Chương 14: Azure Boar (Final)

I need to enthrall a cultivator, Lucian thought as he discarded the remaining parts of the boar a short distance from the camp. Night had fallen once more, and like the previous evening, dark clouds covered the sky. Whether it would rain or not was uncertain. Lucian had decided they would make camp and rest there. Though they had traveled only through the morning, he preferred to give Wang Chen more time to recover his arm.

He himself was still studying the scrolls and examining the boar's corpse, so resting wasn't a problem. This creature's structure resembles that of a common boar, but there are lines along the inner skin connecting to the capillaries. I believe those are responsible for the fur's enhanced resilience. Yet after death, the Qi dissipates from the body even if the lines remain intact. The boar's hide was being prepared for continuous study.

While Lucian knew how to butcher and skin a creature, treating the hide properly was a task Bai Xiaomeng handled. As a servant, she had been trained to meet her master's needs, whether in a city or in the wild, so she was moderately skillful at hunting, skinning, and other chores. Lucian had also learned that Wang Chen was nineteen years old, while Bai Xiaomeng was between twenty-five and thirty. He had not needed to ask directly; the duo's increasingly intimate bickering revealed that much.

Their current behavior is more fitting for the situation, Lucian thought, recalling their earlier conversation. Attaching oneself to another person is better than succumbing to survivor's guilt. Pushing the two of them out of his mind, Lucian retrieved one of the scrolls he had kept, his night vision allowing him to read easily without a light source. The scroll contained a map.

At first glance, because of its circular shape, he had assumed it was a world map, but it proved to be an overview of the Golden Peng Empire. It was far from detailed, merely outlining the largest mountain ranges, forests, rivers, and what appeared to be major cities and kingdoms. They need better cartographers here, he sneered. The proportions are absurd. Either the Empire is vast beyond reason, or these kingdoms are remarkably small. The Azure Magpie Forest lay in the south, tiny compared to the other forests.

He recognized it only because he recalled the characters for 'Azure' and 'Magpie' from parchments Bai Xiaomeng had read aloud. The Golden Peng Empire contained dozens of named forests, and dividing lines suggested the presence of several kingdoms within some of them. There were also not many characters on the map. Judging by the different ink and handwriting, whoever had labeled the Azure Magpie Forest, for example, had been attempting to fill in other names but was not the map's creator.

Lucian knew the map was unreliable. He had checked it only to confirm one detail, pressing his finger to the northern edge. The northern side of the Empire showed mountain ranges but no labels. The war must be here, along the border of these four kingdoms. He did not know whether those four kingdoms were at war, nor why an Emperor would permit his subjects to fight each other without killing the rulers. What he knew was that war usually meant profit.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Searching for a settlement, gathering Blood Essence, and traveling toward that warzone would be wise, he concluded. War brings battle. Battle brings blood. And I would not need to be the one wasting time killing. He focused inwardly on his Blood Essence and shook his head. Within a week at most, the Rune of Lust will lose its power. His gaze drifted to the sleeping figures of Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng.

Wang Chen's blood is useless to me now. But Bai Xiaomeng should be preserved for emergencies. As he organized his thoughts, a mild dizziness overtook him, and he exhaled softly. How long has it been since the Curse of Sloth ended? Does it even count, as my body is weaker than before? Well, it doesn't matter. If I enhance my body further with Blood Essence, the Curse may activate once more. Accustomed to living under the weight of Curses, he did not dwell on the matter.

Instead, he began preparing their belongings for departure. Once everything was arranged, Lucian walked over to Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng and lightly tapped Wang Chen to wake him. After three shakes, the plump young man jolted awake. Seeing the pale figure standing in the darkness, he felt goosebumps rise along his arms.

"Benefactor, did something happen?" he asked groggily.

"It is still nighttime."

"Wake her up," Lucian said calmly.

"There are no predators here. We can travel at night."

"That is not entirely true," Wang Chen replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Bandits are more likely to attack at night, so—" He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering who he was speaking to, and gave a light nod.

"Never mind," he muttered before turning to wake Bai Xiaomeng. Lucian paid no attention to them after that. Once they had gathered their belongings and secured everything to Wang Chen's back, using him as a beast of burden, Lucian walked beside them under the cover of darkness. Because he remained close, Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng felt uncomfortable continuing their lighthearted conversation, so the journey passed mostly in silence.

When the first rays of sunlight touched the horizon, Lucian abruptly covered his face with his robe.

"Continue," he said.

"If you need to eat, stop and do so. If I sense or smell any Azure Boar, I will inform you. Wang Chen will handle it." When he finished giving his orders, he walked toward the sealed silver box. Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng had grown accustomed to his mysterious and authoritative behavior. They exchanged a glance and resumed their quiet conversation. Bai Xiaomeng guided them using the forest's map, choosing a path that would lead them out of the Azure Magpie Forest toward the nearest village.

At their current pace, it would take three days. During the journey, despite Lucian's desires, they didn't find any other Azure Boar. It was one day before their arrival at the village that something happened, and Lucian rushed to awaken Wang Chen earlier than usual, crouching down and muttering after Wang Chen blinked awake.

"There are mortals surrounding the camp. A scout approached earlier, but now there are several more." Lucian paused briefly, waiting for Wang Chen to turn his head, and then pressed two daggers into his chest.

"Give one to Bai Xiaomeng. The other is yours. A heavier weapon would suit you better, but we only have blades." Without waiting for a response, Lucian rose silently and slipped away from the firelight, disappearing into the shadows beyond the trees. Wang Chen stood frozen for a heartbeat before quickly standing up and shaking Bai Xiaomeng awake. As he whispered the situation to her and helped conceal the dagger beneath her sleeve, six unkempt men emerged from the treeline.

They were malnourished, clad in mismatched armor, and armed with crude weapons. The group stopped at the edge of the clearing, sharing nervous glances and sweating during the cold night. From behind them stepped a taller man. He wore no armor and carried a small figure in his arms. Both wore robes similar to those of the deceased Xin Pang, black vests covering their bodies.

"So much food held by mere mortals," the man whispered hoarsely, licking his lips. His voice made the six others flinch.

"The heavens must have sent me to punish them. Yes, they will feed my heavenly army." He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes with a hint of mockery.

"Xiao Yi, Xiao Er, and Xiao San. You three test the waters," he ordered.

"And do not damage the woman's face. She seems too old for proper use, but some freaky men might still pay for her." The trio nodded, their expressions dark and resigned, each knowing obedience was their only option. Unnoticed by them, perched high in the branches of a tree he had silently climbed, Lucian observed the scene with furrowed brows. Is that thing in this brat's arms a child's corpse?