Chapter Ninety-Two: The Divine Stone Clan

According to ancient lore, Lord Kui was chiefly responsible for the reflected light that flashed eastward when the sun sank behind the western mountains. Yet this deity was so exceedingly discreet that, by means of that very phenomenon, he continually drew in the vital breath where heaven and earth met, cultivating himself in secret until his power, his divine strength, kept rising ever higher. No one knew what he truly intended.

At that moment, Little Pan returned with Qiongqi. Qiongqi had taken the form of a man dressed as an ancient scholar, complete with a square scholar’s cap; had he been carrying a goose-feather fan as well, he would have been Zhuge Liang himself. He followed Little Pan with utmost deference, and the moment he crossed the threshold he hurried forward like a servant to close the heavy doors. Then he stood quietly to the left of the passageway, polite and motionless, not uttering a sound.

Damn, the transformation effect was astonishing. It was as if he were not the same person, or rather the same beast at all. If the original Qiongqi had been a wolf from the grasslands, then this one was like a loyal, capable police dog trained by the army.

“Little Pan, what happened to Qiongqi?” Wu Ming felt that changing a person this way seemed a little inhumane.

“This is one of the Mountain-Sea Mirror’s functions. Whatever else can be said, it is still better than being sent back into the cycle of rebirth,” Little Pan replied, seeing that Wu Ming was getting a touch of softheartedness.

“Uh...”

“Exactly, Master. The Mountain-Sea Mirror merely expels the dark and negative side within us. In truth, it only makes life easier for us,” Jiuying added in agreement, wearing a matter-of-fact expression, clearly unable to understand why Wu Ming would find this strange.

“All right, maybe I just haven’t adapted to this sort of thing yet,” Wu Ming said with a rueful smile. In the end, it was still better than killing someone outright, he comforted himself.

“Master, it is of no concern. For us divine beasts, nothing matters more than raising our rank. Besides, it was only a single evil thought that vanished. That hardly counts as a loss. To gain the power of a quasi-divine beast from it, I feel truly honored,” Qiongqi himself stepped forward to comfort Wu Ming. Wu Ming found the whole thing almost laughable: the victim was comforting the sympathizer, telling him not to feel sorry for him. What sort of business was that?

“Master! We should still be careful around this Mirror God,” Little Pan said gravely.

“Ever since I fused with the Time-Space Mirror last time, this Mountain-Sea Realm has given rise to a palace built entirely of jade. Though it looks white from this side, the analysis of the Mountain-Sea Realm revealed that the jade’s true nature is actually a kind of multicolored, patterned jade. We do not know what purpose Kui had in mind, but he used great divine power to conceal the palace’s original color. The intent may be unclear, but it is truly troubling.”

“Really? Colorful stones can appear white? That is amazing!” Wu Ming looked closely at the pieces of jade with great curiosity, yet he could not see the slightest trace of color. At most, faint ripples of energy seemed to glide across the jade, making it look exquisitely beautiful.

“I should take a few pieces out to give to my senior sisters and the others from the music hall. They would absolutely adore me...” Wu Ming thought he must have gone mad. Ever since he had fused with the divine power of the Thunder God, why had his temperament become so wildly unrestrained? Such thoughts would never have crossed his mind before. Was he still himself? He could not help asking that of himself.

“Uh, what’s going on with all of you?”

Wu Ming had just returned from his own wandering thoughts when he saw Jiuying, Qiongqi, and Little Pan all assume guarded stances.

“Hush.” Jiuying made a shushing gesture toward Wu Ming.

“Someone is coming. Master, be careful and hide behind us!” Little Pan leaned close to Wu Ming’s ear and whispered.

“Hahaha! To have all of you grace this humble dwelling fills this old man’s home with light!” An elderly man with white beard and eyebrows shuffled out from within, leaning on a cane. He wore plain gray cloth and hemp garments. Strangely enough, he had a bald head, smooth and gleaming, faintly flashing with multicolored divine light, creating a stark contrast with his long eyebrows and the beard on his chin that stretched more than a foot.

Following him inside was a broad-shouldered man in his mid-thirties or so, with slightly receding hair at the temples, thick black eyebrows in neat order, and a pair of chestnut eyes that shone with sharp intelligence. He looked at others with great attentiveness; when he smiled, a row of neat, whitish teeth showed through. His fingers were thick, and black dirt was caught beneath his nails. Like an ordinary farmer, he wore an old blue cloth jacket with patches on the shoulders and tied a faded blue cloth sash around his waist.

“I forgot to introduce myself. I am Kui, and this is my good friend Shujun, the Field God. Please, everyone, sit. Boys, bring tea!” Kui gestured for everyone to take their seats at the table.

Once they were seated, two boys in blue clothing went into the inner hall. After pouring tea for everyone, they quietly withdrew again.

“I already know why you have come,” Kui said, setting down his teacup and stroking his beard. “When it comes to plain speaking, let us be straightforward and spare ourselves any detours.”

“As everyone knows, my divine office chiefly governs the reflected light that shoots eastward when the sun sets behind the western mountains. Have you ever wondered why even such a seemingly simple thing would possess a divine office?”

Kui smiled mysteriously and took another sip of tea before continuing.

“In truth, that very phrase already reveals the place of my divinity. I hold two divine offices. One is the line about the sun setting behind the western mountains, which means I am the God of the Setting Sun. The other is the reflected light that shines eastward, which means I am also the God of Images and the God of Mirrors. Wherever there is shadow, there my divinity holds sway.” Kui paused.

“He talks and talks, and still never gets to the point. So much for not beating around the bush,” Wu Ming muttered, rolling his sore neck. A series of cracking sounds came from his cervical vertebrae. The neck trouble he had picked up from years of gaming online really was tormenting. He had not expected it to remain even after so long a period of cultivation. He would have to find a chance to ask Little Fatty’s father to treat it for him. He wondered how Little Fatty was doing and found himself thinking of that plump fellow again.

“Cough, cough! Young people these days really are impatient. We are about to get to the important part,” Kui choked on a mouthful of tea.

“Please, everyone, have some tea. This tea is excellent. I cultivated it myself. Only when paired with the Nectar of Imperial Terrace can its true flavor be awakened!” With a wave of his hand, Shujun caused a purple-clay teapot to appear suspended in midair. Its patina was rich and mellow, clearly the treasured possession of this Shujun’s. The teapot floated by itself to each person in turn, refilling their cups. In an instant, a fresh fragrance filled the room.

“Mmm, wonderful!” Wu Ming lifted the cup before him and gulped it down in one go. At once, a warm stream flowed down his throat and into his stomach. His mouth and nose were filled with an intoxicating fragrance, while a sweet taste rose from the tip of his tongue, straight into his heart and up to his mind, making his whole head feel suddenly clearer.

“Excellent tea! Incredible!” Even Wu Ming, a man who usually drank tea as though he were swallowing water, could taste the sweetness within it. He felt that all the tea he had ever drunk in his life had gone to waste. If he ever had the chance, he would certainly set aside some time to calm himself and properly savor its flavor.