Chapter 3: The Human Heart

After night fell, the howls and ghostly cries outside the stone house grew even worse.

Even the wooden door began to rattle and bang without stopping, as if there really were female ghosts haunting the place.

But everyone inside the stone house remained very quiet. That cheap Old Madam Master still dozed with her eyes half-closed, not uttering a single word from start to finish.

The Senior Brother in animal skins and the Senior Brother in robes each sat cross-legged beside the fire, unmoving.

That Senior Sister Jiang, who looked at least forty years old, held the Little Girl and two other small children as they all fell asleep early.

Even Junior Brother Zhu and Junior Brother Shan made no movement at all. No one could even be heard breathing.

It was unbelievably bizarre!

Li Si felt fortunate he hadn’t woken up at that moment. Without any mental preparation, he might have been scared to death by the Floating Cloud Sect members.

Even now, he still couldn’t sleep at all. The earlier novelty and excitement from crossing into this different world had now been completely drowned out by the desperate, terrifying truth.

Yes, he was desperate. Even though he still didn’t understand much about this world, just a few chilling details upon closer thought were enough to explain everything.

First was that Alienation Contamination Degree.

This could be understood as a malignant tumor. Once it spread to 100%, death was inevitable, and there was no way to avoid it.

Even looking at that Dark Mist for a moment longer or eating a meal would unavoidably increase the contamination degree.

The body Li Si had crossed into was only 14 years old, yet the Alienation Contamination Degree had already reached 35%.

The information on that remnant scroll said he could theoretically live until 34. But if anyone really thought he could live to 34, that would be incredibly naive.

That referred to the age he could reach if his current state remained unchanged and the Alienation Contamination Degree didn’t increase further.

But was that possible?

So in reality, even without encountering more dangerous accidents, he would be lucky to live until 18.

Second was the human heart.

Li Si didn’t know why he had crossed over, but he could mostly guess how he had taken over this body.

The previous owner—that poor wretch called Sigouzi—had most likely died, and then he had crossed over.

As for the cause of Sigouzi’s death, it probably wasn’t that someone killed him. Instead, he had been used as a vanguard, the Floating Cloud Sect’s vanguard—a tool sent through fire and water.

To say something against his conscience: why did the Floating Cloud Sect accept him as a disciple? Why did they teach him cultivation methods?

Admittedly, these cultivators provided safety and shelter for him and the others. But without sufficient cultivation resources, forcing cultivation consumed one’s own Fate.

Sigouzi originally had one hundred portions of Gray Fortune. After Li Si crossed over, only one portion remained. No, even that one portion might have been what he brought with him.

So even though Sigouzi’s Alienation Contamination Degree was only 35%, he still died silently without a sound.

Li Si could guess: those three Floating Cloud Sect cultivators first taught Sigouzi the Heaven-Turning Scripture cultivation method. Then they taught him Dao Techniques. Then, under the guise of training, they made Sigouzi continuously produce Evil-Warding Talismans and Fiend-Piercing Spearheads.

At first glance, this seemed fine. But what was consumed was all Sigouzi’s Fate.

“So, no matter what, I must not recklessly use my own single portion of Gray Fortune.”

After much thought, Li Si couldn’t find any way to break this deadlock. Finally, just as he was about to fall asleep himself, he suddenly heard an aged voice speak. It was that cheap Old Madam Master.

“Ji Chang, Xu Shen.”

“Your disciple is here,” the animal-skin-clad man and the robe-wearing youth responded simultaneously.

“Your master just had a sudden impulse and sensed something. Your master’s end is approaching. This tribulation is difficult to pass. I just think of our Floating Cloud Sect lineage—a thousand years ago, how illustrious and carefree we were! Now everything is defiled by the Evil Gods. Your master… cannot rest in peace. Tonight the earth’s energy is turbid, and heaven emits killing intent. This is a thread of vitality left by this world. Therefore, before I depart, I have a great Divine Ability to pass on to you two. I hope you two will shoulder the responsibility of continuing the Floating Cloud Sect’s legacy.”

The old woman spoke with great seriousness—something about her end approaching, something about vitality left by heaven and earth. Li Si almost got confused listening. But soon he heard the animal-skin-clad man named Ji Chang cry out in pain, his breath becoming much more chaotic.

“Mas… Master, your disciple… your disciple has a stomachache, oh dear…”

Then came the sound of rolling around on the ground.

“Wretched creature!”

The old woman angrily scolded but didn’t say anything further. Then the seemingly convalescent Xu Shen spoke quietly, “Master, why go to such lengths? With us two disciples here, we will definitely protect your safety. You also know that cultivating that Divine Ability—the cost is truly too great. Why don’t you see if any of these junior brothers and sisters might be able to learn it?”

The old woman fell silent. After a long time, she finally sighed faintly. “Your master truly had a sudden impulse—a great calamity is approaching, and only a great Divine Ability can break through it. Ji Chang, Xu Shen, your master’s Fiend-Slaying Sword Qi is the Floating Cloud Sect’s top-tier Divine Ability, not comparable to ordinary Dao Techniques. Do not fail your master’s sincere efforts.”

This time, Ji Chang and Xu Shen both fell silent, pretending not to hear.

“Master, let me learn it! I’ll protect you, Master.” From the corner, Zhuwaizi, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly sat up excitedly.

“Shut up! Go back to sleep!”

“Smack!”

Ji Chang slapped him back. That fool—if he could learn it, would they still need to put on this master-disciple affection act here?

This was a Divine Ability above Dao Techniques. Three hundred years ago, the old fossil before them wouldn’t have deigned to teach it to them.

But now, with the Evil God’s power completely penetrating this world, they couldn’t find even the tiniest bit of cultivation resources anymore. That was why they had fallen to such a wretched state.

They were probably the last Cultivators in this world.

Then came another awkward silence. The old woman didn’t speak again. Ji Chang and Xu Shen also stayed silent, as if no one could do anything about the others.

Li Si waited a long time more, but eventually couldn’t hold out and fell into a deep sleep.

Nothing happened that night. The next morning, when Li Si woke up, he felt sore and weak all over. He was only 14, but he distinctly felt like a 60-year-old nearing the end of his life.

He understood clearly: this was the side effect of the Alienation Contamination Degree reaching 35%. He was now equivalent to a cancer patient, waiting to die.

The fire in the stone house had long gone out. It was somewhat brighter outside. The old woman still dozed, showing no sign of her end approaching.

The animal-skin-clad man Ji Chang and the sickly-looking youth Xu Shen still maintained their cross-legged sitting postures, looking very impressive.

The Little Girl and the two small children were already awake, staring eagerly at the empty earthenware pot. But neither Ji Chang nor Xu Shen showed any intention of making a meal.

At first, Li Si thought maybe none of them were used to eating breakfast. But soon he realized it was because those three—master and disciples—were still in a standoff.

“Senior Sister, I’m hungry.”

The Little Girl shrank in Senior Sister Jiang’s arms and spoke very softly.

Senior Sister Jiang’s face showed hesitation. She undoubtedly knew about last night’s dispute. Finally, she said to Ji Chang, “Senior Brother Ji, is there still water in the Water Purification Pouch? The Anomalous Weed that Junior Brother Li hunted yesterday is still there. Let’s make a morning meal.”

“None left. See for yourself if you don’t believe me.” Ji Chang sighed and threw over a water pouch only the size of a fist. Senior Sister Jiang took it and looked—it was indeed empty. Immediately, her tone softened.

“Senior Brother Ji, could you please make the effort to fetch more water? We Foundation Building cultivators can still hold on, but several junior brothers and sisters cannot.”

“Junior Sister, I’m recovering from my injuries. How about… endure it a little longer?” Ji Chang put on a pained expression. Before Senior Sister Jiang could speak to him, Xu Shen directly shook his head and said, “Junior Sister, don’t come to me. I’m only responsible for maintaining the village’s defensive formation. I really can’t spare the time.”

“So, let’s just endure it. When Senior Brother Ji finishes recovering, such a small matter will be nothing.”

Senior Sister Jiang’s face darkened slightly. She didn’t look at the old woman again. After hesitating briefly, she picked up the Water Purification Pouch and stood up with some difficulty. Only when she stood did Li Si realize with shock that her entire right leg below the knee was missing.

“I’ll go fetch water. But according to the rules, fetching water requires payment. One Fiend-Slaying Talisman, one Swift Movement Talisman, one Divine Concealment Talisman. Give them to me!”

“Ha, Junior Sister, why must you do this?”

Ji Chang spoke with a reluctant expression, but his hands moved quickly, directly handing over three Talisman Papers emitting faint light.

At this moment, the old woman’s eyes, which had been narrowed all along, opened. She seemed about to speak but stopped, finally heaving a long sigh and closing them again.

Senior Sister Jiang then looked at Li Si, Zhuwaizi, and Shanwaizi.

“I have difficulty moving. Which of you three is willing to carry me outside the village to fetch water?”