Xin lighted an oil lamp. Tu Qiang pulled master Taowei towards the group, who gathered inside of a circular room fifteen meters deeper into the tunnel. It was spacious enough for everyone to sit down, and had several other tunnels leading away from it.
"Let me see." Xin touched master Taowei's abdomen. "Well, his core is cracked and can't be repaired, and is leaking materials into his body. He'll die if I don't remove it."
"We already had one master die on you. Think it's doable?" Lei asked.
"My mom was a rank two master who broke her core, she told me how to do this. Never tried, though." Xin ignored his unnecessarily caustic comment.
"She broke it... herself?"
"Hush. I need to get to work."
"Guys, there is something I'd like to say, though." Lei's voice sounded very calm, even if he struggled for breath.
"Sure. Shoot it. Bloody hell..." Murong Zhan was still catching his breath, and was injured on top of this.
"Master Taowei is rank two, but once his core is broken, he is just a qi active mortal, with meridian damage on top. He might be a big drain on our resources if we invest too much into him. We need to think about how to allocate our resources to ensure our survival."
Tu Qiang nodded, then spoke:
"I get what you're saying. Still, he is our master, and there are some materials in his bag of holding. If we're stuck here for days, he can break through once he recovers. Everyone, how hurt are you?"
"Meridians fucked. Foot twisted. Emptied my water flask already, and I'll soon need more…" Lei said.
"I am fine, I just need some time to rest." Xin answered while examining master Taowei's wound. Looks terrible, if not for that rare medicine, he'd be dead already.
"Injured here and there, nothing serious, but need to rest, too. I'll thank my uncle for the armour if I survive this." Murong Zhan added.
"I'm also fine." Tu Qiang said. "What about you, Yao Nang?"
"I can do without Xiaoyun's healing for now, I'm regenerating slowly.. Sister Xiaoyun, how are you?"
Wu Xiaoyun was dead quiet, sitting in a corner, her hands covering her face. There was a moment of awkward silence in the room.
She raised her eyes slightly, and responded in a weak voice:
"I am not injured. Meridians damaged. Need to recuperate before I use any of my healing powers."
Xin sighed. And she wanted to eat another spirit stone? She'd be dead now.
"Noted. I'll stabilise master Taowei, but then you'll have to perform a wooden qi injection to kill off the excess earth qi. For now, he'll get by with the pills I'll give him. Understood? I'll prepare a water qi extract for you to heal your meridians once I get some free time."
"Yes, Xin. I'll... help bandage everyone, I am not sure if I'll be able to use any more techniques today."
"Listen, everyone." Xin announced. "We'll apply master Taowei's medicine to everyone as your meridians recover. Right now, most of you can't take any of it, it's mostly some potent blood restoration and wound mending stuff, meant for earth physiques. I'll try and dilute it for everyone later."
After getting the metal spike out of master Xiaowei's thigh and applying potent enchanted medicine to heal the injury, Xin performed a supply and equipment check, all while preparing the reagents for master Taowei's procedure. Apparently, everyone but Yao Nang dropped their firewood sacks. Lei lost his backpack, but not his bag of holding.
Yao Nang lost her weapon and Murong Zhan dropped his backpack, too. Tu Qiang kept everything, and so did Rui Ming, but his blade was covered in dents and was barely usable.
Overall, the situation is quite dire, Xin concluded.
"We'll talk about water and firewood later. I need to work on master Taowei. Anything else, guys?"
"Yes." Tu Qiang added. "Think the iron mantis can... destroy the stones. Master Taowei said it can drill through the blockage."
Xin could feel his stomach drop. Right, he said it before fainting.
"Well, I don't hear it drilling. Look, you know what I think? It has to have some limitations on its stamina, it can't just run marathons and work the mines like a human. We are endurance runners, these creatures aren't. Being made of metal, it should have its weaknesses, and I suspect stamina might be one of them." Xin speculated, of course.
"Well, it's an earth path environment, a perfect place for it to recuperate. And its master surely has some methods, right?" Tu Qiang was worried about underestimating their opponent.
"Well, Xin shot him, and I also got him good. You heard his screams, don't think he was faking it." Lei said. "Truth is, it shouldn't be too hard for him to recover, but at least this should spread his resources thin. Xin, is he a yaoguai?"
"Of course. He called us humans, remember? He is a mantis, I think. That angular face, green eyes, bug control abilities, what else would he be? He looks very young for a human rank two master." Xin was mixing up a concoction as he said this.
"Well, what if you're also a mantis? This would explain a lot, you even fight like one! Maybe that's why you are so afraid of women! Hahaha, gotcha, motherfucker!"
"Lei..." Xin sighed as he sucked the concoction in with an enema. "Guys, please don't stare or react weirdly. That's just a medical procedure." He pulled off master Taowei's pants.
"Eww. Smells like he already shat himself." Lei went into the opposite corner of the room.
"Well, he did. His bowels relaxed when he fainted, it's only natural. Would be worse if he didn't shit himself." Xin wasn't too squeamish.
He had to perform the procedure, so he focused. He knew every step in advance, and this made him enter flow state, holding all the different things he was about to do in his mind. Xin couldn't measure the ingredient weights properly, and had to rely on his eye judgement and quick math he performed in his head, but it was one of his strength as an alchemist, so he wasn't too worried.
First, he dissolved a blood-stopping pill in water and carefully fed it to Master Taowei. Then, he administered a syringe filled with a mixture of wood qi into his liver area. Finally, he resorted to using an enema, emptying a full flask of water. Water — our most precious resource right now, by far — and I'm wasting it inside of some old man's asshole! But we've got no choice.
Next — gelatine, mixed with fish oil, rubbed all over his body like an ointment. Then, focus on pulling the dao shards out of the core's aperture. Wait, he only has two? One has a rank one aura, and another is rank two. Curses. He put master Taowei's shards into his pocket, he'll share them with Tu Qiang later, if necessary.
An unconscious master was squirming, vomiting, shitting himself and sweating, his face twisted in agony, but Xin didn't care. He even pressed master Taowei's bladder with his knee, forcing the patient to pee himself. Need to cleanse his body, or he'll die.
"I'll go explore down the tunnel, I'd rather not be here." Lei stood up and limped further, into the second hole in the wall. The other group members were just sitting, confused, trying to distance away from what they were hearing and smelling.
"Be careful out there, brother." Said Rui Ming.
"Got anything useful to say?" Lei kept limping away.
"That's it, guys. He is reinforced, his earth qi is drained. I've done my part, it's up to his body now." Xin gave everyone his conclusion. "Tu Qiang, prepare the breakthrough materials for him. He might want to perform it once he recovers."
"Fine. I am not sure he'll be in a state to do this, but some of this stuff takes a day to get into shape, so I'd better start now. I'll work on the stone blockage after I sleep. Unless the mantis wakes us up, of course."
Xin stepped away from master Taowei's body. Well, he saved us, didn't he? For all his faults and flaws, he did what needed to be done. How long will that blockage last us? Are we trapped here? He contemplated in silence for quite some time, until Lei returned.
"Guys, I am back! There is a whole tunnel complex here, it seems. We should explore it, maybe we'll find something? There is a bigger room down the tunnel, let's make it our hub. We could always return here if the mantis decides to break in."
"Sure." Murong Zhan answered. "But guys, something bothers me."
"What does?" Yao Nang scowled.
"Well, the hole we entered through, it can't even fit a proper mining cart. What's the point of this entrance, then? And it connects to some tunnel system, isn't it weird? Still, I haven't heard of any raids happening in these tunnels, so it's probably not them… You know."
"Them?" Yao Nang was confused.
"The bonemen." Xin said. "They dig tunnels to bury their dead. Except their dead don't lie and rest, they haunt such underground caves, consuming all that's living. But this tunnel entrance didn't seem too hidden, the travelers would have sealed it long ago if it was dangerous. Unless..." Xin tried to come up with some scenarios for why this tunnel would be unsealed.
"Unless what, brother?" Murong Zhan was creeped out.
"Forget it. Stay alert at all times. I doubt it's the bonemen, but we can't be too careful." Xin felt his mind lose its sharpness, the stress and exhaustion were finally catching up with him.
Everyone moved into a bigger room. It had several tunnels leading out of it, and had a pile of big rocks leading to a smaller tunnel near the ceiling. In the centre of this room, there was a small puddle, filled with water, with lots of mushrooms growing around it.
"Can we drink this water?" Lei asked.
Xin had no time to perform a test, so he dipped a finger into the puddle and licked it.
"Well, we can, but we'll get sulphur poisoning."
"Shit. Could you clean it somehow?" Lei sounded upset.
"Yes, I've got some chlorine. I'll need firewood. And time. Tu Qiang, I wanted to talk to you in private."
"Of course, disciple Xin." Now that the dust has settled, he realised his seniority and tried asserting his authority.
"Master, could we go down this corridor?" Xin played along. For now, he thought. We'll soon be equals.
They went into one of the empty corridors, mindful of being potentially attacked, and made sure there was no one there.
"It's master Qiang when in public. Got it?"
"Yes, master. I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"Master Taowei's bag of holding. It should hold various treasures, not even speaking about the supplies we are bringing to Zadana."
"Did you forget? We are grabbing a delivery there, we are barely bringing anything. Anyway, keep going."
"I... Actually forgot. Sorry. Anyway, my point still stands. We need to use anything useful from that bag to our advantage. While everyone heals, I'll try and set up the field lab. Everyone else should explore. Carefully. This type of cave usually has at least some predators lurking around."
"Xin, we aren't taking master Taowei's private things. Or sect belongings. That's not in the rules."
"Are you fucking crazy?" His voice became louder, and he worried the other people would hear them, the acoustics of this place were pretty suitable for sound travel. He calmed down. "Think again. We need to use every advantage we can gain, every opportunity we can seize, or we're fucked. There is a rank two yaoguai there, along with an iron mantis we have no means of harming. I wanted to talk with you in private, because I knew how you'd react. So I am giving you face by saying this here. By the way, I guarantee that Rui Ming, Wu Lei and Murong Zhan will support me if you disagree."
That was a not so subtle threat, but Xin didn't mind it. He was appalled. Why did he even have to argue about such stuff?
"Look. We'll wait for master Taowei to wake up. If he doesn't wake up after a long night's sleep, we'll return to this conversation. For now, we are playing by the rules."
"You are ridiculous. We are carrying you through this whole thing, don't wave your dick in front of our faces, 'master'."
"Oh! I am still in charge here, you are forgetting yourself! And don't forget about the rank difference, too, I won't go easy on you like in spars."
"Fucking try me, you retard!" Xin's eyes were bloodshot, and he started shouting. "I am saving all of your fucking lives here! It's not my fault that retards like you can't use their fucking brains! It's not my fault outrider Lu got himself killed in such a pathetic manner!
Where would you be without me? So how about you listen?"
"Shit, you are truly losing your marbles. This conversation is over. Let's get back."
The duo returned to the camp. Everyone looked at them with an embarrassed expression. They knew what happened, it was impossible not to hear Xin's shouting.
"I was about to run up to you. Were you guys about to fight?" Rui Ming looked concerned.
"No, we are fine. Xin is just losing his shit. Look, guys, I know that mines make people uncomfortable and claustrophobic, we need to make sure that our fear isn't controlling us. Let's avoid infighting."
"Losing my shit? Claustrophobia? I just think your decision is retarded, and I am telling it to your face. Spill the fucking bag, if there is anything useful there — we'll use it. I've got no time to lick your ass."
Tu Qiang raised his eyebrow. So, Xin won't drop it? What a hassle, this kid.
"Again. We'll wait for master Taowei to wake up. We aren't breaking the rules. I wasn't instructed to do what you are saying. That's a crime, don't you get it? My order is to wait. Focus on recovery."
Rui Ming looked at his friends. It was hard to see the facial expressions amid a fairly faint lighting, but he felt the pressure rising in the air.
"Hey, Tu Qiang. You know, I am also a rank one master." He said. "I don't know this politics thing, but you can't ignore my counsel. Think you should do what Xin says."
Xin sighed in relief. It's over.
Tu Qiang considered his options. He stared at this wind path freak, who could probably fight him on equal terms before the breakthrough. He remembered making jokes about this "weirdo" in his circle of friends. The threat he presented to him was far from funny now, and he made a choice that he hated.
"I have to take a fellow master's opinion into account. We'll discuss disciple Xin's punishment after this thing concludes. Let's investigate the bag."
"I can't believe we wasted time and energy arguing about this, guys." Yao Nang said from the corner of the room. "Please open the bag."
Tu Qiang rolled his eyes. That bitch.
"Where's Lei?" Xin asked.
"He's got night vision. He went to scout the area." Wu Xiaoyun answered.
"Isn't he limping, out of qi and with stressed meridians?"
"Yes, but you know how he is. Xin, I wanted to say something to you..."
He felt a certain feeling rise up in his chest, so he blocked it off and stared at her with a blank expression.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for setting me straight in that fight. I'd die and get others killed, too. Let's make Su Xing's sacrifice worth it."
Huh? Is she in love with me? Xin's heart started beating faster and faster.
"That's not relevant right now. We were talking about the bag, let's investigate it." Xin noticed Wu Xiaoyun frown in disappointment.
Tu Qiang opened the bag and carefully put its contents on the stone floor.
"Here, look. A bunch of documents. Useless to us now, and I am not revealing them anyway. Earth path materials, enough for a rank one breakthrough. Could use them to reinforce our metal path guys if things go badly. This here, a blaze blossom extract. Fire path material, probably for restoring the earth qi. Two exploding black mud balls - earth path weapons, susceptible to qi enhancement and explode on impact, covering everything in qi active mud. Ten spirit stones. That's it."
"Seriously? That's it? Curses." Murong Zhan sounded more disappointed than when he actually got stabbed.
"Yes, sadly. Seems master Taowei isn't very rich. Or he kept his resources home, and only grabbed the essentials.
Xin could hear Lei returning before everyone else did.
"Everything alright?" He called out to him.
"Seems so!" Lei entered their hub a minute later. "Xin, you'll have to look at that. I haven't found any hostiles, but there's this space with a big tree root growing from the ceiling, and the whole room is covered in weird plants. Seems right up your alley."
"That's probably the root of one of the deep forest's ancient trees growing above. Their root system grew deep enough to penetrate into the cave, and now this root emanates enough energy to change its environment."
"Good, maybe you could drain its juice to make some wood path... Things?" Lei didn't have enough knowledge to formulate a proper idea.
"I'll need to take a closer look. We need to explore further. But for now, how about we rest?"
"Could you take a look at my foot first?"
"Are you trying to seduce me, Lei?"
"Yeah, with its smell. Check it out." He took his boot off, and exposed his swollen foot.
"Hmmm. You'll be alright, it's sprained a bit, this caused the swelling. I'll give you an ointment, it will get better. Wu Xiaoyun will remove the joint injury once she recovers."
"Cool. It's nice to have a friend like you, man."
"It's nice, indeed." Xin smiled.