Yu Di opened his eyes. He didn’t think he’d have energy to do that, especially after his death.

  A large camel’s head came into view along with its pungent smell. It chewed on straw as it eyed Yu Di with calm eyes.

  As soon as it moved away, light struck Yu Di in the form of sunlight coming from a nearby window. He raised his hands up to his face.

  No, it was the right color.

  Yu Di focused on his Qi and pulled whatever he could from the ambient air into his dantian.

  That was new. He had a fully formed core again. Even though it was empty, the familiar feeling of being whole was exquisite. He took out his jade tablet to check.

  Current Power: Realm 1, Stage 3, Level 1 (Core Formation)

  Remaining Lifespan: 4 years, 1 months.

  Current Status: Cursed (13.4% lifted)

  Overall Power: Fourth Realm, End Stage, Peak level (Demigod)

  Yu Di sat up and looked down. His clothes were the same drab gray tunic from the ‘Forgotten Spirit Sect.’ He felt his chest pocket and took out a flattened bun.

  Yu Lin.

  Yu Di got up and tripped on the camel. Once he hit the floor, the camel shoved its face right back into Yu Di’s face, constantly chewing.

  “Move,” Yu Di said. When the camel didn’t move, he tried to push it away.

  The camel spit in his face.

  That woke him up. Nothing like wet, gloppy, and smelly stomach contents to push Yu Di to flare his Qi. He burned whatever Qi he had just accumulated but made sure he didn’t push himself. Otherwise, he’d have to pay with his lifespan. Last he checked, he didn’t have much or any at all, really.

  The camel grunted before taking two steps away.

  “Okay Sunny, what did you find this time?” a woman’s voice came from behind the camel.

  That voice and that language.

  Yu Di looked around. It looked like any barn that he’d seen on his many travels. There were no words written anywhere. No signs. He almost twisted his neck before he stopped.

  Yu Di saw a woman with olive skin tone and the most striking green eyes he’d ever seen. She had a long braid of hair that frayed with split ends. She wore a long leather apron with many pockets filled with different items. She wore a Buddhist amulet over her apron.

  This woman was probably the most beautiful woman he’d seen in all his life yet, fear gripped his heart. This was her city. This was the Goddess’ city where he fought all those years ago.

  Did Yu Di die and now be tortured by King Yama? Is this a cruel joke?

  Maybe not.

  The woman stood in fear, holding onto the camel’s hump for dear life as if she was dangling off a cliff. “How… how did you get here?”

  Yu Di raised his hands, showing only the grass that clung to it from the floor.

  “I mean you no harm,” he said in her language.

  The woman screamed and ran out of the barn.

  The camel bellowed and bolted out of the barn as well.

  This was not good. If that woman alerted the authorities or any of the local priestesses, the Goddess would smite him so hard that King Yama would have to spend years putting him back together. If he was lucky. At his current power, Yu Di would be lucky if he could withstand her breath. It’s time to run.

  Yu Di looked out of the barn and ran toward the central square. If his memory didn’t fail him, this was a caravanserais that held visiting caravans. Unless it was attacked, the exits were right out the east gate. Once he got out, he’d have to stay low until he found a way out of the city. Then he can make the same trek he did over twenty years ago back toward his own country. It wouldn’t be hard as long as he lived.

  Except his hopes were dashed when he saw a line of men guarding the closed east gate. They all stood with swords out, facing him. Each man had a full set of leather armor.

  Yu Di had never been so happy to see these men. They were his countrymen.

  “Thank the heavens!” Yu Di shouted in his native language. “Countrymen, I need your help. Praise the Emperor that his magnanimous power reaches this city.”

  Hearing those words, the men faltered for a second, lowering their swords.

  “At attention men,” a man’s voice commanded from the main hall.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  The men all brought their swords up and surrounded Yu Di.

  A man walked out from the main hall, dressed in sand-colored robes. He had a bright yellow scarf around his neck. His posture was straight and rigid. “Don’t let his words soften your resolve.”

  “Yes Master Ying,” the armed men called out. They crowded closer. One of them had a sword, practically resting on Yu Di’s nose.

  “Master Ying, I mean you no harm,” Yu Di said. “I just want to leave and get back to my village.”

  The young man walked up to Yu Di, his men parting way for him. He bent down a little to look at Yu Di’s face.

  For some reason, the young man looked familiar to Yu Di like he’d seen him somewhere before. Then again, he’d met so many people. It would be hard to pinpoint exactly who this man was. Not only that, but he wasn’t sure if it was an ally or enemy.

  “Release him,” Master Ying said.

  The air surrounding Yu Di relaxed. They held him down with their Qi. He’d just noticed that every single armed man following Master Ying was at the second realm. At least one of them was at the peak of the second realm. A single sneeze could kill him.

  Who was this Master Ying to command such powerful men?

  Yu Di peeked at the young man. He was only at the bottom of the second realm. It felt immeasurably deep, but still only at the bottom.

  Yu Di bowed down low with cupped hands. “I apologize if I startled anyone.”

  “Where did you come from?” Master Ying asked.

  “I came from our country, the great land under the Celestial Jade Empire.”

  “Not what I meant. There’s no way you could have appeared here in this city unless you are working for the invading forces.” Master Ying walked around Yu Di, giving him a once over. “You don’t look like a spy and your clothes are ridiculous for this weather. If I didn’t know any better, you teleported into the city.”

  Yu Di bowed his head. “Master Ying is a genius. That’s how I appeared here.”

  “Did you get rid of him?” the woman asked from the main hall.

  “I haven’t Vim,” Master Ying said. “But come out. Let me introduce you to a unique individual from my country.”

  The woman walked back outside in her leather apron, her hair in more of a mess, with sweat trails coming down from her brow.

  “First off, let me introduce this exquisite lady,” Master Ying said. “She is Vimala Janavati. Most people call her Vim for short. I’m Ying Fusu, formerly of the Celestial Jade Empire. And these are my men who’ve followed me even into the desert. And you are?”

  “My name is Yu Di.” He bowed his head and cupped his hand.

  “See, he’s of no danger to you,” Ying Fusu said. “He’s just a normal man from my country.”

  Vimala looked Yu Di over with those piercing green eyes. It felt like she was trying to see his soul.

  Yu Di put on his most serene smile, showing no teeth, and not moving. The woman was weak, but the men were strong and twitchy. They looked like they were ready to cut him down for any reason.

  “Fine. You’re right Fusu. Now kick him out,” Vimala said.

  “I’ll gladly go,” Yu Di said.

  “Wait, let’s not be hasty,” Ying Fusu said. “What happened to your kind and generous nature, Vim? You wouldn’t kick out a stray cat, let alone a whole human being who is so obviously lost and in need of care, if not directions at least.”

  Vimala scowled. “I don’t trust him.”

  “How about we invite him in, get him something to eat and drink, and then he can decide if he wants to go or not.”

  Vimala huffed and went back into the main hall.

  “Women, huh?” Ying Fusu said.

  “I don’t know,” Yu Di said. “I’ve only had the one and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.”

  Ying Fusu’s eyes widened. He willed his eyes back to normal. “We shouldn’t stand out in this oppressive heat. Let’s head in.” Ying Fusu led first, taking measured steps into the main hall.

  The other armed men walked to their different posts around the caravanserais. That dashed Yu Di’s hope of leaving the place so easily. He had a feeling that Master Ying wanted to keep him there for some reason.

  Yu Di was the meat upon the butcher’s block.

  The main hall was busy with people at the tables. There were groups of merchants from all over sitting at different tables. Most of them spoke in the language of the west while a few spoke in the language from the south. There was no one from the Celestial Jade Empire aside from Ying Fusu and himself.

  “Where are we?” Yu Di asked.

  “We’re in a roadside inn just within the city limits,” Ying Fusu said. “But I’m sure you’re more interested in the specific city.”

  Yu Di nodded.

  Ying Fusu greeted a man from across the room with a wave of his hand. He walked a few more paces until he reached a cleared table right by the inn’s counter. He sat down with a smile as he stared at Yu Di.

  Yu Di could only smile back, dreading the answer he was about to give. There was only one city out west that he did not want to be.

  “You’re in Miryana,” Ying Fusu said.

  Yu Di’s heart sank. He knew it. The air. The smell. The language. Everything about this place from the moment he opened his eyes to that stupid camel. It had to be Miryana.

  “The Goddess’ City,” Ying Fusu continued. His smile reached from ear to ear.

  Yu Di didn’t know what his problem was, but it almost felt as if this man knew. But that’s not possible. The young man couldn’t have been more than ten when Yu Di fought the Goddess here.

  “You’re lucky that you appeared in the safest city throughout all the west from the Celestial Jade Empire,” Ying Fusu said. “Merchants of all kinds gather here, and the city’s magnificent trading hub has enriched so many people, me included.”

  Yu Di smiled and nodded. What else could he say? He already knew this when he was here over twenty years ago. If he focused hard enough on his storage ring, he could find all the goods he stored there from this city. He was a sucker for their food.

  “Not so much anymore,” Ying Fusu said. “I’m sure you heard about an epic fight between the Goddess and a Demigod from the east many years ago. Their fight devastated the region and changed this city forever.”

  Vimala slammed a cup onto the counter. “Yes, and that damned demigod ruined this city.” She glared at Yu Di. “If I ever see that Menace, I would shear off his manhood and watch as he bled out.”

  Yu Di swallowed.

  “But that has nothing to do with us, right?” Ying Fusu said.

  Vimala couldn’t take her eyes off Yu Di before nodding toward Ying Fusu. She gently placed his cup on the table.

  “If you didn’t know, Vimala is the caretaker of this roadside inn. She also takes care of the animals. So I would be extra nice to her while you’re here.” Ying Fusu raised his cup to Vimala.

  Yu Di followed suit. “Of course. I wouldn’t want to anger the Goddess.”

  Vimala flinched. She looked around as if Yu Di cursed her.

  Ying Fusu chuckled. “You can’t know since you just arrived. The Goddess is gone. She has disappeared for some time. Isn’t that right Vim?”

  Vimala smiled awkwardly and nodded.

  Yu Di breathed for the first time since waking. He wasn’t about to get smote by the Goddess. He still has time to get out of there, find his daughter and Bai Feng. Then life would be easy back in the ‘Forgotten Spirit Sect.’

  The east side gate blasted open and a large force of soldiers wearing leather armor rushed in. They held long swords that made the swords held by his countrymen look like toys. They gleamed in the sun.

  None of Ying Fusu’s men moved from their spot as they watched.

  All the other patrons froze as well.

  A man in a pristine white robe walked forward. He had Buddhist prayer beads wrapped around his left hand. A servant held a large umbrella over him that shaded most of his body from the pounding sun.

  “Peace upon us,” he said.

  “Peace,” everyone repeated.

  “I’m here under the Abbot’s authority to investigate the sudden burst of energy.”

  Yu Di suddenly couldn’t breathe again.