She was holding two plates in her hands.
"I had already prepared this meal before you came," Lianhua said, handing the plates to Draven and Tia.
"It's made of good meat, trust me," she added as they collected the plates from her.
After expressing their gratitude, Tia began eating. But after a while, she noticed Draven hadn't touched his food.
Leaning closer, she whispered, "Cao, you really need to eat. The herbs given to me by the palace physician won't work if you don't."
Reluctantly, Draven started eating. He really needed something to ease the stabbing pain in his side. His constant body aches were becoming almost too much to bear. Added to that, he had to complete his quest on time and leave this realm quickly so delaying his healing time even more wasn't worth it at all.
"So tell me, my friend, how much have you improved in cultivation?" Tia asked with a mouth full of meat. It was obvious she was enjoying herself.
"Well, since then I've only slightly improved. I'm at the sixth level now, but I've hit a dead end in cultivation," Lianhua said, her tone tinged with sadness.
She had already given up on martial cultivation and began cultivating with her bloodline instead.
In the martial realm, everyone was required to reach a basic martial cultivation level—it was like a law—before they could pursue any other form of cultivation. This was known as di-cultivation, where one used the dantian to cultivate two or more paths.
"Don't worry about me. So, what brings you two here?" Lianhua asked, sitting up straighter, her tone more serious.
"I've heard about what's happening in Kravile," she added.
Tia thought for a moment before replying. "All we seek is shelter for a few days. I hope you don't mind." She dropped her spoon on the plate, sighing as if to signal she was done.
"Thank you for the food. It was really good," Tia added, wiping her mouth.
"Well, it's nothing truly," Lianhua said with a proud smile.
"Yeah, thanks for the food too," Draven added, pushing his plate slightly away.
"Oh, that's right—are you also going to spend this time here with your brother, Cao Tan?" Lianhua asked with a sheepish smile.
Tia almost spilled the water she was drinking in shock.
"Y-Yeah… I am," she managed to mumble, still shaken. How was she able to tell?
Lianhua smiled casually and went off to prepare a room for her visitors.
While she was gone, Draven turned to Tia, his eyes filled with questions.
Tia could only smile. "She's harmless, trust me."
---
Zhi Hau held his sword stiffly in his hands as he read the letter.
It was from the empire—an order to help in finding the head of Cao, his brother.
Zhi Hau quietly set the paper aside. He knew very well that the king was tactically asking him to kill Cao Tan.
He was already at the peak of martial cultivation, close to breaking into immortality. But sadly, he had hit his cultivation wall.
A cultivator hits a wall when there's no meaningful progress for an extended time. The dantian weakens from lack of energy and can no longer hold large amounts, making growth impossible. It was like a leaking basket.
Zhi Hau sighed. At least he was already above average in his second path—mind cultivation.
He set his sword down in his chamber and entered his cultivation room. He would soon be sent after Cao. Though he knew the task wouldn't be difficult, he still wanted to practice. That was his tradition—he never faced battle or confrontation without preparing.
Zhi Hau sat down to cultivate. He needed to meditate at least six times a week to prevent decline in his martial cultivation path since it was at such a high level.
"So, the reward is actually one thousand demon capsules," he muttered.
If he could claim that prize, he might finally break the cultivation wall and ascend to immortality.
A smile crept across his face at the thought as he began meditating.
---
After some time, Lianhua returned and gestured for them to follow her. The room she offered wasn't large or extravagant, but it was comfortable enough.
The moment Draven lay down, his body ached badly.
"Hope you like it," Lianhua said as she noticed Draven settling into the bed.
"Yes, it's lovely. Thank you for the consideration," Draven replied, looking satisfied.
Tia glanced at him with a soft smile.
"Really, thank you, old friend."
"If there's anything, just let me know, my lady," Lianhua said with a bow before leaving.
"Now, to more pressing matters," Draven said as soon as she was out of sight.
"Look, I need to find a way to break this curse and dethrone Han. If not, he'll plunge our community into chaos."
Through his host's memories, he now recalled clearly how he was stabbed, and how the people of Kravile had suffered ever since. He felt their pain and anguish—their desperate wish for peace.
"Draven, that curse was cast by a banished sorcerer at the peak of the seventh level of Qi Condensation. It's almost impossible to cure it," Tia said, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
"I tried to tell you before, but I didn't know how you'd take it. This was the last report from the physician about your illness." Tia said with her head bowed.
Draven looked at her, resolve clear in his eyes.
"So then, what now?" he asked, his voice coarse from the pain racking his body.
"Why are we even here? We should have just stayed in the palace, where I would die a miserable death, and the people of Kravile would suffer until they were no longer even recognized for what they once were."
He bowed his head.
"Then, after a year or two, we would finally be wiped out in a war. Our land would be taken, and that would be the end of the story. And you… you—"
"Stop it, Cao, just stop," Tia interrupted, tears slipping from her eyes.
"I brought you here so we could actually think of a way out. I just needed to tell you the situation first." She drew a deep breath before continuing.
"Then let's start thinking. We don't have any more time left. If we waste another moment, Han will solidify his position as emperor, and it won't just be difficult for us to win—it will be nearly impossible to even make it out of this alive," Draven said, breathing heavily.
"Not to mention the professional swordsmen already out there hunting me down," he added with a sigh.