Chapter 134 - Paper Tiger (Part III) (Patreon)

A sudden scream brought Lucian back to his senses.

Recovering from the previous faint, he saw through two different perspectives, feeling as though he possessed two tiny furry bodies with wings and claws moving under his control.

Adjusting the bats’ echolocation and his senses, Lucian realized both creatures were blind. He also noticed two children standing close to one of the bats, screaming in fear.

As his memories returned, he scowled inwardly and commanded the bats to leave the mummified corpses they had drained to recover. He didn't want to waste time killing children, so he left through the window without care. The other bat, luckily, had killed everyone in the house before he passed out.

Then, as soon as they flew out of the windows, both bats were struck by sunlight and ignited in different locations.

Hissing, the creatures flew like bolts of fire into courtyards and other houses. 

After a moment spent enduring the pain and stabilizing his throbbing soul, Lucian made them take shelter in the shadows, crashing against walls and floors in an attempt to extinguish the flames.

One of the bats even slammed into a beggar, burning the poor sod in the process and leaving the innocent man sobbing in pain.

I don't feel... Good, Lucian thought, finding it difficult to process the overwhelming stream of information coming from two separate bodies.

Commanding the bats to remain still in hidden spots, he used the opportunity to calm himself. Gradually, the pain deep within him eased, and clarity returned. Then, when his mind was fully awake and he regained complete control of himself, Lucian groaned inwardly.

This was worse than being hit by a necromancer’s attack, he thought. Where am I?

By a stroke of luck, one of the surviving bats still carried his cultivation base and could perceive the surrounding Qi, allowing him a better grasp of the environment.

Am I in the slums? It’s morning, he thought, remembering the burn. Was I unconscious the entire night?

Suddenly, he remembered the silver scar carved into his Sea of Consciousness.

A soul attack! That was a soul attack infused with intent! This means I was struck by a Supreme technique! That Sword Vein isn't simple at all!

While Lucian wasn't familiar with the exact strength of cultivators, he could recognize power on the scale of mages and mutants.

A-tier beings, or Archmages, could destroy cities given enough time and could manipulate intent and elemental mana to an astonishing degree. They dominated their spells, elements, or mutations, utilizing them to their fullest potential.

S-tier beings, or Supremes, were far stronger. Their intent merged with every movement, and their souls were powerful enough to interact with the physical world without relying on magic or mutations. This basically meant they could stop any attack beneath their level with a single glance.

In the same way Lucian had recognized the Resonant Sea Ancestor's split soul as a Supreme-level existence when she interfered with the Rune of Lust, he labeled the previous attack as something at that tier.

Despite everything, be it the damage to his soul, the loss of Blood Essence, the mistakes made at the Sailor School, or the time wasted after fainting, Lucian wasn’t saddened or angered.

Laughing inwardly, he was delighted. Satisfied beyond measure, one could say.

That's what a taboo is, he thought, feeling refreshed about this discovery. Of course, this would be taboo! It’s something even the City Lord should fear!

A Supreme-level attack was no joke. If Archmages could destroy cities given enough time, then Supremes could destroy cities by accident during a battle.

I should recover and return there after learning more about what Sword Qi and the Sword Vein truly are, Lucian thought greedily, deciding he wouldn't let the matter rest.

Saving Bai Xiaomeng to appease Wang Chen was important, but uncovering the secrets of the Sword Vein was even more important. If he could obtain a fraction of that power, his cultivation journey would become far easier.

Setting those thoughts aside, he guided the bats toward the rendezvous point before dressing himself and stealthily making his way back to the warehouse.

Accustomed to moving around in robes, Lucian merely had to be careful and avoid the sunlight. As he traveled, he sharpened his senses, listening for conversations about the previous night's events.

Just as he expected, he found nothing useful.

Be it gossip about fireworks, earthquakes, or a building under construction collapsing without casualties. Whatever he heard was merely a convenient explanation masking the truth of what had happened in the shadows.

Knowing the common folk would never learn what had truly transpired between the clash of the Shadow Alliance and the City Council, he focused on returning to the Bo Merchant Chamber.

In less than an hour, Lucian entered the compound, which seemed far busier than usual.

Nodding to the servants who let him pass without issue, Lucian had only taken a few steps when hurried footsteps approached him.

Wang Chen, holding a bowl of stew, came from the side and nodded.

“Hao Bang was looking for you.”

Lucian shot him a doubtful look, not recognizing the name.

Frowning, Wang Chen muttered, “Little Crab.”

Cocking an eyebrow, Lucian hummed in understanding, thinking, The backlash from the soul attack seems to be affecting my mind. I should avoid confrontations for a while and rest. My Sea of Consciousness should settle after a while.

"Tell him I'll be in my chambers," he said.

Returning to his room, Lucian put on his artifact rings and sat cross-legged, switching his cultivation back to the natural flow at the middle stage of the Qi Gathering Realm.

Let’s try opening the seventh meridian, he thought, contemplating Wang Chen’s words about the Lesser Yang Descending Meridian and relaxing his mind. Maybe it can hasten my recovery.

He had noticed that cultivating was akin to sleep for him, a state of stupor that allowed his thoughts to drift while he remained aware of his surroundings. There was a chance it could help him settle his Sea of Consciousness faster.

Using the Two-Leaf breathing technique, Lucian drew Qi from the environment into his body, guiding it through his meridians and Spiritual Root.

A while later, Hao Bang, formerly known as Little Crab, entered through the open door and cupped his fists, bowing.

“Boss, I’m here to report,” Hao Bang said, his gray eyes unable to hide his admiration.

Two heads taller than before, with broader shoulders, a pale complexion, and most importantly, lean arms and legs, Hao Bang had learned that life could be beautiful. Working nonstop to follow Lucian’s commands, he had also gotten drunk with new subordinates, slept with jade beauties, and even consumed human blood.

Unlike Bo Qing, who feared the transformation’s backlash, Wang Chen, who still possessed a common sense of morality, and Chen Yuan, who didn’t fully understand her condition, Hao Bang was more than happy to embrace his new strength and way of life by killing others.

Lucian had explained what was necessary for survival, and Hao Bang himself wanted to kill at least one person every week, fearing something might happen that would prevent him from doing so at the right intervals.

He was already a murderer, after all. The life of the crippled smuggler had never been easy.

Because of everything, whenever he met Lucian, he felt nothing but fear and respect, swearing every day to obey his Boss.

Meanwhile, Lucian had sensed him approaching long ago and merely nodded. He kept cultivating.

Used to Lucian’s indifference, Hao Bang continued.

“Boss, Prince Xuan left in a hurry and abandoned some of his men here. It was pretty hard to find someone who knew anything, but I’m competent! I tracked it down through a gambling house—”

Lucian opened his eyes. He had no clue what Hao Bang was talking about.

Hao Bang chuckled awkwardly, understanding that he should get to the point.

“Well, to make an awesome story short, Prince Xuan included the family members of one of his spies on his protection list, something he normally wouldn’t bother doing,” Hao Bang said, grinning. “Guess what? That spy was supposed to die! It was one of the cultivators on that kill list of yours!”

Frowning, Lucian couldn't immediately remember who he was talking about. The damage to his soul was still affecting his thoughts.

“Tell me why this is important,” Lucian commanded. "And who are you talking about."

"Oh, Boss. You asked me to discover how your slumber location in the swamps was discovered! Prince Xuan was the one who appeared there, right? So, this is my discovery!" Hao Bang scratched the back of his neck. “About the girl and her sister, they are Shui—”

He stopped mid-sentence as Lucian had abruptly risen to his feet. A heartbeat later, Grandmaster Miao appeared at the doorway, eyes narrowed, with his Foundation Establishment Qi fully unleashed.

He was clearly ready for battle.

However, Lucian wasn't looking at him.

Standing inside Lucian’s chambers, as though he had always been there, was a man in the Sailor School uniform with a sword hanging from his waist.

Both Grandmaster Miao and Lucian seemed to recognize him.

“Zhi Jian, I thought you were in seclusion,” Grandmaster Miao said, circulating his Qi and expanding his semi-domain. It was clear that, if not fear, then at least respect existed between him and Zhi Jian.

I remember him, Lucian thought. He’s the teacher who defeated Xu Hua in a single strike.

The three men watched one another with different expressions, each ready to move at a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, Hao Bang trembled like a boat caught in a storm.

He could only curse his own luck for ending up trapped between three monsters.