Chapter 129 - Be Prepared (Part III) (Patreon)

Inside an annex building of the Bo Merchant Chamber, it was well past midnight when dozens of artisans noticed Wang Chen standing and cleaning the dust off his clothes.

“Young Wang, what happened?” an old man asked, taking a sip from his wine gourd.

Before Wang Chen could answer, everyone heard a cold voice say, “Your senses are improving.”

Surprised, they all stood and looked toward the shadows near the previously locked door, where a robed man with crimson eyes and long black hair stood.

“It became easier to distinguish you by your smell, Benefactor,” Wang Chen said, pointing his thumb toward the assembled artisans. “Anyway, these are the friends I told you about.”

Cultivation is strengthening the ghoul transformation in ways I didn’t expect, Lucian thought, staring at Wang Chen for a moment before turning toward the artisans.

Nodding to them, Lucian was about to speak when he noticed that nearly every craftsman was looking at him strangely. Frowning, he turned to Wang Chen and said, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Wang Chen smiled wryly and shrugged. “They will tell you.”

When one of the artisans stepped forward to explain, an old man with the wine gourd burped loudly, stumbled backward, and grabbed a pillar to keep from falling. The scene was so abrupt that everyone stared at him for a moment before several craftsmen burst into laughter.

“Old Ruo, if you drink any more, someone will end up catching you in their fishing net!” one man joked.

"Senior Ruo wants to see the bottom of the gourd!" another one jested, his smile a bit strained.

After a few more jokes, the atmosphere relaxed enough for a young craftsman with bronze skin and short hair to step forward and face Lucian.

“My name is Da Hun, Grand Cultivator,” he said, awkwardly cupping his rough hands and bowing. “I lead a seashell scavenging crew.”

Lucian nodded. “I am Bo Xian.”

Receiving the acknowledgment, Da Hun found the confidence to continue. “I must say, we are all curious about your... sewage system. Some of us worked in construction, while others are potters, stonecutters, or carpenters. We all are... Very curious about it."

Smacking his lips, he considered his next words. He seemed to lose confidence the more he talked, as if afraid of saying the wrong words.

Noticing this, Lucian said, "Speak freely."

“Well... Young Master Bo Xian, no matter our professions or experience, when we saw the drawings Young Wang brought us, we found it too hard to make,” Da Hun said, shaking his head. “We couldn’t tell how to build that.”

I see, Lucian thought. The look they are giving me is the same one people give a lunatic. They believe I'm trying to build something impossible.

Smiling faintly, Lucian waved a hand and said, “If you had to build it above ground, in a place with ample space, you would not be saying the same thing, I assume.”

Frowning, Da Hun exchanged glances with several craftsmen. After he received a few nods, he looked back at Lucian and said, “That’s true, Young Master. If it weren’t beneath the city, then with a few adjustments it could be built.”

Approaching Da Hun, Lucian patted him on the shoulder, activating the Rune of Lust and planting a subtle command.

“It will be beneath the city,” he said. “I merely need a way to ignore the difficulties while you do your job. Don't worry, everything will work out fine in the end.”

Da Hun was about to respond, unable to notice the crimson fog entering his eyes, when a scoff sounded nearby.

“This man is crazy,” Old Ruo declared, taking another drink before stumbling onto a stool.

While the others looked horrified, fearing Lucian’s reaction, Wang Chen chuckled.

“Benefactor, this is Ruo Fei, the best stonecutter in the city. I told you about him before. Honestly, he might be the best stonecutter in the entire southern region of the Golden Peng Empire.”

Nodding at Wang Chen with a faint smile, Lucian looked back at the group.

“The City Council and the Bo Merchant Chamber will provide the materials, manpower, permits, and clearances. And money.”

Most frowned, aware that just this wouldn’t make the construction possible. Then, Lucian looked at Wang Chen to see whether he could salvage the situation before a different approach became necessary.

And Wang Chen understood immediately.

Laughing, he walked over to Old Ruo and helped him stand.

“Come on, you people need to look at the bigger picture,” Wang Chen said, wiggling his eyebrows. “This isn’t a small amount of money we’re talking about.”

Several craftsmen gave him sharp looks, barely hiding their greed.

“And,” Wang Chen continued, lowering his voice near Old Ruo’s ear, “you will be the first mortals to build something like this. Your names will echo throughout history. Your families’ legacies will endure forever.”

Old Ruo Fei’s eyes trembled with each sentence. Especially when Wang Chen talked about his family's legacy. Biting his lip, he gave a heavy nod.

After he was sure Old Ruo agreed, Wang Chen patted the old man's shoulder and signaled Lucian with a nod.

Meanwhile, Lucian thought, He has grown too much in just a few months.

He was impressed by how Wang Chen was handling the situation and could hardly compare him to the hasty, cowardly, and useless young man he had met half a year ago.

Settling his thoughts, Lucian said, “You will be paid every week, starting now. A few architects and representatives from the City Council will meet with you to help redraw the plans and organize the work. Whatever you need to report, from shortages to other problems, you will tell one of my servants, Little Crab.”

When Lucian was about to continue, Wang Chen interrupted with a cough. “It’s Hao Bang now, Benefactor.”

Pausing for a moment, Lucian nodded. He now remembered that Little Crab had chosen another name. It was a way to cast the old life away and embrace the new one, just as Wang Chen had done.

“Hao Bang. Yes, you can tell Hao Bang any difficulties," Lucian said. "You haven’t met him yet because he’s on a mission. But soon, he will check on you.”

Everyone nodded, and after a few questions about payment and upcoming tasks, they left in small groups. It was very late at night, and those who still had a family needed to send letters to them.

Unnoticed by any of them, Lucian implanted a mental seed in their minds, inputting some fail-safes. The amount of Blood Essence spent was too little for him to even care about.

When all left, only Wang Chen and Lucian remained.

“I’ll be leaving, Benefactor,” Wang Chen said, noticing Lucian frowning.

“Don't be a fool,” Lucian said, causing Wang Chen to stop. “Saving her now is impossible.”

Staying near the door, Wang Chen lowered his head and muttered, “Benefactor, I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Scoffing, Lucian approached him. His black robes blended perfectly with the ground, and it almost seemed he was floating.

“Don’t insult me. Every time we meet, you either want to cultivate or save her. But now, you asked neither." Lucian shook his head. "Grandmaster Miao isn’t listening to us. Speak your mind.”

Wang Chen turned toward him, his gray eyes emanating a clear resolution. “I won’t give up on her! Would I still be able to live without trying?”

“You would live. Not happily, though," Lucian said, glancing at Wang Chen and standing beside him.

After speaking, they shared a glance, and then turned their gazes to the outside. Both remained silent, looking at the moonlight stretching across the stone pavement outside.

Lucian was the first to speak.

“I’ll save your girl. I hope you are resolved to follow your heart after meeting her, instead of hiding behind your past troubles.”

He stepped forward. In his mind, it was time to find Bai Xiaomeng to put a leash on Wang Chen before he lost his golden geese.

To his surprise, Wang Chen followed his steps, walking beside him.

“I’ll be the one saving her,” Wang Chen said, raising his face toward the moon. “There is a time to talk and a time to act. And I’m tired of hearing my voice! I have goals bigger than eating and sleeping!"

A sudden feeling struck Lucian, and the images of blood vessels flickered in front of him. His Qi flow moved on its own, as if to alert him of something. In one swift motion, and moving more on instinct than anything else, he thrust two fingers into Wang Chen’s chest.

Unable to see the attack coming, Wang Chen spat blood, staring at the fingers embedded in the right side of his chest while a numbing sensation spread throughout his body.

“Tell me your goals,” Lucian said before Wang Chen could protest or fight back.

Losing the sensation of his body because of the Blood Essence rushing through his artificial meridians to retrace them and guide Qi through them, Wang Chen found himself thinking about his goals.

Not only that, but he also reflected on his dreams, his hidden feelings, and his insecurities.

And as Qi flowed through his body, the invisible gate of the seventh meridian, the Lesser Yang Descending Meridian, opened. Then, when Qi surged through Wang Chen’s neck, he muttered with dazed eyes, “The Heavenly Tribulations cleanse the mortal shell, and the Lesser Yang Descending Meridian reveals the path to avoid the frustration and repressed anger of a failed ascendant.”

Cleanse the mortal shell? Lucian thought, narrowing his eyes as he pushed Blood Essence forward to carve the meridian. What does that mean? Aren’t Heavenly Tribulations obstacles meant to block advancement into higher realms?

Lucian searched through Xu Hua’s memories regarding Heavenly Tribulations, inwardly comparing them with the notes he had gathered on the Lesser Yang Descending Meridian. While he did this, Wang Chen continued muttering.

This time, instead of full sentences, he said broken words.

“Be brave... Decide... Push through...”

Lucian clicked his tongue as he felt the next meridian blocked.

The eighth meridian won't open for now, he thought, removing his hand from Wang Chen.

He was experienced enough to know that forcing Wang Chen to advance was impossible. Either the breakthrough came naturally, or it didn’t happen at all. Then, digesting the new pieces of knowledge he had acquired, Lucian noticed Wang Chen’s eyes regain focus as the plump young man clutched the wound on the right side of his chest.

“Benefactor,” Wang Chen hissed through the pain, smiling slightly. “We’re going to save Little Meng before the festival. We still have a couple of weeks, and I’ll become as strong as possible. Anger won’t cloud my mind, but I won’t change my decision either.”

Did the breakthrough affect him? Lucian thought. Wait, is it the opposite? Did his changed state of mind allow him to advance?

Thumping his chest with his left hand, Wang Chen declared with bloodshot eyes, “I’ll save Little Meng and ask her on a date!”

Lucian blinked, unsure how to react. What astonished him was not Wang Chen’s declaration, but the fact that the young man had advanced through because of this ridiculous resolve!

What kind of absurd talent is this? Lucian thought, inwardly amused. Is this the power of love Arthur always claimed didn't exist? I should find him and ask for an explanation.

He was mostly joking because he was in a good mood. Talented or not, Wang Chen possessed a method of advancing through the Qi Gathering Realm that Lucian valued a lot. The more the young man struggled, experienced life, and reached realizations about himself, the faster he seemed to advance, in Lucian's view.

This also meant Lucian's own cultivation could progress faster.

I must give him challenges, but not enough suffering to break him, Lucian thought, his eyes flashing crimson. If this theory proves correct, Wang Chen's potential is terrifying. The more I force him to change his mind and grow, the faster I can cultivate!

Even then, doubts remained.

I still need to discover the secret behind this talent and cultivation method. And again, he caused those blood vessels to appear in front of me. My own Qi reacted. Staring at Wang Chen, Lucian frowned slightly. Too abnormal. And he doesn't even have a Spiritual Root yet.

Through Qi perception, Lucian could easily distinguish cultivators from common people. Qi naturally accumulated within cultivators, while inside mortals, it barely lingered before most of it dispersed back into the environment. For this reason, it was easy for him to notice that Wang Chen wasn't a hidden cultivator.

After gathering his thoughts, Lucian said to Wang Chen, “I'll support your endeavor. She will be saved."

Slightly surprised by Lucian’s tone, Wang Chen narrowed his eyes and nodded. He was a bit too emotional, and hearing that Lucian would support him brought some more confidence.

Forcing a chuckle, Lucian pressed a hand against Wang Chen’s wound, sealing it with Blood Essence.

“Go find a servant and have that treated properly,” he said, pointing toward the warehouse. “And when you go back inside, avoid mentioning Bai Xiaomeng.”

Wearing a serious expression, Wang Chen nodded. They hadn't told Grandmaster Miao about their plan, mostly because it involved the Sailor School and the taboo surrounding it.

Wang Chen held Lucian’s gaze for a moment before rushing away. Then, left alone, Lucian smiled faintly and raised his eyes toward the waning moon.

I think I missed this, he thought. Yes, Salazar. You were correct when you said I hated boredom.

Lucian was thinking about the constant schemes, hidden dangers, unknown enemies, and bold actions required to survive and grow stronger. For far too long, he had lacked a path forward and didn't need to do much to grow. After reaching the ceiling of the Beyond Supreme tier, the same limit reached by the other four strongest beings he had known, his progress had stagnated.

It had been a very long time since he had been excited about becoming stronger.

While his thoughts raced, he stepped into the darkness and headed toward an inn.

His next move was simple.

During the chaos caused by the Shadow Alliance's resistance against the City Council's takeover, he would infiltrate the Sailor School and investigate Bai Xiaomeng's situation. Her importance grew along with Wang Chen's usefulness, and Lucian doubted the latter would be able to remain patient until the festival.

Before Wang Chen could risk his life and cause a tumultuous situation, Lucian would act!