Fighting to be Kind in a Cultivation World

With only another kilometer or so before we reach the edge of the demihumans' living space, I can feel the mindset of the group wear down a bit.

While Ai and Lin may be familiar with the dense city sprawls with its boundless alleyways, the others are not. In particular, I notice that Jin Chin is the one feeling the most stressed about it.

Especially considering that I had let her and the others know they had to restrain their spiritual sense while inside this underground area, because of reasons that I couldn’t tell them about yet.

That certainly got me some concerned looks from the group. Even people who have deep trust, for a cultivator that uses it almost subconsciously around themselves to have to try to eliminate it, means that it must be a serious situation. And is essentially asking them to lower their guard down completely.

Adding to this, she already has a bias against demihumans, which she is resolutely trying to hold into check.

I’m still surprised by how quickly she’s chosen to change her views on demihumans. Normally, most people, especially here, are quite stubborn in their beliefs. Of course, they might fake it in front of others who they might think care… but Jin Chin isn’t like that. For good or bad, she speaks her mind.

Which is part of the reason that she got into the crosshairs of the nobles that were messing around in her town.

Even with that, we’ve been wandering around here, seemingly aimlessly. Obviously, there is an actual path that Gong is following. Jin Chin already knows that demihumans can’t harm her, with her being a Core Formation. However, clever tactics might catch one of us instead.

It is obvious that she has that in mind as her hand remains on both her new short sword and dagger. Ready to be pulled out at any time.

With Gong’s expert sense of smell and recent cultivation, no matter how much Jin Chin tries to hide it, she can tell. Perhaps in recognition of this, she’s given more information about the city and where we are in it.

“You can see here a sign showing that this is the path into the inner living area of the city. Though, this sign might be unlike the one you’ve seen before. Unlike the script used in the local area, we are using a totally different form of marking. And considering the wide availability of the materials, it was easy for us to come up with.”

With a flourish, a spider from an unseen corner throws over a glowing stone.

Jin Chin’s eyes lock onto it, tensing almost imperceptibly, before giving a chuckle when Gong starts to juggle it with others. Mei Lin and Lin look absolutely delighted at the display, though.

Having done the flourish, she then delicately places into a webbed portion of a nearby wall.

Where it looks like just another one of the countless glowing lights on the wall. With my scan, though, I can see a shocking code.

Morse code.

Although for their purposes, they’ve massively simplified its usage, just using one or two letters to determine direction, and then layering another alternating code on top of it.

Something a particularly attentive cultivator may be able to piece together after some time and enough examples of the other words.

But there’s no way someone in this world, other than a formation expert, would be willing to go through the trouble of interpreting such things. Rather than that, they would send a stronger cultivator to power through all the areas.

After all, there isn’t really anything to stop them.

…

Or is there?

Well-hidden around every nook and cranny of this place are countless traps, of a higher strength than was in the tunnels. Another scan around shows that her habit of making silly, crazy, and absurd traps all over the surface hasn’t gone to waste.

Heck, even the rolling ball trap is here.

However, the corners are filled in this time, so I wouldn't be able to easily escape from this one.

With the path we are taking, though, not a single trap can be found.

Even to a cultivator’s trained senses, it would be quite hard to catch the trigger for these traps. After all, the ground is blanketed in webs. Both sticky and non-sticky.

Many of those are everywhere, even on this path. Hidden within this coating of wire and floor are sensors and triggers. Both of which unleash traps of different kinds.

“As you can see, the ground we walk on is covered in web. It may not seem like it, but concealed within are tripwires and …”

Annnnnd she’s just giving away the secrets.

Which, considering everything, is a tremendous show of trust, even between allies.

It’s like telling your friend the information to control your bank account. You could do it… but in this world, that’s like a ticking time bomb.

You never know when the benefits will outweigh the downsides of losing trust between cultivators.

I’m not the only one who recognizes this effort. Everyone in the group immediately starts speaking out loud, but one voice cuts through the rest.

“Gong, you don’t have to tell us this! Your secrets are your own and we’re grateful that you are willing to trust enough to enter your home.”

Jin Chin’s words reaches her and Gong turns to her in response.

“Well… how are you going to come visit if you don’t know how to navigate this area?”

She gives a kind smile to my group, displaying her intention.

Immediately, I can sense the change in the group. Where even with Shi, Ai, and Lin, who already know Gong and have interacted with her now many times, both in and outside my presence, seem visibly touched by her words.

Jin Chin’s hand leaves her sword.

…

…

Over time, Gong explains more and more about the group, before reaching the final secret.

Taking a meaningful look at me, as she falls silent. This doesn’t go unnoticed, as everyone else looks at me, guessing that it’s finally time for me to explain what we are actually doing here.

I speak solemnly.

“… I don’t know why you all are looking at me. I just came to hang out.”

It goes so silent that I can actually feel my impending death coming.

“Okay, I’ll stop joking around. We’re actually here because I had discovered something when healing demihumans, when I had first came to this land.”

I give a pause, but it is soon filled by Yalei, who’s has been staying characteristically silent this whole time.

“You removed the demihumans' curse?”

I see a few nods all around, as if they already expected it.

Even He Wen joins in this, though he seems more shocked than the others.

“I mean, you healed so many other people’s curses at the Fortress of Healing that would not have been possible normally… why not theirs?”

“So, how did you get past the instant death clause? I assume you had to or we wouldn’t have been able to even take a breath.”

I answer this one, the best way I know how.

A shrug.

I’m looked at pretty incredulously, but I really don’t have a good answer for them, as there are layers within my abilities that even I don’t know.

It just works.

Ai gives her two cents.

“This is just how he is. His power is absurd and you’ll have an easier time just accepting it instead.”

In only a few moments more, the din of a celebrating crowd can be heard with a few loud sounds, indicating some kind of exciting action going on.

With the delectable smell of well-cooked and delicious meat ahead.

Looks like things might not be all bad.

…

…

Why is Gong’s face twisted, though?