Chapter 58 – Encountering Wei Yuan Again
Wei Yuan was a pitiful demon. This entire exam went wrong ever since she got involved with Xu Miao.
Her real identity as an oni had been found. Though she managed to get away from Xu Miao, she was trapped in the golden beacon array with four other cultivators.
The four girls ended up taking out the knives from the reward boxes and tried to kill each other, including Wei Yuan. Fortunately, she managed to get out of the array after one of them had been stabbed to death.
Her streak of bad luck didn't end. Because she decided to follow the trail of burnt trees, she ran into the blue ents.
Then, she fell into a hole and almost got buried alive. Fortunately, she found an underground cave and decided to seek shelter inside.
The exit or entrance hole was, of course, destroyed by a landslide. The blue tree monster used its roots to dig the soil and cover it, trying to ferment its victim to become its fertilizer.
'I heard from grandfather that blue ents betrayed our clans and drove us back to the human world. So, did this monster realm used to be our sanctuary?'
Wei Yuan didn't stop analyzing the realm even though she was not in a good spot. Despite the streak of bad luck, she was calm and level-headed. She didn't give up trying to survive in this cruel world since she had seen worse.
As Wei Yuan was exploring the abandoned mine, she heard loud noises.
"Your majesty, do you know the exit?"
[Huh? I thought you know the exit?]
"Err, I fell into this shithole by an accident. I thought you knew about the mine layout."
[I'm a fucking sword! Remembering a freaking useless map of this mine is none of my business! Now, gimme all those juicy weapons! I want to eat that!]
They were the voice of Xu Miao and an unknown child. The noise echoed in the tunnels, which made it hard to pinpoint where it came from.
Wei Yuan wanted to shout and request for help. But when she recalled Xu Miao's unfriendly attitude, she changed her mind.
'I shouldn't get involved with him anymore. I should search for an exit on my own first. If push comes to shove, I'll throw away my ego and ask for help.'
Wei Yuan didn't need to summon fireballs to illuminate the way since her eyes could see everything in the darkness. Her red eyes glowed in the dark as if she was a predator beast.
Wei Yuan found several dead bodies in the mine, but she wasn't afraid. After identifying the age of these corpses, she was relieved.
'These monsters might be the betrayers that drove our clan out of this land. Did they fight against the stragglers here?'
As Wei Yuan searched for an exit, she also took a rusty pickaxe, using it as her primary weapon. She prepared herself in the case that there might be other monsters or demons inside the mine.
After walking further inside the abandoned mine, Wei Yuan found a giant hall and ten more tunnels. One of them led to the upper floor while the rest of them led to unknown places.
Without hesitation, she tried to climb the stairs to the upper floor. It was logical to get back to the surface by moving upward.
But as she walked up, the ceiling trembled.
*BOOM*
A tree root suddenly penetrated the ceiling and grabbed another corpse of a dead monster. When the root shrunk back, rocks and brown soil fell from the leaking ceiling, blocking the passage upward.
Wei Yuan gazed at the tree root in shock.
'That blue ent is eating the corpses here, so this might be its feeding ground. I must have fallen into one of its farms.'
Realizing the danger of this place, Wei Yuan made up her mind. Instead of trying to getting back on the surface, she looked for a path to get further down.
After all, all cultivators would be teleported back in 2 days. Wei Yuan was still carrying her food and water supplies that she had obtained from the beacon, so she was confident that she could make it.
Wei Yuan turned around and picked another random passage.
As she was about to leave the hall, a miniature fireball illuminated the light in one of the tunnel, and the fireball was coming her way.
"!!!"
Wei Yuan hid in a corner. She activated a body strengthening technique and prepared to fight if necessary.
*Tok* *Tok*
Footsteps got closer. More mini fireballs arrived at the hall, and the owner of these light appeared.
Xu Miao was walking alongside a floating katana. They were looking around for an exit as well.
"This place is larger than the previous shithole. Let's camp here."
[I think there should be a passage to an exit from here… Ah, crap. That shitty tree has destroyed it.]
"It's fine. I'll be teleported out of here in 2 days."
[Hey! Take me with you!]
"I know. Just, let me touch you when it happens."
[You make it sound pervert. Do you want me to castrate you!?]
"I used the wrong words! I mean, I need to hold your handle, so I can bring you with me!"
[…]
Xu Miao and the mysterious talking sword seemed to be on friendly terms. They chatted and messed with each other like children.
Wei Yuan observed how the two interacted. Yet, she kept hiding behind a line of ore craters, peeking them from the gaps.
"…"
Suddenly, Xu Miao and KQ stopped talking. Both of them disappeared from her sight.
Wei Yuan frowned and tried to look for them. As she was about to raise her head to peek over the craters, the ghost sword already pointed its tip at her face while Xu Miao was holding the handle.
[What are you doing here, little oni!?]
"Oh, it's you."
Xu Miao and Killer Queen found her.
.
.
.
Xu Miao, Wei Yuan, and KQ made a make-shift fireless camp at the center of the hall.
The sentient katana and Xu Miao stared at Wei Yuan as they were listening to her story.
"So, that gold beacon is a trap to lure cultivators in there. Then, they forced you to kill each other to earn your freedom?" Xu Miao summarized Wei Yuan's story.
Wei Yuan confessed, "Yes. When we sat there and cultivated, we obtained both Yin and Yang Qi from the light, and our score increased over time. There were prepared food and water for us in there, but no one could get out unless one of us died. Well, we ended up killing one of our friends."
"That's stupid. You could have stayed there for 3 days and enjoy the freebie. Why did you kill your friend anyway?"
"I didn't have a choice. One of them suddenly attacked the others and tried to steal our supplies. We had to defend ourselves."
"Then, you ran into that monster tree…"
"… Yes. I was heading to another beacon, but that tree was on the way."
Wei Yuan couldn't stop glancing at the floating sword, which released dark strings that had been absorbing dark Qi from rainbow bones.
Xu Miao could see Wei Yuan's concern. He introduced KQ to her, "This is Killer Queen, a sentient sacred weapon of your old clan."
"I-I know her. The legend said that she was a guardian of our oni clan, but she was destroyed during the demon uprising incident."
Wei Yuan was already nervous when she was alone with Xu Miao. When she heard that the lost guardian was with him, she got intimidated.
[Hey, little oni!]
"Y-Yes?"
KQ didn't care about Wei Yuan. Her attention was on the box that her ex-master had sealed.
[Do you know how to open this sealed box? Hey, HOOMAN! Give it to her!]
Xu Miao tossed the hand-sized grey cube to Wei Yuan, "Your clan's guardian said that it contains several treasures inside. If you can open it, we'll share some of them with you."
[Hey! All treasures are mine!]
"If we can't open this shit, none of us can use them. Give her some commissions, or we'll get nothing in return!"
[Meh, fine! I'll give each of you one piece! As for the rest of them, they're my food, okay?]
"Deal!"
As Xu Miao understood the difference in strength between KQ and himself, he didn't hesitate to accept a disadvantageous deal. Surviving took priority over trying to gain benefits.
KQ was happy with Xu Miao's flexible attitude. She forgave him for the earlier quarrel.
On the other hand, Wei Yuan was confused. She wondered what kind of relationship her clan's ex-sacred treasure and Xu Miao had.
Still, Wei Yuan recognized the grey cube.
"Ah, this is just a simple spatial box of our clan. We can open it by dropping our blood and used our clan's finger technique."
"Finger technique?" Xu Miao was curious. His pupils sparkled.
"No puns intended! It's a Qi technique!"
"Oh," Xu Miao was disappointed.
Wei Yuan gathered her demonic Qi in her right index finger. She bit the tip of it and dropped her blood on the cube box.
When the blood dripped on the cube, it glowed in golden light and revealed a circular symbol.
Wei Yuan put the bloody finger on the symbol and activated her oni skill.
Pearl Cleansing Finger!
Fortunately, Xu Miao didn't know the name of this technique, or his brain might guide him to the wrong path.
Her fingertip shone in silver light. The grey cube turned white, and it splitted into two. As soon as the cube was unsealed, a hundred shining items burst out of the box like a fountain. Spears, swords, bows, armors, rings, helmets, clothes, refined demonic stones, and manuals filled the hall.
Seeing that the seal was unlocked, Killer Queen laughed.
[You two! Take one item of your choice! I'll let you pick your thing first, and I'll consume the rest of them later!]
Wei Yuan bowed toward the talking katana and looked around. When she noticed a shining green robe, her eyes widened in shock.
"I-I-I'll take that one!"
The oni girl rushed to the robe and picked it.
[Your turn, stupid hooman!]
"…"
Xu Miao rolled his eyes and shrugged. Since he would be using KQ as his personal weapon, he looked for artifacts, trinkets, and armors.
Then, his eyes stopped at a certain item.