Chapter Twenty-Three: The Mark Changes

Shen Lie ran straight to the car without looking back. The two women, both out of breath, hurried after him. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Zhang Jing immediately floored the accelerator as soon as they got in, sending the vehicle shooting forward.

They made it all the way back to the compound without seeing any sign of the white spider in pursuit. Shen Lie realized the creature probably couldn't cross the river. Relieved, he also gained a deeper appreciation for the power of the Red River. No wonder the people here weren't afraid of those monsters; it seemed that, over the past months, none of them had ever managed to cross this boundary.

"Brother Shen, you're back?" As Shen Lie stepped out of the car, Li Cheng, who had been waiting at the door, quickly approached with a respectful greeting. He didn't ask where Shen Lie had been or where the car had come from. Since witnessing Shen Lie slice through steel with his blade earlier, his attitude had changed entirely.

"Yes," Shen Lie replied with a nod. Then he added, "You and Zhang Jing bring everything from the car into my room. There’s something I need to discuss with you both." Shen Lie harbored no resentment toward Li Cheng; in fact, he had tasks for him, so his manner was rather mild.

Seeing that Shen Lie didn't bring up the earlier incident, Li Cheng relaxed visibly. He hurried to help Zhang Jing with the bags, curiosity about their contents flitting across his face.

The other original inhabitants of the compound were present, but Shen Lie had nothing to say to them. He went straight into his room.

"Li Cheng, are there many survivors living in this area? I want to trade supplies for those Phantom Mushrooms. Is that possible?" Shen Lie opened a bag, revealing a variety of foodstuffs.

"Trading supplies for Phantom Mushrooms is very easy—just spread the word and people will come. You could even hire others to go out and search for them with these supplies. But if you do that, it'll draw the attention of the Four Kings. Those four are extremely anxious about the mushrooms and often fight over them. They control more resources than we do; I'm afraid we might not be able to compete," Li Cheng admitted after a moment’s hesitation.

"Don’t worry about the supplies. I have my own way of getting them. You just need to connect me with anyone who has Phantom Mushrooms, and I’ll make sure you’re rewarded." Shen Lie understood what Li Cheng needed most right now and began making promises.

As expected, excitement flashed across Li Cheng’s face. He didn’t ask any more questions. After a respectful bow, he went off to carry out his instructions. Shen Lie didn’t shortchange him either, giving him a generous amount of food.

"You two should take some as well. Zhang Jing, I’ll leave Tao Tao in your care," he said, distributing more provisions to the two females before dismissing them. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

Once they left, Shen Lie locked the door and took out the white flower he’d recently obtained. After getting into the car, he’d placed it in a box, but now, as soon as it was exposed to the air, the room filled with its fragrance.

He took a deep breath, savoring the scent clinging to the petals. A look of rapture appeared on his face as the mark on his brow began to stir restlessly.

How wondrous.

The more Shen Lie examined the flower, the more extraordinary it seemed. He had no idea where it had drifted from. The upper reaches of this river were said to be a branch of a much larger one—tracing its origin would be nearly impossible.

"Never mind. Let’s see what it can do first." Unable to resist the allure of the fragrance, Shen Lie plucked a petal and placed it in his mouth. Instantly, the flavor lingered on his lips and teeth.

"Delicious!" Though the petal looked translucent and jade-like, it melted instantly on his tongue. A cool, fragrant juice slipped down his throat, so refreshing that Shen Lie nearly groaned aloud.

But the taste was only part of it. As soon as the juice reached his stomach, a wave of comfort radiated through his entire body. A cool current formed within him and surged directly to the Niwan Palace at his brow.

When the current entered the Niwan Palace, the dim, broken mark within suddenly flared with light. The stream was ‘absorbed’ by the mark, which then seemed to return to normal.

Outwardly, nothing seemed different, but Shen Lie sensed the mark had become more solid, and his mind was noticeably clearer.

"Could it be that this enhances mental power?" He noticed that the energy within him had not increased, and wondered if this was the flower's effect.

One petal didn’t bring much change. Shen Lie took another, with the same result—a cool current absorbed by the mark on his brow.

After two petals with little apparent effect, Shen Lie decided to crush the rest together and eat them all at once.

This time, the cool current inside him was not a single thread but a whole mass. A large wave of chill erupted within, and the mark in his Niwan Palace blazed with light, vibrating with a humming sound. Then a powerful suction formed, swallowing up all the energy like a whale drinking water.

After absorbing so much, the mark underwent further change; some of its broken edges were restored, and it gained a luster, no longer so dull and dark. Shen Lie also noticed a faint, shifting line within the mark—hazy and indistinct, but undeniably there.

"All that just for this?" When everything settled down, Shen Lie couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

Although the mysterious mark had changed, he still had no idea what it was for. The change brought him no real benefit. What he needed most was greater strength. He had thought the white flower, being so unique, would elevate his power, but now he saw that was wishful thinking.

By the time he was done, night had fallen. Zhang Jing quietly brought in a new quilt and spread it on his bed, then stood silently to the side. Shen Lie looked at her flushed face and felt a faint itch in his heart—the hint was obvious. If he asked anything of her now, she would not refuse. Should he give in to temptation or not?

In the end, reason prevailed—not because Shen Lie was particularly virtuous, but because so much had happened in this small town in just one day. He had to remain vigilant at all times, and although Zhang Jing had earned some of his trust, he needed to observe her a while longer.

"How is Tao Tao? If you have time, go take care of her. I’m fine here," Shen Lie said gently, brushing past Zhang Jing and sitting down on the bed.

"Tao Tao’s recovering well. Her wound has scabbed over. If there’s nothing else, I’ll... I’ll go now," Zhang Jing replied, disappointment mixed with relief in her eyes as she bowed her head and left.

The night passed without incident. Aside from an occasional strange cry from outside the town, it was peaceful.

Shen Lie didn’t sleep well, drifting between wakefulness and dreams. At dawn, he got up and stretched, feeling his mind clearer than before. So the white flower had brought him something after all.

But his priority now was the Phantom Mushroom. That was what could truly augment his physical and supernatural abilities. Shen Lie believed that for an Awakened One, power was not determined solely by their awakening, but also by the amount of this extraordinary energy they could wield. More energy meant greater attack strength and endurance.

As desirable as the Phantom Mushroom was, Shen Lie had no intention of risking the medicinal fields outside town himself. None of the other Awakened had tried it, which must be for good reason. Since he could use supplies to send others, why should he stick his neck out?

He already had a plan for obtaining more supplies. The water of the Red River appeared to be restrained by his black spear, giving him the ability to cross it. All the resources on the other side of town were his for the taking—so long as he wasn’t surrounded by those spider creatures.

Once his plan was set, Shen Lie left his room. He needed a long plank—though the river was only a couple meters wide, crossing on a plank would be safer than running.

Such a plank wouldn’t be in high demand. As he walked, Shen Lie asked Zhang Jing where he might find one. She recalled that the nearby farm supply store was sure to have some, so Shen Lie set off in that direction.

"Brother Shen! Brother Shen!" Before he reached the main gate, he saw Li Cheng running toward him in panic. As soon as Li Cheng saw him, he shouted anxiously.

"What is it?" Shen Lie frowned slightly. Truth be told, aside from Zhang Jing and Tao Tao, he didn't care much about the others in the compound.

"Brother Shen, King Ma is here!" At Li Cheng’s words, Shen Lie stopped in his tracks.