Chapter 84: The Courier Station

Theo’s advancement could only be described as meteoric. However, there was also some bad news.

His initial estimation had been wrong. His dantian’s capacity was far too vast, akin to an ocean that could hold countless rivers. He had originally thought he could break through the bottleneck within ten days or a month, but now it seemed he would need much more time.

Theo wasn’t in a hurry, though.

After all, the process of cultivation was rather enjoyable.

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully assisted Liana in her cultivation.]

[Investment Reward: A drop of Golden Crow Blood.]

[Golden Crow Blood: Birds embody the essence of yang. This drop contains a trace of the Golden Crow’s solar power.]

Inside the World Seed, Elara swung branches in both hands, the swishing sounds never ceasing.

Theo retrieved a crystal vial from his palm.

Inside burned a drop of pale golden liquid. Emitting tiny, mesmerizing flames.

"Teacher... this little bead... it is so warm."

Elara crouched nearby, hugging her knees as the flickering flames reflected in her eyes.

"This is Golden Crow Blood," Theo said with a light chuckle, as if it were nothing extraordinary.

"Golden Crow? Teacher, you... even have something like this?"

Elara’s small mouth opened in surprise.

"Have you seen it before?"

"I... I have seen something kind of similar."

Stammering, she recounted her experience.

Back when she had no one to play with, she would sometimes sneak out of the Cold Palace. Once, she wandered quite far.

"There were... lots of little tablets there..."

"And... the statue of the Great Ancestor..."

"There was a three-legged crow pecking at the Great Ancestor’s statue..."

Theo realized she was describing the Central Dynasty’s ancestral temple.

After listening for a while, he understood what the little princess had witnessed.

She had gone to the temple and seen a black three-legged bird pecking at the statue of the martial emperor. When the bird was caught and killed, the blood it shed somewhat resembled the Golden Crow Blood in his vial.

"That creature likely wasn’t a true Golden Crow, but merely a descendant with a trace of its bloodline."

"A true Golden Crow is a being capable of transforming into the sun itself."

Theo smiled.

Elara nodded thoughtfully, then asked in confusion.

"But... isn’t the sun the Great Ancestor?"

This stumped Theo.

Historical records did indeed state that the Great Ancestor had transformed into the sun, but whether that was true or not, who could say?

Fortunately, the little princess didn’t dwell on the question for long.

"Teacher, this is for you."

Elara pulled out a sachet from her sleeve.

The fabric was surprisingly fine, and though it lacked embroidery, the stitching was neat.

She fidgeted nervously, her fingers twisting together as she avoided looking at her teacher’s expression.

"I... I made it myself."

"You know how to do this?" Theo was surprised.

"Yes... I learned from the palace maids."

"Where did you get the fabric?"

"I... bought it."

Seeing that her teacher seemed pleased, Elara relaxed slightly and spoke more smoothly.

"Lately, there is a lot of stuff to pick up... swords, sabers... things like that... in the same spots every day."

"Oh?"

Theo was puzzled.

Could one really just find weapons lying around on the streets? Did they respawn like some kind of game?

But after listening to the little princess’s explanation, he realized what was happening.

The Endless Trials had begun.

Every day, martial artists fought and killed each other. Some of the more honorable ones would arrange duels in scenic locations.

And the little princess had taken to quietly waiting for them to finish before scavenging the battlefield.

She would even dig graves for the losers, ensuring they were properly buried.

Theo: "..."

Looting corpses?

He never expected her trash-collecting hobby to evolve like this.

"Is... is that not okay?"

"Just be careful."

After some thought, Theo decided to teach her a concealment technique.

"Oh, Teacher... when is Big Brother Theo coming back?"

This was a question Elara asked every day without fail.

"Today."

Theo gave a definitive answer.

The sect was sending disciples and elders down the mountain to prevent chaos in the provincial capital.

Theo had known for a while that, as one of the top performers in the martial competition, he would be stationed in the city. His master, Vespera, would naturally accompany him as the leading elder.

Speaking of which.

Shouldn’t it be time by now?

Why hadn’t his master sent word?

...

"Huh? Going to the provincial capital?"

Faced with her precious disciple’s question, Vespera, reclining on her lounge chair, blinked in confusion.

She took a few gulps from her little gourd before scratching her shoulder and finally remembering.

"Oh, right, that was a thing."

"We were supposed to leave two days ago."

Theo: "..."

So you just forgot?

After some inquiries, he learned that Corey had already set off ahead of them and had likely been waiting at the rendezvous point for two days.

And so, Theo, Liana, and their forgetful master boarded a carriage down the mountain.

Evening. At a relay station a hundred miles from the provincial capital. The rain poured heavily, drumming against the roof tiles as a dense mist turned the outside world white. Despite the downpour, business at the relay station was booming. Glasses clinked, and the clamor of voices never ceased.

"Did I leave too early?"

"But I have been waiting for two days already..."

A figure in a raincoat, a broken greatsword strapped to his back, sat in a corner eating while occasionally glancing at the entrance.

After some thought, Corey decided it wasn’t his fault.

Over the past few days, the relay station had seen plenty of bloodshed. Fights, deaths, brutal clashes.

It was clear. The Endless Trials had begun.

"Hmph, the Endless Trials."

At that moment, a hoarse voice spoke by his ear.

"I despise those notorious rats the most. Sticking like dogskin plasters, slithering into every crevice."

"If it were not for being targeted by two Earth Fiends, I would not have been forced to..."

The ring-grandpa clearly held no fondness for the Shadow Syndicate.

"Master, what kind of existence is the Shadow Syndicate?"

Corey couldn’t help but ask, curiosity gnawing at him.

"In the Shadow Syndicate, the highest rank is the Thirty-Six Heavenly Killers, who answer directly to the leader. Below them are the Seventy-Two Earth Fiends, the Three Hundred and Sixty Human Butchers, and countless unranked assassins."

"Tch, none of those making noise these past two days are even qualified to enter the inner ranks."

"Those who truly belong to the Syndicate are no honorable duelists who fight in broad daylight. They are venomous snakes who stop at nothing for profit."

"The Syndicate is an organization bold enough to assassinate even imperial relatives."

"Give them money, and they will do your bidding."

The ring-grandpa spoke with deep familiarity.

Corey pondered before asking.

"Do their assassinations ever fail?"

"Failure just means the payment was not enough. They will demand more."

In a way, the Shadow Syndicate was quite persistent.

Corey couldn’t help but feel a wary respect for this money-driven, impersonal faction.

He still preferred dealing with gentlemen like Theo.

Just then.

A figure crashed through the rain curtain and stepped into the courier station.

The lively clamor of the inn instantly died, replaced by a silence thick as death.

The man was gaunt, a short sword hanging at his waist. Where he stood, the ground slowly darkened to crimson.

What dripped from him wasn’t rainwater. It was blood.

Under the weight of every gaze, he strode straight to the seat opposite Corey and sat down.

"Friend, mind if I sit here?"

With that, he ordered a bowl of beef noodles from the waiter.

"Make yourself at home."

Corey’s expression darkened.

His master had warned him. This man was no ordinary foe.

"Here are your beef noodles, sir. No scallions as requested."

The waiter scurried over, all smiles.

The man narrowed his eyes but didn’t touch his chopsticks. Instead, he grinned.

"But... I do not eat beef."

Those words.

Shattered the tension that had hung like a storm about to break. The killing intent erupted at last.

Whoosh.

The once-smiling waiter flicked the towel from his shoulder, sending forth a storm of hair-thin needles like pear blossoms in a gale.

Throughout the courier station, blades hissed from their sheaths.

"Zuo Qiuyang, today is your day to die!"

Patrons, the innkeeper, even the stablehands. Every last one lunged at him, murder in their eyes.

So the reason he sat here was... He was the only one in the entire courier station who wasn’t an assassin?