Severing Time & Space

Late Night Anxiety

So that’s what a cultivator’s bloodlust feels like…

Wu Jian laid awake in bed, thinking about the confrontation between Wu Taohua and Ming Han. The bloodlust he had felt exuding from Ming Han had been frightening. He remembered feeling something very similar when he and Wu Meiying went into West Fang Mountain and were attacked by a Spotted Snow Lion. That magical beast had also exuded bloodlust, but it had felt very different from the cold, murderous intent of Ming Han. If Wu Jian had to describe it, he would have said the Spotted Snow Lion’s bloodlust felt more instinctual and less malicious.

Magical beasts and humans were different. Magical beasts embodied the ideal of survival of the fittest. They did not exhibit the greed that humans did. Humans, on the other hand, could be quite malicious and cruel. Many of them treated their fellow humans horribly, not because it was necessary for survival, but because they could, because it brought them joy.

That was how Wu Jian understood it.

From what Wu Jian understood, Ming Han’s cultivation level was a little below that of his father’s. Father was at the fourth subrealm of the Asura Realm. Ming Han was supposed to be half-a-step into the Asura Realm, meaning he was still at the ninth subrealm of the Hunger Realm but was close to breaking through, or maybe the man had already broken through and they hadn’t heard anything about it?

I wish I could sense a person’s cultivation level.

Once someone entered the Hunger Realm, they would gain a basic sense for chi, which allowed them to judge the strength of others. There was a limit to this, of course. A cultivator at a lower realm could not sense the cultivation level of someone at a higher realm. If a person confronted a cultivation and was unable to judge their strength, it was a good indicator that the other person was much stronger than them.

Well, that was what he had read at least.

This knowledge had come from one of the many books in the Wu Clan Library.

We were very lucky that Wu Taohua was shadowing us.

His relationship with Wu Taohua had improved tremendously since the Wu Clan Strength Competition when he was younger. She now treated him like he was her own son. His real mother didn’t seem to mind either. He wondered if that meant their relationship with each other had also improved? He used to always think those two didn’t get along, but maybe that was just his perception of them?

He turned over onto his side.

The sound of cicadas echoed from outside.

He closed his eyes.

What will we do if something like that happens again and Wu Taohua isn’t there to save us? Maybe we should be more cautious in the future? I should probably speak with Hou Jingshu about what happened. She needs to learn how to act with more caution.

As one thought after another flitted through his head, Wu Jian realized he wasn’t going to get any sleep like this. He got out of bed and put on some training clothes. The gi fit loosely over his sturdy frame. Maybe if he exercised for a bit, he would get sleepy…

Knock knock knock.

Just before he could lift himself up by the rings hanging from the ceiling, soft knocking echoed around the room, coming from the window. There was only one person who could have possibly been knocking on his window at this time of night.

“Mei,” Wu Jian greeted as he opened the window shutters to reveal Wu Meiying standing by the window. She wore a black cloak that hid most of her body. Her hood was up, but he could still see her vivid blue eyes and beautiful smile peering out from underneath.

“You can’t sleep either?” she asked.

Wu Jian ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I keep thinking about what happened earlier.”

“Me too. We were lucky, weren’t we?”

“Very lucky. What happened… really scared me,” he would never admit this to anyone else. Wu Meiying was the only person he would share this fear with.

She nodded. “It was pretty scary. I shudder to think about what would happen if Wu Taohua hadn’t shown up when she did.”

“Yeah… I was wondering if we should talk to Hou Jingshu about her actions?”

“I don’t believe that will be necessary. I’m pretty sure she’s already aware of her mistaken. I doubt she’ll do something like that again. Anyway, that’s not actually why I’m here. Uncle Yōushì is going to have a rather… interesting conversation. I think it’s something you’ll want to hear. Do you want to listen in?”

If Wu Meiying was saying something like this, then it was because she had seen something in the future and believed it was important enough for them to risk punishment to overhear it.

“You know I do. Let me put on my shoes and a cloak,” he said.

“Be quick. The meeting will start in a few minutes,” Wu Meiying said.

After getting dressed, he leapt out of the window and followed Wu Meiying as she took a winding route through the clan compound. She avoided the passing patrols and clansmen like a skilled assassin. She would stop and hide behind a rock, or a bush, or a tree, seconds before a guard walked by. Then she would start moving again. He didn’t know if she had memorized the patrols or if her clairvoyance allowed her to see where the patrols would be several seconds in advance.

It’s probably the former. Meiying can’t control her powers yet. I can’t see such a random skill being useful for slipping past guards like this… but that just begs the question of how she does it?

They soon reached Father’s building, which he and his wives lived in. Wu Jian crept on tiptoes behind Wu Meiying. She was a lot more confident that no one would see them than he was, as she strode boldly to the building, crouched low, and crawled over to a partially opened window. She looked over her shoulder at him and gestured for him to come closer.

It was time to hear what Father had to say. Wu Jian couldn’t contain his curiosity as he stuck close to Wu Meiying and strained his ears to listen.