---
"Excuse me, is there anywhere to stay nearby?"
After a full day of backbreaking work and absolutely zero food, Divya was at the point where even gnawing on tree bark was starting to sound reasonable.
The stall owner pointed her in the right direction, and she trudged off in pursuit of sustenance.
She had barely taken a few steps when—
GONG!
She flinched. That was loud.
Turning around, she saw a procession making its way down the street. At first glance, it seemed like a wedding parade—until she actually looked closer.
The people on the road scattered to the sides, pressing against walls and doorways. Divya followed suit, blending into the crowd while peeking at the strange scene.
Yep. Definitely not a normal wedding.
The bridal sedan chair was a deep, ominous red, but everyone else was dressed in solid black. If this was a wedding, it looked less like a celebration and more like someone had misread the invitation and planned a funeral instead.
People around her whispered.
"It's a ghost cultivator's offering."
"I wonder which poor girl they've taken this time… How pitiful."
"Shh! Keep your voice down. Those ghost cultivators are insane. They kill without hesitation. If they hear you—"
As if on cue, the eerie procession came to an abrupt halt.
Silence fell over the street.
Divya tensed. The people around her stiffened. It was like a game of "Who Can Breathe the Quietest?"—and everyone was determined to win.
She swallowed. Okay… Maybe if I just stay still, they'll move along…
The problem was—
They weren't moving.
Instead, the group stood completely still, as if sensing something. Their heads tilted slightly—like bloodhounds catching a scent.
And unfortunately, Divya had the distinct feeling that the scent in question was her.
Great. Just great. All she wanted was food. Now she was possibly on the menu.
One of the men at the front of the procession turned toward Divya, narrowing his eyes.
"Hey, beggar."
Divya's eye twitched. Wait. What did this bastard just say?
She really, really wanted to argue, maybe even throw a shoe at his head. But, you know, fighting a lion in its own den? Not the best survival strategy. So, instead, she forced a smile—one of those slightly trembling, I'm-so-scared-please-don't-kill-me smiles—and made her voice as obedient as possible.
"Yes, my lord?"
The man sneered at her like she was a particularly ugly stain on his robe. "Sit in that sedan."
Divya blinked.
Wait. What?
Her brain short-circuited for a moment. Does this guy think this is some kind of movie? Was she just supposed to nod and go, Oh yes, my lord, I'm so very terrified, let me just casually climb into this extremely suspicious sedan chair!
Her blank stare must have annoyed him because the man clicked his tongue and added, "Sit in there, and you'll get 500 gold coins."
At that, Divya's skepticism wavered slightly. 500 gold? That was… a lot. But did they think her life was so cheap that she'd risk it for money? Did she look like an idiot?
She opened her mouth to deliver a sharp refusal—
The man raised his hand. "700 gold coins."
Divya didn't even hesitate.
She practically teleported into the sedan chair, settling herself in like royalty.
Smiling brightly, she clasped her hands together. "As you wish, my lord."
It wasn't because Divya loved money. No, no—she wasn't that shallow.
She was just… curious. Purely scientific interest, of course. How often did one get the chance to experience what it was like to be part of a ghost cultivator's sacrificial offering? It was practically a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. (Or maybe more accurately, a once-before-lifetime-ends opportunity.)
Meanwhile, the onlookers shook their heads in collective pity.
"What a stupid child."
"This poor beggar has no idea what they're getting into."
The ghost cultivator leader, standing tall and ominous, sneered inwardly. What an idiot.
Tricking this little beggar was almost too easy. Did they really think he'd just hand over the money and let them walk free? Hah. Those 700 Gold coins? They were just being temporarily stored with this fool—right up until their inevitable demise.
Poor kid.
Too bad they were about to be very dead.
As soon as Divya sat in the sedan, her eyes caught sight of a small pouch tucked in the corner.
Huh.
She picked it up, turning it over in her hands with suspicion. It was oddly light—so light, in fact, that she tossed it in the air a few times and caught it effortlessly. Is this thing empty?
Still skeptical, she pulled the pouch open—and immediately froze.
Inside, it was filled with gold.
Divya blinked. Wait… what? She shook it a little. It still looked full. But when she moved it in her hands, there was no weight to it at all.
How much gold is even in here?!
Then, like a delayed slap to the face, realization hit her.
Oh, right. This is a cultivation novel.
With a dramatic sigh, she smacked her forehead. Of course! She had heard about these kinds of pouches before. High-level cultivators carried them, using them as portable storage for ridiculous amounts of treasure.
Naturally, she didn't have one before. Why? Because she was a certified, government-approved useless fool in this world. No way someone like her would've owned something this valuable.
But now? Oh-ho-ho. Now it was hers.
Divya tucked the pouch securely into her clothes, a sly grin curling on her lips.
If someone asks for it back, well… she could always beat them senseless.
After all, she was already sitting in this suspicious sedan with no clue where it was headed. If fate decided to toss a little gold her way, who was she to argue? Consider it a payment for her potential sacrifice or just really, really good luck.
With newfound enthusiasm, she stuffed her own box into the magical pouch. It was strangely satisfying watching the oversized box disappear into something so small. These cultivation tricks were starting to grow on her.
Settling back, she decided there was nothing else to do but wait—and maybe catch a quick nap. If she was going to face doom, she might as well be well-rested for it.
After about twenty minutes of swaying and jostling, the sedan came to a halt, the wooden poles thudding as they were set down on the ground.
Divya stretched her legs out, yawning. Alright then, she thought, let's see what fresh hell awaits.