Greed Always Invites Calamity
The cave interior was far more spacious than she'd imagined. 'And not as dark as I thought.'
Moss and fungi lining the walls emitted a faint glow. It wasn't bright by any means, but enough to make out shapes ahead. That dim light, scattered everywhere, only amplified the eerie atmosphere.
Sticking close to the wall, she crept deeper inside. Then, something caught her eye—a scattering of scales on the ground. Halting, she examined one closely. It was a turquoise scale, its edges finely chipped, the surface marred by scorch marks.
A serpent's scale. And not an old one.
Further in, more scales like it dotted the path, along with splatters of green blood that looked like demon beast traces. 'They've already had a go at it inside.'
Bracing for any surprises, she gathered her qi tighter and sharpened her stealth technique. The cave didn't follow a single straight tunnel. Instead, one passage was littered with ever-increasing demon beast remains. The clean cuts suggested Foundation Establishment cultivator handiwork over the three who'd gone ahead.
One worry nagged: the demon beast's roars had fallen silent. She quickened her pace.
How much farther had she gone when faint human presences began to register ahead? That was the moment.
Crunch.
A sickening sound, like something alive being crushed. She'd already guessed not everything inside was demon beasts. But this wasn't combat noise.
Pressing her back to the passage wall, she leaned forward ever so slowly. Peering ahead cautiously, a vast cavern finally came into view.
In that instant, she had no choice but to hold her breath.
The cavern before the girl might as well have been an altar. At its center sprawled the massive corpse of a Foundation Establishment-grade Azure Wood Serpent. Turquoise scales burst open in places, its head half-smashed as if crushed by something immense.
Behind the serpent's body, a single immature spirit herb had taken root. But something was off about it. Rather than naturally condensed heaven-and-earth qi, it exuded a murky energy, forced in unnaturally.
The reason lay in the blood-red formation etched into the floor. Complex patterns radiated from the serpent's corpse toward the spirit herb. At their end slumped Yu So-hong and Jang Ho, limp and drained.
Thin, thread-like wisps peeled from their bodies, trickling along the patterns into the herb. At the formation's core stood a middle-aged man in a dark crimson robe. Demonic energy flowed from his fingertips, circulating through the entire array.
With each full cycle, the bound Qi Condensation cultivators trembled faintly, and the herb's bud parted just a fraction more.
Song Won stood beside him. Gone was the sly grin from the market; now he shook like a leaf.
"Master. Aren't the two I brought enough yet?"
The magus cultivator glanced indifferently at the pair, eyes cold as discarded tools.
"Not enough."
A flat declaration.
"Even with the Foundation Establishment demon beast and these two Qi Condensation cultivators' vitality infused... it's still a bit short."
Song Won's face stiffened subtly.
"B-but Master, at this point it's almost—"
"Almost isn't enough."
With that, the magus's gaze shifted slowly to Song Won.
"You should suffice."
"Master! This breaks our agreement! You said two Qi Condensation cultivators would do—remote ones that wouldn't draw sect attention!"
His face paling, he stumbled back a step in desperation.
"Hah. Thanks anyway. You brought the materials and offer your life at the end. I won't forget you."
Song Won fumbled for a magic tool from his storage pouch, but it was too late. From the magus's sleeve shot a dark crimson tendril like a living serpent, coiling around his ankle. He yanked desperately, but it surged up to his waist and arms in an instant.
"If you must curse someone, curse yourself for not bringing more materials."
"Just once—just one chance! There's one more nearby. That guy—or girl. If I fetch them..."
Song Won's voice cracked halfway. But the magus's expression didn't flicker. He regarded him like livestock awaiting final slaughter.
"Quiet."
The crimson energy writhed once more.
"I took you in for this exact purpose. Be proud you served your master to the end. You should have brought them all from the start."
With those words, the blood-red formation glowed vividly anew. The two bound Qi Condensation cultivators shuddered violently. The energy pouring from them thickened. Simultaneously, faint threads began seeping from Song Won's body.
The formation pulsed like living veins, gathering the three streams and forcing them into the spirit herb. The immature bud creaked open another fraction.
"Yes. Now it's taking shape."
He slowly raised a hand, placing it atop Song Won's crown. The dark crimson energy seeped from the body into the formation. Song Won's form arched like a bow.
"A-aaagh!"
The scream cut short. As the energy climbed his throat and chest, his body slumped like a marionette with severed strings.
It hadn't taken long. The three Qi Condensation cultivators had withered to husks.
Yet the red spirit herb's bud remained unopened.
"Hm... Still short?"
The magus cultivator flicked his fingers thoughtfully, calculating.
"At least that fool proved useful to the end."
Then, smirking toward the cavern entrance, he called out.
"Won't that rat skulking in the shadows peeking finally come out?"
The cavern air froze. The presence in the darkness stayed faint. But the magus stared with utter certainty.
Silence lingered. At last, a small shadow slowly emerged from behind a boulder at the entrance.
Do people die from greed, after all?
'Shouldn't have come. Shouldn't have come.'
She gritted her teeth. Exposing her back to a cultivator of that realm was as good as offering her neck.
From her storage pouch, she drew the Black Wood Spirit Tablet and talismans, then stepped out slowly from behind the rock.
"So young... But already Qi Condensation 5th star at that age. What a pity. Such a waste."
He muttered low, scanning her. Feeling his gaze, her grip tightened on the tablet. Showing fear here would only make him underestimate her—or worse.
She needed to buy time, any time.
"Senior."
Her voice held steady, thankfully.
"I'm a Qingyun Sect disciple. Can you handle the fallout?"
"Handle? Why would a wretch like you worry about that?"
His lip curled.
"Who'd even know you died here to begin with?"
As his words ended, his finger slashed the air. Blood-red energy compressed into a needle-like dart, shooting straight at her.
Reflexively, she clutched the Black Wood Spirit Tablet. From her pouch, she snatched a Qingxin Bean, infusing it with qi. The bean soldier summoned without hesitation, blocking her front.
Boom!
The blood-red energy slammed head-on. The bean soldier crumbled in one hit; the barrier shook violently, its glow dimming.
'A Foundation Establishment cultivator, as expected. Leagues beyond Qi Condensation.'
'The magic tool might hold once more, twice at best.'
"Not bad for a brat. You've got some moves."
He sneered, raising fingers to etch a pattern in the air. Several blood-red threads slithered from the floor like snakes.
"But."
His grin deepened.
"How long can a wretch like you last in a Foundation Establishment cultivator's palm?"
The words barely finished when the crawling threads whipped around en masse. Like living vipers, they bypassed the barrier's reach, burrowing in.
She tore a talisman reflexively—a Swift Form Talisman. Gritting her teeth, she hurled sideways. Power surged through her legs as she rolled across the floor.
The threads lashed exactly where she'd stood.
Boom!
Stone dust flew; the ground cratered deeply. Cold sweat raced down her spine.
She sprang up and retreated. But the magus cultivator seemed utterly unconcerned by the distance, casually lifting his fingers again.
"A fleeing rat makes quite the sight."
He snapped them once. The threads that had scraped the floor writhed back to life.
Gritting her teeth, she raised the Black Wood Spirit Tablet. Its glow had noticeably faded from the prior shake.
'Twice at most, for real.'
No—even now, that's optimistic.
Without hesitation, she pulled a Protective Talisman from her robes. Yellow paper etched with protective runes. Qi surged from her fingertip; it ignited instantly, spewing blue light.
Whoosh.
The talisman burned to ash, its power merging into the fading barrier. The Protective Talisman's strength layered atop the dimming shield.
That was the moment.
The magus flicked his fingers lightly.
"Hah. Pathetic tricks."
His voice dripped scorn. The blood-red threads surged in unison.
Yet through multiple collisions, the barrier held firm. The final thread struck dead-on.
Still, the blue shield didn't shatter.
The cavern fell briefly silent. The magus's aura shifted. Until now, he'd toyed like with a child. Now, he seemed serious. The killing intent sharpened palpably.
His gaze slowly swept the blue barrier blocking her.
"...Strange. A magic tool, fine. But that Protective Talisman is overkill."
His eyes grew icier.
"How many would hand something like that to a mere Qi Condensation wretch like you?"
Brief silence fell.
At last, a low, chilling voice escaped his lips.
"Who are you. Whose disciple are you?"