Blackwater Guard outpost, Blackwater Office.
Commander Cheng Zhishan was buried in a thick roster, his brow furrowed into a knot. It recorded the status of various small teams recently dispatched on missions.
Just then, Deputy Commander Zhao Qianjun rushed in, not even bothering to knock, his face grim.
Cheng Zhishan didn't even lift his head, annotating the roster as he asked, “Qianjun, what's with the rush?”
Zhao Qianjun took a breath and lowered his voice, “Commander, a tough one arrived in the city today, at least fifth-stage.”
Cheng Zhishan's pen paused, but he continued writing, his tone still calm.
“Fifth-stage? Hmm, an important figure. Given the current situation, if we could win them over…”
The overt fifth-stage experts in Lantao City could be counted on two hands, and there was only one city lord at the peak fifth-stage. Any fifth-stage individual was worth taking seriously.
Zhao Qianjun swallowed and continued, “Not an ordinary fifth-stage. That person looks very young. No older than twenty, and he's accompanied by a monk, a Buddha Lord of at least fourth-stage.”
“Someone from the Buddhist Sect?” Cheng Zhishan finally looked up, “Are you sure? Do they practice Buddhist dharma?”
Zhao Qianjun nodded affirmingly, “This subordinate probed them; they should be from the Aspect of All Beings.”
The Buddhist Sect sending someone at this time, especially with such a young fifth-stage expert, made him wary.
Cheng Zhishan said in a deep voice, “And? Is that all?”
“There's more!” Zhao Qianjun quickly added.
“That young fifth-stage expert is wearing armor made of white bones; it should be an artifact. And they've taken over a shop in the outer city, called Heart's Desire Hall, with six skeletons guarding the entrance. Each skeleton is at least fourth-stage!”
“What?” Cheng Zhishan's pen clattered onto the roster, splattering ink.
He suddenly stood up, staring at Zhao Qianjun, “Is the information accurate? Six fourth-stage skeletons guarding the door?”
“Absolutely true.”
Zhao Qianjun nodded heavily, “This subordinate personally went to the periphery to see; those six skeletons are standing right at the entrance, reeking of death, no one dares approach. The shop hasn't put up a sign for business either, so who knows what scheme this Buddha Lord is cooking up.”
Cheng Zhishan paced back and forth, his expression shifting.
He murmured, “White bones… beauty is but white bones, all dharmas are empty forms. Only by abandoning flesh and blood can one see the true Buddha. Could it be, not the Aspect of All Beings, but… someone from the Bone Temple?”
He abruptly stopped and looked at Zhao Qianjun, “Have you found out the Buddha Lord's origin?”
Zhao Qianjun shook his head. “We questioned some lone cultivators who came from the same direction. They all said that Buddha Lord was very high-profile, having instantly killed several third-stage lone cultivators who tried to cause trouble on the road, leaving a deep impression. Their direction of arrival seems to be from Qudao County.”
“Qudao County?” Cheng Zhishan's pupils contracted.
He immediately recalled that a Blackwater Guard squad had indeed been sent to Qudao County before.
He also knew some secrets; hundreds of years ago, a Buddha Lord had built a pagoda there to cultivate in Qudao County.
His expression turned extremely ugly. “No!” Cheng Zhishan decided instantly, “This matter is too significant; it must be reported immediately. I will go and request an audience with Bodhisattva Jieyin.”
Meanwhile.
Chen Zhou had just finished arranging the upgraded lumberyard and mine, and had been keeping an eye on the movements within the secret realm. Last time, after sacrificing Smiling Face, the secret realm's exploration progress rose to 20%. This gave him a new conjecture: this secret realm was likely just a teleportation gate.
Chen Zhou pondered, next time mutant insects appeared, he would have to find a way to capture a few alive. He'd try to see if they could bite open some breaches in other parts of the secret realm too.
As he was thinking, Piao appeared beneath the altar. The restless aura of famine on her had subsided considerably, but the human part of her still appeared somewhat dim.
“Lord, the copper poison beneath Qudao County has been cleared.” Piao's voice was flat and devoid of emotion.
Chen Zhou watched her, sensing that the Locust Mother's essence within her and the devoured copper poison were still entangled, unable to be digested. Like a stomach stone, it was obstructing her, preventing her from fully exerting her own strength. This fundamental conflict, originating from entities of the same rank, was not easily resolved.
Chen Zhou thought for a moment, then exchanged for a few fifth-stage soul-shaping pills. “Take these; they should help stabilize your divine soul.”
Piao emotionlessly took the pills, stared blankly for a while, then seemed to suddenly remember something.
She pulled out a small booklet from her pocket, its edges already frayed from being flipped through. Piao buried her head in the booklet, and quickly found the corresponding entry.
Then she looked up, forced a fake smile onto her face, and recited word for word, “Upon receiving a gift, one must politely express gratitude, and… return a gift.”
After reciting, she fell into contemplation again.
'Return a gift?'
'What should I return?'
She looked at herself; it seemed she had nothing presentable.
After a brief thought, Piao, under Chen Zhou's somewhat stunned gaze, raised her right hand, grabbed her left arm, and violently tore.
With a 'crack,' accompanied by splattering blood and torn flesh, she actually ripped off a section of her own forearm.
Piao seemed to feel no pain, holding the still faintly twitching arm very seriously, and offered it to Chen Zhou.
“…”
Chen Zhou was momentarily speechless, his expression complex, unsure whether to accept or not.
Just then, the General-Summoning Platform beside the altar suddenly emitted a shimmering white light. The light enveloped the severed arm in Piao's hand. The arm rapidly dissolved, transforming into the purest essence energy, which was then devoured and absorbed by the General-Summoning Platform.
Only then did Chen Zhou realize Piao's intention. She wasn't offering an ordinary gift; she was offering a part of her own essence.
Piao retracted her empty hand. The severed arm didn't bleed, but slowly writhed and regenerated.
She maintained her fake smile and said, “Mother said to repay kindness, and Mother also said that you are a truly loving deity. She told me to follow you.”
Chen Zhou was silent for a moment, then asked, “What about you? Are you willing?”
The stiff smile on Piao's face paused slightly, and a hint of genuine confusion flashed in her eyes.
She tilted her head and thought, feeling that during these days in the City of the Wrongfully Dead, Mother had indeed become happier. The people here didn't look at them with disgust or fear, even when she walked around in her true form, half-human, half-insect. Here… it's good.
She nodded, dropping the ugly fake smile, and reverted to her flat tone, though her gaze was clearer.
“I am willing.”
As her words fell, a bone pillar on the General-Summoning Platform cracked open.
The Withered Bone Knocking Decree activated.
【You consumed a portion of the target evil spirit's essence.】
【You acquired a sixth-stage ghost attendant - Piao】
【Current ghost attendants: 2/2】
Rate on N.U.
