Barbarian King

The eyes formed from that wisp of black smoke hung above the table, only the size of a thumb, yet they caused the temperature of the entire room to plummet.

Li Xuan's saber was already held horizontally before him, his vital energy and blood circulating to its limit, the golden patterns on his palm burning as if they would ignite.

He stared at the eye, the Wolf Soul imprint deep in his right shoulder throbbing wildly, each beat accompanied by a tearing pain.

Shi Yong, shielded behind him, clenched his fists and asked in a voice kept extremely low, "What the hell is that thing?"

"Don't move," Li Xuan said.

The eye moved.

It floated up from the table and slowly circled Li Xuan, as if appraising him.

With each rotation, Li Xuan could feel the Wolf Soul imprint within him grow hotter, not a burning sensation, but—

A resonance.

Like two things of the same origin, calling out to each other.

"Body Tempering ninth layer... no, Inner Qi first layer?" that hoarse voice sounded again in Li Xuan's mind, with a hint of surprise, "How are you so weak?"

Li Xuan remained silent, his hand gripping the saber as steady as a rock.

"The thing inside you, did I leave it there?" The eye stopped before Li Xuan, less than a foot from his face. "No, I didn't leave it. My subordinate, that trash, left it. Before he died, he gave you the last bit of his soul seed, wanting to use your body to live again."

Li Xuan's pupils contracted.

"Unfortunately, he was too much of a trash," the eye's tone carried mockery. "After planting the soul seed, he himself dissipated. What's inside you now is just an empty shell, only an imprint remains, incapable of doing anything."

Shi Yong, listening from behind, was completely lost, but he understood one thing—this eye recognized the thing inside Li Xuan.

"Who are you?" Li Xuan asked.

The eye swiveled, as if smiling. "Thirty years ago, some called me Shaman King. Twenty years ago, some called me a Barbarian remnant..."

Li Xuan's mind went blank.

"It seems you've heard of me," the eye's tone conveyed satisfaction. "Then this will be easy. Kid, let's make a deal."

Li Xuan didn't reply.

"Although the soul seed in you has dissipated, the imprint remains. It was planted with our clan's secret method. As long as the imprint is there, I can find you," the eye said. "I originally thought I'd have to wait a few more years, for the seal to loosen further before I could come looking for you, but I didn't expect you to deliver yourself to my doorstep."

"So the corpse in the cave opened its eyes because of me?" Li Xuan asked.

"Of course," the eye said. "The moment you entered the cave, I woke up. That corpse was one of my subordinates from back then. I used his eyes to look at you. Unfortunately, through the seal, I couldn't see clearly, only that you had something of mine inside you."

Li Xuan recalled the green light when the Shaman mummy's eyes opened, and a chill ran down his spine.

"Now I can see clearly," the eye said. "You're weaker than I thought, but also more resilient than I expected. Although the soul seed has dissipated, the fact that it's remained inside you for so long without being refined means your physical foundation is good."

Li Xuan remained silent.

"The deal is simple," the eye said. "Help me do one thing, and I'll help you refine that imprint. Leaving that imprint in you will be a disaster sooner or later. When you break through to the True Qi Realm, it will take advantage of the fluctuations in your vital energy and blood to backlash, at best crippling your foundation, at worst taking your life."

Li Xuan's heart sank. He knew this thing wasn't lying, because every time the Wolf Soul imprint pulsed, he vaguely felt a trace of malice.

"What is it?"

"Enter the cave and help me retrieve something."

Li Xuan stared at the eye. "You're sealed, how can you retrieve it?"

"The seal traps me, not that item," the eye said. "Thirty years ago, my physical body was shattered, and my soul was sealed deep within the mine. But my magic artifact is still there, in the underground river at the very bottom of the cave. Help me retrieve it and bring it before me."

Li Xuan's mind raced. "Your magic artifact? What's it for?"

"To break the seal," the eye said directly. "When my physical body was shattered, that artifact fell into the underground river. I've been waiting for these thirty years for someone to help me retrieve it. Unfortunately, the cultivators who came were either too weak or too smart. The weak died in the cave, the smart ones... didn't come."

Li Xuan was silent for a moment. "The skeletons in the cave, were they all trying to retrieve the artifact?"

"Some were, some weren't," the eye said. "Some stumbled in, some were exploring the mine, some were sent by your Crimson Firmament Sect to investigate. In thirty years, seventeen have died."

Seventeen.

Li Xuan felt a chill.

"What makes you think I'll go?"

"Because you have no choice," the eye said. "That imprint will become more active in front of me, and you won't be able to bear it. Right now, it only pulses occasionally. In another three months, it will pulse every day. In another six months, it will cause your vital energy and blood to reverse. The day you break through to the True Qi Realm will be your death day."

Li Xuan stared at the eye, saying nothing.

"And," the eye's tone suddenly became playful, "out of your seven people, one has already agreed to help me."

Li Xuan's pupils snapped shut.

"That person also carries something of mine," the eye said. "It's fresher than yours."

Several figures flashed through Li Xuan's mind: Xu He's expression after being questioned, the claw mark on Zhou Wu's leg, Ying's calm eyes as he was taken away by the Shadow Division...

"Who?"

The eye chuckled, the wisp of black smoke trembled, and the formed eye began to dissipate. "Seven days. I'll give you seven days to consider. After seven days, if you haven't decided, I'll find someone else. Anyway, out of the seven of you, one will agree."

"Who!" Li Xuan reached out to grab, but his hand grasped empty air.

The black smoke dispersed, the rune fragments on the table crumbled into dust, and blown by the night wind from outside the window, nothing remained.

The room fell silent again, moonlight streaming in to illuminate Li Xuan's hand gripping his saber.

Shi Yong walked over from behind, his face ashen. "What it said... is it true?"

Li Xuan sheathed his saber and sat back on the edge of the bed, remaining silent for a long time.

Shi Yong sat beside him and punched the bed board. "Damn it."

They were silent for a long time.

"Who do you think it was?" Shi Yong asked.

Li Xuan shook his head.

But he had a guess in his heart.

Xu He's face was too pale after being questioned, unnaturally so. If he were just scared from being questioned by the Law Enforcement Hall, he wouldn't be like that.

Unless—something inside him was also stirring when he was questioned.

Or Zhou Wu. That claw mark was made by a dark shadow. If that shadow was related to the Eye, the claw mark likely carried something as well.

When Zhou Wu was carried to the medical hall, he was still clutching a fragment of the rune.

Or Ying.

Ying had old scars on his wrist, Ying proactively took the rune fragment, Ying was taken away by the Shadow Division.

If Ying had been connected to the Eye for a long time and was discovered by the Shadow Division, then everything would make sense.

But if Ying had been targeted for a long time, why would he enter the cave? Why would he take the rune fragment in front of everyone?

Unless he did it on purpose, deliberately letting Li Xuan see, deliberately—

Li Xuan suddenly remembered something.

When Ying took the rune fragment, he saw it.

Ying put his hand inside his sleeve, his movements quick, but he saw it.

If Ying didn't want anyone to see, he could have turned his back or waited until no one was paying attention.

But he didn't. He just took it right in front of Li Xuan, albeit very quickly.

It was deliberate.

Deliberate so he would see.

Why?

"Shi Yong," Li Xuan suddenly spoke, "Ying mentioned wanting to bring me into the Shadow Division before, right?"

Shi Yong blinked. "Yes, he said it in the cave."

"Why did he want me?"

Shi Yong thought for a moment. "Because you fight well? You retreat quickly?"

Li Xuan shook his head.

If Ying was truly one of the Eye's people, then there were only two possibilities for him wanting to bring Li Xuan into the Shadow Division: one, to recruit him, and two, to monitor him.

But if it was to recruit him, Ying should have found an opportunity to speak with him alone in the cave today. But he didn't.

If it was to monitor him, and Ying was seen taking the rune fragment today, then Ying should have been worried about being reported. But Ying showed no reaction, not even glancing his way when he was taken away by the Shadow Division.

Unless...

A thought suddenly popped into Li Xuan's mind.

Unless Ying let him see it on purpose. On purpose to let him know about the rune fragment, on purpose to make him suspicious, and then—

And then what?

Li Xuan couldn't figure it out.

The watchman's clapper sounded outside the window. It was the third watch.

"Let's sleep first," Li Xuan said. "We'll talk tomorrow."

Shi Yong stood up and walked to the door, then turned back. "What about the matter of the seven days..."

"I know."

Shi Yong pushed the door open and left, his footsteps gradually fading away.

Li Xuan lay down, staring at the ceiling beams, the words spoken by the Eye replaying in his mind over and over.

Seven days.

In seven days, if he didn't agree, someone else would agree for him.

Someone who was already connected to the Eye.

Could it be Xu He?

Or Zhou Wu?

Shadow?

Or--

Li Xuan suddenly sat up.

Shadow had been taken away by the Shadow Division.

If Shadow was truly connected to the Eye, would the Shadow Division find out? If they did, could Shadow still "agree" for him in seven days?

Or, maybe the Shadow Division took Shadow away not because they discovered his connection to the Eye, but because--

Because Shadow deliberately exposed himself, to be taken away?

For what reason?

To clear his name from the mine incident? Or to enter the Shadow Division for some other purpose?

Li Xuan's thoughts grew more tangled, so he decided to stop thinking.

He sat down cross-legged and began to circulate the Mountain Suppressing Art, refining the remaining thirty percent of the Earth Vein Fiend Stone within his body.

The Earth Vein Fiend Stone flowed slowly through his meridians, carrying a heavy earth-attribute aura. It mingled with the malevolent energy of the Blood Fiend Gang Qi, and instead of clashing, they showed a faint tendency to fuse.

Li Xuan recalled the characteristics of the Mountain Suppressing Art cultivation method: its defense was unparalleled among those of the same level.

If he could fuse the "malevolence" of the Blood Fiend Gang Qi with the "heaviness" of the Mountain Suppressing Art, what would the effect be?

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, as soon as Li Xuan opened his door, he saw Su Ying standing outside the courtyard, her expression grim.

"Something's happened," she said.

Li Xuan's heart tightened. "What is it?"

"Xu He," Su Ying lowered her voice. "After he went back last night, he suddenly vomited blood in the middle of the night. The people from the medical hall examined him and said it was qi and blood flowing in reverse, damaging his foundation."

Li Xuan's mind went blank.

Qi and blood flowing in reverse.

Damaging his foundation.

It was exactly what the Eye had said.

"Where is he now?"

"The medical hall," Su Ying replied. "My uncle said his condition is very strange, as if something is acting up inside him, but they can't figure it out."

Li Xuan turned and walked out.

When he reached the medical hall, Xu He was lying on a bed, his face as pale as paper, with traces of blood still on the corners of his mouth.

Seeing Li Xuan enter, his eyes flickered, and he turned his head away.

Li Xuan walked to the bedside and lowered his voice. "What's inside you?"

Xu He remained silent.

"Does it beat?" Li Xuan asked. "Like a heartbeat, but it's not your heart beating?"

Xu He's head snapped up, and he stared at Li Xuan, his eyes filled with terror. "How did you know?"

Li Xuan didn't answer and continued, "When did it start?"

Xu He was silent for a long time before speaking. "In the cave. During the retreat, I was brushed by that shadow. I didn't feel anything then, but after I came back, it started beating."

Li Xuan remembered the claw mark on Zhou Wu's leg.

"Is Zhou Wu the same?"

Xu He nodded. "He should... he should be."

Li Xuan took a deep breath.

Seven people went into the cave once, and two were infected.

One was scratched by a claw mark, and the other was brushed by a shadow.

If both the claw mark and the brush could transmit that thing, then--

Was Su Ying brushed?

Was Shi Yong?

Was Zhou Wen?

Was Shadow?

Li Xuan suddenly remembered that Shadow had been at the very back of the group during the retreat.

At the very back, closest to the shadow.

"Xu He," Li Xuan asked, "did you see Shadow get brushed?"

Xu He thought for a moment and shook his head. "I didn't notice, it was too chaotic."

Li Xuan turned and walked out.

He wanted to find Elder Heiyan.

Walking to the door, he bumped into someone.

Shi Yong.

His face was even paler than Xu He's. Seeing Li Xuan, he grabbed his wrist and said with a trembling voice:

"Zhou Wen is dead."

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