Chapter Eighty-One: More Than One Path?

During the conversation with the Liu family, Wu You maintained a simple and direct style. By cutting out the troublesome and tangled haggling that he found so vexing, Wu You plainly stated his intentions, which could be summarized as follows:

First, he introduced himself as a reclusive wanderer who had stepped out into the world only to rid it of the scourge of the Blood Jiao, with no interest in participating in the conflicts of the realm.

Second, he merely wished to know when the current imperial court and martial factions planned to take action, so he could join forces with them.

Third, regarding the higher realm of martial arts that the Liu family was most curious about, he confirmed its existence but explained that the cultivation system was still based on traditional martial arts. If the Liu family wished to learn more, they would first have to let him study some of their advanced secret manuals, so he could address their questions specifically.

Fourth, he refused to become one of their retainers, but barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would set out with the Liu family’s party on the day of action.

The outcome? Other than learning that the various factions would gather at a certain place in Jiangzhou in ten days’ time, the rest of the conversation was little more than empty posturing and veiled probing on both sides.

The family's martial arts were fundamental to their foundation; no matter what the “Evil Daoist” said, Liu Xianyuan and the others would never hand over their martial secrets so easily for mere “reference.”

As for Wu You, the so-called “realm beyond martial arts” was sheer fabrication—unless the power of demonic gods or otherworldly spirits could be borrowed, he certainly had no genuine secrets to share.

The two sides had a thoroughly “pleasant” discussion for nearly two hours.

At the end, Liu Xianyuan himself escorted the Evil Daoist to the gates of the outer estate, watching as he vanished from view in what seemed almost like a feat of shrinking the ground beneath his feet.

He did consider sending someone to follow him, but based on the Evil Daoist’s performance in the guest hall, any attempt at surveillance would almost certainly be detected.

Better to avoid drawing unnecessary trouble.

“Patriarch, this man is most unorthodox—hardly of the righteous path,” murmured one of the family’s elders to Liu Xianyuan after Wu You had gone.

“Yes, the Evil Daoist is certainly no virtuous soul. Warn our people to be cautious in dealings with him—do not give offense lightly,” Liu Xianyuan replied, though his thoughts were elsewhere.

The Blood Jiao, the Evil Daoist... It seemed there were things buried deep in this world indeed!

…

After leaving the Liu estate and confirming he was not being followed, Wu You found a secluded spot before entering the city, where he changed back to his true appearance.

Then, using a direct shortcut through the Mountain of Ten Thousand Beasts, he transported himself straight to his private residence in Leping City.

Wang Fugui had been waiting for him there for some time. As soon as Wu You appeared, he hurried forward to greet him.

“My lord, how did it go?”

Wu You waved dismissively. “Those old foxes—I suspect they’re still holding something back, but the general timing should be right. As for becoming a retainer, that’s off the table for now.”

Wang Fugui was about to say something when a sudden commotion erupted outside the courtyard.

The voices of the refugees were full of terror.

Coming out of the inner hall into the courtyard, one could hear the shouting outside with perfect clarity.

“Run! The Blood Jiao is here…”

“Heavens above…”

“Go, go! Even Leping City isn’t safe anymore!”

“Don’t step on me…”

These refugees had all fled from disaster zones—they were the ones who feared the Blood Jiao the most.

But upon hearing this, Wu You was shaken to his core.

The Blood Jiao had arrived?

Impossible! The White Eagle had only died a few hours ago—how could the Blood Jiao possibly have reached the vicinity of Leping City so quickly, unless it too could fly, and even faster than the White Eagle?

In the courtyard, the four skilled men Wang Fugui had brought hurried over to report after seeing their two masters emerge.

They relayed that someone had seen the Blood Jiao appear on the Tiansha River outside Leping City.

After a moment’s hesitation, Wu You returned inside and slung the fiber bag containing the Barrett rifle over his shoulder.

“Come, let’s have a look.”

Stepping outside, the panic of the refugees became even more apparent.

Everyone was either gathering their belongings or fleeing westward toward the city gates, desperate not to be trapped inside the city as the people of Jiulu had been.

The original inhabitants of Leping, on the other hand, wore anxious and bewildered expressions.

Wu You and his party pressed against the flow of people, moving with some difficulty, but once they passed through the center of the city, the way opened up.

Here, near the east gate facing the Tiansha River, the refugees had all crowded to the western edge.

At the city gate, they found it still open, though the defending soldiers were clearly unsettled—had it not been for their commanding officer’s presence, they might have fled already.

It was much easier to leave here than from the west. Once outside, the expanse of the Tiansha River was visible in the distance.

Though the water level had risen, there was no sign of the catastrophic flooding seen in Jiangzhou.

Strange—could it all be just a rumor?

With a tap to his forehead, Wu You decided to get a closer look.

He sent the four somewhat reluctant men down to the riverbank to investigate, while he himself prepared to work some alchemy on the spot.

He quickly created two birds almost identical to the now-deceased White Eagle.

Controlling them in observation mode, he sent one soaring high and the other skimming low toward the water.

In truth, he realized, he needn’t even have left the city.

From above, he saw that patrols were already combing the area, including several faces he recognized—guards and martial retainers of the Liu family.

Leading them was, surprisingly, a rather striking young woman.

Judging by their demeanor, they had not yet discovered any sign of the Blood Jiao; though tense, they were not truly afraid.

At this rate, it seemed more likely to be a false alarm, Wu You thought.

But no sooner had the thought crossed his mind than, as the second White Eagle clone swept over the river, there was a sudden explosion of water.

A crimson serpent burst from below, jaws agape, lunging straight for the bird Wu You controlled.

System prompt: Abnormal lifeform detected. Danger level: High Bronze. Elimination recommended!

Ignoring the prompt, and recalling the previous painful lesson, Wu You immediately relinquished control of the second White Eagle and switched to the one flying higher above.

The Blood Jiao, missing its mark, looked up in confusion but did nothing further—instead, it sank back beneath the water.

The spectacle of the Blood Jiao leaping from the river to attack a strange eagle was witnessed by everyone on the shore, sending them fleeing from the water’s edge.

Several individuals immediately broke away, running in the direction of the Liu family manor.

…

Wu You was now restless and uneasy.

This Blood Jiao was not the same one he had seen in Jiangzhou; this one was much smaller, and only of high bronze rank. Yet several crucial facts were revealed.

First, there was more than one Blood Jiao, and their appearance was indeed related to him.

When it gave up the chase and looked skyward, Wu You realized this connection.

Fortunately, the Blood Jiao’s sense of detection did not seem particularly precise; otherwise, it might have leapt from the water directly toward his hiding place.

Understanding this, Wu You felt somewhat reassured.

Let us suppose, then: there may be several Blood Jiaos, perhaps even capable of reproduction.

Perhaps, when he first entered the Eastern Domain, one or more of them sensed his presence in some vague fashion, which explained why, after so long unseen, they had begun searching along the Tiansha River.

But they did not truly know what their target looked like—only that they were sensitive to certain characteristics, such as the focus of his observation mode.

And what did the system mean by recommending their elimination?

System prompt: Due to factors such as the influence of slaughter, mental stimulation, native alchemy, and the impact on local power structures, synchronization rate has increased. Biological authority elevated to Bronze.

Mission prompt: Nemesis (I)