CG C112: The Beggar and the Ring (Patreon)

Redstone Village was a modest town. The main street wound its way through the center, lined with small shops and homes. At one end stood the town square, a wide open space where markets and gatherings were held. On the other, a tavern called The Crimson Rooster dominated the view, its painted sign swinging gently in the evening breeze.

As night fell, the tavern doors swung open and a group of men stumbled out.

"Can't believe I didn't get picked again!" a burly man with a thick beard grumbled, his words slurring slightly. "I'm strong as an ox, I am! What more could them immortals want?"

His companion, a lanky fellow with a receding hairline, nodded vigorously. "It ain't right, Huo. We've been waiting for days, and nothin'! How're we supposed to feed our families if we can't get honest work?"

A third man, shorter than the others but with arms like tree trunks, spat on the ground. "Heard they're paying in gold coins, too. Gold! You know what I could do with even one of those shiny beauties?"

Their conversation drew the attention of a figure huddled in a nearby alley. A beggar, dressed in tattered rags, his face hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat. He shuffled forward, holding out a trembling hand.

"Spare some coin for a hungry soul?" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The men barely spared him a glance, too caught up in their own troubles to notice the plea.

Unbeknownst to them, the beggar was far more than he appeared. Beneath the grime and rags was a cultivator. Su Jie had been here for the past three days, and his disguise had been working perfectly. No one gave a second thought to those beneath them, such was human nature.

Su Jie wasn't worried about being detected by other cultivators. Unless they were at the Foundation Establishment realm or above, it was unlikely they'd realize he was anything more than a common beggar. He'd always had a knack for staying out of sight, it was what made it easy for him to pick pockets.

As he listened to the drunken men's conversation, Su Jie's ears perked up at a snippet of information.

"Hey, did you hear?" the lanky man said. "Word is, the immortal's coming back tomorrow one last time. We might still have a chance!"

"Well, I'll be sure to make a good impression this time,” Huo flexed his arms. “They can't ignore these muscles forever!"

"How do you know they're looking for muscle, you lout?” The shorter man scoffed. “Could be they need smarts. In which case, I'd say I have a better shot than you."

This sparked an argument among the men, their voices rising as they debated what the immortals could possibly want with mere mortals.

"Makes no sense, if you ask me," Huo grumbled. "They're immortals! What do they need us for?"

The lanky man shrugged. "Who knows? But I heard they took old Wu the blacksmith last week. And Widow Liu's boy, the one who's good with numbers."

"Don't forget about Ming the carpenter," the short man added. "Seems like they're taking all sorts."

Su Jie shook his head. Mortals had no idea of the complexities involved in running a sect, let alone preparing for war. Even the mightiest cultivator relied on countless mundane tasks performed by ordinary people. But recruiting in such large numbers was uncommon…

As the voices faded into the distance, Su Jie sat back, pondering what he'd heard. It seemed the Crimson Phoenix Sect really was preparing for war. They were gathering mortals with various skills in bulk.

Su Jie weighed his options. He had enough information to report back to Kai, but something held him back.

Two pills. I want those two Qi Gathering pills. This isn't enough to guarantee that reward.

After some internal debate, he decided to stay another day. If the immortal was truly returning tomorrow, he might learn even more valuable information. It was a risk, but one he felt was worth taking.

Besides, I've always been good at disappearing when things get too hot.

With a sigh, Su Jie settled deeper into his shadowy nook. It was going to be a long night, but if it meant getting closer to his goal, it would be worth it.

***

The next morning, the townsfolk gathered in the square, waiting for the immortal to arrive.

"Do you think they'll pick me this time?" a weaver asked her friend, fidgeting with her apron.

Her friend, a potter, shrugged. "Who knows? Last time they took blacksmiths and carpenters. Maybe it's our turn now."

Nearby, a group of young men talked in low voices.

"I heard they're looking for strong backs," one said, puffing out his chest.

Another shook his head. "Nah, they've got cultivators for that. We need to offer something special."

As the morning went on, more people arrived. Children played games while their parents talked about what might happen.

"What do immortals need us for anyway?" an old cobbler wondered out loud.

A seamstress answered, "Maybe they need new clothes. Even immortals must get holes in their robes sometimes."

Suddenly, a child shouted, "Look up there!"

Everyone looked at the sky. A person in red robes flew down on a shining sword. It was a young man, his face was smooth and his red robes had golden birds on them. This was Cao Jiayi, from the Crimson Phoenix Sect.

As Cao Jiayi floated down, he frowned. Why did they send me to do this boring job? I am a breath away from the Foundation Establishment realm, I should be preparing for my breakthrough, not wasting my time on mortals. This is beneath me.

His feet touched the ground softly, and he raised his hand for quiet. "Like the previous times, when I call your job, step forward.”

The crowd whispered excitedly. Cao Jiayi looked at them, not impressed.

"Weavers."

A group of people with callused hands moved to the front.

"Potters."

Several men and women, their clothes stained with clay, joined the weavers.

"Cobblers."

A few people who made shoes stepped up, looking nervous but hopeful.

"Tailors and seamstresses."

A larger group came forward, carrying needles and measuring tapes.

As Cao Jiayi kept listing jobs, those not called started to complain quietly.

"Why aren't they taking farmers?" a man whispered to his wife.

"Maybe immortals don't need food," she joked back.

A group of strong young men stood to the side, looking sad. "I thought for sure they'd need people to carry heavy things.”

"Guess they prefer skilled workers over strong ones," another replied, sounding bitter.

Cao Jiayi heard their complaints but didn't care. He was already thinking about going back to his sect. He looked at the ring on his finger, thinking about what it contained.

I hope the letter from the Boundless Earth Sect is good news. If they agree to work with us against the Azure Sky Sect, it could change everything.

He wanted to open the letter and read it, but he knew he couldn't. That information was only for the leader of his sect to see. His job was just to deliver it safely.

But first, I have to deal with these people, he reminded himself, looking back at the villagers.

As he began to address the chosen few, outlining what would be expected of them in service to the Crimson Phoenix Sect, the town leader approached. The man was short and round, with a shiny bald head and an ingratiating smile that made Cao Jiayi's skin crawl.

"Oh, most esteemed cultivator," the town leader began, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the ground. "We are so grateful for your return. If there's anything I can do to assist you in your noble task-"

Cao Jiayi tuned out the man's fawning words, his senses suddenly alert. Something was wrong. He turned, scanning the crowd, and spotted the source of the disturbance.

A group of cattle, spooked by something, had broken free of their pen. They were charging towards the square, eyes rolling in panic.

Chaos erupted. People screamed and scattered, trying to get out of the way of the stampeding animals.

These mortals and their petty problems. As if mere beasts could threaten a cultivator.

Cao Jiayi watched with detached interest. He made no move to help, seeing no reason to waste his qi on such a trivial matter. Let the mortals sort it out themselves.

The stampede crescendoed, people pushing and shoving in their desperation to escape. Just then, a young woman came barreling through the crowd, her eyes wide with fear as she looked over her shoulder at the frightened beasts. Before Cao Jiayi could react, she slammed into him with surprising force.

The impact was nothing to a cultivator of his level, but it did cause him to stumble slightly. Irritation flashed across his face as he caught his balance. He fixed the woman with a withering glare, one that promised pain and suffering for the disrespect shown to him.

The poor woman's eyes went wide with horror as she realized what she'd done. A dark stain spread across her skirts as her bladder gave way in sheer terror.

Cao Jiayi's nose wrinkled in disgust. He turned away from the pitiful mortal, stepping onto his sword. As he rose into the air, a nagging feeling tugged at the back of his mind. Something felt... off.

He pushed the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand. From his vantage point, he watched as the cattle thundered through the square, causing chaos everywhere they went. Market stalls lay in splinters, goods scattered across the cobblestones.

Eventually, the cattle were rounded up, and a semblance of order returned to the square. The town leader scrambled forward once more, his fine silks now torn and muddied.

"M-most honored immortal," the man stammered, "please forgive this... this unfortunate incident. I assure you, nothing like this has ever-"

Cao Jiayi silenced him with a look. He had no interest in the man's excuses. All he wanted now was to gather these mortals and be on his way back to the sect.

He reached for his storage ring, intending to summon the flying vessel that would transport the chosen workers. His fingers brushed against bare skin.

Cao Jiayi froze. He looked down at his hand. The ring was gone.

In an instant, his carefully cultivated calm shattered. Rage boiled up inside him, and with it, his qi exploded outward. An invisible wave of pressure slammed into the mortals, driving them to their knees as they cried out in pain and shock.

"You dare?" Cao Jiayi roared, his voice echoing across the square.

Moving faster than regular eyes could see, he appeared in front of the woman who had bumped into him earlier. She cowered before him, shaking uncontrollably.

"Where is it?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

"W-what?" the woman stammered, crying. "I don't know what you're talking about, great immortal. Please, I didn't do anything wrong!"

Cao Jiayi's eyes narrowed. He used his spiritual sense to scan the woman thoroughly. To his frustration, he found nothing. The storage ring wasn't on her.

"You," he growled, "you bumped into me. You must have taken it."

"No, no!" the woman wailed. "I would never steal from an immortal! Please believe me!"

Cao Jiayi gritted his teeth. He could tell she was telling the truth - or at least, she thought she was telling the truth. But if she didn't have the ring, where was it?

The letter, I can’t lose the letter!

"Everyone, stay where you are!" he commanded, his voice now sounding a bit panicked. "No one leaves until I find what was stolen from me!"

The townsfolk, still under the pressure of his power, could only nod weakly. They didn't understand what was happening, but they knew better than to disobey an angry immortal.

As Cao Jiayi scanned one mortal after another for the unique spiritual signature which marked the storage ring as his, he failed to notice a figure slipping away from the town.

A beggar, his face hidden under a hat, moved surprisingly quickly for someone who looked so weak, his hand closed around a small object in his pocket - a ring.

Two Qi Gathering pills, Su Jie thought to himself. This should be more than enough to earn them.

With one last look at the town, he disappeared into the forest, leaving behind a very angry immortal and a group of very confused mortals.