The "important matter" Lin Chen mentioned was, in truth, nothing profound. It was simply wine, food, and a well-deserved break.
Even cultivators needed to breathe.
His motto had always been simple — "For a long and enjoyable life, a little leisure is essential."
The last time he took a break was during the Yangzhou mission, and since then, three months had passed in relentless cultivation.
Now that he had the backing of his master, Lan Yaoye, there was nothing pressing left to worry about.
So why not rest?
As night fell, Lin Chen made his way toward the nearby city.
By the time he arrived, the streets were already alive with light and sound.
Lanterns swayed in the evening breeze, filling the air with the scent of roasted meat and spices.
Merchants shouted, musicians played, laughter rippled through the crowd like a flowing stream.
Compared to the silent austerity of the sect, this mortal liveliness felt almost intoxicating.
'No wonder Master keeps pestering me instead of meditating,' he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Tonight wasn't about cultivation or enlightenment.
Tonight was about flavor — real flavor.
After months of choking down on pills and bland rations, he yearned for something fiery, oily, and alive.
After all, pills may sustain the body, but food nourishes the soul.
Following the scent of spice, Lin Chen stopped before a lively inn whose signboard swayed gently under lantern light — Drunken Phoenix Inn.
"Mm. Looks decent enough," he murmured, stepping inside.
The moment the attendants noticed his robes marked with the sect's insignia, their eyes widened.
A cultivator from a sect — which means prestige, wealth, and danger.
"Honored guest! Please, this way!"
Lin Chen was ushered to the best table by the window. Tea was poured, the surface was wiped spotless, and menus were offered.
He waved casually. "Bring me the best meat dishes — extra spicy. And the strongest wine you've got."
The waiter bowed and hurried off. Moments later, the table was buried beneath food — steaming plates of chili beef, roasted ribs glazed in crimson sauce, skewers dripping with oil, and a jug of burning spirit wine.
Lin Chen picked up his chopsticks and began to eat without restraint.
"Ah… this is the taste those damned pills can never give," he sighed in bliss, warmth spreading through his chest.
Outside, the city lanterns flickered like falling stars.
For the first time in months, Lin Chen felt a trace of peace — a reminder that beneath all the cultivation and struggle, he was still human.
When the moon reached its peak, he rose and left the inn, walking back toward the sect with slightly unsteady steps.
***
Lin Chen returned to the sect, swaying slightly as he walked along the forest path toward his residence.
He had drunk enough alcohol for ten men, but being a cultivator meant the effects were mild at best. Still, his mind felt a little foggy, and his steps carried the lazy rhythm of someone completely relaxed after a long time.
He stretched his arms behind his head, feeling the cool night breeze against his face. "Alcohol really hits the right spot," he muttered.
"Makes you forget everything — no cultivation, no pressure, just peace. If there's a true Dao in this world, this might be it."
[Notice. I think there's something strange happening in your storage ring.]
Aiva's voice rang out in his head, calm as ever. Lin Chen blinked, looking down at his ring. Even in his half-drunken state, he could feel a faint vibration coming from it, as though something inside wanted to come out.
Before he could think further, a sharp whoosh cut through the quiet night. A wooden token shot out of his ring and flew into the nearby forest, leaving behind a faint red afterimage as it disappeared between the trees.
"What the hell?" Lin Chen rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. But the red trail was still visible, flickering like fireflies in the dark.
He frowned and followed it out of curiosity, half expecting it to vanish before he reached it.
A short distance ahead, the token hovered in midair. Thin streaks of red light seeped from the ground below, and strange words began to appear on its surface.
The symbols twisted and shifted before settling into two clear characters — "Blood Pass."
The token then fell to the ground with a soft thud. The light slowly faded away.
Lin Chen stared for a moment, his expression blank. "That's… creepy as hell."
He looked around carefully, making sure nothing else was about to jump out. When the area stayed quiet, he walked closer and crouched down to pick up the token.
It was cold. Not the normal kind of cold either — it felt like holding ice even though it was clearly made of wood.
"Wait a second…" Lin Chen frowned. "This thing… isn't this the junk I picked up from that blood-sword lunatic?"
Now that he thought about it, the token had been sitting quietly in his storage ring ever since then. He hadn't touched it once, yet it suddenly decided to fly out on its own tonight of all nights.
"Aiva, can you explain what just happened?"
He had taken this exact path when leaving for the city. The token hadn't reacted then—so why now?
[Unknown,] Aiva replied calmly. [The most probable reason is that something was arranged here recently. That may be why the token suddenly reacted.]
[But there's a more pressing issue.]
[When the token was drawn here, I briefly sensed something dark beneath the ground. The Essence Qi in that area felt… corrupted.]
[For a moment, it twisted into a chaotic form completely opposite to the natural flow of Essence Qi, which should normally be calm and balanced.]
Lin Chen's expression turned serious. "So, something cursed or dangerous is buried here?" He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Don't tell me it's some kind of sealed devil or ancient beast… or worse, a blood-draining formation waiting to be triggered."
He frowned. He could already think of ten stories that started exactly like this — where the demonic path infiltrated a righteous sect, set up strange formations, and ended up causing chaos.
"Maybe I should just ignore it and be on my way." Lin Chen muttered
This kind of strange thing was rarely ever good news. If he poked at it and it turned out to be some demonic trap, then he'd only have himself to blame later.
Besides, the more he thought about it, the more certain he became — this had something to do with the Divine One Cult. And if that was true, then it was best to stay as far away as possible.
He turned slightly, ready to leave, when Aiva's calm voice echoed in his mind.
[I advise against that. My suggestion is to dig in and see what lies beneath.]
Lin Chen froze, blinking. "…Excuse me? Since when did you start giving reckless suggestions?"
[I'm not being reckless. I've analyzed all possible factors. The token didn't just fly here randomly — it's reacting to something connected to the demonic cultivators within the inner sect.]
[Ask yourself: why would demonic cultivators appear within the sect grounds at all? And why would this token respond only now?]
[The conclusion is clear — there are more demonic cultivators hiding in the inner sect, possibly even among the elders. Whatever is buried here may be connected to their plans.]
[If we investigate now, we might learn what they're preparing before we get caught up in something beyond our control.]
Lin Chen rubbed his forehead, his expression twisting between annoyance and reluctant agreement.
"...When you put it that way, it's really hard to argue."
With a sigh of defeat, Lin Chen took his sword and began digging into the earth. Despite being tipsy, his movements were still steady, each swing cutting through soil and stone like butter.
Minutes passed. The deeper he dug, the heavier the air seemed to grow. A faint, metallic scent — like blood — mixed with the damp earth.
After a few more swings, his sword struck something solid with a dull clang.
Lin Chen squinted, brushing the dirt aside with his hand. A faint crimson glow leaked through the cracks in the soil, pulsing rhythmically—like a heartbeat.
Soon, a red gem, about the size of a football, came fully into view. It glimmered faintly in the darkness, releasing an eerie red light.
Lin Chen crouched beside it, frowning. "What the hell? A gem this big… buried inside the sect?"
The longer he stared, the more uncomfortable he felt. A strange chill crawled up his spine, as if the gem itself was watching him.
"Whatever this thing is," he muttered, "it's bad news. I'm getting creeped out just looking at it."
*****
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