NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29 - Black Widows
Dong ZhenKang couldn't help himself. No matter how hard he tried or how much he reprimanded himself. How many times had he forcefully ripped his eyes from the Hu girls home. The same one he gifted them. How many times had he caught himself staring.
It was addicting to spy on them. Watching from his perch above everything else in the world like some esoteric sage. Protect what had been his future investment. There were many a hyena and wolf among the bandits. Some stronger than others.
He felt his chin rise. Acting much like he had seen the Hu ancestor do. Hoping that type of arrogance and distaste for everything around him would help his cultivation.
This is going to give me heart demons if I don't resolve it soon.
Dong ZhenKang felt his body deflate. The thought of getting another heart demon sent a shiver down his body. He had almost ruined his entire Dao and cultivation the last time that happened two decades ago. Nearly ruining himself before he found his path again.
The Hu ancestor stepped out of their little courtyard. All three of them had a hidden conversation just before it under the porch cover that kept them away from his prying eyes. He could have been scrying and peeking at them, but he was too afraid to. Meeting that monster terrified him.
Instead, he could only put together pieces of the whole image. It made no sense to him what he had collected so far.
What was the point of beautifying their skin? Making their hair more silky? Turning them into Jade Beauties without a sect to protect them from Demonic Cultivators and brutes that would kidnap them. That seemed like a dangerous proposition.
Then he dressed them in clothes more valuable than the whole bandit town.
Dong ZhenKang could see the gold engravings and precious metals that had been infused into the engravings and designs of their robes. A single one would feed a family for generations upon generations. Or get the person selling it killed.
At no point did he start teaching them the Dao. Or a cultivation manual unique to their family and directly connected to the original Hu clan. Not even a movement technique or a special attack. Nothing. They bathed and showered with worrying amounts of water. Covered themselves head to toe in salves and lotions. That's it.
Nothing impressive. It made him doubt his first experience with the ancient being. Had he hallucinated the entire thing?
Was that even possible? Dong ZhenKang didn't know what to think or do. Every powerful individual he'd ever met had an imperceptible aura of power around them. Demonic Cultivators carried the scent and taste of blood and death. Withering decay and ash. Distasteful in ways that made him queasy to his stomach.
Sword saints made your skin itch and goosebumps rise along your skin. A sense of sharpness and the fragility of the body compared to their blade. It nipped at everyone around them. Promising death.
Righteous cultivators were as colorful as they were strange. From every element under the sun, to esoteric Dao's. But like the rest, they affected the world around them. His wind too would one day be powerful enough to press his enemies to the ground with nothing but a frown.
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No one who entered the Heavenly Realms had such a silent Dao and core.
Dong ZhenKang turned as the girls met up with their ancestor outside of the courtyard and left together. Large tubs in hand. Again, gathering water for what could have been the hundredth time already. Why this time was different, he couldn't figure it out. Why would their ancestor decide this was the time he needed to accompany them in such a menial task?
He sat on his throne and immediately felt a presence land in front of his doors. They waited silently.
The large doors to his gathering hall opened slowly. Squeaking in long age and improper maintenance. Dong ZhenKang made a mental note to torture the grounds keeper a bit if this wasn't fixed by the end of the week. Make an example of him.
One of his scouts entered the hall. Bleeding from multiple wounds and limping on a bad leg. A massive gash covered extended from his inner thigh all along it until it reached the outside. He stumbled to the throne. Falling heavily onto his knees and bowing low.
A loyal member of his Silver Mountain Gang. One of the few. It would not do well for him to let someone like that die.
Dong ZhenKang stood and rushed to him. A water pouch was carried by the winds and into his hand from a table a distance away. He let the scout drink. Trying his best to remember the man's name. He could not for the life of him.
"Speak." Dong ZhenKang said.
"They're here," The scout whispered. "They heard about the incident with the guards."
Dong ZhenKang frowned. "Who's here? What guards—"
Fuck.
It clicked. Everything fell into its place. His doom would arrive whether he started contemplating life or not.
"The Spider Cult Valley took the presence of this righteous cultivator as an insult," The scout took another deep draw of the water pouch. Chest heaving. "They sent Black Widow Assassins ahead of the main party. Twelve of us died. Only Mu and I made it back alive. Mu is below the tree, bleeding out as we speak now. H-he needs help or… or…"
Dong ZhenKang stood up. Mind a blur. Who would have leaked what happened? How would they figure out who was here and what the guards did or didn't do? How did they figure out a righteous cultivator had arrived rather than a rogue demonic cultivator?
What the hell was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to fight a team of Black Widow Assassins if they ended up targeting him? He could hardly fight one alone, much less an entire team.
Fuck! It must have been the slimy bastard! I thought he was busy cultivating in seclusion?
"Gang Boss?" The scout prodded.
"Oh," Dong ZhenKang said, mind still preoccupied. He pulled out a dozen silver coins without thought and threw them at the scout. "There, that'll cover any medical expenses."
The scout scrambled to catch them. Picking up the clattering coins he could not grab out of the air quick enough. He disappeared from the room faster than he arrived. With more wealth than he would have received in a year's work. Far more than any healer would require in this backwater bandit town. Leaving a rich man.
Dong ZhenKang, on the other hand, started thinking. Working ways to make this benefit him. How could he take advantage of it? What could he do to get something out of this clash between two forces and who should he support? What if he was asked before a victor was all but decided? Who would he choose?
A hundred different thoughts, plans, and plots began to circulate in his mind. His smile slowly grew bigger. Ideas and evil things he could do. Little changes. A bird or two informing certain people of what they don't know. Delaying a little bit. And then finally cashing out in the eventual brawl that would occur.
He could already see it.
The Hu ancestor would win a pyrrhic victory. Too injured to stop Dong ZhenKang from decapitating him. He would then forcefully take Jun. Claiming her as his for the rest of time. Maybe even take the Shui girl as a servant to their holy matrimony.
Ultra-talented beauties were hard to find and far in-between when you did find one. To think he had almost given up. But that wasn't like him. That was the heart demons he had almost formed speaking their lying whispers into his heart. Almost questioned his strength and Dao.
Dong ZhenKang laughed as he imagined holding the old man's severed head.
Showing Jun as it bled out.
Breaking her spirit.
Putting the final touches to all the hard work he had been putting into her.
I will have me my ultra-talented beauty. Whether there was an ancient ancestor involved or not!