Chương 47: Employee Of The Month?
Li Ao continued his way in a trepid, appalled manner. He encountered bigger scars, bigger rifts of space, and thousand meter long corpses tingling with Demonic Qi. These beasts were all uniform in shape—a serpentine body held up by a round head.
The skinned monsters remained as boney shells. The remnant pressure made him sweat even a hundred meters away.
Some of these corpses pierced through the diamond walls to other passages, where Li Ao did not dare approach. It seemed to him that it was not wise to do anything but go further in the hall.
If the difficulty was as fluctuating as he imagined, taking a wrong step into a wing or side-hall could end in a quick death.
On the way, he saw three more ghost servants. One kept pouring cups of tea from an empty pot, while the other two bowed to another Demonic Beast's mouth.
Stuck between its dozen meter fangs were pieces of bloody fabric. Muttering, they kept bowing without shaking an inch.
Li Ao struck them dead in one strike.
They bowed at him before he left.
Again, Li Ao felt this sinking thing, wrestling his gust as he gazed at the remaining ash.
Bubbles seemed quite at home, however. Seeing her revolve back and forth between the terrifying sights with no care, Li Ao could only shake his head. Then, turning to the beast the servants bowed, he approached it.
Not only was this one more complete than other carcasses, it also had a stronger pressure than others. He could make some use of it, if it was possible.
In the first steps he moved on quickly. However, once he reached the fifty-meters mark, a terrible feeling overcame him. His shoulders sunk, his chin lowered. His blood turned against him to slow him down.
''It is just a corpse—'' Li Ao bit his lip and circulated his Qi and Blood. In a fury, he took ten more steps. A crack sounded, and his back sloped to face the ground.
With a grunt, his cultivation base spread out, then the bronze mist poured out of his pores. Slapping both hands on his chest, he willed the bronze mist to move.
Wisps of condensed bronze gathered over him to form a simple, ancient armor. The pressure on him disappeared for a moment, then came back in a less powerful wave.
Gritting his teeth, Li Ao took the last ten steps and touched the beast's body.
''Slimy, yuck!''
He wiped the remnant slime on the armor. Still, this up-close, he felt like looking up at a mountain.
Gazing above to the seemingly endless rise of black scales and purple flesh, Li Ao took a deep breath.
With a flick of his sleeve, he took out Sun Zhongyan's gift, his forging hammer.
One foot down, other revolving, his arms turned blurry. With all his might, he struck down.
''Ou—'' with a bang, he flew several meters back, tumbled, then rose up.
''No scratch?''
Indeed there was nothing.
Approaching again, Li Ao put away the hammer and spat out another blot of bronze mist. Revolving, howling, the mist wrapped around itself and condensed into an ancient, two meter long spear.
Its head was infinitely sharp, and its body could rival 4th or 3rd grade Earth-quality weapons in sturdiness. It was the manifestation of Aura Weapon, the magical art he gained at the fifth-tempering of the Bronze Body.
Swinging the heavy spear a few times, Li Ao nodded with a bright smile and leaped up to the nearest wound he could access.
Mid-air, he poured both his Qi and Blood into the spear. Flames shot around him, then condensed into a thin layer of coating over the bronze spear. A yell escaped his mouth as he struck the gap between the torn scales and exposed flesh.
Sparks flew out, his arms trembled, then the spear cut through the gap like a saw. The momentum tore apart the rest of the way as he fell and poured fresh blood all over the hall.
Drenched in purple blood, Li Ao took a deep breath. Such a bath of blood was of course beneficial to some extent. Some clans would raise their babies in monster blood to temper and purify their bodies.
But this was a demonic beast. Unless he practiced a demonic art, it would only poison his cultivation. Bubbles seemed to like it though, so he let her back inside the spatial ring to swim in some.
''She won't be demonic, will she?''
To this point, Li Ao had not decided on Bubbles' path. He didn't exactly want to think as well. He could make any kind of tool, or at least those he could think of to serve him well—and he knew at some point Bubbles could cultivate on her own without his aid.
So he wasn't keen on the idea to make something out of Bubbles. Still, he needed to show her some possibilities to pursue.
The Demonic path wasn't exactly ideal, though...
While thinking of a red eyed Bubbles, flames crackled, then the blood around him turned into purple wisps of steam.
Li Ao made another strike to separate a slice of flesh and scales. His movements quick and precise, he cut apart the materials in short order.
After collecting a sample of the demonic beasts' skin, flesh, blood, small bones, as well as a pile of scales, Li Ao felt satisfied. If these beings were as high realm as he imagined, the materials could be made into good artifacts regardless of their poor state.
The blood was more for his grandpa to investigate, though. The man was both a master forger, formation master, and master alchemist. In his three hundred years of life, there were few things the old man didn't try his hand at.
If he could find out what kind of a thing this was, and what realm it belonged to, Li Ao could satisfy some amount of his curiosity.
Moving on, he encountered another kind of beast—pure white in body, with dim golden horns on its head. It looked like a Celestial Wingless Dragon, one of the friendly dragon races.
Li Ao couldn't cut its horn, so he only did away with whatever he could. One hour later, when he thought there were no more servants, he saw the opening to a room.
The gate seemed similar to the one he left behind, except it remained pried open. Beautiful aquamarine light spilled out.
There was a commotion inside, clings and clangs of cutlery, and a loud ordering voice.
''No, no! Not there, can't you think...''
''There are people?''
His heart beating, Li Ao sped up and shot into the room.
Within there was a gigantic, exquisite, and extremely luxurious dining hall. A central chandelier, at least two hundred meters wide, hung from the endless ceiling. Half of the light stones were broken, but the remaining ones cast enough light to observe the moving figures.
The rest of the servants, all twenty-one of them were here, moving on and around the established tables. They laid tablecloths, removed them, put empty dishes and carried them around.
Their dark clothes swayed with hurry, and moving about with them was another ghost. He had a furious expression, glistening reddish-green skin, and a cape that flapped behind him as he chased the servants.
''No! No! Move it here! Divine Pagoda Sect's Leader doesn't like turnips!''
''No you idiots! Who taught you to fold a tablecloth like that!?''
''You rubbish, you pieces of rubbish! This plate has smear on it!''
The servants didn't seem to hear him, and he didn't seem to be able to do anything else. Whenever he attempted to show the right way to fold or carry a plate away, his eyes clouded, fell silent, then returned to chasing another poor servant with shouts.
''Fuck, the guy is mobbing even in after life?''
What kind of obsession was this?
Without enough obsession, no ghost could remain to trouble the living realm, even those mighty beings.
''Obsession with perfection? Or authority?''
Without questioning whether he had the right to judge the dead, Li Ao saw a notification blinking within his sight.
''What's up with the log?''
He grasped the parchment and unfurled it.
*Updated Mission!*
*Objectives:*
*1-)Lay down the remaining servants 4/25*
*2-)Lay down the head servant 0/1*
''...why is it updated?''
Looking around, Li Ao saw three other doors leading out of the room. Two of them were open, while the one to his right remained shut.
''Did he drift inside?''
He wasn't very interested in how it happened. Instead, Li Ao took quick steps forward and approached the closest servant to him.
With one strike of the Aura Weapon, the butler vanished. The sparkling plate in his hand tumbled on the ground.
Head Servant, hearing it, turned towards him.
''You! You! Are you a new worker!? How dare you drop a precious plate!? You utter rubbish! You piece of rubbish!''
His form began to twist, and with him the other servants turned to face him.
''You, you! AAAAAGH!''
At last, he exploded. A ghastly green and red aura exploded within him, carrying traces of Foundation Establishment, and from the shower of light a twisted form emerged.
A lizard's head stood out, the chin missing, and a pair of claws dangled by its short body. Entire thing was transparent, and through it Li Ao could see the servants circulate their Ghost Qi to move.
''THIS DINNER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT! I WAS JUST ABOUT TO BE THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH!''
''...what?''
The Head Servant roared. Visible sound waves exploded forth, echoed within the hall, then descended upon Li Ao.
''I can shout too, you son of a dog!''
Taking a step forward, Li Ao circulated his blood and Qi. Bronze blood pumped in bulk, then with a breath from him expanded his rib cage until it was swollen.
''BACK OFF!''
His roar sent tablecloth and cutlery flying away, then collided with the incoming soundwave.
Both forces clashed mid air.
Boom!—
Two servants right under the point of contact evaporated into motes of green light. Ignoring the notifications, Li Ao took another breath to calm his lungs.
The head servant didn't stop, however. Raising both claws, he cast a despairing look around the room and barked.
''THE RAINBOW DRAGON TABLECLOTHS, THE MAJESTIC ONYX GOLEM CUTLERY! HOW DARE YOU!? HOW DARE YOU!? YOU WAGE SLAVES, COME FORTH!''
With his command, the servants began to rush all around the room. Leaping on the closest walls or the tables, in nimble, practiced movements, they turned into blurs chasing after Li Ao's figure.
''KILL HIM FOR THE HEAVENLY GOD, THE IMMEASURABLE SUN!''
''Good heavens—''
Li Ao didn't hesitate one bit. With one step, he shot right.
He had a strong body, and he had a strong cultivation indeed.
But his opponents were all at the thirteenth level of Qi Condensation!
The head servant was a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
Most importantly—they were ghosts of a higher realm!
Who could know if they had a strange art?
The reason he roared back wasn't because of his stupidity, but to test out the properties of their attacks!
He wasn't one bit careless just because the mission was called easy.
Carelessness was the greatest mistake he could make, and he learned why with Zhu Qiu.
His steps left traces of flames as he sped up and up. From afar, several servants made hand seals and pointed at him or clawed at him.
A strange force emerged then. Unlike spiritual Qi, it was denser, more bright, almost blinding to his Divine Sense.
They also carried Ghostly Qi that could interfere with the body's connection with the soul!
Gritting his teeth, Li Ao closed his Divine Sense. His eyes turned into bouncy balls as they moved back and forth to read the magis' trajectories.
''Huu!''
Breathing out, waving his hand, the prismatic gloves ticked.
A dark golden gem appeared on the gloves' grid, and thunder crackled around them.
In an instant, he shot forth with greater speed! The strikes brushed past his zig-zagging figure and collided with the tables, shattering them.
Some attacks directly went past the table and disappeared within the diamond floor!
''Mental attacks?''
Revolving , Li Ao focused the bronze spear to the side. Three servants were upon him, their figures twisting in the air.
With a shout, fire Qi pumped within his limbs, then shot forth in a thin scorching ray.
Flames burnt off their dresses and dissolved them in an instant. Their strikes shattered into motes of energy, then rained.
The remnant ash floated down as Li Ao flashed past to another group.
The head servant, right then, let out another roar.
Suddenly, its head extended dozens of meters forward like a snapping bow! Lurching, cracking sounds accompanying him, the lizard's missing maw opened wide and slammed into Li Ao's side.
Li Ao put the spear sideways and stepped forward to block it.
With a boom, the momentum sent him flying back, his arms numb, but no wound appeared on his being.
He tumbled twice and stood perfectly gaunt on his feet. Then, his legs kicking the ground, Li Ao let out a roar.
''Scarlet Path!''
A long, narrow path appeared under his feet, connecting the gigantic lizard ghost and him. Prismatic Gloves turned bright red with a tick, then his boots, Silver, spewed a Sun-like silver radiance.
His blood and Qi circulated, the bronze mist parted into two, and two wingless dragons appeared by his side.
It was not the safest thing to deal with the strongest in a group fight, but the speed of that lunging head scared Li Ao shitless.
If he was caught within those maws, it would take but a few moments for the servants to bombard him to death!
As such, he gave it his all.
Quarter of his Qi drained, and he took a single step forward on the path!
The head servant instanyl became engulfed in flames, yet showed no trace of pain.
Yet then, from afar, dozens of attacks rained on Li Ao—magical spears, swords, bright balls of energy, wind, thunder.
As they sailed in the sky, a golden-green shield appeared above his head. Grasping it, Li Ao hurled it towards the barrage!
Golden Maw let out a terrifying scarlet aura and clashed head on with those strikes.
A vacuum of energy exploded, howling like thunder, and pulled everything in the room within its revolving aura. Servants themselves couldn't resist its pull—several flew into the event horizon and were torn apart.
It didn't stop there!
Golden Maw had the most basic intelligence of any spiritual tool, and from its brutal forging process had acquired a ferocious nature. When it sensed those striking Li Ao growing fewer, it flew out of Li Ao's control and, spinning, cut through the crowd in a streak of golden light!
Li Ao's jaws dropped at the sight.
''Why is he a troublemaker!? Come back!''
At that time, The Head Servant roared forth. Its head retracted, then struck back, accompanied by a shower of thin green needles! The ghastly Qi made his spine tingle.
Focusing, Li Ao took another step forward— the dragons covered themselves in flowing bronze armor, then shot forth to meet them!
Whooshing, thundering, both sides collided in the middle, causing air to compress into rings of shockwaves.
Another boom echoed, and Li Ao saw the shower of needles bypass the dragons to rain over him.
Eyes wide, Li Ao slammed both hands on himself again. The spear dispersed, then turned into a simple bronze armor emanating an ancient aura.
Behind him, the phantom of a bronze giant appeared. This time, however, it had a furious expression, as well as two tusks beneath its terrifying chin!
''Stupid shield! Where are you!?''
Taking several steps back against the heavy strike, Li Ao saw Golden Maw being cornered by the surviving servants.
They rained strikes on him, punched and kicked him, and threw him over the few surviving tables in violent fashion.
Without the first momentum that he threw it, the shield had no way to protect itself...
''You idiot!''
Breathing from his nostrils, Li Ao planted his feet where he stood. He could feel the ghastly Qi of the room diminish, and he felt his instincts relax as well.
Once the shower stopped, he saw the head servant laying in a half-materialized state. His ghastly body was being torn apart by the wingless dragons.
''YOU DOGS, GET OFF ME, GET OFF ME! WHO LET THE DOGS OUT!?''
''...''
He shot forward, the armor melted back into the bronze spear, and pierced the head servant's lizard head.
A gasp escaped the head servant, and he turned into motes of reddish-green light.
*Exorcised Blue Spirit Level(1st-level Foundation Establishment) Ghost Manager, awarding 200 Universal Coins*
''My...bonus...''
Ignoring the urge to kick his ashes, Li Ao rushed back and swept through the remaining servants in a flash. Notifications filled his vision at each strike.
Once all of them died, his eyes downcast, Li Ao observed the shivering Golden Maw.
''You...''
''Wait. How do I even scold an artifact spirit?''
This one had just enough intelligence to know he was its owner, and it had to protect him. Apart from its belligerent nature that caused him to leave his control, anything else was beyond its comprehension.
Sighing, Li Ao retrieved it back into the spatial ring and cast a look around.
Just as something caught his eye, he was back in his room.
Baffled, feeling the soft bed pressing down under his weight, Li Ao rubbed his eyes.
It was still dark outside the room, and looking at the moonlight he could see that it moved very little since his departure.
''...instant teleportation?''
He waited a moment, but Senior Dogshit didn't call out for him.
''Was it the system?''
That seemed to be the case. However, Li Ao didn't understand why.
Then, thinking like any normal person, he understood.
''That place isn't like the Bai Dynasty.''
With the rank of agents participating, as well as the site of quests, Li Ao knew roaming around that place any longer than necessary was just courting death.
There wasn't much meaning to stay longer if he couldn't protect his life.
Sighing, he looked at the notifications.
*Current Balance: 3250 Universal Coins*
*Awarded 1x piece of Memoir Of Heavenly Son, do you wish to transfer the contents?*
''3000...its over three thousand!''
Clenching his fist over his face, Li Ao let out a loud, silly laugh. It took him a while to calm himself down, then comprehend the other line.
''Memoir Of Heavenly Son? Is he related to the God of Heaven, or Heavenly God?''
Li Ao wasn't sure if God of Heaven or Heavenly God were the same people. Some servants muttered the former, while others whispered the latter's name.
Curious, he accepted the transfer.
With a pop, a five-page journal fell on his knees. The paper seemed ancient, pale yellow, and the words on it were drawn with such skill that Li Ao couldn't help but appreciate it.
They seemed familiar as well.
''Since it is a system reward, it should be good?''
Laying his back to the pillow, Li Ao raised the paper to read.
''...but he has not given permission. I was terribly upset, hence, in a fit of anger, left the main hall to practice my Divine Forgery. I know I am a terrible person. I know that it is not his fault that I shall suffer such fate—he has not made me in hopes of me suffering.''
''Yet, I cannot help but feel that way. I hate him, and I love him. Such frustrations, however, are neither fitting, nor beneficial to one such as I. Instead, I take those feelings away in the forgery. Today, or that day, I chose to follow another irregular path. The artifact I tried to forge was a sublime sphere, with which I hoped to fuse in the body to make an invisible membrane of defense.''
''To follow through, I used these materials: 33gr Red Dust, 500ml Celestial Serpent Blood, which I acquired from the stables, 1kg of Opparna Gem, 7 pieces of 3gr Nascent Soul Jade Bones, Five tendrils of Hell Thunder...''
As Li Ao read the materials, then the forging process, and the failures of the Heavenly Son, his expression turned more and more strange.
In the end, frowning, Li Ao took out a spatial ring from his finger.
Within it were hills of texts and books, and twice their size answer papers he prepared for Fan Yueyin's lessons.
Skimming through them with his divine sense, he took out the first three notes he found. Each of them several pages long, he put them side by side with the Memoir of Heavenly Son.
Eyes flashing over, he identified the key points in a minute. The writing was similar, though the copies seemed infinitely less refined, and the language was the same.
His frown deepening, Li Ao cast a deep look at the ancient memoir.
''...how is it possible?''
''One of the spatial rifts, perhaps?''
But it was not just one copy, but three. And there were more in the pile, that he was sure. How many of these could slip through a spatial rift and end in her hands with pure luck?
''Master, how is this place connected to you?''
His heart mysteriously heavy, Li Ao put them away.
Now, he was not just curious about this place.
He was invested in it.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
TheMonkeyMonk
TheMonkeyMonk While re-editing some chapters, I found an oopsie regarding Li Ao's knowledge of souls...
It is a very minor thing that doesn't affect anything, though, so I'll wait until someone points it out to make changes!
Also, we are almost at new years, fellows!
How I manage to write almost daily with all this business eludes me...
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