Demonic Tribulations - Chapter 62 preview (Patreon)

Chapter 62 – Yang Mu

Rather than journey on immediately, Administrator Eun had invited the pair for a meal, promising to bring forth local experts for them to speak with. Knowing that they would have to acquire the updated maps and travel information directly, the pair accepted the invitation and found themselves seated at a dining table not long after.

The array of food before them was surprising – not just in the variety and differences in vegetables, but also its mundanity. Meat, chopped and sliced and fried and steamed all looked the same, when slathered with sauce or stewed was rather similar to mortal dishes. At the same time, the vegetables and fungi utilized was wide in variety and unusual in looks, and everything – absolutely everything – was bright red and covered in peppers and chilis enough to make Yang Mu’s eyes water.

To her surprise, Wu Ying was happily consuming the spicy and hot food with gusto, praising the cook and the administrator while she more carefully sampled the dishes.

“How can this one-” chopsticks pointed at a bright red, tofu and vegetable dish, “be so much less spicy than this one?” Her chopsticks shifted to point at a duller, claypot stewed meat dish that was red, but duller in color. “It makes little sense.”

“It’s the spices they use. If you take out the seeds within, you can keep the coloration but reduce the spice in the dish itself,” Administrator Eun replied. “There’s also technique and cooking time, that allows and changes the taste and the cook’s own dao.”

“A dao of cooking?” Wu Ying said, surprised.

“If there’s a kitchen god, why not a god of cooking?” Administrator Eun said, with a small smile. “Not only are they numerous, such individuals are highly sought after. The greater their mastery, the more astounding their achievements. It’s said that an individual who has thoroughly mastered the dao of cooking could elevate a mortal to immortality with a single dish alone!”

The pair of Ascendants shared a long look.

“Of course, that’s just a rumor and likely an exaggeration. Even if there was such an individual, they likely serve the Jade Emperor himself, or the great Sages and buddhas.”

“Of course,” Yang Mu murmured. She took another dollop of the dishes, tripling the amount of rice she utilized to help cut the heat. Even so, she found her nose watering a little, her mouth burning and her hand reaching for the cup of tea, only for her beloved to switch it out for a white, milky drink.

“Arag. It’ll help.”

She took her word for it, the slightly sour taste of the drink making her nose scrunch. As she debated whether she would be forced onto a diet during their passage through this realm, the doors to the dining room were opened and a pair of demons entered.

Both were female – or female-appearing – with long hair, delicate features and florid, coloruful designs criss-crossing their bare skin, of which there was much. These markings seemed much like the patterned markings of a tiger, moving with every action of the demons, their long bodies modestly covered by strips of cloth that hung from two clasps over the shoulder and draped down the front. It was a scandalous amount of skin that they showcased, yet neither demon seemed to notice.

Wu Ying looked for a brief moment, before blinking slowly and turning his gaze away aside slightly. Allowing them to be within his periphereal vision without directly staring at the barely-clothed demons. The administrator on the other hand was much more frank, undeterred.

“Ascendant Long, Ascendant Yang, may I introduce pathfinder Yu Ag and clan head Khin Su.” At their introduction by the administrator, the women bobbled their heads from side-to-side. Earrings with little chimes in them, previously hidden by their long hair, started making noise. The volume was greater with the clan head, and it took a moment for Yang Mu to realise that was because the clan head had little bells woven inside her hair as well, unlike the pathfinder. “The clan head has brought along the maps I have requested for your use, as well as information about recent trade route disruptions.”

“And the pathfinder?” Wu Ying asked.

“She will guide you through the realm and smooth any issues you might have.”

Wu Ying frowned and Yang Mu made a note to work with him further on hiding his feelings. Her beloved had a tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve, at least when he was not actively being manipulative. It made him a terrible merchant, for while he knew the value of his goods, he rarely looked at the overall relationship and nature of the deal, achieving only what she considered the bare minimum.

“Show me.” Yang Mu stood up, gesturing backwards to a clear table away from where the group dined. When Wu Ying moved to rise, she waved him down. “Sit. Enjoy the meal and speak with the administrator. You can watch from where you are, and have studied these maps in the palace. Let me see them now.”

Over by the table, the clan head had spread the pair of maps she had brought along. The first showcased the surrounding regions and was quite detailed, the second was more a sketch of major cities and mountains, but with few enough markings. It was an unfortunate truth that maps, detailed and useful, were often highly valued secrets of kingdoms and merchants. Leaving such bare sketchings to be publicly distributed.

It mattered little, for your average merchant after all. Road markings and a general sense of direction was all that was needed to pass through the regular routes one undertook. Larger, more complex trade networks were often a series of smaller merchants, banded together whose knowledge of their local area gave them an individual advantage.

“… down the main copper trade road, till we have reached the edges of the kingdom. After which, we will want to join a caravan, pass through the treacherous canyons of blistering steel and then, find our way to the iron flats.”

The clan head’s grasp of the Middle Kingdom’s language was quite proficient, though she spoke in a strange, lilting tone that added a musical quality to her words. She also stopped and started at certain points, most often when speaking of the metals and would shake her head, in a specific pattern before moving onwards.

“And this is the fastest way to the portal we require?”

“Yes.” Now, the pathfinder spoke. Her voice was hoarser, sharper. “We must have. Trade.”

“I have metals to trade.” A deliberate movement to the pouch by her side. There was some metal in the storage pouch, but it was not where she kept her true wealth. In truth, Yang Mu was grateful for the procurement and gift of a true Immortal storage ring, one that she could keep her best valuable goods. Like Wu Ying, her own mortal storage rings had begun to fray during her time in the heavens, though she noted how that destruction had decreased since their arrival here.

Strange, that the demonic realms were less destructive than the heavens. But unlike the heavens and the Middle Kingdom, where both mortals and immortals lived separate, many demonic realms mixed the pairing. It was that deliberate mixing, the impurity of demonic chi that many heavenly immortals disdained.

“Not right. Sequence,” Yu Ag said. At Yang Mu’s hesitation, she added. “One. Then another. Then another. Trade.”

“You need me to establish a proper trade network beforehand.”

“They check the seals and the markings of what you bring across,” Khin Su said. “They will not allow immortal soldiers across. Or idle explorers. But merchants, they will make exceptions. If the proper bribes are given.”

Yang Mu eyes drifted across the map, lips thinning as she stared at the vast distances. Even crossing at speed, taking whatever shortcuts they might need, just crossing this land would take weeks. And this was not the only demonic realm they would need to progress through.

“There is another portal. To the north and east, that leads to a different realm. Unguarded by demons, though accessing it is more difficult. Ask them if it’s still there.” Wu Ying’s quite spirit message entered her ears, and trusting in him, she repeated his question for the pair.

“Present, but guarded. Terrible guardian. The feiwei[1] guards it, and the desert terrible.” A shudder ran through Yu Ag’s body, sending a series of loud chimes echoing. The terror on the alien face was all too apparent that Yang Mu reached over and gave the other woman’s hand a squeeze. “No go.”

 “We cannot take too long on our trip. We must move fast. Establishing a cover might be too slow.”

“No go,” Yu Ag repeated.

“So be it. The portal leads to a different realm anyway, and if the heavenly pathway charted is right, requires more transitions.” A slight beat, before Wu Ying added, still utilizing spirit speech so that they both could communicate quickly. “But we must move fast.”

“Then, we will.” Yang Mu sent back. Then, turning to the pair, she spoke more firmly. “Tell me about these seals, about what they seek.” Brows drawing together, she added. “And what kind of bribes the administrators take.”

She ignored the way Administrator Eun shifted, uncomfortable. Obviously listening in as well, but content to leave these discussions to the Ascendant and demons. After all, a heavenly magistrate would not get his hands dirty in such dealings.

Not directly, at least.

[1] Feiwei – six footed, snake-like creature with wings whose presence foreshadowed a severe drought (from the Classics of Mountains and Seas).