The Thief Within, the Thief in the Heart

"Is the news true?"

On the way to the prince's residence, Chen Cuo asked again.

Chen Hai perked up and hurriedly replied, "My elder brother had someone pass the news to me. As soon as I heard, I came to report it. Even now, hardly anyone in the residence knows!"

Chen Cuo glanced at him in surprise.

He could hear Chen Hai fishing for credit and trying to ingratiate himself, but what had happened a few days ago was still fresh in his mind.

Chen Cuo had weathered enough office politics in his previous life not to lower his guard over this. He had a vague idea that Chen Hai's change of attitude came from the reputation The Painted Skin had brought him as it spread through Jiankang.

It is the Northern and Southern Dynasties, after all. A reputation can still count for quite a bit.

With that thought, Chen Cuo turned his attention back to the theft at the prince's residence.

He had worked hard for days to build up his standing, all so he could obtain the pill or the Ink Crane. Just when success had finally come into sight, his target had vanished. No one could take that calmly. Since Chen Hai was being so cooperative, Chen Cuo pressed him for details.

Unfortunately, Chen Hai knew little despite his eagerness to help. After a few sentences, he dared not pretend otherwise and said honestly, "The details aren't clear yet. I only heard that the old madam ordered everyone to keep the pill's theft from Mr. Zhou for now."

Chen Cuo nodded.

Daoist Zhou Youzi had been remarkably generous. On his first visit, he had handed both boxes straight to the residence, only for one to be stolen within days. Whatever the stolen item was worth, the disgrace alone would be more than the residence could bear if word got out.

But my mother values the pill and the Ink Crane far too much to have been careless. She must have posted plenty of guards and sent people to patrol. If it was stolen anyway, there's a good chance it was an inside job...

Chen Cuo tried to piece together what had happened. He had expected a difficult search for clues, but to his surprise, news reached Chen Hai the moment their party arrived at the residence: the thief had already been caught!

"An inside thief after all!"

As soon as he heard, Chen Cuo asked for the details. He wanted to know enough before meeting Chen Cuo's Mother.

"You can guard against outsiders day and night, but not a thief in your own household! To steal from his masters—what a disgrace!" Chen Hai loathed the man. "It was a servant who attended Mr. Zhou the day he came. Shameless! The moment that immortal pill appeared, its fragrance filled the hall and stirred his greed. Though the old madam dismissed everyone at once, even that couldn't stop him! He went and did this wicked thing. He deserves to be cut to pieces!"

Chen Cuo could tell the anger was genuine. An inside theft implicated the residence's stewards, including Chen Hai's elder brother, Chen He. It threatened his family's interests, so of course he hated the thief.

Chen Cuo did not dwell on it. "Now that you've caught him, are the stolen items still intact?"

"That, I truly don't know. We'll have to wait for word."

As they spoke, Chen He arrived. With a respectful bow, he asked Chen Cuo to enter the inner residence and meet Chen Cuo's Mother.

The chief steward's composure impressed Chen Cuo. Not a trace of pleasure or distress showed on his face.

But Chen Cuo put the thought aside. What mattered now was the stolen pill, and he hurried toward the rear courtyard.

When he entered the hall of the inner residence, he saw Chen Cuo's Mother seated at its head, her face a livid Azure. Burly servants and guards stood to either side.

A man knelt before Chen Cuo's Mother.

He was bare-chested, covered in Azure and purple bruises, with torn flesh in several places. He huddled on the floor, trembling.

Chen Cuo stepped forward and bowed. Chen Cuo's Mother gave only a slight nod, her furious gaze still fixed on the man.

Chen Cuo studied the prisoner. He dimly remembered the man serving in the hall that day, not far from him. Before he could think further, his eyes stopped on something beside Chen Cuo's Mother—

An open wooden box sat on the table. Inside lay a heap of broken pieces.

At first glance, they looked like the crumbs of a smashed mooncake.

But Chen Cuo's heart went cold in an instant.

The Clarity Pill shattered.

To verify, Chen Cuo sniffed the air deliberately, but couldn't detect the slightest trace of its strange fragrance.

"Madam, spare me! Spare me! I lost my head for a moment. Ever since I went to the teahouse yesterday, I haven't been myself. I've been in a daze. Perhaps someone drugged me!"

The thief kowtowed again and again, leaving his forehead bloody.

"If I hadn't been drugged, how could I have dared? I never meant to do it! I stumbled home in a daze, and when I woke up, I was holding the immortal pill. This... this was never what I wanted! Old Madam, please remember—"

He kept striking his head against the floor as he begged for mercy.

Smack!

"You wretch! How did we raise such an ungrateful cur?"

Beside herself with rage, Chen Cuo's Mother slammed a hand onto the table.

"Spare your life? What is your life worth? Ten of you couldn't match the value of this pill. Once a pill is damaged, it loses all its power. Look at it! You... you..." As she berated him, her face turned Azure and pale, then flushed, and her body swayed.

Everyone in the room jumped. Several maids nearby rushed forward to steady her and rub her chest and back.

Chen Cuo couldn't help starting toward her to support her, but halfway there, Chen Cuo's Mother let out a long breath and had already recovered.

Chen Cuo stopped and looked back at the shattered pill, silently regretting its loss.

Chen Cuo's Mother is a noblewoman, well-informed and widely experienced. If she says a broken pill is useless, she's probably right. What a shame. I finally built up some Public Esteem over the past few days, only for the thing to break. This... wait.

A thought flashed through his mind, and his heart began to pound.

If the pill had been broken less than an hour ago, then...

I might be able to put it into Dream Marsh! Once it enters Dream Marsh, it'll be restored!

Chen Cuo touched the spot inside his robe where the little gourd rested.

The little Gourd lay there, perfectly still.

His thoughts began to race.

If I put the pill away, it'll be reassembled the moment it enters Dream Marsh. The only question is whether it'll work there. Zhou Youzi said this pill could sharpen the mind and help cultivators break through bottlenecks, though it's of little use to ordinary people. But if I can take it in a dream and still gain its clarity, I can keep copying it. One moment of enlightenment would be wonderful—endless enlightenment would be even better!

He almost pulled out the Gourd on the spot. Reason stopped him, but his thoughts raced on.

Zhou Youzi also said I could have either the pill or the Ink Crane, not both. But if I put the pill away and haven't spent any of my Public Esteem, I might still be able to claim the Ink Crane. The Gourd took the pill, not me. What does that have to do with me? I can go get the Ink Crane and have both! The biggest question now is how long ago the pill broke. Please let it be less than an hour!

"Second Son! Second Son!"

Chen Cuo was lost in a pleasant daydream when an angry voice brought him back to his senses. He looked toward the voice and saw Chen Cuo's Mother, her face full of anger.

"I'm speaking to you. Why won't you answer? Are you still holding that earlier matter against me?" Chen Cuo's Mother looked at Chen Cuo, her tone harsh. "You delayed important business that day and deserved punishment. You were insolent to my face and had no sense of propriety. Yet I let it pass, and now you bear a grudge?"

Chen Cuo suppressed his irritation and cupped his hands. "I wouldn't dare. I was only wondering whether we should tell Mr. Zhou about the pill." He glanced at the broken pieces, his eyes intent. But if he put it away in front of everyone, the consequences would be endless.

To get his hands on it, he needed a reason to be alone with the pill—or at least close enough to put it into the Gourd while no one was watching.

Chen Cuo's Mother looked troubled at the suggestion.

Seizing the chance, Chen Cuo asked those around him, "When was this man caught? And how did the pill break?"

Chen Hai had just reached the doorway. He promptly stepped forward and bowed. "My lord, while we were searching the residence, he had no time to hide it. He tried to flee with the box, but someone stopped him. In the struggle, the box fell to the floor and the pill broke."

"How long ago?" Chen Cuo asked, his heart in his throat.

"About half an hour!"

Chen Cuo's breathing grew heavier as excitement surged through him.

There's still time!

I have to be quick!

Once an hour passes, I'll lose my chance!

He hurriedly said to Chen Cuo's Mother, "Since it hasn't been long, perhaps we should inform Mr. Zhou. He may know a way to save it."

Chen Cuo's Mother hesitated, then nodded in resignation. "Chen He, invite Mr. Zhou here. I'll tell him myself."

Chen Cuo wanted to take the pill to Zhou Youzi in person. If time ran short, he could find an opportunity along the way to slip it into the Gourd. If anyone asked, he could make an excuse; once it was inside, they would find nothing on him!

It was risky, but worth the risk.

Now that Chen Cuo's Mother had made arrangements, though, he could not insist without arousing suspicion.

"Some things are destined, but someone must still bring them about."

In a clean, tidy, elegant room, Zhou Youzi sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes gently closed and his hands resting on his knees. His fingers twitched lightly. Then he slowly breathed out.

The breath held together like a long snake.

Abruptly, Zhou Youzi flicked his sleeve and rose. He went to the table, picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup of tea, and opened an article lying beside him.

At its beginning were the words "The Painted Skin."

So it takes experience in the world to learn the true measure of one's cultivation. Only because of my connection to the Prince of Nankang was I chosen to descend the mountain and seek the reincarnated immortal child guarded by the spirit crane. The prince's third daughter has a spirit crane beside her, so she should be the one. I hadn't expected the Marquis of Linru County to complicate matters! Before, he lacked merit and bore no Human Thought upon him. But now that this article is out, Human Thought is bound to gather around him, and there may be other forces involved. Even if he isn't using this chance to establish an Incense Root, someone may be making a pawn of him. A demon in painted skin... a painted-skin demon... heh!

With a chuckle, Zhou Youzi raised the cup in his left hand and drained it. He flicked his right hand, and the article burst into flame without a spark!

Ignorance makes people fearless. Driven by all that gathered Human Thought, the thing might truly come into being, turn from illusion to reality—even seize control from its creator! But since I'm here, I'll have to face it.

His lips moved faintly. Within the burning article, a hideous Azure-purple face flickered into view.

"Mm!"

Zhou Youzi suddenly shuddered and grunted. The flames in his hand flared, and in an instant, the Talisman Paper burned to ash.

I underestimated that marquis. The article has such power! Could it be that he's a blood relative of the reincarnated immortal child and has received some of his blessing? I can't even control the thoughts gathered around an article that's only been circulating for a few days. This is bad!

Surprise filled his eyes. He reached into his robe, as though to take something out.

Just then, someone knocked at the door.

Chen He's voice came from outside. "Sir, my mistress requests your presence."

Zhou Youzi stopped and called back, "I'll be there at once."