《Rebirth of the Cultivator in the Apocalypse》


 Chapter 1: Wang Shen Returns

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold on for much longer! My qi is drying up!¡± Wang Shen yelled at his fellow cultivator, Bao Miantong. Wang Shen had already used up all the medicinal pills in his interspatial ring, even the two heavenly 7th tier pills that he had pilfered from the Ancient Grandeur Tomb in Beijing when no one had been looking.


    There were just too many of them.


    The horde of zombies stretched far into the blood-red horizon, their ranks filled to the maximum with tier nine overseers and tier eight alterations. But the worst had yet to come, for the Terrible Matriarch had yet to appear. It was a zombie that transcended human understanding, and the only zombie to ever come close to obtaining immortality. A tier ten behemoth that controlled the entirety of the zombie horde.


    Wang Shen brought forth another wave of qi, molding it into another devastating Blooming Lotus. He sent the attack into the front wave of zombies that were crowding around the Shanghai stronghold, eliminating a score of tier five Armored Zombies.


    It was the best he could do as a peak Nascent Soul cultivator. He had been bottlenecked for the past two years, unable to break through to Saint Soul. He and Bao Miantong were considered mid-tier cultivators in this post-apocalyptic world.


    ¡°Wang Shen, this isn¡¯t looking good,¡± panted Bao Miantong. His face was pale with exhaustion. His friend was running low on qi as well. Around them, their fellow cultivators fought fiercely, desperate to keep the neverending horde at bay.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think, just keep fighting! The Saint Soul and Diety Soul masters should be arriving from the Suzhou stronghold soon!¡± Wang Shen blasted off another Blooming Lotus, igniting a row of bloodthirsty zombies. He grimaced as a pang of fatigue washed over him, warning him that further qi depletion would result in fatal consequences.


    ¡°I can¡¯t Wang Shen. I think it¡¯s over for me.¡± Bao Miantong¡¯s voice whispered faintly behind him. ¡°My meridians have been shattered and I can¡¯t bring forth any more qi. Here, take this.¡±


    Wang Shen turned around. His eyes widened as he stared at the object Bao Miantong was offering him.


    It was the coveted Phoenix Pill. A Diety tier cultivation pill that was said to contain magical properties and had the capability to bring back the dead. It was known to have been in the Ancient Grandeur Tomb, but no one had ever found it. But it looked like that had been a lie.


    ¡°I stumbled upon the Phoenix Pill when everyone was separated by the tomb. I didn¡¯t know what to do with it, but I knew it would come in handy one day. You¡¯re the best person to take it, Wang Shen. You¡¯re the only peak Nascent Soul here. If you breakthrough now, we might still stand a chance!¡±


    Wang Shen hesitated before reaching out and taking the crimson pill. His mind was in turmoil, but one thing was clear. They needed to survive.


    He popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it whole. As it entered his stomach, he felt a burning sensation spread through his meridians. It was as if molten lava was running in his veins in place of blood. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a pain-filled scream as he collapsed to the ground.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    His consciousness was beginning to fade. This wasn¡¯t what he wanted. But he couldn¡¯t move his arms, his mind was muddy and his body unresponsive. All he felt was the hellish sensation that took precedence over everything.


    A guttural noise sounded from Bao Miantong. All Wang Shen could do was watch in horror as a wicked bladed arm pierced his friend¡¯s torso. Crimson blood spurted out in gouts as the mid-tier Nascent Soul¡¯s lifeless body fell to the floor. His best friend had died before his very eyes.


    The zombies had finally broken through. Hordes of tier six Blade Zombies pushed through the narrow passage, gleefully falling upon the exposed cultivators.


    Wang Shen let out a soundless scream filled with vexation and rage. It was the best he could do as a Blade Zombie suddenly spotted him on the ground and slowly sauntered over.


    Then the world turned dark as a bladed arm came down, severing his connection to the world.


    <hr>


    Wang Shen came to with a jerk of his head and a twist of his arms. Something clattered to the ground.


    ¡°Wang Shen? Do you need anything?¡± A strict, foreign voice spoke to him.


    Bao! Wang Shen frantically thought, turning his head left and right quickly. He immediately felt dizzy for doing so, he had turned his head too fast. His best friend had been right next to him. Where did he go?


    Wang Shen turned his attention towards the voice. Then, he gasped. It was Ling Xuexia, a face he hadn¡¯t seen for more than ten years.


    ¡°I thought so,¡± she said, turning her attention back to the textbook. A few snickers sounded around him, his classmates from ten years ago.


    Wang Shen looked around him, studying the faces of his classmates. Could he be in a special mental array? He instinctively reached for his Hong dispelling powder in his interspatial ring, only to find it missing from his hand.


    Wang Shen was taken aback. He could feel that his body was weak. His dantian was disconnected from his mind and he could only summon one millionth of his true strength. This could only mean one of two things.


    He¡¯d been injured severely in the last fight and his cultivation was sealed. Or, Bao Miantong had succeeded in bringing him back to where it all began. Wang Shen took a deep breath and realized the truth.


    He was back.


    Wang Shen, not caring about the consequences, stood up from his seat and excused himself. He could feel stares at his back as he ran from the homeroom, not stopping until he reached the restroom.


    Wang Shen took in his new look. Or rather, his old look, one that he had forgotten for more than a decade now.


    A tall lanky boy with short black hair stared back at him. He took off his uniform jacket and began looking at himself, checking to see if there had been any changes since he took the Phoenix Pill. Everything seemed to be in order, other than his disconnection to his dantian.


    Wang Shen tried to circulate his qi within his body. He could feel wisps of energy forming in his body, but nothing even close to what it used to be. He hadn¡¯t yet formed the connection to his dantian.


    Then, he saw it. Wang Shen started chuckling.


    His birthmark on his right arm was still intact. It seemed to stare back into him as he studied it, memories flooding back to him. He¡¯d been returned to his exact physical state and exact physical location to ten years in the past.


    His chuckle turned into full-blown laughter. The heavens had granted him a second chance. He was like a phoenix, reborn from the fires of defeat. Humanity had struggled for too long against the zombie hordes.


    This time, he would be prepared.

 Chapter 2: February 4th, 2021

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 Chapter 3: Penumbral Eclipse

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 Chapter 4: Mind to Qi to Body Technique

    Wang Shen knew what sort of hell was in store for the people of Earth. Every single nation, every single citizen, would be impacted in sinister ways by the apocalypse.


    The change would be rapid, impacting around fifty percent of the population in the first few days. Some people would turn rabid within hours on contact; others would be more gradual.


    It varied from person to person, but within a week, half the population would be zombified.


    Wang Shen had his phone light out, sweeping around with it as he moved swiftly from place to place. He navigated swiftly through the rocky outcrop, climbing to the place where he knew the herb would spawn.


    The fast-acting changing atmosphere of the Earth would impact plants the fastest. The plants would take in the effects of the apocalypse and evolve first. Wang Shen intended to be there on first contact.


    He reached the Heavenly Cures after a few more minutes of searching. The pretty flowers were sitting near a few bushes, looking just as he remembered. Blood red, colorful, and full of life, perfectly representing the flower that would save humanity from zombification.


    Wang Shen reached for it, plucking a few for himself first. The apocalypse had just begun, and with it, boundless qi spread across the Earth.


    I better decide what to cultivate now, Wang Shen thought to himself. It was the perfect occasion to cultivate, being alone in the mountains amongst nature. What technique should I prioritize?


    He thought back to his earlier years in the apocalypse. Wang Shen had ended up cultivating multiple techniques, which had hurt his chances of perfecting one. He¡¯d eaten monster core after monster core in the beginning, frantic in his search to improve his techniques.


    It had cost him too much in the end, as he was only able to reach the Nascent Soul level. His soul had been too fragmented to take the next step towards immortality, creating his Saint Soul. Wang Shen hadn¡¯t been able to achieve the final step in his last life and severely regretted his decisions.


    Wang Shen knew what he had to do. He would cultivate the Mind to Qi to Body technique, to solidify his baseline and improve his future chances. The path to immortality was long and tedious, but getting the correct head start would matter the most in the long run.


    Wang Shen sat down underneath a rocky outcrop where he would be safe from prying eyes. Taking the flowers out of his backpack, he laid them before him and started to channel his qi.


    Extracting the energy from the Heavenly Cures required the utmost concentration, for one single misstep could result in internal injuries to his meridians. The unique flowers contained qi so pure and compact that a single liquid drop formed could heal any external wound, save for severed limbs.


    Wang Shen steadied his breathing and focused on directing his qi to all the body meridians. The first time he had done this, he had almost died from having to use the reserves of his life energy. However, this time he had the Heavenly Cures to supplement his cultivation.


    Inhale.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Exhale.


    Inhale.


    Exhale.


    Expelling the impurities from his body would take him around three hours. It was a tedious process, filling his body with pure energy and redirecting it. But by doing so, he was slowly cleansing the evil fumes and impure energies from his body. His back was stained with sweat as it took every fiber of his being to concentrate.


    Black threads of ethereal qi seeped out of his body, condensing into a spherical shape in front of him. All the toxins were leaving his body. At the same time, Wang Shen felt a burning sensation as if he submerged under boiling water. His skin started glowing a bright molten red as his body temperatures rose abnormally fast.


    He was now undergoing the annealing phase of the cultivation process. His muscles, now stripped of impurities, were reknitting themselves to form stronger bonds. His physical strength had substantially surpassed that of an average human. Wang Shen¡¯s remained closed as he focused on his qi foundation, maintaining his intense concentration.


    It was time.


    A surge of energy gathered around Wang Shen. His body was beginning to undergo the transformation phase as enough qi had been circulated throughout his body. He could feel himself flowing with energy as his cleansed meridians aligned. The amount of qi filling his vessel was enormous. He thought he was about to burst.


    A flush of hot steam exploded from his body as all the impurities finally left. The black sphere of impure qi hardened and fell to the rocky ground with a thud, leaving a fist-sized impression in the dirt. Meanwhile, Wang Shen was gasping from the strenuous amount of effort that he had just gone through.


    A feeling of exuberation flowed into his body. He had broken through to the early Qi Condensation stage, the most basic level of cultivation. This time, he had done it without ending up on the edge of death¡¯s door.


    But something was different this time. There was still an abundance of pure qi left in the Heavenly Cures. This was something he had not expected. It made sense though, the first time he had cultivated, he had been done it without the help of strong medicinal qi from the blood-red plants.


    Could it be possible that he could breakthrough again? Wang Shen was torn. One half of him wanted him to continue; the other half deemed it too dangerous. He was stuck. If he succeeded in breaking through again, he would be miles ahead of any cultivator. But if he failed, he risked being set back for two months as it would take time for his meridians to heal.


    It didn¡¯t take him long to decide. The reward was worth the risk.


    Assuming a meditative state once more, he closed his eyes. He focused on internalizing the pure medicinal qi from the Heavenly Cures. Wang Shen reopened his meridians and allowed the energy to flow into his veins. The same burning sensation was here again, though this time, it was more significant in intensity.


    He gritted his teeth. The most crucial part was finally at hand. Wang Shen knew that he needed to direct the qi to break through from the rest of his body. The foreign energy that originated from the outside world condensed in his mind and traveled throughout his body, but the final step of integration needed to be taken. Wang Shen prepared himself to let go of the tension within his body, to make his body accept the excess medicinal qi from the Heavenly Cures.


    Then, he let go.


    All of the pent of energy integrated into perfect harmonious existence within his body all at once. Wang Shen felt the burning sensation of his body fall off as his mind, body, and qi became whole.


    He had successfully risen from early to mid stage Qi Condensation.


    Wang Shen couldn¡¯t help but grin in triumph. The hardest part of the technique had been successfully achieved. He¡¯d begun cultivating the Mind to Qi to Body technique, entirely altering his relationship to qi permanently.


    Wang Shen took off his clothes and got out some water to rinse out his body. Then, he took his gym clothes from his backpack and put them on. He felt refreshed and had almost started laughing when he heard a guttural growl sound directly in front of him.


    Wang Shen instantly shifted into combat mode.


    He could feel killing intent.

 Chapter 5: Tier One Mutant Bear

    He froze. Then he relaxed as he identified what had been growling at him. He had almost missed it in the darkness as it was camouflaged among the dense trees.


    In front of him was an Asian black bear¡ªa mutated one, to be exact. Three times the size of its regular counterpart and exuding qi, it was a dangerous tier-one killing machine. He had not expected to encounter his ferocious beast this early in the apocalypse.


    But Wang Shen wasn¡¯t scared. Had he still been at the early Qi Condensation stage, he would have been in deep trouble. But his gamble had paid off. Mid Qi Condensation stage was more than enough to take on this tier one mutant.


    ¡°Come here, you ugly fucker. I want your core.¡±


    The bear increased the ferocity of its snarl as if responding to Wang Shen¡¯s taunt. Then it lunged at him, seeking his throat with its powerful jaw. Wang Shen calmly leaned backward, letting the beast fly above his head. It felt rather slow to him as his perception had developed even further. As it passed by his head, he willed qi to enter his palms before striking its underbelly.


    The bear crashed into a pile of rocks, skidding to a complete stop. Then it stood back up, enraged even more than before. A line of drool dripped from its pulled back lips as it exposed its large canines.


    Wang Shen grinned. ¡°I would have been disappointed if that¡¯s all it took to take you down. Now come!¡±


    The savage beast tried its best to land a hit on Wang Shen, but the cultivator proved to be too nimble of a target. Utilizing his qi to shift his momentum, he easily avoided the swipes of the bear¡¯s deadly claws. Then, directing a stream of qi to his legs, he jumped high into the air. He spun once, then twice, generating centripetal force and accelerating his descent.


    ¡°Take this, you fucking bear!¡± roared Wang Shen as he struck the bear¡¯s head with the speed of a peregrine falcon and the strength of an elephant. A shockwave traveled into the ground and spread, causing the air to shake and leaves to shiver. A terrible scream of pain sounded from the mutant bear as it convulsed on the ground. Then it went silent as a final breath escaped its body.


    There was still one last thing to do. Wang Shen walked with confidence up to the carcass of the bear. He used his qi to infuse his hands with a sharp aura then slammed it down, drilling a deep hole into the chest of the mutated bear. Then he reached inside. It was an unpleasant experience as he felt everything from connective tissue and fat, not to mention the thick smell of blood. But it was worth the trouble, for he had found what he had been looking for. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The heart.


    Grabbing hold of the organ, he pulled and detached it from the corpse. Extracting his blood-stained hand, he unfolded his fingers and gazed at the mass of tissue. Then using his free hand, he made a slit in the heart and plunged in once more. His fingers closed around a smooth and round object.


    Found it, Wang Shen thought. It was as he expected.


    This was the real prize¡ªa tier-one monster core. The early-stage apocalyptic mutant monsters still had small cores, but they were still useful. Monster cores were perfect catalysts for streamlining cultivation when appropriately consumed. They were safe to use once the impurities got expelled.


    He cleaned his hands with the remainder of the water and also washed the monster core before stowing it away in his backpack.


    It would come in handy later.


    His eyes could now see perfectly, even in the dim moonlight.


    Shouldn¡¯t I kill a few more monsters for more cores? Wang Shen analyzed his position. He could spend a few hours killing infected beasts nearby and gain cultivation resources. Or he could leave and start the next phase of his plan. Hmm, I¡¯ll come back later. These things are valuable but not to this extent.


    Every second he wasted from here on out meant more people were going to die. Wang Shen intended to save his friends and family first. He would need to quickly determine who the virus had infected and separate them to cure them eventually.


    The Heavenly Cures were secured inside his backpack. Still, there were two other steps that needed to be solved before he could distribute the medicine.


    He needed to convert the flowers into liquid form, and then solidify its essence into pill form. In order to transform the flowers into a solution, he required a cauldron.


    Unfortunately, this early into the apocalypse, new cultivators hadn¡¯t yet discovered how to use cauldrons for medicinal pills. He¡¯d need to contact an old acquaintance to borrow the only cauldron he knew about at this stage in the apocalypse. Though that acquaintance hadn¡¯t yet met him in this timeline.


    The second step was to find the Jadite Clover Stone. This artifact, originating from the Changsha region, would aid him in his cultivation path. It would likely push him up to late-Qi Condensation, which would allow him to increase the success rate of Heavenly Cure crafting.


    He¡¯d need to increase his power before attempting alchemy; one step was not more important than the other. His journey of a thousand miles began when he plucked that first flower.


    Wang Shen would see it through.


    It was late when he got back down the mountain, but Wang Shen didn¡¯t mind. He had enough cures to save thirty people if he did everything right. Luckily, there was still a train going back to Changsha. He didn¡¯t need to call a cab.


    He stepped onto the last train back to the city.

 Chapter 6: Train to Changsha

    Wang Shen looked down at himself. There were a few blood splatters, but nothing too alarming. He looked the part of a dirty country schoolboy in his gym clothes who was going to the city to visit relatives.


    He then raised his head to scan the room. There were only about ten people on the train with him. This was normal, this late at night.


    Wang Shen then carefully looked at each and every one of the ten people around him. He needed to check which of them were infected. This was a critical skill that survivors in the apocalypse would later need to know. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to just scan the room with spiritual sense, so using his eyes would have to do for now.


    One man caught his attention.


    He looked like an office worker, going back home after a long day. The office worker held a briefcase in his right hand and was sitting near another man.


    What tipped Wang Shen off was the nervous glances the man was giving the people around him. Office man was clearly suspicious of other people on the train, which in turn made Wang Shen wary of him.


    This early in the apocalypse, people didn¡¯t necessarily have an understanding of the virus. A random infected stranger could easily pass the infection through bodily fluids. Even airborne transmission was a possible danger.


    There was probably nothing to worry about for the moment, so Wang Shen stopped analyzing the office worker. He turned his attention to another suspicious individual.


    Wang Shen narrowed his eyes as he studied the man sitting next to the office worker. Something was off. He shouldn¡¯t have been acting like this immediately after the penumbral eclipse. It usually took a half-day before the hunger truly began, and the craziness overtook the mind.


    The suspicious man stood up. Wang Shen could see that he was wearing all black, like a robber. He suddenly understood. The man had already been in a different mental state before the eclipse hit, so the apocalypse had sent him over the edge.


    Wang Shen prepared himself while watching the suspicious man walk over to a nearby woman.


    ¡°Hey! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± The woman asked loudly, attracting the attention of everyone on the train.


    The suspicious man didn¡¯t stop in his advances. There was a feverish glint in his eye as he reached out to feel her body. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Stop! Help!¡± The woman tried to get away from the strange man while calling out desperately. Wang Shen was sure this man was infected at this point. Unfortunately, he was too far to help.


    ¡°Hey, back the fuck up, man. Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s uncomfortable?¡± The nearby office worker put his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder and tried to pull him off. ¡°What are you doin--¡±


    Then, all hell broke loose.


    The unstable man turned around and sank his teeth into the carotid artery of the office worker, then ripped out the office worker¡¯s throat in one fluid motion. A torrential release of blood spouted from the gaping wound as the man stumbled backward and gasped incoherently before falling over.


    Everyone started screaming and running to the opposite side of the train as the man feasted on the body. The young woman who had been getting harrassed was frozen with fear; only her vocal cords worked as she kept screaming over and over.


    ¡°Bad move lady,¡± Wang Shen uttered under his breath as he approached the mutant. The screaming only served to redirect the zombie¡¯s attention back to the woman. It would only aggravate it more.


    Just before the mutant could lay a hand on her, Wang Shen summoned a burst of speed by reinforcing his legs with qi and kicked the zombie away with a devastating blow to the face.


    ¡°Get up! Go!¡± Wang Shen pushed the woman towards the other side. This time she moved, stumbling frantically away from the situation. He let out a mental sigh of relief. Without anybody around, he could afford to go all out without hurting others.


    The mutant uncontrollably gurgled as it got back to its feet. Wang Shen¡¯s kick had entirely dislocated the man¡¯s jaw, leaving it hanging wide open. Already the whites of his eyes were showing; the infection had completely set in and taken over.


    Wang Shen grimaced, he was running low on qi. The fight with the mutant bear had cost him more than he had thought. He needed to end this quickly before things got worse. A weapon would be perfect here. He glanced around, looking for something he could use. But there was nothing, everything was bolted in place on the train, and there was no way he could break off a pole with his current cultivation level.


    Then his eyes lit up on something.


    Grabbing the dead body on the ground by the leg, he lifted the corpse and swung it overhead like an axe. The office worker¡¯s body collided with the mutant, causing bone to meet bone. It was like a horror scene out of a movie as blood flew everywhere along with bits of flesh here and there.


    The damage had been done as the mutant was momentarily stunned and disoriented. While the man tried to recover, Wang Shen quickly closed the distance with flightless steps and covered his fist in his remaining qi. He planted his feet firmly and drew upon the help of centrifugal force to hit the man. Then he launched his first-ever cultivation technique.


    Exploding strike!


    A wave of energy flew out from his fist, blowing the mutant¡¯s head straight off in an explosion of brains and blood. The man¡¯s headless body stiffened and crumpled over, leaving a pool of blood to spill from the neck.


    Wang Shen wrinkled his nose.


    Even after all these years, I still can¡¯t get used to the smell of fresh bodies.

 Chapter 7: Morning Sect

    Wang Shen turned his focus over to the panicking people. They were, in turn, staring at him.


    ¡°How did you do that, Young Master?¡± An older gentleman called out to him.


    ¡°A flick of my fingers and a glance of my eyes,¡± Wang Shen replied sarcastically. He didn¡¯t want to waste time in this situation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you not to do that,¡± Wang Shen warned the woman who was dialing a number on the phone. If the police got involved, he would be locked up until morning in investigative work. That wouldn¡¯t be ideal for him.


    She stopped calling upon hearing his words, looking surprised. The woman¡¯s brain was clearly short-circuiting, looking at him with wide-eyes and high eyebrows. She then looked down and dry-heaved.


    Wang Shen couldn¡¯t fault her. There were two dead bodies on the ground, one infected and one casualty. Anyone normal person would act the same in this scenario.


    ¡°These two were suspects in an on-going investigation. I am a trained operative for the MSS, Wang Shen,¡± Wang Shen announced. ¡°I will call them myself after you guys evacuate from this area.¡±


    ¡°Also, be aware of the epidemic going on. Make sure to stay safe,¡± Wang Shen advised. He did his duty, said his part, and sat down. What happened to them after this no longer had karmic implications on his cultivation. He would not walk the path of a demon in this life, even if it were easier to pull off.


    There was no way he would become Zheng Xuzhen.


    That monster was beyond human comprehension, even in the post-apocalyptic world. Wang Shen gritted his teeth. If he could find Zheng Xuzhen again in this life, he would end him before he ever got strong.


    ¡°But how did you blow that guy¡¯s head off, mister? It was like something out of a movie!¡± exclaimed one of the passengers. It was a younger boy with his mother, who quickly chastised him and blurted it out.


    Wang Shen mentally groaned. In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten there would be witnesses around. People weren¡¯t yet used to battles between zombies and cultivators.


    ¡°It was a martial art, Didi,¡± Wang Shen casually explained. The blood on the floor was spreading. Luckily, he sat a little further away so that his shoes wouldn¡¯t be stained.


    ¡°Wow, you must be really strong!¡± The kid continued, despite his mother trying to shush him. ¡°What martial art did you do?¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Wang Shen was surprised. Typically, in this situation, the civilians would be too scared to continue the conversation. He examined the kid a little closer and narrowed his brows.


    Didn¡¯t this kid look slightly familiar?


    ¡°Brat, what is your name?¡± Wang Shen asked sharply, ignoring the question altogether. If he was right . . .


    ¡°He didn¡¯t mean anything by it, Young Master,¡± the mom cut in. She was evidently afraid of his retaliation since her kid was overstepping in his questions. Wang Shen knew what was going on.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, let him say his name,¡± Wang Shen put up an open palm, stopping her. He needed to know.


    ¡°You can call me Chen Furou,¡± Chen Furou announced casually.


    Wang Shen racked his memories for a name such as that and could come up with nothing. He tried a different line of questioning.


    ¡°I feel like we have a karmic tie, Furou-didi,¡± Wang Shen continued. ¡°What is your online name?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± The kid seemed happy that the conversation turned to video games. ¡°Well, I guess I go by Night¡¯s End.¡±


    Night¡¯s End, Night¡¯s End. . . Wang Shen thought in his mind as he tried to reverse engineer the picture of the kid to a picture of a person in his mind. He suddenly understood why he felt the kid was so familiar.


    He was the future leader of the Morning Sect. It was one of the only sects to make it out alive after the fall of Changsha. The sect would then go on to fight the higher tier monsters as mercenaries. One of the mercenaries that he had been in contact with was named Night¡¯s End.


    Wang Shen kicked himself for not realizing it sooner. It was apparent when he looked at it now. This thin kid would become an expert in ten years'' time.


    ¡°Where are you guys going now? How about you add me on your phone, kid?¡± Wang Shen wanted to make contacts with this powerful young master. An early connection would lead to a powerful comrade later.


    ¡°Sure! Thanks for helping us out here, Shen-dage!¡± Chen Furou accepted with a nod. He shook himself free of his mom and walked over to where Wang Shen was sitting. Then, the kid brought out his phone.


    When he got closer, Wang Shen reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder.


    ¡°Your mom is infected,¡± Wang Shen whispered quickly. He kept his voice extremely low so that the rest of the people on the train couldn''t hear him. ¡°I¡¯ll help you prevent this tragedy, so just remember that you must follow me in the future, alright?¡±


    Wang Shen saw Chen Furou widen his eyes at this realization. He knew that the kid must have felt something wrong in the air beforehand as well. A genius would stay a genius, no matter the circumstance.


    ¡°Act normal,¡± Wang Shen commanded. He didn¡¯t want this leaking out until after he had left. ¡°I¡¯ll write down my contact info on your phone. And don¡¯t worry, your mom probably still has a few days before her mind is taken over. Probably.¡±


    Chen Furou turned gravely serious and nodded a few times, showing Wang Shen that he understood.


    ¡°Good,¡± Wang Shen inputted his number and patted the kid on his shoulder, giving him an encouraging smile. ¡°I¡¯ll send you a list of materials you need to collect for me.¡±


    Wang Shen saw Chen Furou turn around silently and walk back over to his mom, his steps heavier than before. He had taken the first steps to ensure relations between himself and the future leader of the Morning Sect.


    The rest was not up to him.

 Chapter 8: Pills and Politics

    The rest of the train ride went rather smoothly.


    A man had tried to dial 110 shortly after, but Wang Shen had stopped him with a stern warning once more. The dead bodies were still on the floor, but the people on the train avoided talking to him and looking at the evidence.


    Everyone got off at the next stop. They were too freaked out about the dead bodies to stay on. It was easy to call a cab, even at this time during the night.


    Wang Shen, on the other hand, stayed on. He had business to attend to, despite it being almost midnight. His acquaintance lived on the outskirts of the outer city. He would need to barter a deal to use his pill-concocting cauldron. It would be difficult, especially since Hu Pingtong didn¡¯t know him yet.


    Hu Pingtong, a future master of alchemy. Wang Shen knew that he made the best pills because he was from the Hu family. They had been cultivators even from before the apocalypse, as some families in China were.


    Wang Shen scoffed. The level of cultivation pre-apocalypse couldn¡¯t have even reached core formation, right? Otherwise, there was no way that it would have happened the way it had. What had happened in his timeline would never have come to be. If there had been Nascent Soul cultivators back then . . . What had they been doing?


    I hope he¡¯s awake. Wang Shen thought as he crossed his arms. His plan would depend on Hu Pingtong.


    The train reached the next destination. His destination. Wang Shen got up and left without sparing another glance at the dead bodies on the floor. They weren¡¯t his problem anymore. The police could deal with that.


    The Hu family were indeed wealthy. Just by peering through the front gates, Wang Shen could see the courtyard that stood between the main building and the entrance was already four times the size of his house. The Hu family had a rich heritage of producing top quality alchemists and cultivators. They also had a hand in the affairs of the mortal realm. The Hu¡¯s owned a large portion of the pharmaceutical market in current-day China as a moderately successful cultivator family.


    There were no guards posted at the main gate at this time, but the security system was running 24/7. A camera swiveled in his direction, and Wang Shen waved at it.


    A deep voice came out of the speaker box above the main gate. ¡°Identify yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to speak with Hu Pingtong. Please let him know that I wish to meet him,¡± replied Wang Shen.


    He caught the voice off guard as it fell silent for a brief moment before responding with a curtly. ¡°The young master is not available. Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll want to hear my message,¡± Wang Shen deliberately called out. He made sure the voice hadn¡¯t left before continuing.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. Hu Jingtong would want you to see me.¡±


    There was a pause as the voice hesitated once more. ¡°I¡¯ll pass on the message. Wait here.¡±


    Wang Shen knew he was in the clear. After all, the secret Hu Family code was not something that should be known by strangers. Mentioning the Hu family¡¯s side patriarch also helped his case. Just as he expected, the voice returned in no time.


    ¡°Please enter, esteemed guest! The young master awaits you in the foyer.¡± This time, the voice was rather respectful.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Wang Shen strode through the opened gates and flightless stepped to the main building in an instant. Opening the grandiose doors, he took his first step inside the main building. Lavish gold and silver pillars that gave way to two ascending staircases greeted him. A pristine white-tiled floor paved the ground, and an assortment of expensive mahogany furniture decorated the interior.


    The Hu family clearly knew how to advertise their wealth.


    A scurrying of footsteps and heavy panting filled the air as Hu Pingtong rounded the hallway corner and burst into sight. Perspiration painted the boy¡¯s face as he arrived at a stop before Wang Shen.


    Wang Shen raised an eyebrow. The young master Hu had obviously been enjoying his meals. He immediately acquired a bad impression of the second son of the Hu family.


    Straightening his back and mopping the sweat off his face, Hu Pingtong offered a handshake and introduced himself.


    ¡°My name is Hu Pingtong, and I am the second young master of the Hu family. My guard told me that you wanted to speak with me, mister . . .¡± The boy trailed off, unsure of how to address him.


    Wang Shen shook the offered hand. ¡°You may call me Wang Shen.¡±


    ¡°Right! Please have a seat, Shen-ge. How can I be of service to the main branch? And you also know my father, Hu Jingtong?¡±


    The code Wang Shen had provided to the guard at the gate was a special communications code used between the main branch and side branch of the Hu family. The main branch was located in Beijing and the side branch was in Changsha. Wang Shen knew of this because he had acquired this intel during the apocalypse when he had saved the main branch¡¯s patriarch, Hu Longtong. Hu Longtong had expressed his gratitude by teaching him the family¡¯s secret code and had also given him a few other gifts. Wang Shen had never found a use for the communications code up until now.


    ¡°I¡¯m not actually from the main branch. I¡¯m just a passerby who happens to require your help,¡± admitted Wang Shen. At this, Hu Pingtong¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Upon seeing the boy reach for his jade slip, he sent a flicker of qi at the boy¡¯s hands, causing him to yelp in surprise.


    ¡°I wouldn''t call the guards if I were you. I don¡¯t want to use force. Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t mean any harm. I just require the use of your family¡¯s medical cauldron. I can help cure your father¡¯s illness,¡± said Wang Shen.


    He watched as Hu Pingtong¡¯s eyes changed from fear to anger. The boy stood up and shook a finger at Wang Shen, bristling with indignation. ¡°How do you know about my father¡¯s condition! That is a coveted secret that only we know! Not even the main branch knows about this! Who the fuck are you?!¡±


    Wang Shen was not surprised. The boy was an inexperienced second son of an influential family. He didn¡¯t yet know when to put on airs and when to act appropriately. He let out a blast of qi to quell Hu Pingtong.


    Wang Shen appreciated the boy¡¯s attitude but still needed to let him know who was stronger. The boy cowered once more and sat back down, all bravado out the window. Two guards that had been hiding in the vicinity instantly entered upon sensing Wang Shen¡¯s qi blast and surrounded Wang Shen in fighting stances.


    ¡°Tell your men to stand down. I¡¯m not here to fight. Would it kill you to listen to me first before acting?¡± said Wang Shen exasperatedly while looking at Hu Pingtong. ¡°If I wanted you dead, you wouldn¡¯t be alive right now.¡±


    The second young master hesitated before nodding at the guards for them to retreat. The two men looked at each other and shrugged, bowing respectfully before stepping back into the shadows.


    ¡°Look. I don¡¯t have much time to waste here. Like I said before, I need you to use your medicinal cauldron. I know you have a lot of questions, but I can explain all that later. In return for using your cauldron, I¡¯ll make you a pill that can cure your father¡¯s broken meridians,¡± explained Wang Shen. ¡°As a sign of good faith, I will give you these. I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to explain what they are,¡±


    Unzipping his backpack, he took out two Heavenly Cures and presented them to Hu Pingtong. The boy¡¯s eyebrows shot up so high that Wang Shen thought they would fly off his face. Hu Pingtong¡¯s expression was like that of a child¡¯s first time in a candy shop.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m holding two Heavenly Cures! Heavenly Cures are A-class medicinal plants. They are tough to obtain due to their discrete locations and difficult to detect medicinal qis. Alchemists from all around the world know that the Heavenly Cure is a precious ingredient in pill creation. A single petal can purify the contents of a pill and also increases the chances of upgrading the pill¡¯s tier during refinement. These are beyond rare! Any alchemist would sell an arm and a leg even to obtain even one Heavenly Cure let alone two. How did you get your hands on so many?¡± Hu Pingtong exclaimed.


    Wang Shen shouldered his backpack and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it''s a trade secret. Now about that cauldron . . .¡±