down to the ground. Banged his head, hard. Rolled away and tried to flounder back to his feet, slipping, and failing… His mind reeled. He could barely keep his eyes open, and yet that was all it took to bring a smile upon his lips.

There, he saw it. The thorn was riddled with cracks and crumbling.

Chapter 72: Not Weak

Sun Hu turned and swatted a rotten hand off his face, rolled away from the group as he brought his palms up, and sent a wave of Qi across the line of broken men gathering around himself. He took short, quick breaths to keep the fog from oozing into his body. Dangerous stuff, no doubt. Dangerous and wicked and sick, to his thinking.

A spear came at him from the back. His senses tingled. It was hard to get a feeling of these bastards when the damned fog weighed him down. Not much he could do but carry on. That was one of the lessons. Sometimes justice demanded more than simple investigations.

He wrapped a hand around the shaft and pulled it hard, the rotten man holding the spear buckling forward. Sun Hu's fist caught his uneven fall and smashed into his chest. Fingers lodged in deep and tore at his pulsing core.

The Oath's invisible chains tightened around Sun Hu's heart. Every step he took forward, every inch he gained over the sin that had soiled this land gave him strength. His fingers were prickling, feet light as feathers. He knew he was in the thick of it and relished the sensation.

More men. Looked like an army of corpses rather than the once-proud guards of Jiangzhen. The sickness had claimed them as its own. Beyond their ranks, deep within the Governor's Place, a green light burst forth from the jaded ceiling in a wavering pillar.

Nothing's simple, eh?

Not very simple, indeed. But he liked it this way. It felt just right that his stubborn insistence over the matter had brought palpable results. There really was something sick being carried under Jiangzhen's mortal skin. His Old Master, foolish Master, that wrinkled piece of shit, had been proved inept once again.

Sun Hu just wished that he would've been proven wrong when he'd been actually here. His Master was strong. Old, but a monster in his own right. A little help would've been appreciated.

Still, being alone wasn't anything new. His father had once told him there was some quality to Sun Hu. Some strangeness that attracted trouble like moths to a flame. This, here, was one such trouble.

You have to carry on.

His Foundation circulated at mad speed, sending waves of Qi across his body. There was little spiritual energy left in this city, but it certainly was enough to handle these rotten, mindless creatures that tried to hamper his mission.

Light glinted over his palms. Sun Hu graced his company with a beaming smile. Then the fog was burning, rope-like lights hurling and twirling about, latching on his foes' rotten skin like furious chains. Sun Hu pulled at them like one might pull at a shackled prisoner, sending the guards crashing into the ground all around him.

The Sun Clan's signature manual, Chains of Law, was indeed the archenemy of everything that was unjust.

Onward, through their broken lines, Sun Hu weaved his way as he made for the Governor's Palace. On his way, more guards tried to stop him, but they might as well have tried to stop the sun from shining over the clouds. They fell in heaps to his ethereal chains, stretching in a crooked lane of bodies that trailed after Sun Hu like some artist's wicked version of the skyline.

Though he knew the Governor's close circle stayed in the Library for one last ritual, his eyes still searched for a familiar face here. He was curious. Just now, right after he barged in through the wooden gate, he felt something shift in the fog permeating Jiangzhen like a heavy blanket. It was changed. Somewhere someone had clogged one of the holes feeding the fog.

Or crushed it. But who could it be?

Unexpected company, one that seemed to be sharing the same mission as him, but it made his job a whole lot harder. If the Governor's men had felt it just the same, then there was no way they would leave the hole in the Governor's Place unguarded. Or rather, they would send more help to one of the last two holes, knowing it was in danger.

That's why Sun Hu was confused when he kicked the door to the jaded place and came across another group of rotten guards. They looked stronger than their fellows before, but still, against Sun Hu's Foundation Establishment Stage strength, they had no chance whatsoever.

A slithering, darkish tongue then showed itself from beyond the guard ranks. More joined it as the tongues stretched over the group like limbs of some twisted creature.

"That's more like it," Sun Hu muttered, one hand clasped over his mouth to keep away the rotten stench that suddenly doubled. "That's how it should be."

Sacrifice. Blood and tears. It was written in the old texts. An Oath to the Heavens was no mere word. It had to come from within one's heart. From the very core that governed one's soul. Once spoken with pure intent, there was no going back. Sun Hu could feel the devotion deep in his mind.

He lunged forward, heart thumping in his chest, breath hissing in his throat. He sent the chains rattling across their line and closed his eyes, ears perked up to catch any sound. Men breaking there. Men stalking here. Shadows stirring beyond. They were dangerous. Almost silent as well, but Sun Hu could hear them. His head was full of their malevolent intent.

One tendril lashed out at him. An ethereal chain wrapped around it in mid-air, brought it down for Sun Hu to gaze at it. It was dark with a greenish tint under it, its surface wriggling as though a wave of worms. The rot was what kept it alive. Animated. It was coming from the pillar.

He smiled. That was why he came here.

...

[You have leveled up! 3 stat points gained!]

[You have leveled up! 3 stat points gained!]

…

[You have leveled up! 3 stat points gained!]

Lei waved the notifications off as Zhu Luli applied some remedy to his aching bruises. The green thorn lay in a shattered mess a few paces ahead. The kids and Fatty Lou were up there, over the crack, keeping an eye around the hole against possible intruders.

"Don't think anyone's coming," Lei muttered, then winced when Zhu Luli wrapped a bandage around his waist. One tendril nearly had him there. It stung like hell. "G-Guess they're still waiting in the--"

"The Library," Lei nodded, feeling the mana-spiritual energy blend in his body.

The moment he shattered that thorn, a din of voices sounded in his mind and told him he'd gained five levels. He immediately distributed the stats, focusing more on Strength than the others, as he knew his job was not yet done.

I hope it'll be enough.

"Up, now. Feel your bones," Zhu Luli said, stretching a hand toward him. "Tell me if there's anything wrong."

Lei accepted the help and pulled himself to his feet. His bones clicked and cracked, but other than the bruises, there didn't seem to be anything deep that ached from underneath his skin. Beyond that, the stats he'd put in Strength filled his body with intoxicating power that he felt in the tips of his fingers.

"We should deal with the other current," Lei said, wiping his face as he gazed at the shattered remains of the thorn and the motionless tendrils that lay around them. "This fog's feeding them. Best we cut the other source before we try to make a move on the main one."

Zhu Luli looked thoughtful. "Or we can just take Master Li and slip away."

"What?"

"The formation or whatever this is," Zhu Luli said solemnly. "It can't be whole now that we crushed one of its sources. Feel the spiritual energy. It's already coming back. There must be a hole that we can use to get away. No need for a fight."

"That…" Lei muttered, slightly shaken by the offer.

He'd thought of taking them away when he first sensed the sickness, and the curfew had bound his hands. But now things were different. The guards were no more, either lying senseless around the streets or teetering on the brink of collapse. The rot had caught them in its claws and refused to let go. They were as good as dead.

The people of Jiangzhen—

"People of Jiangzhen," Lei said, mind aching with invisible pain. "This city. Everything… What would happen if we were to leave them here?"

Zhu Luli looked him in the eye. "They will die or face a fate that's worse than death. This rot will leave them half. They will never become whole again."

Lei swallowed. It was easy to forget when there wasn't a sight of others. Easy to pass over them when all he faced was the empty streets. But they were there, weren't they? Hiding in their houses. Desperate. Abandoned and betrayed by the ones they trusted. Being used as tools for some twisted purpose.

Could he leave them alone?

"I…" he said, voice hoarse. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Sister Luli. I can't leave this city alone. Not after all the things they've been through. I just can't do it—"

"No need to say more," Zhu Luli said. She was staring at him with her eyes proud and lips stretched into a beautiful smile. "I wouldn't expect less from our Heavenly Cook. You're ready, then?"

"Ready," Lei said, and they both climbed back to the surface to join the others. He gazed deeply into their eyes and saw the same resolve there. He nodded, raising a finger toward the Governor's Place that was barely visible through the fog. They had a long way ahead of them.

"We move."

Lei led them through the streets, choosing a roundabout route that stayed away from the Library. He could feel the mana-spiritual energy blend course through his veins. After he dealt with that thorn, the mana within his chest seemed to have been bolstered further by some invisible source.

The System surely had played a part in that. That was strange. When he tried to see if he could make use of the rotten mana around him, that fog eerily stayed quiet against his touch. So either he lacked the ability to impress his control upon this source, or this type of mana wasn't meant to be used by people like him.

He favored the second assumption more. Spiritual energy had different types as well. Zhu Luli had once talked about the Death Cultivators that could use deathly spiritual energy to cultivate. By that logic, mana could have different types too.

Is the one I'm using a neutral type, then?

The Cookbook skill that he'd glanced over because he chose the Chef's Touch was still on his mind. The notion that he could gain mana through his recipes was an alluring one. If he survived the Governor's devious scheme, then the next time he got a skill selection, he would definitely go for that one.

The possibilities are endless.

A cold wind prickled his skin, coming off from beyond the borders of the city and flapping the tails of his robe. Ahead, once they were out of the city's internal maze of streets and out before the Governor's Peak, a pillar of light came into view stretching forth from the Governor's Place.

Thick clouds of fog coiled around the green pillar. The Spiritual Sensitivity skill jolted as Lei faced it. He couldn't see the tip of the pillar, but there had to be a reason why it kept wavering unevenly as though it was about to burst.

"Brother Lou, break that gate for me, will you?" Lei said as they stepped over a tall gate that blocked the Governor's Peak from the city's interior. To his knowledge, there were over a dozen such gates around the peak, often strictly guarded and used only by Jiangzhen's officials and the Governor's men.

Today, it seemed deserted like the rest of the city. So much so that when Fatty Lou crushed it with a fist, the sound of the impact reverberated loudly around them.

Beyond, a curious sight welcomed them.

"Ah…" Snake muttered, a frown stretching his lips thin. "Looks like we're late."

"Late, indeed," Fatty Lou said, and stepped over a guard's body that lay sprawled on all fours.

Most of the man's face was eaten by the sickness, breath wheezing weakly through his lips. There were others like him. Dozens of guards lying senseless on the ground, wailing in silent cries that didn't reach any ears.

Lei arched an eyebrow when he saw the deep impressions on their robes or bodies. It was as though these men were handled by thick chains that left burnt marks all over their bodies. Their yellowish blood had spattered everywhere, but most of them were still alive.

Barely.

"There!" Zhu Luli said all of a sudden, pointing a finger toward the Governor's jaded palace. "Can you hear the sounds? Someone's fighting there?"

"Who?" Fatty Lou asked with genuine curiosity. "Is there anyone here other than us who could dare to fight against the Governor's scum?"

"Looks like there is," Lei said. He clicked his tongue when the green pillar shuddered fiercely as if it was about to go off. "And seems like whoever that is isn't weak."

"What do we do, Big Brother Lei?" Snake turned to gaze at him. Little Mei and Snake joined him as they waited for Lei's word.

Could be dangerous. We don't actually know anything.

Lei weighed his options. It took him only but a moment to make a decision. Either way, they would have to deal with that source. Help or not, it didn't change anything.

"We're going in," he said, one hand wrapped tightly around the mace. The others nodded.

He was about to lead them through the long steps when the ground underneath his feet trembled. Trees dotting along the staircase shook and cast their leaves off. A big piece from the Governor's Palace came off, carved by a set of chains that glinted within the thick fog. It rolled slowly off from the side of the roof, slipped, and fell with a loud thump that sent a tremor across the whole peak.

Then another, louder crack sounded. Something shattered. The green pillar that rose high to the sky wavered for one last time, then it vanished in a shower of yellowish light that sprinkled across Jiangzhen's streets.

"Certainly…" Zhu Luli muttered shakily. "Not weak."

Lei and Fatty Lou crossed eyes.

"Not weak at all," they said at the same time.

Chapter 73: Encounter

Jade tiles were scattered across the ground. A wavering, coiling wave of dust coated every bit of the palace. It was hard to see what was happening, but Lei could feel through his Spiritual Sensitivity skill the rotten fog losing some of its quality.

It was almost enough to let the ambient spiritual energy wash it away. Almost, but not quite. The main source of the fog, which came from the Library, still remained strong. So long as it stood there, and so long as it kept feeding the rot into the air, it wouldn't go away.

"Who can it be…" Fatty Lou was muttering, both arms crossed over his chest. He squinted up at the dusty waves. Zhu Luli and the kids were staring too, waiting in nervous expectation to see who had really done it.

"Better to be careful than regret it later," Lei said, gesturing for them to get back. For all they knew, it could be a quarrel between the bastards—some sort of conflict in their ranks.

The others nodded and stepped slowly back, eyes still fixed on the dusty waves.

Lei caught an outline of a person in the rolling dust. Average height, a little round on the belly. Likely a man, then. He couldn't see anything resembling a weapon in his hands. There was no sign of those chains that carved the greater part of the Governor's Palace like it was nothing.

When the man stepped forward and revealed his face, Lei scowled. There was a tightness to the man's lips, the skin near his mouth strangely stretched and wrinkled. The Spiritual Sensitivity skill jolted at the sight of him, sending a familiar wave of alarm down Lei's chest.

He looks familiar too.

"You!" Fatty Lou said, one trembling finger pointing at the man's face. "The taxmaster! What?"

"Ding Yan?!" Lei's eyes turned as it dawned on him. "What the hell is this man doing here?"

And how did he crush the Governor's Palace? Why would he do that?

"Oh! I didn't think I would see the employees of Jiangzhen's finest restaurant here!" Ding Yan said, a smile parting his lips. He clasped his hands and bowed toward them. Then he gave them a piercing look that didn't quite fit his lazy demeanor. "Gentlemen, forgive my curiosity, but what are you doing here?"

"That's our line!" Fatty Lou said, his voice hard. "What the hell are you doing here? Did you really seal that current? So what, you bastards are trying to get at each other now, are you? Having trouble deciding on what sort of torture you'll unleash upon Jiangzhen's honest folk as if you haven't turned their lives into hell already?"

"Look, I didn't—"

"You shut your mouth, or I'm going to make sure nothing will come out of that foul hole in the future!" Fatty Lou said, his face flushed with cold fury. He then gestured toward the group. "We know what you're up to. We know what sort of sick plan you're carrying on here! You'll pay the price. You'll regret ever laying a hand on our city!"

Ding Yan let out a long, weary breath. "I guess you really can't reason with some people."

"What's that?" Lei asked, slightly furious now. The bastard looked like he was out for a morning stroll. Every bit of his body had a relaxed, almost careless quality to it. He treated this whole thing like a game. A sick game, but a play all the same.

Then Ding Yan snapped his fingers. "Oh, I'm stupid!"

"Yeah, you are," Fatty Lou said.

"Not that— You know what, you've every right to say those things," Ding Yan said and smiled as he tapped a finger on his cheek. "I would've done the same. These people are bastards, after all. Real ones, at that."

"Eh?"

"Big Brother Lei, this man doesn't look good," Snake said, a frown stretching his lips. "I think he's lost his mind."

"Dangerous." Stone nodded, pulling his fists up.

"I guess there's no point in hiding under this shell anymore," came Ding Yan's voice. The bastard was chuckling. Then the finger tapping onto his cheek suddenly lodged deep into his flesh. He hooked the tip of it and pulled at his own skin, tearing it apart like a facemask shaped like real human skin.

Lei watched with some degree of horror as the man ripped everything off. When he was done with the face, he moved over to his arms and even lifted his robe's tails to work on the legs.

This isn't some twisted circus trick, is it?

If so, it was a damned good trick as the man literally tore his belly off and grew a good three inches on his feet. His face was changed, too. His lines were sharper, and his eyes a deep dark that glinted with a certain pride. Long, silken hair cascaded down his shoulders in waves.

"This one's Sun Hu," he said, bowing once again. "I'm an Auditor of the Emperor's Own, or rather an apprentice Auditor… We came here with my Master for the annual check on Jiangzhen's general situation. I don't think you'll be interested in the whole story, so let's just say that I've decided to stay here and do an investigation on my own after my Master was gone because I sensed something strange."

"Who talks like that?" Fatty Lou muttered, gazing at the man like one might gaze at a clumsy clown. "But an Auditor… At least he looks strong. Gotta have to give him that."

"If you knew something was wrong, then why didn't you tell your Master?" Lei said instead, slightly shaken by that part. If the word got out that Jiangzhen was under some sort of attack, then this whole thing could've been solved by the Skyguard or the Empire's other forces.

"The signs are there only for those prepared to dig deeper," Sun Hu said, shaking his head. "I'm afraid my Master is not one of those. I've tried, but he doesn't have a particular interest in places that are decisively mortal. 'Best we leave them to their own' is his usual way of handling troubles in cities like Jiangzhen. So I had to take the liberty of acting on my own."

"That's not very wise of you," Lei said.

"I'm not known for my wits," Sun Hu said with a smile. "But people often tell me that I have a stubborn mindset, and I rather like that more. Stubborn and decisive in the path of justice. That has a good ring to it, don't you think?"

"I think?" Lei arched an eyebrow at him, then gave him a small nod. "I guess so."

"Thank you, fellow Daoist. I knew there were people out there who still appreciate a good effort. Now, if you will," Sun Hu said and walked past them with his hands clasped behind his back. "I intend to make a run for that Library in which the Governor and his men are deep in what I presume is an ancient ritual."

"Ancient ritual…" Lei said, gazing at the man. "What do you know, exactly?"

Sun Hu paused a step before him. "For some time, I've been trying to find my way into the Governor's close circle, but I can't say I've found much success in that part. What I know, though, is that they're likely getting outside help. Perhaps from a Demonic Cultivator. I'm not completely sure about the details, but I can't let them complete that ritual. It's too dangerous."

Too dangerous indeed.

"So what, you just expect us to believe that?" Fatty Lou argued. "A stray disciple of an Auditor risking himself for justice?"

"Well, I can understand your suspicions, but I have really nothing else to—"

"I have a few questions," Zhu Luli said suddenly, earning a surprised look from the man and the rest of them. She'd been keeping quiet all this time, which just occurred to Lei how strange that was. "You've said that you're an apprentice Auditor. One that can change his own skin, and your surname is Sun…"

"Yes, Young Miss?" Sun Hu said, gazing curiously at her.

"You couldn't possibly be related to the Grandmaster Changming, could you? The famed Grand Judge of the Emperor's Court, who was forced to retire under the new Emperor's reign… I remember he had a few sons, but you—"

"You know my Father?" Sun Hu's eyes widened at her, then his face grew serious. "But how? There are hundreds of families with the same surname, and I don't think I've much in common with my Father. Not very much at all. I certainly hadn't expected to be recognized in this far corner of the Empire. Especially in a mortal city…"

"I have my ways," Zhu Luli waved him off and turned to Fatty Lou before nodding. "If he's from that Sun Clan, then we can trust him. Even if he wants it, he can't do anything against us."

"And why is that?" Lei had to ask because it was getting too much for him. Felt like all they were doing was to keep answering questions with more questions.

Zhu Luli and Sun Hu crossed eyes, then Zhu Luli cracked a smile. "There are reasons I can't disclose. Let's just say that if he ever dares to do something bad, the Heavens wouldn't keep their silence against him."

"Ah…" Sun Hu scratched the back of his head and stared at Zhu Luli. "If you even know that part of our clan… Can you give this one your name, Young Miss? I'm terribly curious."

"My name is Luli," she said almost contemptuously. "Zhu Luli."

"Zhu Luli…" Sun Hu muttered absently before he gasped and scrambled back hesitantly, fingers shaking around his robe. "As in, the Zhu Clan's Youngest Miss? That Zhu Clan?"

"Mm," Zhu Luli said with a wave of her hand and turned to face the foggy city. Something was churning there in the thick of the fog. "We don't have much time. We need to move, now."

"Young Master Luli—"

"Don't," Zhu Luli said when Sun Hu tried to speak. "Don't you ever call me that. We move, now."

Lei looked between the two. In the end, he sighed out a long breath and shook his head. He would leave all the thinking to his future self. Right now, right here, he already had enough things to deal with.

...

On the way to the Library, Lei made sure to keep an eye on Sun Hu. It wasn't that he didn't trust the man. Just that the man had a strangeness about him. His expression changed constantly between a grim dedication to lazy acceptance, eyes flickering up at the blotted sky as if he was checking something out there.

He's strong…

Yellow Maiden's Eyes skill had shown him that the man was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. A man deep in the Immortal Path. Lei didn't remember seeing a single Foundation Establishment cultivator here in Jiangzhen. The spiritual energy was too thin here, too mild that even Qi Condensation Stage cultivators tended to prefer places like Lanzhou for more efficiency.

An Auditor, though, was a whole different thing. The man belonged to the Emperor's Own, which was the more 'active' side of the government here. According to what he'd said along the path, the reason why he hadn't notified the authorities was that he hadn't enough solid evidence.

Almost seems like fate's playing some wicked game here…

Wicked and strange, to Lei's thinking. It didn't matter all too much now that they'd gained a rather reliable ally. One that had his quirks, but strong and steady on his feet, at least.

It took them some time to reach the streets through which the Library could be seen in the distance. Sun Hu showed them the guards that looked to be animated by that rotten mana. They were like zombies, except they weren't exactly dead. More were waiting for them before the Emperor Xia's statue that stood right across the Library. Dozens, or perhaps hundreds of them.

They stopped at the end of a narrow street.

"What's the plan?" Fatty Lou said, leaning against a cold wall and craning his head toward the square. His face was twisted in disgust. Rot was thicker here, weighing them down.

"You've mentioned a ritual," Lei said to Sun Hu. "What exactly were they doing? Maybe we can catch them in the middle of it."

Sun Hu nodded. "They were meditating around a thorn-shaped tomb. Like the one you've mentioned that you've crushed in the Eastern Market. The one in the Governor's Palace was similar too. But this thing is easily twice as big."

"So they were just sitting around that thing and meditating?" Zhu Luli said with doubt. "What made you think it's a ritual? Couldn't they be just cultivating?"

"Young Miss, I know a man doing his circles when I see one. They weren't doing that," Sun Hu said. He smiled sheepishly when Zhu Luli frowned at the 'Young Miss' part, but then he continued. "There was no spiritual energy inside, and the rot was changing them. The Governor looked like one of those rotten guards I've shown you."

"Changing them…" Lei mumbled. "The rot that makes Jiangzhen's folk sick is feeding them, so it must be the mana. We can't let them keep at it."

"I agree," Zhu Luli said solemnly and turned to Sun Hu. "Your chains can cut through the roof, can't they?"

"Yes, Young Miss."

"Then there's no need for us to go straight through the entrance. We should use a different route."

Fatty Lou nodded. "That'll save us from dealing with that mindless horde as well."

Lei gestured for the kids to come closer, then swept an eye across the square. It didn't seem much of a plan, but they didn't have much of anything to go with right now. At least using a different entrance would give them the element of surprise.

Better than nothing.

This close to the Library, the Spiritual Sensitivity skill was screaming in his mind. He took the lead and slipped slowly back, picking another street that stretched toward the backside of the Library. The group followed him without making a sound. Lei glanced over his shoulder now and then to check the kids.

Don't think. It's now or never.

Forward, through the streets, they finally reached the backside of the Library. A couple of rotten guards lingered there, either leaned against the high walls or lay in scattered twos or threes around the place. They had an airy, sickly way of breathing that turned Lei's stomach.

"Go on," he said, gazing at Sun Hu. "Show us that trick, Auditor."

Sun Hu stepped wordlessly forward and stretched both his hands out. The air shifted. His face strained as spiritual energy coiled around his fingers, weighed by the thick fog around them. Even Lei could hear the man's Foundation at work, spinning madly as it pushed more energy to now-materializing chains.

Once Sun Hu got a hold of them, he swept them toward the wall and the guards, the ethereal chains passing smoothly through the chaos and latching onto the wall. Metal's shriek was a dull, heavy sound, before a big part of the wall came off as the chains tightened.

All the guards around that part turned at the sound. Lei was already running, Fatty Lou and Zhu Luli by his side, the kids darting after them like wolves. As always, Little Mei seemed to have decided to let Little Yao do the fighting, she herself coming at a more relaxed pace from the back.

"Go! Move!" Lei yelled when he saw the wooden shelves beyond the hole. A thick wave of fog spilled from inside and threatened to drown him, but the Maiden's Flame made short work of the foul energy.

With a rasping roar, he swung the mace at the incoming guards. There was no going back now.

Chapter 74: Entrance

Lei's mace opened a wide path through the guards, Fatty Lou and Zhu Luli supporting him from the sides as they closed in on the broken part of the Library. Sun Hu joined them not long after, his chains flying and sending most of the guards sprawling about in a shambling mess.

The man had some skill, Lei had to admit, but it didn't slip past his notice that he himself wasn't weak. His stats were doing some work here. It felt like a deep strength boiled right underneath his skin.

But what really made him curious was the rot—or rather, the rotten mana that oozed into his body. The Maiden's Flame caught those stray trickles like a net and squashed them round before purifying them with ethereal flames, sending them down to his meridians.

Then Dao Seed took control. That tiny sprout forced the purified energy to round into one circle after another, even as Lei fought against the guards. He didn't have to pay any attention to what was happening inside his body. He had that little seed for that.

Once they managed to clear the zombie-like guards, Lei was the first one to step inside the Library. He paused when it occurred to him how everything looked so… normal. The shelves lining the first floor remained the same—untouched, clean.

He could've believed this was just another day in the Library if not for the waves of green fog hanging thick in the air. They rolled almost lazily about the shelves, stirring the moment Lei brushed against them, coiling around his arms and legs.

"This…" Sun Hu said, one hand clamped over his mouth, his voice hoarse. "There's no air here. I can barely breathe."

Fatty Lou arched an eyebrow at him. "Really?"

"I can breathe just fine," Snake said.

Stone nodded beside him. "But it's heavy. It feels like walking in a swamp."

Sun Hu gave them a confused glance. "You don't feel it?"

"Enough." Lei gestured at them. "They must've heard our little entrance. We need to be prepared."

"But I just—"

"Move," Zhu Luli urged the man with a glare, her fingers glistening sharp in the fog. The man's face eased under her gaze, and he shook his head.

They moved on.

This Library was a part of Emperor Xia's legacy. All kinds of books were being displayed here for Jiangzhen's folk, even though most of them couldn't read. Lei still had trouble believing that a mortal city had been graced by something this valuable. Odd that of all the places, they chose the Library as their base.

He shook his head and weaved through the bookshelves. He could see the staircase from here. Something glistened dangerously sharp right across it. Shaped like a thorn and wreathed in greenish waves of rot, it towered over the shelves and pulsed ominously like a heartbeat.

The last thorn.

It was near the entrance. When Lei craned his head from over a shelf with Fatty Lou's help, his eyes narrowed at the line circling the giant thorn. Men sat about it with their hands clasped before their chests as if praying, their robes partly melted into their skin and sizzling with a sickening sound.

There were familiar faces among them. There, the head of the City Guard, Jin Longwei, who didn't seem like a human at all. Veins had crawled out from underneath his neck and stretched over his face, pulsing ominously. Beside him was the Head Scribe, Dai Aiguo, whose belly bloated strangely as if he was about to burst.

Two figures sat closer than the others to the thorn, facing it directly with eyes closed. Lei didn't know either of them, but assumed the one with a bulkier frame must be the Governor. He looked like some strange mix between a beast and a man, just like how Sun Hu described, and was younger than the other man.

Who is that other guy though?

Lei shifted slightly when Snake stretched his head out from beside him, curious eyes peering out toward the thorn. He let out a disgusted "Uhh" before his eyes narrowed.

"That man!" he said, his voice trembling, one finger pointing at the man who sat near the Governor. "I know that man!"

"Who?" Lei placed a hand over the boy's back and looked him in the eye. "Who is that man?"

"It's the one who kidnapped us, Big Brother Lei!" Snake said, teeth clenched. He was shaking, fingers clenching tightly over the shelf's edge. "The one that thug served!"

"It's the brother of that Elder Huang, then," Lei nodded. There was little about that man in Elder Huang's diary other than they both served the same Master. He was probably the one who had handled all the thugs and spread the venom around the Governor's men.

Lei gave one last look at the thorn before gesturing Snake to get down, following him after. The group searched his eyes for answers.

"A dozen people," he started, his mind heavy with thoughts. "For some reason, they don't seem to have noticed our presence yet. Either this is a ritual that demands all their focus, like Brother Hu said, or they've laid the stupidest trap I've ever seen."

"I don't think it's a trap," Sun Hu said, looking sure of himself. "I don't think they expect any resistance at all. From how they left the other two sources barely guarded like that, it's safe to say they were fairly sure this whole thing would go smoothly without any trouble."

Lei found himself agreeing with the man. For all the struggles and the chaos, the Governor's men kept their silence. Even now, they were sitting here in the Library instead of preparing against a potential attack.

"Arrogant fools," Fatty Lou said, his face twisted with disgust. "Did they really think the people of Jiangzhen would watch them take their city like that? We might be simple people with simple means, but that doesn't mean we'll go down without a fight."

"It wasn't much of a fight, though, Brother Lou," Zhu Luli said with a shake of her head. "If not for Sun Hu and us, who else in this city could mount a resistance against them? The Governor knew this city like the back of his hand, knew the local cultivators were too weak to do anything. That's why he must've decided to go with this plan in the first place."

"Not a trap, then." Lei nodded. Then again, just from a numbers perspective, it looked like they should've been the ones trying to lure the Governor into a trap rather than the other way around. They were terribly outnumbered, after all.

"What is the plan?" Snake's voice had a hard tinge to it. He looked furious. "And can we take that man with Stone, Big Brother Lei? I'll make him regret—"

"It's okay, Snake," Lei said, waving a hand at him. "I understand, but this is not the time to let your emotions get to your head. Focus on what's important."

"I say we go for the Governor straight," Fatty Lou said. "He's the most powerful one amongst them, right? If we can take him out quickly, then the rest will buckle under the shock."

Sun Hu shook his head. "He could have some tricks up his sleeve. I don't think he would just sit there and let us deal with him. We don't know what he's capable of."

"It's true that we don't know much of anything," Zhu Luli said as she pointed at the tip of the thorn that was barely visible from between the shelves. "But there's one thing we know. That thing is not an indestructible treasure. It might be bigger, but it looks like the same thorn to my eyes."

Lei felt his skin prickle as he gazed at her. "You want us to go for the thorn first? That's actually… a good idea. If we can cut them out from the source, the spiritual energy will return to Jiangzhen and weigh them down."

"True… Mana hates spiritual energy," Fatty Lou muttered, then his face dropped. "But we don't know how long it'll take for the ambient spiritual energy to wash the mana away."

"Can I?" Sun Hu said all of a sudden, earning a glance from everyone. He scratched his head as he asked, "What is mana? You keep saying that word, but I don't think I've heard it before."

"An energy from another world," Zhu Luli said.

"Something foul and doesn't belong to our world," Fatty Lou said.

"It's different but also similar to spiritual energy," Snake and Stone said at the same time.

"See that?" Little Mei's voice came from behind. She was waving a hand toward the rotten waves inside the Library. "That is mana. The rotten kind. These people are using the city folk to generate this source. They are likely planning to do something bad with it. Little Yao says it smells like death, too, so it can't be a good thing."

Lei was taken aback at how Little Mei smoothly delivered those words. Her eyes glinted joyfully as she stroked the furry squirrel in her arms. Innocent, sure, but still a monstrous genius either way.

"Another world… Rotten kind… Yes, I understand," Sun Hu said and nodded.

"Did you? Really?" Fatty Lou asked.

"I guess?" Sun Hu muttered. "What's there not to understand? I've once read a report about a meteor that was nearly the size of the world. Did you know that a dozen Seniors from the Empire made a pact and destroyed it into pieces so small that many people thought it was just hailing?"

"Was there something like that?" Zhu Luli seemed genuinely curious.

"There was," Sun Hu nodded. "My point is, I've no reason to doubt you as of now. Either way, we'll see the truth of it once we've dealt with this trouble."

Lei gazed deeply at Sun Hu before raising a hand. "We're going straight for the thorn, then. Brother Hu, we'll be relying on your chains to stir up a little bit of chaos. I'll use that opportunity to go for the thorn. Brother Lou and Sister Luli will be covering for me."

"What about us?" Snake and Stone asked.

Lei pulled the boys close and gave them a bright smile. "You and Little Mei will be our trump cards. You'll wait for an opportunity to strike. Don't be hasty, understood? Take your time and pick your fights. Make good use of the chaos."

Snake looked thoughtful for a second, then gave him a solemn nod and pulled Stone by the arm. He dragged him near Little Mei, and the three kids started whispering among each other.

"It's now or never," Lei said, fingers curled hard around the mace's handle. He felt Fatty Lou's gaze on him. "What do you think, Brother Lou?"

"I was thinking about the restaurant," Fatty Lou said with a long, heavy sigh. "I liked being the manager, you know? All that talking and welcoming the guests… I was thinking that it's something I could do."

Lei arched an eyebrow at him. A smile parted his lips. "Then perhaps we can go for another place once we're done with… this. A bigger one, this time, what do you say?"

"Doesn't have to be big," Fatty Lou muttered. "Doesn't matter as long as it's ours."

"You're right," Lei said. "As long as it's ours."

With a final look at each other, they started toward the thorn.