26-28

Chapter 26

Lei's skin prickled with fear. He understood now why the folk around Jiangzhen kept clear of the Darkloom Forest. He understood it perfectly fine, but then he wasn't sure if this new awareness would do him any good against a beast twice his size.

Its fur was smooth and clear. You wouldn't see it in the dark of the forest if not for the pair of crimson eyes staring wide at them. Two fangs jutted out from the side of its jaw as if they couldn't fit with the others and had to make their way down through its mouth. Sharp and dangerous. That was the feeling Lei got from looking at them. It wouldn't take much for those fangs to rip him open.

He stiffened, squinting up at the creature as his heart pounded in his chest. What would you do against a beast that seemed like a twisted mix between a panther and a lion? Swing the ladle and hope for the best?

It was hard to tell who was on the more spiritual side of things between the tool and the beast.

His brother-in-arms looked deathly pale. That was oddly comforting, seeing that he wasn't the only one about to piss himself. The woman and the squirrel, now they were another story.

When the beast had made its presence known with a growl, Zhu Luli had stepped sideways with the squirrel and planted herself before the pair of them. She didn't have a weapon, and her body seemed awfully small against the hulking form of the beast.

Yet for some reason, Lei could feel that the woman wasn't afraid. There was a little smile on her lips, almost playful, fingers trembling with what Lei thought was excitement. Beside her, Little Yao was no different, her claws glinting sharp and beady eyes staring up at the creature as if weighing it.

"Easy now, little cub," Zhu Luli said, raising a hand toward the beast. "We don't want things to get bloody. No reason for you to throw your life away, don't you think?"

Lei gawked at the woman, and back at the creature, which seemed just as confused as it glanced at Zhu Luli. It then shook its head and reared back with a growl.

"Can't reason with you lot," Lei heard Zhu Luli say as he flinched back with Fatty Lou.

There'd been a strange confidence, a feeling that'd crawled from the depths of his core when he faced the group of thugs that told him there was no need to fear. He tried searching for that sensation just now and came out with a paralyzing fear that took hold of his guts.

It's not working.

He was shaking. The ladle in his hand seemed fragile and so little that he wasn't sure it could put a dent in that smooth fur. It'd break with the wind of the creature's passing. What was he thinking, anyway? A ladle in a forest known for its spiritual beasts. Even though it was a spiritual tool, he was starting to think that he'd need much more than something spiritual to stand against a beast of this size.

Greedy eyes gazed at them for another long second, then the beast was flying, the forest taking a deep breath all around him as the wind brushed the tails of the sharp leaves hanging down the branches. The creature vanished within the darkness, with no sound, nothing that suggested it was creeping around to find an angle on them. But the Spiritual Sensitivity skill told Lei that they were, in fact, being weighed upon by that gaze.

He clenched the ladle and raised it high. That was the least he could do. He raised the ladle and waited, ears ringing in the silence. Strange how the tension made him think of the other morning, just before he'd sent Snake and Stone off. Everything was too good that he should've expected some shit to happen. Now he was painfully aware that he wasn't cut out for things like strolling about in a forest full of horrors.

Deep breaths.

He was taking them alright, but a crunch from the left made him pause. He peered down the bushes and stepped back, Fatty Lou dragging his feet near him with the cleaver in his hand. It seemed his brother-in-arms was just as lost as he was finding his way around the dark. Something broke the calm of the bushes, made them shake as a shadow came lunging from between them, red eyes glinting, sharp claws inching closer and closer to Lei's face.

"Ha!" Zhu Luli yelled, stepped forward, crashed into the beast from the side, wrapped an arm around its front paw, and pulled it hard.

Lei blinked. He was looking at some odd scene his brain was trying to register. A young woman handling a shadowy beast twice her size as if the creature was nothing more than a tiny pup. It whimpered in pain when Zhu Luli turned it around and smashed its back across the ground, twisted the paw she'd been holding onto, and pressed it down to its chest. Something clicked as the creature gave another yelp, red eyes squinted in pain.

"Lucky!" Zhu Luli turned with a wide smile on her face and gave them a thumbs-up. "I'm sure you could've handled the beast with a mere finger, but I'm happy that you allowed me to take care of it, Senior."

Eyes flickering between Zhu Luli and the beast, Lei couldn't help but use the Yellow Maiden's Eyes on the creature. He almost gasped when a blue screen flashed before him.

[Shade Cub: 6th Step of the Body Tempering Stage]: (A creature of the forest with a strong Darkness affinity.)

Eh?

The moment he used the skill, the creature's eyes snapped back at him, glaring into his face as if disturbed. Just like he thought, he couldn't use his skills on spiritual beings without being noticed. But under Zhu Luli's hold, the beast could only struggle desperately.

"Stop it," Fatty Lou said as he nudged him with an elbow. "Your eyes are blazing."

Lei let go of the skill, glancing wide-eyed at Fatty Lou. "What the hell happened?"

"You know." Fatty Lou raised a finger toward Zhu Luli. "That happened."

"I thought she didn't look strong," Lei said as Zhu Luli placed a finger onto the creature's neck and pressed it hard, the Shade Cub's eyes rolling backward before it passed out. "Not that strong, anyway."

"Cultivators," Fatty Lou said with a helpless look. "You can never be too sure of them."

Shit.

He was trying to think of something clever to say, to show that he wasn't scared stiff a second before, but then he couldn't see a point in doing that. Spirit Chef, sure, but there was no way he could let the woman believe him to be some secret master capable of handling shadowy creatures.

"Looks like we found something to go along with those mushrooms," Zhu Luli said, unaware that Lei was debating in his mind to decide if this would be a good time to spill the beans. "I've heard their meat is tender."

"Tender," Lei mumbled, turned to Fatty Lou, and forced out a smile. "Good thing we have a butcher on our team, eh?"

Fatty Lou scowled at him and down at the meat cleaver, realization coming slowly into his eyes. Lei could tell that behind those eyes, the devilish brain of his brother's was spinning hard to work up an excuse. But a little tap on his calf broke whatever trail of thought he was cooking, making him blink down at the squirrel.

"Got mouths to feed." Lei let out a snicker, feeling the tension slowly wear off his shoulders. The shocked tilt of Fatty Lou's head was a sight to behold as he clapped him on the back. "Better make it quick, Brother Lou. I don't think staying around here for too long is a good idea."

Then he pushed him toward the Shade Cub.

.....

Lei let the cleaver ease into the meat, carving out the thick parts of fat in a practiced fashion as firewood crackled behind his back. His wooden chopping board was full of mushrooms and some strange meat from a spiritual creature, both high-quality ingredients that looked equally dangerous.

After Fatty Lou cut a big part from the beast, they left the carcass to the other dwellers of the forest. The meat wasn't on the menu when they started their search, so Lei hadn't bothered to dry or smoke the cuts. Just a big part, enough for a good night's meal. Walking around and carrying pounds of meat would only slow them down.

According to Little Yao's sharp nose, they had about another day to reach their destination. Lei didn't know how to respond when it became clear that the trail was leading them toward the big mountain towering high in the distance. It could only be seen through the cracks in the thick canopy, its jagged sides busy with scores of clouds.

He hashed the cuts and seasoned them with a pinch of salt, leaving them to rest as he pulled out the mushrooms. They looked like someone had sprinkled a wicked poison onto their white faces, dotting them with purple and veined stains. They smelled fresh and earthy, though, and Lei trusted the system when it said they were not poisonous.

He had half a mind to cook them right away without an extra touch, but he'd brought some of those Rootremedy stalks with him. He'd planned to squeeze the juice from the stalks rather than use the beans, swirling them just like heavy cream over the meat and mushrooms.

Some onion and garlic in the mix. You can't ask for anything better than this for a camp meal.

Fatty Lou and Zhu Luli were busy talking by the campfire, while Little Yao proved to be curious company as she watched him from beside the board, sharp claws clenched around the wood and saliva dripping down her chin. It became clear to Lei that, unlike their normal kind that lived on Earth, squirrels here, or at least the Browntails, had the tendency to eat everything they could get.

Different times.

Lei sighed as he cut the mushrooms, stretching his neck. He'd been stiff and nervous from the moment they stepped out of the city. That was the thing with dealing with the unknown. You never could quite be sure of what to expect. Not in an alien world, at least.

The first sensation he felt after opening his eyes in this strange world had been the lingering hatred his soul-brother carried against cultivators. Even as he died, being crushed under the half-collapsed roof while staring up at the two figures battling across the skies, his rage was more bitter than the pain gnawing at his soul.

He was banished from the clan for his lack of talent, despised and belittled by his peers, and bullied just because he didn't have enough natural talent to be worthy of the family name. After all, the Liang Clan was one of the famous clans in Lanzhou, with more than a few rivals. It seemed like, in their book, the lack of talent was enough of a sin to cross a man's name out from their family line.

Lei could only remember some parts of his memories. He'd often dreamed about the face of a woman after his reincarnation, a clear face with an easy smile, and a pain rooted deep in her eyes. His soul-brother's mother was a gentle soul, perhaps the only one who cared for him, but her love hadn't been enough to keep him close.

Or perhaps she was the one who proposed the deal. Living there like a slave… Doesn't look much of a future to me.

That clan was one of the classic examples of their kind. Cruel and demanding. No wonder why most people thought of cultivators as beasts hiding under mortal skin.

And then there was Zhu Luli and her little beast. The woman seemed to have taken him as some secret master, capable of killing that beast with a flick of his finger, and if he kept up the front against her, he didn't know what would happen in the long run.

I have to talk it out and tell her that I'm a new sort of Spirit Chef. Not the kind who could slaughter beasts with ease. Yeah, a gifted one. Natural.

Lei brought the ingredients with him to the campfire, pulled his wok out, and placed it over the burning logs as Zhu Luli and Fatty Lou watched him with expectant eyes. Little Yao was on his tail, rubbing her claws together.

"I've done a damned good job it seems, 'cause those look tasty," Fatty Lou said, smiling at him. "Can't do without that spiritual kick, now, can we?"

Zhu Luli nodded with delight. "I have to say a Spirit Chef's dishes are certainly different."

"Knows her food," Fatty Lou said. "It's hard to find people who appreciate a good effort. Our chef here is indeed a rare talent, but even a shiny rock needs some polishing, eh?"

"That's your job, then, the polishing?" Lei glanced at him, and down at the meats. "No wonder it took me the better part of an hour to make something out of your cuts. You were never made for a butcher, after all."

"Heartless and cold," Fatty Lou seemed offended for a second before he clicked his tongue. "You must've heard it, Miss. Chefs are always like this. Ungrateful bastards thinking their noses are a touch higher than most of us. Leave them alone, though, they won't know how to sell their shit to the crowds."

The oil hissed when the hot surface of the wok cuddled it round. Lei added the meats soon after, raising the wok over the fire and giving it a little shake. He was still unsure if he should use the Essence Enhancement skill during the cooking process, as the look on Fatty Lou's face told him that he wouldn't be taking it easy once the dish was done.

"Oh, that smell!" Zhu Luli said, waving a hand near the wok as she sucked in all the delicious smoke with hungry breaths. Little Yao was on her heels, tail swaying left and right.

"Before we start to eat, there's something I want to clarify," Lei said, sharing a solemn glance with Fatty Lou before turning toward Zhu Luli. "It's clear from the way you keep calling me 'Senior' that you think I'm something of a master, perhaps a cultivator who could've killed that beast with ease. But we've just stepped into the ranks of Body Tempering Stage cultivators, and can barely count as cultivators."

"What?"

"It's true that I can make spiritual dishes, but I'm not sure if I'm one of those Spirit Chefs you keep mentioning," Lei said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Wait a second," Zhu Luli scowled at the pair of them, clearly taken aback. "This doesn't make any sense. Spirit Chefs can command the spiritual energy of the world with perfection. I've only seen one in my entire life, and he was a Core Formation expert. I'm fairly sure that to cook those kinds of dishes you must be at least a Foundation Establishment expert."

"I guess I'm—"

"You see, Miss Zhu," Fatty Lou chipped in, giving Lei a hard glance before smiling at Zhu Luli. "My brother here is trying to say that he's different."

"Different how?"

"You might say he's gifted." Fatty Lou nodded with confidence. "Blessed by the Heavens themselves with the touch of a master. A single look from him can turn anything spiritual."

"Perhaps we shouldn't go that far." Lei sighed tiredly. He could feel a budding headache at the back of his neck as he added the mushrooms and the diced onions, sprinkling another pinch of salt over the mixture even as Zhu Luli kept staring at him.

"But how?" the woman said a second later, eyes flickering back to Fatty Lou. "If you two are just Body Tempering Stage cultivators, then who cooked those meals?"

"She doesn't believe it," Fatty Lou said and shrugged. "Guess you'll have to show her."

"Are you sure?" Lei asked doubtfully. "These things here… are not your average ingredients, I can tell you that much."

"All the more better, then!" Fatty Lou barked out a laugh, slapping his knee. "You know she's our best bet to find those kids. Make her sing, then she'll believe."

"Make her sing, you've said?" Lei shook his head as he stirred the wok. "Miss Zhu, you might want to step back a little. Things can get dangerous when I'm cooking."

"Eh? Sure," Zhu Luli mumbled, blinking as if trying to make sure she heard everything right.

Can't blame her, now, can I?

They should've told her way before things got a lot more heated.

Chapter 27: Curious Sight

Zhu Luli had never thought she would see something this bizarre. Even at the Luminous Sun School, her teachers — renowned apothecaries and herbalists — couldn't produce the sight she was witnessing right now.

The spiritual energy stirred within the wok, threads of it curling around and seeping into the juicy meats, poking invisible holes through mushrooms. The air around her grew light as the spiritual energy gravitated toward the mixture, even as Chef Lei stood with a scowl on his face, staring down the wok.

"Is this…" she muttered. "Really happening?"

Brother Lou raised an eyebrow at him, looking greatly proud of himself. Zhu Luli couldn't understand why, but she was too busy to pay him attention.

Bending the natural Qi of the world was a feat that should only be possible within the boundaries of the Qi Condensation stage. Yet Chef Lei was doing exactly that, in a way that made Zhu Luli question her eyes. For a second, she thought it was something about that ladle he used to stir the mix. Perhaps it was a special tool that could make the dish… more potent? Effective?

But that didn't make any sense either, as tools beyond the Mortal stage demanded a certain cultivation base to be utilized.

"How are you doing this?" Zhu Luli had to ask when it became too much for her to comprehend. Even Little Yao seemed at a loss, staring questioningly up at the wok, barely blinking her eyes.

You're just hungry, aren't you? You don't actually care about the way Chef Lei controls this spiritual energy.

Zhu Luli shook her head when the man stayed silent. If her father had been here, he could've provided her with a good explanation about this strange gift of Chef Lei. They called him the Heavenly Scholar for a good reason.

Think. That bun and the beans, even the needles… Dozens of circles under an hour, in a place as mortal as Jiangzhen. Am I witnessing a culinary master here? A talent so rare even the spiritual energy of the world bows its head against him?

The sizzling of the meat pulled her focus away from the endless pit that was her mind and turned it back to the wok, where the mushrooms had already sucked all the delicious juice from the mixture. Then a splash of something white cuddled them like a mother's touch, the note of Rootremedy tingling Zhu Luli's nose.

Seconds crawled past as she watched in nervous expectation. A rare gift here in Jiangzhen. Something about fate, perhaps? Could it be that this was the fortuitous encounter she'd been searching for the last two years?

Luck is a skill. Without it, there wouldn't be any geniuses.

Emperor Xia had been a strong believer in luck. Didn't the Second Young Master of the Zhou Clan from the capital find a Heaven-Grade Blazing Pearl from below the creek that ran the length of the Blazing Mountains? There was no way he could've stepped into the Qi Condensation Stage in a mere six months by relying on his natural talent alone.

Fortune was a strange concept. That was why her father kept saying that pampering the new generation with endless amounts of resources would only serve to weaken their foundation. One must search and find one's fortune. Relying on gifts from others to tread the Immortal Path was a good way to become a stepping stone to a real genius.

He only says this to the others, though, not me…

"It's ready," Chef Lei said, pulling the wok from over the burning logs and placing it gently on a stone. "One of my best efforts. I hope this will be enough to clear the little misunderstanding between us."

Zhu Luli gulped, staring at the dish. Smoke curled playfully over the wok, the meats still sizzling. She could barely see the mushrooms in the mix, yet that earthy tone was strong in her nose. They were there, scattered across the brownish mixture, little treasures hiding from greedy eyes.

She was about to ask another question when Little Yao swiped a claw inside the wok, took out a large piece, and chomped it down hard. Her beady eyes widened. Then she was back over the wok, staring down in the manner of a hunter troubled by the number of choices presented to them, juice slurping inside her tiny mouth.

Looks… delicious.

"Go on, try it," Brother Lou said, a smug smile playing wide on his lips. He then crossed his arms and stepped back, as if getting ready to watch a glorious show. "The Heavens knows it'll be the first time I saw a cultivator getting a kick out of one of these. It's been rather uncomfortable between the two of us, eh, Brother Lei?"

"Still haunts my dreams," Chef Lei said, shaking his head. "We'll be watching over you in case something goes south. After the last time, I'm sure it'd be for the best if we waited this one out."

"You mean you're not going to eat it?" Zhu Luli asked with a hint of doubt in her voice.

Chef Lei waved a hand toward his chopping board. "We'll eat, but not this one. Trust me, I'm doing us a favor keeping my brother here away from that food."

"Bah!" Brother Lou snorted, but Zhu Luli saw a brief look of regret flash behind his eyes.

Why do these two act like this? Feels like I'm about to drink a wicked concoction of a poison master.

But Little Yao's lack of reaction gave her some semblance of trust, so Zhu Luli wasn't all that bothered by the discretion and caution the pair of them displayed.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed one of the spoons Chef Lei laid near the stone and took her first bite.

There were still questions in Zhu Luli's mind. A lot of them, boiling in the pot that was her mind, that made her doubt the very scene she'd witnessed. The Qi and its dance, how it trailed every motion of Chef Lei like an obedient child, swirling round the wok and seeping inside the meats, the mushrooms, cuddling them with a big, spiritual hug… was something of a miracle.

But everything melted into a confusion-filled mess once she took her first bite. It exploded in her mouth — a wave of flavors making her gawk in shock. And she took another bite — this time a bit more. That same airy feeling hit her hard.

She blinked and felt the wind whistling into her ears as the world spun around her, yet she couldn't keep her eyes away from her hands. She couldn't help but smile stupidly at them when her fingers started twisting.

A curious sight. Hard to believe the fingers would do that, but then again, the sights around her did seem like they'd become a touch different as well. The branches and the trees howled with delight, sharp leaves poking her from left and right, ears ringing with a voice beckoning her from beyond the canopy.

It was only when Little Yao pulled at her robe that it struck her she was about to touch the sky. Down below, Chef Lei and Brother Lou were shaking their heads, and she seemed to hear a helpless sigh escape from Chef Lei's lips.

Her mouth was full of the taste of mushrooms, and the juicy meat, so tender that it broke down into a dozen waves once she bit down, sailing down her throat before finding their home inside her stomach. It was warm there, and she could feel her spiritual roots sucking greedily the boisterous waves of the spiritual energy coursing through her veins.

A minor circle started as Zhu Luli let out a blissful moan. Right beside her leg, Little Yao was swaying left and right, her beady eyes glinting red as she kept blinking them. What was happening? And why, in the name of the High Heavens, did she feel as if her head was about to explode?

She breathed in deep, biting her lower lip to gather her focus. She couldn't let the spiritual energy roam freely inside her body. It could cripple her! And more importantly, her spiritual roots alone couldn't absorb those great waves without her guidance. She must will the start of another minor circle. She must--

A crunch from below her feet. Nothing too big, but it made her look. Little Yao wasn't there, gone after tearing the great part of the branch she'd been standing on. Zhu Luli peered down the tree they were on and saw a little shadow dash across the forest.

"Little Yao!" she screamed, but scowled at her own voice, coming off as if she'd burped it out. Something about her throat, and how the creamy Rootremedy juice got stuck there, giving off that airy feeling.

Every breath felt as if it'd be her last. Bliss and desperation, the line between the two became bleak. She could've gone for more than thirty minor circles if she could sit down on solid ground and focus, but anytime she tried to do those, that voice kept poking her from high above.

And what was that voice, anyway? The little crack in the canopy allowed her to witness the clear skies. Hundreds of stars glinted on the Eastern Heavens, but one of them seemed brighter than most.

She didn't know how, or why, but at that moment she felt a certain connection between that glint and her spiritual roots, which made her remember yet again that good-for-nothing son of the Zhou Clan, the so-called Second Young Master from one of the illustrious clans of the capital.

Luck is a skill. Fortune… Something about fortune… Emperor Xia said…

Zhu Luli shook her head. Without that Blazing Pearl, there was no way that useless man could've established a bond with a star swimming inside one of the Skyriver's branches, allowing him to become a Qi Condensation Stage expert.

Are you mine? Are you… the star I've been searching for the past two years?

Her Father tried more than a few times to stop this adventure and told her that there were other ways to find one's fortune. But he'd also said that a cultivator should forge their own fortune, wrench off what was theirs from the hands of fate. For the last two years, Zhu Luli studied every plant she could find and dirtied her hands to pursue her path, hoping it would serve as a great foundation for her future. But inside, there'd been always a little part of her that expected to find that fortune.

And now that part was trembling with excitement. She didn't dare to believe it, but the prickling on her skin, the pounding of her heart, and the call from above the heavens… everything was too real. She wasn't dreaming.

This was the legendary state of enlightenment. A state many cultivators dreamed of, but never had a chance to experience in their lifetimes.

...

Lei blinked when he saw a little shadow dash just below the canopy, with a speed his eyes barely registered. Then a high-pitched squeak echoed across the forest. He shared a glance with Fatty Lou as the ground beneath their feet started shaking.

"What have you done?" Fatty Lou said, inching closer to the wok. Those two had devoured the food in a couple of seconds, but there was still a bite or two left there — enough to get his brother-in-arms as high as the clouds.

"Don't you dare take another step," Lei said, raising the ladle high and glaring into Fatty Lou's face. He then pointed up at the high tree, on which Zhu Luli sat cross-legged as if in meditation. "It literally made her fly. I don't want to get your ass out of a tree."

"Very kind of you." Fatty Lou rolled his eyes at him before squinting up at the tree. "That's even stranger than the cud—" he cleared his throat, "the brotherly hug we shared the last time. And you don't seem to feel any pain either."

Lei nodded. He hadn't had the time to think about it between all the chaos, but now that he'd seen the effects of the spiritual food on those two, it suddenly became clear that there weren't any side effects of feeding a cultivator and her pet spiritual beast.

Something about the energy, perhaps?

He glanced down at the ladle. It was because of the energy seeping out of his pores that this ladle became somewhat spiritual. He was basically like a leaking roof, which made him think about all the pain he'd felt before when he served food to the customers. Could it be that because they couldn't absorb this energy, Lei experienced the side effects?

But it's not just the spiritual energy. There's another one, a different one that just… lingers inside, unlike how the spiritual energy rounds into minor circles.

Though he didn't have all the answers, he wasn't about to complain just because it didn't hurt. Quite the contrary, it felt refreshing to not have to constantly worry about getting poked all around by invisible forces.

A sudden crunch pulled him out of his thoughts, and he scowled back at the forest. A screech cleaved the silence of the night, rebounding off the trees and making his ears ring.

"What was that?" Fatty Lou asked, reaching for the meat cleaver when a giant shadow flashed from above the bushes that stood to their right.

"Careful!" Lei stepped back, clenching the ladle tight in his hand as he prepared to strike.

They were alone now, deep in the night, surrounded by elements foreign and dangerous. Yet instead of assaulting them, that giant shadow hurtled about and crashed down just before their feet, giving a wheezing breath before its red eyes closed shut.

Lei's heart skipped a beat when he saw the corpse. It was a big, nasty beast with a tongue lolling out of its mouth, sharp claws still glinting even as the creature lay dead on the ground, giving off a rotten stench. When Lei mustered his courage to check if it was really dead, he saw that the beast's side had been nearly ripped off by what looked like a set of sharp claws.

"Back off," Fatty Lou said, giving him a hard glance. "This thing looks dangerous, and there's another one around us that's capable of butchering this one. We need to be careful."

Lei nodded, peering around the forest as his heart pounded in his chest.

Just to prove a point. Damnit. What was I thinking?

He shook his head as shivers crawled down his spine. Everywhere and everything looked equally suspicious, and there was no way for them to be sure where that other beast would come from.

Up high in the tree, Zhu Luli seemed to have been deeply engrossed in her meditation, unaware of the dangers they were facing. Lei tried to scream, to alert the woman awake, but she wouldn't hear him.

"Shit," Lei muttered, took another step back, and waited.

The corpse stirred. Below the chunk that had been ripped off from its side, something was squirming. Lei pointed with his head toward that spot as they backed off with Fatty Lou. Perhaps a small beast that had gotten crushed under it, some unlucky thing trying to lift a corpse the size of a small hill.

Then a furry head popped out from below the bloody carcass, two beady eyes squinted in pride. It gave an irritated squeak as it hauled the carcass with two tiny paws before stepping out and letting go of the beast.

"This can't be real," Fatty Lou said, eyes wide open and mouth hanging loose. He snapped back at Lei, pointing with a trembling finger. "Are you seeing this?"

Lei gulped down the spit piling into his mouth as a wave of relief washed over him. "Hey little buddy," he said, kneeling beside Little Yao and petting her head. "Thanks for your help... I guess."

Little Yao nodded with strength, blood dripping down her claws. She then swept Fatty Lou with a glare and squinted up at the tree before jumping off toward the thick canopy.

"Who knew?" Lei muttered, smiling in disbelief. "My dishes can make people fly."

"And the beasts," Fatty Lou said.

"And the beasts." Lei nodded.

Chapter 28: Cave

Tip and tap dripped the water down onto the ground. Tip and tap. That was the rhythm. Above, the roof of the cave was a monstrous thing, a jagged face peering down at the pair of them, further along giving way to a gaping mouth of an opening beyond which lumbered shadows of unclear shapes.

Tip and tap.

Snake stretched his neck back, turned it round, and heard it click. Some relief. But his whole side was on fire, legs burning from the tip of his toes up to his waist, robe ripped open and smeared with blood. Seemed like a broken branch caught him bad by the calf, and got stuck there, stinging still. Somehow the pain only got worse when he stared at the wound.

Stone lay stiff near beside him, the edge of his chin dripped down on his chest, fingers soiled with dried blood and mud from the way back. He was breathing steadily. The fool of a rock never did feel much pain anyway, and he had a mountain of a body instead of Snake's fragile skin.

He was glad the man had gone out. It'd given him a chance to open his eyes, to think of what had happened when they were just about to vanish into the crowds. The alley had been narrow and cold, but it wasn't too long, so they should've made it to safety without getting caught by those two.

They should've made it, but somehow they were here, in a gloomy cave, with monsters and shadowy creatures lurking out a few paces from them. Snake couldn't remember much of it. It was all blurry and distant. He sure felt the pain round his head, though, as if he was caught by the neck like a little chick, and got dragged to a slaughterhouse, waiting for the butcher to be done with him.

He winced when he tried to work his legs to stand. Something pulled him from the back. He glanced down. There. A thin black rope was wrapped around his torso, slithering through his back and down his legs. Hard to see in the dark of the cave.

Didn't look much to his eyes, but at each pull the rope seemed to get tighter and tighter around him, pressing deeper into his skin. Snake let out a breath as he eased his back to the wall, and felt it cold against his neck.

Tip and tap. The ceiling was leaking.

Footsteps splashed from beyond the mouth of the cave, creatures growling their way out and vanishing into the dark. Bleak dots in the distance. Snake could still feel their rotten stench in his nose. Smelled just like the day he'd seen the state of his Father's corpse.

"Uh," a voice grunted as a man stooped inside the cave. A big man, with hair spilling close to his bushy brows, slanted eyes cocked deep into their sockets, and a dark robe — old and torn, a sheath hanging from the same colored belt around his waist.

Snake closed his eyes and slowed down his breaths, hoping the man wouldn't notice. That was the best plan he could think of. Stay silent and wait for something to happen. Perhaps the man would unbind the strange rope keeping them locked to the wall.

"Treating me like a worm," came the man's voice, rasping and furious, then a clink — sounded like metal against the stone. "That worm did all your dirty work, licked your asses clean, and yet you're giving me the same shit. Wait, and wait, and fucking wait, for what?"

Snake pried his eyes open, and caught the tall man staring down at the sheath hurtled into a corner, back facing the pair of them. Metal glinted from between the fingers of his right hand, flashing golden in the cave. That locket. There was something strange about that thing.

"Recuperating or in meditation, but never available," he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. "But I'll get what's mine. Yes, I will."

Snake squeezed his eyes shut when another man trudged inside the cave, an ominous, crooked silhouette writhing in the shadows. He closed them shut and waited, fingers trembling under the half-ripped robe.

"Elder Huang," said the thug, his tone suddenly turning meek. "I've been waiting—"

"Patience is a lost virtue, I'm afraid," the other man said with a hint of fatigue in his voice. "I've found it true especially in the cases when plans stray from their main course. But we have to adapt and find the strength to persevere through these sudden changes, don't you think, Sun Niu?"

"You're too wise, Elder. I've been blind," Sun Niu said, and metal screeched against the stone once again.

"Good! Good!" Elder Huang said. "For a second I thought I'd heard you grumbling behind Master's back. It's good that you're willing to admit your shortcomings. But just to be safe, let us keep our grievances close to our chests rather than speaking them aloud. They say the walls have eyes, eh?"

"Forgive my ignorance, Elder."

"Mm," Elder Huang said. "Now, what have we got here? I have to say you've brought rather curious company with you this time. Master will be pleased."

"This one is just trying to be useful."

"Useful, you've said?" Elder Huang's voice sounded close now. "Let me be the judge of that, will you? You know Master doesn't fancy meaningless things. He has a certain taste."

A wave of rotten stench washed over Snake, making him clench his jaw tight. His heart skipped a beat when he felt Stone stirring awake from his sleep, mumbling himself. He wanted to lunge forward and take the man by the legs, crash him down, and bolt for the exit with Stone, but the rope held him tight like iron.

"I can hear that heart of yours, little one," came Elder Huang's voice, rasping with delight. "Open those eyes for me. Life's been lonely around here for some weeks, and I must say those rotten beasts aren't too much of a company. Brainless creatures walking back and forth, empty shells still lingering around the mountain. Don't you think so, Sun Niu?"

"Makes my skin crawl, those creatures," said Sun Niu. "But they serve as a good deterrence to the Master's chambers. Making us—"

"Redundant? Unneeded? Pointless?" Elder Huang said. "I've got a rather interesting message from my Junior Brother back in Jiangzhen this morning. He'd told me a bunch of cooks handled your little team with ease. Is this your way of redeeming yourself, Sun Niu? Not a bad effort, I must say, but we'll see if it's good enough."

A calloused finger pulled the lids of Snake's eyes open, forcing him to see the wrinkled face staring him down a few inches from his face. His breath smelled of death and rot, a pair of eyes green and spotless like round emeralds, cocked into a head hardly different from a skull. When he smiled, the old skin round his mouth twisted strangely, riddled with yellow marks.

"Hello there," he said, showing his cave of a mouth. "Would you two be kind enough to introduce yourselves, or shall we start right away?"

Snake spat in his face, floundering against the rope as his feet kicked the stone ground. Tip and tap the water dripped down his face. He remained rooted in his spot.

"Clear and straight to the point." Elder Huang wiped the spit on his face with a wrinkled finger, turned, and nodded toward Sun Niu. "Bring me my tools. We shall see if these two are clean enough for Master."

"What is—" Stone mumbled awake, then sputtered once he saw the sight before him. "Where are we?"

"You're in good company, little one," said Elder Huang with a beaming smile. "Now, be good, and let me check your bodies. We may lack the means of your glorious Empire, but our tools are just as credible. Don't worry, it won't take long."

The thug brought a leather pack from beyond the cave, placed it gently onto the ground, and stepped back. He tried to keep his face cold, but Snake could see the promise of a smile on his lips. He was enjoying this.

Elder Huang pulled out a strange metal tube from the pack and raised it high as if to check it. When he pushed a finger onto the narrow end of the tube, a thin, sharp needle poked out from inside of it.

Snake flinched back, eyes peering round him. He tried to find something, anything he could use to cut the rope nailing him and Stone to the wall, but the cave was bare and empty of tools. Just an old man and his aide, and that needle glinting sharply inside the dark.

"Take a deep breath," Elder Huang said, and Snake shut his eyes when the man drove the needle toward his arm. A slight sting. Hardly the pain he was expecting, but it only made him more anxious.

"What are you doing?" Stone's voice came from his side, full of fear. "Let us go! We didn't do anything!"

"Shush now, child," Elder Huang said in the manner of a patient father. "Soon, it'll be your turn."

Snake opened his eyes. That needle was sucking his blood, piling it inside the tube while the old man hummed cheerily before him. It was then that Snake decided to change his approach. It was clear that they wouldn't let them walk out from here, so at least he could try to learn something.

"Who are you?" he asked, biting his lower lip. "Why are you doing this?"

When the tube got full, the old man twisted it loose and pulled another tube, replacing the first one as he gave him a little smile. "I've always appreciated curiosity in the younger generation, especially in a place as novel as this one. But you'll have to bear with me a bit longer, little one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stone muttered with a frown. "We've done nothing to you!"

Elder Huang glanced back at Sun Niu and sighed tiredly. "Strange thing, fate is. I've found It works in mysterious ways, such as bringing you two to our doorstep. One has to learn how to accept and deal with sudden twists. There's no other way."

"Learn what?" Stone said, struggling against the rope.

"That you're just two little frogs, swimming in a tiny little well," Elder Huang said, glancing back at Sun Niu. "Did I say that correctly? The frog in the well, isn't it?"

"It was very well put, Elder," the thug nodded sheepishly.

"Good, then." Elder Huang pulled out the needle when the second tube got full, leaned sideways, and squeezed Stone's arm. He placed two fingers right around his elbow, then scowled. "Hard skin. You're not as simple as you look, eh?"

As Snake watched, heart beating in his chest, the man pulled a bigger needle from the pack, twisted round the tube, and replaced the old one with it. Stone near screamed when the needle sunk deep into his arm.

"Stop it!" Snake roared, but the rope pulled him back before he got a chance to touch the man. "We've done nothing to you!"

"Always the same question," Elder Huang said with a shake of his head and waved a hand toward them. "This isn't about you and me, little one. This is about circumstances. You make do with what you've got. Your people call it fate around here, and we call it destiny. Be good now."

Snake felt his lids turn heavy. He tried to keep them closed, but it was like lifting that big rock, only this time the weight was more crushing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Stone's face. His Little Brother had passed out.

"Tainted blood," he heard Elder Huang say, his rasping voice mixed with a hint of disappointment. "All that trouble, and struggle, yet you've picked two boys who happen to be cultivators from that little town, did you?"

"Elder, I didn't know—"

"Locals," said Elder Huang. "I would have to see if I can cleanse these samples. At least they are mere Body Tempering cultivators, so there's hope. You make sure the boys are well-fed and cared for. We have to show that we know how to take care of our guests."

"This one understands, Elder."

"We'll see about that," Elder Huang said and turned toward the mouth of the cave. He was barely a blur in Snake's vision, a writhing shadow seemingly blending in with the dark. Only his eyes glistened, and they glistened ominously.

The ground beneath his feet shook. Stones started raining from the roof of the cave, which made the two men share a surprised glance. A high-pitched squeak echoed from far beyond the walls, dinning inside Snake's ears. He crawled back from the stupor, but everything was twisted and turned before him.

Creatures growled. A roar shook the cave yet again, this one almost indignant and furious. Elder Huang's blurry face was heavy with a frown as he clenched the pack in his right hand.

"A beast died," he said, eyes slightly widened as he beckoned the thug to come closer. "Looks like we have some guests in the forest. Tell others to make sure we've greeted them with open arms."

"But Elder, who could've dared to step into the Darkloom Forest? This is—"

"I'm not sure, but do as I've said. Nobody is allowed to disturb Master's rest. He needs more time."

"Understood."

Then darkness claimed Snake's mind.