On the Path to the Great Dao

The young man, appearing in his early thirties, wore a blue robe with a round collar and a scholar’s cap. His long tenure as an official lent him an air of authority. Smiling, he said, "Xiuchun, are you planning to eat people? These are hard times for everyone amidst the demonic transformation. Don’t be so tense."

His gaze turned to Chen Shi and Li Tianqing, his expression gentle. "You two, we’re just here hunting for prey like you, with no ill intentions."

He took the lead, walking along the edge of the mountain path. The others followed suit, passing by without incident.

When the group had gone far enough, Chen Shi and Li Tianqing finally relaxed.

"That young man seems quite kind," Li Tianqing remarked.

Chen Shi frowned. "He looked like someone from the Zhao family in the provincial capital. Strange, I didn’t think Zhao family members could be decent people."

Li Tianqing laughed. "You’re too biased against aristocratic families. Some are virtuous; they’re not all as bad as you think."

Chen Shi nodded, acknowledging his prejudice.

The young man, named Zhao Ziyu, was the eldest son of the Xuanying Commandery's lord, Zhao Yanlong. Despite his noble birth, he was known for his mild temper, which endeared him to his maids but irked his father.

As they moved further, they encountered another group of people—a few adolescent scholars, about thirteen or fourteen years old, dressed in academic robes. They were laboriously butchering a massive exotic beast, its body resembling an ox with scales and a horn. The area around them was scorched, evidence of a fierce battle. A middle-aged man carrying a book box, likely their tutor, was instructing them on how to divide the beast.

"Young Master, they seem to be students from a private academy," a maid remarked.

The maid named Xiuchun smiled and approached, causing the tutor to stiffen. He motioned for the students to be on guard.

Alarmed, the students hurriedly activated their Spirit Embryos, wary of her intentions.

"Don’t be afraid," Xiuchun said with a sweet smile. "We’re just as stranded as you are, hunting because of our hunger, though luck hasn’t been on our side. Could you spare us some of your catch?"

Still cautious, the tutor warned, "Stay back, miss."

Some of the students, however, were moved by her plea.

"We hunted for fear that our villagers would starve," one said. "We can spare ten or so pounds of this Flamehorn Ox."

Another girl chimed in, "Sir, why don’t I give them my share? They seem pitiful."

Xiuchun’s face lit up with joy. Bowing deeply, she exclaimed, "Thank you so much!"

As she bent, her Spirit Embryo emerged behind her, unleashing an invisible sword aura. It sliced cleanly through the girl’s neck, then bisected another student at the waist.

Simultaneously, three other maids, already prepared, stepped forward, activating their own Spirit Embryos. Sword auras swept through the group, decapitating or dismembering five students in mere moments.

The tutor’s eyes turned red with rage. Roaring, he activated every talisman he carried and charged at Zhao Ziyu.

"Run!" he shouted to the surviving students.

Despite being only in the Spirit Embryo stage, the tutor was nearing the Golden Core realm. The protective talismans on his body shielded him from the maids’ Ziwu Evil-Slaying Swords.

Realizing Zhao Ziyu was the leader, the tutor aimed to draw the maids’ attention and buy time for his students to escape.

But Zhao Ziyu calmly waved a hand, signaling the maids to retreat.

They obeyed, stepping aside to pursue the fleeing students instead.

Unimpeded, the tutor rushed toward Zhao Ziyu.

With a serene smile, Zhao Ziyu revealed his Spirit Shrine, from which his Spirit Embryo emerged. The Embryo opened its mouth, releasing a radiant golden orb—a Golden Core.

The Golden Core exuded a crushing pressure, forcing the tutor to his knees. His talismans failed, and the weight bore down until his bones cracked and his flesh was pulverized into mush, leaving only his skull intact.

Zhao Ziyu retrieved the Golden Core with a faint smile. "Xiuchun, here’s your food. Killing those two kids was pointless—we don’t eat people. Now that we have this Flamehorn Ox, we can return with an explanation."

Xiuchun, her graceful figure and striking features marred by a cruel grin, laughed. "You’re right, Young Master. These peasants dared compete with us for food—they deserved it."

Shaking his head, Zhao Ziyu admonished her, "They saved us the trouble of hunting. We should thank them."

"Of course, of course!" Xiuchun giggled. "We’re very grateful."

The maids divided the Flamehorn Ox’s meat, discarding any they deemed dirty, leaving behind over a hundred pounds of viscera and scraps. Then, carrying the cleaned portions, they departed with Zhao Ziyu.

---

Elsewhere, Chen Shi and Li Tianqing finally had a bit of luck, catching a small Xuangang Turtle, an exotic beast adept at burrowing.

The turtle, detected by Black Pot, tried to escape by burrowing but was knocked unconscious by Chen Shi’s powerful blows. After digging it up, they continued searching for more prey.

Suddenly, Black Pot barked twice and darted forward.

"Black Pot found something!" Li Tianqing exclaimed.

Chen Shi shook his head. "It’s a warning—there’s blood up ahead. Let’s stay cautious and check it out."

Confused, Li Tianqing wondered how Chen Shi understood the dog. Its bark seemed no different than usual, yet conveyed distinct meanings.

They entered a blood-soaked valley. The scent of blood was overwhelming, and they each activated their Spirit Shrines. A lurking exotic beast, drawn by the blood, retreated upon spotting them.

Ignoring the beast, they surveyed the carnage: over ten dismembered bodies littered the ground, their deaths gruesome.

Steeling himself, Li Tianqing flipped over a corpse. It was a boy, slightly older than them, his lifeless face frozen in terror.

"They’re from the private academy in Qiaowan Town," Chen Shi said grimly, examining the remains of the tutor.

Quietly, he added, "That was Mr. Ye Hongqiu, my teacher. He once offered to secure me a spot in the county exams..."

Chen Shi’s voice trailed off as he stared at the shattered dreams around him—students and a teacher who, like him, had sought to escape poverty through education.

Li Tianqing examined the wounds and tracks. "The killers haven’t gone far. They’ve probably covered no more than two miles on this rough terrain."

Studying the magical traces, he concluded, "There were twelve attackers. Seven used the Ziwu Evil-Slaying Sword, while the others employed the Flying Dragon Demon-Slaying Technique, a foundational Zhao family method. That suggests close ties to the Zhao family."

Chen Shi silently picked up a blood-stained short sword, refashioned from a broken longsword. Wrapping its hilt with torn cloth for a better grip, he asked Black Pot, "Which way?"

Black Pot sniffed and led the way.

Li Tianqing measured the pressure marks on the ground. "This wasn’t just Spirit Embryo power—this was a Golden Core practitioner!"

Realizing Chen Shi was following the trail, he grabbed him. "Little Ten, stop! You’re being reckless! We need a plan. A Golden Core cultivator is leagues beyond us, and the others are top-tier Spirit Embryo experts. We can’t win like this!"

Chen Shi paused, observing the terrain. "They took the longer route. We’ll take the shortcut and get ahead of them."

Though still skeptical, Li Tianqing began analyzing their enemies’ capabilities.

Reaching a vantage point, they spotted Zhao Ziyu’s group a hundred yards below, moving leisurely.

"They’re close to their base," Li Tianqing noted. "This isn’t the time to strike. We need a detailed strategy—"

"I’m going in," Chen Shi interrupted.

"Don’t be rash! We can’t face them yet!" Li Tianqing shouted, but Chen Shi didn’t listen.

"You stay here with Black Pot!" Chen Shi snapped, launching himself downhill like an arrow toward the unsuspecting group.