Should I attack them first? A thought that no monk should ever think of intruded his mind.

  Perhaps he had spent a long time accompanied by Bing Xin, but the fleeting thought still came across him. What if he attacked them, they wouldn’t expect an attack from a monk, right? Much less a monk from one behind them.

  Sure he’ll relinquish his access to the Pillarshard and the guardian, but the Pillarshard was right below the mountain. More powerful monks would descend, perhaps even Teacher Jiansu would too. But what then? He attacks those of the Feng Clan, but those who survived would chase him up the Pillarshard. Even if he returned to the other monks, he’d have nothing going for him. He’d be accused of killing another in a malicious attack before confirming they were going to attack him, and rightfully so.

  And that was considering it all went well and he didn’t die immediately.

  “Worry about the guardian. I’ll tell you what to do afterward.” Bing Xin snarked.

  “Hmph. Fine.” Dejiu frowned, still not over his forced companionship with her. “Care to explain more of this guardian before I head in? Or are you going to withhold that information too?”

  “Why the change in tone, little monk? Have you forgotten all I’ve done?”

  “I’m not having this conversation again, Miss Bing Xin.”

  “No fun, no fun.” She said. “I will not tell you about this guardian because I cannot. But I will tell you of the chamber itself.”

  Bing Xin’s words pulled Dejiu’s frown lower.

  “It is vast, very much more than what you’d imagine thus far. The creature inside will be there, huddled near the Pillarshard’s core — both the source of its own power and the Pillarshard itself.”

  “It’s own power?” Dejiu raised an eyebrow.

  “Indeed. It’s one of the ways a daimon could advance stages. A shortcut if you will. Though there are downsides, I won’t bore you with such information.”

  “Fine. Go on.”

  “I cannot tell you of the daimon guardian other than it is capable of blinding you. Trust those instincts of yours and strike to kill. No holding back, no wavering. Any more aid I’ve already provided would go against my previous arrangements and do more harm than good. You will slay it on your own or die trying.”

  Dejiu nodded and plopped down on the warm steps. He wasn’t worried about daimons attacking him here so he decided to cultivate before heading further down. Although he descended a little prematurely, he had already done much of the preparation.

  “Hoo…” He sighed and closed his eyes to cultivate.

  “Smart decision, little monk.”

  —

  [Prana Core: High Initiate]

  [Prana: 57/57]

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  “Ah, a shame I didn’t hit 58,” Dejiu muttered and went over everything that could aid him in battle. “Can I even use this?”

  [Soulbound Remnant: Lurker’s Spinnerets ]

  [Remnant Grade: Low Impure]

  [Remnant Type: Tool]

  [Stripped from a lurker shunned by all — this one, in particular, finds solace inside the bodies of larger beings. Once activated, it envelops the user in a damp, mucus-like cocoon, mimicking the aura of a larger predator to deceive lesser beings. Provides no actual defense and minimal practical use except as a last-ditch attempt to avoid attention.]

  In his hand was a gross mouth. A mouth and its spinnerets?

  With the mouth in his hand, Dejiu activated the remnant. Immediately, damp silk spewed out. Already knowing what it’d do from the description, he allowed the silk to spew until it covered him inside a cocoon. Moments later, a human-sized cocoon was nestled atop the Pillarshard’s step.

  Dejiu breathed, he felt a little suffocated beneath the layers but it was doable. He couldn’t find any way to use it against the guardian wrapped in mystery. Even if the dangerous aura radiates from the cocoon, what then? Doesn’t stop a daimon from eating me. No matter how witless it was.

  He was right about to dismiss the quiet drain on his prana from using the tool before an idea sprung in his head as he thought of the doom waiting for him outside. Perhaps..?

  Cycling his prana into the hands at his back, he cut away the slimy silk rather than dismissing it. It took a long time to keep the cocoon’s form with it collapsing without the human inside, but he stepped out, leaving the hollow cocoon atop the steps. “Miss Bing Xin, is that dangerous aura on the silk still present?”

  “...It is, little monk. Ah, what a sly plan I can see.”

  “I don’t like you. But those principles you told me days ago — guile, might, and sacrifice. I think I understand a little bit now.”

  —

  He continued to descend deep into the Pillarshard. But each step only made him want to turn back. Relinquish his control or not, it didn’t matter. If he didn’t belong in the Seventh Hell, then he shouldn’t have even thought of breathing the Sixth’s air.

  Dark. Cold. Merciless. There weren’t even the same cracks on the walls to let the expanse’s air seep and waft inside yet the pecker at his groin wanted to relieve itself. He had a perverse feeling of both wanting the ability to see outside the confines of the Pillarshard, but he fears that should he do so, he’ll forever damn his vision here.

  And this thing wants to descend to this place? He shivered as he thought of the guardian.

  “Enough dawdling, little monk. It’s ahead. I will not help you fight as I did so before.” Bing Xin said, cutting his thoughts.

  He sighed. Summoning his Seekers Accord in its entirety, potentially for one last look, he sighed again.

  [Seeker: Xue Dejiu]

  [Class: Blood Monk]

  [Attribute[s]: Doomed Entwinement — Shattered Innocence]

  [Path: ???]

  [Bloodright: ???]

  [Prana Core: High Initiate]

  [Prana: 57/57]

  [Techinique[s]: Wilted Stem — Withering Palm]

  [Soulbound Remnant[s]: Scavenger’s Soaring Bracers — Lurker’s Spinnerets]

  “It’s not complete, little monk. You’ve yet to discover much of the other aspects of strength. That is another reason you mustn’t die today.”

  “Damn right I can’t die. I don’t even know half of these things, let alone the stuff I should know.”

  “I will tell you in due time.”

  Dejiu breathed in a deep breath and took another step. But before a certain daimon… or perhaps daimoness could speak to him, he heard a deep rumble coming from where the stairs widened into an entrance.

  He clutched his spade tightly. He willed his precious bracers to existence. Feeling their hefty, but secure embrace he nodded. This is it.

  And then he entered.