Chapter Eight: The Hanging Hunt

Tu Zhu did not continue pouring wine into the Sixfold Goblet, but instead picked up a peach petal, placed it lightly into his mouth, and only after swallowing it slowly did he speak:

"Boy, you are quite impressive."

"Is Master referring to this prison break trial?" Tu Zhu's sudden appearance made Liu Chou vaguely sense a connection between him and the Tianshan Escape, so he did not conceal his thoughts and spoke directly: "I did not know you were the one in charge of the Tianshan Escape assessment; it appears I was uninformed."

Tu Zhu let out a soft laugh, his eyes glimmering with charm as he replied, "It's not that you are ignorant, but that I myself have not been with Tianshan Escape for long. I simply happened to know you were being tested for the Marshal position and lent a hand along the way—my role in the valley was not the same in the past."

"Has Master also left the valley then?"

At this, Tu Zhu's expression turned slightly solemn, even absent-minded for a moment, before he sighed and said slowly, "The Valley Master has already departed. What meaning is there for us to remain? Naturally, we scattered like birds and beasts. You are among the last batch of disciples to have come from our valley."

Liu Chou was unaware of Guiguzi's departure and the disbanding of the valley’s people. Seeing Tu Zhu speak with such gravity, he did not press further. Quickly, though, he realized what Tu Zhu meant by having 'lent a hand', so he offered his thanks and shifted the topic:

"In that case, I truly must thank you, Master, for blocking the Refining Qi practitioner for me, or else I would hardly have had the chance to meet you and enjoy this fine wine!"

Tu Zhu regarded Liu Chou with a serious gaze. Then, unexpectedly, his somber face broke into a wide grin, revealing two rows of gleaming white teeth as he chuckled, "Indeed, not bad at all. Just a few words and you’ve already guessed my actions. No wonder that old Corpse had the nerve to boast about you in front of me, singing your praises to the heavens."

"Master flatters me."

"Whether it is true or not, time will tell." Tu Zhu refilled his wine cup, raised it slowly, drank it all, then once more picked up a flower petal and repeated his previous motions. His movements were unhurried. Liu Chou said nothing, quietly remaining by his side.

Now, the main topic would finally begin.

Indeed, when Tu Zhu spoke again, there was no more small talk. He said directly, "Tianshan Escape is divided into four divisions: Ghost Banquet, Blood Sea, Corpse Dissolution, and Mirage Tower. Though you were recommended by Ghost Banquet for the assessment, you have yet to be assigned. I’m here to ask—would you be willing to join my Mirage Tower division?"

The question came so abruptly that Liu Chou was caught off guard. Tu Zhu laughed heartily, "Are you surprised that I would take on such a task?"

Liu Chou replied, "Master must have his reasons. If you wish to share, I am all ears; if not, there’s no point in asking."

"In truth, I was dispatched for this purpose. Mirage Tower needs to expand. Among Tianshan Escape’s hundred or so Marshals, the Tower Chiefs are sending people to recruit more, not just you. It's simply because it was you that I came myself," Tu Zhu explained without reservation, revealing the strategies of the four divisions’ leadership. "It’s not just us—Ghost Banquet, Blood Sea, and Corpse Dissolution are all expanding their ranks. Some even say that soon, while the number of chief officers won't change, the number of deputy officers will rise from eighteen to forty-two, to be selected from among the current Marshals. Thus, each division is reaching out, recruiting to bolster their strength."

Liu Chou listened quietly, offering no response. In such unfamiliar circumstances, speculation was pointless; it was better to hear Tu Zhu's analysis and use it to judge the situation.

"These are the concerns of those above you. For you, what matters most is to raise your own strength, form your own retinue, carve out a territory, expand toward Western Ox Continent and Northern Reed Continent, and seize wealth. Only by amassing enough can you grow stronger quickly, rather than relying on others," Tu Zhu continued enthusiastically, as if rarely finding someone to instruct and finally able to open his long-shut heart. "All chief and deputy officers of Tianshan Escape are automaton beasts, born for slaughter. If they don’t grow stronger through plunder and battle, they will perish in war. You cannot achieve this alone, so you must gather your own companions and subordinates, arm them well, and use this force to accomplish whatever you desire."

Tu Zhu finished in one breath, then took a porcelain vial from his robe and tossed it to Liu Chou. "Take this. These pills aren’t the finest, but they’re free, a final bit of help from your teacher."

Liu Chou held the vial, feeling the rough texture beneath his fingers and a sense of reassurance. These must be medicine for healing and staunching blood. In this era, when elixirs were scarce and vital energy was prized, such items were no less valuable than the information Tu Zhu had shared. Tu Zhu’s willingness to help was not only because Liu Chou was his disciple, but also, perhaps, an investment.

In the valley, Liu Chou had little direct interaction with Tu Zhu. The man was not particularly good, nor especially evil. Although sometimes overly ruthless, Liu Chou understood, after so long, that such was inevitable. The weak would not survive long in the valley even if left alone, so better to kill swiftly.

He put away the vial and, with a measured smile, said, "Thank you, Master. I will remember this favor."

Tu Zhu produced another item: the badge proving Liu Chou had passed the Marshal assessment—a bamboo token engraved with a burial mound and the words "Mirage Tower".

At last, Tu Zhu began pouring wine once more, waving his hand as he elegantly filled his cup. His gestures now possessed a grace far surpassing what he had shown in the Valley of Ghosts, yet intertwined with too much loneliness and desolation. The tent was fine enough, but to drink alone within was hardly pleasurable.

"Go straight to Dog Hill."

Liu Chou left the tent, and only then did Tu Zhu utter this final instruction.

※

After Little Four’s explanations and Tu Zhu’s account, Liu Chou finally understood the purpose behind Tianshan Escape’s officers. In simple terms, this was a special elite force, existing outside of the regular military structure.

What was the Great Zhou’s original reason for founding Tianshan Escape? The official explanation was to carry out special orders from the War God Jiang Ziya. But knowing what lay beneath the surface, Liu Chou’s darker suspicions suggested otherwise. Executing missions was one role, but perhaps it was more about preparing for certain contingencies.

The outcomes of the Investiture of the Gods era could be myriad and bizarre. The most terrifying would be a defeat, the decline of the Human and Chan Sects, the rise of the Jie Sect, and humanity’s complete replacement by the demon tribes…

Was all this originally intended as a safeguard against such a possibility?

Liu Chou did not know. He had no clues to support this speculation, nor any evidence; it was pure conjecture, and probably wrong—not worth considering further.

On the road to Zhengyi, he pondered this for a while, then set it aside, turning his thoughts to another pressing issue: How should he find his own retinue?

At first, Liu Chou planned to choose his followers from the training camp, but later learned there was no real training—only a basic assessment. The monsters like Moyun at hand were unsuitable as subordinates and would eventually leave, making the selection of a retinue a real challenge.

At present, his only available candidate was Golden Eyes, hidden in the gourd’s world. No one else was suitable.

The horse market of Zhengyi was already before him. Liu Chou continued pondering, but had found no solution. Moreover, he had little money; even if he managed to recruit followers, he could not equip them with proper weapons and armor, let alone buy a cloud boat for swift travel as Tu Zhu did.

If nothing else, he would simply see what he could accomplish as things unfolded.

So far, joining Tianshan Escape seemed to have no drawbacks; he might as well join, complete a mission or two to familiarize himself with the process, then decide. If he ultimately found that the organization did not suit him, he could always leave.

With this thought, Liu Chou set aside concerns about his retinue for now and began to carefully observe the horses penned in the market, preparing to select one for purchase. Though he could reach Dog Hill without a steed, having just advanced to the third tier, he hoped for more time to consolidate his realm and master the demon arts he had obtained. Spending time on the road was an excellent way to do so.

After choosing a horse and buying some jerky and provisions, Liu Chou left Zhengyi and set out for Dog Hill.

Beyond the city, except for a scant few miles, the rest was all wilderness—a common situation in the Great Zhou. Only in the heartland did cities, supported by villages and towns, extend their reach for ten or dozens of miles. More often, a lone city meant a single settlement; go a few miles out, and one was in the wild.

In the wilderness, aside from wild men (those not of the nation), wild beasts, and demons—whether in groups or solitary—they might hunt humans or fight amongst themselves, maintaining the balance of the wild.

But for Liu Chou, such things were of little concern. As a demon himself, his rank was far above that of ordinary beasts and lesser monsters; any demon who targeted him was simply delivering up their own essence.

Once far from Zhengyi, Liu Chou released Golden Eyes, who at last could run freely and did so with obvious delight, wagging his head all the way. Liu Chou let him be, sitting upright on horseback, cycling his demon energy and practicing the Myriad Demon Technique.

After a day’s travel, as evening fell, Liu Chou found a sheltered spot, kindled a campfire, and roasted his jerky until it was warm and soft, preparing to eat. The change from being a demon to a Tianshan Escape Marshal was indeed great, but Liu Chou was content to adopt human ways of living once more.

As the jerky was just right for eating, Liu Chou suddenly heard a noise. Even before Golden Eyes noticed, he sprang up, weapon in hand.

He followed the sound for three or four hundred yards and soon spotted something pale in the grass. Looking closely, he saw a petite figure in white dress—light and delicate.

No, not a woman—a female demon!

Beside her head, two fine, long streaks of scales stretched from the corners of her eyes to the back of her head, faint but visible. Her lips were pale, her chin sharp, bearing a certain resemblance to the popular internet beauties of later generations—a sign of a demon not yet fully adapted to her transformation.

Her clothes were stained and torn, the hem covered in grass, one shoe missing. She looked utterly bedraggled and now lay unconscious, oblivious to the world.

Liu Chou stopped at a distance, frowning.

Beautiful, frail—though her face was obscured, her features could be guessed. Yet, for Liu Chou, these things mattered little. What mattered was the trouble he sensed might follow from this demoness.

Since there was no connection, why get involved?

He had no intention of meddling in others’ affairs. This had nothing to do with strength—even though he was much changed from before, Liu Chou’s nature was to avoid entangling himself in such troublesome matters.

Without lingering, Liu Chou turned and walked back to the fire. His horse, weary, could not move on at once, but he led it and Golden Eyes another few miles before setting up camp again to rest.