122 Blowing Off Steam

Cha Ming was restless. He had spent the past two weeks practicing his talismans and cultivating, but unfortunately, increasing his strength in this method would take time, time he didn't have. After mastering the most basic least-grade talismans, he knew that the limitations in his qi cultivation would make mastering others an arduous process that would take months or years.

Cultivation, Cha Ming thought. It's all about increasing my cultivation base. If I don't increase it, I can't progress in talisman crafting, and my fighting prowess won't grow. Typically, cultivators would temper themselves with endless fighting. But he didn't have a cause to fight for; he wasn't one to fight for no reason.

This was why Cha Ming was currently walking down a seedy street. It was a fine spring day, but he barely noticed the chilly wind. His resistance to the elements had skyrocketed with his cultivation realm. He was now immune to normal weather temperatures and day-to-day fatigue. As he walked, he saw several shivering figures—beggars. The type that couldn't support themselves.

I should really do something about this, he thought. He had given money away money to beggars in the past, only to see it stolen away by organized crime within minutes. If I want to help these people, I first need to protect them.

He entered a run-down restaurant that was suffering from lack of business, the type that most people wouldn't want to frequent. The moment he entered, the owner was fawning over him like no one ever had—this was the discrepancy in their status. After a quarter hour of negotiations, his bag of holding became a few spirit stones lighter.

Their arrangement was simple: He would feed the homeless people outside for the next month. The funds Cha Ming provided included enough to hire extra staff and mercenaries to keep the peace. Cha Ming would return in one month, and if he saw that the money was being wisely spent, he would keep the restaurant perpetually occupied. The only cost was that the inn had to cast away what little reputation it had. The inn's owner was in dire financial straits and couldn't help but agree to his proposal. And while Cha Ming knew that a certain amount would be embezzled, his status as a master artist would limit this expenditure through fear.

This small business settled, he entered the Mercenary Guild beside it. It was filled with honorable and unsavory characters alike, most of which were huddled around tables over drinks. They were discussing their upcoming missions.

"May I help you?" a large mountain of a man asked Cha Ming as he approached the wooden desk.

"Where can I find mission postings?" Cha Ming asked.

The man pointed him to a large jade tablet that contained various shifting lines of text. "Just project your incandescent force into the mission wall, and you will be able to view all available postings," the man said.

Cha Ming nodded and did just that, quickly browsing through the hundreds of missions.

There were many types available. Some involved killing beasts that had been causing issues; others involved clearing out bandit dens or bringing murderers and thieves to justice. Other postings requested guards for merchant caravans or temporary guards for businesses. Virtually any type of posting was available.

But what Cha Ming was looking for was rather specific. In his limited experience, it seemed that the devils were unlikely to be handled by the army, which meant that such cases could only be handled by the Mercenary Guild.

Mission #4950671: Eliminate the Silver Mountain Thieves. One early-foundation-establishment cultivator, eight ninth-grade qi-condensation cultivators, and other miscellaneous troops. Robbed a merchant caravan carrying important medicinal herbs. Reward: 1,000 mid-grade spirit stones. Will pay for recovered medicinal herbs at wholesale price.

Mission #4950679: Rescue Baron Ling's Daughter. Baron Ling's daughter was abducted shortly after her engagement ceremony. Reward: 20,000 mid-grade spirit stones for successful rescue. Additional reward of 10,000 mid-grade spirit stones if culprits are captured.

He sifted through these various missions. Most of them seemed like virtuous outings, but his eyes couldn't help but flicker toward the small percentage of yellow-stained cultivators in the room. There were also cultivators who emanated a light jade glow.

Mission #4950684: Eliminate the Swiftwind Bandits. These bandits have been plaguing Goldbar County, plundering farmers in unprotected areas. Strength is unknown. Reward: Can only offer either 10,000 mid-grade spirits stones or equivalent wholesale value in local ore production.

Note: While strength has not been determined, these cultivators are unusual. They have extremely strong bodies, some of which shine like jewelry-grade gold.

It was no mystery to Cha Ming what these bandits were. He had fought with gold-based devil cultivators on two occasions now. Reward or not, this was exactly the type of mission he was looking for. It was an opportunity to strengthen himself while fighting for a just cause.

"I'll take Mission #4950684," Cha Ming said to the man at the mission desk. The man nodded and retrieved the mission jade Cha Ming would return to the issuer upon completion of the mission.

"Are you sure you want to accept this mission?" the man asked. "Two early-foundation-establishment cultivators accepted this mission as a team. They have a very high completion rate, so I'm not certain if the mission will still be open by the time you arrive."

"I'm sure," Cha Ming replied. The man shrugged and passed him the jade. The Mercenary Guild did not require membership and made its money by taking a commission for completed missions.

Cha Ming exited the Mercenary Guild. On his way to the city gates he passed the restaurant where he'd left funds. It was packed full of local homeless people enjoying their first hot meal in who knew how long. While there wasn't much Cha Ming could do to help them, these meals would present them hope and an opportunity.

As for how many would grasp it, he hadn't the slightest idea.

***

Cha Ming's fleeting form dashed across fields of melting snow. Every footstep he took left cloudlike runes instead of footprints, which vanished after only a few breaths. He only traveled for one day before reaching the destination indicated on the map—a small mountain with caves where the bandits resided. His incandescent force constantly probed his surroundings. It wasn't long before he located two other strong souls, one of which noticed him and probed back. Feeling a familiar sensation, he approached the two souls, who kept together in one group, hidden away in the woods nearby.

His figure flew into a cluster of trees. He made no effort to conceal his presence, revealing himself to the two souls, and they stepped out of the shadows to meet him. One figure was a foot taller than Cha Ming and wore a six-foot blade on his back. The other cultivator, who bore a familiar aura, had a much smaller frame. Both were wrapped in black cloth as though fearing their identities might be exposed.

"Fancy seeing you here, Xuehua," he said to the smaller figure.

"We meet again, Brother Cha Ming," she said with a gentle laugh. "I take it that you've somehow accepted the same mission as us?"

Her companion was expressionless, but Cha Ming could sense hostility in his eyes. The man's aura was not unlike Xuehua's. In fact, the layer of green jade that enveloped him was three inches thick, a whole inch thicker than his fellow talisman master.

"I have," Cha Ming said. "After seeing the details of the mission, I couldn't feel at ease leaving it alone."

"Don't you know common etiquette?" the man interjected. "One should typically accept missions that have not been claimed already. Besides, you don't know what you're getting yourself into. I suggest you leave, lest you get injured." His voice was harsh but laced with concern, as though the talk of etiquette was just to chase him away.

He might be harsh, but he means well, Luo Xuehua said. Besides, I agree it would be best if you left. Things will get very dangerous here shortly.

"I know something about this situation," Cha Ming said to the tall man. "You need not worry about my safety. But I understand your wanting to complete the mission without interference. How about this: I will tag along, but I won't interfere unless you need help. We can worry about the division of the reward after the fact."

"This…" The tall mercenary hesitated. Cha Ming naturally knew the source of his hesitation. How could one trust their back to a stranger?

"No need to worry, Senior Brother Hao," Xuehua said. "I trust his character. You trust my instincts, don't you?" She kept her eyes closed the entire time, just as she had during her talisman-master exam.

The larger man sighed. "In that case, you can call me Dongfang Hao. Pleasure to meet you." Luo Xuehua's words had mollified his attitude substantially.

The two cultivators didn't wait for night, approaching the caves through the shadows in the daylight. Cha Ming followed them from behind and observed their professional approach. Unlike what he expected, it wasn't the senior brother that led the way but Xuehua. The reason soon became apparent.

Every few dozen steps she would throw out a talisman that disintegrated on impact. The talisman revealed green lines and symbols that surrounded the area and subsequently disabled them. Cha Ming took note of their steps as he wandered through the disabled formations.

Talismans can be used in this way as well? he wondered.

Before long the trees parted, revealing a cave that was only a few hundred feet deep. It smelled a bit like smoke, and a faint light spilled out from the otherwise nondescript entrance. They had obviously intended to disguise it as an unused cavern, and they had done an impeccable job.

As Cha Ming spread his incandescent force inside the cave, he detected several hundred souls. Most of them were crammed inside a cage, but inside he saw two early bone-forging cultivators. A few half-step bone-forging cultivators, and a mixed bag of eighth- and ninth-level body cultivators were busy roasting food, sharpening blades, and doing physical-training exercises.

They should be able to handle these forces, he thought. He hid inside a shadow at the entrance.

Under the supervision of his soul force, the duo barged in. Luo Xuehua's talismans struck the walls, disabling their protective formation. Then her bulky companion charged at them, lashing out with his gigantic blade. He cleaved apart a half-step bone-forging cultivator in a single strike.

The two bone-forging cultivators transformed upon seeing the duo. Their skins hardened, and they charged toward the two cultivators separately. One of them blocked the massive blade with his bare hands, barely taking any damage. However, Xuehua's senior brother chuckled and broke his blade into hundreds of tiny swords that all began attacking the golden man ferociously. He could only fend off some of the various blades while defending against Dongfang Hao's knuckles, which were now coated with a silvery film. Cha Ming's eyes widened in surprise when he saw that the man was a dual bone-forging, foundation-establishment cultivator. It was this strength that granted him the confidence to face one of the bone-forging cultivators alone.

Meanwhile, Xuehua danced lithely amongst the dozens of other body cultivators. Talismans flew out from her hands at a steady pace, each of them striking and disabling one of the weaker cultivators. Once all the lesser cultivators were frozen solid by her icy talismans—which Cha Ming recognized as the least-grade Ice Cage Talisman—she threw three other talismans at the bone-forging cultivator assigned to her. The instant they struck him, his golden skin corroded. This was a lesser-grade talisman called Instant Rust Talisman. It transformed the man's skin into a powdery white substance that shed away as he moved.

It seems like they truly don't need my help, he thought. It looks like they really don't care about the reward. Xuehua used about 40,000 mid-grade spirit stones' worth of talismans to take care of all these opponents. Are they like me, people who can't stand these devil cultivators?

As Cha Ming was deep in thought, he barely noticed as a fierce, brawny figure darted into the cave. He was twice as large as a normal man, and his ochre aura was overwhelming.

Middle-foundation establishment!

"It's a trap!" Cha Ming heard Xuehua shout as he automatically moved to intercept the creature. It didn't take long for him to arrive inside the cave. Xuehua and her senior brother were currently being beaten back by the middle-foundation-establishment creature. Xuehua tried her best to fight back using a silver sword to complement her talismans. However, each talisman that she sent disappeared as it struck the abomination's enormous body. Its skin seemed to be covered in a layer of bark, which easily absorbed the water and frost energy that the talisman delivered to it.

Cha Ming, run! The mental projection came from two voices simultaneously.

No need, Cha Ming sent back. I can hold back this strange devil for thirty breaths. Can you eliminate the others in this time?

They nodded in response. They were in dire straits, and if nothing changed, this place would be their grave.

Cha Ming used his enhanced Seven Cloud Steps and his Stormchaser Boots to dart across the open chamber. He slapped a Hardening Talisman on his chest as he drew his staff out and used it to block a meaty fist. Ligaments tore as his muscles fought to hold on to his Clear Sky Staff.

So powerful.

He threw a Resistance Talisman at the abomination, slowing it down barely enough for him to avoid the next block and interrupt its movements. Unfortunately, the effect lasted only for two breaths.

Is it an elemental-restraining effect? he wondered. Then, looking at the place where the creature's fist struck him, he noticed the shield covering his skin in this area had disappeared.

The golden men are aligned with the gold element, Cha Ming thought. This wooden man, for lack of a better word, is aligned with wood. In that case…

Cha Ming's eyes gleamed as he threw a Five-Fire Cremation Talisman at the monstrosity. It roared as its skin, which Xuehua's saber couldn't pierce, began burning layer after layer.

Furious, it glared at Cha Ming, spreading out a green aura from where it stood. The aura turned into a maelstrom, which instantly began weakening Cha Ming. As he weakened, he felt his opponent grow stronger.

Dongfang Hao, this creature has a wood-based affinity. Use your sword, and we'll attack it together!

The large man, who had been attacking the others in conjunction with Xuehua, threw out his sword and began attacking the large creature. Countless blades ripped apart the creature's skin and muscles, directing the creature's ire to the much larger opponent.

"Your opponent is me!" Cha Ming yelled. He threw out two talismans. The first was another Five-Fire Cremation Talisman, which covered the creature in five layers of flames, while the other was the Nine Blades, One Dao Talisman. It pierced deep into the creature's body at nine different points as Cha Ming willed.

He didn't stop there. In an effort to further split the monstrosity's attention, Cha Ming lashed out with his Sword Staff Art. It wasn't as incisive as Dongfang Hao's hundreds of blades, but it added to the constant sapping of the monster's vitality.

"Now you've done it!" the monster roared in a voice that seemed entirely too human. "I hate giving up my food more than anything!"

Cha Ming stared in horror as a giant mouth appeared on the creature's stomach and began spewing out a corrosive dark green liquid. Dongfang Hao seemed to see this coming and darted out while maintaining his assault with the hundreds of flying swords. Cha Ming jumped away as well, using his Stormchaser Boots to hover off the ground. As a result, he was only affected by the corrosive fumes that fled from the acid pool.

Unfortunately, the pool was directed at Xuehua, who had been systematically destroying the wood devil's golden allies. Cha Ming swiftly used Seven Cloud Steps to jump around the wood devil and produced two Five-Fire Cremation Talismans, throwing them into the rapidly expanding acid pool. They weren't as effective as when attacking its body, but the two talismans set the acid pool ablaze, causing it to halt its advance.

Xuehua, seeing that the threat was nullified, used her flying sword to swiftly decapitate the two remaining gold devils. Their heads and bodies shattered with her icy strike and crumbled into piles of gold dust.

Can you buy me a two-breath opening? Cha Ming shouted mentally.

Dongfang Hao, who now had much greater respect for Cha Ming's capabilities, nodded in acknowledgment and threw out eight golden pillars. They crashed into the ground, forming a barrier around the wood devil.

"Eight Sealing Pillars," Dongfang Hao shouted. "First seal, silver!" One of the pillars glowed with silver runes. "Second seal, copper!" Reddish lines covered the next pillar. "Third seal, cobalt!" Blue runes activated. With every additional pillar activation, Cha Ming saw the wood devil shivering under their suppressive powers.

Looks like it's my turn, Cha Ming thought. He quickly used his boots to push off into the air above the wood devil. He threw out his remaining three Nine Swords, One Dao Talismans. Twenty-seven blades transformed into three, plunging quickly toward the wood devil. Cha Ming simultaneously threw a Crumbling Talisman at the devil. He knew that, as a wood element being, it would naturally suppress the earth-based poetic talisman.

Cha Ming didn't pause as the talismans traveled. He quickly pushed himself back to the ground. Using his powerful body strength to swing the Clear Sky Staff, which was now twenty feet long and a foot thick, he executed the largest Sword Staff Art he had ever attempted. The large staff was coated in a silver sheen as it bore down on the wood devil, whose pupils narrowed.

"Fourth seal, iron! Fifth seal, aluminum!" Dongfang Hao shouted. Two more pillars lit up, forcing the wood devil's arms to remain still rather than defend its vulnerable head.

Cha Ming exerted all his strength to take advantage of the opening. As his staff traveled, three swords struck the wood devil's thick skin consecutively, shattering eleven barky layers.

His five-thousand-jin staff bent as it struck the monster's head. Its edge was sharp and thick. It used the momentum generated by its wide arc and its absurd weight to lodge itself into the monster's thick skull. Then it proceeded through the skull and through the chest until it hit something hard in its stomach. Despite not having reacted when struck on the head, it howled in pain as its stomach was breached.

Dongfang Hao, attack its stomach! Cha Ming sent, abandoning his staff and jumping into the air. He threw his last Five-Fire Cremation Talisman into the gaping wound.

Simultaneously, Dongfang Hao gathered the hundreds of blade pieces into one and charged with all his strength. His blade turned golden as he stabbed toward the singular point that Cha Ming had indicated.

With one last howl, the monstrosity collapsed, leaving the three cultivators alone with piles of gold dust, sawdust, and over a hundred prisoners.