Chapter 139 - Washing Hands (Part III) (Patreon)

Massaging his forehead, Lucian finished reading the stack of papers on the table near him. These were the reports from the battle of the Shadow Alliance against the City Council. After a sigh, he threw the few remaining scrolls into the wooden box, stood up, and walked from one side of his room to the other.

Closing his eyes to reflect on what he had gathered, he picked up a small leather bag and felt its contents. With a small smile, he gripped the bag tightly, his hand trembling as he controlled his strength to avoid crushing what was inside.

Cultivators are insane, he thought.

Lucian’s blood boiled as he used all his mental strength to control his emotions.

He was too thrilled.

The amount of information he had gathered about the other forces was not particularly large. In fact, most of the recorded fights were between Qi Gathering and Qi Refining cultivators, as mortals would neither survive nor properly witness battles above those realms.

However, the little he had gathered was enough to reveal the sheer range of techniques and possibilities cultivation offered.

I saw too little, he thought, remembering his battle against dozens of cultivators in the burdened warehouse, his other encounters, and Xu Hua's stolen memories. Cultivators can use artifacts, mortal weapons, martial arts, and combine all of it with Qi techniques... This is ridiculous.

Despite everything, Lucian still had little practical knowledge of cultivation, relying mostly on combat experience and scattered texts to understand its broader capabilities. One can't forget that Xu Hua had been a Young Master of the Peacock Mountain who was later trained by Resonant Sea Ancestor to become a Sword Master. Even during the time in the sect, Xu Hua didn't learn much about Qi techniques.

Which all meant that Lucian had few memories about what cultivation could really accomplish. And when he read these reports, Lucian felt like a frog at the bottom of a well.

I need a proper training method. One of those schools or sects. This is not the first time I’ve thought about it, but now I’m certain that cultivating blindly will do me more harm than good.

Looking down at the bag in his hand, he opened the door and called out, “Chen Yuan.”

Kneeling outside, Yuan raised her head, her gray eyes staring at him as she said, “I am at your service, Young Master Bo Xian.”

Lucian tossed the bag to her.

“Give it to Grandmaster Miao and ask him to repair them. These items are stolen and may cause some trouble, so be careful. Also, tell me about the people I requested earlier.”

Holding the bag carefully, Chen Yuan said with a lowered gaze, “As you command, Young Master. About those people, they are on their way. They are creditors who attempted to murder—”

“Just bring them here,” Lucian interrupted, closing the door.

Hearing the woman leave to carry out his orders, Lucian sat down on his mattress and rolled his tongue inside his mouth.

After the sewage project is complete, I’ll find a sect. It can even be a smaller one. I’m sure I can deceive them into accepting me while taking Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng as servants. Little Crab, no, Hao Bang, can manage things here. Hmm. Maybe I should wait until after the Sect Tournament to make this decision. Who knows, I may find interesting prospects.

After considering his options, Lucian pushed the thought aside and moved on to the next issue.

Wang Chen needs time to grow, and I need to contemplate the seventh meridian further before opening it, he thought. Rescuing Bai Xiaomeng is impossible for now, but I cannot delay forever. Finding a hunting ground is also a priority, but this—

His train of thought broke as he noticed a flare of Qi from his robes. Frowning, he retrieved a bamboo slip that no longer emitted any Qi, the energy dissipating as fast as it appeared.

So this material can only hold a certain amount of Qi, and it doesn't block all Qi waves from what's stored inside, Lucian theorized.

Narrowing his eyes, he opened it and looked at the previously blank parchment, which was now covered with two lines of characters.

Sea Monkey Inn. Two hours. First room, second floor.

Lucian read the message, then ripped the paper apart. He stood up and calculated that the meeting would take place at almost sunrise. He was fully aware that this was no coincidence.

Verdant Creek, you’ve been observing me for quite some time, he thought as he rushed out of the warehouse. Always with your little schemes.

Lucian was certain that, from her perspective, he would not agree to a meeting arranged so quickly. She had not even specified where the inn was located, and expecting him to find it within two hours would normally be unreasonable. 

And one couldn’t forget that Lucian had demonstrated more than once that he was a cautious person who would likely spend at least a day investigating the venue before attending.

It was expected that he would refuse.

However, she had failed to account for one thing.

Lucian already knew the inn.

He had spent a long time gathering information about the city, studying map after map, scouting with his rats, and making Hao Bang provide him with details.

Sure, if anyone else wanted to meet him, Lucian would have refused and investigated the location beforehand, even if he knew where it was. But because it was Verdant Creek, he did not want to act reasonably.

I’m willing to meet under your conditions, outside and close to sunrise, even though I normally move at night, he thought with a smirk. But will you dare meet me?

Inwardly, Lucian respected Verdant Creek a great deal. He had never met the woman, yet the way she planned things and spread her influence throughout the City Council impressed him.

At the same time, the interest she seemed to have in him left him mildly concerned.

I need to know, Verdant Creek, Lucian thought, his eyes cold. Are you interested enough in me to make such a bold move? What do I have to offer that has so much value in your eyes?

To him, if she truly appeared at the inn alone and without protection, it could only mean one of two things. Either she was extremely powerful and plotting something significant, intending to either recruit him or eliminate him in the process.

Or she desperately needed his help.

On the other hand, if she failed to appear, that would be far more understandable. In that case, he could make additional demands after being made a fool of, traveling all this way only to find an empty room.

Lucian had already weighed the risks against the rewards of his decision and moved quickly once he concluded the gamble was worth taking. Minutes later, he arrived near the Sea Monkey Inn and spent some time surveilling the area, checking it through Qi perception, sound, and smell.

His eyes were enhanced, and he could see far better than mortals and most cultivators, but he could not see through walls.

Lucian remained outside for an hour. After noticing nothing unusual, he entered the building and made his way to the first room on the second floor. The room was, unsurprisingly, empty.

Smiling faintly, he stepped inside and positioned himself beside the window, facing the door with his senses heightened.

Time passed little by little, and when the next hour finally arrived, along with the agreed deadline, he smiled.

Just as I thought—

As he turned to jump out of the window, Lucian heard hurried footsteps approaching the room. With a frown, he repositioned himself and waited.

After a few seconds, someone opened the door, panting heavily. Their figure was mostly concealed beneath black robes, one hand resting against their chest.

Beneath the robe, Lucian could see a green plain mask covering the person's forehead, eyes, and nose, revealing only her mouth and a few white locks of hair.

Closing the door behind her, the figure leaned against it and took a moment to catch her breath.

“I’m sorry,” she said, breathing through her mouth. “I never expected the others to be so insistent on not letting me meet you alone. They are so eager to help, I know! But sometimes they treat me as a child. It's unfair.”

Her voice was gentle and sweet. The sound gave a peaceful sensation like a creek joining a river during spring.

Taking a step forward, she cupped her hands and bowed a bit awkwardly.

“My apologies. I forgot to introduce myself,” she said with a smile, turning her head to Lucian. “I am Verdant Creek. It is a pleasure to meet you, Fellow Daoist Lu Xian.”