Chapter 36
(Hmm shrimp, beef, chicken… So hard to pick just a single flavor. Maybe I should buy one of each?)
(This man, does he seriously intend to…?)
Having picked up Tian Cheng from the yacht, the two are currently in one of the many aisles of the supermarket.
“…Master, your contemplating expression—about how you want your meal to taste like for next month, tells me that instant ramen is the basis of your daily nutrition.”
There was a subtle hint of dismay in Tian Cheng’s tone, as she looks to Long Hua—who is staring intently at the boxes of instant ramen that are lined up in front of him.
“Instant ramen is nice. They’re quick and easy to prepare, and their soup goes well with anything. Canned meat can just be tossed into them for additional flavoring if desired, what’s there to not like about them? If you’re even lazier with preparations, you can also just eat it as is out of the package.”
There was something about this view on instant ramen—that gave off the impression that the individual is strict on practicality over all else.
(…I wouldn’t care about the way he handles his meals normally—however, there is the saying that the best way to break down a man’s defense is through his stomach. Well, it’s not like I’m the one actually making the meals—I’ll just have my vessel put in a bit more effort.)
With a frown, Tian Cheng goes on to say—
“Having them occasionally is fine, but having them all the time… It’s not a very desirable diet. Master mentioned how you would toss canned meat into the soup, has the thought of cutting them up never crossed your mind?”
“They fit in the pot just fine as is, and you can easily pick up a block with a pair of chopsticks; hence I never saw the need to do so.”
(…What is this feeling? This feeling of looking after a brat that isn’t able to take care of himself?)
Towards Long Hua’s reply, the Tian Cheng—that resides in the dreamscape, presses a hand to her head.
“Let us leave this aisle.”
Without further ado, Tian Cheng drags Long Hua away from the spot, while pushing the shopping cart along.
“But I still haven’t decided on which one to buy.”
“We shall not be purchasing instant ramen today, and I suggest we come to the supermarket on a weekly basis henceforth.”
“Feels like a pain…”
Inwardly, Tian Cheng thought the same as Long Hua, but for the sake of her plan—
“A good meal is well worth the hassle.”
“Can’t we just like…- Buy a whole year’s worth of canned supplies, and never come back until a year later? I do have a storage pouch.”
“Oh? Stacking an entire year’s worth of food supplies at checkout? Is master preparing for a world ending event of some kind, or does master simply wish to draw unwanted attention—from all the housewives, who are here today?”
“…I’ll pass.”
Arriving at the frozen food section of the market, Tian Cheng asks—
“Is there anything in particular that master wishes to have?”
“Hmm.”
“Or has all these years of instant ramen dulled master’s tastebuds, and made it difficult for you to even recall what proper food tastes like?”
“…I had proper food last night, didn’t I?”
“And how were they?”
“They were…- Uh…”
Thinking of the food from last night, Long Hua widens his eyes, while covering his mouth.
(No, no, no, I couldn’t have really lost my tastebuds from eating instant ramen for all these years… It was just… Right, it was because the situation was tense—that I just simply forgot the taste. Right…?)
As Long Hua thought of that, Tian Cheng heaves a sigh on the inside, while thinking—
(At the Foundation Establishment realm, a practitioner can give up on food by absorbing the spirit Qi that is in the air—to sustain themselves. But in this world, such a thing is impossible due to how little spirit Qi there is. Come to think of it, even the weakest denizen of my home world had no need to eat either, so most of us consider the act a luxurious hobby. I wonder, just how many of them are still able to have a functioning tastebud—after not eating for over a thousand years?)
(Also… The stuff they served back at school was just utterly tasteless, so…?)
Seeing Long Hua’s expression of uncertainty becoming more evident, with every excuse that he made in his head, Tian Cheng shakes her head, and says—
“I suppose, we will have to simply start with the basics.”
Picking up an assortment of packaged raw meat, Tian Cheng tosses them into the cart. Continuing along, basic seasonings and traditional stables are added.
“What of seafood and desserts?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Long Hua replies—
“Surprise me, I guess?”
………
Upon the conclusion of their shopping trip with three heavy-duty bags held in each hand, Long Hua already feels like calling it a day, as he walks through the parking lot with Tian Cheng, and that is also when an issue arises—
“How does master intend to store all these bags into the pouch in broad daylight?”
“…”
Being asked this, Long Hua abruptly halts his footsteps.
“Hmm…”
“I see, so master hadn’t thought that far. While a bike is capable of maneuvering through tight traffic, I’d still suggest master to purchase a car for daily use.”
“Ai, if I can use my cultivation base out in the open, I can just cast an illusion to hide my use of the storage pouch… Ah, whatever, whining about it doesn’t change anything. Let’s just find some place out of sight, and if there’s any cameras around—deal with it for me.”
“Understood.”
Just as they begin to move again—
“Oh? This is quite surprising.”
“Hm?”
Turning his head to the left, Long Hua sees—
“Zhou-laoye.”
Dressed in a grey jacket over a white dress shirt, with a pair of dark trousers—is Zhou Chen, and by his side is a doll dressed in maid attire.
“I didn’t take you to be into dolls as well, young man.”
Greeting Long Hua with an amicable smile on his face, Zhou Chen looks to Tian Cheng with an appraising light in his eyes, and remarks—
“Quite a remarkable piece of work. Out of all the dolls that I’ve seen, she’s the most humanlike by far.”
(Oh? This surnamed Zhou has an impressive set of eyes to be able to see through my vessel’s guise.)
Towards Zhou Chen’s remark, Long Hua replies—
“I think the fact that you’re able to tell she’s a doll is what’s more remarkable. Should I say—that it’s as expected of a war hero?”
“You’ve heard?”
“Just a bit. In any case, were you just out to do some grocery shopping as well, or did you perhaps have something else in mind?”
As soon as Long Hua asked this question, the air between Zhou Chen and himself turns tense, as they look to one another with a hint of gunpowder.
“Young man… No, your kind tend to be rather deceiving with their physical appearance.”
(So, he does know…)
Believing that Zhou Chen has already discovered his identity as a practitioner, Long Hua unconsciously widens his stance in case a fight breaks out, but rather quickly—
(Shit… Aren’t I just confirming his words like this?)
He regrets it, to which, Tian Cheng thought—
(This poor display of reaction towards intimidation. I guess, he wasn’t lying when he said that his memories are fragmented right now.)
“No need to be so on guard. I am not here for a fight, so long as you do not make the first move. In any case, I do wish to ask, what do you think of this world?”
“Hmm.”
Thinking of Zhou Chen’s question in detail, Long Hua answers—
“Hard to say. But I instinctively believe—it’s different from what I’m used to.”
“Instinctively?”
Not wanting to elaborate on the complicated matter, Long Hua simply shrugs his shoulders with a defeatist-like smile, to which, Zhou Chen remarks—
“It would seem like you have your own circumstances.”
“Correct, and because of that—think of me as just a bystander in all of this. I don’t care which side wins this war, since it doesn’t benefit me in any way.”
Narrowing his eyes, Zhou Chen asks—
“Bystander? Does that mean—your kind is divided on this world’s treatment?”
“Sorry to say this, old man, but you’re directing your questions at the wrong person. I’m not affiliated with the people you’re thinking of.”
Closing his eyes, Zhou Chen reopens them momentarily with a light of clarity.
“In other words, you do not know why they invade…”
“Exactly. Although… Hmm, should this world be destroyed, I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t feel somewhat saddened.”
“And why is that?”
Lowering all the bags in his right hand, Long Hua reaches into one of the bags—held in his left hand, and takes out a single cup of instant ramen, much to Tian Cheng’s surprise.
“Master, when did you…-?”
Just as Tian Cheng is about to ask—when he had managed to sneak that cup of instant ramen into their purchases, Long Hua tosses it to Zhou Chen, who swipes it out of the air in one swift motion.
“I do appreciate some of the things that exist in this world—like that cup of instant ramen. Whoever invented it was quite a genius. Other than that, I also like things that have engines. And I do appreciate the fact that I can readily buy a cup of strawberry ice cream on a hot summer day—without having to expend the effort of making it myself by following a recipe. Smartphones that have access to the internet, and can allow me to read and watch manhua and donghua whenever I want—is also something that I’ve come to love. Losing all these things would be rather saddening, but it’s not like I can’t live without them.”
Raising an eye, Zhou Chen asks—
“So, it’s the commodities of our world that interest you?”
“One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure; why wouldn’t the things that your own place of origin lacks—not be of interest to you?”
“I suppose that is true.”
Shrugging a shoulder, Long Hua asks—
“What of you then, old man? What is it that the Immortals have—that draws upon your interest? Is it immortality? Or is it the supernatural powers that they command?”
“I’ve little interest in the things that the Immortals have. I simply do not understand—why they must invade our world.”
“Unfortunately, that is a question that I cannot answer. Stuff of this nature can happen for any number of reasons—greed, being the most common.”
Picking up his bags, Long Hua casually moves past Zhou Chen with Tian Cheng following him.
“…”
Looking down at the cup of ramen that is held in his right hand, Zhou Chen smiles with a hint of amusement.
“Prepare this for me when we get back.”
“Will that be all you’re having for tonight?”
“Yes.”
Handing the ramen to the doll, Zhou Chen continues to move towards the supermarket’s entrance.
Chapter 37
“…He’s late.”
With clear annoyance on her face, Nian Yao Yao stands with her arms folded. Judging by the dark bags beneath her eyes, she clearly didn’t get a decent rest last night.
“Also… How long are you going to stick around for, old hag?”
“Hm? You mean we’re not going to find that village together?”
Towards Nian Tao Tao’s genuine look of surprise, Nian Yao Yao blinks her eyes with amazement, before saying—
“To have the face to ask me this—after what you did last night, old hag, you really don’t have any shame left, do you?”
“You’re making it sound far too scandalous. In any case, we’re both looking for this village, and since the map is in your capable hands, I figured that I might as well tag along.”
“So, you’re basically driving yourself into our group because you no longer have the manpower left to do things forcefully?”
“…”
Due to the number of people that are currently in her office, Jing Yao is just as irritated as Nian Yao Yao—for she hasn’t been able to get through even a quarter of her daily workload.
“Pretty much.”
Counting Qing Yue, Nian Tao Tao has only six Moon Guards remaining.
Should Long Hua continue to cooperate with Nian Yao Yao under these circumstances, attempting to acquire the map through forceful means—proves to be difficult.
“How exactly does you joining us on this venture benefit us?”
“Your strongest combatant isn’t present, and you’re outnumbered at this time. The fact that I’m not giving the orders to take the map from you now—is to your benefit, is it not?”
“…”
The moment these words come out of Nian Tao Tao’s mouth, the air turns tense.
“…”
“…”
Standing side by side, Zhui Yun and Qing Yue glare at one another from the corner of their eyes—in a way that is reminiscent of feral dogs, that are ready to pounce at the other, the moment their owners release their hold over their leash.
(Damn, this sucks…)
Despite putting on a strong front, Zhui Yun knows that she is currently outmatched—with the other side having more combatants.
“…”
Taking in the tension-filled situation with an expression of concern, Jing Yao prays that they won’t begin a fight in her office, or anywhere near the hospital.
“Hm…”
With a lollipop in her mouth, Jing Yin pays no heed to the situation, as her attention is drawn towards the mobile game—that she has opened on her smartphone. Currently, she is playing a PvP match with someone that goes by the username YC.
“…”
“…”
Just as it would seem like the situation would worsen—
“The air here reeks of gunpowder.”
Stepping into Jing Yao’s office without anyone noticing his arrival, Long Hua frowns at this scene. Towards his arrival, Nian Yao Yao says—
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“Perfect timing, Long Hua drive these people out of here.”
Thinking about Nian Yao Yao’s request for a brief moment, Long Hua shakes his head with a sigh, and replies—
“I don’t know what exactly happened here, but it’s probably something along the lines of—your mother wanting to tag along with us to find that village. Attempting to shrug her and her BSDM perverts off at this point—is only a waste of time and effort.”
“You just had to stick that last bit in, didn’t you?”
Turning his head towards the source of this remark, Long Hua sees a short-statured Moon Guard—serving as the commander of the remaining five.
“Oh? Seems like my aim was off last night. I could correct that right now if you want.”
Towards Long Hua’s sinister smile, Qing Yue takes a step back with a bead of cold sweat rolling down her mask-covered face.
“Well then, I guess everything is now settled.”
“Not quite.”
Turning to Nian Tao Tao, who had attempted to close this discussion off at her own convenience, Long Hua goes on to ask—
“Where did you acquire the knowledge to use a magic array?”
In response to this question, Nian Tao Tao’s expression turns solemn, to which, Long Hua adds—
“Those animalistic traits that are possessed by you and your daughter are most unusual. Similarly, to me, you are not of this world yourselves.”
“………”
“…”
Taking her mother’s silence to be a confirmation of Long Hua’s statement, Nian Yao Yao sinks into thought. She had always thought this to be the case, but she has never put much care into it because—
“Whether or not we are natives of this world, what does it matter really? Home is home, isn’t it?”
Towards her daughter, who had said these words in a solemn tone, Nian Tao Tao smiles. But it is difficult to tell whether this smile is one of pride or ridicule—for the former is completely ignorant of the outside world.
“Home is home… Ai, if you do not wish to answer the question, so be it. However, a particular decision must still be made.”
Turning to Nian Yao Yao, Long Hua goes on to say—
“I am indeed what the residents of this world would call an Immortal.”
Simultaneously, everyone in the room raised their heads.
If they were able to get some answers out of Long Hua, it would help them to understand their enemies better.
(Ai, this is going to be a pain in the ass…)
Although he could choose to delay this matter, Long Hua didn’t see the point in doing so. If anything, choosing to delay the matter will only damage the trust that he has with NPI—making it difficult for him to work with Nian Yao Yao in the future.
“You-”
“Knowing this—do you still wish to maintain our contract?”
“I-”
“Foolish daughter of mine, do think this through a bit more.”
“…”
Being cut off twice—the first by Long Hua, the second by her mother, Nian Yao Yao’s expression turns awkward. However, she does see her mother’s point, as she gets her excitement to settle down.
While Nian Yao Yao thinks about how she should approach Long Hua’s question, Nian Tao Tao looks to the latter with a sharp gleam in her eyes, and asks—
“In the eyes of an Immortal, what value do we hold?”
“…”
“Nian as in Nian beast, a legendary creature that appears at the near end of a year. Much like dragons and phoenixes, your bodies are a treasure trove of valuable resources.”
Stepping out from behind Long Hua, Tian Cheng answers as such, and adds—
“Your species are considered a rarity; hence many would think to hunt you down the moment they catch wind of your whereabouts. In fact, numerous beasts that are often heard of in myths have gone extinct as a result of human greed.”
“…Is that…?”
Compared to Nian Tao Tao, who is unfazed by the information given, Nian Yao Yao’s expression is a mix of concern and surprise.
Confirming Tian Cheng’s answer with a nod, Long Hua adds—
“As she says. The world the Immortals live in—is a world where blood is shed on a daily basis in order to vie for limited resources. In that world, stories of disciples killing their masters and vice versa are common tales. If you ask around, you can also hear the tale of a single man killing off their entire clan—all for the sake of achieving a minor growth in power. To most Immortals, whatever sacrifices they can make to raise their cultivation base by even a tiny amount is considered worthwhile, especially so when they’ve been bottlenecked for years. I do not know exactly how rare you Nian beasts are in the Immortal’s world. But it’s true that the materials that can be carved from your bodies are of extreme value, for they can be used to create powerful magic treasures, or even elixirs—that can aid an Immortal greatly in their cultivation.”
Going on to elaborate further, Long Hua draws a quarter of Bai Zhe’s blade from its belt sheath, and says—
“The metal used for the creation of this sword is nothing special. Had it been forged from the horn of a Nian beast, I could probably use it to kill a level six Immortal in one slash under certain conditions.”
“…”
Standing still, Nian Yao Yao finds it difficult to voice a response to what Long Hua had just said.
A living, breathing Immortal that speaks her tongue stands before her.
The world that the Immortals live in.
Cultivation base.
Nian beast, a mythical beast that is considered as rare as dragons and phoenixes.
The amount of information that is being given to her all at once is quite difficult to organize, but the most important question of all remains unchanged, and that is—
“What decision are you asking me to make exactly?”
Sheathing Bai Zhe away, Long Hua goes on to state—
“My shizun once said to me that contracts are to be valued—for they are the most primitive form of establishing trust between two parties. Knowing the kind of threat that an Immortal can pose to you, are you still able to trust me? Trust an Immortal—that is no different from what I had just described to you?”
Looking at Long Hua, who is giving off a foreign air, Nian Yao Yao thought back to their previous conversation.
(Nothing’s really changed. I’m still the same as ever.)
(I wonder if that statement still holds true, or maybe… What he meant is, this is how he’s always been like?)
With a frown of uncertainty, Nian Yao Yao asks—
“…Even if there is a contract between us, will there still come a time in which you would choose to stab me in the back when you deem it to be a necessity?”
“…”
A faint smile that gives off a sadistic flavor appears on Long Hua’s face in response to this question.
“It would be best for you to keep this question in mind at all times, since I am incapable of guaranteeing anything—as a result of my personal circumstances. I shall wait outside while you come to make your decision.”
Turning around, Long Hua leaves Jing Yao’s office with Tian Cheng.
Chapter 38
Walking out of the hospital, Long Hua and Tian Cheng stand to the side of the building’s entrance.
Momentarily, Tian Cheng remarks—
“It’s rather strange.”
“What is?”
“How much value does master place on contracts?”
Raising an eye, Long Hua answers—
“I would think to put a great amount of importance on them.”
“The reason?”
Placing a hand to his chin, Long Hua thought for a moment, but he ultimately came up empty, as he answers—
“Can’t remember. Maybe it was because of something that happened in my previous life?”
(Well, he’s not far off.)
Towards this answer, the Tian Cheng that resides within the dreamscape narrows her eyes, while on the outside, she remarks—
“Despite placing a high importance on them, master seems more interested in seeing them broken than maintained.”
Towards this remark, Long Hua frowns, but instinctively, he doesn’t deny it, as he says—
“Hypocritical of me, I suppose? What made you notice this?”
“When Lady Nian asked, if master would betray her with a contract active. The flavor of master’s smile then—was leaning more towards her betraying you, than the other way around.”
Turning to face Long Hua, while maintaining closed eyes, Tian Cheng goes on to state—
“Feeling joy in the act of seeing a contract broken, isn’t this fetish rather strange?”
“Don’t call it a fetish… But hmm…”
Thinking for a bit, Long Hua answers—
“I can’t say why, but the thought of a contract being broken by the other side… I guess it makes me feel like a winner at life—for being able to be disciplined enough to maintain it up until that point?”
Towards this reply, Tian Cheng thought—
(…Seems like not even death is capable of amending some of the flaws that a person may carry.)
“In any case, how did it feel to see your previous employer again?”
“Hm?”
“I’m talking about Zhou-laoye.”
(Ah, prior to getting the connection through, this vessel did mention something like that, didn’t it?)
Before her connection had been established, Tian Cheng had her vessel act in an autonomous manner with the objective of aiding Long Hua.
“That was just a lie.”
Towards this answer, Long Hua asks—
“Huh? But then, how did you know that Zhou-laoye’s mansion was filled with dolls?”
“A bit of searching in the digital seas.”
“…And you choosing to stay in the car?”
“I figured that me not being present for that meeting would reduce the odds of Zhou-laoye realizing master’s identity, but I suppose it was all ultimately in vain, since he noticed either way.”
Blinking his eyes, Long Hua remarks—
“I kind of figured that to be the case, so I’m not surprised, but… What would you have done if it turns out we really needed to raid his place for the map?”
“The digital seas can be used to fish up all sorts of information if I try hard enough. A blueprint of his mansion can be acquired easily if it is deemed necessary. While I was waiting in the car, I had also hacked into the doll that was standing out front; through her—I managed to create a detailed diagram of the mansion’s interior.”
“…”
Pressing a finger to his temple, Long Hua feels like this doll—that is currently in his possession, is the nightmare of all modern civilizations, due to most individuals and corporations choosing to store their valuable assets in a database.
“What will master do should Lady Nian choose to cut you off?”
“Well…”
Thinking of the many issues that would arise with this, Long Hua’s expression turns a bit sour.
The biggest issue would be the loss of his side job that is associated with NPI; without this connection—he would probably be kicked out of his current residence, that is the yacht.
On paper, both the yacht and port space are still under the ownership of NPI; legally purchasing them from Nian Yao Yao would definitely cost a fortune.
“I could take up residence in the bureau’s office if needed. Another option would be—to see if that surnamed Bai can get me a new place to stay with his connections.”
“And the worst that could happen?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Long Hua answers—
“The worst case possible is—I get sent out to the frontlines, or even be forced to live out in the wastelands. Regardless, it’s not the end of the world if she decides to cut me off out of distrust.”
“Assuming that master is unwilling to be cut off, wouldn’t Lady Nian choosing to one-sidedly void the contract go against the original agreement?”
“Oh, so you noticed?”
Seeing the faint smile on Long Hua’s face, Tian Cheng inwardly puts on a similar smile, as she remarks—
“A test for the young lady? I believe, she will find this to be rather distasteful.”
“If she cannot reach this conclusion on her own, then I do not see any worth in continuing to work with her. Besides, I do not consider my relationship with her to be an employer and an employee. We are both just using each other for our own benefits.”
(Well, all things considered, our relationship isn’t any different.)
Detecting the sound of multiply footsteps—approaching from the side, Long Hua looks to his left to see Nian Yao Yao walking towards him, while the others stood back.
(Hm?)
Blinking his eyes, Long Hua notices immediately that—aside from the short-statured Moon Guard, the others are missing.
Ignoring this for the time being, Long Hua asks—
“Have you decided?”
“We’re maintaining this contract.”
Towards Nian Yao Yao, who has a sour look on her face, Long Hua smiles with amusement, as he says—
“This will probably not be the last time that I ask you this question.”
“You never gave me much of a choice.”
Maintaining his smile, Long Hua remarks—
“Weren’t you curious as to what would happen—if one of us were to break the contract? I’ve given you the opportunity to find out, and yet, here you are refusing to take it. How ungrateful.”
“Long Hua, I’ve always thought you to be a do-as-told sort of person—so long as it doesn’t go against our contract, but now… If possible, I really want to sock you in the face for attempting to con me.”
Comparing and contrasting the Long Hua—that she had known previously, to the one in front of her now, Nian Yao Yao feels as if the former had been putting on an act up until last night.
Blinking her eyes on the inside, Tian Cheng thought—
(Hmm, his current temperament is much closer to the one that I remember. Perhaps, it’s because—his twisted fetish with contracts is being stimulated?)
Wiping away his smile, a solemn expression appears on Long Hua’s face, as he says—
“I wasn’t joking when I said—that I am not able to guarantee anything.”
Towards this, Nian Yao Yao nods, and replies—
“If there really does come a time—in which, you have to betray me, I’d at least hope it’d be a time of great significance.”
“Meaning?”
Thinking for a bit, Nian Yao Yao, with a tone of uncertainty, answers—
“Hmm… Some kind of world-ending event, perhaps?”
Raising an eye, Long Hua asks—
“So, you wish to die a martyr?”
“Beats dying like a dog on the streets—out of starvation. A legendary beast should at least try to maintain its image—even in death.”
“Quite accepting of your newfound identity, aren’t you?”
Heaving a sigh, Nian Yao Yao answers—
“More like I’m just going with the flow—since my brain hasn’t caught up to the situation yet.”
Chapter 39
“Right, now that that’s settled, what say—we talk about business?”
Seeing the shrewd smile on Nian Yao Yao’s face, Long Hua already knows what it is that she intends to ask of him, and towards it—
“Cultivation methods, is it? Go ask your mother for them.”
“I’ve tried, but the old hag isn’t willing to give them.”
“She probably has her reasons for that.”
“Such as?”
Walking over to them, Nian Tao Tao looks at Long Hua with a sigh, and says—
“Being an Immortal, you should already know why I had declined my foolish daughter’s plead.”
The thought of nurturing Immortals to fight back against the Immortals had crossed Nian Tao Tao’s mind in the past. But realizing the difficult state of this world, she knew it would be futile—in the end, the Bloodline Project became her focus.
“Has this world always been like this?”
“According to the ancestors’ logs, it wasn’t always like this, but at some point, things just became this way.”
“And the reason wasn’t recorded? How odd…”
“What exactly are you two talking about?”
Being left out of the loop, Nian Yao Yao looks between the two with irritation.
Getting his thoughts in order, Long Hua explains—
“Remember the energy your staff recently discovered? The Imm…- Practitioners, is what they are actually called, in any case, that energy is called spirit Qi. You’re correct in your theory to assume that the ability to gather, and to cultivate spirit Qi—is what makes an Immortal an Immortal. This world divides Immortals into different levels, but in their world, they are divided into cultivation realms. I won’t go too into detail on them right now, but basically your world is severely lacking in spirit Qi, which makes it difficult to cultivate. Even if I were to give you a cultivation method, and you managed to spread it, it won’t produce the ideal result you’re hoping for—due to the shortage of spirit Qi as a resource.”
The thought of making cultivation a norm is still on Long Hua’s mind, however—
(This is selfish of me, but right now, I don’t want to have to fight someone for an already scarce resource.)
“Then…”
With her expression darkening, Nian Yao Yao sinks into thought. This means that she will have to come up with another alternative to dethrone the practicality of her mother’s Moon Guards.
(…His words sound logical on the surface, but… It probably also has to do with him not wanting competition…)
Reading through the fine lines of Long Hua’s words, Nian Yao Yao frowns.
“Again, I suggest you just give up, my foolish daughter.”
“Too soon for me to do so. If I said fine, here and now, I’d only make myself look… Look even more like a clown.”
“Oh?”
“Heh.”
Simultaneously, Long Hua and Nian Tao Tao laughed aloud, whereas Tian Cheng inwardly remarks—
(So, the young Nian beast is actually aware of this?)
“Quit laughing!”
Grinding her teeth together, Nian Yao Yao feels extremely vexed towards her current streak of ill encounters—where seemingly everyone she meets is able to lead her by the nose.
“In any case, answer me this, Long Hua. If an individual is able to cultivate spirit Qi, how long would it take for them to become as strong as you?”
Raising an eye towards, Nian Yao Yao’s question, Long Hua replies—
“Strong? Is that how I appear in your eyes? I’m not exactly omnipotent. In the practitioners’ circle, people of my level are like cabbages; some are just riper than others.”
“That doesn’t exactly answer the question…”
Arranging his thoughts for a moment, Long Hua answers—
“Depends on their talent. They could take a month, or an entire year. Worst case scenario, they never reach my current level. Generally speaking, the more resources they have, the faster they will grow—even if they are not as talented. Other than that… The method they are using for cultivation is also something that must be taken into account, along with how attuned they are to the specific method.”
“Sounds rather complicated. Is there any way to determine a person’s talent?”
As Nian Yao Yao frowns, Long Hua adds—
“Appraisal of an individual’s talent can be done through another practitioner, or through the use of a device. But the device in question… I don’t see a reason for it to exist in this world.”
“Will they be using the same cultivation method as you?”
“That would not be possible.”
Inwardly, Tian Cheng shakes her head at Nian Yao Yao’s question, while thinking—
(Foolish thought to have. Anything his shizun comes up with—is worth piles upon piles of resources, that most sects and clans couldn’t possibly hope to take out.)
“Wh-?”
“Regardless, all this talk is pointless—when this world is so severely short on spirit Qi.”
Despite her dissatisfactions, Nian Yao Yao knows that she is only wasting her time with her questions—when the core issue hasn’t been resolved.
(I don’t even know the name of my cultivation method, but knowing shizun, he probably tailored it specifically for me. Unless an individual is a perfect copy of me, they won’t get very far with this method.)
“So, to the village then?”
With Long Hua having forcefully ended the topic, Nian Tao Tao suggests moving onto their main objective.
Replying with a nod, the four walk back to the others, and as they approach, Jing Yao asks—
“Done?”
“You make it sound like you couldn’t wait to be rid of us, Jing.”
“Because I am.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Nian Yao Yao replies—
“How cold. Does that mean you’re not coming along?”
“I’ve had my fill of thrills after last night. Plus, there’s a lot of work waiting for me to finish.”
“Alright then.”
Glancing at Jing Yin, Nian Tao Tao asks—
“What of you, Yin?”
“My stamina is quite weak, so I’ll stay back as well.”
Towards Jing Yin choosing not to join the search for the village, mixed feelings arise in Jing Yao’s heart. If the former doesn’t plan to move together with Nian Yao Yao’s group, then she will most probably be staying here with her.
Moving along, Long Hua asks—
“So? Where is the entrance exactly?”
“I recall seeing a manhole cover on the way over yesterday. Shouldn’t be too far from where we are now. Once we are in the sewer network, we can officially start the search.”
Receiving this answer from Nian Yao Yao, Long Hua asks—
“Any other preparations you need to make before that? Say, a gas mask?”
“Despite being a sewer, the scent is almost nonexistent—due to the city’s advanced ventilation system.”
“Oh? Didn’t expect that.”
Amidst this exchange, Tian Cheng glances at Jing Yao—who had a complicated expression on her face.
(Hm?)
Chapter 40
“Really is surprising.”
Getting off the ladder last, Long Hua takes in his surroundings with an intrigued expression on his face.
The walls of the sewers are covered by sheets of metal, while the grounds are covered by a layer of concrete—to prevent one from slipping when wet.
A bit of rust can be seen on the walls as a sign of old age, and dangling from the ceilings are lightbulbs—enclosed in a protective shell.
Just as Nian Yao Yao had mentioned before, the noxious scent that is to be expected of a sewer is almost nonexistent.
“Rather clean. I was expecting a bit more waste to be in there.”
Looming over a guardrail, Long Hua looks to the flowing waters, which held tiny flakes of waste.
“Means the filtering system is doing its job. If you went further up, you’d probably see what you were expecting.”
Hearing this from Nian Yao Yao, Long Hua asks—
“Well, are we going further up?”
“To hell with that, and why are you so keen on this?”
“Because it’s the sewers. You’re expected to see filth and the likes, so it just doesn’t feel right—when it goes against my expectations.”
“…Unbelievable.”
Hearing this to be the reason, Nian Yao Yao heaves a sigh, prior to unfolding the map—that she had obtained from Zhou Chen.
“…”
Looking at the map from the side, Nian Tao Tao’s eyes gave off a gleam of excitement, as she thought—
(Finally, this opportunity is at hand.)
“Tian Cheng.”
Pointing towards a direction with his thumb, Long Hua and Tian Cheng distanced themselves from the group.
“Take it. And if we encounter anyone from that village—show some restraint.”
Receiving Kun from Long Hua, Tian Cheng opens her magenta-colored eyes, and asks—
“So that negotiations will be smoother?”
“Correct. But if the other side doesn’t show much restraint back—killing is allowed. Having a good footing on a negotiation table means nothing when you’re six feet under.”
“Understood. Shall I also keep a close eye on Madame Nian and her Moon Guard?”
Thinking for a bit, Long Hua shakes his head, and replies—
“I think, I’m more concerned about what this village has hidden in the shadows, instead of them.”
“Because the village chief is a practitioner as well?”
Replying with a nod, Long Hua says—
“And because of that, it means having to be on the lookout for magic arrays and the likes. Although I don’t exactly fear death, I’d rather not have another close call like last night. In any case, the five Moon Guards that are missing… I never did find out what happened to them, and asking the person in charge of them—will probably not yield any honest answers. Until everything is settled, it’s best to be vigilant.”
“Does master believe that Madame Nian will attempt to pull something at the very end?”
“The possibility is rather high when you think of last night. Perhaps, an ambush—just as we exit the sewers?”
Glancing towards the direction of the others, Long Hua constricts his eyes.
“Right, we’re heading this way.”
Declaring as such, Nian Yao Yao moves onwards, while the others follow.
The formation taken by the group has Nian Yao Yao, Nian Tao Tao and their two guards situated at the forefront, while positioning themselves at the back are Long Hua and Tian Cheng.
(…Somehow, I feel like there’s something wrong with this formation. Shouldn’t the almighty Immortal be at the front instead?)
While looking at the map, this thought crosses Nian Yao Yao’s mind.
But deeming it to be too late to make any changes to their formation, Nian Yao Yao feels like it would be awkward to bring the matter up at this point.
Continuing to move along, Qing Yue asks—
“Just to be sure, we’re not going to run into a situation where we get lost, are we?”
Shrugging her shoulders, Zhui Yun replies—
“Isn’t that part of the fun when using a map?”
“As if! If anything, a person should be ashamed of themselves if they can get lost with a map in hand!”
“I’d watch your tongue, pipsqueak.”
Perhaps having experienced this in the past, Zhui Yun’s lips twitched—in response to Qing Yue’s statement.
(Watching those two… It’s as if they’re siblings.)
Is the impression that Long Hua has, as he watches the two argue.
“…Uh.”
Sensing Long Hua’s eyes on her, Zhui Yun feels her own hair standing up on ends—causing her to face forward quickly.
“The monster shrouded in white fog,” vaguely recalling her memories of this event, Zhui Yun finds it difficult to face Long Hua.
“Turn right here. After that a left, and a right again…”
As the group continues to move under Nian Yao Yao’s guidance for an additional 15 minutes, they are eventually brought to their destination that consists of—
“…There’s nothing here.”
Aside from the walls having a different rust pattern, and the lack of a ladder that leads up to the surface, the place they’re at right now wasn’t any different from their point of entry.
Raising a frown, Nian Tao Tao says—
“As cliché as it may be, chances are they have some sort of hidden switches on these walls. Does the map mention anything about this?”
“The one we’re at is labeled as door five, so it should be this panel…”
Glancing between the map, and one of the wall’s metal panels, Nian Yao Yao presses her palm on five different parts of the chosen panel, however—
“Hm?”
Seeing Nian Yao Yao at a loss, her mother asks—
“Did you do it wrong, or did it simply not work?”
“Hmm…”
As Nian Yao Yao and the others attempt to figure out the hidden mechanism—
(Does the sewer network have something that I can use—to navigate my way there, without using the map that my employer has?)
(You’ll know when you head down there.)
Long Hua thought back to his conversation with Bai Wen.
(Right, down, left, up, center—is the order she pressed the panel…)
Staring intently at the panel that Nian Yao Yao had touched—while thinking of the pattern that was used, Long Hua is quick to connect it to one of the most common methods of setting up a magic array.
“Is this what he meant?”