《Papercuts to Fell Immortals》


 Chapter 1 - Wine? Im Underage!

    Qing Shen was currently trembling. Fear overrode all of her actions and thoughts. Each breath was short and concise as if afraid to take up more air than she was allowed.


    The outfit that she was forced into by the villa''s maids was also a cause for concern. She had no idea why there was so many frills on one dress, but it was not her idea to judge. It didn''t help that the dress wasn''t even that long; it barely covered her thighs, and, even then, it was a little too short for comfort.


    However, she could only endure.


    Her hands couldn''t help but shake uncontrollably as well. She had overheard rumors from some of the nicer maids that the young master she currently served had sent several shell shocked servants away. Qing Shen could only imagine what torture, and depraved acts the man could have wrought to cause them to not even utter a word of defiance.


    Steeling her nerves, Qing Shen walked through the long hallway adorned with carpets of the finest materials, and nearby decorations that, if sold, would probably feed a family for months. At the end of the hallway was a set of thick, wooden double doors engraved with depictions of dragons rising to the heavens. Just looking at the designs made her remember how she was forced to learn all about etiquette, and the proper ways she must go about speaking. From her time learning, and looking at the lavish setting, she felt as if there was a constant need to posture oneself in the best light possible.


    Taking a moment to once again collect herself, Qing Shen paused to remember the faces of those who gave her strength. Her parents, while forced to sell her away, grieved all night long as she packed for her journey. A boy, older than her by one year, but was always getting into trouble proclaimed to the world that he would protect her as she was forced into the carriage that stole her away. She nearly broke into a smile as she remembered a time when he had somehow found a way to get beaten by a chicken. It was ironic that she felt comforted by him.


    Her lips instead curled into a frown. Nearby, a vase caught her eye. It wasn''t special, or contained any wonderful escape. The vase merely reflected her somber face back at her.


    A face that the village had described as being akin to jade weathered by the elements of the country. Eyes so blue they reminded one of dazzling sapphires, sparkling in their resplendent beauty. Long, golden blonde hair trailed behind her head; put into a ponytail with a piece of jeweled string one of the maids insisted on. Something they said was a rarity in these parts. Pink, plump lips that spread across her face, and, even in a frown, were unmistakably beautiful.


    Finally, Qing Shen gathered her courage. She strode through the doors knowing full well that she might never leave the same, but that was fine. She would endure.


    Calmly she scanned the room. If anything she was rather disappointed by how lackluster it was compared to the grandeur of the rest of the villa. She felt as if she had gone to the wrong room.


    The room itself only contained a bed, a desk, and a small tea table. There was a set of doors opposite to where she stood that were currently open, allowing wind to swish through the room. A few stacks of paper were lazily shifting in the wind from their place on the desk, held only by a precariously placed weight.


    Qing Shen was nearly having a heart attack at this point. She expected something to happen by now! Everything about this situation was too jarring from her expectations that she momentarily expected that a trick had been played on her.


    "Ah, I''m outside." A voice chimed into the whirlpool of her thoughts. It wasn''t too deep, nor high pitched; if she had to describe it she would say relaxed. "Please join me, it''s quite nice outside."


    Qing Shen hurriedly complied, somehow happy that she could get this over with. When she stepped through the backdoors she found a small garden occupied by an even smaller koi pond and a set of reclined chairs. Surrounding the garden itself was a tall, white stone fence that loomed in stark contrast to the peaceful and rather simple adornings of the garden. They reminded her of a fortress that would ward off armies that threatened to knock. Her eyes, however, found the object of her fear, and suddenly she felt as if a weight had descended onto her shoulders.


    Her so called young master seemed a little younger than her. Maybe fourteen or fifteen years of age. He fit the image of a pampered noble she had built up for all her years in her village. Thin, pale, and garbed in fancy silk that no doubt cost an entire ten years worth of labor.


    If she wasn''t so caught up in fearing them then she would definitely say that the Zhang family really knew how to live. The scenery was beautiful despite the size, and the plump koi fish darted around their enclosure, unaware that their little well was only for the entertainment of others. Next to her young master was a bowl of fresh fruit that he seemed utterly raptured with. Qing Shen would have assumed that he had went days without a meal at the speed he ate.


    However, all of that was drowned out by the sheer presence that the boy radiated. She knew of an old master who had set up shop nearby her village a couple of years ago that had that same pressure. She also remembered when the old man decimated fifty armed men that were sent to fetch him. The old master had made it seem like they were mere toddlers to him.


    While she already knew it, Qing She couldn''t help but realize that she had no way out. Now it made her feel like a trapped rabbit being bore before a hungry bear. There was no contest, and certainly no escape.


    "Why are you still standing?" The voice of her young master called again. She couldn''t tell if he was angry or calm with his tone, but she didn''t waste any time in bowing before him. Her waist bent as her head bobbed down to show her respect.


    "I''m sorry for being late." Qing Shen had quite a few excuses: the villa was too large, the maids were too unhelpful, and the dress she was given was too hard to put on. However, she''d rather take the punishment then try to make excuses; she was here to endure, after all.


    "Huh? Late? What are you talking about? You''re here for the job, right?"


    Not daring to look up, Qing Shen responded, hoping that she was saying the right things, "Yes, I''m here for the... job. Again, I apologize for my being late to assist you."


    "Great! Let''s get started as soon as possible! I''ve gotten so annoyed lately."


    Qing Shen''s heart dropped into a chilly tundra. She had thought that maybe she could be spared, but she hoped a little too much. With a resigned heart, she began to undo the straps on her frilly dress.


    "Alright, I just need you to- Holy Immortal! What the hell are you doing?!"


    Looking up from her bow, Qing Shen found an unexpected scene. The expert in front of her was averting his eyes, a rosy blush prevalent on his face.


    Slowly she realized that throughout the entire encounter she had never once looked him in the eye. Now that she had the chance, she noticed that he had the most innocent brown eyes she had ever seen. Even if they were peeking through a few gaps in his fingers.


    His face was normal. Not overly handsome or ugly like she expected, but it held a charm to it. His hair was equally jarring, where she had normally seen others try to keep their hair as long as possible, his was short. Like a blade had cut it so that it wouldn''t pass his ears.


    "W- why are you taking your clothes off?!" The innocent boy screeched again.


    Qing Shen stared for a bit. She made no move to fix her clothes as she recollected her thoughts. Then, a mischievous grin spread across her pink lips as she returned to removing a couple of the straps that held her dress up.


    The boy yelped again, but made his attempts to look through his mask of fingers much more apparent. Qing Shen was fine with it; she could endure. Maybe with a little smile that looked a little villainous to the outside.


    "I''m sorry, Young Master Zhang, I''m rather new. Could you tell me what exactly is my job?" After a little bit of fun, Qing Shen finally rid herself of the uncontrollable fear that the innocent child had once held.


    The cutely hiding child composed himself after he finally saw his tormentor stop. "Actually, I think introductions are in order. My name is Yong Zhang, er, I mean Zhang Yong. What''s your name?"


    "Qing Shen. I''m grateful to learn the powerful name of young master; it fits your brave and heroic aura." Qing Shen smiled behind her compliments. If he was as innocent to the opposite gender as she thought he was then getting on his good side should be easy.


    However, the boy''s smile didn''t grow as she expected. In fact, he seemed to develop a frown before commenting, "Please don''t do that; compliments, I mean. Anyways, Qing Shen, what level of cultivation do you have?"


    "I''m sorry for my offense. My lowly self has only just completed the Body Strengthening stage, and achieved the Entry level for the Opening Meridians stage." Qing Shen was currently feeling confusion again after she felt like she had gotten a grip. What kind of young master likes not being complimented? It was like the sky was yellow when everyone said it was blue.


    Her inner turmoil went unnoticed by her newly proclaimed young master. Instead he smoothly got up from his chair while his arms folded into an expression of deep thought. His slim left arm crossed his chest, right elbow resting in his left palm, and his right palm propped up on his chin all while his fingers drummed lightly on his lips. The brown eyes of his fell onto the small koi pond next to him, as if he were in a daze.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version."While not as great as I hoped, I guess it''s better than those I''ve seen nearby¡­ But this means I''ll have to spend a bit more time grooming her. Oh! I could finally try out those things I''ve been dying to do!" With a concerning endpoint, Qing Shen watched as the boy turned before her, a smile in his eyes. "Do you know how to do Essence Infusion yet?"


    Qing Shen blinked slowly, as if afraid to answer wrong. She wanted her shy, innocent boy back! "Yes, I was taught to do that as one of the first skills I learned. My teacher had said it was one of the most important foundational skills a practitioner must learn."


    "Of course it''s important! Spiritual Essence is finicky in what can absorb it. Mainly only things with a sufficient biological origin can even hope of taking in a sliver of the stuff! It''s quite aggravating to say so myself! But it only begs the question as to why is it that animals can''t absorb any of it. Perhaps it has to do with the biological process-" Qing Shen blinked again, it appeared that she had touched upon a favorite subject for the child. She had long since stopped listening to him as his words had gotten increasingly complex to the point she didn''t know if they were speaking the same language anymore. In fact, his exuberant appearance was rather appealing to her as well. Maybe it might still be the shock of the situation settling in.


    "Anyways," Qing Shen''s attention shifted back to the calming boy. He still seemed a little out of breath from his outburst, but he was still fine. "I need you to come and infuse this ink bottle every day with your Spiritual Essence. As long as that is done then the rest of your day is your free time. I''ll even offer cultivation resources, or gold as compensation for your work."


    Qing Shen didn''t answer right away. She was too busy gaping at the oddest request she had ever heard. Her appearance probably surmounted to quite the sight as originally she was holding on by steel nerves, and the fact that her expectations had been so poorly met. Now she had finally reached her maximum confusion, and was thoroughly thrown through a loop. That, with the continued stress of the original situation itself, caused the once enduring Qing Shen to finally snap.


    "I¡­ wait! Wouldn''t you be able to do that yourself?! That request makes so little sense! I come here, stolen from my home, and expected to be assaulted by some noble whose head is so far up his ass that he can''t even hear straight! Instead I get surprise after damn surprise from a little boy who barely reaches the height of my neck!"


    "I''m still growing!"


    Whether Qing Shen heard him or was so caught up in her complaining that she misheard him, was unknown. She did, however, continue on her rant, "And now I''m here, in a villa that is nearly the size of my own damn village, with a boy who could easily fulfill the task without any problems whatsoever! Why am I even here?! To be gawked at and dressed in clothes too Immortal damned tight to even be reasonable! I mean, what is with all these frills?! There''s too many frills!"


    Despite her heavy breathing and violently trembling body, Qing Shen felt good. It was nice to finally get that off her chest, and even if her actions caused her harm, she felt that she accomplished something. She was never good at enduring anyways.


    "Um, I wanted to ask about the dress as well, but you didn''t seem too uncomfortable in it so I didn''t really say anything. If¡­ if it''s that bad I can ask a maid to get you some better clothes¡­" A nearby voice that was caked in concern shook Qing Shen out of her feelings of accomplishment.


    With a face paler than snow she gazed up at the embarrassed figure of the boy before her. The supposed young master of the Zhang family. A noble who she had just rudely insulted, and probably shamed a million times over.


    "I''m sorry¡­" Qing Shen realized that her actions could have her family involved if her grievances accumulated enough. "I don''t know what came over this lowly servant, so please punish me in a way to absolve my crime."


    "Uh, after you finish your daily task of infusing the ink bottle you must¡­ um, train over there!" Qing Shen wanted to comment on how unsure he seemed, but held back her tongue.


    Instead, she turned her head to where he was pointing and found a small, flat piece of dirt matted ground. Close to one of the white stone walls was an upright wooden dummy with a small barrel of hay wrapped around the pole that held it. Off to the sides of the dirt beaten ground were a few large stones with handles on the sides that probably weighed only a couple hundred of catties. All in all, she found that the training ground was perhaps worse than the one back at home.


    "Yes, Young Master." Still, Qing Shen accepted that that was probably the goal of her punishment. She was still able to train, but compared to the heavenly elixirs he drank and the areas he trained, she was only a bug that could be squashed at any time.


    "Little Yong, it is time for dinner." Suddenly, a voice familiar to Qing Shen rang out from inside.


    She peered over from her spot on the garden to find a maid dressed in a similar suit to hers. The maid, however, wasn''t the least bit uncomfortable in her too-tight-of-a-fit dress as she waltzed easily into the room, and quickly set down the dinner plate in her hand. Then Qing Shen flinched when she finally met the disappointed green eyes of the head maid who had dressed her earlier that evening.


    She once again found her eyes landing on the dish that had been laid before her young master. Once again, she experienced the differences in her expectations as the meal was just a simple piece of steaming bread and warm soup. Qing Shen had seen better meals at home whenever her father had luckily hunted some wild game.


    "Let me help." She said, hoping for some semblance of forgiveness from her strangely kind young master, and the absurdly cold head maid.


    "I think you have made your point earlier. You do not need to concern yourself with the Young Master. Just fulfill his requirements." The head maid added, her eyes never leaving the brown haired boy who had just sat down.


    "Miss Li, please excuse Qing Shen. She''s probably tired, and I did speak for quite a while without caring for her thoughts on the matter." Qing Shen saw that he had turned to look at her from his seat that the table. He gestured to a nearby bottle of what she assumed to be wine, "If you must help for whatever reason, pour me something."


    Hurriedly, Qing Shen set out to grab the bottle whilst the head maid Li watched over every one of her movements like a hawk. There was a set of jade cups nearby to which she carefully placed them down before the child, and began to pour. What she was a little worried about was that the liquid that came out wasn''t like any wine she had seen before. It was orange and held no thick scent of alcohol that she was used to. Deciding that it was probably the difference in qualities speaking again, she keep pouring all while wondering if all the rumors she was so used to hearing were completely wrong.


    "Is there something wrong?"


    Qing Shen''s head popped up at the sound of the young master''s voice, and she paused her pouring. Feeling a little apprehensive with the head maid still looming nearby, she carefully shook her head. "It is nothing, I''m just surprised by the Young Master''s choice in wine."


    "Wine?" The young master parroted, once again drawing on Qing Shen''s image that he was an naive child.


    "Yes, it is quite unlike the ones I''ve seen."


    "Um, what wine?"


    Qing Shen paused, wondering if she had made a mistake again. She turned back to the cup that young master Zhang had drank from; there was still orange liquid floating about in it.


    "I believe she is talking about your drink, Young Master Zhang. It truly is one fit for immortals." Head Maid Li happily added with a blooming smile. If Qing Shen didn''t know any better then she would have been fooled into thinking that the maid was merely complimenting her master, but she quickly realized that she was mistaken somewhere once again.


    "Miss Li, this is orange juice¡­" As if the undercurrent of teasing wasn''t enough, Qing Shen visibly flinched when she heard that. To have mistaken fine wine for juice. She could only physically stop herself from curling up in embarrassment at this point.


    The head maid had seen this, and smiled like a beast before its prey. "Why yes, I was just unsure whether your newest servant had mistaken your drink for wine. After all, I''m concerned with my subordinates who cannot even identify a simple children''s drink."


    "Then there be no need for worries. Miss Qing, there is no wine in this villa, so you shouldn''t have to worry about that." The young master placated as Qing Shen felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment again for being called out so suddenly. Luckily, she was spared when young master Zhang continued, "Why would you even think I drank wine? I''m underage."


    Qing Shen didn''t really react to that comment as much as she thought she would. It was absurd to even think about how fitting that statement was when it pertained to her young master. In fact, she felt like she was finally getting a hang on enduring. It would probably be a useful skill to master as she had to deal with her newest, and maybe, just maybe, she might be able to understand why every single rumor she had heard was so utterly wrong.

 Chapter 3 - Hurt in Confusion!

    you, and, whether you like it or not, you cannot leave this employment. Sure, Young Master never said that whenever he speaks to you, but he cannot lose you. You dying or running away means his death. I don''t care what little desires and dreams you may have, but I would kill you myself here and now if it wasn''t for Young Master''s life being held in the balance."

 Chapter 3 - Hurt in Confusion!

    you, and, whether you like it or not, you cannot leave this employment. Sure, Young Master never said that whenever he speaks to you, but he cannot lose you. You dying or running away means his death. I don''t care what little desires and dreams you may have, but I would kill you myself here and now if it wasn''t for Young Master''s life being held in the balance."

 Chapter 8 - Reposition

"Come on, sleepy-head! Little Yong and I have been waiting for you to wake up for the past¡­" She paused, looking out the window to see the barest traces of light filtering in. Her tone was devoid of anything but excitement. "Ten minutes!"

 Chapter 5 - Through Fire and Flame

She drew out the last of her explosive talismans, wrapped them around the sharp stick that was what was left of her guandao, and kicked the tiger in the eye. And as the tiger opened its maw to roar in pain, Qing Shen had already armed the talismans only to shove the stake into its open jaws.

 Chapter 8 - Reposition

"Come on, sleepy-head! Little Yong and I have been waiting for you to wake up for the past¡­" She paused, looking out the window to see the barest traces of light filtering in. Her tone was devoid of anything but excitement. "Ten minutes!"

 Chapter 9 - Complications

    The ride to the city was one that took till late in the evening. Blue sky turned an iridescent orange as the sun dipped between two mountaintops and eventually fell below the horizon. Qing Shen felt her heart nearly stop at the beauty of the scene, but her heart stopped in a different way as suddenly the carriage dipped onto the steepest part of the valley walls.


    For a second, Qing Shen felt weightless. Her stomach rose as her bottom left the seat she was in, and if it weren¡¯t for the rumbling of the carriage around her, she would have sworn they were in freefall.


    A scream tore its way from her mouth, high pitched and full of fear. She had no way of knowing what was going through Li Ling¡¯s mind on a good day, but suddenly sending a carriage down nearly vertical wall was something she never expected. However, in between her screams, Qing Shen heard the hollers of delight from Li Ling up in front, and the silent laughs from Zhang Yong calmly floating next to her. As if the previous scene was only a dream, she felt the carriage level out and her bottom safely returned to its position without the slightest bit of discomfort.


    It was only after her heart stopped thumping in her chest that her wits came back to her. Somehow, the carriage wasn¡¯t even the least bit harmed by such a normally dangerous maneuver, and Qing Shen could only glare at the softly chuckling Zhang Yong.


    ¡°You could have warned me.¡± She groused, moving the curtains to get a better view out the window.


    The boy smiled in the corner of her vision. ¡°And ruin the surprise? Besides, you looked ready to run down the side of the gorge anyways, so no need to thank me.¡±


    Qing Shen huffed, watching as the carriage sped through bumpy gravel and maneuvered around larger boulders in their way. There wasn¡¯t much foliage, but the girl saw a couple bunches of trees and shrubs a little ways away from the city itself.


    ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t be surprised anymore with all the stuff you keep pulling out of nowhere.¡± Qing Shen spoke up again.


    ¡°Well,¡± Zhang Yong hummed, his face trying to fall into the persona he had said he needed but failed. ¡°I can warn you next time, if that¡¯s what you want?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Li Ling yelled from the front. ¡°Sister Shen needs to be surprised constantly! What will happen if she loses that aspect of her? I¡¯ll be heartbroken!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to know that my worth is being judged by my normal reaction to crazy situations¡­¡± Despite how dull her words sounded, Qing Shen couldn¡¯t quite keep the smile off her face, and from the light laugh next to her, Zhang Yong had clearly seen it.


    Still, the trio continued to converse about anything and everything. Qing Shen surrendered herself to the butt of the joke for the most part, but only because she felt that it was easier to interact with Li Ling that way. The dark-haired girl had Qing Shen confused about many things, so having a way to simply laugh and talk was nice, for lack of better words.


    Zhang Yong had chosen to only intrude on the conversation at minor points, offering only a few words to Li Ling¡¯s train of dialogue. He seemed quieter than usual, and Qing Shen could see his face becoming a little more restrained with every passing second. She knew he was getting into character, but the closer to the city they got, the more the newest maid felt that she couldn''t quite associate the innocent and understanding boy that she first met with the cold and aloof one in front of her. It was like he changed completely.


    By the time they were at the gates, Qing Shen was starting to get nervous around him. She didn¡¯t know what he was going to do next.


    ¡°Halt! Please show identification before entering!¡± A voice boomed from outside, and Qing Shen took a moment to peek a little from her window.


    Two massive, wooden doors stretched up into the stone ramparts of Feilong city. There was a split in the middle, allowing the two doors to swing outwards. On the doors were a multitude of metal strips that extended from the stone walls to the middle of the doors before extending up and down their lengths like a series of lattices. Large rivets held the metal on the slabs of wood, and Qing Shen could see that there were signs of wear and tear on the doors themselves.


    Small divots cut themselves into the metal lattice work, and some parts of the doors were dented slightly, as if a battering ram had bounced off of it recently. Parts of the wood were scorched black, proving that even fire couldn¡¯t get through their impressive size. They were signs of a battle, and considering that the city still stood, there was little doubt on who was the victor.


    Qing Shen¡¯s eyes then roved to the person that stopped them. She couldn¡¯t determine his age, but he was garbed in green tinted armor and wielded a long spear. With a small activation of her Essence Vision, she was shocked to see that his strength was actually greater than hers at the moment. A small amount of apprehension bubbled up within her as she compared herself with him; up until now, she had been feeling that her recent increase in strength would have given her an edge on anyone they came across.


    ¡°I said please show some identification!¡± The presumed guard stated again, and Qing Shen could actually see his patience wearing thin as he spoke.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± Qing Shen spoke first, inching her head out the window so that the guard could see her. She had no idea how she compared to him in a fight, but her instincts were telling her that it was a losing battle. ¡°We¡¯ll get everything ready!¡±


    Turning to Zhang Yong, Qing Shen felt a little bit of worry begin to spike her actions. She was nervous about her first time in the city, and suddenly getting called out at the gate hadn¡¯t helped a thing. However, when she looked over at Zhang Yong, all her worries escalated to their maximum.


    He was no longer sitting in his seat; he was laying on it. One leg was dangling off the side of the cushions while the other was bent and propped up on the seat itself. Zhang Yong¡¯s back was leaning further into his cushions as if there wasn¡¯t a worry in the world.


    ¡°Go forwards.¡± He commanded.


    ¡°Wai- wait! Are you trying to start a fight?!¡± Qing Shen only got more worried as the carriage suddenly lurched forwards. Her eyes widened as the guard¡¯s face grew red, and the man marched right up to their carriage with his spear raised.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for your mistake!¡± The man yelled, and Qing Shen sighed, getting ready for a fight.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too!¡± Qing Shen yelled back, feeling her Spiritual Essence flood through her Meridians. Honestly, she just wished someone told her something like this would have happened before she came.


    However, before the fight could even start, Qing Shen saw another source of power rapidly approaching them. Her confidence about facing someone fairly stronger than her petered out to a cowardly whine. Whereas the guard that was charging them looked like he was in the Cycling Essence stage like her, this new person looked like they were wreathed in an armor of ethereal blue. Their Essence moved as if it were a weapon within the hands of a seasoned warrior, controlled and ready to act on any threat.


    ¡°You idiot!¡± The new person roared, slamming down next to the charging guard and kicking up a cloud of dust. Qing Shen felt the ground shake beneath the carriage, and all her Essence Vision allowed her to see were the impossibly fast movements of the newcomer.


    They grabbed the guard¡¯s wirst, locking his arm in place before picking the man up, as if he were a toy instead of a fully armored soldier. In an instant, the guard was slammed into the ground, and Qing Shen gaped silently at how the newcomer was shoving the the guard¡¯s face into the ground while also pushing their forehead into the gravel. It was such a surreal sight that she almost forgot about the fact that the man probably jumped right off the top of the ramparts to get there. Almost. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I apologize to the Young Master and Miss! This little one¡¯s actions were due to my own neglect to train a new, competent guardsman, so please take out your anger on myself!¡± The man said, his voice echoing through the ground with such force that Qing Shen felt her teeth chatter. She couldn¡¯t quite see through the dust still in the air, but she could see the man¡¯s hulking silhouette through the dirt cloud. He looked larger than the Half-Corrupted beast she fought!


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again.¡± Zhang Yong whispered, yet it still seemed to reach their ears. The carriage continued through the now open gates as the massive slabs of wood and metal were slowly pulled open by a series of more guards. Qing Shen had to cup her hands around her ears to drown out the loud sounds of metal grinding on metal as the door¡¯s hinges seemed to haven¡¯t been slicked.


    Qing Shen heard another bang behind them as the doors finally opened, and she continued to see the guard and massive man smashing their foreheads into the ground. ¡°Thank you for your kindness! Young Master Zhang¡¯s kindness is said to reach the heavens and even Immortals learn how gracious a heart can be!¡±


    If anything, Zhang Yong just scowled at the compliment before seeming to bear them no mind.


    ¡°That¡¯s,¡± Qing Shen craned her neck, hearing their voice of the guard lowering his voice to a whisper. ¡°That womanizing bastard of a noble? I thought he holed himself in his villa with all his prostitutes?¡±


    The girl winced as the ground thumped once more, but she clearly saw the massive man¡¯s hand slamming the guard¡¯s head deeper into the ground. ¡°Shut it you idiot! Whether he is or isn¡¯t doesn¡¯t matter, he¡¯s got dealings with the Ba family in the center district. One word from them, and they¡¯ll have us all hanged for contempt of nobility.¡±


    Qing Shen knew she shouldn¡¯t have heard anything. They were whispering it, and it was only with her using her abilities to the utmost that she even heard anything. The words were a sour reminder that the rumors surrounding Zhang Yong were much worse than she previously thought.


    ¡°What did they say?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯s words snapped her train of thought closed, and she locked eyes with him for a second. For only a moment, she froze before quickly looking out the window.


    ¡°They were just apologizing.¡± She lied.


    Luckily, Zhang Yong didn¡¯t pursue the matter, and despite the hammering of her heart, Qing Shen felt that was for the best. She honestly had no idea why she lied at that moment. Instinct, perhaps? Or maybe it was the conflicting emotions bore down upon her shoulders as Li Ling¡¯s outburst rang in the back of her mind?


    It was something completely different, she decided. When she locked eyes with Zhang Yong a moment ago, all she saw were blank eyes. There was no emotion behind them; almost as if he were looking at her like she was a speck of dust.


    And, for that moment, Qing Shen felt like that was his true face.


    In the ensuing silence, the blonde tried to look out the window to distract herself. She saw the well maintained roads, cobbled with stones that fit together into pathways, and the carriage barely bounced as it traveled over them. There were wooden houses and shops lining the edges of the street, and people milling about as they walked and talked on their way to their destinations. However, she also saw others pointing at the carriage and whispering inane rumors.


    At one point she locked eyes with one of the people whispering, and the woman in question gave a weak smile. It wasn¡¯t warm like the ones she received from her own mother, nor was it Li Ling¡¯s infectious smile of happiness. All there was in it were pity and guilt.


    Qing Shen closed the curtains after that. She didn¡¯t know when, but her excitement had died down to a disappointed mewl.


    ¡°Not as exciting as the trip here, right?¡±


    Qing Shen flinched at the voice. It was warm and upbeat, like the usual Zhang Yong, but the speed at which his tone changed startled her more than anything.


    ¡°Oh,¡± his voice was quiet again, apprehension taking his words so much that she felt a little guilty. ¡°Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean to startle you too much with my act.¡±


    Qing Shen blushed. Some part of her was relieved that he admitted to the previous act. ¡°N- no, it¡¯s alright! I was just annoyed why everyone was judging you so much.¡±


    Zhang Yong smiled wryly. ¡°I told you about it already, but I guess seeing it is a different thing entirely. If it¡¯s any consolation, I¡¯m pretty sure that the people don¡¯t think too bad about you. You¡¯ll be fine with a little rumors.¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Qing Shen felt conflicted at how quickly Zhang Yong¡¯s voice petered out. However, it only took a couple of seconds before he gave a weak chuckle. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll live.¡±


    A frown on her features was countered by the smile he shot back to her. It was a grin that took away her worries, and made her feel rather embarrassed about earlier. ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t let those¡­ people get in your head. In fact, how about you take the carriage for a couple joyrides later; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy it after a few times.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right¡­¡± Qing Shen scoffed, feeling a small smile on her face. Her previous disappointment had been pushed to the back of her mind as they wove down the city.


    It didn¡¯t take that long to get to the inner walls of the city, and while they were definitely more fortified, none of the guards stopped them this time. Qing Shen nearly marveled at the sight of all the guards bowing to their carriage as it passed by. Her mind was split with one part enjoying the sight while the other wanted to tell them all to stand up.


    However, they passed through them without her having to speak her mind. Li Ling hadn¡¯t spoken as much after they entered the city, but it was Zhang Yong that drew the most of Qing Shen¡¯s concern. The boy was back to his cold persona, ordering Li Ling to turn down the the nicer streets. In the lulls of quiet, Qing Shen took the time to actually observe this part of the city as there were less people pointing and whispering at them.


    The roads were the first thing that she noticed. Where the roads before were just fairly flat pieces of stone and gravel put together, these ones were paved with perfectly cut stone that fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Next, she observed each house. Every single one looked as if they were built by hand, carved wood and stone set together till they were almost like beautiful pieces of artwork. They were also much larger than any building she previously saw, yet they all still had space to put a few trees on their property.


    Less people ambled about, too. Qing Shen saw only a few in the roads they traveled down, and most of the time all she saw were more carriages shaking down the network of pathways. Still, the people she did see walking down the roads all seemed to be stronger than her. In fact, nearly every one of them had the very same armor of Spiritual Essence surrounding them as that massive man at the first gate did.


    Feeling a little put out by how many strong people seemed to be living in the city, Qing Shen shifted in her seat, turning off her Essence Vision so that she couldn¡¯t see all the experts simply walking down the street. She imagined being as strong as them one day, but seeing how many people had reached that level of strength only made her more conscious about how weak she was. Even after convincing herself that she would get strong enough to help Zhang Yong and Li Ling, she was still weaker than the people who lived in luxurious villas.


    Slowly, the carriage stuttered to a stop, and Qing Shen peeked out the window to see they had arrived at the largest villa in the city. The place looked almost like a palace compared to the rest of the houses nearby.


    Her eyes then found a portly man standing at the entrance to the villa. He was silk robes embroidered with stone walls, and a smile was forced on his face.


    ¡°Welcome, Young Master Zhang.¡± He bowed awkwardly, his smile straining with the jerky movement. ¡°We have been waiting for you. I hope your ride was pleasant and without any trouble.¡±


    ¡°It was acceptable.¡± Zhang Yong said, getting out of the carriage with the help of a demure Li Ling. Qing Shen had to rapidly school her features or else she would have gone wide eyed at the completely different facial expression of her excitable friend.


    ¡°Please come, come! We can talk business over some wine, and¡­¡± the man dabbed his sweaty forehead with a sleeve. He seemed to be looking over to one window of the massive villa.¡°About your¡­ friend, a great figure like him is naturally aloof and quiet, but is there anything that I should get him as well?¡±


    ¡°Quiet?¡± Zhang Yong quirked an eyebrow, amused. ¡°He just sounds bored.¡±


    ¡°O- of course! Then, we shouldn¡¯t keep someone like him waiting for so long, but about your¡­¡± he looked over to Qing Shen and Li Ling. ¡°Helpers, should I get a room for them too, or will they be in your room?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll stay in my room, so get someone to lead them there.¡±


    Qing Shen narrowed her eyes at the conversation, activating her Essence Vision to sneak a glance up at the room the man had gestured at before. Her breath nearly left her lungs as she found a silhouette of solid blue instead. The person in that room gave off the strongest presence she had ever seen before, and their Essence seemed to extend far beyond their body, radiating small bursts of blue grains that found every structure of stone nearby. She couldn¡¯t quite understand what was happening, but their Spiritual Essence did something to the surrounding earth by their sheer presence alone.


    ¡°Oh, I nearly forgot!¡± The portly man turn back around to face Qing Shen. ¡°You must be the newest maid that Zhang Yong asked for! It is nice to meet you; I¡¯m the city lord, Ba Sing, but you may address me with whatever title you want.¡±


    Qing Shen¡¯s sense of reality was slowly crumbling as they were led inside the city lord¡¯s residence. Zhang Yong certainly didn¡¯t do things by halves, apparently.


    However, the girl honestly wondered how complicated her Young Master had suddenly become.