Eat or Be Eaten

"I wonder, You Meihong, what did you see in the depths of that haunted forest?"Li An stared at the frail and lifeless body of You Mei's mother, save for the faint rise and fall of her chest. The mighty cultivator was now a mere shell of her former self.Li An's eyes narrowed as she studied the woman. "What do you desire most?" she whispered, though the question was more to herself than to the unresponsive figure.She took a deep breath, deciding to start with the most obvious leverage. "Your daughter, You Mei, is in danger," she began, her voice soft like cotton. "She needs you. Without your guidance, she may fall into your enemies' traps."There was no response. You Meihong did not even blink at her words.Li An's brow furrowed. This angle of appealing to maternal instincts was failing. She paced the room with her mind racing. "What else could drive this woman, stir her from her stupor?" She clenched her fists, and her nails dug into her palms.Then, an idea struck her. She stopped and turned back to the bed, a slow grin spreading across her face. "Of course," she muttered. "If it's not about your daughter, then it must be about you."People, at their core, are inherently selfish. This is not a condemnation, but a simple truth, one that can be observed in every corner of every world, from the highest god-like cultivator to the humblest mortal farmer.Consider the cultivators of the righteous sects. They proclaim their dedication to justice and the greater good. But look closer. See how they vie for power within their ranks, how they undermine their peers to climb the hierarchy, and how they hoard secret techniques to secure their own advancement. Their actions, cloaked in the language of duty and honor, are driven by the same selfish desires that fuel us all—the desire for power, recognition, and immortality.Think of the merchants in the bustling markets of the sect village. They smile and bow, offering goods and services with apparent sincerity. Yet, behind those smiles lies the pursuit of profit. They inflate prices, deceive with clever words, and exploit the desperation of the poor to fill their own coffers.Heroes desire glory, fame and the adoration of the masses. Demonic cultivators desire glory, fame and the fear of the masses. There is no such thing as altruism.Even within the bonds of family, selfishness thrives. Parents who push their children towards paths they themselves failed to walk, living through their offspring. Siblings who compete for the favor and inheritance of their elders, turning kinship into rivalry.Li An, too, was selfish, for she was a human.People are like rivers, always seeking the path of least resistance, flowing towards their own benefit. They carve through the land, shaping it to suit their needs, often at the expense of others. Just as a river does not concern itself with the valleys it drowns or the lands it erodes, people pursue their desires with little regard for the consequences their actions may have on others.Li An rolled up her sleeve, exposing her own crippled arm. With a deliberate movement, she activated the artificial hexagonal meridian system embedded within her flesh. Spiritual energy began to pulse from her arm, filling the room with a subtle, yellow light.Although the hexanodes could not regain the spiritual energy inside without a complete meridian system, Li An could still use them as expenditure material.She leaned closer. Her grin was turning demonic, and her eyes gleamed with a sinister charm. "Do you want to regain your cultivation?" she asked with a low voice.There was a flicker in You Mei's mother's eyelids. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Li An saw it. She straightened up, her grin widening, but kept her voice steady and calm. "I can help you," she continued. "I can restore what you have lost. Imagine the power, the respect, the life you once had. It can all be yours again."She moved her crippled arm closer to the woman's face, letting the spiritual energy flow more intensely. "This," she whispered, "is just a taste of what you could have. Think about it. Feel it."For a moment, there was silence. The room seemed to grow colder, the shadows lengthening and darkening. Li An watched intently, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt as though she was on the edge of a precipice, one step away from success or failure.Then, slowly, You Mei's mother's eyes opened. They were dull at first, but gradually, they seemed to focus, drawn to the glowing energy emanating from Li An's arm."It worked." Li An felt a pleasurable chill flow from head to toe. The heart of a demoness really liked to gamble when the odds were in her favor."Yes," she murmured. "You can feel it, can't you? This is your last chance. All you have to do is reach out and take it."You Meihong's hand twitched, the first sign of life in weeks. Li An could see the struggle in her eyes, the war between despair and hope. She leaned in closer."Take it." Li An's voice was colder than a mountain winter."Take it or scram."Slowly, painfully, You Meihong's hand began to rise, reaching towards the glowing energy. Li An's eyes shone with a dark light.She withdrew her arm slightly and allowed the spiritual energy to dim but not disappear. "I can help you regain your cultivation," she said. "But first, you must tell me everything you saw in the depths of the northern forest.""The fish has already taken the bait." Li An did not blame her for losing her wits; You Meihong was not an idiot and clearly knew about the risks of trusting the girl next to her.However, even if she knew the risks, she would still move forward and bite the bait, simply because a life without power had no meaning!You Meihong hesitated, her gaze shifting to the darkened corners of the room as if she expected something to emerge from the shadows. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "In the forest, I saw..."Suddenly, her body went rigid."AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"The hair-raising wail echoed through the room like a banshee's cry."Lord, have mercy, please!" You Meihong shrieked with both hands on her ears. Her voice was filled with unimaginable agony."Shit! What the hell is happening?" Li An's face turned ugly and she retreated from the bed. She was not willing to get caught in some kind of attack or curse from a high-level cultivator.She could see You Meihong writhing on the bed while her limbs twisted and cracked in very unnatural ways before returning to normal. The words "Lord, have mercy" repeated over and over, like a mantra that allowed her some form of sanity."This is bad." Li An tried to piece together the fragments of the situation, her thoughts tumbling over each other in a frantic rush. "Could it be that one of the ancient cultivators is still alive?" The possibility sent a chill down her spine. Perhaps the danger was far greater than she had anticipated.As You Meihong's screams began to subside, her trembling body slumped back onto the bed. Her eyes fluttered shut, and for a moment, the room was eerily silent once more.Li An approached cautiously. "What happened in the forest?"You Meihong's eyes opened slowly, but their gaze was unfocused and distant."There was nothing in the forest," she said weakly.Li An felt a lump in her throat. This crazy woman didn't remember any of the screaming, any of the terror that had just passed through her. Goosebumps prickled along her arms as the gravity of the situation sank in. "What exactly are the sects searching for?"Whatever You Meihong had seen, whatever horrors lurked in the depths of the northern forest, it had the power to obliterate her memory and twist her mind into forgetting the unspeakable."Maybe I am being too narrow-minded when looking at this situation." Although there was the chance of one powerful cultivator still being alive, Li An did not believe that the foreign sects would dare cause a war just for the sake of freeing him. "There is no benefit in doing that. In fact, the danger is even greater."Li An leaned closer to You Meihong, sounding more urgent than usual. "Think carefully. You must remember. There has to be something."But she only shook her head with hollow eyes."There was nothing," she repeated. The fear from before had vanished as if it were never there.Li An stepped back and sighed. She needed to know more, but pressing You Meihong further in her current state seemed futile.The oppressive silence in the room was broken by a soft murmur."My daughter... You Mei... How is she?" You Meihong's head had turned slightly towards the girl."What an amusing lady." Li An laughed inwardly, thinking about how humans clung to their facades of selflessness. Deep down, Li An knew that You Meihong's love for her daughter was genuine, but it was overshadowed by her hunger for power. "There's really no need for such hypocrisy." She was certain that You Meihong was using her daughter as a shield, trying to convince herself that she was still a righteous person.Of course, Li An would not shatter that illusion.Outwardly, she smiled warmly. "You Mei is doing exceptionally well," she said. "She has achieved great things in the outer sect competition. Her cultivation is advancing rapidly, and she has grown into a strong and capable woman.""She... she has? And... she helped you?" You Meihong's eyes brightened a bit.Li An nodded with an unwavering smile plastered on her face. "Yes, she has been a great asset."She was not lying. You Mei was indeed a great asset, just possibly not for the reasons her mother was thinking of.You Meihong seemed to relax slightly, with a soft sigh escaping her lips. "Thank you for looking after her."Li An watched as You Meihong's expression shifted, the desperation returning to her eyes. "It is only a matter of time before her true desires surface. A drug addict needs drugs, and I am a kind dealer who gives them for free.""You Mei... she means everything to me," You Meihong whispered, her voice strained. "But... I need to be strong for her. I need my cultivation back. Please, You Mei's friend, help me regain my power.""Hey hey, that's not how you communicate with people. Shouldn't you ask them for their name first?"Li An stared at her with pity."I could..." she began, her voice trailing off.You Meihong's heart pounded in her chest. Something felt wrong—a creeping sense of dread was washing over her. "What do you mean?"Li An's smile widened into something far more sinister."...but you have outlived your value."Boom!Before You Meihong could react, the room erupted in a violent explosion. A hexanode, carefully placed beneath the bed, had detonated with a deafening roar. The blast obliterated the bed and You Meihong's body, sending fragments of wood and flesh flying in all directions.In the blink of an eye, the room was transformed into a nightmarish scene.Blood sprayed across the walls, painting them in a grotesque crimson. Limbs were torn apart, sliced cleanly by the razor-sharp sword qi that accompanied the explosion. You Meihong's torso was split open, her internal organs spilling out in a macabre display.Chunks of flesh and bone scattered across the floor, and the air was thick with the coppery scent of blood. Even though the gruesome remains of You Meihong's corpse lay strewn about, Li An was unbothered."I am glad this house is isolated and there is a storm outside," she frowned. "The noise was louder than I thought." Li An could only thank the heavens for giving her a helping hand.She left behind the scene of the crime and stepped out into the violent storm with a grim satisfaction. The torrential rain fell like a relentless cascade, washing away the blood and grime from her black cultivator robes.Li An stretched out her arms and welcomed it. She had the sudden urge to recite a poem. "In raindrop's song, blood and sin are cleansed,A river of fate where paths twist and blend.Clothes washed clean, yet hearts bear the stain,In this realm of spirits, only silence remains."Li An removed her drenched robes, the fabric clinging to her thin frame before slipping off and pooling at her feet. Her scrawny body stood exposed to the elements, and her pale legs contrasted deeply against the dark backdrop of the storm. She was naked in the rain, letting the cold water cleanse her completely. She could feel the weight of the night's actions being stripped away.Li An's eyes scanned the surroundings, ensuring no one was watching. Her more than one thousand years of experience told her that one could never be too cautious.After confirming it was safe, she moved swiftly to a concealed spot beneath a large, gnarled tree. Reaching into a hollow in the tree trunk, she pulled out a bundle of clothes. The new cultivator robes were soaked through, and their dampness made them cling to her skin as she dressed, but Li An hardly noticed the cold."The Gene Boosters were much worse." She forgot the faces of people she knew, but not the terrifying one-degree Kelvin temperatures she had to endure during the injection of a Gene Booster.Once dressed, Li An retrieved the discarded, blood-stained robes. Holding them up in the rain, she concentrated on forming a weaker version of the spiritual bullet in her hand. The energy hummed softly. Li An was now able to control these weaker versions of her self-created attack. With a flick of her wrist, the spiritual bullet disintegrated the clothes into a fine mist, leaving no trace behind. She watched as the remnants were carried away by the storm, ensuring there was no evidence for her enemies to find.The rain continued to fall, now mingling with the rising night mist. The darkness of the night was deepened by the heavy clouds, creating an oppressive, almost suffocating atmosphere. Li An stood for a moment, letting the chill seep into her bones."I should go," she muttered to herself.There was no time to dwell. The night had just arrived, and she had another person to visit.· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·The room was dark, save for the white light of a single lantern casting long shadows on the walls. Elder Jiang was standing in front of her desk, her hands held tightly behind her back. Ning Bing knelt on the ground before her, bowing her head in submission. She knew her performance this time had been subpar, and she could not blame anyone but herself. Next to her, there was a young man with light blue eyes and silver hair staring at Elder Jiang with a frown.He was wearing azure blue cultivator robes that clearly did not belong to the Gentle Sword sect. Despite his relatively low cultivation level—only at the ninth stage of the Spirit Realm—Elder Jiang treated him with respect."Someone is scheming against me," she explained to the young cultivator, her voice laced with frustration. "Right now, I am under deep suspicion and unable to mobilize any of my allies. The situation is dire."The young cultivator sneered, his lips curling with disdain. "It is better to have god-like enemies than pig-like allies," he muttered. His eyes flicked to Ning Bing, then back to Elder Jiang. "As a powerful Essence Condensation elder, this is the best you can do?"Elder Jiang's lips flattened. "What do you propose?""I will speak with the leader of the Azure Sword sect," he said. "We will initiate our backup plans earlier than expected. This will ensure that our operations continue smoothly, despite the current... complications."Elder Jiang nodded, a slight smile of satisfaction playing at the corners of her lips. "Very well. I hope this matter is handled swiftly." She was tired of being in the losing side. It had been a long time since someone could overwhelm her so drastically with scheming.With a final respectful bow, the young cultivator turned and exited the room, his azure robes sweeping behind him. The door closed softly, leaving Elder Jiang and Ning Bing alone in the oppressive silence.Elder Jiang's gaze hardened as she turned to Ning Bing."You will stay quiet," she hissed. "Spy on Li An until the other sects arrive. If you fail me, I will kill you myself, regardless of the Gentle Sword sect's rules."Ning Bing kept her head bowed. It was hard to see what expression she had due to the absence of light. "Yes, master. I understand."Just as she was about to continue, a light knock echoed from outside the door. Elder Jiang's eyes narrowed, and she shot a warning glance at Ning Bing before calling out, "Enter."The door creaked open, and a shadowy figure stepped into the room, cloaked in the darkness of the corridor. Drops of water fell from its clothes, forming small puddles at the entrance."State your business." Elder Jiang was not in the mood to entertain disciples.The figure in the doorway stepped forward without hesitation, revealing a familiar yet unexpected face."Li An?"Elder Jiang could feel something was wrong with the girl. A faint smile was drifting around the edge of her lips. It was the expression a wild beast made when they discovered prey.Li An's carefreeness was boundless. Out of everyone in the room, she was the only one who was relaxed. As if she was far away from the tense atmosphere around them.Elder Jiang's spine became cold. It was not possible to know exactly what the plots of the mastermind behind Li An were, but those eyes. Those eyes of a killer, surpassing logic, were more than enough to convince her that the girl was not a pawn."What are you doing here?" Elder Jiang asked, her face rigid.Li An chuckled. "Can I not visit an elder of the sect for guidance? I am feeling a little sad."She began laughing, feeling joy coursing through her veins. "Isn't it good to laugh? Life should be enjoyed. Elder Jiang, please laugh a little. Your serious face is killing the mood."Elder Jiang's ears turned red and she glared at Li An with killing intent. "What gave her the courage to meet the enemy in such a rush? This is my opportunity to kill her!""Where is the decorum of this old hag? Did her parents not teach her any social skills? It's fine. I will make sure she learns it, personally and thoroughly," Li An sighed, shaking her head."It is a shame that our first private meeting is under such dire circumstances," she said.Elder Jiang sneered. "Might be our first and last if you don't have a good reason to be here."A grin was the only reaction she got."Wow, how violent. As expected of the person who murdered You Meihong in cold blood.""Pardon?"Elder Jiang made a confused expression. As if wondering why Li An would say something like that. She knew better than anyone that You Meihong was still alive, residing with her daughter.Li An looked at her with pity. "It seems Elder Jiang is rather slow on the uptake. She's the type of person who never realizes the ship is sinking until the water reaches her knees."But Li An was feeling kind today, so she would teach her free of charge."You Meihong is dead. You killed her.""...?""Does she still not understand?"Li An praised herself internally. She was truly a teacher with a lot of patience. "If I calmly explain each and every part, maybe she will finally obtain a revelation." It was not in her nature to discard hope for people so easily.Thus, she leaned down.Li An moved her mouth near Elder Jiang's ear.Filling each and every one of her words with the full sincerity from her heart.She whispered softly."You Meihong's guts are decorating the walls, and your sword qi did it."Dumbstruck disbelief.There was no doubt that Elder Jiang was speechless, experiencing the greatest horror of her life. She was a smart student, so she would obviously connect the dots.Li An counted in her head. "Three... two... one..."Elder Jiang's spiritual energy exploded outwards, sending Li An flying against the wall like a cannonball. The hair of this greater elder was slithering above her shoulders, making her look like a demonic cultivator.Li An very much enjoyed this sort of sight. Her old teacher in her previous life used to say, "Pursuing the peak without enjoying your way there is a recipe for disaster," and Li An agreed. She was proud, since her student had managed to understand her lesson.The concept was simple. Li An was teaching her the process of natural selection.The dog-eat-dog world.Realizing who was the hunter and who was the prey.Whenever she made fools—those who believed that they were the people in power—realize that they were nothing more than ants under a magnifying glass, it felt like she was contributing to the nature of all things within this drop of water in the cosmic ocean, and thus made her feel pleased. It would be fine to say that this was one of the very few pleasures in her life."I WILL KILL YOU!" Elder Jiang roared with a blade of sword qi shaping up on her right hand.Li An grinned even more and dashed towards her, placing her neck right in front of the sword qi blade.A quiet, but horrifying whisper flowed from her lips."You bark too much. Go on, kill me. I am waiting.""You..." Elder Jiang's voice shook. She instantly retracted her spiritual energy, afraid of accidentally decapitating Li An.Li An offered her a gentle smile."I am just concerned about your well-being, Elder Jiang. It might be hard to leave this place in one piece if the sect leader learns of your crimes, especially after your disciple crippled You Mei's poor friend.""...""Aah, I am so worried. I fear that your hot temper might flare again, causing you to massacre or torture dozens of disciples and their families. I don't think the sect leader will be able to think rationally after such a tragedy happens, and your sword qi would be the only spiritual energy present."Elder Jiang's body trembled intensely."It's probably best to end this boring pretense of half-respect."Li An changed her friendly tone to a clearly threatening tone."Oh pitiful old hag. Did you rage at the thought that my master was using You Mei for his plans? Did you seriously believe she was the chess piece he chose for acquiring that thing in the northern forest? Aah, Elder Jiang. You poor friend."Li An laughed."It's a shame really, but you were wrong. In fact, you couldn't be more mistaken. 'Let's trample over these children who dared to show their fangs to me'."She held Elder Jiang's chin with the tips of her fingers. "I bet that's what you thought, wasn't it? That you were the cat in this game of cat and mouse."It was hilarious that someone dared to underestimate her."You are the mouse."Li An kindly whispered in Elder Jiang's ear."From the beginning to end, it was all your misunderstanding. You lost because you never understood who was the true enemy. You Mei is the same, but she doesn't have the right to enter this competition."Elder Jiang's trembling became more violent.Li An released her hold on her chin and softly placed her hand on the other party's shoulder."But don't worry, Elder Jiang. I am a benevolent person, born and raised in a righteous sect. I'm willing to vouch for you, if it means saving your sorry excuse for a brain. After all, you never left this room during the night, did you?"She gripped Elder Jiang's shoulder tightly, making her flinch. "Why would you do that?" she asked with quivering lips.Li An shook her head with downcast eyes. "Wrong question. What makes this world move forward? Benefits! Everything's about benefits, old hag.""The right question should be, 'what do I have to pay?' Defeat always comes at a price. Elder Jiang, I am a straightforward person. I won't degrade us both with hollow words of comfort or false promises. Don't you find hypocrisy to be a grave insult?""..."Li An enjoyed listening to the clattering of her teeth."Many things will change."From the marrow of her bones."I will tell you to give me two Spirit pills per week and many other resources. You will not be able to refuse. You may occasionally have a sense of shame that you don't feel like a person, but like a rat trapped in a sewage pit."Creeping up her spine."Every now and then, your rebellious spirit will rise and you'll resist me. Would you like to know how I plan to respond? Ah, rest assured, I won't kill you. In fact, I won't even lay a hand on you. You have my word. What I will do..."Into her skull."...is kill a single disciple with your sword qi.""Everything will be in my control.""I will not start a genocide or cause a commotion. Every time you resist, one disciple might be found dismembered inside their house. Rip, like that."Li An snapped her fingers."Just for fun, nothing more. What do you think? Can you appreciate how kind-hearted I am?""...""While staring into their fearful faces. Rip, rip, rip, rip... rip."With a soft 'whoosh', Li An blew into her ear.Elder Jiang shivered like a sail in a fierce wind."I love this moment when their will crumbles into pieces." Li An never grew tired of enlightening pawns who thought they could become chess players."Ah, I'm already eagerly anticipating the day you decide to rebel against me. I can't wait. But rest assured, I'll endure it. With great patience, I will gladly endure it. You can take comfort in that."Elder Jiang clenched her teeth. "The amount of resources you are asking for is too much for a greater elder like me. Please understand! I will have to spend all my money and even be in debt to other elders. If that were to happen, the sect leader would..."Whoa, whoa. Calm down."Li An turned around and began walking towards the door, not even paying a glance at Ning Bing."Naturally, there are many concerns to be aware of. The danger you'll have to shoulder will also be large. I see it all clearly, I really do. But despite all that, dear Elder, it is most regrettable, yet..."She smiled widely with her hand on the door handle."That is your problem. Not mine."