Divergence

Except for him and Situ Han, the others had prepared lavish spreads for themselves. The salted jerky Nian Songyu brought looked unremarkable—dark with a reddish tint—yet when held over the fire, it released a rich, mouthwatering aroma, clearly packed with seasonings. Slicing off two pieces to pair with fine white flour flatbreads gave the expedition a slight touch of an outing. He Chunhua mixed a bowl of seasoned flour tea. Hit with boiling water, the fragrance of sesame and peanuts drifted even farther than the scent of meat. He also tossed in some cashews and walnuts, instantly elevating its quality. He Lingchuan had always felt that drinking this sort of thing called for noisy, whirlwind slurping to be truly satisfying, but his old man ate with refined manners, quiet and soundless. Having heard the National Preceptor's words, He Chunhua pondered for a moment, and his expression shifted. "Arrived at the wrong time? Wait... could he be referring to the wild sand season?" "Every treasure-hunting party avoids the wild sand season, only to come away empty-handed. Zhu Gen exhausted every known method and divine art, yet could not detect the Dafang Pot's presence at all. Thus, he concluded that this treasure was most likely concealed by Zhong Shengguang, or perhaps even by the god he worshipped, and that finding it requires meeting certain preconditions," Sun Fuping said slowly. "Otherwise, even if latecomers combed through every inch of the Panlong Ruins, it would be impossible to find it." He Lingchuan's mouth glistened with grease as he ate heartily, though that did not stop him from speaking: "Zhong Shengguang resented the coalition, so naturally he wouldn't want them to get the Dafang Pot. But is there a chance the god took the Dafang Pot back, so it's no longer in the mortal realm? And all the strange phenomena in the Panlong Desert right now are the doing of vengeful spirits—er, no, heroic spirits. After all, Three Corpse Worms are born in human bodies to begin with; they aren't unique to the Dafang Pot." He himself adhered to the principle that no matter how hard life got, his stomach should never suffer. First, he tore off a braised goose leg and devoured it greedily, then crunched through two fragrant fried noodle pancakes. Once cooked, Blackwater City's local noodles were springy and chewy, and after being dried with hot air, they were somewhat reminiscent of his loyal companion from his other world: instant ramen. The locals would boil the noodles, dust them with flour again, fry them into pancakes in a pan, and sprinkle some chili and spices over them, making for premium dry rations suited for both home and travel. At the time, He Lingchuan had asked for generous helpings of extra meat and eggs. He practiced the martial path, so his appetite was far larger than most; he could never do without staple carbs and meat at every meal. Simply a glutton with vulgar table manners. Nian Songyu cast him a disdainful glance. "Three Corpse Worms capable of invading even spellcasters must be unique to the Dafang Pot." From the moment a person came squalling into the world, Three Corpse Worms coexisted within their body. The more one grew, the more trouble they stirred up—scrambling thoughts, nurturing greed, and giving rise to evil impulses. Hence, they were also called the 'Three Corpse Gods,' by no means as simple or base as mere insects. For one to cultivate and attain the Dao, a hurdle they had to overcome was wielding the sword of wisdom to sever the Three Corpses, thereby achieving a pure and unclouded heart and mind. Of course, what was severed were the Three Corpse Worms inside one's own body. The Three Corpse Worms lurking in the Panlong Desert could infect even spellcasters with clear minds, could remain active outdoors for extended periods, and feared nothing except sunlight. Such an enhanced version of Three Corpse Worms had to have come from the Dafang Pot. He Lingchuan gave a dry chuckle. "According to the National Preceptor's thinking, the Dafang Pot only appears during the wild sand season?" "Very likely." "Then we won't be accompanying you. You two can stay and play all you like." He Lingchuan stood up abruptly and headed outside without looking back. "Dad, let's go home!" The wild sand season? What a joke. There were a thousand and one ways to commit suicide; he didn't need to make a special trip here for it! A figure flashed before him. Nian Songyu stood with sword in hand, blocking the stairway. "Go back and sit down, or I'll send you on your way right now—no need to wait for the wild sand season!" "Huh?" Instead of getting angry, He Lingchuan laughed. "Showing your true colors so quickly?" Turning to his father, he asked, "Dad, these two bastards just want to use us as cannon fodder. Are you leaving or not?" He Chunhua set down his half-finished bowl of flour tea and rose to his feet. "The National Preceptor has planned thoroughly and holds victory firmly in his grasp. Even without Blackwater City's assistance, it seems you can successfully claim the treasure and return." A sinister edge crept into Nian Songyu's grin. "Do you think this is still Blackwater City? Killing you two would be as easy as slaughtering chickens! Without you father and son, this contingent of over two hundred men will still be under my command. Who would dare object?!" If the He father and son died, power would naturally fall to the highest-ranking officer. The expedition would remain in their hands. Zeng Feixiong had stood up long ago, and now, with a sharp clang, drew his blade halfway from its sheath. "Commandant Nian, watch your words! We answer only to Commandery Governor He!" Hearing the commotion, the personal guards stationed outside the building rushed in, surrounding everyone. In just a few exchanges, swords were drawn and bows bent. He Lingchuan's eyes shifted. What would happen if they dropped all pretense right now? Would the two of them actually dare to kill him and his father? Leaving aside how formidable Nian Songyu was, could the two hundred men under their command handle National Preceptor Sun? Was this a good opportunity to get rid of both of them? These thoughts flashed through his mind, and the answers were readily apparent: They would; they couldn't; it wasn't. It seemed father and son couldn't just walk away unscathed; they had to find another way. "Young people certainly have plenty of fire," Sun Fuping said, setting down his flatbread and gulping down several mouthfuls of water. "Commandery Governor He, you have always had a reputation for prudence. Why join the boy in making a fuss? If this were a guaranteed dead end, would I travel a thousand li just to die?" Before Commandery Governor He could speak, He Lingchuan beat him to it: "You wouldn't. You'd only send us to die." These two wretches, old and young, had harbored ill intentions from the very start. Nian Songyu glared sidelong at him. "Still trying to hike up your price on the spot? As if once wasn't enough?" The more he looked at He Lingchuan, the more disgusted he felt; looking back at him, He Lingchuan felt the exact same way. Neither bothered to hide it anymore. "Everything else aside, Lord National Preceptor, wherever the wild sand sweeps, all life is extinguished. Never mind treating it lightly—even the thought of giving it a try shouldn't cross one's mind!" He Chunhua cleared his throat. "Furthermore, the food and water we brought can only last another three to five days, not nearly enough to stall until the wild sand season arrives." He was attempting to defuse the tension, and Sun Fuping played along readily. "If we can trigger the wild sand season, I am certain I can lead everyone out alive. If we cannot, we will return to Blackwater City before the true wild sand season arrives. How does that sound?" "Trigger the wild sand season?" Situ Han, the bandit chief, couldn't help chiming in. "That can be triggered early?" And rush to our deaths early? He had been cowering in the corner the whole time, quietly finishing a naan before taking out several black-skinned scorpions to roast. He knew he lacked the standing to speak—everyone here was far above him. Yet as he listened, why did it sound like he was being dragged down a dead end? "Wait, please wait a moment!" A sudden thought struck him, and his face drained of color. "There are still people on the Red Cliff Road right now! If the wild sand season begins early, they'll surely die!" "With only days left before the wild sand season, anyone with sense knows better than to scramble for the very last copper," Nian Songyu said dismissively. "Besides, in past years the wild sand season never began on an exact month, day, or hour. Commandery Governor He, aren't there casualties on that road every year regardless?"