“I heard a beauty appeared on Refreshing Star, who goes by the name Shui Ling!”(1)

  “What’s the point anyway. You know how it is, General Radiant must be there by now.”


  “He’s quite lively despite his age!”


  Three days later.

  In the middle of a path to immortality, a man was roasting a chicken wing, nice, juicy and golden. Chen Ming found Duan Shou returned and asked, “Shouldn’t this guy be here yesterday?”


  “I made inquiries and Daoist Radiant chanced upon a married lady so he drank milk all night.”


  “More like to die another day.”


  “They should be here any minute now.”


  “How many?”


  “Only him since his men won’t take kindly to watching him having his fill of milk.”


  “He’s lone you say?”


  Getting confirmation from Duan Shou, Chen Ming frown in thought.

  Duan Shou though he was having second doubts, “It is indeed just him, and not an ambush either. Sire Faceless can rest easy.”


  “It’s not that. I was thinking if our hit is so easy, needing not even a bit of planning and even opens himself for a sneak attack, tell me, how the hell did Lu Qingxuan end up slaughtering to cover his tracks each time he takes a job?”


  “This might be a problem, a difficult one.”


  Daoist Radiant hummed a tune as he flew on the path to immortality. These days in Heavenly Court had been quite comfortable. Though his thirst for milk was now abated, It doesn’t fill one’s belly!

  But then he sniffed a faint smell, “This is the scent of a roasted chicken wing. Ha-ha-ha, I can have my fill!”


  Just how hard was it for a man like him to eat a chicken wing?

  The red-faced Daoist Radiant landed next to Chen Ming and Duan Shou, and cupped his hands, “Is it possible for this Daoist to try you cooking?”


  Chen Ming didn’t care and thew him a wing. He was a man fond of sharing, eating alone wasn’t in the vocabulary for him. He would always give another a taste of what he ate, to incite the newcomer’s appetite, and then gorge himself before the newcomer.

  Daoist Radiant and ate it as he heard them talk, “Why is this guy so late?”


  “He should be fast since he has deep cultivation.”


  “So how do we go about killing him?”


  Doist Radiant’s heart skipped at that, Who do they want to kill?

  “As he is so vile, of course we need to cut him below first and remove the instrument of evil. Then cut off his tongue!”


  Daoist Radiant felt his tenders go cold, not paying attention when he bit through the chicken bone. He kept chewing on instinct.

  Chen Ming shook his head, “That’s going easy on him. I think strapping him tight and cutting at his instrument of evil one piece at a time is better.”


  Duan Shou found it reasonable and nodded in earnest, “If Sire wants this result, I have a way. We first cut it off, then give him a pill to regrow. A year of this should do.”


  Chen Ming chuckled, “You’re not bad, you have a good head on your shoulders!”


  Chen Ming turned to Daoist Radiant, “Fellow Daoist, what do you think?”


  He thought the two came out for revenge, “Not enough. First, feed him with aphrodisiac then have a bunch of women tempt him. When he’s at the breaking point, drop the blade. But don’t take all of it, let him rise again and the outcome will be exquisite!

  “Then, just like brother said, give him a pill to regrow it. This is slow and deep frying!”


  The two nodded, “Makes sense, but what’s taking that Daoist Radiant so long? How is a Gold Immortal so slow?”


  Duan Shou replied, “Any second now.”


  The chicken fell from Daoist Radiant’s mouth, What the hell did I just say?

  Come on! You telling me these two are debating on how to saute me?

  I even went along with it and helped them out of the goodness of my heart……

  Chen Ming said, “What does he look like anyway? Did you get a picture? Let me see.”


  Duan Shou replied, “I couldn’t steal it.”


  Daoist Radiant sucked a deep breath, These guys are in so eager talking about doing me in. They have to have the skill for that or how would they come after me?

  Thank god they never saw me.

  Duan Shou continued, “Don’t you worry Sire, I remember his description. He has a small goatee, en, just like that guy who asked for a chicken wing. One eye larger than the other, right, just like the fellow Daoist who came up with a better proposal.”


  “This guy’s forehead is large and even has a mole on it.”


  Chen Ming and Duan Shou were just talking when they saw Daoist Radiant trying to ease his way out of here.

  Chen Ming shouted, “Fellow Daoist, turn around, let us take a closer look at your face.”


  Daoist Radiant didn’t even dream of it and only waved, “No need, we are mere strangers meeting by chance. We, cultivators, mustn’t be tempted by worldly affairs. This humble Daoist shall take his leave!”


  Chen Ming snapped back, “You’re Daoist Radiant?”


  “No, nope, you got the wrong man. He has many guards around him while I’m all alone in the world!”


  Chen Ming laughed, “Talk about luck. We didn’t even need to look and he comes right to us. This is a first even for me.”


  Of course, our Daoist Radiant knew he’d been found and chose to take the sensible choice, to bolt.

  Chen Ming said faintly, “Get him, you know, half-dead and half-alive, that sort of thing. ”


  “I’ll be right back, Sire.”


  Duan Shou chased, with Chen Ming too lazy to follow. Wasn’t this easy pickings, having Duan Shou kill a Heavenly Court’s Gold Immortal?

  Chen Ming spit-roasted some more chicken wings, “In other words, I’ve been down on my luck for all this time just to have all the good luck wasted on this?”


  “Sigh, looks like I have to wait for the Ten Chains before I can change my fate.”


  (1) Lit. fresh