Cultivation Nerd: Chapter 221 (Patreon)

Chapter 221 - Confusing Days

After I sensed the Qi signature, my cousins picked up on it too, and without a word, we all moved in the same direction. I carefully scanned the trees and ground, sharpening my senses to heighten my Qi perception, wary of any traps that might lie in wait.

It appeared, however, that despite our efforts, the two other teams had already crossed paths. This was a troubling development, as they could easily have devised a plan to defeat us by now.

Even in the dim half-moon light, none of us stumbled. We caught sight of our new "allies" before they got too close, and I blended into the shadows as we observed.

I examined their faces, but none of them looked familiar. Altogether, our combined forces now numbered twenty, with each clan contributing different numbers.

Liu Qian took the lead and stepped forward to address the group. "Are you the team we were supposed to meet?"

They nodded and soon began introducing themselves one by one. Standing just behind Liu Qian was Liu Heng at her side. I lingered in the background, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. If something went wrong, keeping a low profile would buy me enough time to set up arrays—my greatest advantage against cultivators of similar strength.

It was a shame Fu Yating wasn't here. For all her cunning, she was easy to collaborate with; perhaps we could have joined forces against the Jia Clan. But her absence made sense. She was likely still a Body Tempering Cultivator and, as the sole child in the Fu Clan Head's branch able to cultivate, practically the heir.

Unlike the Liu Clan, the Fu Clan hadn't been so fortunate with talent in this generation. Though promising, they lacked the opportunity we'd seized with the Blazing Sun Sect. We had even maneuvered the selection to secure the twins' entry into the sect. Now we had a solid foothold there, leaving the others trailing behind. As for Fu Yating being in the Azure Frost Sect, that meant little; males had a more challenging time advancing there anyway. That would cut off half the pool they could send at the Azure Frost Sect.

Once the introductions were complete, Liu Qian asked, "Did you encounter anything on the way here?"

"No," Jia So replied, shaking his head. He was tall, with dark hair and narrowed eyes like a snake's. "There were no animal sounds either, which made it even creepier."

Despite his words, the snake-eyed man wore a smirk as though privy to some private joke. This was the Jia Clan team's leader, and his presence unsettled me—being around him felt like standing next to a coiled viper.

"None of us encountered anything," Fu Ko added. He was a tall, burly man with black hair, a dark ninja mask covering the lower half of his face, and piercing blue eyes. "And that's surprising, considering we're deep in Thunder Wolf territory."

Ultimately, we chose a random spot to make camp in the thick darkness and snow-laden forest surrounding us. Each group settled at a respectful distance, near enough to remain within sight yet far enough to discourage any whispered alliances under the cover of night.

The snow muffled our movements, absorbing the crunch of footsteps and the rustle, adding an eerie stillness to the air. Shadows from the trees stretched long and dark, their branches weighed down by snow, forming ghostly shapes in the dim moonlight that filtered through the clouds. Our breath frosted in the cold, and the quiet seemed almost alive, thickening between us as though the forest itself watched our every move.

The night was chilly, and the soft, shifting wind only sharpened the cold. I leaned against a tree, preparing to doze off while waiting for morning. Tents weren't an option—they'd only block my vision. Besides, I was on the second watch anyway, so it didn't matter much. The tree was icy, and the ground damp, making the whole experience miserable despite my cultivator's resilience.

With the primitive technology at this level, traveling as a cultivator still had its discomforts.

As for using arrays? There was no way I'd tip these guys off about my array skills. I'd have to deal with the cold and discomfort, though at least my cultivator's body meant I wouldn't catch anything. It crossed my mind that they might already know about my array abilities—after all, I didn't usually hide them.

Just the thought that this precaution might be futile almost made me groan. Instead of freezing against a tree, I could be reading under a warm array.

Ah, the sacrifices I made for a strategic edge.

Glancing around the dimly lit camps and scattered tents, it was clear the mood here was as cold as the night. Two members from each clan took the first watch, positioning themselves close to their own camps but at a distance from the others—clearly a safety measure. This way, if something went wrong, they'd have enough time to alert their teams before the others could react.

Shifting uncomfortably on my cold seat, I closed my eyes, hoping to grab a bit of rest.

Liu Bo and Liu Heng were on first watch, and I needed sleep before my turn came. I'd have to stay especially alert, too, since I'd be on watch with one of the Body Tempering siblings.

Why bother pretending to work together if we were this distrustful of each other? This mission was turning into a headache.

But just as I was trying to drift off, I heard footsteps crunching through the snow.

I cracked open one eye to see the masked man from the Fu Clan approaching. His piercing blue eyes found me.

Before he could get too close, Liu Bo and Liu Heng moved in, blocking his path. My cousins' stances were tense, and their Qi swirled around them.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Liu Heng asked, his voice calm but edged with an icy growl.

“I just want to talk to your writer cousin,” Fu Ko said, pointing at me.

“Then you’ll have to make an appointment after this mission,” Liu Bo replied. “He’s quite popular and doesn’t have time for fan visits.”

Fu Ko snorted at their veiled threats and stepped forward, only for my cousins’ Qi to burst out in a violent wave, scattering the snow around them and exposing the muddy, withered grass below.

The commotion caught everyone’s attention; even those in tents began stirring.

Fu Ko glanced at my cousins, then met my gaze.

“If you wanted to talk, you could have just said so,” I remarked.

What was with all this bravado? Was he suffering from some young master syndrome? He didn’t look the type, but appearances could be deceiving.

“Don’t worry, guys,” I said, smiling as I pushed myself to my feet, grumbling at the cold wetness that soaked through my pants from the snow. “I’d like to talk to him too.”

My cousins reluctantly stepped aside, but their expressions remained hard, ready to attack if he made one wrong move.

If I hadn’t intervened, a fight would’ve already broken out. Who chose this guy as a leader, anyway?

“You’re Liu Feng, right?” he asked.

“Yes,” I nodded.

“I was supposed to marry Fu Yating before the arrangement with you came along,” he said, a heavy frown creasing his face.

What? There was no way he was stirring up all this tension over some love triangle nonsense! People could die here because of how aggressively he was acting. I almost wanted to punch him for his stupidity and for risking everyone’s safety.

Instead, I kept my cool, raising a questioning brow.

“Well, love is a strong thing,” I replied. “If you keep at it, I’m sure Fu Yating will notice you... You can keep her.”

Normally, I’d be expected to react with fury, defending my honor. But I wasn’t about to throw my life away, much less the lives of a dozen others, over Fu Yating.

If he could win her over, he was welcome to her.

One less headache, honestly.

Of course, the marriage wouldn’t be canceled, even if Fu Yating fell for this guy. The union was more about a ceasefire than love.

Then again, there was always a chance they’d run away together like lovestruck fools. In that case, a war between the clans would be inevitable, even if the Fu Clan tried to appease me with all the eligible women they had.

In matters like these, it was about honor and saving face. The best way to salvage our pride would be to wipe out the Fu Clan entirely.

Wars had broken out over less—like a bride not being a maid on her wedding night. Hundreds could die over such an offense. Children would grow up without fathers, wives would be left as widows, and families would starve come winter because of some pointless show of pride.

“Hmph, you’re not even going to fight for your wife? Just as I thought, you’re a coward,” he sneered.

No… this couldn’t be happening.

Was I really about to fight some guy to the death over something so trivial?

If I fought him, it would ignite everyone’s tempers, and the whole place would erupt in chaos. Everyone here was around their teen years or early twenties, yet most of them would die if a fight broke out.

He could have just backed off...

With a sigh, I met his gaze and began analyzing his stance, searching for flaws that might reveal a weakness.

“Sorry, young man, but I don’t think you’re her type,” I said calmly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He scowled, fists clenched, looking ready for a fight.

Standing just behind him, my cousins tensed, their eyes going cold. They were poised to strike, and everyone else’s Qi began to flare. The air felt thick and electric as they prepared for a fight.

Fu Yating would never pick this guy—unless she’d taken leave of her senses. Talent might allow some people to act arrogant and get away with it, but untalented arrogance? That was a death sentence.

Unless this guy was blessed by the heavens, his odds were grim. How many had seen the girl they liked married off in a political arrangement? Plenty, yet none had suddenly become heaven’s favored son.

“Have you ever been to any of the great sects?” I asked, more curious than confrontational.

I’d already decided that this guy was as good as dead. Now, I just wanted to understand his mindset and learn how someone like him had survived this long and ended up leading a team. Did the Fu Clan want war or something?

“No, I study the clan’s ancient techniques and have perfected them,” he replied, puffing up with pride.

Ancient techniques? The Fu Clan was in the same situation as the Liu Clan before we aligned with the Blazing Sun Sect. They had no earth-grade techniques; if they did, they’d have dominated this region long ago.

As I reflected on this, my frustration dissolved, replaced by cold resolve.

I’d have to kill everyone here whose family name wasn’t Liu.

It was a harsh decision but a necessary precaution.

Feeling calm again, I sat down on the snowy ground, leaning against the tree. My hand touched the snow as I discreetly began forming an array connected to the earth beneath me.

“I’d love to continue this conversation, but I think we’d all benefit from some rest,” I said with a polite smile.

But as I prepared myself mentally, something shifted. Fu Ko’s bravado drained away. His scowl deepened, and he looked around, finally seeming to notice the tension thickening around us. He must have realized that he’d be the first victim if a fight broke out.

Without a word, he turned and walked away, muttering curses under his breath.

Huh?... This was turning out to be a very confusing night.