Cultivation Nerd: Chapter 204 (Patreon)

Chapter 204 - Faceless Rumors 

As the carriage neared the entrance gate, the chaotic scene came into focus—two dozen people crowded around, their voices raised in a cacophony of anger, hurling incoherent insults at the guards. The relentless rain had soaked them through, their clothes clinging to their bodies as they stood in the storm. Water dripped from their hair and ran down their faces, mixing with the mud beneath their feet, yet their fury remained undeterred.

"Let us in, you sniveling bastards!"

"I was just at work in the fields, and now I'm just trying to get in! I live there!"

"We can't stay out here!"

The crowd was panicked, which made sense considering it was already past midday, though the storm made it hard to tell the sun's position.

"They're not letting the locals in. That's odd," I said.

"You from here?" the old man asked.

Unlike him, I wasn't ready to unload my life story to a stranger. "No, I'm from a nearby village."

Admitting that might make me seem strange, given there were usually no villages near these large settlements. Most people worked the fields and returned behind the safety of the walls in the evening.

If they were paying attention, they might already be suspicious of me. A silver ring for some no-name villager and the well-made map I'd taken out could easily raise eyebrows. I could always explain it away by claiming a lucky hunt, but still, it was suspicious.

However, from what I'd seen so far, they didn't care. They were more likely to rob me than suspect I was dangerous. It made sense, given the circumstances. They probably had never even spoken to a cultivator, let alone understood why someone powerful might hide their identity.

It was like expecting a vagrant who steals bread every day to secretly be a king.

"What now?" I asked as the carriages stopped.

The coach driver sighed, taking out a fist-sized sack of coins from his breast pocket. "I know how this goes."

I stepped aside as he trudged past me and onto the muddy ground. Muttering curses under his breath, he headed toward the gate, pushing through the crowd without a second thought.

A few minutes later, he returned with a nasty scowl, silently climbing back onto the carriage and taking the reins.

"Some duck-fucking piece of shit says there's a demon in the forest, and lumberjacks have gone missing," the driver grumbled, steering the carriage off the road. "Apparently, until this liar stops spouting nonsense, no one's getting in or out of the town."

Demons? Now that was interesting. I was almost tempted to sneak into the city.

"Any idea when this so-called demon might be found?" I asked, frowning as I tried to appear annoyed.

"No. They just told people to avoid the nearby forests," he replied.

"Wait, shit. I just came from a forest nearby," I said. "You think this demon could be haunting me or something? I've been pretty unlucky lately."

That wasn't the smartest thing to say, given my supposed background. Both the old man and the driver turned to me. For a moment, I thought they were going to toss me off the carriage—which, honestly, would have suited me. Instead, the old man smiled, and the driver chuckled.

"I knew you village folk were superstitious, but this is too much," the driver said with a smirk. "There's no such thing as devils. At worst, it's some demonic cultivator playing tricks."

I shrugged, choosing not to argue. "I'll look around for an inn. My brother mentioned a friend who runs a tavern outside the walls. Maybe I can find a place to stay."

"You're welcome to sleep in our carriage with us," the old man offered.

"Maybe, but I wouldn't want to inconvenience you further. Though I might have to if I don't find the guy," I said, scratching the back of my head and playing off my awkwardness.

I stepped outside, and thankfully, the rain had eased up. So far, there was nothing extraordinary about this place aside from the rumors about demons. And who knew if that was true? It could just as easily have been some monstrous beast.

'Demons' was a term used for extraterrestrial creatures from other worlds, though I doubted that's what the people here meant. On the mainland, demons were considered invaders from different realms, and they appeared when the number of immortals grew too high at some unknown point in history.

There was a chance some of those beings were still around, but I doubted they'd waste time killing a few lumberjacks if they were. They'd more likely raze an entire town. After all, these were the types of creatures that could bring immortals to their knees. At least, that's what the books said. Some even theorized that demons were the result of a heavenly tribulation.

My personal theory was that some immortal had messed up somehow. The heavens wouldn't just send creatures strong enough to kill immortals without reason. It was like being angry at a dog for biting you, then bringing in a bigger, deadlier dog to get rid of the first one, which would only make things worse. You'd have a dead dog, but now another one would be waiting to bite you.

A horrible analogy, but I was more intrigued by the demon rumors than the analogy itself. I wondered what the people here were really talking about. Hopefully, it wasn't just wild animals—that would be dull. Of course, it would be terrible for everyone if it actually was a demon, but at least it would be interesting. Though I didn't wish misfortune on any of the innocent people here.

I shook my head, letting the rain wash over me, and refocused. Now wasn't the time for idle thoughts—it was time for action.

Since the town was built like this, there were bound to be inns outside the walls for merchants. That's what I'd look for: an innkeeper with their finger on the pulse of the rumors swirling around here.

The first place I approached was one of the larger buildings in the area, its towering structure standing out amidst the surroundings. Even before I stepped inside, the noise pouring from within made it clear that the place was anything but quiet. Laughter, clinking glasses, and raucous chatter filled the air, growing louder with each step. As I neared the entrance, the sounds sharpened into something unmistakable—either a bustling tavern or a lively party in full swing.

Either way, I approached and opened the door, only to be hit by the pungent stench of cheap wine and sweat. The smell of booze and the sounds of rowdy conversation permeated the air.

No one even glanced my way as I entered, which was a good sign. I was definitely in a tavern. The separate tables, the waitress moving between them serving drinks, and the general atmosphere confirmed it.

I'd gotten so used to searching for subtle clues that sometimes I missed the obvious.  All that time in the inner sect, surrounded by those foxes, had put me on edge constantly.

The waitress spotted me and smiled, but it was the kind of smile I'd seen plenty of times in the customer service industry. It looked warm and genuine; even her eyes sparkled with sincerity. But the way she moved gave it away. In my previous life, I had a coworker perfecting that smile. She made crazy money off tips.

"How can I help you, dear customer?" she asked.

"All this talk about demons makes a man thirsty," I replied, sitting at a table near the door. Someone was already there—a short man with large ears, a bald head, and a small mouth. Sadly, there were no empty tables; this one was with only one other person.

"Anything you want, friend? I could get you something to lift this somber mood," I offered the rat-looking man.

His eyes darted around as if checking to see if anyone was watching us. "A friend ain't a friend if we don't know each other's names."

Well, that was unnecessarily aggressive. I was just trying to be polite.

"Well then, my name's Liu Feng, friend," I smiled, unfazed by his behavior. "And yours?"

He frowned, looking like he was in deep thought. While waiting for him to speak, I ordered something from the waitress.

"Liu Feng? Like the guy who wrote the book?" he asked.

Wait—what? Was my Monstrous Beast Encyclopedia really that famous even around here? That was wild!

"Book?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

He looked me up and down before snorting. "You don't look like a merchant. And you definitely ain't one, friend."

Just then, the waitress returned with our drinks, setting down two wooden mugs without handles. The smell of cheap alcohol hit me, exactly as I had ordered.

"Thank you," I nodded. Foam nearly spilled over the rim as I picked up my mug, and I drained half of it in one gulp, wiping the foam from my lips. "What makes you say that, friend?"

"Liu Feng's book is something every merchant owns nowadays. They think the instructions he wrote will keep them safe. Bullshit, I say. Monstrous beasts aren't something to mess with," he scoffed and picked up the mug I'd bought him, raising it in a toast. "To our new friendship."

I chuckled, and we clinked mugs.

"It's always the same with scholars. After reading a few pages, they think they understand monstrous beasts," I shook my head. "You can't gain understanding with your nose buried in books. But you're right—I'm a hunter by trade. Still, reading a book on monstrous beasts might come in handy."

"Here's some advice you won't find in any book," he said, taking a swig, some of the alcohol spilling from the corner of his mouth onto the table. He set the mug down and began absentmindedly drawing in the spilled liquid. "If you see a monstrous beast, run like hell and pray it's not hungry."

There was a story there, but I doubt he would tell.

"Speaking of monstrous beasts, what's the story behind these demon rumors?" I asked, slipping in my real question. "And, by the way, you still haven't told me your name, friend."

"Shu Ren," he said. "As for the demon, who knows what's really going on? First, it was the miller's child, now it's this demon nonsense."

"I've heard about the demon, like everyone else. But what do you mean about the miller's child?" I asked.

"Well, that cursed wife of his gave birth to a faceless child," Shu Ren said.

"Faceless? Like no mouth, no eyes, nothing?"

"Yep. Doesn't eat, doesn't sleep—nothing like a normal human. Creepy as hell. I saw it prowling around the gardens once," he said.

Now, that was an interesting revelation.

...

We talked for the rest of the evening until it was late enough for Shu Ren to retire to his room, and even the waitress was yawning. My mind was elsewhere despite what might have seemed like a hearty conversation.

A couple of hours after midnight, when most people had gone to sleep, I slipped out of the inn. By then, the rain had stopped, though the air remained humid and the ground was still wet.

My gaze shifted toward the mill in the distance.

A child born without a face, who didn't need to eat or drink? That was definitely strange.

Under the cover of darkness, I began making my way toward the mill. If not for the need for discretion, I'd have a spring in my step.

I knew how people were—soon enough, someone would connect the demon rumors to the faceless child.

But first, I had to make sure no cultivators were nearby.

Spreading my senses, I could feel every presence nearby, even the weak cultivators in town. But despite that, a frown crept onto my face.

At the top of the windmill, there was a strange presence. A chill ran down my spine, not from the cold or excitement. Usually, I would have dismissed it as a mouse or some small creature, but this... it gave off mental waves resembling a human. But as I concentrated on it, everything changed.

The best way to describe the sensation was pure gluttony—it felt like a black hole had opened within me, an all-consuming void pulling everything toward it. It wasn't just draining; it was overwhelming, as though my very essence, my thoughts, even the air around me were being sucked into an infinite abyss. The feeling was suffocating, inescapable, leaving behind a terrifying certainty: once it had me, there would be no escape.

What the hell was that?