Shang watched in awe as Koyo limped away from the body of the chimera, her face sour. One long braid of hair had been chopped in half, and the left arm of her robes had been ripped away at the seams revealing a long, jagged cut. She was otherwise unharmed. When she reached Shang and the others, Shang had already sequestered the vial of Bataa’s blood back in his expanse bag. The man was practically watering the ground with it so Shang was sure a small vial wouldn’t be missed.

He tried to relax his expression into a small smile, but his left eye twitched as Koyo approached. After witnessing her fight, Shang was rightfully terrified. If she could tell the future, did she know about Shang’s less than truthful intentions for this hunt?

“Good, you’re still alive. It would have been a waste if you'd died,” she said. Shang felt a twinge of annoyance at her casual tone. It made his actions feel so inconsequential. When he was fighting an oversized bug, she was taking down a legendary beast.

Aww, don't feel bad. I thought you were very impressive. I'm very impressed! Rue's conciliatory remarks failed to brighten his mood.

Koyo's lips twisted in disdain as she wiped the monster's blood from her stilettos. She leaned over Bataa and Nio, jostling the unconscious Nio with her foot. “So, it’s just us left?”

Bataa nodded and attempted to bow while still propped against the cavern walls. "Thank you Elder Sister for the demonstration. A truly inspired fight." His admiration only darken Koyo’s mood, but the Bataa didn't seem to notice. Shang wondered at her reaction. Koyo almost single-handedly killed an exalted beast strong enough to slaughter their whole party. Why was she so angry? He didn't realize he'd been staring until she turned her deep eyes towards him. He looked away from her stormy expression, hoping her powers of prescience had nothing to do with mind reading.

To my knowledge, she’s not a mind reader, or we’d be long dead. More importantly, stop that! You’re acting weird. Shang shifted, trying to appear casual.

“What’s with you?” Bataa asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Nothing, just my ribs. I think they’re broken,” Shang groaned. He was not completely lying. Without the immediate threat of death, the pain was harder to ignore. He tried to keep his breathing shallow, but that made it almost impossible to cycle, and cycling was crucial for mitigating the pain. He glanced at Bataa. His injuries were nothing compared to those of the Vul warrior. To his utter shock, Bataa’s leg, which had been so badly shattered, looked whole again. Even more astounding was the small nub of flesh growing from his severed arm. Shang leaned in to observe the nub. It was grotesque but fascinating. “Master Bataa, are you growing an arm!? Can you just grow your limbs back?” Shang asked.

“Ah yes, very observant of you.” Bataa chuckled, wiggling the small nub.

“Can every cultivator do that when they get to your level?” Shang asked, excited by the prospect. The idea felt absurd. With those regenerative abilities, he can see why high-realm cultivators were said to be immortal.

“Sadly, no. That is a quirk of his...particular lineage,” Koyo cut in, her voice bitter. “Ideally, cultivators at his level should refrain from getting their limbs cut off at all.”

“Ha, you got me, Mistress Yong. It was careless of me,” Bataa admitted.

“Careless isn’t the word I would use. You tried to save them.” She gestured at the fallen members of their party. “Poorly, I might add. You know you can’t throw a wide deflection with a dispersed blast that strong.” During the last blast, Bataa tried to save the weaker members of the group by deflecting the attack from the chimera. Ultimately, he was only able to save Nio, and only because of Nio’s higher level of cultivation.

“All true, Yong-sa. Good thing you were with us, or I fear we would all be dead,” Bataa said. “More importantly, why was a monster like that even in this area of the gorge? The barrier between Penumbra should be strong here. Only weak beasts should be able to squeeze through.”

The gorge was centered around the largest inter-domain tear. The tears grew smaller further away from the center of the gorge. Because stronger creatures from other domains create a greater qi imbalance, strong exalted beasts require a larger disruption of spatial energy to pass between domains. Since we were still in the hunting grounds of the minor camps, all beasts at this point in the cycle should have been Mortal Realm or less.

“I thought we were lucky to scout that nest of scorpions. It’s rare to see Mortal Realm beasts gather into a nest like that near the minor camps.” Bataa gestured at the fallen chimera with his growing arm. “In the months I’ve been here, I’ve never seen anything close to that monster in strength.”

“I suppose we’re lucky then?” Koyo said. Shang couldn’t tell if she was joking. Looking at the devastation and death around them, it was inconceivable to consider themselves lucky.

Bataa sighed. “I suppose we are. It’s unfortunate we were so ill-prepared. Always feels like a waste to lose so much potential. I’m glad my apprentice did not make it on this expedition. Another reason to be in your debt, Mistress Yong.”

“I wouldn’t lose sleep over the wasted potential Bataa.” It was clear from her tone of voice that she didn’t think their lives were much of a sacrifice. Shang felt his sense of righteous anger grow. His hands tightened around his expanse bag where he’d hidden a vial of her blood. He would steal her blood gladly.

“Come help me,” Koyo said. Shang reflexively caught the stiletto tossed at him, careful not to touch the poisoned blade. “And bring the expanse bag.” He stood up gingerly, favoring his left side. He had to breathe from his mouth to keep from gagging at the stench of rot as he approached the carcass of the chimeric beast. Koyo’s killing blow left the skeletal second head nearly detached from the rest of the body.

“The good thing about this disgusting thing is this.” Koyo stabbed the beast in the chest and pulled out an orb structure the size of a fist. The orb was shrouded in qi. The aura was so dense that it distorted the energy around it. “A chimeric core. This one is in the Mind Realm. A real treasure. Notice anything different about it?” The right and left sides of the orb had very different spiritual attributes.

“It’s two cores?” he asked.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Yes, it’s created from the fusion of two beast cores. This allows the chimera to have more affinities. All Yin affinities though since it came from Penumbra.” At Koyo’s instruction, Shang sliced into the beast to remove a dozen deep blue gems. “These crystals form at their meridians. They’re an important part of elixirs and can be used to reinforce spiritual weapons.”

Bataa gave a low whistle as he hobbled to join them. “A chimeric core. I’ve never seen one in real life.”

“Are they that rare?” Shang asked.

“Chimeras can’t form in this domain because there’s not enough chaos. They can only form in domains where yin and yang are extremely unbalanced and only when there’s an immense density of aura,” Bataa explained.

“Like I said. We’re lucky. This could have gone a lot worse,” Koyo confirmed.

“So, what are you going to use it for?” Bataa asked. Koyo glared at the core, her face unreadable.

“I don’t know. Sell it?”

“W-what? Why would you do that?! The thing is priceless. Why not progress your path? It’s a once in a lifetime treasure,” Bataa exclaimed.

“I have no interest in progressing my path,” Koyo bit back. She tossed the core at Shang, and he dove to catch it. “Store it for me. I’ll deal with it when we get back.”

“No interest in progressing? But you’re on the prime path of the Yong line. Why would you throw th—” Bataa’s words caught mid sentence at Koyo’s murderous expression.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion, you impudent fox. Don’t act so familiar just because I saved your life.”

Shang watched the whole exchange with wide eyes. Someone not interested in progressing their Path? Shang couldn’t believe someone like that existed. Especially someone so strong. Bataa gave a long sigh, shaking his large head sullenly as Koyo walked away.

Rue, any ideas?

The Path of Violet Tears is a path created in the Eastern Continent by the Yong family matriarch. It’s a rare Path even within the family. It is meant to enhance the Yong bloodline technique of prescience. Only those that awaken the ability can pursue it.

So, she’s one of the lucky ones to inherit the ability? Why would she reject it? It made her so strong!

Hmm, I’ve heard rumors that it’s a bit of a…challenge to awaken the bloodline technique. It’s unlike most bloodline techniques that can be taught or manifest naturally. Perhaps she resents her family for it?

Shang considered Rue’s words. He felt like Rue was still holding something back, but the explanation made sense. Koyo was sensitive to any mention of her family. He had long assumed that she was running from something. Despite her lauded heritage, she shied away from any mention of them, as though she was ashamed or afraid.

I’ve been meaning to ask. Did you plan on us meeting? It seems too much of a coincidence running into these two.

Ah, well I can’t deny I had a small hand to play. I knew the Vul was here. I scouted this location a few months back. The girl on the other hand was pure luck! Amazing luck! With the completion of your first secret mission, we are well on our way my young disciple. The world is at our fingertips! Rue broke out in a low and menacing chuckle that set Shang’s better judgment ablaze.

Nio finally awoke an hour later. By then, Bataa had healed enough to travel. They would have to be wary of monsters in their route back up the gorge. Bataa could still smell the presence of chaos scorpions in the cavern, and other monsters were sure to be lurking not far away.

As they set out to leave, Shang interrupted sheepishly. “Before we leave, I need to make a stop.”

Nio shot him a scathing look. “A stop? We aren’t running errands, boy. We don’t have time to waste on your silly games. The longer we stay, the higher the risk we have of being eaten.” Nio’s fear of Koyo was no longer keeping his mouth in check. He'd taken the death of the party members the hardest, and Shang was getting the full brunt of his unresolved animosity.

“Now now, Nio. I’m sure the boy wouldn’t waste our time. Let’s see what he wants,” Bataa said, saving Shang from having to respond. Shang led the rest of the group down the narrow tunnel. Now that he was no longer alone, the journey through the tight tunnel was manageable.

When they reached the body of the scorpion, its blood and guts had dried into dark muddy chunks on the cave floor. Shang was eager to return after he learned that the scorpion gems were extremely effective in antivenom elixirs and could also enhance weapons with poison. Koyo’s stilettos had a similar enhancement. He knelt and felt for gems in locations Koyo had shown him. The gems were small and round like glowing red marbles.

Nio doubted that he had killed the scorpion on his own but did not argue when Shang claimed the core and gems for himself. Bataa boomed out a laugh, and slapped Shang on the back in congratulations, which left his back stinging for several minutes after. Koyo only studied the damage dealt to the scorpion appraisingly. Her gaze flickered to the hilt of Shang’s blade.

“Let me see that,” Koyo said. Before Shang could answer, she’d already snatched the blade from its sheath. She frowned, studying the metal. Her fingers slid along the blade and her brows knitted in confusion. “You used this blade to make the cut?” She asked incredulously. When Shang nodded, she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Shang frowned at her tone. “Are you calling me a liar?” He spat out before his better judgment could stop him. In reality, he was a liar, but not about this. He had killed the monster, by himself, with his father’s sword.

Koyo turned her attention to him, and Shang felt his spine stiffen. “Explain,” she demanded. Shang ran through the attack, sticking to the truth except for his motivations for entering the tunnel to begin with. When he finished, she was staring at him even more intently. The group was silent for a few long heartbeats.

“You expect me to believe that?” Nio’s reedy voice broke the silence. “External qi control in a Foundation stage cultivator?”

“I don’t expect you to believe anything. You asked me what happened, so I told you what happened,” Shang bit back. Koyo raised her hand, stopping any response or retribution from Nio.

“Let’s not waste time here fighting. You said it was injured when it attacked so the chimera must have killed off some of the chaos scorpions but probably not all of them. We should leave. In the condition we’re in, we can’t afford to get swarmed.”

“Agreed. Friends, let’s save this debate for later. Hopefully, in a less smelly location,” Bataa said.

The four of them made their way to the entrance of the cave systems. Shang lowered his head as they passed the bodies of their companions. They would return for their bodies as well. The ceilings grew taller as they walked. In the distance, he could make out a faint light. They were nearing the exit. Bataa was leading the group, but he halted mid-step, still a few hundred steps from the water aura and their exist from the gorge.

“What is it?” Shang asked. Bataa’s normally open face was scrunched in concentration, his square jaw tensed.

“Well, well. Just our luck,” Koyo grumbled. Shang rocked on his feet, impatient to understand why they stopped. “Watch.” Koyo reached down for a rock, the size of her head. She gripped it in one hand and threw it towards the entrance of the caves. The rock flew at an impossible speed before gradually slowing down in midair. It hung suspended for a second before disintegrating onto the floor into a heap of sand. Shang took a step back. Nio dropped his face into his palms and groaned.