《The First Great Sect [Xianxia - Sect Building - Epic Cultivation]》


 Chapter 1: Liao Hua

    ¡®Fuck the Great Three, it¡¯s just Great Liao.¡¯


    ¡ªXiao Jiu, the Lady Liao, on the War of Three Clans.


    The world broke on the first day of the week with no warning that any diviner could claim to have noticed. It broke with no regard to those who lived upon it, and it broke in such a way that no mortal hands could ever piece it back together. Liao Hua did not know that the war in heaven would shatter her life so profoundly.


    The day the world broke, Liao Hua found herself at the clan training grounds in the early hours of the morning. Before the sun dared rise above the horizon to nourish the fields of wheat growing in the far distance and dispel the mist that hugged the steep hills, Hua was preparing for training. Hard-packed earth made up the largest of the training grounds. This was the one used for general practice and where most of her Clan spent their training time.


    If they woke up as early as Hua did.


    Training wasn¡¯t a thing Hua merely did, it was something she loved. Start early and end late. Anything else was just laziness.


    Besides, if Hua got in all her training early, she could visit the city. Visit Qing who was sleeping soundly right now and see her the moment she woke up. Have the whole day together. After being gone for so many weeks, Hua couldn¡¯t wait to see her.


    Today would be a good training day, she decided, her anticipation mounting as she thought of Qing. She chose to begin by bowing to the ten cardinal directions as defined by their Cultivation Scripture. The eight mortal directions and finally the journey between Earth and Heaven. Hua greeted the Four Kings of the main cardinals and offered her respect to the Thunder Agency that governed the Heaven above.


    As she rose from her bow, a great lance of lightning cleaved the clear sky in half. She stared at it in awe, feeling such vast Qi that it could only surely mean the Heavens had seen her dedication and blessed her training. The roar of thunder that followed shook the trees and made the ground tremble.


    One day, my lightning will make the world tremble, she promised.


    Hua ran through the stances of the Liao Clan¡¯s martial art with ease, paying special attention to her movements despite how engrained they were. Throwing a punch without knowing why wasn¡¯t a good way to improve. If Hua needed to break someone¡¯s face in the future, it might save a family member. If she kicked just right, she might blow out an enemy¡¯s kneecap before they could turn on her Clan. If her blocks and parries were done correctly then she could be a wall against Zhao and Yu whenever they became enemies again.


    For those simple reasons of loyalty and duty, she fully focused on the raw, full-contact method of combat that their Clan used. Closed fists, sharp elbows, and a few throws baked into it. Everything superfluous to the goal of inflicting maximum violence had been stripped away. Her only modification had been palm strikes to compliment her personal techniques.


    Her limbs were warm and limber once she had worked through two full cycles. She moved onto a set of stretches as the first of the Clan entered the training field. A damp girl half Hua¡¯s age who waved with the resignation of someone sent to fetch water early in the morning. Then a boy with too much exuberance followed behind her, taking the stairs down two at a time. Others slowly trickled in, though Hua was given a wide pocket of space. Some with the same silver hair she had, those who were part of the inner clan. Those with the more common black were from the branch families. She knew them all, though she couldn¡¯t call many friends.


    When she had given the late risers enough time to warm up, she rose and took up her sword. The familiar sound of steel singing sent shivers down the spines of her kin. You would think that after years of this ritual, they would be prepared for this.


    ¡°Cousin Weiang, would you spar with me?¡±


    She had never seen a look of such complete despair as that moment.


    ¡°You just got back,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not even one day of peace.¡±


    He was older than her by a few years. His dark green eyes darted around, finding everyone near him suddenly giving him a wide berth. Liao Hua never understood why everyone in her clan was this dramatic. Especially the main clan.


    Finally, realising he had no choice, and that Hua was already pointing her sword at him, he unsheathed his own. It had only been two years ago that people started carrying live steel on the training grounds once people realised Hua wasn¡¯t going to be using a training sword.


    ¡°This humble Weiang thanks the Young Mistress for trading pointers with him,¡± he said without a shred of sincerity. ¡°May she be quick with her teachings.¡±


    ¡°Block high,¡± she warned, and then charged forward, sword held in her off-hand.


    Weiang was decent with a sword but so were most people of the Wei Generation. If only because Hua trained daily and she wouldn¡¯t let her sparring partners get worse. He had the same solid stance the Patriarch favoured, one that employed raw strength and worked well for those as tall as those in the main clan. Strike once, strike fast, and never strike again, were his wise words. Hua liked to think of it as being like lightning. Bring forth the overwhelming power of the heavens and let nothing remain.


    Hua¡¯s footwork was just as firm, just as solid. Meeting him blow for blow, refusing to yield even an inch. He cursed her out as she pushed him back. She struck him in the diaphragm with a palm for making the mistake of thinking he could talk while they sparred. His hacking breaths followed his desperate retreat from her unrelenting blade. It took two, three, then four engagements for him to get back into his stance.


    She nodded happily once he did. A year ago, he wouldn¡¯t have managed that feat at all. She smiled when he didn¡¯t lower his guard.


    ¡°That was good. You¡¯ve gotten better. But the rest of you, I¡¯ll be back in the evening to train with you. Understood.¡±


    ¡°Humour this old lady first.¡±


    She did not love those five words. It seems I¡¯m next. Hua slowly turned to see her grandmother watching from the stairs leading up to a tall woman with silver hair held by a kingfisher pin and lips painted red. She wore lotus shoes. Wrinkles lined the corner of her eyes. She was thin in the way of all old people who meant to outlive their descendants. She had a wooden practice sword in her hand. That was the only relieving thing about her presence.


    Hua greeted her grandmother with a martial salute, right first meeting her left palm. It was awkward with a sword still in hand, but she managed it without pointing the blade at her greatest teacher.


    Those who could made very hasty exits. She memorised which of her relatives she would be tormenting for the next few weeks. Weiang was going to suffer the most, she decided.


    ¡°Cowards,¡± she muttered. ¡°You know, grandmother, I have places to be so maybe we can do this tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°If you want to visit your friend, you¡¯ll have to impress me,¡± Grandmother said mercilessly. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll stay on this mountain receiving a beating. Come, I do not have so many years remaining that I can wait on you.¡±


    Hua smiled with false sincerity as her cowardly relatives made their way to the top of the stairs to watch from safety.


    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t say that. I know you¡¯re too spiteful to let anyone outlive you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be punching my grandchildren into the ground a century from now, especially if you constantly eat pills.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho, the child has a mouth on her today. I suppose I can discipline you as well.¡±


    Grandmother was kind enough to give her a moment to prepare. She placed her live steel sword¡ªone of the better ones the clan purchased¡ªin her left hand, her main hand, and settled into a ready stance.


    Impress her grandmother. That was possible. For Qing, Hua would manage the impossible.


    If it meant visiting Qing, Hua would kill a god. Grandmother wasn¡¯t quite so far beyond her.


    It was the inverse of her spar with Weiang. Like lightning, Grandmother attacked, and like lightning, one only saw the afterimage of the flash in their memory.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Hua desperately turned to meet the blow, acting purely on instinct. The strength of it still left her arm numb. Her steel blade didn¡¯t so much as dig into the wooden practice sword, the Qi infused along its edge too potent to pierce.


    Hua managed to force the wooden sword up and away. Her blade descended in turn to cut Grandmother from shoulder to waist. Grandmother parried the swing with the back of her hand, pushing away Hua¡¯s arm and turning her body to the side to neatly avoid even the sleeves of her robe being damaged. The next engagement led to Hua getting slapped across the face and the one after that sent her stumbling back.


    There was a gulf between them and it showed. There had never been a chance of landing a blow. Still, Hua tried. Even if her sword missed, that was only one hand. With the other, she thrust it forward with no regard for subtlety, palm exposed.


    Lightning crackled on the back of her hand, dancing between her fingers as she focused on splitting her Qi into yin and yang. She thrust her palm forward as her Qi rejoined. At the moment her palm struck her grandmother, a shockwave was formed.


    Grandmother was faster. It could only be called a guiding hand, the way Grandmother raised Hua¡¯s arm. A contemptuous guide that forced Hua¡¯s hand to the sky just as the technique formed. It was the power of a thunderclap that filled the air around them, the rumble and force that followed lightning to announce the heavens had sent down their judgement.


    Grandmother stepped forward, well into Hua¡¯s guard. She felt a heel strike her own, destabilising her already weak stance. She was thrown and unable to do anything.


    ¡°Enjoy your rotation, fool.¡±


    At the apex of the throw, Grandmother backhanded her chest with such force that Hua was spun halfway again, hands opening instinctively and dropping her sword. Instead of her back hitting the ground, it was her front.


    She caught herself on her hands, bending her wrists and firming her core.


    The moment she had any sort of control, she kicked as hard as she could. There was never a chance of hitting her grandmother, but it still forced her foe to jump over the blow. Gave Hua the space she needed to use the momentum to roll to the side, rising into a crouch as she reached for her discarded blade.


    By then, Grandmother was firmly on the ground again as though she had never moved. At least her long hair was ruffled, the long braid still swaying. Proof that Hua had done something, even if that something was barely worth mentioning.


    What was she to brag about? I made Grandmother dodge once? Her hair even moved. Anything short of drawing blood was worthless.


    ¡°An acceptable reason to drop your sword. At least you aren¡¯t dropping it each time you got hit like you used to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not twelve anymore.¡±


    ¡°You babes all look the same to me. You¡¯re failing to impress me, girl. Now get up and try again.¡±


    With Qing in her mind, Hua rose and drew on her Qi to empower her. She dashed forward and matched her strength against her grandmother¡¯s aged power. They met again, Hua¡¯s sword shrieking at the abuse it was enduring. Grandmother¡¯s wooden blade was absolutely silent, barely deforming.


    She saw an opportunity. Hua thrust her blade forward. With a step, a flourish and a half-turn, Grandmother manoeuvred around Hua and slammed her wooden blade against Hua¡¯s ankles. She yelped, skittering back.


    ¡°Your footwork is still sloppy. Don¡¯t cross your feet like that unless you want swollen ankles.¡±


    After the third blow to her ankles, Hua decided that maybe trying to match her grandmother¡¯s strength was a mistake. There was no winning. Not in strength, reach, or speed.


    ¡°Slightly better but still unimpressive. Remember, you might have the height, but you don¡¯t have the muscle mass to bully others as much.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the tallest people in the province,¡± she grumbled.


    That earned her a whack on the wrist. Her bones twanged painfully even through the numbness she was experiencing. Hua did not drop her sword.


    ¡°That might not always be the case. And even if it is, most male Cultivators will have far superior bodily Cultivation. Our techniques draw on more yin than yang to form them. It doesn¡¯t help that you¡¯re a Spiritual Cultivator.¡±


    As if she wasn¡¯t throwing around Weiang just minutes ago. He was just as tall and far broader.


    ¡°You¡¯re at a higher Cultivation stage than him,¡± Grandmother said condescendingly, reading her perfectly. Gods above, she hated the woman. Sometimes. ¡°If you were at equivalent stages, he¡¯d throw you across the field like a training dummy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still better than him.¡±


    ¡°Doubtful.¡±


    I¡¯ll show you. In five years, I¡¯ll surpass you completely. That¡¯s my promise to the Heavens.


    They resumed their training session. This time, Hua kept her footing lighter. Dust clouds kicked up as she went with the force of Grandmother¡¯s blows instead of fighting them, pivoting to avoid contact, and ceding ground wherever possible. She struck in the spaces between, blade slashing out as she retreated. When their blades locked, she turned hers slightly so it slid down the length of Grandmother¡¯s, questing for her fingers.


    It never worked, of course. Grandmother was still more skilled, only allowing her to get that close for the sake of practice.


    Grandmother disarmed her with their next engagement. Locked Hua¡¯s sword arm with ease. Hua let it go and leapt away.


    Grandmother had already closed half the distance between them before Hua landed, an explosion of dust framing her. Her fist was drawn back as obvious as the first overhead blow she sent at her cousin earlier. And just like that one, there was no way to avoid it. The difference in speed was just too great. By the time she landed, Grandmother would be on her.


    The punch would break her in half. It had before. Left her with the healers for a month. Grandmother was a firm believer in the school of broken bones.


    Hua braced herself with the split second she had, her five unlocked Meridians flaring bright as she forced Qi to reinforce her bones. It was hasty work, her Qi sluggish to do this. Grandmother was right, Hua was a spiritual Cultivator. Her Qi didn¡¯t respond well in strengthening her body the same way it did in creating her Clan techniques.


    Still, she endured. One hand over the other, she caught the punch in her palms. They were pushed back till her knuckles touched her chest, bones howling. She was pushed back, boots leaving furrows in the hard earth of the training field.


    Just to be spiteful, she formed the Thunder Trigram again. Forcing Qi to become the force of a thunderclap.


    Grandmother neutralised the attack with one of her own. Thunder Palm and Thunder Fist met with such force that the ground around them splintered. The stronger thunderclap sent Hua flying.


    She landed on her back. Everything ached. Back bruised. Wrists felt like they might be broken. Maybe her ribs as well. Still, she rolled to the side and rose to a defensive crouch. To her relief, Grandmother hadn¡¯t attacked her at all.


    Which meant training was finally over.


    Hua didn¡¯t drop her guard for a moment.


    ¡°Decently done to attack even when you were being pushed back. And your sword skills have improved slightly. Maybe in ten years you might land a clean hit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°That was no compliment. When I was your age, I was far better. I was the best of the best. And I had no reason to talk back to my grandparents. Remember, child, the sword is a weapon I¡¯m passable with at best. If you can¡¯t defeat me, you¡¯ll never so much as touch any of the Yu Clan¡¯s Cultivators. Maybe not even their mortals. At this point, you might as well be trained as an assassin and save us all of trouble of wrapping up your body the moment you get into a duel. Not that you have a subtle bone in your body.¡±


    Hua rose cautiously, never dropping her guard. Grandmother scoffed before lobbing Hua¡¯s sword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let an opponent just take that without fighting back. Infuse it with lightning. Make it explode. Kick them the knee or crotch or whatever vital you can get to. There¡¯s no such thing as an honourable fight, not even the training grounds.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. I¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t. You have always been too hardheaded to remember anything without a beating.¡±


    ¡°I think you mistake me for twins.¡±


    ¡°You babies are all the same stubborn person.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe we inherited it from someone. I wonder who it could be.¡±


    ¡°Your father,¡± Grandmother said with a flicker of a smile. ¡°And he inherited it from his father. Your entire generation thinks having principles and standards is stubbornness. You lot wouldn¡¯t have survived a day in the Yellow Cap War.¡±


    Grandmother ranted for a few minutes longer about the failings of Hua¡¯s generation. Hua nodded where it was appropriate even if she wasn¡¯t listening. One learnt to figure out when an elder was done dispensing advice and was now ranting for the sake of hearing their voice.


    When her grandmother was done ranting and turned to leave, Hua infused the blade with a flicker of Qi to reinforce it. Then, she threw the sword at her grandmother¡¯s exposed back. After all, there was no honour in a battle, not even on the training grounds.


    It was so fast she almost missed it.


    Grandmother turned on the spot as she brought her hand to her hair and plucked out the phoenix pin holding it in place. Qi flared, static on her skin, the smell just before the heavy storms brought with them lightning and thunder, and within that storm was the certainty of an exposed blade at Hua¡¯s neck. For a moment, when Grandmother¡¯s hand was at its highest point, there was a screech as though all the blades in the world clashed at once but at the height of that battle, they found a violent harmony. A union of shrill noises that became the sound of hummingbirds filled their air, almost as though the kingfisher hairpin would learn to fly.


    That smooth movement continued as she brought her singing hairpin down before the blade could reach her. The moment the tip of the pin made contact, the blade shattered as surely as a dropped mirror would break. Shards of metal flying every which way.


    Grandmother dodged most with ease. Most.


    It was worth it because there was the tiniest line of red across the back of Grandmother¡¯s hand.


    ¡°All that for a drop of blood. How Impressive,¡± Grandmother pronounced and Hua sagged in relief. Grandmother gave her a dragon¡¯s smile. ¡°Don¡¯t miss an opportunity to harm an enemy. Never let them walk away from you without cost. Most certainly never miss a chance to stab them in the back. If you can¡¯t win, then make them bleed. If you can avoid the fight and kill them before they have a chance to react, do so.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sound so put out. It¡¯s quite the feat to make me bleed. Don¡¯t mistake me, your father managed it when he was a year younger than you are now. But it is an impressive enough feat that I¡¯ll let you play in the city.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, that doesn¡¯t make me feel better.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get a big head,¡± her grandmother said, intentionally missing the point.


    ¡°One can¡¯t develop arrogance if they don¡¯t have anything to be proud about.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. You barely do anything worthy of my pride.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my point.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it? A grandchild worthy of my pride wouldn¡¯t have had their sword destroyed during practice. No, a grandchild of mine would have managed to infuse enough Qi into that sword that I was cut in half. Anything less, well, that¡¯s not worth having pride over.¡±


    ¡°You know what, this was my win and I¡¯m done listening to you. I¡¯m leaving for the city.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come back before sunset. Maybe by then, I¡¯ll have forgotten my disappointment.¡±


    By sunset, it would already be too late.

 Chapter 2: Qing, the First

    It was not yet noon on the day the world broke when the first inklings of the devastation to come were felt.


    Liao Hua had barely entered the main compound when the earth trembled. Wood panels almost seemed to shiver, hanging gold adornments jangling unpleasantly. The poled holding the Clan¡¯s blue banners shook with the ground. Hua¡¯s stomach lurched as well, stabilising herself with a spark of Qi to her legs. The tremor faded quickly.


    She sniffed, scenting out for any smoke. None yet. They would need to keep candles and torches unlit in case another tremor came. Hua looked for a servant and found a few scrambling in the hallway, juggling the weight of a large jade carving. With a sigh, Hua helped them place it back before it dropped and jade shards landed everywhere. That done, she left a warning to keep the torches unlit for a few hours more.


    A lightning strike on a clear day and a tremor. Someone must have infuriated the gods today. Committed so heinous a crime that the Earth had to know their judgement was being exacted.


    She cleaned herself quickly, throwing on a more casual blouse and dress. The dress was cinched high and loosely pleated in a way that made it look like it was always billowing about. Hua liked it because it afforded her the most freedom of motion. The Clan grounds were on varying levels of the hill overlooking the city, hidden by great cypress trees and oaks that had seen centuries. They were towering things that provided shade in the summer and cover during the wet months. Now, she saw them as a wildfire, each yellow or red leaf that fell an ember that coloured the dark stones and green grasses.


    It was very easy to go from a courtyard to a well-kept garden to a stone path winding down the hillside. Sometimes, Hua still got lost.


    The resonant sounds of a bamboo flute were familiar. She followed it, padding along on silent feet. Underneath a tree, she saw a man in the middle of practice, dizi held to his lips.


    ¡°Cousin Ji, is that you?¡±


    He jumped out of his skin in fright, blue robes fluttering about. They were made of a tougher, cheaper material than the usual silk. Still adorned with the kingfisher that was the heraldry of the main lineage because nothing short of a headwrap or a weimao was hiding that distinctive white hair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that right after weird things happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to scare you only after normal things from now on. I think normalcy happens more regularly.¡± His green eyes narrowed in irritation. They were much darker than Hua¡¯s set. ¡°Where are you heading out to with all those coins?¡±


    ¡°I can go to the city when I want,¡± he said, biting his lip nervously. ¡°I just want to buy some Cultivation aids.¡±


    ¡°Is that what we¡¯re calling going to see that baker girl you¡¯re fucking?¡± she asked, switching to a more informal register.


    ¡°Hua! You can¡¯t just say that. What if the Elders were around? Then we¡¯d both get caned.¡±


    ¡°I think you, the person trying to learn the mythical arts of dual cultivation with a mortal, would get the caning. I am just the innocent maiden shocked that my cousin is an immoral beast who hungers for mortal loins.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re innocent then I¡¯m an enlightened Cultivator who found the Golden Core. How do you even know about that? I didn¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°My brother mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°Fuck Weijiang,¡± Cousin Ji said, giving up on the fiction of politeness. ¡°Even when he¡¯s not here he tries to ruin my life and reputation. Is he going to be doing this when he¡¯s the Patriarch? Damn it. I¡¯d call him an annoying bastard of seven fathers, but I wouldn¡¯t insult the memory of your Lady mother. And anyway, look, I just want to go to town and buy a few things. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Just keep things to playing songs on your flute and don¡¯t buy her a betrothal gift. The Elders wouldn¡¯t let you get married to her. Especially not your grandfather.¡±


    ¡°What he doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt him. Not like he doesn¡¯t still have three¡­ You heard nothing from me.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, he has three what? I want to hear.¡±


    ¡°My lips are sealed.¡±


    ¡°You know, I realise I didn¡¯t see you at the training grounds today,¡± she said slowly, letting her smile grow wide enough to show teeth. ¡°Maybe you could tell me there.¡±


    Her cousin paled, whatever blood he had vanishing. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he coughed it out. ¡°Come on Hua, don¡¯t do this today.¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± she asked, leaning forward.


    ¡°That thing where you act like a bored leopard instead of a person.¡±


    ¡°And what do I get if I leave you alone?¡±


    ¡°I know where the Clan bakers are hiding the mooncakes. I¡¯ll get you some, I promise.¡±


    She let her wide smile linger, watching as he shuffled nervously. Right as sweat broke out on his forehead, she let it fade to something sweeter. ¡°This is why you¡¯re my favourite cousin. I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡±


    Weiji shuddered, deflating. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to run away now.¡±


    ¡°You do that.¡±


    ***


    The journey to the city wasn¡¯t that far from the Clan grounds. They held the hills overlooking the bustling city. It wasn¡¯t the largest in the province, that distinction belonged to the Zhao Clan¡¯s capital. But it had the great benefit of being alongside the Liao River¡ªfrom which they took their name¡ªthat eventually led to a sea and then the open ocean. They may not have had the largest city, the most productive mines, or the biggest dockyard, but the Province in one way or another flowed through Liao territory.


    She walked down the grand staircase built at great expense a century ago, when her father was still young. The hardest part of leaving was getting signed out at the Entrance Gate if she didn¡¯t want to be hassled on the way back. The system was archaic, annoying, and existed to serve the dual purpose of discouraging clansmen from moving freely and to sometimes awe guests with a panoply of armoured soldiers.


    The road to the more commercial districts was well-maintained, kept clean and orderly under threat of an irritable Liao strangling you for littering. Hua had only done that three times, but the reputation for people with silver hair and green eyes had been cemented long before she was born. So, it was no surprise that people cleared their way and bowed to her as was her due. She slowed to buy an almond cake from a merchant who looked deathly afraid the entire time, his Jurchen accent deepening as he spoke.


    A shame. She wasn¡¯t going to hurt someone who made her desserts.


    ¡°Hua, lift me!¡±


    She had but a moment to turn before someone bumped into her with the force of an uncoordinated bull that got into the wine supply with a burning log lashed to its horns. Hua absorbed the impact easily, turning around with the sudden momentum as she got her arms around the girl¡¯s thighs.


    Qing, the Jade Carver¡¯s daughter, smiled so bright it outshone the sun. At least, Hua felt that it did, her heart dancing to an eager beat. Her dark eyes were alight with joy, highlighting the vim and vigour that infused every aspect of her. There was a certain feeling just before lightning struck, when the air was charged, the earth prepped, and the heavens ready to unleash their power. Holding Qing was like that, Earth and Lightning Qi intermingling without restraint. And a warmth she could not explain where her arms held Qing. Every point of contact like static.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep catching you every time you jump without looking,¡± she said, indifferent to the rest of the world. Couldn¡¯t even say where she was at this moment for all that her thoughts had been washed away by the landslide called Qing.


    ¡°I can jump because I know you¡¯ll always be there to catch me. Besides, if I wasn¡¯t around, who¡¯d put up with you all the time? Your cousins?¡±


    Hua couldn¡¯t resist the smile creeping across her face. A Cultivator held superb muscular control. Qing made her feel as in control as a child taking their first steps. Maybe if she was being generous, she might be a toddler picking up a sword for the first time.


    ¡°They like me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can¡¯t tell the difference between affection and fear but I think it¡¯s because you stuffy clan folks don¡¯t spend time around us normal folks.¡±


    ¡°Normal, says my hypocritical Daoist.¡±


    When Qing squirmed, Hua set her down and wasn¡¯t at all surprised when her hand was taken. She was more than a head taller than Qing, but Qing was as solid in body and dependable in spirit as the Earth Qi she cultivated. If she held her ground, Hua might be able to resist Qing leading her wherever she pleased. Maybe. It wouldn¡¯t matter. If Qing wanted to go into the heart of Yu territory, Hua would protect her from their rival clan.


    ¡°I¡¯m very normal,¡± Qing said, leading them down the path of her whims. Down the main markets and past narrow roads with beggars, it made no difference to Qing. ¡°No one ever says otherwise. How would you even know what normal looks like what with all your legends and lineages. Normal people don¡¯t have heroes for their fathers. Normal people don¡¯t have secret Clan Scriptures that you can¡¯t read on pain of death or marriage. Marriage! Who in their right mind wants to get married just to look at some prayers? Do I look like I¡¯d make a good wife to some boring elder? I would not suit black teeth at all. Nope. Not me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just too stubborn for everyone else to argue with. Easier to convince the Yellow River not to flood than to win an argument with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous. I don¡¯t know why I even missed you while you were gone.¡±


    Hua¡¯s smile widened and she hid it by looking at the retaining wall they walked beside, nobly holding up the weight of a house that loomed over them. It was one in a series that rose ever higher on the hilly slope.


    ¡°I was only gone two weeks,¡± Hua said. ¡°Maybe next time, you can come with me. We could spend the time together. Just the two of us.¡±


    Qing shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d enjoy all the fighting you get up to. I like living the way I do.¡±


    ¡°You could live a greater life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy just the way I am. Maybe you should stay with me instead,¡± Qing suggested lightly, fading into the shade cast by the retaining wall, speaking with the ease of someone repeating an old argument. ¡°Your closest friend isn¡¯t just supposed to leave you all the time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you.¡±


    ¡°Liao Hua, begging for peace. Never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡±


    I¡¯d only ever ask you for peace, she thought but could not say. Even mocking and slightly cruel, Qing was captivating, a study in light and shadow.


    ¡°You know I have a duty to my clan.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, duty, that worthless thing. Is there anything you¡¯d throw it away for?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me questions I can¡¯t answer. Are we really going to have an argument? Is it worth it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it is.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯d rather deal with the Yellow River than you. At least it doesn¡¯t get upset just because you talk to it.¡±


    Qing stomped her foot on Hua¡¯s toes, tough earth cracking. Hua¡¯s smile tightened, but she refused to show any pain.


    ¡°Hua, if you call me worse than a national emergency, I will kick you in the face.¡±


    Hua blinked slowly, catlike, at Qing¡¯s frown. ¡°How do you plan on reaching that high?¡±


    ¡°Like this.¡±


    With a deep breath and bent knees, Qing jumped high as she could, up and to the left. Leaving the shadow of the retaining wall to land upon it, exposed to sunlight and warmth. She stumbled, tittered, nearly fell over. But she just about managed to balance on the retaining wall.


    She sent Hua an impish smile and sent out a quick kick. Hua was ready to catch her just as she caught Qing¡¯s ankle before the foot could hit her. She could tug Qing back and make her fall again. But there was a flicker of genuine fear in Qing¡¯s eyes that had Hua letting go. Not everyone enjoyed heights.


    She tensed her muscles, bent her knees, and launched herself forward. Forced her body to rotate and for a moment, a single moment, she was level with Qing.


    Upside down like this, Qing¡¯s frown was a delightful smile.


    She landed in a handstand on a wall parallel to the Qing¡¯s. She pushed off the wall and flipped back down to Qing, landing right in front of her friend, and tilting her head down in an exaggerated manner. Qing was forced to lift her chin and reveal the column of her throat. There were three black marks running vertically along the left side of her neck. Hua resisted the urge to press her fingers against them. Forced herself to focus on Qing¡¯s glare which was a mistake. The sun fell upon them, brightening and revealing even more of her warm brown eyes.


    ¡°Show off.¡±


    ¡°You could do the same if you bothered trying more. You¡¯ve already entered Qi condensation.¡±


    Qing dropped down and Hua followed helplessly half a moment later. There was no point to her following except to remind Qing who was taller. And, to stay close.


    ¡°Just because I can doesn¡¯t mean I want to be jumping everywhere, dear Hua. I swear, you Clan babies don¡¯t understand how odd you are.¡±


    Qing patted her cheek, once, then twice. Almost a slap. Maybe it was for someone weaker. Hua caught her hand and kept it there, memorising the impression of callouses against her cheek. It sometimes felt impossible to behave around Qing, to keep her treacherous heart at bay. There were words that she could never say, not as a daughter let alone the daughter of the Liao Patriarch. She hated it sometimes. Hated it viscerally. Hated time, hated circumstance, hated fate for it made a mockery of her heart, dangling something she could never have.


    ¡°You could join my household. I¡¯d show you we aren¡¯t that odd.¡±


    ¡°Not all of us can spend our days with empty heads punching at walls. Some of us have to earn a living. Do more than meditate all day and call it doing my duty.¡±


    Well maybe if you joined me more you would reach the Foundation in a few years, she thought but did not say. The old argument wasn¡¯t worth rehashing. Qing was talented, too talented to remain a jade carver''s daughter the rest of her life. Had the Liao Scripture been compatible with Qing¡¯s natural elemental inclination, then she would have been adopted immediately. Tempering her body through carving jade¡ªand running everywhere to keep up with Hua¡ªwas a great talent. But better she work in service of this city than be married off to a rival with a more compatible Scripture.


    ¡°Maybe you could be my dance partner. I hear the dancers in the capital drown in gold. Practise your steps longer and you might be good enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always hated dancing. I just indulge you.¡±


    ¡°I could hire you as my personal maidservant.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯d kill you in your sleep. Actually, that¡¯s not such a bad plan now that I think of it. I could kill you and run off with whatever fancy jewels you keep. Then I¡¯d never have to listen to you talking about your Dao of Nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Fool, the Dao of Nonsense is the great Dao itself, the only Way that brings one to enlightenment. You would dare disparage this Young Mistress¡¯s efforts?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, forgive this humble fool of a servant. She knew not what she was speaking.¡±


    ¡°Bow a hundred times before this Young Mistress or face my wrath.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Qing slammed her head forward as she brought Hua¡¯s face down, striking Hua¡¯s nose square on. The suddenness of it shocked Hua dumb.


    A person in the first star of Qi condensation should not have been able to hurt Hua. She was halfway through the major realm and a trained practitioner of the war arts. Trained and tempered to endure pain.


    It still hurt worse than getting stabbed. And she¡¯d been stabbed before. A few times.


    ¡°Your head is harder than fucking steel! I¡¯ll get you back for that.¡±


    ¡°That was a bow!¡±


    Qing laughed and for once it didn¡¯t sound like starlight. Maybe Hua¡¯s anger was so bright a flare that the light of the stars was lost in it. It mattered little because she gave chase after Qing who darted down the street, sliding beneath a cabbage cart. Hua nearly decided to barrel through it but her pride was already stung, no reason to wound it further. She leapt gracefully, making certain to twirl so that her skirt fluttered about like a spinning wheel.


    The tremor from earlier had overturned a few of the merchant racks. At least Qing didn¡¯t add to it.


    She landed on a roof and gave chase. With her enhanced senses, she could hear what people thought of their antics. Some amusement, some bemusement, but mostly resignation. Hua was Hua and Ching was Ching and they¡¯d been Hua-and-Ching since they could toddle about. People got used to their antics or very quickly remembered what happened to mortals who embarrassed a Cultivator.


    ¡°There¡¯s ninety-nine of those waiting for you if you catch me,¡± Qing called out, unable to see or sense Hua.


    You¡¯re gonna have ninety-nine problems by the time I¡¯m done if you.


    She stalked Qing carefully, letting her run along, and when she was ready, she pounced. Qing shrieked as Hua slammed into her and they tumbled down a grass slope. Qing managed to rise to her feet and would have run if not for Hua holding her by the wrist. Her hardest tug didn¡¯t make a difference as Hua was as solid as the world.


    ¡°Hua, you know I didn¡¯t mean it,¡± Qing said nervously.


    ¡°Do I really?¡±


    ¡°Young Misteress, won¡¯t you forgive me?¡± she murmured. The title was a delight when it came from Qing. She wished to hear them again and again.


    Qing ran her fingers through Hua¡¯s silver hair, twirling it around her calloused finger. Few saw her hair and simply saw a friend. It made most stop and stare, afraid of even getting near her.


    Unfortunately for Qing, Hua was a spiteful person.


    She grabbed Qing by her arms and began turning. Qing¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t you¡ª"


    Far too late as Hua flung her into a pile of hay.


    ¡°Hua!¡±


    She laughed, unable to help it.


    The horizon glistened gold, amber far as the eye could see across the river. Theirs was the Amber Sea Province because it was said once the Yellow Emperor beheld the region and mistook their endless wheat fields for a great sea.


    Qing dragged herself out of the haystack.


    The world was this beautiful, perfect thing for just one moment longer. One moment she could never have known to savour or adore. Had she a talent for divination, she would have known to engrave Qing¡¯s furious expression in her memory. The flush on her face, the straw in her hair, a vital presence backdropped by blue river and amber fields.


    The moment of perfection ended as lightning struck and the world broke.

 Chapter 3: The Trigram Zhen

    When the heavens passed judgement upon the wicked and faithless, they did so with the immaculate radiance of lightning.


    No matter where one was, no matter how quickly they ran, lightning would always find its target. Flee as you might, hide as you desired, the gods were always watching, and the world was always telling the tale of your acts. The winds would carry your deeds to the Four Cardinal Kings who would record your valour and failings with the Thunder Agency.


    This was a truth of the world, a part of the laws that governed everything beneath the canopy of stars. So said Scripture. Liao Hua had known this since she was old enough to read the Clan Scripture and she had learnt it again and again as she became a Cultivator. The Thunder Agency would always know your sins and they would always account for them.


    But, if one dared, one could wield an imitation of heaven¡¯s judgement. The fire of an Alchemist¡¯s Cauldron was a greater flame than that which lit the hearth or spread relentlessly across a plain. Just the same, sparks of lightning born from Qi were not as great as Heaven¡¯s retribution, but they were distant kin, and there was power in that relation. A certain kind of sympathetic resonance.


    There are eight Trigrams that represent the foundational condition of our world, laid down by Sovereign Fuxi who observed the rhythms and flows of the place humans inhabited. To us with the name Liao, one Trigram reigns supreme above all others. Know it by the true name:


    Zhen.


    Thunder, that which shakes the world after the Heavens lay down their judgement. The Trigram Zhen is formed when two parts yin and one part yang are rejoined together into a singular whole. Control the precise speed and time in which they are joined, and one can do great things. A correctly formed Trigram will reveal the true form of our elemental Qi. It will no longer be like lightning; it will be lightning itself. The form of the thing and not merely its nature. Wield it well and slaughter our enemies.


    Those were her grandmother¡¯s words, taught to Hua through her honoured father, who sat her down in the great prayer room where the Liao Clan¡¯s Scripture resided. They were words Hua would tell her own children one day. She had learnt those words so well that they were a part of her very being.


    And so, on the day the world broke and a bolt of celestial lightning fell from the heavens, aimed at Qing, Hua was ready.


    Before she consciously understood it, Hua was forming the trigram. Meridians lighting up like stars, dantian glowing bright in her mind¡¯s eye. She had only unlocked five of twelve. Against celestial lightning, it was less than an illusion of a thing. Nothing close to the legends of immortals. Hua would force it to be enough.


    True lightning was pure yang. The earth was pure yin. In the path between Heaven and Earth was Qing. There were many things that Liao Hua, daughter of lightning would allow, and she would never let Qing be harmed by lightning, no matter the source. She could not be struck by lightning, heavenly or otherwise. Hua would not let it happen.


    She flared the spiritual aspect of her Qi, suppressing the physical, and became a great beacon of yin Qi. Yin was stillness and so Hua became still. Yin was space and so she became the space between Heaven and Earth. For a moment, she felt that she was all the yin in the world.


    It was enough, just barely, to slot herself between yang and yin, lightning and earth, and form a Trigram of herself and the world.


    Zhen, that which Shakes, she declared, and Zhen she formed.


    Earth. Hua. Lightning.


    Yin. Yin. Yang.


    There was light unending. Power unyielding. Judgement passed upon her soul, her body, all that she was in this life and the next and all those that came before. A moment where she saw as the Heavens saw, the wheel of karma revealed to her, the true nature of the dharma.


    It took seconds, years, and lifetimes for the revelation to pass. And when it did, when Hua returned to her body and became one with mortal senses, she knew that all the pains of her life had been as ash on snow and mist before dawn, immaterial and transient.


    Her nerves now lit up, a storm of pain that lived beneath her skin. Her spine howled in agony as her body became a conduit for lightning. Maybe she screamed as raw power made a home in her body. It was short, that much she believed, because so long as the agony ended, it would always be shorter than eternity.


    In the most distant parts of her awareness, she recognised the aftereffects of her actions.


    She could not keep this great power. Her body was a vessel too small to endure it. It needed to go somewhere else, somewhere that wasn¡¯t her blood or bones or skin or strained meridians. Anywhere but a mortal cauldron. She sent it where she could. Downward, outward.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The ground shattered as the full force of lightning was converted to raw force. Stone crumbling, earth breaking force. Power never wielded by a mortal, the kind that was used in the Age of Heroes. The ground shaking violently at the command of the Trigram Zhen. The displacement of air like a thousand whips cracking.


    Qing, blown away, but that was fine. Qing was tough. She could endure that which broke the earth. Hua tried to keep track of Qing, but it proved too great an effort. Before she knew it, the sky took up her vision. On the ground. She had fallen to the ground.


    What she witnessed across the vastness of the sky was horrifying. There was lightning partitioning the great span of the Heavens. Tendrils like ice growing across the surface of a pond, spreading ever outward, splintering and splintering ever onwards. Heaven has a wide net, yet though its meshes are wide, nothing slips past. This was that wide net, revealed now in lightning that folded upon itself to grow larger, wider. Past the horizon where it somehow fell upward to envelop the divine and the mundane, the sky and the earth.


    It was awesome.


    It was terrible.


    It was far too much for one person to comprehend.


    She could feel her mind cracking, A mortal vessel reflecting the magnitude of heaven. It could not endure. Hua could not endure for all that she had been born with lightning sparking in her veins.


    Qing took Hua¡¯s hand.


    The familiarity of the touch shocked her, grounded her to the present. There was a reason she had channelled heaven¡¯s wrath through her body and it was for that touch. The world that mattered held her hand and just as she grounded the divine lightning to earth, Hua grounded herself through Qing.


    With great effort, she craned her neck, tore her gaze from the heavens. Qing¡¯s brown eyes were worth more than all the heavens combined. It was in seeing Qing¡¯s fear that Hua could focus one more. Protect Qing. Whatever else, this was what she would do. Keep her safe. Worry about the heavens later.


    ¡°I have you,¡± Qing said, pretending to be brave when she was terrified.


    Hua was on the ground, she realised moments later. She¡¯d been struck by lightning and survived. Saved Qing against the cruelties of heaven. She forced herself to sit up, teeth clenched. Qing supported her and she needed it, truly needed someone else. Her nerves were still firing painfully, dantian aching like it was a bell and a thousand monks were hammering it. Her Meridians, even those she had not awakened, felt like they were conductive rods in the violent lightning storm occurring within her. Hua breathed, cycling her Qi, discharging lightning with instinct borne of a lifetime of practising.


    Qing was staring intently at Hua, meeting her gaze with wide eyes. Seeing something on Hua¡¯s face that she obviously couldn¡¯t see. Then Qing hugged her, crushed Hua to her chest. Hua returned it desperately.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again!¡±


    ¡°Sorry.


    They stayed like that for a while, just breathing. Ozone and petrichor, the two of them joined together. Lightning and earth, Qing and Hua. The steady thud of Qing¡¯s heartbeat steadied her. So long as they were together, it would be enough.


    Slowly, Hua recognised that she sat in a crater formed from the power of lightning she had directed. It stretched further than she could comfortably leap and was deeper than she was tall. The edges of the crater had an odd sheen which she recognised as glass slag eventually. She had done this, somehow. Through luck and instinct and perhaps even talent, she had done something great.


    For this great feat, one of her Meridians had opened. Liao Hua had reached the Sixth star of Qi Condensation. Halfway through the greater realm. But even more than that, those six standard Meridians felt greater than ever before. Truly felt like the stars they were called.


    ¡°Focus. Hua, I need you to focus.¡±


    She blinked slowly. Qing was shaking her. Time lost. How much, Hua had no ability to tell. Seconds hopefully, likely minutes from Qing¡¯s furrowed brows.


    ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯m good, I promise.¡±


    Qing helped her up, legs shaking as sparks of lightning continued discharging from Hua. She clung to her best friend, her oldest friend, drawing strength from her.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d lose you. Do you think I could have lived with myself if you died here?¡±


    I love you, she almost said, barely biting down on the words before she betrayed herself.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Die, I mean. I won¡¯t ever die. I¡¯ll be the first Immortal just for you.¡±


    The sky underneath Heaven¡¯s Net was yellow. The colour of pus and disease. Like something truly great was dying and the sky had absorbed its runoff.


    Below, one layer lower, was the smoke. Another gout of smoke rose like an inverted lantern ribbon, thick grey holding up the sickly sky. Fire. Her home was burning.


    Even as she turned, the number of fires never seemed to change. There was always another in the distance. She focused and slowly filtered in the sounds around her¡ªthe overwhelming boom of lightning and thunder had deafened her. Children crying. Fathers shouting orders, mothers screaming out the names of their children. The thud thud thud of crowds of people running. The clop of horses and the thump of cattle. Birds shrieking, a thousand wings flapping as they fled and realised nowhere was safe.


    The immensity of this destruction was like the stories from the Age of Heroes when gods still roamed and immortality flowed as bountifully as the Yellow River.


    ¡°Hua, what¡¯s happening?¡± Qing asked, shock stealing the blood from her face. Ashen as the smoke. ¡°Can you feel that Qi?¡±


    She was trying not to. There was Qi bubbling up from the earth. Falling from the sky like droplets. It was everywhere and nowhere at once. More Qi than Hua had ever thought possible to just float freely.


    The atmospheric Qi was a bright flare to her senses. If things weren¡¯t so maddening, she would be tempted to use the free-flowing Qi for her own Cultivation even if it wasn¡¯t attuned to Lightning.


    Could Yu Clan diviners have foreseen this and kept it to themselves? It was something those treacherous bastards would do. Leave everyone to die if it gained them even one drop of advantage.


    ¡°Hua, focus.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Sorry, I¡¯m here. Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Always.¡±


    ¡°We need to get to my home. The Formations there will keep us safe. Safer,¡± she added as a building on the shore collapsed. ¡°Keep us safe from Heaven. Hide us from Heaven¡¯s Net.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t see any net.¡±

 Chapter 4: The Broken City

    While the Great Net of Heaven spread across the sky, Liao Hua found herself stuck at the bottom of a crater, and not for the first time in her life. As usual, she had made it. This time, it wasn¡¯t her powers that created it. Not purely hers.


    She was exhausted in a way she didn¡¯t think possible. A bone-deep exhaustion. Spirit deep, dantian deep. Everything that could be strained was. Stretching out the dribbles of Qi she still had to heal herself didn¡¯t help. It just shifted the pain from physical to spiritual. Torn muscles screaming less, her Meridian¡¯s burning too hot for comfort.


    Hua struggled to leave the crater she had formed by wielding heaven¡¯s lightning and turning her mortal body into a conduit for that unfiltered power. Even with Qing¡¯s assistance, it was hard to escape the crater. Trembling muscles, misfiring nerves, aching spiritual channels. The consequences of reaching beyond herself.


    That her clothes were scorched was a minor concern. Her long skirt crinkled and speckled with holes edged black where they had burned. The powerful scent of ozone clung to her and, though she was familiar with it, this one somehow also smelled like ancient paper, wet ink, and sharp knives.


    What few clumps of grass that remained on the slope had turned yellow, dried up by the heat that lightning produces. Without Qing, Hua would have likely tipped back long before they made it past the slope. Probably found a way to tumble straight to the churning waters. She blinked, confused. Yes, the usually placid river really was churning as though it had become a violent thing flowing over jagged rocks, forming white water rapids that would sink any ship without remorse.


    If the river had been struck by lightning, could the great Qi from that have altered the nature of the river? If it had, was it temporary? Would they have to wait for the chaos in Heaven to subside, assuming it?


    Above, Heaven¡¯s Net continued to spread insidiously. Tendrils of lightning spreading further than the horizon. Past it and yet somehow rising above it, returning to that impossibly distant place. She wanted desperately to know but¡ª


    ¡°Focus, Hua,¡± Qing said, helping her over a mound of rubble that had once been a home. Yes, she needed to stay present, keep her gaze focused on the devastation in front of her instead of losing time.


    The house, maybe the houses, had practically disintegrated, stone broken, chipped, shattered and burnt. Wooden support beams splintered, large embers that burned even now, and flung every which way, carried upon the howling winds.


    A great scorch spread across the bedrock that had been exposed. Dark slag along the rim, the hallmark sign of true lightning.


    The bolt of lightning that struck Hua¡ªthe one meant for Qing before she injected herself between lightning and Earth¡ªhad been one of many. It explained the suddenness of the fires she could see burning across the horizon, choking the city with smoke. Hua couldn¡¯t smell it, not really. Ozone had scoured away any sensitivity she had.


    ¡°You know your hair is brown now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°From all the dirt and dust,¡± Qing said with a weak chuckle, adjusting Hua¡¯s arm around her shoulder. Hua made the effort to support more of her own weight. ¡°You look ridiculous. More ridiculous than usual.¡±


    Qing led her down this crater with a sureness to her steps that Hua envied. She knew where the ground would remain stable better than Hua could sense an approaching storm. Well, a natural storm. This had been far too sudden. They slid down road bricks turned to sand and gravel.


    Hua nearly tripped, saved only by Qing catching her. When she turned, she saw fingers reaching lifelessly out of the mound of rubble. They were burned, dust clinging where the fat and flesh of the hand were sluiced away. That could have been anyone. The terrified person who sold her almond cakes this morning and tried so hard to be formal in their Jurchen-accented voice. The guzheng player from the teahouse she sometimes liked to visit. Any of the beggars she never paid any attention to.


    It could be her cousin Weiji¡ªno, he lives. I have to believe he¡¯s alive.


    But that forced her thoughts to the rest of her family. Her brother had been sent away a month ago, making a great journey for the survival of their clan. If this was happening everywhere, then he had likely been caught up in this. And if he died, or was captured, then their Clan would die within the decade. Had her home¡¯s formations been tested and found wanting? The twins. Grandmother. Father. Out of all those she loved and cared for, how many had died?


    Would she only know her Clan by the graves they left behind?


    ¡°Do you think my father made it?¡± Qing asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No hesitation. I always liked that about you. No doubts, no fears. You just keep moving forward,¡± Qing said, leading them forward, up the slope, as though Hua wasn¡¯t plagued with doubts. ¡°I wish I had your bravery.¡±


    You¡¯re too honest. You let the world see all you¡¯re feeling and you aren¡¯t ashamed of it. That¡¯s strength. True bravery. I wish I had a fraction of it.


    Hua offered her a smile. Said, ¡°You¡¯re the bravest person I know. And remember, I¡¯m the one related to a hero.¡±


    Qing¡¯s laugh was like sunlight in winter. Perhaps not the searing warmth you remembered from gentle summers, but it brightened the gloom, gave limbs the energy to persevere, and the soul a reason to continue onward. Like those winter flowers in the immaculate gardens of her Clan, Hua¡¯s resolve blossomed.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Ahead of them, great cracks ran through much of the stone road. There was blood on stone, splattered on the ground and the walls that still stood. Quiet though it was, a sense of dread pervaded the road. They were quick to find those who it belonged to.


    Mortals. It could only be mortals. Their defining feature was their tendency to die easily.


    ¡°Maybe someone¡¯s still alive.¡±


    You¡¯re too kind for your own good.


    They checked the bodies. It was what Qing wanted.


    This one with a skull crushed, greyish flesh haloed around his head. The pool of his blood was drying. Near him was a dog who barked and chuffed at a child¡¯s body, unable to understand why it was receiving no answer. The child¡¯s neck bent at a sharp angle. Hua could count the bones of his spine from a distance, so underfed was he. With each person they examined, Hua came to realise anyone who could, had already left.


    She wished her hearing wasn¡¯t so poor right now, then she might have been able to tell where everyone was. Found them a place to shelter and rest. Found somewhere safe for Qing whilst she made a plan to get back to the Clan compound.


    It horrified her to consider this a part of her clan¡¯s history. The legacy of her descendants would be this day when Heaven¡¯s lightning found them wanting. Generations from now, her brother¡¯s descendants might ask hers why they had been judged so harshly.


    ¡°I think I can walk on my own now.¡±


    Cycling her Qi wasn¡¯t an exercise in pure agony. Though her dantian and meridians still ached, she could control her muscles properly. And she couldn¡¯t bear to make Qing support her any longer. It was too cruel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to walk alone.¡±


    ¡°Here, I have an idea.¡±


    She made Qing tilt her head to the side. Hua plucked the hairpin from her head and threaded it between the bun she made of Qing¡¯s straight, dark hair. Against the black sheen, the silver hairpin stood out brightly. It carried with it Lightning Qi. Likely from Hua¡¯s great act of making a trigram with herself between heaven and earth.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ll always have me besides you,¡± Hua said. ¡°Even if I¡¯m not here, you¡¯ll still have me.¡±


    She laced their fingers together, smiling at the image they made. Her delicate, pale hands against Qing¡¯s vital tan.


    They fit so easily; puzzle pieces they had carved out with each moment they spent together. Even now, perhaps especially now, with the world breaking, they found a way to join a small part of the world together.


    ¡°Hua.¡±


    She looked up to see Qing¡¯s wide eyes. There was something terribly fragile in her gaze. Hua waited, watching, devouring the sight of her. Just savoured the shape of Qing¡¯s cheekbones and how smudges of dirt couldn¡¯t hide them. The red flush overtook even the usual strength of Qing¡¯s tan. Hua usually only saw that flush in winter when it was coldest and Qing was miserable to be outside.


    Even on those horridly cold days, Qing indulged Hua¡¯s whims. Be it to visit frozen ponds or search for hibernating bears to irritate.


    Qing shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just¡ªdon¡¯t let go, alright. Just don¡¯t.¡±


    They held hands as they walked the ruined streets. Qing¡¯s calloused hands shook. Nervousness. Fear. Disgust. It could have been anything or something else entirely. Corpses didn¡¯t bother Hua. She had made enough of them in her short life. That was just what it meant to be the scion of a cultivation clan. But Qing was civilian-born with civilian foibles. The pragmatism that came with choosing which mortals lived and died hadn¡¯t been engrained in her yet. She still saw herself as something lesser than she truly was.


    Still, Hua would not say it as they had fought over that matter more than once. Qing too stubborn. Hua too unyielding for any compromise to be found. It would take time, Hua knew, time for Qing to see what the world truly was like. The greatest mountains could be worn down given enough time.


    It did not take them much longer to find the first signs of life. Hua felt a wave of relief in seeing with her own two eyes that others still lived. The name Liao wouldn¡¯t forever be stained by complete failure. So long as some lived, things could be rebuilt.


    People had gathered in a square. Hua could still barely sense the hundred-strong crowd milling about in their different groups with her ears and nose and spiritual senses. After the overwhelming yang of the lightning bolt, only the strongest things mattered. That, and Qing. Hua would always notice Qing.


    Someone was trying to organise things, speaking, ordering people about. Trying being the operative word. There wasn¡¯t outright chaos, but the belligerence of the collective crowd was evident.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to them. You¡¯re¡­ not the best with people.¡±


    Hua nodded, letting go of Qing¡¯s hand and only slightly mourning the loss. She waited a little before making her way along the edges of the square. Head down, with dirty hair and smouldering clothes, she didn¡¯t look far removed from the mortals. Honestly, many of them looked more put together than her.


    It let her watch anonymously as Qing spoke to a woman maybe a decade older than them, holding her two toddlers close to her. The toddlers had no idea what was wrong, tugging on their mother¡¯s dress, wanting to go home. Barely understanding that there was a problem. The privilege of ignorance. Hua had never been blessed with it.


    Further to the side, there was a flinty-eyed man that she found herself focusing on. She wasn¡¯t sure what about him it was that drew her interest first. Maybe the wickedly curved knife at his belt. The way he leaned against a wall coiled like a serpent ready to strike. Could have been the friends he kept with him, equally hard-eyed, even if they failed to hide their greedy gazes with straw hats. Possibly a mix of all that.


    And his attention on Qing.


    Hua watched the man carefully. It was her bad habit, she knew. Always extending people rope and seeing how eagerly they would hang themselves and how elaborate the knot the formed. That curiosity compelled her.


    That hairpin she¡¯d given Qing was valuable, inlaid with emeralds as it was. Enough to maybe feed a poor mortal for a year if they were careful. A risk, of course, but one that might be worth it.


    He looked a moment too long and made a very foolish decision. He pushed off the wall and walked past his friends who rose with him. He possessed the casual swagger of a man who knew he was the biggest threat in the area. Knew, in the same sense that an illiterate child knew what a shop sign said because they walked by it enough to know what they sold.


    The mortal reached for Qing.


    Before Hua knew it, she had her hand around his neck, snarling with the full force of all her impotent fury suddenly converted to violence. His eyes were blown wide in surprise. Terror. The mortal choked, grabbing at her wrist. His leg lashed out and struck her on the side.


    Hua simply squeezed harder.


    Even if the mortal could have hurt her, it wouldn¡¯t compare to lightning.


    ¡°You bitch,¡± she heard from her left just before a fool signed their name in the Book of the Dead.


    She swept her arm out and struck the idiot. Slapped him with the back of her hand so hard his head twisted like a screw until it was facing the same direction as his back, where the mother and her children were watching with wide eyes. There was a scream as people finally recognised an angry Cultivator in their midst.


    ¡°Stop it, Hua, he didn¡¯t know,¡± Qing said before she crushed the man¡¯s throat, grabbing her by the wrist.


    ¡°And that makes it better? Hurting you? Ignorance isn¡¯t a shield.¡±


    ¡°Hua, don¡¯t. Please. He isn¡¯t worth it. There¡¯s been enough death without you adding to it again.¡±


    Her voice was shaking and that was enough for Hua.


    She let go.


    In the end, she couldn¡¯t deny Qing anything.

 Chapter 5: Heavenly Malice

    They holed up in a home that had seen better days if not better years.


    Those who had been living there vacated the home the moment Hua showed any interest in it. On a good day, you gave a Cultivator every courtesy you could. On a bad day, you kowtowed and prayed you were too unimportant for their fury. And today, you simply fled, because a world breaking was far, far safer than a furious Cultivator.


    She was grateful Qing did not fight her over the abrupt eviction. Either Qing was too tired to argue with her or realised that this wasn¡¯t worth fighting over. Hua led her to a bench by a table and made her sit. Hua could commend the peasants who had called this rickety building home for managing to keep it clean. It was without dust, the fabrics hanging on the walls lovingly made by hand, each successive one showing the styles of successive generations.


    Further exploration revealed some steamed buns wrapped in cloth. They had spilt off the wood shelf at some point between the minor tremor and the deluge of lightning. The one Hua tried was perhaps the worst thing she¡¯d eaten in a year, but it wasn¡¯t poisoned, that much she could be sure of. The pot of cold tea was much the same. Unpoisoned, that is. Somehow the quality of Pu-erh was worse than the buns.


    If mortals had to eat like this regularly, Hua could understand why they were so eager to commit suicide by Cultivator in all the stories.


    ¡°Eat and drink first. Talk after.¡±


    Qing not even scowling was worrying. Hua sat across from her on the bench, knees knocking together. She watched Qing chew through the first bun without complaint, grinding through the low-quality wheat to find whatever made up the meat medley in the centre. Qing chased it with the tea and followed that with the second bun.


    ¡°Why did we stop here?¡± Qing asked once she¡¯d swallowed down the third bun, setting down the cup.


    Hua took Qing¡¯s hands between her own. They were still trembling, those elegant fingers. There was strength to them, callouses that remained but would soon fade as Qing¡¯s body adapted to Qi. She waited until the trembling calmed and then let them go with regret.


    ¡°You¡¯re tired. Emotionally, yes, but also physically. Burning through your Qi. Took me a while to notice but you¡¯ve been keeping the ground stable for me. Unconsciously, I would assume, otherwise you intentionally exhausted your Qi.¡±


    ¡°I never noticed.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s my fault. I should have been paying more attention but it¡¯s¡­ the world is so loud and bright right now. Like I can see more than I should, more than just the Qi around us. It¡¯s been¡­ distracting. And your Qi is so similar to the earth, anyway, that I struggled to see it past everything else. So, sorry, I would have noticed any other day.¡±


    ¡°You were struck by lightning, Hua. Even I could tell that bolt was gonna hit me. It would have killed me, but you saved me. At least let me do something as simple as helping you walk.¡±


    Hua smiled. As if she¡¯d let something as simple as divine lightning harm Qing. ¡°Being near you is all the strength I¡¯ve ever needed.¡±


    Qing glanced away, lips pursing. Her hands dug into her thighs, scrunching up her robes. ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that if you don¡¯t mean them.¡±


    Hua reached out and laid her hands over those fists Qing made. She coaxed them free and let them rest on her palms. ¡°I¡¯ve never said a single thing I didn¡¯t mean to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± she said automatically, squeezing Qing¡¯s hands. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For being there for me. I know it isn¡¯t in your nature to¡­ well, not care, you care about your clan a lot. But I know it¡¯s hard for you to do kindness. So, thank you for being kind to me. Putting up with me despite everything. I know I¡¯m not the type of Cultivator you approve of but¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s never mattered to me. I just needed you to be you. Qing. Who you are now is the only person I need. Even if I don¡¯t agree with everything you do or like what you think, and it would be easier if you agreed with me a lot more, I still wouldn¡¯t change any of that about you.¡±


    ¡°Hua, don¡¯t say things you can¡¯t take back.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯ll forgive me if I ever said something I couldn¡¯t take back. When we¡¯re old, I¡¯ll still be complaining that you¡¯re too nice to people who don¡¯t deserve it, and you¡¯ll be trying to make me behave like a mortal, but I¡¯d be happy because you¡¯re there. Everything else, we can figure out together and¡ª¡±


    Qing leaned up and pressed her lips against Hua.


    They were dry, and chapped, but so warm. Hua could do nothing, so shocked was she that her brain had broken. Her thoughts scattered away to the four winds as she processed, in the abstract realm of physical sensation and Qi intermingling, what was occurring. Her only tethers to normalcy were the hands squeezing her own, applying pressure enough to crack bones. Familiar and yet ever so strange for the context that they made.


    What am I meant to do? She asked despairingly, uselessly.


    Qing pulled back, watching Hua carefully.


    Hua felt the separation between them more keenly and wanted to pull Qing back. Find a way to merge them together until nothing at all remained separate, no gap between their selves and souls and qi. But she didn¡¯t know how. Could only settle for the hands she held and bony knees knocked against each other.


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve always wanted to do that,¡± Qing said simply, as if she hadn¡¯t entirely upended Hua¡¯s worldview. The chaos in Heaven was less shocking than this.


    ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°Since always.¡± Qing swallowed, biting at her upper lip. Hua could not believe she had tasted those lips even if only for a moment. ¡°You always tell me Cultivators are selfish creatures. Well, I¡¯m being selfish. I don¡¯t want it to go unsaid. I know, you¡¯re going to get married to some important Cultivator and do important Cultivator things. I get that but I don¡¯t care. I¡¯d follow you wherever you went. Even if I had to swallow my heart and suffer each day watching you love someone else. I just¡­ let me be selfish for a moment.¡±


    ¡°You could never be selfish,¡± she whispered, because it was what she believed. How could you be selfish with something given freely?


    She cupped Hua¡¯s cheek tenderly, staring at her with a gentle warmth. Like lying on a rock heated by the sun, Hua melted. Her thumb pressed against Hua¡¯s lips. Those points of contact, each of them undeniable. Each of them engraved in her memory.


    The smile Qing wore was painfully bitter but carried an undeniable sweetness.


    ¡°Tell me no and I¡¯ll stop. I¡¯ll never mention this again.¡±


    ¡°I could never say no to you.¡±


    When Qing brought Hua¡¯s head down, Hua was barely ready to taste that bittersweet smile.


    Hua did not know how to give a kiss and so she pushed forward, pushed against but never away. She wanted to lick across Qing¡¯s teeth and taste every crevice. To confirm if she would taste like bad tea and cheap buns, or if there was some ineffable quality that endured. A distillation of taste that was unique to Qing alone.


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    There were fingers in her hair, stroking her silver strands. The brush of fingertips on her scalp. Shocks spread across her nape as those fingers explored. Hua¡¯s hands were drawn to Qing¡¯s waist. They had danced like that before, Hua leading her, Qing following, but now Qing could only desperately hold on against the tidal wave.


    It was lips and teeth and warmth, Qi seeping through flesh, imparting a thousand feelings and emotions. A decade they had known each other, and Hua regretted them now more than ever. She regretted the years before they met, when she was empty and unfulfilled and did not yet know it. She loathed each day they had been apart and only the memory of Qing walked with her.


    Those Dojos she challenged were worth less than this. Every lesson from her teachers, every second with her siblings, the very act of cycling Qi a waste of time because it meant one moment less with Qing.


    ¡°And no, you don¡¯t have to love me back,¡± Qing whispered against her lips. It sounded like a lie Qing said simply to endure. ¡°I know you don¡¯t understand how love works, and you¡¯d never do anything that wouldn¡¯t bring your family an advantage. That¡¯s not your fault, you¡¯re just a product of your clan. But I can only act as my heart tells me. So, don¡¯t send me away. Don¡¯t run from me.¡±


    I loved you from the moment you broke my nose and kicked me in the mud. I loved you when you shared that first mooncake you stole. I loved you again when you let me teach you how to dance. I love your smile and your laugh, your stubbornness and anger.


    I love you and I don¡¯t know how to fucking say it.


    ¡°You¡¯d stay with me if I asked? No matter how far I had to go? Even if it meant leaving our home. You¡¯d stay with me?¡±


    ¡°Always. There was nothing you could have ever done to push me away. I¡¯d be happy to make a home anywhere with you. By the sea, a small plot in a forest, in a slum or a castle, so long as you were there it would be home for me.¡±


    ¡°Qing, I¡ª"


    The world shook with such undeniable violence that it stole whatever words Hua had thought she could say. Stone grinding, earth juddering. A great upheaval so powerful, so potent, it was as though the Trigram Zhen had replaced the very bedrock as the world Shook.


    For a moment, one mad moment, she reached her Qi outward to the world, thinking foolishly that the trigram did exist, that one part yin and two parts yang now ruled the world. Because if that was so, if the Thunder Trigram Zhen reigned supreme, then surely a daughter of lightning could force the world to be still?


    The ceiling made the decision for her as it caved inwards. Stone bricks and wooden beams fell, revealing a glimpse of the heavens being torn apart by ruinous lightning.


    She shoved Qing away just as a beam would have struck them, struck her. The weight sent Hua to her hands and knees, but that was fine. Qing was safe. Hua forced herself up, shoving aside wood and stone that had fallen upon her shoulders. Across the small house, she saw Qing battling to maintain stability. So great was the destabilising force, that even Qing could not endure it fully. Hua¡¯s heart caught in her throat. Get closer, get to her, everything else could wait.


    The shaking ended abruptly. Hua tripped, unable to compensate for the sudden change from instability to sudden stillness.


    Qing reached out to her.


    Hua reached back as she always would.


    The ground beneath them sheared in half with a grinding sound so loud it deafened her surer than divine lightning. Where there had been a moment of stability, now there was a gaping emptiness that would swallow whole the table and bench and every piece of rubble. Anything that had existed above that darkness would vanish.


    Including, Qing.


    Her hair was rising as she fell. Across the gap, Qing¡¯s eyes were wide, horror and fear contorting her delicate features as she realised what was happening. The earth had betrayed her, betrayed them.


    Whatever the reason, Hua reached forward, Qi surging in her bones and muscles. Faster. She needed to be faster than the traitorous earth. To reach, that was all that mattered. Everything else could vanish so long as Qing lived.


    Their fingers just brushed. Just missed. Never close enough. Qing fell into the darkness that had emerged.


    Hua flung herself into the gaping emptiness carelessly, never hesitating for a moment. Always reaching for Qing.


    War. The eighteen Hells. A hole in the ground. Whatever it was, Hua would follow so long as Qing was on the other side. She descended into the dark after her because nothing else was acceptable. No other option could be permitted.


    It was inevitable.


    They were inevitable.


    The dark world groaned again. A slab of stone jutted out and struck Hua in the side. The pain was immediate. Bright spots bloomed in her vision as she was flung aside, further away from Qing who was vanishing into the darkness. Hua hit another wall and tumbled uncontrollably. She scrambled to get a hold of anything, any ledge or handhold. Her nails scraped stone, her finger pads were torn bloody. No matter how she reached, nothing reached back.


    The ground came far too abruptly for Hua to react.


    One great flare of pain. A flash of agony. Then, true darkness.


    She fell unconscious for a time. Hua could not tell how long it was that she swam in the murky border between waking and the emptiness of unconsciousness. It was a lifetime, it was a moment, it cared not at all for Hua¡¯s burning need to wake. There was a desire in her so strong that it woke her Qi and that in turn urged her to rise. Lightning in her veins, sparking across nerves, jolting her unconscious body into a waking state.


    When she woke with a spasm as he muscles contracted violently, the world was dark. She knew she was awake only because everything ached. Her Qi stopped prodding her with lightning and went to cycle through her body, soothing her bruised flesh and cracked bones. Only Body Tempering and Qi reinforcement kept her alive, she knew, and only because so many things had broken her fall.


    Focus. Find Qing. Do that and nothing else.


    That imperative lay in her very soul. And so, Hua rose with a groan, feeling sharp spikes of fresh agony. Unimportant. Worthless pieces of information. What did she need to know that her ribs were cracked, her flesh bruised, and her tendons strained. So long as she could stand, could force sludge-slow Qi to strengthen torn muscles and fill the cracks in her bones, the pain was just a distraction from her goal. The only one that mattered. Finding Qing.


    The darkness lifted slightly, an endless void becoming a pervasive greyness. It was a miracle at all that she could see anything at all in this murk and the thick dust choking her. They could have been in any of the myriad hells for all Hua knew. Did that matter? Could Hell stop her from reaching Qing? No, she wouldn¡¯t let it.


    Instinct made Hua lean back just as something fell in front of her. The object broke on impact, sending splinters of pain that stabbed Hua in the feet. She cursed and glared at it. It was¡­ a broken support beam? One large chunk of it had speared through a piece of fabric.


    It was one of the wall hangings in the house she had been in. She looked up and saw only the palest crack of light, one so thin but also blindingly bright.


    She was surrounded by stone walls so tall she could not tell if she imagined the crack of light above her.  It was warm to the touch, not cold as she expected by the moisture licking across the rough walls. The longer she looked, the better her eyes adjusted. Soon, she could see the patches of darkness for what they were. The undulating path forward, narrowing and contracting abruptly, dipping and rising. As her gaze drew up, she found a path of rocks jutting out, stone overhangs, and crevices born from the violent contractions that would lead her to the light above. Freedom.


    All she had to do was climb.


    Hua looked away from certain freedom and headed into the deep dark.


    ¡°Qing!¡±


    It hurt her chest to shout. Her voice echoed against the walls, bouncing in strange patterns that made no sense to Hua. She was hearing her voice coming from behind herself.


    ¡°Answer me damn you. Qing!¡±


    ¡°Hua.¡±


    The voice echoed from all directions. Hua did not let that stop her. She looked and she looked and she looked until she saw a place where dust was falling faster than the rest. She headed in that direction, leaning against the wall for support. Her feet ached with each step as splinters lodged deeper in them, her fingers leaving bloody prints on the dark walls.


    She ducked beneath a low opening and shimmied her way through the dark recess. It was too narrow to fit properly. Her body was at an odd angle, most of her weight on her left side. With one arm, she dragged herself forward. Didn¡¯t care if small stones cut her flesh and dress. Didn¡¯t care at all that the darkness ahead was all-consuming.


    Some things were more important than fear.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming,¡± she promised, hacking on dust. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t follow after me.¡±


    Qing¡¯s voice was strangely wet, like she¡¯d been drowning. Hua moved faster, fingers bleeding deeper and nails cracking as she dragged herself forward. There was only the tiniest of lights, a weak golden glow that might have been the sight of crack promising freedom imprinted upon her vision, tempting her with a lie.


    There was something true in the depths of darkness. So long as Hua reached for it, the world would be fine.


    ¡°I always will! Don¡¯t you dare think I won¡¯t.¡±


    It was abrupt, how quickly the crawlspace ended. Vaguely, she could see the outline of a human in the murk. Hua pushed herself forward and tumbled down a steep incline. Rocks and gravel rolled with her and she landed in a pile. She dug herself out, coughing harshly. Made her way forward until she could see Qing.


    There she was. Lying on the ground. Waiting with a small smile that was almost swallowed by the dark.


    It was here, in this hellish darkness, that Hua learned the true nature of her worst fears.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Hua. You can¡¯t follow me this time.¡±

 Chapter 6: Qing, A Lifetime Too Early

    Liao Hua was the eldest daughter of the Liao Patriarch. Hers was a great Cultivation Clan. Ask any in her Clan and they would name her a brilliant star of her generation, burning bright and promising a hopeful future for the clan. They would call her a great talent worthy of the long shadow that her heroic father cast. Great men had striven to lesser heights than she had casually achieved and then ascended beyond. One day her name would be spoken of in reverence.


    So, if she was to be a great woman of history, why could she not save one person?


    ¡°Do you hear me, Liao Hua? You can¡¯t follow after me,¡± said Qing, the dying daughter of a jade carver. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll live.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± said Liao Hua, the great talent of her great Clan, because she could never deny Qing anything. ¡°For you, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    It was on this day that Liao Hua watched her world fall apart.


    Not the world that was the stars in heaven and the great Yellow River that nourished and took with equal measure. Not the thunder rumbling in the distance that had always soothed her when she was little or the sweetness of plums and the tart bite of fresh lemons. Not cold winds and freshly cut grass on the breeze. Not ash, not fire. Not distant clouds or nearby ponds. Not snow in winter or painfully cold spring melt that left teeth chattering.


    That world was nothing.  A false thing that pretended to have meaning. Immaterial and unappealing. It mattered only because Qing existed in it. No, because through Qing, this thing of thunder and rivers and stars had its true meaning revealed.


    The world Hua knew was bleeding. Red blooming across her sodden dress, turning the pattern of green leaves to an autumn colour. Hua hated it profoundly, that colour red. Hated autumn, hated blood, hated life itself because that was lifeblood leaving Qing¡¯s body.


    Qing lay impaled upon a stone spike. The very earth that defined her Qi had betrayed her. Betrayed Hua. Had punched through her abdomen and spilt precious lifeblood. Only the presence of the spike kept Qing alive, kept her going a bit longer. Removing it, moving her, that would kill her surer than slitting her throat.


    Why this? Why her? Qing has never hurt anyone!


    Hua was no healer. She wasn¡¯t born of the Zhao Clan and so their healing scriptures were not hers to wield. She cursed the circumstances of her birth: her father who fed her lightning instead of selling her off to the Zhao to learn their medicine; her grandmother who kept her close and showed her the ways of thunder. The Elders, the Clan, her brother and sisters, she cursed any and all who had stopped her from learning to heal because it meant she could not save the world.


    Most especially, she cursed the heavens for their malice. Lightning and a breaking world. It could only be intentional. They had come after Qing personally. If not for Hua defying them at every turn, Qing would be long dead.


    And still, they came. Challenging Hua¡¯s determination to save the world. Fury bloomed in her heart. She would defy the gods and keep the world alive. She had to.


    From her body, that strange light of Qi blossomed. It was no true light for it illuminated nothing, and no true colour for it was without the nature that imparted colour. But it was the force that bridged heaven and earth. It could do everything. Summon dragons, split the world, and raise mountains.


    Surely, it could heal one girl.


    Please, please, please! Give me this one thing and I will pay your kindness back a thousand-fold. I will forgive anything and everything.


    Her Qi seeped past the flickering barrier that shielded all Cultivators, Hua¡¯s Qi known to Qing¡¯s body. They melded and meshed, joined together and found harmony. It was because of this intimacy that Hua felt the truth she had refused to see.


    Qing was dying and there was nothing she could do.


    ¡°This Liao Hua will be the most loyal servant of heaven if you give me this,¡± she bargained.


    The heavens stayed silent. Why should they answer? Their task was complete. There was no healer to save Qing. No miracle was awaiting. Hua drew upon every drop of Qi she could and tried to flood the injury. Her Qi dissipated, refusing to take. Lightning sparked and was instantly grounded, dissipating. Maybe if she had fire, she could cauterise the wound. Could stomach the idea of harming Qing to save her.


    ¡°Keep this with you,¡± the true world said, raising a shaky hand that Hua grasped tenderly. Callouses Hua knew and had loved stained in red. That deep scar on an index finger that never healed right. The weak thrum of a heartbeat felt at the fingertips. The touch of the true world upon Hua.


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to leave me,¡± Hua begged, the world a blurry mess. It dug into Hua¡¯s palm, the thing Qing forced into her hand. It could have left her bloody and Hua would be glad for it. ¡°You said you¡¯d follow me!¡±


    She stared at her, engraving the vision of Qing in her memory. The small nose. Long hair that Hua had braided time and time again. Wide eyes that always saw Hua with kindness and generosity. Even now, Qing smiled at her. Stayed strong for Hua.


    It wasn¡¯t fair. None of this was fair.


    ¡°We will dance again,¡± Qing promised with a weak smile. ¡°You and me, we were always meant to dance together. Even if I must take the long way, I will see you again.¡±


    Liao Hua held her hand even if she did not believe that promise. Time would not be so kind as to reunite them. But the time they had, this she could cherish. There was blood on Qing¡¯s lips. Hua leaned down and kissed away that imperfection, unable to help her tears. Earth and jade, iron warmth and gentle memory. That was what Hua tasted, those things that made Qing. Tasted them and hoped against hope.


    ¡°Qing,¡± she breathed out shakily. ¡°Qing don¡¯t leave me here. Damn you, you¡¯re not supposed to leave me. Just say it and I¡¯ll take you anywhere you ask. Tell me the flowers you love most, and I¡¯ll plant you a whole garden. Please. If you say something, I¡¯ll do it. Just please say something.¡±


    There was no answer.


    There would never be an answer from those lifeless lips turning blue. Earth Qi was seeping away from the world. No. You don¡¯t get to take that from me.


    Hua breathed in Earth Qi, surrounding herself with anything and everything that was Qing. Stone and jade, the feel of mud squelching between your toes and sand seeping through the gaps of your fingers. Laughter that was just joy, a thousand smiles beneath the sun and rain and moon. The smell of petrichor before the storm, the way ozone clung to the earth after a thunderstorm. A warmth that seeped into every crevice of her broken body, threading its way through Hua¡¯s battered spirit. Thoughts and feelings, moments never said aloud. Most importantly, that imperceptible thread that had connected them since the moment they first touched, wrapping around her core.


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    Earth Qi found a home in her bones and liver. It settled in her dantian that had only known lightning and from it, Hua built a new bedrock that would always and forever be the very essence of Qing.


    A great snap echoed through the tunnels. Like a whip cracking next to her ear but so much further away. Hua ignored it. Such an unimportant thing, the rest of this false world. Everything it did was a distraction.


    If circumstances had been kinder, and Hua braver, there were words she would have said. She hoped those words were known anyway, hoped that final bloody kiss imparted every feeling she had.


    ¡°I will bury you beneath the tallest tree on our mountain,¡± Hua promised, ¡°and visit you each day.¡±


    Beneath that tree, she would compose a song for Qing; a melody that began with I, Hua, was changed by you, and scream a lament to haunt the false world. Her words would be carried in an unbroken chain by each songbird, and found in the space between lightning¡¯s announcement and thunder''s retort. In the roar of wise dragons, and each snarl from furious tigers marking their territory, the crackling and snap of the serene phoenix¡¯s feathers turning woodland to ash, and the great turtle¡¯s ponderous steps shaking the mountain range, in them that song would be sung, and a different aspect of Qing would be remembered: fearsome, brave, determined, caring.


    It would be a song so beautiful that the gods above would quake in fear because how could you hear of such profound adoration and think yourself safe from consequence?


    There were but three words in that song and they were the most important words she had never said. An oath, a promise, and if she needed to find a way to endure a thousand years, Hua would, just so she could say¡ª


    ¡°I lo¡ª"


    A great wave of water consumed the confession she meant to make. A tidal wave crashing over her, erupting from above and behind her. Air was replaced by water and this land she thought a darkness hell became a drowned one as well.


    The gods hated her. They made it known with nothing short of ruthless cruelty. This could be nothing other than intentional malice. The world was not this cruel. It did not go out of its way to inflict suffering. Only the heavens could be so cruel.


    Damn you all to the lowest depths, she screamed futilely in the water, grabbing Qing¡¯s hand before she was swept away. The wave pushed against her so strongly it was a full-body punch. But Qing was stuck, impaled on stone. Grounded so deeply nothing could move her. Not Hua and not a tidal wave. Just let me have her body. Please.


    Though she held on desperately, the force of the wave tore her from that hand which she knew so well and adored. The wave carried her onward, through the tunnels and past crevices. At such speed she could not hold on to the walls, she was dragged by the force of water.


    The narrow passages opened up into the vastness of a great river. High above her, she saw shafts of sunlight shimmering with the turbulence of the waves. If she swam, she might reach the surface and save herself. Emerge unto the sunlight and live again.


    A great shadow stole the sun away. It drew nearer and nearer as Hua drifted helplessly. If she had anything left but shattered dreams and broken faith, she might have cared.


    The shadow revealed itself to be a boulder of such roundness it could not be natural. Geometric shapes were carved into it, forming a lotus fractal. It reminded her of the engraved ball the guardian lion in front of a temple would keep under her paw. As she realised that, it came to weigh down on her.


    Funny that a guardian should punish her. Only the male associated with yang, with heavenly Qi, carried the ball.


    Did the Heavens have to so needlessly punish her?


    Hua sank with the weight of heaven¡¯s judgement. For what? The sins of her past lives just to drag her down the riverbed. Never. Hua would not accept that weight. It could only be her failings in this life, to this world. The greatest was failing to protect Qing. The next was every second she wasted without saying the words that mattered the most. Those made up the great mass. They had to. Those she had killed were less than chaff. Whoever she hurt in life couldn¡¯t matter enough to be an impossibly heavy weight. What crime had she committed to deserve this?


    Cursing the gods? Damn them and let the boulder grow heavier.


    Saving Qing from their lightning? Fuck them and their heavens.


    She did not know how long she sank, contemplating her sin of losing the world, and she did not care. With her eyes closed and her heart cold, the embrace of dark waters was calming. On and on she was dragged by the currents. If this was one of the hells, Hua knew she could endure. In time, she could forget what had happened. If all she was, the sum of her experiences and memory, was scoured down to bedrock, then she could endure. It would mean she did not have to live a life without Qing.


    Finally, eventually, even her Qi-enhanced body could not sustain her maudlin, and she began to truly drown. It lit a fire in her, awakened the kind of fury they spoke of in legends. Her eyes snapped open. It was murky, the water. She saw debris and darting fish, lost bodies and scrolls of paper. Pick one of everything and you could decipher the lives of dozens.


    Not one of them was Qing so they did not matter. Chest burning, heart aching, Hua laid her hands on the guardian¡¯s stone sphere and channelled her Qi through it. The trigram she knew best was born in the darkness and with it, she shattered the malice of heaven.


    Unburdened, all that remained was to rise. The distorted starburst of the sun beckoned her onward, tempted her with that siren¡¯s thing called revenge, and with hate in her heart, Hua began her ascent. With lungs aching, burning, heart thumping, shaking, Hua swam and she swam and she kept swimming even as darkness encroached her vision and the smeared sun became smaller and smaller.


    A moment, a year, an eternity, that was how long it took her to swim to the surface. Hua emerged from the river, born again in hate and fury and a loss most profound.


    She choked out muddy waters, gasping, desperately reaching out to any piece of debris around. Everything hurt and it hurt more as she hacked her lungs out, vomiting whatever water had found a way into her lungs. Finally, she found something to latch onto¡ªa door, perhaps, never to seal shut the warmth and laughter and complicated arguments that was family. Hua flopped onto it and just breathed as she was carried onward and eventually, through luck or circumstance, she found land instead of being dragged to open ocean miles away.


    The banks of the Liao River welcomed her. Greeted her with mud and disregard, leaving the marks of its ill intent upon her robes. Well, fuck the earth too. It and the river could get fucked together.


    Hua was learning this false world was one she hated because it was one Qing could disappear into. The earth should mourn her. The songbirds should sing Qing¡¯s name and the sky should weep enough to flood the continent. It should not have taken away every sign of Qing and left Hua with the hollowness of memory.


    Not even blood remained on her hands. The red that had stained her lips, stolen away. Qing, wiped away so easily. She had truly vanished into this false world and left Hua behind to walk on, forever knowing the true world was missing from her side, no longer walking beside her or laughing with her.


    All Hua had left of Qing was the jade pendant she forced Hua to take.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to return. No matter how many rebirths you go through, I will wait for you, and I will find you,¡± she vowed, holding tight to the pendant. ¡°We will meet again and dance for every day we were apart.¡±


    She regretted. She loathed. Everything unsaid that could not be spoken.


    I loved you. I love you. I will always love you. I will say it in every bolt of lighting and every drop of rain. Every epic sung will be my epic. Every dream for love will be my love. I¡¯ll be every poet. I¡¯ll kill them and take their place so that I may write you into their words.


    I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save you. If I had been faster, stronger, greater. If, if, every fucking if.


    Hua gazed up at the smoke-filled sky. It hid those who had done this from her. It hid her in turn from their gaze. And so, she made a second promise, one borne for every word of love she knew.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill every bastard up there who took you from me! I¡¯ll murder them all until their blood fills the oceans!¡±


    No matter what, she would do it. She would Cultivate until she could break the heavens over her knees, find the fool who dared write Qing¡¯s name in the Book of the Dead, and burn the book itself.


    ¡°The gods will die for this!¡±

 Chapter 7: Scholars Squabbling Up

    A furious Cultivator journeyed through the broken streets of her hometown. The city of Liaojiangkou had been named after the Liao River upon whose banks it had been built. For three thousand years it had stood in one form or another.


    It had been razed and renamed and rebuilt many times in a cycle that continued until one day, a child simply named B¨®liao after the placid river by whose banks he had been abandoned, where later he would uncover the fallen records of the Thunder Agency, and from it, learn how to take lightning Qi and make it his own. It was this act from a nobody that birthed the Liao Clan, and it was the city he called home, the city that discarded and ignored him, that would house his descendants. They would claim the mountains as their territory and build their great compound. It was a bountiful mountain, with pines and cypresses, forests teeming with pigs and deer and dozens of birds, from pheasant to crow to hawk and all in between. They drank from sweet streams and clear ponds all of which were fed by a great basin near the peak of that mountain range. From this bastion of security and prosperity, the Liao Clan watched as their city grew and became something worthy of remembrance.


    Today, that city was devastated.


    The lower levels of the city, those that hugged the bank, were simply gone. Swallowed by the swelling of the river. The great basin that fed the mountain had cracked, and its reserve of water had cascaded down, sweeping aside homes and drowning forest like they were nothing. The volume of water had forced the river to rise, agitated it, and gave it the energy to swallow docks and warehouses and the homes of far too many mortals to count.


    Such voracious hunger had swept away Liao Hua. She would have died in the muddy waters if not for her fury. Hot rage had been the impetus to make a vow to colour heaven red with the gods that had taken from her.


    She would follow through, no matter the cost. Revenge would be hers, no matter how long it took.


    Let that be the grand arc of the Clan Liao: born from nothing by the river, and later to create a river from god¡¯s blood.


    Her goal lay above. The Great Net of Heaven had revealed itself as an endless lightning storm. Bolts rained down from the sky, igniting wooden homes they struck, vaporising anyone too close, and leaving behind craters. In the shadow of those bright flashes, Liao Hua saw a great palace so far away and yet so large as to be incomprehensible. The separation between them made her feel smaller than ever before. As humans perceived ants as insignificant, so too did ants have things they perceived as tiny. Hua felt like the ant¡¯s ant¡¯s ant compared to the Heavens so far away.


    I¡¯ll make them all bleed. Those gods in their jade palace, destroying the world with their malice, would one day know the name Liao Hua. She would burn down their palace, raze every garden and shatter each hall, and paint the great walls and balustrades a vivid crimson before she mounted their heads on the tallest peaks of Kunlun Shen.


    For now, she would fix her city.


    Hua journeyed down broken streets and shattered homes. The roofs of buildings and the debris from tipped-over walls floated in the water that had overtaken the lower levels of the city. Both humans and animals held onto wooden beams and chunks of rubble large enough to carry their weight.


    Those who could swam to shore. Those who could not called out for the help of a good person who would never arrive.


    People passed her by, bumping into her thoughtlessly. Soaking wet, dirtied and bloodied, she could not blame them for their rudeness even as she wanted to rip their throats out.


    Eventually, she found herself walking down the back roads of the market district. Away from the main streets and major squares, this area was for the more discerning customers. Under cypress trees turning orange and the occasional pines, there was shade to be found in abundance. Especially under one pair of trees pruned and shaped to form an arch shading a store painted green and white.


    That shade did not hide the bodies in the street.


    They were not the first mortal bodies Hua had seen today. Mortals had a habit of dying ignoble, meaningless deaths that went largely unremarked. These mortals were interesting only because of how they died. Cut down with blades¡ªone with a slash down the back, deep enough to sever the spine; another with a crimson smile across her neck; a third clutching his torso uselessly against a blow that went through the liver. Another two were killed without much precision, just a random assortment of slashes. If the three lying in the broken street were made by an expert, those two in front of the storefront had been killed by amateurs.


    The storefront, whatever It was, was a smoking husk. Ruined not because the earth had opened its maw and swallowed it like many homes she had seen or swept away by the water, but because of human hands. If it had been natural, would the tree not have burned as well?


    And why would there be a fight occurring?


    Three men fought against one. The three attackers wore robes of similarly poor quality dyed the yellow of wheat stalks, rice hats strapped to their necks, and wielding curved swords maintained so poorly that their hilts worn down by excessive use. One carried a much nicer spear though it too had seen better days.


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    The man they were failing to kill wore a set of much nicer robes, low-quality silk to their hemp, a leather satchel hanging from his waist.


    He was an excellent combatant, this much she would give him, as he flowed between sword swings. His footwork alone was enough to keep him alive. Light and graceful, flitting across the edge between life and death.


    He carried a wooden rod in either hand and fought with the desperation of a man who would very would like to have unbroken bones at the end of a fight. His movements vaguely reminded her of the Flying Lotus School Dojo though he lacked the same ferocity. Honestly, this is more what she expected of that school than the overwhelming barrage of blows they¡¯d sent her way when she challenged the dojo and broke it over her knee.


    Against only one opponent, he would have won. The exacting accuracy of his blows would have seen him through. The way he parried the flat of his opponent¡¯s blade was beautiful.


    Against three, he was just barely enduring.


    He jumped over a thrust from a spear, flipping back to land upon a wall. His footwork allowed him to avoid the first stab from the spear and as he landed, he stepped down on the flat of a blade questing for his feet. It shattered.


    He leaned forward, striking one of his assailants on the shoulder. They let out a yelp, shoulder blade cracking. The scholar drew his stave back, ready to swing with all his might. He might have achieved an advantage and struck an assailant unconscious if not for their ally leaping forward with a shout. The scholar dropped low to the side, catching himself with one hand on the wall. It let him miss the swing.


    He pivoted there, kicking out to push away the man he¡¯d struck as he rose to his feet in a crouched stance.


    That was the issue with fighting a group. If you couldn¡¯t reduce their numbers quickly and efficiently, they could just whittle you down. Push you into increasingly disadvantageous positions like the one he found himself in.


    An assailant on either side. One with a spear, the other with a sword. All three were still but for their ragged breathing.


    A fleck of ash landed in the scholar¡¯s eye. He blinked. His enemies struck in unison. The thrust of a spear. The sweep of a sword. Death approaching from different directions and at different angles.


    Like a dandelion spun in the hands of a child and released, he jumped and rose above the low sweep of the sword.


    He twisted in the air, bundling himself tight just as the spear would have lodged itself into his throat where he was standing.


    There was one brief moment where he was perfectly parallel with the weapons meaning to kill him. It was an inspired way to dodge. In the narrow space between a spear thrust and the arcing crescent of a curved sword, the scholar existed. Survived.


    That moment was enough.


    He flung both arms out and with them, his staves.


    Both staves struck the guts of his enemies. An expulsion of air. A grunt of pain. The fast stomp-stomp pattern of people skittering backwards from a strong blow. The staves rebounded off their bodies and the scholar caught them as he landed in a crouch.


    If the scholar carried a lethal weapon, he could have won.


    That, unfortunately, was a beginner¡¯s mistake. Chivalry, honour, nobility, those concepts only mattered to those strong enough to afford them.


    He made the smart move of leaping forward to escape. Landed on the ground with sure feet and bolted away. Would have made it had he not forgotten he was facing three people. He¡¯d shattered one blade and cracked the shoulder of the third. That didn¡¯t stop his hurt enemy from flinging his leg out and hitting the scholar in the ankle.


    The scholar tripped, landing hard on his face. He froze in shock for a moment too long. A moment that was more than enough for the man who tripped him to grab a broom and hit the scholar on the back. Time enough for the scholar¡¯s enemies to converge upon him with their weapons.


    His legs swept out, robes billowing dramatically as he defended himself from three weapons. Desperately trying to survive.


    It was a strangely undignified battle. So much flailing about. Elegant flailing, but still flailing.


    There had been a time when Hua fought like this. Leveraging just the strength and agility of her body in pursuit of greater martial prowess. Before she could absorb Qi and use it to empower her limbs to something beyond human. Before she touched lightning and learnt of thunder.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help him?¡±


    Hua slowly turned her head and saw an impossibility. Qing. Her friend was sitting on the fence beside Hua, one leg swinging to a beat only she knew, the other brought to her chest so she could use the knee pad as a support for her chin. Hua took in the vision of her, unable to help herself.


    Even if she knew it was a lie, knew her mind was playing tricks on her, it didn¡¯t change how her heart sped up.


    Hua drew in a breath, tasting ash on her tongue and smoke in her lungs. She forced Qi to seep into her bones and muscles, letting it run over her bruises. To feel the broken and hurt parts of her was to remember that she still lived, still existed in this false world that could betray her so terribly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you get a say now that you¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°I always have a say when it comes to you. You follow my lead, not the other way around. I thought you wanted to be a great Cultivator one day. Aren¡¯t Cultivators meant to be righteous? Honourable and gallant heroes, saving those less fortunate than others?¡±


    ¡°The Age of Heroes died so no, none of us are heroes. And why should I be righteous when Heaven is cruel? If the gods don¡¯t care about who lives and dies, why should I concern myself over some fool who doesn¡¯t know when to run? Why should I be the better person?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m asking.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a heart demon. You don¡¯t matter. Besides, this is entertaining.¡±


    ¡°Do something for more than your petty amusements.¡±


    She watched for a bit longer, letting herself dry in the sun. If she had to make an entrance, she would rather not be soaking wet. Pretending it had ever been a choice. It was Qing¡¯s voice, Qing¡¯s mannerisms, Qing¡¯s kindness. It could have been a true demon and Hua would be helpless but to follow.


    That was the issue with her love; it was without limit. Even ghosts could call on it.


    The man landed with a wet squelch on the muddy ground. He was too slow to avoid getting hit across the forehead by the butt of a staff and his daze left him vulnerable to taking a kick to torso.


    Hua walked with that unconscious grace she had been taught, never once being noticed, and arrived in their midst.


    ¡°Enough,¡± she said softly.

 Chapter 8: Hua Kills a Foolish Scholar

    Fifteen years had passed since lightning had found a home in a daughter of the Liao Clan. In those years, Hua had succoured on a variety of purified pills to enhance her body and quicken her towards awakening an awareness of Qi. It was a process that would have been ruinously expensive if not for the backing of a Great Clan that levied the taxes of an entire region and received tribute from their vassals.


    The fifteen years had made a powerful body to house lightning Qi and seen her learn various arts. Arts such as the quiet steps of an assassin needed to appear in a battle of warriors unnoticed until she spoke a single, simple word:


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    Hua would give some credit where it was due. The strongest of them, the man with the spear, did not so much as care to look before retaliating blindly. He pushed the but of his spear to pivot it around his guiding hand, forcing it into a wide arc that would gut her if it reached.


    That was a good instinct. Attack the threat or run. Preferably both at the same time. And he did do both, stepping forward and away from her as the spear continued with his momentum.


    It was painfully slow. Slow enough for her to stare and almost see through him. He was in the Body Tempering stage. Anyone could technically reach that stage and many did so unconsciously, altering their body to something approaching human perfection. Qing had done it partly through her natural talent, partly following the mantra of her jade-carver father, and mostly by having Liao Hua as a playmate. This man felt like the waters of the Liao River. He was a rower, someone who had spent a lifetime parting the water with a paddle. Maybe he had been a child when he first realised a paddle could be a weapon as well. A skill that translated to learning how to use a spear.


    Foolish. A double halberd or wolf club would have been a better weapon. Expensive, yes, and she recognised the poor quality of his yellow robes but¡ª


    Hua reached out and wrapped her hand around the place where wooden shaft became steel tip, abruptly stopping the spear¡¯s momentum. The force didn¡¯t even send vibrations through her arm.


    ¡ªsometimes investing in your equipment paid off. Hua snapped the head of the spear off and threw it. The point smashed into stone and embedded itself deeply. The high-pitched whine of it shaking in the wall punctuated the sudden silence that descended as fighters realised an apex predator had interfered in their battle.


    She glanced down at the man she had saved. He was handsome in a homely way, a face you wouldn¡¯t mind seeing in whatever bookstore he worked. Vaguely trustworthy and maybe even pretty if he didn¡¯t have a purple bruise blooming across his face and blood on his greying temple. He had a leather satchel attached to his waist of a quality notably greater than his decent robes.


    ¡°Have you ever considered using a halberd?¡± Hua asked, returning her intent on the man still impotently clutching his snapped spear.


    That took all four men aback.


    He dropped his mostly useless weapon. It clattered to the ground with a twang. Hua would not have done the same. A spear without a tip was just as staff and those broke necks.


    ¡°Honoured Daoist, this fool begs your forgiveness for pointing his weapon at you. He was unaware of the exalted presence that honoured him with her attention. In what way may this fool repent?¡±


    ¡°By answering the question I asked.¡±


    The man lost all colour. He became as a beam of sunlight falling on snow, yellow robes covering pale flesh.


    ¡°This Brother Di has never had the chance to be instructed in such a refined weapon, honoured Daoist.¡±


    ¡°A shame. You would have been better suited to it over a standard spear. It might have even pushed you towards Qi Condensation if you mastered it. Would you like to see what you stopped yourself from reaching?¡±


    The man paled further, somehow, clenching his jaw so tight Hua was surprised his teeth did not break. ¡°This Brother Di would be honoured.¡± Blood seeped past the seal of his lips, dribbling down his goatee as he spoke.


    Hua raised her hand and summoned the lightning she had been born to wield. Sparks crackled in the gaps between her fingers. It came to her so easily, the power of her elemental qi. Liquid lightning in her dantian, lighting up her meridians.


    Even these minor sparks were enough to remind them that one factor gave supremacy in the world. Qi. That which those blessed by heaven wielded. It felt like a curse today. What had Qi done but destroy the world Hua knew?


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    Faster than she had ever done before, like her body had become a conduit for lightning, she split Qi into its constituent parts, yin and yang, and rejoined them to form the Trigram Zhen.


    She struck with the force of thunder, her palm caving in the man¡¯s chest. He staggered back, clutching at his chest. It was a precise thing she did, focusing the force of the thunderclap without sending him flying. As he fell to his knees, she considered whether simply punching his chest until it folded inward would have been a worthy trade-off for getting blood on her hands. She had never liked the effort it took to clean dried blood.


    He gasped out a stuttered breath, a whistling whine punctuating the air.


    She stared at the men, slowly looking between them. The first turned away entirely but though he twitched to move away, his compatriot held him by the elbow. That one stared carefully at a spot on her chin, refusing to meet her eyes that fell upon the characters written on his robes. The School of Yellow Faith. Hua had never heard of it but like the mortals, it only mattered as far as it was connected to the phantasm sitting on the wall, watching her.


    It did not make her feel better. Ending this fight before further blood was shed changed nothing in a way that mattered. Qing was still gone. She could turn the oceans red with mortal blood, and it would not return Qing to her. Saving mortals would give her nothing of worth. But she needed space and time and resources to Cultivate. Pills and artefacts, teachings and Scriptures. To grow stronger, she could not spend time worrying about where her next meal would come from or when the mortals would next riot. Space and time and resources would be granted only from a from a prosperous city.


    In the distance, great clouds of smoke drew her attention. Those were the fields burning. Scorching the Amber Sea that fed the province. Already, winter¡¯s chill cut through her simple clothes. Too many would die, she realised. Far, far too many.


    She turned her gaze to the last two men in yellow. They froze in further terror when they met her leonine gaze. She waited a beat, two, before the smarter of the two dropped to his knees, dragging his companion to the ground. They did not dare look up again even as she let the silence build.


    ¡°The Liao Clan still stands. It will not stand for this behaviour. Yield or join your fellow in repentance.¡±


    ¡°Many blessings, honoured Daoist. Our brother thanks you for your instruction on the Thunder Palm. We would gladly follow your commands.¡±


    She very much doubted a dying man would thank his killer. But who really knew with peasants. Theirs were strange ways with stranger beliefs. A true Cultivator would be swearing eternal vengeance. Bridging the gap between where he knelt, and her Qi Condensation, was much simpler than bridging the gap between heaven and earth.


    Dismissing them, she walked forward. Past the corpse. Past the kneeling men.


    ¡°Young Mistress Liao,¡± the man said loudly, rudely. She graced him with her attention. He did not buckle under a Cultivator¡¯s attention. A seal adorned his dirty robes, tied at his waist. She read the characters with mild curiosity. The School of Doubting Antiquity.


    Had he been under attack because of a disagreement between scholarly schools? It seemed a silly reason to die over paper whilst the city burned and flooded in equal measure. Well, she also hadn¡¯t realised scholars also studied the martial arts.


    ¡°What does a sceptic of history wish of me?¡±


    ¡°Young Mistress Liao, this sceptic would serve you if you would have me.¡±


    ¡°In what capacity would a sceptic serve? Tell me, what need do I have for a historian? What role do you fulfil that the vassals of my Clan cannot?¡±


    ¡°This one has served as assistant, messenger, and scribe for many great lords. One does not claim to have served one of such great stature as a daughter of Liao, but one would succeed or one would take his own life. That would be my oath as a new vassal.¡±


    One of the men kneeling hissed out a curse.


    ¡°Yes? Speak.¡±


    ¡°Honoured Mistress Liao, this humble servant cannot remain silent as a charlatan attempts to draw close to you in search of false valour. That Sceptic is a scoundrel of great disrepute. It would taint the name Liao to have such a foreigner walking beside you.¡±


    She gave Liu Xin another look. Ah, he had prominent ears and his hair a bit wavier than most, tinting red in the right light. Foreign blood. Likely the Jurchen tribes. It mattered greatly to the mortals, she knew. Hua also could care less from what stock a mortal came from. That he remained undaunted, facing her without fear; such a quality was what mattered.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°This Scribe is honoured to be called Liu Xin.¡±


    There was no Liu Clan of any prominence in Liaojiangkou despite his inherited title. A few families with that name, some even boasting a lineage of a century, but nothing truly noteworthy. Perhaps his foreign parent or ancestor had married into them for trade reasons.


    Hua found she did not care.


    ¡°For what reason do you have to pledge yourself to this Young Mistress?¡±


    ¡°There is no higher calling than service to the Liao Clan and to the one who wields the great Thunder Palm technique,¡± he said, bowing over his hands. ¡°This one would find a life of service to you a life worth living.


    That little trick?


    ¡°Come,¡± she spoke, and set forth. ¡°Prove your worth.¡±


    It mattered little his reason for following. So long as he obeyed it would be enough. He fell in behind her, having the audacity to stand only two steps behind her. Such temerity. Only a mortal with nothing to lose would dare.


    She found herself admiring it. It was the same kind of bravery as punching someone from a Great Clan without a hint of remorse.


    Qing would have found you interesting. Maybe Hua as well could find something interesting in him.


    ¡°Do you know how fucked we are?¡± one of the two remaining scholars whispered, following at a remove from her. Mortals very often didn¡¯t grasp how advanced a Cultivator¡¯s senses could be.


    ¡°She¡¯s a Cultivator, I know.¡±


    ¡°No, you shithead, she has silver hair. We¡¯ll be fucking lucky if she kills us quick.¡±


    Rude. Hua rarely had reason to torture people. She found it boring and there were members of her Clan who were much more proficient in it than she could ever be. Leaving the experts to do their thing was advice her grandmother gave her, and it had yet to steer her wrong.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because crimson smiles follow silver hair. I¡¯d like to avoid having a slit throat.¡±

 Chapter 9: The False Priest

    Hua led a gaggle of violent scholars down the cracked road, leaving a body in her wake. This was not the first time she¡¯d left a body behind. Unlike some, she cared too little to count her kills. There were few people worth remembering in the first place, so why waste time tallying them all?


    With no destination in mind, Hua simply walked down familiar roads twisted by chaos and destruction, relying on her unconscious mind to lead. No matter how quiet things were now, she would eventually find someone, something, to focus on.


    The idea that nothing else remained but her and some scholars was too comical to consider. As she took in the sights, she realised just where she was. She squinted her eyes and considered that gaping emptiness in the skyline where a great building should have been.


    It turned out that a great ravine had swallowed whole the Taoist Temple of Winter Dragons. Hua walked to the edge and sat over it. Seeing the way it split an entire district filled her with a quiet awe. This part of the city had been flat and now it had two distinct levels, one of which was filled with a rubble-filled lake. There were bodies floating in the water, drifting as aimlessly as the peaked roofs that now lacked their bases. The great iron bell had snapped in half along its length. It floated serenely past headless guardian lions and a drowned priest. Carried within the curve of the bell was a trio of cats that meowed despairingly, trapped in a lake too great for them to swim.


    Qing sat with the cats, staring at Hua with a judgemental gaze.


    ¡°Where else would mortals gather if the temple is destroyed?¡± she asked her new servant instead of facing that deep disappointment.


    ¡°They may have gathered in the residential districts if they were relatively undamaged. This one cannot be certain as he was waylaid by assailants.¡±


    She waved away his pointed remark. They were still being followed by two of those assailants who had chosen silence as their means to survive. Hua wasn¡¯t particularly interested in intervening again in their conflict. If Liu Xin was worth anything, he would prevail. If not, it wouldn¡¯t change anything at all for Hua.


    ¡°Why not the markets? Or anywhere outside the city?¡±


    ¡°Mortals lack your ability to traverse such damaged environs. Based on the patterns of fire, the markets were consumed. With the damage to the roads, there is no guarantee people were able to leave. And if they did, what would they find outside the protection of the city walls? It might be worse outside than in here.¡±


    A quick answer. Hua appreciated that.


    ¡°Wait here a moment.¡±


    With a sigh, she leapt away from the edge and across the newly formed lake. She landed with a quiet thud on the bell, sinking it abruptly. The cats hissed at her, leaping back and landing on the curved edges of the sheared bell. With the quick efficiency of a Cultivator used to much faster opponents, she grabbed them and squished them to her chest.


    ¡°Are you fucking satisfied now?¡± Hua snarled as the cats clawed at her clothes.


    Qing didn¡¯t answer.


    She wasn¡¯t really there.


    But that was the thing with the dead. You may leave them behind, but they always follow you. No matter how far you went, they were always there. Always haunting you with their regrets and hopes and unfulfilled dreams. Sometimes, they had the gall to leave a ball of love to chain you.


    One more leap brought her back to the edge of the ravine. She dropped the ungrateful beasts and watched them bolt away in different directions. Not even loyal to their compatriots. They could have died together and yet refused to spend more than a second together.


    ¡°Lead the way to the residential districts,¡± she ordered.


    Liu Xin bowed before doing so.


    There were bodies wherever she looked. She was pleased, though, to observe they were all corpses. Not a one was unconscious. It meant someone had found those who still lived and moved them. Maybe neighbours, maybe friends, maybe the helpful stranger only found in myth and story. The bodies in the street represented those who could not be saved and, though they had died hopeless, they made hope for others from the negative space of their existence.


    It would also mean fewer people to feed. She could not let go of the image of the Amber Sea turned crimson, wildfires engulfing the wheat fields that had fed the children of this now forsaken province. So greatly numbered were those fields of wheat that they were also named the Breadbasket of Empire. Would they endure now? The early bounties and harvest, would it be enough to see them through the coming winter?


    Who will lead us? she wondered. What remains of my Clan?


    She had yet to see someone with silver hair. The branch lines with their dark hair and darker eyes were unaccounted for. The few times she had seen the heraldry of their vassals, it had been attached to a corpse.


    One person became two, and soon they became groups.


    The residential district had been coloured black and grey by a mix of ash and choking dust. Entire blocks had been burnt to cinders and it was only the disaster of the reservoir basin cracking that had stopped the unmitigated spread of fire. The city had drowned more than it had burned and that was a miracle worth rejoicing in. If those waters hadn¡¯t separated her from Qing, maybe she wouldn¡¯t disdain them so greatly.


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    Between the burnt husks of old homes, there was chaos permeating the air. It smelt of sweat and blood, fear adding a sharp tinge to the pervasive smoke. The chaos was of the human varietal, that complicated mix of greed and shortsightedness that had become so prevalent. It revealed its mundane nature without fanfare.


    There, holding a corpse in his arms, was a father. He held a boy no older than twelve in his arms. His death had been quick; staked through the throat with a piece of jagged stone. Lightning had struck here. Yang Qi was prevalent, the scorch marks spread across the ground spoke of heaven¡¯s fury.


    The grieving father was being threatened by a man with a sword. He was supported by a trio of his friends. This was so reminiscent of what she had just dealt with that she turned to make sure that her newfound servant and his enemies were behind her. They were and she made a gesture for them to stay quiet as she went to deal with the problem.


    The man threatening the father wore a priest¡¯s regalia. She¡¯d seen priests from the temples wear identical garb. Watched corpses dressed in the same regalia float in the new lake. When he had stolen it, she couldn¡¯t be certain. Probably ripped from one of the many corpses. Shameless. Utterly shameless. He must be a bandit. No, not bandits, that implied far too much organisation. These were simple thugs taking advantage of the looting.


    What was wrong with peasants? Did they have no dignity? Couldn¡¯t they see the smoke in the air or the swollen river swallowing parts of the city whole? Was this all that mattered to them? Petty gain that led nowhere.


    And worse, to dare do this without the strength to back their actions.


    Oh, yes, they thought they were strong. That was the problem. They always thought they were strong.


    ¡°You think paper is worth your son¡¯s spirit,¡± the false priest with the sword snarled, rattling his blade at the father. ¡°If you want him to see peace, stop his Po spirit wandering, you¡¯ll pay gold or you¡¯ll pay silver. Show me that worthless paper again and you can greet King Yama with the boy. Now, give me the silver, you son of a whore.¡±


    There were other mortals simply watching this. Oh, yes, they whispered furiously, but they did nothing. Pitiful.


    Hua padded forward silently, slipping past the fake priest¡¯s friends.


    She placed her hand on his neck and lifted him before he understood what was happening. Gripped his neck tight enough that he wasn¡¯t going to escape. Not that someone who hadn¡¯t even managed Body Tempering could escape her grip. All Cultivators who dreamt of touching the realm of Qi condensation needed to harden their bodies in preparation for manipulating Qi. The spirit reflected the body and vice versa. Temper the body and strengthen the spiritual vessels that would move Qi refined in the dantian to the meridians. Enough Qi would awaken the Meridians permanently, one by one, until the Cultivator glowed like a constellation.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± the hapless fake priest shouted.


    One of his comrades tried striking her. Hua was ready to deal with it.


    Liu Xin slid into place beside her and parried the blow. He drew his leg back and kicked the bandit in the gut. He landed with a crash into a wall that folded over and collapsed, cheap wood and bricks cascading down.


    Saving her that effort automatically made Liu Xin one of the one hundred most useful mortals Hua had ever encountered. And whilst she couldn¡¯t name all those positions, or even think of faces for more than ten, she was sure she¡¯d found a hundred useful mortals in her lifetime. Even if most of them were Clan servants.


    The priest squirmed violently. Tried elbowing her but Hua grabbed that arm and wrenched it up against his back. Pushed and pushed until it popped out. The priest screamed.


    The father¡¯s lips curled with vicious satisfaction. Sometimes, divine retribution came just in time. She would let him revel in his glee for now.


    ¡°Please stop screaming. I can hear you perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°You bitch. You¡¯ll be cursed for this. Let me go and you can begin repenting before it''s too late.¡±


    She bent her elbow and curled her wrist so that he could say that to her face. When he saw her, he immediately coughed out a wad of blood, eyes widening further. He was lucky it hit the floor and not her damaged clothes. Such an insult would have been more than she could forgive.


    ¡°My deepest apologies,¡± he said with blood staining his lips and teeth. ¡°This priest did not know he was graced to meet a Daoist of the Liao Clan. Surely a fellow Daoist wouldn¡¯t kill a priest? The cost of that karma is great.¡±


    ¡°Fellow? You are no more a Daoist than I am the Yongtai Emperor. My life has not extended the full fifty-seven years of his reign, so it would be comical if I claimed it, just your claim is comical.¡±


    She turned to face the crowd, swinging the false priest with her. He choked out a curse. Ah, she¡¯d squeezed too tight for a moment. Hua loosened her grip before he died. His death would happen when she decided and not a moment sooner.


    ¡°When did this city become a hive of degeneracy?¡± she asked calmly to all present. She was taller than the man so they could all see her cold gaze clearly. ¡°Have you already forgotten the name of your lord, the Liao Patriarch? Have you turned your faces away from his benevolence? Have you all forgotten that Liao stands Sentinel over the Amber Sea?¡±


    ¡°My Lady, you cannot kill a priest,¡± one of the bandits said, throwing himself to the ground. ¡°Please, forgive our injustices. We knew not what we did.¡±


    Hua blinked slowly, which the mortal took as a signal and kissed her filthy boot. Were all mortals incapable of answering her questions when she asked them? Why did they always try to waste her time?


    And why were they so fucking weird?


    ¡°You are forgiven¡±


    She lifted her leg and brought it down on the bandit¡¯s head. It splattered beneath her sole as the ground cratered. Someone, many someones, decided screaming was an appropriate course of action. Hua flickered her Qi and there was a boom of thunder that cut off their panic.


    ¡°Hear me well, mortals, and remember these words for I will say them only once. He is Lord Liao Xiaosan, the Radiant Lightning Body, and I am Young Mistress Liao Hua who speaks with his authority!¡±


    She squeezed, then, her steely fingers digging through flesh and fat. Carving through a body as easily as one cut tofu. The false priest did not even have a moment to realise his death. His head hung over his chest, barely supported by the front column of his neck. His twitching body remained standing only because she held one of his arms. In an odd way, from here, the curve where his open neck met his head reminded her of a smile.


    Maybe crimson smiles were inevitable when someone in the Liao Clan was irritated.


    At last, she let the corpse fall to the ground. It landed with a wet thud that rang in the terrified silence. Liao Hua flicked her hand free of the tacky blood on her hand and returned her gaze to those who thought to defile the order her Clan had imposed on the city. Those who had sat back and fucking watched as the name Liao was dragged through the mud in front of their eyes.


    ¡°Kneel at once or die standing.¡±


    They knelt, all of them. Even the violent scholars who were still following her. They knelt because power was authority, and Hua may as well be a god to these peasants.


    Qing would have hated this, but Qing wasn¡¯t here.


    That apparition judging her didn¡¯t count.

 Chapter 10: Headless Corpses

    There were two headless corpses in the street.


    A foot had splattered the head of the still-kneeling bandit, and a hand had squeezed the neck of a man who lied and lied and could not stop lying. There was likely some poetic justice to their deaths, but Hua had no true brain for poetry. She liked the flow of it but whenever she set her brush to write out a verse, her hand became unresponsive. Her mind gave her no answers. It was a tragedy for all the hours she had spent being taught by great tutors.


    She took the vestment the false priest had stolen and used it to wipe away the tacky blood on her hand. This is why she preferred swords over other weapons. Feeling armour snap and bones crunch beneath her fists was always gratifying, but the mess, that she could not abide by. Swords might lose out on the visceral feel of violence but at least she didn¡¯t have to deal with a mortal¡¯s blood drying beneath her nails.


    Maybe I should get gloves?


    ¡°Young Mistress, your orders?¡± Liu Xin asked. A man of great bravery, his voice didn¡¯t waver.


    Hua realised there was still a crowd of terrified mortals kneeling before her. Ah, yes, the matter of the mortals who let a false priest act as he pleased. Her annoyance suggested killing them. Her pragmatism recognised many pairs of hands attached to bodies that could be put to work.


    The cold accounting of saving a city decided for her.


    She directed them to work on searching through the rubble and sending word nearby that Young Mistress Liao Hua called all to account; any who refused her call would add their names to the Book of the Dead. There, that should be sufficiently blunt for a mortal.


    ¡°I want a full map of this district in the next six hours,¡± she added. ¡°I want to know every roadblock and burnt building. If any are standing, you had best let me know quickly. If you find anyone looting, tell them that suicide will be less painful than what I will do. You two,¡± she said to Liu Xin¡¯s former¡ªbut likely still-current¡ªenemies, ¡°You can deal with making sure that map is organised. I don¡¯t want to talk to a single mortal unless it is critically important. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Mistress,¡± the leader of the duo answered, shooting Liu Xin a vile glare before dragging off his friend with the cracked shoulder.


    And now, for the person who had perhaps irritated her the most in all of this. She walked to the father who held his dead son. What did one call the opposite of an orphan? If an orphan was a fatherless child, what was the childless father called? She was sure there was a word for it.


    She crouched down in front of the man and waited till he raised his gaze from his boy. It was a long wait. Now that the false priest was dead, his elation had died away and left behind an emptying and raw grief. Hua could be patient.


    And so, she waited as one minute became many. Finally, he raised his head. Startled hard at her presence, rattling the corpse.


    ¡°What is your son¡¯s soul worth to you?¡± she asked before he could say something stupid.


    ¡°Everything.¡±


    ¡°No, I think you are lying.¡±


    Fury sparked in his eyes. Ah, delightful, a sign of resistance instead of defeat. Fury was something she understood right down to the bedrock of her dantian.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, which Clan you¡¯re from, don¡¯t you dare say that again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m simply speaking the truth. If it truly was worth everything, you¡¯d have stolen the gold from someone nearby. Traded your paper currency for their silver. Done anything at all but¡ªdon¡¯t interrupt me; I haven¡¯t finished. You did nothing to save yourself. You waited for deliverance and here I stand. Did you think it would be without cost?¡±


    His white-knuckled grip tightened further around his son¡¯s shoulders. A burial shroud would hide the damage to his corpse. If one only removed the spike lodged in his throat and wiped away the blood on his face, he might look like any normal child who took a turn towards blue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    ¡°Worry not, the cost is simple. You just have to get up and help everyone else.¡±


    ¡°My son¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is no excuse. He is dead. You are not. Others still live. You can work or you can join him in the Hells. I don¡¯t care if you strap him to your body and carry him around. Throw him in a ditch if you must, so long as you get to work.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worse than that priest,¡± he snarled, defiance burning in his eyes.


    ¡°I will not give you the death you¡¯re angling for. If you wish to die, slit your throat and join your son in whatever Hell he found himself in. But if you have the audacity to still draw breath in my city, then you will be put to work. Now, get up and join the other mortals.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    She waited as the minutes breezed by. There were any number of things he could have done. Attack her. Flee. Kill himself. Anything at all. He chose no option but submission. She saw it in his eyes first, that fury quenched by grief. Tension fled his body as he gave up, backed down.


    Coward.


    ¡°Was that wise, Young Mistress?¡± Liu Xin asked after the father had risen with his son and strapped the corpse to his back with the vestments of the false priest.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Liu Xin, you¡¯re a mortal, so I understand why you think like them. I am a Cultivator. I do not care for the complaints of the mortals. If I stopped to worry about every mortal getting revenge, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to take a single pace forward. If they truly wanted revenge, they would Temper their bodies and learn to harness Qi. They could build a great merchant empire and hire a mercenary band to kill me. They could do any number of things, but they do not. So yes, it is wise, because it doesn¡¯t waste my time and my time matters.¡±


    ¡°How long would you have been able to keep me if you acted like this?¡± Qing asked, standing beside Liu Xin who was saying something unimportant. ¡°You know I would have hated this. It sickens me and yet you do it again and again. You behave like an animal and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fuck. Off.¡±


    It her a moment to notice Liu Xin on his knees. Ah, she¡¯d said that out loud. Unfortunate. The apparition would cause problems if she continued reacting to it.


    She gestured the scholar up. ¡°Come, we¡¯ll see where we can help.¡±


    ***


    Hua worked for long hours assisting in the rescue of mortals, a thing she had never expected to do.


    Liu Xin continued to prove his worth by filtering out the nonsense problems the mortals had for her. The truth was that Hua was terrible at leading relief efforts. She lacked both the knowledge and the interest in the lives of those around her. She wanted the city fixed so that the servants in her clan didn¡¯t have to worry about how they would source the five grains or her favourite meats or the fresh fruit to make desserts, and if they weren¡¯t bothering her with delays, shortages, and low-quality foods, then she could Cultivate her way to heaven.


    Seeing the city repaired was also a matter of pride because it bore the name of her clan. If this city fell, it would be three millennia of history wiped out. Much of that history was in the cycle of razing and rebuilding, destruction in flame and war, and rebirth in long, bloody years of work. More of that history was in every monument they built, every district that grew and was added to the puzzle Hua knew as home.


    Hua heard a woman crying and followed it. The front fa?ade of a home had recently collapsed if the rising cloud of dust told the full story. She made her way in. There was a woman desperately trying to pull her son from beneath a fallen beam. She was covered in dust and cuts, her hands bloody from clawing at the beam. Desperation clung to her, but she didn¡¯t give up.


    Hua walked to her and lifted a great beam with ease, allowing the child to be pulled out. The boy might live. He was breathing and though his breath was stuttering, his heart was still strong. He also had a mother and that might make a difference in the days to come.


    She ignored the thanks from the mother. If someone asked, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to recall them.


    They moved on to the next people in distress and then the next and the next, as the day progressed, and the bodies piled up.


    ¡°Young Mistress, what should we do with the bodies?¡± Liu Xin asked on behalf of all the mortals who were too afraid to ask.


    ¡°Pile them in a large square and find timber. We¡¯ll need to burn them soon. Find a priest to cleanse their spirits. I¡¯ll settle for a local one if the ones from the temple are all dead.¡±


    ¡°The nearest priest is dead.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°The Young Mistress decorated a road with his largely decapitated corpse.¡±


    Hua took a deep breath. ¡°That was a real priest?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, do priests usually extort people at sword point for funerary rites?¡±


    ¡°It is¡­ not a completely uncommon occurrence, especially for priests in less regulated areas. It is certainly unexpected for a city with a Cultivator Clan and an Imperial garrison.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± she sighed, glaring at the sun turned red by the ever-present haze of smoke. ¡°The Liao Clan has Daoist priests that can perform the rituals. Our daoshi might not be ordained by the major temples but they¡¯ve done the rites well enough for millennia. A problem for later. Come, I think I hear another mortal in need of salvation.¡±


    That was the work. The tedium of trying to save people and organise more. Breaking up fights, stopping looting, and pulling corpses aside. It kept going as the sun arced across the sky and the larger fires died down.


    She came to learn that Liu Xin held the strength of two men quite easily in a lithe body, muscles rippling as he pushed a retaining wall into position. Deceptive strength that made those around him show far greater respect than they had to for a supposed Liao Clan retainer. Either he was a martial expert¡ªwhich he was¡ªor he was a Cultivator capable of manipulating qi. Both often had terrible tempers.


    ¡°This is a good spot for the injured,¡± Liu Xin said later, holding open a door for her.


    They searched through the building. It was an inn of sorts. There were beds on the second floor, linen they could use for injuries, and beer for people to drink. Hua wouldn¡¯t trust the river water on a good day. Now teeming with corpses, rubble, and the runoff that a city produced, she¡¯d be staying away from it. The stench of it had dried into her clothes, she knew, turned brown and yellow what was once pristine white.


    She pointed at the mortals who had easily fallen into a role as leaders and had been organising rescue efforts. Hua knew them only because Liu Xin had pointed out their utility.


    ¡°You three are in charge here. Find anyone who knows something about medicine and get them working here. Send some runners to let people know we¡¯re setting up a place for the injured for now. If I find chaos, I will decorate the entrance with your heads. Am I understood?¡±


    Threats were often inherently a form of weakness. A true Cultivator of consequence did not have to resort to them for the world simply fell into order at their presence. But, well, most living Cultivators hadn¡¯t lived through such great destruction.


    With that done, Hua found a quiet space outside to simply sit and stop for a moment. She thought of nothing, letting her gaze loosely follow the mortals carrying injured bodies to the inn. Just existing would ensure that they remained on their best behaviour.


    A cracked bowl appeared in her vision. Liu Xin handed her a cracked cup that held cold congee and a sprinkling of chopped nuts. Precious sugar had been sprinkled atop it as though that alone would make it taste worthy.


    ¡°Even Cultivators must eat at some point.¡±


    It was sadly true. Someone in Qi condensation could fast for a few days without issue, but then so could regular humans. Supposedly, those in the Foundation could continue longer, weeks at a time with low activity. Some foods, however, possessed Qi. Tiny fragments that could be cultivated from if one had the wealth to acquire the spirit rice the Zhao Clan grew.


    Food also had the benefit of tasting nice.


    The congee she mechanically ate might have been pleasant. But truly, she tasted the spoon more than the congee. Before anyone else, she was done, handing the bowl back to Liu Xin.


    He brought her back another one.


    Had Hua the energy, she might have complained about the mothering. But, pragmatism won out as she needed the fuel. You ate what you could because the next meal might not come soon.


    She noticed the other scholars watching Liu Xin carefully. Her as well, though they didn¡¯t realise that simply paying attention to a Cultivator could draw their attention. She let them watch, curious whether she would have to kill them. Suspecting, slowly, that they were part of the price to be paid for Liu Xin¡¯s loyalty. There would be time yet to tell if that loyalty was worth acquiring.


    ¡°Liao Hua!¡±


    The voice was such a shock that she dropped her bowl and rose to her feet. Hua saw a face so familiar it made her heart unclench with relief.

 Chapter 11: Liao Weiji

    ¡°Liao Hua!¡±


    The voice startled her. The Qi signature was not another delusion haunting her. Down the shattered road was one of her kinsmen running at a dead sprint towards her. She turned with her heart in her throat. They shared the same cascading silver hair and green eyes that sparkled like gems in the light. They may even have shared the same sharp facial features if his weren¡¯t loosened in sheer relief as he closed the distance to them, loping strides making quick work of the gap. A cousin of hers descended from her father¡¯s younger brother. A cousin she had grown up beside.


    ¡°Cousin Ji,¡± she said wonderingly, still struggling to reconcile this living, breathing version of her cousin with the thoughts of his death that had plagued her. He was the last member of her clan she had seen before leaving for the city and he had been in her thoughts. His potential death had haunted her. Now she knew she would not have to wear white cloth to mourn him.


    His dizi had survived through the world breaking, even if his robes were in a similar state to her clothes. Filthy, caked with mud and soot. And blood. The white and blue threads of his clothes were lost beneath shades of brown, yellow and red.


    We match, she thought nonsensically as he drew closer.


    She worried he would hug her and give her cause to weep. He was one of the few in the Clan taller than her, so she¡¯d be utterly engulfed in a hug by him. He skidded to a stop at a respectful distance and bowed to her.


    ¡°Hua,¡± he said, savouring her name. Saying it like he was invoking a fundamental truth upon the world. ¡°You don¡¯t know how relieved I am to see you alive. I feared the worst when I couldn¡¯t find you the last two days. The moment I heard you were here, I came straight away. Please, forgive me for not finding you sooner.¡±


    ¡°You searched for me all this time?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did. Why wouldn¡¯t I? I could not do anything less.¡±


    She felt the barest stirring of warmth in her cold heart. Weiji was the sort to trip over flat ground and embarrass himself on the training field. She had mocked him relentlessly the moment she realised she could get away with it. And yet, he still looked for her when she wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to find him cowering in a dark hole. Against his own inclinations, he acted with bravery. For her. For kin and family.


    Weiji rose from his bow, startled when he saw Hua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Your eyes¡ª¡±


    She shook her head slightly before he said anything more. She didn¡¯t want to talk about whatever he saw in her. If eyes were the portal to the soul, then Weiji would be seeing her grief and fury. Those things burning her away from the inside.


    After a moment, he tore his gaze from her eyes. Only then did he notice Liu Xin. His shocked relief morphed into a snarl, revealing sharp teeth. That right there was a familiar expression. She saw it in the mirror sometimes. Saw it on her grandmother when she was irritated and even from her brother when they trained.


    Quickly approaching, Weiji inserted himself between her and Liu Xin with no attempt at subtlety. Entirely unlike him, but then again, he didn¡¯t usually walk around in bloody robes.


    ¡°In these times we are all friends, Weiji.¡±


    ¡°Not all are friends. May I know the name of the man standing so close to you?¡±


    She almost sighed. Almost. It would take more energy to straighten her back if she loosened it now. Had Weiji¡¯s nervous disposition morphed into paranoia in the span of a few hours? Well, Hua had practice dealing with that. Give them something to focus on, something simple that required effort.


    ¡°Will you use that information to kill him behind my back?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯d do it right in front of you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure no blood lands on you. It won¡¯t take me more than a moment.¡±


    Hua couldn¡¯t help her smile. There was a reason they were related. Ruthlessness was in their blood. Maybe more so than lightning and silver hair.


    ¡°I missed you, Cousin.¡± Weiji startled at that, looking down over his shoulder at her. A lance of disquiet went through her at his surprise. ¡°Now, Liu Xin, give us space. I would speak to my cousin privately. Make sure no one approaches. Kill any spy you see.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the man said, bowing. His expression was pinched, eyes narrowed at her cousin.


    If she allowed the man access to their Clan pills, and he ascended, would he try to kill Cousin Ji? He¡¯d fought a losing battle against four opponents for something as ridiculous as scholarship. That spoke of a man willing to do whatever it took to live. Clinging to Hua¡¯s protection, yes, but would he kill pre-emptively?


    I¡¯m going to have so much fun with this, she thought with only a little bit of malice. It wasn¡¯t that she disliked Weiji or any of her relatives, but she did have to find ways to relieve her boredom.


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


    ¡°You¡¯re uninjured?¡± she asked, pushing down her plans. She looked him over again and once more found no visible injuries.


    ¡°Nothing a bit of Qi and a few pills couldn¡¯t handle. My Elder wasn¡¯t so selfish this month and that might very well have saved my life. The mortals weren¡¯t so lucky. Lightning struck and before I knew it, I was surrounded by flames. Those near me were¡­ they were less fortunate. They did not survive the blast. There was chaos as that part of the city was engulfed.¡±


    ¡°Chaos everywhere. That¡¯s the common theme today. Chaos and stupid mortals.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, so,¡± he agreed with an exhausted sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know what caused this, but we¡¯ll endure. I know we will. We have no choice.¡±


    She agreed. They would endure. Nothing more, nothing less. She needed Clan resources to stake her blade in the heart of heaven.


    ¡°Tell me what the sky looks like to you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°The sky. Just tell me what you see. What you sense.¡±


    ¡°The sun is red from the smoke. We should be able to see stars this late in the afternoon, but they¡¯re hidden by the haze. A few smokestacks in the distance. But nothing else beyond the lightning strikes. Nothing special.¡±


    ¡°And the lightning doesn¡¯t feel odd to you?¡±


    His attention sharpened. ¡°I have decent sensory capabilities, but that lightning feels like normal lightning to me. A lot more Qi than expected, but there¡¯s a lot of Qi everywhere right now.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t perceive the Great Net of Heaven that loomed over them like lightning sewn into the sky. Qing hadn¡¯t seen it. Weij, a formally trained Cultivator, couldn¡¯t perceive it. No one else had mentioned it. So was she alone in seeing the cause of their devastation? In knowing of heaven¡¯s betrayal? Fury once more took root in her chest. No one else would understand, not as she did. But maybe that didn¡¯t matter? So long as they pointed their swords in the right direction, it could be enough. If she led them to heaven¡¯s gates, did it matter that they did not see the steps below them?


    ¡°Your eyes are different,¡± Weiji added, watching her carefully. He blinked those brilliantly green eyes that they might no longer share. ¡°Golden. Like looking at the sun through a veil. They might even be glowing. What happened to you, Cousin?¡±


    ¡°I was struck by lightning. I endured. Nothing more. Don¡¯t be hysterical about it.¡±


    ¡°You always manage to surprise,¡± he said eventually, nonsensically. Only a little hysterical. ¡°Always another miracle with you whenever we look away. You¡¯re not good for my heart, Hua.¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°I could do a lot worse if you aren¡¯t careful. Now, what news do you have?¡±


    ¡°What I suspect is the same news everywhere. Earthquakes, the ground swallowing whole buildings and streets. The mountain¡¯s water basin broke and flowed down to raise the level of the river and make sure everything was flooded. That wiped out a lot of the fires before the entire city caught alight. Dampened the wood. Future fires won¡¯t be as easy to start or spread. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s become of our kin. I came down the mountain on my own, so I haven¡¯t seen any of our kin.¡±


    ¡°And the soldiers? Ours or the Imperials.¡±


    ¡°Some of the Clan soldiers were working without prompting, doing their best in rescue operations. The others, I had to beat my way through till they remembered just who it is they owe fealty to and why. I can¡¯t believe these mortals are willing to waste time and effort with base looting. Give mortals a moment of hardship and stop breathing down their necks, and watch as they naturally turn to banditry. It took a while but there¡¯s some semblance of order in the areas west of the residential district which I hope will hold.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡±


    A smile bloomed across his sharp features. The dimples it produced weren¡¯t familiar to Hua. She had never seen them in the mirror. They were inherited, she suspected, from his out-clan mother. Or maybe Hua just didn¡¯t smile enough to ever notice.


    ¡°Things could be better. I wish I had news of the rest of the clan for you. Their absence is uncharacteristic. I know Aunty Qiang would have been here by now. Maybe even some of the Shen Elders. At the very least, someone from our vassals.¡±


    It had bothered Hua as well, that absence. Thankfully, Weiji had just volunteered himself. ¡°When did you enter Qi condensation?¡±


    ¡°I did so alongside your brother.¡± His smile strained. ¡°Though he has far surpassed me since then. May I know why you ask?¡±


    ¡°I require a favour from someone who can overcome any obstacle in their way.¡±


    ¡°I think I can manage a favour for you today of all days. The ancestors would never forgive me if I refused. My Lady mother certainly wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Return to the clan compound. Let them know I live and that I organise the city in the name of our clan. Tell them we¡¯ll need to perform cleansing rituals for the dead.¡±


    ¡°And leave you alone with this Yeren?¡± He whirled on the spot to glare at Liu Xin, the supposed wild Jurchen, who was standing far enough to maintain the fiction that he was not eavesdropping. But he was keeping other eavesdroppers away and that was more important.


    ¡°I am a scholar of history and a trained scribe, born and raised in Liaojiangkou,¡± he answered calmly which was commendable. Weiji had the distinctive silver and green colouring of her Clan, even if his hair was dirtied and his eyes narrowed almost to slits. Liu Xin had seen her kill mortals without hesitation. Maintaining his composure against a Cultivator who had threatened to kill him added to the murky painting that was Liu Xin.


    ¡°Worse, a peasant who thinks that because he can read, he is worthy of standing beside those blessed by heaven. I know your tricks. I see you for what you are. At least the wandering Yeren are honest about their savagery.¡±


    ¡°This unworthy scribe can trace his lineage three centuries, Young Master. This one¡¯s descendants gave blood in defence of the Amber Sea against both Goryeo and Yellow Cap.¡±


    ¡°Any savage can make up a lineage. You will never have the name Liao no matter whose legs you try and cling to.¡±


    ¡°Liao Weiji, I am no blushing jade beauty about to be abducted to a cave. Now, will you obey my order?¡±


    For a moment, he hesitated. Warring between two different kinds of loyalty. Then he saw the many who were watching from afar, realised the image he was creating with his defiance. He bowed deeper than was necessary. There was an apology in his courtesy. Another needless thing. Weiji was a fellow Cultivator and family besides. Politeness had never been necessary.


    ¡°As you say, Young Mistress. Please, do not hesitate to use your Thunder Palm when the peasant reveals his true nature.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± she promised with a small smile, enjoying this bloodthirst. Weiji kept it hidden but he was just as much a leopard who enjoyed eating faces as Hua. It was rare to see him bare his fangs so readily or unsheathe the knives he kept hidden away.


    ¡°Take these,¡± he insisted, pushing a medicinal pouch in her hands.


    Even leopards could love their kin.

 Chapter 12: Luck is a Landslide

    Dark eyes watched the starless sky. Sunk deep in a head too big for the thin neck that carried it, those eyes were like looking down a well on a moonless night. An endless deepness that went on and on. The only light that came from those eyes was the reflection of a fire built to combat the chill that swept in as night fell. It had come too late for this boy with massive ears and chipped teeth revealed between cracked lips that had greyed in the cold.


    The boy was propped up in a corner where the backside of two buildings and the walled street intersected oddly. Part of his body was huddled in a sinkhole that had opened, this one just large enough to fit him.


    The boy died from exposure. Sometime last night, if Liao Hua was reading the corpse correctly. She had been taught in the arts of death, both inflicting it and understanding it. If she had misinterpreted the ultimate cause of death, she would string herself up by the toes and save her grandmother the time of punishing a failed student.


    His blue fingers had been gnawed upon, revealing flesh and bird-thin bones. Dead rats gorged fat on the boy¡¯s corpse were strewn about. Hua had wasted some Qi and a knife she plucked off another corpse to deal with them. This was the first time she had bothered to handle the voracious rats, twitchy vultures or thick clouds of insects buzzing about. Far too many bodies to be feasible.


    Hua had retrieved over a hundred bodies by now and saved two or three times that number. Cultivation allowed her to be far more efficient at this than any mortal. Pragmatism ensured she never wasted more time than was necessary on any mortal.


    Which made her examination of a dead boy more curious.


    Painfully skinny like any mortal boy existing in poverty. Ribs so exposed that they could have been the bridges of a yangqin; stretch some wire across his torso and you could play him like an instrument. The sores reminded her of illustrations of a leopard, dark bruises against skin yellowed from malnutrition. A distended abdomen gave the vaguest impression that he¡¯d eaten a large meal but was more likely one of the endless mortal diseases¡ªliver disease, she expected, given how yellow his flesh was where it wasn¡¯t frostbitten blue, bruised purple, or gnawed red by the rats.


    He¡¯d died ignobly and would have remained unremarked for one curious property: There was Qi in the boy¡¯s body.


    Qi enough that he should have been snapped up. The Imperial Guard would have paid handsomely for a boy who could cultivate so quickly. Any of the merchant families would have adopted him as an heir or a second son at worst. I can name five Liao girls your age to have married you, Hua thought, bringing his hand up and sensing through his spiritual channels. So why did we never find you?


    His dantain was malformed and small, but he had a dantian. Everyone, technically, had a central receptacle in which internal alchemy might occur known as the dantian. The process by which external Essence, Jing, could be absorbed and purified, becoming the qi that infused the body. Body Tempering opened that dantian to the external world. Allowed the very act of Cultivation to occur. If it was done right.


    The process of preparing the dantian for Qi required effort, care, and great knowledge. There was a reason so many people just like Liu Xin would never manipulate Qi even if they were powerful martial artists. The techniques were guarded by the Clans and even if they weren¡¯t, one needed to Temper their body with an appropriate method for the eventual type of qi they would handle.


    The process was expensive, time-intensive, and gated by carefully guarded secrets, the kind Liao Hua would kill to protect.


    This dead boy had gone beyond that and opened a meridian. Reached a level of Cultivation that was notable. She had cousins who would barely advance past that point. Her twin sisters were older, given more resources, and they weren¡¯t going to use Qi for years yet.


    I didn¡¯t unlock a meridian this early.


    Somehow, some way, this malnourished and likely illiterate boy, had surpassed Liao Hua in cultivation. Impossible. Unthinkable. And yet, true.


    She had known there were great talents in the world and assumed she was one of the greatest, perhaps even the first amongst equals.


    It was all luck in the end. Hua could rejoice in the circumstances of her birth that placed her in a wealthy Cultivation Clan. She was lucky to be as talented as she was. Lucky to have the right tutors. Lucky to not have been overlooked for combat and sent to the priesthood. She¡¯d taken advantage of these things, worked herself to the bone, and risen to great heights, but luck couldn¡¯t be discounted.


    A flash of lightning illuminated the world and, for a moment, Hua saw the glory the boy could have achieved. As the bone-shaking rumble of lightning washed over her, she acknowledged the life that would never be.


    This boy, blessed with truly monstrous talent, had simply been unlucky to go unnoticed.


    ¡°Young Mistress.¡±


    ¡°Hm,¡± she said, looking over her shoulder to Liu Xin.


    ¡°A work team requires the assistance of a Cultivator.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Hua shook her head. The boy was dead and his potential would remain as just that, potential. She sent a spike of Qi to his dantian and pierced it. It was easy since he didn¡¯t have any Qi actively protecting him, what with the issue of being dead. Against a living Cultivator, it was nearly impossible to do so, unless one was supremely talented.


    The boy¡¯s Qi would leak out and dissipate over the next few hours. There wouldn¡¯t be a mass of Qi for any creatures to consume and possibly awaken from.


    No Gu, no Jiangshi, no ghosts and no demons.


    Just a forgotten boy.


    ¡°Lead on,¡± she told Liu Xin.


    Liu Xin was proving himself an invaluable treasure. The simple act of filtering whatever nonsense that mortals thought was important was a great boon for Hua who would rather dunk her head in muddy water than listen. Maybe that was why she always saw wealthy merchants and nobility walking around with attendants. The clan elders certainly had someone at their beck and call all the time.


    If they hadn¡¯t been spies for the Elders, she may very well have allowed a mortal attendant for more than trivial tasks. And if nothing else, she knew with certainty the Elders didn¡¯t employ the man. Weiji¡¯s disgust at a Jurchen hadn¡¯t been feigned. Others carried the same bias. Hua, personally, couldn¡¯t be bothered to expend any energy on a mortal tribe she didn¡¯t encounter often.


    ¡°Did you guard the Doubting Antiquity School or were you a member?¡± she asked. They were being followed by the two scholars who were Liu Xin¡¯s enemies. Hua was pretty sure she¡¯d given them a task. Maybe. They tended to blend in with the other mortals.


    ¡°Both. Meetings were easier with me. Messages safer to pass along. I could go places other scribes could not.¡±


    ¡°How does one become a Doubter and how does that become a profession?¡±


    ¡°How does anyone? With a hint of curiosity and an interest in the past. Our true past. For example, not everyone can be descended from the Yellow Emperor even if many claim it. He simply didn¡¯t have that many children.¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Throne might disagree.¡±


    He smiled with all the sincerity of a wolf about to pounce. ¡°This lowly scholar would never doubt the unbroken genealogy of the great Yongtai Emperor to the Yellow Emperor who has three seemingly immortal ancestors in very recent generations, because otherwise the family line would not fit. Just as one would not find it convenient to name oneself Huangdi to remind us that all Emperors are, in truth, the Yellow Emperor. Such would be treason, and the Lady Liao would not allow such seditious thought in her vicinity.¡±


    A man unafraid to die might be useful. He might also stab her in the back the moment it became convenient. Which would be entertaining depending on the method.


    Behind her, one of the two scholars coughed violently. His partner slapped him on the back.


    ¡°Fucking smoke.¡±


    ¡°You think we can still get that Liu bastard out of the picture,¡± the dumber of the two scholars asked.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, you bastard of three fathers,¡± he said, still coughing. ¡°Silver hair makes for crimson smiles and right now, she fucking likes him. Don¡¯t get us all killed for no reason.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s barely even watching him. The moment she goes back to doing fancy things, we¡¯ll be good to go.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so eager to die? A Cultivator looks at a person or a thing, and you get between them, best be prepared to die slow. No, I¡¯m leaving Liu Xin the fuck alone. He can keep all the shit he stole. The client might not even be alive at this point and even if she was, she can fuck with the Liao Clan alone. Fuck, the boss man got killed just to make a point and that¡¯s not even talking about the guy whose head she ripped off or the one she stomped.¡±


    So, her new attendant was also a thief. Historian, fighter, and thief. A strange combination.


    There was an undercurrent she was missing, a piece of context she didn¡¯t have. Two different groups of scholars literally trying to kill each other, something stolen in the middle, and genuine skill in martial arts. If the circumstances were different, she would have enjoyed watching their drama on a stage. If it was a scathing comedy, they would have had a wandering Cultivator show up and help the scoundrel Liu Xin mistaking him for someone righteous, and then walk through a series of increasingly demonic events that the Cultivator misconstrued for righteousness. Or they might go to the more classic tale of a court drama. She never really liked those, though. The simple answer always seemed to be to just punish both parties for causing problems in the first place.


    ¡°So, what do we do?¡±


    ¡°We shut the fuck up, make ourselves useful, and vanish the moment she forgets we exist.¡±


    Well, they were right about that. Hua only sometimes remembered they existed, usually when they walked in front of her, and usually only when Liu Xin made pointed remarks about them.


    She nearly forgot about them by the time Liu Xin led her to their destination.


    The areas east of the Residential District had suffered. Collapsed walls. Roads that had become trenches and buildings that had fallen into those trenches. Water had collected in the trenches. It ran thick with blood and rubble.


    She was led to the work crew and immediately understood their issue.


    A landslide had swept away the road. Well, swept away was wrong. It had simply covered the hill, the road and everything downhill with rock. That wasn¡¯t the issue. Mortals had hands. They could dig.


    The problem was the giant boulder.


    It was three, maybe four times as tall as Hua, and she was one of the tallest people in the group. It felt solid all the way through when she rapped her knuckles on it which explained why they hadn¡¯t just dragged it out of the hole it had made.


    Easy enough to solve.


    Liao Hua squared her stance and inhaled deeply. She held that breath and felt the Qi gathered in her dantian rotate. She released it and set it to flow. It was difficult as she hadn¡¯t gathered enough to fully saturate her spiritual channels, and that would only occur once all twelve meridians were unlocked. Sparks arced across the back of her hands as she focused on channelling her Qi.


    Zhen, the Thunder Trigram. Two parts yin, one party yang. The teachings of her clan and Liao Hua was a dutiful daughter.


    When her palm struck the boulder, it shook with the force of thunder. Thunder Palm, that is what some called it. Little more than a toy she¡¯d made to hopefully match her betters. Cracks radiated outward where her palm struck.


    She flowed through another step, her Qi moved by the motion of her arms and core, the way she twisted her hips, and sent her palm forward. Lightning sparking between her fingers. Thunder reverberated once more. The cracks deepened, widened. The boulder resembled a peeled orange before it was fully exposed.


    With one final assault, the third thunderous blow completely shattered what remained. Great chunks of stone were flung about. They hit the foolish mortals who hadn¡¯t thought to move away, but none of the chunks were any bigger than an arm.


    Now the road was cleared. Mortals would have to fill in the hole but luckily, they had an appropriate quantity of stone to do so.


    And as she looked at the sky, The Great Net of Heaven collapsed.

 Chapter 13: Imperial Presence

    Heaven¡¯s war ended as abruptly as it began.


    It was unconcerned with the chaos it had inspired on the lower realm and held no interest in offering a reason for inflicting divine lightning, or justification for causing the earth to erupt.


    Liao Hua knew this for she could observe something settling down between the mesh of the net engulfing the heavens, a net which stretched past the horizon and wrapped back on itself to cradle a great palace of impossible proportions¡ªat once the spires were taller than the mountains and yet, the base upon which they were built was no greater than Hua¡¯s mortal handspan¡ªwhere a deliberation was reached, a verdict whose impact which reached the earth below.


    It was not a physical impact in any way she could articulate. It was a thought, a feeling, an idea that could be seen only with golden eyes and was somehow as real as lightning crashing down upon the world. With that settling, the palaces vanished from view to leave only the Great Net of Heaven, and even that did not remain long.


    It faded away, it and the heavens which it engulfed. Days it had remained in the sky, cruelly taunting Hua with the reminder of what she had lost. Celestial lightning had struck her, granted her golden sight, and now the heavens scurried away. Pretending they hadn¡¯t cast Qing down and killed her. If the gods came down and kowtowed before her, then maybe Hua could stomach her hate and bile. But no, the heavens ran and hid in a place beyond any mortal¡¯s ability to reach.


    I hope it was worth it, whatever you did. For whatever reason you did it, I hope you enjoy it. Savour these peaceful days before I reach you. Because there will be no mercy given.


    Revenge would be worth it. She had to believe that. One day, she would be reunited with Qing, and she would build her a palace from the rubble of heaven. They would have an eternity together, this much Hua promised. Every word Hua had not known how to say would be spoken every moment they were together, until the world spoke with her voice, and it spoke only adoration.


    For now, she would endure this world that left dirt beneath her nails and splatters of blood on her face. There was no point trying to clean her nails when she spent so much time shoving aside rubble, reaching into churned mud or burnt homes. Blood was inevitable when carrying corpses and occasionally making them. These mundane falsehoods that clung so insistently.


    A wave of exhaustion crashed through her. Hua nearly stumbled. Nearly. Before all strength left her, she shuffled to the space between two buildings that were tucked away and settled into the shade made by the slumping roof and the banners attached to crooked poles. There, she slumped against the wall, her sweating back clinging to her clothes. In her tattered and filthy robes was the medicine pouch Cousin Ji gave her.


    Liao Hua chewed down on one of those precious pills, swallowing what tasted like burnt ginseng and fermented honey. There was Qi in them, hardly enough to nourish someone who had just broken through, but they were clean pills with few impurities and attuned to lightning Qi. Any Qi was good Qi right now as her dantian strained. Breathing heavy, chest aching. She was on the very edge of Qi depravation. Before her dantian consumed itself to fuel her needs, Hua cultivated.


    She inhaled and breathed in the Qi unfurling from the bitter pill. The scratchy quality of Qi entering her spiritual channels spoke of a pill made by Young Ren, the apprentice Alchemist, and not the senior master. She drew that imperfect Qi down into her shivering dantian, stripping away every impurity and misaligned element, until a raw clump of Qi could settle above the stolid earth at the base of her dantian. It was a new thing, that earthen nature. A thing Hua could not let go of even if a child of lightning should never love the earth more than the radiance descending from the sky. It was clashing with her base nature, making it harder to draw and move Qi. But letting go wasn¡¯t an option.


    Thinking of Qing left her colder than the chilly wind sweeping past her defences. The unseasonable cold had left the mortals shivering as they worked. It was a more reasonable thing than a world without Qing. That this world still had the audacity to shine golden¡ª


    The flash of gold drew her focus, abruptly wrenching Hua from any reminiscence.


    Beside Hua, there was a barrel that had accumulated a layer of muddy water. In the shallow puddle with a dead rat, she saw her reflection. Maybe her hair was just that brown and filthy. But in that murky water, gold shone through clearly. Her eyes were bright and clear despite the poor quality of the reflection.


    Divine lightning had struck her and she survived. It made some sense that there would be a mark.


    That mark was distilled sunlight, concentrated in her eyes. Her cousin Weiji had told her, but she had yet to see for herself. It was too muddy to tell if she had lost the green that was her relation to her clan, to her father and grandmother.


    The gods were truly petty to steal even her eyes.


    ***


    The suns rippled as the ground vibrated. The rhythmic thudding shook the barrel, made the muddy water shiver and distort the reflection of Hua¡¯s newfound eyes. The dead rat slid further into the water with each thud until its narrow head was fully submerged.


    It was a group of soldiers making their way down the newly cleared road. They wore a mix of off-duty uniforms, their personal clothes, and even full armour. Each carried a spear and some even carried swords. A few had bows. Not many had tempered their bodies.


    Hua did not recognise any of them. They were Imperial soldiers, not Clan soldiers.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The Imperial Garrison had the unlucky benefit of being within spitting distance of the city which made politicks contentious on a good day. The Liao Clan had an Imperial Seal to rule over everything from the mountain range to the west and all along the Liao River till it terminated eastward. It was a great territory with fertile fields and an easy way to monopolise the river trade in the province. Every city, town, mine, and citizen within that range was theirs, both by the might of their Cultivation and by imperial decree.


    For so honoured a Clan, what more could the then sitting Emperor do but grant them a full Imperial Garrison, supervised by a Magistrate who would be their direct line to the Lord Governor, and through him, the Dragon Throne. The Magistrate would help ensure that the Liao Clan discharged their duty according to Imperial law and knew how best to serve the Empire. He would also communicate any and all actions the Liao Clan took to his superiors.


    The Magistrate was a living and unsubtle reminder of the Empire¡¯s yoke around Liao necks. Everyone knew that truth and accepted it. They could kill the Magistrate and the garrison at any time if they wished to deal with the full force of every Imperial garrison in the province besieging them with the support of both the Yu and Zhao Clans. Or they could enter an unsteady truce where the Magistrate dealt with his bureaucracy in the city whilst he left them to rule peacefully, intervening only when nobility was involved, or Imperial authority was called into question. Or when bribes went awry.


    It left the soldiers wedged between the Liao Clan¡¯s forces that would gladly stab them and the citizens who disdained them for enforcing the Dragon Throne¡¯s tax collections. An additional tax burden to what they already gave to the Liao Patriarch. The Throne rarely did that as it was a sign of instability back at court. They did so eight years ago. Then word had come that the new generals had been selected and old ones executed.


    Is there still a Dragon Throne? If the capital was hit by this destruction, would they have been able to survive? Do we still have an Emperor?


    That thought took root deep in her mind. Hua gave it space to exist and build upon itself. There was much she had seen since Heaven betrayed them. Once those thoughts fully coalesced, she would act.


    ¡°State your name and business,¡± Liu Xin demanded, crossing his arms, chin lifted.


    Liu Xin was desperate to enter Hua¡¯s good graces. It would keep him alive longer, working to her benefit. Whilst riding a tiger might get your face bitten, feeding it well might have it leave you be after it flung you off. And a dozen imperial soldiers was a less dangerous proposition than dealing with Hua.


    The lead soldier stamped the butt of his spear on the ground, Qi flaring for a moment. The first star of Qi Condensation. A not insignificant stage. Besides Weiji and the dead boy, he was the first fellow Cultivator she had encountered since things went to shit.


    ¡°This one is Captain Ciao attached to the Office of the honourable Lord Magistrate of Liaojiangkou. To whom of Clan Liao do I speak?¡±


    ¡°You speak to Liu Xin, a retainer of the Liao Clan. The honourable Captain has yet to state his business.¡±


    ¡°Claiming to serve the Liao Clan is a dangerous thing to do, one that has seen many drawn and quartered. I see no member of the Liao Clan here. So, are you perhaps lying, Jurchen?¡±


    Well, that was enough.


    Hua decided to finally let herself be known. She walked into daylight and let her presence unfurl. Two of the soldiers jumped where they stood, bringing their spears down to aim the point at her. She slid her golden-eyed gaze past them and to the captain.


    He did not scowl but she could sense his displeasure at her silver hair. They did not share a chain of command, and only the Patriarch could give orders to the imperial garrison, but one also did not piss off the strongest man in the province. Not a man who was called hero, legend, and one day, he would be a martyr. Insulting his Clan might very well be an insult to him.


    Foolish. As if Hua needed her father¡¯s authority to be strong enough to terrify a mere soldier.


    She flickered her own, deeper reservoir of Qi, and let it spread over the street like the storm clouds coming over the mountains and overtaking the clear sky. She did this not to suppress him¡ªshe wasn¡¯t that much stronger¡ªbut to make him understand that he¡¯d not brought enough men if it came to a fight.


    And because she liked seeing him flinch.


    ¡°You may know me as Young Mistress Liao Hua, eldest daughter of Patriarch Liao Xiaosan, the Radiant Lightning Body. What do soldiers of the Dragon Throne who have been unaccounted for seek with this Young Mistress who has brought order to a city of the Yongtai Emperor?¡±


    He bowed politely, just enough to acknowledge her status. The Captain chose discretion. A shame. Hua had hoped for a confrontation.


    ¡°We would seek the assistance of the Liao Clan to further stabilise this city in the name of the Yongtai Emperor. The honoured protectors who share the name of this city have thus far been unaccounted. Your name might be enough to bring them from hiding.¡±


    Oh, so he did have enough of a spine to insult her. Good. She disliked fighting cowardly Cultivators. They tended to beg before they died. As if simpering would inspire an ounce of mercy in Liao Hua.


    ¡°One would think that your Lord Magistrate or your Garrison Commanders would leave their estates in our time of great need. This Young Mistress would have an answer as to their absence.¡±


    ¡°The Magistrate was attending a business meeting when the earth broke and holy lightning descended. He has yet to be heard from.¡±


    With roads devastated and entire sections of the city swallowed, it would be hard enough for the Magistrate to find his way back easily. Assuming he was alive and hadn¡¯t died to fire, lightning, suffocation, a fissure in the earth, banditry, looting, murder, dehydration, and the myriad other means of mortality Hua had witnessed.


    ¡°And the Garrison?¡±


    ¡°The road to it has been destroyed by landslides and the water level has risen so aggressively that the bridge and garrison itself have flooded. We have managed to communicate with smoke signals, so there is some chain of command, but we are still separated by physical distance.¡±


    The issue with defensible locations is that they often had limited ways in or out. The garrison possessed the same issue as it was an isthmus connecting a lake to the Liao River. One could journey to it by the now destroyed roads or cross the lake were one willing to deal with rapids and sharks.


    Irritating, but not an impossible thing to deal with. ¡°We¡¯ll leave them be for now. If they manage to reach us, will they accept your authority?¡±


    ¡°To a degree, honoured Daoist. If any above me in rank still remain, they will listen to any suggestion backed by the child of the Radiant Lightning Body.¡±


    Even without descending from the compound, her father¡¯s name was enough. One day, they would say Hua¡¯s name the same way. Even the gods would know it.


    ¡°How many men do you have and what supplies?¡± His report was quick and concise. ¡°As useful as this is, working in separate pockets of authority won¡¯t get us anywhere. I can hear a scuffle breaking out right now. What I need are runners to relay messages and a central location to organise around. We¡¯ve been using a nearby inn for triage. And whatever building has a roof. But we need a bigger building to organise a better system.¡±


    ¡°The Central Counting House still stands and the roads to it have been cleared. The mercantile consortium has been holed up with their mercenaries. They have been¡­ uncooperative.¡±


    Ah, that was something Hua could deal with. She offered him a toothy smile.


    ¡°Well then, Captain Ciao, shall we go intimidate a few merchants?¡±

 Chapter 14: A Missing Songbird

    Exhaustion was finally overwhelming Liao Hua. She had long since consumed the last pill Cousin Weiji gave her. If she had to guess, it had been two or three days since everything went wrong.


    Some of that time was difficult to account for.


    The daze after she had been struck by lightning. Those first shambling steps helped along by Qing¡ªbeloved, we will dance again¡ªinto the devastated city and the initial search for survivors amongst the corpses because Qing cared too much for mortals. The earth betraying them and their descent into the darkness hell. Qing, her true world, disappearing into this false world. The gods had drowned Hua simply to separate her from her oldest friend. Hua had drifted aimlessly, indifferent, until a spark of rage gave her the impetus to ascend and emerge from the dark waters of the Liao River, born again in vengeance.


    Each moment since then had been an unconscious act of allowing her fury to emerge in a way that didn¡¯t involve slaughtering half the city in her grief.


    The merchants had been a fun problem to unleash her fury. By fun, she meant simple. And by simple, she meant a casual display of lightning and thunder and bloody corpses to remind people just who they paid taxes to. Captain Ciao of the Imperial Garrison had overstated the degree of problem, and subsequently the height of enjoyment.


    Hua had still managed to leave a slew of corpses in her wake.


    It helped somewhat.


    Maybe.


    There had even been a welcome surprise in the form of the first member of her Clan. Oh, sure, it was a lower member with no real authority, but that was fine since she was accompanied by Clan soldiers. Clan soldiers and members of the vassal houses. Enough to establish further order in the Counting House and bolster her natural authority which was struggling on account of her ripped and torn clothes that wouldn¡¯t have been suited as rags to clean an outhouse in the average slum.


    ¡°The Clan endures, Young Mistress,¡± her relative reassured for the third time, aggressively ignoring the matter of Hua¡¯s eyes. ¡°I promise on my life that the compound remains standing. Our Clan is not so weak as to perish from only the world breaking.¡±


    They had claimed a room in the Counting House for their own use. Her aunt had taken one look at Hua and forced her away from observers. Found water and forced her to at least scrub some of the blood off her face and hands and neck. Cloaked her in a travel robe and pushed a bowl of food in her lap.


    Hua could not have figured out how she was related to the older woman if a sword was placed at her throat. Cultivating extended your life. Having children late for a Cultivator could mean fifty or it could mean a hundred and twenty. Intermingling bloodlines further confused it. They just tended to give a title based on relative age. Her relative had wrinkles around her eyes and Hua did not, so aunt was appropriate.


    ¡°Then why did it take so long for me to see anyone? If I hadn¡¯t sent Weiji, would you have come?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Always. But we needed to take care of our home before we bothered with the mortals.¡± Her aunt smiled, placing her hand over Hua¡¯s. ¡°When Weiji returned with word that you were doing the necessary work to bring order, we could rest easy. So, thank you, Young Mistress, you have saved more Clan lives than you could know.¡±


    If Hua wasn¡¯t hollowed out, she might have wept. They drove her mad, and made her contemplate murder, but she loved her clan. If Qing had been the true world, then the Liao Clan had been the lightning sparking in her veins, so fundamental that it could not be denied. Their loss would have devastated her.


    With the tiniest flickers of hope, she returned to her food and devoured it without much thought. Her aunt left her after a time, satisfied Hua wouldn¡¯t get up to any trouble in an office. And if she did, there were enough Liao soldiers to¡­ stop her was excessive, but at least make her pause for a few seconds before causing a problem.


    Even then, Hua knew not to harm the Counting House. Not because of the merchants or anything like that. She didn¡¯t care whether those mortals lived or died. The Counting House remained as one of the few places where paper money was respected, stacked in neat reams where she had been able to glimpse it. That thought lodged into her head again. Money used as fuel. A priest threatening a father for silver. The question of value, repeated again and again in the back of her mind.


    Light and incense flooded the room as the door opened a crack. After three knocks, Liu Xin entered. He approached and knelt beside her seat. He was a pretty enough man. She found she preferred it when his hair was unbound, and the subtle wave was revealed, reddish tones glinting in the light. He had also found a change of clothes. For a moment, she felt a profound bitterness at that fact. She was still in her scruffy clothes beneath the travel cloak.


    ¡°Young Mistress, a situation is developing.¡±


    ¡°Does this situation involve an outbreak of monsters from legend?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Does it involve an invasion from the Yu or Zhao Clans?¡±


    ¡°Also no.¡±


    ¡°Have the Imperials declared us all traitors to be put to the sword? Are the merchant¡¯s mercenaries actively enacting a coup at this very moment? Maybe a resurgence in the Yellow Caps so that Liao might stand sentinel once more?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately not, Young Mistress.¡±


    ¡°Then, Liu Xin, why are you wasting my time by telling me?¡±


    ¡°Because this is important enough for me to bring it to you even though it pertains to mortals.¡±


    He said that word with an affected disdain, subtly mocking her. He did not agree with her stance. That was fine. If he truly had an issue with it, he would grow strong enough to challenge it. And in so doing, he would divorce himself from mortality and understand her view.


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°A person of importance to the city¡¯s economy has gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I care about this? People go missing all the time, especially now. I can¡¯t spare the effort.¡±


    ¡°It is Lady Song who has gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean the eldest daughter of Sealord Song, head of the Song Fleet? The same Song family that owns half the warehouses in this city and a third of the docks along the entire Liao River. Do you mean the Song family that transports half the grain in and out of this city? Or are you going to put me out of my misery by telling me it¡¯s another Lady Song?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it is that Lady Song.¡±


    Hua closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. It was always something with these mortals. The moment you looked away, they caused chaos.


    ***


    The journey to the dockyards reinforced Hua¡¯s belief that all mortals should die a violent death. It had taken her days to establish some semblance of order and now, she was being summoned by a mortal. A mortal! As though anyone but the hero and legends she called family had a right to do so.


    In her fury, she left new corpses in her wake. There was always a foolish mortal just around the corner.


    The Liao River was tinted a bloody red as it reflected the sun obscured by smog. It had risen and swallowed whole parts of the city. The wide river that had sustained trade and watered farms had both betrayed them and saved them from fire. Water gave and it took mercilessly.


    A monstrously large ship was lashed by thick, rusting chains to the supports of a squat building on the shore. The berth it should have called home was swallowed by the Liao River. Occasionally, the wooden beams of the dock became visible as the river surged and lulled. Teams of men were pulling another ship ashore. On the deck, some mortals throwing out water with wooden buckets. The masts of the ship were charcoal ruins, consumed by flame likely started by a lightning bolt.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    The ship lashed by the great chains to shore was a true hive of activity. Hua made her way past the sailors and guards, only needing to throw one person into the angry river that bore her family name to make a point, before ascending the gangplank.


    Ships were not her forte. Give Hua a good horse any day of the week instead of these strange things that obeyed the tides and ocean. She¡¯d rather walk the breadth of the continent than spend a day on sea. She had lightning in her veins, not salt.


    The deck contained a myriad of burly men, many irritated that Hua had thrown a fellow sailor into the ocean since sailors were notoriously bad swimmers. Her target, the new cause of her problems, had made a throne room of the upper deck near the steering wheel.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± she commanded as she approached, pitching her voice with a little qi. Her spiritual channels twinged like hot pokers were being pushed into her flesh. Her Qi had been overstrained. If she wasn¡¯t as great as she was, Hua would have been in a violent Qi deviation by now.


    But enduring deviations was in her blood.


    The man leaning against the railing looked over his shoulder. Only after a gesture with his false arm did the sailors obey. Liu Xin pointedly stayed, taking up a spot near the stairs to watch for spies. Good.


    ¡°Liao Hua, is that you under all that filth? What would your grandmother say if she saw you?¡±


    The Sealord Song was a leather-faced man in his middle years. Toughened by years at sea, he held no fear far Cultivators and did not lower himself. Carried himself with the dignity of a man who called death a close friend, chest out and utterly undaunted. He had a belly, one of the signs of great wealth that even the most austere men found themselves falling to.


    He carried one sign of defeat and that was in his false arm. The Sealord had turned loss into a symbol of wealth. Crafted of beautifully engraved jade and delicate metal, his arm was a marvel of engineering. It sought not to hide the loss but rather to make art out of the steel bones and golden tendons. The back of the hand possessed the pattern of his trading flag in ruby and diamond. White jade fingers were wrapped in bands of steel and gold, articulated by tiny formations and powered by ruinously expensive Qi stones.


    One could live like a king for a year if they sold the raw materials of the prosthetic. When the Sealord Song died, Hua planned on acquiring that arm. Mostly as a trophy. A reminder that even the greatest mortal was just another thing to be acquired by a Cultivator.


    Hua sat with as much dignity as she could muster. She did not look up at him though he stood, and instead gazed past him at the churning river and the distant fields on the other bank. The Sealord could stand as much as he pleased.


    ¡°Grandmother would commend me for setting the city to rights instead of sitting on my ass all day long, Uncle Song.¡±


    The Sealord was too important not to be known by the Liao Clan. He was a frequent drinking partner of her grandmother and her father had invited him to the clan compound a few times in her youth. His name reached even the distant Zhao Clan, whom her brother had journeyed to a month ago, and who lived far enough that Brother Weijiang wasn¡¯t expected to return for another month before this chaos. If a civilian name was known to distant Cultivators, you made sure you gave them some face, even if that face was simply remembering their name.


    And heeding their summons, Hua thought, fists clenching beneath the table.


    ¡°After you and yours fucked the city with lightning, I¡¯d expect you to fix it. Whatever ritual you were doing broke some of my warehouses and nearly capsized a ship.¡±


    ¡°We did nothing to incite this.¡±


    He looked over his shoulder to her, pushing off from the railing he was leaning on. ¡°You sure? Those eyes of yours¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are just a matter of luck. Proof I survived the same lightning that destroyed your warehouses. Nothing more. This was a surprise to all of us.¡±


    ¡°Gods of deep salt, I hope you¡¯re lying to me. Fuck me, I won¡¯t even be upset if you¡¯re giving me the runaround, because that means at least someone knows why we were thrown overboard with anchors tied to our balls.¡± He blinked, then glanced Hua up and down. ¡°Or tits. Anchors on our tits and balls.¡±


    ¡°Please stop being childish.¡±


    ¡°Not even a flinch. Which means you¡¯re really telling the truth and you people didn¡¯t do this.¡±


    He collapsed into his seat. Poured her a cup of baiju in a glass tumbler. The clear liquid took on the colour of the burnt sky.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get glass this nice?¡±


    ¡°The pirate I liberated it from said it came from somewhere out west. Beyond the Demon Forest.¡±


    ¡°So what, they sailed through leviathan-infested waters for some glass? I should start selling immortality elixirs if people believe that.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastards, those pirates. Probably lying, but they always have good alcohol. I bet good money it¡¯s just some glassmaking technique that was lost and then found again. Old techniques from the Age of Heroes pop up now and again. I certainly didn¡¯t find any of the trade outposts they claimed when I ventured west of the Empire. But it got me some nice tumblers. To crazy pirates,¡± he said, raising his glass.


    ¡°To your pirate friends.¡±


    She raised her glass and toasted with him. The glasses made a beautiful clinking sound. I should steal these.


    The baiju burned on the way down. Terrible alcohol for a truly beautiful piece of glassware. Hua directed her agonised Qi to break down the alcohol. Alcohol was just a weak poison. Easy to purify.


    ¡°Now, we¡¯ve shared a drink, so I think you can be honest with me. It was them Yu bastards who managed this, yeah? It¡¯d be just like them to ruin our lives.¡±


    ¡°They spend their days on their backs looking at the stars and playing with their swords,¡± she said flatly. ¡°I doubt they learnt how to bring down lightning while on their knees or how to destroy part of a mountain by fitting in just the tip.¡±


    ¡°That you said that with a straight face is a miracle.¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re done with the childhood tedium, why exactly am I here? And I¡¯d like an answer, not a digression.¡±


    The Sealord nodded and carefully put his glass away. He filled Hua¡¯s again from the red clay jar.


    ¡°His name is Zhang Pi and he¡¯s decided to cause me problems. You see those warehouses? Mine. You see the ones with the stupid green sign, the small, impotent ones? Those are his. Trying to compete with me. Now usually, that isn¡¯t a problem¡ªI just buy out my competitors¡ªbut this man is stubborn. Very stubborn. Send my boys to visit him and he doesn¡¯t flinch. Offer him more money than is reasonable, he doesn¡¯t even look at the pile of taels. Maybe I burn one or two warehouses down, but that¡¯s fine, just the cost of doing business. He has other warehouses. I can handle him having a few warehouses. Six months go by without him doing anything. I think everything is good between us. Surely, after six months, he¡¯s learnt to coexist like a reasonable person.¡±


    He paused dramatically.


    Hua sighed dramatically.


    ¡°And then what does he do?¡±


    ¡°He got into bed with the mercantile guilds and next thing I know, he¡¯s signed a deal for naval vessels. Ships! Do you hear me,¡± the Sealord snarled, slamming his beautiful mechanical hand against the table. The glasses rattled dangerously. ¡°He¡¯s planning on getting ships and kicking me out of the river trade! Then he comes to me, offers a merger that amounts to letting him fuck me dry, and even asks to marry my girl to make it proper and official. Like I¡¯d let a conniving rat marry the light of my life. Especially one who chose to attack me out of nowhere.¡±


    Hua finished her glass of baiju. She¡¯d need more alcohol to endure this. Had she ever let another mortal speak this long in her direction without a very good reason?


    ¡°Let me guess, he did something stupid while the earth was breaking.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. He goes and kidnaps my baby girl. Gets past all my useless guards. And now he wants to discuss the deal again. That scoundrel thinks he can force me into negotiations by doing this. Well, I won¡¯t have it! I want that son of twelve fathers dead! No, I want him here so I can beat the shit out of him myself. I¡¯ll rip his balls off and feed them to him. Make sure he chokes on them. He thinks he can come at me like this! For no reason? He¡¯s dead.¡±


    Yes, obviously this has nothing to do with your monopoly on the river trade. Or threatening the man with your goons. I can¡¯t imagine why anyone would want to force you to negotiate.


    The Sealord choked on his spit. Hua would have offered praise to the gods if she wasn¡¯t on violent terms with them, but she was so grateful for the interruption. She let the Sealord cough his lungs out while she drank peacefully.


    ¡°And where exactly is your daughter now?¡± she asked before he could continue ranting.


    ¡°He¡¯s holed up with her in the Crimson Leaf Pagoda. My baby girl, locked up in a brothel. The travesty. Any good man will think her ruined.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, why exactly don¡¯t you just send your men to deal with it? I see enough of them pulling boats out the river. You could storm any building you wished.¡±


    ¡°Because the Red Light District is run by that criminal Blue Hand Zhu. Let me tell you, he was born with more knives than sense, and that was before he armed enough thugs with knives to take over a small town. My sailors will just be target practise. And if I try to bring a hundred men with me, your soldiers, and whatever¡¯s left of those Imperial fucks, will cut us down.¡±


    None of this was making sense. She¡¯d played weiqi with professional cheats who didn¡¯t steal yunzi stones as blatantly as Uncle was spinning his lies. And when the stones from the weiqi board were returned, they didn¡¯t dare keep her yunzi stones with them.


    Do not kill the man who runs the largest merchant fleet based in your hometown. Do not kill the Sealord who your grandmother probably likes and probably has a use for. Just pour yourself another drink and swallow this bullshit.


    ¡°Well, I could just tell my soldiers not to interfere and let you do what you please. I doubt the Imperials would attempt anything if they saw a wave of blue letting you pass.¡±


    The Sealord¡¯s flesh arm twitched. He reached for the jug to hide that tell and poured himself another drink. ¡°You know them. Can¡¯t trust an imp not to attack for no reason. They start more riots and rebellions than they stop.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in contact with an Imperial Captain. He¡¯ll listen to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the message will be as clear if it doesn¡¯t come from a nightmare with silver hair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been much of a messenger.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever heard of doing a favour for friends?¡±


    ¡°Have you met my family? We don¡¯t do favours.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair. You¡¯re a bunch of hard bastards.¡±


    ¡°So, how did you plan on handling this if I wasn¡¯t around?¡±


    ¡°You see that ship over there, the one that near capsized? It had a shipment of fireworks. They¡¯re wet now, but if they weren¡¯t, good odds I¡¯d have burned down the Red Light District to get my way. Lucky the ocean prevailed before my temper got a hold of me.¡±


    ¡°And what do I get out of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll owe you a favour. Imagine a favour from Sealord Song. I can get you anything in the province and out of it. And I¡¯ll throw in all my sailors to help with the city. Even call in a few of those bastard captains holed up in their warehouses and boats hoping to wait shit out.¡±


    Hundreds, maybe thousands of mortals helping instead of doing whatever it was they usually did in a disaster. Maybe enough hands for Hua to return to the clan compound without worry.


    Liao Hua¡¯s skills were optimised for violence. She could lead a platoon of fighters easily enough, but ask her to handle triage or rescue operations, and she was practically useless.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go visit a brothel.¡±


    Her ancestors would never forgive her for this.

 Chapter 15: The Songbird鈥檚 Flight

    The Sealord Song was the first mortal to comment on Hua¡¯s ragged appearance that not even a clean travelling cloak and a quick scrub of her hands and face could hide. As a great merchant who had built his fortune exploring the merciless oceans that contained leviathans and dragons, he did not fear a bedraggled daughter of lightning any more than he feared waves taller than the mountains.


    ¡°You look like a drowned rat fucked a manure pile,¡± the Sealord said politely. ¡°I can¡¯t send someone to rescue my daughter looking like that. And if Patriarch Liao Xiaosan knew I let you go looking this bad, he¡¯d string me up by my entrails and feed me my manhood.¡±


    Father wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day but please, continue believing in your importance.


    ¡°Tainting my vocabulary isn¡¯t a worthy enough crime?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been friends with your Grandmother half my life. I¡¯ve sailed with your kin. Your whole Clan can curse with the best of us. Met sailors more polite than the average Liao boy.¡±


    Which¡­ wasn¡¯t a complete falsehood. Those aspiring to power emulated those with power, and the most powerful in her clan cared not a whit for the fiction that was politeness. It had seen them labelled as little more than savages by the Yu Clan, but those cowards spent their days cozying up to the Dragon Throne, hoping that a fallen scale would be their ticket to power.


    The Liao Clan chose instead to cultivate strength.


    Hua appreciated the opportunity to clean up. He used the cauldron burning money to have water boiled for her use and permitted her the use of the captain¡¯s cabin. She scrubbed at her fingers until she was clean of mortal dirt and blood. Fought against ash and grime and river water that had long since dried on her skin.


    The face in the mirror was painfully foreign. High cheekbones and a roundness to her cheeks that spoke of youth and good health. A blush that gave a hint of colour to her pale skin. Exhaustion lined her features, deepened the bruises beneath her eyes. Silver hair cascading down her back, matted instead of silken, missing her kingfisher hairpin¡ªI hope it stayed with you beloved¡ªand giving her an air of savagery. Eyes golden and bright, lit from within; twin suns, marking divine lightning. The thinnest strip of green ringed her pupils.


    The gods hadn¡¯t quite taken everything from her. Only left behind their mark.


    A set of robes that fit her well. Hua wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to know how the Sealord guessed her size or why he had robes suitable for a woman in his captain¡¯s cabin. While she preferred the blues and whites her clan tended towards, black would do well enough. It had the practical application of hiding blood. And she had her aunt¡¯s blue travelling cloak with the Liao Kingfisher to wear over the layers of black.


    She tied a white sash around her waist. The colour of mourning had never felt more meaningless than now. What did it matter for mortals to know she grieved as well?


    Hua added a white ribbon around her upper arm as well. Maybe that would appease the ghost.


    Leather boots laced up in a snug fashion. The reflection in the mirror was almost coherent. Her grandmother would insult her, and her cousins mock her, but the average peasant wouldn¡¯t be able to tell how confused the outfit was.


    She took a conical hat with a veil. Gold still shone clearly behind the veil. There would be no hiding those, not without more specialised methods.


    Liao Hua emerged onto the deck feeling clean for the first time in days. There wasn¡¯t dried mud caught in some awkward place making her itchy. The stench of corpses and filth gone. No blood between her toes.


    ¡°How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Like a toddler ran around a fabric shop,¡± the Sealord said at the same time as Liu Xin said, ¡°Excellent, Young Mistress.¡±


    Good enough.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to your promise, Uncle Song.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less. All my men helping you and as much influence as I can exert on everyone with a boat. Even those who use my warehouses. Just return my daughter and I¡¯ll work some miracles for you. And try not to destroy the place. It isn¡¯t worth the trouble.¡±


    Hua was certain she was being manipulated. She hadn¡¯t smelled any wet black powder, a scent she had a passing familiarity with. If the Sealord really wanted his daughter back, he¡¯d have marched with his hundred-odd sailors and set half the city alight with black powder.


    Hua would allow herself to be led around. At least for a little bit. There would be mortals to kill.


    ***


    ¡°What do you know of this Blue Hand?¡± she asked Liu Xin the moment they were past the casual hearing range of the Sealord¡¯s sailors.


    ¡°Only what anyone of no importance knows. Behave in his district, pay the protection fee, bribe any Imperial soldiers who ask questions, and stay silent if Liao soldiers come knocking around.¡±


    ¡°Would a Liao Cultivator count as a soldier in this case?¡± she asked. There would be no hiding with the kingfisher on her clothes. Her silver hair exceeded the length of her veil.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I believe an exception might be made for the honoured Thunder Palm, if only for survival¡¯s sake. Most mortals simply hope to avoid the attention of your family. Looking away is a useful skill for general survival. So, if one had to make the choice between pretending to have never seen someone with silver hair walking the Red Light District, or having your family line destroyed to the root for insinuating otherwise, most choose the former.¡±


    ¡°Implying the latter happens often enough to be well-known punishment,¡± she mused, humoured.


    ¡°Your humble servant would not suggest that the men of the honourable Liao Clan patronise brothels with any regularity. It would be unthinkable. Surely, Liao men have better things to do than to cavort with mortals beneath the same sheets a dozen other men had soiled that same week. He would never imply that silver hair means a golden shower of taels.¡±


    Hua barked out a laugh and then let it free. It was the first time she¡¯d truly laughed in what felt like an eternity. With her full chest out, she let herself be amused if only for a moment.


    ¡°You live only because that made me laugh,¡± she said, eyes crinkled.


    He smiled back, relief shining through his calm veneer. ¡°A great honour.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever worked with my clan before? Few mortals dare speak to me like this and manage to live. You seem to know how best to survive us. Or me, at the very least. So, is it good instincts or good preparation?¡±


    ¡°It is both. The honourable Young Mistress has a reputation for ignoring disrespect if she is amused or in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°I have a reputation?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your actions, the actions of most Cultivators really, count as tavern gossip. If you destroyed a market stall or threatened a man in the morning, everyone in the lunch crowd would know. If you ran through the city then by evening, everyone would be¡­ having fun with your actions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be the butt of the joke.¡±


    ¡°It only happens as often as you descend from your lofty home in the mountains and grace us mere mortals with your presence. Surely the Young Mistress doesn¡¯t spend much time in the city speaking to mortals.¡±


    Hua sighed. Fine, the mortals talked about her when she wasn¡¯t around. It made sense. She was important. Conversely, she never gave mortals a single thought during the day because they were of no consequence.


    The Red Light District had endured in a way many other parts of the city had not. Oh, the occasional building had been struck by lightning and entirely vaporised, leaving a slagged crater behind. Buildings burned down to charcoal frames. Bodies being picked up and injured in the street. But the scent of smoke wasn¡¯t as strong. No streets had been burned to a crisp. And the water that completely drowned a temple simply left things damp here.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said, pitching her voice louder, ¡°if someone could tell me where my destination was, I¡¯d be able to leave faster.¡±


    A huddle of men stood by a burning cauldron, hands grasping at the flames for warmth. They were adding twigs, fabric, coal, and paper notes to the fire. A person might burn money because they were too wealthy to care. They might burn it because the numbers inked on it were worth less than the fuel the paper provided.


    Those men aggressively looked anywhere but at her. Hua smiled. The men shivered. Hua¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°You want Blue Hand,¡± one of the men blurted out, voice cracking. Young, that one was. One of his fellows cuffed him over the head and cursed him out.


    ¡°And where can I find a man with a blue hand?¡±


    ¡°Right there,¡± he said, pointing toward a crowd emerging from an alley.


    ¡°Well, well, well, a fool who can¡¯t keep his mouth shut and a pretty Liao girl visiting the Red Light District,¡± a man said, swaggering out of the crowd, covered in more knives than was at all reasonable. ¡°Will wonders never cease.¡±


    He did have blue hands. Fingertips, really, but they were a shade of blue. It wasn¡¯t paint and, with her greater senses, she could tell the blue originated from beneath his skin. Illness?


    ¡°This Young Mistress greets you,¡± she said, offering him some face. ¡°You¡¯ll be taking me to the Crimson Leaf Pagoda.¡±


    ¡°Since when do the Liao girls fuck other girls? Got a taste for cunt while no one was watching?¡±


    I thought the Sealord was exaggerating, he really does have more knives than sense. Even his people were carefully leaning away from him. No, this is just a mortal ritual I¡¯m misunderstanding. Surely he¡¯s not that stupid.


    ¡°Is that a no?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fuck off and leave.¡±


    Liao Hua leapt faster than anyone could react. Not a hard feat with mortals around. They never understood the sheer difference in ability until it was demonstrated.


    She slammed the man down to the ground. Crushed her knee into his chest, her body weight pressing down on him fully. Because he was covered in knives, she was sure his flesh was being prodded by metal. He¡¯d cut himself the first time they slipped their sheathes.


    ¡°Is that still a no?¡±


    Blue Hand grinned up at her with a confidence that came from being an idiot. ¡°You must know there¡¯s no peaceful way out of this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never cared for peace very much.¡±


    The first fool with a knife and no sense very quickly added his name to the Book of the Dead. It took a few seconds longer than Hua was expecting. His was a wild swing that would have missed a vital anyway.


    She pushed his hand aside, letting the knife veer off course. Then she thrust her palm at his stomach. Qi surged, splitting into yin and yang, as she formed the Trigram Zhen. The crack of thunder accompanied the surge of force.


    Everyone behind him was drenched in a sudden shower of viscera. Warm red meat. Stomach acid and acrid urine. Possibly shit as well.


    She shoved the corpse away and let it collapse onto the stone road.


    ¡°The problem with mortals is that you think I¡¯m here to negotiate or that I¡¯m even willing to give you the slightest face. You¡¯re going to tell me what I want to know, or you¡¯ll die. Say something stupid and you¡¯ll die. Irritate me, and everyone here dies until I find someone who doesn¡¯t annoy me. There¡¯s no more than a hundred of you. I¡¯m sure at least one in a hundred mortals has a functioning brain. Actually, Liu Xin, do you think at least one mortal understands that I have no patience for these antics?¡±


    ¡°It is possible though doubtful.¡±


    For once, Hua missed the good old days her grandmother spoke of often. The days when mortals kowtowed before daring to approach a Cultivator. Now, mortals felt like they could intimidate and threaten their betters.


    She grabbed Blue Hand by the face, her fingers digging deep, bruising and maybe fracturing bone as well. She didn¡¯t care to moderate her strength.


    If she failed, this would have less meaning beyond another corpse.


    Mortals lacked the protective aura of Qi around their skin, that which shielded them from harm, equally from blades and fire as it did curses and lightning Qi. It made it easy to shape her Qi into the Zhen Trigram and make the force emit from the back of his head.


    Thunder shook the ground.


    Hua pushed Blue Hand¡¯s head back and to the side. Slowly, painfully, never relenting even as he scraped at her arms and tried bucking her off. She forced his head aside until she could almost hear his spine strain. Far enough that he could see what she had done.


    Beneath his head was a crater. One wider than a person was tall. Her power shattered stone, turning to dust that which took teams of men to move in place. Past the gap of her pale fingers, she met his panicked gaze. They were a bright brown, the same shade of brown a lizard shat out when they were afraid.


    ¡°Do you still have more knives than sense?¡±

 Chapter 16: The Songbird鈥檚 Cage

    ¡°There, that¡¯s the place, now let me go,¡± begged the man with fewer knives than sense whom Liao Hua was dragging across the Red Light District. By the face, if required clarification. Blue Hand Zhu¡¯s face was actively receiving clarification by the deep, purple bruises Hua was leaving. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    He¡¯d gotten cut along the way by one of his many knives slipping free of its sheathes and there were thin trails of red tracing the path Hua had dragged him along. Hua felt it a very mild punishment for having the audacity to not only threaten her but to also waste her time. What era did these mortals think they were in to think themselves greater than a Cultivator? Especially one of her Clan. Even a fool should have had the slightest hint of a preservation instinct.


    Also, really, who wore no less than twenty-five knives on their person? That was just asking to get cut.


    Hua could understand having a good sword, maybe a matching short sword and a backup dagger. Even a brace of throwing knives hidden away to cover long-range options. But at some point, so many mismatched knives showed a lack of clarity. If your fighting technique involved throwing knives, then you carried a lot of throwing knives, but only that kind to efficiently carry them on your person. Why would a swordsman carry a dozen blades of mismatched quality instead of a single superlative sword?


    It made no sense at all, which was likely why they called Blue Hand the man with more knives than sense.


    They had drawn something of a crowd under the bloodred sunset. Quite a few people with lots of knives but thankfully more sense than their leader. They ranged from stick-thin fighters who hadn¡¯t eaten a decent meal in five years to their more rotund bosses who had benefitted from the efforts of desperate kids trying to survive. Hua would like to clarify, though not with a bruising grip, that rotund here meant a degree of flesh between bone and cracking skin, not any true amount of fat.


    Dumber kids, younger members of the gang, had been pulled back before they interfered, possibly interrupted Hua, and gotten themselves killed. There had still been no less than three idiots who broke through and tried to interfere. Liu Xin¡¯s wooden staves had made quick work of them and Hua didn¡¯t even need to break her stride. He deserves a raise, she had thought approvingly after he cracked the third skull.


    Hua had yet to pay him a single coin or tael. She had also yet to formally take him into her service. Both problems she would handle later.


    Hopefully, no more things would pile up before she left the Red Light District.


    That this District had survived relatively unscathed whilst the Temple of Five Dragons had been swallowed whole felt like a pointed commentary on the relative morality of Daoist priests and the average whore plying their trade with an underfed bandit. Hua would add to the footnotes on that commentary that the gods saw no difference between humans because if they cared about someone being good and just and moral, Qing would not have died because of their wars.


    And so, the gods would die. That one life was worth all of heaven. The hypocrisy of heaven could only be washed away in blood.


    It was a tall building she had been led to. Four stories by her reckoning, wider than the others around it on the crowded street. The black tiled roof sloped far past the front wall, draping the entrance in deep shadows. One would need to walk up a polished set of stone stairs to reach the patio that was further shielded by green banners. The title of the brothel was painted in elegant characters on green banners. It was a private building, the Crimson Leaf Pagoda, one where you wouldn¡¯t be seen once you were past the banners, but everyone would know you visited anyway. Explained why seemingly all the mortals knew some of her kinsmen visited the brothel. Were this a regular day, tale of her visit would have spread across the city within an hour. But normal behaviour had died when the ground broke.


    It was not what she expected of a brothel. For one, it was far cleaner. For two, it lacked the paintings of sexual activities on the paper screens she had seen in brothels before. For three, no one was either being fucked in a nearby alley or fucked over in a nearby alley. And finally, she couldn¡¯t hear the music and dance that usually accompanied higher-end establishments.


    Let no one accuse Liao Hua of being a purveyor of brothels. She just sometimes got distracted by the bodies drawn on the paper screens, the breathless moans the women faked for the men they service, and sometimes the sight of exposed skin on her way to her far more reasonable activity of beating the shit out of some idiot who annoyed her and thought a Daoist was too dignified to approach a brothel. Hua never spent long, obviously, and never looked at any of the women on display, and truly never forgot about her target because someone smiled with their potent, dark eyes. She¡¯d never had to track a person across three separate brothels and then to another town because she kept being distracted. And most certainly her favourite teahouse wasn¡¯t a poorly disguised brothel.


    She shook her head of all the things she had never done and dropped Blue Hand Zhu. His head hit the ground hard, and he yelled out a curse. She planted her foot on his chest to keep him from slithering away. He seemed the type to vanish if you didn¡¯t pay him enough attention.


    ¡°Liu Xin, I have grown very tired of mortals today. Deal with this,¡± she commanded, sparing him a short glance.


    Eyes wide, he bowed low. ¡°Yes, Young Mistress.¡±


    She was curious what he had read in that command and what he would do. If she was lucky, the Sealord¡¯s daughter would appear right in front of her.


    ¡°Please let me go,¡± Blue Hand croaked. Oh, she had forgotten about that mortal. Hua lightened the pressure crushing his lungs. ¡°I gave you what you want. Fuck, I don¡¯t want any problems with the Sealord.¡±


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    ¡°I never mentioned Sealord Song.¡±


    ¡°The fuck other reason would you have for coming here but his daughter? Even an idiot like me can figure out the Sealord is throwing around his connections.¡±


    Irritating. She didn¡¯t like the implication that the Liao clan were merely a connection for the Sealord. It gave him far too much clout. She¡¯d have to curb that power going forward. Having favour and having influence were different things. Favour could be dispensed or withdrawn by a superior whenever they pleased. Influence felt far too much like the Sealord controlled how the Liao Clan would behave.


    It was true to an extent. Hua was doing him a favour. He¡¯d asked and they negotiated. But other mortals would grasp at the Liao Clan if they thought there were ways of getting a Cultivator to support them. Their rival clans would think them weak if they listened to mortals. Even if it was true, that impression could never exist.


    ¡°I think you should be more afraid of my clan.¡±


    ¡°Not like I can do shit about fuckers with silver hair. Why the fuck would I be afraid of someone that¡¯ll forget I exist the moment she looks away?¡±


    Hua¡¯s brows pinched. Was that wisdom, nihilism, or stupidity? From Blue Hand, who had replaced his sense with knives, it could have been any of them.


    Should she kill him just to be certain? Not being afraid of her felt insulting.


    ¡°Will this establishment be welcoming the Young Mistress alone or with her guest?¡±


    The voice broke her from her thoughts of casual murder.


    An older woman had spoken, watching from the tallest step and looking down at Hua. Her hair was caught up in a bun held by an elegant gold pin. Her robes were layers of alternating green and red that could have looked garish but were harmonious instead, anchored by a diaphanous gauze outer layer in white. Hua almost felt underdressed until she remembered she was a Cultivator who didn¡¯t spend her days on her back. She could walk around naked and inherently be more dignified than the Madame of a brothel who painted her teeth black.


    Certainly, one of the odder choices. Did men like pretending they were married? Wasn¡¯t the whole point to get away from a legal wife? Or did unmarried men enjoy the idea of a motherly figure running the establishment?


    ¡°Blue Hand, if you have more sense than knives, you and your men will report to the imperial soldiers at the Central Counting House to offer assistance. If you lack any sense, we¡¯ll learn how many of your knives can fit in your body before I get bored.¡±


    The man wheezed out an agreement and made what she charitably chose to interpret as a polite gesture. She removed her foot and ignored him completely, focusing on the Madame. Whether Blue Hand chose to live or die was a problem for later.


    ¡°Madame, this Young Mistress will accept your welcome.¡±


    And so it was the Liao Hua, eldest daughter of the Liao Patriarch, entered a brothel in the city that bore her name. Her ancestors were dying again from shame.


    The grain on the stairs had been sanded away in some places more than others, the places where most walked. Hua intentionally stepped on less worn areas and with her enhanced strength, scraped off a layer of wood. Just to even out how worn everything could be. Give it a nice patina. Work off some of her irritation.


    They slipped first past the green banners that shaded the patio, and then through a pair of large wooden doors. Each was carved to depict falling leaves though, if one turned their head slightly and squinted their eyes just right, the way those leaves fell gave the impression of a buxom woman kneeling before an ambiguously male figure. To offer service in the ways only a brothel could.


    Even though the earth had broken, the interior entrance was polished to a fine shine. Hua¡¯s boots made the tiniest of clicks against the gleaming wood boards which had her frowning. Her footsteps were always silent unless she chose otherwise. Either the boots were bad, or the floors had been treated with something. Possibly even an array of some kind hidden beneath the floorboards.


    Mortals liked small talk, right? That was something to be done. The Sealord had asked her not to burn the place down and Liu Xin was inside anyway. So, she needed to¡­ not make friends, but also not make enemies. A stupid enemy was one who would challenge Hua and Hua wouldn¡¯t let that go.


    ¡°How has the Madame¡¯s establishment faired? The parlour carries a certain brooding elegance.¡±


    The woman paused in the strangely empty entrance parlour and then gave Hua a look of such studied confusion that Hua almost died inside from sheer embarrassment. Right, I missed the mark completely. She missed Liu Xin with a startling intensity right then. He¡¯d have said the right thing to Madame on her behalf.


    ¡°The Madame would not force the Young Mistress to make false compliments under any circumstances. It is unnecessary and demeans us both.¡±


    ¡°And yet, my question remains unanswered,¡± she challenged. ¡°Mortals have a strange habit of answering everything but what I ask.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps there is a reason for that. But, to answer the honourable Daoist, We were spared much of the destruction. This establishment has been a safe harbour for those women who ply their trade in this district. We have even been protected from looting and banditry by that man you dragged kicking and screaming across the district.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s extorting you for money, then.¡±


    ¡°Are taxes not the same thing in practice and theory?¡±


    ¡°It is natural for one¡¯s lesser to pay for the protection of their betters. It is why my clan holds the Imperial Mandate to rule and receive taxes, and the man Blue Hand must operate in the shadows.¡±


    ¡°This old lady sees no difference. Both demand I open my purse and spread its flaps to be plundered to its depths. This old lady also knows many who brag that they underpay their tax obligation. Were it a natural process, no one would have a complaint. But I can tell you, Young Mistress, that I have heard even my so-called betters complain about the dragon demanding greater treasures for its hoard. Power does not make people different, it simply shields some from consequences and provides better opportunities.¡±


    ¡°That mentality is how you spend your days cursing the misfortune of your birth instead of becoming something greater.¡±


    ¡°As the esteemed Young Mistress of the venerable Liao Clan says.¡±


    Hua tilted her head. ¡°Do you think we did not earn our place through our actions?¡±


    ¡°Did you know that before Blue Hand, the Red Light District was overseen by a series of increasingly corrupt Magistrates? I watched that boy be beaten blue and hauled away to the mines for the mere act of existing in the wrong place at an unfortunate moment. When he escaped, he made his way back and formed his gang. He chose to do something about the corrupt system that had harmed him and continued to harm us. It was after the third official was strung up that the Imperials got the message and left us to govern in peace. It was only then that we could walk in peace.


    ¡°All the while, the Liao Clan watched and left us be, because the place they patronised was not worth protecting. When the Magistrate himself was booted from the area and thrown in the Liao River, the vaunted members of your clan looked away and did not discharge their duty to protect a member of the Empire. It mattered little. You received your tribute all the same. Can you see now why there is little difference between a protection racket and taxation?¡±


    ¡°So long as you pay your taxes to us, I really don¡¯t care for your personal struggles.¡±


    ¡°Did you know brothels are exempt from taxes?¡± the Madame asked with a smirk. ¡°And when the Liao Clan comes knocking, they treat this old lady with respect. Now come, Young Mistress. Let me show you what my establishment has to offer. You may find some use yet in us mere mortals.¡±

 Chapter 17: Locating a Songbird

    Liao Hua was led through the entrance parlour of the Crimson Leaf Pagoda, an elegant name for a brothel. It was a multileveled affair once she entered. A central annex that was surrounded by an interior balcony reached by stairs to the left and right relative to the entrance.


    Wooden doors gilded with metal designs were placed at regular intervals around the balcony, shielded by paper screens showing the very lewd acts Hua had been expecting. There were three such levels and the number of rooms decreased the higher you rose. Hung from the railings of the third level were bolts of gauzy silk that fluttered about from the air brought in by hidden vents in the ceiling, their bottoms just brushing the ground floor.


    The annex had many elegant tables scattered about, comfortable benches accompanying them. Dozens of candles illuminated the annex and the multitude of incense censers burning with the scents of sandalwood, cloves, and frankincense left a haze that further obscured the annex. More screens offered the impression of privacy but then again, did you care how much of you that your fellow purveyor of flesh saw?


    Across the entrance were more screens and greater layers of fabric. Hua inhaled, scenting tea, spices, and sweat. Melted sugar as well. The kitchen, then. She could hear only a few people in there. If she strained, she could tell most of the rooms were empty.


    ¡°The Young Mistress¡¯ servant has informed this old lady of her purpose in visiting my establishment. The acquisition of the Lady Song Song.¡±


    ¡°Where is Liu Xin?¡±


    ¡°He is¡­ handling the matter so that the Young Mistress need not. It was implied that this was to the Young Mistress¡¯ preference. To avoid dealing with mortals.¡±


    Hua wasn¡¯t going to gainsay Liu Xin on the matter if it meant she had to interact less with irritating mortals. ¡°And yet, that does not answer the question.¡±


    ¡°He is negotiating for the release of Lady Song on the upper floors. Please, allow this old lady to serve. Unless you would prefer any of the boys in our employ.¡± She flared open her fan and hit her smile. ¡°Or any of the younger ladies in our employ.¡±


    Hua levelled a withering gaze at the Madame and pointedly flashed the white ribbon around her arm. The Madame¡¯s mischievous gaze softened just slightly.


    ¡°One might argue that is a greater reason for the comfort of a warm embrace. Ah, but forgive this old lady who has spent far too long dealing with matters of flesh. Please, sit here. It is the most comfortable seat.¡±


    Hua sat on the pillowed bench. Fuck, but it really was comfortable. She couldn¡¯t help the indolent slouch as her muscles relaxed and removed her conical hat.


    The Madame rang a small bell. From the drapes veiling the kitchen emerged two people, one girl and one boy. They were both older than Hua, but they trended towards the youngest who could legally work in a brothel. A likely concession to Hua¡¯s own youth. They carried silver trays inlaid with that pervasive leaf patterning. They were both pretty, dressed in robes that just passed the bar of decency, but in their loping strides, the girl¡¯s milk-pale ankle was exposed. Just a thin line of white flesh above her vibrant lotus shoes.


    Hua made certain not to stare at the girl as they arrayed the many cups, bowls, jugs and assortment of snacks. She was not unattractive, what with her elegantly painted face and delicate bones, but her dark eyes left a bitter seed in Hua¡¯s chest. That seed grew quickly, creeping up her chest as the girl leaned over the table, her robe slipping to reveal the column of her neck. Leaves of bitterness grew at the smile Hua was offered, equal parts demure and alluring.


    Far too late, she realised she was staring. Hadn¡¯t been able to look away for a moment. Fallen into complacency at the first kind smile she¡¯d been offered.


    ¡°The Young Mistress has beautiful eyes. Would she prefer tea or wine?¡±


    A great crash distracted her before Hua said something foolish. She drew her attention to a door on the second floor. Was that a fight going on? It had the right rhythmic pounding for one, thump-thump-thump. A screech as something heavy was moved. The sound of a bed splintering. ¡®You fucking whore!¡¯ Odd, given that this was a whorehouse. That was the same as falling on a spear and being surprised you were in pain.


    The serving girl¡¯s smile became strained. It allowed Hua to compose herself.


    ¡°Wine. Very much wine.¡± Hua gave her a saccharine smile in return. ¡°How do you endure such vigorous customers?¡±


    ¡°With practice, even the unruliest men can be tamed.¡± Then her smile returned to the business of seduction and pacification. She poured wine in a cup and presented it to Hua. ¡°But I¡¯ve found curious ladies to be the most rewarding.¡±


    ¡°You go beyond yourself.¡±


    ¡°Is that not what the Young Mistress enjoys most?¡±


    Maybe Hua could deal with mortals if they were both brave and pretty. She took the beautifully engraved porcelain cup. It was warmed appropriately. The reflection of her golden gaze outshone the amber liquid. The aroma of it was potent, layered heavily. Spices and botanicals. Light incense by a lake hidden in the depths of the forests and you could understand some of the layers in the wine. The first sip she took, the wine clung to her tongue and coated the roof of her mouth. The was no burn, not until it hit the back of her throat, and even then, it was gentle.


    This rice wine was impeccable. Beautiful cups, beautiful wine, and beautiful women. I can never come back here.


    ¡°Has Madame served this Young Mistress from her reserved stores of wine?¡± she asked, still watching the alluring girl as she assembled a serving of varied snacks.


    ¡°One must always prepare the best for an honoured guest. It is a new method. They keep the wine in oaken barrels for years before unveiling it. Imparts additional flavours.¡±


    ¡°Would the Young Mistress like to take some home?¡± the girl asked, flashing her a mischievous smile. On the side table, she set down a platter with almond cakes and candied ginger, apricot slices and rice balls, and a set of deep-black chopsticks. ¡°One would be delighted to personally serve the Young Mistress.¡±


    The walls shuddered. Hua followed the sound to the third floor, amused to hear the distinct sound of wood wailing on human flesh. It was a sound she had become increasingly familiar with. Liu Xin was clearly having fun.


    ¡°Perhaps I should go assist my servant,¡± she mused, picking up a piece of ginger. Caramelised sugar crunched when she bit into it before the softer centre was exposed.


    The Madame shuddered at that idea. ¡°Young Mistress, surely you cannot leave before a fine performance.¡±


    Ah, so they did fear Hua getting involved. A martial artist took time and effort to inflict the same kind of devastation a Cultivator could in moments. Hua had destroyed a solid boulder like it was nothing and all it cost was a bit of energy.


    Hua nodded, sweeping her hand in a permissive gesture. The serving girl rose, stretching out sinuously to her full height. She wouldn¡¯t come up to Hua¡¯s shoulder. Easy to lift, easy to move. Hua swallowed as the back of her robe dragged down slightly and more of her neck was revealed. The divots of her spine, the uniformity of her soft skin. Hua¡¯s gaze fell downwards as the girl walked away with great elegance. Down and down her eyes went, stopping at her shoes. The courtesan had tiny feet, but the sound of her gait was wrong to have true lotus feet, Hua noted. The pooling heat in her gut cooled slightly. How disappointing.


    There was a raised platform to the left side. Hua had an unobstructed view and watched the girl take a seat on a plush cushion. She knelt like honey poured in a bottle, boneless. As if Hua needed more convincing to watch. The boy arrived moments later with a zither. Hua hadn¡¯t noticed him leave. Had stopped paying attention to anything but the courtesan.


    The girl dragged her fingers along the strings. The sound that made was like long nails walking down her spine. Then the boy hummed a resonant sound. His humming became more distinct until he opened his mouth and sang with a voice so beautiful it made her heart clench. A voice clear and light, windchimes in spring, light reflecting across an ice cave. Hua was instantly lost to it. She had never heard a voice so beautiful in the false world.


    A note was played on the zither. Hua was completely enthralled by the girl playing the zither. The elegance of her fingers plucking the strings produced a sound at one melodic yet powerful. The cascade of her dark hair over her partially exposed shoulder was like calligraphy drawn across stark paper.


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    ¡°Already spending your time looking at other girls? Did I mean nothing at all to you? I could hate you,¡± Qing said. Or the heart-demon pretending to be Qing.


    They were a beautiful pairing, the two of them. Hua wanted to unhinge her jaws and bite through the boy¡¯s neck, paint him red and taste his voice chords. The girl¡¯s hands could be broken and her heart ripped out.


    Would that appease the fake Qing sitting across from her? Hua wanted to ignore it. But even knowing it was part of this false world didn¡¯t matter because it took the appearance of the true one.


    ¡°May this old lady ask a question?¡±


    ¡°You may,¡± Hua said to both.


    ¡°What did the Young Mistress seek to achieve by threatening that fool Blue Hand? What purpose would killing so many serve?¡±


    ¡°It was expedient. And I didn¡¯t even kill him. Just one person had to die to make my point.¡±


    ¡°And the next time it happens, will you kill mortals until you have an answer?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Why are you asking questions with obvious answers?¡±


    ¡°The Madame senses a dangerous degree of frustration within the Young Mistress. You dislike mortals but we are vital to your survival.¡±


    ¡°Are you now?¡± she said around a sip of her wine.


    ¡°Would the Young Mistress till the fields herself? Would you shuck the rice and transport it across the province? Grind wheat and milk cows. Spend your days fishing and cleaning robes? Who would spin the silk of your superlative robes? I doubt the Young Mistress would enjoy transporting her supplies up and down rives under the sweltering heat, dealing with pirates and monsters. All vital things that allow you to do what you consider important, and they can only be done because there are mortals.¡±


    ¡°There will always be a limitless number of mortals to do that work,¡± Hua challenged. ¡°Your argument holds no practical weight. If I disapproved of this establishment, of Madame or the pretty boy she has singing for me, if I tired of this entertainment and desired the Sealord¡¯s daughter brought to me, it would cost me nothing to murder my way through this building. How exactly do you see yourself as vital compared to that power?¡±


    The girl¡¯s tempo changed to something unrelenting in its sharp disapproval. The boy followed suit, pitch rising to something almost painful. It was still beautiful, but it was an attack all the same. Hua could have killed them for the insult, but they made for far too pretty a combination.


    ¡°Greatly. More so than anyone else you might deign important in this city.¡±


    ¡°Explain before I find a reason to level this building.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, destroy the most important establishment in the district. Once the Young Mistress has left our cooling corpses strung up as a demonstration, what shall she do about the horde of horny men with no outlet? A man thinking with his cock will do many stupid things, including fighting a Cultivator. A group of bored men who can¡¯t get their cock wet. That¡¯s a recipe for rebellion and rebellions change dynasties.¡±


    ¡°The Yellow Caps likely thought the same and look where they ended up. Their leaders dead, their shamans strung up, and their soldiers fertilising the fields other mortals work.¡±


    ¡°If you kill enough, more will rise against you. You will kill legions, of that I am certain, but they will sing ¡®who cares who dies so long as she does¡¯ until you fall. There will be one arrow, one spear, one sword that makes it through. Maybe because they were lucky or because you were exhausted from a lack of food. Whatever the case, that will be the end of you.¡±


    ¡°Were that it so easy for prayers to become living miracles,¡± she said, staring at the false Qing. Hadn¡¯t Hua begged and pleaded for a miracle?


    ¡°Then the pragmatic option that isn¡¯t often writ written in song. Poison would affect a Cultivator. There are many, very many tasteless poisons that can ravage the body. If you don¡¯t know what it tastes like, you won¡¯t know those that wither your spiritual channels and leave Qi unable to flow through your body against those that grow stronger when Qi is applied to them.¡±


    ¡°You make very many assumptions on my ignorance of poisons.¡±


    ¡°I suppose a Young Mistress from the Clan that produced the Hummingbird Blade would know her poisons.¡± That was meant to be an insult by the tone. ¡°Very little difference between us mortals when I consider it.¡±


    A door on the upper levels broke open as a man crashed through it, saving Hua the effort of a response. From that door came a man who slammed against the balcony¡ªwhich only creaked; excellent wood and mounting from a carpenter who she hoped received an appropriate reward for such hard work, perhaps even a wood polishing from the Madame¡ªand took a wooden stave to the face. The stave spun away after striking the man¡¯s forehead.


    She barely caught a glimpse of Liu Xin before he grabbed the man by the ankle and dragged him back inside. For a mortal who had only caught a few snatches of sleep these past few days, he was still an excellent fighter.


    Hua reached out and plucked the spinning stave from the air. There was a joke to be made here. Hua refused to think it. She set it down beside her.


    The performance from the courtesans continued ceaselessly as if that interruption hadn¡¯t occurred. Hua tipped her cup in acknowledgement and drank another deep gulp of wine.


    ¡°Perhaps the venerated Liao Clan might assist in pacifying the spirits of the dead?¡± the Madame said wearily, giving up on pretending there wasn¡¯t a brawl occurring. She refilled Hua¡¯s cup with aromatic liquor. ¡°This unworthy one¡¯s business is rather hard to conduct when ghosts are howling and jiangshi are sucking men dry, and not in the way they prefer.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, men are closest to heaven, and jiangshi desire heaven the most.¡±


    The Trigram for Heaven, Qi¨¢n, was formed of three parts yang Qi unified in a single whole. Truthfully, any powerful source of yang Qi could resurrect a corpse. Sometimes fire, sometimes lightning, and sometimes the death of a powerful cultivator.


    There were ways of dealing with them. Most daoshi could perform the rites. Any Cultivation Clan had someone who could deal with them.


    Extreme violence was also an option.


    ¡°Especially after the local Temple was drowned and the last surviving priest lost his head,¡± the Madame added pointedly.


    Hua could acknowledge that she was in the wrong for that one. In her defence, she had never seen a priest acting like little more than a bandit. It was a shock to the system after many more shocks. She wasn¡¯t thinking straight.


    That didn¡¯t mean the Madame had to call her out on it.


    ¡°The Liao Clan will certainly provide assistance in performing funerary rites. I will personally ensure it. For the drink and entertainment you¡¯ve provided me tonight.¡±


    ¡°A thousand thanks be on your head. Even with the comparative lack of damage to the district, some of my girls were still lost.¡± The madame drew her white outer cloak closer around herself. ¡°I see you know the pain of recent loss.¡±


    Hua was wearing a white sash and ribbon. The colour of mourning. She did it for Qing. It didn¡¯t make her feel any better. Didn¡¯t make the liar disappear or¡ª


    The floor broke. Not the floor below Hua, which was still solid, but she knew the sound of that much wood splintering and bodies crashing to the ground. It had come from the same area Liu Xin was fighting in. It was then that the rest of the brothel''s inhabitants made themselves known. They flooded out of the room. A truly comical number of courtesans and workers came to occupy the balcony of the second level, displaced by the sudden violence occurring. They moved with practised efficiency to escape, steely nerves keeping them from crying out.


    All except for the shrill cry of a toddler. It created the greatest disharmony, one unmatched by the percussive pattern of blows being reigned down or the trample of dozens making their way to different rooms.


    She ignored Liu Xin locked in a brawl with a man on the staircase. Seeing him smash the man¡¯s face into the railing wasn¡¯t as important as the abomination that manifested before her.


    ¡°How¡­ how old is that boy?¡±


    The Madame followed her gaze and lost all colour beneath her makeup. Whatever she saw in Hua¡¯s gaze made her wince.


    ¡°I believe he turns two, Young Mistress.¡±


    She lived only because she answered her question immediately. Unlike the other fools who had wasted her time.


    ¡°I would examine him.¡±


    The Madame gestured sharply at the woman carrying the toddler. The mother saw Hua and winced. Hua maintained her glare as the woman made the journey downstairs, walking like she was going to see an executioner.


    Hua wouldn¡¯t mind playing that role right now.


    ¡°Young Mistress¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet,¡± she murmured, staring at the boy who wore a leather necklace over his thick robes. He was chewing on his fist and blinked red-rimmed eyes at Hua. Green eyes. His dark-eyed mother did not share them. His head was shorn close to the scalp a week or so ago, but it was growing in again. It simply made him look like someone had plucked the tuft of a white-naped crane and glued it to his head.


    Hua felt the urge to scream. There was no denying it.


    Bastards. Someone had been having bastards and leaving them around. Which idiot of their Clan had the audacity to force a bastard on a brothel lady?


    It was insanity. Bastards weren¡¯t useful, generally, because it was already ruinously expensive to quicken a child to Body Tempering let alone Qi Gathering. Why waste the time and money on a bastard? Bastards were instead just points of weakness expressed in the blood for their enemies to uncover.


    ¡°How did this never come to my attention?¡±


    ¡°The Madame has been paid greatly to maintain discretion. And the Madame is certain many in your clan are fully aware of the arrangement.¡±


    Hua was going to kill a relative. Many relatives. Of that, she was quite certain. Possibly drown them in the fucking Liao River and leave their corpse for the carrion to pick at.


    She suppressed herself before she exploded in a shower of sparks. Gave her focus to the abomination of a boy. It wasn¡¯t just a necklace around the boy¡¯s neck, but an arrow attached to the leather strap. It was silver and resembled the leaf of a willow tree. Wealth arrives from Eight Direction, Hua translated, the script bearing differences from what was more commonly used in the city. Without her enhanced eyesight, she would not have seen it. The mother didn¡¯t look particularly foreign, but she could have come from the border where blood and language intermingled more freely.


    Further away from the abomination, Liu Xin was ascending to the third level. Again. He made his way to the door above the one all the people flooded out of and pushed his way in. The violence Liu Xin was engaged with was the only reason she kept any degree of composure. Even the lovely zither wasn¡¯t doing much for her mood.


    ¡°Who made this child.¡±


    ¡°He gave no name.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Liao Hua repeated, lighting arcing between her fingers. The child looked on in quiet awe at those sparks, never understanding the danger he was in. Truly, a bastard born of lightning.


    ¡°He gave a courtesy name. It is hard to tell age with your natural hair colour, but it was likely the Elder Yu.¡±


    Weiji had told her this. Or rather, cut himself off before he said it bluntly. My grandfather has three bastards. That¡¯s what he meant to say. Which he meant he knew about the bastards and did nothing.


    She was going to strangle Weiji before she murdered his grandfather. They both deserved to be thrown in a ditch. And to think, she had praised Weiji. Thought him good and useful.


    There was a shriek from the balcony.


    Hua turned away from her bastard relative just in time for a body to fall in front of her.

 Chapter 18: Negotiating with a Songbird

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had a wine this pleasant, Liao Hua thought as she took another deep, fortifying gulp of her wine. It was beautiful rice wine, tagged in barrels that imparted a heady degree of spice, and drinking it was the only thing that stopped her from killing very many people. She took a breath and shoved her anger down with another deep drink. Focus on other things. Focus on the things she could control.


    Liao Hua prodded at the body lying face-first on the ground with her boots. The body, one belonging to a male, had fallen from the sky and landed in front of her. Technically, it came from a third-floor balcony, but that was a close enough approximation to the sky for her. And more technically, he had been thrown off the interior balcony by his opponent.


    The man on the floor groaned. There was blood leaking from his crushed nose and cracked skull. Hua held out her cup and it was silently refilled. She drank again.


    It was only after the third cup that she was certain she had tamed her fury enough to speak.


    ¡°Hello Liu Xin, have you been enjoying yourself?¡±


    Her newfound attendant had been the one to throw the man off the third-floor balcony. He was breathing hard and had an ugly set of fresh bruises on his neck to go along with the older bruises on his face. Older amounted to three days ago in this case, when the store Liu Xin worked at was burned down, and his fellow historians murdered by other historians. Had Hua known academic debates could be so engaging, she would have diligently studied for the imperial exams. If her tutors had told her, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to spend so much time outdoors, challenging dojos and fighting bandits. The fighters would have come to her if she issued a scathing enough critique.


    ¡°May this servant refuse to answer that question?¡±


    ¡°After the entertainment you¡¯ve provided me, you may. Is this the idiot that kidnapped the Sealord¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°His main bodyguard and¡ª¡± Liu Xin turned on the spot and shouted, ¡°don¡¯t you dare try to sneak out or you¡¯ll be joining your guard,¡± before closing the door shut. ¡°My apologies for the interruption. Zhang Pi was not yet convinced he should stay put. As I was saying, that was his bodyguard. The Sealord¡¯s daughter is in the room behind me. Your servant will now leave the matter to your judgement.¡±


    He was getting a raise. Whatever they paid retainers, Liu Xin was getting more. He¡¯d done an excellent job whilst Hua sat and drank, entertained by a very upsetting group.


    This was a strange party. An unfairly pretty girl still playing the zither and a boy who was accompanying her with his singing. The frazzled Madame who ran the Crimson Leaf Pagoda, a brothel of some good repute, which served the delightful rice wine.


    Oh, and of course the mother of a Liao bastard and the Liao bastard in question.


    There was a Liao bastard in a brothel house. The daughter of the Liao Patriarch was also in the same brothel. There was technically an arrangement of Lia Hua and the courtesans that could produce another child¡ªbut she had doubts on the continued presence of the singer¡¯s manhood; such a high tone wasn¡¯t often achieved naturally, and there was always a place in the capital for so great a talent, so he would have been snapped up years ago.


    ¡°Now, Madame, I trust that you didn¡¯t lie to my servant or attempt to misdirect me in the hopes the fool could abscond with the Sealord¡¯s daughter before we reached him. Because that sounds like an attempt to waste my time and I¡¯m past my limit for that.¡±


    ¡°The Madame only sought to entertain the honoured daoist while her servant did her bidding. This Madame is not foolish enough to risk the destruction of a Liao Elder¡¯s preferred evening establishment.¡±


    Ah, yes, so preferred was the establishment that it offered the delectable service of producing silver-haired bastards who enjoyed seeing lightning dance. Hua glanced at the bastard and contemplated smashing his head in.


    Only for a moment.


    If the Elder did care for his bastards, and paying for his support supported the idea, then killing the boy would be making an enemy for life. While the Elder probably didn¡¯t have more than twenty or thirty years left, that was still thirty years of complaining, political manoeuvring, and an altogether unpleasant time for Hua to deal with.


    ¡°What is his name?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Shui for water, Young Mistress. Lee Shui.¡±


    Hua drank the last of her wine and stood, feeling a moment of unsteadiness. Her Qi was so overtaxed that it was struggling to purge the alcohol from her system.


    She held out her hand and the child took it with his pudgy fingers. Hua let more lightning arc across her fingers. He giggled, totally misunderstanding the danger he was in. But any child born with silver hair was a child who loved lightning. The boy reached for the sparks and was not stung.


    Hua considered if she was willing to make an enemy of the Shen Generation. If the silver arrow hung on a leather strap around the boy¡¯s neck was any indication, he wasn¡¯t unfavoured. The mother must be truly excellent at her job to make Elder Shenyu support a bastard child.


    But this child could be a weakness. If Hua saw a Yu Clan boy as vulnerable as this, she¡¯d steal him for the clan to feed Cultivations pills until the secrets of his meridians and spiritual channels could be uncovered. Every tiny piece of information could be the difference between victory and death in the next Clan War.


    ¡°Can you kill your kin?¡± Qing asked her, standing beside the mother. Her spectral fingers cradled the boy¡¯s head. ¡°Can you live with that sin? Can you live knowing I would hate you for having that child¡¯s blood on your hands?¡±


    She withdrew her hand, and the boy cried. He desired lightning, she knew, the same way as Hua had loved watching lightning separate heaven and earth.


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    ¡°I expect that I will not hear of a different family name once I leave. This will not become a scandal. Am I understood?¡±


    The mother swallowed.


    Ultimately, Hua couldn¡¯t afford to make enemies of an Elder. She didn¡¯t have enough allies for that. There were years yet before she was truly unassailable. The peak of Qi Gathering was the bare minimum to fully challenge the Elders, and with only six Meridians unlocked, she was only halfway through that journey. Prodigy or not, the Elders could smack her around like she was a toddler.


    Her decision had nothing to do with this false Qing who smiled benevolently at her. Qing was gone. If Hua cycled the Qi in her dantian, she could still feel the solid earthen Qi that refused to move at her command. That was all she had left of Qing.


    That, and a jade pendant around her neck.


    Hua made her way past the bastard-and-mother pair, managed to avoid looking at the unfairly lovely girl still playing the zither, and climbed up three flights of stairs. Liu Xin¡¯s martial skills showed in the broken railings, the moaning and groaning fools he¡¯d beaten, and a door hanging off its hinges.


    Her attendant was guarding the door that held her target. He was breathing hard, but he was mostly uninjured. She nodded at Liu Xin.


    ¡°You did well. I believe you will have a place at my side from today onwards.¡±


    He slumped, relief stealing the remains of his tension. He looked younger with the knowledge that Hua would reward his competence. Loyalty was yet to be seen but the price for it seemed low¡ªjust the number of mortals who made up the rival school that had killed his comrades; so likely no more than one hundred who needed to die.


    The room behind him had been devastated by Liu Xin fighting his way through at least three competent guards. There was blood on the walls, teeth scattered about. Screens were punched through. Drinks, food, and trinkets lay scattered about the floor. It was a familiar scene even if the locale was different.


    The civilian was also expected. The younger woman wasn¡¯t a natural beauty. Dark hair and plain features. Her ornamental hairpin, the paint covering her face, and the quality of her silken green robes were doing most of the work in her appearance. Hua guessed her to be only slightly older than herself.


    So this was Lady Song Song, daughter of the Sealord Song. She bore little resemblance to her father. Either she took entirely after her mother, or she had been adopted. Men often took the wife¡¯s name if she was of greater status so the Song family name would continue regardless.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Civilians, she corrected, because the fool who had created this whole situation was also in the room. Hua had hoped he wouldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°The Sealord Song has entreated this Young Mistress to retrieve his kidnapped daughter.¡±


    Her phrasing was careful. It made the Sealord a supplicant even if the negotiations were more even than she wanted to admit. She knew in her heart of hearts that had it been her grandmother, then the Sealord would have kowtowed a dozen times before making such a request.


    Lady Song scoffed. ¡°I told him I¡¯m not coming back until he agrees to this marriage.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°My marriage to Zhang Pi. Father knew. I told him, brought the marriage contract to him, and when he said no, I knew I had to take things into my own hands.¡±


    Hua assumed Zhang Pi was the man who had been successfully cowed by Liu Xin. He was equally as average-looking as Song Song. Only his crooked nose gave him a hint of visual interest. They were such a boring pair to look at. Even before comparing them to the courtesans downstairs.


    ¡°Lady Song Song, are you telling me that you attempted to run away with your father¡¯s business rival in the middle of this chaos because you wanted to elope with said business rival?¡±


    She reared back. ¡°I¡¯m not mad, we were already here when things went wrong. When father came, I told him I wouldn¡¯t leave unless he agreed to a marriage contract.¡±


    ¡°You understand how difficult that is to believe.¡±


    Because that means the Sealord was lying through his fucking teeth the whole time and could have dealt with this himself.


    ¡°The Sealord is a monster,¡± the uninteresting-to-look-at Zhang Pi said in an equally boring voice. ¡°I tried to leave him be after he sent people to kill me for the third time, but after the fourth, I realised I needed greater support. So I joined hands with the mercantile guilds and offered him a stake in a massive venture, all so we could make a greater union. The only thing I asked was for his daughter¡¯s hand in marriage in exchange for everything he ever wanted.¡±


    Okay, the Sealord was only lying about some of his monopolistic actions. But if he¡¯s so willing to get his hands dirty, then why didn¡¯t he just do this himself? It would have been faster, quicker, and reached the same conclusion.


    There was one conclusion she was reaching and she did not like it.


    ¡°But my father is a selfish man with selfish thoughts,¡± Lady Song Song continued. ¡°He¡¯s going to sell me to someone I hate for no reason at all when Zhang Pi is right here. He¡¯s a good and moral man who loves me. I deserve happiness and I¡¯ve already found it here.¡±


    Liao Hua, the eldest daughter of one of the Great Three Clans of the Amber Sea, closed her eyes so she did not have to look at a fool and took a very deep breath so she did not murder the fool whose father ran a major shipping business that provided her clan¡¯s territories with the necessary supplies to continue their ongoing cold war with the other two Great Clans, and in so doing upheld the ideals of filial piety and loyalty more than Lady Song Song had ever fucking shown in her useless life.


    ¡°For the last three days, I have been surrounded by mortals who have managed to behave in such ways as to astound me,¡± Hua began slowly, truly taking in the arc of her life that had led her to this point, where she was forced to deal with mortals this fucking stupid. ¡°And yet somehow, you have managed to awaken a higher level of anger in me. I do not believe your mortal mind is capable of comprehending just how furious I am. I do not think either of you understands what happens when you piss off a Cultivator. And here you are, daring to waste my time with this farce of an elopement and your nonsensical games against your father.¡±


    ¡°My life isn¡¯t nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. You¡¯re a joke. Both of you are jokes.¡±


    Zhang Pi drew himself up and puffed out his chest as though that was intimidating when Liu fucking Xin of all people scared him to compliance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak to her like that.¡±


    Hua marched up to the fool, drew her hand back, and swung it. She slapped him so hard he lost all strength, collapsing to the ground. Lady Song screamed bloody murder. Hua grabbed the girl¡¯s shoulder before she could reach her stupid lover. Squeezed it just hard enough to bruise.


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Hua let her shout and thrash a bit longer before shaking her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know your fool of a lover existed until this farce, but the Liao Patriarch knows the Sealord. If he doesn¡¯t want you to marry him, then it won¡¯t happen. It especially won¡¯t happen if I kill him because of how much you¡¯ve annoyed me.¡±


    She glanced between the furious Hua and her bleeding lover.


    ¡°Our love is righteous¡ª¡±


    I have lost the one person I loved, and she was worth more than your father¡¯s fleet. Righteousness is nothing but your cowardice, your irresponsibility, and if I hadn¡¯t made a promise, I would rip your lover¡¯s heart out and feed it to you.


    ¡°You are your father¡¯s only daughter. He accumulated so much wealth in one life that it¡¯s comical. He¡¯s going to use that to make certain you are married to the highest station possible. I don¡¯t care about your feelings. What do you think this idiot gets him besides something your father would have had anyway in the next few years.¡±


    Then, Hua had a brilliant thought. She looked at Zhang Pi and smiled maliciously.


    ¡°In fact, I think you¡¯re going to pay me.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For the privilege of polluting the air I breathe with your nonsense and the further privilege of living after the fact.¡±


    If Hua ever had to deal with mortals again, it would be too soon.


    Of course, fate would force her to do so again.

 Chapter 19: The Sealord鈥檚 Songbird

    Liao Hua had forgotten that mortals did not immediately do as she pleased with the speed that she preferred at an urgency she liked and without needing a degree of interaction she could live entirely, this, of course, being no interaction with a mortal. The last few days had tested her ability to handle mortals.


    The only thing stopping her from wholesale slaughter was the pleasant notes of a zither streaming through the open door. And, she supposed, the agreements I made.


    Currently, there was one mortal bleeding badly from the nose and mouth, swaying back and forth on the floor, but commendably managing to stay conscious. He was one part of the nightmare tapestry of the last few days that cemented her view that the best thing a mortal could do was to dig their own grave and save her the trouble. On balance, he was slightly less of a nuisance than the corrupt priest and only because the other priests were likely all dead and they had a use in ritual purification. But ranking slightly below someone Hua found so irritating that she ripped his head off wasn¡¯t a safe place to be.


    ¡°Please, you can¡¯t send me back,¡± said the other irritating mortal with tears ruining her painted face. ¡°I love him.¡±


    The Lady Song Song, daughter to the Sealord Song, was a woman who lived in the type of fantasy that could only exist somewhere as soft and foolish as the imperial capital. For it to exist here, in a distant province of the empire where people knew their duty and died for it, was infuriating. The Lady Song Song believed that love alone could be enough to overcome her father¡¯s greed, fury, ambition, willingness to enact violence, and his ability to mobilise those who could touch Qi. Calling it fantasy undersold the level of delusion she was operating under.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t killed him. That should be enough. It is more mercy than I¡¯ve given most mortals and truthfully, I am very much out of mercy.¡±


    Lady Song¡¯s eyes widened and for a moment, Hua thought this would all be over. Then, Lady Song seemed to realise something and rose from where she was crouched beside her lover Zhang Pi, dropping her bloodstained silk napkin. She raised her chin and cloaked herself in an aura of dignity. For once, Hua saw the resemblance to the Sealord.


    How interesting. Maybe this trip would ultimately be worth it. That, or Lady Song was simply tightening the noose around her lover¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Then let us discuss terms, Young Mistress Liao.¡±


    ¡°Since when did this become a negotiation?¡±


    ¡°Everything is a negotiation in the end. You learn that out at sea where the salt gods swallow you whole for the wrong tribute. If we can endure the mindless ocean, then surely, we can treat with a reasoning Cultivator. I believe you will find this arrangement to your liking.¡± She gestured at her dazed lover. ¡°He can support you. Whatever you want, he¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making promises on his behalf now? When you aren¡¯t even married? The Sealord may as well own his balls.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. We are a partnership, aren¡¯t we, my dear?¡±


    Zhang Pi was holding Lady Song¡¯s silk napkin to his nose. It had broken spontaneously on contact with Hua¡¯s backhand. No great loss, it had already been poorly proportioned. This might give it a hint of character. He struggled to stand on shaky legs but stand he did. Lacking in great beauty or remarkable characteristics, Zhang Pi had given himself to a hawkish determination.


    After swallowing some blood, he spoke. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how bad his control is for everyone? The Sealord has you running around, doing his bidding. Give it another five years and he¡¯ll be ordering your whole clan. Then the Governor if we don¡¯t stop him. A man like that, having any access to the Dragon Throne, it can¡¯t be borne.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll keep pushing you around like this again,¡± Lady Song Song said. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of respect. So long as he can feel greater, he¡¯ll do it even if it might mean death. That is what he did to the ocean. Pushed it and kept conquering even after he lost his first fleet and his arm. I know He¡¯ll marry me off to nobility and then manoeuvre my grandchildren into your Clan. Even if it takes him till his dying moments, he¡¯ll do everything to be the most influential man in the Amber Sea.¡±


    Stripping away the hysteria and exaggeration left behind the clear image of a mortal reaching above himself.


    The Sealord had a monopoly on shipping and owned most of the warehouses across the docks of Liajiangko. It was likely more of the same at Seagate City where the Liao River ended and the rough sea began. Check the flags of half the ships in the province and they likely carried his flag, even if only as an associate.


    He was powerful and his influence was great enough to move Hua as he pleased. There was a point when mortals became too powerful for their own good. They overstepped, believing wealth was the same as Qi, that you could replace Jing, external Essence, with jin, with gold, and have the same outcome. But the immaculate aspect of Qi was far greater than gold.


    Hua turned to the broken door where the calming notes of a zither flowed through. She yearned to return to that peaceful downstairs where a beautiful girl was making beautiful music. Just a few moments away from these mortals would be enough.


    ¡°Liu Xin, attend me.¡±


    The man entered. He was carrying his weight awkwardly on one leg. He¡¯d done well to only sustain that as an injury from fighting off three bodyguards after the past few days of exertion. If every mortal was a tenth as worthy as Liu Xin, then Hua could meditate happily on her mountain and never descend.


    ¡°Yes, Young Mistress?¡±


    ¡°I know you were listening. Do you find yourself agreeing with their conclusion?¡±


    He glanced over the two lovers. ¡°This servant finds the Lady Song¡¯s willingness to abandon her father both a sign of the Sealord¡¯s character but also of her unfilial nature. One could not say how accurate the Lady Song¡¯s complaints are but, this servant has handled many documents related to the Sealord¡¯s shipping concern.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°This city is deeply intertwined with his interests. Many shops, taverns, and inns have accepted loans from him in the past and continue to do so. He has a not insignificant stake in many businesses entirely unconnected to shipping and it¡¯s likely that all smuggling occurs only with his approval. Some have even said this city should be called Songjiangkou instead because Song ships carry the gold, silver, and grain that let this city function.¡±


    Hua was going to have someone investigate the School of Doubting Antiquity because there was no reason a scholar, a scribe, or even a spy should have that much information on hand. It reminded Hua of her grandmother¡¯s knowledge, always seeming to pull a fact from the ether. He could be a Yu spy who had been operating in the city for decades, just waiting for an opportunity this great. The Yu homelands were nearest to the border with the Jurchen tribes. It wasn¡¯t impossible. Unlikely, but not impossible.


    But, if even half of it was true, it painted a picture of a man who needed to have his monopoly broken. There was the simple option of just murdering him, but Hua couldn¡¯t do that without her grandmother¡¯s approval. And even then, it wasn¡¯t the best option. It would cause chaos at a time when they needed greater stability. The better option was to make a deal with a mortal.


    The Madame was right. These mortals are vital but for all the wrong reasons. One day, I¡¯ll find a way to make sure I never deal with them.


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    Zhang Pi owned some warehouses and had a loan to commission ships. An agreement with the mercantile guilds that had forced the Sealord to act recklessly. They likely thought the Sealord too powerful as well¡ªthough for what reason, Hua did not know, and she suspected it would come back to haunt her later. Either way, they¡¯d likely pay Zhang Pi enough to endure the Sealord¡¯s attempts to bleed him financially. If he further became untouchable, and came under the protection of the Liao Clan, he¡¯d be able to break the Sealord¡¯s monopoly.


    Hua hated Zhang Pi for wasting her time and getting her involved in this marriage contract negotiation gone very wrong. She¡¯d gladly turn him into a shitty pill if she could and feed that to a pig.


    But, he was useful. Connections, backing, and the willingness to attack the Sealord where it hurt. He¡¯d made mistakes, but he was a weapon already forged to suit Hua¡¯s needs. The Sealord had too much power. That was the long and short of it. He was too vital to her Clan, to the city, and maybe even to the province. He needed to be brought to heel permanently.


    ¡°I gave my word. I can¡¯t let you go.¡±


    Song Song nodded bitterly but she did not break. Her jaw clenched tightly, her tiny hands balled into fists. But break, she did not. And the fool of a man who had caused this didn¡¯t interrupt and waste Hua¡¯s time.


    ¡°But I said nothing about enforcing a marriage agreement. And I never said I¡¯d kill you. My agreement goes only as far as returning you to your father.¡±


    Lady Song Song gasped, hands flying to cover her mouth. Faster than Hua thought possible for an untrained mortal, she was on her knees, her forehead touching the floor. Her tears would stain the floor.


    ¡°Oh, thank you most benevolent Mistress Liao. Thank you for ten thousand years. May the gods bless everything you do.¡±


    That was the wrong thing to say. The only way she wanted the gods to bless her was up close so she could stab them.


    ¡°I still expect my payment for irritating me,¡± she said flatly.


    Zheng Pi was much too relieved to argue. ¡°I¡¯ll have some of my men deal with it.¡± He named a number. Hua doubled it on principle. ¡°Working with you is going to give me white hairs early.¡±


    ¡°No, you work for me. If I tell you to look west, no one in your company will so much as look east. This is not an equal partnership; these are just the conditions for your stay of execution. You have no more chances to irritate me. Are we understood?¡±


    ¡°You are,¡± Zhang Pi said with the contained fury of a man forced to sign an unfair deal. But one who knew surviving another day meant another chance to get his revenge.


    Good. She needed that anger. Hua would point it straight at the Sealord who dared make a fool of her.


    ***


    ¡°Madame, I expect a gift of that rice wine,¡± Hua said as she made her way down to the central atrium, Lady Song behind her and blocked from any further acts of escape by Liu Xin.


    The confusion and chaos had been subdued. Only the Madame who carried Hua¡¯s veiled hat and the zither player remained in the atrium, the latter who sent Hua a smile. It made her throat tighten and her chest warm. Hua immediately looked away. It was a weakness she hadn¡¯t known she possessed until today.


    ¡°The damage to this establishment was extensive. This Madame would hope the Young Mistress would offer face and provide recompense.¡±


    ¡°Bill the Sealord and send a copy to me. And if there are issues, I¡¯m sure you can let me know somehow. Possibly through that Elder who spends his time here.¡± She accepted her veiled hat from the Madame who owned the Crimson Leaf Pagoda. ¡°You were correct, some mortals are vital.¡±


    ¡°This old lady fears you¡¯ve come to an upsetting conclusion.¡±


    ¡°But some mortals are too vital, and I now know to pay more attention to what you lot are doing. Thank you for that lesson.¡±


    The Madame nodded. ¡°That you know mortals can be important is enough for this old lady. You will be less likely to kill them thoughtlessly.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°This old lady can hope.¡±


    Hua scoffed and donned her hat. ¡°Come, Song Song, let¡¯s go see your father so I can go home.¡±


    And so it was that Liao Hua made her exit from a brothel and was greeted by an audience of onlookers disproportionate to anything approaching reason. Hua blinked slowly, glad for the veil shielding her as she witnessed a veritable army.


    The city was half broken, parts of it drowned, entire sections of it swallowed whole by the earth and set ablaze. So many with time enough to stand around, gawking at the sight of her, infuriated Hua.


    Oh lovely. In the middle of a crowd was Blue Hand Zhu and even an Imperial soldier. Not to mention the litany of crooks, prostitutes, civil servants, farmers, and myriad other people that found themselves in the Red Light District whilst the rest of the city went to shit.


    The only upside was that she didn¡¯t see a single member of the Liao Clan wasting their time in the Red Light District.


    The downside was that she was a member of the Liao Clan. Her hat and veil would do little to hide the kingfisher on her travelling cloak.


    That was the Sealord with his hundred men, standing in the very district he claimed would break out into war if he did so. The audacity to do this shocked her. He wasn¡¯t even pretending to uphold the lie he sold her. Did he truly think he could act without consequence? Had reprisal become so distant a prospect that he gleefully put his head into the tiger¡¯s maw? Well, she hoped he wouldn¡¯t be surprised when his face was eaten.


    After removing her hat once more, Hua made her way down, head held high and gaze unwavering. If they wished to see her, then so be it. She would not bow. She would not back down or be embarrassed.


    ¡°Blue Hand Zhu, I see you¡¯re not at the Counting House making yourself useful.¡±


    ¡°They wanted evidence that you told me to be there. Thought I was there to steal something. Or knife someone.¡±


    ¡°Well, you are known to have more knives than sense.¡± She looked to the Imperial soldier. ¡°Is that the only reason you have to waste time while the city you are honour bound to protect suffers?¡± Before he could answer, she turned to the true target of her ire. ¡°Greetings, Sealord. You seem to be in good health.¡±


    The aged Sealord was grinning as though he were a man in his twenties, filled with the vim that built the biggest shipping concern in the Amber Sea. He¡¯d lost a tooth at some point and replaced it with one of gold. It was far less remarkable than his arm, a prosthetic of jade and gold, powered with spirit stones. It was a master craft in engineering, a living piece of art, powered by formations subtle enough that Hua could only just barely sense them.


    ¡°Liao Hua, the Young Mistress of the Liao Clan saving my daughter. Such nobility could make an old man cry like a babe. Come, my child, let us leave this place.¡±


    Lady Song did not emerge from Hua¡¯s shadow, staying firmly in place. Behind a Cultivator


    ¡°I am not quite done here.¡± She nodded to the Sealord, affecting a calm she did not feel. ¡°A moment, if you would.¡±


    The tension rose.


    ¡°Your sailors will be providing support in rebuilding the city, yes?¡±


    ¡°Of course, how could we do anything less for this beautiful city we call home.¡±


    She looked to the Imperial soldier who was watching but carefully refusing to participate. She was sure this would be in an intelligence report that got sent somewhere close to the Dragon Throne.


    ¡°There you go, even more men for the good corporal. Take them and leave. The Sealord is a true patriot, indeed.¡±


    She met the Sealord¡¯s glare and just dared him to countermand her. Hua was going to establish just who was in control here. This was petty, posturing with a mortal. It demeaned her and made her lesser. She would do it anyway for the sake of her pride.


    The Sealord grinned like the best of them. ¡°Aye, they say I was born from the River Liao. This city is my home. Go on boys, help out the guardsman. Make sure Blue Hand does what¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Song, and fuck your family up nine generations. Your mother was an utter slug of a woman and I know ¡®cause she shrivelled up after tasting a man¡¯s seed.¡±


    The Sealord, a man in his twilight years, looked at Blue Hand Zhu who was young enough to be his son, and said, ¡°Boy, I will bend you over my knee and cane you if you don¡¯t get going.¡±


    ¡°Gentlemen, you can continue your childish argument later. Sealord, congratulations. You played the game very well.¡±


    ¡°You played the game well. Made a Cultivator do the work you couldn¡¯t without so much as having any of the blame fall on you. My grandmother would be impressed.¡±


    ¡°High praise.¡±


    ¡°I hope it keeps you warm in the grave.¡±


    Between one moment and the next, Hua crossed the distance still separating them. She was lightning, she was speed, and she was furious.


    Sparks crackled over the back of her hand and up her arm, a storm of her carefully distilled fury. Qi unleashed like a miasma, every single desire for violence and death she had built up over the past few days directed at the man in front of her.


    It was only moments after, with her hand firmly on his chest, that the Sealord processed what was occurring. He saw the storm of lightning and paled. Froze in fear.


    Hua kept her palm over the Sealord¡¯s chest. Felt his speeding heartbeat. The Sealord was a powerfully built man. With a chest broad and shoulders wide, he could be mistaken for someone decades younger. Shorter than her, his heart still pumped with vital energy.


    ¡°I¡¯m kinder than the sea you lord over. I sometimes give warning before I kill. Do this again and there will be no Sealord. Are we understood, Uncle?¡±


    The issue with monopolies is that they made mortal men think they were great heroes. Gave them the impression that they could transcend the simple concept of consequence.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Sealord choked out.


    She gave him a cheery smile and let her lightning fade. He gasped like he could breathe for the first time.


    ¡°Good. Now, you can ask your idiot rival how much irritating me cost him. I expect to receive much the same. Also, I want those nice tumblers of yours. All of them.¡±


    Liao Hua turned and made her way through the crowd. To the north, the mountain she called home was waiting for her. She had missed it terribly and it was one place without foolish mortals. Hua could not wait to return.

 Chapter 20: Home

    ¡®Liao has always stood sentinel over the Amber Sea. So long as I live, I will stand sentinel over this clan.¡¯


    ¡ªLord Liao Weilong addressing his clan.


    Amidst a degree of devastation and ruin that would go down in legend, the Liao Clan mountain had endured though not without harm. The people who had known Liao Hua¡¯s father as their lord and protector were suffering in the city behind her, their homes burnt or burning, their loved ones drowned or drowning, and their hopes dead or dying.


    Had you asked Liao Hua even hours before the devastation how the mortals would behave, she could not have comprehended the sheer frustrating idiocy they displayed. One and all, they seemed eager to enter their names in the Book of the Dead. Hua had aided quite a view. But some she had been forced to leave alive and those were the ones who stoked her fury the most. The Sealord who thought to move her as a piece on the weiqi board, Lady Song who thought she cared for her nonsensical romance but her intended lover was a useful weapon against the Sealord, and that fool Blue Hand who could have infected her with his idiocy if she came into contact with his blood.


    But there had been some positives to her trip. She had come out of it with a new servant, one who was irrepressible in his desire to keep other mortals away from Hua, and for that, she would reward him greatly. Possibly with some of the twenty thousand silver taels she had claimed from Zhang Pi as payment for allowing him to continue breathing though half came from the Sealord she had threatened into compliance. And beautiful glass tumblers. Those were the most important parts of the trip.


    Her tribute, payment, or bribe depending on your stance, was being carried by a team of porters donated by Zhan Pi. They wore the expressions of men who were getting paid twice their yearly salary so long as they survived walking into the leopard¡¯s den that was Hua¡¯s home.


    Not that they¡¯d ever truly enter it. They had yet to cross the bounds of the wards as they ascended the stairs at the base of the hill, those still within the outermost walls that stood taller than two men could reach standing.


    To the west, part of the hill had been cracked open like an egg. Ancient rock sheared by the splitting of the earth. In the process, the old water reservoir had shattered, and from it, a lake¡¯s worth of water had descended, filling up the valley where the clan graves had been and then overflowing to the city below. In part, it stopped the spread of a great fire. Flooding had saved many lives, an idea comical to Hua if she had not seen it herself.


    The lake it had formed was atop the valley holding the clan graves. Their dead swept away with the waves. Tombstones shattered and shrines broken. Most of all, her mother¡¯s bones would be lost to the waves.


    Hua¡¯s memories of her mother were scattered, fragmentary things. The funeral was prominent in her mind. A wave of white-robed figures.


    It was spring, she recalled of that day, walking through the forest with her brother after the funeral. Gentle sunlight filtering through the trees, offering kindness if not respect for the grief she had felt clawing down her throat and chest.


    The only person she had at the time was her brother who had stayed by her in those last days. It was he who dressed Hua in white robes and led her through the burial ceremony. She had felt so tall as they walked through the forest after the sombre ceremony, Hua carried upon her brother¡¯s shoulders. Hua was taller now than she was then, on her brother¡¯s shoulders, but she¡¯d never felt so secure as in that moment. From that height, Hua had spotted a curious spotted thing amongst the leaves and urged her brother toward it. It had been an egg, but of no bird Hua could name. But there, on a branch nearby, had been a nest that shivered in the breeze. It was angled over the edge and other eggs could have fallen out of the nest.


    Brother Weijiang had helped her climb the tree. Within the nest, there were three other eggs. Me and Brother and Sister and Sister, she recalled thinking as she had put the discarded egg with its brethren. Four eggs for four siblings.


    Together, they put the nest back to rights with whatever sticks, leaves, and the torn fabric from their white sashes. And after, they found a pond they thought a secret and played till they were soaked through to the bone.


    It was the fondest memory she had of him. Had time been kinder, circumstances different, they may have made other pleasant memories. Back when she could look at him without resentment and he without¡­ well, Hua had never understood the expression he made when they trained together. She still didn¡¯t.


    Now she did not know if her brother was dead, and if he lived how, long it would take him to return. The opportunity to forge a different relationship had slipped out of her hands as easily as water slipped through the gaps of her childish fingers. If you tried to hold that opportunity forever, the sun would evaporate what you held, and the wind would wick away one drop after another until your hands were dry and only the memory of water remained. Even that would fade as time wore down upon imperfect, human remembrance.


    The white cloak she¡¯d worn that day, a small thing embossed with silvery kingfishers, had survived their rough play. It had remained with her for years as a memento until another cousin needed it more. It had not been a matter of letting go but someone she knew and cared for needed it more. That would have to be enough.


    She paused, staring out at the lake. There were shimmers of light bobbing across the surface of the lake. They watched her as she watched them. And though that light carried no colour, she knew that many would have hair the same colour as moonlight. Her ancestors, her relatives, those who came could not overcome the passing of centuries. Restless now that their tombs had been drowned.


    Maybe even her mother. It had been spring when she died and now it was autumn with Hua as an adult. Childhood was ending and it could not be reclaimed. But, she could choose what to do in this new phase of her life.


    Liao Hua slammed her fist in her palm. Then she bowed to her ancestors.


    ¡°This Liao Hua will see that you are honoured,¡± she promised for she was a daughter of Liao and nothing else could be accepted. ¡°I will make sure that you rest again. So please, be a bit patient and forgive me for my tardiness.¡±


    ¡°Young Mistress, who are you speaking to?¡± Liu Xin asked uncertainly. He was looking about, trying to find what drew Hua¡¯s promise.


    ¡°Do you truly not see them?¡±


    Liu Xin shook his head.


    Was it because he lacked lightning in his veins or was Hua the one who had changed? Had heaven¡¯s retribution so thoroughly altered her that she could see things no one else even knew existed. The Great Net of Heaven had enveloped the sky for days and not a single person had observed it. If it was Hua who had changed, then she would turn it into an advantage for her clan.


    She nodded and set off without another word. The official entrance of the clan grounds was approaching. Stone pillars held up a ponderously heavy arch with a red roof. Behind it, taking up space on either side of the stairs and connected by a skyway, was a garrison. Manning it, and guarding the gate, were Clan soldiers from the vassal houses. Unless the Patriarch ordered their retreat, those on duty would not leave their station. Fire, flood, a hundred ghosts slaughtering the Clan, all could run rampant so long as they did not approach the Entrance Gate.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The four who stood watch at the gate stamped their spears in unison at her approach, challenging her entrance. She knew their faces but could not recall ever hearing their names. They were mortals but they knew their place and served loyally.


    She gestured subtly to Liu Xin, curious. How much was he willing to claim? How far was he willing to go? Against vagrants and nobodies, it was one thing to walk beside her. Against soldiers in gleaming armour and steel-headed spears, how would he behave?


    Once more, Liu Xin proved himself. Approaching with the confidence of a man who had been saved from death and acknowledged by a Cultivator of great standing, one who skirted the sword edge of insult and bravery to achieve his goals.¡±


    ¡°Announcing the Young Mistress of the Liao Clan, the honoured Thunder Palm, her attendant Liu Xin, and twenty thousand silver taels under her ownership.¡±


    Hua did not find her small technique to be so great to be honoured. Other relatives could break boulders just as easily as she could, and they didn¡¯t need to resort to a technique to do it. Much as she loved the sword and the feel of bones snapping beneath her fist, hers was a more spiritual cultivation.


    The four stamped their spears in unison once more, accepting the challenge.


    ¡°Young Mistress, be welcome,¡± said the senior of the soldiers. ¡°We will handle the matter of your silver.¡±


    They would call some attendants to deal with it instead of risking the unknown porters the opportunity to ascend the mountains and witness the secrets that protected their clan.


    ¡°You have my thanks for guarding the Clan in my absence. I commend your efforts. Split one-tenth the silver amongst all soldiers who guarded the clan these past few days.¡±


    Shock rippled amongst the normally stoic guards. Two thousand silver taels was an amount with no true meaning to Hua. It was a fifth that Zhang Pi thought his life was worth. There was little Hua needed that the clan didn¡¯t provide and her future needs could likely be covered by eighteen thousand silver taels.


    ¡°Young Mistress¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will not be questioned on this.¡± She read his brass rankplate that bore his name. ¡°Loyalty must be rewarded, Captain Yao. That is my final say on the matter.¡±


    Hua strode past them, not so much as slowing. Offering no chance to argue. As she crossed past the Entrance Gate, the difference was undeniable. She was struck by air so clean, so fresh, it felt like an illusion. Hua inhaled once, then twice, feeling the welcome of the formations that enveloped the Clan grounds. This was the safety she had imagined she could find with Qing. A hopeful thing torn away by cruel gods who did not know the cost of their actions. But they would, one day. It would be many mortal lifetimes yet, but Hua would have her revenge.


    Maybe if they had given to her Qing, let her bury her beneath the tall trees of the mountain, there could be peace between them. Maybe she could learn to swallow her hate and move on. But to take even her corpse? That could not be borne.


    ¡°It¡¯s like your lands were untouched by the damage,¡± Liu Xin said in awe, looking at the forest of healthy pines and cypresses. He looked back over his shoulder where the city unashamedly revealed its ruin, showing off burn scars and pockmarked skin like it was a slave born into the fighting pits. It would be years, maybe decades before the wounds healed.


    ¡°Truly, you are blessed.¡±


    Liu Xin did not know the signs of her clan grounds under a normal autumn. Missing were the lanterns strung on threads between the trees, so many colours illuminating the paths and gardens, tinting silver hair to orange and red and purple and green. Dozens of voices coming from all directions, reciting poetry, sharing gossip, cursing each other out. No notes of the flute or the zither were carried by the breeze, finding you in such odd places that you could spend hours searching for the source and never find it. The grounds were empty of servants tending to gardens, sweeping the now-cracked stairway clear of leaves.


    She should be able to hear cousins sparring, lightning crackling and thunder snapping. The whistle of swords through the air and the thwack of staff against staff. Where were the tutors wrangling rambunctious children?


    So much was missing and he could not know how it pained her to hear that emptiness.


    Would anyone in the Liao Clan even be able to hold their head high after this travesty? If they failed to rebuild, then a century from now, they would be huddled in the dark, hunted by greater power, whispering of a time when they were worthy. If they failed.


    Hua would not allow them to fail.


    ¡°Come, there is something you must see to understand me, to understand Liao.¡±


    The path they took wound them eastward, into the depths of the forest. It was so quiet. Even the birds had chosen silence today. Animals were smart like that. They could sense danger and knew when to flee. Mortals could learn from them.


    It was one of the tallest trees on the mountain, wider than entire buildings. A towering thing that could have provided enough wood for dozens of homes. Maybe even a grand ship. The space around it was made to appear untended. Long grass that reached her knees. Growing in carefully curated patterns were wildflowers that in deep winter would bloom a bright blue. For now, the meadow was a sunburnt orange.


    She gestured Liu Xin forward. He craned his head up and up with each step he took, awed to witness an example of nature that had endured like nothing humanity had ever built. He placed his hand upon the great trunk and spread his fingers wide. He could not feel the natural Qi the tree held. Maybe some great Alchemist could refine it into a pill of immense power but that would only happen once the Liao Clan had been slaughtered to the last.


    ¡°This tree was planted by my ancestor two millennia ago. If you climb high enough and look through the branches carefully enough, you can find his sword. I don¡¯t think he expected how great a single seed would grow. He couldn¡¯t have known that millennia later, his descendants would climb that tree and try to reach the sword he left behind. It¡¯s rusted now. This might be the last generation to ever see it. And still, I believe my grandchildren¡¯s grandchildren will climb up this tree and find it for themselves.¡±


    She placed her hand over Liu Xin¡¯s and fit her pale fingers in the gaps between his rough ones. A spark of lighting arced between her middle finger and her index. Liu Xin flinched, but Hua did not let him escape as she called forth greater lightning.


    Enough lightning to stop a heart. With a quick split and rejoining, Hua could shatter this tree that symbolised the enduring nature of the Liao Clan. Liu Xin knew this. He had seen the violence she could enact with a thought.


    And not one spark of lightning would harm him unless Hua wished it.


    ¡°This is why we are blessed, Liu Xin. Not some distant miracle from false gods on high but the simple work of nurturing something worthy. We did that difficult work each generation and made something greater than mortal hands could conceive. A thing born of blood and lightning. Because everyone believed in the vision that one day, the name Liao would be a great one, and it is. Maybe we do not yet rule an empire, but the greatest empire upon this continent knows our name. When my father passes, he will be known as a Matryr of the Empire. To us, he will be the Patriarch who showed the greatness we already possessed.¡±


    Finally, she let lightning fade away before she drew up her vital energy. She held so little Qi in her veins right now that in many ways, she was only slightly greater than a mortal.


    ¡°We are great, Liu Xin, because we chose to live by lightning and we have not forgotten who we once were.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard many nobles cite their descent from the Yellow Emperor as the reason for their rule. You disdain the very idea of anything but Liao being important. I find you to be a strange, Young Mistress, but I find you interesting as well.¡±


    Hua smiled. So few spoke bluntly to her and managed to avoid irritating her. He deserved a reward¡ªoh, I still haven¡¯t paid him.


    ¡°One-twentieth.¡±


    ¡°My Lady?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. They were grey, she noted. Grey eyes and a subtly red sheen to his wavy hair.


    ¡°I realise I don¡¯t pay you and I haven¡¯t paid you yet. So, one part in twenty of what I just acquired should serve you well.¡±


    Liu Xin stopped. Hua stopped as well, turning to see him pale. Blood was leaking down his lip. He swallowed and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Young Mistress, I could not in good conscience accept that. That is far too much money to pay a man you hardly know for three days of work.¡±


    ¡°You underestimate how much time and energy dealing with mortals you saved me.¡±


    ¡°Either way, I refuse. The Magistrate doesn¡¯t make so much for his yearly salary. You cannot pay me a thousand silver taels for¡ªI hesitate to call it busy work, but it certainly wasn¡¯t the work of a thousand taels.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been more useful to me than he¡¯s ever managed.¡±


    ¡°One part in a hundred. I can countenance a hundredth.¡±


    ¡°Hm, I think not. I¡¯ll tell the clan accountants what you¡¯re getting.¡± She grinned. ¡°One day, you¡¯ll learn how useless arguing with me is.¡±


    ¡°Only because the Young Mistress doesn¡¯t believe in reason and good sense,¡± he said despairingly.


    That was a familiar expression. Liu Xin would fit right in with their clan. Though why so many wore that expression when Hua approached was a mystery. Even paying a person could cause despair.

 Chapter 21: Matters of Clan

    Seeing the arrangement of buildings that made up the central gathering areas of the Liao Clan compound still standing let a layer of tension leave Hua, one she had not noticed. Most of the compound was at too high an elevation to have dealt with the flames of the lower city and too eastward to have been flattened by the basin of water rupturing and gushing forth a lake¡¯s worth of water.


    Homes and buildings built into the mountain could have been buried beneath rubble when the earth broke, but layers of formations powered by generation after generation of lightning-born children protected them. It gladdened Hua¡¯s heart to know this, to see in every unburnt house and standing tree the proof of their strength.


    The mortals might be suffering in the city below, but they could look up and know that their protectors yet remained. Surely there was a comfort in knowing one¡¯s betters were doing well even if they were not.


    The Main Hall was a two-storied affair that sprawled across one of the lower levels of the mountain, situated close to the grand staircase that rose from the base of the mountain. Years Hua had spent walking by its deep eaves and gilded doors, watching enthralling performances by singers and dancers, standing at attention as their Patriarch addressed ranks of silver-haired kin. It had unfortunately been one of the buildings flooded from the runoff of the basin. The wooden floor inside was waterlogged. A shame as it had been her grandfather¡¯s efforts that had gained them the wealth needed to build a new clan hall with western lumber.


    Inside the Main Hall, beneath the vaulting ceilings, was the second-most important object the Clan owned: the Bronze Cauldron. It was a thing of reverence, and it took center stage in one of the most venerated places the Clan owned.


    It stood upon three great, curving legs that formed a tripod. Though it was called the Bronze Cauldron, it was inlaid with silver writing in that strange language only priestesses could decipher. She knew it was partly a story and partly a legal document. The Radiant Tenth Cauldron that Refines to Origin was its name, and it was used in both purification ceremonies and alchemy. It was a great coup for their Clan to be permitted one. The Dragon Throne possessed nine. Those in favour were sometimes allowed to use them. For a Clan to have one made for them was unheard of, even if it was a fraction the size, efficiency, and power of those the Dragon Throne possessed.


    But the Liao Clan was not merely any clan. Near a century ago, when the Dragon Throne faced betrayal at home and invasion from the east, it had been the Amber Sea against which the tidal wave of invasion broke. Against the power of the Radiant Lightning Body, the Liao Patriarch, an invasion had been stymied. He was a Hero worthy of an older age. Great enough for the Records of the Nine Cauldrons to change names, from Jiu Ding Ji to Shi Ding Ji, and acknowledge the latest tenth Cauldron.


    The Cauldron was a potent catalyst in Alchemical processes. To call it simply a furnace would be to diminish its greatness. It was the great advantage that the Liao Alchemist possessed over their competitors. They didn¡¯t have the glut of resources that the Zhao closely guarded, theirs a wealth of spirit herbs and animals raised on a diet of Qi-infused plants. In terms of sheer Qi efficiency and alchemical knowledge, they were outstripped by the Yu Clan, but the Bronze Cauldron made up that difference.


    So much was luck. It was luck that her father had the space and time to grow into his power. Luck that he was a prodigy born to their clan and a great leader in war. Luck that the Dragon Throne felt grateful for the assistance and gifted the Cauldron. Much of it was luck forged through their actions, but it cascaded downward, decade after decade, one generation of luck forming the foundation for the next.


    Eight soldiers guarded it at any given time and there were never less than two Qi Gathering Cultivators to support them. Given its benefits, the only reason there weren¡¯t twice as many, was that it resided at the very heart of the formations, behind layers of other soldiers and Cultivators.


    Anyone who could reach it could probably breach their defences and reach this far had would have certainly slaughtered half the clan in the process. They¡¯d have to be at the peak of Foundation Establishment at the very least.


    ¡°What is that peasant doing here? He belongs in the cells!¡±


    Like all things people grew up with, even the Bronze Cauldron and the Main Hall lost its mystique and became simply another place. One to gather and raise your voice and possibly murder a mortal.


    ¡°Hello Weiji. Please remember that the Clan Hall is a place for civil behaviour and not an appropriate place to scream about everything that you fear.¡±


    Her cousin flushed. Still, he drew himself up. ¡°I stand by what I said. He¡¯s a manipulative savage with no redeeming qualities.¡±


    She rolled her eyes, tamping down on her fury at him for hiding Liao bastards, and turned to the others in the hall. ¡°This is Liu Xin, a new retainer of mine,¡± she introduced, daring anyone to doubt her decision. Saying it while her grandparents watched her from a painting on the wall was a promise of truth in their own way. ¡°I expect he¡¯ll be treated as well as any retainer of the main line.¡±


    Maybe they would have argued another day, but their exhaustion was bone-deep. It showed in their slumped shoulders and messy hair. Mostly, she felt it in strained Qi signatures. They may have not been in the city, but they were doing work that mattered as well, and that work was in service to the Clan.


    ¡°Hua,¡± Weiji whined.


    She clicked her fingers at the nearest servant. ¡°Have him seen to. And have food brought to my quarters.¡±


    That dealt with, she walked past Weiji, heading towards a clump of her relatives. They all tensed. Two of them even muttered curses under their breath. They were all roughly agemates with Hua. She pulsed her Qi and found a dearth of elders in the area. How strange. It explained why Weiji was so willing to be noisy, Hua hoped it was because the elders were busy coming up with a plan or dealing with something juniors could not handle.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Hua had never been known to be a good liar.


    ¡°Cousin Ming,¡± she called, and the three with her bolted now that they knew they were not Hua¡¯s target. They¡¯d be getting extra training when things calmed down. Later. There were so many things for later.


    ¡°I must have pissed into a god¡¯s wine bowl to deserve this,¡± Cousin Ming muttered. ¡°Hello, Cousin Hua. It¡¯s lovely to see you. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take Weiji with you and never talk to me again? Please.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t throw me in front of the archery range,¡± Weiji hissed. ¡°I deal with Hua and her brother the most out of everyone.¡±


    ¡°So do your job and keep them away from us.¡±


    Hua clicked her fingers and drew them back to attention. Sometimes, it was like herding irritated goats, which was both a metaphor for Hua¡¯s life and an accurate reflection of it. These goats were related to her so she couldn¡¯t just kill them.


    Not that she truly wanted to.


    ¡°You were trained in the purification rituals?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m training in them,¡± her cousin specified, shaking her head, dark hair bobbing with it. Those of the out-clan tended towards darker hair, black eyes, and sometimes a tan. Ming did have green eyes, so there was a recent marriage to the main clan. ¡°Best spiritualist of our generation. You want my mother if you¡¯re planning what I think you¡¯re planning.¡±


    ¡°And what am I planning?¡± she asked, tilting her head, feeling a surge of alertness. A smart relative was always a good relative to pay special attention to.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, it¡¯s creepy. Stop giving me that hungry cat look. You¡¯re just like Liao Furen, always trying to find a use for everyone.¡±


    ¡°My plan. Tell it to me.¡±


    ¡°The Ritual for Feeding, Saving, and Refining Ghosts. You want us to start it early. Before we get any jiangshi or some idiot thinking they can tame any restless dead. Or worse, there¡¯s enough human Qi to create a fucking Gu of some kind. We¡¯ll need access to the Bronze Cauldron and a lot of resources from Old Ren. And Old Ren won¡¯t let go of a single Alchemical reagent unless someone from the main clan orders it. We¡¯ve already been getting things set up, me and the other priestesses, we just needed permission.¡±


    ¡°How would you tell there is a Gu problem?¡± Hua asked her.


    ¡°Well, besides everything dying very quickly with no trace of what happened? Or the miasma they release to attack people? Or someone getting very wealthy very quickly with no reasonable explanation that doesn¡¯t cover fraud? I don¡¯t fucking know, look for really clean homes and check for small animal carcasses stripped in odd ways. Gu are weirdly picky.¡±


    ¡°But you can make a system to detect them fast enough. I think we all know how bad a Gu outbreak would be right about now.¡±


    Ming shivered. ¡°Yeah, fuck, I don¡¯t want to think about that happening here.¡±


    If there was a Gu in the city and they noticed it too late, the city would be lost. It began with pests and insects, progressed to small animals, and the next thing those in the Old Southern Capital knew, they were a bloody sludge being consumed. There one moment, dead the next. Left behind for the history books to recall their folly.


    This was still in the Age of Heroes when Immortals roamed and could purify a land corrupted by an Immortal Gu with a true soul and power spanning a province. If a Gu grew so powerful today, nothing in the world could handle it.


    ¡°Which is why I know you¡¯ll make certain we don¡¯t have an outbreak. Because I can trust you to do good work.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using words in a particular order I¡¯d usually associate with a compliment, but I feel rather threatened.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well,¡± she said with a pleasant smile, though why Ming shivered could not be known. Hua then raised her voice. ¡°You have all done well to keep things in order here. I am proud of you. The main house thanks you for your efforts.¡±


    Hua offered them a bow. Family mattered and she loved hers, no matter how much she wanted to strangle them on a good day.


    ¡°One of the Elders could praise us for once,¡± someone muttered.


    ¡°They¡¯re never here doing anything useful.¡±


    Well, maybe I don¡¯t love all of my family unconditionally. At least not the ones making bastards.


    Hua could say something in their defence. It would be expected. Loyalty was an admirable trait. But Hua was curious to see how that distrust would spread. If it would spread. She could do with a bit of discontent with the older generation. With the revelation of Liao bastards in brothels, Hua had lost most of her dwindling faith in the Shen Generation.


    She was surprised no one had said anything about her eyes. Maybe their true colour had returned now that any Qi she¡¯d absorbed from the lightning had faded?


    Hua made her way out the central hall and was entirely unsurprised that Weiji was following along with her. Hua¡¯s home, which was also the Patriarch¡¯s estate, was on the opposite side of the Clan grounds from Weiji¡¯s house.


    ¡°Hua,¡± he called for the fourth time, and she finally gave up on ignoring him, stopping in the middle of a stone path.


    ¡°Weiji, I don¡¯t have the energy or interest in hearing you complain about Liu Xin. Get some sleep before you have a nervous break.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling Liao Furen about this. She¡¯ll agree with me.¡±


    ¡°You are absolutely terrified of her, but alright, I wish you the best in convincing Grandmother of anything. And when you¡¯re done, take Ming to Old Ren and get her whatever she needs.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with Old Ren. He bullies me.¡±


    ¡°He bullies everyone. You aren¡¯t special. Make sure Ming and the rest of the purifiers have adequate security. Whichever retainers in Body Tempering you can find. Regular soldiers as well. I guess you can pull Weiang to help if you find him.¡±


    ¡°Since when do you think you can order me around like this?¡± Weiji whined. ¡°Or any of us. The moment the Elders hear about this they¡¯ll be furious. Your brother is heir, not you, Hua. Acting like this looks like an usurpation.¡±


    She levelled her cousin with a look that conveyed her understanding. He was giving her a warning, reminding her that there was always politics at play. The Elders, Grandmother, the main house and the branch lines, the old generation and the new¡ªShen opposed to Wei.


    Hua was powerful as a Cultivator of the fifth¡ªnow the sixth, she thought¡ªstar of Qi condensation. Especially given her youth. And she would still be thrown around like a toy if she challenged the Elders.


    ¡°They can be as upset as they fucking want when they show their faces and be useful.¡±


    Weiji stepped forward rapidly. Hua expected him to¡­ not hurt her, Weiji would never, but something other than him wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She was bewildered to be engulfed in a hug. How long had it been since she¡¯d last received one from someone who wasn¡¯t Qing?


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything too foolish,¡± he whispered, squeezing tight. ¡°We can¡¯t lose you as well. I can¡¯t lose you as well. We need you.¡±


    ¡°The only way you¡¯ll lose me is if you don¡¯t tell me about what¡¯s happening in the Crimson Leaf Pagoda.¡±


    Weiji flinched. It was a full-body experience for him and Hua was unfortunately carried along for the moment. He pulled back, a wobbly smile that looked so strange on features Hua knew, but not in that configuration.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. And even if I did, surely my favourite cousin would understand why I couldn¡¯t report on my Elder¡¯s activities.¡±


    And then he ran off like the coward he was. Sometimes, Hua hated her family.


    She¡¯d deal with Weiji amongst the increasingly infinite tasks set aside for later. For now, she had a Patriarch to see.


    It was time to see Father.

 Chapter 22: A Father鈥榮 Memory

    Hua could not visit the Patriarch in foreign clothes given to her by another. Even if it wasn¡¯t disrespectful, she wanted to be in things she owned and knew well. Clothes she could take comfort in and be recognised by.


    Servants had already filled a bath for her. She made quick work of it, washing away the accumulated grime. Scrubbing off the soot and filth and blood and sticky feel of mortals. The city clinging to her, following her all the way home, whilst Qing had been brushed away so easily. That which was unimportant stayed, but the true world could disappear.


    A servant had left a tray of food in her sitting room. The Patriarch¡¯s estate was large enough to hold many suites of rooms and Hua had not considered it strange to have so large a space to herself until she met the mortals in the lower city and realised entire families could live in a single room. Another reason she couldn¡¯t relate to them. Being willing to live in such cramped conditions spoke to the poor character of most mortals. The food tasted of nothing. She felt sorry for the chefs who made do in the chaos to bring her hot congee sprinkled with green onions, pork floss and duck egg. She felt the crunch of the fried chicken cutlets, the oil upon them, but did not taste the spices. Even the fresh fruit arranged in a neat arrangement was consumed without much thought for the taste. The chefs deserved better for their diligence in making an excellent meal at such short notice.


    Even the usually horrible Qi pill went down easily. Hua breathed in the Qi it released, purifying it, and allowing it to replenish some of her exhausted stores.


    She cast her senses out, feeling a dearth of Qi signatures in her home. Just Hua and the bright shimmer of the formations draped over the home. Hua had never seen them before, but her golden eyes saw more than should have been possible. Powerful protections for a home that was hardly used.


    The Patriarch had not resided in his estate for months. Hua had not expected to sense him, but she had hoped to speak to her sisters. She knew where to find them and it was with her father.


    The journey to the temple was a walk that had once calmed her but now filled her with unease. The steps were disconcertingly familiar, such that she needn¡¯t pay attention to where she was going, but Hua could not help but note how different it felt. The pervasive yellowness of the sky tinting everything. A strengthening of the ambient Qi she felt with each step. The sheer silence in the trees and bushes, all the small critters too afraid to leave. Not even the song of birds. If not for the growing strength of the formations, Hua might have thought herself lost.


    Despite recognising her, and allowing her to approach the old temple, the formations still left her jaw aching even if they recognised her.


    Built partly into the hill, there was only one way to reach the temple even if the wards would have permitted one to scale the increasingly sheer ascent. Wooden doors carved with depictions of the Thunder Agency gleaned from the Scripture the Liao Clan held barred the way. Hua pushed them forward and they rotated silently on their hinges.


    Dry air like old leather hit her instantly. The formations pulsed with her entrance, lighting up the floor. The lights run up the walls and along the beams holding up the roof, before coming to light up the lanterns in a soft white light. Access was granted without issue.


    Two doors split off from this central area where the formations were so thick as to be a syrup in her vision. Past the great brass doors, was the prayer room that held the Scripture of Five Thunders. The other led to her father, the Liao Patriarch.


    But before them both, she found a sight that filled her with an uncomplicated joy: her sister Meilng.


    She had an expression of wariness, eyeing the doors as they opened, blinking quickly from the sudden influx of light from the formations and the sun. They looked nearly identical but that was the case with most people closely related to the main house. The same sharp features that imparted a resting solemnity. The same silver hair and what should have been the same green eyes. When they were excited, those green eyes were like diamonds glittering under sunlight. Bright and sharp, almost painful to look at if you didn¡¯t know where to look. Like now, Meiling¡¯s expression morphing upon seeing her sister.


    ¡°Hua!¡±


    The weight of her younger sister slammed into her. She bore it easily, gladly. Hua drew her younger sister close and held her tight, breathing in the clean scent of ozone from her. She basked in the warmth of holding family close. This certainty is why Hua worked towards the ends she did. The compromises, the deals with mortals who¡¯d die if she ever bothered, and the loss of face with many of them. It was worth it to know her sister was safe and sound.


    If she could not save Qing, she would ensure a future for her family.


    ¡°Meiling, I missed you.¡±


    ¡°I know you did. I missed you too. You were supposed to visit us when you got back but you didn¡¯t. And then you were gone to the city and didn¡¯t come back for a long while. No one could tell me anything until Cousin Ji came back. Never go away like that again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought there was time and that nothing like this would happen. And then the mortals. Meiling, the mortals were being so foolish. But enough about them. I don¡¯t want to think about them again. Song? Is she¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sleeping at Aunty Qiang¡¯s house. Just tired, nothing else. We¡¯ve been swapping shifts.¡±


    She exhaled a shuddering breath. Her sisters were safe. Alive. Had been the entire time under the protection of Elder Qiang. Even knowing they were behind the wards, that Grandmother and the rest of her family would protect the twins, nothing could match the sheer relief of hearing it from Meiling.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t get hurt? No trouble?¡±


    ¡°Besides Elder Shenhou trying to get past Song two nights ago when things were still bad, nothing. But she held him off long enough for Grandmother to come back and throw him out.¡±


    Hua¡¯s grip tightened as she felt a surge of fury run through. It took everything she had not to call upon her Qi and summon lightning to enshroud them. Hua would kill anyone who harmed her sisters. Anyone who did was eager to die. Even if it was the Emperor, she¡¯d rip his throat out with her teeth and keep killing her way until she was satisfied.


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    ¡°He hurt Song?¡± she asked slowly, sounding out the words.


    ¡°Hua, calm down before you do something stupid. None of the Elders are crazy enough to make you that mad. They know you¡¯d probably unhinge your jaw and swallow the sun whole. Please don¡¯t start a civil war over this.¡±


    There was iron on her tongue. She¡¯d bitten through her tongue. Blood pooled between her teeth and cheek. She swallowed it down and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of her. Of you. Standing your ground against any of the elders, let alone those from the Shen Generation, is a difficult thing.¡±


    After a final squeeze, she relaxed her arms to allow Meiling to escape. Her sister just stayed there, chin hooked over Hua¡¯s shoulder. A huff ghosted across Hua¡¯s nape.


    ¡°You make it look easy to be strong,¡± Meiling muttered. ¡°Always have.¡±


    Her sister stepped back and Hua rose to her full height. Meiling barely came up to her shoulder. Maybe in a few more years and she¡¯d come into her full height. Even so, she was taller than any out-clan girl of the same age.


    Meiling¡¯s features slackened as she got a good look at Hua.


    ¡°Hua, your eyes are¡ªwhy are they gold like that?¡±


    ¡°Got struck by lightning. Don¡¯t make a big deal about it.¡±


    ¡°Hua don¡¯t just say that! What do you mean lightning struck you? Those big ones we could feel from here? One of those hit you?¡±


    ¡°You could feel that?¡±


    That meant she had sensed Qi. Her sisters were behind in their development. Sensing any amount of Qi at all was worthy of celebration.


    ¡°Hua, don¡¯t get distracted. Focus. Lightning. Explain.¡±


    Explaining would mean talking about Qing. Hua wasn¡¯t ready to do that. Might never be.


    Instead, she sent Meiling a confident smile and reached out to pat her head. ¡°It was just a bit of lightning, nothing special. You¡¯d have just shrugged it off like the smart girl you are.¡±


    Meiling squirmed out of reach, crossing her arms. ¡°You¡¯re lying about something.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe about you being smart.¡±


    ¡°Hua!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking, I¡¯m joking. Promise. Now, how is father?¡±


    ¡°He asked about Brother Jiang again,¡± her sister said, curling her lips in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing he asks about. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard him mention you and we both know he¡¯s never remembered my name.¡±


    ¡°Meiling, you should learn to be kind. Father is¡­ you know he is unwell. He misses our brother, that¡¯s all. We all miss him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Him being gone is the best that¡¯s happened in months.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not and you know it. He¡¯s the one who always sneaks you extra desserts and takes you to the city when I¡¯m busy. Who taught you to always be so uncharitable?¡±


    ¡°You did.¡±


    ¡°Stubborn. Always stubbornness with you.¡±


    ¡°Learned it watching you,¡± Meiling said spitefully.


    ¡°Nightmare child. Let me go see Father. He might have some wisdom for us now.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t make a difference if it¡¯s you. But fine, go ahead and waste your time.¡±


    Her sister was young yet. She was allowed a bit of spite. And who would tell her no?


    Hua clapped her on the shoulder and headed into the deepest sanctum of the Liao Clan, where the wards were potent and the Qi buzzing. Here, within the mountain they called home, the Patriarch could meditate without interruption.


    Hua interrupted anyway. She knew he would not be cultivating.


    Closed Door Cultivation. That was the story. No one would believe it had they seen the sorry state of her father.


    Hua¡¯s memories of her father were of a man built tall and solid whose presence filled any room he entered. His gravitas made one stand taller, head held high, because so long as the oncoming storm of his power stood beside you, nothing at all could bring you harm.


    That was not the man she saw lying in bed. His silver hair spread out like a cloak carried none of the lustre that she remembered. It was brittle and more chalk white than the colour of quicksilver. It suited a man with deep wrinkles and frown lines, whose eyes had sunken into his skull. Skin pulled so tight you could almost see the bumps and grooves of his bones.


    She knelt at the bedside of the man who rose to the highest step of the Foundation to heaven and was now little more than a shadow of himself. Her father. The Liao Patriarch. The hero, the legend, and the soon-to-be martyr.


    ¡°Father, can you hear me?¡±


    His watery eyes cracked open. They were a shade of green too pale to be healthy. Milky droplets occluded the clear brightness she remembered.


    ¡°Weijiang, is that you? Have you brought my pills?¡±


    Liao Hua took her father¡¯s hand. It was like holding scrunched-up paper, cold to the touch. A graveyard hand. ¡°It is I, father, Liao Hua. You daughter.


    ¡°A better son would not have taken so long,¡± he muttered. He wasn¡¯t seeing Hua. Not truly. ¡°You took long.¡±


    What must I do for you to see me? Am I not your child as well? Am I undeserving of your attention? I do not expect love or care, but I was born of your lightning.


    ¡°The city is in danger,¡± she said, hoping he heard her and not his delusion. ¡°The heavens have betrayed us and struck us down for no sin we can name. The city has burned and flooded. Our own lightning started the first fires and the river we are named after flooded the city we protect. I have watched chaos descend upon the land as mortals fight over matters unimportant. We need you, Father. We need your strength.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust your grandmother. She acts for herself only. Do you hear me, Weijiang? Don¡¯t trust that monster.¡±


    ¡°Father¡ª¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll do anything for power. Don¡¯t trust her.¡±


    Hua sighed. ¡°I hear you, father. I will always hear you.¡±


    Her family had only recently considered commissioning his coffin, she and Brother and Grandmother. There had been hope that this Qi Deviation would not be fatal. Hua still held out hope that her brother would appear from the mists with the life-saving medicine of the Zhao Clan. It was unthinkable to find outside help like this, but it was necessary. And so Brother made the journey to hostile territory, carrying gold and artefacts, all in the hopes of finding something to heal their father.


    That was duty. That was what a good son was meant to do. And now, he might be dead crossing the mountain passes. You live, Brother, I know you do. I believe it. You¡¯ll come back to us and take your place as heir once more.


    One day, her brother would be the next Lord Liao, and that role would be a difficult one to fulfil. Her father was a legend and a hero. His name was known from the Amber Sea to the Dragon Throne, across a continent that took months to navigate and possibly beyond. So few had ever established the Foundation to Heaven and the number that had risen to its peak could be counted on one hand. It wasn¡¯t arrogance for Father to believe he was the one chosen to ascend Mt. Tai and see its summit; it was simply expected for him to join their forebearers from the Age of Heroes.


    He¡¯d gone into Closed Cultivation after buying a pile of pills with half the clan¡¯s treasury and for a while, it had seemed possible he could do it. For a while. The Deviation had arrived so suddenly that they could barely react, the direction of his Qi inverting, Meridians bursting open in ways they should never. Even beyond the sealed doors, Hua felt the wrongness.


    She was useless in stitching those dying spiritual channels. Weijiang couldn¡¯t even sense the way lightning was tearing their father apart. The twins would never have had a chance if they¡¯d been there.


    As it was, Grandmother had only just saved him from the brink. But his Qi was fighting him, ravaging him from the inside. The fever he¡¯d developed had not truly gone away and it addled his mind most days.


    This was the dark secret they held: a dying Patriarch who could not protect his Clan.


    He was no longer the legend that held back rival Clans and forced the Dragon Throne to respect them. If anyone at all learnt this truth, their enemies would descend upon them with sharp knives and cruel qi, ready to carve up Liao territory and turn Three Great Clans into two.


    A dark part of her wondered if his pills had been poisoned.

 Chapter 23: A Grandmothers Memory

    Liao Hua¡¯s dying father neither saw his daughter nor offered her a kind word. No matter how much she tried, Hua¡¯s father only demanded her brother or cursed out her grandmother. There was no space for her existence.


    She rose. Bitterness lodging its way in her throat, she still kissed his hand, before leaving him behind.


    Her sister saw her expression and didn¡¯t say the dreaded ¡®I told you so¡¯ that all children seemed to instinctively know when to say to inflict maximum damage. They exchanged a look that said volumes: that their father was dying, that their Clan would be vulnerable, and that they needed to get stronger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always be around for you,¡± Liao Hua promised before leaving the temple.


    ¡°I know,¡± she heard on the breeze.


    The journey back to the Patriarch¡¯s estate was wearisome. Hua felt more keenly the losses she had experienced. Qing, missing from this world. Her brother, who might have died on his journey. The peace and stability she had grown up in. The future where her father was strong enough to hold back the wolves and could give them space to grow to greater heights.


    Here, in the heart of the Clan compound, it was hard to imagine the world was destroying itself. Against the sickly yellow sky, the peaceful courtyard felt like a curse. There would be a price to be paid for this pocket of stability, she just knew it. Heaven¡¯s blessings came equally with curses. The aftershocks of the great battle had devastated the Earth.


    As above, so below, she thought cynically, glaring at the heavens. One day, you¡¯ll know the same slaughter and pain.


    Liao Hua still lived with her immediate family in the Patriarch¡¯s Estate instead of the complex for unmarried women. Her rooms looked out to the same gardens and mountains she had seen since childhood. This stone courtyard she stood within was familiar. The stone arrangements overgrown with moss were her earliest friends.


    She wanted, desperately, to crouch down and place her head against the tallest of the stone plinths. Speak everything in her heart and find some measure of peace. Her dying father. Her broken city. A clan in disarray. Love lost to the whims of the Heavens.


    If she just let herself lose control for a moment, she could scream her fury for all the world to hear. Just one damned moment that she could never have.


    ¡°Sit with me, granddaughter.¡± Hua turned around, startled to see her grandmother in the courtyard with such composure that one would never think the skies were smoky and parts of the clan compound were flooded. ¡°Must I repeat myself?¡±


    ¡°I am honoured, Grandmother, but there is work that must be done. I am still needed.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t time to mourn. There would never be time to mourn. All that was left was the work.


    Her grandmother took a seat elegantly, making a dragon¡¯s throne of a simple bench, a curtain of silver flowing down the seat. It was grace Liao Hua had failed to emulate her entire life. Grandmother was a tall lady whom Hua had inherited her height, though not to the same extent. Even sitting with her lotus shoes crossed, Grandmother was taller than some men.


    There was a painting in the main hall of her grandparents together. She with the silver hair, painted red lips, and green eyes, he with black hair and blacker eyes. They carried with them a nobility worthy of one of the Great Three Clans but only one set of features had bred true in subsequent generations.


    ¡°More will die if you do not sit with me,¡± Grandmother said in her blunt way and gestured to the space next to her.


    Hua gingerly sat on the bench, keeping as much space between her and Grandmother as possible. Not due to Father¡¯s words, that was the standard paranoia she¡¯d grown up with, but simply because her grandmother was an imposing person. Always had been since Hua¡¯s earliest memories. But still, Grandmother had a soft spot for her and the twins. Showed them kindness and allowed liberties that got others whipped.


    Grandmother had a necklace made of spirit stones. The Qi in them was potent, attuned to Lightning. A rare treasure for a Clan that cultivated from the Scripture of Five Thunders. Whether it was bride price or dowry, Hua did not know, but it had been promised to her when she was an adult or whenever Grandmother died. Not that anyone believed the latter would happen. Grandmother¡¯s eyes were still sharp as any blade, and she regularly sent Hua flying when they trained. If she was getting slower, weaker, older in any way that mattered, it was beyond Hua to observe.


    Grandmother met her gaze, seeing the change to her eyes. She could feel it, echoes of divine lightning trapped in her very eyes. Then Grandmother spoke because golden eyes were less important than everything else.


    ¡°How fares the city? I¡¯ve given shelter to the families of our retainers, what remains of them, but the stories are disjointed and difficult to parse. Everything from floods to fire to earthquakes. The compound was spared fire at the very least.¡±


    There had been time enough for Grandmother to get a full report of the city from her myriad sources. Time enough for her to find out about the nonsense with the Song Sealord. This, as with all things with her, was a test.


    ¡°If we only lose a third of the population in the next decade, I will consider it a miracle,¡± she admitted, her voice breaking as she imagined the clouds of ash that would soon come. This would taint the legacy of her clan.


    ¡°A few hundred thousand is no small number. You don¡¯t know the stink of ten thousand corpses left to rot in the fields let alone a hundred thousand. That many deaths can shake even a hardened killer. One day you will learn it, and on that day, you will curse me for being your teacher. Do not find yourself hesitating or you will be cut down.¡±


    ¡°Father curses you enough for the whole clan.¡±


    ¡°He always has a mouth on him What an unfilial boy. His generation name has no bearing on truth.¡±


    Her father was of the Xiao Generation. That name was spelt with the character for filial piety.


    ¡°Father told me not to trust you again. Called you a monster and some things I won¡¯t repeat to you.¡±


    ¡°He always does,¡± Grandmother said fondly though not as fondly as she remembered the killing fields. ¡°He inherited his father¡¯s paranoia. Not the worst trait to inherit. It led us through the dark years when we were barely a Clan worth anything and saw us ascendant after the Yellow Cap War. Annoying to work around but, well, it proved true when your uncle, Xiaoyuan, tried poisoning him for the position of clan head. He was always an emotional boy, that eldest son of mine. Too emotional to rule and it got him killed after he tried fratricide. I¡¯d hoped I taught him some degree of temperance, but it fucking came to nothing. The boy didn¡¯t even learn my lessons on using poisons properly. At least the bout was an excellent showcase of your father¡¯s lightning, and it secured his rule.¡±


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    Hua blinked slowly, processing this piece of history she knew nothing about. Trying to understand if she hadn¡¯t truly died in the flood and sunk to one of the hells. Because this was not the clan history she knew. But Grandmother wasn¡¯t laughing, wasn¡¯t hastening to say she was joking.


    Is that all you have to say to your sons murdering one another? That one killed the other better and used that death for political ends?


    ¡°Fratricide, the lethal Qi Deviation of the Patriarch, and now our lands breaking beneath divine lightning. One might say the heavens have cursed our family line and they wouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be overly dramatic. A bit of kin slaying is acceptable in each generation. If you think we are bad, then you¡¯ll be horrified to hear about the Westerners who practice cannibalism on their family. A horrible form of Cultivation only barbarians would indulge in.¡±


    Her sons. Hua¡¯s father and uncle. The generations between them were bridged by fratricide. Heaven truly had been upended and Earth shattered to its foundation if these truths were emerging, gushing like the swollen River Liao. And like the river, those named Liao cared not at all for those they harmed.


    ¡°I wonder if they would call you the barbarian for watching your sons murder each other.¡±


    ¡°What have you lost to think you can judge my actions?¡±


    ¡°Qing is dead,¡± she admitted, finding the words strangely easy to say. Perhaps she had been hollowed out by grief, scoured down to the bedrock of her soul by that loss. What point was there in emotions if they could not undo time?


    ¡°You have my condolences. If her father lives, I will see that he is taken care of. My people will find him, I promise. He carved a few jade pieces we have in the clan.¡±


    ¡°I know. Qing showed them to me.¡±


    ¡°Then you have something to remember her by. Few are so lucky.¡±


    For a moment, compassion cracked her grandmother¡¯s stern visage. For just a moment, she recalled that human experiences were difficult things filled with pain and that they had once affected her. Then, when that moment ended, the coldly pragmatic woman returned.


    ¡°Harden your heart, child. What I will ask of you is difficult and your fragility will break you.¡±


    ¡°Can I refuse?¡±


    ¡°Would you refuse your duty to the clan? I did not raise a granddaughter who would, and I know Xiaosan did not succour his children on cowardice.¡±


    ¡°What would you ask of me, Liao Furen?¡± she bit out, reminding grandmother that she was the foreign daughter, that lightning was not hers by blood as it was Hua¡¯s. A petty and weak attack.


    ¡°I would have you become Lord Liao in your father¡¯s stead,¡± Grandmother said, absolutely shattering Hua¡¯s defences.


    ¡°You¡¯re mad. You have run mad. Grandmother! You¡¯ve gone crazy to even suggest that. I¡­ do you want me to be killed like Uncle Xiaoyuan? Must there be one every generation who gets killed for usurpation? Weijiang will cut me down and he would be right to.¡±


    Grandmother cackled and oh, Hua knew what it meant to see the dragon for the first time. She had been raised at its foot and played with its claws, never knowing how sharp they were. Delighted in toothy grins, never understanding that those fangs had sheared human flesh from bone. And now she was seeing the threat for the first time. Not the dragon letting her play with its tail but the predator on the prowl.


    This dragon liked human flesh, but it especially loved the flesh it had sired.


    ¡°It would be interesting to see how far you¡¯ll have surpassed him if he ever returns, but no, I have no need for more generations of murder. I simply need you to assume his role. An heir ruling in his father¡¯s stead is a reasonable thing.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s madness.¡±


    ¡°Child, heed my words and understand that there truly is no other option. There must be a sitting Lord Liao.¡±


    ¡°Then let an Elder become Lord Liao.¡±


    ¡°Those children lack the strength to make the role mean anything. Everyone knows the weakness they possess. But the son of the Radiant Lightning Body might reach his strength and even surpass it. I would have you be that son.¡±


    Children, she said of elders in their eighties at the peak of Qi Condensation. The foremost experts of their clan. Children. The word reverberated in her head because how could Hua match up if those who taught her weren¡¯t good enough.


    ¡°No one will ever believe another son exists. No one important. Our family records are well known. Half the province cursed my brother¡¯s birthday, and the other half eagerly gossiped about who would get to marry one of the three Liao daughters.¡±


    ¡°Stories carry with them a certain power. The story of the Liao Clan with a dying patriarch and no male heir would invite the Yu snakes roving outside our territory. But a son blessed by the heavens, with this old lady training him, and a Patriarch growing strong behind Closed Door Cultivation, now that is a story that can protect us. Against Yu, against Zhao, against even the Dragon Court, we require that story now.¡±


    ¡°The elders will never permit it.¡±


    They did not permit you to rule, and they will not let a lesser daughter rule, she did not say but it was heard anyway.


    ¡°I chose my freedom, grandchild and though you may not know it, you have benefited from the story I created for us all. Do not think that in your grief you have found intelligence, let alone wisdom. Do not think you yet know enough to judge the century I have been the Lady Liao.¡± The chastisement stung and she bowed her head in acknowledgement. Grandmother waved the apology away before Hua could speak it. Always pragmatic, always moving forward. ¡°The Elders understand how precarious our circumstances are. They will bite their tongues and choke on their blood before they weaken our position.¡±


    Someone would make them choke on their blood, but it wouldn¡¯t be out of choice. She knew the Elders too well to believe that they genuinely supported this plan. Her Cousin Weiji would have been their preferred choice. He was also a child of the main line and wielded lightning with great proficiency.


    He was also a son.


    ¡°My brother¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is not here. That is the simple truth. He is not here but you are. You were the one seen helping in the city, organising people, stopping both looting and violence. Where was your brother in all of that? They will not care for a boy who is probably dead. But you, child, are a true daughter of lightning. The Scripture of Five Thunders lives within you. Nothing else will matter once the dragon¡¯s roar is announced.¡±


    ¡°Brother is alive, I know it. He¡¯ll survive and return to us just as I would. He will lead us.¡±


    ¡°Foolish hope. You were always the greater one.¡±


    ¡°You overestimate me, grandmother.¡±


    ¡°No, I see accurately what others refused to acknowledge your entire life in favour of these boys of middling talent. The path to heaven is walked by those with the talent to surmount the challenges in their path. But more than that, there is no one else we can rely on to hold back Yu or Zhao alone, let alone together. Your father¡¯s strength could. Just the legend of the Radiant Lightning Body was enough to ensure decades of peace. You are the actualisation of my hopes and dreams for a true Cultivator so I know you will achieve what he did and then you will surpass him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mad.¡±


    ¡°I am not, and even if I was, I would force it to be true. You will be my legacy, child. The legacy of Liao and lightning.¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°You will not.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this alone.¡±


    ¡°The Liao Heir can mobilise the clan¡¯s resources and speak in the name of the Patriarch. You will not be alone. I will back you and woe be to any who challenge this old lady,¡± Grandmother said with the authority of a Cultivator that had established the foundation to heaven.


    ¡°This lowly daughter was never meant to lead one of the Great Three Clans.¡±


    ¡°Fuck the Great Three, it''s just Great Liao.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother!¡±


    ¡°I speak only the truth. Those rats have been circling since the very beginning, but they are rats trying to feast at our table. They have no right to a seat, and I will not give them one. I will not let them claim one.¡±


    Hua was finally seeing the woman who had reigned as regent before her father ascended. The one who led them in the internecine clan wars and bled the province to establish her legend. The woman who could watch one son kill another and move on with little more than a passing regret that her lessons weren¡¯t better learned.


    Hers would be a legendary history. The first of their clan to establish the Foundation to heaven. The foreigner who birthed lightning in a great son and perhaps, if Hua did this great task, a grandson as well. She would allow nothing less. History would yield to the grand vision of Xiao Jiu, the Lady Liao.


    There was only one name she could choose. If she was to be the legacy of a dragon, then Hua¡¯s new name would reflect that.


    ¡°I will be known as Liao Weilong.¡±


    Her grandmother¡¯s teeth were sharp as the dragon Hua named herself after.


    ¡°A good name. A powerful name. A name for a worthy Lord.¡±


    This would be her name from now on. The legacy she would bear if it meant her Clan would endure. No matter the weight of it, she would match that legacy.


    She must. There was no other choice.


    Let all know her as The Great Dragon of Liao.

 Chapter 24: Bottleneck

    A new name had been claimed by Liao Hua. From this day forth, she would be known as Liao Weilong. For all the meaning in the name, for all the greatness and ferocity implied, it was a name that meant compromise. It was a name that spoke the truth of their clan.


    That they were weak with the original heir gone. Lost without a leader trained for the role. Vulnerable with their Patriarch in decline.


    Sons mattered. Everyone knew that. They were the ones whose lineages were remembered by history. They were the ones you married your important daughters to and there was no loss to it.


    Most daughters of a Cultivator Clan were too valuable to marry out of the Clan and its allies, especially if she was in the Qi Gathering stage, but even one in Body Tempering was worth a dozen guards. Worse, the number of lords willing to have sons lose their family name was in short supply.


    Brother Weijiang had the pick of women in the Amber Sea. He¡¯d received marriage offers from princesses of the Goryeo people. Royalty, willing to make an alliance because the Radiant Lightning Body had begotten a son.


    Hua¡¯s prospects were narrower, limited to the Amber Sea, to second sons of Lords too unimportant for their additional heirs to inherit anything noteworthy, and the third and fourth sons of great lords. Most likely, she¡¯d be married into the Clan because of her high Cultivation. Maybe a son of a vassal house would have qualified, but they would have been a second cousin as the furthest relation.


    The twins faced the same issue. There might be marriages to make an alliance, but they would not be married out to anyone of great station. Could not be because their sons might equal the Radiant Lightning Body in the future.


    ¡°I think I will meet with this new retainer of yours,¡± said her grandmother, a woman whose marriage into the least of the Great Three Clans had launched it into supremacy. By being so great a prodigy she established the foundation to Heaven and imparted the lineage, Qi, and knowledge to see her son utterly surpass her.


    One marriage had so thoroughly altered the balance of power and the repercussions of that marriage were still cascading more than a century later. Weijiang and Hua were destined for greatness. Even Weiji might reach the Foundation and all because he was descended from Xiao Jue, the Lady Liao.


    If the chaos in heaven had never happened, and her father simply died in a year or two, their Clan would have been in a powerful position. Grandmother would still remain as a shield. Weijiang and Hua would be fed pills until their meridians felt like bursting and they reached the Foundation Establishment. Three in that realm would have held off every threat, possibly even if the Dragon Throne allied with Yu and Zhao to kill them.


    ¡°To do what?¡± Hua asked, slightly suspicious of the dragon who admitted to watching her children die without remorse.


    ¡°I just want to decide if he¡¯s worth anything or better thrown in a cauldron like Weiji suggested. That boy truly has a nervous disposition. I thought he might faint from how red his face turned as he ranted. That, or the lack of food and water. For such a ruthless killer, he doesn¡¯t maintain his calm very well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how he manages to deal with my brother so much if he¡¯s so antsy. They always had such a good time together trading pointers¡ªWhat? Why are you laughing?¡±


    ¡°Child, what does trading pointers mean to you?¡±


    ¡°Training. We do it all the time.¡±


    ¡°I most certainly have never traded pointers with you. Oh, dearest one, you always manage to amuse me. Now, tell me about this retainer.¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t a Cultivator. A scholar in Body tempering. He¡¯s a¡­ History Doubter, I think the school is called?¡±


    Grandmother¡¯s eyes widened ever so slightly, her smile turning predatory once more. ¡°Oh, so someone with intelligence. I can work with that. I had planned to teach you spy craft in the coming years, but you¡¯ve gone and found yourself a spy.¡±


    ¡°He truly is a spy then. It isn¡¯t just his enemies lying on his good name.¡±


    ¡°Most people with dedicated enemies aren¡¯t good people. You¡¯ll do well to remember that. As a wild child who ran across this city, Liao Hua did not pay much attention to it. But no, he isn¡¯t a true spy. His organisation was something like an information brokerage. They weren¡¯t important players, but they had some skill and good connections. Truly, the heavens have blessed you if gold falls in your lap.¡±


    Did he fall into her lap? Liu Xin had attached himself to Hua, but she as well had been observing him, recognising in him something of import. And, truthfully, his competence and bravery were enough to raise him to some esteem in her eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s made dealing with mortals easier. I never realised how tedious they could be.¡±


    Grandmother snorted. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s why we have attendants. He¡¯ll be a good one if he proves loyal. And if he is a deep-cover spy, I¡¯ll have a practical way to teach you torture methods.¡±


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    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ll be too busy running the clan for that. And even if I¡¯m not, there will surely be some way a lord can make themselves useful. Why don¡¯t you bother any of my other cousins if you want another student so bad?¡±


    ¡°They bore me.¡±


    ¡°That is not a good reason to put everything on me,¡± he snapped back. Then she took a calming breath. Angering the dragon was not smart. ¡°I tried paying Liu Xin some of the silver I got. He rejected my first offer.¡±


    ¡°How little did you offer him that he rejected payment?¡± Hua told her grandmother. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Hua repeated the number. ¡°Liao Hua, if you ever try to pay someone a thousand silver taels for work worth a tenth that, I will bend you over my knee and spank you. Am I understood?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s barely any money.¡±


    ¡°May your partner have a good head for accounting because otherwise the Clan will be in poverty soon enough.¡± Grandmother shook her head, muttering about empty-headed children. ¡°A thousand silver taels. The day you¡¯re paying that much, a bag of rice will cost more than this entire mountain.¡±


    ¡°Yes Grandmother, I won¡¯t handle paying mortals in the future.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, tomorrow, we will add you as the anchor to the Clan formations.¡±


    ***


    Exhaustion was finally dragging Hua down. She could go no longer. The days had felt like weeks. The short distance to her rooms was an eternity.


    She should have had time to sleep, to rest, to process anything at all that had occurred. But the world was not so kind. There were constant demands upon her attention and effort. Had she personally made most of these demands to fulfil that nebulous but mountainous thing called duty? Yes. But she also didn¡¯t like thinking about that.


    As she stood in her room, cleaned and maintained by servants Hua rarely noticed, she realised that everything could change but your room could stay the same. She would lay her head on the same pillows she knew and sleep under sheets which carried her particular scent. For a time, it would be like nothing had changed.


    Hua clasped the pendant between her hands. A gift from Qing. It was a kingfisher carved from jade.


    ¡°Give me strength, Qing. I cannot do this alone. Guide me through this.¡±


    The dead did not speak. Not truly.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you ever be here when I need you?¡±


    There was no answer. There would never be an answer again no matter how much she hoped otherwise. Qing was gone, anything else was delusion.


    ¡°If I am a delusion, then is that truly so bad?¡± Qing asked, there and gone again.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather have the real you.¡±


    But there would be no answer.


    ***


    Hours later, Hua would awaken to a world warm and comfortable. She woke in her bed, the first rays of sunlight streaming through the windows, and the usual servants were bringing her tea and readying a bath.


    She held a moment of peace that died as she saw a cruel apparition standing by the windows, watching the gardens outside. Hua suppressed her snarl and ignored it. Swallowed a cup of piping hot tea and took a bath. The apparition did not follow her and stayed watching the gardens.


    Even when Hua was in the garden, the apparition watched her.


    Stone worn smooth by centuries greeted her knees and the pads of her toes as she knelt in meditation. Having her fingers intertwined, palms faced to greet the sun, was her preferred way to meditate.


    It was easy like nothing before to absorb Qi from the atmosphere. There was a density to it, as though she was a fish that spent her life at the peak of a mountain breathing droplets of water from the atmosphere and now found herself in a shallow pond, finally existing in a place that made sense. Thick, syrupy Qi, dense in a way that was uncomfortable.


    In the chaos and smoke of the past days, she hadn¡¯t had time to turn inward and focus on herself. She realised now why she had been able to sustain herself so long in the city. If she was passively cycling through Qi this potent, it would have restored some of her reserves and allowed her to endure longer.


    Hua inhaled and with it, the Qi in her dantian spun.


    The motion created a suction force, one that crawled through her spiritual channels and tried to drag back the Qi in her unlocked Meridians. It was a battle to balance the two natures. Her dantian was naturally the ocean and her meridians the lakes, with her spiritual channels the river that Qi travelled through. When she cycled, it was like adding a great pump to every river, one that could drain a meridian dry.


    Hua deepened her breath and free-flowing Qi was drawn in.


    Jing was the name given to the external essence one absorbed and converted to Qi. It couldn¡¯t be held by any means except through the slight pressure the Dantian exerted. Each breath she took aided that process, directed Qi to enter the vessel she made of herself. Where before it had been mist on the tongue, now there were entire droplets of water for her. When it was at her dantian, she could further strip away the outer layers of external Qi and expose something like a wisp.


    Hua exhaled and allowed those strips of Qi to return to the world.


    The dantian was truthfully just a cauldron where internal alchemy could occur. With the knowledge and skill, you could turn unaspected Qi into something that resembled lightning, eager to spark and snap about. She layered these sparks over the base layer of unmoving earth and let them settle down. Push too hard and that layer would destabilise. Saturating the dantian was one half of Qi Gathering.


    The other half was unlocking all twelve meridians. Unable to add more qi to her dantian, she sent the remaining sparks through her spiritual channels, carefully tracking the journey. Through the first standard meridian and down through the second and third all the way to her newly unlocked seventh, each of them lit up like a star. It was the seventh that was strange to her. It was lit brighter than the others, carrying a volume of Qi better suited to four meridians alone. Each meridian required more Qi but the jumps thus far had been steady. She¡¯d been told that was the case by everyone more advanced than her. Now, instead, she was facing a sinkhole of Qi to fill.


    I¡¯ll never reach the Foundation if each meridian takes this much Qi, she thought with horror.


    Lightning sparked in her body as she lost control. The revelation was so potent and unpleasant that it destabilised her control. The Qi she¡¯d layered in her dantian sluiced away. Through instinct and luck, she managed to shunt that qi outward, letting sparks sing like a thousand birds. Inside, it was like her spiritual channels were being raked over by coals.


    Her eyes snapped open. She bent over to the side and coughed out a dark sludge. Blood and impurity and rotted Qi. The beginnings of a deviation.


    ¡°Hua!¡±


    When she looked up, she was met with twin looks of worry.

 Chapter 25: The Twin Nightmares

    There were many ways Hua had envisioned seeing the twins Song and Meiling. Her sisters. The youngest of the Liao Patriarch¡¯s living children.


    Puking up blood and impurities from barely avoiding a Qi deviation had never been a consideration. They were so fearless, her sisters, running toward the lightning storm surrounding Hua. It forced her to focus, grab hold of her sludgy-Qi, and gain control over it. In no world would she hurt her sisters.


    With great exertion, she grabbed hold of lightning and shunted it through the ground. The mountain beneath her accepted it eagerly, glutting itself on her Qi in a way that was utterly foreign.


    The twins were on her, shaking her shoulders. Hua would have told them to stop if she wasn¡¯t still spitting out that vile substance, that both tasted and smelled like burnt sludge, ozone, and a rotting corpse.


    ¡°Should we get Old Ren?¡± Song asked as Meiling said, ¡°Stop getting hurt all the time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean Hua got hurt? When?¡±


    ¡°She got struck by lightning, the big kind,¡± Meiling answered. ¡°It¡¯s why her eyes are so scary.¡±


    ¡°I think I like them.¡±


    Both twins had entirely forgotten what caused them such distress. Hua wished she could be so carefree, but she hadn¡¯t been given that opportunity in her life. She was the eldest daughter and so, the duty of caring for her younger siblings fell to her after her mother died.


    Truth be told, Hua barely remembered her mother. She¡¯d been five when the twins were born and those early years were hazy. Laughter like wind chimes. Affection like the warmth of sunlight, trapped beneath their roof during winter. Father happy for once, reading Hua poetry as they rode across the plains he commanded. Weijiang sneaking her to the city, carrying her on his shoulders.


    Hua should have had another brother but he was with their mother, lost beneath the lake that had drowned the cemetery.


    It was only later, days after the funeral, that Hua came to know the woman who would truly define her life. She hadn¡¯t known a thing about the hardened woman who appeared in a vortex of cutting words and inspired Father¡¯s fury, but also his silence.


    They had become a battleground, she and her siblings. Father claimed Weijiang. Grandmother claimed her.


    And Hua claimed the twins because no one else would.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, forcing herself up.


    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t,¡± they said together. Hua had caught them practising that. They thought it was intimidating.


    She stepped past them, letting them follow along. They wouldn¡¯t realise she had forced them away from the disgusting sludge.


    Meiling hit her on the thing. ¡°Then what happened if you¡¯re so fine?¡±


    ¡°I just realised something upsetting while I was cultivating. Have you two eaten or did you skip breakfast as usual?¡± Their silence was answer enough. Hua led them to the estate, gesturing to a servant. ¡°We¡¯ll have breakfast by the water garden.¡±


    ¡°You know I hate the water garden.¡±


    ¡°You hate everything. Now if only you could hate yourself then things would be fair.¡±


    ¡°Song, you¡¯re the worst thing to have ever happened to me and you happened before I was born.¡±


    Hua let their argument wash over her as they headed down the eastern wing¡¯s covered walkways. Their steps were loud and unashamed of it. They behaved well and kept it to some shoves and light slaps. Hua interjected here and there, but after years of corralling the twins, the best thing to do was to let them get it out of their system. Regulate the amount of violence and possible murder attempts.


    The water garden was built around a pond that had been dug out by mortal hands. On the banks of the pond were more flowers and bushes than Hua could ever name, placed such that something would always be blooming. It was a wide pond, large enough to warrant a bridge. The bridge was curved aggressively and formed a semicircle connected at one point to the wing they had walked through and the other to another garden, that one meant for larger parties, where poetry recitals and singers could entertain the Patriarch and his guests. It had been used only a few times. Neither Hua nor the twins had ever been invited to an event.


    They walked beneath the covered bridge to reach the pavilion. Benches had been carved into six of the eight sides of the pavilion. A set of tables had been brought out with the frequency of Hua¡¯s meals here with the twins.


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    Meiling sneezed. Then she sneezed two more times and glared at Hua.


    ¡°This is your fault.¡±


    Blame the circumstances of your birth, she almost said, but bit it back quickly enough. It would be needlessly cruel.


    A healthy and competent Cultivator didn¡¯t sneeze or really fall ill.


    The twins were¡­ calling them mediocre hurt Hua but they took to Cultivation at half the speed anyone expected from the Radiant Lightning Body¡¯s children. They were struggling through Body Tempering. It would be a miracle if they were able to gather any Qi into their Meridians before fifteen or sixteen. The stage of Body Tempering was crucial and determined so much of one¡¯s Cultivation speed in Qi Gathering. The body and soul were separate but conjoined entities. Alter one and you could affect the other. Prepare the physical body well and the spiritual channels would expand, the dantian become sturdy, and the Meridians receptive to permanently awakening.


    She could see the physical failings in the twins. Meiling was skinny, struggling to put on mass, and there was a stiffness to her motions, indicative of her lack of flexibility. Song had strength and flexibility, but she was so slow, her reactions almost comically lagged behind her body, and she had poor eyesight.


    They were still strong enough to provide protection to the prayer room guarded not only by the formations around the Clan grounds but those additional ones Grandmother had added. They could be trusted never to reveal information on her father¡¯s state.


    The servants brought with them trays of food. It was much better than anything she¡¯d eaten in the city, though the company may have played a role. Many mortals would be starving now but of the few things Hua could do, not eating this meal would not make a difference.


    Hua nibbled on the roasted nuts and steamed rice. Song stole her pork cutlets while Meiling enjoyed Hua¡¯s persimmons.


    ¡°They always make yours the best,¡± Meiling lied today as she always lied. There was no difference between their trays at all. Hua had swapped them out more than once just to test it, and the thievery had remained constant.


    ¡°Liar,¡± she said by rote. ¡°My little nightmare of a liar.¡±


    Footsteps across the bridge drew her attention. An attendant. She allowed them to approach with a gesture.


    ¡°Young Mistress, a summons for you has arrived from Elder Shenhou,¡± one of the servants, the household manager, said with a bow. ¡°It is for twenty minutes from now at the Main Hall.¡±


    ¡°Is his messenger still here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Awaiting a response.¡±


    Hua leaned back and found a more comfortable position. ¡°Tell him that I will arrive in two hours and no sooner. If the elder has an issue, he can visit me personally.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Young Mistress.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell her about what happened with Shenhou,¡± Meiling softly hissed at her twin.


    ¡°She said she wouldn¡¯t do something stupid.¡±


    ¡°You idiot, it¡¯s Hua. She always does something stupid.¡±


    ¡°Call me an idiot again.¡±


    A sharp whistle broke the fight before they broke the serving trays. Again.


    ¡°I have something to tell you guys. You¡¯re the first people I¡¯m telling this to. I have taken the name Weilong and it is the name I will use from now on.¡±


    ¡°Weilong?¡± Song asked, testing the name hesitantly, squinting in distaste. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Your name is Hua.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to understand, you just have to trust me. Can you do that for me? Use that name whenever we¡¯re around other people. Especially outside the Clan.¡±


    ¡°No, I want an explanation first.¡±


    ¡°I will be the next Lord Liao. Grandmother has asked me to do this. We need someone to tell a powerful story about us and we can¡¯t do that with Father the way he is. With Brother gone and the Elders old. Someone must be the next Lord of our clan and Grandmother has chosen me.¡±


    Meiling shook her head. ¡°If we said we didn¡¯t like it, would you not do it? We¡¯re fine just the way we are. Better than fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have a duty.¡±


    ¡°Brother will hate you for this. Father will.¡±


    ¡°If he ever wakes up,¡± Meiling added snidely.


    ¡°I know,¡± Hua said wearily, already imagining the thunder and fury. The house might very well be destroyed before Father was done shouting.


    ¡°So why are you doing it?¡±


    ¡°Because I need to protect us all. If¡­ the family is weak now, then others will take advantage. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened to the other Clans, but Father¡¯s strength was the only thing protecting us. They¡¯ve hated us for centuries and they¡¯ll put us all to the sword if they have a chance. The lucky ones will. The unlucky ones will be sold into slavery and prostitution.¡±


    The twins nodded, understanding. History was built on the blood of the losers and told by those with the sharpest swords and greatest treasuries. Just as Hua had learnt the parts of history made up of violence, so too had she taught the twins.


    ¡°Elder Qiang could do it instead. Any of the Elders.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be dumb. Compared to Sister, the elders are weak.¡±


    Her eyes widened as she nearly choked. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. They¡¯re not¡ª¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Song interjected sharply. ¡°That¡¯s what everyone says. You and Weijiang are stronger. Will be in a few years. Ask anyone and they know you¡¯re the next one to establish the Foundation. Cousin Weiji has better chances than any of the Shens.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re listening to too many rumours. Who has been telling you this?¡±


    ¡°Aunty Qiang.¡±


    From Xiao came Shen. After Shen came Qi, the parents of the Wei Generation. Generation names were given based on the generation one would come of age. It was why her brother Weijiang was of the same generation as her Cousin Weiji despite Hua¡¯s father being of the Xiao generation and Weiji¡¯s dead father being of the Qi Generation.


    ¡°You know, Grandmother could do it,¡± Hua joked.


    The twins shared a look.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Meiling proved herself the braver. ¡°You know that no one likes her, right?¡±


    ¡°I like her. She¡¯s my favourite person after you two.¡±


    ¡°I love you, I really, truly love you, but you are not a people person at all.¡±


    Maybe they were right. Even after the many reveals, she still cared for the dragon who raised her.


    ¡°I¡¯m a good at killing people person,¡± Hua said because if she were to be a dragon, she would not hide it. ¡°And the elders can learn to wait on their new Lord if they don¡¯t want to learn just how good I am at that.¡±

 Chapter 26: I Will be this Lord Liao

    Hua spent most of the next sichen entertaining her sisters, a full two hours of savouring their simple joys and simpler arguments. She had missed them terribly. Would always miss them. Had life been kinder, Hua would have days and months with them, uninterrupted by increasingly aggressive messages from a growing number of Elders.


    ¡°Are you sure they won¡¯t try to get revenge against you?¡± Song asked, looking up with wide eyes once the sixth messenger was rejected.


    Meiling elbowed her twin who hissed. ¡°Idiot, they were never going to be happy about this. Sister is stealing their hopes and dreams right in front of them.¡±


    Song elbowed her back. ¡°Call me an idiot again and I will drown you!¡±


    ¡°Fine, you have the intelligence of a salted slug.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve met dog shit smarter than you.¡±


    Hua separated them before they got to drowning one another. How they survived whenever she was gone was a total mystery. The first time she¡¯d left them for an extended trip, she had expected to find the estate in ashes. That she found the clan still functioning was a miracle. Though, she had found them living with different relatives, so maybe they didn¡¯t get along as Hua hoped.


    After a poorly received reminder that they needed to train and temper their bodies, Hua finally chose to handle the binding ritual. She found one of her more formal sets of robes, the kind she wore for yearly ceremonies. Silken with blue inner layers. Bound her chest and minimised the profile it would make. In her brother¡¯s room, she found an outer cloak that was a black so dark it seemed to steal the light. Rimmed in silver, it depicted the phases of the moon across it. Her jewellery was demure, only the simpler pieces. Her hair was tied in a high knot, one you wouldn¡¯t consider surprising from any boy. It was an ambiguous enough arrangement that she garnered surprised looks from the clansmen she passed on her way to the Main Hall.


    Only the temple held greater defences than the Main Hall but with the soldiers and Cultivators, the Main Hall was more secure in practice. If it fell, they would lose the Bronze Cauldron, and they would die to the man to protect that. So, they stacked the numbers as heavily as possible in their favour should it come to that. It hadn¡¯t yet but paranoia ran deep.


    Waiting in front of the Main Hall¡¯s entrance were the Elders in ceremonial garb. Not a one looked pleased. Good. Let them show every single member of their clan milling about the Main Hall that they waited on her. Even if no one else knew what was happening, they would know something was occurring. For this many Elders to be waiting about in their formal regalia it could be nothing short of a matter of clan security.


    To make the Elders wait on her was a dangerous statement. She was alienating them further. But what did that matter when her new position had been built on quicksand and filled with scorpions? She¡¯d sink and be stung no matter what she chose. So, she would begin as she would proceed. If she was to lead, then she would lead her clan. Hua would be no one¡¯s puppet Lord. She would not have someone pulling her strings from the shadows.


    ¡°So, the girl has finally arrived after wasting this elder¡¯s time,¡± said Elder Shenyu in his lyrical voice, recently famous to Hua for his tendency to leave bastards lying around. His large hands were folded at his waist, fingers interlocked so tightly together they were shaking.


    She simply watched the elder with her golden eyes. Allowed her disdain and fury to emerge past gold, her temptation to unhinge her jaws and rip his throat out flashing like the sunrise over the mountain. As her grandmother said, a little kinslaying was allowed each generation. Hua would very happily fill the quota if it meant no more bastards.


    ¡°Shall we begin, Elders,¡± Hua said after elder Shenyu twitched, ¡°or will we waste more of your time?¡±


    Hua offered no chance to respond and entered the Main Hall, her exacting steps echoing loudly for all to hear. If he found the insult too great to bear, he could strike her down and live with the consequences. But each day he did not would be another day he proved himself craven. A man¡¯s pride could only be harmed so far before he retaliated. A dangerous equilibrium that would eventually break, but it would be worth it. Those that saw her command the Elders would spread word of it. They would say Hua spoke and the Elders obeyed. If it was said enough, eventually people would listen to her before the elders.


    Of the full council, only four Elders would join her today. Five if one counted her Grandmother, the Lady Xiao Jiu, the oldest and most powerful Cultivator in the Clan not trapped on their deathbed. The three foremost members of the Shen Generation, Shenhou and the siblings Shenyi and Shenyu. And finally, Liao Qiang, who was the blood of her Father¡¯s older brother. The same elder brother who tried to poison Hua¡¯s father. Who Hua¡¯s father had struck down in the seemingly common act of fratricide that occurred in their clan each generation.


    She would lead them to the formation room whose doors stood on the far side of the hall. Hua did not know what lay behind those doors in any way beyond the theoretical. The formation room, obviously, but everyone stayed silent on what it held. She was proud to be ignorant in this case. Security held; Clan secrets guarded. And now she would become privy to what her brother had experienced.


    ¡°We will inspect the formations,¡± she declared to the door guards. ¡°Open the way.¡±


    Even if she couldn¡¯t yet give that order, she trusted her grandmother to give whatever gesture would command them to obey.


    The two guards stamped the butts of their spears against the floor once, then twice, each as loud as a thunderclap in the silent hall. The door lit up and opened quietly. Instantly, she was hit by a wave of ozone. Far more pleasant than choking on the stench of rotting mortals and the smoke of their burnt dreams. Beneath familiar ozone that was a layer of wetness.


    Beyond the doors was a cavernous dimness. She went headlong into the dark. It was not pitch black but a murky grey that held a set of wide stairs that curved into obscurity, narrowing further down. There were sparks that were not truly there, impressions of lightning that she followed. A pathway laid out for those with cursed eyes to see. Hua took it one steady step at a time.


    ¡°Fool child,¡± one of the Elders muttered as she descended.


    Behind her, light flooded the staircase. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Elder Qiang holding a torch, apprehension crossing her features as she met Hua¡¯s gaze in the dark. Hua blinked once, then twice, slow as an amused leopard.


    ¡°Can you not see without that torch?¡± she asked once the other Elders drew closer to Qiang.


    Before any could answer, Hua turned around and continued down, fast into the darkness. Compared to the darkness that had stolen away Qing, there was no dark that could cause her fear or doubt. She had already suffered the greatest loss.


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    Coolness greeted her fingers as she traced the rough-hewn stone walls. Moisture as well. There was no dust. That bothered Hua. Who had been coming down here so much that it could be cleaned?


    There was no door sealing the formation chamber. The stairs simply levelled out and past one last bend, a great column stole took up her vision. It was black as black could be. A smooth surface that showed two pinpricks of bright gold. Reflected them, she realised, seeing the subtle glow of her eyes in the dark.


    The perfectly cylindrical column was at the centre of the strangely small room. She recognised the material it was made from. Lodestone. A common find in the region the Liao Clan controlled. But one this Qi-conductive was rare, precious. It stood twice Hua¡¯s height and thrummed with so much electrical energy that her teeth hurt and caused a spiking pain behind her eyes. Around its base was a ring of dust evenly distributed with neither hill nor valley, growing less dense the further away from the lodestone¡¯s centre. That explained where the dust had gone. Drawn in by the lodestone. Though why this occurred, she could not say.


    Soon after, the elders reached her. The small room felt cloyingly small. Hua did not want to approach the lodestone to make space for herself because she wouldn¡¯t be able to help herself from drawing in the great volume of Qi in it. It was anathema to even think of using it as a cultivation aid, but greed still licked up Hua¡¯s spine. The lodestone pillar was glorious. Hua loved it. Desired its power as any true child of lightning would. Wanted that power to fill up another meridian, even one as endlessly deep as her seventh.


    She breathed calmly and made certain her dantian was stationary, her Qi unmoving. Not a hint of her Qi could seep out of her because if it did, she might not be able to hold it back from reaching out.


    The longer she looked, the more she could see the strange ribbons that led to places above ground. They were¡­ not colours, but something that gave the impression of colour. Or formed an association in her mind.


    ¡°The formations are anchored to five other locations,¡± she murmured. The number felt important. Five lesser anchors attached to the greater whole.


    ¡°How do you know that, girl?¡±


    ¡°Can you not see what is right in front of you?¡±


    Shenhou huffed, crossing his arms. ¡°Liao Furen, stop telling this child our clan secrets. What would the Yu have done to acquire that information? A child would have broken against their interrogators.¡±


    ¡°This old lady has never spoken of the formations to anyone younger than an Elder of the Shen Generation. Not even Elder Qiang or her fellow of the same generation. Even I am uncertain where she drew that knowledge from. Perhaps her brother. Perhaps the Patriarch. Perhaps no one at all.¡±


    ¡°Am I expected to believe she can see what no other can? That she can sense the anchors when even our Patriarch cannot. Preposterous. Girl, tell us where you came across that information.¡±


    ¡°Believe what you will, I cannot stop you from ignoring the truth.¡± Hua turned away from his studied outrage and looked to Elder Qiang, the only one she might like amongst the Council of Elders. ¡°Would the former heir not have been attached to the formations? What will happen with him?¡±


    ¡°Former,¡± Shenyu hissed, furious. ¡°Your brother is¡ª¡±


    His older brother, Shenyi, grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently. ¡°We are not going to brawl in the formation chamber and certainly not with a child. Just explain if you could.¡±


    If Shenyu¡¯s words had been cold before, now they could have left her fingers frostbitten. ¡°Our honoured heir Weijiang was removed from the formations before he left. It was a matter of security. Anyone venturing into foreign territory can¡¯t risk having those secrets exposed. With great discernment, one can view secrets from a corpse. Just the alignment of standard Meridians can give away dangerous information.¡±


    So why do you allow bastards to run around unattended if you care so much about security? One day, your bastards will be used against us if they haven¡¯t already.


    Hua did not speak these words as Elder Shenyi was right; fighting in the formation chamber was foolish.


    ¡°You believe someone can see the very soul but doubt my ability to see the other anchors?¡± she asked instead.


    ¡°One is a truth verified by centuries of work done by healers, mystics, and diviners. The other is a story you made up.¡±


    Hua narrowed her eyes and looked deeper. It was easier, here, to see it with the lodestone acting as an amplifier. The connection to him. And from him, another location on the mountain.


    ¡°You are tied to the northern anchor,¡± she announced confidently.


    The elder flinched. ¡°You cannot know that.¡±


    ¡°And yet I do. What other reason can there be but that my vision is greater? But such matters are not why we are here. Let us begin. The sooner I can be bound to the formations, the sooner my work can begin.¡±


    ¡°We can question her later,¡± Elder Qiang said before anyone complained. ¡°The formations must be anchored regardless of any other objections.¡±


    The five took up positions around the room, forming a pentagon with a bias to the northeast, the direction associated with the Trigram Zhen. Three elders in the northerly direction like an arrowhead, whilst two elders in the south formed a straight line or perhaps a base. Each of the five was connected to one of the distant anchors and through them, the central lodestone.


    At an unseen signal, Qi rose in unison from the elders holding the five anchors.


    The threads brightened, grew thicker and more energetic. They intensified and Hua finally understood what the colours meant. They were markers of elemental Qi. Fire to red, to embers and oak leaves in summer. Water was the greenish shade of the Liao River, but it was also the blue of the kingfisher diving into the sea. Metal a pitch black that matched the lodestone but was also the glint of a blade in the sun. Earth was the brown of soil after the first rains, the brown of petrichor, of new life. Wood was almost white, the shade of the flesh beneath the bark, the colour of milk sap that spilt from new wounds.


    Grandmother in a southern position was given to metal whilst Qiang formed the other point of the southerly line, forming a base of water and metal. Shenyu, Shenyi, and Shenhou given to fire, wood, and earth respectively, forming the northern arrowhead. Every colour was just an association of the Qi she was sensing. Fire was strongly yang aligned while wood was its weak counterpart and earth was neutral. Water and metal were the yin-aligned counterparts. The male elders producing the yang elements were matched in Qi by those making the yin elements, by Elder Qiang and her grandmother. The former sweating as she drew forth copious amounts of Qi. Balancing one another despite the difference in their Cultivation.


    And finally, Hua, who realised now what had to be done. Her place in the balancing act. She had done this before. What was a trigram but the splitting and rejoining of Qi in specific orders?


    She approached the lodestone. Static embraced her as loving as any embrace from her fragmented memories of a mother. When Hua laid hands upon it, every bone in her hands and arms shook. She groaned but forced herself to endure. Her dantian came to life and her Qi rose.


    To her shock, her Qi was not being depleted. It joined the cycle of five elements. She drew deeper and deeper quantities of Qi until she felt simultaneously drained and stuffed full. Drew that Qi until she could match the balance the elders created.


    One-part ying. Two-part yin. Biased to the northeast, it was nothing less than the Trigram Zhen.


    From the five elements, lightning was born. A storm louder than a thousand birds flapping their wings at once. Blindingly bright, barely hindered by Hua instinctively closing her eyes. Lightning spread from the lodestone to Hua and there was nowhere to send it, nowhere that truly mattered. If she did that, she would fail. A child of lightning could not reject lightning.


    It engulfed her but¡ª


    ¡°You must split it back,¡± Grandmother roared over the storm.


    ¡ªHua could overcome it. Had overcome something far greater. Hua breathed and with a great shove, she split the Qi in five directions and passed it on. Spidery sigils lit up the ground, spreading from Hua to the elders. And when they reached the elders, they split off, moving counterclockwise. From there, the Qi returned to Hua who was better prepared to split it. Again and again they did this until they had moved through five elements.


    Her Qi returned to her, but this time it was different. There was a¡­ an imprint of something she could only describe as Liao. Everything that was her clan, their history and Qi, their blood and Scripture. Everything that mattered was written on in her soul.


    ¡°Speak your name,¡± Grandmother demanded. ¡°Speak the name you would be known by.¡±


    ¡°I am the Lord Liao Weilong.¡±


    The formations lit up like the sunset as the mountain knew a new Lord.

 Chapter 27: Ancestral Approval

    ¡°I am the Lord Liao Weilong,¡± Hua declared, and by that declaration, the mountain knew a new lord.


    Old formations were bound to her in a great surge of light and power. They were powerful things, ancient, millennia old. She felt every year. The sudden influx of sensory information almost sent her to her knees. There was an awareness of everyone in this room that was greater. Before, she could only vaguely make out the tethers that tied the elders to the elemental anchors at equidistant points¡ªthat knowledge entered from the ether¡ªaround the lodestone, but now it was clear as day.


    Hua was exhausted. She felt it everywhere. Body, soul, Qi. Everything that was her had been passed through a grinder and remade to tie her to the lodestone at the centre of her clan¡¯s formations. But she stood tall if only so she could savour Elder Shenyu¡¯s pinched expression. There had never been a chance she would be friends with them.


    ¡°This has been a thoroughly unpleasant time,¡± said Elder Shenyu, who was thoroughly versed in making the lives of courtesans unpleasant by putting a bastard on them.


    ¡°Let us not do this for the third time in a decade,¡± Said Elder Shenyi, the older brother who had yet to make an unpleasant nuisance of himself.


    ¡°I, for one, have spent enough of my day on this matter. If nothing else remains, I will take my leave,¡± said Elder Shenhou, the foremost elder of the Shen generation who were likely to all prove themselves nuisances in the future.


    Before he could take a step, Hua asked, ¡°Are you certain nothing remains?¡±


    If Shenyu had expressed a complex cocktail of distaste, fury, and impotence, then Shenhou revealed only a deep-abiding indifference to Hua¡¯s existence. If Yu was the wildfire, Hu was the glacier. Her petty powerplay meant nothing to him. Her very existence was little more than a nuisance.


    Hua immediately took it personally. If the gods were her enemies, then she would make the elders acknowledge her.


    ¡°Is this old man wrong?¡±


    ¡°Quite,¡± she said sharply.


    ¡°Then will you tell this old man?¡±


    ¡°It should be quite simple to understand even for an old man.¡±


    Elder Qiang walked forward, interrupting the tense stand-off, and offered Hua a nod. ¡°Excuse me, Lord Weilong.¡±


    ¡°You are excused.¡±


    Elder Shenhou¡¯s indifference was marred by a flash of irritation she almost missed over Shenyu¡¯s expression of studied outrage. It was an immaculate look from the latter, his sheer affront worthy of the history books. But the former¡¯s expression vanished so fast Hua might have missed it in the flickering lamp light if not for her new eyes. Good, he as well felt the sting of disrespect. So long as she could affect him, it would be enough.


    Hua would make concessions in the future. Dangle her compliance like rope and watch them tie it around their necks, thinking that because it was held in their hand it couldn¡¯t kill them as well. But for now, it would need to be said again and again until everyone saw her and saw a lord as well.


    ¡°Truly, you mean to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Would a lord excuse this elder?¡± he asked flatly, using the most passive and indifferent tone she had ever heard in her life.


    ¡°You may.¡± She nodded to the two brothers. ¡°You may go as well. I am sure you have much to discuss.¡±


    Hua turned her attention away from them, making the dismissal final. Elder Shenyu sounded like a steaming pot in his fury, but Hua ignored it as he was pulled away by his brother.


    ¡°This ritual could have killed someone less prepared,¡± Hua said lightly, carefully, to the last occupant.


    Grandmother shrugged. ¡°Anyone of sufficient talent and strength would survive. I didn¡¯t raise a weak successor. If you¡¯d died, it would prove you were too weak to survive the coming trials.¡±


    ¡°It would have killed me two weeks ago. Would you have mourned my loss?¡±


    ¡°Stop wasting time on dead possibilities. Live in the now and focus on the days ahead.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, I suggest you leave me be for a few hours before I do something truly foolish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a final tip. Showing off your claws is all well and good, but if you do it too often without drawing blood, people will think they are blunt. They will ask if you are a paper tiger or a true dragon.¡±


    ¡°We fly the kingfisher banner,¡± she said pettily. ¡°Your analogy could use work.¡±


    ¡°As you say, Lord Great Dragon.¡±


    Her new name. Her new station. How petty to make that an insult.


    Grandmother left her like that, stewing in her irritation.


    ***


    Hua found herself walking back to her estate, taking a long, winding path to soothe her annoyance. She made certain she was seen, but truthfully, she was just basking in the solidity of the mountain beneath her. It was home and now she could feel it, truly, in her Qi and soul. Those bright pinpricks who shared it with her, bleeding together in a collage that brought her calm.


    Her home came into view, those sweeping roofs familiar. It was then that she stopped and addressed the presence that had been following her for the past three minutes.


    ¡°Ming, what do you want?¡± Hua asked without turning.


    ¡°How did you know¡ªsorry, not important, um, I need your assistance. Please. This is important.¡±


    Cousin Ming had never asked her for anything besides mercy at the training grounds. Hua turned and gave her the full weight of her attention. Her cousin flinched. Swallowed nervously.


    After a moment to square her shoulders, Ming said, ¡°We need permission to move the Bronze Cauldron.¡±


    ¡°I distinctly remember telling Weiji to help you with anything you needed and Weiji is many things, reliable and terrified of me included.¡±


    ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°He lacks the authority. His Elder lacks the authority. Without the Patriarch, moving the Cauldron specifically needs the Lord¡¯s permission,¡± Ming said slowly, carefully, glancing away when Hua¡¯s expression shifted.


    There had been no grand announcement made of her binding ritual, but it was obvious to anyone who could put three thoughts together. The Patriarch hidden away. The heir Weijiang missing. Hua as the strongest of the new generation. Even the most ignorant and far-removed member of their Clan would know by noon that she was Lord.


    It was also a subtle admonishment even if Ming did not mean it as one. She should have known the limits of authority. It was her duty as well now.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Her father¡¯s office had never been a place she spent time in. Maybe when she was a toddler but she doubted it. Mother was alive and they had minders to watch them. Certainly not after her grandmother entered the picture and took Hua as part of the internal politics that were increasingly becoming every aspect of Hua¡¯s life.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    This sunlit domain would be hers now. That the wards allowed her to unlock the door was proof enough of her station. It took three guesses before she found the box she was looking for. Lacquered wood varnished a deep black red, easily mistaken for black if not for the morning light. It unlocked and in it, she found stacks of flat bamboo.


    Bamboo slips were an old way to write a message, but these ones could not be faked. They were spirit plants they purchased from the Zhao Clan, and once they were infused with a certain Qi signature, they could not be removed or replaced.


    She laid one on the table and laid out her father¡¯s writing equipment. Ming immediately set herself to making ink from the block as Hua found an appropriate brush. If there was one lesson she hadn¡¯t been able to miss, it was calligraphy. Her father and grandmother found common ground in that. She dipped the brush in freshly made ink and wrote her first missive as Lord Liao.


    <blockquote>


    By decree of Lord Liao who guards all lightning and the Five Thunders on behalf of the Thunder Bureau, the Radiant Tenth Cauldron that Refines to Origin is to be immediately released for use by the priest or priest-in-training carrying this permission slip. All members of the Bronze Guard are to be raised to battle readiness and accompany the Cauldron to all environs that the bearer of this missive visits in service of setting the dead to rest.


    Let it be known that any and all attempts to impede the bearer of this missive will be considered treason against the Liao Clan. Let it be known that they walk with the full authority of the Liao Clan and all resources are to be availed to them as they exorcise the restless spirits of the dead.


    This I write with my authority as Lord Liao Weilong, Anchor of the Formations, and Heir to Liao Xiaosan, the Radiant Lightning Body.


    </blockquote>


    Her first formal missive. When its purpose was complete, it would be taken and added to the clan annals for future generations to judge her by.


    She did not yet have a personal seal. She took her father¡¯s Clan Seal, a block of clear jade with characters carved upon the base and infused it with Qi before stamping it down on the slip. Upon the bamboo permission slip, the Kingfisher symbol glowed a vibrant red.


    Hua waited until the ink had dried before passing it over to Ming who took it reverently.


    She read over it with careful eyes that widened as she went through it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ming bowed low.


    Hua felt a great bitterness.


    This would be her life. She would be removed from her peers in a way she had never fathomed. Even as they were together, Hua would be beyond them. If they wished this farcical deception to hold, nothing else could be accepted.


    ¡°How long will it take you to set it up?¡±


    ¡°No more than a sichen.¡±


    ¡°Then I will be there. Let the Clan know its new Lord will be present and that all members of the main lineage are to attend.¡±


    ***


    Two hours was not much time for an entire clan to organise. Even Hua wasn¡¯t quite so mad as to demand that. Old Ren and his team would be busy making reagents and healing kin to attend. Too many vassals dealing with the mundane tasks of ensuring the compound functioned.


    ¡°The Liao Patriarch has traditionally led the opening parts of Yu Lan,¡± her grandmother said before they left for the burial grounds. Even Hua¡¯s snappish displeasure hadn¡¯t made Grandmother leave. ¡°It won¡¯t be expected that you do more than consecrate the Clan grounds since we haven¡¯t made the formal announcement yet. So long as you are present, it will be enough.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make the Elders accept a lord who won¡¯t even take part in the most important ceremony of the year? You just cautioned me against making enemies for no reason but here you are, ensuring the entire Council of Elders will loathe me more than they already do.¡±


    ¡°There was never any chance those Shen boys wouldn¡¯t hate you. You¡¯re at least twice as talented as Little Yu¡¯s grandson and that¡¯s before including Weiji¡¯s natural disposition. No matter how hard you try, you¡¯ll always be the wrong candidate for them. Keep making them mad for my entertainment; I¡¯ll happily watch you cut a head or two.¡±


    ¡°Much as I would very happily kill someone, I would like to avoid any kinslaying this generation.¡±


    ¡°More kinslaying, you mean.¡±


    Hua blinked. ¡°Yes, more. That will not be my legacy. Tell me you understand.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I can indulge my favourite disciple.¡±


    ¡°And your only. Technicalities like that are beneath you. Now, what do you read from the Clan cemetery?¡±


    ¡°Terrible things. Forming a lake over a burial ground is¡­ well, the Trigrams aren¡¯t favourable. Lake over Mountain or Heaven over Lake depending on how you read it. Easy to read something negative out of being told to tread carefully quite literally over our Clan grave and the hexagram for Conjoining. This is one time I wish I¡¯d convinced a Yu Diviner to join us.¡±


    Hexagrams were the greater counterpart to the trigram. Stack a trigram upon another trigram, and a hexagram was produced. Do it carelessly and your dantian would explode. Hua had never formed one.


    ¡°Oh, I see, because they¡¯re diviners they knew you were coming and fled like any reasonable person.¡±


    Grandmother smacked her on the head. ¡°No, you silly child. They committed suicide before I got near.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so they fled like any reasonable person should.¡±


    Getting one over her grandmother was worth being smacked a hundred times more. It was a strange bit of normalcy before they would put their ancestors to rest. The absurdity of the past week threatened to overwhelm her¡ªQing, always Qing waiting in the corner of her vision, judging her every act. But only for a moment. Then, she donned the mantle of the person she needed to be.


    This would be the first time she would appear in a formal setting as the Liao Clan¡¯s acting lord.


    She was not alone. Her twins followed her and from them, she drew her confidence. The white robes they wore were of great quality. Hua hated seeing them in anything related to mourning. Had they even lost someone they cared for? Beyond mourning for the sake of mourning blood, was there anyone they knew who had fallen?


    There were still some fires burning across the city or perhaps they were new fires formed in the chaos. The greatest loss of life the city experienced since they took control of the city. She could see the smoke towers from here, but the formations kept them from choking on ash.


    They couldn¡¯t protect the grounds from everything. The great mountain basin that stored water had cracked through. Forever would there be a waterfall down the slopes to the Clan grave and overflowing to the lower hills, down to the city, and eventually the Liao River. It had swelled, yes, but it was almost gentle the flooding it inflicted on her clan grounds. Almost as if it had chosen the mortals to punish and the new lake was an unfortunate byproduct.


    The lake had become a sea of manmade lights after the work their priests had done. Their reserve of lotus lanterns had been unleashed upon the lake, their blossoms lit by the flame at their centre. Altars and headstones stuck out from the lake¡¯s calm surface and occasionally, the lotus lanterns would stop by them.


    The Great Bronze Cauldron was transported by guards in full regalia, blue and gold armour glittering even at night. Priests accompanied them. Led the procession, really, beating on small leather drums with bamboo sticks. They chanted a song she had hummed along with every year.


    Finally, the Cauldron was set down. The head priest approached Hua. This would be Ming¡¯s mother, knowing it in the same way she had felt Ming, and could now tell which of her relatives were in the field overlooking the new lake.


    Liao Hua accepted a torch and infused it with a spark of her Qi. She inserted it in the cauldron. Flames roared to life, burning the same shade of gold as her eyes. This was not a colour she had ever seen from a flame. Murmurs rose. Or anyone, it seemed.


    But there were things that must be done and so she accepted a sheaf of golden joss paper, the customary offering. She threw it into the Bronze Cauldron and watched as the hungry flames consumed it. One by one, their clan added their offerings to the Cauldron. And one by one, the flames grew higher and burnt hotter.


    Lights rose from the formed lake. At first, Hua thought they might be a lotus lantern burning. But then the light rose and formed a sight she had witnessed upon returning to the clan grounds and seeing the lake for the first time.


    The spirits of the dead would not let themselves be forgotten.


    Hua looked around and confirmed that yes, others were seeing the dead now. There were murmurs sweeping through those in attendance.


    ¡°Ghosts,¡± Elder Qiang said in a fearful voice.


    ¡°No,¡± the head priest countered strongly, ¡°these are our ancestors.¡±


    Small fingers wrapped around Hua¡¯s left hand. She glanced down and saw Song¡¯s white-knuckled grip on her hand. On Song¡¯s other side, Meiling was wincing, her had crushed as well.


    One of the elders gasped. ¡°Is that¡­ surely that is not Xiaoyuan?¡±


    Grandmother huffed and said lowly, ¡°Even in death that boy can¡¯t leave me be.¡±


    With no choice, they continued the ceremony. The smell of camphor, cloves and burning metal choked the air. Hua breathed it in calmly, never faltering. There could never be a moment of weakness again. Not so long as she was Lord.


    When the chanting reached a crescendo, the ghosts rose from the lake and drifted toward the Cauldron. Everyone moved away to give them an unimpeded path and they watched as the first of their ancestors approached the Cauldron.


    It paused to look at Hua.


    ¡°We will endure,¡± said Lord Liao Weilong for all those listening, living and dead. ¡°Liao has always stood sentinel over the Amber Sea. So long as I live, I will stand sentinel over this clan.¡±


    Whatever the ghost¡ªher uncle¡ªsaw in her, it was enough for him to reach past her, toward the Cauldron. As his ephemeral hand touched the flames, they spread across his form. He rose as though buoyed by the fire and the fire roared in turn.


    It was like a floodgate opened, the dead eager to go to another place beyond their sunken graves. A place they could finally lay down their heads and find whatever peace was awaiting them.


    With each of the restless dead, the flames rose until there was a golden beacon reaching towards the heavens. Radiant warmth that washed over them gently despite the power of the fire. It was¡­ sacred. Beautiful and haunting, the act of burning away her ancestors.


    And then all at once, silence.


    A cavernous quiet that engulfed them as the flames died away. No evidence would remain but the memory they carried. No sign or proof but what they kept in their hearts and defended by telling of this night to future generations.


    Cousin Ming tugged on Hua¡¯s sleeve. Hua turned to her, seeing that she had lifted the veil of her headdress.


    ¡°That hasn¡¯t happened in centuries. A true exorcism like this, where we see them¡ªeven the Yu Clan can¡¯t make that claim. Something is terribly wrong.¡±


    ¡°Did you not hear me the first time? So long as I live, we will endure,¡± Hua promised. ¡°We will make it through these dark days. So long as you hold true to clan and lightning, we will make it to the future. This, I promise you, on my new name.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you doubt me, Cousin Ming?¡±


    Ming swallowed and could not meet her gaze for long. ¡°No, Lord.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me what you need and this Lord will resolve the matter.¡±


    ¡°I think we might need the local priests.¡±


    Maybe killing a local priest was a mistake.

 Chapter 28: The Pure City

    A procession of white invaded the streets of Liaojiangkou as the Liao Clan emerged unto the ruined city they ruled over.


    Leading them were Liao priests in their white Fa Yi vestments, a shade more blinding than northern snowfields at noon, almost as though warding off evil intentions; embroidered in gold upon these vestments were depictions of the underworld, their rulers and tortures. This embroidery spoke to the department they had dedicated their spiritual learning. Other departments were more common for a priest to join, but for a Cultivation Clan, the greatest need lay in those who could transcend ghostly presences might be tethered to the Qi of a dead Cultivator.


    The white robes Hua wore would very soon be stained grey as ash fell relentlessly and the smoke of dying fires was blown across the city. The bright blue of her lapels would be hidden by soot. Without the Liao River and the flooding from the basin, more of the city would have burnt. There might very well have been no city left. For once, flooding had been a kindness. Future generations would not believe the history books.


    It was strange to see the sky without the celestial lightning. The glimpse of heaven she saw once. The final goal of her journey, no matter how long it took. There, she would break the spires and impale the gods for what they had done. She would rip with lightning on her fingers and tear with fury in her heart until it was done and only silence remained.


    Hua exhaled her frustrations and continued in the procession, only a few steps behind the priests. She walked in her own pocket of authority.


    There was destruction that couldn¡¯t be ignored. Home broken, shops shattered, inns burnt to the ground. No matter where they went, the toll in damage would be ruinous. People worked to repair and to triage and to rebuild what they could. But with the cold winds howling through the streets, winter would come soon and claim more lives. If they lost less than a third of their population in the next decade, it would be a great victory.


    There were, of course, Clan soldiers carrying the Clan¡¯s Great Bronze Cauldron right behind Hua. Their armour gleamed in the strange reddish light the sun made through the smog. These were the same soldiers that had carried the Cauldron to the Lake and they would be the same soldiers who would return it. Just as the Gate Guard never walked away from their post, the Bronze Troops vowed to guard the Cauldron day and night.


    They would stop at the city¡¯s central square. It was one of the largest spaces in the city, the intersection between a great many roads and a path leading to the now-drowned docks.


    It was also piled high with burning corpses. She would not be able to eat cooked meat for a while.


    The head priest directed the soldiers to set the Bronze Cauldron down. The others in the Clan cleared the space, forcing back the crowd with uncommon kindness for a person who carried the name Liao. Not many opposed this. Partly fear, partly understanding.


    The highest members of the Clan took up places around the Cauldron in eight of the ten cardinal directions, whilst the Head Priest and her second took up the cardinal directions for Heaven and Earth. Those last two directions were not verticals¡ªHua knew that from the great glimpse she¡¯d had witnessed, how it both enveloped the world and folded upon itself¡ªbut a journey that needed to be walked.


    And so those two priests danced a path leading from Earth to Heaven. If one looked at a remove, they might see the space had been separated into ten sectors on a grid. Yubu, one of the inheritances Yu the Great had left for the world.


    Hua did not know the steps. It had never been her duty to know. She stood in the cardinal for the Northeast where the Trigram Zhen was known. Zhen for Thunder, Northeast for the eldest son.


    The pyre¡¯s flames changed slowly. Flickers of green entered the mix as the temperature increased. It shifted further to blue as the cackling of fat and bone increased, pop-snaps arriving at a faster tempo.


    Alongside her grandmother and elders and those who took their place in the cardinals, Hua infused a piece of joss with her Qi, imparted the nature of Zhen to dislodge the restful dead, together they threw joss like confetti.


    The cauldron¡¯s flames turned golden like noon was upon them. It was a fire that was liquid, that burned as it flowed, as impossible as divine lightning but far kinder than anything the gods wrought in their malice.


    If Hua lifted her gaze skyward, she could see a structure being built in the shadow of the golden flames. As Qi built and with each step the priests made, that structure led to a place far beyond.


    In this arrangement of trigrams and dances, space had been made for any to approach and add their offerings to the Bronze Cauldron. The first was an elder. Then it was her cousin Weiji throwing a bundle of orange. One after another, her Clan members threw in their offerings. And then it was the vassals who served and finally, one brave civilian whose act became a floodgate of offerings.


    People wept freely. They screamed, they cried and they howled, grief and fury and relief mingling with the flames. A vital energy from the crowd fuelling the flames, pushing the lights ever onward. To a place where ghosts could rest and feast and be judged without the weight of the earth anchoring their sins.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    They would never understand the honour this was, only a step removed from using the Emperor¡¯s own Great Cauldron. Mortals knew Liao Xiaosan was a hero. They could not comprehend the degree to which he was honoured until, perhaps, this moment when they saw their offerings accepted. It was from his honour that they could see their loved ones at peace. The power of peace could be felt though for Hua, it was a force felt in its absence.


    She saw a ghost in the crowd. Walking between the ignorant masses. Always just missing a flailing limb. No matter how vigorous the dances grew, no matter the light that rose and rose, the ghost remained.


    Maybe Qing was tethered to this place by Hua.


    ¡°Where will I be buried?¡± the ghost asked Hua, words clear as a ringing bell. ¡°I¡¯m at the bottom of the river you named yourself after. You killed me, Hua. You did that.¡±


    Sweat beaded on her forehead. Exhaustion, surely, just from using her Qi. From enduring the last few days.


    ¡°Qing wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± she hissed under her breath.


    ¡°You thought I couldn¡¯t love you and you were wrong. Why do you think I could never hate you as well? You were a terrible friend. The worst kind of person; cruel, selfish, and malicious. I couldn¡¯t abide who you were when I breathed. I still can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you fucking here?¡± she asked just as she had asked Qing when they were angry with each other and yet always returned to one another. The thread between them stretched far and never broke no matter how far down opposite roads they walked.


    ¡°I¡¯m trapped beneath the ocean. The waters crush me. I will drown forever tied to you. Set me free. Right here, right now, let me burn away and rest.¡±


    Letting go of Qing was unthinkable madness. Hua gritted her teeth and focused on infusing her Qi into the joss papers. One after another, she poured her Qi into them. She endured the judgemental gaze of Qing¡¯s ghost and the ache deep inside her, where the dantian felt heavier than the mountains she knew as home.


    With each breath, she inhaled the smoke of the dead and the incense to appease them. She hated the taste, but it was better to focus on that than the taste of her regrets.


    It was not a short purification. It went on for minutes then hours. Noon gave way to sunset as more came to leave their dead and send them onwards.


    There was the Madame dressed in her finest mourning garb. Her men carried bodies wrapped in cloth and they were added to the pyre. The corpses ignited instantly, vanishing within the raging flames. She and her workers approached the Cauldron. Hua met her gaze and the two shared a moment of understanding. Cultivators mourned as mortals did, with the same fury and grief.


    So many arrived and so many laid their dead on the pyre before giving their offering. It was the Sealord throwing salt in the Cauldron. The Blue Hand pouring beer on the flames. Silver and gold and paper money, wheat and rice and honeyed meat. The essentials of life. Offerings that continued to build a bridge for spirits to cross. And when the last flickering light rose away, Hua knew things would soon end.


    The pyre¡¯s blue flame died all at once. The sudden death of flame drew in the air with a loud clap. The sound startled one and all.


    The priest¡¯s steps slowed as well. They came to a halt in the sectors for Heaven and Earth. As they did and the journey ended, the golden flames in the Bronze Cauldron reverted to a more standard flame. The simple reds and yellows one thought of from a fire, not that mythical flame in gold. Its job was done for now, the bridge forged and made, hungry spirits led to a place where they might be feast in peace.


    Where the had once been bodies, only ash remained. Not one bone had survived those cleansing flames.


    Hua finally let her Qi stop flowing. She felt depleted greatly. As she looked about, she saw two of the Elders kneeling on the ground, her clansmen flocking to support them. The other four of her kin who had taken up the cardinal directions visibly trembled beneath their white cloaks.


    The head priest was breathing hard. Both priests were. She watched them down a pill each, dregs of Qi sparking bright in their bodies. Not cheap, not at all. Those were their better pills, of a kind with the three Weiji gave her. They had allowed her to work tirelessly for days, trying to clear streets, and organise the foolish mortals who cared more about short-term gain than the home their children would have.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown stronger,¡± her grandmother said approvingly, coming to stand at Hua¡¯s shoulder, avoiding the cracks in the stonework. ¡°The sixth star shines bright in you. Brighter than any I have ever seen.¡±


    Only they two remained upright without issue. Hua felt a flicker of warmth. Pride. She luxuriated in that contentedness. This was a good thing she had done. A worthy thing. Qing would have been smiling if she were here. Hua believed that with everything she could. Qing would have been proud, wouldn¡¯t have blamed or hated her. She couldn¡¯t have.


    Hua wouldn¡¯t believe in a world where Qing could be disappointed in her for doing this.


    ¡°What did you do to that boy?¡±


    She followed her mother¡¯s intent and found her staring through the haze at the Sealord. Boy was¡­ an interesting way to talk to someone in their twilight years. He was keeping a wary eye but pretending he wasn¡¯t. His prosthetic fist kept clenching until he remembered to release it. The cycle of it was consistent in a way only something artificial could achieve.


    ¡°He made me do his busy work. Used me like a piece on the weiqi board and thought all my moves were free. I told him what would happen now that he¡¯d used up my patience.¡±


    Grandmother nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t ride the leopard unless you¡¯re willing to lose your face.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not upset? I thought he was your friend.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I don¡¯t like him that much. Well, I find him both entertaining and useful. A rare combination. But I have replacements for most people I find useful and the Sealord is no exception. It would be more irritating now, given all that¡¯s occurred, but I could find someone in a week. I wouldn¡¯t mind taking direct control over his venture and giving our Clan greater control of the river sharing our name, so you have my blessing if you need to kill him.¡±


    ¡°So, I could have just killed him and saved myself the effort of negotiating with him?¡±


    ¡°And in the process, you came up with a reasonable plan to break his monopoly. One that would see us with more influence than a direct power grab. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have my people make sure Zhang Pi lives. I wouldn¡¯t want your first scheme to come to nothing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, I¡¯ll expect you to see it through to the end.¡±

 Chapter 29: Matters of Magistrates

    They endured. There was no other option for any member of the Liao Clan. At noon the next day, they conducted another purification ritual. Different Elders joined this ritual. Only Hua and her grandmother remained standing, though Hua was left shaking and sweating. There was more than one considering gaze watching those elders who bore the Generation name Shen fail to stay standing whilst their junior stayed to complete their duty.


    The story of a son named ¡®Long¡¯ of the Wei Generation had begun. It need only be a rumour for now. She had the silver hair and the lightning. One might assume her a girl or they could see a son of great beauty. Power and reputation would make it the latter, make her lord in truth and not just by declaration.


    It was why Hua was visiting Old Ren. She now had the authority to acquire more power.


    The Alchemical Pavillion shared space with the healing house. The pungent waft of vile herbs was a constant that offered no comfort. She¡¯d had her fill of these herbs the first time something had gone wrong on the training grounds and each time since. She was long since sick and tired of the pungent odour.


    Old Ren was not particularly old, only a few years younger than the Shen generation, but he carried himself with the grouchiness of someone older than her grandmother. Hair white from age grew in patches on his wrinkled head. His beard was equally patchy, though mostly from¡ª


    A shower of embers erupted. Old Ren leaned back before they could consume much more of his beard. He coughed once, waving away the eruption of smoke with casual indifference.


    ¡°Who ruined my experiment by opening that damned door!¡±


    ¡°Your crimes against everything good and decent blow up enough on their own,¡± Hua said, unbothered by his aggression. She wasn¡¯t Weiji to get bullied by everything. ¡°You only have yourself to blame, Old Ren.¡±


    ¡°That you, Hua girl, or are you one of Xiao Jiu¡¯s other kids? Too many of you to keep track. Heard some nonsense about a dragon showing up. Signed me up for some work I don¡¯t care about. I¡¯m not doing it! I say I¡¯m not doing it. I¡¯m on the verge of synthesizing a new medicine. Tell the dragon to fly away.¡±


    ¡°That would be me. You may know me as Lord Liao Weilong.¡±


    ¡°Then you fly away and don¡¯t come back,¡± he groused, squinting his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t care about none of the politicking. Didn¡¯t care with your grandmother or your father, won¡¯t care with your grandchildren. Now what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Pills.¡±


    ¡°Already sent out the allotments for the month. You get the same pills as everyone else in Qi Gathering based on how many Meridians you have unlocked. Getting a title don¡¯t change my rules.¡±


    She handed over a permission slip signed and sealed using the Liao Clan Seal. The Lord¡¯s Seal. A seal only Hua had access to. He scoffed, throwing the permission slip straight into the fire. It crackled with the latent Qi in the slip.


    ¡°Both Qiqi and Shenhe¡¯s allotments? Couldn¡¯t even wait for them to be buried before siphoning their allotment? And who needs these cleansing pills? Bah, you children, thinking pills will get you through everything. Well, let me tell you, popping pills is just a fast way to a deviation.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean your pills are bad quality?¡± she teased.


    ¡°I will poison your pills if you ever say that again.¡±


    He went into his backroom and came back with two pouches. He left them on the table and told her to leave with them, returning to his experiment. Hua took them without issue. She was used to his antics. Healing pills, Qi-restoring pills, and spiritual cleansing pills. The standard compliment.


    Old Ren lied about not being involved in politics. Hua tended to get the best pills given to those of her rank, those pills with the fewest impurities likely to be given to an Elder. What the Elders received was notable only in their quantity, not in their quality.


    At only six stars, there weren¡¯t any pills Old Ren could produce to help Hua advance. But what he made could stop one from degrading. Even then, just having a source of Qi to draw on after exhaustion was the difference between dying in battle and enduring against another opponent.


    One couldn¡¯t make a pill greater than their rank, which limited how powerful a pill could be, and Qi Gathering Alchemists faced the same issue anyone in that rank dealt with; giving away Qi was permanent. Any loss needed to be cultivated again. Unless one had a great catalyst like a Cauldron, it was unavoidable.


    Weak as they were, these pills were still ruinously expensive. Hua got better ones not because she was a prodigy, which she was, or because she was her father¡¯s favourite child¡ªher brother held that title¡ªbut because her grandmother supplied the Qi to alchemize and refine her allotment.


    Even with all the Qi in those pills, it didn¡¯t come close to saturating her seventh meridian. It filled it as much as a bucket of water could fill a well.


    ***


    It was later in the evening as she read over her father¡¯s records, searching for any secret correspondence that may have been missed, that she was disturbed. A single sharp rap against the partly open oak door was all the warning she had before Liu Xin entered.


    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to find the Magistrate, my Lord,¡± Liu Xin told her without preamble. She liked that about him.


    ¡°Greetings to you as well, Liu Xin. I thought you had run off when you went missing for so long.¡±


    He bowed. ¡°Apologies. Your work didn¡¯t seem to require my assistance. I spent my time getting acquainted with your clan.¡±


    With the benefit of sleep, a few meals, and the safety of knowing a Cultivator supported him, Liu Xin looked much better. He still had inklings of grey at his temples¡ªperhaps an early onset of them¡ªbut the wrinkles had been mostly smoothed out. In clean clothes, and looking healthy, he went from plain to mildly attractive even to Hua.


    ¡°Where was the Magistrate?¡±


    ¡°Unconscious for the past week. Smoke inhalation before he got picked out of the rubble. Without his regalia, people didn¡¯t recognise him. He¡¯s up and about now.¡±


    Good, someone with genuine authority, not the aides and soldiers who would shuffle responsibility around endlessly to avoid having to make decisions.


    ¡°Who gave you the order to organise a search for the Magistrate?¡±


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    ¡°You had wished to speak to him. This servant simply worked to do your bidding.¡±


    ¡°And you weren¡¯t doing it at my grandmother¡¯s command? I find it hard to believe since she said she would take a personal interest in your training.¡±


    ¡°Lord Weilong is as wise as the honourable Liao Furen.¡±


    If he was a spy, then he was a bad one. Had her grandmother possessed a single suspicion, she would have removed his head with her Hummingbird Blade. Cut through his neck and left a crimson smile trailing in the wake of her silver hair. After torturing him. Hua wasn¡¯t a fan of torture if only because she would rather avoid needlessly getting blood on her clothes.


    Hua had chosen to accept that he was just hitching his wagon to the Liao oxen, binding his fortunes to hers now that his old life had been murdered and burnt down. Or burnt down and murdered, she wasn¡¯t certain of the exact order. Either ended with his fellow scholars dead and only what few books he could carry in his leather satchel.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go pay him a visit.¡±


    She made her way to the Entrance Gate, Liu Xin following closely behind. People aggressively moved out of her way and looked away from her glance too fast for Hua to tell if it was fear or if it was respect. Never mind that her eyes could see things divine and saw their expressions with startling clarity in the few moments before they turned away. She chose to believe it was not genuine apprehension and fear from people who had known her all fifteen years of her life. Fear, not of her whims, but of something deeper, sharper than a leopard¡¯s claws, crueller than the bite of a knife in the back.


    It was easier to not pay attention to one of her cousins turning around the moment they saw her. Easier to believe they had simply forgotten something and were running to fetch it.


    ¡°Do you expect the Sealord to keep to your bargain?¡± Liu Xin asked, drawing her from the pit forming in her gut. ¡°He does not seem the type to keep faith with others.¡±


    Admittedly, it wasn¡¯t so much a bargain as a threat to the man¡¯s life. Hua had told the Sealord to behave himself or lose his life for daring to make Hua do his dirty work. After inflicting so great an embarrassment on her pride as a Cultivator, he was incredibly lucky to be as connected as he was. She was bitter to have learned she could have killed him without anything more than her grandmother¡¯s fleeting annoyance.


    ¡°He¡¯ll try to wriggle out of it, no doubt. Zhang Pi will have an unfortunate accident sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Shall I put people on it?¡±


    ¡°You have people now?¡±


    ¡°I might. How much of the school survived will determine the size of my network. There were never many of us, but we had favourable relationships with many individuals of disrepute. Enough to have something of an information network.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have a thousand silver taels to make use of.¡±


    ¡°Only if your Lady Grandmother approves. She was of the view that you should not be allowed to make purchases greater than twenty silver at a time. The Clan treasurer was very much threatened into agreeing with this sentiment.¡±


    ¡°Of course she would do that. I¡¯ll threaten him into doing what I want when we get back. He usually does the bidding of whoever threatened him last. An irritating sort of consistent inconsistency. But yes, hire whoever you need to protect Zhang Pi. No, not simply that, make it known that I will hold the Sealord accountable for anything that happens to Zhang Pi, no matter the cause. That should force him to act to protect Zhang Pi if only to protect himself.¡±


    ¡°And should the threat come from Cultivators?¡±


    From your Clan, he was truly saying. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have a Sealord to drown and a fool with a spirit root in need of destroying.¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡±


    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why the Sealord simply didn¡¯t kidnap Zhang Pi and sell him into slavery somewhere in the far west. After threatening him, burning his warehouses down, three murder attempts and trying to send a Cultivator to his doorstep, slavery would have been faster and made him a profit.¡±


    ¡°The Sealord loathes slavery, my Lord. He is known to cut off the right hand of any slaver he meets.¡±


    ¡°But the murder, torture, and arson are perfectly acceptable?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Liu Xin said dryly.


    It was a bewildering moral system. Hua couldn¡¯t understand how to square away the difference. They were all just different means of controlling a person and inflicting your will upon them. Hua would never accept being a slave because she would never accept a master and be too weak to break her yoke. It was the providence of mortals to bow as slaves. But even if one had been a slave in the past, going around and cutting off mortal hands felt needless when you could cut their throats faster and deal with the problem directly. It was vanity in Hua¡¯s mind. Just as she would one day have the Sealord¡¯s metal and jade arm, so too did he desire hands of his own as trophies.


    ¡°I should find out if we use any slave labour.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I wish to watch the Sealord choke on his hypocrisy as he lets me do as I please. I could go buy some if we don¡¯t have any slaves already.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, do you truly believe dealing with mortal slave owners is worth your momentary entertainment? You would be dealing with salespeople, and I promise you, nothing could be worse for you.¡±


    ¡°I could make you do it.¡±


    ¡°Your servant would have to take an abrupt and extended leave of illness, unfortunately.¡±


    That was her plan foiled spectacularly. Hua would not be dealing with any mortals attempting to sell her something.


    ¡°We should go,¡± she said suddenly.


    ¡°My lord?¡± he asked but Hua was already fleeing at a fast walk.


    A Qi signature was approaching rapidly. Its familiarity had her speeding up. If she moved quickly enough, maybe she could avoid¡ª


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    Never mind, there would be no avoiding anyone willing to shout that loud or jump their way down a few flights of stairs.


    And fail at their landing.


    Cousin Weiji tripped, stumbled past the stairs entirely, and only barely caught himself by crashing into a tree. Hua¡­ she just sighed and pulled him up. There was no helping some people. Certainly, no helping that tree that was bowled over.


    Hua plucked a red-leafed twig caught in his hair and patted him down. He¡¯d avoided any bruises but left the tree tottering dangerously. ¡°Try not to die going down the stairs.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Anything for my favourite cousin.¡±


    ¡°Now, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°Out.¡±


    ¡°If you think for a single moment that I will leave you alone with this peasant then you know nothing of me.¡±


    ¡°Let,¡± she said imperiously, stretching the word. ¡°Who are you to think you let me do anything?¡±


    Weiji glared at her. Actually glared, with genuine annoyance and anger. Hua nearly startled. Nearly. She was rather curious where he would go from this.


    The deep bow was an unexpected move. ¡°My Lord Liao, I am loyal, but some things cannot be borne. Not for the heir and not for our acting Lord. To go unaccompanied with a peasant, a man who is not even out-clan or a vassal, says things about our family and our allies. Please, allow us to serve as we are meant to.¡±


    ¡°Young Mistress Hua could go where she wished without being accompanied.¡±


    ¡°Young Mistress Hua went where she pleased within the bounds of the city under the purview of the Hummingbird Blade and the Radiant Thunder Body, patrolled by the soldiers who owed fealty to Liao coffers. When she went to challenge martial schools, she went with her honoured Aunt Qiang and a dozen soldiers besides. Even within this city, your honoured father, the Liao Patriarch did not go unaccompanied by his attendants and even Clan Elders.¡±


    She knew this. Hated it but understood it. The inefficiency of ceremony, the wasted words of courtesy. Soft power, one of the few things Qi could not replicate so easily.


    Hua sighed. ¡°Get up already. You act like you don¡¯t share Grandmother¡¯s blood equally with me.¡±


    ¡°This humble Weiji worries that the honourable Lord Liao has forgotten his family tree. Though the Lord Weilong has taken the name of the same Wei Generation as I, he might as well have chosen to take the Shen Generation name as my honoured grandfather Shenyu.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t but it wasn¡¯t of any importance. The Shens were old, and she was not. That was all that mattered.


    ¡°I had hoped not to make a production of visiting the Magistrate.¡± Weiji paled which meant she had made another mistake. She explained, ¡°The people will be outraged if they see Liao dressed in their finery whilst their homes are destroyed. I would rather not incite a rebellion when I need them working the fields.¡±


    ¡°The peasants will know that Liao remains powerful and spread that story. Even if they spit and curse a display of wealth, they will still speak of wealth, of power, of a Lord worthy of his name. Do not give up your power for petty reasons, Lord Liao. It is unworthy of you and it dishonours Liao itself.¡±


    ¡°Fine, do whatever you please,¡± she resented.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see to it.¡± He gave her a smile and then turned his glare to Liu Xin. ¡°You, peasant, if you think you are an attendant, then come so I can put you to work.¡±


    ¡°On the matter of the Magistrate,¡± Hua added.


    This time, Weiji sent her a glare as well. ¡°Fine, on the matter of the Magistrate.¡±


    Was this truly to be her life, dealing with battles between those loyal to her? At least, she knew Weiji was loyal. He¡¯d always liked her. Assuming she could give Liu Xin whatever he wanted without paying too great a cost, that was another person loyal to her exclusively.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a massive production of this,¡± she warned.

 Chapter 30: Confronting the Magistrate

    He made a production of it, Hua thought, warring between amusement, annoyance, and anger. It took great focus not to scowl at the sight waiting for her at the base of the hill, between the outer walls and the arched gate being opened.


    Twelve horses aligned in two neat rows. A full dozen beasts of burden saddled in an arrangement of leather and gleaming gold that was almost too ornamental to be practical. The saddle blankets were embroidered fabric in sky blue that draped down to the horse¡¯s knees. Draped so low, they gave the already broad horses a wider silhouette.


    When all twelve had to be put down from broken ankles after working down devastated roads, she was making Weiji do it, and she would make him eat horsemeat for the next year.


    She glared at her cousin where he was already mounted on his horse, an antsy beast that skittered back when Hua approached. It didn¡¯t calm when she placed her hand on its silken neck, entertained by the way its dark sheen turned matte when displaced.


    ¡°It fits your temperament,¡± she said as it chuffed in annoyance, kept steady only by Weiji¡¯s steadying hand. ¡°A perfectly nervous disposition to match you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare her,¡± he complained. ¡°She¡¯s a sweet creature.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for a horse person. Thought you didn¡¯t like them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my favourite creatures now that I know your savage is afraid of them.¡±


    That explained much. Both why so many horses were chosen and why Liu Xin had been sent ahead. Weiji was just petty enough to do this.


    ¡°I doubt he¡¯s afraid of horses. Wanting to get away from someone who has threatened to kill him is a more likely truth. Do you think my horse will like me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be too terrified to misbehave. One day I¡¯ll find a cannibalistic horse just for you. Wouldn¡¯t want you to think no animal is right for you.¡±


    ¡°I hope you enjoy horsemeat because it¡¯s all you¡¯ll get when they break their ankles. I¡®m truly bewildered at the numbers you¡¯ve brought out for a simple meeting.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate. Politics is never simple.¡±


    After a bit more needling, a compromise was reached, and they would have only two flagbearers. A true miracle. If Weiji had his way, he¡¯d have half the city line the streets, waving kingfisher banners. The other half would be made to cheer on the pain of death¡­ Hua wasn¡¯t sure whether physical torture would be worse than having to listen to Weiji¡¯s homegrown poetry¡ªhe had a good voice for recitation but no mind for rhyme.


    Hua made her way to the horse in the lead whose saddle blanket had a sky-blue kingfisher against a blindingly white field. She greeted the stallion with kind hands and gentle words. When it was settled, she saddled the horse in one smooth motion, her dark mantle settling down around her.


    It was a heavy thing, the mantle, nearly as old as their clan. Rubies and diamonds were sewn in precise patterns. Against deep blue silk, it reminded her of the sky on a clear night, the great constellations watching over them. With the fur of a supposed demon wolf a resplendent white, she matched the horse¡¯s saddle. Today would be the first time the world saw the new Lord Weilong.


    Let it be enough, Hua thought, clutching the jade pendant around her neck. Let me be enough.


    And so, her parade of twelve cavalry, twenty foot soldiers, and only two flagbearers, made their way down the ruined and cold streets of Liaojiangko.


    The roads were in better condition than she expected for only a few days of work. The mortals organised into work groups had been surprisingly productive in their work. It could have been a sudden surge in communal responsibility, the mix of Clan and Imperial soldiers who had set up stockades to whip people, or the long lineups to kitchens that required an approved token of work. Hua assumed it was the latter two and especially approved of the whipping. The system to exchange food for work was the honeyed apple of a reward which she was certain only worked because of the whipping. Otherwise, the mortals would be doing what they always did and rampaging, leaving more buildings to burn down and the remaining corpses to rot in the street.


    Hua slowly panned her gaze as they rode at a slow trot, allowing the peasants to get a good look at her and her horse. For the civilians, this would be one more chance to see the new Lord Liao, even if that name hadn¡¯t been widely announced. If there were spies from Yu or Zhao, and if it was possible, they would send the message back to their clans that the Radiant Lightning Body had a newer heir commanding the clan. If such a passage could be made.


    With winter approaching, many of them would die of exposure or starvation. At least they would glimpse the one who they could curse for their misery. There was nothing¡ªno, she would find a way. Not out of care or interest, but because she needed them breaking their backs to farm wheat and mine silver. Needed the economic outputs of their bodies to fuel her cultivation needs.


    Hua drew her mount closer to Weiji, amused as his horse leaned away from hers. They truly were a matched set.


    ¡°Why send the heralds ahead of us when we were already making the journey with such a huge procession?¡±


    ¡°Are you used to just barging in wherever you please and never bothering with courtesy? Wait, no of course you are. Why did I expect anything different? Someone should have forced you to go through etiquette lessons like the rest of us. Anyway, the Magistrate would have made you wait if you came unannounced. That couldn¡¯t be allowed. If you were struggling to keep up, being made to wait would demean you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll struggle to keep up when I cut your legs off,¡± she warned without heat. ¡°And if the Magistrate tried to make me wait, we would have a new magistrate.¡±


    ¡°No, we wouldn¡¯t. He¡¯s too useful for you to kill on a whim and you know that.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    His narrowed eyes were considering. ¡°You¡¯d do it just to spite me and then give me more work. I hate you. The twins are my favourite now.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t even tell them apart.¡±


    ¡°No one can. Even you can¡¯t and don¡¯t lie by saying you can.¡±


    It was very easy to tell them apart. Just wait for the first one to insult your very existence. That was always Meiling. And the revenge that came from nowhere months after an incident was always Song. Simple ways, really. The knife in the gut at that moment and the knife in the back years from now.


    ¡°Did you choose the soldiers in this convoy?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Just Captain Yao. He came recommended when I asked around. He picked everyone else. I can¡¯t say much to their moral character.¡±


    Don¡¯t trust them implicitly, Weiji wasn¡¯t saying. Hua thought she recognised the captain from the guard duty at the Entrance Gate, but they cycled through that duty. She wouldn¡¯t put much stock into it. If Weiji thought the warning necessary, Hua would respect it.


    They crested the rise to the Magistrate¡¯s estate. The gates had been damaged by the earth breaking. The left gate¡¯s support wall had both sunk and broken in half. The other hung by one hinge and a set of ropes binding it to some supports. The curving willow trees had survived only to frame the destruction more acutely.


    Hua and her convoy entered the central courtyard after they were announced by Liu Xin who had been waiting for them alongside one of the Magistrate¡¯s servants.


    ¡°The Magistrate awaits you, honoured members of the Liao Clan,¡± greeted the servant. ¡°This lowly one was informed that only a small party would be attending.¡±


    ¡°This is a small party,¡± Weiji sneered. He looked terribly like his grandfather who Hua disliked. ¡°As a concession to avoid straining your Magistrate¡¯s constitution, only three shall attend: my Lord, myself, and another servant. Make certain our soldiers are attended properly.¡±


    They dismounted, and with that, they went to meet the Magistrate.


    ***


    The Imperial Magistrate of Liaojiangkou, chosen representative to carry an Imperial Mandate signed by the Son of Heaven, met them in a formal receiving room that opened onto one of the inner courtyards of the estate. The Magistrate was a busy enough man to necessitate two desks for his secretaries. Only one was in use by a mousy man who made himself as invisible as possible.


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    He was a heavyset man in his middle years. With not a hair out of place or a single crease in his dark robes of office, one would not have thought he recently awoke from a coma to find his commandery half burnt to the ground and the other half avoiding that fate by virtue of flooding. He managed to look immaculate despite the shock of that news, with only a fresh cut on the side of his thick neck peeking out from his collars.


    From the courtyard, the chill breeze carried the scent of both smoke and chrysanthemum. It was a simple garden, relying on the strength of distinctly jagged rocks carefully arranged around a tall peach tree that would look gorgeous in spring. Anything more complicated than moss, simple grasses, hardy bamboo, and the circle of chrysanthemums would have overtly shown damage. That Hua could only notice a few stems that were torn abruptly and the occasional space where a decorative stone had fallen on its side spoke to the diligence of the gardeners.


    ¡°Your groundskeepers have done excellent work,¡± Hua said after tea had been served, gesturing at the garden. ¡°This Lord is curious where you found such resilient workers.¡±


    His hawk-eyed gaze cut past the dignity she wielded as a shield and saw into her.


    It was a mostly hasty thing, her outfit. Her height permitted her to fit into some of Weijiang¡¯s clothes and as the designated heir, they were of the finest silk she had ever touched. A gauze layer extended past the sleeves of the powder blue robes, hiding her hands from view. Over it all, she wore her father¡¯s mantle. She took comfort in the weight of her duty before this sharp-eyed man.


    Most extravagant was the hair crown. Her father¡¯s lesser crown shaped her hair. It was still a beauty as it was paired with a kingfisher hairpin. Not an imitation in jade or glass; the bright blue feathers were plucked from the tiny bird and preserved in a clear resin.


    The only thing that felt like hers was the white sash Grandmother had presented her. A shade of white like freshly fallen snow, embroidered with gold stitching around the outer edges. Her eyes and her hair, symbols of her and of her mourning.


    ¡°This servant of the Dragon Throne thanks you for the compliment. However, he would like an explanation. He was told a Young Mistress Liao was handling the matter of the city on behalf of the Liao Clan. Honourable Imperial soldiers tell this Magistrate that the Young Mistress treated everyone with the same dignity.¡±


    I showed disdain to every mortal equally. I don¡¯t think that counts as giving anyone dignity.


    Weiji¡¯s scoff was a perfect weapon. ¡°Which official missive from our clan implied such? Please, tell us who speaks in the name of our Lord Liao, so that I might deal with them.¡±


    ¡°Do not bite off a man¡¯s head for what the birds sing to him. A Young Mistress Liao was involved,¡± she agreed, smiling as Weijiang would in this situation, bold and wide. Fearless. Certain of his role. ¡°The Young Mistress Liao is better engaged in her duties at home.¡±


    ¡°The same Young Mistress who wielded the Thunder Palm. I am told she is the greatest of her generation, head and shoulders above all others.¡±


    Weiji made a wheezing sound beside her. Hua ignored it as she ignored the Magistrate unintentionally insulting her brother. They may have had disagreements, but her brother was a powerful Cultivator.


    ¡°Surely this Lord would be aware if another was greater than he.¡±


    ¡°It was said her eyes were like pure gold polished to a shine. Very distinctive eyes when your Clan is known for its notably green eyes.¡±


    ¡°A common misconception. Only some have the green eyes, usually a marriage from the main family. But I did not come to discuss any daughters of my Clan. They are great marriage prospects, but this Lord believes they would be too young for an honourable Magistrate like you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, the distinctive features inherited by Liao Furen, the Lady Xiao Jiu. They have bred true in every generation after her. One wonders why they did not in you. If silver hair might be dyed.¡±


    ¡°You dare,¡± Weiji snarled and, oh, that was his Qi roiling to life, ready to cut down an insult to her. Why he¡¯d developed this overprotective streak, she did not know, but she did appreciate his willingness for violence.


    Before Weiji could do the sort of foolishness he always assumed of Hua, she drew out the force of her Qi and let it spark. There was a weight to her Qi, one even the mortal scribes could sense. It sang like the rumbling of distant thunder as the power of her elemental inclination engulfed her in a blinding storm. The Magistrate winced, blinking heavily. One did not look at a child of lightning so easily.


    ¡°This Lord has already attained the sixth star. He wonders if Lady Xiao Jiu¡¯s lineage is still in question.¡±


    ¡°I unfortunately missed your last birthday. How old are you again?¡±


    ¡°This son of lighting is to turn sixteen soon, Lord Magistrate.¡±


    Fifteen years and she had already surpassed the Magistrate. Fifteen and she stood above the rest of her generation except for her brother.


    The Magistrate reached for his tea with steady hands and took a sip. Watched her in silence over the rim of the cup. She imagined the youth he observed dressed in her father¡¯s cloak and lying through her teeth. The calculation he must be making. She was a scion of a clan that might not hold the influence it once did. But she was also the child of the Radiant Lightning Body who had ensured the primacy of the Liao Clan. At fifteen and at a level of Cultivation that was prodigious, what could she achieve by the time she was twenty?


    Hua knew the projected answer. She was expected to rapidly approach the peak of Qi Gathering, the realm her elders occupied. Another decade and she could break through to the same realm as her father, the Liao Patriarch, whose influence held back both Yu and Zhao. A decade and she could lay down her road to heaven.


    That was before lightning struck her and deepened her meridians so profoundly that it would require exponentially more Qi to unlock her seventh star.


    Finally, he spoke. ¡°What would you suggest we do next, Lord Liao Weilong?¡±


    The first hurdle was cleared. Acknowledgement from the magistrate. It would go into clan and imperial records for as much as the latter still had meaning. Now, to save her city, her province, her people. She gestured to Liu Xin. Rather rudely, he took up a seat at the free scribe¡¯s desk and retrieved stationary from his leather carrier case. He would take notes for her that would be placed in the clan¡¯s archives.


    ¡°Let us begin this meeting,¡± Liao Weilong declared.


    ¡°As you wish, Lord Liao.¡±


    ¡°Has there been any communication from the outlying cities?¡±


    He sighed heavily. ¡°No messages from Seagate or the cities before it. A few junior guards were sent to check. The roads are devastated, the flooding worse along the plain. By the time they got to one of the minor villages on the outskirts of the city, the message was the same. Flooding, fires, even demons if stories are to be believed.¡±


    ¡°Demons,¡± Weiji hissed disbelieving.


    She raised one finger of the hand holding her teacup to silence him. ¡°There aren¡¯t enough blessed by the heavens to handle an outbreak of such myths.¡±


    ¡°It would be lucky if only the Amber Sea was affected. The Dragon Throne could send support, but I doubt the heavens would be so kind now. The Governor would have sent a messenger by now.¡±


    The Governor¡¯s Palace had traditionally been housed in the northeastern regions of the province, closer to the borders with the Goryeo Kingdom and the southmost Jurchen Tribes who occupied the steppes. It made sense to have your largest garrison nearest the border. It made even more sense when it was built, when the Yu Clan were undisputed champions of the Amber Sea. Calling the frozen east of the province home, their bladework and divination had seen them through generations of Goryeo incursion.


    It was only in the last two centuries that Hua¡¯s family had risen to be the biggest players in the region. Her grandmother being the first to establish the Foundation and then her father perfecting it with his Radiant Lightning Body technique. It had been enough to firmly shift military power to their side even if the Throne was most closely aligned with Yu.


    Under clear conditions, with no concern for Clan war and no worry for bandits, it might a month for a fast Cultivator to make that journey. Specially trained spirit birds were faster. Which meant they were either all dead along with the Governor or they¡¯d been killed on the journey.


    She said as much.


    ¡°That was the conclusion we came to as well. We can assume that Liao territories are entirely disconnected from Yu and Zhao, at least for a little while.¡±


    That was an opportunity if Hua had ever heard it. A chance to act without her enemies watching. That couldn¡¯t be ignored. She suppressed her smile before it could spread.


    ¡°Law and order need to be restored across the region. We have created pockets of peace in the city, but it will be strained once winter rolls through and hunger steals the wits of the mortals. With enough examples, those considering banditry might be brought to heel for a few weeks, maybe even months. But once the depth of winter is reached, we can expect violence.¡±


    She felt more than she saw Weiji straighten up in realisation. ¡°Supplies need to be protected and distributed fairly,¡± Weiji said carefully. ¡°Which means we¡¯ll need to seize them and build a reserve that we fully control. Even an army of bandits wouldn¡¯t attack the Liao Clan.¡±


    Good. He reached that conclusion quickly. Hua would be keeping him close in the coming weeks to wrangle the clan and the city. After the difficulty with the mortals in the city, she would make certain to surround herself with competence. And better that he and Liu Xin deal with the mortals than Hua.


    ¡°Stockpiling so many resources would start the very rebellion you mean to avert.¡±


    ¡°The Liao Clan will not be exempt, but our contribution will be observed by our Cultivators. The rest can be a mix between Liao and your Imperial soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Truly, the Liao Clan is blessed to produce so many Cultivators.¡±


    Would that we be so lucky, she thought, leaning back slightly. Most of their cultivators were in the Body Tempering stage and those few that had crossed to Qi Gathering rarely saw beyond the second star. Most who rose above that point became elders or achieved specialist positions like Old Ren or Ming¡¯s mother. It left her with few options. The elders were liable to launch a coup in the future against her. Spiritualists generally weren¡¯t good fighters.


    In truth, the Liao Clan¡¯s position was precarious. Her missing brother cut down their fighting strength significantly and, of those who had established the foundation to heaven, her father was dying, and her grandmother had been old since before Hua was born.


    Hua and Weiji represented the two great Cultivators of the next generation. They would shoulder their legacy or watch millennia of history turn to ash in their hands.


    ¡°Heaven has been kind to us,¡± she said pleasantly, lying through her teeth. ¡°They will be kind to us all again. But until the kindness of the heavens can reach us again, we must make our own luck and make ready for what comes next.¡±


    ¡°I can work with my soldiers to seize supplies and create a depot with your clan. That much is within my remit.¡±


    ¡°Were that alone useful. Governor, can you claim the Imperial assets that remain in the province?¡±


    ¡°Such a consolidation of power might be considered treason. It would be treason for me to do so. An overreach of my remit to intrude on the jurisdiction of other magistrates. Many a warlord attempted the same.¡±


    ¡°Mere mortals who desired a station greater than any they deserved. But you, Lord Magistrate, hold a great station and that station comes with a duty to my people. Our people now. I very much doubt the standard three years will see you returned to the capital. Liaojiangkou will be your home until this chaos is resolved.¡±


    ¡°My peers in other cities will refuse this command.¡±


    ¡°Even accompanied by Cultivators?¡±


    ¡°And if they have backing of their own?¡±


    ¡°Then, Magistrate, you have to pray that my sword is mightier.¡±

 Chapter 31: Confronting the Youth

    The actual matter of logistics was beyond Hua and she would be the first to admit it. The moment the Magistrate realised both her cousin and Liu Xin were both more adept at it and more interested, he functionally ignored her. Which would have been incredibly rude if not for the eager¡ªdeathly terrified¡ªservant who made sure to ply her with food and drink. The view into the garden was also enjoyable if one ignored the yellow tinge to the sky. She could ignore the bout of sniping Weiji and Liu Xin went through as the magistrate tried to be productive and simply enjoy herself. If this was what being Lord meant, she could see herself not entirely hating it.


    It was decent tea that she was served. Perfectly acceptable for a visiting dignitary. But nothing as good as what was sold in the best teahouses and the Magistrate most certainly had access to that. Bribing an official to let one smuggle in a¡ª


    The Sealord. I¡¯d forgotten about him. Hua leaned forward slightly, working through her realisation. She had the Magistrate here and a way to force an alliance against the Sealord. A way to point more swords his way and declaw the Sealord before he grew more powerful.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make use of Zhang Pi¡¯s storage capabilities,¡± Hua said, interrupting whatever they were discussing.


    ¡°My lord, would you like to explain for the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°He owns a significant number of the warehouses in the city. A third of them if I had to guess. And he has the support of the mercantile guilds. He¡¯s a single person who can handle the matter of having enough space to store the supplies we retrieve. The guilds have scribes and money counters used to being pressured for bribes. It would make things more efficient were we to work with him. With them.¡±


    Weiji hummed an agreement. ¡°They would also have experience with sorting through such a large number of goods and accounting for their delivery. The sava¡ªI mean, your attendant can relay that message.¡±


    Petty to send Liu Xin away. Utterly petty. At this rate, Hua was going to have to teach Liu Xin to Cultivate just to witness Weiji¡¯s hysterical fit.


    ¡°There was some fuss with him and the Sealord a few months back, if I remember my gossip. My office was asked to adjudicate a matter of dispute. A brawl. We did not get very far before all the witnesses vanished. All of them. They were found weeks later arranged in the bloody aftermath of what could only be a carefully constructed altercation.¡±


    ¡°That does sound very likely.¡±


    ¡°Lord Weilong, do you mean to pit me against the Sealord? Because if so, I will take my chances with the revolting peasants. I¡¯d rather an army of them than an upset Sealord.¡±


    Hua made a careless gesture. ¡°He will not be an issue. This Lord has already dealt with him. If he does go beyond himself and cause the honourable Magistrate any issues, inform him that this Lord has lost all patience in his antics.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that for when I am kidnapped by a dozen sailors and tortured within an inch of my life. I am certain it will stop the torture and prevent my corpse from being thrown in the sea with blocks of stone tied to my feet.¡±


    ¡°You forget what you are, honourable Magistrate. No Cultivator in any stage of Qi Condensation should be cowed by a mortal no matter their numbers.¡±


    Weiji offered a rather theatrical and mocking chuckle. ¡°My lord, not all Cultivators have lived long enough to truly understand their status. One cannot expect a once-mortal who was not born with a Scripture in his heart to know this.¡±


    ¡°A dozen or a hundred men, there will always be a number of mortals that can kill you. This Magistrate has watched many in Qi Gathering go beyond themselves and die in the capital¡¯s gutters just the same as a thief.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Hua stood, then, causing the magistrate to frown. ¡°Expect a few Liao soldiers. They will assist in matters of security. Now, excuse this Lord. His business does not end.¡±


    And with that, she left.


    ***


    ¡°Pray that your sword is mightier,¡± Weiji teased as their convoy made their way back to the clan grounds.


    All this pageantry just for an hour-long meeting, Hua thought, equally amused and irritated. It was needless, but Weiji and Liu Xin both thought she needed the accompaniment of a dozen horses, a good twenty foot soldiers, and the two flagbearers at the head of the convoy. Hua liked the kingfisher. She wore it proudly, yes, but there came a point where it was so oversaturated that all significance was lost.


    ¡°Should I use you as a demonstration?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d have to loan you a sword since you broke yours.¡±


    Hua reached for her side instinctively and found her waist empty of a blade. She cursed something truly foul under her breath which had Weiji wheezing in laughter. Her sword had been broken by her grandmother and she had yet to acquire a replacement. That would be her next task. It wasn¡¯t one she could put off much longer.


    Weapons closed the gap between her and more physical cultivators. It would also be horribly humiliating to struggle in a fight because she forgot to get a blade. Then again, no one thought stealing a blade in battle to be dishonourable. That was good instinct.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so careless with the work our blacksmiths put into making a decent weapon. They toil away for hours. Imagine how they feel knowing their Young Mis¡ªLord Weilong, if they knew their lord was constantly losing the weapons they forged.¡±


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    ¡°They¡¯d be out of business without my need for steel,¡± Hua grumbled. ¡°I can always steal your sword. I should steal it.¡±


    Weiji grabbed his sword and hid it away from Hua. ¡°I don¡¯t want you ever touching my sword. This sword is off-limits to everyone but Liao Weiji. It¡¯s my sword and I¡¯ve taken great care of it since I was old enough to use it. I polish it regularly and it fits my hand perfectly. Your tiny hand could barely wrap around the hilt properly. And I don¡¯t want you breaking it anyway.¡±


    ¡°You have surely broken at least one sword.¡±


    ¡°Not even once. I know my own strength, unlike certain brutes in the clan.¡±


    ¡°Please stop insulting my brother.¡±


    ¡°I meant you¡­ but also him.¡±


    If there was one benefit to the size of their procession and the noise they made, it was the privacy it afforded them. They were being followed though Hua did not know which faction they belonged to. Probably three different factions if she was observing things correctly. Not unsurprising. The Sealord, the Imperials, Zhang Pi, the mercantile guilds, and even her own clan would want to stay appraised of her movements.


    ¡°I¡¯m no brute. I¡¯m a Cultivator of grace and dignity.¡±


    ¡°Punching your way through everything is not a sign of either grace or dignity,¡± Weiji said flatly. ¡°Were the world even vaguely kind, you would have been terrible with either the sword or the fist but no, you were blessed to be good with both.¡±


    ¡°Luck is a landslide in my favour.¡±


    ¡°I know. The difference in talent.¡± He sighed. It was only slightly bitter. ¡°Never mind that. I still struggle to believe you left a meeting because of your boredom.¡±


    ¡°Who said this Lord was bored?¡±


    ¡°The problem with sharing facial features is that you recognise them in other people. Not that anyone needs specialised knowledge in deciphering that glazed look you developed when we started to talk about expected portion sizes for mortals.¡±


    ¡°I only care about mortals in so much as they do the work to provide my food, and clothes, and generally keep my home clean. We can¡¯t all be like you, finding ourselves enamoured with a mortal baker despite the failing of their mortality.¡±


    His smile froze. ¡°I suppose not. Mortals are worthless things to you, after all. I¡¯ll ride ahead and see to having servants organised for your arrival, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    She knew that expression. As Weiji said, it was impossible to hide expressions you saw so often. This was one she had felt even if she hadn¡¯t seen it in the mirror. The need to stay strong when you were reminded that you lived in a fake world without anything worth loving.


    Hua nodded, throat tightening. There was a difference between throwing a cousin on the training field and punching them in the heart. She knew, had always known it, and never tried to cross it. Much as her family made her furious at times, they were still family.


    ¡°I trust you,¡± she said simply. Not to do something, not to work in her name. Just to be him. That was enough.


    Her cousin set off, galloping down the road.


    ***


    Hua was greeted by an army of attendants to handle the matter of stabling the horses and dressing their lord. She gestured to one and said, ¡°Show Liu Xin to the Records Room,¡± as she waited for her father¡¯s mantle to be removed and placed in a large trunk. These were her household servants, and they replaced the mantle with one of her usual cloaks.


    She refused to change into a different pair of boots as hers were still clean enough for her use. If this is what Weiji meant by preparing things then she was going to strangle him. Hua wanted respect, not ceremony. One was a matter of efficiency, the other a peacock¡¯s display. Those colourful feathers were beautiful but since she had no interest in copulating with it, they were just a way to advertise a meal. Peacock was very delicious. Her favourite type of cock because of its gameness.


    Dealing with mortals is driving me to madness. This is what my life will be from now on. Ceremony and ritual, meetings and politics. How did father find the time to Cultivate?


    She frowned. Where was he? Ever since she had become the focal anchor of the Clan formations, she had been able to sense Qi signatures across the mountain. It was less that she had a precise geographic location and more than she knew which general direction someone was. It grew stronger with a person¡¯s Qi. Weiji heading away from the Main Hall was a far stronger presence than Ming despite the latter being someone Hua could spot in the distance talking to someone on a bench hanging from a tree branch.


    She hadn¡¯t noticed the absence of her father. As she cast her senses further, she felt the absence of her grandmother as well. Can I only sense people in the same realm as I am?


    That would be irritating. There would be years yet before she could sense and avoid her grandmother.


    Hua waved away the last attendant. She would take a pleasant walk and get a bit of training in. She needed to cultivate more instead of getting bogged down in politics. With how much Qi her sixth meridian took to unlock, her seventh might prove to be a bottleneck. And that was assuming she didn¡¯t have a Qi deviation to set her back. A deviation could devastate a Cultivator in the Foundation Establishment. If it didn¡¯t kill her, it could send her all the way back to Body Tempering.


    ¡°Hua.¡±


    She looked up, frowning. By now, everyone should know her new name and use¡ª


    ¡°Hello, Cousin Weishang,¡± she said with a sigh. If he was a knife, he¡¯d be the bluntest in the clan kitchen. Getting angry at him for making a mistake was like getting angry that a fish swam. ¡°How can I help you.¡±


    He swallowed. ¡°Would you like to trade pointers with me?¡±


    ¡°I thought you trained exclusively with your elder, Shentao¡­¡± Hua turned her head, deepening her awareness of the formations that lay in the back of her head.


    ¡°I liked training with you the most and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cousin Weishang, where are the Elders?¡±


    ¡°They, um, they went to visit the city.¡±


    He had that shifty look of an idiot convinced to do a dangerous job but with great reward. It was a look she had unfortunately seen many a time, usually when her brother gave him a task. Weishang might have been descended from the same blood as her but the intelligence had completely skipped him. It definitely skipped whoever thought they could get him to do something.


    ¡°Then why are you trying to distract me with sparring?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. You¡¯re the best of our generation. I¡¯d like to learn from you.¡±


    ¡°Weishang, if you do not answer my question, I will leave you a bloody mess after breaking every bone in your right arm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    You¡¯re a terrible liar in a family full of good liars.


    She placed her hand on his shoulder, her thumb digging into the divot of his throat, and leaned in close. Allowed a fraction of the fury howling in her soul to leak out, Qi crackling through her veins.


    ¡°Cousin Weishang, I want you to think very long and very hard on whether whoever you¡¯re working for can protect you from my anger. And when you think, for a moment that they can, I want you to consider how fast I¡¯ll reach the peak of Qi Gathering and be stronger than them. Then I want you to ask yourself ¡®would Hua ever forget I tried to fuck her over?¡¯ and think of what Hua might do to you in revenge.¡±


    His pale features managed to lose every hint of colour. Even his green eyes seemed more like a stormy sea than glittering emeralds. Hua should maybe stop squeezing so hard on his throat. Maybe. But Hua wasn¡¯t going to run a clan where people treated her like an idiot. Her title would not be a ceremonial one. If they wanted a puppet, they could have picked Weishang and saved themselves the trouble.


    ¡°So, let me ask again, dearest Cousin. Where. Are. the elders?¡±


    ¡°The Council is having a meeting,¡± he squeaked out, his features now so pale he would blend in with a snowstorm.


    ¡°Where?¡± she growled, squeezing tighter. Never truly bruising, never reaching for her Qi.


    Her cousin told her.


    Hua let him go and let him fall.


    It seemed some things were still unclear. She would bring clarity to her elders.