Year 147, Month 9
"Healer Chen, the Void Dragon has summoned you to his inner sanctum. However, He mentioned that you should take your time, as you will be returned to your village afterward," announced Jiliang Hui'an, the red-robed sorceress. She offered him a formal clasped fist with a slight bow, which Shangsong mirrored in return.
"Ah, thank you, miss," Shangsong replied, realizing that his time at this rather intriguing compound of Dark Gods might be coming to an end. He couldn’t help but think of the 500 gold coins stashed away in the strongbox back in his room, with another 2,000 to follow. Not bad for a healer who'd stumbled his way into the Void Dragon’s favor. He’d have plenty of riches to tide him over, even if that glowing bikkhuni back in Sanou kept offering free healing services. After all, healing magic was really just forced regeneration--it still left plenty of space for proper medical work and treatments. Patience would serve him well.
"We still have plenty of time," Jiliang Jiying chimed in, glancing over at Shangsong. "It’s not yet sunset, and we’ve a long autumn night ahead of us."
Shangsong caught the implication immediately. "We’ll ride under cover of darkness, won’t we?"
"Precisely. To avoid being tracked, we’ll detour northwest and take a completely different route back to Sanou," Jiying confirmed.
"I understand, Sorcerer Jiying," Shangsong nodded, clasping fists with the man.
Taking a deep breath, Shangsong handed his bag of medical equipment and medicines to the men who had accompanied him, before following Hui'an toward the Void Dragon's inner sanctum.
"So, Sorceress Hui'an, I couldn't help but notice your eyes," Shangsong said with a polite tone, making casual conversation as they walked. Her crimson eyes glanced back at him, amusement flickering across her face.
"Ah, these?" she said with a neutral yet slightly wistful expression. "I inherited them from my late mother’s side. Crimson eyes of the Huli Jing. A rare trait--my brother doesn’t even have them."
"Huli Jing? You’re part Yaoguai?" Shangsong asked, genuinely surprised. Is that meant Yifei is part Yaoguai as well?
Hui’an let out a delicate laugh, covering her mouth like the noble lady she was. "Not exactly. But who knows? Perhaps there’s some real Yaoguai in the family line somewhere. My mother’s clan is the Huli Jing, surname Huli. If you’ve heard of Empress Daji, we’re her descendants from the last kings of Shang. My ancestors moved beyond the Black Trees to avoid the Zhou rebellion."
"Ah yes, the Legend of the Yellow River," Shangsong said, smiling as he recalled the ancient tales of Shang and the Investiture of the Gods. "When the Jade Emperor decided to help Jiang Jiya to--"
"We remember it as the time when that dumbass Yuhuang gained prominence because his pawn Jiang Jiya managed to outmaneuver Shang royalty," Hui'an interrupted, smiling with a hint of amusement. "He usurped the Eastern Heavens earlier, that dumbass who depends on his Mother's connections."
Shangsong blinked. Did she just call the Jade Emperor a dumbass? "Uh... What?" He was completely taken aback.
Hui’an, still as composed as ever, added, "Hasn’t the Void Dragon told you? He’s the original Shangdi."
"What?" Shangsong was now thoroughly confused. How was this polite sorceress casually insulting the Jade Emperor?
"Don’t worry, Healer Chen. There’s no such thing as transcendent gods here," Hui'an said, her tone formal but light, as if discussing something as mundane as the weather. "The gods of Light that people revere like to pretend they’re transcendent and all-knowing, but the truth is they’re just powerful immortals. And even immortals can be killed."
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Frauds and Idiots
PrzygodoweA Medical Genius meets a Cursed Maiden, and soon getting involved in a Divine Conflict as he saved a Dark Archon' that's actually more comical, kindhearted and honorable rather than evil. He even gave the two task to babysit his daughter, another Ar...
