Chapter 851

“So what do you even do anyway?” asked Yang as they rounded a corner. The traps might have been disabled by Xiang on his way in but they had no back exit so it was a matter of retracing their steps. They’d just come from a large room filled with destroyed golems.

It looked like Yang and Xiang had needed to fight an army of the dammed things. Stone weaponry and body parts coated the floor. In fact, had the floor been anything other than stone itself, there would have been more stone then floor in the room. Alas, as they were such similar materials it just looked like someone had broken up the floor at a distance. With the sharp edges and discarded weapons there was some thought that needed to be put into making there way across. This let the group catch up to Yang. Well, ‘the group’ was Kat and Xiang with Lily riding on Kat’s shoulders.

“I don’t quite follow,” said Kat.

“Well, I get that Xiang thinks you can help us, and even if I’m not sure I agree... it does pay to be aware of everyone’s abilities. So I’m asking, what is it you do?” said Yang.

“Are you also going to share?” asked Kat.

“No? Why would I give away that sort of information to people I don’t like?” asked Yang, with seemingly genuine confusion.

Kat and Lily shared a glance before they both turned to Xiang as one. He held his hand up in a ‘don’t look at me’ gesture as he tried to distance himself from that poor idea. “Ok. You say that... but... well I’m not sure why you’d admit that if you wanted us to share information? I mean... sure information for information... or even just agreeing with the idea we should all know what everyone on the team can do... but why would you instantly decide to go against your own idea? In fact... why announce it?”

.....

“Because you shouldn’t lie to team members?” said Yang, with some hesitation.

*Ok... surely she’s not this stupid right? I mean... no I don’t actually know what I mean. I can’t decide if she’s an idiot or not? She seems to play up the aggressive angle... but sometimes she does stuff like this... does she just not know when enough is enough? Or were we wrong assuming she might actually have more going on?*

[I’m not sure. I mean... if we just took her as an idiot we’d probably still share what we can do and just accept she’s too stupid to be reasoned with. It’s a bad look... but hmm. I wonder if it’s a way to make people underestimate her? Forcing us to reveal more about ourselves by seeing how we react to being irritated?]

*I really don’t know. I don’t want to overthink this... but something just isn’t right with her. Unless it’s something to do with the world instead or Yang specifically... I mean... Xiang was super arrogant last time I talked to him. He’s not so bad now... but I don’t know how long that will last...*

[I’m not sure either. Question is... should we explain what we can do? Or well, just you because apparently she hasn’t noticed I’m around. Surely she can’t be that deaf though... she was able to get through that spider den. I refuse to believe she hasn’t noticed me. Hmm... maybe just tell her your basic abilities? Demonic fire and the stuff your body can naturally do. Strength, speed, flight. Not True Sight or the dream mist.]

*Sounds good. Though... should I poke at her a bit? Maybe say ‘I’m a better version of you’? She’s got to have decent strength for that club but I’m sure I’m stronger... and she had those eye lasers but my fire is better. Probably not worth trying to annoy her that much though...*

[Yeah no... regardless of if it’s a ruse or not she’ll take the chance to whine and whine and it’s just not worth it.]

“Well Yang. I can punch hard, move fast, and freeze everything using my demonic energy. Oh and I can fly,” said Kat trying to sound flippant.

“So you’re just the dumb muscle then?” huffed Yang.

“Says the one with the iron club as a weapon,” retorted Lily.

“I’ll have you know it takes a great deal of finesse to properly handle a club of this size and weight. Knowing how to control your momentum and make use of a radically different centre of mass especially as it changes, is quite difficult. Xiang may have fancy sword techniques but he can’t really compete with me in purely martial might,” insisted Yang.

Kat looked over to Xiang for confirmation but he actually nodded. “Yang is bragging a bit but... I’d say she is better with her weapon then I am. Her techniques outside of it are kind of basic though and lacking in effective damage,”

“My eye lasers can be brough up to high power,” retorted Yang.

“Yes and it blinds you temporarily which makes it a horrible move in combat,” quipped Xiang.

“I just haven’t perfected the technique yet. A bit of fine tuning is all I need to turn it into a truly deadly attack!” insisted Yang.

“Yang... let’s face it. Your club is at least twenty times deadlier and you’ll never finish that laser eye technique. You only bothered to refine it that far because Xuena kept telling you to get a ranged option in your kit. The fact you can actually hurt someone with it is already a miracle. You just don’t have the talent for that sort of thing,” said Xiang with some sadness.

Yang huffed, “No. I can get it. I have rare affinity with Sunlight. My comprehension of the element is considered to be exceptional. I can figure out a few basic techniques!”

“Perhaps Yang, perhaps but unlike more common elements you don’t have someone to teach you or even a jade slip to learn from. You don’t want to put the time in either,” returned Xiang.

Yang refused to answer that one and the group lapsed back into silence. *Now I’m confused. Do we thank Xiang? He pretty much just told us that her only real abilities outside of maybe a technique just for use with her club... is the eye thing we saw. He even told us her weakness. I... he can’t be that stupid right? And Yang confirmed it! Are we being messed with? Or... is Xiang also being messed with?*

[Honestly Kat... at this point I don’t really know.]

*But why?*

[Hmmm... not saying this is the case... but... wild conspiracy theory. Xuena used the ingredient for something else weeks ago and they needed a way to get out of being punished. Xiang got roped in when Yang found him, abusing the fact he feels indebted to them to help free Xuena from her just punishment for wasting the ingredient, or maybe using it to advance Yang’s cultivation. It is a SUNLIGHT moth after all.]

*No way...*

[Eh, I don’t really believe it. Too much risk frankly. Though... if Yang is the one playing Xiang... I wonder who it was that told him that cocoon was used. Yang or Xuena. I think I’d be very interested in that little bit of information]

*Urgh... I don’t want this to be complicated again. Last time it was the stuff with Gaston... and while I’m glad we did what we could for Belle... I really don’t want this to be anything... Extra. I don’t want to imagine Yang as some master manipulator. Though... does it really matter? It’s not like we’re exactly friendly with Xiang... and I assumed we’re getting paid. D.E.M.O.N.S I am getting paid right?*

User Kat will receive payment upon completion of Contract.

*Ok good.*

[Does the money even matter? I mean... I agree it would be weird and probably annoying if there’s some conspiracy going on. Does it matter though? Money or otherwise?]

“Well what about you Xiang? Any interesting techniques?” asked Kat.

Xiang shook his head with a sigh. “No not really. I spent most of the time between our meetings cultivating, refining my old techniques and of course recovering from my time with the spiders. Perhaps in time I’ll find something interesting... but I’m stuck with the basics for now. Though... I did manage to create a basic sword wave, which is progress.”

“Well it’s not like you’ve been cultivating long,” said Yang. “You’ve made really good progress all things considered.”

*Oh shit. Yang said a nice thing. Quick run and hide the world is going to end!*

Despite Kat’s ‘surprise’ the world did not end. All that happened was Xiang gave a light shrug at the praise. While some people, especially those from large cultivator families did start cultivating much earlier it wasn’t all that beneficial. True cultivation could only start after puberty. Issues arose otherwise unless you abused a truly prohibitive amount of resources.