Chapter Five: The Divine Power of Yin-Yang Eyes

When Zhou Bai's mind finally cleared, it was already the next day. His head still throbbed with the ache of a hangover, though it was much better than before. He exhaled a long breath and sat up in bed. His room was barely four or five square meters; just fitting a bed already took up a significant portion, and the remaining space was crammed with bookshelves and other furniture.

There was only a palm-sized window in the room, but the morning sunlight filtered in, making the space less gloomy. In the past, when Zhou Bai’s father was alive, the two of them shared this space—one on the bed, one on a makeshift pallet. Though cramped, it was at least a place to call their own.

Suddenly, the clatter of objects colliding came from outside, making Zhou Bai’s heart skip a beat. Few people ever visited this butcher shop without reason. As his memory returned, he recalled that it was Wang Lei who had helped him back yesterday. But the noise kept growing, now mingled with the pained cries of men, quickly dispelling his assumption.

Zhou Bai hurriedly left his bedside, feeling his way along the wall toward the door. When he opened the battered wooden door, Wang Lei’s familiar voice greeted him, “Yu Qiong, just got out of bed? Don’t move too quickly, it’s not good if you aggravate your injury.”

Adjusting to the brightness outside, Zhou Bai saw Wang Lei standing by the shop entrance, and at his feet, sprawled in disarray, were two men—it was Cheng Hu and his lackey. Their faces were bruised and swollen, their clothes stained with spots of blood.

“In all my years, I, Cheng Hu, have never met someone as crazy as you. I suppose today’s suffering was for nothing,” Cheng Hu muttered as he and his companion staggered to their feet, supporting each other as they limped toward the alley’s exit.

Wang Lei’s voice turned cold. “Did I say you could leave?”

Cheng Hu swallowed hard and stopped in his tracks, his lackey shivering in terror. Wang Lei casually picked up a brick, and with a twist of his palms, it crumbled into gravel.

“Doesn’t your Sea Dog Gang have the sense to ask around about Thunder Hand Wang Lei? Don’t you know Zhou Bai is like family to me?”

“If I can’t provoke you, at least I can avoid you,” Cheng Hu cursed inwardly, and the two of them hobbled away as fast as they could.

Zhou Bai covered his face in exasperation. His injury had nothing to do with these two, but likely Cheng Hu heard he was hurt and came hoping to take advantage, only to run into Wang Lei instead.

“Are you all right? What happened yesterday that made your eyes bleed and you collapse like that?” Wang Lei asked, hurrying over to steady him.

Zhou Bai waved his hand to signal he could stand on his own. “I’m fine, just a bit too weak, maybe my blood surged for a moment.”

Wang Lei sighed. “If only you’d listened when I offered to teach you martial arts. My Iron Sand Palm might only be a third-rate technique, but it’s good for strengthening the body.”

Zhou Bai’s eyes held a trace of grievance. He had tried to learn Iron Sand Palm from Wang Lei, but his talent was so poor that he hadn’t made any progress after a month. He had hoped Wang Lei would write it down so the system might recognize the technique, but Wang Lei was illiterate, and his explanations were muddled at best. Eventually, Zhou Bai gave up.

“Uncle Wang, maybe your martial arts just aren’t right for me. I’m fine now—don’t let me keep you from your work.”

Wang Lei nodded. He’d already lost half a day, and now that Zhou Bai seemed all right, he could relax. Spring was the best hunting season; as the wild beasts awoke from winter’s slumber, every day was precious. Though he’d never married, several young men hunted under him, and most of the game at Hangdu Restaurant came from their hands.

“I caught a wild boar in the mountains for you—it’s being kept at Uncle Li’s next door. When you have time, butcher it and sell the meat, but make sure you leave some for them.”

Zhou Bai brightened. In terms of points, a wild boar was worth at least five or six domestic pigs. “Thank you, Uncle Wang. If you catch any more wild animals, bring them to me, alive if possible, but dead is fine too.”

“I’ll keep an eye out. No need to worry about the Sea Dog Gang thugs—if there’s trouble, let me know, you know where I live, at the foot of Mount Yue.”

“You haven’t taken payment for the wild boar!” Zhou Bai called as Wang Lei turned to leave.

“Use it to buy some tonic herbs—don’t neglect your health.”

With those words, Wang Lei hurried off. For a hunter, spring was as busy as autumn for a farmer; not a day could be wasted. Zhou Bai watched him disappear down the alley. To him, even his former father had not been as close as Wang Lei—whenever something happened, Wang Lei was always the first to step forward.

His head still throbbed, so Zhou Bai returned to the butcher shop, deciding not to open for business today. He was desperate to untangle the strange events of the previous day. Locking the shop’s front door securely, he lay back down on his bed and summoned the system in his mind.

Compared to yesterday, the interface had changed again.

Zhou Bai

Abilities Mastered: Yin-Yang Eyes (5%), Carnivorous Method (100%)

Points: 0

The Yin-Yang Eyes appeared after Miraculous Sight advanced—it was the very ability that had plunged him into such a terrifying ordeal.

What startled Zhou Bai even more was that the proficiency of the Yin-Yang Eyes had increased by five percent since the last use. He quickly opened the system log.

"Miraculous Sight has reached advancement requirements... Advancing Miraculous Sight... Advancement successful.

Zhou Bai has acquired innate divine ability: Yin-Yang Eyes.

Yin-Yang Eyes has entered a state of deep awakening... Temporary advancement in progress... Temporary advancement successful.

Zhou Bai has acquired innate divine ability: Ghost Eye (Temporary).

Ghost Eye activation has resulted in immersion in the Deep Ghost Realm…

Soul has sustained damage... Ghost Eye state has ended...

Yin-Yang Eyes has had a moment of temporary enlightenment, greatly increasing proficiency."

This string of events left Zhou Bai with a thousand thoughts. He could no longer comfort himself with hopeful ignorance—there was something profoundly wrong with the world he now inhabited.

Just thinking of that thousand-foot giant he’d glimpsed in the so-called Deep Ghost Realm sent a chill through his bones.

He tried to scatter these thoughts, and only after a long while did he regain his calm. He touched the bedsheet—it was already soaked with sweat.

"The only good news is that proficiency increases with use… Wait, what?!"

A wry smile came to his lips. Could the Ghost Eye be the power that comes after the Yin-Yang Eyes advance again?

If so, then perhaps advancement isn’t always a good thing.

Zhou Bai quickly accepted the harsh reality. "Take things as they come—there’s no use cowering in fear. I can’t afford to lose my life through hesitation."

"Besides, shouldn’t advancing a divine ability require points? It can’t just happen on its own…"