"If it's not overstepping my boundaries. What 'moves' are the Gods making?", Ms. Dahlia asks one afternoon as I was consolidating the equipment and 'surprises' that I am preparing for my archaeological expedition.

"To awaken. Which is also why Midnight has easier than the other deities, 'He' presides over dreams and concealment. Even history and anything important related to 'Him' disappear...", I say as a matter of a fact. Surely when beings are under 'slumber' or 'sealed' they 

"Yes, Mr. Wolf did say that before. I once thought literally but I then the Gods would have no way to influence you believers.", Yeah, and he also told you to give the current 'I' the credit.

"Call us... Beyonders.", It's more fitting after all.

"Is there a reason for that?"

"I'm not that religious. True, I wish to awaken the Paragon but being called a believer sounds like I'm part of the cult. The last time an actual cult formed out of one the Gods was when the whole world plunged in madness and chaos.", Herein lies contradiction to my words, a pious non-believer? Such is the idiosyncrasy I came up with.

"...What happened to that cult... or their God?", It seems that Ms. Dahlia also couldn't wrap her head around a pious non-believer too but chose to ignore it.

"I don't know."

"?"

"Someone covered up the history of it all. I have no idea how it ended."

"...I see."

"Say, you seem troubled as time goes on."

"If it isn't too much. May I ask how Shengai is?"

"Shengai who? Wait, you mean that girl with a blindfold on? I thought she was a new Nighthawk, I didn't think you knew her."

"Will she be alright?"

"Of course, when it comes to Mr. Wolf, I can ascertain his character. The others are much stranger than him though."

"Mr. Wolf mentioned 'Romantic Poet' and 'Sir Terror'.", She emphasized the names.

"Sir Terror is fine, but if you did meet him, you then it's a serious matter. If you don't immediately die upon meeting him then he's a good protector to you."

"If not?"

"Don't ask for the obvious, it's in his name. You will know terror!", With a pizzazz I opened up a spherical object which opened up in the middle, popping out dark mist and revealing a hazy figure...no it was just my origami using black paper. I looked like a sharper, scarier, and intimidating Sableye from Pokemon but without shiny rubies.

"The Romantic on the other hand is, well disappointing in my opinion but it doesn't mean he's not dangerous, it's just a matter of character.", I give my best impression of disinterest.

"...he's fine, I guess.", I concluded half-heartedly.

"I think I get it now.", Ms. Dahlia wasn't naive, she could tell Romantee's personality somewhat.

"Rest assured, those two won't get involved with Mr. Wolf's entourage.", I stand up and open up my newly made compass then looked over my wrist where a watch was hidden beneath my long sleeves and before my thick leather gloves.

"I will take my leave, there is still yet much to learn about this world Ms. Dahlia, wouldn't you say?", I chuckle as I latch on a utility belt on my waist, flicking the flashlight attached elicited a small snicker from me as well.

"Consider all of this mystical... stuff, I have a lot to learn."

"Don't sweat it, even Golden Core is just the beginning, you know that too right?", Well I don't know but xianxia plotline dictates that Golden Core is always just an entry to the immortal world.

"The Central Continent..."

I laugh, giving no answer. Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.

"Let's catch up next time Ms. Dahlia.", I salute to her with my hand, from my mask and up above like some american.

My purple eyes glow blatantly staring at her, Mystery Prying Eyes. I noted down that this orchid purple should be an exclusive trait to this crazy inventor.

But I reigned in the 'prying' aspect of this ability, It's a silent rule in the cultivation world that people should respect each others' secrets and opportunities.

I walk through the illuminated wooden floor, across the moonlit  windows, and take off my cloak from a hook on the room. I drape it over my ginger hair and thick plain clothes before leaving the room that smells of smoke.

Honestly, while I say it smoked, there was still an allure to it, somehow whatever she hit smalls better than anything back on earth, not that I smoked...well maybe pot once but don't tell anyone. I honestly quit soon after, not my thing. Got me high tho.

The best part of this business deal with Ms. Dahlia wasn't the spirit coins that easily came into my pocket, and free-of-fee space ring nor was it the resources and arsenal of equipment that I have on me now but it is the quality hygiene that I can finally recreate in this world!

While I can't find the exact chemicals and ingredients to make toothpaste, shampoo and conditioners but this world makes it up for it's strange and magical herbs and liquids.

To me, who keeps up appearances and hate staying dirty—not that I won't roll in the mud if need must—, I felt like I was finally lifted from worldly burdens.

In this city, my agenda was to visit Ms. Xia from the Xia Clan but I wasn't going just yet, not while 'I' am here. So I'm moving cities to find Rahim... I still unsure how I'll face secret realms, but now I have some good cards to use. Not only am I an Archaeologist but I also possess Mystic Eyes that belong to a Mystery Pryer. If only I can just advance to a Pugilist then I might not worry as much.

I could feel how far I was from digesting Warrior completely without checking my system, I'm at a halfway point— something that could be hardly completed unless I perform something...oh, should I? but that would be suicide. Alright, if I take another route by the Living Swamp and fight my way through, I might level to 70-80 if not 90 in levels by the time I reach the realm. Then if fate dictates, I could do the rest inside.

...

Ah, Fuck it. What's the worst that could happen right?

 

---

 

Unlike cliches, the worst didn't happen.

However, it hurts, a lot.

Like hell, I was even poisoned a few times. While I wasn't a Apothecary, I prepared several combatants against poisons specifically encountered in the Living Swamp, something I know a Demon Hunter prepares for.

Referencing my knowledge to how the Forsaken Land of Gods, well, if I were to describe that desolate and despairing hell then I should do well to recall it all.

In the Forsaken Land of the Gods is complete darkness, where the Sun had abandoned them, where the desolation riddled far and wide with no greenery or growth in sight, riddled within that same darkness were monsters 'concealed' in the night waiting for your light to blow out, not that your flame, your will to live day to day in that hopeless place, has been snuffed out.

In that place where strange beasts roam, where ruins were scattered about, where the only living 'humans', mutated by the environment and what corruption or characteristics they eat, survive 'day' to 'day', no, night to night, an eternal night, a nightmare, where they could die unknowingly by the slightest mistakes.

"Hsss, it's fascinating how the vines were able to maintain their flexibility and tensile strength while keeping numerous amounts of sharp, poisonous, and hard like gems...", I mutter quickly examining the dead vines. To think beasts like these exist, well it's actually very rare in my experience reading xianxia novels, typically these plants are 'protagonists' who isekai'd and become OP mother trees or something.

I shift my eyes around the barely lit swamp, light hardly passes in through the canopy here and the light that I could see were glimpses of the reveries of fireflies, which might even be a dangerous Firebug if I don't look carefully.

'Carefully' being an overstatement since my eyes were natural detectors in the dark and even better at night where they're the most active.

With enough information on the inhabitants of this habitat and good senses, a lot of the unexpectedness turned to expected and resulted in anticipated. This did not detract the fierce and threatening nature of these monsters.

I really had to try everything in my arsenal to NOT die.

Using their weaknesses against them, outsmarting them; Using the environment against them, whittling them down if I can't take down the beasts quickly.

Identifying suitable techniques and employing them on each species. Although this gave me more wounds, in the long run it pays off, note that I had healing pills with me.

If that didn't work then just my grit, moxie, and guts would eventually acclimate enough, drawing out it's potential, mystical muscle strength to slay my opponent.

In the end, if that couldn't solve it, I had to throw bombs up in the air for total destruction.

"It's been two days in this swamp with no sleep, something that a person would have trouble dealing with—eyebags would develop for sure—and I'm very sure I might start reaching my limit since I haven't slept for the past 4 days. And my stamina, though high for a Warrior, would run out faster than my need for sleep reaching the tipping point."

In another route, a Hunter sequence would have been digested better in this environment. But I didn't need it, or maybe I had a lot of apprehensions when it came to the Demoness Pathway.

A shiver went down my spine.

I-I just could not.

My body had the jitters just by think about it so I once again concentrated on the path ahead of me.

I habitually look back inside my storage ring, gleaning antidotes and poisons. I didn't think I'd reap more rewards that I intended but this will do, I can use poisons the increase my resistance and maybe even use it against someone in the future.

My slightly cold feet washed through the muddy waters, they were shallow and dirty but I knew thinks could be crawling beneath so I raised my shield in anticipation.

I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, those Lurkers were silent and hid in the cloudy and thick. I couldn't feel, I couldn't smell, they burrow on the floor and keep low so water doesn't move.

Because of that my eyes glowed a tinge of purple. Mystic Eyes which pried into the underneath, to unveil the danger.

But what came with this power was something I wasn't ready for. I could 'see' something strange inside this swamp, below down beneath, even deep. I didn't know, nor do I intend to wake 'that' beast, whatever it is. I am a Mystery Pryer but I should respect the unknown... else I poke a bees nest, or worse step into a dragon's lair.

Black, blue, purple, and green. From rarest to common, they appeared all over the swamp. The species known as Lurkers thrived in this environment and were left to infect the place, well it was more parasitic than anything, similar to spores as how these monsters worked. A combination of fungi and plant is what these are.

Like a black bullet, a Lurker with it's giant vine sprang up and made contact with my Silverwash. The strength was mighty for a beast in the categories of a Qi Condensation Beast, it's described to have the strength of a bear, I can tell it's at a minimum.

Redirecting the force, I start speaking a poem. Yes, I know these are fungi and plants, but studies and my experience show that sound and music have effects.

"Moonstone, Night Phlox

Innocence, don't Faux

This Night, This Peace

Tranquility, oh please"

My voice came out more childlike and simplistic, my enunciation seemingly immature and pleading.

An atmosphere appears, a stillness that wants not to be broken. Multiple vines jumped out, about to hit from all sides but stopped, as if fearing to break the moment, like a vow of silence.

Then, I acted. I brawled, I fought, I brought carnage. I fought in the mud like just another pig against a tiger, but this time it was an encroachment of Lurkers. I grabbed one and cut it off with my shield, prioritizing the black ones and less of the purple ones.

I popped a cure beforehand, I wouldn't be poisoned by the purple ones till I've dealt with the rest. I can endure the green ones but the blues were tragically tricky.

"What's a moonflower to the moon?

What's a twinkle to starry night?

What's a candle to comet bright?

What's a life to that dark, eternal, tune?"

Once again I recite melodically with a mad tone and dark voice. The sudden mood swept and made the quick Blue Lurkers limp. They fell as the blood they reaped from having lashed me mixed with the murky mud.

I grit my teeth, enduring the pain as I kept cutting around, switching from a pocket knife from my utility belt and precise grappling. I became handsy with my weaponry, becoming deft and weaving between the tenta- damn it, I was trying my best not to call them that.

Die. Die. Die.

It's even worse that the battlefield limits me not only in maneuverability but also the mud that gets splashed into my eyes. I had to not only use my other senses but I also had to learn the hard way to avoid splatter on me.

Before they could become coordinated again... I launched assaults against the half a dozen Blue Lurkers.

Thankfully, I have a firm foothold in the swamp with Earthen Indomitable and I can block Black Lurkers with the addition of the 26 Rock Forms.

Let alone my shield and using the Tao Dew Shield, the combination of both the Black and White Iron Scriptures and channeling that strength using Iron Joints, Spike and Bladed would take down and cut off the front, and anything left has to answer to an Ember Knuckle or Flame Fume.

The two dozen or so Green Lurkers have encircled me. I respond with a leap of Spring Gust and weaved through the muddy waters using Wind Cloud Steps, small waves formed and splashes resounded and multiple lashes crisp to my ears went right past me.

Again another Black Lurker attacks me from another angle, the impact of it launched my upwards half a meter. I readjust my posture midair and slam my shield into another Black Lurker with my momentum.

Pushing back I went through a plume of purple gas released by a few Purple Lurkers, making my way to them under that cover, the synthesis becoming the synthesis to my antithesis.

Like a duckling served on a silver platter, I made quick work with the Purple Lurkers and face off again with the numerous amount of Green Lurkers. I smile as I've cut down the annoying bunch, namely the blue and purples.

"Become swallowed in the darkness;

Drown in your worst nightmare;

Sun, hope, and happiness lights the air;

Midnight who covers brightness;

Now, unconcealed, the malevolent snare;"

My voice, haunting, and threatening made the enemies erratic with fear. Hesitation to attack and the unsurety of direction is all I need.

Honestly, I myself am dizzy myself from the consumption of spirituality in the morning but hell if I care since I could last until the rising of the moon.

I start reaping the Green Lurkers who I could weave through with precision due to their uncoordinated state.

Breaking through their barely-for-an-excuse entanglement, I reached out to my real target, the Black Lurkers, emphasis on the Lurkers to not sound racist-

What's bad about this type of Lurker is not it's strength but it's resistance, to both poison and fire, and it even is hard like materials for tires making it a chore to cut through them.

This is the worst because Lurkers can't be 'beheaded' but burned. Unless I cut a good amount of them to enter a sort of recuperation.

Even if I could cut them from the roots, the hidden being underground would not like that. Maybe one or two won't hurt but I won't take that risk.

Even if I can't burn the Black Lurkers, I could still rip and tear and puncture enough to push these creatures back.

Black Iron Scripture, White Iron Scripture, Malleable Body Art, Reinforced Metal Art. I can feel my strength from them accumulating as I kept being beaten, refined, to something stronger. Again and again.

My shield is ineffective so I switched it out with with my pocket knife, a special weapon made from Ice Gems.

Cold Veins Cleave, Unorthodox Low Green

12 Meridian Ice Slashes, Unorthodox Mid Green

Reverse Steel Armament, Unorthodox Low Green

Steel Scale Arms, Unorthodox Mid Green

A faint but sharp light hugged tightly on my skin as I breathed in cold air and felt the 12 main meridians in my body freezing. semi-translucent silver scales appear over my brachiums to my forearms.

Ice energies gathered on my knife as I easily endured the cold due to my Corpse Collector characteristic.

I brush against the strong force of the Black Lurkers and dug the sharp and frozen weapon deeply into the stubborn thing. I was able to endure the force this time unlike other times when I could barely hang on for a few seconds before disengaging.

I grunt and push forward, splitting the thing from the inside, cold light gleaming and turning it's cells down to a dangerous point. Usually I get skin bruising from brushing against the huge strength of the Lurker but this time my scales were able to hold on through it's flickering and gleaming state.

My opponent received several cuts like it was pressed against a cheese grater.

In 12 swift motions I juggled between the 4 Black Lurkers coming at me from all directions, precisely giving at much area damage I can on their bodies.

I manage to riddle them all with wounds that would take a lot of time to heal, those being frozen to the point where it could only be cut off to regrow.

Everything after was history, a long one but I easily dealt with everything else.

"*cough**cough*", I inhaled poisonous gas, the problem wasn't the poison but the lack of oxygen thereof. This reminds me of mustard gas.

I take a break to cough out all the smoke like some stoner from some alleyway.

It's more painful than inhaling a mouthful of water, thankfully I'm not one of those people who didn't know how to swim for long, never again.

I also think my eyes reddened a bit. Next time my mask should account for invasive gas, clearly I needed something better than just cloth.

Speaking about my mask. I took it off to check it's appearance... yep, it's a bit dented. Thankfully I also made another mask before setting off.

My eyelid twitched as I felt the sting of pain again all over my body, mostly on my back why sustained a lot of whiplashes and was infected due to the muddy waters. Thankfully the wounds wouldn't worsen due to my resistance to cadaver.

Unfortunately, it's drenched in muddy and probably infected germs. I insert qi into my most valuable boon, my very own storage ring to pick out a jar full of a certain liquid, it wasn't something I could keep on my belt so I let it stay in storage.

It was taken from an herb that unusually looks like Aloe Vera and yet seems to surpass in quality, the only difference being it's jade-like color and size comparable to or seem even larger than shrubs and bushes.

It seems being a Warrior also affect the rate of my stamina recovery, which is related to my physique having high stamina.

Stamina, stamina, stamina, it's as if that thing is the main principle of a Warrior. What is a strong man if he cannot outlast an army? What is a fast man if he cannot outlast a horde? What is a soldier if he cannot fight the whole war?

I was taken back to the soldier disciplines on earth, I was never conscripted but I knew they prioritized a persons stamina a lot, it was the most important aspect to a people whose strength and speed mattered less in comparison to artillery warfare.

Meditating upon that I let my body relax and tense again. Focus, endure, and most importantly win the battle.

I'm close, the city is not that far anymore and nearing the periphery means I have to deal less— not that I should let up— I should prepare for what comes next.

Crossbows, bombs, antidotes to poisons, talismans, pills, and my truck load of knowledge that will only get bigger once I get to the city.

Since that is happening, I look at the dead Black Lurkers, like how lizards cut of their tails in danger, so do the Lurkers leave their bodies to keep their roots.

This material, will do nicely in a specific situation, I won't be sure if it will happen but I'm sure that I'll need it in that case.

Now it feel more like an insight that's telling me that I need this, but I'm not sure if it's mystical or plain psychological.

My ring glows for a second before the object it touched went into the space. Storage rings were convenient but they had minor flaws which could be exploitable such as, no matter the quality of the ring, the activation time of the artifact couldn't be changed, except if the artifact was soul bound, I find no reasonable way for a person to bypass the runic activation time.

And the requirement for the ring to be in contact with the inanimate object is a must.

This two minor requirement become restrictions in some situations, thankfully they are negligible to the common man, and it extensively sold to merchants and cultivators who all have riches and treasures in their persons.

As for how much space this Storage has, it's about 27.5 cubic meters, which is also as much in terms of the size of a bus.

If I'm being honest, I also have a cannon inside— a small one— but a cannon nonetheless.

Taking the shield from my back once again, a trusty protector for my vulnerable backside at opportune times, and got ready to-

Firebugs...

...

I can't store them in the ring but since I'm near to the city anyway...

I may have an idea. I really must have gone crazy.

 

---

 

A hooded figure covered in mud, blood, and dried poisons could be seen at the dawn carrying a peculiar makeshift lantern, which light intensity flowed and revolved around.

The city of  Clear Well City sits peacefully, situated with a swamp towards it's east and small mountain on both it's front and back, an easy trail leads on from it's west giving travelers a way of safe access to the city.

Unlike the gloom like Yin Haze City and the recently rising tensions of Sky Fall City, Clear Well City is very harmonious and has been know to such for years now.

But all things considered, it wasn't going to stay so harmonious for long when one man on a mission with a whole ass cannon right in his arsenal.

 

 

Also, sorry for the long and unannounced cut off, idk what really happened either, I just stopped writing for a while. I really do hope to continue tho so tune in once in a while, maybe next week if I start doing my weekly thing again.