Inner Demons

Chapter 143: Mutual Aid Society

Li Yunxin fell silent for a moment at these words, then smiled faintly again. "This is the first I've heard of this. Ah... we've talked for so long, yet I don't know how to address you—"

The beggar gave an arrogant smile and straightened up at the table. He had the body of a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, but after a few cups of wine—looking around the room, all wandering souls became heroes—he now seemed to have a heroic air about him.

"Call me Qingliangzi," the beggar said. "Remember, my Daoist name is Qingliangzi—although this Human Skin Bag changes often, this name will never change!"

Li Yunxin smiled demurely. "Ah, Qingliangzi. Hmm... which Grotto-heaven's title is that?"

Qingliangzi coughed. "I'm not from a Grotto-heaven."

"Ah... then you must be a master from a School—also at the level of a deity."

Qingliangzi frowned slightly. "Hmph, I'm not from any School either."

Although the candlelight was dim, Li Yunxin had keenly captured the change in expression on this mysterious Qingliangzi's face—especially after he had drunk wine and his control over his facial muscles had weakened.

It was a rather familiar expression, one he had seen more than once in his previous life.

For example, when a girl from a small town on a blind date endlessly boasted about her monthly income of three thousand yuan, which was already considered part of the social elite locally, to a man who had returned from the capital with an annual salary of five hundred thousand—and she looked at the silent man with a contemptuous and arrogant gaze.Li Yunxin saw on Qingliangzi's face the expression that man should have had.

This surprised him.

In his opinion, although this Qingliangzi fellow wasn't a particularly normal person, he was more normal than any other cultivator he had ever met.

Perhaps because they needed to "Transcend Tribulation," almost every cultivator from the Daoist Orthodoxy and the Sword Sect had rather severe psychological problems. And these psychological problems were actively caused by them through the lofty method of "abandoning the seven emotions and six desires."

—A normal person inevitably has the seven emotions and six desires. If one day a person suddenly lost interest in everything and found it all boring, Li Yunxin would say that person might be suffering from depression.

However, for many cultivators, this was merely transcending a tribulation, severing an emotion.

They were originally normal people, and even after cultivation, they were just normal people with supernatural powers. To force themselves into an emotionally abnormal state, it would be a wonder if psychological problems didn't arise.

But this was, after all, the tradition of cultivators. The Daoist Orthodoxy and the Sword Sect had their own established methods that had allowed cultivators with serious psychological problems to survive for thousands of years. And they lived much better than ordinary people.

After all, cultivators had their own small society. Under specific rules and order, they could also form a small world different from that of normal people.

However, this Qingliangzi...

So far, his performance had been too much like a "normal person."

He did have some issues—he had a slight tendency towards a "histrionic personality." Li Yunxin was quite familiar with this type of personality—a preference for using exaggerated words and actions to attract others' attention, while also being overly emotional.

In fact, it could be described inaccurately and crudely as—a severe case of teenage grandiosity.

As someone who had once self-diagnosed with high-functioning sociopathy and histrionic personality tendencies, Li Yunxin himself knew that the expression on Qingliangzi's face at this moment meant that he, from the bottom of his heart, believed his origins were superior to the Schools.

Even... superior to the Grotto-heavens.

But this Qingliangzi was no ignorant fool. He had come with a high-level cultivator from a Grotto-heaven.

So... what exactly were his origins?

Thus, Li Yunxin's face showed that lifelike expression of sympathy and contempt, which seemed to be suppressed but still leaked out. "Ah... that's nothing. A hero isn't judged by his origins—although you're not from a Grotto-heaven or a School, you..."

Qingliangzi snorted coldly, interrupting him. "What do the Daoist Orthodoxy and the Sword Sect amount to? Hehe... I know all the cultivation methods those wastes practice, and I practice both. That bunch thinks they have mastered the most orthodox techniques in the world... they think every ultimate art in the Grotto-heavens and Schools is an esoteric secret, afraid of others learning it... hehehe—"

He pouted and looked at Li Yunxin. "Where I'm from, we have them all."

A look of perfectly feigned stupor appeared on Li Yunxin's face, which quickly turned into deep suspicion—the kind of disappointed expression that said, "I didn't expect you to be this kind of person." "Hmm... well, hehe... then who is the Grotto-heaven elder in your residence?"

Qingliangzi frowned angrily, refusing to let him change the subject. "You don't believe me? Hmph, what does a little demon like you know—I ask you, do you know the phrase 'crossing a river in the same boat'? Have you ever heard of the Mutual Aid Society?"

This was the third time tonight he had genuinely stunned Li Yunxin.

A storm raged in his heart, and there was a great drum within him. The fierce waves were now pounding on that drum, almost causing his expression to change.

Of course, he had heard of the "Mutual Aid Society." That was in another world. An organization that seemed to be over-interpreted and mystified. Of course, "seemed" was the operative word.

According to his limited knowledge, it was a huge, religiously-tinged, mysterious organization said to have a history of several thousand years. It appeared in England in the 18th century, with the literal name "Freemasons." They claimed to pursue the will of human survival and to understand the mysteries of the heavens, earth, and the universe. There were many other incredible rumors about this organization, but Li Yunxin knew that many things that sounded "absurd" were, in fact, just absurd and not to be taken seriously.

But he quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and just shook his head calmly. "Never heard of it—Mutual Aid Society... The name is interesting. Does it mean 'crossing a river in the same boat'? Could it be a carpenters' association for shipbuilding?"

He shouldn't have mentioned "carpenters"—it was a bit abrupt. But he had to take the risk.

Qingliangzi's origins were mysterious, and he had indeed mastered the methods of both the Daoist Orthodoxy and the Sword Sect.

The reason cultivators didn't practice both was that it was said to lead to demonic possession and eventual death from dissipated cultivation—this was common knowledge, just like the fact that humans couldn't cultivate the power of incense offerings...

Yet this fellow had overturned it.

And he mentioned a name he was very familiar with.

Li Yunxin knew he wasn't the only one in this world with a similar "special identity."

Therefore, even with the phrase "crossing a river in the same boat," the name "Mutual Aid Society" was too much of a coincidence—he never believed in coincidences.

The Mutual Aid Society was the "Freemasons," so he mentioned carpenters because of the word "boat," to observe Qingliangzi's reaction.

He saw Qingliangzi first stunned, then frowning. "What carpenters? Show some respect! What does a demon like you understand? My Mutual Aid Society was founded by hundreds of Saints who have been reincarnated from the Primeval Era—the Saints are as eternal as heaven and earth. They are born with insight into the mysteries of this primordial universe. The Saints reincarnate to save all living beings from a great calamity that is about to come—crossing the river in the same boat!"

Qingliangzi spoke nonstop for a quarter of an hour.

Li Yunxin realized this guy... had been brainwashed.

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