The Unhallowed Monolith loomed in the distance, its metallic side glistening with the orange hues of dusk. The surface of the lake reflected Heaven’s Eye, and its orbiting shards hummed with radiance, preparing to light up the dark night.

  Both Shuren and Ming had taken off their robes, using the fresh water to clean their cuts and wounds. The young Silvent girl was deep asleep, using their flying nimbus as a bed. Though the assistance of a Rank 1 healing pill helped stop the blood flow, their wounds were still tender and easy to reopen. Shuren and Ming both took out a medicinal salve, made of White Cherry Tree resin, alongside a mix of other ingredients made by the sect healers.

  Bearing with the pain, Shuren helped administer it on Ming’s left shoulder blade. Ming likewise did the same for Shuren’s back, where three deep knife cuts were present. With this, even when cycling their Qi, the salve would gradually improve their healing over time.

  The effects of a healing pill would diminish from using it too much. At best, one or two per day would work at their level. One would have to use medicinal salves, get a check up from the sect, and in the future, make use of Talispirits and a higher grade Talisbody to improve physical injury regeneration. Both Shuren and Ming were at Iron Talisbody, and could only improve it to Silver Talisbody once they broke through to Path Foundation.

  And the only way to improve the grade of your body was brutal training and exercise. If you wanted to be fancy, unique spas were capable of inducing similar effects, but the Seven Clouds Sect had nothing of the sort yet. When he thought back to the sword rain bath in his old home, Shuren shivered for a moment.

  Once Shuren tied a ripped piece of cloth around his left calf, he once again wore his dirty robes. “Ming, you lucky son of heavens, you’re only one stage away from being at the bottleneck to Path Foundation.”

  Shuren winced when Ming patted his back. “If you want, I’ll carry all your change of clothes and underwear. I’ll offer my space storage services for a hundred spirit jades a day!”

  “What makes you so confident you’ll break through to Rank 2 before me?” Shuren said, chuckling with Ming. Their jubilant mood gradually dulled, once Ming wore his cut robes once more.

  “So, that thing that popped out. What kind of technique did she cultivate to harbour a living worm?” Ming sat down at the bank of the lake, breathing in rhythm as his shoulders relaxed. The sharp pain was still there, but at least now it was healing.

  “I doubt anyone would willingly learn such a technique, especially one that would force its user to die. It’s some twisted kind of poison.” Shuren said, and Yijun’s corpse flashed in his mind. For whatever reason, she decided to betray her sect and divulged whatever information she could.

  It sounded like a Restriction Oath. Restriction Oaths ensured you wouldn’t betray or break a specific rule. If you did break the rule, you would receive a backlash.

  In this case, the woman had died for daring to tell Shuren information on the demonic sect.

  There was also a vocation for them, known as Restrictionists. Mainly found amongst Lexis Path cultivators, they helped facilitate alliances and deals between groups.

  Shuren had never heard of a Restriction Oath that manifested with a tangible form, alongside being inserted in a host’s body like a parasite.

  “That worm might act as a Restriction Oath, but it clearly has other abilities. I saw it cut open that woman’s tongue, just to ensure she wouldn’t continue speaking,” Shuren said, standing up while stretching his body. “You stay here, I’m going to check that place again.”

  Ming nodded, focusing on meditation. He needed to understand the changes in his body now that he had broken through to Stage 11 as a Rank 1 cultivator.

  It was time to wrap up their missive.

  They had found the origins of the flare; leading to the deaths of the pair leading the caravan. They had killed all the demonic cultivators in the vicinity.

  All that was left was to investigate the scene more thoroughly.

  The cave had collapsed in such a way that a natural entrance was formed. How convenient. Shuren stepped down the fallen dirt, and saw one of the corpses. The first opponent they had killed, someone who didn’t even realise his death. His expression was that of agony, and his hands continued to clutch the bloodied cut in his heart. And all the blood that once surrounded him had long disappeared.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Shuren felt no sympathy. The first thing he noticed when he broke in was his sword bloodied from killing the caravan couple.

  But this man truly was pathetic. Because of his confusion and lack of attention, Shuren was able to scout for the cavern with ease.

  Candles fell across the floor, alongside the shattered pieces of dull carnelian shards. Shuren stood near the severed corpse of the Rank 2. He ripped the dead man’s shirt off, beginning his work. If there was a spatial ring, he could bring it back to the sect for further investigation. Shuren patted down the man, checking for any signs of a necklace or hidden pocket.

  Nothing.

  There was absolutely nothing. Not even a hidden pocket. Even his battle axes were crafted of ordinary steel. Shuren moved a few steps away, heading to the lower half. Surely this time there’d be some luck.

  Nothing again. He checked the pockets, inside the boots, and spit at the floor once he gave up.

  The stench was almost getting unbearable. Corpses didn’t exactly smell great, and this man didn’t look like he had showered in a long while. Shuren didn’t bother stripping the corpse naked.

  He didn’t wish to stoop that far, at least that’s the thought Shuren comforted himself with.

  A dim amber crystal lay undisturbed on the table. A jade transmission slip. Shuren placed it in his robe, planning to hand it back to the sect. They might’ve had some ability to analyse its use and message inscribed.

  Finally, Shuren walked towards the bundle of ornate wooden boxes, neatly stacked in the corner. It was a good thing they didn’t end up destroying it during the fight, a potential lead for their investigation.

  “What’s this paper? It's slightly burnt.” Shuren grabbed it. It had a slight scent of oil. His eyes opened up before he smirked. “Fools, you’re meant to burn these after use.”

  A letter written with oil. To the average eye, the yellow paper would be invisible, but if it was put near a source of heat, the hidden message would be revealed. It must’ve been a unique type of oil, since Shuren couldn’t see it even with his eyes, but faint marks were left after being heated.

  Rank 3 Irrev Glastfall minerals. Finely powdered. To White Eye.

  “Good evidence, with this-” Shuren tried to place it in his robe, until he felt the paper withering. In a breath, all that was left was bits of burnt paper.

  Silly trick.

  Shuren shook his head, grabbing the wooden box. Purple-blue shaved crystals were filled to the brim, and the smell of salt overcome even the stench of the corpses.

  “Glastfall… I believe that’s one of the preceding Worldfalls, the one that flows to the sky.” Shuren pondered on it for a moment before giving up. He wasn’t knowledgeable in these matters, and on what use it’d be to demonic cultivators. “Let’s collect this for now. The sect can gleam something out of this.”

  Shuren almost recalled his cloudmulet before remembering he’d already set it out. He could only lift dozens of boxes by hand, which formed an absurd tower of boxes, before carefully walking his way out. If he could control Qi to such an extent, why wouldn’t he be able to balance all of these wooden boxes in one go?

  “It’s getting dark.” Shuren placed the caravan goods near his flying nimbus, where the girl still slept. Ming approached him, before asking for any updates.

  “Anything much?”

  “You haven’t heard of a White Eye, have you? I found a letter. These bunch wanted to intercept the box of Rank 3 Irrev Glastfall minerals.” Shuren asked, but continued when Ming shook his head. “Things don’t add up. If this so-called demonic sect wanted these Rank 3 ingredients, couldn’t they just buy them off the market? Shouldn’t be hard to hide their trace.”

  “Instead they opted to intercept this delivery. I have a feeling the one’s leading the caravan aren’t so simple.” Shuren held his chin in rumination. There were still missing pieces to this matter at hand. On top of that, the couple running this caravan had a unique cloud flare linked to the Seven Clouds Sect.

  The sect didn’t give him the full picture, clearly. Someone must’ve known the matter behind the deceased parents of the Silvent girl.

  “Here I was thinking that family was looking to migrate to Cloud City. Why they chose to do a delivery and take the whole family, kid and all, doesn’t make sense.” Ming glanced towards the girl that began to rouse, before sighing. “Let’s leave it to the sect, since we don’t have enough clues.”

  Ming readied his flying nimbus. Auroras danced amongst the sky, illuminating the world with just a hue in the dark.

  “Wait. I promised the child to take her to their resting place. And…” Shuren glanced back to the collapsed cave.

  Ming rolled his eyes. “Fine, we’ll bury them. Didn’t think the guy that killed the demonic cultivators bothered enough for that.”

  “It’s not just that. If they have any comrades nearby, they can still take the souls and bodies. Those demonic cultivators don’t let the dead rest in peace.”

  After all, these demonic cultivators had died for their sins. It was better to have their souls go back to the grand river of reincarnation, to be reborn once more. If a Nekron Path cultivator came here, it was like giving rotting meat to a swarm of flies.

  For until the body was laid to rest, their souls and corpse could be tampered with. For that was the last dignity of the deceased. The Testament of Death.

  But when Shuren returned back down, and faced Yijun’s corpse, his eyes shook like scattered leaves in the wind.

  “That dead worm. It's gone!”