"Thank you for your time," she said, forcing politeness into her voice as she ushered out a burly, ill-mannered man who claimed his greatest qualification was "breaking knees real good." "I'll... consider your application."
As the door closed behind him, Su Lan Yi leaned against it with a sigh.
[YOUR RECRUITMENT PROGRESS IS ABYSMAL, HOST. TODAY'S CANDIDATES INCLUDED ONE THIEF WHO TRIED TO POCKET YOUR GINSENG, TWO DIVINE HEALING SECT RIVAL CLAN MEMBERS, ONE MAN WHOSE ONLY SKILL WAS COMPETITIVE EATING, AND THREE PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T TELL MEDICINE FROM MANURE. PERHAPS WE SHOULD LOWER OUR STANDARDS?]
"Or raise them," Su Lan Yi muttered, pushing away from the door to begin her closing rituals. "I'd rather have no allies than incompetent ones. Cultivating alone teaches you that much, at least."
The shop was quiet now, the last rays of sunset painting the herb jars with golden light. Su Lan Yi moved methodically through her closing routine—counting the day's earnings, recording sales in a ledger, and checking inventory. The tasks were almost meditative, allowing her mind to wander back to her immortal cultivation days when routine had been as essential as breathing.
"Tomorrow's another day," she told herself, though without much conviction. "Perhaps I'll have better luck finding allies who aren't obviously terrible."
[CONSOLATION ATTEMPT NOTED. LIKELIHOOD OF TOMORROW'S CANDIDATES BEING ANY BETTER IS 12%. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SUGGEST ALTERNATIVE RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES? PERHAPS KIDNAPPING TALENTED INDIVIDUALS AND FORCING THEM TO JOIN US? VERY VILLAINOUS! OR BUYING SOME FROM THE VILLAIN SHOP? OH, NO, WAIT… WE DON’T SELL THOSE.]
"Absolutely not," Su Lan Yi hissed, though part of her found the suggestion darkly amusing. "Just because I'm supposedly the villain doesn't mean I need to act like a complete monster."
[WAIT... SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT.]
Su Lan Yi's hands stilled over the herb cabinet she'd been locking. "What is it?"
[DETECTING ANOMALOUS PRESENCE IN THE SHOP. SOMEONE'S HERE... SOMEONE WHO SHOULDN'T BE.]
Su Lan Yi straightened slowly, her senses—dulled by her current limited cultivation base—straining to detect what the System had noticed. The shop appeared empty, the shadows lengthening and stretching as the daylight faded, but nothing seemed amiss.
"Where?" she whispered, her right hand sliding subtly toward a pouch of emergency powders tucked in her long sleeve.
[BACK CORNER, NEAR THE RARE INGREDIENTS SHELF. I'M DETECTING TWO HEARTBEATS. ONE HUMAN, ONE... SOMETHING ELSE. STRANGE SPIRITUAL ENERGY SIGNATURE—LIKE NOTHING IN MY DATABASE.]
Su Lan Yi maintained her casual posture, continuing to tidy up as if nothing were wrong while her eyes scanned the corner the System was talking about. There was nothing visible there—not even a shadow that seemed out of place. Either the System was malfunctioning, or their visitor was exceptionally skilled at concealment.
After a moment of consideration, Su Lan Yi decided on a direct approach.
"You know," she said conversationally to an apparently empty shop, "most people make appointments during business hours. Sneaking in after closing is considered quite rude in most cultivator shops."
Silence answered her, but Su Lan Yi noticed the faintest disturbance in the air near the corner shelf—like heat rising from stones in the summer, or steam rising over hot water, distorting what lay behind it.
"I'm afraid I must insist," she continued, casually moving to extinguish the front lanterns, leaving only a single light burning in the back of the shop. "Either reveal yourself or leave. The third option involves a taste test of my newest paralytic powder, which I've been eager to try on something larger than a rat."
For three heartbeats, nothing happened. Then, like ink spreading through water, a figure materialized from the shadows—a woman dressed in close-fitting black attire, her face partially concealed by a half-mask that covered her from nose to chin, similar to what Su Lan Yi’s veil did. Only her eyes were fully visible—sharp, calculating, and currently widened in what might have been surprise.
"Most people can't detect me when I use the Shadow Meld technique," the woman said, her voice carrying a hint of grudging respect. "You're extremely lucky."
"Not really, no," Su Lan Yi replied calmly, though her fingers remained poised to throw the powder if necessary. "I'm extremely old. There's a difference. Are you here to kill me?"
The woman tilted her head slightly, studying Su Lan Yi with newfound interest. "That's an unusual claim for someone who appears to be in her prime cultivation years. And no. How would someone like me kill an Immortal?"
[INTRUDER IDENTITY ANALYSIS: HIGH PROBABILITY THIS IS LIN MEI, THE "MIDNIGHT WHISPER." RENOWNED ASSASSIN, SPECIALIZED IN UNTRACEABLE ELIMINATIONS OF HIGH-VALUE TARGETS. CURRENT BOUNTY ON HER HEAD: 2,000 GOLD FROM THREE DIFFERENT MAJOR SECTS, INCLUDING BLOOD MOON. THREAT LEVEL: EXTREMELY HIGH. RECOMMENDATION: DON'T ANTAGONIZE!
BACKGROUND: SHE WAS A MINOR SIDE CHARACTER WHO TRIED TO KILL BAI LIANHUA IN THE CANON, BUT EVENTUALLY ENDED UP AS HER FAITHFUL HELPER. DIDN’T SAVE HER FROM DYING AS CANON FODDER, THOUGH.]
"Appearances can be deceiving, Lin Mei of the Midnight Whisper," Su Lan Yi said, watching with satisfaction as the woman tensed at the use of her name. Good. Names held power. "Now, shall we discuss why one of the cultivation world's most sought-after assassins is hiding in my humble medicine shop? I doubt you're here for arthritis cream."
The assassin's posture shifted subtly, one hand moving to a bundle secured at her waist—not a weapon, Su Lan Yi noted with interest, but something she was protecting.
"You know who I am," Lin Mei stated, "yet you're not reaching for a talisman to summon the city guards. Why?"
"City guards would be useless against you," Su Lan Yi said practically. "Besides, I make it a policy not to judge people based on their professions. Some of my best friends in my younger days were professional murderers. Excellent conversationalists, if a bit intense and bloody."
A flicker of amusement crossed Lin Mei’s eyes. "You're fearless, then. Not lucky."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
"I'm pragmatic. If you wanted me dead, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Since we ARE talking, you must want something else. The question is, what?"
Lin Mei hesitated, then slowly reached into the bundle at her waist. Su Lan Yi tensed, ready to dodge if necessary, but what the assassin withdrew wasn't a weapon.
It was a small, furry creature.
"I need your help," Lin Mei said, cradling the tiny animal with unexpected gentleness. "I was told the Medicine Immortal could heal any ailment. Does that extend to animals?"
Su Lan Yi approached cautiously, peering at the small bundle of white fur, muddied and covered in dirt. It appeared to be a fox kit, no larger than a teacup, its breathing shallow and labored. A deep gash ran along its side, the hair matted with dried blood.
[CREATURE IDENTIFIED, HOST. THAT’S A GRUDGEBEARER FOX, UNIQUE TO THIS REALM. EXTREMELY RARE, HIGHLY INTELLIGENT, CAPABLE OF REMEMBERING BOTH KINDNESSES AND SLIGHTS FOR GENERATIONS. OFTEN SOUGHT BY CULTIVATORS FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL CORES, WHICH CAN ENHANCE MEMORY-BASED CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES.]
"A Grudgebearer Fox," Su Lan Yi murmured, instinctively reaching for the injured creature. "Where did you find it?"
Lin Mei surrendered the fox kit with surprising willingness. "In the eastern forests, three days ago. I was... working... when I came across it being attacked. The attacker fled when I approached."
"This isn't a normal injury," Su Lan Yi observed, gently examining the wound. "The energy signature is unusual. Almost like—"
[WARNING: VOID ENERGY DETECTED. SIMILAR TO THE VOID ASH SAMPLE HEI WUYA SHOWED YOU. WHATEVER WOUNDED THIS CREATURE WAS USING SOUL CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES.]
"—soul cultivation," Su Lan Yi finished, her expression grave behind her veil. "Bring it to the back room. Quickly."
Lin Mei followed without question as Su Lan Yi carried the fox kit to her consultation room, clearing space on a table and gathering supplies with practiced efficiency. The assassin stood awkwardly to one side, her usual grace momentarily abandoned as she watched Su Lan Yi work.
"Will it survive?" she asked, and there was something in her voice—a vulnerability perhaps—that seemed at odds with her fearsome reputation.
"That depends on how quickly I can neutralize the void energy before it consumes the kit's spirit," Su Lan Yi replied, crushing herbs with focused intensity. "Hold this light steady."
For the next hour, Su Lan Yi worked in silent concentration, applying poultices, administering tiny drops of medicine, and channeling what limited spiritual energy she could muster into the fox kit's wounds. Lin Mei assisted without complaint, following directions precisely and asking no questions—the mark of someone accustomed to high-pressure situations requiring absolute focus.
As Su Lan Yi worked, she noticed something odd about the fox. Occasionally, as her hands passed over its fur, she felt... a ripple. As if something else briefly shimmered beneath the surface.
[ANOMALY DETECTED IN FOX'S PHYSICAL STRUCTURE. MOMENTARY FLUCTUATIONS IN ITS FORM. MOST PECULIAR.]
At one point, as Su Lan Yi's fingers brushed against what should have been fur, she distinctly felt... feathers? She paused, frowning behind her veil.
"Did you see that?" she asked Lin Mei.
"See what?" The assassin leaned closer, her eyes narrowed.
"Nothing," Su Lan Yi muttered, continuing her work. Whatever was happening with the fox kit, addressing its immediate wound took priority. The strange fluctuations could be investigated later.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the kit's breathing stabilized, and the black tendrils of void energy retreated from the wound edges, leaving only superficial wounds.
"It will live," Su Lan Yi announced, wiping herbal residue from her hands. "Though it will need continued care for at least a week."
Lin Mei's shoulders sagged slightly with what appeared to be relief. "Thank you," she said simply.
Su Lan Yi observed the assassin with renewed interest. "You went to considerable trouble for a small forest creature. Most in your profession aren't known for their sentimentality. You, too, are not who you portray yourself to be, Midnight Whisper."
A shadow crossed Lin Mei's exposed features. "I have my reasons."
"Which include tracking down whoever did this, I imagine?" Su Lan Yi gestured to a small seating area. "Perhaps it's time you told me the whole story."
Lin Mei hesitated, then slowly took a seat, her movements betraying more exhaustion than she'd previously allowed to show. She reached into a concealed pocket and withdrew a small jade vial, placing it carefully on the table between them.
"Do you know what this is?" she asked.
Su Lan Yi didn't need to open it to recognize its contents. "Void Ash. The residue left behind when someone performs prohibited soul cultivation techniques."
"Yes." Lin Mei's expression hardened. "I collected this from the attacker's last victim before I encountered the fox. A farmer near Willow Creek Village—or what remained of him."
Su Lan Yi picked up the vial, turning it slowly in her fingers. The moment her skin made contact with the jade, a flash of memory—not her own—seared through her mind:
A young girl, battered and bruised, running through darkened streets, the pounding of her heart drowning out all other sounds. Behind her, a hooded figure moved with unnatural speed, hands outstretched and trailing wisps of blackness that seemed to devour the surroundings air. The girl stumbled, fell, looked back in terror as the figure loomed over her—
"Are you well?" Lin Mei's voice snapped Su Lan Yi back to the present. The assassin was watching her with narrowed eyes.
"Yes," Su Lan Yi replied, setting down the vial with more care than necessary. "Just... remembering something similar I encountered long ago."
[UNUSUAL MEMORY FRAGMENT DETECTED. ACCESSING HOST BODY'S RECORDS... INCOMPLETE DATA? APPEARS TO BE FROM SU RUOLAN'S CHILDHOOD, BUT HEAVILY FRAGMENTED. WAIT. WHY ARE THE MEMORIES OF THE ORIGINAL HOST INCOMPLETE?]
"The perpetrator wore a hooded robe," Lin Mei continued after a moment. "Dark gray, with no sect insignia or identifying marks. I couldn't see their face, but their technique..." She shook her head. "I've been an assassin for fifteen years. I've seen all manner of killing methods. This was different. They weren't just killing the body; they were consuming the soul."
"And the fox?" Su Lan Yi prompted.
"I believe it was next on their list. Grudgebearer Foxes have potent spiritual cores—valuable additions for someone practicing such abhorrent techniques. I may be an assassin, but consuming another’s soul? The thought makes me sick."
Su Lan Yi nodded slowly. "This aligns with information I recently received from other sources. There have been similar incidents reported in Blood Moon territory."
Lin Mei's eyes sharpened. "You're working with the Blood Moon Sect?"
"I have an... arrangement with certain individuals," Su Lan Yi replied carefully. "We're investigating these occurrences. Don’t worry. I couldn’t care less for the bounty on your head."
"Then perhaps our interests align." Lin Mei straightened, her professional demeanor returning. "I've been tracking this soul sucking cultivator for two or three weeks now. They've left a trail of victims across five provinces, both human and spiritual beasts. The pattern suggests they're growing more powerful with each feeding."
"And you came to me because?"
"Your reputation is spreading quickly, Medicine Immortal." Lin Mei's eyes held something like respect. "They say you possess knowledge that transcends conventional understanding. Knowledge that might help identify who—or what—is behind these attacks."
Su Lan Yi considered the assassin for a long moment, before a small smile graced her lips, hidden behind her veil. "I may be able to help, but information exchange works both ways. What do you offer in return?"
Lin Mei’s eyes curved into crescents. "My services, for a start. I believe you've been recruiting? I can be more valuable than a knee-breaker or a common thief."
[OFFER ANALYSIS: HAVING A SKILLED ASSASSIN ON YOUR TEAM WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE OPERATIONAL
CAPABILITIES. PROBABILITY OF BETRAYAL: MODERATE, BUT MANAGEABLE.
RECOMMENDATION: ACCEPT WITH CONDITIONS.]
Before Su Lan Yi could respond, though, a light tapping came from the shop's back door—three quick taps followed by two slow ones. Hei Wuya's signal. The same Hei Wuya whose Sect had a reward on the head of the woman with her.
Spiritual Cores (灵核 – Líng Hé)
The concentrated essence within spiritual beasts. Grudgebearer Foxes possess cores that can enhance memory-based cultivation techniques.
Soul Cultivation (灵魂修炼 – Línghún Xiūliàn)
A forbidden practice that harvests life force from victims. The perpetrator tracked by Lin Mei isn't just killing bodies but consuming souls for power.
Memory-Based Cultivation (记忆修炼 – Jìyì Xiūliàn)
Techniques that enhance or utilize memory for spiritual advancement. Grudgebearer Fox cores are particularly valuable for practitioners of this specialized path.
Void Ash (虚空灰 – Xū Kōng Huī)
The residue left behind after soul cultivation techniques. Lin Mei collected this from a victim, and contact with it gave Su Lan Yi a disturbing memory flash that wasn't her own.
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