Chapter Two: The Black Bead

In the depths of the night, when all was silent, a heavy rain fell steadily. Chen Mu’s eyes dulled with lifelessness; the relentless downpour washed over his wounded body, mingling his blood with the icy water, letting it flow down the mountainside, staining a patch of earth crimson.

“Is this how I die?” he thought.

“I can’t even feel pain anymore…”

“I still don’t know who I am or where I truly come from. I don’t want to die…”

“Would my father grieve if he knew I was dead? And I still don’t know who my real parents are…”

Chen Mu struggled in the silence, fighting desperately against oblivion. Inwardly, he screamed, “I don’t want to die! Heaven, please save me! I can’t accept dying like this! Why am I so weak and powerless? I crave strength! If I’m given another chance, I’ll take revenge! All who’ve harmed me will pay, one by one!”

Suddenly, a dim and eerie light flickered from within him. Where death should have claimed him, a faint spark of vitality emerged. His body slowly began to mend itself. Deep within his consciousness, the source of this power revealed itself—a small, flickering black pearl. While this black pearl drained his life with its strange fever and chills, it also granted him a fragile lifeline.

When his body had finally recovered, Chen Mu felt as if it were weighed down with lead. He forced his eyes open; where once they were hollow, now there was a glint of something new. Rain lashed against his body, the cold penetrating to his bones.

He raised his hand, feeling at his wounds, and found them entirely healed. Slowly, Chen Mu climbed to his feet, changed, his boyish innocence stripped away.

His weary gaze suddenly sharpened, a heroic glint flashing like a sword toward the Starwatch Valley below. A fleeting murderous intent crossed his eyes before he calmed himself, then descended the mountain with heavy steps.

Dragging his exhausted body, he returned to his quarters, changed out of his soaked clothes, and sat cross-legged on his bed, sorting out his thoughts. He realized that this brush with death had multiplied his spiritual power many times over. Moreover, under the black pearl’s reconstruction and nourishment, his vital meridians were now tougher than most.

As he experimented with his newfound mental strength, Chen Mu discovered the presence of the black pearl, which floated in his consciousness with an ancient and mysterious aura. Yet no matter how he prodded it with his spiritual power, it remained unresponsive.

Clearly, though, it was this black pearl that had saved his life. Without it, he would have died unjustly on that mountain.

That night, Chen Mu could not sleep at all…

At dawn, after washing with a basin of water, he went to the dining hall to collect his breakfast rations. He put one steamed bun away and chewed happily on the other as he made his way to the herb garden, finishing it just as he arrived.

Licking his fingers, he greeted the other outer disciples who had come to work.

“Chen Mu, you’re up early! Feeling any better?” Zhang Jiudan grinned as he approached.

“Morning. Yes, much better.” Taking advantage of the thin crowd, the two chatted idly.

After a moment, Chen Mu asked quietly, “Zhang Jiudan, is there anyone called He Silai among the inner disciples of Starwatch Valley?”

“He Silai? Of course! Don’t you know? He was last year’s newly promoted inner disciple—formerly the top of the outer disciple rankings! How could you not know someone that famous?” Zhang Jiudan rolled his eyes.

Chen Mu nodded thoughtfully. “What’s his cultivation level now?”

“Why, did you offend him?” Zhang Jiudan asked, suddenly suspicious.

“No, just curious.”

“Well, if he’s in the inner sect, he’s definitely reached the Foundation Meridian stage. As for what sub-stage, I’m not sure.”

Chen Mu nodded again and changed the subject, speaking of recent trivial matters.

When all the disciples had arrived, they began the day’s work: pest control, watering, and infusing spiritual energy into the plants.

Holding a spirit stone, Chen Mu focused his thoughts on helping the spiritual herbs flourish, swiftly converting the stone’s power into vital energy. At that moment, as if guided by fate, the black pearl spun in his mind. A surge of life force flowed from his consciousness to his palm, mingling with the starlight energy before entering the plant before him. The herb became noticeably more vibrant and full of life than those tended by the other disciples.

Startled by this change, Chen Mu quickly withdrew his hand.

He glanced around, relieved to see no one had noticed. Was this the black pearl’s doing? Seeing the plant so radiantly alive, he was both delighted and anxious. If anyone discovered such a miraculous treasure on him, he would never be able to keep it.

Those who desired it would stop at nothing to seize it, and with his lowly status, they could easily accuse him of some crime and dispose of him quietly.

If an outer disciple suddenly possessed such a wondrous item, he would either be interrogated under torture for its origin, or simply robbed and killed, overtly or covertly—the consequences were unimaginable.

Why not hand it over? First, it was his by right; who would willingly give up such fortune? Second, it resided in his own consciousness—how could he hand it over even if he wanted to? And most importantly, even giving it up might not spare him from being silenced.

Shaking his head to banish these thoughts, Chen Mu turned to nurture another spiritual herb.

That afternoon, he didn’t go up the mountain to train, partly to avoid running into He Silai, partly because he wanted to understand what the black pearl could do. The profound vitality it released was surely extraordinary. Steeling himself, he drew a knife across his arm; as expected, the life force flowed forth, and the wound healed instantly.

This black pearl’s life energy had once pulled him back from death—surely it could also repair damaged meridians.

Every month, the sect distributed the lowest-grade Meridian Pills to disciples, intended to open their vital meridians. But these pills weren’t to be taken in excess; more than one a month would damage the meridians.

But what if he could use the life force to repair the damage and take more pills at once? Could he open all his meridians in a short time?

“Alas, I don’t have enough Meridian Pills. The sect only gives one a month. I’ll have to find a way to earn more.” He sighed. “Tomorrow’s a rest day. I’ll go to the marketplace and see what I can do…”

With that, Chen Mu could only devote himself to cultivating alone in his hut.

The next morning, Chen Mu spent all his savings at the pill hall on some Fasting Pills. Then, somewhere, he found an oversized healer’s robe and a large banner before heading out of the valley.

After an hour, he reached the market. His appearance was comical: baggy robes, two pasted-on mustaches, a bamboo hat hiding his face, a money box slung at his waist, and a tall flag held high.

On the flag was written: “All injuries and illnesses cured, or your money back. One Regeneration Pill restores your health in full.”

Thus, Chen Mu boldly paraded through the market.

Seeing this child dressed as a wandering charlatan, people shook their heads. Some young women, catching a glimpse of his innocent, childlike features beneath the disguise, suppressed giggles.

Whose child is this? Why is he so mischievous? Why isn’t he home but out here playing the quack? Cure all injuries and illnesses? What can a fourteen-year-old do?

But Chen Mu had chosen his spot well. This town sat at the foot of the Starpeak Mountains, attracting many adventurers.

These adventurers braved the mountains to hunt monsters, lives always hanging by a thread. So, treating injuries here was the perfect way to earn money.

The town itself belonged to Starwatch Valley; most businesses here were sect-owned, and the adventurers had to hand over a tenth of their spoils to the sect.

Chen Mu found a vacant spot, planted his banner, and waited for patients.

An hour passed, and he grew restless. He’d seen several wounded pass by, but not one even glanced his way—clearly, they all took him for a fraud.

Just then, another injured man, leaning on a companion, entered the town. This time, Chen Mu took the initiative, approaching them and saying, “Brother, this divine physician’s Regeneration Pill can cure any wound—would you like to try one?”