ã€ŠThe Beautiful Jadeã€‹


 Prologue

    A woman with long flowing hair looked out and over the balcony of her home. Her daughter sat with her flute in the garden outside, happily playing a child¡¯s tune.

    The woman took a sip of her herbal tea, smiling at the warmth of the sunny afternoon. She was young, her face showing no signs of ageing and her body lithe from a life of exercise. Her features were uncommonly beautiful and when she smiled at her daughter, it gave her a mischievous air. She wore a hanfu, a white and red dress with long flowing sleeves and a red sash tied around its waist.

    She lifted her tea to take another sip, pausing when a feeling came over her. A slight echo traveled through the qi of the world as an ancient barrier started to break down.

    The cup fell from her hand, shattering against the floor. She felt a calling that she never thought she would experience again.

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    ¡°Lady Lin, are you alright?¡± A female servant who had been standing nearby moved closer to her in worry.

    She ignored the servant, instead her gaze finding her daughter again.

    The boundaries were still too strong for her to travel through with her physical body, but she must answer the call that she hadn¡¯t heard for a thousand years.

    She called upon the qi of the land, infusing her spirit and a small piece of herself with it. Then her gaze landed on the flute that she had gifted her daughter, the flute that her daughter loved with all her heart.

    She surrounded that flute with her power, her spirit, her qi and self. She would not leave her daughter completely alone in this world.

    With a single tear flowing down her cheek, she separated her soul from her mortal form to follow a call a thousand years old.

    The servant cried out as Lady Lin fell from her chair, collapsing to the ground. The little girl stopped her music at the sound, turning to look at where her mother should be watching her.

 Chapter 1: The Flowing River Sect

    I rock back and forth on my heels as I wait impatiently in front of our house, the guard nearby watching me with a slight smile. The stories from Elder Zhu about the world and cultivation are my favorite part about his visits. He has seen dragons, slain monsters and fought in wars!

    I glance at the guard next to me, trying to hide my excitement. A proper young lady of the house does not so obviously show her excitement.

    Four carriages round the bend in the road, showing the blue and white colors of The Flowing River Sect and I calm myself, putting on the emotionless face that Princess Da Shi had taught me.

    Elder Zhu and the disciples that follow him leave their carriages, approaching me. They carry a mystical air around them that is hard to define. Eventually, Elder Zhu stops in front of me.

    I bow to the man in front of me, giving him the customary greeting. ¡°Thank you for gracing our home with your presence, Elder Zhu Chen.¡±

    He bows in response, the entourage behind him bowing towards me as well. ¡°Your grace and beauty grow every time I see you, Little Miss Lin.¡±

    I do my best to stop the smile that comes to my face at his words.

    He rises from his bow, the men behind him doing the same. ¡°I see that you have broken through and awakened your qi. The patriarch of the Lin family must be very proud.¡±

    ¡°I believe that is the reason my father called you here Elder.¡± I say, studying the man who had gone to battle with my great, great, grandfather. He barely looks forty, his cultivation so vast that my years on this planet were barely a drop in the ocean compared to his. A grey beard reaches his chest, his eyes staring at me with a wisdom unmatched in any gaze that I had seen before. ¡°Please, Elder Zhu, my father waits for you inside.¡±

    I lead the Elder into the house, guiding him to the room my father waits in. Servants glance out of doorways and behind corners, trying to catch a glimpse of Elder Zhu.

    I stop in front of a sliding door and open it to a well lit room, all the candles having been lit by the servants. My father, Fang Lin, patriarch of the Lin family, bows to Elder Zhu from the center of the room.

    Father¡¯s grey hair hangs loosely around his shoulders, his grizzled and exhausted face showing a wan smile as he greets Elder Zhu. The room itself is sparsely decorated, with only a single table and cushions arranged around the table.

    Both men move to sit on their knees at the table, Elder Zhu¡¯s entourage standing patiently outside the entrance to the room.

    A servant hands me a tea set before leaving the room, I kneel at the side of the table, and pour the tea in the traditional fashion for the both of them. Then I place their cups in front of them before backing away to kneel down behind and to the right of my father.

    ¡°All this ceremony, little brother Lin. Is it really necessary?¡± The Elder asks as he takes a sip of his tea.

    The thought of him calling a man that looks two centuries his senior ¡°little brother¡± almost makes me laugh. I keep a straight face, knowing how important this is to my father.

    ¡°This matter is of the utmost importance to me, Elder Zhu.¡± My father responds, calmly taking a sip of his tea. ¡°If a little ceremony gets me what I need, then I will not hesitate.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me, what do you want? Although I can guess, considering your daughter¡¯s presence here.¡± Elder Zhu says, his gaze meeting mine for a moment before turning back to my father.

    ¡°Elder Zhu, I beg of you, please take my daughter into your sect.¡± My father lowers his head, almost touching his knees. ¡°She has unlocked her qi and has entered the world of immortals, I no longer have the ability to protect her.¡±

    I stare at my father in shock, he had not told me the reason for Elder Zhu¡¯s visit. I had assumed that he would just speak to the Elder about how to train me. But to leave my father and our home to go to a sect? I don¡¯t want to go.

    Elder Zhu looks into his cup thoughtfully. ¡°You understand that even with her impressive speed in awakening her qi, I cannot guarantee her a place as an inner disciple. And you know well that the outer sect is no place for a young girl of barely twelve years.¡±

    My father raises his head before speaking, ¡°I believe in my daughter, Elder Zhu. I do not just speak with the pride of a father. Already, her abilities in martial arts are impressive. And the royal princess herself commented on my daughter¡¯s grace at the imperial court.¡± A small amount of pride enters my father¡¯s voice while I blush behind him. It is rare for my father to compliment me in such a manner.

    ¡°Why would you wish to give such a beautiful flower to the sect, Patriarch Lin?¡± The Elder asks, worry in his voice.

    ¡°She has caught the eye of Imperial Prince Han Shi. Elder Zhu, the great sects are the only people powerful enough to protect her from that man. Please, help me.¡±

    Elder Zhu looks into his cup, contemplating, before responding, ¡°Very well.¡±

    ***

    A few hours later, I find myself sitting in a carriage, across from Elder Zhu. I stay quiet, not really sure what to say to the Elder. The carriage itself moves smoothly as we travel.

    Everything was so¡­ sudden. I remember the way that the Imperial Prince had looked at me, but I¡¯d never thought that my father would be unable to protect me from his lust.

    Why would my father send me away? The world is scary! And my father has always been my protection from the world. Why can¡¯t he be my protector instead of the sect?

    ¡°What is it that you hold in your arms, Little Miss Lin?¡± Elder Zhu interrupts my thoughts.

    I look at him for a moment, my arms tightening around the bound instrument. ¡°It is the flute my mother gave me¡­ A Dizi.¡±

    ¡°Do you play it?¡±

    I nod my head. Slowly, I move to unwrap it from the cloth surrounding it. ¡°I-I haven¡¯t had a chance to play it lately Elder Zhu, I may be a little rusty.¡±

    Elder Zhu smiles warmly at me. ¡°Then it is a good idea to practice, is it not?¡±

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    I breathe deeply, trying to control my emotions, before putting the flute to my lips. The Dizi is a flute that points to the side, so I scoot over slightly to prevent it from hitting the carriage.

    I take an unsteady breath, then I begin to play. I start out slow, playing an old sad tune that my mother had taught me. I change the song a little as my memory falters. Long drawn out notes, fill the inside of our carriage.

    The music reminds me of memories that I had vowed to never forget, of my mother. Of home. Of a strange joy tinged with sadness. I feel hands hold my own, guiding my fingers with a soft touch as I play through parts that I barely remember. I wonder why I chose this song. I know other songs by heart, but something had made me choose this one, the song that I had heard my mother play so long ago.

    The sad notes finally reach their end, as the warmth of those hands on my own disappear. I put my flute down into my lap, only now noticing the tears running down my face.

    I had lost so much and now my father is gone too. I can¡¯t know if I will ever see him again.

    The feeling of silk on my face brings me back to the present. Elder Zhu kindly wipes the tears away from my face with a kerchief. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Little Miss Lin. I will do my best to keep you safe.¡±

    We sit in silence for a while after that, Elder Zhu is seemingly lost in thought, while I am too embarrassed from my crying to say anything.

    Eventually, I fall asleep. My flute wrapped tightly in my arms.

    ***

    ¡°Little Miss Lin. It is time to wake up.¡± Someone shakes me gently, waking me from my dream.

    A small feeling of loss hits my gut as I remember the dream being about mother.

    I open my eyes to look at Elder Zhu. He smiles at my sleepy expression. ¡°Come on Little Miss Lin. Your father made sure that you would arrive here in time for the testing.¡±

    I rub my eyes blearily as I follow Elder Zhu out of the carriage. As soon as I step outside of the carriage, I stop. Beautiful waterfalls fall down the side of a huge mountain. A long staircase rises next to the rivers, leading up towards the gates of the sect. small bridges cross the river at various points creating a breathtaking framework of paths.

    It takes me a moment to notice that Elder Zhu¡¯s entourage and I aren¡¯t the only ones arriving at the sect. Various groups coming from all over the continent speak to each other, all of them having at least one younger member with them. Most of the teenagers are older than me, but a few are my age or even younger.

    Elder Zhu gently grabs my shoulder and points towards a man coming down the stairs. He wears the same blue and white robes as Elder Zhu, though not quite as ornate. The man looks a lot younger than Elder Zhu at around twenty five. His rare green eyes with the round shape common in northerners sparkle as he looks over the crowd gathered below him.

    He moves his arm out in a welcoming gesture, the whole crowd going silent at his movement. ¡°Welcome to the Flowing River Sect. I am Elder Yu. I will be your examiner.¡± He smiles down at the crowd, his voice enhanced with qi so that all can hear it. ¡°Any of you are free to enter the sect as an outer disciple. However, If you wish to enter as an inner disciple, you must pass the three trials given to you.¡± He folds his arms inside the sleeves of his robe. ¡°For those wishing to pass these three trials, please come to me.¡±

    ¡°Little Miss Lin.¡± Elder Zhu startles me. ¡°You must take the test to be an inner disciple. If you wish, I will hold your instrument while you do.¡±

    I look down at the flute that I am still holding. Carefully, I hold it up to him.

    He grabs it, but I don¡¯t let go. ¡°Promise me that you will keep it safe.¡±

    Elder Zhu looks down at me with a soft smile. ¡°I will.¡± He says, his words going so far as to send a shiver through my qi.

    I let go of my flute and bow to him. ¡°I will be back soon, Elder Zhu.¡±

    He nods to me. ¡°I believe you will.¡±

    I spin away from him. Taking a deep breath, I force my legs to walk to Elder Yu. I have to become an inner disciple. Elder Zhu and my father¡¯s words had made that clear.

    I will become an inner disciple.

    With as much courage as I can muster, I walk up the stairs to Elder Yu.

    The examiner waits patiently as a large portion of the people in the crowd walk up to him.

    Strange looks are sent my way by the teenagers around me.

    I know why. First, according to my father I am young to be entering a sect, no one is able to awaken their qi until they hit puberty and even then, it takes most people years after puberty to awaken, so twelve year old qi users are incredibly rare. The other reason is that I am a girl. Very few women enter the world of the immortals willingly. My gender and my age together make me an outsider.

    The stares make me uncomfortable and I feel a slight blush reddening my face.

    A squeal makes me look around in surprise as a girl around fourteen grabs my hands, ¡°My goodness, you are adorable. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°J-Jia Lin.¡± I answer, fully blushing at the girl¡¯s forwardness.

    The girl is dressed in the simple dress of a commoner, but that doesn¡¯t stop her bright energy from showing through. She smiles at me, her soft brown eyes sparkling with joy. Brown hair falls down her shoulders in waves, surprising me with how silky it is. Commoners rarely keep their hair that clean.

    ¡°I am Jing Xia, call me Sister Xia. I was so scared that I wouldn¡¯t find another girl here. But I never thought that I would find a beautiful jade such as you.¡± Jing Xia

    I open my mouth to respond, but I stop when I hear Elder Yu speak ¡°The first trial you must face is an easy one. Simply walk up these stairs and enter through the gates of the sect.¡±

    I look up at the stairs, then back at the examiner. The stairs look easy to climb, I could reach the gate in five minutes. But tests are never that easy, Elder Yu must be tricking us somehow.

    I look at the front of the group as they rush up the stairs, only to slow down and in some cases completely stop. Each step they take becomes harder.

    I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    Jing Xia sends me a warm smile before she starts walking up the stairs. I take a deep breath and follow her.

    After twenty steps, I feel a strange pressure. Another ten steps and the pressure increases. I keep pushing forward, until I get halfway up the stairs. Then I stop to catch my breath. The pressure is so intense I can barely move. I glare at Elder Yu.

    He said this would be easy.

    Pushing with all my might, I raise my foot and place it on the next step. I feel a little better about myself as I notice the other disciples having just as much trouble as I am.

    I look forward, inwardly groaning. There must be at least another hundred steps. I turn my focus back to the stairs in front of me, carefully putting one foot in front of the other. Another ten steps and I fall to my knees. Growling with effort, I crawl forward. My papa needs me to reach the end, so I will reach the end!

    My arms give out underneath me and I start to cry. I¡¯m going to fail papa and Elder Zhu.

    A soft touch on my arms interrupts me from the tears falling down my face. Gently, the small amount of qi inside me starts turning, circulating through my system. Relief fills my system as the pressure decreases.

    Standing up slowly, I continue forward. I send a prayer to my mother as I wipe the tears from my face with my sleeve. A little bit of the makeup the servants had made me apply comes off of my face. I must look like a mess.

    I sniffle and smile at the thought. I walk forward until the pressure increases to an unbearable level as I find myself ten steps away from the gates. But this time I will not falter. I will not fall to my knees like a common beggar.

    The circulation of my qi increases, straining against the boundaries of my meridians. I step forward until there are only five more steps. The temptation to fall to my knees overwhelms me, but I refuse. I take another step, the pressure turning to pain.

    A slight whimper escapes my mouth as I take yet another step, trembling as the pain almost makes me fall.

    Another step, cracking sounds come from my bones, but I do not falter.

    Another step, a snapping sound is heard from my right leg, I do not fall.

    The final step, I put one foot forward stepping onto it, then I bring my broken leg up.

    The pressure disappears, but I do not stop like many of my fellow disciples. The words of the examiner had been clear, you must climb up the stairs and enter the gate.

    Pushing forward, the pain of my injuries still beating through my body, I walk through the gate.

    I reach the other side, relief filling my body. Then everything goes black as I fall to the floor.

 Chapter 2: The Second Test

    I wake up to find Elder Zhu leaning over me, his qi flowing through me as he performs some kind of healing art. ¡°Congratulations Little Miss Lin, you have cleansed your heart meridian and broken through to the second level of Qi Awakening. Very impressive.¡±

    ¡°Did I pass the test, Elder Zhu?¡± I ask, worried. Maybe I had taken too long to get up the stairs. Maybe-

    ¡°Yes, Little Miss. You passed the test. I daresay, you impressed Elder Yu. Very few people can remain standing on those last steps.¡± The Elder retracts his qi and pulls out a bottle of water, gently lifting my body up to help me drink. ¡°The second test will begin in a few hours. Rest until then.¡±

    I nod. I wiggle my broken leg, only to find it completely healed. ¡°Thank you Elder Zhu.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Little Miss Lin. Think nothing of it.¡± Elder Zhu stands up and walks away to talk to Elder Yu.

    I take a moment to study the inside of the sect, the small huts that are lining the outside of the pavilion that I am resting in fill my view, but I can barely make out larger buildings peeking out over the huts. Streams flow everywhere through the sect grounds, small statues built around the places where the streams intersect.

    ¡°Sister Lin!¡± A familiar voice calls out. I sit up and into the lotus position as the  girl I had met at the bottom of the staircase runs over to greet me.

    ¡°Sister Xia.¡± I greet her, smiling softly at her excitement.

    She sits on her knees in front of me, smiling wildly with excitement. ¡°I was worried that you wouldn¡¯t pass when I saw you fall.¡± I freeze at those words ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that you would walk up the final steps! It was amazing to watch.¡±

    My smile falters when I realize that she saw me fall. How embarrassing. How many other people saw that? I¡¯ll never live it down if the entire sect saw me on my knees crying. ¡°H-how many people saw me crying?¡± I ask in a whisper.

    ¡°Oh, um¡­ I¡¯m sure no one else noticed.¡± Sister Xia answers, a little flustered by my embarrassment.

    I look around at the other disciples, most of whom are resting and talking in small groups. ¡°Hopefully.¡± I say.

    Jing Xia is quiet after that and I start to feel a little bad at how dismissive I was being of her.

    ¡°So¡­ What made you decide to join this sect?¡± I say, coming up with anything to keep the conversation going.

    Her face goes dark for a moment before her smile comes back full force, ¡°The patriarch of the Flowing River Sect is a woman named Hua Wang. She is the only female patriarch in the six great sects. So, for obvious reasons,¡±  She motions to her body. ¡°I decided to become a disciple here.¡±

    It takes me a moment to realize that she is talking about her own gender as a reason. ¡°Oh.¡± I say in response. I look up at her, wondering why her gender has anything to do with joining a sect.

    To my annoyance, Sister Xia suddenly picks me up and puts me in her lap. ¡°What about you, Sister Lin? Why did you choose this sect? With your cultivation and age, I imagine that many sects would be glad to have you.¡±

    ¡°Uncle Zhu is an elder in the sect, of course I would come here.¡± I answer, flustered at her closeness, as Sister Xia admires the hairpin my servants had me use.

    ¡°You know Elder Zhu? How lucky of you.¡± She says turning my head to face her. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to mention this for a while, but would you like me to help you clean your makeup?¡±

    I blush as I realize how hideous my face must look. I quickly cover my face with my sleeves and nod at Sister Xia.

    She smiles and lifts me up in her arms effortlessly. ¡°We¡¯re lucky that there are so many streams in this sect.¡± She says as she carries me towards the closest stream.

    I frown at the fact that I am being carried like an invalid, and by another woman no less. She doesn¡¯t see my frown because I keep my face covered by my sleeves.

    I am about to give her a piece of my mind, when someone else speaks.

    ¡°Jing Xia? Is that you?¡± Sister Xia stiffens as the male voice spoke up from behind her.

    ¡°Gang Lu.¡± Sister Xia sets me down and bows to the boy, her fist in her palm. The bow of a martial artist, not the bow of a servant. However, she doesn¡¯t rise from her bow.

    I peek through my sleeves at the boy. Gang Lu, I remember him and his name, the Lu family is a minor noble house under the Lin family. Gang Lu is the middle child of Heng Lu, the patriarch of the Lu family.

    I¡¯d only seen him once before, when my father had gathered all the houses bound to him, for my mother¡¯s birthday. He had been ten years old then, which makes him fifteen now.

    His face is very angular, a common trait of the Lu family, His clothes are well kept and the two boys behind him are likely servants or lackeys of some kind.

    Wait! Why did another noble have to appear when my face is looking hideous? If he were to see it now, my father¡¯s reputation would be ruined.

    ¡°I am surprised that you would dare show your face here Jing Xia, after what happened with the Wei family.¡± Gang Lu interrupts my internal screaming with some interesting information.

    The Wei family? They were a powerful noble family to the east. What does Sister Xia have to do with them?

    ¡°I am a free woman, Gang Lu.¡± Sister Xia responds, still not rising.

    ¡°We will see how long you can keep saying that.¡± Gang Lu laughs. ¡°I wonder what would happen if you were prevented from joining the sect?¡± A smile appears on Gang Lu¡¯s face, the smile holds some kind of emotion that I don¡¯t understand. It makes me want to throw up.

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    Sister Xia starts trembling with fear.

    How dare he? The thought penetrates my mind with a fury. JIng Xia is mine! How dare he threaten her?

    An angry smile comes to my face as I remember the veil that the servants had made sure I carried with my dress. I will have to remember to reward them when I get a chance.

    ¡°Of course I might find it in my heart to help you. If you submit yourself to me.¡± He says.

    Laughter burst out of me as I finish putting my veil on.

    Everyone turns their attention to me.

    ¡°My my, Gang Lu.¡± I say, covering my mouth with my palm. ¡°You sound just like the villain from a bad play. How the mighty house of Lu has fallen.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± He asks, caution in his tone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember me? I guess that makes sense. It has been five years since we last met after all.¡± I respond, wishing I had some kind of fan to complete my appearance. Every proper lady in the imperial court has a fan. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell my father, Fang Lin, that the middle son of the Lu family is resorting to threats in order to get women in his bed.¡± I put my finger to my chin in thought, ¡°I wonder what he would think if I told him that you had threatened me.¡±

    ¡°Lady Lin.¡± Gang Lu bows to me, the two men behind him following suit. ¡°How could I not recognize such a beautiful figure such as yourself. Forgive this lowly one for his mistake.¡±

    I turn to Jing Xia with a smile. ¡°Sister Xia, you may rise from your bow. Gang Lu is not worthy of such respect.¡±

    Gang Lu freezes, ¡°Sister Xia?¡± He whispers to himself.

    Sister Xia rises from her bow slowly, turning to me with an assessing look.

    ¡°Do not follow us Gang Lu and if I catch you doing such things again, I won¡¯t hesitate to tell my father.¡± I turn away from him and motion towards the stream, ¡°Let¡¯s continue Sister Xia.¡±

    I walk to the stream with my chest puffed in pride. I showed him.

    ¡°I do not think that was wise Lady Lin. I am not the kind of person one such as you wants to be associated with.¡± Sister Xia says as we arrive at the stream.

    She lifts my veil to wash my face, allowing me to see her troubled look.

    I frown at her words, my chest deflating. ¡°Do not call me Lady Lin. Please call me Sister Lin.¡±

    Sister Xia pauses with her cloth on my cheek, then nods, a smile spreading across her face. ¡°It was fun to watch you put Gang Lu in his place, Sister Lin.¡±

    ¡°He was being a bully.¡± I answer.

    Sister Xia laughs, dipping her cloth back into the water.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask as I close my eye for her cloth.

    ¡°For a moment there, I forgot how young you are. You act so much like an adult.¡± Sister Xia finishes her last touches and puts the cloth into a pocket of her dress.

    ¡°I¡¯m twelve years old.¡± I say with a small pout.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Sister Xia responds seriously. ¡°Maybe I should start having you call me Senior Sister Xia.¡±

    I frown up at her. ¡°Maybe I should have you call me Senior Sister Lin.¡±

    Sister Xia just chuckles.

    The second test happens an hour or so after that, Elder Yu simply takes each of us aside and interviews us, asking strange questions about our past and what we would do in certain situations

    I answer each of the questions he asks me quickly, until one particular question grabs my attention. ¡°Disciple Lin, what would you do if you found out your father was in trouble, but the sect ordered you to not leave the sect¡¯s grounds?¡±

    ¡°Would I be able to help my father?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say that you could.¡± Elder Yu replies.

    ¡°Then I would ignore the sect¡¯s order.¡± I answer. What kind of a question was that? Of course I would help my father.

    My thoughts must have shown on my face because Elder Yu smiled, ¡°If you ignored an order from the sect, you may not be able to come back.¡±

    I furrow my eyebrows at him. ¡°And¡­? My father is my father. He will always be more important to me.¡±

    ¡°Your father is lucky to have such a loyal daughter.¡± Elder Yu nods his head. Folding his hands inside his robe, he asks another question. His voice gains a mechanical tone, almost as if he is reading off a script. ¡°To gain power through conflict, to gain power through luck, to gain power through others, or to gain power through enlightenment. Which would you choose?¡±

    I bite my lip in thought, bringing to mind Lady Da Shi. She had always told me to get rid of the habit, but I could never quite manage it.  ¡°I would choose to gain power through enlightenment.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I would rather gain power through my own ability and perseverance, not through the luck of the heavens or the power of others.¡± I answer, the words flowing through my mouth as if someone else were speaking them.

    ¡°Are you truly twelve?¡± Elder Yu asks, studying me intently.

    I nod, giving him a big smile. ¡°My mother and father raised me well.¡±

    ¡°They did indeed. Tell me Disciple Lin, how did you unlock your qi at such a young age?¡± Elder Yu asks.

    I don¡¯t think he asked that question to the others. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I answer ¡°I think that mother helped me. She showed me what to do.¡±

    ¡°Your mother? Didn¡¯t she pass away three years ago?¡± Elder Yu¡¯s gaze becomes sharp ¡°How could she help you?¡±

    His gaze reminds me of where I am, causing me to shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was just a silly thought.¡±

    Elder Yu doesn¡¯t speak for a moment, just studying me. ¡°I see.¡±  He moves over to me and pats me on the head. ¡°Congratulations Jia Lin, you have passed the second test. Please wait with the others behind me.¡±

    In the end, twenty three of the forty disciples pass the second test.

    I wonder at what you had to do to pass through this test, after all, I know that some of the answers that I gave Elder Yu were not the answers he was looking for.

    Elder Yu turns to the disciples who had passed and says ¡°We have tested your perseverance.¡± He motions towards the stairway we all climbed.  ¡°The path of cultivation is not easy and you have proven that you can surpass the obstacles ahead of you.¡± He brings his arms back and folds them in his sleeves. ¡°We have tested your mind and you have proven that you have the intelligence to study the path of cultivation. Now I will test your loyalty¡± He motions with his hand, causing a blue line to appear in front of him. ¡°All you need to do is cross this line.¡±

    Sighs of relief come from the disciples all around me.

    ¡°But be warned.¡± The shadows creep up from all around Elder Yu, covering his face. ¡°If you wish harm to this sect or anyone in it. You will die as soon as you cross this line.¡± The shadows disappear as if they never existed, showing a bright smile on the Elder¡¯s face. ¡°If you wish, you may skip this test and stay an outer disciple.¡±

    No one moves, until a boy a few years older than me bows to Elder Yu, fist to palm. ¡°Elder, I wish to skip this test.¡±

    Elder Yu nods. ¡°Very well.¡± With a flick of the Elder¡¯s hand, the boy is sent flying through the gate and down the stairs.

    No one moves after that.

    ¡°Jia Lin, if you would go first?¡± Elder Yu asks.

    I freeze as the other disciples look around their group, not knowing who I am.

    I gulp and step forward. ¡°O-of course Elder Yu.¡±

    Slowly, I walk forward until I am right in front of the line.

    Closing my eyes, I take a step forward.

 Chapter 3: The Rules Of The Sect

    I open my eyes, sighing with relief at my complete health. I flash a smile at Elder Yu as I walk over next to him and turn around to watch the next person walk the line.

    A cloud passes overhead, shading the courtyard in darkness. Most of the students look to have regained their confidence after I passed across the line safely. Jing Xia catches my eye for a moment, but she looks to be lost in her own inner turmoil.

    Once the sun comes back out, Elder Yu speaks, ¡°Yu Guan.¡±

    A boy of sixteen, one of the older disciples trying to enter the sect, steps forward. He bows to Elder Yu, his body language confident. ¡°Elder Yu.¡± He greets calmly.

    Despite his body language, I notice him start to sweat from fear as he approaches the line.

    He studies the line for a moment, before glancing up at me. My crossing the line safely seems to put him at ease.

    With one large step, he crosses the line. A breath of relief escapes him as nothing seems to happen.

    My eyes widen as blue mist leaves the line, flowing towards the boy. He walks confidently towards us, not noticing the look on my face.

    He turns around only to stop as the mist enters his body through his nose and mouth. He stands there frozen, before a loud snapping sound comes from his body. He falls to the floor, his eyes rolling up into his head.

    A collective breath is held by the disciples as we study the dead boy.

    ¡°You were all warned.¡± Elder Yu says, waving to some nearby servants to pick the boy up. ¡°And you may still refuse the test.¡±

    I barely hear the Elder¡¯s words as I stare at the dead boy. I had only seen death once before, at an execution in the imperial palace.

    But this was different. This man had done nothing wrong before he crossed that line. Yet his life had ended just like that. It was so sudden. The man hadn¡¯t even seen it coming.

    I raise a hand to my neck, shuddering as I realize that the person lying on the ground right now could¡¯ve been me.

    The servants cover the boy in a white cloth, before carrying him out the gate and down the stairs.

    ¡°Da Qiao, you are next¡± The Elder says calmly, as if nothing strange had happened.

    After the death of that disciple, four more requested to not take the test and one more was killed upon crossing the line, a girl this time.

    In the end, sixteen out of the original two hundred disciples became inner disciples.

    After the test, Elder Yu turns to us serenely, ¡°As inner disciples, you will each receive four low grade spirit stones a week and a cultivation manual of your choice from the sect library. If you perform admirably within the sect, your rewards will increase. For now, Senior Disciple Wang will lead you to the inner disciple¡¯s residence.¡± A scholarly looking boy steps forward, his body releasing a qi pressure higher than any of the disciples I had met during the test.

    The Senior Disciple bows to Elder Yu, then turns to us with a curt ¡°Follow me.¡±

    We are led past the pavilion and through another gate. Gasps of surprise and amazement can be heard as we come upon the city-like sect. Men and women wearing the robes of the sect barter with each other at merchant stalls that reach beyond my sight. Two outer sect disciples bow to each other in preparation for a fight, while a ring of disciples around them place bets.

    Spirit Beasts roam around, following the more powerful disciples as their companions and traders from various other sects yell out their wares, hoping to make a profit.

    I stand there staring while the other disciples pass me by, following Senior Disciple Wang.

    ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elder Zhu says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Elder Zhu!¡± I say, smiling up at him. He hadn¡¯t been in that spot a moment before, but powerful cultivators like him are known to appear and disappear suddenly.

    ¡°Congratulations, Little Miss Lin. I knew that you would pass the tests.¡± Elder Zhu says, his eyes dancing with playfulness. ¡°Now all you have to do is become the most powerful cultivator in the sect. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    I nod seriously, ¡°You can count on me.¡± I frown as I study the elder closely ¡°Where is it?¡±

    Elder Zhu smiles playfully. ¡°What could you be talking about?¡±

    I put my hands on my hips, irritated with him. ¡°You promised.¡±

    He nods, ¡°That, I did.¡± With a wave of his hand, my cloth-wrapped flute appears in his hand. As he does that, I notice a faint use of qi around a ring on his finger.

    I happily take the flute back from him. ¡°Thank you Elder.¡±

    He pats me on the head, ¡°Of course Little Miss Lin.¡± He looks up at the disappearing backs of my fellow disciples. ¡°You¡¯d best hurry along and catch up. I will make sure that your belongings arrive safely in your room.¡±

    I run to catch up to the other disciples, then stop and turn around. I wave goodbye to Elder Zhu.

    He smiles serenely at me, the other members of the sect creating a small space around him. I turn back around and continue to run to catch up with the disciples.

    The Senior Disciple takes us to a large building with many empty rooms. I end up picking a room between Jing Xia and one of the other rare female disciples. Senior Disciple Wang gives each of us a jade bracelet that he says are our ¡°keys to the sect¡±.

    As I enter my room, my joy disappears. This is my new home. And I won¡¯t get to see papa for a very long time.

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    I look at the bed, where my inner disciple robes wait for me to put them on. The robes are blue, with white lines going down the sleeves. The flowing design of a river on the cuffs of my sleeves mark me as an inner disciple of the sect.

    I push the robe aside and fall onto the bed, cuddling with my flute as tears well up.

    I sniffle as I rub my eyes with my sleeves. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot Jia Lin.¡± I whisper to myself ¡°Always crying too. You won¡¯t ever be a strong cultivator if you cry all the time.¡± I laugh at myself as I rub my eyes with the blanket under me.

    A knock on the door interrupts my self pity. ¡°Sister Lin? I was wondering if you wanted to come with us to the sect library. We should pick out a cultivation manual before they¡¯re all gone.¡±

    ¡°One moment!¡± I call out, wiping my face with the blanket on my bed. Then I hurry to put on the sect¡¯s robes.

    Taking a glance at my flute, I wonder what I should do with it. I don¡¯t feel safe leaving it here. After a moment of indecision, I grab it and place it in one of the long pockets of my robe. It fit perfectly.... ¡°Thank you Elder Zhu.¡± I whisper clasping my hands together.

    I open the door to Jing Xia and another girl. I stiffen as Sister Xia immediately pulls me into a hug. ¡°You poor girl. Everything is ok now.¡± she says.

    ¡°Sister Xia. You¡¯re squishing me.¡± I say quietly, but I still bury my face in her shoulder.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± She responds, amusement in her voice as she doesn¡¯t loosen her hug one bit.

    After a second, she moves away from me, ¡°Do you feel better now?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Good, this is Senior Sister Ming Lai, She is staying in the room next to mine.¡±

    Ming Lai bows to me in greeting, her strange purple eyes studying me carefully ¡°Junior Sister Lin, it is good to see a talent such as yourself joining our sect.¡±

    I bow, studying her in return. She wears the clothes of an inner disciple, the fact that she refers to me as an Junior Sister makes it clear that she has been in the sect longer than I have. Her brown hair flows in a ponytail across her right shoulder and she stands confidently on the balls of her feet, like the warriors that worked under my father.

    ¡°Senior Sister Lai, I¡¯m sure that I am no more talented than any other disciple. I am merely lucky.¡± I respond, remembering the etiquette that had been drilled into me since I could speak. Humility and respect, the cornerstones of etiquette, according to Da Shi.

    ¡°Luck is a talent in and of itself.¡± Senior Sister Lai responds. She smiles, breaking the atmosphere. ¡°I told Junior Sister Xia that I would show her to the library, we should be on our way.¡±

    I nod and we soon leave the building.

    Sister Lai easily leads us through the streets of the sect, the outer disciples making way for the three inner disciples. ¡°You are new to the sect, and there are some things that you must know if you wish to survive the years to come.¡± Sister Lai says as we walk ¡°There is a ranking amongst the inner disciples, the higher your rank, the more rewards you receive. The only way to get higher in rank is to challenge a disciple ranked higher than yourself. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡± Sister Xia responds, while I just watch them mutely.

    ¡°Good, because at the end of this month, the Elders will post the rankings of the new disciples. If you are ranked too high, then expect to get challenged.¡± We arrive at the steps to a large building, at least four stories high.

    I stare in amazement at the building, my eyes going wide.

    ¡°Fighting is not allowed until the end of the month, but once that ban is lifted,¡± Sister Lai steps in front of us, making sure she has our attention. ¡°Be prepared for challenges from anyone; inner, outer and core disciples alike. Be careful of who you anger in that time.¡±

    I look at her in surprise. She is acting very serious about these challenges, but they don¡¯t sound like that big of a deal to me.

    Looking at how important this is to her, I make sure to remember her words.

    Who would I make angry anyway?

    She leads us through the entrance to the sect library. A man sits at a desk that blocks the entrance to a pair of doors that lead deeper into the library. He calmly writes something down as we approach, not noticing us. The man doesn¡¯t wear the normal sect clothes, but rather, a simple brown robe. He looks up as Sister Lai clears her throat in front of him.

    ¡°Yes?¡± He says, gently setting his brush down.

    ¡°Two new inner disciples are here for their cultivation manuals and their spirit stones.¡± Sister Lai says to the man.

    ¡°Bracelets?¡± He simply responds.

    Jing Xia and I both hold up our arms showing him the jade bracelets we had received when we got our rooms.

    He studies the bracelets for a moment before marking something down in a ledger. Pulling open one of the drawers in his desk, he pulls out two pouches, handing one to each of us. Then standing up, his figure slouching as so many scholars do, he opens the doors to the library for us, ¡°You may have one cultivation manual from the first floor. You are not allowed to travel to the second floor without permission from a sect elder.¡± He says, not really interested in the words that come out of his mouth. ¡°Please be out of the library by the dinner bell.¡±

    Sister Lai bows to the scholar, Jing Xia and I following her lead. Then she leads us into one of the most breathtaking rooms I had ever seen.

    Books everywhere. I had heard tales that the library of the imperial palace was large. But certainly, it could not compare to this. Even my father¡¯s collection paled in comparison.

    ¡°Beautiful.¡± I whisper, barely noticing as Sisters Lai and Xia giggle at my amazement.

    ¡°Come on, you should probably close your mouth before you catch a fly in it. The Cultivation manuals are over here.¡± Sister Lai starts walking towards a section of the library, while Sister Xia is forced to pull me by the arm.

    Sister Lai leads us to a corner of the library and sits down at a table. ¡°You will have to choose from here. ¡®The path you choose to tread, is your own.¡¯ as my master would say.¡±

    I walk through the shelves, unsure on how I should proceed. I glance down at Jing Xia, she immediately sat down and started looking through the cultivation manuals one by one.

    I simply drag my finger down the spines of the books, waiting for something to call out to me.

    Flowing River sect¡¯s way of the rivers. Caught my eye, but it felt so¡­ mundane.

    The way of a thousand cuts. I frown, knowing that that wasn¡¯t right.

    The Rules of an Emperor. Ha. No.

    The Twelve Notes of Fire sat right next to The Twelve Melodies of Wind, The Twelve Songs of Water, The Twelve Beats of Earth, The Twelve Ballads of Darkness and The Twelve Requiems of Illusion.

    I stare at the Cultivation manuals transfixed, as my hand goes down to the flute hidden in the pocket of my robes.

    Maybe¡­

    But which one to take? All of them call to me in different ways, call to different parts of me.

    I hold my hand over the Cultivation manuals, feeling for one that calls me over the others.

    Taking a deep breath, I grab the one that I know I really want.

    Then I turn it over in my hand, looking at the cover.

 Chapter 4: The First Requiem

    I look down at my choice of The Twelve Requiems of Illusion, knowing that it is the right choice. It is a thin book, maybe a hundred pages, but the leather bound cover shows its age, despite how well it has been kept by the library.

    Reverently, I open it, reading the first few lines.

    Cultivation is the art of learning the truths of the universe

    And what is shrouded in more mystery than the art of music? Music can make you cry, it can make you laugh, it can be a powerful force, thrumming through your body. In this manual, I can show you how to produce more than feelings, with music you will let people see their greatest desires, their greatest fears. Or you can simply show them a story, as music was created to do.

    The Twelve Requiems of Illusion will require much of you, but its words will teach you things that you have yet to imagine.

    I close the manual, a grin on my face.

    I look over to see that Jing Xia is still caught up in her search for a cultivation manual. Holding my new book close to my chest, I walk over to Sister Lai.

    I tap her on the shoulder, distracting her from the book she had been reading. ¡°Done already?¡± She asks.

    I nod, then look at the rest of the library. ¡°Can I explore?¡±

    She smiles. ¡°Go ahead, but don¡¯t harm the books in any way, don¡¯t even fold a page. If you do, you might find yourself banned for life.¡± she responds ¡°Any one of these books could be a priceless treasure.¡±

    After the ¡®go ahead¡¯ I tuned the rest out, already walking towards the section with a picture of two swords clashing.

    I lose myself in the shelves, finding books on topics from martial arts, to medicine, to philosophy.

    My father had thought to make me a scholar, because of the love of books I¡¯d had as soon as I¡¯d learned to read, but my mother had insisted that I learn the ways of a noble house. Some days, I wish my mother hadn¡¯t insisted on such a thing, after all there are so many worlds waiting to be found in books.

    In the end, neither of their plans had worked out, I am now on the journey of cultivation. A long and perilous journey, or so everyone tells me.

    I find myself reading a children''s book, telling fantastical stories about the Great Spirits, creatures or animals that had grown through various means into powerful cultivators.

    ¡°Hello there.¡± A woman calls out to me.

    I look up from my book at her. Immediately catching my attention are a pile of three books resting on top of her head. I turn my gaze down to her light brown hair and eyes, she smiles at me politely.

    ¡°Hello.¡± I respond, not sure why she interrupted me.

    ¡°You are one of the new inner disciples, yes?¡± She asks, kneeling down to look at me, the folds of her plain brown dress lightly wrinkling. I notice that the books on her head stay perfectly balanced.

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± I answer.

    ¡°I believe that your friends are looking for you.¡± The woman says.

    I pull myself up at her words and hurriedly grab The Twelve Requiems Of Illusion. I look down at the other book I had been reading. Closing it cautiously, I pick it up, then put it back in the spot I had found it.

    I turn back to the woman that had found me and bow to her. ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡± I say politely, ¡°If I may know Elder Sister¡¯s name?¡±

    She chuckles, ¡°What a nice young lady you are. This elder sister¡¯s name is Tai Qiu. May I know Junior Sister¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Jia Lin. May we meet again soon.¡± I turn around to hurry towards where I last saw the other girls.

    ¡°Ah, one moment.¡± Elder Sister Qiu, stops me before I can make it out of the section. ¡°I can see that you have a love for books. If you would like to read some more, feel free to ask for me at the front desk tomorrow.¡±

    I brighten at the idea of being able to come here again. I bow to Tai Qiu again. ¡°Thank you!¡±

    I find the girls easily, it turns out that Jing Xia had just found her book and they hadn¡¯t been searching for me too hard.

    ¡°What cultivation manuals did you end up choosing?¡± Sister Lai asks, as we move towards the exit of the library.

    I open my mouth to respond, but Sister Xia steps in between me and Sister Lai, bowing ¡°My apologies Senior Sister Lai, but it would be inappropriate to give such valuable information to someone we just met.¡±

    Silence surrounds us for a few seconds before Sister Lai smiles and nods towards the still bowing Jing Xia. ¡°I take no offence, it is private information after all. But do try to remember who are your allies and who are your enemies. I can offer valuable insight if you wish me to.¡±

    Jing Xia rises from her bow. ¡°I shall remember your offer in the future, Senior Sister.¡± She says, motioning for Sister Lai to continue walking.

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    I had not thought about how valuable such information might be, but I am grateful to Jing Xia for stepping in before I could give such information away.

    The three of us are silent after that, the quiet continuing well after we leave the library.

    I frown at the awkward silence, ¡°What is it like? Being an inner disciple?¡± I ask, breaking the silence.

    The two of them look at me in confusion.

    I hurriedly explain, ¡°I-I mean, what are our responsibilities? What do we do as inner disciples?¡± I pull on the edges of my robe, embarrassed by my lack of knowledge. ¡°None of this was actually explained to me.¡±

    Jing Xia laughs, while Sister Lai looks at me with puzzlement.

    Sister Lai¡¯s expression softens, ¡°You are still a child, aren¡¯t you? It is easy to forget that.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not a kid. I am twelve years old.¡± I respond, irritated with her tone.

    ¡°I did not mean any offense Junior Sister.¡± Ming Lai pauses in thought, causing the outer sect disciples to walk around us, like a rock in a stream. ¡°As an inner disciple, you will be expected to be..., well, better than everyone else. You will receive the personal instruction and guidance of the Elders, and you will gain the resources of the sect.¡± She says, slowly moving forward again. ¡°For now, you merely have to meet the Elder¡¯s expectations. You don¡¯t need to worry about anything else.¡±

    ¡°For now?¡± Jing Xia asks before I can.

    Sister Lai nods, looking up at the sky with a vacant gaze, ¡°When you have advanced on the path of cultivation, you will be expected to represent the sect. Inner Disciples are used as mediators, leaders, and ambassadors in the sect¡¯s dealings with the outside world.¡± We arrive at the building with our rooms, but Sister Lai doesn¡¯t seem to notice. Her gaze is sharp, but it isn¡¯t directed at us. ¡°We are pawns really.¡± She finally looks at the both of us, ¡°But... pawns have their own importance, because someday they may become queens.¡± She shakes her head and smiles at the both of us. ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard on it. For now, simply try your best to improve. No one can ask anything more of you.¡±

    With that said, she nods to the both of us ¡°I have just gained some inspiration that I wish to meditate on. I shall see the both of you again soon.¡± Then she walks off to her room.

    I look at Jing Xia sideways. She looks to be lost in her own thoughts.

    ¡°What a strange friend you have Sister Xia.¡± I say, startling her from her thoughts.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Her eyes focus in on me. ¡°I¡¯m not certain that she is a friend¡­.¡± She smiles at me, ¡°But she certainly is strange.¡±

    I shrug, leaving the conversation at that. Taking out the bag that the librarian at the front desk had given me, I study it curiously. ¡°What do you suppose is in here Sister Xia? I had completely forgotten about it.¡±

    ¡°The low grade spirit stones probably.¡± Sister Xia responds, reaching into her pocket, likely to touch her own bag.

    ¡°Cultivator¡¯s money?¡± I ask innocently.

    Jing Xia pats me on the head softly, giggling ¡°Spirit stones are more than money. They hold tiny amounts of qi in them.¡±

    My eyes go wide, a small ¡°Oh.¡± escaping my mouth.

    ¡°Exactly. I doubt that the outer disciples ever see more than a few of these at a time.¡± She says, taking out one of the crystals from her pocket, it glows with a soft green color. She looks at me with a frown, ¡°Don¡¯t keep these on your person and make sure to keep them safe.¡± She says seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone where you keep them, not even me. You understand?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Good. And use them wisely. You only get four a week.¡± She pats my head again. ¡°I am going to my room to cultivate, I suggest you do the same.¡±

    I bow to her, ¡°Thank you Sister Xia. I¡¯m glad I have a friend like you.¡±

    She squeals and pulls me into a hug. ¡°That was so cute!¡±

    I sigh in irritation.

    After a moment, she finally lets me go and walks to her room.

    I slide open the door to my room softly and walk in, closing it behind me. I take out the cultivation manual from my robes- it is amazing how many folds the thing has -and look it over.

    I open it again, caught by the words written inside.

    When I close the cultivation manual again, the sun is already disappearing in the sky.

    A servant knocks softly on my door before entering, her presence being the reason I had stopped reading.

    She bows to me, before quietly lighting a lantern in my room. She bows to me again as she leaves.

    I open the book to one of the first pages. Musical notes cover the page.

    The First Requiem; The Field of Blood.

    I reach into my robe and pull out my flute. Gently, I unwrap it from the cloth surrounding it.

    I put the flute to my lips, closing my eyes, the notes on the page staying fresh in my mind.

    I start playing.

    The song is deep and dark.

    A remembrance of the dead, that is a Requiem.

    As I play, the sounds of battle come from all around me, the screams of men as they die, the screech of metal against metal. A single man yells out, defiant, refusing to die. His blade enters flesh, taking the life of another. His defiant yell, turns to a sorrow filled one as yet another blade takes his life.

    I open my eyes, my fingers moving gently to the next notes. I look out at a bloody battlefield, only two swords still clashing against each other.

    Tears fall down my face, as my fingers slow down, almost stopping the song. But something pulls me to finish and I know.

    I know that I cannot end it here.

    The smell of blood hits my nose as I play a long dark note.

    I no longer see the book, but the song is imprinted in my brain.

    The two swords refuse to stop, a deadly dance between powerful men, their comrades dead around them.

    I feel as the song comes to an end, the dance moving faster, becoming deadlier, following the beat of my song.

    The last note plays out as both of the men stab each other, blood spraying out around them.

    No one lives through this battle.

    The last note ends.

    The scenery disappears. I find myself back in my room, the soft lantern light illuminating my bed and a small table.

    I place my flute in my lap and I cry.

    Why? Why was I forced to watch such brutality? Why did I have to see the lives of men end in such a way? How could one man do that to another?

    My soul aches from the pain.

    I look down at the cultivation manual, tears blurring my vision.

    Nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed.

    Taking a deep breath, I bring my flute back up to my lips.

    The Second Requiem: Remembrance

    I can feel it, while the first requiem had brought me horror. I know that this one will bring me peace. Peace that I desperately need right now.

    I take one more deep breath, then I begin to play.

 Chapter 5: Requiem Of Rememberance

    The notes start out soft this time. My tears begin to stop as a sense of release comes from the song. The memories of good things, with an undercurrent of sadness.

    As I play a soft and hopeful tune, the sounds of two people whispering to each other reaches my ear.

    One of them, a girl, laughs at some joke that the other made.

    I blink away my tears to see a couple leaning against each other. They look out on a sunset over a lake.

    The woman playfully slaps the man¡¯s shoulder. Laughing as he says something else. Then she gives a happy smile and leans her head against his shoulder. The whispers turn softer, more caring.

    I smell the fresh air as the two hold each other.

    The requiem changes, becoming more upbeat, and the scenery changes with it.

    Men laugh all around me as scullery maids hurry to serve them more ale.

    One of the men starts singing, his words in a different language, but still matching the flute¡¯s music.

    The rest of the men join in the song and I finally notice the same woman from earlier, now wearing black, sitting next to the men.

    Next to her sits a drawing of the man that was with her in my first vision.

    Tears of sadness and thanks flow down her face as the whole tavern sings a song of remembrance for the man who had passed away.

    As the song comes to an end, the man who had first started singing raises his mug of ale. Everyone in the tavern joins him and they finish the song with cheers.

    I place my flute down, a small smile on my face, replacing the tears I¡¯d just had.

    I am not sure how to feel with so many emotions flowing through my body.

    It takes me a second to notice that there is a noticeable change in the qi flowing through my body. Its very essence seemed to change with the Requiems. My qi had increased a small amount as well.

    I sigh, looking out of the small window in my room. It is now full night. I can¡¯t say how much time has passed. My visions had felt instantaneous, yet the darkness outside shows that it is closer to the middle of the night.

    I stand up and blow out my lamp.

    I can¡¯t handle the emotions flowing through my body, so I will deal with them tomorrow. Definitely. Probably. Hopefully.

    ***

    ¡°Senior Disciple, please wake up. It is time for you to train.¡± I am woken up by the maid who had lit my lantern last night.

    ¡°What is it time for?¡± I ask groggily.

    ¡°Sister Lin! You need to hurry!¡± Jing Xia calls from outside my room.

    What is she doing up so early?

    I shake my head, stumbling out of the bed. The maid offers me some robes. These ones are different from the ones I wore last night. They look lighter and easier to move in, they also don¡¯t have any pockets or folds.

    I frown, then yawn into my hand. ¡°I liked my old robes.¡±

    The maid sighs, exacerbated. ¡°These robes are better for martial arts. Now please, Senior Disciple, put them on.¡±

    ¡°Martial Arts?¡± I ask, trying to get my brain moving again. The servant manually puts the robes on as I think.

    ¡°Yes.¡± the servant responds.

    I nod once, then start walking towards the door of my room.

    ¡°Senior Disciple!¡± The servant calls out before I can open the door. ¡°Your hair!¡±

    Heat comes to my face and I blush as the servant runs up to me. She pulls some twine from her pocket and ties my hair up.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I whisper, embarrassed.

    ¡°Do not worry about it Senior Disciple. But you had best hurry, you do not want to be late.¡± The servant pushes me out the door, where Jing Xia and Ming Lai wait for me.

    ¡°Why do we have to get up so early for martial arts?¡± I rub my eyes, ¡°The sun isn¡¯t even out yet.¡±

    ¡°Because that is when the Elders decided to teach us martial arts.¡± Sister Lai responds, ¡°Now hurry up, we don¡¯t want to be late on our first day.¡±  she doesn¡¯t wait for a response as she starts walking.

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    Jing Xia smiles at me before following Sister Lai.

    I glance back at my room longingly, the Requiems had kept me up late into the night and I hadn¡¯t been exaggerating when I¡¯d said that the sun isn¡¯t even up.

    I rub my eyes and pinch my nose, trying to wake myself up. I open my eyes to see the last of the other disciples leaving the building.

    I don¡¯t know where I am going. The thought drifts through my head for a moment, before I realize what it means.

    I run towards where I had seen the last of the disciples, my wooden sandals clacking against the floor.

    I stop running when I leave the building. I don¡¯t want my cheeks to be flushed when I finally arrive at where I am going.

    Straightening my robes I look for the other girls. They are on their way to a large courtyard. I hurry to catch up to them, trying to not actually run.

    Jing Xia looks at me, mildly amused by something. Sister Lai doesn¡¯t even look at me, her eyes lost in thought.

    We enter a large courtyard. Eight men and two women wait for us wearing black robes, the clothing marking them as important. Two Elders stand behind them, Elder Yu from the entrance tests and a woman I don¡¯t recognize.

    The Senior Disciples create orderly lines in front of the men and women, leaving a meter of space in between each disciple in the line.

    Following the Senior Disciple¡¯s examples, Jing Xia and I find our own spots.

    All of the disciples bow to the men and women. The instructors bow back.

    One of the instructors, a man with a long, slightly curved blade strapped to his back, steps forward after his bow. ¡°We twelve are masters of the sect, you will treat us as you would an Elder.¡± He says clearly, his voice booming across the crowd.

    The man has the newest disciples gather in front of two other masters. One of them, a woman, wears a curved blade at her waste. The second master, a wry elderly man, wears two swords clasped to his hip, my gaze catches on the end of his swords, where the blades curve into hooks.

    ¡°Master An Meng.¡± The elderly man introduces himself with a friendly attitude.

    ¡°I am Master Chao Wan.¡± The woman introduces herself calmly.

    After their introductions, they proceeded to push us through a long workout routine, forcing us to circulate our qi through our bodies in order to keep up with them.

    Having made it to the second level of qi awakening, I found myself pulling ahead of most of the class, which just made the masters work me all the harder.

    When I feel like collapsing, that is when they make us move through the flowing movements of martial arts.

    We don¡¯t use any kinds of weapons, although I can see the preparation for them in some of the movements they teach us.

    I had been taught some martial arts by my father, as all noblewomen are expected to do. We must be able to protect ourselves from assassination after all. By my father¡¯s guard, I was taught how to use a knife effectively.

    I notice idly how different the style I had learned was, compared to the sect¡¯s. My father¡¯s style was all about strong swift blows.

    The sect taught us fluid, almost dance like motions. When practicing the sect¡¯s martial arts, you never stopped moving, you used your momentum, or the momentum of your opponent, to keep the fight flowing.

    At least, that is the idea, I¡¯m not sure if I was doing the movements correctly. After all, this was the first time that I performed them.

    By the end of the practice, I am lying on the grass of the courtyard, breathing heavily while circulating my qi to stop me from passing out completely. The sun is just beginning to rise above the mountains, and I welcome its rays with a lazy smile.

    I turn my head to look at the other disciples. None of them are in better shape than I am. Some of them had even passed out where they lay. I grin in satisfaction at having stayed conscious longer than them.

    Groaning, I sit up. My vision becomes blurry, making me regret having moved so quickly. After a moment of worry, the sensation passes.

    Every muscle aching, I stretch my legs. I had been taught to stretch after every workout session by one of my previous instructors.

    And old habits are hard to break.

    The masters and Elders are talking in a small group, their conversation quiet enough that I can¡¯t catch any of it. I ignore them in favor of my aching muscles.

    None of my muscles were left alone by the grueling workout the sect masters had put me through.

    It is an effort to stand up, but after a few dizzying seconds I find myself on my feet, stretching out my arms. I notice a few of the other disciples doing the same as I am.

    I watch as Sister Lai enters the courtyard, flushed from whatever workout she had been doing.

    She sees Jing Xia first and walks over to where she is laying down. They say something that I can¡¯t hear and Jing Xia slowly rises to her feet.

    It takes them both a moment to spot me. Once they do, they walk over to me, Jing Xia limping ever so slightly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look very tired.¡± I say to Sister Lai, irritation leaking into my voice.

    ¡°I went through a different kind of training.¡± At our curious looks, she continues. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that my mind is very exhausted.¡±

    I furrow my eyebrows, still confused.

    Sister Lai shakes her head, before continuing with the reason she is over here. ¡°I came to get you because food is being served in our rooms. We will have four hours of free time, before the masters will wish to teach us more.¡±

    I feel a twinge from my stomach at the mention of food, but my mind catches on to that last part. ¡°We have to go through more of this?¡± I ask, referring to the exercise.

    Sister Lai smiles, ¡°Yes, but not today. The Master Scholars will be teaching us in four hours.¡± Sister Lai motions for us to hurry and follow her. ¡°Come on, the food won¡¯t stay warm forever.¡±

    We eat breakfast in Sister Lai¡¯s room, where she tells us about the sect. The fighting rings for outer disciples, the rivers filled with water Qi and the hall of history, where all of the sect¡¯s greatest accomplishments are shown.

    I find myself listening to her with a curious ear. The life in the sect is so different compared to what I was used to.

    It is magical.

    A tiny seed of excitement grows in my belly. It is a strange feeling, I am no longer the Lady of the Lin family. I am just Jia Lin, inner disciple of the Flowing Rivers Sect, cultivator of the Twelve Requiems Of Illusion.

    Who knows what I will do in the future? I certainly don¡¯t.

 Chapter 6: Cultivation of Spirit

    Once breakfast is over, I grab my flute and wear my usual robes. Sister Lai offers to show us both around the sect, but memories of the library convince me to politely refuse.

    Sister Xia looks conflicted, but I convince her to go with Sister Lai. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d have much fun with me in the library.

    Walking through the sect by myself is a novel experience. Everyone in the sect is so exotic.

    I look behind me on my way to the library, feeling a gaze on my shoulder. I see a few outer disciples watching me, but they quickly look away when they notice my attention.

    I worry about their looks, but nothing happens for the rest of my walk to the library.

    The same brown robed disciple is at the desk leading into the library. He doesn¡¯t notice my approach, distracted by a book.

    Should I interrupt him? I don¡¯t want to be rude, but I also want to get into the library and see Senior Sister Qiu. He looks really into his book¡­.

    I look up at the disciple one last time, hoping that he would notice me. I sigh as he keeps an intense gaze on his book.

    I can wait. Patience is a valuable trait amongst cultivators.

    Getting into a meditative position on the floor, I close my eyes to examine the qi flowing inside of me.

    It only takes a few minutes before my fingers start fiddling with the Dizi flute in my robes.

    I¡¯m sure no one would mind a little music.

    I pull the flute out of my robes and put it to my mouth. I hesitate as I consider what I want to play. This isn¡¯t the time for one of the requiems, and my heart is drawn towards another piece my mother used to play for me.

    Bright notes flow out the flute, bringing light to the dimly lit entrance to the library.

    It is a happy song, something playful that my mother would play when she was in a good mood.

    My eyes widen as a small illusionary flower blooms in front of me, bursting into color with the beat of the song. Two small illusionary birds cheerfully fly over the flower. The images are obvious illusions and lack the power of the requiems.

    The birds dance to the joyful song, playing with each other as they swoop and fly through the air.

    With a flourish, the song comes to an end, the birds flying out the windows as it does, the flower disappearing as if it was never there.

    The sound of clapping brings my attention away from my cultivation. While my gains weren¡¯t the same as when I was playing one of the requiems, I could still find myself gaining some insights into the Dao of music.

    Senior Sister Qiu smiles at me as the group of inner and outer disciples that had gathered around me finish their applause. Even the disciple who had been busy reading had closed his book to listen to my music.

    I blush, realizing that I had created a scene.

    I quickly get up, bowing to the group in thanks.

    ¡°I am glad that I invited you to return.¡± Tai Qiu says, walking up to me as the crowd disperses. ¡°Your music is quite a treat to hear.¡±

    She motions for me follow her as we walk towards the entrance to the library. The disciple who mans the desk bows to her as we pass into the library.

    ¡°Thank you for the compliment Senior Sister Qiu, but I am still learning when compared to true masters of music.¡± I respond, my gaze getting distracted by the towers of books filling the library.

    ¡°Is there anything that you would like me to show you? I know this library better than I know myself.¡± Tai Qiu points at one of the bookshelves and a book comes off of the shelf, floating to her. She opens the book, opening it to the first page as she walks.

    I follow behind her as she walks, considering her question. What do I want to know? ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I would appreciate any insight Senior Sister might have.¡±

    Tai Qiu smiles at my answer. She closes her book with a snap and flicks her wrist towards the stacks. This time it takes a moment for the book to float over. She hands the leather covered book to me. Only one word is on the cover.

    Spirit

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°This is a book from the top floor. Don¡¯t ever leave it unattended and hand it back to me when you are going to leave the library. I am trusting you with this book Junior Sister Lin, don¡¯t let my trust be misplaced.¡± Tai Qiu looks into my eyes, her gaze serious.

    Recognizing the importance of what she is doing, I bow to her. ¡°Your trust is not misplaced. I will guard this book with my life.¡±

    Tai Qiu laughs. ¡°Don¡¯t go that far. The book is not worth the life of such a promising disciple of our sect. Merely keep it as safe as you can. That¡¯s all I ask.¡±

    I bow again, acknowledging her words.

    ¡°I must attend to some things, let the disciple at the front of the library know when you are done with the book and I will find you.¡± Tai Qiu smiles warmly at me before turning away from me.

    As she walks off, she places the first book that she grabbed on her head, easily balancing it there. As she walks, she pulls more books from the shelves, opening them briefly before putting them onto the slowly growing stack of books on her head.

    It doesn¡¯t take me long to find a cozy corner of the library. Few people roam the library, mainly brown robed disciples, and a few other new disciples who are picking up their cultivation manuals.

    Once I¡¯m comfortable in my spot, I open the first page of the book. I let out a small gasp as my qi starts circulating in strange patterns as I read the first words of the page.

    Spirit is all around us.

    Spirit is life.

    Those who cultivate spirit understand life.

    Those who cultivate spirit find themselves.

    Only those four lines are written on the first page. But when I¡¯m finished reading them, I can feel my qi circulating through my body in a strange way. Contracting and expanding in my unlocked meridians.

    I meditate briefly. I am on the brink of a breakthrough, I can feel it. I¡¯m not quite there, but I¡¯m close.

    Opening my eyes, I turn the page. A strange diagram of the human body fills the page, qi pathways similar but not the same as meridians flow through the diagram. A single line is written on the top of the page.

    For those who are ready, take the next step.

    My qi starts moving through my body so fast that I can¡¯t control it. I Immediately enter into meditation, sweating as my qi breaks open my two opened meridians.  I expect pain, but instead, I feel relief as the qi flows through another network of my body. The same network drawn on the diagram.

    Still deep in meditation, I do my best to prevent my qi from doing actual harm to my body as it violently explores the new pathways.

    Tai Qiu

    I quietly watch the young girl in her corner as she consolidates her new breakthrough. I wasn¡¯t sure that the book would react to her, but it seems that my instincts were right.

    My aura floods the library, letting all the disciples know that they shouldn¡¯t enter. Only my core disciples stay in the library, making sure that no one disturbs us and that the Elders don¡¯t interfere with my business.

    The small formation I set up should keep those old masters from observing who it is that has started spirit cultivation.

    When the threads of Karma had led me to the young Jia Lin, I was certainly surprised. She has decent cultivation for her age, but aside from that, she doesn¡¯t seem special.

    However, it seems that her background is far from normal. Those who have the constitution and mentality to cultivate spirit are few and far between. I look forward to seeing if she is able to fully comprehend the book I gave her.

    Jia Lin

    A gentle hand on my back brings me out of my meditation. I look up to see Tai Qiu smiling down at me.

    ¡°Congratulations on starting your path of  spirit cultivation Junior Sister. I am sorry to interrupt your meditation, but I believe that you have classes with the master scholars soon. If you don¡¯t hurry, you¡¯ll be late. The master scholars do not appreciate tardiness.¡±

    I stand up, bowing to her as I hand her the book she¡¯d given me. ¡°Thank you Senior Sister.¡±

    ¡°Please do come to see me again soon.¡± She says, hiding the book in her robes.

    My mind is distracted as I make my way back through the streets of the sect. A strange new sense seems to examine everything around me. It¡¯s quite distracting actually. I can feel the lifeforce, or spirit, of everything within a meter of myself. I¡¯m quite surprised by how many bugs are everywhere. The sense isn¡¯t very specific and I understand very little of what it is showing me.

    I¡¯m so distracted by the new sensation, that It takes me a moment to notice that an outer disciple is standing in front of me. He smiles up at me. ¡°Senior Sister, what a gift it is to see you here.¡±

    I stare at him, surprised by his sudden appearance. ¡°Do I know you?¡±

    The outer disciple wears robes dirty from constant use, has short black hair and is very handsome when he smiles.

    ¡°Of course, how silly of me. The Elder sent me to help you. They thought that you might have some trouble keeping yourself safe from those who would wish you harm. So they sent me to help you.¡± The young man motions to a sword at his waist.

    ¡°The Elder did?¡± I ask, surprised that Elder Zhu Chen would do such a thing.

    ¡°Of course. Why don¡¯t I accompany you to your room to prove my sincerity?¡± The young man motions with his arm in the direction of my room.

    A dainty hand grabs the shoulder of the young man, as Ming Lai appears from out of the crowd. ¡°Which elder did you say that was?¡±

    The young man freezes. ¡°Well-¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be trying to trick my Junior Sister, now would you?¡± Ming Lai asks, her voice cold.

    ¡°O-of course not-¡±

    ¡°Because if you were, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d have no choice but to spend every effort to have you killed.¡± I freeze in surprise at the cold way she says that. She couldn¡¯t mean that, right?

    The young man immediately drops to the ground, his head touching the floor as he kneels. ¡°Please, forgive this foolish one. This one had eyes but could not see.¡±

    Ming Lai holds out her hand. ¡°Give them to me.¡± She says calmly.

    The young man¡¯s face pales. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what-¡±

    Ming Lai¡¯s face grows colder, ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask again.¡±

    Reluctantly, the young man reaches into his robe and hands Ming Lai something.

    ¡°Good. Now get out of my sight.¡±

    The young man disappears so fast I almost can¡¯t see him move.

    Finally, Ming Lai¡¯s expression turns to me before softening. ¡°Do not trust the words of others so easily.¡± She says turning away towards our rooms. ¡°Now come on, we don¡¯t want Junior Sister Xia to worry.¡±

    I glance in the direction the young man disappeared to before following Ming Lai.

 Chapter 7: Roars of The Ruinous Dragon

    ¡°How did you know where I was?¡± I ask MIng Lai as we walk.

    ¡°I knew you were at the library. I happened to find you on the way there.¡± Ming Lai responds as we walk into another pagoda. Small tables litter the floor in front of a stage where three men and a woman wearing Master robes sit writing on parchment. Ming Lai leads me over to Jing Xia, who greets me with a smile.

    I grab Ming Lai¡¯s hand before she leaves for her own class. ¡°Thank you Senior Sister.¡± I bow my head to her, thankful for her protection from that con artist.

    Ming Lai slips her hand out of my grip and pats me on the head. ¡°Of course Sister Lin. We disciples must look out for each other.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Jing Xia asks as Ming Lai walks away.

    ¡°Nothing important.¡± I answer, smiling up at her.

    The Masters proceed to introduce themselves before going on to teach calligraphy to the gathered disciples.

    Over the next month, I settled into a routine. First I¡¯d get up in the mornings to practice martial arts, then I¡¯d eat lunch with Jing Xia and Ming Lai, after lunch, I¡¯d use my four hours of free time to study spirit cultivation at the library. Tai Qiu would occasionally come to help me in my studies, but that was rare. After the library, I¡¯d join Jing Xia to learn from the Master Scholars. Finally, I¡¯d finish the day with the two requiems I could perform, the next requiem requiring me to advance in my cultivation before I could perform it.

    In the entire month, I only advanced one more page in the spirit manual. The third page was about recognizing the spirit inside of me. Tai Qiu said that I am in the spirit forming stage of spirit cultivation, the very first step.

    I sit on my bed, thinking about the third page. My flute sits in my lap, my fingers feeling the wood of the instrument.

    Bringing the flute to my lips, I begin The First Requiem. The world transforms around me; bodies covering the rocky floor, red and brown from the color of dried blood. The battle continues on, matching my song, until only the two warriors are left. Their blades dance, their bodies moving with the beat of the requiem.

    Inspiration hits me, and I pause in my music, the battle stopping as the two warriors stare at each other.

    Softly, my voice sings out. The words of the song are unfamiliar to me, but The Twelve Requiems of Illusion begins to glow softly, opening to a single blank page. As I sing the unfamiliar words, the two warriors bow to each other, their dance becoming deadlier. I begin to see spirit in the warriors. The song ends, but this time, one warrior kills the other without dying. The surviving warrior turns to me, bowing before the song ends.

    My mind is in a dream-like trance as I find myself in the training hall, my hand grasping the leather of an old sword¡¯s handle, the scabbard of the sword is grey with age.

    I know that I can choose to break the trance here, but decide against it. Curious to see what will happen.

    Reverently, I draw the blade from the scabbard. The music of the requiem surrounds me, as the surviving warrior appears in front of me.

    He bows to me, then draws his own bloodied sword from the scabbard at his waist.

    My body bows back to him, before it turns, revealing the dead warrior, who still  has a gaping sword wound in his chest.

    The surviving warrior lifts his sword arm in a ready stance, pointing towards the dead warrior and my body copies his. The dead warrior also enters into a ready stance.

    The requiem pauses for a brief moment.

    Then the requiem continues, and the dead warrior slices at me with his sword. The surviving warrior moves flawlessly to counter, my body copying his. The deadly dance continues, except this time, I am the one fighting on the deadly battlefield.

    I feel no true danger, so I do not break from the trance.

    My qi reserves complain, nearly empty from whatever illusion I have created around myself.

    Finally, the requiem ends, with my sword piercing the dead warriors flesh, right where the previous sword wound was.

    A hint of a smile appears on the dead warriors face, before he disappears. The surviving warrior bows to me again, before disappearing as well.

    Words solidify in the spirit within me, glowing with a bright red fury; the name of the sword technique being taught to me.

    Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon

    I drop to the ground in meditation as my qi wildly fluctuates in my body. Breathing out, a strange mist leaves my body as I cleanse my third meridian, breaking through to the third level of qi awakening.

    My qi doesn¡¯t stop contracting and expanding, and I don¡¯t stop cultivating. To my surprise, I feel my fourth meridian being cleansed as well.

    I don¡¯t know how long I sit in the training hall, an unsheathed sword in my lap, but when I open my eyes, I am in the fourth level of qi awakening.

    ¡°Well, that was fun to watch.¡± A chipper voice says from behind me, startling me from my thoughts.

    I hurriedly stand up, turning around to see a young man watching me. He is dressed in martial robes which don¡¯t tell me his position in the sect. Straight short black hair, and a relatively handsome face don¡¯t give me any clue as to who he is. But the air around him is sharp, and I can feel from the spirit in him that he is much more powerful than I am.

    I bow to him, blushing. ¡°I apologize if I disurbed you.¡±

    He smiles at me, shaking his head. ¡°You didn¡¯t disturb me. After all, it¡¯s not every day that I get to watch someone cleanse two meridians at once.¡± His gaze drops to the sword and scabbard I am holding in my hands.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    I hurriedly sheathe the sword, holding it out to him. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have taken this without permission, I apologize.¡±

    The young man laughs, waving away the sword. ¡°No need to be so polite, you did nothing wrong. Something powerful brought you to that sword, and the sword seems to like you. You can keep it.¡±

    I look down at the shabby and obviously old sword, wondering at how it could like me. Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around? ¡°Thank you for giving it to me.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± The young man says, turning to walk towards the exit. ¡°it is almost time for your martial training with the masters. I suggest you hurry if you don¡¯t wish to be late.¡±

    I pause, groaning as I realize that the whole night has passed me by.

    They say that once you reach a high enough cultivation level, you can go months or years without sleep.

    I am not at that cultivation level, which means I have a rough day ahead of me.

    JIng Xia greets me with a smile as I arrive at the training grounds, and I wave at her tiredly.

    Her smile turns to a frown as she studies me, ¡°Are you alright, Sister Lin?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°No.¡±

    Her expression switches to shock as she realizes that I am holding a sword in my hand. ¡°Where¡¯d you get that?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Someone gave it to me.¡± I answer a little sharper than I intended. I don¡¯t want to explain what happened, but I don¡¯t want to be mean. I turn my gaze to the ground as I continue, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t get much sleep.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± Jing Xia says, grabbing me and pulling me into a hug.

    I blush, embarrassed that she still treats me like a child.

    Soon, I¡¯ll hit my growth spurt. I¡¯m sure of it.

    The martial masters soon walk out and take us through our grueling training. Master Chao Wan immediately picks up on my increased ability, and pushes me even harder, leaving me with a bone weary tiredness as we approach lunch.

    To my surprise, instead of immediately dismissing us, like they usually do, the young man that I spoke to earlier walks out in front of us.

    I sit up, beginning my stretch routine on the grass. The weather is starting to cool, and a cloud passes overhead as the young man looks over the group of new inner disciples, myself included. He winks at me as his gaze passes over me.

    ¡°Good morning disciples. I am Elder Quon Li.¡± The young man smiles as everyone¡¯s attention fully centers on him. ¡°I am here today to tell you about the disciple rankings and challenges. The disciple ranking has been posted in front of your rooms as judged by Elder Yu. In order to rise in the sect and gain rewards, you have to challenge those ranked above you. You can only challenge someone ranked higher than you if you are younger than them. We want you to prove your talent, not your experience.¡± Elder Li takes one last look over the crowd, before smiling. ¡°Good luck.¡± he says and turns around, walking away.

    I meet Ming Lai and Jing Xia at lunch. Jing Xia greets me with a worried look, while Ming Lai simply nods to acknowledge my presence before her attention turns back to the scroll in her hands.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I ask, seeing Jing Xia¡¯s strange expression.

    Ming Lai sighs before handing me the scroll. I unfurl it, wondering what could be making them act so strangely.

    Inner Disciple Rankings

    Ming Lai immediately brings my attention to a certain heading.

    First Year Disciple Rankings.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bun Lei, Age 15, 4th Level Qi Awakened</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jia Lin, Age 12, 4th Level Qi Awakened</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hai Fun, Age 15,  4th Level Qi Awakened</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Gang Lu, Age 15, 3rd Level Qi Awakened</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jing Xia, Age 15, 3rd Level Qi Awakened</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Do you see the issue now?¡± Ming Lai asks, picking up her chopsticks to take a bite of her food.

    ¡°Not really?¡± I respond, folding up the scroll to hand it back to her.

    ¡°There are two inner disciples younger than you with a lower ranking.¡± Ming Lai starts, her movements elegant as she continues to eat. ¡°But they are not the issue. The issue is that you have become a target for every ill-intentioned suck-up outer disciple in the sect.¡±

    ¡°When did you reach the fourth level of Qi Awakening? Weren¡¯t you just at the second level?¡± Jing Xia interrupts, puzzled.

    I squirm in my seat a little, adjusting the sword at my waist. I¡¯m still not used to having a weapon on me. ¡°Last night.¡± I respond.

    The both of them share a look before looking back at me. Ming Lai coughs slightly before continuing, ¡°you need to be extremely careful now. People like to prey on rising stars, using them to raise their own status.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± I say, lowering my head as I begin to eat my rice.

    Jing Xia walks around the table, laying her hand on my shoulder. ¡°We are here for you.¡±

    I smile at her. ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Jia Lin!¡± Someone calls and all three of us turn to see a young boy around my age confidently standing in front of us, wearing the robes of an outer disciple. ¡°I, Long Bai, outer disciple of the alchemy pavilion, challenge you to a duel.¡±

    The dining hall goes quiet at the loudly declared challenge. The boy blushes a little at the attention.

    My breath catches at the suddenness of the challenge. I know that there is a proper etiquette for this situation. For cultivators, it is rude and dishonorable to deny a challenge issued. Standing up, I nod to Long Bai. Doing my best to recite what other cultivators had done when receiving a challenge, I respond, ¡°I, Jia Lin, accept your challenge.¡±  I pause, my mind racing to remember what comes next. My face stays carefully expressionless. ¡°SInce you have issued the challenge, what do you wish to wager?¡±

    ¡°Your position as an inner disciple.¡± Long Bai immediately responds.

    My heart skips a beat at the wager. I had expected it to be something simple to prove his capability as a cultivator, not something threatening my very position in the sect.

    Ming Lai coughs softly, shooting me a worried glance, ¡°Do you have something of equal value to offer?¡± She asks calmly, her eyes staring at Long Bai piercingly.

    Long Bai pauses, his body going stiff.

    After a long drawn out moment, Ming Lai continues, ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to-¡±

    ¡°My life!¡± Long Bai interrupts. ¡°I¡¯ll owe you a life debt.¡± Long Bai stares at me challengingly.

    Ming Lai frowns, unable to argue with his response.

    I frown as well. I can¡¯t take back my acceptance of the challenge, but I have no desire to wager my position as an inner disciple.

    Long Bai smiles triumphantly, ¡°Since you have accepted, then let us go-¡±

    This time, knowing that I cannot let him continue, I interrupt him by saying, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯m exhausted from my cultivation breakthrough last night. I¡¯m sure you can wait till tomorrow morning before our duel?¡±

    Long Bai frowns, but reluctantly nods. ¡°Very well, our duel will be tomorrow morning.¡± Long Bai twirls around, his outer disciple robes fluttering as he walks away.

    I stare at his back as he walks away, my mind racing. I¡¯ve never truly fought someone before! What if there¡¯s an accident? What if he is stronger than me and wins the duel? I know that being an outer disciple is not a safe position for someone like me. I know that I¡¯m a little¡­ naive when it comes to the ways of commoners and those in lesser positions.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have accepted the challenge without hearing the wager.¡± Jing Xia says, bringing my frustrated attention to her.

    ¡°I know!¡± I yell at her angrily, frustrated with myself and the boy¡¯s attitude. Seeing her troubled expression, I turn away, embarrassed about my outburst. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    I don¡¯t wait to hear her response as I hurry back to my room.

 Chapter 8: The Third Requiem

    I arrive at my room frustrated. I can¡¯t believe that I accepted like that right after they warned me. Am I stupid?

    I fall onto my bed and grab my pillow, then I scream into it.

    After a couple seconds of screaming, I feel better.

    I turn over in my bed, my gaze landing on my flute. I¡¯d set it down on my bed last night during my trance.

    I sit up in the bed, grabbing the flute to distract myself from my emotions. The Twelve Requiems of Illusion, responding to my desire, opens to a new page. I¡¯d gained access to another two requiems with my advance in cultivation. I think it¡¯s time to see what kind of gains the requiems can give me.

    I place the flute to my lips, pausing for a moment as I read the notes on the page of the cultivation manual.

    The Third Requiem: Murder

    The music starts out slow and haunting, each note almost ethereal as it flows into the next.

    The world changes around me, my empty bedroom turning into a wealthy home. Ornate paintings line the walls and smoke flows from incense.

    The smoke flows and twists with the music through the air.

    A young woman in a silk dress walks through the smoke, her movements matching with the notes as the music becomes crisper, less haunting.

    An older man smiles at her, his eyes focusing on her.

    The woman smiles back at him, her hand resting on the sword at her waist, moving up to him as she kisses him.

    A blush comes to my face, but I continue playing the music.

    A long, drawn out note comes to a stop as the woman backs away from the man, breaking the kiss and  still smiling playfully.

    For a brief moment, there is silence. Then a dark, discordant note comes from my flute.

    The woman draws her sword, chopping through the man¡¯s neck in one stroke.

    My mind freezes as my fingers and breath continue to play the notes of a haunting melody.

    The man¡¯s body falls to the ground, his head still connected by a thread of skin. Blood spurts out, covering the beautiful woman¡¯s dress.

    The woman turns to me, my melody becoming softer and darker.

    Again, I set my flute down, words whose meaning I do not know coming from me as I start to sing. My voice hurts at the darkness of the words, but I don¡¯t stop singing.

    The woman reaches for her sword.

    I stand up, entering the same position that she had, my sword still at my waist. The eerie music continues around me, as I copy her movements.

    Again I am taught swordsmanship, but this time it is darker, malevolent. Each slash of her sword is meant to kill and draw blood. It is not meant for the killing of a battlefield, but the silent and swift murder of others who can not defend themselves.

    Words solidify in my spirit, glowing with a dark light; the name of the technique being taught to me.

    Whispers Of The Silent Raven

    After an unknown amount of time, I collapse onto my bed, falling asleep.

    ***

    I wake up, my head turning to the evening sunlight which still filters through my window. The light feels nice on my skin, warming me up with its heat. It is around the time that I should be meeting with the master scholars for lessons, but my mind and body feel exhausted.

    I get up from the bed, and open the door to my room, looking both ways. The servant who lights the lanterns for my room is dusting the painting in the hallway. I take the chance to finally take in what she looks like. Her black hair is pulled back into a bun, and her eyes show a hint of a smile as she hums softly to herself. Her body is lithe and thin, her servants robes giving her plenty of room for movement.

    I clear my throat to get her attention. She turns to me, bowing when she recognizes me. ¡°Forgive me young miss, I did not sense your presence. What is it that this lowly one can do for you?¡±

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    ¡°Could you bring me some soothing tea?¡± I ask, my voice surprisingly sore from the usage of the third requiem.

    ¡°Of course young miss.¡± She responds.

    I close the door, and return to my bed. I look out at the sky through my window, my thoughts aimless.

    I grab my flute, putting my lips to it as I stare at the sky. Soft sounds come out, slowly turning into a song my mother used to play for me as a child.

    I¡¯d seen killing before, but it was never like that. She kissed him, and then¡­.

    I play a wrong note, so similar to the discordant note that I had played when she used her sword to chop through his neck.

    My mind refocuses on the song my mother played, focusing on the soft and playful notes.

    There was no remorse in her eyes at the man¡¯s death. Only a hardness that scares me.

    A knock on my door interrupts my thoughts and my music.

    The servant enters my room with a tea set, gently pouring the tea with a practiced hand.

    I thank her and she bows to me before leaving the room.

    The tea soothes my throat, and brings some calm to my mind. The sunlight coming through the open window warms my skin, reminding me that not all is dark in the world.

    I rub my arm without thinking. My gaze wandering to the slowly darkening blue sky through my window.

    Another knock on the door again breaks me from my thoughts.

    I gulp down the rest of the tea in my cup, hoping it¡¯ll help me swallow the lump in my throat.

    ¡°Come in.¡± I say quietly, adjusting my hair which had been messed up from my unplanned nap.

    A servant I don¡¯t recognize opens the door, bowing to me as she enters the room. ¡°Master Tai Qiu wishes to see you.¡± The servant says, her head still bowed.

    I look at the servant in surprise, ¡°Did Senior Sister Tai Qiu say why she wanted to see me?¡± She has never directly called for me before, instead seeing me in the library when I chose to visit.

    ¡°Master Tai Qiu did not specify to this servant why she has summoned you.¡± The servant replies formally, her expression not revealing any of her thoughts.

    I frown, trying to place what her reason could be for calling for me. Something to do with my cultivation of spirit perhaps? It is what most of our meetings are about after all. But, I don¡¯t understand why she would need to summon me for that.

    I place my flute in my robes, then stare at the sword given to me by the elder. The sword now lies in its sheath on the bed. Images of a similar sword cutting through a man¡¯s throat flash through my head. Shaking my head, I grab the sword and tie it around my waist. The servant patiently waits as I prepare myself.

    Once I feel presentable enough, I turn to the servant, motioning for her to lead the way. She bows again before leading me out of my room.

    The sect is surprisingly calm, with less disciples on the paths. Most are in their lessons given by the master scholars, as I would be if I had chosen to attend them.

    I notice more gazes on me than usual, whispers coming from the few people still on the paths. The servant ignores those we pass, not even glancing at them as she leads me down a path I haven¡¯t traveled before.

    My hand drops to the sword at my waist as I realize we are walking down an unfamiliar path. Sister Xia and Sister Lai¡¯s words of caution echo through my mind. My gaze locks on the servant guiding me. What proof do I have that she is truly leading me to Senior Sister Tai Qiu?

    Fewer people walk the path we are on as we leave the main buildings of the sect, and enter a forest grove. A small stream flows along the side of the path, the noise of the brook sounding almost like music to me.

    I ignore the thought of the brook as my grip tightens on my sword. The servant appears to be at the same cultivation level as me, but if I strike her using The Whispers Of The Silent Raven, I think that I could kill-

    I shake my head, loosening my grip on my sword. There¡¯s no need for that kind of thought. I have no proof that she isn¡¯t a servant of Tai Qiu¡¯s. No need to think of killing until it is actually needed.

    The path gets narrower until we reach a beautiful clearing, sunlight shining down on an array of flowers and a lone woman watching something I can¡¯t see. A breath of relief escapes me when I realize that Tai Qiu is standing there, her arms behind her back in a thoughtful pose and her master¡¯s robes flowing slightly in the wind.

    Tai Qiu glances up as we enter the clearing. The servant bows to her before immediately leaving back down the path.

    Tai Qiu¡¯s eyes flicker to the sword at my waist before looking back at my face. She lifts an arm, motioning me over, before turning back to what she was originally studying.

    I move to where she stands, looking at what she is studying so intensely.

    A faint shimmer in the shape of a doorway stands slightly above the ground, blurring the tree behind it.

    Questions fill me at the strange sight, but I stay quiet, waiting for her to speak.

    A few minutes pass as she continues with her silence, and I start to notice something strange about the shimmer. The spirit of the doorway, it feels different compared to all the spirit of the forest around it.

    ¡°Why is the spirit of the doorway so different?¡± I ask before I can stop myself.

    ¡°It is the spirit that fills the land of wherever this portal leads to.¡± Tai Qiu says thoughtfully, before turning her gaze to me. ¡°Tell me, what is so different about the spirit you sense through this portal?¡±

    I frown, trying to place what it is. ¡°It feels¡­ harsher. Darker? I don¡¯t really know, but it reminds me of¡­¡± I pause, thinking about how it reminds me of the battlefield from the The First Requiem. ¡°A battlefield.¡± I finish.

    Tai Qiu nods. ¡°The spirit from the other realm is tainted by death and blood, much like a battlefield.¡±

    ¡°Another realm?¡± I ask, surprised by Tai Qiu¡¯s words.

    ¡°Indeed. Wherever this portal leads, it is not within this realm. Thankfully, the Elders and I closed it before anything on the other side could come through.¡±

    A flash of fear fills me as I think about what kind of person would come from a world filled with so much death.

    Another minute passes as Tai Qiu and I watch the portal.

    I glance at her, noticing how she still gazes at the portal intently. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± I wonder out loud.

    ¡°A reason.¡± Tai Qiu responds, her gaze not leaving the portal. ¡°Portals like this don¡¯t just come out of nowhere. They are created. And I want to know why.¡±

    I nodded in understanding, before the question I had originally wanted to ask finally makes itself known. ¡°Why did you have me come here?¡±

    Tai Qiu finally smiles as she looks at me. ¡°All the Elders are busy while I am left to guard this portal. I thought you might make some gains in spirit cultivation from studying the spirit leaking out of this portal.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Senior Sister.¡± I say, bowing to her before immediately sitting down in a lotus position. My spirit sense expands around the portal as I study the dark spirit coming out of it.

 Chapter 9: The First Duel

    I stay at the sight of the portal until night comes, gaining insights into the nature of spirit as I do. Unfortunately, my duel tomorrow prevents me from staying longer.

    I bow gratefully to Tai Qiu who acknowledges it with a nod, before returning to my room.

    The usual servant notices me, lighting the lantern in my room as I enter it. I thank her and she bows to me before leaving.

    Physical exhaustion fills me as I unbuckle my sword and lean it against the bed. My muscles ache from the two unexpected sword lessons and the usual martial arts practice the sect has us go through. That, combined with my lack of sleep from the previous night, means that I barely manage to disrobe and set my flute aside before falling into my bed and drifting off to sleep.

    ***

    A knock on my door the next morning rouses me from my dreams. Sister Xia¡¯s voice calls my name repeatedly, forcing me to stumble out of my bed.

    ¡°One moment.¡± I call blearily to her, slapping my cheeks in an effort to wake myself up.

    My old robes were replaced with clean martial robes during the night. It takes me a moment to put them on, my mind still working slowly from lack of sleep. Finally, I wrap my sword around my waist.

    Now that  I feel presentable enough, I open the door to reveal Sister Xia and Sister Lai waiting patiently.

    Sister Xia looks at me with worry before quickly trying to mask it with a smile.

    The rest of the morning passes slowly as I worry about my upcoming duel with Long Bai. To my surprise, my exercise routine for the morning was lessened by the martial masters due to my duel.

    It is during breakfast that Chao Wan, the martial master who uses a simple sword, approaches the table that Jing Xia, Ming Lai and I sit at.

    ¡°It is time for the duel between Jia Lin and Long Bai, please accompany me.¡± I bow my head to her in acknowledgement. Then I stand up to accompany her, leaving my half eaten bowl of rice at my table.

    Master Chao Wan leads me to an open field, with a large circle of packed dirt in the middle. On one edge of that circle sits the outer disciple who had challenged me. His closed eyes open as I approach, his hand moving to rest comfortably on the sword at his waist.

    To my surprise, quite a few inner and outer disciples form a small crowd around our match. I notice as Jing Xia and Ming Lai join that crowd.

    I blush slightly as I realize that so many people will be watching our match.

    What if I lose? What if he easily outmatches me?

    What if he kills me?

    I shake my head, trying to ignore those thoughts as I move to the opposite side of the circle from him.

    Master Chao Wan moves to the center of the circle, calmly looking over the whole crowd.

    ¡°Outer disciple Long Bai of the alchemy pavilion has challenged inner disciple Jia Lin, wagering a life debt in exchange for the position of inner disciple.¡± The master says, her voice easily carrying over the crowd. ¡°The rules for this duel are simple. The first one to draw blood wins. If one of you steps out of the ring, you forfeit the duel.¡±

    I close my eyes as she speaks, breathing in and out to calm myself from a rush of anxiety.

    ¡°Jing Xia, are you ready?¡± Master Chao Wan asks.

    I open my eyes, nodding to her.

    She turns to my opponent, ¡°Long Bai, are you ready?¡±

    He nods as well.

    The Master steps out of the dirt circle. ¡°You may begin.¡±

    Long Bai immediately draws his sword and charges at me. Flame wraps his feet, giving him a burst of speed and allowing him to cover the distance in an instant.

    My body freezes. I watch as he draws closer to me, his sword in an arc towards my neck.

    No thoughts flash through my head in that moment. I don¡¯t regret anything, no memories fill my mind. Instead, my mind is strangely empty, only one thought passing through my head.

    I will not die.

    Whispers Of The Silent Raven.

    My sword slides from its sheath as I block his blow with one movement. I immediately realize that his blow will overpower mine, so I dance out of the way, using my sword to redirect his away from me.

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    He stumbles slightly from the change in momentum, nearly stepping outside of the circle. He turns to face me, a newfound wariness clear on his face.

    Softly, I start to sing, the song deep and dark, but still nearly inaudible. The ground around us turns the color of blood as the sound of steel on steel fills the air. The shimmering shapes of bodies lie on the ground.

    An outline of the surviving warrior stands next to me.

    The First Requiem: The Field Of Blood

    The surviving warrior raises his sword, and I follow his movement, my body switching stances into The Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon.

    The warrior strikes, and my sword follows, seeking Long Bai¡¯s throat.

    Long Bai stumbles back, dodging my attack by a hair¡¯s breadth.

    He looks scared for a moment, but flame quickly wraps around his feet again. He bursts forward towards me, flame briefly wrapping around his sword and increasing the speed of his strike.

    The surviving warrior casually steps to the side, and I easily dodge the swing. The boy looks at me in surprise, this time his momentum easily carrying him out of the ring as his sword buries itself into the ground from the power behind it.

    I stop my singing, my voice still sore from my use of the third requiem last night.

    Long Bai stares at his buried sword in shock. The burn marks from the flame around his sword scarring the wound in the earth black.

    ¡°Jia Lin has won the duel, as witnessed by myself.¡± Master Chao Wan says casually. The surrounding disciples burst into conversation.

    I blush as I realize that all of their attention is still on me. I sheathe my sword and gasp in surprise as Jing Xia grabs me, squeezing me to her.

    ¡°That was so cool! I didn¡¯t know you were so skilled with the sword! You defeated him in three moves!¡± I blush into Jing Xia¡¯s robe at her excitement.

    It takes me a moment to realize that no one other than Long Bai and I could see the illusion I¡¯d created.

    ¡°It was impressive, but Long Bai¡¯s ineptitude is what people will see more than your skill.¡± Ming Lai says from somewhere, Sister Xia¡¯s robe blocking my vision.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take this moment away from her Senior Sister Lai!¡± Jing Xia says teasingly in my defence.

    After my blush has mostly disappeared, I push Sister Xia away from me. ¡°Thanks. It was... a little terrifying.¡± I laugh a little in relief that I won.

    Jing Xia nods excitedly, before noticing the crowd around us. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back to our rooms.¡±

    Ming Lai stares icely at the disciples approaching us and they quickly back off, letting us through back to our rooms.

    Both of the girls follow me into my room, and I feel grateful for their company as Jing Xia continues to talk animatedly about the duel.

    When there¡¯s a pause in the conversation, Ming Lai reaches into her robe and hands me a bag of spirit stones. ¡°These are some of my winnings from the match.¡± She says casually, handing them to me. I open the bag and stare it in awe, before handing it back.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one that won these.¡± I say, part of me wanting to just keep them. But I know that it wouldn¡¯t be right.

    ¡°Keep them. I have plenty saved up, plus I¡¯ll soon have all the spirit stones I want.¡± Both Jing Xia and I stare at her curiously.

    Ming Lai looks down, ¡°Elder Li Mei Wu has accepted me as a core disciple.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± I say, Jing Xia echoing me with even more enthusiasm.

    Ming Lai looks away from the both of us, a faint blush on her cheeks. She clears her throat before continuing. ¡°Anyway, we should celebrate your victory. You haven¡¯t been to the market yet, have you?¡±

    I shake my head at her. ¡°No, not yet.¡±

    ¡°Good. You¡¯ll like the place we¡¯re going to then.¡± Jing Xia says, clapping her hands together.

    I look between the two of them, then look down, grateful for the both of them.

    A knock turns my attention to the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡± I call, and a servant opens the door.

    She bows to three of us. ¡°A message from Long Bai of the Alchemy Pavilion.¡± She hands a fancy looking scroll to me.

    I take the scroll and unfurl it.

    I, outer disciple Long Bai of the Alchemy Pavilion, owe you, inner disciple Jia Lin, a life debt. I apologize for underestimating your ability during our duel, next time I will treat you with the respect you deserve. If you ever need anything from me, come to the alchemy pavilion and I will do whatever you desire to the utmost of my ability.

    ¡°What is the Alchemy Pavilion?¡± I ask both of them. I look up to see the both of them shocked. I blush, ¡°I mean, I know what alchemy is, and I know what a pavilion is, but why is it attached to Long Bai¡¯s name every time he is introduced?¡±

    Ming Lai frowns, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s my fault that you are ignorant of such a thing. There are many pavilions in the sect, they exist as education and power centers for the outer disciples. The Alchemy Pavilion, the Crafting Pavilion, and the Martial Pavilion are the three with the most influence. When an outer disciple is accepted into a pavilion, it means that they have shown genius in that area. Long Bai is likely richer than you through his work in the Alchemy Pavilion.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± I glance at the scroll in my hands before rolling it back up and placing it next to my bed. Changing the subject, I continue ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the market.¡±

    Jing Xia smiles, taking my hands in hers as we stand up. ¡°You¡¯re going to love it. It¡¯s quite the sight to see.¡±

    We set out and they lead me to a path I hadn¡¯t been on since we entered the sect. The energy around us slowly changes as we walk down the road and it fills with outer disciples excitedly going about their business.

    My eyes catch on the many Spirit Beasts following disciples around and held in cages at market stalls, some of the more exotic ones catching my eyes.

    Ming Lai spits in disgust at the spirit beasts trapped in cages. ¡°Barbaric.¡± She says, loud enough for the merchant and those shopping to hear her.

    They just bow after seeing her inner disciple robes, ignoring her insult.

    She doesn¡¯t pay any more attention to them as she continues walking. I speed up to keep up with her and Jing Xia.

    ¡°It¡¯s as bad as slavery, those creatures aren¡¯t mindless beasts.¡± Ming Lai says to the both of us, not looking at us.

    I look back at the cages, feeling bad for the creatures stuck inside them.

    I¡¯m distracted again when my breath is taken away by the sight of an impressive building with soft music coming out of it. Two strong looking outer disciples stand guard, looking at jade bracelets before allowing people through.

    ¡°Welcome to the staple of any powerful force.¡± Ming Lai says, her frown from her earlier comment turning into a smile. ¡°The Merchant House.¡±

 Chapter 10: The Merchant House

    We show the guards of the merchant house our bracelets and they let us in. Immediately my sight is caught by gems lined up on a counter, some of them  holding strange spirit energy.

    However my gaze soon moves on to the many wondrous products being sold all along the sides of the merchant house. Strange glowing artifacts, to pills that hold mysterious auras and statues so expertly carved that they look alive.

    ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ming Lai looks slightly smug because of my reaction. ¡°Occasionally there are auctions that hold even more rare and interesting items.¡± She walks up to the stall full of gems that I had originally looked at. ¡°The twenty spirit stones I won you won¡¯t buy you anything too out of the ordinary, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something that you want within your price range.¡±

    I look over at Jing Xia, noticing a strange, wary look on her face. She notices my attention and smiles to cover it up. ¡°Once you decide on something, Senior Sister Lai and I wanted to take you to this amazing restaurant! I¡¯ve never tasted anything like their food.¡±

    ¡°That was supposed to be a surprise.¡± Ming Lai says, frowning at Jing Xia.

    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just looking forward to it a lot.¡± Jing Xia looks away, slightly embarrassed.

    Ming Lai sighs, rolling her eyes as she tries to hide her smile.

    I laugh at their interaction. ¡°Thank you.¡± I say, turning away and walking towards a random table before they can see my smile of pure joy.

    I¡¯m glad that they are my friends.

    The table I happened to walk to holds all sorts of strange artistry on scrolls.

    The merchant at the table continues to focus on his newest artwork as I study the scrolls, his straw hat hiding his face.

    ¡°What are they?¡± I wonder out loud.

    To my surprise the man answers ¡°Talismans.¡±

    My eyes widen in surprise. I¡¯ve heard stories about talismans, but I know that they are incredibly rare. Talismans are scrolls that manifest powerful abilities when activated by their controller¡¯s qi.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a talisman before.¡± I say to the man, still studying the strange designs on them.

    ¡°The art of making them is a closely guarded secret. A secret which few craftsmen remember.¡± The man says, setting his brush down as he holds his newest creation in front of him. ¡°I would be surprised if a young lass like you recognized them.¡± He finally sets the scroll down, showing a surprisingly young face that has only a scar across his cheek marring it.

    I look closer at the designs on the scrolls, trying to tell what they do. ¡°Why don¡¯t you label them?¡± I ask, still gazing intently at one particular piece that looked like a burst of flame reaching towards the sky.

    The man shrugs, ¡°Those who know their worth will buy the Talisman they are looking for. Those who don¡¯t know their worth, can spend their money on other useless things.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a smart way to earn money.¡± I say, picking up the scroll I had been studying. ¡°How much does this cost?¡±

    ¡°It works for me.¡± The man responds to my first comment before answering my question. ¡°That scroll costs however many spirit stones you have in that pouch in your robe.¡±

    I pause, surprised by his bluntness. ¡°What does it do?¡±

    The man shrugs. ¡°I forget.¡±

    I narrow my eyes at him in annoyance.

    The man smiles, ignoring my stare. ¡°I can tell you that it is worth far more than the amount of spirit stones you have in your possession.¡±

    I almost decide to walk away because of his vagueness, but my spirit sense stops me. The spirit in the scroll. It feels ancient in a way I can¡¯t quite place.

    With a sigh at my own foolishness, and knowing that both of my friends will be giving me a lecture when they find out, I pull the pouch out of my robe and place it in front of him, grabbing the scroll.

    I give the merchant a slight bow, ¡°Thank you for your generosity, senior.¡±

    The merchant turns away from me, waving his hand slightly in response.

    When it becomes clear that he isn¡¯t going to verbally respond, I walk away.

    It takes me a moment to find Jing Xia and Ming Lai. Surprisingly enough, they are looking at cloth. Ming Lai says something to the merchant and he bows in response, leaving as the two girls turn to face me.

    ¡°Are you done shopping?¡± Jing Xia asks as I approach.

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    I nod in response.

    Jing Xia clasps her hands together in excitement. ¡°Wonderful, we¡¯re done with our business as well.¡± She glances over at Ming Lai, and Ming Lai nods in confirmation. ¡°So we can go to the place a little earlier than planned.¡±

    ***

    The food at the restaurant is as good as they made it out to be and we all have a fun time, Ming Lai¡¯s face turns red when she drinks more of the alcohol than she had originally planned and Jing Xia has a lot of fun teasing her for it.

    I return to my room with a smile on my face, placing the scroll I bought in a pocket of my robe.

    A knock on the door surprises me, as a servant I don¡¯t recognize opens the door.

    ¡°The Master wishes to see you.¡±

    I nod in understanding, adjusting my sword and the flute in the pocket of my robe. Tai Qiu must wish to see me.

    The servant leads me down the same path as last night, and I see someone in Master¡¯s robes waiting by the portal.

    My steps slow as I realize it isn¡¯t Master Tai Qiu. They¡¯re too tall, and their shoulders are too broad.

    My hand wanders towards my sword, but I stop myself. There¡¯s no way I could fight someone at a Master¡¯s level. They¡¯re likely already cultivated to Core Formation, they might even be on the verge of reaching Nascent Soul in their cultivation.

    The servant leads me to right behind the master, where we stop.

    I bow to the man¡¯s back, ¡°Junior inner disciple Jia Lin, greets Senior.¡±

    The man turns around with a soft smile. ¡°Greetings miss Lin. I am Master Chung Zhao of the Alchemy Pavilion.¡±

    I rise from my bow as he introduces himself. I stay quiet, knowing it is polite to wait for him to start the conversation.

    Flashbacks of a situation so similar to this come to mind. An official of the imperial palace had called me to his study, asking me questions about my feelings towards other politicians and what I would tell my father.

    I knew what was happening then, just as I know what is happening now. Politics. A man of power that I don¡¯t know has a servant bring me to a place where no one else is. A memory of one of Princess Da Shi¡¯s lessons comes to mind.

    Her posture was perfect as always as she stared out the window. ¡°When an official brings you to them and you are alone, they want one of three things. The first of those things is unspeakable, and I hope this never happens to you. If it does, I want you to immediately tell me and your father, do not hide it, that only makes things worse.¡±

    I knew what she was saying. I¡¯d heard stories of the men and women that harmed those under them from the other noble girls.

    She turned to look at me, her piercing eyes watching me carefully. ¡°The other two things are much easier to deal with.¡± She stood up, her presence drawing all of my attention to her. ¡°The second thing an official might want is a deal or bargain. Never, and I mean never trust a deal made without the supervision of others. No one will hold the other party to their word, and so such deals are dangerous.¡±

    The princess brought out her fan, holding it in front of her mouth. ¡°The third thing an official will want in this situation is the most valuable thing you have.¡± She moves her fan away from her face, showing a slight smile. ¡°Information. Never give it away freely. Even the smallest of comments could mean the downfall of you or your father.¡±

    ¡°I heard that you defeated an outer disciple of my pavilion. Long Bai, I believe.¡± Master Chung Zhao speaks, breaking me from my memory.

    ¡°Yes, he was a strong opponent.¡± I say, trying to keep my answer as brief as possible while still being polite.

    ¡°That is not what my students tell me.¡± The Master says, his smile still kind as his attention turns back to the portal, ¡°They say you defeated him easily.¡±

    ¡°Your students are too kind, Master Chung Zhao.¡± I respond, focusing on breathing calmly and keeping my heart rate even. A master of his level can likely hear such things, and I have no desire to show how nervous I am.

    ¡°They can be.¡± He says, his attention still on the portal. I turn to watch it as well, noticing the slight ripples in it, almost as if it was the heat from a fire.

    I practice my breathing, dearly wishing that I could bring my flute out and play to calm myself down.

    ¡°I also hear from my students that this is not the first time you have seen this portal. I believe that Master Tai Qiu had you brought here.¡± He waves in a wide motion, encompassing the whole clearing.

    Since he didn¡¯t ask a question, I stay quiet. It has been a while since I¡¯ve truly needed to practice the etiquette and intrigue that I¡¯ve been taught since birth. I¡¯m scared that I might say something that could hurt Senior Sister Tai Qiu.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure her lessons here helped you in your duel with Long Bai. Perhaps you could share your lessons with me and I could offer some insight as well? I do enjoy helping my Junior Sister with teaching her students.¡±

    I freeze, unsure what to say.

    He notices the hesitation, but waits for me to talk.

    ¡°Master Tai Qiu has been quite helpful with the manual I picked from the library.¡± I say slowly, trying to come up with an excuse for not telling him. Finally, something close to the truth comes to mind. ¡°Forgive me Master Chung Zhao, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m supposed to talk about my lessons. You should ask Master Tai Qiu, I¡¯m sure she can offer more insight into her teachings than I can.¡± My heartbeat increases, in spite of my efforts to keep it calm.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite understandable.¡± Master Chung Zhao says calmly, his brown eyes watching me carefully. He smiles that kind smile again. ¡°I look forward to speaking with you again, miss Lin.¡±

    At the obvious dismissal, I bow. ¡°I look forward to our next meeting as well.¡±

    I do my best not to quicken my steps as I walk away.

    Once I¡¯m out of the clearing, I stop, causing the servant guiding me to stop as well. I close my eyes, going over every part of the conversation and trying to memorize the exact words. Da Shi was very specific about doing this, and I want to tell Senior Sister Tai Qiu everything that happened.

    After a deep breath, I open my eyes and continue walking, the servant matching my pace.

    Maybe I¡¯m overthinking things, perhaps Chung Zhao simply wants to help me with my learning.

    But I don¡¯t know for sure, and the feeling I got when I entered that clearing was too similar to my time at the imperial court.

    Senior Sister Tai Qiu will know whether I am overthinking things. She can tell me that Chung Zhao truly just wished to help me on my path of cultivation.

 Chapter 11: The Fourth Requiem

    When I reach my room, I lean against the wall, taking a moment.

    Once I feel in control of myself, I look for the servant who usually works near my room. She easily agrees to show me the way to Master Tai Qiu¡¯s room.

    A short walk and a soft knock later, Tai Qiu opens the door to her room. I pause, surprised to see her with her hair down.

    ¡°Junior Sister Lin,¡± Tai Qiu says with surprise, her gaze becoming cautious. ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Master Chung Zhao called me to speak with him.¡± I say, some of my worry leaking into my voice.

    Tai Qiu¡¯s eyes sharpen. ¡°Come in.¡± She says to me, before turning to the servant who brought me. ¡°Thank you for bringing her to me.¡±

    The servant bows, ¡°Of course Master Tai Qiu.¡± She says, before turning to leave.

    Tai Qiu watches as the servant leaves before closing the door and turning to me ¡°What happened?¡±

    I tell her the entire conversation as I remember it. She sits calmly as I recite what we discussed, her expression not showing any of her thoughts. When I¡¯m finished, she exhales in relief.

    ¡°You worried me, Junior Sister. From your expression, I¡¯d thought something truly horrible had happened.¡± She says, her expression softening into a smile.. ¡°I suppose that I have been showing you quite a lot of attention lately, I¡¯m not surprised that Chung Zhao became curious.¡±

    Her nonchalance calms me down, and as I look back at our conversation, I realize that Master Chung Zhao hadn¡¯t actually done anything wrong.

    ¡°Your response to his question was perfectly reasonable. You shouldn¡¯t be telling anyone you don¡¯t want to, your cultivation arts.¡± Tai Qiu continues. ¡°In fact, I would recommend not telling anyone you don¡¯t trust with your life.¡±

    ¡°So I was just overthinking things? I don¡¯t need to be wary of him?¡± I ask her, feeling a little embarrassed about my overreaction.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Tai Qiu starts, making me look up at her. ¡°Master Chung Zhao is not someone to take lightly. Him and I, we both want the same thing. We will both go to great lengths to achieve what we want.¡±

    ¡°What do you both want?¡± I ask the obvious question.

    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a secret.¡± Tai Qiu pauses, her eyes seeming to weigh me and who I am.  ¡°We both want to be the next Elder of the sect.¡±

    I look down into my palms, thinking. In other words, by supporting Tai Qiu, I¡¯ve chosen a side in a political battle. Chung Zhao is no longer an ally I can trust.

    I nod, looking back up at Tai Qiu. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Tai Qiu smiles, holding her hand out to me.

    I hold her hand as we both stand up.

    ¡°Good. You should get to sleep then. I¡¯m sure you have much to do tomorrow¡±

    ***

    I spend the next few weeks practicing my spirit sense, solidifying my foundation and continuing to learn the art of the sword from the first Requiem. After two weeks, I feel comfortable enough to play the third requiem again. This time, I cry after watching the woman murder the man. A month later, and a week before my thirteenth birthday, I feel myself become ready for the next step.

    The Fourth Requiem: Sacrifice

    Every Requiem brings with it emotions that I find hard to handle. The very sight of the page where it is written, twists my heart.

    I sit in my room, my flute in my lap and The Twelve Requiems of Illusion open in front of me.

    I close my eyes, breathing in and out as I prepare myself to play.

    Gently, with my eyes still closed, I bring the flute up to my lips. I open my eyes, to see the manual aloft in front of me.

    Softly I start to play.

    Each note starts out strong before fading.

    Low, soft notes play out into my room.

    The world shifts around me.

    My softly lit room twists into a cold room surrounded by stone walls and lit by torch light.

    A man holds a woman there, both softly swaying to the beat of the music.

    A loud drum starts to beat as the sounds of shouts echo down the hallway into the room.

    The man leans forward, whispering into the woman¡¯s ear.

    Then he pulls away from her.

    She reaches for him, her hand tugging on the back of his shirt.

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    He turns briefly to smile at her.

    He holds his hand out, qi gathering within him.

    Shadow bursts from him, gathering around her until only the wall behind her can be seen and she is invisible.

    The drums draw closer, their beat growing louder with the notes of my music.

    Each note of my flute sounds loud with the drum, before fading with it.

    Humans in bloodied armor burst into the room.

    The man calls to them, yelling at them before running.

    They follow him and my vision follows him as well.

    Eventually, he turns, drawing the sword at his waist.

    He fights bravely, his strikes following the music of my song.

    Soon he dies, a sword through his heart killing him near instantly.

    A look of triumph, however, never leaves his eyes.

    My vision is brought back to the woman.

    She leaves the shadow long after the battle, and she sees him.

    He lies there, dead, but with a smile on his face.

    I know why he smiles. He smiles because she lives.

    The song fades, and I set my flute down. This time, it wasn¡¯t what I expected. I stare at my flute thoughtfully. A single tear streams down my face before I wipe it away with the sleeve of my robe.

    It¡¯s strange, witnessing death over and over again. I can¡¯t really describe the feeling, but it no longer gives me the burst of emotion it used to. Instead, I feel this deep sorrow to the core of my spirit.

    The man died for that woman.

    Would I do the same for another person?

    I don¡¯t know. I want to think that I would.

    I leave my room, walking out of the building to stare at the star filled sky. I stay there for the rest of the night, only the sound of the flowing water from a nearby stream to accompany me.

    ***

    The morning of my thirteenth birthday is a normal day. A far cry from my birthday last year where my father had thrown a large party, inviting every influential person he could to attend.

    I lay in bed for a moment, having woken up earlier than usual. I feel a small ache in my heart from remembering my father. I wonder how he is doing? First mother, and now I, have gone from his life.

    I get up slowly from my bed, opening the shutters of my window to show that the sun is just starting to rise in the sky.

    I pull out my flute, playing softly on it. Another song that my mother taught me, almost gone from my memory now.

    It will be at least another two years before I¡¯m allowed to leave the sect. When I do, I hope to check up on my father. I wonder if he¡¯ll recognize me? I¡¯ll have grown so much by then.

    A bird lands on the tree outside of my window, looking almost as if it is listening to my music. The small creature starts to hop on the branch, another bird joining in the fun a moment later.

    I try not to smile as I watch the birds dance. Eventually, I can¡¯t help it and I have to set the flute down to laugh at the playful creatures.

    ¡°It seems that your morning is going well.¡± An elderly voice says from behind me.

    I turn around with a large smile ¡°Uncle Zhu! It¡¯s been so long!¡± I say happily, hugging the old man. I pull away, frowning. ¡°Have you gotten shorter?¡±

    ¡°Bah!¡± Elder Zhu gently pushes me away, trying to hide a happy smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy, and you¡¯ve been growing taller Little Miss Lin. My height hasn¡¯t changed.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I tease him, my good mood from the birds impossible to hide.

    Elder Zhu sagely ignores my comment. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing good things about you, Little Miss Lin. Already at the fourth level of Qi Awakening, handily defeating another cultivator in a duel¡­. You¡¯re making quite the name for yourself.¡±

    I blush at the compliment, fiddling with my flute to hide my embarrassment. ¡°What brings you here this morning Uncle Zhu?¡±

    He raises an eyebrow at me, ¡°How could I miss your first birthday in the sect?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you remember.¡± I look back out the window at the birds, a small smile on my face in spite of my next words ¡°I thought no one would remember.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure those two friends of yours already have something planned.¡± Elder Zhu says confidently.

    I look back at him, jumping up and down a little bit as I change the topic. ¡°What¡¯d you bring me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± Elder Zhu looks away from me.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I say, looking down as I sit on the edge of my bed.

    ¡°Now that you mention it, I do have this ring¡­¡±

    I jump up, grabbing the ring from his hand to look at it. It looks like a plain bronze ring, but I know better than to judge items by their appearance. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°A ring of protection. It¡¯s designed to save your life from a fatal attack up to the nascent soul level. ¡° Elder Zhu says smugly.

    My eyes widen as I stare at the ring, then back to Elder Zhu, then back to the ring. ¡°This is more than I ever expected. Thank you Uncle Zhu.¡±

    Elder Zhu scratches his beard, trying to hide his embarrassment from being thanked. ¡°Think nothing of it. I promised your father that I would keep you safe, and that¡¯s what I intend to do.¡±

    ¡°How is my father? I¡¯ve been worried.¡± I say, placing the bronze ring on my finger and studying it on my hand.

    ¡°He¡¯s been busy with the news of the dying emperor.¡± An expression I can¡¯t read flashes over his face before he continues, ¡°He asked after you the last time I saw him.¡±

    ¡°The Emperor¡¯s dying?¡± I ask, surprised that I hadn¡¯t already heard the news.

    ¡°Indeed. Every royal in the imperial palace is vying for favor and power. There will likely be war soon.¡± Elder Zhu walks over to stare out the same window I¡¯d been looking through.

    ¡°What will the sect do if there is war?¡± Nervousness enters my voice. The last war had been five years before I was born. I¡¯ve been told many times how much destruction it caused.

    ¡°That is up for the patriarch to decide. Whatever she decides, the Elders will follow and so will the rest of the sect.¡± Elder Zhu lifts his hand and the bird I was watching earlier flies over, landing on his finger. He turns to look at me, the bird still perched happily. ¡°No matter what, no harm will come to you, I will make sure of that.¡±

    ¡°What of my father?¡± I know the answer, but I ask anyway.

    ¡°He is his own man. Which side he chooses will decide his fate.¡± The Elder¡¯s words carry weight with them, and the bird flies off of his finger.

    The room is quiet for a moment, as we watch the sun slowly rise.

    ¡°The sun will rise every morning and set every night¡­ and yet, no one knows what the future might hold Little Miss Lin. Things always change, anyone who claims to know what changes are coming is a fool.¡± Elder Zhu looks off into the distance. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must leave. Enjoy your birthday little one, and do not let this old man¡¯s words weigh heavily on your heart.¡±

    With those words, Elder Zhu disappears from my room.

    I set my gaze out my window, watching the sky slowly brighten until a knock on my door reminds me of the world outside my thoughts.

    ¡°Sister Lin! Are you awake yet?¡± Jing Xia asks through the door.

    ¡°One moment,¡± I reply, grabbing my sword and adjusting my flute. ¡°I¡¯ll be right out.¡±

 Chapter 12: Travelling

    I open the door, finding Jing Xia who can barely contain her excitement, and Ming Lai who looks exasperated with our friend¡¯s energy.

    Surprisingly, neither one is dressed in their martial robes. Instead, they are both wearing the high quality robes of an inner disciple.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to meet with the martial Masters?¡± I ask them, looking down at my own martial robes.

    Jing Xia clasps her hands together. ¡°Nope. Go get your other robes on, we have a surprise for you.¡±

    I nod, closing the door as I change into my other robes. After a second of thought, I grab the talisman I¡¯d gotten from the merchant at the Merchant House.

    Once I feel ready enough, I reopen the door to see both of the girls chatting quietly. Jing Xia turns to me as I leave my room. She grabs me and squeezes me in a hug, ¡°You¡¯re as cute as ever Sister Lin.¡±

    I blush. Despite my recent growth spurt, I still stand a full head shorter than both of my friends.

    ¡°Come on you two, we should get going.¡± Ming Lai says to the both of us, motioning down the hallway.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask, breaking free of Jing Xia to follow Ming Lai.

    Jing Xia opens her mouth to tell me, but Ming Lai shoots her a look. ¡°Like Junior Sister Xia said, it¡¯s a surprise. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take you long to figure it out.¡±

    Maybe we are going back to the Merchant House? I always enjoy my time there. We could be going to the waterslides, a place where the stream had worn out the rock creating a flat surface to slide down into a pool. It¡¯s quite the popular spot for inner disciples.

    We take a left on the path, leading away from the waterslides and making me unsure of our destination. We enter the entrance to the living area of the Masters and Elders of the sect.

    Standing in front of a small hut is an Elder I¡¯ve only seen once before.

    Jing Xia and I bow, ¡°¡°Greetings to Elder Li Mei Wu.¡±¡± we both say.

    Ming Lai bows a moment later. ¡°Student Ming Lai greets Elder.¡±

    The Elder is a beautiful woman. Her hair is done up with two pins shaped like butterflies, and the lower half of her face is covered with a purple veil, similar to the style of many noblewomen. Her robes are luxurious with the images of rivers sown into them, seeming to flow with every movement she makes. An ornate fan rests in her palm as she watches us calmly, her eyes not showing any of her emotions.

    ¡°Is this all of you then?¡± The Elder asks calmly.

    ¡°Yes elder.¡± Ming Lai responds, rising from her bow. We follow suit a half-second later.

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Her expression is hidden by the veil, but her eyes flash with good humor as she takes one of the hairpins out of her hair.

    The pin expands into a crystal platform still in the shape of a butterfly, but large enough for the four of us to sit comfortably.

    Elder Li Mei Wu steps onto the front of the platform and motions for us to do the same. Once we are all on, the platform starts to rise up.

    I gasp, surprised at the lack of resistance as we move quickly into the air, almost as if we aren¡¯t moving at all.

    My breath catches as I look down onto the world so far below us, the wind only gently touching us as we start to move forward and out of the sect.

    I hear a soft laugh, but when I turn, I only see Elder Li Mei Wu watching me emotionlessly.

    Ming Lai calmly sits in a lotus position as we move through the air, Jing Xia and I follow her actions a moment later.

    My attention stays on the ground as it passes underneath us, the height making me mildly anxious. It takes me a full minute to realize that we¡¯ve left the sect almost entirely behind. Rivers, forests, roads, villages. They all pass underneath us as we travel. Occasionally I catch glimpses of the great beasts that roam the land, or a merchant caravan travelling down the road.

    ¡°Do you like your birthday present?¡± Ming Lai asks proudly.

    ¡°Of course!¡± I say quietly, my gaze moving from the ground to look at her. ¡°I¡¯ve never even imagined something like this.¡±

    Ming Lai looks away, a faint blush on her cheeks from my heartfelt words.

    Jing Xia takes over, noticing the silence. ¡°We know how much you¡¯ve been wanting to leave the sect grounds lately. MIng Lai managed to convince the elder to take us with them on their next outing to the mortal city.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Elder Li Mei Wu says, her smooth voice bringing our attention to her. ¡°There are some rules you both must follow on this trip.¡±

    I turn to look at her, noticing her sitting in the same lotus position we all are.

    ¡°First, both of you must stay with Ming Lai or myself. There are many dangers in cities such as this one, especially for young cultivators like yourselves.¡± Li Mei Wu¡¯s eyes fix on me as she speaks. ¡°Second, do not seek out confrontation. The mortal city is neutral territory, and many minor sects send their disciples there for various reasons. Defend yourselves if you must, but try not to worsen our relations with any sect.¡± Li Mei Wu¡¯s eyes wander over to Ming Lai as she says that, causing my friend to look away embarrassed. ¡°And finally, remember that nothing is a coincidence. If you see something out of the ordinary, tell me. Can you follow these rules?¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°¡±Of course Elder Wu.¡±¡± Jing Xia and I respond.

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± The Elder says, closing her eyes.

    I panic for a moment, wondering how she can know where we are going with her eyes closed. The panic subsided as I realize that her cultivation far outstrips my own, she probably knows where we are through her own means.

    The three of us continue to talk as the Elder rests and we travel. Every few minutes, my gaze is drawn to the ground passing swiftly below us, witnessing things both mundane and fantastical as we travel.

    Not too long into our travels, I catch sight of a glistening city with high walls. The city rests on the edge of the ocean, marble structures reflecting the sunlight. I see many boats, both large and small on the coast of the city.

    I¡¯ve only seen the ocean once before, and my breath catches for the second time that day at the sight of the endless water, stretching out far into the horizon.

    ¡°Welcome to Yuan City.¡± The Elder says, as we get closer.

    Mortals using the road to enter the city, stare up in awe as we pass overhead.

    A man wearing the robes of an official comes out to greet us as we arrive at an important looking building.

    The Elder waves the three of us off as she goes to speak with the official.

    ¡°Where do you want to go first, Junior Sister Lin?¡± Ming Lai asks, holding her hands behind her back as she tries to look serious.

    I open my mouth to answer, but my stomach rumbles, causing me to blush.

    ¡°Breakfast it is!¡± Jing Xia exclaims, grabbing my hand as she starts walking towards the exit of the building.

    Ming Lai sighs at the two of us before speed walking to catch up.

    The two of them lead me to a busy street. To my surprise, people open up for us to walk through them. MIng Lai doesn¡¯t seem to notice, but I feel Jing Xia¡¯s hand tightening around mine.

    I squeeze her hand, giving her a smile when she turns to look at me. She smiles back, her grip loosening slightly.

    It doesn¡¯t take long to find a surprisingly delicious food stand selling meatballs wrapped in dough.

    Ming Lai and Jing Xia talk about the different cities they¡¯ve been to as we eat.

    I watch everyone pass us by with curiosity. I¡¯d never been in a city just to¡­ be in a city. I was always meeting some important family, or attending an official party with my father.

    The people of the city keep a respectable distance from us as they go about their business, but I still see many things I¡¯ve never seen before.

    A boy dressed in rags steals a pouch from a passing woman. Two dockworkers get into a friendly argument as they walk, their hands moving to and fro as they make wid gestures. A beautiful woman rests her hands on the arm of a wealthy young man. Three cultivators our age walk down the street, the people keeping a similar distance from them.

    The cultivators wear orange robes and keep their heads high, similar to a lot of the nobility who are too full of themselves to take awareness of their surroundings. The first, the leader of the group, walks with a confident gait. He looks to be four years older than me. The second cultivator wore a lazy smile and looked to be about the same age. The third and final member of their group walked quickly to keep up with them and looked to be my age if not a year older.

    The pickpocket moves up to the dockworkers, his fingers nimble as he reaches for the pouch of the shorter one. The taller of the dockworkers notices the boy trying to pickpocket them, and shoves him right into the way of the passing cultivators.

    The cultivators stop as the boy sprawls out in front of them, splashing into a puddle and wetting the bottom of their robes. The cultivators look at the boy the same way one might look at a bug.

    Two words that I never thought would be uttered for such a situation came from the lead cultivators mouth.

    ¡°Kill him.¡±

    The boy looks on in terror as the youngest cultivator draws his sword. The crowd around the cultivators comes to a stop as everyone watches. Even my sisters turn to look at the commotion.

    But neither of them makes a move.

    I realize the boy is going to die.

    The cultivator moves slowly, taking his time with the execution of the boy.

    Before I can think about my actions, my own sword is drawn from my waist as my body is enhanced with qi.

    My body moves faster than it ever has before as I use Whispers Of the Silent Raven to appear in front of the descending sword, blocking the leisurely strike.

    The clang of the metal is the only sound on the road, as everyone simply watches the spectacle.

    The three cultivators turn their attention to me, and my adrenaline fades as a deep nervousness fills me.

    I drew my sword on a cultivator from another sect.

    May Elder Li Mei Wu have mercy on me.

    I send a small prayer to the Elder as I do my best to steady myself. My qi flows through me, steeling my nerves.

    A burning question comes to me, and I know that I need to know the answer. ¡°Why do you take a life so easily?¡±

    There is complete silence after my question, the cultivator who drew his blade backing off slightly, raising his sword into a ready position.

    I keep my sword lowered, truly waiting for an answer. A similar question has plagued me ever since I started cultivating using The Twelve Requiems of Illusion. How can people take lives so easily? Why do those warriors kill each other in the field of blood? Why did that woman murder the man that she kissed? Why did those warriors kill the man that sacrificed himself for his lover?

    Why do people in this world place so little value on life, as to take it on a whim?

    There is surprisingly little emotion behind my curiosity. I have accepted that people do die, and that sometimes you must kill to protect those that matter to you. Still, life is never something to be taken lightly.

    My question burns inside of me.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The lead cultivator asks, his hand lowering to the sword at his own waste as the second, quieter cultivator also reaches towards the sword at his waist.

    I frown, slightly frustrated that they didn¡¯t answer my question.

    ¡°This is none of your business. You should leave your betters to their business.¡± The lead cultivator says, his tone frosty.

    I look down at the boy, still laying on the ground terrified. He only looks to be eight years old or so.

    I look back up at the lead cultivator, only a few years older than me. and say the first thing that comes to mind. ¡°You are truly disgusting.¡±

    The lead cultivator pauses, taken aback by my direct insult. Then he draws his blade, the second cultivator following his lead.

 Chapter 13: Cultivators Of Another Sect

    I stare at the three cultivators with their blades drawn, a bead of sweat dripping down my back. But my hands do not shake. I have seen death, and I won¡¯t fear it.

    The lead cultivator raises his sword, and a dainty hand grabs the blade, stopping its movement. ¡°Let¡¯s not be too hasty now.¡± Ming Lai says, ice forming around her hand and traveling down the blade, holding it in place.

    Jing Xia also arrives beside me, her hands folded in front of her calmly as she stares at the other cultivators.

    ¡°I was willing to let my Junior Sister fight her own battles, but a three on one seems quite unfair to me, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Ming Lai says, her voice colder than I¡¯ve ever heard it.

    The lead cultivator freezes in fear for a moment before his body recovers ¡°She insulted me, and in doing so, insulted my sect.¡±

    Jing Xia helpfully speaks up, ¡°Didn¡¯t you insult her first by claiming you were her ¡®better¡¯?¡±

    Ming Lai smiles, her expression holding no warmth. ¡°Indeed, I seem to remember you saying that¡­. Does that also mean that you meant to insult The Flowing River sect?¡±

    ¡°Of-of course not.¡± The cultivator says through his teeth.

    ¡°Good.¡± Ming Lai says, her ice completely covering the blade of the lead cultivator. ¡°That would be quite unfortunate.¡±

    Ming Lai twists her hand, and the blade shatters onto the ground.

    ¡°Still.¡± Ming Lai continues, ¡°All three of you pulled a blade on my Junior Sister, I don¡¯t think that should go without punishment, do you?¡±

    ¡°Senior,¡± The lead cultivator starts, a tinge of fear and forced respect in his voice, ¡°She gave insult to us, how could I not respond?¡±

    Ming Lai pauses, glancing at me. My sword is still lowered as I stand ready in front of the pickpocket. ¡°Senior Sister Lai, he says the truth. I insulted him.¡± I say softly, an anger building up in me at the way that he suddenly turned respectful. ¡°I believe that I called him a disgusting trash that dirties the earth he stands on¡­¡± I pause, having vented some of my anger, ¡°or something along those lines.¡±

    Jing Xia laughs, and Ming Lai warms slightly, some of her coldness disappearing.

    ¡°I see¡± Ming Lai says, ¡°then it is only right that they seek to save face by challenging you¡± Her gaze focuses on the youngest of the three who originally meant to take the pickpocket''s life with his sword. ¡°You, why don¡¯t you face my Junior Sister in a duel. If you win, I will forgive your brothers for raising their weapons against her. If you lose¡­ I will expect compensation.¡±

    The youngest cultivator looks at their leader. The lead cultivator looks conflicted before giving a nod of his head.

    The youngest cultivator raises his sword towards me.

    I bow to my opponent, remembering common courtesy. ¡°I am Inner Disciple Jia Lin of The Flowing River sect.¡±

    ¡°I am Core Disciple An Ma of the Roaring Beast sect.¡± my opponent says after a moment.

    Then he strikes at me, his blade moving quickly.

    I move backwards, dodging the strike.

    Softly, I start to sing.

    My voice carries across the road, the people still watching able to hear me as if I were right beside them.

    The world changes for my opponent and I.

    The ground beneath us runs with blood. The screams of those killed and dying surround us.

    The First Requiem: Field Of Blood.

    My body naturally enters the first stance for The Roars of The Ruinous Dragon.

    My opponent takes a step back in fear.

    I don¡¯t let him run as my sword strikes, thirsting for blood.

    He barely blocks the first strike, but a second soon follows, and a third. A dying man¡¯s scream distracts him, and he falls, slipping on a patch of bloodied ground.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    My sword goes for his throat.

    Then I stop singing, and the illusion disappears.

    A single bead of blood forms, pooling around the indent the tip of my sword makes in his neck.

    ¡°I still want an answer.¡± I say to him calmly, ¡°Why do you take a life so easily?¡±

    He gasps for air, fear in his eyes.

    When I realize he isn¡¯t going to respond, I pull my sword away, wiping the blood off on his robe out of petty anger. Then I sheathe the sword and turn away from him.

    Ming Lai, Jing Xia and the other cultivators stare at me, shocked.

    ¡°I won our duel.¡± I say to them.

    Murmurs spread through the crowd of onlookers. I look at the pickpocket, who looks back at me in awe.

    I blush as I realize how many people are watching us. The crowd had grown since this all began. Primal fear enters me as I catch the eyes of Elder Li Mei Wu standing next to an older man wearing the orange robes of the other cultivator¡¯s sect.

    Please let me leave the sect grounds again before I turn into a crone, I pray silently. My sisters and the other cultivators look to where I¡¯m staring.

    MIng Lai and Jing Xia freezes, while the other three cultivators hurry to bow down in front of the orange robed older man.

    Elder Li Mei Wu holds out her hand to the orange robed cultivator, her veil hiding her expression.

    He grumbles ¡°He just wasn¡¯t ready.¡± before placing a large pouch in her hand.

    She calmly places the pouch into her robes before walking towards us. She doesn¡¯t say anything as she motions for us to follow her.

    Had- did- was she betting on our match? I stare at Li Mei Wu as she gives me a wink outside of the vision of my sisters.

    I just stare at her, my view of the Elder shattering slightly.

    After a moment, I hurry to follow them, glancing back to see the pickpocket somehow disappearing into the crowd.

    ¡°It seems.¡± Elder Li Mei Wu starts as we return to the building we had originally landed in. ¡°That the three of you have already broken my rules.¡±

    Ming Lai looks down at the floor, while Jing Xia opens her mouth before closing it several times.

    Elder Li Mei Wu stops, turning to the three of us. She observes us quietly as we all look away guiltily.

    ¡°I do not blame you, Jia Lin, for saving that boy¡¯s life.¡± The Elder says, her eyes on me. ¡°It is good to see that you still care for the lives of others, even with the power you have gained.¡± She turns her attention to Jing Xia and Ming Lai, ¡°Nor do I blame either of you, for protecting your Junior Sister when they drew their swords against her.¡±

    She pauses again, watching as we all turn to look at her with hope in our eyes.

    ¡°However, you are very lucky that Jun Huang and I have known each other for many years, and that our relations with the Roaring Beast sect was not harmed. There will be punishments for your actions, no matter how righteous they may have been.¡±

    With that said, she turns away from us and leaves.

    We didn¡¯t speak for a minute after she left.

    Finally, Jing Xia said, ¡°That went better than I thought it would.¡±

    Ming Lai puts her head in her hands. ¡°I won¡¯t ever be allowed outside of the sect again.¡± she moans.

    ¡°She bet on our duel.¡± I say to the others, still shocked.

    Both the girls turn to look at me.

    I giggle.

    Both the other girls join in and we start laughing.

    ¡°You were so cool, Senior Sister Lai.¡± I say after a moment.

    Jing Xia nods emphatically. ¡°When you shattered his blade, I thought he would wet himself!¡±

    Ming Lai blushes, ¡°I was just angry.¡± She says quietly.

    ¡°I thought the coolest moment was when you stopped his sword with your bare hand.¡± I add, smiling at her embarrassment.

    ¡°And when you asked him if he insulted our sect!¡± Jing Xia continues excitedly, ¡°The look on his face was priceless.¡±

    ***

    The rest of our trip to the city is uneventful with Elder Li Mei Wu keeping an even closer eye on us. She has us repent by making us do all of the menial chores for her. We cook food for her (something it turns out I¡¯m terrible at), clean her clothes, warm the water for her bath. She especially likes me to play the flute for her, saying that it has a calming effect. I try not to create any illusions with the music, thinking it might be best to let the music work on its own.

    After three days, we return to the sect with Elder Li Mei Wu. The flight is just as exhilarating as it was last time and over too soon for my liking.

    The other girls start to walk off but Li Mei Wu calls out, ¡°Disciple Lin, if you would stay for a moment, I wish to discuss something.¡±

    I look into her eyes, trying to guess what she wants. Her veil hides most of her expression and her eyes don¡¯t give anything away.

    The other girls look at me briefly before walking away.

    The Elder watches them as they walk away, waiting until they are out of sight before speaking to me. ¡°You are young, and much is forgivable.¡± she starts, ¡°But you must be aware that every action of yours has a consequence. Although they are young, each one of those boys will grow to be powerhouses in their sect. None of them will treat you kindly when they see you next.¡± She stops speaking, her eyes watching me closely as she waits for some kind of response.

    ¡°I acted before thinking, Elder.¡± I say, lowering my head.

    ¡°Would you do the same thing if offered the choice again?¡± She asks, our flying ride shrinking back into her hairpin. She puts the hairpin into her hair as she waits for my answer.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I say after a moment of thought.

    ¡°Good.¡± She says, her eyes wrinkling as she smiles beneath the veil. ¡°One must not let horrors happen simply because of what consequences may come. You may leave, Jia Lin.¡±

    I bow to her, thankful for her wisdom.

    As I turn away she speaks, ¡°One more thing.¡± I turn back to look at her. ¡°If Tai Qiu is unable to take her position as Elder and make you a Core Disciple, know that you will always have a position at my side.¡±

    I bow again, recognizing the power of the offer she gives me. Then I leave, caught in my thoughts as I wander down the road.

 Chapter 14: Through The Portal

    Again, I sit in my room, my flute held to my mouth. The Twelve Requiems of Illusion lies open in front of me, as I carefully breathe in and out.

    The Third Requiem: Murder

    The notes start low and haunting, echoing eerily through my room.

    The world changes around me, a different vision this time.

    Three men whisper quietly around a campfire, the forest silent around them except for the music of my song.

    Soon they fall asleep.

    The same woman from my usual vision appears, her movements completely silent as she walks through the campsite.

    Carefully, she raises her sword above the neck of one of the men.

    Her eyes meet mine as she looks at me.

    Then a long drawn out note comes to an end.

    A discordant note plays out.

    Her eyes stay on mine as her sword cuts the throat of one of the men.

    The other two don¡¯t notice as the man dies instantly.

    She walks silently to the second man, her eyes meeting mine again.

    Another discordant note plays out.

    Her eyes stay on mine as her sword cuts the throat of the second man.

    Finally, she walks to the third man.

    My fingers want to stop.

    My breath wants to freeze.

    I know what comes next.

    Her eyes meet mine again.

    A third discordant note plays.

    Her sword slices through his neck.

    The song isn¡¯t over.

    She walks to me, her movements still completely silent.

    I place my flute down, starting to sing.

    The words burn my throat as my body copies hers again.

    Words solidify into my spirit, their letters glowing a dark red color.

    Movements of The Silent Monster

    I gasp as the song ends, my throat hurting from pain. My hands start to shake as I reach for a pitcher of water.

    She looked at me. She saw me and knew that I looked at her.

    What if she came looking for me?

    I gulp down water, gasping for breath when I¡¯m done.

    No. She is just an illusion created from my music. It¡¯s not-

    I pause as the Qi in my body starts to rapidly move.

    Immediately, I sit down in the lotus position, trying to guide the qi rampaging through my body.

    Knowing what this is, I do my best to slowly guide the qi to one of my blocked meridians.

    It''s an agonizing process, and I know that qi rampages like this commonly destroy the cultivations of unprepared cultivators. Keeping the hold I have on my qi strong, I guide it to one of my meridians. The qi rages against the blockage, causing me flashes of pain that nearly break my concentration. I keep at it, refusing to give up.

    I don¡¯t know how much time passes before I open my eyes.

    Relief fills me as I feel the strength of my qi.

    I am now a fifth level Qi Awakened at the age of thirteen.

    I can¡¯t wait to brag to Jing Xia.

    Standing up, I stretch my body, almost giddy with the power flowing through it.

    Once I calm down a bit, my mind returns to the strangeness of that illusion. It bothers me. I¡¯ve never seen a Requiem change like that one did.

    Looking over at The Twelve Requiems of Illusion, I consider immediately playing the fifth requiem. Maybe it could give some insight into why the third Requiem changed?

    Something tells me that isn¡¯t the best idea. I want my qi to settle before doing that.

    I grab my sword and place it around my waist, then I leave my room. The sky is cloudy today as we get closer and closer to the cold season. I find myself walking to the clearing that the portal resides in.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    A Master I don¡¯t recognize sits meditating near the portal. He opens his eyes, observing me.

    I bow to the master, and he nods his head in response before closing his eyes.

    I sit down in a lotus position, observing the portal with my spirit sense. Wisps of the death filled spirit still escape from the portal, slightly weaker than they had been. I haven¡¯t been focusing on cultivating my spirit lately, instead focusing on making progress in the Requiems.

    Tai Qiu has gotten much busier with political positioning and cultivating herself, so she doesn¡¯t have as much time to personally speak to me.

    I don¡¯t really mind. I understand that the more power she has, the more it benefits me.

    Small droplets of rain start to fall, more of a mist than a rain. I appreciate the sensation on my skin, the cold not bothering me with the warmth that my qi provides.

    A sudden change in the spirit coming from the portal catches my attention. It¡¯s subtle and I can¡¯t quite place my finger on it.

    I look over at the Master to see him still meditating.

    The spirit seems¡­ stronger all of a sudden, it¡¯s presence becoming more obvious to my senses.

    A crack appears in the portal. The Master is at my side in a moment, blocking my vision of the portal. A staff of light appears in his hands, his full attention on the portal as he yells at me ¡°Run!¡±

    I don¡¯t hesitate to follow his instruction, the spirit coming from the portal making me feel an instinctual fear.

    The sound of shattering hits my ears and a wave of force sends me sprawling off the path and rolling into a creek.

    The death filled spirit fills the forest and I instinctually activate my newest technique.

    Movements Of The Silent Monster.

    My movements become softer, not quite as silent as the woman in my illusion, but nearly unnoticeable.

    I quickly crawl out of the creek and hide behind a tree. I shiver, my technique preventing me from moving my qi to warm myself up.

    Carefully, I turn to look at the portal.

    The unknown master picks himself off the floor, obviously disoriented from the blast. His staff returns to his hands from where it fell as he moves into a stance.

    A black boot made of leather steps out of the portal.

    The master immediately attacks the foot with his staff, but a blade writhed in shadows swings from beyond the portal, blocking the strike.

    The blade carries enough strength to push the man back.

    A man walks out of the portal, his clothing of a different make from anything I¡¯ve ever seen. He wears a black cloak, the hood covering his face.

    ¡°Where is this?¡± The man asks, the voice carrying qi with its very presence. I cower away from the qi, surprised to see that it travels over me without seeing me, my technique masking my presence.

    ¡°This is the Flowing River Sect. You are trespassing on our grounds. Please leave.¡± The Master¡¯s voice is firm, but I hear a slight echo of fear.

    ¡°So you are the one with the courage to swing at me.¡± The man says, not responding to the Master¡¯s words. His sword flashes, and the head of the Master falls to the ground, separated from his body.

    My breath catches for only a second at the sight disrupting the technique hiding me, my body trembling with fear. That second is enough.

    The man turns his head towards me, stepping forward into my direction.

    My body freezes.

    A spear of light, moving faster than I can see, hits the ground where he stands. The man moves just as fast, appearing several steps back from where the spear landed.

    Four Elders appear, surrounding him. The Martial Elder Quon Li, Elder Zhu Chen, Elder Li Mei Wu, and a final elder I don¡¯t recognize. I watch in surprise as a woman I recognize only from her description forms out of the very water of the creek I fell in.

    Patriarch Hua Wang steps forward out of the creek, her clothes completely dry and her movements elegant beyond compare.

    She moves first to the dead Master, the other Elders silent.

    She bows to the dead Master, whispering something I can¡¯t hear, then turns to the man who caused his death. ¡°Why did you kill him?¡±

    The man shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. ¡°He swung at me first. I simply replied in kind.¡± The qi in his voice is more cautious, like a snake waiting to strike.

    The rain becomes heavier, turning into a true downpour.

    ¡°You broke the seal my Elders placed on your portal. He was right to strike first.¡± The Patriarch says. Rain gathers in her hand, forming a long elegant sword. ¡°You have trespassed, and you have been warned. Now, you will die.¡± She says simply.

    Everyone moves faster than I can follow and the fight is over in a second.

    The Patriarch¡¯s sword pierces the heart of the strange cultivator, while a shallow cut appears on her own stomach. Elder Li Mei Wu hunches over another cut in her side, her face grimacing in pain.

    The Patriarch draws her sword out from the body of the strange cultivator, watching carefully as he slumps to the ground. After a moment of the man not moving, her weapon dissolves into mist.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± The Patriarch says, looking directly at where I¡¯m hiding.

    I carefully move out from behind the tree. ¡°I-I think so patriarch.¡±

    The other Elders turn to look at me in surprise.

    ¡°Good.¡± She turns to look at Elder Li Mei Wu, ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°I will be fine, I was simply careless.¡± Elder Li Mei Wu responds, her hand stemming the blood flowing from her side.

    The Patriarch turns back to me. ¡°It¡¯s best if you head home, I will have someone come to speak with you about what happened later.¡±

    I realize that I am still shivering and cancel my technique to start warming myself up with my qi. I bow to the patriarch. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Then I start walking back to my room.

    Jing Xia is waiting at my door with a smile on her face. The smile disappears as she recognizes my strange mood.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asks, moving next to me in worry.

    I nod to her, feeling a little dazed from everything. I open the door to my room, continuing to walk forward.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem alright.¡± Jing Xia says, placing her hand on my arm to stop me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to feel.¡± I say, frowning.

    Jing Xia looks into my eyes, after a moment, she pulls me to the bed and sits me down. ¡°Tell me what happened while you dry off. You¡¯re soaking wet.¡±

    I don¡¯t know where she finds a towel, but I take it gratefully. ¡°I decided to go outside after my latest advancement.¡± I start, eventually telling her everything that happened. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m like this. I see people die all the time.¡±

    Jing Xia frowns at my last sentence, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that another time. Tell me Sister Jia, what was different this time?¡±

    ¡°I- I was scared.¡± I whisper the last word as I start sniffling. ¡°He- he terrified me.¡± My emotions spill out suddenly as I start crying.

    Jing Xia pulls me into her arms, holding me close as I sob into her shoulder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re safe.¡± She says, humming a little song as I let out my pent up emotion. ¡°Everything¡¯s alright.¡±

 Chapter 15: Teachers

    I focus on keeping my breathing even as I swiftly move through the movements of The Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon.  My sword cuts through the air, it¡¯s movements strong and forceful.

    I understand enough of the two arts to practice on my own, not needing my teachers from the Requiems to go through the movements with me.

    After some time with that technique, I switch into The Whispers Of The Silent Raven. I pay careful attention to the shifts in balance and stance that the two different sword styles have. Each strike of my sword now moves through the air quietly, it¡¯s movements unpredictable and swift. My feet constantly move so that I am never easily reached by any opponent I might face.

    Eventually, I slow my movements down, reaching the end of what I¡¯m comfortable practicing on my own.

    I sheathe my sword and look up at the gloomy sky, rain not looking too far away.

    I¡¯ve taken to practicing in the field where the Master and the man filled with death spirit had died. I don¡¯t know why I feel like I have to practice here. Part of me wants to face the experience that created so much fear in me I guess.

    I look at the portal which has been resealed, ethereal blue chains covering the door sized entryway.

    Senior Sister Tai Qiu sits quietly next to the portal, watching me as I practice. She is one of the few guardians of the portal that don¡¯t mind my presence here. Those who don¡¯t know me watch with a less friendly eye.

    ¡°Have you made any progress in cultivating your own spirit?¡± Tai Qiu asks once it¡¯s clear that I¡¯m done with my practice.

    ¡°I am on the brink of Spirit Recognition, Senior Sister.¡± I respond as I walk over to my waterskin. I close my eyes as I take a sip of fresh water, enjoying the moment. I open my eyes with a frown, frustration entering my voice. ¡°But I can¡¯t break through the barrier to that realm.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Tai Qiu says calmly, ¡°That is only natural. Cultivating your spirit is not like normal cultivation and your growth is already monstrous.¡±

    ¡°I feel¡­ weak.¡± I walk over to the portal and sit in front of it.

    Tai Qiu stands up and walks over to me. She sits down in front of me and grabs my hand. She looks thoughtful and a little sad as she watches me. ¡°It¡¯s not an easy feeling to live with.¡± She says, her voice containing a little of that sadness. ¡°Don¡¯t let it force you to move too fast. You are still young, and too much power at too young an age causes more harm than good. You will destroy yourself if you move too fast.¡±

    I look away from her warm gaze, not wanting to cry again.

    ¡°Come on.¡± Tai Qiu says, standing up and pulling me up with her. ¡°Someone has come to take over my guardianship of the portal and you need a break.¡± She smiles at me cheekily.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask, watching as another master descends from the sky to sit next to the portal.

    ¡°To the hotsprings of course.¡± She responds casually.

    I blush. I¡¯m still not used to other people seeing me naked. In fact, I¡¯ve mostly avoided the hot springs out of embarrassment. I was always given privacy for when I changed or cleaned myself while in the Lin family and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anyone aside from my mother naked.

    With Tai Qiu dragging me behind her, we quickly arrive at the portion of the sect reserved for women.

    The sounds of the other women having fun and chatting quickly reaches my ears as we arrive at a small pavilion.

    Tai Qiu immediately begins to undress and I start to do the same. My gaze wanders to her body, and I pause my own undressing when I see a series of scars running down her back..

    She notices my staring, and doesn¡¯t say anything as she gives me a soft smile.

    The pain that they must have caused her is hard to imagine. Who would do such a thing to another person? I raise my hand to touch one of the scars.

    ¡°It¡¯s polite to ask before touching.¡± Tai Qiu says as she finishes her undressing.

    I pull my hand back quickly, embarrassed at how close I was to touching her.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± Tai Qiu says, gently touching one of the scars on her side. ¡°I¡¯ve healed from the wounds they caused me.¡± I know that she isn¡¯t speaking about the physical wounds.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I say quietly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize Junior Sister Lin. You have nothing to apologize for.¡±

    I blush as I recognize how naked we both are and Tai Qiu smiles at my embarrassment.

    ¡°Come on. We both need to relax.¡±

    I follow Tai Qiu into one of several small pools carved out of the stone. Other women notice us entering but mostly ignore us in favor of chatting.

    Tai Qiu sighs as she steps into the bath, her entire body loosening.

    I follow her into the bath, submerging into the water until just my nose is above the water.

    It doesn¡¯t take long for the heat of the water to loosen my own muscles and cause me to relax.

    Tai Qiu opens her eyes from her own enjoyment of the bath, her attention focusing on me. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you haven¡¯t been playing your music as much lately.¡±

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    I don¡¯t look at her as I answer. ¡°I¡¯m scared of what I will see when I play.¡±

    Tai Qiu closes her eyes as she tilts her head up. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I always loved listening to you play.¡±

    Something about her words shake me. My mom always talked about how much she loved listening to me play. It was one of my happiest memories growing up.

    I still love to play. Nothing could take that away from me. I love it when people enjoy my music.

    I sigh, closing my eyes to enjoy the bath. It¡¯s time. I¡¯ve been putting it off, but it¡¯s time for me to play the fifth requiem.

    The sound of two familiar voices joining us has me open my eyes. ¡°Sister Lin! I didn¡¯t think you liked the hot springs.¡± Jing Xia says as Ming Lai and her wade through the water to us.

    I try to sink even lower into the water out of embarrassment. My eyes flicker to both of the girls before looking at the water.

    Jing Xia giggles as she notices my reaction and Ming Lai turns away to hide her own smile.

    ¡°I had her come.¡± Tai Qiu says peacefully, startling both of the girls, neither of whom had recognized her presence. ¡°She needed to relax.¡±

    ¡°Master Tai Qiu¡± Both girls nod their heads, greeting her respectfully.

    Tai Qiu waves at them, her eyes nearly closed from the pleasure of the hot springs. ¡°No need to be so respectful. In here, I¡¯m just another woman.¡±

    The girls look to me for guidance, but I shrug, still unable to meet their eyes.

    Jing Xia slides right next to me while Ming Lai sits across from me.

    Everyone takes a moment to just settle in and enjoy the heat.

    I¡¯m glad that I have so many friends. Life was lonely before I joined the sect. Other girls my age at the imperial palace were always scheming something, or pawns for those who were. Da Shi made it clear to me that I couldn¡¯t trust them.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to leave the sect with Elder Wu?¡± I ask, remembering Ming Lai mentioning something along those lines.

    Ming Lai sighs, ¡°The Elder asked me to look over some things here while she was away.¡±

    Jing Xia grins like a predator, ¡°In other words, The Elder is punishing her for hitting the core disciple of another Elder.¡±

    Ming Lai coughs, looking away. ¡°I may have overstepped slightly.¡±

    ¡°You should have seen the look on the pompous ass- the respectable older brother¡¯s face when he got hit.¡± Jing Xia quickly corrects her wording, her gaze flickering towards Tai Qiu who is peacefully resting.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you hit him?¡± I ask.

    Ming Lai¡¯s gaze sharpens, filled with fury ¡°He seemed to think that just because he was a core disciple to an elder, that he could get anything he wanted.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I say, smiling at her to calm her down. ¡°Good thing you hit him then.¡±

    Ming Lai calms as she meets my eyes. ¡°I might have gone a little too far.¡± She says after a moment.

    ¡°You hit him that hard?¡± Would Ming Lai actually hit someone enough to¡­ yeah. She would, wouldn¡¯t she.

    Jing Xia snickers, ¡°It¡¯s less about how hard she hit him, and more about where she hit him.¡±

    I look at her, confused about what she means.

    She motions towards her groin. I look down, blushing and hurriedly looking away as I realize where I am looking.

    ¡°Oh.¡± I say again.

    Jing Xia bursts out laughing at my expression, both Tai Qiu and Ming Lai joining in a moment later.

    *****

    I arrive at my room feeling refreshed from the hot springs. Tai Qiu was right to bring me there, no matter how embarrassing it was.

    With a deep breath, I renew my resolve and walk to the window, pulling my flute out of its pocket in my robes.

    I close my eyes, just playing an easy melody to calm my mind.  The simple tune brings a sense of simple joy with it.

    I open my eyes, and The Twelve Requiems of Illusion floats in front of me, it¡¯s pages flipping open until it reaches the latest Requiem available to me.

    The Fifth Requiem: Peaceful Death

    The world shifts around me.

    The simple walls of my room become ornate and finely decorated.

    Twelve men and women surround a bed where an elderly man rests.

    The man¡¯s chest rises and falls slowly with the notes of my song.

    It rises and falls, rises and falls, until my music stops.

    The man dies.

    No more music appears on the page of the requiem.

    ¡°So, you are my successor.¡± An elderly voice says to me.

    I turn in surprise to see an ephemeral version of the old man that lay dying, watching me calmly.

    I glance back at the page of the Requiem, hoping that more notes will appear on the page.

    They don¡¯t.

    Panic rises in me as I look back at the old man who still watches me calmly.

    I lower the flute from my lips. ¡°Who are you?¡± I ask, trying to not show my panic.

    ¡°I,¡± the man starts, a proud smile forming. ¡°Am master of the seven halls, first of the Lanxing Word-smiths, disciple to the immortals, Master Musician to the Sects of Shanping, and the creator of The Twelve Requiems of Illusion. Who are you?¡±

    I gulp, and bow deeply to the man, ¡°This lowly one is Inner Disciple Jia Lin of the Flowing River Sect.¡±

    ¡°One of the minor sects of the Shanpo region I suppose?¡± The man asks, folding his arms with a grace and confidence that spoke of his power.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, Senior. I simply know that I reside in the empire of Chengshi.¡± I reply, still not raising my head in a show of subservience.

    The man frowns, then shrugs his shoulders. ¡°I have never heard of it, but it is of no matter. Tell me, which of my disciples has deigned to teach you the arts and techniques of my craft?¡±

    I don¡¯t say anything, worrying that anything I might say could get me killed by this obviously powerful cultivator.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t a disciple of one of my disciples, are you?¡± The man says after a moment.

    ¡°No, Senior.¡± I respond, unable to see his expression with my head lowered.

    ¡°I see. Then you were chosen by the spirit of the book itself.¡± The man muses to himself.

    I peek up at him to see him watching me carefully.

    ¡°I wonder why it chose someone from such a minor realm?¡± The man continues, walking around me to study me from all angles.

    I do my best to stay steady as he moves out of my vision.

    ¡°It doesn''t matter. The spirit of the book has chosen you as my successor, it must see something that I do not. ¡° The man finishes his loop around me. ¡°Very well. I, Teng Zhu, name you Jia Lin, as my successor. May you reach the realms of immortality with grace and elegance.¡±

 Chapter 16: Becoming A True Disciple

    I gasp for air as the illusion around me breaks. I fall against the wall of my room, dropping my flute to the floor. I use the wall for balance as something changes within my spirit.

    After the feeling within my spirit passes, I lean my back against the wall and close my eyes.

    Even the Patriarch hadn¡¯t come close to the power I felt within that man. It was inexhaustible, terrifying, and truly magnificent. Part of me is in awe, while the rest of me wants to run as far away from it as possible.

    I hug myself as I focus on my breathing. As my breathing calms, so does the rest of my body, my muscles loosening and my heartbeat slowing to a normal pace.

    Teng Zhu, the creator of The Twelve Requiems of Illusion, made me his successor. I know what that means, but something tells me that there is more to it beyond the obvious. His words had an effect on the spirit within me, but I am not skilled enough to tell what that effect is.

    I take one last shuddering breath in, then out. I open my eyes, and step away from the wall, picking up my flute from where I¡¯d dropped it.

    I carefully examine it, checking for any damages. I wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive myself if I¡¯d harmed my instrument.

    I sigh with relief as I hug the unharmed flute to my chest. It was my mother¡¯s last gift to me, and I think something inside of me would¡¯ve broken if I¡¯d harmed it.

    Still holding the flute to my chest, I fall into my bed.

    I close my eyes as I try to remember my mother¡¯s face, her laughter and her own beautiful music.

    I fall asleep with a small smile.

    ***

    I stretch in my bed as I wake up the next morning, enjoying the feeling of the covers on my skin.

    I leisurely get my martial robes on, feeling better than usual.

    Once I¡¯m completely dressed, with my sword at my side and my flute in the pocket of my robe, I open the door to leave my room.

    The servant who stays near our rooms is sweeping the floor with an old broom. I nod to her as I pass her by, startling her.

    I don¡¯t go towards the Martial Masters for training, instead continuing on down a now well-worn path.

    Tai Qiu sits meditating peacefully next to the portal that has ethereal chains covering it. I bow to her as I enter the clearing.

    She opens her eyes, observing me thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve been speaking with Elder Li Mei Wu.¡± She says, standing up. ¡°We have been speaking of your position as my unofficial disciple, and I fear that I have been failing you.¡±

    I look at her in surprise. ¡°You haven¡¯t been failing me Senior Sister. Without your guidance, I wouldn¡¯t have made any progress with Spirit Cultivation.¡±

    Tai Qiu shakes her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t been giving you the attention or training you deserve.¡± She holds out her hand, and qi flows into one of her rings creating a small black portal to her side. She reaches in, and pulls out a blade with writing going down its length. The blade looks to be made of¡­ paper?

    ¡°You have been practicing your sword arts here in this clearing. Let me see what progress you have made.¡± She says calmly, her sword held to her side.

    I hesitate for a moment, before bowing again. ¡°I look forward to your guidance.¡±

    Tai Qiu smiles sharply, her eyes taking on a look I¡¯ve never seen from her before. ¡°Come.¡±

    I draw my sword and enter a stance for The Whispers of The Silent Raven. I step forward my movements as quick as I can make them,

    She blocks my first strike, twisting my sword away until the tip of her blade is at my throat. ¡°You use two very different sword styles Junior Sister.¡± She says as my eyes focus on the blade still at my throat. ¡°The style you just used is meant for tricking and quickly killing your opponent, but you use it too forcefully. I could read your movements as if they were an open book.¡±

    I step back, thinking on her words. I switch to a stance from The Roars of The Ruinous Dragon. My strike is powerful, and doesn¡¯t open up my defences.

    She steps to the side, her sword catching mine and moving the force of my blow away from her. Her sword quickly moves, the flat side hitting my arm and forcing me to drop my own weapon.

    ¡°You are an amatuer of both styles Jia Lin, do not switch between them until you are confident in your abilities in both.¡± Tai Qiu picks up my weapon and holds it out to me. ¡°Return to the style you first faced me with. Once you are decent with it, we can move to the other style.¡±

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    ¡°Thank you Senior Sister.¡± I say, grabbing my weapon.

    ¡°Hard times will come for you Junior Sister.¡± Tai Qiu says as I get into a stance from The Whispers of The Raven. ¡°When those times come, I want you to thrive in them.¡±

    I lower my head in thanks before moving forward again, my movements swift.

    Tai Qiu easily blocks my every move, criticizing my technique and telling me what I¡¯m doing wrong as I do. Every time she attacks, the flat of her blade hits me, reminding me of what could be my death nearly every time.

    After a long time of this, Tai Qiu calls for a break motioning for me to have the water I¡¯d brought with me.

    She puts her sword back into the strange portal, and I sheathe mine.

    I gulp the water I brought with me gratefully.

    A motion from Tai Qiu brings my attention back to her.

    ¡°It is time I ask you this.¡± Tai Qiu says as I rest in the grass. ¡°What technique do you cultivate, Jia Lin?¡±

    Jing Xia¡¯s warning about the dangers of telling those you don¡¯t trust about your cultivation technique comes to mind. I look at Tai Qiu, who watches me back patiently.

    ¡°I cultivate The Twelve Requiems of Illusion, Senior Sister.¡± I tell her.

    Tai Qiu furls her eyebrows in thought, before activating her ring with qi and reaching back into that strange portal. She pulls out a book and starts flipping through the pages.

    I walk closer, curious what she¡¯s looking for. With a snap, she closes the book, a strange look in her eyes as she looks up at me. ¡°It seems, that you have gotten your hands on quite the treasure. The Twelve Requiems of Illusion is not listed as a cultivation manual at all, it was supposed to be in the music section of the library.¡±

    I frown, ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means that your cultivation technique was able to hide itself even from the patriarch¡¯s eyes.¡± Tai Qiu looks at me excitedly. ¡°Can you use one of the spells from it on me?¡±

    I nod, and grab my flute. I look at her, waiting for her permission before I start one of the Requiems.

    The First Requiem: The Field of Blood

    My song is deep and dark, it¡¯s notes filling the air around us with weight.

    Blood covers the ground as men and women kill each other.

    Tai Qiu observes the illusion calmly, her sword appearing in her hands almost by instinct.

    As the battle draws to a close, the two last warriors fighting each other and dancing to my music, Tai Qiu speaks.

    ¡°Have them fight me.¡±

    I pause, the illusion almost shattering.

    Then the music continues as I try to follow her orders. One man kills the other, then turns to Tai Qiu, raising his sword. Tai Qiu calmly meets him, her sword matching his blow for blow. To my surprise, the man deflects her sword and goes for a killing blow.

    Qi bursts out of Tai Qiu, throwing the man and I back, breaking the illusion.

    Pain fills me as the requiem is forcefully stopped, my qi burning from the disruption.

    Tai Qiu immediately appears at my side, gently holding me as I grit my teeth from the pain. ¡°Forgive me little one. I went too far.¡± She says, her qi gently entering my body to calm the rampage of my own qi.

    I close my eyes, my breath ragged.

    Her arms hold me as the pain slowly starts to go away.

    I bury my face in her robe, trying to endure the last of it.

    When my qi is once again calm, I let out a breath of relief.

    ¡°I-I am sorry.¡± Tai Qiu¡¯s voice catches.

    I wrap my own arms around her and hug her to me, my face still buried in her robe.

    She holds me and I don¡¯t want to leave her embrace. Her smell reminds me of my mother.

    After some time, Tai Qiu pulls away. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have used my qi like that. I¡¯m sorry Junior Sister.¡±

    ¡°I-it¡¯s alright.¡± I respond, wiping tears away from my face. ¡°Now I know what happens when a Requiem is forcefully broken.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t alright.¡± Tai Qiu says, placing her hand on my head in comfort. ¡°But thank you for forgiving me.¡±

    I look up at the slowly darkening sky and stand up. I bow to Tai Qiu ¡°Will I be able to return to our lessons tomorrow?¡± I ask, hoping that she will say yes.

    Tai Qiu looks up at me from where she still sits on the ground. ¡°For as long as you¡¯ll have me as your teacher.¡±

    I smile at her. ¡°I look forward to it, Master Tai Qiu.¡±

    I look around to find my flute in the grass a few feet away from us, miraculously unharmed.

    I pick it up gratefully, wiping it off with my sleeve.

    I look over at Tai Qiu, who is silently staring off into the woods, then back towards the path leading away.

    With a sigh, I sit down into the grass and bring the flute to my lips.

    Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and start to play. It¡¯s another song of my mother¡¯s, emotional and hard to play.

    The music speaks of a new life, beauty rising from the ashes of destruction.

    I open my eyes.

    Tai Qiu watches me, her mouth slightly ajar. Qi flows from me into my music.

    We both watch as plants grow from the ground and the trees, blossoming into beautiful blue and violet flowers.

    The song ends, but the illusion of the flowers stay.

    ¡°Will you formally accept me as your disciple, Master Tai Qiu?¡± I ask quietly, unable to meet her eyes.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    I blush, not looking at Tai Qiu as I hurriedly stand up and walk away. It was presumptuous of me to ask that. She¡¯s supposed to ask me, not the other way around. I got caught up in the moment.

    Still, she said yes.

    I¡¯m happy she said yes.

    I hold my flute to my chest as I hurry back. I¡¯m supposed to meet with Jing Xia and Ming Lai for dinner.

 Chapter 16.5 Tai Qiu

    Pain fills me as I hold the young girl in my arms. I had messed up. I had let the illusion gain power over me and now Jia Lin was paying the price for my mistake.

    ¡°I-I am sorry.¡± I say, my voice catching as I try to stop myself from crying from the guilt.

    Her arms wrap around me, holding herself to me.

    I lower my head, my cheek resting against her head. After I¡¯m certain that I¡¯ve completely calmed her qi, I pull back from our embrace.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have used my qi like that. I¡¯m sorry Junior Sister.¡± I say to her, unable to look into her eyes.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s alright.¡± she says, trying to put on a brave face. I look at her eyes to see them red from the pain. ¡°Now I know what happens when a Requiem is forcefully broken.¡±

    I knew the consequences of forcefully breaking a technique like that, there is no excuse for my actions. ¡°It isn¡¯t alright. But thank you for forgiving me.¡±

    Jia Lin stands up, looking up and away from me. To my surprise, she bows to me with none of the hateful emotions I expected.

    ¡°Will I be able to return to our lessons tomorrow?¡± She asks.

    ¡°For as long as you¡¯ll have me as your teacher.¡± I respond. I can¡¯t force her to stay with me after I¡¯ve hurt her, it would be wrong.

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    To my surprise she smiles at me, showing none of the pain she felt earlier. I miss her next words as she turns around to leave.

    I turn my gaze vacantly to the trees.

    The blood, the screams, they were too real. How does a young girl of thirteen live with seeing such things every time she plays her music? Even I had felt my qi change with the scene of the battle, flowing with a familiar resonance. It has been a long time since I was truly caught in such bloodshed, but I remember it clearly.

    When the illusion had tried to kill me, I acted on instinct, forgetting the magic that I was surrounded by.

    I remember her words when I asked her why she didn¡¯t play her music.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared of what I will see when I play.¡±

    That was only one technique in a book named after the remembrance of death. What other horrors must she have experienced? Here I am, turning a blind eye to what she goes through, and even causing her more pain.

    I failed.

    I failed as a-

    Music more beautiful than anything I¡¯ve ever heard reaches my ears, drawing me from my thoughts. The notes flow as if an angel is playing. The song speaks of what comes after destruction, the renewal of life. I find myself completely caught in it as I turn my gaze to Jia Lin.

    She plays, the music itself bringing beauty to her.

    She opens her eyes, meeting mine and holding a depth beyond imagining.

    Flowers begin to grow all around us, from the trees, from the ground, and surrounding the portal itself.

    The music ends and I quickly wipe away the tears that had come with it.

    ¡°Will you formally accept me as your disciple, Master Tai Qiu?¡± She asks quietly, her eyes not meeting mine.

    I recognize the importance of the moment, so I answer her honestly, my qi resonating with my words. ¡°I will.¡± The words are a promise to her and myself. No matter what happens, I will be there for her. I will protect her with my life. I will guide her to become someone that will never be forgotten.

 Chapter 17: Illusions Reflecting Reality

    I play my flute softly, enjoying the feel of the wood beneath my fingers. My eyes are half closed as I focus only on the sensations of my music. Soft fanciful notes create illusions of dancing lights, twirling through the air.

    I decided to play outside today, and a surprising number of disciples gather around me, meditating, talking softly, or simply enjoying the music.

    The music continues as I simply explore, not playing any actual song or musical piece. No one other than me sees the lights dancing, but I¡¯m sure they all feel the qi that naturally joins my music.

    I noticed the change to my music ever since I hit the sixth level of qi awakening, qi naturally enters even my normal pieces without any input from me. It does give my music a¡­ comforting feeling.

    The sun peeks out from behind a cloud, bringing warmth with it. I fully open my eyes as my music comes to an end.

    I get up from the rock I¡¯d been resting on to walk back to my room. Many of the disciples nod or bow to me in thanks for the music and I do my best to hide the blush I feel rising to my face.

    I don¡¯t perform for groups that often, generally I play for myself or one or two people close to me.

    It¡¯s a nice feeling, being appreciated.

    My room brings a familiar comfort to me as I close the door with a smile.

    Today is a good day, and I know that it is the right time to return to the Requiems.

    I sit at my usual spot next to the window of my room and inhale deeply. The Twelve Requiems of Illusion moves from it¡¯s spot on my bed, opening in front of me.

    Once I feel centered in myself, my qi flowing smoothly, I begin the fifth requiem.

    The Fifth Requiem: Peaceful Passing

    The notes are slow and soft.

    The same man lies in his bed, his last breath soon leaving him.

    Soon the song reaches its end, and the man dies.

    The spirit of the man again appears before me as I set my flute aside.

    I bow to the man, showing my respect. ¡°Greetings, Senior.¡± I say, waiting for his acknowledgement to stand upright.

    ¡°It is good to see that you have returned.¡± Teng Zhu says, his hands resting behind his back. His power is more muted now, not nearly as overbearing as when we first met. If I didn¡¯t look closely at the undercurrents of qi within his body, I might think he is a mortal.

    ¡°Of course, Senior.¡± I say, rising from my bow.

    The man is silent for a moment as he turns his attention to the twelve men and women that surround his dead body. ¡°It is a strange experience, watching oneself die.¡± he says to me. ¡°I am happy to see that my disciples truly did grieve me.¡± He motions to the twelve, who are all in various stages of grief.

    ¡°Who are your disciples?¡± I ask, walking closer to the grieving men and women.

    ¡°You know many of them well.¡± He says, smiling at a joke that only he understands.

    I move closer and am shocked that he is right. The woman to the left of his bed is the same one I watched murder four innocent men, her eyes which were so emotionless now stream with tears. The man opposite her is the same one who died in the battlefield of blood, his hardened face now showing pain as he keeps his eyes closed. At the foot of the bed is the woman who grieved for her husband in the requiem of remembrance, her head buried in the shoulder of the man who sacrificed himself for his lover.

    ¡°I saw them die.¡± I say quietly.

    ¡°So you have.¡± The man surprises me as I look over my shoulder to see him right behind me. ¡°They each in their own way contributed to the Requiems, even in their own deaths.¡± his voice fills with sorrow. ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell me which deaths you saw.¡±

    I look at the body on the deathbed, so similar to the man behind me. ¡°So you really died here.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± The man¡¯s voice carries a finality with it that washes over me.

    I let the words hold the space as they deserve to do. When the moment has passed, I ask the question that weighs heaviest on me.

    ¡°What are the Requiems?¡±

    ¡°My insights into the most profound piece of existence.¡± The man lays his ghostly hand on the shoulder of one of his disciples farthest in their grief. ¡°Death.¡± He moves his hand, patting them on the head before moving to the next disciple to do the same. ¡°I find that music is truly the best teacher, and it has ways of showing things that mere words cannot.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± I say, watching as he gently touches each of his disciples.

    ¡°No, you do not fully see.¡± He turns to me with a sad smile. ¡°But that is alright. You are young, and still have much to learn.¡±

    I frown, wanting to tell him that I do see. I¡¯m not a child. But I keep my mouth shut, I don¡¯t want him to get mad at me.

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    Teng Zhu chuckles at my expression ¡°When you reach the Tenth Requiem, you will begin to see the truth of death. Whether you will understand such knowledge¡­ that is up to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen death already. I understand what it is.¡± I say, staring into his eyes and daring him to deny my words.

    ¡°Perhaps. But even I, after having seen more of death than you can imagine, do not fully understand it.¡± A dark look covers his face.

    I look away, not wanting to see the depth of the sorrow in his expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I say quietly.

    The man gently pats my head, and I look back up to see him smiling. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Do not let my sorrow affect you.¡±

    Teng Zhu looks around us. ¡°It seems that our time is coming to an end. It¡¯s best not to stay in these illusions for too long.¡±

    With a wave of his hand, the world shifts back to my room.

    I close my eyes, thinking on our conversation as I bring my flute back to my lips and continue to play simple songs.

    ***

    Six months pass as I spend the coldest part of the year training with Tai Qiu. I see less of my sister disciples as Ming Lai gets busier with Elder Li Mei Wu and Jing Xia focuses on her tasks as an inner disciple.

    I move through the forms of The Whispers of The Silent Raven, careful not to slip in the last of the winter snow. Tai Qiu sips on a medicinal tea as she watches me calmly.

    Her attention turns to the pathway leading to the main sect as I finish the forms and sheathe my sword. I follow her gaze to see a woman casually and gracefully walking on top of the snow. I hold in my surprise when I realize that the woman is completely blindfolded, the cloth that blocks her eyes holding a qi of its own.

    Tai Qiu bows and I follow suit. ¡°Elder Han, I am surprised to see you.¡± Tai Qiu says.

    Elder Han inclines her head, ¡°The Matriarch has decided that it is time. She is gathering the power of the Sect. You are expected, Tai Qiu.¡±

    With those words, Elder Han turns around, returning back down the path. Her steps leave no footprints in the snow.

    Tai Qiu remains frozen for a moment, simply watching the Elder walk away.

    ¡°What does the Elder mean?¡± I ask her, breaking her out of her trance.

    ¡°She could mean many things.¡± Tai Qiu responds vaguely. ¡°But, the power of the Sect isn¡¯t gathered together lightly, something big is happening.¡± Tai Qiu pauses, biting her lip as she puts her cup of tea into the strange storage of hers. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Tai Qiu sets off down the path and I follow her. Eventually, she turns left on a path I¡¯ve never been on.

    We reach a large lake being fed by many rivers. All of the Masters I¡¯ve seen in the sect and eleven Elders, their full number, are gathered in a clearing, separated into various factions. Tai Qiu is greeted fondly by many, while a few look at her with caution.

    The sounds of chatter dies down as water gathers from the lake, taking the form of a woman I¡¯ve only seen once before. She gracefully steps onto land, greeted by the complete silence of everyone gathered from the sect.

    The Matriarch looks over the crowd, her gaze settling on me for only a moment before moving on. ¡°It has been far too long since we have gathered here.¡± She says, her voice soft, but still carrying over the whole crowd of gathered cultivators. Calming qi travels with her voice, reminding me of a bubbling brook. ¡°It is unfortunate that every such gathering comes before a time of turmoil.¡± The matriarch pauses, her gaze moving in the direction of the portal Master Tai Qiu and I had just left. ¡°Many of you have seen the portal in our land and the damage it has caused. This portal is not the only of its kind, sect members from across the continent have reported similar portals, many leading to dangerous and unfamiliar realms. Something has disturbed the very space of our world and I don¡¯t know what that means for our Sect.¡±

    The Matriarch¡¯s gaze focuses on Tai Qiu. ¡°In these troubling times, I have decided that the position of the Twelfth Elder will be filled. Tai Qiu, please step forward.¡±

    Tai Qiu walks through the snow with her back straight and her eyes on the Matriarch. When she arrives in front of the Matriarch she gets down on both knees, her head lowered ¡°You have served well as Master of the Library, and I have noticed your efforts to improve our sect and its disciples.¡±

    ¡°You are too kind.¡± Tai Qiu says, her voice steady.

    ¡°Tai Qiu is the Twelfth Elder of the Flowing River Sect. She will serve us well.¡± The Matriarch¡¯s words carry more qi than usual, the power within them flowing through the entire sect.

    All Twelve Elders bow their heads towards the kneeling Tai Qiu. The Masters all bow deeply.

    I hurriedly do the same.

    Tai Qiu rises from where she kneels, first bowing to the Matriarch, then to the gathered Masters and Elders. ¡°The Sect is my home and my family. I will guide and protect the sect through all of its hardships.¡± Tai Qiu pauses, her voice catching. ¡°Th-thank you for the honor.¡±

    Everyone rises from their bows and many go up to congratulate Tai Qiu, crowding around her.

    I stand awkwardly, not sure what I¡¯m supposed to do in this situation.

    ¡°You are Core Disciple Jia Lin, are you not?¡± A familiar voice says from behind me, the qi from her words calming my initial shock.

    I turn around, bowing to the Matriarch. ¡°Inner Disciple, Matriarch.¡±

    ¡°You were accepted by Tai Qiu as a direct disciple, were you not? Now that she has risen, so have you, Core Disciple Lin.¡± The Matriarch smiles. ¡°I have been hearing many things about your music from the Elders¡­¡± I blush at her words, ¡°and the Masters¡­¡± My blush deepens ¡°and from my own disciples. Perhaps I might be able to hear you play someday soon.¡±

    I bow my head to hide my face, likely as red as a tomato. ¡°Of course! I¡¯d love to play for you.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it then.¡± The Matriarch politely says before walking towards one of her Elders, a large man shaped like a bear that I don¡¯t recognize.

    I raise my head, watching her leave as I calm my blush.

    ¡°She does have quite the presence, doesn¡¯t she.¡± Elder Zhu Chen says from beside me.

    ¡°Uncle Zhu!¡± I say, turning to him and hugging him.

    The Elder coughs before pushing me away. ¡°It seems that you are as healthy as ever, Little Miss Lin.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you got back.¡± I say, a wide smile on my face.

    ¡°I just returned.¡± The Elder says, running his hand through his beard. ¡°The Matriarch has been keeping me busy.

    ¡°How is my father?¡± I ask. I know that he has been busy with the death of the emperor, and I can¡¯t help but worry about him. ¡°Is he healthy?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s as healthy as ever. He is exhausted, but that is to be expected in his position.¡± Elder Zhu says.

    I get distracted as my eyes meet Tai Qiu¡¯s and I smile at her. She returns the smile.

    ¡°Did he ask about me?¡± I ask, turning back to Elder Zhu.

    ¡°Of Course.¡±

 Chapter 18: Turning Fourteen

    I cover my mouth as I yawn. I¡¯m sitting against one of the larger trees in the clearing and I have to pinch myself to keep myself awake. Jing Xia rests her head on my shoulder, napping in the evening light.

    A festive atmosphere had taken over the sect with the announcement of the new elder, and all the disciples in the Sect have been enjoying themselves to the best of their abilities. Jing Xia and Ming Lai dragged me out to quite a few of the parties, celebrating the fact that I¡¯m now a core disciple.

    Now, Ming Lai sits across from another senior disciple, her eyes lost in thought as she studies the board in front of her.

    She reaches forward, moving a piece. The young man sitting across from her frowns.

    A servant comes by, lighting the lanterns around us. The sect is barely quieting down with the coming of night time and I know that many of the festivities will likely last until tomorrow.

    Tai Qiu walks down the path towards us and I move to get up to greet her. She waves me down, so I remain where I am. The two senior disciples still bow to her from where they are sitting. Jing Xia mumbles something from where she rests on my shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while Disciple Lin.¡± Tai Qiu says with a smile, her movement relaxed, as if a great weight has been taken off of her shoulders.

    ¡°My apologies Elder Qiu.¡± I say, smiling up at her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. I haven¡¯t been searching that hard.¡± Tai Qiu sits next to me, watching the game that Ming Lai and the other senior disciple are playing with mild interest. ¡°As a Core Disciple, you will be moving in with me in the home of the twelfth elder.¡±

    I yawn into my hand again, trying to hide the action. Ming Lai had moved closer to her elder¡¯s home as well when she had been accepted as a core disciple.

    Tai Qiu has more to say, so I keep quiet, watching as Ming Lai slowly takes away all of her opponent¡¯s pieces.

    ¡°After your next birthday, the Empire will be holding a tournament for the sects and the more talented rogue cultivators in the City of Tong Xun. The Patriarch has asked me to represent our sect along with Elder Song.¡± It takes me a moment to remember Elder Song, he is a large bear of a man that spends most of his time traveling the northern mountains. ¡°She also recommended that I take you with me.¡±

    I perk up at her words. Ever since my outing with Elder Li Mei Wu and my sisters, I haven¡¯t left sect grounds. I want to see more of the outside world, and a gathering of the sects must be amazing to see! Sure, it¡¯s still some time away, but it¡¯s also a year earlier than when I¡¯d normally be allowed to leave the sect.

    I stand up from where I¡¯m sitting, grabbing Tai Qiu¡¯s hands.

    Jing Xia falls to the ground as I move, her eyes shooting wide open as she stares at me like I betrayed her.

    ¡°Really? I¡¯ll get to go?¡± I ask her, staring into her eyes.

    She looks taken aback by my excitement. ¡°It will be a while before it happens. But I will take you with me if you want to go.¡±

    I smile, my sleepiness from moments ago gone. ¡°Even if it sounds a little silly, I want to see the world. I know that there is more out there than I could ever imagine.¡±

    An expression of understanding passes over Tai Qiu¡¯s face, ¡°I see. That isn¡¯t silly. The world is amazing after all.¡± Tai Qiu chuckles.

    ***

    Two months before my fourteenth birthday, I reach a breakthrough in my spirit cultivation, finally entering the realm of Spirit Recognition. Various forms and types of spirit flow through my body, some of the spirit having aspects of death, while most of it seems to take on an aspect hard for me to define, similar in essence to my music. When I feel that I am able to fully sense and understand the spirit flowing through me, the next page in the Spirit Manual shows itself to me.

    The fourth page focuses on the idea of making my spirit become truly part of me and my own individual essence.

    When I ask Tai Qiu for some pointers, she simply tells me to meditate on who I am and what that means.

    Her advice, while profound, isn¡¯t exactly helpful. Still, I follow it and spend some of the time I usually spend on cultivation trying to figure out who I am.

    Trying to define myself is surprisingly hard.

    With the new understanding of my own spirit, I find that I use it without even realizing it in a lot of my actions, whether it is sparring with Tai Qiu, or playing music. Spirit isn¡¯t a static thing and it constantly flows through me and around me.

    A week or so before my birthday, while playing The Fourth Requiem: Sacrifice, I have my gentlest breakthrough yet, and I enter the Sixth level of Qi Awakening.

    Slightly scared of the name and the feeling of the Sixth Requiem, I consult Teng Zhu about it, he warns me that the Sixth Requiem isn¡¯t to be taken lightly and that I should only play it when my mind is completely centered and I feel ready.

    I take his advice to heart and don¡¯t play the requiem.

    I quietly sit on the floor of my room on the morning of my fourteenth birthday, feeling the spirit and qi within my body, watching as they intertwine seamlessly. My spirit is part of who I am, but it¡¯s also something completely different. It is a fascinating paradox to watch.

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    Someone filled with familiar spirit approaches the door to my room. It¡¯s still hard to identify most people by their spirit, but I¡¯ve memorized Tai Qiu¡¯s own unique spirit fairly well.

    Tai Qiu knocks on the door and enters the room. I keep my eyes closed, focusing on my own spirit for a moment longer.

    I open my eyes, looking up at her with a smile from my position on the floor.

    Tai Qiu sits down across from me, mirroring my smile. ¡°You seem to be doing well.¡±

    I nod, agreeing with what she said. ¡°Spirit is beautiful in a way. I-I don¡¯t really know how to describe it.¡±

    ¡°It is hard to describe the beauty of something you cannot physically see.¡± Tai Qiu says, reaching into her robes. She pulls something out, hiding it from my sight. ¡°But,¡± Tai Qui, says with a playful smile, ¡°That isn¡¯t what I came here to talk to you about. Today is your birthday.¡±

    I try to look surprised, ¡°It is?¡±

    Tai Qiu snorts, then moves closer to me, revealing a blue ribbon in her hand. She gently ties the ribbon into my hair. ¡°In the village I grew up in, the fourteenth birthday was an important one.¡± Tai Qiu takes on a melancholy look as she speaks, ¡°It was the year you officially entered adulthood. The girls of the village would place ribbons into the birthday girl¡¯s hair, I don¡¯t remember what it symbolized, but it¡­ it¡¯s important I¡¯m sure.¡± She finishes with a sad smile, her hand resting on top of my head. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    I reach up and hold the back of her hand for a moment before letting go. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± I smile at her. ¡°I¡¯m glad you shared it with me.¡±

    Tai Qiu pulls away, standing up. ¡°I¡¯m not good at giving presents, but if you see something that you want from the city of Tong Xun, tell me.¡±

    I stand up and bow to her, ¡°You¡¯ve already given me too much. I dare not request more from you.¡±

    Tai Qiu simply raises an eyebrow, then motions for me to follow her.

    I comply, my qi and body flowing so that my every movement is silent. The Movements Of The Silent Monster still takes concentration for me to use, but it¡¯s starting to become easier now that Tai Qiu has me activate the basic steps of it at all times.

    Tai Qiu leads me through her home, a book floating to her hand from somewhere in the house. She opens the book, reading it as we walk through the small garden she keeps in front of her home.

    Eventually the book snaps shut as we arrive at the clearing where she spends most of her time instructing me. The portal still shimmers with the ethereal chains wrapped around it.

    ¡°We will be leaving the sect to travel soon.¡± Tai Qiu says, her gaze focused on the portal. ¡°There are many dangers in the world, and I worry that you might not be wary of them.¡± She turns her gaze to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to prepare you for what lies out there except to say this; People will lie, cheat and kill to get what they want. No matter how kind they may seem, the true face that lies underneath their mask can be horrifying.¡±

    ¡°I may be ignorant of many things, Elder Tai Qiu. But I know more of the ways of the world than you might think.¡± I say, looking into her eyes to show my sincerity. My experiences from my last birthday¡¯s excursion still stay at the forefront of my mind. I know the ease with which people kill, and¡­ the Third Requiem has shown me the monsters that can live underneath a smile.

    Tai Qiu¡¯s expression softens. ¡°I know. I have seen the death that you witness nearly every day. Still, I can¡¯t help but worry. It is my job as your teacher to do so.¡±

    I bow my head in acknowledgement of her words.

    Tai Qiu doesn¡¯t say anything else as she pulls her sword out from that strange storage and motions for me to do the same.

    I breathe in deeply, letting out the breath softly as I watch my teacher wearily. My body easily moves into a graceful stance from The Whispers of The Silent Raven.

    Tai Qiu raises her sword, still outside of my reach, then brings it down.

    My body moves on instinct, stepping to the side as large furrows appear in the ground where I stood. Again, from nearly a meter a way, she slices her sword at me. The wind itself turns into a blade, her qi giving it shape and power.

    I dance around the cutting wind, dashing forward towards her. She remains calm as my blade aims for her stomach.

    She blocks the strike, but I pull my blade back only having feinted the strike. Each strike of my sword is calmly blocked as she doesn¡¯t move from the spot where she stands. Again she strikes towards me, qi extending the length of her blade.

    I strike with my own qi, trying to copy her technique. Her power quickly overwhelms mine and I feel her qi dissipate as it hits me, almost like a wave of heat.

    ¡°You still have trouble condensing your qi.¡± Tai Qiu says, lowering her sword. ¡°It is a relatively simple technique. You should be better at it by now.¡±

    I look away, feeling a little embarrassed. ¡°My qi doesn¡¯t want to condense itself. It likes being free.¡±

    Tai Qiu gives a small laugh. ¡°Your qi is part of you. It doesn¡¯t have wants or likes.¡± She places her sword back into her storage. ¡°But I suppose I can see how your cultivation technique doesn¡¯t lend itself to techniques like this.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, sheathing my own sword.

    Tai Qiu sits down on a nearby fallen log as she ponders my question. ¡°Your Requiems are like broad strokes of a brush, large and encompassing. Condensing your qi is like taking a much smaller brush and asking you to write perfectly with it. You simply aren¡¯t used to the small details, and the mistakes are easier to see.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± I frown, frustrated that the Requiems prevent me from mastering a simple technique.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that you will start to understand the technique soon.¡± Tai Qiu says, trying to ease my worries.

    I nod, and we continue our lessons.

    The rest of the day passes quickly. Elder Zhu doesn¡¯t make an appearance, but Tai Qiu tells me that he is dealing with a problem on the other side of the Empire. Still, I wish I could¡¯ve seen him.

    I¡¯m resting in the hot springs after our sparring lessons, when Jing Xia slides into the water next to me. She sighs as she loosens her body to the hot water of the springs.

    ¡°Love is strange.¡± Jing Xia says after a moment.

    I look at her curiously.

    ¡°I mean, it pops up at the most inconvenient times. Did you know that Ming Lai found a sweetheart? She¡¯s been spending all of her time with him.¡± Jing Xia pouts at me.

    I giggle. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed. She hasn¡¯t exactly been quiet about it.¡±

    Jing Xia pauses, before looking slyly towards me. ¡°What about you? Has there been any handsome men that have caught your eye?¡±

    I start coughing, caught by surprise from the question. I blush, thinking about kissing someone. ¡°N-no.¡±

    I sink into the water in an effort to hide my blush.

    JIng Xia bursts out laughing.

 Chapter 19: The Start Of A Long Journey

    The caravan leaving our sect is a large one, composed of twenty inner disciples and a multitude of servants and artisans all leaving for the city of Tong Xun. Tai Qiu looks surprisingly comfortable on a healthy looking brown mare as she rides up and down the caravan to make sure everyone is ready for the week long trip.

    I watch her discussing things with the various masters that will be accompanying us from my position at the front of the caravan. The other core disciples in the wagon with me are polite, but I don¡¯t really know any of them, so I stay quiet.

    Soon we start moving at a sedate pace, the steps leading up to the gate of our sect growing smaller as we travel.

    I watch the trees pass by us, birds and small animals peeking out from their hiding places to observe us.

    Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath of air, noticing the change in the spirit around us as we leave the sect grounds, the spirit is becoming more wild.

    Being free of the walls of the sect is a relieving feeling, I missed the outside world.

    The other disciples in the wagon talk quietly with each other or meditate, none of them sharing the same fascination with the outside world as me.

    I look back to the trees, thinking about the pace we are travelling; it isn¡¯t much faster than a walk.

    With a mischievous smile I leap over the edge of the wagon onto the dirt road we¡¯re travelling on.

    Tai Qiu notices me leave the wagon, smiling at me before turning her attention back to the Master on horseback she is speaking to.

    I¡¯ll take that as permission to leave the wagon.

    A giddy feeling overtakes me as I walk alongside my wagon. I¡¯m walking somewhere on my own two feet, not being flown by the elders or riding on a wagon driven by horses.

    I can¡¯t help but hum a marching tune I¡¯d heard from my father¡¯s warriors when I was younger.

    Eventually, something catches my eye off to the side of the road. A red flower, pulsating with spirit.

    I know better than to touch it, so i just watch it, knowing that I can run to catch back up to my wagon. The pulse travels through the stem of the flower, until it reaches the petals, expelling soft spiritual energy. It only takes me a moment to notice that the pulse continues underground, travelling to the trees around it through their roots.

    I look up at the old wizened trees, brimming with a power all their own.

    I smile at them, then bow, unsure if they are watching me as I am watching them.

    Nothing happens, so I hurry to catch back up to the wagon.

    Many more fascinating plants and animals line the side of the road, and I find myself stopping near most of them to observe their energies and actions.

    Some respond aggressively, their energy turning dangerous as I watch them, so I respect them and continue on my way. Others ignore me, or try to hide when they notice my attention.

    After a long time travelling, the caravan pulls to the side of the road in a clearing made for such stops. The evening sun shines on me as I watch a colony of ants carry food along a road that they¡¯ve made for themselves. They notice me watching them, but they don¡¯t respond to my attention. A lot of the creatures and plants in the forest have spirit travelling through them in a symbiotic relationship, and these ants are the clearest example of that.

    Each individual ant has a unique spirit, but they are all connected in a web, sending information along pathways of spirit. As soon as one ant noticed me, the whole colony became aware of my presence. An older and wiser spirit somewhere deep underground, guides most of the ants, and it was the one that chose to ignore me.

    ¡°They are fascinating creatures, aren¡¯t they.¡± Tai Qiu says from beside me.

    I nod. ¡°They are separate, but... they live as one.¡± I say, trying to explain my observation.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Tai Qiu says softly. ¡°I came here to tell you that I will be busy with the other masters as we discuss our plans. You are free to explore, but don¡¯t travel too far from the road Disciple Lin. There are creatures in this forest that even I am wary of.¡±

    ¡°Yes Elder Qiu.¡± I respond, looking away from the ants to smile at her.

    She smiles back before walking away.

    I continue to watch the ants, eventually bringing out my flute to play as I watch them. I play a simple children''s song, quick and cheerful in its melody.

    It might just be my imagination, but the ants seem to work with more gusto as I play my music.

    I notice the older spirit from the nest paying more attention to me, not in a malicious way, it simply observes me as I observe them and play.

    I pause, mid song as a strange feeling comes over me. My gaze looks into the forest, frowning.

    I put my flute into my robes as I stand up, walking away from the camp. Movements of the Silent Monster quiets my footsteps as I walk over the roots of an old tree. I carefully walk around spots that hold predatory or dangerous spirit, while keeping the firelight of our camp in sight.

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    ¡°I enjoyed your music.¡± a feminine voice says from the trees, and my hand lowers to the sword at my waist.

    I bow carefully in thanks, keeping my eyes on the forest around me. ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it.¡±

    ¡°Could you play another piece for me? I¡¯m sorry for interrupting you previously, but I was hoping to hear you better if you were closer to me.¡±

    I pause thinking carefully about whether I should fulfill her request and move my hand from my sword. I close my eyes, sensing the spirit of the place I had been called to. There is danger in the spirit of whatever I¡¯m speaking to, almost like a dagger ready to strike.

    Still, that danger isn¡¯t directed towards me. There is also peace here, a sense of protection and a hint of sorrow.

    I open my eyes, taking my hand off of the sword to reach for my flute. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but as long as you don¡¯t mean me any harm¡­ I¡¯m truly happy to play for you.¡± I smile in the general direction of the presence as I bring the flute to my lips. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to hear?¡±

    She is quiet for a moment, ¡°I would like to hear of the world outside of this forest.¡±

    I think about her request, the correct melody and notes coming to my mind as I stare softly into the slowly darkening night. Qi flows gently through me and into my breath as I begin to play.

    The world melts around us, showing a scene of two children playing in a field, happily dancing to the music I make.

    They twirl with each other, giggling as they trip over each other into a pile on the floor.

    The scenery shifts to a young scholarly woman humming to herself in tune with my music.

    She paints a beautiful landscape, each stroke holding power behind it.

    She looks up, smiling at me, and I smile back at her from behind my flute. The scenery shifts again to the very mountains she was drawing.

    A group of adventurers laugh as they sit around a campfire on that mountain. The smoke of the fire, twists and turns with the rhythm of the music.

    The song ends with one last crackle of the fire.

    I lower my flute, surprisingly drained of my qi. I stretch my arms and place my flute into my robe. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t stay here too long, I don¡¯t want the others to worry.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± The voice says as a green snake uncurls itself from the branches of the tree next to me. The setting sun gleams off of her scales, shining like gems. Her head, as large as my own, hangs eye to eye with me, but I don¡¯t feel any danger, so I watch her curiously. ¡°Your music is truly beautiful. May I request something of you?¡± the snake¡¯s mouth doesn¡¯t move, but I know that the voice comes from her.

    I look into her eyes, gleaming with deep intelligence. ¡°Of course.¡± I respond.

    I stiffen as the snake fully uncurls from the tree, falling onto the ground in front of me.

    ¡°Help me leave this forest.¡± The snake''s tongue pops out quickly, tasting the air.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± I say, still looking into her eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you leave on your own?¡±

    The snake gently rests its head in my lap. ¡°If I were to leave on my own, I would be hunted. I desire to see more of the world than this forest.¡±

    I bite my lip, ¡°How can I take you out? You¡¯re far too big for me to carry.¡±

    ¡°That can be changed.¡± The snake lifts her head, approaching the sleeve of my robe. As she reaches it, her body changes, growing thinner. She slithers into my robe, wrapping herself around my chest and stomach.

    I stiffen as she does so, an instinct of pure terror filling me.

    I realize that if she wished to, she could kill me easily. I had been lured into a sense of safety from her spirit, but she is still a predator.

    ¡°I do not wish you harm, young one,¡± She says. Her spirit confirms her words, and I let my fear wash over me, breathing deeply to calm down.

    Her actions should¡¯ve terrified me more than they did, and I know that I should be more suspicious of her than I am. But I could tell that her request was genuine, even if there was hidden meaning behind it. Her words held truth in them. She didn¡¯t wish me harm, and her spirit isn¡¯t dark, or evil.

    I breathe in and out, sensing my own spirit. It seems to resonate with hers in a way I can¡¯t quite define.

    I will accept her request. My instincts tell me it is the right thing to do.

    ¡°If you are coming with me, then you must listen to me.¡± I say, using the same tone my father used when talking to his soldiers. ¡°If you have never left this forest, then you know little of the outside world. I won¡¯t let you cause harm to my family or my sect.¡±

    ¡°Your words make sense. In exchange for freedom from this forest, I will listen to your words and I will not harm those you call family.¡± Her qi resonates with mine and I realize that she made her own version of an oath.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I walk back to the camp where our caravan is, thinking about how I¡¯m supposed to explain the fact that I have a snake wrapped around my waist.

    Tai Qiu smiles at me as I approach before turning back to the Master she is speaking with.

    She didn¡¯t notice.

    I look around the camp, realizing that no one recognizes anything amiss.

    ¡°I am an ambush predator, little one. If others could sense me easily, I wouldn¡¯t be able to feed myself.¡± A hint of amusement is audible in her voice.

    ¡°Right.¡± I say, walking forwards.

    I walk to the tent that a servant had erected for the female core disciples, finding my bedroll and slowly laying down in it so that the snake has a chance to move around my body.

    She feels kinda nice on my body, comforting almost. I blush as I think about how she¡¯s against my bare skin.

    ¡°By the way,¡± I say quietly as I take my sword and flute off, laying them next to my bedroll. ¡°You never told me your name.¡±

    None of the other female disciples are in the tent, so I feel comfortable speaking quietly to the snake.

    ¡°I have been called Shia.¡± The snake says as I lie down.

    ¡°I am Core Disciple Jia Lin from the Flowing River Sect. It¡¯s nice to meet you Shia.¡± I whisper, closing my eyes.

    ¡°It is a pleasure meeting you as well Jia Lin.¡±

    I fall asleep surprisingly fast, exhausted from a day of traveling and discovering new things.

 Chapter 20: Following A Different Path

    The next day I walk alongside the wagon again, enjoying the feeling of the sun on my face. Shia rests, still wrapped around my body and hidden by my robes.

    The majority of my excitement about the travelling has passed, but I still stop every once in a while to observe a particularly interesting animal or plant.

    Overall, I still enjoy the simple pleasure of walking with the sun shining on my face.

    The trees don¡¯t cover the road, in spite of them being right next to it. I¡¯m sure some famous cultivator or another created the road this way for some profound reason, but I enjoy it simply for the fact that it lets the sun through.

    Occasionally, I feel the attention of something powerful from the side of the road. Shia always stirs when I feel it, then she falls asleep again after confirming there is no danger.

    I hadn¡¯t realized how lazy snakes were. But it seems she likes to sleep most of the day away.

    Not that I mind. Her presence on my body is comforting in a strange way. It¡¯s hard to describe the sensation of her scales against my skin.

    On the third day of our traveling, we start to leave the forest behind, the landscape turning into farmland. The mortals watch us curiously as we walk by, some with excitement, others with weariness.

    Shia curls down my arm, resting her head against the back of my hand so that she can see the scenery around us.

    ¡°We¡¯ve left the forest.¡± I say, walking far enough away from the caravan that no one can hear me. ¡°What are your plans now?¡±

    ¡°I cannot roam this world on my own.¡± Shia says. ¡°I am tied to your side until I can pass through human lands without worry.¡±

    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll be happy to have you until those times come.¡± I respond, surprisingly happy that she won¡¯t be leaving me. Having her with me is comforting.

    The caravan slows to a stop, and I look towards the front to see Tai Qiu looking around wearily.

    Shia stirs underneath my robes, her head lifting and her tongue tasting the air. Suddenly her qi erupts out of her, forming a shield made of green scales in front of the both of us.

    Qi strikes down from the sky, slicing through the wagon I¡¯m walking next to and cracking the shield Shia created.

    Men wearing strange clothing burst out of the fields around us, rushing towards the caravan.

    Shia squeezes my arm, breaking me out of my reverie as a large man rushes towards me with an equally large sword. It¡¯s size and shape is unfamiliar to me, but I easily enter a stance from the Roars of The Ruinous Dragon.

    As his sword comes crashing down at me with speed bellying it¡¯s size, I step out of the way, drawing my sword in one fluent motion to slice through his neck.

    My eyes are drawn to the blood as it spurts out of his neck onto my robes.

    I quickly bring my attention back to my surroundings, hurriedly dodging out of the way of arrows coated in a black fire.

    Scanning the battlefield, I realize something very quickly.

    We¡¯re outnumbered. Tai Qiu is busy fighting multiple swordsmen on her own, and many of the masters and disciples were killed from the initial ambush. The strongest warrior she fights is at the level of Early Core Formation, and he is flanked by at least five men in Late Foundation Establishment. She won¡¯t win on her own.

    I take a step towards Tai Qiu, only to be blocked by another man in black. I step away from his initial strike, immediately noticing the difference in cultivation as his movements seem nearly twice as fast as mine. Early Foundation Establishment.

    ¡°You need to run.¡± Shia says.

    I ignore her, my eyes focusing on the swordsman in front of me. His strikes carry weight and killing intent behind them, but he lacks the techniques of a true warrior of the battlefield.

    I feint in and he confidently matches my feint. My sword twists around his, guiding it away from me.

    I cut through his stomach, using the opening I¡¯d created.

    Then I step back from his death swings. My eyes lock onto the guts spilling out of him, before I look back to Tai Qiu.

    I can¡¯t reach her.

    ¡°You must run.¡± Shia says again.

    My eyes catch Tai Qiu¡¯s, her brow stained with blood.

    She wants me to run as well.

    I turn, qi flowing through me as I activate the Movements of The SIlent Monster.

    A man tries to stab at me as I run by him and I roll underneath his sword, immediately continuing my run as I finish the roll.

    ¡°Three of them are following you.¡± Shia says as I sprint back towards the forest.

    I don¡¯t say anything as I keep running.

    ¡°Duck!¡± Shia says, and I follow her order a second too late as I feel an impact on the back of my shoulder.

    I curse as I stumble, then I start zigzagging. Occasionally dodging an arrow until I reach the treeline.

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    As soon as I am hidden by the trees, I jump onto a branch, climbing the canopy and hoping my technique will completely hide my presence.

    My breathing steadies as I watch the men cautiously walk below me. One at Early Foundation Establishment, the other two are in the eighth level of qi awakening.

    They speak softly enough that I can¡¯t hear them. Shia slithers out of my sleeve, her size growing as she travels along the trunk of the tree next to me. I notice that she looks slightly pale, an odd look for a snake to have. Still, she is so silent, that if I didn¡¯t know she was there, I wouldn¡¯t be able to find her.

    When she¡¯s positioned above the man in Foundation Establishment, she strikes, her fangs sinking into his neck.

    As she does, I drop down on another man, my momentum pushing my sword through his chest.

    The third man turns to us, raising his strange sword, and lets out a roar that forces me to step back, holding my ears to block some of the sound.

    The man charges at me, and I step back dodging his initial strike before cutting his sword arm off, then stabbing him.

    A bloodcurdling scream leaves his throat, silencing the forest.

    I step back, caught off guard by the sound.

    Shia slithers up to me, entering my robes through my sleeve. ¡°We must leave, the sounds he made will attract others.¡±

    I nod, running deeper into the forest, keeping my technique activated.

    ¡°They are collapsing on us from every direction.¡± Shia says. ¡°There are too many of them.¡±

    I frown, until my gaze stops on something.

    A portal.

    This one isn¡¯t surrounded by chains, instead, two men wearing the same strange clothes of the men that attacked us stand guarding it. They are only at the second and third level of Qi Awakening. I don¡¯t know why they left what are practically mortals to defend the portal, but I¡¯ll take it.

    I walk forward, blood dripping down my hand and onto my blade from the arrow still in my back.

    I open my mouth and start singing.

    The Third Requiem: Murder

    The young woman I¡¯d seen murder men countless times steps infront of the two guards, her appearance captivating them.

    I walk towards them, their gazes completely caught by her.

    I cut both of their throats.

    My heart aches as I kill the two men who hadn¡¯t even drawn their swords.

    The young woman winks at me as I stop my song and she disappears.

    I am disgusted with myself, and the killing I have done. But it doesn¡¯t shock me as it once would have.

    I¡¯ve become desensitized to it.

    My hand tightening around my sword, I step through the portal.

    Ming Lai

    I calmly pour Elder Li Mei Wu¡¯s tea, not a drop wasted, before handing it to her.

    She takes a sip of it as she reads a scroll. Her expression is as unreadable as always.

    I turn away to pour myself some tea, when the sound of a cup shattering hurriedly makes me turn back to her.

    Elder Li Mei Wu¡¯s eyes are wide as she looks at a paper that hadn¡¯t been there before, slowly unfurling itself onto the table.

    Her eyes show the most expression I¡¯ve ever seen her make. She pulls butterfly pins from her hair. She blows on them, and they flutter to life, flying away to deliver messages.

    Then she stands, hurriedly leaving the room.

    I glance down at the paper only to see one word written on it.

    Ambush

    Just the one word. Who sent the paper? The recent caravan to Tong Xun comes to mind, but they shouldn¡¯t even have left the border of our territory yet. Plus they have an Elder with them.

    Worry fills me before I hurriedly stomp it down.

    I leave the room, following Elder Li Mei Wu. A blade of ice forms underneath my feet, flying me to her.

    She stands in a clearing, the other Elders and masters slowly appearing.

    Eventually, the Matriarch arrives. Her gaze landing on me briefly, before turning back to Elder Li Mei Wu.

    ¡°Why have you called an emergency meeting?¡± The Matriarch asks, her voice soft.

    ¡°Elder Tai Qiu and those with her have been ambushed by unknown forces.¡±

    I freeze as my thoughts go to Jia Lin.

    She must be fine, right? She¡¯s so young, too young.

    I didn¡¯t say goodbye.

    It doesn¡¯t matter. She must be fine.

    Ice forms on my fingertips, and I calm my qi. A calm heart, that is what I should have.

    The Matriarch¡¯s voice is cold, without any of her usual warmth. ¡°Gather the Master Warriors. Have Chao Wan immediately gather together his finest men to search where they were last seen.¡±

    More ice starts to form, beginning to create a blade. Again, I calm my heart before stepping forward.

    I bow to the matriarch. ¡°Matriarch, please allow me to accompany the search party.¡± I hear the slight emotion in my voice, but choose to ignore it.

    The Matriarch watches me silently.

    Making this request directly to the Matriarch is out of line. Still, if there¡¯s a chance¡­ I have to find her. I have to make sure she¡¯s alive.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to stay here. We don¡¯t know what kind of danger awaits us, and I don¡¯t want to risk a Core Disciple.¡±

    I bow again, turning away and leaving the room. Ice cracks in my hands as they clench into fists.

    I can¡¯t trust them to make sure she is alive, they¡¯ll move too slowly and cautiously. By the time they move, she will be¡­  I have to find her myself.

    Thankfully, I know someone who is surprisingly good at tracking people down.

    My steps take me to the rooms of the inner disciples. The cold radiating from me prevents anyone from approaching as I slam on the door of Jing Xia¡¯s room.

    She groggily opens the door, looking at me with surprise.

    She smiles cheekily. ¡°So you finally have some time for your friends.¡±

    Her smile disappears as she notices the ice forming on my hands.

    ¡°The caravan to Tong Xun- it was ambushed.¡± I say, my voice catching slightly.

    Her expression turns serious as she stands up straight. ¡°Let me grab my things.¡±

    I nod as she closes the door.

    I stare at the door as I wait.

    I should¡¯ve said goodbye.

 Chapter 21: On The Other Side

    I step through the portal into an empty tent. Voices speak softly from outside, while men laugh uproariously nearby.

    Keeping my Movements of The Silent Monster active, I stay still listening for the sounds of movement. One side of the tent is completely quiet and Shia confirms that no one is there.

    I cut a whole into the side of the tent, immediately greeted by the side of another large tent.

    Silently, I walk between the tents, hiding whenever Shia tells me people are walking by.

    It doesn¡¯t take me long to realize that I am in a military encampment of some kind.

    It isn¡¯t large, and there aren¡¯t too many warriors that I see. The warriors that I do see wear matching uniforms in a strange style that I don¡¯t recognize.

    I don¡¯t hear the sounds of children, and the women that I do see wear different uniforms from the warriors and aren¡¯t carrying any weapons.

    By the time I reach the outer ring of tents, I hear shouts from where I entered through the portal.

    Either my pursuers had followed me through, or they¡¯d noticed the giant hole in the side of one of their tents.

    Thankfully, the shouts distract the one man standing guard and I slip into the forest unnoticed.

    My heartbeat quickens as I break into a run through the narrow trees. The Movements of The Silent Monster is a strong technique, but it isn¡¯t perfect. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll be able to find me or track me if I stay too close to their camp.

    I run for a while, my breathing becoming unsteady.

    Once I feel that I¡¯ve probably lost them, I look for a place to rest, noticing a large crevice in a tree.

    I fall into it, my legs collapsing from their use.

    I lean into the crevice, resting my head against the bark of the tree as I try to catch my breath.

    ¡°Are you alright Shia?¡± I ask softly.

    ¡°I will be, little one. Protecting myself from their initial attack drained what little qi I have.¡± Shia says softly. She slithers out of my robe, her tongue tasting the air.

    Of course that shield wasn¡¯t meant for me. It could almost be called luck that she protected me along with herself during that initial attack.

    I close my eyes, forcing my breathing to calm. Images of dead disciples, and the men I killed fill my eyelids.

    I open my eyes, my gaze landing on the foliage of the trees. ¡°Do you recognize these trees?¡± I ask hopefully.

    ¡°They are unfamiliar to me.¡± Shia says, looking around us wearily. ¡°We should continue, we don¡¯t know how far they may search for us.¡±

    I nod in agreement, standing, only to stumble and fall back to the ground.

    My gaze lands on my arm, which still has blood flowing down it, before my eyes close to darkness.

    ______

    The pungent smell of herbs greets me as I wake up. I squint into the sunlight, surprised by the comfortable bedding I¡¯m lying on.

    ¡°Are you awake?¡± A voice asks.

    I turn my head to see a boy a couple years older than me, sitting on a log and writing something in a book.

    My eyes widen when they meet his eyes. They are a crimson color and shaped like a northerner¡¯s eyes. His brown hair is cut short and his skin is a pale brown.

    He smiles as our gaze meets.

    ¡°I was worried for a second that you might¡¯ve lost too much blood.¡± He says, putting his book aside. ¡°Thankfully, the magic in you is strong, easily making up for what I lack.¡±

    I sit up slowly, my shoulder twinging sharply with pain as my blanket falls down.

    I look down at myself, finding myself mostly naked except for my underthings. I blush as I realize my state.

    Hurriedly, I pull the blanket back up and glare at him. My hand grabs at my sword which he had placed next to me, while the other holds the blanket up..

    ¡°Whoa, whoa! No need to stab me.¡± The man says, trying to hold back a smile. ¡°I had to undress you to get at your wound. I was a complete gentleman, I assure you.¡±

    I glare at him for a second longer before looking around the clearing again. My flute and the talisman I¡¯d bought long ago sit on top of my robes next to my sword.

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    I carefully examine my flute, looking for any markings or cracks from the battle. I breathe a sigh of relief when I realize that it is fine and continue observing the surroundings.

    Two horses are loosely tied to the tree next to us, grazing on grass. Shia is nowhere to be found, causing my heart to tighten.

    ¡°Are you hungry? I have some bread.¡± The man says, drawing my attention back to him. ¡°I¡¯d have meat, or a meal, but I didn¡¯t want to leave you to hunt for something.¡± He stands up, and my grip on my sword tightens.

    Carefully, he walks over to the saddlebags on one of his horses, pulling out a loaf of bread.

    He breaks it in half, holding one half out to me.

    I pause, considering whether I should let go of the blanket or the sword.

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I let go of my sword. I bow slightly as I take the bread, ¡°thank you.¡±

    ¡°So you can talk! I was worried that you might not be able to understand me.¡± He says, sitting back down on the log across from me.

    I eat the bread slowly, letting my body absorb the food as I wearily watch him. He waits patiently for me to finish.

    ¡°C-could you please turn around?¡± I ask, looking away from embarrassment.

    He looks confused for a second before realization hits him and he turns to face the opposite direction.

    A permanent blush sits on my face as I let the blanket fall and put on my robe. ¡°You can turn back around.¡± I say, trying to calm my heart.

    He watches me as I put my hair up in a bun.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± He asks.

    My hands pause for a brief moment before continuing with my hair. ¡°Jia Lin.¡± There¡¯s no reason to give him my position or my sect. If the trees are unfamiliar, then it is likely he won¡¯t even know of my sect.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you Jialin. My name is Matu.¡± He holds his hand out, and I watch it wearily before shaking my head.

    ¡°It¡¯s Jia Lin. Not Jialin.¡± I correct him.

    I grab my things, putting them into my robe. My hands roam over my flute, double checking it for damage.

    ¡°My apologies Jia.¡± My gaze snaps to him at his casual use of my name. ¡°Your name is unusual to say the least.¡±

    ¡°Just as yours is to me, Matu.¡± I look down. ¡°Thank you for treating my wounds. I apologize for my wariness.¡±

    Matu looks as if he wants to say something, but just shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯d be wary too, if I¡¯d just been shot by an arrow.¡°

    I stand up carefully, testing the range of motion on my arm. I place my sword on my hip, pulling it from its sheath to find it clean of blood. I resheathe it and with a deep breath, I set my gaze in one direction and start walking.

    ¡°Ah- I wouldn¡¯t go that direction.¡± Matu calls out.

    I look back curiously.

    ¡°Lord Doma¡¯s men have been searching for y-, I mean someone. Most of them are stationed in that direction.¡±

    I frown, suddenly hit by the realization that I don¡¯t know where I am, where my sect is, or where my enemies are. Tears tug at my eyes, but I blink them away. I¡¯m all alone out here without Shia.

    ¡°I can take you to the nearest city if you¡¯d like. It¡¯s outside of Doma¡¯s domain, and I¡¯m sure you could figure out what you need to do from there.¡± Matu offers, his face filled with genuine worry.

    I look at my bandaged shoulder, then back at Matu.

    I bow to him, ¡°I would be grateful for your assistance.¡±

    He smiles, motioning for me to sit down across from him. He stands up, walking to one of his horses to grab a bow and quiver. ¡°I¡¯ll go hunt some meat for dinner, might as well stay here for the night since I¡¯ve already set up camp.¡±

    I nod. He smiles at me one more time before walking off into the forest.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust him completely.¡± A familiar voice says.

    ¡°Shia!¡± I say with relief, as the snake falls down from a branch hanging above me. A large part of me worried that she¡¯d abandoned me after I¡¯d fallen.¡°What do you mean Shia?¡±

    ¡°Who knows what his motives are? He could very well sell us out to this Lord Domin. It is quite a coincidence that he was nearby when you collapsed.¡±  Shia says, her body resting against mine comfortably.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much choice, Shia. I know too little about where we are.¡± I look towards the direction he disappeared to. ¡°I have to hope that these are the threads of fate, and not just a simple coincidence.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Still it is not good for one to trust too easily, as you seem to do.¡± Shia crawls into my sleeve, traveling into my robe, until she reaches my neck. Then she wraps herself around my neck, constricting slightly. ¡°How do you know that I won¡¯t kill you right now, for my own gain?¡±

    I freeze at her words, reminding me of the fear that had existed when we first met. Carefully, I control my breathing, calming myself down.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I answer, ¡°I would be sad if you did.¡±

    Shia brings her head around, looking into my eyes. ¡°Why would you be sad?¡±

    ¡°Because I like you.¡± I answer honestly, sensing the strange attraction that I¡¯d felt towards her when she first decided to accompany me. ¡°And I don¡¯t want you to go through the pain of killing someone who was only kind to you.¡±

    ¡°Who says I would feel pain?¡± Shia says, before loosening her hold on my throat and returning to my robes.

    Because I feel pain. I don¡¯t say the words out loud, not wanting to lay my own pain before Shia with those words.

    My thoughts are a mess, so I do the one thing that seems to express what I can¡¯t say in words. Reaching into my robe, I pull the flute that my mother gave me out of my robes.

    I stare at it for a moment, before putting it to my lips..

    The Second Requiem: Remembrance

    The notes are soft and fleeting.

    The first image I see is of a disciple who sat in the wagon with me.

    We never spoke, but she smiled at me when I was exploring, enjoying my enjoyment.

    She was killed in the very first moments of the battle.

    But her smile was beautiful.

    The image switches to a Master, he explained to me the meanings of different flowers.

    He was cut down while defending others.

    He was too kind.

    Finally I see Tai Qiu, a second mother to me. She was my older sister, my friend, my teacher.

    I see her putting ribbons in my hair for my birthday.

    I put down the flute as I cry, soft sobs rocking my body.

    Why do people kill others so easily?

    Why do people die so easily?

    Why are my hands stained with blood?

    Why do I see their blood on the ground every time I close my eyes?

 Chapter 22: Aftermath

    I look at the old man on his deathbed, his disciples gathered around him. My mind feels strangely empty.

    Teng Zhu¡¯s spirit sits next to me, the both of us witnessing the scene that occurs every time I play the Fifth Requiem.

    ¡°I feel lost.¡± I say softly, looking down at my hands.

    Teng Zhu stays quiet. In spite of the fact that I know he is only an illusion, his presence feels solid beside me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do¡­¡± I pause, thinking over my words, ¡°There must be some greater purpose to everything. I just can¡¯t see it.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Teng Zhu makes a noise, bringing my full attention to him. ¡°Life is strange, little one. Sometimes it acts without purpose.¡± He smiles slightly at his words. ¡°And then, you are the one that has to find the purpose in it.¡±

    I frown, annoyed with his words. They sound wise, but they don¡¯t truly help me. He offers false platitudes for something that is truly horrible. Anger rises up in me at the small smile on his face and the way he dismisses what I am going through.

    ¡°Your words are ridiculous.¡± I start, my words coming out heated. ¡° What purpose am I supposed to find in the murder of my friends? There is no purpose there! Only cruelty and tragedy!¡± I stand up, my fists clenched as I shout at him. ¡°Don¡¯t try to excuse murder! You live so much in death that you forget how horrible it is when your blade swipes through a man¡¯s neck. As you watch his blood fall to the ground. His eyes staring at you as he wants to scream, but can¡¯t because of the gaping hole in his neck. You-, you-, you can¡¯t excuse that! You can¡¯t ignore it as if it never happened!¡±

    I breathe heavily, my voice sore from the qi I¡¯d unconsciously put into my voice. My heart beats fast as my stomach twists from the images stuck in my head.

    A sad look crosses over his face as he watches me, and I turn away so that I don¡¯t have to look at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry that you had to go through that.¡± Teng Zhu says softly.

    I turn away even more, trying to hide the fact that I want to cry.

    I cry too much already. I¡¯m not a child anymore.

    ¡°It was horrible.¡± I say softly. ¡°So horrible. Some of them screamed as I cut them down. Some¡­ didn¡¯t¡±

    A hand rests softly on my shoulder. ¡°You have a home, and friends waiting for you there. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    I nod, wiping away tears with the back of my hand.

    I get rid of the illusion and the world shifts back to the clearing Matu and I met in. The comforting weight of Teng Zhu¡¯s hand disappears with the illusion.

    I look up at the stars in the sky, different from the stars of my home.

    The soft snoring of Matu brings my attention back to him where he sleeps on his cloak. He¡¯d given his bedroll to me and I appreciate his kindness.

    Soon we¡¯ll arrive at the city. From there, I can figure out how I am supposed to get to the other side of the portal.

    I want to go home.

    ******

    Ming Lai

    I look over my room one more time, making sure that I¡¯m not forgetting anything. I won¡¯t be able to return until we¡¯ve found Jia Lin. The sect won¡¯t let us sneak out a second time.

    Confident that I have everything, I leave the room.

    I stiffen as I come face to face with Elder Li Mei Wu.

    ¡°Elder-¡± I start.

    She raises a finger, shushing me.

    Carefully, she removes her veil, revealing burn scars crossing her face. She smiles at my shocked expression, before motioning me closer.

    I oblige, stepping closer to her. She reaches up, placing her hands on my head. With the elegance that she uses for every action, she stands on her toes and brings my forehead down, lightly kissing it. Qi flows from her, marking where she kissed.

    ¡°Stay safe, disciple of mine.¡±

    With that said, she places her veil back on and turns around to walk away.

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    I bow to her back. ¡°I will, Elder Wu.¡±

    I wait until she is out of sight before rising from my bow and hurrying to the stairs where Jing Xia is waiting. Her foot taps with impatience as she watches me approach, a surprisingly small bag strapped to her back.

    As soon as I reach her, she turns around and starts travelling down the steps. ¡°The longer we wait, the harder it¡¯ll be to find any clues.¡±

    I follow her easily, our pace increasing as we officially leave the sect and enter the surrounding forest.

    She walks in front of me as we travel along the road. She doesn¡¯t say anything as we walk, keeping unusually quiet.

    ¡°What do we do if she¡¯s dead?¡± Jing Xia says, her tone lacking its usual playfulness.

    I keep quiet. I hadn¡¯t wanted to acknowledge the possibility and to be honest¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do if she did die.

    I hadn¡¯t thought any of this through really. I just know that the sect will take too long to search for any survivors. If anyone is going to be found alive, Jing Xia and I will have to find them.

    ¡°Then we kill whoever did this to her and our fellow disciples.¡± I finally respond, my resolve hardening.

    Jing Xia stops, turning to look at me. Her expression is darker than I¡¯ve ever seen it. She looks away before nodding.

    ***

    Three days pass as we travel nonstop through the forest, following the trail of the caravan.

    On the evening of the third day, Jing Xia stops suddenly on the road, her eyes scanning the forest.

    She raises her finger to her lips, motioning for me to be quiet.

    I nod, and she steps off of the path, her presence completely disappearing into the trees.

    I close my eyes, taking deep breaths as I wait for her to return. After a few minutes, she steps out of the trees and motions for me to follow her.

    She grabs my hand as her presence melts into the forest. If she hadn¡¯t grabbed my hand, I wouldn¡¯t have known that she is right next to me.

    I hold out my free hand, ice forming into a blade as she leads me. Being silent isn¡¯t my specialty, but I do my best to have my qi match hers in order to conceal myself.

    She stops suddenly, motioning towards a tree that looks over the road we had been travelling on. It takes me a moment, but I begin to pick out the silhouette of a man in the branches of the tree.

    He holds a bow at the ready, watching the road carefully. His clothes are made of a strange material that helps him blend into the tree. She motions to another tree where another man also waits with his bow strung.

    They don¡¯t hail from any sect I recognize, and The Flowing River Sect doesn¡¯t have anyone like them watching the roads. That means that they are either bandits, or with the people that ambushed the caravan.

    Holding up her hand, she starts counting down, letting go of my hand to slowly disappear into the trees.

    I watch her fingers until she is gone, continuing the count in my head once I can¡¯t see her.

    Five. Four. Three. Two.

    On one, I shape my ice into a spear and throw it at the man closest to me. His head whips around as he raises his bow to block the spear at the last second.

    The force of the blow knocks him out of the tree and into the road.

    The muffled screaming of the other man tells me that Jing Xia is dealing with him.

    The man I had attacked slowly stands up, pulling the spear out of his shoulder while cursing.

    The qi I had imbued in my spear spreads through his body, turning the skin around it a pale blue.

    I step out of the forest slowly. My spear melts away into water, only to reform itself in my hand as a sword.

    The man throws away his broken bow, pulling a curved sword from his waist. I don¡¯t recognize the sword he wields, which means he isn¡¯t someone from the Chengshi Empire.

    The man pauses when he sees me fully.

    ¡°Do you recognize my robes?¡± I ask softly, ice spreading out from where I stand, covering the road.

    He doesn¡¯t answer, instead raising his weapon.

    ¡°Have you perhaps seen similar robes recently?¡± I ask again, my qi that rests in his wound going wild with my emotions as it starts to freeze him from the inside out.

    His arm starts shaking, his teeth chattering.

    ¡°Answer me.¡± I say, stepping into the range of his sword.

    He swings, but his movement is sloppy and slowed. I easily deflect his blow, causing his sword to fall to the ground. His body falls moments later, shivering as he turns a deeper blue.

    ¡°Be useful before you die.¡± I look down on him, my emotions dark.

    ¡°You will die. Just as they did.¡± He says, his voice shaking from the cold.

    My arm moves, cutting through his neck and severing his head in one blow.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± I say to his headless corpse.

    ¡°S-sister Lai?¡± Jing Xia says, stepping out of the forest carrying the other man¡¯s dead body. ¡°C-could you withdraw your qi? I-its really cold.¡±

    I look at her darkly before my mind clears. I withdraw my qi. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°No harm was done.¡± Jing Xia throws the man she killed next to the one frozen on the road.

    ¡°You seem awfully calm about this.¡± I say, surprised at the nonchalant way she carried the dead body.

    She looks at me, her eyes darkening before her expression shifts into a smile. ¡°We all have our secrets.¡°

    I leave it at that, looking back at the men we¡¯d killed. ¡°They aren¡¯t from the empire.¡± I tell her.

    ¡°No. They aren¡¯t.¡± She leans down, pulling up the cloth on one of the dead bodies. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this stitching before, and the weapons they use are strange.¡±

    ¡°What are they doing here?¡± I ask out loud, not really expecting an answer.

    ¡°I have no idea.¡± She shrugs, her hands moving to check the pockets of both bodies. ¡°We should move off the road, there might be more ambushes, and I won¡¯t be able to detect them all. ¡°

    I nod in agreement as she pulls a piece of cloth from the pockets of one of the men, but nothing from the other.

    What were these men waiting for? Only those traveling to or from the sect use these roads. Were they scouts? Sentries?

    I close my eyes, unable to come up with an answer. I reopen them to follow JIng Xia into the forest.

 Chapter 23: The First Inn On The Road

    I wake up to Shia¡¯s slight nudging, my eyes opening slowly. Matu is already awake, packing up his saddlebags and clearing the campsite.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± At my nod, Matu smiles and hands me a small bag, ¡°Good, there¡¯s some rations in there that should keep you going until we stop for lunch.¡±

    I eat the dried meat in the bag quietly, watching as Matu feeds the horses and readies them for our trip.

    ¡°These phillies are carrying a lot of weight already. Despite your size, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to overwork them with your extra weight.¡± Matu says to me, still watching the horses. ¡°So we¡¯ll just walk with them for now, if that¡¯s alright with you.¡±

    ¡°I prefer walking.¡± I answer.

    What is in the bags tied to the saddles of the horses? Matu hasn¡¯t opened them that I¡¯ve seen.

    Matu glances over at me, his expression thoughtful. ¡°Are you ready? We should head out as soon as possible if we want to make it to the city in a timely manner.¡±

    I nod, and we set off on a small path, almost a dear trail, leading through the woods.

    An hour into the journey, Matu takes his cloak off, handing it to me. ¡°We¡¯ll reach the road soon, and you look unusual to say the least. I¡¯d recommend that you hide your face if we encounter anyone.¡± He pauses, looking me over as I put his cloak on. ¡°And don¡¯t draw your sword if you can avoid it. I¡¯d like to avoid spilling any blood.¡±

    I ignore that last comment, instead closing my eyes as the foliage starts to clear above us. I walk with my eyes closed, feeling the sun on my face and listening to all the strange sounds that come from the trees around us. My spirit sense slowly expands, taking in all the life around me and the different forms of spirit that pass through it. It¡¯s different from the spirit in the sect, or the spirit that came through the portal that sat in the middle of the sect. The difference is hard to describe and almost unnoticeable.

    Shia moves her head slightly, surprising me. For the first time, I realize that my spirit sense doesn¡¯t see her. I focus with all my intent, frowning. She shifts slightly, but I still can¡¯t see her.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you so deep in thought?¡± Matu asks, breaking my concentration.

    I open my eyes, realizing that we¡¯ve stepped onto a wider road, and that Matu is watching me curiously from where he is walking.

    ¡°I was trying to not think.¡± I answer softly.

    His eyes shift away from me, back onto the road. He pats the horse who¡¯s lead he is holding. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore thoughts because they hurt to think about.¡±

    I open my mouth to retort.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be safe when we reach the city. I¡¯m sure that Doma has ways to get at you even there.¡± I close my mouth, considering his point. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I can think of that will guarantee your safety.¡± He glances over at me, as if he¡¯s making sure that I am listening. ¡°You need to get the protection of one of the families.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡± I ask, my hand tightening on the pommel of my sword, before I forcefully relax it.

    ¡°The people in power.¡±

    I shoot him a glare, and he shrugs.

    ¡°The families control most of the business that passes through their territories. I happen to know one of the heirs that live in the city. I can introduce you, but you¡¯ll have to prove your own worth.¡±

    As we travel, the road becomes more occupied by mortals. Houses and farms become more common and wagons take up the majority of the road as we pass our first village.

    I keep the hood of Matu¡¯s cloak up, taking note of the armed horsemen that would occasionally pass us by on the road, many of them wearing the same clothing as the men that ambushed the sect on the other side of the portal.

    No one pays attention to me aside from the occasional curious glance coming from a person walking alongside us on the road.

    Matu happily greets other travellers, discussing simple things like the weather or the crops.

    Matu breathes a sigh of relief when we reach a village sitting on the edge of a river. ¡°I¡¯m honestly looking forward to a proper bed. I can only sleep on the ground for so many nights and the inn here has a nice atmosphere from what I remember.¡±

    ¡°How many days will it take to reach the city?¡± I ask Matu as he waves to a young guardsmen yawning and leaning on his pike.

    The guardsmen waves back, perking up slightly.

    ¡°Another day on horseback, not sure how long it¡¯ll take walking.¡± The villagers wave and smile as we walk towards the largest building in the village.

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    A young boy sitting in front of the building perks up as he sees us, running forward to bow and take the leads of the horses from Matu.

    ¡°Give them a treat if you can, they deserve it.¡± Matu says to the boy, flipping him a coin. The boy bows again, leading the horses to the stable next to the inn.

    I look up at the two story building, realizing that even the buildings are made differently here.

    Matu continues on into the building, and I quickly follow him.

    Opening the door reveals a rowdy room of men and women drinking and eating.

    My hand tightens on the sword at my waist, caught off guard by the atmosphere in the room.

    Everyone is so loud and boisterous. It¡¯s unnerving.

    Matu casually walks through the room to the man who is cleaning a cup behind the bar.

    I don¡¯t hear what they¡¯re talking about as I stand still near the door, trying to calm my heart and release my grip on my sword. Shia tightens slightly around my waist before loosening, her movements starting to emulate the nervousness I¡¯m feeling.

    ¡°Oh, you poor thing! Are you alright there?¡± One of the women that had been serving drinks walks over to me, smiling. ¡°You should move out of the door or one of these idiots will trip right over you.¡±

    ¡°Oy! Who are you calling idiots, Asa?!¡± One of the men calls out, his voice aggressive.

    ¡°Shut up. Can¡¯t ya see you¡¯re scaring the little lass?¡± She yells right back at him, startling the man twice her size.

    The other men at his table break into laughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re all so expressive.¡± I say quietly. ¡°I thought it was just Matu.¡±

    ¡°What was that? I can¡¯t hear you over the noise these knuckleheads are making.¡± She gently rests her hand on my shoulder, startling me. I hurriedly reach up to stop my hood from falling down. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you something to eat while your companion gets you two a room.¡±

    ¡°Knuckleheads? That¡¯s a lot nicer than what you usually call us Asa. Are ya maybe warming up to us?¡±

    She leads me to an empty table towards the back of the room, having me sit down. ¡°Ignore them, I¡¯ll be right back with some soup.¡±

    I watch her walk away, surprised by the lithe and easy way she makes her way through the crowd.

    The second requiem, the Requiem of Remembrance, surprisingly makes its way to my mind. When I first played it two years ago, it showed me an image much like this tavern. Maybe one of Teng Zhu¡¯s disciples found themselves in this world many years ago.

    Matu sits down next to me, resting his chin on his arm. ¡°Haaaaa. They¡¯re surprisingly full. The summer festival is bringing everyone in from the countryside. The innkeeper practically fleeced me for all the money I¡¯m worth.¡±

    ¡°Are you low on money?¡± I ask, watching as the woman, Asa, walks back to where we are sitting.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine when we reach the city. I¡¯m cutting it close until then.¡± He starts as Asa sets a bowl of soup in front of me, ¡°Um, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t afford-¡± he pauses before sighing and pulling out a coin. ¡°Get me one too.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Asa says, grabbing the coin and making it disappear up her sleeve.

    I use the wooden spoon she gave me to move the soup around, small chunks of meat float to the surface, but I can¡¯t identify anything else. Using my hand, I pull out one of the chunks and sneak it to Shia. She doesn¡¯t speak, but she eats it quickly.

    Shia has been strangely quiet lately.

    I take a bite of it for myself. I frown at a strange taste, but take another bite anyway.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Matu sits up as a thought occurs to him, ¡°You don¡¯t happen to be skilled with that flute of yours, do you? Everyone loves a song or two.¡±

    I pause in my eating, reaching into my robes to rest my hand on my flute. ¡°I am skilled with my instrument, but it might be¡­ different from what you¡¯re expecting.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t hurt my ears worse than the minstrel back in Lotras. Play a happy tune for me and we¡¯ll see how they like it.¡± Matu smiles at me encouragingly.

    I carefully bring my flute out, looking over the boisterous and happy patrons of the inn.

    It¡¯s hard to bring my mind into a happy mood, my thoughts still weigh so heavily from what happened to me barely a day ago.

    I don¡¯t need to match the mood, do I?

    I bring my flute to my lips, wondering what I should play.

    What do I want to play? Everything still hurts, the wound in my shoulder isn¡¯t healed.

    I start out soft, each note coming to life on its own.

    It¡¯s a flickering light, barely stil aglow.

    A breath of wind blows through the room, but the light refuses to go out.

    It gathers itself together, slowly growing bright as my notes gain strength.

    This time wind blows through the room, looking to crush the light.

    It glows even brighter, a high note of defiance against the wind.

    Slowly the light shrinks down, returning to its smaller form as the music winds down. But the notes are no longer fleeting, and the light is no longer weak. It moves, and dances with the notes I play. Showing that in spite of all the wind, it refuses to sputter out.

    Another light joins it, dancing with it to the music of my flute.

    A third light joins and each of them glow with each other, dancing.

    This time when the wind comes, the lights flow with it, using it as a catalyst to show their dancing to the room.

    No longer is it a flickering light, almost blown out by the slightest gust.

    Instead, it is one light amongst many, dancing in the wind.

    I laugh to myself as I end the music. Something about the dancing lights struck me as funny and I can¡¯t help but giggle until I notice the complete silence of the room.

    Everyone stares at me, Matu included. Matu¡¯s mouth hangs open wide, his eyes flickering to where the lights had danced in front of us all.

    A strange sense of confidence fills me as I turn to the silent crowd, their eyes wide in amazement. ¡°Would you like to hear another song?¡± I ask, my voice carrying through the silence.

    My gaze lands on Asa, who holds a bowl in her hands, her gaze still on the spot where my illusion had been shown to all.

    She looks at me and nods.

    I smile, strangely elated.

    I put my flute to my lips, closing my eyes as I imagine the soft smile of my mother. Her face is clear to me, unforgotten despite the years that have passed.

    I play a playful tune, one taught to me by her long ago. It¡¯s melody travels through the air, calling on everyone to smile and laugh as I did.

 Chapter 24: Words Of An Immortal

    Soft music whispers through the forest, so similar to a song I played long ago. I walk through the underbrush, pushing branches aside as I walk. The music calls to me, urging me along. The trees soon become shrouded in darkness, their branches barely visible.

    I walk into a familiar clearing, empty this time.

    Suddenly, the music stops.

    Fear fills me, my heart racing as my body goes still.

    I hear a sound from above, and I slowly look up, all control of my body gone.

    Glistening green scales cover her, a crown of golden scales on her head, glowing with strange qi. She is larger in size than the trees are tall, and her body moves with elegance as she pulls her head back.

    She strikes forward, two large fangs filling my vision as she swallows me whole.

    I wake up, gasping for breath. The inn room is dark, but I can clearly see Matu¡¯s dark form laying on the floor next to the bed.

    Shia unwraps herself from where she¡¯s curled around my arm. Her head rises, her tongue tasting the air. ¡°You smell like fear.¡±

    ¡°I had a nightmare.¡± I respond, slipping out of the bed. A slight cramp makes me frown as I put my hand to my stomach.

    I grab my sword from beside the door as I leave the room. The inn is quiet now, early morning light just beginning to come in through the shutters.

    Asa hums to herself as she sweeps the floor of the main room, and I quickly remember to pull the hood up on the cloak Matu leant me.

    She looks up as I walk into the room, smiling at me. I nod at her as I walk out of the inn.

    I take a breath of the cool air as I¡¯m outside, the sun just visible on the horizon. People are just starting to wake up and the village almost appears empty.

    I walk around until I find a nice spot behind the inn, hidden from curious onlookers. Once I¡¯m there, I set Shia down on the grass. She slithers off and out of sight. Once she is gone, I take my cloak off, folding it gently. I stretch my body, the sect robes easy to move in.

    As I¡¯d advanced in cultivation, the need for my stretching had lessened, but the habit felt good and there was a sort of meditation to it.

    After I am done with my stretching, I draw my sword, entering a basic stance from The Whispers Of The Silent Raven.

    Carefully, making each movement as slow as possible, I practice the movements of the technique, gliding across the floor as I focus on my footwork.

    I complete the basic steps, pausing for a moment with my sword held out in front of me. I hum softly and a familiar woman appears in front of me. She has a seductive air surrounding her, and she smiles when she sees me, drawing the sword from her waist silently.

    I watch her carefully as I keep my sword raised, pausing for breath. Then I continue to hum the tune of the third requiem.

    The murderess woman moves fast, her sword sliding through the air. I try to step back using her own technique, but faster than I can follow, she flows around me, the flat of her blade resting against my neck.

    She silently steps back, her sword pulling away from my neck.

    ¡°You¡¯re too hesitant.¡± She says, her voice surprisingly soft.

    I freeze, staring at her, nearly stopping my humming. No one from the requiems speak to me directly, except for Teng Zhu.

    ¡°And you fear the sword too much.¡±

    She strikes again, and I hurriedly raise my sword to block. Again, her body flows around my sword. This time I copy her technique, matching her movement to block her sword.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Her foot kicks out, sweeping my legs out from under me. I find myself staring up at the slowly brightening sky, the flat of her blade at my neck.

    ¡°You still do not understand.¡±

    Tears well up in my eyes, and I reach up to wipe them away, still humming the third requiem, in spite of my desire to stop.

    She releases the pressure of her sword on my throat. Her face covers my view of the sky, her dead eyes staring into mine.

    ¡°You will begin to understand, or you and all of those around you will die.¡± She pauses, her gaze turning to look at something. I follow her gaze to see the body of the man she killed in my first vision of her, blood pouring from his cut neck. She turns back to look at me, a bright smile covering her face. ¡°Do not fear death. Do not fear the sword that brings it.¡± She brings her lips to my ear. ¡°It¡¯s the fear, not the sword, that will truly kill you in the end.¡±

    The requiem ends and she disappears along with the body of her victim.

    I lie there for a moment, just breathing. What made her speak to me? Before, she would silently trade blows, just a doll that I could practice with.

    And her words¡­ They feel like they are something I should listen to.

    I slowly stand up, finding the cloak Matu leant me and putting it back on. Shia will find me before we leave, so I don¡¯t worry about her.

    ***

    We leave the inn not too long after that, Matu leading both of the horses by their reigns. As we¡¯re leaving I see a contingent of soldiers wearing the same uniforms as the men that had ambushed the sect¡¯s caravan. They¡¯re speaking to the lone guardsman at the entrance to the village.

    Matu frowns when he sees them, hurrying our pace slightly. I pull my hood tighter around my head.

    A qi sense brushes over me, and I do my best to hide the power of my own qi from it¡¯s questioning touch.

    One of the men, wearing a bright red unlike his colleagues, turns towards us, frowning. He turns back to the guardsmen, pointing at us.

    Matu suddenly breaks into motion, grabbing me and placing me on one of the horses, before acrobatically jumping onto the other one.

    The man in red starts barking orders and the soldiers break into motion, hurrying to their horses.

    ¡°Sorry girl.¡± Matu says to his horse as his horse breaks into a gallop, the horse I¡¯m on quickly following suit.

    I hold onto my horse with a death grip, I¡¯d ridden before, but never faster than a trot, and not since I was living with my father.

    Matu holds something up to the sky, crushing it in his hand. Qi flows from it, towards the city we¡¯re travelling to.

    The man in red holds his hand up, qi gathering in it. A bolt of red flies from it, hitting just in front of our horses

    To my surprise, neither horse flinches, easily leaping over the crater created from the man in red¡¯s qi.

    The soldiers, now on their own horses, are galloping after us.

    Matu casts a glance behind us before yelling at me, ¡°Can you stall them?!¡±

    I glance back, seeing ten soldiers riding after us, the man in red getting on his own horse to follow.

    I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know if I can¡­ I glance back at Matu, concentration covering his face.

    ¡°Yes!¡± I yell back at him, ¡°But we have to stop!¡±

    Matu looks at me briefly before drawing on the reins of his horse to slow down. Mine follows suit.

    I turn to look at the quickly approaching soldiers and man in red as we come to a complete stop. The horses breathe heavily as I reach into my robe and pull out my flute.

    I take a deep breath, The Twelve Requiems of Illusion appearing in front of me. It flips open on it¡¯s own, turning to the correct page.  Most of the men running to us are only in the First or Second Realm of Qi Awakening, with the exception of the man in red. I¡¯m sure I can do it.

    I put my flute to my lips, breathing softly as the world slows around me. My eyes catch the eyes of the man in red.

    His eyes are hard, with no emotion in them.

    The Sixth Requiem: The Tomb

    A long deep note plays out.

    Darkness unfolds around us, swallowing the riders and horses chasing us.

    A second deep note plays, echoing strangely through the darkness.

    A third note plays, followed by silence.

    A scream echoes from the darkness, before it¡¯s suddenly silenced.

    Complete silence and darkness comes from the stretch of road behind us.

    Qi bursts from the man in red, fighting against my illusion.

    I play a fourth note, the sound coming from my flute unlike anything I¡¯ve played before.

    Sweat drips from my forehead as the man¡¯s qi explodes in my illusion.

    My eyes lose focus, but I keep it in place.

    I bring my flute away from my lips as I sing softly.

    The words are haunting, and unmemorable, but I can only whisper them as I focus on keeping the illusion, my qi fighting a losing battle against his.

    His cultivation is in Early Foundation Establishment, but he is in my illusion, and I refuse to let him out.

    Matu breathes a sigh of relief from beside me. ¡°They¡¯re here, you can stop now. Jia.¡±

    I waver on my horse as the man finally breaks my illusion.

    ¡°Jia? Jia!¡±

    That¡¯s my name.

    I cough up blood as pain fills me. The world tips, and I slip from the horse.

 Chapter 25: Changes In The World

    A woman stares out over a snow covered land, her hand wrapped imperiously around a golden scepter. Her white irises look at more than the landscape. She watches over the flow of qi and spirit, noting strange changes and occurrences. She looks no older than thirty years, but her presence and cultivation show an age far beyond that. Her hair is as white as the snow she looks at. Her red and white robes barely flutter as the wind blows by her.

    ¡°Matriarch Mai Shun. You called for us?¡±

    Twelve men and women, dressed in the colors of their sects gather in a circle on the hilltop that the woman stands on.

    ¡°I am happy to see that the sects of Shanping still answer the call of the First Sect.¡± The woman says, her eyes still lost in the flow of qi and spirit. ¡°All of you have felt it, I¡¯m sure.¡± She says, finally turning to face the powerful cultivators gathered. ¡°The seals were broken, and the doors have reopened. Immortals are waking up, and qi is reaching even the most mundane of lands.¡±

    The matriarch taps her scepter on the ground, and the snow forms into a portal, swirling with visions of other lands. ¡°Treasures thought long gone will be found and the demons kept from our worlds will return.¡± The image of a terrible beast wrapped in chains shows through the portal. As if sensing the attention of the cultivators, it lifts its head and roars. The pressure of it¡¯s qi causes everyone but Mai Shun to tremble. ¡°Many will have forgotten the sects of Shanping. And we ourselves have forgotten our purpose. World devourers, enslavers of mortals. It was once our task to defend against them. It will be so again.¡±

    Her eyes gaze over every cultivator present, seeing to their very core. ¡°It seems that during my own rest, I have allowed rot to fester amongst the thirteen sects.¡± Many of the cultivators stiffen at her words.

    ¡±Kun Lung,¡± A large man whose eyes had stayed closed during her speech, opens his eyes when she speaks to him, revealing two glowing blue orbs instead of eyes. ¡°I know you to be righteous. Many of those gathered here have fallen into depravity, and the slaying of mortals and disciples alike for material gain. Remove the rot.¡±

    Kun Lung bows, ¡°Your will be done.¡±

    Before any of the cultivators can react, Kun Lung stabs the man standing next to him, then brings his sword up to slice through the spirit of the stabbed immortal.

    Mai Shun shows no reaction, except for the slight nod of her head. ¡°We will be facing demons, and we cannot afford to have demons amongst us.¡±

    Many of the cultivators draw their weapons, only to be slain by those loyal to Mai Shun.

    ¡°The only thing that never changes is change itself.¡± Mai Shun says, turning away from the bloodshed to look at the vision of the great beast in chains.

    ***

    In the forest surrounding the sect known as The Flowing Rivers sect, an elderly woman calmly walks through the forest, leaning heavily on her cane. The creatures of the forest, both weak and powerful, wisely avoid her. She hums softly to herself as she comes upon a clearing that used to be the home of a powerful beast.

    She walks to the middle of the clearing before tapping her cane against the ground. Dirt, gravel and plants move away from the cane, revealing a large stone tablet twice as long as the old woman is tall.

    The stone tablet depicts a beautiful snake staring down on a massacred band of cultivators. Only two cultivators stand against the snake, pooling their power to seal the creature.

    A large crack runs down the tablet, splitting it in two.

    The old lady cackles. ¡°I had come to help you, my daughter. But it seems you have cracked the seal on your own. You always were clever.¡± The old lady turns away, smiling at the men who watch her from the trees. ¡°And look at these lovely snacks. I was feeling a mite peckish.¡±

    With more cackling, the old lady¡¯s robes fall to the ground. A purple snake slithers out of the clothes, a crown of golden scales sitting on her head.  As she moves, her body expands, becoming larger than the trees around her.

    Screams of men echo through the forest as Doma¡¯s men find themselves at the mercy of a heartless hunter.

    Ming Lai

    I remove my sword from the chest of the man I killed, his body slowly freezing.

    ¡°By this point, they know we¡¯re coming.¡± Jing Xia says, holding her hand over a cut along her arm, qi flowing into the wound. ¡°We haven¡¯t been as subtle as I¡¯d hoped we¡¯d be when we started.¡±

    ¡°I agree. It is strange however, we haven¡¯t encountered anyone capable of taking on Tai Qiu in these ambushes.¡± I respond, my sword melting into water at my feet.

    Jing Xia frowns, ¡°Maybe they¡¯re testing us? People of Tai Qiu¡¯s strength aren¡¯t sent to battle easily.¡±

    I bite my lip as I think. After a moment, I tell Jing Xia my decision. ¡°You should continue on without me. I can¡¯t sneak around like you can, and I¡¯ll be here to support you if you get into trouble. You can find them, figure out if anyone from the caravan is still alive, then we can decide what to do from there.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°I agree. Your methods are¡­¡± Jing Xia looks at the patch of forest now covered in ice. ¡°Less than subtle.¡± She smiles ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you to bail me out if I get into trouble.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± I respond, ¡°Just try not to get into trouble in the first place.¡±

    She smiles mischievously as she fades into the forest. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±

    ***

    Jia Lin

    ¡°Jia, wake up Jia.¡± A soft voice I can barely hear, echoes through my dreams. ¡°Jia, you need to wake up my little one.¡±

    My eyes open wide as I carefully control my breathing. The bed I lie on is softer than I¡¯m used to and my sect robes have been replaced with a thin shirt and loose pants.

    I carefully sit up, the bed covers falling down.

    The room around me is dark, lit only by the moonlight filtering through the shudders above the bed I¡¯ve been left in.

    Activating The Movements of The Silent Monster, I slip out of the bed. My sword and flute lie against the wall, and my robes sit freshly cleaned on top of a dresser.

    With practiced movements, I dress in my robes and attach my sword to my side. ¡°Shia?¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Mm? You¡¯re finally awake?¡± The snake sleepily sticks its head out of a hole in the wall.

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± I whisper, my voice tight. ¡°We need to leave.¡±

    The snake slithers across the floor, climbing up my leg into my robes. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    My breath freezes as the creaking of the door opening echoes through the room. I step back into the corner of the room, hoping the shadows and my technique will hide me.

    A man steps into the room. He wears a cloak so I can¡¯t see his features. The shadows twist around him, as he holds his unsheathed sword up and walks to the bed I¡¯d been sleeping in moments ago.

    I put my hand on my own sword, scared that the sound of unsheathing it would give me away.

    The man creeps to the bed slowly and I position myself behind him.

    He pauses in front of the bed, confusion clear in his stance as he sees the empty sheets.

    I silently breathe in.

    With my exhale, I draw my sword and in one motion slice through the man.

    The man dissipates into shadow, reappearing a few feet away from me.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I ask, holding my sword up. My heart beats unsteadily at his easy avoidance of my sword.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering what it would be like.¡± The man says, his voice deep.

    I frown at his response. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I ask as Shia slips out of my robes, slithering silently across the floor.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to play with the warriors from your land.¡± He says, the shadows curling around him and slowly creeping across the floor towards me. ¡°And the one we have isn¡¯t very fun while in shackles.¡±

    My head snaps at his words, The one we have? Could someone from the caravan still be alive?

    ¡°Please, entertain me.¡± The man says, his form shifting.

    Out of instinct, I duck and roll away.

    I land in a crouch, to see the man standing where I¡¯d been just a moment ago.

    The shadows.  He appeared at the tip of where the shadows were. My eyes track the strange shadows spreading around him.

    ¡°Oh? You figured that little trick out fast. What will- AH!¡± The man crumbles as Shia bites his ankle. Faster than I can follow, she¡¯s slithered back to my robes and back into her usual spot.

    ¡°You little bitch!¡± He curses as purple lines travel up from his ankle.

    I keep my expression neutral as I walk towards him. ¡°You¡¯re going to die soon.¡± I say it as a fact, cause I know it to be true.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The man says, trying to stand up before falling down again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I say, looking down at him as he dies. I truly am sorry. I don¡¯t enjoy watching the man in pain. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± I ask as I sheathe my sword

    The man looks at me with confusion as he fully collapses to the floor. His body starts to stiffen as his eyes lock with mine.

    I kneel down and put my hand on his, just holding it as he dies, his sword forgotten next to him.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I say again, gentler this time.

    His eyes widen with enlightenment as our eyes stay locked onto each other. He whispers something and I lean closer to hear him.

    ¡°Doma keeps her in Tun¡¯Lun¡±

    Then he dies.

    I carefully let go of his hand, then use my fingers to close his eyes.

    Shia shifts, slithering up my chest. ¡°You are a strange one.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I ask as I stand up. I pick up my flute from where it still leans against the wall and slip it into the pocket of my robes.

    ¡°Your heart is too kind. He would¡¯ve stabbed you through, if he¡¯d had the ability to.¡±

    ¡°Probably. But someone told me that I should stop fearing death.¡± I say, looking at the body on the floor. ¡°I would¡¯ve felt horrible if I¡¯d just let him die alone.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Shia asks as I open the door to leave the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to find Matu. I¡¯m going to see if he knows where Tun¡¯Lun is.¡±

 Chapter 26: Change Of Plans

    I walk through the hallways with my hand on the hilt of my sword, keeping The Movements of The Silent Monster active. The occasional creaking of floorboards alert me to the passing of mortals, and my qi brushes against the qi of cultivators more than once.

    Matu¡¯s unique spirit leads me to a room with faint whispering coming from it.

    I knock once, before entering. A woman of the same age and with the same dark skin as Matu stands up, her silk dress flowing with her movement.. A dagger appears in her hand as she stares at me in surprise and her qi fluctuates slightly, revealing her as a cultivator.

    Matu turns around a second later, equally surprised by my entrance.

    ¡°Jia? What are you doing here?¡± Matu asks, obviously caught off guard by my presence.

    ¡°Do you know where Tun¡¯Lun is?¡± I ask immediately, not wanting to waste any time. Someone from the caravan is still alive, I can¡¯t leave them to whatever torture Doma might put them through.

    ¡°Tun-¡± Matu stops, looking between the other woman and I before sighing. ¡°Sia Lantu, this is the girl I found on my way here. Jia Lin, this is the first daughter of the Lantu family, Sia Lantu.¡±

    ¡°So you are the girl seeking the protection of my family.¡± The woman says, her dagger disappearing into her dress.

    I put my fist to my palm and bow. ¡°I am Jia Lin, core disciple of the Flowing Rivers Sect.¡± I reply properly. Etiquette is never to be ignored. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I no longer desire your protection, seeing as it means so little.¡± I finish, standing up straight

    Sia Lantu frowns, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Someone tried to assassinate me in the room I was resting in.¡± I respond, frustration leaking into my voice.

    Sia Lantu looks taken aback, pausing as she considers how to respond to that.

    ¡°Matu.¡± I continue, not waiting for her response. ¡°Do you know where Tun¡¯Lun is?¡±

    Matu glances at Sia, before looking back at me. ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t try to go there. It would only mean death for you.¡±

    My eyes narrow as a realization comes over me. I see what my life would be If I were to stay here, my life would be in servitude to the Lantu family. Even if I somehow managed to convince them to help my sect, it would likely take years.

    I bow to Matu. ¡°Thank you for all the help you¡¯ve given me. But I must leave now.¡±

    I turn around, walking to the door.

    ¡°It''s an old mining town, a three day ride on horseback back the way you came. It¡¯s in the middle of Doma¡¯s territory.¡± To my surprise, it¡¯s Sia Lantu that speaks up ¡°I¡¯ll lend you a horse for the trip.¡±

    I turn back around to look at them.

    ¡°Sia-¡± Matu starts, but Sia Lantu holds her hand up stopping him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the kindness of the Lantu family when you return to your sect.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    Matu leads me to the stable, bringing out one of the horses.

    I mount the horse carefully, getting my bearings. The suddenness of my last ride had caught me off guard.

    But this time, I give myself a moment to remember all of the lessons from before I joined the sect. My mother was quite the rider, if I remember correctly.

    Thankfully, the horse is a docile one, easily responding to my movements and understanding of the small mistakes I make.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Shia asks, as I set out at a light trot.

    I take a moment to respond to Shia, pretending to focus on the road. ¡°If someone is alive, I have to find them. I have nothing to offer the Lantu family for their help, and I know what happens when you put yourself into debt with a noble family.¡±

    ¡°You go towards your own death, little one. You are not strong enough to go against the cultivators that even your master lost to.¡±

    Shia¡¯s words hit me hard. I know them to be true, but I¡¯d been trying not to think too hard about who¡¯s territory I¡¯m walking into.

    ¡°My illusions are convincing enough to fool Elder Tai Qiu. As long as they don¡¯t recognize the illusions of death, they won¡¯t escape them.¡± I speak with more confidence than I feel.

    We ride in silence as I ponder my choice, my thoughts in turmoil.

    The murderess¡¯s words keep echoing through my mind.

    ¡°Do not fear death. Do not fear the sword that brings it. It¡¯s the fear, not the sword, that will truly kill you in the end.¡±

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    I speak my thoughts to Shia, the words bringing realization to me as I speak them. They come out with confidence, an expression of my true self. ¡°If I turned back because I feared death. I would lose who I am. I have to continue on, because I can¡¯t let my fear rule me.¡±

    Laughter echoes from Shia, strange in it¡¯s tone. She slithers excitedly around my waist and up my chest. ¡°Now you speak like a predator, and not like a prey.¡±

    Her words ignite a fire in my stomach and I can¡¯t help the small smile that plays at my lips.

    The first day passes without incident. On the second day, we start passing the occasional patrol of Doma¡¯s men.

    I hum softly, working an illusion to hide myself from their sight. The small suggestion seems to work even on the occasional cultivator that passes with the patrols, although none of them are at the level of the Elders of the sect.

    By the third day, the patrols get too common and I decide to leave the horse. It happily wanders back down the road towards the city where Matu and the Lantu family are.

    I continue on foot. Shia is able to give me some warning before I meet the patrols of men and The Movements of The Silent Monster combined with the small illusion created by my humming keep them from noticing the lone girl walking towards their camp.

    On the evening of the third day, I crest over a hill and look upon a military outpost surrounding a mining village. Wooden palisades surround the village, with sentries stationed along their length. A ten meter length around the palisades has been cleared of forest to allow the sentries view of anyone approaching. A rider gallops out of the village, leaving through a wooden gate that is opened specifically for him.

    I study it for a moment longer, noticing the strange spirit coming from the village.

    I step forward.

    ¡°Wait.¡± Shia stops me in my tracks as I hold still, my body tense.

    She slithers down my arm, lifting her head above my hand to study the village.

    ¡°A barrier surrounds the town, meant to detect cultivators not attuned to it. Match your qi to mine so that we can pass through.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you see it?¡± I ask, as I feel the change in her qi and match mine to it.

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason that no one we¡¯ve met has been able to sense me, little one.¡±

    I realize that she avoided the question, but let it go in favor of walking forward towards the village.

    The sensation of the barrier passing over me is strange, almost like a liquid flowing over my skin.

    I shiver once I reach the other side.

    ¡°I realized something, Shia.¡± I say as I approach the village, the world slowly getting darker with the end of the day. ¡°I have no idea what I should do next.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Took you long enough to realize it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe a distraction would work. I could sneak through the gate while they¡¯re distracted with an illusion.¡± I say, stopping just before the ten meters of cleared area in front of the palisades.

    ¡°As soon as they realize you use illusions, you lose your advantage.¡±

    A man travels along the edges of the palisade, lighting torches.

    I pull my flute from its pocket in my robe. ¡°If- if I let them capture me, could you rescue me?¡±

    A snake tail flies out, hitting me on the head. I touch the spot, more from annoyance than pain.

    ¡°Of course not. We have no idea what kind of cultivators are protecting their prisoners. Trust in your abilities, little one. Use illusions in such a way that they never even realize they were tricked.¡±

    I take a deep breath as I stare out at the distance separating myself from the gate and the palisade.

    I put the flute to my mouth, hoping that something will come to me.

    As I play, a man in red appears in front of me, and soldiers surround me. The men that I killed with the sixth requiem and the cultivator in red that broke free.

    To my surprise, the cultivator in red¡¯s appearance changes slightly, taking on the form of the warrior from the First Requiem.

    I nearly stop my music at the sight of him. Instead I just put my flute back into my robe and start humming to hold the illusion together. Notes come to me as I hum, the song taking on a life of its own as the warrior of the First Requiem smiles and the illusionary soldiers tie my wrists with rope.

    We walk out of the forest towards the gate, the warrior of the First Requiem walking calmly in his red robes to the gate of the village as I hum as softly as I can, trying to hide the qi I am using for the illusion.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± The sentry calls out to our group.

    ¡°I have urgent business.¡± The First Requiem warrior¡¯s voice is rough and filled with irritation. He leaks an aura that makes me pale with the qi it takes from me to hold it together. Thankfully, he only leaks his aura for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t irritate me right now.¡±

    I didn¡¯t make him do any of those things. He spoke on his own and used my qi on his own. I have the ability to stop him if I truly want to, but I decide to let him act on his own.

    ¡°O-of course.¡± The sentries voice stutters with fear from the brief showing of aura. The gate slowly opens and we enter.

    We walk through, only to be greeted by the lone sentry. ¡°I-I can get the commander, sir cultivator-¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be needed. Return to your post.¡± The First Requiem warrior¡¯s voice allows no argument.

    The sentry hurries back to his spot looking over the gate.

    The soldiers and the Requiem warrior lead me towards the village. As soon as we¡¯re out of sight of the sentry I stop the illusion. The warrior lingers for a moment, smiling at me before he disappears.

    I hurry behind a building, sliding against a wall as I focus on regaining my qi.

    ¡°Shia.¡± I call to her as she leaves my robes to slither across the ground. ¡°Can you find whoever it is that they are keeping here? You¡¯ll be able to search the camp easier than I can.¡±

    ¡°I will search. Keep in mind, little one, we only have so long before that man questions where the strange cultivator and his men went. ¡°

    I nod. ¡°Hurry, please.¡±

    I watch Shia for as long as I can before she disappears from sight.

    It seems that all the men and women of my illusions are more than they seem. When all of this is over, I¡¯ll have to speak to Teng Zhu about it.

    I close my eyes, meditating, settling my qi and cultivation in preparation for whatever is coming next.

 Chapter 27: Rescue

    Occasionally, I feel the sensation of a strange qi passing over me. Thankfully, The Movements of The Silent Monster seems to keep the qi from noticing my presence.

    Men speaking in brisk tones occasionally pass by my hiding spot and I can¡¯t help the anxiety that runs through me every time they pass by.

    Each minute stretches for an eternity as I wait for Shia. I focus on my breath to calm myself, counting the seconds as I breathe in, then out.

    In, then out.

    The spirit of the camp flows through me. The spirit is harsher than usual, ready, as if for a battle.

    Eventually, Shia returns, her form almost invisible in the darkness of the night. She travels up my offered arm and into my robes easily. I shiver at the sensation of her against my body.

    ¡°What did you find?¡± I ask, standing from my meditative position.

    ¡°Your master has dodged the arrow of death, it seems. They keep her in the mine.¡±

    My body collapses against the wall as relief fills me. She¡¯s still alive.

    I close my eyes, crying a little before wiping the tears away. I hadn¡¯t seen them kill her, but I didn¡¯t want to hope¡­.

    With a deep breath, I push myself away from the wall and stand up tall.

    ¡°You know, little one, that they would not leave one such as her unguarded.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± I answer as I start walking through the camp.

    ¡°You only put yourself in danger, with little chance of success, by continuing¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± I repeat, my feet leading me to the entrance of the mineshaft.

    ¡°Good. Then try not to die, little one. I¡¯m starting to enjoy your company.¡±

    I unsheathe my sword in preparation, my breath even.

    Two men guard the entrance to the mineshaft, their qi lesser than mine.

    I have to kill them, or get past them without letting them warn the true monsters that exist in this camp.

    They are too visible for me to kill them without alerting the whole camp, so I hum softly to hide my presence further as I calmly walk between the both of them.

    ¡°Do you hear that?¡± One of them asks, waking up the other.

    ¡°Hear what?¡±

    ¡°A humming.¡±

    I ignore their conversation, hoping that they just assume that they imagined it as I travel further into the mines.

    I completely lose my vision as we travel into the completely dark mines. Shia guides me, telling me when to turn. I memorize the steps in hopes of finding my way back out even without her guidance.

    A sconce on the wall lights up a doorway at the end of the tunnel I¡¯m walking.

    I hold my sword at the ready as I walk up the door.

    As soon as I open the door, whoever is on the other side will know that I¡¯m here and I¡¯ll have to kill whoever they are, in order to free my Master.

    Shia slides out of my robes, and some small part of me wonders if she is abandoning me now, leaving me alone to face whatever powerful cultivator is in the room through the door.

    I close my eyes one last time, preparing myself.

    Then I open them, and throw the door open.

    Two men turn to me, but I¡¯m in motion, my feet carrying me to them in an instant. My sword slices through the first man¡¯s neck as he reaches for his sword.

    The second pulls his sword out, and I recognize him from the attack on the caravan. He was one of the men that fought Tai Qiu, and his cultivation is much much stronger than mine.

    A wave of force hits me, throwing me against the wall.

    The man is in Middle Foundation Establishment,

    I roll back onto my feet, catching my breath as I start singing in familiar, haunting tones.

    The First Requiem: The Field of Blood.

    The world changes around us, as the enemy cultivator takes a step back.

    Blood flows over the rock under our feet.

    Metal screeches against metal as men fight each other on the ancient battlefield.

    Screams echo out as men lose limbs, or are stabbed through.

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    The warrior of the first requiem appears beside me, his sword drawn and covered in blood.

    The enemy cultivator looks at the battlefield, uneasy.

    To my surprise, the enemy cultivator pulls the blood of my illusion around him, solidifying it into arrows.

    And I know I¡¯ve won.

    He¡¯s fallen for the illusion and accepts it for reality.

    He shoots the arrows of blood at me, and the First Requiem Warrior steps in front of me. The Warrior slices through the arrows, returning them to blood.

    I focus on the illusion, calling on my qi. Then I change it.

    The warriors around us stop their battle, turning to the enemy cultivator. As one, they move in.

    The enemy cultivator fights valiantly, calling on the blood that lies across the battlefield to kill those around him.

    But these warriors were cultivators from a time filled with bloodshed.

    They overwhelm him, and since he accepts the Requiem as reality, it becomes reality for him.

    He dies as the requiem ends, the illusionary swords through his chest disappearing as I stop singing.

    I collapse to the floor, gasping for breath. My qi reserves are nearly empty, but I managed it.

    I killed him.

    And a third man walks into the room from the door opposite of the one I just came through. His cultivation is as strong as the man I just killed.

    I laugh, smiling up at him from the floor I kneel on. ¡°I¡¯m not going to die just yet.¡± I say, my confidence unwavering.

    I stand up slowly as he calmly draws his sword. My ribs ache from the previous cultivator¡¯s opening strike.

    The man raises his sword, then pauses in shock. He falls to the ground, familiar purple lines traveling up his ankles.

    Shia slithers over him, towards me. ¡°No, it appears you aren¡¯t, little one.¡± She says, grabbing a ring of keys off of the poisoned man¡¯s belt with her tail. I grab the keys from her as she slithers back into my robes.

    I walk to the door the last man walked through, placing my hand on the handle.

    At the last moment, I turn back around, and bow to the room full of the dead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    My heartfelt apology is met by the gurgling of the poisoned man¡¯s final moments.

    My eyes close as a weight enters my stomach, before reopening with my conviction.

    I open the door into the next room.

    Cages line the walls. Men and women of all ages sit shackled in these cages, their eyes focusing on me as I walk into the room.

    I stare at the cages, unsure how to proceed.

    ¡°Your master is at the end.¡± Shia says.

    I walk forward, my eyes catching the eyes of every prisoner that I pass.

    Eventually I reach the end.

    Tai Qiu lies in her cage, her body battered with scrapes and cuts. Her shackles glow blue, absorbing the qi around and I assume, in her. Her eyes open slowly as I approach, obviously weakened.

    I sheathe my sword.

    I hold back my sobs as I kneel next to the cage and unlock it.

    She really is alive. I- I couldn¡¯t believe it. Fate is never that kind.

    Tears fall as I shakily move to the strange shackles around her wrists.

    They fall to the floor and my body rocks with sobs.

    Arms reach around me and I let her pull me into her chest as I cry.

    Her body is thinner than I remember, her presence itself is strangely weakened, but her spirit- her spirit is the same. It¡¯s almost as if she¡¯d fallen in her cultivation all the way to a mere third level Qi Awakened

    ¡°Junior Sister. Jia.¡± Tai Qiu says softly and I pull back, wiping my face on my sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have much time. We should hurry.¡±

    I nod, then stand up.

    Tai Qiu leans on me heavily as I help her off the floor. My gaze catches on all of those still in cages.

    Freeing all of them would take so much of our limited time.

    I lean Tai Qiu against a cage as I unlock a cage with another cultivator trapped by those strange qi absorbing shackles, then I toss the keys to him. He has more energy than Tai Qiu and gets to work on his own shackles.

    I only pass the choice on to the strange cultivator, but it¡¯s the best I can do. I have no desire to let Tai Qiu get recaptured and to fall into Doma¡¯s hands myself.

    I move back to Tai Qiu. Already, her complexion looks better, but she still leans on me as we leave the caged room and enter the room with the dead guards.

    Tai Qiu looks around at the dead men, smiling slightly. She spits on one of them as we pass them.

    I ignore the action, focusing on leaving. I retrace my steps through the mines, not relying on Shia, since she obviously prefers to keep her presence hidden. Already, Tai Qiu¡¯s presence feels stronger than moments ago, up to the strength of a eighth level qi awakened disciple.

    The two guards still sit at the entrance to the mine, talking to each other quietly. I pause, not sure how I want to get past them.

    Tai Qiu spits something into her hand. It¡¯s the ring that she wore all the time, her spatial ring. She calmly puts it on her hand and stops leaning on me.

    Her sword of paper is silently pulled from her storage. She then walks up behind one of the soldiers. She stabs him through the back, then pulls her sword out and slices through the neck of the second soldier before he can react.

    They both fall to the floor dead.

    She looks down on them with pure hatred, before turning back to me and stumbling into my arms.

    I hold her up as we walk past the bodies.

    Now that we are out in the open, any cultivator who happens to be searching with their qi will likely discover us. My qi is still drained from that requiem, which means that I won¡¯t be able to produce too many illusions.

    Horses. If we¡¯re going to escape, then we need horses to ride. We¡¯ll ride to the portal and try to find a way through there.

    I lead Tai Qiu to the stable; it isn¡¯t too hard to find with the sounds and smells it produces. I leave her against the wall as I kill the poor man watching the horses.

    I grab two mares, already saddled, then look back over the line of horses.

    ¡°Shia, can you poison them enough so that they can¡¯t follow us without killing them?¡±

    ¡°I kill what I bite.¡± The snake says, slipping from my robes.

    ¡°Then do what you have to.¡±

    A few moments later, I¡¯m helping Tai Qiu mount one of the mares.

    Once she¡¯s on the horse, I walk both horses towards the gate.

    That¡¯s when the alarms go off.

    A shout, a ringing of a bell. The whole camp wakes up.

    I hop onto my horse with haste. I kick the horse into a gallop towards the gate, Tai Qiu¡¯s mare following mine.

    How do we get through?

    I remember something that I¡¯d bought at the market of the sect, but never had the chance to use. I reach into a hidden, waterproof pocket of my robe, pulling out the talisman I¡¯d bought all that time ago.

    A flame reaching to the sky is drawn on the talisman.

    As we gallop towards the gate, I channel qi into it, hoping that whatever it does matches the picture.

    A bird made of fire flies out of the talisman, expanding until it is larger than the gate it is flying towards.

    It screeches, the sound sending every soldier and cultivator from this strange land stumbling to the ground. Then it crashes into the gate, burning it to a crisp as it flies through.

    Our horses follow it a moment later, strangely fearless.

    Then we are out, galloping down the open road.

    Now all we have to do is reach the portal home.

    And sneak through an enemy camp to get there.

 Cultivation Information

    Cultivation in this novel isn''t as absolute as many similar stories make it out to be. A well trained swordsman will take down someone a level above them in cultivation but weaker in swordsmanship nine times out of ten. Still, it increases one''s physical and spiritual abilites noticably.

    Each level after Qi Awakened is seperated into Early, Middle, and Late

    For now, here''s the levels of cultivation:

    Twelfth Level Qi Awakened: All meridians have been opened and the cultivator is ready to start their foundation.

    Foundation Establishment: Consolidate the Cultivator''s power and create the beginnings of one''s own place of power within oneself (soul palace).

    Core Formation: The formation of a core of qi, containing the beginnings of one''s Dao. Allows one to generate qi from inside oneself.

    Nascent Soul: The seperation of the soul from the physical body, and the final touches to one''s soul palace.

    Dao Shaping: The recognition of one''s connection to the physical realm and shaping your qi to match how you connect to the physical realm. Will change your soul palace to match your connection.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Dao Refining: Once one''s connection to the physical realm is solidified. One refines that connection in strength and understanding.

    Saint (no one in Jia Lin''s realm has reached this point yet)

    Emperor

    Transcendence

    True Immortal

    Spiritual Cultivation: I''m planning on getting more into this later, but for now, here''s just the names of the realms.

    Spirit Recognition (Jia Lin is in this realm right now)

    Spirit Formation

    Spirit Expansion

    Characters Cultivation

    Jia Lin: Sixth Level Qi Awakened

    Jing Xia: Fifth Level Qi Awakened

    Ming Lai: Early Foundation Establishment

    Elder Tai Qiu: Late Core Formation

    Elder Zhu Chen: Middle Nascent Soul

    Elder Li Mei Wu: Late Nascent Soul

    Matriarch Hua Wang of the Flowing Rivers Sect: Middle Dao Shaping

    Teng Zhu: True Immortal of Music

    If there''s anyone not listed here who''s power level you would like to know, tell me and I''ll add it.

    Also, feel free to ask questions in the comments about the world, it''ll help me organize my own thoughts and tell me how much you guys are enjoying the story.

 Chapter 28: To The Portal

    The horses slow down, their flanks wet with sweat from their gallop away from the camp.

    I look over at Tai Qiu in the darkness, the light of the moon the only thing lighting our path. Even with the poor light, I can see her weakened state as she leans forward in her saddle, her breath heavy with exhaustion from the ride. Her cultivation feels closer to what it should be, although still not quite as powerful as usual. Only at the level of late stage Foundation Establishment.

    I dismount from my horse with worry, walking to her mare¡¯s side. She doesn¡¯t acknowledge me.

    Her hands hold the horse¡¯s mane tightly, whitening from her grip. Her eyes stay closed as she breathes.

    I reach up, laying my hand on hers. Carefully, I make them release their grip on the hair of the horse.

    She opens her eyes, her gaze softening as it lands on me.

    ¡°The horses need a break.¡± I say, gently rubbing my thumbs over the back of her hands. It was something my mom used to do to me to calm me down.

    ¡°We have to get back to the sect.¡± Tai Qiu says, ¡°We don¡¯t have time.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, surprised by the fear in her gaze.

    Tai Qiu calms as I continue to hold her hands. ¡°The reason they are expanding into our land, it¡¯s to gather sacrifices. They will be using the blood of the mortals in order to summon... a- a Demon.¡± Fear overtakes her as she stumbles over the word, her eyes getting a faraway look. ¡°I saw it, Junior Sister, Disciple of mine. It gorged on the flesh of our sect members with pleasure in its eyes. It delighted in the slaughter, and it was hungry for more.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by demon?¡± I ask, surprised by the emotion in her voice. I¡¯ve never seen her like this before. ¡°You mean the creatures that monasteries warn of?¡±

    Tai Qiu searches my gaze, ¡°No. I speak of the creatures I¡¯ve only read about in scrolls and books. Creatures I thought were mere stories. Hungry creatures that use death and blood to leach cultivation and abilities off of mortals and immortals alike.¡±

    I pat her hand, only now noticing Shia¡¯s tenseness at the mention of the word Demon. She couldn¡¯t be¡­ no, I¡¯m confident that she is a spirit beast of some kind.

    As I start to pull away, Tai Qiu reaches out, grabbing my hand. ¡°You will know them, Jia, by their spirit. It¡¯s filled with death and hunger.¡±

    I nod, and she lets go.

    I walk over to my horse, jumping up to mount it. ¡°If we need to warn the sect, then we will get to the sect and warn them. I promise you, Master Tai Qiu.¡±

    She relaxes slightly at my words, nodding.

    Worry fills me at the sight of her small form on the horse. Pain fills her. Physically and mentaly, she was hurt. I can see it in her eyes and in the way she spoke of watching our sect¡¯s people dying.

    I let the horse know to continue, and we set off at a quick pace, the light of the moon being our only guide.

    It should be a two day¡¯s ride to the portal that started this mess. If we push the horses through the night, we might be able to lower it to one day¡¯s time.

    I reach over, patting the flank of my mare. I feel bad for pushing them so much.

    ¡°Shia.¡± I say quietly enough that the wind blocks Tai Qiu from hearing me. ¡°What do you know about demons?¡±

    Shia is quiet for a moment before answering.

    ¡°More than I¡¯d like to, little one.¡± Shia says, not expanding on her statement.

    I let it go at that, not sure how to ask her for more information.

    Our ride through the night is without incident. Tai Qiu slowly regains her cultivation and sits straighter as we ride, her spirit feeling cleaner in a strange way. Now she feels somewhere in the Core Formation Realm. It¡¯s hard to tell exactly where, since it¡¯s hard to define another person¡¯s cultivation when they are too far above me.

    Eventually, Tai Qiu has us pull to the side of the road to rest the horses.

    I get off of my horse with relief, circulating my qi to help with the soreness in my thighs. Even with my cultivation, my body isn¡¯t used to riding a horse for days on end.

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    Tai Qiu has us walk off of the road and into the forest for a good while before stopping next to a stream.

    While I watch the horses, she pulls something from her ring. Qi moves around us, eventually settling into a circle that surrounds all of us a few meters out.

    ¡°That should prevent anyone from finding us.¡± Tai Qiu says, turning towards me, her expression not showing any of the vulnerability from before. ¡°You should take the chance to get some sleep, Disciple Lin. I¡¯ll keep a watch.¡±

    I consider arguing, but stop when I look into her eyes. She needs the time to herself. I look over the horses, realizing that I don¡¯t have any sleeping pads or blankets.

    With a frown, I move to the roots of a tree and curl up. I close my eyes as Shia slithers out of my robes to do her own thing.

    Sleep hits me surprisingly fast, my body relaxing from the familiar presence of my master nearby.

    ***

    Tai Qiu sits on the ground, her gaze flickering to her disciple as she writes in a flowing script on talisman paper.

    Every few moments, her hand would start to tremble before she forcibly stops it.

    She had never before seen the strange metal that the men used to drain her cultivation. It had been this metal, on the sword of the man she had fought, that had cost her the lives of all of the disciples of the caravan. One cut, and her strength had begun to drain, two and she dropped a whole level of cultivation.

    Her hand pauses, her gaze moving to the scars on her wrist where the cuffs had cut and scraped, turning her into little more than a mortal. She had done her best to hide the scars from her disciple. Thankfully the dark had kept the sight from the young girl.

    The sect will need to be warned of the strange metal, cultivation is the lifeblood of sects and when something drains cultivation like this, it is a danger beyond imagining.

    She continues drawing the talisman, her hand movements carefully precise.

    She didn¡¯t believe it, when she first saw the form of her disciple, her robes covered with blood. Another trick of the demon, or of her own mind.

    She hated it at first. The vision of the young girl, covered with blood. Jia Lin was meant to stay in the sect, nurtured and protected until she is old enough to face the harshness of the world. Someone so young shouldn¡¯t have to deal with killing and death, but that¡¯s all she got since she joined the sect.

    But none of that truly mattered, the moment that her disciple held her, Tai Qiu knew, it wasn¡¯t an illusion of the demon. It was the sacrifice of her disciple for her. Not something to be hated, but something to be grateful for.

    Perhaps Jia was forced to deal with death early, but everyone will come to see death someday.

    She has failed to protect her disciple from the world, but that wasn¡¯t her place.

    Tai Qiu glances over at her sleeping disciple, surprisingly relaxed after all she has been through.

    Her place was to guide her disciple through the world, not protect her from it.

    Her gaze moves to the formation protecting them from the searching of their enemies. The demon searches for her, she knows it. It is still weak, still vulnerable, and it knows it.

    It knows that she will come for it.

    She will kill it. That is certain, if it is the last thing that she does as a cultivator, she will kill the demon that took the lives of her sect¡¯s disciples.

    She finishes the talisman with a flourish. She stands up, knowing that sleep won¡¯t come to her tonight.

    Reaching into the space created by her ring, she pulls out her sword.

    She throws the talisman she just created into the air, then pierces it with her sword. Qi flows through the talisman, travelling through the script written onto her sword. The script glows red with the qi, taking on a sinister glint. The qi travels through the pommel of her sword, burning symbols into her hand.

    An oath is made. A promise of one¡¯s soul and spirit.

    She will kill the demon.

    She will kill the men that brought it into this world to try and control it.

    Her spirit changes, transforming from it¡¯s aspect of adventure and knowledge into a sharper feeling, a promise of blood and death.

    She pulls a sheathe from her ring¡¯s storage, strapping it to her side. She looks at her sword one last time, its blade still glowing a sinister red, before putting it into the sheathe.

    The horse next to her huffs and she turns to it, raising an eyebrow.

    It huffs again and she chuckles, scratching it on the forehead. ¡°I know. You¡¯re probably hungry, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t have any food, and I can¡¯t really let you out to graze.¡±

    The horse turns to stare at her from one eye.

    ¡°I know, I know.¡±

    ***

    I wake up slowly, putting my hand in front of my eyes to block the sunlight. After a few seconds, my eyes flicker open and I sit up.

    Tai Qiu leans against another tree, one of the horses calmly munching on grass next to her while the other stares at the ground, calmly flicking its tail.

    Tai Qiu opens her eyes as I stand up and stretch. ¡°Are you ready to continue?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master Tai Qiu.¡± I answer, pausing as I move over to the mare I rode last night. ¡°What happened to your spirit? It¡¯s¡­ different.¡±

    ¡°I made an oath using my spirit, something you will be able to do when you get farther along in the book of spirit.¡± She says, readying her own horse.

    I nod in understanding, but the change in her spirit is still a little disorienting.

    We return to the road, remounting the horses once there. Tai Qiu uses another talisman to lower our presence as we ride to the portal.

    Shia remains quiet for the ride. She had returned to my robes at some point while I was asleep and appears to be sleeping herself.

    Tai Qiu herself doesn¡¯t say anything, but I can tell that she looks much better than she did last night and her cultivation is back up to what it was before leaving the sect.

    It¡¯s evening again by the time we start noticing the increase in soldiers on the road. Like a disturbed ant nest, they ride their horses up and down the road. The talisman keeps us safe from their attention, their gazes going right over us.

    Before we get too close to the camp with the portal, we bring the horses into the woods to rest while we think of a way to get through.

 Chapter 29: The Sect Moves

    I watch as Tai Qiu folds paper into the shape of a little bird. Qi surrounds her fingers as she works, entering the paper and the images she drew into it. We had found a small clearing, and Tai Qiu had set up another circle of protection. She rests on the ground, focused on the creation of her construct.

    I lean against a tree. Shia curls around one of my arms while I focus on my breathing to calm my anxiety.

    Tai Qiu smiles, pulling her hands away and setting the paper bird on her leg. The construct stands still for a moment, before it moves its head and ruffles its wings. It hops from one of her legs to the other, waiting for instructions.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what my connection with it will be once it flies into the portal.¡± Tai Qiu says, her eyes still on the paper bird. ¡°We have to hope that it finds a member of our sect before someone else catches it.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just use my illusions to sneak our way through?¡± I ask as the bird flies into the air, flitting back and forth before heading in a straight line towards the camp of soldiers that guard the portal.

    ¡°Because they might be expecting you. I don¡¯t know how many truly powerful cultivators they have, and I don¡¯t want to fight them after they break one of your illusions.¡± Tai Qiu pauses, looking at me softly. ¡°You¡¯ve done more than most in your situation would or could. It¡¯s time to call on the power of the sect now.¡±

    I nod, my gaze on the sky where the bird had flown off into.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Tai Qiu asks.

    I turn my attention back to her, she looks at me worriedly.

    ¡°What do you think happens after death?¡± I ask quietly, a strange emotion filling my voice. I don¡¯t feel sad, but more... lost. It¡¯s the feeling I¡¯ve been dealing with ever since I watched a man bleed out from where I stabbed him. It¡¯s been sitting there, under the surface, as I travelled with Matu and as I rode on my own to find Tai Qiu.

    Tai Qiu looks thoughtful at my question.

    ¡°I spoke to a monk after my mother died.¡± I continue, looking to her for an answer. ¡°He said that death is ¡®the transition into another journey¡¯. I think he meant reincarnation.¡± I stop, ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. I want some kind of excuse, something I can tell myself about the men and women I¡¯ve watched die, that I¡¯ve killed. Everything in my life seems to be trying to tell me something about death. But I still don¡¯t get it. I still wonder why. I¡¯m missing something, Senior Sister. It feels like I¡¯m missing the most important piece to explain it all.¡±

    Now that I¡¯ve started speaking, I can¡¯t seem to stop, the thoughts that I had been burying with my immediate tasks coming back up like a crashing wave. ¡°Someone told me to stop fearing death and I don¡¯t anymore. I really don¡¯t. Still, it crushes me. The men that I¡¯ve killed appear in my illusions and in my dreams. I remember every face as I stabbed them through or watched them die. I remember seeing life in their eyes one moment, then gone the next. It¡¯s wrong. Seeing someone without life feels so wrong!¡± I yell the last word, my voice breaking as I start crying.

    Tai Qiu stands up, gently pulling me into a hug. I stiffen slightly, the change in her spirit from earlier today makes her feel different. But it¡¯s still her, so I relax, burying my face into her dirty and tattered clothes.

    She stinks of death and blood. The smell is familiar to me now. I sob into her chest, letting all of the pent up emotions from a week of bloodshed.

    Tai Qiu speaks, her tone encompassing me and calming me. ¡°When I was young, my home village was raided by cultivators.¡± She says, my sobbing beginning to subside. I hiccup while she continues. ¡°They killed the men and did unspeakable things to the women. When they were done, they killed every last mortal in the village. I was new to the sect then, just starting on my journey of cultivation.¡± My own thoughts get lost as my mind narrows in on her story. Her words filling the world around me.¡°When I found out what they¡¯d done, I vowed vengeance. I left the sect and hunted them down. I found them, whether they were in their own sect or in the city. I found every single cultivator involved and I killed them.¡± Her voice fills with the first hints of hatred I¡¯d ever heard from her. ¡°I slit their throats, poisoned their food, drowned them. I was filled with what I thought to be a righteous fury. I still don¡¯t believe that I was wrong in killing them. They were monsters in human flesh.

    But afterwards, I felt disgusted by myself. I had taken on some of their monstrosities in order to hunt them down. Just like you are now, I sought answers to the meaning of death. I didn¡¯t have a mentor, and I¡¯d left the sect, so I found a library.¡±

    Tai Qiu smiles, as if she were laughing at a private joke.

    ¡°The sad truth is, that the meaning of death isn¡¯t known. Many believe they know the answer, and I have found my own answer, but it is a question that you can only answer for yourself.¡±

    ¡°What is your answer?¡± I ask, my head still buried in her chest.

    ¡°I believe that we die, so that we don¡¯t have to stay monsters for an eternity.¡±

    I pull away, wiping tears away from my eyes. ¡°That sounds pretty good.¡± I say, giggling slightly.

    ¡°You think so?¡± Tai Qiu laughs.

    I pull her back, squeezing her. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Tai Qiu looks like she is going to say something, but stops before she does, her head tilting as if she is listening to something. ¡°Someone opened the construct on the other side of the portal.¡±

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    ***

    Ming Lai sat staring at the sky, studying a storm front as it slowly moved closer to her. The storm is only an hour or so away. Not the best of omens for the day.

    Jing Xia is late as well.

    Ming Lai turns her attention to the road as the sounds of someone softly running through the forest reaches her.

    JIng Xia breaks into the clearing a moment later, a bloodied knife in her right hand and a piece of paper held tightly in the other.

    Jing Xia smiles breathlessly. ¡°We need to run, senior sister.¡±

    After those words, the sounds of shouting and the auras of cultivators from behind Jing Xia hit her. ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡± Ming Lai says, standing up and creating her sword of ice in her hand.

    Jing Xia shakes her head, laughing. ¡°They sent a message! Elder Tai QIu and Jia are alive!¡±

    Ming Lai freezes at her words, her thoughts moving to a stand still as a sense of relief fills her.

    ¡°Now run! We need to get this to the sect!¡± Jing Xia holds up the piece of paper in her left hand.

    She doesn¡¯t need to be told a third time as she breaks into a run, following behind Jing Xia as she leads Ming Lai through the forest.

    The auras from the cultivators following them narrow in and Ming Lai shivers as she feels the cultivation of someone in the peak of Core Formation.

    As a sense of foreboding fills her, she picks up her pace, grabbing Jing Xia and lifting her as qi flows into her feet.

    Ice forms in front of her leading to the road and Ming Lai steps onto it, her speed increasing as she glides along the ice using the foot technique taught to her by her manual.

    Ming Lai glances down at Jing Xia who happily rests in her arms, a huge grin on her face.

    ¡°Grab the talisman from my pocket!¡± Ming Lai yells as she glides over the ice at a speed slightly faster than a galloping horse.

    The weaker cultivators fall farther behind, but the cultivator in Core Formation is joined by another aura even more powerful. A Nascent Soul.

    Jing Xia does as she asked.

    ¡°Break it!¡± Ming Lai says, her entire focus narrowing in on dodging through the trees until she reaches the road.

    Jing Xia viciously breaks the talisman apart and a burst of ethereal butterflies break out, Elder Li Mei Wu¡¯s perfume filling the air.

    The butterflies follow them easily as they race through the forest, eventually reaching the road.

    Ming Lai feels a burst of qi from behind her and she swerves on her ice to avoid whatever is coming.

    Inky darkness explodes behind her, making her let go of Jing Xia as they both tumble across the ground.

    They stand up to see two men in strange armor floating in the sky above them, their gazes imperious and threatening.

    One of the men has completely black armor, it¡¯s color taking on the same inky tone as the spell that sent them flying.

    The second man, the one in nascent soul, has red armor with strange veins flowing through it.

    Qi gathers in the hand of the man in black armor, as a ball of black slowly forms.

    With a casual toss, the ball of blackness flies at the two girls.

    Ming Lai rushes to Jing Xia, covering her with her body, only to pause when nothing happens.

    The butterflies which had followed them through the forest flew at the points of a pentagram, pink strings of light flowing between them. Their formation creates a shield which is now dyed a translucent black from the explosion of the ball.

    The two cultivators watch wearily as sultry laughter echoes from the forest.

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Elder Li Mei Wu says as she steps out from behind a tree in front of the two girls. ¡°It has been too long, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It certainly has.¡± A fit young man answers as he floats down from the sky, a large sword strapped to his back. Ming Lai takes a moment to recognize him without his Elder robes. The Martial Elder Quon Li. ¡°The Matriarch is a good woman, but waiting has never been my way.

    Both of the strange men in the sky look down wearily at the Elders, both of whom are in the Nascent Soul realm.

    Qi flows from one of the men in the sky, back towards their base.

    ¡°We should finish this quickly, before their reinforcements get here.¡± Elder Quon Li says, stretching his back.

    ¡°Be careful of their blades. They affect the qi around them strangely.¡± Elder Li Mei Wu says.

    Quon Li nods, before disappearing and reappearing in front of both men, his sword moving in a graceful arc.

    The one in red armor reacts instantly, drawing his sword. The one in black armor is slower to react and pays for it when his arm is sliced cleanly off.

    He falls back as the man in red engages with Quon Li. Their movements, enhanced by qi, become too fast for Ming Lai to follow.

    Meanwhile, Li Mei Wu watches from the ground, observing everything until the man in black starts gathering qi.

    ¡°We can¡¯t have none of that, now can we? Let the old man have his fun.¡± She waves her hand and pink ribbons surround the man in black, slicing through his armor with ease and forcing him to defend with his one good arm.

    Li Mei Wu raises an eyebrow as the sword of the man in black armor cuts through her ribbons with ease.

    Unfortunately for him, he is so focused on fighting off the ribbons, that he doesn¡¯t notice the butterfly that gently lands on the back of his neck.

    He falls from the sky like a rock.

    Meanwhile, the two men fighting in the sky break away from each other. The man in red armor is pale, his armor repairing itself as his wounds heal at a pace visible to the naked eye.

    Quon Li laughs, cracking his neck as he takes a deep breath. ¡°That was a good warm up. I appreciate the exercise.¡± Qi flows through Quon Li as his body glows with a white light. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it couldn¡¯t have lasted longer.¡± With those words, he disappears, reappearing behind the man in red armor.

    The man in red armor falls from the sky, his head slowly separating from the rest of his body.

 Chapter 30: Return To The Sect

    The two Elders of the sect turn to the disciples Ming Lai and Jing Xia, who pick themselves up off the ground quickly.

    ¡°Elders!¡± Jing Xia immediately says. ¡°I have a message from Tai Qiu.¡± she holds out the piece of paper that she had kept clutched in her hands.

    The elders look at each other in surprise, before Elder Li Mei Wu steps forward to take the paper and read it. Her eyes show relief, before changing to worry. She hands the note over to a curious Elder Quon Li, who glances over at Li Mei Wu questioningly.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of a demon before?¡± He asks her.

    ¡°My master spoke of them, but even he had never seen one.¡± She replies with a frown. ¡°I¡¯d assumed them to be some kind of misidentified spirit beast.¡±

    ¡°You know what this means, right?¡± Quon Li says, putting the note into his pocket. ¡°If what Tai Qiu says is truth, then the Matriarch will have to move. The other sects will notice.¡±

    ¡°They already know something is wrong.¡± Li Mei Wu responds before turning her attention back to the two disciples waiting with bowed heads. ¡°We must hurry back before their reinforcements arrive.¡±

    Li Mei Wu walks down the road, looking back at the disciples after a few feet. ¡°Good job.¡± Her eyes look at them both fondly, her veil hiding her full expression.

    ***

    Another night passes with the both of us waiting. I use the time to practice my swordsmanship with Tai Qiu, or play music on my flute. I don¡¯t dare play one of the requiems, fearing that someone might notice the change in the qi of the area.

    On the morning of the next day, Tai Qiu looks in the direction of the camp surrounding the portal, her gaze fixed for a minute as if waiting for something.

    I follow her gaze, unable to actually see the camp through the trees and plants.

    The world stills, all sound disappearing as Shia slithers up my chest and around my left arm.

    Qi bursts out in a wave over the forest, physically affecting the trees and plants. I pale as the aura of Matriarch Hua Wang hits me. She is in the late stage of the Dao Shaping realm, and her power affects the very reality of the world around her.

    To my surprise, a similar but slightly smaller aura answers not too far from where we are hiding.

    The echo of a third aura erupts from near the mine I¡¯d rescued Tai Qiu from. The third aura makes me gag as it¡¯s decay and hunger filled essence hits me.

    ¡°The demon.¡± Tai Qiu says, her eyes catching mine, filled with a quiet hatred that forces me to look away. ¡°It won¡¯t take long for it to get here. Let¡¯s hurry to the Matriarch.¡±

    We lead our horses to the road, mounting them once we are on stable terrain. Then we set off at a gallop to the beacon that is our matriarch¡¯s power.

    We are ignored on the road as lone riders rush past us, too distracted by the urgency of their missions to see past whatever glamour Tai Qiu has over us.

    As we approach, the auras of many Nascent Soul Elders and their counterparts in this world reach us. Qi runs wildly through the air as mortal soldiers run by us, escaping the battle of cultivators.

    Many other minor auras are in the mix and I can feel the cultivators of this world being pushed back.

    Suddenly, Tai Qiu leaps from her horse, grabbing me and causing us both to tumble to the ground.

    We roll for a few seconds from the speed, and I get up to see the poor mare I¡¯d been riding eviscerated into two pieces. The other mare rears up at the sight, immediately turning and galloping away from the scene in fright.

    Tai Qiu reaches into her ring¡¯s storage from beside me, pulling out many paper birds, whispering to them and throwing them into the wind.

    Strikes of qi aim for the paper constructs, but the wind makes them dance and they go on their way merrily.

    Tai Qiu dusts herself off as she stands up, then calmly draws her sword from the sheath at her side.

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    My eyes widen in surprise at the strange red color of the sword, Tai Qiu¡¯s spirit turning even sharper as soon as her sword is drawn.

    ¡°You escaped being the Demon¡¯s prey, did you?¡± A man says, descending from the sky, two wings of fire holding him aloft. His presence is that of a Nascent Soul, and his spirit burns sickly with pain. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I was looking forward to hearing your screams.¡±

    Tai Qiu ignores him, smiling with bloodthirst, ¡°I work to fulfill my oath.¡± The spirit and qi around her gather at her words, moving into a cyclone and forming into blood red pages. A strange, yet familiar text fills the pages of blood, hurting my eyes as I try to read them.

    The man doesn¡¯t wait for Tai Qiu to finish her technique as lances of flame are shot out.

    Tai Qiu¡¯s eyes fill with blood, turning them a murky red and giving her a haunting gaze.

    Pages move out of the cyclone, the text flowing off the pages to write words I should not know.

    Judgement.

    Final.

    The flame lances halt mid air as the man coughs blood ¡°You-¡± He starts.

    More pages escape from the cyclone, forming another word, the meaning of which I again somehow know, despite my lack of recognition of the letters.

    Death.

    The man falls from the air, his wings of fire extinguished.

    Tai Qiu walks to the fallen man, while I watch from where I still lie on the ground. The man stares up at Tai Qiu, trying to say something. Tai Qiu doesn¡¯t show any emotion as she stabs him through with her sword. ¡°I work to fulfill my oath.¡± she repeats, her sword seeming to absorb the blood of the fallen cultivator.

    The blood drains from Tai Qiu¡¯s eyes as she turns to me, her sword returning to its sheathe.

    She stumbles slightly on her way to me, but covers it well. I finally get off the ground to lend her a shoulder to lean on.

    We continue down the road at a reduced pace towards the auras of our sect, most of the fighting having moved to a standstill. I can still sense all three auras of the cultivators in the Dao Shaping Realm, which means the fight is far from over, but the cultivator in the Dao Shaping Realm who had been fighting the matriarch seems to be retreating to the demon.

    The sight of two familiar Elders approaching from the sky makes me smile, although they look slightly worse for wear themselves.

    Elder Zhu Chen features a cut across his cheek, while Elder Li Mei Wu has several long gashes in her robe, with small bloodstains beginning to show.

    They land in front of us and Elder Li Mei Wu immediately moves to help support Tai Qiu.

    We quickly make it back to the camp, where relief hits me at the sight of hundreds of men and women in the robes of my sect. All my energy seems to leave me, and Elder Zhu Chen has to lend me his arm as I nearly collapse.

    The sight of two familiar disciples running towards me brings tears to my eyes to the point where I can¡¯t make out Jing Xia and Ming Lai¡¯s faces. But I could never forget their spirit. Ming Lai¡¯s spirit is cooling, like ice on a summer¡¯s day. Jing Xia¡¯s spirit is warm and serene, with the occasional bubble of excitement mixed in.

    I leave Elder Zhu Chen to collapse in their arms. I can¡¯t stop myself from crying as they hold me.

    ¡°Do- *hic*, are-¡± I can¡¯t even get the words out as I cry.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re here for you. We never gave up on you.¡±

    After a good minute of crying, it turns into sniffles. I look up to see the Elders gone, leaving us three girls alone.

    Ming Lai and Jing Xia look at eachother, seeming to share a silent conversation.

    ¡°Come on Sister Lin, let¡¯s get you washed up.¡± JIng Xia says, looking back at me. She turns me, keeping her arm in mine to let me know she is there.

    ¡°I have to help the elders. I¡¯ll meet up with you later.¡± Ming Lai says, gently moving away.

    I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

    Jing Xia leads me towards a tent and I start to realize how filthy I am. I haven¡¯t washed in more days than I¡¯d like to admit. I think I might still have some of the blood on me from when I rescued Tai Qiu.

    There¡¯s a bath already prepared by a servant, waiting for me in the tent. Shia slips from my robes as we enter the tent.

    I unbuckle my sword and remove my flute. Then I realize with dismay that my robes are sticking to me in spots.

    Jing Xia offers to help me with my robes and I accept, realizing only moments later the embarrassment I should have.

    Jing Xia is professional in her help, and when I am unrobed, I notice many small cuts and bruises that had escaped my notice over the past few days.

    ¡°Are you hurting?¡± JIng Xia asks gently before I step into the water.

    I shake my head, letting my hair hide my expression. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡±

    Blood and dirt quickly turn the bathwater a strange shade of brown.

    Jing Xia calls the servant to draw another bath while I get as much of the many layers of sweat, dirt and blood off of me as I can.

    Once the water is filthy, I transfer to the new bath, finally relaxing as the hot water does its magic.

    Jing Xia stays with me in the room, but for once I don¡¯t get embarrassed. Her presence is comforting. My muscles start to relax one by one, leaving my body in a strange sense of euphoria.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfortable. There¡¯s a real bed waiting for you, you¡¯ll want to try that before falling asleep.¡±

    I nod, my eyes already closed as I slip further into the water. ¡°I¡¯m ready for a bed.¡±

    ¡°Come on.¡± Jing Xia helps me out of the bath and into a new pair of robes, then gently guides me to another tent with a real bed.

    My eyes are already closed by the time I fall into it.

    I sleep deeply.

    I dream of my mother.

    I dream of her gently rocking me back and forth in her arms.

    I dream of her soft lullaby.

    I dream of her laughter.

    I dream of her somewhere far away, watching me with care.

    She looks into my eyes, smiling when she recognizes me.

    She mouths words I can¡¯t hear, but I know their meaning.

    ¡°Hi, my little one.¡±

 Chapter 31: Returning Home

    I wake up with a smile on my face. I think I had a good dream. It¡¯s been too long since I had one of those.

    Shia slithers over my arm, making her presence known in the bed.

    I sit up, allowing her to curl around my torso and climb up my chest to rest her head on my shoulder.

    ¡°What¡¯ve you been up to, Shia?¡± I ask, gently trailing my finger down the line of new golden scales flowing down her back from the center of her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been listening and watching. I¡¯m afraid I have some unfortunate news.¡± Shia says, her voice not revealing anything.

    My hand freezes. ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°The aura of the other man in the Dao Shaping Realm has disappeared. I believe he was devoured by the demon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± I ask, sitting up straighter as my good mood starts to slip away.

    ¡°Your master said it herself. A demon uses killing to leach abilities and cultivation off of others. It just stole the cultivation of a man in the Dao Shaping realm. Who knows how much it has gained?¡±

    ¡°We should tell the Elders.¡± I say, throwing the covers of the bed off and quickly changing into a new pair of clean robes set out for me.

    ¡°They know. They know that the demon approaches too. It has had the taste of one cultivator in the Dao Shaping Realm, no doubt it is on its way for the other. Already, they send the disciples back through the portal.¡±

    I pause in putting my sword on, unsure what I should do.

    ¡°I wish to witness the coming battle, little one.¡± Shia says, her body constricting around mine as she slowly moves herself through my robe. ¡°But I cannot stay in this realm without you.¡±

    I know what she is asking, and I immediately answer by grabbing the last of my possessions and activating the technique Movements Of The Silent Monster so that those looking to evacuate me won''t be able to find me.

    ¡°Good.¡± Qi moves through the snake as her line of golden scales give off a soft glow beneath my robes. I get a small glimpse at her aura then and I¡¯m not sure what to make of it. It is weak in quantity of qi, but it is also backed by an ancient force older than I can imagine. It feels impossible to place her realm.

    Shia¡¯s qi moves like lightning, and the world flips around me as I find myself staring down at the camp from the sky, my feet resting on nothing but air.

    ¡°No matter what happens, you must not act. You have witnessed death before, and again you will have to be only a witness to it. Do you understand?¡± Qi works its way into her words, and I recognize that my agreement means more than just my word.

    ¡°I understand.¡± My qi mixes with hers in agreement.

    ¡°Good.¡± To my surprise, Shia completely falls asleep after that word, the last of her qi disappearing.

    I sit down, looking down at the camp worriedly. Nothing seems to be supporting my body and the fall is quite far.

    With a deep breath, I calm my nerves and close my eyes. Meditation finds me quickly as I await the coming of a demon.

    It¡¯s hours later that I feel its presence. It¡¯s spirit of hunger and death permeates the air, making me shiver with an innate fear.

    Shia wakes moments later, her body tensing as the demon walks down the road towards the camp. I squint, bringing my qi into my eyes in a crude effort to enhance my vision.

    It works, but I still have to wait for the demon to get closer before I¡¯m able to make it out. It looks like a normal man with darker skin similar to Matu. Its eyes are brown, and its hair is a close cut black.

    Ten of the twelve Elders and the Matriarch all fly into the air out of the camp, their auras expanding to show their power. Tai Qiu looks at the monster with hatred.

    I¡¯m surprised to see it speak, its voice somehow carrying itself all the way to where I watch in the sky, filled with a powerful qi that makes my body shake.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to negotiate with you for you to return to your lands.¡± The demon says politely, even bowing his head slightly.

    The Matriarch looks over at Tai Qiu, who nods her head.

    ¡°We know what you are, Demon. Do not try to fool us with pleasantries.¡± The Matriarch speaks calmly, her voice carrying just as far.

    ¡°Is there nothing I can do to convince you? I only wish to talk, I believe there has been a grave misunderstanding.¡± The demon continues.

    The Matriarch hesitates for a moment, before shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡±

    ¡°How unfortunate.¡± The demon says.

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    I shift slightly, whispering to Shia, ¡°Could there be a misunderstanding?¡±

    ¡°DO NOT BE FOOLED, LITTLE ONE. Like all great evils, demons are fluent in the ways of manipulation. Do not forget that your master witnessed this demon devour your fellow disciples. Do not forget that it appears alone, having devoured the men who summoned it. It is a demon, and you can only become a demon by devouring others voraciously.¡±

    I pause, a thought coming to me. ¡°I thought you only knew stories about demons.¡±

    Shia may have responded, but I am distracted by the demon letting loose its full aura. It is in the Dao Refining Realm, a level above the Matriarch.

    Things happen in an instant. The demon¡¯s appearance changes, its eyes turning black and its body shifting into a larger form.

    Water erupts from the earth around the demon, while the Elders each send their own attacks to it. Blades of qi, air, water, light and earth along with other aspects I can¡¯t identify all aim for the demon.

    Tai Qiu gathers a storm of qi and spirit around her as bloodied pages form from the cyclone as she works to fulfill her oath.

    The demon merely lifts a hand.

    Shadows extend from the demon, blocking the oncoming attacks and countering with their own.

    The very land around the demon starts to decay, as more shadows are summoned to fight for it.

    The base explodes in color as the forces clash, the power of the sect vying for supremacy over the power of the demon.

    I can¡¯t tell who¡¯s winning. But I see wounds appear on Elders, and Elder Yu is knocked from the sky and another Elder, a bear of a man I don¡¯t recognize, follows soon after.

    My hands tighten, as I know I can only watch. Interfering would just mean my own death.

    Blood drips from my hand into my robe from where my fingernail pierces my skin.

    Judgement.

    Final.

    The flow of battle changes with those two words as the demon physically staggers. All of its attention focuses on Tai Qiu as it attempts to prevent her from finishing the technique.

    The matriarch flies in front of Tai Qiu, placing herself in the way as a veritable river of water surrounds the pair, destroying the shadows and attacking the demon.

    The other elders focus all their efforts on distracting and attacking the demon, their techniques going all out.

    Dea

    A shadow breaks through the Matriarch¡¯s defence, hitting her and causing her to fall to the ground.

    th

    The demon staggers backwards, its shadows failing. The remaining Elders move as one, circling Tai QIu as she dashes forward with her blood-red sword. They block hits meant for her and she reaches the demon, stabbing it through.

    The world seems to slow, before the demon lets out a scream that forces me to cover my ears. Unfortunately, even covering my ears doesn¡¯t stop the sound from hitting me and I do my best to hold back the pain.

    The demon¡¯s body is seemingly absorbed into the sword, turning it an even darker red.

    Then it is over.

    Shia hisses as the body of the demon disappears.

    ¡°Shia. Why did you want to see this fight?¡± I ask, something about the situation striking me as odd.

    ¡°I wished to consume the body of the demon.¡± Shia says, her eyes watching me carefully.

    I look at her, wondering at what she is hiding from me. ¡°I let you keep your secrets, Shia. I will not push you for answers.¡± I look back down at the destruction below us. ¡°Return me.¡± I finish, my voice brokering no argument.

    She does as I request and I return to where the now destroyed tent lies in the mud. I hurry to one of the Elders that had fallen, only to discover them dead.

    Elder Yu, the man that had accepted me as an Inner Disciple is dead.

    I¡¯m sorry.

    I hurry to the next one, who is thankfully alive. I know the basics of healing thanks to the sect. It does little to help as I direct my minuscule amount of qi to do what little I can.

    It doesn¡¯t take long for more help to arrive.

    In the end, two elders were killed. All of the Elders who fought and the Matriarch suffered some level of injury. The only uninjured Elders are Quon Li, who was tasked with guarding the disciples should the others fail and Elder Ai Yang, whose specialties lay more in healing than fighting.

    I spend the next few days assisting in any way possible as we return to the grounds of our sect.

    The atmosphere stays bad as rumors run rampant as to the extent of the injuries to the sect Elders.

    I don¡¯t see much of Jing Xia and Ming Lai as both are busy with their own tasks.

    On the evening of the fourth day, I walk into the private rooms of my Master, Elder Tai Qiu. Her injuries were severe, but I¡¯ve been told that she will recover.

    Until then, as her sole disciple I care for her and her responsibilities to the best of my ability.

    ***

    I walk into Tai Qiu¡¯s room after announcing my presence with a nock. She smiles at me from where she sits upright in her bed.

    I bow to her, following the proper etiquette.

    ¡°I hope I¡¯ve given you enough time to rest.¡± Tai Qiu starts, her gaze looking over me carefully. Her voice is calm, not showing any signs of the pain she had been in before today.

    ¡°You have. I¡¯ve been doing well¡± I say, smiling in response.

    ¡°Good. I have a gift, or gifts that I¡¯ve been meaning to give to you.¡±

    I watch in curiosity as she pulls out some manuals, handing them to me.

    The Twelve Notes of Fire

    The Twelve Melodies of Wind,

    The Twelve Songs of Water,

    The Twelve Beats of Earth,

    The Twelve Ballads of Darkness

    I stare wide eyed at the manuals as I read their titles.

    ¡°These seem to be meant for you, so naturally, as the Elder of the Library, I am gifting them to you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. These gifts are too much for me.¡±

    ¡°You will have use for them soon.¡± Tai Qiu says, her gaze turning serious. ¡°Another sect reported seeing a demon in a village in the Fan-Lang province. Thankfully, it hadn¡¯t gained too much power and we were able to kill it quickly.¡± Tai Qiu lets out a sigh. ¡°But it means there are more.¡± She pulls out a golden amulet, turning it over in her hands. ¡°As the Elder with the highest knowledge of demons, I have decided to create another pavilion. The Demon Hunter pavilion.¡± She tosses me the golden amulet, which I catch.

    On the amulet is written ¡°Demon Hunter, 1st¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, Jia Lin, Core Disciple of the Demon Hunter Pavilion.¡±

 Chapter 32 (Start of Book 2): A Request From The Emperor

    I study the manuals given to me furiously, only to find that I don¡¯t understand a single word written in them. Their music is unreadable and they don¡¯t speak to me in the same way that The Twelve Requiems of Illusion does.

    Rumors of open war in the empire subside as the threat of the portals leading to other realms manages to unify the powers that be. But the peace won¡¯t last, when the Emperor dies, the princes will vie for his throne and the sects will be slowly drawn in as they air ancient grievances. Thankfully, the Emperor still holds onto life through force of will and powerful medicine.

    The Flowing River Sect closes its doors to outsiders, our Matriarch and Elders severely injured after their fight with the demon. Our forces consolidate as disciples are called back from all over the land.

    I spend my time on cultivation or training, and what free time I have is spent working with my Master on the expansion of the Demon Hunter Pavilion.

    After two months of cultivation, I break through into the Seventh Level of Qi Awakening.

    Four months after breakthrough, I am sent to investigate a cult trying to summon a demon. Together with Lai Ming and Master Wan Chao, I find a newly summoned demon and manage to kill it before it manages to consume too many of the mortals that summoned it.

    Over the next six months, attempted demon summonings and demon sightings become more common and I find myself constantly leaving the sect in order to help stop what could turn into catastrophe.

    The only way to identify a demon is through their spirit, which is corrupted from their consumption and destruction.

    Cultivation of spirit is a rare thing, which means that I am sent on nearly every mission to verify whether there are truly demons or not. Sometimes they end up being spirit beasts, sometimes we find simple murderers. Sometimes we encounter demons.

    Shia consumes the killed demons and I let her without telling the others.

    I know that I probably should tell someone that about her, just in case she is more malicious than I believe. But I know that she has a reason for her actions, and I¡¯ve chosen to trust her after everything we¡¯ve been through.

    Still, part of me does worry about her objective. She doesn¡¯t tell me everything, hiding behind half-truths or silences and I am forced to leave it at that.

    Shortly after my fifteenth birthday, I reach the Eighth Level of Qi Awakening.

    My cultivation slows in the Eighth Level. Qiu Tai tells me that it is normal to have blocks at points in cultivation, and that part of the journey is overcoming those obstacles. I trust in her and choose not to worry overly about the block.

    Instead, I take the opportunity to focus on spirit cultivation, something that has become more and more important as I find myself killing demons. The spirit manual has had me focus on bringing my spirit into me and making it part of me. This has strange effects that I find hard to define. Qiu Tai says that once I¡¯ve fully made my spirit part of me, I can make temporary changes to it and myself, similar to what she did when she made her oath.

    Over the next year, I focus on my cultivation, working both spirit and qi to advance myself as a cultivator.

    Right before my sixteenth birthday, I break through into the Ninth Level of Qi Awakening in a fit of anger that nearly kills an inner disciple. She was harassing the servants I knew as an inner disciple, naturally I took offense. I didn¡¯t mean to harm her like I did, but my qi breaking through to the next realm may have messed with my ability to forgive harlots. And their friends.

    I may have made more than one disciple injured.

    The sect isn¡¯t happy with me, and has me confined to my Master¡¯s home for my sixteenth birthday.

    ***

    It is in my Master¡¯s home, sitting on a table and staring out a window, that I see one of the outer disciples of the Demon Hunter pavilion running through the rain towards the house. I hum softly as I watch him, knowing that he probably brings news of another cult, or maybe a village has been slaughtered.

    I get off of the table, grabbing my sword and placing it around my waist. I make sure my flute is secure in its pocket.

    Then I wait.

    I don¡¯t have to wait long before a floating piece of paper enters my room, landing on the table in front of me.

    Come Is all it says.

    ¡°Shia.¡± I call, and the snake, decidedly covered in more golden scales than it was two years ago, slithers out from under the bed.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    She crawls up my leg and into my robes, knowing what this means as well as I do.

    I look back at the note. She can send more than one-word notes. I¡¯ve seen her do it before.

    I turn away from the note and head to the main room of the house, where the outer disciple and Elder Qiu Tai stand over a table. Qiu Tai is reading a document, while the outer disciple looks at me in surprise before turning away with a slight blush.

    I bow to Qiu Tai, ¡°You called for me, Elder?¡± I ask in my sweetest voice.

    She looks up from the document with a slight frown and I force myself not to smile.

    Qiu Tai sighs, ¡°I had planned on keeping you here longer, but it seems an urgent matter has come up.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, trying to get a better look at the parchment in her hands.

    ¡°A request from the Emperor.¡± All lightheartedness disappears from me as I focus. ¡°He suspects that one of the princes is attempting to summon a demon and has asked for our help in investigating the matter.¡±

    I frown as I try to remember my knowledge of the imperial court from five years ago. There are plenty of royal family members that come to mind who might attempt to do such a thing.

    ¡°Normally, I would go, but the sect can¡¯t afford to have another Elder outside of the sect until Elder Zhu Chen gets back. All the others who can sense demons are working their own missions¡± Qiu Tai looks me in the eyes. ¡°You grew up with nobles, and I trust your ability to handle the intrigue. Master Meng An and Inner Disciple Xia Jing will accompany you to the capital.¡± I can¡¯t help the smile that crosses my face at the news.

    Self cultivation for half a year was my punishment, no friends, no hot springs, just meditating and cultivation. Qiu Tai would likely have lessened it, but it still wouldn¡¯t have been cut this short.

    Qiu Tai¡¯s frown deepens at my smile. ¡°Once you arrive, you will contact the Master and inner disciples already there, but your group will work separately from them. Listen to Master Meng An and¡­ stay safe.¡±

    I smile disappears and I bow deeply to Qiu Tai. ¡°Always.¡±

    ¡°Follow Disciple Han to the others, they should be waiting for you already with the supplies.¡± She motions to the outer disciple, who blushes at my gaze.

    They are already waiting? Then what was she reading when I walked in? I try to catch a glance of the document, but she keeps it out of my sight deftly.

    ¡°Right this way, Core Disciple Lin.¡±

    I turn my attention to the disciple, who nervously leads me out of the house and into the rain.

    I pause for a moment as I step outside, turning my face up to the sky. The rain on my face is cleansing. I close my eyes, enjoying the moment, before reopening them to follow the patiently waiting outer disciple.

    He offers me his wax umbrella, and I gratefully accept.

    Xia Jing and Master Meng An wait patiently under the sect gate as we approach. I haven¡¯t seen much of Master Meng An since I first came to the sect. He is a wry elderly man, an instructor in weaponry, and has two hook swords at his waist. His weapons are unusual looking to say the least, with the way they curve back in at their ends.

    I bow to the Master Swordsman, he bows back politely. ¡°It is a pleasure to see you again, Disciple Lin. I have heard many stories.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine. Your presence on this trip brings peace of mind.¡± I reply, joining them under the gate.

    ¡°I am glad to hear so.¡± He responds.

    I am about to respond when Xia Jing leaps onto me, squeezing me tightly. I¡¯m still smaller than her, which means she squishes me into her quite easily. ¡°We¡¯re not at the capital yet! You can make time to say hi to your Sister Xia!¡±

    ¡°Hi Jing¡± I mumble into her robes. I squeeze her back before breaking away. ¡°Are we ready to go then?¡±

    ¡°We are.¡± Master Meng An responds.

    They lead me to a small ship that floats in the air next to one of the waterfalls and I gaze upon it with excitement. We board and a team of cultivators work to get the vessel flying through the air.

    A year ago, one of our sect¡¯s artificers started producing flying ships for cultivators too low in cultivation to use their own flying devices. I¡¯ve only gotten to ride in one once before with Qiu Tai, so I take advantage of the opportunity to explore the amazing artifact. The amount of wards and formations inscribed into the ship for protection is amazing in and of itself. Without the guaranteed presence of a cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm, the ship needs to be able to defend its crew and passengers against an attacking cultivator or Spirit Beast.

    We fly through the sky at a fast pace and after a day of examining the masterpiece of an artifact, I relax by talking with Xia Jing about what she¡¯s been up to for the past year.

    After what happened with the first demon and Doma¡¯s men, Xia Jing was one of the inner disciples who volunteered to search for and map the portals in the empire. Our current count is 38, but we suspect that some of the other sects are hiding portals for their own reasons.

    Xia Jing had pulled ahead in cultivation until my recent breakthrough, now matching me in the Ninth Level of Qi Awakening.

    She tells me stories about rogue cultivators, sect conflicts and some of the strange methods of cultivation she came across. One man even cultivated by drinking alcohol, the stronger the drink, the more it helped his cultivation.

    I tell her about some of the scarier demons I had seen, like the rotting corpse that sucked the life and cultivation out of people, leaving nothing but husks, or the demon that used its victims body parts to replace its own.

    I tell her of these, but I know that the scariest of demons are actually the ones you can¡¯t tell apart from humans.

    On the evening of the second day, we finally catch sight of the capital city of the Chengshi Empire.

    I hadn¡¯t seen the city since I was a child, but it still held the same kind of magical atmosphere.

    Lamps light up the entire city as it sits next to the ocean, showing life, revelry and the occasional fights of rogue cultivators. The architecture of the city is masterfully crafted thanks to the Second Emperor, who spent half the royal budget into building it into the city it is. It¡¯s size dwarfs any of the other large cities I¡¯ve been to.

    Five years. I left the city five years ago, and now I¡¯m returning to it.

    I let a small smile appear on my face at the sight.

    I wonder how Princess Shi Da is doing?

 Chapter 33: First Day In The Capital

    A cultivator wearing the uniform of the imperial guard flies up to the ship, his form lit by a small lantern he carries in his hand. He steps onto the ship to speak with the captain of the crew and Master Meng An.

    I don¡¯t recognize the imperial guard, but that is to be expected. As a child, they weren¡¯t the people I was paying attention to.

    After a few minutes, the imperial guard leaves the ship and we circle the city until we are oceanside. The ship gently lowers itself into the water, rocking the nearby ships as we dock on the pier.

    I jump directly from the ship onto the pier, hearing a shout from Xia Jing behind me. A moment later, she joins me, landing gracefully on the wooden pier.

    The dock workers around us bow and try to stay out of sight, creating a clear circle around the both of us.

    ¡°The both of you are free to explore the city.¡± Master Meng An says from right next to me.

    I jump, not having sensed his presence or movement.

    He¡¯s stooped over with a fisherman¡¯s hat hiding his hair. Both of his swords are nowhere to be found and his robes have been replaced by simple worker¡¯s clothes. ¡°Make sure you are at the palace by tomorrow morning. We are expected to speak to the Master and Sect Disciples already here.¡±

    With that said, he bows to the both of us, stepping off and joining the crowd. Xia Jing and I bow in response, but he¡¯s already disappeared into the crowd of dock workers.

    I feel as Shia slips out of my robes, slithering off to do her own business. She¡¯ll find me again when she wants to.

    Xia Jing turns to me with a grin. ¡°Come on! I have something to show you.¡± She grabs my hand, leading me through the lamp lit streets. Men and women of all kinds walk through the streets, some wealthy, some poor. The mortals make a point of moving out of our way as we walk by, many of them fearing us.

    Xia Jing leads me down an alleyway to a wooden wall. Once there, she places her hand on it. Her hand glows with white light before the wall reveals itself as a door.

    Xia Jing wiggles her eyebrows in excitement and I hide my laugh behind my sleeve. With an exaggerated motion, she opens the door.

    I step through the door and my eyes widen at the sight of a bustling market filled with qi. Similar to our own sect¡¯s market, all kinds of cultivator items and trinkets are for sale in stalls lining the street.

    Cultivators walk down the streets, from small sects or clans to cultivators hailing from the six great sects to rogue cultivators. Every kind of cultivator walks the street, buying and selling items.

    I follow Xia Jing wide eyed as we walk down the street. Alchemy pills, artifacts, weapons and talismans all beg for my attention from different stalls.

    Xia Jing leads me to a surprisingly normal clothing shop. ¡°You¡¯re going to want something other than sect robes while we¡¯re in the city.¡± She says, motioning to some of the more common dresses on display. ¡°Discretion has its value.¡±

    I agree with her and end up buying some common looking clothing in drab colors. The owner of the shop assures me that the items of clothing will survive most conditions and the qi flowing through the fabric makes me trust his statement.

    Xia Jing is distracted by a dress, so I take the opportunity to slip away and back onto the street. A neat little tavern had caught my eye earlier, and I decide to return to it. The establishment is surprisingly quiet when I slip into it. All of the cultivators in the room are surrounding two cultivators who are glaring at each other heavily, their hands on the swords at their waists.

    I walk quietly over to the tavern keeper, not wanting to disturb whatever is happening. ¡°Could you get me something to drink?¡±

    The tavern keeper looks at me, surprised to see me talking to him with the atmosphere in the room.

    I smile sweetly.

    Age is hard to tell with cultivators, and no one is stupid enough to ask.

    He pours me the drink while the shouting of the two cultivators slowly gets louder. I hand him the mortal money and take a look around the room as I take my first sip.

    I cough, trying to cover it up with my sleeve. The tavern keeper had given me something wtih strong alchohol. I¡¯ve never really had alcohol before.

    I take another look around the room, curious what is happening. The two cultivators in the middle of the room had gotten more heated, their qi flaring. The highest cultivation in the room is early Foundation Establishment, which makes sense. All the more powerful cultivators probably have their own special places they go to, rather than hang around us lowly Qi Awakening cultivators.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°You BASTARD!¡± The cultivator who looks to be from some minor clan says to the other. His aura marks him as a cultivator in the Eleventh level of Qi Awakening. He has his close-cropped black hair pulled into a ponytail and his words are clearly tainted by drink. ¡°How dare you steal from my Junior Sister?¡± He motions to a female cultivator whose face is red from drink.

    ¡°I did no such thing.¡± The other cultivator is obviously a rogue cultivator, his clothing little more than rags.  Still, he wears the sword at his waist like he knows how to use it. He looks to be my age, maybe slightly younger. His eyes hold a clear cunning to them, taking in everything about his opponent. His hair is cut short, hanging loosely around his face and he¡¯s only in the Fourth level of Qi Awakening. He looks vaguely familiar, but I can¡¯t place why.

    I take another sip of the drink, this time managing to not cough.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! I saw you steal from her while you were walking by!¡± The ponytail cultivator draws his sword. ¡°You will not insult the Tong¡¯un Clan further!¡± Qi moves through his sword, giving it a slight silver sheen.

    I lean forward, curious to watch a fight between two other cultivators in a lower realm.

    The rogue cultivator draws his sword, obviously uncomfortable with the situation. ¡°We can still work thi-¡± His words are cut off as he ducks under the swing of the other cultivator.

    He dodges another swing, diving to the floor and rolling away from the qi that arcs towards him. The cultivators surrounding the two start cheering  at the fight.

    ¡°Not again.¡± The tavern keeper says under his breath with a defeated atmosphere.

    The rogue cultivator is clearly skilled, but doesn¡¯t have the ability to match the Tong¡¯un cultivator¡¯s qi enhanced sword. He¡¯ll lose soon.

    I wonder if I should interfere? I don¡¯t want to see someone die and it doesn¡¯t look like anyone else is going to stop the fight. I take another sip of the alcohol, coughing again as I do. It still hasn¡¯t gotten easier to drink.

    The rogue cultivator dodges another arc of silver qi, and I watch as the qi quickly moves towards the tavern keeper who just stands still in shock.

    My sword slides from its sheath in a quick movement as I stand up from my chair, spilling my drink to the floor.

    The silver qi breaks apart on my sword and the tavern keeper gulps nervously at the attack that nearly split him in two.

    I start humming.

    The hum spreads through the room as qi answers my call.

    The Eighth Requiem: Necrosis

    Soft notes fading into nothing, weak in power coming from only a soft hum.

    Everyone in the spell slows, the world around them decaying as their own bodies start to fade into death.

    Everyone in the room turns their attention to me. I see the rogue cultivator¡¯s eyes widen at the sight of me, ¡°no way.¡±

    I stop humming, raising my sword towards the two cultivators. ¡°If you have face to save, then you can take it up with me and stop disturbing the tavern keeper. Now are you both going to keep idiotically swinging your swords around?¡±

    ¡°You dare-¡± The Tong¡¯un cultivator starts before his eyes land on my robe, marking me as a core disciple of the Flowing River Sect. After a second, he sheaths his sword, turns around and leaves the building, his Junior Sister joining him a moment later.

    The rogue cultivator sheaths his sword as well, so I put mine away.

    He starts to move towards me, but Xia Jing bursts through the door grabbing the room¡¯s attention. ¡°There you are! You had me worried when you disappeared!¡± She walks through the building with purpose, sitting down next to me. ¡°If you wanted to get a drink, you could¡¯ve just told me!¡± She turns to the tavern keeper, ¡°I¡¯ll have whatever you got by the way.¡± She turns back to me. ¡°What trouble did you get yourself in? I felt your qi from the clothing shop.¡±

    I look up to see the rogue cultivator gone. ¡°The Tong¡¯un Clan aren¡¯t important, are they?¡±

    Xia Jing snorts, ¡°Hardly.¡±

    ¡°Then nothing happened.¡± I shrug, looking down at my spilled cup with sadness.

    The tavern keeper sets two cups in front of us, bowing to me as he does. ¡°Thank you for your help, Young Miss.¡±

    ¡°Nothing happened?¡± Xia Jing asks.

    I hide my expression by taking a big gulp of the drink. Then I start coughing at the large gulp. Shouldn¡¯t it be easier to drink by now?

    Xia Jing chuckles as she downs her whole glass.

    We talk for a while at the tavern, drinking more of the mysterious drink that the tavern keeper keeps giving us.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s fight someone.¡± Xia Jing says seriously, standing and tilting a little to the right as she does.

    ¡°Xia Jing. No. It¡¯s a bad -bad idea..¡± I stumble over my word slightly, bringing my hand to my head as I wonder if the alcohol is starting to affect me.

    ¡°We won¡¯t kill anyone.¡± Xia Jing shakes her head, her face red. ¡°You know, just fight a little. Slash slash. Aaaaaah we surrender, you know, just fight a little.¡±

    ¡°I think you might have drunk too much.¡± I say seriously. ¡°Way too much.¡±

    ¡°You might be right.¡± Xia Jing laughs. She grabs me, pulling me to her.  ¡°I¡¯m just happy to be doing this with you, my Junior Sister Lin.¡±

    ¡°You should call me Senior Sister Lin.¡± I say, putting on my best serious face and pushing her away.

    ¡°Junior! Junior, Junior Junior.¡± She laughs again, before calming, tears forming in her eyes. ¡°You know I love you right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I love you too.¡±

    Tears come to her eyes before she turns away. ¡°W-we should get to the palace soon. You need to sober up.¡±

    ¡°I need to sober up? I¡¯m perfectly sober. N-not a drop of alcohol in my b-body.¡± I motion to myself as I speak, perfectly pronouncing every word and not messing up a single time.

    ¡°You''re drunk.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re drunk!¡±

 Chapter 34: The Empress and The Princess

    I¡¯m woken up early the next morning by a servant of the palace. I immediately take an alchemy pill that Xia Jing had given me for the hangover. A soothing feeling goes through my body, immediately taking away my headache and irritation.

    Shia still isn¡¯t back.

    I get up slowly, still waking up despite the alchemy pill. The servant waits with their head lowered, waiting for me to get dressed. Once I am presentable, the servant leads me to a room where Xia Jing and Master Meng An are eating breakfast.

    Xia Jing smiles at me, while Master Meng An merely glances up at my entrance.

    I kneel down next to them, grabbing the fancily made food with polite demureness. I watch my every movement, remembering my lessons on etiquette. It has been many years of moving free and boisterous in the sect. If I want the respect of the nobility here, then I will have to remind them that I am one of them and act like a proper young lady when required.

    ¡°You really look like one of them.¡± Xia Jing says, watching me with wide eyes.

    ¡°I was one of them.¡± I answer, keeping my face carefully emotionless like Shi Da taught me and taking a demure bite.

    Master Meng An interrupts us, having finished his plate. ¡°The Emperor and the Empress have requested to see us after we eat. Be on your best behavior and don¡¯t speak unless spoken to.¡±

    Both of us nod in acknowledgment, then quickly finish our meal.

    I follow behind Master Meng An, with Xia Jing a step behind me. He leads us through ornate halls and elegant pavilions until we reach the largest house of magnificent architecture. Two guards stand in front of the entrance, each having a cultivation in the core formation realm.

    They motion us through, recognizing our robes and Master Meng An. A high ranking eunuch meets us inside, his hair flows down to his waist, and his effeminate face watches us with a keen eye.

    We are led through more security by the eunuch until we reach a bedroom. We are not meeting the Emperor in the audience hall, which means our meeting is not official.

    The eunuch nocks on the door to the room, then motions us through.

    We enter the room to see the empress sitting next to an ornate bed. The Emperor himself is hidden behind curtains, with only his silhouette visible.

    The empress¡¯s veil covers her face as she watches us enter, but I know her to be one of the most beautiful women I¡¯ve ever seen, with perfect skin and features.

    We all lower our heads in the presence of the Emperor.

    ¡°You are the demon hunters that the Flowing River Sect has sent?¡± The Empress says, looking over each of us individually. Her eyes linger on me for a moment longer than the others. The Emperor himself will not speak unless he desires to.

    ¡°We are, your majesty.¡± Master Meng An says, his body bent in a permanent bow.

    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯d expected Elder Qiu Tai to come.¡±

    ¡°She was unable to leave the sect. I assure you, we are more than up for the task set before us.¡± I see a small bead of sweat slowly slip down the back of the Master¡¯s neck. A sign of weakness that the Emperor¡¯s watchers will report to him afterwards.

    ¡°We shall see.¡± The Empress¡¯s words linger in the air, a test for the Master.

    He doesn¡¯t rise to the bait, at least knowing enough not to.

    When he keeps silent, the Empress continues. ¡°We believe one of the Imperial Princes to be working with demon worshipers. Our current belief is that it is Third Prince Shi Biming. I leave the investigation in your capable hands, Master Meng An.¡±

    The Master bows as the dismissal. Xia Jing and I do the same. We all move to leave the room.

    ¡°Lady Lin, stay a moment.¡±

    I pause at the Empress¡¯s words. The others do the same, but I motion for them to continue on without me.

    Xia Jing looks back with worry as the door shuts behind them.

    I turn around, bowing before the Empress. ¡°I am now known as Core Disciple Lin, your majesty.¡±

    ¡°So you are. I am happy to see you doing well.¡±

    I keep my expression neutral, running through every one of Shi Da¡¯s lessons in my head.

    ¡°I always thought of you as another daughter, you know that? I was sad to hear that the attention of the Second Prince forced you into the hands of the sect. Perhaps I should¡¯ve set you up with one of my sons while I had the chance.¡±

    Standing before me is the fourth Empress of the Emperor¡¯s reign. Only the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Princes as well as the Fourth Princess Shi Da are her children.

    ¡°You honor me with your words.¡± I respond. I have no desire to marry one of the sniveling, full-of-themselves brats that I remember, still her words are meant as a kindness, and I take them as such.

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    ¡°I mean them.¡± The Empress pauses, her body language hesitant. ¡°I must warn you, my position is not as stable as I make it seem. I fear for the lives of my children. I hope you remember my kindness to you if I need your help.¡±

    ¡°It has not been so long, your majesty.¡± I say, raising my head to meet the Empress¡¯s eyes. ¡°I cannot give you the support of my father in the war to come, nor can I promise the alliance of my sect. I will attempt to repay your kindness, but I will not forget your lack of protection when I was a child forced to leave the imperial palace.¡±

    The Empress watches me calmly. ¡°You have grown well, Core Disciple Lin of the Flowing River Sect. I look forward to seeing what you become.¡± She rises from her chair and places her hand on my shoulder. ¡°Know that you have my support now, if not then.¡± she backs away, removing her hand, ¡°You should join your sect members, I¡¯m sure they are worried for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, your majesty.¡± I recognize her dismissal, so I bow and leave the room.

    Master Meng An and Xia Jing are waiting for me outside of the door, both of them showing signs of relief when I walk back to them.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Xia Jing asks.

    I nod, smiling lightly at her.

    Master Meng An motions for the both of us to follow him. ¡°We are to meet the others now.¡±

    The Master stationed here goes by Lu Quon, he has a group of ten Inner Disciples working with him, most of whom I¡®d never met. Him and Master Meng An apparently go way back, so Xia Jing and I are dismissed while the two of them get reacquainted.

    Xia Jing gets started on investigating the Third Prince, disappearing into the palace rather quickly.

    Given some time to do what I want, I go to the Rose Palace, the home of Shi Da.

    No servants or guards greet me at the entrance to her palace, which is unusual.

    I place my hand on my sword as I walk through the rooms of her palace, opening doors as quietly as I can manage. Still, no one comes to greet me.

    The sound of something falling comes from Shi Da¡¯s private room, followed by a pained scream that is quickly cut off. I run forward, bursting into it with my sword drawn.

    A woman that I recognize as Shi Da struggles on the ground, hands on her throat as purple veins bulge on her arms.

    ¡°SHIA!¡± I yell out, putting qi into my voice in order to call her from wherever she may be.

    I run to Shi Da, sheathing my sword and injecting my qi into her in an attempt to help. The poison in her system attempts to attack my qi and I pour more into her system, fighting a losing battle against it.

    The familiar presence of Shia slithers through the room until she reaches us. With a sigh of irritation, Shia sticks her fangs into the purple veins, drawing the strange poison out with her qi.

    I pull back, knowing that she has more experience with poisons and venoms than I do.

    After a minute of baited breath, Shia pulls back from Shi Da. ¡°Potent poison, little one. You are lucky you got to it so soon.¡±  She slithers over to a broken cup on the floor that I hadn¡¯t seen. Her tongue flicks out, tasting the liquid on the cup.

    ¡°Is she alright?¡± I ask, putting my hand on Shi Da¡¯s arm to check her with my qi.

    ¡°She will be. She¡¯s unconscious for now, that poison would be a lot for someone only in the Second Realm of Qi Awakening.¡± Shia slithers back to me, climbing up my leg and wrapping herself around my belly.

    I pull Shi Da over to me, setting her head in my lap as I look down at her features. She inherited much of the beauty of her mother, her red lips large and eye lashes long. Her hair is cut short in a sign of disgrace and fatigue mars her face. Something big must have happened to her while I was away at the sect.

    With no servants and no guards to protect her, it''s a miracle that she¡¯s alive in the power struggle that is the Imperial Court.

    ¡°Is- is there any way for you to track the poison? Shi Da is important to me.¡± I speak softly, trying not to wake up the Imperial Princess.

    Shia contemplates my request for a moment before responding. ¡°I can try, little one. ¡°

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shia unwinds herself from my person, returning to the floor and disappearing from my senses.

    I wait there with her head in my lap for an hour before she starts to wake up.

    Her eyes blink slowly, looking up at me with confusion. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± She asks quietly.

    I smile, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Is that you Jia?¡± She asks again, ¡°You look so much older.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± I answer.

    Shi Da sits up quickly, turning to look at me. Her hand goes to her throat where small scratch marks from her choking rest. ¡°I was poisoned.¡±

    I nod. ¡°I got here just in time.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shi Da asks, standing up slowly.

    I stand up as well, catching her when she stumbles slightly. ¡°My sect sent me here.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    I look around, finally noticing the surprisingly spartan room for an Imperial Princess. ¡°What happened? Things weren¡¯t like this when I last saw you.¡±

    Shi Da grimaces, standing up on her own slowly ¡°The First Prince decided that I had too much power for a Princess. So he reduced my life to¡­ this.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡± I stop, looking at her and thinking for a drawn out moment. ¡°I¡¯ll send word to my father. He¡¯ll have some servants and guards sent over.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to-¡±

    ¡°Shi Da, we both know that you deserve more than this after all you¡¯ve done for me.¡± I grab her, pulling her into a hug.

    I¡¯m going to do more than this. Shi Da is brilliant, and a good person, she deserves more than this. No doubt the princes were looking for any excuse to bring her down.

    A small thought comes up, that I quickly file away, knowing that it could cause more harm than good.

 Chapter 35: Assassination Attempts

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t prepared for anyone to visit me.¡± Shi Da says, kneeling as she properly pours the both of us tea. ¡°This is a separate tea from the one that poisoned me, so it should be fine.¡± she adds as we both pick up a cup.

    I inject my qi into the tea and don¡¯t sense the strange poison that nearly killed her. ¡°Who sent you the poisoned tea?¡± I ask, taking a sip.

    Shi Da shakes her head, ¡°No one. I bought it from the market yesterday.¡±

    We speak for a while, discussing the going ons of the palace and who has been sleeping with who. Shi Da refills the tea whenever it gets low as we talk.

    Eventually, something that has been bothering me for a while comes to the forefront of my mind. I frown, looking around the barely decorated room. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, motioning to the room and its lack of servants, then to her hair, cut short in disgrace.

    Shi Da takes a sip of her tea, stalling while she thinks. ¡°The Second Minister was found dead in his room a year ago, poisoned. Eunuch Yung accused me of the murder, claiming he had witnessed it. When I tried to fight him on the charge, the First Prince backed up his story, claiming that we had both been embezzling state funds. Evidence was planted in my room, and the Emperor was forced to acknowledge me as the guilty party.¡± She takes another sip of her tea, her face carefully expressionless.

    I look into my cup thoughtfully. ¡°What happened to Eunuch Yung?¡±

    ¡°He was found dead in the streets. They made it look like a common robbery.¡±

    I watch her closely, trying to read her. ¡°Did you kill him?¡±

    Shi Da looks me in the eyes as she responds, her every word measured. ¡°No. But I knew it was coming and I did not attempt to stop it from happening,¡±

    I take another sip. ¡°It is kind of you to trust me.¡±

    Shi Da looks away uncomfortably. ¡°There is more that I haven¡¯t told you.¡±

    ¡°I know. It doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±.

    Shia sends me a message with her qi, and I pause mid-sip.

    ¡°I have another question Da, and this time I ask for complete honesty.¡±

    Shi Da stands up with me. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Did you try to kill yourself?¡± I ask.

    It makes sense, living in disgrace as a murderer is no way to live one¡¯s life. No one should have any reason to kill her when she has already lost to the First Prince.  Any friends she had, couldn''t afford to stay with her. I am unique in that my position isn¡¯t tied into court politics and is secure within the sect.

    Shi Da doesn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t do it again. I value your life.¡±

    Shi Da nods, her hand going to her scratched throat. ¡°I won¡¯t. You saving me has been a clear message from the heavens.¡±

    I pull her into a hug, startling her. After a moment, she returns the affection.

    We talk for a while longer on lighter topics. Eventually, it grows late enough that I decide to leave, but not before asking if Shia could keep an eye on the princess for me. Shia¡¯s ability to watch someone without notice far outstrips my own.

    I return to my own room, quickly writing a message for my father. We had been sending messages through Elder Zhu before my sixteenth birthday. It¡¯s about time that I send him another one.

    Once I¡¯ve written the message, I change into the commoner robes that I had bought with Xia Jing. No need to draw more attention to myself than I need to.

    I place my sword at my side. It¡¯ll make it obvious that I¡¯m no mere commoner, but anyone with any sense will be able to tell that anyway.

    I also grab a flute case that Zhu Teng had made for me on my fifteenth birthday. My fingers trace the artwork carved into the case. It shows the battle of the First Requiem as best I could describe it, the First Requiem Warrior standing prominent. I smile as I attach the case to my waist on the opposite side of my sword.

    I leave the palace, leaving a note with one of the servants for Master Meng An, telling him that I¡¯ll be back in the evening.

    The home that we have in the capital is managed by a trusted servant of my father¡¯s. It takes me a moment to remember its exact location, but I find it eventually.

    Guards wearing the silver and white colors of my family stand in front of the gates to our home, watching me warily.

    ¡°Tell Lien Chen that I am here to see him with something urgent.¡± I say to the guards.

    The older one nods to the younger one who promptly hurries inside.

    I wait outside with the older guard in silence until a scholarly looking man walks out the gate with the younger guard.

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    ¡°Young Lady Lin!¡± The scholarly servant bows to me, ¡°Your beauty has only grown with the years.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Lien, your words are too kind.¡± I respond, smiling at the familiar face.

    ¡°What brings you to this lowly servant? You haven¡¯t left the sect, have you?¡± Lien Chen looks at me with worry.

    I shake my head in denial of his words. ¡°I am a Core Disciple of the Flowing River Sect. I came here to give you a message for my father.¡± I pull the letter out and hand it to him. ¡°Make sure it gets to him as soon as you can.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Lady Lin. Would you like to come inside? I am happy to host you.¡± Lien motions towards the open gate of our old home.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I have other things to attend to.¡± I can¡¯t stop my gaze from locking on to my old home.

    ¡°That is a shame. Know that these doors are always open to you, if you desire to enter.¡± The servant bows to me.

    ¡°Thank you. I will remember your words.¡± I nod my head to the scholarly servant, then to the two guardsmen who look at me with surprise.

    Both guardsmen quickly bow when I nod at them.

    I turn away from the group, heading back to the palace. Merchants, nobles and guardsmen ignore me as I walk down the street. My commoner clothes accomplish their purpose and hide my identity as a member of the Flowing River Sect.

    I turn left on the street towards the gate of the main palace when a whiff of strange spirit makes me stop.

    Hunger and death. The marks of a demon, but it doesn¡¯t feel as strong as a demon¡¯s spirit usually does. The spirit is gone as quickly as it came, but I felt it in the air.

    I turn away from the palace, following the direction that the spirit came from. Whispers of the strange spirit lead me out of the noble district of the city and into the markets near the ocean.

    I don¡¯t catch sight of anyone as I follow the spirit, which is strange. This is a moving object or person that I¡¯m following, I¡¯m quite sure of that.

    Eventually I reach the same wall that Xia Jing had opened last night, leading into the cultivator market.

    I place my hand on the wall, injecting some qi into it. The door reveals itself just as it did for Xia Jing.

    I step through into the bustling market. The weak sense of spirit disappears underneath the many differing spirits of the cultivators walking the street.

    I sigh in defeat, knowing how unlikely it is that I¡¯ll be able to find the strange spirit again. Cheering from nearby distracts me from my sad thoughts.

    My curiosity piqued, I make my way towards a large crowd of people.

    ¡°Ten Spirit Stones on the red cultivator!¡± One man shouts, a young boy holding a box walking up to him a moment later.

    ¡°Thirty spirit stones on the one in black!¡±

    I finally make my way through the crowd to see two cultivators with their blades drawn, qi flowing through them.

    After a moment the two engage each other. The one in black is clearly outmatched as the red one systematically attacks him with his sword, leaving long cuts on the black cultivator¡¯s arms.

    He¡¯s going to lose.

    My thoughts are proven wrong when the one in black throws a dagger into the red one¡¯s throat, killing him.

    Cheers fill the street as the man in red falls to the ground dead.

    I turn away, disgusted. More killing without reason.

    My hand clenches the pommel of my sword, the skin turning white.

    The feeling of a gaze on me makes me relax my grip on my sword. I don¡¯t look around, or give any indication of the feeling, but a slight itch on the back of my neck makes me wary.

    I decide on a quick detour to the tavern I¡¯d gone to with Xia Jing.

    Whoever is watching me is persistent, the feeling not going away as I walk. I turn into an alleyway, hoping to draw whoever it is out.

    ¡°Miss cultivator! Young miss!¡± Someone calls out. I turn in surprise to see the rogue cultivator who had fought in the tavern yesterday running towards me.

    I take one step back with my hand on my sword, prepared to draw it. He stops a few steps away, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know your name and you probably don¡¯t remember me¡­¡± He stops speaking and shakes his head. ¡°None of that is important right now. Someone is trying to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± I ask, not relaxing my guard.

    ¡°A cultivator in the Foundation Realm by the name of Teng Xi. Someone hired him to kill you.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± I ask, my brow furrowing as I relax slightly. The rogue cultivator is familiar and something about that familiarity puts me at ease.

    The rogue cultivator rubs the back of his neck as he looks away. ¡°I have ways of knowing these kinds of things.¡±

    I keep my hand on my sword, but relax my body and stand up fully.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I ask.

    ¡°My name is Sun. Just Sun.¡± He looks to the side as if having an internal argument. He looks back at me. ¡°You need to leave now, before they find you.¡±

    The feeling of being watched never left me during our conversation. I frown, trying to think. ¡°Thank you, but I think they already found me.¡±

    I draw my sword, causing Sun to take a half step back in surprise. I turn away from him, towards the direction that the feeling of being watched is coming from.

    Five men step from the shadow, each with their sword drawn.

    I look back to see Sun gone. Hopefully he¡¯s getting me some help.

    Four of the men range from the Sixth Realm of Qi Awakening to the Tenth Realm of Qi Awakening. The fifth man, who I presume to be Teng Xi, is in Foundation Establishment.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± I ask, keeping my senses peeled in case there is another cultivator I hadn¡¯t noticed.

    They don¡¯t respond, instead advancing on me.

    I take a deep breath, then start softly singing.

    The First Requiem: Battlefield Of Blood

    Blood flows across the ground as the sounds of battle rings out.

    Four men rush me, the leader standing back as he observes the illusion. One slips on a dead body, but the other three quickly reach me. I step back deftly, as I move with The Whispers of The Silent Raven.

    Swords and spells fly forward as I deftly move around them.

    A sword slips past my guard, slicing my arm.

    I call on the soldiers of the battlefield to attack.

    They don¡¯t respond as the man in Foundation Establishment steps forward. The illusion shreds around him as plants grow and wilt at his feet from his technique.

    I cough blood as the illusion fully shatters, stumbling back and barely dodging another swing from one of the men fighting me.

    The man in Foundation Establishment smiles, before a sword breaks through his chest.

    Sun steps out from behind him, his aura and spirit having completely changed, rigid and menacing. He stands tall, his movements lacking any hesitation as he walks forward.

 Chapter 36: Just A Thief

    I take advantage of the distraction Sun had created, switching my style to The Roars of The Ruinous Dragon and cutting through the neck of one of three cultivators advancing on me. The other two are now forced on the defensive, The Roars of The Ruinous Dragon far superior to whatever technique they used.

    Sun kills the man who had slipped in my illusion, then walks over to me. The both of us make quick work of the last two cultivators, killing them before they can activate any last stand techniques.

    I stand there for a moment, looking around at the five dead men bleeding out in an alleyway.

    Sun sheaths his sword and his demeanor shifts, losing its menacing aura and returning to the normal young man that had called out to me.

    He lets out a long breath as he seems to take in everything around the both of us. ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s a lot of blood.¡± he says.

    ¡°People bleed a lot when they die.¡± I walk through the corpses, turning the bodies to look at their faces. ¡°Why did they want to kill me?¡± I ask, not recognizing any of them.

    ¡°Well, not you specifically.¡± Sun says awkwardly.

    I look up at him sharply.

    ¡°They were hired to kill the disciples of the Flowing River Sect that just came to the city.¡± he explains, daintily stepping over the bodies to get closer to me. ¡°You and that other girl made quite a scene last night, so anyone looking for you would know who you are, despite your new clothes¡± He motions at my robes which don¡¯t bear any symbols of my sect.

    ¡°How do you know who they were told to kill?¡± I ask and Sun only now seems to realize that I haven¡¯t put my sword away.

    Blood drips down my arm from where I was cut, eventually reaching my pommel and traveling down the sword''s length. My grip stays firm, the familiar pommel of my sword unmoving.

    ¡°It¡¯s something I can¡¯t share with you¡­. Shouldn¡¯t you get that looked at? Losing that much blood can¡¯t be good.¡±

    Sun steps forward, gently grabbing my arm to look at my cut. He ignores the bloody sword.

    His worry for me is genuine, so I gently take my arm out of his grip and sheathe my sword. I¡¯ll need to clean the sword later, but for now, he is right. I need to have someone bandage my arm.

    I let him lead me to the tavern we were in yesterday. As soon as the tavern keeper sees my bloodied form, he grabs a bag of supplies and hands them over to Sun.

    Sun¡¯s demeanor changes again as his spirit takes on a soothing feeling. His spirit now smells like lavender.

    I¡¯ve never noticed a spirit¡¯s smell like this before. It¡¯s unusual.

    He stoops slightly, gently removing the damaged clothing from the wound. His fingers move with practiced gentleness as he applies an ointment to the wound.

    I clench my teeth from the pain. ¡°Do you know each other?¡± I ask, motioning towards the tavern keeper.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Sun¡¯s change in voice startles me, now higher pitched with an accent from the eastern provinces. ¡°He¡¯s been a dear, letting me stay here while I look for work.¡±

    He finishes with the cleaning of the wound and pulls out a needle and thread. ¡°The numbing agent should be working,¡± He says in his higher pitched voice. ¡°But this¡¯ll still sting a bit little one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m as old as you are.¡± I say, frowning.

    He looks into my eyes and I nearly pull back in surprise. His eyes are a soft green now, rather than their usual brown. ¡°Sure you are, dearie.¡±

    He looks back down and starts stitching my arm together with practiced movements.

    I stay quiet as he does, observing him.

    He changed like this for the fight too, but the change was different. Looking back, did his eye color change as well? I can¡¯t remember, I wasn¡¯t paying attention to it at the time.

    He finishes by gently wrapping the wound. Once he is done, his demeanor and spirit quickly change back to normal.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I say softly.

    He rubs the back of his head, blushing slightly. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember me, do you?¡±

    I look at him, trying to figure out why he seems so familiar. ¡°You seem familiar¡­ I can¡¯t place where.¡±

    ¡°You saved my life, three years ago. I would be dead in Yuan City if it weren¡¯t for you.¡± He smiles awkwardly.

    I¡¯ve only ever been to Yuan City once with Elder Wu Li Mei, Xia Jing and Lai Ming. My eyes widen in realization. ¡°You were the thief that fell in front of those cultivators!¡±

    Sun cringes. ¡°Thief is a harsh word.¡±

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    ¡°But you were so small and now¡­¡± I look at the young man, who, like most men, is taller than me by a decent margin.

    Sun shrugs, embarrassed. ¡°Once I awakened my qi, I grew a lot.¡± He pauses and we settle into a small silence until he speaks up, ¡°um, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask¡­ what¡¯s your name?¡±

    I smile at his sudden shyness. ¡°Lin Jia.¡± I stand up carefully, testing my body for any other wounds or sore muscles. ¡°I have to return.¡± I pause, considering Sun. His clothing is basically rags, and the only thing of value on him is his sword. Even that has a handle wrapped in dirty cloth. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± I¡¯ll pay for some new clothing as thanks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you then. And um,¡± He opens his hand to reveal a familiar pouch of mortal money. My hand goes to my side where my pouch is supposed to be, only to find it gone. ¡°I took this without thinking.¡±

    I stare at the pouch for a moment. I quickly turn my head away, covering my mouth as I start laughing. After a few seconds, I¡¯m able to calm down enough to speak, ¡°Keep it. Think of it as my thanks.¡±

    I do my best to return my face to a neutral expression as I leave the tavern. The walk back to the palace is surprisingly uneventful.

    ****

    I return to my room to find Xia Jing waiting for me. ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re back! I was starting to get a little worried.¡± Xia Jing pauses, taking in my appearance. ¡°What happened? You have blood on your robes.

    ¡°I was attacked.¡± I say, sitting on my bed with a sigh. ¡°Master Meng An should be here soon.¡±

    Xia Jing sits beside me, gently rubbing my back. I fall into her and I sense her slightly stiffen from the contact. She quickly relaxes, trying to hide the reaction.

    She continues rubbing my shoulders and back as I close my eyes.

    ¡°I killed again.¡± I tell her, my voice soft. ¡°I killed three myself. Two others were killed while I watched.¡±

    Xia Jing stays silent, her hands never stopping their calming movements.

    ¡°It hurts.¡± I say at last.

    ¡°Yes it does.¡± Xia Jing responds.

    Master Meng An knocks on the door to my room and I lift my head off of Xia Jing while she pulls her hands away.

    Master Meng An enters the room, taking in the room at a glance. ¡°Are you injured?¡± He asks.

    I nod, pulling back my sleeve to show the wrapped and stitched cut. ¡°They were sent after the disciples of the Flowing River Sect.¡±

    I continue to tell him all that I know about the attack as he asks a series of questions.

    Master Meng An sighs, looking away to rub his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the master here about this. He might know more.¡± He opens his eyes to walk up to me, gently removing the bandage to look at the stitching. ¡°Well done.¡± He remarks on the stitching before reapplying the bandages. ¡°I¡¯d like the two of you to stay together at all times. We are speaking with the Third Prince tomorrow, you can tell me if you sense a demon there, Core Disciple Lin.¡± He turns away, heading to the door. ¡°I want to be out of here as soon as possible.¡± Are his final words as he walks out the door.

    I fall into Xia Jing¡¯s lap again once he¡¯s gone.

    She strokes my hair as I relax.

    ¡°When did you first kill someone?¡± I ask curiously, I know surprisingly little about my best friend.

    Xia Jing¡¯s hand pauses briefly before continuing. ¡°I was very young.¡±

    I turn to look up at her. She gazes down at me, her thoughts unreadable. ¡°You know that you can trust me, right?¡±

    ¡°I know. I do.¡± She smiles.

    I close my eyes. ¡°Good.¡±

    We stay like that for a while, talking softly about small things.

    When the mood feels right, I sit up and open the case for my flute.

    I bring my mother¡¯s flute to my lips and play a soothing melody.

    Two small dancers appear between Xia Jing and I.

    They hold each other close, gently dancing to the melody.

    Small lights, like birds, move around the pair, brightening the two.

    It stays like that as I play, the two dancers just gently holding each other as they swing to the melody.

    I finish and the lights swirl around the dancers before they all disappear.

    ¡°Your music is uniquely beautiful.¡± Xia Jing says, lying on her belly from where she watched the show, her eyes half lidded.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I say, slightly embarrassed. No matter how many times I play, it always feels like I am showing an important part of myself with my music.

    A servant enters the room, and I realize with some chagrin that I still haven¡¯t cleaned myself or my sword.

    I pull my sword from its sheath, and Xia Jing moves over to help me wipe the weapon down.

    A supply of special oils is in my room along with some rags, thanks to Master Meng An. The weapon itself never needs to be sharpened, owing to its mysterious origins. I never thought to ask Li Quon about it, but the sword has never needed sharpening and is always easily cleaned. It seemed perfectly normal to me until I spoke with others about their weapons.

    ¡°What did you discover with your day?¡± I ask Xia Jing as I oil the blade.

    ¡°Third Prince Shi Biming is a quiet, bookish man, with little power compared to his brothers. No one had much to say about him except that he is polite. There were¡­ some rumors, but I don¡¯t know how much truth there is to them.¡± Xia Jing says, kneeling beside me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much of him from when I was here.¡± I say, glancing at Xia Jing from the corner of my eye. Her entire attention is on the oiling of my blade. ¡°He didn¡¯t stand out much.¡±

    I finish with my sword and put it back in its sheath. ¡°I need to get myself cleaned. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±

    Xia Jing nods, standing up. She walks to the door, turning back slightly to look at me with an unreadable emotion. ¡°Stay safe.¡± She says.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    With that, she leaves my room and I am left to clean myself up.

    I only had these clothes for one day and they¡¯re already cut to ribbons.

 Chapter 37: Evil In Many Forms

    Once I¡¯ve changed into clean clothes, I sit on the end of my bed, holding my mother¡¯s flute in my hands.

    The Twelve Requiems of Illusion opens in front of me, flipping pages until it lands on the only requiem I haven¡¯t played yet.

    The Ninth Requiem: Ruin

    I put the flute to my lips and begin to play.

    The notes start out soft as the world around me transforms.

    Buildings with unreadable signs replace my walls, and a man kneels in the street, a woman dying in his hands

    Blood drips from the body, pooling around the man¡¯s knees.

    The song cries with him as he sobs.

    The music plays to a whisper as the woman finally dies.

    Men, little more than shadows surround the crying man.

    A powerful note rings out as a wave of energy pushes the shadows back.

    The man drops the woman into the street, standing up, his knees covered with her blood.

    Qi and energy gather around him, condensing into a small ball.

    A hard note plays out and the energy explodes,

    The shadows burst into dust as the buildings crumble.

    All life is lost, but the man pays little attention.

    He looks up into the sky, his cheeks tear stained.

    He roars his anger, his hatred, his grief.

    The world around him collapses.

    He falls to his knees.

    He pulls the dagger from the woman who had remained untouched by the destruction.

    He stabs himself through the heart.

    He dies.

    I close my eyes as the song ends, the illusion fading from the world around me. My qi and emotions stay in turmoil as I gasp for air, trying to hold back the sobs that rock my body.

    The emotions of the man felt so real. I feel his hatred and his grief as much as he did. Why does death have to feel so- so heavy?

    I calm my body and my qi with heaving breaths. Eventually, the emotions die down and I feel able to think again.

    I stand up carefully, my legs wobbling slightly as I walk to the table. I open the flute case, gently placing my flute back into it..

    A familiar presence enters the room, but I keep my focus on my flute, lost in thought now that I have my emotions back under control.

    ¡°Human politics always amaze me.¡± Shia slithers across the floor of my room, oblivious to the mess of my emotions. She rises up my robes, wrapping herself around my waist. ¡°Betrayal, manipulation and far too many boring meetings.¡±

    ¡°I never liked it.¡± I say quietly, closing the flute case and running my hands down its length.

    ¡°You are too trusting for it.¡± Shia responds, her body rising to wrap around my neck like a scarf.

    ¡°Do you have anything to tell me?¡± I ask, moving back to my bed and lying down.

    ¡°Nothing yet.¡± Shia responds

    ¡°Tell me when you do.¡± I mumble into the bed,  exhausted from the requiem. I fall asleep without hearing a response

    ***

    I follow a step behind Master Meng An, Xia Jing at my side as we walk into the waiting room of Third Prince Shi Biming¡¯s palace.

    A servant motions us to sit while we wait. We sit in the same positions that we walked here in. I carefully adjust my sword as we kneel on the floor. As members of The Flowing River sect, we are allowed to carry weapons in the palace. Still, drawing them in the presence of a prince or princess is a crime worthy of a death sentence, barring extreme circumstances of course

    The Third Prince waits an appropriate amount of time before entering the room. Not so long that we are left waiting, but not so short that we think he was waiting for us.

    The three of us stand up as he enters the room, bowing to him.

    He is a man of thirty or so years. His long hair flows loosely, accentuating delicate features and a pointed nose. His skin is pale, as is common for most nobles and he is thin from a life of leisure.

    I concentrate my senses, trying to catch even the smallest trace of demonic spirit on the Third Prince. The Third Prince¡¯s spirit is musty, like an old book, but it holds a bent of cruel enjoyment. No demonic spirit is attached to him, but that doesn¡¯t prove anything. There¡¯s a high possibility that he has no personal connection with a demon or that he is working with cultists who haven¡¯t summoned a demon yet.

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    ¡°Master Meng An, I¡¯m happy to hear that you have chosen to visit me and my brothers while you are here on your mission for your sect.¡± The Third Prince says as he enters the room. ¡°I am of course happy to help you with anything you need.¡±

    The Third Prince sits himself across from us and we all sit back down.

    Master Meng An and the Third Prince proceed to discuss things while Xia Jing and I listen. Nothing meaningful comes from the conversation, so I spend my time observing him and the servants as they talk.

    The rumors that surround the Third Prince are many and his spirit speaks to the cruelty that is whispered about.

    The servants are professional and quick in their work, leaving the room as soon as possible. Occasionally, I see a slight wince from pain in some of the servants or the shifting of cloth that reveals a bruise somewhat hidden by makeup. The female servants have it especially bad.

    I look away from these signs when I see them, knowing that there is little I can do. The Emperor does not care and there is little the Empress can do. Anyone else that tried to help would find themselves dead within two day¡¯s time.

    The moment we leave the Third Prince¡¯s palace, I shiver with disgust.

    ¡°Is he the one?¡± Master Meng An asks me as we walk back to our rooms.

    For a moment, I consider lying, just to get at the man. ¡°Not that I can tell.¡± I finally say, shaking my head.

    ¡°He¡¯s disgusting.¡± Xia Jing voices my thoughts, her hand tightening around the sword at her waist ¡°You can tell the servants are beaten often.¡±

    Master Meng An looks at Xia Jing contemplatively. ¡°That is not our concern.¡± He looks like he wants to say more, but leaves it at that.

    A fury overtakes Xia Jing¡¯s face and for a moment, it looks like she is going to yell at the Master.

    Her eyes meet mine, her fury draining from her as I hold her gaze. Eventually she calms, and forces out the words, ¡°yes, Master Meng An.¡±

    I¡¯ve never seen her react that way to something. She has always been the one to keep her anger hidden behind a smile.

    We approach the entrance to our sect¡¯s diplomatic hall and Master Meng An turns to the both of us. ¡°We meet with the First and Second Princes tomorrow.¡± Master Meng An says, his voice not giving any hint as to his thoughts. ¡°You two are free to look around as you see fit. Stay together, we don¡¯t know who targeted Disciple Lin yesterday.¡±

    ¡°¡±Yes Master Meng An.¡±¡± The both of us say and he steps through the entrance, presumably returning to his room.

    I look at Xia Jing. Her eyes are closed, and her body is visibly relaxing.

    She reopens her eyes, looking at me with her usual energy. ¡°Is there anywhere you¡¯d like to go?¡±

    I step closer, placing my hand on her arm. She smiles at me to show that she¡¯s fine.. I rub her arm before letting go and stepping away. ¡°The cultivator market.¡± I answer her question.

    ¡°Good, we can find something fun to do there.¡± Xia Jing turns, immediately walking.

    I watch her for a moment before hurrying to catch up. I can¡¯t help but be worried for her.

    Xia Jing leads us towards the cultivator market, her thoughts obviously elsewhere.

    I stop as we pass a mortal in dark clothes, traces of demonic spirit attached to him like strands. Xia Jing takes a moment to notice that I had stopped, turning around questioningly. She follows my gaze to the mortal, before looking back at me.

    I place my hand on my sword as I walk towards the mortal. They turn around, freezing as soon as they catch sight of me.

    The other mortals on the street quickly move out of the way. As I get closer, I notice that the mortal with demonic spirit attached to them is a girl a few years younger than me. Her body is covered in dirt and grime, and her clothing has seen better days.

    She bows down as soon as I¡¯m in front of her, fear making her body quiver. Mortals are rarely treated well when they gain the attention of a cultivator.

    I stop, realizing I¡¯m not sure what I should say to the frightened girl. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± I say.

    That seems to calm her a little, but not much.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I ask, my gut twisting at the fact that I¡¯m scaring her.

    ¡°H-Hu, Miss Cultivator.¡± She says, the last traces of demonic spirit starting to disperse sound her.

    ¡°Hu, did you see anyone strange before I came up to you?¡± I ask, hoping that she might know why the traces of spirit are there.

    She hesitates for a moment, before shaking her head, ¡°No.¡± clearly lying.

    I look at Xia Jing for help, she¡¯s better with this kind of thing.

    She smiles, before stepping forward.

    I step back, giving her room to convince the girl.

    After a few seconds of talking, the girl nervously looks at both of us, before motioning for us to follow her.

    Xia Jing falls in step with me as we follow the mortal past buildings and through twisting alleyways, slowly entering the poorer part of the city.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Xia Jing asks me as we follow her.

    ¡°She had traces of demonic spirit on her.¡± I answer. ¡°It¡¯s similar to the one I felt yesterday.¡±

    ¡°You felt demonic spirit yesterday?¡± Xia Jing asks and I realize that I must¡¯ve left that out of my story of the attack.

    Eventually the girl stops, pointing to a run down building down the street. ¡°The strange men entered that building after they brushed into me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xia Jing says, discreetly putting something into the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°You can go now.¡±

    The girl doesn¡¯t wait for us to change our minds, immediately running back down the alleyway.

    ¡°Do you remember the way back?¡± I ask, watching the girl disappear.

    Xia Jing freezes, smiling awkwardly after a moment. ¡°We should focus on finding out who these men are.¡± She says.

    I nod, activating the Movements Of The Silent Monster. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a second.¡±

    Xia Jing nods, loosening her sword in its sheath in preparation.

    I walk to the side of the building with caution.

    I step over a sleeping beggar and climb up the wall to an open window on the second floor. I sigh internally as I look down at the dirt now covering my robes, before shaking my head and listening for sounds on the other side of the window.

    The murmuring of voices reaches me, but no one seems to be directly on the other side.

    I pull myself over the edge of the window into a room without furnishing.

    Only one door leads out of the room, so I silently walk up to it. The voices get louder as I reach the door and I push it open slightly.

    Stairs lead down to a large room and I creep down them until I catch sight of the occupants of the room.

    Six cultivators in the Qi Awakening realms sit around a table, speaking quietly to each other as a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment realm watches them with his hood pulled up, hiding his face. My eyes immediately catch on a leather book in front of the man in Foundation Establishment. Demonic spirit swirls around the sinister looking book, latching onto all the men around it.

    I¡¯ve never seen anything like it before. But whatever it is, I need to tell Master Meng An right away.

    My eyes are so focused on the book that I don¡¯t notice that something is wrong until a man yells out from behind me.

    I turn to see a man in the Fourth Level of Qi Awakening pulling his blade as he runs down the stairs towards me.

 Chapter 38: Chase And Injury

    I rush up the stairs, dodging the first sloppy swing of the man¡¯s sword and tripping him. He reaches out, trying to pull me down with him as he falls. I slip from his grip to watch him tumble down the stairs into the group of other cultivators.

    I don¡¯t wait to see how they respond as I run back to the window I¡¯d snuck in from.

    Qi builds up from behind me as I jump to the window. I grab onto the windowsill, swinging into the building and stopping my momentum. I fully let go, rolling as I hit the ground.

    I stand up, only to fly forward as something heavy hits my back. I roll across the ground, unable to control my momentum.

    Xia Jing runs to me from where she is watching the building. The earth seems to guide her to me, pushing her feet forward.

    Pain fills me as I try to push myself off the ground, foreign qi pushing its way into my body. I collapse back down, and Xia Jing arrives at my side, gently lifting me into her arms.

    Shouting from the building fills the air. The cultivators inside release their auras, qi gathering around them.

    Xia Jing holds me carefully, stepping out of the way as a bolt of qi flies towards us.

    I focus on the invasive qi in my body, rallying my own qi empowered by spirit.

    The earth of the street seems to guide and push Xia Jing as she runs forward, dodging attacks aimed at the both of us. Her qi gathers in her as her own aura is released.

    Xia Jing races through the slums with me in her arms, her breathing focused as she dodges around mortals and debris. The occasional bolt of qi aimed at us hits a mortal or a building, killing those it touches and creating gaping holes in the architecture.

    The aura of a powerful cultivator surrounds us and our pursuers stop their attacks. The pursuers¡¯ auras disappear.

    Xia Jing stops running, using her momentum to turn around and look behind us.

    I trust in Xia Jing as I close my eyes, focusing all my attention on the invasive qi.

    The world around me tunes out, as my awareness focuses on my body. Streams of the invasive qi split off from each other, making it hard for my own qi to devour it. Slowly, step by step, I force the qi into the air around me, dispersing it.

    Eventually, hands touch my back, Xia Jing¡¯s qi working with mine to destroy and disperse the last of the invasive qi.

    I open my eyes to find myself still in Xia Jing¡¯s arms. She sets me back on my feet now that I¡¯m healed.

    The road is empty as mortals cower behind buildings and objects. A man stands calmly, his feet resting on nothing but air.

    It takes me a moment to recognise the strange cultivator as Master Meng An. His back is straight and his gaze serious. He looks twenty years younger than when I saw him earlier today.

    Slowly his aura and qi retreat back into his body. He hunches over, regaining his usual look as he steps down from the air until his feet touch the ground.

    ¡°Are you alright, Disciple Lin?¡± Master Meng An asks, his voice steady as he walks over to us.

    ¡°I think so, Master Meng An.¡± I answer, a wave of pain from my back contradicting my words. I do my best to not show the pain and Master Meng An appears to not notice.

    Xia Jing, however, seems to catch that something isn¡¯t right as her gaze focuses on me.

    I ignore her gaze and look carefully down the street we are on, wondering where the enemy cultivators are. The three of us appear to be the only cultivators on the street.

    ¡°They are gone.¡± Master Meng An answers my silent question. ¡°Something hid them from me as soon as I arrived.¡±

    I let out a sigh. Something about the whole situation doesn¡¯t seem right, giving me a bad feeling. There¡¯s that book too. Whatever it is, it¡¯s dangerous. I can feel it.

    Master Meng An proceeds to ask us about what happened. Xia Jing tells him what she saw before turning the story over to me. I tell him everything that I saw in the building, going over the memories in my own mind as best I can. I don¡¯t recognize any of the cultivators that I saw, not that I know many of the cultivators in the capital.

    He listens to my story carefully before nodding and immediately turning to look for the escaped cultivators.

    I see a frown on his face as he turns away. He¡¯s worried about something, but I can¡¯t tell what.

    He walks down the street, carefully analyzing every overturned cart until he is out of sight.

    Once he is gone, I relax, twitching slightly from a sudden pain in my back.

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    ¡°You don¡¯t look alright.¡± Xia Jing says, moving over to me to support me as I fall back into her support, my legs almost giving out.

    ¡°I thought the qi was gone.¡± I say, the pain in my back making itself known to me with a furious force.

    ¡°It is.¡± Xia Jing says with confusion. She leads me to the side of the now empty street, sitting me down on a crate.

    She pulls her hand away from my back and we both see a dark blood coating it from where she touched me. She briefly looks into my eyes, her gaze serious, before turning me and pulling my robe down to expose my upper back.

    I hiss in embarrassment. ¡°We¡¯re in public!¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s here and you¡¯re injured.¡± Xia Jing says, her words harsh but filled with a subtle worry.

    Her breath catches at the sight of my back.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, unable to stop the worry from entering my own voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The skin is blackened.¡± Her fingers trace around the wound, qi probing into my back. ¡°We need to get you to a healer.¡±

    She lifts me up into her arms again.

    ¡°I can walk-¡± I start, only to be interrupted by her.

    ¡°You nearly fell again. Let¡¯s not risk anything until you¡¯ve been looked at.¡± Her eyes carefully avoid mine as we head to the cultivator district. It¡¯s probably closer to us than the healers of the imperial palace. Xia Jing knows what she is doing

    A weariness starts to take over me as we get closer to wherever she is taking me and my eyes work to stay open.

    My awareness completely leaves me as the next thing I know I am sitting on a bed, a female cultivator with a calm spirit removing my robes to look at my back.

    A sharp intake of breath from the woman doesn¡¯t inspire my confidence as her qi enters the wound, soothing the pain that has been sending waves through my body.

    Her qi does something, and my eyes close as darkness overtakes my senses.

    ****

    Someone holds my hand, gently rubbing the back of my hand with their thumb.

    My eyelids flutter open, taking in the evening sunlight. I¡¯m not in my room at the palace. I turn to look at Xia Jing whose gaze is focused on our intertwined hands.

    She notices my gaze and turns to look at me, her mood lightening as our eyes meet.

    ¡°Am I alright?¡± I ask quietly.

    She nods. ¡°You¡¯re alright. You just need to heal.¡±

    I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing of the many dangers that exist in the world of cultivation.

    ¡°What was it?¡± I ask, letting go of Xia Jing¡¯s hand to sit up. I become acutely aware of the bandages on my back as I move.

    ¡°Some kind of poison. Thankfully Sha Lan got to it in time.¡± Xia Jing says.

    ¡°Necrosis, not poison.¡± A voice says from the entrance to the room. I turn to see a woman who¡¯s whole face is covered in a veil, her robes light blue to the point of being white. ¡°A nasty trick from those who wish suffering on others.¡±

    I bow to her in thanks. ¡°You must be Sha Lan. Thank you for healing me.¡±

    She nods, acknowledging my thanks. ¡°I am always pleased to help a member of the Flowing River Sect. Do you still feel any pain?¡±

    I pause, testing the wound. ¡°A little, but not as much.¡±

    ¡°That is to be expected. The damage was severe.¡±

    She walks up to me, carefully placing her palm on my shoulder. Her qi soothingly moves through my body, checking the wound on my back, then checking the cut on my arm from the fight with the assassins.

    ¡°You are as healthy as I can make you.¡± She says, removing her hand from my shoulder. ¡°Do your best to avoid fighting for the next week.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t seek fights.¡± I answer.

    Xia Jing laughs, quickly covering it with a cough.

    The woman doesn¡¯t respond, instead nodding her head and leaving the room.

    I carefully leave the bed, the bandages around my back feeling strange in the way they constrict me. I put on the robes that are neatly arrayed on the side of the bed, feeling slightly embarrassed.

    I dress in silence as Xia Jing watches me with an unreadable expression.

    ¡°That was reckless.¡± She says finally. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let you go in there by yourself.¡±

    ¡°I can hide from demonic cultivators better than you.¡± I say, matching her gaze calmly.

    ¡°You were still found!¡± She responds, her voice taking a hard edge to it as she stands up. She looks away, embarrassed from the outburst.

    I walk up to her, putting my hand on her arm. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    She slowly looks into my eyes, her gaze holding a strength to it.. ¡°I¡¯m not. Staying in the palace and seeing those disgusting Princes....¡± I freeze at the insult to the royal family, but I don¡¯t interrupt her. ¡°The things they do to their servants- it¡¯s unspeakable. And, and-¡± She motions to me, tearing up.¡±You¡¯ve gotten injured twice now..¡±

    I nod. ¡°I know.¡±

    She takes a deep breath, calming herself and relaxing her body. ¡°Let¡¯s get a drink. I need an excuse to stay away from that horrible palace.¡±

    I nod again at her words and she takes my hand, walking with purpose out of the Healer¡¯s home.

    I let her lead me back to the Tavern I¡¯d visited twice now. Her steps are purposeful, and she keeps her face forward, obviously embarrassed about the outburst.

    We arrive at the Tavern, brightly lit from lanterns.

    We are about to step inside, when the door bursts open. Sun comes flying out, landing on the road and rolling a few times. He moves slightly, groaning.

    A muscular man carrying a sword as large as me walks out through the now broken door, his expression dark with anger.

    Sun stands up, his blackened eye landing on me and my Sister.

    ¡°Oh. Hi.¡± he says, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

 Chapter 39: Kun Lu Of The Heavenly Truth Sect.

    Men and women from all different walks of life watch the commotion from the sides of the street. Even the crows watch from the rafters above the tavern while the young roguish man smiles at the pair of us. Sun is bleeding slightly from a cut on his lip, and has a black eye, but he doesn¡¯t look beat up too badly.

    The large man with the equally large sword is in the seventh level of Qi Awakening. His robes are black with sleeves that likely used to be white, but are gray with the dirt and dust of travel. The robes look familiar, but I can¡¯t quite place them.

    He steps down from the broken doorway.

    He glances between the three of us, his expression of anger dropping as he calms. He puts his fist and palm together, bowing ¡°Inner Disciple Lu Kun of The Heavenly Truth sect greets the Disciples of The Flowing River Sect.¡±

    That¡¯s where I knew his robes from. The Heavenly Truth Sect is one of the six Great Sects of the Chengshi Empire. I don¡¯t know much about them, but they are to be respected.

    Xia Jing and I copy his bow. ¡°I am Core Disciple Lin Jia.¡±

    ¡°Inner Disciple Xia Jing.¡±

    I glance over at Sun, who is watching the exchange with surprise. ¡°Forgive us for interrupting you,¡± I start, careful to watch my words. As in most politics, dealing with other sects needs a delicate touch. ¡°But I owe this rogue cultivator.¡±

    The man reaches into his pocket, pulling out a jade slip. I don¡¯t recognize it, but obviously it¡¯s important to him. ¡°The bastard tried to steal this from me. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let this go.¡± He reaches behind him for the sword sheathed to his back.

    I reach for my own sword, but a hand on my shoulder stops me. I turn to see Xia Jing looking at me sternly. I look away, embarrassed that I was looking for a fight so soon after getting injured.

    ¡°Hey! There¡¯s no need for us to fight!¡± Sun says, reaching for his own sword. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually steal anything.¡±

    Lu Kun ignores his words, drawing his sword.

    Sun unsteadily draws his own sword, his demeanor and spirit still normal.

    Xia Jing speaks up. ¡°A duel.¡± Lu Kun pauses at her words. ¡°As is natural for a dispute between sects.¡±

    I look at my sister disciple, wondering what she is planning.

    Lu Kun frowns, before sighing. ¡°I will give you face, disciples of The Flowing River Sect. Until first blood. If I win, his life and future are mine.¡±

    Xia Jing nods, ¡°If he wins, you will let this go.¡± She turns to Sun. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    Sun pauses, looking between the three of us before nodding.

    Xia Jing steps back. ¡°Bow to each other, then begin.¡±

    Lu Kun stabs his sword into the cobblestone road, creating another crack alongside the many cracks already there. He bows, before pulling his sword back out and holding it with both hands in front of him.

    Sun bows back, his movements unrefined. He draws his sword, taking a deep breath. He closes his eyes and his stance steadies, his sword moving slightly as an air of competence suddenly surrounds him. He opens his eyes, which are now a blood red. His spirit changes again, rigid and menacing.

    ¡°You have some strange friends, Sister Jia.¡± Xia Jing whispers from beside me as the two opponents size each other up.

    I nod, ¡°you¡¯re one of them.¡±

    The two opponents stand completely still, sizing each other up. A small crowd of cultivators have gathered around, watching the fight with the curiosity of those who enjoy bloodshed.

    Lu Kun dashes forward, his move decisive as his large sword moves swiftly through the air in a downward stroke.

    Sun watches the man calmly, moving smoothly around the strike and slicing forward at Lu Kun¡¯s right arm.

    Lu Kun takes his right hand off of his sword, using the pommel of his sword to block the attack. Using only his left hand, he lifts his sword in an upward swing.

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    Sun calmly ducks under the swing, then steps forward, his body almost disappearing until he stands right in front of Lu Kun. Sun¡¯s sword is at Lu Kun¡¯s neck, a bead of blood dripping down the sword.

    For a brief moment, I think he¡¯s going to finish the movement and chop through the neck of the Disciple of The Heavenly Truth Sect.

    Sun¡¯s strange red eyes meet mine and he steps back. He sheathes his sword, his demeanor returning to its normal self as his eyes turn back to brown.

    Lu Kun leans on his sword, his face pale. After a deep breath, he stands up fully, bowing to Sun.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± With those words said, he turns around, returning to the tavern on unsteady legs.

    The crowd that had gathered for the fight slowly disperses.

    Sun walks over to Xia Jing and I. ¡°So, uh, hi. I¡¯m Sun.¡± He bows to Xia Jing. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡±

    ¡°It looks like you didn¡¯t need it.¡± Xia Jing says, glancing over to me before looking at the still beat up Sun. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join the two of us for a drink?¡±

    Sun perks up at the words, before looking away. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± he tries to politely refuse.

    ¡°I insist.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll accept.¡± He answers quickly, leading us into the tavern.

    I giggle at his actions, quickly hiding it with my sleeve when Xia Jing looks over at me.

    We walk into the tavern to see Lu Kun as one of four people in the tavern. He drinks by himself, his eyes lost in thought.

    The three of us sit at a table, the mortal tavern owner hurrying over to us and pouring an unknown liquid into three cups he¡¯d prepared.

    ¡°One moment.¡± Xia Jing says, standing up. She walks over to Lu Kun, leaving me and Sun alone at the table.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you try to steal from him?¡± I ask. The question had been bothering me..

    Sun looks away before shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s how I survive.¡± He raises his cup to his mouth, taking a gulp.

    ¡°You¡¯re really bad at it if your survival depends on it.¡±

    Sun chokes on the liquid, coughing. ¡°I¡¯m not bad at it!¡±

    I hide my smile at his reaction with my cup. ¡°Two cultivators have caught you since we met.¡±

    Sun blushes. ¡°That¡¯s not the usual. I mean, you didn¡¯t catch me.¡±

    I frown at him.

    Xia Jing rejoins us a moment later, Lu Kun taking up a fourth seat at the table. He leans his sword on the bench next to him. He then glares at Sun before turning his attention to the cup of liquid being poured for him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to express my gratitude to you for saving my Sister.¡± Xia Jing says to Sun. She bows her head. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Sun looks away, obviously uncomfortable with the gratitude. ¡°I was only repaying her kindness.¡±

    Xia Jing smiles, ¡°Wait, I knew I recognized you! You¡¯re the thief from Yuan City!¡±

    Sun looks surprised. ¡°You remember? And I¡¯m not a thief.¡±

    Everyone, including Lu Kun, look at him with disbelief.

    ¡°I mean, thief is a harsh word?¡±

    ¡°Ku- ha- hahaha!¡± Lu Kun breaks into laughter. ¡°At least you¡¯re a funny thief.¡± He says, draining his cup.

    ¡°What was that jade slip from earlier?¡± I ask.

    Lu Kun immediately knows what I¡¯m referring to and pulls it out to show us. ¡°It is for a mission of my sect.¡± He glares at Sun, who looks to the side. ¡°It is of great importance to me.¡±

    ¡°What is your mission?¡± I ask, a strange curiosity overcoming me.

    ¡°I am looking for a man. He is bald, about this tall,¡± He holds his hand up beside him in a vague estimate. ¡°He has a strange fascination with color.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± What does a strange fascination with color mean?

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a disciple of The Heavenly Truth Sect without a, what do you call them, a Daoshi?¡± Xia Jing asks. Her knowledge of the other sects is far greater than mine.

    Lu Kun nods. ¡°The man I am looking for is my Daoshi. He believes that my search for him is part of the journey I must take.¡±

    We continue to talk for the next hour, slowly getting through the alcohol that is continuously poured for us. Xia Jing stops me after a certain point, claiming that we must remain aware after the many attacks I have suffered.

    Lu Kun slowly loses his animosity towards Sun, but keeps a healthy wariness of the young rogue cultivator.

    Sun drinks too much and ends up telling a story about the time he came across a man in the Emperor realm in the mountains. He says that this happened three thousand years ago, when he was a monk trying to find the meaning behind why water flows in a river.

    Unfortunately, he¡¯d been drinking enough that it is hard to keep the facts straight in his story.

    Xia Jing and I decide it is time to leave as the streets start to empty from the late night, but Sun and Lu Kun say behind, arguing over when a sword gets too big. Lu Kun thinks it¡¯s impossible, but Sun says that it reaches a point where it just doesn¡¯t work as well anymore.

    Xia Jing starts to blush for some reason during the conversation, but I don¡¯t get it.

    Maybe the alcohol is just making her face red?

    We make it back to the palace safely, and I return to my room feeling exhausted from the day. Occasionally slight pain comes from my wound on my back, but it does seem to be getting better already.

    I¡¯m lying on my bed when Shia returns to my room. She slithers up and around my waist, her presence is comforting after the two years we¡¯ve been together.

    ¡°Little one. I have something you may wish to know.¡± Shia says to me as I drift off to sleep.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, opening my eyes in order to keep myself awake.

    ¡°The one who ordered your assassination. It was the Second Prince. It seems that he fears you.¡±

    My eyes open wide as all of my sleepiness disappears.

    An old anger fills me.

    Memories come unbidden to my mind. The reason why my father rushed me away from the palace, why I had to join the sect.

    Again, he seeks to interfere with my life.

 Chapter 40: Not Just Another Demon

    Sleep seems infinitely farther away from me now.

    After a moment, I get out of the bed. I walk over to my flute case, carefully opening it. The smooth wood of the flute¡¯s exterior instantly calms me.

    I close the case and walk over to my clothes, changing into them. I grab my sword and walk out of my room, Shia still wrapped around my waist.

    The palace is quiet with the night, only the occasional servant walking through the hallways.

    A guard greets me as I walk into the courtyard, bowing deeply.

    I nod to him, walking until I find a sufficiently clear spot.

    I draw my sword, wincing slightly as I pull on my bandaged wounds. After a moment of deep breathing, I move through the movements of The Ruinous Dragon. I move through each form with infinite slowness, careful of my injuries.

    The forms help me clear my mind, and I enter an almost meditative state.

    One foot forward, upwards swing.

    A feint to the left, then a downwards slash.

    I¡¯m completely caught in the simple movements until a whiff of familiar spirit catches my attention. I open my eyes, my attention focusing on the demonic spirit of that book.

    ¡°Shia, get Xia Jing and Master Meng An.¡±

    Shia wakes up at my command, her head shifting underneath my robes. ¡°What is it, little one?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found something, can you lead them to me?¡± I know that Shia has marked me somehow, she can find me even through my Movements Of The Silent Monster.

    Shia slides out from my robes, ¡°Do not injure yourself further.¡±

    I activate Movements Of The Silent Monster, following the trace of the book¡¯s spirit through the palaces of the imperial capital. Eventually I¡¯m led to the palace of a minor noble. I don¡¯t know the owner of the palace, but two guards in early Qi Awakening stand at the gate.

    I study the entrance from a safe distance. A cart pulls up to the palace and a few men wearing black robes get off, greeting the guards as they walk through the gate.

    Shia slithers over my foot and up my robes to wrap herself around my body. A few moments later, two familiar presences arrive next to me.

    Master Meng An wears his farmer¡¯s hat, looking decidedly normal without his sect robes. Xia Jing rubs her eyes, obviously having just woken up.

    ¡°Who did you send to find us? I could not sense their presence.¡± Master Meng An says, looking at me appraisingly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my secret to share.¡± I say, bowing my head in apology. I turn my attention back to the palace. ¡°Demonic spirit surrounds this place like a fog.¡±

    Master Meng An clearly doesn¡¯t like my answer, but he accepts it. ¡°I have messaged Master Lu Quon. He will be here shortly.¡±

    I nod, my gaze stuck on the palace. Demonic spirit gathers around the place, pulsating. It''s so thick that I¡¯m almost surprised the others can¡¯t see it.

    It gathers and pulses again. This time, the demonic spirit rolls over us like a wave before pulling back for another pulse.

    Shia hisses, her voice filling my mind. She¡¯s loud enough that I look at the others, wondering if they can hear her too. They don¡¯t react, Shia¡¯s voice is only heard by me. ¡°Little one! You must stop them!¡±

    I don¡¯t hesitate, instantly turning to Master Meng An. ¡°We have to go in. Now.¡±

    The Master gazes at me appraisingly, his thoughts hidden. The moment lasts an eternity before he nods, unhooking his swords from his belt.

    He walks forward, each step covering more distance. Xia Jing and I follow after him. My wound reminds me of its presence, aching as I hurry to keep up with the Master.

    Master Meng An¡¯s aura stays hidden as he approaches the gate. His hook swords swipe out, killing the two guardsmen in Qi Awakening in a single breath. He slashes forward again, his swing blowing the gate of the palace open.

    His movements remind me that he is no ordinary cultivator, but a Master Swordsman, someone trusted to teach the youth of the sect the ways of the sword.

    I step over the bodies of the poor guardsmen, their severed heads still rolling. I turn my gaze away from them, focusing on the back of the Master Swordsman.

    The courtyard inside the gate of the palace is empty. The air starts to smell of blood from the two dead men at the gate. Demonic spirit covers every surface, turning the fresh night air stale. Twisted trees create an overhang on the path to a wooden door that sits slightly ajar.

    Everything about the place disturbs me, but I can¡¯t seem to keep my gaze away from the drops of blood that slowly fall from Master Meng An¡¯s swords onto the dirt pathway.

    I shake my head, focusing on the door. Now that we are in the walls of the palace, I can feel the workings of qi in a complex technique.

    Master Meng An leads Xia Jing and I through the door into a decrepit hallway. Dusty portraits line the walls, showing men and women in expensive outfits.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    We reach a second wooden door, this one fully closed. The sound of a deep voice, rich with qi, echoes through to us.

    Master Meng An motions for the both of us to be ready. Xia Jing and I both nod, our swords already drawn.

    Channeling qi through his sword, Meng An slices forward, blasting the door open.

    I pause as I come through the threshold, shocked by the sight.

    Corpses of men and women litter the floor, their blood seeping into the stone. Black robed cultivators stand above the bodies, circling a charred, stone altar. On the altar lies a young girl, a red dagger with black veins stabbed through her chest. Above her head is the demonic book I¡¯d seen earlier. Blood now soaks the book¡¯s pages, a shadowy image still visible on the page it is open to.

    The startled cultivators turn to us, reaching for their own weapons. Master Meng An lets loose his full aura of Late Core Formation, his very aura cutting into the cultivators around him. He then steps forward, moving like a hurricane. The hooks on his swords grab the dark cultivator¡¯s weapons and redirect their strikes as he seems to dance through the enemy cultivators. Xia Jing follows after him.

    I hold back, aware of my injury. Gently, I start humming The Seventh Requiem: After Life

    The dead bodies on the floor start twitching.

    As I open my mouth to fully sing the strange words of another language, the bodies rise up, turning on the cultivators that had killed them.

    Their movements are shaped by the song, striking with every word.

    I feel the eyes of all the dead in the city as my song calls to them.

    But I know it to be an illusion.

    My throat aches from the words infused with qi, but the cultivators fall, one by one, from the surprise attack.

    The cultivator in Foundation Establishment rushes forward to meet Master Meng An, barely keeping up with the Swordmaster.

    They are dying.

    They believe in my illusion, so it harms them, tearing into their flesh, ripping their organs out. The dead are not forgiving.

    The girl on the altar twitches, and a dark aura floods the room, pausing the fighting.

    I cough from the sudden pressure of the aura, my requiem stopping mid-verse. I fall to my knees, and the illusion falls apart. Thankfully, most of the damage was done.

    Scarlet qi raps around the arms and legs of the little girl, as her spirit changes, overcome by what I know to be demonic spirit. She pulls the dagger out of her chest, and her chest knits itself back together.

    She stands up, a demon looking out through her eyes.

    Master Meng An takes advantage of the distraction to chop off the head of the cultivator he is facing. He then turns to the girl, raising his swords as he runs towards her.

    The girl looks at him as he rushes forward, she raises her hand, the scarlet qi flies forward and sends him into the wall. More scarlet qi rushes from her, killing all of the surviving cultivators in the room.

    I grab Xia Jing, pulling her away from a deadly strike. We both huddle away from the onslaught.

    Master Meng An coughs, having survived the first strike. He tries to stand up.

    Scarlet qi flies out, it coils above his body like a snake.

    Then she stops, her qi dissipating as she clutches her head.

    My eyes widen. The little girl¡¯s spirit, a soft, playful spirit, is still there.

    Master Meng An stands up, running to the girl. He lifts his sword.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I call out, causing him to hesitate.

    The demonic spirit reasserts itself and the Master is forced to defend against another wave of scarlet qi.

    ¡°Distract her for me.¡± I tell Xia Jing.

    She nods, not questioning me. She runs forward as I activate Movement Of The Silent Monster.

    Xia Jing and Master Meng An are clearly outclassed by whatever demon has possessed the girl, but the girl¡¯s own spirit keeps pushing back, causing attacks to dissipate and techniques to miss.

    I approach her slowly, wary of her discovering my presence.

    Scarlet qi flashes through the room as I finally am behind her.

    I reach out, grabbing hold of her hand.

    The world disappears from around me as I focus on the two different spirits in her body. My own spirit rushes in, working with the little girl¡¯s.

    My control is rudimentary, barely doing anything in the battle for the girl¡¯s body. But I know she has stopped her attacks on my Sister and Master Meng An.

    The demonic spirit attempts to overwhelm me, finding my own spirit abhorrent to its own. To my horror, it starts to succeed as it attempts to take over my body.

    Another spirit joins up with mine, overwhelming in its magnitude. It consumes the demonic spirit in my body, forcing it back into the girl¡¯s.

    The overwhelming spirit gently grabs mine as a familiar voice resonates within me. ¡°Do not be foolish! Little one, you are not yet strong enough to face a demon¡¯s spirit head on. You would be a soulless husk if I were not here with you.¡±

    I open my mouth to ask Shia whether the girl can be saved, but she answers before I can speak.

    ¡°I can not kill the demon without killing her, but I can seal the demon within her. Know this, little one, this does not come without a price and no seal is permanent.¡±

    ¡°I will pay your price.¡± The words echo from me, through our entwined spirit.

    Shia grabs my spirit, bringing it with hers into the girl¡¯s body. Using my spirit as the material, she draws out a series of complex characters, written in a language I do not know. It feels like an eternity as she draws the seal and by the end of it my spirit is drawn out and abused.

    Shia leaves me as I draw my spirit back into myself. My attention comes back to the real world as the little girl falls into my arms. Pain fills me from my abused spirit, but I persevere, holding the girl gently.

    Master Meng An steps forward, raising his sword for a strike.

    I hiss at him in anger, some of Shia¡¯s spirit still affecting me. ¡°Do not dare!.¡±

    Master Meng An frowns, holding his strike. ¡°She is a demon.¡±

    ¡°Right now, she is a little girl.¡± I say, gritting my teeth from pain.

    Shia slips from my robes as I speak, neither Master Meng An or Xia Jing noticing her as she slithers up to the altar. Her mouth opens wide, her jaw dislocating as she swallows the demonic book whole.

    Master Meng An hesitates, then raises his sword again. ¡°That girl just killed a quarter of the cultivators in this room.¡±

    ¡°I will kill you before I let you touch her!¡± I yell, my patience worn thin.

    ¡°Sister Jia? You¡¯re not sounding like yourself.¡± Xia Jing says, stepping closer to me.

    My gaze lands on her, and I calm from her familiar presence. I look back at Master Meng An.  ¡°The demon is sealed. This girl is now under my protection. I pledge as a Core Disciple of the Flowing River Sect that if you so much as touch her, I will kill you.¡±

 Chapter 41: Mixing Of Spirit

    The room is silent after my statement. The smell of blood and death is thick in the air, and Master Meng An looks at me with anger in his eyes. He desires to add one more death to the night, but I refuse to let him. I clutch the girl in my arms closer to me. Even I know that something isn¡¯t right with me, but my conviction remains true.

    The sound of many footsteps breaks our staring contest. ¡°I will speak to the Elders.¡± Master Meng An says as another Master and more disciples of our sect enter the room.

    Many of the younger disciples start throwing up at the grotesque sight. Bodies cover the floor, cultivator and mortal alike.

    Xia Jing puts her hand onto my shoulder, looking at me kindly. I turn to look at her, sighing as I meet her gaze.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asks, worried.

    I close my eyes, trying to calm the rampaging emotions flowing through me. The intense desire to protect the little girl in my arms, the pain radiating through my whole body from the forceful manipulation of my spirit. Even some of Shia¡¯s predatory and animalistic instincts flare up from the way that her spirit mixed with mine. ¡°I¡¯m not myself right now.¡± I say, opening my eyes.

    ¡°You just threatened to kill Master Meng An over a girl who was a demon moments ago. What¡¯s going on?¡± She says. Her eyes are so honest, trusting and worried.

    I look away, embarrassed at my emotions. I clutch the girl in my arms closer before continuing quietly so that the other disciples in the room won¡¯t hear. ¡°My spirit mixed with hers. Some of her was part of me.¡± I look back into her eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll pass as my spirit heals.¡±

    Xia Jing lets out a breath. She thinks for a moment, then nods. ¡°I¡¯ll see if the others need my help.¡±

    She stands up, slipping me something as she passes by me. I look down at it, careful to keep it hidden from sight.

    It is the red dagger with black veins running through it. The dagger that was stabbed through the girl¡¯s chest. I slip it into my robe before standing up. Gently, I lift the young girl up with me, holding her in my arms.

    Why did she give the dagger to me and not Master Meng An? I look over to where he is talking with the other Master. His gaze meets mine, and I see¡­ something, only a hint, but something. I move out of the way of a disciple who walks past me to look at one of the dead bodies on the floor.

    The girl shifts slightly from the sudden movement, bringing my gaze down to her. The girl¡¯s hair is scarlet, like the demon¡¯s qi. I don¡¯t think it was that way before. Her eyes flutter open, landing on me. She has black irises, flecked with white. She smiles when she sees me, then her eyes close as she falls back asleep.

    I adjust my hold on her, placing her head into my shoulder. The other disciples from our sect look at us questioningly and I meet their gazes heatedly. Aggressiveness still flows through me, wanting to lash out at them.

    ¡°Calm, little one.¡± Shia says as she slithers back into my robes, hiding from the sight of my fellow disciples. ¡°They will not harm you.¡±

    I take a deep breath, calming the tidal wave of strong emotions and trying to ignore the pain from my injured spirit. I still can¡¯t help but glare at the disciples who are still staring. They quickly look away.

    I walk over to Master Meng An, bowing slightly as I enter the presence of the two Masters.

    ¡°With your permission-¡± I start, forcing the words to come out calmly. Why do I need their permission? They have no right to control me! ¡°I- I need to leave.¡±

    Master Meng An looks at the girl in my arms.

    I clutch her closer to me. ¡°I will watch her, Master Meng An.¡±

    ¡°Disciple Lin, we don¡¯t know-¡±

    ¡°Master Meng An. Do not test me now.¡± I say, the words coming out as a hiss. Some part of me is astounded by my tone, but I ignore it. ¡°I will watch her.¡±

    The Master¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°I will speak to Elder Qiu Tai about this.¡±

    I bow again, ¡°Do as you wish.¡± I spin around, walking to the exit.

    Dead mortals and cultists line the floor, their bodies arranged grotesquely. I bring my gaze away from them, carefully stepping over any parts that block my way. The bottom of my robes must be soaked in blood by now. A soft shutter shakes my body.

    Once I¡¯m out of the building, I take a deep breath. Demonic spirit still coats the palace, but I can feel it slowly dispersing.

    The girl in my arms stirs, so I sit her against one of the twisted trees.

    I notice idly that the world is starting to lighten from the approach of sunrise.

    The girl''s eyes flutter open, bringing my attention back to her. She stares at me in confusion, before she hurriedly backs herself into the tree I set her against. Her eyes go wide with fear as she looks all around the empty courtyard.

    ¡°You¡¯re alright.¡± I say softly, showing my hands. I look at my hands to see them covered in blood and quickly hide them again.

    ¡°Y-you¡¯re her.¡± She says, calming with my words. ¡°The Lady of Music and Death.¡±

    I pause, snorting at the title. I hide my smile with my sleeve. ¡°I know death better than most. But I wouldn¡¯t call myself that.¡± My smile disappears as I study the girl. Her age is hard to tell. She could be anywhere from eight to twelve years old. I lower my hands, gently grasping hers. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    The girl frowns, considering my question. ¡°Like the Great Beast Lontung is inside me, screaming to be let out.¡± her eyes close as her frown deepens. ¡°He wants to devour everything. Especially you.¡± Her eyes open, filled with a familiar fear. ¡°He¡¯s terrifying.¡± She whispers.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t Lontung inside you.¡± I say softly, ¡°That is a demon. A monster from beyond this realm.¡± I move my hand to her daintain, the center of her qi. ¡°I have sealed him within you.¡± I look into her eyes. ¡°What is your name?¡±

    Her fear flows away as she looks into my eyes. ¡°Ai.¡± She says.

    I smile gently. ¡°I am Lin Jia, Core Disciple of The Flowing River Sect.¡± I stand up, lowering my hand to her. ¡°I will help protect you from the demon inside of you.¡±

    She puts her hand in mine and I help her stand up. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± She asks, looking up at me.

    I pause, not having expected the question. Some of my protectiveness comes from what I did to my spirit, but I know the main reason is something else. ¡°I want you to live.¡± I finally respond. ¡°That¡¯s all really.¡±

    Ai is quiet after that.

    I lead us back to the palace I¡¯m sleeping in, startling one of the servants with my blood drenched form and the strange girl walking beside me.

    After the servant gets over their fear, I have them deliver us both some clean clothes.

    Not too much later, Xia Jing stops by my room, where Ai is currently sleeping on my bed. Xia Jing tells me that the meeting with the second prince was canceled tomorrow due to the discovery of the demonic sect within the capital city.

    I sigh as I hear the news, motioning Xia Jing to sit down next to me. I don¡¯t know how to feel about the meeting. Some part of me wants to confront the prince who ordered my death, and scared me away from the capital so many years ago.

    Still, I fear him.

    I look over to where Ai is sleeping.

    ¡°Master Meng An is furious with you. If he had the ability, he¡¯d be punishing you himself right now.¡± Xia Jing says, noticing my gaze. ¡°You have made an enemy.¡±

    ¡°I made the right choice.¡± I say calmly, closing my eyes as I lean into Xia Jing. ¡°I have no doubt that she¡¯d be dead if I didn¡¯t keep her with me.¡±

    Xia Jing sighs. ¡°The Matriarch won¡¯t let her live if you take her back to the sect. That, or she¡¯ll be imprisoned until she dies of old age.¡±

    I freeze at her words, then pull away to look at her.

    ¡°You know it to be true, Sister Jia. The sect fears demons, rightfully so. If you take her back to the sect, she will never leave it.¡± Xia Jing puts her hand on my shoulder, ¡°Master Meng An has asked me to deliver the news to the sect. You have a week. A week before they order you to take her back to them.¡±

    I look at the girl, peacefully sleeping, her scarlet hair spread around her like a canvas of blood. ¡°I won¡¯t take her back to be imprisoned or killed.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± She says, smiling at me. ¡°You know the decision that must be made.¡±

    I close my eyes. ¡°A week. I have a week.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s as long as I can give you.¡±

    Xia Jing leaves the room shortly after that and I am left to my thoughts.

    I look over to where Ai sleeps, wondering what I should do. After a moment, I stand up decisively.

    ¡°Are you planning to leave, just for the little girl?¡± Shia asks. I had forgotten that she was still in my robes, her presence so expertly hidden.

    I pause, surprised at how accurately my thoughts had been guessed. ¡°The sect will kill her or imprison her for the demon inside of her.¡±

    ¡°After you leave, then what, little one? You will raise the girl? Protect her as a Rogue cultivator in the Qi Awakening realm?¡±

    ¡°I will take her to one of the portals, we can hide in whatever land it takes us to.¡±

    Shia hisses in laughter, moving up my body until she¡¯s wrapped around my throat. She constricts, applying pressure to my throat. ¡°You can not protect the girl from the crazed immortals that will be after her. You are truly naive if you believe you have any power.¡±

    I pause, moving my hand up to the slowly constricting predator around my neck.

    ¡°Even an immortal in Dao Refining would wish to have their own sealed demon. What plans have you made to protect yourself and her? You are simply killing yourself and her!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing what I can!¡± I yell, gripping Shia¡¯s body as hard as I can, I try to remove her from my neck, but she refuses to move.

    ¡°Use your brain, little one.¡± Shia moves off of my neck, curling around my arm. ¡°I may know someone who can protect the girl until you are stronger.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± I ask cautiously, wondering who Shia could know that I don¡¯t.

    ¡°She will want something in return.¡± Shia lifts her head, looking into my eyes with a powerful gaze.

    After a moment of thought, I ask ¡°What will she want?¡±

    ¡°The knife.¡± Shia says simply.

    My hand moves to the spot in my robes I¡¯d placed the sacrificial dagger. The one Ai had been stabbed with in order to summon the demon.

    ¡°Can I trust this person?¡±

    ¡°She will honor her deal and protect the demon child.¡±

    ¡°How will we find her?¡±

    ¡°We will be traveling to Nanxing Province.¡±

    ****

    Ai is still asleep when I wake up in the morning. Cultivators need less sleep than mortals, and as long as Ai keeps the demon sealed within her, that is all she is. A mortal girl.

    With the meeting with the second prince canceled, I simply sit next to the window of my room, my flute in my hands.

    Once I feel ready, I play a simple melody, enjoying the easy sounds of my music.

    The room lightens up with the melody, bright with the simple joy it provides.

    I love playing music, the simple joy of the notes flowing through the air. I love how it brings me back to my mother, almost as if she were in the room with me.

    I miss that day a couple years ago, when I sat in a tavern with Matu, playing songs that came to me as easily as flowers falling into a pond. The people that hung on every note, every breath of air, delighting in my music that I played for them. Music is not meant to be a lonely thing, it is meant for others to hear and enjoy, to experience and transform through.

    I end the melody lightly, letting it flow into its natural end.

    I take a deep breath, pulling a slip of paper out of my robes. I move over to the lone desk in the room, grabbing the brush and writing a single character onto the paper.

    I fold the paper into a bird, then watch as the paper bird comes to life. It chirps.

    ¡°You know where you need to go.¡± I say to the construct given to me by my master.

    The bird hops off of my hand, flying through the window.

    Only one word was written on the paper, but Elder Qiu Tai will know what it means.

    A murmuring from my bed draws my attention back to Ai.

    I know that I care for her more than I should, but I cannot describe how much our bonding of spirit affected me. I saw her for who she is. I love her like a friend I have known my entire life, like a sister or a daughter.

    The feeling is beginning to fade now, but it will never be gone completely.

 Chapter 42: Preparations

    ¡°Your music is beautiful.¡± Ai says, startling me from my thoughts.

    I turn away from the window to look at her. She stretches in the bed, rubbing her eyes.

    ¡°You are too kind.¡± I respond.

    I stand up from where I¡¯m sitting, I¡¯d been staring in the direction that Qiu Tai¡¯s construct had flown, there''s no changing my mind now. Hopefully, she¡¯ll understand.

    I move over to where I¡¯d had some plain gray robes delivered. I grab them and set them in front of Ai. ¡°We¡¯ll leave when you¡¯re ready.¡± I say.

    She stares at the clothes in surprise, reaching out in reverence to feel the soft cloth. She pulls her hand back, looking up at me. ¡°These are for me?¡± She asks tentatively.

    I nod.

    She stares at me with an emotion I¡¯m not sure how to describe. She quickly lowers her head, her hair hiding her expression. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I smile slightly, hiding the expression with my sleeve.

    While she puts on the robes, I place my flute into its case, attaching it and my sword to my own robes.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Ai says a few moments later. I turn to look at her, doing my best not to laugh at what I see. Her scarlet hair flows messily down her back, and she mis-tied the cloth around her waist.

    I walk over to her, kneeling down to fix her robes. She freezes as I touch her, but relaxes when I simply retie her cloth.

    I have her turn around as I grab a brush from my things. Her hair is incredibly tangled, but it doesn¡¯t take me long to brush through the worst of it. I combed Lai Ming¡¯s hair when it was in way worse shape. She never did tell me how it got like that.

    Once she looks more presentable, I pull back. Ai blushes cutely from the attention. ¡°Stay close to me.¡± I say.

    I don¡¯t know who knows about her, and without me nearby¡­ I don¡¯t even trust Master Meng An.

    She nods seriously and I can¡¯t stop my full smile.

    I leave my rooms, avoiding the servants in the palace as best I can. Ai stays exactly one step behind me, hurrying to keep up with my pace. I slow down for her, making sure she doesn¡¯t have to try too hard to keep up.

    Ai looks with awe at everything we pass, her gaze lingering on the wealthier displays of the palace.

    I nod to the outer disciples acting as guards at the exit to the palace. Both of them bow to me.

    The walk to the Rose Palace isn¡¯t too long, but I¡¯m still amazed that Ai manages to keep up the entire way.

    Guards wearing the colors of the Lin family greet me at the front gates of Shi Da¡¯s palace. They bow to me, sending a runner to fetch a servant to guide us in.

    A male servant I don¡¯t recognize arrives a few minutes later, greeting me politely. ¡°The Fourth Princess is excited to hear of your visit, Core Disciple Lin. I will lead you to the waiting room.¡±

    I acknowledge the servant while Ai just stares at us wide eyed.

    The servant leads us into the newly renovated palace. The palace looks completely different than the last time I saw it. Now filled with life, every room and hallway is perfectly clean. Servants bow to me as I pass by, busy with various tasks.

    The male servant leads us to a waiting room, motioning us to sit. ¡°Princess Shi Da will be with you as soon as she finishes her meeting with Minister Lung.¡± He says. He bows, then leaves the room.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to see royalty?¡± Ai asks, awe clear in her voice.

    I pause, caught off guard by the question. I nod, not sure what kind of answer she was expecting.

    Ai¡¯s eyes widen.

    A few moments later, Shi Da walks into the room, three servants trailing behind her with their heads bowed. She wears a flowing dress that trails behind her. Her hair is done up with an expert touch, beautiful golden pins holding it together in spite of its short length. An older man wearing the uniform of an Imperial Minister follows behind her.

    I bow as a martial artist, my hand cupping my fist. I keep my head lowered, waiting for the Princess to welcome us. Ai copies me a half second later, glancing up at me from her bow.

    The Fourth Princess waves her hand in a motion for us to rise. ¡°For what reason do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect?¡±

    I rise as she speaks, Ai following my movement. She speaks formally in the presence of the minister, so I follow suit. ¡°I come here as the daughter of the Lin family, not as a member of the sect. I received news that you have been proven innocent of any crimes. I wish to offer my congratulations.¡± The speech and mannerisms of the imperial court take a second to come to me, but I think I performed well.

    Princess Shi Da smiles, ¡°The support of the Lin family has been invaluable to me. Ah! Forgive me,¡± She motions to the Imperial Minister next to her. ¡°This is Minister Lung. Minister Lung, this is Core Disciple Lin Jia of The Flowing River sect, first daughter of the Lin Family and a personal friend.¡±

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    The minister nods his head and I do the same. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Lady Lin,¡± He says dryly. His voice is monotonous, with no fluctuations in tone. ¡°The Princess and I were just finishing up our conversation. I will leave the two of you alone to¡­ discuss your own matters.¡± He bows, leaving the room.

    Shi Da motions for me to wait after he leaves. A few seconds later, a servant enters the room, whispering something into her ear. She relaxes, her body loosening. ¡°Thank you for your timing, Jia. Minister Lung is such a bore.¡±

    I nod, motioning to Ai. ¡°This is Ai. She¡¯ll be traveling with me for a while.¡±

    The Princess focuses her attention on Ai and the poor girl wilts under the Princess¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯ll be traveling?¡± Shi Da asks, bringing her attention back to me.

    I nod.

    ¡°My mother will be sad to hear that. She was still hoping to marry you with one of my brothers.¡± Shi Da smiles teasingly.

    I shudder at the thought, quickly moving on.. ¡°My father will continue his support. I need your help getting on a boat to the portal near Nanxing province.¡±

    Shi Da¡¯s eyes sharpen, her body language turning serious. ¡°Your sect won¡¯t be helping you travel?¡± Her gaze moves back to Ai. ¡°I heard whispers that something big happened last night involving the Flowing River Sect. The Fourth Prince was arrested this morning.¡±

    I freeze at that, I hadn¡¯t known that. They must have found something connecting him to the house of the Demonic Cult.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this girl before. She smells like death and blood.¡± Ai looks away, crestfallen at the words. Shi Da pauses, obviously regretting her word choice. Her gaze returns to me. ¡°I owe you a great debt, Jia. But hiding you from your own sect won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    I stay quiet, knowing that despite her words, she will help me.

    ¡°Give me three days. I will have a boat for you by then, but you cannot enter it as a disciple of The Flowing River sect.¡± Shi Da frowns, lost in thought.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I bow and Ai does the same.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything too stupid.¡± Shi Da says, worry leaking into her voice. She walks over to me, pulling me into a hug. She whispers into my ear, ¡°My power is still weak. Give me two years and not even your sect will be able to touch you with my protection.¡±

    ¡°I expect you to be the next Empress by then.¡± I respond as I pull away. She stumbles, nearly falling back into my arms. She gives me a thoughtful expression, then smiles widely.

    Ai and I leave the rose palace soon after that.

    I leave the noble district quickly, heading towards the now familiar cultivator part of town.  Ai follows me with a blank expression, her thoughts unreadable.

    I stop in the middle of the street, suddenly realizing that the little girl is too easily recognizable in the cultivator district. What if one of the people that were attempting to summon the demon is still alive and recognized her?

    She continues walking forward, not having realized that I stopped, nearly running into me. She looks up at me with worry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to carry you.¡± I say.

    Ai¡¯s eyes widen in surprise as I pick her up.

    Her body shakes slightly in my arms, but she doesn¡¯t complain. ¡°Hide your face in my robes until I find you a mask.¡± I tell her quietly, continuing forward. She does as I ask, her shaking slowly calming as her breath evens out.

    Cultivators stare at us in curiosity as I enter through one of the cultivator entrances. To my surprise, it isn¡¯t too hard to find a stall that sells masks. Many of the masks on the stall have qi infused into them providing special effects, but I grab a simple mortal mask without any abilities.

    The mask is in the shape of a fox, painted in colors of muted red and brown.

    Ai¡¯s grip tightens as I loosen my grip. I pause, considering the now calm girl in my arms, her face still buried in my robes.

    ¡°I have a mask for you.¡± I tell her.

    She just tightens her grip, her body starting to rock with sobs.

    Oh. She¡¯s crying.

    I move off of the street, ducking into an alleyway and ignoring the stares of strange cultivators. I hold the poor girl in my arms for a few minutes before she calms down enough to let go.

    I gently wipe the tears away from her eyes. I¡¯m not sure what set her off, but I¡¯m not heartless. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± I say, gently placing the mask over her head. ¡°Even with all the death and horror in the world, there are still joyful and good  moments, don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    Ai, now looking extremely cute with her fox mask, nods. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± She says it like a promise and I trust her words.

    I lead us out of the alleyway, heading towards a familiar tailor shop. The seamstress that Xia Jing introduced me to greets us joyfully.

    I request multiple sets of clean robes for Ai and another set for myself. The last set she gave me is in no condition to be worn at the moment.

    The seamstress happily measures Ai as I watch, ensuring that she gets a good fit. Ai¡¯s eyes keep wandering over to me, her thoughts hidden behind her new mask.

    I sit down at a nearby table, meditating and consolidating my qi as the seamstress works. I suspect I¡¯m close to another breakthrough, but I¡¯m not quite there yet.

    The sound of paper flapping in the wind brings me out of my meditations. A paper bird construct flies through the open window, landing on the table in front of me. The construct unfurls itself, revealing a message and a single ring.

    I pick up the ring, injecting my qi into it. I nearly sit up from my chair in surprise as I feel a hidden space connected to the ring. Books, robes, food and Spirit Stones fill the hidden space.

    I pick up the note, gripping it tightly.

    For your journey, disciple of mine. I don¡¯t know why you must leave, but I trust your judgment. Whatever comes, I will always be there for you.

    I fold the paper up carefully, placing it inside the space of the ring. To my surprise, tears drip into my lap. I hide my face with my sleeve, waiting a few moments for the tears to stop before wiping my eyes and turning back to the seamstress and Ai.

    The seamstress is so absorbed with her work that she didn¡¯t see anything, but Ai watches me with worry.

 Chapter 43: Poor Sun cant catch a break.

    We leave the seamstress¡¯s shop with a promise that the robes will be ready by tomorrow morning.

    I take a deep breath once we¡¯re out of the shop, observing the myriad of cultivators walking along the road past us.

    Ai walks up next to me, adjusting her fox mask.

    ¡°Lady Lin!¡± A familiar voice calls out.

    A rogue cultivator twists through the crowd as he runs towards us. The hulking figure of Lu Kun follows him, the cultivators at a low level of Qi Awakening parting for him.

    Sun reaches us with a large smile on his face.

    Ai grabs my robes with her hand, partly hiding from the two cultivators.

    ¡°I was hoping to see you again.¡± Sun says, his eyes landing on Ai for only a second before returning to me. ¡°Would you join us at the tavern for some food?¡± He slaps Lu Kun on the arm. ¡°Kun is happy to pay.¡±

    Lu Kun raises an eyebrow, but doesn¡¯t object. He studies Ai carefully, she shrinks from his gaze into my side.

    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to join you, Sun.¡± I place a hand on Ai¡¯s shoulder, startling her. ¡°This is Ai, please be kind to her.¡±

    Sun turns to her, giving her a martial artist¡¯s bow. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet such a cute friend of Lady Lin¡¯s.¡±

    Lu Kun bows as well, ¡°I am Inner Disciple Lu Kun of The Heavenly Truth Sect. The impolite rogue next to me is known as Sun.¡±

    Sun looks at me, almost pleading that I don¡¯t believe the harsh words of his companion.

    Ai slowly steps away from my robes, bowing back to the two cultivators. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you both.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s the story behind the mask?¡± Sun asks.

    I frown at him.

    Sun gets the hint and continues awkwardly, ¡°I mean- It¡¯s an awesome mask! Did you pick it out yourself?¡±

    Ai shakes her head. ¡°The Lady of Music and Death gave it to me.¡±

    I cringe at the title, I never did tell her not to call me that.

    Sun furrows his eyebrows, ¡°Who¡¯s-?¡± His eyes land on me. ¡°Oh. It does fit.¡±

    I pinch the bridge of my nose in annoyance. ¡°Didn¡¯t you offer food? I¡¯m sure Ai is hungry by now.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Sun says, motioning for us to follow him.

    I keep Ai close to me as we walk through the crowd, ensuring that we don¡¯t separate. The demonic spirit inside of her is nearly covered up by her own spirit, but occasionally the faintest trace of it comes to my attention.

    I¡¯ll have to ask Shia what can be done about that, I¡¯m not the only one who can sense a person¡¯s spirit after all.

    ¡°That¡¯s him! That¡¯s the man who killed Tun Kul!¡± Someone calls out from the crowd, causing the four of us to stop.

    I look in the direction of the voice, seeing an older woman with a face fully covered in makeup. She¡¯s surrounded by four cultivators in the late stages of Qi Awakening or Early Foundation Establishment. She herself is in Early Qi Awakening, but wears ornately designed robes with the symbol of a sect I don¡¯t know on them.

    I follow the direction of her finger, seeing it point to Sun. Sun looks stunned, caught off guard by the accusation. He meets my eyes, holding his hands up in innocence. ¡°I haven¡¯t killed anyone! Well¡­ except for the people I killed with you. But they¡¯re the only people I killed. I swear!¡±

    I hold his eyes for a moment, then nod, looking over to Lu Kun. His hand is on his weapon, his face grim.

    I nod for him to speak for us. Technically, as a Core Disciple of a great sect, I hold higher standing, but he is older than I am. Plus, I¡¯m not good at dealing with these kinds of situations.

    Lu Kun steps forward, hiding Sun with his body. ¡°What proof do you have of your words?¡±

    The woman hesitates as she takes in our appearances. I¡¯m still wearing the robes of my sect and Lu Kun is wearing the robes of his. ¡°I-I saw him do it! The bastard stabbed him over a few spirit stones.¡±

    She¡¯s lying. She¡¯s not very good at it.

    Lu Kun hesitates at the words of the woman, looking back at Sun as he considers the possibility. I sigh, stepping forward. ¡°Your words hold no truth.¡± I say simply to the woman. ¡°Leave now.¡± I look into her eyes, challenging her to deny my words.

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    The woman flounders at my directness. Unfortunately, one of the cultivators with her steps forward, a young man in Early Foundation Establishment. ¡°Do not expect that you can bully us smaller sects around simply because you come from one of the great six. I will not stand your insults and we will arrest the rogue cultivator for his crimes.¡± Anger fills the man¡¯s voice, his words dripping with venom.

    I step back, caught off guard by the man¡¯s emotion. Something tells me that if we do hand Sun over to them, he will not come back alive.

    I unbuckle the flute case at my waist, causing some of the men across from us to reach for their weapons.

    Carefully, I pull out my flute, surprising those watching. The cultivators across from us relax. I¡¯ve never met someone that uses their qi through music other than those that live in the requiems. So those who haven¡¯t seen me before, usually don¡¯t know how my techniques work.

    ¡°Sun and Lu Kun.¡± I say quietly as I kneel down offering Ai my back. She understands quickly, climbing up and holding on tightly. ¡°Run¡± I place the flute to my lips.

    The Sixth Requiem: The Tomb

    Darkness engulfs the cultivators and I, the world turning silent as only the long drawn out note of my flute is heard.

    Immediately, the auras of the other cultivators flare, pushing against the illusion.

    I keep playing, pushing my qi through the music.

    Something moves in the deep and dark, moving with the pulsing of my music.

    A scream echoes out. No one will die in the dark unless I will it, but that doesn¡¯t stop the terror from settling in.

    Knowing the illusion will soon break under the force of the four cultivators in a higher realm, I activate The Movements Of The Silent Monster, adjusting slightly to account for Ai on my back.

    Carefully, I move away from the scene. Once I feel that I¡¯ve brought enough time for Sun and Lu Kun, I dispel the illusion. The darkness disappears to reveal a familiar alleyway, the same one that Sun and I fought in a few days ago.

    I put my flute back in its case, coughing slightly as I do. The taste of blood on my lips makes me frown.

    ¡°Are you alright Ai?¡± I ask, kneeling down and wiping my mouth with my sleeve.

    Ai steps down from my back. ¡°Yes. The dark wasn¡¯t scary with you next to me.¡±

    I sigh, taking in the sight of the young girl. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the palace.¡± I hold my hand out for her to grab.

    Ai looks at my hand for a moment, then carefully places her own in it.

    The trip back to the palace is uneventful, and I take care to avoid anyone on the way.

    A disciple of the sect greets me at the gate, informing me that Master Meng An wishes to see me.

    I look over to Ai, who still wears her fox mask, wondering if I can leave her alone or not. After a moment of deliberation, I decide to take her with me.

    The disciple looks at the girl questioningly as he leads me to Master Meng An¡¯s rooms. Thankfully, the disciple doesn¡¯t seem to recognize her. I¡¯m not sure who Master Meng An told of her existence.

    The disciple knocks on Master Meng An¡¯s door, then lets us in.

    The Master Swordsman¡¯s room is sparsely decorated, with only the single bed and a table with a pot of tea brewing on it.

    The Master turns to look at us as we enter, his gaze turning to one of disapproval as he sees Ai.

    Ai hides behind me, away from the man¡¯s gaze.

    I bow to the Master, waiting for him to speak.

    ¡°A messenger from one of the lower sects tells me that you helped a criminal escape justice.¡± Master Meng An¡¯s voice is calm, each word carefully chosen.

    I rise from my bow, surprised by how fast the message reached Master Meng An. They must have sent for him as soon as they got out of the illusion.

    I watch Master Meng An carefully, wondering what his goal is. ¡°The man was innocent.¡±

    Master Meng An raises an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°His accuser was lying.¡± I answer.

    Master Meng An snorts. ¡°You protect those you shouldn¡¯t.¡± He says, his gaze moving to the girl behind me before focusing back on me. ¡°If you are to see the man again, you will bring him to the sect after him.¡± He motions with his hand for me to leave as he turns around to the pot of tea on his table.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± I say honestly, the qi in the room seeming to pause at my words. I won¡¯t turn in Sun, and I won¡¯t claim to the sect that I will.

    Master Meng An spins back around, his gaze burning through me. ¡°You forget your position, Disciple. I have forgiven your rebelliousness out of respect to Elder Qiu Tai, but do not insult me so.¡±

    ¡°I do not let innocents be killed.¡± I say simply, smashing the small portion of fear that pops up. ¡°Death is not a pretty thing, and I stop it where I can.¡±

    ¡°Leave, now.¡± The words come out low, his anger clear. He can¡¯t touch me as long as I am under the protection of Qiu Tai, but when I am to return to the sect, there will be punishment.

    With what I am planning, the sect won¡¯t be happy with me anyway.

    I turn around calmly, walking out of the room.

    I know that I am a hypocrite. I kill with my sword just as easily as others do with theirs. I have lost count of the number of men dead because of me. Still, I have to keep my honor where I can.

    I will not let Sun die. I will not let Ai die.

    I take a deep breath, calming my thoughts. I walk quickly, passing the Disciple who led us here. Ai runs to keep up with my pace.

    Servants bow to me as I walk towards my room. I ignore the bows, anger rising up in me. How dare Master Meng An order me to turn my own friend in to be killed? He doesn¡¯t trust my judgment, and he lets evil walk where it will. Like the Third Prince, or the Second Prince. He turns a blind eye to their greed, their sadism.

    Xia Jing told me that the investigation into who ordered me killed has suddenly stopped. I wonder what the Second Prince did to convince Master Meng An to turn a blind eye?

    I hate him.

    I pause on the threshold of my door. Closing my eyes to calm my anger.

    I don¡¯t hate him.

    I know why he does what he does.

    But, I will be glad to be away from him.

    I enter my room to find two men waiting for me.

    Sun smiles guiltily while Lu Kun hides his face in his hands out of embarrassment.

 Chapter 44: Four Armed Swordsman

    Qiu Tai walked the empty halls of the fourth floor of the library, her hand trailing across the books stacked carefully on the shelves. Occasionally, a book would float off of the shelf joining a line of books following the Elder of The Flowing River sect.

    Qiu Tai¡¯s thoughts were stuck on her disciple. The sect was spread thin, covering up the weakness of it¡¯s Matriarch, who was still healing in closed door cultivation.

    She couldn¡¯t leave the sect to assist her disciple right now, no matter how much she wished to. One of the books floated in front of her, opening and flipping through its pages for her. The book was old, one of the oldest that the library held. The pages, although worn, still clearly showed the drawings of demons and monsters that filled every page.

    She closed the book, sighing as she closed her eyes. Something bothered her, a feeling or warning. It interrupted her meditation, and was what made her prowl through the dark halls of the library at the late hour.

    A book fell off of one of the shelves, making the Elder of the sect open her eyes.

    She looked over to where the book was lying on the ground. No qi had touched that book, and she was the only one wandering here this late.

    Carefully, she walked over to the book that had fallen. It was a book of history, one detailing the rise and fall of the dynasties of the empire. It lay open to a random page. Qiu Tai picked the book up, reading the page.

    Xing Chao, the minister closest to the emperor, always spoke of a book, a book that the imperial family guarded jealously. The reason Prince Yan Shi killed his brothers was to obtain this book. The book promised eternal life, power beyond imagining and an empire that would rule many realms. Unfortunately, with Yan Shi¡¯s death, all news of the book disappeared. Xing Chao told this lowly scribe that he hoped the book was buried with Prince Yan Shi. The book only causes more death.

    ******

    The two young cultivators stand up from beside my window as soon as Ai and I enter the room. Sun¡¯s robes are torn with cuts, but he still has his carefree smile. Lu Kun looks tired, and he favors his right side slightly as he turns to me. Clearly they had been fighting.

    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± I ask, moving to the open window and closing it. A formation is supposed to be in place, protecting the disciples of the Flowing River Sect from unwanted visitors.

    Sun looks at Lu Kun, who folds his arms in front of him.

    I stare at him, waiting for an explanation.

    ¡°I used a technique of my daoshi to bring us here.¡± He says after a moment.

    ¡°I see.¡± I say, looking back and forth between the two cultivators. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°People are looking for me everywhere.¡± Sun says awkwardly. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else I can go that they won¡¯t find me.¡±

    I observe the two, trying to make a decision. After a little while I nod my head ¡°Don¡¯t let the servants see you.¡±

    Sun sags while Lu Kun lets out a breath.

    ¡°That was easier than I thought it was going to be.¡± Sun says after a second.

    I ignore the comment, instead looking down at Ai. She rubs her eyes, and blinks slowly before noticing my attention.

    I smile down at her, then lead her to the bed. She nervously lays on the bed, watching the boys wearily.

    ¡°You can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± I say, sitting on the bed next to Ai. ¡°Someone is going to notice, and I have my own troubles I¡¯m dealing with.¡±

    Sun nods, ¡°I know. I¡¯m going to follow Lu Kun on his search for his master.¡±

    I look at Lu Kun, who nods at the words. ¡°His company doesn¡¯t bother me overly so.¡±

    Sun frowns at the words. ¡°That almost sounds like an insult.¡±

    I chuckle, covering my smile with my sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hea-¡± My voice cuts off as a suffocating silence fills the room. I try to speak again, but no sound comes through as a strange qi works it¡¯s way through my room.

    A trickle of fear fills me. Without sound, I can¡¯t make the requiems. And without the requiems, I¡­. I calm myself forcefully and grab Ai, who is now wide awake.

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    Both Lu Kun and Sun draw their weapons. The spirit around Sun changes as his eyes shift into a red color and a dark blue color gathers on the tip of Lu Kun¡¯s sword.

    I bring Ai behind the two boys, keeping her in my arms. We stare at the door, waiting for whoever is going to walk through next.

    The door bursts open and a man in the Early Core Formation walks through, dragging the body of a Flowing River Sect servant behind him. A trail of blood follows the body, and I know that she is dead.

    I don¡¯t recognize the strange cultivator, but his robes have the purple markings of the Shan Mountain Sect, one of the six great sects. His hair flows in a long pony tail behind him, loosely tied with a cord. His sword is heavily curved, like the waxing moon. Blood from more than one person drips from his sword.

    The cultivator frowns when he sees the three of us. He tosses the body of the female servant to the side, appraising us. Slowly he raises his sword.

    Sun and Lu Kun¡¯s eyes meet as they seem to wordlessly communicate. In the span of a breath, Sun dashes in, his sword moving with experienced accuracy.

    The strange cultivator meets Sun¡¯s sword, his body moving with deadly grace. I step forward to help, but Ai shifting in my arms makes me hesitate.

    I don¡¯t know why this man is here, but it likely has to do with Ai.

    Lu Kun breathes deeply, qi moving through him and into his sword. With practiced movements, Lu Kun uses his sword as a paintbrush to draw in the air. Blue paint hovesr where his sword moves as a complex symbol is drawn.

    The strange cultivator matches Sun¡¯s movements with leisure, his speed slowly increasing as the dance of death continues. Inch by inch, Sun is forced back in the small confines of my room. Small cuts appear on his arms as he expertly moves his body to dodge by the smallest of margins.

    My gaze moves to the window as an escape. The orange light of fire blazes outside.

    I clutch Ai closer to me with one arm as I draw my sword.

    Still, no sound exists in this world as the oppressive qi of the strange cultivator stifles the room.

    I set Ai down next to Lu Kun, who still draws the symbols with his sword. Clearly Sun is buying time for Lu Kun. I won¡¯t let him fight alone.

    I rush forward, entering into the forms of The Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon. I need to hold my ground, not dance around using the Whispers Of The Silent Raven.

    My sword slices towards the strange cultivator and a gleam enters his eyes as he smiles.

    His speed increases as his form changes, where before he held one sword, now he holds four, all striking at different angles.

    Sun and I work together to fight the man, but it is a losing battle. Every swing of our sword is met with two more blades slicing for our throats.

    Death looms ever closer as my body protests the fight, my injuries acting up as I twist my body in ways that I shouldn¡¯t.

    The smile on the cultivator¡¯s face disappears as he looks behind us. Suddenly the intensity of his attacks increase as he moves with a ferocity and urgency he didn¡¯t have before.

    I feel my skin tear as I reopen my old wound, blood flowing down my back.

    I stumble and a blade moves towards my throat.

    Shia jumps out from my robe, attacking the arm aiming for my neck. The strange cultivator pulls back his attack, twisting away from us to dodge the strike.

    Shia lands on the floor before quickly slithering back over to my feet and crawling up my robes.

    The strange cultivator pulls back as whatever Lu Kun is doing finishes. Nothing happens for a moment, and the strange cultivator takes a step forward to continue the fight.

    Then reality twists and everything goes black.

    Sound returns with a vengeance as I drop onto hard cobblestones, bruising my knees. Lu Kun somehow took us to an alleyway. The sounds of the ocean and sailors yelling out tells me that we are somewhere near the docs.

    Sun sinks to the ground beside me, as Ai runs up from behind me to hug me. She pulls away when she realizes that some of my blood is on her.

    Lu Kun steps up behind me, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡± Ai says, fear in her voice.

    Sun looks up at those words, his gaze landing on me. His spirit shifts as his eyes turn green. ¡°Oh, both you and I have hurt ourselves quite a bit, hmm?¡± Sun¡¯s voice enters a higher pitch as he talks. He turns to Lu Kun, ¡°Kun, be a dear and find us some bandages and healing supplies.¡±

    Kun bows, ¡°Of course. Stay safe while I¡¯m gone.¡± He turns away, hurrying down the alleyway.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I can do before he gets back, but I might as well take a look. You¡¯re bleeding an awful lot.¡± Sun moves towards me, reaching towards my robe.

    I grab his hands, blushing.

    ¡°Oh right, not exactly used to being¡­ well, this.¡± Sun pulls his hands back to motion to his body. ¡°It¡¯s strange how different things can be in a male body.¡± Sun puts his hands in his lap, palms up. ¡°I do need to see your wound, the amount of blood has me worried.¡±

    I take a deep breath, turning away from him to untie my robe and expose my back. Ai glares at Sun from beside me, watching him carefully.

    ¡°Your bandages are soaked through. We¡¯ll have to wait for Lu Kun to replace them.¡±

    I nod, not trusting my voice as my face flushes. I pull my robes back up.

    The next few minutes are agonizing as we wait, but eventually he returns.

    Sun has Lu Kun stand guard at the entrance to the alleyway as I expose my back to him again for him to check my wound.

    Once the bandages are replaced and some medicine is applied, I bring my robes back up and Sun treats his own wounds.

    Eventually, Sun¡¯s spirit returns to normal as his eye color reverts and Lu Kun is called back into the alleyway.

    ¡°Do you know who that person was?¡± I ask the boys, leaning against a building to support me. ¡°I recognize the robes, but not him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of someone like him.¡± Lu Kun says after a moment. ¡°A four armed cultivator that enjoys fighting and killing. He¡¯s a soldier of the Shan Mountain Sect.¡±

    ¡°It really is the Shan Mountain sect then?¡± I ask. If that¡¯s true, it means that they attacked the Flowing River Sect, it could mean a war between the sects.

    Lu Kun reluctantly nods.

    I look at Ai thoughtfully. ¡°I need you to deliver a letter for me to Princess Shi Da.¡± I tell Lu Kun.

 Chapter 45: Voyage

    I pace nervously in the cabin as the ship slowly leaves the docs. The rocking of the ship matches my pacing, making me feel slightly queasy. It¡¯s hard not to feel anxious as the ship slowly moves across the waves. Once we¡¯re in the open sea, no one should be able to follow us, but it¡¯s hard to tell how much we¡¯ve moved from inside the cabin.

    Shi Da had sent a letter with Lu Kun on his return. The Imperial Palace is in turmoil after the arrest of the fourth prince. The Shan Mountain Sect¡¯s attack on us hadn¡¯t been made public yet, but Shi Da said that rumors of the damage were already spreading amongst those in the know.

    Sun throws an apple into the air, then catches it, making me turn to him. He leans with his back against the wall and a hand tapping against the only desk in the cabin. He watches me with boredom as I pace. Neither of us wear the robes of a cultivator, instead wearing the common cloth of rich mortals. He has my sword at his waist, due to the fact that mortal women are forbidden from holding weapons. Thankfully, I can keep my flute.

    I turn away from him to look at Ai, who sleeps peacefully on the bed, her fox mask hanging on the post beside her. The hints of demonic spirit are rarer now, but occasionally a wisp can be sensed.

    The sound of the door opening makes me spin around. Lu Kun calmly walks into our little cabin.

    ¡°We¡¯ve left the harbor.¡± He says calmly.

    I let out a breath of relief, collapsing into myself slightly. I bow to the disciple of the Heavenly Truth Sect. ¡°Thank you. This Core Disciple of the Flowing River Sect owes you a favor.¡±

    Lu Kun waves away my thanks. ¡°Think nothing of it. My journey simply takes me along the same path as yours.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you owe me a favor too?¡± Sun calls, stepping away from the wall.

    Lu Kun turns to him with a disapproving frown.

    ¡°I¡¯ve saved your life four times.¡± I reply, moving over to the desk and pulling out a piece of paper.

    ¡°Four? I¡­ only count three.¡± Sun says half-heartedly, the sentence finishing barely above a whisper.

    ¡°You miscounted.¡± I say confidently.

    Lu Kun chuckles as Sun looks at his apple dejectedly.  I duck my head to hide my smile.

    A knocking from the door startles me and I move to grab a veil. I put the veil on to hide my face as I sit down in front of Ai¡¯s sleeping form, blocking her from view.

    Lu Kun steps forward to open the door. An older sailor enters the room, nodding his head to us as he does. He rubs his chin, glancing at me from the corner of his eye before speaking to Lu Kun. ¡°Captain Shan was hoping to share an early lunch with you Master Lu.¡± He glances back at me and the sleeping form of Ai. ¡°The young ladies are free to peruse the deck as they wish and we¡¯ll have the cabin boy bring them food when they¡¯re ready¡­ I¡¯ve been told the view of the Chengshi coast is quite beautiful.¡°

    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to join Captain Shan.¡± Lu Kun says, glancing over at us.

    Sun shrugs at the glance while I stay quiet.

    ¡°Follow me Master Lu.¡± The two leave the cabin, leaving me alone with Sun.

    I stand up, startling Sun. ¡°Can you watch Ai?¡±

    With Sun¡¯s nod, I leave the room. I place my hand on the wooden plank of the wall as my legs get used to the gentle rocking of the waves. I close my eyes, breathing in the salt air. It¡¯s strange being away from the sect like this. The only other time I haven¡¯t had a master or Elder watching over me was when I was stuck in the other realm, searching for Qiu Tai.

    It wasn¡¯t the same. Now there¡¯s no sense of urgency. It¡¯s just me, my companions and the sea.

    I open my eyes, looking out at the world through my veil. A sailor walks past, nodding his head as he moves towards the stairs leading to the deck. I follow behind him slowly, trailing my hands on the wood of the wall.

    The smell of the sea hits me as I step up into the sunlight.

    Sailors scurry about the deck, doing whatever it is that sailors do to keep the ship moving.

    Lu Kun and the older sailor are walking over to a cabin at the head of the ship, the captain¡¯s quarters I imagine.

    A sailor walks past me, into the depths of the ship. He bows his head in polite greeting.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    A bird I don¡¯t recognize whistles from the rigging of the ship as I walk towards the railing.

    My breath catches as I take in the rolling blue waves of the ocean. The coastline is still visible, with large cliffs jutting out over the ocean, blocking the view of the jungle that populates most of the Chengshi empire. It¡¯s imposing, and when I turn my head to look out at the open ocean, my heart falls into my stomach. I¡¯ve read stories about the spirit beasts and cultivators that call the open water their home. From ships filled with the dead to huge leviathans that could sink ships as easily as breathing. Then there are the pirates, and foreign sects of the seas, happy to kill and plunder. The ocean¡¯s depths are far deeper than I can imagine.

    I take in a breath, holding it in my body, feeling my qi and spirit circulate through me. Then I let the breath go, releasing my fear of the ocean.

    Shia tightens around my stomach slightly, then let¡¯s go. She doesn¡¯t like the ocean, and has been quiet ever since we stepped aboard the ship.

    I open the case of my flute and pull the instrument out fondly. My fingers travel down it¡¯s familiar length as I put the instrument to my mouth.

    Gently, I start to play. It¡¯s a soft song, one of comfort and one that I learned from my mother many years ago.

    The music rolls over the ship, resonating through the open air of the sea. My own tenseness leaves me as as I play the melody,

    Shia¡¯s grip on my body lightens as well, the music soothing her as it does me.

    Things at the imperial palace feel unfinished, and I¡¯m certain that I will be returning their soon. But for now, I get to feel the soft air of the open sea and play a simple melody.

    I finish the song on a high note and place the flute back into its case at my waist. I turn away from the sea to see a surprising amount of the sailors on deck, making themselves look busy. Their spirits feel softer now, more relaxed then when we left.

    I hope they appreciated the music.

    I walk back below the deck, humming softly under my breath.

    ****

    Our voyage continues for three more days. Each day I would return to the deck to play my flute. Every time I did, more and more sailors would find a way to be there. I even saw the captain listening in. By the third day, they¡¯d given up on pretending to be busy, instead just gathering in any open space to listen.

    On the morning of the fourth day, I¡¯m woken by the sounds of yelling and hurried sailors. I sit up, gently pulling my arm out from under Ai¡¯s body.

    Sun is already awake, his hand on his sword.

    He nods to me, handing me my own sword as I move off of the bed.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I ask, gratefully accepting the weapon and tying it to my waist.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Kun went up to check.¡± Sun replies, his eyes staying on the door to our room.

    We wait quietly, the only sound being the shouting of sailors and Ai tossing in her sleep. It doesn¡¯t take long before the door opens, Kun entering the room with a frown. ¡°A ship is following us. The captain think¡¯s their pirates.¡± He says, ¡°We¡¯re trying to outrun them, but they¡¯re moving unnaturally fast.¡±

    ¡°What should we do?¡± I ask, my hand hovering over my sword.

    ¡°If they reach us, the captain is likely to surrender. The pirates might have a cultivator, and as far as he knows, we¡¯re simple mortals.¡± Lu Kun pauses, his gaze going over me and Ai. ¡°The captain told me to hide you and Ai. The ship¡¯s likely to lose nothing more than some cargo.¡±

    I frown. I don¡¯t like the idea of hiding, but there¡¯s no need to risk Ai and myself if we don¡¯t have to.

    Large thumping sounds echo through the ship and I stumble as the ship suddenly decreases in speed. Sun catches me before I can fall, helping me keep my balance.

    Ai sits up in the bed, bleary eyed.  I stand up straight, motioning for the both of them to leave the room.

    They nod, leaving me and Ai alone. I turn to the startled girl, moving my finger to my lips in a sign to stay quiet.

    She blinks a few times before nodding. I move over to her, picking her up in my arms. I then move to the desk, carefully placing her under it.

    She looks at me with worry as I block her by sitting in a meditative pose in front of the desk.

    Sounds of fighting reach my ears, but they end far sooner than I expected. Everything goes quiet.

    ¡°What do we have here?¡± My breath catches as the words move through me and the entire ship. A woman in at least core formation, and possibly higher, releases her aura over the ship. Her spirit smells like the sea, with a hidden danger and depth hard to describe. It isn¡¯t malevolent, just dangerous.

    ¡°Don¡¯t respond, little one. She¡¯s not speaking to you.¡± Shia says as I draw breath into my lungs.

    I silently thank Shia for her warning as I let the breath go.

    ¡°I hear tale of treasure held within your cargo, captain. Treasure worthy of two young cultivators?¡± My breath catches as I realize that she must be talking about Sun and Lu Kun. ¡°Hmmm. I am Xian Lu! Queen of the Pirates, tell me what it is you guard so carefully, and I will let you go free.¡±

    Silence follows her proclamation, only broken by the sounds of the water against the hull of the ship.

    Carefully, I unsheathe my sword and move to my feet. I don¡¯t have confidence against someone in core formation, but I won¡¯t let her take Ai without a fight.

 Chapter 46: Living Through Mercy

    The silence stretches out for far too long, then the aura of Xian Lu moves, each step audible despite the distance between us.

    I carefully move qi through my meridians as I enter into a stance from The Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon. I can¡¯t move from my spot in front of Ai and risk her being spotted. And The Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon reflect that as a technique designed for holding one¡¯s ground as a warrior.

    The steps filled with power come closer to me, and I can tell when she goes below deck. Shivers go through my body as my breath becomes uneven.

    I¡¯m afraid of her. The sheer depth of her spirit frightens me. I want to hum in order to chase the fear away, to remind myself that death is an old friend, not something that I fear. But if I hum, it will draw attention to us and I can¡¯t do that.

    Her spirit comes closer to me and I feel the true darkness of the unfathomable depths. An ancient and vast feeling, unlike anything I¡¯ve felt before. Just darkness, without light.

    My grip tightens around my sword as I forcibly even out my breath.

    She stops outside of my door, and the vision caused by her spirit recedes. The door opens.

    Xian Lu is a strong looking woman, with scars crossing a face weathered by the sea. She has a strange kind of beauty, imposing and demanding of my attention. A patch covers one eye, the visible eye shining an emerald green. Her hair is cut short, just above the shoulders, but it seems to have a mind of its own, pushed by a wind that doesn¡¯t exist, here, below the deck of the ship.

    As I see her, I know that she is not in Core Formation, no, she is far beyond that, on a level equal to or above the Matriarch of the Flowing River Sect.

    I raise my sword, breath on the edge of my lips to hum a song for the battle I know I can¡¯t win.

    The woman snorts and the ship rocks, knocking me off balance and into the wall. I keep a hold of my sword, leaping back up to slice at her. She easily blocks with a dagger.

    I start to hum, the bloody battlefield replacing the wood of the ship, but the ship rocks again, knocking me into the bed and knocking my breath out of me.

    The illusion dissipates as I gasp for air.  Xian Lu turns to a terrified looking Ai. ¡°Oh. Not what I expected. Not what I expected at all.¡± her voice doesn''t carry the same weight it did when she was on the deck of the ship, but qi still infuses her words. Her words are not to be ignored, as they carry that terrifying depth with them.

    She turns back to me, her expression catching me off guard. It¡¯s a thoughtful expression, not an aggressive one.

    ¡°Do you have the book then?¡± She asks, raising an eyebrow.

    I freeze, knowing full well that Shia swallowed the demonic book that made Ai what she is. I ignore that thought, and focus on the fact that I do not have the book. With excruciating slowness, I shake my head and force out the word. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°A shame. What great treasure that would be.¡± She says, her eyes looking between Ai and I. ¡°Instead, I only find a demon trapped inside the body of a little girl.¡± The woman snorts, ¡°Whoever read the pages of the book did not read them correctly.¡±

    She turns to me, pausing. She takes a step forward and I consider striking at her with my sword, but decide against it. She hasn¡¯t really fought me yet and I doubt I¡¯d land a hit on her anyway.

    She stares deeply at me, frowning. ¡°You look familiar. Have we met before?¡±

    I shake my head, slowly standing to my full height. I sheathe my sword, knowing that I¡¯m outclassed. The shaking of the ship had been caused by the ocean itself through her qi. Even if I managed to somehow defeat her, I don¡¯t think the ship would survive. I bow, fist into my hand in a martial bow. ¡°I don¡¯t recall meeting you, senior.¡±

    She looks me up and down, her gaze catching on the flute case at my waist. ¡°Oh.¡± Xian Lu smiles, her face twisting with menacing light. ¡°I see. It seems I did find a treasure after all! But she wouldn¡¯t like me touching you, would she?¡±

    I stay quiet, still bowed. She wasn¡¯t really asking me a question, simply speaking to herself.

    ¡°Follow me. You can bring the demon girl with you.¡± Xian Lu turns around, laughing to herself.

    Again, I consider striking at her while her back is turned, but I know it to be suicide. Instead, I motion to Ai, who runs to my side. I walk behind Xian Lu as her steps echo with power through the ship.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    On the deck of the ship, every sailor is kneeling with their hands tied by ropes. My gaze searches the crew, eventually finding Sun and Lu Kun. Their eyes are closed as they lie on the wooden deck of the ship, blood flowing from their wounds. For a moment, I think they¡¯re dead, but the slow rise and fall of their chests tells me that Xian Lu didn¡¯t kill them.

    Finally, my gaze lands on the crew of the other ship, and I know that any thought of fighting them was foolish. Every single pirate from the other ship is clearly a cultivator, with the weakest among them being a young man at the Sixth stage of Qi Awakening. The pirate¡¯s ship is hooked to us by a wooden ladder and a series of hooks.

    ¡°Captain Xian Lu!¡± A middle aged man with a missing ear comes running to the woman I¡¯m following. He stops a few steps away as Xian Lu turns to him. ¡°The ship has spices and wine in its hold, the crew of the ship has offered no fight and fully cooperated.¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Xian Lu says, clapping the man on the shoulder. ¡°Look and see what treasure I have found!¡± She waves back to me and Ai.

    The man frowns, looking at us both. ¡°They don¡¯t look like spirit stones to me? Are you hoping to ransom them?¡±

    Xian Lu laughs as she walks past him to the front of the deck. ¡°That would be a waste. No, I found something far more valuable! A young scholar in the dao of music. You should¡¯ve seen the illusion she tried to weave around me, quite impressive from what little I heard. Almost had my blood pumping with a small tune.¡± She steps up onto a bucket that had been turned upside down, the entire crew focusing on her. ¡°What do you say?¡± She asks, the full attention of her qi and spirit on me. ¡°Willing to play my crew a tune? We¡¯ll let you go on your way after, searching for a treasure that is long gone is a fool¡¯s game. And I may be a fool, but I like spending my time where it¡¯s needed.¡±

    I study the strange woman, wondering whether or not she¡¯ll honor her side of the bargain. Something had changed when she recognized me, but I¡¯m not sure what. Her presence no longer scares me as it did.

    After a moment, I nod, pulling my flute from its case. I move to the center of the ship, close to the spot where I¡¯d played for the crew just yesterday. My gaze lands on the unconscious duo, still breathing. With a closer look, I realize that neither of them are seriously injured, just knocked out. All of their wounds are superficial.

    I turn back to the crew of pirates and tied up sailors. For some reason, who they are doesn¡¯t matter to me as I step in front of them, instead, I¡¯m filled with a sense of energy. I¡¯m playing in front of a crowd. All of them are here to listen to me, and even a cultivator as powerful as Xian Lu will stay silent for my music.

    I can¡¯t help the small smile that comes to my face at the that thought. I close my eyes and put my flute to my lips.

    A long note plays out, an illusion of wind moving with the note as it blows through every cultivator here.

    The note ends abruptly, the attention of the audience focused on me.

    I open my eyes and truly play.

    It¡¯s a piece of the deep and the unknown. The darkness I feel from Xian Lu¡¯s aura exemplified through my music. It¡¯s dark, menacing, and powerful.

    Then it stops.

    And it¡¯s light, a playful tune. Two dolphins swim through an illusory patch of water, catching the eyes of every sailor as they play and dance.

    One of the dolphins jumps into the sun, then crashes back into the water. And with the splash, the music turns dark again.

    A reminder of what rests in the deep, what sailors tell stories of. The leviathans that kill without a thought.

    When I finish, not a soul moves, each person caught in the moment, trapped by the illusions of my music.

    Xian Lu is the first to move, rising from where she¡¯d been resting against the railing. She is obviously pleased by the piece, even if I feel that it isn¡¯t as good as I could make it.

    ¡°I expected nothing less from the daughter of the Lady of Flowers.¡± Xian Lu says, making me stumble slightly as I put my flute back into its case.

    I¡¯d only heard that title once, an old friend of my mother¡¯s had called her by that name when I was just a child.

    I look at Xian Lu, who smiles mischievously. ¡°Well, time to be off! There¡¯s loot to plunder and sects to be bothering. I wish you luck on your journey, young one. No pirate will bother you until you reach your destination, you have my word.¡±

    The pirates leave the ship in a matter of minutes, their crew expertly traveling over and disconnecting their ship from ours. Xian Lu¡¯s eyes never seem to leave me the whole time, her thoughts unreadable.

    The sun has only dropped slightly by the time they¡¯re gone, leaving me with an anxious captain, a nervous Ai, and two unconscious cultivators who so valiantly tried to defend the ship.

    Everything about the encounter with Xian Lu was strange. First, someone had told her where to find this ship, thinking that I had the demonic book. Not even my own sect know that I¡¯m here and I trust Shi Da, she would never give me away.

    Then when Xian Lu got here, she trusted me instantly when I told her I didn¡¯t have the book and seemed to recognize me as the daughter of Lady Lin.

    How had my mother known a powerful cultivator like Xian Lu? I know so little about my mom, and the only person I could ask is now across the sea from me.

    The sound of the two boys waking distracts me from my thoughts. Sun is the first one up, clutching his head and squinting his eyes in the midday sun.

    I¡¯m leaning against the sail¡¯s post, right next to him, my flute rolling between my hands. Ai lays down with her head in my lap, fast asleep despite the action of the last hour.

    Sun turns to me with an expression of shock, ¡°We lived?¡± He asks hopefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet.¡± Grumbles Lu Kun from beside him.

    ¡°We lived.¡± Sun says again, shocked.

    ¡°This makes five times.¡± I tell him, hiding my smile with my sleeve.

    He looks at me with confusion before his brain catches up with him. ¡°I- this one doesn¡¯t count! They didn¡¯t try to kill us in the first place!¡±

    Lu Kun grunts as he moves into a sitting position. ¡°What happened?¡± He asks, shielding his eyes to look at me.

    ¡°We met the Queen of the Pirates.¡± I tell him. ¡°And we lived through her mercy.¡±

 Chapter 47: The Watchful Crows

    The ship pulls into the city that is our destination two days later. The captain had treated all of us nicer once we were outed as cultivators, it was kind of strange actually, seeing the difference in how the entire crew of sailors treated us.

    Lu Kun leads our little group across the plank and onto stable land. My feet stumble slightly on the wooden planks of the dock the ship let us out on. It takes me a moment to get used to the actually solid ground, but Ai following me from the ship reminds me to keep walking. Fishermen and sailors walk the docs with purpose, but move to the side politely when they see us with our swords.

    Ai has one hand on my robe, a nondescript gray robe that I¡¯d managed to get from the tailor before we¡¯d left the Capital city. Ai keeps a tight grip as we walk into the city proper. It¡¯s a smaller city than the capital, but one still bustling with business. Lu Kun continues to lead the way as we are firmly within The Heavenly Truth Sect¡¯s territory. Sun matches pace with me behind Lu Kun, yawning into his hand as he does.

    I glance over at Sun, who is looking up into the sky. I follow his eyes to see a cloud in the shape of a teardrop. Lately, in the night, I¡¯d been hearing him talk to himself, his spirit and qi fluctuating as he does. More personalities than just the two I¡¯d seen would come out, muttering things that I can¡¯t hear.

    Sun glances over, noticing my attention, and I look away toward Lu Kun. I hadn¡¯t been watching where the Disciple of The Heavenly Truth Sect was leading us, so I am surprised to see a large building with open doors and lit with red lanterns. Only a few people are visible on the inside, some of them drinking or talking with the beautiful women who occupy the house of courtesans. A woman wearing silk scarves and revealing clothing watches us as we approach the open doors, a fan hiding her mouth. Expertly pinned hair flows down her back and her eyes rise with a sensual smile. Even her spirit is seductive, an enticing flavor that draws me in and makes me want to surround myself with it.

    ¡°Little Tiger.¡± The woman purrs, her voice making me shiver. ¡°It¡¯s been too long.¡±

    Lu Kun clears his throat, blushing slightly as he glances to me and Ai. ¡°Aunt Mai. I was hoping to find you here.¡±

    The woman looks over our little group, making a thoughtful sound. She turns back to Lu Kun, stepping forward to trail a finger down his chest. ¡°Yes, Little Tiger? And why would you be looking for me?¡±

    Lu Kun grabs her hand, gently removing it as she pouts. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a portal that opened up near here.¡±

    The woman easily pulls her hand from his grip, sighing. She waves us to come through the doors, handing her fan off to another courtesan. ¡°Come inside. It¡¯s not good to talk business in the open.¡±

    Ai peers curiously at everything around us, but thankfully nothing really scandalous happens in the front room. Just men and women drinking together and flirting.

    I can¡¯t help but feel a little uncomfortable, I¡¯d heard of the houses of pleasure, but I know very little about them and I¡¯d certainly never been to one.

    We follow the woman into a private room in the back. The room is bare except for a table with luxurious looking pillows surrounding it. She moves to the other side of the room, sitting on the floor and lounging comfortably into one of the pillows. A girl younger than me runs into the room, handing her a pipe, before bowing to us and leaving the room.

    The woman takes a long hit of the pipe, blowing it out into the room. Qi extends into the smoke, making it swirl in unnatural patterns as it fills the room. I place my hand on my sword, caught by surprise. I hadn¡¯t even realized that the woman was a cultivator until she used her technique. Lu Kun, however, doesn¡¯t react to the qi, so I relax.

    The four of us sit down on the pillows, across from the woman.

    ¡°Little Tiger, it¡¯s been so long and you only came to see me for business.¡± The woman tilts her head and flutters her eyelashes. ¡°You really do have to come by more often.¡±

    I blush, while Sun looks away trying to hold back his laughter. Lu Kun clears his throat, his cheeks noticeably red. ¡°Aunt Mai, we were hoping to know more about the portal.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡± The woman takes another hit of her pipe, releasing her breath and sending more qi into the air. ¡°Hmm. That should be enough to stop that nosy sect from listening in.¡±

    A young girl I hadn¡¯t noticed steps forward with a metal bowl. The woman taps her pipe into the bowl, then hands the pipe off to the girl.

    ¡°Why do you want to find the portal, Little Tiger? The other side of it is¡­ less than safe.¡±

    ¡°My friends wish to meet someone on the other side.¡± Lu Kun answers, his eyes flickering to me before going back to the woman.

    ¡°Oh?¡± The woman looks at me, studying me from under her eyelids. ¡°And who do you know on the other side?¡±

    Lu Kun interrupts before I can answer. ¡°That¡¯s her business, Aunt Mai. Do not sell the information of my friends.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course. You know I wouldn¡¯t sell you out Little Tiger.¡± She shrugs, ¡°I was simply curious.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    She motions to the girl at her side, who quickly leaves the room. The girl is also a cultivator, but she doesn¡¯t hide it as well as the woman. The girl returns a moment later holding a map which is quickly spread out on the table.

    The woman places a slender finger on a spot some distance from the city we are in. ¡°The portal is here, but it is heavily guarded. You would have to have permission from your Daoshi or an Elder of your sect in order to enter.¡± She looks up at Lu Kun through her eyelashes. ¡°I doubt you have either.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a way for us to enter?¡± Lu Kun asks cautiously.

    ¡°I do.¡± She lifts her finger from the map.

    ¡°What do you want in exchange?¡± Lu Kun tries to hide it, but I notice the slight nervousness around the question.

    To my surprise, the woman turns her gaze to me, ¡°I wish you to deliver a message to Qiu Tai.¡±

    I freeze, then stand up and place a hand on my sword..

    The woman holds her hands up, showing no aggression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I wish you nor your master any harm. I was simply asked to deliver a letter to her, but she is¡­ difficult for me to reach.¡±

    ¡°How did you know who I am?¡± I ask, circulating my qi as I enter a stance for The Whispers Of The Silent Raven.

    ¡°Your sect is looking for you. My sect was asked to search for you and the girl with you.¡± She points a finger at herself,  ¡°I, of course, am happy to keep silent as you are friends with the Little Tiger.¡±

    Things click together with that revelation. She must be a member of the Sect Of The Watchful Crows, one of the six great sects. I don¡¯t know much about the Watchful Crows as they are secretive and deal mainly with information, but I had been warned never to get on their bad side.

    I relax slightly, taking my hand away from my sword. I bow to the woman, ¡°I, Lin Jia, core disciple of the Flowing River Sect, apologize for my disrespect.¡± I get up from my bow. ¡°And I appreciate your silence.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡± The woman tilts her head, pulling a letter from between her revealing clothes. ¡°So, will you deliver this for me?¡±

    I hesitate for a moment before nodding and taking the letter. I then place the letter in my storage ring for safe keeping.

    The woman smiles, her face brightening from the expression. ¡°Thank you. It is good news, I assure you.¡±

    I nod, surprised by the change in her from her smile.

    The woman turns back to Lu Kun, ¡°You should stay here tonight and rest. I will have someone escort you to the portal and help you through tomorrow. By the time you get back, knowledge that you were here will spread to the Flowing River Sect, but they may have bigger problems by then.¡±

    ¡°We will happily take you up on your offer Aunt Mai.¡± Lu Kun stands up, bowing to her.

    Sun and I do the same a moment later, Ai copying us to the best of her ability.

    One of the girls that worked with the woman leads us to a room, thankfully far away from any sounds made by the women and men of the night.

    Once we are settled in the room, Sun says that he has something to take care of and leaves me alone with Lu Kun and Ai.

    I take out my flute, studying the instrument that had been with me for most of my life. ¡°Can I trust her?¡± I ask Lu Kun, looking up to see him cleaning his large sword..

    Lu Kun thinks over my question, stalling by putting oil onto his sword with a rag. ¡°I trust her with my life. She has saved it more than once.¡± He looks up at me and into my eyes. ¡°I trust her to keep her word.¡±

    I let out a breath, thankful that he would say as much. I hadn¡¯t thought about the resources my sect might use to find me. Asking the Watchful Crows hadn¡¯t even occurred to me. I am lucky that Lu Kun knew the leader of the local chapter, otherwise my plan to get Ai to safety might¡¯ve failed before it began.

    I look over to the girl, who is looking at and poking her fingers through the eyeholes of her mask in boredom. The spirit of the demon inside her is less noticeable now, only the occasional whiff of it will come out.

    Shia tells me that the seal on the demon will hold strong for as long as the girl doesn¡¯t give into the demon, and Shia assures me that even if she does, the person we are taking her to will be able to stop her before anything drastic happens.

    I stand up, making sure that Lu Kun will stay with Ai, then leave the room, wandering away from the city until I find an isolated spot next to a large willow tree. I sit down in a nook between the roots of the willow, leaning back and making myself comfortable.

    The city is spread out before me, still bustling as the evening light begins to fade.

    I pick up my flute, and lightly play some music. It¡¯s a simple melody that I loved as a kid. I close my eyes, losing myself to the melody.

    I pause, keeping my eyes closed as I take my flute away from my mouth and luxuriate in the leftover feeling of the music.

    Once I feel that I am ready, I open my eyes and start The Ninth Requiem: Ruin

    Before my eyes, the city slows to a stop, every person in it simply falling into dust.

    Then the city starts to crumble as my music goes through sweeping tones of darkness.

    Stones fall from homes as wood warps and rots.

    The stones fall to the beat of the music.

    Mold spreads over the food sold in the market, spreading with the sound of the flute.

    Winter settles in, covering what was once a beautiful human city in snow.

    Everything dies, nothing lasts forever.

    And one day, I too, will fall into ruin.

    I finish the music, staring out as the illusion ends. A feeling of dread fills me as I realize that nothing is forever. Even the greatest of immortals will die someday too.

    I close my eyes, slowly coming to peace with that fact. Nothing is forever, which is why I have to value what I have now.

    I open my eyes and carefully extract myself from the roots of the tree. The Tenth Level of Qi Awakening is still far away from me, but I have not reached a true bottleneck yet.

    Tomorrow, I meet this mysterious friend of Shia¡¯s. Tomorrow I¡¯ll give the dagger to her and keep Ai safe.

 Chapter 48: The Immortal Garden

    The next day, we are up before the sun in preparation to get to the portal. Sun is extra tired, but the results of his late nights are clear to see. He¡¯d broken through to the fifth level of qi awakening at some point in the night, his qi flowing through him in a more relaxed manner. His spirit is also stabler with his breakthrough, with no fluctuations in it from the other personalities.

    The four of us go to the front room to meet Aunt Mai. She gives us all some breakfast and the conversation stays quiet with the early morning atmosphere. The light is just starting to brighten as the sun peaks over the horizon, when she introduces us to the person who will be guiding us on our trip. The guide is quiet, not saying a word when they are introduced, simply bowing. All physical features of the guide are hidden by cloth. The scarf wrapped around their head only shows their eyes, a soft shade of brown.

    With little fanfare, we set off into the morning light. After a moment, I pick up Ai, carrying her on my back so that we can travel at a faster rate. Everyone here, including the guide, is a cultivator, and Ai is still a young child, unable to keep up with the four of us. She falls asleep quickly, and my shoulder feels slightly wet from her drool.

    The guide that the woman of the Watchful Crows had gotten us doesn¡¯t say a word as they lead us down the road. By the end of an hour, the road we are traveling on turns into little more than a trail through the hills.

    It¡¯s another couple of hours before we come upon the portal, a shimmering gateway that rests underneath the branches of a large plum tree.

    Two cultivators sit in a meditative pose in front of the portal. They wear the robes of the Heavenly Truth Sect and have their swords unsheathed on their laps. A third cultivator sits not too far away, writing on a table that looks out of place in the natural environment.

    The two cultivators sitting in front of the portal rise in a fluid motion, their swords held ready.

    Our guide pulls something from their clothes, a medallion with a symbol I can¡¯t see from behind them.

    The guardians relax, stepping aside from the portal. Our guide walks over to the portal, bowing and motioning for us to enter.

    Lu Kun bows to the guide as he passes by, fist to his palm as a martial artist. ¡°Thank you for your guidance.¡±

    Sun and I copy him. I walk forward, leading the four of us up to the shimmering gate to another realm.

    I take a deep breath, memories coming to the forefront of my mind unbidden. My first sight of real death came from a portal like this. My first experience of true fear.

    I let my breath go, relaxing my body. Then I step through the portal.

    The world instantly changes around me as I find myself in a completely different forest, the leaves of the trees now a dark shade of purple. The sun is now high in the sky, approaching the afternoon.

    A cultivator of The Heavenly Truth Sect nods to me, his hand on the sword at his waist. I nod back.

    A moment later, Lu Kun and Sun appear beside me.

    Sun stretches out his arms in a large motion. ¡°Where to now?¡± he asks, yawning into his hand.

    ¡°Shia?¡± I ask quietly.

    The snake constricts slightly around my waist where she is resting. ¡°Move away from those we don¡¯t know, once we are in the forest proper, I will lead you to where we are going.¡±

    I nod, stepping forward and motioning for my two companions to follow me. I adjust Ai as I walk, she wakes up from the movement, then promptly falls back asleep.

    The forest darkens as we move through it, the branches of the old growth blocking out the sun. We walk until I feel that we are far enough away, then I call out again. ¡°Shia?¡±

    Shia slithers out of of my robes, moving towards the left.

    Lu Kun and Sun both stare at the snake.

    ¡°Has that been in your robes this whole time?¡± Sun asks, his eyes unable to leave Shia.

    ¡°I am called Shia. I would recommend you do not mention my presence. Things could get¡­ deadly.¡± Shia slowly expands in size as she slithers into a coil to stare at my companions. Now the length of two carts, she continues into the forest. Her movements don¡¯t even leave a disturbed leaf on the ground.

    Lu Kun and Sun turn to me. I shrug and follow Shia. Ai fully wakes up as we follow a natural trail through the forest.

    As we walk, the forest starts to subtly change. The trees look healthier and bigger, while the qi seems enriched.

    Finally, Shia stops at a large tree, easily wide enough for ten grown men to wrap their arms around. She gathers qi, then sends it forward towards the tree.

    A wave ripples through the air as her qi dissipates. Her job done, she slithers back to me, going up into my robe to wrap herself back around my waist.

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    The three of us wait for something to happen. Nothing does, except for Ai stretching her arms out as she wakes up.

    ¡°Hello there.¡±

    I jump, turning towards the voice. I hadn¡¯t detected their appearance at all.

    An older woman leans against the tree, her clothes simple and form fitting. Dirt patches coves her knees, as if she¡¯d been kneeling on the forest floor, and her gray hair is loosely tied back in a simple ponytail.

    I set Ai down and bow, the two boys and Ai copying my movement. ¡°Hello Senior. I am Core Disciple Lin Jia of The Flowing River sect. A friend has led me here, saying that you might be able to help me.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The woman stares at me, her eyes looking me up and down. ¡°Shia. Don¡¯t think you can hide from me. The girl¡¯s spirit won¡¯t hide you when you¡¯re right in front of me.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me Senior Gardener.¡± Shia reappears, leaving my robes through my right sleeve. ¡°Better you see me, than some others.¡± Her size returns to her as she slithers up to the woman, reaching the size she was when I first met her.

    ¡°I am amazed to see you free of your prison so soon.¡± The Gardener looks over the four of us again, her eyes lingering on Ai. ¡°For what reason do you bring a demon to my garden?¡±

    ¡°To make a request of my sister.¡± Shia responds.

    The Gardener¡¯s gaze sharpens on the snake whose body fills up the clearing. She has no fear in her gaze. ¡°What is this request?¡±

    ¡°It is not my request to make.¡± Shia responds, turning her head to me.

    The Gardener looks to me, waiting for me to answer the question.

    I lower my head. ¡°I am unable to protect Ai from those who want to harm her. I humbly request that you protect her until I am able.¡±

    The Gardener snorts. ¡°I am not the one you should be making the request to.¡± She pauses, thinking. ¡°You are welcome into my gardens. But only you and the girl. You may make the request to Shi Lan in person.¡±

    The Gardener turns, disappearing into a ripple of space. Shia follows her a moment later.

    I look at the boys, who shrug, motioning me forward.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t invited.¡± Lu Kun adds.

    I hold my hand out to Ai, who takes it. Her body trembles slightly.

    We walk through the ripple, following the Gardener and Shia.

    On the other side, qi flows thickly, brightening the world. Plants and trees of all shapes and sizes stand proudly, their flowers in full bloom. One tree in particular catches my attention. It¡¯s the largest tree in the Garden, it¡¯s leaves are shaped like blue diamonds and they point towards the ground, each one filled with qi.

    As I follow the Gardener and Shia, I walk past plants on fire and plants surrounded by ice. Flowers shaped like birds and thorns dripping with blood. Some of the plants are close to sentient, their spirit filled with power.

    I quicken my pace to catch up to the Gardener and Shia. Ai runs to match me.

    Eventually we stop in front of a cave, glowing mushrooms lighting the entrance.

    ¡°Shi Lan!¡± The Gardener calls out. ¡°This is the last time I do your job! You¡¯re supposed to guard the entrance, not me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Senior Gardener. My apologies, I was distracted with news.¡± A powerful voice, similar to Shia¡¯s, but different and older, echoes through my mind.

    Two large eyes shine from the darkness of the cave entrance, each eye is the same size as I am tall and the head of the creature in the cave nearly fills up the entrance as she takes everyone in.

    ¡°Sister! What a surprise. I¡¯d assumed you¡¯d be imprisoned in that tiny realm for another century or two. Did mother set you free?¡± The head finally moves forward, entering the light. Red and black scales cover the head of the snake, two flaps that would usually mark a cobra extending elegantly back down the length of her neck.

    Shia rises, lifting her head into the air. She¡¯s still smaller than the terrifying spirit beast that dwells in the cave. ¡°You underestimate me, sister.¡±

    The snake in the cave reveals its fangs, two large monstrosities that make my heart skip a beat. Then she starts shrinking until she is out of sight.

    Steps echo as a woman wearing an elegant dress steps out of the cave. Her eyes are shaped like a snake¡¯s, and her hair reflects the light like her scales did. Her dress is red and black, made out of a beautiful fabric I¡¯ve never seen before. ¡°You are weakened. Unable to even take the form of a human.¡±

    The Gardener interrupts the two, turning to me and Ai. ¡°I have my own duties to attend to. Strike your deal, than walk back out the way you came. Do not touch any under my care, for if you do, your protection will be revoked. These treasures under heaven are not meant for you.¡± With that said, she turns away, moving deeper into her garden.

    I look at the plants she so casually walks by, knowing that each one must be a powerful treasure to any alchemist.

    ¡°Why have you sought me out, little sister?¡± The spirit beast, now in human form asks.

    Shia simply turns to me.

    I bow to the spirit beast, Ai copying me. ¡°I am Lin Jia, Core Disciple of the Flowing River Sect. I come here humbly for your help.¡± I glance at Ai before turning back to the spirit beast. ¡°I would like you to protect this child from the demon within her and those who are after her, until I am able to do so.¡±

    The spirit beast looks taken aback, her eyes going wide from surprise. She steps closer, looking at Ai who moves to hide behind my robe. ¡°I am Shi Lan, guardian of the Gardener Lia and this Immortal Garden.¡±

    Shi Lan peers into Ai, spirit extending from her and into the girl. ¡°Your seal is well done, it will hold as long as the girl¡¯s mind does.¡± She smiles, revealing two fangs. ¡°Oh, that demon does rage, doesn¡¯t he? He hungers to be let free.¡± She looks into Ai¡¯s eyes. ¡°You do well to ignore his cries of hunger.¡±  She turns to me. ¡°I assume you brought payment? This is no small task you ask of me and my sister would not expect me to act upon sympathy alone.¡±

    I put qi into my ring, pulling out the dagger that had been used to stab Ai during the ritual that brought the demon into her.

    A flash of greed shows in Shi Lan¡¯s eyes as she stares at the dagger in my hands. Still dyed red, black veins pulse down the dagger¡¯s length. ¡°You still have not claimed this prize Shia? You surprise me.¡±

    ¡°The little one and I get along. I would not ruin that by taking something that is not mine to take.¡±

    I very purposefully don¡¯t think about the book that she had swallowed.

    Shi Lan looks up into my eyes, spirit gathering around her as she speaks. ¡°I will protect and keep the girl safe until you are able to do so. In exchange, you will give me the dagger you hold in your hands.¡± She holds her hand out, qi gathering to a point in her palm.

    Ai pulls on my robe, making me look at her. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to leave you.¡±

    I sigh, kneeling down to her. ¡°I will come back for you. But, I don¡¯t want to see you die.¡± I pull her close, kissing her on the forehead.

    I stand up, then reach out and grab the hand of Shi Lan. Her qi and spirit mix with mine, flowing through me as a deal is struck. In that moment, I get a glimpse of how powerful she is and it surpasses anything I have ever seen.

    Shi Lan smiles wide, showing both of her fangs.

 Interlude

    A strange silence filled the dungeons of the imperial palace. No guards moved past the cells, their usual patrols having suddenly stopped. The prisoners huddled in their cells, even the stupidest of them recognizing the darkness of the night. The scent of blood wafted down the dungeon, suffocating those who could smell it.

    The Fourth Prince stood tall, trying to hide the shaking in his knees. It had all gone wrong for him. The book passed down to him from his dead mother had disappeared, and his plans for the throne were ruined. Only the grace of the Emperor and Emperess spared his life.

    A single set of footsteps echoed down the hallway, the light from the lanterns on the wall dimming as the footsteps came closer.

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    Finally they came to a stop outside the bars of the Prince¡¯s cell. A man stood there, his face obscured by the cloth he wore around his face. His clothing bore no markings or coloring on it, pitch black as it was.

    The man lifted a set of keys, and the Prince¡¯s eyes caught the specks of blood that stained them. It could¡¯ve been a trick of the light, but the Prince knew better.

    ¡°You can¡¯t kill me.¡± The Prince said, his voice wavering. ¡°The Emperor has ordered that I live.¡±

    The man ignored the Prince, turning the lock and stepping into the cell.

    The Prince lunged at the man, hoping to catch him off guard. He stumbled halfway through the lunge, falling to the floor. His hand moved up to grasp the knife embedded in his throat.

    The man kneeled down next to the dying prince. He slowly removed the veil from his face to reveal a bloody smile. ¡°The Emperor is dead.¡±

 Chapter 49: Back To The Portal

    I step out of the garden, the air rippling with my exit. Shia had decided to stay a little longer, saying that she would meet me at the portal.

    Ai had begged me to stay, and it hurt my heart to say no. Since I left the capital, I¡¯ve encountered two cultivators that could take her away from me without me being able to do anything about it, reinforcing the knowledge that I am weak. In the eyes of the immortals, I¡¯m nothing more than a child.

    Sun and Lu Kun are sparring in the clearing as I come out, the sound of their swords clashing echoing loudly as they each fight with their own unique style.

    Sun has the upper hand in the fight, his eyes red and the spirit around him sharp. Lu Kun isn¡¯t his match and if the fight were real, he would be dead a dozen times over.

    They finish a few minutes after I come out, bowing to each other in respect as they sheathe their weapons.

    Sun finally notices me as he turns away from Lu Kun. ¡°Are you done?¡± he asks.

    Lu Kun nods to me then sits down with his sword in his lap. He closes his eyes, meditating on the spot.

    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± I respond hesitantly. It feels strange to have our adventure over so fast. All that¡¯s left for me is to return to the Flowing River sect. I twirl the ring that Elder Qiu Tai had given me around my finger.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss little Ai.¡± Sun says, looking at the tree that marks the entrance to the Garden. ¡°I¡¯m sure you found a good home for her.¡±

    ¡°I hope so.¡± I turn my gaze to the tree as well, remembering the immense power I had felt from Shi Lan.

    It isn¡¯t long before Lu Kun is done with his meditation and we start our journey back to the portal.

    I am quiet as I walk, letting Sun and Lu Kun talk. At some point during our walk, Shia returns to me, slipping in through my robes and wrapping herself around my waist and chest.

    The boys quiet as we approach the entrance to the portal. We all smell the scent of blood. I motion for the boys to stop and activate Movements Of The Silent Monster.

    The cultivator that was guarding the exit when we left the portal stands there with his sword drawn, another cultivator dead at his feet. Cuts line his arms and he bleeds heavily from his side. To my surprise, his wariness isn¡¯t directed at the forest, but at the portal itself.

    I carefully move back to my companions, telling them what I saw. After a moment of hesitation we approach the cultivator who still has his sword drawn.

    We make no effort to hide our presence and the cultivator spins around to face us, favoring his left side.

    The three of us stop in the clearing and the cultivator lowers his sword.

    ¡°Lu Kun. I recognize you.¡± The cultivator says. ¡°Is there anyone in your party from the Shan Mountain Sect?¡±

    Lu Kun steps forward, raising his hands. ¡°No. One is a rogue cultivator, the other is from the Flowing River Sect. What happened?¡±

    The cultivator relaxes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± the cultivator kicks the dead man at his feet. ¡°This disciple of the Shan Mountain Sect attacked me as soon as he came through. There¡¯s no way of knowing what happened on the other side of the portal.¡±

    I frown as I look at the portal. If the Shan Mountain Sect is so brazen as to attack a portal controlled by the Heavenly Truth Sect, then something big must have happened.

    Lu Kun draws his sword, facing the portal. ¡°I¡¯ll go through and tell you what the situation is.¡±

    He steps forward, but is stopped by the raised hand of the cultivator guard. ¡°No, this is my duty not yours. I will take the first step through to catch any kind of ambush. The three of you can follow right behind.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Lu Kun hesitates, then nods. Sun draws his sword, while I simply loosen mine so that it can be pulled at a moment''s notice.

    Qi flows through the cultivator guard, surrounding him in an artificial silver armor. He takes a deep breath, glancing back at the three of us, then steps through the portal. Lu Kun is the second to follow him through. I keep my hand on the hilt of my blade as I follow the two.

    A battlefield replaces the scene we had seen when we first passed through. The plum tree that covered the portal is on fire and large rents cover the ground.

    A Heavenly Truth disciple kneels on the ground, his body propped up by a silver spear through his chest. A puddle of blood surrounds him, disappearing into the roots of the burning tree. I remember him being in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

    Two other Heavenly Truth cultivators fight in the sky, both in early Core Formation. the guard who had greeted us on the other side of the portal is joining them.

    Four cultivators fight against them, ranging from Early Foundation Establishment to Early Core Formation. The members of The Heavenly Truth Sect are heavily injured, their blood dripping like rain from the sky.

    Qi runs through the earth as giant claws of force rend it apart. The attack isn¡¯t even aimed at us, but its pressure forces me to draw my sword to deflect the qi. Lu Kun goes through elaborate motions with his sword, qi pooling at the end of it to paint in a dark red color.

    Sun follows from behind me, simply staring up at the sky as the Cultivators fight each other.

    Realizing that joining the fight with my sword would be foolish, I step behind Sun, trusting him to stop any errant attacks from hitting me. The attacking cultivators only now notice us, but they are still distracted from the three men of The Heavenly Truth Sect.

    I take my flute out of my case, putting it to my mouth as I try to think of what requiem could help most in this situation.

    As always, I return to The First Requiem: The Field Of Blood

    The blood pooling from the dead disciple expands as the world takes on a red hue.

    The note expands from my flute, streams of blood following it. A war cry echoes out.

    The Warrior of the First Requiem steps forward, his gaze on the sky. He looks at me as more warriors step out of the surrounding forest. Covered in the blood of my illusion, their weapons drawn, they approach the attacking cultivators.

    The Warrior raises his sword, and my music halts for a moment. A dark note plays out and the warriors attack. The enemy cultivators are overrun. It takes them too long to realize that the warriors of the field of blood are weak to their qi, easily killed, by their superior cultivation. The cultivators of The Heavenly Truth Sect use my distraction well, killing two of them near instantly.

    Lu Kun finishes his painting, and another red blade falls from the sky, striking a third cultivator in the shoulder before he is run through by the portal guard.

    The fourth man falls quickly and I finish my music, dispelling my illusion. The men of the Heavenly Truth Sect fall to the ground as the clearing quiets. The sound of the burning plum tree is loud in the silence left by my music.

    I put my flute back into its case as Sun runs forward. His aura changes as the green eyed healer takes over. The Heavenly Truth cultivators are all heavily injured and Sun wastes no time in calling Lu Kun and I over to help him patch them up.

    ¡°What happened?¡± The portal guard asks the two others. He is the least injured of the three, despite a stab wound in his side that is still bleeding through the bandages I¡¯m unskillfully wrapping around him.

    The older of the two cultivators responds ¡°They ambushed us, killing Lu Chen instantly.¡± His gaze moves to the kneeling disciple, still held up only by the spear running him through. ¡°He sacrificed himself to block their first attacks, drawing them to himself. We sent a signal to the sect, but I suspect that they intercepted it somehow.¡±

    I finish wrapping the portal guard in bandage, stepping away to take in the still burning tree. ¡°The Shan Mountain Sect so openly attacking you¡­ are they declaring war?¡±

    ¡°I fear as much.¡± The older cultivator responds to my question, ignoring my impolite speech. ¡°I cannot imagine why they would be so brazen as to attack us on our own land.¡±

    I look up, seeing smoke on the horizon in the direction of the city. I tap Lu Kun¡¯s arm, pointing to the smoke.

    He frowns as he sees it.

    He turns to me, ¡°I must return to my sect and tell them of the attack.¡± He glances at the three fellows from his sect and we both know that they are in no state to travel. ¡°You and Sun will have to continue on your own from here.¡±

    ¡°We could come-¡± I start, but Lu Kun shakes his head before I can finish.

    ¡°The sect does not appreciate outsiders coming unannounced. It seems that our paths must separate here, but I am sure they will meet again.¡±

    Lu Kun puts his fist to his palm and bows to our group. His sword tip glows as he paints a scene with his qi. Once he is finished, he disappears.

    I turn to the three injured cultivators as Sun finishes up the last of his healing. His eyes return to their usual brown and he turns to me questioningly.

    I frown, uncertain.

    The oldest of the three cultivators speaks up. ¡°You two should hurry back to your sects. Whatever is happening is big, and it will be better to face it with the protection of those you trust. We Guardians Of Truth will be fine on our own until disciple Lu Kun can bring us help.¡±

    Sun attempts to argue with him, them being as injured as they are, but they refuse to listen.

    Eventually we start back down the trail, towards the smoke on the horizon.

    I fear what the smoke means, and my fears are proven true when we finally get a glimpse of the city.

    The city is on fire.

 Chapter 50: Swift Exit

    My breath catches as I take in the burning city. The sounds of battle blast through the air, as cultivators fight each other in the streets and in the skies.

    I find myself rooted there, the screams of the dying overlapping with the visions of death I¡¯ve been forced to watch time and time again. A sword slicing through a body, drawing a line of blood as a cultivator''s last cry echoes out. Blood running through the streets as lifeless eyes stare up at me, accusing, hopeless, forever silent.

    Sun grabs my shoulder, breaking me from the trance. ¡°Careful, we don¡¯t want to catch their attention.¡± He says, pulling me back into the bushes and out of sight of the battle spanning the streets of the burning city.

    I shake myself out of my thoughts, placing my hand on my sword to center myself. I breathe carefully, following one of the breathing techniques taught to me by Qiu Tai.

    Movement from the bushes next to us draw both Sun and my eyes.

    Carefully, the guide that led us to the portal steps out of the bushes, her features still covered by cloth.

    Both Sun and I draw our weapons as she stops a few meters away from us. She bows down to the both of us, showing her hands empty of any weapon.

    After a moment, we both resheathe our weapons.

    The guide rises from her bow, motioning us to follow her. Sun looks at me while I think about what to do.

    With no other obvious option, I decide to follow her.

    Sun follows me a moment later, his footsteps quiet on the forest floor.

    The guide leads us down a barely visible path, mostly hidden by shrubbery. Eventually we reach the bottom of a cliff covered in vines. The guide moves aside some of the vines, revealing a metal grate.

    With a grunt of force, the first sound I¡¯d heard from the guide, she removes the grate, revealing a dark tunnel.

    She motions us to enter, her soft brown eyes watching us expectantly.

    Sun steps forward first. He reaches the entrance, turns back to wave at me, then jumps down.

    I step forward to look down, a soft light appears in the palm of Sun¡¯s hand, revealing his now blue eyes and the change to his spirit that shows a personality change. It¡¯s calmer now, tranquil even. The tunnel hidden by the grate is large, with smooth walls.

    I jump down after him, landing softly.

    The guide follows us a moment later, having somehow replaced the grate.

    I¡¯m grateful for the light produced by Sun as we follow the guide through a series of twisting hallways,

    Light filters in from the opening of the tunnel up ahead, causing both Sun and I to tread carefully.

    Eventually we walk into a large cavern, a familiar figure sitting in the middle of a complicated formation.

    His eyes open as we enter the cavern, a happy smile on his face. His blue and white robes shift as he stands to his full height. I notice the traces of blood on the hem of his robe.

    ¡°Core Disciple Lin Jia greets Elder Zhu Chen.¡± I bow clasping my hands to the familiar Elder.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown since I last saw you, little Lin. Already angering sects and tricking old masters.¡± The Elder shakes his head ruefully. ¡°You remind me of a younger version of myself.¡±

    I pause, taken aback by his tone. He sounds¡­ proud.

    An explosion loud enough to be heard in the cavern comes from above us, causing the Elder to look up. ¡°Ah, it seems that we are running out of time, please join me over here Little Lin.¡±

    I hesitate for a second, caught off guard by the turn of events, ¡°forgive me Elder Zhu, but would you explain to me what is going on?¡± my eyes catch on the blood staining the Elder¡¯s robes.

    ¡°There is a lot to tell, Little Miss Lin. Suffice to say the sects and the mortal world are, yet again, at war. When The Watchful Crows informed us that you were here, I was sent to retrieve you and¡­ well, it seems that the girl is not here. I¡¯ll have to disappoint the Patriarch.¡± Elder Zhu winks at me. ¡°Now if you would please join me over here.¡±

    I step forward, following the Elder¡¯s words, Sun follows a step behind.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to join us young cultivator.¡± Elder Zhu holds his hand up, stopping Sun. ¡°The Watchful Crows have offered to take you with them, but you cannot join us.¡±

    I stop walking, turning back to Sun, my heart torn.

    Sun shakes his head at me, stepping back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me Jia, I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡±

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    I continue toward Elder Zhu before stopping and running back to Sun. He steps back in surprise as I hug him. ¡°Stay safe Sun.¡± I tell him as I turn away shyly and hurry to the Elder who waits patiently.

    The Elder holds his hand out to me and I accept it. Elder Zhu¡¯s Qi flows through the both of us, filling the formation set up around us.

    Flag poles set up at strategic places around us start to light up with the power of a Nascent Soul¡¯s qi. The cyclone of qi wraps around us, warping the light and the images of the guide and Sun.

    The last thing I see is Sun raising his hand and waving goodbye to me. Then the world shifts.

    I stumble slightly, Elder Zhu¡¯s hand in mine keeping me stable.

    Instead of the dark interior of the cabin, light filters through the branches of the forest around us. A familiar portal from a few years ago, shimmers beside us, guarded by disciples of our sect wearing their combat robes.

    I look up to see many familiar faces from the Martial and Demon Hunter Pavilions. Weapons rest at their sides and they look uneasy.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been busy, haven¡¯t you, disciple of mine?¡±

    I turn around to see a tired looking Qiu Tai, her presence filling the air with a calm and quiet spirit. ¡°Master Qiu Tai.¡± I say, bowing to the tired looking Elder. ¡°This disciple has returned from her journey.¡±

    Elder Qiu Tai snorts in an unladylike manner. ¡°And quite a journey it has been.¡± She smiles, not showing any teeth. ¡°We were worried that the worst had happened when we discovered the dead disciple and signs of battle in your room.¡± Her eyes study me, seeming to take in every aspect of my appearance. She turns around, heading in the direction of the sect. ¡°Come along, there¡¯s much to discuss¡­ and I¡¯m sure you could use some rest.¡±

    I look back at Elder Zhu who smiles before turning to talk to one of the other disciples. I hurry to catch up to my Master, who is silent until we are out of vision of the other members of our sect.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±.

    I pause, truly considering the question. I slow down my walk, eventually stopping. Qiu Tai slows with me, her gaze on me. ¡°No, I¡¯m not alright. everywhere I go, everywhere I look, I see death. I- I can¡¯t escape it.¡±

    A hand gently touches my shoulder, causing me to look up into the gentle eyes of Qiu Tai. ¡°I know that you live with the touch of death on your shoulder, I know that it plagues you. It will not end, death comes for us all, even the greatest of immortals will someday feel its touch, someday too, the world itself will die.¡± Her words ring true, making me lower my head. ¡°I have thought hard on this, and I believe that I may have something that can help. It will have to wait, however. First, we must see the Matriarch.¡± Qiu Tai pulls a familiar butterfly hairpin, throwing it down and watching it expand into a large hovering boat in the shape of a butterfly.

    She steps onto it and helps me up. The butterfly boat rises into the air, then takes off towards the sect.

    ¡°The Matriarch?¡± I ask, unable to keep the worry from my voice.

    ¡°You have hidden the location of a Demon from us. There will be a punishment. Thankfully, this is the least of the worries on the shoulders of the Matriarch.¡±

    ¡°What happened? Elder Zhu said that the sects are at war.¡±

    Qiu Tai nods her head. ¡°The Emperor is dead, throwing the mortal world into turmoil as his heirs vie for power. The other sects use this chaos in order to air age old grudges. The fact that an assassin was sent after you did not go underneath the notice of Master Meng An. It appears that Master Lu Quon betrayed the sect and sabotaged the barrier protecting our palace and you within it.¡±

    The vehicle shivers as we pass through a barrier. A nearby Master of the sect looks us over before waving us on.

    ¡°Who was it that attacked The Heavenly Truth Sect?¡± I ask, my mind flashing with the images of fire and blood I had briefly glimpsed.

    ¡°The Shan Mountain Sect. Ancient grievances lie between them.¡± Qiu Tai doesn¡¯t elaborate as the butterfly boat lands at the gates to the outer sect.

    Disciples hurry to open the gates, letting the both of us through.

    It isn¡¯t too much longer before we arrive at the home of the Matriarch, images of rivers flowing through the pillars that hold up the entrance to her home.

    Elder Qiu Tai walks up to the door, bowing, ¡°Elder Qiu Tai pays respects to Matriarch Wang Hua. I bring with me Core Disciple Lin Jia of the Demon Slaying Pavilion.¡±

    A shadow steps away from the door, revealing a masked cultivator, he nods his head respectfully. ¡°The Matriarch will greet the both of you inside Elder.¡±

    I follow the swift steps of Qiu Tai as she enters the home.

    Immediately the spirit of the Matriarch hits me, ancient and powerful it flows through the room, ever moving and never still. It smells like fresh rain.

    I haven¡¯t seen the Matriarch ever since she took down the first demon we came across two years ago.

    She leans against a window, her gaze looking down and over the sect. She turns to look at the both of us, her expression thoughtful. ¡°Will you tell me where she is?¡±

    I pause waiting until I realize the question is directed to me.

    ¡°Who do you speak of, Matriarch?¡± I ask, already knowing the answer.

    ¡°You know who I ask of. Will you tell me where she is?¡± The Matriarch repeats her question.

    I consider my answer carefully before responding, ¡°I will not.¡±

    The Matriarch turns to me fully, and it is only now that I notice blood seeping through from a wound on her side. That must have been the injury from her fight with the Demon.¡±I could exile you from the sect for what you have done, if I so desired.¡± She says it simply, no emotion in the statement. After a moment, she asks. ¡°Is she safe?¡±

    ¡°She is guarded by the most powerful creature I have ever met.¡± I answer honestly, knowing that the snake''s power even outshined the Matriarch¡¯s, although it does not match the power that the creator of the requiems once had.

    The Matriarch tilts her head in thought, her gaze appraising me. ¡°You are forbidden from leaving the sect grounds for the next ten years. Spend that time to improve your cultivation and your mind. You are too young for the responsibilities that have been thrust upon you.¡± The Matriarch turns to Elder Qiu Tai, who relaxes at the punishment. ¡°You may leave us so that I may talk with my Elder.¡±

    I bow to the Matriarch, clasping my hands. ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Matriarch.¡±

    I leave her home, waiting outside for Qiu Tai to join me.

 Chapter 51: A Day In The Sect

    I step out of the house, then sit down on the steps, putting my head in my hands. The image of the dead young man held up by the spear piercing his body is all I can see as I close my eyes, stopping all other thoughts.

    I take my head out of my hands, staring into the slowly setting sun. The Matriarch¡¯s home is near the top of the mountain, giving a beautiful view of the sect and the valleys around it.

    Ten years. It.. it doesn¡¯t sound too bad. Cultivators live long lives, I¡¯m sure that someday it will seem like a drop in the bucket of my life.

    It¡¯ll be a long time before I¡¯ll be able to see Sun and Lu Kun again.

    The sound of Qiu Tai leaving the building makes me stand up and push my thoughts of the future to the back of my mind.

    Qiu Tai gives me a tired smile as she walks past. I hurry to keep up with her.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you safe.¡± She says as we walk towards our home. ¡°You had me worried when you sent me your letter. There are terrifying things that wait for you outside the protection of the sect.¡±

    I think back to the Pirate captain I met on the seas and the very way that she controlled the seas. ¡°Elder Qiu Tai, have you heard the title The Lady Of Flowers?¡±

    Qiu Tai frowns in thought, ¡°The name is familiar, but I can''t place it.¡± She glances over to me, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°A pirate name Xian Lu called my mother by that name.¡± I answer honestly, ¡°I was wondering what it meant.¡±

    ¡°Xian Lu?¡± Qiu Tai asks in shock, she stares at me for a moment before smiling and shaking her head. ¡°That woman is still pretending to be a pirate?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not a pirate?¡± I ask in surprise.

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s complicated.¡± Qiu Tai seems lost in thought for a moment before continuing. ¡°But she said that she knew your mother?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look into the Lady Of Flowers and tell you what I find.¡±

    We arrive at the Elder¡¯s home and she leads me around it to a secluded area in the back. Pots of dirt and an empty garden greet me.

    She kneels next to one of the empty pots and motions for me to join her.

    I kneel down next to her. Now that I¡¯m closer, I notice that the pot isn¡¯t actually empty, instead a small purple sprout is peeking out of the soil.

    She hands me a cup and I look down to see water in it. I look back up to see her watching me with a soft smile.

    ¡°Death surrounds you, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you can¡¯t also bring life into this world.¡± She cups my hands in hers and guides me to poor water on the sprout. ¡°The Alchemy Pavilion was kind enough to lend me many seeds. I would like you to cultivate this garden for me.¡±

    I look down at the tiny sprout. What if I kill it?

    Qiu Tai places her hand on my back. ¡°I¡¯ll come out with you every day for the first while to teach you how to care for the plants. Once you feel ready, I¡¯ll leave you to care for them.¡±

    ` I nod, unable to look away from the tiny bit of life in front of me. The barest speck of spirit lies within it, just starting to expand with the sprout itself.

    For the rest of the evening, Qiu Tai shows me how to plant the seeds of various herbs and flowers. She guides me through the relaxing process of moving the soil and watering with care.

    We finish up as the last of the light finally leaves the sky.

    Before we head to our rooms, I remember the letter I was supposed to hand to Qiu Tai from the Watchful Crows and pull it out from my storage.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Qiu Tai asks as I hand it over to her.

    ¡°The Watchful Crows asked me to deliver it to you.¡± I answer.

    Qiu Tai turns it around in her hand, studying it carefully. She seems to notice something as the corners of her mouth twist into a slight frown. After a second of hesitation, she uses her qi like a knife to open the sealed letter.

    She reads the note quietly, and I do my best to resist the urge to try to look at it myself.

    Once she¡¯s done, she folds the letter back up and places it into her robes.

    ¡°Who¡¯s it from?¡± I ask, unable to hold back my curiosity.

    Qiu Tai takes notice of me again, her gaze returning from some far off place. ¡°My old teacher. It¡¯s¡­ good news.¡±

    I hold myself back from asking more, even though curiosity fills me.

    Qiu Tai seems to notice even with me holding back as she sighs. ¡°I don¡¯t understand it fully myself. Let me meditate on it and I¡¯ll tell you more later.¡±

    I nod, respecting her privacy.

    We chat for a little longer before separating to head to our rooms.

    I return to my room feeling peaceful. Shia leaves my robes to do her own thing, and I sleep restfully.

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    ***

    A thump on my bed wakes me up groggily. I squint through my eyes to see a familiar wide grin and jumpy personality. Her spirit makes me relax as I attempt to return back to sleep.

    ¡°Nope! You gotta wake up sleepyhead!¡± Xia Jing leans over, shaking me slightly.

    ¡°Idontwanna¡± I mutter, turning away from her.

    ¡°And I was so happy to see you again, Jia.¡± Xia Jing lies down in front of me, pouting.

    I open my eyes to see her staring directly into mine. ¡°Mornings suck.¡± I say, placing my head into her chest and snuggling closer.

    She puts her arm around me, patting my back. ¡°I know, I know.¡± She says softly.

    ¡°Qi feels sluggish too.¡± I mumble into her chest ¡°Clearly, mornings aren¡¯t good for my cultivation.¡±

    Xia Jing giggles. ¡°Now don¡¯t go spreading that around, some of the new disciples might actually believe you.¡± She slips away, taking her warmth with her and I fully open my eyes. She throws my robes on top of me. ¡°Hurry up or we¡¯ll miss Lai Ming at breakfast.¡±

    I groan as I get up and start putting on my core disciple robes.

    Xia Jing waits patiently, occasionally throwing glances my way as I dress.

    I double check I have my flute and my sword, then follow Xia Jing as she leads me through the bustling sect. The atmosphere is tenser than when I was last here. Nearly every disciple carries a weapon on them and walks with purpose.

    The sky is just starting to light up, our sect¡¯s mornings starting earlier than mornings in the palace.

    Still, the breakfast pavilion is filled with laughter as Xia Jing leads me inside. Lai Ming is immediately recognizable as she sits alone at one of the tables, her attention captured by a scroll she is reading.

    Xia Jing sits down right next to Lai Ming, startling her as she hurriedly closes her scroll. Lai Ming turns to the other girl, clearly annoyed. She stops when she sees me, quickly rising from her seat to give me a hug.

    I freeze at the public display, but hesitantly hug her back.

    Lai Ming tsks her tongue as she pulls away. ¡°Do you have any idea how worried I was? We didn¡¯t know what happened! A body and lots of blood was all they found in your room and you don¡¯t think to send anything telling us that you¡¯re alright?¡± She stares at me with her familiar icy expression. Her spirit is like a snow storm, nearly overwhelming me with the cold and strange warmth that also comes from it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I answer, lowering my gaze.

    Lai Ming huffs, then sighs. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡±

    She guides me to the table and the food waiting for us there. Xia Jing had already started to dig in without us, enjoying her meal with glee.

    Lai Ming and I join her, eating the meal provided. I can¡¯t stop my gaze from rising and studying my two friends every couple of seconds.

    Xia Jing notices my gaze, but doesn¡¯t say anything, instead bringing up another topic, ¡°What were you looking at when we came in?¡± She asks Lai Ming.

    ¡°A scroll Elder Wu gave me.¡± Lai Ming answers, ¡°It¡¯s a private technique of hers.¡±

    Xia Jing tilts her head with a small smile, ¡°How mysterious.¡± Xia Jing leans forward, a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with¡­¡±

    I close my eyes, enjoying the small talk as Lai Ming and Xia Jing continue to chat. It feels normal.

    The rest of breakfast passes that way, with nothing unusual happening. I do feel a few stares directed at me from the other disciples, but they¡¯re easy to ignore for the most part.

    After breakfast, the two girls convince me to join them at the hotsprings for a soak. I enjoy my time with them before returning to Qiu Tai¡¯s home and the garden. The sun is now fully visible in the sky, but the day is still cold.

    Qiu Tai finds me as soon as I return. She leads me to the garden and has me water the seedlings and sprouts from the night before. She tells me the meanings of each plant, explaining their uses and the ways to take care of them so that they will grow healthy.

    Caring for the plants is peaceful, and meditative in a way. Their spirit has a calming effect on my own, enhancing the effect of the gardening. The first sprout of the garden stands strong, its growth visible to the mortal eye.

    We finish our gardening as the sun sits fully visible in the sky.

    I return to my room feeling good for the first time in too many days. Shia isn¡¯t visible, but I know that she isn¡¯t too far away. As my cultivation increases, she roams farther and farther from me, but she is never too far.

    Relaxing near my window, I pull out my flute and play a simple tune, the music flowing from me easily.

    The music travels through the room, it¡¯s music soft and fleeting. Soon it shifts into a river of music, flowing around me like the spirit of the Matriarch.

    I enjoy the feeling of playing, reveling in how easy and beautiful it is. My music is something that can¡¯t be taken from me, no matter what.

    I let the song reach its natural end happily. I sit there once it¡¯s over, my eyes closed. After a minute, I reopen my eyes, putting my flute back to my lips.

    The Twelve Requiems Of Illusion opens in front of me, flipping to a familiar page as I play The Fifth Requiem: Peaceful Death.

    The world shifts around me, fading into the familiar scene of Zhu Teng¡¯s death, surrounded by his loving disciples.

    ¡°Hello again, successor of mine.¡± A familiar old man says from beside me, his gaze staying on his disciples.

    I bow to him in greeting. ¡°Senior, I apologize for how long it¡¯s been.¡±

    Zhu Teng waves his hand in dismissal. ¡°Time is nothing to the remnants of spirit that I exist as.¡±

    ¡°I am glad to hear that.¡± I say, smiling slightly.

    ¡°What brings you to me this time?¡± He asks, his gaze moving away from his grieving disciple and onto me.

    ¡°I¡­ am feeling powerless.¡± I glance down at my hands as I admit to my weakness. ¡°I know that there is more to learn from The Twelve Requiems. I was hoping for your guidance, senior.¡±

    ¡°I see. A valid concern. Do not rush yourself, you are young and have more time than you realize. However¡­¡± Zhu Teng closes his eyes in thought. After a moment of silence, he opens his eyes. ¡°There is much you have yet to learn, but I suggest you start at the Second and Fourth Requiems. My disciples may deign to grant you their techniques if they feel you worthy.¡±

    I bow to the immortal, ¡°Thank you senior.¡±

    A hand pats my head with a surprising amount of fondness. ¡°Power can be an illusion just like any other. Often it is more about perception than truth.¡±

    With those words, the illusion dissipates, leaving me alone in my room.

    I bring my flute back to my lips, The Twelve Requiems Of Illusion flipping through pages to one of the first requiems that started me on my journey.

    I play The Second Requiem: Remembrance.

 Chapter 52: The End Of An Era

    The world shifts around me, colors blending together as my music waves through the room. I am transported to a lake, brightly lit by fireflies as the moon shines down from the cloudless sky.

    A man and women sit beside the lake, leaning against each other as they enjoy the picturesque atmosphere.

    The woman laughs at something the man says, slapping his shoulder lightly in mock outrage.

    The scene shifts and I find myself in an empty tavern except for a woman. She sits alone at her table, her face hidden by a black veil. In her hands she tightly clutches a drawing, her head tilted as she seems to study it with a heavy atmosphere.

    The notes on the Twelve Requiems of Illusion disappear, but the illusion doesn¡¯t break as I finish my last note.

    Slowly, as if broken from a trance, the woman looks up from the drawing, her gaze finding me. ¡°It seems we finally get to meet, Inheritor of The Twelve Requiems.¡±

    I lower my flute hesitantly, surprised to meet yet another living illusion. Only Zhu Teng, the warrior of the first illusion, and the Murderess have ever spoken to me.

    ¡°Disciple Lin Jia greets Senior.¡± I say, bowing to the woman who watches me emotionlessly.

    ¡°I am Zhu Yan Se.¡± The woman says. She places the drawing in her hands on the table in front of her. ¡°I am the first daughter of Zhu Teng. Tell me, why do you disturb my rest?¡±

    I rise from my bow, unsure how to respond to the dismissive tone of the woman in front of me. ¡°Senior Zhu Teng directed me to the second and fourth requiems. I did not wish to disturb you Lady Zhu.¡± I pause, hesitating before continuing, ¡°I didn¡¯t know spirits could rest.¡±

    Lady Zhu stays quiet, lost in thought. Eventually she rises and walks around me, studying my body. ¡°I am more than the spirit left in this book. I am trapped in the halls of the Lanxing Wordsmiths, my body unable to move a muscle, forever entombed in my prison of stone.¡± She says the words calmly, simply speaking them as facts without any emotion attached. ¡°My father¡¯s spirit directed you to me? Why?¡±

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    ¡°I¡­ am weak.¡± I say, turning to look  at the woman. Her face is still hidden behind her veil, hiding her emotions from me. ¡°He said that you would grant me your techniques if you find me worthy.¡±

    ¡°Ha.¡± Lady Zhu starts, ¡°Ha hahahahaha¡± There¡¯s no real emotion to the laugh, more as if she believes it should be funnier than it actually is. ¡°Even in death, he passes his problems onto his disciples.¡± All her movement stops as she studies me, ¡°Do you think you are worthy?¡±

    I pause, recognizing the trick to the question. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I try to be.¡±

    Her body stays unnaturally still, then she gives a small nod. ¡°That isn¡¯t good enough.¡± The world twists around us, mixing like paint until it turns clear and flows like water around Lady Zhu and I.

    I open my mouth, trying to say anything to convince her that I am worthy.

    ¡°The Twelve Songs Of Water are my creation and my inheritance.¡± As she speaks, the ring on my finger activates, using my qi to pull out one of the manuals that I had discovered early on in the sect.

    The Twelve Songs Of Water flips open to the first page, revealing The First Song: The Brook¡¯s Dance. Lyrics flow off the page, wrapping themselves around first Lady Zhu before traveling over to me and wrapping around my throat. Images of an unfamiliar dance light up on the page to replace the lyrics that had previously been there.

    ¡°So prove yourself worthy, Lin Jia, successor of the musicians of Zhu Teng.¡± Lady Zhu steps forward, lifting her veil to look at me with beautiful and piercing black eyes. ¡°Prove yourself worthy of every gift my brothers and sisters give you.¡±

    She lowers her veil, hiding her face again.

    ¡°When you do believe yourself worthy, find me in the halls of the Lanxing Wordsmiths.¡± With those words, the illusion shatters, both The Twelve Requiems Of Illusion and The Twelve Songs Of Water falling to the floor.

    I step forward and pick up both of the manuals. I place The Twelve Requiems Of Illusion into the ring that Qiu Tai had sent me, then stare at the new book.

    Will I ever be worthy?

 Chapter 53: The Brooks Dance

    My arm rises as I move into position for the dance of The First Song: The Brook¡¯s Dance.

    I hum as I look at The Twelve Songs of Water floating in front of me. I start singing, but the words don¡¯t stay with me, instead leaving my mind as soon as I say them..

    My qi and spirit move with the song as my body flows to the rhythm.

    The movements become stranger, flowing into a complicated dance as my body is stretched to its limits.

    My breath starts to run out as I keep the song going with the complicated dance. My hands twirl as I spin, my body pushing its limits to match the dance that it has been given.

    With a flourish the song ends and I collapse to the floor.

    Sweat covers me as I gasp for breath. My vision tunnels in on the ceiling.

    I haven¡¯t felt this exhausted since my training with the Martial Masters in my first days with the sect.

    I roll to my side, and slowly pick myself off the floor.

    My legs nearly give out, but I lean on the wall until I manage to get back to my bed. The mattress embraces me as I fall into it. Every part of me, including my qi and spirit, is sore, stretched beyond normal.

    It¡¯s another couple of seconds before I can think properly.

    The dance is wild and unpredictable, but still flows with an underlying grace that I rarely see even in the greatest of dancers. It reminds me of a far superior version of the sect¡¯s martial arts, each movement flowing into the next.

    It is a martial art, I can tell that much, but it is also so much more than that. My body and spirit are changing with the dance. I¡¯m being molded and strengthened.

    I look down at my sweat covered body and slowly push myself out of the bed. It¡¯s surprisingly difficult to make my way through Qiu Tai¡¯s house and to the nearby river, my muscles complaining with every step.

    The river is a lazy one, slow and deep enough that it provides a perfect private swimming hole. Rock formations surround the bend, providing cover from any peering eyes. Only Elder Qiu Tai and her disciples are allowed here, and since I¡¯m her only disciple, I usually have the place to myself.

    I take off the martial robes I¡¯d put on for the dance, and walk to the edge of the water. I let myself fall into the deep water, completely submerging myself. My body instantly starts to recover, the water¡¯s own qi flowing around me in a way that I¡¯ve never seen.

    I swim up, my face breaching the water. My breath mists in the air and tiny droplets fall on my face as a gray cloud starts to blot out the sky.

    I swim to the edge and climb out. With an insertion of qi into the ring on my finger, I pull out a spare set of Core Disciple robes and put them on.

    The rain increases in intensity around me, creating ripples in the river.

    I sit down on the rock, watching the ripples as my clothes slowly start to become soaked. I don¡¯t mind the water. The qi in the rain seems to interact with my body the same way that the river had and I spend some time just watching the qi at work. It rejuvenates and heals me. I hold my hand up and clench it, feeling a dexterity and strength that is unusual for me.

    The dance was more than a dance.

    My gaze returns to the ripples created by the rain, the simple complexity of the many ripples keeping my mind focused.

    ¡°So prove yourself worthy.¡± I whisper, the rain drowning out my words. I have someone that I mean to protect. A child who trusts me to return to them someday.

    I stand up, and The Twelve Songs Of Water opens itself up to me again, the beautiful flowing movements of the dance painted on its pages.

    I raise my arm and move my body into position. My voice rises as I sing.

    A few minutes later, I finish the dance and collapse onto the rock, unable to move my body. A small smile finds itself on my face. The rain continues to pour down and I blink away the water that hits my eyes.

    Only one song has been entrusted to me. So I will prove that I am worthy of it.

    It¡¯s a few minutes of circulating my qi with the qi of the rain before I can move. I take a deep breath, letting it out in a mist.

    I get up and off the ground slowly, then raise my arm as The Twelve Songs of Water yet again opens its pages.

    I move my qi through my body, knowing that I can sing one more time before my body gives out.

    I sing and dance, the rain drowning out my words as it turns into a downpour.

    My feet don¡¯t slip on the rocks, and my voice doesn¡¯t falter.

    ****

    My body and spirit change with the dance. Every day, I push my body to its limit, forcing it to move one more time until it gives out. The qi of the rivers and rain continue to rejuvenate me, and I move to the spot by the river for the song, so that I can use its qi whenever I feel like giving up.

    My body stops having drastic changes from the dance, but I can tell that there are intricacies and a grace to it that I am still missing.

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    A month passes and my progress with the dance slows.

    ***

    My flute¡¯s music goes through the room, bringing a sense of warmth with it. Shia wraps herself around my neck like a scarf. The returns from the song have started to lessen, so I¡¯ve decided that today will be a break day.

    A knock on the door makes me pause, the music¡¯s last note finishing with a whisper. I put my flute into its case and close it with a snap.

    Shia disappears into my robes, wrapping herself around my waist as I make my way to the door.

    I open the door to see a smiling Xia Jing.

    ¡°There you are.¡± She says.

    I smile at her, letting her into my room. ¡°Sister Jing. Hasn¡¯t Elder Han been keeping you busy?¡±

    Xia Jing shakes her head. ¡°She¡¯s entered closed door cultivation. With any luck, we¡¯ll have an Elder in the Dao Shaping Realm in the next five years.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    Xia Jing nods, sitting down on my bed. ¡°It is. Now that I find myself free, I wanted to check in on you. Lai Ming and I haven¡¯t seen you lately.¡±

    I close the door and sit down next to her on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ve been cultivating and focusing on a new technique.

    She tilts her head, studying me. ¡°You''re close to the Tenth Level of Qi Awakening.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Xia Jing gives me a playful smile. ¡°Maybe a day out of your room will help give some insight.¡± She jumps out of the bed, then looks back at me.

    ¡°That does sound helpful.¡± I say.

    She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

    With a sigh, I stand up, and follow her out of Elder Qiu Tai¡¯s home.

    The sun shines down on the entire sect, an occasional cloud passing over it. Another month and we¡¯ll be in the full heat of summertime. For now, it¡¯s simply a pleasant warmth of the flowering season.

    We pass through the inner sect and into the outer sect¡¯s markets. The atmosphere is tenser than I¡¯m used to, but the disciples don¡¯t let the ongoing war stop them from enjoying themselves where they can.

    The markets are noticeably smaller, but enterprising merchants and disciples still keep it lively with the cries of bargaining and the constant chatter of a market.

    Xia Jing leads me to a small food stand and orders us some meat buns. I accept mine, biting into the delicious treat.

    I enjoy the food with closed eyes, sad when the last bite is gone. I open my eyes to see Xia Jing watching me with an unreadable expression. She blinks, then smiles at me.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sister Ming?¡± I ask

    Xia Jing shrugs her shoulders, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Elder Wu has been using her for something.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    A loud cheer from a large tent distracts me, the tent shaking with the noise.

    I stop in my tracks to stare at the tent. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask.

    Xia Jing tilts her head, ¡°I think it¡¯s a challenge arena for the Martial Pavilion. You wanna see inside?¡±

    I nod.

    Xia Jing leads the way up to the entrance of the large tent. A large disciple with scars crossing his face stares at us from the entrance, but immediately turns his attention elsewhere when he recognizes our inner and core disciple robes.

    We duck into the tent and the world darkens, only lit by the lantern light. Two disciples stand across from each other in the center of the arena, surrounded by a crowd of watching disciples. Two younger disciples walk through the crowd, accepting money and writing down something on pieces of paper.

    I point at the younger disciples, ¡°What are they doing?¡± I ask quietly. I don¡¯t want to disturb the quiet atmosphere as the two fighting disciples size each other up.

    ¡°Taking bets.¡± Xia Jing answers in a whisper.

    Without any warning, both of the fighting disciples move, their bodies flowing in the graceful movements of our sect¡¯s martial arts. The display is masterful, and I find myself unable to turn away from the two as they fight. It¡¯s almost a dance-

    I pause as I realize what I¡¯ve been missing from The First Song.

    It isn¡¯t a solo dance, it¡¯s meant to have a partner.

    The two disciples continue their captivating fight, with the older of the two eventually coming on top by pinning the other to the ground.

    ¡°Xia Jing.¡± I say, drawing her attention.

    ¡°Yes?¡± She asks distractedly, her attention still caught by the two disciples.

    ¡°How do I get into that arena?¡±

    She turns to me, her eyes wide. She blinks a few times before responding. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll need some outer disciple robes if you want to fight in this arena. A mask isn¡¯t a bad idea either.¡±

    I nod. Then I turn away, heading out of the tent and back to the market.

    Xia Jing hurries to catch up to me.

    ¡°Why do you want to fight in there? You know it¡¯s dangerous, right? Outer disciples have no qualms about using dirty tricks to win arena fights.¡± Xia Jing hurries to keep up with me as I make a quick pace towards one of the market stands that sells masks. The outer sect will be celebrating the summer festival soon, which means many merchants have started selling masks of all different kinds.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be good practice.¡± I respond.

    Xia Jing laughs, then realizes I¡¯m serious. ¡°You¡¯ll have to register as an initiate of the Combat Pavilion in order to fight in the arena, and since disciples can only be in one pavilion¡­¡± She pauses in thought, ¡°Well, I guess you could use a fake name. The martial pavilion won¡¯t care.¡±

    We arrive at the shop selling masks. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± I say, smiling at her.

    I study the masks on display, my gaze falling on a fox mask similar to the one I¡¯d given Ai.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t-¡± She sighs. ¡°You could just issue challenges to disciples ranked higher than you.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the rankings.¡± I pick out the fox mask and quickly pay for it. ¡°Where can I get outer disciple robes?¡±

    ¡°I can get them for you.¡± She rests her hand on my arm. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡±

    I nod, smiling. ¡°Something about it feels right.¡± I pause, looking down at the mask. I speak quieter as I continue ¡°Plus it looks like fun.¡±

    Xia Jing studies me, then gives me a warm smile. ¡°Alright! You know I¡¯m betting my entire fortune on you, right? So you better not lose any fights.¡±

    ¡°W-wait, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°Too late. My faith in you is too strong.¡±

    She grabs my hand, pulling me towards one of the shops.

 Chapter 54: The Arena

    The seamstress that Xia Jing found works quickly, measuring me with a professional¡¯s eye. I turn on the little pedestal she¡¯d had me stand on, letting her measure my waist.

    ¡°What about Ju Yuan?¡± Xia Jing asks. She takes a bite of the meatbun she¡¯d grabbed on the way.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound right.¡± I answer. I hold my arm out  to let the seamstress put a needle through the sleeve.

    ¡°Xuan Lu?¡±

    I pause, ¡°I kinda like it.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± Xia Jing says around a mouthful of food. She swallows before continuing. ¡°I mean, I knew you¡¯d like that one.¡±

    The seamstress finishes and disappears into the back of her shop. I step off the pedestal.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I grab Xia Jing, and pull her into a hug. She freezes in surprise before quickly hugging me back.

    ¡°What¡¯re you thanking me for?¡±

    I pull away, walking over to where I¡¯d set down the mask. I put it on to hide the redness that is slowly coming to my cheeks.  ¡°For being my friend. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡±

    The seamstress walks back into the room with the outer disciple clothes, stopping Xia Jing¡¯s response to the words.. Xia Jing slips over to the seamstress, and whispers something I can¡¯t hear as she hands over a spirit stone and takes the clothes.

    She hands me the robes, ¡°That¡¯s not something you have to thank me for, little Jia.¡± She smiles, ¡°Now get these on! We have a fighting ring to get you in.¡±

    She pushes me into a small changing room with the robes in my hands. I shake my head at her energy, then put the outer disciple robes on.

    The robes are a light blue, with white stripes going down the sleeves. They are simple outer disciple robes, but they are comfortable and not too hard to move in.

    I stretch, then move through the first part of the dance given to me by The First Song of Water. The robes don¡¯t strain and move with me through the complex movements of the dance.

    Feeling satisfied, I step out to find Xia Jing waiting for me.

    ¡°Those look look good!¡± Xia Jing says. She walks around me before stopping in front of me. ¡°Are you ready? You should probably put that mask on.¡±

    I nod and put the fox mask on.

    She leads me out of the small shop and down the road. I get a few looks from other disciples, as it is still unusual to wear a mask like this in public. We leave the market district that I¡¯m familiar with and follow a cobblestone pathway next to a medium sized brook.

    We arrive at one of the largest weeping trees I¡¯ve ever seen. Its roots extend in a circle around it, rising into chairs and bumps where disciples rest, cultivate and work quietly. The spirit in the area is a breath of fresh air; peaceful and healthy. The qi of the tree is thick in the air, aiding those cultivating in strange ways.

    The large tree is surrounded in a circle by many buildings with signboards outside. Four buildings stand out from the bunch. Their names are proudly displayed, being The Alchemy Pavilion, The Crafting Pavilion, The Scholar¡¯s Pavilion and finally The Martial Pavilion.

    Xia Jing pulls on my hand, and I realize that I¡¯ve stopped. I¡¯ve never had a reason to visit the pavilions before, but they¡¯re quite pretty.

    I follow Xia Jing over to The Martial Pavilion, where a stream of disciples are going in and out.

    Inside the building, the walls are lined with armor and strange weapons. Tables are taken up by groups of disciples, most of whom have a dangerous air around them. Xia Jing leads me to the back of the building, where a large disciple sits at a desk that looks too small for him. Behind him, there are ranking boards similar to the one for inner disciples, except they seem to be ordered in a different way.

    The large disciple looks up as we approach, then hurriedly stands up to bows to Xia Jing, recognizing her inner disciple uniform. ¡°Yang Yuzhe greets inner disciple.¡±

    Xia Jing bows back, ¡°I am Inner Disciple Xia Jing.¡± She rises from her bow, ¡°I would like to register my friend Xuan Lu at the Martial Pavilion.¡±

    Registering with the Martial Pavilion is a surprisingly simple process with Xia Jing beside me. The words of an Inner Disciple hold a lot of weight. Yang Yuzhe, the clerk, fills out some paperwork, then gives me a small jade amulet similar to the one I have for the Demon Hunter Pavilion.

    The disciple bows to Xia Jing as we leave, and we both bow back.

    ¡°What now?¡± I ask, turning the amulet over in my hands.

    She turns to me with a playful smile, her hands behind her back.¡°You want to fight, right?¡±

    I give a firm nod.

    ¡°Then we should go to the arena.¡± She leads me out of the building, the outer disciples making way for her.

    ¡°That¡¯s all we need?¡± I ask.

    She gives me a look from the corner of her eye. ¡°You¡¯re in the outer sect right now. As long as you don¡¯t catch the eye of a Master, you can do whatever you want.¡± She hums, ¡°That¡¯s right. You wouldn¡¯t know, would you?¡±

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    ¡°Know what?¡±

    She snorts, ¡°What it¡¯s like to be a nobody.¡±

    I frown at her, ¡°That¡¯s not very nice.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. No one knows who Xuan Lu is. You could be whoever you want right now.¡±

    My steps slow, eventually reaching a stop. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think about that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? Come on Little Jia- I mean little Lu, let¡¯s get you your first match.¡± She doesn¡¯t look back as she walks away from the pavilions.

    I watch her for a long moment before following her. We walk through the sect and I notice a change in the outer disciples. No one looks at me, instead looking at Xia Jing, the inner disciple.

    I¡¯d never really thought about all the attention I¡¯d get as a core disciple, but now that I don¡¯t have it¡­ it feels weird. I can¡¯t tell if I miss it or not.

    We reach the tent right as another match starts. We pass the cultivators at the entrance and walk through the tent flaps. A loud cheer rolls over us, the crowd pulsating with excitement.

    I watch the two cultivators at the center break into motion, their qi techniques flashing as fire meets an inky darkness.

    Xia Jing pulls on my sleeve and I turn away to follow her through the crowd. I¡¯m grateful I have the taller girl as we¡¯re quickly surrounded by bodies. She leads me towards the back, where an older woman wearing a more ornate version of my Martial Pavilion Amulet is currently talking with one of the people taking bets. The woman is taller than most here, and she carries herself like she should be listened to. Her spirit stands out from the crowd, refusing to be ignored. The strong defiant and cunning scent of a snake wraps her like so many shiny scales. She wears clothes in the design of an outer disciple, but they¡¯re made of a nicer material than most clothes I¡¯ve seen.

    Xia Jing clears her throat, drawing the woman¡¯s attention.

    The woman raises an eyebrow, then motions for the bookie to leave. ¡°Inner Disciple Xia, what brings you here?¡±

    Xia Jing steps aside, revealing me. ¡°My friend, Outer Disciple Xuan Lu would like a match.¡±

    The woman raises an eyebrow as she looks me over. A smile slowly replaces her hesitant expression. ¡°Oh. You¡¯re no rookie, are you, Xuan Lu? I can tell you know how to use that sword at your waist.¡±

    I bow to the woman out of respect. ¡°Xuan Lu of the Martial Pavilion greets senior.¡± I rise from my bow, ¡°I won¡¯t be fighting with a weapon.¡±

    ¡°You can call me Mistress Song.¡± Excitement lights up her eyes as she continues to study me. ¡°No weapon? Interesting. Yes, I think you will do nicely.¡±

    I look over to Xia Jing, who smiles. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Mistress Song takes care of her people.¡±

    ¡°That I do.¡± Mistress Song walks towards an exit in the large tent, ¡°Follow me.¡±

    I look back at Xia Jing who motions for me to go. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here.¡±

    ***

    I breathe in and out, the smells of the arena filling my nose. On the other side of the door, an announcer introduces my opponent. The crowd talks excitedly, and a small amount of nervousness grow in my stomach.

    I¡¯ve fought a duel in front of a crowd before, this isn¡¯t that different¡­ right?

    I reach up and adjust the fox mask. My hand moves towards where my sword usually rests, but it¡¯s gone. Both my sword and flute are being held by Xia Jing. That, plus Shia not being with me makes me feel strangely naked.

    ¡°And on the other side, we have a new challenger! Small but ferocious, do not underestimate the little fox, Xuan Lu!¡±

    I step through the door, and the spirit of the crowd washes over me. It¡¯s similar to when I play music for a large group, yet so different.

    For a moment, I freeze, just looking up at the crowded seats. Mistress Song looks down on me, her gaze unreadable. Not too far away, Xia Jing catches my eyes. She gives me a thumbs up. On either side of the arena, Martial Masters stand ready to intervene, qi flowing through them into the arena. There are arrays inscribed into the arena to prevent accidents, and the Martial Master¡¯s qi flow over me like a comfortable barrier.

    The familiarity of Xia Jing¡¯s actions shake me out of my reverie, and I turn to face my opponent. He wears his martial robes well, showing the lean muscles of an experienced fighter. I can tell that he¡¯s an Eighth Level Qi Awakened, and he looks experienced. His spirit is ferocious, reminding me of the roar of a tiger. His eyes are those of a predator, and my body enters the familiar form of The Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon.

    But again, my hand finds my sword gone, and I realize my mistake.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± The announcer asks, but he¡¯s asking the audience, not us.

    I switch my form. My feet spread out, standing on the balls of my feet. My arm raises in preparation for The First Song: Dance Of The Brook.

    ¡°Let the Fight begin!¡± The announcer says.

    The other cultivator is upon me, but I¡¯m ready. I¡¯ve played my music in more dangerous situations.

    Words flow out of me as my body flows around his. My leg raises in a move I now realize to be a kick.

    I kick the other cultivator into the wall behind me, then slow my song as I reset my stance.

    The cultivator turns, and I see anger in his dangerous eyes. A damaged pride guides his moves as qi flows through his body.

    A tiger stares me down, it¡¯s predatory gaze daring me to resist.

    I don¡¯t stop singing as the tiger leaps. Claws extend from the cultivators fists, but I dance. Every movement is instinctual, following the rhythm of the song and the rhythm of the fight.

    I mess up slightly, and claws rake into my arm, drawing blood, but I don¡¯t stop. The dance can¡¯t stop. My arms meet his and my feet kick out.

    I hear it. The sound of the brook, the flow of water as it refuses to stop. The earth itself gives way for water, unable to resist its endless flow.

    The cultivator stops, his qi transforming to take the form of a tiger¡¯s head twice as large as I am. The maw comes for me, closing around me.

    As the teeth of the large creature close, I see it. The reality of the dance. It¡¯s only a glimpse, but that¡¯s all I need.

    My body flows, and I¡¯m on the other side of the tiger¡¯s head, my foot kicking out with all the strength of a flood.

    My foot lands squarely in the cultivator¡¯s chest and he¡¯s thrown back. His body slams against the wall of the arena, the qi of the arena¡¯s arrays softening the impact. Still, he slumps to the ground, coughing weekly.

    The arena roars with excitement as the Martial Masters land between me and my opponent, signaling the end of the fight.

    I blink as I focus back on the world, the flow gone from my mind. I look around at the cheering outer sect, a small smile appearing under my mask. Wetness on my arms makes me look down to see rivulets of blood flowing down my arms.

    ¡°Our little fox wins, outwitting our poor tiger!¡± The announcer says.

    My gaze is drawn away from the marks on my arms as the crowd cheers. I enjoy their applause and excitement, my smile growing wider.

 Chapter 55: A Letter Opened

    The outer disciple hums as she examines my arms. Qi flows from her into me and the claw marks close. I¡¯d been taken to a small room separate from the tent after the fight, where only me and the healer sit on a small cot.

    There¡¯s a soft knock on the door before it opens and Xia Jing steps inside. ¡°That was-¡± she starts excitedly before seeing the other outer disciple.

    The outer disciple stands up, bows, then exits the room.

    Xia Jing focuses as she stares at the door the disciple left through. After a moment, she turns to me with a smile, ¡°Sister Jia! I didn¡¯t know you had a technique like that.¡±

    I look away, my hands shifting awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯s new.¡±

    She sits down across from me and pulls a pouch from an inner pocket of her robe. ¡°Elder Qiu is looking for you, so we don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    She hands me the pouch and I open it to reveal a bunch of spirit stones. I quickly close the bag and stare at her.

    ¡°I told you I¡¯d bet everything on you.¡± She smiles wide, and stands up. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve got to get you back into your other robes.¡±

    We leave the room, and I catch sight of Mistress Song watching us as we hurry back to the inner sect.

    We head to Xia Jing¡¯s room, and she waits outside while I change.

    I take off my outer robes and put on my core disciple robes with practiced ease. The soft fabric of my usual clothing is comforting, but some part of me feels a small loss as I stare at the outer disciple clothing.  I stare at the fox mask where it rests on Xia Jing¡¯s bed. It felt good to fight.

    And that strange flow I¡¯d entered; my body had moved on its own and every movement made sense. I had caught a glimpse of a greater understanding. An understanding of something powerful.

    ¡°Sister Jia?¡±

    I look up to the door. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± I say.

    I leave the room and Xia Jing rises from where she¡¯d been sitting cross legged.

    ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t want to keep your master waiting too long.¡± She says, setting off down the familiar hallway. I¡¯d been just a room away as an Inner Disciple.

    We head down an unfamiliar path following a stream through the mountain.

    Qiu Tai meets us slightly off the path. She sits on a rock next to the stream, her gaze looking far into the distance.

    She turns to us as we approach, a sad smile gracing her face at the sight of me. ¡°It¡¯s good to see both of you.¡±

    I step forward and bow, ¡°You were looking for me?¡±

    She motions for me to come closer.

    I step towards her and she stands up. She reaches out, her hand resting on my arm. ¡°I will be leaving soon.¡± She glances up at Xia Jing.

    Xia Jing gets the message and steps back out of earshot.

    ¡°I received a summons from my Master and I must go.¡± She pauses. ¡°Little Jia, Stay close to your friends while I am gone. Do not travel the inner sect alone.¡±

    I stare at her, caught off guard by her words of warning. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    She takes a deep breath. ¡°Your enemies are mine, and mine are yours. Elder Fu has not forgotten your fight with his granddaughter, and neither have I.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t thought about the girl I¡¯d fought before I left the sect. But I remember Elder Fu¡¯s spiteful gaze.

    ¡°There is a chance that my enemies will make a move against you while I¡¯m gone.¡± She pauses, ¡°but I hope it won¡¯t come to that.¡±

    I nod slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    She reaches out, a portal forming around her hand. She pulls out a sealed scroll, then looks at it, the portal closing. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how long I¡¯ll be gone.¡± She hands the scroll to me. ¡°If you are left with no other options, this will lead you to me.¡±

    I turn the scroll over in my hand. The seal is made with a light green wax, and stamped with the image of three spires reaching towards the sun. Qi and the faintest whisps of spirit wrap around the seal, effecting it in a way I can¡¯t quite understand.

    ¡°The seal will only break for you.¡± She adds. I look up to her, but her gaze is unreadable.

    I take another moment to examine the qi on the seal, then place the scroll into my storage ring. There are so many questions I want to ask, but I know that if she isn¡¯t telling me, it¡¯s for a reason.

    ¡°When do you leave?¡± I finally ask.

    She looks at me for a long moment. ¡°I was lucky to get time to say goodbye. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you sooner, but there were¡­ complications.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I look past her to the stream trickling by.

    ¡°Please take care of the garden while I¡¯m gone.¡± She pulls me into a hug, startling me out of my numbness. ¡°Stay safe, disciple of mine.¡±

    ¡°You too.¡± I mumble into her robe.

    She lets me go, then motions for Xia Jing to step closer.

    Xia Jing steps over, clearly curious what we had been talking about.

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    ¡°Keep my disciple out of trouble.¡± She smiles, ¡°And stay safe yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Elder Qiu¡±

    She looks over the both of us. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±

    She steps back, then reaches into the portal created by her storage ring. She pulls out a familiar letter; the one I had delivered from The Watchful Crows.

    She rips the letter in half. Pages and books with unreadable words gather in a cyclone around her. The strange wind effecting them completely avoiding Xia Jing and I.

    The pages cover her, blocking her from our sight.

    The wind disappears, and the pages fall to the floor, dispersing into qi. Qiu Tai is gone, leaving only the rock she¡¯d been sitting on.

    I stare at the spot where she¡¯d been, my mind completely empty of thought.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I will be.¡± I say.

    I turn, and head towards the home of Elder Qiu. I need to practice.

    ***

    I stand in the back courtyard of the home of my master.

    The sky lights up with lightning, rain drenching the world around me. I feel the qi of the water as droplets splash against my face. The water soaks into my robes, the qi flowing through me and reinvigorating me.

    I raise my arm, the song coming to me easily.

    I dance through the rain, my body moving before my thoughts can follow. The depth of the dance that I had glimpsed during my fight still eludes me, but the movements are relaxing. My mind enters a meditative state until I make the last step.

    ¡°Beautiful.¡± Lai Ming¡¯s voice is quiet, but I still catch the word.

    I look over to her to see a rare look of vulnerability on her face. She stands under the cover provided by the house, keeping dry despite the humidity.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Lai Ming matches my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you dance before. You¡¯re talented.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± I stretch, then move over to where my sword and flute are. Shia slithers through my sleeve as I grab my things.

    Her comforting presence wraps itself around my waist.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡± I smile, ¡°What brings you here? I thought Elder Wu was keeping you busy.¡± I tie the sword to me below where Shia rests.

    ¡°Sister Jing told me to meet you both here.¡±

    I look up in surprise. Xia Jing and I were planning to go to the outer sect arena today. I want another fight, and Xia Jing doesn¡¯t want to let me go alone.

    Lai Ming¡¯s stance shifts as she studies me. ¡°What are you two up to?¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± Xia Jing steps into the courtyard, a small parasol keeping the rain off of her.

    ¡°Why are you wearing the robes of an outer disciple?¡± Lai MIng asks. Her eyes narrow as she looks between the both of us.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to change inside.¡± I say. I walk into the house while Xia Jing animatedly chats about what we¡¯ve been up to.

    Shia slips out of my robes as I change into my outer disciple clothing. The fox mask slips over my face easily, and I take a deep breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m not imagining it, am I? The rain storm¡¯s spirit?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It carries traces of blood and death.¡± Shia says. ¡°Somewhere in the Shi Empire, cultivators are dying.¡±

    My fingers trace the contours of the fox mask, feeling the smooth curves that had been carved into it. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time then.¡±

    ¡°Time for what, little one?¡±

    To prove that I¡¯m worthy.

    The words go unsaid, but Shia respects my silence.

    I step back outside to find Lai Ming tugging at the sleeves of a new robe. Xia Jing smiles at me, ¡°Look at us, three regular outer disciples.¡±

    Lai Ming looks up, catching my eyes. ¡°I like the mask.¡± She pauses, ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±

    I nod. ¡°It¡¯s helping.¡±

    Lai MIng sighs. She turns to Xia Jing, who wears a wide smile. ¡°I blame you for this.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±

    Lai Ming shakes her head, then steps out into the rain.I can see a thin layer of qi pushing the rain away from her as she starts walking.

    Xia Jing shrugs her shoulders, then smiles at me as she runs to catch up, her parasol protecting her.

    I step into the rain, enjoying the feeling of it on me as I follow the two girls.

    Our trip into the outer sect is quiet as very few people want to be out in the downpour. Xia Jing stops us at the gate leading to the outer sect and hands Lai Ming a blue fox mask.

    ¡°If we¡¯re going in disguise, we might as well match.¡± Xia Jing pulls out her own mask, a green fox, and slips it on.

    Lai Ming raises an eyebrow, but puts the mask on.

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s not too much?¡± I ask.

    Lai Ming shakes her head. ¡°There are plenty of people that would recognize me, even in these robes.¡±

    Xia Jing nods, ¡°Our Older Sister has made quite the name for herself.¡± She leans closer to me, ¡°So there was this martial Master by the name of Quon¡­¡±

    Lai Ming sighs as Xia Jing tells me about how the older disciple had hunted down a group of smugglers inside the sect.

    The outer sect is as bustling as ever, despite the rain. Many of the people have parasols like Xia Jing, and I find myself looking at a few with beautiful designs, wondering if I should get one myself.

    I enjoy the feeling of the rain, but the colors and designs of the parasols call to me. Thankfully, it¡¯s not too far to the arena, and my attention is quickly taken away from the pretty items.

    Mistress Song catches sight of us as soon as we enter the tent, and motions us over. I follow behind the two other girls as they push through the crowd.

    ¡°Disciple Xuan!¡± She calls out my fake name as we arrive, waving off the person she¡¯d been talking to.

    Lai Ming looks surprised by the name, but hides it well.

    ¡°What a pleasure it is to see you. I have just the match for you.¡± She motions for me to follow her, so I say goodbye to the other two girls.

    Mistress Song leads me through the curtain in the back. ¡°Your last match was quite enjoyable to watch.¡± She says as we walk down a pathway. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to what you¡¯ll show me today, I believe that this one will be far more interesting.¡±

    I¡¯m led to another tent. A disciple standing guard bows his head to both of us as we enter. Inside the tent is a waiting area for the fighters, familiar to me from my last fight.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you after this fight. Please prepare yourself as much as you need.¡± With that said, she leaves the room.

    I nod, then make my way to the same cushion I¡¯d waited on before my last fight. I sit down to meditate.

    The fight before mine is over quickly, and a familiar looking Outer Disciple fetches me to lead me to the ring.

    I¡¯m led underneath the tent, and to the same door I¡¯d waited behind next time. I take a deep breath, preparing myself for walking in front of the crowd again.

    ¡°For our next fight, we have a treat for all of you! Our little fox, Xuan Lu is back!¡±

    The door opens, and I step into the arena. The spirit of the room again washes over me. I look out from under my mask at the many people watching. Xia Jing waves at me excitedly while Lai Ming gives a small wave.

    ¡°And on the other side, we have a veteran of the arena, many of you know him as the genius alchemist. Please welcome Bai Long!¡±

    The name is familiar to me, but I can¡¯t quite place it. On the other side of the arena, a young man my age steps out. His steps are sure, and he looks at me with a focused gaze.

 Chapter 56: Evil Travels In Packs

    It takes me a second to place him as the boy from my early days in the sect. The same one that had challenged me for my position as an inner disciple. I hadn¡¯t seen much of him since our challenge.

    He looks at me without recognition as he raises his hands and sweeps his leg back into a ready stance.

    I take a deep breath and focus.

    I raise my hand and my feet spread out in preparation for the first moves of the The First Song: Dance Of The Brook.

    The announcer calls the fight and both of us move. Fire coats his hands and feet as he appears in front of me, his fist exploding forward.

    I sing, my hands catching his. I flow around the punch, my own palm aiming for his chest.

    He dodges under the strike, then kicks forward. I dodge the kick by shifting my feet, but the heat of his flames wash over me and I step back.

    Another deep breath, then my hands move. I see the depths of the song, the gentle flowing of the brook.

    For the first time, I feel like I¡¯m truly dancing with a partner.

    Steam fills the pit as fire meets water in clash after clash.

    A smile spreads on my face, the dance coming to me naturally as I move around and under every strike.

    Bai Long takes a step back and our dance pauses.

    I move my hands gently, slowing my dance as our eyes meet.

    He twirls his hands and fire gathers around him. A stomp for more flame, another stomp to increase the heat.

    I close my eyes as I dance, gathering my own water. I dive deep into the depths of the song. Something much greater approaches me as my qi is stretched to its max with every twirl of my hands.

    Even with my eyes closed, I feel as our two dances approach their zenith. My eyes open as we both step forward.

    My water flows forward taking the form of a dragon. His fire bursts out with the wings of a phoenix. Our qi clashes, exploding.

    I¡¯m thrown back, but as I fly through the air, I¡¯m laughing. My qi rushes through my body, pushing past my tenth meridian blockage.

    I get it now. The dance makes sense to me.

    I hit the wall of the arena and fall to the floor, still smiling. Something about the dance was so joyous.

    I look up and catch the eyes of Bai Long, he smiles at me before his eyes close and he passes out.

    The crowd cheers as I push myself to my feet.

    ***

    The three of us walk towards a local restaurant, all of us still wearing our outer disciple robes and masks.

    ¡°What was that? It looked close to the sect''s martial arts, but was¡­¡± Lai Ming trails off.

    ¡°Cool? Entrancing? Amazing? I can keep coming up with more.¡± Xia Jing smiles at the two of us.

    ¡°It was a technique gifted to me.¡± I answer.

    ¡°Being a Core Disciple must be nice.¡± Xia Jing sighs. I don¡¯t correct her on where I got the technique.

    ¡°Elder Han has been very interested in you. Perhaps she¡¯ll choose you as a direct disciple.¡± Lai Ming looks over to Xia Jing as we arrive at the restaurant. It¡¯s a decent sized building that reminds me of the tavern in the capital that I¡¯d met Sun in.

    ¡°Maybe if she comes out of closed door cultivation in the next ten years.¡± Xia Jing sighs.

    A little bell rings as we enter the place, and the sole waiter turns to us with a small bow. We¡¯re led past a couple tables with quiet disciples to a table in the corner.

    ¡°This is new.¡± Lai Ming says after we¡¯ve ordered a few simple meals..

    ¡°What?¡± Xia Jing tilts her head.

    Lai Ming looks around, ¡°I¡¯ve never sat down here. Usually they guide me up to the second level.¡±

    ¡°Welcome to life as an outer disciple.¡± Xia Jing says. ¡°Life on the first floor, oh the tragedy.¡±

    Mai Ling flicks Xia Jing on the forehead and I laugh.

    The waiter comes back around and gives all three of us our food. We stare in excitement as several different plates of still steaming dumplings are set between us.

    The food quickly finds its way to our plates as we grab portions from each platter.

    ¡°Watching you makes me want to fight in the martial pavilion.¡± Lai Ming says between bites, her mask on her forehead.

    ¡°Righ¡¯?¡± Xia Jing says around a mouthful of food. She swallows. ¡°Gets your blood pumping.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something else.¡± I agree. ¡°This last fight I¡­ I saw it and I felt it. The shape of a dao so powerful.¡±

    Both girls nod in understanding.

    Lai Ming opens her mouth, but a clatter at the front distracts us.

    I¡¯m surprised to see a familiar face.

    Core Disciple Fu Lan Fen stands there, the very same girl that had gained me my punishment at the start of the year. The server had dropped a plate of food, and is bowing profusely to the girl who glares with a malice that makes my stomach turn.

    This time she is flanked by an older core disciple I don¡¯t recognize, but he gives off an energy that puts him in Mid to Late Foundation Establishment. I can¡¯t see his face, as it is wrapped up in a black cloth, only showing his eyes. A third disciple stands slightly behind them, a boy from my very first days in the sect named Lu Gang. He holds himself with a quiet confidence he hadn¡¯t had when I¡¯d last seen him, and I can tell that he¡¯s around the 8th level of Qi Awakening.

    The server continues to bow and apologize, but I can¡¯t hear him from this distance.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Xia Jing leans over to me, her mask pulled down. ¡°Sister Jia. Isn¡¯t that the disciple who got you in trouble? What¡¯s she doing with Gao Hong and Lu Gang?¡±

    I shrug, not knowing. ¡°Who¡¯s Gao Hong?¡±

    ¡°A murderer.¡± Lai Ming says, her eyes sharp as a cold radiates from her.

    ¡°Sister Ming.¡± Xia Jing chastises. She pulls the dumplings on the table away from the older disciple. ¡°You¡¯ll freeze them.¡±

    Lai Ming seems to calm from the warning, and turns away from the disciples that had entered. ¡°My appetite is spoiled anyway. You can have the rest.¡±

    ¡°Happily.¡± Xia Jing smiles and reaches for a dumpling.

    My chopsticks are faster as I steal it out from under her and put it in my mouth.

    She glares at me, then shakes her head. ¡°Imagine the disappointment of the sect if they found out that the sweet Lin Jia was actually a-¡±

    The movement of qi stops her mid-sentence. We turn around as one to see an outer disciple I don¡¯t recognize held in the air by the black wrappings of Disciple Gao. My fists tighten at the scene, but the outer disciple is just held there as the other disciples ask him a question.

    ¡°Why do evil people travel in packs?¡± Xia Jing mutters.

    I turn to look at Lai Ming for her response, but she¡¯s gone.

    A second later, a sword of ice cuts through the cloth holding the outer disciple in the air.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Lai Ming asks them in a deeper tone than usual. She has her blue fox mask down, covering her face.

    ¡°This is inner sect business.¡± Disciple Fu steps forward, but the hand of Disciple Gao holds her back.

    I stand up and walk over behind Lai Ming. I motion towards the outer disciple, and he quickly gets the message to disappear.

    Xia Jing joins the two of us a second later, holding a plate of dumplings. She pops one into her mouth under her own green fox mask, then tilts her head at the three other disciples.

    The qi in the room stills and the air halts as a tenseness goes through everyone.

    ¡°Outer disciples should mind their own business.¡± Disciple Gao says.

    Xia Jing gives me a look, as if accusing me of bringing her into this situation. For once, I was going to stay out of it and enjoy the food. I didn¡¯t think the outer disciple''s life was in danger, or I¡¯d be where Lai Ming is now.

    I shrug at Xia Jing and motion towards Lai MIng.

    Xia Jing just shakes her head at me.

    I frown in annoyance.

    ¡°Inner disciples are forbidden from disciplining outer disciples without a master present.¡± Lai Ming says.

    Disciple Gao laughs. ¡°Come on, you don¡¯t believe that anybody actually follows that rule¡± He frowns, ¡°Who exactly are you? Wait never mind, doesn¡¯t matter. If you¡¯re in Foundation Establishment and still in the outer sect, then you¡¯re a nobody.¡±

    His wrappings move at speed, reaching for all three of us. Ice and stone rise from the ground to meet the wrappings.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    The room freezes.

    A martial master walks down from the second floor, his presence that of someone in Core Formation. He¡¯s an old man, so much so that  his eyes are covered by his gray eyebrows. His long beard practically reaches his waist.

    ¡°All of you. Leave. I was enjoying my food.¡±

    The six of us bow to the older man, but the glares that Lai Ming and Gao Hong share tells me that their dispute isn¡¯t over.

    We don¡¯t talk much on the way back, and Lai Ming¡¯s mood is dark. Xia Jing share a glance, wondering at the backstory. Unfortunately, she disappears as soon as we reach the inner sect.

    ***

    The music of the second requiem surrounds me, filling my room and twisting it into the image of a familiar tavern.

    Zhu Yan Se stares at the portrait of her lover, her expression hidden by the black veil that covers her face..

    I put down my flute, the illusion sustaining itself off of my qi.

    ¡°Back so soon?¡± She asks, her head rising to look at me.

    I bow low to her, fist in palm. ¡°Thank you for your teachings. I have learned much.¡±

    She smiles. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± She stands up, setting the portrait on the table. ¡°Tell me, do you believe yourself worthy now?¡±

    ¡°No. I would not yet call myself worthy.¡± I rise from my bow. ¡°But I am becoming a woman who can call herself worthy, little by little.¡±

    Zhu Yan Se raises her veil to reveal a smile. Her eyes look at me with a surprising amount of warmth. ¡°That is the journey we all must face, young one. I am glad that you have finally taken your first step. I hope that my teachings can help you on that journey, even if by the slightest of margins.¡±

    She waves her hand, and The Twelve Songs Of Water comes out of my ring. It opens up and words write themselves into The Second Song: Flow Of The River. The book flips to the next page and The Third Song: Tranquil Lake also writes itself in.

    ¡°I see that you have already grasped the basics of the second song. That is good. My songs will take you far. Good luck, young disciple of ours.¡±

    The illusion dissipates, leaving me alone in my room.

    And now it¡¯s on to the harder part of the day.

    I twirl my flute in my hands. I had reached the Tenth Level of Qi Awakening during my fight with Bai Long, with my advancement, I can now play The Tenth Requiem: Death. I remember my discussion with Zhu Teng so long ago, where he had told me that the tenth requiem would give me insight into the meaning of death.

    Am I ready for that look into death? Am I ready to see what the meaning of it all is? If that¡¯s even what it will show me. Zhu Teng didn¡¯t have the answers, and I doubt that this one does either.

    I bring out The Twelve Requiems of Illusion and hold it in front of me without opening it. I have seen men kill each other, I have killed men, I have seen loss, both my own and the loss of others. Some part of me fears what the requiem will show me, what it will mean. I¡¯m scared that when I see the truth of death, it will be worse than I had hoped.

    Am I ready for that?

    No.

    Still, my hands open the book to The Tenth Requiem: Death. I look over the notes there, my mind wandering over the music. I take a deep breath, then bring my flute to my lips.

    I play and the world shifts. The music is soft, a warm blanket the covers everything.

    A man kneels, rain pattering against him and the broken cobble under his knees.

    A bloodied sword is in his right hand, and I realize he¡¯s crying.

    Across from him are the bodies of a woman and a child.

    ¡°I should have been here.¡± His words are quiet, but resonate through the rain so that I can hear them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. Please forgive me. I love you, please please hear me.¡±

    He sings softly, his voice joining my music in a soft duet.

    The music rises, and a spirit forms, her face peaceful.

    Gently, the woman places her hand on the man¡¯s head. ¡°Hello.¡± She says and the man freezes.

    ¡°I see the guilt you feel in your heart, qing ai de. The pain that you hold, the regret.¡± She reaches down, her hand cupping his face.

    He finally looks up at her, but his eyes can¡¯t meet hers.

    ¡°I know. And I love you. You are not alone, and you are forgiven.¡± Her eyes turn towards me, meeting mine.

    Tears flow down my face as she speaks to me. Her eyes hold mine, promising a comfort and an understanding I desperately need.

    ¡°Every death stabs at you, twists your heart until you wonder if you have lost who you are. I promise you, you are forgiven.¡± She smiles, ¡°Our future is uncertain, but we hold no grudge against you, for as we move onto the path ahead of us, we see the truth of your heart.¡± She turns away from me and leans down to the kneeling man. She kisses his forehead, her lips lingering for a long moment. ¡°Do not let our deaths create more tragedy within you, love of mine.¡±

    She dissipates, her hand resting on the man¡¯s face for a loving moment, before it too, is gone.

    The music quiets, and the man lets out a heaving sob before going quiet. Finally, he grabs his sword and stands up.

    His eyes meet mine, and I see the tragedy there, the heart broken that can never be fixed. He closes his eyes, and bows his head to me.

    The illusion dissipates, leaving me alone in my room.

    I put my flute down, and turn my eyes to the window as tears stream down my face.

 Chapter 57: Betrayal

    I sit next to the river, watching as the first flakes of snow fall to the ground. The river flows lazily, the water rippling from the falling flakes. The spirit in the air is dark, an ominous feeling in contrast with the calm of the river.

    Shia slithers over to me, and I lay my arm on the floor, giving her a path for her to climb up into my robe.

    She wraps herself around my waist. Her presence is a comforting one, reminding me that I¡¯m not alone.

    I hum, then sing to the water. Second Song: Flow Of The River.

    Water rises with my voice, separating from the flow of the river as it follows my song.

    The water dances around me, flowing into a small stream that circles me in a spiral before returning to the river.

    The song is soft, barely using my qi to create a path for the water. I sense that I could change the song, give it more power and voice to take the full power of the river.

    I enjoy the lazy flow. I even catch sight of tiny fishes in the water around me.

    The song slows to a finish, depositing the water back into the river.

    I stand up and stretch, snow falling off of my shoulders to the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t like this feeling. The calm before the storm.¡±

    ¡°That is natural, little one.¡± Shia says, she slithers up my chest and rests her head on my shoulder. ¡°But I suspect that the peace will not last too much longer.¡±

    I nod, and set back off to my home. ¡°I wish Qiu Tai was here.¡±

    The path takes me along the river. It¡¯s helpful for my thoughts to just meander along these paths common all over the sect.

    My steps slow as I catch sight of Xia Jing pacing back and forth in front of Elder Qiu Tai¡¯s home. She catches sight of me at the same time as I see her.

    She walks over to me, meeting me at the edge of the trail.

    I stop to look at her. She¡¯s pinching the edge of her sleeves as she looks behind me, like she¡¯s hoping to see someone else.

    She bites her lip when she realizes that I¡¯m alone, then turns her full attention to me. ¡°Have you seen Sister Ming?¡±

    I shake my head. I haven¡¯t seen her since my last fight in the outer sect.

    Her face twists into a frown, and she looks in the direction of the outer sect. ¡°She wasn¡¯t with Elder Wu, and I can¡¯t find her in the Inner sect. I¡¯m worried about her.¡±

    My heart sinks at her words. The way Lai Ming had looked when she¡¯d walked off after we ate at the restaurant¡­ It wasn''t good. I activate my spatial ring, then pull out the red fox mask. ¡°We¡¯ll look for her together.¡±

    After my Master¡¯s warnings about Elder Fu, I haven¡¯t felt comfortable wandering the sect in my core disciple robes. The anonymity of the Xian Lu persona fits me better, so I pull the red fox mask over my face, then pull out a set of outer disciple robes.

    Xia Jing nods, ¡°Let me change. I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes.¡±

    She immediately starts walking towards the rooms of the Inner Disciples.

    I watch her leave, then sigh before letting out a small laugh. I continue back to the house, then change into my outer disciple robes.

    I make my way through the house taking care of the plants. Several of them need watering, or to be moved. I want to keep them healthy while Master Qiu Tai is away. Most of the plants are losing their leaves or darkening for the winter, but I can sense the little bit of spirit inside them that tells me they are still alive.

    I¡¯m messing with a temperamental Lunar Orchid when Xia Jing returns. She¡¯s also dressed in the robes of an outer disciple, and her green fox mask is on top of her head.

    I set the Lunar Orchid next to the window, and move to follow my sister disciple.

    Something has her feeling really nervous, and we don¡¯t talk much as we enter the outer sect.

    The snow starts falling down with more intensity and lanterns are lit along the paths of the merchant district. No one had seen Lai Ming, but they had seen an outer disciple wearing a blue fox mask.

    A merchant directs us off the main roads, and then a younger disciple sweeping the snow points us to a partially overgrown path that follows one of the smaller rivers.

    I pause at the entrance to the path, wrinkling my nose. The faint scent of blood is caught by the wind. Xia Jing looks at me worriedly, but I don¡¯t say anything as my mouth tightens.

    ¡°Arm yourself, little one.¡± Shia¡¯s voice carries a strange tone to it.

    I don¡¯t argue, and pull my sword out of my inventory to wrap the sheath around my waist. Xia Jing catches my gaze. She hadn¡¯t brought a weapon, but I feel as her qi circulates within her.

    We continue down the path, traveling further and further away from the bustling parts of the sect. The scent of blood grows, and Xia JIng seems to sense the strangeness of the atmosphere, her body growing tense.

    There¡¯s a turn in the path and we reach a clearing.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    I stop, frozen in place.

    The ground of the clearing is covered in ice, and at the center stands Lai Ming, her blue mask stained with red streaks. In her hand, is her ice sword. She looks up at the snow as it falls around her.

    At her feet is Disciple Gao, blood flowing from him in rivulets across the ice. The black wraps that covered his face in ribbons around him. Hanging from ice spikes are two other disciples, Disciple Fu Lan Fen and Disciple Lu Gang. Their bodies white from the freezing cold of the icicles piercing through their chests.

    I take a step forward and ice cracks under my feet.

    Lai Ming turns to us. Her eyes widen as she takes us in.

    Xia Jing stands at the edge of the clearing, frozen. I step forward, the ice cracking with every step.

    Lai Ming doesn¡¯t move as I walk over to the three dead disciples, confirming every death. You can¡¯t know for sure with some cultivators.

    I look away from Disciple Gao and meet Lai Ming¡¯s eyes.

    She looks at me with defiance, but doesn¡¯t say anything.

    I let out a breath as I come to a decision. My heart hardens, ¡°You need to leave now. Your qi is too recognizable. The first Elder here will know that you did this.¡±

    ¡°I can cover the bodies.¡± Xia Jing says, ¡°It¡¯ll delay their search.¡±

    Lai Ming looks back and forth between us with surprise.

    ¡°You can use my name with my father or Princess Shi Da.¡± I say, ¡°They¡¯ll hide you. With the war, you¡¯ll be-¡±

    ¡°I had to.¡± Lai Ming says.

    I pause. In her eyes I see the defiance turn to something else, watering and on the verge of tears.

    I share a look with Xia Jing.

    ¡°We know.¡± I say. ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°You killed two core disciples. Elder Wu can¡¯t protect you.¡± Xia Jing finishes. ¡°Sister Jia is right, you need to leave now.¡±

    Lai Ming doesn¡¯t respond, her gaze moving to the dead disciples.

    The clearing descends into silence, the snow slowly accumulating on top of the bodies.

    I wasn¡¯t expecting this. Not so close to home.

    I hate this.

    ¡°Someone is coming.¡± Shia says.

    Her words knock me out of my spiraling mind and I curse. I pull my flute out of a pocket in my robe. ¡°Get us out of here.¡± I say to Xia Jing.

    She catches my meaning and rushes to me. Her arm wraps around me as I put my flute to my mouth under the mask.

    The Sixth Requiem: The Tomb

    A long note plays out of my flute, and darkness unfolds from me, covering us and wrapping around the approaching presence.

    Immediately, a powerful force pushes against my illusion, and I know it to be a Master of the sect in Early Core Formation. I call on every ounce of my qi to hold out against the Master for the few seconds we need as Xia Jing¡¯s other arm wraps around Lai Ming.

    Xia Jing¡¯s qi folds us into the earth, and we leave the scene of icy death behind.

    I hold my illusion for another second before it is shattered by the sheer power of the Master.

    I cough blood onto my flute and my vision goes blurry. I have enough of my mind left to know to stash my flute in my robe, then I black out for a few seconds.

    My vision comes back to me as Xia Jing steps into a copse of trees.

    She sets us both down, her breath heavy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I-¡± Lai Ming starts.

    Xia Jing holds up her hand. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, we¡¯re all in this together now.¡±

    Lai Ming shakes her head, ¡°You both can still leave. I¡¯m the one at fault.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that.¡± Xia Jing looks over to me, ¡°The sect knows who uses their qi through their music, and I¡¯m not letting you two face this alone. We¡¯re in this one together.¡±

    Lai Ming looks at me as I lift my hand to wipe the blood off of my lips. My throat hurts too much to speak, so I just nod in agreement with Sister Xia.

    The hint of smile appears on her lips before it disappears. She nods. ¡°How do we get out of here?¡±

    ¡°I might know a way.¡± Xia Jing says, ¡°But you need to change first, you¡¯re covered in blood.¡±

    Lai Ming pulls a robe out of her own spatial ring, then immediately starts disrobing. I turn around to let her change.

    My mind is still a bit of a mess. Everything had happened so fast, and I¡¯d never expected to see Lai Ming like that. I trust that Lai Ming had good reasons for what she did, but¡­ was death necessary? Was there no other way?

    I touch the flute in my pocket, my finger feeling the smooth wood that had accompanied me for so many years. It gives me comfort, and my thoughts calm. I hum the Third Song: Tranquil Lake, and my mind focuses. What matters now is that we get out of the sect. Two dead core disciples and a dead inner disciple is not something easily forgiven or escaped, not to mention one of those disciples is the granddaughter of an Elder. It doesn¡¯t matter how good a reason Lai Ming has, Elder Wu Li Mei won¡¯t be enough to stop the wrath of the other elders. Wherever we go, we¡¯ll have to move quietly.

    So how do we escape the sect? We¡¯ll have angry masters and elders on our heels soon. That means we need to get outside of sect territory as fast as possible. There¡¯s two things that come to mind; the portals, and the technique Elder Zhu had used to bring me here after I dropped off Ai.

    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Lai MIng says, and I turn around. She¡¯s wearing a purple mortal robe without any markings on it. ¡°I have to leave a message for one of the outer sect Masters, then we can leave.¡±

    Xia Jing looks back the direction we came from. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much time we have¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any proof, but I have to warn Elder Wu.¡± Lai Ming starts walking and we follow behind her.

    ¡°Proof of what?¡± I ask.

    Lai Ming stops, forcing Xia Jing and I to pause.

    She turns to us, ¡°Proof that Elder Fu and Elder Song have betrayed the sect.¡± She takes a deep breath, ¡°The master who betrayed you and let the Four Armed Swordsman into the palace. He wasn¡¯t working alone.¡± She turns around and continues walking. ¡°I saw the signs, but no one believed me, except for Elder Wu. I still don¡¯t have proof, but with what happened¡­ I know Elder Fu and Elder Song are working for the Shan Mountain Sect.¡±

    Xia Jing and I exchange a glance while Lai Ming keeps walking.

    We hurry after her. I tighten my mask, taking a deep breath.

    When we arrive to the merchant¡¯s district, it¡¯s in chaos. Disciples run back and forth while Core Formation Cultivators fly through the air. In the distance I see an two Elders, their qi searching the paths.

    Xia Jing grabs both of our hands, and her qi wraps around us. She makes us look like the earth to the searching qi of the Elders.

    Lai Ming leads us to a small run down building. An older man leans against the building, a pipe in his mouth that he smokes as we approach.

    He tilts his head as Lai Ming approaches him, then his qi wraps around us, hiding us further from the search.

    Lai Ming walks up to him, and shows him a small butterfly pin, then hands him a piece of parchment. He opens it, then lets out a long sigh before speaking.

    ¡°I see. Come inside.¡±

    He walks into his house and Lai Ming follows him without question. I¡¯m a step behind her, with Xia Jing trailing.

    The old man moves a rug, revealing a trap door. ¡°They will meet you at the end of the tunnel.¡± He opens the door to darkness.

    Lai Ming hesitates, then bows fist to palm. She rises from her bow and jumps into the darkness.

    I hear her feet land, then walk up to the hatch. I bow to the master as well. I don¡¯t know him, but his spirit is warm and ancient, reminding me of a tree.

    I rise from my bow, then jump into the darkness after Lai Ming.

 Chapter 58: Across Space

    I crouch as I land in the darkness. The rocks on the side of the tunnel light up as faint qi travels through them. It¡¯s a low glow, barely lighting the way.

    Lai Ming stands a few feet ahead of me, staring down the path. Her face is impossible to read under her mask. I step towards her, and place my hand on her shoulder. She turns to me, her eyes softening.

    Xia Jing lands behind us, her feet touching the ground with barely any sound.

    The three of us walk through the barely lit tunnel. No qi brushes over us, and we can¡¯t hear anything in the darkness.

    The tunnel curves enough times that I start to lose track of where we are under the sect. The other two girls are silent as we walk, the tense atmosphere following us as we travel.

    Eventually, the tunnel widens and we reach a large pair of stone doors. Qi reaches out to us from the doors, analyzing us before retreating back to the doors. The doors open slowly, revealing a large cavernous room with a familiar formation. The same formation the Elder had used to bring me to the sect.

    The room twists and turns as an older man steps out of twisting space into the room. Elder Zhu looks over the three of us imperiously, his gaze landing on me.

    My sister disciples tense at the sight of the Elder, and I start to worry that he¡¯s here to stop us.

    ¡°Hello, little Lin. It seems you¡¯ve put yourself at odds with the sect yet again.¡± Elder Zhu looks at me imperiously, before his mouth shifts into a small smile. ¡°Better hurry over here before the other Elders arrive.¡±

    I let out a sigh before walking into the formation. Xia Jing and Lai Ming follow me hesitantly.

    Qi flows through Elder Zhu as he puts his hand on the formation. ¡°I haven¡¯t prepared this formation, and I¡¯ll have to get past the protections of the sect. The Elders will sense as I activate the formations needed to get you out of here. Elder Wu will attempt to delay them, but I doubt she¡¯ll be able to do so for long. Do not attempt to defend yourselves when they arrive.¡±

    Qi explodes from the Elder, flowing through the formation and lighting it up with energy. The qi circles and twists as the Elder uses a technique more complicated than any I have witnessed.

    The roof of the cavern is torn apart revealing a powerful figure standing on the air above us..

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Elder Fu cries. He raises his fist, qi gathering in it. The qi strikes down on the formation, but Elder Zhu doesn¡¯t stop his work. A flock of butterflies form up, blocking the strike. Elder Wu appears in front of the other Elder.

    More Elders appear in the air, until every Elder is in attendance.

    ¡°Stop them!¡± Elder Fu cries.

    Water rises from the surrounding rivers, forming into the Matriarch. She looks at Elder Wu and Elder Zhu.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asks, her eyes narrowing in on me before moving back to Elder Zhu.

    ¡°Forgive me Matriarch, but I believe this to be in the best interest of the sect.¡± Elder Zhu says. His eyes glow as he twists and turns the qi in the formation.

    The Matriarch steps forward but a soft hand on her arm stops her.

    She looks back at Martial Elder Li Quon. He takes in the entire scene until his eyes land on us three in the middle. He takes his hand back and bows to the Matriarch. ¡°We cannot afford to divide ourselves here, Matriarch.¡±

    The world starts to twist around me as Elder Zhu approaches the end of his preparations.

    ¡°You would let them go?!¡± Elder Fu raises his hand and qi erupts from around him, aiming for the formation. Elder Wu tries to react, but she only catches part of the attack. The faintest part of his attack hits the formation and Elder Zhu¡¯s eyes widen.

    The last thing I see is qi moving as the Elders prepare to fight each other, then space shatters. It attempts to rearrange itself, then fractures again. I lose sight of my sister disciples as the world reasserts itself again.

    The ground disappears from under me and I fall a few feet to the ground. The ground squishes under me, and birds fly into the air out of surprise.

    I push myself off the ground, my eyes widening as I take in where I¡¯d arrived. Bodies line the ground, their blood having long since flown into the earth. The scene is unfortunately all too familiar to me. The aftermath of a bloody battlefield.

    Bile rises in my throat, and I force it back down. I need to find out where the elder sent us¡­ I look around, but no matter how hard I look, I don¡¯t see Xia Jing and Lai Ming.

    I¡¯m alone in a field of death again.

    NO.

    Shia tightens around my waist, reminding me that she¡¯s still with me. I shake my head and close my eyes, breathing in and out in an attempt to calm myself. The scent of the dead fills my nostrils, their spirit twisting the very air. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    I ignore it, focusing on my own mind. I hum the Third Song: Tranquil Lake.

    The music calms my mind, allowing me to reopen my eyes. It¡¯s hard to tell, but I¡¯m fairly certain that most of the dead are cultivators. They wear unfamiliar clothing which likely means they are from outside the Shi Empire, or I¡¯ve found myself on the other side of a portal.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, little one.¡± Shia¡¯s voice helps. No matter what, she¡¯s with me here.

    I step forward. The battle was a large one, and it occurred within the last few days. The birds fly back down, eating the dead as I walk through the battlefield.

    The only thing keeping my sanity is the song I hum. It drives away the horror and the despair that attempts to consume me at the sight.

    My steps carry me forward until the sounds of two blades clashing hits my ears. Qi moves in waves from the fight, drawing my attention to the sky.

    A cultivator exuding power even beyond the Matriarch, clashes against a demon. Darkness shrouds the cultivator, infusing every strike with a dangerous feeling.

    The demon opposite of her wields an immense amount of power, fueled by the spirit of hunger and murder.

    An attack by the demon is blocked by the cultivator and my eyes widen as part of it is deflected. A blade of qi approaches me.

    I draw my sword, then shift my song to Second Song: Flow Of The River.

    Blood rises up from the ground and I stop humming to sing with all the qi in me. The blood and my qi flows to the edge of my blade as I meet the aftershock of qi with everything I have.

    My blade cuts through the blade approaching. Small nicks cover my arms and mask. as the residuals of the attack hit me.

    I gasp for breath, surprised at the power of an attack that wasn¡¯t meant for me and weakened by the cultivator in darkness.

    My eyes return to the sky to see the demon falling from the sky, its head separated from its body.

    The cultivator in darkness turns to me, then they are in front of me.

    The darkness recedes to reveal a woman I have seen far too many times.

    The Murderess of the third requiem sighs as she takes me in, ¡°You are far too weak to be here, little Lin.¡± Her hand reaches out, touching my forehead before I can react. ¡°It is good to see you in the flesh. Try not to die before we meet again.¡±

    Darkness wraps around me.

    The first thing to reach me is the sounds of many voices, then my eyes flutter open to find myself on a busy road, with many unfamiliar buildings lining the sides.

    The people on the street quiet as they look at me. I look down at myself to see my bloodied sword still out and a strange book in my hands.

    I sheathe the sword, then lift the book. It¡¯s wrapped in soft leather, and it doesn¡¯t have a title. I look around at the people gathering. They whisper and stare at me.

    I clear my throat, and hold the book close to my chest. I walk down the street away from the people.

    Shia slithers up and down my body, restless.

    ¡°Do you know where we are?¡± I ask quietly.

    ¡°No. I was a youngling when I last traveled through the many worlds.¡± Shia responds.

    I had guessed as much, but I¡¯d hoped we were just in a town I hadn¡¯t been to before.

    ¡°Hide yourself, little one.¡±

    I don¡¯t need any more warning than that to use Movements Of The Silent Monster. People stop paying attention to me, as the mortal eyes are unable to see me through the technique. I slip into the flow of people going about their regular business in the market.

    Two cultivators in the early stages of Foundation Establishment land in the market square. Their robes are red, with black lines going up and down their chest in a wave-like pattern.

    They look through the crowd, and I keep my technique going as I do my best to follow the flow of the mortal civilians.

    ¡°I recognize those robes.¡± Shia says, her voice unreadable. ¡°The Fourth Sect of Shanping.¡±

    I lose sight of the two cultivators in the crowd. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of them.¡± I say quietly. They¡¯re not one of the six sects of the empire I know.

    I turn down a random street, entering a less crowded part of town.

    ¡°They hunt spirit beasts and demons with equal disregard.¡± Shia¡¯s voice turns venomous.

    My hand moves to the head of the snake in my robes, gently stroking her scales, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to avoid them.¡±

    I turn towards another street, when the faintest sound of music stops me mid-step.

    I tilt my head, listening, then follow the music. As I get closer, I can hear it coming from a building not unlike the inn I had once visited with Matu.

    I step inside to find men and women drinking quietly and watching a young man on the stage.

    His fingers move gently over strings as he draws a bow across an unfamiliar instrument half as tall as he is. Each note comes out low, but the spirit¡­ the spirit is beautiful. It dances with the wind, drawing in every breath as it begs to be heard.

    The music goes low, then tilts back up again into the heights of the heavens. My hand moves to the flute in my pocket as I take a seat.

    I wouldn¡¯t dare interrupt a performance like this, but I so desperately want to join in. The spirit calls to me, a purity to the music that is reminiscent of the requiems I hold so dear.

    The music plays for an unknowable amount of time before it stops. Like an illusion breaking, I¡¯m brought back to the real world.

    For the first time, I see the young man behind the instrument. He must be around my age, but his hair and eyes are lighter than most of the people I¡¯ve met.

    I get up from the seat I¡¯d taken and make my way to him.

    He looks up as I approach.

 Chapter 59: Lanxing Wordsmiths

    I stop a few paces away and bow. ¡°Your music is beautiful.¡±

    The young man bows his head in response to the compliment. ¡°Thank you, I am only a student to the craft.¡± he plucks a few strings, the notes ringing out softly. ¡°Are you a musician yourself?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± I pull out my flute, showing it to him.

    ¡°I sensed the spirit of music on you.¡± He laughs. His laughter is light and musical, sounding like little bells. ¡°The notes follow you like ducklings to their mother.¡± He hums softly, plucking a few more strings. ¡°Would you play with me, Lady of Music and Death?¡±

    My body stills at the name Ai had called me. He closes his eyes, leaning into the music and missing my reaction.

    I look around the tavern, with its many patrons drinking and talking softly. Can I allow myself the distraction, when the sect could be in danger, and I am so lost? It feels like¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should.¡±

    ¡°I just ask for one song.¡± He says, opening his eyes. ¡°Can you not see the song? It asks to be played.¡± His eyes turn into gentle blue waves, moving with the soft plucking of his instrument.

    For the first time, I notice the spirit around him. It plays a soft melody in my ear, one of hope and life. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard spirit in such a way, but it is familiar in a way that I can¡¯t quite describe.

    I slowly nod my head, then sit next to him.

    ¡°Lead the way, Lady Death.¡± He calls softly.

    I shift my mask up, and place my flute to my lips.

    The crowd of the tavern quiets, turning to us as they sense the air of the tavern still. Qi and spirit wrap around the young man¡¯s instrument as he stops plucking it and puts his bow against the strings.

    A hush follows.

    I breathe in, qi gathering to my breath, then I play.

    My music swirls through the room, a haunting melody that calls for the patron¡¯s gazes.

    The melody shifts with sadness, a reminder of all that has been lost.

    His bow travels across his strings, and a lighter tone joins mine.

    A contrasting lightness that tells of the beauty to be found even in the darkest of tunes. It speaks of light through the canopy, piercing the darkness.

    Our music mixes as I continue my haunting melody, only for his light to promise something more.

    I open my eyes. I hadn¡¯t even realized I closed them. In the room, a figure of light dances with a figure of darkness. They chase each other across the room, until even the darkness enjoys the fun of the game.

    They shift with the music, a constant entanglement of duality.

    The music slows, and the two figures slow their chase. They dance together in the center of the room, slowly merging as our music joins together in melody.

    They hold each other, becoming a mix of light and shadow until one is indistinguishable from the other.

    Our music quiets as the dance comes to an end, the two figures slowly fading in each other¡¯s arms.

    The young man breaks out into laughter, musical and filled with joy. Conversation slowly returns to the tavern. ¡°That was great! Better than I¡¯d hoped. Are you a student of the Wordsmiths too? No, you can¡¯t be, they don¡¯t allow you to be in a sect while learning the arts.¡±

    I pause, ¡°Do you mean the Lanxing Wordsmiths?¡±

    ¡°I guess not then? Best to keep that quiet.¡± He plucks a few strings, sending a small breeze through the room with the music. ¡°The Wordsmiths are quite protective of the secrets of the dao of music.¡± He looks up and gives me a wink. ¡°Good thing you¡¯re all mysterious with that mask of yours. Oh, that reminds me, are you following those other girls with the fox masks?¡±

    I perk up at his words, ¡°Other girls?¡±

    He pauses, ¡°Oh. You don¡¯t know. I¡¯d assumed that the Fourth Sect had contacted your sect and you were sent to retrieve them.¡± He frowns, his hand strumming his instrument lightly as he thinks. He looks up at me curiously, ¡°It seems that fate- or perhaps an immortal- is on your side, seeing as you met me. Follow me.¡±

    He stands up and moves to a large case shaped for his instrument.

    The people in the tavern cry out, asking for more music, but he just shakes his head and smiles. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll be back again soon.¡± He calls out, strapping his instrument into its case.

    A serving girl walks over to him, handing him a purse. He speaks with her for a second, handing her something discreetly. He turns to me and waves for me to follow him.

    I hesitate for a split second, wondering if I should so easily trust the young man. But his spirit was kind.

    I follow him up a set of stairs and away from the drinking crowd. We go past several rooms, then stop at a door. He knocks, then calls out ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±

    Shia stirs in my robes as several bolts are undone on the door and it¡¯s partially opened. A young girl stares out at us, her mouth opening slightly in an unreadable expression as her eyes meet mine.

    She fully opens the door, letting us into a messy room.

    The musician walks in and I follow.

    ¡°Xiaolang, this is-¡± He pauses, ¡°I actually don¡¯t know your name.¡±

    I hesitate, then bow lightly, ¡°Disciple Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect.¡± I doubt that the sect is very happy with me at the moment, but if I¡¯m across the portals, then it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯ll hear of me using their name. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°I am Xiaolang.¡± The young girl closes the door and bows to me, giving me my first full look at her. She looks to be thirteen or fourteen. Down her back flows beautiful white hair, and her eyes are a haunting silver.

    ¡°She is a spirit beast.¡± Shia whispers to me. ¡°A white wolf. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing without her pack.¡±

    Now that she mentions it, I can sense the wild spirit that surrounds the girl, reminding me of the forest and long nights chasing the moon.

    ¡°And I am Li Mingze, disciple of the Wordsmiths.¡± The musician finally introduces himself. ¡°Xiaolang, if you could tell Disciple Lin what happened to her fellow disciples.¡±

    The girl nods, then hesitates, wringing her hands. She looks at Li Mingze before turning back to me. ¡°A few days ago, I was being hunted by the Fourth Sect through the city. They would¡¯ve killed me if it weren¡¯t for-¡± She motions towards me.

    ¡°Your fellow disciples.¡± Li Mingze adds.

    The girl nods. ¡°They stepped in, and helped me escape. But¡­ the sect wasn¡¯t happy with them. The Fourth Sect has them now.¡±

    ¡°This was a few days ago?¡± I ask, my hand tapping against my flute to calm my heart.

    The girl nods.

    ¡°And they were wearing masks like me?¡± I ask.

    She nods again.

    To me, I was with the girls just a few hours ago, but what if the technique that the Murderess had used wasn¡¯t as instantaneous as I thought? I don¡¯t know how techniques like that work, but it¡¯s scary to think that I¡¯d lost several days of time.

    ¡°Did one of the girls use ice techniques?¡± I ask, just to be sure.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What does the Fourth Sect having them mean?¡± I ask Li Mingze.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He answers, his fingers tapping against his side. ¡°I try to stay out of the way of the twelve sects. They are often blinded by their hatred of demons.¡± He glances at Xiaolang, then back to me. ¡°They won¡¯t anger an unknown sect, so the two girls are safe, probably.¡± He shrugs, ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d convince your sect to negotiate their return.¡±

    I nod, then turn towards the door. I don¡¯t want to leave my sisters in the hands of an unknown sect, and there¡¯s no way I could convince a representative of our sect to come out now. That means I¡¯ll have to take things into my own hands.

    ¡°When you¡¯re done, come find me here.¡± Li Mingze calls, stopping me in front of the door. ¡°I have a feeling that my master would be interested in seeing you and if the Fourth Sect doesn¡¯t take kindly to you¡­ well, they would think twice before following you into this tavern.¡±

    I turn to him and bow my head, ¡°Thank you for helping me find my fellow disciples. I will keep your words in mind and I would enjoy playing another duet soon.¡±

    ¡°It would be my joy to have the chance.¡± Li Mingze bows his head.

    I leave the room, and head down the stairs.

    ¡°What is your plan, little one?¡± Shia asks.

    I take a deep breath, then lift my head and stand tall. I am a daughter of the Lin Family and a Core Disciple of the Flowing River Sect. If there¡¯s any time that calls for my inner strength, it would be now. ¡°Hide yourself well, Shia.¡±

    Shia hisses. ¡°I do like this side of you.¡±

    I step outside of the tavern and walk into the street.

    I pull qi into my breath, calling it to my voice. ¡°Core Disciple Lin Jia is here on behalf of the Flowing River Sect.¡±

    My words reverberate with the qi, moving through the streets so that my voice can be heard for blocks around.

    A few moments later, a cultivator in Core Formation flies down from the sky, a sword under her feet. She jumps down in front of me, the sword shrinking to a small dagger she sheets at her waist. She rests her hand on the dagger as she examines me. Her robes are the same red as the ones of the disciples that had been looking for me earlier, except more ornate, with golden trim.

    I bow my head, keeping the air of a proper lady of the imperial court. ¡°I am here to speak with the Fourth Sect about the release of my fellow disciples.¡±

    The woman stays quiet for a long moment, before bowing her head in acknowledgment. ¡°I am Inquisitor Lao of the Fourth Sect. Is your master with you?¡±

    I look at her, my gaze unwavering. ¡°My master has other matters to deal with, I have been given full authority to negotiate the release of my fellow disciples.¡±

    The woman tilts her head, as if listening to something, then nods. ¡°Very well, you will accompany me to see High Inquisitor Xiang.¡±

    She draws her dagger, and it expands into a sword large enough to hold both of us. It floats there for her as she steps on and she extends her hand for me to join her.

    I take the hand and step onto the sword. I sense she sends a faint line of qi into me, searching for something, and I pull my hand back as if stung.

    The woman doesn¡¯t explain anything, instead turning to look into the distance. The sword leaves the ground and we shoot off towards a large building in the center of the town. The wind and force of the flight doesn¡¯t affect me, giving me plenty of time to study the building we approach. It¡¯s made out of twelve spires, with a center dome inlaid with several inscriptions and formations that I¡¯m not familiar with. I sense powerful waves of qi traveling through the building and its spires.

    We travel through two of the spires, and I feel qi wash over me, searching for something. Shia is as still as a statue as the qi brushes over her, but the cultivator with us shows no visible reaction.

    My best guess is that the spires themselves are some kind of formation, meant for detecting something. Spirit beasts and demons no doubt. My hand hovers over where I know Shia to be, her presence completely gone from my senses.

    We fly closer to the dome and lower out of the sky, eventually landing in a well maintained courtyard.

    An older woman kneels on the ground, pulling out small weeds next to a large leafy plant.

    Inquisitor Lao steps off of the sword and bows to the woman. The woman pulls out another small plant, setting it in a pile, then climbs to her feet and turns to us.

    I freeze as her gaze lands on me, carrying with it the weight of someone beyond the Matriarch. It¡¯s hard to tell her exact realm with the difference in power, but I would guess her to be a single realm beyond her in Dao Refining. Far beyond my current strength.

    I bow low and clasp my fist in my palm, ¡°I am Core Disciple Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect. I have been sent to negotiate for the release of my fellow disciples.¡±

    ¡°I am High Inquisitor Xiang. It is a grave sign of disrespect for your sect to send a disciple only-¡± She pauses, her gaze on a spot in my robes. For a second, I¡¯m worried that she might¡¯ve detected Shia, but her gaze isn¡¯t right for that. No, instead, she looks at my flute. ¡°Forgive me, I hadn¡¯t realized that you represented the Lady Of Flowers.¡± Her demeanor changes as she looks at me more intently, her gaze searching for something.

    I keep my expression neutral, meeting her eyes. Despite the difference in cultivation, I am meant to represent the power of my sect, which means that I cannot be too subservient. The mention of my mother makes me want to hear more, but I don¡¯t want to show that curiosity. Not in this kind of situation.

    ¡°Walk with me, Disciple Lin. We will discuss your fellow disciples and their crimes.¡± She turns and starts walking into the large dome.

    I take a breath now that her gaze is off of me. I hadn¡¯t even realized that I¡¯d been holding my breath.

    I hurry to follow the powerful woman, squashing the worry I feel at the tone she spoke of my sister disciples with.

 Chapter 60: High Inquisitor Xiang

    The High Inquisitor leads me into the dome, the light changing to a soft orange as stones lining the wall emit a soft glow.

    We pass several doors with cultivators standing guard as we travel deeper. They salute the High Inquisitor, and I feel their attention focusing on me as I pass by them. Multiple qi senses scan me as we pass through doorways, but none as intrusive as the first inquisitor I had met. Shia is completely still, and if I didn¡¯t know she was wrapped around me, I would think she had left.

    ¡°We are very careful here in the fourth sect.¡± High Inquisitor Xiang says.

    My head turns to her sharply, distracted from the searching qi.

    ¡°The demons that malign this world are terrifying to behold, and even the weakest can wreak havoc on mortal and cultivator lives. Spirit beasts are little better, creatures twisted by qi and spirit into unnatural monsters. They too gladly feed on the qi of cultivators.¡±

    The lights dim as we travel deeper into the structure, making the High Inquisitor harder to see.

    ¡°The crimes of your sisters are twofold. First, they helped a dangerous spirit beast escape our custody. And second, they attacked my inquisitors.¡± The High Inquisitor¡¯s eyes keep me still, not with fear, but with the sheer power that she holds. ¡°These crimes are not easily forgiven. But¡­ your sect is not under the wings of The First Matriarch.¡±

    We take a turn, then stop in front of a door.

    ¡°As such, the price of their release will be high.¡± High Inquisitor Xiang lifts her chin, her eyes bearing into me with a cold and calculated stare born from centuries of cultivating and hunting. ¡°We want to know the locations of the portals in and out of your realm, as well as any knowledge your sect holds of Spirit Beasts and Demons.¡±

    My mind immediately goes to Ai. Already my sect wants her, but something tells me that if the Fourth Sect found out about her, they would stop at nothing to have her dead or in their hands.

    She opens the door, revealing a small but comfortable room with two beds and a desk. Parchment and ink are provided for the residents. Two familiar cultivators turn to look at us, and I let out a breath of relief at the sight of the two girls.

    Xia Jing and Lai Ming look up at the sight of The High Inquisitor and myself. Xia Jing had clearly been pacing while Lai Ming had been meditating on one of the beds

    High Inquisitor Xiang motions for me to enter the room. ¡°I will give you a few moments to confirm their safety, then you will arrange the transfer of information.¡±

    I meet her eyes, and my heart clutches in fear at the monster I see within them. There is no hesitation, no forgiveness, only a deep hatred for the inhuman. A terrifying fanaticism.

    I tear my gaze away and step into the room.

    She closes the door behind me and the room is left in silence.

    Xia Jing rushes forward and grabs me in a strong hug. ¡°It is good to see you Sister Lin.¡± She pulls away to look at me, her eyes looking over me worriedly, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    I shake my head, focusing on the two girls. ¡°That¡¯s what I should be asking you both.¡± I say, unable to stop myself from smiling at the sight of them. I had worried that we¡¯d been separated far more than we had. ¡°They haven¡¯t done anything to you?¡±

    Xia Jing  lifts her hand, revealing a strange metal bracelet that curls up the length of her arm. ¡°It drains our qi, but they haven¡¯t done anything else to us.¡±

    I look at Lai Ming and she shows me the same bracelet curling up her arm. ¡°They¡¯ve been polite and they haven¡¯t harmed us.¡± She pauses, her eyes flickering to the door before looking back at me. ¡°But there¡¯s something not quite¡­ right with them.¡±

    Xia Jing nods in agreement.

    I open my mouth, then close it, my gaze looking around the room. I close my eyes, focusing on my spirit sense, which had grown so much since I¡¯d first learned to use it under Qiu Tai¡¯s tutelage.

    Wisps of spirit rise from the floor and float through the walls. I open my eyes with the knowledge that we are not as alone as we might appear.

    I pull Xia Jing into another hug. I shape my qi to hide my words as best I can. My whisper comes out as a song, shaping the illusion to hide their sound. It¡¯s not easy, as my qi still does not like to shape itself in small strands like this, but I manage. ¡°Two below, two beside, we find that we are never alone, no matter how we hide.¡± The notes change the shape of my mouth, hiding the movement of my lips so even if they see into the room, they cannot read what I am saying.

    I pull away and Xia Jing nods, having got my meaning.

    I motion for Lai Ming to come close for a hug, and repeat the words to her.

    She nods in understanding.

    I pause in thought, trying to decide what to do next, I want to say so many things to them, but I can¡¯t risk the High Inquisitor knowing our current relationship to our sect. Instead, I just close my eyes and take a deep breath.

    I open my eyes with conviction. ¡°Be prepared to leave soon. I am representing our sect to negotiate your release.¡±

    I grab Xia Jing¡¯s arm fondly, and press with my finger in the direction I believe the people to be listening are in.

    She doesn¡¯t react to the pressure, and I¡¯m not sure if she got the message. Instead she smiles. ¡°We¡¯ll be ready. Good luck, Sister Lin.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    I turn around and head to the door. It opens easily. The High Inquisitor stands there, waiting patiently.

    I bow my head in thanks. ¡°I see that they are unharmed, and I believe my sect would be willing to provide you most of the information you seek.¡± I raise my head high, ¡°However, my sect has a different view of spirit beasts than your own-¡±

    ¡°You misunderstand.¡± The words stop me cold, and a chill crawls up my spine. ¡°I am not negotiating. I am telling you the price of their freedom. Either your sect gives us this information or we will punish your disciples as we would one of our own.¡±

    The ease with which she says those words terrifies me, and it takes every ounce of my will to not crumble under the woman¡¯s gaze.

    I turn my body to the woman and hold her gaze. Her sharp brown eyes twirl with an inner red light, twisting with the spirit of a huntress staring at her prey.

    I move my qi through my body, running it through every portion of my being to give me strength. ¡°If you do, you invite war with my sect.¡±

    I hold her gaze for a long moment, before she looks at my flute through my clothes, huffs and looks away, a small smile playing at the edge of her lips.

    Despite myself, I let out a breath of relief.

    ¡°I see why your sect sent you. You are brave, young Disciple. Stronger women than you have faltered under my gaze.¡± The High Inquisitor speaks in a quiet tone. ¡°Very well, we will negotiate. Simply the information on the portals of your realm and where they lead will be enough for me.¡±

    She starts walking.

    I close my eyes and breathe for a second before following her. Now I¡¯m faced with a bigger obstacle. I¡¯m not actually representing my sect, so how do I get that kind of information to her?

    ¡°It will take time to get that information to you¡­¡± I start.

    ¡°And we will hold onto the disciples until you do,¡± High Inquisitor Xiang says without looking at me. ¡°unharmed of course.¡±

    I do my best to not give any kind of physical reaction to her words, but even without looking at me, The High Inquisitor must¡¯ve noticed something.

    ¡°I have already lowered myself for you, do not tempt fate.¡± She says the words casually, but my stomach twists at the promise hidden inside them.

    She leads me out of the building and into the garden where the same Inquisitor who had brought me here waits for us.

    The sword expands under her feet and she offers her hand to me. I ignore it as I step onto the sword. Having her qi intrude into my body once was bad enough.

    I turn and bow to The High Inquisitor. ¡°You honor me with your words and actions. My sect and I look forward to future dealings with The Fourth Sect.¡±

    The High Inquisitor nods her head. ¡°I will see you again soon, Core Disciple Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect.¡±

    High Inquisitor Xiang¡¯s gaze is impossible to read as the sword rises into the air and leaves the sect behind.

    ***

    Inquisitor Lao doesn¡¯t even look at me as she leaves me in the street.

    I watch her leave until both her spirit and qi are gone, then close my eyes. Several unfamiliar wisps of spirit surround me, barely detectable to my senses.

    I open my eyes, then start walking.

    I turn down the first alleyway I find, and twist my qi into the Movements of The Silent Monster.

    I run through the alleyways, my footsteps slipping into the movements of The First Song: Dance Of The Brook.

    The wisps of spirit disappear, one by one as I slip in and out of alleyways, through crowded streets and on the occasional rooftop.

    I continue moving for a while after the last strange wisp of spirit had disappeared, then walk silently through a familiar market street.

    ¡°Are they all gone?¡± I ask.

    There¡¯s no response for a long moment as the sun sets and merchants hawk their wares to mortal customers. A young boy hurries down the street lighting lanterns.

    Finally, a quiet whisper reaches my ear.

    ¡°I believe you¡¯ve lost them.¡± Shia says.

    I let out a breath, then turn down a street. I am mildly lost in the city, but travelling by rooftop does wonders for finding the small tavern I¡¯d been in just a couple hours ago. The night plus my technique hides me as I make my way.

    Li Mingze¡¯s music guides me the rest of the way and I open the door to soft strumming and a celebratory atmosphere.

    I move out of the Movements of The Silent Monster and Li Mingze looks up at me for a moment before turning his attention back to his instrument.

    I slip over to an empty table and sit down. Shia twists around my body, letting out her own tenseness with her movement.

    A serving woman walks over to me, and places a drink in front of me with a small bow.

    I look up in surprise.

    ¡°From the master of the house.¡± She explains. She bows her head again, then moves away.

    I look at the cup with suspicion. ¡°Shia?¡±

    ¡°It is unpoisoned.¡±

    With that, I let out a long breath. I lift the cup to take a sip, only to realize that I¡¯m still wearing my fox mask. It had been on so long, that I had actually forgotten that I was wearing it. I lift the mask up, hesitate for a second, then fully take it off and set it on the table. I take a sip, and am surprised at the pleasant taste. It¡¯s a fruit juice of some kind, and I can feel it soothing and replenishing my qi as it moves through me.

    A presence appears across the table from me, making me look up sharply. It is a calming presence, the spirit uplifting and filled with the quiet joy of life. The man who sits there is himself familiar, from a place I would never expect.

    ¡°It is good to finally meet you, Successor of The Musicians of Zhu Teng.¡± Zhu Teng¡¯s eighth disciple and creator of The Eighth Requiem: Necrosis sits across from me, but this is no spirit.

    He wears long white robes, with green vine-like patterns traveling up and down them. Leaning against the table is a case holding the same instrument that Li Mingze plays. His eyes are a comforting green, contrasting The High Inquisitor''s harsh gaze, and his hair is tied back flowing all the way down to his waist.

    ¡°Forgive me, I have startled you. I have many enemies, and therefore like to keep my presence subdued, even inside my Inn.¡± The man bows his head, ¡°I am Li Yuze, Master Wordsmith and Eighth Disciple of Immortal Zhu Teng. May I have your name, young Disciple?¡±

    I nod, then bow low while still sitting. ¡°I am Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect.¡±

    Li Yuze smiles. ¡°I am blessed by your presence, young Lin Jia.¡±

 Chapter 61: Collapse

    ¡°My disciple tells me of the plight of your sister disciples.¡± Li Yuze says. A serving woman comes by, setting a mug in front of him. ¡°What did Old Xiang ask for?¡±

    I let out a long sigh, my body deflating as the day finally catches up with me. For a moment, I consider not answering his question. He is someone I barely know after all.

    My eyes flicker to Li Mingze, then I give Li Yuze my full attention.

    ¡°She wants to know where the portals in my realm lead.¡± I answer.

    Li Yuze sits back in his chair, his hand stroking his chin as he thinks. ¡°That could be¡­ dangerous. Can you get that information to her?¡±

    I shake my head.

    ¡°That is for the best, young one. You don¡¯t know the value such information holds. So then, what are you to do?¡±

    I look down at my hands, wondering the same question.

    What am I going to do?

    I could try to make up the information, but I know so little about the realms that exist beyond my own. Still, it might be my only option.

    ¡°I may have a solution for you.¡± Li Yuze says.

    I look up at him.

    He reaches down to open the case of his instrument, then plucks a single string. The note rings out and the sound of the inn disappears, the world itself becoming blurry. All that I can see is the two of us and the table between us.

    ¡°Your sister disciples are not the only ones held in the depths of the Fourth Sect.¡± Li Yuze leans forward, his eyes holding mine. ¡°I can help you, if you help me.¡±

    I reach over to the red fox mask I¡¯d set on the table. I hold it up, looking over the simple wooden mask.

    I turn it over and place it over my face.

    ¡°How can I help you?¡± I ask.

    Li Yuze smiles. ¡°I will give you false information to give Old Xiang.¡± He reaches into his robes, and pulls out a wooden talisman. ¡°All I need you to do is place this inside the boundaries of their formation.¡±

    I reach over and grab the talisman from him. Symbols I don¡¯t recognize run down it, imbued with qi and spirit.

    ¡°Get out of there as soon as you can, you won¡¯t have long.¡± He says, drawing my attention back to him. ¡°Once that talisman is placed, things will be set in motion that no mortal or cultivator can stop.¡±

    I turn it over, then place it inside my robes.

    I sit up straight and look into his eyes, judging the man before me. ¡°You plan to kill them, don¡¯t you?¡± I ask.

    He doesn¡¯t look away from my gaze. ¡°Many of them will die. Such is the way of life. But that is not my goal. My goal is to save those they keep tortured and half-alive in the darkest depths of their dungeons.¡± His eyes narrow as a brief hint of anger appears, ¡°But do not act a stranger to death. It is twisted into the very essence of your spirit, as it was in my Master¡¯s. You have no right to be casting judgement on me.¡±

    I hold his gaze for a long moment before looking away. ¡°I¡¯ll leave tomorrow. Can you have the portal locations for me by then?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    With those words, the sound returns to the room and the chair across from me sits empty.

    Li Mingze¡¯s music returns, but I find myself in no mood to listen.

    My chair scoots back as I stand up.

    I find a serving woman and request a room for the night. They refuse to charge me, which is good, because I¡¯m not sure they accept the money I have.

    I¡¯m led up to a decent sized room on the second floor, around the same size as the room I¡¯d had as an Inner Disciple.

    I collapse face first onto the bed, the firm mattress giving slightly under my weight.

    I let out a long groan before turning over to look at the wooden ceiling.

    I breathe in and out, calming my mind. I softly hum the Third Song: Tranquil Lake. The world around me slows, as every thought becomes a drop sending soft ripples through my mind.

    One day away from my sect and I¡¯m already creating enemies with another powerful sect.

    There¡¯s still so many questions on my mind, like why did Lai Ming kill those disciples? Did the Elders really betray the sect?

    Is my father okay? The war was just beginning to escalate back home, but that¡¯s so far away now.

    I wish I could talk to Qiu Tai. She would be able to help me here, show me the things I¡¯m missing. I feel foolish for so easily trusting Li Yuze, but I find myself with no other options.

    Shia slithers down my arm, her head wrapping around my hand. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°What do you think?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°As soon as you have your sister disciples, you must leave this place.¡± Shia says. ¡°Forces are at work far beyond your current power, and you are forced to move to the whims of ancient cultivators. This place is not yet for you.¡±

    Something about her words gives me a strange sense of hope. Someday I¡¯ll be able to catch up to them. Someday The High Inquisitor will have to listen to me because of my own power, and not my sect¡¯s or my mother¡¯s. I will not feel like a rat under the gaze of a snake with my every waking move.

    ***

    I infuse qi into my voice again as I stand in the middle of the street. My mask is secured tight, and my hand rests on my sword without any tremor.

    ¡°Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect is ready to speak with High Inquisitor Xiang.¡± My words echo down the street, startling the mortals who are just beginning their days in the early morning light.

    It doesn¡¯t take long for the same cultivator I¡¯d met last time to arrive on her flying sword. This time two other cultivators accompany her.

    Again, she offers her hand for me to step on her sword, but I ignore it. I still haven¡¯t forgiven her for sending her qi into my body like she did.

    The sword takes off and we approach the imposing structures of the Fourth Sect.

    I keep my gaze steady as we pass through the pillars and the strange qi barrier that washes over me.

    Again, we approach the garden where the High Inquisitor calmly kneels in the dirt, weeding.

    High Inquisitor Xiang stands up as we land. I force myself to meet her gaze as I step off the sword.

    I give a small bow, ¡°Core Disciple Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect greets High Inquisitor Xiang.¡±

    ¡°Disciple Lin, do you have it?¡±

    I nod my head, ¡°I¡¯ll need to see my sister disciples again, before I can give it to you.¡±

    She narrows her eyes at me, and despite myself, I feel that hand of fear grasp my heart in its deadly grip. She keeps that stare on me for far too long, then nods and turns away.

    I let out a breath, then follow her as she leads me into the dome. Again, qi passes over me. I can¡¯t help but tense as they search me.

    Nothing happens as we arrive at the same door I¡¯d seen the girls in last time. The High Inquisitor opens the door for me, revealing the two girls. They stand up as I enter the room, and I can¡¯t help the smile that appears at the sight of them.

    I reach into my storage ring and pull out a scroll. I hold the scroll out to The High Inquisitor.

    She accepts it, and it disappears into her robes. ¡°You are free to go.¡± At her words, the strange bracelets crawling up the girl¡¯s arms drop to the floor.

    The High Inquisitor motions towards one of the men standing guard and he walks over. ¡°My Acolyte will show you out. Do not attempt to stray from the path he leads you on.¡± With that said, she turns back down the path she¡¯d come from.

    I watch her go, then turn to the girls just in time for Xia Jing to crash into me with a hug.

    I hug her back, then awkwardly push her away to look at the man the High Inquisitor had left us with.

    He looks at us with a cold stare before turning around, and walking forward.

    ¡°He seems nice.¡± Lai Ming mutters, rubbing her arm where the faint imprint of the bracelet can still be seen. In a louder tone she yells out to the man. ¡°You¡¯re going to take us to our things first, right?¡±

    He pauses, glancing back at us. Then he turns and walks down a different hallway. We follow him to a small room where familiar masks and many other items are separated onto different shelves.

    Lai Ming and Xia Jing hurry over to their things.

    I walk over to a shelf with an unfamiliar dagger and strange clothes on it. I lift the clothes up, ¡°Who do these belong to?¡±

    ¡°Not your business. Don¡¯t touch.¡± The Acolyte says with a glare.

    I drop the clothes, and flinch at the slight clacking of wood. The Acolyte continues to keep his eyes on me, but doesn¡¯t say anything.

    I turn back to the girls. ¡°Are you ready? Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    Xia Jing straps a sword to her waist that I¡¯ve never seen before, but I don¡¯t say anything. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Lai Ming nods in agreement.

    We follow the Acolyte through a twisting set of hallways and corridors.

    Eventually, an exit can be seen with two Foundation Establishment guards chatting idly next to it. They stand up straight as we approach.

    Qi echoes faintly through the building and everyone stills.

    Another pulse of qi echoes out, still faint but noticeable.

    A third pulse, this one much stronger moves through the whole building.

    The sound of shattering reaches my ears, and I feel as the qi in the whole building goes haywire.

    The Acolyte turns to me, reaching towards a sword at his waist.

    I don¡¯t wait for him to pull it as I combine The First Song: Dance Of The Brook and an opening move from Whispers of The Silent Raven.

    My sword slides from its sheath as I flow past The Acolyte.

    His head hits the ground, his body following a moment later.

    My sister disciples are already moving as explosions echo through the building. Strange qi signatures appear everywhere, and in the distance, I hear the beautiful music of Li Mingze.

    The two cultivators reach for their weapons, moving towards us.

    Lai Ming is already there, a sword of ice extending into the heart of one of the cultivators. The second cultivator dies a moment later as Xia Jing steps out of the rock wall behind him, her sword sticking out of his chest.

    I sense as spirit and qi moves towards us. I reach into my robes and pull out my flute. ¡°Get us out of here.¡± I tell Xia Jing as multiple cultivators run into the room.

    I place my flute to my mouth, then play.

    The Sixth Requiem: The Tomb

    The notes are long, and their darkness engulfs the approaching cultivators, buying all the time we need as Xia Jing¡¯s hand grabs my arm and we disappear into the earth.

    The earth spits the three of us out inside the city.

    Cultivators fall from the sky as mortals scream and run. Explosions of qi shatter buildings as the red light of High Inquisitor Xiang clashes with a green network of roots and life that is Li Yuze high in the sky. Despite the terrible power it holds, I am drawn into the notes of Li Yuze¡¯s music as he plays his instrument to control his nearly overwhelming power.

    The High Inquisitor is being pushed back.

    But more powerful sources of qi are approaching, beyond even the both of them. Beyond anything I have yet sensed.

    Lai Ming grabs my arm, dragging me through the city as I am entranced by the beautiful battle.

    More cultivators battle in the streets, but we ignore them as we make our way out of the large city.

    My breath catches as a familiar spirit echoes on the horizon. A spirit I know deep in the heart of me, one that I carry with me through all my journeys.

    The same spirit that resides in my flute.

    I search the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. I want to see her again.

    I want to see my mother.

 Chapter 62: Escape From The Fourth Sect

    Lai Ming shoves me, and the road shatters as a blade of qi carves into it. Rubble, gravel and dirt fly into the air, hiding the skies and the very world around me. I roll across the ground until I¡¯m just looking up at the now dirt covered sky.

    A hand reaches out of the darkness and pulls me to my feet.

    Xia Jing grasps my hand tightly, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. Lai Ming holds her other hand tight. I look up to the sky one last time, before the earth rises up to consume us.

    The distant sounds of explosions and the screams of war reach me, echoing through the earth, all around spirit flows out of existence, cut by the blades of death.

    Soon the sounds grow more distant, until with a pop, we are returned from the earth, into a small forest.

    I turn to look back, only for the way to be blocked by large trees. I walk away from my sister disciples and climb up a tree until I can see the city in the distance.  Giant vines wrap around the city, only to be cut by red blades. The city itself is a large sprawling thing surrounding the home of the Fourth Sect. The spires that surrounded the dome are broken, cleaved in two or shattered to pieces. The dome itself is wide open, as if the top half of it had been cleaved off.

    The qi in the air shatters as a Cultivator arrives in the middle of the battle.

    Space itself halts its breath, as everything moves to a stop. Cultivators freeze mid-air, blades of qi halt in their path, and the music that Li Yuze plays silences.

    I can¡¯t see much of the new cultivator over the distance, except for her snow-white hair and her red and white robes, reminiscent of the Fourth Sect¡¯s.

    The city¡¯s fighting stops, and she raises her hand toward Li Yuze. Qi gathers at her fingertips, only to stop as another figure appears before her.

    Flowers bloom across the city, rising from the vines and turning the city a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors.

    Even here, the tree I stand on flowers, small blue petals falling to the ground. My breath catches at my first sight of her in years. I can¡¯t see her face, and her hair isn¡¯t the right color, but in my heart, I know it¡¯s her. My mother, Lin Hua.

    The two figures stare at each other, their qi clashing for an small moment, before the world returns to peace.

    Li Yuxe plays a string and a portal opens for him that he steps through. All across the city, cultivators disappear, leaving only the two immortals in the air to stare at each other. Then, they too are gone.

    My gaze stays on the spot she¡¯d stood, hoping in some small part of me that she would return.

    She doesn¡¯t.

    I climb down from the tree, my feet touching the soft forest floor.

    Lai Ming places her hand on my arm, her touch bringing my thoughts back to the world around me.

    Xia Jing lies on the ground, breathing heavily, but with a smile.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lai Ming asks.

    I hesitate for a second, then nod.

    ¡°We had no other choice.¡± Lai Ming says.

    I look at her in confusion for a second before it dawns on me.

    His head fell to the floor as I killed him before he could even draw his sword. Even worse than that, I caused all of this. All the deaths in the city, they came from me placing that wooden talisman-

    <ol>

    <li>  No no no. I didn¡¯t do that. I knew what Li Yuxe was planning, yes, but those deaths were not by my hand. That blood does not stain me.</li>

    </ol>

    The blood of the acolyte¡­ that I do see.

    I take a deep breath as I look down at my hands.

    I killed him. That¡¯s a responsibility I carry with me.

    I look up, meeting Lai Ming¡¯s eyes.

    Death is part of who I am, it has defined me, and shaped me. I cannot deny that, and I can¡¯t turn my eyes away from it.

    I can only pray for the forgiveness of those who gave me no other choice.

    They¡¯ve already named me, and it is a name that I can¡¯t deny. No matter how much I might wish to be someone who cultivates life, who sits in a garden and grows beautiful plants, that¡¯s not who I am. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Death fills my past, and it lies in my future. I will take more lives, whether it¡¯s to protect those I care about, or because this world leaves me with no other choice.

    They already call me it, the lady of death.

    That¡¯s who I am.

    ¡°Where do we go now?¡± I ask the two of them.

    Lai Ming takes a deep breath, her eyes set. ¡°We need to get back to our realm. I have to stop those traitors before they destroy our sect.¡±

    I look at Xia Jing. She nods at me, then sits up. ¡°We can¡¯t leave them.¡± she pauses. ¡°Do either of you know a way back?¡±

    Lai Ming looks down at the ground, her mouth a hard line.

    I look at both of them, then decide. ¡°I¡¯m about to share a secret with the both of you that you cannot share.¡±

    They share a glance before nodding.

    ¡°Your secrets are our own.¡± Lai Ming says.

    My hand holds my flute as I speak. ¡°Shia, do you know the way back to our realm?¡±

    There¡¯s silence for a long moment, before a slight hiss makes its way to me.

    ¡°I may know of one. But the knowledge will come with a cost.¡±

    The two girls look around, searching for the voice.

    ¡°What cost?¡± I ask.

    Shia hisses with laughter. ¡°You will have to meet my mother.¡±

    Yang Hua

    Yang Hua, lady of flowers, formerly of the Lin house, looks into the distance, her eyes hard. She looks through the walls of the room she sits in, past the streets of the city and through the trees of the forest to a party of three girls.

    She is so close. Lady Yang knows this. But she cannot go. Already, too many know of her connection with her daughter, and so all she can do is watch.

    Lady Yang¡¯s eyes move back to the First Matriarch.

    The First Matriarch¡¯s white irises stare back at Lady Yang, not quite focused on her, but instead observing the dao within her, the immutable law of the world that Lady Yang has shaped her cultivation and her soul around.

    ¡°There will be a high price.¡± The First Matriarch finally says.

    ¡°There will be no price,¡± Lady Yang responds, ¡°except that which has already been payed in the dungeons of your fourth sect.¡±

    ¡°We are not your enemy.¡± The Matriarch says, ¡°You would do well to not turn us into one.¡±

    Lady Yang laughs, and Matriarch Shun Mai gives her a sharp look. ¡°Don¡¯t play games with me, Matriarch. We both know that neither of us can afford a war. We will send you a formation expert to rebuild your pillars. That is the most I am willing to offer.¡±

    The Matriarch tilts her head, as if listening to something, ¡°There are disciples dead, one of whom was killed by the hands of a girl bearing your spirit, perhaps-¡±

    ¡°Shun Mai.¡± Lady Yang¡¯s voice is hard.

    The Matriarch tilts her head questioningly.

    ¡°If one of mine has caused you trouble, then it is a personal matter, not one that involves my master.¡±

    The Matriarch nods. ¡°Then you will give me a formation expert¡­ and your help with a problem of mine.¡±

    Lady Yang sighs. ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted all along, wasn¡¯t it? You don¡¯t care about the Fourth Sect.¡±

    ¡°There are bigger Demons to kill, Lady of Flowers.¡±

    Shi Da

    Princess Shi Da walks down the halls of the Lin manor, her shoes tapping against the stone floors rhythmically. Her short hair is braided in an intricate pattern, gems purposefully placed throughout to give an illusion of scales. On top of her hair is a circlet of two dragons chasing each other in an endless circle, the symbol of an imperial princess. Behind and to the side are two inconspicuous female servants with veils covering their features. The closer that one looks at them, the more one might notice the strange grace they walk with. It would take a powerful eye to notice the faint wisps of qi that glows at the center of the two women.

    Princess Shi Da approaches a large pair of doors where several men and women are quietly conversing. The conversations quiet at her appearance. Every man and woman bows to her. Two soldiers standing outside salute her and open the door.

    One of her servants steps inside first, then bows for her Princess to follow.

    Shi Da steps inside. Lin Fang, two generals and a Cultivator with black coverings bow to her, but her gaze stays on the two guests on the other side of the room. A woman and a man, their clothes show signs of battle and they watch the room with a weary gaze. They bow a second after the others, showing her the proper respect her Imperial title grants her.

    ¡°Elder Lu Tai of the Heavenly Truth Sect greets Imperial Princess Shi Da.¡± The older of the two guests says.

    Shi Da bows her head in acknowledgement. ¡°Elder Lu, my mother¡¯s stories don¡¯t do you justice.¡±

    The cultivator smiles, a quiet thing that somehow draws the room to look at it.  ¡°You are too kind.¡±

    ¡°It is the truth, you have been a strong force in these harsh times.¡± Shi Da walks over to the only chair in the room, a throne that still has her at eye level with the cultivators. Her two servants array themselves on either side of her. ¡°Tell me, Elder Lu, are you strong enough for what I ask?¡±

    The two cultivators from the Heavenly Truth Sect share a look. ¡°I do not like involving myself in the politics of the world, and I would not be here if I wasn¡¯t desperate.¡± He takes a deep breath meeting Shi Da¡¯s eyes. ¡°But my son tells me of your help in escaping the capital city. He believes you to be an honorable woman who stands among the most honorable of men. Tell me, Princess Shi Da, do you believe yourself capable of all this world and this war will ask of you?¡±

    Princess Shi Da meets his eyes, ¡°My older brothers are not worthy of the throne, they will destroy this empire my father built through their greed and their sadism. I will not be perfect, but I can promise you this.¡± Shi Da rises from her chair, her spirit flaring with the power of an imperial dragon. ¡°I will bring to you a world of peace, one in which every person is treated equally under the eyes of the law. A world where evil cannot stand, where demons are cut down. I will be an Empress unlike any this world has seen.¡±

    Lu Tai lowers his eyes, then gets on his knees. He lowers his head to the floor, the female cultivator with him following his every movement.

    ¡°The Heavenly Truth Sect pledges itself to Empress Shi Da, may her reign be a long and prosperous one.¡±

    ¡°Rise, Elder Lu.¡± Shi Da looks around at the other men and women in the room. ¡°We have a long road laid before us, but we will walk every step with conviction in our hearts.¡±

    The End Of Book 2

 Chapter 63: Mother Of Serpents

    I breathe deep, the qi in the air flowing through me. My meridians pulse with the shaping of the qi into my breath.

    I hum softly as I exhale. The forest floor blooms into flowers, the life of spring arriving with exuberance. Then they fade softly, the flowers wilting, as a rot consumes them.

    The flowers fall into dust with my inhale. The hum of my exhale brings new life into the surroundings as plants grow from the dead, only to fall again.

    Music breathes my desire into the world, an illusionary cycle of life and death that stands only as a representation of the powerful forces it believes itself to be.

    My qi races through me and I concentrate my thoughts as a blockage is cleared from my eleventh meridian. The qi flows smoothly into the new channel, officially making me an Eleventh Level Qi Awakened.

    I open my eyes, the illusion disappearing from the surrounding forest.

    Two young women stand guard, leaning against nearby trees. watching for spirit beasts or cultivators that would try and disturb the vulnerable moment.

    The women wear blue and white robes with intricate patterns marking the sleeves. One woman wears a green fox mask, her hand on the sword at her waist. Xia Jing meets my gaze, her eyes playful, despite the months that they¡¯d been making their way through the endless forest.

    The second woman, Lai Ming, has a blue fox mask. Her eyes are cold, holding an ice to them that warms as she looks at me.

    ¡°Took you long enough.¡± Xia Jing says. She lifts her mask up to give me a smile. She¡¯d reached the eleventh level a month before me.

    We both know that my talent is still impressive, having reached this level at only seventeen years old, a full two years younger than her.

    I ignore her comment as I stand up and stretch. I reach down to pick up my flute and my sword. ¡°Have you found her yet?¡± I ask the tree above me as I tie my sword around my waist.

    A large snake lowers her head to me from the canopy, her head as large as I am tall. Green scales cover her, with a crown of golden scales turning into lines that make their way down her body. She fully makes her way to the floor, growing smaller until she¡¯s small enough to make her way up the sleeves of my robe. She wraps herself around my body with her head resting on my shoulder.

    ¡°She is close, a day away if I had to guess.¡± Shia says, her head lifted to look into the distance.

    ¡°What did she say?¡± Lai Ming asks. She does her own stretch as she pushes off of the tree she¡¯d been leaning on.

    ¡°One more day, hopefully.¡± I answer. I know that Shia could let them hear her voice if she wanted to, but she prefers to only let me hear her.

    My hand moves up to her head and pets her scales. I scratch a spot that I know she likes, my gaze rising to the cloudless sky above.

    Sun filters through the canopy, creating several beams of light on the sparse forest floor. I take a deep breath, feeling my qi move through my body. One more meridian to open, and I¡¯ll be ready to start my foundation. I remember when I left Ai with Shia¡¯s sister, how I¡¯d promised to myself that I¡¯d become more powerful so that I could protect her on my own. What does that even mean? How much farther will I have to go before I have the strength to protect her?

    ¡°Are we going then?¡± Xia Jing asks.

    I blink, focusing back on the two girls. ¡°Yeah, sorry, I got lost in thought.¡±

    I lead the way, Shia silently pointing me in the right direction as we make our way through the forest. The forest is strangely quiet, and I can only detect the spirit of smaller creatures and the trees. The first couple of weeks through the forest had been quiet, as The Fourth Sect hunted many of the more powerful spirit beasts of the forest, but as we got deeper we encountered more and more dangerous spirit beasts. Some we could avoid, while some of the wilder ones we were forced to bloody our swords on.

    That makes the quiet of the forest now a welcome reprieve.

    We step over a small stream and the atmosphere changes. The qi in the air thickens, while the spirit takes on an ancient quiet.

    ¡°Well, this is a surprise, darling daughter of mine.¡± A voice says from behind us. All at once, a spirit full of power, like a dagger ready to strike, washes over me.

    I spin around, the other girls doing the same as they draw on their qi. A small old woman stands there, leaning against an intricately carved cane. The cane has the head of a cobra, with the flaps of the head extended, and teeth glistening, ready to strike. The woman herself would easily blend into a crowd, with simple clothing, grey hair, and a wrinkled face. Her eyes, however, hold a strength and craftiness that can¡¯t be hidden by her exterior. As I look at her eyes, I see a flash of the thin, tall snake pupils that Shia and her sister share.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, young ones.¡± Her words are quiet, but all three of us release the qi we¡¯d been gathering immediately. Something about the woman tells us that we should not test her. ¡°Smart. If it weren¡¯t for the presence of my daughter, I would call you foolish for even being here.¡±

    Shia slithers up my neck and rests her head on my head. ¡°Hello Mother.¡±

    The old woman appears in front of me, looking up to Shia. My breath catches, I hadn¡¯t even seen the woman move. She walks around me, observing me and Shia.

    ¡°So this is what they reduced you to. Unable to transform, and forced to hide behind the spirit of a baby phoenix. At least you are healing. How?¡± The woman pauses, focusing on something I can¡¯t see. ¡°Oh?¡± She lets out a chuckle, ¡°You¡¯ve been consuming demons, and converting their dark spirit to your own. Smart, as any of my daughters should be.¡± Finally her eyes focus on me. ¡°I suppose I can spare you, seeing as you¡¯ve protected my daughter from the eyes of our hunters for so long. Come. Follow me.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    She doesn¡¯t wait for a response as she walks through the woods, moving with the slow frailty of the old woman she looks like.

    I feel as tension leaves Shia. ¡°Be glad your spirit sense is still growing, little one. Otherwise you would not be able to move out of terror towards that woman.¡± She slides back into my robes, wrapping around my waist. ¡°Best hurry after her.¡±

    I don¡¯t need more prodding to follow Shia¡¯s advice. Xia Jing matches step with me, while Lai Ming holds back slightly. The old woman hums off tune to herself as she leads us deeper into the dense qi of the ancient forest.

    ¡°Could you see her move?¡± Xia Jing asks me after a few minutes of walking.

    I shake my head.

    ¡°The earth itself doesn¡¯t feel her presence.¡± Xia Jing adds, her eyes meeting mine. ¡°If I couldn¡¯t see her with my eyes, I would say there¡¯s no one there.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where she¡¯s leading us?¡± Lai Ming asks, matching step with us.

    I look down to Shia under my robes, but she stays silent, so I shake my head again.

    ¡°I¡¯m leading you to my home.¡± The old woman says, her voice sounding as if she¡¯s right next to us rather than a few paces ahead.

    We grow quiet at that. None of us had the impression that our conversation was private, still the omniscient presence of the old woman is intimidating. It wasn¡¯t too long ago that I was in the presence of the High Inquisitor of the Fourth Sect. Her intimidation had been more direct, a constant sharp pressure. This woman, however, feels overwhelming.

    I take a deep breath, letting the qi in the air soothe my worries as it flows through me and my meridians.

    The forest soon gives away to old buildings, falling apart from neglect. Strange plants grow all around, and I¡¯m reminded of my visit to the Immortal Garden where I¡¯d left Ai.

    The old woman leads us to a huge cave, lit by several stones filled to the brim with qi. They produce a soft golden light, which is enough to see the several doors placed into the walls of the cave.

    The old women enters the cave, then waves her hand. The floor of the cave follows her movement, responding eagerly to her qi to make several chairs around a table.

    ¡°It¡¯s been many years since I¡¯ve hosted human cultivators.¡± The old woman mutters, as she walks over to one of the doors. ¡°I have tea here somewhere.¡±

    She disappears and the three of us share a look before moving over to the chairs and sitting down. The qi is still strong, but with the old monster gone, it starts to feel more calming than oppressive. My muscles, which had been tense from the many months of travel, start to relax.

    The old woman returns holding a tray with a teapot and several teacups. ¡°I hope younglings these days still like tea.¡± She says, giving all of us a small glare as she sets the tray down at the table. She picks up the teapot and pours the four of us tea.

    I bow my head as she hands me a cup. Once she¡¯s done giving the three of us teacups, she places a second cup in front of me. Shia slithers out through my sleeve, and wraps herself around the cup.

    ¡°Well then.¡± The woman says after we¡¯ve had a few moments with our tea. ¡°I doubt you¡¯re here to see your dear old mother, Shia. Tell this old woman why you¡¯ve brought cultivators to her doorstep.¡±

    ¡°I have missed you mother,¡± The woman lifts an eyebrow, but doesn¡¯t interrupt as Shia continues, ¡°but you are correct. That is not the reason I¡¯m here. These younglings wish to make their way to their home realm.¡±

    ¡°Hmmmm.¡± The woman taps her cane, then she looks at me. ¡°What of you?¡±

    ¡°What of me, Senior?¡± I ask, bowing my head out of respect.

    ¡°What are your plans with my daughter?¡± The woman asks. In another situation, I would be shocked by that question, but I recognize the seriousness in the old woman¡¯s tone.

    ¡°She has been a friend. I hope to keep that friendship for as long as I can.¡± I respond.

    The old woman leans back in her chair. ¡°Do you know, little cultivator, that we once were respected friends of the humans?¡± She looks out the mouth of the cave, looking over the old, decrepit houses. ¡°I was a guardian once, the greatest of guardians. Before the Immortal Gardens were forced to hide their treasures from the greed of humans.¡± She looks down at her cane. ¡°Greed can twist the minds of the noblest of creatures, and fear is an even greater hindrance to the minds of men and women.¡± She takes a deep breath, her eyes closing slightly as she relives memories from long ago. ¡°Now our kind are hunted, like beasts, like the demons we aligned ourselves against. My daughter has chosen you, but know this; there will come a time when your friendship with her is tested, where you will have to take the lives of your fellows in order to protect her. Are you prepared for that moment?¡± She opens her eyes, their shape fully that of a snake¡¯s.

    I take a deep breath as I hold her gaze. ¡°I know that such decisions do not come easily, but I will not abandon Shia when such a time comes.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The woman smiles as she stands up, and begins to transform. Scales grow over her flesh as her mouth extends, and her body grows.

    As she grows, I realize that she isn¡¯t just a snake. A crown of gold scales grows over her head, and elegant wings grow out of her back. She hovers in the air, her eyes holding mine in a powerful promise.

    Shia¡¯s mother is a dragon.

    ¡°I will see you again. Keep yourselves safe until then.¡± The air twists as qi gathers to the woman, encircling us with an unfathomable amount of power. ¡°I can only send you to your realm, you will have to make your way home from there.¡±

    Reality twists as she directs her last words solely to me.

    ¡°Do not let the words of others decide your path, little one. Cultivation is a journey of forging your own way. It is only by your path, that you can find and create your dao.¡±

    The world twists back and my feet touch the ground.

    Shia makes her way to my robes and slithers up my leg, wrapping herself around my body.

    The three of us are standing on a dirt road, looking over an unfamiliar city. The city itself is next to a large, slow moving river. Boats ride up and down the river, fishing, but there is a tenseness to the scene that I can¡¯t put my finger on.

    Xia Jing and Lai Ming both let out tense breaths. Xia Jing looks over to me and lets out a loud laugh, ¡°You are one crazy girl. I was nearly pissing myself standing in front of that old monster.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so vulgar.¡± Lai Ming says, her hand reaching out to lean against a tree next to the road. ¡°But I¡¯ve never experienced a pressure like that before.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for her, but she does not have much patience for human cultivators.¡± Shia says. Both girls look up to the snake. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t there, she would have eaten you all before you stepped foot into her home.¡±

    Xia Jing lets out a giggle, then starts laughing. A moment later Lai Ming joins in.

    I shake my head at both of them, but can¡¯t stop myself from smiling.

 Chapter 64: The Rising Sun

    We walk down the road to the town, and the closer we get, the more I can feel the tense energy in the air. Farmers avoid our gaze, and the carts making their way to the city rush past us as fast as their horses can pull them.

    Another farmer turns around in his field as he catches sight of us, walking in the opposite direction.

    Lai Ming doesn¡¯t seem to notice the strange occurrence, but a glance at Xia Jing shows that she¡¯d noticed the scared farmer as well.

    As we get closer to the city, I¡¯m able to make out cultivators and armed mortals watching the road from the walls of the city. Two cultivators in Early Foundation Establishment stand at the gates, and one of them holds their hand up, stopping us a few paces down the road.

    ¡°Declare yourselves.¡± The man states simply, his eyes narrowing on us.

    Lai Ming steps forward, ¡°We are three disciples of the Flowing River Sect.¡±

    ¡°What are three disciples of the Flowing River Sect doing so far from your lands?¡± The cultivator asks.

    Lai Ming looks around, the city her eyes lost in thought. ¡°This is Yang City, isn¡¯t it? I thought we had a Master here.¡±

    The cultivator shakes his head. ¡°Your news is out of date. The master was pulled back to your sect several months ago.¡± He pauses, giving us a look. ¡°You can enter, but I recommend you leave before the gates close. Armies are marching, and The Flowing River Sect¡¯s neutrality won¡¯t protect you here.¡±

    He motions with his hand towards the guards on the wall, and their tension releases.

    Lai Ming leads us into the city. The streets are nearly empty, with only the occasional mortal making their way past us.

    She leads us through the city, eventually turning towards a lightly lit building with a single red lantern hanging over its door. As we pass through the door¡¯s frame, I see a small crow carved into the wood.

    Scantily clad women greet us as we enter the building, and I rub my arms, mildly uncomfortable with the atmosphere.

    ¡°A courtesan house?¡± Xia Jing whispers to Lai Ming.

    Lai Ming hides a smile, before walking over to one of the women, and bowing her head slightly. ¡°Is the mistress of the house in?¡±

    The woman, clothed in silk, smiles and motions for us to follow her. We¡¯re led to a familiar room, almost exactly like the one I¡¯d visited with Lu Kun and Sun during our trip to the Immortal Garden where we¡¯d met Shia¡¯s sister.

    The woman bows, then leaves the room.

    Xia Jing shifts uncomfortably. ¡°What are we doing here?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want a break from our travels?¡± Lai Ming asks, and I realize that she¡¯s messing with our sister disciple.

    Xia Jing¡¯s eyes narrow, catching on as well.

    A young woman enters the room, her steps seeming to flow over the ground as she walks. Tiger-orange eyes watch us from behind a veiled face, and the spirit of the room is filled with enticing roses. Her qi is only in the sixth realm of qi awakening, but I still get a sense of danger from her.

    Lai Ming bows her head. And the both of us follow suit.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the mistress is out, but I am here as her representative.¡± Something about her voice attracts my attention, and I focus on her, but I can¡¯t see anything past her veil. I¡¯ve never known anyone with eyes that shade of orange either. Her eyes meet mine, and crease into a smile, before returning to the other girls.

    ¡°We need safe passage to the lands of The Flowing River Sect.¡± Lai Ming says.

    The young woman pauses, ¡°That is complicated. No path is safe with armies and demons running wild across the planes. Even the oceans are dangerous without imperial ships patrolling.¡± Her eyes meet mine. ¡°Stay tonight, and I will see if I can find you passage upriver.¡±

    ¡°Stay here?¡± Lai Ming asks, her voice rising a notch. ¡°I mean-¡±

    The young woman lets out a small laugh, ¡°I understand your hesitation, but there is no safer place in the city. Once you¡¯re far enough upriver, you¡¯ll enter territory controlled by Princess Shi Da.¡± Her eyes flicker to me before returning to the other girls, ¡°Her people will not harm you.¡±

    Lai MIng thinks for a moment, then bows her head, ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± She knocks on the wall behind her, and another courtesan enters the room. The courtesan bows low, and motions for us to follow her.

    Xia Jing waits until we¡¯re out of earshot of the woman, then asks softly. ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°A member of The Watchful Crows.¡± Lai Ming says, ¡°They often have members in places like this.¡±

    ¡°Have you been to this city before?¡± I ask.

    She nods, ¡°Elder Wu took me here a couple years ago. We¡¯re some distance away from the sect, but closer than I¡¯d feared we might be.¡±

    The courtesan leads us to a large room with four beds on the second floor. She bows and leaves us alone.

    Lai Ming drops into one of the beds, letting out an exhausted exhale. Xia Jing sits on the edge of a different bed, her face unreadable as she looks into the distance.

    I look at the both of them, then sit down on a third bed. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you tell us what happened.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    My words cause Lai Ming to freeze. She sits up and looks at me, then meets Xia Jing¡¯s eyes as well. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡±

    ¡°You killed three other disciples.¡± I say. ¡°I need to know why.¡±

    Lai Ming¡¯s expression darkens. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    ¡°Exactly why we have to know.¡± I look at Xia Jing, who nods in agreement. ¡°How do you know that Elder Fu is going to betray the sect?¡±

    Lai Ming looks at the floor. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on killing them.¡± The words are quiet, but they echo through the room with a sadness that breaks my heart.

    I move over to her and sit next to her. My hand gently rests against her back, and she leans into the touch. Xia Jing moves to the other side.

    ¡°I know, we both do.¡± I say.

    She¡¯s silent for a long moment, then the words come out slowly, ¡°I was following Disciple Gao in my outer sect robes.¡± Her hands clench tight against the sheets, a light frost covering the cloth. ¡°He gave a message to a merchant. I suspected something was wrong, so I swiped the paper from the merchant. It had detailed movements of our elders listed on it. I should¡¯ve stopped there and given it to Elder Wu.¡± She takes a deep breath, then lets it out. ¡°I don¡¯t know when he realized I was following him. He led me into that forest where the other two disciples were waiting. He thought I was just an outer disciple in over her head, so he told me things as he promised me death.¡±

    She closes her eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s how I know. Elder Fu and Elder Song have betrayed the matriarch and the sect.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough proof.¡± I say.

    Lai Ming opens her eyes and nods, ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. But we can¡¯t sit back and let it happen.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re with you every step.¡± Xia Jing says,

    ***

    I roll my flute in my hands, alone in the room. Xia Jing and Lai Ming had left to find us some food, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

    The Twelve Requiems Of Illusions opens in front of me, and I stare at the name of the eleventh requiem.

    The Eleventh Requiem: Annihilation

    The very word radiates a feeling of danger, as if the world were about to collapse around me at any moment.

    I close the book, and place it into my storage ring. I¡¯m not ready. Not yet.

    I get up and stretch my body, enjoying the simple movements as I ready myself to dance.

    Softly singing, I raise my hand and widen my stance.

    First Song: Dance Of The Brook

    The moves flow easily from me, already ingrained into my very spirit. A step here, a twirl there, all in preparation for the moves of the martial art.

    A soft knock on the door catches my attention.

    I finish a move, and stop. ¡°Come in.¡±

    The door opens revealing a familiar young man who smiles cheekily. ¡°Sorry to disturb ya.¡±

    ¡°Sun?¡± I study the young man, who¡¯d grown since I¡¯d last seen him, a small scar on his left cheek. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten taller.¡±

    ¡°The one and only.¡± He looks me over with a twinkle in his eye. ¡°You¡¯re still short.¡±

    I narrow my eyes at him, considering if I should reach for my sword.

    ¡°Can I come in? I won¡¯t stay long.¡± He asks.

    I sigh and sit on the edge of my bed. ¡°Come in.¡±

    He steps inside, closing the door behind him. He looks around the room, and I hear him mutter something to himself before he turns to me. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been gone a while, there are a few things you should know.¡±

    I tilt my head, and he sits down on the bed across from me.

    ¡°Right, big news first. Most of the imperial princes are dead in the wake of the Emperor¡¯s passing. There are two large forces still at play. Second Prince Shi Han controls the forces to the south with several sects supporting him while Princess Shi Da controls the forces to the north. She has declared herself Empress with the support of your father and The Heavenly Truth Sect.¡±

    ¡°The second prince?¡± I ask softly.

    Sun nods. ¡°I¡¯d heard that you had some history with him.¡±

    ¡°In some ways I would not be where I am today without his evil.¡± I say softly. ¡°But I would happily see him dead.¡±

    Sun looks at me curiously. ¡°That¡¯s unlike you.¡±

    I meet his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m accepting who I am.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not someone who takes joy from death.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know the evils that man has done, the whispers that follow him to the lowest of servants.¡± I glare at him, daring him to challenge me.

    ¡°I know what kind of evil follows that man.¡± Sun says, and something in his gaze warns me that he speaks truth. ¡°And death could not find him sooner. But you know better than anyone that there is no joy to be found in killing, only a perverse thing that twists you ever further away from being human.¡±

    I purse my lips, ¡°Since when did you become so wise?¡±

    ¡°You can guess that this is not the only life I¡¯ve lived.¡± His eyes flash, first turning red, the spirit of the room taking on a sharp danger, before turning green, the spirit becoming soft and healing. His eyes continue to shift, his spirit transforming with them; blue, purple, grey, tiger-orange, and gold, before finally turning back to their normal brown. He pauses, then his eyes turn red, the spirit sharpening into danger.

    ¡°In this life, Xi Leng took the lives of a thousand men, women and children, never questioning the orders of his master until it was too late. But by then, he was no longer human, and instead a demon like the one that infests Ai.¡± His eyes shift back. ¡°I¡¯ve had to wrestle with the regret and terrible grief that comes with such a life, Jiajia. I can only hope you never find joy in killing, because it would be a terrible loss if you did.¡±

    I turn away from him, glaring at the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll still put my sword through his throat.¡±

    ¡°As you should.¡± He says with a snort. ¡°He¡¯s a disgusting bastard that deserves death a thousand times over.¡± He stands up with a practiced grace. ¡°Before I forget, Lu Kun sends his greetings and well wishes to you and your sister disciple. Last I heard, he was fighting with his sect a few villages north of here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Sun, I¡¯ll tell Sister Jing. If you see him, please say hi to him for me.¡± I say.

    ¡°I will.¡± Sun steps to the door, his hand pausing on the handle. ¡°You are one of the strongest women I know. You will find a path for peace with yourself that does not involve a fall to the depths of the abyss.¡±

    He steps outside, leaving me alone in the room.

    I stare at the door for a long time, then I pull out the book of requiems from my inventory.

    It opens to the page of the newest requiem.

    The Eleventh Requiem: Annihilation

    I pull my flute out of my robes, my fingers tracing the wood as I hesitate.

    Pushing my fear aside, I place the flute to my lips.

 Chapter 65: Depths

    How can I describe the depths of despair?

    How can I show you a life devoid of hope, as everything around you crumbles to pieces, each and every life ground to dust, as the world stops from the sheer pain of it all?

    How can I explain the bottom of the abyss to those who have never felt their souls cry out from the sheer weight of it all?

    The first note ruined me.

    The second taught me what it means to feel despair.

    The third was empty.

    The fourth was a rebirth.

    Something exists despite the overwhelming weight of nothing. The void presses on it from all sides, and yet that piece of existence refuses to bend or break, instead growing to encompass everything.

    I drop to my bed, gasping for air as my flute rolls across the floor.

    It takes a moment for my vision to return to me, but even then, I fear to move as my qi rampages through my body and through the room around me. Sharp arcs of qi slice through the beds, causing fleece and fabric to fly into the air. My heart beats a thousand times a minute, and I attempt to bring my mind back to the world, to control the ever expanding aura of qi around me.

    Finally, it lessens. Feathers slowly fall through the air, resting daintily on the carved up beds of the room.

    I stare at the ceiling, wooden beams that had barely escaped the rampaging qi. I raise my hand to my forehead, and wipe away sweat.

    I need to clean myself.

    My hand falls back to the bed.

    I need to pick up my flute.

    My hand tightens around the blanket, straining as I put all my strength into my grip.

    Ever so gently, I calm my qi. I hum the Third Song: Tranquil Lake

    The song further brings peace to me, as my mind enjoys the tranquility.

    I push myself up slowly. My body is sore, my muscles protesting every movement. I move to my feet, but my legs betray me and I fall to the floor.

    I let out a small groan. I reach out and grab my flute, my fingers wrapping around the dangerous instrument.

    With a monumental force of will, I push myself back to my feet.

    I immediately sit down on the edge of my bed.

    That¡­ that was¡­ I¡¯ve never lost myself like that.

    It was terrifying.

    I put my hands to my eyes, only for my flute to bonk my head lightly. I adjust my grip and fall back into my bed.

    ¡°What happened here?¡± Xia Jing asks.

    I hadn¡¯t even heard her enter.

    I raise my hand and waive it in a vague gesture.

    She walks farther into the room, and sits down on the bed next to me. Hair clouds my vision as she looks down at me.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    I nod, ¡°No, but Shia¡¯s watching over me.¡±

    A hiss from the wooden beams above me is the snake¡¯s response.

    Xia Jing snorts, then places a meatbun in my mouth. ¡°Lai Ming is out gathering information, she¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    I chew on the food, mustering enough energy to grab the food with my hand so I don¡¯t choke.

    ¡°¡®s good.¡± I say, taking another bite.

    ¡°We¡¯re lucky someone would sell to us.¡± Xia Jing lifts up her pillow, all of the fluffing falling out of it from a large cut in its side. ¡°Everyone¡¯s shut down.¡± She kneels down to the floor and restuffs the pillow. ¡°They¡¯re scared.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s lots of things to be scared of.¡± I say. I push myself up, managing to sit on my bed. ¡°I think I broke through again.¡±

    Xia Jing pauses, and looks up at me. ¡°So soon?¡±

    I nod. It¡¯s hard to tell, my meridians still sore from the rampaging qi, but I can feel the qi flowing through my twelfth meridian, the blockage gone. All from playing four notes of the eleventh requiem.

    ¡°I¡¯m jealous.¡± The words ring more true than I thought they would.

    I look over to the other girl, but she¡¯s not looking at me, instead her gaze is on the ceiling.

    She shakes her head and matches my gaze, the corner of her mouth tilting up in a half-smile. ¡°I¡¯ll have plenty of time to catch up.¡±

    I nod emphatically, part of me feeling guilty.

    Before I can say more, Lai Ming returns, and the topic turns to easier things. We finish dinner, then stay up late working on our own things. I meditate in order to further soothe my sore meridians, while Xia Jing examines herbs and writes into a notebook, and Lai MIng moves through the movements of a martial art I¡¯m not familiar with.

    ***

    I¡¯m woken by the sound of a bell ringing through the city. The bell is followed by yelling and screaming.

    Our door bursts open, showing the same orange-eyed woman that had agreed to find us passage. She rushes into the room. ¡°Hurry, get ready!¡±

    Lai Ming rolls out of her bed, while I blink blearily at the commotion.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Xia Jing is by my side a second later, pulling me from the bed.

    ¡°Get dressed.¡± she hisses.

    Her words finally wake me up enough to the world around me, and I hurry to follow her instructions. Shia crawls up my leg as I dress.

    The woman sticks here head out the hallway.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I ask, struggling to tie my robes.

    ¡°The army moved in the night, they¡¯re at the walls now, but that won¡¯t stop them for long.¡± A young girl runs over and hands the woman a bag. She whispers something to the girl, and the young girl runs off again. ¡°There¡¯s a boat waiting for you by the river, but I¡¯m not sure how long they can stay.¡±

    I tie my sword to my waist, and double check my flute in my pocket.

    Seeing the three of us ready, the woman steps out of the room with a hurried ¡°Follow me.¡±

    She half runs, and we hurry to keep up with her as she leads us through a kitchen, and into a storage room filled with foods and wine. She hurries over to the wine shelf, and leans against it, grunting with effort as she pushes it out of the way to reveal a trap-door.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the only entrance into the tunnels, so keep your eyes open and your blades sharp.¡± The woman opens the trap-door. ¡°Keep the boat there as long as you can. I¡¯ll join you after I¡¯ve made sure the others are safe.¡±

    I look down into the darkness, a sense of deja vu hitting me.

    ¡°Follow the path right and it¡¯ll lead you straight there.¡± she says.

    Lai Ming jumps first, followed by Xin Jing. I¡¯m about to follow when a hand grabs mine. ¡°Stay safe, Lin Jia.¡±

    I smile at her, ¡°You too, Sun.¡±

    The shocked look in his eyes is all I need to confirm my suspicion before I jump down. Laughter follows me, the voice changing from it¡¯s higher pitch to a lower one as his spirit shifts back into his normal self.

    The hatch closes behind us, and I hear the shelf being pushed back into place. We¡¯re surrounded by darkness for a moment, and I whistle softly to add light with my qi.

    The two girls start moving as soon as we have the light and we hurry further into the tunnel.

    Above us, we hear the faint sounds of screams and fighting. I do my best to ignore it, instead following the tunnel deeper.

    A crashing sound echoes out, and what I thought to be a wall burst open, revealing a group of cultivators in Qi Awakening, their clothes covered in blood. They stare for only a moment before they run at the three of us.

    My blade leaves its sheathe, meeting the blade of another cultivator. I twist out of the way of a throwing dagger as it goes by my head. I can¡¯t switch my song without losing the light, so I rely on my movement to duck around the blade and slice through the neck of the first man. A second man swings at me, only for his blade to slow as he is covered in ice. My blade goes through his chest a second later.

    The last man dies a second later, six bodies lying in the dirt.

    The three of us pause for breath, and I see a line of red going down Xia Jing¡¯s sword arm. She notices my look and shakes her head at me, telling me it¡¯s fine.

    We continue deeper into the tunnels, and are let out into a small beach hidden by the walls of a cave. A river boat is docked on the sand.

    A large bearded man lifts his lantern from the boat, examining us, then nods. ¡°Hurry on then, and we¡¯ll be off.¡±

    We don¡¯t need more prompting to hop on the boat, and I stop whistling, the lantern light plenty to see by.

    I stop the man before he unties the rope holding his boat to the shore.

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting for one more.¡± I say.

    ¡°The waters are going to be dangerous enough at night.¡± The man mutters. ¡°Best to leave while they¡¯re distracted by sacking the city.¡±

    ¡°I can hide our escape, but we have to wait.¡± I say.

    He looks into my eyes, then nods. ¡°Ten minutes.¡±

    I turn my gaze to the tunnels.

    We quiet, the sounds of the fighting still echoing through the city to us.

    A dragging sound makes its way through the tunnel and my spirit sense is filled with the feelings of hunger and death.

    My breath catches as a woman steps out of the tunnel, dragging the body of one of the cultivators we¡¯d killed. Her aura extends, showing the prowess of a cultivator in Core Formation. ¡°I¡¯d had such high hopes for this one.¡± She says, throwing the body towards us, ¡°Then you had to kill him.¡±

    I jump from the boat, my feet sinking into the water. I draw my sword and bring her attention to me. Shia twists around my waist in anticipation.

    She raises an eyebrow, ¡°Brave, but you should know when to bow to your betters.¡±

    I spread my feet and lift my sword, adapting the First Song: Dance of the brook to The Movements Of The Ruinous Dragon, ¡°I¡¯ve killed more of your kind then I can count, Demon.¡±

    Lai Ming and Xia Jing join me in the water a second later.

    The woman looks over the three of us calmly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve fought someone like me.¡±

    Qi rushes from her, filling the cave with its dark presence. Then the dead man in front of her decomposes, turning into a mass of blood and flesh that circles around the woman. Shards of bone fly forward towards us, only to be met by walls of Earth and Ice.

    I flow forward, my sword slicing for the woman¡¯s neck.

    She blocks the strike with a dagger made of bone, then strikes towards my neck with a second dagger of bone.

    I twist around the strike, but she nicks my neck, drawing blood. Qi and dark spirit invades my flesh, making me freeze.

    A second dagger makes it¡¯s way towards me, only for her to pull back as a spear of ice pierces the spot she¡¯d been standing.

    Xia Jing and Lai Ming attack the woman, both their blades caught by daggers as she dances around them. The demon waves her hand and shards of blood and bone fly towards me.

    Shia¡¯s spirit floods my body, devouring the concoction poisoning me, and I jump back, avoiding the shards.

    ¡°Her blades are poisoned!¡± I call out to the other girls. Then I draw breath.

    The First Requiem: Field Of Blood

    Rivers of blood flow under our feet as an army of warriors surround us.

    The woman smiles, her qi suffusing the illusion.

    The blood of the illusion moves, striking through the heart of every warrior in the illusion, only two men avoiding the death caused by her control over flesh.

    I cough up blood, stopping the song, the illusion disappearing. The First Disciple meets my eyes, and mouths something to me before he too disappears.

    Annihilation.

    I fall to the floor and gasp for air at the complete dismantlement of my illusion. I¡¯d never experienced someone do that by controlling the illusion before. At least it tells me one thing. In order to control it, she had to believe it.

    The first disciple recommended the eleventh requiem, but am I ready for that? I hesitate, blood dribbling down my lips.

    A cry makes me look up to my sister disciples.

    The woman pierces Xia Jing¡¯s stomach, the bone of her dagger sticking out of her back.

    My world stops.

    The dagger is pulled, and Xia Jing falls to the ground. Lai Ming¡¯s sword blocks a followup strike from the woman, and ice covers the room as Lai Ming screams.

    I pull in my breath, not caring about any of my hesitations as I call upon all the qi and spirit within me. My flute is pulled from my robes and placed to my mouth.

    Eleventh Requiem: Annihilation

    Everyone freezes as the pressure of the requiem settles in on the world. A look of fear fills the woman¡¯s eyes, and suddenly she¡¯s in front of me.

    The first note brings her to her knees.

    I hold her eyes, as she stares at me wide eyed.

    The second note rips her open.

    The third note ripples through her, and removes her from this plane.

    The fourth brings her back.

    My flute falls to the floor, the requiem ending. She stares at me, not seeing me as her mouth is held open in true terror.

    I use the last of my strength to draw my sword, and cut off her head.

    Then I collapse to the floor. My eyes looking into her dead ones.

    Shia leaves my robes, her mouth opening wide to devour the body of the demon.

    A familiar male voice yells out, quickly shifting into an upper register as a calming and healing spirit wraps around me.

    I look into the distance, to see Xia Jing¡¯s chest slowly rising and falling, then my eyes close.

 Chapter 66: Spirit Of The River

    Only a moment passes, before consciousness returns to me. Rough arms pick me up, and I¡¯m carried onto the boat and placed beside a bunch of bags of grain.

    Muffled voices reach me as Sun gives orders. The boat leaves the shore, and the sole lantern is extinguished, placing us in darkness.

    I turn my head, and I¡¯m vaguely able to make out the shapes of Sun and Lai Ming standing over a body.

    I can¡¯t see if she¡¯s breathing.

    I force my strained muscles to move, and push myself up.

    Sun turns, then hurries over to me.

    He crouches next to me, and places his hand on my arm ¡°Quiet¡± he whispers, ¡°sound travels over water. She¡¯s alright.¡±

    I relax, and my body collapses against him. He gently sets me down against the bags of grain.

    The boat leaves the cave, revealing a burning city. It illuminates the night, the flames flickering off the waves. The city is still fighting, flashes of qi and screams making their way to us. In the flickering flames of the city, I catch sight of the army surrounding it. Hundreds of men on horseback, with strange siege machines taking up the road. I don¡¯t know how they came upon the city so quickly seeing their number. In the sky, a single sky-ship hovers over the city.

    I look back to the boat, finally noticing the two men rowing the boat into the large slow moving river. The gruff captain lowers the sails, and we catch a wind pushing us against the current.

    Then we¡¯re off, away from the flames of war.

    I stare into the night sky, clouds barely letting the light of the moon light our way.

    I take a deep breath, and focus inward, calming the qi that had gone wild with the eleventh requiem.

    I spend several minutes meditating before hushed whispering pulls me to the present. I open my eyes, and look to the back of the ship. Sun and the captain look at something in the distance, their whispers almost audible. Sun¡¯s eyes are golden, and his spirit is rougher, with a dangerous edge to it. The scent of the sea surrounds him. It vaguely reminds me of The Pirate Queen¡¯s spirit.

    I push myself up with my body only complaining a little and join the two of them. Sun catches my eyes, then points to the river behind us. I follow his finger, and stare into the darkness for several seconds before I catch sight of another boat. Black sails push it along the river, an unnatural wind helping it gain on us.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know if they¡¯ve seen us.¡± Sun says quietly, his accent rough and grizzled. ¡°But no one in the city fly¡¯s black sails.¡±

    We turn around a curve and lose sight of the ship. Qi escapes from Sun, wrapping around the ship, and our speed increases.

    ¡°Rest.¡± Sun says, the word coming out like an order. He looks behind us, and mutters the last as if he¡¯s speaking to himself, ¡°Something tells me they¡¯ll be upon us soon.¡±

    I have the same sense of foreboding, but I don¡¯t say anything as I walk over to where Lai Ming is resting next to Xia Jing.

    Lai Ming is fast asleep, but Xia Jing¡¯s eyes open as I approach. Her face is pale, but there¡¯s still strength in her eyes.

    ¡°I knew my luck had been too good.¡± She says, chuckling lightly before a flash of pain crosses her face. At my worried look, she continues, ¡°I¡¯ll be alright. She¡¯s a good healer.¡±

    It takes me a second to realize that she¡¯s talking about Sun. He¡¯s still wearing the clothes of his tiger-orange personality which do make him look feminine.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asks, making me look back at her. ¡°I must¡¯ve given you quite the scare.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright.¡± I repeat her words back to her, then I sit next to her.

    She leans her head on me, her breath calming.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I finally say.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°I dragged you into a fight with that demon.¡± I say.

    ¡°What? You think she was going to just let us leave?¡± Xia Jing snorts. ¡°I don¡¯t like demons either, Junior Sister. Fighting was the correct choice.¡±

    I bring my eyes to the bandages around her waist, then I take a deep breath, and let it go.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I say.

    ¡°We still have so much to do, I¡¯m not out of the fight yet.¡± She places her head back on my shoulder. She continues, so quiet, I almost don¡¯t hear her. ¡°We just have to grow to face them.¡±

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    Soon enough, she falls asleep. I keep my gaze on the horizon, watching as the sun slowly rises.

    ***

    Rough shaking wakes me. Sun stands over me, his eyes golden. ¡°They¡¯re close. We need to be ready.¡±

    I nod, and slip away from Xia Jing.

    I follow Sun to the back of the boat, where the ship with black sails is in full view. Despite the distance, I sense the spirit of hunger and death.

    Another demon? But this one is weaker than the last. Unfortunately, I can see that it¡¯s not alone. At least ten cultivators, ranging from Qi Awakening to Foundation Establishment, stand at the front of their boat. Weapons drawn.

    Sun¡¯s qi still powers our boat, keeping the distance, the river is slow, but there¡¯s no wind. Twelve oars push against the river, helping them gain on us.

    I take a deep breath, recognizing what I must do.

    A book escapes from my ring, and I hold it tight. I look to Sun who is waking Lai Ming. Both of them make their way to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to buy us time.¡± I say.

    The both of them look at me.

    ¡°The two of you keep going, and I¡¯ll catch up with you at Lin City.¡± I continue.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Lai Ming says, stepping forward.

    I hold up my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, but Xia Jing needs safety more than anything. I¡¯ll have Shia with me, and I know my father¡¯s lands.¡±

    Sun looks at me for a long moment, then nods. ¡°I¡¯ll use the last of my qi to increase our distance. If you buy us enough time, we¡¯ll lose them in the tributaries.¡±

    Lai Ming frowns, looking at the ship in the distance, then she nods as if coming to a decision. She turns to Sun. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with her. Can you keep our injured sister safe?¡±

    Sun pauses, his eyes widening in surprise. Then he bows his head. ¡°I¡¯ll protect her with my life.¡±

    I open my mouth to argue, but Lai Ming shoots me a look, ¡°Water isn¡¯t too far from ice. And ice is my domain.¡±

    I close my mouth and nod, then I throw the book in front of me and jump off the boat.

    The book opens mid-air to Second Song: Flow Of The River.

    I sing the first note, my feet landing softly on top of the water. A moment later, Lai Ming steps on the river, ice freezing beneath her feet.

    Water and ice rise around us, and I feel the qi of our enemies seeking to control the river. My song continues, and a wave rises, hitting the ship. A moment later, the wave is frozen, holding the boat in the air and stopping it from moving forward.

    Five cultivators jump from the ship, landing on the water. Five more on the ship gather their qi to break the ice and let their ship crash back into the river.

    I share a look with Lai Ming, then we¡¯re moving. The water of the river moves with my song, only to suddenly freeze and shoot forward with Lai Ming¡¯s power.

    Behind us, Sun uses pulls on a large amount of qi to wrap his boat in power and shoot forward.

    I draw my sword, and my blade meets another. My thoughts slow, as my world becomes the song of the river, the blade in my hand, and the opponent in front of me.

    I take another life, my sword slicing through a neck.

    My arm is cut, and qi attempts to invade the cut, but the water around me heals the wound. As I sing, I sense a familiar presence in the water. I know that Zhu Teng¡¯s Daughter and the creator of The Twelve Songs Of Water, Zhu Yan Se, somehow watches me.

    What must her power be like to watch through the eyes of a river in another realm?

    I can¡¯t think on it long, as my blade meets a blood-stained spear, and I¡¯m thrown back.

    The spirit of hunger and death fills the air, and I meet the eyes of another demon. Around us, spears of ice fly towards the enemy cultivators, only to be returned with a vengeance by the enemy.

    Lai Ming skates on ice, dodging the attacks of the enemy, simply seeking to delay them.

    I, however, desire death, especially for the monster that stands in front of me.

    He is in Foundation Establishment, and he should be beyond my power.

    But I¡¯m sick of being weak, and I¡¯ve slain monsters far beyond him.

    My sword meets his spear, and water rushes to meet a bloody darkness.

    I switch to Whispers Of The Silent Raven, and spin around his spear as he stabs at me. Water coats my sword, and I flick it towards him, using my qi to make a deadly slash.

    Bloody darkness pierces the attack, but I follow up with several more, then duck in close.

    His spear follows me, blocking my strike. The other end of his spear seeks to sweep my legs, but I¡¯m already moving, the water under my feet giving me the extra space I need, before I dive back in.

    He stabs forward, and I don¡¯t fully dodge, a long cut drawing blood from my side. I trade the wound with an upward slash that claims the demon''s hand.

    He cries out, then uses his qi to draw on the blood flowing from my wound. I smile, water rising up to heal the wound before his qi can do anything.

    He switches stances, his dark qi replacing his missing hand.

    But I know it¡¯s weak.

    This time, as I step in, I have the advantage, every cut drawing blood, until my blade stabs him through the heart.

    Zhu Yan Se¡¯s spirit surrounds my sword, and my sword emits a fierce wave of spirit, bringing me out of my battle lust. It draws on the qi of the killed demon, and I sense the forming of something in the sword. Then it goes quiet, the demon falls off the sword and Zhu Yan Se disappears.

    I don¡¯t have time to ponder what happened, as with the demon dead, the other cultivators turn their attention to me, and I¡¯m forced to dodge and deflect what I can. Occasionally, I¡¯m hit, but the water rises up to heal what damage there is.

    Suddenly, Lai Ming is beside me. She picks me up, and I squeak in surprise. ¡°More are coming.¡± She says, her eyes on the sky. Ice forms under her feet, and she carries me into the forest as she skates at a speed that makes me mildly nauseous.

    Cultivators follow us, so I pause my song, and grab my flute from my robes.

    The Sixth Requiem: The Tomb

    The world is enveloped in darkness as I play to help our escape.

 Question: Should I relaunch with my edited version?

    Hey all, with my recent relaunch of The Game Of The Gods, I''ve been considering relaunching this story as well, and I wanted the opinion of my community.

    Why?

    I could have a Rising Star run, which means more readers, and a larger likelihood of being able to support myself monetarily.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    You all would be able to read the book that went through many edits and exists in a published state. It hasn''t gotten too much traction, but it''s a beautiful story that I really want to share with the world. There are many changes that improve it beyond the state that Beautiful Jade exists in on royalroad.

    I would continue to update Patreon with latest updates of the third book,

    What do you think? Please leave comments.

 Chapter 67: Spirit Fox

    I look at my sword, twisting the shimmering blade to see it from all angles. My spirit sense goes over it, as I focus on the blade. There¡¯s something, but it¡¯s on the edge of my senses, so faint that I wonder if I¡¯m imagining it.

    After a few moments, I lower the sword and put it in its sheath. ¡°Do you see anything, Shia?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I know little of the weapons you cultivators use.¡± Shia twists around my arm, down towards the pommel my hand rests on. ¡°I hesitate to say too much.¡±

    I look over to Lai Ming, who is cultivating in the corner of the small cave we had found. I¡¯m fairly certain we¡¯re still being tracked, but we¡¯d managed to put some distance between us and our pursuers. Lai Ming had made some gains to her cultivation, and had wanted to calm her qi before we continue.

    ¡°Shia,¡± I say, turning away from my Senior Sister. ¡°That¡¯s two demons I¡¯ve fought since we got back to this realm.¡± the unspoken question hangs in the air for a moment before she responds.

    ¡°I have my suspicions.¡± She says. ¡°We best hope they are not correct. War draws demons to it. I hope that is the all of it.¡±

    I move towards the edge of the cave, and look into the distance. Trees block my view, but on the horizon, I see smoke clouding the sky. Qi fluctuates occasionally, telling of fighting that I cannot see.

    Movement brings my attention back to the cave as Lai Ming stands up and stretches.

    ¡°Close, but not close enough.¡± She says, her eyes looking into the distance before focusing on me. ¡°I¡¯ll get there soon enough.¡±

    ¡°You will.¡± I say with a small smile.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± She asks.

    I nod, and she leads the way out of the cave. We make our way down a small hill, and down a small path.

    We walk in silence until the path turns into an old road. Abandoned farms make up the side of the road, their fields left untended with the threat of armies on their doorstep.

    I have a general sense of where we might be, but I don¡¯t recognize the specific road. We¡¯d traveled northwest for a good while, and are now trying to make our way more northeast so that we can find the river and follow it upstream towards the lands controlled by my father.

    The quiet of our walking is upended as the road ahead flashes with qi. Immediately, I sense the spirit of another demon, and I feel as Shia constricts around my midsection.

    A few paces in front of us qi gathers, then slashes through the air, the slash is blue and drips like paint. Another slash of paint joins it, followed by another, until a symbol is written there. The symbol brightens before it¡¯s replaced by a man that falls from the symbol, landing on his feet.

    Covered in injuries, and holding a sword longer than he is, he breathes heavily, his black and white robes dirtied..

    I run forward, and he turns to me, his sword raising towards me. I flow past his sword, drawing my own sword to block a blade of qi and deflect it into a nearby field.

    ¡°Lin Jia?¡± Lu Kun of the Heavenly Truth Sect asks, his voice catching.

    A black portal opens in the air in front of us, stopping me from answering.

    Three cultivators step out of the strange portal. Two are in Foundation Establishment while the last is a twelfth level qi awakened. All of them wear the robes of the Shan Mountain Sect. My gaze turns to the third one, recognizing the hints of Demonic spirit. They step through the portal and it closes behind them.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± One of the cultivators asks, looking at mine and Lai Ming¡¯s robes.

    ¡°Why do you have a demon with you?¡± I ask, drawing all of their attention to me.

    The demon frowns, then he looks to the other two. ¡°Kill her first.¡±

    The cultivator frowns, looking towards Lai Ming, who steps up next to Lu Kun and I. He shares a glance with the other cultivator in Foundation Establishment, then bows his head to the demon. ¡°Of course, Core Disciple Ku Mao.¡±

    He slashes down with his sword, seemingly cutting the air.

    My instincts save me as I jump back in time to dodge a sword made of qi slashing through where I was standing.

    That¡¯s all that¡¯s needed for the battle to start.

    Spears of ice fly towards the cultivators, but a black void appears in front of one of the disciples, swallowing the spears whole.

    The disciple slashes his sword again, and the blade materializes next to me, this time cutting my arm as I¡¯m too slow to dodge the attack.

    Blood flows down the cut, and I open my mouth, words flowing from me as I change the nature of the battlefield.

    First Requiem: Field Of Blood

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The notes flow over the road, bringing rivulets of blood with it. Warriors cry out, their dying voices matching the darkness of the song.

    The warrior of the first requiem appears beside me, blocking a sword that had appeared to my left.

    The demon across from us frowns, then steps towards me. His body dissipates into shadow, and reforms instantly next to me, I block the strike, then throw his blade back as I enter The Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon.

    His eyes widen, and he dissipates into shadow as my blade cuts through the spot he¡¯d been standing.

    ¡°Behind you.¡± Shia says.

    He reforms again behind me, only for my sword to instantly find his throat, and puncture it through.

    He gurgles in surprise, and my sword again pulls the qi from the demon, drawing it into itself hungrily.

    I slide my sword out, and he falls to the floor, his blood joining those of the ancient battlefield.

    A sharp cry makes me look up, and I see one of the cultivators freezing from the icy sword piercing his heart.

    The last cultivator draws on his qi, and a black portal starts to form. He¡¯s a second too late as Lu Kun¡¯s sword chops his head off.

    The head rolls and I let the illusion go, leaving only the dead disciple¡¯s blood on the ground.

    Shia slithers through my clothes, dropping to the ground and opening her mouth wide to swallow the dead demon.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Lu Kun yells, jumping away from the snake.

    Lai Ming and I both look at him, and he looks back at us guiltily.

    ¡°Sorry. Snakes, they uh¡­ they scare me a little.¡±

    I hum, then wait silently as Shia finishes her meal and travels back up my robes.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I ask, noticing blood flowing from several cuts on Lu Kun¡¯s body. His robes are covered in blood and rips, and the man himself looks like he hasn¡¯t gotten much sleep.

    He shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been running from those three for days.¡±

    ¡°Why were they after you?¡± Lai Ming asks.

    He looks over to the other girl, her blade melting into water. ¡°I need to get to Lin city.¡± Is his only answer.

    Lai Ming shares a glance with me.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to Lin City.¡± I say.

    ¡°A fortuitous encounter then.¡± He bows his head. ¡°Formations block my attempts to move quickly, but we must make haste.¡±

    We don¡¯t need more encouragement than that to continue our journey. The road meets up with the river, and we follow its banks towards the city.

    ***

    It follows me, sensing the spirit of its enemies and fallen brethren. It moves ravenously, always hungry, always starving. It moves through the city to the river. It finds a cave, where the first of its kind was slain, then up the river, where bodies still float, then it leaves the river, moving until it finds the bodies of two slain swordsmen. It looks up, its eyes meeting mine. A sharp smile covers its face, and all I can see are those teeth, and its eyes. Bloodthirsty eyes that have lost all reason, that only desire to kill and devour everything that stands in its way.

    I gasp for air as I wake up, sweat covering me. Shia is out of my robes, her gaze on the path behind us. Illuminated only by moonlight, it takes a moment for my brain to catch up to me.

    I shove myself up off the ground and hurry to the other two.

    Lai Ming watches the surroundings while Lu Kun and I sleep.

    ¡°We need to move.¡± I say to her in a hushed whisper, then I give Lu Kun a shove with my foot.

    He wakes up, and reaches for the large sword next to him.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± I continue.

    The both of them don¡¯t question me as we pick up our bags and place them into storage rings.

    Then we¡¯re off, into the night.

    Creatures call to each other in the darkness, but Shia warns me before we approach the nest of anything dangerous, her own senses better than ours in the forest.

    We make haste and get closer to the city, but some distance away, I start to feel it.

    A ravenous spirit, devouring the very air around it.

    I lead us to a clearing, then hum softly to illuminate the world around us. There¡¯s no point in hiding ourselves in the night. Whatever it is has already found us.

    We stand there, a circle of trees providing cover, hiding things despite the illumination provided by my illusion.

    But the thing that chases us, does not care to hide.

    A paw touches the ground, the earth giving beneath it. A large creature stands there, several tails swishing in the air behind it. What once might have been a fox is corrupted by the demonic path it follows, It¡¯s eyes red, and its fur pink with streaks of blood. It stands twice as tall as I do.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well so far, little hunters, little hunters.¡± The Demonic Fox says, its voice like a million whispers in my mind, grating and cutting, invading places they shouldn¡¯t. ¡°So so well well. If only you¡¯d been a little quieter, quite like a little mouse. But no no, I hunt mouses all the same, all the same.¡±

    The Demonic Fox looks at me, twisting its head, ¡°You hold the scent of death, death. Like my master. I will bring you to him? Yes, yes.¡± A large smile fills the creature''s face. ¡°But the others? The others must die, die.¡± Its qi expands, revealing it to be something far beyond our level, closer to the Matriarch of The Flowing River Sect. It¡¯s spirit and qi invades me, rushing through my veins as it attempts to control my body and my qi.

    I fall to my knees, my eyes wide.

    A sharp spirit pushes it back, striking like lightning and cutting the fox¡¯s spirit to threads.

    ¡°Quiet your words, abomination.¡± Shia leaves my sleeves, falling to the floor and expanding until she looks down on the fox.

    The fox steps back, its face flashing with fear before the emotion is overridden by its ravenous desires.

    ¡°Guardian! But you are weak, weak.¡± A terrible laughter fills it. ¡°You will die before me, and I will feast upon you. Yes, feast upon you.¡±

    ¡°I am strong enough, Huli.¡± Spirit floods her, and her crown of golden scales expands until all of her scales shimmer with a golden gleam. Her size increases, and her fangs drip with venom.

    The fox recurls, ¡°Die!¡±

    The fox disappears to my sight, and blood spurts from Shia¡¯s scales.