Chapter 127 - Be Prepared (Part I) (Patreon)

Inside a makeshift courtyard ten times larger than Lucian’s chamber, Wang Chen was punching a scorched wall with rage in his eyes. He was sweating, as his muscles were strained from excessive exertion. After a groan, he stopped his punches, huffed, and turned to the side.

A bit further from him, Lucian waved two thin white swords in the air with rapid slashes and thrusts. When he felt Wang Chen's gaze, he glanced in the young man's direction.

“Benefactor!” Wang Chen shouted and approached Lucian. “Let’s try again!”

Suddenly, Lucian disappeared. Less than a second later, he reappeared with the sharp tip of a sword pressed against Wang Chen's neck. Then, he said, “You are not ready.”

“But it’s been a week! I can’t possibly fail again!” Wang Chen shouted, his eyes bloodshot.

Lucian withdrew the sword, feeling a strain on his body and Qi. Holding back a sigh, he stopped the Qi from flowing into the crystal ring on his left finger, causing the two swords to dissipate. As he felt the lack of Qi in his meridians, he shook his head and said to Wang Chen in a bored tone, “An hour ago, you failed. Just like you failed twenty other times. Don’t rush.”

Contrary to what he said, Lucian was also losing his patience. He wanted to rush more than anyone else!

It’s been a week since Little Crab was cured, and Wang Chen still hasn’t opened the seventh meridian, Lucian thought, looking at the rings on his hands. At least I learned how to use these. But depending on items to grow is never good. I need my cultivation!

Just as he had suspected, he only needed to pour Qi into the artifacts for them to work. A connection would be established between him and the active artifact, allowing his Qi to flow into the runes, empowering it and giving him control over their effects.

Unfortunately, because his natural cultivation was only at the Qi Gathering realm while the artifacts were meant for Qi Condensation cultivators, he could not use them to their full potential. The more advanced the realm, the more concentrated the Qi, and the stronger the technique would get.

Not only that, but in Lucian's current realm, the Qi drain was too great to sustain the weakened artifact's effects.

One good thing he learned was that using Qi aligned with an artifact strengthened the technique within it. Besides, understanding the Five Elements gave him better effects. For instance, using Metal Qi while activating the crystal ring’s Water Qi ice swords made the blades sharper and more durable, even if they still lasted less than half a minute.

And that timing took into account Lucian using the Two-Leaf Breathing Technique to recover Qi while training. He could finally understand why Xu Hua and Magistrate Yue Zhenli battled while using their breathing techniques. It would be detrimental to a cultivator at their realm not to recover Qi as they fought!

After Lucian talked with Wang Chen, a servant from the Bo Merchant Chamber entered the room, accompanied by two robed individuals. Used to such interruptions, Wang Chen nodded to Lucian and went outside with the servant, leaving Lucian alone with the newcomers.

Sitting down to recover his Qi, Lucian glanced at the guests and said, “Sit.”

The pair exchanged a glance and looked down at the dirty ground, both shaking their heads.

Not caring about their reactions, Lucian continued. “I understand the circumstances that brought you here are unpleasant, so let’s get this over with. Your daughter’s hand was promised years ago, but she has been courting another noble, and both of you knew about it and hid it out of shame. Now it is time to ensure nobody learns the truth.”

Hearing Lucian’s cold tone, both removed their robes, revealing luxurious ornaments, well-groomed hair, and jade-like skin.

“You are a dog for doing this,” the man said. “Do you know who you are speaking to?”

“I do not,” Lucian answered, closing his eyes. “I only know that you are connected to the City Council and can facilitate my sewage project.”

“This is nonsense,” the woman said through gritted teeth. “We came here to negotiate, not to be ordered around. You didn’t even serve us tea! You lack manners, and want us to sit on—”

She stopped mid-sentence as Lucian appeared before them in a blur, his eyes shining with crimson light. He was getting tired of people failing to recognize their situation.

“Do not misunderstand this,” Lucian said. “I am blackmailing you. If you refuse to do as instructed, your daughter will be known as a promiscuous woman, tainted before marriage, and your family will bear that shame for generations.”

Both fell silent, their eyes filled with anger and fear.

Observing their reactions, Lucian thought, If I knew who was responsible for cleansing the mind seeds in the noble district, I could simply use the Rune of Lust and be done with this. But I can’t risk it. And I can't repeat actions that could connect me to the Tidal Massacre.

Still, he knew that unless an unexpected situation appeared, these two nobles would not gamble with their daughter’s reputation or their family’s name.

“Go." Lucian waved his hand, dismissing them. “One of the servants will give you detailed instructions. I hope we won't meet again.”

“Bo Xian, you sick bastard...” the man muttered under his breath, unaware that Lucian could hear him.

After sharing a glance, the pair turned and left the indoor courtyard.

As soon as they departed, Lucian walked to the other side of the room and opened a bamboo compartment. There, he picked up the chained scroll given to him by Wei Zhang. Then, using a bit of Qi, he opened the lock, and the scroll unfurled on its own, floating in the air.

Very ingenious, Lucian thought, satisfied by how it worked. A person’s Qi has a signature, so this lock read mine the first time I opened it and can now only be opened by me. Of course, it could be lockpicked or opened with brute force, but what can't?

He was also satisfied because interacting with it required very little Qi.

Searching for the portraits of the nobles who had just left, Lucian sent Qi to his fingertip and marked their names. He knew who they were, but he didn't care. Then, he reviewed the scroll, combining what was written in it with the information he gathered about the City Council.

The City Council had twenty-four members and was divided into three factions, each composed of eight representatives.

One faction belonged to the military and supported Vice-Lord Verdant Creek.  None of the nobles listed in the scroll were connected to this faction, as Wei Zhang would never hand over blackmail material on his own allies.

The second faction consisted of noble representatives, descendants of the families that had helped found Three Feathers City and had once followed the City Lord. They maintained connections to cultivators, kings of the Golden Peng Empire, and captains from the Great Sea.

Most of the blackmail material concerned nobles connected to this faction, as they lacked a true backer within the Feathered Serpent Castle. The City Lord himself had long stopped caring about them after his original subordinates died of old age over the past two centuries.

One interesting point Lucian noticed was that this faction didn't have many cultivators, almost as if the nobles had lost talent throughout the ages.

At last, there was the third faction, which was composed of spies.

While that sounded strange, that was precisely what they were, and Lucian understood the reason. Both the Golden Peng Empire and the Great Sea paid close attention to Three Feathers City, openly infiltrating it by offering benefits to descendants of major forces willing to settle there.

Prince Xuan, for example, had been born from the union of descendants sent by the Golden Peng Empire and the Great Sea to reside in Three Feathers City.

Because of their backers, these families lived comfortably, and generation after generation, representatives were chosen to sit on the City Council. Everyone knew they were figureheads, present to observe and vote according to the interests of those behind them.

Within the scroll Lucian had received, several individuals were connected to two Council Members of the third faction, and by his estimation, they would soon be replaced due to their age and lack of cultivation talent. Meaning, they were losing value and could be bullied.

After reviewing everything, he closed the parchment with a wave of Qi. The chains wrapped tightly around it, and he returned it to the bamboo compartment.

Going back to his training spot, Lucian barely sat down when he heard hurried footsteps approaching. Holding back a groan of annoyance, he stood and met the approaching servant at the door.

The young woman was panting and sweating, trying to compose herself before entering.

However, when she saw that Lucian had already opened the door, she took a deep breath and quickly said, “Grandmaster Miao requests a meeting in his office. Wei Zhang arrived, saying there is news regarding the tournament spot.”

Having delivered the message, she tried to catch her breath while Lucian immediately left.

For Wei Zhang to come here after just a few days, it means someone else took the spot, Lucian thought as he covered himself in black robes and hurried toward the office. These people simply cannot do their jobs.

He quickly arrived at Grandmaster Miao’s office, where Grandmaster Miao and Wei Zhang were already seated and sipping tea. Neither had waited for Lucian before being served, knowing his temperament.

Sitting beside them, Lucian shot Wei Zhang a glance and said, “Tell me who we have to kill to secure the spot.”

Almost choking on his tea, Wei Zhang put down the cup and coughed twice. He couldn't help but look at Grandmaster Miao in dismay.

More accustomed to Lucian’s way of thinking and speaking, Grandmaster Miao merely nodded and said, “That is simply his way of expressing how valuable the spot is to us.”

Recovering from the surprise, Wei Zhang nodded at Grandmaster Miao and bowed slightly with cupped hands toward Lucian. “Greetings, Fellow Daoist Bo Xian.”

Lucian nodded and said, “Tell us what you have to say. We need to act before the festival.”

Shaking his head slightly to reorganize his thoughts, Wei Zhang glanced at both men and said, “Today, we received two pieces of news from the Council Meeting. The first is that there will be three spots for each realm in the Sect Tournament, all chosen by the Feathered Serpent Castle.”

Grandmaster Miao and Lucian remained silent, as this was nothing surprising as far as they were concerned.

“This matter was voted on in the City Council,” Wei Zhang said with a sigh. “One spot will be chosen directly by Vice-Lord Obsidian Sea, while the other two will be chosen by the Council.”

Grandmaster Miao frowned and clicked his tongue. “Those fools, they probably acted out of fear. They think this alone can buy her goodwill. Well, it's her marriage at stake. ”

Wei Zhang nodded slightly in agreement.

“The second piece of news, however, was far more shocking. Venomous Shadow Mei appeared at the meeting and announced that Madame Ching wished to sell the Shadow Alliance in exchange for one spot.”

While Lucian frowned at the information, Grandmaster Miao shot to his feet, barely containing his surprise.

“Why?!” he asked, his mind reeling. “She spent years building it! It is the greatest investigative force in the south!”

He was genuinely shaken. It was as if someone had raised a chicken only to sell it once it started laying eggs.

“As you may have guessed,” Wei Zhang continued with a wry smile, “the offer was too good to refuse, and it was accepted.”

Then, as if remembering something, he added, “Please keep this confidential. The Feathered Serpent Castle is still coordinating with the Deep Shadow Fleet to seize the Shadow Alliance and apprehend the three Heads.”

As silence settled over the room, Lucian spoke.

“So there will be a commotion, and I won’t be the one causing it.”

Grandmaster Miao looked at him as if he wanted to devour him alive.

Feeling the murderous stare, Lucian continued, “I’m merely pointing out that, under certain circumstances, a little commotion is acceptable.”

Then he glanced at both men, who looked at him in confusion. They couldn't understand if he was joking or not.

“Madame Ching has secured her spot; there is no doubt about that,” Lucian said, recognizing the value of the Shadow Alliance’s connections. “But we still have an opportunity.”

Wei Zhang looked as confused as one could get. He set the teacup on the table and looked at Lucian in a daze. He had no clue what this opportunity was about.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said. "I came here so the two of you could know how difficult it will be to secure the remaining spot. By difficult, I mean impossible.”

Looking at Lucian, he thought for a moment before continuing.

“Even the blackmail material I gave you won’t be enough. The last spot will go to someone directly connected to the Council.”

Lucian wanted to say he did not care about the tournament spot and wanted a piece of Shadow Alliance. That was the opportunity he was talking about. However, one glance at Grandmaster Miao was enough to tell him that doing so would invite trouble.

Fortunately, he also had a solution for the spot issue.

“There is still another spot,” Lucian said, giving Grandmaster Miao a meaningful look. “I believe we all know who is the strongest Foundation Establishment cultivator in town.”

With a cold stare, Grandmaster Miao replied, “Me.”

Lucian then looked at Wei Zhang. “Which means Vice-Lord Obsidian Sea either intends to invite an expert from elsewhere, or she should have already contacted Grandmaster Miao.”

Following Lucian’s reasoning, Wei Zhang nodded.

“Yes. She is the person most interested in seeing Three Feathers City win the tournament. But she did not reveal whom she intends to recruit.”

“You need to discover who it is,” Lucian said.

“Why does it matter?” Wei Zhang asked, genuinely puzzled. “She won’t change her mind—”

Then his eyes widened, and he stopped speaking as he saw the cold look in Lucian’s eyes. He remembered the first words Lucian said after entering the room. “You can’t possibly mean—”

“Vice-Lord Verdant Creek must have a few Foundation Establishment experts under her command,” Lucian said as he stood and approached Wei Zhang. “If we remove whoever Obsidian Sea recruits, securing Grandmaster Miao’s spot in the tournament will become much easier.”

Wei Zhang’s eyes trembled, and he looked toward Grandmaster Miao for support. Instead, what he found was a cold, murderous gaze. With this, he knew Grandmaster Miao would do whatever was necessary to secure his spot.

Controlling his Qi and remembering that he himself was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Wei Zhang slowly nodded. “I need to discuss this with My Lady.”

Seeing the hesitation in Wei Zhang’s eyes, Lucian cast his final bait.

“If she accepts, tell her we can discuss the real reason she has been sending gifts.”

Wei Zhang frowned and gave a heavy nod before vanishing with a movement technique.

A moment later, Grandmaster Miao said, “What are you plotting? You have nothing to gain from this.”

Glancing at him, Lucian answered, “After sailing this deep into the waters and getting such treasures, it's hard to abandon the ship, no matter what kind of lifeboat is available.”

After saying those words, Lucian turned and walked away.

As he left, Grandmaster Miao narrowed his eyes. He did not know whether, in Lucian’s metaphor, the ship referred to the Bo Merchant Chamber or to Lucian himself. However, he knew that the ties between them had grown, and the Bo Merchant Chamber’s actions would affect Lucian just as Lucian’s actions would affect the Merchant Chamber.

Thinking of that, he communicated through a Qi line reaching far away.

“Brother Bo,” he said, his voice heard only by Bo Qing on the other end. “He could have proposed dealing with Madame Ching, but he wants to eliminate an unknown threat.”

With a sigh, Bo Qing replied, “Then they must truly be working together, just as we suspected. They must be plotting against us.”

Chuckling, Grandmaster Miao said in a darker tone, “Worry not, Brother Bo. As long as I secure a spot in the Sect Tournament, everything else will be child’s play.”

Despite what he said, the two spent several hours discussing what moves to make against Madame Ching, determined not to dance in her palm.

Unbeknownst to them, the woman herself had far greater concerns and had ordered everyone under her command to stop spying on Lucian or being involved with Bo Merchant Chamber. She wanted to keep her distance, for now.

After all, Madame Ching had other plans for them, and couldn't let others know her desire to eliminate Lucian. In her view, someone who could control mortals and bypass life-saving artifacts was far too dangerous for her missing family.