They shackled Yu Di with strong iron manacles along with a heavy iron chain that dragged on the shifting sands. The only reprieve he got was that he rode on the worm instead of running behind, or more accurately dragged behind. The manacles chafed, but it wasn’t so bad.

  The setting sun was at his back and his captors even promised that they’d be back at their base soon enough.

  Little wins.

  Yu Di took this time to cultivate as much as he could. If he could regain some of his strength, he might fly away as soon as he was able. He didn’t need his jade tablet to tell him he was on death’s door. He needed only a little more Qi to unleash his final technique, which should finally end his life.

  Who knows? Maybe he’ll teleport somewhere else afterwards.

  There’s also the idea that he probably would die for real this time. That wouldn’t be so bad either. Yu Di was so tired that he had already given up hope of seeing his daughter again.

  The sandworms traveled a few Li before they finally arrived at a separate set of caverns, due east from the city. These caverns had smooth stone walls and proper lighting coming from Qi-infused torches. An army of guards was posted at the entrance and along the walls.

  Above the cavern, a barrier made of invisible Qi shimmered in the hot air. The small floating specks of sand bounced off the barrier, creating small sparks wherever they touched.

  “You'd better hold your breath,” a captor said. He pointed at the barrier within the cavern, shimmering blue now.

  Yu Di took a deep breath. He had hoped that he would bounce off the barrier just like the sand and maybe he could make a run for it. Once he passed that barrier, he would be in their hands and there would be no escape.

  The shimmering barrier swallowed the worm and everyone riding on it. It felt like diving into water as the Qi invaded Yu Di’s nose. He pushed it out with his breath. But the barrier was so long that Yu Di couldn’t help but breathe.

  The Qi-dense air invaded his lungs. His eyes popped open.

  This was pure water Qi. It was denser than anything in the area, aside from the Goddess Qi deep in the city.

  Yu Di couldn’t cultivate with that, but this was a breath of fresh air for him. Quickly, he activated his absorption technique and sucked in the dense water Qi. The Qi hit his dantian and cycled around his body at the speed of thought. Every Qi-starved meridian and the spaces in between flooded with what he needed for so long.

  The exit was coming up, but he didn’t get enough. This time, Yu Di struggled against the manacles until he threw the chains attached off the worm. It caught something on the ground and he was yanked down to the ground.

  Yu Di crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and absorbed as much Qi as he could. The water Qi became thin as it rushed into his body. Just like real water, the surrounding Qi rushed to fill the empty spot.

  Two arms yanked him up from his spot and dragged him away.

  Yu Di became limp as he dragged his legs. He needed to absorb as much as he could if he was going to survive whatever was coming.

  An explosion shook the barrier, making the water Qi shake like jelly.

  Yu Di felt the shock wave from the attack. It didn’t penetrate the barrier, but he could tell that it was a powerful strike near the third realm.

  A volley of at least ten strikes hit the barrier, throwing the two holding Yu Di.

  Yu Di finally opened his eyes. That volley was closer than the first, almost as if they were aiming for where he was. If they strike again, they might obliterate him in his weakened state. It was time to run away, despite his desire to stay and cultivate more.

  The two that dragged him were unconscious on the ground. They had masks over their faces to breathe in this heavy water Qi.

  Yu Di considered leaving them there, but that would be too cruel. He picked them both up by their tunics and made a dash deeper into the cavern.

  Curse unlocked: .6% lifted.

  That was a nice bonus too.

  With the dense water Qi still pumping into his body, Yu Di could use his water movement technique to push through the barrier easily. He tasted the Qi on his tongue. It was more refreshing than the coolest stream.

  It’s a shame that Yu Di didn’t take advantage of the sea so close to his home to swim some more. He missed it, but he was so obsessed with breaking his curse that he didn’t think about simply living and enjoying life. If he made it out of this, he would make time to live.

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  Curse unlocked: .1% lifted.

  That’s a new one. Why did his curse unlock with that thought?

  A tremble in the water, Qi hit him in the back. The attacked launched their next volley. The tremble felt like a tap on the back. Shock waves wouldn’t be too far behind and it would hurt.

  “Close the barrier!” a woman shouted deeper into the cavern.

  “But ma’am. We still have two of our men in there,” someone called back.

  “Close it or face my wrath.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Yu Di didn’t like the sound of that. He could feel the water Qi shift and change. The liquid, jelly feeling turned hard like hardening ice. His movements slowed despite still activating his technique.

  What technique were they using?

  Yu Di focused the Qi into his eyes. If he could figure it out, then he could temporarily hold it back. At least until he got out.

  He saw the technique with his Demigod eyes. It was a magnificent barrier technique that reflected everything that attacked it from the inside of the barrier while allowing people on the outside to send things in, like goods and people. A fine cage that Yu Di couldn’t break even if he had his Demigod powers.

  There was a flaw. Yu Di was inside.

  Mustering all the Qi he had just absorbed into his dantian, condensing it into a ball the size of a wonton, Yu Di released an expanding and reversing technique. It reverted the barrier around him back into its jelly form, allowing him to run through. This was one of his few specialized Demigod techniques that could make a changing technique revert, provided he understood how it worked.

  The downside was it used up all the Qi within him to activate the technique, leaving him absolutely powerless again. At least he got a taste of being full of Qi again. He might have even gained a few levels toward reaching the second realm again.

  Yu Di broke through the barrier to the other side. He was met with the scorching sun again, taking away the cool feeling of the water Qi behind him. He was also met with Qi-infused spears pointed at his neck.

  “Hands up,” a man said. He wore light-colored leather and a helmet. Behind him stood an army of men holding identical spears and wearing light-colored cloth armor.

  Yu Di lifted his arms up, still holding onto the two unconscious men.

  “Put them down,” the man commanded.

  “You want my hands up or put them down?” Yu Di said. “I can’t do both.”

  “Drop them,” the woman called from behind the group of men.

  Yu Di let go.

  The moment the two men hit the ground, they grunted.

  The woman walked through the men, parting them into two orderly lines where they stood at attention. She wore light-colored silk that hugged her body, showing off a powerful cultivator’s physique. A sheer mask covered her face, leaving only her light brown eyes. She tied her hair back into a flowing ponytail that reached her lower back.

  If Yu Di had to guess, this woman was the cultivator that ran the base. She was at least in the middle stages of the third realm. Sadly, it didn’t take Yu Di long to notice that this was the highest she’d ever cultivate to unless she became really lucky.

  Such a shame.

  “You are lucky that our glorious Shah wants to see you,” the woman said. She stooped to check on the two men Yu Di carried. “Take these two back and make sure they’re well cared for.”

  Four of the guards broke off from their formation and carried the two fallen men away.

  The woman stooped really close to Yu Di’s face, staring into his eyes. Her skin had a bronze on it. Despite the heat, she smelled of cinnamon.

  At this distance, Yu Di could see through the sheer mask. She had an almond shape face with the looks of a teenager. There was a conscious effort to look young and beautiful. He did not know her actual age. Better to be super respectful then.

  Yu Di cupped his hands, the manacles clinking together. “Greetings Senior. My name is Yu Di of the Celestial Jade Empire. I apologize for my rude appearance.”

  The woman stood up, taking the cinnamon smell with her. “My name is Fatima Rashid, lieutenant to Shah Amir al-Rahman. You will come with me.” Fatima turned and walked away without looking back.

  A bold move. If Yu Di were more of a scoundrel, he might have attacked her with an item in his storage ring and fled on one sandworm back into the Qi-dense barrier. He could probably live for a while before he’d be found.

  Yu Di took a deep breath. What was wrong with him? Where was this bravado coming from? More importantly, when had he turned into a teenager, trying to act like a rooster for a hen?

  “I see that you have better willpower than most,” Fatima said. Her brown eyes glowed black for a moment. The smell of cinnamon became stronger, despite her being further away.

  The pull to please this woman became stronger within Yu Di. He recognized the technique used by some courtesans and ladies of the night in the major cities. Normally his Demigod body would have stopped its effects, but he’s Qi-less right now. All he had was his willpower. Now that he knew it was happening, he could push against it.

  Fatima took two steps toward Yu Di.

  Yu Di took two steps back. He really didn’t want to. He wanted to run to this woman and give her everything she wanted. But he thought of his daughter. He thought of all the foolish things he’s done in his past. He couldn’t repeat those mistakes, especially not with someone like her. If he faltered for a moment, he would give her everything he had.

  Would that be so bad?

  Fatima walked up to Yu Di and pulled loose the collar of her silk robe, showing off dark, beautiful skin.

  The smell of cinnamon was all Yu Di could think of now. His mind screamed about the dangers this woman presented.

  “I can’t believe you’re resisting me at full power,” Fatima said. “You’re not normal, are you? Shah al-Rahman will love to meet you.”

  Yu Di gritted his teeth so hard his jaws hurt. If he didn’t push her away, he would fall to her technique and become a brainless zombie. He raised his clenched fists toward Fatima’s face. They shook hard.

  “Oh, you’re trying to fight me?” Fatima put her index finger on Yu Di’s fist. It felt like fire running through his hand and down into his chest, threatening to flow down through his dantian. “Would you like to be my slave?”

  Yu Di’s mind said no, but his head was nodding ever so slightly. He glared into her light brown eyes, hoping his willpower was enough.

  “Lieutenant,” a man called from somewhere out in the ether. Yu Di couldn’t tell where it came from as his entire world centered on this goddess. “Shah al-Rahman has arrived.”

  The pressure from Fatima disappeared.

  Yu Di dropped to his knees. Tears had rolled down his face and dried, leaving a streaky feeling behind. His mouth was drier than a desert. The smell of the sweat and grime surrounding him became overwhelming once the cinnamon disappeared. But all of that paled compared to the cold emptiness he felt inside. It was like someone ripped his entire reason for being away from him.

  Yu Di had felt this once before. That hollow feeling after he’s reached a new level in his cultivation only to know the next level was far, far away. But this feeling, he knew he could get it back if he simply begged the woman in front of him. He could give her everything. He needed that feeling again, if only to end his current suffering.

  Fatima placed a gentle hand on Yu Di’s shoulder. “Don’t worry my love. We’ll get another chance to play again.”

  Yu Di shivered.