“The undead?! As in, vampires?” Cade asked, not even trying to hide his surprise.

  As a child, his mother had told him stories about vampires. They were scary, but also a little thrilling. However, as far as he was aware, nobody he met had ever seen one. If not for Master Lao Ren mentioning them once, he’d be convinced vampires weren’t creatures of the night but rather figments of imagination. Apparently, he had been talking to the wrong people.

  “Yes, Senior. Vampires are among the worst, most despicable creatures on this earth. I’m not sure where the name originates from, but my mother told me it means ‘malicious being’. It perfectly describes their nature,” Lucy nodded, her voice hardening, yet there was still a slight tremble to it. Her emotional fluctuations hinted at both fear and grief.

  Cade realized that standing on the doorstep wasn’t the best way to get to know someone, and it was definitely not a good place to discuss any serious matters.

  “Apologies, Lucy, my manners are terrible. I’m a peasant, so please dispense with the bowing and calling me Senior. I’m Cade.” He took out a small, brown package from his red ring. “I brought excellent tea. Why don’t you steep some leaves for us and tell me a little about yourself? After all, we’ll be seeing each other a lot.”

  “Ah, of course, Senior, gladly,” Lucretia bowed slightly.

  “Cade,” he smiled lightly, handing her one of the small packages.

  “Senior Cade,” Lucretia offered him a shy smile in return, her expression finally softening. She took the package with both hands, bowed, flinched after remembering he told her not to, then sheepishly disappeared into the house.

  Not seeing much point in staying alone outside, he followed in her steps. The servants had their own access token, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to do their job. However, not all areas in the house were accessible to them. After stepping into the building, Cade looked around curiously. He had never been inside a noble house, but he imagined it wasn’t much different from this. The walls were straight, covered with dark, polished wood, giving the place a more homely aura. All the furniture was of high quality, smooth, with rounded edges. He walked around, checking what amenities were available and opening the curtains to let the light in.

  The house had a separate kitchen area, a privy, and two bathrooms - a smaller one upstairs, and a larger one on the ground floor. The main room was furnished with cushioned benches, chairs, and two tables—all very well-made.

  There were two rooms upstairs. Behind the first door was a spacious bedroom with a huge bed that could easily fit four people. He looked into the wardrobe and found several brand-new sets of black martial robes. He took one, changing on the spot.

  The second room was quite different. The outside walls were covered with mithril plating—its silver-yellow hue unmistakable—and engraved with defensive and privacy formation circles. Behind its thick doors—likewise reinforced with mithril—was a large windowless cultivation chamber, also doubling as the disciple’s private quarters. This was the one area in the house that only he could access. After taking a peek inside, he nodded with satisfaction, finding it nearly three times the size of his entire outer court quarters.

  Cade had a vague idea about the price of mithril—it was one of the hardest, toughest metals he knew about. It must have cost an absolute fortune to outfit 400 houses with mithril-plated cultivation chambers.

  His house was really everything he could possibly need. It was perfect. This could be his new home.

  “Senior, the tea is ready,” Lucy spoke in a soft voice, despite being on another floor. Cultivator senses were a lot more sensitive than a mortal's, and they rarely had to shout at each other. He was still expecting people to raise their voice when calling him, just like his mom always did.

  He walked downstairs and entered the main room, where Lucy was standing next to a polished wooden table with a small azure kettle in her hand.

  “Thank you. Please pour yourself a cup and let’s get to know each other,” Cade smiled, pointing at the chair on the opposite side, thinking she might be more comfortable with a little bit more distance between them.

  “Thank you, Senior Cade,” Lucy bowed her head just barely, struggling to act without deference. She was still a little tense but not nearly as much as when they met outside. Maybe she was expecting him to be another cocky noble like Tiarsus. She poured tea into azure cups, then brought one over to him before sitting down.

  “Can you tell me a little about the Death Dao? It’s all new to me,” he said, taking a sip and gesturing for her to try the tea.

  Lucy lifted the cup to her lips, taking a tentative taste. The moment she swallowed the liquid, her eyes grew to the size of saucers.

  “Senior…” she clearly couldn’t find the words, her hands shaking slightly.

  Suddenly, Lucy sprang up, performing a bow at the waist towards him.

  “Senior, this is too much. This tea is far too precious for someone like me. My cultivation… it’s been stagnant for many months,” she began to explain, her eyes welling up. “And just now… just now it moved, after one sip...” Her voice cracked, a tremor running through her words. She was one step away from a full-on cry.

  “Please, sit down and enjoy this tea with me. If you like it, drink as much as you want and don’t say ever again you’re not good enough for a mere cup of tea. In the meantime, you can tell me a little about the Death Dao. How does that sound?” Cade smiled gently.

  “Thank you, Senior. Thank you very much.” She quickly dried her eyes with a linen handkerchief, sitting down and trying her best to regain composure. After a brief pause, she began speaking with a much steadier voice.

  “Death Dao is what they call themselves. In essence, their structure is that of a huge sect. Carpathia is separated from another chain of mountains—which are called the Dead Mountains—by a huge valley. Those mountains are now considered one of the worst danger zones in the eastern part of the continent, with the valley being the only thing separating us from… them.”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “How long have they been living there?” Cade asked.

  “As far as anyone remembers. Thousands upon thousands of years.” Lucy took another small sip from the cup, and her eyes lit up with pure joy. The tea had limited effects on second-tier cultivators, and for someone like Jade, it offered little benefit. However, for Lucretia, a few cups could likely allow her to break through the bottleneck and advance her cultivation to the seventh stage of Qi Saturation.

  “How does their cultivation work? Do you know?”

  Lucy gave him a hesitant nod. “A little. Our elders know a lot more than I could ever learn, as they’ve been studying them for ages. But living there for the first fourteen years of my life, I’ve learned some things. The Death Dao are divided into three tiers—the ghouls, which are reanimated corpses, are the lowest group. Whether it’s a beast or a man, it can be turned into a ghoul. What gives them a semblance of life is the death worm—a being of pure death qi that does not belong in this world. I’m not sure how exactly that works. I’m sorry, Senior.”

  He suddenly recalled the putrid werecat. That thing had no life signature and was clearly under the influence of some unknown qi.

  “Cade. Please call me Cade. I think I’ve met a ghoul before. It was a wretched, unliving thing surrounded by some kind of dark energy.”

  Lucy’s brows jumped. “That’s it! That was definitely a ghoul!” she exclaimed. “They are terrifyingly strong. The fact that Senior Cade has survived… It’s a miracle. Many ghouls are known to tear through late Skeletal Reinforcement cultivators with ease. Fortunately, they can’t fly, otherwise we’d all be in huge trouble.” Her eyes flashed with both fear and awe.

  “That was it then. Thank you, this actually explains a lot. I always wondered what that thing was. But tell me, what did you mean by the worms not belonging to this world?”

  “Our elders say that death worms were brought here from a place where death is another form of life. This is all I've heard. I’m sorry for not being of much help. I know I’m not as knowledgeable about these matters as I probably should be,” she blushed with embarrassment.

  Cade found the concept both baffling and fascinating in equal measures. Eager to learn more, he dismissed her concerns with a gesture, offering Lucy an encouraging smile.

  “It’s fine. You’re still very young, so how could you know everything? You’ve already helped me to understand one mystery,” he smiled gratefully. “Please continue. Who’s above the ghouls in the hierarchy?”

  “Above the ghouls are the half-dead. These are living people who have had a death worm implanted into their bodies. It’s a very painful process. With the worm’s assistance, they can cultivate both spiritual qi and death qi,” Lucy answered, her voice solemn.

  “Why would anyone do that? What are the benefits?” Cade frowned inwardly. It did seem like accepting a death worm was something that'd put one in opposition to every other living thing.

  “Senior Cade, the half-dead are no different from humans on the outside. We’re not able to tell when a person has been infected. Death worms are very good at concealing themselves; not even Soul Avatar elders can detect their presence. Only by searching the brain for the worm can it be confirmed someone has become a half-dead. This is why they make perfect infiltrators - they're undetectable, while having access to abilities that spiritual qi cultivators do not possess. With death qi, they can make themselves stronger, tougher and a lot faster. Even the ghouls are known for their incredible agility, as I’m sure the Senior has experienced himself. On top of everything, death qi gives them access to death arts.”

  Infiltrators? What if... No, first I need to learn more.

  “I’m guessing these death arts are quite effective?” Cade asked.

  Lucy nodded, and her face tensed.

  “The most treacherous are techniques that control the mind. My father told me that our immortal souls grant us powerful defenses, which normally protect our minds from outside influence. Death qi is very good at bypassing those barriers.”

  “Let me guess, we can’t detect when someone is being controlled either?” Cade thoughtfully scratched his chin. He could already tell the Death Dao was a very serious concern. He couldn’t believe he was learning about it only now. Half-dead who can’t be discovered and could control others around them? What a nightmare to deal with.

  “Yes, Senior Cade. That’s exactly the problem. But fortunately, cultivators in the Soul Avatar and Soul Body Integration realms are very difficult to control. Anyone below them though…” Her words hung in the air, and Cade saw her eyes glisten. A lone tear fell on her cheek, but the girl quickly wiped it away. “I’m sorry, Senior Cade. It’s just that… My family was taken by the undead. I was the only one who managed to escape.” Her voice began to crack, and despite trying her hardest to maintain composure, Lucy started sobbing.

  Cade sighed heavily. “I’m so sorry, Lucy. My parents are dead, so I know how it is to have no one in this world. At least now you’re here, and you’re safe.”

  Lucy nodded, wiping her eyes. “Senior, I’m very sorry…” she wanted to offer her condolences, but Cade gently interrupted her.

  “I know you sympathize, and I truly appreciate it. This is a violent world we live in. Would you like to talk about your family?” He really would rather listen to her than talk about his parents, especially his mom.

  Lucy hesitated for a moment before decisively shaking her head.

  “Thank you, Senior Cade. It’s best if I don’t burden you with my past, as we’ve only just met and I’m your assigned servant. You gave me this wonderful tea and…” her voice started breaking, but she promptly composed herself. “Should I continue with telling you what I know of the Death Dao?”

  “Only if you want to,” he said, giving her a small, encouraging smile. There was no rush.

  Lucy took a deep, calming breath.

  “At the peak of the Death Dao stand the vampires, though they call themselves the Blessed Dead,” she continued. “They are the half-dead who have cultivated into the fourth tier. I don’t know much about them, other than they are incredibly powerful, cruel, and view our lives as a resource to them. The half-dead are their disciples. Each vampire usually has dozens of half-dead under his control. Oh, and they avoid sunlight, this much is true.”

  Cade frowned as he pondered this new information. The Death Dao sounded like a force directly opposing his own life cultivation, and an ominous feeling crept over him. Being a half-dead would perfectly explain Castien’s enhanced battle power, his diseased life signature, and my instinctual aversion to his presence. Maybe the lack of strong emotional fluctuations is a side effect of being possessed by the worm?

  He broke out of his musings, shifting his gaze to Lucy, who seemed to be greatly enjoying Master Lao Ren’s tea. Her previously tense features had fully softened, betraying a touch of delight.

  “Lucy, would you know if the death worm can affect the half-dead mentally? Say, dull their emotions or make them more callous?”

  Her pupils widened in surprise, and she promptly confirmed his suspicions.

  “Yes, Senior Cade. The half-dead slowly lose their humanity as their cultivation rises and the worm gradually takes over.”

  That’s it, I have to warn Jade. If that fucker is a Death Dao infiltrator and can control her mind, he could do whatever he wants to her.

  He quickly pulled out the monastery token and entered his realm of consciousness to send her a short message. Tapping nervously at the chair frame, he awaited a response.

  Lucy shyly observed his actions, unsure of what was going on.

  There was no response from Jade's token. It could simply be that she was busy. It was early in the day, normal work hours for most outer disciples. As a teaching assistant to Sword Master Doraelous, she had more than enough on her plate. Hardly anyone responded immediately to token messages, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. And yet…

  “Lucy, what do they want from us? The undead?” he asked, a tinge of worry coloring his tone.

  The girl’s gaze instantly sharpened.

  “Our blood, our corpses, our souls—they can use everything. Thanks to their death arts, they can convert our qi to feed their cultivation and their worms at the same time. A corpse can then be turned into a ghoul. This way, they can quickly raise their realm and grow their armies at the same time. To them, we’re a perfect resource.”

  Oh, shit. I have to find Jade!