Chapter 394 - 285: Only Depravity Can Resist Destiny

Chapter 394: Chapter 285: Only Depravity Can Resist Destiny

Tang Wen and Xia Qingge looked up.

Hu Niannian descended from the sky, still speaking,

"I noticed it when we encountered that Python Flood Dragon in the middle of the lake." It fixed its tiger-like gaze on Xia Qingge. "You’re so young, yet you’ve already broken through to the Fifth Grade. Even among the White Tiger Race, you’d be considered a first-rate genius!"

A wide smile spread across Xia Qingge’s face as she glanced at Tang Wen from the corner of her eye.

’Listen to that!’

’Even in the White Tiger Tribe, I’m a genius!’

But there wasn’t the slightest hint of a smile on Tang Wen’s face.

Instead, he sighed. "She’s a descendant of an Outsider."

The excitement in Hu Niannian’s eyes froze, and the "king" character between its brows involuntarily furrowed.

It opened and closed its mouth, unsure of what to say.

It hastily returned the two Void Stones to Tang Wen and changed the subject, talking about sending supplies to Flame Camp.

Strangely, Xia Qingge didn’t press the issue. She just turned her head away, looking a little guilty, and took a drink while rubbing her temples.

Tang Wen looked at Hu Qi.

The latter was lying beside a huge boulder. Its claws, sharp as metal blades, plunged into the rock and pulled out again, sending a shower of stone chips skittering to the ground.

"Not many people are qualified to know about the Earth Curse," it said. "Twenty-one and I only know the general idea."

Hu Niannian spoke up as well. "When the Martial Arts of an Outsider’s descendant reaches a certain level, it’s best for them to return to their homeland. Otherwise..."

It looked Xia Qingge in the eyes. "By the time you reach the Peak of Fifth Grade, you might just die from the sheer pain."

A flicker of almost imperceptible sadness crossed Xia Qingge’s bright eyes. "We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I feel fine for now. Besides, Flame Camp is my home."

She suddenly whipped her head around, her eyes shining like stars. "And another thing, I haven’t stepped down yet! You have to listen to me, got it, kid? And here you are, trying to convince me to leave!"

The two White Tigers lay on the ground, not knowing what to say.

Tang Wen could only say, "There must be a way to control it. At the very least, there should be a way to mitigate the symptoms."

’But even as he said it, he wasn’t confident at all.’

’How many Fourth Grade Clans had been powerless against the curse?’

’The White Tiger Clan themselves were still trapped in the Ten Thousand Mountains because of it.’

’How was he supposed to deal with the Earth Curse?’

「Night fell.」

Hu Niannian didn’t rest. It refilled the Void Stone with supplies and once again flew in the direction of Flame Camp.

Tang Wen tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Using Instant Step, he returned to the Boat Gang’s dock encampment.

He froze, staring at the scene before him. The wooden bridge—the very one he’d arranged to have "haunted" not long ago—was now completely transformed.

Bright lanterns were hung everywhere on both sides of the bridge.

Flames billowed from wooden watchtowers resembling signal beacons, spewing thick black smoke.

"To drive away the ghost?" Tang Wen blurted out.

The area around the bridge was teeming with curious onlookers.

Hearing his question, someone chimed in, "They’re burning high-grade tallow in those towers. The story goes, you can see ghosts through the black smoke from the flames."

"For real?" Tang Wen feigned surprise, then seized the chance to ask, "Why build the towers out of wood? Aren’t they afraid of them catching fire?"

The people nearby all glanced at the man who had just spoken.

The man grew even more smug. "You wouldn’t know, would you! Ghosts fear light, and water fears fire. The one causing trouble around here is a Water Ghost. I heard that if the Water Ghost shows up again, archers will light the beacons immediately. The roaring flames are sure to drive the female ghost away!"

"Ah, I see!" Tang Wen said, as if it all made sense. "You really know your stuff, mister!"

"That’s nothing," the man said, deliberately lowering his voice. "Now, don’t you all go spreading this around, but on the night that female ghost attacked... my brother-in-law’s great-uncle was on duty on the ship..."

The moment Tang Wen heard "don’t you all go spreading this around," he knew the man was about to spin a tall tale.

As others crowded in, he quietly backed away and turned to leave.

On the street next to the docks, waves of clamor and a thick stench of alcohol mixed with cheap perfume washed over him.

He pushed open a wooden door, which had a flag with the word "Wine" on it and a sign that read, "Don’t Go Home Sober."

A wave of hot, stale air and the smell of liquor hit him in the face.

A few patrons glanced over at the sound, but upon seeing it was just another man, they immediately turned back, their eyes once again roaming over the tavern wenches.

After a series of sneezes, Tang Wen held his breath and shuffled over to a long table that served as a makeshift bar.

On the long table were a few snacks: small flatbreads, boiled peanuts, roasted sweet potato slices, roasted potatoes.

Tang Wen stood in a corner, watching.

The best-selling drink was "Tumble Liquor," also known as "Knockdown Draft."

Served in cups the size of a woman’s fist, three or five of these would leave a man flushed and warm but showing no outward signs of being drunk.

But when you stood up to leave, the world would suddenly spin, and you’d be liable to take a fall.

Or, the moment you stepped outside and the breeze hit you, the alcohol would rush to your head, and you’d start stumbling all over the place.

Judging by their dress, the patrons were all penniless sailors and dockhands.

In terms of power, most were merely Martial Disciples.

To them, the best liquor was the strongest and got you drunk the fastest, and the best food was whatever was most filling. ℯⅇ𝙡.

"What can I get for you, sir?"

Tang Wen was dressed in black, and though he hadn’t changed in days, his clothes were still immaculately clean.

He was completely out of place.

The server didn’t seem to mind, though.

Tang Wen made no attempt to hide his curiosity and unfamiliarity with the place. He glanced at the liquor vat. "How much for the Tumble Liquor?"

"Ten cents a cup. Eighteen Wen for two. And if you want five, it’s just Forty Wen," the young bartender recited smoothly.

"Alright. Fill that gourd behind you for me."

"What?" The young bartender glanced back at the liquor gourd, which was half as tall as a man, and reflexively dug a finger in his ear.

Tang Wen repeated himself, casually slapping a silver ingot down on the counter.

Seeing the ingot, the bartender looked troubled. "Young master, it’s not that I won’t sell it to you. It’s just... this gourd isn’t very sturdy. Once it’s full, it’ll be incredibly heavy, and if you try to move it too forcefully, it could easily break."

He had a point.

But Tang Wen said nothing more. With a slight lift of his hand, the huge liquor vat in front of the bartender floated into the air.

It settled back down with a THUD.

Inside the vat, the liquor sloshed.

"So you’re an Extraordinary! Please forgive my ignorance, my lord. I’ll fill it for you right away!"

After his initial shock, the young bartender stammered out the words, not daring to say anything more.

When he walked out, passersby stared at him.

Wandering around with a giant gourd was attracting too much attention, so he found an inn and left it in the courtyard.

He then scoured the docks and bought more than ten barrels of strong liquor.

It was late into the night when he returned to the patch of woods by the lake where their supplies were stashed.

The liquor Xia Qingge had brought was long gone.

She was pressing her temples with her eyes closed, trying to center herself.

But the tense arch of her long, slender feet revealed her immense discomfort.

"Your liquor."

"Hm? Oh—"

"So you do have a conscience, kid!" Xia Qingge shot up from the ground, grabbing the liquor and drinking immediately.

She drank like someone who’d been dying of thirst and had just found water.

Hu Qi’s voice transmitted to him, "Drinking isn’t a solution! She’s a Fifth Grade; she can’t really get drunk. Even with strong liquor, the effect will just get weaker over time."

Tang Wen took out his own liquor gourd and took a couple of swigs. A fiery heat burned its way down his throat and straight to his head. It tasted awful.

He transmitted back, "All I know is that she’s from the far east, somewhere even more distant than Sanlian City."

"She doesn’t want to go, and you won’t even try to convince her." ℯ𝔴ℯ

Tang Wen replied, "If you suddenly found out you weren’t a White Tiger from the White Tiger Tribe, and that you had to leave for some distant land, maybe never to return—would you go?"

Hu Qi grimaced but didn’t say anything more.

’Flame Camp held Xia Qingge’s subordinates and family. It was the home where she had grown up, and the place she fought desperately to protect.’

’How could she possibly leave?’

’And everyone in the camp, from top to bottom, couldn’t bear to see her go.’

Before dawn, Hu Niannian had already completed its round trip.

Tang Wen put away the Void Stone, packed up the remaining supplies, and the two humans and two tigers set out on the path they came.

The journey here had seemed to pass slowly.

Every sight was new and fresh.

On the way back, even though Hu Qi wasn’t flying that fast, the journey still felt much shorter.

BUZZ!

Spiritual Power vibrated.

Tang Wen pulled the Unity Mirror from his robes.

As expected, there was a message from Hu Lan:

[You seem rather close with that female leader]

’Tang Wen frowned. ’That tone... is she jealous?’’

Suddenly, he retracted his hand and glared to his side.

Xia Qingge, having grown friendly with Hu Niannian, wasn’t riding on Hu Qi’s back with him.

He breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a pang of disappointment.

Just then, Xia Qingge, riding Hu Niannian, was sneaking up on him, trying to peek at the words on his mirror.

"You two seem to get along strangely well."

"Heh heh!"

Xia Qingge ruffled the fur on the big white cat’s head. Taking the hint, it immediately went into a steep nosedive!

"Childish!"

Tang Wen picked up the mirror again:

[There is a way to mitigate it, but I don’t recommend you tell her]

[The Earth Curse is destiny.]

[And the only way to resist destiny... is by falling.]

’Huh?’

Tang Wen was stunned:

’Lan’Er, this "falling"... you’re not talking about something improper, are you?’

Hu Lan:

[Giving in to bloodlust. That is an irreversible fall!]