《Voidlight Rising - A Xianxia Cultivation Adventure》


 Chapter 1 - Escape from the Labyrinth

    The scream rang through the cavern, ricocheting off every wall until it was distorted to a mere echo. That was how it reached my addled ears, and I did nothing, sure that it was just another facet of the prison tricking my senses. The labyrinth below the shore¡­it was known to feed off my imagination. That was what it was built to do, after all.


    When the second scream came, I stirred. There was¡­more to this. It was¡­clearer.


    ¡°Get behind me!¡± echoed a voice. There were two people. I listened more closely, opening my eyes for the first time in a century to peer into the darkness.


    Screeching echoes, the sound of a sword striking stone, another scream from the one the swordsman was protecting. Those were¡­different somehow. They were real, and not in the same way that my prison altered reality itself to bind me. These were honest to goodness people who¡¯d wandered near the entrance to the labyrinth! And if there were people and they were fighting¡­maybe¡­just maybe¡­


    I called upon my core, praying that I could pull off the plan I¡¯d dreamed of. I didn¡¯t know the details, I couldn¡¯t have planned them without the labyrinth catching on, but it had crossed my mind once or twice. The time to act was now, my window was small.


    Radiant moonlight filled the darkness of the labyrinth as my qi surged outward. The labyrinth gobbled it up like a hungry wolf, just as it had done a thousand thousand times over a thousand thousand turns of the moon. But, I would not let the opportunity pass. I poured my power into the moonlight, sending it streaking through the labyrinth, trying to find those in trouble.


    In my heart, I held firm to the desire to help them. I needed to help them. Whatever foe they faced, I could fight on their behalf. I just had to reach them, and to do that, I needed to escape the labyrinth!


    The powers that bound me fought and writhed. With every ounce of qi I poured into the search, it grew stronger. Flashes of light filled my eyes, and the scene shifted. I was in a forest, then a desert, then on a moonlit beach. I gritted my teeth and ignored the shape of reality around me. I was still in the labyrinth, regardless of what my eyes and ears told me, and the people were still in danger. I forced the power further, desperately searching.


    The tendrils of light and qi came to a wall. This was the edge of the labyrinth, I was sure of it. Skirting in any direction would only lead me back into its clutches, so I gathered my strength and sent the qi into the wall like a drill. The Moonlight bounced harmlessly off the side, its strength crippled by the labyrinth.


    ¡°Brother Tenri! Behind you!¡± cried a woman¡¯s voice. The sound was followed by a cry of pain.


    I sighed. At the rate my powers were being consumed by the labyrinth, I would not escape in time.


    ¡°You know what must be done,¡± said the voice that I refused to acknowledge, the one that had haunted my prison as long as I¡¯d been here.


    The labyrinth fought me. As much as I hated to admit it, the voice of the hated one was right. Only one power would be able to break the labyrinth before it was consumed and turned against me: the same power that landed me here in the first place. But¡­if I didn¡¯t¡­


    It wasn¡¯t just a matter of my own freedom anymore. I finally had a chance to help people again. The people were in trouble¡­and I would not let the thousand shames of my past stop me from saving even a single life when it dangled by a thread before my very eyes.


    I turned to the darkness in my soul. My lunar brilliance was consumed by the hungering void, and I felt the labyrinth recoil. It had seen this power before, but not in many centuries. It was enough, just barely enough, for the void to strike. My tendril plunged into the wall with renewed fervor, slamming through and forming a connection to the outside.


    There, it probed, seeking out those in harm¡¯s way. It searched steadier halls than those of the labyrinth until it found them! Not far from the edge of the labyrinth, a man fought three enormous bat creatures while a woman cowered behind a rock. He was bleeding from a gash on his shoulder, but he fought on valiantly. His sword sliced through the air, and his own qi filled the cavern. Roots shot down from the roof, stabbing into the wings of one of the creatures. It screeched, and the sound echoed with a power ten times the strength it should have had. Rocks fell from above as the vibrations knocked them loose.


    He would not last long against three of them. I couldn¡¯t get a good look at his face through the connection, but I imagined it was frightened.


    I urged my qi forward, purging the darkness and allowing the light to shine in my mind¡¯s eye. The tendril reached forward, darting between the beasts before plunging into the man¡¯s chest.


    He staggered back, gasping as my qi reached inside him and drew upon his core. This man was a cultivator, and that was enough.


    The plan I¡¯d built, that I¡¯d scarcely dared to dream about for fear it would be foiled¡­I enacted it. Freedom would be mine.


    * * *


    A band of bronze squeezed around my core, making me wince. It was wrong, unnatural, and against every one of the rules of reality that I lived by. But, at the same time¡­


    For the first time in an age, I breathed in air that did not stink of the labyrinth. I was outside! I was free!


    Briefly, I took stock of myself. I had no weapon, but that was expected. My sword, Eclipse, was broken during the fight that imprisoned me. I had nothing but the white and blue silk robes I¡¯d been wearing back then.


    I would simply have to make do. I still had some of my qi, though most of it was bound by the band of bronze, and I still had my mind, at least what was left of it after centuries of imprisonment. It would be enough.


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    The cultivator fell to his knee, gasping. I stepped forward, taking his place against the three spirit bats which hungrily snapped at him and his companion.


    ¡°You may wish to close your eyes,¡± I said softly to him and the woman he protected. Without checking if they¡¯d followed my orders or not, I circulated my qi through my body once before sending it out from myself.


    Reality bent and warped at my command, and a blade of pure light erupted from the earth, penetrating deep into the chest of one of the beasts. It tried to shriek in anger and pain, but it only came out as a gasping wheeze as the light faded from the creature¡¯s eyes. I turned to the next one. It streaked forward, teeth bared. I ducked beneath the strike, and the bat slammed into the wall behind me, dazing itself.


    These beasts were Bronze, just like the cultivator¡­and now me¡­but they were still weak. They hadn¡¯t even advanced enough to gain a spark of intelligence. They knew only hunger. I pitied them for that, but they were a danger, and it was my duty as a cultivator to end them before mortals were hurt by their quest for qi.


    An image passed briefly over my vision, and I saw the bat behind me tear into my shoulder with its dirty teeth. As soon as the image came, it left, and I dodged to the side just before the teeth snapped into place.


    ¡°It was a good attempt, friend,¡± I said to the beast. ¡°But, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve challenged the wrong artist. You stand no chance.¡±


    To prove my point, I waved my hand and a silver disk of moonlight in the shape of a crescent moon streaked towards the bat. Even as it sliced the bat clean in half, and its head tumbled to the floor, I sighed. The disk was so weak compared to what I remembered. It was to be expected, but that didn¡¯t mean it hurt any less.


    One bat remained. I raised my hand, ready to call upon more of my qi, but I paused. Several possible futures passed through my thoughts, fueled by the moon aura that emanated from my person. I smiled and lowered my hand. The fight would be over in three, two, one.


    The bat lunged forward, only for a streak of green to soar past. First, it slammed into the creature¡¯s nose, slicing through it like a dart. Then it circled around and penetrated its wing membrane. Just as it the bat staggered back, the green dart circled back and shot through its heart.


    The bat froze, the light of life draining from its eyes before it even hit the ground. The silence of the cavern was broken only by the heavy breathing of the cultivator behind me, and the keening whistle of an object moving at high speed. The object in question?


    I laughed and held out my hand. ¡°Have you been waiting all this time, old friend?¡±


    The green dart flitted around before coming to rest in my hand. The tiny jade crane nuzzled my thumb before settling back into its true form, a hairpin. It warmed my heart, and I had to resist the urge to cry tears of joy to see my loyal companion once again.


    Chiho the crane vibrated in my hand. The hairpin had been given to me by a dear friend in an age long gone. It was infused with the aura of the winds, allowing it to fly at incredible speeds.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    In my joy, I¡¯d almost forgotten about the cultivator and his companion. I turned to them, holding Chiho out to the side lest the blood on it drip onto my outfit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have a scrap of cloth?¡± I asked.


    Neither cultivator nor companion moved an inch. Now that I was seeing them in the flesh, I could actually see the details of their features. The man was dressed in a simple black tunic, with a bronze badge wrapped around his arm with a silver thread. Though, if it weren¡¯t for the sword in his hand, I¡¯d have likely mistaken him for a scholar. He was thin and wiry, and a set of glasses rested on his nose.


    The lenses had been cracked during the battle, and blood leaked from his ears. Despite his injuries, though, he pinned me with such a hostile stare that I might have been frightened¡­if this were a few thousand years ago and we¡¯d been of the same advancement.


    His companion, however, was clearly no fighter. She hid behind her rock, only peeking out enough to see if the cultivator would bid her to run. She was dressed in a simple housewife¡¯s dress, with the sleeves tied back for working.


    ¡°I asked you a question,¡± the cultivator said. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I heard you the first time,¡± I answered, slightly annoyed by his stubbornness. Young cultivators were always so¡­arrogant.


    Chiho chirped in my hand, responding to my thoughts. It was chastising me, and I sighed. It was right. I shouldn¡¯t be too critical of those beneath me. This cultivator was just as much my savior as I was his. It was bad manners to treat him without the proper respect.


    I pressed my fists together and bowed before the cultivator. ¡°My fellow Spirit Artist, I am Tsuyuki Yoru, and I thank you for coming to my aid. Might I beg a scrap of cloth to wipe the blood from my pin?¡±


    There was a moment of tension as the cultivator looked me up and down several times. Eventually, he sighed and sheathed his sword. A moment later, the mousy woman approached me and provided a small handkerchief. I smiled at her.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss,¡± I said, then I went about cleaning the blood from Chiho¡¯s length. The jade pin resembled a crane resting on a branch and had several cracks where blood could wedge itself. Cleaning it was a difficult process, but one that I did swiftly from years of practice. All the while, Chiho vibrated happily before leaping out of my hand as soon as the deed was done. I smiled as it nestled itself in my hair, just where it belonged.


    ¡°You must be a powerful cultivator to so handily defeat the spirit bats,¡± the younger cultivator said with a bow. ¡°We are grateful for your assistance.¡±


    ¡°Please, consider us even. You¡¯ve helped me with your very presence,¡± I answered. ¡°But, might I know your name? I would know the name of those who¡¯ve helped me escape.¡±


    ¡°Escape?!¡± Alarm rang clear in the cultivator¡¯s voice as he took a step back. The woman noticed his hesitation and hid meekly behind him. She was a mortal, and I had no doubt that they suspected I was about to do something heinous.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I looked at them expectantly, my hands folded behind me so as to show no threat. The cultivator paled but stammered out an answer anyway.


    ¡°I¡­um¡­My name is Tenri Lin,¡± he introduced. ¡°And this is Zhao Jaili. She¡¯s just a medicine woman from our town! She has no quarrel with you, shade.¡±


    I frowned. Who exactly did he think I was? Shades were ghosts, fragments of qi left behind by a powerful spirit, or one harboring intense emotion. I, on the other hand, was very much real and solid.


    ¡°I¡¯m no spirit,¡± I said, then I sighed. How was I going to explain? How do you even begin to put words to something as vast and limitless as myself?


    The bronze band around my core squeezed, and I winced again. I guess I wasn¡¯t as limitless as I was before, not bound like this. Still, it was better than being in the labyrinth. Chiho vibrated in encouragement, and I sighed.


    ¡°I have no intention of harming either of you,¡± I began. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m just a cultivator. Bronze, like you.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± Tenri cast a glance at the dead bats.


    However, before he could finish saying that I¡¯d displayed powers beyond a mere bronze, the woman, Zhao, perked up. She left Tenri¡¯s side and ran past me, her eyes wide with excitement.


    ¡°Tenri! I found them!¡± she shouted, pointing to a cluster of tiny mushrooms that had started glowing once the commotion had died down. ¡°The Veined Mooncaps are here! We can finally make the medicine!¡±

 Chapter 2 - The Darkened Moon

    Few people consider the Shore when discussing places of Qi Transformation. But I ask: even if the moon qi there can¡¯t compare to the flames of the Eversmoke Peak or the wind in the Pearlescent Passes, how powerful would the moon fragments that fell there have to be to have kept the regions qi-alignment for all known history? ¨C Qin Liu, Wandering Scholar


    *          *          *


    ¡°Medicine?¡± I¡¯d never even seen this kind of mushroom before, let alone heard of a disease that could be cured by them. Then again¡­that was hardly surprising. I had been trapped longer than I cared to admit.


    ¡°There¡¯s a wave of lunar fever in the village at the moment,¡± Tenri explained. ¡°The village stores were running low on mooncaps, so we came to replenish the supply.¡±


    Zhao knelt next to the mushrooms and began gently pulling them from the ground before placing them in her bag. She handled them with such care, you¡¯d think she was picking fireweeds instead of simple mushrooms.


    ¡°You two, fan out and look for more.¡± The formerly timid woman ordered us with such confidence that I was momentarily stunned. However, a moment later, she blushed deep, covering her face with her hands. ¡°Please forgive this one her impertinence!! I d-did not mean-¡±


    I frowned and looked to the side. ¡°There are some over here.¡± I pointed to another patch. ¡°I imagine they radiate natural moon aura, but it¡¯s hard to tell.¡± I squinted at them, trying to see the qi of the plants, but no matter how I twisted my head or narrowed my eyes, the glowing haze of life surrounding all creatures was invisible to my eyes.


    ¡°Forgiveness, but if you really are Bronze, then you¡¯d be just as blind to qi as I am,¡± Tenri muttered. ¡°That¡¯s a skill for the Irons.¡±


    ¡°I¡­of course,¡± I answered glumly. How long had it been since I was such a weak advancement? I didn¡¯t even remember how long I¡¯d actually remained at Bronze the first time. It was a lifetime ago.


    ¡°So what advancement are you really?¡± Tenri asked softly, probably hoping I wouldn¡¯t hear him. I didn¡¯t answer. It was a question I did not wish to answer.


    ¡°I shall search deeper in,¡± I said. ¡°You can search the other way.¡± I pointed to a small branch off the main cavern tunnel for the others to search.


    Striding past Tenri and his suspicious gaze, I made my way deeper within. The whispers of the labyrinth grew stronger in my thoughts, but I withstood them. Anything to prevent Tenri from delving deeper himself. The faster we could get out of here, the better. After we got what they came for, we could leave, and I could figure out how to proceed.


    In my youth, I learned much of cultivation from my sect elders, but books and lessons can only account for so much. I¡¯d been a rather unruly disciple, constantly wandering off to experience the world¡¯s mysteries for myself. As such, I liked to think I had a deeper understanding of qi. After all, anyone can memorize the words in a book, but those who live it themselves? Those are the ones who will understand the very meaning behind the world. That thinking had led me down my path, and it would not fail me here, either.


    If mooncaps were suffused with lunar aura, then the only place for them to flourish in a cave like this, so far from the moon¡¯s light, would be near another source of lunar aura: namely my prison. I delved further in, conjuring a small mote of qi to my hand. The moonlight shimmered to life, lighting the way forward for myself.


    Mooncaps glowed bright all around me, confirming my theory.


    ¡°Well, Chiho, would you look at that,¡± I muttered. ¡°I haven¡¯t lost all my marbles, after all.¡± Chiho whined sadly. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t recall you being so violent. What was that all about?¡±


    Chiho pulled itself from my hair and flew in front of me, nuzzling into my cheek. I laughed and pushed it away, but it zipped around my hand and pressed its tiny wings against my cheek.


    ¡°You really did miss me, huh,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°I think you¡¯re probably the only one.¡± It vibrated happily, and I held it close for a tender moment. ¡°Come on, you silly thing. Let¡¯s see how many mushrooms are here.¡±


    I pushed onward. Chiho flitted around my head in an excited dance. The further we walked, the more mushrooms we found. They thrived here, and I soon discovered why.


    After several minutes of following the brightest mushrooms through the twisting and turning tunnels, I rounded a corner to find myself face to face with an enormous door carved into the stones. It was a masterpiece of jade, pearl, onyx and marble, featuring all eight major phases of the moon. They were arranged around a single moon, dripping with black blood.


    As soon as I saw it, I felt the pull of the labyrinth tug on my core. It was furious to have lost its grip on its only charge, and I threw myself back before it could rip me back into that place of madness. I fought to control the trembling in my hands and steady my breaths.


    I hadn¡¯t expected the labyrinth to be so close. For the prison of one of the most powerful and hated enemies of a bygone age, it was so painfully close to the surface. How had it gone unnoticed for so long? Or was the Sun Queen and the Ascendents clutching at her skirts so confident that their masterful prison would hold me forever that they¡¯d decided to post no further defenses? Contemptuous as I was for the pitiful monarchs of my time, I doubted very much that they would be so foolish.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked a skeptical voice. I opened my eyes to see Tenri standing nearby, his arms crossed.


    Had he been following me?! How had I not seen that? Of all the futures I should have been able to glimpse, this one should have been at the top of the list! I readied my qi, prepared to take action should the need arise.


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    ¡°I¡­uh¡­I was just¡­¡± I looked around frantically for a decent excuse. My eyes landed on the mushrooms, reminding me of the entire reason I¡¯d come this way in the first place. ¡°I thought to follow the brightest mushrooms to find more.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t fool me,¡± he answered. ¡°Mushrooms wouldn¡¯t frighten a cultivator, not even a Bronze one, not that I believe that for a second. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I told you my name earlier.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°You could say anything for your name. That doesn¡¯t explain who you are or why you¡¯re in this cave.¡±


    ¡°So, you followed me to try and find out?¡±


    ¡°I am the only Spirit Artist in Saikan. I have to know if you¡¯re a threat or not,¡± he growled. His fists were balled at his sides, but his sword was not yet drawn.


    ¡°I promised you earlier that I was no threat to you or your friend.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know you. Your word is meaningless to me.¡±


    Tenri, if you knew the truth, my word would be even less than meaningless¡­


    ¡°Does it have to do with what frightened you?¡± He began walking closer, his eyes never leaving me.


    I saw his path. He meant to look around the corner, see the door to the labyrinth.


    ¡°No, Tenri! Don¡¯t!¡± I cried. I tried to take a step forward, only my feet were entangled. I crashed into the cave ground, dazed by the fall and shocked by how quickly I¡¯d lost my balance. The Bronze band limited more than just my core, it seemed. My body was clumsier than I¡¯d been in years¡­


    I gathered my qi. This had gone too far outside of my control.


    I have to start over! Before he finds out, I have to unmake-


    Chiho rested on my hand and vibrated a soft, soothing frequency. I stopped my technique, letting the lunar qi dissipate around me as I stared into the tiny eyes of the jade crane.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Tenri breathed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too close, I don¡¯t know what it¡¯ll do to an outsider,¡± I said. I rolled onto my back and sat up, trying to free my feet from the fungi that had suddenly grown around them, no doubt at Tenri¡¯s command. It seemed plant roots weren¡¯t the only thing he could manipulate. He was certainly on a path of wood. By the time he spoke again, I¡¯d stood and brushed my robes clean of dirt.


    ¡°I know this symbol. It¡¯s the bleeding moon.¡±


    ¡°A stupid symbol, really,¡± I complained, looking away. For all the blood on my hands, never once was it my own, at least never in a reality that history remembered.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked again. When I didn¡¯t answer, he turned to me, hatred in his eyes. ¡°Who. Are. You?¡± His every word was reinforced with the qi in his soul, giving the mushrooms around us life with each sound.


    A wrenching pain lanced through me as the bronze band squeezed so tight around my core that my every muscle tensed. I cried out, staggering back and leaning against the wall as I tried to puzzle out what was happening to me.


    Tenri stared at me in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± If I¡¯d known, I would have said something. However, it was just as much a puzzle to me as to him.


    That bronze band¡­I¡¯d created it to bind me to Tenri. It limited me to his advancement but gave me an anchor point outside of the labyrinth which I¡¯d used to escape. None of that explained why it had so suddenly tightened.


    But, it didn¡¯t stop. It squeezed and squeezed. I couldn¡¯t breathe, and every muscle threatened to rip itself apart.


    Suddenly, it hit me. This had happened only after I¡¯d refused to answer a question punctuated with his qi. His own aura had lashed out, but there was no way that it would influence the band like that, not without¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­Tsuyuki¡­Yoru¡­¡± I gasped, but the band didn¡¯t lessen its cold and unyielding grip. That wasn¡¯t the answer he wanted. ¡°I¡¯m¡­they called me¡­the¡­Darkened Moon.¡±


    The relief was instant, and I gripped my chest as I breathed large gulps of air. Tenri stared at me in horror, but I ignored his gaze as best I could. After my breaths had returned to normal, I stood.


    ¡°I expect you think I¡¯m a threat, now.¡± There was no need to ask. I knew the answer from the look on his face. History had not been kind enough to erase my sins.


    ¡°The Darkened Moon murdered millions, erased entire countries,¡± he breathed. ¡°And¡­and I freed you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal,¡± I said. ¡°You just happened to be the first cultivator in a while who caught my attention from inside the prison. And I¡¯d ask that you don¡¯t put me back in that prison, please.¡±


    ¡°How could I?! You¡¯re an Ascendent!¡±


    ¡°I was an Ascendent,¡± I corrected. ¡°I¡¯ve bound myself to your advancement in order to escape. I¡¯m just a regular Bronze, now.¡± Just a regular Bronze with all the knowledge of qi efficiency gained over the course of a couple thousand years of advancement¡­totally normal.


    To Tenri¡¯s credit, my words did not soothe him. He was an artist, one who¡¯d actively cultivated the qi of his core to ascend into the Forging Realm. There were four stages of Forging: Bronze, Iron, Silver, and Gold. After that, one had to develop their own blooded techniques to reach the Refining Realm. Ascendents were in the realm after Refining, and it took millennia of cultivation, a mountain of resources, and a heavenly revelation to reach the heights of Ascendency. Were I in my full brilliance, Tenri would not be able to stand in my presence without being reduced to dust.


    But that was then, and now I had a bronze band of my own creation wrapped around my core. That band kept me weak, but it kept me free, and between the two, one was far more important than the other.


    ¡°Please,¡± I begged. ¡°Please let me have this second chance, Tenri.¡± I briefly considered getting on my knees to beg him, but my pride stopped me. It wouldn¡¯t be proper, and I doubted he would be swayed by such formality regardless.


    Tenri pondered the request, fear still clear on his face. After a long moment, though, he steeled his expression and cleared his throat.


    ¡°You swear that you have the power of a Bronze? That you¡¯re bound to my level?¡± he asked.


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll only be able to advance to Iron if you do.¡± I left out the part where I was forming a theory that I messed up my own ritual and gave him the power to bind my will. The last thing I needed was another suffocation episode every time I was slow to answer his questions.


    Tenri cast a glance at the door around the corner from me. He was still thinking hard about the choice. It was a weighty one, one that would result in the anger of quite a few very powerful people if he chose wrong.


    The wood artist suddenly began moving towards me with intent in his steps. Fear gripped my heart as I prepared myself to use the technique that Chiho had stopped me from using earlier. He would throw me back at the door, and I¡¯d be returned to the labyrinth, I was sure of it. I wouldn¡¯t let it happen. I would sooner rip reality apart than let that happen¡­


    His hand gripped my shoulder, and I flinched¡­but no force dragged me out from behind my corner. I looked up to see sincere green eyes set behind his cracked glasses and framed by a warm, tanned face and long black hair pulled back out of his face.


    ¡°You saved my life and Zhao¡¯s,¡± he said. ¡°By my count, I still owe you one life. Now we¡¯re even, understand?¡± I nodded, dumbstruck by his answer. ¡°Now, come on. We have mushrooms to gather and bring back.¡±

 Chapter 3 - The Light of the Moon

    Lunar Fever: The moon variant of qi-sickness, this illness expresses the typical signs of fever, lack of appetite, and qi-disturbance are, of course, present. Lunar Fever expresses itself uniquely however in the fitful sleeps it imposes on its victims. In my experience, the dreams the victims experience can range all the way between prophecy and madness, though more of the latter than the former. ¨C From ¡°Expeditions in Medicine: A Doctor¡¯s Evaluation¡±


    *          *          *


    ¡°These are the finest mooncaps I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± Zhao exclaimed for the sixth time since we¡¯d returned to her, arms laden with as many mushrooms as we could carry. Even Chiho had skewered one and carried it along to add to Zhao¡¯s sack. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to make medicine for the entire village and then some! I¡¯ll have to send word to the other villages that we have a surplus!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her enthusiasm as we walked towards the cave entrance. We were deep underground, and we passed several dead monsters along the way with vines and small roots holding them in death¡¯s embrace. It was a shame I couldn¡¯t see how much qi remained in the corpses at my current advancement. It would have been nice to judge just how skilled Tenri was at fighting based on the corpses left in his wake.


    He was a concern. He was clearly capable, but he was still only Bronze. As an Ascendent, I¡¯d interposed a reality where I was free of the labyrinth. That reality was anchored on Tenri, and, if he were to have his core injured or worse, I honestly wasn¡¯t sure what would happen to me. Would my reality fizzle out? Would I be sucked back into the labyrinth? I didn¡¯t know, and I didn¡¯t want to find out. Even now, just thinking about my prison, the whispers of its walls clawed at the edges of my mind. I pushed these and all thoughts of that horrible place away.


    Instead, I focused on the smell of salt water. The air was humid, and I could hear the waves lapping against stone not far away.


    ¡°Maybe we should tell the other villages about the cave?¡± Zhao continued. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t stumbled upon it, we might not have enough mushrooms. They could harvest their own.¡±


    Alarm filled me, but I held my tongue. The last thing I needed was more people searching the cave and finding the labyrinth. No doubt my captors had kept it secret from the world, and if they found out that it was found, they would come to investigate. If they found me outside its walls¡­


    ¡°No, it¡¯s better if fewer people know,¡± Tenri answered, allowing me to relax. ¡°There were many monsters. I wouldn¡¯t want any of the locals to underestimate the threat and die for their efforts. Better they come to us for the supply.¡± Zhao looked crestfallen, but, in the end, she nodded.


    ¡°Brother Tenri is quite wise.¡± Though her words were respectful, there was just the slightest hint of sarcasm to them. Tenri noticed as well and rolled his eyes in exasperation.


    ¡°Thank you, Meimei,¡± he said. She scowled at the affectionate title. I wondered if they were related. Given the veneration given to cultivators worldwide, I could see it, even if it felt strange for a sibling to refer to their own blood by their surname. Perhaps a childhood friend or cousin?


    We walked further, until the cave opening revealed the sea splayed out before us. The waves were illuminated with a silver light that made my heart skip a beat, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from brushing past Tenri and Zhao and sprinting for the entrance.


    I turned my head skyward, only to find blue-tinted trees blocking the sky directly above. I scowled and leapt at the rocky wall. Never in all my years did I climb so fast, not even as a Moonstone Artist at the height of the Refining Stage climbing the peaks of the Dawn Mountain. In a handful of breaths, I was at the top, frantically searching for a clearing, a break in the trees, anything that would let me see the sky.


    Finally, I spotted a shimmering rock shining silver in the moonlight. I ran to it and found myself in a clearing. High above, the full moon shone down on me for the first time in an age.


    ¡°Greetings once more, other half of my soul,¡± I whispered. It was scarred with a great slashed chasm across the center, but even with the devastation, I could not think of anything more beautiful in all of history¡­


    Instinctively, I began to draw in the aura of the moon shining down on me, turning it to qi, and letting it radiate through my body. At once, I felt restored, renewed after a thousand thousand moons apart.


    ¡°Does the moon seem brighter to you tonight?¡± Zhao asked, shading her eyes from its light. ¡°I was almost worried we¡¯d spent the whole night underground without realizing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing,¡± Tenri answered, though the eyes drilling into my back suggested he knew otherwise. To me, though, it looked as bright as it always had, and I considered myself an expert.


    Tenri stepped closer and put a hand on my shoulder. When he spoke again, it was a hushed and whispered tone.


    ¡°Your hair is shining,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°It does that in the moonlight,¡± I answered casually. ¡°One cannot be the Avatar of the Moon without taking on some of its qualities.¡±


    ¡°Like madness?¡± he hissed, irritation rising. I flinched and scowled at him.


    ¡°Are you trying to make a point, Tenri?¡±


    ¡°Moon Artists aren¡¯t welcome in the Shores,¡± he explained. ¡°As long as you¡¯re here, you should at least try to blend in.¡±


    I sighed and stood. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stay out of the moonlight when others are watching. Do you have a hat?¡± Tenri shook his head.


    ¡°I have one at home you can have.¡±


    I bowed in thanks, even if I felt more like punching him for the mere suggestion that I deny my precious moon. Why were moon artists unwelcome? It wasn¡¯t like our aura was any more inherently dangerous than any other. Even within the Celestial Cycle, the grouping of natural auras influenced by the celestial heavens, moon wasn¡¯t the most powerful nor the most dangerous. Surely sun artists and especially void artists would be more dangerous than a moon artist¡­or, at least, on average. Anyone could be dangerous with any aura, so long as they knew how to properly use it.


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    The two led the way along a narrow game trail. All the while, Zhao continued sneaking glances at me, trying to discretely examine my hair under the dappled moonlight filtering from the branches above. I didn¡¯t stop her. Though Tenri hadn¡¯t told her my true identity, there was no hiding my nature from her. Before we left the forest, she¡¯d been sworn to secrecy.


    The trees thinned out to reveal a village spread out across the seashore. From where we stood upon a hill, I could see everything. The village could have easily supported a thousand people, possibly more. Beyond the village was a coral reef illuminated by all manner of luminescent fish and stones beneath the waters.


    Before I could look any further, however, a heavy cloth unceremoniously dropped on my head. I fished for the edge and lifted it to find Tenri sighing and wiping his glasses on a sleeve.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± I grumbled. Zhao was stifling giggles behind me, and I sighed. They must really fear moon artists here¡­


    The three of us walked through the well-swept streets of the village my companions called Saikan. It was a quaint village, and I had no doubt that the streets would be bustling during the height of the day, but, at this time, we didn¡¯t encounter a single other soul. That, of course, meant that the cloth over my head was rendered entirely pointless, a fact which made me exceptionally grumpy. Even Chiho was fidgeting under the sheet by the time we reached a small home in the center of town.


    ¡°Meimei, would you want to spend the night?¡± asked Tenri. Zhao shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it home from here. You already have a guest in your home tonight. Just tell my sister I said hello,¡± she answered before bowing deeply at the waist. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Master Tsuyuki. Should you require treatment of any sort, please don¡¯t hesitate to call on this humble apothecary at her clinic.¡±


    I bowed my head in return. ¡°I will, thank you.¡±


    Then, she hoisted her bag of mushrooms on her shoulders and set off further down the street. Tenri watched her until she rounded the corner and disappeared from view. Then, he turned and opened the door to his home.


    ¡°Please, come in.¡± Tenri stepped into the building, and I followed, pulling the cloth free of my hair inside the building. As soon as it was free, Chiho zipped out and angrily darted around Tenri¡¯s head, trilling and whining at the younger cultivator.


    ¡°Chiho,¡± I chastised, but the little jade crane was not to be ignored.


    ¡°What is this thing?¡± Tenri wondered, swatting at Chiho as if it were an annoying fly. At that, Chiho regrouped, before diving straight at Tenri¡¯s head. The cultivator yelped slightly and ducked out of the way before the jade pin could take out his eye.


    ¡°Chiho is upset at being covered,¡± I explained. ¡°Just apologize and it will calm down.¡±


    ¡°Apologize to a hairpin?!¡±


    ¡°Just do it!¡± Chiho was winding up for another angry dive. Tenri cleared his throat and quickly bowed.


    ¡°Great Chiho, I apologize for the insult. I did not mean to hide your beauty, simply your master¡¯s power. You are a truly magnificent piece of craftsmanship, and I should like to make it up to you,¡± he said sincerely.


    Immediately, Chiho stopped its frenzied dive, instead making a cheerful trill and nuzzling Tenri before zipping back to my side. However, it did not settle into my hair, instead resting on my shoulder and trilling softly. No doubt it was upset at the loose tail and disheveled strands left behind by the cloth.


    ¡°Lin? Is that you?¡± called another voice from around a corner. A moment later, a lovely woman who had the same cheerful smile lines as Zhao entered the quaint room.


    ¡°Tsuyuki, this is my wife, Hanako,¡± Tenri introduced. I bowed respectfully. ¡°Hanako, this is Tsuyuki Yoru, a wandering cultivator who helped us gather mushrooms.¡±


    Her eyes flicked between me and Tenri before settling on his injuries. Though he wasn¡¯t bleeding anymore, he had still received a nasty bite from one of the spirit bats.


    ¡°Allow me to make tea, and I¡¯ll stitch up your wound, husband,¡± she insisted. ¡°Master Tsuyuki, are you injured? I can help.¡±


    I shook my head and smiled. ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I fear I arrived late to the battle and only finished the beasts off after your husband weakened them.¡± Tenri raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t argue with my retelling.


    ¡°I see,¡± she said before smiling politely. ¡°Please, have a seat, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    She gestured to a few cushions surrounding a small table before rushing away. I looked around. The home was spacious, if sparsely decorated. The Tenri household clearly had some status within town to be able to live in this kind of dwelling, but the lack of expensive decorations spoke to their preferred lifestyle. That made sense to me, as many cultivators were not keen on the more frivolous aspects of life. It was a silly notion as far as I was concerned. Choosing to live in comfort with pretty things around didn¡¯t make you any less of a cultivator, nor any less powerful when the battle came.


    ¡°We have a spare room,¡± Tenri began. ¡°You can spend the night, but I recommend you leave in the morning.¡±


    I was careful to keep the disappointment from my face. Of course he wouldn¡¯t want the infamous Darkened Moon around. I was a walking bad omen, but I couldn¡¯t leave. He was the anchor keeping me out of prison, and that meant I had to keep him out of harm¡¯s way if I was to continue enjoying my freedom.


    Hanako returned a moment later with a plate bearing several cups and a teapot. Ever the image of the dutiful wife, at least when company was present, she then began tending to Tenri¡¯s injuries. It was clear that she was a skilled herbalist from the technique with which she cleaned the blood away and applied a disinfecting poultice.


    He may have been a cultivator, but Tenri was still only Bronze. It was the lowest stage of those commonly considered cultivators. Though he¡¯d gone through all the levels of the Manifestation Stage, and did have a sturdier body than mortals, he was still fragile by comparison to those at higher tiers. If given the choice, I¡¯d have bound myself to someone at least of the Iron stage.


    As soon as the thought entered my mind, I dismissed it and drank my tea. I didn¡¯t have a choice. Beggars can¡¯t be choosers.


    ¡°No, I should like to remain in town for a time,¡± I answered. ¡°I shall not darken your door, if you don¡¯t wish it, but I will not leave you undefended.¡±


    ¡°Undefended? I¡¯m Bronze! I can take care of myself!¡± He all but leapt to his feet with the protests, earning him a smack from his wife who was trying to bandage his shoulder.


    ¡°Settle down! Your parents are asleep, and I¡¯m trying to fix your arm!¡± she hissed. He settled down sheepishly. With his free hand, he pushed his glasses up his nose.


    ¡°I am the strongest cultivator in Saikan,¡± he began more calmly. ¡°I can take care of the town.¡± I raised an eyebrow. In the cave, he¡¯d said he was the only cultivator. Being the strongest by virtue of being the only one wasn¡¯t quite the same as actually being the strongest.


    I was pondering my answer to his childishness when Hanako spoke up again. ¡°Shen¡¯s forces have many cultivators, some even at Iron.¡±


    ¡°Not now, Hanako,¡± Tenri sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t understand just how much misfortune this cultivator could bring.¡±


    ¡°He is but one cultivator.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a moon artist.¡±


    ¡°And they¡¯re not thought highly of, I know.¡± I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. ¡°But I shall do my very best to be discrete, you have my word.¡±

 Chapter 4 - The Night the Heavens Shone

    The man in jade and gold chewed on his lip as he stared up at the moon. It shone more brilliantly than it ever had in his lifetime, its full-face shining light upon the earth as if it were the sun itself.


    Behind him, the last of the five sages entered and bowed. Quickly, the Phoenix King schooled his expression, stopped biting his lip, and turned to face them. Each one was a master of the Spiritual Arts, and they lived by the ways of their elements.


    ¡°Kimura, what does the heavenly calendar read for this day?¡± he asked softly. Never did he raise his voice. Never did he need to. Even the softest whisper from him carried absolute authority, and his sages would hear it even from miles away.


    The Water Sage bowed and opened a scroll. ¡°My King, it is approximately two hours passed midnight on the fourteenth day of the third month of the lunar year. The moon is full-face, and the constellations of the Swirling Dragon and the Reed Dancer are in ascendance. The void ratio will reach its seasonal height at the coming new moon. A solar wind is expected in the northern territories this evening around the setting of the sun.¡± Once her report was complete, the sage who most would describe as mousy rolled her scroll and tucked it away before her own element made the ink run.


    ¡°Is there anything at all to suggest the moon should be brighter than usual this evening?¡± The Phoenix King asked.


    ¡°No, sir.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Does something trouble you, my King?¡± asked the Earth Sage.


    The King closed his eyes and searched his ancient memory for any recollection that would explain the unease he felt in his heart. The Moon did sometimes glow brighter than usual, but usually in relation to some other function of the heavens. If the constellations of the Torch Bearer or the Heavenly Font were ascending, then the moon would reflect their aspects of light. If there were an eclipse on the horizon, then it would shine brighter to reflect the rising lightning energy present in the world.


    Yet¡­this time there was nothing to explain it, and an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. An old story, told to him by his master untold centuries ago, echoed in his thoughts. The Darkened Moon¡­a hated enemy who¡¯d caused great death and suffering in the world, who¡¯d erased entire nations on a whim and left their lands forever scarred to this day¡­he was tied to the moon. Could he be the cause?


    The Phoenix King shook his head. Such stories were usually true in some regard, but this one was so ancient that none remained alive who could verify its authenticity. The Phoenix Empire had its fair share of monsters buried beneath the earth. Each prison was diligently marked and recorded from the Dragon of the Deep Earth to the Black Jade Sparrow. If the Darkened Moon was real, and had really been imprisoned instead of killed, then his prison was nowhere in imperial territory.


    ¡°Nothing worth our energy at this time,¡± he finally answered. ¡°Kimura, please note the date. Now, on to other matters. What updates from the warfront?¡±


    *          *          *


    Elsewhere, a woman with gossamer wings and a red dress paced in a room all by herself. The sun shone through her windows, despite the late hour. The sun always shone upon the Dawn Empress¡¯ lands, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t know what lay under night¡¯s dark blanket.


    In fact, it was because the dark this particular night wasn¡¯t so dark that her subordinates were so confused. Buzzing hornets flitted about, inquiring with the Empress what they should do, for they usually followed the patterns of the Sun precisely. The Empress ignored most of them, instead focusing on what she knew.


    The Moon was unusually bright, and out of season. Perhaps the constellations aligned for it, as that wasn¡¯t her area of expertise, but something about it was¡­off. She¡¯d looked up at the moon for only a brief second and had closed her curtains immediately to block out the sense of dread that had washed over her. Something wasn¡¯t right, and when something wasn¡¯t right, the Empress was not pleased.


    She returned to her desk, and a hornet landed beside her before changing its form to match her queen¡¯s.


    ¡°What does this mean, My Lady?¡±


    ¡°Nothing good.¡± Studying a map, the Empress¡¯ eyes caught on a particular name. ¡°How long since we¡¯ve been in contact with the hives in the Moon-Soaked Shore?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re being systematically wiped out, Your Excellency,¡± the attendant said. ¡°We¡¯ve lost all but one hive to the local militia. The last report from that one showed a recent change in leadership and a war being pursued with their neighboring insect colonies for dominance.¡±


    The Empress sighed. The Shore was largely worthless ground, soaked in Moon qi as it was. Very few artists or spirit beasts could cultivate there without the threat of lunar corruption, and even the moon artists themselves dared not enter for fear of going mad from over exposure to the reality-warping, physics-defying auras present. It was all around a worthless target.


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    That, however, didn¡¯t mean that she was pleased to lose the hives there. It was a waste of resources to lose so many with her bloodline. Each hive received several of her personal brood to be queen and had a few backups in case the queen was destroyed. They were her kin, her children, and to lose them was a tragic loss.


    However, something about the region nagged at the Empress. A bright moon, an abundance of lunar qi, the Moon-Soaked Shore. Something connected these things; she was sure of it.


    ¡°Send word to my daughter in that hive,¡± the Empress ordered. ¡°I want her to devote a greater effort to investigating the state of the moon aura in the Shore. If there¡¯s any connection to the bright moon, I want it discovered.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I shall see it done, personally.¡±


    *          *          *


    The Master of Jade Scales curled his tail around his feet as he stared up at the moon. The baleful moon shone its hated light down upon the world, and it made him shiver in his scales. He¡¯d been but a small pangolin at the time, barely into the Refining Stage and working directly under the Sun Queen¡¯s personal healer all that time ago, but he remembered. He remembered caring for the refugees, those lucky enough to be on the outskirts of nations devastated by the Darkened Moon¡¯s hatred. He remembered their haunted faces as they watched the silver light engulf the sky and leave nothing in its wake. He remembered as most of those refugees died to one misfortune or another, their futures robbed by the Ascendent with the power to erase luck and reality alike.


    The Moon was a force of reflection. Those who used it could shape the world to reflect their own desires. The Darkened Moon had once been a kind and gentle spirit, but his heart was twisted by hatred. All the ugliness he saw in the world, he turned upon himself. All the hatred others had for him, he took into himself. He¡¯d darkened his body and core, and there was no going back from that. All of reality had been forced to deal with the consequences of his actions.


    The Master of Jade Scales had not participated in the fight against the Darkened Moon, but his master had. His master had died in that battle, and he¡¯d mourned for an entire year. Such a sacrifice was necessary, but the world was lesser for it. There was no other way to defeat someone who could rewrite reality to suit his whims. How else can you fight someone who can see your every move before it happens, who can undo any action you take, and reverse any injury you inflict?


    Now, the Darkened Moon had risen. He didn¡¯t know how, but he felt it in his scales and in his core as they trembled with fright. The light above was not unknown to him. It was the same baleful silver that shone upon the world of old, the same twisted beauty.


    The difference now, was that all of the Ascendents of old were gone now. His master had died in the fight. The Ocean Lord had somehow drowned ten years later. The Lord of Iron Crystals had fallen off a cliff and died in a fall that shouldn¡¯t have even left a scratch. The Sun Queen had passed by her own hand only a scarce few thousand years ago, having lived a long and fulfilling life. Her duties had been performed, her life finished.


    Even the Sword Saint, the one who¡¯d dealt the telling blow, had passed at the turn of the last century. He¡¯d lived a long life, as well, and provided much wisdom to the world. None knew the Darkened Moon better than he, for he¡¯d helped to build the Sunless Kingdom before its Ascendent had fallen to hatred and malice. In fact, it was only thanks to his knowledge and skill that they¡¯d managed to defeat the Darkened Moon in the first place. It was his sword that struck the moon itself, staggering their enemy, and sending countless volumes of stones cascading to the earth below.


    But now, the Sword Saint was gone. Many Ascendents lived in this world, but only a handful were as powerful as the Ascendents of old. The Avatars of the Sun, the Earth, and the Ocean had not been enough to stop the Darkened Moon, and the spirit of their savior had passed on to the Spirit Realm. Without them, did they really stand a chance?


    *          *          *


    The young warrior gazed down upon the valley. Moonlight reflected towards her from the lazy river that twisted through the land. No doubt many would be looking up at that moon tonight, but none would truly know its meaning.


    But she did.


    Though her master had left this world, he¡¯d left the warrior with many lessons to guide her. The value of patience, the importance of listening to the troubles of others, and the ability to understand the heart of another. He¡¯d imposed these upon her even more than the unending hours of sword forms and qi exercises. They had been his true lesson. She only hoped she could live up to his expectations.


    She gazed up at the bright moon. Her master had left the world too soon. His final work was not yet complete. He¡¯d never told his disciple what that work was, but she¡¯d known it was more important to him than anything else. In his final days, he¡¯d left her with a single instruction, and a letter.


    When the moon shone bright once more, that was when she would travel to the Moon-Soaked Shore. There, she would seek someone out, and give them the letter. Her master hadn¡¯t said who the person was, only that he was an old friend, and she would know him when she saw him, for there was none other like him in all the land.


    So many times, she¡¯d been tempted to open the letter and read its contents, but her Master was notoriously private in all his dealings. He never shared the stories of how he quelled the Valley Lord, or what techniques he¡¯d used to lay low the Darkened Moon. He never spoke of his family, nor where he grew up, even if those places were certainly destroyed. His own disciple didn¡¯t even know his given name. To open the letter and read the words that he¡¯d so carefully transcribed to another person would be a grave disrespect, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it, even if it would give her greater insight into her old Master.


    But¡­maybe the recipient would know. If they were someone her Master knew enough to say there was none other like him in all the land, perhaps they were close. Perhaps she could learn something from such an artist. They must be powerful to have lived as long as her Master.


    Now, with the Moon shining brighter than ever overhead, she knew it was time. She stood and made sure the three sword hilts were securely fastened to her belt. One was hers, one was her master¡¯s, and the last had never been unsheathed to her knowledge. Her Master once told her it shattered long before she¡¯d been born, and though he¡¯d repaired it, it was not his to wield. He¡¯d always kept it safe, and now she did in his place, even without knowing its importance.


    She turned away from the valley and began walking towards the southern road. It was a long journey to the Moon-Soaked Shore.

 Chapter 5 - Don’t Fall in the Mud

    Some people ask me why I chose cultivate moon instead of sun given my homeland and heritage¡­but I never considered any other path. There¡¯s no better way to stick it to the Darkened Moon and his Yokai than to reclaim the aura he so tainted. ¨C Bai Lyn, Gold Cultivator from the Sun Prism Mountain.


    * * *


    My dreams brought me back to the Labyrinth. I walked in an endless night. No moon nor stars lit my way, and I couldn¡¯t even see the ground upon which I walked. Everything was blackness, but I trudged onward.


    Determination had always been my greatest strength. When my family had been torn apart, I vowed to become a cultivator. I found myself a sect to teach me and had taken the lessons in their scrolls and teachings to heart. Where the precepts could not provide answers, I marched out into the world and sought conclusions for myself. I never let knowledge bar my way to the heavens, and I never let the gatekeepers of the world stop me.


    Trudging through the emptiness of lost realities, I focused on myself. I¡¯d make it through. I always did. I just had to keep walking forward, and eventually the Path would bring me back to where I was meant to be.


    ¡°And what if they stand in your way again?¡± I flinched at the sound of the words, but I did not answer. Answering would require acknowledging she existed, that she¡¯d ever existed, and I would not give her that kind of power over me.


    Instead, I doggedly kept walking. The ground turned soft, and soon it clung to my feet. Each step sank deeper and deeper into thick and sticky mud.


    ¡°You can¡¯t ignore me, Yoru.¡±


    Watch me. I thought to myself.


    As if responding to my challenge, more whispers joined the voice. They sang in my ears, their sweet lullaby of destruction and carnage sounding just as sweet as it had before.


    Yet, still, I ignored them as best I could. They were a plague, a pox on my soul, a stain on my immaculate robes. I would not falter again. I would not¡­


    The mud became thicker, and my feet sank deeper. I gritted my teeth and continued struggling onward.


    ¡°You know how to free yourself, Yoru,¡± said the voice. ¡°It¡¯s so simple. You remember how.¡±


    ¡°I remember lives lost,¡± I answered. As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized my mistake.


    The voices pounced, growing to a deafening volume in my ears. I pressed my hands to my ears to block the sound, but they had already sunk their hooked claws into my consciousness.


    Shadows danced just out of reach. I called on my qi, and a sword of purest moonlight appeared in my hand. The shadows hissed and shrieked at the very sight of the holy power. They danced further away, staying far from me.


    But, the mud began to bubble and boil. I felt myself sinking. Frantically, I tried to run, pumping all the strength of my qi-enhanced muscles to free myself from the mud and find solid ground. Only, there was none. I floundered in the blackness, searching for a way to escape until the mud finally refused to release my feet.


    I sprawled upon the ground, my hands sinking into the mud, next. My sword was extinguished as it sank beneath the surface, and the shadows returned. With them came more and more whispers, each one blending into the next until it was just a cacophony of noise instead of words.


    The mud was up to my shoulders. Despite my thrashing, I could not get free. I turned my gaze upward, searching for the moon. There was none, and my head sank beneath the mud.


    ¡°You know what to do¡­¡±


    The air in my lungs grew stale as I thrashed. I didn¡¯t want to die here! All I wanted was to be free! I wouldn¡¯t return to the clutches of my prison!


    ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T MAKE ME!¡± I shouted, despite there being no air with which to speak. I rallied my qi and shifted it to the one thing that could save me.


    The light of the full moon faded in my core, replaced by the power of dark, inky nothingness.


    * * *


    I sprang awake, on my feet and running before I could even register where I was. All that mattered was escaping the labyrinth. Nothing else took priority.


    ¡°Good morning, Master Tsuyuki,¡± a voice said, but shadows clouded my vision. ¡°Are you well?¡± It was a trick. The labyrinth was fond of such things. I needed to escape.


    I stumbled away from the shadow. I blinked, shaking my head, trying to clear my bleary eyes to see the world. It didn¡¯t work, and my shin crashed into something solid. There was the sound of something breaking, but I didn¡¯t let it bother me. The voices would follow me, even here. They would drag me back, and I¡­


    Wait, drag me back? I was out? Was I out?


    Before my thoughts could catch up with me, I was out a door, and the heat of the sun kissed my skin.


    ¡°Whoa, hey!¡± were the only sounds I caught before I clipped something¡­someone¡­solid. I was sent spinning. I desperately tried to recover but my feet slipped, and I fell.


    There was a splash, and suddenly everything was cold and wet. The freezing water provided me with a moment of clarity, and the whispers faded from my ears.


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    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I looked up to see a shadow blocking the sun. It was Tenri. I looked around, squinting to see in the brilliant sun.


    I was sitting in a koi pond, although the koi were nowhere to be seen. The flowers surrounding the edge were trampled and the dirt overturned from where my feet had slipped.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± I muttered. This wasn¡¯t the least dignified situation I¡¯d ever been in, but the fear and shame from my dream still clung to me. ¡°I¡¯ll replant the flowers and find a way to pay for any damages.¡±


    ¡°Lin, is Master Tsuyuki okay?¡± Hanako called from the door. ¡°He ran out of his room and fled like he was being chased by a demon.¡±


    Tenri offered a hand to me. ¡°Are you well?¡± he repeated. I nodded and let him pull me to my feet.


    ¡°I am now,¡± I said. ¡°It was just a bad dream.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s alright, Hanako,¡± Tenri relayed. ¡°Nightmares affect us all.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Bring him in. Mother and I can interpret them,¡± she called. Tenri immediately paled. Though he didn¡¯t say anything further, I could tell he was greatly concerned.


    ¡°I told Hanako who you really are,¡± he whispered. ¡°She doesn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°Is she a cultivator, too?¡± I asked. He shook his head.


    ¡°A long time ago, the Zhao family supposedly had a few star artists who could see the future, and my mother comes from a line of fortune tellers,¡± he answered. ¡°No serious cultivation between them, but plenty of headaches nonetheless.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°My sister read tea leaves, so I¡¯m used to it.¡± We walked toward the door, but I stopped before entering. ¡°Might I trouble you for a towel?¡± my long hair was soaked.


    Tenri nodded and entered the building first. Hanako was quick to bring a spare change of clothes as well, and soon I had dried and dressed again. Chiho complained about the state of my hair, so I quickly tied it up and the hairpin settled itself in. Only after everything was settled did I return to the central living room near the kitchen. A bowl of rice waited for me along with Tenri, Hanako, and two elderly individuals who must have been Tenri¡¯s parents.


    ¡°Come now, tell us of your dream,¡± Hanako insisted. I looked to Tenri, who just nodded, so I did as I was told. I described the voices that haunted me, and the mud that tried to drown me.


    As soon as I was done, Tenri¡¯s mother reached out with lightning reflexes and snatched my hand. She drew it closer and began examining it closely.


    ¡°You have a great darkness in your past,¡± the elder woman said. ¡°But, your future is not yet written in stone.¡±


    I hoped not. My entire cultivation path was built around the idea of choosing my future among the possible realities. Fate and I disagreed on many occasions.


    ¡°The way I see it,¡± Hanako said. ¡°The voices are not your problem.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°The mud is. The voices may be entirely independent, even if your mind links them together.¡± Hanako sipped her tea deeply as she contemplated what I¡¯d said. ¡°The power they tell of is already a part of you, otherwise your past would not be so dark as Mother says. Which means the answer is simple.¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°How do you figure that?¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t fall in the mud.¡±


    Wow. Don¡¯t fall in the mud. How helpful. Of course, it would be rude to say such things to my hosts, and I was already on thin ice with Tenri on account of being a legend from people¡¯s nightmares. Instead of speaking, I chose to eat instead.


    As the first bite passed my lips, I stopped, savoring the simple rice. How long had it been since I¡¯d eaten? As an Ascendent, I had grown beyond mortal needs, so nobody had bothered to put any food in my prison. Since the labyrinth itself was meant to torment me for all eternity, it hadn¡¯t bothered to provide me any either.


    That rice was the sweetest, most wholesome, most filling thing I¡¯d ever tasted. Before I knew it, I¡¯d scarfed down the rest of the bowl and set it and my chopsticks to the side.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal,¡± I said politely. As I finished, Tenri¡¯s father began to chuckle.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a cultivator¡¯s appetite alright!¡± His laugh was hearty. ¡°Don¡¯t let go of this one, Lin. He¡¯ll bring good fortune to our town for sure!¡±


    I had no idea how he could be so certain, but without risking questions regarding the rather gory details of my past, I couldn¡¯t ask. Instead, I simply asked for another helping, which Hanako provided with a smile.


    Just as I was finishing the second bowl, a gong rang through the town. Tenri sighed and stood.


    ¡°Well, wish me well,¡± he said, adjusting a new set of glasses on his nose. I stood, as well, unsure of what I was supposed to do next.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    He blinked at me. ¡°To work. I¡¯m the administrator of the village.¡± Now it was my turn to blink in shock. They had a cultivator doing administrative work in a middle of nowhere fishing town? If this were a large city with thousands of cultivators, I might understand, but here? That was such a waste of promising young talent! He should be out fighting spirit beasts and protecting the land from monsters, or, at the very least, focusing on his own cultivation.


    Maybe it would be easier to keep him safe than I thought. A desk job certainly would keep him out of harm¡¯s way¡­but the entire notion was simply ridiculous.


    ¡°Why are you the administrator?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the law?¡± he said. ¡°Every town in the Moon-Soaked Shore has to be governed by a cultivator, so that the laws have real power behind them. If none are present, then one will be provided by the Governor. I do this so that Saikan can stay free of their influence.¡±


    That was, frankly, the silliest law I¡¯d ever heard. Laws should be followed because they¡¯re just, not because the one dispensing justice is powerful. Positions given only to the powerful were a recipe for corruption and abuse of power, both of which were things I hated.


    Oh, to be an Ascendent with the power to change that on a whim¡­I might not have my powers now, but that didn¡¯t mean I had to like this pitiful excuse for a reality I¡¯d found myself in.


    However, I was not an Ascendent anymore. Moreover, I was pretending not to be a Lunar Artist, meaning I couldn¡¯t just wave my hand and rewrite reality¡­not that I could do so at Bronze, anyway.


    ¡°I see. Is there anything I might do to assist you?¡± I asked. If that was the role expected of a cultivator in this place, then, at least, it wouldn¡¯t be a terrible place to start¡­if a dull one¡­while I got my bearings and fixed up the Tenri house koi pond.


    ¡°Actually, there are several jobs I could use a cultivator¡¯s help with,¡± Tenri answered.


    He was about to explain further when his wife interrupted him. ¡°Such as the Ancestral Tree on my cousin¡¯s farm? Or the two-tailed fox that¡¯s harrying her animals?¡±


    ¡°Or the crabs trying to snatch fishermen straight off their boats,¡± Tenri snapped. ¡°Or perhaps even the shade haunting the lighthouse? I have many jobs and not enough hands to do them!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at their bickering, though I tried to stifle it as soon as I could. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a strong swimmer, but I think I can help with some beasts and ghosts.¡±


    ¡°Even doing that much would have me recite the Ten Celestial Blessings in your name, friend.¡±


    And, with that, Tenri put on his shoes and stepped from the house. I quickly followed. It might be nice to receive the blessings of friends instead of the curses of my enemies for a change.

 Chapter 6 - The Administrator of Saikan

    The Moon-Soaked Shore? Take it from a senior, that route is bad news. Bad customers, bad wares, and pennies as the most you¡¯ll make. I recommend visiting anywhere else, even a Yokai¡¯s Den. At least they have pilfered valuables they want to trade. The most you will find in the shore is some moon-infused materials you can¡¯t sell and fish...lots and lots of fish. -Jin Sairo Licensed Merchant of the city of Tanjing to an aspiring merchant.


    *          *          *


    The moment we stepped past the doors of the red-roofed building used for the administration of Saikan, it became clear that Tenri was no safer behind a desk than he was fighting monsters. In fact, I think he might have been safer faced with rabid wolves or fearsome yokai instead of the vicious rat of a man who was his assistant.


    ¡°Cousin!¡± called the little man. He rushed forth and shoved three plaques, a scroll, a calligraphy brush, and three separate stacks of loose papers into Tenri¡¯s hands. ¡°Cousin Administrator is late this morning, but fear not! Your faithful, hardworking Cousin Zumi has everything under control! You have three messages waiting from the fishing guild regarding their request to drive off the reef crabs, and-¡±


    I stopped listening after that point. He rattled off item after item on Tenri¡¯s to-do list, and it never seemed to end. With each item added, Tenri¡¯s shoulders seemed to slouch ever so slightly, as if he were carrying an ever-increasing weight.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m working on it all,¡± Tenri insisted to his cousin. ¡°Please tell the guild that I will get to the problem as soon as I have the time.¡± He walked to a side room that seemingly served as his office. There, a desk with papers and scroll stacks already waiting. I thought I might have heard Tenri¡¯s spirit break at the very sight of it.


    ¡°Yes, Cousin Administrator,¡± Zumi answered dutifully. ¡°You also have seven permits to read through and sign, as well as a message from the capital that is awaiting your esteemed attention. And then-¡±


    I coughed slightly, trying to interrupt the little man. His voice was so high pitched and whiney it was giving me a headache, and he just never seemed to be finished talking. He just kept going!


    ¡°And then, Cousin Administrator has three critical inspections of the market district and docks that have been put off for several days.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, I spent half the night trying to resolve the Mooncap shortage,¡± Tenri said with a tired yawn. He slumped into his chair. ¡°Surely, we can take things slow this morning and only deal with the highest priority items?¡±


    Zumi looked his cousin straight in the eye. ¡°It¡¯s all highest priority Cousin, but fear not, I am sure that an esteemed cultivator such as yourself is more than capable of handling it all. There is a complaint-¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± I growled at the little man. Like a rat faced with a furious cat, he went silent and still. ¡°You may make a list and write it down. Tenri will decide what is important and what is not. Begone.¡±


    ¡°But what about-¡± But one more glare from me was enough to silence him again before sending him scurrying from the room. Once silence reigned once more, I turned to Tenri.


    ¡°Your subordinate is worthless,¡± I said simply.


    ¡°This is the job I¡¯ve chosen to help my village.¡± The simple statement had the intonation of something he¡¯d told himself repeatedly just to get through the day.


    ¡°I understand that, but you are going to break at this rate.¡± I scratched my head, looking around at the piles of bureaucracy all around. ¡°I¡¯m making the executive decision. You¡¯re coming with me on the jobs today. We will work through them quickly and you will ignore all of this save for the message from the capital.¡± That last element seemed like the most likely to truly be time sensitive, but Tenri just shook his head. I was about to pick him up by the collar of his shirt and drag him away, but his answer surprised me.


    ¡°I already know what the message from the capital says,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a warning saying that the governor¡¯s officials are on their way for tax collection season. It comes every year.¡± With every word he spoke, I felt Tenri¡¯s desire to curl up and sleep grow. He was so far out of his depth, and he knew it.


    ¡°Then come on. Spirit beasts won¡¯t take care of themselves.¡±


    ¡°But, I thought you couldn¡¯t swim,¡± he said.


    ¡°And I recall that your wife said something about a fox and a tree inland?¡± I answered. ¡°First, we please your wife, then we please the town. Priorities.¡±


    Tenri stared at me for a moment before standing and letting out a stress-strangled laugh. ¡°You certainly have a way of straightening things out. Hanako is right that the spirit beasts are a problem, but I guess I¡¯m a bit surprised. The stories don¡¯t mention anything about the Darkened Moon having a wife, but you certainly have the priorities of a married man.¡±


    ¡°I never married, actually.¡± I stood behind him as we left, partly to keep him from returning to his desk, and partly so he wouldn¡¯t see the glare I gave his cousin upon our exit. Once we were outside, I continued speaking. ¡°I did have two sisters, though, and one of them was never married either, so I took care of us both.¡±


    I smiled at the memory of my sisters. I would have given anything for either of them.


    By the time I looked up, I¡¯d already passed Tenri by accident. The wood cultivator had stopped in the middle of the road and was studying me intently. I gave him a questioning look, unsure of what was wrong.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he answered, shaking his head. ¡°Come on, Suyi and Mina¡¯s farm is a few hours walk this way.¡±


    *          *          *


    The trees in the Moon-Soaked Shore sported wide leaves which were adorned with a rather beautiful shade of blue. In my day, the region had been called the Azure Coast in honor of the lovely hue, and the cerulean haze of color that filtered through the trees along with the dappled sunlight. Now, though, the image was even more enchanting. Silver meridians of qi stretched up the trunks of the trees like veins of moonlight, and the leaves themselves sparkled as they danced on the gentle breeze.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I¡¯d ruled over this region when I was an Ascendent, as well as all the lands stretching west to the Indomitable Peak and north to the Pearlescent Valley. However, this portion of the empire had always been my favorite.


    Though I couldn¡¯t see qi with Bronze eyes, I could see the Moon¡¯s influence on the wilderness. Silver sparkled everywhere, and I spotted a few fruit trees just beginning to blossom in the highest branches. Those would no doubt become potent spiritual treasures to an aspiring lunar artist. That is¡­if there were any here.


    ¡°Oh, looks like one of Suyi¡¯s traps has been sprung,¡± Tenri murmured. He knelt to the ground and pointed to a trap between two bushes. A small slab of honeyed meat had been used as bait to lure in an enormous spirit hornet which had been tied and strangled by the trap¡¯s ropes. I raised an eyebrow at the sight of the creature, which was the size of a few of the mundane dogs my sisters used to play with when we were children. This hornet had certainly been given qi to grow to such an enormous size for its species.


    ¡°Is there a hive in the area?¡± I wondered. Normally wasps didn¡¯t fly far from their nest, but a creature this big could claim quite the territory if left unchecked.


    Tenri nodded. ¡°Normally, they leave people alone, but lately Suyi says they¡¯ve been getting more irritable and have been seen closer to their farm. She brought it to my attention a few weeks ago, but the foxes are the ones that have been actively attacking humans, so they get our attention today.¡±


    We continued walking towards the farm, and I kept an eye out for any other signs of spirit beasts in the area. On their own, spirit beasts weren¡¯t inherently evil, or even bad. In fact, I¡¯d known a few particularly spirited turtles in my day who cultivated lightning qi to enhance their speed. They were fun to play with.


    However, like with any cultivator, spirit beasts could be extremely dangerous if left unchecked. The less intelligent ones often became greedy for qi and would attack or eat anything in their path. It was these who often made it into local folklore for their viciousness and violence.


    On our way we passed a flower field which was filled to the brim with silver and red blooms. I spied a few flying creatures on the far side which seemed more like bees than wasps, despite also being ten times larger than a normal insect. I made mental note of this, as spirit honey could also be a potent source of qi for those in need of it.


    The scream of a child reached us through the trees, setting Tenri and me immediately on our guard. It was further down the path.


    ¡°Suyi and Mina have no children at their farm,¡± Tenri muttered. ¡°Be on your guard.¡± I nodded, and we raced towards the sound.


    Another scream sounded from behind us, followed by a cackling laugh. Tenri turned, while I continued watching ahead. Something wasn¡¯t right, here.


    From ahead, a stumbling child burst from a bush. He was small and covered in dirt. He couldn¡¯t have been more than seven or eight years old, and his little legs pumped with fear. Behind him, a wolf snapped at his heels, trying to gobble the child whole.


    ¡°Help!¡± cried the child. Tenri spun back around and beckoned the child closer.


    But¡­something was off. The child¡¯s clothes were fairly plain, and they seemed to move right when the child moved, but¡­something was off. Was it the way the shadows lay? Or the way the child¡¯s lips moved as he breathed?


    ¡°It¡¯s an illusion!¡± I shouted, pulling Tenri back. ¡°You said it yourself, there are no children in these woods.¡±


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be, but¡­¡±


    The child stumbled and tumbled to the ground. In an instant the wolf was on it, ready to rip the child to shreds.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s not an illusion?!¡± Tenri rushed forward. I tried to latch onto his sleeve, but he was already out of reach.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± I muttered. Just before I was able to run to join him, a rustling in the bushes behind me warned me of an enemy behind. Another child, this one a girl around the same age threw herself out of the bushes.


    ¡°Brother!¡± she cried, but I was not fooled. Looking closely, the shadow around her feet was too vague to be real, and whisps of silver dripped from her hair as the sunlight passed through it.


    This was a moon technique. Though it was not my specialty, I was familiar with the aspect of the moon that created illusions to muddle the senses and distract the enemy. Frankly, it was a lesser form of the reality-altering techniques that I used, as these were mere shadows of reality.


    That meant that the real enemy was¡­


    I threw my head back as a blur of orange fur leapt at my throat from a nearby bush. The fox growled and thrashed its twin tails as it spun on a paw, ready to strike again. I was ready for it.


    I extended my hand and called upon my own lunar techniques. Light formed into a long blade in my hand. My qi gave it weight and a keen edge. It wasn¡¯t as good as my old sword, Eclipse, but it was good enough for a measly two-tailed fox.


    The fox snarled and darted forward, tucking its ears and tails downward to try and nip at my feet. I swiped my moonlit blade downward, severing the beast¡¯s head in one clean sweep.


    As the beast fell, the illusion of the girl melted into moon qi that quickly dissipated from my sight. With the threat dispelled and the beast dead, I turned to see how Tenri was faring.


    As I¡¯d predicted, the boy and the wolf were not actually real, and Tenri had been attacked by another twin-tailed fox from the side. He grappled with the creature as it snapped at his neck with sharp teeth.


    ¡°A little help?¡± he shouted.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered.


    ¡°What?! This thing is going to eat me!¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just a fox. Probably isn¡¯t even into the Forging Realm at all.¡± In truth, standing back also allowed me to more clearly judge Tenri¡¯s fighting skills. Though he¡¯d been ambushed, any Bronze should be more than able to handle the foxes.


    ¡°You arrogant bastard!¡± he shouted as he called upon his own qi. A vine streaked towards him, wrapping itself around the fox¡¯s neck like a noose. The fox barked and growled as the vine provided enough distraction for Tenri to throw the thing off him.


    As soon as he was back on his feet, he drew his sword and held it before him. The fox disentangled itself from the hanging vine and barked at the cultivator. Suddenly, three more foxes were standing beside it. Whisps of light shimmered around them and six motes of blue fox fire hovered around their heads.


    So, they were at least Bronze. That was far too complex of an illusion for anything lower, and I had a suspicion that the fires might actually hurt if they made contact. However, much like the foxes themselves, only one set of flames would be real.


    Tenri faced the four foxes as they whipped their tails in challenge. The first one leapt at his throat, and he raised his sword. It pierced the fox straight through, dissipating it into light.


    ¡°Only one of them is real,¡± I offered.


    ¡°Thanks, helpful,¡± he growled back. Two more foxes dove at his feet while the third jumped at his sword arm. Tenri summoned his qi again, and another vine descended like a viper towards the leaping fox while he dealt with the two below. He slashed one into nothing while his foot slammed into another. The fox barked in pain as Tenri kicked the real one several paces. Immediately, he leapt forward and buried his blade in the fox¡¯s side. It shrieked in pain before going entirely still.


    I nodded in approval. ¡°Well done.¡±


    ¡°No thanks to you,¡± he gasped.


    ¡°I knew you had it under control.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± he sheathed his sword and brushed back a few strands of hair that had escaped his hair tie during the battle. ¡°You still could have helped.¡± Then he paused. ¡°Actually, on second thought, it was probably better that you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was a good chance for you to-¡±


    ¡°Because you used your moon techniques to beat yours.¡±

 Chapter 7 - Breaking Habits

    The very basis of our cities is supported by rural agriculture. Cities are where sects, academies, and armies all organize and seek the finer points of life, but no power in our world is foolish enough to abandon the farmers to the dangerous lands they tend. Well, except for those in the Pearlescent Valley. ¨C Bu Jinho, Strategy Teacher at the Swallowsong Academy.


    *          *          *


    I could have given myself a thousand lashes for my stupidity. He was right! I hadn¡¯t even thought about it, instead acting purely on instincts I¡¯d developed over the course of over two thousand years! So much for discrete¡­


    The look Tenri gave to me was withering, and I felt my shame deep in my bones. Even if I didn¡¯t understand why it was such a big deal, I¡¯d been so confident that I could pass myself as another type of artist. The ease with which I¡¯d fallen back on my true skills was disheartening, at the very least, and outright shameful, at worst.


    ¡°I¡­I am sorry.¡± It was all I could say.


    ¡°This time, no one saw, but you will doom the entire town if you continue using those techniques!¡± Tenri hissed.


    ¡°How? Lunar qi is just like any other! It¡¯s not any more dangerous than that of the wind or the waves!¡± Had the world become so ignorant of the nature of the moon since I¡¯d left that it was completely foreign to them? Was this what happened when an Avatar of the natural world disappeared?


    ¡°In any other place but here, you¡¯re right!¡± he answered, the fury of battle still raging in him. ¡°But this is the Moon-Soaked Shore! It is illegal for anyone to practice the lunar arts here, whether they are from here or not!¡±


    ¡°Illegal?!¡± How could a form of spiritual arts be illegal?! That was like saying that it was illegal for the sun to shine or for the trees to grow!


    ¡°Yes, illegal!¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡±


    Tenri balled his fists, then realized his own anger and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath before taking off his glasses, cleaning the lenses, and replacing them. When he opened his eyes again, he was clearly calmer.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± he said. ¡°Even I don¡¯t fully understand it, but the Governor made the law for the whole region. I¡¯m told he made that decision with the counsel of rulers from several neighboring territories.¡±


    I was stunned. It didn¡¯t make any sense. Why would this region outlaw an entire school of arts? Especially since the ¡°Moon-Soaked Shores¡± were so abundant in Moon aura that the very name of the region reflected as much. Even the trees were keen to absorb as much of the ambient aura as they could.


    There was nothing wrong with the quality of the lunar aura. Even now, my body was drinking in the ambient aura that dripped from the land and purified it for my core. If it was a matter of impurity, I would know. Of all people, I would know.


    ¡°Please, if you¡¯re going to stay here, no one can know,¡± Tenri finished. Having said his piece, he turned and moved the fox corpses to the side of the road before continuing on.


    This¡­was a bigger deal than I¡¯d thought. If I couldn¡¯t use any of my lunar techniques¡­for all my bravado before, I was suddenly unsure. Originally, the plan had been to use my moon skills, but to pass them off as lightning or fire techniques. Since the three types of aura all had influence over light, it seemed like the best choice, given that my more noticeable arts all involve the shifting of light.


    However, if they were illegal, I couldn¡¯t risk using any of my arts. Superstition was one thing, but if I fell under legal suspicion, then any state official might be armed with methods of detecting spiritual aura, and anyone of Iron or greater would be able to see through my lies. I could find myself imprisoned, and though there is nothing that mere mortals could possibly do that was worse than being in the labyrinth, it would reflect poorly on Tenri if an associate of his were to be locked up.


    That left only one power available to me, and it was one of which I was extremely wary.


    We continued the rest of the walk in silence, reaching a small wooden fence around noon. As we entered the farm, shouting could be heard from the side, and I caught the acrid smell of woodsmoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re trying to burn it,¡± Tenri muttered. I shrugged and followed his lead as he ran between the tiers of rice paddies and behind the small farmhouse at the center of the lands.


    There, we found three people around an enormous tree. It was absolutely massive and must have been a few centuries old at least. Its branches shimmered with light, and the veins of moonlight climbing its trunk were almost too bright to look at.


    However, almost as bright as the tree itself, was a bonfire burning at its base. The farmers were, in fact, trying to solve the problem by burning the tree. However, it wasn¡¯t going as well as they¡¯d likely imagined. I could feel a malevolent aura hanging around that portion of the farm, and already one of the farmers was on the ground, still as a corpse.


    ¡°Zhao Suyi! Zhao Mina!¡± Tenri shouted. Only one of those still standing responded. She saw us racing towards her and grabbed the hand of the man with her and dragged him back away from the tree. It was good that she did, too, for in that moment, a bright orb of lunar qi exploded just behind him, narrowly missing the man as he scrambled away.


    ¡°Tenri! Blessings upon you for coming,¡± said the woman with a quick bow. ¡°Please, help us! The tree has attacked! Suyi was hit and she collapsed immediately!¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯ve got her,¡± I told Tenri, running past them. As I approached, the malevolent aura grew thick in the air. The tree was not pleased.


    I slid to the ground next to the collapsed woman and began checking for any obvious injuries. She didn¡¯t seem to be bleeding, and all her limbs were at the appropriate angles. Most importantly, she was still breathing, if shallowly.


    A creaking of wood heralded the tree¡¯s next attack. I threw myself over the collapsed mortal to shield her as the qi in the air shifted. The air exploded, and lunar qi showered down over me.


    As soon as it touched me, exhaustion overwhelmed my senses. I just wanted to fall right there and go to sleep¡­


    I bit my lip, focusing on the pain to keep me standing while I hooked my arms under Zhao Suyi¡¯s legs and back. I lifted her effortlessly and began to stagger back to a safe distance. All the while, colors began to drift across my vision like colorful ribbons dancing on the breeze.


    My steps began to slow, and my limbs grew heavy. The woman in my arms, though light before, was now like carrying an entire sack of lead bars. I struggled forward, but whatever this qi was, it had forced exhaustion to fill every aspect of my being.


    ¡°Tsuyuki?¡± It was Tenri¡¯s voice, but I could hardly hear it. I collapsed¡­


    Images began to fill my thoughts. Dreams began to take form, and I found myself back in the labyrinth, starting with the dark emptiness where the voices often lived. However, here there were no voices, and no mud clung to my feet.


    The image shifted, and I was met by the twisting corridors of my old palace, only the flowers my sister so meticulously tended were replaced by a vaguely blurry shape that implied the silver and purple of her favorite lilies, but did not show them. I turned a corner only to find myself in a cave. It had the right colors for a cave, but the walls were just a bit too smooth. There were no cracks, no tiny pathways for water to drip on my head from above.


    As soon as I thought that, water splashed down on my head. I looked up to see a single crack, but it was as if the crack was an afterthought. There was only one, and it was directly overhead.


    I bit back a laugh. I knew what this was without question. I was trapped in a very poorly executed dream prison. Knowing that would make it quite simple for me to escape. In theory, I could unravel the moon qi that went into this technique, thus freeing myself.


    But¡­if I did that, that would be require me to channel my own moon qi to escape. If moonlight suddenly started coalescing around my body, the farmers would definitely see, and then my secret would be out.


    How, then, was I supposed to escape?


    ¡°You know what you must do¡­¡±


    I whipped around. Now the tree wasn¡¯t playing fair. It had to be pulling inspiration directly from my thoughts, and only just now realized that it could torment me with that voice. That voice which was not to be acknowledged, which sent shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Tsuyuki!¡± Tenri¡¯s voice echoed down to me as if I were trapped at the bottom of a deep well. ¡°Tsuyuki, wake up!¡±


    I sighed. What did he think I was trying to do? It was his insistence that my techniques were not welcome that left me with so few options¡­


    ¡°Few, but not none¡­¡± the whispers began in force. I rolled my eyes. Unlike the real thing, these had no variations to their tones. It was just noise rather than voices that had become noise. The only voice that was distinguishable was that of the voice I refused to recognize.


    That said, even if the tree didn¡¯t realize it, it had given me my solution, even if I didn¡¯t like it. This prison was just a lesser version of the Labyrinth. How had I escaped the Labyrinth? I¡¯d pierced its walls using a darker power¡­one that dealt with the complete erasure of matter and reality itself¡­the power that had earned me my wicked moniker and eternal damnation.


    It hadn¡¯t dragged me down then, and, if I was careful, it wouldn¡¯t drag me down now. I could do this. I just needed to shift my thinking.


    I sat down in the middle of the dream cavern and began to focus my qi. The light of the moon was strong within me, but it wasn¡¯t what I needed right now. Instead, I called upon the darker part of my core.


    ¡°So, you finally recognize me? Good, Yoru, good¡­¡± the voice crooned. I ignored it. This version was surely just the tree¡¯s misinformed attempts to frighten me, and I would not be cowed.


    The tree dared to challenge me? I was the master of reality itself! I was an expert in shaping the world around me to my own design. Did it really think it could fool me, who¡¯d been in a much more secure prison for a thousand-thousand moons, with such a pitiful technique?


    The darkness of destruction surged out from me, blackening the light of my core and ripping into the cavern walls around me. I shredded the dream prison with my vindictive fury.


    Around me the walls cracked from the force and sand began to fall from the ceiling. Soon, darkness closed in all around me.


    And I shot upright, blinking in the midday sun. Tenri was sitting next to me, looking concerned, and Chiho was busy poking my hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lunar reality prison, but a very bad one,¡± I said.


    ¡°Moon qi? And did you¡­¡± Tenri¡¯s voice trailed off, but I knew exactly what he was asking.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered. The power I¡¯d used was not moon qi. It was void: the essence of nothingness, the isolation of space itself. It was the power I¡¯d taken up in the final days of my reign, and that which had twisted me beyond the recognition of even my closest allies.


    This time, it was¡­more tame, though. No voices ripped through my thoughts. It was just¡­silent as it surrounded me now, prickling my skin. I was slowly absorbing it back in. It was¡­strange. I¡¯d used the power of the void extensively, but somehow, I couldn¡¯t remember any of the techniques that went with it, as if they¡¯d been done with instincts I no longer had. No more could I dissolve mountains at a glance nor wipe nations from the earth. It was just¡­gone, and yet the power remained.


    Taking Tenri¡¯s hand, I stood. The woman named Mina and the man with her had taken the unconscious woman closer to the house, but I wasn¡¯t worried about her anymore. She¡¯d be fine. She was just trapped in a dream for a little bit.


    My attention went instead to the tree itself. It didn¡¯t want to be destroyed and would clearly fight back to keep itself alive. Moreover, to be able to use a reality trap was impressively powerful. The fruits of such a tree would make for an extremely valuable resource for the village and any moon artists who someday were allowed to exist here.


    ¡°We should try talking to it,¡± I said to Tenri. ¡°Killing it would be a waste.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I agree, but its roots have grown into the paddies. Mina says it¡¯s been doing that for years, but this morning they found the northern paddies drained entirely of water and the tree¡¯s silver roots all over the farm.¡±


    ¡°Why now?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the wood artist, not me.¡±


    Tenri frowned, then scratched his head. ¡°Probably got a new food source? If it¡¯s nourished by lunar qi, I could think of an event or two recently that may have caused a surge in the area.¡± I gave him a sarcastic smile. ¡°If we could convince it to grow the other direction, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the wood artist, if anyone can do it, it¡¯s you.¡±

 Chapter 8 - Harnessing the Void

    Spiritual plants aren¡¯t treasures, they¡¯re just nature¡¯s most patient monsters. ¨C Elder Tong at the Skyhaven Sect


    * * *


    Tenri took a deep breath as we faced the tree. Malevolence still clung to the air like a cloud. It would attack us as soon as we were close enough.


    ¡°Ready?¡± he asked softly. I nodded.


    I sprinted to the right while he made a direct run at the tree¡¯s trunk. As expected, bursts of silver began to explode around us. I ducked under the shower of qi and continued running towards the bonfire. If I could just get there, maybe I could placate it by putting out the fire.


    The wood groaned and creaked, and I felt its attention keenly on my back. Images flashed through my mind so fast I almost didn¡¯t catch them in their entirety. The first was an explosion of qi a few inches in front of me. In this possible future, I ran straight into it and found myself trapped in the prison again. In the next, I managed to dodge the first explosion, only to be trapped between three more on all sides.


    This was Flash Forward, one of the two blooded techniques I¡¯d developed. Forewarned of my enemy¡¯s attacks, I skidded to a halt, my feet sliding on the grass. An explosion of lunar qi burst in front of me, but this time, I was able to stop myself before running right into it. I paused, trying to find traces of the follow-up attack I knew was coming. With focus and foreknowledge, I felt the warping of reality around me. It was all around, focused on three points around my head.


    The configuration was the same as in my vision. I tucked my head and threw myself forward, rolling and springing back to my feet just as the silver explosions went off.


    I reached the bonfire and ducked behind the burning pyre. Step one achieved. Step two, put out the flames. How I was going to do that, though¡­


    Were I an Ascendent still, I would just alter reality so that the flames were no longer burning or write a rule that air could not exist around the fire, thus starving the flames. However, I wasn¡¯t an Ascendent. At Bronze, I was barely even a cultivator. That limited my options greatly.


    I peeked my head out from the pyre, only to withdraw it immediately when a silver burst nearly showered me in qi. Tenri must have reached the tree by now, right? I hadn¡¯t gotten a good enough look to see if he¡¯d been taken down or not. The lunar bursts the tree used were difficult to see without eyes that could see qi, making this a treacherous gauntlet. Even I wouldn¡¯t have made it without the benefit of Flash Forward.


    One problem at a time, though. My goal was still the bonfire, and if I couldn¡¯t put out the flames, then I would need to resort to other methods to achieve my ends.


    My hands began to tremble as I realized what I needed to do. The qi inside my core was still darkened from my earlier escape. It swirled uncomfortably within me, a foreign power that I had been ignoring with all my being for thousands of years. But now¡­


    I closed my eyes and imagined my core. My core was like a second moon inside my body; power radiated like light from my core in my chest, shining its light on every part of me to both connect and strengthen both mind and body. This new power had no light, but I bid it to shine all the same.


    A twisting discomfort grew inside me as the dark energy began to radiate from my core. It streaked outward, filling my body with the blackness of the night and connecting it in an entirely new way. It layered itself onto the meridians of moonlight and fused with them.


    After a deep breath, I reached out my hand and focused on the bonfire. I wanted it gone. I wanted it to be erased from existence. Hungry darkness surged into my fingertips, searching for its target. I brushed a log near the outside of the flames, and the darkness struck, lashing out like a viper.


    I opened my eyes, and the entire bonfire dissolved into ash. Without fuel to burn, the fire extinguished, and only the memory of its heat remained.


    Then, I was falling. The destructive energy that had erased the bonfire had also taken a sizeable portion of the ground beneath it¡­including the very ground I¡¯d been kneeling on.


    I tumbled several feet into the newly opened hole. When I finally stopped moving, I stayed still for a long moment, trying to figure out why the hole had opened in the first place. Clearly, I lacked control with this new power. The technique had taken an astonishing amount of my qi and had produced a commensurate result. I¡¯d need to correct that if I didn¡¯t want to fall into anymore holes¡­


    Chiho trilled at me. It left its usual place and flew around my head to poke my cheek.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I assured it. ¡°Or I will be once my pride recovers.¡± It trilled and nuzzled my cheek, trying to cheer me up. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at its efforts.


    With a groan, I put a hand down to try and push myself up. My hand touched something solid. I looked down in surprise. My heart leapt into my throat at the sight of the silver veined root that had been uncovered by my efforts.


    The instant I saw it, the tree lashed out. A silver thorn grew at an alarming rate, stabbing into my wrist. I yelped and pulled back from the root, but it was too late. I felt the weariness begin to grow again.


    I gritted my teeth in defiance. Even if it managed to knock me down, it wouldn¡¯t hold me for long. It would just be another injury to my pride, but my pride was already bruised enough from my unceremonious fall. I wouldn¡¯t give it the satisfaction!


    Slowly, I pushed myself upward, careful not to touch the root again. The hole was only about as deep as I was tall, and, under normal circumstances, I should have been able to easily climb out. Even a Bronze could do that much!


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    My first attempt to climb was met with crumbling ground, as was my second. The dirt was not steady. Nothing short of a flying leap would get me out without assistance, and my limbs were already leaden.


    ¡°Fine, weave your prison, you stupid tree!¡± I hissed. ¡°I¡¯ll break out again and we¡¯ll be right back where we started!¡±


    I sat down and waited for the dream to overwhelm my senses. However, as I put my hand against the root once more, another thorn jabbed into my palm. The tree was determined, I¡¯d give it that.


    The lunar qi suddenly shifted, and, at first, I thought another burst of qi would open up above me. Instead, the qi in the root seemed to reach inside me and latch onto my moon qi. I stared at the root, unsure of what it was trying to do¡­


    Silver sparkled in the veins of the tree. In the next moment, the dream took hold, and I was suddenly in¡­the forest? The blue leafed trees waved in the wind, the sparkles of moonlight dancing in the boughs. Only, some of the trees sported bare branches, and others had patches of black decay in their canopies.


    I looked down and discovered why. An enormous mound of dirt before me was crawling with ants with pincers that reflected light like a sharpened sword. If this colony of ants was nearby, then it was no small wonder that the tree wanted to grow towards the farm instead of this. Pincers of metal qi were a fairly common enhancement for many insects in their early stages of cultivation, but it would leave a nasty bite on even an Iron Stage artist.


    As soon as I¡¯d seen the anthill, the vision vanished, and I was back in my hole. The leaden weight in my limbs vanished. The tree had released me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, putting a hand on the root. I pushed myself back to my feet and backed against the wall. It wasn¡¯t much of a ¡°running jump,¡± but it was enough. Qi-enhanced muscles could complete any number of feats mortals never could, and soon, I was out of the hole and laying on the grass. The malevolent aura was gone, and the tree was calm.


    Nearby, Tenri had his hand pressed to the trunk. No doubt he was also learning of the anthill. As I approached, he turned his head ever so slightly towards me, though his eyes were still closed.


    ¡°I know why it¡¯s growing this way,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°Ants?¡± I asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re in the fields further in.¡± Tenri turned his head back to the tree. ¡°I need to help it retract its roots from the more problematic parts of the farm. Could you deal with the ants? Then it could grow that direction, and we can coexist.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done,¡± I agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    The tree didn¡¯t bother me as I strode past the trunk and into the woods beyond. It was incredible how powerful the tree was. Trees and animals were certainly capable of cultivation, just like people were, but without intentionally working towards advancement, it took them a lot longer. A natural spirit beast could advance in a few decades to the point of Bronze or Iron, but a tree? It needed centuries.


    Not only that, this tree had successfully developed qi of both Wood and Moon, something that most artists considered a waste of time. Wood aura is part of the Elemental Cycle, resting between water and fire. Moon aura is completely different. Resting on the Celestial Cycle, the power of the moon is governed by entirely different forces than the auras of the Elemental Cycle. For that reason, few cultivators ever mastered the use of two auras of different cycles. Those who tried often crippled themselves by trying to balance the two opposing forces. However, this tree had done exactly that. Given a few more centuries, it could become even stronger and serve as a potent source of qi for both cycles.


    But only if we could find a way to allow it and the farm to coexist. To do that, we needed to give it more options.


    It didn¡¯t take long to find the ant colony. It was just a matter of finding the trees suffering from root damage and following the line of dying trees until the canopy opened and bare branches clawed at the sky.


    There, a mound of dirt was crawling with black and red bodies. A shudder went down my spine and I tried not to look too closely at the hill. Bees and wasps, I could handle. Even spiders were usually solitary creatures, and so were a problem of limited size. Ants? Beetles? Other creepy crawly creatures? Not so much.


    Being the only boy amongst my siblings, it had often fallen to me to deal with any insects that got in the house. My older sister had a crippling fear of all insects, and my younger sister was only fond of insects outside the house. Anything that made it inside was mine to deal with¡­and my most hated enemy of all were the ants. They were like a plague. Kill one and ten more take its place. Wipe them all out, and they¡¯d just appear again the next day! It had been an ongoing war, and one that I hadn¡¯t won until I¡¯d become a cultivator.


    These ants were even worse. From the look of them, most of the colony were either mundane or in the earliest of the Manifestation Stage, the stage so low that most weren¡¯t even considered cultivators at that point. If I had to guess, the soldiers might be near breaking through to Forging, and the Queen might be Bronze. At least¡­I hoped so.


    ¡°Well, Chiho,¡± I began, ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve just learned a great technique for digging holes.¡± Chiho trilled and vibrated in my hair. With a sigh, I inched closer to the mound.


    The destructive qi within me circulated through my body, filling every inch of my person. This time, it felt more natural, more comfortable as it radiated outward. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be worried by that development or not. In a similar way, learning to use lunar qi had been much the same all those years ago. Maybe acclimating to a new form of qi was always like that and I was too consumed by madness to notice last time.


    Qi spread into the ground, weaving and dismantling the mound. A few moments later, it was gone. The nest reacted. Though many of their brethren had been slain in an instant, the nest was far larger than any I¡¯d seen before. The carpet of chitinous bodies roiled, making my stomach churn. However, they were no threat to me, and so I stilled my heart and approached the next section of the nest.


    This one fell just as swiftly as the first, and I felt the void ki becoming more and more receptive to my commands. As the mounds were reduced to dust one by one, they left behind more void qi, which I then absorbed back into my core to use on the next mound.


    A spray of earth erupted from the last mound and an ant hurled itself at me with incredible speed. It was large for an ant¡­meaning it was the size of my palm instead of being too small to even see. She beat furious wings and snapped at me with angry mandibles that had a sheen like hardened steel.


    The queen wasn¡¯t as big as I¡¯d thought she would be. After seeing the bees and hornets in the woods that had grown to the size of a fox, this was extremely underwhelming. I swatted the ant away with the back of my hand and she went flying.


    She quickly corrected herself, however, and dove at me once more. Flash Forward revealed to me her path, which was a direct one, and I stepped back, ready to strike. Just before I put my foot down, Flash Forward revealed another possible reality¡­one that bit me only a moment later.


    A pain erupted on the back of my neck as a soldier ant bit down hard. Instinctively, I slapped the area and brushed away the corpse. In that moment, the queen had the opportunity she needed and she struck. Her mandibles sank into my neck, and I panicked for a moment¡­only to then realize that she was too small to really hurt me. I pulled the creature off me and held her between two fingers. She struggled and snapped.


    Void qi dripped from my fingers at my command, and the queen disintegrated in my hand. Once that was done, I reached down, and the last mound of the ant nest joined her. Before leaving, I bowed my head. They¡¯d fought well and had died honorable deaths. Then I turned to report their end to Tenri and the tree.

 Chapter 9 - The Flower Maiden

    The greatest threat on the battlefield is, of course, your adversary. But never forget the second-greatest threat: the dead. Many wars were lost because too many shades were raised in the aftermath. In the worst-case scenario, it can even raise a monster like the Slaughter Knight. ¨C General Tekan during a lecture to his officers in the Blossom Legion


    *          *          *


    I spent the better part of the afternoon lounging against the trunk of the ancestral tree as Tenri guided its roots away from the farm. It was a long process, and one that I was in no way equipped to assist with. That was wood artist stuff. He supplemented the tree with his own aura to help it grow. Not much that I could really do besides sit, wait, and cultivate my own power.


    The void circled through my body, using the existing rays of moonlight like a road to reach every inch of my body. It was wild, hungry energy, but became more and more familiar with time. I¡¯d used similar qi in the final days of my reign. Using it now felt¡­strange, but not wrong.


    Dark black qi drifted from my fingertips, and I studied it carefully. On the surface, it was completely black, but if I looked hard enough, I thought I might have seen tiny pinpricks of light. They were like the tiniest flicker of distant stars, there one minute and gone in the blink of an eye. The qi absorbed back into my fingers, and I studied my hand carefully.


    There didn¡¯t seem to be any physical changes this time, which I found immensely reassuring. I had no doubt that the stories of my fall from grace described me as a terrible monster, and, to an extent, that was true. This time, though, no such change took place, and I let out a sigh of relief.


    By the time the sun began to set below the treetops, Tenri was barely standing. His shoulders and head drooped heavy with exhaustion. It was only when his glasses began to slide down his nose that I started to worry.


    ¡°You should rest soon,¡± I said as I stood and put a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Just a moment, we¡¯re almost done,¡± he insisted. Sure enough, a minute later, he lifted his hand from the trunk and stepped back.


    Already the tree seemed more vibrant. The blues of its leaves were ever so slightly deeper in color, and the silver sparkles were denser. In time, it would become an excellent resource for the town, filled with moon and wood qi.


    We didn¡¯t linger with Zhao Suyi and Zhao Mina, the former having woken from the tree¡¯s spell after I returned from destroying the ants. They and their cousin had to pay their own atonements to the tree for trying to burn it, but they promised that they would take excellent care of it as part of their farm going forward.


    We accepted the meal they provided, since I wasn¡¯t sure that Tenri would make it back to Saikan on his own. It was simple rice balls filled with some of the freshest vegetables and chicken bits that I¡¯d ever tasted. I savored each bite¡­then asked if I could take one for the road. Zhao Mina just laughed at my appetite and gave me another.


    *          *          *


    Chiho flitted around my head as we walked through the dark forest. The moon was still nearly full, and my hair was just as reflective now as it was before. Tenri had borrowed a simple bamboo hat with a wide brim before we¡¯d left the farm. Now, it sat on my head, blocking the light from most of my long hair.


    The jade crane was irritated that I had to keep my hair hidden, but we¡¯d settled on a compromise. It could rest in my hand or on my shoulder while my hair was covered, and, in exchange, I¡¯d find some polish and give it a nice shine. Chiho accepted the deal cheerfully.


    ¡°You¡¯ve quite the interesting spiritual device, Tsuyuki,¡± Tenri noted after we¡¯d struck our accord. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of a magic hairpin before.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was that hard to create. Cultivators infuse all sorts of things with qi.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but a hairpin? Why did you create it? What purpose does it serve?¡±


    ¡°Actually, Chiho was a gift,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯s infused with the power of the wind itself so that it could return to me whenever its creator wasn¡¯t around.¡±


    ¡°You must have been very close with them,¡± Tenri said.


    ¡°Oh, um, yes. We were close friends,¡± I admitted, heat rushing to my cheeks at the implication. Of course, that implication was true. Chiho¡¯s master was flighty, free as the wind itself, and never settled in one place for very long. The pin had been a promise that they¡¯d return someday¡­


    The memory struck a pang of melancholy into my heart, and I lifted my face to see the moon overhead. The great canyon still cut across the surface. My body ached in sympathy. The moon was part of me, after all, and that injury had cut more than just stone.


    ¡°Be on guard,¡± Tenri whispered, tension ringing clear in the night.


    I refocused on the present, looking around for the threat he¡¯d seen, but there was nothing. A cluster of fireflies sparkled nearby, and a wind drifted through the branches, but there was nothing wrong with any of that. What had he seen?


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    ¡°Listen.¡± His hand was on his sword, and his eyes scanned the trees relentlessly.


    I did as I was told and listened. The trees rustled¡­but that wasn¡¯t the only sound. Another sound drifted on the wind. It was soft, delicate, and I definitely would have missed it without his warning.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Before he could answer, the light of a firefly drifted before us, bigger and brighter than any I¡¯d seen. It was followed by another, and then another. The eerie green lights drifted lazily, like dandelion fluffs caught in a gentle breeze. They harbored no malice that I could sense, and only drifted happily.


    The song grew louder, and I started to make out a voice. It was a woman, but I couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying. The melody was sweet and soft, like a mother singing her child a lullaby in the dead of the night.


    ¡°We need to go,¡± Tenri whispered again.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I repeated. Something was nagging in the back of my thoughts, but I couldn¡¯t put my finger on why. The song gave me a strange feeling of homesickness.


    Tenri took my hand and began running. ¡°It¡¯s one of the Four Spirits of the Shore,¡± he said. ¡°The Flower Maiden does not take kindly to wandering travelers, and she¡¯s far more powerful than we are!¡±


    So, the music was the lure of a shade, a spirit of the dead anchored to the physical realm by the immense power or emotion they felt in life. Though they were rarely as strong as the creature had been in life, shades could be exceptionally dangerous.


    That said, one that had been called ¡°The Flower Maiden¡± didn¡¯t seem like the most dangerous monster in all the land. Yet, Tenri pulled me along as if the creature behind us were a vicious man-eating monster. He knew something I didn¡¯t, so I yielded to his judgement and ran alongside him.


    The wisps, for the enormous fireflies could be nothing but the lesser signs of a shade¡¯s power, ceased their lazy drifting. As soon as we made a move, they noticed. They zipped alongside us, angrily darting around, no doubt leading their master to us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t attack them!¡± Tenri shouted. ¡°It makes her mad! Just keep running!¡±


    I clutched Chiho tightly as we ran. The wisps kept pace with us, but the music never changed. It never rose above a whisper, and yet I could hear it over our pounding feet and heavy breaths.


    Then came her aura. The air began to thicken, and it became hard to breathe. Dark qi swirled around us, prickling at my skin even if I couldn¡¯t see it. The Flower Maiden was behind us, and she was gaining ground¡­quickly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back!¡± Tenri warned. ¡°Don¡¯t even look upon her! All Four Spirits can curse you with their very image!¡±


    They must have been powerful shades being literal shadows of their former selves, they could still place curses on others with something as simple as perceiving them. However, in this case, I was more concerned with the song.


    It was digging through my thoughts like a viper digging into its prey, its venom numbing my mind, making it malleable. I couldn¡¯t stop memories of my childhood from being wrenched to the surface. Curling into my older sister¡¯s arms after being beaten nearly senseless by other kids in town, picking flowers with my little sister for her birthday, the three of us sharing a meager meal of rice and plums.


    ¡°Ignore it!¡±


    Despite my efforts, the memories were pulled towards the forefront of my mind. I fought to shove them aside, but the song was relentless. I stubbornly ran ahead, trusting in Tenri¡¯s judgement.


    Without warning, Chiho leapt from my hand. It zipped ahead, then turned around and raced behind me. I tried to grab it as it passed, but it was too quick.


    ¡°Chiho?! What are you doing?!¡± Had it fallen to the madness? It was a qi construct, and it had been designed to be immune to most qi-altering techniques. But, what other explanation was there for its strange actions?


    ¡°Leave it! It¡¯s not worth your life!¡± Tenri shouted. ¡°She¡¯ll bleed you to water her garden! I¡¯ve seen it!¡±


    But¡­Chiho¡­I¡­


    I couldn¡¯t leave it behind. It was my oldest friend, and possibly the only thing remaining from my old life! I couldn¡¯t just let it be kidnapped by some shade!


    My pace slowed, and I turned to glance behind me. There were dozens of wisps now, and, through their haze, I caught a glimpse of a ghostly dress. Remembering Tenri¡¯s warning, I closed my eyes immediately.


    ¡°Chiho! Come back!¡± I shouted. A wind passed through me, chilling me down to my very core. It knocked me off balance, and I stumbled. Before I could fall, a cold hand grasped mine in a tight hold.


    The hand was soft, and it squeezed my hand gently. Such tenderness¡­the singing voice had stopped, choosing to hum the melody instead. She was right before me. If I opened my eyes now, I would see her, but I didn¡¯t dare, not with my body and core restricted to Bronze.


    ¡°Tsuyuki!¡± shouted Tenri, but his voice was distant. I was in a sticky position. The shade herself was right before me, and Tenri was far. How would I get out of this? One wrong step or word and the shade could bleed me dry, but if she was as bad as Tenri said¡­


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­¡± I stammered. ¡°I just wanted to rescue my friend.¡± It was the truth. I didn¡¯t mean her any harm or offense.


    The Flower Maiden giggled softly but said nothing. A moment later, a cold rod of stone was pressed into my hand. It vibrated happily.


    ¡°Oh, Th-thank you,¡± I said, bowing my head politely.


    The cold hand released me, and I felt the shade¡¯s thick aura begin to fade. Her song grew softer and softer until I was all alone. Only when I couldn¡¯t hear it anymore did I peak open an eye. Chiho squirmed in my hand, and wrapped around the pin was the stem of a beautiful white lily.


    I stared at it for a long moment. Something about it was nagging at the back of my mind, just like the song had. My heart was filled with grief and melancholy for something I had all but forgotten.


    The flowers back in my palace, once upon a time, had been similar to this. They had a special property where they would glow in the presence of qi from the Celestial Cycle, and were, thus, named Heaven¡¯s Lilies. They were my sister¡¯s favorite, but she would always complain that they weren¡¯t colorful enough with white and silver petals. ¡°What if they had purple stripes? Or green ones?¡± she¡¯d always said.


    One year, for her birthday, I made exactly that. It was trivial, really. As an Ascendent, mine was the power to rewrite reality itself. All it had taken was a bit of thinking, a bit of moon qi, and the flowers had shifted colors. She¡¯d been so excited to see the whole garden with a splash of purple amidst the white and silver. Seeing her so cheerful, it was one of the happiest memories I had.


    But, I¡¯d destroyed that very garden only a few years later. I knew with absolute certainty that none of the blooms survived, I¡¯d made sure of it. And yet¡­the flower in my hand was a Heaven¡¯s Lily without a doubt and streaking the distance from the center to the petals¡¯ edges were purple stripes.

 Chapter 10 - Spite

    There are many things with a complex history in our world. Natural treasures in their forms most of all. Many think the rare plants or minerals we seek to aid in cultivation are produced by the land, but how natural are they really when our sects and ascendants have shaped the very land itself over millennia? In fact, I¡¯d bet that only a minority of our plants are natural at all and that most escaped from ancient gardens like those of the Half-Moon Manor. ¨C Scholar Zi Zhu of the Earthspark Steel Sect


    *          *          *


    ¡°Tsuyuki!¡± Tenri¡¯s voice broke me out of my stupor staring at the Heaven¡¯s Lily still wrapped around Chiho. Pounding footsteps soon followed and I turned to see him run back up the path towards me. When he stopped, he frowned, pushed his glasses up his nose, and looked at me with suspicion. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you!?¡±


    I blinked at him in shock. Had I done something strange? I¡¯d gone back for Chiho. Was there anything wrong with that?


    ¡°Do you have a death wish? You¡¯re not an Ascendent anymore! You can actually die, you know! What were you thinking?¡± He exhaled his fury as soon as he¡¯d done speaking before pinning me with a scathing glare. I just shrugged and smiled¡­which only seemed to make him more irritated.


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly aware of my mortality, thank you,¡± I answered. ¡°But Chiho is very dear to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hairpin! It can be replaced!¡±


    Chiho squirmed in my grasp. Fortunately, it was still twisted up with a flower stem, and, thus, couldn¡¯t escape to heckle Tenri. As much as I loved the pin, I couldn¡¯t allow it to lessen the venom of my words with its antics.


    ¡°Chiho is not just a hairpin,¡± I hissed. ¡°It is a treasure, and it¡¯s older than your ancestors. It is irreplaceable and I will not let you suggest otherwise, Tenri Lin!¡±


    I brushed past him and stalked away. As I walked, I unwrapped Chiho from its flower shackle. It lifted itself carefully off my palm before hanging near my head, the perfect image of a kicked puppy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, Chiho,¡± I muttered to the pin, pulling it close. It hugged my cheek, and I leaned into the gesture. ¡°He¡¯s just jealous because he doesn¡¯t have you to make his hair look stunning.¡± Chiho vibrated and trilled its happiness. Its feelings were delicate, but complimenting it always cheered it up.


    *          *          *


    As much as I would have loved to leave Tenri and never speak to him again for the insult he gave to my best and only friend, I had nowhere else to go. His wife still had my usual robes, and I didn¡¯t exactly have the funds to buy more. However, that didn¡¯t stop me from being petty.


    As such, I stayed out late, wandering through the lantern-lit streets of Saikan. I convinced myself it was just good form to know the layout of the town, and I rarely slept during the night in the old days anyway. What better time to get a peaceful view of the town at night?


    That said, the town itself was fairly unremarkable. There were residences, shops, and shacks, all with beautiful roofs painted in vibrant colors and lit by paper lanterns. It was like dozens of towns I¡¯d been to. No matter what age you¡¯re in, towns are towns.


    However, what truly held my attention was the docks and the reef beyond. I¡¯d expected to see nothing but dark waters and the reflection of the near-full moon overhead, but beneath the surface, a thousand lights lit up the colorful reef from below. I had never seen anything like it. It was as if the moon itself had reached into the waves and illuminated the reds, pinks, and blues of the coral. Even the most magnificent painter wouldn¡¯t be able to recreate that perfect view.


    I sat down at the end of the docks and stared, trying to figure out what sort of phenomena was creating the little lights. Even after two hours of staring, I didn¡¯t have any answers.  The tiny pinpricks of light were largely hidden by the coral. Short of actually swimming down and retrieving one myself, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find out on my own.


    Still, there was a certain tranquility in that view. Chiho had gotten bored and was resting under my hat, meaning it was just me, the sea, and the moon. I loved the sea, but I¡¯d never learned to swim. In an age long past, I¡¯d quarreled with an Ascendent called the Ocean Lord. Though I didn¡¯t remember much of the details now, I did remember that I¡¯d found a way to mess with the tides as a way to irritate him, and he¡¯d dragged me underwater as payback. I would have drowned in his waters if not for the help of a very close friend. I¡¯d avoided actually going near the sea since then, preferring to admire its beauty from a distance instead.


    I wonder what happened to the Ocean Lord? I doubted he was still around. A long time had passed, and, even if Ascendents were immune to the rigors of time, any number of accidents or conflicts could have done him in after all these years. In fact, I was sure that everyone I¡¯d once known was dead, good or bad.


    I thumbed the flower in my hand. Someone had to have created it. I wanted to do more research on these Four Spirits of the Shore. Perhaps one of them remembered something from their life before death.


    The moon was descending in the sky by the time I made my way back to Tenri¡¯s house. I¡¯d been out long enough that I probably wouldn¡¯t have to bow my head in shame on entry to his home. If I was lucky, no one would be awake, and I could slip in without a sound.


    I crept past the koi pond I¡¯d fallen into that morning before quietly opening the door and creeping inside. Hanako had left a candle out for me, but otherwise not a soul was in sight. Quietly, I padded to the small room off the first floor. Hanako had also left my other clothes, all washed and folded, in a neat pile at the end of my mat. I quickly changed back into them, and curled up on the mat to sleep, my hat over my head to block the coming sun.


    *          *          *


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    My dreams were about the same as the night before, but at least this time, I maintained my senses when I woke. It was several minutes before the whispers had faded from my ears and I felt aware enough to sit up. I pulled my hair into its usual knot, pulling the front hairs out of my face and leaving the rest to hang down my back. Chiho then slid into place and trilled a ¡°good morning¡± to me.


    I stepped out to find Hanako in the kitchen, but it seemed Tenri had already gone to work. Even his parents weren¡¯t in sight.


    ¡°Good morning, Master Tsuyuki,¡± Hanako greeted when she noticed I was up.


    ¡°Good morning, is Tenri already at work?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, he said you might want a day off after helping with my cousins yesterday. I¡¯m extremely grateful to you. Mina and Suyi are very close cousins with Jaili and me.¡± She placed a bowl of rice and a fresh set of chopsticks before me.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal,¡± I said politely. ¡°Are you and Zhao Jaili related?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my younger sister.¡±


    Interesting. I had seen the resemblance, but Hanako¡¯s name was from a completely different region of the world¡­or at least the world I knew once upon a time. I would have expected her to have been born further north like I was or in the eastern lands, but perhaps the world had grown smaller in my time locked away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, Master Tsuyuki,¡± Hanako said. ¡°Tenri will be conducting inspections today in order to appease his rat of a cousin. If you¡¯re still planning on remaining nearby, then maybe take the time to get to know the town?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯ll do just that.¡±


    *          *          *


    By my recollection, there were still two jobs on Tenri¡¯s docket that would require a cultivator¡¯s power to deal with: crabs in the reef, and a shade in the lighthouse. One of those would almost certainly require someone to swim out and deal with the problem, thus putting it outside of my capabilities, but the other seemed like something I could handle. Shades were creatures of death, but they hated light. As such, I¡¯d fought a fair few of the creatures during my rise to Ascendence.


    However, since I didn¡¯t even know where this lighthouse was, and under no circumstances would I ask Tenri¡¯s ¡°rat of a cousin¡± as his wife so delicately put it, I needed to gather information the hard way. I wandered through town, greeting people, introducing myself, and asking my questions.


    As it turned out, the lighthouse wasn¡¯t far away, just an hour or so to the north. It was normally manned by a single family whose sole duty was to maintain the lighthouse during the night and stormy weather. However, about three months ago, the lighthouse had gone dark. Those who went to investigate, found the keeper and his wife dead and a strange howling had come from the upper reaches of the tower. Thus, Tenri had been called in as the resident cultivator. The townsfolk didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d done there, but ultimately, he¡¯d sealed the door and declared that no fishing boats could go out after dark or when there were storms on the horizon.


    Though the fishermen in question seemed to have some rather colorful opinions on Tenri¡¯s decision not to deal with it, I suspected there was some logic there. His techniques revolved around plant manipulation. Inside a building, he¡¯d be at a disadvantage. I, however, had no such hinderances.


    Ideally, though, I wanted to have some information on what kind of shade I was dealing with. Who the person was, what did they want, that sort of thing. This didn¡¯t seem like a shade like the one I¡¯d encountered the night before, which meant that it was being kept by an intense emotion. By placating it, it might be easily dispersed without violence. The only problem with that plan was that no one seemed to know anything about the shade itself. The consensus was that if anyone knew, it would be Tenri.


    Frankly, I was still holding a small grudge, and didn¡¯t want to ask him for any help. Even at Bronze, I was perfectly capable of handling the situation on my own. I¡¯d show him just how strong I was, even without my Ascendence. Maybe then, he might actually trust me to be on my own without getting myself or the entire continent killed.


    I decided to take a rest a little after midday. I was exhausted from a lack of good sleep, having slept in not nearly as much as I would have hoped, and what sleep I did get was fitful. Luckily for me, there were plenty of nooks and alleyways between buildings where I could sit and eat the rice ball that Zhao Mina had gifted to me the day before. I¡¯d only taken three bites of the delicious rice ball when a small voice called to me.


    ¡°Are you a god?¡±


    I practically choked on my rice. Next to me had appeared a young girl¡­maybe nine years old¡­who was looking at me with the most inquisitive expression. She was dressed simply, clearly from a fishing family like most of the town, but her eyes were a bright and curious violet.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± I asked once I had stopped choking.


    ¡°Are you a god?¡± she repeated. ¡°All the festival plays show gods dressing in red and gold, but I¡¯ve been watching you and your clothes don¡¯t get dirty, even here.¡± She gestured to the alleyway around her. ¡°So, how do you do that if you¡¯re not a god?¡±


    Honest truth? I¡¯d forgotten about one of my lowest techniques. It¡¯s unbecoming of a ruler to get dirty, so I¡¯d long perfected a low-level moon technique to rewrite any reality where dirt got on me and replace it with one where I didn¡¯t. I¡¯d forgotten about it entirely, assuming that I would be incapable of reality alteration at Bronze. This must have been so trivial, that even now I could do it¡­


    But how do I explain that without mentioning my lunar affinity?! And to a child perceptive enough to notice the ability in the first place!?


    As far as she was concerned, I was a god. A wicked god from the darkest depths of legend, but one all the same. She¡¯d likely never see anyone more than silver in her entire life, let alone someone who¡¯d made it to Ascendent.


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­I¡¯m a cultivator?¡± My mind swam, trying to find a better answer for the curiosity burning in those eyes.


    ¡°Master Tenri is a cultivator, too, but he gets dirty,¡± she answered. ¡°Is it because he has such bad eyesight that he gets dirty? I heard he was nearly blind before he reached Bronze.¡± There was no other way he could still have glasses, even after the qi enhancements already made to his body. Some things would take more than one advancement to correct.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± I answered, scratching my head. ¡°You see, I¡¯m a practitioner of void arts, so I naturally destroy dirt?¡± It was the best answer I was going to come up with on such short notice.


    I waited, cold sweat dripping down my neck, as she frowned, trying to decide if my answer was reasonable. In the end, she smiled and accepted it with a nod.


    ¡°I guess that makes sense!¡± Then, she sat down across from me. ¡°Where are you from? I wish I could go somewhere else. Saikan is so small and boring, and the only thing we have to eat here is fish.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s so bad, I¡¯m from the Pearlescent Valley up north,¡± I explained. ¡°We have nothing but rice and vegetables. I like having the fish.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re strange.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°You think so?¡± She nodded adamantly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get dirty, and you like fish.¡±


    The simplistic, yet practical view of a child. What a magnificent thing? I dearly tried to hold back my laughter, but I couldn¡¯t. It was refreshing to find someone so straight forward.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, Meimei?¡± I asked, brushing a tear from my eye.


    ¡°I¡¯m Xinya,¡± she introduced. ¡°Lang Xinya.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Xinya. I¡¯m Yoru.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Let’s Play a Game

    What is fate? What is destiny? Once, we had to rely on blind faith for these ideals, but, with cultivation, we have seen it, touched it, changed it. And yet, I do not know a single cultivator that can give me a satisfactory answer. In the end, all I really know is that we must forge our own. ¨C Elder Xin Yue of Stars Wheel Sect


    *          *          *


    Xinya narrowed her eyes at me, and I could see the thoughts spinning behind her eyes. She raised a hand and began chewing on her knuckle as she pondered my answer.


    ¡°Is that your given name or your family name?¡± she finally asked.


    ¡°Given,¡± I answered. ¡°If you prefer, my family name is Tsuyuki, but I¡¯m not big on formality.¡±


    ¡°Tsuyuki Yoru.¡± She closed her eyes, mulling over my answer. I wasn¡¯t really sure what was worthy of such intense thought, but I held my tongue and patiently waited. Xinya began to idly chew on her knuckle as she did. ¡°You have a strange name.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Miss Hanako has a strange name, too, though. She says it¡¯s because her mother was saved by a mysterious cultivator before she was born.¡± Xinya sat across from me. ¡°I guess cultivators have strange names besides Master Tenri. Maybe he¡¯s the strange one.¡± I bit back laughter again and smiled at the young girl.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never really considered it before, but cultivators come from all over,¡± I explained. ¡°I¡¯m from the north, but the Sun Queen came from south of here. She had a name a lot like yours. And the Ocean Lord came from an island south and east. His name was completely different.¡± Xinya¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those the gods in the Legend of the Darkened Moon?¡± she asked, the words practically tumbling out of her mouth. ¡°The ones who worked with the Sword Saint but got their asses kicked before he had to come and save them!?¡±


    ¡°I¡­suppose?¡± I was a little shocked by the nine-year-old¡¯s sudden shift in language, but she was so excited. Maybe I was just a bad adult for not chastising her, but I didn¡¯t want to dampen her enthusiasm


    Chiho quietly trilled its amusement. It was pleased with this version of the tale, but, of course, it would be. It was also a fan of the Sword Saint¡­and I could hardly blame neither the pin nor the girl sitting before me.


    ¡°It¡¯s my favorite part of the festival,¡± Xinya was immediately on her feet. ¡°When all hope seems lost, and the Darkened Moon is about to win the day with his magical future sight, then the Sword Saint just goes WHAM!¡± She drew her hands down, pantomiming a great sword strike. ¡°And the Darkened Moon dies on the spot!¡±


    I¡­didn¡¯t know what to say to that. That was not anything like the version of events that I knew. They had festivals for this?


    Xinya looked up at the sky. ¡°I want to be in stories like that one day. I want to be a hero just like the Sword Saint.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you become a cultivator?¡± I asked. ¡°I think the Saint himself started at about your age.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Then her excitement turned to scrutiny, and she frowned. ¡°How would you know that, Mister?¡±


    And there she had me. How could I tell her that I¡¯d heard it from the Saint¡¯s own lips? Bronze cultivators don¡¯t just meet Ascendents, not unless they¡¯re disciples of that Ascendent¡¯s path, which I most certainly was not. The Saint studied the Path of the Wild Blade. I was only a passable swordsman on the best of days, something that had always irritated my sect elders.


    ¡°I said I was from the Pearlescent Valley, right?¡± I began nervously. ¡°He¡¯s from that area too! It¡¯s just one of those things we know there.¡±


    Xinya narrowed her eyes at me. This time, though, I don¡¯t think she accepted my answer. She lowered her head and got a sad look in her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not nice to lie to kids, you know,¡± she muttered. ¡°Only adults can cultivate. That¡¯s what my dad says.¡±


    Now, that was ridiculous. Anyone with a seed of qi can develop their core. In fact, in the old Sun Queen¡¯s lands, noble children were expected to reach Bronze by the age of 6.


    However, in a region where there weren¡¯t many cultivators to begin with, it probably wasn¡¯t wise to give a child the power to break their elders in half with a tantrum. But, that didn¡¯t stop me from wondering why there weren¡¯t more cultivators here in the first place. If there were so much work for them that Tenri couldn¡¯t keep up, why not encourage more young adults to take up a Path of their own? I filed away those questions for later.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get that flower, mister?¡± Xinya¡¯s eyes were pinned on the purple striped Heaven¡¯s Lily I¡¯d tucked into my belt. I pulled it out and studied it.


    ¡°A nice lady gave it to me in the forest last night,¡± I explained. It was the truth. Despite Tenri¡¯s claims, the Flower Maiden hadn¡¯t actually hurt me. So far as I could tell, I was suffering no ill effects from meeting her, either.


    ¡°Oh! You know her, too!¡± Xinya exclaimed. ¡°When my dad goes out for night fishing, I sometimes go into the forest and play with her. She¡¯s really nice.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I leaned in closer. ¡°What do you know about her?¡±


    Xinya shrugged. ¡°Not much. She doesn¡¯t talk much. But some of the adults say that she¡¯s the shade of one of the Darkened Moon¡¯s subordinates and that she kills people to make her special flowers.¡± She snorted in amusement. ¡°But that¡¯s ridiculous because she has so many of them that they just pop out of the ground on their own! And, she¡¯s really nice to us kids. Lots of us have played with her. She likes the company.¡±


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    The more I heard, the more I regretted closing my eyes when we met. A shade who was said to be one of my subordinates? That was extremely unlikely, but if there was any chance that they were real¡­


    ¡°Where do you find her when you want to play?¡± I asked, unable to contain my eagerness. Xinya frowned at me.


    ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I just want to talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Well, I ain¡¯t no snitch,¡± she answered with a scowl.


    I sighed in mock defeat. Maybe one of the other kids would be more likely to tell me. If as many of them went to play with her as Xinya said, maybe¡­


    ¡°No one else¡¯ll tell you either.¡± Well, there went that plan.


    ¡°Alright, alright, what will it take to convince you of my good intentions?¡± I asked as innocently as I could. A wicked gleam danced in those green eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s play a game!¡±


    ¡°A game?¡±


    Xinya was already pulling out a small pouch and dumping its contents on the ground between us. There were black stones, bits of coral, bits of bone, and silver stones.


    ¡°What game is this?¡±


    ¡°Moon Tear¡¯s Match,¡± Xinya explained. ¡°Nobody else wants to play with me because I¡¯m so good. The goal is to defeat your opponent¡¯s spirit. I¡¯ll draw four bits from the bag, then you¡¯ll draw four. We¡¯ll arrange our pieces, and depending on the combination of bits, you win, or you lose.¡±


    Xinya then went into detail on what each kind of piece was used for. Apparently, the black stones were for building defenses against bone while the coral pieces defended against the silver stones. The ideal spirit had enough offense and defense to survive attacks and strike back. She also said something about the orientation of the stones being important, but that all went way over my head.


    We started our first round. I reached into the bag and pulled out two black stones, a coral, and a silver stone. Though I didn¡¯t quite understand what made a good orientation for the stones, it made sense to me that the defensive pieces should be in front of the offensive one. So, I put my black pieces in front, with the coral piece between them. Behind it was the silver piece.


    ¡°Oh, a solid defense,¡± Xinya mused. She had pulled two coral pieces, a bone piece, and a silver stone. ¡°Arranged like this, my bone breaks one of your river stones. Your moon tear breaks my coral, but my moon tear takes your moon tear and I win!¡±


    I stared at the two configurations. By my tally, we should have been evenly matched. She struck my black piece, I struck her coral, she struck with her silver¡­but I had a coral to defend?


    ¡°The orientation doesn¡¯t protect your key pieces,¡± she explained. She turned the coral by ninety degrees. ¡°This would have blocked me. But I win, so I get to ask a question!¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand, but that was fine. It was my first match, and it¡¯s not like she would ask anything that I needed to keep secret. Xinya thought hard about the question she wanted to ask, so I took the opportunity to finish my rice ball.


    ¡°You¡¯re a cultivator from far away! Do you have any magic weapons? I heard real cultivators put magic in everything!¡± she said.


    ¡°Not a weapon, perse,¡± I mused. Responding to my thoughts, Chiho withdrew from my hair and zipped around the little girl¡¯s head. ¡°This is Chiho. It doesn¡¯t really like being a weapon, so mostly it just keeps my hair looking nice.¡±


    Chiho zipped around Xinya¡¯s head several times before landing in her hand. Her eyes were big as the full moon as she studied the hairpin. Chiho preened at the attention. Honestly, if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think it was a proud peacock hairpin instead of a crane¡­


    ¡°Is this real jade?!¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Jade often has a high capacity for qi and is versatile enough to store most forms. Lots of spiritual devices are made using it as a base.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen real jade before,¡± she said, running a gentle finger along Chiho¡¯s feathers. ¡°We just have moon tears and coral.¡±


    ¡°Why are they called moon tears?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of the story,¡± she explained. ¡°When the Sword Saint struck the Darkened Moon, the moon itself wept tears of silver which fell to the earth. High quality ones glow, and that¡¯s what powers most of our lanterns.¡±


    Xinya offered me the bag for another round. I reached in. This time, I pulled out three of the silver moon tears and a black stone. Not the most defensive formation. I was relying heavily on luck to get out of this one. I arranged them on the ground, trying to show them the way Xinya said last round. When we were ready, she revealed a similarly lopsided spirit. She¡¯d pulled three river stones and a bone piece.


    ¡°Good job! You won!¡± she said, clapping her hands. ¡°You completely block my bone, then retaliate with a moon tear! I have no defense!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her enthusiasm was infectious.


    I thought about what question to ask. I desperately wanted to know where the Flower Maiden could be found, but she¡¯d already proven defensive of that question. She could easily give me a useless answer if I went straight to that. Better to wait and ask that another time. I was patient, after all.


    ¡°You seem knowledgeable about shades. What shades do you know of in the area?¡± I asked. If I was lucky, I¡¯d get two answers for a single question.


    Xinya began counting on her fingers. ¡°Well, there are the Four Spirits of the Shore. The Flower Maiden is one, but there¡¯s also the Chain-Bound Fury, the Blood-Soaked Bride, and the Two-faced Serpent. They¡¯re considered the big news around here. I¡¯ve only met the Flower Maiden, but I saw someone dress up as the Chain-Bound Fury to scare people once. Not a very convincing disguise, though.¡± Then she thought about it. ¡°Then, I guess there¡¯s the shade in the lighthouse. Nobody really knows what it is, but I bet it¡¯s an old keeper who died horrifically. Otherwise, why would they bother with a dumb old lighthouse?¡±


    So, even she didn¡¯t know anything about the shade in the lighthouse. That was fortuitous. If she was sure that it wasn¡¯t one of the Four Spirits, then it probably wasn¡¯t crazy powerful. I could handle that.


    We drew our stones and cast our lots again. This time, I had an even spread, one of each kind of token. I placed my defensive pieces up front and put the offensive ones behind.


    ¡°You still turned them the wrong way.¡± Xinya pointed to the black and coral pieces.


    I squinted at the stones. They didn¡¯t seem wrong to me¡­in fact, it was exactly the way she had told me to place them a few rounds ago. In the end, that meant I lost again, and she got to ask another question.


    ¡°Do you get to see your family often? As a cultivator, I mean,¡± she asked softly.


    I didn¡¯t answer. How could I? My family were all dead¡­


    ¡°Your silence speaks volumes,¡± Xinya answered finally. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave my dad alone.¡± I reached out and put a hand on the little girl¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. You have a few years before you should start, then you can do the whole Manifestation Realm right here at home. After that, then you can decide where your path will take you.¡±


    Her violet eyes looked up into mine, and I saw hope twinkle in her gaze. She wanted to be like the heroes in the stories, but girls in small fishing villages rarely became heroes. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d been told by no few adults that her dreams were out of reach.


    ¡°Tell you what,¡± I began. ¡°I learned from one of the best sects in Pearlescent Valley. So, if you wanted, when you¡¯re grown up enough, find me and I¡¯ll teach you what I know to get started.¡±

 Chapter 12 - The Shade in the Lighthouse

    The Moon-Soaked Shore is rarely considered of value in any political or strategic circle. But do you know who values them? Fishermen. The moon stones that come from the region make for the best lighthouses and foglights. Many are confused when they hear that, thinking that sun stones or lightning stones may be better, but they forget a simple fact: moonlight doesn¡¯t hurt to look at. ¨C Fisherman Gris from the Moon-Soaked Shores


    *          *          *


    The rest of the afternoon was spent with Xinya hanging off my sleeves. I tried to continue my investigation, but everywhere we went, she had something to say that distracted me from my goal.


    ¡°Hey, Mister! Come look at the coral jewelry over here! Do you think that it would hold qi like your hairpin does?¡±


    ¡°Mister Cultivator! You said you like fish, you should try some of this soup!¡±


    ¡°Hey Mister! Mister Xian sells swords! Do you like them?¡±


    Every time she led me astray, I let myself be led to whatever attraction she brought me to. It was fascinating to see the town through her eyes.


    ¡°And, over there, the other kids like to have snow fights during the winter. But, I¡¯m personally more of a fan of climbing the back of Miss Zhao¡¯s house. They dared me once that I couldn¡¯t do it. Boy, did I show them!¡±


    At the end of the day, as the sun set and the fishermen returned to shore, Xinya dragged me to the docks once more. There, she picked out a single fisherman tying his boat to a post.


    ¡°Dad!¡± she shouted. Immediately, the fisherman turned. A grin spread wide across his face, and he opened his arms wide. She threw herself into his arms. He lifted her off the ground, spinning her in a wide circle and planting a kiss on her cheek.


    ¡°How¡¯s my Xinhua?¡± he asked. Excited words bubbled out of her mouth.


    ¡°I made a new friend today!¡± she pointed to where I was standing quietly to the side. ¡°He¡¯s a cultivator, and he promised that once I¡¯m old enough he¡¯s going to teach me! I can be just like Mom!¡±


    Carrying his daughter, the fisherman approached me. He bowed as deeply as he could while holding her. The awkward position gave me an appreciation for his strength, for a mortal, anyway.


    ¡°Honored Cultivator, I thank you for entertaining my daughter while I was away today. I apologize for any hinderance she gave.¡± Xinya scowled but did not object. I was a cultivator, after all. Though I was the good kind, there were those who would have little patience for a nine-year-old filled with questions.


    I bowed my head and smiled. ¡°In truth, it was no trouble at all. I found your daughter to be delightful and brilliant.¡±


    ¡°You honor me with your praise,¡± he answered, a smile growing on his face. ¡°I am called Lang Tailyn.¡± I returned the introduction. ¡°Master Tsuyuki is kind to offer knowledge of cultivation to my daughter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hardly nothing. Cultivation is a jealously guarded secret to most sects. I¡¯ve only met one other even willing to discuss it with mortals.¡±


    ¡°Xinya¡¯s mother?¡± I asked, worried I was crossing the line into prying. He nodded.


    ¡°She perished fighting the Tide Serpent,¡± he explained. ¡°My family has lived in Saikan for a few generations, but we met in the imperial capital while I was helping a friend sell his wares. She came here with me, but, in our second year here, I was caught in a storm summoned by the Serpent. She came to get me.¡±


    Xinya interrupted. ¡°She fought the monster for three whole days! And, though she didn¡¯t come back, the serpent was so badly hurt that it¡¯s never come back to the reef again!¡± She scowled at her father. ¡°You have to tell the story right, Dad.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Of course, of course. I simply didn¡¯t want to bore Master Tsuyuki with the details!¡±


    ¡°I think she sounds very heroic,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of person cultivators should be. Willing to risk their own lives to defend those who cannot defend themselves against the spiritual threats of our world.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of cultivator I wanna be!¡± Xinya proclaimed. ¡°When I¡¯m old enough, you can teach me!¡±


    ¡°Xinya!¡± her father scolded, but he could barely contain his smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be so presumptuous to the good Master Cultivator.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°One day. One day. But, for now, I should be getting back before Tenri sends a search party out to find me.¡±


    It was only half a joke. I¡¯d not seen Tenri himself since the encounter with the Flower Maiden the night before, and he was probably starting to worry. Not for my safety, of course. More likely worried that I was going to erase reality or something.


    I waved farewell to Xinya and her father before making my way back into the busy streets. The lanterns were out by the time I reached Tenri¡¯s household. I spent a few minutes examining the lanterns outside his home, the ones Xinya said were lit with moon tears, then I made my way inside.


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    ¡°Welcome back, Master Tsuyuki!¡± Hanako greeted. Tenri and his father were sitting at the table, playing a game of go. When I entered, he looked up.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were coming back after last night,¡± he said. I looked away, trying not to catch his gaze.


    ¡°Am I no longer welcome in your home?¡± I kept my voice even and cool, careful not to imply any blame or frustration. I was still only a guest in Tenri¡¯s home. I might be spiritually bound to him, but it was still his right to ask me to leave.


    Tenri sighed. ¡°I¡¯m only concerned. If you die, what will happen to me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, so far as I know.¡± I shrugged. ¡°The binding will break, and that will be that. I¡¯m bound to you, not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure of that?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. It hadn¡¯t been a carefully built ritual. Many mistakes had been made, and so I couldn¡¯t be certain of anything.


    ¡°Your silence speaks for you,¡± he answered. ¡°Just, be careful. Please? You¡¯re not immortal.¡±


    I nodded, conceding that part of the argument. I didn¡¯t regret my actions, and even if the shade had actually tried to hurt me, I¡¯d have done the same for Chiho.


    Tenri turned back to his game. ¡°Wait, this board has changed! You cheating old geezer!¡± he shouted at his father, who snickered to himself.


    ¡°All is fair in war, son.¡±


    *          *          *


    I hiked up the ridge to the lighthouse in the late evening sun. Shades hate light, making night the best time to lure them out, but the best time to start a hunt for spirits was in the evening. The last rays of sun would ward off the spirit while I searched the stone spire for any indication of what I might be up against.


    Several talismans were stuck to the door, no doubt placed there by Tenri during his first investigation. Talismans were simple qi infusions and were often one of the first things a cultivator learned to create. By drawing characters on sheet of paper and infusing it with the qi of one¡¯s core, a young cultivator could practice controlling their qi output. Some cultivators then went on to create more advanced versions, ultimately becoming soul smiths or array weavers.


    Personally, though? I was terrible with arrays, infusions, and the creation of talismans. It had always been a weakness of mine, one for which my masters often punished.


    Leaving the talismans on the door, I slowly pushed it open. It creaked on its hinges and a spray of dust cascaded down from the frame above. I frowned, thinking it odd that the door be so dusty, even after months of abandonment. Then I stepped inside.


    The entire place was in ruins. In fact, if I hadn¡¯t known better, I¡¯d have assumed the lighthouse had been abandoned for decades instead of mere months. Dust covered every surface, and the windows were caked in dirt and sea salt. Broken furniture lay scattered across the ground, and there was something black growing up one of the walls. I quickly covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve. A malevolent aura lingered here, tainting the air with hatred and death.


    I closed the door behind me, blocking the spirit from escaping, and began to search the building. The windows let in very little light, but what light did filter through would hopefully keep the spirit at bay until the sun set below the horizon. Floor by floor, I crept up the decaying stairs.


    It was clear that a family used to live here. Several floors held a living space, a kitchen, a few bedrooms, and a nursery. Another was devoted to a small shrine to some kind of deity or spirit, but it was desecrated. Even the idol had been defaced beyond any recognition¡­not that I was familiar enough with the local spiritual powers to know who it was anyway.


    The floor just below the highest point in the lighthouse was clearly storage for something. Chips of silver stones littered the floor near a large empty crate. I recognized them as moon tears. They must have used the natural light from the stones to light the beacon at the top.


    I pushed open the trap door leading to the light room. The walls were open, leaving room for the breeze to pass through and limiting the obstructions to the light itself. Broken railings once prevented anyone from falling off, but now they were little more than stumps of rotting wood attached to the floor. Far below, the ocean lapped at the cliffside.


    Though I knew very little about mechanics or engineering, I studied the light mechanisms themselves. The goal of this mission was ultimately to relight the lighthouse so that passing ships would be warned of the reef surrounding Saikan. It also acted as a landmark for any fishing boats at night or in a storm.


    Ten blackened stones sat in a basin surrounded by mirrors and lenses. If they used large chunks of the same rock moon tears were made of, then the mirrors and lenses would direct and amplify the light out to sea. Any moon artist, lightning artist, or fire artist would be able to recreate a similar effect, but the contraption here would allow even mortals to shine the light. Frankly, I thought it was an ingenious device. However, many of the mirrors were shattered, and the moon tears were completely dark. Without repairs, the lighthouse would not shine.


    The sun began to dip below the horizon, and I felt the gentle light of the moon shine on my back. I turned. It was really a spectacular view, so far above the ground. From here, I could see the entire horizon. The reef sparkling with its little lights beneath the waves, the sea spread before me, reflecting the moon¡¯s light back up from the earth. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of the towers of my palace.


    ¡°Leave¡­¡±


    Right on time. Ghost wisps began to drift. However, where the Flower Maiden¡¯s lights were as big as flower petals, these were barely specs drifting on the sea breeze.


    I turned to find a man behind me, and a shiver went down my spine. His hair was ratty and tangled, and his skin was wrinkled as if his whole body had been left too long in a bath. Pieces of his flesh had been eaten away by something, leaving exposed bones at his shoulders, arms, and wrists. Water dripped from soaked, tattered clothes, and his eyes burned red with malice and hatred.


    This man did not die under peaceful circumstances.


    If I¡¯d had eyes to see qi, I wagered I¡¯d see a cloud of death energy surrounding him. That was no doubt what caused the decay and destruction of the floors below. Breathing that in wasn¡¯t healthy, but leaving this shade in the tower would be far worse. I¡¯d recover, the town would not.


    ¡°Leave this place¡­¡± he growled. His words had a gurgling tone to them, like he was speaking while half submerged.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m here to lay you to rest. I¡¯d prefer to do so without violence, but I am prepared to defend myself.¡±


    It was as if he didn¡¯t even hear me. Anger held too great a sway over his spirit. If that anger was what kept him anchored to this realm, then only one thing would resolve this situation.


    ¡°Leave this place¡­¡± he raised a boney hand and pointed at me. I calmed my heart and mind, then readied myself to fight. Seeing my prepared state, he opened his mouth, and an unholy screech echoed loud over the ridge. ¡°Then DIE!¡±

 Chapter 13 - Duty

    Duty is a Chain. Carnage is freedom. The world burns to feed its embers. ¨C Philosopher Hiro in the Dawn Empire


    *          *          *


    The shade flung forth his hand and the thousand wisps floating around suddenly shot towards me. I ducked, letting the majority of them fly straight over my head. The shade growled and gurgled in frustration when I stood and fixed him with a cool stare.


    ¡°The family you butchered might not have fought back,¡± I said coldly, ¡°but I assure you that I will prove a more difficult quarry to kill.¡±


    I raised my hand out of habit, ready to summon forth a thousand blades of moonlight to shred the shade and dissipate his spirit, but I stopped myself. From the top of the lighthouse, I could see Saikan. Any bright flashes of light would be seen in the town below, giving away my true identity.


    How irritating¡­once again, I was foiled by the stupidity of the region¡¯s laws. I really would have to have a chat with Tenri at some point. Whatever silly fears formed the foundations of such a law were beyond foolish. There were no more issues with practicing the lunar arts than those of the sun or earth. All that law served to do was shackle my strength.


    But, no matter. I would treat this as another training exercise in the use of void techniques. Perhaps there was something to learn here.


    The shade took advantage of my moment of hesitation to launch itself forward. It clawed at my face with water-soaked fingers drenched in death qi. I darted to the side. I reached forward and tapped its side. Void qi surged forward, overshadowing my inner light and leaping to my enemy as soon as I made contact with the translucent form.


    It howled in anger before seeming to disperse in a cloud of dust. I blinked in surprise. That couldn¡¯t possibly be it¡­


    This spirit was bound to the mortal world by an anger which transcended the boundaries between the spirit realm and mortal world. It had festered for at least three months, though I suspected more, and had drawn enough vital energy from the world around it to decay every floor of the lighthouse into a state of complete disrepair. No way it would be dispersed by a such a small expenditure of qi.


    But, there wasn¡¯t much room for the spirit to go. It couldn¡¯t leave the spire, so where had it gone?


    I waited, listening as the waves lapped at the cliffs below. It would strike, and I would be ready when it did¡­


    A shift in the malevolent aura behind me warned me just in time. The shade lashed out, trying to claw my scalp from my skull. I ducked, grinning as Chiho removed itself from my hair and zipped into action. It took personal offence to anything that would damage my hair.


    Chiho pecked and spun around the shade¡¯s wrist, trying to separate the hand from the rest of its arm. The shade shrieked and swiped at the annoying hairpin. Thanks to Chiho¡¯s distraction, I lunged forward, this time diving down to plunge void qi into the creature¡¯s left leg.


    It howled and dispersed again.


    ¡°Nice work, Chiho,¡± I praised as the pin returned to my hair. It vibrated happily, glad to be of assistance.


    The ghostly wisps streaked towards me like a thousand grains of sand. I dodged backward, avoiding them so narrowly that they clipped the edges of my sleeves. Just as it did, a vision from Flash Forward warned me of the danger behind me.


    I bent myself backward, letting my momentum carry me. The shade appeared, just as my vision had shown, to my right. His death fueled swipe sailed straight over my neck, and my hands reached the ground. I shifted my weight and used the momentum of my dodge to slam my foot into the shade¡¯s head.


    As a shade, his form was made entirely of qi. If a normal mortal had kicked him in the head, he probably wouldn¡¯t have even felt it. A cultivator, though? My body was fused with the meridians of my core. Lunar and Void qi flowed through my every limb like blood carrying oxygen. It was my very source of my life and power, and so when I kicked the shade in the jaw, he felt it.


    My attack carried me further back, and I righted myself on the outer edge of the lighthouse¡¯s catwalk. The shade groaned and nursed its aching jaw. The wisps, however, were not dissuaded. They streaked towards me, radiating death as they tried to draw blood anywhere they could. I ducked down and to the left, letting them sail clean off the tower.


    It was time to finish this. I gathered my strength, summoning my void qi to try something a little bit new. Using moon qi, I could create disks of moonlight which would rend my enemies asunder. Based on what I knew of the destructive nature of the void, I didn¡¯t see any reason why I couldn¡¯t do something similar, only with void qi instead.


    The void gathered in my hand, a dark orb of destructive energy that writhed and pulsed with power. As soon as it was the size of a plum, I hurled it at the ghost.


    It¡­wasn¡¯t quite there. The trajectory was wrong as soon as it left my hand, sailing too far to the left. Instead of hitting the ghost, it would hit the mirrors of the lantern instead. I sighed, but then something strange happened.


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    The shade stepped into the attack. The sphere of void slammed into its chest, squarely dissipating it again.


    Why would it do that? It could have struck back, or dodged, or laughed, or done any number of safer things that wouldn¡¯t have dissipated it so easily. Instead, it chose to step into the blast¡­


    Why?


    Could it be¡­that it was protecting the lantern? But the light wasn¡¯t on! The mechanisms and mirrors were shattered beyond simple repair, and who knew how many pieces had been blown off the edge by a stray breeze? Why would it protect the lantern?


    Flash Forward warned me of the shade¡¯s next attack, but I was too wrapped up in thought to register it until it was too late. The shade howled and materialized right in front of me. It lunged forward with its putrid claws, trying to plunge them deep into my throat. I pulled away just in time, and it only managed to gouge my shoulder instead of my throat.


    Chiho trilled angrily.


    ¡°I know, I know!¡± I rolled my eyes. The meaning was clear. I had to keep my head in the fight, no matter how much stronger I felt I was compared to my enemy.


    Death qi festered on my wound, already trying to blacken the skin around the cut. I had to act quickly. Purging that kind of qi was simple enough, but it required focus. I needed to subdue the shade first, then deal with the injury.


    ¡°Chiho! With me!¡± I called, a plan forming in my mind. Chiho leapt from its place, hovering right by my head as I sprinted across the platform to the edge.


    I turned at the landward side of the lighthouse just in time to see another wave of deathly wisps streaking towards me. Dodging them was simple, but, this time, I stepped back and to the side. My foot slipped, and my balance wavered. I cried out in alarm as I tumbled over the side.


    ¡°No!¡± the shade shouted, and my theories were confirmed. I threw my hand up to wrap around Chiho. Though the pin wasn¡¯t strong enough to lift me completely, it could slow my descent. I angled my body and curled into a ball to break through a window halfway up the tower.


    I tumbled into the building, slamming into the rotting floorboards. The wind was briefly knocked out of me before I shook my head and righted myself.


    ¡°Hey, Shade!¡± I called. ¡°I¡¯m down here, and I know who you are!¡±


    I could hear its shrieks of rage from the top of the lighthouse. It would soon descend. In the end, Xinya had been right all along, but there was more to the story than that.


    ¡°You¡¯re an old keeper of this lighthouse, aren¡¯t you?¡± I called. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you died a few hundred years ago, if the decay on your body and the building are any indication. Was the current decoration inside the tower too new for you?¡± I heard a growl, but it wasn¡¯t time to stop my speech. ¡°Who else but a keeper would go to such lengths to defend the lantern from my attacks? But then, how did you die? You¡¯re waterlogged, so you must have died or fallen into the water below. Tell me, was it a storm? Did you fall from the light room like I did?¡±


    The malevolent aura grew stronger, and the floorboards around me began to visibly deteriorate. Mold grew up the walls at an alarming rate, and the shade itself manifested before me.


    ¡°You know NOTHING!¡± it shrieked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I? Look around you!¡± I gestured to the shattered room. It was the desecrated shrine, its idol blackened and destroyed beyond recognition. ¡°This was for you, wasn¡¯t it? It was a way to appease you because your body was never recovered for burial.¡±


    The shade looked around, confusion briefly replacing the anger in its heart. It was working!


    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand, though,¡± I continued, ¡°is why did you kill the family that lived here? They were fulfilling your duty after you could not!¡±


    ¡°Fulfilling¡­¡± A look of recognition flashed across the shade¡¯s face before it was replaced again by anger. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who shirked my duty! The keeper was so busy with his family that he forgot everything else!¡± He spit the word family as if he were talking about vermin. ¡°He let the stores run dry! HE LET THE LIGHT GO OUT!¡± Red hot anger flashed in his eyes, and the death qi around him surged. ¡°Twenty years I devoted to keeping the light lit! Even on the day I died, in the depths of a hurricane, I lit the lantern so that ships at sea could find their way! The winds blew me over the side, but I DID MY DUTY!¡±


    ¡°And he didn¡¯t,¡± I finished.


    ¡°He was too busy with his wife to notice the stores were empty! Then, when I warned him, he blew it off and broke the mirrors! Said he didn¡¯t want to be keeper anymore!¡±


    The death qi was intense. I covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve again, but, even then, I felt the itch of infection in my lungs. The shade was empowered by the spiritual offerings made over the years to his lost spirit. That power mixed in with the raw hatred he felt to produce a truly impressive display of might.


    The floorboards were starting to disintegrate into dust, and I didn¡¯t dare touch any of the walls for fear of what was growing on it. There were two ways to stop this shade, now that I knew his tale. I could fight it¡­or¡­


    ¡°What if I relit the lantern?¡± I said. Immediately, the decay slowed to a crawl. The shade stared at me in shock.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a sailor, what do you care?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I shrugged and smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t even swim! But, it¡¯s important to you, and to the town. It can¡¯t be that hard to fix, right?¡±


    ¡°But¡­without a keeper¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find you a new keeper to tend the house,¡± I promised.


    The shade looked around, suddenly unsure of the power that surrounded him. He studied me up and down. I lowered my hand from my face. He was trying to see if I was capable of all I claimed. In the end, he didn¡¯t seem convinced, and I didn¡¯t fully blame him. I had proven myself a capable warrior, but warriors don¡¯t necessarily make good artisans.


    I stepped forward, ignoring the creaking boards beneath my feet. I reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°I will see this lantern lit again,¡± I promised. ¡°I swear it by the moon above.¡±


    It was as if a great storm had been blown away with a single gust of wind. The hatred melted from his eyes, leaving behind the peaceful blue of a placated spirit. All the malice that twisted his face vanished, revealing a calm, but resolute man.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, friend?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°Sai Lyn,¡± he answered. ¡°I was the keeper here six generations ago.¡±


    ¡°Well, Sai Lyn, why don¡¯t we see about fixing the mirrors, hmm?¡± A pang of pain stabbed through my shoulder, and I looked down to see the festering wound still radiated death qi.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered.


    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I¡¯ll recover. Just give me a few moments to purge the taint, then we can take a look above.¡±

 Chapter 14 - Cuts and Bruises

    You are no doubt wondering why are you are being punished. But you are not. Cultivation is not just meditation, violence, and rivalries. Those who fail to appreciate that we are also just people, just like the mortals, and that we need to participate. Those who do not will inevitably become victims of the cages they¡¯ve built in their minds. ¨C Senior Disciple Barun of the Gray Nights Sect to his junior disciples on bandit duty


    *          *          *


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to fix the lantern by yourself?¡± Tenri asked as we walked through the market. He¡¯d had a few choice words for me when I showed up to his office the morning after I went to the lighthouse, mostly cursing me for taking on such a mission alone. In the end, I was barely hurt. Just a simple scratch. I don¡¯t know what he was so up in arms about.


    ¡°Well, Sai Lyn might murder anyone else who tries to enter,¡± I said. ¡°Better it be me.¡±


    ¡°You know he killed an innocent family, right?¡±


    I glared at him. His voice was calm, but he carefully studied me. In the end, I crossed my arms and walked ahead.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of his past, yes.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t just dissipate him because¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because he deserves it? He had a reason for killing them. It might not be a good one, but it¡¯s still a reason.¡± I lowered my head. ¡°I have to respect him for at least having that reason. It¡¯s more than I did.¡±


    I bit my tongue as soon as I felt the slip of my tongue. Was it too much to hope that Tenri wouldn¡¯t notice?


    Yes, apparently, it is. He stared at me through narrowed eyes and furrowed eyebrows. I stubbornly refused to meet his gaze. He knew the stories around me. Surely, he knew my history and propensity for wiping entire nations off the map. Maybe, he¡¯d even have the tact not to push the issue. It wasn¡¯t exactly my proudest moments, even if it was among the most famous.


    ¡°So, how long do you think it¡¯ll take to order new mirrors for the lantern?¡± I wondered, desperate for a change in subject. Sai Lyn and I had examined the lantern from every angle, and no matter how you sliced it, it would never be as bright as it needed to be without new mirrors. The former keeper had done a good job destroying them in his fit of passion, and there was little to be done.


    ¡°Accounting for travel time, probably several months,¡± Tenri said. I sighed. It was too much to hope that this issue would be resolved quickly. The capital wasn¡¯t exactly close, and that kind of cargo was large and specially designed. It was reasonable, even if I didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°Alright, well, I¡¯d like to settle his spirit before then.¡± I scratched the back of my head, trying to think. ¡°I suppose maybe I could put the mirrors back into a passable state just enough to appease and dissipate him before too long.¡±


    ¡°Or I could help you fight him,¡± Tenri offered, but I shook my head.


    ¡°The town needs the lighthouse, even if it¡¯s in less than optimal condition,¡± I said. ¡°This resolves both problems. Just leave it to me. I¡¯ll sort it out.¡± I could see Tenri¡¯s hesitance. I knew full well that I was making the job harder than it needed to be by trying to appease Sai Lyn¡¯s spirit, but I wanted to give the shade the respect deserving of his devotion in life. Besides¡­it gave me something to do that kept me out of Tenri¡¯s way for a while.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you a small stipend for materials, and I¡¯ll have Zumi draft an order for the new mirrors to go out with the next caravan to the capital,¡± the administrator said with a sigh. ¡°Just try not to anger the shade. It¡¯s already killed two people.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no mortal. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    We parted ways at the docks. Tenri was geared up to set sail for the reef, and I took the opportunity to see him off. He finally had the time to take on the issue of the spirit crabs harassing fishermen on the waters and seemed eager to see the matter finished. Personally, I didn¡¯t envy him that job in the slightest, but at least he could swim. Hopefully a fight underwater would be fine.


    I wandered the town, trying to puzzle out how I might fix the shattered mirrors. I could probably reassemble the pieces given enough time. It would be like a giant jigsaw¡­with sharp edges¡­and a judgmental ghost liable to appear at any second. Still, it would be a decent half-way measure to get the lighthouse up and running sooner rather than later. The problem would be in finding a glue to hold the pieces together. Something that could stick to the glass shards and would hold up against the weather¡­at least for a few months.


    ¡°Hey Mister,¡± Xinya¡¯s voice broke me out of my contemplation. I smiled and looked down and to my left¡­only to find she wasn¡¯t there. Tiny footsteps, and suddenly she was on my right.


    I grinned wide and turned slowly, giving the mortal child a chance to run back to my left. She giggled as she hid behind my sleeves. Without warning, I spun all the way around and knelt, poking her gently on the nose.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t little miss trouble,¡± I greeted. ¡°Play with any shades lately?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Dad doesn¡¯t like it when I do, so I can¡¯t sneak out while he¡¯s home. I¡¯ve never found her during the day.¡±


    ¡°She probably can¡¯t come out in the sun,¡± I explained. ¡°Shades don¡¯t like the light.¡± Xinya frowned and thought very hard about the new information.


    ¡°I guess that makes sense,¡± she finally said. ¡°I like the night more, too.¡±


    ¡°Me, too.¡±


    ¡°So, Whatcha doin¡¯ today, Mister? Still looking for the lighthouse spirit?¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I shook my head. ¡°Actually, today I¡¯m looking for glue to fix the mirrors in the lighthouse. I don¡¯t suppose you know of some?¡±


    Xinya looked as if she might have an answer, but before she could speak, a shout from the dock drew our attention. A small crowd of fishermen and fishmongers had formed, eager to see what was going on. Xinya grabbed a hold of my hand and began dragging me towards the action.


    ¡°Take that back!¡± shouted one young man at the center of the crowd. Xinya pushed further in until we could finally see. Two men stood at the center, hackles raised and spitting fury at each other. Anyone with eyes could see they were inches away from attacking each other.


    ¡°Why should I? Everyone knows you¡¯re barely grasping the bottom rung at the guild!¡± the bigger man was well-muscled, and his face reminded me somewhat of a bull in the way his nose took up most of his face.


    ¡°And who¡¯s fault is that?¡± spat the other man. He was much more narrowly built, but I could see in the way he held himself that he was no slouch. As far as mortals went, he was probably fairly strong. However, his bulk would be his disadvantage in a fight with the bull-man.


    ¡°Your sniveling whimpers scare the fish away, you talentless pig!¡±


    ¡°You drive me out of the best parts of the reef, then you have the nerve to call me talentless!?¡±


    I knelt down and whispered to Xinya. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s history here.¡± She nodded sadly.


    ¡°The big guy is Zhao Ming, and the little guy is Xi Qian,¡± she explained. ¡°The Zhao family is known to bully other fishermen away from the prime spots. They¡¯re such a big clan that no one messes with them unless they also have family to back them up. Which means small families like the Xi family and newer families like mine end up with bad waters and less fish.¡±


    So, it was just a power struggle. I sighed. Was it just human nature to try and prey on the weak? I¡¯d seen it so often from cultivators. One person pushes another around because they can.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Zhao family also run the apothecary?¡± I asked.


    Xinya nodded again. ¡°They¡¯re not all bad. Zhao Jaili and her sister are really nice when I scrape my knees climbing trees, and they were super nice when I got lunar fever when I was little. It¡¯s just the fishing families who are like that.¡±


    Xi Qian took a swing at his opponent. His fist slammed into the bull-man¡¯s nose, and I heard something crunch. I nodded my appreciation for the blow. It took a great deal of courage to strike someone with more power.


    However, when Zhao Ming took his hand away from his face to see blood staining his fingers, his eyes filled with anger. He loomed tall over the smaller man, and I got a bad feeling.


    ¡°You worthless trash! You think you¡¯re so great? You¡¯re nothing. You come from nothing. You¡¯ll always be nothing!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worth more than you!¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Prove it. You want a good fishing spot? Go fish the Northern Reef.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I will!¡±


    Several sharp gasps echoed through the crowd. Once again, I turned to the nine-year-old with me to translate.


    ¡°That¡¯s the domain of the Tide Serpent,¡± she said gravely.


    ¡°I thought the Tide Serpent was defeated by your mother?¡± I whispered.


    She didn¡¯t answer. They¡¯d said defeated, not destroyed. The Tide Serpent could still be around for all anyone knew, not to mention any lesser monsters under its command. I took a deep breath. This had just gotten dangerous. The challenge was suicide, but Xi Qian was young and hot-tempered enough to actually do it.


    ¡°Not that it would prove much, really,¡± Zhao Ming continued. ¡°Everyone knows the Tide Serpent hasn¡¯t been seen in nearly five years.¡±


    Xi Qian couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He took another swing at the bigger man. This time, Zhao Ming slammed a heavy fist down on his shoulder. Xi Qian grimaced and tried to recover, but a heavy boot to his chest shoved him back and to the ground. He gasped three times before a scream bubbled up from his throat and he leapt back to his feet.


    I stood and stepped into the circle. If these two mortals didn¡¯t cut it out, someone was going to get hurt, and that someone was probably going to be Xi Qian. Until someone said something, he would keep getting the shorter and shorter straws until he couldn¡¯t take any more.


    Zhao Ming readied himself for the blow, rearing back to deliver one of his own. Neither man noticed in time that I¡¯d stepped between them. I caught Xi Qian¡¯s hand gently in my own and blocked Zhao Ming¡¯s with a forearm. To me, they were as gentle as the breeze.


    ¡°Enough.¡± I declared.


    ¡°Who in the hell are you?!¡± Zhao Ming growled. I pinned him with a glare I¡¯d perfected on quarrelling gangsters in the city that had once been my capital. He fell silent.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am,¡± I answered. ¡°What matters is that your challenge is potentially extremely dangerous. As one of those who would likely be sent to fight the Tide Serpent if it appeared, I¡¯d really ask that you save Tenri and I the headache.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­does that mean you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Share your waters. It¡¯s not worth a man¡¯s life.¡±  My gaze was calm as the gravity of my presence settled on the two men. Eventually, Zhao Ming twisted his face into a wicked sneer before the big man shoved his way into the crowd.


    Soon, the crowd was gone, leaving Xinya, Xi Qian, and myself in the street alone. The younger man rubbed his sore shoulder.


    ¡°I could do it, you know,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°I have no doubt you could,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°You have the look of a capable young man.¡± My smile faded. ¡°But that decision would be a foolish one. Leave sleeping serpents lay, friend. If he bothers you further, let me know and I¡¯ll see what can be done.¡±


    He looked up at me. Then, he took a deep breath and seemed to calm down.


    ¡°Thank you for the assistance, Master Cultivator,¡± he said politely. Then, he bowed deeply and left. I wasn¡¯t sure what he was going to do, whether he would choose to trust me or not. All I could do was hope that he didn¡¯t do anything foolish. After all, I couldn¡¯t swim. Any fight with the Tide Serpent would not end in my favor.


    *          *          *


    ¡°I thought we agreed that the mirrors were beyond repair,¡± Sai Lyn muttered as I picked through the glass shards. We¡¯d almost had to fight again when I¡¯d first returned to the Lighthouse, carrying a pot of rice mortar. However, a few stern words had brought him back in line, and we¡¯d ascended to the light room together.


    Xinya had suggested the mortar, even if it was usually used as a tool for laying bricks. It was cheap to make, but sturdy enough to withstand the elements for a little while. So long as I was careful to keep the mortar off the reflective side of the shards, I was confident that I could make the mirrors half-way functional once again.


    ¡°We did, but it¡¯ll be months before we can get them replaced,¡± I explained. ¡°The order is already underway, but I thought we could try fixing them while we wait.¡±


    ¡°You must have a lot of free time on your hands,¡± the shade answered.


    ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    I picked up the first shard which looked like it could fit along the bottom edge. I moved it along the bottom, trying to see where the edge lined up exactly. As soon as I found it, I grinned, dipped a finger in the sticky mortar and stuck the piece in place.


    ¡°See, it¡¯s already coming together!¡±


    I picked up the next piece. As I tried to maneuver it along the mirror¡¯s edge, my hand slipped, and the sharp edge sliced through my finger. I yelped and sucked on the injury.


    ¡°Does the blood make the compound stronger?¡± asked Sai Lyn, sarcasm thick in his voice. I glared back at him.


    It was going to be a long job¡­

 Chapter 15 - Shine, Part 1

    I refuse sir. I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re a Gold and that you can flatten my town, the nearby forest, and probably the local mountain to boot. The ocean doesn¡¯t screw around and any storm that big is powered by Qi and perfectly able to kill even you, nevermind my dingy boat. ¨C Fisherman Vran of the Sunrise Cove


    *          *          *


    ¡°Zhao Jaili?¡± Tenri called as he dragged me by the shoulder into the clinic. ¡°Jaili? I have a patient for you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really not that bad,¡± I protested. ¡°It¡¯s just a few cuts, and I¡¯m a cultivator! I¡¯ll be fine in no time!¡±


    ¡°And if you get an infection? That lighthouse is damp and dirty, and soaked in death qi. Do you really think nothing could grow there?¡± Tenri huffed his annoyance just as Zhao Jaili came out from the back of the building, followed closely by Hanako.


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked the younger of the two women. However, Hanako took one look at my red bandages and snorted her laughter.


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki, have you been at the lighthouse again?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what the big deal was! I¡¯d been working on the damned mirrors for the better part of a week. It was hard work trying to get the giant sheets of reflective glass in a proper working order. Even now, I had only repaired two of the three mirrors as best I could.


    I shook my head. ¡°No! Not today, anyway. But I¡¯m fine! Tenri is just being-¡±


    ¡°Being pig-headed is my job. I¡¯m the town administrator,¡± he said, shoving me down onto a bed. ¡°Now, let them fix you up.¡± I rolled my eyes as Hanako and her sister snickered at me. Each one took a hand and began unwrapping the bloody bandages to see the damage I¡¯d done to myself.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± I began as they uncovered the still bleeding cuts on my hands and forearms, ¡°I did finish something reasonably reflective for two of the mirrors. I just need to fix the last one and get some new greater moon tears, and it should be passable until we can get new mirrors from the capital.¡±


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki, Hero of Saikan,¡± Hanako said between her giggles. ¡°Ascended by gluing glass pieces together. A tale to tell for generations to come.¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, if he can keep from bleeding to death or dying of an infection,¡± Tenri muttered. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re going to be the death of me, Tsuyuki.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to need a few poultices to prevent that,¡± Jaili murmured. ¡°Brother, would you hold pressure on these cuts while I prepare it?¡± Tenri nodded and took Jaili¡¯s place at my left, holding fresh bandages to my cuts.


    The scolding continued for nearly an hour while Jaili and Hanako rewrapped my hands and forearms in treated bandages. I thought myself skilled at wrapping bandages, but they were true experts. Never before had any injury of mine been so neatly bundled and wrapped. It was brilliant.


    As they worked, thunder had rolled in on the coast. Hanako looked forlornly out the window as rain pelted the streets in great sheets of water. The buildings creaked and moaned as the winds battered their roofs and sides.


    ¡°I have a bad feeling,¡± she muttered. She turned to her sister, who was wearing a similarly grim expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a storm,¡± Tenri said. ¡°We get lots of storms. The fisher¡¯s guild would have sounded the alarm well before the storm hit. I¡¯m sure everyone made it back safely.¡±


    ¡°MASTER TENRI!¡± shouted a young man as he threw the door open. He was soaked head-to-toe in rain and had clearly run halfway across town to find us. Immediately, Tenri and I were both on our feet and ready to act.


    ¡°What is it?!¡±


    ¡°Master! The guild master requests an audience! It¡¯s an emergency!¡±


    ¡°Stay here, get something warm before you catch cold,¡± Tenri ordered before sprinting out the door. I was right on his heels, despite the objections from Jaili about my bandages getting wet.


    The two of us were soaked through to the bone before we even made it to the end of the street. The winds howled loudly in my ears, and Chiho was forced to seek shelter in the collar of my coat lest it be blown completely away.


    The guild at the north edge of the docks and was where every fisherman checked in before and after every day. There, they sold their catch for fair wages, and found companionship and assistance for all their needs. It was normally a cheerful but well-organized place, but now it was in chaos. Men shouted in a cacophonous clamor that rivaled the volume of the storm outside.


    ¡°We have to find him!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go out in this weather? He¡¯s already dead!¡±


    ¡°What the hell was he thinking? Any boat would capsize in a heartbeat on these waters!¡±


    ¡°QUIET!¡± shouted a burly man built like an ox. The rest of the fishermen settled down and made way for Tenri and I to approach.


    ¡°Master Tenri, we have a problem,¡± said the ox man.


    ¡°Explain, guild master. We will do what we can,¡± he answered. The ox man nodded and sighed.


    ¡°When we spied the storm on the horizon, we recalled all the fishing boats, just as you ordered, but one¡¯s missing.¡± His deep voice was grim and worried, even if his expression didn¡¯t betray it.


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    ¡°Who¡¯s lost?¡±


    ¡°Xi Qian.¡±


    Xi Qian¡­where had I¡­


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he that kid from the fight the other day?¡± I wondered. Several heads nodded in the crowd. ¡°Tell me he didn¡¯t actually go out to the north reef?¡±


    ¡°We suspect he did,¡± answered the ox man. ¡°Otherwise, he would have heard the signal to return.¡±


    ¡°That idiot,¡± I heard Tenri whisper under his breath. I couldn¡¯t help but echo the sentiment. He¡¯d resisted the challenge for a week, but, in the end, his pride had been hurt too badly. As I¡¯d predicted, it was now my headache that was on the line.


    ¡°Master Tenri,¡± shouted a voice from the crowd. ¡°The storm came in so fast! What if it¡¯s the Tide Serpent?! What if Xi Qian angered it into waking?!¡± the crowd exploded in another flurry of noise, and the guild master shouted several times to bring the situation back under control.


    ¡°I doubt the Tide Serpent has awoken,¡± Tenri, trying to reassure the crowd. ¡°We¡¯d have heard it¡¯s cries by now if it had. We just need to keep calm heads. I will venture into the storm and try to find Xi Qian.¡±


    I put a hand on his arm, holding him back. ¡°Tenri, you might be a cultivator, but cultivators can still drown. Can you even sail?¡±


    ¡°I know the basics, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°You can swim less than I can sail. At least I have a chance if I¡¯m thrown overboard.¡± I didn¡¯t have an answer. He was right. I had no business on a boat if I was just going to be another victim in need of saving.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Every head in the room turned to see Lang Tailyn push his way through the crowd. ¡°I¡¯ve sailed these waters all my life. I¡¯ll handle the boat. You focus on the rescue.¡±


    Whispers filled the hall; a hundred voices too soft to be heard but echoing the same sentiment. This was suicide for both of them. I wanted to stop them. Tenri was the only thing anchoring me to this reality. If he died¡­but what could I do? A man¡¯s life was in danger, and he was the best chance of saving it.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t do it!¡± This new voice was higher and significantly more distressed. Xinya threw herself from the shadows and clung to her dad¡¯s leg before he could reach the door.


    ¡°Xinya, when did you get here?¡± Lang asked softly.


    ¡°I followed you because I was worried! Don¡¯t go! It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Tears streaked her cheeks. Her father knelt down and cupped her face in his hand.


    ¡°I have to, Xinhua,¡± he whispered. ¡°Somebody is in danger.¡±


    ¡°But why you!?¡± she shouted. ¡°Why can¡¯t anyone else go!¡± Suddenly, every fisherman in the hall turned away.


    ¡°Xinhua,¡± he pulled the crying child into his arms, ¡°Xinhua, you remember what your mother used to say? Those who can¡­¡±


    ¡°Must help those who cannot,¡± she finished. ¡°But Daddy, you can¡¯t! The waves are too big!¡±


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki,¡± Lang called. ¡°Would you honor me with a favor?¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°Keep my Xinhua safe until I return?¡± he asked. ¡°She will probably try to come after me, and you¡¯re the only one I¡¯m confident she can¡¯t slip past.¡±


    I knelt next to the pair. Lang passed his sobbing daughter to me, and I pulled her close.


    ¡°No! Daddy! Don¡¯t go!¡± she screamed. She beat her hands against my arms, but no mortal child can break free from a cultivator¡¯s grip.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lang stood and bowed to me before he and Tenri cracked open the doors and slipped out into the tempest beyond.


    Xinya continued to scream. I lifted her off her feet and held her close, but she still sobbed enormous tears into my shoulder and hair. None of the fishermen could look either of us in the eye, save for the guild master who did his best by fetching a cup of water for the poor child.


    One by one, the minutes ticked by. Every fisherman stood in silent vigil, waiting as the wind howled mercilessly outside. In all that time, I did not put Xinya down for fear she¡¯d weasel herself away if I took my eyes off her for even a second. She cried until her voice was hoarse, and, when she had no more voice left, she sobbed silently into my shoulder. Chiho did its best to cheer her up, but she was inconsolable.


    Minutes turned into an hour, then two. Lightning began to crash more frequently, and the crowd began to grow restless.


    ¡°How long does it normally take to reach the Serpent¡¯s reef?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Two hours in fair weather,¡± the guild master answered. ¡°They should just be there.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s the point?!¡± shouted a voice. ¡°The storm is too strong, and you can¡¯t see more than a few feet out there! Even if they find Xi Qian, they¡¯ll never make it back to shore without crashing against the cliffs!¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    The guild master lowered his head. ¡°The currents drive north this time of year.¡±


    North¡­straight into the cliffs upon which the lighthouse was perched. Those cliffs were sheer, and the waters below were filled with vicious rocks. If nature drove them that way, and they couldn¡¯t find their way back, it would all be over.


    Xinya gripped tightly around my neck. I rested my head on hers and squeezed her tightly. Chiho vibrated, sliding itself into her ponytail.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to be okay,¡± I murmured. ¡°I know they¡¯re alive.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Tenri and I are core sworn to each other,¡± I explained. It wasn¡¯t strictly true, but I had no other way of explaining the soul bond without explaining why such a thing was needed in the first place.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°He and I are brothers-in-arms. I¡¯ll know immediately if he is in trouble.¡± Several eyebrows raised in my direction, but I didn¡¯t need to explain myself to mortals. If they decided to make assumptions, that was on them. My focus was calming the crying child in my arms.


    ¡°What if they do get into trouble?¡± Xinya¡¯s voice was weak. ¡°We¡¯re too far away to help!¡±


    ¡°We have to have faith that they¡¯ll be alright,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Yeah, some faith,¡± muttered someone in the crowd. ¡°What good is faith against a storm? It¡¯s not like faith will guide them home.¡± I glared into the crowd. They were not helping, but my hands were too full of a weeping child to find the culprit and silence them myself.


    Even if they were right, Xinya needed a little faith to hold onto. I squeezed her as tight as I dared. She was such a fragile little thing. Chiho rummaged through her hair, combing out tangles like a mother bird grooming its chick. Once it was finished, I ran my hands through the groomed sections to help calm her.


    I froze, staring at the bandages that still wrapped my hands.


    ¡°Mister Tsuyuki?¡± Xinya asked softly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are they in trouble?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re just fine,¡± I said without thinking. My mind was elsewhere.


    Then it hit me.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± I shouted, lowering Xinya to the ground.


    ¡°What is?¡± asked the guild master. I didn¡¯t bother answering.


    ¡°Chiho, you¡¯re in charge,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t let Xinya out of your sight, and don¡¯t let her do anything dangerous, okay?¡± The tiny crane chirped and trilled.


    ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± Xinya called as I let go.


    ¡°I had an idea! I¡¯m going to bring them home!¡±

 Chapter 16 - Shine, Part 2

    Fengmori: A creature resembling a mix between bats, eagles, and devils straight from hell, these creatures are some of the most vicious predators of the Muinite Sea. These creatures are weak individually but are never in a group smaller than a thousand, so if one is sighted, it should be assumed a swarm is nearby. Fengmori are not a proper species, but rather the second lifestage of the Mantavari species that dominates the northern seas. Only a handful of Fengmori will survive to their next stage of development to become the apex predators the Night Fortress so hates. ¨C Scholar Wen in ¡°Species that Plague the East¡±


    *          *          *


    Tenri sliced at the Fengmori as it dove at Lang Tailyn¡¯s head. His sword cut the bat-like creature cleanly in two and it screamed as it fell into the waves. The rest of the storm cackled with malicious glee, their voices coming together like dozens of tiny thundercracks that made Tenri¡¯s ears ache.


    The fishermen had been right to fear this storm. It wasn¡¯t natural in the slightest. However, instead of an unbeatable Tide Serpent, it was a whole swarm of Fengmori, malevolent storm spirits. On their own, a single Fengmori was nothing to worry about. The tiny bat-like creatures were quick and liked to grab onto things with their dirty claws, or peck at things with their sharp beaks, but they lacked the power to do more than be an irritation.


    However, the more of them that gathered, the more dangerous they became. A small swarm could summon a hurricane that would pelt the shores with wind, rain, and hail until buildings collapsed and farms were ruined. This, however, was not a small swarm.


    Thousands of the wicked monsters swirled overhead, spinning wind and void qi into the air and whipping up a hurricane unlike any Tenri had ever seen. The waves soared overhead, thirty feet into the air. It was only because the Fengmori guided the taller waves away from the boat that they stood any sort of chance at all.


    But, it was not goodwill that drove them. They wanted a meal, and the three humans in the boat were easy pickings so long as they remained above water. They dove headlong at the boat, only to be driven off by Tenri¡¯s sword.


    ¡°How much longer?!¡± he shouted over the wind to Lang Tailyn.


    The fisherman didn¡¯t answer, his brow tight with focus, as he fought to keep the boat upright. He wrestled with the rudder and sail, letting out only a tiny bit of fabric to propel them away from the hunting swarm, but not enough to rip the sail clean off the mast.


    Tenri was glad of his help. He wouldn¡¯t have lasted ten minutes in this storm without the expert sailor. But even with that, he wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d make it¡­


    *          *          *


    My feet pounded the ground, splashing through the mud with as much speed as I could muster. The dirt road was no more, and every footfall sank deep into the earth. I forged on, battling the rain and wind until the talismans on the lighthouse door finally came into sight.


    I practically collapsed through the door, just keen on finally being back in shelter. The tower creaked as the howling winds battered its sides. Nothing about this storm was natural. It was too fierce and had too little warning. I would bet my weight in jade that this was the work of something wicked lurking offshore.


    If that was truly the case, then my plan was likely doomed before it ever got off the ground. But¡­


    My thoughts reached back to the docks of Saikan. Down there, a lonely little girl was crying, waiting for her father to return home. She¡¯d probably already tried to slip away from Chiho by now, and though it was not in the little pin¡¯s nature to keep Xinya prisoner, I had faith that it would keep her out of trouble. The poor girl had already shed too many tears over this storm.


    I pushed myself back to my feet and began to climb the spiral stairs to the top of the spire. The decrepit building flew by, floor by floor until I shoved open the trap door above.


    Relief filled me as I beheld the results of my blood and sweat. The two mirrors I¡¯d painstakingly pieced back together as a temporary solution were still in place. If I could just get a proper light source, the tower might just fulfill its purpose once more.


    ¡°Leave it,¡± Sai Lyn warned.


    ¡°Am I going to have to beat some sense into you again?¡± I hissed, but the shade manifested behind me, hands raised in peace.


    ¡°I am still quite myself, friend.¡±


    ¡°Then why tell me to leave?¡±


    He gestured to the wind around us. ¡°This is a fool¡¯s errand. It is too dangerous to be in the light room in a storm like this. One good gust and you¡¯ll be sent plummeting to your death.¡±


    ¡°Your faith is encouraging.¡±


    Ignoring his warnings, I crawled fully onto the rain battered platform. The railings were thin and broken, and Sai Lyn was not wrong about strength of the gusts. However, I had a job to do, and friends to save.


    The first mission would be to remove the old stones. They were blackened and drained after years of use, and that meant they were only in the way. I shoved the boulders aside. They were heavy, but nothing in the face of a cultivator. One by one, the three spent boulders tumbled over the side of the lighthouse to crash to the rocky cliffs below.


    Now, with the deadened stones gone, I ducked back through the trap door. The storage room held a few scraps of moon tears, but nothing larger than my fist.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have enough,¡± Sai Lyn said. ¡°You need at least three times that amount to create the light.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t know until I try.¡±


    The Keeper of the Lighthouse rushed forward, blowing straight through me in order to stand before my eyes. I shuddered as his chilling qi froze me down to my bones. His hands gripped my shoulders, forcing my teeth to chatter some from the cold.


    ¡°You are throwing your life away for a fool¡¯s errand! Don¡¯t repeat my mistakes!¡±


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    ¡°Stand aside, Sai Lyn,¡± I whispered. ¡°There are people in the storm. They won¡¯t make it home without the light.¡± After a long, painful moment, he released my arms and stepped back. I scrambled to the floor, gathering every single scrap of silver stone I could find and throwing it into the last empty crate remaining. Only after I¡¯d double checked that there was nothing more to find did I drag the crate to the trapdoor and push it upward.


    The moment I reached the light room, an enormous gust slammed into me, knocking me clean off my feet. My hands scrambled at the tower stones, trying to gain purchase before I was pushed off the side.


    *          *          *


    Tenri¡¯s sword was gone. A cluster of three fengmori had taken him by surprise, latching onto his sword and wrenching it from his grasp. He¡¯d barely managed to keep his footing to avoid careening over the side and into the dark waters. Now, he was weaponless.


    Xi Qian clung to Tenri¡¯s foot, frozen in fright at every bump of the waves and shriek of the swarm above their heads. Through it all, Lang navigated with expert precision, dodging wave after wave, weaving their tiny boat through the waters.


    ¡°How far from shore are we?¡± Tenri shouted. He¡¯d asked several times and received no answer. The fisherman¡¯s concentration was razor sharp, but, this time, he glanced up to meet Tenri¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he answered, almost too softly to hear. ¡°The current is strong! We¡¯ve drifted north, but I don¡¯t know how far!¡±


    A cold fear settled into Tenri¡¯s stomach. Had he been a fool to try and rescue Xi from the storm? Had he doomed both himself and Lang to a watery grave? Without knowing where they were, how would they make it back to shore? They could hardly see a few yards from the edge of the boat, let alone all the way to shore.


    The boat suddenly lurched to the side, and a wave crashed over them, soaking Tenri to the bone. Something dark clung to his head, and he flinched before flinging it to the bottom of the boat. It sat there, still, and he squinted at it through the rain. It was so hard to see anything at all with his glasses covered in rain, but he thought it might be a strip of seaweed.


    He reached for it with his qi. Seaweed was a plant, and plants were natural vessels of wood aura. It wouldn¡¯t be much, but maybe¡­just maybe¡­


    The next wave of fengmori dove at Tenri¡¯s head. He struck back, whipping the length of seaweed towards them. It lengthened and stretched under his command, snapping at the vile monsters and driving them off.


    Another wave struck, and he lashed them away. Again¡­and again¡­and again they came. Tenri fought with all he had, burning through his qi at an alarming rate as he battled the fengmori. If they were going to die, better it be by drowning or crashing against the rocks than eaten alive by the bat-like monsters.


    *          *          *


    My fingertips grasped a sliver of raised stone before I tumbled off the edge of the lighthouse. Sai Lyn stood nearby, watching intently as I struggled. He was unaffected by the winds, but not unmoved by my plight. I knew that if he could help from beyond the grave, he would have done so in a heartbeat. However, his time was over, and, without Chiho to catch me, I was only inches away from sharing in his tragic fate.


    Gritting my teeth, I hauled myself back to safety. The wind howled, dragging at my limbs, my clothes, and my hair like a jealous lover, but I crawled back to the center of the lantern room regardless.


    I carefully pulled the crate of stones closer to the bowl. It was grueling work to shift them from the crate, but with each stone added, the bowl glowed brighter. I was halfway through the scraps I had, but it still shone weakly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough,¡± Sai Lyn said. I ignored him, tipping over the crate. The rest of the moon tears fell to the bottom of the bowl just before the crate was ripped from my grasp. My breath caught as it narrowly missed hitting one of my carefully reconstructed mirrors before careening off the side. I didn¡¯t hear the crash below.


    Sai Lyn was right, though. The moon tears shone brightly, but I wasn¡¯t sure it would even be seen from the ground, let alone out at sea in this storm.


    ¡°Are there any more stored in the tower?¡± I shouted, clinging to one of the pillars supporting the roof. Sai Lyn shook his head.


    ¡°If I knew of any, I¡¯d have already told you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t argue with that. Time was short. Originally, I¡¯d planned to order brand new moon tears from Saikan, but that wasn¡¯t an option. There might not be time to run all the way back to town, and even if I did manage to get there and back, what would I do if my mirrors were shattered again in the meantime? I had to come up with a solution here and now.


    If there were no moon tears left, then what could I use? Fire? There wasn¡¯t enough fuel. I was no lightning artist, so I couldn¡¯t harness the power of the storm to do it but¡­


    I burst out laughing. Had I really been pretending so long that I¡¯d forgotten who and what I am? Two thousand years learning the arts of cultivation, ascending to godhood, followed by six hundred years as an avatar of the natural world, and I¡¯d forgotten it all after a week of pretending.


    I had everything I needed right here. The light source I needed was me.


    I climbed into the bowl, spreading the stones so that I could sit comfortably. Settled between the mirrors and the great lens, I sat cross-legged and focused inward. Tenri would no doubt be upset with me, but, if it meant saving his life, then so be it.


    I circulated my qi, sending it out to my fingertips, then back to my core. Several times, I let the qi flow, agitating it and letting it flow freely. Once it was ready, I let it flow into my skin. Only one thought was in my mind, and I focused on it. It became the totality of my existence, and I let it fill me entirely.


    SHINE!


    *          *          *


    The fengmori were unending. Tenri knew he couldn¡¯t keep this up much longer. His qi was running dangerously low. Any strike he made could exhaust his reserves at any moment, leaving him helpless and unable to defend any of the men in the tiny boat.


    They weren¡¯t going to make it. All three men knew it. They would die long before they reached town. If they managed to keep the boat upright, then the fengmori would get them. If the fengmori didn¡¯t rip their flesh from their bones, then they¡¯d crash against the cliffs and be dragged down in the undertow. If they were lucky, the impact would kill them swiftly, but Tenri didn¡¯t believe in luck anymore, not after this storm. They¡¯d almost certainly drown, and there was nothing any of them could do about it but cling to life with everything they had.


    Another wave of fengmori were cut from the air by his seaweed whip. His core throbbed as he called upon reserves he didn¡¯t have. He was forced to his knees. The monsters above circled, sensing the weakness in their prey. It was over. Tenri was out.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that?¡± Xi Qian pointed over the right side of the boat. Tenri squinted, trying to see what he was pointing at, and his heart froze.


    Illuminated in the storm was the shadow of a ship. Tattered sails were lit with a thousand ghost wisps. Its bell rang loud and clear over the waters, and, for a brief instant, Tenri saw a figure at the ship¡¯s rail. It was a girl. Ragged green hair fell beneath a tricorne hat. Her shining silver eyes were definitely those of a ghost, and they met Tenri¡¯s for a flash second before she raised her head to look beyond their tiny boat.


    Tenri turned. Behind them, a single star pierced the darkness with its light. It cut through the storm, a shining beacon on the horizon. Where its light touched them, the fengmori shrieked and howled before fleeing higher into the storm above. For a moment, he was confused, unsure of what he was looking at, but then it dawned on him.


    ¡°Lang! Look over there!¡± he shouted, pointing to the star. ¡°Tsuyuki lit the lighthouse!¡± It was brighter than it had ever been. Even in the storm, it would be seen for miles in every direction.


    Lang looked up. ¡°We¡¯ve drifted north, but not as far as I¡¯d thought!¡± he shouted back.


    ¡°Can we make it back?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t try!¡± He whipped the sail around, cutting against the wind and sending the boat lurching forward. Tenri turned, hoping that the Ghost Ship wasn¡¯t watching them, but the ship had vanished completely into the storm. It was as if it had never been there at all.


    Tenri clung to the mast, his energy all but spent. Maybe they¡¯d make it after all¡­

 Chapter 17 - Return

    You wouldn¡¯t believe how many times the Elders have thrown me from the inner sect for saying it, but I just want to help people. Cultivators should be heroes, you know? ¨C Cultivator Xin She of the Teeming Waters Sect


    *          *          *


    Cheers awaited Tenri and the rest of the rescue team when they finally pulled into the crowded harbor. Every member of the fisher¡¯s guild and every merchant they did business with had turned out to await the return of the rescue team. It had been nearly twelve hours since they¡¯d left, and each of the three men looked more like a ragged corpse than a person. Their skin was wrinkled from the water, salt had crystallized in their wind-tangled hair, and their eyes were sunken with exhaustion. Tenri even had the additional feature of having several strips of seaweed hanging from around his neck and arms.


    It had been a harrowing adventure. After the light pointed their way home, Lang Tailyn had directed the boat to a small rocky cove near the rocks. It wasn¡¯t home, but it was out of the rain. There, Tenri had done his best to keep off a swarm of flesh-eating fish for the next several hours while the storm dissipated. Their focus was strained, their bodies were sore and hungry, but they¡¯d made it.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Xinya cried as Lang Tailyn stumbled ashore. He practically fell on his daughter as he knelt to wrap her in his embrace.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d make it back, Xinhua,¡± he murmured, burying his head in her shoulder and holding her tight.


    The little girl was followed quickly by Hanako and Xi Qian¡¯s mother. Tenri pulled his wife close, kissing her fondly before squeezing her just tight enough to make her squeak and letting her go. Then she pulled off her sandal and smacked him with it.


    ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± she scolded through a smile and tears of relief. ¡°I was worried sick! The fortunes today said someone would pass into the spirit realm today, and I was terrified it would be you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Hanako! I promise!¡± He laughed as she smacked him with her sandal a second time. Several people in the crowd laughed at the display, but most of them had at least heard of the antics of the couple before. Hanako had been his friend since they were children, and, though she was a kind and dutiful wife most of the time, Tenri was well used to her mischief.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one constantly lecturing Master Tsuyuki about being aware of his limits? Then you go and face an entire storm alone!¡± Down came the sandal again, which only made Tenri laugh harder.


    ¡°That¡¯s different! I did have help! I had the best sailor in Saikan keeping us from capsizing.¡± He flashed an approving nod at Lang Tailyn, but the fisherman didn¡¯t notice. He was too focused on his daughter to listen. ¡°Besides, Tsuyuki genuinely doesn¡¯t know his limits. He thinks he¡¯s¡­¡±


    Tenri trailed off as he caught sight of something green in Lang Xinya¡¯s hair. Chiho was nestled calmly in the girl¡¯s tangled bun. Why was the pin here? Tsuyuki was never without it. Hell, he¡¯d practically offered himself up to one of the Four Spirits of the Shore just to get the damned thing back.


    ¡°Little Xinya,¡± Tenri began, his voice trembling. ¡°Where¡¯s Tsuyuki?¡±


    The little girl pointed to the north. The lighthouse still shone brightly in the distance. Like a star in the night, it lit the night sky even brighter than the moon itself, which was only the tiniest sliver overhead. As Tenri watched, the light began to flicker like a flame in the wind.


    Tsuyuki had lit the lighthouse, but how had he done it? Tenri was sure he¡¯d used his lunar light, but the light had burned for nearly ten hours, now. How much qi was he burning to keep it lit?


    ¡°Hanako, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± he promised as he began pushing through the crowd.


    ¡°He might be hurt, I¡¯ll come, too,¡± she countered, following close behind.


    As soon as they reached the edge of the crowd, Tenri took off. However, his exhaustion was great, and he was forced to slow back to a walk a moment later. As soon as Hanako caught back up, she pulled off her sandal, hopped a few times to keep pace, and smacked him with it before slipping it back on.


    ¡°Settle down, Mister ¡®I know my limits,¡¯¡± she scolded. ¡°If you collapse before you ever get there, then who will drag Tsuyuki from the top of the lighthouse?¡±


    Tenri grumbled but kept his pace to a brisk walk. To his surprise, Lang Tailyn was following, too, supported by his daughter. How he managed to keep going after the day they¡¯d had, Tenri wasn¡¯t sure, but he did know that his respect for the fisherman was growing by the hour.


    The walk was long and muddy, but the small group managed to make a reasonable pace. All the while, Tenri kept his eye on the brilliant star that shone from the top. It had flickered and dimmed since they left, but it still shone.


    When they were within sight of the door, the light finally went out, and a cold dread settled into Tenri¡¯s heart. Tsuyuki had kept that light going for so long. Why hadn¡¯t he stopped when the storm had abated? Why was it out now?


    Adrenaline fueled his muscles as he took off, sprinting the last few yards towards the door. The talismans he¡¯d placed on the door were still intact, and he practically threw the door straight off its hinges in his panic.


    Decay and death lingered everywhere within, rotting the furniture and floorboards. Tenri steeled his heart and pulled at one of the strips of seaweed that was hanging from his arms still, brandishing it as a weapon.


    ¡°Stay here, everyone,¡± he ordered. ¡°The shade may still be a threat.¡±


    He dashed in, taking the stairs three at a time. He cast only a brief glance at each floor to make sure he didn¡¯t pass the wayward moon artist on his way up. Confirming that there were no white-clad bundles on each floor, he continued up. Finally, he pushed open the trap door to the light room itself.


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    Anger filled his heart when he spotted the spectral form of a waterlogged corpse surrounded by ghost wisps. It knelt next to the lantern, and in the lantern basin¡­


    Tsuyuki lay slumped to the side, clearly unconscious. His clothes clung to him, and his hair was matted with water. Had he been out here all this time?


    *          *          *


    The first shouts reached my ears as vague suggestions of sound. They were muffled and unintelligible. I wanted to ignore them. Sleep beckoned, and I wanted nothing more than to answer¡­but then the shouts didn¡¯t stop. In fact, they grew louder.


    ¡°What did you do to him?!¡±


    ¡°Nothing. He¡¯s simply exhausted his spiritual energy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you! Tsuyuki!¡±


    I was being dragged back. I didn¡¯t want to come¡­but slowly, I lost the fight and felt my awareness creep back.


    ¡°Tsuyuki! Wake up!¡±


    Who was even so insistent that I wake? Didn¡¯t they know that qi required time to replenish itself? I was a near limitless font, yes, but the key word was ¡°near¡± limitless.


    ¡°Tsuyuki! Come on, please! Wake up! Yoru!¡±


    That voice¡­calling me by my given name¡­I snapped awake, sitting up suddenly.


    ¡°Jinshi?¡± I asked, frantically searching left and right for the owner of the name. Only¡­he wasn¡¯t there. I was in Tenri¡¯s arms, and he had been the one to speak.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± he exclaimed.


    I felt a little crestfallen. His voice sounded nothing like my old friend¡¯s. I¡¯d imagined it after all. That actually made a lot more sense than if he had actually appeared here. He was probably dead, after all, and even if he were still alive, he wouldn¡¯t come for me with any other intent than to lock me back into the labyrinth.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Tenri asked, seeing my expression. Immediately, I purged the thoughts from my mind and smiled.


    ¡°Fine, just tired,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it through the storm.¡±


    ¡°Only thanks to you. Your light saved us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that old thing? It was nothing.¡± It was a lie. In the depths of the storm, I didn¡¯t really know how bright it needed to be for them to see it, so I poured as much as I could into that light. It would have been a pitiful display in my old life, but now, I¡¯d had to push my bronze core well beyond what most could manage at our level.


    ¡°Which is why I found you passed out at the top of the tower?¡±


    ¡°Passed out? Nah,¡± I protested. ¡°I was just taking a nap.


    Tenri rolled his eyes. ¡°Next time, don¡¯t. You scared me half to death when I got up here. The shade was standing over you very ominously.¡±


    Right! Sai Lyn was still here. He¡¯d retreated to the lower floors to avoid the blistering light I created but must have returned when it had faded. I pushed myself to my feet, fighting off a wave of dizziness from draining my internal qi so much.


    Sai Lyn waited patiently nearby. He was the picture of a calm, appeased spirit. He even looked a bit more translucent than before.


    ¡°You did what I could not, young man,¡± he began. ¡°Though the lighthouse is not fully repaired, you have shown me that it¡¯s in good hands.¡±


    ¡°I did promise to get a new keeper as soon as I can,¡± I reminded him. ¡°I stand by that.¡±


    He clasped his hands and bowed deeply. ¡°I have faith. But, you relit the light and guided lost souls home. Even if it is only for a short time, you are a Keeper of this lighthouse.¡±


    Sai Lyn was fading fast, but he stepped closer to the lantern. Reaching down, he grasped one of the moon tear shards and studied it carefully.


    ¡°What are these stones called these days?¡± he asked. His voice was getting distant.


    ¡°Moon Tears, I believe,¡± I answered. Tenri nodded in agreement.


    However, Sai Lyn chuckled to himself, showing joy for the first time since I¡¯d met the surly ghost. ¡°I see. In my day, they were called Yoru¡¯s Tears, and they were said to have been carved from the moon to shower the Shore like rain.¡± I blushed and looked away.


    ¡°Funny that.¡±


    ¡°They are true treasures. Be sure not to waste the light they bring.¡±


    The stone fell from his hand into the basin. There wasn¡¯t enough qi left to keep him together. The wisps began to blink out one by one until we were left alone in the dark night.


    ¡°What a funny guy,¡± I mused after he was fully gone. ¡°Not a great conversation partner, but not so bad in the end.¡±


    ¡°He killed people, Tsuyuki,¡± Tenri reminded me. I waved a dismissive hand.


    ¡°Eh, who hasn¡¯t killed a few innocents in a fit of rage and grief?¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m just glad it all worked out and no more angry spirits remain.¡± A wave of dizziness passed over me, and I nearly toppled straight over. Tenri pulled my arm over his shoulder, and we began to descend the tower much more slowly than either of us climbed it.


    ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± he asked when we were halfway down the tower.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I¡¯ll be fine. Just a bit drained is all. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve bottomed out on qi in¡­¡± I paused. I couldn¡¯t actually remember the last time I was so low. ¡°ever, actually.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°You and me, both. But, more importantly, how are we going to explain what you did up here without using lunar techniques?¡±


    I winced. I knew that was coming, but I¡¯d been too focused on keeping my light active that I hadn¡¯t been able to spare the mental energy for coming up with a convenient explanation. I hadn¡¯t even noticed that the storm had passed¡­


    ¡°Uh¡­I managed to find enough stones to light the tower, and then hit my head on the way down?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the best you can come up with? The light was way too bright for that to be believable.¡± His words were critical, but he was barely holding back laughter. I couldn¡¯t help but grin back.


    ¡°What about this: I am just so awesome that I used the qi of the shade, and my body as a conduit in order to infuse the Moon Tears with extra qi that made them shine brighter?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a fancy way of saying you were possessed?¡± he asked. I shrugged as best I could.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lie either way, so what does it matter? It just needs to be believable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the ancient expert, I suppose,¡± he finally relented. I snorted. I was pretty sure my old masters were rolling over in their graves at the very notion that I was an expert in this place. I¡¯d never been a very good student.


    ¡°You don¡¯t ascend without knowing a thing or two about bullshitting,¡± I explained very seriously. ¡°It is a refined art that requires much knowledge and practice. Hone it with as much effort as you do cultivation, and you will be wiser than all your peers.¡±


    Tenri burst out laughing so badly that he almost dropped me. We stumbled across the bottom floor of the spire.


    ¡°Man, you must be really tired if I can make you laugh,¡± I said.


    ¡°Friend, you have no idea.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. Despite being the king of all-nighters in a kingdom where the sun never rose, it wasn¡¯t worth the argument. Instead, I just listened to his laughter. It was a very wholesome laugh that left me feeling warm inside.


    As the night continued and we all returned to town, and promptly all went straight to bed, I couldn¡¯t help but lay in bed thinking. I liked Tenri¡¯s laughter. It suited him far more than his usual contemplative frown. It was too bad he was so mired in responsibility all the time.

 Chapter 18 - A Quiet Respite

    In my day, you¡¯d never see a cultivator pushing papers. The world has come to disgrace on this and I, for one, blame that Jade Scaled bastard. ¨C Elder Sui of the Rising Inferno Sect


    *          *          *


    Anyone who lives their life under the vicious yoke of the sun is objectively wrong. The sun is a celestial body, but that doesn¡¯t give it the right to tell you when to sleep and when to rise. You don¡¯t see the moon bowing to its tyranny. The moon dictates its own hours, rising during the day, staying up all night, doing whatever it wants.


    Be rebellious. Be like the moon.


    In a like manner to the beautiful body of silver light that I built my life and my cultivation around, I did not wake at any point near the rising of the sun. In fact, I think the sun might have already been on a downward trend by the time I woke the next day. When I did, I felt refreshed. The nightmarish voices in my head had been manageable, and I even slept right through Tenri¡¯s departure for the administration office.


    Honestly, does that man ever take a break? In nearly two weeks since I¡¯d been freed from prison, I couldn¡¯t think of a single day he took off of work. It was unhealthy. He was going to age a thousand years in the space of twenty, at this rate. Cultivation may let the body feed on qi and stave off the effects of aging, but not even the Ascendents are immune to the wrinkles that come from stress. Taking time to relax is important, it¡¯s how I¡¯ve kept my charming looks for a thousand-thousand moons.


    For the first time since I¡¯d returned to the world, I found myself with nothing to do. I could go for a walk in the forest, bore myself to death with cultivation and qi circulation, go shopping, climb a tree, or sleep the day away! The possibilities were endless!


    But, first thing¡¯s first. I rose, stretched, and rummaged through the few possessions I¡¯d collected in the past two weeks for my hairbrush. The tangled state of my hair was shameful after the storm, and so I spent several minutes devoting the time and energy to brushing out my hair and tying it back into a tight knot. I always preferred a loose, devilish kind of look, like the kind of man who would rescue all the damsels in distress and leave them pining over his dashing smile for the rest of their days while he returned to his one true love.


    It took a lot of work to maintain hair down my back, but it was well worth it. The Sword Saint had once mocked me for being fussier than a young mistress on her wedding day, but I didn¡¯t really care. He had always gone for the ruggedly handsome without even trying look. Some people liked that sort of thing, I guess.


    Chiho whistled its approval as it settled in, and I finished getting dressed. With everything in its rightful place, I stepped out to greet the day¡­only to find no one home.


    Still, that didn¡¯t deter me. I had a few chores to do, errands to run, so I figured I¡¯d get started. I washed out the bandages I¡¯d been loaned. The cuts on my hands were healed enough that my cultivator resiliency would take care of the rest, regardless of Tenri¡¯s concerns, meaning that I could return the clean bandages to Zhao Jaili¡¯s clinic. Now seemed as good a time as any, since I had little to do.


    I stepped out of the house and was surprised to see the little koi pond at the front of the Tenri household was fully repaired after I¡¯d unceremoniously fallen in on my first day back. The fish were swimming languidly in the pond, happy as can be, and the flowers had been freshly replanted. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of damage or debris from the storm. When had Tenri gotten the free time to garden? Or was it just proximity to a wood artist that let the flowers grow so cleanly on their own?


    Regardless of the means, it was clear that Tenri had poured his very heart into those flowers. Delicate pink and silver petals stood in stark contrast to rich green leaves. A bush of full, blushing peonies overlooked the pond, where several lotus flowers rested in the calm waters. Next to them, several silver Heaven¡¯s Lilies clustered together between the azaleas. And, at the center of the pond, a small clay pot stood in the pond holding the most magnificent blue and silver flower I¡¯d ever seen. Its petals shimmered with vibrant qi, and I had no doubt that it was a treasure in its own right. Its round blue petals curled around each other, jealously guarding the tall silver stamen. It was a beautiful centerpiece, a stark contrast to the pink flowers around.


    Yet, the flower looked lonely. It was the only one of its kind in the garden and was separated from all the rest by the lake. Did Tenri do that on purpose? Raise it on a pedestal so the other flowers knew it was superior? Or was there some other reason it was all alone?


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Tenri about you, my friend,¡± I said to the flower before standing. I cast one last look at the flower before I remembered my errands. The afternoon sun wouldn¡¯t wait forever, and some people were stubborn enough to set their clocks by the pompous celestial body.


    People called out greetings to me as I walked down the streets of Saikan. Everyone had heard the tales of the storm, both the heroic rescue of Xi Qian, and the fabricated version of how the lighthouse had shone so brightly to guide them home. I was a folk hero for ¡°letting a shade possess my body.¡± Even if that part wasn¡¯t quite true, it was still an impressive feat for those who had never known the cultivator¡¯s life.


    Before, I¡¯d just been some cultivator. I was worthy of people¡¯s respect for that alone, and no mortal dared insult any cultivator for fear that it would lead them to an early grave. That was just the way of it. But, a cultivator who was a hero? People were suddenly offering me gifts of fresh fruits as a long-term way to keep me around. I¡¯d seen it before. Sometimes it worked, and cultivators gave up their lives of heroics to settle down. Other times, it didn¡¯t. However, their goodwill gave me a warm feeling inside. Their smiles were enough for me¡­but I accepted a few of the gifts anyway so as to not be rude.


    ¡°Zhao Jaili?¡± I called as I stepped into the clinic. The front room was the same as it always was, with floor to ceiling shelves of various common remedies and herbs. The more valuable remedies were kept further in, along with the beds for patients too ill to remain at home.


    The medicine woman stepped out from the back a minute later. ¡°Oh, Master Tsuyuki. I wasn¡¯t expecting you. Is everything alright?¡±


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    ¡°It is. I just wanted to return the bandages. I¡¯ve already washed them.¡± I presented them to her, and she took them graciously.


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡± A look passed over her features, like she wanted to ask something, but then she shook her head. I cocked my head in question.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t want to impose. It¡¯s quite beneath a cultivator like yourself.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± I insisted. ¡°I find myself with some free time, today.¡±


    Zhao seemed to think, then she relented and gestured for me to follow her. The back-most room of the clinic was filled with rows of beds. Flowers sat at the end, growing towards the large windows making up the back wall. At the moment, only two of the beds were filled, but I spied Xi Qian sitting on a third, seemingly dozing.


    ¡°His sister has lunar fever,¡± Zhao explained. ¡°It¡¯s a common sickness among the children and elderly on the Shore, the result of-¡±


    ¡°Qi poisoning,¡± I finished. She nodded.


    All living beings, even mortals, have qi in them. However, only those with an affinity for a specific form of qi can harness that variant into a core for cultivation. But, in places where qi is abundant, those without affinity to that qi can be infected. Those who lack a spiritual core, or who are foolish enough not to maintain defenses on their core can develop qi fever. Severity varies from case to case, ranging from mild to fatal, depending on the qi source and the victim.


    ¡°Xi Lihua and Sei Ren are both sick, but little Ren has been very keen to learn about the wandering cultivator in town,¡± Zhao explained. ¡°I was hoping you might be willing to say hello.¡± I smiled and nodded. The medicine woman crossed to the far bed and sat down. ¡°Ren? Little Ren, are you awake? We have an honored guest to see you and Lihua!¡±


    The child sat up and coughed. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had dark circles beneath them. That didn¡¯t much surprise me. Lunar fever typically came with extremely vivid nightmares. However, when he spotted me, his eyes went wide, and he filled with energy.


    ¡°It¡¯s! It¡¯s! It¡¯s him!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°The one Xi said lit the lighthouse!¡±


    I grinned at him. ¡°I figured I¡¯d stop by and pay my respects to the local warriors.¡± Ren giggled as I sat on the bed next to him. ¡°How goes the fight against the fever?¡±


    ¡°Miss Zhao¡¯s mushrooms smell bad,¡± he complained, ¡°b-but I can handle it!¡±


    ¡°I bet you can! I met a spirit tiger on the slopes of the Indomitable Mountain, once, and you certainly have it beat in fighting spirit.¡±


    ¡°Whoa! Really?!¡±


    ¡°The Indomitable Mountain? That¡¯s quite the distance away,¡± Zhao noted. ¡°Master Tsuyuki is well-travelled to have been all the way to the Phoenix Empire.¡± I smiled sheepishly. At the time, it had been under the rule of the Mountain Lord, Xiran Yi, but that was an age ago. I¡¯d never heard of this Phoenix Empire, which only served to strum a thread of homesickness that had long been growing in a quiet corner of my heart.


    ¡°Oh! Oh! Tell the story of the lighthouse!¡± Ren insisted.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Xi Qian tell it earlier?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, yes I did,¡± muttered the exhausted fisherman. I turned to see he¡¯d woken from his slumped nap. ¡°But my version is too dark, since I was scared shitless at the time.¡±


    ¡°Stormy waters not to your liking?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but poke fun at him a little bit. After all, I did tell him not to go that far. The whole event could have been avoided.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out for the sea after that,¡± he answered. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll pick up carpentry or something. It¡¯s safer.¡±


    ¡°You could become the lighthouse keeper?¡± I offered. ¡°The position is open, and you of all people would understand its importance.¡±


    He pondered it. ¡°Not a terrible idea. I¡¯ll consider it. Thank you, Master Tsuyuki.¡±


    Ren began to pout, so I turned back to him and began to tell my story¡­or rather the version that was public knowledge. I started back with the investigation of the lighthouse and fighting Sai Lyn. When I got to the part of the story where I fixed the mirrors, I let the boy see the healing cuts on my hands and forearms. Zhao whistled her appreciation.


    ¡°Cultivators really do heal fast,¡± she said.


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just bronze. Once you hit Iron, only major injuries really matter. At Gold, you can mend bones in an instant. By the time you reach Salt, only attacks of qi can truly hurt you.¡±


    ¡°You sound awfully experienced on the subject.¡±


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­had a good master?¡±


    Zhao narrowed her eyes in scrutiny, but a bell at the door drew her attention to a newcomer. A moment later, Xinya entered, carrying several empty bottles in her hands.


    ¡°You can set them on the back desk, Meimei,¡± Zhao instructed. ¡°Tell your father I¡¯m glad he took them before he fell sick from being in the cold water too long.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Xinya dutifully answered. Before she left, she turned to me. ¡°Oh, Mister! Funny running into you here! Listen, my dad wants to thank you for helping save him, so I was instructed to invite you to dinner tomorrow night, if you would honor us by accepting.¡± She bowed deep, clasping her hands before her in a way I¡¯d never seen the rude child do before.


    ¡°It would be my pleasure. I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    Suddenly, her face lit up with excitement. ¡°Great! It¡¯ll be a meal to remember, for sure!¡± Then she rushed out, back to her excitable self. Zhao, Xi, and I all laughed. Oh, to be a child again.


    *          *          *


    As I wandered the streets in quiet contemplation, the sun began to sink towards the horizon. The tall, multi-tiered roof of the administration building loomed ahead of me, and I made my way to it. Maybe Tenri would have an answer to my dilemma.


    The dilemma in question, was one of manners. In my day, it was polite for any guest to bring a gift when invited over for dinner. It could be anything, save for a few taboo items like knives or clocks. However, I had no idea what was polite here in the modern Moon-Soaked Shore. What were the taboos? What would I do if I accidentally offended Lang by giving him something culturally repulsive?


    Tenri would know what items to avoid. I raced up the stairs to the administration building and poked my head inside.


    ¡°Tenri?¡± I called.


    ¡°Cousin Lin is busy,¡± answered Zumi. I looked down at the little man. He scowled back.


    ¡°It¡¯s the end of the day,¡± I said. ¡°Surely he is due for a break.¡±


    ¡°He has much work to do, and little enough time to do it. He¡¯s an esteemed cultivator. He doesn¡¯t need breaks like us mere mortals.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling a mere mortal?¡± I warned. The more I dealt with ¡°Dear Cousin Zumi¡± the more his face looked like that of a rat. The way he trailed after Tenri was parasitic, like he fed from the joy he drained.


    ¡°Forgive this one, esteemed Master,¡± he apologized, but his tone made it hollow. ¡°However, Cousin Administrator doesn¡¯t need distractions, at the moment.¡±


    Zumi¡¯s implication was clear to me. He didn¡¯t think I was of any use now that the immediate problems were solved, yet only a cultivator could be administrator. By hanging around, I was a threat either to him as the assistant, or to Tenri directly. And even if I wasn¡¯t, I was a frivolous distraction.


    ¡°Zumi?¡± Tenri called from inside his office. ¡°Would you bring me the order forms?¡±


    ¡°Coming right away, Cousin,¡± Zumi answered. He sneered at me, as if this interaction had somehow proved his point. I just shrugged. Tenri was clearly asking for more work, so I wouldn¡¯t bother him¡­this time. The forced relaxation would come someday. For now, I resolved to ask Hanako about an appropriate gift.

 Chapter 19 - Nightmare Rising

    The culinary arts of the world are truly a diverse set and have consistently been this one¡¯s greatest joy in travelling the myriad lands. Take rice as an example: the rice from the Shattered Peak is so rich their dishes have to be made with significantly smaller, but much harder-hitting ingredients, while the Violent Enclave has a rice that changes taste based on how you cycle your qi! Well. And then you have the freaks of the Summoned Isle who apparently don¡¯t even have rice¡­ ¨C Wandering Cultivator Shun Zar


    *          *          *


    The streets were quiet and dark as I made my way to the Lang residence. Above my head, the stars twinkled on a dark canvas. The moon was scarcely a sliver. Tomorrow, the new moon would blanket the world with the purest dark, a beautiful time for any self-respecting moon artist.


    I breathed deep of the cool, quiet air. This close to the harbor, I could hear the soft rolling of the sea, and I found myself considering just how nice it would be to grow up in a town like Saikan.


    In the Pearlescent Valley, there were always conflicts. One sect attacking another for an insult, bandits lying in wait on the roads, guards with nothing better to do but harass mortals¡­all of these were commonplace where I was raised. Cultivators did whatever they wanted, and little attention was ever paid to anyone without a spiritual core.


    But here? I¡¯d not seen any cultivators at all aside from Tenri and myself. Though they had a problem with spirit beasts rising from the woods and sea, generally life was quiet. I liked that. The nights were calm. There weren¡¯t any bureaucrats knocking down my door, and no wars looming over me like threatening storm clouds. Maybe I really could settle down here¡­


    I laughed in spite of myself. Had I really been in prison so long that I thought I stood a chance living with quiet? If I wanted quiet, I should have risen to Gold or Salt, then secluded myself as a hidden master. Instead, I¡¯d built a dominion, become a primal avatar of nature, and risen to ascendency. Ascendents don¡¯t get to have quiet. I gave it a few months before I¡¯d start going nuts with boredom. When that time came, I¡¯d have to figure out how to get Tenri to go on an adventure with me.


    But, for now, that was a long way off. Right now, I could enjoy the peace and quiet.


    I turned down the street where Xinya and her father lived and followed the vague instructions to the doorstep of a tiny house squished between two much larger houses. A small lantern with a swimming fish painted on the side illuminated the plaque beside the door with the character for ¡°Lang¡± painted in black. I approached the door and knocked gently. A few moments later, the door opened to reveal Lang Tailyn. He smiled widely.


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki! You honor us by accepting my invitation,¡± he said. I nodded and stepped in.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it,¡± I answered. I offered the two stacked boxes in my hands to him. ¡°I brought a small gift as thanks.¡±


    Lang shook his head. ¡°Oh, please, Master Tsuyuki, you didn¡¯t need to go through the trouble.¡±


    ¡°It was no trouble at all.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain? I wouldn¡¯t want to presume anything of a renowned cultivator such as yourself.¡± Renowned¡­yes¡­that would be one word for what I am. Infamous or nefarious may be more appropriate¡­but I guess what he didn¡¯t know wouldn¡¯t hurt him.


    I nodded. ¡°Please, I insist.¡±


    Gingerly, Lang took the boxes in hand and bowed slightly in thanks. Leaving my shoes at the door, I followed him into a small room with an equally small table. Nearby, Xinya stood on a small stool, watching the vegetables stewing in a pot. The savory aroma filled the room, and my mouth watered with anticipation.


    ¡°You made it!¡± she called. A moment later, she was by her father¡¯s side, peering up at the two packages I¡¯d brought. ¡°Oooh! What did he bring? What did he bring?¡±


    ¡°Xinya, be polite,¡± her father scolded. She schooled her expression and apologized, but it warmed my heart to see her so excited. I hoped she would like it.


    The larger package was opened first, revealing a Heaven¡¯s Lily in a small pot. I was no wood artist, but I did have a garden in my old palace. Since Xinya had noticed my gift from the Flower Maiden first, it seemed appropriate. Though this particular specimen had silver stripes instead of purple, it was still a fine blossom, and I felt lucky to have found it.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Lang said. I bowed my head.


    ¡°In the Pearlescent Valley, it¡¯s customary to gift plants on occasions like these,¡± I explained. ¡°Your home is quite lovely, but maybe it will bring you some joy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Master Tsuyuki. It¡¯s small, but it¡¯s home.¡± Lang placed the flower in the window facing the street, likely so it would get the most sun during the day.


    I looked around the small dwelling. It was broken into one main living space, separated by a divider to where Xinya and her father likely slept. It reminded me a lot of the home I¡¯d grown up in, though we¡¯d had three children and our father to fit into the small space. For the two of them, it was probably quite cozy.


    Lang returned to the table and opened the second package to reveal a small wooden hairpin with coral and pearls. Xinya gasped and let her father slip it into her hair. The pearls shimmered with moon qi as she admired herself in a small mirror. I¡¯d taken the liberty of infusing it earlier that day. It was nothing special, just a small bit of qi for light.


    ¡°It¡¯s so pretty!¡± she exclaimed. Chiho vibrated angrily in my hair, but I ignored it. It had jealousy issues.


    ¡°You honor us with these gifts, Master,¡± Lang answered with a smile. ¡°Please, have a seat. The stew should be ready soon.¡±


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Xinya rushed over to check the pot. After a few stirs, she deemed it ready and poured out several bowls.


    ¡°I made it all myself,¡± she announced, placing the food before me. ¡°A friend taught me the recipe, and most of the ingredients are right.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at the notion that a friend had taught it to her. Xinya didn¡¯t have many friends among the children, but maybe one of the adults taught her? Either that, or one of the other kids was playing a prank¡­I genuinely hoped it was the first.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal,¡± I said, picking up my bowl and spoon. Lang was the first to take a bite, and I followed his example.


    It was¡­not good. Lang coughed at the first bite, and his face flushed red. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was from the overwhelming amount of curry Xinya had added, or the embarrassment of serving such a meal to a guest. And the salt¡­there was more salt in this stew than an earth artist at the Salt Stage.


    I shared a look with Lang. His eyes screamed an apology, but he was too busy trying not to spit out his daughter¡¯s concoction to actually say something. Xinya still looked at us expectantly, and so I forced a smile and swallowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a very interesting flavor, Xinya,¡± I said. Lang seemed to take a moment to gather his courage before doing the same.


    ¡°Definitely interesting,¡± he repeated.


    Xinya beamed with pride, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. How do you tell a nine-year-old that the recipe they got from a friend was an affront to the history of the culinary arts? In the end, I forced myself to take another bite.


    It¡¯s better than the food from a sect. It¡¯s better than the food from a sect. I repeated the phrase several times to calm myself. As a young cultivator, I¡¯d given my loyalty and service to the Heaven¡¯s Blade Sect. Though they were far from the most disciplined sect in Pearlescent Valley, they still had a policy of shunning many comforts. The disciples were forced to sleep on the hardest boards and ate only the blandest rice in the valley. After I¡¯d grown powerful enough to safely mouth off to the elders, I¡¯d worked on changing that attitude. Now, I was living proof that one could succeed and still enjoy the small pleasures of life.


    None of which were reflected in Xinya¡¯s cooking¡­


    ¡°Normally, I¡¯m the one who cooks when I get back from sea,¡± Lang explained. ¡°But, Xinya was so excited when we invited you that she insisted on cooking it herself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a dedicated father to cook after a long day,¡± I praised, trying to pretend like I was focused on conversing as I set my bowl down.


    ¡°Thank you. Xinya is a free spirit. I feel like she should be allowed to be a child while she can. It¡¯s what her mother would have wanted.¡±


    ¡°Do you want more?¡± Xinya asked. Even the very idea made my stomach churn, but I forced a smile.


    ¡°Not yet, maybe later?¡± The curry was starting to take its toll, and the room suddenly seemed uncomfortably warm and extremely cold at the same time. My hands started to shake, and I clasped them in my lap, so that the little girl wouldn¡¯t notice.


    Lang saved the conversation with another topic. ¡°So, Master Tsuyuki, what sorts of spiritual arts do you practice? Your display at the lighthouse was most impressive.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? I fear that was more the work of the shade, not me,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m just a void artist.¡±


    ¡°Mom was a void artist, too!¡± Xinya exclaimed. ¡°She was always breaking things by accident. She said it made her spiritual powers stronger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, actually,¡± I said, pulling at memories from thousands of years ago. ¡°Void qi is largely generated by the destruction of matter.¡±


    I was suddenly quite grateful that I¡¯d listened to the Hated One when she was still alive. Otherwise, I might not know enough to talk about the void and keep my cover. However, as soon as I caught myself acknowledging the Hated One and her teachings, another wave of nausea passed over me.


    Seriously¡­what had Xinya put in the stew?


    ¡°You¡¯re the fourth powerful void artist I know of in the Shores,¡± Lang noted.


    ¡°Oh?¡± My heart sank. There were other cultivators in the area, after all. I knew it had to be the case. After all, cultivators were everywhere, but I¡¯d foolishly hoped that the peace of Saikan was entirely free of any such influences.


    ¡°The others are Shen Tori and his sons,¡± he said softly. ¡°They¡¯re¡­not exactly friendly. Nothing like you, Master Tsuyuki. I¡¯m grateful for all you¡¯ve done for us and the town.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was my pleasure.¡± I raised a hand to rub the back of my neck. ¡°I have always believed that cultivators are generally a horrible bunch of people. I try to be more helpful and more accepting of others.¡± I rubbed my neck, trying to subtly cool my body with my freezing hands.


    Only, my hand brushed against something else¡­cold metal.


    A spike of fear stabbed into my heart like a nail. I was hallucinating. I had to be. There was no way that the chains of the labyrinth were wrapped around me, not here in Saikan. It was just my imagination running off because of the horrible stew.


    I was reassured when I put my hand back to find no metal at all. I hoped Lang wouldn¡¯t be insulted if I didn¡¯t eat any more of Xinya¡¯s stew. I didn¡¯t need that kind of stress in my life.


    ¡°How long do you plan on staying in Saikan? We can always use the extra hands.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not really sure, actually,¡± I admitted. My eyes suddenly unfocused, and the world began to warp in my vision. I closed them, ignoring everything, and smiling at my host.


    It¡¯s still better than sect food¡­still better than sect food¡­


    I cleared my throat and continued. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not as useful as you might think. What good¡¯s a man who can¡¯t swim to a fishing village?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t swim?¡± Xinya asked, surprised. ¡°I thought Master Tenri was joking when he said that.¡±


    ¡°There are lots of ways you can help,¡± Lang said with a small laugh. ¡°You¡¯ve already proved as much. I hear Zhao Mina and Zhao Suyi have fully repaired their farm after you helped with the ancestral tree, and¡­¡±


    Lang kept talking, but I wasn¡¯t listening anymore. Something was deeply wrong, and I was starting to doubt that Xinya¡¯s concoction was responsible. The heat in my body had passed, leaving me on the brink of shivering. My hands trembled, and it was like my chest was wrapped by a tight chain keeping me from breathing.


    The bronze band that bound my core to Tenri¡¯s quivered and strained. It desperately tried to contain the roiling qi inside my core as it surged in a fighting ocean of silver light and pitch darkness. Only one time before had the void inside me been so unruly¡­


    I opened my eyes. Lang and Xinya both looked at me strangely. I looked straight at the hands in my lap, studying my fingers.


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki, are you well?¡± Lang asked, but I barely heard him.


    In my lap, the pale skin of my hand was slowly turning gray¡­


    I needed to leave. I needed to get out of town, go anywhere but here.


    ¡°I¡­um¡­I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied. ¡°I just¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t wait for formality! If I delayed at all¡­I couldn¡¯t stand the idea even enough to imagine it.


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality,¡± I murmured through gritted teeth. It was all I could do to stay upright as my vision swam, and I stumbled towards the door. Once my shoes were in hand, I pushed open the door.


    I cradled my hand close to my chest. It was darkening by the moment, and once the skin there was black as the void, the rest of me would start to change, as well.


    With dread freezing my heart, I fled.

 Chapter 20 - Void-Touched

    On rare occasion, artists may develop a technique, or set of techniques, we call Transformation Arts. That is, the art of changing their form, physical, spiritual, and mental to better suit their cultivation. The easiest example is, of course, spirit beasts who naturally gain the ability to take humanoid form. But there are others. From Yokai, to unique or artificial creatures, and even to cultivators of esoteric arts. And not all of them are voluntarily controlled. ¨C Educator Yuen at the Jin Sen School for Young Cultivators


    *          *          *


    Tenri Lin poked at the meal before him. His wife¡¯s cooking was fantastic, and he was extremely grateful for everything she did for him. Every terrible day putting up with his good-for-nothing cousin was all worth it when he came home to his loving wife and her excellent cooking.


    Tonight, it was sea jelly dumplings in honor of the migration season. Summer was fast approaching, and the first sea jellies had been spotted in the reef as they came to their seasonal feeding grounds. It was a delicate dish, as the jellies were quite poisonous naturally. But if one properly prepared them, the tendrils could be stewed down and put in all sorts of dishes. Hanako had prepared the dumplings with his favorite sweet sauce. Everything about this meal was lovely, and yet¡­


    Tenri couldn¡¯t pin down why he was filled with such distress. There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, right where his core was, that gave him an unease that he couldn¡¯t quite explain. That unease presented itself as a low-level nausea that he couldn¡¯t ignore.


    Was it the coming tax season? The officials from the Lunar Hunt were due any day now. It came and went every year, and most years there wasn¡¯t any issue. Most years they only took the majority of the town¡¯s wealth, shook down several merchants, conducted their inspections, and left. It was an incident, but one that the town was well used to dealing with.


    Even thinking about it made the nausea worse. He wished dearly that there was something, anything that he could do to alleviate the situation. He was the Saikan Administrator for heaven¡¯s sake! He was a Bronze Stage cultivator! He had a respectable position, a respectable path, and respectable techniques. But he was powerless against the tax collectors.


    Tax collectors¡­if you could even call them that. What kind of state officials beat people in the streets? No, these were more like bandits, and everyone in the Moon-Soaked Shore knew it. They had the charter with the Governor, but that was the only thing that legitimized them. They cared nothing for the nation, nor the people they were sent to exploit, and the worst of the lot was their leader, Shen Tori.


    He was a piece of work. Tenri had only seen the man once, and even that was too much for one lifetime. He was wicked to the core, possessed of an evil spirit who wanted nothing more than to hurt those beneath him. Shen Tori was the worst kind of cultivator, one who relished only in the suffering of others.


    The last time Tenri had seen him, it had been in passing on a trip to the capital He¡¯d been on his way to a meeting when he¡¯d caught a glimpse of a man shrouded in void qi so thick he looked like a demon straight from hell. Tenri had felt his aura from the other side of a large courtyard, and it had scared him straight to his marrow.


    He counted his good fortunes every day that Shen Tori did not visit Saikan personally. Instead, he sent his subordinates, which usually contained a handful of Bronze artists, and an Iron as their leader. It was that Iron that kept Tenri from doing what he sorely wished he could: put a fist through the face of every tax collector in the Lunar Hunt. He couldn¡¯t fight an Iron.


    The textbooks he¡¯d inherited from his grandfather had said that the gulf between advancements was so vast that one advancement could easily be three or four times more powerful than the rank below it. As a Bronze, he couldn¡¯t hope to defeat an Iron. He may as well be a member of the common folk for all the strength he could muster against them.


    And those were the subordinates. Rumors put Shen Tori himself at least at Silver, maybe even Gold. Those heights were so dizzyingly high that Tenri would get a nosebleed just thinking about them.


    He had plenty of reason to be upset over the coming tax season, and yet¡­that didn¡¯t seem to fully encompass the depths of his discomfort. Something was wrong, and he couldn¡¯t figure out what it was.


    ¡°Lin, darling, you really should eat something,¡± Hanako put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Even one or two of the dumplings would give you the strength to recover from your day.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hana, but I¡¯m just not-¡±


    A knock at the door sent a chill down Tenri¡¯s spine. Who could possibly be knocking at their door so late in the evening? Something was wrong. He knew it.


    ¡°Lin, are you alright? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    The knock came again, and Tenri shook himself out of it. He reassured Hanako and stood from the table. Hanako followed him, determined to be available if he needed assistance with their late callers.


    Tenri opened the door to find Lang Tailyn and his daughter on his doorstep. The fisherman bowed deeply, and his daughter followed his example.


    ¡°Master Tenri, please forgive this intrusion. You know I would not wish to bother your esteemed self this late in the evening if it were not of the utmost urgency,¡± said the fisherman.


    ¡°What is it, Lang?¡± Tenri asked.


    ¡°Master Tenri has been hosting Master Tsuyuki in his home, yes?¡± Lang began, never raising his head.


    ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s not here at the moment.¡± Another pang of unease washed through Tenri. Wasn¡¯t Tsuyuki supposed to be at Lang¡¯s home this evening?


    Lang finally raised his head. Even in the depths of the storm, surrounded by wicked monsters, Lang had kept a determined resolution to his expression that inspired a quiet confidence. Now, though, his concern was very clear in his frown and the furrow between his eyes. Behind him, his daughter stared up at Tenri with green eyes filled with alarm.


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki did a good deed for our family by relighting the lighthouse, and so, I wished to properly thank him with a meal this evening,¡± Lang explained. ¡°The meal was¡­not to his tastes, but he weathered it well.¡± The girl looked away in shame. ¡°However, half-way through, he suddenly leapt up and excused himself.¡±


    That¡­didn¡¯t sound like Tsuyuki at all. He might be one of the less mannered people Tenri had met in his life, but he wasn¡¯t outright rude.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Lang continued. ¡°At first, I worried that we had done something to offend the Master, but he began to stumble towards the door as if he were suddenly ill. I asked if he was alright, and he just thanked us for our hospitality before fleeing as if chased by a foul spirit.¡±


    That¡­was very bad. Tenri wasn¡¯t sure if he should consider Tsuyuki to be a blessing upon Saikan or a curse that would ultimately bring them devastation. He was the Darkened Moon, one of the Five Demons of Devastation, and responsible for the total annihilation of several nations during his reign. He¡¯d done good things for the town, but Tenri was worried. An ominous aura followed Tsuyuki, one which only Tenri seemed to notice. He was a menace wrapped up in a smile. A tiger can¡¯t change its stripes, and he was sure that Tsuyuki would bring a whole host of trouble along with his good intentions. It was a presence worthy of his title as the Demon of Misfortune¡­ For someone with that kind of background to be suddenly ill was¡­unlikely. Something else was going on here.


    ¡°Did you see where he went?¡± Tenri asked. Lang nodded and pointed to the north.


    ¡°He fled towards the forest. As soon as we knew something was wrong, we came to you, as the only one who has experience with such matters as demons and cultivators.¡± Lang bowed once more to show his respect. His daughter followed his example a moment later. Tenri noticed a small pearl hairpin tucked into her ponytail. It shimmered with moon qi, no doubt infused by Tsuyuki himself.


    ¡°You were right to tell me,¡± Tenri praised. ¡°Tsuyuki is¡­on a very volatile Path. I will search for him at once. Please return to your home. I¡¯ll send word when I¡¯ve found him.¡±


    Tenri ducked back inside to grab his hat and spare sword. Lang stepped aside and bowed to the cultivator as he passed, but his daughter lunged forward, grabbing onto Tenri¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Please save him, Master Tenri!¡± she begged. ¡°He¡¯s very kind! He doesn¡¯t deserve to be possessed by a demon!¡±


    Tenri paused and knelt next to the young girl. He rested a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled warmly.


    ¡°You have my word; I will do my best to bring him back to us.¡± Then he stood and sprinted away with the speed of a full-fledged cultivator.


    *          *          *


    Tenri¡¯s mind filled with worry as he scoured the woods for any trace of the wayward cultivator. He couldn¡¯t have gone far¡­ If Lang¡¯s description was correct, then he was hardly in any condition to run for any length of time, nor hide his tracks for any great distance. And yet, Tenri couldn¡¯t find any sign of his passing.


    Then again, it was so dark that Tenri wasn¡¯t entirely sure he¡¯d see any traces even if they were in front of his nose. His eyes had been terrible for as long as he could remember, and even infusing his body with the qi of a Bronze cultivator had only done so much. In the dark, he was practically blind again, glasses or not. Tonight was very dark.


    The new moon was tomorrow. Tenri didn¡¯t think for a single second that it was coincidence that Tsuyuki was being afflicted by this strange condition now. His life was irrevocably tied to the phases of the moon, and all the legends pointed to the dark phases of the moon as those where Tsuyuki was at his most vulnerable¡­or most dangerous, depending on how one chose to view it.


    Would Tsuyuki be turned back into the Darkened Moon tonight? Was he becoming a monster? Or fighting to prevent that from happening? Tenri couldn¡¯t be sure.


    A strangled cry resounded through the forest. Tenri immediately picked up his pace, altering his course to the right. Tsuyuki was in danger. Tenri needed to help him.


    Another cry rang clearly, and Tenri was now sure that it was Tsuyuki¡¯s voice. Images of the moon artist being strangled by dark, shadowy forces filled Tenri¡¯s mind, and he drew his sword, ready for whatever might await him.


    He burst into a clearing, only to find¡­no monsters. In fact, there was only a single dark figure on the ground. It had to be Tsuyuki, but, in the dark, Tenri couldn¡¯t tell for sure.


    ¡°Tsuyuki?¡± he called. ¡°Where¡¯s the monster?¡±


    ¡°Go¡­¡± moaned the figure on the ground. It was definitely Tsuyuki¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Go? Why?¡± Tenri wondered, stepping closer. His steps were halted when a bright blue wisp darted before his eyes. Backing up a few steps, he realized that dozens of tiny ghost lights were in the clearing, drifting lazily around, and providing a little bit of light for them to see.


    ¡°Just¡­go away¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsuyuki, there¡¯s a shade around,¡± he warned. ¡°We need to leave! Are you injured?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­just¡­please¡­leave me here¡­¡± Tenri had never heard Tsuyuki sound so¡­pitiful. He was such a proud cultivator, and yet, he seemed to be on the brink of tears. It must have been a terrible injury, indeed.


    Tenri kept his sword in one hand, in case the shade showed itself as he rushed to the dark figure. As he approached, he saw the malevolent shadows rising from the cultivator. His breath caught in his throat as the wisps illuminated the image for him.


    Tsuyuki was curled on the ground, his long hair draped over his side like a blanket. He was even paler than normal, and the dark shadows were rising directly from him.


    ¡°Tsuyuki, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    The figure on the ground curled tighter, raising a blackened hand to now pointed ears in an attempt to block out the words. Tenri¡¯s breath caught in his throat. That hand was tipped with black claws instead of fingernails, and a shining white shackle wrapped around his forearm.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­¡± but he couldn¡¯t finish the question. Instead, he stared at the cultivator in horror.


    After several long moments of silence, the figure seemed to realize that Tenri wasn¡¯t going away. It pushed itself first to its knees, then its feet. All the while, clinking chains heralded his every movement.


    When it finally turned around to face Tenri, he fought to maintain something resembling composure.


    While it was still very clearly Tsuyuki, the cultivator had truly turned into a monster. His skin was pale as the moon itself, save for a dark streak on his face, as well as his hands and wrists, which were all black as pitch. His eyes were black and his irises shone with an eerie blue light. From his hairline, two small horns grew. His hair had turned a shade darker and seeped with black smoke which then wrapped around him like a coiled snake.


    However, the most notable features of his new appearance were the chains wrapped around three of his limbs. Both arms and his right foot were clasped in shining white shackles trailing long lengths of thick chain which wrapped up his arms, legs, and torso before hanging off his body. The bandages that normally wrapped Tsuyuki¡¯s left foot, however, had been forcibly ripped off from the knee down, revealing a black tattoo wrapped around his ankle like a fourth shackle.


    ¡°I told you to leave,¡± Tsuyuki snarled, revealing sharpened teeth.


    ¡°You¡¯re being possessed by something. How could I leave you like this?¡± Tenri stammered. The cultivator flinched at the word ¡°possessed,¡± before shaking his head. With every motion, the black smoke surrounding him was displaced. It swirled lazily around before descending to his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m possessed by nothing.¡±


    ¡°But, this form¡­it¡¯s the spitting image of the Chain-Bound Fury, one of the Four Spirits of the Shore! How could it be anything but possession?¡± Tenri had never heard of the Chain-Bound Fury possessing someone, but some shades did have that ability. The Fury, in particular, hadn¡¯t been seen on the shore in over two decades. Maybe the stories weren¡¯t complete anymore.


    Tsuyuki shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut. ¡°C-can¡¯t you see!? I¡¯m a monster. This is the true face of the Darkened Moon! I¡¯m hideous!¡±


    Hideous was not the first word Tenri would have used. Unnatural? Certainly. Unsettling? Absolutely. But, at the same time, there was an ethereal beauty to the being before him, a sublime power to strike fear into the hearts of men.


    Suddenly, Tenri remembered all the stories. The Darkened Moon, Avatar of the Lunar Cycle, turned to the face of darkness in a moment of desperation and was twisted into a vile monster. That monster went on to destroy nations before being locked away.


    That same monster now stood before him, but all Tenri could see was guilt and fear in those shining blue eyes.


    In a split-second decision that not even he fully understood, Tenri sheathed his sword and knelt in the grass. He took off his glasses, wiped the dirt away, and replaced them on his nose. Then, he looked at Tsuyuki, who was staring back at him in shock.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what really happened back then, hmm? What¡¯s the real story of the Darkened Moon?¡±

 Chapter 21 - Baleful Light

    Wisps are strange creatures. These semi-sentient balls of qi appear nearly exclusively near or under the control of powerful shades and Yokai. And yet¡­there is no known link between Shades and Yokai other than their propensity to hunt in the depths of night. So, are wisps creatures of night? Or of death? And what would either connection imply about their wielders? ¨CExorcist Xin Taluen to his apprentice


    *          *          *


    I stared at Tenri, unsure if I wanted to scream or cry or run away. How could he sit there? How could he be so calm? He was staring at a face straight out of history¡¯s darkest chapters, and he was treating it like he¡¯d come across a merchant with a twisted ankle.


    ¡°Why?¡± My voice was cold as steel.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    I snarled. The smoke around me began to rise with my anger. It covered the trembling of my hands, but not even the smoke could hide the clinking of chains as my shoulders shook under the weight of thousands of years of history.


    How could I tell him? I needed Tenri. I needed him to like me if I wanted to keep using him as an anchoring point in the world beyond the labyrinth¡¯s walls. My soul was bonded to his. If only he hadn¡¯t seen me this way¡­maybe I could get him to just forget. Spew some story about turning over a new leaf and that I just wanted to be a simple cultivator or something. Then maybe he could just forget the stories and let the twisted face in children¡¯s books become some other monster, some other creature than me.


    But now¡­everything was crumbling before my very eyes and no amount of moon qi would let me alter that reality, not at my current strength. I¡¯d just started to rebuild my castle, only to find it was built on sand.


    ¡°Tell me your side of things,¡± Tenri said simply. ¡°Tell me the story no one wanted to hear back then.¡±


    Maybe¡­maybe this was for the best. If he was going to leave me anyway, maybe it was best to make a clean break here and now. I could disappear from his life altogether, and he could spin a story for Xinya and her father that I¡¯d been eaten by¡­what did he call it? The Chain-Bound Fury? If I really was its spitting image, then surely, they¡¯d believe it.


    I slumped to the ground. Tenri was still several yards away, watching me with an unreadable expression. It took several minutes of silence to gather my courage, to prepare myself for the ultimate rejection of my nature.


    ¡°What is it you want to know?¡± I asked softly, studying the drifting wisps as they bounced slowly on the blades of grass.


    ¡°Why were you really imprisoned?¡± Tenri answered. I winced. Right to the crux of the matter, then. Well, at least it would be a short conversation instead of dragging it out.


    The legends I¡¯d weaseled out of Xinya over the last two weeks said that the Darkened Moon was an incarnation of the moon which descended to earth to take in all of earth¡¯s beauty firsthand. However, upon finding lands that were wrought with strife and starvation, the moon decided that the world was actually ugly and resolved to wash away every imperfection. Nations fell, Ascendents got mad, one thing led to another, and the Darkened Moon was slain.


    I can¡¯t even count the number of things that are false about that legend, but the single truth was the most important one. I had killed people. I¡¯d wiped entire nations off the map, leaving behind a silver wasteland of stone and nothingness where no life could flourish. Five nations in total met that fate, all governed by lesser artists who dared to challenge me. Five nations filled with innocent lives¡­gone because I¡¯d lost control.


    Tenri frowned and rubbed his chin upon hearing my answer. ¡°What made you do it?¡±


    ¡°What made me do it?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t seem the type to go so far over a mere insult. You¡¯re more laid back than that.¡±


    ¡°The truth is¡­I don¡¯t know what happened,¡± I said. ¡°In those days, the continent was mired in a qi drought. I was able to predict its coming, so I prepared. Though my people were more vulnerable to a qi shortage than other nations, we thrived in spite of this. Part of our preparations, however, included empowering me. My advisor prepared a ritual, and I became¡­like this.¡± I gestured to my hair and horns. ¡°That advisor told me that it was perfectly safe, and I had no reason not to believe her. For a while things were fine, but one of my rivals k-¡± my voice caught as the past came rushing back. I paused, trying to focus my thoughts and calm my voice.


    ¡°Take your time,¡± Tenri assured. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± It was several minutes before I was calm enough to continue.


    ¡°They kidnapped my sister. In trying to get her back, she was killed,¡± I explained as quickly as I could before I broke down. ¡°My abilities to alter reality, to pick a different path, to go back and do it all over, none of it worked. I don¡¯t know why. But, the voices came, struck me in my grief, and¡­I guess I just got wrapped up in my own fury.¡±


    Tenri rubbed his chin again. I watched him, noting every twitch of his eyes, every furrow of his brows, and every tweak of his mouth. He was trying to find the lie in my words. Once he found one, he¡¯d know I was a monster. Even if he couldn¡¯t find one, he¡¯d assume one. He wouldn¡¯t be the first.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± I blinked and stared, certain I¡¯d misheard him. He repeated himself. ¡°Are you hungry? Lang Tailyn said your dinner was¡­not good. Hanako made jelly dumplings. I could get some and bring them back.¡±


    I shrugged. So, that was the path he was taking. Make an excuse and leave, then never return. I understood. He stood, then quickly retreated back into the woods. Only once he was gone did I curl up on the ground. The chains bit into my arms, but it wasn¡¯t anything I wasn¡¯t used to. I¡¯d suffered far greater discomforts, and the weight of rejection was too much to carry right now.


    Chiho nuzzled my cheek, and I stroked the crane¡¯s head gently. It was my only real friend, the only one who had stayed by my side through the dark times. Even its master had abandoned me, but Chiho never did. For that, I was grateful.


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    It wasn¡¯t long before I heard rustling in the trees. I raised my head to see Tenri approaching with a small bundle in his arms.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked.


    He frowned. ¡°I told you I was going to get some food.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t expect you to actually come back.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just full of surprises, aren¡¯t I?¡± He sat down and unwrapped his package. A dozen dumplings steamed in the open air, and the smell was entirely too enticing. Tenri handed me a pair of chopsticks, which I took. After Xinya¡¯s horrible cooking, I was starving.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had this kind before,¡± I said. ¡°Tell Hanako they¡¯re delicious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she knows,¡± Tenri answered with a laugh. ¡°The jellies only come for a short time of the year, and I tell her how much I like it every season.¡± I ate two more. ¡°Listen, those chains, do they hurt?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Not really. The nail they drove into my heart was worse. It took me decades to get out of that. Once I loosened the chains enough to move, they really don¡¯t bother me much, anymore.¡±


    Now, it was Tenri¡¯s turn to blink in shock. ¡°They drove a nail into your heart?!¡±


    I grinned at his surprise. Had he forgotten that I was a god? I set my chopsticks down and pulled aside my robes over my chest to reveal the star-shaped scar over my heart.


    ¡°They really tried to keep me down. The nail was high-grade purified sandalwood imbued with lightning qi. The Sword Saint drove it straight into my core, thinking that would keep me down, but I broke out of their coffin quickly enough,¡± I bragged. ¡°Their labyrinth, though. It used my own power against me. A prison where I was both prisoner and power source. That took longer to break.¡±


    ¡°Looks like you had the last laugh in the end,¡± he said. ¡°The last of the Ascendents in the story was the Sword Saint, and he died nearly a hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°Did he now?¡± My heart ached with a combination of phantom pains and loss. It had been the Sword Saint who had hammered in the nail. Chiho trembled in my hair, and I reached up to comfort the pin.


    I leaned back, looking up at the stars. They were different than the ones I knew, so much time had passed. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if, in all his years, had the Sword Saint ever missed me?


    That was ridiculous. Of course he didn¡¯t. He¡¯d betrayed me, after all, not the other way around. I deserved it, for the things I¡¯d done, but that didn¡¯t make it hurt any less.


    I looked over at Tenri, who¡¯d leaned back to look at the stars through the trees and ghostly wisps. Maybe I really had been given a second chance by the heavens. After all, Tenri hadn¡¯t rejected me just for being a monster, both literally and metaphorically. Instead, he¡¯d shared his home and a meal.


    My chains clanked together as I rested my head on my hands, staring up at the stars. The silence was comfortable, and the company was good. What more could I ask for in an evening?


    *          *          *


    By the time I woke, the sun was already well into its ascent over the trees. I looked down at my hands to find them still stained with the void. Chains still rattled at my sides, and dark smoke still coiled around my feet.


    Tenri was already gone. No doubt he rushed back to town as soon as he¡¯d woken so no one would notice his disappearance. But me? I had nothing to do.


    I stood and stretched. The sun was entirely too bright, and my skin was already starting to burn in the blistering light. I would need to find somewhere out of the sun, both to keep hidden and to keep from burning to a crisp.


    In the end, there was really only one place I knew of nearby: the lighthouse. Before I left the clearing, I gathered some rocks and arranged them into a small note to tell Tenri where I was, should he come looking. Then, I made my way to the north.


    By the time I ducked into the blessed darkness of the lighthouse, my skin was blistered in several places. Whomever thought it was a good idea to clear the space near the lighthouse of trees and other forms of cover clearly didn¡¯t have shades and monsters in mind.


    And this would be why I built a kingdom with plenty of shade and whole regions where the sun never rose. It was also why the Sun Queen and I never quite saw eye-to-eye¡­


    The darkness of the lighthouse, though, was cool and calming. The windows were still covered in dust and salt, and even though most of the furniture was broken beyond repair, it was already starting to feel more like a habitable space with Sai Lyn¡¯s death aura gone. A little bit of fresh paint, some scrubbing of the floors and walls, and everything would be perfectly cozy should Xi Qian take me up on the offer to become the keeper.


    That said, there wasn¡¯t much I could do about making the place more comfortable without exposing myself to the sun beyond. Instead, I found a nice, cozy corner in one of the old bedrooms, pulled over the shredded remains of a blanket, and settled in to cultivate.


    It¡¯s dull work, cultivation. I sat in quiet meditation, focusing on the shape of my core and the qi that flowed through it. Systematically drawing qi to every portion of my body, focusing on my connection to the moon and all its aspects, and feeling every breath and pulse as it delivered nourishing oxygen to my body. All these things were necessary for cultivation, much in the same way that practice makes a good musician or strength training makes a good martial artist, but knowing its importance doesn¡¯t make it any more exciting. Most days, I do a little bit before falling asleep, as it makes for a great sleep aid, but since I had nothing better to do while sitting in a lighthouse waiting for the sun to set, it was my only option.


    I also took the time to count my blessings. Mostly that I never had to cultivate all day if I didn¡¯t choose to. In many sects, the lowest disciples are charged with two things: running errands for the elders and cultivating. It helps to strengthen one¡¯s qi and increase their control.


    Luckily for me, I never had to spend much time as one of the lower disciples. I was a prodigy, raised to inner disciple by our sect leader in record time, which consequently pissed off several of the sect elders who made it their life¡¯s mission to make me fail. They ate their words when I outpaced everything the sect had to offer, graduated with honors, and then went on to Ascend.


    Moonlight and void filled my body. My chains grew brighter. My shadows grew darker. The two seemed entirely separate and unwilling to mingle. I frowned. Shouldn¡¯t they be more compatible?


    Within the Celestial Cycle, the six celestial powers are grouped based loosely on their arrangement in the heavens. Sun, Wind, and Lightning make up the positive forces that have physical impact on the earth. The wind blows, lightning strikes, and the sun warms the earth. The Stars, the Moon, and the Void have a more metaphysical impact, and so are also grouped together. The powers of conceptual imagination, reflections of reality, and isolation and destruction are more difficult to see in a physical sense. Because Moon and Void are similar, the two forms of qi swirling in my core and body should have been more compatible.


    I focused, trying to forcibly mix the two into a technique. The simplest form of moon qi is light, and the simplest form of void is destruction. Holding out my hand, I tried to summon both at once.


    A light appeared in my hand. It was soft, with a bluish tinge to it that was suspiciously reminiscent of the wisps that followed me in my current form. I studied it, trying to figure out how the void was presenting itself. However, other than being a little bit ominous, I couldn¡¯t find any difference between this light and regular moonlight.


    With a sigh, I dismissed it and gave up on cultivating for the day. It was too dull, and hours had already passed. The sun was low over the trees, and it would soon be safe to leave my dark sanctuary. I was just leaning back, considering how I might be able to entertain myself during the hour or so remaining when someone shoved open the door on the floor below.

 Chapter 22 - The Depths of their Fears, Part 1

    We are blessed in our nation to have a strong wind of fire qi that grants us many children of strong affinities. Some complain that the fevers take the children, but I ask you: without their affinities and fevers would we have even half as many in the Refining Realm to defend us from monsters and barbarians? No, we¡¯d be a backwater at the mercy of any would-be lord that could harvest our children in ways worse than any fever! ¨CMinister Tin Len of the Cinder Kingdom


    *          *          *


    ¡°Tsuyuki?¡± Tenri called. My stomach grumbled. Last time, Tenri brought Hanako¡¯s delicious cooking. Maybe he¡¯d done it again this time. And, even if he didn¡¯t, maybe he was willing to spend the time playing that game Xinya liked. I was quite certain I could scrounge up something to use as pieces in the lighthouse, and it beat sitting alone.


    When I descended the stairs, I found him pacing, a worried furrow pinching his eyebrows together. He was cleaning his glasses, despite the lenses being completely free of dirt already. He spotted me and immediately perked up.


    ¡°Tsuyuki! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you!¡±


    I tilted my head to the side in confusion. ¡°I left a note, though.¡±


    ¡°One which was hidden in the grass. I almost didn¡¯t see it!¡± he complained. I just shrugged.


    ¡°Not my fault you didn¡¯t look there first,¡± I answered. Tenri¡¯s frown deepened for a brief moment before he shook his head.


    ¡°Nevermind that, time is short, now. They¡¯ve almost certainly noticed my absence by now!¡±


    My playful smile evaporated. What I¡¯d mistaken for a simple anxiety over my location was much more than that. Barely concealed fear had raised Tenri¡¯s shoulders and widened his eyes ever so slightly, and his fists were balled at his sides.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked gravely. ¡°Who¡¯s watching you?¡±


    ¡°The tax collectors!¡±


    I¡­was missing something, here. Sure, nobody likes paying taxes, but this seemed deeper than that. Tenri ran a hand over his pulled back hair and paced back and forth again before I finally got fed up. I grabbed him by the shoulders to stop his fidgeting, then guided him to a seat on the stairs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Taxes are nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s more than that,¡± he explained. ¡°The Lunar Hunt are called tax collectors to give them legitimacy, but they¡¯re little more than bandits endorsed by the Governor! They come to small towns and take everything, but, if it was just that, we¡¯d be fine!¡±


    ¡°Okay, so what else is going on?¡±


    Tenri took a deep breath. ¡°Tsuyuki, you know cultivators with moon qi are illegal on the shore.¡± I nodded. ¡°How do you think they stop people from naturally developing lunar affinity? The whole shore is practically qi-poisoned with an abundance of natural moon aura.¡±


    Mortals could develop affinity for a specific kind of qi. If they weren¡¯t born with one, then typically they develop it through exposure. Qi fills their bodies, solidifies into a core, and, suddenly, they¡¯re at the Seed stage of Manifestation. Not enough to be considered a cultivator, that doesn¡¯t happen until the last stage of Manifestation, but enough to start developing a core and begin down a Path.


    A place like the Moon-Soaked Shore was so rich in moon qi that developing a lunar affinity would be child¡¯s play. So, why didn¡¯t it happen more? Why weren¡¯t there lots of moon artists, or even a whole sect devoted to the lunar arts?


    ¡°It¡¯s because they execute every moon artist to step foot here, including those with only the tiniest affinity,¡± he explained. ¡°The tax collection is just a convenient side job. They come, they terrorize, and they hunt moon artists.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about me, don¡¯t be. I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I assured him. ¡°It¡¯s not my first time running from the law, and it probably won¡¯t be my last.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not you I¡¯m worried about.¡± Tenri leapt up and walked purposefully towards the door. ¡°In Saikan, our families have been here long enough that most have a natural resistance to lunar corruption. If you make it to twelve, you¡¯re very unlikely to have a problem. So, the tax collectors search among the children.¡±


    I was on my feet in an instant, the gravity of the situation finally hitting me. Tenri offered me my bamboo hat and I put it on as we stepped out into the dying sunlight.


    ¡°They brought five Bronze artists, and they¡¯re led by an Iron!¡± Tenri explained as we ran down the ridge towards town. ¡°If they find moon aura in any of the children, I can¡¯t fight them, and I can¡¯t act against them without bringing their wrath upon the rest of the town! My hands are tied!¡±


    ¡°But a wandering moon artist could act against them?¡± I provided.


    He nodded. ¡°A wandering moon artist who presently looks like a ghost known to strangle wandering cultivators would have an even better shot at keeping the town safe!¡±


    ¡°Is that the rumor surrounding the Chain-Bound Fury?¡± I had to admit, that wasn¡¯t a bad image to work with¡­for a villain, anyway, and this situation seemed like it could benefit from such a villain.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it later!¡± he promised. ¡°When I left, they were conducting a sweep of the town with spirit hounds to sniff out any child with any form of qi on them! They¡¯ll bring them to the center of town!¡±


    ¡°You slip back in. I¡¯ll make sure any children they find are safe.¡±


    We came to the entrance of town, and he paused, putting a hand on my shoulder.


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    ¡°You should know,¡± he began. ¡°Hanako and my mother both have a very bad feeling about today. Someone will be found, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    I had a sick feeling that I knew exactly who would be picked out of the lineup¡­a child with a cultivator parent who had lunar fever as a child? Such a child would be a prime candidate to pick up an accidental affinity if they weren¡¯t careful.


    A dark voice whispered in the back of my thoughts. If she came to any harm tonight, there wasn¡¯t a prison on earth that would be able to contain my fury.


    Tenri and I split ways. He would go and pretend everything was normal while I skulked around the backs of buildings and found a good position to watch, and act, should my intervention be required.


    Unfortunately, it seemed like the entire town of Saikan had turned out to watch this morbid affair. Every alley between the buildings was filled with bystanders observing with dark expressions that showed sympathy for those children and their families that had been isolated, and also a sick relief that it wasn¡¯t their child that was singled out.


    I was forced to climb the administration building. From above, I could see the entire square without the crowd of mortals in the way. The only problem was that it was exposed. I could hide myself along the slanted roofs, letting the shadows from my hair envelop me, but my wisps would be visible no matter what I did. After a brief moment of consideration, I decided stealth was not an option.


    Instead, I sat on the edge of the roof, left leg raised to show the void-cursed shackle on my ankle, and the rest of my chains hanging down at my side. My bamboo hat was hidden away behind me, and I even summoned the ominous light I¡¯d developed earlier in the day. If anyone bothered to look up, they¡¯d see the Chain-Bound Fury had also arrived to watch the events unfold.


    However, few would look up. Their attention was more firmly fixed on the line of twelve children standing before the administration building. They were being watched by five men with bronze badges wrapped around their arms. Of the five, four of them had wicked grins plastered to their face, as if they were fueled by the fearful sniffles of the children they¡¯d bullied into a line, like it was something to be proud of. I hoped dearly I¡¯d get the chance to remove the teeth from those grins before the night was over.


    However, at the head of the cultivators was a man with an iron badge tied on a band wrapped around his arm. He was thickly built, and his black uniform seemed tailored to show off his strength. His face was scarred with years of combat.


    The leader was the one to watch out for.


    ¡°Administrator, nice of you to join us,¡± the Iron growled. ¡°You made us wait.¡±


    ¡°Apologies, Master Shen. There was an urgent matter with our lighthouse that required this one¡¯s attention. We¡¯ve had something of a shade problem of late.¡± I spied a couple of people pointing upward and whispering. A shade problem, indeed. I might not really be a shade, but I certainly looked the part.


    ¡°That is not my problem. My problem is moon artists. May we begin?¡± Though it was phrased as a question, the tone was that of an annoyed master shaming his student. I narrowed my eyes. This cultivator was well used to throwing his weight around. How long had it been since someone challenged him on one of these runs?


    Of the twelve children, I knew three of them. Sei Ren and Xi Lihua were barely on their feet. Those children had lunar fever. They needed to be resting, not dragged in front of town with black spirit dogs snapping at their hands. They huddled together, trying their best not to cough. The other children also huddled together, each one trying to be smaller than the rest.


    All of them¡­except Xinya. She stood right at the center of the line with her head held high. A bruise was forming on her cheek, but her violet eyes were bright with fury. Her gaze tracked the Iron at the head of the wicked cultivators like a cornered fox. Looking at her, I never saw even the tiniest shred of fear.


    Behind her, in the crowd, I spotted her father. His left eye was swollen shut, and he was cradling his arm with one hand. Unlike his daughter, he was clearly filled with a low terror. His eyes were wide, and he bit his lip as he watched the proceedings.


    The Iron pulled a stone from his belt. It shimmered with a detection rune. Though he could see qi with his Iron eyes, the detection rune would be able to determine if any of the children had a burgeoning core, and what affinity that core had. With it, no child with a lunar core would be able to hide from him.


    Moving to the first child, he waved a hand over the rune. The child closed her eyes and shrank away from the rune. After a few moments, nothing happened, and the Iron moved on to the next child. The next child was tested, then the next. When the rune passed over Xi Lihua, it began to shift. I readied myself to act, but the shimmering didn¡¯t settle at the silver of the moon. Instead, it turned a deep blue like the sea.


    A soft cheer went through the crowd. Not only was she free of internal moon aura, but she had water affinity. If trained, she could have a bright future as a cultivator.


    The Iron, however, did not care about such things. He moved on to Sei Ren who was also deemed free of moon aura.


    Finally, it landed on Xinya, and my heartbeat quickened. My chains rattled as I readied myself to jump. She glared up at the cultivator before her.


    ¡°Wipe that smug expression off your face, girl,¡± he sneered.


    ¡°Why should I?¡± she spat. ¡°My mother taught me that cultivators are supposed to be good people, but all I see here is trash!¡± I sighed. Someone would have to tell her how to talk to hostile cultivators¡­not everyone is as nice as I am.


    Before I could do anything more than stand, he struck at Xinya. She flinched back, but the blow never landed on her. A sickening crack echoed through courtyard as Lang Tailyn¡¯s good arm shattered. He¡¯d run forward and shielded his daughter from harm, but he was only a mortal. He could not stand against the Iron. Only one person here could.


    ¡°You dare to stand against the Governor¡¯s officials?!¡± the Iron spat. The Iron moved fast as lightning, qi swirling around him. I recognized the black mist of void qi flow, and Xinya¡¯s screams cut through the air like a blade. Her father fell before her, a hole dissolved from his chest where his heart should have been.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± she cried. She fell to her knees by Lang¡¯s body, but the light had already faded from his eyes. ¡°Daddy! No!!¡±


    The Iron drew a blade from his belt and prepared to strike, but I was already in the air, hurtling towards the earth. Wind whipped past me, rattling my chains ominously before I slammed into the ground. The stones cracked beneath my feet, but I didn¡¯t slow. Instead, I raced towards the scene of the coming tragedy.


    Iron clanged against lunar steel as I ducked between Xinya and the cultivator. My chains of moonlight wrapped around my forearm like a set of vambraces, protecting me as I took the blow in Xinya¡¯s stead.


    For the briefest moment, my eyes met his. I wasn¡¯t surprised to find cruelty in his black eyes. He took pleasure in the blood he¡¯d spilled today. Knowing that only made my blood boil. My family had been ripped apart by cultivators like him.


    I shoved upward with all my strength, shoving him back. He stumbled back, and I followed up the attack with a chain-wrapped fist aimed directly into his solar plexus. My chains were weak now compared to those that I¡¯d been buried with, but they were still made of purest lunar qi. Brilliant light flashed as he was thrown several yards away to sprawl on the ground.


    The crowd was a mix of gasps and screams.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Fury!¡±


    ¡°Run for your lives!¡±


    ¡°He just sent the Master flying!?¡±


    Even Tenri stared at me in shock. The Iron gasped and spit a bit of blood onto the cobblestones. The five Bronze artists stood around, unsure of what to do with their boss so thoroughly trounced.


    The Iron stood upright and cracked his knuckles. ¡°Well. I didn¡¯t expect a visit from the Spirit Realm this evening, but I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a god or a demon. I¡¯ll bury you for this insult against me, Shen Yaoxan!¡±

 Chapter 23 - The Depths of their Fears, Part 2

    Have you ever fought a full Shade? Not one newly born, but one that¡¯s fed and evolved? Gone Yokai I think you call it? Cause they¡¯re absolute bastards, I tell ya. They don¡¯t follow the rules we set for our lives. They¡¯re more path than person, and it shows in their kit. They ignore most techniques, and it takes a good and proper path or a ton of qi to even damage ¡®em. Well¡­or a void artist. Lucky bastards just chuck some void qi in and call it day. ¨CA mercenary named James Kerrison from the Summoned Isle


    *          *          *


    Shen¡­where had I heard that name before¡­


    ¡°Master Shen,¡± Tenri began, his voice tense. ¡°Do you know the shade that stands before you? It¡¯s one of the Four Spirits of the Shore.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s the Darkened Moon himself. No one insults me.¡± I almost wished I wasn¡¯t bound to Tenri so completely. If I were at my full strength, he¡¯d sing a different tune, of that, I was sure.


    ¡°Insulting the Chain-Bound Fury will bring the wrath of all four spirits upon our heads! Please, there are innocents, here!¡±


    Shen growled and snapped his fingers. A burst of void qi exploded next to Tenri. The Bronze artist¡¯s glasses dissolved to sand, and he grunted with pain as the qi burned his skin. I narrowed my eyes at the cultivator before me.


    As much as I wanted to help Tenri, I couldn¡¯t. Xinya still wept over her father¡¯s broken body, and I couldn¡¯t leave her to face the five Bronze artists and this rotten Iron alone.


    ¡°And you.¡± Shen Yaoxan fixed me with a look of hatred which I returned with a cool and calm gaze. ¡°That child could be a moon artist. In the name of Governor of the Moon-Soaked Shore, turn her over at once, and I might spare your life.¡±


    That was the best he could do? Was he such a complacent pig that he couldn¡¯t comprehend the tiger baring its fangs?


    I turned and looked at Xinya. Her eyes were wide as she gazed up at me. She didn¡¯t know if she should fear me. I was a monster, but one that had saved her from certain death. Then, her eyes flicked upwards.


    ¡°Chiho?¡± she whispered. I winced. Of course she would recognize the little pin. Chiho vibrated happily with the attention, but it didn¡¯t realize just how bad it would be if anyone else recognized it. I hadn¡¯t even thought to hide it first. But, what¡¯s done is done. None of these cultivators knew of it, and as long as I didn¡¯t bring attention to the pin, I hoped it would be fine.


    A glimmer of light caught my attention on the ground. It was the detection rune the cultivators were using. Gently, I knelt and picked it up before handing it to Xinya. She took it gingerly. It blazed with light, shining with a mix of silver and violet. The nature of her core would be that of celestial moonlight, and divine lightning. I smiled.


    ¡°You are the one I¡¯ve been searching for,¡± I said softly, but loud enough that all the gathered cultivators could hear. ¡°My sister, the Flower Maiden, asked me to collect you.¡±


    ¡°S-she did?¡± Xinya asked. I held out my hand. It was blackened with void and tipped with claws, but Xinya¡¯s gaze was focused on my own. She took my hand, and I pulled her to her feet. From her other hand I took the detection rune.


    ¡°Hold tight to my chains, meimei,¡± I whispered. ¡°I won¡¯t let them take you.¡±


    I stood and turned back to the cultivators. The five Bronze artists were gathering their courage. They circled around us, ready to hinder in any way they could, but I wasn¡¯t worried about them. It was Shen Yaoxan who had my attention.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? She¡¯s tainted by the Darkened Moon!¡±


    Was that really what they were so afraid of? Did they really think that any moon artist could follow in my path of destruction? How foolish.


    Rather than answer, I held up the detection rune once more. I shoved my qi into the rock. It exploded in a chaotic swirl of black and silver. There was only enough time for Shen¡¯s eyes to widen in recognition before the tiny stone burst into a thousand shards. I replaced it with a mote of ominous void light and tilted my head in challenge.


    ¡°Moon arts¡­¡± he breathed. I didn¡¯t care if he saw. In a few days, my twisted form would wear off (I hoped), and I¡¯d be my normal, handsome self again. He wouldn¡¯t be able to connect the chained shade back to me.


    Shen hesitated for only a brief moment more before he shook his head in frustration and drew his sword. In the instant he began to run forward, I struck, summoning and solidifying a jagged lance of light from the ground. It slammed into his side, but, in that moment, I immediately knew something was wrong.


    The five Bronze artists were creeping closer, but I knew nothing of their actions. Flash Forward was not warning me which one would strike first, or from what direction. I was completely in the dark, forced to live in this one, single moment instead of witnessing the full myriad of possibilities.


    Looking inward, I found out why. Both my blooded techniques were sealed under a bluish white film of light, the same light that was emanating from the ominous orb in my hand.


    What¡¯s the point of this light if it harms me? I thought frantically to myself. In a split second, I granted the ominous moonlight substance and threw it at Shen, determined to get it as far from me as possible as quickly as possible.


    If anyone were to take a tally of all the strongest Ascendents of the ancient world, I would have been near the top. After all, it had taken five other Ascendents working together to take me down. However, if that tally were to rank those same Ascendents by martial prowess alone, I would probably lag towards the bottom. They would argue that Master Tsuyuki¡¯s strength lay in his exceptional luck in always being where his enemies least expected it, but those who knew me and my path knew better.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    My blooded techniques were feared far and wide by those who understood anything about martial arts, sovereignty, or literally anything else. Flash Forward gave me the ability to see my enemies¡¯ actions before they ever happened. Flash Back, my other ability, gave me the power to deny a reality in progress and change the course of events. Both of them were extremely powerful, and the reason I could get away with being less martially skilled than my peers. Only one man could evade the powers of my blooded techniques, and he was my closest partner¡­or so I thought.


    Being trapped between six cultivators without being able to see what any of them would do next gave me painful flashbacks to when the Sword Saint had taken me by surprise in my final battle. They could come from anywhere, and, though I was confident taking the Iron by himself, I was not keen on how their superior numbers could play out.


    Shen managed to dodge the baleful light hurling towards him. It sailed past him and into a shopfront which exploded in a cloud of dust and wooden chips. I winced. It was not my intention to cause damage¡­


    The Iron artist swung his blade with all the speed his advancement gave him, and an edge of purest black destruction sailed toward me. Wrapping my arms around Xinya, I ducked down only to find myself staring at a bead of metal already mid-flight from the metal artist. I curled towards Xinya, taking the steel pellet in the shoulder, and hissing in annoyance as the pellet lodged under my skin. From her position a few dozen paces away, the metal artist grinned wickedly, pleased with her attack.


    A wave of cold air was my next warning sign, and I narrowly ducked in time to avoid an icicle aimed at my head. It was swiftly followed by an orb of void qi from another of the artists. I twisted to the side. This couldn¡¯t keep up. There were too many of them. If I didn¡¯t act soon, I¡¯d be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of attacks and the fight would be over.


    ¡°Get him!¡± Shen screamed again. The two so-far inactive artists drew weapons, a whip and a sword. They approached me cautiously as I dodged the onslaught of the other three, struggling to keep Xinya safe as I pushed my body to its limits by leaning on what martial skills I had. I knew I¡¯d have to go all-out here. That I¡¯d have to show Xinya and Tenri a violent side to my arts I¡¯d rather not tap into so soon after knowing them¡­


    The fight was interrupted by the creaking of wood. I looked up just in time to see a support beam of the destroyed shop front snap. The building collapsed in a cloud of rice flour and dust that enveloped the entire square as the beam fell on the store¡¯s wares. This was the opportunity I¡¯d been looking for. I pushed Xinya to the ground and put pressure on her back to let her know to stay down as I went into motion.


    Not wanting to find out what tricks the metal cultivator had up her sleeves, she became my top priority. I gripped the chains of my right hand and flung them before me in her direction, sending a disk of razor-sharp moonlight as immediate follow-up. There was the sickening crack of metal hitting flesh, and then a gurgle as my disk no doubt found her throat. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream before her throat was severed and she collapsed to the ground.


    The dust was already settling a few seconds later, but the other artists were slow. In a flash, the sword-bearing cultivators were downed by a flurry of lunar blades. They slumped to the ground, never having gotten off their attacks.


    I spared a moment to study the dissipating cloud, suspicious of the convenient timing of the collapse. Tiny threads of silvery-blue light surrounded the cloud, just like the ones blocking Flash Forward and Flash Back. Was this another result of the ominous moonlight? A smile made its way to my face, for what was misfortune for my enemies but good fortune for me?


    ¡°Enough!¡± Shen shouted, bursting through the dust cloud, sword raised. ¡°You bring shame to your name by killing artists beneath your advancement!¡±


    ¡°This coming from someone who would casually murder a mortal child,¡± I countered.


    ¡°Who cares? She¡¯s mortal!¡±


    Little did Shen realize that I was actually the same advancement as his goons. The fact the metal artist had injured me at all was proof of that. However, most artists can¡¯t hope to challenge anyone above them. I, however, had two things most artists never get: centuries of experience fighting stronger cultivators and monsters than myself, and a spiteful streak that nearly always surfaced when fighting above my advancement.


    Shen gripped his sword, and void qi swirled around the blade. His strikes would be deadly if they were to land. However, the challenge had been issued. There was no backing down, now.


    ¡°Back up, Xinya,¡± I whispered. The remaining bronze artists wouldn¡¯t dare attack her during the battle. Shen¡¯s challenge was one of honor, and they wouldn¡¯t dare tarnish his by interfering.


    My chains shimmered in the moonless night. I readied myself for Shen, a plan already forming in my thoughts. He was a bully, but I didn¡¯t want to kill him. No, he needed to live to cry to his superiors about the bad-mannered shade that stopped his hunt. Otherwise, the town would take the blame.


    Shen lunged forward. I watched his sword, ever careful to avoid its black blade. He swiped again and again, and I dodged each blow, ducking back to keep out of harm¡¯s way.


    ¡°Get back here!¡± he shouted. His hand wrapped around my chains and pulled me towards him. Panic filled me, and I felt age-old instincts leap into action.


    Void qi surged outward in a torrent, dragging moonlight along with it. Close as we were, Shen could not avoid the light which sprang to life in my hand. It was soft, emitting the same baleful blue tinge as the last light I summoned, only this one used far more of my void qi reserves.


    Shen screamed as the light fell upon his skin. It burned like acid, causing welts and blisters to form on his hands and face. He released my chains, and I stepped back. Before I could fully retreat from his range, though, he reared back and threw his fist forward.


    He was clearly aiming for my nose, but his eyes were squeezed shut from the blistering voidlight that had left burns all across his face. Instead, his fist made contact with my collar, and I grimaced as my left clavicle snapped under the force. My concentration broke, and the voidlight vanished.


    That would be the risk with fighting someone stronger¡­all the qi efficiency and power I¡¯d learned through pain-staking effort¡­none of it helped my body to withstand the blow of someone punching with four times my strength. Skilled as I was at hitting higher than my advancement, taking the blow was another matter entirely.


    Still, despite the injury, I seemed to have the upper hand. Shen cradled his face in his hands. He stumbled away, trying to regroup and recover. However, a silver thread caught my eye a moment before he yelped in alarm.


    Shen tumbled into a hole that had opened up under the ruined shopfront. Though such a thing wouldn¡¯t really hurt the Iron artist, it was more than a little embarrassing. His subordinates stared at each other and their boss who looked rather undignified flailing in an inconveniently-placed pit. Distracted as they were, I took my chance to flee, scooping up Xinya with my good arm before fleeing into the night.

 Chapter 24 - The Demon of Misfortune

    The Five Demons of Devastation are an oft-discussed aspect of divination and its influence upon our histories. The Sun Queen¡¯s Prophecy of Voidfall is a well-known and well-cycled bit of writing, but, as far as anyone can tell, the Demons themselves mentioned in the prophecy have never even met. While all five are unreachable by one means or another, the fact is that people trying to prevent the prophecy have influenced the continent¡¯s history far more than the Demons have themselves. ¨CProfessor Huil Zar, on the topic of prophecies and their influence in national politics


    *          *          *


    The black sky offered no light to the inky black forest below, but we could not stop. Xinya wrapped her arms around my neck as we fled deep into the woods. I gritted my teeth as she put pressure on my broken collarbone but held my tongue. She needed comfort, and I was the only one who could give it.


    We fled west. If Shen Yaoxan was smart, he would do some digging into recent events in Saikan. Any mild research at all would indicate the lighthouse as a likely location for any moon artist to run to, given its connection to light and the fact that it was completely abandoned. I didn¡¯t know what convenient reason Tenri would come up with to excuse the missing ¡°wandering artist¡± that was Tsuyuki Yoru, but I was confident, at least, that no one would recognize me as the monstrous shade who¡¯d killed three cultivators employed by the Governor.


    That just left a few days of hiding. As an Ascendent, my transformation was not permanent. I could shift back and forth at will, and the amount of energy it took to do so largely depended on the phase of the moon. Thus, the Void-touched monster had become associated with the new moon, while my handsome human form had become the face of the full moon. Assuming the same logic held true here, which I was willing to bet since the transformation hadn¡¯t occurred until the night before the new moon, I would shift back in a few days. At that point, I could probably return to town to gather supplies, clothes, and anything that Xinya wanted from home.


    ¡°M-mister,¡± Xinya whispered. ¡°Turn that way.¡± She pointed to the right. I hesitated. That would draw us north. If our pursuers were searching the lighthouse, as I hoped they would, then going that way would only bring us closer to them.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t,¡± I answered softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll make it through this.¡±


    But Xinya insisted. ¡°There¡¯s a s-safe place.¡±


    A safe place? I¡­had my doubts. But, Xinya did know the woods far better than I did. With a deep breath, I turned north and began to walk more slowly. Xinya relaxed against my ¡°good¡± shoulder, which still had a steel pellet embedded in my back, but, at least, it didn¡¯t sport any broken bones. That last punch had hurt a lot.


    Soon, we stepped out of the trees and onto a small, overgrown path. In truth, it was little more than a game trail, but Xinya seemed to recognize where we were, even in the darkness. She pointed us to the left, and I followed the path. Several rabbits hopped, bleary eyed, across our path. It seemed our passing had roused them from their nighttime slumber, but why they weren¡¯t hiding in their warrens was beyond me.


    After only a few minutes, the trail led to a small clearing filled with flowers. A shrine rested at the center of a field of flowers. It was quaint, but well kept and clean. The altar was sheltered from the rain by a tiny shed barely big enough to hold it, and a small, crude statue of a girl sat as the holy idol. There was a cut-out in the statue for bouquet of fresh flowers to be cradled in her arms. The flowers in question were Purple Striped Heaven¡¯s Lilies.


    ¡°The Guardians will keep us safe until morning,¡± Xinya said. ¡°They protect every child in danger.¡±


    I looked around. I didn¡¯t see any guardians, only the rabbits who were drunkenly hopping hither and thither in their half-asleep stupor. None of them seemed particularly powerful, but I¡¯d seen stranger things.


    ¡°Is this a shrine to the Flower Maiden?¡± I wondered. Xinya nodded, and I knelt before the shrine. I had nothing to offer, but I could at least pay my respects.


    Xinya shivered, and I found a small bed of clover for her to lay down. With the chains clinging to my body, I couldn¡¯t remove my outer robe to serve as a blanket. Instead, I laid down next to her and pulled her close. It wasn¡¯t comfortable with my injuries, but I gritted my teeth and ignored it. I needed to stay awake anyway in order to keep watch.


    The serene clearing was perfectly still, save for the snuffling of rabbits as they drowsily patrolled the edge of the shrine¡¯s boundary. Despite my best efforts, my eyelids began to droop. As if under the spell of the clearing, I fell asleep.


    *          *          *


    Morning brought only a whole mountain of headaches for Tenri. He got up and got dressed like he did every morning only for the smell of something burning to reach him. In a panic, he raced to the kitchen where Hanako and his mother were frantically pouring water on the stove. They coughed and waved away the smoke as the flames died down, and Tenri relaxed.


    ¡°I swear I¡¯ve made this a thousand times!¡± Hanako said with a pout. ¡°Never before have the eggs caught fire!¡± Tenri sighed and assured his distressed wife that she was still a fantastic cook before settling for a simple bowl of rice. He gave his wife a kiss on the cheek, then left for work.


    The fire in his kitchen was only a prelude to the day ahead of him. As soon as he stepped out his door, a fragment of a roof shingle tumbled down, and he only barely caught it before it slammed into his head. He frowned. That was rather unlucky timing. If anyone else had been walking below, they might have been seriously hurt. He made a mental note to examine the roof when he had a moment of free time¡­if he ever had a moment of free time again¡­


    If there was one good thing that the previous night¡¯s disaster had revealed, it was Xi Lihua had been identified as having the potential to cultivate. No doubt her family was proud, and Tenri couldn¡¯t help but be even a little excited. Maybe in a few years, she¡¯d make Bronze and be qualified under the law to help him with the administration of Saikan.


    Then again, if she didn¡¯t want to, he wouldn¡¯t blame her. What incredible luck she had to be blessed with a water affinity. Why waste it being an administrator when she could try joining the Teeming Waters Sect in Shaleshore City. It was a long journey to another country, but certainly would open more doors than she had here. Some days Tenri wished he¡¯d left and joined a sect. Maybe he could have been on his way to greatness by now instead of buried in paperwork¡­


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    And, speaking of paperwork, Tenri found an unusual amount of it when he pushed open the doors to the administration building. However, unlike the mountain of scrolls he was used to, there was very little¡­as most of the headache was in the form of ten people clamoring for his attention.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, folks! Cousin Administrator is here now! If you could submit your requests in an orderly fashion, we¡¯ll see to them qui-¡± Zumi yelped as his foot was caught under someone else¡¯s in the crowd. An apology was muttered, but it was quickly replaced by more complaints.


    ¡°My boat sprang a leak, but I just checked it for fixes! The tax collectors must have done something!¡±


    ¡°My shop front was collapsed during the shade fight last night!¡±


    ¡°My neighbor¡¯s kid kicked a ball through my window! I demand recompense!¡±


    ¡°The roads are a mess! Sink holes have opened up everywhere overnight! I fell in one this morning.¡±


    The list went on and on. Eventually, Tenri stopped listening, simply pushing his way through the crowd and closing the door behind him. It was too early for this sort of thing. At this rate, Tenri¡¯s energy would be all spent before Shen Yaoxan got here.


    ¡°Zumi,¡± Tenri asked. Like a rat, Zumi appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Yes, Cousin?¡±


    ¡°Has Master Shen reported in this morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Cousin. He was in quite the foul mood and was covered in dirt and mud,¡± Zumi reported. ¡°He did not find the missing girl or the Chain-Bound Fury.¡±


    That was the first bit of good news all day, but Tenri sighed anyway. Master Shen would no doubt be infuriating to deal with today¡­


    ¡°I also have ten reports of property damage, thirteen grievances against the management of the town, eleven reports of unfortunate accidents that have been directed to Zhao Jaili¡¯s clinic, and the fishing guild has spotted another colony of crabs, this time in the harbor.¡±


    ¡°In the harbor?¡± Tenri asked incredulously. ¡°How did no one see them coming?¡±


    Zumi shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s unclear, Cousin.¡± His voice turned dark, and he looked away. ¡°You know what this is, right? It¡¯s the Chained Fury¡¯s curse!¡±


    Tenri snorted. ¡°How do you figure that?¡±


    ¡°Think about it, Cousin. The Darkened Moon was known for incredible luck, and all the stories say he cursed his enemies with misfortune!¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And, the Chained Fury is said to be the Darkened Moon¡¯s subordinate! He surely has the same power! We angered him last night, and now he¡¯s cursed the entire town!¡±


    As much as Tenri wanted to believe otherwise, there was a grain of logic in his cousin¡¯s deductions. He¡¯d seen the fight between Tsuyuki and Shen. The moon artist had won thanks to a convenient dust cloud and a sinkhole. Either he was a genius at using his battlefield to his advantage, or his enemies were incredibly unlucky. Possibly both.


    Had Tsuyuki really caused this? The Darkened Moon was regarded as one of the Five Demons of Devastation, after all. The one called the Demon of Misfortune¡­


    You¡¯re just being silly, Tenri thought to himself. Tsuyuki was not the kind of man to intentionally hurt innocent people¡­at least, not anymore. His legends were built on the actions of a madman, and he¡¯d broken free of that madness. Last night, he¡¯d used a few lunar techniques that Tenri had never seen before but, given that it was the first fight where Tsuyuki could fully use his lunar arts without consequences, that was hardly surprising. Of course, he would have a few tricks up his sleeve.


    The yelling crowd outside got louder. Tenri backed against the door, sliding down until he was seated.


    ¡°Zumi, do you really think we¡¯re cursed?¡±


    ¡°How else do you explain this, Cousin?¡±


    Tenri sighed, removed his glasses, and rested his head against the door. It was going to be a long day¡­a very long day¡­


    *          *          *


    Surprisingly, Xinya and I both slept quite soundly, and, for the first time in who knows how long, I got through the night without the voices of madness whispering in my dreams. When we woke, though, the consequences of my actions became painfully clear. Throbbing pain shot from my collarbone with even the slightest movement, and the steel pellet that was still in my other shoulder offered a stabbing sensation every so often without any sort of warning.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± Xinya said bluntly after hearing the very tense ¡°good morning¡± I¡¯d offered once she was awake.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve been through worse.¡± That was certainly true, but it had been a very long time since my last major injury. The nail that had been driven into my heart was by far the worst I¡¯d ever experienced, but the tortures of the labyrinth were mostly in my head. My pain tolerance wasn¡¯t what it once was¡­


    ¡°You got hurt protecting me,¡± she muttered, looking down. I forced a smile.


    ¡°And I¡¯d do it again.¡± At the statement, Chiho removed itself from my hair and trilled at the little girl. The little pin darted around her head, drawing forth a small smile.


    ¡°Is it really you, Mister Tsuyuki?¡± she asked. ¡°Is this what happened when you ran out the other night?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an unfortunate condition,¡± I admitted. ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. You saved me. Why would I be scared?¡± She traced my chains with her eyes. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re way cooler than the fake Chain-bound Fury I saw once. He was a poser with a mask and his chains didn¡¯t even glow. The Flower Maiden said he was just some kid trying to scare people, but you¡¯re the real deal! Who knew I would meet two of the Spirits of the Shore!¡±


    Without any other ideas on where to hide from our pursuers, we decided to stay in the Flower Maiden¡¯s clearing. If there was even the slightest chance that the Flower Maiden would protect us, I was inclined to take it. It wasn¡¯t much, and it didn¡¯t provide much shelter from the elements, but it was quiet. Xinya played with the rabbits while I rested, trying not to move too much.


    My injuries weren¡¯t severe, but I couldn¡¯t easily tend to them myself. Digging the steel pellet out would require me to have full range of motion in my other arm, which I definitely did not have. We had neither the tools nor skills to see to it on my own. Thus, I resolved to wait it out until I was no longer a monster, then find Tenri and see if he and Hanako could dig the damned thing out¡­


    The transformation was much less painful returning to human form than becoming Void-touched had been. My skin burned as my chains fused into my body. My skin slowly returned to its normal shade of pasty, but humanly so, and the shadows leaking from my hair faded away. What hurt was my head, eyes, and ears. My eyes itched and stung as they returned to normal silver instead of the eerie blue they¡¯d become. A splitting headache heralded the retreat of my sharp ears, sharp teeth, and horns. I grimaced through it, but the pain soon passed, and I was my normal self again, if a bit bedraggled. The black band around my ankle was still there, but I knew from experience that it would never fade.


    As the sun finished setting and the night drew its curtain over the Shore, Xinya and I settled in for another night. The rips in my clothes from my Void-touched existence slowly began to mend themselves with the same magic that kept dirt from sticking to my person. With every hour that passed, I could feel my fortunes looking up. In the morning, I¡¯d sneak into town to get a few things and to get a feel for how Shen was trying to track us. Then, we¡¯d be well-equipped to weather the storm. Xinya would be safe, just like I¡¯d promised.


    Or¡­we would have been¡­if not for the bees.

 Chapter 25 - Bees?

    If I could have one wish? I¡¯d wish spirit insects didn¡¯t exist. If I had three wishes? I¡¯d wish spirit insects didn¡¯t exist three times. Giant ants, wasps, flies, and others the size of a dog or bigger? Just¡­nope. ¨CLiu Xin, drinking with his friends


    * * *


    I bolted awake to the sound of screaming. Stabbing pain lanced through my shoulder, causing my vision to swim for several moments before I forced my eyes to focus. Xinya was at the center of the flower field, screaming as a swarm of yellow and black whipped around her like a tiny hurricane.


    Leaping to my feet, I rushed to her rescue. Though I¡¯d intended to leap headfirst into the swarm, pick up the little girl, then run, my plans were quickly thwarted by our tiny adversaries. Dozens of them banded together, clinging to one another in the rough shape of an arm, and lashed out. They missed my nose by mere inches thanks to a timely warning from Flash Forward.


    The curse of the voidlight had faded! I could have hopped with delight, but there were bigger threats. Glancing from side to side, I saw several large bumble bees, like the kind I¡¯d seen in the nearby forests weeks ago. They watched in fascination, right next to the rabbits who were sniffing around the corpse of a black spirit hound. I guess they weren¡¯t useless after all.


    A burst of a thousand icicles suddenly appeared from the cover of the forest, and I immediately recognized the technique, having been on the receiving end of it a few days ago. The icicles streaked towards the swarm, and Xinya within. In some places, the insects parted, letting the attack sail through without touching them. In others, the bees banded together again to swat the icicles away.


    Those that had been swatted away¡­they were lower down the column of insects. The ones higher up had been left alone. No wonder the rabbits weren¡¯t interfering! The insects weren¡¯t attacking Xinya at all!


    The water artist stepped from the shadows, several more icicles floating around his head to launch at a moment¡¯s notice. A bronze badge was tied to his arm, and now that I was able to look more closely, that badge was right above a black armband with a circular crest on it. At the center of the silver circle was a black sword.


    It was actually vaguely reminiscent of my own insignia, which resembled a Heaven¡¯s Lily at the center of a silver moon. That symbol was probably taboo, now. Using something similar was asking for trouble.


    ¡°You! Cultivator!¡± called the artist. He was dressed in a simple set of robes and carried a hand fan instead of any weapon. A blue ribbon with tiny waves was tied around his head. ¡°Help me apprehend the girl. She¡¯s a dangerous fugitive, and General Shen Tori will pay you handsomely for your assistance.¡±


    Shen Tori¡­was that Shen Yaoxan¡¯s father? Had I accidentally offended the son of a general? Normal people might be upset about that sort of thing and begin groveling for forgiveness. However, I am not normal people.


    I am also not opposed to using underhanded means to win a fight, something that led to many people daring to call me an honorless coward during my tender years in the Forging Realm¡­before I became strong enough that no one dared call me that anymore. As such, I nodded to the water artist and began to shift towards him. While he continued his fight against the swarm, I simply stalked closer under the pretenses of ¡°grouping up.¡± Three more icicles sailed at the swarm. Each one was flicked away by the time I reached the artist in question.


    ¡°Good. The swarm is protecting her for some reason,¡± he explained. ¡°What path do you follow?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I doubt you¡¯ve heard of it,¡± I answered, settling into a combat stance.


    ¡°So long as it is righteous under the Eyes of Saraia.¡± The artist clasped his hands in a qi channeling sign and three more icicles formed from the air. ¡°Let us deal with these pests.¡±


    The water artist hurled his icicles, and the swarm dodged them again. This time, seeing two enemies instead of one, they lashed outward. The water artist clasped his hands in another qi sign, but before he could finish his technique, I acted. I lunged at him, sweeping my leg under his and sending him tumbling forward into the swarm. The action was simple, but even that sent throbbing pain through my body.


    The insects descended. The artist screamed, and I caught the scent of burning flesh. His skin was covered in bees which buzzed and vibrated in a roiling mass. The heat was intense. The water artist tried to protect himself, drawing ice from the air to cool his scorching skin, but the bees only vibrated harder. He screamed, and the smell of burning flesh reached my nose. The artist¡¯s screams died, and the body grew still. The swarm released him, and drifted up into the air, leaving a burned corpse in their wake.


    However, then they turned to me. They dove, and I backed away as quickly as I could until a solid tree was at my back.


    These insects were intelligent. They were organized, coordinated, and moved as one entity. They were spiritual beasts, and hopefully the kind that could be reasoned with. I quickly bowed my head, hoping they¡¯d notice before I met a similar fate as the water artist.


    In the blink of an eye, the swarm was gone, and its buzzing ceased. The tip of a wicked lance pressed against my chest. It seemed to be made of shimmering black, like the shell of an insect, and was so sharp I scarcely dared to breathe.


    ¡°You have trespassed on Hive lands,¡± said a high and authoritative voice. ¡°You will surrender, or we will kill you.¡±


    I flicked my eyes up to see a woman at the other end of the lance. She was dressed in a sleeveless robe, one which revealed the yellow and black stripes that streaked down her arms like a tiger¡¯s stripes. Her eyes were solid black, and her black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Everything about her was strict save for the single pink rose tied into her hair.


    Behind her, another woman who looked perfectly identical to the first knelt next to Xinya. She put a gentle hand on the girl¡¯s shoulder, and I breathed a sigh of relief. They really had been protecting her. These two women were almost certainly responsible for the swarm that had killed the water artist.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an enemy,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m prote-¡± The lance pressed harder into my chest, and I winced and went silent.


    ¡°You need only nod if you accept your defeat,¡± the lance-wielder hissed. I nodded. She released the pressure on the weapon, allowing me to breathe. With a shove, she prodded me forward.


    ¡°Careful! He¡¯s hurt badly,¡± Xinya protested. Both women exchanged an unreadable look, then the one without the lance gently knelt and lifted Xinya into her arms.


    ¡°If he does not resist, he will not be harmed before he meets the Queen,¡± she explained just loud enough for me to hear.


    The Queen Bee. She must be quite the formidable spirit beast. Not one, but two of her subordinates had fully realized human forms. That was not something easily done among spirit beasts. One needed a great deal of knowledge of elaborate rituals in order to make such a thing possible, and, even then, the recipient of the form would need to be strong enough to withstand the transformation. Not every spirit beast was cut out for that. That a hive of insects had achieved it at least twice¡­I would have to be on my best behavior to keep this queen from beheading me.


    The twin spirit beasts didn¡¯t say a single word to me as they marched me through the forest. They did, however, have quite a bit to say to Xinya. They kept their voices to whispers, but Xinya¡¯s giggles said they were fawning over her. Meanwhile, every look I received was frostier than the water artist¡¯s attacks.


    Instead of listening, I observed the forest around us, trying to build a map in my head. We had gone a long way, heading further north and west through the azure trees. Bumble bees became more frequent, and the vast majority of them were big enough for Xinya to hold in both arms¡­if she didn¡¯t have a terrible fear of insects. The twin spirit bees looked about as human as my Void-Touched form did, so Xinya didn¡¯t seem to mind them, but the bees in the fields around us? She eyed them with great concern shimmering in her amethyst eyes.


    The forest thinned, revealing a beautiful lake straight from the pages of legend. Bees of all sizes buzzed around a garden of flowers reaching all the way to the water¡¯s edge, and lotuses floated gently on the water. The crystal-clear waters were fed by a magnificent waterfall surrounded by tall stalks of vibrant green bamboo which provided a stunning contrast to the pink and red flowers, as well as the blue leaves of the trees.


    ¡°Welcome to the Honey Hive¡± said the lance-bearing twin. ¡°Our Queen awaits you within the palace.¡±


    She stepped ahead of me on the path towards a mansion on the east end of the lake. It was a sprawling estate with many rooms connected by small, covered bridges. However, despite the vastness of the building, I saw no other humanoid beasts wandering the bridges. There were only the large bees.


    The twins led us to the main hall of the palace, where I was forced to my knees. Xinya managed to squeeze out of the grasp of the two spirit bees before running over and clinging to my good arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay, meimei,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°How do you know that? They¡¯re monsters,¡± she answered softly. I caught a rather sharp look from the lance-wielding twin.


    ¡°Nah, meimei, they¡¯re spirit beasts. They¡¯re way more reasonable than any monster,¡± I smiled. ¡°And trust me, I have known my fair share of yokai. Did you know I used to live in a city filled with them?¡± Xinya¡¯s eyes went wide, and I nodded. ¡°They called it Half-Moon Hearth, the capital of the Spirit Realm and the center of all activity for shades and yokai.¡±


    ¡°How did you live in a place like that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I find that most people are actually quite reasonable once you understand what they want and how they live. Yokai are no different,¡± I explained. ¡°Take kitsune, for example. They like mischief, but, if you find a way to indulge their mischievous nature in a non-destructive way, such as in the roles of messengers and saboteurs, they can be quite compassionate.¡±


    When it comes to yokai, I knew so much and more, things that most textbooks nor wise sect elders could never teach you. I spent years learning, cataloging, and finding ways for humans to coexist with all manner of spirits.


    However, the one creature that I never did discover a place for were the Void-touched. They were the most volatile and manipulative of monsters. Never trust one. They are more monstrous than any raiju, spider demon, or shade. Throughout history, they destroyed nations, and laid waste to swaths of territory miles across. I should know, I¡¯m the Void-touched who did it.


    ¡°But, they¡¯re bees,¡± Xinya protested. ¡°What could bees want?¡±


    A door opened nearby, and the twins suddenly stood at attention. A shorter woman dressed in gold and purple finery entered. From her collar, more of the stripes that adorned the twins could be seen. Her hair was a mix of black streaked with blond and pulled into a coifed bun. A golden headdress rested on top, and it was woven with fresh flowers to match the patterns on her dress and outer robes. In her arms, she carried a whisk. No humanoid servants walked with her, but several of the large bees bumbled along behind her.


    I pulled Xinya close, giving her a squeeze and letting her bury her face in my shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Announcing Queen Pollen of the Spirit Hive!¡± called the lance-wielding twin.


    I bowed deep, kowtowing as best I could with my injuries. Xinya followed my example. The Queen settled onto the dais and seemed to study me for a long moment.


    ¡°What a curious cultivator,¡± she said with a sweet, but clear voice. ¡°You show respect to the insects of the earth, even when it so clearly causes you physical pain.¡±


    ¡°This one¡¯s pain pales in comparison to your radiance. It has been some time since this humble one has met a spirit beast of your illustrious caliber, your majesty,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°You honor your people with your manners, but you may rise. Now, do you understand why you¡¯ve been brought before me?¡± Queen Pollen asked. I lifted my head, but continued kneeling, lest I incur the ire of the twins.


    ¡°This one know that your subordinates went out of their way to protect the child in this one¡¯s care,¡± I said. ¡°However, if this one may be so bold as to suggest that there may have been a misunderstanding as to this one¡¯s involvement.¡±


    The lance-wielding twin stamped her foot. ¡°You spoke to the attacker who violated the peace of the Flower Maiden¡¯s Garden! He treated you as an ally!¡±


    ¡°Then I proceeded to hand him to you on a silver platter,¡± I snapped back before schooling my tone. ¡°Apologies for this one¡¯s outburst.¡±


    ¡°Is this true?¡± the Queen asked. The twins exchanged a look.


    ¡°It is possible, Majesty,¡± one of them admitted.


    Without warning, Xinya leapt to her feet, balling her fists. ¡°It is true! Mister Tsuyuki saved me from the bad cultivator who¡­who k¡­killed my dad! He fought all of them at once to keep me safe!¡± Her voice wavered, but she fixed the Queen with a look of complete determination.


    ¡°Xinya,¡± I whispered softly, my heart aching on her behalf.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t have to protect me! He could have turned a blind eye like everyone else in town! He took time to play with a dock rat like me when no one else would!¡± Xinya¡¯s eyes filled with tears, but she raised her voice in challenge. ¡°But...but, if you¡¯re going to hurt him, then¡­then¡­¡± she raised her little fists. ¡°Then I¡¯ll fight you myself!¡±


    I sighed. It was a very good thing that the bees seemed intent on protecting her from the wicked cultivators¡­but I did make another note to have a conversation at some point with her about how to speak to those with better cultivation than her.


    Queen Pollen stared at the little girl for a long moment, then her lips trembled, and a crack formed in her perfect mask of politeness. She exploded into a small cloud of flowers, then reappeared right next to us. She practically threw herself at Xinya, wrapping her up in her arms and hugging her tight.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness, YOUARETHECUTESTTHINGI¡¯VEEVERSEEN!¡±

 Chapter 26 - Bees!

    Caution must be taken when visiting beast kingdoms and courts. Too often, our diplomats forget that the human forms worn by spirit beasts are just that: forms they wear. The fact is that our sensibilities, standards, and instincts can be dangerous in a beast court. Show a wolf sympathy at bad news? They¡¯ll either tear you apart for prying or practically adopt you. And the latter means they expect you to revoke your loyalties. Failure to follow through is akin to the greatest of betrayals deserving of a clan blood feud. ¨CDiplomat Jie San of the Wind¡¯s Word Sect


    *          *          *


    Xinya and I were both stunned speechless by the sudden appearance of the Queen next to us. Of all the outcomes I¡¯d expected from meeting the Queen of the Spirit Bees, this was not one of them.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± said the fan-bearing twin with a sigh. ¡°Your Majesty, this is highly inappropriate of your station.¡±


    The Queen froze in the middle of patting Xinya¡¯s head. There was another explosion of flower petals, and, suddenly, she was standing before us. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes were closed as she bowed slightly.


    ¡°Please forgive my outburst. I simply do not get guests often.¡± She was genuinely apologetic, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep the smile off my face.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I guess,¡± Xinya answered. ¡°But, don¡¯t hurt him. He only kidnapped me to save me!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Save you from what, sweetie?¡± The Queen listened with rapt attention as Xinya explained the events of the other night. Her voice trembled as she described how the water cultivator had burst into their home with a spirit hound in tow. She refused to go with them when they said she had qi on her. Her father had fought back, but, in the end, they took her and stuck her in the lineup with all the other kids. Pollen examined the bruise on her cheek, nodding as she began to see the picture. Eventually, Xinya retold her perspective of the lineup. How Shen Yaoxan had tried to kill her, only to be thwarted first by her father, then by a strange monster wrapped in chains. The monster (me) beat up all the wicked cultivators, then spirited her away, even though he was injured in the battle.


    ¡°I see, so he was the artist at the Flower Shrine scaring away my workers,¡± Pollen mused. ¡°But, he wasn¡¯t the one Cherry and Rose were trying to protect you from?¡± Xinya nodded. ¡°Well, that settles it! How may I address you both?¡± Xinya introduced us both and Pollen smiled. ¡°Very human names! I like it! Now, I would like to apologize for the disrespect shown to you, Master Tsuyuki. Would you indulge me by allowing me to heal your injuries?¡±


    ¡°You honor me, Your Majesty,¡± I answered. Immediately, Queen Pollen turned and left. The bees that accompanied her bumbled along behind, and the twins ushered Xinya and I to follow.


    The Honey Hive¡¯s estates were vast, and it quickly became clear that we¡¯d only seen a small portion of it from the front. It sprawled back along the edge of the lake and into the forest.


    ¡°We¡¯ve spent years building up the estates,¡± Pollen explained as we walked across one of the bridges. ¡°I¡¯ve always dreamed of reaching out to the local humans for trade and built my palace so as to be familiar when they visit to discuss those deals. If you look towards the shore, you¡¯ll see one of the hive houses. That one is a honey store. We keep the brood houses on the ridge above the lake, as well as in several other places scattered around my dominion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite the impressive estate,¡± I complimented. Xinya tugged on the hem of my robes.


    ¡°How do bees build stuff like this? Even Saikan¡¯s biggest building isn¡¯t this grand.¡±


    ¡°Spirit Beasts inherit ancestral knowledge when they¡¯re born,¡± I answered. ¡°It helps them get started on their path. Through their own cultivation, they gain the intelligence to do pretty much anything a human can.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how much carpenter bees can pick up from watching human workers,¡± Pollen added. ¡°Though my main court and I are all honeybees, I have gathered a number of unique species here. Nothing aggressive, though. Those tend to gravitate towards the hornets and get killed for their efforts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d heard that the hornets were getting more aggressive, lately,¡± I noted.


    The Queen sighed. ¡°Yes, they recently had a change in leadership, a duel between their old queen and a younger upstart. Ever since, they¡¯ve been closed to negotiations, even though they¡¯ve been pushing outward almost every day. Here we are.¡± Pollen opened the door to a simple guest room.


    There were many flowers to decorate, but what really drew my attention was the array carved into the floor. Its design was unfamiliar to me, but a sleeping mat at the center of the circle made it clear what the design was for.


    ¡°My powers are tied to my domain, but I can draw life from the land to heal your injuries.¡±


    So, she was a Land artist. Land was one of the six elements of the Creation cycle, alongside Ocean, Sky, Life, Death, and Creation itself. I¡¯d never actually met a Land artist for real, as they rarely travel beyond their individual domain, but I¡¯d done my share of reading on the subject. Land artists bound their core and their spirit to a specific dominion in the physical world, and, by cycling their qi through the land, they could gather the qi from the land to form techniques. It was a difficult art, and one that few ever mastered.


    I settled myself onto the mat at the center of the array and Pollen knelt beside me. The array activated and began to glow bright with spiritual power. I felt that power slowly flow into me, numbing my limbs and making my eyes droop.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Pollen began to hum softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be all better soon.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have a choice. Pollen¡¯s spiritual energy soothed me like a sedative. I was out before I knew it.


    *          *          *


    A cloaked figure slunk between the stone buildings. The night was dark, with only a sliver of moonlight overhead. Their footsteps did nothing to disturb the stillness of the night, for no one dared disturb the tension that clung to the air of Saikan.


    ¡°Four men dead.¡± The voice drifted from a window high above. On a normal night, the conversations of the occupants wouldn¡¯t be heard. The inn was the finest the town had to offer, and, yet, none of the usual joy could be heard within. Not a soul dared make more than the slightest peep, lest they anger the wolf in their midst.


    ¡°Sir, are we going to retreat?¡± said another voice. ¡°If we return, maybe your esteemed father could give us reinforcements!¡±


    ¡°And give my weak brother the chance to butt in and steal my hard work? I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°But sir, we¡¯ve lost four strong cultivators.¡± The voice paused, as if struggling to put words to the horror they¡¯d witnessed. ¡°It was done in broad daylight. A shade that can attack in daylight¡­¡± the voice trailed off, but the implication was clear. Such a being was well beyond them.


    ¡°Suiren was not killed by a shade. He was burned to death.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s working with someone?¡±


    ¡°Shades don¡¯t bleed. There was fresh blood against the shrine,¡± the leader growled. ¡°No, this Chain-Bound Fury is no shade.¡±


    The cloaked figure had been listening carefully to the conversation until then. The corner of their lips tweaked upward hearing the deductions made. Of course it was no shade that attacked them, disrupted the good work of the officials, and spirited away the fugitive child. No shade would care.


    Whatever the monster really was, though they suspected more and more that it was some yokai in disguise, it had stalked their fair fishing town for a while. It might have Tenri Lin fooled, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as clever or as charming as it thought it was. Since it had come, it had started laying the groundwork for Saikan¡¯s destruction, and thought none in town were wise to its actions. But the cloaked person had been watching closely.


    They didn¡¯t know what manner of creature it was. Yokai were varied in nature. It could be a wicked fox spirit with a hungering for the blood of innocents, or a yaksha of the depths, intent on slaughtering the entire town for its own entertainment, or any number of other wicked, cruel entities. Despite their differences, almost all yokai shared two key traits: a mysterious and sudden appearance, and the hunger for human flesh and qi. Even the tiniest child knew that much of yokai.


    The inn staff made no move to stop the cloaked figure as they swooped into the building. They climbed the stairs and knocked heavily on the door. A moment later, it was opened by a man with a bronze badge tied around his left arm.


    When the cloaked person spoke, it was with a clear, authoritative voice. ¡°I have information for Master Shen regarding the identity of the Fury.¡±


    *          *          *


    I woke quite suddenly after dreaming that the moon had fallen right out of the sky, crushing me instantly. I shot straight upright, only to find myself in a strange room. It took a few moments to remember that I was still in Queen Pollen¡¯s palace. Pollen, or more likely one of the twins, had exchanged my robes for a simple set of purple house clothes, and a bee was busy folding up my robes.


    As soon as I swung my feet to the floor, Chiho erupted out of one of my pockets, scaring the bee before rushing to my arms. The bee buzzed a high-pitched squeal of alarm before zipping from the room in fright.


    ¡°Chiho!¡± I chastised. It nuzzled my cheek and flew laps around my head. ¡°Chiho, it¡¯s fine! I¡¯m alright.¡± Sure enough, taking stock of my previous injuries found nothing wrong with me. Pollen had fished the steel pellet from my shoulder, stitched it up good as new, and even set my collarbone. I felt perfectly refreshed¡­or at least as refreshed as I often was after chronically fitful sleep.


    I tied my hair back up with my silver ribbon, then left my room to wander the palace. The pink haze of dawn filtered through the trees, leaving me both surprised and a little disgusted that I¡¯d woken up so early. No wonder Chiho was worried about my health.


    It wasn¡¯t long before I found Pollen, since she was one of the only human-form bees in the entire compound. She was tending to a garden of large flowers withsSpider lilies, peonies, ditch lilies, and dozens of plants I couldn¡¯t identify. Each one shimmered with qi, and, yet, none were quite as stunning as the single blue blossom in Tenri¡¯s garden.


    ¡°Good Morning, Master Tsuyuki,¡± she greeted. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that I had your clothes changed and washed. The steel ball was difficult to remove, and they were more red than white by the end.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m grateful for your hospitality and care.¡± I bowed respectfully to her. ¡°However, I fear that I must beg another favor of you.¡±


    It was something I¡¯d been toying with the entire time I¡¯d been awake: what to do with Xinya. I couldn¡¯t leave the nine-year-old alone, and I could hardly bring her back into town, especially with Shen Yaoxan still around. He¡¯d snap up any opportunity to kill the little girl just to save face after his embarrassing defeat.


    ¡°Xinya is a fugitive,¡± Pollen said with a shake of her head. ¡°It¡¯s so tragic.¡± She paused for a long while. ¡°I would, of course, be most pleased to host little Xinya, but you know doing so comes with something of a risk. If this Iron Master chasing you two should knock on my door, I would have to risk my domain to fend him off, and I already have my own enemies to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we do an exchange?¡± I offered. ¡°I help fight your enemies, and you shelter Xinya until it¡¯s safe for her to return or move on?¡±


    ¡°I am at war with both the Hanai Hornet Nest as well as the Spiders of the Black Crevice. The hornets are exceptionally strong and aggressive, and completely unwilling to negotiate until their queen emerges.¡± Pollen bit her lip in irritation. ¡°And the spider¡¯s matriarch has always been a pain to deal with. Her kin are blood thirsty and have no regard for the land.


    ¡°My hive is caught between them,¡± Pollen continued, kneeling down to caress a crimson corpse flower. ¡°My land, by its very nature, is filled with natural wonder abundant in qi. My enemies want to take it and consume my kin, but we are not a violent species.¡±


    My mind flashed back to Cherry and Rose. They seemed to get over their non-violent nature well enough to kill that artist. However, creating human spirit beasts was a difficult process, and one that required many resources to achieve. Pollen probably couldn¡¯t afford to create any more than she already had.


    I bowed before the Queen. ¡°I would be happy to assist in bringing peace between your lands and the others.¡± It wasn¡¯t like I had anything better to do. Besides, in a roundabout way, this would help Tenri get some sleep before he keeled over and died of exhaustion.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear,¡± Pollen said with a polite smile. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d offer assistance. Perhaps this is the start of a prosperous friendship between my hive and your town.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no representative of Saikan, but I would consider myself lucky to be a friend of yours.¡±

 Chapter 27 - The Face of Grief

    Our world is cruel. With the weights of power we all wield, sooner or later we all fail in one way or another. Those we love are left to suffer. The least I can do is grant those who leave a true peace and separation from their mortal pains. ¨CWu Siwan, the Ascendant of Death


    *          *          *


    There was one matter, however, that was more important than my promise to Pollen. I strode through the covered palace walkways, following a bumbling bee that Pollen had designated as a ¡°Groomer.¡± Apparently, they were her personal attendants and the keepers of her household. They did all the cleaning, all the cooking, and saw to Pollen¡¯s every need. Beyond the inner palace, the scouts and other workers were in charge, but here, the Groomers were second only to Pollen herself.


    The bee clasped its front limbs together and bowed its head, gesturing with its mid-legs to a door carved with weaving vines. I nodded my head respectfully to the bee before opening the door and stepping inside.


    Xinya sat on a bed, dressed in a brand new dress with honeycomb patterns decorating the collar and sleeves. Where Pollen got such a fine and detailed outfit on such short notice was beyond me, but it fit Xinya perfectly. Nearby, a Groomer nudged a plate of some kind of honey-colored pudding towards the little girl, but she turned away.


    ¡°Hey now,¡± I scolded gently. ¡°The bees might get offended if you don¡¯t accept their treats.¡±


    When Xinya raised her head, a brief smile crossed her lips, but it was quickly replaced with a dark sorrow that darkened her emerald eyes. I knew that look¡­I knew that look well. Guilt, loss, regret¡­they were my constant companions.


    I sat down on the bed beside her. What should I say? Was there anything that would lift her spirits? She¡¯d been made into an orphan and ostracized by her own people in one fell swoop. No child should have to deal with the pain swirling in her heart.


    What would Aya say at a time like this? What would Chouko say? I thought to myself. My sisters were always so much better at dealing with hard situations like this. I was clever, but, by comparison, they were both stars in the heavens that the likes of me could only dream of reaching. But, for all their compassion, they were both gone. I was the one here to try and heal the spirit next to me.


    ¡°Your father was a good man,¡± I said softly. ¡°It was clear to everyone just how much he loved you.¡±


    Xinya didn¡¯t answer. She stared stubbornly at the floorboards, but no tears welled in her eyes. A rim of red clouded them. She¡¯d been crying already, and had no doubt run out of tears. I took a deep breath, preparing myself to share what I¡¯d only shared with a handful of people before.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a good father,¡± I began, apprehension gripping my heart. ¡°My mother was a cultivator, like yours, but she died fighting a rival when I was too young to remember. Our father never recovered from that blow.¡± I paused, trying to judge if Xinya was even listening, but the girl was unreadable as ever. I pushed onward. ¡°My little sister and I were effectively raised by our older sister, Aya, and we were all that any of us ever needed. It was us against the world.


    ¡°I¡¯ll spare you the details of a very, very long history, but the short of it was that Aya was taken from us. It spurred me to become a cultivator, and, even then, she died in my arms. I was helpless to save her. Even with all the tricks I¡¯d learned, all the power I had, I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat. ¡°At the time, I vowed I¡¯d never let my other sister suffer that kind of fate, but that, too, was out of my control. I could challenge the very heavens, but my second sister died in my arms, just like the first.¡± I wrapped an arm around Xinya¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sometimes, it doesn¡¯t matter how much you try, or what you do to stop it, bad things just happen. They hurt, I won¡¯t try to say they don¡¯t. Heavens know the damage I caused when I was drowning in my grief. I was so hurt that I let myself fall to madness rather than face a world without them¡­and that cost me everything.¡±


    Xinya¡¯s shoulders began to tremble, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her fists balled into fists in her lap, but she didn¡¯t speak. It was only after several minutes that she dared to open her mouth.


    ¡°But, why?¡± she rasped through gritted teeth. ¡°Why did he have to die? What had we done wrong?!¡± Fury drove her words louder and louder until she was shouting. ¡°We were just eating dinner! We hadn¡¯t done anything to offend anyone, and they pulled my hair and broke his arm! HOW IS THAT FAIR?!¡±


    Suddenly, my every hair stood on end. I pulled forward a strand of my ponytail only to find that several strands were rising from the rest. Static made my skin tingle, and I quickly waved the Groomer from the room, lest she get hurt by Xinya¡¯s fury.


    If I¡¯d had eyes of Iron, I would bet I¡¯d have seen lightning qi sparking in the room. Xinya was further along with the creation of her core than I¡¯d dared hope if she could summon this kind of strength, even in a fit of unadulterated rage. Or maybe it was exactly because of her rage that it was gathering so densely. After all, Lightning is the aura of heaven¡¯s judgement. Seeking justice and smiting the wicked were exactly what it did best.


    I knelt before the little girl. As soon as I took her hands in mine, I felt a jolt of electricity pass through one hand, up my arm, through my body, and back down the other arm into her. It wasn¡¯t painful. She wasn¡¯t even at the highest stages of the Manifestation Realm.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± I answered. ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair. It¡¯s cruel and sadistic, and the only light is that which we shine for others.¡±


    ¡°Light won¡¯t bring my father back!¡± she screamed. ¡°That monster killed him! He ripped his heart right from his chest, all because¡­¡± Her voice broke and tears leaked from her eyes.


    A sudden CRACK behind me made me jump. I looked back to see a smoking burn on the floor where a tiny bolt of lightning had just struck. I¡¯d have to apologize to Pollen for the damage, but now the goal was to calm Xinya down before she accidentally set fire to the bedsheets or curtains¡­or worse her lunar aura began to warp the room.


    ¡°It¡­it¡¯s because¡­¡± she muttered, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    I surged upward, wrapping the girl in a tight hug. She buried her face in my chest and wailed. Another stroke of lightning struck the ground, then another. Finally, a third slammed into my arm, forcing my muscles to tense briefly.


    ¡°Xinya,¡± I murmured to her. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Shen Yaoxan is a wicked man. Do not accept the weight of his failure.¡±


    ¡°But¡­but I¡­I¡¯m the one who provoked him! He died protecting me!¡± she screamed with everything she had.


    Suddenly, the chaos in the room subsided and the little girl slumped into my arms. No doubt that little tantrum had spent all the qi she had, and certainly all her mental energy to control it.


    I hooked my arm behind her legs and lifted her into my arms. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, I settled her into my lap and held her around the shoulders. Chiho pulled itself out of my hair and nuzzled against her cheek as she shuddered in my arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± I murmured. What else could I say? What else could I do? Though her loss of control was justifiable, this was exactly why most sects secluded their younger members until they were old enough to control their emotions better.


    The unfortunate truth was that Xinya couldn¡¯t return home anymore. Even if the people of Saikan accepted her, only Tenri could raise her safely. Without a master to teach her self-control, she¡¯d end up destroying herself and everyone around her.


    Never thought I¡¯d be the one to champion the cause of discipline¡­ I thought. My old Masters must be laughing at me from the afterlife.


    Then again, I was 15 when I started cultivating. Xinya was only nine. Six years makes a big difference. Be they cultivator, spirit beast, or yokai; she¡¯d have to be raised by someone with higher cultivation than her until she was old enough to take care of herself.


    ¡°Xinya,¡± I began. ¡°I think it¡¯s time that I started teaching you to control your qi.¡±


    ¡°R-really?¡± her eyes were as wide as saucers.


    I nodded. ¡°Look around you.¡± She cast one glance around the room before dropping her gaze to her hands in her lap. ¡°To cultivate is to defy the laws of heaven, but that power should never be taken lightly. Cultivators make enemies, and every technique can be used just as much for good as for evil. Even Ascendents can be struck down if they aren¡¯t careful.¡±


    I was suddenly flashing back to my days listening to my old sect leader lecturing me on these same topics. It was the foundation of my path.


    ¡°Now, repeat after me: ¡®The Light of Heaven is with me.¡¯¡± Xinya dutifully repeated the start of the precepts. ¡°¡®It washes over and around me, soothing my soul and filling my spirit. My anger is wind before the shield of my light. My patience is the sword with which I shall slay it.¡¯¡±


    There was a time when every cultivator in my dominion knew those words, whether they were sect-bound or not. It was one of the founding principles of the Heaven¡¯s Blade Sect.


    ¡°If you find yourself with anger beyond words festering in your heart, remember those words. The Light is your shield,¡± I finished.


    ¡°Light is my shield,¡± she repeated. ¡°Does this mean I need to call you Master, now?¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, you should have been calling me that before,¡± I muttered. ¡°But, no. I¡¯m no stuffy sect elder.¡±


    ¡°Then what should I refer to you as?¡±


    ¡°You could try using my name for once.¡± She thought long and hard about the idea, then shook her head.


    ¡°No thanks, that¡¯s boring.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop the laughter from bubbling up from my chest. She sure was a bundle of trouble. I wondered if she got that from her father. After all, he was troublesome enough to let his daughter cook the world¡¯s spiciest meal.


    ¡°Are you going to teach me how to make those light blades you use?¡± Xinya asked.


    ¡°Maybe someday, but you need to finish manifesting your core first,¡± I explained. ¡°Based on your display, you are certainly no Seed stage artist. You may have passed right through Seedling to Sapling, maybe even all the way to Branch. Only when you reach Leaf, the highest stage of Manifestation will you be able to learn full techniques, and most will require you to reach Bronze at a minimum.¡±


    Xinya raised her knuckle and began biting it as she thought. ¡°When do we start?¡±


    ¡°Queen Pollen has asked me to look into something,¡± I explained. ¡°After I get back, we¡¯ll get started in earnest. In the meantime, if you start to feel the urge to throw lightning bolts, remember your shield of light and blade of patience. Anger is not your friend, trust me.¡± Memories of my sins manifested as flashes of devastating light and silver stone. I forced them aside, shoving back the guilt before it could reach my face. Xinya nodded her agreement and rested her head against my chest.


    The trembling Groomer poked her fuzzy head back through the door now that the chaos had died down. Her head turned to see the scorched marks where lightning had struck, but she dutifully approached with her pudding bowl once more. I took it in hand and offered the spoon to Xinya.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯d be happy to eat it for you,¡± I teased. She glared at me and dug her spoon into the gelatinous sweet. It smelled like honey and fruit, and I was genuinely jealous.


    I was even more so after a look of delight sprang onto Xinya¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s really sweet!¡±


    ¡°Can I have a bite?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s mine.¡± She glared at me, and I pouted. A few minutes later, the Groomer returned with another pudding, compliments of Queen Pollen.


    Xinya was right. It was the sweetest thing I¡¯d ever tasted.


    Xinya would be in excellent hands with Pollen. The Queen absolutely adored her, showering her in affection and sweets at every opportunity. If anything, I was more worried about Xinya drowning in a mountain of sweets or being smothered in Pollen¡¯s chest than anything else. However, the Queen Bee seemed well aware of her own strength and was gentle with the little girl.


    I gave the little girl a tight hug before I set off into the forest.


    ¡°Why do you have to go?¡± she asked. I smiled and knelt next to her.


    ¡°As I recall, you said much the same to your dad before the storm, yes? Remind me what it was he said that time?¡± I remembered perfectly well, but I wanted her to say it.


    ¡°¡®Those who can must help those who cannot.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s words, if I recall.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°But, why can¡¯t Cherry Blossom or Rose Thorn go? You¡¯re hunting other beasts, right? They¡¯re strong.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m strong, too, you know,¡± I protested. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Pollen needs me to be a neutral party and talk some sense into the other beasts. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±


    ¡°Can I keep Chiho, at least?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to get spoiled, at this rate,¡± I muttered to the little pin as it zipped around the little girl¡¯s head and settled into her hair. ¡°One of these days, Chiho, you¡¯ll have to come with me on a mission, and I¡¯ll find out you¡¯re rusty.¡±


    Chiho trilled angrily and zipped over to poke my nose. I batted it gently away, but it continued its assault. Only after its tirade was complete did it drift back to Xinya and set about braiding her hair, using small amounts of wind qi to manipulate the strands. I just smiled and rolled my eyes at its mischief.


    ¡°Be good for Pollen,¡± I instructed the little girl. ¡°Remember what I taught you. When I¡¯m back, we¡¯ll start in greater detail.¡±


    Xinya nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight hug. I squeezed her back, then stood and turned to the southwest. Part of me felt a little bad for leaving her behind so quickly after she lost her father, but duty called. This safe haven needed to be protected, and, without knowing more about the struggle between the insect colonies, I couldn¡¯t ensure her safety, even here.

 Chapter 28 - Night Hunt

    Every disciple must go hunting at some point, whether they like it or not. There are monsters out there, and the Sect is responsible for that land. We cannot forsake our duty to the people there. That would make us no better than Yokai as we use the literal fruits of their labor to fuel our paths. ¨CNuen Xi, Senior Disciple of the Ripple Mountain Sect


    *          *          *


    The half-moon rose over the village of Heimian, a tiny town in the middle of the forest which I genuinely mistook for a ghost town on first impression. Not a soul was outdoors when I entered, and many windows were tightly boarded over. Only the tiniest cracks of light peaked through the boards to show that there was anyone home at all.


    I wandered the deserted streets, looking for an inn or something. It had been far too long since I¡¯d spent so many nights camped outdoors. Distances mattered a whole lot less to those with power. In the old days, I had dozens of spiritual devices at my disposal to expedite travel, even before I ascended. Now, all I had was my own two feet and the dream of a warm, soft bed waiting for me in town.


    ¡°Psst! Hey! Do you have a death wish? Get inside!¡± hissed a voice from a large building. The establishment plaque indicated that it was, indeed, an inn.


    What luck!


    Accepting the man¡¯s invitation, I crossed the street to the inn. When I entered, some twenty people turned and stared as if a divine messenger had entered. Inwardly, I basked in the look. I was the image of a regular wandering cultivator, dressed in my usual white and blue robes with my bamboo hat to keep my hair from shining in the light of the waxing moon. Most people never encountered more than one cultivator in their entire lifetime, and usually that one was a local they knew. Even fewer people could say they met a wanderer like me. It was nice to be heralded as a would-be hero again instead of the monster under the bed.


    ¡°Streets aren¡¯t safe at night, Young Master,¡± the innkeeper said. ¡°Better you rest up here and take yourself far from here come morning.¡±


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I asked. A few spirit beasts had crossed my path on the way here, mostly just a couple of hungry foxes and wolves, but nothing capable of frightening an entire town off the streets after sundown.


    Whispers rose like an ocean wave. The twenty people sheltering in the inn turned to one another, passing a flicker of hope between them.


    ¡°He looks strong, maybe he can help?¡±


    ¡°Really? Look at him, he¡¯s a twig. Barely make a single meal for them.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s definitely a cultivator, though.¡±


    ¡°Really? Where¡¯s his badge?¡±


    ¡°Must be Untethered. No sect ties.¡±


    ¡°Must be. No sect would care about the likes of us.¡±


    I cleared my throat, and the whispers died down. ¡°Is there a monster harassing the town?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± the innkeeper answered. ¡°But, respectfully, Master Cultivator, without an army, I doubt there¡¯s much even your esteemed self can do.¡± He set a cup down and filled it with wine. ¡°But, if you¡¯re willing to listen, that drink is on the house.¡±


    These people were desperate. Though I didn¡¯t think I was close enough to either the spider den or the hornet nest, it wasn¡¯t impossible to find details on those problems, should the locals come to trust me. I took a seat and sipped the wine as the story began to unfold.


    ¡°People have been dying in the streets,¡± the innkeeper began. ¡°No one has seen the monster, but it leaves behind corpses damn near every night.¡±


    Someone in the gathered crowd let out an awkward laugh. ¡°Corpse? That¡¯s generous. Did you hear what happened to the girl they found on the docks? They only know it¡¯s her because of a bracelet found in the viscera!¡±


    ¡°Tell me more,¡± I continued, mentally sifting through every yokai I knew of to narrow down those who liked destroying corpses.


    ¡°I heard a rumor that some of the corpses are missing pieces. It must be eating them!¡± said another person from the crowd.


    ¡°The Administrator is keeping that part under wraps,¡± continued the innkeeper.


    Destroying corpses, possibly eating parts¡­by all accounts, it sounded like the work of a dozen different yokai, but something about it didn¡¯t sit right. Certainly, there were yokai out there who only wanted to prey on humans, but why only take parts of the corpses? Why destroy the rest?


    To solve this riddle, it seemed I would have to try and hunt the creature myself. I took another sip of the wine. It was decent, but weak so far as a cultivator¡¯s metabolism is concerned.


    ¡°And what about the Administrator?¡± I asked. I had to admit, the fact that every town was guaranteed to have at least one cultivator nearby was surprisingly convenient. Maybe there was some merit to that idea after all. Though, no kingdom I oversaw would ever have them doing deskwork. That¡¯s just a waste.


    The Innkeeper rolled his eyes and snorted slightly. ¡°Master Administrator is very busy.¡± Sarcasm dripped from his tongue, and I took another sip of my wine rather than commenting. For the common folk to be so openly scornful of a cultivator did not speak well of his qualifications and demeanor.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll pay him a visit anyway,¡± I continued. ¡°Hunting yokai is dang-¡±


    Before I could finish my thought, a distant scream drifted into the room. Several people hurriedly snuffed the lights, leaving us in total darkness. As for myself, I sighed, downed the last of the cup, and set it on the table. Dangerous or not, a life was in jeopardy, and this yokai would wait for no man. I pulled my hat back over my hair before stepping back out into the moonlight.


    Time was now of the essence. As long as the screaming continued, there was still a chance of saving the victim. It was somewhere west of my location, but, in a town with so many alleyways, I could easily search for hours on the ground.


    Instead, I raced to a nearby building, leapt into the air, and pulled myself onto the roof. I choked down a small laugh as I caught the sound of a few loud gasps of excitement from the few people at the inn who¡¯d been brave enough to watch me leave. It wasn¡¯t like climbing a building was anything to write home about, but mortals get excited when cultivators are in action.


    ¡°Please! Help!¡± shouted the victim again. They were still alive. I altered my course, following their cries until I spotted the young man running with everything he had down a twisting alleyway.


    I immediately recognized the creatures chasing him. There were six of them, each one resembling a person, but with skin as pale as death itself and eyes like sunken black pits. Their clothes were ripped and soiled with dirt and rot. Each face was pocked with rotting sections that flaked off, exposing the white bone underneath.


    The six creatures growled and hissed as they chased after their prey. He tried twisting around corners, but they hunted him by smell and sense, tracking his presence even around the shadowed alleyways. Without knowledge of this creature, he¡¯d never be able to outrun them. He¡¯d collapse from panic and exhaustion before they even slowed. When he did, they¡¯d catch up and consume him, body and soul. Better to avoid that outcome.


    Wind ruffled the fabric of my clothes as I jumped into the alleyway and grabbed the man by the collar. I quickly pulled him back around another corner and held my hand over his mouth to keep him from screaming.


    ¡°Be calm,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± He trembled and nodded. I released him and he immediately fell to his knees.


    ¡°Th-thank you! Please! I don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    ¡°Then find the first open building, get inside, put out any flames, and try not to breathe too hard,¡± I instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll lead them away.¡±


    He nodded and scurried away as quickly as he could. Then I did the exact opposite of my advice. I stepped into the alleyway and circulated my qi inside my body, making sure to expel some with each breath. These creatures had many names: walking corpses, hopping vampires, qi suckers. Regardless of name, at the end of the day, they craved the vital energy of the living and were willing to do anything to get it.


    The corpses whirled around a corner, their red eyes glowing with excitement to find an even more vibrant source of life energy than the one they¡¯d been hunting. My qi was like an all-you-can-eat buffet to these creatures. They just didn¡¯t have the intelligence to recognize just how far out of their depth they were.


    The first corpse lashed out with rotting nails. She was dressed in tattered, dirty white robes, likely how she¡¯d been buried. Another of her companions lunged at me from the other side. I ducked beneath the first strike, letting the woman stumble past as I darted past the rest of the six. They whirled around and growled as I darted away.


    Walking corpses aren¡¯t particularly dangerous, but the biggest threat is proximity. Death qi oozed from their every pore, creating a miasma of rot that would be deadly to any mortal who breathed it in, and severely annoying to me at my current strength.


    The best way of fighting them was to use talismans or music to soothe the spirits and disperse the death qi animating them. I was fresh out of talisman materials, not that I was very good at making them, and the flute I used to use for such problems was probably destroyed after my incarceration. Instead, I would have to rely on the second-best way to fight a corpse: destroy a significant portion of the body¡­preferably without breathing in the miasma.


    I summoned void to my hands, solidifying it into a small orb before hurling it at the nearest corpse. It howled as the disintegrating energy melted the flesh from its bones and left a sizeable hole in its chest. The corpse shuddered and twitched, but still stood.


    Okay, there¡¯s something to be said for the second-best way being not as good as the first, but my options were limited. I darted down the alley, drawing them further away before hurling another ball of void at my target. The hole in the corpse¡¯s chest was widened until the top half slid to the ground. Hatred still burned in its eyes as it clawed its way closer, but it was now much too slow to keep up. Death qi swirled out of the twitching remains in a deathly fog that would kill a normal mortal outright. I covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve. I was keeping my distance, but it was better safe than sorry when it comes to death qi.


    The rest of the corpses fell much the same way. One by one, I dissolved their bodies until they couldn¡¯t stand anymore. They weren¡¯t smart enough to do anything about it, and there was no point in taking unnecessary risks in getting closer.


    But, as I dealt with the undead, a nagging concern ate at the back of my mind. Corpses could sometimes rise naturally, if their resentment at the living was strong enough and conditions were favorable, but, generally, they were much more likely to be raised by a death artist. For six of them to be gathered together on their own was unlikely.


    If these were the creatures responsible for the deaths in town, then how had no one discovered them? They weren¡¯t intelligent. They weren¡¯t particularly fast or strong, so why had the local administrator not taken care of it? Even a drunkard should have been capable of that much.


    If someone was pulling the strings, however, that would explain how they could evade the incompetent authorities. Perhaps the local administrator had caught some of them, but couldn¡¯t find the death artist, who would just raise more corpses to do their bidding. Now, why a death artist would want pieces of the bodies destroyed by their corpses, I couldn¡¯t say quite yet. They must have had some dark purpose or ritual to complete.


    I backed into a square with a gently flowing fountain at the center. A few lanterns lit by moon tears cast shadows across the open space as the last of the corpses, the one who first attacked, stepped into the open. I readied another ball of qi, but before I could throw it, a scuttling caught my attention. I whirled around, trying to find the source, but there was nothing there. All I could hear now was the stumbling corpse behind me.


    One problem at a time, Yoru, I scolded myself, turning back to the corpse. I hurled my orb of void qi. It slammed into the corpse¡¯s stomach, and she toppled to the ground in a heap of still-moving limbs.


    In that moment, a wave of images passed before my eyes. Flash Forward warned me of an attack, then another, and another, all coming from different sides. I could barely even see the shape of the creature, it was just a dark, ominous shadow. Each image showed a pair of fangs, glistening with venom, piercing me in a dozen different places. All I could tell for sure was¡­


    It was behind me.

 Chapter 29 - Shadows in the Dark

    One way that beasts have always outcompeted their human counterparts is in their instincts. They never hunt when the conditions aren¡¯t right, for example. An owl will use the night where a hawk uses the day. You¡¯d be surprised how many cultivators seemingly forget that they need to see when hunting a beast... ¨CJinai Sure, Guard to the Nighthaunt Menagerie


    *          *          *


    Panic filled me as shadows surged. I curled and threw myself forward, desperately hoping that the true reality was one where I¡¯d escape the attack. Fangs snapped down on air, followed by an angry mix of hisses and clicks, but I did not stop to look at the creature. It was much more important to put some distance between me and it.


    ¡°Why ssso scared?¡± hissed a horrible voice. It sounded like a young woman, but one who¡¯d drank acid enough to make her voice into gravelly whisper. It echoed with otherworldly power.


    Only once I reached the south edge of the square did I spin and hold my ground. Crouched on the fountain, perched on eight spindly legs, was a spider big enough to come up to my waist. It seemed I¡¯d stumbled on part of my true quarry, after all.


    Immediately, I relaxed. It was a known enemy, and one I knew to be a naturally solitary hunter. I could handle a single spirit spider, even if it was big enough to rip my arm off¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared in the slightest,¡± I answered. ¡°When there was a spider in my home, my sisters would always come to me to take care of it.¡±


    The spider clicked her pincers. ¡°Are you here to play hero, then? How cute.¡±


    ¡°If you insist on terrorizing the townsfolk, then I¡¯ll show you just how much ¡®playing¡¯ is involved,¡± I answered.


    The spider let out a blood-chilling giggle. ¡°Terrorizing? I think you mean ¡®tenderizing.¡¯ The blood runs so much more freely when the prey is scared.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d advise against consuming the blood and qi of humans.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Afraid my kin will become too strong to deal with?¡± She laughed. ¡°You humans think you can keep everything for yourselves!¡± I sighed. She would not listen to reason, and, since she was just a lesser spider, the odds were becoming increasingly likely that the matriarch had already taken the first steps down a very dark path.


    Any creature can become a yokai, the monsters that dwell in the dark places of the world. Three critical components are required for the change from human or beast into a yokai: the blood of a human, the qi of a human, and enough resentful energy to catalyze the change and alter their form. It¡¯s for this reason that most yokai are considered wicked beasts of the night.


    However, resentful energy can take many forms, and not all yokai are as evil as mortals claim them to be. Much like shades, mortals, and cultivators, they come in all flavors. That said, most newborn yokai are still too steeped in resentment and negative energy to see much beyond that. Many go mad and become the very monsters that give the rest a bad reputation, and those who are most vulnerable are the ones who don¡¯t understand the risks of the transformation.


    ¡°Listen, the townsfolk have done nothing to you. Let¡¯s talk this out, before things go poorly.¡± I didn¡¯t bother mentioning that it would go poorly for her, and not me. That part was implied.


    The spider clicked her pincers. ¡°Mother warned me against the lies of men.¡±


    She launched herself off the fountain, streaking towards me like a shadow in the darkness. Eight sharp legs carried her with incredible speed across the distance between us. I threw the orb of void qi. It would have slammed into her abdomen, but she flattened herself at the last second, letting the hostile qi sail straight over her.


    Two legs reared back and thrust forward. I hopped back. The strike slammed into the ground where I¡¯d stood, cracking the cobblestones with far more force than I expected. I mentally ticked off the lower advancements. This creature was probably more powerful than me, strictly in terms of advancement. No wonder the administrator hadn¡¯t resolved the problem. If he was anything like Tenri, he probably would die in the attempt.


    ¡°You¡¯re a spritely morsel, aren¡¯t you?¡± the spider hissed. ¡°Perfect. I like the squirming ones.¡±


    I summoned the hungering void within my core and lunged forward. She¡¯d regret bringing this fight into close quarters.


    My hand brushed against the closest of the hairy legs that had threatened to skewer me only moments earlier. Void surged into the limb, ripping into the chitinous shell and dissolving it. The spider screamed a terrible pitch like twisting metal, and I was forced to press my hands over my ears to alleviate the pain it caused in my head.


    ¡°YOU WRETCHED INSECT!¡± she screeched.


    The spider pounced, trying to pin me down, but I scrambled away. Her landing sent a small shockwave through the ground. I stumbled from the impact but kept going. Anger burned in every one of the spider¡¯s beady eyes. She raised up on her legs once more, releasing another earsplitting screech that pierced my ears.


    Out of instinct, I found myself looking at the air around the spider, rather than at her. Being Bronze was really inconvenient. If I¡¯d been even one advancement higher, I would be able to see the qi under the command of that scream and have some clue as to what the attack might do. However, to pitiful Bronze eyes, the air was just air, and I had few ways of deducing what would come next.


    In fact, nothing seemed to happen¡­which was even more suspicious than any other outcome. Flash Forward didn¡¯t warn me of an immediate threat, which was mildly reassuring, but only mildly. The ability wasn¡¯t infallible, but usually when it failed it was because of a surplus of input, rather than a lack thereof.


    ¡°I should commend you for making it this far,¡± the spider said, settling onto her seven remaining legs in a way I¡¯d almost describe as dainty¡­that is if she were a woman carefully arranging her skirts rather than a spider. ¡°Only a handful of wasps have ever put up this kind of challenge, and they made some of the most delicious meals I¡¯ve ever had.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She was stalling for time. That was clear, even without Iron eyes with which to see qi. But¡­what was she stalling for? I glanced around me, but nothing happened. No miasma seeped from the earth, no walking corpses crawled forward. It was as if she really did want to pause and talk as I¡¯d suggested at the beginning of the fight.


    ¡°Oh, so cautious,¡± she praised further. ¡°You really are an experienced cultivator. Fear not, nothing will attack you there.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she took a few steps towards the fountain and the remnants of the last corpse I¡¯d defeated. She examined it carefully. ¡°Hmmm, maybe this arm can be salvaged after all. The fingers aren¡¯t in too poor condition, and the nails were nicely done for the funeral.¡± Then, she knelt before the twitching pile and did¡­something I still couldn¡¯t see. The corpse went still, and I guessed that she absorbed the qi used to animate it. The visible miasma around the body lessened until it was entirely dispersed on the wind.


    ¡°What are you doing with the body parts?¡± I asked, hoping that the spider would be stupid enough to reveal her grand plan. However, no such luck.


    ¡°Mother would chastise me for playing with my food even this much,¡± she mused. ¡°And it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll live long enough to see my plan come to fruition, so why waste my breath?¡±


    ¡°I thought I was safe as long as I stayed here?¡±


    She clicked her pincers. ¡°That statement only lasts until I have finished giving my ultimatum.¡±


    ¡°Then speak. I don¡¯t have all night.¡± The beady eyes narrowed in a way I didn¡¯t realize a spider was capable of. She huffed and crawled back towards me.


    ¡°Men are so impatient,¡± she hissed. ¡°But fine. As I said, you¡¯re an impressive cultivator, so I¡¯ll give you three options. First, you could run. You¡¯ll die, but your dignity will be intact. Second, you could fight from exactly where you are, and we¡¯ll have a terrible fight wherein I¡¯ll bleed your body in a very unbecoming manner and you¡¯ll be worth little more than food for me and mine.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. She was very confident in her skills to be giving this kind of ultimatum. Did she even realize which of us had actually drawn first blood? What kind of trap was she setting that made her so sure of her success?


    ¡°And finally, you could pick my personal favorite option.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    She raised her head, letting her fangs gleam in the moonlight. ¡°You don¡¯t fight at all. That lovely body of yours stays in perfect condition as I bleed you dry and raise you as my honorable knight. We work together to overthrow my mother, the wasps, and the humans, before ruling over the region as queen and servant.¡±


    Did she seriously think that was enticing? She wasn¡¯t nearly powerful enough to raise any sort of corpse with sentience, so really, that was the same as just letting her kill me.


    I sighed. ¡°And here I thought you¡¯d have some options worth considering.¡± It was a shallow hope. Villains rarely had anything interesting to say, but, at least, I¡¯d hoped for a thought-provoking set of demands. Not that I¡¯d ever acquiesce to the demands of a spider, but, at least, it could have something interesting and out of the ordinary.


    ¡°What? But they¡¯re great options!¡±


    ¡°Not really, the choice is simple.¡± Void qi surged to my hand, and I hurled the ball at her. She skittered to the side, and I took the opportunity to turn and run.


    Don¡¯t think of this as a coward fleeing. I was extremely wary of whatever trap this spider was weaving. She would follow me through the streets of Heimian, but if I could slip through the holes in her web, I would.


    ¡°GET HIM! I WANT HIM ALIVE!¡± The night erupted in the sounds of skittering legs on the stones. It was the unmistakable sound of spider legs.


    So much for solitary hunters¡­ They came from all around me, and, suddenly, my confidence began to waver. They couldn¡¯t all be as powerful as her. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have a reason to remain in the shadows as she prepared for whatever dark ritual was on her mind. She was trying to avoid notice, possibly to keep the administrator from summoning more cultivators to deal with the infestation.


    However, that didn¡¯t mean that they couldn¡¯t take down one cultivator. If the rest were even half her rank, they could become a real nuisance. But¡­what to do about it?


    ¡°You can¡¯t run from me!¡± the lead spider shouted. I chanced a glance behind me to see her charging after me, throwing her previous dainty demeanor to the wind.


    Flash Forward warned me of a shadow on the roof to my left. I jumped as a long strand of thick white thread slammed into the ground where my feet would have been. I landed and darted into a narrow alleyway. The spiders had no choice but to go over top, the width between buildings being far too narrow for them to effectively spread their legs. Having delayed my enemy, I kept running, looking for a place to make my stand. As with many creatures, if I could just take out the leader, the rest would be too intimidated to fight me directly.


    The alley led to market street lined with shops. Doors were closed and windows shuttered for the night, but I spotted a shop that would serve my needs. I quietly ducked between the shops until reaching the door to a fletcher and slipping inside.


    The shopkeeper in question was behind his counter, having been drawn out by the noise on the street outside. He was an older man with old hunter''s calluses on his fingers from decades drawing a bowstring. He blinked up at me in surprise as I put a finger to my lips.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back later,¡± I promised as I pulled a bow from the wall.


    ¡°You defeat those monsters, and the debt will be paid, Master Cultivator,¡± he said, offering me a string for the bow.


    In my old sect, the Heaven¡¯s Blade Sect, disciples were primarily trained in the use of a sword. Even after decades of drills, though, I was still mediocre as a swordman to the point where my own masters refused to admit that they¡¯d been the ones to teach me. After ascending, the Sword Saint had been so appalled by my swordcraft that he¡¯d all but kidnapped me in the early days of my reign to force me to train until I was passable. Even then, he refused to admit to anyone besides our closest friends that he¡¯d had any hand in my training at all.


    However, Heaven¡¯s Blade also gave passing training in other weapons. Anything that could be considered a ¡°blade¡± by the most stretched definition was subject for scrutiny, which included the ¡°blade¡± that made up an arrowhead. The techniques of the sect could be used on most blades, and, if there was one thing that my masters were proud of me for, it was my ability to weave techniques under pressure. In fact, there was a time where that skill was the only thing that stood between me and being expelled from the sect altogether.


    With the bow strung, I fitted an arrow to the string, trying to draw back to my mind the ancient lessons of my masters on the proper technique to use with the weapon. A terrible clacking echoed down the street, and I opened the door just enough to peer through the crack.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide, cultivator!¡± shouted the spider witch. ¡°You reek of the qi of the living. If you don¡¯t come out, my corpses will hunt you down by your very scent!¡±


    That was true, but I just needed one good shot. The Witch clacked her way down the street, passing right by the fletcher¡¯s shop. I counted to twenty in my head, estimating that to be how long she¡¯d be at the effective range of my bow.


    During that count, I infused the arrow with as much void qi as it could handle. It was a similar technique to the one Shen Yaoxan used to infuse his sword, only mine was far less clumsy. The arrow swirled with the dark, concentrated mist of the void. For good measure, I also gave the arrow a touch of moonlight. It wouldn¡¯t be enough for any onlookers to recognize, but, with luck, it would guide the arrow¡¯s trajectory in the event that my aim was slightly off. Once everything was ready, I pushed the door open and slipped quietly onto the street.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted, pulling the string taught. The Witch whirled around, giving me exactly the target I was looking for. Spider hearts are in their abdomen.


    My fingers relaxed and the string leapt forward, propelling the arrow. The Witch shrieked in pain as the arrow sank into her back, and void qi began to eat into her exoskeleton. Meanwhile, my bow shattered into a thousand pieces.

 Chapter 30 - Sun’s Servants

    Many writers of fiction leave weapons out of their narratives entirely. They write fanciful tales of their hero gathering the elements and mastering direct casting or manipulation to a point that no weapon can match their range and utility¡­ In reality, the only cultivators that don¡¯t use weapons of some sort are the ones too broke to afford anything. ¨CKai Relan, Smithing Apprentice in the City of Pailian


    *          *          *


    It wasn¡¯t that the bow was poor quality, just that it was made for a mortal. The strength of a cultivator, and the qi that flowed through every inch of my body, was far too much to expect mere wood to withstand. It shattered in my hands and crumbled to the ground in splinters.


    But, the arrow hit its mark. The Witch writhed and screamed as her blood splattered to the ground around her. I ran forward, intent on dealing the killing blow before she had a chance to recover, but she let out another of the ear-piercing screams. I stumbled and threw my hands over my ears.


    Flash Forward warned me of two more spiders approaching from behind, and I threw myself to the side to avoid their hungry fangs. I tumbled to the ground, my hat tumbling to the side. Before I could get back to my feet, the witch was on top of me, sullying my robes with the dripping blue blood coming from her back.


    ¡°You!¡± she growled. ¡°I offered you mercy, and you slapped it away!¡±


    ¡°You have a skewed idea of mercy,¡± I countered, trying to squirm free. Her legs had pinned into my clothes, thoroughly restraining me against the ground. Without using my lunar blades, I wasn¡¯t sure I could make a meaningful hit against her from this angle¡­


    Think, Yoru, think! Are you going to be taken down by a household insect?! What kind of Ascendent are you? My mind raced through a thousand possibilities, but none of them gave any guarantee of success.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bleed you dry, now, then that pretty face of yours will serve as my knight,¡± she hissed. Her fangs gleamed in the reflected light from my hair.


    Panic filled me, and my alias as a void artist suddenly became the least of my concerns. This was life and death, and I would rather live as a hated supplicant of the moon than die masquerading as a void artist.


    But, just as I began calling on my light, willing it to take its wickedly sharp form, a buzzing caught my attention, and that of my captor.


    ¡°DIVE!¡±


    The buzzing grew louder in an instant, and four gold and black bodies slammed into the spider witch with enough force to throw her off me. She shrieked in rage. Her kin shot several strands of white silk into the sky, but the newcomers dodged and ducked to avoid them as they circled back for another assault.


    A flash of light illuminated the area, and, to my surprise, it wasn¡¯t from me. Golden light burned bright, providing a brilliant backlight for the attackers as the spiders hissed in pain. Then, they descended, as if on the wings of heaven itself to slay the vile demons of the earth.


    The spiders shrieked and turned as six enormous hornets, each surrounded by a small swarm of their lesser kin, dove at them, stingers bared. In an instant, the spiders were scattered. The Witch bared her fangs.


    ¡°YOU DARE ATTACK US AT NIGHT? YOU FOOLS!¡±


    The street descended into chaotic war. Wasps harried the spiders at every turn. Smaller hornets stabbed stingers into eyes and joints while their larger kin drove stingers that more resembled spear-points straight into the spiders¡¯ chitinous hides.


    As the chaos broke out, I scrambled to my feet, ready to join these unlikely allies in battle. The golden light descended and dimmed, revealing an even larger hornet underneath. Its stripes had glowed with the light of the sun itself, but now they dimmed, and I could see it more clearly. It was clearly a commander, holding itself with poise, and with a coldness to its black eyes as it stared at the spider.


    ¡°Are you alright, cultivator?¡± it asked with a voice that buzzed like its wings. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was masculine or feminine under the buzzing, but it was clearly more friendly than the spider.


    I nodded. ¡°I thank you for your aid, honorable hornet.¡±


    ¡°We did not come prepared for a fight,¡± the hornet admitted. ¡°Our forces are that of a mere patrol, and we are at a disadvantage in the darkness.¡±


    ¡°Then I am even more grateful that you took the risk in saving me.¡± I bowed deeply, and the hornet seemed appeased.


    I ducked as a strand of silk streaked over my head. The Witch was quivering with anger.


    ¡°Let us deal with this nuisance first,¡± the hornet commander buzzed. I nodded in agreement.


    The hornet¡¯s stripes flashed brightly, and its wings shimmered with sunlight as it dove forward. It didn¡¯t seem to move as fast as its kin, but instead rushed forward with raw power behind its stinger.


    I rushed after it, gathering void qi in my hands. The Witch reared her legs and swiped at the two of us. The hornet dodged to the side before flashing its stripes brightly above her eyes. Meanwhile, I reached out and brushed my fingertips against another leg on her right side. This time, when my void lashed against her chitin, it didn¡¯t just dissolve the hard outer shell, but dove deeper, dissolving muscle and sinew underneath.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She shrieked in anger and pain before lunging upward. Her pincers snapped at the hornet, crushing one of its legs in her grip. The commander only grunted and slammed its stinger into her back, right where my arrow had hit its mark. The spider Witch reeled back, stumbling on six limbs.


    ¡°She¡¯s as good as dead,¡± the commander buzzed. ¡°We must retreat.¡± It raised another limb towards where the remaining hornet forces were not faring as well. Three of the six larger hornets had been injured, and were flying more slowly than before, and one more lay dead and still on the ground. ¡°You will come with us.¡± I bowed my head in acceptance. This was as good a chance as I¡¯d likely get to converse with the hornets on good terms. I wouldn¡¯t let the opportunity pass.


    The commander flashed its stripes brightly one more time, blinding the spiders enough to give the hornets a chance to retreat. They streaked away into the forest. Once they were gone, the commander and I followed, darting between the narrow trees to prevent the spiders from following.


    I hated leaving the mortals of Heimian to face the spiders alone, but, hopefully, with the Witch dead, the local administrator would be able to rally the militia and any other local cultivators to protect the village. To deal with the root of the problem would require going to the Black Crevice and confronting the Spider Matriarch, which I was categorically unable to do alone at my current advancement. It bruised my pride, but I wasn¡¯t powerful enough anymore to solve any problem I was faced with.


    That said, this hornet commander seemed a reasonable sort. If I could leverage our collective win against the spiders to gain favor with their queen, perhaps I could get an audience and start negotiations on Pollen¡¯s behalf. An alliance between the bees and hornets against the spiders might just do the trick in saving Heimian from the next wave of spiders.


    ¡°My c-commander,¡± one of the wasps buzzed as they all fell into formation around their leader. This one had an almost feminine voice beneath the buzzing, but it was hard to tell. All I knew for sure was that there was a certain hesitance to address the commander.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re injured,¡± it said simply. The commander¡¯s antennae twitched slightly


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, speak no more of it.¡± The order was absolute, and none of the remaining wasps questioned it. They kept their silence as they flew through the forest.


    *          *          *


    The spider Witch crawled into the shadows, feeling herself growing lighter as more and more blood seeped from her. How had things gone so wrong? This was supposed to be a simple task, and now¡­now¡­now she might not make it back to her mother¡¯s nest. She might die in this wretched human place.


    But, if she was going to die, then she wanted to do so in the shadows, far away from where that hated sun and its wretched winged servant would ever find her. Let them wonder if she was really dead. She¡¯d haunt their nightmares, destroy their dreams, and drive them mad with worry as they constantly looked over their shoulder, wondering if she¡¯d strike.


    Yes¡­that would be her final revenge. It was all she had left, and so she focused on it. Hatred filled her as she slunk into the shadows, dragging herself on her six remaining legs until she could drag herself no further.


    ¡°Now, look what a terrible state you¡¯ve found yourself in.¡± The voice sparked a tiny bit of hope in the spider witch, and she looked up with a weakened gaze.


    ¡°Help¡­¡± she begged the man who stood before her. She heard the crack of a fan and gazed up at the blurry image above her. He was thinking, contemplating her fate with the cold calculation of a hardened strategist. His green robes swirled in her vision as her energy finally faded. Then the man folded his fan once more and sighed.


    ¡°Very well, I suppose you still have some potential in you. Let¡¯s see how you make use of it.¡±


    *          *          *


    They say that Ascendents lose their appreciation for time. The truth is that, as immortals, Ascendents have a greater appreciation for patience, utilizing plans that span decades, centuries, or even millennia to achieve their ends. I¡¯d fallen into that trap, thinking that I had all the time in the world to spend on the people I cared for. The truth is that even Ascendents don¡¯t have enough time, a fact that had become painfully clear to me during my incarceration beneath the earth. There was never enough time.


    However, the world doesn¡¯t care about how little time there is¡­a fact which is excruciatingly obvious when it comes to travel. Over two weeks of walking between Heimian and Hanai awaited. I was quite sure that the distance was probably more swiftly travelled by the hornets, but they had to slow their pace for me and their commander, who couldn¡¯t fly as fast as their kin.


    I missed the methods of faster travel available to cultivators who didn¡¯t live in the middle of nowhere. Spiritual clouds, statues imbued with the power of flight like Chiho was, flying swords, etc. There were so many ways of getting around that didn¡¯t involve walking, and I missed them greatly.


    The days that passed brought us closer and closer to the new moon, a fact which filled me with dread. How could I possibly broker a deal with the hornets after they¡¯d seen me in that condition?! They would know they were dealing with a monster worse than any yokai, and it would ruin any chances of peace between Pollen and the Hornet Queen.


    The day before the new moon, I chewed on my lip as the hornets led the way into the woods. Despite still being days away from the central nesting grounds, hornets both big and small filled the air with their buzzing.


    ¡°You are tense,¡± the commander said. Even after weeks of travel, I still had no clue as to the gender of the patrol leader. The other wasps all seemed to be female, which made sense given what little I knew about wasps. Male hornets would be concubines kept for the pleasure and breeding of the queen. Since the commander wasn¡¯t in that role, they must be female, and yet¡­something about that felt wrong. Better not to assume. Spirit beasts can evolve beyond their nature, after all.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± I answered.


    The commander paused. ¡°I see. If there is anything you require, the nest will provide.¡± That was quite obvious after they¡¯d single-handedly hunted a full-sized deer in the forest on our third day. The commander had even watched with interest as I cooked my portion of it over a fire. It was nothing fancy, but they¡¯d been quite intrigued.


    I stared at the hornet. They¡¯d been kind to me, even if they were a bit on the quiet side. It was as if the other hornets were afraid to mingle with their commander in any way. When the scouts gossiped, the commander just listened from the side. When they flew, the commander was always at the front, setting the pace, and never even chatting with those behind.


    That said, it was extremely difficult to tell what the hornet was actually thinking. Its insectoid face was cold and unemotive, and the buzzing that filled the voices of every hornet masked much of the emotion, much to my chagrin.


    I wanted to believe that this hornet could be my confidant. The reality was that I needed to pause our journey for two days during the new moon, and the commander was the only one who could allow me that time. But, what would I tell them?


    Instead, I just kept quiet. The transformation wouldn¡¯t come until nightfall. Until then, I had plenty of time to agonize over it.

 Chapter 31 - Necessary Betrayal

    Most people say I¡¯m wrong, but I don¡¯t think the Ascendants hate each other. I mean, they might hate each other¡¯s factions, but how can you truly hate someone you¡¯ve gotten to know over millennia? Even if they¡¯re the bitterest of rivals, they must respect each other and with that much time¡­they¡¯ll know every pain they share. ¨CBaral Yned, Famous Historian and Writer in the Phoenix Empire


    *          *          *


    The hours passed in silence broken only by the buzzing of hornet wings as we travelled through the blue-tinted forest. My anxieties mounted higher and higher with every ray of sunlight that faded into the coming night. Stars began to twinkle, but my other half remained hidden, solemnly turning its face away from the horrible monster that would soon grace the earth.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stop here for the night,¡± the commander ordered. ¡°Three days remain until we reach the nest. We shouldn¡¯t keep the Queen waiting.¡± Dutifully, the rest of the wasps set about the various tasks of bringing firewood to the enormous tree we took shelter beneath.


    If there was any time to sneak away, now would be it. The hornets didn¡¯t have particularly good vision, relying on their compound eyes, and that vision would only get worse as the night wore on. However, if I could slip away while they were distracted, then take advantage of the cover of night to hide myself from them, just for a little while, then I might just keep my secret.


    I should tell the commander, though, I thought to myself. In fact, I longed to tell them the truth, to ease their fears so that they wouldn¡¯t worry for the entire two days I¡¯d be in that horrible form. But, if I did¡­


    They wouldn¡¯t understand. No, the less they knew the better it would be for negotiating with the Queen. It was going to be difficult enough to get hornets and bees, natural enemies of the wilds, to get along long enough to take on their common foe. The last thing we needed was a complication regarding the negotiator. I¡¯d come up with some sort of excuse as to why I was missing for a few days, and that would be that. Maybe I fell and hit my head or went sleepwalking...completely believable excuses.


    The scouts buzzed away, leaving me alone with the commander. They stared at me with their big black eyes as they sat on a log. Their wings drooped wearily along their back. It was something I¡¯d noticed over the journey. The commander¡¯s body was bigger than the regular scouts, probably enlarged due to qi intake, but their wings were smaller. It accounted for their slower speed, not that they were slow. Advanced as they clearly were, the commander was still far faster than I was, but they still lagged behind their kin. Only in the quiet moments, when the other hornets weren¡¯t watching, did they show any sign of the struggle, and, for that, the hornet commanded my absolute respect.


    My heart twisted softly at the betrayal of trust I was about to commit. Battle forges the strongest brothers, but this was a necessary deception.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± I said, rising to my feet. ¡°Just need a moment alone.¡±


    The hornet commander bowed their head and continued guarding the camp. That they didn¡¯t ask questions just made me even more uncomfortable, but I slipped into the forest all the same, telling myself over and over that it was for the greater good. It would only be two days. In that time, I¡¯d come up with a believable excuse, and then, with my unparalleled wit and charm, I would speak with the Queen.


    I walked far enough that the sun had fully faded below the horizon before I even considered looking for a place to lay low. After a bit more searching, I found a quiet nook beneath some tree roots next to a peaceful lake. It was perfect. I¡¯d hear the hornets coming long before they arrived, and I could hide from them amongst the reeds, diving under if they approached too closely. There, I nestled beneath the roots and waited for the change to take me.


    I didn¡¯t have to wait long, but, thankfully, the void was gentler in twisting my body this time. The chills and fever were short-lived, and I managed not to cry out as the chains wrapped their unforgiving shackles around my neck and wrists.


    However, every one of the bandages wrapping my left leg were shredded, much to my chagrin. It revealed the cursed shackle that was burned into my flesh, even during other nights of the lunar cycle. Every Void-touched had such a mark somewhere on their body. It was the one thing I could never hide in this form, and every attempt to cover it only led to greater destruction. It was the mark of my sins, the shackle of history that would never let me forget what I¡¯d done and the lives I¡¯d destroyed.


    Shadows wrapped around me like a blanket as the ghost wisps watched over my hiding spot. I settled down to sleep.


    *          *          *


    I dreamed of home, of sitting in the garden outside our tiny home with my sisters. My head was in Aya¡¯s lap as I read a book to her. She was never good with her letters, but reading aloud always made her feel better. It was one of the only books we had, left to us by our late mother. As we read together, our little sister, Chouko, played in the flowers, befriending the bunnies who lived there.


    Aya hummed a song, a melody that I only barely remembered, and Chouko definitely didn¡¯t. It was a lullaby, another gift left to us by our mother. It was a reminder of happier days, one that filled me with so much warmth and peace that my dream-self stopped reading to simply listen.


    It was so real¡­so warm and soothing¡­


    *          *          *You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    My eyes snapped open, and I listened. That song¡­Aya¡¯s song¡­it drifted on the wind around me, but I was back in the nook by the lakeside. A fleeting hope filled my heart, and I scrambled to my feet.


    Ghostly wisps blew lazily on the winds, but I couldn¡¯t tell which ones were mine, and which ones were not. The voice, that singing voice, it was the Flower Maiden. I should have recognized her song before, but there was no mistaking it now. She was singing Aya¡¯s song. If her wisps mingled with mine, then she was here. She was close.


    I¡¯d given up hope of ever seeing anyone from my time again, but if Aya had been raised as a shade, then there was a chance¡­a fleeting chance¡­that I could see her again. I spun wildly around, trying to pinpoint the source of the singing.


    ¡°Aya!¡± I called into the woods. ¡°It¡¯s me! Please, I need to see you!¡±


    The song began to fade and, with it, the wisps that drifted over the calm lake thinned. Panic filled my heart. I wasn¡¯t going to let her go, not again! I ran into the woods, picking my best guess at the direction she¡¯d gone. The song faded even further, then disappeared altogether, leaving me alone in the dark night.


    I sighed. It was probably just my imagination. Heavens know that my sanity teetered on a thread after so long in the Labyrinth. Odds were good that it was some remnant of the dream, a fragment of memory that made it into the waking world.


    ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t dream about something so nice without there being a catch,¡± I muttered to myself as I walked back to the lake. Loneliness and loss made my heart ache. It was a fleeting hope, one that had been blown out like a candle¡¯s flame.


    I stepped through the underbrush and back onto the lakeshore, only for my skin to prickle as an unexpected light waited for me. It was¡­sunlight. The rattling of my chains alerted them to my presence, and the light dimmed to reveal the hornet commander.


    ¡°There you are,¡± they said. I blinked at them in shock.


    ¡°You found me?¡±


    The hornet nodded. ¡°I thought I¡¯d lost you in the darkness, but the Shade of the Flower Fields pointed the right way. After that, I followed the scent of my pheromones on you.¡± They cocked their head to the side. ¡°You¡­look different? Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­it¡¯s a long story.¡±


    The hornet lowered their wings and looked at me expectantly. My ears grew warm, and I nervously tugged on one of my chains.


    ¡°I was cursed.¡± That was a close enough approximation of the truth. ¡°I trusted someone I shouldn¡¯t have, and now I become like this on the new moon and the days around it.¡±


    The hornet seemed to light up in a way I¡¯d never seen from them before. ¡°Like the werewolves of the southeast continent!¡±


    The¡­what?


    Since when was there an island in the southeastern sea? And what on earth was a werewolf? Most important of all, how did a lesser spirit hornet know about it?


    ¡°Mother told us about them, in our inherited knowledge,¡± the hornet explained. ¡°She was once visited by travelers who came from a far away continent to the south and east. They came with tales completely unlike those of the locals, and one of them was a tale of a curse where people turned into savage wolves on the full moon. They would rip and tear and-¡± The hornet was cut off by a buzzing mixture of exhalations and violent shudders. It took a moment for me to realize that they were coughing.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked once the bought had passed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± they said dejectedly. ¡°Talking is hard.¡±


    Suddenly, the shift in demeanor made sense. If talking was normally difficult, then it explained why the journey here had been so quiet. The scouts only shared bits of gossip, but never in long bursts. When excited, the commander had thrown caution to the wind to speak as much as possible, only to be silenced. It must have been a drawback to being a spirit beast, a creature with the intelligence of a human, but in the body of an animal. They didn¡¯t have proper vocal cords with which to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯d never heard that tale before. Your Queen must be very worldly to have learned of it.¡±


    ¡°Why did you run?¡± the commander asked. I figured there were probably more things they wanted to say, but the limitations of their voice kept the statement clipped and short.


    I looked away. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d trust a monster.¡±


    ¡°I see no monster.¡±


    ¡°Can you actually see me in the dark?¡±


    The commander¡¯s antennae twitched in irritation. Without warning, a brilliant flash of sunlight illuminated the lake, burning my skin before it faded back to darkness.


    ¡°Point taken,¡± I gasped.


    ¡°I brought you back to see the queen because you are a capable fighter.¡± They paused for a moment to rest their voice. ¡°That you would fight the spiders on the villager¡¯s behalf speaks highly of your character. Cursed or not, you are a good person.¡± The commander shook their wings and stretched every leg but the one that was crushed in the battle. The other hornets had tried to help, but the commander had shooed them away whenever the subject of first aid had come up.


    Finally, they took a deep breath. ¡°But what do I know? I¡¯m just a hornet scout.¡±


    ¡°The fact you know of a continent I¡¯ve never even heard of speaks greatly of your intelligence. You apparently know more than me.¡±


    The hornet looked up at me, and there was a slight twinkle in their eye. If they¡¯d had a proper face, I was certain they¡¯d be grinning at me.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, we should move on in the morning,¡± the commander said. ¡°The nest will not judge your appearance in this form, you have my word.¡±


    A part of me wanted to stay by that lake until the new moon had passed. There was safety in solitude. I couldn¡¯t hurt anyone if there was no one to hurt. Yet, two days may make the difference to the people of Heimian. Especially since I would almost certainly need to return to Pollen with news of my meeting with the hornets before returning to the human village.


    Once again, I found myself wishing for my old sword, Eclipse. Eclipse might not have been the fastest sword, by any metric, but flying by sword was certainly faster than walking, no matter how you sliced it. Alas, Eclipse was broken and likely taken as a trophy by the Sword Saint. That seemed like the sort of thing he¡¯d do. If he really was dead, I probably would never see Eclipse again.


    With the people of Heimian in my thoughts, I nodded to the hornet commander.


    ¡°Before we go, though, can you tell me your name?¡± I asked, not for the first time.


    ¡°In due time,¡± they said¡­not for the first time.


    I stood and followed the commander back to camp. The other hornets were still waiting, and they made no comment as I entered the firelight. Perhaps it was because they were simply unemotive insects, but not one of them even looked at me strangely before I laid down on the grass, pillowed my head on my clawed hands, and went to sleep.


    In the morning, we once again set off for Hanai to meet the Queen of the Hornets.

 Chapter 32 - The Queen and the Fool, Part 1

    Many have tried to set up a true noble class. Ultimately this always fails as a clan, sect, or any other group able to hold onto power by virtue of their birth and lineage alone simply does not exist. Bloodlines can be stolen, by bastards and rituals both, and geniuses can arise in even the most destitute corners of our world to punish those who would hold themselves high. Our history is ancient and well-preserved and all the major powers that be know this¡­ Not that it¡¯s stopped anyone from trying. ¨CNancy Calloway, wanted pirate from the Summoned Isle


    *          *          *


    Despite its flowery name, Hanai was everything that the Honey Hive was not. Where Queen Pollen grew great flowers and built a fairy tale palace on a crystal lake, the Hornet Queen had a militant camp built into the very earth. A thousand holes were dug into the earth to access what I assumed was a massive complex of tunnels beneath the surface. Though there were patches of flowers growing here and there, they were small and wild, clearly left to their own devices rather than intentionally cultivated. Overhead, several orb-like nests hung from the trees, catering to other species of wasps, but that was the closest element of ¡°decoration¡± I saw until we reached the inner court.


    According to the Commander, the Queen held court in a small cave system that was big enough to accommodate her humanoid form. When they mentioned a cave, I expected a damp, dark hole in the ground. However, it seemed that much more work had gone into keeping the Queen happy than into the rest of the nest. The cave was smooth stone with soft moss growing on the walls. Whenever we approached, the moss started glowing with concentrated sun qi to light the way.


    ¡°It¡¯s our Queen¡¯s design,¡± the Commander explained. ¡°The moss feeds off our sun qi to produce light for us, even underground.¡±


    I nodded, mildly impressed, and we descended further. Eventually, I was brought to a small antechamber with a pool of water and a small table. There, I was told to wait until the Queen was ready to see me. I agreed, and the Commander left. There wasn¡¯t much to do besides wait, so I turned to cultivating, cycling my qi out to my extremities and bringing it back to my core. As always, it was dull, but it beat staring at the ceiling.


    I almost worried that I¡¯d been forgotten before a different hornet entered and bid me follow her to the Queen¡¯s throne room. I jumped up and followed dutifully, ready to fulfill the deal I made with Pollen.


    The throne room was opulent but lacked the elegance of Pollen¡¯s palace. Though gold silks adorned the walls and central dais, it was still fundamentally a cave. Moss lit the room with a brilliant light that would have probably burned my Void-Twisted form. Luckily, that form had disappeared earlier that very morning. Along with the sun moss, a brilliantly designed sun emblem was carved into the stones behind the throne itself.


    And, on that throne already sat a beautiful woman. She was pale with sharp eyes and a thin face. Much like Pollen, her hair was a striped mix of blond and black, done up into a headdress that perched atop her head. Her dress was gold, and she held herself with a cold majesty that made everyone aware of just how superior she was.


    ¡°I am Queen Taiya Suzume,¡± she announced. I immediately knelt and kowtowed before her, as was respectful.


    ¡°It is my honor to meet you, Majesty,¡± I greeted. ¡°I am Tsuyuki Yoru. I must say I¡¯m pleasantly surprised to hear a name like the ones of my homeland. It is a good name.¡±


    ¡°You are from the west and north, then,¡± she said. ¡°Our mother is from those lands. The patrol you encountered in the nearby town tells me of your bravery and skill against the wicked spiders.¡±


    ¡°I was simply trying to protect the human mortals. It is your people who won the day.¡± I rose to my knees to look up at her.


    The corner of Queen Suzume¡¯s lips tweaked upward. ¡°You honor us with your praise. I¡¯m pleased you accepted our invi-¡±


    The doors to the right slammed open and another humanoid spirit beast entered in a flouncing flurry of gold fabric. To my great surprise, however, it was a man¡­albeit a scantily clad one. His golden robes draped only over one shoulder, leaving half his chest completely bare. Under the robes, his skin was striped like that of a tiger, though in shades of gold and black instead of orange and black. However, unlike the other humanoid insects I¡¯d met, this man¡¯s hair was bright blond, as if kissed by the sun itself.


    ¡°Suzumeeeeeeeeeee!¡± the man cried. ¡°There you are!¡± Immediately, the cold fa?ade upon the Queen¡¯s face turned slightly sour.


    ¡°Pharyx, the Queen is busy,¡± she said.


    ¡°I can see that, but I was bored,¡± the man grinned and sat down on a few cushions arranged at the arm of the throne. The Queen reached out and ran a hand through Pharyx¡¯s hair and he grinned up at her happily.


    ¡°Apologies for Pharyx, Master Tsuyuki,¡± the Queen said, turning back to me. ¡°My chief concubine can be quite difficult. He¡¯s lucky he¡¯s blessed with the bloodline of our people. Without it, even his pretty face wouldn¡¯t excuse his behavior.¡±


    I had to admit. Pharyx was quite handsome. His features were delicate, and framed by whisps of hair that fell from his short ponytail to frame his face. In fact, he was so beautiful that, were it not for the fact that he was quite indecently clothed, I might have mistaken him for a woman, so fine were his features.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°A bloodline? That¡¯s quite rare for spirit beasts to have.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course!¡± Pharyx answered before the Queen had a chance. ¡°Our bloodline technique of Subjugation come from the Dawn Empress herself! She is the mother of the nest, and the mother of my lovely Suzume.¡±


    When an artist reaches a certain point in their cultivation, they have the chance to develop blooded techniques. These techniques become the foundation of their cultivation and are extremely difficult to block, being tied directly into their blood. Any descendants born after developing blooded techniques have a chance to inherit them, as well, thanks to the genetic compatibility they share with their ancestor¡­which is part of why I never married or had children. I was enough of a menace to the world without adding a child who could also witness possible realities and bend them to their whim.


    These hornets had access to a bloodline related to the subjugation of others, if the concubine was being truthful, and I had no reason to suspect he wasn¡¯t. That was probably how they commanded such a wide variety of wasp species, held such a large dominion, and why Pollen was so afraid of them. The details might not be known, but the intent behind it was clear.


    ¡°Yes, Pharyx, quiet,¡± Queen Suzume instructed. ¡°Now, Master Tsuyuki, I see everything within my domain. You impressed my commander, and, thus, have impressed me. You have fought against our enemy and did not shy away from us on your journey to Hanai.¡±


    ¡°I am hardly in a position to judge others,¡± I admitted, bowing my head. ¡°I¡¯m certain your commander informed you of my curse. I am simply grateful that it has not hindered relations between us.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Many look upon us as if we were little more than pests.¡± Suzume reached out and began idly stroking Pharyx¡¯s hair. The concubine rested his head on her knee as he looked at me with a surprisingly intense gaze. ¡°We care little for a creature¡¯s form, instead preferring to judge the actions they take.¡±


    I felt Pharyx¡¯s eyes burning into me. He studied every inch of me, always maintaining a smile that never quite reached his eyes. Instead, there was a similar coldness in his gaze as his mistress possessed, but it only seemed to add to the regal presence of the concubine. This was not a man to be underestimated. He was a tiger lazing at the feet of his mistress, but even a tamed tiger is still a predator. I¡¯d have to keep my eye on him.


    I forced my attention back to the Queen who was still speaking. ¡°I would like to offer you employment. We could use all the allies we can get defeating the arachnid scourge before they overrun us.¡±


    Employment? A deal to defeat the spiders? That was more than anything I could have hoped for. Perhaps Queen Suzume would be more willing to discuss dealings with Queen Pollen if it meant working towards their mutual goal.


    I bowed before the Queen. ¡°Your Majesty honors me with the offer, but I¡¯m afraid I must decline, as I already am employed by another. In fact, it is she who bid me seek you out to broker a deal between you.¡± The Queen narrowed her eyes, and Pharyx leaned forward in interest.


    ¡°Then speak. What foreign party already holds your loyalty?¡± the Queen hissed.


    ¡°Please forgive me for not mentioning it sooner. Queen Pollen warned me that the Queen of Hanai was not open to negotiations, and I did not wish to reveal my intentions too soon for fear of being turned away. However, I believe that this deal is in the interests of both the bees and the hornets.¡±


    ¡°You would have us treat with prey animals?¡± The Queen was seething in barely contained anger, and I suddenly felt exposed in the middle of her court. Hornets buzzed all around. It occurred to me that negotiations like this in my old kingdom were backed by my considerable strength. That was not the case here, much to my annoyance. They could probably kill me before I even reached the surface and none would be any wiser.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you hear me out?¡± I asked. ¡°Prey or predator, actions are what matter, no?¡±


    The Queen considered this for a long moment before tapping her concubine on the arm. Pharyx nodded in understanding, then stood and approached me. He walked with the purpose of a king and the grace of a dancer, with only the slightest limp from some injury or another. I watched him with soft eyes as he circled around me, appraising me as one might a prize cow.


    I kept my expression and demeanor soft and unchallenging, relaxing my shoulders and just waiting patiently for his analysis to be complete. After several circles, he approached and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.


    ¡°Well, you really are the servant of the bees,¡± he whispered, sending a shiver down my spine. ¡°You even smell sweet. Serenade us with your honeyed words, yes?¡±


    ¡°Pharyx!¡± The Queen scolded, leaping to her feet. ¡°Behave yourself or I will put you in isolation for a month!¡±


    Pharyx sighed and pouted but released me from his grip and flounced off to sulk in the corner behind me. I took a moment to straighten my robes, hoping desperately that the spirit hornets wouldn¡¯t see the blush that burned me from the inside out.


    ¡°Speak your piece,¡± the Queen ordered, sitting back in her throne.


    ¡°Right.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Queen Pollen wishes to see the spiders destroyed, much as you do. She believes them beyond reason, which could form the basis of diplomatic ties between your two peoples.¡±


    ¡°What need do we have for diplomatic ties with the bees? After the spiders are defeated, we intend to subjugate them and their precious little palace.¡± Suzume¡¯s words were cold as ice, but her eyes flicked to the side as if she were truly considering it¡­or perhaps just keeping an eye on Pharyx to make sure he was behaving.


    ¡°You are mighty, this is true,¡± I continued. ¡°But subjugating the bees is a very short-termed solution. Who could conceive of a more optimal use of their skills than the queen bee herself? After all, they are exquisite artisans and crafters, and those arts are best produced under peaceful and happy circumstances. By entering into a partnership, you could receive the benefits of their hard work at its finest degree without having to manage them. But, only if the spiders are out of the way.¡±


    Suzume did not answer. She seemed to think it over extensively. She seemed almost convinced, but eventually shook her head.


    ¡°It cannot be done,¡± she insisted. ¡°We are insulted by the very idea of working with such a lesser species.¡±


    That¡­was such a complete change of attitude from her previous stance regarding my Void-touched visage. What happened to caring nothing for the forms of others? Was Queen Suzume two-faced, or was something else going on here?


    It dawned on me with the full force of a midsummer day. There was something else going on here, and I¡¯d just figured out what it was. A coy smile crept into my expression as I turned to the back corner of the room where a sulking concubine still waited patiently.


    ¡°Then perhaps I should ask you what you think about the proposal?¡±

 Chapter 33 - The Queen and the Fool, Part 2

    Wanna know why the strong keep to their word? Some¡¯ll tell you it¡¯s because they stake their path on it or that lying somehow inherently damages their foundations. I think it¡¯s because all the assholes get killed first. ¨CHan Suri, farmer from the Prinean Delta.


    *          *          *


    Pharyx blinked several times at me, his sulky expression melting into a cold, calculating mask. Those dark eyes searched my face for any misgivings, then he shrugged.


    ¡°Surely, I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± His expression returned to the same cold smile he¡¯d been wearing before. ¡°I¡¯m just a silly little drone. Don¡¯t you know that hornets are ruled by queens?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think you¡¯re far more than a drone.¡± There wasn¡¯t a single ounce of doubt in my mind. In a society built on the Queen¡¯s ability to subjugate others, why would said queen suffer an unruly subordinate? She could humor a rebellious concubine all she wanted, but there was no reason to allow that concubine to continue the insubordination in front of guests. It would be a sign of weakness.


    Pharyx pondered my answer carefully. As he did, he paced back and forth, letting his gold robe swish with his every step. The flowing fabric did wonders to hide his uneven steps from any casual bystander, but I was anything but.


    ¡°I think it has merit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your proposal from Queen Pollen,¡± he continued. ¡°You asked me my thoughts, and I think it has merit. The spiders are a grave threat, one we allowed to grow to unreasonable proportions with our attention so turned inward as it was. Though, my Queen has a point that accepting the bees help with this matter would cost a great deal of face for us, as it would reflect quite poorly on our ability to maintain the region.¡± He rubbed his chin for a moment before shrugging. ¡°But what do I know? I¡¯m just a concubine.¡±


    I stared at Pharyx, openly studying him with the same intensity which he gave to me earlier. That phrase¡­ ¡°What do I know? I¡¯m just a concubine.¡± It was delivered with the same tone as the Commander had used the other night.


    Of course. Pharyx had a limp. It was slight. He¡¯d clearly received some healing in the last few hours, but it was definitely the remnants of the crushed limb he¡¯d received from the spider witch.


    It also explained why the other hornets were so wary of the Commander. If they were really a member of the inner court, that would explain why they obeyed every order without question. Either he was using his bloodline to control them, or they were too deferent to his station to argue.


    ¡°I guess I learned your name after all,¡± I noted. Pharyx suddenly froze, his stony expression shattered as he coughed in surprise.


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­don¡¯t know what you mean?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. And the larger wasp who saved me from the spider witch was some other wasp, yes? The one with the shorter wings?¡±


    Pharyx spluttered, and his face began to turn red. ¡°Look! It¡¯s not my fault that queen hornets have wings too short to fly fast! It¡¯s just how I was born! I can¡¯t-¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, you are the Queen?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Suzume sighed. ¡°May I introduce, High Queen Taiya Pharyx of Hanai.¡± Then she turned to him. ¡°And, brother, if you harass another guest of the nest like that again, I will sew your wings into a cape. Apologize at once!¡±


    The true queen clasped his hands and bowed before me. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for deceiving you and invading your personal space. It was all part of a test you passed with flying colors.¡±


    ¡°Apology accepted,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯s really no problem.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Pharyx¡¯s expression turned wicked once more. ¡°Then, in that case¡­¡±


    ¡°Taiya Risu, what did I just say!?¡± scolded Suzume. Pharyx flinched and hid behind me.


    ¡°Oh dear, she used my given name,¡± he muttered. ¡°Tell you what, why don¡¯t I go get changed and we reconvene in a less formal setting? I promise to behave, and Suzu will still chaperone.¡±


    I bowed respectfully. ¡°Whatever works for you.¡± Pharyx scurried from the room under the watchful glare of his sister. Only once he was out did she sigh and relax.


    ¡°I am dreadfully sorry about his behavior,¡± she apologized. ¡°Please, this way. I¡¯ll have some refreshments brought to us.¡±


    I followed the regal hornet down a hall lined with more moss. The material didn¡¯t shine quite as brightly as it had when it reacted to Pharyx¡¯s presence, but it was still enough to see by. The tunnels were clearly part of an immense system that descended deep beneath the earth, but somehow Suzume seemed out of place amidst the stones. She was dressed regally enough to be in a palace, not in a cave.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°I thank you for weathering my little brother¡¯s deceptions,¡± Suzume began as we walked. ¡°He¡¯s dreamed of pulling that stunt for years, but this was his first chance to actually do so. I¡¯m pleased to say you passed his trial with flying colors.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your younger brother?¡± I noted and she nodded. ¡°So, are you a queen as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we overthrew our elder sister a few months ago,¡± she explained. ¡°Pharyx¡¯s idea, really. Visai was a terrible leader, and the reason the spiders are a problem today, but my brother hatched a brilliant plan for governing our people. I supported him in the duel for power, and, thus, he granted me the title of Brood Queen when he chose his new name. Pharyx deals with stately matters, and I tend to the nest. Thus, we can focus on our tasks with fewer drains on our time. I couldn¡¯t ask for a better arrangement.¡±


    For spirit beasts to so completely overcome their nature was nothing short of miraculous. They¡¯d done away with the elements of hornet society that didn¡¯t serve them and made it their own. For that, I had nothing but respect for the Hanai hornets.


    Furthermore, I could think of a thousand ways they could benefit by being Pollen¡¯s trade partner. If they were advanced this far in their governance, they could only benefit from the craftsmanship of the honeybees. Meanwhile, Pollen could benefit from their army and delegation techniques. The two could end up being quite the formidable pairing if they could see past their differences.


    Suzume led me to a small room with a few cushions around a central table. They weren¡¯t nearly as fine as the cozy rooms Pollen had, but it would certainly serve our needs. I sat on one of the cushions across from Suzume. Several minutes later, two hornets buzzed in, one carrying a wooden tray with a few wooden cups and the other carrying a tray with little cubes of meat arranged in the shape of a hornet.


    ¡°Please, enjoy.¡±


    I reached out and picked up one of the meat cubes. Like many spirit beasts taking humanoid form, it seemed that Pharyx and Suzume had developed a taste for cooked meats, which reflected in their servant¡¯s cooking. These were slightly crunchy and smelled like delicious curry. I popped the cube in my mouth.


    It was surprisingly delicious, with just the right amount of curry to be spicy but without reminding me too much of Xinya¡¯s stew. I conveyed my compliments to Suzume for her chef, before eating another.


    ¡°You have no idea how hard it was to explain the concept of cooking to the Groomers,¡± Pharyx said, entering the room. ¡°It took lighting the fire and showing them for them to get it.¡± He sat down next to me, now dressed in a much more appropriate outfit of black robes with gold trim. Wrapped into his ponytail was an ornate crown of gold, held in by a sun diamond hairpin that would make Chiho jealous, if it were here. He noticed my attention to the pin. ¡°It was a gift from mother to mark my coronation,¡± he explained.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite lovely.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± He practically glowed with happiness, and, as he did, the sun diamond began to shimmer in response to his qi. ¡°Now, shall we discuss the proposal from Queen Pollen?¡±


    He poured a cup of fruit juice and offered it to me as I repeated most of what I¡¯d said in the throne room. Once I¡¯d said my piece, I sipped the sweet juice. It tasted like strawberries.


    ¡°A deal with the honeybees wouldn¡¯t be without precedent,¡± he noted. ¡°Mother rules over many species at the main hive, but hornets are always on top. I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s ever been a true diplomatic arrangement between insects.¡±


    Suzume scoffed. ¡°They¡¯re prey animals. Regardless of their intentions, the truth is that an arrangement between us would be extremely unlikely to yield any better chance against the spiders than we currently possess. We would make ourselves beholden to them for nothing in return.¡±


    ¡°They have several humanoid spirit beasts, and I¡¯ve personally seen them in action and can attest to their skills,¡± I offered. I certainly didn¡¯t want to be on the receiving end of Rose Thorn¡¯s lance, and the way they cooked Shen Yaoxan¡¯s man alive was truly frightening.


    ¡°You¡¯ll forgive me if I have my doubts,¡± Suzume insisted. ¡°My brother might be impressed, but, the way I hear it, you were defeated by the spiders.¡±


    ¡°He was fighting four to one!¡± Pharyx protested. ¡°And, Suzu, you should have seen him! He so valiantly stood up to her, drawing her away from the town center so he could identify the locations of her brethren before ducking into a shop, grabbing a weapon, and WHAM! That shot from the stick spitter was a thing of beauty!¡±


    The hornet Queen certainly did have a lot to say when the physical limitations of insect life were removed. The words practically tumbled out of his mouth, and, with every word, he sat up just a bit straighter. By the end, he¡¯d leapt to his feet altogether. I had no idea he was so passionate about combat.


    ¡°Then, he needed you to rescue him.¡±


    ¡°Even Ascendents need help now and then,¡± Pharyx countered. I felt my ears grow warm at the praise. ¡°If he believes the honeybees could be helpful, then I believe him. This could be our chance to be rid of the spiders once and for all.¡±


    ¡°There are too many of them, Pharyx. They have too much territory and are in far too great a number. Their numbers will only grow.¡±


    ¡°Not if we have a clever plan in the works!¡±


    ¡°And what clever plan did you have in mind?¡± Suzume¡¯s words were harsh, but there was a softness in her eyes that held affection for her brother. Given what she¡¯d said of their recent history, I suspected she had a great appreciation for Pharyx¡¯s plans.


    Pharyx rubbed his chin. ¡°What if we directed the Hanai scouts and windwings to the south to engage the spiders there. Then, a small force of cultivators could sneak in from the north and go straight for the nest. Slay the matriarch, and the rest will fall in line.¡±


    ¡°And who would make up this small force?¡±


    A classic diversion plan, but one that hinged on the tactical strike team being exceptional. Without knowing exactly what awaited them, they¡¯d also need to be flexible and able to make the most of what information they had. Who better to accompany such a team than someone who could see all the possible realities?


    ¡°I will,¡± I volunteered. Pharyx nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I will, as well,¡± he said. ¡°We may need our bloodline to get past undetected, and I¡¯m a fair hand in a fight, six legs or two.¡±


    Suzume sighed and looked away. ¡°I was worried you¡¯d say that. What if you get hurt?¡±


    Pharyx scooted around the table to lean his head on his sister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Suzu. If we have one more from the honeybees, then we¡¯ll have more than enough to take on the matriarch, just you see.¡±


    ¡°I can relay this to Pollen, given enough time to get back.¡±


    ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll meet in Heimian once the parties are set, and the diversion is in motion.¡± Pharyx raised his cup. ¡°Here¡¯s to new friends.¡±

 Chapter 34 - Bronze and Iron

    The Fallen, Sinners. The Fled, Heretics. Repent in blood, wayward souls, or suffer the Edict of the March. ¨CStandard chant of the Sect of the War March in the Iron Wastes.


    *          *          *


    Tenri knelt next to the flowers in his garden. They were happy today, and he could almost hear their laughter as they danced in the gentle breeze. The lotuses were in full bloom. The peonies were lush and beautiful, and the azaleas had never been more vibrant. Even the Heaven¡¯s Lilies and the Firestorm Flowers were bright, despite being trampled by a panicked and half-asleep Tsuyuki on his first day. Everything was perfect.


    All the flowers were in bloom at once, which was exactly how Tenri liked it. In a normal garden, each flower would show its beauty at different times, but not here. Here, he provided each flower with the qi to live their best life and be as beautiful as they could be for the full duration of their life cycle. When they were done and had lived their lives, they told him, and he removed them to make room for the next generation of flowers. Everything was forever perfect.


    At least¡­everything except his prize blossom. He¡¯d picked up the seeds for a Lunafall flower on his last trip to the capital in Haishui two years ago. The perfect petals tipped with white had been a wonder to behold at the vendor, and he dreamed of making the most exquisite, qi-infused version. As soon as he¡¯d returned home, he¡¯d planted the seeds in his best pot, sprinkled just enough qi to help them grow without burning them, then placed them as the centerpiece of his garden. Tenri had expected them to grow just as easily as the rest of the flowers, but something was holding them back. In two years, the white had never shone through the tips of the petals. The stamen had never turned the vibrant purple they were meant to be, and they generally seemed¡­sad.


    Tenri didn¡¯t know what to make of it. He provided everything the flower needed. It had a whole island in the center of the koi pond with no other flowers. It could grow as wide or as far as it wanted with no competition. It always had plenty of water and the best sunshine in the garden. Tenri even provided it with more qi than any other flower, and yet, it still did not grow to its full potential. Every time he tried to commune with the bloom and ask it what it needed, it didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Still trying?¡± Hanako asked from the door. Tenri nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯ll reach its true potential someday,¡± he answered. He leaned in and stroked one of the blue petals, raising it to his lips. As he gently kissed it, qi flowed from him to the bloom, infusing it so that the petals shimmered slightly in the sunlight. Then, he stood and hopped over the koi pond and surrounding flowers.


    ¡°I should be jealous,¡± Hanako mused. ¡°You don¡¯t even kiss me that way.¡±


    ¡°If I kissed you that way, you might get qi fever.¡± His answer was dry, but his wife just laughed.


    ¡°Your mother asked again when she could expect grandchildren,¡± she said. ¡°I considered telling her that they¡¯d be growing in the garden, but instead I lied and said ¡®soon.¡¯¡±


    Tenri grimaced. ¡°Who has time for children? I already spend all my time settling every petty squabble in town, and that was before the town got cursed.¡±


    No one could prove that the curse was real, but it was the prevailing belief of the townsfolk. All anyone else knew was that everyone had been the victim of one unfortunate accident or another¡­and, in some cases, several. No one had died, but the clinic was making a small fortune from the amount Saikan¡¯s treasury had paid to them to handle the injuries.


    In truth, Tenri didn¡¯t think it was a curse on the town. If anything, it was a curse on a very specific person, namely Tsuyuki. After all, one does not get to be the Demon of Misfortune without reason. That said, the legends were unclear as to how he¡¯d come to be associated with that title; something about the Ascendents who fought him facing extremely unlikely ends, but that was hardly his fault. Somehow, Tenri didn¡¯t see the man who put his life on the line to fight an Iron and Five Bronzes as the type to put a malicious curse on the town. The only logical conclusion after that was that Tsuyuki himself was cursed and didn¡¯t realize it, which Tenri figured must be a part of the same ritual that twisted his form during the new moon.


    But all of that was, quite literally, ancient history. What was important now was the mountain of paperwork that awaited him at work. If he didn¡¯t take care of it, the mountain would only grow. Tenri sighed and went inside to clean the soil from his hands. After cleaning up and giving Hanako a kiss on the cheek, he began his walk to the administrative building.


    ¡°Good Morning, Cousin,¡± he said as he passed through the door. Zumi sprang up from his desk and rushed to meet him.


    ¡°Oh, Good Morning, Cousin! You¡¯re here, and so early, too!¡± Zumi wrang his hands, and Tenri frowned. He was here at the same time he always was, which by Zumi¡¯s clock was a half hour late. Normally, his cousin told him off for his timing, not praised him for being early¡­


    ¡°I¡­hadn¡¯t noticed?¡± he answered, trying to read his assistant¡¯s worried smile.


    Zumi bowed and gestured towards the door. ¡°Since you¡¯re up, maybe you¡¯d like to walk around the market? Cousin Zumi can handle things just fine here, no need for you to¡­to¡­uh¡­help!¡± Had Zumi fallen ill? Never before had he suggested that Tenri take even a short break, let alone leave the building on a pleasure stroll.


    ¡°Zumi,¡± Tenri raised an eyebrow. ¡°What is going on, here?¡±


    ¡°N-n-nothing! I just¡­¡± his eyes flicked to Tenri¡¯s office door. ¡°I¡­uh¡­made a mistake.¡±


    Tenri immediately relaxed. Zumi was his younger cousin. They¡¯d been raised practically like brothers, though a few years separated. Tenri knew that Zumi could be brash and uncooperative at times, but he only wanted to please his cousin. For him to admit to a mistake¡­it must be a pretty dire problem in his eyes.


    That said, a dire problem in his eyes was probably a grave clerical error or fallen stack of papers. It would be a headache, for certain, but it was nothing on the level of ¡°dire problems¡± that Tenri had experienced in the last two months.


    ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure we can work it out,¡± Tenri reassured as he slid past his assistant to reach his office.


    ¡°Wait, Lin!¡±


    Tenri pushed open the door, and his blood went cold. His desk had been completely cleared of the ten organized piles that he¡¯d so painstakingly separated the night before¡­and, behind them, Shen Yaoxan sat in his chair. The Iron cultivator idly read through a single page Tenri recognized as his running tally of all the accidents that had happened in town since Tsuyuki¡¯s grand escape.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Quite a string of misfortune,¡± Shen mused. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors of a curse over Saikan.¡± His black eyes flicked up and a shiver went down Tenri¡¯s spine. This man was filled with malice. ¡°You must work very hard to keep up with it all. Please, have a seat, and close the door, please.¡±


    Tenri did as he was told, keeping his eyes lowered lest he accidentally disrespect the more powerful artist. The hierarchy of cultivation overruled the hierarchy of governance. Tenri wasn¡¯t an administrator as far as Shen was concerned. He was only a Bronze.


    ¡°What does Master Shen wish to speak about?¡± Tenri asked once he was seated again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing some investigating, Tenri.¡± A wicked sneer was on Shen¡¯s lips. ¡°Are you familiar with an artist named Tsuyuki Yoru?¡±


    What kind of question was that? If Shen had discovered his name, then he¡¯d done enough investigating to know that Tsuyuki had been staying at Tenri¡¯s home! Tenri couldn¡¯t help but feel like a rabbit in a fox¡¯s den.


    ¡°I am, sir,¡± was the only answer he could safely give.


    ¡°Good, good, I would hope so, since the rumors I heard said you and he are sworn brothers.¡± Tenri nearly choked on his own saliva. Sworn brothers?! Since when?! The bond between him and Tsuyuki was strange and mystical, but they were hardly close enough to swear themselves to one another. Besides, Tsuyuki hadn¡¯t given him a choice in that connection. It just kind of happened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what rumors you¡¯ve heard, sir,¡± he began.


    ¡°Quiet.¡± Shen¡¯s order left no room for argument. Tenri could feel the artist¡¯s temper rising. It manifested as a heaviness in the air, an aura of deadly qi so thick that he could have cut it with his sword if he¡¯d had the courage to unsheathe it. ¡°Your voice hurts my ears, and I lack the patience today to put up with it. You will listen to this tale, and you will answer my questions with a nod.¡±


    Tenri nodded. His hands trembled in his lap. He wasn¡¯t like Tsuyuki, he couldn¡¯t fight Shen. Shen had progressed to Iron. He could break Tenri¡¯s bones like kindling.


    ¡°Good. Now, here¡¯s how I think events played out.¡± Shen stood and crossed behind Tenri. ¡°You¡¯ve languished in the shadows, working as a lowly administrator in a backwater town with no prospects and no future of advancement. When I came for my yearly inspections, your authority here was challenged, so you thought you could work with your sworn brother to interrupt my duties and utterly humiliate me. You established your alibi as my ally on the night of the hunt, had Tsuyuki dress up as a shade, then instructed him to steal the girl before I could excise her stain from this town. How am I doing so far?¡±


    Tenri bit his tongue. Though Shen¡¯s guess for his motives was off, his retelling of the night¡¯s events was very close to the truth. Anything Tenri said to correct him could just incriminate him further.


    Shen leaned down over Tenri¡¯s shoulder, whispering into his ear. ¡°Did you think I would not find out? Did you think you and your accomplice would really escape justice?¡±


    ¡°You know nothing of justice.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shen asked. Tenri ears burned with panic and shame. The thought had popped into his head so strongly that he hadn¡¯t caught them before they¡¯d reached his mouth, and now he was going to pay for them.


    Shen grabbed Tenri by the collar, yanking him straight from his seat and dragging him across the wooden floorboards. He crossed the waiting room where Zumi watched with horrified eyes, then Tenri was dragged down the four stone stairs outside the administration building and thrown across the square. He rolled across the ground, wheezing from the impact.


    ¡°You dare to challenge me?¡± Shen shouted. ¡°Beg for mercy, Tenri Lin. Beg for my forgiveness, kowtow three times before me, and tell me where Tsuyuki Yoru is, then maybe I¡¯ll let you live!¡±


    Tenri pushed himself to kneeling. A small crowd of people had gathered from the shopkeepers and patrons nearby. They all looked at him with worry in their eyes. He might be an untouchable warrior as far as they were concerned, but even they knew that Shen was too strong for him to handle.


    How did Tsuyuki do it? he asked himself. How did he stand up to this guy and five others as only a Bronze?


    ¡°BEG!¡± Shen shouted.


    Tenri flinched, and his every instinct screamed to obey. The words formed in his mouth, he was ready to do it¡­but his eyes drifted to the people around him. The villagers he¡¯d given up a future of cultivation to protect. Their faces were filled with worry. A few looked away or buried their faces in the shoulders of brothers and husbands. They understood that he needed to beg, they would not hold it against him. It was just saving face for the town.


    Those who can must help those who cannot. Lang Tailyn had said those words. He¡¯d died saving his daughter from the cultivator before him. Tenri had buried his body alone in the dead of night because no one else wanted to be caught by Shen favoring the father of a moon-touched child.


    Something about those words and that memory made the pleas for mercy die in Tenri¡¯s throat. He wasn¡¯t sorry. Xinya was alive because of him and Tsuyuki. And, if Tsuyuki could stand up to this monster, then so could he.


    ¡°Go to hell,¡± Tenri spat, forcing himself to stand. Gasps echoed from the gathered crowd. They knew as well as he did that he would probably not survive.


    ¡°What?¡± Shen growled.


    ¡°You heard me!¡± He was fuming. ¡°You want to know what happened!? Fine! Do you know how many years I stood by and let you ¡®tax collectors¡¯ in the Lunar Hunt murder innocent children just because they had a spark of moonlight?! I remember every name, every face! Every single one I couldn¡¯t protect, whether from you or the monsters that stalk our town, the ones the likes of you can¡¯t be bothered to deal with, I remember every. Single. One!¡±


    His sword was in his hand. He might not survive, but maybe he could take Shen down with him. If he could just do that, then Zumi could publicly renounce him after his death and the town might be spared. They¡¯d get a new administrator, one who wouldn¡¯t be as nice as Tenri, but Saikan would survive, and they¡¯d be free of one more goddamned Iron hurting the town.


    Shen growled. ¡°So be it.¡±


    In a flash, Shen crossed the distance between them. Tenri swung his sword, but it cut only air. He spun, ready to swipe again at the void artist before he twisted behind him. Shen reached out, grasping his wrist and twisting it roughly behind him.


    Tenri cried out. He was no martial expert like Tsuyuki, but he was a scrapper who¡¯d fought dozens of spirit beasts. With a roar of fury, he slammed his heel into the top of Shen¡¯s foot. It was like striking solid stone, but Shen grunted, and his grip slackened enough for Tenri to slip free. He stumbled away and spun to face his opponent.


    ¡°Savor your one good hit,¡± Shen said calmly.


    Tenri gripped his sword. ¡°It won¡¯t just be one,¡± he snarled.


    He lunged forward, aiming directly for Shen¡¯s stomach. The blade lurched to the side just before it struck, caught in Shen¡¯s grasp. With a squeeze, void qi swirled like smoke around the void artist¡¯s hands. Then, the blade fell to the ground with a resounding CLANG!


    Tenri looked down at the hilt in his hand. Only a few inches of metal remained attached, and something inside him seemed to cry out before it withered to silence. That was his last sword, his last hope.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re out of options. No plants to save you in the middle of a town, little wood artist.¡± Shen¡¯s fist slammed into Tenri¡¯s nose, and he saw stars as he was thrown backward. He collided with the display stands of a vendor with neatly packaged rice and vegetables for sale. The sweet scent filled Tenri with one final hope.


    Plants were his strength. He took a handful of rice and flung it at Shen, pouring as much qi as he could into manipulating them. They streaked towards Shen in a hail of deadly grains, but the void artist only waved his hand. Void mist dissolved the grains before they ever made their mark.


    Shen lifted him by the collar and sneered at him one last time before slamming his head into the road. Tenri¡¯s vision blurred. He felt more blows land, but he didn¡¯t care. He couldn¡¯t stop Shen¡­in the end¡­he¡¯d lost.


    ¡°And let this be a lesson to all of you!¡± Shen shouted, spit flying with every enraged word. ¡°I am invoking the Lunar Hunt! Tsuyuki Yoru will be found, and he will be brought before me. When he is, I will break him, take back the child he harbors, and kill it without hesitation! Anyone with information regarding his location is encouraged to step forth and give it.¡± His eyes narrowed and he raised his head to look down his nose at the cowering mortals. ¡°And those who have information, and do not come forth, they will be treated as equally guilty.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Meeting in Heimian

    The Administrators are a rather ingenious way of managing the problem of the Shore. At once ensuring all villages and towns of a certain size are granted a measure of protection, while both minimizing and organizing the cultivating populace in that dangerous place. By their very existence, Administrators create a power dynamic that drives cultivators away and, thus, prevents organized rebellion or worse, a swell in the moon-twisted. ¨CYarei Suzan, Administrator to Shiyun


    *          *          *


    I sighed as we crossed into the silk-covered streets of Heimian. The tiny town had clearly seen more spider attacks in the month, much to my disappointment. They were getting bolder. Long threads of silk hung from the eaves like streamers waving in the wind, and I caught the faint smell of blood on the wind. The survivors milled about in the light of day, faces sunken to the bone as if they were already dead and their bodies hadn¡¯t quite realized it.


    ¡°These poor people,¡± Pollen murmured. ¡°I knew the fighting had gotten bad in contested territory, but this is surreal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s quite contested anymore. This is what happens when mortals get caught between the conflicts of those higher on the ladder,¡± I explained, trying to contain the bitterness I felt in my heart. ¡°Luckily, the spiders probably won¡¯t be out during the day, so we can meet up with the hornet represent- CHIHO!¡±


    I swatted my hand at the hair pin, but it zipped out of my reach just before the blow landed. I didn¡¯t know what had gotten into the stupid thing! It had been whirring around non-stop since we left Xinya at the Honey Hive for a second time. Cherry Blossom and Rose Thorn were there to take care of her¡­something which I explained to Chiho several times, but it didn¡¯t seem to calm the pin down in the slightest. It zipped around my head like a buzzing gnat, and every so often, it dove down and poked me painfully in the ribs like it was angry.


    ¡°Chiho, for the last time, please behave yourself. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll dip my hair in a mud pit.¡± The pin grumpily settled down for a few moments, only to dart away a moment later to chase after a fallen leaf.


    ¡°Your pin continues to be unruly, it seems,¡± Pollen said, biting her lip to conceal the smile that so clearly shone in her eyes. I just shrugged and shook my head. This had been the constant state of things for weeks.


    I nodded a greeting to the fletcher whose bow I¡¯d broken. He waved me over, so Pollen and I stepped into his meager shop.


    ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m so glad to see you made it out!¡± he said. ¡°The battle that night was truly horrible. I heard rumors that you were kidnapped by spirit beasts after the battle.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t pay you back,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Think nothing of it,¡± he said with a shake of his head.


    ¡°It seems the town has had a rough time lately.¡±


    The fletcher sighed and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d leave if I could, but the roads are even more dangerous than the town. That witch has spiders on every road, ready to creep from the woodwork and eat whole caravans alive.¡±


    ¡°The witch? You mean the death artist? She¡¯s still alive?!¡± After weathering so many attacks, I thought for sure she was done for. How had she managed to come back from that?


    ¡°She¡¯s taken a humanoid form and sits in the Wind Master¡¯s Temple like she owns the place,¡± he explained. A spark of anger ignited in my heart. The Wind Master was one of the reverent titles given to the Sword Saint. She was in one of his temples, likely desecrating it with her very presence.


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Pollen noted. ¡°You¡¯d think the local cultivators would rise against her.¡±


    ¡°The town administrator tried. Lady Shizue killed him for the attempt. First I¡¯ve ever seen a cultivator die. And, since the Lunar Hunt are wrapped up in their own little world, what chance do the rest of us have?¡± He shrugged. ¡°But, if I¡¯m going to kick the bucket, then I¡¯m glad you stopped by before I did, Young Master. I¡¯ve got something special for you.¡± He pulled a long bundle of cloth from a chest and set it on the table for me to see. ¡°It¡¯s my finest work, inspired by seein¡¯ you in action when you snapped that last twig right in two!¡±


    I blushed and muttered an apology. He shook his head and pushed the bundle closer. After a long moment, I relented and began unwrapping the object. My eyes went wide revealing the fine craftsmanship.


    It was a longbow, the finest I¡¯d seen in quite some time. The wood was smooth and supple, and, burned into the wood, were swirling patterns that looked like little black clouds snaking up and down the limbs. He really had been inspired by my void techniques.


    ¡°I must say, it¡¯ll be a shame if you meet your end here, friend,¡± I told the merchant as I ran a loving hand down the length of the bow. ¡°This is exquisite craftsmanship.¡±


    ¡°Your words honor me, Young Master.¡± He bowed deeply in thanks. ¡°Perhaps you could use that to save our little town. I can put together a quiver for you, as well, if you want it.¡±


    I thought long and hard about the proposition. It was made of sturdier wood than the bow I¡¯d broken last time I was here, but it was still only a mundane item. I¡¯d need to infuse it with qi so it wouldn¡¯t break, and void qi wasn¡¯t exactly good for increasing durability. Was it worth trying to use it?


    Fighting at range was something I quite enjoyed. When I¡¯d first learned to use a sword, it was because my sect specialized in it, not because I had any particular talent for swordcraft. In fact, I¡¯d been told repeatedly that I was barely passable with a blade¡­which, of course, isn¡¯t worth nothing. ¡°Passable¡± for an Ascendent is still leagues better than most cultivators could ever dream of contending with, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that the Sword Saint beat me in 10 out of 10 fights if I didn¡¯t use my blooded techniques.


    Even if I couldn¡¯t use it right now without revealing myself, the fact that the ominous moonlight that combined my void and lunar qi together could block my blooded techniques altogether was worrying. I still hadn¡¯t figured out quite what that technique was meant to do, if anything useful, but it clearly came with a cost. If I was to withstand that cost, I needed to reconsider my options. I was skilled with a bow, at least enough that I could further hone my skills through practice. Maybe that could make up the difference¡­


    ¡°Pollen, would you be able to infuse the bow with qi to make it even sturdier?¡± I asked. A land artist and array weaver both, the honeybee queen¡¯s work would be much better than mine. She took the bow in hand, examined it, then nodded.


    ¡°I can try, at least.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s do it!¡±


    The fletcher¡¯s eyes shimmered with joy and hope as he helped me string the bow. Though he refused my gold, saying that he was too likely to die before it could be used, he did accept several jars of Pollen¡¯s qi-infused honey in exchange¡­something that was easily worth three times the amount in gold, but we had plenty of it.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°I hope you put an arrow through their eyes, Young Master,¡± the fletcher offered with a bow as we left. ¡°And, don¡¯t worry about the Hunt, they won¡¯t be prying these old lips open.¡± Before I could ask quite what he meant by that, the old man had closed the door. I turned to Pollen, but she only shrugged, mirroring my own confusion.


    I slung the bow over my shoulder, and the two of us continued meandering down the streets in search of Pharyx. The spirit hornet hadn¡¯t said where he¡¯d be meeting up with us, but the town wasn¡¯t that big, and I was sure we¡¯d spot his sun-kissed hair from a mile away.


    Or at least, so I thought¡­ We searched for nearly an hour in all the busiest parts of town, but there was no trace of him. I looked up to the sky, mentally checking the date against my internal calendar.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, the hornet should have beat us here by at least a week,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Leave it to a predator to be late,¡± Pollen huffed. ¡°She¡¯s probably off lazing on a sunny rock or something.¡± Per Pharyx¡¯s request, I still hadn¡¯t told Pollen that he¡¯d be the one coming.


    ¡°Maybe we ask around again?¡± I said. ¡°Anyone out of the ordinary is sure to leave an impression on someone.¡±


    We surveyed the market square. Very few stalls were open, and those merchants who were out had their heads kept firmly on their wares and the ground. It was strange. Pollen and I were clearly cultivators and cultivators often had money. Why weren¡¯t the merchants trying to get our attention? In fact, it almost seemed like they were avoiding looking at us.


    Chiho poked me hard in the shoulder and I yelped. It pointed across the way to a group of six men and women dressed like fighters and wearing black bands with a mix of green-colored and bronze-colored badges. Cultivators, split between the Leaf Stage and Bronze State, were going between the stalls. They were questioning the merchants, but we were too far away to hear what it was they were saying.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll know?¡± Pollen offered, following my gaze. I wasn¡¯t sure. It seemed¡­off. The fletcher said the local administrator died, and this town was even smaller than Saikan. They wouldn¡¯t have more than one local cultivator, meaning these were either wanderers or¡­


    I was violently yanked backwards by a cold hand in the collar of my robes. The hand was strong, definitely an Iron.


    ¡°Don¡¯t resist,¡± said a cool, familiar voice. Qi filled the command, and a shockwave spread down my body from my ears. Without warning, my entire body relaxed, and I was forced to let the hornet drag me into the alley. Once there, he promptly dropped me in a puddle of mud.


    In the moment after I hit the ground, black mud getting all over my white robes, Pollen struck. The honey-haired spirit hornet was shoved so violently against a wall that I heard the wood creak and protest.


    ¡°Give me one good reason why I shouldn¡¯t end you here,¡± she hissed, a talisman in her free hand, ready to burn her enemy.


    ¡°What gives, Pharyx?¡± I hissed, fighting through the command. This must have been a manifestation of his bloodline: Subjugation. My clothes were filthy, and more of me was covered in brown than white.


    ¡°This is our contact from the hornets?¡± Pollen growled. However, instead of releasing Pharyx from the wall, she only pressed her forearm harder into his throat. He gasped and forced a smile.


    ¡°Mercy¡­Majesty¡­mercy,¡± he rasped. ¡°This one¡­is¡­humbled¡­by your presence.¡±


    ¡°Let him go, Pollen,¡± I said. I stood and began brushing off what mud I could. It would take several minutes for my techniques to clean this much of a mess.


    Pollen looked conflicted. Anger raged in her gaze, but eventually she released the hornet from her grasp. He coughed several times, massaging his windpipe. Then, he brushed off his black and gold uniform and bowed to Pollen.


    ¡°Much obliged, Majesty,¡± he said. ¡°This one has been sent by Queen Taiya Suzume to accompany your illustrious self and Master Tsuyuki on this grand mission to slay the Arachnid Matriarch.¡±


    ¡°She sent a drone?!¡± Pollen hissed. Pharyx¡¯s expression darkened just a touch at the disgust in her voice, but when I tried to interject, he just shook his head. He was running the same game he did in his throne room. This was a test for Pollen, and I was not to help her.


    Instead of answering, Pharyx turned to me. ¡°Master Tsuyuki, I would not recommend cleaning your clothes.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Those cultivators searching the market are looking for a cultivator dressed in all white accompanied by a small child,¡± he explained. ¡°Given how few cultivators pass through the area, I¡¯m assuming that would be you.¡±


    My heart sank. That must have been what the fletcher was talking about. These were Shen Yaoxan¡¯s people. I wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d managed to find me, but I was sure they didn¡¯t just want to talk.


    ¡°What does that have to do with the mud?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Makes your clothes less white,¡± he answered simply, then a grin brightened his eyes. ¡°And because it was just a little bit fun.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t going to fool anyone,¡± Pollen said.


    ¡°It might! I¡¯m travelling with two spirit beasts not¡­¡± Pharyx cut me off with a raise of his hand.


    ¡°Come out from hiding, please,¡± Pharyx called. His eyes flashed gold as his bloodline technique activated, only I wasn¡¯t the target.


    Soft footsteps padded down the alleyway. Xinya was dirty, covered in scrapes and dirt. She did not raise her head as Pharyx¡¯s command forced her to approach.


    ¡°Is this yours, by chance?¡± he asked sweetly. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you since you entered town, and this one was following you.¡±


    I knelt, keeping my face expressionless as I looked the little girl in the eye. ¡°What are you doing here, Xinya?¡± She didn¡¯t meet my gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Pharyx raised a hand and began ticking on his fingers. ¡°So, that¡¯s a cultivator, dressed in white, with a small child in tow. Now am I justified for dragging you into the mud?¡±


    Pollen pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Cherry and Rose are probably panicking. I¡¯ll send word that we have her.¡±


    ¡°You do that, gorgeous,¡± Pharyx said. The words weren¡¯t even all the way out of his mouth before he was ducking to avoid the fibers of Pollen¡¯s whisk as it sailed towards his head. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯m going to go find you something else to wear. If her Majesty would be so kind as to accompany this idiot drone before he gets in trouble?¡±


    Pollen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Fine, but only because you would screw it up otherwise.¡±


    I watched the two spirit beasts disappear into the town. Part of me wondered if they¡¯d be alright. Neither of them had much experience dealing with people beyond their own kin, and I gave it even odds that they would break into a fight between each other. Pharyx was playing a dangerous game, pretending to be a drone in a matriarchal society. If Pollen didn¡¯t realize the truth quickly, would they be able to lay the foundation for their alliance? Or would it end in further war and bloodshed?


    Not my problem at the moment. I shook my head and turned back to the girl before me. Xinya still hadn¡¯t raised her eyes to meet mine


    ¡°How did you manage to avoid notice?¡± I asked softly. Xinya shuffled her feet and looked pointedly at my hand. Chiho still struggled to get free of my grasp, and suddenly it made sense. ¡°It was helping you, wasn¡¯t it? By distracting us anytime you were around?¡± She nodded.


    ¡°You promised to teach me,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°And I still intend to.¡±


    Xinya didn¡¯t answer, but I saw tears well up in her eyes. She fought hard to keep them in, blinking furiously and looking everywhere but in my face. Eventually, the tears were too heavy, and they cascaded down her cheeks as she scowled.


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to be angry. She¡¯d been left behind by everyone she loved, even if none of them were intentional. Her mother left to fight a monster and never returned. Her father stood against a cultivator and died before her eyes. Now, Pollen and I were off to protect the Moon-Soaked Shore, and with no guarantee that we¡¯d return.


    ¡°Are you going to send me back?¡± she asked. What she didn¡¯t realize was that I didn¡¯t have a choice. Heimian was in the middle of nowhere. The closest place of safety was the Hanai Hornet nest, and that was just over two weeks away. She was already behind enemy lines, so there wasn¡¯t much else to do.


    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s going to be dangerous.¡± Her eyes lit up and she finally looked me in the eye. ¡°And you must promise to follow every order given by Pollen, Pharyx, or myself. If you don¡¯t, I will ask Pharyx to force the issue as he did to draw you out.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡± She was unusually sincere, more so than I¡¯d ever seen from her before.


    ¡°Alright, then we begin now while we wait,¡± I said. Not that I¡¯d ever admit it, but she was incredibly skilled to have gotten this far without Pollen and I noticing. Maybe now was as good a time as any to start. ¡°Sit down and cross your legs. You¡¯re going to find the place where your core will someday be.¡±

 Chapter 36 - Cultivating the Core

    Far too many young cultivators become obsessed with the tricks and details of cultivation. What is the Sun? How does one properly apply qi through their body to reach Iron? But all these questions are, ultimately, distractions. Cultivation is about the self; it is about growing beyond yourself. This is true from the lowest seed to the highest Ascendant. ¨CJin Sarei, Elder of the Heaven¡¯s Blade Sect.


    *          *          *


    ¡°Your core will become everything that you are and everything you will ever be,¡± I began. Xinya was watching me with such intensity and determination in her eyes, it felt as if her gaze would burn a hole right through me. I supposed it was good that she was paying such close attention. Crafting one¡¯s core was a tricky business, and one misstep could cripple any chances of becoming a cultivator.


    I reached inside myself, feeling my core as it was positioned in my heart. Most cultivators build their core in the pit of their stomach, or in the space behind the naval. It was more central, easier to build one¡¯s meridians to spread qi like blood through the body. But, there were merits to other locations, too.


    ¡°You must always take care to keep the location of your core safe, no matter the cost,¡± I continued. ¡°It will become like any other organ. You cannot live without your heart, nor will you be able to live without your core. If it is damaged, you may be injured to the point of never being able to cultivate again, if you¡¯re lucky.¡±


    ¡°And if you¡¯re not?¡± she asked. I reached over and smacked her over the head with the feather end of an arrow. It was gentle, but she still screwed her face up in shock.


    ¡°Use your head. What do you think could happen?¡± I said.


    ¡°You could die?¡±


    ¡°Precisely. You must take this extremely seriously because you are playing not just with your life but with your soul. Think everything through, ask questions, but most importantly, make sure you understand everything before you attempt to do it,¡± I waited for her to nod before continuing. ¡°Now, once you¡¯ve picked a place for it, you will want to mentally guide the energy in your body to that point. You¡¯ve already shown an affinity for lightning, and we know you are capable of harnessing the power of the moon. You can choose one or the other or choose to guide both into your core.¡±


    ¡°What would be the benefit of choosing only one?¡±


    ¡°What stops fishermen from becoming carpenters?¡±


    She paused to think about the question before responding. ¡°Well, most of the fishers in Saikan were born to the life. They learned it from their parents, and don¡¯t understand the other trades.¡± She reached up and bit her knuckle as she continued thinking. ¡°They never learned it, so they go to those who did.¡±


    ¡°And if a fisherman did pick up carpentry?¡±


    ¡°Then they¡¯d be able to fix their own boat!¡± she answered. ¡°They¡¯d have more skills and be able to do more things themselves.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Very good. The same holds true for cultivation.¡± I looked both directions up the alleyway. Only once I was sure no one would see, I summoned a small orb of moonlight to one hand. ¡°A cultivator who specializes in only one form of qi will become an expert in that one form. They will be able to accomplish great things by discovering and understanding every aspect of that form. I used to follow a path like this, and I was very good at it. But, a cultivator who understands and can harness two forms of qi,¡± I summoned a tiny bit of void mist to my other hand. ¡°Their mastery will take the form of mixing the two forms together.¡±


    Xinya frowned. ¡°But what about Master Tenri? I¡¯ve never heard of him having more than plant powers.¡±


    ¡°An excellent question,¡± I praised. ¡°Tenri only uses wood qi. Likewise, Pollen only uses land qi and Pharyx only uses sun qi. Why do you think they would only harness one? They aren¡¯t stunting themselves by doing so.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± she thought hard about it. ¡°Maybe because they don¡¯t have the affinity for a second one?¡±


    ¡°Technically, you can cultivate a path without the affinity for it,¡± I countered. ¡°But, you¡¯ll always be more skilled using qi that resonates with your soul. Why else would they only choose one?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­because they don¡¯t want to take the time to learn another element?¡±


    ¡°Correct. There¡¯s always the question of resources. Think of your core as a bowl,¡± I explained. ¡°You could put water in the bowl all the way to the top. Then you¡¯d have a full bowl of water, and any problem you need water for, you¡¯ll have a lot of it.


    ¡°But just as easily, you could fill half the bowl with water, then go and fill half the bowl with honey. You would have less water, but if you came across a problem that needed honey, you¡¯d have a solution. Most people have a set capacity for qi and can only take in 100% of their qi at any given time. If you choose both moon and lightning, you will have half a core of lightning, and half a core of moon.¡±


    Xinya narrowed her eyes as I snuffed out my light and sent my void qi into a nearby crate. The wood began to dissolve, and I drew back the small amount of void qi that was created.


    ¡°You said ¡®most people,¡¯¡± she said, and I winced. ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­I¡¯m a special case,¡± I answered. Now was not the time to reveal to her my full past. ¡°I got my void affinity only after I¡¯d already cultivated along the Path of Lunar Light. It was¡­an unorthodox ritual.¡± It was also one of the most painful things I¡¯d ever been a part of. The ritual had fused another¡¯s core into my own, effectively giving me twice the capacity, and doubling my power as an Ascendent. I¡¯d been lucky that it had worked at all, messing with one¡¯s core in that way nearly always ends in death.


    ¡°I see,¡± she answered. ¡°So, if I wanted to use both, I¡¯d need to gather the qi from both. But, how do I gather it?¡±


    ¡°You must first understand what each power wants.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°What they want?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Everything in the natural world gives off an aura, and spirit artists capture that aura and turn it into qi which they use to improve themselves. But, the world itself is alive. Everything has a purpose, and you must learn to guide your power how you want by knowing what feeds it. The most poignant example would be the Elemental Cycle. Earth is cleaved by metal, but even metal cannot withstand the patience of water. Wood consumes the water and is, in turn, consumed by the fire, which then nourishes the earth with its ashes. Everything has something it needs to survive.¡±


    ¡°But what about lightning? It¡¯s not in that example?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± I resummoned my moonlight and void mist. ¡°We both function on the Celestial Cycle. Lightning, Void, and Moon are all dictated by the heavens, and, thus, have more esoteric needs.¡± I snuffed the light. ¡°For example, the Void exists beyond our world. It¡¯s the nothingness between stars, so naturally, it tends to want to bring matter in line with what it knows. Just as the stars are isolated from one another, the void wishes to isolate matter, as well, which manifests by turning objects to dust.¡± I sent the void mist into the crate once more and dissolved a circular section. ¡°It¡¯s also why void energy creates more void energy. It simply converts what was already holding matter together.¡±


    All of this I understood on a more-or-less instinctual level on account of being Void-Touched¡­not to mention the voices which had taught me in the first place. That said, I used void as the example so that Xinya would have to come up with Moon on her own. This was her journey, after all. That said, I would give her a place to start.


    ¡°Now, for the Moon, I will tell you that the moon actually has no light of its own.¡± She frowned and almost interrupted me, but I held up a hand. ¡°You¡¯re a clever girl, so I¡¯ll leave you with a question. Where does the light of the moon come from, do you think? And how do you think that manifests into the Moon¡¯s true nature?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Can I think on it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d have it no other way. We have plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°And what do you know of the lightning?¡±


    I scratched the back of my head. ¡°That, I can only share what I¡¯ve heard. I¡¯ve never studied it, but, as I understand it, lightning is the will of the heavens, sent to smite down the unjust. You¡¯ll have to determine for yourself what that means, if you intend to cultivate lightning qi.¡± I leaned back. ¡°Now, while we wait for the others to return, I recommend you think on what you intend to do. No answering any of my questions until tomorrow but take as much time as you feel the answer needs.¡±


    Xinya nodded and closed her eyes. I desperately wanted to know what was going on in that bright mind, but she needed time to sort through her thoughts, so I sat up straight and began the much less interesting work of cycling my qi through my body.


    However, I¡¯d only gotten through a handful of cycles before bickering reached my ears.


    ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re lucky I went with you! Do you want him to look like even more of an idiot than you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, darling. No one can beat me at the idiot game.¡± Pharyx¡¯s voice was dripping with sarcasm.


    ¡°Mister Tsuyuki?¡± Xinya whispered. ¡°Why does Pollen hate that other guy so much?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s an insect thing. Men are usually the bottom of their hierarchy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe your queen sent a drone instead of a warrior,¡± Pollen grumbled as she and Pharyx entered the alleyway. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say the hornets weren¡¯t taking this seriously. I came personally to see this through!¡±


    ¡°I assure you, my Queen is taking this very seriously,¡± Pharyx assured her. ¡°I¡¯m easily worth three of our warriors, and I¡¯m blessed with our sacred bloodline.¡±


    ¡°A fact which I¡¯m sure brings great shame to your people,¡± Pollen countered. ¡°Imagine having to train a drone to fight just because you hit the one-in-a-million chance that he inherited the bloodline.¡±


    Pharyx stuck out his tongue. ¡°It¡¯s actually one-in-ten-billion for a drone to inherit, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯m very proud of you both for coming back in one piece, but can we get this part over with?¡±


    Pharyx lit up with excitement. ¡°Oh! Yes! I think you¡¯ll feel like a whole new man after this! I can personally attest to the importance of a new look.¡± He first handed me a package. ¡°I picked out everything, then her Majesty tried to change everything, then I went behind her back with her money and bought all my first picks anyway.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you did what?!¡±


    ¡°What did you think I was doing while flirting with the girl at the shop?¡± He sneered at her. ¡°Believe it or not, a man can have good fashion sense.¡±


    I carefully unwrapped the package to find a set of brown and black leathers, like a hunter¡¯s outfit. Over the top, Pharyx draped a nice outer robe. It was plain, but Pollen promised that her Groomers could embroider whatever designs I wanted once they were home. It only had one sleeve, leaving my left arm free of hinderances for shooting. The other sleeve was shorter than I was used to, only going to my elbow before separating into a flowing sleeve that hung next to me, even with my arm raised to my string. I strung my bow over my shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, and we stopped by the fletcher, too, and he recommended some of these,¡± Pharyx handed me another package. With his help, I strapped a long armguard to my left arm to protect from my own string. Finally, he fitted me with a pair of half-fingered gloves for my left hand¡¯s grip, and a three-fingered glove for my string hand.


    Pharyx was right. I felt like a completely different person, and I had to admit, it was kind of nice. Already, I felt less like a moon artist in hiding. I was a void artist, and unlike with my Void-Touched form, I still felt human.


    ¡°You ready for the last bit?¡± Pharyx asked. In his hand was a blue and silver silk ribbon. ¡°I thought you might still want something like your old outfit, so I snagged this. It cost more than the rest combined.¡±


    I knelt on a dry patch of ground and let the hornet stand over me. He pulled Chiho from my hair and let it float to the side.


    ¡°I love your hair,¡± Pollen murmured. ¡°It looks so soft.¡±


    ¡°It is soft! Just feel it!¡± Pharyx answered.


    Pollen reached out and stroked it. I gave them both an awkward smile. It was a little weird, but I guess insects don¡¯t normally grow long hair at all, thus the hair they got with becoming humanoid spirit beasts wasn¡¯t very easy to work with.


    ¡°I hope I have hair like that someday,¡± Pollen said with a sigh.


    Pharyx made quick work of putting my hair into a high tail, wrapped up with the blue and silver ribbon. Once he was done, he stepped back and let Chiho observe the change. It vibrated almost grudgingly as it studied the new style. I genuinely wondered if it would accept it. Other than minor variations, I hadn¡¯t changed my preferred hair style since nearly a thousand years before I¡¯d been imprisoned. In the end, Chiho managed to wedge itself between two turns of the ribbon. Once it was in, it trilled happily, and everyone relaxed.


    ¡°Excellent! How does everything feel?¡± Pharyx asked. I nodded in approval.


    ¡°Fits perfectly. Not sure how you guys managed that.¡±


    ¡°I know your measurements,¡± answered both Pharyx and Pollen in perfect unison. They shared a look of surprise before Pharyx grinned suggestively, and Pollen crossed her arms in a huff.


    ¡°How do you both know my measurements?¡±


    Pharyx shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s an insect thing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just more observant of the physical traits of others,¡± Pollen explained. ¡°Particularly myself, since I¡¯m a queen. I know every member of my hive based on their exact size, shape, stripe patterns, and scent. Memorizing your form is child¡¯s play by comparison.¡±


    ¡°Wait, scent?¡± I blushed. ¡°Did you both memorize my scent?¡±


    Neither of them answered, but the look they shared between each other was answer enough. ¡°Guys, guys, when did you get close enough to memorize my scent!?¡±


    ¡°Come on Xinya! Time to see if Tsuyuki¡¯s disguise is worth the honey money we spent!¡±

 Chapter 37 - Picking the Best Bait

    Void or Death? Which do you think is deadlier kid? Ha! Trick question. The real answer is that whatever your opponent¡¯s got up their sleeve is the deadliest. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a chopstick or a talisman, if you don¡¯t treat your enemy deadly serious then whatever they got is the deadliest thing you¡¯ll have the pleasure of experiencing. ¨CCaptain San Pele of the Wandering Legion


    *          *          *


    We stepped gingerly out onto the street. The cultivators from the Lunar Hunt were nowhere to be seen, likely having moved to some other section of the market while Pharyx and Pollen had been shopping. Despite the apparent lack of watching eyes, we still decided to take few risks. Xinya held Pollen¡¯s hand, rather than mine, making it seem as if the two were mother and daughter while Pharyx and I kept several paces back.


    ¡°When are you going to tell her?¡± I asked the hornet quietly.


    ¡°Who, Pollen?¡± he shrugged. ¡°She has even more tools to figure it out than you did. Getting over the apparent gender roles insects are mired in is a small task when compared to the predator/prey relationship. If she can¡¯t get over the idea that a man can be queen, then there¡¯s no point in pursuing any diplomatic resolutions with the bees.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°And I presume you have some kind of plan in mind to help her learn to respect you?¡±


    The sun hornet gave me a crooked grin. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a master at wooing both men and women alike.¡± My ears grew hot at the memory of his behavior in his throne room. Were I not grieving a previous love, I might have fallen for his antics.


    ¡°I doubt Pollen will be so easily convinced.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to be,¡± Pharyx admitted. ¡°As long as I can show her that I¡¯m worth more than your average drone, it¡¯ll be up to her to figure out the rest.¡±


    I let the matter drop. At the end of the day, a treaty between the hornets and the bees was up to the queens of the two hives. Pharyx was well within his rights to object to such a treaty on account of Pollen¡¯s behavior, and I was only an outsider with little influence on the overall outcome. All I could do was hope that Pollen¡¯s prejudice wouldn¡¯t get in the way of showing Pharyx just how sweet she could be.


    We turned a corner and found ourselves in the same square where I¡¯d fought the spider witch the first time. It was scrubbed clean of the blood and deathly qi of the walking corpses, but many threads of silk still hung from this part of the town.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t we seen any spiders yet?¡± Pollen wondered. ¡°I know they¡¯re nocturnal, but you¡¯d think they¡¯d be keeping a patrol at least.¡±


    ¡°I, for one, will be glad to know they didn¡¯t,¡± Pharyx answered.


    The four of us ducked into a tea shop and took a seat. After negotiating with the proprietor to use our honey as currency, the waitress brought us several cups of steaming tea. In truth, there wasn¡¯t much negotiating involved. The honey was so infused with qi that the tea shop could use it to attract any wandering cultivators who came to town. Those of the Lunar Hunt, and the actual provincial guards who were in charge of keeping the peace on the Moon-Soaked Shore were much more lucrative clientele than we were. As far as they were concerned, we were trading liquid gold for a few cups of water, some tea leaves, and a bowl of steaming congee for Xinya, all of which Pollen flavored with even more honey. She had a nearly never-ending supply of the stuff.


    ¡°So, the rumors say the Witch herself is in the temple of some wind god or other,¡± Pollen began.


    Pharyx nodded. ¡°Removing her will give us a chance to work together before we¡¯re wing deep in spiders.¡±


    I rested my head on my hand and looked out the window to watch the few brave souls who dared to step outside rush from place to place. The truth was that the temple wasn¡¯t just to any old wind god.


    The people of Heimian could have picked any spirit or Ascendent to worship. I¡¯d seen lands where spirit beasts were worshipped as protectors of the land, and thus, carved out their territory. In fact, many Ascendents in every era were worshipped as gods. Though only yokai, shades, and some forms of spirit beast could accept the offered spiritual energy from the prayers of mortals, the cultivating ascendents still used it as a means of controlling the masses through religious doctrine, with many sects enforcing that rule.


    However, the people of Heimian had chosen the Wind Master, otherwise known as the Sword Saint, to worship. I wasn¡¯t sure why the man I knew had instituted a religious following, or if it had even been his doing. What I was quite certain of, however, was that that temple would be rich with the spiritual presence of the Sword Saint. Even if he was dead, would he recognize me and reach back from beyond the grave to send me back to prison?


    I shook my head. It was silly to worry about such things. The Sword Saint was dead, and even if he had still been alive, it had been tens of thousands of years since we¡¯d last met. There was no way he¡¯d recognize me, not in this powerless Bronze body.


    ¡°But, how are we going to get her to come out during the day?¡± Pollen continued, completely oblivious to my internal struggles.


    Pharyx didn¡¯t have an answer. He sipped his tea, eyes closed to think. She was right, of course. During the day, we had an overwhelming advantage. Between Pharyx¡¯s sun aura being most powerful during the day, and the fact that both hornets and bees had terrible night vision, trying to stage our attack during the day was critical to our success.


    But, how to lure our enemy into conditions that were favorable for us?


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you bait a trap?¡± Xinya offered. The little girl had been listening intently the entire time, clearly eager to be of assistance to the three older cultivators. When the two spirit beasts frowned in confusion, the little girl continued. ¡°Well, if you want the fish to swarm, you bait the water before casting your net. That¡¯s what Dad always said. He always said that the best bait made a greater haul than fishing in better waters, but that was because he was always pushed to the edge of the reef.¡±


    I smiled at the girl. She was right. With the right bait, we could get the witch to come out on her own. The question was what bait would be most effective.


    ¡°So, we send Tsuyuki in to lure her out.¡± Pharyx nodded in agreement, but I nearly spit my tea all over the hornet.


    ¡°Wait?! Why me?¡± That spider was crazy, but why was I the first one Pharyx decided to throw under the cart?A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Pharyx blinked in shock. ¡°Because you beat her last time?¡±


    ¡°You did that as much as I did!¡±


    ¡°Ah, but I wasn¡¯t the one she was keen on killing and raising as an obedient, but beautiful, corpse,¡± he said. ¡°Honestly, I would normally be insulted that she didn¡¯t think I was a suitably handsome face, but she never got the chance to see me in this form. If she had, then I would surely be the most qualified to be bait, but alas, I yield that honor to you, Master Tsuyuki.¡± The hornet winked at me with a mischievous grin. I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache beginning behind my eyes. He might have the sun-touched mischief look that could turn heads, but he still had nothing on my looks¡­


    ¡°You do have the best kept hair of the three of us,¡± Pollen added. Chiho trilled its agreement.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± I snapped. ¡°I was the heartthrob of the cultivation world since well before any of you were born.¡± I crossed my arms in a huff. When silent confusion reigned over the table, I sipped the hot tea before me to cool the heat that was rising in my cheeks.


    ¡°You do realize that spirit hornets and bees both live longer than our mundane counterparts?¡± Pharyx prompted.


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    ¡°He thinks himself a god,¡± Xinya said sagely, eating a spoonful of congee. ¡°Says he¡¯s been all over the world, too. All the way to the Indomitable Mountain and back.¡±


    ¡°And yet he doesn¡¯t know about the Summoned Isle?¡± the hornet queen teased.


    My cheeks burned even hotter. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve only ever been to places on this continent!¡±


    ¡°The Indomitable Mountain isn¡¯t on this continent,¡± Xinya corrected. ¡°Miss Jaili says it¡¯s on the other side of the Akumai Straight.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I had never heard of this Akumai Straight, and last I checked, the Mountain was definitely on the same continent as my dominion had been. The Avatar of the Earth and I weren¡¯t particularly great friends, but we were still Ascendents of the same dynasty. I¡¯d toured his entire empire, just as he¡¯d done mine.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ve actually been there?¡± the little girl narrowed her violet eyes suspiciously.


    ¡°Of course I have! It was just¡­¡± In another era? Another Ascendent dynasty? The age of legends?


    I sighed and slouched in my seat. This world was complicated. I¡¯d need to get my hands on a map. Who knows what kind of geographical changes had come to pass during my imprisonment.


    My three companions looked at me, expecting me to finish the sentence I¡¯d started. However, as I lacked an answer that kept with both my previous statements and my cover as a perfectly normal cultivator, they would be disappointed. I cleared my throat.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be your bait, but, if my corpse ends up dancing on her strings, I will become a shade through sheer force of will to haunt each and every one of you.¡±


    *          *          *


    The Wind Master¡¯s Temple in Heimian was a meager place as far as temples go, but it was still a grand structure as far as a small backwater town was concerned. The compound had a small outer wall to contain the garden and the temple itself. On a normal day, the upper floors of the building would open their windows to air out the temple and let in the wind qi that was the principal element of their patron Saint. However, now, those windows were closed tight to keep the sun from entering the den of monsters within.


    As soon as I passed through the gates, I could smell them. Death and blood clung to the air, along with another smell like rose perfume. The perfume had been applied generously to the building, but all it had done was provide a sickening sweetness that did nothing to overpower the death qi that practically seeped from the walls.


    A few priests still remained in the temple itself. Their faces were gaunt from sickness, and the only thing that overpowered the fear in their eyes was the exhaustion. Yet, despite their condition, they continued to care for their temple grounds. The floors were scrubbed clean of blood, at least in the main shrine, and the statue was spotless.


    I stared at it. The face of a man weathered by age stared back at me with sharp eyes. He was so¡­old, and yet, the fierceness of youthful vigor still shone through in his posture. At his hip were two swords. One was Razor Wind, the Saint¡¯s loyal companion, the blade that had struck down the Moon itself. The other made me choke. I¡¯d recognize the moon charm tassel of Eclipse¡¯s hilt anywhere.


    ¡°Jinshi, did you really insist on carrying my sword for so long?¡± I whispered.


    A creeping sorrow built up in my heart. Knowing that the Sword Saint was dead and coming to terms with it were two different things. We¡¯d been more than friends. He was my cultivation partner, the love of my life, the Saint of my Heart¡­


    It all seemed like a dream, now. The realm we built, the love we shared¡­the love that shattered, all because of me. I deserved the nail Jinshi had driven into my heart, and the scars it left behind, but, with him dead, there was no way to say just how sorry I was¡­how much I missed him in the years locked in the Labyrinth.


    For my sword to be at his waist¡­did it mean that he really did miss me? Had he kept it close to keep a part of me with him? The blade was shattered. It was worthless to him otherwise.


    Or did he keep it as a trophy? A symbol of his success in destroying me so completely? He always did keep tokens from his enemies: the tooth of the Great Fox Demon of Lan Valley, a scale of the South Sea Leviathan, the silver earring of Heartbreaker, the first shade we¡¯d defeated together¡­the Shattered Sword of the Darkened Moon could easily fit into his collection.


    I kept my silence and lit a bit of incense. This place held none of the Jinshi I knew, but it felt wrong to leave nothing for him. Maybe, in whatever afterlife he¡¯d passed to, he could see me and feel the sincerity of the offering. Maybe we¡¯d meet again in the spirit realm¡­someday.


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you know the temple is closed?¡± The voice was soft and feminine, but filled with spite and malice.


    I turned my head to see a woman dressed in a soft pink dress with a red fan before her face. Her hair was a rather unusual shade of tawny orange that would have made her quite the exotic beauty in this part of the world. However, her skin was as pale as a corpse, and I spied several lines of stitches across her arms. As soon as she saw me, though, her fan dropped. I didn¡¯t recognize her face, but she clearly recognized mine.


    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± she gasped, her voice draining of all its former malice. ¡°The cultivator! I knew you¡¯d come back!¡±


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± I asked. She closed the distance between us quickly, but, in the last moment, her left foot caught on her right and she stumbled forward. I reached out and caught her, as was only good manners.


    ¡°Stupid two legs, how do humans manage with so few?¡± she grumbled before looking up into my face with an almost adoring expression. ¡°What a dashing hero you are? Done playing with the buzzing little bees, are you? I knew you couldn¡¯t resist my offer.¡±


    That¡¯s when it hit me. Why had the Spider Witch been collecting body parts? Why did this woman have stitches on her arms, as if they were literally holding her flesh together?


    This was the Witch of Heimian, the very spider Pharyx and I had mistakenly allowed to live.


    The realization hit me like a runaway carriage, and I quickly fled several steps back, letting her fall to her knees. She blinked several times in confusion before standing upright once more.


    ¡°I take it from your expression that you¡¯re not here to accept my deal?¡± she growled. Her fan snapped open, and she glared at me over the top.


    ¡°I thought Pharyx and I beat you hard enough that you wouldn¡¯t come crawling back,¡± I answered. ¡°It seems I was mistaken. Congratulations on your humanoid form, if you can call it that.¡±


    The Witch narrowed her eyes and stomped her foot. ¡°Oh, laugh if you want! I worked hard for this body and almost didn¡¯t get the chance to use it thanks to you and that stupid wasp!¡±


    ¡°How did you manage to survive? I¡¯ll make sure not to repeat the mistake.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t get the chance, this time!¡±


    The Witch waved her fan, and the air grew thick and stale. Death qi, I had no doubt of it, filled every corner of the room, and I pulled my free sleeve over my nose and mouth before breathing in too much of the invisible toxin. Nearby, the priests began to choke and cough, but they weren¡¯t cultivators. One by one, they fell. They were dead before they hit the floor.

 Chapter 38 - The Witch of Heimian

    Lightning, fire, formations, traps, and salt. In order, that¡¯s what you should use to hunt any Yokai. Don¡¯t bother with poisons or a straight fight, they¡¯re stronger than you are. The average Yokai can take three or four cultivators of equivalent cultivation because of their magic and improved core. And, quite frankly, because they¡¯re our natural predators. ¨CFamed Yokai Hunter, Hei Kya


    *          *          *


    I stumbled towards the door. The qi was thick and scalding in my nose and throat. It made the deathly miasma of the Lighthouse Shade look like a gentle summer fog.


    ¡°Nice try, but I let you escape once before!¡± she shrieked. The growling of freshly raised corpses filled my ears. The Witch¡¯s powers filled the room, pulling the bodies of the priests upright like puppets on her strings. They lunged for the door, coming to stand between me and my exit. Their eyes were dull and filled with malice, even if the bodies hadn¡¯t started to decay, and they waved death infused claws at me.


    ¡°And this is why I should never have agreed to being the bait,¡± I muttered. If the Witch weren¡¯t so crazy, I¡¯d have made one of the others do it. After all, Pharyx and Pollen were stronger than me, both wielding the strength of Iron cultivators, while I was still stuck at Bronze thanks to my connection to Tenri. I would really need to get him to Iron when I got back to Saikan. I absolutely refused to remain this pathetic forever.


    I pulled my bow from my back and knocked an arrow to the string. Time was short with the death qi in the air, but I stubbornly gritted my teeth and breathed as little as possible.


    ¡°Get him!¡±


    The corpses of the priests lunged forward, but I was ready. In one swift motion, I drew the string back, breathed void into the shaft of the arrow, and released. Black mist streaked towards the first corpse, driving several inches of the shaft into the man¡¯s chest before the mist began to eat away at his body and clothes from the inside.


    I raced towards the door. Flash Forward warned me of the direction from which the second priest would strike, and I dropped to the ground, sliding under its grasping claws and coming to a halt by the still-twitching body of the first. Figuring there was no sense in wasting arrows, I yanked the projectile from the first body, put it to the string, and fired it straight into the back of the corpse that had just missed me. The force of the arrow knocked the corpse clean off its feet, as a hole began to form in its torso.


    ¡°Ugh, of course you ruined them,¡± the Witch muttered. ¡°It¡¯s so hard to find good help these days.¡± She turned to a third corpse, one which had not died in a convenient place to be useful in the battle. ¡°Go and rouse the family. He¡¯ll try to run into the streets next.¡±


    ¡°As far away from you as I can!¡± I shouted back as I yanked the door open. I sucked down fresh air in gulps as I raced across the garden and through the front gates. I spotted Pollen and Pharyx waiting nearby and nodded to them both. They readied their weapons while I took my position in the center of the market square.


    The trap was set, the bait had dangled before our prey, and now we just had to wait for the spider to tumble into it. I cast a wary glance at the ground around me. Faint chalk lines had been drawn on the ground in several places around the market, but they wouldn¡¯t work if I accidentally destroyed them with a loose bit of void qi. I set myself squarely between three of them before nocking another arrow to my bowstring.


    The wood of the weapon was holding up surprisingly well, despite the fact that Pollen hadn¡¯t had a chance to infuse it with any reinforcement arrays. Whatever new wood the fletcher had crafted it from was fine indeed. It might not hold up to the strain of a cultivator¡¯s qi for long, but hopefully it would be enough for this fight.


    I focused my thoughts, willing Flash Forward to extend out further than the next few seconds. Normally, the ability provided somewhere between two and five seconds of warning for any possible futures that could end in injury. However, with effort, and a commensurate cost of lunar qi, I could push it further in length and scope. Now, I searched for the possible outcomes where the spiders would strike.


    It took several minutes of waiting. The Witch had to rally her kin, after all, but, by the time the moment came, I¡¯d witnessed a dozen potential realities, nearly exhausting my supply of moonlight. In ten of the twelve iterations, they swarmed over the walls from the left and right. The Witch herself was less consistent, sometimes joining her kin, sometimes striking from a different angle.


    After calling out instructions to Pharyx and Pollen, who adjusted their stances accordingly, I retracted my blooded technique back to its standard form. I wouldn¡¯t be using any lunar blades or haunting moonlight in this fight, not with the Lunar Hunt so close by, but I was still relieved when the drain on my core was reduced back to normal levels. It would take time to recover that qi, but I¡¯d manage with my void techniques.


    ¡°Here they come!¡± I shouted in the instant before the first leg appeared over the wall. As soon as Pharyx spotted it, he lunged upward with his lance, driving it straight into the creature¡¯s unprotected underside. The spider shrieked in surprise and pain before it curled its legs in and tumbled dead to the ground.


    At the same time, on the other side of the wall, a whirlwind of flower petals erupted around Pollen. I watched her, curious to see how this land artist fought. As if without a care in the world, Pollen plucked a petal from the cloud and hurled it at the first spider that crested the walls. It sliced a leg clean off the creature, which tumbled to the ground. Several more petals streaked towards the creature, slicing off more limbs until it was completely immobilized and left to bleed out on the ground.


    Growling drew my attention back to the gate, where seven corpses were stumbling forward, emboldened by six spiders cresting the walls on either side. Pharyx¡¯s lance shone bright as he dealt with one, and Pollen flung her petals to take down two on her side. I released my arrow, felling one of the corpses before the queens could be overrun.


    Knowing that more enemies would soon come, both spirit beasts retreated away from the walls, running across the emptied market towards me. The spiders raised a small cheer as they sensed their victory close at hand. After all, they had dozens of kin and corpses, and we were only three strong.


    They learned their folly quickly. The first spiders rushed forward, and Pollen smirked. The snap of her fingers rang loud and clear over the square. Pink petals exploded around the first set of spiders, shredding them with sharpened edges. A moment later, another snap, and another group of spiders fell before the Queen Bee¡¯s intricately drawn arrays.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just rude,¡± the Witch said from behind us. We whirled around to see her and another corpse.


    This corpse looked different than the rest I¡¯d seen her raise. It was quiet, but its presence was imposing. In life, he was a man dressed in a cultivator¡¯s robes, though now they were tattered and torn from exposure to death qi. His hair hung limply around his face, barely hiding glowing red eyes.


    ¡°Well, lookie here,¡± Pharyx sneered. ¡°I guess we didn¡¯t stab her hard enough last time, eh, Tsuyuki?¡±


    ¡°This is the Witch?¡± Pollen asked incredulously. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like much. Her body isn¡¯t even real.¡± The Witch¡¯s face flushed red with fury, and she trembled.


    ¡°Well, some of us aren¡¯t lucky enough to have the resources and extra qi to create humanoid spirit beasts the normal way!¡± she growled. ¡°Some of us have to scrape and steal everything we have, unlike you lucky little queen bees.¡±


    Pollen laughed. ¡°Well, then I guess we know who the superior insects of the forest are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M NOT AN INSECT!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, two too many legs, and all the lesser for it.¡± Pharyx held out a hand to Pollen who looked at it for a long moment before shrugging and taking it in a show of solidarity. The hornet beamed with pride and his lance started to glow with sunlight.


    ¡°You vile little¡­¡± The Witch snapped her fan open and hid behind it. ¡°No matter. You¡¯ll both be dead at the hands of my knight before the day is done.¡± Her eyes turned upward as she gazed at me over the edge of the fan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling. You¡¯re still prettier than this oaf, and I¡¯ll replace him with you soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be enticing?¡± I asked, drawing back my string and firing the arrow straight at the Witch¡¯s head. In the blink of an eye, she snapped the fan shut and used the tool to slap the arrow off course.


    ¡°Leave the handsome human alive, but do what you wish with the insects,¡± she ordered the fearsome corpse.


    ¡°Your Majesty, keep focused on your arrays,¡± Pharyx said, stepping forward. ¡°We have a score to settle with the crazy spider.¡±


    Pollen nodded and turned back to the spiders. During the conversation, they¡¯d become more cautious and were fanning out to find holes in the defense. However, Pollen had been extremely thorough in their creation. They were both difficult to see and scattered in a haphazard pattern that she swore made sense to her, but was a complete mystery to both Pharyx and me.


    The Queen Bee lazily swished her whisk over her head. ¡°Just try not to let it crawl back into the woodwork this time.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± Pharyx readied his lance, and I knocked two arrows to the string.


    The corpse didn¡¯t move. It stood perfectly still, as if waiting. Pharyx¡¯s patience didn¡¯t last. His lance flared with brilliant sunlight, and he lunged at the corpse. As soon as his attack was in motion, it moved, ducking inside the effective range of the lance and landing a clean palm strike on the hornet¡¯s chest. Pharyx sailed backwards, twisting in the air to land on his feet. As he skidded to a halt, burning solar qi erupted from his back, forming a pair of insect wings which unfurled and began fluttering. Buzzing filled the air as Pharyx rushed forward again, this time leaping high into the air. With a cry of fury, he brought the lance down.


    Solar qi met death qi in a small explosion of light. The corpse¡¯s arms were raised in defense, but Pharyx¡¯s overwhelming strength was slowly pushing him back. So long as he was fending off the hornet, the corpse¡¯s defenses were open!


    I fired off four arrows in two quick bursts. Each one was laced with void qi, and the corpse grunted as each arrow hit its mark. Four holes began to burn away at his clothes, but the corpse remained strong.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find this one is stronger than the rest, aren¡¯t you, Master Administrator?¡± The Witch laughed as the corpse growled. It¡¯s muscles bulged with qi, no doubt surging along meridians created by the cultivator in life, empowering him. He surged upward, knocking Pharyx back several meters into the sky.


    The hornet narrowed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s stupid to swat at a wasp? It just makes us angry!¡±


    Three more arrows made their homes in the corpse¡¯s legs as Pharyx fell upon the corpse with the burning fury of a solar flare. He stabbed, feinted, then stabbed again, darting around the corpse with incredible speed. I didn¡¯t dare shoot at the two, for fear I¡¯d accidentally hit the hornet. You¡¯d never think that he was actually slow for his kind¡­


    However, I wasn¡¯t at a loss for targets. The Witch watched the fight with great interest, not doing battle herself, but it was her qi that fueled the undead cultivator. An arrow sailed towards her, trailing a comet tail of black mist. She knocked it aside, just as she¡¯d done the first one, but I had never expected to actually hit her.


    Instead, I used the opportunity to close the distance between us. My arrows were ineffective, but I had other tools. The fan swept to the side to knock the next arrow from the air, but the distraction allowed me to close the gap, striking her arm with a fearsome palm strike.


    She gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you so eager to die?¡± The blow had landed weak upon her, confirming my suspicion that she was higher than Bronze. However, given the power she¡¯d displayed already, she couldn¡¯t be more than Iron. There was a limit to the corpses she could raise and the power they had. Only after the rest had been slain had she entered the fight with her champion.


    The witch clawed at me with death-infused nails, and I ducked under the blow before following up with a Disintegrating Touch that slammed into her stomach. She coughed and stumbled backwards. Even if she was Iron, her martial prowess was clearly lacking.


    An enormous burst of sunlight and heat washed over me as Pharyx howled in anger. His lance sank into the corpse¡¯s back and the cultivator gurgled.


    ¡°Finish it!¡± the hornet shouted. In an instant, my arrow was nocked and filled with the void.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t!¡± The Witch tried to grab at my sleeve to disrupt my shot, but it was too late. Between the unbridled power of sunlight and the all-consuming hunger of the void, the corpse was burned and disintegrated until nothing remained but ash.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Pollen cried. Flash Forward provided more context for her warning. Two streams of sticky silk streaked towards Pharyx and I from different directions. I ducked out of the way, but the hornet was less lucky.


    His wings became tangled in the sticky fibers, and he tumbled to the ground. A moment later, Pollen¡¯s razor-sharp petals eliminated the spiders who¡¯d shot them.


    ¡°Sorry, they temporarily slipped from my net,¡± the honeybee said. ¡°Won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    With her champion defeated, the Witch twitched several times in surprise. Then she turned with a terrified squeak and fled down the streets.


    ¡°S-stop them!¡± she called to her kin. More spiders, a whole nest of them, swarmed down the buildings towards us.


    ¡°Did they move the whole colony here or something?¡± Pharyx muttered, raising his lance.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, we can¡¯t let her get away this time,¡± I said. I drew two arrows back on my string, breathing void into each one and aiming towards the Witch.


    But, in that moment, my breath caught. The Bronze band around my core squeezed so tight, I thought the poor thing might split in two. I released the string, my hands suddenly twitching in shock, and the arrows went wide, slamming into several buildings instead of my target.


    I fell to a knee, wondering why it had suddenly become so tight. What was going on? Was Tenri alright?


    I heard Pharyx call out in alarm before darkness overtook my vision and I was swallowed by suffocating nothingness.

 Chapter 39 - Survive

    Don¡¯t die. That¡¯s my advice. You can¡¯t protect anyone if you die, so don¡¯t. ¨CMountain Lord Han Szu to an aspiring disciple


    *          *          *


    Hanako held back her sobs as her precious Lin stopped moving. His sword was broken, his glasses were shattered, and a hundred grains of rice lay in dejected piles where they¡¯d fallen after Lin¡¯s last attack. He hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to make another¡­


    As that monster Shen stalked away, every eye turned to Hanako, who stood on the edge of the circle of people. She just stared at Lin, her feet frozen to the ground. How had things gone so wrong? The stars hadn¡¯t whispered anything about this. They¡¯d said today would be an auspicious day, one that would lead to great prosperity¡­not¡­this.


    ¡°Hanako?¡± It was Cousin Zumi, Lin¡¯s cousin. He edged closer, as if approaching a tiger, but Hanako didn¡¯t pay him any attention. The boxed lunch Lin had left by accident fell from her grasp.


    Instead, she forced one foot forward, then another. Lin needed help. She needed to get him to the clinic, or to home¡­which one? What was she supposed to do? How many times had she been faced with victims of spirit beasts or mundane accidents around town? She was the daughter of the medicine man. She should be doing something, anything, and yet¡­


    She couldn¡¯t focus on anything but Lin¡¯s broken nose, the blood on his lips, the bone poking from his crushed arm. All those people she¡¯d helped, they weren¡¯t Lin¡­ He had always been fine, the untouchable cultivator among mortals. Sometimes he came home with minor cuts and bruises, but nothing like this.


    ¡°Someone get Zhao Jaili!¡± Zumi ordered. ¡°Quickly! He might still be alive!¡±


    No one moved. Why would they? Lin had been sentenced to death by a more powerful cultivator. How could any of them go against someone who¡¯d so soundly defeated their protector? In the end, after an awkward moment looking around and fidgeting, it was Zumi himself who sprinted away.


    Hanako knelt next to Lin, her fingers trembled as she felt for a pulse. Blood roared in her ears as she searched for it, waiting for the simple swelling of his veins that would indicate there was still hope.


    It came in a tiny, uneven beat, but that was all it took. Hanako shook off the shock and began to straighten out his body as best she could without hurting him. Once Jaili arrived, the two women moved in practiced harmony.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take him to your home,¡± Jaili whispered. ¡°Fewer eyes to report back to Shen if he survives.¡± Then, with blood-stained hands, she reached up and put a hand on her sister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll do everything we can, Hanako. You have my word.¡±


    *          *          *


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± the voice reached through the fog, drawing Tenri back from the brink. The weight of his own failure hung heavy, like chains dragging him down into the grave, and yet the voice made it lighter, like the tiniest rope pulling upward, balancing out the weight. ¡°Are you just going to give up here?¡±


    ¡°I lost,¡± Tenri said, his voice cracking with despair.


    ¡°So, try again.¡±


    Tenri¡¯s voice was filled with bitterness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to break this to you, but your eyesight is shot in your old age,¡± he said, though he wasn¡¯t quite sure how he knew the voice was elderly. It was slightly gravelly, like a young elder¡¯s might be, but it held the strength and confidence of a youth. When it laughed, it was whole and hearty.


    ¡°Yours isn¡¯t much better,¡± it answered. ¡°Maybe when you reach Iron, your sight will finally be corrected. Glasses are quite the hazard during battle, you know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a choice.¡±


    Then Tenri paused. What did the voice mean by ¡°when you reach Iron?¡± He wouldn¡¯t be reaching Iron. He would be lucky if he survived the night after the beating he¡¯d received. He¡¯d lost track of the number of times Shen had kicked his ribs and stomped on his chest. If his insides weren¡¯t thoroughly crushed into a fine puree, he¡¯d be shocked.


    Shen was Iron, after all. No way a little Bronze like Tenri could beat him. The gap in their cultivation ranks was too great.


    ¡°And yet, Yoru managed it,¡± the voice said.


    ¡°Yeah, with the help of a small miracle.¡± Tenri¡¯s frustration was great. He was tired of being polite.  Politeness, manners, respect¡­those were useful to the living. He did not see how they would help him as he stood upon the precipice of death.


    Even now, he could feel the Four-Fingered Death searching for him. The cold mists of the Death Ascendent were everywhere, scouring the world and taking the souls of the departed. It came for him. He was sure of it.


    ¡°No miracles helped Yoru defeat the Iron, only knowledge and skill,¡± the voice continued. ¡°Those skills were forged from centuries of training and practice.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have centuries.¡±


    ¡°You could, if you defeat Shen Yaoxan.¡±


    Realization slammed into Tenri like a shockwave. He could have centuries¡­that sort of lifespan was the result of cultivation, powerful cultivation. If he lived, could he become a cultivator like that?The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I admire Master Tsuyuki,¡± Tenri admitted. ¡°His courage and strength are beyond anything I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    The voice laughed again. ¡°I quite agree. He¡¯s exceptional, but even he had to start as a seed.¡±


    Tenri suddenly found himself imagining a younger Tsuyuki, one just starting to tame the light of the moon. He surely was a child prodigy, to become an Ascendent bound to the very moon itself. Tenri pictured that small child with a tiny jade pin in his hair, focusing on creating a tiny mote of light, only for it to flicker and fail.


    Then he shook his head. It was almost too ridiculous, even to imagine. Somehow, he didn¡¯t think Tsuyuki had ever been such a wide-eyed child.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he ultimately said. ¡°I¡¯m going to die here. There¡¯s nothing they can do to save me.¡±


    ¡°The Path to Heaven has many barriers, Tenri Lin.¡± The voice was starting to sound more and more like his grandfather¡¯s to Tenri¡¯s ear. Had he reached out from beyond the grave to help him? ¡°Train your focus. Fight through the pain. Cling to life, and the Four-Fingered Death will have a harder time finding you.¡±


    ¡°To what end?¡±


    ¡°To advance, of course, and challenge the heavens.¡±


    *          *          *


    Five people traversed the woods to the Zhao farm, carrying a stretcher between them. Hanako held her husband¡¯s hand, hoping desperately that he could feel her presence. They¡¯d been friends since childhood and betrothed for even longer. If there was anyone who knew Lin¡¯s inner spirit, she liked to think it was her. Of all people, it was her who¡¯d helped him when he¡¯d found his grandfather¡¯s old cultivation manuals hidden in the attic. It was her who¡¯d encouraged him to stand up to the old administrator, and it was her who¡¯d thrown a sandal at his head when he said he¡¯d never reach Bronze.


    Lin was strong and compassionate, but he never believed in his own ability. To see him stand up to Shen Yaoxan as he¡¯d done, it was like watching a late flower finally bursting into bloom. She¡¯d never been so proud of him.


    After the battle, though, his condition only got worse. Hanako and Jaili had plumbed the depths of the medicinal stores for every painkiller and qi restorative mixture they could find. They¡¯d even combed through the old records from their great grandmother¡¯s and their great great grandfather¡¯s days in Saikan. Any records of cultivators passing through with injuries or qi deficiencies were considered, and all of them said the same thing: given time, even a Bronze could heal most injuries if their qi was flowing properly. That Lin¡¯s injuries had not healed meant that something was wrong with his spirit, and there was little they could do to cure that.


    It had been Xi Qian, who¡¯d visited to pay his respects to his one remaining savior, who¡¯d come up with the idea to ask an expert. Unfortunately, Hanako and Jaili were the experts in all manner of pills, herbal mixtures, and remedies for mortals and cultivators alike.


    If they didn¡¯t know, Shen Yaoxan was the next closest ¡°expert¡± as a cultivator, and under no circumstances was Hanako going to ask him for help. The man made her stomach churn with anger entirely unbefitting a good and dutiful wife. In fact, she had dreamed just the other night that she¡¯d attached knives to her sandals before hurling them straight into Shen Yaoxan¡¯s head. She¡¯d woken up smiling that morning, content that she¡¯d avenged her husband¡­if only in fantasy.


    Tsuyuki would know, she thought to herself. He¡¯s ancient as the moon itself. He must know a way to save Lin¡­


    But the Darkened Moon, bright and cheerful as he was, was not here. She didn¡¯t know where he was, nor did anyone else¡­which was a good thing, by Hanako¡¯s figuring. Shen had invoked the Lunar Hunt, a relentless manhunt that would wash over the Shore like a wildfire until Tsuyuki and that poor Lang Xinya were found and brought to ¡°justice.¡± Hanako prayed that the Hunt would not find them, but she had faith in Tsuyuki, as well. One does not make it to Ascendent without being exceptionally smart and aware of their surroundings. If he didn¡¯t wish to be found, he wouldn¡¯t be. She was certain.


    So, who was even left to help Lin? The answer had come to her in the dead of night, and she¡¯d run across the entire town in her house clothes to assemble the group who walked alongside her now. The Guildmaster and Xi Qian carried the stretcher while Zumi scurried alongside. They¡¯d been the only ones willing and able to help Jaili and Hanako transport the near-dead man all the way to their cousins¡¯ farm.


    After all, who else would be an expert in wood cultivation other than a tree?


    *          *          *


    Tenri walked beside verdant green trees, the likes of which he¡¯d never seen before. To his left, a ridge dropped into a deep valley that stretched for miles. To his right, the forest stood dark and foreboding. Overhead, the moon shone whole and clear of the great chasm that marred its surface in Tenri¡¯s memories.


    That was how he knew he was in a dream. After all, there was only one person he knew of who had seen the moon whole, and it certainly wasn¡¯t Tenri. Still, he thought it looked pretty this way. It still had its craters that formed into the rough shape of a rabbit, but it was a peaceful one, rather than one that had been cut in half.


    He strode along the ridge, taking in the sounds of the wind through the trees. A soft melody drifted on the breeze, the sound of a flute. He didn¡¯t know the song, nor who might be playing it, but it filled him with a sense of calm all the same. After a while, he even found himself humming along, despite having no knowledge of the notes. It was as if he knew it instinctively, which he could only assume was because his mind had created this dreamscape and provided him the necessary details.


    A river blocked his path after several minutes of walking. The water tumbled down the ridge to crash into a pool below, and all along the banks were flowers. They were blue and silver, just like yuyang blossoms, a weed-like flower that grew on the Moon-Soaked Shore. They were pretty flowers, but so plentiful and invasive that even he couldn¡¯t afford to keep them in his garden. They fed on moon qi, which made them a particularly troublesome flower on the Shore, constantly digging into gardens and disrupting the balance of nature.


    But, looking closely at these flowers, Tenri couldn¡¯t help but notice that these were slightly different from the yuyang he knew. He sat on the shore, pondering the blooms with great focus. This place didn¡¯t look like the Moon-Soaked Shore with its abundance of moon qi, and the little flowers didn¡¯t seem to be disrupting the landscape around them, either.


    ¡°Nothing is ever built to survive,¡± a deep voice, completely different from the one before, said. ¡°All things must adapt if they are to live in this world.¡±


    Tenri pondered the wisdom carefully.


    All things must adapt¡­he knew that well already. Becoming a cultivator, adjusting to the needs of the town, pushing himself to take care of everyone¡­he¡¯d become what they needed him to be.


    Now, they needed a defender, someone to protect them from the tyranny of Shen Yaoxan and his wicked father, Shen Tori, but could he really be that person? He stood against Shen Yaoxan, and he¡¯d been broken like a twig.


    But¡­


    Twigs are dead things. Living branches don¡¯t break so easily. Instead, they bend. They adapt to the challenges they face and grow from them. A sunflower grows towards the sunlight, a tree stands tall in fearsome gales, seaweed bends in swift currents. They adapt.


    He needed to adapt. He would reach Iron. He would become what the people of the Shore needed.

 Chapter 40 - Bound in Bronze

    Attempt #82: Failure. Something stops me from connecting to the Labyrinth. I grow frustrated. The Ascendants claim it holds the Darkened Moon as its only purpose, but I know it¡¯s a lie. I have felt and seen its Call. Why won¡¯t you let me in oh Dark Master? ¨CFrom the notes of a crazed alchemist who wandered the Moon-Soaked Shore.


    *          *          *


    The long corridors of the Labyrinth stretched before me in either direction. I sighed. This was either a much worse dream than usual, or something far worse had occurred. For my own sake, I desperately hoped it was just a dream.


    ¡°But what¡¯s a dream to the Ascendent who can warp reality on a whim?¡±


    I sighed and turned around. The scene shifted and I was in my rooms at Half-Moon Manor, the palace that had served me at the height of my power. Striding casually down the hall, his hands clasped behind his back, was Iru¡¯e Jinshi, The Sword Saint himself. He was ruggedly beautiful, with a messy ponytail that left several whisps of hair drifting down the sides of his face, and just enough dirt on his armor to make him look perfectly human. He smiled at me fondly, and I felt my heart twang in longing.


    ¡°Why bother with dreams when you can snap your fingers and make it reality?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°You and I both know it¡¯s not that easy.¡± I took a deep breath to steady myself. Even in a dream, the Labyrinth only served one purpose: to lock me inside my own personal hell. It was impossible for this to be the real Jinshi. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°What do I want? Is it really so hard to believe that I wouldn¡¯t come see my precious Yoru in his time of need?¡± Jinshi¡¯s words were soft, but his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Those lovely jade eyes that used to hold my entire world were cold as year old embers.


    ¡°I¡¯m told the real Jinshi is dead,¡± I noted, not looking the Labyrinth¡¯s copy in the eye.


    Slow footsteps heralded the hand that came to rest gently on my shoulder. ¡°You of all people should know that the rumors of my deaths are often exaggerated. How many times did a message reach you that I was dead only moments before I walked through the palace gates?¡± I couldn¡¯t help the smile from crossing my lips. It was a melancholy smile, remembering the six separate times I¡¯d mourned my love only for him to waltz in the front door.


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re still out there, this time?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to find out, won¡¯t you, Yoru?¡±


    A shudder passed down my spine. It had been so long since anyone had said my name with any measure of tenderness. In an instant, I fell back into time-hardened habits. Jinshi¡¯s arms wrapped around me as he rested his chin on my shoulder.


    ¡°You know I always return, right, Yoru?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°This is no exception. I¡¯ll always make time for my little monster.¡±


    I flinched as a phantom nail lanced through my heart. How had I been so easily drawn in? No incarnation of Jinshi created by the Labyrinth could ever be gentle. In the end, the Labyrinth wasn¡¯t built to give comfort.


    Jinshi¡¯s grip tightened, holding me firm as he whispered in my ear. ¡°You¡¯ve been quite the unruly prisoner, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Just needed a bit of fresh air. It¡¯s awfully stuffy underground,¡± I hissed back. ¡°Do you ever get tired of tormenting me? How many thousands of years will it take for you to get bored?¡±


    ¡°Oh, dearest Yoru,¡± Jinshi released me and shoved me back. ¡°You and I both know that I¡¯m only a figment of your imagination. The Labyrinth can only draw on your memories and thoughts for inspiration. How many thousands of years will it take for you to get tired of torturing yourself? Shall we see?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not find out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you won¡¯t get the choice,¡± Jinshi said with a wink. ¡°Clever trick, using that witless idiot to break free of my clutches, but now he¡¯s on the brink of death. Guess who put him there? When he dies¡­oh, I expect I¡¯ll have quite the inspiration to pull from.¡±


    My mouth grew dry. ¡°Tenri isn¡¯t dead yet. There¡¯s still a chance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fool yourself. He¡¯s just another name at the bottom of the list of lives you¡¯ve destroyed,¡± Jinshi hissed. A moment later, though, he paused to think. ¡°How long is that list, anyway? I wonder, would you even be able to find the bottom so you could scribe his name? Or is the bottom lost amidst the rest of the parchment? A scroll that never ends?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± I shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! It¡¯s not-¡±


    Jinshi rushed forward, pushing me roughly against the wall. ¡°Poor, deluded little monster, of course it¡¯s your fault! Tenri wouldn¡¯t be in danger if not for you! He¡¯d go on living his life, free of your righteous delusions. You are a monster who brings nothing but hardship to all those around you! You brought it to your sisters, you brought it to me, and now you¡¯ve brought it to Tenri. Who¡¯s next? The hornet queen? The honeybee? Or maybe that little girl who hangs off your sleeves?¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. My hands trembled, but I pressed them over my ears. For thousands of years, the Labyrinth brought my worst failings and threw them in my face. Sometimes, it chose Chouko¡¯s face to deliver them, sometimes Aya¡¯s, but most often it brought Jinshi¡¯s. Its words pummeled me like stones, no matter how much I tried to tune them out.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re homesick, Yoru,¡± Jinshi hissed. ¡°Because soon enough, you¡¯ll be back in prison, where you belong.¡±


    Unable to bear it any longer, I shoved him aside. He wasn¡¯t the real Jinshi. His words weren¡¯t real. I ran, trying to escape the mocking wind artist.


    ¡°Run all you like, Yoru!¡± he shouted. ¡°You¡¯ll never be free of me!¡±


    *          *          *


    I sat upright in a strange bed, and immediately regretted it. The band around my core was still so tight I could barely breathe, and my hands trembled uncontrollably. My muscles ached with pains I had no explanation for. All in all, everything was miserable¡­


    But, at least, it¡¯s not the Labyrinth, I reminded myself.


    At least, I didn¡¯t think it was. Though I was certain I¡¯d never been in this room before, I was at least familiar with the design. A bed, a bath, a place to sit; this had to be an inn of some kind. Though no one was with me at present, a bottle of honey on a side table indicated I was somewhere safe.


    A pang of pain ran through my heart and core as the band squeezed ever so slightly, forcing the breath right out of me. I had to loosen it somehow, but how?


    One thing was clear to me. Tenri was in danger. There was no other reason to explain the tightness around my core. I was bound to him. If he died¡­


    I shook my head. There was no point considering what might happen if he did. The danger he faced was weeks away from me. Even if I left this instant, I¡¯d never make it in time to help. There was no point in worrying over that which I had no control over.


    So, what was there to be done? I prayed for his safety, then turned my focus back to myself. Whether or not he lived was out of my hands, but whether or not I did? That was up to me.


    Inch by inch, I forced the qi of my core to cycle to my body. It was like trying to wring juice from a dried apple, but, with every ounce of qi that escaped the band of Bronze, my hands trembled just a little less. The aches in my body were soothed, if only a bit, and my breathing started coming more easily.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the healer here? I don¡¯t tell you how to fight with your lance, so don¡¯t try and tell me how to heal!¡± Pollen¡¯s muffled voice said through the door. It was followed by a huff that could come from no one but Pharyx.


    ¡°I¡¯m just making sure you know how to treat someone like him!¡± he protested. ¡°You know he¡¯s not fully human, right? He¡¯s got a wicked nasty curse. Make sure you take that into account!¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± the honeybee snapped back. A moment later, the door opened, and the queens of the honey hive and hornet nest stepped in, followed by a wide-eyed nine-year-old, whose eyes went even wider when she saw me sitting upright.


    ¡°Mister!¡± she exclaimed, running and hopping up onto the bed. ¡°You¡¯re awake! Master Pharyx and Queen Pollen were so worried about you!¡±


    Pharyx opened his mouth to argue, but Pollen swatted him with her whisk. She glared at him, and he shut his mouth. I smiled. No doubt Xinya was the most worried of them all but was too proud to admit it.


    ¡°I¡¯m alive, I¡¯m alive,¡± I reassured her, pulling her into my arms and kissing her head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t know how long I will be, but, for now, I¡¯m alive.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember what happened?¡± Pollen asked. I nodded. ¡°Then do you know what¡¯s going on with you? Your qi has been fluctuating wildly ever since the battle. In fact, it was so wild we were worried that you qi-deviated on the spot, but you don¡¯t show any other symptoms.¡±


    She was right to be concerned. Qi deviation was a significant threat to any cultivator. Those who failed to follow the precepts of their path, whose faith and principles were so completely shaken so as to fracture their very identity, those artists were liable to be consumed by their own qi. It was a rare occurrence, since only artists of a high caliber were so ingrained in a path as to be bound so completely by principle.


    However, my current condition was completely different. Qi deviation often results in the body being consumed in a flood of its qi cascading uncontrollably through the meridians. My problem was rather the opposite. With the band around my core, my flow was stifled. Hell, if I had been in the midst of qi deviation, I might have felt better, because, at least then, I wouldn¡¯t be coaxing water from a frozen well.


    ¡°So, what happened?¡± Pharyx asked bluntly. ¡°We almost didn¡¯t make it out of that spider attack with just the two of us.¡± The unspoken question from the hornet was clear. He wanted to know if it would happen again, and I didn¡¯t have an answer for him. For all I knew, I could keel over dead at anytime. Without knowing Tenri¡¯s condition, it was impossible to know.


    ¡°My core is bound to another,¡± I explained.


    ¡°It¡¯s Master Tenri, isn¡¯t it?¡± Xinya asked. ¡°You said you could sense if he was in danger during the storm a few months back. Is he in danger now?¡±


    I nodded and explained the relationship between myself and Tenri Lin. However, I did leave out the details of why I was in a position where I needed to be bound to him. Luckily, the spirit beasts had the decency not to ask, even if I could see the curiosity clearly in their eyes.


    ¡°The truth is, I can¡¯t be sure it won¡¯t happen again, but I believe he has stabilized somewhat,¡± I admitted. ¡°It¡¯s easier to breathe now.¡±


    ¡°Your qi is levelling out thanks to the medicines we gave you,¡± Pollen said, feeling my pulse. ¡°Assuming his condition doesn¡¯t worsen, yours should, at least, be passably fine.¡±


    ¡°But is it enough to delve into the Black Crevice?¡± Pharyx wondered. ¡°We need to press further if we want to make use of our diversion in the south.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be a burden,¡± I said stubbornly, brushing a loose strand of hair back so Chiho could tuck it into my ponytail. Of all the greatest injuries to my pride as a former Ascendent, becoming a hinderance was not one I was willing to tolerate. I would sooner fall upon my own sword (proverbially, since I currently lacked one) than let Pharyx or Pollen die rescuing me. If I had to drag myself with bloody nails across a field of broken glass in order to keep from burdening them, then so be it. I would not show weakness.


    ¡°Then so be it,¡± the hornet agreed. ¡°We are about a week¡¯s travel from the nest.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re paid through tomorrow with the innkeeper,¡± Pollen explained. ¡°Let¡¯s stay until then so Master Tsuyuki can get back on his feet, then we¡¯ll leave after.¡±


    ¡°And what of the Witch?¡± I asked. Pharyx twisted his face, as if he¡¯d just stumbled upon a pile of cow dung.


    ¡°She got away. We couldn¡¯t give chase, and we¡¯ve seen no sign of her since.¡±


    I sighed. I missed the shot. Her escape was my fault, but if she¡¯d gone to ground, then there was little to be done. Once the spider nest was dealt with, maybe then we could investigate and try to pick up the trail, but, until then, Pharyx was right. Time was of the essence, and we had a spider colony to destroy.

 Chapter 41 - Moonlit Discovery

    Child genius? Sure, I guess you could call the young master that. But all the so-called ¡°geniuses¡± dry up faster than a pond in a drought when they grow old enough to think they know everything. ¨CTutor Sian Zishu, on the Prince of Kail


    *          *          *


    As far as Xinya was concerned, being a cultivator involved far too much walking. Her feet hurt, and she desperately missed the warm bed and heavy blankets at Queen Pollen¡¯s Palace. However, she was determined not to say anything that the adults might scold her for. Coming with them was her choice, and she would live with the consequences.


    And, in truth, things had begun to look up. Ever since the mean hornet guy had taken over her mind and forced her to reveal herself back in the village, Mister Tsuyuki had been quite generous with his time, wisdom, and care. Xinya was grateful to be near the fire instead of lurking just outside of the camp so as to not be caught, and Pollen¡¯s honey sweetened trail rations were a great complement to the wrapped buns that Tsuyuki had purchased before leaving Heimian. Both of those were not things she would have gotten while following from a respectful distance.


    That didn¡¯t include the nights where Mister Tsuyuki sat down with her and asked if she made any progress in discovering the desires of the moon and lightning. Though she had little to report, Xinya was thrilled to be on the path towards developing power like the adults in the group.


    ¡°We should make camp,¡± Pharyx said, shielding his eyes against the setting sun.


    Xinya kept her mouth shut, but inside she was nothing but grateful that they were finally stopping for the night. Not only could she rest her feet, but that meant that Mister Tsuyuki would come and ask her about what she¡¯d thought about during that day¡¯s travel.


    Every night, Mister Tsuyuki would ask the same question: where does moonlight come from? It was the same that he¡¯d asked that day in the back alley of Heimian, and it was one that Xinya found incredibly frustrating. He was so insistent that the moon produced no light of its own, except how could that possibly be true? Even now, in the dying rays of the sun, the moon rose as a peaceful crescent over the treetops. How could she see it if it gave off no light of its own? Every time she tried to express that thought, Mister Tsuyuki would just look at her and smile, inwardly amused by her inability to grasp the problem. Then, they¡¯d take time to look at the moon, and she would continue banging her head against the problem.


    He wasn¡¯t going to give her the answer, she knew that. However, just the night before, something amazing had happened before she¡¯d fallen asleep. Now, she waited for it to happen again, and thus, she stared down the mean hornet guy, waiting for him to make a move.


    The hornet in question was inarguably a powerful being as far as Xinya was concerned. She¡¯d seen his fury on full display during the fight against the spiders, which she had watched from a respectful distance per Tsuyuki¡¯s instructions. However, it wasn¡¯t his fury that Xinya was interested in¡­at least, not directly.


    According to Pollen, Pharyx lacked self-control. Pollen was refined, beautiful, and graceful in everything she did. When she fought, it was like a dance. When she served tea, it was as if one was being served by a fairy. In comparison, the spirit hornet was brash and rugged. His emotions were worn plainly on his sleeve, and Pollen had pointed out more than one instance where his qi had reacted directly to his emotions. When he was angry, his light was harsh as a scorching day in the depths of summer. When he was happy, it shone gently like the morning sun in spring. And when he was upset, it faded, as if blocked by turbulent storm clouds.


    It was one of these reactions that Xinya watched carefully for, now. As the spirit beasts both sat down, Pharyx¡­Xinya still wasn¡¯t sure what title he was supposed to have so she gave him none¡­leaned casually against his bedroll while Mister Tsuyuki lit the fire.


    ¡°We should arrive tomorrow,¡± the hornet mused as he pulled a bottle of water from his bag and drank it down. ¡°Should be a good day for spider hunting, if the weather holds, that is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s humid, I smell a storm on the horizon,¡± Pollen countered. She sat properly, spreading her purple skirts around her like dainty flower petals. Any other day, Xinya might have spared some attention to trying to figure out how she managed to stay so perfect, even in the midst of the forest after days and days of walking, but not tonight. Tonight, the hornet and Mister Tsuyuki had the girl¡¯s full attention.


    ¡°I hate it when it rains,¡± Pharyx muttered.


    Mister Tsuyuki smiled. ¡°I hardly find it surprising that the wasp with sun qi doesn¡¯t like the rain. With luck, though, we¡¯ll be in and out before it starts.¡±


    ¡°And speaking of,¡± Pollen began. ¡°We are drawing close to the end of our mission. Has your queen given you any indication of how our two nations will interact after this? I would be most eager to establish diplomatic relations in the interest of seeing a united forest.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, Your Majesty?¡±


    Xinya leaned in ever so slightly. The hornet¡¯s eyes were flashing in the firelight, and his tone was tense. This was the perfect opportunity, if he could just let his qi out¡­


    ¡°Yes,¡± Pollen continued. ¡°I believe it may be prudent for me to meet with your queen to discuss this directly. After all, there a great many complex topics to go over.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    Pollen sipped her tea. ¡°Things that are above the rank of a drone,¡± she finished.


    This was it. Would he do it? Flash his lights in anger? Xinya knew that the hornet hated being talked down to, particularly by Pollen. She still didn¡¯t understand the animosity between them. As far as she could tell, Pharyx was a cheerful guy, and if not for his rude disruption of Xinya¡¯s otherwise perfect plan to trail the group in secret, she might have actually liked him. Mister Tsuyuki seemed to like him well enough, too, but Pollen¡­the only time she¡¯d ever been mean to anyone, it was to Pharyx.


    But, instead of getting angry at Pollen, Pharyx seemed to deflate some. Firelight no longer danced angrily in his eyes, and instead he lounged back on his bag.


    ¡°At this rate, Your Majesty, I doubt there will be relations between us,¡± he answered simply.


    ¡°That is for your queen to decide, not you.¡± Pollen countered. Meanwhile, Mister Tsuyuki sighed and focused on eating his bun, as he often did when the spirit beasts argued.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find it¡¯s entirely up to me.¡± Pharyx¡¯s tone was low and dangerous, a new emotion than Xinya had ever seen on him. It wasn¡¯t the bright, hot fury that he had on the battlefield, and she wondered if he would shine at all in this state.


    Pollen lowered her tea and glared at the hornet. ¡°Does your queen really put up with insubordination?¡±


    ¡°My queen values my opinion, nothing more.¡±


    Pollen looked like she wanted to say more but thought better of it. In the end, she sighed.


    ¡°I apologize, Lord Pharyx.¡± Xinya thought her words sounded almost painful in her mouth, but her expression never changed from the ethereal fairy that she always embodied.


    Pharyx didn¡¯t answer, and Xinya bit her knuckle. She had to get him to shine his light to test her theory¡­and she had to do it quickly before Mister Tsuyuki finished his meal. She would be mortified if she came to him after yet another day with no concrete answers. Lucky for her, the tense conversation made the moon artist very intent on savoring every single bite, and he was taking his time.


    But¡­how to get the hornet to shine? She couldn¡¯t just ask him. She had no idea what a hornet would consider rude, and, if he refused, then he might keep a firm grasp on his qi the rest of the night, ruining any chance of testing the theory. Thus, it had to be subtle. He would need to be tricked into it, and, since the conversation wasn¡¯t helping on this particular night, then she would need to take a more direct approach.


    There were only two emotions Xinya knew of to get his excitement up: anger and joy. Since anger hadn¡¯t worked, she would need to make him smile, somehow. Not just that, he needed to be so pleased that he flashed his lights. But¡­how?


    She studied him. What would make him happy enough for that? Well, he hated being talked down to, so not doing that would be a start. Taking a deep breath, and setting her resolve, she stood and knelt next to the hornet.


    ¡°Master Pharyx,¡± she began, kowtowing all the way to the ground. ¡°Would you tell this humble disciple how the Hanai Hornets rose above the lesser species to become rulers in the forest?¡±


    Mister Tsuyuki began choking violently on his bun, and Xinya grinned¡­not that anyone could see it with her head to the ground. Did he think she didn¡¯t have it in her to bow before another? Contrary to popular opinion in Saikan, Xinya was perfectly capable of being polite. She just chose not to be most of the time. Adults didn¡¯t treat her with respect, so why should she treat them with any?


    ¡°Even I don¡¯t get called ¡®Master,¡¯¡± he complained.


    Xinya raised her head and gave her best pleading look to the hornet, who was stunned speechless. He shot a look to the grumpy moon artist who buried his face back in his bun, then to Chiho, who trilled in amusement. Eventually, he turned back to Xinya and cleared his throat.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± he answered. Already his hair was starting to glow with sunlight, but it was faint, not nearly enough for Xinya¡¯s needs. She needed more, so she listened with rapt attention as the hornet described his origins.


    As it turned out, the Hanai Hornets weren¡¯t even native to the Moon-Soaked Shore. They were an invading species from an island to the north and east. There, a great and powerful empress of insect-kind ruled over the land with a kind but firm hand. She sent three of her children to the Moon-Soaked Shore many years ago to subjugate the local insects and establish themselves as a power. However, the previous queen was wicked and evil, making the nest tend to her whims instead of patrolling their lands and fighting off their foes.


    In truth, even if Xinya was just trying to get him to talk about something that made him happy, she was riveted by the story. It was just like the tales of brave heroes slaying wicked tyrants that her dad would tell her.


    Pharyx was quite the storyteller. By the time the story reached its climax, he was on his feet, gesturing wildly to depict the scenes. The details were so vivid, Xinya was sure that he must have experienced it all first-hand, which made the whole thing so much cooler!


    ¡°And then, our queen stood before her wicked sister and declared ¡®the sun has set on your reign!¡¯ and then BANG!¡± The stripes on Pharyx¡¯s neck flashed with brilliant sunlight. ¡°She beheaded the old queen and restored peace to the nest.¡±


    As the light flashed through the camp, Xinya tore her attention away from the hornet, and to Mister Tsuyuki instead. She had long since figured out that the shimmering light of his hair was dependent on the phase of the moon. With a crescent overhead, it shone dimly.


    But, when the sun hornet flashed his light, for a moment so quick that she wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d really seen it or not, the moon artist¡¯s hair shone bright white.


    ¡°There! I got it!¡± she shouted, jumping to her feet.


    ¡°Eh, got what?¡± Pharyx wondered.


    Xinya clasped her hands and bowed to the hornet. ¡°This one thanks you for story and for showing your powers, Master Hornet.¡± Then she darted around him to kneel next to her teacher.


    ¡°And who might you be looking at?¡± he asked bitterly. ¡°Surely, this lowly servant is not worthy of your esteemed attention.¡± Xinya wrinkled her nose at his sarcasm. If there was one thing she¡¯d learned about the moon artist, it was that his temperament was steady. His pride was easily damaged, but also easily repaired. A bit of attention, and he¡¯d forgive her, she was sure of it.


    ¡°Mister, I have an answer to your question.¡±


    And just like that, he raised an eyebrow and cocked his head, the slight all but forgotten. ¡°Oh? This one is not worthy of your insights, oh great master, but hopefully you¡¯ll honor me anyway.¡±


    Okay¡­maybe the slight wasn¡¯t quite forgotten. The sarcasm in his words was thicker than Pollen¡¯s honey, and Xinya lowered her eyes ever so slightly. She hadn¡¯t realized he would take it so personally. Why was he suddenly so upset that she didn¡¯t call him master? It¡¯s not like she had ever done so before.


    ¡°Where does moonlight come from?¡± she repeated. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t create its own, then it must get that light from something else. And the only light source big enough must be the sun, right? When the sun goes down, it gives it¡¯s light to the moon, which reflects it down to the earth.¡±


    ¡°Which just means the sun¡¯s better,¡± Pharyx teased. Mister Tsuyuki rolled his eyes.


    ¡°The moon doesn¡¯t burn people¡¯s eyes out by looking at it,¡± he snapped back. Xinya frowned again. That was indisputably true, but why would moonlight be so soft if it was the same as sunlight?


    ¡°The moon must change the light somehow?¡± she finally concluded. Mister Tsuyuki¡¯s eyes turned upward in joy, even if the rest of his face was carefully neutral.


    ¡°And what would that imply about the nature of moon qi?¡±


    Xinya bit her knuckle, trying to reason through the new question. The moon takes the light of the sun, and reflects its own, soft light back.


    ¡°That moon qi is a reflection of other qi?¡±


    ¡°Not quite.¡± Tsuyuki opened his hand, and a silver light appeared. It twisted before taking on a form like a tiny butterfly which then fluttered over and landed on Xinya¡¯s nose. To her surprise, it had substance, like a real insect with six tiny feet was really there.


    It was so real¡­yet, how could it be? Moonlight is just a reflection¡­


    ¡°Is it because moon qi is reflective? You can create reflections of other things?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the facets of moonlight, yes,¡± he praised. ¡°Many moon artists are illusionists, playing with perception and creating phantasmal reflections of reality.¡±


    ¡°But, that¡¯s not the path you use,¡± she prompted, knowing that he was always eager to point out that he wasn¡¯t like other artists, even if he never fully explained why.


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you do?¡±


    ¡°I take that a step further,¡± he answered with a cocky smile. ¡°An illusionist may make a pale copy of the world they see, but me? I make that world real. I warp reality until it fits my needs.¡± A glimmer of something Xinya didn¡¯t recognize flashed in his eyes as he stared at the fire. It sent a shiver of excitement down her spine as he continued. ¡°Reality is what we make of it. It is my power to dictate what is and what is not and create the reality I choose.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Into the Black Crevice

    In my youth, I knew true despair, the powerlessness of facing monsters the world can only dream of now. In my prime, I again knew true despair when I saw all my oldest allies and friends fall one-by-one to their own ambitions or self-pity. And now, as my mind wears thin, and age calls me to find the end¡­I know true despair again in my quiet moments. I worry, my daughter, will you all be strong enough to find your way together to banish the evils that find you? Will you rise¡­or will you fall? ¨C From the memoirs of Tian Taili, daughter of the Sun Empress.


    * * *


    Was it a little grandiose to declare myself the master of reality? Yes. But, there was a time when that wasn¡¯t far from the truth. Maybe I was stuck at Bronze for now, but, in the days of old, I was the most powerful of the Ascendents. Even the Sun Queen herself feared my power¡­


    And, in that moment, grandiose was necessary. After all, Xinya, my ward, had referred to Pharyx of all people by the title of ¡°master¡± before me, and I wasn¡¯t sure why that bothered me so much. I told her not to because the term ¡°master¡± invokes the image of a wizened old cultivator, all wrinkles and wisdom. I had the wisdom, but the wrinkles were something I didn¡¯t even want associated with me. I was the most handsome Ascendent of the old world, the most beautiful in body and spirit.


    And yet¡­that Xinya had been so respectful to Pharyx, when she¡¯d never so much as bowed her head to me, stuck at me like a thorn in my sandal. Was this how my masters felt when I¡¯d been so flippant to them in my youth? Was this my just desserts?


    Probably. I imagined my masters in Heaven¡¯s Blade were probably laughing at me from the afterlife. Karma sure is a bitch, ain¡¯t it?


    Xinya¡¯s eyes swam with the possibilities, and I smiled coyly. My declaration had piqued her interest, as was expected. I leaned back against my bedroll as she tried to puzzle out my meaning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she ultimately admitted.


    ¡°And that¡¯s fine for now,¡± I answered. ¡°I will teach you more of the moon when you are ready, but it would do you little to discuss them while you still don¡¯t have a core with which to examine them.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I need to do more thinking on the nature of lightning, I think.¡±


    ¡°Good. Identifying what you understand and what you don¡¯t is critical for a cultivator,¡± I praised. ¡°Those who believe they know everything understand very little.¡±


    Pollen and Pharyx both nodded in agreement, which was enough for Xinya. She stood and returned to her bedroll. I noticed a small frown cross Pharyx¡¯s face as she didn¡¯t give him a second glance, and I bit back a laugh. That sly child just wanted him to flash his lights to compare it against my hair, didn¡¯t she?


    It was good, at least, to know that she knew some manners, even if she didn¡¯t use them. I¡¯d have to work on that with her. The art of behaving around more powerful cultivators without being crushed like an ant was an important one to learn, especially for those at the bottom of the cultivation world.


    I finished my bun before stretching. ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch,¡± I offered. ¡°Go get some sleep.¡±


    Pharyx and Pollen both nodded. Pharyx spread his bedroll next to the fire while Pollen shifted into the form of an impossibly large bee and buzzed up into the trees to rest for the night. Meanwhile, Xinya stared up at the moon overhead for a long time before eventually settling down in her own bedding.


    I listened to the forest around us. This deep into spider territory, the night was eerily quiet beyond our campfire. No nightbirds sang in the trees, and no bugs made themselves known for fear of finding themselves in a spider¡¯s hungry jaws. The only sound beyond the crackling of the fire was the wind through the branches.


    To break the silence, I hummed a soft melody. I didn¡¯t even realize what it was until I was halfway through it, and my heart fell. It was a song I¡¯d once played for Jinshi in the midst of a hunt when we were still at Gold. He¡¯d been trapped between a dozen different shades, and I¡¯d played it to soothe them, and, ever since, it had become our song. It seemed that seeing his statue in the temple had stirred up all the old wounds.


    I shoved them aside. They were ancient history, and things I¡¯d fought for millennia to come to terms with while rotting in prison. I was over it¡­or so I kept telling myself. Instead, I began to think of a new song.


    I should get a flute when I get back to Saikan, I thought to myself. I miss the arts.


    The song that drifted through my head was playful, like wind through the branches. Though it definitely still needed work, and an instrument with which to play it, I was happy with the feel of it by the time I nudged Pharyx awake for his watch.


    The grumpy hornet sighed and rose, and I spread my bedroll across the ground and settled down to sleep. I hummed that melody to myself, and, as my mind slowly drifted off to sleep, I found myself picturing the lone blue flower in Tenri¡¯s garden. It was beautiful, just like the song would be one day.


    * * *


    The next morning rose cold and damp, and without a single ray of sunlight shining through the clouds. Pharyx raised a hand to his eyes and looked up at the sky before sighing.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°I should have known it would be a miserable day,¡± he muttered. I patted his shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯ll shine all the brighter in the darkness, friend,¡± I reminded him, remembering the mantra from the precepts of the Heaven¡¯s Blade Sect. It was hardly an uncommon teaching among the ancient sects, particularly those who had any connection to the celestial cycle, but it was one I liked a lot. As a moon artist and the Avatar of the moon, shining in the darkness was my specialty.


    Pharyx, on the other hand, only sniffed unhappily before bitterly packing his things. The hornet was getting increasingly grumpier the closer we got to the spider den, and I worried that it had to do with Pollen¡¯s lack of progress on his test. If she didn¡¯t notice that he was the real queen soon, he might not be left with many options.


    Still, there was still time left. None of us knew how far down the spider nest went, but there was every chance for them to reconcile on the way.


    Or¡­so I thought. They barely said three words to each other before we stood at the top of an enormous ravine. It stretched deep into the earth, as if carved by an enormous sword in a bygone era. I couldn¡¯t even see the bottom, but, if the wind howling through the depths was any indication, it was definitely too deep to traverse safely.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame I don¡¯t have a flight capable sword,¡± I muttered. Eclipse could have gotten me down to the bottom with the ease of a petal falling from a tree.


    ¡°How are we going to get to the bottom?¡± Xinya asked, peering over the edge. I cleared my throat.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°You are going to stay up here with the majority of our supplies.¡±


    ¡°But, what about-¡±


    ¡°You promised to follow my orders,¡± I reminded her. She hung her head before nodding.


    ¡°So, how are we going to get down?¡± Pollen asked. ¡°Pharyx and I can fly down easily enough, but even both of us together aren¡¯t enough to carry you in flight.¡±


    I nodded. Looking around, there were plenty of silken strands dangling from the trees that could be woven into a rough rope, but they were sticky. The last thing I needed was to be accidentally tangled up half-way down the wall. Not to mention that any wandering spider would be able to cut the rope and send me plummeting to my doom. As fun as that sounded, I wasn¡¯t keen on dying today.


    With nothing else, I would have to turn to my only remaining tool: Chiho. If the pin helped me get down, I could send it back to keep Xinya safe. Then, assuming we weren¡¯t being chased by a thousand spiders on the way out, I¡¯d be able to climb out on my own. Since the plan was to neutralize the nest before leaving, it would have to do.


    After backing up several steps, I took a deep breath. Flash Forward warned me of several webs I could fall into below, and I adjusted my course accordingly. With my faith in Chiho, I ran forward at full speed and leapt into the darkness. Wind raced by as I narrowly avoided an enormous bridge made of white webbing.


    Two seconds then five passed with the roaring of wind in my ears. Chiho leapt from my hair, and I snatched it out of the air. My descent began to slow. Ten, fifteen, then twenty seconds. Half a minute passed before my feet splashed into a puddle that made up the bottom of the crevice.


    A hissing spider reared back on its legs in surprise. Instinct took over and two jagged spears of light erupted from the earth on either side of the spider. It didn¡¯t get the chance to call for help before it was skewered. The light drained from its eyes, and it slumped just as the lunar blades faded.


    Chiho trilled and nudged my cheek.


    ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t have used the blades,¡± I admitted. ¡°Then again, who¡¯s gonna see me down here, huh? Pharyx and Pollen already know I¡¯m a moon artist. Why should I hide?¡± Chiho bobbed up and down in agreement. Feeling better, I lit a silver palm light and held it before me.


    As the name suggested, the Black Crevice was made from a shimmering black stone that seemed to eat my light wherever it touched. Several surfaces were covered in thick white webbing that seemed to get thicker towards the far side of the ravine.


    I trudged to a dry section of stone to wait for the spirit beasts to join me. I heard them before I saw them, their buzzing echoing through the crevice. As they landed, I noticed that they split up. Pollen landed daintily next to me before reverting to humanoid form, but Pharyx landed quite a distance away.


    ¡°Just exploring,¡± he explained when Pollen asked why he hadn¡¯t joined her, but I knew better. Unlike me, the honeybee queen would certainly recognize the physical traits of a hornet queen.


    I held out my hand and Chiho landed in it. I rubbed a finger along the crane¡¯s back, then gave it a good rub-down on the edge of my robes. Once it was ready, I nodded to the pin.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s your job to keep Xinya out of trouble, okay? You¡¯re more responsible than I am, anyway,¡± I told it. It trilled and spun around my head a few times before zipping up toward the clouds above.


    ¡°Alright, quick and quiet,¡± Pharyx said. ¡°We get in, we kill the matriarch and any other spiders within, then we get out.¡±


    ¡°The rest will be easier to deal with once the matriarch is down.¡± Pollen agreed.


    ¡°Do either of you see any qi around?¡± I asked. Someday¡­I¡¯d be able to see it for myself¡­


    ¡°Some earth qi,¡± answered the hornet queen. ¡°No more than I¡¯d expect underground.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see much else, though,¡± Pollen finished. Pharyx nodded in agreement.


    That was¡­worrying. With this many spiders around, this place should be swimming in the qi of their path, but it wasn¡¯t. If there wasn¡¯t a trace of the death qi used by the Witch of Heimian, then they might not use the same techniques as she had, and, if that was the case, how would we know what we were up against?


    More disturbing still was the fact that the qi was hidden in the first place. Cultivators at Iron all get the ability to see qi as part of infusing their bodies and meridians with qi, but higher ranked cultivators could just as easily hide their own qi. Were we walking into a nest of doom? Was this matriarch so far out of our league that she could hide her own overwhelming qi presence?


    Something about that didn¡¯t sit right in my mind. If she was that strong, why would she bother with fighting Pharyx and Pollen instead of just wiping them out herself? Why hadn¡¯t there been a concerted effort from the humans to neutralize her? It just didn¡¯t make any sense.


    A prickling sensation settled in the pit of my stomach. I was missing something here, and it bothered me. It was close, I could feel it. Except the answers just kept flitting just out of reach.


    Was it something in the walls? Something in the webs?


    We delved into that unknown blackness. The whole time, I felt like I was being watched. The air was thick with¡­something, and that something made my skin crawl.

 Chapter 43 - Lightning Strike

    Cultivators cull beasts and monsters regularly everywhere that humans reside. Too often they consider themselves the masters of the land. They believe themselves the most powerful, given their intelligence and humanity¡¯s natural cunning allowing them to cultivate their techniques and auras¡­but they forget that even a wild beast acting on instinct alone can glimpse visions of the Heavens and learn their own, beastly techniques. ¨C Sizin Kar, Storm Dragon Patriarch


    *          *          *


    Xinya waited. Then she waited some more. Then she waited so long that it started raining, and she was forced to retreat to the forest¡¯s edge.


    Though the trees offered only marginal protection from the rain, it was better than just standing out in the open and getting soaked. She¡¯d promised Mister Tsuyuki that she wouldn¡¯t follow them down into the crevice, and, even if it was boring and wet, she didn¡¯t want to risk him refusing to train her further.


    Xinya could feel that she was close to a breakthrough. She felt confident that she knew the nature of the moon fairly well after her last chat with Tsuyuki about it, but that still left her to mull over lightning. How would she master that one? She had no master to teach her. Her father had taught her some of her basic characters for reading, but she didn¡¯t know of anyone who would have books or scrolls on the subject that she could muddle through. All she knew was what Tsuyuki had told her.


    Lightning is the will of the heavens.


    What on earth does that even mean?! She had scratched her head on the subject so much that Chiho had scolded her for messing up her hair, and still had no answers. How could lightning represent the will of anything? And, if the heavens were at play, why pick lightning and not the sun or the moon? Those were arguably more common, powerful sources of qi. Why bother with lightning of all things as the medium?


    As the rain came down in heavy sheets, she sat against the base of a tall tree. Thunder rumbled nearby, but she knew from experience that the odds of lightning striking near enough to see were slim, which was a shame. If she could just observe it directly, maybe she¡¯d get a better sense of what its nature was, just as she¡¯d done with the moon.


    She put her knuckle between her teeth, idly biting down as she reviewed everything she knew about storms. To a fisherman, storms were bad news. Xinya had heard all manner of stories from the guild about wicked monsters that dwelled in the storm. Fengmori, sea serpents, raiju, and apparently, most recently, a wicked looking ship filled with ghosts. But, of those monsters, only the raiju, a type of dog yokai infused with the power of lightning, was directly related to what she was presently studying.


    Raiju were apparently a mixed bag, if the legends were to be believed, and Xinya wasn¡¯t sure if they were or not. None had ever been seen in the Moon-Soaked Shore as far as she knew, preferring the western reaches of the Pearlescent Valley and beyond. All her stories were filtered in through merchants and travelling fishermen. All those stories described them as wicked beasts of the sky who would randomly strike the ground during a storm. Xinya bit her knuckle harder. What could that say about their nature? Or that of lightning itself?


    The sound of skittering legs pulled her from her thoughts. Chiho trilled a soft alarm, and Xinya jumped to her feet. Enemies were near. She needed to hide. But¡­where could she hide from a spider that was almost as tall as she was? Looking frantically around, she noticed a patch of taller grass on the far side of the crevice.


    Without a second thought, she raced towards the edge, pumping her legs faster than ever before. Chiho raced ahead, ready to help her cross the gap.


    Only the skittering only got louder. She chanced a glance back, only to immediately wish she hadn¡¯t. An enormous spider, even bigger than her, was chasing after her, hunger clear in its beady eyes. Adrenaline shot into her veins as she put on another burst of speed and rushed to the edge of the ravine.


    ¡°Chiho!¡± she shouted. The little pin trilled back its agreement just as she slammed her feet down and jumped with all her strength. Her hand wrapped around Chiho as she sailed through the air, and she heard the snapping of wicked pincers just behind her. Back in Saikan, she¡¯d prided herself on her ability to run along the fences and jump between the canals. Who knew those skills would come in handy here?


    However, unlike the canals, there was no water beneath her, only open air as far as the eye could see. Fear filled her as she gripped Chiho in her trembling hand. The hairpin vibrated gently, almost soothingly as it carried her across the gap and dropped her on the far side.


    Hiding in the grass was no longer an option. It would see her and know where she was. Her only hope was to keep running and hope that it would lose interest. Chiho flew ahead, leading her uphill. She followed. It was her guardian, after all. She could trust it.


    A thudding sound heralded the next segment of the chase. The spider had jumped the gap, Xinya was sure of it, but she didn¡¯t dare look back. Instead, she ran with all her might. Fear and terror added their speed to her small legs as she fled.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    But then, she was forced to skid to a halt. At the top of the ridge was a cliff which gave way to a river nearly a hundred feet down. No way would she survive a jump like that, even with Chiho¡¯s help, but the pin was insistent. It wanted her to jump.


    Xinya turned. The spider was close, and it seemed even bigger than it had been the first time she¡¯d spotted it. Her heart beat in her chest. Was she about to see her mother and father again in the afterlife? She didn¡¯t want to die yet, but what could she do against such a monster? She was all alone. Her hands trembled, but she balled them into tiny fists anyway. If she was going to die, she¡¯d die fighting.


    Time slowed to a crawl as her doom surged forward up the ridge. Rain fell against her, soaking her clothes and hair¡­then her eyes lit up in surprise. Lightning streaked down towards the spider.


    Light flashed before her, and it was like layers of the image were peeled away from the spider. It was¡­smaller¡­than before. It was still big enough to gobble her up without breaking a sweat, but it was definitely a size smaller than it had been a moment ago.


    Then violet lightning crashed into the creature. It shrieked as the electricity coursed through first its shell, then its innards. Xinya relaxed, unbothered by the shockwave from the blast, completely mesmerized by the sight of the coursing purple stream of qi and power.


    It had stripped away the illusion¡­destroyed the falsehoods before punishing the one who¡¯d spun them. Was that the will of the heavens? Her mind raced as she remembered the stories of the raiju. Were they striking the ground at random? Or were they delivering punishment to the wicked?


    As the corpse fell before her, she snapped back to the present. One thing was painfully clear to her. The spider was a deceiver. It used crafty tricks to distort reality. Tsuyuki said moon qi could create such illusions, and, if these spiders were using moon qi, then their matriarch could be even more skilled at their use! Tsuyuki, Pollen, and Pharyx could be walking into a trap, and they would realize too late!


    ¡°Chiho! Come on!¡± she called. The pin flew to her side as she raced down towards the crevice and jumped in. They needed to be warned!


    *          *          *


    ¡°Is anyone else worried that we¡¯re walking into a trap?¡± Pollen whispered after nearly an hour walking. ¡°There are entirely too few spiders for the middle of their nest.¡±


    As much as I wished otherwise, she was right. In the time since we¡¯d descended into the darkness, we¡¯d only encountered a handful of enemies, and those were barely more than hatchlings.


    ¡°Maybe our diversion is working?¡± Pharyx offered, though his tone was filled with tension and worry.


    ¡°Would you leave your nest empty if the enemy was at your door?¡± Pollen countered. Pharyx only snorted, making his thoughts on the matter quite clear.


    With every step, things became more and more suspicious. My skin still crawled with a danger instinct that I couldn¡¯t quite identify, and, more than once, I¡¯d gotten the distinct feeling that we were being watched. Given the nature of spider-kind, this was more than worrying. Were we falling into a trap? Would we make one wrong step and find ourselves wrapped to the neck in sticky threads while the spiders laughed at our foolishness?


    I kept an arrow nocked to my string, just in case¡­


    If there was some small consolation, it was that the Bronze band connecting me to Tenri had loosened some over the last week. He was no longer in life-threatening danger, at least. I was able to breathe normally, once more.


    Down twisting and winding paths we travelled. Every so often, Pollen would leave behind a few pink petals to mark our path. It might lead the enemy to us, but none of us wanted to go so far in defeating our enemies only to be trapped underground forever, lost and wandering in the dark. I¡¯d done the whole ¡°lost in an endless labyrinth¡± thing before, and it¡¯s just not as delightful as it sounds.


    Without warning, I felt a qualitative shift in the air around us. It was¡­hard to describe. The smell, the feel, the dampness, all seemed to lighten. Like we¡¯d stepped into a wider space, even though the tunnel narrowed before us.


    ¡°Hold here,¡± I called to the two spirit beasts. They paused and Pharyx held out his light.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    I nodded. My neck prickled. We were being watched again, and yet¡­nothing. Frustration welled up within me and I resisted the urge to stamp my foot like a petulant child. The answer was right there. I could feel it on the edge of my mind, but I couldn¡¯t see it with my stupid Bronze eyes.


    Footsteps came from behind us, running frantically. Pharyx bared his lance, ready to strike, but this was not the eight-legged skittering of spiders. There were only two feet.


    My face fell when Xinya came racing around the corner, only to come skidding to a halt when she saw us.


    ¡°I thought I told you to stay above,¡± I said coldly. Fear and anger mixed together into a throat-tightening panic. What was she doing here?! This was too dangerous for a mortal! What if a spider ate her?! Did she think to watch the battle? To learn something? Great, but what learning could she do if she was dead? Or if she sustained an injury too great to recover fully from?


    ¡°Yes, sir, but I-¡±


    ¡°Did I not say to follow my orders exactly?¡± I asked. She nodded.


    ¡°Yes, sir, but-¡±


    I was about to interrupt her again, but Chiho flew before my face and trilled angrily. It calmed down a moment later, but its meaning was clear. It wanted Xinya to explain. I took a steadying breath, then nodded for her to continue.


    She clasped her hands and bowed. ¡°Please forgive me for defying you, Mister, but I needed to warn you!¡±


    ¡°Warn me of what?¡±


    Xinya raised her head, and her violet eyes shone bright in the palm light I carried. ¡°The illusions! The spiders above were using illusions!¡±


    A sick feeling began to take hold in my stomach. If this was true¡­


    According to Pollen and Pharyx, there was no visible qi here, but that just couldn¡¯t be true. Something was wrong. On a hunch, I reached over to the wall to my right. Before I even touched it, my fingers began to prickle with qi.


    ¡°It seems the Witch of Heimian was not on the same Path as her kin,¡± I whispered urgently. ¡°This tunnel is made of moon qi. It¡¯s an illusion, a false reflection of reality.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Shadows and Spiders

    Fight! Fight for every scrap of life that you can! Buy even a single second if you can. If you¡¯re dying, if you¡¯re mortally wounded, fight! Fight for every single breath and maybe, just maybe, you¡¯ll live. And, if not¡­make them pay for every drop they take! ¨C Sergeant Yuri Sun with the Perelin Army


    *          *          *


    I could have punched myself. For all my pride, all my expertise in lunar techniques, I was still fooled by the mind-muddling effects of the illusions.


    A thousand voices raised in a chorus of giggles and hisses. Before my eyes, the tunnel melted away, revealing a large cavern. Every wall was covered with spiders, save for the far one. A large, beautiful moon tear illuminated a throne on which sat a woman.


    ¡°Welcome dearies,¡± she said. ¡°I am the matriarch of the Black Crevice.¡± Her skin was ashen, as if she¡¯d never seen the light of the sun before, but her ¡°humanoid form¡± seemed to only be a suggestion at a form. Eight spindly legs extended from her back, and her face was covered with black eyes. Whatever she¡¯d done to achieve this form, it was not the orthodox method. In fact, the crimson stains on her deep purple dress gave me a sneaking suspicion as to the particular rituals used to empower her. They were the kind that no spirit beast in their right mind would use, the kind that I had dealt with often in my last life. I wasn¡¯t confident she was a true spirit spider anymore.


    Pharyx and Pollen exchanged looks with one another. Technically speaking, good manners dictated that the foreign dignitaries introduce themselves next, but neither wanted to be the first to single themselves out from the crowd. Spiders were the natural predator of both hornets and bees. Even Pharyx wasn¡¯t the apex predator here, and it showed in the sheen of sweat collecting on his collar.


    But, in the end, it was he who stepped forward, head held high. ¡°Matriarch, I am Pharyx, representative of the Hanai Hornets.¡±


    ¡°Pharyx, don¡¯t!¡± Pollen hissed as she grasped at his sleeve, and he turned, surprise written on his features. The two exchanged a look I could only guess at before the hornet gave Pollen a reassuring smile. She reluctantly released his sleeve before stepping back. I beckoned Xinya closer, and the three of us resolved to keep an eye on the spider nest while Pharyx approached the Matriarch¡¯s Throne.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll forgive our intrusion, here today,¡± he began. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying for years to set up a time and place to negotiate, but all our efforts were rebuffed. I¡¯m sure that the messengers were just¡­lost¡­on their way?¡±


    For a year¡¯s worth of messengers to be lost was ridiculous and everyone knew it. However, with every word Pharyx spoke, he took a step closer to the throne. Soon, he would be in position to strike, yet the matriarch didn¡¯t seem the least bit concerned.


    ¡°Yes, lost,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Or possibly eaten. It¡¯s really hard to say.¡±


    ¡°I would hope that the denizens of the Black Crevice were civilized enough to hear out any messengers they came across,¡± he continued. ¡°My queen would be most displeased to hear otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Why should I care what lesser species think? You¡¯re all just food to me and my children.¡± She smiled wide, revealing two horrible fangs that barely fit in her mouth. ¡°Yes, four delightful morsels. My children prefer the crunchy texture of hornets and bees, but you were kind enough to bring a few humans with you for me to dine on myself.¡±


    With a single click of her tongue, the walls surged with the bodies of her children. Seeing the change, Pharyx leapt forward, his lance burning bright with blistering sunlight. He stabbed at the matriarch, but she vanished into smoke.


    ¡°An illusion! Watch out!¡± he shouted, whipping around to search for his enemy. She appeared behind him, stabbing with one of her long spider legs. Pharyx ducked to the side, and the blow only managed to rip his clothes instead of running him through entirely. He countered with a vicious thrust, but the matriarch had already disappeared again.


    ¡°Xinya, come here,¡± Pollen instructed. Her whisk was in her hand, and she drew it across the ground, clearing the webs in a perfect circle. As soon as the area was clear, the honeybee queen bit down hard on her palm and began to draw in her own blood across the ground.


    A spider lunged at the bee, only to receive an arrow fresh off my string for its efforts. Three more fell before they reached us, but the swarm approached rapidly.


    ¡°Stand here, don¡¯t move,¡± ordered Pollen. Xinya complied, standing at the center of the array. Pollen shoved her qi into the circle, the smell of sunlight, flowers, and forest filled the air. Grass grew into the center of the circle until it was as if a tiny portion of the Honey Hive had been picked up and dropped in the otherwise dreary cave.


    ¡°That should hold,¡± she breathed, slamming the handle of her whisk into another spider which was sent squealing away. ¡°Do not leave that circle. Do you understand?¡±


    Xinya nodded, her eyes wide with fear and concern. Chiho flitted around her head, ready to protect the little girl, no matter what.


    I breathed deep, turning to the rest of the fight. Lights flashes as Pharyx swiped at illusion after illusion. Those lights were intermittent, though, and difficult to see by at this distance. I called my lunar qi into a tight orb of brilliant light and hurled it overhead to illuminate our side of the battle.


    There must have been a thousand spiders climbing the walls, each one ranging from the size of a large dog to the size of a draft horse. To my left, one of the biggest ones lumbered closer. I waved my hand, sending my moonlight forth. A jagged blade erupted from the ground, severing two of its limbs. It stumbled back, raising its limbs in defense.


    Two arrows should do it.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Those two arrows were fitted to my string and fused with corrosive void qi in the blink of an eye. Then I pulled back and fired. The projectiles sailed forward, slamming into the monster¡¯s unprotected belly. It shrieked and thrashed as the void ate into its body. Several of its kin met their ends as it threw itself to the side, trying to dislodge the disintegrating arrows. In the end, it never got a chance.


    It crashed to the ground, just as Pharyx¡¯s light shone brightly. His wings burned to life as he continued trying to skewer the matriarch, but, every time he struck, his lance came back clean. He growled in fury and frustration as she continued to elude his strikes.


    ¡°Xinya,¡± I called. ¡°How did you tell that the spiders were using illusions?¡± Three more arrows were pulled back along my string and fired. Three more spiders died.


    ¡°It was struck by lightning,¡± Xinya answered honestly. ¡°There was a small spider hiding in a bigger illusion.¡±


    Truthful as her answer was, it wasn¡¯t horribly helpful. We didn¡¯t have a lightning artist in our midst, not yet, anyway. Someday, she might be able to use that to cleanse the impurities, but, for now, we needed to find another way.


    These illusions could be dispelled if we touched or attacked them, as Pharyx was busy proving without making any real progress. But, that approach would quickly wear us down as we attacked each and every one. A technique that hit multiple at once, however, might do the trick.


    ¡°Pollen!¡± I shouted. ¡°Do you have the materials for a larger array? Ones like you made in Heimian?¡±


    The Honeybee looked around and shook her head. ¡°Materials, yes, but there isn¡¯t the space for one big enough!¡± Ten razor sharp petals shredded a spider on her left, only for it to dissolve into smoke. She twisted her face in irritation.


    ¡°Do you have anything that could hit many at once?¡±


    Pollen thought hard about it for a long second, then seemed to brighten as an idea came to her. ¡°You take that side!¡± I nodded.


    The smell of flowers grew even stronger. I chanced a glance behind me to see Pollen begin to dance. A visible sash of pure qi shimmered around her as she spun and turned. From her feet spawned thousands of pink petals from her dominion. They filled the room in a tornado of rose red as those petals were darkened with the blue blood of the spiders.


    Not to be outdone, I slung my bow over my shoulder, mixing the void and moonlight in my core until they flowed together, then I cast it out through my meridians. The orb of light overhead suddenly turned an ominous blue as the void entered it. The sound of sizzling chitin and screaming spiders filled the air as the light burned its foes everywhere it touched.


    Everywhere we turned, smokey spiders disappeared into nothingness, leaving only the real ones behind. However, there were still nearly a hundred spiders surging forward from all sides like a sea of black and hairy legs.


    Three more arrows found their way to my string as I picked out another particularly large spider. I added just a touch of lunar qi to them before firing. They spun through the air before driving deep into the monster¡¯s eyes. I left that one alive, as it skewered several of its own kin in its confusion.


    ¡°Though our odds have significantly improved,¡± Pollen shouted, slicing another three small spiders with her petals, ¡°we are still vastly outnumbered! Any bright ideas?¡± She spun around and whipped her whisk at another of the spiders. The fibers whistled as it struck the spider, leaving a bloody streak across its eyes.


    Before I had a chance to respond, a sickening CRACK echoed through the chamber from behind us. Pharyx fell to his knees, spitting blood from his mouth in fury as stones from his impact rained down around him.


    In an instant, the spider matriarch materialized out of the smoke, wrapping her clawed hands around his throat. The spindled legs from her back began to weave white threads around the hornet as he struggled to breathe.


    ¡°Aww, how adorable! Struggle all you like, little queen, your body will feed my children,¡± she crooned.


    ¡°Queen?¡± I heard Pollen whisper, but this was neither the time nor place to explain that particular detail.


    Instead, I drew an arrow back and summoned my light from the ceiling. The ominous light fused to the arrowhead. I aimed at her back, hoping that she was too distracted with my friend to disappear again.


    The arrow flew forward and buried itself to the feathers into her back between all her spider legs. Staggering back, she gasped for air. Pharyx collapsed to the ground, dazed but conscious. As she turned, I saw the arrowhead protruding from her chest, the light still shining. The light dissolved the flesh of her front and she howled in rage.


    ¡°You dare?!¡± she shrieked. Her attention was now focused solely on me. ¡°You maggot! I¡¯ll relish eating you first!¡±


    ¡°Wow, your daughter at least made me the offer to be enslaved in death,¡± I called. ¡°Honestly, bad threats must run in the family.¡±


    ¡°DIE!¡±


    With much greater speed than I expected from a creature of her advancement, she threw herself forward. Her claws swiped wildly. Her spider legs stabbed haphazardly in every direction until she became a blur of clawed death and blood.


    I ducked and twisted around her blows as best I could, trying to return each strike with a disintegrating touch, but her moon qi swirled around her, obscuring her movements until it was all a muddled mess of light and movement to my eyes. Even Flash Forward was blocked thanks to the baleful light technique I¡¯d used.


    In the end, she managed to slam a leg into my chest, cracking several ribs and sending me flying across the room. I fell at the foot of her throne, struggling to right myself through the pain from the blow.


    She was definitely stronger than your average Iron¡­if she was Iron at all. I felt lucky to still be alive after that blow, but our odds of survival were rapidly falling. Pharyx was struggling to his feet while Pollen kept the children away from Xinya¡¯s barrier array.


    The spider matriarch had not sated her hunger for my suffering, though. Whisps of blue-silver light wrapped around her as she stalked closer, hatred in her eyes. My arrow still bulged from her chest, though the light itself had faded. Her flesh was reddened with pocked injuries that made her look more like a walking corpse than a person, and her skin had been melted clean through to muscle in several places. It was heartening. Her blow may have landed with the force of a rampaging ox, but she was still injured by my counterstrikes. If we could just get our footing, turn the situation around to be in our favor¡­maybe we could still survive.


    ¡°Little human, crunchy on the inside,¡± she crooned. ¡°Let¡¯s soften you up before tucking you away for later.¡±


    She grabbed me by the throat and held me high before hurling me against the wall. Her maniacal laughter echoed in my thoughts as I slammed into the wall and slumped to the ground.


    In truth, though, something else had my attention. The band around my heart and core¡­the immutable Bronze that kept me weak¡­it was changing. It wasn¡¯t squeezing at all. In fact, it was expanding. It loosened, shifting itself in color and quality until it wasn¡¯t Bronze anymore.


    It was Iron.


    ¡°Tenri, you sly thing,¡± I muttered. ¡°You did it.¡±


    I spat a bit of blood to the side before grinning wide. This fight wasn¡¯t over yet. All I needed was a little bit of qi¡­


    From my sleeve, I pulled a jar of Pollen¡¯s honey, which I¡¯d intended to use to flavor my dinner. Instead, I untied the lid, threw it aside, and drank the whole container dry on the spot.

 Chapter 45 - Administrator, Fighter, Gardener

    The Farmer brings a harvest with his sweat. The Administrator brings prosperity with his ink. The Enforcer brings cultivators with his blood. ¨C A saying from the Pearlescent Valley


    *          *          *


    Tenri¡¯s eyes flashed open, only to find his sight filled with swirling clouds and hazy colors. He was used to blurred scenery, having been born nearly completely blind, but, even without his glasses, he knew that these swirls were different. They were silver and green, with threads of gold. They lay on top of the world, crystal clear in his otherwise blurred sight.


    And yes, his regular vision was still poor. Tenri sighed. It had improved some. The trees were slightly crisper blobs of blue and green, but he really couldn¡¯t tell if that was because of the verdant haze of wood qi that covered them or if his vision was actually somewhat improved.


    Sitting up, he found himself seated among the roots of a great tree. Creaking wood surrounded him, and the branches above swayed in the wind. He breathed in the crisp breeze and felt a new lightness in his chest that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    Tenri placed a hand on the tree and bowed his head in thanks. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have made it without you,¡± he admitted. In his thoughts, the tree answered with flashes of thoughts and memory, images of his wife and friends bringing his broken body to the tree¡¯s roots, of it wrapping its roots around him, and finally of it feeding him with the fruits of its branches. The qi in those fruits was potent, providing what he¡¯d needed to layer the qi into his meridians, suffusing his core and body with the power of an Iron. It was a kindness the tree gave him, one he would make sure to repay someday.


    He pushed himself to his feet and took in the wonderous farm around him. With Iron eyes, he could see the natural qi of the world, and it was breathtaking. Green tendrils of life and wood wove between the browns of the earth. Rays of sun qi filtered from above, and, through it all, a blanket of silver covered everything, the very qi that gave the Moon-Soaked Shore its name. Tenri took the time to marvel at the new beauty of the world around him. In his eyes, the greens of wood were more vibrant than the rest, drawing his attention to the crops in the fields and the trees beyond the farm. He saw his precious plants in a whole new light, even if he couldn¡¯t see their physical forms as clearly.


    ¡°Admiring the view?¡± Tenri turned to see Hanako standing by the house. Whisps of starlight superimposed themselves around her, surprising Tenri with how strong they were. She must have accidentally completed several early stages of core development to improve her star affinity.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to see,¡± he answered. ¡°But, do you have my glasses? I am, once again, disappointed by how little my sight has improved.¡± Cultivation was supposed to improve one¡¯s body. Were his eyes really so far beyond repair that even the divine will of the heavens couldn¡¯t fix it?


    Hanako held out a small box. ¡°It¡¯s your last pair. Treat them well.¡± He nodded his agreement and slipped them onto his nose with a sigh. They corrected his sight just as much as the old set, meaning his vision hadn¡¯t really changed besides adding the colors of qi over the image.


    ¡°Someday, I¡¯ll be able to see properly,¡± he muttered. He¡¯d have to find Tsuyuki and ask him how that might be accomplished. Surely, the former Ascendent would know how to cultivate to fix a small thing like sight.


    But, that would require that he find him. And, before he could find him, he needed to deal with the snake nesting in his home. Until Shen Yaoxan was removed, Tenri would receive no peace, and Tsuyuki could not return home.


    ¡°Hanako.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you think your cousins would mind if I borrowed some of their supplies?¡±


    *          *          *


    The sun was high, and Tenri walked with confidence as he entered town. This was his home. These were his people. He might not look the part of a powerful cultivator, dressed in his torn and dirt-covered administrator¡¯s uniform, but he was ready to face Shen Yaoxan at long last.


    Hanako had done her best to clean up his appearance, but there was only so much she could do. He¡¯d spent nearly two weeks unconscious in the roots of the ancestral tree as he progressed to Iron, and his poor attire had been abused before that. Now, his sleeves were ragged, his sash was torn at the edges, and everything was covered in a dusty brown from exposure to the elements.


    However, Shen would be able to see the truth. Tenri¡¯s spirit burned hot, like a pit of tangled vipers waiting to strike. His qi was strong, his body was reforged, and his purpose was crystal clear.


    As he walked through the streets of his home, people watched in hushed silence. They could sense the difference in his demeanor, even as mortals. One man, the son of a merchant that Hanako frequently bought fresh vegetables from, ran off. He would no doubt inform Zumi of his return, who would inform Shen. This was perfect, exactly the way Tenri wanted it, and, by the time he reached the administrative building, Shen was already waiting on the stairs, Zumi cowering to the side.


    ¡°It seems I didn¡¯t beat you down hard enough,¡± Shen said loud enough for the crowd to hear.


    ¡°If you thought me a delicate flower, you¡¯d be sorely mistaken,¡± Tenri answered.


    ¡°Yes, you seem to be more of a weed,¡± the void master growled. ¡°Though, your tenacity surprises me. Not everyone can make it to Iron, and fewer still can do it in the state I left you in. My father could certainly find a place for you in our ranks, if you were to see reason.¡±


    Tenri¡¯s expression darkened. Shen Tori may have controlled the majority of cultivators in the Moon-Soaked Shore, but they were little more than bandits hanging off the official charter of the Governor. They were murderers and ruthless monsters, each and every one of them.


    ¡°The Lunar Hunt is a blight on this land,¡± Tenri hissed. ¡°One that gives cultivation a bad name. I¡¯d sooner die than let it infect my garden any longer!¡±


    Shen Yaoxan narrowed his eyes. ¡°How compliant you used to be, Tenri Lin. That Tsuyuki fellow really got to you, didn¡¯t he? Whispered all sorts of festering rebellion in your ears. Very well, my purpose is clear. I have no issues pulling this weed up by its roots.¡±


    ¡°Then let us take this to the ridge outside town,¡± Tenri proposed. ¡°I¡¯d hate for you to fall into a sinkhole again.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Shen¡¯s ears went red, and his expression hardened with fury, but he didn¡¯t take the bait. Instead, he lunged forward, void qi swirling around him and manifesting as smoke around his hand.


    ¡°And face you in a field full of grass? I don¡¯t think so!¡± he hissed.


    Tenri ducked and dodged to the left. Shen growled as his attack struck open air. Realizing that he wouldn¡¯t win so easily as the last time, he drew his sword. Tenri watched curiously as qi flowed from the man to the blade, turning the weapon black in his sight.


    A great crescent of void qi streaked towards him. Tenri twisted out of the way of the blade just in time. It crashed into the shopfront behind him, and several townsfolk screamed as they fled the building. A moment later, with its supports eaten away by the void, it collapsed in a cloud of dust and rice grains.


    ¡°And, this is why I wanted to fight you outside of town!¡± Tenri hissed, his temper rising. Shen had no respect for the people he¡¯d spent his life protecting.


    ¡°What¡¯s a little woodland sprite like you going to do about it? Defeat me with a flower crown?¡± Shen leveled his sword at his opponent. ¡°You aren¡¯t even on the same level as that friend of yours. At least he has the right kind of qi to put up a good fight.¡±


    Tenri couldn¡¯t help himself. He started laughing.


    He briefly wondered just how old this Yaoxan was. It was always hard to tell with cultivators. As they advanced, they become closer and closer to immortality. Even Tenri himself still looked nearly five years younger than he really was, and Tsuyuki looked like he was barely out of his teens despite being one of the oldest living beings in the world.


    But, with the way Shen spoke, Tenri wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if he really was in his early twenties. How childish could he be to consider any type of qi better than any other? Certainly, some were flashier, and the void arts he practiced were, indeed, powerful. However, to underestimate wood simply because it wasn¡¯t innately destructive was foolish.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Shen growled. Void qi wrapped around his sword again.


    Tenri finally got a handle on his laughter enough to answer. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then you are even more of a fool than I thought.¡±


    A vein began to pulse on Shen¡¯s forehead, and he lunged at Tenri. The wood artist twisted to the side. The smile melted into a look of sheer determination.


    The blade sliced toward him. Tenri gave it his all to stay ahead of the blade. Even at the same advancement, Shen was fast. His training with the blade was far more formal than Tenri ever received, but that wasn¡¯t going to stop him. How many spirit beasts and lesser yokai had he fought over the years since he took up the cultivator¡¯s mantle? Compared to a swarm of fengmori on the raging seas, this was nothing. Tenri kept just a few inches ahead of the blade, ducking and twisting out of the path of danger.


    Then, when the moment was right, he ducked under the blade and struck, slamming an open palm into Shen¡¯s chest. The blow rippled through the void artist, sending him stumbling several steps back.


    Shen snarled at Tenri before spinning his blade in his hand. Qi burst into existence in Tenri¡¯s vision, arcing in black waves from Shen as he wove a thin net of void energy. With a roar and a slash of his blade, the net was sent straight for Tenri.


    In every direction he looked, Tenri was trapped. Void qi crisscrossed before him like cracks of night laced across reality. It wrapped around him, burning into his skin and forcing him to the ground.


    Shen laughed maniacally as Tenri struggled against the net. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re all out of tricks!¡±


    Not quite, Tenri thought as he stilled his thoughts. The void burned him, but that was a good thing. He analyzed the feeling. Tsuyuki had mentioned once that the void was the essence of isolation. It sought to separate things, such as flesh from bone. But, feeling it for himself¡­


    Tenri¡¯s wood aura surged around him. He would survive to protect those around him. That was his job, and he was not going to let a little bit of void stop him.


    The wood reacted to the void, forming a bright green barrier around him. That barrier seeped beneath his skin, forming veins of brilliant green along his arms and face.


    Shen¡¯s laugh trailed off as Tenri grabbed the void net with bare hands and threw it off. It burned, but it burned much less now that his technique had adapted to the new form of qi. He stood, glaring at Shen.


    ¡°What was it you were saying about pulling up the weeds?¡± he growled. Shen gripped his sword in defiance, readying for another attack.


    The void artist raced forward, closing the distance between them, but Tenri was ready for him. He spun around, letting wood qi explode in a storm around him. Rice was swept up off the ground and hurled straight at Shen.


    Just as the last time, Shen waved a hand and void ate through the rice, dissolving the grains without mercy, but Tenri had more up his sleeve¡­specifically a tiny bag of seeds from the Zhao farm.


    He released the strings on the sachet and flung the contents forward. A mix of melon seeds, strawberry seeds, and high-quality rice shimmered with the same jade color as Tenri¡¯s qi as they sprayed at the oncoming void artist.


    Shen screamed as the infused seeds slammed into him, drawing blood where they pierced his skin like tiny thorns. He turned his void qi inward, trying to rid himself of the seeds, but they shone brightly.


    A single snap of Tenri¡¯s fingers was all it took for them to take root. Those that had missed the void artist dug into the ground, drilling roots into the mundane cobblestones with little more resistance than if they were taking root in gravelly soil. They flourished, digging deep beneath the earth to anchor themselves as they began wrapping angry vines around Shen¡¯s legs.


    However, the artist was a little more preoccupied with the seeds that had come to rest inside his injuries. Those, too, flourished, but instead of the bounties of the earth, they decided to feed on Shen¡¯s blood.


    ¡°You know,¡± Tenri began. ¡°People often forget that corpses make fairly decent fertilizer. Surrender, before I choose to use you to feed my garden.¡±


    The artist screamed as the vines and roots dug into his flesh. His void qi slashed and tore at the plants, and quite a few dissolved before his onslaught. But, for every one that fell, another one dug deeper until he was forced to his knees.


    ¡°Do you surrender?¡± Tenri asked, his voice cold and unforgiving as the ocean he grew up with.


    Shen pondered it for a long moment. The plants tightened their grip, and he winced. Then, with a look of defeat, he dropped his sword. Tenri swiftly retrieved it. Without another word, the vines that were just starting to bloom with tiny, crimson flowers all over Shen¡¯s body began to retreat.


    ¡°A wise choice,¡± he said. ¡°Now, leave. Tell your father that Saikan will handle its own affairs from now on. The Lunar Hunt need not get involved.¡± Tenri leaned down, holding Shen¡¯s sword just before him. ¡°And if I ever find you in my territory again, we¡¯ll be finding out just how much more beautiful my blooms are when fed by your blood. Understand?¡±


    Shen scrambled backward and leapt to his feet. He snarled at Tenri, fury and humiliation written all over his features. ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± he growled. ¡°When my father hears about this, you will wish you¡¯d spilled every drop of my blood.¡±


    ¡°Then get out before I change my mind.¡±


    Without another word, Shen was gone.


    A cheer rose from the gathered crowd, and, in an instant, Hanako had thrown herself into Tenri¡¯s arms. He was unmoved by her force and just held her close.


    ¡°You did it!¡± she whispered. ¡°I was so worried.¡±


    ¡°Worried? About me? That would be a first for you,¡± he teased. She pulled a sandal off with practiced ease and smacked him with it three times before he finally relented.


    ¡°Cousin?¡± Zumi approached. ¡°Will you be returning to work with this humble assistant?¡±


    Tenri blinked in surprise. ¡°I thought Shen took over as Administrator while I was away.¡± Zumi snorted.


    ¡°That lout didn¡¯t answer a single petition, didn¡¯t conduct a single inspection, and made poor Zumi do all of it!¡±


    ¡°And did you manage?¡±


    ¡°I regret to inform you that I failed to process a number of documents, and they¡¯ve since become lost,¡± Zumi answered, crossing his arms.


    ¡°And which documents were those?¡±


    Zumi grinned widely. ¡°Those regarding Cousin Lin¡¯s deposal as Administrator, of course!¡±

 Chapter 46 - Iron

    There are a few rules of thumb about picking your foes when they are cultivators, but this is my favorite: don¡¯t fight them when they¡¯re at the peak of their tier. You¡¯ll soon find yourself as their final whetstone for advancement. ¨C Wandering Cultivator Yin Linyao


    *          *          *


    Xinya stared at the entire scene in horror. How had things gone so far south so quickly? When Pollen began her dance and Mister Tsuyuki summoned that beautiful, blue light of his, Xinya thought for sure that the day had been won. After all, they¡¯d defeated thousands of spiders in just a few moments! Sure, some of those were illusory, but she was still impressed. The display had been almost serene, with Pollen¡¯s petals drifting around in the moonlight before streaking off to kill some hapless spider.


    But, then Pharyx had fallen, and everything turned for the worse. Tears sprung to her eyes as Mister Tsuyuki worked desperately to save him, drawing the monster¡¯s attention away, only to find himself hurled against a wall. Even Xinya had heard the horrible crunching sound of his bones before he slumped to the ground. After that, the matriarch was on him, spinning him in a cocoon of silver thread.


    ¡°Miss Pollen,¡± she whispered. ¡°What are we going to do?¡±


    Pollen didn¡¯t hear her amidst the terrible clicking and clacking of spider pincers. Petals whirled in every direction as the honeybee waded through a sea of spiders to reach Pharyx. His light burned dimly, and he was barely holding out against the onslaught. Blood stained his clothes from several gashes, including one across his left cheek that Xinya thought would leave a rather nasty scar¡­if they lived to reach the surface.


    The honeybee queen swept her whisk across the field before her, and a great wind swept up more petals, sending them spraying out in a wide cone of death. Spiders fled before her as she rushed in. Her hand grasped the spirit hornet¡¯s arm, dragging him back to safety. Soon, the two had their backs to the barrier array in which Xinya waited with bated breath.


    ¡°If you have any tricks left,¡± Pollen said, ¡°now might be a good time to use them.¡±


    Pharyx nodded. He pointed to a big spider, though every spider was far too massive as far as Xinya was concerned, and his eyes flashed gold. The girl recognized the same ability that had ruined her plans as he shouted ¡°Submit!¡±


    Eight eyes burned with the same gold as the hornet¡¯s before the enormous monster turned on its kin. Giant legs skewered smaller bodies, and Xinya almost whooped in joy.


    Despite their successes, the two adults looked nearly defeated.  Pollen¡¯s hair fell in tired strands around her face while Pharyx¡¯s clothes held more red than any of the original colors.


    ¡°That won¡¯t last long,¡± Pharyx said. ¡°Full control is hard, and it¡¯s fighting me.¡±


    ¡°And with Tsuyuki down.¡± Pollen didn¡¯t finish the sentence. All three of them knew the stakes. With the moon artist down, their already low odds of surviving the horde of spiders was slim. The plan had originally revolved around being able to surprise the matriarch in her own lair, slaying her quickly, and retreating. No one was prepared for a long engagement where the numbers were three against a hundred. Especially when that hundred didn¡¯t include the matriarch herself.


    Tears leaked from Xinya¡¯s eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let her shoulders shake with sobs. The matriarch had climbed high onto the walls to hang her cocooned mentor and guardian from the ceiling. Once she was finished, she¡¯d turn back to them.


    For a brief moment, Xinya wondered if this was a better way to go than the fate that awaited her back in Saikan. Sure, she¡¯d had a few more months to live, but when it came down to being eaten in a nest of spiders or picked out of a line up and executed, she wasn¡¯t sure which was preferable. Here in the den, she was no more able to fight for herself than against Shen Yaoxan. She was just as weak, just as helpless, and it burned in her as a defiant blaze of rage. She didn¡¯t want to be helpless anymore. She was tired of relying on others to save her, but, at this rate, she¡¯d never have the chance to do otherwise.


    In the end, could fate really be altered? Could reality be dictated like Tsuyuki claimed? Or was it all just an immutable river charging ever forward, unchanging despite a cultivator¡¯s best efforts?


    *          *          *


    It took far longer than I¡¯d hoped to patch myself up. My qi was agitated from the fight, and agitated qi was always the most difficult to deal with. However, that didn¡¯t stop me from stubbornly forcing it to comply.


    One by one, I layered void and moonlight in equal measure into my meridians, starting with those in my torso, then in my head, then into my arms and legs. Qi flowed like blood through me, and the changes I felt taking place in my body sent a thrilling shiver down my spine.


    Iron was a critical advancement for a cultivator. Despite being in the middle of the Forging Stage, it was the first advancement in a cultivator¡¯s journey that truly enhanced their body. Every tissue needed to become so thoroughly infused with qi that it changed them. Eyes that could see the world for what it was, a body that could with withstand the incredible force of the qi that coursed through it, and a core that could store more qi and distribute it more quickly. All of these were critical for any spirit artist intent on climbing the ladder and reaching immortality.


    And yet, all of that was secondary to the most important element: appearances. Due to the incredible changes wrought, most artists received a physical manifestation of their power. Glowing eyes, shining hair, skin that could turn to stone or bark, all of these were possible, given the right conditions. It was unpredictable, and exciting.


    With the void layered into my moonlight, I had no idea what changes would be made to my appearance. Part of me worried that I¡¯d become trapped in my Void-touched form, but another, more optimistic part wondered at how the depths of the void might add a sense of mystery to my already regal bearing. Perhaps my hair would become darker or maybe flecks of dark mist would appear in my eyes. The possibilities were endless.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    But, I digress.


    As I finished advancing, taking advantage of millennia of cultivation experience to do so in a record-breaking time of a few minutes, I began to return to awareness¡­only to find myself wrapped up in sticky webs that clung to my clothes and pulled at my hair as I tried to wiggle around. It was disgusting, slimy stuff, and I wanted nothing more than to be free of it.


    My entire body burned with the void as I clawed at the webbing. My qi made short work of the webs. However, then gravity took hold, and I slammed into the ground. I groaned as my cracked ribs protested, but now was not the time for delay.


    I glanced at the battle, only to feel my heart soar (briefly). I could see! Browns and silver auras danced in my vision, and I nearly laughed with excitement. A golden haze surrounded Pharyx, as well as one of the spiders that I could only assume was under his command, while Pollen¡¯s qi was a soft pink threaded with green and gold. All around them was the moon qi of the spiders, something hidden from the two spirit beasts. Unlike them, though, I was extremely sensitive to lunar qi. Their pitiful illusions were nothing to me.


    The matriarch danced around Pharyx, weaving a web of qi around him that muddled his senses and left him vulnerable to her attacks. Despite this, he still fought with the full ferocity of his species, ducking and weaving around the attacks he could sense. He¡¯d even managed to land a blow, judging by the gash in the matriarch¡¯s side.


    She was angry, bleeding from her side and chest. Her qi was keeping her up, and it was tainted. I knew enough yokai to know the look of their qi. It swirled and roiled with resentment and hatred, and that would drive her quickly to madness. Though not the fate of every yokai, it was clear that the matriarch was beyond saving.


    With speed that surprised even me, I drew an arrow and pulled it back on my string. Void surged along the arrow in dark mist swirling with flashes of blue-silver light. With the matriarch¡¯s head in my sights, my grip relaxed, and the string snapped forward.


    The arrow missed.


    In fact, it flew so high that I stared at it in shock. As I drew another arrow, I mentally replayed the calculations. The direction had been good. The distance was nearly a hundred yards¡­and yet it had sailed clean over the matriarch¡¯s head. No one even noticed the strike, it was so far off. How had my aim been so poor?


    The second arrow, I took no chances with. This one I infused with void and moonlight in equal measure, one to empower it, one to guide it true. When I released this one, the trajectory was still off, but the moon qi in the arrow got it closer. It slammed into the matriarch¡¯s shoulder, piercing straight through like the last one.


    She turned, hatred burning in her eyes. I grinned at her.


    ¡°You should have finished me off when you had the chance,¡± I called.


    ¡°A mistake I shall not make again, treat,¡± she hissed.


    I took a deep breath. Advancing was exhausting work, especially at the rate I¡¯d done it, but I felt better than I had since escaping the Labyrinth. In fact, it was like a weight had lifted from my chest. I could breathe again!


    The matriarch raced towards me, judging me a greater threat than Pharyx. That was only fair, given that I could see through her illusions more easily than the hornet could. Three more arrows slowed her approach, but still she came.


    ¡°I will drain the life from your limp corpse!¡± she shrieked. I bit my lip, firing a fourth arrow which skewered one of her spider limbs. How many shots would it take to bring her down? How long could she hold out?


    A thread of silver wrapped around the matriarch, unseen to all eyes but mine. It danced and flickered as she surged forward. In the blink of an eye, it shot up to the ceiling. My eyes followed just in time to see an enormous boulder fall from above.


    What luck, I thought to myself, hoping it would squish the matriarch flat. However, lucky as it was, the boulder did not flatten her as I¡¯d hoped.


    Instead, it fell just before her. The spider yokai twisted her body, dodging to the side, so that only an illusory version of her was trapped beneath the rubble. That was her undoing. My eyes met with Pharyx¡¯s, and he nodded in agreement.


    Summoning the last of his strength, he sped forward, lance bared. My qi surged in tandem with his. An arrow made entirely from moonlight formed on my string.


    Before the spider matriarch had a chance to reform her illusions, two lunar blades ripped from the ground, stopping her dead in her tracks and revealing her true location. She pivoted, trying to dodge around them to reach me, but there wasn¡¯t time.


    An arrow of moonlight pierced her chest from the front, just as a sun-infused lance plunged into her back. She tensed, arcing her back, and screaming so loud the echoes caused my ears to ring.


    She struggled, but in the end, her injuries were too great. She slumped to the ground. Only after she lay still for several moments did Pharyx jerk his lance free from the corpse.


    Silence reigned over the cavern as the spiders studied their mother¡¯s fallen body. They conversed in shocked hisses and whispers. So many of their kin had fallen. Without their mother, what chance did they have of defeating two insect queens and their hired help?


    In the end, they did the smart thing. They ran. Back down into the tunnels they fled until the only spiders remaining in the cavern were the dead. Pollen released the qi of the barrier array, allowing Xinya to run forward.


    ¡°Mister Tsuyuki! You¡¯re okay!¡± Tear-stained tracks were clear on her cheeks as she threw her arms around my waist. I grimaced at the protests of my cracked ribs but ran my fingers through her ponytail all the same.


    ¡°Nice job not getting eaten,¡± Pharyx said, patting my shoulder more gently. I flashed him a smile.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have an appreciation for the complexity of my flavors,¡± I answered. He laughed and patted my shoulder again.


    ¡°Thanks for revealing the real one. That boulder was a stroke of genius.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t take credit. That was just good luck.¡±


    He blinked in shock. ¡°Good luck? Damn, I might need to keep you around. I could use your kind of fortune.¡±


    I smiled at him sheepishly, but a question began to form in the back of my mind. Was it really fortune? That silver thread had been the cause, of that I was sure. That same silver thread had been present when Shen Yaoxan fell into a pit during our fight. But¡­what was it? Where did it come from?


    ¡°Come on,¡± Pharyx said. ¡°I miss the sun.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait a little longer,¡± I reminded him. ¡°It¡¯s probably still raining above.¡± He swore violently, causing Xinya to giggle at his obscenity. I just rolled my eyes as we joined Pollen. ¡°Even rain beats this place, though. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    As we walked out from that den of wicked lies, Xinya excitedly recounted the battle from her perspective. Pharyx and I listened with interest, chiming in when we could fill in details for her. Meanwhile, Pollen followed behind, adding only her tense silence to the tales of our heroism.

 Chapter 47 - Lunar Fear

    Attempt #239: I heard him. His Chant. His Words. He is Lost. Alone. And I will join Him. - Unknown


    *          *          *


    The four of us took our time climbing back to the surface. Pollen¡¯s petals guided us along the path out, which was a stroke of foresighted genius on her part. Thanks to the illusions, the tunnels looked entirely different, now. Paths that had previously been hidden were now clear to see, and I would have been entirely lost after only a few steps in the maze.


    Xinya practically clung to my sleeve, and Chiho busied itself with stripping strands of spider silk from my hair and clothes. With Pharyx leading the way with his light, my mind was allowed to wander.


    Over and over, I replayed the final moments of the battle in my head. After advancing, my aim had been altered, but I couldn¡¯t figure out why. It was as if I¡¯d overcompensated for the arc of the arrow, only I was sure it was correct. I shot the same way I did at the beginning of the fight. The only difference was advancement.


    Something had changed¡­but what?


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki?¡± Pollen whispered.


    I had intended only to turn my head and answer, but my muscles suddenly jerked, and I found myself spinning around. The motion was entirely unexpected, throwing my balance off and causing me to stumble into the wall to my left.


    ¡°Are you¡­well?¡± she asked worriedly.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I said. ¡°Only my pride injured. What did you need?¡±


    Pollen opened her mouth to speak, but then noticed that Pharyx had turned to make sure the group was with him. She bowed her head and muttered ¡°nothing, sorry,¡± and stepped past me.


    Something was off, and it wasn¡¯t just my inexplicable lack of dexterity. Had something happened during the battle? I eyed the Honeybee Queen, trying to figure out the source of her tension. She wasn¡¯t significantly injured, or, at least, not to the same extent that Pharyx and I were. Yet, tension was clear in her shoulders, and I could not determine the source.


    The climb out was long and laborious, yet only I had to make it. The spirit beasts just flew right out, carrying Xinya¡¯s weight between them. Meanwhile, I had to climb, hand over hand, the endless distance to the top with only Chiho for company. I was only a few feet from the top when I heard Pollen sigh.


    ¡°Is it true, then?¡± she asked. Her voice was soft and unsure.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean?¡± answered the hornet.


    ¡°You know.¡±


    Silence fell between them, and I kept still. Though the climb was excruciating, they needed just a few moments longer.


    Pharyx cleared his throat. ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the fact that I rule the Hanai Hornets, then yes. That is true.¡±


    ¡°I see. Your people took it seriously, after all.¡±


    ¡°Why would you expect any less from us? These are our forests, too.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­I thought you were a-¡± Pollen cut herself off. ¡°I suppose this means I failed to meet your expectations. I didn¡¯t show you the respect deserving of another hive queen.¡± Her words were filled with shame. ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ll attack the Honey Hive next?¡±


    Pharyx stretched before audibly relaxing. ¡°I dunno. Have to see how the mood strikes me after we get back.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. My arms burned with exhaustion, and I was worried I¡¯d fall to my death if I lingered any longer. I scrambled up the last few feet of the cliff and collapsed onto the grass above.


    ¡°Welcome back,¡± called Pharyx. ¡°How was the climb?¡±


    ¡°Wet and miserable.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t envy you.¡±


    The two spirit beasts had set up a small campfire under the canopy of a large tree. However, though the two of them were doing their best to keep dry, Xinya was standing out in the middle of the storm, playing in the puddles. I smiled. It was nice to see her spend time being a kid, especially with all that had happened.


    ¡°Queen Pharyx, Queen Pollen.¡± I bowed before both monarchs. ¡°This one thanks you for the opportunity to fight at your side, and wonders if you might be willing to grant this one a favor.¡±


    The spirit beasts exchanged a look of surprise before Pollen answered. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formality, Master Tsuyuki. You have helped us both more than you can know. What is this favor?¡± I raised my head and nodded.


    ¡°I wonder if you two might accompany me and Xinya back to Saikan before you return to your homes,¡± I explained. ¡°I know the administrator there will want to speak with you both, since your nations are so close, and it would really put my mind to ease to have you both there, should certain hostile elements still be present.¡±


    Pharyx cocked his head in question, and Pollen explained our situation, including the deal I made with her to remove the threats to her domain. The hornet flashed his stripes in anger, hearing how Shen Yaoxan had tried to kill Xinya.


    ¡°You have my lance, and the full support of Hanai,¡± Pharyx growled. ¡°Talent like that should be nurtured in the young, not destroyed!¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°What I still don¡¯t understand,¡± Pollen said, ¡°is why? Why do the humans feel so strongly about pruning lunar artists from the region?¡±


    I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    Every head turned to Xinya, who was still dripping with rain drops. Pollen beckoned her closer, wrapping her in a blanket and settling her next to the fire before the little girl continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Darkened Moon,¡± Xinya explained. I nearly choked. How could I possibly be to blame?! I bit my lip to keep as stoic as possible while she continued. ¡°Long ago, when the Darkened Moon was slain, thousands of shards fell from the moon to the Shore. Those stones are what give the region its name and its qi, but, according to the Lunar Hunt, those stones transmit the Darkened Moon¡¯s madness to those who are sensitive to it. They go mad with his power and have to be destroyed anyway, so the Hunt figures they should destroy them as soon as they¡¯re found. It¡¯s why they search every year while they¡¯re around for tax collection.¡±


    That sounded like a convenient excuse if I¡¯d ever heard one. My madness was hardly a contagious plague! Moon artists aren¡¯t inherently more prone to lunacy! It was only after I gave myself to the void that I committed such horrible deeds. The moon had nothing to do with it!


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± I muttered. ¡°If they¡¯re so afraid, then they should train those artists instead of killing them.¡±


    ¡°Mother once heard rumors that his bloodline could be transmitted through his qi,¡± Pharyx added. ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s what drives them to madness?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± I insisted. As soon as the words left my mouth, both Xinya and Pharyx narrowed their eyes at me in suspicion. I looked away, trying to regain my composure.


    It wasn¡¯t my fault. It couldn¡¯t be my fault. I¡¯d been locked in prison the entire time. How could I be ultimately responsible for the deaths of so many children?


    Pollen put a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I actually don¡¯t know these legends, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯s all they are. This Lunar Hunt sounds like they have taken advantage of old wives¡¯ tales in order to exploit the region. They sow fear and demonize innocents to do it.¡± Then she smiled and began wringing the water out of Xinya¡¯s hair. ¡°Now, as for Tsuyuki¡¯s request, I would be delighted to attend you all in Saikan. I would hope that Queen Pharyx would be equally eager?¡±


    Pharyx stretched. ¡°Yeah, sure! We can discuss the terms of your surrender on neutral ground!¡± Pollen glared at him, and he flinched. ¡°I¡¯m kidding! I¡¯m kidding!¡±


    ¡°I should hope so.¡±


    *          *          *


    Tenri glanced up at the moon as he walked down the lantern-lit streets of Saikan. Almost the entire face was visible, from the top of the rabbit¡¯s ears all the way to chasm left by the Sword Saint in ages past.


    It had been over two months since Tsuyuki had left, his presence like a pleasant dream that was now long over. Shen Yaoxan was gone, and with him went the strife and suffering inflicted on the town in recent times. The pile of accident claims and road work requests that had built up on Tenri¡¯s desk after Tsuyuki¡¯s sudden departure had finally been tamed. He¡¯d worked late to finish off filing the last of it, and it was as if a weight had finally lifted from his shoulders. The holes had been patched, compensation had been dispensed, and most of those injured were well on their way to recovering. Yet, though normalcy was returning, Tenri had mixed feelings.


    For all his erratic tendencies, Tenri found himself missing the wayward moon artist who¡¯d supposedly caused so much trouble. It was strange. He¡¯d only been around for a scarce few weeks, and, while he¡¯d been around, Tenri had been constantly worried that something terrible would befall them for dealing with such a villain from the pages of legend, but now that he was gone, life was quiet¡­too quiet. It was as if he¡¯d been seeing the world in grayscale his entire life, only for Tsuyuki to drop a splash of color on his life. Now that he was gone, things went back to the dull hue of before, and Tenri didn¡¯t know if he could adjust back.


    ¡°Master Tenri!¡± called a shopkeeper called Meng Yi. She waved at him, and he politely stepped into her stall.


    ¡°Evening, Madam Meng,¡± he greeted. ¡°How are you this evening?¡±


    ¡°Just fine, thanks. I couldn¡¯t help but notice you seemed down. Is everything alright with Madam Hanako?¡±


    Tenri blinked in surprise. He hadn¡¯t realized that his expression had turned so down as he walked down the street. He forced a smile with the shopkeeper.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. Thank you for your concern,¡± he answered.


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure,¡± she said. A moment later, she produced a wooden comb adorned with several fine pearls. ¡°If not, though. Perhaps Madam Hanako would appreciate a lovely comb? Or perhaps your brother Tsuyuki would like a new hairpin?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. He and I are just friends,¡± he insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how those rumors got started.¡± Madam Meng gave him a sly smile and a suggestive wink that made Tenri blush and look away.


    ¡°Of course, Master. Forgive this one for her boldness.¡± Her words held no sincerity, and that just made him blush deeper.


    He didn¡¯t know where the rumors had begun, but at some point, half the town became convinced that there was some kind of illicit affair going on between him and Tsuyuki. Even Hanako had teased him to no end when she¡¯d found out. The original rumors only said that they were core sworn, which was a perfectly legitimate relationship, if also untrue, but somehow the rumor mill had twisted things beyond recognition. The fact that Tenri had been either buried in paperwork or fighting for his life the entire time those rumors had been flourishing hadn¡¯t helped either.


    ¡°Just¡­don¡¯t believe everything you hear, Madam Meng,¡± he insisted. Then, he bowed politely to the older woman and left before his cheeks could get any redder. Even still, he could feel her eyes on him until he turned the corner towards his home.


    Those rumors are just ridiculous nonsense created by bored fishermen with nothing better to talk about, he thought to himself. They¡¯ll get tired of them when something new comes along.


    That thought comforted him. Though most of the town seemed tickled pink by the notion that he was with Tsuyuki, his mother most certainly was not. He wasn¡¯t sure he could withstand her scathing words again. She had gone on and on about how it was a shame to the family, how he was cheating on Hanako, and how he was never going to amount to anything if he didn¡¯t get his act together. Tenri had countered by saying that none of it was true, but she didn¡¯t listen. All she cared about was having grandchildren to spoil, and that the rumors threatened that.


    Tenri turned another corner onto his street and spotted the tidy wall around the Administrator¡¯s Residence. He could already smell a mix of delightful foods drifting from the various homes of his neighbors. One of them was surely Hanako¡¯s exquisite cooking, but he couldn¡¯t be sure which one. Instead, he let his mind wander, imagining what delicious meal waited for him at home.


    Knowing her, it was probably a stew of some sort. When the air was crisp and the winds blew the cold in from the sea, Hanako always made something to warm him down to his core. Maybe she¡¯d put some of those delicious mushrooms in it from the northern caves, the mundane ones, not the mooncaps. Those were some of his favorites.


    His mouth watered. Tenri threw open the gate and stepped inside, making for the little door that promised such a delicious meal. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a glimpse of shining silver. He slowed to a stop.


    There, in his garden, sitting against the peach tree, was Tsuyuki. The moon artist smiled at him, and Tenri felt every part of him relax. He was dressed almost entirely in black robes, instead of the purest white and blue he¡¯d left in, but somehow, he hadn¡¯t lost a bit of his ethereal majesty.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Tenri.¡± His whisper carried far to Tenri¡¯s ears. ¡°Did you miss me?¡±

 Chapter 48 - Predator

    ¡°That¡¯ll be a silver,¡± said the man behind the noodle counter. The warrior sighed and set the payment on the counter, feeling the weight of her money pouch¡­or, rather, the lack thereof. It wouldn¡¯t be long before she was penniless, but that didn¡¯t matter to her. She could starve to death, but she would still fulfill her master¡¯s mission.


    Four months. Normally it would take someone three or four times that time to cross the distance between the edge of the Pearlescent Valley and the Moon-Soaked Shore, but she was gifted with the techniques of her master. The Wind Master taught many things, and, though patience was one of them, this disciple had always been particularly bad at internalizing it.


    She sighed and sat down with her bowl. The broth wasn¡¯t as flavorful as it was back home, which surprised her. Having made it all the way to the town of Haishui, she¡¯d expected a bit more. Nearly five hundred thousand people lived here, yet the noodles were bland. What a tragedy. For a regional capital, she wasn¡¯t impressed.


    But, then again, she¡¯d travelled the world with her master. Despite her low advancement, she¡¯d studied under her master for nearly a hundred years before his death. She¡¯d been to the Summoned Isle, climbed the Indomitable Mountain, and swam in the deathly waters of the South Sea. She¡¯d been to cities that spread as far as the eye could see, where you could climb the highest building and still never see the wilderness beyond the walls. This place was practically wilderness in comparison¡­not that the Pearlescent Valley was much better.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir?¡± she called to the shopkeeper.


    ¡°What can I get for the young mistress?¡± he answered. The warrior wrinkled her nose at the title. It made her feel like a spoiled daughter of a wealthy family, all ribbons and pretty things. She desperately hoped that others didn¡¯t truly see her that way. She was a rough and wild cultivator, not some spoiled brat.


    ¡°I was wondering if there were any strange occurrences in the Moon-Soaked Shore of late,¡± she explained.


    The noodle vendor rubbed his chin before answering. ¡°Your accent is strange to me. I take it you¡¯re a wandering spirit artist?¡± She nodded. ¡°Well, nothing strange in the western towns, but there have been some troubling rumors in the east. Rogue cultivators taking over towns, making deals with shades and spirit beasts alike.¡±


    ¡°How curious,¡± she mused. ¡°What do the rumors say, specifically?¡± The vendor sat down across from her and leaned in conspiratorially.


    ¡°They say the Four Spirits of the Shore are getting anxious.¡±


    ¡°Four spirits?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The four major shades who keep coming back, no matter how many times they¡¯re dispelled.¡±


    Location bound shades, she noted. Some shades were bound to a house or road. Others could wander. Those who were bound to a specific place often had a source of power there, or a lingering regret keeping them from moving on. If these shades had been dealt with many times, their regrets must have been great.


    ¡°What have these shades done?¡± the warrior asked, her hand on her blade.


    ¡°Well, the weaker ones, the Flower Maiden and the Blood-Soaked Bride are known to snatch people right off the roads,¡± he explained. ¡°They have a taste for the blood of innocents, but they¡¯re nothing compared to the other two. The Two-Faced Serpent likes to possess government officials and use them like puppets to bring down their towns, but at least, she can be reasoned with. The last one though? The Chain-Bound Fury? He¡¯s always been a savage, ruthless predator. It¡¯s said he could hunt a man clean across the shore, and that none could escape once he set his sights on them.¡± The noodle vendor leaned in closer. ¡°I heard he was spotted in some fishing village in the east a few months ago. Killed a dozen cultivators and kidnapped a little girl right out of the town square. Poor thing was probably eaten.¡± He shook his head at the tragedy.


    The warrior, however, didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, she drank the rest of her bowl and set another silver on the table to pay for the information. Then, she stood and began walking.


    Her mission was to find a cultivator, one unlike any other in the land, but that was all she¡¯d been told. She knew nothing about the cultivator she was supposed to find, not even their name. However, if there was one thing common to nearly all cultivators, it was that they were drawn to conflict like moths to a flame. If there were rogue cultivators, wild shades, and ravenous spirit beasts to be had in the east, then that was where she would go. If she was lucky, her cultivator would be at the heart of the mess.


    However, perhaps this time she would take things more slowly. She still had no idea if this cultivator would be friend or foe to her, only that they were a friend to her master long ago. By her estimation, it was extremely likely they¡¯d had a falling out at some point, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t have been a need for secrecy. Though she was determined to deliver the letter burning in her pocket, she needed to be prepared in case this unknown cultivator turned out to be an enemy. Saving her qi, keeping a lower profile during her investigation, all of this could prove critical, if things went south.


    With that in mind, she asked the noodle vendor to point her to the nearest caravan heading east. With luck, she could be a guard and fill her dwindling money purse along the way.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    * * *


    As the wayward disciple found her way, she did not see the man lurking in the shadows. A small paper cutout of a man sat on his shoulder. It whispered to him, and he smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. What excellent luck to run into her here,¡± he murmured. ¡°And anywhere she is, things are certain to be interesting. Who knows, maybe she knows our target.¡±


    The paper crinkled as it nodded. Then it whispered once more. The man listened attentively.


    ¡°Of course. Let the mantis hunt the fly, we will be the oriole waiting just behind.¡±


    * * *


    In the dead of night, long after the town of Saikan had long since turned in for the night, Pharyx slipped quietly out of his room and crept down the stairs. The inn was quiet, but the head of staff leapt to his feet all the same when the hornet reached the ground floor.


    ¡°Is there something this servant can do for the young master?¡± he asked with a bow.


    Pharyx shook his head. ¡°Just going for a walk. I¡¯ll return shortly.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir. Please let this one know if he can provide anything.¡± Once again, Pharyx nodded before stepping out into the cool night air.


    He sighed as he made his way, first toward the southern gates, then into the forest beyond. It was dark, and he was tired. Negotiations were hard, but at least, he had his bed in the Saikan inn to return to.


    Humans had such cozy rooms with wonderful blankets. Nothing like his rooms back at the nest. Opulent as they were, they weren¡¯t built for the comfort of a humanoid being. His bed was hard and he had few squishy blankets, but at least, the food was good.


    And yet, just as he¡¯d been laying down to sleep, a soft mental ping had announced that She wanted to speak with him. Why She wanted to speak in the middle of the night was beyond him, but it wasn¡¯t his place to question it. Instead, he¡¯d wearily risen, done his hair back into a proper style, then set out for the forest. It wouldn¡¯t do to be overheard when She was speaking.


    He reached the woods and pulled the brilliant sun diamond from his hair and held it before him. It glowed and shimmered with sun qi, the mark of his office and his relation to Her. Slowly, he pulsed his qi into it, indicating he was now prepared to speak.


    An instant later, Pharyx felt as if he was falling into the pin. Though his physical body was still in the forest, his mind was being pulled and twisted along invisible pathways. Soon, he opened his eyes in a room that did not exist anywhere on the Moon-Soaked Shore.


    This was his homeland, though he had no memories of ever being there. He¡¯d been sent away from the Dawn Empire with his sisters well before any of them could remember living there, and yet, he knew the place well. The tall flowers and never-setting sun were a common element in the racial memories passed down to him through his bloodline.


    Immediately, he knelt and kowtowed before the throne. ¡°Greetings, Mother. I wish you a thousand lifetimes of good health and prosperity.¡±


    The honey-haired woman on the throne nodded approvingly before gesturing for him to rise. Pharyx did so, but he kept his eyes down. He was already on thin ice with the Dawn Empress. One wrong move, and he worried that he¡¯d be removed and replaced with another of her brood.


    ¡°Do you have news for me, my only son?¡± she asked. Pharyx winced. There was no malice in her words, but the dagger-sharp glares from the hornets serving her were enough to make it clear what his place was in this hierarchy. He was a lesser child from a backwater nest. More than that, he¡¯d dared to lead a coup against his oldest sister, the one who¡¯d been formally placed in charge by the Empress herself.


    ¡°We have made great progress in eliminating the threats to our nest,¡± he reported. ¡°With the death of the spiders, the only others with a claim on the land¡¯s resources are the humans and the honeybees. I intend to pursue diplomatic relations with both.¡±


    ¡°Good. And what of your other mission?¡±


    Pharyx bit his lip and bowed deeply. ¡°I¡­I have made no progress in determining the cause of the bright moon. I beg your forgiveness, Mother.¡±


    ¡°You are forgiven. The needs of the nest come first. You were wise to deal with the threats to your kin. However,¡± the Empress stood and beckoned him forward, ¡°this matter may become a great threat to all the Empire, not just your nest.¡±


    ¡°What does the bright moon mean?¡± Pharyx asked, keeping his head bowed.


    The Empress lifted his chin to look at her. ¡°My child, even I do not know the answer to that, but the winds are changing. The other Ascendents have been quiet, and that¡¯s never a good sign. Pursue your diplomatic efforts, if you must, but do not shirk your investigation, either.¡±


    Pharyx bowed his head. ¡°Mother is wise, as always.¡±


    ¡°Go well, my only son,¡± she said. ¡°You are the light which will guide the Moon-Soaked Shore to prosperity. Of this, I am certain.¡±


    With a wave of her hand, the connection between them shattered, and Pharyx found himself back in the darkness of the azure forest. Somehow, he was even wearier now than he was before.


    How could he begin investigating something so great and large as the moon? Why was she so certain that what he was looking for was even here? The Moon-Soaked Shore had been so named because of the surplus of moon qi that had poisoned the land ages and ages ago. Even the Empress wasn¡¯t nearly old enough to remember when it was otherwise.


    Maybe he should ask Tsuyuki. After all, he was at least a moon artist, and, if Pharyx¡¯s math was right, he had to be in the Moon-Soaked Shore on the day the moon shone bright, given the size of the region. Perhaps he¡¯d seen something¡­


    Or¡­on second thought¡­Pharyx shook his head. This was his investigation, and everyone knew that a moon artist on the Shore was not to be trusted. So many elements of his background were shrouded in mystery. He was so knowledgeable about cultivation, but there were inexplicable gaps in his common knowledge. Not knowing about the continents of the world, yet claiming to have been to several of them? It was suspicious. It proved that he didn¡¯t really know Tsuyuki at all. What was his past? What motives brought him to the Moon-Soaked Shore? Could he be working for the nefarious force that gave the Empress such concern? Pharyx could be tipping him off by asking.


    No, for now, he would have to keep this to himself. He would need to work fast if he was going to have something to report by the next time she called for him. Luckily for him, nothing could begin until the morning anyway, and there were still a few hours until dawn. That delightfully cozy bed was calling his name, and he wanted to answer.


    First, sleep. Then, investigate. That was an excellent plan.

 Chapter 49 - Non-Training Injuries

    I love to make people smile. Especially with my candy. There is nothing I love more than giving some child the sweetest treat they¡¯ve ever seen, looking at the wonder on their face, and then witnessing the struggle as they realize I laced it with a paralytic to keep that expression on their face for my enjoyment. ¨C Poison Master Kai Xiufen of the Sweet Venom Sect


    *          *          *


    ¡°Again,¡± I instructed. Xinya brushed her hair out of her eyes before taking the specified stance once more. Determination was clear in her gaze as she glared down the stuffed dummy with absolute focus.


    She struck with the grace of a viper, lashing out to land a solid palm strike on the doll¡¯s chest. It barely moved, but I smiled anyway.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Xinya froze in place, gaze still set forward. I walked around her, gently adjusting her feet to give her a steadier base. She allowed the change but gritted her teeth in frustration.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s alright to be frustrated. You are only a month into a journey that could take you centuries or longer. It¡¯s only natural to make mistakes, so long as you learn from them.¡±


    Xinya dropped her stance and looked at her feet. ¡°I know that. I just¡­have many thoughts in my head.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to share them?¡±


    ¡°The weather has been clear,¡± she explained. I understood immediately. Xinya had been waiting for another storm like the one she¡¯d experienced at the Black Crevice, but the world had not cooperated. She needed one to channel the lightning qi she needed to reach Leaf.


    We¡¯d gone through all the stages of Manifestation save the last one. By the time we returned to Saikan, she¡¯d already managed to pass through the Seed and Seedling stages through exposure and affinity to her chosen qi types. She determined the location of her core and began building the framework for her qi, thus getting her to Sapling. In the last month, we¡¯d focused on developing her meridians, and, though it had taken time, she¡¯d finally managed that, as well. In truth, she was a genius, a prodigy who reminded me much of myself at that advancement. For a while, I¡¯d even been considering finding ways to slow down her advancement, ensuring her full understanding of her cultivation before allowing her to advance to Bronze. After all, she was only nine, yet she was on track compared to how young the inner disciples of Heaven¡¯s Blade had advanced.


    However, the issue had largely become irrelevant as she tried to reach Leaf, the last advancement of the Manifestation Realm. Since it was largely considered the first point at which someone could truly be considered a cultivator, Leaf was the first truly difficult stage in the cultivation journey. She would need to harness the qi of her chosen type and mold it to fill the space she¡¯d set aside for her core. Only then, would she be able to interact with qi on a somewhat meaningful level. In order to harness that qi, she needed to find it in the world. Here in the Shore, Moon was easy. If she wanted to be a pure moon artist, the power bleeding into the land from the Labyrinth below was more than enough to put her on a lunar path.


    But, she had her heart set on also cultivating Lightning, which I could only approve of. The few lightning artists I¡¯d met in my day were generally of exceptional character, and I was confident that a path of moon and lightning would serve her well. To get lightning qi, however, we needed either a large storm, or a cultivator who could produce it from their own core. Of the two, the storm was much easier to get, especially in the Moon-Soaked Shore, the desolate wasteland of the cultivation world thanks to yours truly.


    I knelt next to the nine-year-old and took her hand. Her knuckles were wrapped in bandages from minor injuries during training, but they were already starting to heal.


    ¡°Patience is one of the most important elements of cultivation,¡± I explained. ¡°Some things are worth the time it will take to complete them the right way. You must have confidence that someday you¡¯ll get there. It¡¯s not like that was the last storm to ever grace the Moon-Soaked Shore. You¡¯ll get your chance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very patient,¡± she muttered. I laughed heartily.


    ¡°I¡¯m not either. My masters are probably laughing from the afterlife that I¡¯m giving this lecture at all.¡± I empathized with the girl. How many times had I been disciplined for trying to skip steps and take shortcuts? It had taken a hundred lashes, the threat of expulsion, and a heart-to-heart with my Sect Leader before I¡¯d finally gotten it through my thick, teenage skull. That was so many years ago, at this point. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the foolish child I¡¯d been.


    ¡°Tell you what, if we don¡¯t get a good storm by the end of autumn, I¡¯ll convince Master Tenri to take us both out to sea and find one on the water,¡± I promised. Xinya frowned at me.


    ¡°But, you can¡¯t swim.¡± I winced at her bluntness, but it wasn¡¯t entirely misplaced.


    ¡°I am capable of a great many things you cannot fathom,¡± I said, standing and stepping back. ¡°Now strike again.¡±


    Again and again, I drilled her in hand-to-hand combat. Her features were set with a stubborn determination as she struck the dummy again and again, alternating between open palm strikes and punches. Meanwhile, I looked on with pride. I¡¯d never had a dedicated disciple before, choosing instead to become a wandering hero of my sect instead of passing my skills on to the next generation. Despite my lack of experience as a master, I had been roped in on several occasions to help others teach their disciples. My specialty was in the development of qi techniques, so seeing Xinya¡¯s progress in combat was quite heartening.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Stop,¡± I interrupted her again. Once again, she froze in place, and I reached over to adjust her technique. Her strike was too high, hitting the dummy in the middle of its chest. ¡°Remember to strike the weak points of the body. Vital acupoints and key structures like the solar plexus will allow you to cause greater harm without expending as much energy.¡± I rested my hand on her wrist, applying a gentle pressure to lower her hand to the right position.


    As I did, Xinya flinched. I withdrew the hand immediately, worried that I¡¯d somehow hurt her with my vastly superior strength, but, as I pulled away, she drew the hand back and hid it behind her back.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°What¡¯s nothing?¡± I asked with a pointed glance at the hand behind her. She stubbornly refused to look me in the eye or even acknowledge that I¡¯d asked her a question. With a sigh, I held out my hand. ¡°Show me.¡±


    There was no room for argument, but the little girl hesitated. I could see her mentally doing the math. She could try and hide whatever it was from me, and I¡¯d find out one way or another, or she could just tell me up front. The choice was hers, and I wouldn¡¯t begrudge her either way. However, I would find out, and it would be so much less painful for us both if she just told me.


    Xinya gingerly pulled her arm out from behind her back and settled it in my hand. I gingerly pulled back the sleeves of the simple training uniform Hanako had made for her, and a dark anger sparked in my heart. The outside of her wrists bore the roughly healing lashes of a willow switch.


    ¡°These are not training injuries,¡± I stated. She nodded in agreement. I looked at her expectantly, but she gave no answer. Eventually, she cleared her throat and looked me right in the eye.


    ¡°I tripped on the stairs yesterday.¡± Her words were precisely delivered in both tone and diction. She had practiced this. ¡°The stones were sharp, and I cut myself.¡±


    ¡°You¡­tripped?¡± I asked. It was the worst lie I¡¯d ever heard. ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    Her violet eyes sparked with pride as she held my gaze. ¡°Yes, sir. I tripped.¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe her, and her gaze told me she knew that well. It wasn¡¯t just that I recognized the type of injury, but also that her story didn¡¯t make any sense. If she¡¯d fallen, the scratches should be on the inside of her wrists, and they¡¯d be far wider.


    These were punishment lashes, the kind used to teach a misbehaving child their errors. However, by my figuring, there were only four people in the world who had the authority to punish Xinya that way, regardless of the transgression. Two of them, her mother and father, were dead. As her master, I was another, and I knew I wasn¡¯t responsible. Finally, as the master of the house we were staying in, Tenri would have been the last, but I didn¡¯t believe for a moment that he would have done so without consulting me first. Whomever did this, they were out of line, and I would make sure they knew it once I found out who the culprit was.


    ¡°Well, since you tripped,¡± I began, letting the little girl keep face with her lie, ¡°we¡¯ll have to prioritize some extra lessons on being aware of one¡¯s surroundings. I think we¡¯ll take a small trip soon to drive the lesson home, but for now, go ask Miss Hanako for some ointment.¡±


    Xinya nodded. ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.¡± She bowed politely before rushing back into the house.


    Cold fury settled into my heart. I would need to figure out the culprit quickly. Injuries like these were small and trivial, but my pride as Xinya¡¯s master was on the line. Furthermore, if the culprit got bolder and tried something worse while I wasn¡¯t around¡­it could prevent Xinya from being prepared the next time a storm came.


    The investigation was afoot.


    I followed my disciple into the house where Tenri¡¯s mother was sitting on the sofa, reading a book. She spotted the rolled-up sleeve and the injuries underneath.


    ¡°Oh, dear thing, what did you get into!¡± she cried.


    ¡°I tripped,¡± Xinya repeated through gritted teeth.


    ¡°We were just going to see Hanako. Do you know where she is, Madam?¡± I asked. Xinya was glaring daggers at Madam Tenri, but the older woman didn¡¯t seem to notice.


    ¡°I believe she said she was going to the clinic,¡± she answered. ¡°If you wait here-¡±


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s perfect,¡± I interrupted. ¡°Come, Xinya. We wouldn¡¯t want to be a burden to Miss Hanako by taking her away from her vital work.¡±


    I swept past the older woman without showing a shred of respect. Technically speaking, I was her senior in just about every way you could measure. I was born first, I was of higher social status, and I was of higher cultivation. Most days, I only humored her, but given Xinya¡¯s reaction, I wasn¡¯t really in the mood.


    Xinya fell into step behind me and to my left as we stepped onto the street and began walking towards the business quarter of Saikan. The disciple was quiet.


    ¡°Was it her?¡± I asked softly, not looking her way. Xinya didn¡¯t answer, meaning she wasn¡¯t going to tell me. I nodded. Her pride was at stake, and I was sure she thought she was being tough as a cultivator ought to be. There was some sense to that. Accusing elders of treachery was a dangerous business in the real world. If she was starting to understand that, then perhaps she really had learned something since she was forced from her home.


    But, while she was bound by the logic and politics of dealing with her elders, I was not. I would find out the reason why Madam Tenri was hurting my disciple, and when I did, I would make her life miserable.


    It wasn¡¯t far to the clinic, but it took us nearly twice as long to reach it as it would have at night. On the way, various villagers and shopkeepers stopped me to ask how I was, how Tenri was, and how Xinya was progressing with her training. I answered each one, making sure to make a point once or twice about how well my disciple was progressing with her training. Xinya beamed with pride whenever her name was brought up. Praise and joy are as potent a medicine as any ointment or salve, and far less expensive.


    When the tiny wooden bell rang over the clinic door to herald our entry, the sun had begun its descent towards the western horizon. Hanako and Jaili came out from the back room a few minutes later.


    ¡°Oh my! What happened to you?¡± Hanako asked when she saw the cuts on Xinya¡¯s arms. ¡°Master Yoru hasn¡¯t been cruel to you, has he?¡±


    ¡°Hey! You slander me,¡± I protested, but she put up a hand to silence me.


    ¡°No,¡± Xinya insisted stubbornly. ¡°I just tripped.¡±


    Hanako and Jaili exchanged a look before both shooting a silent question to me. I just shrugged. I only had slightly fewer answers than they did, but I had given Xinya some face this long by not prying. Discussing it with the two apothecaries while she was around would take that away again.


    ¡°That¡¯s what she told me, too.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Hanako answered. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get these cleaned up, shall we?¡± Xinya nodded and followed the apothecaries to the patient room. Hanako took a bowl and clean towel and began washing the wounds while Jaili left to prepare a salve. ¡°You know, I was going to stop by the market on the way home. Was there something you wanted for dinner?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Maybe chicken dumplings?¡± Xinya asked. I smiled. She would do anything to avoid eating fish.

 Chapter 50 - Jealousy

    Path, Clan, Nation, Ruler, and then Elder. These are the things any person, not just cultivators, should hold to. Keep your path as your foremost priority and even the most pacifist of merchants can achieve unimaginable heights. But forsake your elders and you throw away the wisdom of an entire life, lived well or not, that someone accumulated for you to learn from. ¨C Liu Xing of the Jade Scales, Elder of Papers.


    *          *          *


    Hanako smiled widely at the little girl. ¡°I think we can arrange that. When we get back, though, will you help me do some cleaning? Some of the linens need to be changed in the house, and I just haven¡¯t had the time to do it.¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Xinya agreed. I smiled at the two, thinking that Hanako was an excellent mother figure to the little girl.


    The bell in the front room rang again. Hanako squeezed Xinya¡¯s hands gently before standing. Before her sleeves fell over her hands, though, the apothecary subtly waved for me to follow. I nodded back before standing and stretching. As I did, I pulled a strand of hair from Chiho¡¯s tight grasp, and the pin flew into a flurry of angry trills and whistles.


    ¡°Easy, easy! You¡¯ll put someone¡¯s eye out flying around in here,¡± I protested. ¡°Wait here, Meimei. I¡¯ll be back when Chiho stops fussing.¡±


    I made a show of trying to catch the flying pin as we joined Hanako in the front. To my surprise, Tenri was leaning against the front counter, despite the sun still being high in the sky.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked softly, trying not to let Xinya hear.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m not allowed to come see my wife after work?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Given that you never get off work before the moon is high in the sky¡­¡± I let the sentence hang. Tenri adjusted his glasses and smiled.


    ¡°Well, I do believe you both have been telling me to take a break for quite a while. Why not now?¡±


    I spun around the counter to stand next to him before nudging him playfully. ¡°Look, Hanako, our Tenri is all grown up and setting his own boundaries.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud,¡± she added with a mischievous smile. Tenri¡¯s ears began to turn red.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± he muttered, but we just stared at him. In the months since regaining my freedom, this was the first time I¡¯d ever seen him take the afternoon off, let alone a whole day. It took him being bedridden and half-dead to get him to ditch work. It was no way to live.


    Hanako placed her hands over his and smiled more warmly this time. ¡°Genuinely, I feel like the luckiest woman alive to have you come see me. Perhaps you can help with a little mystery we just received?¡± Tenri cocked his head in confusion and Hanako gestured for me to explain.


    I sighed. ¡°I just brought Xinya in with injuries on her wrists.¡± Tenri stood up straight in alarm, but I put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Nothing serious. Someone took a discipline switch to her, and she won¡¯t tell me who. She¡¯s insisting that she tripped.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be a snitch,¡± Hanako offered gently. ¡°But, I have no such qualms. I will point fingers. Lin, it¡¯s your mother.¡±


    ¡°Why would my mother discipline Xinya?¡± he asked, brow wrinkled in concern. ¡°She always seems so happy to see her.¡±


    ¡°When you and Tsuyuki are around, yes.¡± Her expression darkened with concern and she looked away. ¡°When you¡¯re both away, though, she gets irritable. It¡¯s mostly with me, but Xinya is not exempt either.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t said why.¡±


    Hanako looked conflicted, and I didn¡¯t envy the position she was in. In this part of the world, a good wife was meant to submit to her in-laws. Hanako was more spirited than most, and the fact that she and Tenri had no children was an act of defiance against the cultural norms already. Standing against her mother-in-law would spawn rumors that would bring her virtuous spirit into question. It could ruin her and her family, especially since she was married to such a high-profile man as Tenri. In the end, though, she took a deep breath before speaking extremely softly.


    ¡°She¡¯s jealous,¡± she said simply.


    ¡°Jealous? Of Xinya?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°Xinya is nine!¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s jealous of you. Xinya just so happens to be attached to you.¡±


    I flinched. In a sick, twisted way, there was sense to her words. I was not ignorant of the rumors in town that swirled around Tenri and I. I was a mysterious man who¡¯d appeared out of nowhere before introducing myself as Tenri¡¯s core-sworn brother, despite only knowing the man for a few weeks. To the rest of town, it looked as if we were sneaking off to frolic in the woods together. Since our beast hunts took us to the forests together for business reasons, the rumors only grew.


    The other night, after everyone had gone to bed, Hanako, Tenri, and I had laughed about them over a jug of liquor. It was the idle gossip of fisher folk, and nothing we could do would change that. I lived in Tenri¡¯s home, was close friends with his wife, and trained my disciple in his courtyard.


    ¡°She has been getting restless with her desires for grandchildren,¡± Hanako continued. ¡°The fact that Lin seems to be favoring you over me is a threat to that desire.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not prying, why don¡¯t you two have children?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been married for, what? Two years?¡±


    ¡°Almost three,¡± Hanako corrected. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. When I was born, my mother had a vision that my first child would grow up motherless and lead a life of suffering.¡± She looked down. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t bring myself to create a life like that. Lin respects that and has never touched me. I can¡¯t tell his mother because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯ll accuse you of being selfish,¡± I finished. My distaste for Madam Tenri was growing with every word spoken, but I forced a mischievous smile. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for volunteers, though, I can be your child. I already grew up motherless and led a life of suffering!¡±


    Hanako tried to stifle a laugh. ¡°Mind your manners, Little Ru-ru, or I¡¯ll send you to bed without dinner.¡± I stuck out my tongue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with Mother,¡± Tenri promised. ¡°Please, Tsuyuki, accept my apologies for letting this situation go unnoticed and unresolved. Your disciple was injured because of my incompetence.¡± He bowed politely, but I waved a dismissive hand.


    ¡°I can hardly blame you. I didn¡¯t notice either until today.¡±


    However, a concern raised in my heart. Even with Tenri¡¯s help, Xinya might not be safe. Jealousy was a powerful motivator. We might buy some time, but eventually, she would retaliate again. She couldn¡¯t move against me directly, doing so would be suicidal. Were I any other cultivator, even harming my disciple would be foolish, and it was only out of respect for Tenri himself that I didn¡¯t take things into my own hands.


    That said, Xinya didn¡¯t deserve to be treated that way. Perhaps it was time to find our own way in the world. If we found our own lodging, then it would remove Xinya from Madam Tenri¡¯s reach while dissipating the rumors that inflamed her jealousy in the first place.


    But¡­where would we go? Her father¡¯s home had passed to her after his death, but we hadn¡¯t been back since returning to Saikan. It had taken a week for Xinya to work up the courage just to visit Lang Tailyn¡¯s grave, let alone return to the home where they¡¯d lived happily for so long. Grief was heavy in the little girl¡¯s heart, and I didn¡¯t want to push her too far.


    Perhaps we could stay with Xi Qian at the lighthouse? It was remote, and would make for a quiet place to train, but most of the building was still in need of repairs before it could be habitable. Xi had been working hard, but progress was slow. We would be a burden if we stayed with him.


    In the end, we¡¯d need somewhere else. Until I could think of something, I¡¯d just have to make sure not to leave Xinya alone. I could manage that much.


    ¡°Any news from the Lunar Hunt?¡± I asked. Tenri shook his head.


    ¡°No, which worries me. Shen Yaoxan won¡¯t take defeat laying down,¡± he said. I nodded in agreement.


    ¡°At least there are two of us this time,¡± I offered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you could teach me how you managed to take him and five of his men all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Centuries of practice, friend. But, if you want, we can start preparing for you to advance to Silver.¡± I laughed sheepishly and patted his shoulder.


    A thread of blue-tinted silver darted from my fingertips to Tenri. I pulled back, startled by the transfer of qi. I hadn¡¯t summoned any technique, nor would I ever use such a thing on Tenri. As quickly as it appeared, the trace vanished, and I questioned if I¡¯d even seen it at all.


    ¡°Let me settle into Iron first,¡± he relented. ¡°Seeing qi takes some getting used to. It¡¯s kind of distracting.¡±


    Maybe the thread of qi was my imagination after all. Tenri hadn¡¯t seen it, after all. Then again, his vision was poor to start with. Perhaps he just hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    ¡°Very well, I can teach you some ways to more efficiently use qi, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work with wood qi.¡± Better not to worry him with the idle conjurations of my mind. Everything would be fine, I was sure.


    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    Jaili returned to the front with Xinya a moment later. The little girl was all patched up and was wearing a smile as she fingered several candies given to her by the apothecary.


    ¡°All good to go,¡± she reported. ¡°Just make sure to watch your step.¡± Xinya bowed politely.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Zhao.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you to go on ahead?¡± Hanako said. ¡°I have a few things to finish up.¡± But, her sister shook her head, pushing her towards the door as well.


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± said Jaili. ¡°Go have fun with your family. I¡¯ll finish up here.¡±


    ¡°But!¡±


    ¡°No buts! Go! Shoo!¡±


    Without any further remarks, Jaili shooed all four of us out the door. Xinya and Hanako shared a look before dissolving into giggles. The older woman knelt next to the girl.


    ¡°So, chicken dumplings, yes? Do you think we should let the boys have any?¡±


    Xinya shook her head. ¡°Nope! They can starve.¡±


    ¡°Quite right,¡± Hanako agreed as she took the girl¡¯s hand and began walking away. Tenri and I followed.


    ¡°The care and affection you show for your master is touching, Meimei,¡± I noted with a wry smile. The girls just giggled more.


    We set off for the market. The girls rushed ahead, picking out the groceries that would become the night¡¯s meal before leaving Tenri and I to carry their bags.


    ¡°What mighty cultivators we are,¡± Tenri muttered with a laugh.


    ¡°Believe it or not, playing pack mule is something I¡¯m quite familiar with,¡± I told him. ¡°My sisters used to do this, too.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t much talk about your family. I¡¯m not sure I knew you even had sis-¡± Before he could finish the thought, the blue-silver thread flashed before my eyes, darting around Tenri¡¯s feet. His foot came down on a stray rock, throwing him off balance.


    I leapt forward, snatching his hand out of the air to steady him. Several of the groceries hit the ground, but at least, he was still on his feet. Though a normal tumble couldn¡¯t hurt him at Iron, that thread of qi¡­my qi¡­was very clearly hostile. Without knowing more about what it was supposed to do, I wasn¡¯t taking chances.


    Eyes burned into us from all sides. I held Tenri in my grasp until he was able to get his feet back under him. When he was standing again, he removed his glasses to clean them, as he often did when flustered.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine...anytime.¡±


    Tenri replaced his glasses and peered at the rock. ¡°The street sweepers must have missed it. I¡¯ll have to have a word with them.¡± He paused, his brow wrinkling into a frown. ¡°Do you see that?¡±


    I knelt. The rock was trembling, and the brown haze of earth qi that lay within the earth quivered.


    Then I felt it. The ground began to shake.


    ¡°Earthquake?¡± Tenri asked, his eyes darting around to find Xinya and Hanako. They were rushing over.


    Soon, everyone in the market felt the earth heaving beneath us. Villagers shouted as they tried to secure their belongings, but it didn¡¯t feel like an earthquake. In the Labyrinth, I¡¯d experienced many earthquakes over the course of millennia, but this felt nothing like those.


    This had a pattern, a rhythm.


    ¡°Hooves,¡± I said, finally recognizing the thundering gate. ¡°Many hooves.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Saikan Besieged, Part 1

    Warbeasts can be a significant asset to any proper campaign. They can transport goods, circumvent common terrain, and act as a vanguard all in one if the breeds are well chosen, cared for, and herded. Truly, a proper warbeast can account for five times their value in cultivators. ¨C General Ta¡¯aika of the Wandering Flames Sect to initiates leaving on first assignment.


    *          *          *


    ¡°Hooves?¡± Tenri looked around wildly, trying to find the source. ¡°What creature in the Moon-Soaked Shore could possibly be big enough to cause these kinds of tremors?¡±


    I didn¡¯t have the answer. In my day, a dozen different types of yokai were strong enough to shake the very firmament with their steps, and that didn¡¯t even consider the spirit beasts that might be capable of such a thing. Earth-aligned spirit steeds, great dragons from the depths of the oceans, or powerful demon oxen could all shake the earth with the strength of their spirit alone.


    Of those monsters, none of them were native to the Shore. Some of them had such vast territories that I should have seen traces of their presence before now. That I hadn¡¯t seen any cracked stone slabs or uprooted trees during my treks through the forest could only mean that whatever these creatures were¡­they were not naturally occurring.


    ¡°It¡¯s an attack,¡± I whispered to Tenri, not wanting to alarm the villagers prematurely. Tenri immediately closed his eyes, focusing on his ears. I did the same. To my left, the sounds of cracking stones and collapsing structures could be heard over the rumbling of the earth.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming from the south gate,¡± Tenri exclaimed before turning to Hanako, who was covering Xinya¡¯s head. ¡°Hana, take Xinya and go home! We¡¯ll find you there!¡±


    She nodded and latched onto the girl, pulling her into her arms before sprinting away at full speed. I breathed a sigh of relief. Tenri¡¯s home was on the northwest side of town. With luck, they¡¯d be safe from the carnage coming towards us.


    With them out of harm¡¯s way, Tenri and I turned towards the coming chaos.


    ¡°Get out of here!¡± I shouted to the villagers. ¡°Run to the North!¡±


    ¡°Run! Rally at the Fisher¡¯s Guild!¡± Tenri added. I nodded my approval.


    This attack was on the people of Saikan. We could not count on the perpetrator taking any prisoners if they got the chance. At the guild, some of them might be able to flee onto the water rather than trying to outrun the monsters on land.


    Nearby, a building exploded in a hail of stones and splinters. The rubble buried the street and a dozen civilians beneath the crushing weight of a ton of brick and mortar. I didn¡¯t even have time to mutter a prayer for those killed because a moment later, an enormous ox with horns of solid steel and hooves that pulverized the ground beneath it stepped out from the rubble.


    ¡°What on earth?¡± Tenri breathed and I agreed. The ox in question was easily twice the size of the largest bull I¡¯d ever seen. It¡¯s eyes burned with fury as it slammed its horns into another building. The stones were crushed by the force of another small explosion, one that could only be produced by a commensurate amount of destructive qi.


    I focused on the qi swirling around it, trying to make sense of the swirling patterns amidst the dust and rubble flying through the air. Dull gray spears of qi struck the buildings with every blow of the creature¡¯s horns.


    ¡°Metal?¡± Tenri asked, worriedly. I nodded.


    ¡°Most likely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never faced a metal artist. My wood won¡¯t be able to stop them.¡±


    I bit back a remark about this being the reason why the elemental cycle was less useful than the celestial or creation cycles. Qi of the elements were inextricably bound to the power of the elements themselves, which included many strengths¡­and many weaknesses. Just as a tree could not stand against a metal axe, wood qi would be easily sundered by metal qi.


    ¡°Just try to keep it busy. We¡¯ll work together,¡± I said. I stepped forward to challenge the beast, but Tenri didn¡¯t follow. When I turned to see what was wrong, I just found him smiling. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. ¡°It just occurred to me that I¡¯m working with the Darkened Moon. How many people can say that?¡±


    ¡°Exactly four, but I don¡¯t think most people would think it a blessing,¡± I answered. He laughed and we took off towards the giant bull.


    We slid down the rubble in perfect sync, and I drew my bow from my back. In an instant, an arrow was drawn and fired directly at the creature¡¯s throat. As if sensing the attack, the bull spun around, throwing its head and solid horns into the arrow¡¯s path. It glanced harmlessly off its steel horns before turning and pawing the earth.


    With incredible speed for something of its bulk, it charged at us, but we were far faster. Tenri rolled to the left as I ducked to the right, and the creature sailed past to slam its horns into another nearby building. Before I¡¯d even finished the dodge, an arrow was on my string.


    The ox turned, only to receive a face full of qi-infused seeds. They dug into its fur with surprising force before blossoming into a vibrant bouquet of flowers and vines. I turned to Tenri, but he was just as surprised as I was.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°It¡¯s not pure metal,¡± he answered with a shrug. I guess elemental qi wasn¡¯t completely without its merits. With how strongly the seeds were growing through the fur, but avoiding the horns, I could only assume that the creature had focused the metal only in its horns, and the rest of its body was augmented with earth. In the cycle, wood destroys earth, which is how the seeds had gained such a strong purchase.


    ¡°I¡¯ll distract it!¡± I shouted to Tenri as it stomped its hooves in fury. ¡°Hey! Come get me over here!¡± I shouted. It turned its head, its eyes burning red beneath the flowers.


    It bellowed before charging straight for me. My arrow sailed at the creature, burying itself to the shaft in the creature¡¯s chest, but that didn¡¯t stop it. Earth gave it stamina, allowing it to ignore injury and continue its rampage. I threw myself out of the way just before the creature struck, firing another arrow into its flank. The ox groaned in pain as the void qi cracked its skin and fur as if they were made of solid rock.


    Tenri did not miss the opportunity to strike. He darted in, slamming his fist into a crack created by the arrow, driving it deeper. His qi swirled around the shaft, piercing through the ox¡¯s stoneskin like roots through the earth. The ox howled in rage, thrashing this way and that. Tenri barely managed to duck under the horns to avoid being impaled on their steel tips, only to be kicked firmly in the ribs by a stray hoof. He grunted, but never let go of his hold on the ox¡¯s side.


    Slowly, the ox¡¯s movements grew sluggish. The flailing hooves slowed, and the fury in its eyes died. It let out a final groan before falling forever silent.


    Tenri finally stood, massaging his side where the beast had landed its last blow. He winced in pain.


    ¡°You alright?¡± I asked. He nodded.


    ¡°I might have cracked a rib, but I¡¯ll live.¡±


    ¡°Focus your qi. You¡¯ll heal quicker,¡± I instructed. He closed his eyes to focus briefly, and his skin became threaded with veins of green. When he opened them again, I gasped in surprise. His eyes were a magnificent jade, sparkling with vibrant emerald qi. The depths of his power were on full display, and I felt like I could have stared into the depths forever, drowning in his gaze. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, my ears grew hot, and I looked away.


    Chaos still reigned elsewhere in the town. Buildings collapsed as more of the stone oxen rampaged. We jumped back into the fray, sprinting through the ruined streets that were bustling only scarce minutes ago. On the way, I counted too many bodies, smelled too much blood. Nearly five thousand people lived in Saikan¡­too many of them had already perished. Many more would fall if we didn¡¯t get these beasts under control.


    ¡°Where did they come from?¡± Tenri shouted as we came across another spirit ox just as it smashed a hold through a food store house. I knocked three arrows to the string, infused them with hungry void mist, then released them. Two of them sailed over the monster¡¯s head, leaving only the third to hit its mark.


    ¡°Stupid, gods-damned physics-defying void qi!¡± I swore. ¡°How on earth should I know? I¡¯ve been with you the entire time!¡±


    In the last month, I¡¯d discovered that my poor aim and lapses in dexterity were the result of my unruly void qi. Since I¡¯d advanced to Iron, both my lunar and void techniques had grown stronger. In the case of the moon, it was predictable. My lunar blades shone brighter, had more substance, lasted longer, and were slightly more malleable. That was how they¡¯d developed the first time, and I was able to ease back into the changes like slipping on a comfortable cloak. However, the void was misbehaving.


    As qi with dominion over the spacial boundaries between stars, space was literally warping whenever my void qi was active. It was something I¡¯d seen before when the Hated One would use her qi all those years ago, but now I had to deal with it first-hand. With each arrow I fired, the space between me and my target seemed to dissolve. I didn¡¯t need quite so much arc to cover long distances, meaning that any compensation I made as part of good archery practices, was just undone by the void.


    The same held true for my own body. The meridians of my body were fused with the void, which was warping the space between my nerve endings. Thus, there were times when my body overcorrected, expecting a longer time between command and reaction. It was¡­a slow learning curve, but one I was slowly getting over.


    With a frustrated huff, I fitted three more arrows to the string, angling my aim down before firing. This time, the three arrows slammed directly into the ox¡¯s flank. As with the first one, as soon as the skin cracked, Tenri was there. A seed was in his hand, already sparkling with his qi. He slammed it into the creature¡¯s side before darting away. This time, a magnificent vine began to grow in and around the creature.


    The ox wheezed and groaned as Tenri¡¯s vine slowly dug into its flesh, but we didn¡¯t get the chance to sit around. Several images flashed through my thoughts as Flash Forward warned me of an attack coming from the gaping hole in the wall.


    I pulled my head back, letting a tiny bolt of water streak past my nose with enough force to sheer through stone. Standing in the gap were five artists. Water danced around the woman at the center, seemingly dripping from her sleeves. She wore an iron badge while the rest all wore bronze ones. Under each badge was the crest of the Lunar Hunt.


    ¡°I think that answers your previous question,¡± I told Tenri.


    ¡°And so, the consequences of our actions catch up to us,¡± he muttered back, shaking his head. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t they just come in and talk to us like civilized people instead of drawing in helpless mortals? So many are dead because of them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s make sure it¡¯s not more.¡± I fitted an arrow to my string, ready to begin the fight. Tenri shoved his hand into his pocket, drawing out a full handful of seeds.


    A hail of techniques rained down upon us, but they were nothing to us. I ducked beneath an orb of void mist before sending a much stronger arrow into the throat of the one who conjured it. Tenri took a bolt of water clean to the chest, but the green of his own qi flared in brilliant veins along his neck and in his eyes. He adapted to the qi. The next bolt of water didn¡¯t even slow his stride. One by one, the invaders fell until only the Iron artist remained.


    She wove and danced between our strikes, but it quickly became clear that she¡¯d been relying on her allies to keep us busy. Faced with two martially capable Irons, she was too busy defending to strike back. She dodged an arrow only to be forced to jump back before being planted with Tenri¡¯s bloodthirsty seeds.


    Tenri placed himself behind her, slowly pushing her fluid dodges towards me. One more arrow, one more dodge. Another punch, and she ducked too close to me. The grip on my bow slackened as I let my hand slide down the bottom limb. The wooden weapon whipped around, slamming into her head from behind. She went stiff, her water splashing to the ground before she crumpled into a heap.


    ¡°Seven enemies down, how many to go?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°Too many, I¡¯m sure,¡± Tenri worried. ¡°The town will be ruined after this kind of damage.¡±


    As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, there was truth in his words. However, there wasn¡¯t time to worry about it now. Carnage and chaos echoed in the distance, summoning us back to the battle.

 Chapter 52 - Saikan Besieged, Part 2

    When should a cultivator run? When is the enemy simply too strong, too numerous for even a great path of enlightenment to give you victory? These are questions all of you should ask yourselves before going out on behalf of our sect. Don¡¯t throw away your lives, nobody gets a second try. ¨C General Ta¡¯aika of the Wandering Flames Sect to initiates leaving on first assignment.


    *          *          *


    We ran through the streets, barely thinking about where exactly we were headed. The trail of wrecked buildings and injured civilians was wide, and we knew we couldn¡¯t save them all. We did our best, pulling mortals from the rubble where we could, as quickly as we could, before racing ahead.


    Two more of the stone oxen had fallen to us, but the sounds of crumbling buildings still reigned over the Saikan soundscape. Dust filled the streets like smoke, concealing the actual smoke from our sight, but we could smell it. It burned my throat as we ran, but we couldn¡¯t let it slow us down.


    At least some of the fishermen are at sea, I thought to myself. At least they¡¯ll be safe from harm. The same could not be said for their families. Wives, children, brothers and sisters left behind to man shops and warehouses, they were all dying before our eyes. None were spared from the chaos.


    If I¡¯d thought the Lunar Hunt were monsters before, posing as tax collectors to snatch children from their homes, then I¡¯d woefully underestimated their cruelty. Not only were they monsters, but they were the worst sort. They took the lives of innocents just to get back at Tenri and I for doing the right thing.


    Tenri and I slid to a stop, readying our weapons as we peered through the dust and the smoke at the street beyond. It was difficult to know where we were. The streets of the sleepy fishing town bore little resemblance to the wreckage we stood in now. I guessed we were somewhere near the center of town, near to where my favorite inn and tea shop was¡­or where they used to be. No doubt they were gone by this point.


    A flash of light was visible within the haze, and it was followed by a familiar, if angry, shout. ¡°COME AT ME YOU HUMAN BASTARDS! FEEL THE BLISTERING STING OF THE SUN!¡±


    Another flash was followed by the grunting of several men. The assault confirmed my suspicion. We were near the inn, meaning Pharyx and Pollen were near. They were neck deep in negotiations, settling territory between the two insect colonies. We were lucky. If this attack had come even a few days later, the two spirit queens would have returned to their homes for recess.


    I ran through the smoke until I saw a dark shape ahead. It was much too tall to be either of the spirit insects, so I drew my string back. The arrow slammed into the unknown cultivator who slumped in time for me to yank my arrow from his corpse a moment later.


    We arrived to the scene to see a full battlefield. A whirlwind of petals kicked up enough wind to clear the immediate area of smoke and dust as Pollen danced between the lesser artists. She was the epitome of grace and a paragon of beauty. So smoothly did she flow between the motions of her dance that I would have mistook her for a divine fairy dancing between the petals of a field of flowers¡­except for the bleeding cultivators left in her wake. They were mere bronze and no match for the spirit beast. Where they fell, green grass from Pollen¡¯s domain sprouted from the earth.


    Meanwhile, Pharyx was busy darting between an iron artist and two stone oxen. Where Pollen was smooth and graceful, Pharyx was feral and furious. His wings shone brightly as he launched himself at one of the oxen, twisting his body to duck beneath a stream of void mist only to slam his lance directly behind the ox¡¯s front limb. It howled with a fury that paled in comparison to the rage that quite literally burned in the angry hornet. His stripes shone more brightly than I¡¯d ever seen, and his eyes were two molten pools of gold.


    He spun on the balls of his feet and whipped around to slam the butt of his lance into a bronze artist who ventured too close. A moment later, one of my arrows lodged itself in the shoulder of the void artist he was fighting, and he quickly finished them.


    ¡°They are incredible,¡± Tenri breathed as he watched the two fight. I beamed in pride before he rushed into the fray.


    Another ox fell to Pharyx¡¯s lance, and three more cultivators fell to Pollen¡¯s dance. I watched from a nearby doorway as the invaders faltered. They clearly had not expected to deal with the two spirit beasts in addition to Tenri and myself. They were the kind of cultivators who were used to preying on meek sheep that they had no idea how to survive in the face of a fearsome tiger.


    As Bronze cultivators began to flee, one by one, I felt the shaking in the ground increase into a steady THUD¡­THUD¡­THUD. I caught Tenri¡¯s gaze across the battlefield, but he shrugged, unsure of what it meant.


    We soon found out. Though every building that had once filled the street had been destroyed, the cobblestone streets were still relatively intact¡­until they were ripped up and launched at us by the horns of a new spirit beast. This raging bull had a crimson metal yoke around its neck. Blood dripped from fangs that curved around its lower lips. I had no name for this kind of beast, but it was very clear that it was no longer content with eating grass like its kin.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    It charged the battle, lowering its horns to plow through the cobblestones as if they were fresh soil. Cobble flew in every direction as cultivators, both friend and foe alike, scattered in the face of the newest monster.


    I launched two arrows in quick succession, and the monster twisted its head to fling the stones in my direction. Throwing myself to the side, I summoned two jagged lances of moonlight from the earth under the creature. They buried themselves in the creature¡¯s chest, but it didn¡¯t even slow, even as its blood was left in a trail along the ground.


    Pollen leapt gracefully away from the creature¡¯s charge, blocking the debris with her petals while Tenri scrambled back to join her. Pharyx was less lucky. He was caught between two Iron artists and the bloody bull. He flashed his lights brightly, causing several artists to curse and rave as they were blinded by ¡°that damned firefly.¡±


    When the light faded, the bull had crashed into a wall and raced away, but Pharyx was standing still. Blood welled up between his lips as he looked down to see a sword sticking out of his chest. To my horror, it was being held by a grinning Shen Yaoxan.


    ¡°PHARYX!¡± Pollen screamed. Throwing all her divine grace aside, she threw herself across the battlefield, trying to reach the hornet queen. Her petals became a raging swarm of death, but she wasn¡¯t fast enough. Void qi sparked along Shen Yaoxan¡¯s blade. Pharyx cried out in agony, but his voice was swiftly cut short. The light faded from his stripes, and he collapsed to the ground, his body reverting to that of a large hornet, its legs curled tightly to its body.


    Every cultivator on the field stopped fighting, as if out of respect for the fallen queen. Pollen screamed her pain and fury as she fell to her knees next to the hornet¡¯s body. Her hive depended on the negotiations with the hornets. Even if she lived through the day, her hive had been dealt a death sentence by the loss of Pharyx.


    So much death. I couldn¡¯t stomach any more. I began to focus my thoughts, counting back the minutes. It was hard. Pollen¡¯s cries gouged out my heart, making it difficult to concentrate on what needed to be done.


    ¡°Masters Tenri and Tsuyuki,¡± Shen Yaoxan called. His mocking voice grated my ears, and I did my best to ignore it. ¡°Come closer. We have unfinished business.¡±


    ¡°Are you so eager to be fed to my plants, Yaoxan?¡± Tenri spat. ¡°Come over here, and I¡¯ll be more than happy to oblige.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find that someone else will be feeding the flowers tonight.¡± The commander waved his hand, and two more artists emerged from the smoke, each restraining a struggling person.


    ¡°Hanako?¡± Tenri cried. I couldn¡¯t help looking, despite trying to focus. To my dismay, Hanako was, indeed, held by one of the newcomers. The other was holding Xinya by the arm.


    Shen Yaoxan¡¯s lips widened to a cruel smile. ¡°Yes, we caught your beloved wife as she tried to flee to your home. What a wonderful wife she is, too, beautiful and spirited. Why, she even brought us the wonderful gift of the child we¡¯ve been seeking.¡±


    ¡°M-master?¡± Xinya called, and my heart nearly split. I couldn¡¯t look. I couldn¡¯t watch. I needed to focus. Count back the minutes. How far could I go? How much could I unravel?


    ¡°Aww, you might break the poor girl¡¯s heart if you don¡¯t even look at her, Tsuyuki.¡±


    Focus¡­


    Pollen¡¯s cries turned to a shout of fury. With a wave of her whisk, a shower of petals flew at Shen Yaoxan. Tenri was with her, running with all his speed towards his foe.


    But, in the end, there were too many of them. Three irons against two.


    Shen dissolved Pollen¡¯s petals with a wave of his sword before a crescent of mist arced from his blade, slamming into her chest. She fell beside Pharyx, the mist slowly eating through her body as she desperately tried to fight it off with her own qi before it killed her.


    Nearby, Tenri punched and clawed at the two remaining irons. They peppered him with void and fire techniques, but he adapted to each strike as they came. In the end, they had to physically restrain him, forcing him to his knees.


    ¡°It seems Tsuyuki has been rendered stupid with shock,¡± Shen Yaoxan called.


    I resisted the urge to correct him. I was so close to finishing my calculations, so close to being ready. The last trick up my sleeve, the one skill which made me the most feared Ascendent of the age, it was almost ready.


    ¡°Bring him,¡± Shen ordered. I felt hands grasp my arms and drag me to Tenri¡¯s side. They threw me to the ground, and I fought to finish forming the right qi signs in my mind¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Tsuyuki? What are you doing?¡± Tenri whispered.


    ¡°Not now,¡± I answered. I pushed myself to my hands and knees. Shen hadn¡¯t bothered restraining me, and I wasn¡¯t going to give him reason to. I needed my hands for my tricks to work.


    ¡°Now, I think I¡¯ll finally finish what I started months ago,¡± Shen continued. He grabbed Xinya by the collar and dragged her forward. ¡°Any last words?¡±


    She spat in his face.


    It was time. I was done. Everything was set. Twenty-five minutes, thirteen seconds. It would likely exhaust me, but I couldn¡¯t deny this fate without every last second.


    Before Shen¡¯s blade could fall upon the girl, I leapt to my feet. Lunar qi rippled around me, and my entire body began to shine with the light of the moon. To my surprise, the void reacted to the technique, as well, coloring the light with its bluish tint. I traced my hands through the air, drawing the qi signs with threads of light before anyone could stop me.


    A brilliant circle of lunar shapes and characters burned in the space before me. Now it was my turn to smile.


    ¡°It was a good attack, Yaoxan,¡± I called. ¡°You certainly would have beaten us. Unfortunately for you, I don¡¯t play fair.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± was all he could say before my one remaining blooded technique activated.


    An earsplitting CRACK pierced everyone¡¯s ears. From my circle, silver cracks began to form in the air, as if someone had thrown a rock through an invisible window. The cracks spread, growing larger and longer with the passing seconds.


    Thirteen seconds. That was how long the cracks were allowed to spread. As the thirteenth second passed, my vision turned white.

 Chapter 53 - Saikan Besieged, Part 3

    The power of bloodlines is a strange thing. Most take it to be a shortcut to power gifted to those people who have ancestors that crossed the salt, but that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. The truth is that only those who craft their own bloodlines in Dissolution are truly powerful, because they don¡¯t need to adapt their path to their bloodline. The bloodline is handcrafted by and for them to cover all their weaknesses and enhance their strengths. And, even among bloodlines, some have greater talent in creating them, perhaps none more so than the Darkened Moon as it was his bloodline alone that allowed him to stand tall beside the other Ascendents of his Age. ¨C Scholar Lun Daifan of the Arachar Archive


    *          *          *


    Searing pain on my right arm jerked me back to reality¡­or, at least, the one I had chosen. The vision was done. The sun shone bright in the afternoon sky, and I was pleased to see Hanako and Xinya rushing ahead of me down the street.


    ¡°What mighty cultivators we are,¡± Tenri laughed as he adjusted the bags his wife had passed on to him.


    I looked down at my arm where a thin red tally had carved itself into my arm. Things weren¡¯t desperate yet, with only one tally, but time was of the essence now.


    ¡°Tenri, we need to get to the south gates, now,¡± I said. He frowned in confusion.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re under attack.¡±


    Tenri immediately straightened, recognizing the serious tone of my voice. I beckoned Hanako and Xinya over.


    ¡°Xinya, run as fast as you can to the inn and tell Pollen and Pharyx to meet us at the southern wall. They should prepare for a fight,¡± I instructed as quickly as I could. ¡°Hanako, sound the alarms. Everyone needs to go to the North end of town as quickly as they can.¡±


    Without waiting to see if any of them were doing as I asked, I turned and began sprinting to the south. The ground was just starting to shake with the thundering hooves of the stone oxen.


    Did I not unravel far enough? I thought to myself as I raced down the streets and turned the corner to the southern entrance to Saikan. There, I spotted the first steel-horned bull racing through the open gates, ready to smash everything in its path.


    The attack had only just begun. There was still time to change things!


    Once, during the peak of my reign as the Avatar of the Moon, I came across a scholar who had written a thesis on the source of power for each of the Ascendents of the age. He posited that the Sun Queen¡¯s strength was in overwhelming force and a fair hand. The Crystal Lord of the Indomitable Mountain got his power from his unbreakable defenses and inhuman resilience, and the Ocean Lord¡¯s strength was in his chaotic volatility and ability to alter gravity and control all motion on the battlefield. On all those counts, the scholar was perfectly correct. However, he concluded the paper by saying that the Lunar Prince¡¯s power came from his incredible luck in battle. That is entirely incorrect.


    I¡¯m not lucky. I¡¯m just really good at cheating.


    In a fight, Flash Forward warns me of attacks before they happen by scanning all possible realities based on my opponents¡¯ actions. I then guess the most likely outcomes and ensure that I am out of harm¡¯s way by the time they arrive. It¡¯s a game of statistics where I know all the odds and the deck is stacked in my favor.


    However, on the extremely low chance that I lose or events are too complex for a Flash Forward to display, my other blooded technique comes to my rescue. Flash Back allows me to unravel events in progress, shattering reality itself and reverting it to a previous state. From that previous state, I can try again.


    This is the true power of the Moon. The Full Moon dictates what is and what could be. The New Moon dictates what is not and what cannot be. Most moon artists never reach that level of understanding, but I am not most moon artists.


    In this new reality, Yaoxan¡¯s attack on Saikan was still in progress. Pharyx was still alive. Pollen wasn¡¯t injured, and Xinya wasn¡¯t captured. If we were clever and quick, we had a chance to change fate¡¯s design before my power ran dry.


    ¡°The flanks are their weak point,¡± I told Tenri.


    ¡°We need to get the gates closed,¡± he countered. ¡°Every town in the Shore has an array system built into their walls to increase their strength against attacks.¡±


    Yaoxan¡¯s attack depended on surprise, then. I grinned. It was really too bad that I was his enemy. His plan would have worked against any other opponent.


    ¡°You take the gate, then, Master Administrator. I¡¯ll take the rest.¡±


    I drew an arrow back on my string. Void mist sprang to life along the arrowhead and shaft, and I released it. It flew at the beast, only to be knocked aside by its flailing horns. However, the force behind the blow was not lost on the raging bull. It turned to me and bellowed challenge.


    ¡°Come on, then,¡± I called. ¡°You¡¯re not even the blood-thirsty one.¡±


    The bull huffed and charged. Its hooves crushed the street stones as it thundered forward. As the distance closed, I drew two more arrows from my quiver and knocked them. They flew forward and buried themselves in the monster¡¯s chest. It¡¯s fur cracked, just as it had in the reality that no longer was. This time, however, I would need to finish the job myself.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Injury did not slow the enormous bull as it charged forward. I stepped out of its way just in time, ducking under one of the steel horns. Metal qi swirled around it as it tried to swing its head into me, but its momentum carried it out of reach too quickly. I spun, firing two more arrows into its flank.


    Cracks spread, and the void began to eat away at the monster¡¯s defenses, but it was as if the ox didn¡¯t even realize it had been shot. It only grew angrier. The red in its eyes burned hotter. It bellowed, slamming it¡¯s horns into a nearby soup cart. Wood rained down as the cart was exploded by a sharp lance of metallic gray qi extending just a few inches beyond the monster¡¯s horns.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to back down in the face of superior force? Fine,¡± I muttered. There was no point in hiding my lunar affinity in this fight. The Lunar Hunt already knew I was a moon artist. What did it matter if the people of Saikan knew as well?


    Glaring at the ox to challenge it, I pulled one last arrow from my quiver. They would become a precious resource with all the forces waiting outside our gates. Besides, I would only need one more to finish this.


    With my advancement to Iron, my qi had mixed and grown. This pathetically weak body had a slightly greater capacity for qi which opened up a great many options. Techniques that were too costly or dangerous, like Flash Back, or required greater control were now at my disposal once more.


    The bull charged, furious that I dared to challenge it. However, its eyes widened in surprise when I ran at it in turn. The distance between us shrank at an alarming rate. At the last second, I slammed both feet down, vaulting high over the bull¡¯s head at the same time I drew my string.


    The arrow charged with brilliant white moonlight as I loosed it. In the blink of an eye, the lunar qi flared, and anyone with enough cultivation to see through the blinding glare of light and power would see the arrow split into a dozen shining copies. Those copies fell as deadly rain, piercing the bull¡¯s back and spine in a dozen places. The cracks caused by one arrow were widened by its reflected brethren until each one sank to the feathers in the beast¡¯s spine.


    Its feet fell from under it, and it crashed into a heap of flesh and fur. I landed behind it, flicking over my shoulder a strand of hair that had fallen out of place during the jump. I took a brief moment to revel in my achievement. It had been a long time since I¡¯d used Heaven¡¯s Rain, one of the blade techniques that made my sect famous all those years ago.


    However, there wasn¡¯t time to pause for long. The bull had fallen, but that left Tenri and the gate. The wood artist had slammed the great red doors shut, but the onslaught of the remaining bulls was endless, and it took all he had to hold the gates in place.


    ¡°Get the array active!¡± I shouted as I took his place, pressing my back to the door. An enormous THUD nearly pushed me back, and I saw whisps of metallic qi leaking through the cracks in the wood.


    Tenri didn¡¯t argue. Before he left me to hold the line, he tossed several qi-infused seeds around the base of the door. Prickly brambles with sturdy stems grew from the ground, providing a small amount of support to the doors as I struggled to keep them closed. Then he rushed into the nearby watch tower.


    Several moments later, several of the town guards rushed from the tower door, carrying an enormous wooden beam to block the doors. Saikan employed a small contingent of permanent guards, but their job was largely superficial. None of them were cultivators, meaning they could really only defend the town against mortal bandits. However, in a region where every settlement is required to have at least one cultivator to administrate, banditry was kept only to the roads between towns, places where the jurisdictional boundaries made it difficult to police. These men did their best to assist, but, at the end of the day, they were more about keeping the peace than fighting back against invaders. They could no more stand up to the stone bulls than walk on the moon.


    Blow after blow pounded into the door behind me. I gritted my teeth and planted my feet as best I could against Tenri¡¯s brambles to keep from being pushed back. With each THUD, the doors creaked and complained. The bramble stems protested before snapping under the strain.


    The door creaked, and I pivoted to push my shoulder into the wood. The guards set their heavy wooden beam in place before scurrying away. I didn¡¯t blame them. This door would not hold much longer.


    Just a little more! I urged the door silently, but, without the array, it was already cracking and splintering under the strain.


    Without warning, a beautiful silver circle burned to life in the wood. Qi symbols and guiding characters wove together into a defense array that covered the entire gate before extending into the stone on either side.


    Tenri appeared in the side door a moment later, beckoning me closer. Worry creased his brow, and his glasses were smudged from several failed attempts to clean them.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to want to see this,¡± he muttered.


    Warily, I released the door. Another THUD slammed into the wood, but the array flared with angry silver light as it drew its power from the air. It held firm, and I breathed a sigh of relief before rushing after Tenri. Together, we sprinted up the stairs to the top of the walls where a dozen guards were cowering.


    I looked over the side and was surprisingly relieved. By my count, there were thirteen remaining oxen, including the blood-thirsty one, and only a few dozen cultivators. Though they were many, I wagered only a few of them were Iron. I¡¯d counted four during the scene that Flash Back had erased, which included Shen Yaoxan himself.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of power,¡± Tenri muttered.


    ¡°Not really,¡± I answered. ¡°Shen Yaoxan is leading them, so none will be higher than Iron.¡± That much was obvious. No Silver would bow to an Iron leading the battle, not unless they were an important political figure, which Shen Yaoxan was not. ¡°His attack relied on surprise, which he no longer has.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and when this is over, you¡¯re going to tell me how you knew this was coming.¡± Tenri sighed and removed his glasses to clean them again.


    ¡°Gladly, but for now, the bulls are our biggest problem. How long will the array hold?¡±


    Tenri replaced his glasses. ¡°At this rate, maybe a few minutes? It draws qi from the ambient lunar aura present in the Moon-Soaked Shore, but the array itself can only take so much damage.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you people didn¡¯t like moon techniques,¡± I said with a scowl.


    ¡°Would you pass up the opportunity to power your defenses with a limitless power source?¡± he answered.


    My scowl deepened. At the end of the day, it was my qi that largely made up the ambient moon aura that permeated the shore, and this array used that power just like the Labyrinth did. Though arguably useful, it still left a sour taste in my mouth.


    ¡°We need to deal with the bulls first, then,¡± I declared.


    ¡°Fancy a hand or two?¡± buzzed a familiar voice. A moment later, a giant wasp and bee landed on the edge of the wall before reverting into their humanoid forms. Pharyx¡¯s lance was already shining with power, and Pollen had several paper talismans already in hand.


    ¡°Saikan owes you both a great debt,¡± Tenri said with a bow.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you save the ¡®great debt¡¯ speech for after we save the town, hmm?¡± the hornet answered with a smile.


    ¡°Then we better get to it!¡± A wicked smile crept across my face. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to remind Shen Yaoxan why he should have tucked tail and ran while he still had the chance.¡±

 Chapter 54 - Saikan Besieged, Part 4

    That being said, I have yet to meet a proper warbeast. After all, what kind of idiot creates a potentially sentient, recently super-powered monster within their army ranks, then wastes the creature by throwing it into battle where any amount of rage or blood could turn it into a Yokai that¡¯s more a menace than any foe? ¨C General Ta¡¯aika of the Wandering Flames Sect


    *          *          *


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of enemies,¡± Tenri murmured, peering over the wall and gripping his sword in concern. ¡°There are 4 of us.¡±


    ¡°The bulls are approximately Iron, but they¡¯re merely beasts,¡± I reported, ¡°Most of the cultivators are Bronze or less. I counted only a handful of Irons in their number.¡±


    ¡°And you know this, how exactly?¡±


    ¡°It would take too long to explain it at this time,¡± I answered. ¡°Ask me after we survive this.¡± There wasn¡¯t any point. If things went poorly and I was forced to shatter reality again, I would have to explain the whole thing all over again. Better to wait until the danger was past. ¡°Just trust that I am confident in the numbers.¡± And, if I was wrong and they all died, then Flash Back would ensure that they would never know my mistake.


    ¡°How are they controlling the oxen?¡± Pharyx asked. ¡°If we can use them to take out the lesser cultivators, we might be able to turn their numbers against them.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I have no idea, but I know there¡¯s one ox who¡¯s meaner than the rest.¡± I pointed to the fanged ox with blood encrusted around its muzzle.


    ¡°That looks one tragedy shy of a yokai,¡± the hornet muttered. ¡°What are they feeding these things?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Pollen interrupted. ¡°Pharyx, are you familiar with the story of the Bee and the Bull?¡±


    I almost choked with laughter. Xinya had no doubt told that one to Pollen at some point. Normally, it was a cautionary tale about keeping your workspace clean. A farmer failed to do so, letting a swarm of wild bees build up a nest in the fields they used to graze their herd. While grazing, one of the bulls stepped on the nest and was stung. In its surprise, it led a stampede over the farmer¡¯s home. The end.


    ¡°You want to sting that thing?¡± Pharyx asked incredulously. ¡°You? The most well-mannered bee I¡¯ve ever seen?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not.¡± Pollen swished her whisk overhead, ¡°but everyone knows hornet stings hurt more, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Pharyx shrugged. ¡°Alright, leave the spirit beasts to us. You two should take out any cultivators who stand a chance of stopping the herd.¡±


    ¡°Try not to get trampled under hoof,¡± I warned. ¡°And, if you find yourself trapped, their weak spot is in their flank. The skin is stone, but with enough force, it cracks like it, too.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Pharyx brandished his lance. Light glowed bright from his back as wings formed. He launched himself from the wall and hurdled toward the ground.


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t-¡± Pollen sighed. ¡°He could at least show some measure of caution. Honestly, that hornet is going to be the death of me.¡±


    I flinched, trying to shake the image of the honeybee queen clinging to the hornet¡¯s crushed corpse from my mind. Flash Back had many drawbacks, not least among which was the memories themselves¡­


    Pollen shifted into her honeybee form to fly down the wall, zipping back and forth to dodge techniques before landing in an explosion of razor-sharp petals. Before the petals had even settled, she was on the attack, sending her petals flying into the rumps of the oxen while Pharyx tried to drive his lance into several others.


    Tenri and I waited several long moments for them to clear a path before we leapt down as well. Unlike the others, we had no techniques to slow the fall, but we were Iron. A fall as small as this couldn¡¯t hurt us.


    Wind roared in my ears as I drew my string back. The arrows flew ahead, slamming into three cultivators who suddenly found themselves amidst a cloud of dark void mist. They screamed and dropped as I landed between their corpses. Nearby, I watched Tenri drop two more with a small frenzy of glowing clover.


    We took off, trying to draw the army of cultivators away from the herd. A metal bead shot past my head, barely missing thanks to Flash Forward. Tenri dodged an icicle before returning with a spray of seeds which ate through his attacker. I slammed my bow into the head of another cultivator and moved on before even looking to see the body fall.


    ¡°On your left!¡± I shouted. Tenri immediately ducked down in time for a crescent blade of void to streak over his head and hit a cultivator with an Iron badge behind him. The artist fell, and I drew my arrow back on my string, pinning Shen Yaoxan in my sights. He chose to join the battle himself, and I¡¯d show him just how much of mistake that was.


    The arrow flew forward, and Shen twisted to the side to narrowly avoid the strike. His blade swished before him, weaving a net of void energy. In the same moment, the water artist who¡¯d burst through the wall in my Flash Back vision lashed out with a whip made of water. I ducked out of the way of the bolt, only to stumble right into the net.


    ¡°Well, it seems the tables have turned since our last encounter, Tsuyuki,¡± Shen Yaoxan sneered. ¡°Or should I call you the Chain-Bound Fury? Your disguise didn¡¯t fool anyone.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    It was enough to fool you, I thought as I struggled against the net of void. It burned against my skin, leaving pale marks wherever it touched my skin. Tenri raced to my side, skidding to his knees to help me get free of the net. Shen Yaoxan lunged at us, trying to drive his blade through my head before we had a chance to recover. I glared at him before shoving Tenri out of the way.


    Once free of the net, I bent backward, letting the blade stab only at the air above my nose before springing back. My foot slammed into Shen¡¯s jaw, as I flipped and rolled back to my feet.


    ¡°Tenri! That one isn¡¯t martially inclined!¡± I shouted, pointing at the water artist. She paled.


    ¡°But, how could you know that?!¡±


    ¡°Lucky guess!¡± And having seen it in an alternate fight with the woman. She set her gaze with a look of determined fury, but I spied uncertainty behind the sure fa?ade. Every action she took would be second-guessed and analyzed.


    Tenri and I stood back-to-back against the army, two men against a hundred. The water artist spun around, gaining momentum for her whip to form. As predicted, there was a hesitancy in her steps, and my lips twitched upward into a slight smile.


    ¡°Down!¡± Tenri called. I ducked immediately and felt the breeze as a crescent void blade sliced overhead.


    The water whip came down towards my left shoulder, and I threw myself forward, somersaulting across the distance between us as the unsure artist fell into a dance common to many water artists. As practitioners of water, their techniques tended to flow from one action to another, but the key was to keep up that flow. Therein was their weakness. I drew an arrow from my quiver, but rather than string it to my bowstring, I stabbed it directly at the artist. Her actions were sluggish with overthinking, and the bladed broadhead cut deep into her ankle.


    I rolled away as she screamed and collapsed. An instant later, I leapt to my feet, three arrows already on my string. ¡°Tenri! Down!¡± I yelled. Several of the cultivators had the good sense to do the same as my void arrows were launched in their direction. However, several marks were still caught unawares, and that was enough for me.


    Silvery blue light flashed across my vision. That thread from before¡­the same silver thread that had made Shen Yaoxan fall into a pit and made a rock nearly fall on the Spider Matriarch darted across the battle.


    But, that wasn¡¯t in the Flash Back¡­ I thought to myself, replaying the events quickly in my head. Then I remembered. It had been there. Before the attack had begun, Tenri had tripped over a rock, but in this version, we never approached that rock at all.


    ¡°Tenri! Watch out!¡± I shouted, unsure of what exactly he was supposed to watch for. He broke off a duel with Shen Yaoxan to dart several paces back. The silver thread wrapped around his body, and a sinking feeling nestled in the pit of my stomach.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± cried Pharyx. Cultivators screamed and scattered, some willingly and others less so, as the fanged bull plowed through the army with as much ease as if it were tilling fresh soil. Weapons, armor, and bodies flew in every direction as spears of metallic qi launched themselves into the crowd.


    Flash Forward warned me of several attacks that would hit in succession, but there wasn¡¯t any time to react to them all. Shen Yaoxan drew back his blade to strike Tenri from behind while the bull barred its fangs from the front.


    What¡¯s the best path?! I frantically wondered. If Tenri falls¡­there might not be time to Flash Back before I¡¯m a goner, too!


    In the end, I drew back my arrow and fired. The arrow clanged against Shen Yaoxan¡¯s blade, sending the blade off course, but there wasn¡¯t any way to get Tenri out of danger. The silver thread darted from Tenri to the bull, and the monster bellowed at the wood artist.


    ¡°Tenri!¡± I shouted, but there was nothing to do but watch as hungry fangs clamped down on my friend¡¯s arm. I heard bones crack as stone crunched. The beast ran off, dragging Tenri with him, but leaving Shen Yaoxan¡¯s sword firmly planted in the creature¡¯s chest. The void artist stared at me in terror, as was only right.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t go against an unarmed opponent?¡± he sneered.


    I laughed. ¡°When have you ever known me to play fair? When it comes to child-murderers, I don¡¯t give a damn about honor.¡±


    ¡°Wretched moon artist,¡± Shen growled. ¡°My father will purge the Shore of every last ounce of your filth!¡±


    ¡°Greater men than him have tried and failed,¡± I hissed back. ¡°You¡¯re nothing special.¡± I lunged at him, brandishing my bow like a sword poised to stab him through. The point dug into his stomach, sending him stumbling backward.


    ¡°Men! Kill him now!¡±


    Shen¡¯s order was only heeded by a handful of artists. The rest were laying on the ground, groaning in pain. Though they¡¯d lost the most troublesome ox, Pharyx and Pollen had successfully herded the rest before descending on the rest like martial gods straight from the heavens. With Shen Yaoxan and his Irons focused on taking Tenri and I down, the oxen had been swiftly dealt with by the spirit insects. Shen stared at them, speechless.


    ¡°You brought an army designed to fight mortals. Why are you surprised that they fell to four Irons with a clever plan?¡± I called as I dodged an iron ball launched by a metal artist. An icicle clipped my arm as I buried an arrow into the heart of a young void artist.


    The rest were not so keen on sharing in his fate. They hesitated, shooting glances at Shen Yaoxan. The look in their eyes made it clear that they were begging him to call a retreat before they were decimated. Shen gritted his teeth before yanking a blade from the hand of one of his subordinates.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll end you here and now.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this? We may both be Iron, but my cultivation far surpasses yours.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Then you should be perfectly fine facing me alone,¡± I challenged. ¡°No more of your little friends to use as cannon fodder. Just you and me.¡±


    Shen¡¯s grip on his sword tightened, but pride and fury forced him to nod. The few remaining cultivators stepped back, forming a small circle around the two of us. I relaxed the grip on my bow, ready to react to Shen¡¯s first strike.


    His sword shimmered with void qi before he cleaved the blade upward, forming a vertical crescent. I twisted to the side to avoid the strike as it tore up the ground between us. Immediately after the first came a second, this one horizontal. I rushed forward just enough to gain momentum and slide beneath it, pulling an arrow from my quiver in the same motion.


    Shen was ready for me as I sprang back upright. He lunged with his sword, driving it clean through my left arm, but I didn¡¯t even grimace as the blow landed. The battle was decided.


    The Void artist tensed and stared at me in shock. I released the shaft of the void-tipped arrow that I¡¯d plunged up through his ribs. Though his void qi was eating a small hole in my arm, mine was eating a small hole in his heart.


    Shen coughed, blood dripping from his chin. He looked around at the scene of his defeat. The battle was over. Those remaining in his army stared at him in shock as the light began to fade from his eyes.


    Then, without another word, his legs gave out beneath him. He fell to the ground, eyes staring lifelessly up at the sky.

 Chapter 55 - Divide and Conquer

    The rain was heavy as the two cloaked figures stood before the gates of The Hunting Lodge. Even as they did, the smaller of the two figures couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the owners had ever actually seen a real hunting lodge before because this looked nothing like one. It was a fortress. Thick walls of stone and earth adorned with black and silver banners rose so high that they rivaled the massive depths of the Black Crevice where she grew up.


    ¡°Keep close, Lihua. These people aren¡¯t fond of outsiders of any kind, and they¡¯ve been particularly touchy towards spirit beasts lately,¡± her mentor instructed as the gates were opened for them.


    The smaller figure wondered if she could even be considered a spirit beast anymore. After all, her spider form was gone¡­along with everything else she had in that life. When she¡¯d crawled to her master at death¡¯s door, he¡¯d saved her only by removing her soul and putting it in the puppet she¡¯d worked so hard to construct. The spider body had been beyond recovering.


    ¡°Master, why exactly are we here?¡± she asked. Eyes bored into them from all sides as dirty, wet cultivators looked them over like rabid dogs barely held by their leashes. They noted her smaller figure and the bright pink of her dress peeking out from beneath her cloak, and they grinned wickedly at her.


    ¡°We are here to speak with the Lord,¡± he answered. ¡°I imagine he¡¯s in quite the foul mood right now. This is the best chance to capitalize on the situation and get what we want.¡±


    ¡°What we want,¡± Lihua repeated. She knew what they wanted: that beautiful cultivator. Even the thought of him made her cheeks flush pink. That sweet smile he¡¯d worn at the temple while paying his respects to the Wind Master, the cold fury in his eyes when he fought, the way his hair sparkled in the moonlight¡­she wanted it all. He would make the most beautiful knight, and she wanted him more than anything.


    After her defeat in Heimian, she¡¯d nearly given up hope of ever attaining such a wonderful prize. She¡¯d also been sure her Master would abandon her for her failure, but he hadn¡¯t. After being chased halfway across the tiny town, her Master had found her, and, with a smile, had told her it was time to continue her training. If she worked hard, they would bring the cultivator to their side. That was what her Master promised.


    If being in this rotting cesspool of cultivation scum would achieve her goal, then she would hold her head high and step through the muck and mud. Goodness knows there was plenty of filth here¡­


    ¡°Who are you to disturb our lord?¡± asked another wretched human. Lihua couldn¡¯t be bothered to even look at his ugly features. He wouldn¡¯t even make a beautiful corpse, and thus, was beneath her attention.


    ¡°Lord Shen will want to speak with us,¡± her Master said.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t expecting strangers, so get lost.¡± The cultivator in question took a threatening step closer to the pair, sneering at them.


    Lihua shook her head, then moved with a flash. She was intimately familiar with the human body after creating one from scratch. Her fan jabbed at the cultivator¡¯s chest, slamming into six key pressure points in quick succession before she stepped back behind her Master. Her fan snapped open, and she waved it lazily as the cultivator crumpled in a gurgling pile.


    ¡°Who knew they¡¯d use such trash to guard their master?¡± she mused. ¡°Not even an Iron.¡±


    ¡°Most of their Irons are playing with your lunar friend,¡± answered the Master. Lihua pouted. By his tone, she was sure that her friend was playing quite rough with them, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel just a bit jealous that they got to see him, and she didn¡¯t.


    Another cultivator rushed over. Unlike the others, he actually had some semblance of decorum and was wearing a nice leather cloak with a fox fur collar to keep off the rain.


    ¡°Wandering Master,¡± he greeted with a bow, recognizing the powerful presence of his visitors. ¡°Please forgive us for our rude subordinates. I¡¯m quite certain my father would be keen to meet one as wise and learned as yourself.¡±


    ¡°You must be Shen Taihua,¡± Master greeted. ¡°My condolences for your loss.¡±


    ¡°My¡­but how did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I have my ways.¡±


    Shen Taihua glanced from master to disciple in quick succession before deciding not to inquire further. Wandering Masters and Hidden Masters worked in mysterious ways, and it was often best not to question them. Even Lihua had learned that her Master often would not tell her the method behind his actions, expecting her to figure them out for herself.


    ¡°Please, my father is within.¡± Shen Taihua bowed once more before leading the pair up several flights of stairs to the main keep. They ducked out of the rain and shed their cloaks.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    A roar of anger followed by the crash of something fragile against the floor was the first taste of the Lord that Lihua heard. It was several rooms over, but he was clearly livid. Yet, her Master approached with an ethereal confidence that Lihua did her best to emulate. It was difficult. There was something about the grace with which her Master walked combined with the way his sky-blue robes flowed that gave him an almost inhuman grace. Still, she tried.


    ¡°Father?¡± Shen Taihua knocked gently on the door. ¡°Father, you have visitors.¡±


    ¡°Send them away! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡± fumed his father.


    ¡°Yes, Father, but,¡± the young master glanced at the pair, ¡°they knew about Yaoxan.¡±


    The room beyond suddenly went quiet. It was a long minute before the man within gave the order to enter. Lihua followed her master in, head bowed.


    ¡°Lord Shen Tori,¡± Master greeted. Lihua followed her Master¡¯s lead and bowed. Luckily for him, Shen Tori had the presence of mind to stop her Master.


    ¡°Please, I would be incredibly rude to make such a powerful cultivator bow to me,¡± he said, bowing instead. Lihua saw her Master¡¯s lips twitch upward just slightly, clearly pleased with the man¡¯s observation.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re a very perceptive man,¡± he praised. ¡°Thank you for seeing me unannounced.¡±


    ¡°Taihua said you had information about Y-¡­about my son.¡± It was then that Lihua noticed the red rim around the Lord¡¯s eyes and the loose strands of hair he¡¯d hastily tied back into his topknot. Specs of dust were clear on his gloves and the bottom hem of his robes. He was grieving, and it was recent enough that neither he nor his remaining son had donned a white sash of mourning.


    Are humans really so volatile after the death of their spawn? Lihua thought to herself. Mother would never have mourned any of her children, but I guess humans only have a handful of offspring.


    ¡°Yes. In fact, along with my condolences, I would like to offer my assistance in removing his killer from play,¡± Master offered.


    ¡°You know who it is, then?¡± Shen Tori¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Of course. Tsuyuki Yoru is making a name for himself. I hear that several of the eastern towns praise his efforts to ¡®free the shore,¡¯¡± Master continued. ¡°They don¡¯t realize the chaos that would bring if the moon artists are allowed to run free.¡±


    Shen Tori crossed the study. On one wall hung a large map of the Moon-Soaked Shore, dotted with dozens of towns, waypoints, and outposts. Lihua almost believed he was studying the map before realizing he was actually staring at a small plaque situated on the bookcase next to the map. It held three tassels, each with a jade pendant and bell hanging from the bottom. The first and second pendants were both cracked, their normal green luster faded to a dull gray. Beneath each pendant was a name: Shen Yaoxan, Shen Reixin, and Shen Taihua.


    ¡°Tsuyuki killed my son.¡± Shen Tori¡¯s voice trembled in rage. ¡°It happened only a few hours ago.¡±


    ¡°You are a devoted father to keep Life Bells for your children.¡±


    ¡°It was seven years ago when my daughter¡¯s bell cracked. I had hoped to be long gone before hearing that sound again.¡±


    Master bowed his head in sympathy. ¡°The death of a precious child is truly the cruelest twist of fate for a parent, especially one so devoted to his duty and to his country. Moon artists like Tsuyuki are dangerous.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a moon artist?¡± Shen Tori¡¯s nose crinkled in fury as he turned to face Lihua and her master. Black mist wicked off his clothes like smoke, and Lihua swore she could hear voices like the softest whispers filling the room. A chill went up her spine and she edged slightly closer to her Master.


    ¡°He is. Though he frequently pretends to be a void artist, I have reason to believe he uses moon qi to help fabricate this image,¡± Master said. ¡°Also, I believe he¡¯s working with one or more of the Spirits of the Shore. It is no understatement when I say that he well may be the greatest threat the Shore has faced since the Lunatic Dynasty and their Dark Moon Worship.¡±


    Shen Tori considered the new information for a long moment before he swept behind his desk and sat, gesturing for the pair to sit across from him. He poured tea from a nearby pot, but Lihua thought she noticed several cups missing from the lineup. It was unbecoming for a leader to throw such a tantrum as far as she was concerned. Void artists were so uncouth with their need to break things all the time, but she kept that thought to herself as she accepted and sipped the tea quietly. She would need to put faith in her master¡¯s plan. If this uncouth void artist was necessary to get her precious, pretty Tsuyuki as her knight, then so be it.


    ¡°You mentioned you had a plan to remove Tsuyuki from play?¡± Shen Tori¡¯s voice was low and serious. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, really. I¡¯m sure a void artist like you understands the need to isolate one¡¯s enemies. To take him down, we must first take down his allies and the town in which he shelters.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, what do you think my son was trying to do when he was killed?¡±


    ¡°Your son only had so many resources at his disposal,¡± Master countered. ¡°I have far more. We must first remove Administrator Tenri, then the Spirit who is aiding him. Only once they¡¯re out of the picture will the path to Tsuyuki himself be revealed.¡±


    ¡°And what will your generous help cost?¡±


    ¡°Only Tsuyuki himself. The rest of the town is yours to do with as you please, but I want him.¡±


    ¡°But-¡± Shen Tori leapt to his feet, fury burning in his eyes as his qi roiled in a dangerous black haze around him.


    ¡°Settle down. You are welcome to kill him first, if that would make you feel better. So long as the body is mostly intact, I will be satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Mostly?¡±


    ¡°Mostly.¡±


    Shen Tori sat back down, considering the proposal. Lihua bit her lip. She needed him to accept her Master¡¯s terms. She needed that artist to be her knight. It was the only way to truly have him, and it was within her grasp.


    ¡°Very well, what did you have in mind?¡±


    A kind smile spread across Master¡¯s face, but his eyes were still cold. Lihua didn¡¯t know what he was planning, but the look of absolute determination filled her with excitement.


    ¡°I can tell this will be a beneficial arrangement for us both,¡± Master answered. ¡°Leave the Administrator and the Chain-Bound Fury to me. When I¡¯m through, they¡¯ll be too broken to ever challenge anyone again.¡±

 Chapter 56 - Prophecy

    I know you wish to convince me to stop, dear son, but I cannot. I made my choice millennia ago, it is time you all let me go. I am tired of being alone. All I have left are my children and proteges, it is time you all had a run of managing this mess.  ¨C The Sun Queen to her son Salis according to his distributed autobiography.


    *          *          *


    Tenri yelped in pain as Hanako pulled the bandages on his arm tight and tucked it into a sling. The clinic was more filled than I¡¯d ever seen it¡­which really only meant that all four defenders, plus Xinya, Hanako, and Jaili were present along with Zumi who was taking everyone¡¯s statements for the town records.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m fine! I swear!¡± he protested before trying to stand from his seat. Hanako rolled her eyes before giving me a look. I smirked and stood, intercepting her husband and putting a hand on his chest.


    ¡°Come now, Administrator, there are children who accept being bandaged better than you do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s gentler with the children than with me!¡± he complained.


    ¡°Because they don¡¯t fuss about, now sit down before I ask Tsuyuki to make you!¡±


    It was late in the evening, and a storm had darkened the sunset across the Moon-Soaked Shore. In the aftermath of the battle, we¡¯d only barely been able to clean up the mess outside of town before the sky had begun pouring down on top of us. The oxen had been put down, since no one in Saikan had the expertise nor power to care for them, and the rest of the cultivators had been properly housed in a crude warehouse outside town. So many of their number had died at the horns of their own secret weapons. Their morale was crushed and none of them wanted to continue the fight.


    While their injuries were seen to by Pollen, Hanako, and Jaili, the rest of us had organized the bodies. The survivors didn¡¯t have the manpower to take their dead with them, so they would be buried here. As commander, Shen Yaoxan would be the only one brought back. The water artist from the battle, an Iron from the capital by the name of Xi Qiwu, had promised to deliver the body to Shen Tori along with our demands.


    Henceforth, Saikan was to be left alone by the Lunar Hunt. The town would send its taxes to be collected by the groups in Pemai, the next town to the south. The declaration was unprecedented, but Tenri had been drafting such a letter for weeks and was confident that his wording would be just palatable enough to the Governor that we wouldn¡¯t be accused of rebellion and treason. It conveniently left out any mention of moon artists or their allies, which was for the best. As long as Shen Tori and his forces stayed away from Saikan, they never needed to know that Xinya and I were still here.


    ¡°This is the treatment I get? After the long day we¡¯ve had?¡± Tenri complained as he sat back down next to his wife. ¡°First, we¡¯re attacked out of the blue, then I¡¯m dragged by a carnivorous cow for nearly half a mile! I nearly got my arm ripped off!¡±


    ¡°Which is why I¡¯m bandaging it,¡± Hanako muttered with a shake of her head.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need bandaging! We were working most of the evening without it being bandaged! I¡¯m clearly fine.¡±


    Hanako huffed. ¡°Make up your mind! Either you¡¯re a war hero in need of patching up, or you¡¯re just fine!¡±


    ¡°Accept the help while you can, Tenri,¡± I called, barely able to hold back my laughter. ¡°There comes a point around Gold or Salt where healers stop offering to help with the small stuff. You¡¯re expected to patch yourself up at that point.¡± Tenri huffed and sat still while Hanako finished. Once she was done, she turned to me.


    ¡°Your turn, sit still,¡± she ordered. I did as I was told, sitting patiently while she applied several sterilizing ointments to the small hole in my shoulder created by Shen Yaoxan¡¯s dying attack. It would heal on its own, given time and an appropriate amount of qi, but Hanako was insistent that we all receive the proper treatment. We couldn¡¯t begrudge her the care she gave us.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you guys made me sit out!¡± Xinya grumbled. ¡°I could have learned a ton, but it was already over by the time I got to the walls!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you would have seen much from the wall top,¡± I offered with a sheepish smile. ¡°It was kind of chaotic below.¡±


    ¡°Imagine the chaos if we hadn¡¯t gotten the defenses in place.¡± Tenri rubbed his temples before removing his glasses. ¡°Which reminds me, how did you know the attack was coming?¡±


    Suddenly, all eyes were on me, and not in the way I usually liked. My hands trembled. Hanako took notice and gently put her hands on mine. The warmth of her support cleared the panic of my thoughts just enough to fabricate a suitable story.


    Of those in the room, only Tenri and Hanako knew my true identity as the Darkened Moon, the ancient deity who¡¯d once wiped several nations off the map in a fit of grief and rage before being beat into the ground by a coalition of five other Ascendent-ranked cultivators. If it was known that I was free of the prison they¡¯d put me in, who knows what kind of cultivators would descend upon me in an attempt to put me back. My identity was a secret, and I had to guard it carefully.


    Which also meant that I couldn¡¯t tell them the truth of my blooded techniques. Flash Forward and Flash Back were incredibly powerful, well beyond the abilities of a normal Iron. To fool them, I needed a convenient lie, one with enough of the truth to be believable. Luckily, there was a ready-made one available.


    ¡°I possess the Bloodline of the Lunar Prince,¡± I lied. ¡°I learned the techniques when I came to this land, but I¡¯ve only just mastered them enough to use them in practice. They warned me of danger.¡±


    The reactions were mixed. Pollen, as the one with the least knowledge and bias about the Darkened Moon, seemed to ponder it curiously. Next to her, Pharyx seemed less convinced. The hornet frowned, and I felt his eyes examine every inch of me. Finally, Xinya, who I¡¯d expected to be quite excited to hear that her cultivation master was so powerful, narrowed her eyes at me as if she sensed the lie. There was no way she could know the truth, though, so I tried to shrug it off.


    In the end, it was Jaili who finally broke the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard it referred to as the Bloodline of the Lunar Prince. I¡¯ve only ever heard it called the Cursed Line of Misfortune.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Misfortune? Why would it be called that?¡±


    ¡°Because the Darkened Moon is the Demon of Misfortune from the Sun Queen¡¯s Prophecy.¡±


    ¡°Prophecy?¡± This was the first I¡¯d heard of such a thing¡­not to mention this new title I supposedly had. I cast a glance at Tenri for answers, but his eyes were firmly on the floor.


    Xinya¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°You don¡¯t know about the Five Demons of Devastation? It¡¯s even more famous than the Legend of the Darkened Moon!¡±


    A wave of nausea began to rise in my stomach. My past crimes were many. I knew that. However, there were many practices in the Moon-Soaked Shore which were pinned on me that I had no knowledge of! The execution of moon cultivators and anyone with lunar affinity was supposedly my fault, but I had nothing to do with that! The Spirits of the Shore, who were known to harass and kill travelers all over the region, were supposedly doing so under the Darkened Moon¡¯s orders, which I distinctly never did.


    It was one thing to be the monster under childrens¡¯ beds for crimes I did commit. It was a completely different thing to be allegedly responsible for things I had nothing to do with. I had never even heard this prophecy, and I was certain that I didn¡¯t want to know what mythical deeds I¡¯d been blamed for to gain the title of ¡°Demon of Misfortune.¡±


    ¡°Xinya, don¡¯t speak so harshly,¡± Hanako scolded. ¡°Tsuyuki isn¡¯t from the Shore, remember? Perhaps it¡¯s not common knowledge in the Pearlescent Valley?¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s even from there,¡± the little girl muttered under her breath.


    Hanako ignored the jab and began to explain. ¡°It¡¯s said that in ancient times, the Sun Queen had a dream. She foresaw a great war where all order had broken down. The dead roamed freely, and cultivators fought one another for scraps. According to legend, five individuals will be responsible for bringing this state.¡±


    ¡°The Five Demons?¡± I guessed. She nodded.


    Xinya jumped up onto one of the beds in excitement. ¡°They¡¯re all figures from various points in history! The Oni Prince, the Darkened Moon, the Star Hunter, the Dragon of the Depths, and the Captain of the Ghost Ship will join together to bring about untold destruction, and not even the Ascendents will be able to stop them!¡±


    I wracked my brain, trying to see if I knew anyone matching those titles, but only one of them was familiar to me. The Oni Prince was the yokai lord who ruled in the age before the Sun Queen and I rose to power. He was cruel, and it was fear of having to fight him that kept something vaguely resembling peace in the world.


    My nausea rose, but Xinya wasn¡¯t finished.


    ¡°Each of them has a fancy title based on the stories around them! The Darkened Moon is the Demon of Misfortune because his powers cling to the victim until they have a terrible accident and die horribly!¡± She was practically jumping on the bed with excitement. I knew well that the Legend of the Darkened Moon was one of her favorites, being one of the most popular legends of the Moon-Soaked Shore, but she didn¡¯t need to be quite so excited over one of the worst times in my life.


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite what he did,¡± I protested, desperate to clear my name in some small way.


    ¡°If you¡¯re such an expert, then you explain what he did,¡± Xinya challenged.


    Except¡­I couldn¡¯t. My mind flashed back to the silver thread of qi that wrapped around Tenri during the battle. Everywhere that thread appeared, some accident occurred. Shen Yaoxan had fallen in a sinkhole. The Spider Matriarch had nearly been crushed by a falling rock. Tenri had been the victim of a rogue bull splitting off from the pack. On their own, each one was an extremely unfortunate event and could be explained as the whims of fate. Together, however, they made a trend. Was I really the cause? Had I cursed them without realizing it?


    ¡°His bloodline isn¡¯t evil,¡± was all I could muster. Even that much was half-hearted at best.


    Chiho vibrated from its position in my hair, but its comfort was not enough. The lie that I held the bloodline was far preferable to the truth, and even then, it had turned me into the villain¡­again. Was that just the role I was destined to play? After all, the Sun Queen had made a prophecy about how I was one who would bring doomsday to the land.


    Maybe it would have been better for the world if I¡¯d stayed in prison¡­


    I stood. ¡°Thank you for your care, Miss Jaili, Miss Hanako.¡± I bowed to each of them before leaving. The storm was better company than those who thought I was a monster without knowing even half the truth.


    ¡°Tsuyuki,¡± Tenri began, but I ignored him and stepped out into the rain.


    I was soaked through within moments, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to care. Instead, I walked to the docks and stared out over the turbulent waters. The waves rose high on the horizon, whipped into a frenzy by the howling winds. The coral reef below was completely invisible in the darkness, the roiling waters blocking the light from the lunar tears.


    Once they were called Yoru¡¯s Tears, I remembered. The Shade in the lighthouse had said as much. The luminous rocks were moon stones cast down onto the shore when the Sword Saint had slashed the moon itself, taking advantage of the sympathetic connection I shared with it. That attack had won them the battle.


    I was out of control. I deserved it. It took me many years to come to terms with why I¡¯d been imprisoned, and I regretted every action I took. Why was fate so unkind as to add insult to injury and foretell that I¡¯d do it again? Wasn¡¯t once enough?


    The cold waters splashed against me as I sat at the end of the docks, wrestling with the anger and despair that waged war in my heart. Half of me wanted to scream that I was better than some stupid prophecy, but the other¡­the other was worried it was right. All of me wondered if my mistakes were so terrible that, even after a thousand thousand moons of imprisonment, karma still wanted my blood.


    I just want to help people, like I used to.


    I curled my knees up to my chest and leaned against a post. Maybe the cold would numb me enough that the phantom pains from a wooden nail driven into my heart would fade. I doubted it.


    ¡°Mister?¡± I spun around to see Xinya. The soft light of her moon-enchanted hairpin cast shadows over her face, but it was clear that she was soaked through and shivering.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Hanako said I needed to apologize,¡± the little girl muttered, scuffing her feet.


    ¡°I doubt she meant you needed to go out in the storm for it,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not c-cold.¡± Her hands were balled in fists at her sides to keep her from trying to cross her arms in the blustering wind. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t really know why you got mad about the Darkened Moon, but I¡¯m sorry for saying your bloodline is evil.¡± She paused for a moment. Her violet gaze filled with determination. ¡°But, if it¡¯s not too much trouble¡­would you tell me why you got mad?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Because I want to know.¡± I tried to put off the answer, but she interrupted me before I could. ¡°I owe you so much. You saved my dad, then you saved me several times, and then you¡¯re training me, but through it all, you tell odd lies. I just want to know the truth behind the Master who¡¯s given me so much.¡±


    I considered her request as the rain beat down on us. Knowing just how manipulative the girl could be when she wanted something, it was hard to take her words at face value. Yet, she was exceptionally intelligent. If I didn¡¯t tell her, she¡¯d find out some other way. If she was going to be afraid of me anyway, why not get it over with now? But¡­if I did¡­the very idea of her looking at me with the same hatred and fear with which I saw myself made me want to run and hide forever. After all, she was my first disciple.


    In the end, it wasn¡¯t her arguments, nor my own internal concerns that convinced me. Xinya began to shiver even more violently, and my heart twinged. I sighed.


    ¡°Fine, but let¡¯s get inside first. Then I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±

 Chapter 57 - A Living Legend

    The world sometimes feels like a grand, cosmic game. Pieces moved by the Ascendents and those rare few who gather other forms of power to shake the world. But nothing could be further from the truth. They¡¯re just a bunch of idiots pushing people and papers around in the dark, trying to impose order where none can exist. ¨C The Sword Saint in the infamous ¡°Words of the Wind¡± pamphlet many suspect he spread himself.


    *          *          *


    Mister Tsuyuki lifted Xinya as if she were no heavier than a feather in his arms. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was cold. In fact, she was freezing. If she got any colder, she might just rattle right out of her skin.


    Tsuyuki pulled his sleeve over Xinya¡¯s head, which she was immensely grateful for. Even though he was just as soaked through as she was, the sleeve was a nice umbrella to keep off the colder drops coming down from the heavens. She curled her head against his warm body, just as she¡¯d done to her father when he¡¯d still been alive, as they walked back down the streets of Saikan.


    Maybe I should have listened to Auntie Hanako, she thought. The older woman had suggested that the little girl should apologize to her master but had been entirely unprepared for said little girl to run straight out into the rain to see it done.


    Xinya didn¡¯t know what was going on, and that bothered her. She knew that Mister Tsuyuki was a strange fellow, but all cultivators had their quirks according to her father. What bothered her more was the strange things he chose to lie about. Why lie about being all the way to the Indomitable Mountain without doing the barest research required to at least know it was on another continent. Tsuyuki was a smart man. In fact, he might have been the smartest man Xinya had ever met. No way would he fabricate a lie so feeble that even a child could see through it.


    She wanted to know why he knew so little of geography when such legendary locations were common knowledge, even for such a backwater town as Saikan. She wanted to know why he didn¡¯t know about the Sun Queen¡¯s Prophecy, or why he always looked sad when she brought up her favorite stories. None of it made any sense, and she wanted to know why.


    So, she¡¯d run out into the rain. She had not expected it to be quite so cold. By the time she found her master sulking at the end of the docks, staring longingly out over the wind-whipped waves, she was soaked straight to the bone and could already feel her nose getting stuffed up with the cold she¡¯d get for being out so long.


    Mister Tsuyuki was kind, though. He let her burrow against his warm body while he walked through the wet streets until he stopped at the familiar red door of her home. From the outside, it still looked like a normal house, complete with a doused lantern with a swimming fish painted on the side and a name plate that read ¡°Lang.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be okay going in?¡± he asked gently, setting her down on her own two feet.


    Part of her wasn¡¯t sure. She hadn¡¯t been back since her father had died. That was so long ago, at this point, it felt like an entire age had passed in the few months since she¡¯d been left alone. Warm summer rains had given way to cold autumn storms, and soon snow would cover the streets of the little fishing village. Time marched onward, and yet, this home was trapped in a frozen moment of time.


    However, the part of her that didn¡¯t want to see that moment, the last one in the happy life she¡¯d shared with her beloved father, was not the part that was standing out in the cold rain. She put on a brave face. Auntie Hanako¡¯s home and the clinic were both too far away. She¡¯d definitely catch cold before reaching either of those.


    I¡¯m gonna have to become a cultivator soon. Being a weak mortal is the worst.


    She nodded and Mister Tsuyuki pushed open the door. They stepped inside, took off their shoes, and stepped into the combined kitchen and living room. Xinya knew the home was small. Her father had not been a wildly successful fisherman, and he put a lot of money aside to help with Xinya¡¯s future. He made sure she was well-fed and had a warm home, and that was all she had ever needed. The small, two-room house was more than enough, with the back room as a shared bedroom for the two of them, and the front room for guests.


    Xinya took one look at the scene in the front room and turned to bury her face in Mister Tsuyuki¡¯s robes. Images of that night raced through her mind. Memories of her own screams and the sound of crunching bones made her tremble.


    That night, the wicked cultivators had broken into her house with their horrible black hound. They demanded that she come with them, and, when her father refused, they beat him up and broke his arm.


    Signs of the struggle were all around, from the broken stool where her father had fallen to the bowls of rice that were now scattered across the ground where they¡¯d fallen. The Heaven¡¯s Lily that had sat in the window for only a couple days was wilted on the ground, its pot shattered. Mister Tsuyuki had given them that flower. She loved it¡­


    Mister Tsuyuki held her hand as they picked through the small room to the oven. It didn¡¯t take much for the cultivator to light it, and Xinya was glad for it. She curled up next to the fire and stared into the light while he moved around behind her.


    ¡°Put these on,¡± he instructed. She turned to find him holding a set of dry clothes. He must have found them in the back room where she¡¯d left them. She quickly changed and handed her wet things to the cultivator who set about arranging them to dry by the fire along with his outer robes and armor.


    Xinya watched him as he worked. His inner robes were surely still wet, but knowing his powers, he could probably dry them the same way he kept dirt off himself. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but notice that he looked more natural in the white underclothes. When they¡¯d met, he¡¯d worn light blue and white. Somehow, she felt like he was more suited to the lighter colors.


    Chiho flitted around his head, fixing his hair while he resolved to fix hers. He pulled out the pin keeping her soaked and tangled hair in place and began combing through it. Yet, as he did, she couldn¡¯t help but feel the weight of his silence ever so keenly.


    What was so bad about the secrets he kept that he couldn¡¯t tell her? She already knew so many of his biggest secrets, or at least, she thought she did. After all, being a moon artist in the Moon-Soaked Shore was one hell of a secret, and she knew that one. What else could he be hiding? And why was he so opposed to sharing it?If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Without warning, he began to hum. Xinya wasn¡¯t even sure if he noticed it through all his own thoughts, but she did. It was the Flower Maiden¡¯s favorite song. Did they know each other? Did that have something to do with his secrets?


    ¡°I can feel you thinking,¡± the little girl whispered. ¡°Is the truth so bad that you have to think so hard about saying it?¡±


    Mister Tsuyuki sighed. With deft fingers, he wrapped her hair into a simple bun and pinned it with the pearl hair pin. She turned around and faced him, trying to read the cultivator.


    He looked¡­so unsure. Never in the time she¡¯d known him could she remember him looking so lost. Even faced with a hundred monstrous spiders or a murderous cultivator he always looked completely in control. Now, she imagined his world was crumbling down around his head, and he knew there was little he could do to stop it.


    ¡°Xinya, I¡­you¡­¡± He bit his lip, frustration creeping onto his face.


    Xinya reached out with a hand and rested it on his uninjured shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I play with Shades and Spirit Beasts in my free time. I can take whatever you throw at me.¡±


    ¡°You play with a Shade called the Flower Maiden,¡± he answered dryly.


    ¡°Who is known to slaughter innocent merchants and cultivators on the roads, if rumors are to be believed,¡± she countered. Then she shrugged. ¡°But, honestly, Chouko is really nice and has never done anything bad to me.¡±


    It was as if lightning had struck the moon artist. He sat up completely straight and his eyes widened in shock. Xinya frowned and cocked her head in confusion while he tried to catch up with something she¡¯d said¡­not that anything she¡¯d said was that revolutionary.


    ¡°You don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t happen to know her family name, by chance?¡± he asked. Xinya frowned, bit her knuckle, then shook her head.


    ¡°I think she told me once, but I don¡¯t remember. Why?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± he paused to muster his courage, ¡°because my sister¡¯s name is Chouko.¡±


    What?


    ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯s your sister. You¡¯re way too young. She lived ages and ages ago.¡±


    Then again¡­


    Xinya chewed some more on her knuckle while Mister Tsuyuki sat quietly. The cultivator before her did share some physical traits with the Flower Maiden, if she thought really hard about it, and the Flower Maiden did mention once that she had an older brother and sister. Xinya had always assumed that they were long gone, but now, she was literally talking to the Chain-Bound Fury¡­sort of. If Mister Tsuyuki was related to that shade, then maybe he really was old enough to be her brother.


    ¡°Xinya, you¡­you know the Legend of the Darkened Moon, yes?¡± he began. Dread was in his silver eyes. Xinya¡¯s heart leapt with excitement, but she kept it under control, remembering why Auntie Hanako had scolded her in the first place.


    ¡°It¡¯s my favorite story, yes,¡± she answered calmly.


    He visibly winced at the word ¡°favorite¡± before continuing. ¡°Well, the version you know isn¡¯t very accurate.¡± Excitement coursed through Xinya like a bolt of lightning. ¡°The Lunar Prince did go crazy, and he did kill a lot of people, but the other Ascendents couldn¡¯t beat him. They imprisoned him instead. His prison was under the Moon-Soaked Shore all this time.¡±


    ¡°Under the Shore?¡± But how could someone as powerful as the Sword Saint fail to kill the villain? And how did Mister Tsuyuki know all this?


    ¡°It¡¯s where I spent a thousand thousand moons,¡± Tsuyuki continued. ¡°So long, I kind of lost track of the time that passed.¡±


    But that means¡­ Her eyes went wide. No wonder he didn¡¯t know about the Akumai Straight! It formed after that point!


    ¡°Oh, wow¡­ YOUREALLYAREAGOD!!!¡± she shouted, leaping to her feet. Mister Yoru, no Prince Yoru, blinked several times, trying to catch up with her line of thought.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The day we first met, I asked you if you were a god because your clothes never got dirty! You said no, but that was a lie!¡± She looked away. ¡°That¡¯s why you got so upset about the bloodlines! You actually do know what the Darkened Moon¡¯s powers were! Cuz they¡¯re yours!¡±


    This might have been the most exciting day of Xinya¡¯s life. The only thing that would have topped this was if the Sword Saint himself walked through the door. Sure, Prince Yoru was a villain, but he¡¯d still stepped straight out of the pages of her favorite story! How many people could claim that they were being taught cultivation by an ACTUAL LIVING LEGEND!!!! So cool!!!


    ¡°What¡¯s your secret? Can you show me your bloodline techniques? How do you alter people¡¯s luck? Are you really the Avatar of the Moon? What does it even mean to be Avatar? Can you control the moon? Make it change phases and stuff? Did you have a palace? Can I see it!?¡±


    There were just so many questions! She had to get them all out before she forgot them! There wasn¡¯t even time to breathe! The words tumbled from her mouth like an overfull water pitcher.


    In the end, Prince Yoru burst out laughing. Tears leaked from his eyes, and it looked as if an enormous weight had lifted from his shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of me?¡± he asked when he finally could breathe again.


    ¡°Why would I be afraid of you?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m the monster under the bed.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Nah, that¡¯s the Tide Serpent.¡±


    An idea came to her, and she jumped up. She padded quietly to the back room and looked around. In the chest filled with her stuff, she pulled out the little bag of stones and coral bits for Moon Tear¡¯s Match. It was a game of her own creation, one that only the Flower Maiden and Prince Yoru ever wanted to play with her. They¡¯d played it on the day they met.


    Before she left, though, the chest with her father¡¯s things loomed in the corner of her eye. She crossed to it, remembering his instructions clearly. If he were ever gone, then she was to take some things from his chest.


    Carefully, she opened it and pushed aside the clothes that smelled like fish and pulled out the box at the bottom. Inside was a bag with a handful of gold coins, her father¡¯s life savings, and a black onyx pendant on a gold chain. That pendent was the only thing she had left from her mother, since her swords and jewelry all went down to the bottom of the sea with her. Xinya took the pendant and gingerly put it around her neck before tucking it beneath her shirt.


    Then, she scooped up the bag once more and raced back to the warm fire where Prince Yoru was waiting.


    ¡°Well, your highness, play a game with me?¡±


    He laughed again. ¡°You don¡¯t need to call me that.¡±


    ¡°But why not? You¡¯re a prince, right?¡±


    ¡°My kingdom is nothing but ash, now.¡±


    ¡°But you were a prince before,¡± Xinya insisted. Then another idea came to her. ¡°Wait, as your disciple, does that make me a princess?!¡±


    He smiled sheepishly. ¡°Not quite. You¡¯d need to be my family for that.¡±


    ¡°Okay! You¡¯re now my Uncle Yoru, then!¡± she declared. For a moment, it looked as if he was going to object, but then he just shook his head and smiled.


    ¡°Alright, Princess Xinya.¡±


    A knock at the door heralded Auntie Hanako and Master¡­no, Uncle Lin. After all, Xinya figured that if the rumors were true, then her Aunt Hanako and her Uncle Yoru were close with the wood artist. That made her family with him, too.


    The ruling couple of Saikan entered and sat on the floor with them, bringing with them an assortment of dumplings, some of which had chicken in them. Xinya liked them a lot.


    As they all sat on the floor, she continued to ask Yoru dozens of questions, and he answered those he could. The wind howled outside and the rain poured, but no thunder rumbled to interrupt the merriment in the tiny house.


    Before she went to bed, Xinya thought about her father. If he was looking over her from beyond, she hoped he was content. She was with good people, and with Yoru¡¯s teachings, she was certain she would become the best cultivator of their age. She¡¯d make him proud, for sure.

 Chapter 58 - Good Neighbors

    I used to think I¡¯d need fancy manuals, a ton of qi, and probably some stolen talent to become someone worth knowing. Now? Now I know that nobody above gold seems to be able to cook worth a damn, and I¡¯m drowning in reservations because I bothered to figure out how to infuse rice with my qi in a way that lets the flavor through their qi-reinforcement. Worst part? Took me a week. ¨C Chef Pan Kai of the Heavenly Riceball Kitchen


    * * *


    ¡°Xinya! Wake up!¡± I called as I carefully dumped the eggs from the skillet into the waiting bowls of rice. They were¡­fine! Completely and totally fine and not burned at all.


    Maybe she won¡¯t notice this time? It was a vain hope and I knew it, but that didn¡¯t stop me from placing the bowl on the table as the little girl stepped sleepily from the bedroom.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± she asked, rubbing her eyes.


    ¡°Nearly midday,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Too early.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    We¡¯d been up all night, sitting on the roof of the Lang residence and studying the stars and the moon above. It was important that Xinya develop a proper understanding of the heavens to become a proper disciple of the Celestial Cycle. Though the stars weren¡¯t as important as the sun and the moon, there was still a relation between the powers. As the stars aligned, it would influence the power of the sun, moon, and void. Even Lightning was supposedly stronger when the celestial bodies were in alignment during eclipses and other extraordinary events. I understood all of this on an intuitive level, having studied it from the surface of the moon for several years during my youth, but we lacked the means to actually travel to the moon for Xinya¡¯s education. Studying its phases and path from below would have to suffice for now.


    I set the bowl down before the nine-year-old. She peered at it skeptically and sweat began to collect on my collar. Who knew that children could be such picky eaters?


    ¡°There is more ash in this than egg,¡± she noted with all the emotion of a dead tree.


    ¡°We¡¯re out of groceries; I didn¡¯t get a second chance.¡± I crossed my arms and looked away, my ears growing hot with embarrassment.


    Xinya sighed and shook her head. ¡°A second chance wouldn¡¯t have helped you, and you know it.¡± Her words stabbed into me like a dozen arrows. Then, to add further insult to injury, she stood and began slipping on her boots.


    ¡°Wait! I can fix it!¡± I protested. The withering glare of a tired child was possibly more painful than any sword strike I¡¯d ever taken. Something about that glare reminded me of when Chouko and the Hated One had scolded me for being late to the Celestial Conference (which was for a legitimate reason, as I didn¡¯t yet have Chiho and fixing my hair was always a pain).


    Xinya stepped outside and turned left. I had no doubt she was going to see if Hanako had any leftovers from their breakfast. I sighed in defeat before slipping on my own shoes and following.


    It¡¯s probably for the best, I thought bitterly. Aya and Chouko always insisted on doing the cooking, and, after Ascending, I had servants for that.


    We knocked on Hanako¡¯s door several minutes later, each of the perfect image of lost orphans begging for food at a priest¡¯s doorstep. When Hanako opened the door and saw just how pitiful we both were, she burst into laughter and beckoned us inside.


    ¡°How bad was it this time?¡± she asked Xinya as we sat down.


    ¡°He called it an egg, but I didn¡¯t see any egg left,¡± she answered.


    I scoffed in annoyance. ¡°Your words were ¡®there¡¯s more ash than egg,¡¯ so there must have been some left!¡±


    ¡°Saying that there are more foxes than hens in an empty henhouse is still true,¡± she grumbled. I spluttered, trying to think of some clever retort to give to my unruly disciple. In the end, I had nothing.


    Hanako placed two bowls of rice topped with distinctly unburned eggs before us. ¡°Dig in!¡±


    ¡°Feeding those two again?¡± The snide remark came from Madam Tenri as she descended the stairs. She regarded Xinya and I as if we were dirt-covered urchins. ¡°Careful, Hanako. Keep feeding strays and you may find a whole pack of mutts at your door.¡±


    I stood from my seat. How dare she refer to me with such contempt! She may be the mother of my only friend, but that didn¡¯t give her the right to insult me and my disciple so directly.


    Before I could give Madam Tenri a piece of my mind, Hanako stood between us. Her face was calm, but the hard fury in her eyes betrayed her true feelings.


    ¡°Mother, you know I do much to be a good wife to my Lin, which includes respecting and caring for you and Father. However, do not mistake yourself for the Lady of this house. I am the Administrator¡¯s wife, and this is the Administrator¡¯s residence. I will entertain whatever guests I wish, including the cultivator who has done nothing but help our town.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Madam Tenri was stunned. ¡°You¡­I¡¯m your mother-in-law!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re my elder,¡± Hanako began, then she turned to me. ¡°Please, Master Cultivator, please don¡¯t begrudge my elder. She is old, and her judgement is clearly failing her to so blatantly disrespect an honored hero of our town. Please accept my apology on her behalf.¡±


    Old and failing judgement. Right.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive it this time out of respect for you and your husband, Hanako,¡± I said coldly. ¡°But your mother should be more careful. There are many cultivators who have wiped out whole clans for less egregious offenses.¡±


    Hanako bowed politely to me, while Madam Tenri stalked off to do whatever it was that mean-spirited witches do in their free time. Without her negative aura hanging over us, we slowly began to relax.


    ¡°Mean old bat,¡± Xinya muttered.


    ¡°Have you considered how you¡¯ll deal with her?¡± I asked. Xinya didn¡¯t answer, so I sighed and rephrased. ¡°Have you considered how to stop tripping on the stairs?¡± It was only out of respect for the little girl¡¯s pride that I didn¡¯t take more action. It was not the master¡¯s place to fight all the disciple¡¯s battles. Otherwise, they¡¯d never learn¡­or so I kept telling myself.


    ¡°Once I have my core, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get less clumsy,¡± she answered. I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°The fishermen say a storm should be coming in the next couple days,¡± I said. ¡°Just make sure you¡¯re ready for it. It¡¯s hard to say how many more chances we¡¯ll have before winter.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Tsuyuki,¡± Hanako said. ¡°Lin is looking for you. Some official business came in last night he could use your help with.¡±


    ¡°Excellent! Xinya, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Nuh, uh,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯m still eating. Go yourself.¡±


    Ungrateful disciple. I sighed. My masters would have whipped me for talking back like that¡­not that it would have stopped me. I¡¯m too soft to be a Master.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I finally relented.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep her occupied, don¡¯t worry about a thing,¡± Hanako assured me. Before I made it to the door, I heard her turn and whisper to Xinya. ¡°I think it¡¯s his void affinity that makes him a bad cook.¡± Then they giggled, so I rolled my eyes and left.


    * * *


    ¡°Tenri Lin, my dearest brother, your beloved wife says you seek my pleasant company,¡± I called as I entered the Administration building. Inside, Zumi was shuffling papers for a pair of women who just blushed and giggled at my greeting. I blushed.


    That will only add to the rumors¡­so much for a fun joke.


    It was rare for anyone besides Tenri and his cousin to be in the building. What a stroke of bad luck that two happened to be here when I was in a joking mood.


    Tenri poked his head out of his office, a cheerful smile on his face¡­until he, too, saw the women in the entry. His ears turned red as strawberries, and he removed his glasses, quietly schooling his face.


    ¡°Must you say it so poorly? We¡¯re just acquaintances.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry.¡± I scratched my head before sheepishly entering his office and closing the door behind me. ¡°I had no idea there would be others.¡±


    ¡°Probably just applying for a trade permit,¡± he said. ¡°Zumi handles all that paperwork for me.¡±


    ¡°So.¡± I waited for a long moment, but with each second that ticked by, the awkwardness between Tenri and I only increased. ¡°Hanako mentioned you might have a job?¡±


    Tenri looked blankly at me as he tried to remember what he might need my help with, but eventually he remembered and began shuffling through his desk. From under a small pile of loose documents came six letters, all with the same silver and gold lettering of an official letter of the Moon-Soaked Shore.


    ¡°They¡¯re all from Pemai,¡± Tenri provided. ¡°Take a look.¡± I gingerly picked the top letter off the pile and read it aloud.


    ¡°¡®To Administrator Tenri Lin of Saikan. This is the fifth letter I¡¯ve sent regarding the dangers to travel on the roads between Pemai and Saikan. The yokai in the area have been agitated, and I am once again requesting your aid in dealing with them.¡¯¡± I put down the letter. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be looking into this? He seems kind of irritated.¡±


    ¡°Keep reading.¡±


    I frowned and continued. ¡°¡®I have reason to believe they are targeting cultivators. The branch of the Lunar Hunt stationed in Pemai has been harassed at every turn.¡¯ Wow, I didn¡¯t realize we had such good neighbors.¡±


    ¡°Which is why I haven¡¯t responded,¡± Tenri agreed. ¡°These started just before last month¡¯s attack and have continued until now. If the yokai are willing to provide an extra line of defense, who am I to argue?¡±


    ¡°We might even want to send them a nice thank you gift.¡± I stretched and lounged in my chair. ¡°Do you think they¡¯d like a basket of fruit? Or maybe some nice flowers?¡±


    ¡°You tell me, you¡¯re the yokai expert.¡± Tenri handed me the most recent of the missives. I opened it and skimmed over the frustrated introduction. This one contained additional details.


    ¡°¡®We¡¯ve determined that the culprits are many, but those we¡¯ve managed to spot are all being rallied by the Wicked Flower Maiden. We do not know why she is so active this late in the year, but it is clear that this shade has become a menace. Rumors have circulated that the town of Saikan is allied with several Iron cultivators who may be able to work with the Lunar Hunt to eliminate her once and for all.¡¯¡± I stared at the letter for a long moment.


    The Flower Maiden was involved. Chouko was here! She was close! If I could find one of her raids, I could ask the yokai how to find her, since she didn¡¯t always return to her shrine in the woods. Maybe I could see her again.


    ¡°Sugar glazed starberries would be my first recommendation,¡± I answered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For a gift for the Flower Maiden. They were always her favorite.¡± I frowned and rubbed my chin. ¡°But I guess those are hard to get outside the Pearlescent Valley¡­what about moon-dusted melon seeds? Or strawberries with qi honey? She likes sweet things.¡±


    ¡°Can shades even eat things?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s more about the sentimental value of the gift for them, I suppose. Some can eat the qi, others can¡¯t.¡±


    However, there was no doubt in my mind that Chouko was strong enough to consume them. For a shade to survive thousands of years, long enough to become a local legend, she had to be powerful enough to defend herself against the rank-and-file cultivators of the area. She might be on the level of a silver, but that was still enough for her to accept such a gift. It would be no different than an offering for her.


    ¡°Administrator Delan is worried about a caravan for one of the wealthier merchants in the east. He¡¯s had several run-ins with the Flower Maiden in the past, and travels in autumn and winter specifically to avoid her,¡± Tenri explained. ¡°If she¡¯s active, she might go after him while she¡¯s in the area.¡±


    ¡°Then, I say we pay a visit to our good friends in Pemai,¡± I mused. ¡°Maybe this merchant can be convinced to play the part of bait so we can pay respects to our good neighbors of the land.¡±

 Chapter 59 - Pemai

    The Treaty of Sunkai is a rather comprehensive document, and yet, one of the most effective and influential of our age. A treaty maintained by the Phoenix King with signatories on every major continent, the document and its outlined procedures have allowed for vastly expanded protections, and thereby operations, of the merchant class. ¨CMaster Merchant Daran of the Daran Merchant House in the Phoenix Lands.


    *          *          *


    ¡°So, that¡¯s three sea spiders, a giant octopus, and a lovely coast singer,¡± I counted, marking down the yokai on a page as we walked. ¡°The spiders were successfully sent on a wild goose chase, the singer has been bribed in fish and qi to ignore us when next we pass, and the octopus shouldn¡¯t be a problem if we don¡¯t wake it up.¡±


    ¡°How do you know so much?¡± Tenri asked in wonder. ¡°You knew exactly how to handle each one, even stopping me from falling for the singer¡¯s trap!¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°You learn a thing or two as the Prince of Yokai.¡±


    ¡°I always thought that part was a myth.¡± Tenri shook his head in amazement. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you were a yokai in disguise.¡±


    My calligraphy brush snapped in my hand, and I fought to keep a straight face. Tenri didn¡¯t mean to be insensitive about the fact I wasn¡¯t human anymore. I was sure it was just a misunderstanding. He didn¡¯t mean it, surely.


    ¡°Oh yes, well, I learned a lot on the streets of Half-Moon Hearth,¡± I said, trying to shift the subject away from my unfortunate change in species.


    ¡°Half-Moon Hearth? Where was that?¡± he asked, completely oblivious to my distress. However, the change in subject was still welcome.


    ¡°It was my capital city,¡± I answered. ¡°It used to be in the central plains of my dominion.¡±


    ¡°Used to be?¡± Tenri looked away as if he were embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Loss?¡± I scratched the back of my head, wondering if I should tell him the truth. Figuring he might laugh, I continued. ¡°It¡¯s not gone¡­or, at least, it was still standing when I was imprisoned, but right after I became an Ascendent, I was trying to conduct a ritual to create better defenses when the Sword Saint jump-scared me and messed the whole thing up. I accidentally shifted the entire city into the spirit realm by putting it out of sync with the rest of reality. It took us weeks to find a way to connect back to the real world.¡±


    ¡°You¡­what?¡± he covered his mouth to hide the smile forming in his eyes. ¡°The mighty Darkened Moon, Prince of the Night, got pranked by his friend and accidentally shifted a whole city into the spirit realm.¡±


    ¡°I was the butt end of many jokes for that one,¡± I said. We nodded at the guards of Pemai as we stepped through their gates and into the town. ¡°It ranks up there with the time I got annoyed that the calendar didn¡¯t match the lunar cycles, so I adjusted the moon¡¯s orbit slightly to compensate.¡±


    Tenri snickered. ¡°I knew you were petty, but I don¡¯t think I realized just how petty you were.¡±


    ¡°Tenri, this entire adventure is so we can give flowers and sweets to the shades and yokai Administrator Delan asked us to get rid of.¡± I flipped my hair over my shoulder. ¡°I am the king of petty, and you love me for it.¡±


    ¡°I guess you do keep things interesting.¡±


    I gave Tenri my best smile, and we continued walking through the small town. Pemai was quaint. Despite being a fishing town, much like Saikan, it was much smaller. Ships travelling from the Southern islands or around the northern coast of the peninsula that made up the Moon-Soaked Shore were much more likely to stop in Saikan, as the first town on the southeastern coast of the Shore. Though the reef prevented many large trading vessels from making landfall, their crews could sometimes send landing parties with goods to trade with the locals.


    Pemai was much more difficult for them to land at. The reefs were even more dense in the region surrounding the tiny town, and they didn¡¯t even have a lighthouse to help ships navigate like Saikan did. Thus, ships tended to keep their distance and sail directly from Saikan to the Shimmering Coast where goods were offloaded and sent to either the capital in Haishui, or to the Teeming Waters Sect who operated the area.


    However, despite its lack of sea-travel, Pemai was the perfect stopping point for land caravans destined for the eastern towns of Saikan, Heimian, and Lanxiao. This travel kept the small streets bustling with just enough people to give the illusion that the town was a thriving center of trade without actually being one.


    Despite their small success, the entire place gave off the appearance of trying too hard. The roofs were painted gold, even if it was faded, and the buildings were built of solid black pillars with red doors to welcome their trade partners. With such attention devoted to the appearances of the buildings, you¡¯d think the roads would be well-maintained and free of holes. In the short walk from the gates to the Administration building, I spotted three separate caravans trying to repair broken cart wheels and another two cracks in the road that looked suspiciously responsible.


    ¡°Money was spent in interesting ways,¡± I noted quietly to Tenri.


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when your town doesn¡¯t produce a cultivator of their own,¡± he answered softly. ¡°Administrator Delan was assigned to Pemai by the Governor rather than being born here. He¡¯s a decent man, but his priorities aren¡¯t always aligned with the town¡¯s interests.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°I still wonder if that¡¯s really a good way of governing the Shore,¡± I mused before shaking my head. There wasn¡¯t any point in trying to dictate the way things were done in this day and age. My kingdom was long gone, and I really wasn¡¯t keen on ruling anything anytime soon.


    The Administration building soon came into sight. Tenri and I jogged up the stairs and entered. After being greeted by a handsome young man in the role of Delan¡¯s secretary, we were led into a cramped office. Inside, a man wearing robes that matched Tenri¡¯s was writing a letter in the same beautiful calligraphy in the many letters we had received in Saikan.


    ¡°Ah, Administrator Tenri,¡± Delan greeted as he stood and bowed. We both returned the bow out of politeness, since, politically, he and Tenri were of the same rank. However, his eyes flicked to the iron badge around Tenri¡¯s arm, and I felt a small kernel of pride that he recognized my companion as his better.


    ¡°Administrator Delan, it has been too long,¡± Tenri said. ¡°I apologize for dropping in unannounced, but it took some doing to extricate ourselves long enough to make the trip. This is Tsuyuki Yoru, a wandering cultivator who¡¯s graciously offered to assist in this matter. I do hope we¡¯ve made it in time to assist in the caravan¡¯s departure?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the administrator eyed me warily, and I bowed my head politely. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve dealt with the yokai on the way here?¡±


    ¡°They gave us no trouble,¡± Tenri answered with a smile. ¡°However, the Flower Maiden didn¡¯t appear to us. We¡¯re hopeful that she¡¯s gone into hibernation for the winter.¡±


    ¡°Let us pray that is the case.¡± He paused for a long moment. ¡°Forgive me, Master Tenri, but isn¡¯t Tsuyuki Yoru the name of the one the Lunar Hunt is after?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°We cleared that up with them directly. Surely Xi Qiwu passed through here along with the other cultivators bound for the Hunting Lodge? She said she¡¯d explain everything.¡±


    Delan shook his head. ¡°No, she did not. I only know of the small army of cultivators led by Shen Tori¡¯s son bound for Saikan. If they¡¯re not with you, then they must have returned by way of Heimian rather than coming through here.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± That seemed like an odd route to take, given how far north Heimian was, but since I didn¡¯t know the exact location of the Hunting Lodge, perhaps it wasn¡¯t so far-fetched. ¡°Well, I assure you that it has been cleared up.¡±


    ¡°Right, I see. Please accept my apologies for insinuating otherwise.¡± Delan bowed before us once more. ¡°If you wish to find Master Feng, he is presently staying at the Gold Tile Tavern.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll be sure to escort him safely to Saikan,¡± Tenri finished.


    *          *          *


    The pride of the Gold Tile Tavern was a ¡°solid gold¡± set of mahjong tiles in a display case just beneath the stage where a woman played the pipa for the rowdy patrons. Frankly, I had my doubts as to the authenticity of the ¡°solid gold¡± set of tiles. They just didn¡¯t have the same luster of earth and sun qi that large quantities of gold normally had. Just another way that the town of Pemai was trying too hard to secure its clientele.


    Tenri and I sat across from a burly mortal and his wiry apprentice. The former was downing wine in a truly impressive quantity, while the latter kept sneaking scraps of food from his plate and wolfing them down as if he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of anyone seeing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you want to go to Saikan by way of Heimian?¡± Tenri asked incredulously. ¡°That would add weeks to the journey.¡±


    ¡°That damned Shade is out to get me. She¡¯ll expect me on the normal roads,¡± Master Feng, chief merchant of the Feng Trading Company, said before pouring another cup of wine and downing it. ¡°Look, I¡¯m grateful that Administrator Delan sent for guards from Saikan, but I¡¯m not taking any chances!¡±


    ¡°But, that doesn¡¯t make any¡­nevermind.¡± Tenri sighed and smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t we discuss the arrangement?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Administrator from Saikan, yeah? What arrangement would you have?¡±


    ¡°Please, for this job, my companion and I are just regular cultivators, here to protect your goods. Nothing more than a standard arrangement should suffice.¡±


    ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re sure.¡±


    I found myself smiling at Tenri¡¯s integrity. Though technically illegal, it would not have been unheard of for a town¡¯s administrator to request an exorbitant tax or a string of favors for the work we were performing. The fact that Tenri had no such aims showed just how dedicated he was to his post.


    The longer I thought about it, though, the more I noticed the redness of his ears. I coughed, then turned my attention to the rest of the room.


    What are you doing, Yoru? Do you want rumors to spread here, as well? Get your head together, I chastised myself.


    The patrons were fairly mundane. Most of them were merchants, chatting amongst one another to share the local news and gain insight into their rivals¡¯ businesses. A few were locals trying to weasel their way into the good graces of those same merchants. No doubt they were trying to find a way to enrich their own businesses, either here in Pemai or in the wider world beyond. The normalcy of it warmed my heart slightly. No matter where you go, people are always people.


    My eye flickered over a man who was clearly trying to remain out of the eyes of the crowd, albeit poorly. He was trying to hide in plain sight, but the black cloak and scarf he wore singled him out more than anything else. A small paper doll sat on his shoulder, moving around of its own power every so often. He was probably some kind of young cultivator who hadn¡¯t mastered the idea of true stealth yet.


    What was more interesting, though, was the woman he was watching. She sat at the bar, chatting amicably with a merchant, and, by all appearances, she was a normal cultivator. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a long, thick ponytail which trailed down her back. Her robes were the pinks and greens of an aurora, marking her as a likely wind artist.


    However, at her waist were three swords. As soon as I noticed them, I nearly spit my wine all over Master Feng¡¯s apprentice. Each one was an exquisite piece of craftsmanship, as was only right given the age of two of them. One blade sported a jade encrusted hilt and a matching sheath. The jade danced across the length of the weapon in the pattern of a blowing wind.


    I¡¯d been stabbed by that blade, for it could be no other than Razor Wind, the Sword Saint¡¯s favorite blade. There was no way I would ever forget it.


    Though as much as seeing that blade made my heart ache for Jinshi, it had nothing on the brutal twinge of emotion that came from the second important blade in the woman¡¯s possession. A silver and blue tassel hung from the simple black hilt, and the phases of the moon were carved into the blade¡¯s sheath.


    I¡¯d recognize the blade I forged with my own hands anywhere. That was Eclipse, the blade of the Darkened Moon.

 Chapter 60 - It’s not Paranoia if it’s Justified

    Some consider wandering cultivators an unwashed plague that undermines all that the sect-bound do...I, for one, enjoy having someone I can actually afford to protect my goods from bandits and monsters. -Trademaster Xu Xen of the Bayori Province


    *          *          *


    My old friend, what are you doing here? I wondered silently, wistfully examining my sword from across the room. From within its sheath, it was hard to see if the Sword Saint had taken good care of it in the time since my defeat. The blade had been shattered during the last battle, my friend killed before my very eyes. For all I knew, I was only looking at its husk, and the shattered shards within the sheath remained useless after all these long years.


    Brown eyes met my silver ones as the cultivator finally sensed my gaze. I looked away, panic brewing inside me. She¡¯d noticed me. What was I supposed to do?! To be carrying not just Eclipse, but Razor Wind, as well, there was no way she wasn¡¯t an agent of the Sword Saint. There was every chance she was a disciple or successor to my old friend, which meant her motives in being here were very likely related to my escape from prison.


    The disciple of an Ascendent would be nothing to scoff at. I couldn¡¯t feel a suffocating presence, but, if she was good enough at hiding it, there¡¯s no guarantee I¡¯d notice anything at all, even at Iron. She could be any advancement from Salt to Gemstone, to even the lower echelons of Ascendency. My only hope of getting out of this unscathed was to slip away before she could truly identify me.


    I stretched my arms over my head, using the motion to snatch Chiho from my hair and slip the angrily vibrating pin into my sleeve. After that, I stood and bowed to our employer.


    ¡°My apologies, I fear the wine may be clouding my thoughts,¡± I excused. ¡°I will need to cycle my qi and expel its effects before our departure.¡± Tenri cast a quizzical look at me, but I only smiled and shrugged sheepishly. This was neither the time nor place to explain that there was almost certainly an assassin on the other side of the room who would be more than happy to end my merry jaunt outside the Labyrinth¡¯s walls.


    Master Feng laughed uproariously, making me flinch as several gazed around the tavern turned to us. ¡°You cultivators. Spend so much time denying the pleasures of life that you become lightweights, even with your supposed resistances.¡± He waved a dismissive hand. Tenri stood and joined me as I began to walk towards the stairs, keeping my pace as unhurried as I could. Every inch of my being screamed to run and run far, but what good would that do? The agent had tracked me this far, and, if she knew even a fraction of Jinshi¡¯s path and techniques, she would be one of the few people to be immune to the vast majority of my techniques. It was why the other Ascendents needed Jinshi himself in order to take me down and lock me away.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tenri asked softly as soon as we¡¯d climbed the stairs. ¡°You and I both know you didn¡¯t drink nearly enough to be in any danger.¡± He¡¯d seen me at the small party we threw for Pollen and Pharyx. As visiting dignitaries, their arrival in Saikan had warranted a small celebration, a feast, and all the finest alcohol Tenri had stored in the back of the administration building. I¡¯d been excited to actually have alcohol strong enough to affect me, after so long as an Ascendent, and had partaken liberally. That was the first time since my youth that I¡¯d truly gotten drunk.


    ¡°There¡¯s an agent of the Sword Saint downstairs,¡± I whispered, pulling him along until we reached our rooms. I described the woman in a hushed tone, and Tenri¡¯s expression turned grave.


    ¡°I saw her, too,¡± he admitted. ¡°She didn¡¯t seem to be watching you, though. Maybe she didn¡¯t recognize you?¡±


    ¡°I hope not.¡±


    Chiho vibrated its growing irritation from the confines of its sleeve prison. With a sigh, I unlocked my door and threw the angry pin inside, closing the door before it could escape. I could hear its trilling from within.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just keep low for tonight, then head out as quickly and quietly as we can in the morning,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Tsuyuki,¡± he said. For a moment, his brow furrowed, and I thought he might say something more, but, in the end, he shook his head. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡±


    I nodded and slipped into my room. Chiho whirled around my head, angrily poking at me. It took several minutes of quiet praise before the vain little pin was placated enough to settle back into my hair. Even then, it was clearly sulking, but what else was I supposed to do? The little pin was a gift given to me by Jinshi himself. If the agent was tracking me, then there was no way they wouldn¡¯t recognize it. I couldn¡¯t risk it. Until we were out of town and out of danger, Chiho would have to remain in my sleeve while in public.


    I laid down on the bed, trying to ignore the fact that my doom was in the same building. Part of me wanted to jump out the window and run all the way back to Saikan, but that would be foolish. She might not be alone. If anyone saw me acting suspicious, then the jig would be up, and I¡¯d be hunted down and killed.


    However, waiting for her to come and slit my throat in my bed also seemed like a bad idea. I tossed and turned, trying to come up with a solution. I needed to be on guard, but also not suspicious. Ultimately, I decided to stuff a pillow beneath the comforter before crouching behind the bedframe, an arrow in my hand ready to stab at the first person who entered the room unannounced.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    It¡­wasn¡¯t comfortable, but it was better than waking to a sword through my stomach or a nail in my heart. I tried to relax, but what little sleep I did manage was filled with images sent to me by my tenuous connection to the Labyrinth. Featured most prominently was Jinshi, as always. He mocked me, chased me, and tried to kill me, which was probably the most relaxing part of the night. At least it was something I was used to.


    *          *          *


    ¡°Hey, Tsuyuki?¡±


    Something shook my shoulder, and I leapt into action, thrusting my arrow towards the blurred figure standing over me. There was a yelp of surprise, and I blinked the exhaustion from my eyes. It was¡­Tenri?


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked sleepily.


    ¡°It¡¯s morning, you idiot. Time to go,¡± he snapped, nursing a cut on the back of his hand. It was light, barely even a scratch, but he still eyed me warily. ¡°Did you get much sleep last night?¡±


    ¡°Does it look like I got much sleep last night?¡± My clothes were wrinkled, and I did my best to smooth it out while pulling my hair back into a ponytail. I tied it with my blue ribbon, but shooed Chiho away when it got close. ¡°You need to keep hidden until later,¡± I told it. It drooped like a pouting child before tucking itself into my sleeve.


    We gathered what few supplies we had and quietly stepped out into the darkness. The dawn was just starting to color the eastern horizon with light, which only served to make me even grumpier. Daylight was precious, especially for a caravan trying to avoid the attention of a shade, but that didn¡¯t make the abysmally early hour any less dismal to be a part of.


    Master Feng¡¯s caravan was already prepared and waiting by the time we arrived at the stables. The merchant was accompanied by seven apprentices, all of whom seemed under the age of twenty. They were to drive the wagons while several mortal sellswords kept the local wildlife off of them. Anything more than a normal beast would fall to the cultivator escort, otherwise known as Tenri and me.


    ¡°We¡¯re just waiting on one more before we can set out,¡± Master Feng said as we tucked our bags into one of the wagons. ¡°Just hang tight.¡±


    ¡°One more?¡± Tenri asked. He and I both examined the caravan, looking for any role that was lacking. Were this anywhere other than the Moon-Soaked Shore, a caravan of this size would have warranted a cultivator escort of at least seven, one to guard each of the wagons from attacking yokai. However, due to the moon-shifted nature of the Shore¡¯s qi, not as many monsters called this place home. Two should have been more than enough, and there were plenty of other guards. Was Master Feng waiting on a third party that wanted safety in numbers? Or was there someone else missing?


    We waited so long that Master Feng began to pace in irritation. I leaned against one of the wagons and let my heavy eyes close. It seemed like an instant later that the sound of running footsteps jolted me awake.


    ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m so terribly sorry!¡± called a woman¡¯s voice.


    To my horror, it was the same woman from the night before! The Sword Saint¡¯s agent, complete with both Eclipse and Razor Wind at her hip, was here at our caravan! She slowed to a stop and bowed deeply before Master Feng.


    ¡°Please, forgive this one for losing track of time,¡± she begged. ¡°It was not my intention to delay us.¡±


    Master Feng sneered at her. ¡°Be glad your skill warrants the wait, else I¡¯d have left without you.¡± He raised his fingers to his lips and whistled loudly. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s get a move on while we still have daylight on our side!¡±


    The woman breathed a sigh of relief before turning to Tenri and I. ¡°You must be the rest of the escort,¡± she greeted. ¡°I¡¯m called Kansi Ren. Pleased to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you as well,¡± Tenri offered with a bow. Like me, she wore no badge on her arm, making it difficult to directly ascertain her advancement, but it was always better to be more respectful than less. ¡°I am Tenri Lin, and this is Tsuyuki Yoru.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I believe I saw you two at the inn last night,¡± Kansi noted as we began to walk alongside the wagons. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that I tagged along. I¡¯m on my way to Saikan, and my purse is just a touch too light to do so on my own.¡±


    Tenri laughed good-naturedly. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re looking for work, we never turn down wandering cultivators in Saikan. Tsuyuki here has been helping us out for a few months.¡± I nodded my head.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from there? I heard a rumor that a girl was snatched by a shade, there. Do you know what has gotten the shades so agitated lately?¡± Kansi¡¯s words were genuinely curious and harbored no malice I could hear. That only made me more suspicious. If she was really here for me, then why was she playing at being a caravan guard?


    ¡°Snatched?¡± Tenri paused, trying to remember what she was talking about. ¡°Is someone missing?¡±


    Kansi frowned. ¡°Yes, they said that in the capital when I passed through. One of the four shades snatched a girl and killed a bunch of cultivators, no? The chained something or other?¡±


    ¡°Right, that.¡± Tenri flushed. I rolled my eyes. I might not technically be a shade, but, as far as the world was concerned, I was one. How could he forget that?!


    While Tenri was busy burying our hopes of survival in a shallow grave, I studied our foe. She was a few inches taller than Tenri, making her much taller than me, but her movements weren¡¯t as fluid as I expected. Either she was really good at pretending not to possess the inhuman dexterity and predatory grace of a cultivator in the Refining Realm, or she was a lot weaker than I suspected originally.


    Did that mean she wasn¡¯t Jinshi¡¯s agent? But, if she wasn¡¯t, then how had she gotten her hands on both Eclipse and Razor Wind? The Sword Saint wouldn¡¯t have just given his prized swords to just anyone. If she wasn¡¯t affiliated with him, then she could only have stolen them, but even that seemed unlikely. Even if Eclipse was worthless and shattered, Razor Wind was not. That blade only answered to two people: me, and the Sword Saint himself. Though, at this point, I was willing to bet that my inclusion in that list had been revoked ages ago. It was an extremely intimate act to share authority over one¡¯s blade with another. Jinshi would certainly have removed my permission after my defeat.


    My eyes drifted back down to Eclipse, and my heart ached. Despite the fact that I¡¯d shared authority over Eclipse with Jinshi ages ago, the sword itself had always been disobedient and unruly with him. ¡°The blade is a reflection of the master,¡± he used to say. My lack of discipline made Eclipse a wild spirit, but his heart was in the right place. He just wanted to help, and it had destroyed him.


    ¡°Hey, do I know you from somewhere?¡± Kansi asked, breaking me out of my thoughts and making me jump.


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­probably not?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Then why do you keep staring at my swords?¡±


    Busted.

 Chapter 61 - Fox Fire

    They tried cleansing the town of the things once. The sect, venerable though they may be, sent a handful of iron...they gave up on cleansing the town within a week without catching even one of those vulpine menaces. Mark my words: trickster yokai are the worst and the worst of them are the foxes! Especially the females! -Messenger Lieng Zai off-duty


    *          *          *


    I tore my gaze from Kansi and the swords I knew so well, fixing them firmly on Tenri¡¯s boots so as to keep myself from looking at the woman. She was just so damn persistent, noticing every little detail.


    ¡°They¡¯re exquisitely crafted,¡± I answered. It was a reasonable excuse. Many cultivators wielded swords, and thus, would have an appreciation for good craftsmanship.


    Though, to say that Eclipse and Razor Wind had ¡°good craftsmanship¡± was something akin to saying the moon was just a big rock. Both blades were painstakingly forged in the fires of the ancient world and tempered by the qi of two ascendents. There were few weapons that could claim the same level of quality.


    ¡°They truly are,¡± Kansi agreed, laying a hand on Razor Wind¡¯s hilt. ¡°This one is made with the highest-grade snow steel you¡¯ve ever seen. You¡¯ll never find a sharper blade, nor one with a purer glare, than this one.¡± That was true on every count. What she didn¡¯t say, though, was that Razor Wind¡¯s blade had been honed to such a fine edge that, in the right hands, it could sever the nerves under someone¡¯s skin without drawing blood. She also didn¡¯t mention that the sword¡¯s qi glare was infused with so much wind qi that just drawing it from its sheath could create an incredible windstorm that could level a house¡­at least, in the right hands.


    Much like techniques, swords and other weapons were only as powerful as the one wielding them. Even legendary blades like Razor Wind and Eclipse would be little more than irritable bits of metal in the hands of a mortal. But in the hands of a master? They amplified and increased the wielder¡¯s power, drawing out their qi to enormous effect. In the hands of the cultivator who¡¯d forged the weapon, the effect was even more potent, as weapon and wielder became truly one.


    ¡°And the other?¡± I asked, as if I didn¡¯t know exactly what had gone into Eclipse¡¯s creation.


    ¡°This one, I¡¯m less familiar with,¡± she admitted. She hesitantly stroked the hilt, but there was no reaction from the blade. ¡°I¡¯ve never actually seen it drawn, but my master cared for it greatly. He said it was forged from lunar steel and threaded with a core made from a sliver of a dragon¡¯s horn.¡±


    It was bathed in moonlight for nearly two decades, during which time the only light it was touched by was that of the moon.


    A phantom pain from the nail that sealed me flared suddenly. She only had a vague description¡­meaning Jinshi hadn¡¯t told her everything about the blade. He was obsessed with weapons, both in their construction and their use. If he hadn¡¯t told her about Eclipse, then it meant he didn¡¯t care to¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible, must have been quite the cultivator to create such a weapon,¡± I answered.


    Kansi smiled at me. ¡°I¡¯m sure they were! I only wish I could have known them, but I¡¯m quite sure that my master only inherited the blade after their death.¡±


    ¡°A pity, to be certain.¡±


    My skin crawled with unease. Was she toying with me? Surely Jinshi would have told his disciple that she was hunting the very person who forged that blade in the first place.


    I shook my head, banishing doubt. Kansi Ren was dangerous. I would need to be exceptionally careful as long as she was around¡­which seemed more and more like it would be a while.


    *          *          *


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing he¡¯s paying us by the day,¡± Kansi muttered as we sat down around the campfire on the fifth day. ¡°There has to be a better way to get to Saikan.¡±


    Of course, she was right. This route took us weeks out of our way to Heimian before circling back to Saikan. We were five days into a 4-week journey, but we could have been halfway there by now if Master Feng hadn¡¯t been quite so paranoid.


    It had been five days of hell. Every night I slept with one eye open, confident that Kansi was about to stab me in the back, only for her to sleep quite soundly on any watch that wasn¡¯t hers to watch. It was like she was mocking me, just waiting for me to wear myself out before striking. There was nothing I could do but watch and wait for her to make her move¡­and avoid her as the moon waned ever closer to its darkest face.


    ¡°At least the rain has let up. I hope Xinya is alright,¡± Tenri grumbled. I nodded in agreement.


    All day, the rain had poured down on us in great sheets down on us. Thunder and lightning rumbled on the horizon, exactly the kind that Xinya had been looking forward to. She refused to come with us on our job, saying that she needed to focus on her advancement. The image of the little girl standing on the top of the lighthouse, daring the lightning to strike, filled me with an inexplicable pride and joy, even as I was quite certain she wasn¡¯t that stupid. At the same time, part of me was sad that I wasn¡¯t there. This job had a limited window of opportunity, and I desperately needed to see my sister, but that didn¡¯t mean that I felt good about leaving my disciple alone to reach Leaf on her own.


    Not that there was much I would be able to do if I were there. We¡¯d reviewed the lessons, she knew how to draw the qi in once it was available, and she knew how to fold it into her core. The rest she had to do on her own. She¡¯d been incredibly nonchalant about the prospect of having to do it all on her own, but I still wished I could have provided some kind of moral support. I was her master, after all.


    ¡°Is that your daughter?¡± Kansi asked. I shook my head.


    ¡°My disciple. She¡¯s trying to cultivate a core of lightning,¡± I explained. ¡°I, however, have extremely little experience with that, as a void artist.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tricky one to master, from what I understand,¡± she agreed. ¡°But I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine. Leaf isn¡¯t so bad. My master dangled me off a cliff by my ankle to get my first wind qi.¡± I snorted. That sounded like something Jinshi would do.


    Just then, a crate crashed to the ground, followed intense shouting.


    ¡°You fool of a child!¡± shouted Master Feng. ¡°That crate is worth more than your wages for ten years!¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir!¡± cried the apprentice who¡¯d clearly messed up.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite a charmer to his underlings,¡± Kansi noted, sarcasm thick in her voice.


    ¡°So, it would seem,¡± I mused. The sudden sound of a slap echoed through the clearing, and I fought the urge to jump to my feet and run to the child¡¯s defense. It would do no good if I were to interfere. The apprentice would still be punished, just at a different time, and likely far worse.


    ¡°Anyone else notice that the apprentices are all very young?¡± she continued.


    Tenri nodded. ¡°Master Feng has a reputation in the area for starting his apprentices young, supposedly so they can learn early.¡± He removed his glasses to clean them. ¡°Personally, I always figured it was because the older apprentices realized they could do better and left.¡±


    ¡°¡®The moon took one look at the world around him and saw none of the beauty he was promised,¡¯¡± Kansi recited, making me flinch. ¡°¡®The beautiful things soured in his mind, for they were only a mask to hide the ugliness of strife, starvation, and cruelty.¡¯¡±


    Of all the things, she had to start reciting passages from the Legend of the Darkened Moon? How subtle, I grumbled silently. Biting my lip to keep from snapping at her for her choice of phrase, I looked away.


    The shouting around us turned to screams, and suddenly one of the wagons was being consumed by a blue and silver fire that roared up to the heavens. The three of us leapt to our feet and rushed around the wagons to see the danger. There, in the middle of the circled wagons, was an enormous fox with five whipping tails. It screeched angrily, adding its voice to the chaos.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fox demon!¡± Kansi shouted. The mortals scurried away. Caravan guards dragged the apprentices back before the brilliant blue fires around the silver fox caught hold of them.


    This was no ordinary spirit beast. Its muzzle was just a hair too long and the fur was painted with red stripes. This was a full-blooded kitsune, and a fairly old one judging by the number of tails. Behind one ear, a purple striped flower was tied into its mane, displaying its allegiance for all to see.


    The fox howled, raising its muzzle. Overhead, a blue mote of fox fire grew until it was the size of a melon. The yokai flung its head and the mote flew towards one of the caravans.


    Kansi rushed to the defense. The third sword in her possession flashed from its sheath, slicing the mote cleanly in half with a gust of wind. The two halves dissipated into smoke and qi, and Kansi landed on the ground, ready to fight.


    ¡°Now this is more interesting,¡± she called with a grin. ¡°Almost makes the detour worth it!¡±


    I nocked an arrow to my string, but didn¡¯t draw it. We¡¯d heard a falling crate and Master Feng shouting, but the fox had appeared only after. Had it been stalking us? Waiting for the perfect distraction?


    My eyes drifted back to the flower woven into its mane. It was allied with Chouko, and I didn¡¯t want to hurt it.


    ¡°Back off,¡± I called to Kansi.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Master Feng was equally confused. ¡°What are you doing?! Killing yokai is your job! Protect my goods!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong,¡± I answered. ¡°Killing yokai isn¡¯t my job, protecting your caravan is.¡±


    I stepped forward, examining the fox as it growled at me. Moon qi shimmered around it, and I smiled. Leave it to a kitsune to fabricate an illusion to cause a ruckus. If the big, angry fox was just an illusion, then the real one was¡­


    Turning towards the wagons, I approached the one that was on fire. The horse was panicking, trying to break free of its harness while two of the older apprentices frantically tried to free it before the flames could reach its tail. I rushed over, dissolving the straps entirely before yanking the two apprentices out of the way as the horse charged off into the forest.


    ¡°Are you both alright?¡± I asked them. They nodded, scared out of their wits, but I didn¡¯t have time to soothe them at the moment. They gripped each other in fright, and I turned to the wagon. Crackling fire and smoke filled the air with heat, but it was the heat of moon qi which held no real bite. I peered through the flames, only to catch sight of a tiny silver tail darting through the goods.


    At the end of the day, kitsune are tricksters. Some have good motives, others wicked, but they almost always carry out their tasks with trickery and guile instead of a fight. Everything here was fake, from the enormous fox to the flames. What wasn¡¯t fake, was the yokai rifling through Master Feng¡¯s merchandise for things to steal.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I whispered in the yokai tongue, hopping into the burning wagon. ¡°I want to make a deal.¡±


    A chittering sound echoed from between the crates before three tiny fluffballs emerged to sit quietly before me. They were smaller than a real fox, only about the size of a housecat, and between them they had a total of ten tails: one with four, and two with three. They waved their tails around as they stared me down with big eyes.


    ¡°You speak our tongue!¡± said one.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit old, though,¡± said another.


    ¡°He speaks like Flower Friend, does!¡± completed the third. ¡°Old timey and accented!¡±


    They chittered together before the middle one spoke again. ¡°What deal do you make, Void Spirit?¡± I winced. Of course, masters of illusion would recognize a being outside its true form.


    ¡°I want you to send a message to your Flower Friend,¡± I said. ¡°What will that cost?¡±


    They chittered briefly amongst themselves. Though they were speaking the yokai tongue, there were many words interspersed through their speech that were meaningless to me. The language had morphed over time, it seemed. I¡¯d have to update my vocabulary.


    ¡°This cart,¡± they ultimately said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t have that, yet. I¡¯m supposed to be guarding it,¡± I pulled a small coin purse from my sleeve and tossed it to them. They sniffed it curiously. ¡°What if you take this, for now as payment.¡± They conferred again.


    ¡°We will bring the message, for this coin, and one good warning scratch on the gold keeper!¡± they insisted. ¡°He is wicked! Deserves every drop of blood we spill!¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not lethal...or life threatening,¡± I answered. They offered a paw, and I took it, letting qi flow briefly between us to seal the deal.


    ¡°What is the message?¡±


    ¡°Tell Chouko that her brother would like to talk to her, and that I¡¯ll be accompanying this caravan to Saikan whenever she wants to drop by.¡±


    They nodded. Then, with a puff of blue fire, they were gone. A moment later, the flames died down, but a terrified shout came from outside. I ducked out of the wagon to see three blurs of silver shredding Master Feng¡¯s right arm, the one with which he would write.


    As quickly as they arrived, the kitsune fled into the woods, and their illusion fox dissolved into smoke.


    ¡°You! You!¡± Feng shouted at me. I approached him.


    ¡°Master Feng, the goods are saved. With some repairs to the horse¡¯s harness, we can continue.¡±


    ¡°You let those little rats attack me! I¡¯ve been mortally wounded!¡± he hissed. I glanced at his arm. It was bleeding, but only barely. With a few bandages and a few days, he¡¯d be just fine. The kitsune had kept their word. They were not malevolent spirits, after all.


    ¡°They said it was a warning,¡± I said flatly. ¡°I don¡¯t think they like how you do business.¡±


    ¡°What should I care about some yokai rats?!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re foxes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Just¡­just¡­¡± I raised an eyebrow at the fuming man as he tried desperately to find the courage to criticize me further. ¡°Just get the crates stowed. We set out at first light and not a second later!¡±


    The rest of the caravan scrambled to prepare everything for the night¡¯s rest. Meanwhile, Kansi and Tenri joined me as I watched Master Feng distastefully.


    ¡°That was a clever deal,¡± Kansi noted. ¡°I¡¯ve never known fox spirits to be so hostile towards people.¡±


    ¡°It is strange,¡± I answered. They had acted on Chouko¡¯s behalf, as evidenced by her flower in their illusion. She wanted this man dead. For my sweet, little sister, praised as the purest spirit among the three Tsuyuki children, to want his blood so badly¡­I had to wonder what crimes he was guilty of.


    What kind of monster was I dealing with?

 Chapter 62 - Master Feng

    You can have all the power you would¡¯ve ever desired, but the Dao of Coin is legendary and can crush even the loftiest of gemstone artists. -Elder Bhan Zu of the Jade Scales Sect


    *          *          *


    The gates of Heimian came into view, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Even without a massive retainer of cultivators to guard the town, the odds of a caravan being attacked by yokai and shades within a town were unlikely¡­at least generally. I neglected to tell Master Feng about the recent occupation of Heimian by wicked spirit spiders at the command of their yokai matriarch. He¡¯d learn about it soon enough.


    Per standard precaution, one cultivator would need to remain with the caravan at all times. It was annoying, but at least, we were paid for it.


    ¡°Tsuyuki,¡± Master Feng called. ¡°You get to guard. After your little disappearing act, consider yourself lucky I don¡¯t dock your pay for desertion.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. He was still upset over the three days I¡¯d disappeared surrounding the new moon. I¡¯d excused myself, claiming that I saw the tracks of a potentially hostile oni and wanted to look into it before it caused harm to the caravan. Tenri supported my story, which was enough to convince Kansi Ren of its legitimacy, but such a paranoid man as Feng was not as easily swayed. When my chains had finally vanished with the return of the moon, I¡¯d returned to a fuming trade master who tried to verbally rake me over the coals for abandoning my post.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I needed him to find Chouko, I might have given him a piece of my mind. He might have been my current employer, but, if he thought I actually needed the money from this job, he was sorely mistaken.


    He wouldn¡¯t talk to a Prince this way, I found myself thinking bitterly. If he knew who I really was instead of just some wandering cultivator in search of his next bit of enlightenment, he wouldn¡¯t dare speak to me so rudely. Then again, if he knew who I really was, he might just pass out with fright, which didn¡¯t serve my goals. In the end, I shook my head and sat down on a nearby crate to observe the apprentices as they untethered the horses and brought them into the stables.


    ¡°Care for some company¡± I flinched as Kansi Ren sat down on the crate next to me. She laughed. ¡°Tenri¡¯s gone to find an inn. Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d sneak up on you, though. Feng¡¯s words bothering you that much?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m fine,¡± I answered. ¡°He could stand to be a bit more respectful, but I¡¯ve withstood worse.¡±


    She nodded and rolled her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s not worth the trouble of cracking his skull and getting-¡±


    ¡°And getting his stupidity on my hands,¡± I finished.


    ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t realize that was so common a phrase amongst wanderers,¡± Kansi mused. ¡°I just thought it was something my master said.¡±


    I bit my tongue to keep from cursing myself out loud. Habit had betrayed me, forcing me to slip up. It used to be one of Jinshi¡¯s favorite sayings, one he developed in our youth while dealing with a much more hot-headed Yoru than the one that currently existed. That Yoru was determined to pick a fight with everyone who disagreed with him, and it was only through Jinshi¡¯s ability to let the words of others slide over him like wind against a pillar that kept me from acting.


    Of course, that was the very early days of our relationship. Later, the phrase just became a joke. A small reminder not to worry about the insignificant. It was also the philosophy that ended up getting Chouko killed.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a saying,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°Lots of people know it.¡±


    Kansi nodded and we both continued watching the apprentices unload the more valuable goods from the wagons. The seven of them worked tirelessly, but they kept their heads down anytime Master Feng was near. I narrowed my eyes as I watched carefully.


    Since departing from Pemai, my opinion of Master Feng had dropped considerably. He was a bully, and his apprentices were his victims. Any time one of them slipped up in the slightest, he was there, ready with a slap and a tongue lashing. Though this was a different era with different ways, such treatment was not uncommon, even if it did leave a bad taste in my mouth. It was a vicious cycle where abused apprentices became abusive masters and believed it perfectly normal.


    One of the younger apprentices stumbled, the crate in her hands slipping forward. I nearly stood from my place, but Kansi put a hand on my arm. Pink and green qi, strong as the winds and just as invisible to the layman¡¯s eye, rushed across the path between us, stirring up a wind that supported the crate before the young girl could drop it.


    I settled back onto my perch. Kansi was right. Subtle interference was the way to help them. Her winds caused no fuss, but helped the little girl carry on with her task. Master Feng need not know just how close she¡¯d come to failure.


    There was little I could do that held that kind of subtlety, but that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t keep an eye out. Time and again, Kansi sent a brisk wind to support an apprentice or sweep a pebble out of one¡¯s path. However, we couldn¡¯t protect them from everything.


    ¡°How could this happen?¡± Master Feng¡¯s shout was heard far across the stable. ¡°You had one job! ONE! Count the coins, record the numbers. We¡¯ve been on the road the entire time. How could the numbers have changed?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know, sir. I must have m-miscounted,¡± muttered the apprentice, a stocky young man who seemed to be fifteen or sixteen. In another situation, he could have been a promising young artisan, plying a trade of woodcraft or masonry. Whatever put him on the path to becoming a merchant, he clearly had picked a path that brought him hardship.


    ¡°Miscounted?! I knew you were an idiot, but you¡¯re only paid to count! Five coppers might not mean much when they¡¯re numbers on a page, but we¡¯ll see how you feel when it¡¯s taken from your pay!¡±Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°He¡¯s really picking a fight over five coppers?¡± Kansi muttered. ¡°Even I don¡¯t make that kind of fuss, and I¡¯m all but broke.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s so upset over it, then he should count his own coin,¡± I agreed.


    For a tradesman, five coppers was a pittance. It wouldn¡¯t even cover the cost of a room for the night. Master Feng regularly dealt in goods that were easily sold for multiple silvers, not to mention his more valuable goods. Five coppers was little more than an accounting error, not even worth a thief¡¯s time to steal.


    Feng raised his hand and brought it down across the apprentice¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°I take it back, maybe he is worth getting his stupidity on my hands,¡± Kansi growled.


    ¡°Any attack from either of us would kill him outright,¡± I muttered bitterly. But then, an idea came to mind. It was risky but could potentially warn Feng away from his apprentices for a short while. I shook my sleeve, letting Chiho drop out. Then, I lowered my voice and instructed it. ¡°Keep hidden, but cause some trouble for the tradesman, will you?¡±


    The pin vibrated, but didn¡¯t move. I sighed. It was grumpy after several weeks in captivity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the nicest polish I can find,¡± I promised. It vibrated again, and I sighed. ¡°And you can do my hair however you like when we¡¯re free of Jinshi¡¯s huntress.¡±


    The pin thought hard about the proposition before trilling softly and darting away. I sat back on my perch and watched. Feng was still yelling, and he¡¯d taken the apprentice roughly by the arm and was ready to shove him to the ground.


    However, just as he did, a blast of jade wind qi gusted through the caravansary, rattling the wooden chimes hanging from the eaves. Every voice went quiet as the merchants looked around for an enemy or other ill omen. Finding none, Master Feng released the apprentice and went to slap him again¡­only this time, his foot seemed to mysteriously fall out from under him. He stumbled to the side before losing his balance and falling in a trough of water left out for the horses.


    ¡°I¡¯d be careful spewing more negativity, Master Feng,¡± I called, a hint of mockery in my tone. ¡°Your resentment might attract unwanted company of the spiritual variety.¡± The merchant paled and scrambled to his feet. After wiping his sopping hair from his face, he rushed back inside without another word.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Kansi praised. ¡°How did you summon the wind like that. You¡¯re no wind artist.¡±


    ¡°Me? I thought it was you,¡± I lied. ¡°You¡¯re the wind artist. I¡¯m just a simple practitioner of destruction.¡±


    ¡°So, you keep saying.¡± She sighed and stretched. ¡°But few artists learn the ways and language of the yokai enough to so simply strike a bargain with them. Few artists dare to hunt oni on their own.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t really hunting so much as making sure it wasn¡¯t coming our way,¡± I explained. ¡°Yokai are no different than cultivators. Everyone has their ticks and charms.¡±


    The oldest apprentice, a young man nearly 19 years old named Zhao Pu approached and bowed. ¡°Honored Masters, this humble one wishes to express his thanks for your assistance with this one¡¯s brothers and sisters. Your magnanimous spirit will surely be rewarded by fate.¡±


    ¡°Zhao Pu, can I ask you something without your master learning?¡± I asked. Zhao Pu never raised his head but spoke clearly.


    ¡°This one is but a lowly apprentice and is unworthy and incapable of deciding what should reach his master¡¯s ears or not.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no threat to him or the caravan,¡± I assured him.


    ¡°Then this one will accept Master¡¯s word. What can this one do for such a venerable master?¡±


    I cleared my throat. ¡°You and the other apprentices, why do you work for Master Feng?¡±


    ¡°Very direct of you,¡± Kansi chastised. I shrugged.


    ¡°There¡¯s no telling how long Feng will be away.¡±


    Zhao Pu bowed deeper. ¡°These apprentices are all grateful for the work Master Feng provides. He is generous and gives us knowledge and training that we may better ourselves and provide for our families.¡±


    ¡°How much does he pay you?¡±


    The apprentice didn¡¯t answer, but his brow furrowed as he stared firmly at the ground. The answer was clear enough. Regardless of the number, it wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°I see. Thank you for your time, Zhao Pu,¡± I said. He backed up several paces before finally rising and returning to his duties.


    ¡°They¡¯re trapped in a spider¡¯s web.¡±


    ¡°Funny you should use that analogy in this town of all places.¡± She turned her head in curiosity, and I smiled. ¡°Heimian is known for its spider problem.¡±


    *          *          *


    It was late in the night by the time Tenri came to relieve me from my watch. He would watch through the darkest hours of the night before Kansi would take over the dawn shift. The administrator gave me directions to the inn, as well as the key to his room. No point in getting an additional one if we were on opposite shifts for most of the night.


    I yawned as I made my way towards the inn. Kansi had left me several hours earlier, and in that time, I¡¯d busied myself with observing the area while on watch. The town had recovered fairly well. The spider silk that had draped from every eave like banners had been cleaned up, and the rumors said that a new administrator would be assigned soon. In time, Heimian would again be a happy town of hunters and loggers.


    ¡°Oh, Tsuyuki.¡±


    Why is she always around?! I thought furiously as Kansi trotted up from a side street.


    ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know what happened to the Wind Master¡¯s Temple here?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s¡­not good. The priests are gone, and it¡¯s been desecrated with blood and death. I was trying to clean some of it up, but I thought I should get some sleep before my watch.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t any harm in her knowing about my escapades on behalf of the local spirit bees and hornets. That was all common knowledge she could get from any civilian in town, so I told the story as I would any other: with just the right amount of dramatic flare.


    Kansi listened intently before answering. ¡°I see. Perhaps once my mission is complete, I¡¯ll have the chance to return and set the temple straight.¡±


    ¡°Your mission?¡± My mouth went dry.


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone on my master¡¯s behalf. It was his last wish that I find this person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. What sort of person is it? Maybe I¡¯ve¡­¡± My words trailed off, and I sneezed. Someone was watching us. I could feel their intent.


    ¡°You¡¯ve noticed them, too?¡± Kansi asked. ¡°Don¡¯t look. He¡¯s been following me from town to town since I was in Haishui, but he¡¯s not very good at it.¡±


    My mind drifted back to the black-cloaked cultivator watching Kansi in the Gold Tile Tavern in Pemai. Was he the one?


    ¡°What does he want?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, really,¡± she admitted. ¡°He hasn¡¯t bothered me, nor attacked, so I¡¯ve left him alone for now.¡±


    That was foolish. He could be anyone. Without knowing his motivations, Kansi could be leading him right to his goals.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she hummed as we turned another corner. ¡°His focus is less on me tonight. Perhaps he¡¯s trying to study you, now.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then it would be rude not to introduce myself,¡± I growled. ¡°How would you like to catch this mantis in a trap?¡±

 Chapter 63 - Stalker

    Summoners are a rather unique type of cultivator that rely on their metaphysical qi aspects to bind and call forth powerful creatures to fight in their stead. All serious summoners are usually incredibly weak for their advancement, and, in fact, quite unlikely to ever advance at any stage due to crippling requirements. But their strength is simple: they never fight alone. And woe to any who fail to realize that summoners necessarily must have a broad set of powerful abilities, even if non-combatant, to wield their craft.   -Advisor Len Lan of the Council of Moro


    *          *          *


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kansi rubbed the back of her neck with uncertainty. ¡°He hasn¡¯t bothered anyone.¡±


    ¡°And if he¡¯s just trying to find an opportunity to strike you down? Or worse, strike me down?¡± I countered. Kansi might not have been as powerful as I had worried she would be¡­though I still wasn¡¯t convinced I knew the full extent of her strength¡­but she was still definitely stronger than Iron. Furthermore, if she¡¯d studied under the Sword Saint, she had to be at least a hundred years old to have been alive at the same time as him. If the stalker was smart, then he wouldn¡¯t attack her, but he likely had no such qualms about hurting some random void artist who happened to cross his path.


    ¡°Are you always this paranoid in towns?¡± she nudged me playfully, but I only scowled back.


    ¡°Not just in towns,¡± I muttered. I was so tired of being around this woman. At least around Xinya, Tenri, and Hanako, I could be myself. My own little family who knew who I was and could forgive any eccentric behavior that was inherent to being as awesome as I am. With Kansi around, I felt as if my every behavior was under an appraiser¡¯s lens, and one wrong move would lead to my certain death.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you,¡± she continued, not altering course in the slightest to deal with the unwanted eyes on our backs. ¡°Your accent. It¡¯s from the Pearlescent Valley, no?¡±


    I froze. How had she¡­nobody ever said I still had an accent! Why didn¡¯t Tenri say anything? Or Xinya? The little girl studied me like a hawk studying her prey, finding every single detail about my knowledge and demeanor, and yet, she never once mentioned that I talk with an accent?!


    ¡°I¡­uh¡­worked quite hard to lose it,¡± I admitted, not sure what else to say. ¡°Haven¡¯t been back in years.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s cute. It comes out in the way you clip your shorter vowels,¡± she explained. She noticed my sullen expression and put a hand on my shoulder. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth though, it took me weeks to really notice. I don¡¯t think anyone else would know the difference.¡±


    How long was she going to drag out this charade? Surely, she knew that the person her master sent her to find was walking two feet to her left. I just wasn¡¯t a good enough actor, it seemed. For all the diplomatic skills I¡¯d developed as a ruler, it seemed I was a terrible actor.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s just get this stalker,¡± I said, shrugging off her hand and splitting off down a side alleyway.


    The plan was a simple one: split apart and make him choose who to follow, which was most likely to be Kansi. The lucky loner (me) would then follow at a distance to try and catch our stalker in the act. From there, the plan would likely devolve into combat where the two of us would quickly subdue our pursuer and interrogate him.


    I turned down an alleyway not far from the main square where I¡¯d fought the Spider Witch. However, no matter how many turns I made, the attention that crawled over the back of my neck never diminished. In fact, it only seemed to grow stronger.


    So much for being the lucky loner. I sighed. With his focus on me, there was no way I could draw him out of hiding without his notice, but I still wasn¡¯t sure if Kansi would actually help with my plan or not. All I could do was lure him to a nice, quiet corner and hope that she would be able to snatch him.


    Twisting and turning through a dozen identical alleyways, I found myself wishing that the Moon-Soaked Shore had more presence at night. Though the Pearlescent Valley was about as sleepy as sleepy towns went, the home I¡¯d built for myself in Half-Moon Hearth, the capital of my old kingdom, was a city that never slept. You could walk from one block to the next and pass a hundred people going about their business. If you wished to be hidden, all you had to do was slip in with the crowd and enjoy yourself.


    Even in Saikan, which was a thousand times livelier than Heimian, had only a few shopkeepers that kept their doors open after dark, and most of them sold goods and sundries for fisherfolk as they unloaded their daily haul. Even with my hair covered, as it always was at night to prevent it from reflecting the moon¡¯s light, I always felt like I stuck out after dark. Then again, everyone else did, too, being out so late.


    I wandered to the central square. Not a soul was in sight, which hardly surprised me. Heimian was recovering from an infestation of monstrous spiders that hunted primarily at night. Though there was no official curfew, everyone was still too frightened to venture out after dark, lest they become the unfortunate meal of a straggler.


    Here, the remnants of our battles with the Spider Witch remained. The cobblestones were cracked in places, the damage caused by giant spider limbs stabbing into the ground as their prey dodged away. However, much of the rubble had been cleaned up by the locals, which brought a small smile to my face. It was nice to see people recover from disaster.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A gust of wind, followed by the clanging of steel, echoed through the night air. I spun around just in time to catch a glimpse of Kansi chasing a dark figure out of the shadows of a darkened shop. I drew my bow, eager to join the fight to get this amateur stalker off my tail.


    Sure enough, this was clearly the same dark-cloaked man who was following Kansi back in Pemai. He must have trailed us at a distance, ensuring that he would arrive several hours after we did so he could pick up his surveillance again.


    The hostile cultivator spotted me approaching from the side and skidded to a halt. So far as I could see, he held no weapon, but tendrils of green qi seemed to silently wrap around his body, leaked by his core.


    He eyed us the way one might eye a pack of wild dogs closing in for the kill. Kansi held her weapon loosely in both hands, and I had an arrow nocked to the string. His eyes flicked between the two weapons, mentally calculating his odds of getting out of the situation without a fight.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I called. ¡°Why are you following us?¡±


    ¡°None of your business,¡± he snarled back.


    ¡°Given that you chose to follow me across half the city, I kind of think it is.¡±


    ¡°Then you would be mistaken.¡± The figure flicked his hands, drawing several qi sigils in the air before him. They shimmered with a mix of jade mist and crimson flames.


    As soon as he finished, the circle exploded in size. In an instant, it was nearly seven feet tall and filled with a swirling darkness that filled me with unease. However, the circle didn¡¯t unnerve me nearly as much as what stepped out of it.


    ¡°Oni! Watch out!¡± Kansi cried as the seven-foot ogre lunged at us. Its skin was red and covered with boils and scars. Its face was a grotesque image of jewelry, thick tusks, and horns that curled upward over greasy hair.


    The monster roared and brought down a wicked spiked club that cracked the ground where Kansi and I had been standing just a moment earlier. It growled in fury, and its eyes burned with fiery hatred. It lunged again, swinging its club in a deadly arc. I ducked before raising my bow and firing.


    The arrow buried itself in the oni¡¯s gut, and it grunted in pain before yanking the shaft from its body. I stared at the hole left behind. It seemed so small compared to such a large enemy.


    Kansi was up next. She darted forward, her sword low to the ground before she leapt up. Her blade sang as she swiped at the yokai¡¯s stomach. It cut deep, and the oni howled as it swung its club back around. Being a wind artist, she was difficult target to hit and had already shifted to the monster¡¯s back by the time the blow landed.


    Drawing the tip of her blade across the ground, she used a technique I recognized from the Heaven¡¯s Light Sect: Mist-bound Moonlight. Tiny pebbles and a spray of dust were launched at the back of the oni¡¯s head before Kansi turned the blade around and sliced down from above. Qi infused her blade with a potent glare that extended several inches from the blade itself and shone so bright that anyone with too low of an advancement would be forced to look away. The blade sliced down across the oni¡¯s back, the glare cutting just as sharply as the sword itself.


    The oni spun around to catch Kansi, but only found itself blinded by the residual dust left behind the attack. By the time it had cleared its vision, the wind artist had already retreated back to join me.


    ¡°That was quite the technique,¡± I praised.


    ¡°It was one of my master¡¯s favorites,¡± she answered. Of course, I already knew that, having been on the receiving end of Jinshi¡¯s Mist-bound Moonlight several times during practice spars. However, it did confirm for me that the Sword Saint¡¯s disciple was familiar with her master¡¯s sect arts, meaning I would have to be wary using my own versions of those techniques.


    ¡°My turn,¡± I said with a smile. The oni groaned and growled with pain, but it still gripped its club with a strength born of determination and hatred.


    I looked the oni up and down once. Every yokai had a weakness, and being one of the more common forms of monster, this oni was no exception. It was young, still bound to a form as grotesque as the resentment it bore in its soul. Elder oni often sought more beautiful forms to better hunt prey and mask their own hideous nature. However, no matter how old they were, they all had the same weakness: they were all incredibly vain and prideful.


    ¡°Hey! Ugly! I¡¯ve seen kittens that are stronger than you. Are a couple of scratches all it takes to bring down a mighty beast like you?¡± I shouted. ¡°Kansi, I don¡¯t know what we were worried about. This thing is nothing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him! He¡¯s just jealous of how amazing you are, Mo!¡± the stalker countered.


    At least he¡¯s smart enough to know the weaknesses of his own summon, I thought to myself.


    ¡°Why would I be jealous of this hideous ogre?¡±


    ¡°Not HIDEOUS!¡± shouted the oni, swinging its club with renewed fury. It lunged at me, overextending itself in the process and leaving itself open. I rolled under the spiked weapon, drawing three arrows from my quiver in the same motion. As I came back to my knees, I drew them back on the string, infused them with void mist, then fired.


    Two of them slammed into the oni¡¯s chest and shoulder while the third slammed into the creature¡¯s neck. Thick green blood oozed from the monster as it trembled and swayed on its feet.


    ¡°Mo!¡± shouted the stalker. A wave of green qi surged from the man, a completely contrasting image to the dark aesthetic he¡¯d chosen for himself. The cuts in the oni¡¯s flesh began to knit themselves back together as he wove vital life qi back into the monster.


    The qi was abruptly cut off as Kansi rested her sword against the cultivator¡¯s neck. ¡°I recommend you send this monster back to wherever it came from.¡± The coldness in her words made it quite clear that it was hardly a recommendation.


    The cultivator looked from me to the oni, then to the sword point in the corner of his vision. He sighed. With a snap of his fingers, the circular gate opened once more.


    ¡°I¡¯ll heal you better later,¡± he said to the oni. The monster hung its head and stepped back through the portal before it closed behind him.


    ¡°Now keep your hands where I can see them,¡± Kansi ordered. He nodded. I slung my bow over my back and approached the two.


    ¡°My compliments on your ability to manipulate an oni,¡± I told him. It was best to give respect where it was due. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll ask again. Who are you and why are you following us?¡±

 Chapter 64 - Mistakes

    One pest spared, another grows in spirit, the farm falls.  -Farmer¡¯s saying in the Taisi Fields


    *          *          *


    ¡°This Lian Liu greets his seniors and begs forgiveness for his rudeness in following them. His impudence is beyond measure for believing he was undetected,¡± the man didn¡¯t dare bow for fear of slicing his neck on Kansi¡¯s blade.


    I reached over and pulled Lian¡¯s hood down to reveal a gaunt face with skin as pale as porcelain. It seemed he wore the black cloak all the time. Not that I was one to judge, but when was the last time he¡¯d seen the sun?


    Based on the rest of his appearance, though, a question began to form in my mind. Was his pallid complexion his fault? His hair was cut short and stuck out in every direction on the left side of his head. The right side was shaved to the skin and featured a brand like a coiled chain burned into his skin.


    Is he a slave? I wondered. It was not unheard of for young cultivators to be owned by greater ones. In my day, many of my enemies among the lesser Ascendents followed such practices, fleshing out their armies with scores of lower ranked cultivators serving as enslaved infantry. They were treated as expendable cannon fodder.


    ¡°You¡¯re from the Chained Demon Sect,¡± Kansi noted, recognizing the brand. ¡°One of Lady Saraia¡¯s dogs.¡±


    ¡°The Sword Saint¡¯s prized disciple gives this one too much credit,¡± Lian countered, still wary of her blade. ¡°This one is far too lowly to be anything more than an ant to her Ladyship¡¯s radiance.¡±


    Saraia¡­I¡¯d heard that name only once before, but it was barely in passing. But, the way Kansi spit her name, she couldn¡¯t be friendly. However, it wasn¡¯t something I could ask without potentially revealing my identity. I kept my mouth shut, letting Kansi lead.


    ¡°And what would the Chained Demon Sect want with me. My master had no quarrel with you and yours.¡± Kansi¡¯s expression was dark as the night around us as she pressed the blade gently against the man¡¯s neck, just enough to remind him of the threat he was under without causing harm.


    Lian didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, he sighed. ¡°This one is on a mission for one of the Sect Elders and is not at liberty to share the details. Please accept my apologies.¡±


    Knowing who Lian was and who he worked for seemed to change Kansi¡¯s entire demeanor about him. She grabbed him by the back of his scarf before yanking him around and shoving him to the ground. Her sword was back at his throat in an instant.


    ¡°Why. Were. You. Following. Me?¡± she growled. Fear flashed in his dark eyes as he desperately tried to keep his composure under threat.


    ¡°I¡­I was¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡± He squeezed his eyes shut and words came tumbling from his mouth almost too quickly to hear. ¡°I wasn¡¯t after you! I would stand no chance against you! Just¡­just¡­I thought if I f-followed you, I¡¯d find what I¡¯m looking for!¡±


    My heart fell.


    This was the Moon-Soaked Shore. It was widely recognized as a backwater of cultivation where only those unfortunate enough to be born there actually lived. Even amongst the natives, anyone with any hopes of strong cultivation left to find more fertile lands with less corrupt qi. There were only two things to find in the Moon-Soaked Shore: moon qi, and me.


    The last thing I needed was another cultivator hunting me, especially if that cultivator worked for yet another Ascendent. At this rate, I would not live long enough to see Tenri to Silver. It was only a matter of time before Kansi realized who I was. Now I had to try to fool Lian as well.


    Kansi shot a glance at me. ¡°What do you think? He was following you as much as he was me.¡±


    ¡°Without knowing what he¡¯s searching for, it¡¯s difficult to say. I don¡¯t know the Chained Demon Sect,¡± I admitted, figuring it was more believable to be unaware of the sect¡¯s activities than those of this ¡°Lady Saraia.¡±


    ¡°The sect reports directly to one of the ¡®Three Gifts from Heaven,¡¯ Lady Saraia¡¯s most loyal followers, and they¡¯re known for solving their problems through less than honorable means,¡± she explained. Lian rolled his eyes.


    I rubbed the back of my neck. Kansi might have a negative opinion of the sect, but I did not. The Sword Saint was the most honorable person in my retinue. That included myself, given that my strongest techniques were founded on statistical analysis (gambling) and manipulating the odds (cheating). If Kansi followed the same ideologies as her master, then her idea of ¡°less than honorable¡± could mean anything from a simple misdirect to something more sinister.


    Yet¡­


    ¡°Let him go,¡± I answered. It was a decision that I was sure I¡¯d regret, but executing a prisoner was needless bloodshed. I had enough needless bloodshed in my past.


    Kansi sighed, then sheathed her sword so Lian could relax some. ¡°You better not follow us anymore. Complete your mission on your own.¡±


    ¡°Of course. This one thanks his esteemed seniors for their kindness,¡± Lian finished with a bow.


    ¡°Get lost, then.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Lian bowed again, then pulled his hood back up before retreating into the darkness. With the issue settled, and his eyes off my back, I pulled my hands into my sleeves and began the walk back to the inn. The night was getting chill.


    ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Kansi murmured as we walked together. ¡°The Chained Demon Sect are as wicked as the yokai they bind.¡±


    ¡°Yokai aren¡¯t inherently wicked,¡± I countered. ¡°Nor are people or cultivators.¡±


    ¡°For someone who was so eager to draw Lian Liu out of hiding, you¡¯re awfully comfortable with knowing a practitioner of darker arts is on our tails.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Cultivation is cultivation. Qi is qi. There is no such thing as dark or light, there is only the will of the heavens and those who seek to challenge it in their own way.¡±


    ¡°And what of the yokai?¡±


    I thought about the best way to answer her without telling her that I¡¯d lived among yokai for many years. ¡°Small minds are afraid of what they do not understand. Fear of those who are different is what led to children being executed in the Moon-Soaked Shore just for having the tiniest spark of moonlight.¡±


    Kansi went quiet, chewing silently on my words for the remainder of the journey. When we reached the inn, I asked a staff member to guide me to the room Tenri and I shared. Once I was safely inside and the door was shut behind me, I settled down on the bed. Tenri had used it, and the sheets were still ruffled, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask for another set. I was too weary with worry and fell completely asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.


    *          *          *


    Tenri and I walked wearily to the caravan in the morning. As we walked, I rubbed some polish into Chiho¡¯s jade feathers. Tenri had been nice enough to purchase some for me since my money had all gone to bribing the kitsune, and the last thing we wanted was an irate Chiho. The pin had done a good job in keeping the apprentices safe from harm, all while terrorizing Master Feng relentlessly into the wee hours of the morning. In my mind, it had done good work, and failing to reward good work would lead to that same terror being turned on us.


    ¡°Sorry I woke you up this morning,¡± Tenri muttered. ¡°I had a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°I am the last person to judge or complain about bad dreams,¡± I answered. ¡°As it happens, you woke me up from one of my own. I should be thanking you.¡±


    ¡°I dreamed that Saikan was swallowed by the sea before we got back,¡± he said, stretching his arms. ¡°Hanako and my mother would probably harass me for the details and call it an omen.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it. Dreams are just dreams.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, ¡®they can¡¯t hurt me?¡¯¡± He nudged me with a playful smile, but I shook my head.


    ¡°No, dreams can hurt you, but only if you let them.¡± That was the only way I¡¯d survived my imprisonment, after all. One does not live with constant nightmares conjured by an irate labyrinth with reality altering powers without finding a way to nullify the psychological damage. Most of the time, I woke up perfectly fine.


    I yawned, stretched, and finished rubbing the polish into Chiho. The pin vibrated happily before flitting around my head at a speed that was almost too fast to see. It tucked my hair into my usual blue and silver ribbon. By the time we turned the next corner and spotted the caravan preparing to depart, the little pin was already tucked away into my sleeve.


    To put myself into the mindset of a guardsman, I started by counting all the caravan members I could see as we approached. Seven apprentices, a dozen or so mundane mercenaries, two cultivators, and Master Feng. Everything was¡­


    I blinked. Two cultivators. Kansi was standing across from a dark-hooded figure, arms crossed and looking none too pleased by the turn of events. As soon as she spotted me approach, she brushed past the other figure and jogged over to me.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe this,¡± she began. ¡°That scheming little rat went to Master Feng and offered his services for the trip between Heimian and Saikan! For half the normal rate!¡±


    Lian approached much more calmly. ¡°I¡¯m not following you, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering,¡± he insisted. ¡°This one is not so foolish as to try and evade Master Kansi and her friends.¡±


    ¡°Then what exactly are you doing,¡± I growled. I knew I¡¯d regret the kindness and generosity that I¡¯d shown the night before. I just didn¡¯t realize how quickly it would come back to bite me.


    Tenri and I were here to speak with the Flower Maiden, a job that was already made difficult by the presence of Kansi. We were using Master Feng¡¯s caravan as bait to draw my sister out of hiding, but, with a cultivator of Kansi¡¯s caliber protecting the caravan, there was no guarantee she¡¯d risk it. With a second one, there was no way she¡¯d be foolish enough to attack now.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Saikan¡¯s been having trouble with shades and spirit beasts lately. I intend to offer my services while I gather information on my mission.¡± Though his face was once again covered by his scarf, I could hear his coy smile clearly in his words.


    I turned to Tenri who only shrugged. Even as Administrator, he didn¡¯t have any power to stop the cultivator from joining us if Master Feng had already agreed to his employment. In the end, all Kansi and I would be able to do was sulk.


    ¡°As long as neither you nor your mission are a threat to Saikan,¡± Tenri began, ¡°as Administrator, I would be more than happy to welcome you. We always have work for an eager cultivator. Can you swim?¡±


    ¡°Well enough. There were many rivers near my home,¡± he explained.


    The signal to move out was given, and the caravans began to move. The four of us walked together, none too eager to let Lian out of our sight.


    ¡°This is stupid,¡± Kansi hissed to me. ¡°We are walking alongside a tiger and hoping it won¡¯t bite!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we have much choice.¡±


    Tenri nodded. ¡°Keep your enemies close, I guess?¡±


    ¡°What are we whispering about?¡± Lian whispered, making all three of us jump in surprise. For someone who¡¯d been so bad at tailing us, he was surprisingly light-footed in a smaller setting.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Kansi said with a sigh.


    ¡°I see. That reminds me,¡± Lian turned to Tenri and I. ¡°I am familiar with Sword Disciple Kansi Ren, but I am not familiar with these two seniors. This Lian wishes to inquire as to your names?¡±


    ¡°I am called Tenri Lin. I¡¯m the Administrator of Saikan,¡± Tenri introduced.


    ¡°I see. Honorable Administrator, please accept my greetings. And yourself, Void Master?¡±


    I sighed and reminded myself that nobody in this age knew my given name. Only my titles had survived the test of time.


    ¡°I am Tsuyuki Yoru,¡± I introduced. ¡°Just a wandering cultivator helping out in Saikan.¡±


    ¡°Tsuyuki¡­Yoru¡­¡± Lian¡¯s words were contemplative enough to make my skin crawl. ¡°I see. What a unique name.¡±


    My blood froze in my veins. His eyes were visible through the scarf, and in them I saw satisfaction and excitement. Dread filled me and my mind began to panic.


    This Lian Liu¡­he knew my name. He knew who I was, which could only mean one thing.


    I was his mission.

 Chapter 65 - The Chained-Demon Disciple

    Hope, a lie. Joy, a trap. Satisfaction only in final death. Rage and hate and fight. Never stop, and you will find peace at the end of your path. ¨C Buzhun Tan, Sect Leader of the Broken Fates Sect


    *          *          *


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Tenri asked as I worked to light the fire for our evening camp.


    ¡°Believe it or not, sleeping with one eye open is more tiring than it looks,¡± I answered with equal parts frustration and exhaustion. If I¡¯d still been an Ascendent, I would have been able to go months without sleep. Now, as a mere Iron, my body was much more limited. For nearly ten days, I¡¯d slept only when Tenri was on watch, being too worried to relax any other time.


    Tenri put a hand on my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. You¡¯re welcome to sleep in our guest room if the company would put you at ease.¡±


    ¡°Can I sleep under your bed?¡± I countered. ¡°No one would ever expect me to sleep under the bed of a married couple with no children.¡± Tenri blinked once before he bit his lip in a poor attempt to stifle the laughter that threatened to escape him. It spilled out the dam of his mouth like an overfilled bucket, and his shoulders began to shake as he dissolved into a pleasant chuckle. I smiled sheepishly, glad, at least, that one of us was enjoying the situation.


    Kansi walked over, adding several larger branches to my pile of wood. ¡°He¡¯s doing strange things, again,¡± she said, nodding towards our unwanted guest.


    Lian Liu was going around the clearing, tacking talismans to every tree ¡°to form a protective array,¡± or so he claimed. Kansi, Tenri, and I had all investigated the talismans in question, but they lacked all the usual characters that would invoke protective qi. When Tenri had asked, as the least hostile of the three of us, Lian had claimed that the talismans were woven using the secrets of his sect. Though this answer would have been perfectly believable under normal circumstances, and even protected by the common understanding of all cultivators not to pry into another sect¡¯s secrets, I didn¡¯t buy it.


    I wanted to kick myself for choosing to trust him. I knew it would only cause me strife, and sure enough, it had. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Flash Back wouldn¡¯t shatter reality any further than an hour back, I would have gone back and made extra sure that he couldn¡¯t follow us.


    Dinner was tense, made even more so by the simplicity of the trail rations. Lian sat with us, and I edged closer to Tenri. Kansi glared daggers at the summoner, while he ate with cheerful gusto, pulling off his scarf to shovel down his rice with a smile on his face. No one shared his enthusiasm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the first watch,¡± Lian said, setting his chopsticks aside and standing. ¡°Make yourselves comfortable.¡±


    Kansi grudgingly unpacked her bedroll and laid down next to the fire. Tenri and I did the same, pulling my hair under my hat and laying the whole thing over my head in an effort to block out the light.


    ¡°Tsuyuki,¡± Lian called.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering, why do you wear a hat at night?¡± he asked, a playful grin across his face. ¡°Seems to me like such a thing would be more useful during the daytime, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    My eyebrow twitched uncomfortably, and I settled down without another word. From his tone, he already knew the answer. I was also quite sure that he already knew that I knew that he knew the answer. He was toying with me, and I was not a fan of it.


    I settled down and pretended to sleep. If prior nights were anything to go by, then Lian would take the first watch, I¡¯d take the second, and Tenri would take the third. That meant I had a few hours to gather my thoughts before I¡¯d be blissfully alone again.


    Lian was up and around for much of his watch, which wasn¡¯t a problem. He shuffled around the camp, checking on his talisman barrier before returning to his seat. Only once his time was over did he approach me and shake my shoulder.


    ¡°Time to switch,¡± he said. I nodded and roused myself the rest of the way, careful to keep my hair tied up under my hat.


    The camp was well lit by several fires and the light of the moon above. I nodded my greeting to the mercenaries who also took second watch. They nodded back, and I walked briefly around the camp to wake myself up fully.


    Everything seemed normal. The night was quiet. The insects chirped in the forest beyond our firelight. Even an owl screeched in the distance.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do a quick patrol,¡± I told the other watchmen. They nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything, which wasn¡¯t surprising. As mortals, there was an inherent social and spiritual gap between them and myself. The mercenaries kept to themselves, and the four of us cultivators left them to their jobs. It was a nice system, albeit one that left me with few friends besides Tenri himself.


    As part of my usual procedure, I first walked the edge of the camp, looking for signs of disturbance that might show an attack or ambush. Starting by the cultivator campfire, I found nothing during my circuit before ending back where I started. From there, I stretched, then went to check the forest beyond.


    The talismans flared with bright green qi, and I smacked right into a wall of pure qi. I stumbled back, but the attack was already in progress. Green qi washed over me, visible only to the sight of a cultivator. It dug into my body, trying to crawl across my skin like too many snakes. I tried to resist, but it seeped past the qi of my defenses and infiltrated my body.


    Without warning, I couldn¡¯t breathe, and I could only watch in horror as my skin turned sickeningly pale and my nails turned to dark claws. My head ached with a sudden pain as horns forced themselves from my hairline. I knew enough to know the rest of the changes. My mouth filled with fangs, my eyes turned a savage, piercing blue, and my hair grew darker, seeping with the black mist of the void. Finally, to complete my cursed visage, the lunar steel chains wrapped around three of my limbs. Only once the cursed band around my left ankle was rendered visible by void mist ripping at my boots was I finally able to gasp in the cool night air once more.


    ¡°I knew I¡¯d get there eventually.¡± Lian was standing, watching from the side as my transformation into Void-Touched was completed. I glared at him, ready to split his skull, should the need arise. ¡°Ooh, such hostility,¡± he mused. ¡°I guess I should expect as much, though, given who you are.¡±


    ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± I growled. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to anyone since returning.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? What a pity,¡± Lian muttered. ¡°I actually already have what I want.¡± He stepped towards a tree and pulled the talisman from the bark. ¡°I know what you are, now, and how to contain you.¡± He tucked the talisman into his lapel. ¡°It took many nights, iteration after iteration. I thought you were yokai, at first, you know. Imagine my shock when you turned out to be neither yokai nor shade.¡±


    ¡°If you ever thought I was a shade, then you need your eyes checked. I¡¯m quite corporeal.¡±


    ¡°Actually, you¡¯re not. Not really.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re a spirit, which means at the end of the day, you¡¯re just a ball of qi pretending to be a man. If you¡¯ve managed to even fool yourself, then you¡¯re just limiting your own abilities.¡±


    A growl grew in the back of my throat. I really wasn¡¯t sure what to make of his analysis. He knew his entity classifications, that was certain. In addition to yokai, shades, and spirit beasts, there was a fourth category of being known as spirits, beings so closely bound to a type of qi or an aspect of nature that their entire being burst with it. Fire sprites, nymphs, storm spirits were all examples, however, most people and even most cultivators never learned about spirits. They were most often mistaken for yokai or shades, but tactics that worked on one would not necessarily work on the other.


    ¡°You know, I almost didn¡¯t believe it when you told me your name,¡± Lian continued. ¡°But, now that I¡¯ve seen you like this, there can be no mistake.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to try and chain me up? Put me back in the Labyrinth?¡± I asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°No, that would be a waste of your potential. I have much greater plans, but first I want to ask. What happened to you that you¡¯ve been weakened to the point of a mere Iron?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t know about the connection between me and Tenri, I realized. Given his powers, and the very name of his sect, I was worried he¡¯d be able to recognize the bindings that entwined my fate and Tenri¡¯s. The wood artist was my one critical weakness. Kill him, and I¡¯d be doomed alongside.


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± I growled.


    ¡°Because I might be able to help you return to your former glory.¡±


    Silence reigned between us as my mind whirled. I couldn¡¯t trust him. I didn¡¯t know anything about him, and yet, he knew one of my greatest secrets. And yet¡­


    I could make a difference again¡­ Memories of my kingdom danced through my mind. Building a haven for humans and yokai alike in Half-Moon Hearth, protecting millions of people from harm at the hands of other Ascendents¡­never once had I considered that someone would actually want to help me instead of put me away.


    But¡­did I deserve it? Power was something only the responsible should have. I was not worthy of leading a nation again. I couldn¡¯t be trusted not to abuse that power to harm the innocent, no matter how good my intentions.


    ¡°How would yo-¡± I was interrupted by a shout.


    ¡°Ghost wisps!?¡± one of the mercenaries shouted. ¡°We¡¯re under attack! We¡¯re under a-Aarraghaahhhh¡±


    I whirled around to see the source of the scream. The mercenaries ran in every direction, their eyes firmly shut as they fled from a transparent woman who couldn¡¯t have been far out of her teenage years. Her hair was left down, but the flowers woven between the strands gave her the ethereal majesty of a fairy princess¡­an image that was firmly ruined by the bleeding corpse at her feet.


    ¡°Oh, another legend graces us this evening,¡± Lian Liu mused.


    The camp was suddenly in an uproar. Three blurs of silver fur raced through the underbrush, and I had no doubt they were the kitsune I¡¯d met previously. Along with them were a dozen snow-white rabbits that I recognized as the guardians of the Flower Maiden¡¯s shrine. They darted between the mercenaries¡¯ feet, causing them to trip and stumble into one another.


    The defenders reached for their weapons, only to find bowstrings had been chewed through and sword hilts had been covered in sticky slime. Apparently, after my patrol, the foxes had been busy causing havoc.


    ¡°Guard the caravan! We¡¯ll take care of the shade!¡± Kansi¡¯s shout rang clear through the night, and the guards were immediately rallied. They retreated to the wagons as the Sword Saint¡¯s disciple drew her blade and swept it in a wide arc.

 Chapter 66 - Kansi Vs. the Flower Maiden

    Wind and Star, easy. Some will say it¡¯s worse to go against a good moon artist, but, at the end of the day, you can still punch most illusions away. A wind artist? Can¡¯t land the punch. Star? I was never fated to land a hit. It¡¯s bullshit. -Sect Disciple Pan Lu of the Thundering Earth Sect


    *          *          *


    Wind blasted outwards, slamming into both me and the Flower Maiden. I stumbled back a step, but Chouko didn¡¯t seem phased. She only turned and glared at the wind artist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at them directly!¡± Tenri shouted. ¡°They¡¯ll curse you!¡± Kansi immediately closed her eyes.


    ¡°How am I supposed to fight them if I can¡¯t see them?¡± she shouted back. ¡°And where is Tsuyuki? Wasn¡¯t it his watch?¡±


    My eyes met Tenri¡¯s. His eyes asked the obvious question: ¡°Why are you in that form right now?¡± I just shrugged. It would take too long to explain that I¡¯d fallen for Lian¡¯s trap, and I didn¡¯t understand the techniques behind it anyway. I had no good excuse, and neither did he.


    ¡°I saw Tsuyuki get knocked out in the woods!¡± Lian lied. ¡°I was just checking on him when I came back to the attack!¡±


    Why did you cover for me?


    ¡°We¡¯ll go back for him later,¡± Kansi said. ¡°For now, Tenri! What curses do they use?¡±


    ¡°The¡­uh¡­the Chain-bound Fury can curse you with never ending misfortune, and the Flower Maiden can bewitch you,¡± he explained, drawing his sword.


    ¡°How lucky for us.¡±


    Chouko stepped forward, her passage barely rustling the grass beneath her, yet it was still enough for Kansi to sense. Her sword flashed, and I found myself running to my sister¡¯s aid before I even realized it.


    Lunar blades sprang from the ground before Chouko, slowing the blade enough for my sister to dodge easily out of the way. As she dodged, she drew a line of stars behind her, forming into an intricate constellation that I recognized as the savage tiger. Immediately, Chouko¡¯s hands turned to claws, not unlike my own, and she lunged at Kansi.


    The two women quickly became embroiled in a vicious battle. Claws cut through cloth, and Kansi¡¯s blade cut through the shade¡¯s qi. I was nowhere near Kansi¡¯s equal in advancement and fighting her only increased the odds that she¡¯d figure out that I wasn¡¯t actually a shade.


    But¡­I couldn¡¯t leave Chouko to fight the battle alone.


    I flung my bow and hat to the side. Those were the tools of the cultivator who just got ¡°knocked out in the woods,¡± not one of the Shades of the Shore. Instead, I pooled my lunar power into my hands, molding it into a weapon of pure qi. A sword of brilliant Voidlight, tinted with its bluish color, sprang into being just in time for me to swipe downward at Kansi.


    The Sword Saint¡¯s disciple raised her sword to parry. With her strength, she shoved me back, giving herself enough room to lunge at me. Chouko leapt at her from behind, slicing her claws at Kansi¡¯s legs. Kansi pulled back her attack, spinning to the side to avoid the second strike. She was incredibly fast.


    ¡°You use the Sword Saint¡¯s footwork,¡± Chouko said, her voice as soft as if she were speaking about the beauty of a cool summer¡¯s day. ¡°Would that make you his disciple?¡±


    ¡°What is it to you?¡± Kansi growled.


    ¡°The General was my martial cousin. We shared pointers many times, and he was a dear friend,¡± Chouko answered. ¡°Your techniques are stunted and without flow. You are not truly one with the wind you wield.¡±


    ¡°You were his martial cousin?¡± the disciple breathed.


    ¡°Why so surprised? He had to learn from somewhere.¡±


    Kansi lowered her head and bit her lip, but never opened her eyes. ¡°I never even knew his real name, let alone anything about his past beyond the legends I learned from others.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t believe anything you hear in legends,¡± Chouko said with an amused huff. ¡°The legends don¡¯t even mention me, yet I assure you that I was a critical character in the Legend of the Darkened Moon.¡±


    I winced, but Chouko gave me a warm smile. It banished all the dark thoughts in my mind, replacing them with wholesome memories of our childhood. It had been thousands of years since I¡¯d seen that smile.


    ¡°Then, this disciple would welcome your wisdom at another time,¡± Kansi asked. ¡°I¡¯m on a mission for my master with no guidance and no leads. As one who knew him, maybe you can point me true.¡±


    Chouko shook her head. ¡°I have only one goal here, today. Feng Laoxi will die by my hands.¡±


    ¡°Then it seems I shall have to seek aid from another. Perhaps the Fury is willing to share. He is the Darkened Moon¡¯s right hand, is he not?¡± Kansi asked, turning towards the sound of my clinking chains.


    ¡°False,¡± I growled.


    ¡°A pity. It seems I must carry out my duty to my employer. Tenri, Lian, would you care to join me?¡±


    ¡°As the local yokai expert, I think I¡¯ll take the kitsune,¡± Lian said.


    Tenri came up to Kansi¡¯s side, his sword raised to both Chouko and myself. However, his eyes were open and fixed on me. He shrugged, unsure of what action to take. I smiled back before leaning over to Chouko to whisper in the language of the yokai.


    ¡°The wood artist is friendly. Please don¡¯t hurt him too much,¡± I told her.


    ¡°That one is known to me. The children who have died under his tenure as administrator are also known to me,¡± she growled back. ¡°Why do you think I attacked you both when I saw you in the woods months ago.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°He regrets it, I promise. He didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± I argued. ¡°As soon as he stood any chance against the Lunar Hunt, he took action. Xinya is safe because of him.¡±


    Chouko seemed to mull this over for several long moments, biting her lip in frustration. Eventually, she settled her expression and returned to the same determined serenity that I was used to.


    ¡°Fine.¡± She continued speaking in the common tongue of the Shore. ¡°You, Administrator.¡± His eyes flicked to her for the briefest moment, but it was enough. Qi flashed in an explosion of ghostly starlight, and ten of the ghostly wisps settled onto Tenri¡¯s shoulders. His eyes glazed over, and his posture shifted. ¡°There, brother, does this please you?¡±


    I bit my lip to keep from laughing but nodded all the same. In the blink of an eye, she¡¯d bewitched Tenri.


    ¡°Tenri?¡± Kansi asked, sensing the new hostility from her ally.


    ¡°I¡­must¡­protect my¡­friend,¡± Tenri muttered, as if talking in his sleep.


    Then he lunged at her with his sword. Kansi parried the blow, only for Chouko to force her to dodge back or be sliced by wicked claws. I followed up behind, flinging the trailing ends of my chains at the cultivator. None of us wanted to cause lasting damage to her. After all, she was mine and Chouko¡¯s martial niece. We¡¯d be dishonoring Jinshi¡¯s legacy by causing her serious harm.


    ¡°Master Feng!¡± Kansi called as she ducked under my chain attack. ¡°We should really consider retreating!¡±


    ¡°As if I would let the murderer retreat!¡± Chouko hissed. Another trail of stars formed behind her, and she disappeared. Her wisps darted around Kansi like a swarm of mosquitoes, stinging and whipping around her.


    Chouko reappeared at the head of the caravan, just where Master Feng and some mercenaries were fending off five of the spirit rabbit guardians. They had blood in their eyes and were gnashing their teeth in a very un-rabbit-like way. The mercenaries did their best to keep them off, but, at the end of the day, they were mere mortals.


    ¡°Get away, you wretched witch!¡± Feng shouted. ¡°Quickly, get those wagons moving!¡±


    But one of the wagons in question had burst into fox fire. Apprentices screamed as the illusory heat consumed the goods and spooked the horses. Master Feng¡¯s face contorted into a frustrated grimace as he lunged at the wagon, abandoning his guards all together. As soon as he reached it, he threw the young apprentice off the wagon and seized the reigns.


    ¡°Worthless urchin,¡± he growled. ¡°Hya!¡± The reigns snapped against the horse¡¯s back and the creature lunged forward. ¡°Move out! Everyone, move!¡±


    ¡°But what about Meng Yi?¡± called Zhao Pu shouted, gesturing to the boy that was tossed aside.


    ¡°Forget about him! The goods are more important! Leave him for the shades!¡±


    I was shocked. I knew Master Feng was cruel, but to leave a child behind to be ripped apart by two powerful shades and their yokai companions? That was a new low even for him. Chouko seethed.


    ¡°You see what you protect, disciple of the Sword Saint?¡± she shouted. ¡°You protect a monster! A child murderer!¡±


    Rather than respond, Kansi ran towards the child in question. With the lightness of the wind itself, she sprinted across the clearing, scooped the child into her arms and tossed him gently onto the driver¡¯s seat of another wagon before turning to stand her ground against her enemies.


    ¡°He may be awful, but those children are in harm¡¯s way from your attack!¡± Kansi shouted back. ¡°Free Administrator Tenri, present him the proof, and let the laws sort it out!¡± Chouko trembled in rage as her quarry was getting away, but Kansi was not deterred. ¡°You have my word. On my Master¡¯s name, I will detain him in Saikan to wait for Administrator Tenri¡¯s judgement.¡±


    Chouko stepped forward, seemingly unconvinced, but I reached out, grabbing her hand in mine. Though she was a shade, and her body ghostly and transparent, I could still touch her with my qi. Given the form I was in, my body was so replete with void qi that she was completely solid to me.


    ¡°She is Jinshi¡¯s disciple,¡± I reminded her. My sister¡¯s ghostly eyes met mine, and I held her gaze for a long time. Eventually, she sighed and relaxed.


    ¡°On your Master¡¯s name then,¡± Chouko agreed. ¡°I shall release the Administrator. Proceed to Saikan. He will be a few days behind you.¡±


    ¡°And what of Tsuyuki Yoru? He was attacked in the woods,¡± Kansi asked. Chouko glanced at me and raised an eyebrow.


    I took the liberty of answering for her. ¡°I shall return the void artist once the Administrator sees the evidence,¡± I promised.


    Kansi nodded. ¡°Then I shall trust you and the bond you shared with my Master.¡± Then she turned and raced after the caravan.


    We watched as the last of the wagons disappeared into the trees, and soon, even the sound of them faded. Once they were fully gone, Chouko darted towards me, and I suddenly found myself with her arms wrapped around my waist.


    ¡°I missed you, Yoru,¡± she said sweetly, as if she hadn¡¯t just fought a vicious battle.


    ¡°You say that like we haven¡¯t met at all since I got out of the Labyrinth.¡± I placed a hand on her head, holding her close. She was cold to the touch, her qi frozen in death, but I didn¡¯t care. The last time I¡¯d held her at all, had been when she died in my arms.


    Chouko pulled back and scowled at me. ¡°Yes, the one time where you squeezed your eyes shut and refused to see me, and the other where you called out for Aya instead of me!¡±


    I winced. ¡°Sorry, sorry! I didn¡¯t know it was you! How are you even here, anyway? It¡¯s been so long.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± she answered simply. ¡°The real you.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s ¡®we?¡¯¡±


    Chouko ticked off on her fingers, ¡°There¡¯s me, the Flower Maiden. Aya¡¯s the Blood-Soaked Bride, and Reili is the Two-faced Serpent. Our spirits latched onto the abundance of your qi bleeding onto the Shore and used it to sustain ourselves while we wait.¡±


    Learning that my sisters both were unable to rest in peace was troubling, but what was more so was that they¡¯d chosen to keep the company of the third person Chouko had mentioned. I flinched at the name: ¡°Reili.¡±


    Whispers surged in the back of my thoughts, the temptation of the blackness of the void. Chief among them was the Hated One¡¯s wicked words. She cooed and whispered.


    I heard my name, Yoru. Did you miss me?


    Shi Reili¡­the Void-touched Ascendent, Herald of the World Beyond our Star. If Jinshi had been my right hand, then Reili had been my left. I might have been the face that people looked up to, but she was the manager behind the scenes, my highest minister and most trusted advisor¡­until she lied to me and betrayed me. It was her fault I was turned into a monster, her fault I was driven to madness and genocide.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t speak that name.¡± My voice trembled as I bitterly fought back against the voices.


    ¡°Yoru,¡± Chouko murmured. The cold touch of her hand rested upon my cheek, brushing away tears I hadn¡¯t noticed were there. ¡°She said you might be experiencing some unforeseen hallucinations. Voices, and such. Just, focus on me. I¡¯m right here.¡±


    She pulled my head to her chest and began stroking the top of my head, just like she would do when she was alive. Then, I would have listened to her heartbeat whenever I was upset or overwhelmed with the demands of being a ruler. Though her heart didn¡¯t beat, I still found comfort in the memories it brought back to the surface. Slowly, the voices retreated back to manageable white noise.


    Verdant wood qi flashed nearby, and Tenri gasped in shock.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he said, looking around. ¡°Where did everybody go?¡±


    ¡°The battle is over,¡± Chouko explained. ¡°I thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Cooperation? You charmed me!¡± he fumed. Though I couldn¡¯t see her reaction, I was certain she rolled her eyes and continued comforting me.


    Chouko apprised Tenri of the deal struck between her and Kansi regarding Master Feng. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to assist me in this and one other matter, then I will consider your crimes forgiven, since my brother vouches for you so strongly.¡±


    ¡°Another matter? What other matter?¡± Tenri asked.


    She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s the Chain-Bound Fury. The real one has been spotted near here. Only you and my brother can defeat it.¡±

 Chapter 67 - Tame the Storm

    The hardest step in cultivation is always the next one, whatever it may be. Even the greatest of Masters started the same way we all did: as a Leaf. -Elder Lin of the Aiku School for the Young


    * * *


    Xinya¡¯s body twitched and spasmed painfully. Even in her fevered slumber, she could feel the lightning coursing through her veins, threatening to overwhelm her with its vigor and heat. Still, she gritted her teeth, fighting through the storm boiling inside her body, to tame the tempest that would become the foundation of her strength.


    It was hard. So, so hard.


    She had no idea how much time had passed since the storm where she¡¯d sprinted up the lighthouse stairs to catch the best, purest bolt of lightning she could find. Uncle Yoru might have told her to catch the lightning on the ground, but how could she become a great cultivator without the best foundation? To that end, she¡¯d waited for the perfect opportunity. High in the air, the qi was purer, she was sure of it. Several bolts had struck around her as she studied them, measuring their worth, and when the biggest bolt of them all had amassed its strength above her head, she struck.


    So much lightning had coursed through her that she¡¯d felt her bones burning, but she did not give up. She tamed that lightning, drawing it into fresh meridians alongside as much moonlight as she could pull from the lunar tears in the lighthouse lantern. A roaring mix of violent qi roiled and churned inside her, coursing along meridians that were not quite enough to contain it before reaching her core, which was where a whole other problem had arisen.


    Xinya had thought she¡¯d been prepared for any outcome. She¡¯d spent weeks with Uncle Yoru learning the theory and practicing the mental discipline required to control qi, all before ever laying a finger on the spiritual energy around her. They¡¯d gone through every scenario, and, though he couldn¡¯t be there with her for the final stretch, Xinya had taken even more steps to ensure her own success. Hanako had been kind enough to consult with her, answering every question she had about the make up of her own internal organs to make sure she didn¡¯t accidentally fry herself. Through this, she learned that the heart, the place she¡¯d decided to place her core, was extremely delicate. One wrong move, one misdirected thread of qi, and she could kill herself by accident.


    What had made sense to her weeks ago had put her in a precarious situation. The lightning had been so brilliant, so potent and pure, that her core pulsed with more qi than she knew what to do with. She had to fight with all her mental willpower to contain it, lest a rogue thread disrupt the delicate rhythm of her own heart. It was for this reason that she¡¯d been doing everything she could to direct that surplus power away. Letting it ravage her bones and blood instead of blistering her core and stopping her heart in the same moment.


    Tension wore her muscles weary as she devoted everything, day and night, to the fight. She rallied the moonlight, that reflective power that dictated the very fabric of reality, and she went to war against herself. The moon was her shield, and the lightning would be her blade. Without both, she could not carve the world she wanted.


    The Light is my shield¡­ The Light is my shield¡­ The words of wisdom her mentor left for her repeated in her mind, protecting her as she fought to contain and burn off the lightning. Every ounce of lightning she caught tearing through her, she mixed with malleable moonlight before discharging it from her. Over and over she repeated the process. Gather, mix, release. Gather, mix, release, until she finally lost the battle against exhaustion and fell into dark nothingness.


    * * *


    ¡°Tailyn, Tailyn, Tailyn, look! She¡¯s smiling!¡± the woman¡¯s voice was so far, so distant, that Xinya could barely hear it. She thought there might have been the sound of a babbling baby and maybe a small toy drum, but they all mixed together into a mess of sounds that rendered any response completely inaudible. But, when the woman laughed, it was so crystal clear that Xinya was sure it was real.


    ¡°Look at her,¡± she continued. ¡°She¡¯s going to grow up big and strong, just you see! Lightning fever won¡¯t stop her. My Xinya will become the best cultivator in the land.¡±


    Mom? Xinya wondered as the sounds started to fade away again. She never knew her mother, not really. Seven years had passed since she¡¯d left to fight the Tide Serpent that dwelt in the cracks and crags below the northern reefs. Seven years since she¡¯d failed to return. Xinya had only been an infant at the time, left with a family friend while her parents fought to return home to her. In the end, only her father had made it home alive.


    Since then, she had only the stories of Reixin¡¯s bravery to keep the flame of memory alive. She couldn¡¯t even remember her mother¡¯s family name, since her father had refused to put it on the cenotaph erected in place of a proper grave. Hearing her voice, even in the depths of a dormant memory, was worth more than words could describe.


    As the voice faded away, it was replaced with another, but this was not the tone of a loving mother. It was stricter, harsher, and yet Xinya felt as if there was a note of familial concern that lay beneath.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time, are you ready?¡± The memory was fragmented, as if Xinya were listening to it through a closed door. Bits and pieces fell through the cracks, but curiosity forced her to cling to whatever bits she could manage. Someone was answering the strict woman, and she then answered in turn. Then, there was the sound of something moving, gears turning and metal scraping. Then, it cleared up again.


    ¡°It may be easier if you closed your eyes,¡± the woman muttered. ¡°Just relax. You¡¯re in good hands.¡±


    ¡°I know. You know I trust you implicitly.¡±


    Uncle Yoru? The voice that responded to the woman was unmistakably his. There was no one else who could speak with such confidence, despite his voice cracking with fear. But, who was he with? When did this happen?


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let me play with your cultivation like this if you didn¡¯t. I appreciate your faith.¡±


    The memory ended with a strangled groaning that must have been Yoru. But, soon it was faded and gone, and Xinya was left confused and alone. Uncle Yoru had only been around for a few months, and in that time, Xinya was quite certain that no such conversation had ever taken place. She didn¡¯t know the woman, didn¡¯t know what she was doing to her mentor.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    He trusted her completely. She must be important. But, Xinya couldn¡¯t devote any further thought to it. The strangled cries of pain and hushed reassurance were replaced with a softer voice humming a melody. It pulled at Xinya¡¯s focus, and she lacked the energy to fight it. It pulled her away from the thoughts and the questions, wrapping her in a warm blanket of comfort that soothed her down to her very soul.


    For the first time in what must have been weeks, Xinya felt her muscles relax from their lightning-ravaged tension, and her mind was flooded with pure bliss. The pain in her dulled as warmth filled her and wrapped around her.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay, love. The worst of it has passed.¡± This voice, Xinya knew without a doubt. It was the most comforting voice a woman could have as far as the little girl was concerned.


    Hanako was looking after her. If her Auntie said it was going to be okay, then she had no reason to argue. Instead, she stopped resisting, stopped fighting, and let herself be taken away by Hanako¡¯s song.


    * * *


    The smell of soup reached Xinya¡¯s nose, and she was beyond hungry. She felt like she might pass out again from sheer hunger any moment. More than sleep, more than rest or recovery, she needed food. It was her topmost priority.


    Carefully, she rolled herself off the little bed that Uncle Lin had brought down to the spare room when she and Yoru had been staying with him, Hanako, his jolly father, and hateful mother. Her muscles ached with the stiffness of overuse, the moment she tried to stand, and it took her several tries to get her feet under her without their protest. In the end, she forced herself to shuffle along the wall as she carefully supported herself to the door.


    ¡°Xinya?¡± Hanako exclaimed as she leapt up from the family table to rush to the little girl¡¯s side. ¡°What are you doing up?!¡±


    ¡°Hungry,¡± she answered softly. Hanako threaded her hands under the little girl¡¯s arms to support her.


    ¡°You should be in bed. I¡¯ll bring your meal to you,¡± she insisted, trying to turn Xinya and direct her back to her room. However, from Xinya¡¯s perspective, she wasn¡¯t trying very hard, and so she stepped forward towards the table.


    ¡°But, I¡¯m already here,¡± she muttered weakly.


    Hanako sighed and knelt before her. ¡°Xinya, you¡¯ve been in bed for nearly three weeks. Give it time.¡±


    It was wise advice, Xinya could recognize that, but the smell of the soup¡­or maybe it was stew¡­was too much to resist. She gritted her teeth and pushed forward. To Xinya¡¯s surprise, though, Hanako didn¡¯t stop her. Rather, she couldn¡¯t. As the older woman¡¯s support slipped out from under her, she stumbled.


    ¡°Easy, easy!¡± Hanako urged, rushing to her side again before she could fall.


    ¡°Just want food,¡± Xinya repeated wearily, fixing her adopted Auntie with the most pitiful look she could muster.


    Hanako looked into her eyes and smiled sadly. ¡°You¡¯re not going to return, are you?¡± she asked and Xinya shook her head. ¡°Fine. I know better than to try and strongarm a cultivator, even a little one.¡± She reached up and ruffled Xinya¡¯s hair. ¡°Come on, then. Have a seat and try to sit up straight.¡±


    This time, Xinya did as she was told and knelt on a cushion as her Auntie poured a bowl of stew filled with chunks of vegetables and white-skinned fish. She wrinkled her nose in distaste, but she was far too hungry to refuse, fish or no. With a shaking hands, she brought the spoon and bowl to her mouth and began to slurp down the nourishing meal.


    Madam Tenri clucked her tongue at Xinya¡¯s manners, but the little girl paid her no mind. The broth scalded her throat, but she couldn¡¯t stop. After the first drops had reached her stomach, it was as if her body had taken over completely. In a matter of minutes, her first bowl was empty, and the little girl breathed a sigh of relief.


    Xinya suddenly felt wonderful. It was as if every cell in her body had suddenly realized that it was alive again and was reacting accordingly. She held out her bowl for a second portion as the pain in her muscles began to relax ever so slightly and vigor began to course through her.


    The thick ribbing of a fan cracked down on her wrist, and Xinya dropped the bowl. It fell, slamming against the table and chipping the brim of the ceramic dish.


    ¡°You worthless failure of a cultivator!¡± Madam Tenri shrieked in the piercing tone she got when she was addressing Xinya or Hanako. ¡°First you gorge yourself on our food without so much as a please or thank you, then you break one of our fine bowls?!¡±


    Failure? Xinya¡¯s mind was still too addled by sleep and hunger to figure out what the hateful woman was trying to say.


    ¡°Mother, Xinya is allowed to eat as much as she likes,¡± Hanako said in a menacing tone. ¡°And the bowl is merely chipped. Please settle down.¡± Madam Tenri clucked her tongue once again and turned her nose up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you bother with this one, Hanako. She and her master are little more than parasites, and you have the most to lose. Why can¡¯t you see that, you foolish girl?¡±


    ¡°Not this again,¡± Hanako muttered, picking up the bowl and swapping it with her own. She filled the new bowl and set it before Xinya once more.


    ¡°Your position as the administrator¡¯s wife is under threat, Hanako, dear,¡± continued the witch. ¡°If you keep coddling them, this failure¡¯s cut-sleeve master will steal your husband, and you¡¯ll find yourself in the streets.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen, mother,¡± Hanako answered, her voice thick with exhaustion. It was hardly surprising, so far as Xinya could tell. If she really had been unconscious for weeks, then Hanako had been caring for her for that long. Otherwise, there was no way she would have survived the lightning without withering away. How many nights had she stayed up at Xinya¡¯s bedside to keep her comfortable as qi warred within her?


    ¡°Of course, this wouldn¡¯t be happening if you were a more dutiful wife. It¡¯s only natural for you to become a mother, and yet-¡± Madam Tenri would have continued on, but a purple streak of lightning, followed by a sudden CRACK, knocked the bowl from her hands. It fell to the table, and the entire table fell into hushed silence.


    Xinya set down her empty bowl and glared at the elderly woman. ¡°What makes you think I failed my task?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°Y-you¡­You were dying of lightning fever! Of course you failed to cultivate!¡± she stammered.


    Xinya desperately wanted to unleash the qi that burned inside. Lightning was the will of the heavens, and this woman was wicked. It was only natural for it to want to smite her, but that would make Uncle Lin sad. Madam Tenri was hateful, wicked, awful and mean, but she was still Lin¡¯s mother.


    She stood from her chair. With even the small meal she¡¯d had, she already felt stronger. She straightened her back, tilted her head up, just as she¡¯d seen Uncle Yoru do to those beneath him. If anyone was an expert in showing authority, it would be her mentor, a man who¡¯d built himself a nation and ruled it like a king.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired from advancement, so I¡¯ll leave you with a warning,¡± she began. She held out a hand, trying to keep the limb from trembling as she willed the qi she¡¯d so painstakingly stitched into her core to pool in her hand. Slowly, a small orb of moon qi, just like the ones she¡¯d seen Yoru create, flickered slowly to life. It was pure and brilliant, showing that she was more than just a victim of lightning fever. She was a cultivator now. ¡°I do not need to bow to you anymore. I¡¯ve advanced to Leaf and have furthered my path to heaven beyond yours. I will not bow to you, nor will I tolerate your mean spirit. Lay a finger on me or Auntie Hanako, and you¡¯ll be lucky if I ask Uncle Lin for permission to render judgement.¡±


    Madam Tenri¡¯s face paled to a deathly white made even more so by the pale moonlight in Xinya¡¯s hand. A moment later, she stood slowly and bowed to the little girl.


    No words were spoken, but Xinya was ready to leave. Even the small light she¡¯d produced sent waves of dizziness through her head and she fought to remain steady as she walked back to her room. However, before she fully departed, something else needed to be said.


    Xinya cleared her throat. ¡°Also, be nicer to Auntie Hanako. I think she¡¯d make an excellent mother if she wanted. I would consider myself lucky to be her daughter.¡±

 Chapter 68 - An Assumption Made

    Beware your heart, young one. Do not slaughter. Do not indulge. Do not give yourself cause for regret. Because even the sturdiest of paths may fall to your heart demons and they do not fight fairly. -Wandering Cultivator Jin Sheng


    *          *          *


    Tenri and I were both silent for a long moment. In that time, I stood up straight and composed myself, only to be struck with the blinding headache that always came with my transformation back into a human. My chains vanished along with the horns and claws, leaving me perfectly normal, which was a relief after Lian¡¯s trap.


    ¡°Wait, so Tsuyuki isn¡¯t the Chain-Bound Fury?¡± Tenri asked. ¡°In his void form, he matches every description we have for it, but it hasn¡¯t been seen in the area since I was a boy.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not him, then who is he?¡± If legend and rumor were to be believed, the Fury was a subordinate of the Darkened Moon, but I had no such subordinate.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­complicated,¡± Chouko began. ¡°Better to see for yourselves.¡±


    Without another word, she set off towards the north. Her pace was brisk and she was unhindered by the branches and raised roots that slowed us. Every few minutes, Chouko would stop and wait for us to catch up, but she never showed any frustration or irritation. Instead, she only looked sad, maybe a bit wistful as she watched us brush aside the plants.


    It would have been unkind to ask how she felt. She was dead, after all. In fact, it was quite possible that, depending on when she¡¯d returned to the world of the living, that she¡¯d spent more of her existence dead than she had alive.


    Though many shades had continued their afterlives in my dominion, living right alongside yokai and spirit beasts alike, I knew very little about them by comparison. It was generally taboo to ask a shade anything about their death, and only a handful were willing to answer any questions about their existence after. All I knew is that their senses were generally dulled compared to a living being, as they had no skin with which to touch. Instead, they navigated the world with qi, but somehow I didn¡¯t think that would be quite the same. Did she long for the feeling of the branches against her skin? Or to feel another¡¯s skin beneath her fingers?


    ¡°Chou-chou,¡± I called. She paused and turned. I reached into my bag and pulled out a box we¡¯d been saving especially for her. I opened it and offered her the long skewer of candied melon seeds Hanako had given us for the journey. We had two flavors: one that was a simple sugar glaze, and another with hardened honey from Queen Pollen¡¯s hive. Both were infused with qi from different sources, and would make a good treat, even for a shade.


    Her eyes went wide at the sight of the treats, but she didn¡¯t rush for them immediately.


    ¡°What are these for?¡±


    ¡°Does a brother need a reason to dote on his baby sister?¡± I grinned at her. It was like we were kids all over again. She hopped and skipped over before picking one of the seeds from the box and eating it gingerly. She smiled.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need one, but I know you. You¡¯re angling for a favor, and you know it.¡± She pulled another seed from the box. ¡°But, the qi is really quite delicious, so I guess I can forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Good, because, in this case, you¡¯ve already done us a favor,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Your attacks on cultivators between Saikan and its neighbors,¡± Tenri explained. ¡°It¡¯s kept the Lunar Hunt off our back since the siege.¡±


    Chouko shrugged. ¡°That was just some friends of mine doing me a favor. I¡¯ve been busy trying to keep the Fury distracted. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you asked the kitsune to meet, I might not have come at all.¡±


    ¡°I had no idea that you prioritized him that way,¡± Tenri noted as he ducked under a branch. Chouko grabbed a handful of honeyed melon seeds from the box and began to eat them.


    ¡°He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m even active this late in the season,¡± she admitted. ¡°I tend to sleep the cold months away, which allows my spirit to regenerate for spring so I can watch the flowers bloom. I¡¯m at my weakest, right now.¡±


    I bit my lip to hide a smile. ¡°At her weakest,¡± Chouko still was more than a match for the Sword Saint¡¯s disciple and had a reputation so grand that not even the Governor dared send a force against her and the other spirits. Even in death, my sister was a force to be reckoned with.


    Perhaps, if given the chance, I would have to make a point to invite Aya and Chouko for a visit in the spring. In life, Aya never reached the same heights as Chouko did, but she clearly had done well for herself in death to be considered in the same bracket as Chouko and the Hated One. It would be nice to see her again, too.


    ¡°Just there ahead.¡± Chouko pointed to a tree with four slashes like claw marks in the bark. The wood sizzled with void mist and I could feel void qi, more potent and pure than any I¡¯d encountered since my emergence.


    That tree wasn¡¯t the only one. Looking around, I spotted a dozen trees that had missing branches, holes in the canopy, or vicious scars across their trunks. Those plants who lacked the stature of the trees had it even worse, with whole swaths of ground cover reduced to a blackened pile of dissolved matter and churning void mist.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°He went that way,¡± I said, pointing to where the void presence was strongest. We followed the path of destruction, and it was as if we were stepping into a fog. However, instead of harmless mist, this fog was made of pure void qi. At first, it was light, only tingling against the skin, but the further we went, the thicker it became until Chouko stopped.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go any farther,¡± she said. ¡°This is the Fury¡¯s aura. It will only get worse.¡±


    ¡°How do you normally fight him?¡± I asked. She looked away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I only distract him, give him something to chase,¡± she answered. ¡°Every 25 years or so, his power surges enough to manifest. It will only get stronger the longer he is left unchecked. ¡°


    ¡°Every 25 years,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°That would make him several years early.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Exactly. Normally, a sect comes and performs a ritual that suppresses his spirit, but unless they know to come, they won¡¯t be here in time. This close to Heimian, Saikan, and Lanxiao, he will reach a settlement, and they won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°What is the actual Fury like?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± Chouko looked down. ¡°In truth, he¡¯s little more than a feral monster. He isn¡¯t so much a person, as a manifestation of the Darkened Moon¡¯s madness and frustration¡­your madness, Yoru.¡±


    ¡°Which makes him my responsibility to deal with, I guess,¡± I muttered. In my sleeves, I wrang my hands nervously. My madness was great. This would not be a simple fight.


    Tenri put his hand on my shoulder. ¡°You won¡¯t go alone.¡±


    ¡°But, the aura,¡± I pointed out. Frankly, I wasn¡¯t even sure how I would be getting through such a potent field.


    ¡°My adaptation techniques will help me withstand the aura,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°And, as Void-touched, you have a natural resistance to the powers of the void, especially pure ones like this,¡± Chouko said. ¡°I remember Reili saying so.¡±


    I snorted in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t remember Yaoxan¡¯s techniques being any less effective against me than others.¡±


    Chouko reached up and flicked my forehead, forcing me to stumble back a few steps. She scowled at me.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then you¡¯re denying part of your nature. Reili gave up everything for you to merge your cores together. The least you can do is try to understand the gift she gave you!¡±


    I hung my head in shame. How could I explain that it wasn¡¯t a gift? I¡¯d relived the events of my past a thousand times in the Labyrinth. Reili had lied to me, I was sure of it. I¡¯d agreed, but she didn¡¯t tell me about the madness of the void which would consume my every waking thought for millennia. She didn¡¯t tell me that the darkness beyond would twist me, cloud my judgement, and bring me to the very edge of madness before throwing me in headfirst.


    All those years¡­all that time¡­when the Void came to whisper, it had always been her voice, her face, her words, that tormented me. Even the Labyrinth, which was created for the sole purpose of making my life a living hell, had never used her image. Even it would not be so awful as the Void itself was.


    ¡°You used to be able to shift between forms at will,¡± Chouko said, her voice softening. ¡°What¡¯s stopping you now?¡±


    ¡°Chouko, I¡¯m only Iron in this body,¡± I pointed out, helplessly. What did she expect from me?


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. Power isn¡¯t the problem,¡± she answered. ¡°You are the vainest person I¡¯ve ever met. If you wanted to change your appearance, you¡¯d find a way, no matter your level.¡±


    ¡°She does have a point there,¡± Tenri added. He reached over and shook my sleeve, jostling Chiho loose from its prison. In an instant, the pin was flitting around Chouko¡¯s head, greeting her after so long apart.


    ¡°Chiho! My brother¡¯s best keeper!¡± she greeted with a smile. ¡°The only one keeping his fragile ego from being bruised by unruly hair.¡± I scoffed, but she just raised an eyebrow. ¡°Like I said, vain. What¡¯s stopping you from changing at will is you, not your power.¡± She held out a hand and stroked Chiho once it settled in. ¡°I recommend figuring out what¡¯s holding you back. Otherwise, you¡¯ll never withstand the Fury¡¯s aura.¡±


    Chouko tossed the pin back into the air. It darted around happily several times before settling into my hair.


    I sighed. My sister didn¡¯t understand. She was still taken in by the Hated One¡¯s lies¡­she was always closest with that one, even going so far as to becoming sworn sisters. Thus, the hated one was adopted into our family. However, as I turned to explain to her what had really happened after I¡¯d become Void-touched, I found she was gone. She and her wisps had vanished without a trace, leaving Tenri and I alone in the forest.


    ¡°I guess we should get tracking,¡± he said, pulling off his glasses and wiping them clean.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you actually believe her.¡± I crossed my arms, unwilling to move, but his expression was more thoughtful than I expected.


    ¡°You have assumed the worst about everyone since the moment you arrived here,¡± he began. ¡°You thought I¡¯d turn you away after seeing your void form. You thought Xinya would fear you once she discovered you¡¯re the Darkened Moon.¡± He paused and looked me right in the eye. ¡°I won¡¯t claim to know the relation between you, your sister, and this ¡®Reili¡¯ person, but is it even remotely possible that you have assumed the worst again?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no assumption with Reili,¡± I countered.


    ¡°But what about an assumption about yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know how to answer that. What kind of answer did he expect? How could I make assumptions about myself? I knew all the relevant details and came to a conclusion. How could that be an assumption?


    Tenri turned and began walking in the direction of the dense void mist. A few paces in, his qi surged bright green in my qi vision as he began to probe at the aura around him.


    I had no choice but to follow or lose him in the darkness. The void stung at my skin, and I was reminded of Chouko¡¯s parting words. The Fury was my responsibility, but if I couldn¡¯t defeat it¡­


    Were Void-touched really supposed to be resistant to the void? It made sense. As Spirits, Void-touched were amalgamations of qi, first and foremost¡­at least in theory. The Hated One had been able to dissolve her form into pure mist, most often when she was frustrated, but I never had that power, probably because I was born human. A being that could turn itself into pure void qi would reasonably be resistant to that same kind of qi, but would I be? Could I be?


    The groan of splintering wood followed by an ear-splitting CRASH indicated our arrival. A moment later, we heard an uneven gait, like a limping man¡­and the long strides were accompanied by a rattling chain.


    Shhhhhink, step, shhhhink, step.


    Then we caught sight of it through the trees, a glowing blue light through the dense black fog. My heart leapt into my throat as I recognized the tattered light blue robes and ratty dark hair.


    The Fury was in my image, and it looked exactly as I had the day I was imprisoned.

 Chapter 69 - The Chain-Bound Fury

    I¡¯ve seen many of my apprentices die the first time I send them against a true mimic. They always assume it¡¯s a fair fight since the creature can only copy their abilities and has none of its own¡­but who said that they can¡¯t have their own mastery? That the mimic can¡¯t be better than you? -Monster Hunter Huang Zhi


    *          *          *


    I was no stranger to mirrors. In fact, I was quite fond of them. Bouncing light on reflective surfaces, twisting that light into new forms that mimicked reality, then pushing that to new heights to hone my more subtle skills¡­these were my first steps towards understanding the nature of the moon and it¡¯s reflected light. I studied with mirrors for years, and in doing so, developed a particular interest in my own appearance.


    After all, appearances are everything. I studied the way I saw myself, then compared it to the image in the mirror to see how others beheld me. In doing so, I crafted exactly the image I wanted them to see, that of a peerless cultivator with the presence of a tiger and the grace of a fairy.


    But the Fury¡­


    The reflection of myself that trudged through the forest was not the reflection of my image. It was a hideous monster, steeped in void mist that hung off tattered blue robes like blood. Its hair was long and ragged, left unbound to hang in matted tendrils that obscured much of its face. Chains of glowing steel wrapped tightly around its body, practically choking, and yet, its growls were perfectly clear in the quiet night.


    ¡°What a miserable creature,¡± Tenri whispered. I nodded in agreement. ¡°Do you think it will have your techniques?¡±


    ¡°Not all of them,¡± I answered. Blue-tinted light shone from its chains, and even from this distance, I could feel the void fused with that light. Though I still didn¡¯t understand the mechanism behind it, I knew from experience that the voidlight would prevent the use of Flash Forward and Flash Back, meaning I¡¯d have to win this fight fairly.


    ¡°How are we supposed to beat something with your skills?¡±


    ¡°Overwhelm its mediocre martial prowess, back it into a corner, be unpredictable,¡± I answered.


    Tenri sighed. ¡°You say that like it¡¯ll be easy. But, if this thing is anything like you, I¡¯ve seen you take down six artists at the same time, and one of those was an advancement higher than you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope this one isn¡¯t clever enough for that.¡±


    We crept closer. My whole body began to itch as the void mist around us thickened. Even my lungs began to itch, and a cough was rising in my burning throat, threatening to give away our position. Tenri, on the other hand, looked fine.


    ¡°That technique is a handy one,¡± I muttered, trying to swallow back the need to cough.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look so good,¡± he answered. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here. You can shoot it from this distance without issue, and I can approach more easily.¡±


    It was a good plan. I drew my bow from my back and nocked an arrow. Meanwhile, Tenri continued forward. The plants on either side of the Fury were consumed by the void mists, leaving nothing behind but bare earth where it stepped.


    Not unlike what I did to the lands of Daying, Fuyao, and all the rest¡­ I realized. If it was some consolation, the radius where the plants were reduced to ash was small. This was no Ascendent we were facing. In fact, it even lacked the ghostly wisps that usually accompanied me when I was in my Void-touched form. Wait, don¡¯t all powerful shades have wisps?


    With a start, I realized the truth. The Chain-Bound Fury wasn¡¯t technically a shade. Every so often, its form seemed to flicker, as if it might burst into static before stabilizing. Certainly, this gave it a rather ¡°ghostly¡± appearance, as it was less than solid, but the truth was far more complex. This was the effect of a technique I once developed which I gave the rather poetic title of the Moon Moth¡¯s Reality Dance. The title had little to do with the ability other than the fact that I¡¯d come up with it while watching two luna moths dancing around a flower in perfect harmony.


    At its heart, the Moon Moth¡¯s Reality Dance created fake versions of myself as perfectly autonomous beings. They could walk, talk, and behave exactly like me. They had all my memories, and could even replicate many of my techniques, depending on how much qi I fed them. In fact, when done properly, no one but the most powerful of Ascendents would ever know the difference between the real me and one of these fakes.


    When done improperly, however, they would be lesser reflections, unable to hold even the tiniest candle to the original. The Chain-Bound Fury was one such reflection, no doubt created during my incarceration as my qi leaked out, corrupting the Moon-Soaked Shore. I had no recollection of ever creating such a double, but my memories of the early days were hazy and muddled with madness and anger, much like the being before us.


    No wonder it¡¯s such a hideous thing¡­it was created from my most miserable self.


    Everything was in position. Tenri was about as close as he could get without alerting the monster he stalked. He glanced back, I drew my arrow back on the string. Instead of void mist, I focused pure moon qi onto the arrow. I gave Tenri a sharp nod, and we struck.


    My arrow flew forward, catching up with Tenri just as he struck. The Fury growled and whirled around, flinging its chains with a savage screech of rage, knocking my arrow aside. My breath caught as the front of the creature was revealed. Its whole front was stained black with blood from a brilliant white nail that protruded from its heart. Its eyes were red with hate, and it looked every inch a monster from your worst nightmare.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Tenri ducked under the chain as the glowing length flew at him, driving his blade forward, but the Fury wasn¡¯t completely stupid. It shifted back and to the left, directing the blade into one of its chains. Metal clanged against metal, and the blow was deflected, but Tenri wasn¡¯t deterred. He rolled to the Fury¡¯s left.


    It spun with incredible speed, swiping at him with void-tipped claws that would dissolve Tenri¡¯s flesh from his bones if he were struck. I pulled back another arrow and fired at the Fury¡¯s shoulder. Just as it lunged at Tenri again, the arrow slammed into it. It howled, but it was little more than angry. Tenri was on his feet, sweeping upward with his sword. Distracted by my arrow, the Fury had no time to recover, and the blade struck true.


    Black blood dripped to the ground, and the Fury stumbled back. Tenri¡¯s wood qi surged along the ground, strengthening the plants beneath the Fury before they could be dissolved by his aura. Hungry roots wrapped around its feet, and it crashed to the ground.


    ¡°Finish it!¡± I shouted. Two arrows were nocked on my string. I aimed my bow high into the sky and released. Qi flashed through them as they pierced the misty aura to receive light from the moon above. Like stars shooting from the heavens, they reappeared just in time to slam straight into the Fury¡¯s chest, opposite the nail.


    Not to be outdone, Tenri leapt forward, trying to drive his sword through the Fury¡¯s stomach. Just before his blow could land, the void aura around us shifted. It compressed inward in the blink of an eye, then exploded outward in a wave of void qi.


    Even from my distance, I felt the potency of the void increase tenfold. My skin burned, and I felt my skin beginning to grow numb as my nerves were slowly dissolved. However, none of that mattered to me.


    Across the clearing, the Fury was back on its feet and shuffling towards Tenri as if nothing had happened. Tenri, on the other hand, was on the ground with a hand pressed to his side where the explosion seemed to hit him most directly. Even with the green light of wood qi protecting him like the bark of a tree, blood was seeping from between his fingers. Close as he was to the epicenter of the intensified aura, blisters began to break out on his arms and neck.


    ¡°HEY!¡± I shouted. I drew back another arrow and fired it straight at the Fury¡¯s head. It whipped around, blocking the arrow with the chains around its arm. ¡°Leave him alone!¡± I drew back another arrow. This one, I infused with both moon and void. It blazed with voidlight, banishing the darkness of the mist as it streaked towards the nail in the Fury¡¯s heart.


    It hastily drew a chain-wrapped arm into the arrow¡¯s path, and I grimaced. Of course, its weak point would be the nail. What else could it be? The original nail had been thirteen horrible inches of blessed sandalwood infused with lightning qi, driven straight through flesh, bone, and muscle by an Ascendent. I still remembered the agony that had accompanied it. I still bore the scars.


    Distasteful as I found the nail to be, attacking it did have the benefit of drawing the Fury¡¯s attention away from Tenri and towards me. It sprinted forward with a furious screech, crossing the distance with far more speed than a being wrapped in chains had any right to have. With every step it drew nearer, the void increased in potency, causing my lungs to burn with every breath, but I gritted my teeth and bore the pain.


    Three arrows found their way to my string as I sprinted towards a nearby tree. The Fury was faster than me and likely stronger than me, but it didn¡¯t have all my techniques. I sprang off the tree, twisting my body as I drew my bow. The arrows infused with harsh voidlight that only added to the burning void qi in the area. When they fired, they split into a dozen copies as Heaven¡¯s Rain descended upon the Fury¡¯s head.


    I landed cleanly on the other side of the creature, and it whipped around in a whirlwind of loose chains and void mist. My grip on my bow loosened now that I was in close range, and my hand slid to the end of the lower limb. With a single fluid spin, I ducked under one chain before whipping my bow around. It cracked against the side of the Fury¡¯s head, and the Fury stumbled to the side.


    An orb of pure void qi appeared in the Fury¡¯s hand, and I twisted to avoid touching it before backing up several paces. I had enough exposure to this hideous reflection¡¯s void aura without adding to the problem.


    But, the Fury was quick. Before I left its reach, a chain slammed into the side of my head from nowhere. I was dazed and briefly wondered why I hadn¡¯t seen it coming¡­when I remembered that Flash Forward didn¡¯t work in the presence of Voidlight.


    I really need to look into why that is¡­ I thought in the moments before I hit the ground. Once again, complacency and overreliance on my blooded techniques was my own downfall. I¡¯d have to work to fix that¡­


    The impact was like taking a horse kick to the chest. The coughing fit I¡¯d been desperately holding back in the face of the increasing levels of void mist came pouring out all at once. My chest spasmed as the irony taste of blood filled my mouth and sprayed across the barren ground beneath me. I couldn¡¯t stop coughing as my body desperately tried to expel the void.


    Shhhhink, step, shhhhhhink, step, shhhhhhink, step.


    I looked up, only to see the Fury looming over me, growling at me with my own face, twisted by hate and horror. Appearances are everything, and this was how other people saw me: nothing but a monster with a craving for death and devastation. This was the creature that was worthy of being the Demon of Misfortune.


    ¡°And what about an assumption about yourself?¡± Tenri¡¯s words rang in the back of my thoughts. It was followed by my sister¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s stopping you from changing isn¡¯t your power.¡±


    But, I¡¯m the monster. It¡¯s staring me in the face¡­ I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn¡¯t want to see it. I didn¡¯t want to see that thing.


    ¡°Tsuyuki! Does that look like the Void-touched that risked everything to save Xinya¡¯s life?¡± Tenri shouted. Before I even realized it, I¡¯d answered his question, and it surprised me. And if that was true¡­


    ¡°At least try to understand the gift she gave you.¡±


    At least try¡­


    I could try.


    I squeezed my eyes even tighter. The void qi around me shifted as the Fury raised its claws. Its voidlight illuminated my eyelids and my skin burned even more¡­but soon that feeling was gone.


    I opened my eyes. My skin was pale, my hands tipped with blackened claws, and the Fury stared down at me with surprise as its animalistic mind tried to process what had just happened. The brilliant light of a mote of voidlight hovered next to it, but the light only seemed to spark across my skin instead of burning it deep.


    The Fury continued to stare, uncomprehending. I lunged, taking advantage of its stupor. My hand wrapped around the head of the nail, and I pulled with all my might.

 Chapter 70 - Voices

    Trust is so rare among their kind. I have yet to meet even one of these ¡°cultivators¡± that doesn¡¯t sleep with one eye open, weapon in hand, with a planned escape route. And that¡¯s in their own homes with friends and family around. -John Salzo, Merchant of the Summoned Isle


    *          *          *


    Tsuyuki fell to the ground, and Tenri¡¯s heart leapt into his throat. What was that idiot thinking?! Wasn¡¯t that nail meant to seal away the Darkened Moon all that time ago? If the Fury was just a manifestation of Tsuyuki¡¯s own madness, then why on earth would pulling the nail out solve the problem?!


    But, there was nothing he could do. Tenri was too far away. All he could do was watch as the nail was ripped from the Fury¡¯s chest. Void and moon qi roiled in a wave that burst forth from the Fury like water from a cracked dam. It swept over Tsuyuki, shrouding him in darkness threaded with strands of blue light until even the shine of the Void-touched chains was completely blocked.


    Tenri¡¯s heartbeat was loud in his ears, counting the seconds that went by where he couldn¡¯t see his friend. Was there anything he could do?


    ¡°Tsuyuki!¡± he called. The void roared in a whirlwind that was deafening in the oppressive silence it thrust upon the world around him. It pounded into his ears a deep pressure that was reminiscent of being underwater. He took a careful step forward, but the qi only whirled even more angrily, forcing him back.


    Then, as suddenly as it had started, the qi disappeared. Tenri shot forward like one of Tsuyuki¡¯s arrows, sliding to his knees next to his friend.


    Tsuyuki was kneeling, his shoulders slumped and his head forward with strands of hair falling into his face. His clothes were tattered and dirty, and the void hung off him like smoke. But¡­wasn¡¯t that normal?


    Tenri wasn¡¯t sure. He called Tsuyuki¡¯s name softly, but there was no response. He reached out, touching his hands, only to withdraw quickly as pure void qi arced between them, burning Tenri¡¯s hands. Even after renewing his adaptation technique, the contact between them sizzled against his skin, but it was necessary.


    ¡°Tsuyuki?¡± he asked gingerly as he reached up to the moon artist¡¯s face. Gently, he lifted the man¡¯s chin, and his blood ran cold. Tsuyuki stared right through him, his eyes completely unseeing and unblinking.


    Suddenly, the world around Tenri was washed out in crimson, painting the normally blue trees a bloody purple. He pulled back, casting his gaze upward to find the source of the light.


    Flashbacks to a door, deep underground streaked through Tenri¡¯s thoughts. A moon, seeping with crimson blood, in the darkest depths of cave none had seen in thousands of years¡­a man on his hands and knees, uttering the name of the darkest monster to ever haunt the legends of the Moon-Soaked Shore¡­


    It¡¯s a blood moon, he realized as he stared up at the brilliant crimson disk hanging in the sky overhead. It was full faced, despite it being a half-moon only seconds earlier. Turning back to Tsuyuki, he found the man¡¯s eyes now featured a tiny red corona around what were normally piercing blue irises. Is he falling to darkness? What¡¯s happening to him?


    For, in Tenri¡¯s mind, there was no doubt. Whatever was happening to the moon above¡­it was certainly the result of what was happening to his friend before him. He wracked his brain for anything he could do to help but came up empty.


    Please¡­please Tsuyuki, be okay¡­


    *          *          *


    Darkness wrapped around me as the voices dug into my mind like a nest of hungry vipers. It filled my vision, blocking even the light of my chains, plunging me into complete blackness.


    ¡°Yoru¡­¡±


    The pained voice lanced across my thoughts, thrusting me into memory. The woman was in my arms, bleeding black blood from a stab wound in her stomach as she looked up at me with the silver eyes of a Void-touched. She reached up and grabbed my collar.


    ¡°You are our leader, Yoru. Do what needs to be done. Leave your soft heart behind, show them no mercy, and... Get. Her. Back.¡± She leaned back, looking up at me with dull gray eyes. ¡°Please¡­you have to survive¡­the void can help you¡­you have to trust in yourself.¡±


    My heart ached, just as it had the day those words were spoken. It was the day Half-Moon Hearth was attacked. My defenses had failed, and so many had lost their lives. In the end, the city had been engulfed in the flames, its Princess Chouko stolen right from the palace, and its Prince¡­I¡¯d been irrevocably set on the path to darkness.


    Through it all, the woman who¡¯d lain dying in my arms that day had faith in me. She gave everything to give me the power to defeat our enemies, to protect our people. As my most trusted advisor, she was always strict, always severe in her image and demeanor, but she always had the best interests of the nation at heart. I trusted her completely.


    As the memory continued, she smiled, letting her hand fall to her chest. ¡°You just have to trust in yourself¡­trust in the void¡­¡± I burned that smile into my memory, as it was one of the precious few I¡¯d ever seen from her, despite being almost as close to me as my own sisters were. Even all these years later, I remembered that smile, despite my many attempts to forget¡­


    In the memory, I pulled the woman close, burying my face in her shoulder to breathe in the void that seeped weakly from her hair and skin. ¡°You were the best advisor I could ask for,¡± I whispered through grief-filled tears.


    ¡°Just remember me whenever you¡¯re about to do something stupid, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± I promised. I set her gently back against the wall she¡¯d leaned against. ¡°Goodbye, Shi Reili.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Yoru.¡±


    Then the memory was gone, replaced again by darkness. That was a mercy as far as I was concerned. What happened next was not worth remembering, and yet, I¡¯d relived it so many times in the Labyrinth. I¡¯d entered seclusion to nurse my injuries from the attack and strengthen my core. I opened myself to the void, trusting Reili¡¯s words. That was my biggest mistake.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The voices screamed in my ears. It was a symphony of destruction, urging me to unleash the void¡¯s power, to lay waste to the land, to leave it a pristine surface of bleached stone, like the surface of the moon itself.


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± I shouted. ¡°I never wanted to!¡±


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s just a lie, Yoru.¡±


    That voice. Her voice.


    Suddenly, light filled my vision, and I was standing before the yawning mouth of a deep cave. Around me, the silver stones of the moon stretched as far as the eye could see.


    ¡°We both know what really happened,¡± Shi Reili continued as she stepped from the mouth of the cave. In a flash, the Void Ascendent was behind me, twin vipers made of void qi already wrapping around my feet as she held my shoulders firmly. She leaned in close and whispered. ¡°We both know you enjoyed it.¡±


    She tapped the side of my head, and suddenly, the scene shifted again. Chouko lay in my arms, her eyes staring blankly at the blisteringly bright sky above. Three ascendents, all lesser than myself, struggled to their feet, pointing weapons at me.


    ¡°Give it up, Lunar Prince!¡± shouted the Huntress, loading her crossbow. ¡°Not even you can beat all of us before time runs out!¡±


    An array pulsed with energy beneath my feet. It was the focus point of their trap. After centuries of planning, they¡¯d finally found a way to survive the qi drought. They¡¯d slaughtered my people, using the bodies and cores of yokai and spirit beasts alike to infuse their lands with the qi needed to restore their crops and empower their armies. Their people lived by the blood of my own, and they were intent on finishing me along with them.


    Seconds remained before I was doomed along with them. Reili¡¯s final words rang clearly in my ears: ¡°You are our leader, Yoru. Do what needs to be done. Leave your soft heart behind, show them no mercy.¡±


    ¡°You think I will be so easily defeated?¡± I laughed. ¡°I am more than you will ever be! You took the lives of my people. It¡¯s time I returned the favor.¡±


    The void whispered its guidance as I called upon my immense qi. Blue moonlight surged, and the sky shifted to a starless night sky with only the blue disk of the moon to shine above. And shine it did. Blistering voidlight rained down upon the land, erasing everything. The lesser ascendents were erased in the blink of an eye, along with every building, every road, every forest and field. Every single person who lived in their lands, who¡¯d fed on the lifeblood of my people, they were erased by the cleansing light of the moon.


    And, when it was all done, I stood on a barren stone plane, void of all life. I marveled at the beauty of it. It was a lot like the surface of the moon.


    The best part? My new power had done that. Exhilaration filled me, leaving no room for anything but a giddy glee. As the memory faded, my own maniacal laugh echoed in my ears.


    ¡°Remember now?¡± Reili whispered. ¡°You were thrilled to heed the call of the void. You executed your purpose brilliantly. What¡¯s changed?¡±


    ¡°I came to my senses, that¡¯s what,¡± I countered, bringing my foot down on her serpents. They hissed in anger, and Reili withdrew. I stumbled forward, running as far from her as I could, into the cave. She was the Hated One. Hers had been clearest among the voices urging me to destroy everything, who¡¯d guided me to my worst deeds.


    ¡°You can¡¯t run, Yoru! The void always finds you.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter. I just needed space, room to think, to gather my senses again. Was I in the Labyrinth again? Was I free? Where was I? I didn¡¯t know. All I knew was I needed to get away from her, and deeper into the moon where I¡¯d be safe.


    The cave wound deep into the crust of the lunar surface, twisting and turning in a path that was both foreign and familiar to me. The stones grew darker the further I descended, taking on a blue-gray hue that was a stark contrast to the sun-bleached surface. But, despite the darkness and the unfamiliarity, this was still my home. The moon was the other half of my spirit. It was the one place the Labyrinth had never shown me, the one place I was safe.


    The winding tunnel opened into a large cavern filled with pulsing metallic stones. I hid amongst them, taking comfort in their power. The thrumming of the metal pushed away the voices that clamored for destruction, leaving room for the quieter ones that whispered peace and safety. Here, I was alone, isolated from harm. It was a sanctuary.


    Sanctuary¡­Half-Moon Hearth had been a sanctuary for so many¡­


    Before I could stop them, the gentle voices thrust another memory onto me: walking the streets of my city with Reili at my side. It was shortly after the ritual that had twisted my body with my untapped void affinity, making me Void-touched. This was my first escape from the palace since. Reili had been concerned for my health as I recovered, accompanying me everywhere, including to my favorite stew shop run by an ox yokai and his young son. Both humanoid oxen had lived in Half-Moon Hearth for a decade and were thriving thanks to the protection and patronage I¡¯d given them.


    As we approached, the proprietor shook his ears and smiled broadly.


    ¡°You¡¯re lookin¡¯ very yokai, your highness,¡± he praised as he began preparing two bowls of our usual stew. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had it in you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite yokai,¡± I admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much resentment in me, and I don¡¯t think that human blood or qi would be very healthy for me to consume.¡± He laughed and nodded, handing the bowls to us.


    Nearby, his son just stared in awe at the new horns that sat just under my crown. The little ox¡¯s horns were just barely peeking through his skull, and it would still be a few years before they were full grown. I reached over and ruffled the tuft of hair on his head. He giggled before running to hide behind his father¡¯s counter.


    The proprietor pat his son¡¯s head. ¡°I would have to agree. You¡¯re too nice for that kind of transition, but, if it¡¯s not too bold, this form suits you. You really feel like the Prince of the Yokai, even if you aren¡¯t one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to say! I¡¯m glad to have your support.¡±


    ¡°Mine and many others. We are proud of our Prince.¡±


    The memory faded, leaving me in the pulsing cavern once more. My head was clearer. I could remember. I was free of the Labyrinth, even if it still clawed doggedly at my heels. I was free. The Fury, the hatred, the darkness that had manifested into the Chain-Bound Fury¡­I¡¯d taken the full force of it into myself, as was my responsibility as its creator.


    Now, for what seemed like the first time in millennia, I felt clear-headed. The voices hadn¡¯t ceased, but they¡¯d shifted their cries from destruction to protection. It was¡­odd. They¡¯d never whispered such urges before¡­they felt more like what I¡¯d always wished they¡¯d be.


    I curled into the silver core of steel that protected me in this lunar mind-scape, I let its power soothe me with warm thoughts, gentle thoughts.


    As the mental landscape faded, and I was returned to reality, one final memory echoed in my thoughts. This time, when Reili¡¯s voice reached me, it wasn¡¯t bearing words of destruction and malice¡­instead, it was the most comforting words she¡¯d ever given me.


    ¡°It may be easier if you closed your eyes,¡± Reili muttered, her words as gentle as they¡¯d ever been as she prepared to twist my body towards the void. ¡°Just relax. You¡¯re in good hands.¡±


    I looked up at her. She bit her lip in nervous anticipation, and I knew she was terrified that I wouldn¡¯t survive the ritual. I reached out, despite my bindings, to squeeze her knee.


    ¡°I know. You know I trust you implicitly,¡± I reassured her. She squeezed my hand.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let me play with your cultivation like this if you didn¡¯t. I appreciate your faith.¡±


    Faith¡­I had faith in her once¡­


    Then the memory was gone, and I woke to the sight of Tenri¡¯s face.

 Chapter 71 - Blood Moon

    Pharyx rubbed his neck and trudged back towards the nest. After six days chasing that stupid caravan, he and his hunting party were all exhausted. And for what? In the end, they hadn¡¯t even been able to help¡­or, at least, he hadn¡¯t been willing to.


    Hornets have a long memory. Do one wrong, and they¡¯ll remember it season after season. Do them right, and they¡¯ll at least remember not to bother you.


    As Queen of Hanai, Pharyx had his pride. He repaid his debts. So, when he saw Tsuyuki as part of the caravan guard, he had second thoughts. The moon artist had saved his life on a fair few occasions, and he considered them friends. How could he lead his scouts to attack in conditions like those?


    But¡­


    The mission was, first and foremost, a favor for the Flower Maiden. The caravan was doomed to die by her command. As it passed through Hanai, she¡¯d reached out to him to aid in stopping it, and yet, Pharyx had called it off.


    What a mess, he thought to himself as he dismissed the disappointed scouts in his patrol. They buzzed off, twitching antennae in annoyance, but keeping their silence for fear of the Queen finding out exactly how they felt about the change in plans.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t blame them. Scouts were scouts. They existed to defend the hive, and they reveled in carrying out their duty. A threat to their lands had been allowed to enter, then leave unprovoked, and they were not happy about it.


    ¡°You look tired,¡± Suzume called from the nest¡¯s entrance. She was dressed simply today, with a simple green dress and no jewels in her hair. Dirt along the bottom hem indicated she¡¯d been helping around the hive, probably assisting the Groomers in cleaning the nest from top to bottom in preparation for Pharyx¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Not nearly as tired as you must be, managing things without me,¡± he said. ¡°I appreciate your help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do to step up for my little brother whenever he needs me.¡± She pulled him into her arms and pressed her forehead to his. It was a quirky gesture they both liked to do, one reminiscent of feeling one another¡¯s antennae in greeting. ¡°How goes your investigation into the moon?¡±


    ¡°Stonewalled,¡± Pharyx admitted, turning his face up to see the half-disk in the sky. ¡°I may have to seek help from an expert.¡±


    ¡°Tsuyuki is a moon artist, yes? Why not ask him?¡± Suzume asked.


    ¡°Short of flying all the way to Haishui to consult an astrologian or historian, I may have to,¡± he sighed. He did trust Tsuyuki, he really did. The fact that he gave up their hunt at the first sight of his pretty face was proof enough of that. And yet¡­


    Pharyx couldn¡¯t get the conversation after Shen Yaoxan¡¯s attack out of his head. Tsuyuki had admitted to possessing the Cursed Line of Misfortune¡­only he¡¯d called it something much less sinister. Perhaps it was wishful thinking on the part of the moon artist to think of his abilities in such positive terms, but the fact of the matter was that that bloodline was dangerous.


    The Darkened Moon was no small threat. Whole swaths of land were uninhabitable to this day because of his efforts. Five Ascendents working together had taken him down, but the cost was immense. If such a villain were released in the modern age, would anyone be able to stop him? It would take the Pheonix Emperor, the Four Fingered Death, the Mind Bender, the Dawn Empress, and all the subordinates under them. Even then, they might not succeed. If they did, and the Dawn Empress were injured or killed¡­Pharyx didn¡¯t even want to think about what that would do to his family.


    No, the Darkened Moon must remain locked away. If Tsuyuki was of his bloodline, then he might be hearing the whispers that drove the Avatar mad. He wouldn¡¯t be the first. Pharyx¡¯s own mother had given them some background on the Moon-Soaked Shore before they arrived. The last dynasty to rule the region before the current Governor¡­they were called the Lunatic Dynasty. Each one was a powerful moon artist with the Cursed Line at their disposal. They wrought havoc until Lady Saraia and the Sword Saint had worked together to wipe out the entire line. It was their rule that forbade moon artists from ever returning.


    Can I trust him with this? Pharyx pondered. If he¡¯s working for the Darkened Moon, it may not be by choice. But, if that¡¯s so, then how could I save him? He doesn¡¯t deserve to go mad¡­


    He shook his head, clearing the jumble of thoughts before they got out of hand. ¡°I¡¯m starving. Do the Groomers have anything prepared?¡± He began to walk into the nest.


    ¡°Of course they do. Our Groomers are the best at¡­¡± Suzume trailed off, and Pharyx turned to see what had startled her so much. He had to stare at it for a long while, even going so far as to shift to hornet form, then back, to see if his vision would show a different result in compound eyes.


    The world had been washed in red, as if all the other colors had been drained completely from the night landscape. Blue trees turned bloody purple, yellow flowers turned orange, and the few patches of honest to goodness green grass that Suzume carefully cultivated in Hanai turned muddy brown.


    Then he looked up, and Pharyx¡¯s heart leapt into his throat. The moon was full. It was full, despite the half-moon passing only a few nights ago. And it was blood red.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Mother¡¯s not going to like this,¡± Suzume muttered. Pharyx could only shake his head in agreement. He was about to be in very deep trouble.


    *          *          *


    ¡°Oh, come now,¡± Lian said, winking at Kansi Ren as the caravan rumbled on through the night. ¡°Don¡¯t scowl so much. I won fair and square, and you have to pay up.¡±


    ¡°You have never done anything ¡®fair and square¡¯ in your life,¡± she growled, throwing down her losing hand of cards on the floor of the wagon they rested in.


    In the name of speed, Master Feng had declared the caravan would not stop until high noon the next day. He knew nothing of the deal between the cultivators and the Flower Maiden regarding his imminent house arrest, which made him all the more anxious that the shade would reappear and end his life without mercy. He¡¯d invited Kansi and Lian to rest in the front caravan so that they might be fighting fit and close by if the danger reared its ugly head.


    Lian, for his part, was feeling very pleased with himself. He¡¯d had many strokes of luck to lead him to this point. Happening upon Kansi Ren in Haishui, then following her right to Tsuyuki Yoru himself? Why, Lian couldn¡¯t believe his own luck. Even better, the Darkened Moon was in a weakened state, meaning he was little threat to Lian and the rest of his sect. With his success in identifying Tsuyuki as a Void-bonded Spirit, all that was left to do was reach Saikan and send a message back to Sect Leader Takya. Once that was done, Lian would surely be welcomed back and have his position as a Chained-Demon core disciple restored. Everything was going to plan.


    He was in such good spirits, that he¡¯d even challenged Kansi Ren, the vaunted Sword Saint¡¯s disciple, to a game of cards. She was even distracted enough by the night¡¯s events to agree to gambling with secrets!


    ¡°You knew the stakes, now you must pay up,¡± he said, reshuffling the deck. ¡°Come on. Even a teeny, tiny secret? It¡¯ll be harmless!¡±


    ¡°We are not friends,¡± she growled.


    ¡°Of course not. This lowly iron would never dream of presuming himself on the same level as Senior Kansi in order to be considered friends. I¡¯m just trying to pass the time and diffuse the tension that hangs over us.¡± He raised an eyebrow in expectation.


    In the end, Kansi sighed and shook her head. ¡°Fine. Any secret?¡±


    ¡°Any secret.¡±


    But really, if you could tell me about your objective in these parts, I¡¯d appreciate that, he added silently. The Chained-Demon Sect believed that one could never gather too many secrets. Every detail about every friend, foe, and monster could mean the difference between success and death. A secret belonging to the Sword Saint¡¯s most beloved disciple would be another excellent gift to ingratiate himself with Sect Leader Takya.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Valley Lord that I haven¡¯t advanced as much as I¡¯d like,¡± she answered. Lian just rolled his eyes.


    ¡°A secret must actually be secret. Everyone knows the Valley Lord of Pearlescent Valley eats anyone who crosses from Gold to Salt except for the Sword Saint himself,¡± he countered, though he did note quietly that Kansi must not know the Sword Saint¡¯s method of surviving said Valley Lord if she hadn¡¯t advanced to Salt.


    Kansi scowled again, but her silence was thoughtful before she finally spoke again. ¡°My master found me as an orphan in the burned ruins of my family home. Is that a good enough secret?¡±


    ¡°It absolutely is. Care for another round?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    Lian couldn¡¯t help the chuckle that escaped him before tucking his deck of cards in his satchel. Once it was away, he leaned back and listened to the rumbling of the wheels and the huffed breathing of the horses.


    He must have nodded off, because the scream of alarm jolted him upright with a start. Kansi looked just as confused as he did, and, in an instant, they were both out of the wagon and searching for the threat¡­


    Only there was none. There was only the moon above and the crimson light it cast upon the world.


    ¡°What in the name of the heavens?¡± Kansi breathed.


    Lian bit his lip in concern. He didn¡¯t know what a blood-tinted moon meant, but he was quite certain it had something to do with Tsuyuki Yoru. He needed to get to Saikan quickly and buy the materials and the solitude he needed to contact the Sect Leader. The Darkened Moon, Demon of Misfortune, was awake at long last. Plans could now be set in motion.


    *          *          *


    Unlike others in the world who screamed in fear or begged forgiveness from their guardian spirits when the moon went red, the Captain of the Siren¡¯s Song did not. Instead, the seemingly young girl walked unhurriedly to the ship¡¯s bow and sat upon the railing, looking up at the moon in quiet contemplation.


    That was the Blood Moon, the second sign of the Darkened Moon¡¯s return, as foretold by the Sun Queen Tian Li in an age long past. According to certain scrolls that the Captain had ¡°liberated¡± from the vaults of the Sun Queen¡¯s descendants before the fall of their fragile empire, the Demon of Misfortune would awaken slowly, like a bud opening in spring. The Brilliant Moon was only the first sign. The second was the Blood Moon. As he slowly came back to himself, more signs would show: the Rise of the Raiju Queen, the opening of the Black City, the return of the void moths, all these and more were signs to look out for. They were signs that she guarded with her very existence, lest their enemies lure yet another into their vile trap.


    ¡°Stupid Sun Queen,¡± she mused in her native tongue. ¡°If I¡¯d been around when you were alive, I¡¯d¡¯ve slapped you silly for writin¡¯ such things down. Some things are better left to history¡¯s twistins.¡±


    Alas, the Captain had never met the Sun Queen. In fact, during the reign of that illustrious ruler, her homeland hadn¡¯t even been a part of this world. The Summoned Isle was a new addition to the Southern Sea, and the Sun Queen¡¯s reign had long since set when it had come to be. That didn¡¯t stop the girl on the ship from fantasizing about smacking sense into the ancient ascendent.


    The Captain removed her hat, running a hand through her tangled green hair as she stared up at the moon. I wonder if he¡¯s safe, she thought to herself. Not much to do for ¡®im ¡®til he wakes, though. All I can do is keep them in the dark, best as I can.


    That meant keeping to the course she¡¯d been on for centuries. Giving them the runaround was fun, but she did long for the days when she¡¯d finally get to join the action again. That day would come. She¡¯d have to suffer in silence until then.


    ¡°Stay safe out there, Darkened Moon,¡± she called, tipping her hat at the bleeding moon. ¡°I¡¯d hate for them to snatch you, too.¡±

 Chapter 72 - Siblings

    Attachments are a double-edged sword. They can drive us forward, they can drag us under. Losing them can fuel or shatter us. If you intend to reach the heights of power choose them carefully and do not let us old masters foist them upon you. -Elder Song of the Ni-Lan Clan


    *          *          *


    ¡°Tsuyuki!¡± A soft smile spread across Tenri¡¯s face. His shoulders relaxed as he sat back on his knees.


    I glanced around, my mind still reeling from the voices of the void that battered against my mental defenses. The madness of the Chain-Bound Fury still echoed in the darkest recesses of my thoughts, but it was slowly fading. Like all the other voices, it faded to a dull roar, one that I could easily tune out.


    The moon shone overhead, painting the world with brilliant blue-silver voidlight. As I watched in confusion, the phase visibly shifted, reverting to the slightly more than half disk that it was supposed to be at this time of the month.


    ¡°Am I hallucinating? The moon just changed,¡± I rasped, my voice coming out a lot drier and hoarser than I had expected.


    ¡°You should have seen it a few moments ago,¡± Tenri answered. He helped me sit up before piling my chains in my lap. As he did so, he described the nightmarish ambiance that had befallen the land since the fight ended. ¡°You were staring straight ahead, and even your eyes were red,¡± he described. ¡°Then, it was as if it had never been there at all, and the moon returned to normal.¡±


    I cast a wary look upward. That moon was not normal. Normal moonlight is silver, but this was an eerie, baleful blue. It was the kind of light that was produced when my moon qi was infused with void. Even now, I could see threads of blue-silver light drifting around the clearing.


    ¡°You might want to activate your adaptation,¡± I warned. Tenri cocked his head in confusion.


    I didn¡¯t want to admit it. It was a conclusion too ridiculous and impossible for any reasonable person to believe, but that didn¡¯t stop a kernel of worry from embedding into my heart. That light, the voidlight, had seemingly sapped people¡¯s luck in the past, with often horrific results. If this light was the same¡­and it was shining down on the entire land¡­


    I held out my hand, summoning forth a tiny orb of moon qi. It was colored with the void, and I held it out to Tenri.


    ¡°This light will sap your fortune,¡± I admitted. ¡°You should try and ward against it. Did you touch me at all?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tenri¡¯s face was filled with alarm.


    ¡°Did you touch me while I was out of it?!¡± I repeated with a scowl. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but sometimes the bad luck rubs off when I touch people.¡± I looked down at the ground. ¡°It¡¯s why the stone ox broke your arm during the siege.¡±


    Tenri stared at me for a long moment. With every moment that passed, my heart crept further into my throat until I finally looked at him with my best pleading look.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that. I didn¡¯t know at the time, and I can¡¯t control it, yet. I¡¯m just a walking disaster.¡± I stared into that light, but soon Tenri put his hand on my shoulder. I flinched. ¡°Were you not listening?¡± I scolded. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, for your own safety!¡± But, Tenri just smiled, as if he knew something I didn¡¯t. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious!¡±


    ¡°Fine then. Let¡¯s see this cursed qi.¡± Tenri pulled my hand closer and began examining the orb in great detail. He squinted, then pulled his glasses off and cleaned them. As he replaced them on his nose, he bit his lip in contemplation. ¡°Your qi is extremely potent. It¡¯s hard to really understand.¡± Then he looked around. ¡°But, what I can tell you is that it¡¯s not everywhere. Whatever is coloring the moon, it¡¯s not actually spreading this qi as far as I can tell.¡±


    I let myself relax a little. Now that he¡¯d mentioned it, I couldn¡¯t see it either, not as qi in the environment. If there was anywhere that moon qi would be influenced by my powers, it would be the Moon-Soaked Shore. If we didn¡¯t see signs here, perhaps he was right and there was nothing to worry about after all¡­at least, for now.


    ¡°Look, the color is already shifting back.¡±


    Following his gaze, I looked back up at the moon. Sure enough, it was slowly returning to its normal silver.


    But, why would it look that way in the first place? The question settled in my mind and began to nag at me.


    The moon overhead was connected to my spirit. It was the other half of my soul, and, so long as we both lived, we were irrevocably linked. When I¡¯d first broken out of my prison, the moon had shone brightly, indicating the resurgence of my influence on the world. Now, the moon turned red, then shone with voidlight. The logical conclusion was that my precious moon was reacting to my condition.


    By absorbing the Chain-Bound Fury, I was temporarily at the mercy of his madness, fighting through a mire of insanities I¡¯d long thought I¡¯d left behind. Did that mean the voidlight moon was just showing another state of being? One more connected to the void?


    I looked down at myself. My chains shone with pure moonlight, unaltered by the void, but the rest of me was still the deathly visage of a void spirit. It was an unnatural state, one that was heralded as a monster even worse than any yokai.


    Am I really a monster? I wondered. All the memories dredged up by the Fury¡¯s madness were fresh in my mind. The ritual that had turned me this way, the woman who¡¯d done the deed¡­


    There was a time when I was excited to become Void-touched. Shi Reili had spoken of a world in the blackness beyond the reach of our sun and moon, a place between the stars where she was from before she¡¯d been orphaned and stranded on this world. Knowing how much power there was beyond our world, how much void qi could be used to combat the qi drought and save my people from strife¡­who wouldn¡¯t be interested in harnessing it? I¡¯d trusted her so completely that I¡¯d let her play with my cultivation, something I¡¯d never even trusted Jinshi or Chouko to do.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    And yet¡­would I have been less eager to follow the void¡¯s wishes if she hadn¡¯t instructed me to listen? Would I have been so willing to listen to the version of my advisor who whispered of death and destruction from inside my own head? Thinking back on it, that was when my opinion of her had changed¡­going from adopted sister and trusted advisor to reviled monster.


    As I stared up at the moon, I caught myself wondering if the Hated One was really Shi Reili at all, or just a figment of my imagination no more real than the Labyrinth¡¯s impersonation of Jinshi. Was the madness inside me her doing? Or had it been inside me all along, just waiting for the right chance to strike?


    ¡°Awwww, look at you two.¡±


    I snapped out of my thoughts, shoving them aside at the sound of my sister¡¯s voice. Chouko stood nearby, leaning against a tree and grinning in that way that only a mischievous little sister could do. Looking around, I realized that Tenri and I were seated next to each other, staring up at the moon together. In an instant, I was on my feet and glaring at Chouko, who only giggled to herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that,¡± I hissed.


    ¡°Nothing like what?¡± she mocked. ¡°What do you think I saw, Brother Dearest?¡±


    ¡°What you saw was perfectly innocent,¡± I insisted. ¡°Scrub your mind clean.¡±


    Chouko stuck out her tongue. ¡°Scrub yours! Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the purest spirit amongst the Tsuyuki children, according to the legends.¡±


    ¡°But not the most humble, I see. Don¡¯t forget, the legends don¡¯t even remember you exist anymore, apparently,¡± I countered.


    ¡°At least I haven¡¯t been reduced to a disembodied moon spirit instead of a real person.¡±


    ¡°Says the disembodied spirit!¡±


    Chouko rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ¡°Bold talk from the¡­what did that cultivator call you back at the camp? A walking ball of qi with delusions of being a man?¡±


    ¡°At least I¡¯m still breathing.¡±


    ¡°Enough to get a deep smell of Tenri¡¯s flowers, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Heat born of fury rushed to my cheeks. Without any further hesitation, a flat disk of moonlight formed in my hand before zipping off in her direction. She nimbly twisted out of the disk¡¯s path before disappearing and reappearing just behind my left arm.


    ¡°Such violence, Brother Dearest,¡± she mocked.


    Before she could say anything else, I flung the end of my chain in her direction. She ducked under it, and we continued trading blows in quick succession. However, after several minutes of this, my chains tugged me back. Thick vines had wrapped around them, holding them tightly. Chouko found herself similarly restrained by several vines around her wrists.


    ¡°Lady Tsuyuki,¡± Tenri began. ¡°I don¡¯t actually hold any real hope of holding you back, but I believe there is still work to be done tonight, yes? Evidence or some such?¡± My ears grew hot with embarrassment, and I glared at Chouko.


    She stuck her tongue out at me before nodding at Tenri. ¡°Yes, if you¡¯ll follow me? There¡¯s a small roadside shrine of mine not far.¡± Tenri and I followed after her as she walked off into the forest, leaving no trace of her passing.


    ¡°Sorry you had to see that,¡± I muttered. ¡°She¡¯s always been a bit wild.¡±


    ¡°It must run in the family,¡± Tenri answered.


    ¡°Nonsense, my other sister is the picture of a perfect woman. Any man should be lucky to attract her eye, and none are good enough for her.¡± I raised my voice just loud enough for Chouko to hear. ¡°Unlike someone, who could attract any man with her charm, only to send them fleeing with her tongue. Instead, she¡¯d be lucky if she could keep the ants in her garden, let alone a man in her home.¡±


    ¡°No, no, the ants are horribly rude,¡± she mused loudly. ¡°But, I do hear that a certain handsome hornet has a crush on you, Yoru. Why, just the other day, he was asking me about you and what sort of things you do in your free time. Who¡¯s the one attracting insects?¡±


    I didn¡¯t have an answer. My whole face was flush with embarrassment. It had been a thousand thousand moons since Chouko and I had bickered. Despite my utter defeat, I couldn¡¯t help but enjoy it.


    *          *          *


    Tenri and I stood before the grave that stood next to my sister¡¯s shrine. It was a grim sight, but one that had taken place years and years ago to the point where the body was little more than bones.


    ¡°Is this proof enough?¡± Chouko asked. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll take matters into my own hands. I have plenty of witnesses among the yokai and spirit beasts.¡±


    ¡°To kill a child in such a way,¡± Tenri shook his head. ¡°But it¡¯s not definitive. This could be anyone¡¯s fault.¡±


    I knelt and examined the body more carefully. They must have been around Xinya¡¯s age, maybe a little older. Several bones were splintered. If Chouko¡¯s description was accurate, then they were inflicted prior to the child¡¯s death.


    I¡¯d already had a poor opinion of Master Feng. After seeing this, I completely believed him capable of such things. He was callous and wicked, with no regard for others. But, for Tenri to have a legal grounds to take him down, we needed something to tie him to the body left in a shallow grave so many years ago.


    ¡°I know three yokai who saw it happen. One kitsune, a lurking hopper, and a two headed crow,¡± Chouko continued. ¡°But, I doubt any of their testimonies are submissible in human towns.¡±


    ¡°How about this?¡± I said, pulling a dirt-covered ring from the body. It bore the same symbol as the caravans we¡¯d been protecting. I tossed it to Tenri. ¡°Do you think the kid managed to pull it off his hand before they died?¡±


    Tenri silently rubbed the ring clean, then he nodded. ¡°Good enough for me.¡± He turned to Chouko. ¡°Lady Tsuyuki, it would be my honor to carry out your request and bring this man to justice. You have my word it shall be done.¡±


    ¡°And, as a favor to my brother, I will be dropping my grudge against you for your years as a bystander to wickedness,¡± she answered. Both parties bowed to one another respectfully.


    *          *          *


    Once the body was buried once more, and we were on our way back to the main road, Chouko stretched. ¡°And so, my work here is done for the season.¡±


    ¡°You going to sleep the winter away?¡± I asked jokingly. She nodded.


    ¡°It saves qi, but I¡¯ll be back in the Spring,¡± she said. ¡°There are still flowers to grow, and the blood of the abusive is always ready to flow here on the Shore. Thank you for saving Xinya, Yoru. She was the ward of mine with the biggest lunar spark in quite some time. With her safe, I can focus my efforts elsewhere in the springtime.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep her safe and sound, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± She winked at me. ¡°Because I¡¯d hate to have to haunt you specifically if you fail her!¡± Chouko¡¯s form began to fade, and her wisps began to wink out one by one. But, before she went, she cast a look at Tenri. ¡°Thank you for taking care of my brother. Goodness knows he can¡¯t do it himself.¡±


    He bowed. ¡°Lady Tsuyuki honors me with her praise.¡±


    Then she was gone. For a moment, my heart ached as it did the day I¡¯d last held her in my arms. It soon passed with the reminder that she would be back soon.


    ¡°Come on, I can¡¯t wait for Hanako¡¯s welcome home meal,¡± Tenri said with a gentle nudge. ¡°You and Xinya are both invited!¡±


    ¡°Well, who can say no to Hanako¡¯s cooking? Certainly not me.¡±


    ¡°Just a little longer, and we¡¯ll be able to have as much as we want.¡±


    I grinned at him. ¡°My mouth is watering already.¡±

 Chapter 73 - Fight, Little Wolf

    So many come to me to ask their fate. The ones that break my heart the most are the young masters of paths that echo my own. They come to me with such hope to reach the peak and find another way forward. But my path has no light at the end. In my sight I see that none shall reach the peak of the Stars for ten thousand years or more. We are destined as fertilizer for other paths in this realm. -The Oracle of Hai¡¯an


    *          *          *


    ¡°Good Morning, Xinya,¡± Miss Jaili greeted as the young cultivator entered. ¡°What can this humble apothecary do for such an esteemed Master of Saikan?¡± Her words were filled with mischief, and Xinya couldn¡¯t help but giggle.


    ¡°Morning, Miss Jaili. Hanako sent me to pick up the new medicine for Uncle Lin¡¯s parents,¡± Xinya explained. Jaili¡¯s jovial demeanor was replaced by a sad smile.


    ¡°Their condition hasn¡¯t improved?¡± she asked. Xinya shook her head.


    After the last encounter between Xinya and Madam Tenri, the elderly couple had withdrawn almost entirely from the home. At first, Hanako and Xinya both thought it was an exercise in saving face until Lin and Yoru returned and Xinya could return to living at her own home. But, after a few days without seeing them, Hanako had gone to their room and found them both in bed.


    The current working theory was that the stress of Xinya¡¯s declaration had sent Madam Tenri into a fit which had weakened her elderly immune system. That let in a sickness that had then spread to her husband and now both elders were quite sick. Hanako had been working around the clock to care for them while Xinya ran the odd jobs that needed to be done while the Lady of the House was busy. That included fetching medicine from her sister, and keeping their extended family apprised of the latest developments.


    However, if anyone were to ask Xinya¡¯s opinion, she doubted it was a sickness at all. The timing was entirely too convenient. After all, it had struck right after she¡¯d given Madam Tenri a light verbal lashing and overturned the delicate order that was present in the Tenri household. Sure, stress could have been the cause, but Madam Tenri hadn¡¯t been particularly unhealthy before. If Xinya were to make a guess, she would suspect that more nefarious forces were at play.


    Young as she was, she couldn¡¯t claim to be an expert in spirits and yokai, but without her uncles, she was the best expert Saikan had on the subject. Of all the children in town, she was always the Flower Maiden¡¯s favorite playmate, and the shade came back year after year to play with her during the spring and summer months. In that time, she learned that yokai were capable of all manner of things, and the little girl was quite certain that one would be capable of spreading a sickness like this.


    If that were the case, then medicines wouldn¡¯t help. The elders¡¯ conditions had not improved, despite Hanako¡¯s attention, which could leave only one conclusion. They¡¯d been targeted. However, if that was truly the reason for their sickness, then there was nothing Xinya could do about it. Only Yoru, Lin, or the Flower Maiden herself would be able to identify what kind of spirit was plaguing the house. They could only hope that the merchant caravan that arrived a few days ago was right that the two resident cultivators were close behind.


    ¡°Here it is,¡± Jaili said, offering the little girl a small package filled with powders and pills. ¡°They¡¯re all labeled. Hanako will know how to prepare them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Jaili!¡±


    Xinya bowed respectfully before leaving and returning quickly to the Tenri estate. There, she took a moment to admire the beautiful flowers of Uncle Lin¡¯s garden. They¡¯d be gone soon. Even a wood artist at Iron couldn¡¯t keep the flowers from wilting in the winter, but Xinya was sure that they¡¯d be just as beautiful in spring, if not more so since he was stronger now. The real question on her mind was whether or not Lin would be able to rope Yoru into helping tend the garden. Somehow, she couldn¡¯t see the vain man stooping to digging around in the dirt, but she hoped he would at least watch. It would be cute if he did.


    ¡°Auntie?¡± she called as she entered the home. Only silence greeted her, so she took to snooping.


    Hanako wasn¡¯t in the kitchen, nor the back courtyard. She wasn¡¯t in her in-law¡¯s bedroom, nor in Xinya¡¯s room. In fact, Xinya had searched almost the entirety of the house before hearing a small bump in Hanako¡¯s bedroom. Worried, Xinya rushed up the stairs and threw open the door.


    ¡°Auntie! Are you¡­¡±


    Tears were hastily wiped away from Hanako¡¯s cheeks, but Xinya had seen them clearly. Without hesitation, the little girl set down the medicines she¡¯d been tasked with retrieving and rushed to the older woman¡¯s side.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Hanako answered, forcing a smile to her face. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about Lin¡¯s parents is all.¡±


    Xinya wasn¡¯t convinced. Hanako¡¯s words held truth, but it was hollow. This was the kind of lie adults told to make a child worry less without being technically a lie. Xinya looked around, trying to find anything that might tell her what was bothering Hanako, but there was nothing. The woman had lit several candles around the room, but otherwise everything was normal.


    ¡°Are these the medicines?¡± asked Hanako as she reached for the small bag. Her smile faded slightly after examining them. ¡°Jaili forgot to stamp the packet with the tax seal,¡± she mused. ¡°How forgetful of her.¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. Not between family. It¡¯ll be our secret, okay?¡± Xinya nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything. A sense of unease was growing in her heart. Something was wrong, she just couldn¡¯t tell what.


    ¡°Have you heard from Uncle Lin, yet?¡± she probed gingerly, studying Hanako¡¯s reactions to every word.


    ¡°No, not yet,¡± Hanako said. ¡°But Kansi Ren said the caravan fled at top speed, so they might be a few days behind. We should expect them any day now.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The woman took the girl¡¯s hand and led her down the stairs to the kitchen. Xinya watched every move with expert scrutiny as her guardian busied herself by wrapping up a handful of dumplings using the leftover ingredients from a previous meal. They were placed before her, and she politely thanked Hanako for the meal before devouring them. The chicken inside was delicious, and she was glad it wasn¡¯t fish.


    ¡°Listen, Xinya,¡± Hanako began. ¡°Would you do me another favor today?¡±


    Xinya answered through a mouthful of dumpling, which made the woman¡¯s smile just a bit more genuine. ¡°Always.¡±


    ¡°Good. I was wondering if you might visit my cousins Suyi and Mina,¡± she said. ¡°I received word from them that the ancestral tree in their care was acting up. Perhaps you can commune with it as Tsuyuki did?¡±


    There was the real lie. Xinya was sure of it. Something in her heart felt wrong as she mulled over the information. Suyi had been in town just a few days ago and made no mention of an issue with the tree. Furthermore, Hanako¡¯s smile was still too forced, and she looked to be on the edge of tears again.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Xinya agreed, though she had no intention of actually going into the forest.


    Hanako squeezed her hand. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. Feel free to spend the night there. I¡¯d hate for you to be out in the woods after dark, even if you are a cultivator now.¡±


    Xinya nodded before rushing off to collect a small bag of essentials. She wouldn¡¯t be spending the night in the forest, but she would likely still be outdoors. Something was off about this request, and she was determined to find out what that something was. With everything in hand, she waved to Miss Hanako and ¡°set out.¡± She walked down the street, turned a corner, then rushed back along the alleys to the Tenri household¡¯s back door. She wasn¡¯t a strong cultivator, but the increased vigor of the lightning in her core made climbing the garden wall a simple task. From there, she hopped onto the railing that circled the upper floor and peered in the windows.


    Hanako had already returned to her room and was in the process of lighting every candle in the house. They were placed on the bookshelves and tables surrounding the room, but Xinya couldn¡¯t seem to find any rhyme or reason to the pattern. It was random.


    What is she doing? Trying to start a fire? But if that were truly the case, there were easier ways to do it. Besides, why would Hanako try to burn down her own home? Especially while she was still inside?


    For hours, Xinya watched. The candles burned while Hanako brushed out her hair, humming a soft song that the little girl recognized. She sang that song while Xinya was asleep, battling the overwhelming lightning qi within her.


    Then there was a THUD from the lower floor. Even Xinya heard it from outside. Hanako sighed and pulled her hair into a loose ponytail that lay gently over one shoulder before she stood and turned. Three men burst through the bedroom door, and Xinya recognized the insignia of the Lunar Hunt on their arms.


    An Iron and two bronze? What are they doing here? She thought.


    ¡°Well, it seems we were expected,¡± the Iron artist said. He was a young man with hair pulled so tight that it made Xinya¡¯s head hurt just to look at it. His black and silver uniform was sharply pressed, and he held himself like a wooden board, not like any artist Xinya had ever seen among the Hunt. He was much more disciplined than their usual ilk.


    ¡°That fact should concern you greatly.¡± Hanako¡¯s voice was void of all her usual affection. Xinya had never seen her be so cold. It was clear these were no friends of hers.


    ¡°It¡¯s curious, I¡¯ll admit,¡± he continued. ¡°However, I can see you¡¯re just a mortal, so I wouldn¡¯t call it quite ¡®concern.¡¯ Restrain her.¡± The bronze artists snarled and rushed forward. In an instant, Hanako¡¯s arms were held tight. She stood no chance of overwhelming their force.


    From a satchel, the Iron pulled a long roll of white cloth which he began unrolling, completely unconcerned by the struggling woman before him. Xinya frowned. What were they planning? What was their aim?


    ¡°Any last words you¡¯d like us to add to the note before we leave?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Go feed yourself to the crabs,¡± Hanako spat.


    ¡°Be glad I have strict orders to make it look self-inflicted, else I¡¯d cut that rude tongue from your mouth before finishing the job,¡± the Iron snarled.


    Xinya pressed her hand to her mouth to stop any noise from escaping. What was she supposed to do? They were going to kill Hanako, but what could she do to an Iron? These wicked men deserved a good smiting, but she was too weak to deliver it!


    Should she interfere? Hanako clearly foresaw this event. She wasn¡¯t surprised by any of it, so maybe she had a plan? But¡­Xinya didn¡¯t feel right leaving her Auntie to her fate. If there was any chance at all that she could make the difference¡­save Hanako¡¯s life¡­


    She had to take it.


    Lightning surged inside her, and she focused her will towards the window. In an instant, a bolt of purple lightning surged between her and the glass, exploding it and sending shards streaking across the room with deadly speed. She threw herself in after, hearing glass crack under her feet as she lunged for one of the Bronze artists holding Hanako prisoner.


    Months of practice took over as the words of her master filled her thoughts. Her fist flew forward, slamming into the man¡¯s solar plexus. Lightning surged from her body into him. He gasped as the wind was knocked clean from his lungs, and his grip on Hanako faltered.


    ¡°Hanako! Run!¡± Xinya cried as she threw herself into the other Bronze¡¯s legs, using her weight and the benefit of surprise to knock the man off balance. It wasn¡¯t much, but maybe they could flee?


    An iron grip wrapped around Xinya¡¯s arm, and she was lifted off the ground. She thrashed, but the artist holding her was the leader. She stood no chance against an Iron, but she fought with everything she had.


    ¡°It seems a savage little pup got in,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°Little Wolf, did you really think playing the hero would succeed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you a wolf!¡± she snarled, lashing out to claw at his face. He blocked with ease.


    ¡°Well, Little Wolf has some bite, it¡¯s a shame that it¡¯s all in vain. Didn¡¯t your parents teach you not to challenge your betters?¡±


    Before she could answer, the Iron dropped her to catch a sword blade before it reached his gut. It didn¡¯t even cut his hand as he bent the folded steel blade in Hanako¡¯s hand, but the woman wasn¡¯t deterred.


    ¡°You¡¯re here for me. Leave her alone!¡± she growled.


    ¡°What? Is she your pup? The Little Wolf is protected by its mother, how cute.¡±


    ¡°You know what else is cute?¡± A gleam of triumph flared in Hanako¡¯s eyes as she brought up her other hand. An ornate candelabra with five blazing candles cast dancing shadows across the room. ¡°That you thought you could win against a seer.¡± Then Hanako threw the flames at the bed. In an instant, the silk sheets went up in a blaze, filling the room with smoke. ¡°Xinya! Get out of here! Find Yoru and Lin!¡± Hanako shouted as the Bronze artists grasped at her arms. Her feet flailed, knocking several more of her candles into the walls and curtains.


    Instinct in the face of fire sent Xinya into a panic. She ran with all she could, practically flying down the stairs.


    ¡°Fight while you can, Little Wolf! But you¡¯ll find we can¡¯t have witnesses! Get her!¡± A silhouette appeared in the light peering from the door. These artists had friends.


    Unsure of what to do, she turned and fled to her room. Maybe the window there was a better way out. Slamming the door behind her and dragging a chest to block it, she rushed to the window. She ducked down just before another dark figure spotted her.


    They¡¯re patrolling the outside, too?! She looked around, unsure of what to do. Would the flames reach this far? If the ones outside saw her, or heard her shatter the window, then it would be over. If she stayed here and the fire spread to this room, she¡¯d be done for anyway.


    She was well and truly trapped.

 Chapter 74 - Fire, Part 1

    So many think my former rival was some sort of lazy or mad genius. That he was a cheat of some sort. But no Ascendant fits that category. You can¡¯t be born with that kind of talent. It takes incredible will to take down the barriers on that path. And the Darkened Moon was the one who had the most of that among us. His core technique was effective, yes, but its cost¡­none but he would¡¯ve paid so much to ascend. -The Sun Queen


    *          *          *


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Tenri asked as we walked down the road. ¡°The voices quieting down?¡±


    I forced a smile. ¡°They¡¯re manageable. Nothing more I can do about them.¡±


    Tenri put a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t push yourself too hard, okay? I¡¯d hate for you to keel over. I get the distinct feeling your sister would hold me responsible if you did.¡±


    I stifled a laugh. Chouko had always been the one to get worried over my well-being. Even after we¡¯d both become cultivators, she would always fuss over me when I was around, asking if I was eating well, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, all the important things that a person needs. When I came up short, she¡¯d smack me upside the head, then turn to Jinshi and insist that he take better care of me since I was too foolish to do so on my own. Nothing had changed in the last few millennia, and now it was Tenri¡¯s turn to make sure I was fed and properly hydrated.


    ¡°If you think Chouko is an imposing figure, then you should meet my other sister, Aya,¡± I continued. ¡°She was the one who raised us.¡± I paused, memories of long years searching for my older sister rushing back. ¡°She was stronger than either of us. Never backed down, never let anyone see the cracks in her mask, right up to the end.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°It was a long time ago, even by my standards. She was the reason I became a cultivator. Nearly my entire time in the Forging Realm was devoted to tracking her down after she was taken.¡±


    My dislike of arrogant, self-righteous cultivators was common knowledge in the old days. Abuse of power was not tolerated in my kingdom, and the reason was because of Aya. When we were children, she¡¯d been kidnapped by a cultivator and forced to marry him. Rescuing her was why I became a cultivator, but I hadn¡¯t reached her in time.


    ¡°I always arrive too late,¡± I muttered. I¡¯d been too late to save Aya before time and circumstances took her away. I¡¯d been too late to save Chouko and the Reili before they perished¡­too late to see Jinshi one last time before his death.


    Tenri didn¡¯t answer, not that I expected him to. We continued our walk in silence, listening only to the wind rustling through the azure canopy overhead. With every step, we were closer to Saikan and a well-earned rest that couldn¡¯t arrive fast enough. Even thinking about it struck me with the sudden urge to stretch my arms over my head.


    Pain lashed across my right forearm, and I hissed in surprise. All I saw before my vision was taken was a bloody mess of tally-marks¡­so many tally-marks¡­


    *          *          *


    The vision began exactly where my reality left off, and I lost myself in the calming sound of wind through the trees. We continued walking, and the quiet silence became a comfortable one as we rounded the bend in the road. The trees parted and the walls of Saikan came into view.


    ¡°Do you smell smoke?¡± Tenri asked, his voice tight with sudden tension. I turned my eyes to the sky and breathed deep. There was smoke, and a thin trail of it was reaching into the air above town.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming from the northwest,¡± I noted. We both knew what that meant. Though there were many homes in that area of town, being a residential district, there was the distinct chance that it was Tenri¡¯s home that was ablaze.


    Without further question, we sprinted ahead. The distance to Saikan was still great, but adrenaline and qi fueled our steps and lent speed to our stride. Still, nearly fifteen critical minutes passed as we raced straight past the gates and down the cobblestone streets. Each turn we took on the path towards the smoke traced the path towards Tenri¡¯s home, and sinking despair took deep root in my stomach.


    Please let Xinya and Hanako be okay¡­ I prayed. If there was any guardian spirit listening, or even just a fraction of my old powers still under my command, I begged it to keep them safe from harm.


    The smoke was thickest on Tenri¡¯s street. Civilians were screaming, trying to organize a group to fight the fire before it spread to other homes. Tenri yanked one of his neighbors over.


    ¡°What happened?!¡± he shouted over the cacophony of shouts and roaring flames.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know! But it¡¯s your home!¡±


    ¡°Did anyone make it out?¡±


    The man shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anyone but you.¡±


    Tenri¡¯s face set into a stony determination as he sprinted into the smoke, and I was right on his heels.


    The once tidy building was a mess of fire and rubble already, and I could hear the building creaking overhead. The smoke burned my lungs even more than the fox fire we¡¯d seen on the road, proving that this flame was very, very real. Qi swirled around us, upset and altered by the flames.


    ¡°We have to find them!¡± Tenri shouted. I nodded.


    Without another word, we split up, searching through the smoke and flames for any trace of life. I rushed to the room Xinya, and I shared when we lived in Tenri¡¯s home. The door wouldn¡¯t budge, it was blocked from the other side¡­and yet, I could feel the heat coming from within. The fire was there, too.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    There was no time to think. Void qi surged into my hand, and I forced it into the wall next to the door, hoping the blockage was shallower away from the door. The wall gave way before me, dissolving into dust that joined the smoke and revealed the room within.


    Rubble had fallen in the way of the door, and fire licked at the walls and rafters. I looked around, frantic to find any trace of the little girl. In the thick, black smoke, I nearly missed her entirely.


    Tucked between a cupboard and the wall curled a tiny form with her knees drawn to her chest. I lunged forward, yanking my disciple from her hiding spot and holding her close before sprinting out the way I entered.


    ¡°Zhao Jaili!¡± I shouted as we made it to the street. The apothecary was already on the scene, and joined me as I collapsed to the ground, Xinya in my arms. Concerned neighbors watched from nearby as Jaili and I examined the little girl. I scoured her for any trace of living qi¡­but found none. Tears sprang to my eyes as Jaili looked up helplessly.


    ¡°No pulse,¡± she whispered.


    There might still be time, I thought to myself as I fought to control my emotions. This wasn¡¯t possible. I wouldn¡¯t allow it. Her life was gone, but the fire hadn¡¯t been raging for long.


    The building cracked before me, and pieces of the roof began to collapse in. Shouts of ¡°the supports won¡¯t hold!¡± and ¡°get away before it falls!¡± filled the street as the civilians fled the scene.


    ¡°Tsuyuki?¡± Jaili asked. I didn¡¯t answer. She took my hand. ¡°Yoru, she¡¯s gone! We have to flee!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not gone¡­¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    Thirty-nine minutes and twenty-four seconds, including the thirteen seconds for reality to fracture. That would be enough. I wouldn¡¯t let her fall again¡­


    *          *          *


    The second vision was different than the first. Immediately, I felt the tally-mark form, was thrust into the vision, and witnessed the approaching disaster.


    ¡°Tenri, we need to move, now,¡± I hissed, already sprinting ahead. As we ran, I explained the situation. With every moment, his face grew paler and paler as I described the desperate scene.


    ¡°But, what caused it?! Hanako is always careful in the kitchen.¡± he shouted. I shook my head. I didn¡¯t know. What little I¡¯d seen of the fire seemed to indicate that the upper floor was more badly burned than the lower one, otherwise Xinya would have burned to death instead of dying from the smoke and heat. It would be very unlikely to be the result of a kitchen fire¡­


    The smoke wasn¡¯t nearly as thick by the time we rounded the corner onto Tenri¡¯s street. Hope and elation filled me for a brief moment, until my mind caught up with the wildly different scene that greeted us this time. Four cultivators, each sporting the insignia of the Lunar Hunt were watching the blaze. As we approached, feet pounding into the ground, a fifth joined them.


    ¡°I double checked, sir,¡± he said. ¡°No trace of them outside. They¡¯re definitely in the blaze. We should be safe to leave.¡±


    ¡°Good, then let¡¯s-¡± The man at the center was cut off as he spied Tenri and I tearing towards them. I snarled and skidded to a halt. My bow was already in hand with an arrow nocked to the string.


    Tenri raced ahead, fury fueling his rage. He drew the sword that once belonged to Shen Yaoxan and lunged for the man wearing an Iron badge. He ducked away, but Tenri was not willing to let him flee even an inch. His sword thrust towards the man, forcing him to stagger lest he be injured.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± Tenri hissed, plunging a hand into his pocket. ¡°My wife is in there!¡± Seed sprayed across the battlefield, glimmering with wood qi.


    My arrow slammed into the Iron¡¯s shoulder. He grunted before snapping the shaft and throwing it aside. A dark miasma of death qi began to seep from him as he snarled at the two of us.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find your wife took her own life,¡± he said.


    Tenri¡¯s next strike faltered, and he paid for it with a blast of death that sent him flying back several paces.


    ¡°How would you know?¡± I shouted back. ¡°Unless you had something to do with it?¡± The death artist¡¯s face turned into a twisted scowl, and a twisted glee took root in me. They thought they¡¯d gotten away with it. Had we arrived any later, they would have left, and we might never have known that they¡¯d set the fire. Regardless of their true goals, they¡¯d failed to take into account the one thing that could stop them: me.


    I will save them. I vowed. I would not let them die.


    *          *          *


    The battle with the death artist took too long, and soon smoke billowed into the streets once more. By the time the last enemy was slain, it was too late. The building was on the edge of collapse, and I denied fate.


    Two tallies. We just needed to defeat them faster. If we took them by surprise¡­


    *          *          *


    Six tallies, I noted as I returned to the forest outside of town yet again. I took off running, half-heartedly explaining the situation to Tenri as my mind raced through the possibilities. If we arrived fast enough, the artists would delay us at all costs. Though the fight was one we could win, four on two where the enemy win condition was just to keep us busy was a wicked combination. Xinya and Hanako didn¡¯t have the time to spare in dealing with the ones in our way.


    Perhaps the solution was to go around them altogether? In the seventh iteration, Tenri and I slowed our pace and climbed the fence to the back courtyard. The hostile artists could still be around. We crossed quietly to the door, shoving it open.


    A blast of flames knocked me back, dazing me, but I quickly crawled to my feet. Tenri was already in the building and up the stairs, searching desperately for his wife. Meanwhile, I stayed on the main floor, darting across the living spaces and immediately dissolving a hole in the wall closest to where Xinya was trapped.


    ¡°Un¡­Uncle?¡± The voice was soft and weak, but it filled me with more joy than I could contain. Tears of relief leapt to my eyes as I yanked the little girl into my arms and raced to the front door.


    Civilians were already scrambling to put the fires out as smoke billowed into the street. I spotted the neighbor Tenri had grabbed on the first iteration.


    ¡°Can you take her to Zhao Jaili?¡± I shouted. He nodded and took the weak girl. She tried to cling to my robes.


    ¡°No¡­uncle¡­don¡¯t¡­go¡­¡± she begged before dissolving into a fit of weak coughs that wracked her entire body.


    She¡¯s alive. That¡¯s what matters, I reminded myself as I pried her fingers from my robes.


    ¡°I need to help Hanako,¡± I said.


    ¡°Hanako¡­¡± Xinya began. ¡°She¡¯s¡­in the bedroom. So many candles¡­¡±


    I squeezed my disciple¡¯s hand one more time before running back. Tenri was still in danger, but we could do this. There was still hope. This iteration could be the last if we could reach Hanako in time.


    Once inside, I ducked immediately, per Flash Forward¡¯s warnings. A beam wreathed in hungry flames crashed down just behind me as I sprinted up the stairs two at a time.


    Tenri was in the hallway, staring through the door of another room. His parents lay peacefully in bed, smoke all around them. Tears drew tracks in the soot on his cheeks as I took him by the arm.


    ¡°I know where Hanako is!¡± I shouted, jostling him from his grief-stricken trance. We rushed to his bedroom door, throwing it open in unison.


    Tenri¡¯s wail of grief struck me like an arrow to the heart. Inside, the ground was covered with blood and melted wax. A silk ribbon burned from one of the rafters, but it hadn¡¯t been used. It was as if the perpetrators couldn¡¯t decide on the method of suicide they wanted to fake. In the end, they¡¯d chosen to slash Hanako¡¯s forearms clean from her wrists to her elbows. She lay in a pool of her own blood, her blue dress caked with black soot and crimson stains.


    Once again, we were too late.

 Chapter 75 - Fire, Part 2

    My husband to-be is so nervous, you¡¯d think we hadn¡¯t been friends since forever. He stutters and stammers, blushing every time he sees me. But, behind the flustered exterior is a smile that I will cherish forever. He saw me in my wedding clothes yesterday. It is a moment I will cherish until my last breath. ¨C the diary of Zhao Hanako on the day before her wedding.


    *          *          *


    The eighth time I Flashed Back, we tried moving faster through the garden. The enemy on patrol hadn¡¯t quite left, yet. He spotted us, called his friends, and we lost them all.


    The ninth time I Flashed Back, we waited for the enemy to leave, broke down the back door, and rushed up the stairs to rescue those upstairs. We managed to get Tenri¡¯s parents out of the building, only to find they were already dead by the time we reached the outside. Xinya was alive, but unconscious and possibly in danger of permanent damage to her lungs.


    The tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth times I Flashed Back, I was able to save Xinya, only to be stopped by random chance. Beams fell, paths were blocked, flames spread to strange parts of the building, consuming the bedroom before we ever even reached Hanako.


    The fourteenth time I Flashed Back, Tenri and I rescued Xinya together. After that, we returned to find Hanako, skipping straight past his parents, who were beyond saving. Hanako was already dead, and Tenri was inconsolable. He stayed by her side until the roof began to cave in. I¡­I don¡¯t know if he made it out¡­my vision was blurred with tears of frustration and my focus was already on Flashing Back again.


    The fifteenth time¡­I sat down and rested my head in my arms. My body ached. Blood was flowing freely from the tally-marks, and the voices of despair crawled deep from the dark recesses of my mind. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was even possible to save them. Tenri¡¯s parents were beyond saving, already dead by the time we arrived. Xinya was in critical condition, and I¡¯d never gotten to Hanako fast enough to know if there was a chance. Frustration and sorrow reigned in my heart as the physical toll of Flash Back began to manifest. As tears began to well in my eyes, Tenri didn¡¯t know what to do, and I didn¡¯t bother explaining. Once thirty-nine minutes passed, and I was through tormenting myself with visions of Xinya¡¯s still body and Hanako¡¯s blood, I Flashed Back again.


    In the sixteenth time, weariness held sway over my body, but I couldn¡¯t stop. I picked up the pace, running as fast as I could. All my energy went to my feet and legs. I didn¡¯t even spare any for Tenri as I sprinted towards town without a word.


    I had to know. I had to see if it was even possible.


    Hanako might not have been my wife, but she was one of the only friends I had left. If there was even a shred of a chance that I could save her¡­that if I just found the right combination of actions to get the perfect outcome¡­to save her¡­if it was even remotely possible, then I was prepared to Flash Back a hundred times more. I would exhaust every avenue, try every solution, and pay any blood price to see her safe from harm.


    Smoke only barely curled out the windows by the time I reached the building. Tenri was so far behind that I didn¡¯t see him. He was calling my name somewhere behind me, but I paid him no mind. I¡¯d have to Flash Back and undo this reality. I just needed to know¡­


    I vaulted over the wall before leaping straight to the upper balcony. A shout from the patrolling cultivator warned his friends of my arrival, but I was through the window before he could stop me.


    The window was already broken? I noted silently. It had been broken from the outside, as shown by the glass on the floor. In previous iterations, I hadn¡¯t noticed. Perhaps there was a chance after all.


    I rushed to Hanako¡¯s side. She lay on the floor, exactly where she always was. Her wrists were slashed by her attackers, but this time the blood was still flowing, albeit slowly. Hope surged inside me, and I ripped the bottom of my robes, frantically wrapping the injuries in the hope of saving her.


    ¡°Ru¡­ru?¡± Hanako murmured. ¡°You...you¡¯re here¡­¡±


    ¡°I am. You¡¯re going to be okay. Save your strength,¡± I ordered her, but she shook her head.


    ¡°You can¡¯t save me,¡± she said.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°I¡­saw it¡­Ruru. It¡¯s fate.¡± Her voice was soft, and I could barely hear it over the growing din of the flames. However, at the word ¡°fate,¡± a sickening darkness settled into my stomach.


    ¡°Fate and I don¡¯t get along,¡± I growled. ¡°I will save you, Hanako! Tenri needs you. Xinya needs you.¡±


    Her eyes turned upward in amusement, and she chuckled. Even as I held her in my arms, I couldn¡¯t feel her shoulders shake, she was so weak.


    ¡°I saw fate, Ruru,¡± she insisted. ¡°The flames are my defiance...that you¡­and Lin¡­would see in time¡­¡±


    ¡°We did. It worked. Your plan worked, Hanako. Just let me save you.¡± I pressed harder on the cloth at her wrists, but she pulled away.


    ¡°I am¡­beyond¡­help¡­please don¡¯t waste your time¡­on me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my time to waste!¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, Ruru¡­Xinya and Lin¡­need you more than¡­me.¡± Her words were coming more quietly now. Her breaths were shallower, and I could barely feel any qi in her at all. With the last of her strength, she reached up, stroked my cheek. ¡°You are more¡­than your titles, Ruru. Please, take care of them both¡­for me¡­¡±


    Hanako¡¯s hand fell into her lap. Her eyes unfocused, and she was gone.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    This time, it was my turn to scream my rage over her corpse. No one in Saikan was sweeter than Hanako. She¡¯d done nothing wrong. It wasn¡¯t fair¡­


    Just like Chouko¡­ The voice of the Hated One¡­that wicked version of Reili that said such hateful things¡­whispered in the back of my thoughts, and she was right. I wept over Hanako¡¯s body the same way I wept over Chouko¡¯s¡­helpless to change anything.


    I could end it all, I thought. The cultivators are still here. A big enough blast would catch them, too¡­ It was so tempting. With the Hated One¡¯s help¡­enough void qi could decimate everything, catching them in the process. Was I strong enough for that? To destroy everything without any restraint? It wouldn¡¯t be the first time¡­


    But¡­what of Xinya? What of Tenri?


    The splitting of a beam above snapped my attention back to the burning room, away from the thoughts and the grief that threatened to overwhelm me. If I didn¡¯t Flash Back and deny this reality any hold over the world, then it would become fixed. Xinya still needed to be saved¡­


    Wearily I set Hanako¡¯s body to the side and stood. Both my blood and hers dripped from my hands as I drew out my qi to form the lunar sigils before me. With one last look at her glassy eyes, reality shattered again.


    *          *          *


    I stumbled and collapsed on the forest road, blood leaking from sixteen tallies on my right arm. A ragged cough wracked my body, but as I tried to push myself to my feet, my gaze drifted to my hand. It flickered, at times revealing the hard earth beyond it.


    ¡°Tsuyuki? Are you okay?¡± Tenri asked. He reached out a hand to help, but I shied away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch,¡± I insisted. ¡°Just run. Your house is burning. Xinya is trapped inside. She¡¯s in her bedroom, but you have to go in through the back courtyard. Mind the exploding door and the enemy on patrol.¡±


    ¡°The¡­enemy?¡±


    ¡°Just go! I¡¯m right behind you!¡±


    For a blessing, Tenri recognized the desperation that cracked in my voice. The heat of the last fire was still in my lungs, and Hanako¡¯s words still rang in my ears. I had to get there¡­she said to take care of them.


    I forced myself to stand, taking a deep breath to steady my body. This was the last time. Even at Iron, my body wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand another Flash Back, the rebound would be too great. Whatever happened this time would be how it would be¡­and there was still much to do. Xinya needed rescuing, and Tenri needed to be removed from the building before it collapsed on him.


    If the timing was right, then Tenri would make it inside just as the villains were leaving, thus avoiding them altogether. Then, if he followed my instructions, he¡¯d save Xinya first, as she was the closest to the exit and the one whose location he knew. If I hurried, I could arrive to the front door just as he brought her out, and I¡¯d be able to prevent him from returning.


    So, I ran. Qi and desperation pumped through my body like blood, fueling my muscles with the energy to keep going, even as my own abilities were busy ripping them apart.


    The smoke hadn¡¯t yet thickened by the time I rounded the corner. From there, I spied the enemy cultivators just as they rounded the corner, moving away from the scene of their crimes. Part of me wanted to strike at them while their backs were turned, but to do so would only jeopardize the careful timing I¡¯d planned for.


    A moment later, Tenri burst out the front door, carrying a little bundle in his arms. Xinya looked around with wide eyes, before setting her on the ground.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Tenri asked as I knelt next to them. Xinya nodded.


    ¡°But Hanako! She¡¯s in the bedroom! Those men¡­they tried to kill her!¡±


    Tenri paled. Without a word, he spun around and raced back towards the house. I lunged, trying to grab his robes, but my hand passed right through them as if I were nothing more than a ghost.


    ¡°Tenri! Don¡¯t!¡± I shouted, but he wasn¡¯t listening. I pushed myself painfully to my feet, only for Xinya to try repeating my gesture. Like mine, her hand clasped around only air instead of the fabric of my clothes. She looked confused.


    ¡°Uncle? What¡­why are you¡­?¡± As in previous iterations, I flagged down a passing neighbor to take care of Xinya before running back into the blaze, myself. The little girl wailed. ¡°No! Uncle Yoru! You can¡¯t be dead! Don¡¯t leave me!¡±


    I¡¯ll explain later, Meimei, I mentally promised.


    Over the blaze, I heard Tenri¡¯s grief. I rushed up the stairs. As expected, he cradled Hanako¡¯s still form in his arms as the flames raged around them.


    ¡°Lin¡­I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I said, collapsing to my knees next to him.


    ¡°Who¡­who did this?¡± Tenri said through heaving sobs. I wished nothing more than to be able to touch his shoulder, to lay a hand on him and provide him some small comfort.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who they are, but they wear Lunar Hunt insignia,¡± I explained.


    ¡°Shen Tori? Why would he kill Hanako? What has she done to deserve this?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± my voice failed. Images of every single time we reached this point flashed through my mind. I wished I had the answers, that I could tell him why his beloved was targeted this way. But¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± was all the answer I had.


    ¡°Can you fix it? Go back, rewrite reality or whatever it is your bloodline does?¡± he begged.


    ¡°I¡­I tried.¡± The admission of failure was more than I could bear. For all my boasting of being the Master of Reality, there were some things even I could not change. All I could do was mourn.


    Tenri rocked back and forth, holding Hanako close. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to disturb them, not yet. Only once the beam creaked overhead, heralding the impending collapse did I stand.


    ¡°Lin, we need to leave,¡± I murmured softly. ¡°The building is going to collapse.¡±


    Tenri looked around at the bedroom he once shared with Hanako. Tears carved trails in the soot on his cheeks, as he pressed his forehead to Hanako¡¯s.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± he said. ¡°This was our home¡­our room. Her spirit is still here, how can I leave her?¡±


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t want you to die here with her, come on!¡±


    ¡°Leave, Yoru!¡± he shouted. Qi resonated in his words, and I realized only too late what that meant. The iron band around my core squeezed, urging me to follow his command. Tenri rarely spoke with such force, I¡¯d almost forgotten that the bond we shared gave him that kind of control over me. He wasn¡¯t even aware of it, but any command he gave me, when enforced with qi, I would be compelled to follow.


    I choked, collapsing to my knees to resist rather than follow. My body screamed with agony as my physical self began to flicker in and out of reality.


    ¡°Tsuyuki?¡± Tenri asked, seeing my body become even more transparent.


    ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t stay here¡­¡± I gasped. Tenri seemed to finally see the flames as they ate at the walls of his bedroom. He laid Hanako¡¯s body to the side, folding her hands neatly over her chest, before turning to me.


    He tried to take me by the hand and drag me away, but his fingers passed right through me.


    ¡°It¡¯s the rebound¡­go¡­¡± I begged.


    ¡°But, you¡¯re in no condition to escape on your own.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I lied.


    Tenri was smart enough to see through it, though. After a moment of thought, his qi surged inside him, flowing through his body and reinforcing it with the power of adaptation. Then, he seized me and lifted me into his arms before sprinting for the door.


    All I remember after was the sound of snapping beams and collapsing wood, then all was silent.

 Chapter 76 - Flash Back Backlash

    You are not enough. Did you train as much as you could? Did you claim every resource you could? Did you kill to get ahead? No. You didn¡¯t. Otherwise, your brother would be alive. Do better.  -Patriarch Hui Shin to his son after an attack on a caravan.


    *          *          *


    Nothing plagued my slumber. Only quiet darkness, a night sky with no moon and no stars, wreathed me. Nothing moved. Nothing spoke. Nothing breathed. Nothing marked the passage of time, not even my own thoughts.


    I was too weak for even the Labyrinth to bother. Shattering seventeen separate versions of reality had taken its toll. With the combined stress of defying Tenri¡¯s command, I really wasn¡¯t sure if I would continue living, or if my body would just fade away.


    This didn¡¯t worry me. Wasting energy by worrying over that which I could not change would simply be that: a waste of energy. So, I rested. I waited. I let my body heal.


    When my eyes finally opened just a crack, the sympathetic connection I shared with the moon told me exactly how much time had passed¡­not that I really needed it. It was the night after the new moon, and tiny blue and green wisps danced over my head like tiny moths flitting from light to light. They illuminated the dark room just enough to see.


    I was at Jaili¡¯s clinic, which was only sensible given my condition. The wind rattled the chimes outside the window which were illuminated by the soft light of several lunar tear lanterns. Otherwise, there was no light, save that of my wisps, and the ethereal chains that wrapped around my limbs and torso.


    How unfortunate to awake on such an abysmal night, I thought to myself. I reached up, feeling my head with my left hand. Sure enough, the yokai-like horns poked out of my hair.


    A presence next to me stirred. ¡°Hmm? Wha¡­oh, you¡¯re awake,¡± Tenri murmured. He sat up in his chair from where he¡¯d apparently been napping on the side of the bed. There were bags beneath his eyes. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    I looked up at my clawed hand before setting it down. ¡°Physically? I feel weak, but alive.¡± My voice rasped, and I briefly wondered if Jaili had shoved cotton in my mouth for some reason. ¡°Can I have some water?¡± Tenri immediately nodded and stood. His white robes were wrinkled from where he¡¯d been sleeping, and he yawned as he brought a small cup to me and helped me sit up.


    ¡°You were unconscious for a little over a week,¡± he said as I drank the refreshing liquid.


    ¡°I know.¡± I lowered my head. No doubt his grave attire was leftover from the funeral. ¡°Listen, Tenri, I¡¯m so s-¡±


    Before I could even finish the sentence, the wood artist lunged at me. His arms wrapped around my neck, and I was certain he was going to strangle me to death. It would have been his right. He was probably furious with me for letting Hanako die.


    There was a CRACK, and, for a moment, I thought it the sounds of the bones in my neck snapping, only no pain followed¡­until I hit the ground. Tenri held me still, only it wasn¡¯t tight enough to hurt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever make me worry like that again, do you understand?¡± His voice cracked as he whispered the words straight into my ear. ¡°You were so still, and I could only touch you with my qi. I thought you¡¯d died and were reduced to a shade. Xinya was inconsolable for days, and I worried you¡¯d just pass on once she was safe.¡±


    I blinked, unsure if I¡¯d just heard him right. His shoulders shuddered, and he squeezed me tighter, as if he were adrift in a storm and I was his only life raft.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand,¡± I answered in words too soft for anyone but him to hear.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why would you be worried about me?¡± I shifted, causing my chains to clink together. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the man who nearly killed himself trying to save my family.¡±


    ¡°I failed.¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡± Tenri released me and knelt. The bed was wrecked, unable to withstand the force of Tenri¡¯s assault, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice. Instead, he reached into his robes and pulled out an envelope. I took it.


    The paper was slightly charred in places, but most of it was still legible. My eyes widened in shock as I scanned the words written in delicate calligraphy. Suddenly, a part of me wished I¡¯d killed those wicked artists when I¡¯d had the chance.


    ¡°They tried to fake her suicide,¡± Tenri explained. ¡°I don¡¯t know how they copied her calligraphy, but they didn¡¯t copy her spirit.¡±


    That was the understatement of the century. The letter made no sense to anyone who actually knew Hanako. It went on and on about how she¡¯d failed to save her husband¡¯s parents. The shame coupled with the fact that she had borne no children drove her to the brink. To add frost to the snows, she pinned it all on me, saying that she couldn¡¯t bear the rumors that the ¡°lunar whoreson¡± had stolen her husband from her.


    ¡°They could have at least been a bit more creative in their insults. Hanako would have done better,¡± I said. If it had been any other woman, the note might actually have been believable.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Tenri nodded. ¡°She never wanted children, and she regarded you as much a part of our family as she was.¡±


    ¡°She called me ¡®Ruru¡¯ as she died.¡± I idly rubbed the part of my arm where the tally marks formed, only to wince as my Void-touched claws dug into the bandages. Tenri put a hand against my injury, blocking me from touching it further.


    ¡°How many times did you see her death?¡± he asked. I hung my head.


    ¡°Only a few,¡± I admitted. ¡°Tenri, I¡¯m sor-¡±


    ¡°Enough. You don¡¯t need to apologize,¡± he said. ¡°Without you, I might have believed that she really did take her own life. Part of me would have always wondered if I¡¯d wronged her by letting the rumors get so far out of hand. I¡¯d never have known the culprits were there, and they¡¯d have gotten away with murder.¡± He looked up into my eyes. ¡°Also, you¡¯re the only person I have left besides Zumi and Jaili. I don¡¯t want to lose you, Yoru.¡±


    I looked away but couldn¡¯t stop a gentle smile from creeping to my lips. He¡¯d used my given name, instead of the more formal use of my family name. So few people in this age actually used it, I could count them on one hand with several fingers to spare. It sounded nice on his lips, felt nice in my ears, and filled my heart with a warmth I hadn¡¯t truly felt since breaking free of the prison that bound me for so long.


    ¡°I question your judgement, Lin,¡± I said, returning the gesture, ¡°but if you¡¯re sure you want a legendary monster in your corner, then I suppose I can¡¯t judge.¡±


    He smiled at me for a long moment before glancing around. His whole face flushed red as he noticed the splintered wood of the bedframe.


    ¡°Maybe I should help you back into bed¡­a different one, I guess.¡±


    However, rather than let me lean on him like a normal, sane person, he hooked his arms under my legs and lifted me straight off the ground. I yelped in alarm as one of my chains caught in the broken pile of wood, threatening to pull me right out of his arms, but he gently reached down and freed the length of lunar steel. Lin wrapped it around his wrist to keep it off the floor, then walked swiftly to another bed and settled me down.


    ¡°By the way, can you explain something to me?¡±


    ¡°Depends on if I have the answer,¡± I answered honestly.


    ¡°Back in the fire, you seemed to be disappearing, then you started choking. What exactly did you do to yourself?¡±


    I bit my tongue in frustration. His question had two answers, and neither of them were things I particularly wanted him to know. He¡¯d only fuss over me, just like Chouko used to.


    ¡°Yoru, maybe I can help you. If I can recognize the signs, maybe I can be more efficient during those¡­rewinds, or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Rewinds?¡± I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not a time traveler. That¡¯s not how it works!¡±


    ¡°Then explain it, so I can understand.¡±


    I sighed. He was right. Since he already knew the secret to my success, he may as well be available to help when I was neck-deep in shattered realities and bloody tally marks. So, I began to explain.


    Flash Back was quite possibly the best, most complex technique I¡¯d ever created. It had the capacity to give me near-limitless time to resolve complex problems and situations, and I¡¯d used it to extremely great effect on no few occasions. From finding the perfect strategy to decimate the undead armies of the Damned King of Daying to finding the solution to the qi drought that led to my downfall to learning to play the flute in time to win a bet with the Reili, the possibilities of Flash Back were endless.


    However, it was not without a cost. For every reality I denied, every tally mark upon my skin, the wave of unbound qi generated by shattering a fate in progress rebounded onto me. Most of that cost was taken by the version of myself that triggered the Flash Back, but some always trickled back to the version who could yet change things. Over the course of too many Flash Back iterations, my body would be unraveled by the rampant qi.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I looked like a shade,¡± I finished. ¡°I was literally fading from reality.¡±


    ¡°You actually used an ability that would erase you from existence?!¡± Lin said, stunned. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t use that too much. It sounds like a terrible way to die.¡±


    I nodded my head, knowing full well that it was a promise I would struggle to keep. This body was weak. How was I to know that I could only Flash Back 17 times over a 40-minute interval? I developed the ability at Salt. I had no idea what it would do to an Iron body.


    ¡°You just looked to be in a lot of pain, unable to breathe,¡± he mused.


    ¡°Oh, that was unrelated,¡± I said before realizing. Lin¡¯s brow furrowed in question, and I made a point to study the wisps lazily flitting over my head.


    ¡°Yoru.¡± His voice was low and dangerous. ¡°Something that is that much of a hazard to you is something I should know about.¡±


    I sighed. Why was he always right about everything? It wasn¡¯t fair.


    ¡°You commanded me to leave. I disobeyed,¡± I answered simply.


    ¡°Command? But I didn¡¯t¡­¡± he trailed off, remembering the exact words he said to me that morning. He shook his head violently. ¡°But, you never do what you¡¯re told. Why only now?¡±


    ¡°You gave me a qi command. It¡¯s not the first time.¡±


    Back when we first met, Lin had issued a command laced with qi demanding that I tell him who I was. It was the only reason why he even knew of my dark past instead of some other, clever lie. He didn¡¯t know he¡¯d done it, and at the time, I didn¡¯t know the kind of person he was, so I didn¡¯t tell him.


    ¡°But now, I know you,¡± I concluded, leaving the thought hanging.


    Lin hung his head. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s my own fault for messing up the qi technique that binds me to you. I didn¡¯t have much time to get the details straight.¡±


    Lin looked like he might say something else, but the bell over the entry door rang through the little apothecary shop and infirmary. Jaili entered a few moments later, carrying a sleeping Xinya. Both of them were dressed in white. Lightning qi coursed underneath the little girl¡¯s skin, and I was relieved to see her recovering well.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake,¡± Jaili whispered. ¡°Zumi took over the vigil for us. Brother Lin, you were supposed to be getting sleep.¡±


    ¡°I was, I swear!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m keeping him up, apologies.¡± I shrugged sheepishly while Jaili settled Xinya down into one of the spare beds. She walked further into the dark room, only to accidentally kick a splinter of wood across the floor. My wisps betrayed me, illuminating the mess for her to see.


    ¡°Tsuyuki, weren¡¯t you in a different bed earlier?¡±


    ¡°Um, you know, I was asleep? How could I possibly know?¡± It was not my most convincing lie, but a smile twitched across the apothecary¡¯s face.


    ¡°Then, Lin, do you want to explain to me why one of my beds is in splinters?¡±


    ¡°You told me to sleep. I couldn¡¯t say.¡±


    Jaili huffed. ¡°Two big bad cultivators, and neither of you saw the villain who did this? Shameful.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°What can I say, cultivators sleep deep!¡±

 Chapter 77 - Isolating Reality

    Sky qi? There¡¯s no such thing child. Sky, moon, land, the elements, all the so called ¡°qi aspects¡± that the chattle rant about are nothing more than boxes forced on the spectrum that are the Paths we walk. Our Paths are more than a handful of whimsical inspirations, and they do not care how we categorize anything. Find your Path; do not categorize it into powerlessness. -Matron Huri of the Mind¡¯s Peace Pavillion to her disciple.


    *          *          *


    It was still several days before Jaili gave me her blessing to leave. Even then, she gave Lin and Xinya strict instructions not to let me go anywhere alone, lest I fall and hit my head. Even if it was unwarranted, her concern was touching, and I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her that a fall and a bump on the head wouldn¡¯t keep me down, even in my weakened state.


    I didn¡¯t have proper funeral attire¡­or really many extra outfits at all¡­so I elected for the white and green robes that I¡¯d worn when I first escaped the labyrinth. They were nice, at least, being of the highest quality materials an Ascendent could muster. Of course, during my imprisonment, they¡¯d lost much of the qi that had once been infused into every thread, but they were still the nicest and most respectful thing I owned. Hanako deserved that much, at least.


    Jaili also insisted that I wear a cloak of gray fox fur that her father had once worn, and I was immediately grateful. One step outside, and I could feel the biting chill of the autumn air. While I was sleeping, the weather had turned, and it was clear that we were approaching a harsh winter.


    ¡°How has your cultivation progressed?¡± I asked Xinya as the three of us walked through the chilly streets. Immediately, her expression became excited. She hopped forward and began to walk backwards in front of me as she happily shared everything that had happened while Lin and I were away.


    ¡°I got the lightning! See?¡± She pointed upward so that no one would get hurt and a tiny streak of violet lightning shot from the tip of her fingers.


    ¡°Excellent work!¡± I praised. ¡°And your moonlight?¡± she nodded and held her hand out. Concentration furrowed her brow, and a little orb of silver light flickered dimly in her hand.


    ¡°The moonlight is hard. I don¡¯t know why it resists,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°We¡¯ll work on it. These things take time, but your dedication is clear.¡± I pat the little girl on the head. She turned back around and fell in line between Lin and I. ¡°You¡¯ll want to start considering how the nature of moonlight and lightning could mingle together.¡±


    Xinya nodded, then frowned and bit at her knuckle. After nearly a whole block of walking, she tugged on my sleeve. ¡°What do you mean ¡®mingle together?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Right now, lightning and moonlight share a space in your core, but they do not mix. They sift and shift like oil in a pitcher of water, together and not at the same time,¡± I explained. ¡°However, to reach Bronze, you will need to condense your core, which will naturally begin to mix them within you. When you reach Iron, you¡¯ll layer both into the same pathways in your meridians. The further you progress, the more the two forces will collide and mingle. They¡¯ll influence one another.¡±


    ¡°What about yours?¡± she asked.


    ¡°My path is not yours.¡± I crossed my arms. We had arrived outside the cemetery gates. Once we entered, we would not be allowed to speak until we left, out of respect for the restful dead.


    ¡°True. I can¡¯t copy yours, but I can get inspiration, right? Nothing says I can¡¯t study yours in order to develop my own.¡± She had me there. I cast a pleading look at Lin, but he just shrugged.


    ¡°She¡¯s your disciple, not mine,¡± he said, but I could hear the amusement in his tone.


    ¡°Some help you are.¡± I sighed, then stopped to ponder it. My path had changed so dramatically since my first ascension, and I hadn¡¯t really stopped to think about it in any meaningful way. Perhaps that was my mistake. If I understood it better, would the void have less control over my thoughts and actions?


    ¡°My path combines the reality altering power of the moon with the destructive isolation of the void,¡± I began, trying to put words to intuition as I went. ¡°By combining those ideas, the obvious conclusion is that my path is one that destroys reality, but, if you look at my abilities, that isn¡¯t quite true. My bloodline certainly can destroy a reality in progress, but that¡¯s only a tiny part of my full path.¡±


    ¡°But, void also deals in isolation. Are you instead isolating realities that aren¡¯t favorable?¡± Xinya proposed. I knew she was just trying to impress me, to guess the wisdom behind my words before they became apparent, but it was an insight that I¡¯d never quite considered.


    The void is the space between the stars. It separates them and isolates them, keeping them from ever interacting with one another. One could say that, by taking two grains of rice and placing them on opposite ends of a table, you are demonstrating an inherent principle of the void¡¯s teachings. But¡­


    When combined with the reality alteration of the moon¡­


    I thought back to the times when void colored moonlight. The effect the voidlight created in the world was akin to creating extremely poor luck, but it did more than that. It blocked my blooded techniques. If it simply drained luck, then why would it block Flash Forward and Flash Back, unless there was another mechanism at play that I couldn¡¯t yet see.


    Without answering Xinya, I pushed open the cemetery gates. I needed to more carefully consider the void¡¯s true influence on my path, and the next several hours of quiet seemed as good a time as any to do so. Hanako would understand if my thoughts were elsewhere. After all, figuring out the true nature of myself might help me to understand how to avoid becoming the wicked demon that lived in this world¡¯s legends.


    You are more than just your titles¡­


    Her words rang clearly in my ears, and I could almost see her cheerful smile. Were she here, hearing the tribulations in my heart, she¡¯d call me silly. Then, she¡¯d take my hand, read the fortune in my palm, and encourage me to keep trying. The least I could do would be to continue that path.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Lin split off from us to visit his parents¡¯ graves while Xinya and I continued on to Hanako¡¯s. Fresh flowers lay on the stone under her name. Zumi must have just left his vigil to see to his aunt and uncle¡¯s graves. Without a word, Xinya and I knelt at the grave to our departed friend and bowed our heads. We lit the incense and stoked a fire in the offering brazier. Then, with heavy hearts, we sat in quiet contemplation, burning the paper money we¡¯d brought for Hanako.


    ¡°Take care of them both¡­for me¡­¡±


    You have my word, Hanako, I promised silently. I will guard them with my life.


    But, some guardian I would be if I didn¡¯t get a hold on my own techniques. As we sat in silence, I began to mentally catalogue every technique I¡¯d used, developed, or seen used by the Chain-Bound Fury.


    Most of them were simple. Simple Lunar Blades and Void orbs were not hard to create, and they used mostly one form of qi. Because they were so simple, they did not have the same mingling of power that the others displayed.


    However, anything that used voidlight was under scrutiny. That included the ability I¡¯d dubbed Baleful Light, which just produced a voidlight orb of light, and Corrosive Light, which created a denser mote of voidlight that would destroy anything the light touched. Since Corrosive Light simply worked off the principle of enhancing the void qi inside Baleful Light, it was a safe assumption that the two operated off the same fundamentals.


    At the end of the day, the most dangerous part of both techniques was the effect that the void had on myself and others. To myself, it blocked my blooded techniques, preventing me from seeing and changing realities in progress. To others, it seemingly forced their luck to go sour.


    But, how is luck related to the void? Fortune would normally be a trait of star qi¡­ If Chouko had been around, I¡¯d have asked her. After all, in life, she was a star artist, practicing the art of channeling the power of the constellations in order to manifest a specific result. Like many star artists, she also looked to the stars for guidance, using it to do minor predictions, even if it wasn¡¯t her focus.


    Perhaps Xinya was right. Void qi also dealt in the isolation of objects, which often manifested as destruction, but wasn¡¯t necessarily required to be. Like the two grains of rice, perhaps the void was trying to isolate something behind the scenes.


    Isolation¡­reality-alteration¡­isolating realities¡­


    I frowned. Was it really so simple as that?


    If every possible future were a grain of rice on a table, then the void would try to separate them. With a finite amount of table space, the optimal solution would be to remove grains until there were only a handful left. They would be far apart on the table, and the void will have done its work.


    By that same principle, was the void trying to isolate realities? If realities were arranged in such a way that negative outcomes were grouped and separated from the positive ones, and, if the grains removed from the tabletop were all the average outcomes, then what would remain would be only the very negative and very positive ones.


    Moreover, if this were the case, then it would explain why Flash Forward became unavailable whenever the voidlight was active. What was once the most likely outcome, the average one, was no longer an option. Flash Forward couldn¡¯t show what no longer existed.


    However, even that theory came with some discrepancies with what I¡¯d observed in reality. If this theory was true, then why would Baleful Light only create bad fortune? Wouldn¡¯t it try to create very good fortune, as well? Or perhaps it did, and I just hadn¡¯t seen it? Would I even recognize good fortune anymore after so long manipulating the odds to always be in my favor?


    Regardless of the answer, I would need to spend time in dedicated cultivation to get any closer to the truth. As much as I hated it¡­as boring as it would be¡­I would probably need at least a few weeks of meditation and technique development to further myself and prepare myself and Lin for reaching Silver.


    *          *          *


    The vigil ended when the sun began to dip below the horizon and the wind was too cold. The last thing Hanako would want was for any of us, particularly Xinya, to join her in the afterlife because we were foolish and caught a nasty cold.


    Lin had joined us about halfway through the day, kneeling silently next to us before Hanako¡¯s grave. When all was done, the three of us kowtowed before the memorial stone before standing. Xinya had tears in her eyes, and I pulled her close, wrapping my cloak around her as we walked to the exit.


    As soon as we stepped beyond the gates, Xinya¡¯s sobs bubbled forth. I leaned down, taking the little girl into my arms as we quietly returned to the Lang residence. As the only home between the three of us, it was the only place to go.


    Dinner was a muted affair. Lin made dumplings. Though no one said so, everyone clearly agreed that they weren¡¯t the same as Hanako¡¯s. While Lin and I cleaned up, Xinya crept into the bedroom.


    ¡°Did Zumi say how long it would take to rebuild?¡± I asked softly, not wanting to disturb Xinya if she had gone to sleep.


    Lin shook his head. ¡°The foundations are still good, but everything else is burned beyond repair. They need to remove the debris before they can start rebuilding.¡± The way he spoke, it was as if he were speaking about someone else¡¯s home. As if everything he loved and cared for hadn¡¯t gone up in smoke, and he¡¯d just go home to find his wife and mother in the kitchen, and his father at the table with a half-finished game of go.


    ¡°I heard that Pharyx and Pollen sent word. They¡¯re returning to Saikan to pay their respects.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of them.¡±


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°Has Master Feng been arrested?¡±


    ¡°He was sentenced while you were unconscious,¡± Lin said. ¡°But Kansi and Lian are also staying nearby. Apparently, they¡¯re both convinced that their mission objectives are somewhere nearby.¡± Lin gave me a meaningful look, and I shrugged. Given that they were both searching for me, they were actually rather perceptive¡­or at least Kansi was. Lian already knew he¡¯d found his mark and was staying near while I considered his offer.


    I needed to speak with him further. His words still echoed in my head. The offer to see me back to my former strength was enormously tempting, and yet¡­I came dangerously close to listening to the Void again when Hanako died. If I¡¯d had the power of an Ascendent, would I have resisted wiping the Moon-Soaked Shore off the map? Maybe it was better if I didn¡¯t have that kind of power.


    A knock at the door drew our attention. I set down the bowl I was drying and opened the door to find Zumi outside.


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki, Cousin Lin, I hope I¡¯m not interrupting,¡± he said with a bow.


    ¡°Not at all, Zumi. Please, come in.¡± I held the door open for the assistant as he stepped in and removed his shoes. From his cloak, he pulled a green envelope with silver trim.


    ¡°I was catching up with everything after leaving you both at the cemetery,¡± he explained. ¡°This was marked as urgent, so I opened it. It¡¯s important.¡±


    Lin took the envelope and read the message inside. His brow furrowed with every word he read. Given that it didn¡¯t bear the Lunar Hunt emblem, I was unsure as to what could be so dire, but he quickly handed it to me after he was done.


    To the Administrator of Saikan,


    Due to reports of increased spiritual activity in the vicinity of Saikan, the Spirit Caller Sect will be arriving early to hold the Shattered Moon Festival. Please make the appropriate preparations for our arrival. Please send a cultivator native to Saikan to the Black City on the enclosed date to escort our representatives for the remainder of the journey.


    Sincerely,


    Sect Elder Senri Yao of the Spirit Caller Sect

 Chapter 78 - Festival Preparation

    Everyone knows not to panic when things go south. But how many know to stay flexible? That tunnel vision in a time of crisis is just as bad as hysteria? Take a breath, take every action deliberately, even if it¡¯s slow. -Captain Din Su of the Marakesh City Guard to recruits.


    *          *          *


    ¡°Tsuyuki!¡± Kansi¡¯s voice rang clearly across the clearing, but I ignored it. There was simply too much to do, and I didn¡¯t have time for dancing on eggshells around the wind artist.


    In my hand, I held a clipboard, complete with all the remaining items that needed to be completed prior to the Shattered Moon Festival¡­a name that grated at my nerves every time it was brought up. Could they be more obvious that this festival was, in part, to celebrate my defeat? After all, the whole point of the Spirit Caller Sect coming all this way was to subdue the Four Spirits of the Shore, two of whom were my direct blood, one of whom was my right-hand advisor, and the last of which was just a copy of myself. It took quite the thick skin not to take this entire affair personally.


    ¡°Tsuyuki, I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you,¡± Kansi Ren said, laying a hand on my shoulder. Unable to pretend like I hadn¡¯t heard her, I turned.


    ¡°Sorry, what is it? I¡¯m trying to help Lin with the planning.¡± I gestured to the list in my hand. There were many items still unchecked, and entirely too little time finish them.


    Kansi nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t take much of your time, but perhaps we could talk after the preparations are complete? I would like to request your assistance in my mission.¡±


    ¡°My assistance?¡± I couldn¡¯t keep the shock off my face. After all, I was her mission. How could she possibly expect me to assist in my own capture and execution? That would be silly.


    ¡°I would like to consult some of the local yokai to find my quarry. No one here knows yokai quite like you do,¡± she explained.


    ¡°What about Lian? He¡¯s pretty skilled.¡±


    Kansi¡¯s lip curled into a twisted grimace. ¡°I would sooner kiss an oni.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve known a few rather handsome oni. The stronger ones alter their appearance to appear more beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯d fit right in?¡± Lin said, walking over with Zumi trailing at his heels. I flashed him my most winning smile.


    ¡°The difference is that I was born beautiful, thank you,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Never said you weren¡¯t, but you do spend quite a bit of time in front of a mirror every day.¡± Lin nudged me playfully, but I just scowled back.


    ¡°At least I devote my time to important things, instead of working myself to the bone in the thankless task of administration,¡± I jabbed back, but he just gave a pointed look at the clipboard in my hand. I quickly hid it behind my back. ¡°At least, not all the time.¡±


    ¡°Right, and how is everything coming along?¡±


    ¡°Slowly,¡± I admitted, pulling out my clipboard again. ¡°Xinya reported back that the kitchens are working very hard and will hopefully be done in time. She complained that there were too many fish-based foods on the menu.¡±


    ¡°Saikan is a fishing town,¡± Lin answered dryly. I nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Which is what I told her. She¡¯s off checking on the inns, right now, to make sure they¡¯re prepared to host our guests of honor,¡± I explained. Not only would we have to host a dozen sect cultivators, but also Pharyx and Pollen, who were royalty and deserved appropriate housing. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ve been trying to help with the decorations, but lanterns are slow to hang.¡±


    The townsfolk were doing their best. They had been beyond excited when Lin had announced the coming festival. Despite recent tragedies, they¡¯d all come together to make the event truly wonderful. Just about every homemaker in town had offered their services to cook the traditional foods for everyone in town. A few had even offered to hand-sew new festival garments for Lin, Xinya, and I, seeing as how all our possessions had burned in the fire. It was truly heartening to see everyone putting in so much work on our behalf.


    ¡°Let me help with those,¡± Kansi offered. ¡°I¡¯ll have them up in a flash.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, we¡¯re quite al-¡± I was silenced by Lin¡¯s hand over my mouth.


    ¡°We graciously accept your offer of assistance, Disciple Kansi,¡± he hastily said. ¡°You are most generous to offer your aid.¡±


    She smiled and shrugged. ¡°I feel the town could use a bit of festivity with all that¡¯s happened recently. Wicked storms, child snatchings, and arson weigh heavily on the spirit of a community.¡± She bowed deeply. ¡°It would be my pleasure to help the Administrator in this task.¡±


    Lin shot me a pointed look, but I just scowled back. At the end of the day, a wind artist would have a much faster time putting up lanterns than I would, but I didn¡¯t want her around. The more she was around, the more anxious I became. She was just so¡­strange. I couldn¡¯t tell if she knew the real target of her mission from the Sword Saint, or if she was just that clueless. It wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d been particularly subtle.


    ¡°I guess that leaves the question of Pharyx and Pollen, as well as the arriving sect artists,¡± I reported off my list. ¡°One of the Hanai scouts arrived this morning. Pharyx and Suzume will be arriving tomorrow afternoon, with Pollen following shortly after.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect actually.¡± He took off his glasses and wiped them clean. ¡°Tonight, you and I attempt to reach the Black City.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Attempt?¡± I asked. I¡¯d never heard of the Black City before, and no one in Saikan had been besides Lin, himself. All he was willing to say was that it was a spiritual waypoint, one that existed between the spiritual and mortal realms.


    ¡°It may take us several nights to enter,¡± he admitted. ¡°They don¡¯t exactly have stable pathways.¡±


    *          *          *


    The Black City¡­


    It went by many names, most of which I didn¡¯t know. It was said that those who lost their way at night would find their lanterns blown out by an unseasonably cold wind. They¡¯d continue on their way, floundering through the dark wilderness until happening upon a crossroads¡­but only one would lead them home. The other would lead them to the Black City.


    In truth, there were apparently several ways to enter the Black City, each one requiring the traveler to be completely lost and disoriented. Those who fall asleep on the side of the road might just find themselves awakening to a nightmarish scene of yokai and ghosts. Drunken travelers, those without maps, and those travelling on a cloudy, moonless night were also liable to find themselves in the Black City, someplace no mortal ever wanted to be.


    Apparently, the city had earned something of a reputation. Many, both mortals and cultivators alike, would enter and never leave. It was a sanctuary for all manner of yokai, spirit beasts, and shades, but it was said that humans who tried to dwell there would be hunted down. The lucky ones would be killed and eaten. The unlucky ones? Those were the stuff of horror stories.


    Regardless of the fact that it was someplace that no sane person should want to go, cultivators had been travelling there for as long as the city had existed. It offered a solution to the age-old logistical problem: how to get from one place to another quickly in our vast world. A person could get lost in the Pearlescent Valley, only to step out of the city in the Phoenix Empire, a journey that would normally take the better part of two years. The lure of faster travel drew cultivators by the thousands, even in the face of the risks.


    However, it still provided one major conundrum. One could not simply go wherever they wanted. The gates to leave the city would only open to the place to which a person was most attached. For example, I might step in, only to return to my hometown in the Pearlescent Valley whereas Lin¡¯s gate would open straight to Saikan.


    Several times, I caught myself comparing the Black City to my capital at Half-Moon Hearth. Then again, I¡¯d never make such a silly logistical system. Certainly, the instantaneous travel could be used to one¡¯s strategic advantage, but overall, it was too unreliable. Without extreme planning and the right resources on hand, it couldn¡¯t be used effectively.


    The Spirit Caller Sect had done that planning, though. Thanks to their letter forewarning their arrival, we could send Lin himself to greet them, open the gate, and deliver them straight to Saikan¡­or at least close by.


    ¡°At least the weather¡¯s nice,¡± Lin muttered on the third night we wandered aimlessly through the forest. ¡°Not like last night.¡± I nodded and passed him a jug of high-quality, qi-infused wine, the most expensive in Saikan. He held it and sighed. ¡°This is worth a whole year¡¯s salary for an average fisherman,¡± he muttered before raising it to his lips.


    ¡°Enjoy it while you can, Lin,¡± I said. ¡°Ascendents don¡¯t get to have alcohol.¡±


    ¡°Why? Infinite cosmic powers not conducive to warped judgement?¡±


    I snorted in amusement. ¡°Any one of them would jump on the chance to get drunk, but any alcohol strong enough for an ascendent to even feel is beyond rare. I remember one time, the Sun Queen managed to find a hidden field in the mountains that was raised by a wood spirit. She kept it a dire secret for nearly three hundred years after she found it so it could mature.¡±


    ¡°What did she do with it?¡±


    ¡°She brewed the most glorious wine I¡¯ve ever tasted,¡± I answered, recalling that wonderful night. ¡°I was lucky enough that she invited me and mine, and we all had a grand time.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯ll never be an ascendent, then,¡± Lin said. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly content to remain right where I am.¡±


    I blinked in surprise. ¡°Is it hitting you early? I almost thought I heard you say you were content to be at Iron for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°Why would I need to go further? I¡¯m already more powerful than most of the administrators in the Moon-Soaked Shore.¡± He shrugged his shoulders, and I narrowed my eyes.


    How could he be so¡­nonchalant about this? Advancement was the most important thing a cultivator could strive for. Everyone had their own reasons, but the truth of the matter was that with advancement came power, and with power came the ability to have everything you wanted. A powerful cultivator could protect the things he loved without fear of being challenged. How could Lin be so¡­apathetic towards that?


    ¡°Alright, spit it out,¡± he said grumpily.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When you have an opinion, you stand up straighter and cross your arms,¡± he pointed out. ¡°So, what is it?¡±


    I hastily put my hands at my side and slouched. ¡°It¡¯s¡­nothing,¡± I answered, a little unnerved that he¡¯d called me out like that.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying, Yoru.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± He looked at me expectantly, and after a moment, I caved. ¡°I just don¡¯t get how you could be content at Iron. Someday, there might be a threat at Silver, or even Gold, that comes to Saikan. What would you do then?¡±


    ¡°What if a threat comes to Saikan because I¡¯m Silver? Some challenger who wants to test his mettle?¡± he countered. ¡°I¡¯m not cut out for the higher echelons.¡±


    ¡°I seem to recall Hanako disagreeing with that,¡± I argued. She had pushed him to Bronze in the first place and was the first to congratulate us after we reached Iron. She was always in favor of her husband seeking the might of the heavens.


    Lin didn¡¯t answer. Instead, a sad look came over his face and he buried his face in the remainder of the wine jug.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought her up.¡± He stared into his jug for what felt like an eternity, likely trying to figure out how to respond. In the end, he changed the subject.


    ¡°I just hope I don¡¯t get lost this time,¡± he muttered as he handed the empty jug back. I handed him another.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t. The whole point is to get lost and fall in a ditch.¡± His ears began to turn red, though whether it was the alcohol or embarrassment was undetermined.


    For three nights, we¡¯d filled Lin with spirits and sent him on his way. Only in the morning would I scour the forest to find him. Luckily, he never got far, and I found him sleeping it off somewhere¡­like when he landed face-first in a muddy ditch just that morning.


    ¡°Have fun, now!¡± I said, taking the second empty jug. He muttered something incoherent before striking off in a random direction.


    For several minutes, I followed him through the forest, making sure that he was good and thoroughly drunk. He wove through the forest, his footfalls becoming less and less confident as the minutes progressed. Confident in his disorientation, I stopped, letting him wander off on his own. The Black City would not reveal itself so long as I was watching.


    Instead, I sat down against a tree and waited, as I¡¯d done several nights already. Getting to the Black City was not an exact science, after all. Chiho and I occupied ourselves by playing keep the acorn up, a game which Chiho almost always won.


    It was nearly an hour before a chill wind blew through the forest, one that carried a wave of potent void qi that sent shivers down my spine and made me drop the acorn. Though the flavor of qi was a surprise to me, I was quite certain that we¡¯d succeeded.


    Lin had entered the Black City.

 Chapter 79 - The Spirit Caller Sect

    The Black City has faced censure in so many lands for the raids some of its denizens send through its gates, but in the end, the City has remained a staple to the world economy and culture simply by virtue of the sects that inhabit it. The Sects of the Black use their unique position to provide much-needed services that benefit all the nations they touch, not least of which is the Spirit Caller sect who manage the many myriad spirits and shades that plague the lands, protecting countless billions of mortals as they do. -Bu Shixian, in ¡°The Black City, Bastion of a Forgotten Era.¡±


    *          *          *


    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be in long,¡± I noted to Chiho. I stood and began following the direction of the fell wind. If all went according to plan, then there would be members of the Spirit Caller Sect waiting for Lin on the other side. They would catch the inebriated cultivator before he reached the Black City proper. The last thing any of us wanted was for a drunk Lin to be faced with all manner of yokai who would be more than happy to end him.


    To that end, I kept my ears open. Seven cultivators appearing out of nowhere would certainly make a splash on the local wilderness and disrupt the ambient qi. Once they arrived, I¡¯d be able to track them down.


    Minutes stretched on and on as we wandered closer to where Lin had left the mortal realm. Still, nothing changed in the forest around me. The night was eerily quiet, and a light mist clung to the plants around my feet.


    Chiho flitted around my head, nuzzling me gently.


    ¡°I know. He¡¯s been a while,¡± I said to the pin. It tucked a loose strand of hair into my ponytail before trilling soothingly in my ear. There was nothing either of us could do but wait.


    Minutes turned into an hour, and I began to bite my lip. What if Lin had gotten lost? What if the Spirit Caller Sect hadn¡¯t caught him on the other side? What if he¡¯d been snatched by a hostile yokai instead? I couldn¡¯t go after him. If I stepped foot in the Black City, I wouldn¡¯t be able to come back to Saikan.


    ¡°Maybe he just got past us? The gate could have opened closer to town,¡± I noted. We were only about an hour¡¯s walk from Saikan. One couldn¡¯t get much closer without the city being in sight. Unfortunately, Chiho trilled sadly. Its qi senses were far stronger than mine. If it didn¡¯t sense anything, that meant they hadn¡¯t returned yet.


    I began to walk back, retracing my steps back to town. Perhaps I could enlist Pharyx or Pollen¡¯s help. After all, they were at least from the area. Maybe they could get there, find Lin, and get back.


    As soon as I resolved to seek aid, though, a brisk wind blew a potent pulse of void qi down the back of my neck. I shivered, resisting the urge to shift into my more monstrous form to defend against the prickling on the back of my neck. It wasn¡¯t hostile nor particularly dangerous, just surprising. Nobody had ever mentioned that the Black City had such a strong void presence.


    But, even that made sense after a bit of thinking. The City of Spirits was separated from the rest of reality, held in a small corner of the spiritual realm that could be accessed only by a few very unstable points. It was about as isolated as a city could be without falling apart. With how much void qi poured from the place, I¡¯d be willing to bet that it was as steeped in void as the Moon-Soaked Shore was bathed in lunar qi.


    I spun around, searching for the group. Through the trees, I spied several cultivators dressed all in white. They each carried a staff topped with golden rings, and when they walked, the rings clattered together in a soft tinkling. It was quite soothing to the ear.


    However, after counting the cultivators, a few were missing. Lin was close behind a grizzled old man who appeared to be the leader, but besides them, there were only four other artists. We¡¯d been expecting seven in total.


    Regardless of the reason, I was beyond relieved to see Lin unharmed¡­even if he was still a bit tipsy. I rushed over to the group, bowing before the master at the head of the group.


    ¡°Sect Master, welcome to the Moon-Soaked Shore,¡± I said, formally.


    ¡°You must be this one¡¯s keeper,¡± he said, gesturing to Lin. ¡°In future, you should know that it is not required that one be drunk to get to the Black City.¡±


    My gaze flicked between him and Lin, then back. Lin was looking very sheepishly at his feet, and I briefly wondered what had happened beyond the veil. However, the grizzled old man didn¡¯t seem to be willing to share, and so it would be impolite to ask until Lin and I were alone.


    ¡°Understood, Sect Master. I will remember that for the future. Please, accept my apologies on the Administrator¡¯s behalf for any inconvenience we may have caused. I¡¯d have gone myself, but I¡¯m not native to Saikan,¡± I explained.


    ¡°I see. Are you a wandering artist?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m from the Pearlescent Valley.¡±


    He wrinkled his nose. ¡°I see. I am Li Jin, of the Spirit Caller Sect. I understand that two of the Four Spirits of the Shore have been unusually active of late?¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯ve resolved the conflict with the Flower Maiden. She has retired for the winter,¡± I explained.


    ¡°And the Fury?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve not seen it since the attack on the village several months ago.¡±


    To say that we¡¯d defeated the Chain-Bound Fury in a very permanent sense would require explaining too much about my identity. Lin and I had both agreed that it was for the best to keep the news of his defeat to ourselves. After all, what harm could a little shade-suppressing ritual do? It was a small miracle that such a thing had ever worked against the Fury, given that it was not a shade at all but a manifestation of a void spirit.


    ¡°I see. Then we shall suppress his sorrows and lay him back to rest. Has everything been prepared?¡± Sect Master Li asked. I nodded.


    ¡°A stage has been prepared at the center of town, per your specifications.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then take the administrator and guide us to Saikan. We will hold the Shattered Moon Festival tomorrow.¡±


    I bowed before shuffling past him to pull Lin¡¯s arm over my shoulder. He didn¡¯t meet my eye.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I murmured just loud enough for him to hear. He nodded.


    ¡°Just¡­lost my balance,¡± he answered. His words were weary and slurred, but he bore no obvious signs of injury.


    I took the lead, not looking to see if the sect cultivators were following. This Li Jin fellow might have appeared to be the oldest and wisest in the group, but that was only because I¡¯d worked so hard to maintain my appearance over a timespan longer than his parents¡¯ parents¡¯ parents had lived. I didn¡¯t like the way he looked at me and Lin with disgust, like we were filth from the backwaters of the world. He clearly didn¡¯t want to be here any more than I wanted him here.


    Also, his ignorance was obvious. The scorn he showed in stating that it was not required for Lin to get drunk was enough to curl my lip in disgust. Of course it wasn¡¯t required. But, what was required was to get disoriented and lost. Having lived in these lands his whole life, disorienting Lin enough to get lost would be exceptionally difficult, and certainly not doable in a timely manner. Li Jin spoke like a sheltered sect disciple who¡¯d only been beyond the walls of their monastery for official business. People like that neither knew nor cared for anything about the real world.


    ¡°The sooner this festival ends, the better,¡± I whispered to Lin. He just nodded and we trudged onward.


    *          *          *


    Luckily for us, once the cultivators of the Spirit Caller Sect were settled into their inn rooms, they said they would take care of everything concerning the remainder of their preparations. Lin and I were left to catch some much-needed sleep. When the midday sun finally shone in the kitchen windows, spurring Xinya to wake us both, I rose wearily to prepare some lunch.


    ¡°Are we going to go to the festival together?¡± Xinya asked excitedly. ¡°Jaili said that the sect cultivators came in last night! That means the festivities are tonight, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they came in last night,¡± I confirmed, filling a bowl with rice. Lin trudged out from the back room and slumped at the table. I set the bowl in front of him alongside a bowl of fried egg that was slightly burned. Lin didn¡¯t seem to notice as he silently ate the food.


    ¡°I heard they¡¯re all mysterious and secretive! Is it true that they won¡¯t even speak to anyone until after the ritual is done?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°They spoke to me, and I almost wish they hadn¡¯t. They¡¯re a bunch of prissy know-it-alls.¡±


    ¡°Especially after you accidentally run into them after being chased by a flock of Fengmori right out of the gates,¡± Lin muttered. His voice was soft, and I didn¡¯t envy the pounding headache he must have felt, given the miserable way he held his shoulders.


    ¡°Is that what happened?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I stumbled through the gates, ran into a flock of Fengmori, and they proceeded to terrorize me as I tried to find the sect. That master guy shoo¡¯ed them off and gave me the most scathing lecture for showing up drunk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even that bad of a drunk,¡± I noted, my opinion of the sect cultivators falling even further. Lin was a shy drunk. He got extra quiet, becoming almost completely reclusive unless someone he knew was near. To those he was familiar with, he would open up, to the point of almost becoming clingy. That personality was the only reason we¡¯d been okay with him going drunk and alone in the first place.


    Xinya bit her knuckle, clearly thinking hard. Then, she seemed to come to a conclusion. ¡°They don¡¯t seem very nice. I want to see the performance, but we could spend some time with Pollen and Master Kansi, too, right?¡±


    ¡°An interesting choice of partner,¡± I noted. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had spent much time with Kansi.¡±


    ¡°She checked in on me while you both were gone in search of the Spirit Callers,¡± Xinya admitted. ¡°She seems nice enough. You should see her fight! I think she and Pollen and Pharyx are going to do an exhibition fight during the festival! We should definitely go see that!¡±


    ¡°That does seem more enjoyable than the dour cultivators, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°My bet is on Pharyx, though.¡± Xinya suddenly leapt from her seat. ¡°Kansi might be a good swordsman, but did you see Pharyx fighting the Spider Matriarch!¡±


    ¡°I did. I was also in that fight, if you¡¯ll recall.¡± But she wasn¡¯t listening.


    ¡°When he swung his stinger at just the right time! You two gutted her from both sides! IT WAS SO COOL!¡± Xinya shouted, making Lin flinch.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I remember, I was there. Kansi is Silver, though. He¡¯ll have his work cut out for him if he wants to take her down.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but his strength is just so¡­so¡­¡± she frowned, trying to find the right word to describe the hornet queen. ¡°Determined?¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to see the fight, then,¡± I said. ¡°What else would you like to do?¡± My disciple had experienced so much loss in the last few months and weeks. First, her father was killed before her eyes, then her adopted aunt died in the same fire that nearly took her life. The way I saw it, she deserved a bit of fun.


    Xinya chewed thoughtfully on her knuckle before deciding. ¡°We should go through the markets, too. All the food and candy being prepared looks delicious.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Lin frowned, finally joining the conversation. ¡°Xinya, isn¡¯t your birthday soon? I seem to remember seeing that at work.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± she nodded enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s actually a week from tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Well, then we should get something for the occasion!¡± I said, lifting her by her arms and settling her on my hip. ¡°What do you say we leave Lin to recover and go fetch our festival clothes, hmm? We have a big night ahead of us!¡±

 Chapter 80 - The Shattered Moon Festival

    The Shattered Moon Festival is a rather pedestrian ritual that the locals engage in every few years. They drag the esteemed Spirit Caller Sect to their backwater with some ancient, defunct agreement when the local spirits become too much for their pathetic administrators to handle. Then they proceed to throw a lavish festival dredging up the memories of that dreadful Moon Ascendant while the cultivators perform the actual banishing with the mortals scurrying underfoot. -Assessor Tin Sula of the Tin Clan in ¡°An Argument to Remove the Shore¡±


    * * *


    Lanterns of every color illuminated the streets of Saikan, painting it in a thousand beautiful hues. Each of the lanterns was painted with a silver moon with a slash through it, and glitter trailing to the bottom of the lantern. I might have considered it a festive addition, with the glitter reflecting the light from the surrounding lanterns¡­if it weren¡¯t so morbid to me.


    I looked up at the sky above. The moon hung in the sky, nearly full. On a night like that, you could clearly see the chasm that had been cut across its face all those years ago. It was an ever present reminder of my own defeat.


    But, despite the fact that the festival was meant to celebrate my downfall, I tried to keep a positive attitude. After all, as far as the people of Saikan were concerned, the legends were just an excuse to have a party and a good time. The Spirit Caller Sect¡¯s ritual was cultivator business, and the average mortal in town cared little for the ways of spiritual artists. So long as shades and monsters didn¡¯t bother them, the civilian population was content just to celebrate being alive.


    Despite the festival¡¯s early arrival, the townsfolk had spared no expense. Market stalls were filled to the brim with toys and sparklers for the children, and with trinkets and food for the adults. Laughter filled the air, and everyone was dressed to the nines in their best festival attire.


    ¡°Oooh! Uncle Yoru! Look over here!¡± Xinya called, waving me over to a stall. It was Madame Meng¡¯s stall, and she winked at us as we approached.


    ¡°Oh, Master Tsuyuki! Welcome in, Welcome in! I am honored to have a gentleman of such fine taste peruse my wares,¡± the elderly shopkeeper said. ¡°And hello to you, too, Chiho. My work shall never compare to your majesty.¡± The jade crane trilled happily as it flitted around, examining all her wares to make sure none were as pretty as it was.


    ¡°Ever the charmer, Madame Meng,¡± I answered. I¡¯d come to her shop on several occasions, most of which were during Lin¡¯s inspections of the town. She was a purveyor of exquisite hand-crafted jewelry using the pearls, lunar tears, and corals from the reef. In fact, Xinya¡¯s favorite hairpin, a dark wooden hairpin featuring a qi-infused pearl in a coral setting, was one of Madame Meng¡¯s.


    ¡°And what of Master Tenri? Is he not enjoying the festival with you?¡±


    I blushed and smiled sheepishly. ¡°He¡¯ll be along later once his duties as administrator are finished.¡±


    ¡°Of course. What a diligent young man he is.¡± Madame Meng winked suggestively. As one of the chief supporters of the rumors surrounding the two of us, Madame Meng took every opportunity to poke and prod at us, trying to weasel out any information that might confirm the allegedly illicit relationship between us.


    It was all in good fun, but I was grateful that those rumors had become rather hushed since the death of Lin¡¯s wife. I¡¯d worried they¡¯d get out of hand, since he was now living under ¡°my¡± roof instead of his¡­even if the roof in question really belonged to Xinya instead of me. But people had been sensitive to the dour mood in town and hadn¡¯t brought up the rumors since. In fact, Madame Meng¡¯s comment was the first I¡¯d heard them since we¡¯d left for the caravan job.


    ¡°Look at this one!¡± Xinya pointed to a hairpin near the front of the display. The pin was made of jagged purple coral and had a shimmering pearl set into a silver flower. Tiny silver rods dangled from the pearl.


    ¡°Disciple Lang has an excellent eye,¡± Madame Meng praised. ¡°It¡¯s the finest in my collection currently. Notice the details on the silver? There¡¯s even a matching necklace that I¡¯m sure would look stunning on the young mistress.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay,¡± Xinya answered. She pulled a silver chain from under her collar to show a black pendant I¡¯d never seen before. ¡°I¡¯ve already got a necklace.¡±


    ¡°May I?¡± I asked, kneeling next to her. She nodded and I took a closer look at it. It was a black disk carved with a small silver array. Though it was drained of qi, I immediately recognized the design. ¡°This is quite the treasure,¡± I noted. ¡°Where did you get it.¡±


    ¡°It belonged to my mom,¡± she admitted. ¡°Dad said she didn¡¯t wear it much after she came to Saikan, but it¡¯s apparently a family heirloom.¡±


    ¡°Then you have some pretty lucky ancestors. That¡¯s an aura suppression amulet,¡± I explained. ¡°Cultivators who are much stronger than you can have an oppressive aura, and if they¡¯re too strong, the aura alone can kill. This amulet will suppress that aura so you can be safe in their presence.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, studying the thing carefully. I nodded and took the amulet from her. After rubbing it several times, I reached into the stone with a thread of my qi. The silver array flashed brightly before going dark again.


    ¡°There, it¡¯s charged,¡± I said, handing it back to the girl. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how to charge it yourself later. As long as it¡¯s charged, it can¡¯t be taken away from you by force.¡± After all, a protective charm against more powerful cultivators would be a pretty pathetic protection if they could just take it away.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± she breathed in awe. ¡°I already feel it working! It¡¯s like a tingling in my cheeks!¡±


    Xinya threw herself into my arms and squeezed as tightly as she could. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the girl¡¯s enthusiastic thanks. It was nothing special, just a little qi to jump-start an ancient artifact.


    A cheer arose from down the street, drawing Xinya¡¯s attention. ¡°Oh! The matches must be starting! Come on, Uncle Yoru! We need to see who¡¯ll beat Kansi Ren!¡±


    ¡°Go on, then! I¡¯m right behind you,¡± I lied with a gentle laugh. She didn¡¯t even look back before racing ahead while I turned back to Madame Meng to buy the purple and silver hairpin. The proprietress gave me a conspiratorial wink and swiftly processed the payment before handing me the pin discreetly. I nodded my thanks and took off at a jog to keep up with my wayward disciple.


    In the main market square, a crowd had gathered into a wide circle. I peered through the crowd, unsure of who was within. Xinya jumped up and down, trying to see through the crowd. A sharp whistle drew our attention to the raised steps of a nearby tea shop. Pollen waved us over and we joined her and Hornet Queen Suzume.


    ¡°A fine evening for a festival, don¡¯t you think?¡± I greeted. Pollen shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit cold for my liking. I don¡¯t usually leave my hive this late in the season,¡± she admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s not snowing, and the festivities more than make up for the cold. But, enough about me, how is the cutest young lady on the Shore?¡± The Honeybee Queen knelt next to Xinya and pulled her into a tight hug.


    ¡°I made it to Leaf!¡± Xinya exclaimed.


    ¡°What? No way!¡± Pollen answered, even though I knew she could see the qi inside the little girl. ¡°That¡¯s incredible! Tell me all about it.¡±


    ¡°Later, Later! The fight is starting!¡± Xinya said. From our vantage point, the combatants were clear. Pharyx flashed a charming smile at the crowd, and I heard quite a few women sigh at the sight of the High Queen of Hanai.


    Contrarily, the sighs from Queen Suzume and Queen Pollen were much more exasperated¡­and accompanied by an eyeroll from each.


    ¡°Leave it to my brother to flirt with the crowd,¡± Suzume muttered. ¡°I swear, he¡¯d smile sweetly at every plant and flower if he thought he stood half a chance.¡±


    ¡°You must run yourself ragged keeping up with him, Queen Suzume,¡± Pollen added politely. Suzume just laughed.


    ¡°He¡¯s always been a handful, even before he took the title of High Queen.¡±


    Below, Pharyx twirled his spear several times. He was relaxed as he faced Kansi across the circle.


    ¡°He¡¯s awfully confident,¡± I noted.


    ¡°Arrogant, more like,¡± Pollen answered. Suzume chuckled in agreement.


    ¡°Kansi¡¯s cultivation is certainly more advanced than his,¡± I noted. ¡°But Sun aura is known to be capable of hitting above its class.¡±


    ¡°If he can even land a hit,¡± Suzume pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the way she walks. She¡¯s agile. Skilled as he is, my brother is still a queen. He¡¯s much slower than the rest of our kin.¡±


    I bit back a laugh. Despite the fact that Pharyx was ¡°much slower than the rest of their kin,¡± he was still probably the fastest of the native defenders, including spirit beasts and humans alike. In a competition of speed, he¡¯d run me ragged in a heartbeat as I was.


    Then again, the Sword Saint could outrun me any day of the week, even at my prime, and his disciple was the one facing off against our favorite High Queen. Wind arts were founded on the principle of staying away from your enemy¡¯s attacks. Kansi was not only fast, but extremely agile, as well.


    Pharyx lunged at the waiting wind artist, lance bared and already shining with sun qi. As expected, Kansi twisted out of the way of the attack, staying close enough to the hornet that his lance was less effective. However, he was not to be deterred and brought the end of his lance around to slam into her head¡­only she disappeared once again from the line of his attack.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a slippery one,¡± he called. Sunlight flared and his qi wings began to form on his back. ¡°I can see you won¡¯t be an easy one to hit.¡±


    ¡°I would have thought a hornet would have been familiar with riding the wind,¡± she said, joining the banter. ¡°Or are you so small that you get blown away by a light breeze?¡± Without warning, ten blades made from sharpened wind qi sliced towards the hornet. He sprang into the air, spreading his wings wide to leap over the majority of the blades. His lance swiped in a flash of sunlight, dispelling the remaining threats before he lunged at her through the air.


    ¡°And now she¡¯s made him angry,¡± Suzume noted as she sipped her tea.


    ¡°That should help him, given his nature,¡± mused Pollen. ¡°After all, there¡¯s a reason it¡¯s unwise to swat at a hornet.¡±


    ¡°This is playing out a lot like our fight against the spider matriarch,¡± I noted. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s learned anything from that encounter.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    * * *


    The crowd cheered and shouted as the two artists traded blows, but two men stood out from the rest of the onlookers. They both were dressed simply, the kind of travelling clothes expected of a merchant who¡¯d only just entered town and decided to stay for the festivities. The only difference was that a normal merchant would have been cheering along with the rest of the crowd as the spirit beast and the cultivator battled in the impromptu arena.


    ¡°Father, what are we doing here?¡± asked the younger of the two. Though he spoke at a normal volume, the raucous crowd ensured that none besides the intended recipient would hear him.


    The older man watched as the wind artist landed her first blow on the spirit beast, drawing blood in a fine line across the blond hornet¡¯s leg. Fury rose even higher in the eyes of the beast, and he redoubled his efforts to win.


    ¡°Pitiful,¡± said the older man. ¡°Yaoxan lost to this?¡±


    ¡°The hornet was only one.¡±


    ¡°The others in the group must have been quite exceptional to make up for such a wretched spirit beast.¡± The older man¡¯s lip curled in distaste. He looked away from the fight, only for his eye to catch a group of unusual individuals watching the fight from the steps of the teahouse.


    Two women, a man, and a child. The women seemed to only be paying half attention to the fight, and the man watched casually, his posture relaxed and almost playful. The child, on the other hand, her eyes were glued to the fight and were wide as saucers with every exchange of blows.


    But, what was most interesting was the qi that radiated from the group. Brilliant pink and green from one of the women, gold from the other, purple from the child, and a bluish silver mixed with black from the man.


    ¡°Over there,¡± he nodded in their direction. ¡°A few more of Yaoxan¡¯s opposition.¡±


    The younger man¡¯s breath caught. ¡°That man¡­do you think that¡¯s him? The one responsible? Tsuyuki Yoru?¡±


    A cruel grin crept onto the older man¡¯s face. ¡°It would be rude of us to come all this way and not introduce ourselves. Come, Taihua, let us speak like civilized men with this wicked moon monster.¡±

 Chapter 81 - Shen Tori

    I do not hold a high opinion of the Shore, nor its useless Governor who is far too occupied with his pursuits of women and power far from his lands. But Shen Tori¡­he performs the necessary duties with efficiency and keeps all elements of the Shore in line. I will never forget the gift he sent me on his first year in the post of the Lunar Hunt: the heads of three golds who¡¯d fled to the Shore. Very resourceful for someone stuck at Silver. -King Mai Saraik.


    * * *


    ¡°He¡¯s making his comeback,¡± Xinya said before cupping her hands together. ¡°You can do it, Master Pharyx! I believe!¡±


    The little cultivator¡¯s voice carried over the noise of the crowd. I rolled my eyes at her use of the honorific, but it seemed to have the desired effect. Pharyx¡¯s hair began to shine brightly, and his attacks became quicker and sharper.


    ¡°How easily he¡¯s motivated,¡± Pollen mused, but Suzume only laughed.


    ¡°His ego is easy to stroke and difficult to bruise,¡± she said. ¡°But, it does have its benefits.¡±


    I smiled to myself. Aya used to say the same things about me when we were children. Then again, I was willing to bet she would still say those things, even now after all I¡¯ve accomplished. Though she was absent for much of my rise to greatness, I was quite certain that Chouko would have filled her in on my fate. Perhaps she¡¯d chastise me when we finally met up again after so many years.


    In the arena below, Pharyx and Kansi were shrouded in a haze of misty qi to anyone with eyes to see it. The rich pinks and greens of wind qi streaked alongside Kansi¡¯s blade like a shifting aurora of color. Her form blurred and she circled around behind the spirit beast who shone with all the fiery brilliance of the sun itself. He wasn¡¯t to be outdone. For every swipe she took at him, he returned her strength with a swipe of his own. Though most of his attacks failed to hit their mark, he still got a few good shots in.


    Steel clanged together as sword met lance, and the two became locked in a furious battle of wills and raw strength. I leaned forward, unsure of who would triumph. Kansi was Silver, and her body had been enhanced by her cultivation. Pharyx employed the raw qi of the sun, which infused his body and gave him the chance to contend with stronger artists.


    Pharyx¡¯s arms trembled. Kansi leaned down on him, leveraging her superior height and build to try and crush him under her. Qi sparked.


    ¡°I wish you could see this, Xinya,¡± I whispered through bated breath. ¡°It¡¯s an incredible display of qi. You¡¯d learn a lot from it.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll win?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± said a new voice. I nearly jumped. I was so involved in the fight and its outcome that I hadn¡¯t noticed the middle-aged man approach our sitting area.


    Xinya stuck out her tongue. ¡°Shows what you know,¡± she hissed, but she never took her eyes off our friend in the ring. I chuckled.


    ¡°He still has a chance, I think.¡±


    ¡°Against the Sword Saint¡¯s own disciple? I doubt it very much,¡± the man continued. ¡°She¡¯s a higher advancement and is much more well-travelled and experienced than he is. Certainly, her age alone would give her the edge, since I¡¯m quite certain that she¡¯s over a hundred years his senior.¡±


    And I¡¯m over thirty thousand years yours, I thought to myself. Age and experience were important, but technique, talent, and tactics were equally so. I might have been the youngest of the greater Ascendents of the old world, but it still took five of them to lay me low.


    Sunlight flared brightly, and I squinted my eyes. The hornet queen was shining so brightly it was hard to see, but I wasn¡¯t about to miss this. Apparently, most of the crowd agreed, since many of them were still trying to peek at the fight through raised hands and squinted eyes. How many times would mere mortals get the chance to witness an ascended spirit beast fight the disciple of an Ascendent? Nobody wanted to miss a single blow.


    With a ferocious shout, Pharyx surged upward, knocking Kansi back several paces before lunging with his lance. Blood coated the cobblestones as he clipped Kansi¡¯s side.


    ¡°An admirable show of force,¡± Kansi called. ¡°But raw strength will only serve you so far.¡±


    Suddenly, Kansi¡¯s form began to shift and shimmer. Another Kansi appeared behind Pharyx, then another and another until there were five Kansis surrounding him.


    ¡°Illusions?¡± Xinya asked, turning to me for an explanation. ¡°But she¡¯s not a moon artist.¡±


    ¡°Many forms of qi can create similar outcomes,¡± I explained. Some outcomes, such as levitating a sword or creating a blade of qi could be achieved with so many different forms of qi that they were considered basic to most paths. Of course, a metal artist would always be best with manipulating a sword and a moon artist would always create better doubles than any other, but the ultimate results were the same. In this case, I recognized the technique being employed against Pharyx. ¡°These actually aren¡¯t illusions at all. Kansi¡¯s strength is speed. By using her wind qi to obfuscate her position and enhance that speed further, she is creating afterimages. She¡¯s actually at each position nearly simultaneously¡­if Pharyx can actually catch her in any of them...¡±


    ¡°You seem quite familiar with the Sword Saint¡¯s techniques,¡± the strange man said. I glanced at him, wondering why he was still here. Didn¡¯t he realize there were more important things than idle conversation?


    He practically dripped void qi in my Iron sight. The man next to him, whom I¡¯d only just noticed, was less thoroughly steeped in black qi, but it was clear that neither one was a regular merchant. They were cultivators, and powerful ones. Immediately, I was on edge¡­If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡­but that didn¡¯t mean that I would give them any more of my attention than was necessary until the fight was complete.


    ¡°It¡¯s a legendary technique,¡± I said, rolling my eyes and returning to watching the fight. ¡°I¡¯m from the Pearlescent Valley. Of course, I know the Sword Saint¡¯s techniques.¡± Also, I¡¯d had that very technique used against me more times than I could count.


    ¡°The valley, eh? You¡¯ve certainly come a long way.¡± The man stepped up next to me, watching the fight. ¡°Shall we make a friendly wager, then?¡±


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t? I would have assumed you¡¯d recognized the resemblance, Tsuyuki Yoru. You killed my son, after all.¡±


    Alarm surged inside me, but I fought to keep it off my face. Instead, I spared another glance. In the end, it wasn¡¯t him, but the man next to him who bore the greater resemblance.


    ¡°You must be Shen Tori, Shen Yaoxan¡¯s father and master of the Lunar Hunt.¡± Pollen and Suzume were immediately on edge, recognizing the name. Only Xinya didn¡¯t seem to notice, though whether that was because she hadn¡¯t heard me over the crowd¡¯s cheers or because she was pretending she hadn¡¯t was a mystery.


    ¡°Very good. So, about that wager,¡± Shen Tori asked gently.


    ¡°What is it you want? I deeply regret that I can¡¯t offer the venerable master my head on a platter. It¡¯s against my path,¡± I answered calmly.


    ¡°Of course. Believe it or not, I¡¯m not actually here to kill you this time,¡± he began. ¡°I have other plans that will see to themselves in time, but I wanted to catch you before you were¡­shall we say, unavailable?¡±


    ¡°You honor me with your attention.¡±


    ¡°I only want Yaoxan¡¯s body,¡± he said. ¡°The rest will see itself done in time.¡± Finally, a statement worthy of my full attention. I faced him, the picture of confusion.


    ¡°We sent his body back with the survivors of the army he brought to our doorstep. Xi Qiwu said she¡¯d see him safely home.¡±


    Shen Tori narrowed his eyes and cocked his head in confusion. ¡°What a curious excuse, given that you killed every last cultivator who participated in that attack.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m insulted that you would think so poorly of my character,¡± I answered. ¡°But, because there¡¯s clearly been a misunderstanding, I¡¯ll overlook it. I promise, over half the cultivators survived the attack and were sent home. We put the oxen down, but the rest were alive when I last saw them.¡±


    ¡°Then where could they have gone?¡± Shen Tori snarled. ¡°They were not spotted in Pemai nor Heimian. There is no other route they could have taken. Did they just vanish into mist?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I promise I don¡¯t have any of their bodies. If I did, I¡¯d give them to you without question.¡±


    ¡°Would you? You¡¯ve been lying all this time about who and what you are. How can I trust a word you say, moon artist?¡± He took a step forward, clearly intending to start a fight, only to close his eyes and take a deep breath before stepping back. ¡°Forgive me. Now is hardly the time for us to bring our all to bear. It¡¯s a festival, after all.¡±


    On the battlefield below, Pharyx sprang high into the air. He began to twirl faster and faster until he was spinning in a small twister of wind. Once he had enough speed, tiny motes of sunlight, even smaller than a ghost wisp, shot out in every direction.


    ¡°It seems he has learned something since the spider fight,¡± I said. Pollen just nodded and watched intently.


    Sunlight fell like rain over the small arena. Where they hit the ground, the cobblestones sizzled. Despite her speed, Kansi couldn¡¯t avoid them all. In the blink of an eye, she slowed, hissing as she tried to brush off two of the orbs. Pharyx took his chance, lunging at the slowed artist. The shaft of his lance slammed into her chest, knocking the wind from her before the hornet spun around and landed a solid kick that landed her on her back. Before Kansi had a chance to recover, Pharyx¡¯s lance was at her throat and the fight was over.


    ¡°You fight clever, High Queen of Hanai,¡± Kansi praised. Pharyx released her before grasping her hand and helping her to her feet. The crowd cheered for their defender.


    Then, Xinya spun around and gave Shen Tori a stern expression. ¡°See! Shows what you know!¡± She held her head high.


    ¡°You must be the little moon artist the Chain-Bound Fury snatched,¡± Shen Tori said. He knelt in front of the little girl who just fixed him with a look of fearsome determination.


    ¡°I am Lang Xinya. Shen Yaoxan killed my father in cold blood, and Uncle Yoru just repaid the debt on my behalf,¡± she growled.


    ¡°And, once he¡¯s dealt with, we¡¯ll be dealing with¡­¡± Shen Tori¡¯s words trailed off as his eyes flicked down to Xinya¡¯s chest. The onyx amulet still hung round her neck. ¡°Where did you find that?¡±


    ¡°It belongs to her. Why do you care?¡± I answered, pulling Xinya behind me. Shen Tori stood and took a deep breath. Though he faced me for his next question, the words were clearly directed at Xinya.


    ¡°Girl, you said your father was killed. Where is your mother?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± Xinya answered stoically. ¡°She died when I was little.¡±


    ¡°I see. And her name. What was it?¡±


    ¡°Why would I tell you?¡± the little cultivator hissed, even as she hid behind my sleeves.


    ¡°Was it, by chance, Reixin?¡± Shen Tori¡¯s gaze was unreadable as he stared me down, but the man next to him, who I could only assume was another of his children, gasped.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean,¡± the son gasped. Shen Tori ignored him.


    ¡°That necklace of yours is a family heirloom from your mother who was a cultivator of void qi. Have I guessed correctly so far?¡± The older artist continued. I pushed Xinya further behind me, not liking where this conversation was going. Though the son was clearly just as surprised as we were, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was some kind of scheme on the part of Shen Tori.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xinya answered warily. ¡°But how did you know that?¡±


    ¡°My daughter was Shen Reixin, and she was a powerful void artist and the sole inheritor of the Shen family bloodline. She ran away just over eleven years ago only to die three years later,¡± Shen Tori explained.


    Xinya was speechless for the first time in her life, but I didn¡¯t flinch. I continued staring down Shen Tori. He was an older gentleman with a well-kept beard that he styled to a point. Both the beard and his hair were as black as the void qi that trailed from him like smoke.


    Only Pollen broke the tension between us. ¡°I¡¯m certain this is a very happy family reunion, but, if you¡¯ll forgive me, I promised little Xinya to take her to see the Spirit Caller¡¯s Performance, and I think it¡¯s about to start.¡± She held out a hand for Xinya, and the little girl practically rushed into the Queen Bee¡¯s arms.


    I backed away from the void artists, not wanting to turn my back on them for even a second. However, before I got the chance to fully retreat, Shen Tori lunged forward, snatching my wrist and dragging me close with the strength of a more advanced artist.


    ¡°Listen closely, Tsuyuki Yoru,¡± he hissed in my ear. ¡°Consider yourself lucky. Your precious disciple has just earned a pass from the Lunar Hunt. Rest assured. Once I remove your head from your shoulders, she will be taken good care of.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you¡¯d be ashamed to have a moon artist for a granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still young,¡± Shen Tori countered. ¡°I¡¯ll purge the Darkened Moon¡¯s filth from her, and when I do, she will be placed on a much more proper path, the one she was born for.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°One compatible with her illustrious void bloodline, of course.¡±

 Chapter 82 - Historical Fiction

    What is a Bloodline? In the strictest sense, it is the gifts of your ancestors. Those who reached power pass it to their children and their children¡¯s children, and so on and so forth. But what happens when one¡¯s bloodline is incompatible with their path? Any bloodline can be manipulated during the crossing of Dissolution to Salt¡­if their own blood doesn¡¯t kill them first¡­ -Excerpt from the technique manuals of the Mist Cat Mountain Sect used as the foundation of their teachings.


    *          *          *


    I fixed Shen Tori with my most frigid stare. This man might have been an advancement above me in my current state, but I had dealt with scarier artists than him before. He was a wicked monster who relished in the power of his station. He lorded himself over others and bullied those of lower station¡­which was exactly the kind of cultivator that made my blood boil.


    ¡°I hope you get a good first shot in,¡± I said just loud enough for him to hear. ¡°Because once we engage in battle, you won¡¯t get a second chance.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I know a thing or two about how to deal with Moon artists,¡± he answered with a satisfied smirk. I smiled coldly, but it didn¡¯t reach my eyes.


    ¡°I can guarantee you¡¯ve never dealt with a moon artist quite like me before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they all say.¡±


    Well, the rest of artists aren¡¯t former Ascendents, I thought, but I kept my silence. I turned and left, keeping an eye out for any surprise attack Shen Tori or his son might try to launch. Neither of them moved, and I jogged ahead to catch up with Pollen, Suzume, and Xinya. A moment later, Pharyx joined us.


    ¡°Did you guys see my fight?¡± he asked as we walked down the street.


    ¡°Yes, we did,¡± Pollen answered. ¡°It seems you¡¯re capable of growth, after all. Congratulations.¡±


    Pharyx didn¡¯t seem to catch the backhanded insult and launched into an excited explanation. ¡°She was so strong! Honestly, I think many of Mother¡¯s subordinates might struggle to take her down. I mean, the ones who haven¡¯t crossed into Salt, of course. The higher advancements are obviously stronger, but it was incredible! I¡¯ve never seen anyone move so fast, and the way her wind hit me was unreal!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all very excited for you, brother,¡± Suzume answered with a smile. She and Pollen shared a look before giggling amongst themselves.


    ¡°What?¡± Pharyx asked, but they just shook their heads and refused to speak any further on the subject.


    Despite the levity, however, Pollen continued glancing behind her, as did I. Shen Tori and his son were still behind us, walking along the busy streets with the rest of the festival goers. They were clearly following us, but, if they were trying to hide, they made no obvious sign of it. Instead, they meandered at a respectful distance, stopping at shops and picking up snacks when they got too close, and catching up once they were finished.


    To my great relief, we reached the Spirit Caller¡¯s Stage quickly. It was set up as a large, raised platform in the square outside the Administration building, and Lin was waiting outside. He and Zumi were discussing something, but, as soon as he saw us approaching as a group, he finished quickly and took three sticks of candied strawberries from his cousin.


    ¡°Yoru! Xinya! As promised, I finished everything before the performance.¡± Lin handed a stick each to Xinya and me. ¡°Even got treats for the show, which I¡¯m told will be spectacular.¡±


    ¡°I sure hope so, because we have some unwanted company ruining the mood.¡± I pointed to Shen Tori who just bowed his head in greeting as soon as Lin looked over. The administrator needed no introduction to the void artist, just seeing him was enough for his complexion to turn almost ghostly.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who ordered Hanako¡¯s death,¡± he whispered. I could feel the qi within him roiling with his anger.


    ¡°Easy, Lin,¡± I said gently. ¡°This is not the venue for vengeance. I want him dead, but any fight we enter here will result in untold damage to Saikan, and will insult the Spirit Caller Sect.¡±


    Lin clenched and unclenched his fists before turning away. ¡°He must have asked the Governor to invite the Spirit Callers. It¡¯s the only way they could have arrived so quickly.¡±


    ¡°The Governor?¡± I¡¯d only heard of the ruler of the Moon-Soaked Shore in passing. From what little I knew, he was the descendent of the cultivator who¡¯d been placed in the position by Lady Saraia after she and the Sword Saint removed the previous dictators in the Shore. His dynasty ruled with her extended authority, even if she had no interest in the Shore itself. It was a backwater and thus, was unworthy of an Ascendent¡¯s attention. Better to delegate that sort of thing to a lesser artist.


    Since he was only the ruler of a backwater, I figured he couldn¡¯t be more than Gold. Anyone who was ambitious enough to take the excruciating step between the Forging Realm and Refining Realm would not be content to be the big fish in a little pond. They¡¯d leave the Shore for fresher fields and better ambient qi. However, even if he was Gold, that made him a significant threat to me in my current state. Even a Silver would make me struggle to win.


    ¡°I did hear rumors that the Governor had returned to the Shore a few months ago. Shen Tori must have asked him to send an emergency missive to the Spirit Caller Sect to conduct this ritual. Then he murdered Hanako to try and weaken us,¡± Lin growled.


    Something about that seemed¡­off. The Moon-Soaked Shore was only a small part of the greater world, but it was still a vast peninsula. It took a months of travel to cross from the eastern coast to the western mountains where the Capital lay. Even if the Governor had an array for quick communication with the world beyond the Shore, it would still have taken some time for an insignificant region like the Moon-Soaked Shore to mobilize the help of a foreign sect.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    And, what did Shen Tori gain from arranging Hanako¡¯s murder? The perpetrators had worn Lunar Hunt insignias, but if they were trying to get at me or Xinya, they had other ways of doing it. They wouldn¡¯t have bothered to stage Hanako¡¯s suicide. I¡¯d always thought that he was trying to push me away from Lin, but why would he bother if he could just come to Saikan and attack us directly?


    Something wasn¡¯t adding up, but I had no idea what the missing piece was.


    ¡°Look! It¡¯s starting!¡± Xinya exclaimed.


    On stage, a woman in a beautiful silver and green set of cultivator robes stepped onto the stage and began to dance. Her long sashes and sleeves twirled in a rippling river of fabric all around her. It was truly a beautiful dance.


    ¡°So, what exactly is this performance supposed to be?¡± I whispered softly to Lin. He shook his head.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t say, and I wasn¡¯t old enough to remember the last festival,¡± he answered.


    ¡°I know. But it might be best if you leave now, Tsuyuki,¡± the coy voice of Lian Liu drifted closer over the music and he scurried over to join us. He was dressed less conspicuously than normal, having left his full hood and scarf at the inn in favor of a dark set of robes for the festival. He seemed to have come prepared for¡­something. His sash was stuffed full of paper talismans.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    Lian¡¯s eyes flicked to Pollen, Pharyx, and Xinya before answering. ¡°Because you¡¯ll almost certainly recognize it, soon.¡±


    A sick feeling took root in my stomach. I looked back to the dancer on the stage. On closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t a woman at all, but a thinly built man with make-up accentuating his features. He danced in a joyous manner, spinning and twirling.


    At each of the corners of the stage, a crystal sphere had been placed. As the dancer performed, qi began to sparkle black and white within each sphere. Though I couldn¡¯t see it, I was certain that an array had been painted on the floor of the stage itself which was certainly taking some of the artist¡¯s qi and activating the orbs.


    ¡°These sorts of rituals have a lot of spiritual significance, as I¡¯m sure you know,¡± Lian murmured. ¡°What better to focus the qi than a historical account starring that which they are trying to subdue?¡±


    The dancer was soon joined by several others, these ones dressed all in tattered black rags. When they danced, they gathered their qi into a dark miasma of death energy which formed the shapes of various monsters and yokai. Even some screams could be heard from within underneath the music.


    The silver-clad figure began to spar with the monsters. Flashes of white and silver qi quickly banished the darker figures, but the silver-clad figure seemed to be shaken by the encounter. His movements became faster, more desperate, more crazed.


    ¡°You call this historical?¡± I muttered, wanting to look away. They¡¯d chosen the more popular version of the story over the accurate one.


    ¡°Is it not?¡± Lian asked. ¡°The Darkened Moon was a spirit who fell to madness and destroyed whole nations.¡± There wasn¡¯t any point in arguing with that. Nothing would convince those who believed they knew the truth.


    The silver-clad figure suddenly became surrounded by black qi. Shrieks and cackles emanated from the cocoon before it was dispelled with a gust of wind. His clothes were now black, and a completely crazed smile split his face. The dark monsters returned to the stage, but a brilliant white light enveloped them, and they were gone in an instant.


    This would be the point in the story where the Sun Queen and the other Ascendents would try to talk me down, only to be attacked. They would then be forced to send Jinshi to try and mediate¡­which would also fail¡­


    I didn¡¯t need to see this. Living it once would have been enough, and I¡¯d seen it played out for me in much greater detail a thousand times in the Labyrinth. Instead, I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and walked away.


    ¡°Tsuyuki!¡± I flinched. It was Shen Tori. ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯d hate for you to miss the Spirit Caller¡¯s hard work.¡±


    ¡°Their ritual won¡¯t work,¡± I answered. ¡°They¡¯re performing the Legend of the Darkened Moon, but they¡¯re aiming for a shade of one of the Avatar¡¯s subordinates. What¡¯s the point in waiting around for nothing to happen?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Tori mused. ¡°Well, the Fury is fueled by his master¡¯s power, is he not? And who wouldn¡¯t be upset to see their master¡¯s ultimate defeat replayed for them.¡±


    Behind me, I could hear the music turn somber. The sound of steel being drawn from its sheath pulled my attention back. The old man leading the sect representatives was on stage, now. His face was stoic. The sword in his hand was pointed at the Darkened Moon. I knew his role immediately.


    ¡°Jinshi,¡± I breathed. Memories flashed through my thoughts: an argument, hurtful words, and Jinshi looking at me as if I¡¯d killed his best friend. The look of hurt in his eyes¡­even if he hadn¡¯t looked so old back then, I could picture it clearly in my mind¡¯s eye just from watching the performers.


    Qi was crackling in the orbs, adding tension to the scene as the Sword Saint and the Darkened Moon fought on stage. In the end, it was called to a draw, and the Sword Saint retreated. He would rally the rest of the Ascendents and strike when the villain least expected it.


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Lin put a hand on my shoulder. I blinked several times before tearing my eyes away from the tragic scene before me.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I lied. ¡°It¡¯s just history, right? Nothing that can be changed now.¡±


    In that instant, Lian jogged over to join us. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. I¡¯ve got it sorted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got it¡­what?¡±


    ¡°Just watch the show,¡± he said. ¡°But, maybe from over here.¡± He dragged me by the arm to the side of a shop where my view of the crowd was hindered, but not wholly blocked. ¡°Yeah, here will do. Still need to see what I¡¯m doing, after all.¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you doing?¡± asked Lin.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s the Darkened Moon, right? Of course, his qi would be affected by a ritual specifically targeting him. He¡¯s not strong enough to block it.¡± Lian began pulling talismans from his sash, looking at them, then stuffing them back.


    Lin shared a look with me, but I just shrugged. ¡°And you know this, how?¡± he continued.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m very good at what I do, now hold still. They¡¯re almost ready.¡±


    I peered around the corner of the shop. The actor for the Darkened Moon was fending off four other artists, all dressed in colorful outfits. They were my adversaries of old, the other Avatars and the Sun Queen¡¯s chief healer.


    This part was surprisingly accurate to events. A great orb of silver qi meant to simulate lunar qi hung in the air above as the moon while the Darkened Moon danced around his enemies, always dodging away before his opponents could reach him. The delicate choreography was impressive, and the Darkened Moon always looked as if he knew exactly where his enemies would strike. Finally, he pinned down the healer, drawing his blade across her throat and leaving her to die. In the same swift motion, the Sword Saint struck the simulated moon above, slicing a deep gash across its surface. The Darkened Moon howled in agony and dropped his blade. Before he could react further, the Sword Saint plunged the prop Razor Wind through his shoulder blades.


    A wave of gathered qi exploded from the crystal spheres and the staged array, and Flash Forward warned of a coming blast. My breath caught and I turned to flee, knowing I would not escape in time.

 Chapter 83 - Fleeing the Festival

    The stories are rife with those who fight above their rank. Of genius Silvers turning the blades of Golds. Of tricky Golds out-maneuvering Gemstones. But the truth is that power is above all. You can land a hit on a Gold as a Silver. Maybe even hurt them. But they¡¯ll regenerate faster than you can hurt them. And the Gemstone? They may be tricked, but they¡¯re all old monsters who¡¯ve seen many of a Gold¡¯s lifetimes and if they find out you tricked them? You¡¯ll wish they¡¯d just kill you. -Wandering cultivator Jin Sun


    *          *          *


    The blast had enough force to scatter qi all across the eastern half of the Moon-Soaked Shore. Maybe if I were an Ascendent, even just a lesser one, I might have stood a chance to outrun it, but as an Iron? There wasn¡¯t any chance.


    Before I could take two steps, Lian stepped in front of me. Ten talismans sprang into the air, spinning in a circle to form a shield of qi that blocked the effects of the spell. Darkness laced with threads of green formed around us to shelter us from the blast.


    Then it was over. Lian¡¯s life qi dispersed, and his talismans burned in a burst of green, their purpose fulfilled. The young sect artist turned, a pleased smile on his face.


    ¡°Sometimes, my genius surprises even myself,¡± he praised. ¡°How many people can say they¡¯ve defended the Darkened Moon, do you think?¡±


    ¡°Only a handful,¡± I answered. ¡°Do you know what it would have done?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say. They were aiming to suppress your core and qi, buuut,¡± he shrugged and rolled his eyes, ¡°They also are experts at subduing shades, not spirits, despite their name. Some Spirit Caller Sect if they don¡¯t even know the difference.¡± He snorted in amusement.


    Suppressing my core and qi, I mused silently. That could have been extremely bad, had it actually struck me. Depending on how it struck, it could have suppressed only my lunar qi, sending me into a void madness like when I first took on that qi in the first place. On the other side, if only my void qi had been suppressed, it might have ripped me in half due to my nature as a Void Spirit. Even if I¡¯d been lucky enough to be hit squarely, I could have been weakened to the point where my bindings to Lin were stressed or broken, and I still wasn¡¯t quite sure what would happen to me without the bond.


    Lian had saved me from all of that¡­


    I cupped my hands together and bowed respectfully. ¡°It seems I owe you, Lian Liu. Is there some way I can repay you?¡±


    ¡°Actually, now that you mention it,¡± he began, but he never got the chance to finish the thought.


    Void qi surged around us in a swirling vortex. I threw myself back between the buildings, latching onto Lian and Lin¡¯s collars and dragging them with me. Where we¡¯d stood only a moment ago, the whole corner of the shop was disintegrated, and the building creaked in protest.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a quick one.¡± From out of the dispersing qi, Shen Tori stepped. Two wicked daggers with jagged black blades were in his hands, ready to taste blood¡­specifically mine, it seemed.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t here to kill me this time,¡± I snarled. ¡°You¡¯ve a funny way of showing it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, that was the plan.¡± His eyes were hard and full of hate. ¡°But you are so good at gathering up all your little friends with your charms, and you didn¡¯t fall to the ritual that my friend was so confident in. Tell me, are you possessed, or did you just offer the Fury to bring back his master?¡±


    I bit back a laugh. He had no idea who and what I was, which was to be expected, but it was still funny to watch him leap to the wrong conclusions.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me more about that friend of yours?¡± I shot back. ¡°Is it the Governor?¡±


    Shen Tori rolled his eyes. ¡°Governor Hong prefers not to get his hands dirty if he doesn¡¯t have to, but I will be most keen to report your death to him when we next meet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have much to report!¡± Lin interjected, stepping between us. ¡°You murdered my wife! I won¡¯t let you walk away from here.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡± the void artist shrugged. ¡°In truth, I care little about you, Tenri Lin, but, if you long for your wife, I¡¯d be happy to reunite you. You are not irreplaceable.¡±


    It would be a hard fight. Lin and I were both unarmed, which wasn¡¯t the worst, since neither of us had many techniques that depended on weapons. What was going to be more challenging was that Shen Tori was definitely at Silver and knew something of our abilities from his son¡¯s reports.


    ¡°If we can get to the street, we can draw the fight outside of town,¡± I said.


    ¡°Allow me,¡± Lian stepped up to both Lin and I and placed his hands on each of our shoulders. Qi surged into us, and I immediately felt lighter on my feet. He shrugged. ¡°I might not be much of a fighter myself, but Life qi is excellent for enhancing others.¡±


    ¡°I am in your debt for helping get justice for Hanako,¡± Lin promised. Wood qi swirled to life around him and he pulled several seeds from his sleeve. It seemed that he came at least somewhat prepared, unlike me.


    Lin raced forward, crossing the distance between him and Shen Tori in a flash. I was right behind him as he threw the seeds at the enemy¡¯s feet. Shen Tori leapt back before the new shoots could wrap around his ankles. We had him on the retreat! I called upon the moon above. Twin disks of light appeared in my hands.


    ¡°Duck!¡± I shouted to Lin. He did as he was told and the disks sailed cleanly over his head. Shen Tori raised his blades and knocked both disks aside but doing so left him open. Lin¡¯s skin shone with wood qi as he slammed his fist into the void artist¡¯s jaw. Though the blow wasn¡¯t nearly enough to seriously harm the Silver artist, it provided just enough of an opportunity for Lin to dart through his defenses and out into the street.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    I raced forward, eager to follow. We needed to get outside of town. Not only would Lin¡¯s wood techniques be more effective with more grass and trees, but we wouldn¡¯t have to be so careful. The longer we fought here, the more damage would be caused by mine and Shen Tori¡¯s void arts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so!¡± A void coated dagger struck, aiming straight for my chest. I raised my right arm, ducking down in the same motion. The blade sliced across my forearm and blackened blood splattered across the stones behind me.


    Shen Tori narrowed his eyes at the blood. ¡°Black blood?¡±


    I didn¡¯t linger. His distraction was only to my advantage as I darted out of his reach to join Lin in the street. Together, we raced away, certain that Shen Tori would follow.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lin called. I nodded, looking down at the injury. Already, threads of vibrant jade qi were weaving across the wound. Lian¡¯s techniques certainly were potent, even if they wouldn¡¯t last long.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a scratch. I¡¯ll be-¡±


    A brutal ringing stabbed through my mind. The voices of the void pounded against my mental defenses, briefly blurring my vision. I stumbled, crashing into the ground. I pushed myself back to my knees as the pain redoubled.


    ¡°Yoru!?¡± Lin skidded to a halt.


    I gritted my teeth. This was one of Shen Tori¡¯s techniques. I was sure of it. Nothing else would cause the voices to rise at such a time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get hit by his attacks,¡± I grunted, forcing the voices down.


    To my surprise, they quieted with much less willpower than they had when fighting the Chain-Bound Fury. Rather than whispering destruction, they just seemed to be trying to drill cracks into my mind, which ultimately made them less organized and easier to fend off.


    Shaking off the attack, I pushed myself back to my feet. The Shen family continued to be unlucky that I was their opponent. Like father, like son, I suppose.


    ¡°Tsuyuki? Tenri?¡± It was Kansi Ren. She sat at a table with a bowl of noodles in her hand.


    Before either of us could answer, Shen Tori arrived. He threw a qi-coated dagger straight for me, and I only barely had enough time to jump enough to the side that it only clipped my sleeves rather than my actual body. The dagger in question then vanished in a puff of void qi and reappeared in its owner¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Kansi was on her feet and approaching. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°Stay out of it, Wind Artist,¡± Shen Tori spat. ¡°This is official business of the Lunar Hunt.¡±


    Kansi raised an eyebrow. ¡°That group of enforcers? But what do you want with Tsuyuki and Tenri?¡± He sighed and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°That man,¡± he pointed one of the vicious black daggers at me, ¡°is a moon artist. His kind are not welcome in the Shore.¡±


    I flinched. Of all the people to know my true path, Kansi was the worst to know. Shen Tori on his own was going to be a difficult fight without Kansi also getting involved.


    ¡°I think you have the wrong person,¡± Kansi insisted. ¡°Tsuyuki is a Void artist from the Pearlescent Valley. We worked a caravan security job together, and he never used anything like lunar arts.¡±


    Now I know the Sword Saint didn¡¯t teach you this level of naivety, I thought bitterly. Jinshi was always extremely observant, and yet, his disciple seemed to be completely sincere in her ignorance. She didn¡¯t have a clue.


    ¡°His path is void and moon, you ignorant fool,¡± Shen Tori snarled. ¡°But, it¡¯s none of your business. Justice must be served. Order must be maintained.¡±


    Void-tipped daggers sliced across the space before him, and a net of void qi streaked towards us. It was the same technique Shen Yaoxan was so fond of. I stepped behind Lin, and his skin glowed with adaptive wood qi. The net wrapped around him, and he gritted his teeth in focus as his qi tried to work through the potent void qi. I ducked around Lin, launching an orb of my own void qi at Shen Tori in the same breath as he hurled another dagger. The two bits of void collided mid-air, exploding in a cloud of black.


    The qi of our attacks mixed, but I could still tell what was mine and what was his. His was far more potent and was as black as the darkest of nights. Mine, however, was brighter, with pinpricks of silver and gold, like tiny stars in the blackness. They were so tiny, that even I wouldn¡¯t be able to notice them without comparing to the qi of a pure void artist.


    Both forms of qi hissed and sizzled against the street stones. Rather than wait for Shen Tori to attack, I raced into the cloud. It tingled against my skin for the briefest moment until I was completely hidden by the darkness. Then, I let instinct reign over my body, and clinking chains wrapped around my arms. I couldn¡¯t afford others knowing of my direct relation to the Chain-Bound Fury at this juncture, but in the cloud, an opportunity was created.


    I closed my eyes, relying on Flash Forward to guide me in the darkness. I released the void in my core, replicating the same void aura technique that the Fury had used, albeit a less potent version. The void mist in the cloud that was mine shone with brighter pinpricks of light, and even the mist that was Shen Tori¡¯s began to sparkle like a starry night as my aura overwhelmed it.


    Flash Forward warned of a dagger strike to my head. I ducked just in time, striking out with a chain-wrapped fist. It slammed into Shen Tori¡¯s chest. He stumbled back several paces, and I followed up with a disk of moonlight. I heard him grunt in pain, but I didn¡¯t hear his footsteps indicate a retreat.


    Another attack was forewarned from behind. I lunged, flinging my chains forward and forcing the void master to retreat.


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat me, Shen Tori,¡± I called. ¡°I have far more experience than you do.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re the first person with the Darkened Moon¡¯s bloodline I¡¯ve slain?¡±


    Mine are the original. The rest are all just lesser copies.


    Flash Forward warned of another strike, but it was¡­from in front of me? It was extremely close, and I raised a chain-wrapped arm to defend myself as I retreated. The attack was quick, just glancing off my chains before it was as if Shen Tori simply disappeared. Three more warnings flashed through my mind, warning of strikes from the left and behind. I ducked and rolled.


    A blade slammed into the chain around my left arm, pinning it to the ground below. Shen Tori followed up with incredible speed, suddenly appearing above me, and striking swiftly with his remaining dagger.


    I grunted in pain as the blade sliced deep into my shoulder, only coming to a stop when it met with one of my chains. I finally opened my eyes. Shen Tori¡¯s face was blistered from my void aura.


    ¡°So, you gave yourself to the Fury?¡± He spat to the side. ¡°How pathetic. Your power isn¡¯t even your own.¡±


    ¡°I give myself to no one,¡± I snarled. A blade of moonlight formed in my hand. With a cry of fury, I plunged it into his chest. He grunted but held firm. Then, his blade was in his hand again, streaking down towards my face. I twisted to the side, but he pushed his weight down on top of me, preventing me from moving. In the last second, I brought my arm up to block the blow. The dagger cut deep, and I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out.


    ¡°Stop struggling. The more you do, the more your mind will be ripped to shreds by the void,¡± he growled.


    I laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve already done the whole ¡®consumed by the void¡¯ thing. If your pathetic voices could take me, I¡¯d have fallen long before your ancestors were born!¡±


    Shen Tori pulled back, readying himself for another strike, but before he could do so, wind howled around us. The cloud of void was blown away, revealing the fight within.


    My heart leapt into my chest. Only one person present could have summoned that kind of wind. Kansi Ren had joined the fight.

 Chapter 84 - Shen Taihua

    When the cultivator spits on you, clean it and thank them for their attention. When the cultivator hits you, thank them for the pointers and offer them compensation. When the cultivator is kind to you, run for all your legs can carry you. Failing that, fall to your knees and beg, for there is no kindness in their souls. -Words of the Cult of Rags


    *          *          *


    Xinya had been completely absorbed by the performance from the Spirit Caller Sect. It was her favorite story, put on display for all to see. The Darkened Moon was mesmerizing in his elegance, and she¡¯d been riveted to the scene when the Sword Saint appeared. It was only when the Darkened Moon was killed and the wave of strange qi she felt but couldn¡¯t see blasted over the crowd that she even considered how Uncle Yoru might be feeling.


    She chided herself. After all he¡¯d done for her, she should have been nicer to him. He hated this story and with good reason. She couldn¡¯t imagine what it would be like if her worst moments were put on stage for all to see.


    ¡°Uncle Yoru?¡± she asked, turning around. Though he¡¯d been right behind her a moment ago, he was nowhere to be seen. Uncle Lin was gone, too.


    Xinya¡¯s eyes darted over the crowd, searching for the horrible man who was Shen Yaoxan¡¯s father. He was wicked, she could tell. The whole time she was near him, the lightning within her core churned and twisted angrily, as if it craved to smite him. The only problem was that he was so dizzyingly powerful compared to her that she didn¡¯t even have a good grasp on just how powerful he was. All she knew for certain was that he was evil and a liar, and that he wanted to kill her master more than anything.


    ¡°Pollen,¡± she whispered, tugging on the queen¡¯s sleeve. The honeybee knelt, and Xinya pointed to where Shen Tori had been standing. ¡°He¡¯s gone! Only that other guy is left!¡±


    Even as she said it, there was a scream from the crowd. ¡°Attack! The Administrator is under attack!¡±


    Immediately, both Pollen and Pharyx were on edge. As the crowd scattered for safety, Xinya spotted Uncle Yoru¡¯s bamboo hat as he raced away. The wicked Shen Tori was right on his heels.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one who saw the direction of the commotion, either. Shen¡¯s companion did, as well. He began to jog in the same direction. Xinya scowled. If he reached the fight, then he would make trouble for Uncle Yoru. She didn¡¯t doubt her master could win, he was a legend, after all, but if there was anything she could do to help, she had to try. She was tired of sitting on the sidelines, being constantly bullied and beaten by her betters. She¡¯d stood up to Madame Tenri for that, and she never wanted to bow like that again.


    ¡°Hey!¡± she shouted, running as fast as she could.


    ¡°Xinya! What are you doing!?¡± Pollen called. Padding footsteps indicated she and Pharyx were right behind her, so Xinya didn¡¯t bother stopping.


    She raced around the slightly-less-wicked-than-Shen-Tori artist and planted herself in his way. He skidded to a halt, startled by the appearance of the small girl. She pinned him with her fiercest stare.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to hurt my master, but I won¡¯t let you!¡± she challenged. A moment later, she was yanked back by her collar. Pollen wrapped her arms around Xinya, as if to hold her back.


    ¡°Meimei, this man is far outside your league,¡± she explained. ¡°He¡¯s Iron, at least.¡±


    ¡°You are Lang Xinya, yes? And her¡­¡± he looked at the two spirit beasts guarding Xinya, ¡°guardians?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Pharyx answered, his voice a low warning.


    ¡°Then, allow me to introduce myself.¡± The artist bowed respectfully to the two queens. ¡°I am Shen Taihua. Shen Reixin was my older sister.¡±


    ¡°Still don¡¯t think I believe you,¡± Xinya growled, and the man smiled sadly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to,¡± he admitted. ¡°Reixin ran away for a reason, and I would not be surprised if the reason was because she didn¡¯t want you around us.¡±


    Xinya narrowed her eyes. ¡°So, you realize that the Lunar Hunt are just a bunch of bandits who deserved what they got! Why do you stay with them, knowing that what they do is wrong?¡± Shen Taihua looked at Xinya for a long moment. Then he closed his eyes and turned to Pollen and Pharyx.


    ¡°With your permission, I would spar with Lang Xinya,¡± he said. ¡°I would test her heart and the strength of her resolve. I promise not to harm her. You may intervene if you believe her to be in danger.¡±


    Xinya looked up to see Pharyx and Pollen exchange a look. It was clear that neither of them particularly liked the idea of an Iron sparring with a Leaf, but Xinya didn¡¯t much mind. Her resolve was more than strong enough to make Shen Taihua surrender. She was sure of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± she announced, not waiting for the queens¡¯ answers. She shrugged off Pollen¡¯s arms, then stepped forward, taking a fighting stance.


    ¡°You fight unarmed?¡± Taihua asked curiously.


    ¡°Uncle Yoru said I needed to know the basics before I could use a weapon,¡± she said.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°He¡¯s very wise.¡± Taihua took a similar stance, leaving the sword at his side sheathed. ¡°First move is yours.¡±


    Her confidence wavered. So many eyes were on her, and this was her first formal duel. Her every action would reflect on herself and on Yoru¡¯s teaching. If she failed to live up to expectations¡­


    No. You have to win. Uncle Yoru is depending on you stalling Taihua here.


    And yet¡­everyone present was Iron. She was just Leaf. They wouldn¡¯t be impressed by anything she could offer in this fight.


    Light is my shield, my sword is made of patience. That was what Yoru taught her. She might not be a mighty cultivator yet, but she¡¯d only been training under him for a few months. Ascendents were not born overnight. Even the Darkened Moon and the Sword Saint were Leaf once¡­or so Yoru claimed.


    Three deep breaths filled her lungs, focusing the qi of her small core and preparing her to fight. Then, she opened her eyes, her resolve strong and clear.


    Xinya struck, punching with all her speed and strength towards Taihua¡¯s solar plexus. He blocked it easily, moving so fast that she could barely see it.


    ¡°Very good, your form is excellent. Your master clearly knows what he¡¯s doing,¡± Taihua praised. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if your defenses are just as solid.¡±


    He returned her punch, and Xinya could tell that he intentionally slowed his movements so she could keep up. Even if he was going easy on her, she was heartened that she stood a chance. She dodged back, letting the fist sail in front of her.


    Then she lunged forward. She ducked behind Taihua, calling lightning to her fingertips. Her qi arced between her and her opponent¡¯s back. He tensed for a moment, and she took the opportunity to throw her entire body into the back of his legs.


    In her head, Taihua would have fallen to the ground and hit his head or something, immediately going unconscious. In reality¡­the results were a lot less spectacular. In fact, he only took one step forward from the weight of a small child being thrown at him while he was stunned.


    Before Xinya could even right herself a little bit, he¡¯d moved again with speed more incredible than she could imagine. She was lifted by her collar and set gently on her feet.


    ¡°On an artist your level, that move would have definitely knocked them down,¡± he praised. ¡°But, it leaves you vulnerable as you try to right yourself.¡±


    He smiled, and for the first time, Xinya was struck by a sense of familiarity. It was the way his eyes creased at the sides and the way his nose wiggled ever so slightly. She never knew her mother, but she was sure that her mother smiled like that.


    ¡°If you want to use a tripping move like that to its full effectiveness, you¡¯ll want to roll in such a way that allows you to stand quickly. Use speed to your advantage whenever possible.¡± Taihua suddenly ran at her so fast that all Xinya saw was a black shrouded blur. It clipped her side, sending her spinning, but before she could fall down, the artist¡¯s hand was on her shoulder. ¡°As a lightning artist, you could probably use a similar technique with practice. After all, lightning, wind, and void all have aspects of speed enhancement.¡±


    Xinya wasn¡¯t sure if she should be insulted that he¡¯d turned their ¡°spar¡± into a teaching moment. He wasn¡¯t her master, but what he was saying made a lot of sense. She pondered Taihua¡¯s words deeply. In time, would she be able to infuse qi through her body like he and Yoru did?


    Taihua gave her time to consider his words, and when she was ready, she took her fighting stance again. This time, when she raced at the man who claimed to be her blood uncle, she tried her best to stay quick and light. Yoru was fast, Taihua was fast, she could be fast, too.


    Yet, no matter how light she was, she would never compare to the speed of a higher-level artist. Taihua was always a move ahead, seeing her punches before she¡¯d even fully committed to them. She threw punch after punch, but he blocked them all. When he returned the strikes, he was slower, but she had to devote all her focus to dodging.


    How does Yoru do it? Attack and defend all at once? There¡¯s just so much to think about so quickly?!


    Xinya quickly grew frustrated with the battle. She couldn¡¯t win, but how could she show her resolve and get him to surrender if she couldn¡¯t even get a solid hit in! She¡¯d done one, and now Taihua left no openings. She sped up her attacks, frantically searching for a way to get around his defense, but none came.


    How could she beat him? She had no fancy foresight techniques like Yoru, nor the overwhelming power and speed that artists like Kansi and Pharyx had. She was just Leaf¡­


    ¡°Xinya,¡± called Pharyx from the sidelines. ¡°You cannot beat him in a head-to-head fight. If he won¡¯t give you an opening, then make one for yourself.¡±


    Make one for myself? That was easy for him to say. He was an epic fighter with a cool lance and a temper that could outshine the sun. When his enemies were impenetrable, he cracked their armor with sheer force of will.


    An idea came to her. Raising her hand, she called on the other aspect of her core: the moon. Moon was harder for her to tame, for reasons she didn¡¯t understand. Maybe it was because she had spent so long wrangling lightning that she¡¯d learned how to handle it, but moon qi was always slow to react to her call. It took coaxing, despite the fact that she supposedly had a very strong affinity for it.


    However, now, that was her only chance. To make an opening, she needed all the tricks in her repertoire, and that included her only moon technique: Light.


    She focused everything into creating a brilliant flash of silver light. Her core emptied out, and she felt dizzy, but the technique had worked! Taihua blinked several times, trying to refocus his eyes after the flashbang, and Xinya leapt on the opportunity. She slammed her fist into his stomach, charging with all lightning qi she had left, then, before stopping at all, she shoved him with all her strength.


    He stumbled back several paces, rubbing his eyes clear. ¡°Very good. I shouldn¡¯t praise the use of a moon technique, but it was well-executed, at least.¡± He raised his hands. ¡°You certainly are your mother¡¯s daughter. I see her a lot in you, especially that determined scowl of yours. I don¡¯t have the heart to fight my own blood anymore. I surrender to you and your spirit beast guardians.¡±


    Xinya blinked in surprise. She really won? She really did it? Of course, it hadn¡¯t been a real fight. She never would have won. But she¡¯d impressed Taihua enough that he surrendered! That was worth celebrating.


    ¡°We need to help Uncle Yoru!¡± she said. Though, as soon as she took two steps, she stumbled as her legs gave out beneath her. Pollen quickly helped her to her feet.


    ¡°Easy, Meimei,¡± she said with a chuckle. ¡°You worked hard on that fight and spent a lot of qi. Give yourself a break.¡±


    ¡°But we need to help Yoru!¡±


    ¡°And we will,¡± Pollen reassured her. In an instant, Xinya felt herself be snatched off the ground. Pharyx twirled her around until she landed on his back.


    He flashed her a smile. ¡°All aboard? Let¡¯s go!¡±

 Chapter 85 - The Sword Saint’s Disciple

    Attention to all Hunters: The Eternal Peak Sect has a formal bounty for the following individual: Lai Kansi, wind artist. She is tall with an unassuming appearance, but should be considered extremely dangerous. She will be traveling with bandages. Do not remove them, they are a seal placed by our sect on her and their removal will guarantee your deaths. Reward: Outer Discipleship or 100 peak gold cores. -Missive from the Eternal Peak Sect to the Guild of Hunters along the Eagle¡¯s Road, bounty still active but outdated.


    *          *          *


    I froze. The blustering wind had thoroughly swept away the void qi that resulted from the collision of mine and Shen Tori¡¯s techniques. The stones beneath us were cracked and riddled with holes where the qi had touched them.


    Then there was us. Shen Tori pinned me to the ground, his hand raised to strike again. We were a frozen moment in time, neither one willing to move a single muscle until the new threat was identified.


    ¡°The Fury?¡± Kansi frowned in confusion as she took in the scene. ¡°But¡­where is Tsuyuki?¡±


    ¡°Idiot girl,¡± Shen Tori growled. ¡°Go back to your festival and leave official affairs to-¡±


    My foot slammed into his leg, and he grunted in mild annoyance. In the next breath, I shoved him off me and flung a moonlight disk to dislodge the blade holding my chains to the ground.


    Lin was at my side as soon as I was on my feet. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He examined the gash in my arm where I took Shen¡¯s blade. Threads of green were still soothing the wound, though they flickered weakly. Soon, Lian¡¯s technique would be used up, and I¡¯d be at the mercy of my own regenerative abilities. Substantial as those were, I was still only Iron. They couldn¡¯t do much quickly enough to fight a full battle against Kansi and Shen Tori both.


    ¡°Uncle Yoru!¡± Xinya¡¯s voice called from the direction we¡¯d fled from. A moment later, she, Pharyx, and Pollen arrived, joining Lian on the sidelines. Beside them was Shen Tori¡¯s son, to my great surprise.


    ¡°Ah, Taihua,¡± Shen Tori greeted. ¡°Nice of you to join us. Help me subdue him.¡±


    ¡°I cannot, father,¡± Taihua answered. He bowed to his father. ¡°I regret to say that I was bested in combat. I have already been defeated. It would be dishonorable of me to join the fight now.¡±


    Shen Tori¡¯s face twisted into a snarl, and he spat in his son¡¯s direction. ¡°Weak-willed son of mine. This man killed your brother, and you care about honor?¡±


    ¡°If I join, then I would be wronging Reixin¡¯s legacy. I cannot do that.¡±


    ¡°I should have beat that soft heart out of you years ago,¡± his father growled. ¡°But fine. I don¡¯t need you, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Kansi called, stepping into the middle of the fight. ¡°Chain-Bound Fury, I thought you and your sister would be content with Master Feng removed from play. Why do you still seek conflict?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m dressed to start a fight?¡± I snapped.


    For the first time since the cloud was dispelled, Kansi took a good look at me. She saw the festive white and green robes that the townsfolk had prepared for me. Though it was ripped and torn, she still recognized it. Her eyes then travelled upward, taking in every inch of my chains and the cursed appearance I took on as a Void-Touched.


    ¡°Your hair¡­¡± she breathed. I reached up, feeling for my hat, only to find it was gone. It must have been knocked off during the fight. Pulling a lock of hair from behind me, I could see that it was simultaneously dark as night yet emanating with eerie blue voidlight due to moonlight exposure. My hair, my horns, my ears¡­all the parts that made me monstrous were on display. But then, her eyes flicked up even higher, and she gasped in surprise. ¡°That pin¡­Chiho?¡± she leveled her sword. ¡°How do you have that pin? What did you do with Tsuyuki?¡±


    ¡°Are you really that dense?¡± Shen Tori spat. ¡°He¡¯s possessed by the Fury to enhance his lunar techniques. He¡¯s consumed by the Moon¡¯s madness!¡±


    It was funny, really. Of all the people he could have leveled the accusation against, it was me. I was the founder of the very madness he spoke of, its first victim, and yet, in that moment, I was one of the more level-headed people there.


    I could have denied it, but what would be the point? Nine artists were present at that fight. Of those, one was me, and three more knew my secret. Three more were there to kill me and wouldn¡¯t be swayed. What was the point in trying to convince the remaining two?


    However, Xinya, my precious disciple, wasn¡¯t willing to back down so easily. She spun around, fixing Pollen and Pharyx with her most pleading gaze.


    ¡°Please! You know him! Uncle Yoru isn¡¯t crazed! Please you have to help him!¡±


    Pollen knelt and squeezed the little girl¡¯s shoulders. Then, the Honeybee Queen stepped onto the field, nodding at Lin and I.


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki may be cursed to share the Fury¡¯s appearance, but he¡¯s a good person. I have witnessed him put life and limb on the line for the denizens of the forest.¡± She turned to look at Pharyx, her brow furrowing in confusion. He stood exactly where he was and showed no intention of moving. ¡°Why do you hesitate?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The hornet looked around, pain clear in his eyes. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Pollen asked.


    ¡°Mother sent me to investigate the night of the bright moon. Everything I¡¯ve found¡­Tsuyuki arrived in Saikan the next morning,¡± Pharyx explained. ¡°How many times have moon artists tried to free the Darkened Moon? If he breaks free, my mother will be called to fight, and there is no guarantee she will survive it.¡±


    The Dawn Empress¡­called to fight me? I hadn¡¯t realized that Pharyx¡¯s mother was powerful enough to be considered one of the top Ascendents in the world. Though, as an insect, she probably had lots of children, which was why Pharyx wasn¡¯t especially powerful himself.


    Pharyx was out of the fight, but at least, he didn¡¯t seem eager to assist Shen Tori. If anything, his actions were motivated by fear for his family. I couldn¡¯t fault him for that. When I was Iron, if you¡¯d told me that the Oni Prince was about to destroy my family, I, too, would have done anything to stop it. The situation here was the same. A legend was threatening Pharyx¡¯s home, and I just happened to be the apparent source of all the threats.


    ¡°Enough of this!¡± Shen Tori spat. The qi in the air shifted, and I threw myself at Pollen, pushing the Queen aside just before the same vortex which was Shen¡¯s last opening move exploded where I¡¯d been standing. On the other side, Lin¡¯s skin burned green as he further adapted to the qi of Shen Tori¡¯s techniques.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked Pollen. She nodded. The smell of flowers burst from all around us as she began to weave her Petal Dance. Grass sprouted beneath her feet as the power of her dominion sprang forth.


    I ducked an instant later as Kansi¡¯s sword streaked over my head so close that several hairs were severed. I lunged forward, drawing her attention so that Pollen could continue her dance uninterrupted.


    Razor Sharp petals joined tendrils of hungry vines as the battlefield was made all the more beautiful by my companions¡¯ techniques. Lin was keeping Shen Tori busy, deflecting and adapting to his techniques as they came. He proved to be an impenetrable wall against Shen¡¯s destructive might. Neither one showed any sign of yielding.


    Meanwhile, Kansi was left to me. In this fight, I was seriously disadvantaged. She swiped and cut with expert precision, and it was all I could do to keep out of the way of that wickedly sharp blade. Without a weapon of my own, and no defenses uniquely tuned to fight her, I was on the back foot.


    I whipped my chain around. Kansi raised her blade, and my chain became entangled around the weapon. We each pulled, gripping our end of the chain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you, Kansi!¡± I shouted. She twisted her blade in the chain to block one of Pollen¡¯s razor petals.


    ¡°You took my friend! I have to avenge him!¡±


    I yanked the chain back. ¡°I am your friend! Do you really think Chiho could be stolen by someone it didn¡¯t approve of? Do you think it would be content serving someone who killed one of its masters?¡±


    Kansi seemed to hesitate. In that moment, I pulled hard on the chain and her whole blade came loose from her hand. Without tension, the shining length of lunar steel links relaxed. Freed, I focused on transforming back. Suppressing the void, letting it melt away and return me to my human form.


    But the blade was not idle for long. The moment it was free, it leapt into the air of its own accord, manipulated by Kansi¡¯s wind qi. It floated gently before streaking towards me at breakneck speed.


    I flinched¡­but no pain came. I opened my eyes to see the blade barely a quarter inch from my nose. The weight of my chains had lifted.


    ¡°I see you were taking it easy on us before,¡± I noted, my eyes glued to the blade that was several feet from the artist wielding it. This was a common technique among a wide variety of spiritual artists, but Jinshi had turned it into an art form. No one surpassed the Sword Saint for his ability to manipulate a blade, and it seemed his disciple had learned from him as well.


    ¡°You¡­changed back?¡± she wondered. ¡°Or was it just an illusion?¡±


    ¡°That would be my true form, but not the one I had at birth. It¡¯s a long story,¡± I explained.


    ¡°One I feel I should hear before rendering judgement.¡± She withdrew her sword to hover over her shoulder and bowed to me. ¡°I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I have betrayed our friendship today. I hope you can forgive me.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°You believed you were defending that friendship. There¡¯s nothing to apologize for,¡± I glanced back to where Lin and Pollen were fending off the other Silver artist on the battlefield, ¡°but, if I could beg your assistance? Shen Tori is a fiend who must be dealt with.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    No sooner than she¡¯d spoken did her blade streak towards the void artist. She didn¡¯t even spare a look as it sliced clean across his cheek, then spun around, cutting a deep gash in his side on the way back around.


    Shen Tori swore and staggered back. Lin and Pollen pushed the advantage, backing him into a wall.


    ¡°It seems I should be more careful who I trust to watch my back,¡± he snarled as he spat a mouthful of blood to the side. ¡°It also seems I¡¯ll have to take more drastic measures. Until next time.¡± Then he disappeared into a fine black mist, leaving us all alone on the field of battle.


    ¡°He does well to hide his techniques,¡± Kansi growled. ¡°Clever old fox.¡±


    Pollen and Lin gathered with the rest of us. Pollen had a trail of blood staining her left sleeve, but she held her head high.


    ¡°At least none of us were seriously hurt,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll recover.¡±


    ¡°Well, before you all start congratulating one another on a job well done,¡± Lian began, pointing to Taihua, ¡°perhaps you should ask why he¡¯s so spooked.¡±


    Sure enough, Shen Taihua¡¯s complexion had paled to the point of being ghostly, and he was wringing his hands.


    ¡°Mister Taihua?¡± Xinya asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Y-y-you have to stop him,¡± he muttered. Then he lunged forward and gripped my arms. Immediately, Kansi¡¯s blade was at his neck, but he didn¡¯t even seem to notice. Taihua¡¯s eyes were wide with pure terror as he shook me back and forth. ¡°You have to stop him! He¡¯ll destroy everything!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. Speak clearly. What is he going to do?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­He¡¯s¡­¡± Words tumbled out of the man¡¯s mouth. ¡°He¡¯s broken. Yaoxan¡¯s death broke him. He¡­that man¡­said he¡¯d solve everything. Said he¡¯d break you and isolate you if we killed you after. Father just¡­he just wanted Yaoxan back¡­but it broke him¡­he c-came up with a plan. If that man¡¯s plans failed, then he¡¯d¡­he¡¯d¡­oh spirits help us.¡± I gripped Taihua¡¯s shoulders and looked him in the eye.


    ¡°What is he going to do?¡±


    Taihua¡¯s gaze drifted up and far away. I turned to follow it, only to be staring at the lighthouse outside of town.


    ¡°Qi of the void governs space and distance,¡± he breathed. ¡°Communicating over that distance¡­he¡¯s going to wake the Tide Serpent.¡±

 Chapter 86 - Evacuation, Part 1

    Beasts are perhaps the single greatest danger mortals face in their lives. Cultivators are vain and sometimes sadistic tyrants¡­but ultimately they are outnumbered far too heavily to allow them the time to terrorize the populace. Not so for the beasts of the wilds. For every cultivator in the ranks of the civilized, there are thousands to millions of mindless, murderous beasts in the wilds actively pushing against our borders. So, all cultivators learn to fight them. Whether they fight for the rewards that protecting mortals can bring or for the materials of the beasts themselves, the result is the same: the powerful must protect the weak. -Merchant Dai Tang of the Silver Dragon Trade Association


    *          *          *


    The Tide Serpent¡­


    A hundred years ago, it had been a plague upon the villages of the Moon-Soaked Shore. The seas swelled, homes were destroyed, and the landscape was carved anew. In that time, no cultivators in the shore stood a chance at stopping its rampages. Sects were petitioned, only for the representatives they sent to be destroyed along with whole towns. The only solution was to make offerings to the beast in the hopes that it was appeased enough to leave the mortal villages alone. Even with the offerings, the entire southern shore lived in fear of the monster rising.


    One day, a fisherman from Saikan went to sea and ended up dangerously close to the monster¡¯s territory. Fearing for his life, his cultivator wife took up her sword and followed him to sea. As she¡¯d feared, the Tide Serpent rose and tried to eat the fisherman¡¯s boat. The cultivator stopped it, giving her life so that her husband could return home. She beat the Tide Serpent, sending it into a deep slumber. It was never seen again¡­


    That cultivator was Xinya¡¯s mother. When we heard Taihua utter the vile dread serpent¡¯s name, a chill went down everyone¡¯s spine. Of those gathered; Lin, Pollen, and Pharyx had all been alive to see the terror of the Tide Serpent. It was the monster that haunted their childhoods. And, for Xinya, that was the beast that stole her mother away.


    ¡°He can¡¯t be!¡± she cried. ¡°My mother gave her life to beat it the first time!¡± Tears welled up in her eyes, as if her world were shattering all around her. Pollen rushed to her side, kneeling and wiping away her tears.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, Meimei. We¡¯ll stop him.¡±


    ¡°He will have to be at the top of the lighthouse,¡± Taihua explained. ¡°He needs to see the Serpent¡¯s territory. Then, he¡¯ll use the Shen bloodline to wake it.¡±


    ¡°How does he plan on controlling it?¡± I asked. If he intended to use the voices of the void to control it, then maybe I could interrupt it with my own connection. That hope was swiftly dashed as Taihua shook his head.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t plan on controlling it,¡± he answered. ¡°He wants it to rampage and destroy you and all of Saikan, as well.¡±


    ¡°Brilliant,¡± I finished with a healthy dose of sarcasm. This guy was truly a piece of work to be so callous as to try and wipe out a whole town just to beat me. Had he ever heard of trying to kill a fly with fireball? This was beyond overkill, and he endangered innocent civilians in the process.


    There was no need for further discussion. We ran¡­all of us except for Kansi. The Sword Saint¡¯s disciple whistled loudly, and her sword swooped down alongside her. She leapt into the air, landing squarely on the blade and speeding towards the lighthouse.


    ¡°Show off,¡± Lian murmured. I couldn¡¯t help but agree, even if the additional speed may well mean the difference between stopping Shen Tori in time and seeing the entire coast reduced to sand and splinters.


    The rest of us ran as fast as we could, but the lighthouse was nearly an hour¡¯s walk. Even with Xinya riding on my shoulders, and everyone else being Iron stage cultivators, the distance was still too great. As we approached, Xi Qian, the lighthouse keeper ran out, waving his arms.


    ¡°Masters! There¡¯s someone in the lighthouse! I¡­I asked him to leave, but he¡¯s so strong! I didn¡¯t dare challenge him further,¡± he said. The sounds of clanging metal already sounded from above. Kansi had already begun the fight.


    ¡°You did right, Xi,¡± I reassured. ¡°He is far too strong for you.¡± As proud as I was that the former fisherman had learned to pick his battles better, there was still a threat to be dealt with. ¡°Xinya, stay here with Xi Qian. We¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°There won¡¯t be much room to fight above,¡± Lin pointed out. ¡°Some should stay down here.¡±


    ¡°Lian, Pharyx, and Taihua, stay here with Xinya, Pollen, could you fly up from outside?¡± I wondered. I knew full well she was capable. Under normal circumstances, Pharyx would have been another choice for that mission, but given his suspicions regarding my moral character, I doubted he wanted to work with me.


    ¡°With ease.¡± Pollen flipped her hair behind her, and immediately her form shimmered. In a flash of green and pink qi, she was a fuzzy honeybee¡­even if she was still the size of a medium dog. She wasn¡¯t a fast flier, but it would be enough. Lin and I darted into the building and began to climb the spiral stairs, taking three at a time.


    But, as we reached the fifth floor of ten, an enormous crash of thunder shook the lighthouse. We clung to the railings to keep from tumbling down the stairs.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t seem like a good sign,¡± Lin answered.


    ¡°No, it did not.¡±


    I raced to the next landing and peered out the tiny window. Though it faced inland, I could see clouds beginning to roll in, blocking the stars.


    ¡°Do you think he already did it?¡±


    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    We redoubled our efforts. The remaining five floors flew by, and I threw open the hatch to the lantern room. Light shone from the lunar tears that fueled the lantern and was reflected to the sea by enormous mirrors. I was relieved that the system was intact, but Shen Tori was nowhere to be seen. Pollen joined us at the top a moment later.


    ¡°Over here!¡± Pollen called as she transformed back into her humanoid form. She knelt over Kansi who was unconscious and bleeding from a gash on her forehead. Pollen placed a gentle hand on the wind artist¡¯s shoulder. She immediately jerked awake.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Where is he?! I have to stop-¡± she looked at the three of us. ¡°I¡­I failed. I¡¯m sorry. He got behind me and used some kind of void whisper technique. I didn¡¯t see it coming.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re alright,¡± I said. She might have been the source of a great deal of anxiety for me in the last month, but, at the end of the day, Kansi was my martial niece. Even if Jinshi wanted nothing to do with me, I owed it to the relationship we¡¯d had for nearly two thousand years to look out for his disciple¡­until she ultimately tried to kill me, of course.


    ¡°Yoru, look over here.¡± Lin¡¯s voice was quiet. I stood and joined him, gazing out at the sea to the north and east of Saikan.


    A deep blue light had begun to spread out from the Tide Serpent¡¯s territory. Even from this distance, we could hear the waves being whipped into a fury as they began to spin into a deadly whirlpool. Clouds gathered, blocking out the moon and stars alike while shimmering blue and black Ocean qi flooded the coast, a prelude for what was to come.


    ¡°It¡¯s stronger, this time,¡± Lin murmured. ¡°I can feel it in the air.¡±


    A cry of alarm, followed by a child¡¯s scream resounded from the bottom of the tower. We spun around in time to see a flash of light, but then it was gone. Panic filled my heart, and I raced to the edge of the building.


    ¡°CHIHO!¡± I called as I threw myself from the lantern room. The pin flashed and I grabbed it. We streaked towards the ground before I landed and rolled to my feet.


    Pharyx had a hand pressed to his ears while Lian forced healing qi into a bloody gash that cut up his shoulder and down his other arm. Nearby, Xi was cowering in the doorway, but Xinya and Taihua were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. Pharyx didn¡¯t answer. I wasn¡¯t even sure if he could hear me.


    Lian sighed. ¡°He struck without warning. The Queen tried to fight back, but he was cut pretty good with that rather invasive qi. I can heal his wounds with time, but the damage being done to his mind is more difficult.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­be fine,¡± Pharyx grumbled.


    ¡°He got your disciple, Tsuyuki,¡± Lian said. ¡°Snatched her and Taihua and disappeared into thin air. There was nothing we could do.¡±


    My spirit was ripped by powerful opposing forces. I had to rescue Xinya. Shen Tori was going to try and unravel her core and force her down a path of void. Forcing cultivation upon another was usually a very painful and invasive process for the recipient. If it was anything like the procedure I¡¯d undergone to become Void-Touched, it was something I wouldn¡¯t wish upon my worst enemies let alone my own disciple.


    And yet¡­thunder rumbling overhead reminded me of the even more present threat. The Tide Serpent was waking. If there was ever a time to strike it would have to be soon, before it fully wakened. And that was to say nothing of the townspeople. If we didn¡¯t warn them, it may be too late for them to evacuate.


    Rain began to fall in enormous droplets as I paced back and forth. My duty was to Xinya. She was my responsibility, but the people of Saikan had been nothing but welcoming to me since I¡¯d woken. Could I live with their blood on my hands?


    ¡°Yoru!¡± Lin shouted as he reached the lighthouse exit. Pollen followed after, supporting Kansi over her shoulders. ¡°The tide is already receding. We have to warn the village!¡±


    ¡°Shen Tori took Xinya!¡± I answered. My voice cracked under the strain. Lin looked as if he¡¯d been slapped, and I could see him working through the same logic spiral that I was. In the end, he shook his head.


    ¡°We have to warn the people first. Half of them are drunk, and the rest are nowhere near the docks and won¡¯t see it in time,¡± he explained.


    ¡°But what about Xinya?! We have to save her! What if he¡­what if he¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to say what he might do to her, but images of a broken girl dripping with unwanted void qi flooded my mind.


    As if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, the distracting thoughts gave the perfect chance for a mix of voices to steal into my mind. The Void and its whispers seemed to be in disagreement. Some argued that Xinya would be better off under its guidance, others urged me to return Shen Tori¡¯s gesture, strike at a fly with a fireball. He wouldn¡¯t be able to run again if his entire province was destroyed. Through it all, threads of the Labyrinth¡¯s wicked touch added fuel to every fire. They inflamed the images of a Voided Xinya, twisting her into a monster that only my own imagination could conjure. In the same breath, they dredged up flashes of destruction, scenes from my past failings, destroying Daying and Fu Yao, fighting the Ascendents, being locked away for my efforts.


    I pressed my hands to my head and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to quiet it all enough to think, but it was insistent. Voices battled, and I was lost in the maelstrom¡­


    Until cold hands took my own. I opened my eyes to see Lin¡¯s calm jade eyes. They were filled with understanding and strength.


    ¡°Push them back, Yoru,¡± he said calmly. ¡°He will take her to the Hunting Lodge, but that is beyond Hanai. We will get there, but the people of Saikan will die first if we don¡¯t help them now.¡±


    He was right¡­


    ¡°Xinya is strong-willed,¡± Pollen added. ¡°I am certain she will resist his machinations until we arrive.¡±


    They were all right. Xinya wouldn¡¯t give in so easily. She was known to be the most irritable and high-strung child in Saikan. Even her own father had affectionately referred to her as the Hellion of Saikan. She was more than used to standing up to her elders and her seniors alike.


    ¡°We will rescue her as soon as we can,¡± Lin insisted.


    I gripped Lin¡¯s hands, letting his words wash over me and fill my mind with calm. They were like wind through the trees on a cool summer¡¯s day, and in the face of their steady strength, the voices began to wither and die. The void quieted, and the Labyrinth was forced out of my thoughts once more. When I was clear-headed again, I cleared my throat.


    ¡°Alright, we have two priorities,¡± I began. ¡°Getting the villagers to safety is paramount. Only once they are in the clear can we take on the Serpent.¡±


    ¡°How would we even reach the Tide Serpent?¡± Pollen asked incredulously. ¡°The storm waves are only going to get worse. No boat could handle that, and Pharyx and I cannot fly in this weather.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Kansi said, shrugging off Pollen¡¯s aid to step forward. She grimaced slightly, but stood tall despite her injuries. ¡°I can fly with my sword techniques.¡±


    Sword techniques¡­hmmm. An idea began to form in the back of my thoughts. It was going to be risky, and would probably result in my death, but as long as that death came after the Tide Serpent and Shen Tori, I¡¯d accept it.


    ¡°Alright, Pollen, may we trouble you to host the villagers at the Honey Hive in case everything goes awry?¡± I asked. Pollen nodded.


    ¡°So long as the Hive is above water, your people will have a home,¡± she promised. ¡°And, if the waters rise that high, then the extra hands will be handy for moving my brood.¡±


    ¡°We owe you a great debt.¡± Lin bowed deeply to the Honeybee Queen. ¡°If ever you need help in the future, please do not hesitate to call upon us.¡±


    ¡°Careful, or he¡¯ll start reciting blessings in your name,¡± I teased. Lin just scowled and shoved me in the arm. I chuckled before turning to Lian. ¡°Lian, do you have a means of flying?¡±


    ¡°I have a couple fengmori under contract,¡± he answered. ¡°They¡¯ll be thrilled to fly in a storm like this.¡± Lin shrank back a few inches. He did not have a good experience with fengmori, but we were out of options.


    ¡°Excellent. You, me, Lin, and Kansi will make the attack party,¡± I announced. ¡°We¡¯ll fly over the town to spread the word and direct them to Pollen. Then, we¡¯ll take to the skies and take out the scaly bastard before he can drown the Shore.¡±


    Lin coughed in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yoru, did I hear you right? You and I are on the attack team?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And how do you expect us to get there? I cannot sail well enough to navigate those waters, and last I checked, neither of us can fly.¡±


    I grinned wickedly. ¡°You¡¯re about to learn.¡±

 Chapter 87 - Evacuation, Part 2

    The Tyranny of Monsters is a rule that applies to all, even heights of Gemstone. It is simply a fact that monsters have too massive an advantage with their bodies, qi capacity, and innate affinities, which makes it impossible for any artist of equal rank to match their sheer power. -Guard Captain Hua Lao


    *          *          *


    Without any further warning, I lunged at Kansi. She yelped in surprise, but I wasn¡¯t aiming for her. Instead, I grabbed at her waist and yanked at Eclipse¡¯s hilt.


    ¡°Hey! What are you-¡± she cried.


    The blade came free immediately. It shone in the darkness, giving off its own light as it thrummed with power.


    Kansi stared at the blade in awe. ¡°I¡­it¡¯s¡­you drew the blade?!¡± Her gaze turned to me. ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a sword, right?¡± I smiled to hide that even saying such a thing about the blade I spent decades forging caused me physical pain.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± she answered. ¡°I cannot pull that blade. Even my master could not. It refused to let anyone draw it. My master once said that it would only wake for its true master.¡±


    I flinched. There it was. If she didn¡¯t catch on after this¡­


    I cleared my throat. ¡°If that impressed you, then you¡¯ll really like my next trick.¡± I placed my fingers between my lips and whistled a high-pitched note. ¡°Razor Wind, awaken!¡± It was a gamble. The odds were good that Jinshi had revoked my command over his blade after my defeat, but a small part of me hoped that he¡¯d forgotten.


    The blade trembled in its sheath before breaking free of Kansi¡¯s bindings. Blade and sheath leapt into my hand, and my heart swelled with warmth. Razor Wind still recognized me as one of its masters. For a moment, I hesitated. Sharing command was very intimate, but we didn¡¯t have much of a choice. I tossed the sheath to Lin, who caught it in trembling hands.


    ¡°Razor Wind, for the coming battle, I authorize Tenri Lin as your master. Listen to his commands as you would Jinshi¡¯s,¡± I instructed. The blade thrummed in acceptance, and several threads of qi formed between the sword and its new wielder.


    ¡°Yoru, I¡­this is¡­¡±


    ¡°The sword of Iru¡¯e Jinshi, General of Hongyue and the Sword Saint? And?¡±


    Lin looked at the blade as if he were holding the emperor¡¯s infant. ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to use it to fly.¡±


    ¡°What?! Why?!¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Because Eclipse has never listened to anyone but me, and Razor Wind is the only other sword here! Now, draw the blade and mount up!¡±


    Eclipse fell from my hand, only to float just behind me as I manipulated the moon qi within the blade. It was the finest blade ever constructed with the moon¡¯s energies. With a core made from a dragon¡¯s horn, and the strongest lunar steel the moon has to offer, no other blade would ever compare, especially not in my eyes. It was my match, my perfect tool.


    ¡°When this is done, you¡¯re going to explain to me who exactly you are, Tsuyuki Yoru,¡± Kansi muttered darkly. She stepped onto her sword.


    ¡°Razor Wind, what did you and Jinshi teach this poor disciple that she hasn¡¯t put it together yet?¡± I called. The blade didn¡¯t answer, not that I expected it to. Unlike Chiho and Eclipse, Razor Wind was extremely stoic and rarely reacted to anything.


    ¡°My master was an extremely private person. He didn¡¯t even tell me who I was meant to look for, only that there would be ¡®none other like him in all the world,¡¯¡± she explained.


    A soft, sad smile crept onto my face. That Jinshi would describe me that way, even after all these years, and all the lives he¡¯d lived, it was sweet.


    ¡°What a charmer he was.¡± I stepped onto Eclipse¡¯s shining blade. At my current strength, I couldn¡¯t draw out much of the blade¡¯s strength, but flight required very little. I leaned forward, refamiliarizing myself with the technique. ¡°Now, Lin, get on the sword. I¡¯m a little rusty, given my recent incarceration, but it¡¯s very simple. You¡¯ll get the hang of it, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Lin mounted Razor Wind very carefully, but it was clear just how nervous he was. I gently walked him through how to command the blade. For the most part, it was simple. Sword flying was just qi manipulation, something Lin was already familiar with from manipulating plants and seeds with high precision. Now, he just had to apply that to Razor Wind. He would never be as skilled with Jinshi¡¯s sword as its master was, as their qi were inherently incompatible, but for now, it would suffice.


    ¡°As long as you lean into your turns, you should be fine.¡± I spun quickly about his head to demonstrate. ¡°Razor Wind, try to bring him back in one piece, please. Now, let¡¯s go. You can practice during the flyover.¡±


    Kansi, Lin, and I took off. Lian promised to meet us back at the lighthouse, as he would need several minutes to summon the Fengmori. While he was preparing, we circled around to the docks.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the North side!¡± Kansi called. We nodded, and the group split.


    After a brief stop at the Lang residence to retrieve my bow and Lin¡¯s sword, we began to fly over the southern stretch. The water had already left the docks entirely dry, and parts of the reef were beginning to show. If we didn¡¯t act, Saikan would be on the receiving end of one hell of a tidal wave.


    ¡°Run north!¡± I shouted to the first group of festival goers I found. They were huddled under an awning to get out of the rain. ¡°Quickly! There¡¯s a group gathering at the North gate to get to safety!¡±


    The command of an Iron Artist, especially one known to be close with the town administration, was more than enough for them to begin running. We swept through the city, calling warnings to everyone we met, telling them to pass the word to their friends and neighbors, and carry those who were too drunk or tired to stand.


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki! Master Tenri!¡± The voice was from below. I swooped down, hopping off my sword and jogging up to Zhao Pu, the new Caravan Master of the Feng trading company, as they were still deciding if they wanted to keep the name or not.


    ¡°You and your brothers and sisters need to flee,¡± I told him. He bowed deeply to me.


    ¡°We are forever in your debt. Though I don¡¯t know the crisis, is there some way we can assist?¡± His words were sincere, and I saw nothing but a firm resolve in the eyes of the other six apprentices who stood behind him. I nodded.


    ¡°You know the roads, and you know how to travel as a group. Help the civilians, and keep them together,¡± I instructed. ¡°At the North Gate, you¡¯ll find Queen Pollen of the Spirit Beehive. She is taking everyone to her dominion, which should be safer than staying here while we try to fell the beast causing this.¡±


    ¡°We are always ready to travel, you¡¯ll have use of our wagons,¡± he promised. Then, he turned to his fellow apprentices. ¡°You heard him! Get to your wagons and head to the north gates!¡±


    ¡°Tell Pollen I sent you!¡± I called as I ran off. A moment later, I jumped, and Eclipse darted under my feet, catching me and carrying me forward.


    In that moment, my heart soared as I flew over the town. Even as I was shouting warnings of disaster to the people below, I felt as if a piece of myself had been returned. The way Eclipse and I worked together¡­we were one entity, artist and blade. Nothing could sever that connection, not even a hundred-thousand years locked beneath the earth.


    I zipped through the streets. Everywhere I passed, the flow of people turned towards the north. Eventually, I met back with Lin, who was already bleeding from his hand.


    ¡°Did you slip?¡± I asked, gesturing to the injury. He looked away.


    ¡°You made me learn to fly, then handed me the sharpest sword on the face of the earth. What did you think was going to happen?¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not so bad! Razor Wind is taking care of you,¡± I teased. Lin was wobbling on the blade, but Razor Wind was making small adjustments to compensate, keeping the wood artist safely in the air.


    ¡°It¡¯s doing most of the work,¡± he admitted. ¡°I have serious concerns about doing this over open waters.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine! Or, if you like, you can stay behind with the evacuation team.¡±


    Lin shook his head adamantly. ¡°It¡¯s my job to take care of the monsters that threaten Saikan. I have to help.¡± I darted around him, poking at his stance and posture to help him stay aloft.


    ¡°Just relax. As Jinshi used to say, just feel the flow of the wind,¡± I answered. ¡°I promise the faster you go, the more relaxed you are, the easier it becomes.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the Sword Saint a Wind artist? That¡¯s like me telling you that you just need to feel the needs of the flowers and they¡¯ll grow beautiful,¡± he complained. I stuck out my tongue.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re enjoying yourselves,¡± Kansi called as she joined us. ¡°I got the north end and the docks.¡±


    ¡°I got the western markets, residences, and the administrative district.¡± Lin¡¯s nose twitched. ¡°I asked the Spirit Caller Sect for their help, too.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°They said it wasn¡¯t their problem.¡±


    ¡°So much for being a branch sect of the ¡®Storm Chaser Sect, Disaster Resolution Extraordinaires.¡¯¡± Kansi¡¯s scorn was thick. They must have been another big name in the larger world beyond the Moon-Soaked Shore.


    ¡°Even the virtuous sects don¡¯t like meddling in business outside of their purview Too much risk,¡± I said, as we began to fly back to the Lighthouse.


    ¡°Still, three Irons and a Silver aren¡¯t good odds.¡± Lin sighed. ¡°I wish I knew how Madame Lang did it, but she took that information to her grave.¡±


    ¡°Whatever she did, it cost her everything. I¡¯d rather not pay that price if we don¡¯t have to.¡± Xinya needed us. The last thing I wanted was to let the Tide Serpent, and by extension Shen Tori, take even more from that little girl. She deserved happiness, and yet, fate seemed to have it out for her, throwing tragedy after tragedy her way.


    Some of us are just destined for strife, I thought. Both to cause it and experience it.


    We returned to the Lighthouse to find Lian flapping his arms at a pair of fengmori. The tiny imp-like creatures watched him, cackling from wide beaks and clacking their claws together. I¡­had no idea what he was doing, but whatever it was, it seemed to please them? He spun around and hopped in the air, then saw us streaking towards him. The red of his ears was visible even in the darkness as we came to land next to him.


    He coughed into his fist. ¡°And I presume that was enough to serve as payment?¡±


    The fengmori cackled several more times before answering in yokai. ¡°Bad outsiders! Ruining everything! We¡¯re teaching him to fly! He¡¯s improved so much! Go away. Let us have fun without you!¡±


    Lian nodded and turned back to the rest of us. ¡°They have agreed to the contract.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him. That didn¡¯t seem like what had just taken place, but I was the only one here who spoke the language of the yokai. I decided not to comment, just to give the poor summoner some face. I bowed to the two yokai.


    ¡°Come find me when he learns. I¡¯d love to see it,¡± I answered in yokai. Lian¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but I just shrugged. ¡°I ruled a nation of yokai for almost two millennia. Did you think I wasn¡¯t fluent in their language?¡± He looked away. ¡°Well, they¡¯ve accepted, so just one more thing to do.¡± I walked over to where Xi Qian was standing in the Lighthouse doorway.


    He bowed sharply. ¡°Master Tsuyuki. I am at your command.¡±


    ¡°Good man,¡± I praised. ¡°Now, you keep that lighthouse going, okay? No matter how strong the storm, you keep that lighthouse lit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± His eyes were firm. He of all people knew the importance of the light. He, Lin, and Xinya¡¯s father had been caught in a storm earlier that year and had only survived thanks to my repairs to the lantern. ¡°Nothing will prevent me from fulfilling my duty.¡±


    ¡°Sai Lyn would be proud to have you as his successor.¡±


    A roar shook the ground, resonating across the waters from the glowing eye of the storm. Even now, we were all soaked to the bone by the cold rain. It would be a long night.


    ¡°Mount up, everyone. We have a Serpent to slay.¡±

 Chapter 88 - The Tide Serpent

    There are few notable threats within the Shore to match their lackluster cultivators. That being said, there are a handful. The region¡¯s four shades, the Skyrending Falcon, and, finally, the Tide Serpent. Of them, the latter is perhaps of greatest interest. Some scholars have posited it may be a unique monster rather than any known species. This would grant it all sorts of rare powers and, hopefully, valuable parts when it finally reaches maturity for harvest by the nearby sects. -Advisor Yan Su of the Highfall Court


    *          *          *


    The mighty whirlpool roiled and thrashed like a cauldron of flame-boiled death below us. From its center, Ocean qi spilled forth, unobstructed, which only spun the whirlpool more, drawing in water, wind, and sea life from every direction. Even though the beast itself was nowhere in sight, the water below was more than frightening enough.


    ¡°Is this a good time to mention that Yoru can¡¯t swim?¡± Lin asked nervously, eyeing the waters below. I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°I doubt very much that even you could swim in that death trap,¡± I snapped back. The winds howled around us in an ever-increasing storm. I cast a wary eye back to shore. The reassuring gleam of the lighthouse was still in sight, and I breathed a sigh of relief.


    The four of us drifted closer, three of us mounted on swords and the fourth kneeling on a cloud conjured by the fengmori. The glowing center of the whirlpool was almost too bright to look at without distance tapering its light. The waves ripped and roiled in a nauseating spiral ever downward to¡­somewhere.


    ¡°Be careful of gravity changes,¡± I warned. Lian and Kansi nodded in agreement, but Lin just looked at me with a confused frown, so I explained.


    Ocean qi is an aspect of the Creation Cycle, much like land and sky. As with most elements of Creation, ocean governed one of the essential aspects of the physical world: specifically mass. The Ocean was vast and deep, and the sheer mass of the depths was one of the more common uses of Ocean qi. And what is the natural conclusion of techniques having to do with mass? Pushing and pulling other things. Ocean artists are especially gifted in moving their enemies on the battlefield by drawing on the nature of the tides. More advanced artists took this to another level by altering gravity in any direction.


    ¡°The Ocean Lord had such an intense gravitational pull that those in his employ had to be other Ocean Artists in order to resist his pull,¡± I explained quickly. ¡°If they couldn¡¯t hold up, they¡¯d be crushed under the weight of his aura.¡±


    I resisted the urge to sigh. The Ocean Lord and I were never the best of friends, but we were both Avatars of the same era. I used to play tricks on him by shifting the moon to mess with the tides, which, in turn, messed with his techniques. It was never anything serious, but I hadn¡¯t realized that I¡¯d miss his playfulness so much. He always took it in good humor.


    The light below pulsed once, twice, then a third and fourth time. It almost was in some kind of pattern, but as soon as I thought I¡¯d grasped what the pattern was, it shifted slightly, and I was forced to reconsider.


    ¡°Maybe the pulsing can tell us something,¡± Lian¡¯s voice was almost too soft to hear over the roar of the ocean, but something about his tone was off. It was like he was half asleep and speaking while his mind was enthralled in a dream.


    It hit me, and I tore my gaze from the pulsing to look at Kansi, whose eyes were also wide with realization. Lin and Lian were drifting downward, their eyes fixed on the pulsing orb of ocean qi.


    ¡°It¡¯s pulling at more than just their bodies!¡± Kansi shouted. I nodded in agreement, and the two of us leapt into action. I crouched on Eclipse¡¯s blade, diving downward. My hand latched onto Lin¡¯s.


    A terrible gust of wind forced me back several meters, but my grip was firm. I dragged Lin with me, his feet slipping off Razor Wind. The shock of suddenly being dangled over roiling waters with nothing beneath him pulled Lin out of his stupor and he yelped as his awareness returned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at the light!¡± I shouted over the storm. He nodded frantically before calling Razor Wind back beneath his feet. I set him gently on the blade and we both began ascending, Kansi and Lian close behind.


    Only, the Tide Serpent was not about to let its prey go so easily. With a spray of salty water that reached higher than the Saikan Lighthouse, an enormous maw rose from the depths. Teeth as tall as me began to close around us.


    ¡°Fly!¡± I shouted, pouring a healthy dose of qi into Eclipse and leaning hard to the left to dart around the closing teeth. There was only barely enough time to glance around at the serpent¡¯s mouth before I squeezed through the cracks and escaped to the maelstrom outside.


    There, we could see exactly what we were dealing with¡­or, at least, part of it. The serpentine body rose from the depths in a thick column, but most of it disappeared beneath the waves. However, the part we did see was more than enough. Terrible teeth with large forward fangs snarled at us under a crown of silver and green spines that dripped with water. The worst part was its eyes. They were the same deep, pulsating blue that had nearly drawn us down, and I had no doubt that they would be just as mesmerizing if I stared too long.


    ¡°It¡¯s huge!¡± Kansi shouted. ¡°How on earth did one Iron artist take this thing down all on her own?!¡± I had a sinking suspicion I knew how, and I didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°Did you see it¡¯s throat?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s throat?! Are you nuts? I was a little busy looking at the teeth that were about to kill us!¡± she snapped back.


    ¡°There was a blackened scar back there,¡± I explained. ¡°I think Shen Reixin knew she couldn¡¯t beat it, so she wreathed herself in void qi and tried to damage it from inside.¡±


    The Tide Serpent reared back its head and lunged forward, snapping at me. I dove, drawing my bow and letting instinct and habit guide Eclipse as I focused my attention on the creature itself.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    It must have gotten bigger since Shen Reixin took it down, I thought. As it was now, the Tide Serpent was steeped in enough Ocean qi that it might have been Gold¡­three Irons and an injured Silver would be in for quite the fight, but a single Iron would never stand a chance.


    I quickly drew an arrow back on the string of my bow, infusing it with the purest moonlight I could muster. The last thing I needed was to handicap myself by blocking Flash Forward and Flash Back at this point. Shining silver coated the end of my arrow, and I released it. It sprang forward, slamming into the serpent¡¯s scales¡­and glanced off leaving only a scratch against the scale¡¯s shining surface.


    Kansi rushed in to strike at a discoloration in the Serpent¡¯s scales. It whipped its head around, snapping at the artist before she could get close, but that didn¡¯t stop Lin from diving at the same point while the monster was busy. His sword did little more than my arrow, leaving a long scratch across the scales.


    ¡°Are the scales made of diamonds or something?¡± Kansi shouted.


    ¡°There has to be a weak point!¡± Lian answered. ¡°No monster is invincible.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never met the Valley Lord, then!¡± I answered. Kansi said something that was probably agreement, but it was lost to the wind. The Valley Lord was the bane of Pearlescent Valley, a monster so tough that even the Ascendents couldn¡¯t defeat it.


    But, the Tide Serpent was nowhere near that level. It was small by comparison, which meant that Lian should have been right. There had to be somewhere on the beast that we could strike¡­preferably somewhere that didn¡¯t involve being in the creature¡¯s mouth.


    I examined the creature while Lin and Kansi darted around it. It was big and much of its body was covered in tough scales. Being anywhere near its head would be dangerous, given the teeth and the spines that jutted from the back of its head, and those would be no easier to pierce than the rest of its scaley hide. That said, its eyes were less defended than the rest, as with most living creatures, but even looking at them long enough to gauge that made my head swim. They¡¯d be impossible to strike safely.


    Was brute force really the answer? If we could strike one scale until it cracked, could we create our own weak point?


    ¡°Lian!¡± I shouted. ¡°Can you enhance our strength like you did against Shen Tori?¡±


    ¡°Of course! What kind of Life artist would be limited to one enhancement per day?¡± He angled his cloud down and tapped me on the shoulder. Green qi filled me and my body was invigorated.


    ¡°Help the others when they come up for it!¡± I instructed. He nodded, and I spun off downward, streaking between the waves and the monster to where the others were already doing their best to injure our foe. ¡°Lin! Kansi! Strike the point I¡¯m going to mark!¡± I shouted. ¡°Get Lian to enhance your strength first, then strike with everything you have!¡±


    Lin and Razor Wind immediately disengaged from the Serpent, skimming along the edge of the whirlpool until they were out of harm¡¯s way. As he escaped, I took his place distracting the monster. It snapped at me, and I dove beneath its head before spinning around by its eyes, careful not to look at them.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to do better than that, you overgrown garden snake!¡± Then I looped around its head and dove straight down. It snapped at me again, straightening its neck just as I slipped beneath its grasp.


    An arrow was on my string. My target was in my sights. Void cracked and sizzled along the shaft, infusing the arrowhead to inflict the deepest wound I could. Before the arrow could snap under the strain, I released it. It streaked forward, void trailing off of it like a black comet in the storm. Before it even struck its mark, I switched my tactics, this time calling on the moonlight in my core to create crescent blades that I launched at the same point. Silver streaked across the distance like falling stars before the arrow and the qi disks all slammed into the Tide Serpent¡¯s throat, just beneath its head.


    The light from my attack had not even faded before Lin was streaking towards the same point. His sword slammed into the same scales that I¡¯d struck, and I heard a thunderous CRACK as the Life qi that infused him lent incredible force to the blow. Finally, Kansi¡¯s blow landed. The Silver artist stood the best chance of breaking through. I watched with bated breath as blades of wind streaked ahead of her, heralding her true blow, which slammed straight into the scales, shattering them completely.


    The Tide Serpent thrashed as Kansi¡¯s blade reached the soft flesh beneath its scales. Each of us were forced to retreat before the flailing monster threw us into the churning whirlpool around us.


    ¡°Do you think that did it?¡± Kansi asked.


    The monstrous snake dove beneath the waves, sending a massive wave of water splashing up to us. We tried to dodge, but it was too big. I was soaked, Lin was nearly knocked off Razor Wind, and Lian ended up with a large strip of kelp on his head. It would have been funny, if the situation hadn¡¯t been so dire.


    The seas did not stop roiling beneath us. The whirlpool grew even more frenzied, the water spinning even faster towards the center. Without warning, an enormous column of spinning water shot out of the waves beneath us.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Kansi shouted, but it was too late.


    I was swallowed by the water and thrown around by the nauseating spiral current. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t see. I didn¡¯t know which way was up. I clung to Eclipse and my bow, knowing full well that if I lost either one, it would mean my sudden and unceremonious death.


    In the next instant, I was flung from the column. The world spun all around me, and I desperately tried to right myself before I hit the waves, but I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you!¡± Lin shouted. A hand latched onto my collar, and my descent slowed. With trembling hands, I got Eclipse back underneath me, only for a mass of scales and spines to appear beside us. The Serpent flung its head into us. On instinct, I pushed Lin behind me, only to take the full force of the blow myself. The force pushed me back into Lin, and together, we tumbled out of the sky.


    ¡°Razor Wind! Eclipse!¡± I shouted. The blades flashed and crossed, providing a small and unsteady platform that caught us only inches from the water.


    ¡°Yoru, are you okay?¡± Lin asked. I didn¡¯t know. The blow had been so fast, that I hadn¡¯t had the time to register where the spines had pierced me. Looking down, I was shocked. Several puncture wounds were staining my clothes black, but my body hadn¡¯t quite caught up with the pain that should have been radiating from each wound.


    Or maybe¡­


    ¡°Spines¡­poison¡­¡± I muttered, my words coming far more slurred than I¡¯d hoped. Lin didn¡¯t have time to react. Instead, he pulled me over his shoulder and commanded Razor Wind to climb.


    ¡°We need to retreat,¡± he said to the others. ¡°Yoru is hurt. He says the damn thing has poisoned spines.¡± Immediately, Lian guided his cloud closer. He reached a hand into his jacket and pulled out a small bottle full of medicinal pills. He tossed one to Lin who gave it to me. The pain began to throb as the poison was forced back, slowly¡­too slowly.


    Kansi glanced at waves where the Serpent was preparing another strike. ¡°Meet at the Lighthouse. We¡¯ll regroup and pool what we¡¯ve learned into a strategy.¡±


    I nodded and pulled free of Lin¡¯s grasp, falling onto Eclipse with a pained grunt. He would need to focus on flying rather than holding me, and I wasn¡¯t hurt enough that I couldn¡¯t make my own way back.


    As we retreated towards the light, I could feel the gaze of the Tide Serpent on our backs. With every minute that passed, the churning waves sounded more and more like laughter following us back to shore.

 Chapter 89 - Fury to Shake the Heavens

    How am I supposed to attune myself to the truths of the world with all these distractions? Clan, duty, and even my own dreams all pull me from my own Path and impede my climb to ascendency¡­but how can I say no when my grandson wants to share a meal with me? -Elder Lao of the Yun Clan


    *          *          *


    Pollen surveyed the crowd from the branches of a tree, worry growing in her heart with everybody that was added. Five thousand humans lived in the greater region of Saikan, of those, four thousand lived in the town itself. Four thousand people, each one in direct danger thanks to that monster, Shen Tori. Each one was under Pollen¡¯s care, and she was sure she wouldn¡¯t be able to save them all.


    Wet water qi filtered back to her through her connection to the Honey Hive. It had begun to rain in her domain, meaning the hive was grounded until the storm passed¡­if it ever did.


    Old fears returned to her, memories of the old days. Twenty years ago, Pollen was barely aware of her surroundings. All she could remember was an endless rain, terrible thunder, and the flowers being washed away in a relentless torrent of water that reshaped the land and devastated the soils. She¡¯d spent years cultivating it back into a fertile state, and now¡­


    I won¡¯t let it be for nothing, she swore to herself. Her hive would survive. They had to. Unlike the hornets in Hanai, her hive was not supported by some greater outside force. She was on her own. If the hive perished, there would be no trace they were ever there, no one left to remember they lived at all. As Queen, Pollen could not allow that. It was unacceptable.


    She jumped down from the tree, very nearly landing on the still body of the blond hornet who was still pressing his hands to his temples in pain. Suzume had joined them, and was kneeling next to her brother, dabbing the sweat from his brow. Nearby, Zumi was busy soothing the fears of those nearest.


    ¡°How many have gathered?¡± Suzume asked softly. Pollen shook her head.


    ¡°Not enough, but if we don¡¯t leave now, we risk being caught in the tidal wave.¡±


    The walk to the Honey Hive was long, and no roads connected it to human civilization. With so many people, it would be slow travel, and Pollen could only hope that the stragglers would catch up to the back of the march before they could be left behind.


    Pollen raised a hand, channeling her qi and the connection she had with her dominion. The air shifted and the smell of flowers overpowered the rain. Her shoulders relaxed slightly. Flowers fixed everything; this she¡¯d always believed. As the scent grew stronger, a thin line of glowing green and pink appeared in the air. It pointed towards the northwest, drawing a solid connection between Pollen and the source of her power and her life.


    ¡°People of Saikan!¡± she called with a clear voice. Though she spoke a normal volume, she was certain that all those gathered could hear her through the qi she infused in her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that the festival is being cut short. As many of you heard from Masters Tenri, Tsuyuki, and Kansi, an old enemy has returned. The Tide Serpent is waking as we speak.¡±


    Pollen could see the eyes of those closest to her widen with fear as a terrified chorus of soft whispers and whimpers washed over the crowd. She couldn¡¯t blame them. Even she was terrified, and she was Iron. These mortals had no hope of withstanding the Serpent on their own. Still, Pollen kept her own fears under a tight leash. She was a leader, and they needed her guidance.


    ¡°Even now, our friends have gone to face the beast, but those of you who remember the last time the Serpent reigned will understand that we must prepare for the worst. Administrator Tenri asked me to guide you all further inland, and I am prepared to host as many as I can in my dominion until the threat is over.¡± She paused, looking over the crowd¡¯s reaction. They were still afraid. ¡°It is a long journey to the Hive. It is my hope that our friends will resolve the issue before we even get there, but knowing that you all are safe will surely help them to fight without concerns and without worries.¡±


    Then, she lowered her voice, dropping the qi from it. ¡°Zumi, will you lead them? They trust you most.¡± The administrator¡¯s assistant nodded.


    ¡°Come on, friends, this way!¡± he shouted. Then he began marching in the direction of the qi line. Pollen watched them for a long moment, taking in the eyes of the fearful and the hopeless. She doubted she could save them all. How many would be picked off by yokai and hostile beasts along the way? How many would be left behind to drown?


    Pollen¡¯s misgivings were interrupted by Suzume. ¡°Pharyx, brother, you need to stand. We need to go, now.¡±


    The hornet was trembling and sweat joined with the rain that dripped down his face. His hands were still pressed to his head. Pollen put a hand on his good shoulder, the one that wasn¡¯t stained with blood from his injury. Despite the rushed job, Lian had stitched the hornet¡¯s shoulder fairly well. In time, there wouldn¡¯t even be a scar, but that didn¡¯t stop the voices from raging through his head.


    ¡°Just force them back, Pharyx,¡± she whispered. She¡¯d taken a glancing blow from Shen Tori during the first fight, and even that had been enough for her. She was sure she¡¯d have trouble sleeping¡­if she weren¡¯t already exhausted with a long trek ahead of them.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡­I c-can¡¯t,¡± he whispered. ¡°They¡¯re so loud, and¡­and¡­¡± he broke down, grimacing in pain as he squeezed his eyes shut.


    ¡°And what?¡±


    ¡°They speak truths,¡± he answered. Pollen pulled back from him just as tendrils of void qi seemed to seep from under his skin, wrapping around his head and hand like barbed ropes that dug into him. He grunted in pain.


    Truths? He¡¯s listening to that nonsense? Pollen couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Pharyx, the normally cheerful, determined sun artist who would flirt with anything with a pulse besides Pollen herself, was being dragged down by this? When had his faith in himself and his friends been cracked?


    ¡°They speak only lies, Pharyx,¡± Suzume insisted, taking her brother¡¯s hand in hers. ¡°You have to fight them back.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he opened his eyes. They were bloodshot. ¡°They say¡­they say¡­he did this. He caused it all. He must be working for the Darkened Moon.¡±


    Pollen froze, the pieces clicking into place. The voices in Pharyx¡¯s thoughts were no stronger than the ones she¡¯d faced, but they were singing a different tune. They were repeating what he already was thinking, taking advantage of his internal conflict to drive a wedge in his sanity.


    ¡°Pharyx, what are you talking about?¡± his sister¡¯s voice trembled. She turned to Pollen, as if expecting her to have an answer, but the honeybee¡¯s expression was cold.


    ¡°He must be here to destroy the shore and free his master,¡± Pharyx continued rambling. ¡°He must-¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Pollen ordered. She stood, gripping her hands into fists inside her sleeves. ¡°How could you possibly think that? He has done nothing against any of us. He is our friend!¡±


    ¡°Do you really know that? What do you even know about him? Where is he from? Why is he even in the Moon-Soaked Shore?¡± Pharyx continued. ¡°He¡¯s hiding something!¡±


    ¡°So what?!¡± Pollen¡¯s voiced raised into a shrill shout. ¡°Every cultivator has their secrets. You hid your entire identity from me for months when we first met! Despite my failure to see your value, you still forgave me for my small-mindedness so we could pursue a truer friendship! Now, look who¡¯s the small-minded one?!¡± Anger filled her entire being, and she could feel the rest of her hive growing agitated in response, even from this distance.


    ¡°¡®Small-minded?¡¯ I¡¯m the only one who sees the bigger picture!¡±


    ¡°No, you see only the corner that the void lets you see,¡± she seethed. ¡°Tsuyuki has done nothing to harm either of us and has saved your sorry, chitinous hide on multiple occasions. How did you thank him for that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­it¡¯s just¡­¡± Pharyx stuttered, trying to find an answer that appeased the voices twisting his thoughts, but Pollen was far too enraged to let him find one.


    ¡°In his hour of need, when his back was against a wall and he cried out for allies, you abandoned him!¡± she shouted. The sickly-sweet smell of every poisonous flower in her garden filled her nose as the feedback from the connection she shared with the hive only enraged her further. ¡°You didn¡¯t just hesitate. You refused to lend your support. And for what?! A half-baked suspicion that is founded on coincidence, and conjecture? Tsuyuki is our friend. He is a moon artist. So what?¡± A crack of thunder punctuated her words, leaving utter silence as Pharyx stared up at her in surprise. Never before had he seen such a temper on her, so rare was it that she was pushed so far as to lose her serenity. But, even the most graceful of fairies can shake the heavens with their fury. Pollen was no exception.


    ¡°Queen Pollen, please,¡± Suzume begged. ¡°My brother is not well. Temper your words while he has none with which to defend himself.¡±


    Was she right? Pollen had let her anger spread to the hive, which only increased her own. She took a deep breath, mentally soothing the hive. But, once she¡¯d regained her composure, she realized that she didn¡¯t regret any of her words. They were harsh, but they were her truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Suzume,¡± Pollen said softly. ¡°But, Pharyx needs to hear my words and my frustrations.¡±


    The brood queen looked sadly at the honeybee, and Pollen wished that what she was about to say was not necessary. She liked Suzume. Where Pharyx was blustery and loud, Suzume was refined and sweet, a lot like Pollen herself. She adored spending time with the woman. They could speak as equals, something Pollen could never have from those in her own hive.


    But¡­if Pollen didn¡¯t speak now, then she might lose the nerve to say what needed to be said later. She took a deep breath, then looked Pharyx straight in the eye.


    ¡°I do not know what you go through, being a child of the Dawn Empress,¡± she began firmly. ¡°I cannot know the stress that she must put on you. But, none of that is my concern. I care only for my hive and what is best for my people.


    ¡°If this is how you treat your friends, abandoning them in their time of need, only to watch them suffer while you sit on the sidelines, then I worry for our future. Allies help one another. The pact between our peoples is young, but if this is the kind of ally you are, then I will dissolve it here and now.¡±


    ¡°Pollen, please think about this,¡± Suzume said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it all it deserves,¡± Pollen answered. ¡°I would sooner go it alone than hold out for an ally who will fail me when I need them most.¡± Her voice softened. ¡°You decide what kind of ally you are, Taiya Pharyx. When you do, you know where to find me. I have these people to escort.¡± Pollen turned and walked briskly away to join Zumi at the front of the column.


    I¡¯m not running away, she told herself. I just¡­have rain in my eyes.


    The thunder rumbled overhead as the rain continued to fall. Pollen tried not to look at the humans she passed. She needed to be strong for them. She needed to put on the veil of serenity that would reassure them that she could protect them¡­


    ¡°Queen Pollen,¡± Zumi greeted when she reached the head of the column. ¡°Thank you for helping us in our time of need. I know my cousin values your friendship beyond all the gold in the Governor¡¯s coffers.¡±


    ¡°Thank-¡± Pollen¡¯s voice cracked and she bit her lip.


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright? Is your injury paining you?¡± Zumi asked, but Pollen wasn¡¯t fooled.


    He was smart. Smarter than most gave him credit for. As a mere assistant, he never got any of the glory that Tenri Lin did, but he did far more work for Saikan. He was quick witted, observant, and he knew people. In that moment, Pollen was certain that he saw just how distressed she was, but he gave her face by blaming it on an injury to her body rather than the one to her heart.


    ¡°I will manage. Thank you, Zumi.¡± She breathed deeply of the flower scent that emanated from the technique that would guide them all safely home.


    Flowers fix everything, she repeated to herself. But I doubt they can fix this.

 Chapter 90 - Weakness

    Never sail in the eye. Only a fool thinks finding a calm in the storm¡¯s a good thing. -Sailor in the South Sea


    *          *          *


    Lin practically slammed the lighthouse door behind him when he returned to the building. Based on that alone, I knew exactly what he was going to say.


    ¡°We can add the Fishing Guild Hall and three more streets to the list of destroyed buildings,¡± he said. ¡°And those buildings that are still there are flooded. The road to the lighthouse will probably be washed out by the end of the day.¡±


    It was only thanks to the high bluff upon which the Saikan Lighthouse was built that we¡¯d been able to use it as a base of operations while the Tide Serpent raged at sea. The three attempts we¡¯d made to try and wrangle the serpent had all ended in varying degrees of failure, each one resulting in a day of recovery before we could try again.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t win soon, there might not be anything left to save,¡± Kansi muttered darkly.


    I wondered if this was the first time she¡¯d been faced with such a threat. Though she was certainly over a hundred years old, I didn¡¯t know how gentle Jinshi had been with her training. If it had been the Jinshi of old, he probably would have sent her at the first big bad monster to cross their paths while he stood back and judged her skills. We¡¯d done similarly to the disciples of other masters in the Heaven¡¯s Blade Sect all those years ago. Though they were never in any real danger, it was a good training exercise to teach them how to fight for their very lives.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make it. We just need to find the right strategy,¡± I insisted. If they gave up now, the fight would be over before we ever met the Serpent again.


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Lian muttered. ¡°Not all of us are gods of the ancient world.¡± I flashed a nervous glance at Kansi. We hadn¡¯t really had a chance to discuss my relationship with the Sword Saint, but luckily, she didn¡¯t seem intent on killing me while the Tide Serpent still lived.


    She saw my glance and shrugged. ¡°I might not know the details, but that sword is older than most modern Ascendents. You would have to be someone special to have drawn it.¡±


    As much as I wanted to correct her use of the word ¡°most,¡± now was still not the time for that conversation. Knowing that she was going into battle alongside the Darkened Moon may just inject her with a bloodthirst that would prove bad for my health, and the last thing I needed was to be stabbed in the back the moment the Tide Serpent was truly defeated.


    ¡°Tea anyone?¡± Xi Qian asked, setting a tray down on the table before us. All three of the other cultivators silently picked up a cup and nursed it along with their worries. I quietly thanked Xi for his efforts before moving to peer out the small lighthouse windows at the storm that raged outside.


    The Tide Serpent was a powerful enemy. It was several advancements higher than me, and its size would easily classify it as a catastrophe the likes of which a whole sect would normally have to deal with. However, the Moon-Soaked Shore had no sects, the closest one being the Teeming Waters Sect, just across the western border. Even if they had noticed the moment the Serpent woke, it would take them months to reach us. By then, Saikan would be little more than a memory, along with Pemai, Heimian, and all the rest of the settlements in the eastern Shore. The only other forces nearby were the Lunar Hunt, who started this whole mess, the Hanai Hornets, who were currently unwilling to help thanks to Pharyx¡¯s suspicions, and the pirates who roamed the ocean to the south and east. Since none had come to our aid since the storm began, we had to assume they were trying to wait it out further abroad.


    We were on our own to face this monster, but that wasn¡¯t about to deter me. I had my bow, a quiver full of arrows, my sword, and a heart filled with spirit and qi. Even if I had to face the beast alone, I would find a way to bring it down.


    ¡°Was there anything different in the Flash Backs?¡± Lian asked. I shook my head, rubbing the bandage around my right arm where my latest tally marks were healing.


    I¡¯d used my abilities several times during the fights, to try and gather more information on our enemy, to try a new strategy, or to keep my allies from serious harm. Yet, every time the battle was never in a good enough position to justify the cost of a prolonged set of Flash Backs.


    ¡°Listen, we have the weak scales on its throat,¡± I began, ¡°and, we know to avoid its spines and water columns. We just need the right chance, and we can bring it down.¡±


    ¡°Luck hasn¡¯t been on our side so far,¡± answered Lian.


    ¡°Lian, shame on you.¡± I grinned wickedly. ¡°Do you think I rely one bit on luck?¡±


    *          *          *


    The brilliant blue glow was even stronger now than it was the first time we flew over the roiling whirlpool. Despite the confidence I showed to the others, a kernel of worry began to grow in my heart. If we didn¡¯t defeat the Serpent here and now, it wouldn¡¯t matter if there was nothing left to save. We would either be dead or it would become so strong it would take many more powerful artists than us to defeat it.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    However, the others didn¡¯t need to know of my concerns. I darted around them, patting Lin on the shoulder, and giving Kansi and Lian encouragement as we approached the scene of our next battle.


    ¡°Alright. We need to lure it out again. Once it¡¯s out of the water, we can-¡± but before I could finish the thought, three columns of water shot forth from the waves beneath us. ¡°Scatter!¡± was all I could shout before the other artists were too far away to hear me. They knew what to do. I had faith.


    Lin and I broke towards the left, diving close to the waves in an attempt to ascertain the location of the beast. In the last two fights, skimming the waves had always proved the fastest way to lure it out from beneath the surface.


    Water exploded from the side of the whirlpool, and Lin and I dove in opposite directions. The enormous jaws snapped down around us before the Tide Serpent leapt through the waves and into the bottom of the whirlpool. A moment later, it rose, rearing its spiney head to glare at us.


    ¡°Kansi! Now!¡± I shouted, knowing full well that she probably couldn¡¯t hear me. Like a meteor from the heavens, Kansi shot towards the monster from the sky. She crouched on her sword, her eyes fixed on the weakened scale at the creature¡¯s throat. Lin and I flew around the Serpent¡¯s head, trying to distract it. It snapped at us, but we kept just out of range.


    At the last second of Kansi¡¯s dive, she leapt from her sword, drawing it into her hand and lunging into the Serpent¡¯s weak spot. Sparks flew in the rain, as Lin and I withdrew. The Tide Serpent lashed its head, and a strangled roar echoed from its throat.


    It must still be feeling the damage from Shen Reixin¡¯s final blow, I noted. It wasn¡¯t as loud as it could have been, which was a blessing for my ears. The raging storm and the clang of steel was already more than deafening.


    Kansi withdrew from the blow, but she didn¡¯t seem nearly as pleased as I thought she would be. As we all reconvened in the air above, she was frowning.


    ¡°It¡¯s healed much of the wound,¡± she reported. ¡°My strike didn¡¯t deal any mortal damage.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at the monster as it dove beneath the waves. Healing was to be expected, but that didn¡¯t make it any less annoying, even if it was just a mindless monster. And yet¡­its cries were strangled¡­


    An idea began to form in my head just as Flash Forward sent a warning through my mind.


    ¡°Scatter!¡± I shouted, leaning forward to direct Eclipse to a location that was anywhere but where the Serpent would strike next. A column of water shot through the air in a wicked tornado of force that would have sent any one of us flying to our doom. I drew an arrow from my quiver and dove towards the center of the whirlpool.


    ¡°Yoru! What are you doing?!¡± cried Lin, but there wasn¡¯t time to explain between the Tide Serpent¡¯s attacks. I needed to see better, and to do that, I needed a better look.


    The Tide Serpent struck before I even reached the bottom, exploding from the depths in a curtain of water. I drew back my bowstring, balancing carefully on Eclipse as the water parted to reveal the horrible maw that had consumed so many artists before me. There, at the back of its throat, was a blackened scar leftover from when it had eaten Shen Reixin seven years ago. I infused my arrow with void and unleashed it, darting to the side to narrowly avoid the monster¡¯s teeth.


    The arrow sailed into the monster¡¯s fleshy insides, and it let out another strangled roar and thrashed its head to the side. I urged Eclipse faster as spines closed in from behind.


    ¡°Yoru!¡± Lin shouted through the rain.


    The Tide Serpent was angry, now. It lunged at my head, trying to catch me right out of the air. I curled tight to Eclipse. Jaws snapped closed so close over my head that I could have touched the Serpent¡¯s scales if they hadn¡¯t been coated in poison.


    I tried to climb out from the bottom of the whirlpool, but was forced down again as Flash Forward warned me of three columns of water which streaked from one side of the whirlpool to the other.


    Above, I could see Lin, Kansi, and Lian trying to descend, but they were being similarly blocked at every turn. The entire sky had turned into a cage of water, and I was trapped at the bottom of it.


    The Serpent¡¯s hot, humid breath was on the back of my neck. I spun around, but the monster¡¯s maw was closed. Instead, it just stared at me, malice clear in its eyes.


    I realized too late that I¡¯d fallen right into the monster¡¯s trap. It identified me as the greatest threat, as the one who¡¯d managed to take advantage of an old injury, and now it wanted me gone.


    The light of its eyes washed over me, and I fought to resist their pull at my attention. Every ounce of the creature¡¯s focus was on me. Its qi was everywhere, pulling me down, making my ears pop as pressure pressed down on all sides. The more I fought to pull my eyes away and ascend to the safety beyond the pool, the more it tried to drag me under.


    Rain soaked my clothes and made my grip slick as I groped for an arrow. If I could just¡­shoot¡­something¡­


    ¡°Yoru! Snap out of it!¡± Lin¡¯s voice cut through the Tide Serpent¡¯s all-consuming gaze, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Pressure still pressed on me from every direction, and I felt blood filling my nose to join the rain on my face.


    The voices of the void are worse than this, I reminded myself. If I could keep the voices out through sheer force of will, I could overcome the will of this beast. I just needed to focus.


    My fingers gripped the feather of an arrow, and I yanked it out before the pressure could increase any further. In an instant it was on my string, and I breathed qi onto the shaft.


    Voidlight surged onto the arrow, and I flinched. In my focus to overcome the Serpent¡¯s mental pressure, my qi had mixed. Flash Forward and Flash Back were no longer an option, but it was already too late to change that.


    Instead, I drove more qi into the arrow, letting Baleful Light grow brightly at the arrowhead before releasing it. The arrow shot like a brilliant comet before slamming into the Tide Serpent¡¯s left eye. There, it continued to shine, casting its light of misfortune on the monster, even as it thrashed.


    ¡°Yoru! Watch out!¡±


    A churning pool of water in the whirlpool wall birthed a column of water that streaked towards me. I urged Eclipse forward, but even as I did, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to make it. The distance was too far¡­


    But instead of water crashing into me, an arm wrapped around my shoulders. I looked up to see Lin gripping me tightly as his greater momentum pulled me out of harm¡¯s way.


    Eclipse was less fortunate, and the water slammed into the blade, sending it careening into the water below. Lin shot forward, trying to spin around on Razor Wind, but the same momentum that pulled me to safety, was also our downfall.


    Fear filled me, and I clung to my friend as we both slammed into the whirlpool wall and were consumed by the waves.

 Chapter 91 - Heaven’s Rain

    A cultivator¡¯s techniques are the ultimate expressions of their path. Many a diviner has foretold a cultivator¡¯s future and read their past after witnessing just a few techniques. -Elder Zao to his disciples


    *          *          *


    Lin clung to his friend with all his strength. The moon artist was already panicking, gripping hard at his waist to keep from being dragged away in the waves. For all his limitless power, Yoru¡¯s critical weakness was water.


    If we live, remind me to teach you to swim, Lin thought.


    Even then, he knew it was wishful thinking. If they lived, then they would likely return to a home that no longer existed. The village of Saikan would be wiped off the map entirely within a few days at the current pace, and there was little the four artists could do to stop it.


    However, it was far more likely that none of them would live to see it. Lin and Yoru were being tossed through the waves like dandelion tufts on the wind, and while Lin was an exceptional swimmer with a breath capacity to match, Yoru was not. He would soon drown if Lin didn¡¯t come up with something, some clever solution to get them out of this mess.


    Above them, a direction that Lin only knew of because that was where the light from Yoru¡¯s arrow was shining, the waves continued to churn in an impenetrable wall. They would not be escaping that way. Below, he could see the tops of a forest of seaweed that disappeared into the untold depths below.


    Seaweed? Lin loved seaweed. It was such a wonderful plant with as many uses as there were stalks of it in the sea. It was a brilliant culinary addition, but most importantly, it shimmered with wood qi, which made it a perfect tool for a wood artist like him.


    Lin¡¯s mind raced. He would never claim to be particularly clever. Yoru was always the one coming up with crazy schemes and plans, but when his back was to the wall, Lin was a fighter, and he refused to let his best friend drown like this. If the Darkened Moon was destined to be defeated, then it would not be because his Soulbond let him drown.


    Lin called out to the qi beneath him. The seaweed responded, but he would need to be closer to have greater effect. Tightening his grip around Yoru, he began to swim, pulling the other artist down deeper into the water.


    Pressure rose all around them. Yoru began to shudder as the ocean sought to squeeze the very air from his lungs, but he clung to what little he had, putting a hand over his mouth and nose. From experience, Lin knew such actions were pointless. His fingers couldn¡¯t hold back the breath that grew stale in his lungs, but if it helped Yoru keep his resolve for even a few seconds longer, it would be enough.


    The two artists reached the tallest stalk of seaweed. This far down, the current wasn¡¯t as strong. Lin maneuvered Yoru¡¯s free hand to grip tightly at the stem of the plant, but before he could leave the moon artist to find a stalk of seaweed that would suit his purposes, Yoru flailed until he gripped Lin¡¯s sleeve tightly.


    He¡¯s scared. His hands are trembling. Lin hesitated, unsure of what to do. Yoru couldn¡¯t hear him in the water, and his eyes were squeezed shut. The poor artist was entirely helpless in an environment where he couldn¡¯t move or even breathe. But, if Lin didn¡¯t act, he¡¯d surely die.


    *          *          *


    My lungs screamed, and I clung tightly to Lin¡¯s clothes¡­or at least, I hoped they were Lin¡¯s clothes. For all I knew, I¡¯d grabbed a large flap of¡­whatever it was that he was trying to get me to hold onto.


    His hands gently wrapped around mine, and he pried my fingers loose. Lin guided me back to the thing that he wanted me to hold. His hand wrapped around mine, and he let go¡­again¡­


    Lin! Please! Don¡¯t leave me here!


    I wanted to scream, but if I didn¡¯t focus everything on holding my breath, I¡¯d be done for. I flailed again, trying to find him, but this time, he was gone. I was alone¡­


    I should have learned to swim when the Ocean Lord threatened me¡­ I thought. At least then, I didn¡¯t need to breathe¡­


    All I could do was grip the thing he said to and wait, praying that he¡¯d come back for me before it was too late¡­a time which was rapidly approaching. From previous conversations with Lin and the fishermen in Saikan, I knew that the wood artist could hold his breath for nearly fifteen minutes when the situation required it. As a cultivator, particularly one who practiced techniques of adaptation, he could push far beyond mortal limits, something which the fishermen had been deeply jealous of. However, whenever they¡¯d asked me how long I could hold my breath for, I cleverly avoided answering. There was a time when I didn¡¯t need to breathe, and I had walked the moon¡¯s surface for months at a time. But that time was long gone. I hadn¡¯t tried to hold my breath for long, but at Iron? I was already at my limit.


    A pair of cold hands wrapped around my own. Lin was back! I clung to his wrist, squeezing tight. Without any means of communicating, all I could do was hope he¡¯d know. I couldn¡¯t last any longer¡­


    My body protested the lack of air, and I fought as my lungs tried to force out the stale air. Several horrible seconds passed. My hands trembled as they gripped Lin¡¯s wrist.


    Save me!Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I couldn¡¯t do it anymore. My lips parted and bubbles of used air escaped past my fingers. I quickly bit down, desperate to hold out longer.


    The hands reached upward. One rested on the side of my cheek while the other began to pry my hand away from my mouth and nose. I panicked. Why would Lin try to drown me?! I couldn¡¯t hold out much, and he was trying to speed my death by removing one barrier keeping precious air inside?!


    Was it really Lin? Or had I been fooled by a yokai looking to capitalize on our fight with the Tide Serpent? What was going on?!


    I was helpless. I couldn¡¯t resist any longer. The hand pulled mine away, and the rest of my air escaped in a cascade of bubbles.


    But, instead of water rushing back in, there was suddenly warmth in the cold depths. Hot air was forced into my mouth, as Lin held the back of my head firmly. The panic in my mind was quieted until I was left with what was immediately around me. Cold water...and Lin¡¯s warmth¡­


    When he withdrew his lips and the life-giving air they offered, I shook myself back to reality. He grabbed my wrist and began to pull in the direction I thought might be upward. I let him drag me through the water until he wrapped my hands around another length of the same fibrous¡­something¡­that he had me hold onto before. He wrapped both of my hands around it and disappeared from my perception again. However, this time, he wasn¡¯t gone for long. In a few moments, he was back and wrapped his arm around my waist.


    I soon found out why. The length of¡­was it rope, maybe¡­suddenly went taught, and we were pulled roughly through the water. Waves and currents battered and pounded against my face, but I refused to let go. Lin gripped my back tightly.


    Water exploded into spray, and I felt rain kiss my face. My eyes snapped open and I gasped in ragged breaths of air, before coughing and spluttering it all out at the scene that awaited me.


    I was clinging to a long rope of seaweed that shimmered with reinforcement from Lin¡¯s wood techniques. It was wrapped in a giant loop around one of the Tide Serpent¡¯s spines, and we dangled several meters down from the crest of its head.


    ¡°Are you alright!?¡± Lin shouted. I nodded. ¡°Good! Here!¡± Lin pulled my bow from his back and shoved it into my hand. ¡°I found it in the kelp forest!¡±


    I didn¡¯t have the heart to mention that I didn¡¯t have any arrows left. They¡¯d been spilled out and scattered in every direction by our tumble through the depths.


    ¡°You made it!¡± Kansi shouted. ¡°We¡¯ve been keeping it entertained, but I think we¡¯re running out of tricks!¡±


    A thread of voidlight qi streaked across my vision, wrapping around the Tide Serpent¡¯s head where my last arrow was still lodged in its bleeding eye. Hope surged in my heart as another plan began to form in my mind.


    ¡°Lin, there¡¯s seaweed below, right? Can you restrict its movement?¡±


    ¡°I got a good look at the bottom half of the snake. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Good. Kansi, will you lend me your mobility?¡± I asked. She nodded and offered her hand. I took it and hopped onto her sword. It was a tight squeeze, but it was a far sight better than being grounded. Lin shifted and took a firm grip of the seaweed rope.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± he shouted as we streaked away.


    I pointed to the arrow still in the monster¡¯s left eye. ¡°Can you get me that? I have one last trick up my sleeve!¡±


    The wind artist bit her lip and nodded. After leaving me with Lian, who was all too eager to share his cloud, she began to climb.


    Kansi¡¯s brow knit with concentration. She shifted her stance, crouching on her sword and leaning forward. With gravity as her ally, she streaked towards the Tide Serpent, churning up the winds around her to increase her speed even further. The Serpent didn¡¯t have time to react before she slammed her sword into the monster¡¯s eye, latched onto the glowing arrow and threw herself back into the air just in time to land on her sword. A moment later, she tossed me the arrow.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to make that one count,¡± she said as she streaked by. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get another shot.¡±


    She was right about that. This creature only had one weakness that could be exploited enough to subdue it: the injury in its throat. Without the help of Shen Reixin all those years ago, this fight would be impossible now. I¡¯d have to let Xinya know just how much her mother did for us. We stood a chance thanks to her.


    ¡°Kansi! Try to get it to look up and open its mouth!¡± I shouted. ¡°Lian, get me just above it.¡± The two artists nodded, and Lian tossed a ball of green qi at Kansi. It infused her body and she dove at the Serpent. Meanwhile, Lin was still on its back. It seemed to be spinning strangely, clearly stuck in the seaweed forest below. Lin held it firm, keeping it from swimming off while we got into position.


    Eclipse! Razor Wind! If you can still hear my command, I need you both! I sent the command with as much qi as I could spare. The two blades were somewhere below, and I desperately hoped they were in range.


    Kansi began to zip and dart around the Tide Serpent¡¯s head. It snapped at her, trying to snatch her right out of the sky as she spiraled every upward.


    ¡°Now, Lian!¡± I shouted. The summoner urged the cloud forward and upward. It might not have been as fast as flying by sword, but the wind that blew my soaked hair back was still strong as we streaked towards the Serpent¡¯s head. Just as we crested high enough, Kansi flew by only a few meters below.


    I sprang to my feet, taking one step forward to the edge of the cloud and springing high into the open air. The arrow was drawn back on my string, and I infused it with void and moonlight in equal measure. The arrow glowed, streaks of blue-silver and black cascading off the arrowhead.


    The Tide Serpent¡¯s mouth opened wide to snap at Kansi.


    ¡°Snack on this!¡± I shouted as my arrow released. It glowed brightly midair as I triggered Heaven¡¯s Rain. The technique glowed brightly along the arrow as it began to split into double, triple, quadruple, until a dozen arrows made of solid voidlight rained down into the monster¡¯s mouth.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted another streak of light from below and the wind shifted. In a single instant, two heavenly blades shot from the water, slamming into the weakened scale at the same moment as my arrows sank into the soft, scarred flesh in the Tide Serpent¡¯s throat.


    The Serpent¡¯s one remaining eye went wide, and it tried to roar. Only a hissing gurgle managed to escape its jaws as it twitched, as even the strength to flail ebbed from its body.


    Eclipse circled around to catch me, and I dove. Razor Wind flitted just behind. We raced down the Serpent¡¯s body to where Lin was still holding on, shimmering wood qi all around him.


    ¡°Lin! Jump!¡± I cried. He didn¡¯t hesitate. The Serpent¡¯s body began to crash down into the whirlpool wall, and he threw himself into the air. I caught his hand and lowered him onto Razor Wind. A crash of water and waves resounded in the area as the Tide Serpent¡¯s corpse hit the waves and began to sink.


    We ascended out of the waves and were greeted by a gentle rain and the sun peeking through the clouds.


    ¡°We did it,¡± breathed Lin. ¡°Guys, we did it! The Tide Serpent is dead!¡±

 Chapter 92 - Traps and Schemes

    Lihua the Spider Witch was riveted to the scene as it played out before her. Thanks to her Master¡¯s observation crystals, she could see the battle between her precious knight and that raging monster, the Tide Serpent, from the safety of the shoreline.


    At first, she had worried for her knight. He¡¯d been injured in the first round of battle, forcing the entire group of heroes to withdraw. Though he¡¯d recovered well, she couldn¡¯t help but harbor concerns that he might be damaged beyond even her Master¡¯s ability to repair. She silently rooted for him, praying each time that he left that he would return safely to shore.


    But this latest battle was by far the most intense. Lihua cried out in alarm when he dove towards the Serpent¡¯s waiting jaws, only to be trapped by the Tide Serpent¡¯s terrible aura.


    ¡°No, no, no! He can¡¯t be mine if he¡¯s eaten! Master, we have to do something!¡± But there was no answer from the man next to her. Lihua tugged on his sleeve. ¡°Master? Master, the Serpent is going to eat him! I can¡¯t raise a corpse from inside a giant snake!¡±


    ¡°Quiet,¡± was his only order, and it left no room for argument.


    Lihua was forced to begin chewing on a fingernail, a habit that she¡¯d picked up after observing quite a few humans doing the same. Apparently, it was something that  humans did when they were nervous, and she discovered that she quite liked the tactile feeling in her hands that could distract her partially from her troubles.


    Tsuyuki hit the water, and Lihua felt tears welling up in her eyes. He was gone. Well and truly¡­gone. All the research she¡¯d quietly done into everything about him, from his favorite foods to the techniques he favored most, the most surprising detail she¡¯d learned was that he couldn¡¯t swim. It was something they had in common, she and her knight, and she¡¯d cherished that singular imperfection which only made the perfect man even more real and desirable in her eyes.


    But¡­in the water¡­there was no way he would survive that. Even his friend, that administrator fellow, would be hard-pressed to find a way to surface within the Tide Serpent¡¯s domain. All her hard work was for nothing. His corpse would drift to the bottom of the sea to be fed on by crabs and urchins. Even if she could retrieve him, she¡¯d never be able to restore him to his perfect state.


    However, though Lihua was ready to give up and accept that her prize was now out of her reach, she noticed that her Master was watching even more intently than before. She turned back, watching the Sword Saint¡¯s Disciple and that Life Artist from the Chained-Demon Sect flit around the Serpent¡¯s head. They couldn¡¯t defeat it, and they knew it as well as Lihua did. So, why was her Master fixating on the battle before them with such intensity?


    The Tide Serpent dove beneath the waves, disappearing from the observation crystals. Several times, it erupted from the waves to snap at the remaining cultivators before diving back into the water. It seemed to be toying with them, until finally it reared its head back again, the terrible mind-warping gleam in its one good eye.


    Only, there was something else. Lihua peered at the image in the crystal, and her heart leapt into her throat. Her knight! He was there! He survived! He clung to a length of seaweed, soaking wet but alive!


    The battle recommenced, and Lihua watched with rapt attention. He was even more amazing than she dared to hope. Then, with a flourish, his arrows flew. She could see the light from the shore, even without the crystal. And, when the Serpent¡¯s body fell to his might, she couldn¡¯t help but cheer.


    ¡°Master! Master! He did it!¡± She jumped up and down, excitedly, but stopped once she noticed the expression that darkened her Master¡¯s face. It was¡­wolfish¡­predatory¡­and his face twisted into a smile that sent chills down Lihua¡¯s spine. Never before had she seen him so happy, and it terrified her.


    ¡°He most certainly did,¡± Master mused. Lihua could practically see the gears turning in his head, but she didn¡¯t have a clue what was so exciting. Was he that happy to see her knight returned to her? In the past, he¡¯d always been aloof about it, like a father finding a toy for his child, even without understanding why it was adored. But now¡­


    ¡°Shen Tori should have just stuck to our plan,¡± she said, much more quietly. ¡°But, at least Tsuyuki got things back on track. He¡¯ll be going after the remnants of the Lunar Hunt next, right? Shen Tori will kill him, and we¡¯ll finally have him.¡±


    The wolfish grin widened, but Lihua saw that there was nothing but cold calculation in her Master¡¯s eyes. Sweat sprang cold on her neck as her spirit beast instincts warned her of danger. She fought the feeling back. She was more than her instincts now, but that didn¡¯t stop her heart from quickening as she recognized a greater predator.


    ¡°Our friend shows a great deal of promise,¡± he said. ¡°I believe this blossom may deserve cultivating after all.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means we have to act quickly, Lihua. Our friend will only be distracted by Shen Tori for so long, and then, we must be prepared to capitalize on his situation, regardless of where his path may lead,¡± Master explained. ¡°Come. We have work to do, and spirit beasts to gather.¡±


    *          *          *


    Xinya tied knot after knot in the blankets she¡¯d been provided. After three days with the Lunar Hunt, she didn¡¯t know if Yoru and the others would be able to come get her. Even if they managed to defeat the Tide Serpent, something Xinya wasn¡¯t confident in, they would still have to travel across half the Shore in order to reach her. It could be months before they could rescue her, and by then, it might be too late.


    No, she had to take matters into her own hands. She was a strong and capable cultivator, and she was about to turn ten. She was practically a grown-up, and that meant that she couldn¡¯t just rely on her uncles to rescue her.


    ¡°You can do this, Xinya,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°If you want to live up to your master¡¯s name, and be the strong cultivator your parents said you could be, then it¡¯s time to step up the action. You are a powerful princess¡­nevermind being adopted, you are a powerful princess. You stood up to Madame Tenri. You beat Shen Taihua. You don¡¯t need your uncles to rescue you, because you¡¯re going to rescue yourself!¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Shadows shifted on the other side of the paper door. Her guards were getting restless, and she needed to act swiftly and silently. Tying the last knot, she hefted the blankets over her shoulder and crept towards the balcony door. The door slid to the side, and she slid it carefully back before hopping the railing.


    As with many buildings in the Moon-Soaked Shore, the Hunting Lodge roof was shallow enough to walk on, and as long as one was careful, the interlocking tiles weren¡¯t too slippery. Xinya walked as carefully as she could, careful to keep her steps light as she made her way to the roof¡¯s corner. It was upturned, like all buildings, and she went about tying her blankets to the decorative gold post. Only after they were in place did she dare look down.


    Three blankets might not have been enough, she worried, seeing just how far the distance was between her makeshift rope and the ground. She was held on the third story, and her blankets only barely made it to the second story roof. No matter how Xinya sliced it, she¡¯d have to jump. Well, no one ever said cultivators have it easy.


    Xinya climbed down the blankets before dropping down to the first story roof. As she landed, her feet slipped, and she froze as several tiles from the roof were knocked out of place. They cascaded to the ground and shattered against the hard stones below.


    No alarms were raised. No shouts of discovery rang through the air. It seemed no one noticed her blunder. That was perfect. She smiled sheepishly to herself, quietly chiding herself for being clumsy before she eyed the jump to the ground.


    This drop was bigger, and with no rope to shorten the distance, Xinya was without any other options. Instead, she took a deep breath, sat down on the roof, and took the leap.


    Her foot twisted awkwardly to the side as she landed, and she bit hard into her lip to keep from crying out. For all her skill climbing, she was a lot worse at going the reverse direction. She ducked into a small nook between two bloodhound statues. Cycling her qi like Uncle Yoru taught her, she felt the pain in her ankle slowly dissipate.


    Time for the moment of truth, she thought, psyching herself up.


    The Hunting Lodge was built like a fortress rather than any lodge she¡¯d ever seen, and the only exit she knew of was the front gate. She would have to sneak through the main courtyard, which was crawling with cultivators and spirit hounds, then get through the gate and into the woods with as much speed as she could muster. If she could just get out, she could keep running east. Supposedly, the Hanai Hornets controlled a sizeable territory. If she could make it there, then Pharyx would protect her, she was sure of it.


    Carefully, she crept along the wall until she was across from the gate. The courtyard was all that stood between her and her freedom, but even from here, she spotted three spirit hounds and a handful of artists all milling aimlessly around. This late, there was a non-zero chance they were drunk, as glorified bandits tended to be. If she was fast¡­


    Xinya focused inward. Shen Taihua had said she should be able to enhance her speed with lightning. Theoretically, if she could get the lighting into her limbs, it would let her go faster. With her command, the violent violet qi surged to her legs, and she twitched a few times. Only once the spasms calmed did she dare look out again.


    They¡¯ve moved aside! This is my chance!


    The little lightning artist ran with all her might, and crackling lightning followed in her wake as her feet pounded against the ground. It was the fastest she¡¯d ever gone, and a sense of exhilaration shot through her, which only served to excite her qi and make her go even faster!


    The shouts of artists followed after her, but she didn¡¯t care. All that mattered was her and the gate. If she could get out¡­she could do it!


    Pain slammed into her nose and blood began dripping down her chin as she was violently thrown back by¡­something. She crawled back to her feet, only to find a shimmering silver barrier between her and her target.


    An array? But what does it do?


    ¡°You know, that little trick wouldn¡¯t affect you if you weren¡¯t a moon artist,¡± Shen Tori¡¯s wicked voice called from behind her.


    Xinya turned to find the Huntmaster and his son approaching. However, to her surprise, Shen Taihua sported several bruises on his cheek and neck. She hadn¡¯t seen him since Shen Tori kidnapped her, but it didn¡¯t look like her uncle was fending very well for himself.


    ¡°You know,¡± Shen Tori continued. ¡°I could help you, little Xinya. You¡¯re my flesh and blood, after all, my precious daughter¡¯s only child, and the only one who can carry on our legacy.¡±


    ¡°Why would I want your help?¡± Xinya growled, putting up her fists. ¡°You supported the death of my father, and you want to murder my uncle!¡±


    ¡°Adopted uncle,¡± he corrected. ¡°He has no reason to keep you around. You¡¯re only another foolish moon artist he can corrupt. He cares nothing for you.¡±


    ¡°Shows what you know, you bastard!¡± Xinya spit in his direction.


    Shen Tori¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You¡¯re quite the brat, aren¡¯t you? If you weren¡¯t in possession of the Shen bloodline, I¡¯d have killed you long ago.¡±


    ¡°I have no bloodline,¡± Xinya insisted. ¡°And, even if I did, wouldn¡¯t you be better off getting it from your son? He actually has void qi!¡±


    ¡°He does not have the bloodline,¡± Shen Tori answered with a frustrated glance at his son. ¡°Nor can he pass it on so long as you live. Our bloodline is special. Its purity is unrivaled, for only one in each generation can possess it. The others are worthless and cannot even produce any children to pass it to. Reixin had it among my children, making Taihua worthless, but you¡­you are just in need of a little guidance from your family.¡± Shen Taihua looked as if he¡¯d been punched again, but didn¡¯t speak. Xinya could tell this was probably a conversation they had often.


    ¡°I am not a Shen.¡± Xinya balled her fists tighter. ¡°I am Lang Xinya, Disciple of Tsuyuki Yoru. I follow my own path. You cannot make me follow yours.¡±


    ¡°We shall see about that.¡± He took a menacing step forward, and Xinya stepped back until her back was to the shimmering moon barrier. She couldn¡¯t win a fight against him, not really. Even Yoru had struggled with him. But that didn¡¯t mean she was without options.


    ¡°Uncle?¡± she said, pitifully. ¡°Uncle? I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Taihua¡¯s expression softened, and he looked down. Shen Tori was bearing down on her now. She had nowhere left to go.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be much better off without that foul qi inside you. I¡¯ll make sure your core is unraveled and replaced with a pristine void one,¡± Shen Tori promised. ¡°And when I do, you¡¯ll thank me. Just wait and see.¡±


    Xinya flinched and closed her eyes in fear. She was sure that Shen Tori would hit her, and when he did, it would hurt. He was Silver, after all. She was just a Leaf. The gap between them was too great.


    Only¡­it never came. She opened her eyes to see Taihua standing beside his father, holding his arm.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be better if she accepts the void willingly, Father,¡± he said. ¡°Give me some time. Maybe I can convince her.¡±


    ¡°Convince her? I don¡¯t need her permission.¡±


    ¡°Please, grant me this chance. I might not have our bloodline but let me help you develop Reixin¡¯s legacy. I can be worth something that way,¡± he begged. Shen Tori snarled, but Taihua stared evenly at him until Shen Tori rolled his eyes and relaxed.


    ¡°Just as soft as your bitch mother, aren¡¯t you, Taihua,¡± he answered. ¡°Fine. As long as you¡¯re an obedient little pup, I¡¯ll indulge you. You have one month. If she¡¯s not unraveled by then, I¡¯ll hold you responsible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father. Thank you for this chance.¡± He bowed deeply. His father didn¡¯t look back before stalking off.


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle,¡± Xinya whispered to the older man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± he answered. ¡°We¡¯re both trapped in our own cages.¡±

 Chapter 93 - May We Meet Again…

    The Monks of the Xiaofeng Peak have a curious tradition: the Endless Stones. Billions of miniscule jade chips of various colors which are painstakingly assembled into an artistic depiction of their choice over lifetimes. It is said that it started with a single rainbow jade and that each time they complete their work, they simply shatter each piece in two and begin anew. -Administrator Zong of the Yanu Region


    *          *          *


    ¡°Yoru!¡± Lin¡¯s voice echoed behind me, but I barely heard it. My mind was focused on a singular goal: rescuing my disciple.


    Eclipse and I streaked over the treetops, with Chiho keeping pace and flitting around my head every so often. Lagging behind us by a considerable distance was Kansi, Lian, and Lin.


    ¡°Yoru! You need to rest!¡± Lin shouted.


    ¡°No, I need to save Xinya!¡± I answered. ¡°That monster will do terrible things to her! It¡¯s my responsibility as her master to save her!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be saving anyone if you¡¯re too exhausted to fight when you get there!¡±


    I shook my head, rolled my eyes, and kept flying. What did he know? He didn¡¯t know my limits. I¡¯d pushed harder than this before. When Chouko was in danger, I¡¯d traversed the entire continent in a night to keep her safe from harm. When Aya was kidnapped, I studied tirelessly for years to get strong enough to rescue her. This would be no different. I was well used to moving heaven and earth for my family.


    ¡°Yoru!¡±


    ¡°Give it up, Lin! I¡¯m not stopping until we get there!¡±


    ¡°Tsuyuki, you¡¯re losing altitude!¡± Kansi interrupted.


    My eyes flicked downward just before Eclipse clipped the top branch of a tree. I yelped in alarm as we careened to the side, only to hit another branch. I crashed through the trees, slamming into the ground.


    I groaned in pain. My shoulder ached, and the trees over my head were spinning in my vision. I tried to roll back to sitting, but the aches in my body protested, so I remained on my back, staring at the starry sky above.


    ¡°How¡¯s your ego?¡± Lin quipped as his face solidified in my vision.


    ¡°I dislocate my shoulder, and your first thought is for my ego. I¡¯m touched.¡±


    ¡°Normally, I¡¯d say ¡®I told you so,¡¯ but I think it might too much,¡± he continued. He offered a hand, and I took it. Lin pulled me gently to my feet before examining my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just put it back and we can keep moving.¡±


    Lin sighed. ¡°Yoru, you will be no good to Xinya if you¡¯re too exhausted to fight Shen Tori.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Right. Fighting the Tide Serpent was easy for you and you didn¡¯t nearly drown.¡± Lin put a hand on my good shoulder. ¡°Yoru, you need to rest.¡±


    ¡°But¡­what if he does something to her?¡± He was determined to unravel her core, after all. That kind of treatment was difficult to do on the best of days with the best of cultivators. It involved unmaking pieces of yourself that were linked to your very mind, body, and soul. If he tried to force her, as I was quite certain he would, her cultivation could be irrevocably damaged, forever limiting the potential she had within her. As her master, I could not stand by and let that happen, even if it meant killing her own blood.


    ¡°She¡¯s a tough kid,¡± Lin answered. ¡°She has held out for nearly a week already. She will hold on a little longer. It¡¯s a long journey to the Lodge, and you need to be rested so we can end Shen Tori¡¯s reign, once and for all. Don¡¯t forget that I want him dead as much as you do.¡± Lian and Kansi descended and touched down in the clearing nearby.  Lin turned to them and smiled. ¡°He¡¯s fine. In fact, he found quite the nice spot for a camp.¡±


    *          *          *


    I reluctantly sat next to the fire, staring into its crackling depths as the chill of the night crept ever closer around us. We didn¡¯t have much in the way of supplies, given the haste with which we¡¯d left Saikan after the Tide Serpent¡¯s defeat, but Lian had hunted a trio of rabbits, which Lin was roasting over the fire.


    My body still ached. The others refused to set my arm after the fall, thinking that I would be more likely to rest while mildly injured. I didn¡¯t have the will to set it myself, and with every moment I sat with my knees drawn to my chest, weariness began to cling to my body like the chains that dragged from my other form. The fight with the Tide Serpent really had been difficult, but my mind was fixated only on one part of it.


    I flicked my eyes up to look at Lin from across the fire. His eyes were on his task as he evenly spun each spit, and I silently studied him, trying to picture in my mind the moment we¡¯d shared underwater. The way his dark brown hair must have been floating around him like an ethereal shade in the depths, the way his green eyes would have sparkled with his own qi, providing the only light below, the way his hand wrapped behind my neck to draw me in before the life-giving air in my lungs gave out. What a scene it must have been, and I¡¯d missed it entirely, being unable to open my eyes underwater.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Lin asked. ¡°I¡¯m not going to set your arm just because you¡¯re pouting at me.¡±


    Alarm flushed my face with red, and my ears burned. I looked away immediately, burying my head in my good arm. Chiho slipped from my hair to comfort me, tucking my hair back into place for the sixth time since my graceless landing. I focused on the feeling of it preening through my hair, and slowly my heart calmed.


    ¡°Um, Master Tsuyuki?¡± I raised my head only enough to peer over my knees. It was Kansi.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Forgive this disciple her foolishness,¡± she began formally. ¡°I should have recognized you sooner, but¡­perhaps¡­I mean¡­I just¡­¡± She huffed in frustration. Then she scrambled to her feet and bowed. ¡°Venerable Master, please grant this disciple an audience.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow in surprise before scrambling to my feet and putting a hand on her shoulder. Gently, I pushed her back to full standing.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m only an Iron. It would be unbecoming to let a Silver bow to me like that.¡± Her sudden shift in attitude gave me a very uneasy feeling. Kansi was normally so carefree. She clearly wasn¡¯t used to this level of formality.


    ¡°With all due respect, Master Tsuyuki, this one isn¡¯t fooled,¡± she snapped before controlling her tone. Once she was calmer, she continued. ¡°No mere Iron would be familiar enough with my master to have command over his prized swords, yet Razor Wind answers your command without question.¡± I tried to interrupt, but Kansi wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°Not to mention that no mere Iron could command Chiho¡¯s respect as you do. Hells, that silly pin doesn¡¯t even listen to me! It disappeared after Master died, and I never saw it again.¡± Kansi seemed to notice her rising tone and quickly schooled her expression, lowering her eyes before me as if I were her own master. ¡°Forgive me. It was an uncontrolled outburst and will not happen again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ve never known Chiho to listen to anyone but me and Jinshi.¡±


    Kansi¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°So, it¡¯s true! You know his actual name!¡±


    ¡°I¡­suppose? I didn¡¯t realize it was a secret.¡± This conversation was nothing like the one I¡¯d pictured. There was a lot less violence and a lot more misplaced adoration.


    The disciple pulled a small envelope from her bag and offered it to me, her head bowed in respect. ¡°My master¡¯s final instruction was that this wayward disciple deliver this letter when the moon shone brighter than the day. He said I would know the recipient when I saw him, for there is none other like him in all the world.¡±


    ¡°What a sentimental notion,¡± I murmured. ¡°How very like him.¡± My heart was pounding. Of all the things I expected Kansi¡¯s mission to be, delivering a letter was not it.


    I took the worn paper into shaky hands. It was an old letter, one that was clearly hundreds of years old. The paper smelled like the grassy plains of the Pearlescent Valley, with just a hint of jasmine¡­just like Jinshi always did.


    He must have kept it close for centuries before he died¡­


    Turning the envelope over, I fingered the wax seal. It was imprinted with Jinshi¡¯s old crest: a sword surrounded by swirling wind. As my fingers passed over the wax, it shimmered, and a bit of my qi seeped into the seal. It cracked immediately, recognizing my unique essence.


    With trembling hands, I pulled the letter out and unfolded it. Only a few short characters were inked onto the ancient paper, but the calligraphy was unmistakable.


    ¡°To my Prince, the only light in my skies.


    May we meet again, in our next lives.¡±


    ¡°May we meet again,¡± I read aloud, scarcely believing my own eyes and ears.


    After everything we¡¯d been through, after everything I¡¯d done, Jinshi still wished to meet me again. Leaving my authority over Razor Wind hadn¡¯t been an accident, after all. Repairing Eclipse after it had shattered was not an act of vindictive triumph.


    He loved me, even after all these years. I folded the letter, returning it to the envelope. Qi sparked, and the letter sealed itself once more. I slipped it into my lapel, right next to my heart.


    ¡°Kansi,¡± I began, wiping tears from my eyes. ¡°If I may ask, how did he die?¡±


    She lowered her head, sadness clouding her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted. ¡°One day, he gave me his swords and two letters and said he had some business to take care of and needed to be discreet. He told me where to meet him, and that I was to only open one of the letters when I knew the time was right.


    ¡°I waited for two months before one of the Five Elemental Sages of the Phoenix Empire, the Metal Sage, came to find me. The sage risked everything to enter the Valley Lord¡¯s territory. It was him who told me my master died during an encounter with Lady Saraia.¡± Kansi¡¯s voice trembled as she recounted the story, but she continued onward anyway. ¡°I opened the letter Master said to read, and it gave me my final mission, to deliver that missive to you.¡±


    Silence reigned over the camp, leaving only the crackling of the fire. My mind raced. This¡­Sage of Metal¡­was unknown to me, but if he sought my martial niece after Jinshi¡¯s death, then I had no reason to suspect him of foul play, especially with the lengths he would have had to go through to survive in the Pearlescent Valley as an Ascendent. He had my respect.


    Saraia, however¡­this was the second time that Kansi had all but spat the Ascendent¡¯s name. Supposedly, Lian¡¯s Chained-Demon Sect was one of hers, but I knew next to nothing about her. She had supposedly worked with Jinshi to purge the Moon-Soaked Shore of lunar artists, something that must have been absolutely necessary for Jinshi to be involved, but otherwise, I knew nothing about her. Had she been responsible for my beloved¡¯s death? Or just a wayward ally who¡¯d been left as a scapegoat?


    ¡°Master Tsuyuki, if I may ask you something now,¡± Kansi continued. ¡°I know so little of my master, not even his name. Could you tell me more of him? Who you were to him?¡±


    I smiled sheepishly, sitting down on the hard earth. Kansi followed my example. Where would I even begin? How could I possibly convey thousands of years of my best friend¡¯s life into so few words?


    ¡°Jinshi¡­General Iru¡¯e Jinshi, that is,¡± I began. ¡°He started as my sect sibling, when we were both just mortals. We trained under the same master.¡±


    ¡°Did you know the Flower Maiden, then?¡± she interrupted. ¡°She also said she knew my master.¡±


    ¡°Did I know Tsuyuki Chouko?¡± I countered, sourly spitting my own surname. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I¡­uh¡­¡±


    ¡°If you want to know my sister so badly, maybe go ask her about Jinshi,¡± I grumbled. ¡°But I guarantee, she¡¯ll just send you right back to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± She bowed her head. ¡°Please accept this disciple¡¯s humble apologies.¡±


    I huffed dramatically. Sometimes, disciples got ahead of themselves. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t hold it against her too much. There were only two people she knew of who knew anything about Jinshi, me and my sister. And, if I had just met someone who knew more about Jinshi than me, I would also be excited to learn everything I could.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I answered. ¡°You asked who I was to him¡­I¡¯m not sure how to answer that. There aren¡¯t words for how much he meant to me. He was my everything, the Saint of my Heart. I followed him to hell and back, and he helped me build a nation.¡±


    Kansi frowned. ¡°With respect, why were you not around? If he was so important¡­shouldn¡¯t you have stayed with him to the modern day?¡± Out of the corner of my eye, Lin and Lian both busied themselves with everything but the conversation at hand, even as they listened intently for my answer.


    Regret twinged my heart, but I steeled my expression. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I tried to be a hero, tried to save everyone and everything, and in doing so, killed everyone. I lost control, went mad, and said¡­things I can never take back. I forced his hand, and Jinshi locked me away.¡±


    ¡°Locked you¡­¡± Realization seemed to dawn on Kansi like the sun over the eastern seas. ¡°You¡¯re a moon artist¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m at Iron,¡± I said. ¡°It was the only way to escape my prison. I bound myself to Lin and his advancement in order to slip the Labyrinth¡¯s watch.¡±


    Kansi was silent for a long moment as she stared into the fire. ¡°I had no idea he had someone so special to him. He was so aloof¡­but he hated the Legend of the Darkened Moon. Anytime it was performed, he¡¯d get upset, then leave.¡±


    Memory flooded my mind. The surprise attack on the moon¡¯s surface that stunned me, the blur that followed, Razor Wind protruding from my own chest. Then¡­the walk.


    That day, I woke wrapped in chains, being carried in strong, gentle arms down stone passages. It was Jinshi who carried me. I remember asking him what happened, that I¡¯d had a terrible nightmare. His face was stone, and as he laid me into the seven-layered coffin that would bind me, I begged him to stop. Begging turned to cursing as desperation drove me.


    I said such terrible things¡­


    Then came the nail, thirteen inches of lightning-scorched sandalwood. Thirteen times he pounded that nail, driving it straight through my heart. By the last one, the pain was too much, and I couldn¡¯t take it. Before I passed out, the last thing I saw was Jinshi¡¯s stone expression as he pulled the first lid over my prison.


    ¡°For so long, I thought he hated me, and that I deserved it,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he ever stopped regretting what he did to you,¡± Kansi answered. ¡°And, even at the end of it all, his last thoughts were of you.¡±


    I put my hand over my heart, feeling the letter through my robes. ¡°I hope we meet again¡­in our next lives. Then, I can tell him just how sorry I am.¡± I turned my face up to the scarred moon.


    Kansi¡¯s face turned up as well. ¡°Wherever he is, I¡¯m sure he knows.¡±

 Chapter 94 - Into the Hunting Lodge

    You fool of a child! Sneaking into the sect?! Poisoning their disciples?! You court death not just for yourself, but for us all! Our honor is all that lets us survive the centuries, you wretch! -Matriarch Lin Olan


    *          *          *


    The gates to the Hunting Lodge loomed before us in a pretentious display of spikes and walls. It was crude, but sturdy¡­at least as far as fortresses in a backwater region of the world could be. It wouldn¡¯t hold a candle to any artist in the refining realm, but it was good enough for the Lunar Hunt¡¯s purposes.


    ¡°The spikes really do evoke images of bandits, don¡¯t they?¡± Lian mused as the four of us came to stand outside. ¡°They¡¯re certainly not the elegant and refined imagery that is common to the civilized societies of the world.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has their own tastes, I suppose,¡± Kansi agreed. Then she turned to me. ¡°How do you want to do this?¡±


    It was a very good question. News of the Tide Serpent¡¯s defeat would have already reached Shen Tori. Three weeks of travel was a long time, even with us pushing every day to cut out every last hour that stood between us and my disciple. Even attacking at this hour, as the sun was setting over the trees, was because we couldn¡¯t afford to wait any longer.


    ¡°He knows we¡¯re coming,¡± I said. He¡¯d be stupid not to. There were Lunar Hunt outposts all across the distance between Pemai, Hanai, and the Hunting Lodge, and we¡¯d passed at least three of them just in the last few days. ¡°I¡¯m frankly surprised that he hasn¡¯t invited us in, yet. What a terrible host.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s setting a trap?¡±


    ¡°Almost certainly.¡±


    Lin¡¯s hand tightened around the hilt of Shen Yaoxan¡¯s sword, which he won in fair combat. Though he¡¯d flown on Razor Wind the entire way here, the ancient blade made him nervous, and he¡¯d given it back to Kansi as soon as we¡¯d landed. ¡°Does it really matter? We can¡¯t just leave him alive just because he might have a trap set up.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t intend to,¡± I answered. ¡°He will be dead before the morning comes.¡±


    Kansi eyed me calmly. ¡°Has anyone ever told you that you are terrifying when you¡¯re angry? There¡¯s a darkness in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯s scary now, imagine what he was like as an Ascendent,¡± Lian muttered.


    I just shrugged. I had never considered myself to be an intimidating individual, even at the height of my power. The other Ascendents all believed me the youngest and weakest of the Avatars, always fearing the word of the Sun Queen or the Ocean Lord more than me. However, most of those who underestimated me quickly learned the hard way why I was just as worthy of my title as the others¡­and, in some cases, it was the last thing they ever learned.


    There was a crack and a shift of qi from down the road. Swords and bows were drawn, as each one of us expected an ambush. But, the footsteps that followed were dainty and light, and our weapons were quickly lowered as we saw just who had appeared.


    Queen Pollen of the Honey Hive blinked in wild confusion. ¡°Tsuyuki? Tenri? What just happened? Where am I?¡±


    ¡°At the Hunting Lodge, west of Hanai,¡± I provided. ¡°How did you get here so quickly?¡± It was an even longer journey from the Honey Hive to the Lodge than it was from Saikan. We¡¯d sent Xi Qian to let the evacuated villagers know it was safe to return, but there was no way he could have gotten to Pollen in time for her to arrive here with us.


    Yet, examining her, I could see the same pink and green qi that flowed freely from Pollen¡¯s domain wreathing the spirit beast. If she was an imposter, she was a very good one.


    ¡°Xi Qian said you defeated the Serpent,¡± she answered. ¡°Zumi and I were helping the civilians back, but we met a strange man on the road. He said he was a merchant travelling through. He showed us his wares, and there was this crystal¡­I held it and suddenly, I was here.¡± She crossed her arms, holding her whisk tightly as she surveyed the area for potential threats.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s an illusion? Or a shape changer?¡± Lin whispered. I didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I see, do you know why we¡¯re here, Your Majesty?¡±


    Pollen frowned, looking up at the Lodge, and recognizing the banners draped from the walls. ¡°I hope it¡¯s to burn Shen Tori alive, preferably before my darling Xinya is hurt.¡± The Queen¡¯s eyes narrowed with spite, but she maintained her graceful composure, idly swishing her whisk to stir up the air around her, despite there being no insects this late in the season.


    ¡°Xinya, hmm? Forgive me, Pollen, but I have to be sure. How did you and I meet?¡± I asked. Pollen seemed stunned for a moment before she caught on to my reasoning.


    ¡°My subordinates nearly convinced me to behead you in my own throne room,¡± she answered. ¡°I was worried that you were responsible for abusing the cutest little thing I¡¯d ever seen.¡± Pollen coughed slightly and looked away. ¡°I even lost my composure, I was so overwhelmed by your little disciple.¡±


    I nodded, satisfied by her answer. The only ones present for that encounter had been Pollen, Xinya, and Pollen¡¯s two loyal attendants. The red that colored her cheeks from admitting that she¡¯d ¡°lost her composure¡± meant she could be none other than the original.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be happy to have you, then. We¡¯ll figure out how you got here later,¡± I said. ¡°For now, we have a girl to save.¡± Something about Pollen¡¯s sudden appearance was weird. No mere merchant would have the kind of power necessary to teleport an artist across the country. However, regardless of the merchant¡¯s intentions, I was glad to have the Queen with us. Investigating the merchant could wait so long as Xinya was still in harm¡¯s way.


    I approached the gates to the Lodge, but before I could even touch them, the ground shuddered and the gates swung open. Peering inside, there were no cultivators immediately prepared to strike. All the people were withdrawn to the far side of a courtyard.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°This is absolutely a trap,¡± Lin murmured. I nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯d be rude guests not to see what he has in store,¡± I answered, stepping over the threshold and entering the Lodge.


    My four companions followed my lead, Lin staying just a step behind and to my right as we crossed the courtyard. The cultivators of the Lunar Hunt glared at us with the same hatred with which their spirit hounds growled. However, not one of them moved, which I suspected was at Shen Tori¡¯s command. The man himself stood directly across from us, with his son just behind him. Taihua was holding Xinya¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Wait! Uncle Yoru! There¡¯s a-¡±


    ¡°Quiet, child!¡± Shen Tori barked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xinya,¡± I called. ¡°We all know he¡¯s got a trap in here. Why else would he open the gates for us?¡±


    Shen Tori laughed. ¡°You were loitering on my front lawn for long enough. How else was I to welcome you, if you wouldn¡¯t approach?¡± He sighed and began pacing before us. ¡°You certainly took your time with my last little diversion. How many tries did it take you to finally subdue the beast?¡±


    ¡°The Serpent is dead, not subdued,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Really? Congratulations, you surpassed my expectations twice over,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even expect you to survive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always full of surprises.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°But, what shouldn¡¯t be surprising is why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°And my answer should be even less surprising,¡± Shen Tori finished. He stopped pacing, glaring at me with dark eyes filled with hate. ¡°I will not bow to any moon artist, certainly not the likes of you. If you seek to ¡®rescue¡¯ my granddaughter, then you don¡¯t understand what¡¯s best for her. I do.¡±


    A cold kernel of anger settled into my heart. ¡°Do you think I am unfamiliar with the void you would press upon her? You would force that upon a child? How cruel.¡± A cold laugh bubbled up in me. ¡°But then again, you support the murder of children just for having moon qi. Funny how your opinion changed as soon as it was your own blood on the executioner¡¯s block.¡±


    ¡°She was corrupted by your madness! You and your vile demon of a master!¡± Shen Tori shouted. He took several steps forward, his hands on the hilts of his daggers. However, where he was filled with hot rage, I remained cold. Calmly, I crossed the distance between us, until I was only a handful of paces from him.


    ¡°My demon of a master?¡± I asked softly. ¡°I do not bow to anyone. In what time you have left to you, let¡¯s see if you can figure out why.¡±


    ¡°Are you challenging me, little Iron?¡± he growled. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯ve bested Golds. You don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Golds? Is that supposed to be impressive?¡± I was so tired of the filth before me. I had no illusions of the difficulties that lay ahead of me. Any minute now, I expected the gates to close behind us, trapping us inside like lobsters in a trap, but I was not leaving here without my disciple. Shen Tori may have been Silver, but I had the experience of an Ascendent.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re just as foolish as I judged you for.¡±


    ¡°Then you should be fine taking me on.¡± I raised my voice for all to hear. ¡°So, if you¡¯re so confident, then let¡¯s make a wager. If I win, you will be dead, but I¡¯ll leave your people alone. I¡¯ll take Xinya, and the Hunt will never bother us again. If you win, then I¡¯ll tell you where to find the one you think is my master before I die. Imagine the favor you could curry with knowledge of the Darkened Moon¡¯s prison, hmm? It¡¯s said only the Sword Saint knew, and he took that secret to his grave. Imagine what the other Ascendents would pay for the location?¡±


    It was almost too easy. Greed and ambition shimmered in Shen Tori¡¯s eyes, and I knew I¡¯d hooked him with my useless information. What did it matter if he knew where to find the Labyrinth? It wasn¡¯t like anyone could get inside. Besides, I didn¡¯t plan on losing.


    ¡°No! Uncle Yoru! It¡¯s not-¡± Xinya tried to speak, but Taihua glared at her and she went silent.


    ¡°I accept the terms,¡± Shen Tori announced. ¡°Even if the information is worthless, I¡¯ll still get the pleasure of ridding the Shore of a vile moon artist.¡±


    The void artist waved a hand, and I heard the sound of the gates closing. I took a deep breath. With luck, none of the others need fight at all. Though the Lunar Hunt was devastated after the disappearance of Shen Yaoxan¡¯s war band, they still had enough Bronze and Iron artists and spirit beasts to stand a chance against four Iron artists and a Silver. Though I gave it even odds that my party would win, victory could be costly. This way, we wouldn¡¯t need to wipe out so many young cultivators who could still be brought back to a moral path, and their honor would ensure that Saikan and its people would be spared. All I had to do was win.


    ¡°Yoru, get out of there!¡± Xinya shouted before Taihua could stop her. I frowned, unsure of what she was warning me of. Shen Tori hadn¡¯t moved, and his qi was directed into the ground, not towards me.


    It was directed into the ground. The gate wasn¡¯t his only trap. Flash Forward heralded several flashes of light, but I was not going to stick around to find out the source. I turned and ran, trying to make it to one of the buildings before the new trap closed.


    I didn¡¯t make it.


    A brilliant line of characters carved itself into the packed dirt, forming a circle around the courtyard. Only Shen Tori and I were inside.


    ¡°Yoru!¡± Lin shouted. He lunged forward, but I put up a hand.


    ¡°No, stay out of it. If you interfere, the wager is off, and Saikan is in danger again,¡± I warned. He seethed in anger and frustration. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll get revenge for Hanako on your behalf. Trust me.¡±


    Lin backed away from the circle, but his sword remained drawn. Lian put a hand on his shoulder, whispering something to him, that seemed to calm him slightly. I smiled, projecting as much confidence as I could.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully arrogant for someone caught in an unknown array,¡± mocked Shen Tori.


    I just shrugged. ¡°Some of my most impressive feats were accomplished from within an unknown array. I think I can hand-¡±


    My words were roughly cut off as I choked and gasped. Inside me, my own qi was writhing as moonlight was being smothered in every inch of my body. I grasped at my chest as all the bright qi that had been a part of me for so long was systematically hunted and locked away.


    The blood in my veins burned as my meridians were flooded with undiluted void qi. My knees gave out from under me, and in a split second, I forced the shift to Void-touched. Relief from the pain filled me as the change to a being of the void washed over my body.


    ¡°There¡¯s the monster,¡± Shen Tori mused. ¡°How confident are you now, Tsuyuki Yoru? This array prevents the use of all lunar qi, and all techniques derived from the moon¡¯s powers. Without it, you¡¯re crippled. Do you think you can beat me with only half your core?¡±


    But, I wasn¡¯t listening to him. Instead, I was distracted by¡­silence. Everything was so quiet. The voices of the void that normally were a dull hum in the background of my life were so quiet I could barely hear anything at all. The Labyrinth¡¯s chattering madness at the edges of my consciousness were silenced, too.


    Is this what being normal is like? I wondered. Why would severing the moon silence the void? It was the opposite of what I would have expected. The moon was my light, the representation of all I¡¯d been before the Void sank its dirty claws into me. Why would the voices die with my essence shifted towards the very aspect that spawned them?


    ¡°Yoru, watch out!¡± Lin¡¯s voice rang clearly across the courtyard. I snapped out of my thoughts, only to find Shen Tori was gone. Void qi shifted behind me, and I spun, barely blocking a dagger with my chains as Shen Tori appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s time you died, you wretched moon beast!¡±


    I gritted my teeth. ¡°Afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed!¡±

 Chapter 95 - Silence

    The World shouts. The Path whispers. -Ancient Saying from the Daran Region


    *          *          *


    This was no time for half measures. I was at a grave disadvantage. Flash Forward and Flash Back were both moon techniques and would be blocked by the array. Even at my darkest moments, pretending to be a void artist in Saikan, rarely had I ever fought without them. Now, fighting a Silver, I was without my secret weapons.


    You¡¯ve done this before, Yoru, I reminded myself. The first time you fought Shen Yaoxan, it was without your blooded techniques. He was an advancement higher, and he had five allies. You survived that. You¡¯ll survive this, too.


    Shen Tori slashed at me with a void-coated dagger. I pulled back, letting the attack slice the air just in front of my nose. Before the attack was even through, the void artist was gone, disappeared into a cloud of black smoke.


    I pulled an arrow from my quiver and fitted it to my bowstring. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to unsheathe Eclipse, not inside the array. It was forged from purest moonlight infused into the horn of a dragon and wrapped in the highest-grade lunar steel you¡¯ll ever find. Within the array, none of that would matter. It would be little more than a regular sword. I¡¯d already shattered it once. If I did so now, it would never be whole again. I couldn¡¯t allow that.


    My enemy did not strike immediately. Instead, he lurked in the shadows that gathered under the tinted dome. I kept my eyes peeled, summoning forth the aura of the Chain-Bound Fury while I waited. The packed earth sizzled under my feet as the void ate away at it, and though I didn¡¯t expect that the aura would affect my enemy quite so well, I anticipated becoming desperate for every bit of damage I could deal to Shen Tori.


    I watched, waiting patiently for the telltale shift in void qi that would herald Shen Tori¡¯s reappearance. A bit of the qi brushed against my left cheek, and I whipped around, drawing back my string to fire on the man from point-blank range. He appeared. I loosed the arrow, but then he was gone.


    A dagger sank into my right shoulder blade. The length of the blade burned with void qi, eating a hole in my robes, the edges of which were immediately soaked in black blood. Shen Tori tried to drag the blade up my shoulder, no doubt to reach around and clip my throat, but even he couldn¡¯t penetrate the chains that clung to me. The blade was halted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hear them?¡± Shen Tori growled in my ear. ¡°The voices of the void that come with my every attack?¡±


    I did hear them, but they still weren¡¯t as loud, nor as persistent as the voices I¡¯d been contending with for a thousand thousand moons. The eerie silence was quick to return as soon as I pressed my will on them.


    ¡°Is that what they are?¡± I mocked. ¡°My mistake. They have all the bite of a mid-summer¡¯s breeze!¡± I slammed my elbow back into the void artist¡¯s chest. The attack was followed by a chain that was whipped around with all the speed I could muster from my right arm. Shen Tori grunted as the chain slammed into his head, but he disappeared a moment later, leaving behind more void shadows in his wake.


    Without any warning, void qi swirled around me in a vortex. My skin tingled painfully, and I spotted blisters forming on the backs of my hands. I stumbled forward, desperate to get out of the attack.


    Qi shifted in front of me, this time. Rather than wait to draw an arrow, I simply infused the length of my bow with the all-consuming essence of the void and thrust it forward. Shen Tori caught the blow, deflecting it to the side.


    ¡°Face the facts, Tsuyuki,¡± he said. ¡°You can¡¯t beat me. You are nothing without your moonlight, and I am far more familiar with the nature of the void than you are. You are a pup who understands nothing of the void and its voices. My bloodline lets me hear their whispers, lets me understand more than any other void artist ever will.¡±


    ¡°If those are the voices you¡¯re listening to, then your understanding is full of holes,¡± I answered. ¡°No wonder you¡¯ve only advanced to Silver. Without true comprehension, you¡¯ll never go further.¡±


    Even as I said it, I knew the words applied just as much to me as to him. For all my posturing, could I really say that I understood the void? The silence left in my head without the voices was eerie and unnatural, and the relief I¡¯d initially felt was rapidly being replaced by a wish for normalcy. It was almost distracting to have so much quiet inside my own head. My thoughts were so loud without the void whispering in the background.


    Shen Tori¡¯s face twisted into a hideous mask of fury. Insulting the cultivation of another artist was always a sure-fire way to aggravate them, and I¡¯d done it almost without thinking. In an instant, he was gone again. He could strike from anywhere.


    I just need to find him¡­just like last time. It¡¯s just¡­just¡­I just need to find the disturbance. Disturbance¡­


    The disturbance came and went, and a dagger clipped my side before he disappeared again. The voices from Shen Tori¡¯s attack surged in my thoughts, and I shoved them back down, just in time to deflect the next dagger off my arm chains before it could pierce my skin.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    There! Just like that! Strike him down, then pull your bow, and¡­wait, no...pull bow, then strike? Everything was getting muddled as my mind darted from thought to thought quicker than I could keep up. The silence gave it speed, like a cart on a clear road, there was nothing to slow its progress, and so it careened forward without any control.


    A hand grabbed the back of my collar. Before I could react, I was yanked off my feet and thrown into the array. It was like slamming into a solid wall. I groaned as I tried to stand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± I heard Lian ask. ¡°Does he rely on Flash Forward that much?¡±


    Lin¡¯s voice answered. ¡°No, he¡¯s fought without Flash Forward before. This is different. Something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Could it be the moon? He is the Avatar, after all, even if he is Iron.¡± Lin didn¡¯t answer, for even I was vaguely surprised by how distracting the silence was.


    Where is the Evil Shi Reili when you need her? I thought, hoping that she would mysteriously appear, like she always did¡­even when I thought about her only in passing. Yet, no additional voices rang through my head.


    But it didn¡¯t make any sense! Why did severing my connection with the moon of all things lessen the voices in my head? Unless the array was really cutting off my connection to everything around me, but the kind of artist that would be required to build such an array would have to be at least a Salt, if not stronger. It wouldn¡¯t be wasted on a backwater nation like the Moon-Soaked Shore.


    Shen Tori crouched next to me. ¡°Ready to give up, little Iron?¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± In one swift motion, I yanked an arrow from my quiver, infused it with the strongest void qi I could muster, and slammed it into his leg. He hissed in pain, stumbling backwards before snapping off the shaft of the arrow and tossing it aside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, your void is potent, if lacking in will,¡± he grunted. I pushed myself back to my feet. That was the most damaging attack I¡¯d made in the fight so far. If I could just ride that success, focus my mind, and finish him, I might be able to break the array and get my head back on straight. Even Shen Tori¡¯s voices would be better than the awful silence.


    His voices? The thought darted around my head like sound in an echo chamber before I finally wrangled it and considered it further.


    For whatever reason, the voices I¡¯d lived with for millennia were being blocked alongside my moon qi, but no array would be strong enough to eliminate them entirely. If that were true, then I¡¯d never have fallen to them as an Ascendent. The voices were still out there, just as the moon still shone in the sky overhead. If I could reach them¡­if I could grasp a thread of a connection to the void and use it to draw even the tiniest bit of moon qi into the array, I¡¯d already stand better odds than I did at present.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± I asked. ¡°Some Silver you are. No wonder you summoned the Tide Serpent. You need a garden snake to fight your battles for you.¡±


    Shen Tori huffed in irritation. A vortex of qi swirled around me, but I didn¡¯t try to dodge. I gritted my teeth, took a stance I¡¯d seen Lin use a dozen times before, and let the void burn and blister against my skin. The void artist suddenly appeared next to me, sending a kick into my shoulder that made my bones ache and protest. I stumbled to the side, nearly falling, but never moving to dodge away from Shen Tori¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°Yoru!¡± Lin shouted. ¡°Have you lost your mind?! Dodge, you idiot!¡±


    In truth, I did feel like an idiot. Instincts born over millennia of training screamed to get out of the way. Shen Tori¡¯s attacks hurt. A normal Iron cultivator would have certainly had their entire body disintegrated by the strength of his Silver void qi. Even as a Void-touched, my normally perfect skin was bleeding and blistered, and my clothes were stained with my blood. It caked my skin and welled up in the back of my throat, but I could only smile.


    The voices were chaotic. They didn¡¯t say much. They didn¡¯t urge violence nor destruction, but they were loud in my head.


    Shen Tori grabbed me by the collar once more, this time throwing me onto my stomach and pinning me to the ground. His hand grabbed my ponytail and pulled me up.


    ¡°Any last words for your disciple before you tell me what I want?¡± he growled. But I could only bring myself to laugh.


    It was crazed, unhinged even. But it was deep and real.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± he asked. I coughed, spitting the blood from my mouth. In my mind, I focused on the voices. They were loud, but somewhere they had to have a purpose. Shen Tori said they had will, even if they were less potent than my own, which meant there must be something beyond them. The qi swirled, and I followed it back with my own.


    Void is the domain of distance. By conquering the distance, we can communicate.


    The thread solidified, and I pulled with all my willpower. Shen Tori stiffened above me.


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡± He never finished the thought. I pulled on the void, calling out through him. It danced and wavered. His connection reached deep into the earth before shooting into the heavens, beyond the moon and to the void beyond.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening, now!¡± I shouted out loud. ¡°Reili! I¡¯m listening. You said to trust in myself, but I trust in you. Please¡­I¡¯m listening, now.¡±


    Before my eyes, I saw Xinya just outside the array. She was being held back by Taihua, who¡¯d knelt and wrapped her in his arms. She stared back at me with worry in her violet eyes, and even Taihua looked nervous. But, behind them both, a ghostly figure stepped from the darkness.


    Void shadows gathered into two slithering serpents as she walked silently forward until she was standing just behind the two cultivators. Her hair was pulled back in a smart, practical knot that trailed down to her shoulders, framing an ashen face with gleaming silver eyes. Void-touched horns poked from her hair, and her hands were each tipped with well-maintained claws. She said no words, and no one seemed to notice the appearance of the ghostly beauty, but her eyes met mine.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening. I¡¯m sorry it took me so long,¡± I bowed my head. She smiled.


    Whispers began to trickle into my thoughts, and I listened. Some of them craved destruction, as they always did, but behind them, the quieter voices whispered of sanctuary and peace. I focused on those, pushing aside the violence until it was the usual dull roar. The sweeter voices grew louder and louder in my thoughts, and I felt the back of my neck tingling as qi began to surge through me.


    ¡°What are you¡­that¡¯s impossible!?¡± Shen Tori shouted.


    I could see what he was afraid of. Where it fell in ragged, blood-soaked threads around my head, my hair was shining with voidlight.

 Chapter 96 - Listen

    Only a fool shouts when an action is easier to hear. -Ascendent Shi Reili, the Void Herald


    *          *          *


    ¡°How are you bypassing the array?¡± Shen Tori shouted. ¡°It was drawn by a Gold!¡±


    ¡°You Shens.¡± I laughed. ¡°You just have the worst misfortune to have me as your enemy. Must be a family failing.¡±


    My body still ached. Despite my success in reaching the void, the battle had still taken a heavy toll. Blood oozed from blisters and cuts all over me.


    Yet, despite all of the pains, or perhaps in spite of them, I felt better than ever. Hope filled my heart, and my body shuddered with elated laughter. I couldn¡¯t stop it. Shen Tori¡¯s unnerved spluttering was just too funny.


    ¡°You¡­you really are a monster. Did the Chain-Bound Fury lend you his strength?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Moon qi swirled with the void in my core, mixing together as I called upon them in equal parts. The ground shuddered slightly as a jagged spike of blue-silver light erupted from the earth. It clipped Shen Tori in the side before he could dodge, and I swiftly followed up by rolling into his leg. Off balance, he stumbled, giving me the chance to stand.


    ¡°I did not make a deal with the Fury, Shen Tori,¡± I hissed. ¡°His madness, his anger, they¡¯ve always been mine and mine alone.¡± Shen Tori didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he vanished into the shadows. I bowed my head and drew three arrows from my quiver. It was time to end this.


    I raced forward, sprinting to the side of the arena where Xinya was waiting. Her eyes were wide with worry, but as soon as she saw me, a smile broke out on her face. I winked at her.


    Void qi shifted just in front of me. I let my knees collapse beneath me, dropping down just as a void-coated dagger appeared where my throat was. Even as the blade appeared and I slid beneath it, Shen Tori was already disappearing again. I leapt to my feet, ran several more paces, then sprang high into the air.


    The Array was like a solid wall to me. It stood to reason that I could use it like one, as well. With a light kick of my foot, I jumped off the invisible wall, leaping even higher and drawing my bowstring back to my cheek.


    The arrows were each infused with brilliant voidlight, and as soon as I reached the peak of my jump, I fired. They split and streaked all around the circle before burying themselves into the earth.


    There was an ear-splitting CRACK! All around me, shattered qi formed cracks like spiderwebs all across reality. In an instant, the barrier array shattered under the force of the twelve arrows of Heaven¡¯s Rain.


    Qi flooded my body, finally unhampered by the array. Brilliant moonlight shone down from above, and I relished the feeling of the cool light upon my cheek.


    But, the moment was short. Shen Tori appeared just behind me, slamming a foot into the jagged gash on my left shoulder and forcing me to my knees. I coughed, and blood pooled to the ground beneath me.


    ¡°You might have all your power, but that doesn¡¯t change how this fight is going to end,¡± the Huntmaster growled. ¡°You think yourself a tiger, but really, you¡¯re just a pitiful little moon moth flying around the flames of the more powerful.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m a moon moth, then let me dazzle you with my lights!¡±


    With a snap of my fingers, three disks of voidlight streaked towards the void artist, but he was gone in a flash.


    How am I going to pin him down? I wondered. He was just too fast. Between his teleportation technique and being an advancement higher than me, the odds were still against me. If I couldn¡¯t even hit him¡­


    This was always the problem with fighting Jinshi, too. At least there, I knew the details of his techniques and could prepare accordingly. With him, his doubles weren¡¯t illusions, and he was just moving so fast as to create after-images. Hit more than one at once, and you¡¯d be more likely to hit him.


    Shen Tori was the opposite. Instead of being everywhere at once, he was nowhere. He vanished from view, only to reappear somewhere completely different. He made excellent use of the speed at his disposal, and the longer the fight went on, the more likely it was that he¡¯d get lucky.


    Luck? The idea lingered in my thoughts, as if it were a completely foreign concept. I wasn¡¯t used to luck being a significant part of battle, since I hadn¡¯t relied on luck since I¡¯d developed Flash Forward and Flash Back. Maybe it was time to give it a place again¡­


    And what better time than against an incredibly fast enemy? Even the Sword Saint couldn¡¯t outrun the speed of light, let alone Shen Tori.


    With a deep breath, I raised a hand. Baleful light sparked to life, basking the entire area in fortune-eroding light. I poured qi into it, equal parts void and moon, and the orb of blue light took on the self-same properties as my void aura. Everywhere the light touched, the ground and buildings sizzled. The spectators gasped and backed away to stay out of harm¡¯s way.


    ¡°Do you think a little light will frighten me?¡± Shen Tori called.


    He reappeared nearby, standing still, as if to show me just how ineffective the corrosive light was on him. And, to an extent, he was right. The destructive touch was minimal on him, creating a few blisters but nothing truly substantial. However, that didn¡¯t bother me in the slightest. Threads of voidlight, visible only to my eyes, began to swirl and twist around him like hungry chains waiting to drag him to hell.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I feigned shock, and he laughed heartily. ¡°Was that your big plan? Try and use a void aura against a greater void artist? I knew you were a fool, but it seems I overestimated you.¡±


    The threads wrapped around his feet and hands, and the ground began to shake. Cracks began to split open in the earth around Shen Tori¡¯s feet. He looked down, concern etched into the lines of his face.


    ¡°How unlucky,¡± I mused, ¡°that the very same aura you¡¯re mocking has destabilized the ground of the courtyard. Shen Yaoxan lost to me the first time because he fell into a ditch. Tell me, did he take after his father?¡±


    ¡°You dare use my son¡¯s name against me?¡± Shen Tori growled. ¡°You will die for that!¡± Void qi dripped from his blades as he cut them across the air between us. A net of void energy formed, streaking straight towards me.


    In a flash, Eclipse was out of its sheath. It streaked towards the net, glowing with the same blue light as the rest of my qi. It sliced clean through the air at my command, slamming into the net and slowing its approach. Through the holes in the net, I fired two more voidlight arrows, and Shen Tori was forced to vanish once more.


    I glanced up at the orb of Corrosive Light above. It was an extremely costly ability, and my qi stores would not last forever, but if I was right and the light shifted fortune in my favor, then it was worth the cost.


    Pain slashed across my back. I¡¯d missed the shift in void qi that heralded an attack! The blade cut deep. With a desperate surge of energy, I whipped around, flinging one of my chains at Shen Tori. It connected with him, sending him staggering to the side, but the damage was done. Off balance and energy waning, I fell, my head slamming into the ground as blood pooled around me.


    Shen Tori knelt next to me, shoving me over to see the results of his handiwork. As his hand drew back, I spied a dozen threads of voidlight swirling around him. They danced and twisted around his hands before leaping from him to me. I stared at them, confused by the transfer.


    In the past, I¡¯d never been affected by my own voidlight techniques beyond blocking my blooded techniques. That couldn¡¯t have changed now, could it? But, if that was the case, then the only other time that I¡¯d seen the threads leap from one to another thing was when¡­


    ¡­when they jumped from the target to the instrument of their demise.


    Without warning, a spike of pain shot through my mind as the voices from Shen Tori¡¯s void techniques pierced a weak point in my mental defenses. I curled up, clutching my head as whispers of destruction and devastation filled my thoughts.


    ¡°Are you really listening, Yoru?¡± Shi Reili¡¯s voice whispered in my thoughts, but whether it was the real one or the fake that the Void favored was unclear. ¡°I said to trust in the void, trust in yourself, and you¡¯ve done neither.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I just¡­¡± Was this really the answer the voidlight created for Shen Tori¡¯s bad luck? The void was suddenly more painfully loud than it had been in years, more so even than when I¡¯d consumed the Chain-Bound Fury.


    ¡°Listen. Trust in yourself and listen.¡±


    *          *          *


    Lin didn¡¯t even want to watch anymore, but he had to¡­for Yoru¡¯s sake. It was like watching an injured falcon trying to outmatch a cat. Yoru was hurt, and even though he¡¯d destroyed the Array that stifled his abilities, Lin didn¡¯t believe it would be enough.


    Maybe, if he¡¯d started the fight with his moonlight, he could have overcome¡­ As it stood now, Yoru had already been too heavily wounded by the time he could fight at full strength.


    Lin wanted to help. He wanted to intervene, to give Shen Tori someone else to target, if only for a little while, and he could tell that Kansi, Lian, and Pollen all felt the same. They were here for a fight, after all, but the four of them were stuck on the sidelines while their friend was being tormented to death before their very eyes.


    ¡°He can¡¯t go like this, right?¡± Lian muttered. ¡°If so, then what was the point? He¡¯s one of the Five Demons. He can¡¯t go like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, Master Tsuyuki,¡± Kansi urged quietly. Her hands gripped Razor Wind tightly, as if she were trying to channel the spirit of her master to help his lost love.


    The only one who was stoic through it all was Pollen, whose expression was colder than normal, but otherwise held the aloof neutrality of a ruler. Lin had to admire the way she kept her calm. He wished he could emulate it.


    But, when Shen Tori appeared behind Yoru for the last time, slicing cleanly across the moon artist¡¯s back, Lin¡¯s chest ached, and he took an involuntary step backwards. There was a sickening crack as his best friend¡¯s head slammed against the ground.


    Xinya¡¯s scream was the only sound Lin could hear. Everything else was drowned out by the sound of his own heart beating faster and faster with every second that Yoru was down.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­¡± Lian said after several seconds. Yoru wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°And so, the fool falls,¡± Shen Tori shouted for all the crowd to hear. ¡°A shame. He never did get to tell me what I¡¯m owed.¡± The Huntmaster turned to the rest of the group. ¡°Now. Which of you wants to be next?¡±


    ¡°Technically, the wager doesn¡¯t stop us from destroying the place if Tsuyuki fell,¡± Lian noted. He was already reaching into his pocket for a talisman to summon one of his yokai. Lin¡¯s hand was on his sword, and Kansi¡¯s was already drawn. None of them intended to give up the fight just because their friend had been defeated.


    Pollen suddenly gasped. ¡°Wait. Look.¡± She pointed behind Shen Tori, who frowned and turned to see what everyone else was already looking at.


    Blue light swirled around Yoru in streaks of brilliance¡­and he was standing. Though his chest was heaving, and he looked weary, the threads were slowly stitching his clothes back together. When the blood had all been cleaned away, and his clothes were back to their usual immaculate look, the lights settled into his hair like the dazzling headpiece of an emperor.


    ¡°How are you still standing?¡± Shen Tori asked incredulously.


    Yoru didn¡¯t answer. Something about him was¡­off. Lin expected some kind of witty retort to Shen Tori¡¯s surprise, but, instead, it was as if he couldn¡¯t even hear the villain anymore. His eyes were unfocused, and after a moment, they flared with voidlight, and the orb of lunar qi that hung overhead suddenly exploded. A column of blue, black, and white filled the arena before streaking high into the sky.


    Lin had to block his eyes for fear that he¡¯d be even further blinded if he looked for too long. Shen Tori¡¯s screams mixed with the echoes of an eerie laughter that chilled Lin to the bone.


    Then, the light was gone. When Lin blinked away the spots in his vision, only one person remained in the arena. Yoru stood at the center of a field of void-ravaged earth, but Shen Tori was nowhere in sight.


    ¡°The Darkened Moon¡­¡± Lian whispered in awe. Lin could see why. Yoru was staring darkly at a space on the ground where the earth had been transmuted to brilliant silver. That was where Shen Tori had been standing.


    The Master of the Lunar Hunt had been completely erased.

 Chapter 97 - Governor

    Even the oldest of monsters may still grow. Never underestimate an enemy merely because they seemed to stand still for a century or two. -Sun Queen Tian Li


    *          *          *


    I stared at the spot where Shen Tori had stood. The ground beneath had been turned to silver stone, but even as I watched, reality shifted and traces of qi drifted away on the wind. The ground returned to the same color as all the rest, as if it had never been anything different.


    ¡°See, you are capable of restraint,¡± Reili¡¯s voice echoed in my thoughts. She laughed slightly, and then the voices of the void began to quiet, returning to the dull background noise I was used to.


    Weariness washed over me, and the world began to spin. Erasing a Silver from existence had taken every last ounce of qi I had. Now, my body shuddered as the cost of such a battle caught up with me. I was still bleeding from a dozen injuries, and desperately wanted to sleep.


    ¡°Uncle Yoru!¡± Xinya cried as she broke free of Taihua¡¯s grasp and ran to my side. ¡°Yoru! Are you okay? You¡¯re hurt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I promised weakly. She knelt and put a hand on my back to keep me upright. ¡°What about you, though?¡±


    She sniffed back several tears and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I knew you¡¯d come eventually.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I couldn¡¯t leave my disciple to face such a monster alone,¡± I teased, ruffling her hair. She giggled. ¡°I¡¯ll always come find you. No matter what.¡±


    ¡°Not if I become strong enough! Then I¡¯ll rescue myself first!¡±


    From all around, the remaining members of the Lunar Hunt eyed each other with uncertainty. In the last six months, I¡¯d killed their leader and his eldest son. Furthermore, many of them still believed that I was responsible for murdering their friends who participated in the Siege of Saikan. Whether I was truly responsible or not, to them, I was a force of nature akin to the Tide Serpent itself. Even as I lay weakened, none of them wanted to tangle with me, for fear of losing their lives.


    Shen Taihua stepped forward, crossing the radius of the lunar array with several slow, but deliberate steps. With each step he took, Lin matched him, until the two of them were face-to-face with Xinya and I between them.


    ¡°Where does this leave us, Shen Taihua?¡± Lin asked quietly. The young void artist looked down at where his father had last stood before the voidlight had burned his existence away. Sadness glimmered quietly in his eyes, but when he next spoke, his voice was steady and clear.


    ¡°My brother took the life of Xinya¡¯s father. In return, you took his life,¡± he began. ¡°My father sought vengeance, but you killed him before he could reach it. The blood debt between us has not been balanced.¡± Despite his words, there was no malice in his voice. He was nothing but contemplative.


    ¡°Balanced?¡± Lin growled. ¡°You forgot my wife! You forgot my parents! They were murdered by Lunar Hunt cultivators! The debt is not balanced, yes, but if anything, we are the ones owed!¡±


    ¡°Lin,¡± I said. ¡°Enough. Let him speak.¡±


    Taihua frowned. ¡°We did not organize those deaths.¡±


    ¡°Like hell you didn¡¯t!¡± Lin¡¯s voice rose into a shout. ¡°They were wearing Lunar Hunt badges! Yoru saw them!¡± Taihua was quiet for a long moment, clearly trying to puzzle out the events which had taken place.


    ¡°It must have been the other man.¡±


    ¡°What other man?¡±


    ¡°The hidden master who arrived the night Yaoxan was killed,¡± Taihua explained. ¡°He and his disciple came here that night and offered to my father a plan to weaken Tsuyuki so we could strike. All he wanted in return was the corpse once we were through.¡±


    That was...ominous. There were a good number of people who could benefit from the blood and body of the Darkened Moon. Even as I was, parts of my body could be used as qi components in rituals and advancement all over the world, and if they had a way to access the power I once had¡­I couldn¡¯t be certain what would happen, but it would be disastrous.


    ¡°Did this hidden master give a name?¡± I asked. Taihua shook his head.


    ¡°No sect identification, either, but the way he moved¡­I¡¯ve never seen that kind of grace. It was inhuman¡­predatory, even.¡±


    For Taihua to be unsure of their strength¡­the young artist had certainly met the Governor as part of his role as Shen Tori¡¯s lieutenant. Rumors put him at Gold, so if Taihua said he was stronger¡­he had to be at least Salt, possibly even further into the Refining Realm.


    A hidden master indeed¡­ I¡¯ll have to watch out for that one. Perhaps they were the one who brought Pollen to the Lodge, but if that was the case, whose side were they really on?


    Lin still glared at Taihua with hate in his eyes, but the void artist just bowed his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the same taste for violence that my family does. I was never able to defeat my father in combat, and I lack the bloodline of our ancestors. I cannot challenge you, and so I choose to drop the feud between us,¡± he announced. Whispers of surprise and shock echoed across the castle courtyard as the rest of the Lunar Hunt questioned his decision. However, as with most things in the cultivation world, the word of the strong was final. Shen Taihua was Iron, and one of the very few left who could boast that rank. With his surrender, none of the Bronze and Leaf artists had the strength to question it.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    However, Lin didn¡¯t seem convinced. His fists balled at his sides, and verdant qi swirled around him.


    ¡°Uncle Lin,¡± Xinya pleaded. ¡°Master Shen was nice to me when his father wanted to break my core. He¡¯s not a bad guy.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad guy? He works with the people who hunted you and Yoru halfway across the Shore and back!¡± Lin shouted. ¡°He stood by as his own blood murdered children!¡±


    Xinya stood in front of him, scowling in that way she did where her nose and mouth twisted until she thought herself ferocious. In truth, it was less terrifying than she probably intended, but as long as she was fierce in her own mind, we could work on the rest later. I was too exhausted to argue.


    ¡°Leave. Him. Alone!¡± she insisted. ¡°He didn¡¯t kill Hanako. He didn¡¯t kill my dad.¡±


    The little lightning artist glared at her adopted uncle, and the air almost sparked between them. But, in the end, even at his worst, Lin couldn¡¯t say no to Xinya when she was determined to get her way. He relaxed. Stepping forward, he sized Taihua up and down.


    With a brutal swing that none could stop, Lin¡¯s fist slammed into Taihua¡¯s cheek. The void artist stumbled and fell in surprise, and several of the Lunar Hunt rushed in, determined to come to his defense. However, he raised a hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m fine!¡± He stood and straightened his armor. ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes for there to be no further bloodshed, then my skin is thick enough to take the blow.¡± The rest of the Hunt relaxed slowly as Lin knelt and pulled my arm over his shoulder. I leaned on him heavily as we began to withdraw. Pollen, Kansi, and Lian all kept their vigil as we exited the gates before falling into step behind us.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys, but I¡¯m hoping for a very quiet return to Saikan,¡± Kansi muttered. Lian immediately tensed and put a hand over the wind artist¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Are you nuts!?¡± he hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that! You¡¯ll only tempt-¡±


    But fate had already been tempted. A thousand blue-silver threads sparked all around us in the environment, visible only to my eyes.


    ¡°Is this a good time to mention that we are all bathed in voidlight?¡± I said.


    ¡°And that does¡­what, exactly?¡± Lian asked.


    ¡°Anyone ever wonder why I¡¯m called the Demon of Misfortune?¡± I answered. Anything the voidlight touched would have their fortunes altered. We¡¯d all been present for the battle with Shen Tori. We were all cursed by my own techniques.


    The threads of fate began to twist and weave around us, and panic grew in my heart. Whatever twisted monster was about to jump out of the woods at us would not be easy, given how much I¡¯d used my techniques. Drained of qi as I was, would I even be able to help?


    Xinya lit a small mote of moonlight to illuminate the road ahead of us. The trees on either side of the road swayed gently, and everything was peaceful. Then, the threads gathered before us, and a man dressed in silver stepped into the light.


    ¡°Well, well, well,¡± he said. ¡°Here I came to see my old friend, Shen Tori, after my travels, and I find rats scurrying about his castle.¡±


    ¡°Wait! Governor! I can explain!¡± Shen Taihua shouted, running after us with all his speed. At the mention of the Governor, everyone tensed. Eyes flicked to his shoulder, where a Gold badge dangled amidst his clothes.


    ¡°Young Shen, does your father know you¡¯re out?¡± the newcomer asked softly. His voice was calm, and almost bored. ¡°Nevermind. Go and fetch him. I would have tea with him to discuss affairs.¡±


    ¡°Governor, I can¡¯t¡­my father is dead.¡± Taihua was hesitant in his words. ¡°Please, let these people go. We¡¯ve settled our quarrel. There¡¯s been enough bloodshed tonight.¡±


    ¡°Enough blood?¡± the Governor asked incredulously. ¡°One of my servants is dead after an enormous beam of moon qi shot into the sky. There are intruders at your gates, and you dare to tell me that enough blood has been shed? Know your place, boy. Do you recall who it was who gave me authority over this place?¡±


    ¡°Th-the Ascendents, sir,¡± the void artist answered.


    ¡°Exactly. Now, why have you ignored it?¡± Taihua had no answer and could only look around helplessly as the Governor waited, tapping his foot impatiently. ¡°I see,¡± he finally said. ¡°It seems you are not a fitting replacement for your father, Shen Taihua.¡±


    In flash of motion, the Governor was behind Taihua. He struck two fingers into the younger man¡¯s back. Taihua cried out in alarm, only for his cries to be strangled as his body tensed without his permission. He collapsed to the ground, his body perfectly paralyzed.


    ¡°Be still. I will deal with you later,¡± the Governor instructed. ¡°Now, for the rest of you.¡±


    Kansi lunged at the governor, drawing her sword in the blink of an eye. The ground shook as a wall of earth sprang up between her and the Governor. Her blade cut through it, but the blow lost much of its force before it could reach him.


    ¡°Lin, take Tsuyuki and Xinya and go!¡± Pollen shouted. ¡°We will buy you time!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would be so foolish as to let that happen?¡± the Governor shouted. He raised a hand towards the three of us. Ten pointed stones formed from the dust in the air before streaking towards us so fast that a single one could probably pierce straight through our bodies without any resistance at all. The Governor was Gold. This was not a fight we could win.


    A thread of voidlight whipped across my vision, darting from Pollen to the Governor before racing off into the forest. From where it came, a furious battle cry and a horrible buzzing heralded a brilliant flash of golden light. It slammed into the ground between the Governor and us, burning the stones.


    But, it wasn¡¯t enough. Even in the light, I could see the stones weren¡¯t going to be stopped in time. I threw myself in front of Xinya. Sharp pain ripped through my skin, but at least it wasn¡¯t deadly.


    A bright streak of blond and black slammed into the ground in front of the Governor just as a thousand hornets the size of dogs surged from the underbrush. Their eyes glowed with the golden light of Pharyx¡¯s bloodline.


    ¡°You!¡± Pollen breathed in surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Trying to be the kind of ally I want to be,¡± the hornet queen answered. He swung his lance around and pointed it at the Governor. ¡°I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t arrive too late.¡±


    ¡°Stupid Spirit Beast.¡± The Governor grinned. ¡°Do you think you can save them? With your pitiful strength? Don¡¯t make me laugh.¡±


    ¡°Tsuyuki, Lin,¡± Pharyx began. ¡°My actions when we last met shame me greatly. Can you forgive me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive, friend,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Then go! We¡¯ll hold him and the Lunar Hunt off,¡± he promised, raising his lance. ¡°Governor Hong. I am High Queen Taiya Pharyx, Son of the Dawn Empress. I am claiming the Eastern Shore in the name of the Hanai Hornets and all the rest who dwell there. Renounce your claim or die by my hand!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long to end you,¡± the Governor growled. ¡°You buy nothing with your death.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡± The hornet lunged, his hair and wings already shining bright with his power.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin insisted. I nodded. I was in no condition to help them. All I could do was pray to whatever spirits might be listening in the dark and dreary forest for their safety.

 Chapter 98 - Death by Misfortune

    And so, before us loomed those blackened spires, with red lanterns like wisps dancing in the fog. A cold wind blew ethereal chills down our spines as we stepped forward through the very gates of hell. - A passage from the Mado Akura, one of the sacred texts common to several cults practicing demonic cultivation.


    *          *          *


    As Lin supported me into the forest, I cycled the qi from my core. I was so drained, there was very little left, but even the simple act of drawing it out and spreading its invigorating power to my limbs soothed the weariness.


    ¡°Do you think this is the way home?¡± Xinya asked. ¡°The trees have gotten thicker. I can¡¯t see the sky.¡±


    I spotted a frown growing on Lin¡¯s face as he looked at the trees around us. When ten threads of voidlight qi streaked past, I began to share in his concern. Surely, we must have been east of the Hunting Lodge, but that didn¡¯t narrow it down much. Without a road to follow, how would we know we weren¡¯t walking into a spider nest? Or worse?


    For nearly a full hour, we continued walking. The trees got thicker, and fog began to cling to the shrubbery beneath our feet. Without any further warning, a chilling breeze bit deep into my bones, making me shudder. Xinya latched onto my leg, and Lin¡¯s grip on my hand grew tighter.


    Void qi enveloped us like a blanket that caressed my Void-touched skin like a gentle blanket. Immediately, I began to feel better, physically, even as worry filled my heart with fear.


    ¡°Just keep going,¡± Lin insisted. A path began to form under our feet, leading to an old and gnarled lamp post. It stretched into the canopy, casting its spooky light over every leaf and branch and sending their shadows dancing into the darkness.


    ¡°Uncle Yoru?¡± Xinya whispered. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± I pulled free of Lin¡¯s grasp, standing on my own feet so I could take Xinya¡¯s hand in my own. I squeezed it, giving her comfort.


    ¡°Which way do we go?¡± I asked. One path would lead us home¡­the other would lead us somewhere far more sinister.


    Before anyone could answer, two threads of voidlight danced through the underbrush. They darted down the path to the right before disappearing in the fog.


    If the Voidlight represents misfortune, then we should go the other way, I thought quietly. It was the most likely possibility.


    I stepped forward, leading Xinya and Lin to the left. Xinya never let go of my hand, and Lin was so close behind me that I worried he¡¯d step on my trailing chain by accident.


    By the time I noticed the void qi growing stronger, a soft glow began to emanate from the fog. The air shifted, and an enormous gate of gray wood rose before us. Four more such gates were just behind, each one with a pair of red paper lanterns dangling from the sides. The gates thrummed with power as qi surged around them¡­and I couldn¡¯t help but feel like it was a familiar sound.


    I didn¡¯t have time to contemplate it further, however. No sooner had we stepped beyond the gates than we were met by the worst of misfortunes my powers could summon. Six yokai loitered near the fifth gate. One was an enormous oni with splotchy blue skin. Next to him, a one-eyed monster the size of a large child chased a shade wearing a smoldering raincoat while three adult kappas, humanoid river yokai with sharp teeth and green scales, jeered at the two.


    ¡°Get ¡®em!¡± shouted one of the scaley kappas. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll sell ¡®em to the boss. Not like we have anything else. Better him than us!¡±


    Another one swatted at the water bowl on the first one¡¯s head. ¡°You fool! Maybe we¡¯ll sell you!¡±


    I stopped, whispering quietly to Lin. ¡°This is the Black City, isn¡¯t it?¡± He nodded.


    ¡°This is the last place we want to be. We need to get out of here.¡±


    ¡°But where would we go?¡± Xinya asked. I pulled her and Lin closer to one of the gates, hoping that the yokai wouldn¡¯t see us before we got a chance to flee.


    If the rumors were true, then the Black City could be accessed from anywhere, and could send you to the place most significant to you. A hometown or center of power would be the most likely choices. Xinya and Lin were almost certainly both attuned to Saikan. If one of them opened the gates, we¡¯d be inviting the Governor¡¯s wrath upon the innocent mortals there. But, if we went somewhere else entirely¡­even if only for a short while...we could disappear.


    I placed my hand on the gate. The spell here must have been similar to the ones that had guarded Half-Moon Hearth from danger during my reign. Even the design of these gates seemed to be modelled after the same blackened wood of my capital. In theory, accessing their power would work the same way, and we could be gone before the yokai even knew we were here.


    My qi swirled into the wood, fusing with it perfectly. The lanterns pulsed with power¡­but nothing happened.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Lin, isn¡¯t there supposed to be a change to get back?¡± I hissed.


    ¡°It did when I was last here. The lanterns flashed and the fog turned blue like the trees in Saikan,¡± he explained. I put my hand back on the thick wood, trying again to trigger the change. Again, nothing happened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, this should take us to the Pearlescent Valley, or to the ruins of Half-Moon Hearth,¡± I said. ¡°How could they just¡­¡±


    A sinking feeling of unease and loss filled my heart as a tragic possibility crept into my mind. Just as a door could not connect twice to the same room, the gates could not connect to themselves.


    Just then, the shouting from the yokai reached a fever pitch of squealing and whining from the kappas and one-eyed monster.


    ¡°Enough!¡± boomed the oni. ¡°Over there. Look what the cat dragged in.¡± he gestured to the three of us hiding behind the innermost gate.


    ¡°Yoru, what are they saying?¡± Lin asked in a hushed whisper. I didn¡¯t answer him, instead stepping out of hiding to face the yokai.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble. Go about your business, and we¡¯ll leave you be,¡± I said in the strongest voice I could muster.


    The oni loomed over us, examining us like a farmer studying a fine ox. ¡°A Void-Blessed and his entourage. And when I thought our luck had turned sour.¡±


    ¡°Back off, oni,¡± I growled. ¡°I¡¯d hate to make that face of yours any uglier.¡±


    The oni flinched, but didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Wuning will pay well for a pair of cultivators.¡±


    ¡°But, what about the Blessed?¡± one of the kappas asked.


    ¡°He looks Shi Clan. Maybe Xinglao. Doesn¡¯t matter if they don¡¯t find the body.¡±


    ¡°Run,¡± I whispered to Lin and Xinya. They didn¡¯t need any further encouragement. We turned and fled, adrenaline adding speed to my steps where qi could not.


    The kappas cackled and raced after us, eager for the hunt. Kappas were vicious. They started sweet as babies, but they quickly grew into flesh-eating monsters that were among the worst of yokai kind. They loved a good chase, but we had no choice.


    Lin tried to reach for the last gate in an attempt to open it to Saikan, but there wasn¡¯t time to open it properly. The yokai were already on top of us.


    ¡°The gate is closed, silly Void-Blessed!¡± shrieked the nearest Kappa as it lunged for Lin with its claws.


    ¡°Knock their caps off!¡± I shouted to Lin and Xinya. The critical weakness of the river spirits was the water on their heads. Without the bowl, they¡¯d dry up and be immobilized.


    I whipped Eclipse from its sheath, slicing the bowl of the nearest one cleanly in half. The Kappa shrieked in pain as its scales began to shrivel and darken. It curled up on the ground, unable to move. Lin tackled another, hurling a seed that shattered another bowl, sending its kappa into hysterics before it curled up next to its friend.


    A long red tongue lashed out and wrapped around my wrist, entwining with my chains and pulling me off balance. It was attached to the one-eyed monster, which grinned wickedly.


    It said¡­something, but with its tongue around my wrist, I couldn¡¯t understand it. The intent was clear enough, though. He was holding me down while his friends could deal with me. The last kappa lunged, and I raised my chains to block.


    A sharp pain cut through my chest, one I knew well. I looked down, only to see a ghostly blade sticking from between my ribs.


    That¡¯s not¡­good¡­I thought before the life left my limbs. As the sword was pulled violently out, I finally collapsed all the way to the ground, and my vision went dark. All I heard was Xinya¡¯s voice screaming my name.


    *          *          *


    It must not have been long before I woke. The void qi in the air around me was restoring my strength at an even pace, seeping into my skin and filling my core bit by bit. It wasn¡¯t much, but I was thankful to be conscious. If I was aware, then I could help my friends¡­


    That hope quickly faded as I became aware enough to recognize the situation I was in. The yokai had tightened my chains, tying knots in them to bind me as the oni used the long sections as handles to carry me like a common knapsack. I struggled, trying to loosen them while trying not to remember the last time they¡¯d been so tight.


    ¡°Oh, ho ho! The Blessed is awake!¡± the last Kappa shrieked. It reached up and flicked me. I snarled back and continued trying to break free, only to feel wetness gathering on my chest and back. I was bleeding still, even if my body was numbing the pain with shock.


    ¡°Good,¡± the oni said. ¡°Then we won¡¯t be lying when we say he was alive when we last saw him.¡±


    ¡°Psst. Yoru,¡± Lin whispered. I raised my head to see him and Xinya. Lin was covered in claw wounds that cut his clothes and oozed blood down his body. He clearly had not gone down without a fight. Though his hands were bound in ropes, he was still standing. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What are they saying?¡±


    ¡°Nothing good,¡± I admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they want.¡±


    ¡°They took Eclipse and Chiho,¡± Xinya sobbed. ¡°Yoru¡­what do we do?!¡±


    My chest throbbed, and my eyes were struggling to stay focused. Every limb felt like it was weighed down with ten times the number of chains I was used to, and I was running out of solutions.


    ¡°Here is good enough,¡± the oni growled. He lifted me high to look into his gruesome face. ¡°Well, Void-Blessed. Thanks for being convenient prey. You were our lucky break! As thanks, we¡¯ll even let you live.¡±


    The oni moved swiftly, hurling me to the side. I slammed into¡­water.


    ¡°No! Yoru!¡± Lin shouted. ¡°He can¡¯t swim! He¡¯ll drown!¡± But, the yokai didn¡¯t seem to speak the human tongue any more than Lin and Xinya could speak yokai. The oni just laughed, the sound warping and distorting as I sank.


    ¡°See, now we can say he was alive when he hit the water,¡± he finished. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get these two back.¡±


    Then, they were gone. I drifted downward, trying to break free before the little air in my lungs was gone. It was hopeless, and this time, there would be no handsome wood artist to save me from the cold and the dark. My chains would not break, and I could not swim.


    From my lapel, a tiny silver and purple pin was freed. It twinkled in the light that filtered through the dark waters. It was Xinya¡¯s birthday present. Her birthday¡­it was a few weeks ago¡­she spent it as a prisoner¡­


    You failed her¡­you failed them both¡­ I thought. Maybe¡­maybe in your next life, you¡¯ll be able to help those you care about¡­maybe¡­maybe¡­.


    The air ran out. My lungs burned as water filled my chest. A shadow crossed over my face. A figure diving into the water¡­then it all went dark.

 Authors Note & The Adventure So Far...

    The Journey So Far...


    WARNING: SPOILERS FOR VOLUMES 1 AND 2 AHEAD!!!!


    Volume 1


    - Tsuyuki Yoru was once an Ascendent known as the Darkened Moon, who was known as the patron deity of monsters and spirits. In the long distant past, he twisted himself into a spirit of the Void, and was influenced by their destructive qi to destroy several nations and the lesser Ascendents who ruled them. For this, he was punished, and his own consort and general, The Sword Saint, locked him in a Labyrinth beneath the earth.


    - After the world had moved on, Yoru found a means of escape by latching onto a passing cultivator named Tenri Lin. He bound himself to Tenri''s advancement, reducing himself to a mere Bronze in order to walk freely upon the earth.


    - Yoru decided to work with Tenri, revealing his secrets and helping the younger cultivator with his job as the Administrator of Saikan, a town in the Moon-Soaked Shore.


    - It was during this time that Yoru discovered that the people of the Moon-Soaked Shore lived under the oppressive rule of the Lunar Hunt, a group of "tax collectors" who were little more than bandits. Though they were tasked with collecting the taxes from the local towns, they also used their yearly visits to identify and purge any cultivator using moon qi, no matter how old.


    - Yoru saved a girl named Lang Xinya (age 9), who then became his disciple in order to learn how to channel her burgeoning moon qi. The two were forced to flee from the Hunt.


    - The pair were taken in by a Spirit Beast Honeybee named Pollen, named for the most important resource known to her people. Queen Pollen sought help with a territorial crisis taking place within the forest between the bees, the hornets, and the spiders. Yoru agreed to help in exchange for sanctuary for himself and Xinya.


    - Yoru then travelled far in order to meet with the spiders, but was attacked in the first town he came across within their territory. A wicked spider witch was raising corpses into a small army of puppets under her command. Yoru escaped with the help of a hornet named Pharyx.


    - Pharyx brought Yoru back to his home where he met with the two Queens of the hornets, one of which was Pharyx himself. After hearing Yoru''s proposals, a joint mission between the Honeybees and the Hornets was proposed in order to defeat the spiders and bring peace to the forest.


    - Pollen, Pharyx, Xinya, and Yoru formed a small party who attacked the spider nest. During their assault, the spider witch was killed, but resurrected by a hidden master unknown to the group. The matriarch of the spiders was summarily killed and peace was restored. During the fight, Yoru advanced to Iron.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.- During this time, Tenri fought and triumphed over the Lunar Hunt''s Lieutenant, sending him running. He also advanced to Iron, though his poor vision was not corrected.


    - Yoru returned to Saikan.


    Volume 2


    - Unhappy with their recent defeats, The Lunar Hunt sent a force of cultivators to lay siege to Saikan and destroy the entire town. This plot would have succeeded if it weren''t for one of Yoru''s blooded techniques, Flash Back, which allows him to unravel reality itself, effectively undoing events and turning back time to try them again. On the second iteration, the siege was swiftly defeated by Yoru, Tenri, Pollen, and Pharyx.


    - Yoru revealed his secrets to Xinya, who accepted him without hesitation, much to his surprise.


    - After hearing rumors of a ghost in the woods hindering the Lunar Hunt cultivators, Yoru and Tenri embarked on a mission to lure out the Flower Maiden and form an alliance with her. In doing so, they joined a caravan crew they believed she would target.


    - Also working the caravan job was a wandering cultivator called Kansi Ren, who Yoru immediately recognized as the Sword Saint''s Disciple. Another Cultivator from the Chained-Demon Sect named Lian Liu joined the crew, recognizing Yoru for who he was immediately.


    - The Flower Maiden attacked the caravan, but the merchants escaped. Yoru and Tenri offered to help her with a separate problem: the Chain-Bound Fury, another ghost wandering the woods with a striking similarity to Yoru himself.


    - The Fury was, in truth, a reality double created by Yoru while he was an insane Ascendent. He re-absorbed the Fury, thus resolving the problem.


    - On their way back, an unknown organization bearing Lunar Hunt insignia attacked Tenri''s home. In the fires, his wife was killed.


    - Not leaving time to mourn, they received notice of a spirit cleansing festival being sent to Saikan. Preparations were made and the visiting sect was escorted from the Black City, a city in a pocket of the Spirit Realm which can be accessed from anywhere.


    - At the festival, the commander of the Lunar Hunt, Shen Tori discovered Yoru and Xinya and unleashed the calamitous Tide Serpent, but it was swiftly defeated by Yoru and co. During the Battle, Xinya was kidnapped for being Shen Tori''s granddaughter.


    - Yoru and co. travelled to the Hunting Lodge where Yoru engaged in a duel with Shen Tori and won.


    - In the aftermath, the group encountered the region''s Governor, a Gold level Cultivator beyond their means of fighting. They fled, ending up in the Black City by accident, where they were immediately assaulted by monstrous yokai. Yoru was stabbed and thrown in a lake, where he believed he would drown, as he is unable to swim. However, just before he lost consciousness, a dark figure was seen diving into the waters above him.