Chapter 55: The Goddess

Three days later, Liyu waited outside Daoshi Village. At the moment the sun rose, accompanied by the morning light, the two youths arrived like a streak of light, landing before her in the blink of an eye. The blue-clad sword cultivator leaped down, sheathing her sword.

Liyu stepped forward to meet them: "Fellow Daoists."

Strictly speaking, when she had last heard rumors of Zora, the sword cultivator protagonist of the stories was still in the early stages of Foundation Establishment. However, Liyu now realized she could no longer see through Zora's cultivation level.

Zora had indeed reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage some time ago. This was not only due to the sword intent and philosophy Zhou Shijin had forged from the essence of several hundred years, but also because Zora's own cultivation was as natural as eating or drinking.

At the time, Zhou Shijin had joked: "Your progress is about the same as your master's was back in the day."

Zora stared at her and said nothing.

"..." Zhou Shijin prodded, "Say something back."

"Okay."

It was just a single short word; she still only moved when poked. Yet Zhou Shijin nodded with satisfaction and continued talking about how powerful she was back then and how she had even met the first Sect Leader.

Zora listened while she ate.

Midway through the story, Zhou Shijin occasionally poked her again because this disciple was eating too seriously: "—Disciple, are you listening?"

Zora would give a "mhm."

Zhou Shijin would continue, ask again, and Zora would "mhm" again. The atmosphere was extremely harmonious. Then Zora finished her food and, having nothing else to do, went to practice her sword. Zhou Shijin followed her disciple with a graceful stride, leaping up to lie in a tree by the practice field to drink, occasionally offering pointers.

Perhaps because Daoshi Village was too remote and isolated—the village was surrounded by almost uninhabited forests and wilderness—even though Liyu made an effort to track news of the cultivation world, the information reached her slowly.

After Liyu offered her greeting, Zora gave an acknowledgment. Vane glanced at Zora and smiled at Liyu: "Fellow Daoist Liyu, please lead the way."

Zora followed suit: "Fellow Daoist Liyu."

Liyu led the way, and the three walked into the depths of the forest. Daoshi Village had been settled here for several hundred years. Their ancestors didn't even know how large the outside world was. Only a few hundred people had ever left, and only a handful returned bringing hoes, medical books, silks, and other necessities from the outside. Over time, life in the village was only about a decade or so behind the outside world; it wasn't a staggering disparity.

The grass on the ground was brushed by their hems. Vane walked last, keeping an eye on the surroundings. There were no traces of any cultivation sects here—no protective arrays from large sects, nor simple barriers set by smaller sects under commission.

There were only some unfamiliar-looking formations. Liyu was a sword cultivator and naturally wasn't skilled in arrays. Since the flow of spiritual energy was different, she had only learned the basics, and it was very crude.

Daoshi Village wasn't as desolate as imagined, but it wasn't wealthy either. Liyu stopped at the village entrance, hesitated for a moment, and said apologetically: "...Fellow Daoists, as I am the only cultivator here, the villagers may not understand the differences in cultivation levels. If there is any neglect, please tell me, and I ask for your understanding."

Vane was empathetic: "It's fine. We naturally won't make things difficult for ordinary people."

Liyu glanced at Zora, who had no intention of speaking. She could see Zora was the leader, so she smiled at her and addressed them both: "Then Liyu thanks you both in advance."

Before entering, Liyu remembered something and took out a smiling white bird mask, carefully putting it on. Zora was drawn to it; she noticed the mask seemed to be a magical tool, though of a very low grade.

Liyu’s muffled voice came from behind the mask: "Apologies, I always wear a mask in the village..."

Vane: "No matter."

Feeling Zora's blunt stare, Liyu gave a hum of acknowledgment, her scalp tingling, and walked in pretending to be nonchalant under her gaze.

Several children were playing on the field path. One saw Liyu and immediately waved his arms in joy, shouting: "It's the Goddess Sister!"

"Goddess Sister, is my mom better yet?"

"Goddess Sister, want to play catch-the-chicks?"

"I want to fly in the sky like last time!"

A group of children swarmed over excitedly and noisily. For every step they took forward, Zora expressionlessly took a step back. As they surrounded Liyu, Zora retreated to the edge of the ridge, maintaining a fixed distance.

Vane watched her move, paying no mind to the children. Zora looked at him calmly for a moment. Vane smiled at her, an expression that seemed reassuring yet held no specific meaning. Since Vane looked good when he smiled, Zora kept her eyes on him. The moment Vane stopped smiling, she looked away, waiting quietly for the employer to finish.

Vane, who had been about to speak: "..."

The mission description included not only eradicating the monster but also protecting the villagers during the process, ensuring they were not harmed to the best of their ability. Those children and a wizened old grandfather in the distance were all labeled as "Villagers" in Zora's mind.

Liyu handled the children skillfully, her voice behind the mask clearly carrying a smile. A boy wearing a tiger hat suddenly pointed at Zora and Vane: "Goddess Sister, who are they? So pretty."

In their eyes, Zora and Vane were as beautiful as gems or crystals; entering the village, they drew attention like night-blooming pearls.

"They are cultivators even more powerful than I am. Remember to say hello," Liyu said.

"Even more powerful than the Goddess Sister? How powerful is that!"

"They can punch the north end of the village and kick the south end!"

"Can they fly as high as the clouds?"

Liyu quickly ushered them away, saying they had business to attend to, and led Zora and Vane deeper into the village. Several children kept following them.

Zora walked without looking left or right: "What are they doing?"

Vane: "Likely just curious."

The boy in the tiger hat moved the fastest and was the boldest, eventually running to Zora’s front right. He looked curiously at the sword on Zora’s back and her clothes.

Zora glanced at him: "Is something the matter?"

Seeing the immortal actually acknowledged him, the boy's toothless smile instantly widened as he trotted closer: "Immortal, Immortal, will you fight the really bad monsters?"

"Yes."

"What does fighting a monster look like?" His eyes were full of excitement, viewing an immortal’s battle as something heroic and magnificent like a wandering knight.

Zora answered seriously: "It's a bloody mess. You have to pierce its vital points. If you can't find the vitals, you just keep hacking and stabbing. Sometimes even if you chop it into several pieces, the monster can still move."

She treated everyone the same, never making any distinctions based on age. The boy in the tiger hat froze, and his legs, which had been following her pace, came to an abrupt halt.

Zora assumed he was done with his questions and kept walking. Liyu looked back at the boy staring dizzily at them and gave a dry laugh.

Fellow Daoist Zora is truly as honest as they come...

A moment later, the sound of a child crying suddenly erupted from behind.

Liyu: "..."

The three of them turned around. Zora scanned the surroundings and asked: "Is there any danger?"

Vane: "There shouldn't be."

Liyu: "...Right."

As they walked through the village, more and more people spoke to Liyu. Everyone was enthusiastic and respectfully called her "Goddess." Liyu felt strangely bashful. She had once said they didn't need to call her Goddess, but the villagers wouldn't listen, so it continued. However, the two cultivators behind her had higher cultivation than her despite being only in their teens with limitless futures. Being called Goddess in front of them made Liyu feel a sense of shame, as if she were a charlatan.

She knew some geniuses could be arrogant; she had seen cultivators with a bit of talent in small sects who would show more or less displeasure. The masked Liyu peeked at Zora. Zora was expressionless, as if she had heard a name as common as "cabbage." She had already entered her "spacing out" phase due to the tedious nature of the mission.

"..."

Liyu looked toward Vane. Vane caught her gaze and gave a light glance that held no decipherable emotion, before turning back to talk to Zora. Although Zora appeared to be ignoring people, Vane certainly wouldn't force a response like Zhou Shijin would; he just talked to himself and stopped right before Zora grew impatient, handling it perfectly.

"..."

Liyu brought them to the eastern side of the village. After turning through several paths, they found several able-bodied villagers standing guard. It was more like keeping watch than strict guarding; they sat casually on stones drinking water, but stood up immediately upon seeing Liyu: "Goddess, no one has come here these past few days."

Liyu nodded: "Thank you, you've worked hard."

The man smiled honestly: "It's nothing. You're the one who protects our village so we don't end up in the bellies of monsters..."

...

In Zora's mind, they chatted for a bit and finally entered the mission. It was a path leading to an excavated mining shaft, bearing the trampled tracks of a beast.

Liyu: "A while ago, a Taotie-like creature suddenly came to the village. It keeps devouring the ore veins and crystals here. I was no match for it and was injured. Fortunately, this monster hibernates; it wakes for one day and sleeps for seven, allowing me to catch my breath and think of a solution."

"But recently, the time it stays awake is getting longer, and its hibernation is getting shorter. It has also begun attacking villagers near the mines. It is likely a monster that grows in strength by eating crystals. Staying here long-term, its demonic aura will affect ordinary people. I want to eradicate it."

Zora: "When will it next wake up?"

"Tomorrow night," Liyu said. "It is massive, its mouth emits miasma, and spiritual power has difficulty breaking through its flesh."

The Taotie-like creature left behind traces of demonic aura. The moment Zora touched it, she felt a stinging sensation, slightly different from other types of demonic aura.

Zora made the decision: "Then we will come tomorrow for an ambush and kill it directly."

Tonight, Zora and Vane were settled in an empty house in the village. Liyu intended to stay outside the village.

Liyu: "I've always lived outside the village. I'm used to using the forest and the sky as my cover." She vanished alone into the night.

The villagers didn't know how to treat the outside immortals and were afraid of offending them, so no one disturbed them. Zora slept in one room, and Vane was in the next.

The moon hung high. In the neighboring room, the boy with the ponytail sat cross-legged on the bed, not sleeping. The moment the grass a hundred meters outside the house was disturbed, the youth’s eyes snapped open. The house was silent. Through the wall, the girl seemed to be deep in sleep, her breathing light and long. Vane brushed aside his black hem and stood up, then vaulted out through the unclosed window.

...

A shadow flickered. A youth stood in a tree, looking down at the girl who had crept in quietly. She looked only a few years old—one of the children who had followed Zora during the day.

The youth crossed his arms, watching flatly as she walked to the window outside Zora's room. No threat. Since it wouldn't make her unhappy, Vane didn't stop her.

...

Zora hadn't fallen asleep yet; she was merely closing her eyes when she suddenly heard someone tapping lightly on the window, whispering: "Immortal, is the immortal there?"

She opened her eyes. The window was suddenly opened, startling the girl. The beautiful immortal looked toward the distant woods for a moment, then looked down at her.

Zora: "What is it?"

The girl was thin and frail. She swallowed nervously, twisting the corner of her cloth tunic, her lips moving hesitantly as she spoke.

"...Im-Immortal, I... I wanted to say I'm not afraid!" Once she started, she spoke more fluently. "I heard what the immortal told Huzi. That was the immortal kindly reminding him that cultivation is dangerous, right? I'm not afraid. I want to kill monsters like the Goddess Sister too... Can... Can I cultivate too?"

The girl was full of hope. Zora frowned in confusion. What was this person saying? Afraid of what? What was a Huzi? And who reminded whom?

"..."

Zora didn't speak. The girl kept talking like a rattling drum.

"My mom said the Goddess Sister has been guarding this place since my mom was a child. She's been here for over three hundred years. The Goddess Sister is so good, yet she always says she's just an ordinary person and not strong enough. My dad and uncle have been staying outside all day ever since my birthday this year. There are clanging sounds outside the village. They all say the Goddess Sister is leaving, and we'll have to rely on ourselves in the future..."

"...Immortal, can you tell me? Is the Goddess Sister going to leave, or is she going to be buried in the dirt in an uncomfortable wooden bed like my grandma?"

Her eyes were filled with tears, which she stubbornly refused to let fall.

Zora said bluntly: "She will die. But she won't be buried in the dirt. Her spiritual power will likely dissolve, and her body will dissipate into the air."

"..." The girl took a deep breath and tried to smile at her. "Thank you, Immortal, for not lying to me."

Zora asked with simple confusion: "Why would I lie to you?"

"...Because... because..." The girl thought hard for a moment, and understanding her kin, she said directly without much thought, "Maybe my mom and the others didn't want me to be sad."

Zora was expressionless. What did that mean? Was this person crying because of her?