Heaven’s Laws

Monolith

By Apollos Thorne

Cover designed by MiblArt.

Copyright © 2023 by Apollos Thorne

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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The Mighty Patrons

Foster Chiang

Adrian Castillo

Antonio

Cerrelle

Chioke Nelson

Gabriel

IntheRaccon

IsaacNewtonian

Jason White

Joshua Kern

Lord Kerhen

Matthias Meilahn

Michael Scott LaRochelle

Peter Smith

Stephen Morrow

Thomas Self

Tom Ross

Torran Herbert

Trevor Woolsey

William A Yarber

xnoble2x

Zac James

Thank you!

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 1

Chao had taken over the room across the hall from their marriage chambers in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm. It was just in case his meditation lasted late into the night. He didn’t want to occupy the bed or inconvenience his wife while he worked.

Sitting in the middle of the room on the stone floor, he was surrounded by heaven and earth qi artifacts. He’d only owned one artifact before their battle, but now there were many thanks to the spatial rings they’d won from the nine overlords. Another had been a tribulation cultivator, but the man had only just broken through. There was a second divine cultivator, Prince Jin, who had also been killed, but Chao’s space-containing sound technique had destroyed the man’s ring. Theoretically, it was possible to retrieve its contents. He’d have to leave that to Quinyuan and his father. Father Zan had returned to them later in the day and said he’d take care of it.

Chao sat with his shirt off in the moderately cool room. Dual cultivation with his wife and his advancement to the sky realm had greatly improved his physique. Handling the cold of this ice-rich mystic realm left him with little discomfort.

Huifen was still standing at the door, seemingly unwilling to leave. He held her gaze until it became awkward. Instead of turning away, she narrowed her eyes as if turning it into a contest. Then he patted his lap, requesting her to join him.

Even when she’d still cultivated Heart of Ice consistently, her scowl had been one of legends. That hadn’t changed after she was commonly going without the technique. The only difference now was that she still looked tired. It was emotional exhaustion and not physical. He knew she’d believed she killed thousands of the Aureate Empire’s military cultivators only to find out after their battle that she’d successfully mirrored the Divine Ice Phoenix’s breath technique. She’d thought she had failed. In doing so, she had frozen the army and saved many lives. She’d also killed the emperor whose son had stolen her virgin yin. Instead of seeking justice, the man had sought revenge for not letting themselves be wronged. A handful of outer sect disciples had also died in the battle because they hadn’t left the sect grounds when commanded. By most accounts, it was their overwhelming victory, but she felt the weight of every loss. They both did.

Chao summoned his little ice fairy and awakened it. The icy creature that shared many of Huifen’s features flew across the room and kissed her on the cheek.

His wife didn’t appear to like it, but her scowl faded. She gave him one last doleful look before mouthing, “Husband, I’ll see you soon.”

His Huifen had tried to talk him into refining the Regal Blood Essence Stimulant straight away, but Chao had convinced her that this injured state provided him a rare opportunity. His eardrums were ruptured. To observe the world without the ability to hear—to grasp sound without it—was a challenge that seemed designed especially for him.

His use of the sound laws against the Aureate Empire’s overlords and Prince Jin had left him with several unanswered questions. How could sound act as the container for other laws? And even more baffling, how had it been able to contain space itself? All logic demanded it should work the opposite way, but it didn’t. He needed to find out why. If he could learn to utilize sound in the same way consistently, then he’d be one step closer to having the ability to protect his wife—not just in the lower realm, but the divine.

There was more to it than that. He could feel that he was on the brink of something—something at the level of a divine law, or a new law entirely. Sound wasn’t an element. Borrow, create, and enhance worked in a similar manner, but what if the divine-level laws were different for sound? What he knew of morph seemed to follow the common rules, so it was possible that was also wrong.

Father Zan had reassured Huifen and Mother Quinyuan that waiting a few more days wouldn’t affect Chao’s recovery, so she’d finally given in.

The one regret he had in taking this opportunity was that he knew Huifen wasn’t just worried about him. She also needed him. She wanted to be able to discuss what happened—what had gone right and wrong. And to celebrate. The sooner he got started the sooner he could be there for her.

The first thing he had to consider was the ringing in his ears. He wasn’t sure if there was an actual ringing or if it was what absolute silence sounded like. It could’ve been his eardrums still trying to send feedback to his mind, or his mind itself sounding the alarm because it wasn’t receiving the feedback it expected. To truly observe sound without the ability to hear, he needed to either stop the ringing or understand it well enough so that he could simply ignore it. If he didn’t understand it, then it might corrupt his observations.

He set the air humming with low realm sound. His focus was on the reaction of his ears and the ringing itself. He knew his sound laws were working correctly because he could feel them through the surface of his skin even if he couldn’t hear them. Sound wasn’t the foundation of his sound laws, either. It was the memory of his mother and cultivating her garden that connected him to them. The many memories of playing for his wife had become just as profound.

Almost immediately he realized the ringing of his ear wouldn’t be the problem he feared it might. The ringing didn’t change even as he increased or decreased the intensity of his hum. It remained consistent. That’s all he needed to know.

Pulling his pipa out of his spatial ring, Chao began to play. It wasn’t a sorrowful tune or lullaby he played, but a joyful one. It was very likely his music would affect his friends and family in the surrounding area so he might as well make it a pleasant experience.

He did something within the first few seconds that he hadn’t done in years. He fuddled up the tempo with a late finger pick. Chuckling to himself, he knew what had happened. Because he couldn’t hear the notes, he was unable to judge certain aspects of his own playing in the way he once had. If he dwelled on what he couldn’t do, it would steal too much of his focus. He began playing again and stopped worrying. He didn’t make the same mistake.

Now for the first real test. He could create a hum of sound with his laws easily enough because he was the direct source, but could he enhance sound that came from an external source?

Having ears certainly made things easier. He put his focus into trying to feel the music without hearing it. He focused on the vibrations running through the pipa itself and those running across the surface of his skin.

It wasn’t a quick process. Ears had their advantage. They were designed for sound, but to hear without them wasn’t impossible—even if it wouldn’t rightly be called hearing at all.

He played the same song until he was lost in it. The longer he played, the more he could feel. Not only could he feel vibrations, but he could vaguely distinguish the pitch of different notes. He’d need much more practice to do it proficiently.

What surprised him the most was that even without hearing he’d fallen into a semi-enchanted state. It added emphasis to something he’d already known. There was a special relationship between sound and human emotion. Even without his laws that was true. He could simply enhance this natural aspect of what was already there.

Being lost in the music lasted longer than he should’ve allowed, but it also put him in the right state of mind. He began enhancing his music and trying to discern the change.

There was a distinction in the intensity of the music itself. Enhancing it didn’t necessarily make it louder, but even without an obvious change in the intensity of the vibrations, it carried with it a lighthearted fluttering that was infectious.

That’s when the question came. Do I even cultivate the sound laws or just sound’s emotional aspects? He knew the answer in part already. He could manipulate many different characteristics of sound, so there was a flaw in the question. If he wanted to enhance his song’s volume, for instance, that was easy enough. However, with the limited amount of experience he had, he’d never heard of sound cultivators cultivating the emotional aspect directly as he did. Maybe it was a focus that only he and his mother shared? He’d have to seek out other sound cultivators and inquire further. But he might not find any as proficient in the laws as he was until the divine realm. Even then, he had no idea how rare morph and awaken were.

Chao eventually engaged with the questions that had been lingering in the back of his mind. Some of them were old ones that he thought he already had answers to, but he couldn’t waste this opportunity and ignore them. What was sound and what was it not? What was music? Was it as simple as adding order to noise? Was it controlled chaos added to order? How could it cause such a wide range of emotions? Where did emotion end and sound begin?

He didn’t just meditate and play his pipa. Eventually, he began to tinker. He tried to recreate the massive fire dragon he’d made during the battle with the overlords in miniature form. He hadn’t started with his fire then, but emotion. He’d seen his wife believe him dead, and the dragon had been birthed by his inner tumult.

A palm-sized nascent realm fire dragon appeared then was snuffed out of existence. His first try failed. He continued experimenting for several hours. Keeping track of time in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm was difficult because its moon was the realm’s only source of light. It remained stationary in the sky which only made it even easier for Chao to lose himself.

***

At first, Huifen had taken advantage of Chao’s happy song and sat on the roof cultivating her laws. She was barefoot and wearing an orange ankle-long gown. The color was a little mute in the perpetual moonlight, but in her opinion, it was a nice touch of color in a majestic yet dull world. She’d used her Heart of Ice technique for a decade and only after her husband and father-in-law had challenged her to go without it had she begun learning about her own preferences—and herself.

This was the very place Chao often snuck off to at night during their days of training for their battle against the Aureate Empire. She’d mostly given him privacy when he came here, but she’d checked on him enough to know he rarely came for carefree contemplation. Despite that, she felt a sense of peace. While he played in a room below, she felt as if he sat beside her.

She had an ice lotus made from her nature laws in her lap. She mused about supplying it with the orange of her dress to give it some color. She would’ve condemned the silly thought just a few years before, but now she appreciated playful fascination so much that it was almost like an element she was cultivating.

When Chao had stopped playing his pipa, darker thoughts returned to her. She’d finally gotten the revenge she’d sought after Prince Jin’s violation. The prince and Great Elder Jilpa had been killed by Chao and Mother Quinyuan, but the emperor wanted revenge despite what his son had done to her. She’d left him to die in a tomb of tribulation ice. She was glad that justice was done, but at the same time, she felt empty. It didn’t give her satisfaction or peace. At the most, she was relieved it was behind her.

The minutes came and went as she continued to wait for Chao to finish his experiments. He went late into the night and early into the morning without stopping. She checked on him periodically and ate her meals alone. By dinnertime on the second day, she was starting to get annoyed. She knew he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, and even agreed with his decision, but after what they’d just been through, how could he leave her alone like this for so long?

As if to answer her thoughts, she felt a familiar presence arrive beside her. She moved to rise, but Father Zan called out to her. “Don’t get up on my account.”

Then he did something she would’ve never expected and sat down on the roof beside her. “Nice view,” he mumbled.

“Hello, Father,” she replied, remembering her manners. “It is.”

He chuckled, then knocked on the roof beneath them to direct her attention. “You’re mad at him for not giving you attention.”

“I am not,” she huffed.

He chuckled even louder. “You’re acting like that is a bad thing. Isn’t this the longest you’ve been apart since the day of your wedding?”

She felt embarrassed for her sudden breach of etiquette. “It is…”

“Then wouldn’t it be odd if you didn’t feel jealous of his time?”

“I—I don’t want to be like a pestering, mortal wife.”

He just grinned without looking at her. “It’s the proper time for this old man to relay to you some proverb. Since I’m not that wise myself, I’ll just pose to you a riddle I heard someplace. There are countless human cultures on this planet and in our universe. All of them have their own opinions and philosophies of what a man and woman’s roles should be. How are we to know which one is the right one?”

“Senior Long, I don’t doubt your wisdom,” she said dutifully. “To answer your question, how can we know if we haven’t examined them all?”

“Your point is a good one, however… You and Chao will soon go out into this world and experience many cultures for yourselves. Despite what the royal family has done to you and the Fire and Ice Phoenix Sects, you will find this little continent one of the most civil and well-behaved on Lifestone. Even though you and Chao grew up thousands of kilometers apart, you hold similar views of the world. If that wasn’t the case, I would’ve never let him leave home with you.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but the last thing he said made her wonder. “You knew my parents?”

“Nothing like that. As soon as I saw you, I knew you were Quinyuan’s personal disciple. Your physique and realm at your young age were the first clues. There’s no way she wouldn’t understand the danger you were in without a master’s backing. I know her character. Then you began interacting with Chao and it became undeniable. The moment you apologized for your initial treatment of him and acknowledged him as your savior, I saw her fairmindedness in you. It isn’t a universal trait even amongst ice fairies in your own sect.”

A part of her rose up to deny what he was saying out of principle, but she silenced it. He was right. Heart of Ice allowed a person to better focus and ignore emotion, but it didn’t purify a person’s motives. He was also an Ice Phoenix Sect Great Elder now. As critical as what he said may have been of the sect, it was also a compliment to her master who had become her mother-in-law.

“Then does the Monolith Continent have one of the best philosophies to follow?” She asked.

“Would I have raised my son here if I thought it was the worst?”

She quickly shook her head to assure him she’d never think that bad of him.

His grin widened. “This old man has been to so many different worlds that I’ve forgotten most of the cultures I’ve experienced. I’ve partaken in many opposing philosophies and suffered the consequences. There are only a few things I can say for sure. The ways of life that are the most tempting are often the most destructive. Beware of ideologies that tempt you through immediate pleasure, but also to hate. Many a wise youngster that has known better than to indulge in vice, were destroyed just as quickly by having a victim mentality. It excuses weakness and they end up indulging just the same.”

Those philosophies that put hard work and sacrifice on a pedestal aren’t very enticing—they could even be considered boring and unattractive—but every great kingdom has them as its foundation. As well-trained as you are my dear daughter-in-law, your cultivation can’t protect you from this type of seduction. It probably sounds like some great blasphemy, but why are there still conflicts between cultivators if it isn’t true? In that, we are just as tempted as mortals. As much as I want you to experience the world, being too open-minded is foolish. It must be tempered with wisdom.

“Let me give you a warning, Little Lotus. A person’s mind is always at war between the illusion of their own imaginings and what is real. How you see the world, your role as a cultivator and wife, and even your husband, is diluted to a degree by your perceptions of the world. With much wisdom comes much sorrow. The more you see and understand the truth of things, the more your illusions will be dispelled. The ones you are the fondest of are the last to go. This will include the way you see Chao. In time, you’ll see his every spot and blemish—his weakness and the faults in his character. Take a moment and observe him.”

She did as Father Zan said and extended her perceptions to where he sat in his room. Chao had created two little nascent realm fire dragons small enough to fit in one’s hand. They were facing off and roaring at each other. Huifen noticed it wasn’t the sound of wind-blown fire, but genuine roars. She wasn’t surprised for she’d seen the life-sized dragon he’d created during their battle with the overlords. It had had its own voice. These smaller dragons were the same.

“Chao’s fascination with the laws is infectious. It is one of his most attractive qualities, yes?”

Hearing Zan’s question brought her back to herself. She felt color brightening her cheeks at the personal nature of the question.

“It was one of An’s as well,” he admitted. “And yet, tonight, this part of him that you find so appealing is competing against you for his attention. It is possible that you might grow to hate the very thing that makes him unique. Don’t let that happen. Your relationship is still young. There are things he fancies about you that will one day annoy him as well. But let me reassure you of what you already know. As alone as he seems, you’re right there with him. It is as you fear. He is capable of getting so lost in his experiments that he forgets you for a time. However, one of the main reasons he is willing to do this after what you’ve just been through is because he’s doing it for you.

“Little Lotus, I know right now you feel that nothing will ever be able to separate the two of you. But most great kingdoms are destroyed from within. There’s little danger that your current annoyance will drive you apart any time soon, but if you let bitterness grow…”

She gave him a beholden squint. “Thank you for the reminder, father.”

He began rising to his feet and stretched like it was possible for him to actually get stiff. “Lecture time is over. I’ll find him later and tell him the same thing. Quinyuan will likely say something similar to you both in a few days. We’re going to be bothering you more than normal between now and the time you leave. Remember to pretend like it isn’t the hundredth time you’ve heard it. Now go and make clear your annoyance to him. A pestering wife may be like a dripping faucet, but without a few drops, he won’t know something is wrong. Never assume he understands your struggles. A hidden leak is often the most destructive.”

She bowed her head respectfully as he flew off. Her first inclination was to cycle Heart of Ice. Her second was to carefully sift through her thoughts and feelings. Releasing a long sigh, she did the latter.

Sending her perceptions to again check on Chao, she watched as he continued to tinker with the fire dragons. She climbed to her feet and then flew toward the entrance of the staging facility. It was time she interrupted him.

***

From many kilometers above the facility designed for disciples to stay during their time in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm, Zan joined Elder Law. The Divine Fire Phoenix Sect Divine Lord was observing the moon relic itself. It was a divine artifact his sister sect had gifted to this lower realm. The elder’s attention fell upon Zan as soon as he returned.

“You’re still determined to have them attend the Divine Flying Tiger Clan’s Trials?” Elder Law asked.

“I am,” Zan said confidently.

“They’re familiar with Asura Cults and the practices of such sects?”

“They’ve both been taught how far some will go to increase their cultivation. As for what the Northern Continent is like, they’ve heard rumors.”

“So you’re not just sending them to fight this world’s most vicious overlord and tribulation cultivators, but into the demon’s den without knowledge?”

“They’ll have warning before we send them off, but too much preparation will only dilute the bitter pill they must swallow. They’re also committed to getting involved in the Aureate Empire’s new emperor selection. It will be good for them to consider such things, but I will not let them waste much time. Chao’s desire to do what is right is as potent as his mother’s, and Huifen isn’t immune to that way of thinking. There will be a time for that, but now is not that time. The joint sect will take over the empire’s oversight in all but name. Why are you so worried, Elder Law? They have yet to make it to your divine realm. Isn’t it too early to give them much of your attention? Aren’t there hundreds if not thousands of disciples you’re keeping an eye on?”

The divine lord remained unmoved. “You’ve promised them to my divine joint sect and to make me their martial uncle. Is it ever too early to show my concern?”

Zan laughed heartily. “If you didn’t think so then I never would’ve made such a promise. They’re amongst the peak existences in this lower realm, but they’re growing so fast. Too fast. While they’re still young, they need to gain the experience Lifestone can provide. And yes, while it’s still a danger to them. There are a couple of years before the trials, and they haven’t even visited the monoliths this continent is named for. There’s also the Landbridge Continent before they reach the northern one. When they reach it, they’ll get a mild introduction to the Asura way of life. Then, when they arrive in Flying Tiger Clan territory, they’ll see how truly different the world can be.”

“You think they’ll remain unaffected by its corruption if you send them alone?”

“Unaffected? Never. But disturbed... And when the trials grow close, Quinyuan and I will join them there. There will be other divine realm cultivators from your rival Asura Sects. They won’t bully them if that’s your concern. Just think of how it will go if they win. Chao and Huifen will arrive at your joint divine sects being escorted by a Divine Flying Tiger Clan Envoy. Not even the most talented divine realm brats arrive with such honor.”

As irritated as the elder was, Zan could tell the very thought delighted the man. It was then that Law turned to Billi, the blood cultivator whose sisters they’d just saved from a corrupt Divine Fire Phoenix elder just the day before. Her hair was ruby red, and her skin tone blush. Quinyuan had gifted her a few ice phoenix uniforms which she now wore. The girl had sworn herself to Zan and floated there with them like an emotionless husk.

“And what plans do you have for the girl?”

“The same that I recommend for you to do with her sisters. Request that they stop cultivating for a time, but don’t forbid it. Some will find solace in long meditation. The reason is so that they can abstain from everything that might remind them of their old life as they figure out who they are now that it is over. I have some jobs for her to complete that should give her a break from having to spend so much time with her own thoughts.”

The elder nodded as he listened. “I see no flaw in your prescription. I’ll do the same. As much as I’d like to sever the ties between them and my sect, sending them away now instead of supporting them would just be cruel.”

“My thoughts are the same. Would you like to meet your martial niece and nephew before you return?”

“And have them pretend the advice I give them isn’t something they’d heard a hundred times before?”

“Elder Law, you’re coming awfully close to making a joke.”

The man snorted. “I still don’t trust you, Zan.”

“Well, just look at it this way. If I’m wrong or there’s an accident and Chao or Huifen are killed by the Divine Flying Tiger Clan, I’ll cleanse these opposing sects from this world and become such a thorn in their divine sect’s side that they won’t have any time to bother you. If you consider that a breach of our contract, you won’t have to kill me because their whole sect will be trying to do it for you.”

“That is rather comforting.”

“See. I knew we would get along.”

Chapter 2

The Regal Blood Essence Stimulant was the most miraculous pill Chao or Huifen had ever taken. Chao simply swallowed it and they dual cultivated. It required no special techniques and left them both overflowing with vitality. Within half an hour, not only had Chao’s hearing returned, but the world seemed to be brimming with more life than ever before. When they finally went to greet the Envoy of the Divine Fire Phoenix Sect, the man explained to them that the pill would improve almost any physique. The more common one was, the better the results. Even after all the tempering Chao had had through dual cultivation and qi balancing, it was like advancing two large realms at once. At least, as far as the increase in vitality was concerned. It had added hundreds of years to his lifespan. Huifen’s results may have been less than his, but that was because her vitality was already as vibrant as possible. Still, it was no little help to her after such a hard battle.

This was a small gathering in the Ice Phoenix Palace. This was an audience chamber on the first floor that was large enough for hundreds of people. The envoy sat in the place of honor on a guest throne next to Quinyuan. The thrones looked to be made of crystalline ice, but it was more like ice quartz. The room’s ceiling was tall and intricate. Father stood off to the side with Sage Pangfua.

Chao and Huifen were in a kneeled position as the envoy continued to speak.

“To conclude, you must take extra care when refining the Esh Vine Nectar. I’d highly recommend waiting until Junior Disciple Chao reaches the overlord realm to try. If you were refining it alone, waiting until the early tribulation realm would be even better. As beneficial as it could be to your current cultivations, it could also kill you.”

“Envoy Po isn’t wrong,” Father Zan said. “The reason I don’t want you to wait is because this nectar has the unique ability to attach itself to one’s skeletal system and slowly give off qi over an extended period of time. Refining it in your current realms, and then waiting until you both advance to refine the next drop will give you the best results. The final drop should be saved for Chao’s advancement to the tribulation realm. It won’t increase his natural talent, but it will act as if it has.”

“Taking it so early is forbidden in our divine sect,” Envoy Po responded sternly. His tone softened. “But Master Zan is correct. If you have a few divine cultivators to fall back on to help in case something goes wrong, it should be possible. Now, let’s reward these Ice Phoenix Sages.”

Po pulled something from his spatial ring and three azure card jades flew out. Huifen, Quinyuan, and Pangfua all received one. “I’m not permitted to carry the full third pillar of the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome on me, but this is its first technique.”

Chao heard Huifen's breath sharpen. He watched her as she immediately plunged her perceptions into the jade. A quick scan of the room told him that Quinyuan and Pangfua had done the same. Looking at Envoy Po, Chao saw the corners of his mouth prick up. It seemed he’d expected this very reaction.

Even though Chao didn’t depend on any techniques but his own, he’d seen what good martial techniques were capable of. As the third pillar of the tome Huifen cultivated, it was practically like receiving a jade on a divine law in comparison.

He wanted to remain respectful to the envoy, but he allowed himself a smile when he saw Po’s reaction. The man didn’t throw his strength around as Chao feared he might. Not only was he a divine cultivator, but a representative of the Divine Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects. The man’s actions could’ve been because of the presence of other divine cultivators like his father. Chao didn’t think so, though. The man seemed to enjoy helping lower-realm cultivators.

As soon as Huifen removed her perceptions from the jade, she turned to Chao, and her entire face was lit up. Heart of Ice was nowhere to be seen. She then turned to spy Quinyuan’s reaction. Their mother’s smile was more contained, but just as genuine.

Pangfua was the first to bow. “Thank you, Divine Envoy.”

His wife said the same while Quinyuan responded with a more personal touch. “Thank you, Envoy Po.”

“You’ve all earned it. There will likely be more rewards when your own Ice Phoenix Envoy arrives. I will request the entire third pillar for each of you and to allow the first technique to be taught in this lower realm sect.”

There was even more enthusiasm when the three women thanked him the second time. Chao didn’t even know what the technique did, but to strengthen the foundation of their sect’s martial techniques was to strengthen the entire sect. It was an honor that no other sect master had received in the tens of thousands of years of this lower realm sect’s existence.

“I just wish I could do more. I’ll leave you with a few common resources to help Master Zan with his mission.”

Something that looked like red and blue short-neck wine bottles flew toward Father. Catching them, Zan just gave them a look without even uncorking them then threw them to his wife Quinyuan.

“Isn’t this a little too generous?” Zan asked.

Before the envoy could answer, Quinyuan interrupted them. The first technique in the third pillar of the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome was already a peak gift in this lower realm, but her reaction was even more extreme this time. “Shattering Ice Pellets. Divine Spark Beetle Extract. Pills for breaking into the tribulation realm. And there’s so many…”

“This is a gift from Elder Law. The slander of Long An and my sect’s late envoy’s zealous pursuit of Master Zan was unbeknownst to him. It was the dead envoy’s master that caused trouble for the Long family. Elder Law still acknowledges that it was a personal matter between him and Master Zan that led to it. For that, he sends this peace offering and looks forward to the day that all of you might join him in the divine realm.”

Chao’s countenance darkened. He’d known his father had come to terms with this Elder Law recently, but he was also indirectly responsible for his mother’s death. He still remembered the night his father had carried her limp form into their cabin and laid her on the table. He could still envision her spring dress covered in blood.

He felt a sharp pain on his brow that stole his attention. Looking up, he found no one there, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father’s frown. “Little brat, I know what you’re thinking. Don’t let your blame fall on Elder Law. If nothing else, he’s an annoyingly righteous man. You must now consider him your Martial Uncle. Little Lotus, that goes for you too. He’s not just a divine cultivator, but a divine lord. The day will come when you must seek out his guidance.

“As for who, or what, you can blame for your mother’s death... Imagine this lower realm’s Ice Phoenix Sect having hundreds of elders on the level of Quinyuan and they were always squabbling with one another over every possible issue. And that’s only at one level. Divine body cultivators oversee the tribulation and lower realm disciples. Divine spirits oversee the divine body cultivators. Divine lords over divine spirits. And finally heavenly sovereigns over the divine lords. It’s only the divine ice and fire phoenixes that stand above them. Such are the politics of large divine realm sects.”

Huifen grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. She nodded that Zan was right.

Chao wasn’t completely convinced, but he wouldn’t put full blame on the elder. It seemed one day he’d meet the man. He’d saved his judgment until he’d gotten to know him.

Elder Po didn’t seem excited about Father’s explanation, but he didn’t correct him. Instead, he said. “Now, I know you all have much to do. I will remain in this lower realm for a few weeks to help with the recovery of the sects.”

“We appreciate all the help you’ve already given,” Mother Quinyuan said. “You are welcome here as long as you wish.”

***

Chao and Huifen left the older cultivators to fulfill the request of their father and mother. They were to venture out of the Ice Phoenix Palace and travel around the sect grounds to let themselves be seen. Their victory over the overlords was known to all. Much of the last leg of their battle had been seen by the entire inner sect who’d been gathered on the arena’s stage. Its additional barrier had been activated by the elders to help fend against any qi overflow from the main barrier. No one within had been harmed during the battle. It had been a huge boost to morale, but eight outer sect disciples who hadn’t left when asked and remained outside the second barrier had been killed. Showing themselves should improve morale even further. It would also be the first time either of them had made an appearance since Mother Quinyuan had announced their marriage to the sect.

As they walked through the now mostly empty halls of the Ice Phoenix Palace that had been full just days before, Chao watched his wife out of the corner of his eye. He could tell she’d rather drop everything and find a place to throw herself into the first technique of the third pillar of her cultivation tome, but she understood why it was important for them to show themselves. They also hadn’t had the chance to discuss the battle. He knew there was much more than that she wanted to discuss.

He sidestepped, closing the distance between them. Holding out his arm, he offered it to her. She took a moment to ponder before looping her arm in his.

“Nervous?” She asked.

“I’d rather face off with a group of overlords,” he jested. “You?”

“Agreed. At least a battle has a sure beginning and end.”

He gave her a surprised look.

“Not lacking the courage to face a group of people and enjoying it isn’t the same thing. I just have more experience than you do so it’s easier for me, I think.”

“Is this a recent discovery about yourself?”

She nodded.

He reached over and kissed her on the side of the head. “My cute little ice fairy,” he whispered.

“None of that, husband. Let’s go.”

Chao was pleased to see that there weren’t rows of elders lined up waiting for them outside the entrance of the palace as there had been last time. They headed for the edge of the cliff overlooking the joint sect campus. It was at the top of a mountain between two peaks. This high valley held more than a hundred buildings. Those closest to them donned blue shingles and the furthest half were red.

This was where he’d stood when he scanned the fire phoenix fortress on the opposite peak. It had held seven overlords and Prince Jin. He snuck past them all and took the prince’s head.

They descended toward the closest buildings and landed near the outskirts. When Mother had asked them to show themselves on campus, they planned to do just that. They’d also stop in every major lecture hall.

Their first stop on the way was the Ice Phoenix Pill Refinery. Like most of the buildings on campus, Chao hadn’t been inside. They walked into a small room with a counter that acted as a greeting request center. This wasn’t the place to buy pills. You could, however, put in specialty orders. While they were there, they did just that.

There was a typical ice fairy of the earth realm waiting behind the counter. She was still obviously practicing Heart of Ice often, for she had a straight-face reaction to seeing them. Giving them a martial bow, she said, “This one greets Sages of the Ice Phoenix Sect.”

“Hello,” Huifen replied, returning her martial salute. “We are here to place some orders and do an inspection.”

The girl straightened even if her facial features didn’t change.

Huifen lifted her hand to calm the girl. “We aren’t inspecting the refinery or the pill refiner’s work. We just want to evaluate sect morale now that the Aureate Empire’s shadow has been lifted.”

The girl’s eyes widened in understanding. She fuddled with a few things on the counter out of view and spoke as if talking through a transmission jade.

In a few moments, an older fairy joined them. She tried to put on a smile, even if it was obviously fake. Already knowing why they were here, she guided them. It seemed she was one of the elders that ran the place.

“Before the tour, allow me to take the information for your requested pills.”

“Here’s a list,” Chao said, handing her a card jade. And here’s the ingredients. He handed her a lesser spatial ring.

The woman didn’t look surprised to receive the ring. But when she plunged her perceptions into the jade, that quickly changed.

“This…” She held back what she was going to say and gave the spatial ring a peek first. It was like seeing her face melt before their eyes. At first, he thought it was going to be a problem, but then the traces of a real grin reached her eyes. “It will take us a few weeks to be able to complete so many pills. A few of our highest-level alchemists have returned home. I’ll send out transmissions right away to have them recalled.”

“We’re not in that big of a hurry,” Chao insisted.

Huifen squeezed his wrist, pulling his attention. The look she gave him was a humored one.

“I said something wrong?” He asked under his breath.

“No,” she replied. “You just haven’t had much experience with alchemists.”

He then gave the elder another look and realized this must be what an excited ice fairy looked like.

The woman was soon leading them through a side door and into the main hall of the pill refinery. It was unlike what he had imagined. Instead of there being one refiner for each cauldron, there was a team for ingredient preparation and one running the cauldrons. There was also a single high-level alchemist directing the disciples. It wasn’t just Ice Phoenix disciples either. There were a few fire phoenix disciples who seemed to have no other job than managing the flames.

The woman giving them the tour explained that they were the team responsible for creating recovery pills. On the other side of the hall, there was another team creating those for blood purifying. Because both teams were in the midst of refining, not a single person seemed to notice them.

There were a few disciples who acted as runners and those between refining. They all had similar reactions and basically froze in place when they saw Chao and Huifen. It seemed the rule of the refinery was no loud outbursts for more than one of them placed their hand over their mouth.

After exiting the main hall, they passed many smaller rooms with closed doors. The elder explained that those cauldrons were in use. About half the doors they passed were open. Most of them were empty, but a few held alchemists preparing their ingredients. It was when the runners were most needed.

In the back of the building were specialty cauldrons that could only be used by the highest-level alchemists. As Chao happened to catch a glimpse of one seemingly made of gold with coiled serpents acting as legs with their bodies extending up the four sides of the cauldron and looping out with four different heads, he caught himself holding his breath. He immediately wanted to try his hand at pill refining. He was a novice herbalist already and could make herbal medicines. What his mother had taught him was a more primitive form of ingredient refinement.

His father had always supported the practice by saying lesser refined ingredients often had milder effects on the body and didn’t pollute it with impurities.

“Regretting starting down the martial path?” Huifen asked.

“No. Just seeing a shiny toy I’d like to play with.”

“Poor, husband.” She patted his arm.

It was rare for her to tease him, but it had been coming much easier. So soon after their battle was surprising, though.

He gave her a proud grin.

It wasn’t the first building they visited filled with craftsmen. The Weapons and Armor Workshop was the next stop on the list. It was broken up by the tailor and seamstress, dire beast tanner, and a forge on the weapon side of the high-ceilinged building. It was an open shop with the weapon smiths sharing many of the same tools with armor smiths. The tools were organized in a row splitting the room. The smiths mostly took up one side. They also had dire beast refining specialists. There were also forgers, handle crafters, and rooms in the back for higher-ranked individuals. Just like in the Pill Refinery building, there were many teams.

They got more attention there than in the refinery, but there were also high-ranked craftsmen ready to keep them on track. They received fewer greetings there even if more eyes were on them.

It was then that they headed to an area of the campus Chao was familiar with. Then he noticed their possible heading. “Are we?”

“We are.”

He straightened himself and set his mind for the coming confrontation. “I’m ready,” he said.

She patted him again on the arm.

They entered the hall where Elder Wang Li’s law theory class was held and headed straight for her room. Chao felt nervous, but any fear he used to have of the woman had died after he’d killed the prince. He was more worried about letting his anger get the better of him than anything the spiteful elder might do to him.

Stepping into the lecture hall, he found it filled to the brim with students. Not only were the seats taken, but the back wall and sides had inner sect disciples standing there. Just as before, there were Ice and Fire Phoenix disciples alike.

As soon as Chao saw the Elder Wang Li, he was baffled at her change in demeanor. She flew to the top of the stairs and practically hobbled forward with her hands clasped together. She lifted her voice for the whole class to hear. “Class, greet Sage’s Long Chao and Long Huifen.”

Those seated came to their feet and everyone bowed together.

“Please, please,” the elder beckoned them toward the stage at the head of the room. She did so in a delighted and subservient manner.

Chao was so taken aback that all he could do was follow the woman’s request. He could feel the energy in the room and knew why so many were there. They’d heard about his and Huifen’s use of the laws. Now that they’d defeated half the overlords on the continent and two tribulation cultivators, everyone knew how transformative the laws could be.

Reaching the stage and heading behind the podium, Huifen stood slightly behind him, giving him the foremost spot. He recognized many of the faces there including Senior Disciple Eu-meh—though technically she wasn’t his senior any longer. Also, brother Li Qiang was there and waved at him heartily.

The elder had followed closely behind them. Once there, she spoke again. “This one must apologize to both sages. When Sage Long Chao was last here, I assumed the worst of him and his then-master, fearing he was hindering Sage Huifen’s cultivation. It pleases me to learn how wrong I was. Now they are both the pride of our Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects and have lifted the glory of the laws to their rightful place in the heavens. I thank you both, and I am sorry.”

Chao almost laughed seeing it because the old woman was nearly smiling with every word. What kind of apology was this?

“Thank you, Elder Wang Li,” Huifen said, smiling back at the woman. “As promised, this jade contains the beginnings of the training techniques for both ice and fire cultivators to advance in the first three laws. I have been developing it with the help of my husband, Sage Pangfua, her personal disciple Genji, and the Sect Master. Great Elder Long Zan and the Divine Fire Phoenix Envoy have also given their input. It also contains the personal notes on the fourth law morph by my husband and the process he and his mother, Sage Long An, used to unlock Awaken. This is just the first edition. Many more shall follow.”

Hearing his mother being called sage in public threatened to bring Chao to tears. He hadn’t known to what extent she’d been hated when he’d first arrived, but eventually, he’d learned she was known as a famous witch and blamed for the death of many sect disciples and elders. Elder Law of the Divine Fire Phoenix Sect had set this straight with the help of the current envoy.

His wife handed the card jade over and the elder grasped it in both hands, bringing it to her chest. “It has been my life’s work to understand the laws to the fullest that I am capable. I—we, will forever be grateful. If you’re not strained for time, would you mind giving the class a demonstration?”

When Huifen nudged him from behind, Chao realized she’d known something like this would likely happen. Instead of being upset, he chuckled out loud, stepped forward, and rested his weight against the podium.

He wasn’t a fan of speaking in public, but he’d seen the exhaustion his fellow disciples held just before the recent battle and the life that had now returned to them. These weren’t strangers even if he didn’t know them all by name. They were members of his sect who had just undergone a great ordeal and survived.

He began to speak and found it less burdensome than he’d ever experienced. “It gladdens me to see you haven’t lost your desire to cultivate after all the joint sect have been through. I also share Elder Wang Li’s pleasure in seeing so many of you with a newfound interest in the laws. I’ll happily give you a demonstration, but, with the elder’s permission, I see no reason for you not to begin practicing right away.”

When the elder’s head bobbled in the affirmative, he looked into the crowd and called out. “Disciple Eu-meh and Disciple Li Qiang, would you mind helping everyone break into groups of two or three with a focus on their element of cultivation?”

They were sitting close to one another and stood when called.

“Yes, senior brother,” Li Qiang called with a martial salute. Even if he hadn’t seen Chao in nearly a year, the young man was his friend, and didn’t fear that he’d take offense when using familiar terms.

Disciple Eu-meh didn’t respond so casually but didn’t lack intimacy. “Yes, Master Chao.”

He didn’t reject them. “These two have learned the basics already and will come around to show each group borrow tug-of-war. It might seem like a simple game, but the more you advance your laws, the more complex you can make it.”

“A few guidelines. Ice fairies mustn’t use Heart of Ice during this exercise. I also recommend not using it while cultivating the laws in a general sense. There is a connection between emotion and utilizing the laws. Try to enjoy the process, but don’t forget to engage your mind. Both are necessary.”

He then turned to Huifen. They demonstrated the basics of the game before the whole room with low-rank ice. At the realm of most of the disciples, it would be harder to summon an element below their realm than higher because their qi was purified through their core and inner worlds. Using nascent level ice while in the sky realm for so little qi was impossible for all but those who had a mastery of the laws.

After they’d let the groups practice for fifteen minutes, he decided to give them the demonstration the elder had requested. Huifen followed his lead in limiting her ice to the sky realm while enhancing it up a realm and then reverse-enhancing it to a lower one.

Their ice didn’t change color like fire might, every disciple was familiar with the difference in realms. Even the fire cultivators commonly sparred against ice cultivators after all.

After getting things started, Chao called Eu-meh and Li Qiang over, promising they’d meet in the next couple of days once things had settled down. With so many people interested in the laws, Chao now had a large enough group to do a serious study on whether his sound laws improved the rate of law advancement or not. He was currently almost positive they did, but the more he could control the variables the surer he would be.

As they left, Disciple Eu-meh started playing borrow tug-of-war with Elder Wang Li. It seemed the old woman really did share his love of the laws. She just hadn’t been able to see past his age and cultivation on their first meeting.

As they exited the building, Chao felt the familiar pressure of an overlord cultivator from above. He was still on edge from the battle just days before, so he prepared to surround his wife and himself in a space barrier. It shouldn’t be anything, he told himself, then spotted a fire overlord he’d never seen before dressed in a fire phoenix uniform followed by another overlord that cultivated a different element entirely.

All he knew was that the overlords of the Fire Phoenix Sect had betrayed their joint sect.

Chao stepped forward, placing himself between them and his wife. His spear appeared in his hand and his qi began to cycle. He felt the familiar feeling of his wife’s energy gathering.

As the pair landed before them, he saw that the fire overlord had a shaggy head of hair and a dirty-blond beard. His physique was massive, even for a heavy-yang cultivator. He didn’t remove his weapon, however, but tilted his head to the side.

The woman that landed with him stepped forward as Chao had. Her dress was green, and he felt the vibrant energy of nature qi blazed into life with her aura. A staff appeared in her double-handed grip as she lowered herself into a martial stance.

When they were still using the training construct, it had stopped sending him natural cultivators as opponents because they rarely had the speed to keep up with him, but that was when he was facing sky realm opponents. This woman was an overlord. He wasn’t familiar enough with her cultivation art to know what small realm she had reached. He assumed she was at small success at the least.

Chao observed her balance shift to her front foot. She was about to attack. Before either of them made a move, the fire overlord spoke. “Little Head Disciple, is that you? You’re an overlord already?”

Both Chao and the nature cultivator shifted to watch the man out of the corner of their eye.

Then Huifen spoke, “Senior Fang? You’ve returned?”

Without another word, the fire cultivator stepped past the woman in front of him and strode forward.

Chao didn’t feel any killing intent, so he stayed his attack. Only when Huifen placed her hand on his shoulder did he put his spear away.

The large man stopped less than two meters away, bowing his head while looking her up and down. “I’m pleased to see you’re still in one piece. We heard, well… We heard the entire continent had risen up against the joint sect so Ping and I raced back as fast as we could. What happened? From what I can tell, the sect is still intact.”

The woman facing off against him placed her staff back in her spatial ring and came up to stand at Fang’s side. For overlords, they both looked young. That didn’t always mean much, but Chao had noticed his wife had called the man senior and not elder. The woman had the red-cheeked face common to water cultivators, silky black hair, and larger-than-life eyes.

“Regrettably, there have been losses,” Huifen admitted. “Almost every Fire Phoenix Sect overlord, Tengfei included. Great Elder Jilpa and eight outer sect disciples as well. As for the story—”

“We should leave it for Mother Quinyuan to tell,” Chao said, stepping up and grabbing her hand.

Huifen looked him in the eye as she thought about it, then nodded.

It was then that Sage Fang took a half step forward and pointed at Chao but stopped himself from doing more. “I guess I should be calling you Sage Huifen now, but—uh. What’s going on? Who is this sky realm boy?”

Chao let go of his wife’s hand and issued them both a martial salute. “Forgive this one for his earlier hostility. The battle is just two days passed. This one is Long Chao.”

“Senior brother, I can only imagine how much confusion you’re going to experience over the next couple of days. The joint sect is going through a transformative period. This Long Chao is one of the youngest sages in Lifestone’s history, and also my husband.”

The fire sage narrowed his eyes and tilted his head in the opposite direction. His hand fell and he just stood there bewildered. “Marriage? You? And you?” He pointed at Chao again.

“I say it’s a good thing,” Sage Ping said, smiling warmly as she grabbed the fire cultivator by the arm so that he’d stop pointing. “I’ve always told you that I thought your joint sect was a dual cultivator’s dream come true—if only their doctrine would change.” She then bowed her head to them, greeting them properly. “Well met. I am Sage Ping, the wife of your senior brother here.” She turned a questioning eye on Chao. “Did I hear correctly? You’ve earned the title of sage while still in the sky realm?”

Chao bowed his head in return. “It is as you say. My wife achieved the title in the sky realm before I did due to her mastery of martial techniques and the ice laws, but it had to be kept secret.”

Seeing his wife blush even if she tried to disguise it with ice qi had Sage Fang staring in wonderment again.

“Laws?” The girl started sharing in her husband’s confusion.

It was then that Quinyuan and Zan flew in to join them.

“Sage Fang. Sage Ping,” Quinyuan said cordially, giving them a martial salute. “I only wish your return was under better circumstances.”

“Sect Master,” the pair replied as one.

It was Fang that noticed first. “You’re realm. Divine cultivator…”

“Yes. And this is my husband, Long Zan,” Quinyuan introduced.

As soon as he heard the name, Sage Fang darkened.

“Fang, stay your anger,” Quinyuan commanded. A pulse of aura reminded him of what he already knew. “Your Divine Fire Phoenix Envoy is in my Ice Phoenix Palace as we speak. Long Zan and Long An’s reputations have been restored by a divine lord—your divine sect elder no less. Zan here is also a member of my Ice Phoenix Sect and a Great Elder.”

Sage Fang simply leaned back and slouched his shoulders. Judgment would have to be delayed. His wife poked him hard on the arm. He glanced at her and gestured that he understood.

“Where do we start?” He asked.

“Come, Junior Brother,” Quinyuan said. “We’ll meet with your envoy and relay to you all that has happened. The Fire Phoenix Sect will need your help in the coming days. Junior Sister Ping, you are welcome.”

She then turned to Chao and Huifen. “Continue your trip around the sect and join us tonight for dinner.”

“Yes, mother,” they said in turn.

The two newcomer sages said their farewells then followed Zan and Quinyuan.

Offering his wife his arm, Chao said, “Shall we?”

She took it and they were off.

Chapter 3

Huifen and Chao ended their visit to the campus at the Fire Phoenix Palace. Elder Yongrui was there to greet them. He gave them a tour that was more thorough than any even Huifen had ever been given. This elder who had helped her husband during his time in the mine was the only overlord beside Sage Fang left in the Fire Phoenix Sect. There were still numerous sky realm elders and a few talented disciples who would soon be ready to take the place of those old monsters.

Since Chao and Yongrui were so familiar, Huifen just followed behind while lost in her own thoughts. As interesting as she found the fortress-like palace, Huifen really wanted to get back to their room so that they could finally have the conversation that she and Chao had coming—as well as to have a peek at her new third pillar technique. Today hadn’t been for their sake, but the sake of the joint sect. They’d visited lecture hall after lecture hall, the mission hall, the library, and the arena. How many people had they greeted? Hundreds? A thousand?

The tour was over, and they headed toward the exit. A weighty presence arrived as they were leaving. Sage’s Fang and Ping touched down near the entrance.

As soon as the giant fire sage who was even larger than Yongrui saw them, he strolled forward and bowed deeply. “Sage Huifen, this one is greatly ashamed of the crimes that were perpetrated against you and that I wasn’t here to stand against the elders of my sect in their treason. To go as far as to attack their sect… Their deaths are just.”

Huifen had known this overlord in her early days in the sect when she was still but a girl. He was the youngest overlord in the Fire Phoenix Sect at only fifty years old. Huifen had just come to the sect when he had advanced. He was the only fire sage who was likely to ascend to the divine realm. Despite being an overlord, his enthusiasm for life was as fiery as his cultivation. He’d always been kind and even teased her when she was still learning the Heart of Ice technique. There was one more quality that the man was known for.

She stepped forward and issued a martial salute. “Senior Brother, you have no share in their crimes. They didn’t include you in their plans because they knew you would make it difficult for them.”

“Even so,” he said, continuing to bow. “This one would bring them back to life just to kill them again if he could.”

“Thank you, Senior.” She wasn’t sure if it was because they were talking about the traitor fire sect overlords, but she was more embarrassed at being the center of attention than she felt any pang from the memory of what had happened to her.

Sage Ping stepped forward and returned Huifen’s salute while giving her an empathetic look. “Little Sister, I share my husband’s astonishment. This news has saddened us greatly. I also must praise you. To stand against so many overlords and come out victorious. You are truly inspiring.”

Finally straightening himself, Sage Fang said. “It was mentioned in our meeting that you practice the nature laws? Ping Ping, maybe you could share pointers with Sage Huifen since nature is your expertise?”

The woman wasn’t quick to respond. She seemed tentative. Her smile that came next was more reserved than before. “Of course.”

As excited as Huifen felt about being able to ask a true nature cultivator questions, she responded. “Don’t feel obligated, Senior Sister.”

The sage shook her head and her shyness from before disappeared. “Don’t be silly. I’d be honored to share pointers with you.”

“Good. Good.” Sage Fang clapped his hands. “And Little Brother,” he said, turning to Chao. “I can’t praise you enough. I must admit I’m still getting my mind around what was said of you. Would you be willing to trade pointers?”

“This one answers,” Chao said, saluting him. “It would be my honor.”

“Wonderful. Sect business awaits or I’d impose on you now. Yongrui,” Sage Fang growled, turning to the newest and only other overlord in the Fire Phoenix Sect. “You and I need to chat.”

Chao moved to step between them when Yongrui grabbed his shoulder and held him back. “I have a tongue lashing coming for my past transgressions,” the man said. “It’s not something a man shies away from.”

He wasn’t quick to back away, but her Chao did so after his mentor continued standing his ground. She knew Chao had never forced the issue of Yongrui’s past in their time training together. Should she tell him now that the elder and Sage Fang would have to work out their differences? The Fire Phoenix Sect needed every overlord it could get.

It was reasonable that the joint sect shouldn’t have any worry of being attacked by an outside influence after they’d defeated nine overlords and the four divine cultivators. The four of them included the divine spirit blood cultivator Billi and her dead master Syaoran. That didn’t mean there wouldn’t be encroachment from outside forces on the Monolith Continent. There were also large forces in the north with far more overlords than they’d had even when the ex-Fire Phoenix Sect sages were still alive. The Divine Flying Tiger Clan also produced tribulation cultivators far more often than the joint sect because of the nature of their cultivation practices. The threat of an assault was always present. If their rivals smelled weakness, even if it was a false signal, who knew what they might do?

When Huifen and her husband were all that remained, she grabbed his arm and said, “Let’s go.”

For the first time in over a year, they returned to their old rooms in the Ice Phoenix Palace. At least, Huifen had. Their marriage bed had been brought from the Frozen Moon Mystic Realm and placed in her room. It was one of the largest rooms in the palace, and it was larger than the one they’d been staying in.

When she opened the door and walked in, she stopped and looked back to see Chao standing at the doorway.

“What is it?” She asked.

His eyes hit the floor. “I’ve never entered this room before. Are you sure it’s appropriate, Senior Sister?”

Her initial response was to be annoyed. They were finally going to get to have their conversation and he wanted to play around instead. She sighed. “Junior Brother,” she said, playing along while making her annoyance show.

In the next instant, he was in the room, the door was closed, and he was wrapping her up. When he tried to kiss her, she turned her head. It landed on her cheek. Then her neck.

“I really shouldn’t indulge your silly games.”

“You really shouldn’t,” he agreed.

“We need to talk.”

“We do.” He didn’t stop.

Pushing him away, she folded her arms across her chest and gave him a pointed look.

He expertly mimicked her stance and glare.

She was really starting to become irritated when he spoke. “I just don’t want you to think I didn’t miss my Huifen after going two days without her. You’re my favorite law to cultivate.”

She plopped down in the middle of the floor with a huff.

“None of that,” he said, sitting down across from her. “If it wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I wouldn’t have bothered. Now tell me, how is my wife?”

“I know,” she replied, letting her annoyance fade. “I’m better than I think I should be.”

“From killing old allies?”

“That and the rest of the killing. My conscience is clear, but this battle didn’t make me feel as dirty as it would’ve in the past.”

“Good. It’s the same for me. After all our time in the realistic combat of the Training Construct, it’s appropriate, I think. We did all we could to try to save our sect’s lower realm cultivators from having to fight. Our conscience should be clear. How do you feel about finally getting your revenge by killing the emperor?”

She searched her heart and mind for an answer but couldn’t find one. Chao waited patiently until she responded. “I feel like nothing has changed. If it was right after the violation maybe it would be different, but I feel the same.”

He looked pleased.

“What is it?”

“My wife is strong. If they had forced you to go against your principles, then it would’ve been their victory. I may be wrong, but isn’t recovering without the need for revenge the real victory? It just shows the Sun family was nothing to you in the end.”

“Does it?” She thought about it for a moment but wasn’t sure. It sounded right—in part. It was something she’d have to consider at length.

She then turned her attention to him. “Now, about you facing off with a divine realm cultivator who was threatening to kidnap me…”

She watched as he stiffened his back and sat tall to oppose her. There’d been a time when he would’ve accepted her rebuke without resistance. That may not be entirely true. It may have been masked by timid etiquette, but he never let anything cross his bottom line.

She couldn’t help but remember when they’d first met. He’d been just a low-level nascent realm cultivator and she was nearing the peak of the earth realm. They were an entire world apart. She’d been annoyed at his initial clumsiness but had understood it. The difference in power between them had been like the heat of a candle to that of dragon fire. It was common in the world of cultivators for those in the lower realm to practically worship the higher. It wasn’t just out of respect, but fear. And yet he’d been more afraid of what she thought of him than what she could do to him. Maybe it was because he’d grown up around a divine realm cultivator like his father.

Then she thought of how he’d stubbornly remained in the mine for four months to the point his cultivation had even dropped a small realm. There was also the time he’d insisted she go against the Sect Master’s command and stop using Heart of Ice while they cultivated the laws. And when he’d thrown Elder Wang Li’s words in her face when she’d spoken poorly of Huifen. There was his fight in the arena against a cultivator an entire large realm higher than him and he had only been dueling for a few weeks. She would never forget the state she had found him in after killing Prince Jin, the man who violated her. And that was before he’d become her husband. Now he’d killed multiple overlords in one battle and a divine realm cultivator.

She’d been meaning to rebuke him, instead, she said, “Thank you.”

When she bowed her head, like always, he leaned forward to stop her. She gave him a little blast of her qi to keep him from doing it. He’d never been a coward, just naïve about some things and he lacked experience. He was also too polite sometimes. She’d been there to see him grow and was even his master for a time. She admitted she wasn’t really a master. Just a senior disciple helping a promising junior.

“However,” she added after lifting her head. “We had a smarter play, especially after Prince Rong said he just wanted to take me hostage. I know you were convinced he’d likely end up killing me, eventually, but if you would’ve thought it through, he would’ve needed to keep me alive for a time to use me. My qi was low, but I’d already taken a recovery pill. Within ten to fifteen minutes, I would’ve been able to briefly execute Ice Phoenix’s Breath and you would’ve had a short window to finish him that wouldn’t have left you injured. Mother Quinyuan would’ve even caught up by then.”

“I know what you say is right,” he admitted. “But it would’ve still been a gamble. Gambling with your life is not something I’m capable of doing.”

“Even if it’s the most likely way for you to lose your life? And if you didn’t survive, would it have made any difference? He would’ve still been able to capture me.”

“No. If anything, I was sure of my ability to injure him greatly. All that I had to do was close the space off around us. It would’ve reflected his attack back at him and been impossible for him to dodge.”

She glared at him but knew continuing to argue would do them no good.

He then held up his hand to stop her from saying more. “If the day comes in the divine realm when I’m unable to use the space laws with the same proficiency I am here, I’d be willing to consider such a gamble because I’d have no choice. I had a choice, Huifen. Because of what had happened with my sound and the fire dragon, I knew I’d touched on something that could threaten him. The only gamble I took was not knowing to what extent it would work. I better understand that now. Next time, I will not be injured.”

Seeing him compromise, even if it was to a limited extent, soothed her spirit more than it probably should have. Nodding in acceptance, she said, “So after spending two days without me or the ability to hear, what did you discover?”

He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. “It’s still just at the theoretical stages, but if I’m not wrong, the sound laws provide an avenue for a cultivator to inject their will into their martial techniques and even other laws. That’s why it seemed like my sound could contain the other elements and even space. It doesn’t actually carry these elements, but, just as sound can carry emotion, it carries my command. So if I provide it with the will to awaken a fire dragon to the tribulation level, as long as my qi and laws allow, it can bring it to life.

“What’s more, because I used the sound laws to create the technique, the dragon can make use of sound’s characteristics without me having to create a second technique like a sound orb to execute its roar. That’s why I was able to do the impossible and create a mobile wall of tearing space. My will was present in my sound as the wave collapsed on Prince Rong.”

She felt her nostrils flare as she considered the implications and knew he was probably watching her nose twitch. It didn’t bother her like it once had. “What law is it? Awaken?”

“I’m not sure. That’s possible. I tried to repeat the process and hand my will over in the same way I would with the other elements, but the will I supply them only affects the element I was working with directly. If I had to guess, because it is sound’s nature to carry emotion or induce it—or maybe inspire is a better word—sound’s awaken law acts differently. Either that or sound is simply different than the elements. It might be a different law entirely.”

“My husband is incredible.”

Seeing him turn plum red, she giggled.

They talked a little while longer, revisiting the battle and the aftermath. Their conversation then turned to the future. They spoke about the Aureate Empire, and just as they’d agreed before, they decided to personally oversee the emperor’s replacement. The man had mentioned a name before he died. Koshing. Quinyuan had already visited the royal palace and had them put a hold on any decisions, but an empire couldn’t wait forever.

In the end, they both agreed. Many things would be required of them in the coming months, including venturing out into the Monolith Continent—and the world. As great of a victory as they’d won, they were still not invincible in this realm. Huifen knew far better than Chao how powerful the Northern Continent’s cultivators could be. If they weren’t careful to prepare for the trials Father Zan had convinced them to attend, they’d get themselves killed.

“You’ve waited long enough, my Huifen. Bring out the jade with your new technique. I have a lot of experiments to do that don’t require space or high-realm elements.”

She felt like Little Genji as she bobbed her head excitedly and pulled it out of her spatial ring. “See you in two days,” she jeered.

He winced. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“I can’t wait to hear what you’ve come up with when I’m done reading.”

A tiny fire dragon appeared in one of his hands, and an ice fairy in the other. They flew toward her. He was trying to win her over with cuteness, but these two awakened figurines had become pets to her. Splitting up and arriving at either cheek, they reached out and kissed her.

She inclined her brow as if challenging him to do better when she heard two adorable voices squeak, “I love you.”

He’d taught them to talk? They had found their way past her defenses and a smile was already stretching across her face. Realizing it, her hand shot to her face and a word escaped. “Oh.”

Chapter 4

Even after a year of marriage, Chao was uncomfortable around his in-laws. Father-in-law Xiao Tu was cheerful and affectionate like no one he’d ever met. He embraced Chao at every meeting and seemed incapable of not smiling. His physique had greatly improved since moving into the joint sect out of necessity with the Aureate Empire’s threat hanging over them. Now that the threat was over, he’d taken a position to use his merchant skills for the joint sect and had already become the chief of negotiations. It was his ability to befriend anyone that made it so that every Ice and Fire Phoenix elder wasn’t his match. He genuinely liked people and enjoyed life. Even the ice fairies seemed to treat him with an arm’s-length fondness.

Chao walked with Father Tu as Huifen and Mother Sya followed behind in conversation. Both couples needed to go to the arena, so they decided to take it slow and walk together.

“I hope to get to travel with you, son-in-law, when you and Hui Hui travel to explore the monoliths,” Father Tu mused. “It’s said that even after thousands of years, treasures are still being discovered there constantly. Some are natural treasures that grow because of the qi unique to the area, while others are ancient in nature. Brother Zan has been trying to convince Sya and me to go with the party from the joint sect when it leaves. He’s lit the treasure-hunting flame inside this one, so as long as no duties are keeping us, I’ll be joining you like a true cultivator.”

“Father-in-law is a real cultivator whether you go or not,” Chao reassured him. “Not everyone takes the martial path, and there’s nothing right or wrong about it. There are many paths of cultivation. No one in the joint sect looks down on your merchant’s path after all you’ve done. Also, I’ve heard Father Tu has been showing much improvement during his sparring sessions in the arena.”

The man gave a boisterous laugh. He wrapped his arm around Chao’s shoulder and pulled him in as if to tell him a secret. But his voice remained loud enough that anyone close by could hear. “What they don’t know is that this petty merchant cultivator has many hidden artifacts. If it came to a real fight, I could make short work of many cultivators at my same realm.”

“Braggard,” Mother-in-law’s voice sounded from behind them. Whether she was joking or not was hard to tell from the shallow inflections in her voice. Mother Sya had continued to use Heart of Ice fairly consistently even after leaving the sect.

When Huifen giggled and father-in-law chuckled, he joined them awkwardly.

“Even a merchant must be able to protect his pretty wife. Depending on hirelings completely is foolish.”

When Mother Sya didn’t object, Chao began to wonder exactly what kind of hidden artifacts the man possessed. The Fire and Ice Phoenix Sects dealt in offensive and defensive treasures, but they were only the most proven and typical kind that were used by martial cultivators. There were many others out there that were still very capable. What might work for someone who studied martial arts wouldn’t necessarily work for general cultivators.

“Martial or merchant path, every cultivator should be a treasure hunter at heart,” Father Tu said.

“Father-in-law is right,” Chao agreed with a chuckle. The man’s positivity was like a disease one wanted to catch.

When they passed the last building between them and the arena’s entrance, Tu let go of him but not without first squeezing his shoulder.

“The elder who decided to put up this display of high-end items was wise,” Tu murmured to himself as he turned his attention to the wall behind the counter between the stairs that led up to the arena entrance. “Enticing the hearts of young cultivators with future dreams is a great idea, but it needs this one’s touch. Arranging the items in a tiered system with lower-cost rare items on the bottom should work. If the clerks are pulling items off the wall so rarely that no one has ever seen them do it, then this display will become a simple backdrop. But if they see clerks pulling items off every couple of times they visit, it should gather more attention more often.”

His father-in-law was so lost in his thinking that he just waved his farewell as they neared the clerks. They’d gone around the lines of disciples, for none of them had any intention of buying and selling. At least, not the typical kind. Father Tu was greeted by the main clerk and ushered in behind the counter.

Chao turned and faced Mother Sya, giving her a martial salute.

Her smile was as natural as any he’d ever seen. “Goodbye, son-in-law, Hui’er. Have fun with the other sages. I’ll be watching from the stands.”

Their mother flew up into the air and bypassed the traffic of the entrance entirely.

Finding his wife waiting for him, Chao flew up a few meters. She joined him and he surrounded them with a sound barrier out of habit.

“Father-in-law sure seems excited about treasure hunting at the monoliths,” he said.

“Mmm,” Huifen replied as they flew over the arena’s outer wall. “Mother is as well. It seems the group that is going will be quite large this time.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not really. The monolith region is as large as the Redwood Aurora you grew up in. So think thousands of kilometers. It’s like the ruins of an ancient civilization. There are a few points of interest commonly visited, but much of it remains unexplored even after tens of thousands of years.”

“So big…”

“Yes. Who knows what we might find.” Her fascination shone through. “It isn’t owned by any one sect, however, so we must be careful. It wouldn’t be abnormal for us to meet other overlords there. It’s not just our safety, but the safety of the inner sect disciples we’ll be bringing along with us that we must look out for. Sage Pangfua is also bringing Sister Genji, so we won’t be the only sages. We can discuss it later in detail. We’ve arrived.”

They touched down on the arena floor. It had been elevated as it often was when higher realm cultivators took the stage. The stands were packed. Two overlords were there waiting for them.

“This one greets Sages Fang and Ping,” Chao said, saluting. Huifen followed his lead.

“Welcome Little Brother,” Fang replied. “Junior Sister. Today is a good day.” His voice boomed.

He’d noticed that Sage Ping seemed standoffish as she had when she heard about what happened to Huifen. The woman still gave them a martial bow.

The crowd quieted down. They wouldn’t be addressing the spectators directly. The four of them had come simply to show off some martial techniques. There’d be no sparring. It was a friendly exhibition that disciples were allowed to observe in hope they could glean something. It wasn’t an official event.

Chao extended a sound barrier to surround the four of them. They stood in the middle of the stage. “Feel free to speak freely. If anyone wants to address the crowd, just say and I’ll drop the barrier.”

“Thank you, Little Brother.” Fang grinned. “I was thinking this one should start, then Junior Sister should go next. I know we aren’t here to put on a show, but my techniques are commonly known here so they won’t be too exciting. Junior Sisters are also known, but we’ve heard what you can do with water and nature. Your presentation should be much more extravagant. Then Ping Ping can give everyone a taste of her lesser-known nature techniques, and Little Brother can dazzle us at the end.”

As flattering as Sage Fang’s words were, it was still putting a lot of pressure on Chao. Huifen grabbed his hand, but he quelled her worry with a confident grin.

“Very well, Senior Brother,” Huifen replied. “Show us this technique you’re calling common that you secretly want to show off.”

The older sage rumbled with laughter. “You remember me well. Then let me show you.”

The three of them flew back to let Fang have plenty of room. Huifen held Chao’s hand so that she could join her defensive aura with his if it became necessary.

“We’ll feel some heat, but husband contains it well,” Sage Ping said in response to Huifen’s reaction.

They nodded their thanks.

Sage Fang didn’t waste any time. He stood facing them with a boastful smirk. Taking an explosive step forward, he threw what looked like a palm strike. Instead of fire qi charging at them, green overlord fire sprung from the meridians all over his body and a burning cage, the second technique in the Fire Phoenix Cultivation Tome, surrounded him. The bars of his cage seemed paper thin and held their heat far better than even most earth realm versions Chao had experienced.

If that was all, it would’ve been an impressive display of control. A peak use of the technique in this lower realm, but Sage Fang wasn’t finished.

Like a windblown inferno, his cage began to grow. It didn’t just get bigger, but bars extended from it and a second cage was constructed to surround the first. Both cages were connected, but distinct. Then to Chao’s astonishment, a third cage formed, surrounding the second. It was like an intricate maze of bars. As someone who had been designing his own techniques since he was little, he knew just how difficult it was to hold such detail together with qi.

Then a fourth layer was added to the burning cage in an instant. The slow construction of the earlier layers was just for show. Chao clapped, joining his applause with the audience.

Huifen leaned over and whispered while clapping as well. “Is he using the morph law? His cage is so compact.”

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “His level of control with his qi has just reached a freakish level.”

She cracked a smile at his use of the word. “Senior Brother is amazing,” she called out.

Chao noticed Sage Ping grin in response. “Sometimes I think he’d rather be a builder and not a cultivator at all,” the woman said.

In the next instant, the four-layered burning cage disappeared, and Sage Fang strolled toward them quite pleased with himself. “Every woman wants her husband to build her a grand palace. Keep me happy and perhaps one day…”

Sage Ping lazily threw her hand out and sent out a gust of nature qi. Fang inclined his head and opened his arms as if to embrace it. It smacked into him but didn’t even push him off balance.

“Little Sister, I think you better take the stage,” Ping said.

Huifen glanced at Chao. After seeing another married couple at the peak level of cultivation in this lower realm carry on as they did, it delighted her.

As Huifen flew toward center stage, Fang came and stood next to him. “What do you think?”

“The control you have of your qi is outstanding, Senior,” he replied.

“No, I mean about this ice fairy of yours?”

It was not a question he’d expected. Often as he did with his father, he gave it a long moment’s thought before answering. “Sometimes, I feel like I’ve reached into my dreams and pulled her out, but I also fear I’ll be unable to keep her for myself.”

The man let out a hardy chuckle. “Both poetic and honest. I shouldn’t have expected less of the man that won such a fairy’s heart. You’ve done well keeping her safe.”

“Thank you.”

It was then that Huifen began her demonstration. A pillar of ice shroud rose up at her summons. It was the second technique in the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome. It was a common technique amongst those watching but its base was normal overlord ice and near the top of the pillar, more than a hundred meters up, there was a small segment that glowed with its own internal light. It was tribulation ice.

Chao heard Sage Ping suck in her breath. Sage Fang let out a sharp whistle. Huifen let them, as well as the crowd, take in the technique and feel its cold touch before flying up to the top of her pillar. While there, she held out her hand where a large lotus flower bloomed. This wasn’t the ice technique of her Ice Phoenix Sect, but an actual lotus created with nature laws.

“It’s true,” Ping said softly. “The laws…”

Huifen shielded the new bloom from her pillar at first. She channeled qi into it of a gentler nature until the flower’s white petals started to take on an icy glow. It was only after a minute of this that she finally felt it was ready. She planted it stem first into the top of the pillar. The tribulation ice fed it qi.

The lotus grew and it soon had a glowing aura of its own. The stands erupted as they were witnessing something they’d never seen before.

Huifen flew back and Sage Ping was quick to address her. “Little Sister’s use of the nature laws has opened this one’s eyes. I look forward to trading pointers with you.”

“Thank you, Sage Ping. I’m honored.”

“Ping Ping, you’re up,” Fang announced with a clap of his hands. “As a nature cultivator, she has several more techniques she practices than anything we’re used to in the joint sect. Many of them have mundane utility, but don’t let that fool you. Her martial techniques are superb. Wife, how about making it something exciting.”

“Yes, husband,” she called. “It seems wrong to attack Littler Sister’s work of art even as it dissipates. Would you mind raising another one as a target?”

“Would you prefer a pillar of stone?” Chao asked, tapping his chin in thought. “Does your technique feed off its target?”

“It can…” Ping responded, still a little reserved. “Are you able to enhance it to the tribulation realm? I’d like to test myself against it.”

“I’m afraid not, Senior Sister,” he replied, rubbing the back of his head humbly. “My earth laws only allow me to enhance it to the overlord realm. I’ve yet to reach large success. It’s the same with my nature laws, so I’m afraid that won’t work either. Huifen’s pillar will probably be the best test.”

“Only small success,” Fang snorted.

“Husband is right,” Ping added. “There is no reason to be embarrassed. An overlord earth pillar is more than enough.”

Chao saluted her before turning toward the middle of the stage. His earth laws weren’t something he’d spent much time developing since he’d come to the joint sect, but his heaven and earth qi were more compatible with it than the heavy yang and yin elements. It was one of the reasons he’d never had to spend as much time experimenting with it. The other was that compared to the elements like lightning and wind, earth was simply easier to understand. You could grasp it with your hands, take it apart, and play with it as he’d done as a boy.

Just to continue testing out his new theory with his sound laws, he summoned a hum in the air and transferred his command over to it. A true overlord realm pillar of rock started to form in the middle of the stage. He imagined it perfectly round, so it took on that shape.

He stepped back to allow Sage Ping to work.

“Thank you, Little Brother,” she said before bounding forward. Her staff appeared in her hand, and she thrust out. She held back to control the force, but her form was flawless. As the blue-green nature qi rushed forward, great vines took form like the deadly tentacles of a peak-level dire beast. They only grew as they neared and spread out to entangle the base of the pillar. Great thorns appeared all over them. Like claws, they were driven into the pillar as they wrapped around it from both sides. The vines themselves were nearly as thick as the pillar by the time they reached it.

Chao kept funneling qi to keep it stable. Despite his pillar being tougher than ogre quartz, he could feel it readying to crumble within seconds. When it couldn’t take anymore, the power of her vines crushed a lower segment, and the pillar began to fall. The vines were too greedy to let it. Wrapping around anything they could get a hold of, they smothered the entire pillar while draining it of qi to use for their own.

The crowd’s applause this time was ladened with tension. There was a healthy dose of fear.

“Senior Sister’s technique is extraordinary,” Chao said. “To be able to draw so much qi from an opposing overlord’s technique so quickly…”

Huifen had yet to speak. She was studying the technique even after Sage Ping had stopped supplying it with qi. It would be many minutes before it disappeared entirely.

He nudged his wife to gain her attention. She’d have plenty of time later when she and Sage Ping practiced together. Huifen's eyes snapped to meet his, then she realized she was being rude.

“This is the first time this one has seen nature techniques of this level,” she said, bowing her head. “Thank you, Senior Sister. I’ve profited greatly.”

“This one has profited more from Little Sister’s display of the laws,” the woman beamed, losing her earlier restraint. “I’m afraid you’ll be teaching me more than I’ll be teaching you. I might have a few secrets I can show you, though, to make it a worthy trade.”

“Alright Little Brother,” Fang nudged him and let the girls continue speaking. “I can tell you’re at the sky realm and see that unique core of yours, but even after the envoy himself said what you’re capable of it’s difficult to believe. Please set this one straight.” He glanced back at his wife, and she nodded.

“Yes, Little Brother, please,” Ping added.

Giving Huifen a wink, Chao walked toward the middle of the stage while keeping his distance from the still-dissolving vine. He’d been thinking about a way to best display all his laws and thought he’d come up with something that should work.

He summoned an earth, nature, and water creature then awaken them. Their designs were amongst the simplest he had. One was an overly simple stone golem. The next was a walking tree with feet that crept like a nest of serpents, and the last was a wispy ball of water. They were each as tall as a person. Nearing the almost dispersed vine, the three creatures bowed to the vine the best they could before forming up in a triangle.

The audience was filled with hushed tones as they watched the show.

A lightning serpent shot forward to take its place at the fourth corner and the four creatures formed a square. Chao went to stand in the middle. He looked back to see Sage Fang leans so far forward that it looked like he might fall over. Ping was right there, peeking out from behind him.

Chao looked up and tore space. A tunnel formed above him, and two additional creatures appeared before flying up into the tunnel and vanishing. High overhead, a fire dragon and ice fairy appeared facing off with each other. They were twice the size of the other creatures. Chao had enhanced them to the overlord realm.

Then the two began to fight. It wasn’t true combat, but more like a martial dance.

As soon as they’d appeared, the audience rose to its feet. They cheered loudly, but his demonstration hadn’t ended yet.

The more his phoenix and dragon fought, the higher up they flew. It wasn’t until they’d neared the top of the barrier that Father Zan had provided for the sect that the dragon’s form turned from green to that of blue tribulation fire.

Its aura was a torrent of heat even from so high overhead. The ice fairy fluttered away in fear when the dragon stopped and watched it go. Immediately, it calmed its flames back to overlord green. The fairy began to draw near, timidly at first. She then flew up and kissed the dragon on the nose and its form sizzled. Instead of a dragon, a boy fire cultivator took its place.

The gasps he heard from the crowd were expected, but to hear them from ice fairies that wouldn’t dare make such noises publicly drew a huge grin across his face.

Both the ice and fire creatures descended. Their level of ice and fire did as well as they entered his space tunnel and then appeared beside him. The six most common elements, not including wind since it wasn’t very visually appealing, surrounded him in a circle and bowed to him before they disappeared. He was careful to make sure his space tunnel was gone and only then returned to the sages.

Brother Fang was shaking his head and Sister Ping was staring at the ground deep in thought. The audience had the opposite reaction and was cheering at the top of their lungs.

Chao walked over to stand with Huifen as they awaited their seniors.

“Well, it’s undeniable,” Fang said listlessly. “I didn’t think such things were possible. Awaken, tribulation fire, space, so many elements… it makes sense how you two ended up together. Ping Ping?”

She looked up from her daze and simply nodded.

“Shall we split up and compare notes?” Huifen suggested. “My husband and I have been working on developing a cultivation method for learning the laws. It’s our experience that all cultivators develop a certain proficiency with the element they cultivate, so you’re more advanced with them than you might think. We’d appreciate your input, and Senior Sister, I’d like to see your technique again.”

It was Sage Ping who spoke first. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.” It was the most excited Chao had seen the woman since they’d first met.

The girls took off, leaving the two of them alone.

Fang watched them go then looked back and gave him a smirk.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” He asked.

“I’—m not sure.”

“Let’s take our conversation to the hot spring. It’s been years since I returned.”

Chao couldn’t help but grin and quickly agreed. Just like that, they were off.

Chapter 5

As a good hostess, Huifen started by showing Sage Ping what she’d learned with the nature laws. She was more proficient with the second law create than the first law borrow. The reason for this was because the scope of nature was vast. She could create lilies and lotus flowers, but if she tried to borrow from a plant new to her, it would be difficult. Borrowing from the water lily that she practiced with so often was easy though. Then there was the third law enhance. She wasn’t sure she’d know even if she had touched upon it.

She started by showing Sage Ping the borrow game as they sat across from one another. It was as much a test for Huifen as it was for the sage. They sat in an overlord training room of the Ice Phoenix Palace. The walls were like semitranslucent ice, except they had an emerald-green tint.

“So it’s a battle of wills?” Sage Ping asked as she touched the lotus with her qi.

“Yes and no,” Huifen replied. “The winner will most often be determined by whoever has the strongest borrow law. My Chao used to be able to take ice’s control from my grasp with barely any effort. That was when he was in the nascent realm, and I was in the early stages of the sky.”

“Such ability… How?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out myself. So is he.”

The older sage pulled back her qi and gave Huifen a hard look. “I can understand feeling like you owe him, Little Sister—after all that’s happened. I’m all for dual cultivation between the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects, however, marrying someone to fulfill one’s debt isn’t a good reason to marry. Especially for one with your talent who is all but guaranteed to ascend to the divine realm. There’s much more that needs to exist between you for a marriage to work. Don’t let him bully you by holding this debt over your head.”

As Huifen listened, she was at first dismayed, but by the end had to hold back a chuckle. “Chao, bully someone?” She lowered her hand and let Sang Ping see her grin. She then told her of how their engagement had come about. Chao hadn’t believed Huifen either. It was the night of their wedding, but he saw it only as a formality to protect her. When she’d sprung dual cultivation on him, he’d very nearly rebuked her. “The last thing Chao would ever do willingly is bully me. If anything, before marriage, he was too careful. I originally thought it was due to a lack of confidence, and in part that was true, but his mother was a believer in the mortal’s religion and much of her beliefs rubbed off on him. He puts great emphasis on selflessness, so it sometimes seems like he lets people take advantage of him.”

“You should’ve seen him after I rebuked him for acting as one without honor in the early days of our master-disciple relationship. Even then, he didn’t care what people thought of him, but when I described honor as a shield to protect his master and himself, it was like he became a different person. Despite that, after defeating a cultivator a full realm higher than himself, he gave the man a pricey recovery pill. Those who don’t know him might think he’s weak, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a reverse scale. He keeps it hidden better than most, but if touched, I don’t think there’s a cultivator in this realm that could resist him.”

Sang Ping seemed to fall into serious contemplation. “If he’s not ruthless, how could he have slain so many overlords?”

“He is ruthless, but only when necessary. It’s true that he’s far too willing to take a loss, which is one of the reasons I believe Father Zan is so insistent on sending us out into the world to explore. Chao agrees that he needs it.”

‘So you didn’t marry him because he retrieved your yin and killed the prince?” Sage Ping's eyes went wide. “Sorry. I’m so sorry, Little Sister. I shouldn’t—”

“It’s okay. And no, I didn’t marry him because I felt like I owed him for that. I would’ve found a way to pay him back either way. I committed myself to him because I grew to understand that he controls the ruthless side of himself, not out of weakness, but because he tries to do what he believes is right. He fears the monster inside himself as much, if not more, than his enemies. He is a true cultivator.”

Sage Ping seemed conflicted. “So it’s his character…” She mumbled to herself.

Huifen sat there patiently, giving her some time. She wasn’t sure what the woman was struggling with, but just as Chao was inexperienced with the world, she had little experience with Sage Ping who was from the Landbridge Continent.

It was more than a minute when Ping seemed to come to a decision. “Thank you, Little Sister. You mentioned you wanted to see my martial technique again, but there’s something else I want to show you.”

Huifen happily nodded her on.

“Nature is unique amongst the elements because it has almost infinite practical uses,” Sage Ping began. “Martial techniques are just the beginning. The technique I used in the arena used force, but also the ability to drain qi from its target. Drain is one of the primary attributes unique to nature cultivation, but it’s not alone. Its opposite, bestow, does just as you might think. It allows a nature cultivator to give qi to another. But it’s not just a way to funnel qi to someone else. You can inject nature’s vitality into your target. This can help their body heal, recover from exhaustion, and even outlast the effects of poison. Water and earth cultivators can also do this to a lesser extent, but nature cultivators reign supreme in the healing arts.”

A green card jade appeared in Ping’s hand. She gave it to Huifen.

When she took a glimpse inside, Huifen quickly removed her perceptions and gave Sage Ping an uneasy look. “Senior Sister, this is the cultivation method of your sect. I can’t take this.”

“Am I not an overlord and elder of my sect?” The woman gave her a thin smile. “I’m also a wife. I want you to have the chance to save your husband or yourself if misfortune should befall you.”

“Senior, thank you.”

“Now take some time and give the first section a read. I’ll answer your questions when you’re finished, and we can get started.”

***

Brother Fang and Chao may have headed to the hot springs together, but they weren’t alone for long. At first, the other guys were tiptoeing around their intentions while drawing closer without coming out and saying anything, but Fang had been an overlord long enough to know what they were thinking. “In the hot spring, status doesn’t exist. Come on over. As long as your questions aren’t too demanding, then you’ll receive your answers.”

The first man to take advantage of Fang’s words was a young cultivator. He asked about the sage’s burning cage technique. Many of the others seemed to be wondering this same thing, so soon they were surrounded by the curious. It wasn’t just fire cultivators listening in, but male ice cultivators as well. Who knew when an overlord might say something that could inspire someone who hadn’t traveled as far on the martial path?

Chao sat back and relaxed as he listened to the sage’s responses. That didn’t last long. Fang nudged him with his elbow and asked, “What do you think, Little Brother?”

It was a question about a Fire Phoenix technique, so he wasn’t the best to answer, but he relayed to them the observation he’d made about Fang’s qi control in comparison to getting a similar effect with the laws. When Fang’s curiosity was also stirred, he showed them his original fire dragon’s design. It was a little nascent-level figurine that had difficult features to make out. There were many reasons for this. Fire liked to move and grow. So Chao used morph and stilled the flames.

The crowd grew tighter, so Fang reminded them to keep a polite distance.

Chao then showed them different iterations of his figurine as his skill and cultivation had improved. He kept the dragon the same size and fire in the same realm, but its detail increased greatly.

“One of the reasons I was able to improve the detail was because I had more qi when I advanced in realm. But also, the better I understood fire’s nature, the easier it became to work with. Sage Fang’s approach is different than mine but has amazing results. It’s the force of his will that helps shape his fire techniques. In that, I’m lacking.”

The large sage shook in laughter. “Well said, Little Brother. And my knowledge of the laws is lacking, so we both have areas to improve. Such is the life of a cultivator. Learning never ends.”

They continued to answer questions when Chao spotted Brother Li Qiang and waved him over.

“Make some room,” he commanded and was still surprised to see how quickly people obeyed.

Before his friend sat down, Li Qiang bowed to Sages Chao and Fang but didn’t interrupt the man talking. Li Qiang was about the same age as Chao with dark sable skin mostly foreign to the Monolith continent. His physique had doubled in size since Chao had entered the mystic realm with Huifen. His friend had also been invited to the inner sect after reaching the earth realm. He’d reached small success already and was nearing large. Just like his cousin Fairy Daiyu, he was talented.

After a few follow-up questions, Li Qiang asked one himself. “What advice do the sages have for finding a wife?”

Chao knew his friend well. He should’ve expected the question as soon as he saw him. When they had first explored the joint sect together, Li Qiang had expressed his interest in fairies almost to Chao’s discomfort. There was an ongoing fairy ranking system that many male disciples used.

Thankfully the steam from the hot spring had already given Chao’s complexion a reddish tint. However, his embarrassment wasn’t without mirth and compassion. He smiled broadly.

“This one is a friend of yours, Little Brother?” Fang asked.

“Yes, this is Brother Li Qiang. He is cousin to Fairy Daiyu, a long-time friend of my wife, and was one of the first people I sparred with at the sect. We became friends right away.”

“Ah. So it’s Little Brother Li Qiang. To answer your question on how to win the heart of an ice fairy, I’m afraid Little Brother Chao would know better than I would. I’m still trying to get my head around the Ice Phoenix Sect’s fairies going without Heart of Ice. As for fairies outside the sect, well, that’s something I can speak on at length.”

Once Sage Fang began, it was many minutes before he finished. “You see, the fairies of Phoenix City, and even extended to the Aureate Empire, are far more polite than fairies in the outer parts of the empire and other continents. Here it’s taught that men and women should traditionally fulfill their roles, but outside Monolith, women seek different things depending upon what they and their cultures hold dear. Some sell themselves to powerful cultivators so that they can rise with them, while others collect husbands like merchants might treasures. If you can imagine it, it’s likely out there.”

“My wife, Ping, is from a middle-high-tier sect on the Landbridge Continent. It’s more traditional like our own, except it lacks much of the formality we’re used to. There is no, ‘this one’ this and ‘this one’ that. They call each other by given names and hug their neighbors in the streets. It was very shocking when I first visited, but it was also one of the most attractive things about the place, and my future wife.”

The sage continued by telling stories of some of the more disturbing places he’d been. There were places where prostitution was legal, and some women, depending on status, were even treated like slaves. Slavery wasn’t limited to women, but the further north you went in the world, the more common slavery became. There were even places where marriage was rare, and women sold their virgin yin for a profit. Most relationships there were temporary.

Chao’s disgust was mirrored in Li Qiang’s face. From the way his friend normally talked, he thought he wouldn’t have been against having many wives, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

After the topic was breached, it was a long while before another question on cultivation. Li Qiang wasn’t alone in his interest. How could he be? These men learned just days before that the infamous ice fairies of their joint sect would be allowed to stop using Heart of Ice as often and even be allowed to marry.

They spent a few hours in the hot springs before Senior Fang suggested they get something to eat. When the laws were mentioned, Chao suggested they bring Li Qiang along since he’d been training in them for over a year now.

The three of them dried off and left the hot spring, then flew toward the Ice Phoenix Palace.

Chapter 6

Before Envoy Po returned to the divine realm, he would attend the meeting with the Aureate Empire’s ruling family to make clear the divine joint sect approved of what was happening. Instead of flying the whole way there under their own power, Po removed his official Divine Fire Phoenix Sail Shuttle from his spatial ring.

Chao had seen river ships back home. They were mostly rowed by teams or qi-powered paddle wheels, so they had no sails. This one looked more like the sailboats he’d heard of. It was gigantic—capable of holding a hundred people or more. Its body was streamlined and strangely flat on the bottom. It looked like it was made to be landed on the ground and lived in if necessary.

Envoy Po requested everyone to board. He explained while they did. “Since we will be remaining on Lifestone, it is unnecessary to travel within the hull of the ship. That is only required for interplanetary travel. Within, there are forty cabins and two lounges. You’re welcome to take a look, but, for those of you that have never traveled by sail, you don’t want to miss the experience of flying on deck.”

It wasn’t just Chao and Huifen present. Zan and Quinyuan would represent the Ice Phoenix Palace and Fang was coming as the Fire Phoenix representative with Ping at his side. The rest of the sages would remain. There was still much work to do after the battle.

Huifen didn’t waste time taking Chao’s hand and leading him to stand at the bow.

“You’ve flown like this before?” He asked.

“Not on anything this big,” she replied. “Father Tu owns a fleet of smaller flying vessels for his merchant business, so I’ve flown in a similar manner. This is just—” She threw her arms wide as she motioned to the ship’s size.

He pulled her toward him into a side embrace as they took in the divine shuttle together. He examined the three masts. The sails were already loose as if ready for the wind, but he knew it wasn’t the wind that powered them. He was immediately curious but remained with his wife. Their trip would not be a long one, so he wanted to experience what she wanted to show him before getting lost in his own curiosity.

Within a minute of boarding, Envoy Po had everything ready from within the captain’s desk. When they were about to take off, Father and Mother joined them.

“Son, you won’t find anything like this in the lower realm,” Zan said, stopping with Quinyuan to stand beside them to look over the bow. “It takes an exuberant amount of qi crystals to power it. The divine realm has a much higher density of qi in the air, so such crystals form much easier. What is common there is exceedingly rare here. It’s impressive, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Father.” He tried to imagine what it would take to power something like this.

His attention turned to the figurehead at the end of the prow. No surprise, a carved phoenix was perched there. He had no idea what material it or the ship was made of.

The shuttle began to rise in the air and Chao was quick to stabilize himself. Before reaching the sky realm, it wasn’t rare for his wife, Zan, or Quinyuan to lift him with their qi, but this felt like the very earth beneath his feet was rising.

When they’d risen above the Ice Phoenix Palace, the shuttle took off. Its acceleration was subtle but unending.

Chao watched the joint sect disappear, then Phoenix City. They were leaving in a different direction than when he’d first entered the city, so everything he saw was new to him. There were rolling hills as far as the eye could see, with random thickets, creeks, and ponds. Within a minute, they were traveling at such a speed that it blurred beneath them. They were only a few hundred meters above the ground, so things came and went quickly. The further they traveled, the higher they seemed to be, but Chao realized their elevation wasn’t rising, but the hills were becoming smaller.

“A vessel that can travel as fast as an overlord,” Sage Fage said, joining the rest of them at the bow with Sage Ping. “I knew it was possible, but it’s different experiencing it.”

Chao and Huifen glanced in their direction, bowing their heads in greeting.

“This is just a fraction of its top speed,” Quinyuan replied. “Observe.”

They followed her instructions, and it didn’t take long until they realized that not only was it still accelerating, but the rate of acceleration was even increasing.

Chao saw Huifen’s excitement building. “Don’t fall off,” he teased.

She looped her arm in his and gave him a challenging look.

“Little Lotus’s physique is strong enough that she would survive,” Zan responded. “Chao’s, however…” He chortled. “His skin may or may not peel at this windspeed.”

“Husband,” Quinyuan rebuked.

“It’s just a joke,” he said, waving it off. “If tossed overboard, the energy field surrounding the ship is too strong for him to pass through it.”

Chao only had a few minutes to reach out with his sound to examine the energy field his father mentioned for they were already reaching the heart of the Aureate Empire—the Golden City.

His wife’s grip tightened. He glanced over and saw her eyes widen. She’d said she’d been here, but that was before she’d entered the Ice Phoenix Sect. It had been over ten years.

The buildings of the city were made of a glossy silver stone with tiles of red and unpolished gold. Most of the common ones had two-sided, wedged roofs, while the more expensive ones were many stories taller with pagoda-shaped rooftops. Those were the ones outside the palace gates. Inside, the buildings took on a completely different design. They were domed on top with large spires pointing toward the heavens.

It was the palace itself that stole the eye’s attention. Its external walls were laden with gold, as were its dome roofs. It wasn’t as large as the Ice Phoenix Palace, but Chao couldn’t imagine any other building coming in second place.

Their deceleration was more intense than their acceleration had been. Even so, Chao didn’t feel himself having to brace against it. It wasn’t until they arrived just outside the palace gates that they came to a stop. They were still high enough that they seemed to be looking down on the Golden Palace. Perhaps that was the point. As impressive as the empire’s palace was, the Divine Fire Phoenix Sail Shuttle was much more intimidating.

Envoy Po appeared next to them a moment later. “It seems their greeting party was waiting.”

They all looked down to see a party of nine individuals flying toward them from one of the palace’s towers. There was one man who looked to be leading them. His hair was grey as was his long beard. He wore a golden robe that glistened like silk.

Four of the people with him were likely honor guards of some kind. They wore golden plate mail without helms. Their swords were strapped to their waists and two of them carried standards that waved in the air as they flew.

The final four members of the party were beautiful women in golden gowns. Chao wasn’t sure what their role was.

They made room for the greeting party to touch down. As soon as they did, the four women stepped forward and kowtowed. The four guards kneeled in a row neatly behind them, and the robed man bowed at the waist.

“Chancellor Fu welcomes the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects to the Golden Palace,” the man announced.

“Greetings, Chancellor. I am Sect Master of the Ice Phoenix Sect, Quinyuan,” she called. “This is my husband, Great Elder Zan.”

The chancellor straightened while the rest of his party remained the same. He gave the Sect Master a martial salute.

Chao noticed immediately that she’d introduced father before the envoy. If his father was anyone else, it would’ve been considered an insult. But as a divine cultivator and now someone with close ties to Elder Law, it seemed his father had somehow slipped into a high-rank position. Either that or Mother was just honoring Father more…

“And this is the Fire Phoenix Sect’s Divine Envoy Po.”

“Chancellor,” Po said without even the slightest bow of his head. He didn’t seem upset that Quinyuan had announced him second. He didn’t hold the political elite of this lower realm in his eyes. Just to acknowledge the man was a large show of respect.

As soon as the envoy was announced, Chancellor Fu turned two shades whiter. He bowed fully to the man.

“And this is the Fire Phoenix Sect’s new Sect Master, Fang. At his side is his wife, Sage Ping.”

The chancellor’s reaction wasn’t extreme, but he continued bowing fully. The man was obviously a practiced politician. Even if he couldn’t control his body’s reaction to the envoy being here, he didn’t let it affect his expressions.

“And these two are our joint sect’s newest sages, Long Chao and Long Huifen.”

The man bowed to them, but Chao caught him, as well as some of the guards and kowtowing women trying to catch a glimpse of them.

“If it pleases you, follow me to the throne room where we might discuss the future of this grand Monolith Continent.”

They were flying toward the main palace entrance a moment later. He then noticed that most of the women in golden gowns weren’t flying on their own but relying on the sky realm guards to carry them with their qi.

“Who are they?” Chao whispered.

“The Gilded Guard and the ladies are the Golden Maids,” Huifen replied. “Both are highly sought positions. Some of the women are cultivators but being a maid to the royal family is considered to be one of the highest roles a mortal can have. Many of them become cultivators or, if they’re not interested in cultivating, are given medicines able to extend their life and beauty. The Gilded Guard are the personal bodyguards of the royal family. They also defend the palace and the city by extension. To join their ranks, one must be a sky realm cultivator or higher.”

As they touched down at the entrance to the Golden Palace, the giant arching doors made of solid gold and as thick as a man’s chest opened. Hundreds of Gilded Guards were formed up on either side. Chao glanced down to see the stones laid beneath their feet. They had the same dull golden color as the shingles of the buildings he’d seen during their arrival.

Having so many people greeting them was nerve-racking on its own, but as they entered the palace, the line of people didn’t stop. After they seemed to have run out of guards, the palace’s staff was lined up in similar fashion. Officials came last in line followed by what must have been their families. There were young men and women, even children.

There were just enough people for the line to extend through the great hall to its end, through another set of grand doors, and into the throne room. It wasn’t as massive as the great hall, but it was much more extravagant. The throne was elevated at the head of the room and looked carved from a giant chunk of gold. Its cushions were red, and it remained empty. There were other lesser thrones on the platform, but not a single person was seated.

Chao found a group of richly dressed people standing off to the side at the base of the platform. There were more than twenty of them.

As soon as they neared, the chancellor stopped and waved the group to come forward.

They did. From children to the elderly, the twenty remaining members of the Sun family fell to their knees and kowtowed.

Chao felt Huifen’s hand reach his arm as if preemptively trying to hold him back. He didn’t run to them and insist that they rise as she seemed to expect. His eyes narrowed, but his expression didn’t give away what he was thinking. He was wondering if they could allow the Sun family to remain on the throne without any of them having to be killed. If some of them were bitter enough, they’d have to die. He tried to harden himself to not look favorably on them but spotted a little girl of maybe three or four years old peaking up at them. As the maid next to her whispered sharply for her to place her head back on the floor, the little girl did but her head of blonde hair flipped forward like an outspread blanket. He knew that this little one didn’t understand. It was still a game to her. Everything was.

He looked at his wife and found her staring back at him softly. “We’ll spare as many as we can,” she said so lightly that only he would be able to pull the sound to his ears.

He hadn’t forgotten his wife’s anger toward this very family after what Prince Jin had done. Not only had the man sexually assaulted her, but his father had tried to capture her with threats of doing even worse. His older brother had also tried to kidnap her as a last-ditch effort to save himself. And yet, her anger hadn’t returned hotter against them even if it likely should have. The thought kindled a blinding flame inside him. Turning away from her, he closed his eyes and shook his head as he struggled to snuff it out. It soon passed.

The chancellor’s four maids and four Gilded Guards were all kowtowing with the royal family. Only the chancellor himself remained standing, bowing at the waist. “Introducing Empress Sun Yan Ya,” the man said. His voice was amplified by the room’s natural acoustics.

It was then that a woman near the center of the group lifted her head off the floor while remaining on her knees. Her eyes were bloodshot as if she’d recently shed many tears. Her dress was golden but trimmed with black as a sign of mourning.

“This one begs the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects to spare my Sun family. We are willing to uproot and leave the continent—never to return—if you would do us this mercy.”

Huifen didn’t wait for the others to respond. “I asked Emperor Sun if he had any heirs that would be capable of taking his place and that I might personally approve of before I took his life. Which of you is Koshing?”

A boy, no more than ten, lifted his head just enough off the ground to catch a glimpse of the empress. She nodded, and he rose to his knees before saying in a weak voice. “I am Sun Koshing.”

The boy’s hair was dirty blond and not the platinum of the younger girl. His eyes were wide, but he clenched his jaw as if gaining courage from the act.

The empress hissed at the boy under her breath, and he was quick to correct himself. “This one is Koshing, fourth son of Emperor Sun Berthold. Forgive my rudeness.”

“Are you capable of ruling in the place of your father?”

The boy was already shaking his head but caught a glimpse of his mother and stopped immediately, lowering his head.

Huifen continued. “Without letting bitterness over your father’s death rule you?”

“I—” the boy struggled. “I’ll do whatever senior fairy asks of me.”

They didn’t know of the conversation Huifen had with the emperor before his death. With that information and no time to direct the boy before this meeting, his reaction was as genuine as could be.

“Do you understand why we are here today?” She asked. “You know what your brother did to me?”

He nodded but wouldn’t look her in the eye.

“Your father sought revenge instead of justice. If I followed your father’s example, what do you think I should do to your family?”

He leaned forward onto his hands and lowered himself. His voice was loud with the high-pitched tone of a boy who had yet to reach puberty. “Kill us and take our women as maids.”

“The women of your family are cultivators, are they not? Why wouldn’t I kill them too?”

Even the empress sunk lower where she sat.

The boy didn’t dare to speak.

“And what if I only sought justice? Should I kill anyone else in your family?”

Silence lingered as she let the boy work it out and find the nerve to respond. “N—no. The people that have wronged you are dead.”

Mother Quinyuan stepped forward, holding Huifen in her gaze. A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth as she turned to walk toward the Sun family.

“Rise,” she commanded. A strong gust of qi rushed out of her and lifted what was left of the Sun family to their feet. “Empress Sun Yan Ya, there was once friendship between us. For that reason alone, I mourn your loss. Both Jin and Rong were disciples of my joint sect. The price of their betrayal has been paid, as has the price of your husband’s, but that doesn’t make it any less tragic. As my disciple Sage Huifen has said, there is no need for mercy to those who have not sinned. However, if any of you are found to have conspired directly against my joint sect, justice will be executed swiftly.”

A few tears slipped from the empress’s eyes as she waved Prince Koshing over. Grabbing the boy by the shoulder, she guided him to stand before Quinyuan. “This one thanks Sect Master Quinyuan. I present to you, my son. From this day forward, I dedicate him to the Fire and Ice Phoenix Sects. Rear him as you will.”

***

They were soon led to a place where they could sit to discuss matters. The children, including Koshing, were led away. Chao watched the little blond girl as she departed, glancing around in wonder at all the serious grownups. Thinking she was already out of view, she skipped her last few paces.

They were seated in a majestic throne room of gold and pearl. No one sat at the head of the table, for there would be much negotiation as they worked through the practicalities of the Sun family’s involvement in the empire.

The empress approached Huifen before she was seated. She bowed as she said. “This one deeply regrets how her family has wounded you.”

After they were seated, the discussion of how the empire would be ruled until Koshing was old enough to take over commenced. The chancellor was quick to suggest the Sun family continue with the day-to-day business of running the empire, while the joint sect took on the role of overseer. It was a very practical suggestion that would take limited resources from the joint sect. They could be as active or hands-off as they desired. Empress Yan Ya would be the ruling figurehead.

Chao agreed it was the best method, but there was something about Chancellor Fu that didn’t sit well with him. The man was an official and not a member of the Sun family, so Chao understood he might want to distance himself from them. Yet he had surrounded himself with the pomp of the Gilded Guard and Golden Maids at a time that seemed completely inappropriate. He even spoke for the Sun family as if he personally held the same level of authority.

Later that night, mother and father pulled Chao and Huifen aside to discuss the day’s events. The talks had only been an overview. There would still be weeks before they’d finished with all the details. They all seemed to agree that things had gone well and were going in the right direction. It was only near the end of the conversation when Chao mentioned that he was suspicious of Chancellor Fu even if he couldn’t explain why.

“The chancellor is the real person in charge of the daily affairs of the empire,” Zan explained. “Kingdoms often have men like him. The best of them are practical men who excel in managing others. I share your concern. This Fu has much he’s hiding, which isn’t abnormal for men in his position, however, he’s made the mistake of distancing himself too much from the royal family. It shows a lack of loyalty as a best-case scenario and that he despises the Sun family as the worst. My guess is that he’s hoping to leech more power for himself during this transition and in the years that follow. He’s a sky realm cultivator and only the empress and a few of her elder relatives are his equal. Without a domineering figure like the ex-emperor, Fu’s knowledge of the empire and vast political experience puts him in a powerful position. If he’s arrogant as he is ambitious, then he might be looking to depose the royal family entirely.

“But here’s the biggest issue. He’s needed by both the royal family and our joint sect. It’s not that this is impossible without him, but it will be much easier with his oversight. And here’s the heart of the issue. Keeping him around will make things easier for us, but because of his position, it’s almost impossible that he wasn’t involved in the planning and logistics of the crime committed against Little Lotus.”

Chao’s hum filled the air as his temper flared. Huifen grabbed his hand and ran her finger in circles over his palm as a gentle touch of ice qi cooled him down.

“How shall we proceed,” she asked, keeping her cool even when he didn’t.

“You both will remain here for the rest of the week as the majority of the finer details are worked out, then you will leave for the monoliths. Sage Pangfua will be a few days behind you with a party from the joint sect.”

“Father,” Chao objected.

A weak burst of qi stopped him and Huifen from speaking when Zan added. “One day, you will have no choice but to make the decisions that will affect millions and even billions of people. Today is not that day. Your mother and I didn’t make this decision because we think you are incapable. It’s simply the wrong time for you to dedicate the time it will take to see this through. We will get the process started, but regardless of what Chancellor Fu is planning, and who knows how many other people want to take advantage of this transition, the Aureate Empire is for all practical purposes under the joint sect’s rule. It doesn’t matter how much these little politician’s squabble.”

There was silence. Mother Quinyuan broke it. “It is time you both go out adventuring. Too much peaceful cultivation or its opposite, constant life and death struggle, are limited in how much they can help you advance. Understanding every facet of life is necessary to reach the peak. Go out and see new places. Experience new things. There is much this world has to offer. There is good as well as the bad. Light as well as darkness.”

Chao looked at Huifen and sighed. He knew struggling against mother and father when they agreed was something there was no hope against.

“For now,” Zan said. “Go spend some time with your seniors Fang and Ping. You have much to learn from one another. Build friendships when you can, especially with other like-minded couples that are likely to ascend one day. Once you reach higher realms and your lifespan is measured in thousands if not tens of thousands of years, such friendships can be as deep as a bottomless well.”

“Yes, Father,” they both replied.

Chapter 7

“This one thanks Senior Fang for his instruction,” Chao said, bowing deeply.

“Little Brother, I have gained greatly over the last week as well. Please call me Big Brother,” Fang said, grabbing him by the shoulder and giving him a little shake.

“Big Brother, then.”

They shared a fiery smile.

“One last piece of advice that should be of help to you as you go out adventuring. No more bowing or addressing yourself as ‘this one’. You are a sage now, after all. And more importantly, once you leave the Monolith Continent, no one speaks that way. Those that understand you’re trying to be polite will try to take advantage of you. Even decent people, if they are shrewd, can spot a traveler with coin to spend and will act accordingly.”

Chao scratched the back of his head. “I understand. Thank you, Big Brother.”

“Good. Now for a parting gift.”

He was already shaking his head and holding his hand out as if to reject it. “It’s not appropriate for this one—for me—to take it.”

“Nonsense. Is being your Big Brother just a formality?”

A box appeared in Fang’s hand that was slightly larger than a person’s fist. “Take a look.”

Chao gave in after a moment’s hesitation and opened the box. Inside was a long black belt made of unknown fabric.

“It’s called a Humility Sash—at least among high realm cultivators in jest. The original name is drawn out and I don’t remember it, so it will have to do. What it does when worn is obscure your cultivation. Everyone will see your core with their perceptions in its simplest form and think you’re an earth realm cultivator. Ping Ping is giving one to your wife which will do the same for her. Appearing to the world as a sage has its perks, but it can also be tedious. It should make your travels less bothersome. And a warning. Some sages are capable of seeing through it if they look closely enough.”

“Big Brother, it’s a remarkable gift.”

“They aren’t cheap, but they’re not exactly rare either. This one is tough enough to survive a battle or two as long as it doesn’t receive a direct hit.” He grinned widely. “Now, out with it. Where’s my gift?”

Chao’s jaw went slack as he looked down in shame.

“Nice try. Not only did I overhear you discussing our gifts with your wife, but Little Sister Huifen even asked Ping Ping directly.”

He laughed sheepishly and pulled a small jade box from his spatial ring. “I’ve been found out.”

As Fang took it and opened it up, his expression changed. “This is… Little Brother this is far too much. You could purchase tens of those sashes for the cost of this one pill.”

“Between us, it’s just a pill. One of which I have many after beating up those Aureate Empire sages. The cost isn’t what matters. You knew that we had need of the humility sashes. You have need of a heavy-yang overlord pill. It should help you get closer to the peak of your realm. Just don’t be too slow about it. You don’t want to be embarrassed when Huifen and I reach the divine realm first.”

“Challenge accepted.” Fang crushed him in an embrace. “Brothers indeed.”

***

“Little Sister, this is far too much,” Sage Ping said sternly.

“Husband and I have been blessed with much after our recent battle. There is more than we can use. We want to see Big Brother and Big Sister in the divine realm when the time comes, so please take it. Besides, the blue of this sash goes well with both ice phoenix blue and my orange martial outfit.”

“You are such a strange little ice fairy,” Ping said with a grin but considered it for a moment longer before finally taking the gift. “Thank you.”

“Big Sister is being too reserved.”

Ping nodded that it was true, then reached up and kissed her on the forehead. She laughed when Huifen stiffened. “Your people’s way of doing things is just as odd to me as my ways are to you. And forgive me. You’re right. It shouldn’t be so reserved between sisters. There’s one last thing.”

A pale green card jade appeared in Ping’s hand. “We’ve spent most of our time on your nature laws and bestowing of nature’s vitality to another. You’ve mentioned your experience with ice poison, however, and that you’ve studied poisons in general. This jade is a catalog of different poisons and venoms common to our world and how to counter them.”

There was the slightest hesitation as Ping moved to hand it to Huifen. She placed it in her palm.

“Before you leave the city, I’d recommend spending some time examining it and purchasing some of the more common antidotes.”

“Thank you, Big Sister.”

With a full-body sigh, Ping nodded. “Now get going. You must explore the capital city before you leave. There are things here that you won’t find in Phoenix City, nor the rest of the world.”

***

“Senior Brother Chao. Senior Brother Chao,” Sun Koshing called as he ran toward Chao who had just left the training hall he’d shared with Brother Fang.

“Prince Koshing,” Chao said with a bow of his head.

“You’re leaving? For good?”

He gave the young prince a big grin. “We’re going to see the sights of the capital city first, but yes, we’re leaving the palace. That doesn’t mean you won’t see me again. I’ll visit you when we return to the joint sect campus.”

The boy tried to put on an understanding smile, but he looked dejected. “I see. I’ll pray for you and Big Sister to have a safe trip. Can you tell her for me?”

“Come with me and you can tell her yourself.”

The prince shook his head. “I… I don’t think I can do that. I just want her to like me.”

“You don’t think Sage Huifen likes you?”

“Well. How could she after, everything…”

Chao bent down to be at eye level with Koshing. “Let me tell you a secret. It’s not that she doesn’t like you. It’s just the opposite. She fears that you can’t like her after what she did to your father and brothers—even if you say differently. If you want to change that, you need to show sincerity. It will take courage. To start, wish her farewell yourself.”

The prince balled his hands into fists and gave Chao a sharp nod. “Okay.”

 Slowing his pace to give the prince some time to calm himself, Chao watched the boy out of the corner of his eye. For all of ex-Emperor Sun’s faults, the man had provided Huifen with the name of an heir with the right temperament to handle this transition as far as Chao was concerned. Koshing had a good sense of justice and had shed tears multiple times over the last week in Chao’s presence. He both missed his father and wanted to do what was right. There was obviously some coaching from the empress, but she was the boy’s mother. That was her duty.

It was decided that Koshing would return to the Fire Phoenix Sect with Brother Fang and become the sage’s personal disciple. The question of talent wasn’t important. He was the son of an overlord and sky realm cultivator. What he was lacking could be taught and gained through experience.

Not only was Huifen there when Chao arrived, but so were Father Zan, Mother Quinuan, and Empress Yan Ya. His Huifen walked over to stand at his side, and Koshing went to stand by his mother. After the conversation he and the boy had just had, the prince didn’t even wait for the adults to finish speaking before raising his voice louder than necessary. “Sage Huifen, this one will pray for you to have a safe trip.”

The empress, Father, and Mother-in-law stopped their conversation short at the sudden outburst. It only embarrassed Koshing even further, so he bowed to hide his reaction.

Chao hadn’t lied to the prince about how Huifen felt. It was written all over her face. She wanted to treat him like a younger brother and was even willing, but just couldn’t see how he could forgive her. Maybe it would be different if the boy had shown even the slightest bit of anger toward her as his last remaining older brother had.

Nudging her with his arm, Chao motioned her on. She looked back at the boy with a complicated look. “Thank you, Prince Koshing. I hope you have a safe trip to the Fire Phoenix Sect as well.”

“Senior Brother promised that you’ll come see me when you return. I look forward to that day.”

She was completely lost with what to say and, “Yes,” was all that slipped out.

Father chose that moment to butt in with a chuckle. “I assure you, Lady Fairy, that Sage Fang and the Fire Phoenix Sect will keep him safer than if he were to stay here in this tumultuous climate. When he returns to you, he’ll be strong enough to protect himself.”

The prince straightened and was addressed by Zan. “And you. Listen to your new master and learn well. There are few men of such caliber in this lower realm.”

“Yes, Divine Senior.”

A laugh escaped from Chao’s mouth. He was quick enough to get a layer of space over his forehead to fend against his father’s flick.

“Sage Brat,” Zan said through gritted teeth. “You think that will stop me?”

The empress cleared her throat and for a moment there was a hint of amusement on her face, but it faded quickly. From what Chao could tell, the emperor’s death, among losing two sons, had hit her harder than anyone else in the entire Sun family. She’d simply accepted the reality of the situation and was an extremely strong woman to be standing there with such grace.

“Sorry, Lady Fairy. How about we bring Prince Koshing with us to the royal treasury before we wish these young cultivators farewell.”

“Very well,” she replied.

At the mention of the treasure vault, Chao was startled. Looking at Huifen, he found that she was just as taken aback.

“You’ve already returned my husband and son’s ring with their personal effects intact,” the empress answered their unasked question. “Great Elder Zan has promised to retrieve Rong’s effects as well. If you’d so chosen, everything here would belong to you already. Opening the treasury is the least I can do since you’ve given my Sun family a path of survival.”

“I’m so sorry,” Huifen blurted out. She was on the brink of tears.

“I know, dear one. So am I. My husband lost his way and dragged my two oldest sons down with him. But he still left me with two sons and a daughter.” She gave Koshing a fond look. “Come. Let’s take a look.”

Two squads of ten Gilded Guards stood before the treasury’s vault in an advanced defensive formation that could amplify their power. Who knew how many other formations were set up to protect the vault as well?

The moment they entered the room, a guard rushed forward and took a knee before the empress. The guards in formation didn’t move.

“Hello, Captain Li,” the empress said. “We’re here to visit the treasury.”

“This one understands,” the man replied, spinning as he stood. “Open the vault.”

The guards moved in a well-rehearsed pattern as they made their way down the middle of the room and fell into a new formation.

Chao noticed his father nodding his head in approval.

The vault itself was one huge slab of grainy metal with a blue-grey tint. He had no idea what material it was made of. There was a gust of wind as one of the hidden formations was released and the door swung outward. It wasn’t just a small room, but a grand hall many stories tall. It was well organized and brimming with everything one could imagine an empire’s treasure room might be full of and countless things one might not.

They passed by vases and artwork as well as furniture and decorative pieces so intricate Chao could’ve spent an hour just staring at them. Huifen grabbed hold of his arm while sweeping her gaze around the room. Their footsteps were slow, and more than once they stopped as something caught their attention.

There was one specific framed painting that seemed to suck them in as their gaze settled on it. It was a simple landscape that looked down from the edge of a mountain. There was a valley below and other peaks all around them. Ominous clouds were rolling in, but a single beam of light showed through the clouds into the valley. It rested on a lone tree at the edge of a lake. Its leaves were golden brown, but they didn’t look like they were turning for fall. There was a vitality to them.

“Whatever cultivator painted this must’ve caught a glimpse of enlightenment,” Quinyuan said, appearing next to them.

“They were under the effects of an enlightened state as they painted it,” Zan agreed. “There are concepts contained within that no lower realm cultivator should possess. This is why martial arts are considered both art and science. Sometimes, it’s like the heavens themselves help us lesser beings.”

Chao spied his mother-in-law looking at father in serious regard. When she glanced at Chao, he suddenly felt guilty. He’d heard his father often enough compare his ability with the laws to a constant state of enlightenment. It felt unfair that he could take advantage of something no one else could.

It was like his Huifen knew exactly what he was thinking. “Enlightenment never comes without countless hours of hard work.”

He looked down at her in wonder. Sometimes it still felt unreal that they were married. At other times it was like they’d never been apart.

“It is being wasted here,” Empress Yan Ya said. “Please take it with you. It’s a great piece to meditate on.”

He didn’t know what to say. This trip to the treasury was one giant surprise, but his shock had worn off. At most, he’d expected to receive some pills or natural treasures to help their dual cultivation. But such a painting was likely considered priceless to cultivators of this realm who were trying to understand heaven’s laws.

In a real sense, Chao and Huifen didn’t need it, but he’d never tried to understand the laws in the way most cultivators did. Perhaps it was time he tried.

Huifen received the painting into her spatial ring and bowed deeply to the empress. Chao did the same.

“Don’t be shy,” the empress responded. “If you see something that interests you, consider it yours.”

Zan snorted. “I know what you two are thinking. You’re wrong. We’re not here to take advantage of the Aureate Empire during its weakened state. We will be providing them, including the Sun family, with numerous resources. We’re not here to weaken them further but to cut out any remaining infection and build them up stronger than ever before.”

Taking Father’s advice, they stopped being so polite.

After the more practical and decorative pieces that were seasonally circulated throughout the palace near the entrance of the treasury, there was a section for garments and armor. They had won the emperor’s tribulation rank armor during the battle, but it covered a person from neck to toe. That made it a great protective piece. However, it also greatly limited the techniques a person could use. They’d decided in the end to return it to the Aureate Empire. Because of that, Chao wasn’t shy as he looked through these treasured pieces.

“This one,” Zan said.

There was already a shirt of flexible armor flying at him when Chao turned. He caught it. As he examined its flexible silver scales, his father explained. “It’s a peak-overlord treasure that will block a couple of major blows before failing. It should even block a single blow from a tribulation realm cultivator.”

“Thank you,” Chao replied.

He found Huifen eyeing a few gowns, but she didn’t walk over to the displays. So he did it for her.

The Aureate Empire royal family mainly wore gold as their official color, but the treasury had much more variety.

Huifen still approached meekly. Wearing such extravagance was something she’d once shunned. Now she was tiptoeing around the idea. That was until Empress Yan Ya stepped forward.

“Most of these dresses contain no benefit to a cultivator,” she said, causing Huifen to step back. “But that doesn’t mean they don’t have their benefits.” She gave a rare smile. “They’re in the treasury because the materials they’re made from are costly, and the designers are renowned. Even the cheapest one costs more than what most mortals will make in a lifetime.” She became distant. “I’ve spent many long hours considering the vanity of such garments. It led me to question if art was vain.”

She leaned in and spoke softly to Huifen. “It can be. But it can also be shared by everyone who sees it. To wear a dress that guarantees to make you a spectacle can tempt even the most tranquil heart. But that doesn’t make such dresses vain. Vanity only exists in the heart. To wear such a dress without it. That’s true beauty.”

Chao was beginning to understand where Prince Koshing got his temperament. Seeing his Huifen deep in thought, he knew she understood it too.

“Your father-in-law calls you Little Lotus, correct? Come. There’s something here that I think should be perfect for you.”

She followed the women only to stop halfway through taking a step. Chao hurried forward and saw what she was looking at. The main fabric of the dress looked to be made of an icy blue a few shades lighter than the Ice Phoenix Sect uniform. Crystalline beads covered the upper trim of the chest and the loose-draping shoulders like a pair of ice phoenix wings. They continued over the middle of the stomach like a phoenix’s tail feathers only to intersect with the v of the waist. From there the dress belled out and reached to the floor.

He realized that if she wore it, her shoulders would be showing. He thought of her injury that had brought them together. Before she could object, he placed his hand on the small of her back and gently pressed her forward.

She gave him a questioning look.

He returned an insistent one.

“There’s a room to change in,” the empress said. The dress disappeared from the upright stand, and she waved for his wife to follow.

 Quinyuan joined them, leaving the men alone.

“Time for the boys to play,” Father Zan said, picking Chao and Koshing up with his qi and flying them toward the back of the room.

The wall opposite the entrance must have been designed by a weapon fanatic. There were barely a few centimeters between the weapons hanging there. There were straight swords, broadswords, hooked swords, spears, staffs, polearms, halberds, and more complex items like three-section staffs, chain whips, meteor hammers, chakram, and katars. Chao didn’t know where to focus his eyes. There were so many weapons.

“Even if it’s a lower realm collection, such toys are always fun to look at,” Zan said, smiling back at the two of them. He then turned around and started pulling things off the wall. It wasn’t everything, but soon more than thirty jians and daos were missing. Swords were the most abundant weapon on the wall, likely because they were the most commonly used by cultivators.

Seeing his father was focused and would be for some time, Chao began to explore by himself. He wasn’t really interested in a new weapon since his were from the divine realm, but that didn’t dull his fascination. There was a table off to the side with not one set of flying swords, but three. He had no idea how to grade them. He didn’t even think they would ever be helpful to him with his fighting style. To learn to use them just for fun, however, that he could do.

He then ran into a table of hair combs. Some of them were made of jade and might contain some type of formation for attack or defense. Others were obviously weapons in their own right. Just like a flying sword, they could be controlled by the owner as a flying weapon.

Nearby, there was an entire section for archery. It was another skill he wouldn’t mind learning for enjoyment's sake. He almost grabbed a bow to try it out but was too fearful they might have some unknown spell formations. These were peak weapons of the lower realm, after all.

Then he spotted something he never thought he’d find—pipas and foreign lutes. There were also guqins, zithers, and dizi flutes. There were drums, bells, and cymbals—even a couple of gongs.

He found himself there before he even knew he’d moved. Of course, the first thing he looked at were the pipas hanging on the wall. Some were made of wood, but it wasn’t a kind he recognized. Others were made of anything from metals to jade. He’d been playing the pipa since he could pick one up, but he knew very little about what he saw in front of him. His mother’s pipa was a mortal instrument. He didn’t depend upon it like his sword or spear, but these were meant to be weapons as much as instruments. All he knew was that he needed one. He was even tempted to take all of them.

The thought didn’t end there. He turned to the zithers. It wasn’t something he’d ever played or knew how to play, but he had no doubt he could figure it out. He again wondered if these instruments had special formation arrays that could cast spells or amplify sound.

He wasn’t a sound cultivator in the traditional sense. He knew they used their sound to attack and defend. Even if he did as well to a certain extent, it wasn’t the same.

Some of the smaller zithers were mobile, but Chao contemplated the larger ones and how one was supposed to fight with something meant to be kept stationary.

The dizi was next, as well as other flute-type instruments of exotic design. He wanted to try them out as well—and the drums, bells, and different kinds of horns—many of which he’d never seen before.

“I figured we might find you here,” Quinyuan called.

He spun to find Mother and his ice fairy at her side literally glowing. “My Huifen,” he said as he took his time to take in what she was wearing. She’d always seemed otherworldly, but this was on an entirely new level. It was like the dress was designed to enhance the light that gleamed from her skin.

It wasn’t long before he forgot about the dress and his attention turned to the girl beneath it. The dress was the lowest cut he’d ever seen her wear. Her neck and shoulders were on full display.

She diverted her eyes to the floor as she realized he was staring. That wasn’t an abnormal occurrence, but she was rarely trying to look good either. As if rousing her courage, she lifted her head and faced him.

He was dazzled as he regarded her as a whole.

“That’s the reaction we were hoping for,” Empress Yan Ya said. “What does this fairy’s husband think?”

“I think she makes the dress look better.” Chao smiled to himself as he thought of how few men had gotten to see an ice fairy blush.

“It’s remarkable, isn’t it?” Yan Ya replied. “It’s as if it was designed for her.”

Having enough of the spotlight, Huifen hurried toward the instruments and said, “Are you thinking of upgrading?”

He gave her a desirous look and then focused on the instruments. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“I’m afraid this is a field of study I’m not proficient enough in to be of much help,” the empress responded. “Let me summon our master songsmith. I warn you though, he’s as proud as he is gifted.”

She reached out via transmission jade. It was a few minutes before they heard the marching of obnoxiously loud boots. “I have been summoned by the empress,” a melodic voice complained. “Make way.”

A balding man in a golden, knee-length coat paraded toward them with his nose tilted toward the sky. “Empress Sun,” the man said, bowing with the sweep of his arm. “How might I be of assistance?”

“Master Songsmith Koo,” she replied. “We need some help to better understand these instruments. Sage Long Chao has an interest in them.”

The man straightened with the rigidity of a bow and glared down his nose at him. “A sage that isn’t familiar with these heavenly treasures can’t be a sound cultivator of note. These are amongst the grandest instruments on the continent, if not in the entire world. Might I ask why you’re interested?” He oozed pomp. “If you just want to learn to play a tune, there are other lesser tools that I might recommend. The value of these would be lost on you. Do you have any experience?”

Chao gaped at the man. He wasn’t sure he’d ever come across anyone so arrogant in his life. “I—”

“He dares,” Huifen hissed.

The man remained completely oblivious to the hostile intent of one of the continent’s most deadly cultivators. And he only had a late earth realm cultivation.

“I have been playing the pipa since I was two or three years old,” Chao hastily responded. He was more fascinated by the man than offended. “I only know ten to twenty songs, but I play them well enough, I suppose.”

“And let me guess, your parents or grandparents taught you? There’s nothing wrong with being an amateur who appreciates music, but these instruments will only show their worth to someone who can play at a high enough level. To use most of them in combat is a sure way to get yourself killed. Sound cultivation is based on an intricate knowledge of music and sound. Without it, even if you can strum the strings with the force of a sage, you’re as likely to hurt yourself as anyone else.”

His expression darkened at the indirect mention of his mother, when the empress warned him, “Songsmith Koo, be careful so as not to offend my guests.”

“Yes. Yes, my empress. Don’t worry, I’ll help this one find an instrument suited for him. If he’s looking to play to entertain himself, there are some masterly crafted mortal instruments that would sing for him for a thousand years. If he’s looking for something to use in combat, there are a few drums here that he could make use of with far less expertise.”

Father Zan couldn’t hold back any longer and released a thunderous laugh. Even Koo flinched in response.

“I think Chao should play us something so that Master Songsmith Koo will best understand how to help him,” Quinyuan said.

“Mmm,” Huifen agreed, as did everyone else.

“I want to hear Big Brother play,” Prince Koshing said, reminding everyone he was there.

Koo rolled his eyes then closed them, before replying, “Very well. Depending on your level of play, I’ll recommend some instruction manuals that can help you improve as well.”

He found Huifen’s hand squeezing his arm tightly. It seemed she was still angry at what the man had said. “Don’t hold back,” she insisted.

Seeing her take offense because someone was underestimating him put a smile on his face. “Yes, my Huifen.”

Removing his mother’s pipa from his ring, he squatted down and sat right where he’d been standing. He glanced over his pipa and noticed how worn it looked compared to the other instruments. It wasn’t fancy, but the construction was sturdy and even after all these years there was no warping.

He noticed Koo peering down and disparaging it.

His wife had taken a few steps back, as had the rest of the group except the songsmith who folded his arms across his chest and waited.

He considered playing his sad song, or maybe a lullaby. He could keep the music’s effects from everyone else if he so desired. Seeing the man sobbing uncontrollably or falling over in a drowsy stupor would be equally comical. There were other people in the room to consider though.

Thinking of Prince Koshing and the boy’s mother, he decided to play something joyful. It wouldn’t change what had happened to them but might give them a few moments of relief after all the sorrow.

Plucking each cord, he made sure the mortal instrument was in tune before his fingers started to move in earnest. He didn’t pour his own emotion into the music but enhanced what was already there and grinned as he played.

Prince Koshing hooted, taken off guard.

“Oh…” the empress uttered. Tears were wetting her cheeks within seconds showing just how much she’d been holding back.

His parents and Huifen’s reactions were normal, except his wife who wore a knowing smirk.

It was Master Songsmith Koo who had the most extreme reaction. He fell to his knees and practically crawled toward Chao’s pipa to get as close a look as possible. The man’s eyes were as wide as cymbals and his fingers on both hands moved as if he were the one playing the song himself. “This. This…” He lifted his hand as if to catch the notes as they floated through the air. His fingers still fluttered, and his mouth moved without words.

Despite the man’s strange behavior, Chao watched as Empress Yan Ya pulled her son into a side hug. The boy just rested his head against her ribs as he watched and listened.

Chao didn’t cut the song short and played for half an hour. By the time he was done the empress’s face was dry and she was smiling with her son.

The songsmith’s hand had stopped moving, but he remained there on his knees even as Chao rose to his feet.

“So Songsmith Koo,” Huifen said with humored venom. “Do you think you can help my husband pick out an instrument or two?”

The man didn’t answer with words but scrambled toward the wall where the pipas were. He looked back and forth between the two of them before deciding on one and hurrying to hand it to Chao.

“This is the Breath of Windblown Reeds,” the songsmith said. “As the name suggests, the strings are strands of water reeds, but not just any water. They grew in a pool of liquid qi essence and are as strong as overlord steel, but flexible. You can play it as softly as a normal pipa, but, if you give them a more violent plucking, with enough strength and skill, any sound techniques you use will be magnified many times over. There are no formations within the instrument. It relies solely on natural ability.”

The man got right in Chao’s face, as he continued to explain with much zeal. “Your playing is decent. Certainly not amateurish, but you still have a long way to go before you’ve mastered the pipa. You need new songs and thousands of hours of practice. What sound cultivation method do you use? I couldn’t even discern why your music made me feel the way it did. Is it some spell? Do you use fragrances to alter the mood?

“I don’t use any method except the one from my mother that I’ve further developed over the years.” He then gave the man a basic explanation of how he made use of laws to manipulate sound’s ability to make a person feel.

“That’s not right. It doesn’t even make sense.” The man wasn’t calling him a liar, but he was mumbling to himself as he tried to figure out what was going on. Chao was used to Sage Kang who often did the same.

“There are multiple schools of sound cultivation. Some emphasize tone, others pitch… All work toward refining a song’s energy to focus the notes played. By doing this, they can gather this energy to affect the physical world. They can use it much like qi, but you’re just… It’s absurdly impossible.”

 After the man ranted for a little while longer, the empress called on him to focus. He then started answering more direct questions. He also pulled many card jades from his spatial ring and began tossing them to Chao.

“These will instruct you on the pipa and give you an overview of the more common approaches to sound cultivation. Sadly, few sects focus solely on sound in this era. For techniques…”

Koo rushed away only to return with his arms full of card jades, scrolls, and a stone tablet as large as the painting they’d received earlier.

When Chao mentioned other instruments, the man darted away and returned with even more scrolls and jades.

“The zither is the king of instruments. It can be struck or plucked and is capable of the greatest range of notes of any instrument as long as there are enough strings. The pipa is often considered the poor man’s zither, but, if played by a master, it is the prince of them all. And finally, the dizi flute is the mystic queen.”

And with just the mention, Chao ended up with not just a new pipa, but a zither, dizi flute, and a few different size drums. There seemed to be nothing normal about Master Songsmith Koo. Originally, he had wanted to blow off Chao entirely, but now he seemed desperate to turn him into a master of all.

“A true sound cultivator doesn’t just cultivate a single instrument, but everything he can get his hands on,” Koo insisted. “One will be their main area of mastery. Learning the others will help further his general understanding, improving his mastery of the first.”

By the time it was over, he’d been left alone with the man. They’d been discussing many things beyond his understanding for more than an hour. The songsmith was as obsessed as any cultivator he’d ever met.

When Chao was finally free, he reached out to Huifen with his transmission jade. She informed him they’d already retrieved a few rare pills and natural treasures to refine. There was nothing exceptionally rare, but a few things they could cross off their list. Since their dual cultivation turned the two of them into the ultimate pill-and-heavenly-material-refining furnace, they were trying to take a systematic approach and refine almost everything under the heavens.

The sheer amount of stuff they’d acquired since defeating the emperor was overwhelming. The most absurd part was that it was only a fraction of what the world offered, and soon, they would be off to go shopping in the largest city on the continent. Even with the endurance of a sky realm cultivator, it was going to be a long day. All of this didn’t change the fact that truly rare treasures were exceptionally hard to find.

Chapter 8

They left the palace by flying over its gates. There was a street bustling with people that led straight to the heart of the business district. Huifen wore her orange martial uniform and her cultivation-distorting sash. Chao’s garb was a handsome silver she had recommended to him. Even as they landed and the eyes of many glanced in their direction, they weren’t worried that people would see past their sash’s ability. Earth realm cultivators could commonly fly for short stints when they neared the sky realm. Getting around in a huge city was a perfect use of such a skill.

Huifen had put the dress Empress Yan Ya had gifted her in her spatial ring to wear only on special occasions. How she felt when she tried it on, and when her husband had seen her, was still lingering in her mind. It was strange. Chao often gave her the same look of admiration whether she wanted him to or not, but this time she dressed up specifically to rouse a reaction from him. She succeeded and felt overwhelmingly giddy about it. She also knew she had to be careful.

It was as Yan Ya had said. Huifen sensed how easily she could fall prey to such attention—such vanity. Some women lived for little else. As long as they could get it, it wouldn’t even matter who they got it from. It didn’t even have to be their own husbands. While these feelings were fresh, she determined to meditate on it further when she had the chance. It could be a danger to her martial path and lead her to look for such attention from someone other than Chao. The idea was repulsive to her now, but if she let it grow, even incrementally, how might she feel decades or even centuries from now?

She felt guilty just having the line of thought as she glanced over at Chao. He was in an awe-filled daze as he took in the sights. There were pagodas everywhere. The smallest of which were three stories tall. The tallest ones were as high as ten and even had traffic flying between their upper segments. These were mostly limited to higher-realm cultivators. They’d likely have to reveal themselves to be able to enter the upper levels. For now, they agreed to shop around as traveling earth realm cultivators.

When Chao turned to face her, she saw the mischief in his expression. “Come, my earth realm wife. Let us see if there are any good deals this humble one can buy for his beloved.”

She wanted to smack him on the arm. Anyone paying attention would see right through him, wouldn’t they? What use was a humility sash if he was obvious with their disguise? It didn’t really matter, she supposed. “You only plan on buying me something if it’s on sale? How did I ever end up with such a stingy husband?”

He stiffened at her words, which forced a smile to her lips.

“Does that mean you plan on running off with the first man who fancies you and has more money than me?”

The smile fell from her face. “You.”

He snickered. “Your nose is twitching.”

He pulled her along before she could retort.

They stepped into the closest pagoda to enter a room packed with people and even more goods packing the walls. Some were on display under glass cases. A light wood was used in the pagoda’s construction with interesting white grains running through it. She’d noticed it was common in this area, but this was the first time she’d had an up-close view of it.

Even as a girl, she’d been well off—just not nearly as wealthy as the noble families who’d been gathering resources for centuries. Her mother’s discipline was like a force in their home, so she’d never really felt wealthy. Now, with her husband at her side, nine overlords, and one tribulation cultivator’s spatial rings worth of resources on her person, it was the first time she would consider herself rich. If she so desired, she could request some of the wood from the shop and have them tear apart their own walls to get it for her. That was the kind of money she possessed. She wasn’t sure she liked the feeling.

Being in such a tight crowd where people were bumping into them constantly was also irritating, but they weren’t in a hurry. She managed to keep herself calm with relative ease. Those on this first floor had a wide variety of realms. The most common were those in the blood realm which came right before nascent. It was the second realm of cultivation. One would draw qi in to mix with their blood and enrich their body further.

The first realm was the body. It was the general body strengthening period before someone would dare to start taking in qi. There were many body realm cultivators present as well. Most of them were young.

Nascent realm cultivators, those in the third realm who were developing their core in its gaseous qi form, were also there. It was the realm Chao had been in when Huifen had first met him. It wasn’t uncommon for this to be considered the first real realm of immortal cultivation while referring to the body and blood realms as the mortal realms. As for earth realm cultivators—the fourth realm—there were few. It garnered a certain amount of respect. They’d be considered cultivators of some worth in this place. It was likely that those with an equal cultivation to their own wouldn’t even shop on this level of the pagoda.

Chao seemed happy to browse, so she didn’t stop him. Much of this was new to him. She’d been to many cities, but the capital was an experience for her as well. She caught herself overanalyzing everything and began making a concerted effort to enjoy it.

They followed the chaotic flow of traffic until they reached the other side of the room where Chao stopped. His face lit up and he grabbed two sticks of dragon’s beard candy and handed her a pink one and he took the blue one for himself. He didn’t even wait to pay for the egg-sized, stringy-textured treat before taking a bite.

A grin tugged at her mouth as she took one as well. The cottony-candy strings melted on her tongue as she bit into a mix of nuts and seeds. It tasted of sugary coconut. How many years had it been since she had dragon’s beard? A decade, at least.

Chao tossed a bronze coin to the storekeeper on their way out. The young man raised his brow in surprise. Her husband had overpaid many times over. There were no complaints from the storekeeper about them having to wait in line.

“You don’t want to go to the next floor?” Huifen asked as they stepped onto the less busy street.

His mouth was full, so he pointed up with his stick of candy. They flew past the second floor when they saw no opening and went straight to the top. The opening to the third floor was wide enough for multiple people, so they skirted past a leaving sky realm cultivator who had a haughty expression.

There were only tens of people, so their arrival caught the attention of many in the room. Arriving while holding sticks of dragon’s beard, they received a few scornful looks, but Chao strolled in ignoring them completely. He’d seen something across the room and headed right for it.

Stopping at a row of glass cases, Chao leaned close and examined what was there. As Huifen got a better look, she suddenly felt self-conscious. He was looking at jewelry. Women’s jewelry.

“My Huifen,” he began, wondering aloud. “I know you don’t care much for accessories, but is there anything here you like?”

She was a little bewildered. It wasn’t that she was surprised he asked, but as she contemplated the question, she was faced with a dilemma. She didn’t know. It was the same problem she had with the dresses in the royal treasury. Without Heart of Ice, she had much to learn about herself.

“I’m not sure…”

For the next hour, they explored the cases of jewelry. They weren’t sages at that moment, but a couple of newly married youngsters. Huifen allowed herself to explore what she preferred. She found she liked silver more than gold when it was well polished and blue-green jade or turquoise more than the more expensive deep green. She was partial to figurines of the phoenix, but she was pretty sure where that bias came from, so she let herself explore what else she liked.

When she’d finally come to a decision, she waved the saleswoman over and asked to have a necklace with a fine silver chain removed from the case.

The young woman was a few years older than they were with a flat face and kind eyes. Noticing they were a couple, the woman gave them a joyous look as she removed the necklace and placed it on a black cloth. “This turquoise is covered with veins, which marks it as flawed, but it was cut into this oval shape and finely polished. It is very pretty for such an inexpensive piece.”

“It is pretty,” Huifen agreed. The thumb-sized oval turquoise was faceted in silver. She picked it up and examined it closely. It may have been considered flawed, but that was what made it so interesting to look at. Its color was no less vivid than any of the other turquoise on display.

“Over here are a few less flawed pieces and a few flawless ones. Generally, the less spiderwebbing, or veins, the more expensive, but that’s not always the case.”

She looked over at the woman’s recommendation but didn’t see any turquoise or blue-green jade pieces that interested her as much. Chao leaned closer and gave her a questioning look after a few seconds.

“I like this one’s natural look,” she insisted.

His face lit up.

Seeing it, the saleswoman gave them a fond smile and said, “Sometimes the uniqueness of a piece is more appealing than what might cost more. This one is a good choice for the beautiful young lady.”

“Try it on,” Chao insisted.

Huifen looked back and forth between the two of them then did as he suggested.

“Mmm.” He sounded a little too suggestive for public.

“It looks lovely,” the saleswoman replied good-naturedly. “How would you like to pay today? You can also hand over an item of equal value that we will hold as you pay over time if you prefer.”

As charitable as the woman had been to them, she obviously thought they were a poor newly married couple. Huifen wasn’t exactly sure what to think. On one hand, they were disguising themselves for convenience’s sake. On the other, they had a ridiculous amount of wealth. She felt bad fooling the woman.

“We’ll pay with qian,” Chao replied. “Can I also get—” He proceeded to point out every piece of jewelry she’d spent an adequate amount of time examining.

“Husband,” she warned, but he shrugged off her concern. He didn’t seem to notice the saleswoman at all.

“If you end up not liking them, we can always give them as gifts later. It’s not like they’re expensive.” He addressed the saleswoman. “Could I also get the other turquoise pendants and the blue-green jade ones as well? Go ahead and throw in the ones with the golden chains. I’d like to examine the differences between jade and turquoise later. It’s been a while since I’ve given any attention to the earth element. Since this is something my Huifen likes, I should become familiar with it. Do you have any with internal or external formations? I’m assuming they will be a little bit more costly.”

The saleswoman was momentarily lost for words. When she recovered, she replied, “Sir, the cost of all of this will be more than two taels of gold…”

He didn’t even look at her and removed the two golden tael cards and placed them on the counter as he continued to look for something he might have missed.

“Yes, um—” The woman’s tongue faltered, but she swept up the taels and began to answer his question. “This one answers the young master. You are correct. The cost of pendants with internal or external formations are many times more costly than this common type. We have a few defensive types on hand that can protect against peak nascent realm attacks, but they start at five taels of silver or half a tael of gold.”

“Are there any that help with the gathering of qi?”

“There are.”

“Do you mind bringing them over for me to see?”

“Of course, young master.”

The woman had only just finished pulling out the jewelry Chao had requested from the display case when she ran off. She reached another saleswoman behind the counter and whispered to her.

“What are you doing?” Huifen asked quietly. “They won’t have anything here that can compare with your qi gathering artifacts.”

He leaned close to her ear. “I know. What do you think? This girl is a water cultivator, yes?”

“Yes…” The saleswoman was still in the mid-nascent realm.

There wasn’t time to say more, for the woman who’d been serving them was returning with her arms full. She carried a long tray covered in black silk. There were approximately twenty pendants and brooches. Most of them looked to have runes carved into their surfaces, but a few were flawless. It could only mean their formations were hidden inside.

Before the woman could introduce the pieces, Chao asked. “Which is the best for gathering water qi?”

She sat the tray down and reached for a golden chained pendant that held a round jade of rich green. Huifen could see her hands were slightly shaking as she picked it up.

“Can you put it on to model for us?” Chao asked without taking his eyes off the piece.

“Uh. I’m not supposed to, young master,” the woman said.

“It will help us make the best decision.”

Seeing that this surprisingly rich young man wasn’t letting up, the girl nodded her head shyly and held it up as if she were going to put it on but didn’t finish with the last step.

“Clasp it, please. Your hands are in the way.”

She did as he said but wrung her hands together.

“My wife, what do you think?”

Of course, Huifen knew what he intended to do. It seemed he’d noticed the saleswoman’s kindness more than he’d let on. Either that or he just wanted to be generous. “It looks lovely,” she said honestly.

“Great, we’ll purchase this one as well.”

When the woman started to take off the pendant, he called out. “What are you doing?”

The girl looked confused—and frightened. “Young master?”

“You must keep it on. It’s our gift for treating us so well.”

“Young master, its cost is three taels of gold. More than your entire purchase.”

Three more golden cards flew from his hand. The woman caught them easily.

“That will be all for us today,” Chao said, waving his wooden stick on which his dragon’s beard candy had once stuck. “Thanks, again.”

When he started to head out, Huifen grabbed his arm.

He gave her the same mischievous look as before. “Yes, my Huifen?” He leaned forward. “You aren’t jealous, are you?”

Rolling her eyes, she ignored the taunt. “This could be a problem. For her.”

“Oh?”

“Such an expensive piece of jewelry might make her a target.”

He glanced back at the still baffled woman. His brow creased.

“There is no need to worry,” a cheery man’s voice sounded.

They both turned to find a man in white and green robes with a long mustache with curly tips. He bowed to them.

“This one’s name is Wang Guo, and this is my humble shop. While here, Chun’er will not be bullied. I will counsel her not to wear it in the open until she advances a large realm. Its best use for now will be to help with her cultivation.”

“Yes, Master Wang,” the girl squeaked.

Chao laughed aloud and relaxed immediately. “Thank you, Master Wang,” he said, giving the man a martial salute.

Huifen watched this Wang Guo return the salute. He made a point to let his eyes linger on her husband’s sash. A moment later, their eyes met, and it was clear he knew exactly what they were. It didn’t surprise her that the merchant spotted them so quickly. He was a sky realm cultivator, after all, and looked middle age. She’d be surprised if he wasn’t at least a few centuries old. More importantly, this was his business. He’d likely sold similar artifacts before.

She saluted the merchant and thanked him as well.

“Is there anything else I can do for you while you’re here?” The man asked.

She didn’t doubt that the man’s declaration of protection to cover his employee was a genuine one, but she was ready to go. She felt uncomfortable deceiving anyone, especially now that they were found out.

Chao didn’t have the same sensitivity to their predicament though. “Do you have any turquoise or blue-green jade hairpins?”

“Of course,” the man replied. “Chun’er, bring the full display.”

“Yes, Master.”

The girl was only gone for a minute when she came back carrying another tray. Just as with the pendants, there were veined and flawless versions.

As they were examining them, Wang Guo didn’t wait to mention, “You can take the lot of them for three taels.”

“Done,” Chao chimed. He handed over the golden cards and swept the pins into his spatial ring. Only two remained in his hand. They were similar to the spiderweb turquoise pendant. She took them as he handed them to her. Just like before, her eyes were drawn to the gemstone’s natural features.

“If you are looking for pieces with higher realm formations, I recommend the Golden Bell Pavilion and the Emperor’s Auction House as two of the most trustworthy establishments in the city with fair pricing. Of course, they aren’t limited to jewelry, and have a variety of things rarely seen anywhere else on the entire continent.”

“Auction house?” Chao said, giving her an excited look.

Why did she get the sudden feeling he was about to spend their entire fortune? Despite that, his enthusiasm was infectious. With a quick spin of her qi, she did her hair up in a bun and put the pins in place to hold it secure. She then grabbed her husband’s arm and patted his forearm.

After getting directions, they thanked them once more and left.

***

“Master Wang,” Chun’er said, keeping her voice down. “Why did you give them directions to go directly to the top floor of the Emperor’s and Golden Bell? Does that young master really have such riches?”

He gave the girl a squint. “After gifting you this treasure pendant, do you doubt them?”

“I—” She shook her head. “I don’t mean to. It’s just the Golden Bell gives earth realm cultivators pushback when they try to enter.”

“So you believe them to be earth realm cultivators?”

“Their cultivation is higher than mine, so it’s not too clear, but they’re so young. You mean they’re not?”

“From just a glance at their cores, that’s exactly what they looked like, however, did you notice the sashes that they were both wearing?”

“Uh. The lady was wearing a blue one and the man’s was black.”

“You noticed. Good. Always try to observe what others miss. They might look like normal sashes. I dare say that even most experts wouldn’t give them a second glance, but I’ve seen much in my three centuries as a merchant. Those are Spatial Dissimulation Artifacts. Or simply, they hold internal formations that disguise a person’s cultivation. Just one of them would cost more than a hundred gold taels.”

“One hundred taels?”

“Yes.”

“So they’re really old monsters?”

Master Wang shook his head. “To look as young as they do, it’s possible that they used some specialty technique to look that way, but why would they come here acting as they did if that were the case? No, those two are just as young as you suspect, perhaps younger, and I’m not sure I’m their match.”

“Master, you mean?”

“What sky realm cultivator hides their cultivation in the capital city? It provides them with many privileges and respect, but it’s also not the highest realm under heaven. Only someone who doesn’t want to be inconvenienced by the spectacle of their realm would even consider this type of artifact. Which means…”

“Sages.” Placed her hand over the pendant they had gifted her. “Why would sages come here?”

“To do exactly what they did. Now enough with the questions. I’m going to contact a few acquaintances and make sure the Golden Bell and Emperor’s Auction House know that they’re coming. There might be a little commission in it for us.”

“Yes, Master.”

Chapter 9

“I’m assuming you want to go to the auction house first?” Huifen asked.

“That’s my preference, yes. What do you think?” Chao replied.

“It is mine as well. Going to auctions with my father was one of my favorite things to do as a child. They can be quite exciting. Master Wang said there will be an auction this morning and one in the afternoon. These are the daily general auctions, so it’s likely there won’t be anything too remarkable. But to have auctions daily, this Emperor’s Auction House must be remarkable. They would only put on such events if it made them money. To hold more than one a day… It’s worth taking a look.”

His wife tapped her lips, and he immediately surrounded them with a sound barrier.

“Why did you buy the necklace for Miss Chun?”

He sensed no ire from her, only concern.

“Even after spending nearly an hour answering our questions, she thought we’d just buy the single pendant and was still kind to us. Buying it cost us almost nothing, but to her, it could be life-altering.”

“You understand it could’ve also been dangerous for her?”

He placed his hand on top of hers that was resting on his arm. “I do. It’s not that I didn’t consider that as well. I just thought it wasn’t an expensive enough piece for most thieves to bother with. It’s just a lesser qi gathering array.”

She swatted at his arm with her other hand. “And that is where you erred. As I said before, I agree with your reason for doing it, but one of the disadvantages of advancing as fast as we have is that it’s difficult to relate to others. I know you, husband. It’s not a failure of willingness. You’ve practically skipped realms, so your experience is different than other cultivators of the earth and sky realms. Even when you were in the nascent realm, I had you locked up in a cultivation chamber separate from the rest of the joint sect. For that, I’m sorry.”

“No apology needed. My Huifen just wanted me all to herself.”

“There might be some truth to that.”

There was a touch of sarcasm in her tone. Instead of battling her with a quip of his own, he took a different approach. “Your pendant and hairpins look incredible on you.”

She turned away as the blood rushed to her face.

He laughed. “Let’s go.” Lengthening his stride, he hurried to follow the directions Master Wang had given them.

Even with all the traffic, it didn’t take them long to reach the Emperor’s Auction House. It wasn’t associated with the Sun family or the royal house at all. Chao had sat through countless meetings over the last week and had detailed information about all the royal family’s business holdings. Emperor’s Auction House was an arrogant name, but one the establishment lived up to. It was one of the few businesses with a nine-story pagoda in the capital.

As soon as the building came into view, Chao asked Huifen if it would be too obvious if they flew from their current position. They agreed to walk a little further. When they were less than half a kilometer away, they took to the air and flew toward the top floor.

Out of all the buildings in the area, including those with the highest pagodas, the Emperor’s Auction House was receiving the greatest number of guests. There was still time before the first auction, but it was drawing near enough to attract a growing crowd. There would be one auction on the lower non-flying levels and one on the top floor.

Touching down, they shared a glance. It was a habit for them to scrutinize the people around them as they looked for potential dangers. They’d both noticed that almost every person there was a sky realm cultivator or accompanied by one.

Huifen shook her head.

Chao grinned back that he understood. They’d be leaving their sashes in place—at least for now.

He shouldn’t have been surprised to see the place decorated in gold and scarlet. Even the lighting existed to emphasize the golden walls and the ceiling was accentuated by red paint and fabric. It wasn’t nearly as packed as the first floor of Master Wang’s pagoda, but there had to be a couple hundred cultivators browsing. Most of the traffic was heading in one direction. On the far side of the room were two double doors open to a large back room. They led to the auction floor.

A man in red with a black merchant’s cap was coming toward them. Chao watched as he gave them a scrutinizing look. When the man reached them, he bowed deeply at the waste. “Greetings, young master. Young miss. The auction will be starting soon. Might I help you find a seat?”

“Yes, thank you,” Chao replied eagerly.

“Wonderful. Follow me.” As the man led them toward the open doors to the auction floor, he began to explain. “The items on display here have a set price. If that price isn’t met by the date listed below the price, then the item will be auctioned off. It is then possible to get those items for a cheaper price. Many attend our daily auctions for that chance, however, it’s not always the case that items sell for cheaper. Sometimes an item might go for a much higher price because more than one party was interested in buying it and thought they were being wise in waiting. We always recommend paying at the set price if it’s something you must have. The prices are fair and set according to recent market value. Admittedly, the temptation to get something for a cheaper price is one hard to resist.”

“No wonder you’re able to put on multiple auctions a day,” Huifen replied.

The man looked pleased as he led them to the upper back row of seats. It was raised up above the rest of the room so that those sitting there could look down on the stage. There were also fewer seats and they were grouped together. If a large party came to participate, they could sit in the back and have some distance between them and the other parties.

Chao sensed it was also used to seat special guests. A glance at Huifen confirmed this. She was much more sensitive to social and political nuance than he was. That had become even more obvious during their time in the palace. It reminded him of what Sage Yongrui had once told him. That there was a game being played between politicians and cultivators that had been going on since the dawn of time. Everyone was playing it, and he would only harm himself if he refused. Now that he wasn’t responsible solely for himself, but also his wife, he would try. The whole thing just seemed disingenuous to him.

They were offered a seat that was close to lining up with the middle of the stage, which was even more suspect. As they took their seats, Chao sent a wisp of sound directly to his wife’s ear. “Do you think they know who we are?”

Since the man leading them hadn’t yet left, she patted down his worry until they were finished speaking with him.

“This jade contains a catalog of our items for sale,” the merchant said, handing it to Chao. “The first section contains what is about to be auctioned, while the second contains the items being auctioned this afternoon. And finally, the last and largest section contains items that currently have a set price or the few items we have for sale that will never reach auction.”

They thanked the man before he left. When he did, a shroud of sound surrounded them, and Huifen responded to his earlier question. “I don’t think they’ve discovered our identities, but, because we didn’t hide our wealth from Master Wang, he probably contacted some friends to let them know we’d be coming. It’s a good business practice. You noticed we had someone approach us as soon as we arrived, while those of a higher realm haven’t even been greeted. Most probably, they believe us to be from a wealthy family. They want to provide us with good service and a comfortable environment to encourage us to spend money.”

“Well, let’s not disappoint them,” he said, motioning toward the jade catalog.

“Just try not to cause a commotion. There are many powerful people present—and I’m not just referring to their cultivation.”

“Yes, my Huifen.”

Her eyes narrowed, but a moment later, she sunk her perceptions into the card jade. He took the opportunity to admire her before doing the same.

Focusing on the first list of items about to be auctioned, he realized he didn’t know what half of the items were. It was a problem he was running into a lot recently. It wasn’t a major concern. He had a lot to learn. There was a reason Father Tu’s knowledge and ability were held in high regard by the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects.

He focused on the highest-priced items first. At the top of the list was a qi formation designed to protect a large area like a sect. The one described could easily cover the entire Emperor’s Auction House and defend against sky-realm-level attacks. Its price was over a hundred thousand golden taels. Other defensive formations were being sold for much less that were weaker and covered a smaller area. They were still tens of thousands of taels each.

 It put the worth of the divine realm formation his father had given to the joint sect into perspective. If they were to sell it, would they even be able to give it a price? That made him wonder about the Ice Phoenix Palace as well. Even without their formation protecting it, it was a divine realm defensive treasure.

The next most expensive items were weapons and defensive treasures. The highest rank available were sky realm weapons. They’d originally been listed for tens of thousands of taels. He had no idea they’d be so pricy. It made sense, though. The sky realm was the highest level most talented cultivators could dream of reaching. Even that was exceedingly rare. Unless someone had abnormal talent or large numbers of resources, it was impossible for most. It reminded him how blessed he was to have Huifen as his wife and the myriad of materials they’d earned by the tip of the sword.

He was looking through the defensive treasures when he saw a familiar name.

Smokey Moss Lilac – A flowery moss that grows on the forest floor in well-shaded areas that are rich in nature and earth qi. Its rarity is due to the unique balance of qi that’s necessary for its growth. Commonly used on severe burn patients. It’s also considered a miracle drug for skin conditions. High-realm level blood purifier.

Chao then looked at the price and had to stop himself from objecting out loud. He’d grown up collecting Smokey Moss Lilac seasonally. It commonly grew in the Redwood Aurora. They were originally asking for two hundred taels per jin. Remembering the straw basket he and his mother had often used to collect wild herbs, it could’ve likely carried three to five jin per load. As a boy, he used to gather a few thousand taels of the moss every season.

He hastily started going through the other herbs and found many he knew well. Not all were pricey, but there were far more of them that were than he ever would’ve expected. When he felt his wife’s perceptions touch him, he withdrew his own as he quickly calculated how much the herbs in his mother’s garden were worth. Tens of thousands of taels…

He’d never felt like he’d grown up with much wealth. Their cabin wasn’t small, but it was humble compared to the richer homes in the cities of the Redwood Aurora. They’d always had everything they needed, but rarely would his parents buy him something just because he fancied it. He was also always expected to work. Thinking back, it did seem like a humble upbringing, but then he remembered that their home’s defensive formation was the very one now protecting the joint sect. Even the spatial ring he’d carried around as a child had its accessible space limited until his father removed the limitation. Inside was an entire divine cultivation method as well as two tribulation-level weapons.

“What’s wrong?” Huifen asked.

He grinned sheepishly. Had he really grown up in one of Lifestone’s richest families and not even known it?

“I’m just realizing how costly some of the herbs in my mother’s garden were,” he replied.

“Oh?”

He directed her to a few of the most expensive.

“It makes sense that you wouldn’t realize it. These herbs probably cost much less where you’re from because they are common to that region. They would’ve had to travel more than a thousand kilometers to reach the capital, and some of them might be difficult to store in conditions where they’ll keep their efficacy.”

“Mmm. I see.”

A derisive sigh sounded from nearby. He glanced past Huifen to see a long-haired young man in a gaudy suit of silver and gold. It’s like he’d been waiting for Chao to look just to turn away in the most cavalier way possible.

The girl next to the man wore a dress with only half of the flare of the man’s suit. Her eyes darted away, but she didn’t incline her head back as the man did.

“Poor country nobles, I suspect,” the man continued jeering. “Why did they have to sit them next to us? Normally, the Emperor’s staff is good about where they seat people. I’m going to complain.”

“Master Li, don’t bother,” the girl replied sweetly. “Let them enjoy their position. It’s to be expected by one with your status, but to them, it must be thrilling. Perhaps their enthusiasm might rub off on us.”

“Mmm. Point taken, Lady Hien.”

Chao quickly studied the rest of the back row which was mostly empty except for a few larger parties and the couple next to them.

“Don’t mind them,” Huifen said in hushed tones. “Most nobles at least pretend to act noble, but there are always some that think that acting arrogant is the way of nobility.”

He snickered at her explanation, limiting the travel of their voices. “It’s this Lady Hien that I’m wondering about. The man is in the large success of the earth realm, but she’s an early sky realm cultivator. What do you think? Was she being generous, or also insulting us only in the nicest way possible?”

“As I said, most at least try to act noble. Either case is likely. Possibly both.”

‘Interesting.”

“What’s that look supposed to mean?”

“What look?” He asked.

“You look like you were pleased that they both might be insulting us.”

He smiled even wider. “I’m used to every ice fairy I see wearing the same cold look. It’s almost impossible to know if they’re being sarcastic or hiding their true meaning. At least with these two, their meaning is a mystery that can be solved.”

Seeing her mouth droop open, even if only slightly, he removed his sound barrier and let his laugh carry.

The lustrous young master turned toward him with an obvious sneer.

Chao wasn’t concerned about the man. However, it wasn’t his habit of being purposely rude. He kept himself from laughing even louder and grinned kindly at the guy.

“So,” he said, turning back to his wife. “Is there anything you saw that you’re interested in?”

“There is one thing. They have many kilos of qi crystals for sale. They’re often used as currency on the Northern Continent. Envoy Po’s Sail Shuttle used them for fuel. They’re condensed qi so you can use them to cultivate as well. We should pick some up while we’re here.”

“That sounds handy.”

She frowned. “More than handy. Depending on the quality and purity, one could use them to cultivate all the way to the overlord realm if they had enough. The only problem is that they’re formed from heaven and earth qi, so most won’t use them to advance large realms.”

“Oh… Oh. That means?”

“Yes. As long as they are pure enough, you wouldn’t have the same drawback. However, they’re rarely pure and lean heavier toward one element or another. The better ones will probably be sold on their own, while the impure, low-quality ones will be sold in bulk. We could use both.”

Footsteps drew his attention to the stage below. There were two display tables—one on either side of the podium. They were also closer to the edge of the stage so that the podium wouldn’t block the view of those sitting on the sides.

A woman with lurid red hair stepped up to the podium. She had the air of a noble, but there was something playful in the way she looked out at the crowd. She was also a sky realm cultivator.

“Welcome to Emperor’s Auction House’s morning auction,” she announced. “My name is Ou Hop and I will serve as today’s auctioneer. There are a few special items up for grabs that I’m sure a few of our regular guests have had their eyes on.”

As she said it, a potted plant was brought on stage. The plant was obviously some variant of ginseng, but it was the pot carrying it that caught Chao’s eye.

“A jade pot?”

“Mmm,” Huifen replied. “They’re commonly used to transport rare plants that are best stored alive. It helps keep the qi from escaping.”

“Extravagant, but smart.”

He ignored the sneer from their haughty neighbor. For a second, he considered blocking out their conversation for the rest of the auction but thought better of it. The man wasn’t actually bothering him. Rather, he was amused.

“Our first item, today, is a century-old mountain ginseng. It is being sold by a well-known local family, and its potency has been tested by our in-house experts,” the woman said. “The bidding will start at five hundred golden taels.”

Chao was a bit surprised by the starting price, but he expected it to sell for many times that. “A century old?”

“It’s said that the longer a plant lives, the more potent it becomes,” Huifen replied. “Where normal ginseng might benefit mortals or lower realm cultivators, after enough time of soaking in rich qi it could benefit higher realm cultivators.”

“That I’m familiar with. I was just wondering out loud where the standard came from. Depending on its location, the amount of qi and type can vary drastically. I remember mother calling herbs decade this, century that, when we’d planted it that very season.”

Her grin was a contemplative one. “I don’t think the normal standards apply to your mother’s garden. I’d only heard stories of cultivating with spiritual energy before my time there. I thought they were myths or ancient practices, but since you lived far from where I grew up, I didn’t dwell too much on it. It’s possible some sects and older families have their own methods to advancing herb growth faster than normal.”

“Absurd,” the Young Master Li just a few meters away from them said.

“Five hundred and fifty,” a voice called from the middle of the rows below.

Chao wanted to say something, but Huifen was ignoring the man. She was normally the quickest to react to such things, so Chao was being extra careful. He wasn’t scared of any of the cultivators present but knew he didn’t rightly understand the political consequences of offending the wrong party. The last thing he wanted to do was make it harder on the joint sect if they had to reveal who they were.

When the price reached seven hundred, the young nobleman next to them called out, “One thousand.”

Multiple people sitting in the bottom rows turned to see who had spoken. Even those who had been bidding lowered their gaze and turned around without bidding any further. Since when did sky realm cultivators shrink back so easily?

Chao licked the front of his teeth.

“Sold to Young Master Li Bowen,” the woman called with a melodic tone.

When a few of the sky realm cultivators below clapped, and one even stood and congratulated the obnoxious man, Chao was finally starting to get annoyed.

The next item up for bid was a sky realm rank sword that was exceptional at channeling wind qi. The item didn’t interest him, but he was curious to see if everyone would stop bidding if anyone on the back row bid, or if it was just this Li Bowen.

A few more items passed, and none of them had yet to bid when Huifen said, “I’m going to make an offer.”

“Oh?”

He took a closer look at what was on display on the stage below. It was an open chest made of light wood that was full of foggy-white crystals. Some of them had an amber color. “Qi crystals?”

“Minor ones, yes. From what I can see of their color, they’re probably better for trade than cultivation.” She lifted her hand and announced her bid. “Two hundred.”

“Two hundred from the pretty fairy in the back,” Ou Hop acknowledged.

Just a second later, Chao’s question was answered. A sky realm man in black robes near the stage didn’t hesitate to bid even though his wife was sitting in the back row.

A jeerful wheeze sounded from their neighbor. Li Bowen called out, “Five hundred.”

Chao scooted forward in his chair when he felt something sharp suddenly jab him in the ribs. He turned to find Huifen poking him.

“It’s an absurd price,” she said. “I don’t want it for more than three hundred.”

He sat back in his chair, but no longer hid his glare.

The man pretended he didn’t see him, while he made a show of accepting his second winning bid of the day.

Huifen leaned over and whispered. “You’re letting him get to you.”

“I don’t like rude people.”

She giggled. “Sage Yongrui is rude.”

“Rude? He’s more crude than rude, without being cruel along with it. This man uses his station and wealth as a cudgel.”

“So what are you going to do? Outbid him on something we don’t need to prove your point?”

“What? Why would I do that? My wife takes after Father Tu and is very clever with money. There are other ways.”

“Don’t hurt him,” she hissed.

“Why would I do that?”

“Are you going to try to drive up the price? If you want to try, that’s fine, but we aren’t familiar enough with the market to force him to spend a lot on something of little worth. If we reveal our cultivation, he may come out and apologize to us without us even asking.”

“No, there are other, more entertaining ways.”

“You’re going to embarrass me, aren’t you?”

“Not you.”

“Fine, but remember the proverb, ‘To rebuke the arrogant man in his arrogance is to smear his foolishness on your face.’”

He nodded. “My wife is wise. And don’t worry. I won’t say a word.”

Chapter 10

Chao wasn’t angry to the point of losing all patience. He waited until something came up that they’d find useful. The man had bid for almost every resource that could be used for cultivation. Many sets of qi crystals were up for bid, but some of the other helpful natural treasures were even rarer.

“Next up, we have a sky realm dire beast core that’s rich in lightning qi.” The auctioneer Ou Hop said with a touch of awe in her voice. “It’s one of the rarest dire beast elements on the continent and was taken from a celestial leopard in a mountain range far to the west. The bidding starts at one thousand golden taels.”

“That’s an element we haven’t had much chance to use for qi balancing. What do you think?” He asked.

“As long as you don’t pay more than four thousand it should be worth it,” Huifen replied.

“And here I thought you didn’t have much knowledge of the things being sold.”

“There’s much I still know from before joining the Ice Phoenix Sect, and remember, I was hunting for an ice core when we met. It’s one segment of the market that I’ve done much research on in recent years.”

“Mmm. Then I’ll take your advice.”

The price had already risen to fifteen hundred when Chao raised his hand and called out, “Eighteen hundred.”

“Nineteen,” came a voice from below.

“Two thousand,” he bid again.

Just as he expected, Li Bowen proclaimed, “Three thousand.”

As before, all movement seemed to stop in the room. The great Young Master Li had spoken so most wouldn’t dare to bid.

Chao quickly scanned the catalog and found the lightning jade. Its original price had been four thousand two hundred, so even though it seemed this Bowen brat was greatly outbidding everyone, he was actually paying under market value.

He then glanced at the auctioneer. She didn’t betray her smile but was looking around the room, delaying what she believed was inevitable in hope.

Everything was prepared, so Chao broke the young lord’s spell. “Three thousand one hundred.”

It was like everyone present sucked in a sharp breath at once.

The long-haired, overly shiny Li Bowen’s head snapped in his direction. His grimace was illustrious.

Chao smiled back at the man as if he’d just received a friendly greeting.

Before the young master could spew whatever it was he was concocting, a female’s voice rose up from the far side of the back row. “Three thousand five hundred.”

The man’s head jerked the other way, but his reaction became measured.

“Sorry, Senior Brother Li, but there are so few lightning cores as it is. I can’t pass this up,” a young woman said, surrounded by servant cultivators. Instead of the gaudy gold, she wore a gown of blue and white. He immediately thought of the Elder Holwell and Senior Brother Ju-long from the Lightning Celestial Sect. The only issue was that this girl still had her hair. Both of the sages he knew were bald.

“This will be of great help to Lady Tao Liling’s cultivation. I wouldn’t dare compete against you,” Li Bowen said as if he were doing her a favor.

“Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Seeing this, Chao was disappointed. He had everything prepared, but the girl had caused him to lose the opportunity. With a shrug, he bid again. “Three thousand six hundred.”

Not only did Li Bowen’s scowl return, but the girl he was bidding against was anxiously sitting straight up in her seat.

“Three thousand seven hundred,” she said.

A sky realm cultivator in gold and silver appeared next to Chao. “Sir, I’d recommend letting the lady win. Master Li has stopped bidding as a favor to her.”

Seeing his wife lean forward in her chair, he carefully chose his words. If she acted, it would be decisive and likely give away her cultivation. In addition, the fun would be over. He hadn’t even gotten to do as he planned.

“Thank you so much for your recommendation,” he replied, raising his hand, and blurting out, “Three thousand eight hundred.”

In response to Chao ignoring his words, the man drew closer. Chao had already placed a wall of space between them. It was only half drawn from the floor to the man’s waist, so it was out of sight. If the man moved, his hand would slam into an immovable space bend.

“Master Li is not known for his patience. It would be best if you leave,” the man said in hushed tones.

Chao captured the sound just in case he needed it for evidence later. “Leave?” he responded. “Sorry, friend. Why would I do that? This is a great opportunity for someone with so little knowledge like myself. I’ll just bid on everything Master Li does since he has such good taste.”

“You’ve been warned.”

The man appeared at Li Bowen’s side a moment later and relayed what had happened. Chao, of course, heard every word.

Lady Ou Hop, the auctioneer, had held off on announcing a winner. She’d seen the conversation and likely knew all too well what was going on. If she’d announced him as the winner, at least by all appearances, it could’ve forced him into a very bad position. Unknown to her, it was a position for which he held no fear.

“Young Master,” Lady Tao Liling called out from across the room. “After this next bid, I’m maxed out. If this lightning core is not of great importance to you, I shamelessly ask that you let me win. It will be of great help to me. I’d consider it a favor to my Tao family.”

Huifen had mostly been sitting back and letting Chao do as he wished, but she chose that moment to lean close to his ear. “The Tao family is a large one. The Celestial Lightning Sect isn’t technically on this continent. The Tao family is one of our major northern families that has close ties to them. They’re one of the reasons we are on such friendly terms.”

She didn’t have to say more. Chao turned back to the woman asking a favor of him. “Lady Tao Liling, my wife has informed me of your family’s ties with the Lightning Celestial Sect. We have some friendship with them, so there’s no need for favors between us.”

He addressed the auctioneer. “Lady Ou Hop, I’d like to withdraw my bid. I believe Lady Tao Liling’s last bid was three thousand seven hundred. If you would give it to her for that price, I’d happily pay the difference.”

“No need,” Lady Ou Hop replied. With a clap of her hands, she announced Tao Liling as the winner. She didn’t even open it up for more bids.

It made him wonder what the woman had been told about their identities. She was trying to keep the peace. Maybe he was thinking too much into it. It could be that it was just good business.

“Thank you, Young Master,” Lady Tao Liling said, coming to her feet and issuing a martial salute. “Might I ask your name?”

“Just call me Brother Chao, and this here is my Huifen. There’s no need for family names. As I said, this is a matter between friends. There will be no favors owed.”

“Then this one thanks you, Master Chao. Mistress Huifen.” The girl bowed deeply.

He saw his wife smile warmly at the woman, so he did the same.

 As the auctioneer was asking them to bring out the next item, Li Bowen sneered. “You. Friendship with the Lightning Celestial Sect? Look at you. Did you even have enough taels to pay? Are you from an ascetic cult or are those robes considered opulent where you’re from? Even the jewelry your wife is wearing is low-end formationless trash.”

Chao was about to rise from his seat when he felt some of his wife’s aura slip from her control. He was angry enough that he could pounce on the guy but seeing Huifen’s reaction forced him to calm himself.

As she’d done to him earlier, he patted her hand, which diverted enough of her attention for him to speak first. “I was praising Master Li’s good taste just a few minutes ago, but it seems I spoke too soon.”

The girl sitting next to Li Bowen was staring right at him, shaking her head. It seemed she had meant no offense by what she’d said earlier.

He didn’t back down. “The pendant my wife is wearing is worth more than everything the Li family owns.”

It wasn’t just Li Bowen, but many cultivators in the seats below them laughed at his assessment. The senses of people in their realms were much sharper than mortal men. They could tell at a glance.

“Even a mortal would consider it flawed. What nonsense.”

Chao just laughed at the man. He saw his wife fingering the pendant out of the corner of his eye. He responded. “Since you obviously have no experience with women, let this senior brother teach you a thing or two.”

It was like a cloud of darkness filled the room at his words. It seemed like everyone was trying to scoot away from him even though they didn’t dare to move.

“A piece of jewelry doesn’t gain worth from its quality, rarity, function, or even its market value. What makes it valuable is the woman who holds it dear. My Huifen likes this little turquoise pendant with all its flaws. That makes it priceless.”

A few gushing responses sounded from the crowd, but everyone controlled their volume.

They didn’t matter to him. He saw color rise in his Huifen’s cheeks, so he pulled her into a side hug and kissed her on the head. “You have to admit, that was a good one,” he said where only she could hear.

She rolled her eyes but the look she gave him told him she was pleased.

“Well said, Brother Chao,” Lady Tao Liling replied. “Sister Huifen looks lovely.”

Even if she said it out of a sense of desire to pay him back, he was grateful.

Li Bowen was at a loss for words.

The lady auctioneer chose that moment to announce the next item, cutting off any follow-up replies. A few items were sold without any more taunting, but then an item they’d been waiting for came up for bid.

“It looks like a high-rank qi crystal that’s quite pure,” Huifen said. “It could be a great help to you in breaking into the next small realm.”

The starting bid was five thousand. Chao waited, knowing their neighbor would do as he always did when there was something he wanted.

It reached eight thousand and Li Bowen finally made his move. “Ten thousand,” he cried. Chao had been waiting. The man’s words came out in a high-pitched squeal.

The entire room tried to hold back its laughter.

Li Bowen had a look of horror.

“Don’t worry, Brother Li,” Chao said. “There comes a time in every boy’s life when their voice starts to change.” He then bid. “Eleven thousand.”

Lady Ou Hop asked for more bids, but Li Bowen had yet to recover and no one else dared to bid after what had just happened.

“Sold, to Brother Chao.”

Huifen excitedly brought her hands together and leaned closer. “You just paid half price for a qi crystal of that quality.”

When the next opportunity came for them to bid against Li Bowen, Chao didn’t manipulate the man’s pitch on the first bid. It was only after Chao bid a second time and the man tried to counterbid that his voice broke again.

“All jokes aside, Brother Li. I have a bit of knowledge of herbalism. There’s a Minow Sage coming up later that would be helpful for a strained voice.”

He didn’t seem happy to hear Chao’s recommendation, but neither did he respond. Lady Hien sitting next to the man caught his eye. She was trying to subtly get his attention. From her eye movement, it seemed like she was trying to encourage him to leave while he still could.

Of course, the man had insulted his Huifen so there was no way he was going to leave now. As the auction continued, Chao was crafty in the way he applied his sound laws to the man’s voice. He even let the man win a few that they had no interest in. As for the rest of the qi crystals and a few rare ingredients, he and his wife won everything they bid on as long as the price was right.

When it was time to pay, the same man who had led them to their seats joined them with a spatial ring filled with their purchases. They’d stayed away from most of the big items since they would do them little good, but thirty-seven thousand golden taels passed between them.

The man bowed to them and thanked them for their patronage, but as he did, he left them with a warning. “Is there any place we can escort you? You will be targeted when you leave our pagoda. We cannot oppose the Li family directly, but they should show us face if we’re with you. With your earth realm cultivations, I fear if you leave alone something might happen.”

“Let’s take care of a few other purchases, first,” Chao replied.

Huifen had spent much time studying the catalog during the auction. She mentioned there were several seeds she wanted to purchase in bulk. They didn’t have much value based on their rarity. She wanted them to experiment on with her nature laws. They also worked out a deal to buy the rest of the qi crystals Emperor’s had in stock. There were a few intermediate-level ones and another high level. The only truly rare thing they purchased though wasn’t up for bid at all.

“The Cloud of Eternity?” The man said with a jolt. “You understand that it’s a peculiar treasure without much practical use? Its main purpose is to instruct overlords of the water element in the laws.”

“We’re quite certain,” Huifen replied, hanging on the man’s every word as if he was about to admit that something was wrong with it.

“Then this one will be pleased to fetch it for you.”

When the man left, Lady Tao Liling flew past Li Bowen and his men with a party of her own.

“Master Chao. Mistress Huifen,” she said warmly. “You’ve helped me greatly. Would you allow me to escort you from the auction house?” She leaned forward. “Li Bowen is not known for being merciful.”

“Thank you, Lady Tao Liling,” Chao replied. “But no. I’m looking forward to our chat with him.”

“Sister Tao Liling,” Huifen said, stepping forward. “Things have already been taken too far. There’s no need to worry.”

“I must insist,” the woman said, lowering her voice. “The Li family is one of the only remaining clans in the Aureate Empire that has an overlord backing them. I’m afraid Li Bowen might not consider your own backing and take the opportunity to kill you, assuming he can beg forgiveness later. If you had a few sky realm cultivators with you then it might not be that simple. He knows my family, however, and will give me face.”

Huifen turned to Chao. “Perhaps, we’ve let this go on long enough.”

He shook his head. “If the Li family is so haughty that they would continue backing this Bowen brat’s bullying, then I’m of the mind to humble them. That’s why we came to the capital, isn’t it?”

“Husband, you’re taking this too far. The Li family’s overlord is one of the few sages that didn’t follow the emperor to the joint sect.”

“What do you think I’m intending to do?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “I’m not going to hurt them.”

He then noticed Lady Tao Liling giving them a particular look.

Huifen gave him an insistent glare, motioning toward the friendly woman before them.

“Okay, but just her.”

His wife took a step forward and whispered, “Our family name is Long.”

Tao Liling took a moment to consider it before her eyes went wide.

Chao held his finger up to his lips.

She nodded briskly. A moment later, she bowed deeply. “This one is honored to meet you both. We will take our leave.”

The rest of the people with her looked at one another in confusion.

“Cultivate well, sister,” Huifen called as the woman left.

“If you ever have the chance to travel north, come and visit my Tao family. We’ll give you a warm welcome.”

They waved as she left, and Li Bowen approached with two sky realm cultivators at his back. He was one of the lowest realm cultivators in the room but acted so arrogantly because of his family name.

“Hello, Brother Li,” Chao greeted. “I checked for you. The Emperor’s Auction House has some more Minow Sage in stock since you missed the chance to bid for it.”

“You,” the man growled. “I know you’re responsible for what happened to my voice. After studying your core, we’ve concluded you must be a sound cultivator. No one else has a core like that.”

“Oh? I’m just a lowly musician traveling the world with his beautiful wife at his side.”

Huifen nudged him with her elbow.

“So you admit it,” the man almost screamed.

“Admit what?”

As he started to explain again, Chao manipulated the pitch of his voice, and it came out like an angry screech.

“Enough,” one of the sky realm cultivators stepped forward. “You bullied my young master, cheating him out of many items in today’s auction. Hand them over and I’ll let you leave.”

“Calling me a bully and trying to rob us in the same breath? You’re as shameless as this young brat.”

When the man moved to step forward, a familiar woman’s voice rang, “Gentleman.” Lady Ou Hop was standing there with the man who’d gone to fetch their purchases. “Master Li, must I remind you that fighting is forbidden here?”

“Forgive me, Lady Ou Hop,” he replied, saluting her. “We’ll take it outside—if this one dares.” As he said the last word, it came out as a squeak.

Ou Hop put her hand to her mouth to hide her grin. Huifen, however, had enough of keeping up appearances and laughed in his face.

“We’ll be waiting,” the young master said and flew toward the exit.

Lady Ou Hop looked like she was going to speak when Chao spoke first. “How much do we owe you?”

“One hundred and twenty thousand taels. We’ve thrown in the seeds you requested as our gift.”

***

“Are you sure you won’t let us escort you?” Lady Ou Hop pressed them.

“No need,” Chao said one last time before jumping off the ledge. Huifen was right there with him.

There was already a clearing below with a crowd gathering around the edges. Li Bowen was there with his two sky realm bodyguards.

They didn’t hesitate to fly right for them.

“Do you want to handle them, or should I?” He asked his wife.

“You’ve created this mess, so you deal with it.”

He snickered.

Touching down, Chao was feeling more eager than he had when facing off with the Aureate Empire’s overlords.

As soon as Li Bowen tried to taunt them, his words came out high-pitched.

The crowd that had gathered laughed heartily. Not everyone present was familiar with the young master to know any better.

“Fine,” the man shrieked. “Cousin. Kill them.”

One of the sky realm cultivators behind the young master flashed forward. Chao readied to deflect the man’s attack upward with a space bend so that it wouldn’t harm anyone present.

The sky realm cultivator appeared next to Li Bowen instead, placing a forceful palm on the top of his head. The young master immediately fainted. Before he fell, the cultivator grabbed him with one arm around the waist, then bowed to Chao and Huifen.

“This one begs your forgiveness. You’ve unwittingly participated in the Li family’s practical instruction of this Li Bowen. For that, I thank you. If you would kindly follow us, our Li family would like to reward you.”

Chao was completely lost as to what was happening. He and Huifen shared a look. Her face was as blank as his. “No reward is necessary,” he muttered.

“I can offer you Icy Deep Tea.”

Huifen’s hand suddenly gripped his arm. “We’ll follow you.”

The man nodded, then took off with Li Bowen in tow.

They flew after them, leaving the confused crowd behind.

“What’s going on?” He asked.

“Icy Deep Tea isn’t only rare, but a great delicacy to ice fairies,” she replied.

“It will help your cultivation?”

“Uh. Not really. It just… tastes good.”

The Li family sage that wasn’t carrying their young master slowed so that they could catch up with him.

“Li Delun, the one carrying Bowen, said that you shouldn’t have any problems flying for a distance. Is his assumption correct?” The man asked.

Chao smiled meekly, knowing they’d been caught. “It won’t be a problem.”

“Very good. My name is Li Manchu. I know you might be confused, so I’ll explain. When the young masters of the Li family reach a certain age, a large sum of resources are handed over to their care. Even though they’re taught how to handle such large sums, few things corrupt as easily as great riches. Unknown to Bowen, we were assigned to him to make sure he didn’t do anything too foolish or hurt anyone during his trial. Your resistance today was exactly what we’d been hoping for.”

Chao and Huifen’s eyes met.

“So you were just waiting for him to fail?” Huifen asked.

“More or less. Not all young masters and mistresses give themselves over to temptation or handle it the same. Bowen’s actions were fairly typical. The family is good at tempering such arrogance.”

“So it was all a test?” Chao was still getting his mind around the practicality of it.

“A necessary one. Our family has an old saying. ‘Lavish an enemy with unearned riches and he’ll destroy himself.’ The opposite is also true. ‘A man who’s earned riches with his own hands is careful to part from each and every coin.’ It will be just a few minutes now. We’re almost there.”

Chapter 11

The Li family’s home was nearly the size of the Sun family’s palace. It wasn’t obnoxiously covered in gold, but its towers were tall and proud. They landed behind the two sky realm cultivators carrying Li Bowen in a courtyard just outside the main entrance. As they did, the guards at the front door parted as a man stepped out of the grand doorway twice as high as he was tall.

The man was an imposing figure with the same long hair and sharp face as the young master. He wore a silver robe—not gold. He wasn’t as muscular as a fire cultivator, but his presence felt no less dangerous.

Chao tried to decipher the man’s realm, but he was having difficulty. It was clear that he’d reached at least the sky realm.

His Huifen whispered without bothering to lean close to him. “Peak sky realm.”

“Mmm,” he replied.

The man stopped at the foot of the stairs. “Lay him on his back,” he commanded.

When the bodyguards did as they were asked, the man removed something from his spatial ring and began to pour it on the young master’s face.

Li Bowen sat up with a screech. This one wasn’t Chao’s doing. The young man coughed until he realized where he was, then scrambled to his knees to kowtow to the man. “Father,” he proclaimed.

“Do you know why you’re here?

“No,” he said, gathering his nerve before continuing in an accusatory tone and sitting back on his knees. “Cousin Delun has betrayed the family. I was trying to defend our honor against two villains who were plotting against us when—”

A blast of qi flew from the older man’s hand, sending his son sprawling onto his back. “Has your arrogance really developed to such an extreme so quickly? Before you even left the auction house, Lady Hien arrived here to inform me of what was going on.”

At his word, the sky realm woman who’d been sitting at the young master’s side exited the building to join them. “Master Li Jing,” she said with a bow. “As you requested, I’ve followed at Young Master Li’s side for the last year. It is my experience that he often bullies people, relying on the Li family name to force his will.”

“Thank you, Lady Hien,” the man’s father said. “Li Delun, what say you?”

“Traitor,” Bowen cried.

With just a look from his father, the young master shut his mouth and he was left cowering.

“Lady Hien speaks the truth,” Li Delun replied. “He has grown more and more violent and less honorable since the trial began two years ago. At first, he would challenge those he sought to bully to a duel. When he won, he would treat them with a measure of honor. It is only recently that he started sending Li Manchu and myself to fight in his stead. We haven’t carried out his will but informed the targets of what was going on and paid them to keep quiet. Today was the first time he sought to bully someone so openly and with such murderous intent. I subdued him before any irredeemable offenses were made.”

It was then that Master Li Jing stepped forward and addressed his son who was leaning back on his hands, “Son, you have dishonored the Li family name by using your wealth and power to lord over your countrymen. I’m disappointed.”

Li Bowen scurried back to his knees. “Trial?” He fell forward to his hands in a daze.

“It was the same for me when I was your age. Just as it was for Delun and Manchu in their time.”

The young lord scanned them before dropping his head. “I failed…”

“Yes. I did as well.”

Li Bowen looked up. His brow creased, but he still seemed dazed.

“As did I,” Li Delun said.

“As did I,” Li Manchu echoed.

As he watched the events unfold, Chao couldn’t help but consider his own weakness. He’d only recently come into wealth. Immediately, he’d gone to auction and hadn’t backed down from trouble. He didn’t consider his actions bullying, but had they been right? There were many worse things he could’ve done to Li Bowen. He’d controlled himself, but if he followed the pattern of the young master, in a few years he might end up doing far worse and not even notice the progression.

This was a temptation that he may never be rid of. Despite the vast amounts of resources they’d won, the Monolith continent still held countless hidden treasures, as did the rest of the world. If all of them were gathered, what he currently possessed would be like a seed to a field of grain. It was said that some of the oldest, most powerful cultivators of the Northern Continent were even wealthier than the entirety of the Aureate Empire. One day, if he and his wife survived, their wealth would likely exceed them all…

“Come to your feet,” Master Li Jing said. “Your lessons will start today. It’s appropriate that you first apologize to our guests.”

At his word, Young Master Li Bowen rose to his feet. He turned to face them. When he saw who it was his father was speaking of, the young man glowered. “Them?”

“Friends,” Master Li Jing called, ignoring his son’s outburst. “Thank you for coming. My son has shown you much dishonor. For that, I beg your forgiveness. If you are willing, would you please reveal to my son your true cultivations to better teach him how he has erred? I don’t want to pressure you, but if you’re willing, my Li family will compensate you for your trouble and keep your identities a secret.”

Chao watched as the realization came over Li Bowen. The young man’s scowl had softened with a hint of distress.

He looked to Huifen to gauge her response.

“I see no harm in it,” she said plainly.

He turned back to Master Li with a grin. “Compensation is unnecessary and there is no need for forgiveness. Seeing how this is being handled by the Li family has left an impression and given me much to think about. For that, I thank you.”

He unfastened his sash and placed it in his spatial ring. Huifen did as well.

Master Li Jing smiled graciously but as his perceptions touched on Huifen’s cultivation, the expression fell from his face. He bowed deeply and declared so all could hear. “This one greets, Mistress Sage” Straightening while keeping his head bowed, he asked. “Might I ask your names?”

“I am Long Huifen, Lead Disciple of the Ice Phoenix Sect, and this is my husband, the Sage of Heaven’s Laws, Long Chao,” she said firmly.

Chao just smiled at her emphasis on his title.

“Young heroes,” Li Jing said, saluting them. “The whole continent has heard of your deeds. Welcome to the Li family manner. Please, allow me to prepare a feast.”

“Don’t trouble yourself. There is still much we have planned for today. However, there was a promise of some Icy Deep Tea, which my Huifen was excited to try.”

“Then tea it will be.” Li Jing started issuing orders. “Manchu, go and inform the great elder that we have company. Delun, escort Bowen to his room. And Lady Hein, I’ve already asked much of you, but would you mind accompanying the two sages to the tearoom? Please excuse me for a few minutes as I inform the house staff of your visit.”

“Thank you, Master Li,” Huifen replied.

It was then that Li Bowen’s mind had had enough, and he collapsed into a heap. Delun had to carry him again. This time he used qi.

Everyone set to their tasks and Lady Hien approached them.

“Greetings,” she said with a bow. “This one begs forgiveness for not recognizing the two sages.”

“Don’t be silly,” Huifen replied. “We intended to go unnoticed.”

“And thank you, Sister Hien, for trying to warn us about the young master,” Chao was quick to add.

The young woman became bashful at how familiar they were treating her. As she led the way, Huifen asked about her background. She wasn’t born to a family of high status but was found to have abnormal talent as a cultivator at a young age. The Li family had taken her in. They even moved her parents close by and provided them with employment.

“That was gracious of them,” Huifen said.

“Yes. And please, don’t judge the Li family based on Li Bowen’s actions,” the woman insisted. “You won’t find another family that’s more generous.”

 Seeing how sincere she was and after seeing how they’d handled Li Bowen, Chao had no reason to doubt her words.

They arrived in a grand hall where Lady Hien led them to one end with a cozy nook. There was a round table and chairs made of the same glossy wood that the walls were made of. There were carvings of trees and berries everywhere. The light came from red and gold paper lamps hanging overhead and on the wall.

“Please be seated,” Lady Hien said. “I suspect Master Li Jing will be joining you with Great Elder Chung.”

It was as she said. Within a few minutes, Master Jing entered the hall following beside a man of similar stature, but with a more weathered face. They both wore silver martial robes.

“Overlord,” Huifen said under her breath.

They both rose to their feet and saluted the two men.

“Sage Li Chung,” she said.

“Great Elder,” Chao followed up.

“Young sages,” the man replied with a rigid salute. “Welcome to my Li family’s residence. I hope our young master didn’t offend you beyond pardon.”

“Not at all,” Chao said. Then to his surprise, Huifen hurried around the table and pulled a chair back as if taking over the duties of hostess.

“I still remember your lectures on sword techniques,” she explained. “Thank you for joining us for tea.”

Sage Chung seemed to have a severe personality, but even if he didn’t grin, Chao noticed a mildness to his bearing.

He took measure of her before taking his seat. “I remember you were still a girl the last time I visited the Phoenix Cry lecture hall. Even then, I knew that one day we’d meet as overlords, but I didn’t think it would be so soon and under such dark circumstances.”

As he sat down in the offered chair, Huifen hurried to sit across from him. That left only Lady Hien to pull out the chair for Master Li Jing. Chao sat as he did.

“Let this old man first apologize for not coming to help your Ice Phoenix Sect during Emperor Sun’s madness. I’m afraid that when the other overlords joined with him, it put my family in a very difficult position. Staying neutral was the most I could do, and even then, we feared we’d soon be absorbed into the Sun family by force. You two are an answer to this one’s prayers.”

“Sect Master Quinyuan would want me to thank you, Great Elder,” Huifen replied. “She well understands the dangerous position you were in. She will likely visit you in a few days.”

“We’ve already prepared. And rest assured. My Li family has no desire to become involved in the empire’s transition or to grow our power due to the circumstances. We will only become involved if asked. Now, Fairy Huifen. Would you be so kind as to introduce me to this husband of yours?”

Chao and Master Li Jing shared a friendly nod but let the two old acquaintances converse.

After introductions, the conversation took on a less formal tone. The Icy Deep Tea arrived a few minutes later. Taking his first sip, it had a cool bite to it, almost frigid, but tasted normal to him. Watching his wife take her first sip, he saw it affected her much differently.

“The tea is wonderful,” she said lazily. It relaxed her so much?

When the topic of Li Bowen was brought up, Chao sat forward and asked. “What is to happen to him now?”

“You’re worried about him?” Master Li Jing asked wryly.

He chuckled at the man’s joke but continued soberly. “I don’t want to ever succumb to the same temptation.”

Huifen sent a gentle burst of qi to embrace him. He did the same back.

“Ah ha,” the great elder said. “Your fear is a healthy one.” He thought for a minute before continuing. “There was a time when the Li family didn’t have such trials. We focused on discipline and teaching the right principles, but it’s the curse of the younger generation to be unable to inherit the experience of the older. It was my father who first implemented this trial. Before that, steps were taken as circumstances deemed necessary. And it was necessary often enough that the trial was soon adopted universally throughout the family.”

“What will happen to young Bowen now is that his funds will be taken from him, and he will be put to work. He will learn what it takes to build wealth from nothing. Only then will he be given more authority. Once he is a little older and his cultivation improves, he will be given the duty of bodyguard to one of his younger cousins, just as Manchu and Delun were for him. After having to clean up the messes of an arrogant young lord for a year or two, he will understand much clearer.”

Chao glanced at his wife. She had the same look she had when deep in meditation.

“Let me say this, young sages,” Chung said. “If you fear making such mistakes, you’ve already moved beyond the need to face such trials on your own. The real danger you face is growing complacent. The answer to that riddle is simple. Keep moving forward.”

He shared a look with his Huifen and saw her determination. “Thank you, Great Elder, for your advice.”

“It is this one’s pleasure. Now, since you are here, shall we turn our discussion to cultivation? I have heard detailed testimony, but for ones at such a young age, even with your realms, I’m still having trouble grasping how you could defeat nine sages. No. It wasn’t just defeat, but you were able to kill them. I have been in the middle of the overlord realm for more than a century. My Li family cultivates sword arts from the Heart of Jian Sect located on the border of Monolith and the Landbridge continents. They’re not nearly as large as your Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects, and even smaller than the Lightning Celestial Sect, but we produce overlords every couple of centuries. The reason for my confusion is this. The offensive power of sword cultivators is often equal to that of a cultivator a small realm higher and even if I could defeat an enemy at a higher level, killing them would be nigh impossible.”

“You cultivate sword qi?” Chao said excitedly. He’d heard of such things from his father, but it was almost as rare as finding a sound cultivator. To be sitting across from a genuine sword cultivator who had reached the overlord realm was a great opportunity.

The old sage chuckled for the first time. “Oh yes. Our sect’s lineage goes back almost as far as your Fire and Ice Phoenix Sect does, but alas, we haven’t had contact with our divine realm sect in tens of thousands of years.”

He felt the weight of the man’s words. “Do you know what happened?”

“Only speculation.”

“Well, I’d very much like to see a demonstration, and, of course, my Huifen and I are more than willing to give you one of our own. I—I must ask. What element, or mix of elements, do you cultivate with your energy-gathering techniques? Is it true that you cultivate sword laws even during energy circulation?” He said while his eyes were jumping back and forth in his head as he tried to keep up with the questions in his own mind. He created a small blade of iron as long as a finger with his earth laws and held it up in hopes the prop would help focus his thoughts.

Both sword cultivators leaned forward to get a look at the item he held in his hand. Noticing they were both interested, he created two more and slid them across the table toward them. “They will only last as long as I supply them qi. I spent quite a lot of time playing with iron when I was younger. The grains and their magnetic properties have always fascinated me.”

“And you can create it just like that…” The great elder said, picking the little blade off the table. “To answer your question about our energy-gathering technique, how about I show you? And as for the element we cultivate, I’d like to hear your opinion first.”

“Oh?” He replied.

“Come.”

When the elder stood, they all stood with him. They followed as he walked at a brisk pace, not even bothering to stay in the main halls. They cut through many rooms that were often decorated in carved wood and polished stone. A few minutes later, they approached a metallic door that looked like a large shield as much as a door.

“This is my personal cultivation chamber,” the great elder said.

“Father?” Master Jing replied pensively.

“You worry too much.” He turned to Chao and Huifen who were standing behind them. “It is against the rules for those of my Heart of Jian Sect to reveal their cultivation methods. Of course, I don’t intend to reveal our energy-gathering method itself, but much can be discerned by what you’re about to see. The family rules forbid anyone outside the sect from entering one of our cultivation chambers. It was created to help us keep our vow, not because there’s any sect rule restricting access to the chambers themselves. Taking a look should help to answer some of your questions, but I hope it will also be an opportunity for both of us. Let’s take a peek.”

Feeling Huifen lace her finger between his and her grip tighten, he realized she was nearly as excited as he was. “This is a great honor,” she said.

Master Li Jing stood to the side with a complicated look.

Chao watched carefully as the great elder undid the defensive formation. Soon it swung open and immediately he sensed the change. It was impossible to miss.

“Husband?” Huifen said. She’d been trying to get a closer look, but he’d frozen in place. “What is it?”

“Concepts. So many, but I don’t recognize them…”

“You don’t?”

The only elder called from inside the chamber. “Good. You can sense them already. Come.”

Chapter 12

Huifen held on tightly to Chao’s hand. Sage Li Chung was a legendary figure even in the eyes of the ice fairies of the Ice Phoenix Sect, as was Master Li Jing who was in charge of the daily affairs of the Li family. The sage had been a visiting lecturer for the last millennium and Sect Master Quinyuan had traded pointers with him many times. The Li family was involved in the politics of the empire more than the joint sect, so their relationship had never moved beyond mutual respect. But that respect was deep.

They stepped through the shield-like doorway into a chamber no bigger than one of the smaller rooms in the Ice Phoenix Palace that was round instead of square. There was little light, but it was enough for them to see hundreds of jian swords hanging from the ceiling and walls in intricate patterns. Those above were pointing down as if they could fall at any moment and impale them. It was an oppressive environment. She immediately felt threatened and found Placid Sunder, her long dagger-like weapon made from the silver scale of a colossal dire beast in her hand.

Sage Li Chung saw the weapon and nodded in approval. “Only someone with the will of a sage could draw their weapon so easily under this chamber’s domineering influence.”

The sage then glanced at her husband and looked slightly disappointed. She found Chao staring at the blades above as his eyes moved rapidly among them.

“It took many years for Jing to gain confidence in here even after he’d reached the sky realm. I should’ve realized…”

Chao's eyes shot to the closest wall. He examined it closely, looking past everyone present like they weren’t even there.

She let go of his hand. He was like a hound following a trail. Suddenly he was spinning while tiptoeing slowly toward the center of the room. Everyone stepped back as he neared.

“This pattern,” Chao mumbled.

Huifen turned to the walls to grasp his meaning. Jian were fastened side to side where they hung vertically. Their blades weren’t flat against it but slanted out at a forty-five-degree angle and all facing in the same direction. She spun as well to take it in.

He reached out his hand and she hurried forward to take it.

“Do you feel them?” He asked.

“I’m… I’m not sure,” she replied. “It feels like there is an overbearing threat.”

“Mmm. That must be your natural reaction to these concepts. You probably feel them, but your body is concerned about the danger they pose.” He shook his head like he was trying to rouse himself from a stupor. “Great Elder, this place is incredible. The concepts themselves aren’t moving, but because of the blades' pattern, it’s almost as if it forces all the qi in this room to move in a predetermined pattern, even if it’s not.”

“It seems I spoke too soon,” the sage replied. “You are correct. The layout of the jian is this chamber’s first secret. The second is that qi isn’t funneled into this room directly but through the swords themselves. They act as a filter.”

“That means…” Chao approached the wall in front of him. He then started to follow the wall. “Sword qi… sword laws… You cultivate this sword-filtered qi. But does this qi carry these concepts? They very distinctly exist in the jian. The qi in the air doesn’t hold the same concentration. But they’re present like small fragments.”

A sudden clapping pulled Huifen’s attention. Sage Li Chung was applauding. “Brilliant,” he said. “To discern so much after a glance. Tell me, you feel these concepts?”

Her husband stopped to give it some thought. “I think everyone can feel them to a certain degree whether they realize they do or not,” he replied. “I’ve studied the laws for so long that the concepts they’re based on are just more obvious to me than they are to most. A person avoiding the heat of a flame to not be burned is a reaction to the flame’s concepts in a very real way. Fire isn’t the concept itself. But to burn, to combust… Both can be considered separate concepts but closely related. They’re the rules of the heavens. The laws played out.”

“And what concepts are these?”

With his knuckles to his lips, Chao pondered. “Even though there’s a distinction between them,” he replied, pointing from the swords hanging above and those on the wall. “The concept is the same. If I had to name it, I’d say sharpness. It can’t be slashing or piercing for the jian would have to be in motion. And as far as I know, concepts don’t exist in a potential state.

“There are also concepts from the flat of the blade and the earthy material they are made from, but those don’t hold the same threat. The room’s sword pattern also emphasizes the edges of the blades and their points.”

“Exactly right,” the great elder said. “See Little Jing. This is why sometimes exceptions to the rules must be made.” He walked over to stand next to her husband.

She watched as a faint blade of qi formed on the side of his upheld finger.

“Sharpness is the foundation of our Heart of Jian Sect,” the elder said. “To the untrained eye, this is considered sword qi, but you’ve already unraveled its mystery. It’s the law of sharpness that we cultivate. There are other more advanced concepts like thrusting and slashing as you mentioned, but don’t underestimate Sharpness because of its simplicity. Every concept is almost boundless. Who’s to say if anyone has ever mastered it in its entirety?”

With a flick of his wrist, the elder’s qi-covered finger left an evident sword arc in the air that pushed out from the motion and expanded. With a second motion, his finger shot forward in a thrust. The small, but vicious qi of both motions disappeared before hitting the wall.

“That doesn’t mean that sword qi doesn’t exist, but it’s simply qi rich in sword concepts. Now, what of the qi itself? Have you discerned the elements here?”

This time her husband didn’t have to put much thought into it. “Earth is the main element, but there’s something unique about it. I’d say there’s a focus on high-realm metals, however, the jians in this room are made of many different types of materials. Since the earth element contains thousands of variations, my guess is that you gather energy from earthen materials only suitable for making weapons. There is also a touch of wind and an even smaller amount of the water element in the room. That might just be because the air carries moisture.”

“So that’s how it is…”

When it was evident not even the great elder had known the qi’s element makeup in such detail, Huifen could no longer stay silent. “Sage Li Chung, you didn’t know?”

The man’s harsh edge seemed to have dulled the longer the conversation went on. It was a grandfatherly look he gave her. “That I cultivated earth? Of course, but I’ve only theorized that there was something special about the filtering process that gives this qi its unique character. It’s the kind of information that my sect doesn’t grasp in full. Our lineage is ancient, but regrettably, some of its teachings have been lost. Further investigation is beyond me. I’ll pass this word to some of my sect’s elders, and it will help those already pursuing the matter.”

“To add to your inquisitiveness, let me remind you if it isn’t already obvious, a sword cultivator isn’t limited by element. My family cultivates earth to be closer to the jian we practice, but the Heart of Jian Sect also commonly cultivates others. Even if I’m forbidden from sharing our cultivation methods with you, encouraging you to pursue the concepts we cherish is the least I can do. Is there anything else you can tell me about the materials used in this sword formation and the qi that they’re filtering? Any observations would be of great help.”

Huifen almost stopped her husband from helping without asking for something in return, but she knew the introduction of these concepts and seeing this place was enough. He’d likely surpass the Heart of Jian Sect’s understanding of them in just a few years if he put in some effort.

As Chao began to make his more in-depth observations, it wasn’t just a feeling of unfairness at the deal of their exchange that bothered her. Her husband didn’t just break down the differences he noticed in the sword’s filtered qi, but the patterns he noticed in how it circulated in the room and blended. She felt like she was being outdone.

Her competitive side was prodding her to look for something she could add to the conversation. It was as her mother had warned. As a talented, well-trained ice fairy, her natural reaction to Chao’s competence was to compete against him instead of encouraging and supporting him. It was something Sya had done herself early in her marriage to Father Tu. All it did was undermine him, and by extension, herself. The worst part was that Chao didn’t have the same inclination to compete with her. She’d seen that enamored way he looked at her too many times. Sure, sometimes they competed for fun, but he never seemed to feel like his role was being threatened when she did well. Instead of saying something, she took the time to meditate on why she’d feel threatened by her own husband’s success.

It was an hour before they left the chamber.

Sage Li Chung had his attention on the card jade he’d been recording Chao’s observations in as they walked. She wouldn’t have been surprised if the great elder flew north toward his sect hundreds if not thousands of kilometers away without saying another word. They’d originally planned on sharing pointers, but the great elder was engrossed in what he’d just learned, and her husband was in a similar state. When the two of them agreed to part ways, she said her farewell, and Master Li Jing led them out.

It was only when they were alone in the street with their humility sashes back in place that she asked. “Do you want to find a place to reflect on everything we just learned?”

The question seemed to pull him out of his musing. He spun to face her and held both of her hands in his. “There’s no need. Those concepts are as simple as they are profound. Creating the right environment to develop their laws shouldn’t be difficult. What I’m really curious about is if these types of laws are on the same level as the elements, beneath them, or of a higher plane-like sound. I’m thinking they’re lower, but when fully developed I don’t doubt their offensive power is impressive.”

“Husband, what am I going to do with you?”

He gave her a quizzical look.

“Let’s go. You will accompany me to the Golden Bell, then we will head to the inn. If your interest in the city has waned, we can leave sooner than we planned. Just don’t forget we still need to refine the first drop of Esh Vine Nectar.”

“We don’t have to leave sooner. I want my Huifen to get her fill of the capital.”

“I’m sure you do. Just talk as we walk since you don’t want to find a place to gather your thoughts. I’ll shop.”

It was plain he felt bad that his attention was elsewhere, but within a few minutes of walking, he’d forgotten and was chatting her ear off. Anyone listening carefully would’ve either thought he was a madman or, if they dared to believe his words, that he was anything but an earth realm cultivator. It’s not that it mattered. She smirked to herself and tried to follow the conversation while considering the purchases they still needed to make.

Chapter 13

They did end up staying another full day in the capital before returning to their room at the inn named the Immortal’s Slumber. It was the preeminent inn in the entire city with specialty cultivation chambers that Chao and Huifen made good use of. Their normal dual cultivation could be rough on a normal room due to their energy circulation even if they weren’t refining any heavenly materials. Such was the life of high-realm cultivators.

It was on their third day in the city that they sat down to meditate in the priciest chamber Immortal’s Slumber had to offer. It was made to look like the walls, ceiling, and floor were lined with jade, but it was a form of qi-infused marble that had dark specks on a canvas of light green.

Sitting in the middle of the room, a single drop of Esh Vine Nectar that Father Zan had prepared was waiting in a bottle that sat between them. Chao was shirtless and Huifen was wearing her Ice Phoenix Sect uniform. Her orange one was more qi resistant so this one was necessary. They’d been circulating their energy-gathering techniques to make sure they were at their peak.

As soon as they were, they reached across from where they’d been sitting cross-legged and weaved their fingers together. With both of their palms touching, heaven and earth qi began circulating between them. They used a dual version of Chao’s mother’s technique that they’d confirmed was meant to cleanse and heal the body. This was the first stage of their dual energy circulation and was unique to the two of them.

There was one heaven and earth artifact in the room providing them with extra qi, but it was a minimal amount. Esh Vine Nectar was too potent for more than that.

They continued sharing in their dual circulation technique until they both felt the sanitary feeling it produced. Then they were ready. They shared one last determined look before Huifen unlaced her finger from his and picked up the bottle, undoing the lid. Even though a single drop was measured inside the container, she was careful to tip it slowly so that the drop had to work its way off the bottle’s lip.

It fell to land on her tongue. The bottle disappeared into her spatial ring, and her husband’s hands were already grabbing hers. He scooted closer and they retook their palm-to-palm position. The heaven and earth qi was already circulating when their mouths met.

Their qi circulation became a fierce cycle. The first few seconds were the most important. It was also the most painful. Huifen felt it first like her tongue was burning with molten metal. The feeling traveled down her throat and meridians in an instant. By the time she felt like her entire body was being seared from the inside out, Chao was experiencing the same.

They both had the same instinctive desire to stop circulating their qi. That was the very thing that would kill them. They knew beforehand what they had to do. This technique and its principles weren’t new to them. They might not have been as well practiced as they were with Qi Balancing, which they used almost daily, but they made a point to use this technique often even if it wasn’t necessary to refine some of the resources they practiced it on.

Ignoring the pain, they let the principles of the technique guide them. Their desire to live and for each other to benefit dominated what was supposed to be an overwhelming energy. They’d faced too much to succumb to it.

Many seconds passed, but it was only after the burning sensation in their mouths lessened that they knew the drop had been fully circulated. It was then that Huifen spun her core, unleashing tendrils of ice qi throughout her meridians. The relief was immediate, but the Qi Balancing process depended mostly on her. Too much, and the Esh Vine Nectar would be neutralized too quickly before it seeped deep into their systems. It could also be dangerous to Chao. Not enough and they might still succumb.

The shaking in her husband’s hands didn’t start until after the qi was balanced. After scanning him, she confirmed the damage to his meridians was spread evenly throughout his body. The first step had been a success.

“Slowly now,” she called out to make sure he heard her.

“Mmm,” he groaned.

She felt relief. Now was not the time for him to lose himself to his qi circulation. Her core stopped spinning and the qi passing between them and throughout their systems kept the nectar’s side effects at bay. Soon, they returned to using the dual version of Chao’s original qi-gathering technique. Their qi moved in a gentle, thorough cycle like it was polishing their meridians. The damage to Huifen wasn’t nearly as bad as it was to Chao, but after a few days, they’d both be back to full health.

As dangerous as the Esh Vine Nectar was, if they survived the first phase, the rest was easy in comparison. Many lesser materials provided little danger but were far more tedious to refine. After a few hours, the process was complete.

***

“They’re passed the dangerous part,” Zan said.

“Good,” Quinyuan replied. Her ice qi gown was already covering her, and Heart of Ice was circulating.

He admired his ice fairy before turning to the envoy and nodding. He did the same with the youngsters Fang and Ping then commanded them, “Keep a close eye on Her Majesty.” He gave the sky realm empress a more formal bow. Then without even trying to mask the mischief in his voice, he said, “Let’s go greet this party from the north.”

Swiping downward with his hand and pushing out, he tore space, tunneling many hundreds of kilometers where he’d sensed these newcomers. It took little effort for him to calculate their trajectory despite how fast they were traveling.

The six of them flew through the tunnel and arrived within seconds. They were a few kilometers in front of the encroaching party, so Zan allowed the tunnel to close. Then they waited.

Floating there a couple hundred meters above some uninhabited woodland area, the six of them readied themselves. Zan hadn’t completely recovered to his peak, but his old injury was a thing of the past.

He’d asked his wife’s preference on his hairstyle. It hadn’t had much time to grow, but she’d said she liked the scholarly look of all things, so he was trying to grow it out. At this point, it just looked shaggy. It was a little annoying, but she hadn’t insisted he change his sleeveless Ice Phoenix Sect uniform to a more formal one. If it made her happy then it made little difference to him. She’d probably change her mind once his hair got long anyway. He was too muscular to pull off the tall and slender look of wisdom cultivators.

Fang was the only other person dressed practically in a Fire Phoenix Sect uniform almost identical to Zan’s except for the color. The young sage’s temperament was to his liking. If they had to beat up some sages from the north, he might even leave some for the man as a party favor.

He caught a glimpse of the sage’s wife, Ping. He noticed she seemed less fidgety in the face of a possible battle than when she’d been in the capital amongst all the political nonsense. It was a sentiment he understood, but she was still one of the more jittery overlords he’d ever met.

When the girl spied him watching her and her nervous energy returned, he grinned but internally rebuked himself. She and her husband had been wandering around and doing as they pleased, but because of the state of the Fire Phoenix Sect, they were being forced into a leadership position. If he read the girl rightly, she was willing, but it was all new for her. She’d visited the joint sect before. Visiting and taking on great responsibility while making the place your new home was vastly different. Their cultures shared values, but there were certainly differences.

Zan made it obvious when he turned to Empress Sun Yan Ya. He hoped it would reassure the restless Sage Ping that he wasn’t singling her out.

The empress reacted with the same confidence he’d come to expect from her. There’d never been any expectation for her to take on so much responsibility, but even after her husband and two sons had been killed, she’d acted like a true leader. He didn’t doubt she felt much more than she let on. Her self-control impressed him.

He stopped his musing. “They’ve arrived,” he announced and began to ascend to intercept them. The others followed.

The party from the north stopped half a kilometer away. More than twenty opposing cultivators wearing a variety of apparel quickly spread out in a line. It was a loose formation to show off their strength. Their intended threat was clear.

“Three tribulation cultivators and eighteen overlords,” he called out, uncaring if the enemy heard. It was a greater force than the Monolith Continent had before the recent battle.

Zan felt their perceptions trying to peek at his core. Most of them he wouldn’t have to bother with. Unless the overlords were familiar with his cultivation method, they couldn't identify his true level even if he wasn’t disguising it. When observing him, they’d be left with one of two possibilities. He was hiding his cultivation, or he was in a realm so much higher than they were that they wouldn’t be able to tell. In this case, it was both. As for the three tribulation cultivators in the middle of the enemy line, he kept a special eye on the one in the middle. The man’s martial robes had the white and black of the Flying Tiger Clan. If any clarification was needed, there was a tiger emblem on his robe’s chest. The man had a long, pointy beard and eyebrows that curled outward. He was squinting directly at Zan’s dantian.

“Sect Master Hao-Yu, why have you brought this battle party to my Monolith Continent?” Quinyuan demanded powerfully without any need for sound laws.

The man who’d been trying to examine Zan turned his gaze toward the voice and smirked. “If it isn’t my favorite ice fairy, Quinyuan. Battle party? Why throw around such accusations? We heard you might be in trouble, so I came to help an old friend. I dare say that you look even more ravishing than the last time I saw you.”

Despite having Heart of Ice circulating, her hand shot back to motion for Zan to stay put. He chuckled at her response and gave her a wink.

She acted indifferent to his reaction, but he knew she was relieved. He’d wait a little longer and wouldn’t undermine her authority while she was trying to discover as much truth as she could.

“So you hurry here after hearing that we’d lost ten sages so that you could try to take advantage of the situation?” she replied, ignoring his amicable remarks.

“Of course not. However, I was hoping that rescuing you might earn me favor in your eyes.”

“And my answer would remain the same. I have no desire to become another of your many wives.”

“Pity. Empress Sun Yan Ya,” the man said, bowing his head. “Concerning the loss of your husband, you have my sincerest condolences.”

“Sect Master,” the empress replied with a nod. She was wearing a golden gown but the black sash at her waist and trim of her collar were there as signs of mourning. “This one, thanks you.”

“If you’re willing to become my wife, I’ll take you from this place that must be so filled with memories. You can leave behind the responsibility you unwittingly bear. I promise to take good care of you and cherish you as you deserve.”

As if a bullfrog had been caught in his throat, Zan felt a deep gurgling slip past his defenses, and it turned into a full-bellied snicker. “Sorry, sorry,” he said, only to laugh even louder. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen such shamelessness.” He let out an exaggerated breath.

“And who is this?” The man said without hiding his malice.

“Such a rich yang aura,” the lady tribulation cultivator beside the sect master said, flying forward a few meters. At close inspection, the red fabric of her low-cut gown was thin and see-through. There were extra layers of fabric in the right places, but it followed no logical pattern to tease the eye, drawing it in.

The woman herself had large green eyes accented with purple eyeshadow. Her hair was sun-bleached blond, and her skin was warm with natural blush. She had an uncanny mix of mortal and fairy beauty. Zan knew exactly how she’d pulled it off. He’d seen women with similar cultivation methods before.

Glancing down timidly, her eyes fluttered as if she were drawing out the courage to face him. When she did, she did so with submissive charm. “This one is Mistress Meiling, Queen of the Fragrant Yin Palace. My sect is a small one, but we are looking for men such as yourself. I would take it as a personal favor if you were to spend some time with me while we’re here. Hear my offer is all I ask.”

What impressed Zan the most was that she wasn’t using any seduction cultivation art but was relying on her natural charm to sway him. He could feel his wife Quinyuan readying to explode. Her aura was turbulent, and Heart of Ice was only circulating halfheartedly. He was tempted to let her, but it would only cause additional problems.

Zan shot forward a few meters, giving a martial salute. “I have heard of you, Queen of the Fairy Harlots.”

The woman tilted her head back. Her eyes went wide with fury. “You dare?”

He shrugged. “You’re right. Harlot isn’t nearly the right word for you. You take promising boy cultivators from their families and future to use as living artifacts of natural yang for yourself. I’m assuming this group next to you is the pride of your harem?”

He motioned to the six overlords at her side. All of them wore the same red fabric that was woven a little thicker for practicality’s sake. They were far too effeminate to be natural except in rare cases—even compared to men who cultivated heavy yin elements. It was the effects of having your natural yang leeched from you during your developmental years. To treat children in such a manner, not to mention the other perversities the woman had done to them, was a sicker feat than if she’d just killed them.

When one of her men burst from the line with every intention of killing him, Zan couldn’t help but look at the man with pity. Even if the guy’s yang had constantly been taken from him, this Mistress Meiling was much wiser than the average succubus-like fairy. The cultivation techniques she provided would sustain her prey against the harmful side effects and even allow them to grow.

The man’s mistress called out to him, but Zan had already moved. A gigantic pink flower petal appeared above the man’s sword. As he swung, the razor-sharp petal fell like a colossal blade.

Zan simply dodged out of the way and reared back before slapping the man across the face. He fell like a meteor from the sky. It wouldn’t be enough to kill him, but he’d no longer be a problem for now.

Folding his arms across his chest, Zan just kept floating there about halfway between both groups.

“Fools. Stay where you are,” Mistress Meiling hissed. Turning back to him, she gave him a martial salute. “Thank you for being lenient with my Liang’er. I didn’t mean to look down on a fellow divine cultivator. And despite your characterization of me, my intentions were sincere.”

“I would never doubt your sincerity, Fairy Harlot,” he said in mock pleasantry.

Another of her men flew forward. He’d been the one flying closest to her. Out of all of them, he was easily the ugliest. He was also the only one that had his yang intact. He wasn’t as muscular as a fire cultivator, but his masculine qualities were present. “Love, allow me to have a word with this foul-mouthed prude.”

She looked annoyed at the man’s interruption but nodded. He was close to the peak of the overlord realm and instead of the red martial robes, he wore the color as a cloak. Beneath it was glistening plate mail.

“Divine cultivator,” the man rolled the words around on his tongue before spitting a loogy in Zan’s direction. “It seems that due to your cultivation you’ve forgotten that there are some people you shouldn’t disrespect. You—”

“You must be King Xing,” Zan interrupted him. “The cuckold slaver married to Fairy Harlot. You provide your very own wife with new young men to serve her.”

That brought a wide grin to the Flying Tiger Clan Master’s face.

It was a soft spot for King Xing whose aura burst outward. Mistress Meiling waded through it like it was nothing, placed her hand on the man’s chest, and whispered in his ear. His aura dimmed.

Zan couldn’t miss such a lush opportunity. “How sweet. The Cuckold King is sure quick to obey his queen.”

The scowl on the man’s face raged, but the woman next to him shoved him back with a pink blast of ethereal qi before he could do anything. “Must you insist on us coming to blows,” she accused.

“Stop pretending that isn’t exactly why you’ve come.”

The woman glared back at him. It looked like she was readying a retort when she decided against it and huffed.

“Good,” Zan continued. “Now that the nonsense is out of the way, let me introduce our greeting party. The Sect Master of the Ice Phoenix Palace has already greeted you, but I must say she is looking exceptional today.”

“Husband,” Quinyuan scolded.

He gave her a challenging look.

She flew forward without hiding her grin.

“Husband?” Mistress Meiling repeated weakly.

As Quinyuan flew to meet him, she unleashed her true cultivation.

With a loud clap, Sect Master Hao-Yu drew the attention to himself. “Congratulations, Sect Master Quinyuan. I never doubted you’d one day reach the tribulation realm.”

She bowed her head but didn’t reply. Zan continued. “Next, let me introduce Envoy Po of the Divine Fire Phoenix Sect.”

The man wasn’t flashy, but he was used to events like these. He flew forward and joined them. “This one greets the Northern Continent,” the man’s voice boomed.

“Let’s not forget the lovely Empress Yan Ya.” Zan bowed fully as the woman flew forward. She was more there for a formality than anything else. That, and to show that there was no longer division between the joint sect and the Aureate Empire. Her courage to be there after he had warned her that she’d likely have the lowest cultivation present hadn’t even fazed her.

“And finally, the new Fire Phoenix Sect Master, Sage Fang, and his wife Sage Ping.”

With at least three tribulation cultivators and two sages, it was a showing that even the North’s assault party wouldn’t have an easy time with. There was also still doubt.

“Might I ask what your name is, divine cultivator,” Hao-Yu said.

“Me?” Zan swiped his hand like brushing aside the question. “I’m the old guy. My wife assures me that I still look good for my age. Just call me Zan.”

“Master Zan,” the man said, saluting. “I congratulate you on your marriage.”

“Thank you, Little Tiger. If you want to fight me to the death for Quinyuan’s hand, I’m afraid I’d have to decline the urge to kill you myself. She’d much prefer to do it herself.”

The man let out an amiable laugh. “No. No. I was overstepping and didn’t know it. As was Mistress Meiling. And I must say, forgive me Envoy Po for ignoring you unintentionally.”

Po responded with a motion for him to continue.

“I won’t hide it. We did come to take advantage of the situation, but never with the intention of war. I am aware of the capabilities of Fairy Quinyuan’s Ice Phoenix Palace. I also know that the envoys for both divine sects were to arrive in a year or two. Harming you now would only harm us in the long run. It also ignores the Mistress’s and my sincerity regarding our original offers. We were hoping to gain a few followers and resources in exchange for our help. There was also the danger of someone else coming in our place and acting on less honorable intentions.” He glanced at the last tribulation cultivator standing beside him who had yet to speak.

The man wore all black, had a taut face, and was ghostly pale. Zan knew this man was called, Chief Achlys. He was a tribulation cultivator who ruled the Citadel of Endless Night. It was this world’s darkness cult. Every lesser and greater world tended to have one. There was something about human nature that was drawn toward the concepts of terror, darkness, and death.

The man’s tone turned neighborly. “Finding you in good health and stronger than ever before pleases me. I’m also filled with questions. For starters, there are so many rumors. Is it true that Monolith has lost ten overlords?”

“Sect Master,” Envoy Po said, turning to Quinyuan. “I’ll leave the answering of such questions to you.”

“Thank you, Envoy,” she replied. “Husband.”

Things had gone full circle and come back to him. Zan didn’t completely doubt Hao-Yu’s words. He just knew that there was much he’d left out. As for whether he’d had intentions of taking over the Monolith continent or stripping the joint sect bare, he believed him. It was well known that the Flying Tiger Clan kept the baser Asura Sects of the Northern Continent in check. Their philosophy was ‘Strength is everything so the powerful should dominate the weak’. It was a philosophy they lived by. It was also why they didn’t fault the Asura Sects for their depravity—instead, they used them even if they never practiced the same.

Zan had been doing this too long to not know exactly what questions and fears the Flying Tiger Clan’s Sect Master had. So instead of answering individual questions, he laid everything out. “It was our son and daughter that slaughtered the ten overlords, though one of them had just reached the tribulation realm.” He didn’t want to leave too much out or there was the possibility that these northern brats wouldn’t prepare enough. “All that my wife and I did was teach the few divine realm cultivators leading them a lesson. You’ll meet Chao and Huifen eventually. They’ll be coming to participate in your Divine Flying Tiger Clan’s Trials. The boy is mine by blood and the girl was Quinyuan’s personal disciple before they married…”

He gave them a moment to soak in the fact that not only was the Ice Phoenix Sect Master married, but so was her personal disciple.

“And yes, the Fire and Ice Phoenix Sects are in a transitional period where they will begin to allow dual cultivation amongst disciples.”

As soon as the words slipped from his lips, the countenance of the three divine cultivators aligned against them fell. Even Chief Achlys who donned a hateful grimace at all times turned even uglier–if that was possible. It was the Asura Sect’s practice of dual cultivation, and its more perverse offshoots, that allowed them to produce overlords more often than the joint sect. The joint sect’s main advantage was that their martial techniques were slightly superior. They were both supplied by divine sects, however, so the balance of power was always in flux.

Seeing that none of them were hasty to respond, Zan concluded. “I’ll take back what I said earlier and assume your intentions for coming were honorable. Thank you for the offer of help. Of course, there really is no need. Now let’s get to the most important part. Are there any decent talents in the north that my son and daughter-in-law will face at the time of your trials? If not, I might need to find them something better to do that will help their advancement. They’re in the sky and overlord realm now, but by the time of your trials, I suspect them to both be overlords. Daughter-in-law might even be nearing the tribulation realm.”

Just as he hoped, the array of tribulation realm cultivators and overlords took the challenge personally.

“Very good,” Sect Master Hao-Yu declared putting a stop to the growing murmurs. “It has been decades, if not centuries, since our two continents had a proper competition.” Giving the curl of his eyebrow a few tugs as he gathered his thoughts, he said. “Our trials are a little severe for your southern temperaments, so allow me to make a suggestion to encourage you to bring even more of your young talent so that we can have a proper contest. We could forbid any fights to the death and any deadly underhanded tactics. It would be a handicap for our disciples, but the honor gained for victory would be much higher for both. Are you familiar with the stages of our trials? It isn’t simply a martial tournament.”

“We are very familiar,” Zan said. “As for removing the chance of death—”

Quinyuan’s grabbed his arm at the elbow and a surge of ice qi pushed into him. He turned to see her concerned look.

She looked him in the eye while speaking. “Our Chao and Huifen would like to challenge your trials in their purest form. Perhaps there should be a separate tournament after your trials have concluded that lacks the danger of death and maiming as you suggested. This way, we won’t interfere with your training methods while also giving all disciples who participate a chance for additional glory.”

He couldn’t help but kiss Quinyuan firmly on the mouth. She didn’t like the idea of them facing such dangers even if she wholeheartedly agreed that it was necessary. What she’d just done was one of the hardest things for a mother and master.

“Yes,” Chief Achlys spoke for the first time with a raspy tone.

Mistress Meiling disguised her excitement more. “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

“Very well,” Hao-Yu said. Let us exchange transmission jade details so that we can further discuss the rules and prizes.” And so they did.

***

“Two phoenix overlords competing in our trials? It’s too good to be true,” Mistress Meiling said when they’d traveled several kilometers. “If this boy is anything like his father, he’d surpass any prize my disciple could hope for. I might even take him for myself. What can I give you that will guarantee my disciple can take him without dispute?”

“His corpse will be worth almost as much to my disciple,” Chief Achlys growled.

“I don’t need the girl,” she reminded him.

“Enough,” Hao-Yu commanded. “It’s also said that the girl has a unique physique. That might be true of the boy as well. Let’s put off negotiations until after we find out more. Letting one or both survive might give us even more results depending on how many disciples they plan on bringing. Our envoys will be present then.”

“You’re right,” Meiling replied, licking her lips. “With the Fire and Ice Phoenix Sects dual cultivating, who knows how many they’ll bring with them when they come. I’ve long dreamed of such a pairing. With so much yin and yang being tossed around, I almost want to do away with my cultivation base and become a member of their joint sect to join in on the fun.”

“You would think that way,” Chief Achlys replied. “This could be a danger to the future of our Northern Continent. I suggest we request more help from the Divine Flying Tiger Clan so that we can kill these pesty phoenixes off once and for all.”

“They will likely have divine envoys with them when they come,” Hao-Yu stressed. “There is an opportunity here, but if we aren’t careful, we might be the ones facing destruction.”

In the end, they all agreed their next step was to seek more information and keep a close eye on the joint sect. One thing was key. They needed additional power granted by their divine sects.

***

“Should we recall Chao and Huifen now that the Asuras know that they’re coming?” Quinyuan asked.

“There’s no need,” Zan replied. “Just contact them and encourage them to keep their identities a secret unless absolutely necessary. Even with all the rumors and if intel slips, they’ll still underestimate what that pair is capable of until they finally face them themselves. You did well with your suggestion, my Quinyuan.”

There was nothing left in her system of Heart of Ice, so her nod was a meek one.

“I will report this directly to Elder Law,” Po promised. “I’m sure he’ll send someone to take steps to ensure the trails remain fair—if not come himself. From what I could tell, they left assuming that Master Zan was just a tribulation cultivator.”

“I think you’re right, friend,” Zan said. He’d spent a good deal of time vexing the envoy, but that was because he was a lot like Elder Law with his overtly righteous outlook. Despite that, he liked the man.

“I think Ping and I would like to attend this tournament as contestants,” Fang said suddenly. The sage pulled his wife into a one-armed hug.

She seemed fond of the idea, but Zan didn’t miss her tinge of apprehension.

“The timing is good,” he said. “Even with the Frigid Mystic Realm being taxed from Chao and Huifen’s stay there, it and the Fire Phoenix’s mystic realm will finish before the Divine Flying Tiger Clan’s Trials begin. It will be tight, but if things are too close, I’ll just have to give the Asura Sects a lesson in the space laws. Speaking of which. They’re far enough away now.”

He reached out and tore space.

Chapter 14

Their parents and Sages Fang and Ping came to wish them farewell as they left the capital city. They’d had their official parting a few days before, so this meeting was brief. It was a happy parting.

Zan didn’t let them go without one last warning, “Stay humble and don’t let your cultivation levels and martial abilities go to your heads or you might just end up dead without knowing it happened. There is still much danger in this world, even to you. It is those dangers you don’t see that are often the deadliest.”

“And finally, beware the influence of other cultures and ideas. They can help sharpen you and open your eyes, but also corrupt. Corruption doesn’t happen all at once but by degree. You must learn the difference between compromise and enlightenment. Compromise without enlightenment is just a weakness of character. You are cultivators. You’re called to strength. Now get going and don’t forget to buy everyone souvenirs while you’re gone. And keep your identity a secret unless there’s no other way. We’ll see you in a year when the Ice Phoenix Envoy and Po return.”

As they were departing, Sage Ping flew over to Huifen. “Have a good trip, Little Sister.”

Chao could see that Ping was struggling. He knew they’d grown close, and this went to prove how much. The nature fairy had grown up in a much different culture. She never hid how she felt. Not even to the extent that Chao did out of politeness.

“You studied the jade I gave you and purchased antidote ingredients?”

“I did, Big Sister. Thank you.”

“Just remember, sometimes it’s not the presence of evidence but the lack of it that will help you discern which poison was used. I recommend memorizing the effects of all of them that lack smell and taste.”

“I’ll take your advice. I promise.”

Ping smiled broadly as if hoping that would keep her tears from falling. She embraced Huifen and said in hushed tones. “You are dear to me, strange ice fairy.” Then she giggled. “No matter what happens, remember that.”

It was a little too much sisterly affection for Huifen to handle, so she nodded up at the older sage with a modest grin.

Chao was just thinking how lucky they were to be in the position to befriend the couple when he was crushed in an embrace by Sage Fang. “Little Brother, this one will also give you advice. If trouble finds you, you must crush it with wisdom and might.”

“That’s it?”

“I was going to replace wisdom with fire, but you need wisdom more, I think.” The man roared in laughter, which was met with Father Zan’s.

“Be well, Big Brother. Cultivate well.”

Chao turned to Sage Ping, “Big Sister, thank you for befriending my Huifen. I’m eternally grateful.”

The sage just stared at him before dropping her eyes. “It’s my pleasure, Little Brother. Be well.”

He was almost sure he saw the woman cringe at her words. He didn’t understand why she was so demure around him while open with his wife, but it just enticed him more to want to get going and explore the world to see what other kinds of people they might meet.

A few minutes more and they were off.

They flew for a few kilometers before landing on a cobblestone road that headed toward the northeast. The monoliths their continent was known for stretched across the northern half. There were several well-known points of interest in the northeast and northwest.

They’d be meeting the joint sect’s disciples in the northwest in a few weeks at one of the most popular places for cultivators to visit. It was said to be the inheritance of an ancient divine realm cultivator. Perhaps a divine sect. Its popularity meant that the easiest-to-take treasures had disappeared long ago. All that was left were a few challenges and puzzles that had only produced generic rewards for centuries. The generic rewards were of such a level that rogue cultivators with no backing could advance from the nascent realm to the sky in a few decades. Not everyone had such luck, but it was common enough to make it a rogue cultivator’s wonderland. As for the large sects, it was no less useful. The joint sect had groups stationed there for centuries before Emperor Sun forced them to gather their forces.

Chao caught a glimpse of his wife’s sturdy leather slippers as she touched down. He chuckled to himself as her orange skirt settled over the lower half of her flawless legs.

“Everything okay?” She asked.

“Just perplexed that my wife can’t travel the world barefoot as she most definitely prefers.”

Ice qi gushed into his face, pushing him back. He caught a glimpse of her playful posture.

He created a space bend and hopped into it. Appearing at her flank, he lunged to sweep her off her feet.

She was ready and threw up a pillar of ice between them that he skirted around.

Screeching when she saw him appear, she jumped back as he pursued.

“Halt!” Someone shouted.

Chao turned to see three guards in polished bronze and steel rushing toward them. It took him a moment to realize they were coming for him. At the realization, he started laughing.

When the patrol reached them, they leveled their spears at him and declared, “Violence and thievery are forbidden on the emperor’s road. You, sir, are under arrest. My lady, are you hurt.”

They moved to surround him.

Putting his hands up, he responded cheerfully. “There’s a misunderstanding. I was just going to pick the lady up off her feet so she could travel without having to wear shoes.”

“Tell it to the judge.”

“Is that what you were going to do?” Huifen said, amply enjoying his predicament.

The guards were just earth realm cultivators, so he mostly ignored them. “What did you think I was going to do? Tickle you?”

“Of course, I did. You were making that face.”

One of the guards raised their spear and stuck it butt first into the ground. “Lady, what is your relationship with this man?”

“He’s this one’s husband,” she said with a sigh. “I’d take it as a great favor if you poke some sense into him.”

One of the other guards grunted and withdrew his spear. “Brats, it's unlawful to play games with the emperor’s guards.”

Taking on a more sober tone, Chao replied. “It truly wasn’t our intention. You caught us in a bit of a mood, I’m afraid. We’re just leaving to go on our first journey together and feeling rather adventurous.”

“You can still poke him, though.”

He glared at her but couldn’t hold his glare for long. She would’ve never been able to make light of this situation just two years ago, let alone make the same joke.

“Lady, his warning was a serious one. We could arrest you both for a lesser offense.”

She then chose to bow to them. “This one apologizes. What my husband says is true. The timing of your approach couldn’t have been better. We’ve had a challenging last couple of years, so let me pay you back for the amusement even if that wasn’t your intention. Husband, let's reward them.”

“Yes,” he said, already searching for a few pills that would best help their cultivations. Since the three weren’t fire or ice cultivators, they had plenty of extra pills that fit them.

“Sorry that I don’t have any extra containers to put these in. As long as you take them within the next couple of weeks then they shouldn’t lose potency.” He tossed one to each of them.

Their astounded looks were expected, but that didn’t lessen the joy of seeing them. Chao was about to join Huifen and leave when he thought of something.

“I understand you’re called the Emperor's Guards, and this is the Emperor’s Road, but be sure not to look down on Empress Sun Yan Ya now that she’s taking command. She’s one of the most impressive fairy cultivators on all of the Monolith continent. Farewell.”

With that said, he walked over to his wife and waited for her to offer him her arm before he bent down and swept her off her feet.

“Now, where were we?”

A surge of qi empowered his limbs as he took a few quick steps forward before bounding away.

“You’ll have to help me take off your shoes.”

Instead of a reply, he watched her tap the top of his head with her index finger. The chill came a few moments later. Looking up, it was hard to see but visible enough for him to spot what she’d done. “You froze my hair.”

He was already trying to reverse-create it when he saw the mischievous look on his wife’s face. She was fighting against his reverse and her ice laws were stronger than his.

“You’re going to give me frostburn on my scalp,” he cautioned, but she didn’t let up. There was only one thing left to do.

His arm was looped under her back and his hand was in position to find her ribs. He dug in.

***

“Sergeant, who were they? Some rich brats?”

“No one is that wealthy. And did you see that man leap?  If we time these pills correctly, we could each enter the sky realm within a matter of months. Be sure to invest in a jade pillbox and place them inside as soon as possible once we’re done here.”

“Could it be,” the third man said distantly. “They… Were they even human? They held no fear of us. Not for a moment. Could they be ghosts?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, private. They weren’t ethereal and held no ominous aura. Their presence was a merry one. My guess is that they’re demigods that hold some connection to this part of the world and are watching over us. You heard the man speak of the empress like he’d been observing her carefully.”

“Could they be elves?” The first guard mused. “The woman was so fair she seemed too beautiful to be human.”

“That’s possible, but since when were elves sighted in this region?”

“Then definitely demigods. Let’s spread the word about the empress being favored. Perhaps they will appear again to reward us.”

They quickly agreed.

***

“Husband,” Huifen said as they flew next to each other to skirt over a hilly region. “I enjoyed that as much as you did, but—”

“We must be ready for danger at any moment. Yes, wife, I haven’t forgotten. There are likely people still out here who are loyal to the former Emperor Sun. They’d want nothing more than to kill us if they got the chance. And Father said that spies from the Northern Continent are common, as are those from the larger sects. Not all would be hostile, but…”

“It only takes one.”

“You’re worrying about poison? After what Big Sister Ping said, so am I.”

“Not in particular, though I have every intention of taking her advice. I just don’t want to grow neglectful now that there’s no immediate danger.”

He puffed a small burst of heaven and earth qi into her face.

She gave him a sideways glance.

He turned away like nothing happened. “I’ll remain vigilant. What I’m most concerned about is that this will be our first time dual cultivating outside of private rooms in palaces and mystic realms. Inn walls can be rather thin.”

Even with the cool breeze blowing in her face, he saw her go flush.

“Husband,” she chided.

“No one can hear us.”

“You’ll use a sound barrier, right?”

“You can be very distracting.”

“Then I’ll be less distracting.”

He went slack-jawed. “I’m just teasing you. You have nothing to worry about.”

“You promise.”

“You have my most solemn vow.”

Chapter 15

Huifen suggested they take turns training while they traveled. She wanted to memorize the poison tables from Big Sister Ping before she got distracted with learning the Indomitable Plumage, the first technique of the third pillar of the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome. Unlike all the others except Ice Shroud, this one was purely a defensive technique. She’d studied it enough to know the basics of how it worked. It used qi to mimic the way Divine Ice Phoenix’s body did to defend. The cost was massive amounts of qi so it would only be useful against the deadliest attacks. The body of a bird was generally considered weak, but this was a divine beast that comfortably manipulated the most potent ice in existence. She couldn’t wait to try it out.

At the same time, Great Elder Jilpa’s ice poison was still fresh on Huifen’s mind. The least she could do was memorize the characteristics of the most stealthy and vicious poisons. There were also similar venoms she should also memorize, but Big Sister had insisted that she memorize the poisons first.

That first day they didn’t travel with speed or distance in mind. They just headed in the general direction they desired. Huifen didn’t need to see her husband’s excitement to remain encouraged. She was feeling a true sense of freedom as the wind brushed against her defensive aura as they bound, walked, and flew.

Bounding wasn’t exactly a normal way to travel, but Huifen had done it while in the earth realm because it came so easy to her. Running across the ground might be faster if enough effort was exerted. Bounding had a very freeing effect, though. It was graceful and almost lazy. The average earth cultivator could do it to a certain extent if they had above-average qi control. Not to the extent they did, but that also depended on one’s cultivation methods. There were plenty of movement techniques out there that allowed for unique ways of travel.

They did fly periodically, but only when they didn’t sense anyone, or the terrain was difficult. If they wanted to talk or eat, then they slowed down and walked for a time. If either one of them felt some inspiration, they’d stop altogether to allow the person some time to meditate.

The sun was sinking as they flew for a stint over a narrow segment of the path they were following. With the sun setting in a few hours, they’d have to start looking for a place to stay for the night. There were many small villages along the road. Soon they’d have to decide whether to stay at the next one or go on.

Traveling through the night wasn’t out of the question. She almost forgot sometimes that Chao had reached the sky realm. He didn’t need to sleep every night now. She hardly needed to sleep at all. Of course, he’d want to experience staying at an inn, so they’d stop tonight even if they spent most of the time cultivating. She had to admit she did want to try out her new identity.

When the time was drawing near and the sun was starting to set, they spotted a tiny village with a hundred small buildings at most. Before they headed for it, she scanned the area with her perceptions and nodded that it was safe. Flying up over the tree’s canopy hand in hand, they got a clear view of the horizon and hovered there, watching in silence.

This region had a fairly even split between forest and grassy hills. The gold of twilight began its descent on the lush greenery. It touched down on the tops of the trees and the waist-high fields of grass, giving it all a gilded glow. It wasn’t the majesty of divine or natural treasures that dazzled their senses, but the more common beauty of nature.

“There’s so much to do and see,” Chao said suddenly.

Glancing over, she found him gazing down at her. It was the adoring look he often gave her, but it had a maturity to it that was a more recent development. He tended to revert to his playful side soon after such moments, so before he did, she kissed him. It was just a little thing, but Huifen’s mother had spoken to her at length of the power of little things. She’d grown to like his playful side, but sometimes he seemed unable to turn it off. If she rewarded him often enough for showing this mature side, he’d learn to do it more often and naturally. Such was a wife’s power.

They returned to the road and walked the rest of the way into the small village they’d be staying in.

“It reminds me of home,” Chao said, eyeing the construction of the first house they came to. “The lumber is different—oak, I think—but the building’s structure looks the same. I’ve never seen a roof like that, though. Do you think it’s made of straw?”

“Mmm,” she replied in agreeance. “They’re cute and cozy.”

“I wonder how easy it is to keep them from leaking. The maintenance might be too much. Although, it gives me some ideas…”

She didn’t even bother rolling her eyes. When he was in this frame of mind it was difficult to get him out of it.

A man in a dirt-stained tunic and matching pants was coming toward them pushing a cart. A girl of five or six with curly brown hair and a cream-colored dress was sitting on the cart’s contents facing the man. She seemed to be carrying on and he was just relieved another day’s work was drawing to an end.

As they passed the man in the cart, the little girl twirled her head around and gawked at them. Her surprise only lasted a moment before she cried, “Baba, baba. Travelers. Hello, travelers. Hello.”

“Don’t stare Hop’er,” the man rebuked her, tapping her hard on the top of the head. “It’s rude.”

The little girl rubbed the top of her head but didn’t lower her eyes for an instant. Instead, she started waving.

The man looked to give up on chastising her for the moment and bowed his head to the two of them without stopping his cart.

“Hello,” Chao said with similar enthusiasm.

Huifen managed to wave. She was used to having younger disciples around all the time, but not this young. Things like station and cultivation obviously meant nothing to the girl. She just saw someone new and was interested in them right away. It was a terribly dangerous mindset, but one afforded to the girl because of her age. Huifen even felt a twinge of jealousy. The girl had no idea how dangerous the world was. To be so young and naïve was a beautiful thing.

As they neared the largest building in town, the number of people they saw grew. There weren’t enough of them to be considered a crowd, but the town was surely alive and well.

Reaching the inn, they found two wide open doors that led to an open courtyard. The walls were two stories high, and the path led to the largest part of the building in the back. Once inside the courtyard, they were greeted by several merchants who sat up their carts. Some were simple ones a person could push on their own, while others were carriages with displays for goods built into the back. There were only eight merchants in total, but it was livelier than it had been on the street.

Her first reaction was to reject every call and recommendation by the merchants. She’d always been fairly wealthy, but that was only compared to the average mortal. To keep one’s wealth required prudence and investment. Peak cultivators in comparison had centuries to gather their goods, and she and her husband had plundered the goods from ten of them. When she saw Chao beginning to browse, she sighed before allowing herself to do the same.

One thing she’d never had was throw-away money. She was trying to look at it as her husband did. He’d been blessed with abundance. Since merchants needed people to buy their goods to survive, spending their wealth benefited these people while also encouraging them to continue to work hard. So she bought some things that she didn’t need. She found herself drawn to sweets but knew that would be a bad habit to pick up. Still, she bought some in case she saw any more adorable children like the girl in the cart.

They finally made their way into the main building at the back of the courtyard. There was a counter with a grey-bearded man in a merchant’s cap to their left as soon as they walked in. There were knee-high tables and kneeling mats throughout the room and more than a dozen people eating and conversing.

“Greetings, strangers,” the merchant called cheerily. “There are rooms available, and dinner is ready to be served at any time. How might I help you?”

Chao turned to her. “Are you hungry, Fen’er,” he said, using her fake identity.

“Yes, Husband Tao.”

She had to keep herself from smiling after using his alias. They’d chosen to keep it simple. Fen was a very common name that meant fragrance. It was also one close enough to her original name that Chao should remember it easily. He’d always wanted to give her a nickname anyway. Fen, Fen Fen, and Fen’er were all attractive possibilities.

On the other hand, they’d decided on Tao for him. It was just as common and sounded similar to his name.

There was a place for their shoes at the entrance and slippers were provided. They found a seat near the back of the room so they could take in the setting. The floor was made of smooth, well-worn wood. The place smelled of an herb mixture and roasted meat. The most incredible feature of the entire establishment was how common it was. There was no dire beast meat, only poultry and beef. Half the people in the room were cultivators and Chao and Huifen were at the highest realm. Despite that, the people showed no fear of them. They were kind and soft-spoken.

The food portions were smaller than they liked, but very few people could handle the ‘cultivator’s portion’ her husband had invented. The normalcy of it was what made it unique to them. It was unlike anything she’d experienced in a very long time.

They rented the largest room in the inn. After dinner, they headed there and explored. It was half the size of their room in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm, but the bed was a good size and comfortable.

Closing the door behind them, Huifen locked it and fetched a one-sided defensive array from her spatial ring. It had a wide base and its flag leaned directly against the wall. It was meant to reinforce walls like this one with qi. If the field it created was breached then there would be a surge and a wall of qi would activate, likely destroying the physical wall in the process. It wouldn’t kill anything over an earth realm cultivator, but it would block them. Its main purpose was to warn and slow down any attacker. The only thing it didn’t defend against was someone attacking without stealth. They’d sense such an attack before the array could warn them anyway.

Chao had a matching flag in his hand. He placed it on the far wall, then they removed others to set up on the sides of the room. This array formation wasn’t limited to square rooms, but it worked the best in them. As soon as all four flags were set up, the qi field flowing through each wall joined at the corners. Qi then flowed through the ceiling and floor.

When her husband had finished, she was already there to help him remove his shirt. “The barrier. You promised.”

He leaned forward, giving her a smug look. “Do you really think, my dearest Fen Fen, that I’m even capable of allowing the world to hear us? Like I would ever share you with anyone. If I had a secret realm to hide you away in to keep you all to myself then I’d never let you come out.”

“So you’d leave me in there all alone if you had one?”

“That would be inconvenient.”

“Is talking really what you want to be doing right now?”

Suffice it to say, the biggest obstacle to getting past dual cultivating in an inn was a mental one.

***

Chao, or should he be thinking of himself as Tao, found himself watching his Huifen—Fen’er—for the tenth time that night. She was lost in the card jade Big Sister Ping had given her.

After they visited the Li family’s estate, he was having trouble deciding what he should focus on. On one hand, he had numerous card jades that taught sound and music theory, how to play different instruments, martial techniques derived from them, and new songs to learn. On the other, the laws of sharpness, slashing, piercing, and countless others were waiting impatiently for him to discover their secrets. There was more than that. Far more. Seeing what the Li family was capable of opened his eyes to something he thought he already understood. Everything in existence had concepts that governed them. If sharpness and other sword-related concepts could be cultivated, that meant literally anything could.

It was an overwhelming realization. It wasn’t just the elements that needed tinkering, but existence itself. This realm and all the others were brimming with things for him to discover. At the same time, he couldn’t neglect the laws he already knew.

His dilemma was evident. He wanted to do it all. What he needed was to come up with a strategy. One he knew needed to start with sound. As promising as all the other concepts were, his sound laws held even more promise than the prime law space after his most recent discovery. It connected him to the other laws, the other concepts, in a very intimate way. As unconventional as it seemed, there was something very natural about it. The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced. It was the emotion-causing concepts contained within sound that made his freakish understanding of the laws possible.

He still hadn’t been able to fully research sound’s ability to help others learn the laws to a satisfactory conclusion, but the evidence was adding up.

With his new pipa, Breath of Windblown Reeds in hand, he sat on the bed and began to strum a contemplative tune. It was one he didn’t play often for others, but it sometimes helped him think. The instrument he held was unlike any he’d ever played. Its construction was flawless and materials so sturdy that he could use it as a sky realm weapon to bash dire beast if he wanted. Its strings were able to take even more punishment, for it was a true overlord instrument.

One of the strangest features was its smaller belly. It was light enough that he could play it standing. There was also a leather strap near the end of the neck and at the end of its base. He’d only seen a lute played once, but it seemed it was designed so that it could be played horizontally. It was just another thing he was tempted to try.

He was still trying to get his mind around using it for combat. To stand with it in hand before someone with a sword or spear who had every intention of killing him was one part embarrassing, and yet another part fearsome. The gall it would take to face off with an opponent wielding a pipa strapped to your shoulder… It sounded equal parts devilish and childish, but he couldn’t wait for the opportunity to try it. It might help sway him if he learned a martial technique or two that a genuine sound cultivator used.

There were also the other instruments he needed to learn to play, but he was in no hurry. Just learning knew songs and perhaps learning to play the instrument while strapped to his shoulder was a good place to start. But what about the new concepts and his laws?

He spent all night weighing out what he should do. By breakfast, he had a rough idea how he would approach his tinkering. He’d first begin his night with sound. He’d just play something to allow him to fall into the right state of mind. Then he’d spend time on four categories within sound’s domain. Reading card jades, martial techniques, learning new songs, and sound’s ability to carry his will.

Next, he would spend some time experimenting with sharpness. The reason he decided to start there was because of the Li family’s cultivation chamber. He’d seen how they were able to harness blades to surround a person with concepts, and even add fragments of them to the surrounding qi. He wasn’t planning to do something so complex, but he was pretty sure he could isolate concepts in a similar manner. Once he started to have some success with sharpness, he could approach other concepts in a similar manner. If he could begin to unlock the laws of such concepts, there was a chance that he wouldn’t lose any martial prowess when they finally went to the divine realm. He might just be able to defend his wife no matter where he went.

And finally, he would return to his tinkering with the elements. He expected his experience with the elemental laws to speed up his learning of the non-elemental concepts, and vice versa. There were also some elements he hadn’t reached large success enhance in, and others that he’d awakened without ever learning to morph. There was no way he was going to abandon what he’d already started. Now he just had far more things competing for his time.

After dual cultivating and refining an easy to breakdown pill, they had some breakfast and left the quaint village. Chao decided to strap the pipa to his shoulder and try out the basics of playing the instrument while holding it horizontally on its side during their travels. There was an instruction manual that explained finger placement and compared the differences between the lute and pipa. After getting an idea of the basic principles, he knew what he really needed was practice. So today, he’d do just that.

Martial sound techniques were still distant. However, having an instrument so readily at hand meant he could play throughout the day and maybe even make their journey a more enjoyable experience. He could also inject his will into his music whenever he desired. If the road just happened to have random awakened creatures dancing around and getting into mischief, so be it.

Chapter 16

Chao and Huifen continued north. They took their time training as they went and taking breaks to try new things and see anything that caught their fancy. Even though their schedule was less disciplined than in the past, there was a natural flow to their days and nights that this freedom allowed. It was like a gentle salve for their souls after all the training and their life and death battle.

On the third day of their journey, they found another inn in a quaint little village. They had dinner amongst the locals, and even enjoyed a poet accompanied by a musician. They seemed to be a local couple that simply had an appreciation for the arts.

They set up their array formation like normal once in their room. After dual cultivating, Chao laid down to get some sleep for the first time since their departure. He could’ve gone a few more days without sleeping, but having a well-rested mind was of more benefit than waiting.

Huifen moved a well-cushioned seat toward the window and opened the drapes to look out at the moonlit night. The moon was waxing—nearing its fullness. The window faced the treeline of a dense forest near the base of a large hill. The hills were growing larger in this region which meant they were getting closer to the outer edges of the monoliths. They should arrive in a day or two.

She set up there and began to tinker with her nature laws. To absorb and to bestow. Both were concepts as much as they were characteristics of the nature element. She was allowing the competitive side of herself an outlet. She was hoping to develop these concepts and unlock them before Chao noticed. Her ice laws were stronger than his, but to use a law that he didn’t know would be something else entirely. It wasn’t one of her main focuses of study. She would slowly work on it when he wasn’t paying attention in the hope of surprising him one day.

Glancing back, she saw his steady breathing where he lay atop the covers. She was tempted to think of some practical joke to pull on him but thought better of it. There’d be time for that later.

***

A woman with a worn veil over her face and shawl covering her hair entered the inn late in the night. Her dress was ragged at the edges and stained from long days in the field. Despite the veil, there was nothing intimidating about her manner or stature. She seemed rather frail. Even when speaking with the innkeeper, her voice was meek. “One room for the night.” She seemed to glance up before dropping her hidden gaze. “The one on the second floor with the window, if it’s available.”

“I’m afraid it’s taken, dear customer. There is one below it on the first floor with a window that has a similar view.”

The woman nodded weakly.

When offered a late dinner, she rejected it and wished them a good night. Heading to her room, even her steps lacked strength. It must’ve been from a long day’s travel.

She entered the room and locked it behind her. From beneath her stringy collar, she pulled out a tarnished silver chain. Looped at its end was an exquisite ring of aqua-silver. Runes were etched into its surface all around.

Array flags appeared in her hand. She set them against the walls and waited for them to activate. There was no energy current, so it was untraceable by any normal cultivator.

She sat down in the middle of the floor without removing her veil. The floorboards were made of the same wood as the walls. It was all the connection she needed.

Her qi slipped out of her into the floor. The wood didn’t reject it even though it had died decades ago. She was careful not to enliven it. She simply used it as a pathway for her qi to crawl through the floor and into the walls. The flags simply guaranteed this connection. If the construction was good, then the flags were completely unnecessary for this step. Their main duty was to help conceal the fluctuation of her qi.

With the lazy crawl of a serpent, her qi slithered up the wall. She could sense the flow of qi in the floor above before she even reached it. It was the sure signs of a defensive array formation, and a good one. To one so intimate with the element in which the qi traveled, the array held no power.

Her qi slipped into the floorboards above without sounding the alarm. Normally, having such arrays in the room above was a small blessing. They would warn the people attacking as much as the people they were meant to protect.

She didn’t go against the flow of qi, but simply ignored it and traveled along the grains of wood. This type of array that made use of the building was handy. Its convenience also made it lacking in certain areas. One area being that it ignored the wood itself.

It didn’t take long for her senses to stretch across the floorboard. Her layer of sensitive qi didn’t have the drawbacks of her upstairs neighbor’s array. It afforded her something else. She could also feel what the wood felt. She could feel the uncommon stress of weight near the window where somebody sat. The wood had settled under the bed’s placement, so even the extra strain from the person lying there was obvious to her.

She didn’t need much more confirmation. Still, she would practice prudence. Her qi slithered up the wall near the head of the bed and by the window frame. Within a minute she had a clear picture. The ice qi from the person sitting by the window was faint, but the wood felt its cool touch. The person lying on the bed had a mortal’s warmth. Either they weren’t a cultivator at all or practiced a neutral element. He was her target.

Disrupting the array’s qi flow was the only way to trip it. The small vine that grew out of the wooden floor did nothing of the sort.

It curled around the leg of the bed as it slithered up silently. It held no more presence than that of the smallest plant. It reached the bed level and creeped in under the blankets. She was careful as she located her target. The loose skin of the elbow wasn’t completely without feel, but it was one of the preferred points of entry for an assassin. Poison could be injected there without much need for a pain-numbing agent, and it was slow to spread. It would give her plenty of time to do the deed and escape before there were any signs of what had happened.

The most difficult part was piercing the skin of a sky realm cultivator. A vine of this size without any additional force from martial techniques was unable to handle it. That’s where acid came in handy.

The amount was so minuscule it would be hard to see with a mortal’s eye. As tough as a cultivator’s body could be, there were still acids and poisons that held great power over it—especially when further refined.

As if giving the skin of the man’s elbow a tender kiss, the tip of the vine nuzzled it. The acid ate through his outer layer of skin without so much as causing him to flinch. It pulled back, and a second vine took its place, injecting the poison.

It was then that the woman hesitated. She could easily recall her vines or let them dissipate. One thing nature cultivation allowed that most other forms of cultivation didn’t was permanence. The vines themselves were nothing great. Granting them life, even if they would only survive a few days, could strike long-lasting fear. Was that what she desired?

She wasn’t sure. Her struggle wasn’t one of the moment but had persisted for days. In the end, she took the extra time to grant the vine permanence to leave as a sign.

After she’d completed her work, she stood and retrieved her flags. Placing her head and both palms against the outside wall, she seemingly melted into it, except she wasn’t the one melting. Passing through the wooden wall, she glanced back and confirmed it had returned to its original shape. Even the faded paint had returned. Then skirting the outside of the building, she faded into the shadows.

Chapter 17

She noticed something. It was almost instinctual. Sitting up in her chair, Huifen looked back at Chao. Nearly all of their energy gathering had been done as one for the last year. Feeling the slightest change in his circulation had become almost second nature to her, even from across the room.

Going over to him, she took a closer look, only to see a fresh green stem on their bed that he must have dragged in. It was out of place, so she went to brush it aside, when she pulled her hand back the moment she perceived it was far more than just a broken stem. Her perceptions quickly followed it to the floor.

The realization of what it was went off in her head like a thunderclap. With a wave of qi, her card jade and the array flags were thrown into her spatial ring. The next moment, Chao was in her arms, and she’d burst straight through the wall and out into the night.

She flew as fast as she could until she’d put some distance between her and the inn, then circled back toward a clearing she remembered from earlier in the day. There wasn’t enough time to find a truly safe spot, so she had to be ready for battle.

The clearing she found quickly. The fact that he hadn’t woken was proof enough that something was wrong. Worse. She felt his vitality weaken even as she was using nature’s bestow ability to fill him with vitality.

The realization struck Huifen that her Chao might soon leave her alone in this world. Her entire chest quaked almost like she was sobbing and vomiting at the same time, but not a sound slipped from her lips.

She sat him down in a clearing as gently as she could. Her perceptions blasted her surroundings, daring the entire world to come at her if it possessed such courage.

Tears streamed down her face making it difficult to do what she needed. She froze them with qi, then brushed the icy trails aside only for new ones to take their place. This won’t do. She was too distraught to rationally think of the correct course of action. Her years of training came back to her in an instant.

Heart of Ice began to churn inside her in a way it never had. Her nerves froze into frigid steel. One last blast of qi took care of her remaining tears. The beating of her heart calmed almost forcibly. She would crush it inside her own chest if it defied her in her moment of need.

She found a small hole on his arm as she continued to use Big Sister Ping’s vitality giving technique. Hers was far weaker than the Nature Sage’s, but she had plenty of qi to make up for her shortcomings.

Sage Ping had taken her through the process of deciphering which poison was used many times. It was common for cultivators to move beyond what they considered mortal observations to go straight to observing the victim’s internals with their perceptions and qi. This was a grave mistake. Some of the most telling ways to discern a poison’s type wasn’t by how it affected a person’s meridians and qi flow, but the outward signs of how the body reacted to the poison’s presence.

She checked the coloring of the entrance wound, then his pulse. There was no swelling or discoloration. His heart rate had slowed considerably. She opened his eyelids, checking them both. There was slight yellowing, but they weren’t bloodshot. Then she checked his nails and fingertips, followed by his toes. The circulation was less than before because of the slowing of his heartrate, but they still weren’t blue, so his blood wasn’t coagulating inside him.

She checked his ears, nose, and mouth. His tongue wasn’t discolored, but since the poison entered through his arm and wasn’t digested that just added another complication—one less indicator of what the poison could be. Then she smelled his breath. She thought back to what they had for dinner. There was a minty smell from the herbs he commonly chewed after a meal. Everything was as it should be…

She seemed to freeze where she sat as she considered what she’d observed. If Heart of Ice wasn’t cycling so fiercely, she would’ve shuttered at what she’d found. It was a mostly traceless poison. Even the wound looked like the smallest scratch. If the vine hadn’t been there waiting for her to find, would she have even known it had happened?

Now was not the time.

She tore off his shirt like it was thin paper. With her enhanced senses, even the little light the moon provided was far more than she needed. She examined the skin of his neck and chest. Then the arm that the vine had punctured. She found red spots starting to form under his arm. Her first distinct clue.

Chao’s chest heaved, but his cough came out as a wheeze and lacked the strength of the motion.

Her Heart of Ice technique faltered.

Like the tightening of her fist, a fierce cyclone of qi swept the deficiency away.

She then reinspected the wound, smelling it. There was nothing.

His breathing became more difficult with each passing minute.

A thought slipped in. There was nothing she could do.

She forgot Sister Ping’s instructions and let instinct take over. Her perception plunged inside him to observe his qi flow and dantian. They seemed unhindered. The poison was simply causing his organs to slow. Were they going to fail? She watched them labor.

She chided herself. Was she just going to watch until they stopped all together?

Removing her perceptions, she returned to what Sage Ping had taught her and began to categorize all that she’d learned. The problem was that there were still many possibilities.

Then she remembered one of the last things Sage Ping had said before they left. “Sometimes it’s not the presence of evidence but the lack of it that will help you best discern which poison was used.”

If she had known that what her friend taught her would be of used so soon…

Huifen had been listing the poisons in her mind that matched the characteristics she’d observed. She needed to take it further and rule out poisons that had other side effects—no matter how rare.

She thanked the heavens for the improvements cultivation had on her mind, for she quickly whittled down the number of possibilities to just a few.

To be safe, she did one more thorough investigation, starting at the beginning. Even as his coughing came more frequently, she forced herself to follow the process. As she leaned down to smell his breath, she’d placed her hand on his chest. Coughing gripped him as she did when she realized he wasn’t coughing at all.

Sudden, infrequent muscle spasms. She quickly went through her mental list and ruled out a few more only to find she was left with a single remaining possibility.

She wanted to scream, cry, and dance all at once, but she stopped herself and finished the process Sage Ping had taught her. Reaching the last step, she was sure. She quickly found the antidote and placed the small bottle to his lips. A small pill fell into his mouth, and she pushed it down his throat with the precision of her qi. Water came next. All she could do was wait.

It was a few long minutes before she noticed a difference. As soon as his breathing strengthened, a sliver of hope slipped through, and her Heart of Ice technique crumbled.

Her tears were soaking his shirt in the next instant as she placed her ear to his chest. It wasn’t as much to hear as it was to be sure he was still there—still alive. With each heartbeat, he grew stronger. She then used her perceptions to examine him, confirming what her senses told her. They hadn’t lied to her.

She then felt him release a deep breath and his exhale messed her hair.

He lifted his head.

She found him looking up at her. She half expected him to tease her the moment he awoke, but she could see that he knew something was wrong.

“How do you feel?” She asked.

“Weak,” he replied, his eyes widening as he realized she’d been crying. “My Huifen. What, happened?”

She just looked down at him, shaking her head. Eventually she spoke. “You were poisoned, but it’s okay now. Big Sister Ping showed me enough to allow me to spot the poison and give you the antidote. You’re recovering already.”

“Then you saved my life,” he said, grabbing her hand that had been resting on his chest and holding it tightly.

“No, she saved you. I just followed directions.” She managed to smile.

She felt his qi cycle before he forced himself to a seated position. Before she could object, he embraced her.

They sat there for a long while without saying anything. It was only when another presence appeared above them that they scrambled to their feet.

Chao seemed to struggle, but he made it without her help.

A demoness arrived. Long strands of hair as red as blood blew wherever it wished. There seemed to be no life in the woman’s eyes as she descended like a queen of death. The last time they’d seen this divine realm cultivator, she’d taken to the sky and cut down dozens of men and women Chao had convinced to flee from battle. This was Billi, the psychotic pet of Syaoran.

They took a battle formation, readying to disappear into a sphere of space. This wasn’t a fight they could win. Not even Quinyuan had any hope of trading a single blow with her.

Then the woman stopped and hovered there. Emotionless, she just stared at them and didn’t say a word. Then they looked down and saw a veiled woman dangling in her grasp.

Chapter 18

High above a little village where only the highest clouds kept her company, a woman in a blue gown floated on nothing. Each strand of her long, blood-red hair wisped about in violent currents. She was unaffected by such lowly gales, but she allowed her hair to do as it wished.  It was something Syaoran would’ve never allowed. She wasn’t sure if she was doing it out of spite or because she enjoyed it. Perhaps spiting the memory of him was currently the highest form of joy she could attain. It was still a concept she was coming to terms with. Joy. She was content with peace—long periods of time without having to succumb to the will of another.

Billi had obeyed Master Zan’s command and followed his son and daughter-in-law at a distance simply to observe them. She assumed he expected her to protect them as well, but he hadn’t said as much. Should she just watch them? But why? She hated them.

There was hardly a moment that passed in which the couple wasn’t disturbingly amused by one thing or another. To be in its purview was unending torment. They laughed and teased, were of one mind in most things, but where they differed, they held interest in one another’s opinions. Everything about the young couple’s relationship was contrary to the one she’d had with her Syaoran. “Her Syaoran?” She nearly screamed at herself.

Biting hard into her lip, the sudden flow of blood comforted her. As with any blood cultivator, blood was one of the few things she understood. Of it, she had control. Its flow wasn’t foreign or painful to watch as was the blazing light of this young couple’s bliss.

She didn’t truly hate them. She knew that much. They simply had everything she never did. Family that cared for them—that had the ability to protect them and actually dared to try. Innocent in life, death, relationships, and all manners of perversity. And most of all love. She knew love, for she had it for her sisters and they loved her back. Some of her sisters were too broken for something as complex as love. What they’d had before their freedom was granted was a distant, pitiable thing. Even Syaoran had loved her in the way a master loves his prized pet. But this Long Chao and Long Huifen had the love of a husband and wife. She felt she should understand it far better than she did, but what her dead master had done to her was the furthest thing from love.

When the poor veiled woman seeped through the external wall of the inn, it was impossible for Billi to miss such a strange occurrence. She wasn’t simply what this lower world would consider a divine realm cultivator. She had reached the divine spirit realm. All life was vivid to her senses. She saw far more than these lowly creatures could sense.

Her perceptions fell like a bolt of lightning, but she kept them under control. Not only were those in the inn left unharmed, but they wouldn’t be able to decern her presence even if she warned them beforehand.

The young man Chao was resting comfortably. The young woman Huifen was sitting at the window with her attention on a card jade, glancing up periodically to take in the view from her spot at the window. Billi was confused for only a moment. The vine the veiled woman had left was obvious in its intent. She peered into the young man’s body near where the vine lay dormant. Poison had entered his bloodstream. It was already too late. She was not a healer. Though she might have a way to save his life—

There was a tremor in the boy’s qi and his wife sat up at once, glaring back at him.

It shocked Billi to see how sensitive the girl was to her husband’s condition. The tremor had been like the first sign of a failing qi artifact running out of energy. She’d observed their dual cultivation practices and realized she shouldn’t be surprised. They were in many ways living qi gathering arrays for one another. No, it was more than that. They shared energy daily and even manipulated it together. It was another layer of closeness the two shared that she was jealous of.

Huifen was already across the room looking down at him. She’d found the vines that had burrowed through the blankets and into his arm. The girl’s reaction was so decisive that Billi couldn’t help but gasp. With her husband in her arms and their array formation already put away, Huifen shot out of the room, leveling the outer wall, and flying into the distance.

“Fast…”

Billi watched as the girl circled back the way they’d come after going a few kilometers. It was a smart move. Better to deal with known terrain than the unknown. She also sensed the girl filling her husband with qi, but not just any qi. It was the nature element. The young woman didn’t wait too long to stop and start treating her husband.

The veiled woman who was in the midst of her escape was obviously shocked after feeling the large burst of qi. She’d been traveling north off the path at a steady pace. She’d stopped when Huifen fled. Only after the girl had gained some distance did the woman take to the air and flee in the opposite direction.

Seeing that this Huifen seemed to know what she was doing to treat her husband, Billi gave her full attention to this would-be assassin. She hesitated. Master Zan hadn’t requested for her to help them in any way. And why should she? She despised them. So why did she feel? Was this anger?

Her spiting them was remedial. She’d rather have them around so she could continue hating them.

She looked toward the fleeing assassin. She didn’t act because it was something Master Zan would expect or demand. She did it because she wanted to see more.

An instant later, her hand clasped around the back of the flying veiled woman’s neck. She ignored the lowly overlord assassin’s violent protest, shrugging off her martial techniques like they were insignificant gusts of wind.

She took to the sky once again to watch the young woman’s desperate attempt to save her husband’s life. In her free hand, she pulled out her transmission jade to make her report.

Master was coming. She watched the desperate, but apt attempt of the girl to save her husband’s life. She succeeded…

Her chest hurt. She knew this pain. But why did she feel sorrow? The young man would live. She gave them a few minutes to recover before descending.

She saw their dread as they recognized her. It was a reaction she knew well. She felt nothing in response. The assassin continued to struggle in her grasp, so she sent a little burst of blood qi into her, disrupting her cardiovascular system. The culprit calmed. Now that she had ahold of the woman there was nothing a mere overlord could do.

She waited, letting them decide what her presence meant on their own. She had no idea what Master Zan had told his son and daughter-in-law about her. After a minute or two, they did seem to calm down. The boy didn’t use his space laws to hide right away. From what she could see of his meridians and dantian, he should’ve had no trouble using his qi. So they must know something.

Billi had always, always, always been forced to be cruel. As a girl, harming another had been difficult for her. She’d had to either grow callous or break. She’d broken first. Her insensitivity came later. It had deadened parts of her humanity. She didn’t remember them well enough to miss them.

She knew of her deficiencies even if she didn’t know what to do about it. Tilting her head to the side, she wondered if she should say something. Instead, she decided to take the attention off her and put it on something else. So she tore the hood off the assassin she held prisoner.

The woman in her grasp hardened like petrified wood. She held the woman up to examine her and was surprised to see someone she recognized.

Taking in the responses of the couple she’d come to help, she watched their countenance change as they recognized the woman as well. Weapons appeared in their hands.

Billi sighed.

***

Father Zan had told Chao and Huifen that he’d saved Billi from a wicked family in the divine realm. That family had belonged to an elder from the Divine Fire Phoenix Sect no less. It had been a topic he used for many instructional conversations. Seeing the woman here under these exact circumstances did not make their meeting an easy one, however. They’d seen how brutal she could be—and powerful.

Chao was of the mind to say something, except he was still weighed down by the after-effects of the poison in his system. He pulled back from his Huifen so that she could focus entirely on the situation without having to act as a brace to his weakened state.

As he backed away, Huifen let him go. She didn’t speak but faced off with the wild-looking woman. Seconds turned into minutes, and they continued facing off. Chao didn’t understand it. There didn’t seem to be any challenge or intimidation that passed between them. They just waited…

From what he could tell, it looked like this divine realm woman had been sent to watch him and his wife by Father Zan. The woman she held was likely the person who’d poisoned him. He couldn’t help but feel pity for this blood cultivator. His father had explained to them what a soul lock was and what her life had been like. Hers was a level of servitude he’d only heard about in horror stories.

Billi moved first. Perhaps his Huifen sensed something and her patience with the woman had been the point all along. The veil slipped off the captured woman’s head.

It felt like dense qi blasted him in the gut. Chao’s knees started to buckle but he caught himself. His spear was in his hand before he even realized he’d drawn it from his spatial ring. His wife was already armed.

It was then that he found his voice. It came out faint, so he enhanced its volume with his laws. “What’s the meaning of this?”

He was already whispering a message that quickly arrived in the captured woman’s ear. “Sister Ping, hold on. We’ll get you free.”

The woman’s midnight black hair was back in a tight braid, so it didn’t obscure her eyes or the dismal expression she gave him.

His wife said something, but it didn’t register. There was something in Ping’s reaction. It wasn’t hope or fear, but regret?

He began to look at the situation. To really look at what was going on around him. Why was she even here? He remembered their first meeting. He’d faced off with Ping because they were still on edge after the battle just days before. She and Sage Fang had arrived so suddenly. Yet, in the next moment, she acted jovial and was easygoing. She even rejoiced when hearing that he and Huifen were married. It was only in their second meeting, after the woman had learned what had happened that she’d treated him warily. He’d thought it was because she’d learned about his laws and what he’d done in the battle. Could it be because of something else?

“Senior Billi,” Huifen said with a commanding tone. “Why are you holding Sage Ping?”

The divine blood cultivator didn’t betray any emotional response, but she finally spoke. “I captured your assassin.”

His wife didn’t know how to respond. She was shaking her head. He could tell she was trying to circulate Heart of Ice but failing. “No,” she responded.

“Huifen,” Chao said, placing his arm on his wife’s shoulder.

She glanced back but her eye immediately returned to what she saw as the true threat. He’d never seen her like this, but he understood it. His wife had never really had peers. Her talent made that almost impossible. Chao was the first to break that mold. Recently, Ping did as well. The woman’s talent wasn’t at the same heaven-defying level, but it was still frightening. It was her nature cultivation that made her a unique friend to Huifen. She was someone she could learn from. His wife didn’t want to lose something so rare. He knew what he had to do.

Chao called out. “Sage Ping, is what Senior Billi says true?”

Huifen glared back at him.

He met her gaze with a sympathetic one, but it was equally unyielding.

He looked past her. There was still a part of him that hoped it wasn’t true.

Ping was looking up, but not at them. Her eyes simply drifted in their general direction. She didn’t fight it. She didn’t even try. She nodded her head and cast her gaze to the ground.

Some part of him already knew it was true. He felt disappointed, but his Huifen— she remained unmoving. It seemed that the part of her that was unwilling to believe, and her reason was battling it out.

Then something inaudible except to Chao because of his sound laws slipped from her mouth. “You tried to kill my husband.”

The cycling of her qi started slow. Its growth was steady but unstoppable like a coming blizzard.

He knew what was coming. A tear slipped down his cheek.

Billi dropped the assassin and their supposed friend. Sage Ping landed heavily on the ground. She just sat there on her knees. Her hands were sprawled lazily to the sides. There was no sign she had any intention of defending herself.

His wife’s qi became a tempest inside her. It was like he wasn’t looking at his Huifen at all but at a celestial being trapped inside a glacier of ice. The glacier began to crack. He could almost hear the cracks as they grew. They became larger and more violent.

How could he not remember her recovery? They weren’t days of sorrow, but rage. He could picture the valley she’d ravaged daily with her qi clearly. He remembered her abusive words to him. He held nothing she said against her, but their memory wasn’t a pleasant one. Revenge had once slipped through her fingers. It was what haunted her the most. It was not a mistake she’d make again.

Chao flew forward. He slipped through her martial stance. He placed a hand on her chest and his face close enough to hers where she could see nothing but him.

Her eyes went wide with outrage, but she gathered herself in the next instant and gave him an insistent glare.

He was far more familiar with anger than his ice fairy who had only gone without Heart of Ice for a couple of years. He didn’t try to persuade her. He kissed her even as she turned away. Then with a push of qi to her chest, she flew back. It didn’t harm her. It was simply something she hadn’t expected.

As he spun to face his would-be murderer, a wall of space cut off his wife from what he was about to do. Facing Sage Ping in her fallen state, he threw out his hands. The motion wasn’t a fast one, but space flew forward like a canopy, sweeping across the sky and blotting it out.

“Chao,” Huifen screamed. There was anger in her voice but also fear.

Before she could say another word, a long tunnel of space had encapsulated him and Sage Ping just as it once had him and Prince Rong when the divine cultivator had tried to kidnap his wife. This time it was just him and the woman who’d poisoned him.

As weak as his body felt, his features hardened, and he called out to her. “You wanted to kill me, so here I am.” He lit his spear with golden sky realm fire so that she could see in the lightless tunnel.

She finally looked up. She was confused as she took in her surroundings. The look she gave him was a dejected one. “Little Brother Chao? Where are we?”

Chapter 19

Ignoring his assassin’s confusion, Chao pressed on. “You wanted me dead, Sage. This is the best and the last chance you’ll ever get. I recommend you take it.”

She’d been starting to get up, then faltered. Her gaze returned to the ground. “I don’t want you dead.”

“Are you saying you didn’t try to kill me?”

Her response wasn’t a quick one, but it was more resolute than the first. “I did.”

Before he said another word, he thought of his wife. He didn’t want to keep this from her. The reason he’d acted in her place was because too much uncertainty remained. Destroying her in fury wasn’t how she’d want to end things if she was in her right mind.

He created a small space tunnel joining them with the outside world. It was as small as a reed and something Ping wouldn’t notice. He set up a sound barrier that would allow sound to exit, but not come in. Then he asked his questions.

“If you don’t want me dead, then why did you try to kill me?”

She didn’t look up at him, but neither did she hide anything. “Honor demanded it.”

His voice took on a darker tone. “My wife is your friend, and I’m the friend of your husband. How is it honorable to kill me?”

She searched his face. It looked like she was going to say something but stopped herself and dropped her eyes. “Sage Du once saved my life and took me as his closed-door disciple. He was a leader amongst Emperor Sun’s overlords. He was killed in battle—by you. I was fulfilling a vow of loyalty I made on my heart of martial arts.”

“But you taught Huifen…” He would have staggered backward, but he was too drained from the poison. Sage Du... He knew that name. It belonged to the poison cultivator. The very one who had arrived in Prince Jin’s room after Chao had taken his fellow disciple’s head. He’d also been among the overlords with Emperor Sun. His father had warned him about how dangerous the man was. He was the first overlord he’d killed during their battle.

“Why? Why go to all this trouble to kill me and yet teach my wife how to undo it?”

“I never wanted you dead. My vow to Sage Du required I try. So I gave Little Sister Huifen a chance to save you.”

“Little Sister?” He stormed toward her, losing his composure. “You dare? One of the few people in this world that she should’ve been able to trust with her life—her own great elder—betrayed her. Then you showed up with Brother Fang, and after all this time she finally began to trust someone new. Do you have any idea how badly you’ve hurt her? It would’ve been better for you to shove a dagger into her heart at your first meeting than falsely befriend her.”

He then realized he still held his spear in his hand.

Her head was now tilted upward. Her eyes were closed, and her tears flowed. “She’s dear to me.”

His grip tightened. The woman kneeling before him had tried to take his Huifen from him. She’d tried to take his life. He’d never wanted to hurt a woman before—Great Elder Jilpa was the only exception—but, at that moment, he contemplated putting his spear away and beating the life out of her with his bare hands. This was too personal for weapons or instruments.

He put away his spear. A speck of golden flame flew up to keep the space well lit. His hands rolled into fists, but he didn’t move. Why wasn’t she fighting him? She just sat there. No further words passed between them. Ping resigned herself to what he was about to do. Some villain she was. Why couldn’t she be truly wretched?

His fists loosened as a new resolve settled inside him.

“Son,” a familiar voice came from inside his tunnel of space.

There was only one person who could enter his space barrier at will. “Father?” He didn’t turn around.

“What are you going to do?”

“Hold Huifen back. She isn’t going to like this.”

“Quinyuan has her.”

He turned just enough for his father to see him nod. “Thank you. And I’m sorry for this. Once again, I’m going to make things difficult for you.”

The space around them began to collapse.

Glancing back, he saw his wife and Quinyuan appear. The Sect Master was holding his wife in an embrace. Huifen’s cheeks were wet. They look past his father to see him standing before Sage Ping.

“Where is Sage Fang?” Chao called out.

Zan inclined his gaze to the sky. It only took him a few moments to find what he was looking for. “He’ll be here soon.”

They waited. Less than five minutes later, Chao felt the encroaching presence. It was like a molten meteor hurling through the sky. He was an overlord of the Fire Phoenix Sect holding nothing back.

Sage Ping took on a new expression. It was a pleading one aimed at Chao.

“Don’t let him see me like this,” she said feebly. “Please. Kill me.”

He just glared back at her.

Something in her snapped. Her eyes went wild. “I’ll attack you if you don’t. I’ll force you,” she screamed.

He gave her a pitiful look, then spoke under his breath and guided the sound to her ears. “Why would I kill you when I’m going to let you go?”

The growing wildness inside her died in an instant. She began to sob uncontrollably, falling over to curl up on her side.

From a distance of at least a kilometer away, Sage Fang’s voice boomed, shaking the surrounding foliage. “Ping!”

The man touched down beside Chao. He already had a sword out and was ready to use it.

Stepping forward, Chao grabbed a hold of Fang’s wrist. He didn’t know how much the man had been told, but, with Zan and Quinyuan present, he didn’t doubt the credibility of the accusations.

“Little Brother Chao,” the man rumbled. “If she has done something worthy of death, let the sentence be carried out by my hand. My wife tried to murder a junior disciple of the sect that I, the newly appointed Sect Master, have sworn to protect.”

Seeing the man so quick to stand against his wife greatly disturbed him. Chao knew his reputation for being a man of conscience, but if anyone should be seeking all the details before coming to a decision it was him.

“Stand down, Big Brother Fang,” Chao demanded. He had great respect for Fang’s abilities, but he didn’t shy away from challenging him with his tone. He understood the man’s passion, and his Huifen’s. Chao was also enflamed after what had been done to him. That was also why he was the only one who could do what had to be done.

“Father,” Chao said, looking to him for help.

When their eyes met, his father’s seemed to shine. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but Zan was at Fang’s side and leading him back in the next instant.

Chao then stooped down and firmly grabbed Ping’s hand. He helped her back to her knees to give her some semblance of dignity.

He then looked up and found the blood cultivator who’d caught their assassin still floating there in an emotionless haze.

“Senior Billi,” he said, giving her a martial salute. “This one humbly requests that you relay tonight’s events in our hearing from your perspective.”

She first glanced at his father for approval before descending to stand opposite Ping. Chao stood off to the side so that everyone could see. He felt extremely uncomfortable being so close to the blood fairy but made a conscious effort not to react. He feared she’d be sensitive to such a response and he and his wife had already pulled their weapons on her once this same night.

When the woman began to speak, he couldn’t help but notice how sweet her voice sounded. It was like Little Genji without the exuberance. Her report was thorough and held no opinion. Once she was finished, she just stopped talking.

“Ping,” Brother Fang growled. “Why? And where did you learn to do such a thing? What else are you keeping from me?”

She didn’t respond or try to defend herself. By this time she looked numb to the world.

Then Chao relayed what he’d learned in their earlier conversation. About her vow to the poison sage, how she was his secret disciple, and that the man had once saved her life. He also laid out all she’d taught his wife about how to combat poisons. She’d been torn between keeping her vow and saving her friend’s husband.

It wasn’t because of anything noble that she might’ve done that he did what he did next.

“Sage Ping, you tried to take my life,” he said, lifting his voice like he was preparing to declare her sentence. “Since Senior Billi captured you and brought you to this place, your life has been in my hands. Even now, if I wanted your life, there’s not a single person here that could stop me. Do you believe this?”

The woman sniffled multiple times as she tried to compose herself. Looking up at him, she nodded.

“Do you believe it?” He shouted.

She flinched, but he wasn’t done. A blue nascent realm lightning serpent appeared awakened a hand’s width from her nose. It was only the size of his index finger. It circled around her head, slowly at first. As it did, it ascended realms. It stopped again an arm’s length away glowing sky realm red. Its size remained the same. This little bit wouldn’t be deadly to an overlord, but if it struck her, it would be exceedingly uncomfortable.

“Do you believe that if you tried to run from me, I couldn’t catch you?”

The lightning serpent darted off into the forest. Ping’s eyes followed it. Within a few meters, it advanced to overlord then tribulation gold. Its speed increased drastically. He let it fly out a couple hundred meters before summoning it back. The human eye couldn’t track such speed. It stopped a few tens of meters away. She spotted it again, but she had to rely on her perceptions to follow it now.

“Do you believe you can outrun tribulation lightning? Perhaps you believe you could defend against it?”

He fed a new command to his lightning serpent. It disappeared. An instant later, it returned. It took a second for the flames from the new holes in the tree trunks to become visible. Soon, it looked like they were surrounded by an army of torch-wielding soldiers, for the entire tree line was on fire.

“Do you believe your overlord-level nature techniques could endure?”

A hum of sound spread out in all directions carrying his will. As soon as it reached the tree line, the flames were enlivened. There was no slow build-up this time. The little flames soaked up his qi and burst into blue tribulation fire. They devoured the wood so quickly that the flames burnt themselves out before they could take more than a few meters of height from the trunks. The scorching heat was painful even to an overlord, let alone a sky realm cultivator like Chao, but it blinked out as fast as it came.

Hundreds of trees, some centuries old, found themselves without large segments of their trunks. Their upper portions fell, mauling the ground as they crashed all around them.

“Are you convinced? Or do you believe your nature and poison techniques can break through and shatter space?” He’d already demonstrated his space laws enough when he’d captured her in his tunnel for their earlier discussion.

“Sage Ping, answer me. Do you believe I could take your life and there’s nothing you could do to stop it?”

Her eyes were glazed over. She answered, “Yes.”

“Your life is mine to take?”

“Yes.”

“Then, just as Sage Du once saved your life, I do the same. I will not take it, and I forbid anyone here from doing so as well. You should die at my hand, but today I have saved you from my own blade.”

He looked around the clearing, challenging his own family and friends to defy him. Billi watched curiously. His father’s face still shone. The side of Fang’s mouth twitched. He didn’t seem to know what to think. Mother Quinyuan’s stare was piercing. She wasn’t upset or challenging him. It was like she simply wanted him to know that she wasn’t missing a single detail. He finally looked at his wife.

Her lips trembled, and her nostrils flared. Her eyes were indignant. This current animosity wasn’t aimed at his poisoner but at him.

He turned back to the woman. “Not only did Sage Du save your life, but he also took you as his disciple.”

Chao fetched a spatial ring. His wife had taken what she desired from it already. He was relieved he was the one still carrying it. He had killed the man and not Huifen so even though they shared everything, it was technically his. Asking her for it now might’ve undermined much of what he was trying to do. He scanned it quickly and confirmed it was the right one. He tossed it to the ground where it rolled only to bump into Ping’s knee. “Pick it up.”

She hesitated. Of course, she’d seen it before. It was Master Du’s ring. She reached down and plucked it up with her index finger and thumb like it was something precious—or something loathsome.

“Sage Du’s cultivation methods as well as many instruments and ingredients of his craft are there. Now, I have saved your life and provided you with the legacy of a poison sage. Is there anything else he did for you that I have not?”

It was more of a twitch of her head than a shake, but her meaning was clear.

“If someone else comes along and provides you with more resources than I have, will you once again seek my life?”

She began quivering uncontrollably.

“Is there something more I must do to guarantee that your perverse sense of honor doesn’t send you after me once again?”

When she didn’t answer right away, he began to wonder if she’d gone through too much for one night. Then, showing the first sign of strength since Senior Billi had tossed her to the ground, Ping’s jaw tightened, and she looked up at him. “I vow—”

“Shut up,” Chao screamed, surprising himself with the ferocity of his reaction. “Your vow, if your words are to be believed, is what got us into this mess in the first place. Why would I want such a thing? Why not stop vowing all together and just do what’s right?”

“I…” She said, deflating.

He was done with her. Turning to the woman’s husband, he marched toward him.

Sage Fang was still fuming, but he’d held his tongue thanks to Zan. Seeing Chao coming, Fang no longer held back. “Little Brother, I’ll find a punishment worthy—”

Chao pushed the much larger man’s shoulder, forcing him to spin, then grabbed ahold of his bouldering arm at the triceps, which was nearly impossible because of its size. Still, he made do and dragged the man to the side before letting go. “Follow me,” he said, bounding off into the night.

 He felt the man follow. They didn’t go far. Once they were out of sight, he touched down in the forest and then turned to face his friend. He tossed up a sound barrier.

Ignoring what Fang was spouting already, he went off on him. “Is your marriage to Ping just a familial or political one?”

Fang’s eyes narrowed. “What do you take me for?” He retorted.

“Then why do you seem to hold no desire to find mercy for your wife?”

“She’s guilty,” the sage said, stepping forward and getting in Chao’s face. His words came out hot, just as his breath. “Do I wish it wasn’t so? I love her more than my own life, but how can I show such favoritism? Should my first act as Sect Master be to betray the sect I’ve vowed to serve?” His hands shot out to the sides as if expecting an answer. “Should I ignore what she’s done as if it never happened? She’s also been hiding that she has a secret master and poison cultivation from me.”

Chao’s tone matched the fire sage. “Since when does mercy ignore guilt? Is that what you think I just did? She’s your wife. She’s guilty. What of it? If you were to act like what she did never happened, that would be extreme, but you’ve gone straight to the other extreme. You want to take responsibility, so you’re willing to kill her yourself. Just like that. You,” he said, driving his finger into the man’s chest, “aren’t even willing to look for another path? When the entire world is standing against her, shouldn’t you be the last person standing at her side? Especially when she’s guilty or has done something exceptionally stupid. Did your vow to her not come before your vow as Sect Master? As far as I’m concerned, you’ve already broken your word by placing your vow to the sect above the one you made to her.”

“Boy,” Fang growled. The fire qi inside of him started to fume.

Chao bounded back tens of meters. “If I must fight you, Brother Fang, then so be it. Maybe if I tear down this Burning Cage technique that you’re so proud of it will open your eyes.”

The Fire Phoenix Sect Master unleashed his aura without holding back.

Keeping his aura in tight, Chao did the same to protect himself from the wave of force.

“Fine,” the fire sage cried. “You want to challenge my Burning Cage? Show me everything you got.”

Unlike Fang’s demonstration at the joint sect arena, it didn’t take him time to summon his technique, nor did he have to do it one layer at a time. It exploded upward and outward, surrounding the fire sage.

The trees and foliage close to him weren’t enough to slow it. The bars of his cage melted through the wood with such heat that the mortal trees remained standing momentarily even after they’d been burned into countless segments. Before they could fall, the green overlord fire caught them aflame, but the heat was too much for any simple burning. It was like a gust of wind had reached them suddenly, and they fizzled into ash.

A great defensive structure as tall as a two-story pagoda towered over all but the tallest trees of the region. This was no four-layered burning cage technique. A fifth layer had appeared.

“Big Brother Fang, you’ve been holding back,” Chao called out undeterred. As much as he wanted to have a contest between his laws and the fire sage’s will, he couldn’t let this deteriorate into something so mundane. His friend had to know how serious he was. He’d also hold nothing back.

As always, it started with a hum. The hum grew. He sought to get the frequency just right as in the stories of the Mad Monk that had once inspired him. Earth, sky, and then overlord realm sound filled the surroundings. The instant he found the frequency, Brother Fang’s multi-layered tower began to flicker.

Seeing his flame’s reaction, Fang steeled himself and a snarling grin appeared on his face as his cage solidified with the force of his will. “Come, Little Brother. Is that all you’ve got?”

Chao didn’t respond with words. His sound intensified. The cage’s flickering was more violent this time.

The fire sage wasn’t finished. His stance widened and his body flexed. The muscles around his temples fluttered with effort. He willed his Overlord Burning Cage to stand against the onslaught of tribulation sound.

It was an impressive feat. Impossible for perhaps every other overlord under heaven. But his Burning Cage didn’t block the effect the sound had on his body. Blood started to trickle from his ears. The sage’s grin widened.

Chao spoke. “Friend Fang, I know you wish to save your wife but feel your hands are tied. I’m doing this for your own good.” Then he issued a command to his sound. “Extinguish.”

His will traveled through the hum in the air until it reached the imposing tower of fire. If he attacked the wall at one point, Sage Fang could’ve fought him off, or at least slowed the technique’s downfall. But his command spread wide. He borrowed the man’s fire from every angle at once. His large-success borrow law was formidable on its own. Working with his sound that was already bombarding the barrier, Fang’s will was stretched too thin. No matter how mighty the man was, his cage was ripped from him all at once. His green tower of fire went out like a match.

The Fire Phoenix Sect Master stood there unmoving in a martial stance. His sleeveless arms bulged. His jaw was clenched like a vice. Despite that and the blood trickling down the sides of his neck, his grin remained.

As Chao slowly flew toward him, his friend began to laugh. It was a reckless thing.

He touched down not far away.

The sage dropped his arms to his sides. His grin faded, and he was calmer than before. “Thank you, Little Brother, for saving my Ping Ping. Truly. I just—I have no idea what to do now.”

He closed the distance between them and placed his hand on the larger man’s shoulder, which felt comical, but once he was committed, he didn’t stop. “I did the easy part. Yours will be the harder. Big Brother, I absolve you of your oath to the Fire Phoenix Sect. From today onward, you’re no longer our Sect Master. I redeem your wife of her guilt from myself, saving her life. Now all you must do is be there for her until the day her spirit is restored.”

“And by what authority do you absolve me?” His friend’s voice had lost its edge.

“By the authority of don’t-make-me-finish-what-I-started-with-your-burning-cage,” Chao said, shaking the man’s shoulder.

They both laughed.

“We will speak to Sect Master Quinyuan and my father to make it official. I’m also told I have a martial uncle who is a Divine Fire Phoenix Sect Elder. You’re just a lower realm Sect Master. I think I outrank you.”

Fang grinned again and didn’t object. As much as he’d been acting before like he was ready to do his duty and execute his own wife, it was clear now that he simply hadn’t seen any way out. Besides, Zan had already been backing Chao. “And if it’s a lie? Where there’s one lie there could be many. What if she’s murdered countless innocents, or has been unfaithful? Where does it end?”

“I don’t have all the answers. You call me little brother for a reason.” He chuckled. “But even if she’s unworthy of your care, she’s still your wife. You must give her more grace than she deserves, for who knows if one day you’ll do something stupid and need the same from her? If she’s crossed every line, then divorce her and do it the right way. But I for one see the vow of marriage as sacred before heaven, even above the vows to sects and men.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“A person can kowtow to their master, parents, and even one’s spouse, but to kowtow to the heavens as is required in marriage—not even emperors and sect masters require as much.”

“Most hold a vow to the heavens as a formality. Cultivators don’t bother. We aren’t ones to submit to the heavens but defy them.”

“Perhaps. Or maybe the heavens issue trials as a good master might. Is it defiance if the heavens are cheering us on?”

Fang looked at him strangely. “Are you sure you’re a cultivator?”

Dropping his hand from the man’s shoulder, Chao replied. “I’ve said too much. Go to your wife.”

Nodding, the man looked in the direction of the clearing. “Okay, Little Brother.” He cuffed him on the arm and took to the air.

Chao followed not too far behind him. When he arrived, Fang had already swept Ping into his arms, and she’d curled up there. She didn’t lift her face from his chest.

“Come,” Zan said. “I’ll take you to your wife’s sect.”

The divine cultivator reached out and tore space. Fang stepped in first carrying Ping, and Zan followed after.

“I’ll return shortly,” he said, addressing Quinyuan as he left. “I know you want to talk to them, but let’s give them a little time. I’ll tell them you’ll meet with them tomorrow.”

“Yes,” she replied. She turned her attention to Huifen and Chao.

He and his wife were standing at a distance. She was glaring at him, and he let her. After a minute without a word, Huifen looked up to the sky and flew off.

“I’ll talk to her,” Quinyuan said before following her old disciple.

The uncanny childlike voice of Billi sounded from behind him. “You realize you’ve given superior techniques and ingredients to a poison cultivator that has tried to kill you once already?”

“Yes,” he replied humbly.

“You’re a fool.”

The frightening divine realm blood cultivator flew off and he was left alone.

Still, he responded even if he was the only one there to hear his words. “I know.”

Finally allowing himself to feel his exhaustion, he plopped down to his rear. Whatever his wife had given him to save his life had worked, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any residual effects. He wanted to sleep. Instead, he began to lazily circulate his mother’s energy-gathering technique.

He wasn’t sure how long it would take, or if Huifen would even return to him that night. He’d completely cut off any say she had in facing the woman who’d poisoned him. He knew she might hate him for it. But still, he feared that to do anything less would’ve put her in a position that she’d regret later. Both Ping and his Huifen were friends despite what the woman had done to him. His wife already had enough regrets. He estimated that her hating him for a time was a worthy exchange.

Far sooner than he would’ve ever guessed, something shot out of the tree line like a bolt. A gust of qi tossed him into the air and his wife grabbed him, embracing him around the ribs.

He opened his mouth to speak when she stopped him. “Don’t say a word.”

He enclosed his fairy in his arms.

Chapter 20

They arrived high in the air near the wooded peak of one of the largest mountains in the region. The sun was casting its morning light across the highest growth while the cozy valleys still slumbered. Instead of snow capping their peaks, dense fog covered the mountains at dawn and dusk, shadowing the valleys even further. It was enough condensation that it supplied the waterfall halfway down its face with a river’s worth of water daily. It was in the valley at the base of the mountain where Sage Ping’s sect stood. A mid-tier sect maybe, but this entire mountain range was both their home and defense. Given enough time, few cultivations could compete with nature when it came to fortifying an area. Such places felt too wild for Zan, but he could appreciate their beauty and utility.

“Sage Ping,” he called before letting the couple descend.

The young sage was still curled up in her husband’s arms. She’d shut down since Chao had announced her free of her crimes. She shivered at his voice but was attempting to gather herself, so he waited as she brought herself under control.

It wasn’t long before Fang released her, and she was hovering at his side. Her head was bowed low, still insistent on not looking anyone in the eye.

“Master Zan,” she said weakly.

“You certainly seem contrite, but how do I know this isn’t all just an act?”

She didn’t answer, shriveling to look even smaller than before.

Fang stepped between them as if to defend her, when Zan appeared before him, clasping the man’s shoulder. He gave him a reassuring shake of the head. “She will hear this.”

The man stepped back and there was nothing between Zan and the woman who poisoned his son. “If a mother were to catch an assassin in the act of trying to murder her children and was able to save them, would she stop at taking the assassin’s life? Would she not take every party close to the assassin as her mortal enemy?”

Ping’s eyes flickered to her husband then below to her sect. The implications weren’t lost on her.

“What if the assassin had a family? One that may or may not have been involved in the attempted murder. This mother happened to have enough martial means to track down this possible threat. What should she do? Because there’s a chance that they might be innocent, should she put her own children at risk by restraining her wrath?”

He began to circle the woman slowly as his son’s lightning serpent had. She’d certainly been pushed to her limits, or at least it might seem, but Zan was far more familiar with what people were truly capable of. She had no idea of the countless mercies being granted to her today.

“The only way for the woman to possibly pardon the assassin’s family is if she knew beyond all doubt that they were innocent. But would that be enough? Even if the family was faultless, what if after the assassin’s spouse learned of their death, they became enraged and sought revenge? What of the assassin’s parents, siblings, friends, clan, and all who might care enough and have the means to do something about it?”

He stopped before her. “Look at me, Sage.”

It was a struggle, but eventually, her gaze rested on him.

“If I wanted to ensure what happened tonight would never happen again, what should I do? If I wanted to alleviate my every worry as a parent, the answer is plain. The only reason I wouldn’t kill you, your husband, your family, his family, and remove the sect below us from this world is trust. If I trust that you’re no longer a threat. So I must ask myself, is the story we heard from you tonight true? You hid your intentions and means from all of us. Even from your husband. Is it right for me to trust what you’ve said?”

She squeaked in reply, “No, Master Zan.”

“And that’s a problem.”

He flew around her one more time. It had the desired effect. She was trembling and her tears again fell.

Fang moved, but Zan was already holding out his hand for the man to stay put. “Since I don’t trust you, killing you would be right. But then, I’d have to consider if I trusted Fang not to retaliate. Not today, but bitterness is a slow-acting poison. And let me ask you, Sage Ping, what is your father like? What of your mother? Do you have brothers? Sisters? According to your story, you hold honor dear, so that must mean your sect does as well. In killing you, would it make them honor-bound to seek justice? We already know how twisted your sense of honor is. Theirs must be the same, no?”

“Please,” she cried, falling to her knees. She grabbed ahold of his feet and latched on. “Let them go. I’ll do anything.”

She went on for many minutes. When it seemed she was losing strength, she renewed her efforts and continued to beg him.

He didn’t need to see her sincerity. He’d known simply from the elements of the crime how genuine she was. It was for the girl’s own sake that he was letting fear linger. As cruel as it might seem at the moment, the more it hurt, the better it would be for her in the long run. His Quinyuan would later set her on the right path. As much as his An and the Sect Master had once argued, he knew how right his late wife had been about his now dear ice fairy.

“Get up, Sage Ping.”

She did so, slowly.

“The only thing keeping you and all that you hold dear amongst the living is that today I’ve chosen to trust you. Mercy is a very particular thing. It usually has one of two outcomes. It can be a balm to the soul and one of the surest builders of character, or it will harden you. In my experience, the latter is far more common. Do you know why I choose such folly??

The young woman was still too distraught to answer, but she managed to shake her head.

“Because my son has stepped onto the stage of this world. He has made a decision that I will honor, even if I disagree with its wisdom. But mercy is only the beginning…”

Zan then did something that just decades before would’ve been completely out of character for him. Something contrary to how he’d lived his life for thousands of years. Instead of killing her, he offered her hope. “The two of you have only known Chao for a short time and neither of you knew his mother. He hasn’t just let you go so that he can spare his friend from losing a wife, or his own wife from seeing a friend die. As much as it might seem that you’ve been banished from going anywhere near him and Huifen, Ping, he has every intention of seeing you again. Not because you will be made loyal by means of remorse, but he seeks to restore your friendship entirely.

“In his mind, nothing would be sweeter than having the two of you as neighbors in the divine realm a century from now with little Pings and little Fangs running around. You could pull them aside, place them on your knee, then tell them about the time you poisoned Uncle Chao and the many lessons you learned from having such a steadfast friend. By then, you’ll have come to terms with what you have done, but when overhearing you, Chao will become embarrassed by your praise. You’ll delight in his discomfort because of the fondness you feel for him.

“This couple you’ve befriended is destined to ascend to realms you and your husband can never reach. Not without help. I suggest you meditate on what it would mean for your future to have such friends. The opportunity you have and have almost squandered for yourself and your husband is worth more than anything every poison sage in a thousand worlds could ever provide you combined. Now go.”

Both Fang and Ping were slow to get moving. When they finally did, Zan stopped them one last time and said, “For what it’s worth, I think Chao has made the right decision. Trust is much easier to lose than restore. I suggest you do everything in your power to prove that Chao made the right decision.”

Once they were gone, Zan’s eyes shone once again. What he’d said, he’d believed wholeheartedly, but that wasn’t why he felt so triumphant. When his son had risen up against Emperor Sun and smited half the overlords on the continent, he’d been proud. But tonight, it was as if his late wife An had returned from the dead with the same spirit and conviction she’d wielded in life. As chafing as she could be, it was her conviction that had worn him down and ultimately saved him from himself. But there was a difference between her and her son.

His An had been quick to debate but pursued peace with the same tenacity. Chao shared his mother’s conviction, but as much as he sought peace, tonight he’d forced it with power.

How had Chao put it? “You should die at my hand, but today I have saved you from my own blade.”

Laughter poured out of him. Facing an enemy when you have time to prepare was one thing, but Chao had proven he’d taken this lesson to heart. He’d placed his authority above all others when declaring her free simply because he had the strength to do so. It was one of the first major principles of the martial path. Strength is authority.

Zan had seen Huifen’s reaction to Chao pushing her away after Ping’s identity had been revealed. He didn’t fear the boy’s actions would injure his relationship with Little Lotus. It was just the opposite—despite how angry she’d be with him for a time. She’d once seen him as a weak little country cultivator, but that was a thing of the past. She’d seen him grow and supported him in the process.

Chao had even challenged Zan by saying that no one could stop him from taking the girl’s life if he so desired. It wasn’t true. Not yet. His son didn’t yet understand the speed that the highest divine realm cultivators possessed. He didn’t fault him.

How could he? It was finally happening. He’d dreamed this day would come since he’d first found out how incredible his An truly was. The fact it was his son taking these steps made Zan feel a peculiar sense of accomplishment.

Balling his hands into fists, he threw his arms back and out to the sides. Arching his chest, he stretched himself. It took an exerted effort to contain his excitement. He kept his core unmoving and aura in check. One punch or swing of his sword could leave this local mountain range a hellish landscape of fiery destruction.

He took in a deep breath and could almost taste it on the air. His son had just been poisoned and the culprit was free. He should be livid, but he was half tempted to visit the sect below and shower it with gifts unattainable in this world. Ping’s betrayal had surprised him which wasn’t an easy feat. She’d also given him a blessing in disguise. As much as he wanted them to experience peace and joy, now his son and daughter-in-law would take their journey far more seriously. He’d have to leave them to their own devices soon, so the timing was perfect. After seeing how competent Huifen was in deciphering and correcting the poison, he was less worried than ever before.

There were things he needed to teach Quinyuan before the sure confrontation that would happen at the Flying Tiger Clan’s Trials. He wasn’t sure what realm they believed him to be, but there was no doubt they’d request help from their divine realm sects. That would require him to take his ice fairy on a little trip off-world.

He turned his thoughts back to Chao and Huifen. There were a few last pieces of advice he’d give them before he set them loose. Whether the world would laugh or sob in their wake, he couldn’t wait to find out.

Chapter 21

It was an hour before Huifen brought herself to the point of being able to use Heart of Ice. It wasn’t because she was incapable of circulating the technique. She was unwilling. Her father-in-law had said she must make her protests known to her husband. Instead of acting like a leaking faucet, this early morning she’d torn the faucet from the wall and had all but beaten him with it. It hadn’t been a conversation. She’d spent a few long minutes making sure he knew she didn’t appreciate being completely cut off from dealing with Ping. And he’d also put himself in danger once again. He let her speak without protesting or defending himself. The only reason she hadn’t said more was because deep down she was thankful he’d taken the initiative in handling the situation, even if he’d taken it too far.

Despite Heart of Ice, she winced at naming the woman as ‘sister’ in her head. Once again, she’d been betrayed. Chao himself had said as much when rebuking the woman.

Forcing such thoughts into the back corner of her mind, she focused on what Father Zan was saying. They were standing in the same clearing where she’d saved her Chao. It was only Zan and Quinyuan there with them. Billi was probably around somewhere, but the divine realm cultivator seemed uncomfortable with these types of gatherings. Huifen was secretly relieved she wasn’t there. The woman had a fearful presence, and it was difficult to trust her.

“An impenetrable array formation doesn’t exist,” Zan continued his instruction. “Those like the one being used to protect the joint sect are nearly invincible in this realm, but you’ve witnessed firsthand some of their vulnerabilities. When stretched too thin, enough force can displace the air inside the array, practically allowing some of the force to slip through and harm those inside. Eight low-realm cultivators are dead because of it.

“Once you reach the highest levels of the divine realm, all such arrays are rendered useless by cultivators that can tear space. There are ways to defend against them. Placing cities and sects in mystic realms that seem visible to the eye but actually exist on a different plane is one such method to confuse advanced cultivators. Reactive assault arrays are another. Even those are no guarantee that cultivators won’t find a way to get passed them. Does this mean you should end your travels and return to the Ice Phoenix Palace to hide for the rest of your lives?”

Huifen felt the defiance spin up inside her, even if the emotional aspect of it was numbed by her Heart of Ice technique. She glanced at her husband, concerned he might really be having second thoughts. Instead of apprehension, or even a mustering of courage, he chuckled lightly while stifling his volume to remain respectful. It was as if it hadn’t even crossed his mind.

Chao gave her a charitable look, as if she were the one he was worried about.

Before she could object, Father Zan threw out several flags at different distances and placed a large qi gathering array at their feet. It was the kind of qi gathering array often used when armies marched and by rich merchants when they traveled. They’d seen similar ones go at auction for fifteen to twenty thousand golden taels.

“There are three basic categories of array formations. Active,” he said with a gesture. There was a surge of qi from the gathering array at their feet, then suddenly, a dome of energy surrounded them. It even coated the ground. It was the simplest kind of array with only three flags surrounding them in a triangular shape. They were the closest of the ones Zan had thrown out. From where they stood, they only had a radius of ten meters between them and its boarder.

“Active formations are the most widely used and simplest to understand. You simply activate them, and they cast a controlled layer of qi to defend whatever is inside them. They are generally the most dependable.

“One thing you must understand is that the more complex an array is, the more likely it is for there to be flaws in its defense. That is why the best formation masters who are capable of creating complex arrays without flaws are so highly prized. The array you used in the inn suffered from many such flaws because it was a hybrid unit.

“It was active in the sense that it charged your room with qi, making the walls stronger, however, it was also reactive. Its main defensive formation would only activate when something triggered it. If it had been active from the start, a nature cultivator would’ve never been able to bypass its perimeter. Does that mean that reactive arrays are useless?”

A second array of four flags activated beyond the first. Huifen could sense its qi, but only just. If she hadn’t been looking for it, she may have missed it entirely.

“The best use of a reactive array is as a warning system. This keeps it from the problems that come with excess complexity. It can also be noticed by the perceptive, which is a warning to the polite and criminally minded. That same feature can also make you a target.

The last kind of array, passive ones, are often the best for they don’t have the same problem. If you had to choose only one, you’d want to choose from this type.”

The final, furthest set of flags father-in-law had thrown out activated. At least, she thought they had. There was a pull of qi from the gathering array, but nothing seemed to happen. She wasn’t unfamiliar with the arrays on the market, so she had a hunch. Then Father Zan confirmed what she was thinking.

“Passive arrays aren’t passive because they don’t have to be activated,” father-in-law said with a snicker. “They are considered passive because once activated, they don’t respond or act on anyone who passes through them. This qi gathering array,” he motioned to the device at his feet, “is considered passive because it doesn’t affect anyone that passes within its scope of influence. It simply gathers qi and distributes it.

“This last array’s job is simply to conceal anything within its formation. Even though it can’t actively defend against an enemy, or react to it, its ability is often the most beneficial when traveling. If an enemy or bandit knows you are there, they can work toward penetrating your defenses. But if they can’t find you, even if they know you’re in the area, then they must thoroughly search for you. In doing so, they will reveal themselves and often place themselves in a difficult position you can take advantage of.

“Where increasing the complexity of arrays causes flaws, using simple but powerful arrays in layers can be used to great effect. This current setup is basic, an active defensive array inside a reactive warning array with a final passive illusion array on the perimeter, is the one I’d recommend for you as you continue your travels. The only drawback is that you won’t be able to use these arrays while staying amongst people. So no inns, and no comfy sheets.”

Quinyuan blew a puff of ice qi into his face. “What your father is trying to say,” she retorted, “is that when you need to sleep or refine something difficult and your guard will be down, use this method. Other activities are best kept to closed quarters.”

“That’s debatable,” Zan said roguishly, stepping away from his wife.

She chose to ignore him. “Adding layers, extending your array’s range, learning to better hide your flags, and throwing in more complex arrays are also options. Just make sure you’re building upon what you see here and not replacing the layers. And of course, the more arrays you have active, the more qi it will cost.”

Retrieving the qi gathering array, Zan put it away and the three arrays depending on it for qi flickered before shutting down. “Keep the flags,” he said, leaving them be. “You might have better in your stash, so be sure to have some fun playing around with them. Now, it shouldn’t have to be said, but I’m your father, so I’m going to say it regardless. Chao, you’re lucky to be alive. If your wife wasn’t one of the most competent fairies in the history of this little world, you’d likely be dead.

“And you, daughter-in-law, are probably ready to swear off befriending anyone you meet for the next few centuries, but if it wasn’t for your friendship with Sage Ping, do you really believe she would’ve made it so easy for you to discover and treat Chao’s poison? I’m not telling you to be unwise with who you keep company. I am saying that your charm and generosity towards Ping are in large part responsible for how things turned out. As for when you should and shouldn’t be friendly, I’ll leave that for you to figure out.” He turned, smiling at his wife. “Anything you’d like to add?”

In a rare show of physical affection, Quinyuan flew forward and pulled them both into an embrace. After kissing them on the head, their mother touched down on the ground and looked up at them—Chao especially. Huifen was only a few centimeters taller than her old master.

“Meditate on these things and the consequences of tonight’s events,” Quinyuan said to them both while giving Chao a pointed look. “Billi will follow you until you’ve met up with Pangfua. Be kind to her. The protection she can provide will only be with you for a few more days. She will be joining your father and me on our journey. We won’t be able to return for a time.”

As Huifen began to protest, Quinyuan smiled. “Don’t worry, daughter. Recent events have sped up our schedule a bit, but we intended on taking this trip regardless. I need to get stronger, and even your father-in-law is overdue for some training. Kang will watch the Ice Phoenix Sect while we are gone and, as much as we’ll miss Fang’s leadership, Yongrui will temporarily take over as the Fire Phoenix Sect Master. It will be a punishment for the man as much as a privilege, but I have no doubt he’ll do the job well. It was his lack of respect for authority that got him in trouble in the first place. Now many of the elders he spurned in the past will be in his care and making sure he hears about his every mistake.

“When you meet up with Pangfua, I recommend keeping your cultivations hidden and mingle with the other disciples as if you were one of them. She will command them to act accordingly. It won’t be a perfect disguise, but it should be enough for those unaware of current events. Her presence should be enough to dissuade other sects from bullying our disciples, but don’t underestimate a cultivator’s greed. The monoliths are visited by sects from not just our continent but Landbridge and Northern as well. Having other overlords present is not unheard of.

“The only thing else I have to say is, be sure to keep each other safe.”

It wasn’t actually the last thing she said to them before Zan and Quinyuan left Huifen alone with her husband. The woman who had been her master since she was young was acting less like a master and more like a mother with every passing day. At first, the change had frightened Huifen, but more than a year later, she now cherished such moments.

Before things could become uncomfortable between them, Huifen spoke without looking in Chao’s direction, “You will sleep. I know you want to talk, husband, but I’m not ready for the discussion we need to have. This will give me the time I need to think, and after being poisoned, you need the rest.”

Then to her astonishment, he replied, “Yes, my Huifen.”

When he moved toward her to show affection, she stepped away.

He didn’t complain but pulled a qi gathering array from his spatial ring and set it up to empower the three sets of flags still in formation around them.

“Did you want to refine these arrays, or shall I do it?” He asked.

“You do it,” she insisted. Softening her tone, she added, “I have a set of each already refined.”

He took the time to go from flag to flag to refine them with a smearing of qi and blood.

She waited until the process was done.

He returned to the qi gathering array and activated the three defensive formations. Then she felt compelled to do something for him even if she wasn’t in the best mood.

Removing a thick blanket she had stored in her ring, she spread it on the grass to give him a place to lie down.

As he took advantage of the blanket, he thanked her. Before placing his head on a pillow he’d removed from his spatial ring, he said, “Good night, my Huifen.”

Seeing that the sun had already ascended above the horizon, a petty part of her wanted to say it was already day, but she stopped herself. Instead, she replied, “Sleep well, husband.”

Chao fell asleep in an instant.

She’d known he’d was more tired than he let on, but not to this extent. Still, she was thankful for the time to herself. The first thing she did was thoroughly scan the area and took note of every living thing. Even if their hybrid array had weak points, if she’d simply been paying attention to every new person that entered the village, or even the inn for that matter, she would’ve noticed Ping’s arrival. The woman’s disguise may have been enough to fool her, but if she’d been paying attention, the woman would’ve never succeeded in poisoning Chao.

It wasn’t long before she was convinced they were safe. Her mind was quick to turn to all the things she could blame Chao for, but it didn’t stay there for long.

She couldn’t help but remember something the Divine Ice Phoenix had once said to her. She’d often meditated on it since their meeting. “Judge justly when you can, and be merciful when it is right.” But the Divine Guardian had never mentioned how to know when she should do either.

She wasn’t worried that Chao had made the wrong choice, but the right one. It hadn’t been said between them, but she’d been ready to take Ping’s life. She would have if he hadn’t stepped in. She still wasn’t convinced he was right to save the woman. But after her conversation with the Divine Ice Phoenix, she knew she could be wrong. Her anger had once guided her to a dangerous end—one that would leave many innocent people dead. It should’ve been enough to hold her back until she’d known more, but it had taken Chao stepping in to force her to remember herself.

“Don’t think of who you are, but who you must become,” the ice phoenix had concluded. The ice phoenix was humble in nature, while also being the most powerful existence Huifen had ever met. She was a true Divine Monarch, the highest realm any creature had ever reached. There was no one above her. She looked down on the worlds yet retained her compassion. The only thing left to govern her actions was the depths of her own wisdom.

Huifen then considered what had happened and her own actions. There was love and care in how she saved her husband. She found no fault. In Chao’s mercy to Ping, she was conflicted. She had another question. Should she undo what he started? It was within her power to hunt down Ping and take her life. Chao might try to stop her at first, but she knew he would only take things so far. No one would blame her for taking the woman’s life. Mercy was harder than justice, for it left one vulnerable. What if it didn’t have the positive effects her husband hoped for?

“I didn’t save them for their sake. I saved them because I could and because I cherish life…”

The Divine Ice Phoenix’s words were once again like trumpets blowing in her ears. Perhaps, hoping for Ping to learn from this wasn’t wrong, but it certainly wasn’t a pivotal reason to undergo the risks of mercy. To be merciful for mercy’s sake would put her imperfect judgement aside for virtue’s sake. That she could do, for now.

To say that her struggles ended there would disregard the weight of her circumstance. There was much meditation on these things ahead of her.

Chao had only been sleeping for a few hours when Billi’s divine presence descended from above. Huifen was suddenly anxious but determined to be polite. The woman had proved she didn’t mean them any harm.

She quickly scanned their surroundings then deactivated the qi gathering array.

“Greeting’s, Senior,” Huifen said, saluting the woman as she touched down beside her.

“Hello,” the red headed woman replied in her detached manner.

“Please accept this one’s apology for pulling her weapon on you earlier. In the confusion of the moment, I acted foolishly.”

“Forget it.”

“I must also thank you for capturing Sage Ping. You’ve been a great help to my Long family.”

“Mmm,” the woman replied. Each of her responses were more distant than the last. She was watching Chao sleep with a complex look.

“Might I ask why you’ve come, senior?”

“Did you want me to retrieve this woman for you to kill?”

It was said so cavalierly that Huifen didn’t know how to respond. Did she? She had no doubt the woman could bring Sage Ping to her. But if she really wanted to do that, she’d do it herself.

“Thank you for the offer, but no.”

“Why? Is it because you don’t want to undermine your husband’s decision?”

Seeing the woman was genuinely confused, she began to realize how strange this all must be for her. “In part, but also because I know he did it for me. As much as I’ve insisted that he stop trying to make things easy for me, it doesn’t seem like it’s a request he’s capable of keeping. And maybe that’s for the best. I’ve been wrong about such things before. If he’s so sure, then maybe he’s right. Even if I’m not wrong, this isn’t something in which I can take an unyielding stance.”

“So you’ll just let her go?”

“I…” Would she? Huifen took the time to formulate the words for what she’d decided. “Yes. I will not pursue justice or revenge.”

Billi glanced at Huifen then back at her husband. The woman only replied after a few long moments. “I don’t understand.” She mouthed something, tilted her head in struggle, then did so again as if having a conversation with herself. “Master Zan said…” The words were mumbled but clear. Then she addressed Huifen again. “The oldest memory I have is from when I was a child of four or five years of age. I wanted someone to save me from the Mai family—to punish them for what they did to me—and made me do. You have justice within reach and you’re willing to let it go?”

The divine cultivator’s voice sounded young and confused.

Huifen slowly approached the woman she’d once seen kill dozens with little effort and even less remorse. She realized that the woman seemed so heartless, because she was—but not out of choice.

“Senior,” she said, standing within arm’s reach of the blood cultivator.

The woman looked over to her, but her gaze came only up to her chin. “Yes?” Billi said.

Huifen smiled as warmly as she could. “I wish I knew the answer to your question. I was contemplating that very thing before you arrived. And it’s not easy for me. Only a few months ago I would’ve never come to the same conclusion. There were things done to me by people I can never forgive. They’re dead now, and my only regret is that I didn’t get to take their lives with my own hands. And yet, under these circumstances, I think my husband was right to show mercy.”

“Do you not fear placing your trust in one such as him?”

“Such as him?” Huifen didn’t like how the woman was speaking of her Chao, but she controlled her tone. “He’s the one that executed the main perpetrator of the crimes against me before the ice poison had even been resolved in my body. He might be prone to mercy, but he’s certainly not opposed to justice. I think he might even have a better grasp of justice than I ever gave him credit for. Perhaps, better than I do.”

The woman suddenly bowed deeply. “Forgive me. I sometimes speak harshly without intending to. I’m not good with human interactions. Even now, I’m not sure how I offended you.”

Huifen found herself wanting to scramble as her husband once had when she’d been his master and he’d tried to bow to her. Billi might be submissive to Zan, but she was also many full realms higher than Huifen in cultivation. It was a domineering fear she felt in the woman’s presence. It made her realize she’d been unfair to Chao in thinking him childish when they’d first met. It was a feeling she hadn’t felt since her first few years in the Ice Phoenix Sect.

“Please, Senior, don’t burden yourself with such things. My husband and I owe you a debt of gratitude because of the help you’ve given us this night. How about traveling with us for the next few days? Mother Quinyuan said that you’d be following us until we joined up with Sage Pangfua. This is a great chance for us to show our gratitude and you’re welcome to ask all the questions of us you will.”

“I…” The divine cultivator showed her first signs of emotion in her startled response. “I must go.”

In the next instant, she was gone.

Chapter 22

Chao awoke with the noonday sun glaring down on him. He examined his body with his perceptions and concluded he’d mostly recovered. He wasn’t feeling as energetic as was typical for him though. It would probably be a few more days until he felt like his old self.

“Good morning, husband,” Huifen said from a seated position by his side. It wasn’t close enough that it looked like she’d been leering at him as he slept, but she obviously hadn’t wanted to be too far after what had happened.

He reached his hand out for her as he stretched. “Good morning.”

Her hesitation in taking his hand was short-lived. “Let me know when you’re fully awake. I’m ready to talk.”

“Oh?” he said, sitting up and facing her. “Whenever you’re ready, my Huifen.”

She rolled her eyes at seeing his brazen grin.

He smiled even wider. It was a good sign. She was in a much better mood than the day before.

“When you stopped me from responding to Ping’s admission to poisoning you, I felt betrayed, not just by her, but by you.”

His countenance fell. He’d known a rebuke was coming, but her words cut deep. “I—”

She held up a hand to stop him. “I understand why you did it, and I must thank you for it. However, if there’s a next time, which there most certainly will be, you have my permission to stop me until my reason is restored, but don’t take it so far. I acknowledge my struggles with this. I think the best course of action is for us to discuss such things before any decisions are made.”

He found himself nodding. “I was already planning to promise you as much. Forgive this one for making such a weighty decision without you.”

A hint of a smile tugged at her eyes. “Then this one thanks you, husband, and all is forgiven.”

He leaned forward onto his knees and craned toward her, kissing her on the forehead.

She let him. “There’s one thing I wanted to ask you. And answer honestly. There is no hidden criticism in my question. If things were switched around and it was Fang who poisoned me, would you have still sought mercy?”

An answer was already on the tip of his tongue, but he held it back, considering what he was going to say before he responded. His ideals on justice and mercy weren’t entirely his own. The mortal religion taught by his mother, and his father’s own teachings often ended with the same conclusions. He wasn’t sure what he believed about God or gods, reincarnation, and the spiritual realm, but certain things were settled in his mind.

“Big Brother Fang was the Sect Master, so I’d have to hold him to a higher standard than Sage Ping. His crime against his sect would’ve been much worse.”

“But—”

“But” he said, patting her hand before squeezing it. “If that wasn’t the case, then I do think I would’ve pursued mercy. Pings intentions were always clear from the facts of the crime before we even knew about her connection with the poison sage. With that said, if she had just tried to kill you, I’m not sure I could’ve held myself back. You’re not the only one prone to anger in such situations. That’s one of the reasons I felt like I had to act. You’re my wife. If you wanted mercy for your friend after what she’d done while I was seeking justice, wouldn’t that look like a betrayal on your part? But if I was the one to pursued mercy, then it freed you to pursue the good of your friend.”

“I see,” she replied. “And yes, I understand why you felt you must act. But answer me this. Why pursue mercy at all? You haven’t denied her guilt since the beginning. She tried to kill you.”

He scooched close and held both of her hands in his. “Because I know that the day will come when I’ll do something stupid.” He shook his head. “Not stupid, but undeniably immoral. One of my mother’s favorite sayings was that ‘mercy reaps mercy.’ The day may come when I’m at your mercy. How are you going to forgive me if I’ve lived a life insistent on justice against anyone that wrongs me?”

“Me? You think I could ever harm you?”

“I’d like to think I’d never do something that would cause you to want to, but... You know my father’s past. I even had him refine Prince Jin.”

Her expression turned grave. “After what he’d done, you did nothing wrong. Neither did Father Zan. And you even returned my virgin yin to me, making it possible for us to dual cultivate. To be together as we are now. Chao, I forbid you from feeling guilty.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t feel guilty, my silly wife. I’m just telling you that I’ve seen into the darkness of my own soul. I’m capable, that’s my only meaning.”

“Silly?” Her nostrils flared.

“You still need practice, but you’re certainly getting better at it.”

He took to the air before her blast of qi could reach him.

“I take back everything I said,” she cried, chasing after him. Space was limited inside the active array formation, so she caught him quickly.

He let her. All mock hostility was long forgotten as soon as she was wrapped around him. They’d both secretly agreed with Quinyuan when she’d implied dual cultivation was best done behind closed doors, but last night’s events were too much for either of them. From within the confines of the three-layer formation, they didn’t hold themselves back.

***

With his new pipa in hand and his Huifen walking beside him, their journey started afresh. She removed one seed at a time from her spatial ring while practicing by infusing them with nature qi. It might have seemed like nothing had changed after Chao’s poisoning the night before, but their pace had slowed greatly and they scanned their surroundings constantly, taking notice of every possible threat. It wasn’t until a second night’s rest that he was finally feeling like his normal self.

They could’ve made it to the monoliths in less than a day if they flew, but Chao was insistent they enjoy their trip as they wished, especially after what had happened. Huifen believed wholeheartedly in the spirit of his insistence, and she encouraged such thoughts.

Besides working with the seeds she’d procured at the auction pagoda, he watched her throw herself into the understanding of poison at a far deeper level than ever before. She didn’t hide it from him. He began studying the card jade his father had given to her as well. It wasn’t as practical as the one Huifen had received from Sage Ping, but Zan’s jade on poison was better at explaining the types of poisons and how they worked. It was another thing added to the pile of the countless things he wanted to study.

As they traveled, they called out to Senior Billi often. It had begun when they killed a nascent realm dire beast that was a moose subspecies. It had a nasty temper and it charged them without provocation from out of the brush. The creature was far too large to eat between the two of them, so they took some time to roast it and invited their divine cultivator companion.

“Cultivator’s portion?” The woman replied. “I’ve never eaten so much in one sitting.”

Huifen looked like she was trying to hold back laughter but failed miserably.

“What is it?” He asked.

Their divine guest also looked puzzled. She even gave the steak on her plate a second look.

“This one begs your forgiveness, Senior,” Huifen responded. “There’s nothing wrong with the food itself or Chao’s cooking. When he and I first met, he offered me this cultivator’s portion and I didn’t want to embarrass him, so I didn’t tell him that no one eats as much as he does.”

“Okay.” Their guest looked even more confused.

“Are you serious?” Chao said, skeptically.

When she gave him a smirk, his eyes narrowed. “Don’t you always clear your plate?”

She shrugged. “Everyone in my family likes to eat. I’m not complaining.”

He laughed at that. “Even Mother Sya?”

She began nodding and replied, “Especially mother. You’ll see. Her and father should be with Sage Pangfua when we join them. I’ll request for her to cook for you. I think she would agree with this idea of a cultivator’s portion.”

Just as Billi had said, she only ate half her plate and quickly left them alone. Even though she didn’t travel with them directly, the woman always came when they invited her to a meal.

Chao tried to encourage her by playing joyful songs. She strangely didn’t seem to be responsive to them. When he asked her directly after dinner one night if she wanted him to play, she replied by saying she didn’t like music and quickly excused herself.

Huifen had suggested she might dislike the loss of control his enhanced sound could cause. Such emotion might be too much for her. She was probably right.

Even if they had slowed their pace, they reached the famous monoliths soon after. When they laid eyes upon the ruins of a building that had been as wide as the joint sect’s arena stadium, there was no question where they were. The foundation was still in place as fragments of its walls rose up like the broken teeth of a giant mouth. There were unnatural boulders from the wall in a heap within its borders. The stone itself looked alien. It was deep blue granite with golden and smokey specks.

“I’m surprised no one has carried this off. The stone itself must be worth a fortune and should make a formidable building material.”

“That’s the problem,” Huifen replied. Instead of saying more, she flew forward and found a small pebble-size piece of the wall. She tossed it to him.

Catching it with one hand, he immediately felt the tug of gravity as he had to put effort into holding the small stone without dropping it. It wasn’t unbearable for one with his cultivation, but it didn’t even make sense that something in such a little package could be so heavy.

“How’s this possible?” He wondered aloud.

“Not only is it incredibly dense, but it’s as difficult to manipulate as sky realm ore,” Huifen informed. “People make trinkets with it, and even weapons, but it’s too much for most to use in the construction of large structures. This is also just the beginning. Most of the monoliths are made of the same stone so it’s far from being rare. If someone wanted to take it, no one would stop them, but those that could make good use of it don’t belong to this lower realm.”

“So this is why everyone is so certain this region used to belong to a divine realm cultivator or sect. And yet something destroyed an entire city made of this stuff…”

“Not just a city, but an entire civilization. Come. There are many places to explore. We could spend all day just digging through this one building when there are thousands in the same condition.”

When he fell into contemplation, she flew over to him and cleared her throat.

“What is it?”

“Husband, you have the same look you had when you saw the inside of the Ice Phoenix Palace for the first time. Next, you’ll be thanking me profusely for bringing you here.”

“Yes. I think I will.”

This time her annoyance was feigned and was purely to tease him. He wasn’t sure if she realized it, but he could easily tell when she wasn’t being serious.

And so, they began to explore. This area off the road had been picked clean of any hidden treasure long ago. There had no doubt been overlords that visited and left no stone unturned. That didn’t discourage their search. Just as in the first store they’d stop in in the capital city, they weren’t looking for treasure, but were seeing the world for the first time. Chao was worried Huifen wouldn’t share his enthusiasm. He knew his general level of curiosity for things was atypical. As he was drawn to every uniquely shaped stone, he was careful to gauge her reaction. When they’d moved on to their fifth building and he unwittingly lifted a small boulder with his qi to reveal a cellar of some kind, she was quick to help him move more stone, showing her own excitement.

They explored it with their perceptions first but were soon descending the partially intact staircase. The room was small and smelled of musty dirt. There was nothing left of note. Finding the room was a discovery itself.

“Do you want to see if some of the other buildings have similar rooms?” Huifen asked.

“And leave the treasure?” he said with a secretive grin.

“Treasure?”

“Eatable treasure.”

She began to scan the room again when her eyes landed on a puddle in one corner with mushrooms growing on the floor and wall. “You can eat these?”

“The round ones, no,” he replied, pointing to the ones on the floor. “These, however.” He pointed to the flatter ones with pointy edges. “Have an interesting salty, sweet taste. You can also dry them like fruit, and they become even sweeter.”

Rubbing his hands together, he began to harvest.

They spent the rest of their day looking for similar little rooms and found a few others. Only one of them had more eatable mushrooms. With sunset drawing near, they continued down the road and stopped at the first town they came across. Chao had had enough rest for a while, so they didn’t plan to sleep that night.

The town was larger than many of the villages they’d stayed at. It was more of an adventurer’s hub than anything else. It was commonly the first place anyone stopped when traveling from the south to the monoliths.

They picked one of the smaller inns that smelled of freshly cut wood. The insides were just as fresh, so they thought it might be a new establishment. An older man at the front desk greeted them politely, but he was obviously dealing with weighty matters. He guided them to an open dining room where they took a seat off to one side.

Chao was just as anxious to examine their surroundings for any possible threats, so they immediately noticed that the patrons were just as glum as the innkeeper.

“Husband,” Huifen said, gesturing with her eyes toward a specific table.

Sitting there he found a young girl of maybe nine or ten with dark curly hair and an expression more downcast than all the rest. That wasn’t the oddest thing about her.

“Why is she alone?” His wife added under her breath.

They waited patiently for their food. When the serving woman delivered their plates, Chao asked the woman that very thing.

“Oh, poor little Yu-yan? She’s staying with us for a time. Her family was killed in the recent attack.”

“Someone attacked you? Who?”

Chao shared his wife’s change in demeanor. It was possible an outside force was attacking northern settlements because they thought the Monolith Continent had been weakened from their recent battle.

The woman hesitated but replied to their question. “It wasn’t a who, exactly, but an army of ghosts.”

Chapter 23

When his wife looked at him, Chao knew what she was thinking. This army of ghosts must have been the lingering spirits recently killed by cultivators visiting the monoliths.

“Why are there so many?” Huifen asked.

“Who’s to tell,” the waitress replied. “Someone in town may have scorned a traveling group of adventurers and they sought revenge, or someone was just being careless.”

“So they were the lingering spirits of dire beasts?” Chao asked.

“As far as we can tell. Dire wolves are common to the area, but almost all dire beasts are attracted to the unique qi that gathers in the region. If it weren’t for the godforsaken adventurers like the girl’s parents, our old inn wouldn’t have burnt down.”

“Barra,” the innkeeper’s voice boomed as he marched toward her. “If it weren’t for her Duan family, an untold number of people would’ve died in the attack. They sacrificed their lives for us. I won’t stand for you ridiculing them under my roof.”

The woman bowed her head, and her cheeks became blush. “Yes, Master Hong. I didn’t mean to heap the blame on them. I just…”

“It’s okay, woman. Go apologize to the girl, for she undoubtedly heard you, and take her this.”

The man was holding a slice of pie, which he passed to the waitress.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” the man said. He wore a merchant’s hat and had a few days growth of facial hair that was coming in patchy. “Barra lost most of her belongings in the fire, so she’s understandably bitter.”

“You’re convinced adventurers caused the attack?” Chao asked.

“They are certainly responsible for killing so many beasts, but how so many came at once is what’s peculiar about the recent attack. Even if there are hundreds of them out there, it’s rare for even one of their ghosts to go into a frenzy. It’s only happened a few times in this town’s memory, and never with so many at once.”

“And they burnt down your old inn?”

“Yes. There must have been a lamp still lit that was knocked over by one of the lingering spirits while we were out. We gathered everyone and fled to the town center where the local cultivators could protect us. The girl’s parents were two such cultivators. They were adventurers that had settled here to raise the girl but didn’t want to be too far away from the monoliths. In the end, the place of their dreams became their grave.”

“We are saddened by your loss,” Huifen replied. “How long ago was this?”

“The attack…” The man blinked a few times as if trying to resort his thoughts amidst his exhaustion. “Four days.”

“And you already have a new building?” Chao asked in amazement.

“I had enough funds saved up to pay cultivators to do the work. It was up in a day. With their help, it took two more days to get this place running again. I wouldn’t normally demand such haste, but I wasn’t the only one without a home. Barra is one of three of my employees that live here, and the girl needed a place to stay. I know it’s foolish with the lingering spirits still being out there in mass, but…”

“She has no family then?” Huifen said inquisitively.

Chao noticed his wife’s change in demeanor.

“None. I can keep her fed and give her a place to sleep, but I don’t have the time to raise her properly. There are others that might take her in. Many are thinking of leaving this place after recent events.”

He watched his wife as she appraised what the man said. When she looked up at him, he knew she was going to act.

Huifen stood, watching the girl as she was now picking at her pie as well as her mostly full plate. “Has the girl ever shown the desire to follow her parents into cultivation? They’ve done a good job getting her to the early stages of the blood realm…”

“Before the attack, I’d say yes,” the innkeeper answered. “But now, she hardly speaks. Of course, it has only been days…”

“I see. My husband and I are friends of the Ice Phoenix Palace. They’d be more than willing to take her in. What are your thoughts on this?”

“The—it would be a great honor to the girl’s parents,” the man replied, showing the hint of a smile for the first time. “They were rogue cultivators, but the good sort. They spoke nothing but praise for the Ice Phoenix Sect. The only objection would be that they’d want her to have the option of marrying.”

“That’s not a problem. The Ice Phoenix Sect is currently undergoing a reformation of sorts. Marriage is now being encouraged and that won’t change.”

The man was nodding. “Then that only leave the girl’s willingness and proof that you’ll be true to your word.”

“Proof?”

Straitening himself, the innkeeper didn’t take back what he said. “The girl’s parents were heroes, and I must do right by them. Leaving Yu-yan’s fate in the hands of two strangers after one conversation isn’t the way to go about things, even at the promise of her being taken in by the Ice Phoenix Sect. Especially then. Some might say that this might be too good to be true.”

Huifen gave the man a sad smile. “That’s fair. Then I’ll talk with the girl, if you don’t mind, then my husband and I will prove to you that we mean her no harm.”

Chao was already standing and was quick to back up what his wife said. “Yes, my Fen’er.” He had to consciously stop himself from grinning at using her fake identity. The gloomy context of the conversation helped.

“Very well,” the man replied, walking with them as they approached the girl.

Watching his wife carefully, Chao stopped with the man when they neared the table to let Huifen approach her alone. He’d rarely seen her interact with the younger cultivators in the sect, let alone children. Their time at the Golden Palace wasn’t a good example because of the sour history between them. Surprisingly, he noticed his wife begin to circulate Heart of Ice. She rarely did so during social interactions.

“Duan Yu-yan,” Huifen said to gain the girl’s attention.

She glanced up blankly but didn’t shy away from looking her in the face.

“This one is Fen’er—a friend of the Ice Phoenix Palace. I’ve heard of your parents’ bravery and come to make their daughter an offer. Before that, my husband Tao and I will put an end to the threat your parents faced. Do you have the courage to come with us? There’s a chance you’ll see your parents one last time.”

When his Huifen looked at him, Chao knew she was remembering what he’d told her in the first days of their meeting. He’d often wished his mother hadn’t reached the sky realm, for then she’d become a lingering spirit in her death, and he would’ve been able to play for her. He felt his throat tighten but had every intention of following through with her suggestion.

“Her parents were of the nascent realm?” Huifen asked the innkeeper.

“Earth realm,” he corrected. “Do you really intend—”

“There’s no need to worry. Even if there were tens of thousands of spirits, they possess no danger under my husband's song.”

“And if they’ve been spelled by an evil witch or warlock?”

Chao almost laughed at the man’s use of terms. “Then my wife will be there to end them before they become a threat.”

“Even our Sky Realm cultivators were at the mercy of so many. These weren’t just low realm dire beasts, but several of them were in the nascent and earth realms.”

“Then call the cultivators of your fair town if it makes you more comfortable,” Huifen said. “This is not a threat we can allow to continue as it is. The more powerful a lingering spirit was in life, the longer it will take for it to dissipate naturally. If the attack was only four days ago, then it’s still a very real possibility that it could happen again. We’ll take care of it with or without your blessing.”

“I–I, Barra,” the man yelled.

She ran over in a hurry. “Master Hong?”

“Run to the town center and tell the mayor our friends here are going to take care of the ghosts’ threat,” he said, turning back to Huifen. “How?”

“Where is the more important question. Did most of the lingering spirits flee in a specific direction? And is there a place with a large clearing in that area?”

“Uh, yes. Yes, they mostly fled to the west. There is a large area near there used for festivals.”

“Can you lead the way?”

“I can.”

Huifen then leaned down to get on the little girl’s level. Her Heart of Ice technique was no longer circulating. “Would you like to come with me to see your parents one last time?”

Showing the first signs of life, the girl nodded in the affirmative and took the outstretched hand.

The innkeeper knelt down and asked the girl if she was sure she wanted to come. She gave a firm nod. Standing, he turned to Huifen and then Chao. “I’m trusting you.”

It was a short walk to reach the town’s limits. It was a little further to the festival grounds. When they arrived, there were already three sky realm cultivators hovering there just overhead to greet them. Greet might’ve been the wrong word.

“What’s the meaning of this?” One man in dirt-stained robes called out.

The best dressed one placed his hand on the man’s shoulder and flew forward. He even descended a few meters to seem less imposing. “I am Mayor Zhuang. We were informed of your intention to take care of the spirits that recently attacked us. I must ask that you don’t interfere. There was enough loss of life from a single attack. Your intentions are honorable, but we can’t bare another assault if anything goes wrong.”

Chao quickly scanned their cultivations and concluded they must have all been from decent sized sects. Their cores were of one pure element and without the flaws that were common amongst rogue cultivators. They were powerful enough to keep a settlement like this in one piece against normal dire beast attacks. It made him think that hundreds of lingering spirits were likely an underestimation.

He felt pity for this trio as he addressed them. “Mayor Zhuang, I am Tao and this is my wife Fen’er. I can guarantee that there will be no danger to your town.”

“Hello, friend Tao. Once again, I acknowledge your good intentions, but we can’t go solely on your word when people’s lives are at stake.”

Turning to his wife, he surrounded the two of them in a small sound barrier. “Should we show them?”

“What’s the point of hiding our cultivation if we reveal it every time we meet someone new?” She replied.

“It’s just the easiest method. Do you have any other ideas?”

“Maybe. Follow my lead?”

“Yes, my Fen’er.”

Bending down, she addressed the girl. “Hold on to Master Hong’s hand for a minute while I discuss something with the mayor.”

The girl nodded then tiptoed over to the innkeeper.

Without a word, Huifen left her sash in place and flew up to meet the sky realm mayor.

The other two sky realm cultivators flew forward to support him in case things turned violent. The man held out his arms to steady them.

“As you can see, my husband and I are disguising our cultivations. We have no plan of telling you more, but I’m revealing this much to you so that you can be confident in our guarantee. Even if my husband fails and there’s thousands of lingering spirits, I can promise you that no one will be harmed. If you wish to gather everyone together in one place to make things easier, we will accommodate you, but we do not need, nor ask, for your permission to take care of this threat.”

“You dare,” the sky realm cultivator who’d first called out to them growled.

He was just a few meters from Huifen when he attacked her with a weak attack that held no killing intent.

She didn’t move. The force and his water technique splashed apart against her defensive aura. She didn’t even look at the man but address the mayor again. “If you prefer to bring the entire town here to spectate, then you will hear no complaints from us. No one may interfere, however, or, for their own safety, I will force them to comply. We’re not asking permission, but it’s not because we hold no respect for you or your fair town. It is just the opposite. Much has been thrust upon your shoulders in the last few days. We’ll relieve you for a few hours. It’s the least we can do.”

When the man that attacked her thought to do so again with a much more powerful attack, the mayor had had enough and blasted him in the side with a powerful burst of qi.

“Old Zhuang,” the man shouted. Chao was quick to shield the girl and innkeeper from the volume of sound a sky realm cultivator could produce in his fury.

“Shut it, Bartolomeo. You aren’t her match and I’d hate for your ego to get you killed after what we’ve just suffered. Even you’d be missed.”

“Mayor,” the innkeeper called out. “Friend Fen’er and her husband have intimate connections with the Ice Phoenix Sect. They’re offering to take Yu-yan with them to give her a home and future.”

“This is true?”

“It is,” Huifen replied. “The Sage of First Snow, Pangfua, will be visiting this area in a few days with her sect. She and I have some friendship. We are headed to the Divine Spire to meet her. She won’t hesitate to take the girl in.”

“Very well. Then what do you suggest. Should we summon our people to the town center as a precaution?”

She turned back to get Chao’s opinion. “Husband, what say you?”

He scanned the field where the festival took place and found an area where many rough wooden benches and logs were cut smooth to be used for seating. There was no stage to speak of, but that didn’t matter.

“It would be better to bring everyone here and have them sit so that any lingering spirits that happen to come from the other side of town won’t cause a scare. They won’t harm anyone, but I can’t guarantee that if the townspeople attack them in fear. It will also be easier to protect everyone from my song if they’re all in one place.”

“Bring them here?” The mayor asked woodenly.

“Yes. If any of them lost family or friends, as long as their lingering spirits haven’t dissipated, they’re likely to see them one last time.”

“That’s impossible,” Bartolomeo said from where he hovered now off to the side. “Isn’t it? Won’t they be just as savage as the dire beast spirits?”

“Not this time.”

“Then we’ll summon the town. Do you need time to set up?”

Removing his new pipa from his spatial ring, Chao then shook his head. “I have all that I need.”

Chapter 24

After the recent tragedy, the town was quick to mobilize at the mayor’s request. It took little more than an hour for everyone, including the elderly, to come and find a seat. There were only about five hundred of them in total. It seemed many people had already left since the attack.

When Huifen asked Chao if he wanted to address the crowd, he asked if she would do it. It didn’t have to be said that what he was about to do would take an emotional toll on him. He hadn’t even started playing and he couldn’t help but to think of his mother. To be able to do this for others that had lost their loved ones… He focused on his breathing to keep some semblance of calm.

He sat on a stump at the front of the sitting area. The girl Yu-yan was sitting at his side on a stump slightly taller than his. Her feet dangled.

He gave her a warm smile. She was still quite distant and lost in herself.

As his wife flew above the heads of all the people sitting behind him and instructed them on what was about to happen, Chao began to talk to the girl in the same way his mother had when he was young. Her repetitive lessons had been so ingrained in his memory that he repeated them word for word.

“Lingering spirits do not possess the souls of deceased creatures as many believe. They’re what is left of the spiritual energy a creature developed over its lifetime. They have only traces of personality and are driven by lingering emotion. As their remaining energy is used up, they lose form and eventually dissolve. Once someone reaches the level of sky cultivator, their spirit merges with their body and they won’t leave a lingering spirit after their death.”

He turned to find the girl nodding as her lethargic gaze scanned the tree line hundreds of meters away.

“Once I start to play, the spirits will come. I will shield you from my song’s strength. Its influence is powerful. Especially over the spirits. They will be caught up in it and any hostility they possess will be lost in the music. Once they are all here, I’ll change the song and they’ll begin to dance. If the heavens allow it, we will see your parents in spirit form before they dissipate.”

“Will they also dance?” The girl asked.

“They will. Are you ready?”

She nodded, livelier than before.

Glancing back, his eyes met those of his wife. She gestured that everything was ready.

He didn’t look back at the crowd, for he sensed them as clearly through the sounds they were making as he did with his eyes. He didn’t set a barrier but injected his will into his song as he started to play. Those around him would hear it while remaining mostly unaffected by its enhancement.

“Sorrow summons, happiness tames, and drowsiness sends them on their way,” he said in the little girl’s hearing. “There is a time to cry. If you feel the need, now is one of those times.”

And so, a sad song filled the night’s air. Chao’s emotion empowered it further as it tended to.

He soon felt his wife by his side. They shared a damp-eyed smile then looked to the tree line.

There were a few gasps when the first spirit appeared. It was that of a small bird flapping steadily toward them. When the next one came, a few people came to their feet. It was one of the dire wolves common to the area.

Huifen took to the air then encouraged them to remain calm.

Chao watched the girl sitting on the stump beside him. There was awe, and a little bit of fear.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” he reassured her. “I was much younger than you when I first summoned the spirits with my mother.”

Not too long after he said it, the entire forest brightened. Spirits started approaching in mass, but that wasn’t all. He could hear from the protests of the crowd that they were coming from all directions, including the direction of the town.

It wasn’t just protests he heard, but quiet sobs came from every corner of the crowd. He was shielding them from his enhancement, not the music itself. It possessed a magic of its own.

***

From high above them in the night’s sky, a divine being with vivid red hair was staring wide-eyed at the scene below. Her master’s son, Long Chao had tried to play for her often, and it had always been a happy tune. Tonight’s song was something different. It lacked the normal power of his playing, but that didn’t stop it from piercing Billi’s every defense.

She’d heard sad music countless times before so why was it affecting her now? Her tears had already soaked her face and left trails down her neck. There were wet splotches on her martial uniform where droplets had fallen from her chin. Had she simply needed this or was there some hidden power in the young man’s music? Perhaps, it was her new freedom that released some subconscious obstruction that finally allowed her to grieve without restraint.

It wasn’t long before she forgot where she was entirely. She let herself remember. To mourn. Upon a soft blanket of nothingness, she held herself up with her hands and knees, wailing tears of water and blood. There was so much taken from her. She’d had no escape. Childhood, love, fun, sorrow… And there was a lingering feeling mixed with all the others that she wouldn’t fully recognize until after she’d calmed down. She had her first sense of it. This was what it felt like to be free. To feel what you felt without the accompanied shame of a master’s opinion or having to hide it from others. The closest thing she’d ever had to joyful tears joined in with the rest.

Young Master Chao’s words repeated many times in her mind even after the music had ended. “There is a time to cry. If you feel the need, now is one of those times.”

***

When the time came for Chao to switch to his happy song, Huifen couldn’t hold back her concern. Whether so many lingering spirits had been present during the town’s attack, or her husband’s song had simply attracted more of them from much further away than ever before, she couldn’t be sure, but there weren’t just hundreds of spirits. She flew up to get a better vantage. Thousands were in the surrounding area, and more were coming.

She returned to her husband’s side, ignoring the tentative complaints from the crowd.

As soon as she touched down, he surrounded them with a sound barrier.

“What is it, my Fen’er?”

“There are so many,” she said. “I’m thinking of thinning their numbers, but I don’t want to cause them to stampede or rampage.”

“Just wait until the music changes. Once they start dancing, you can end them without fear. Just leave the human ones remaining if you can.”

“I will.”

She walked around her husband, passed the now dumbfounded innkeeper, and knelt at Yu-yan’s side.

“After this is over, would you like to come with me to learn to be as brave as your parents?”

The girl looked at her without a sign of tears in her eyes. “What about Uncle Hong. I don’t want to leave him alone.”

“You can always come back to visit. And when you’ve grown, you’ll have the power to protect him and this place on your own.”

The girl stared off as she considered it. Her eyes were soon enticed by the milky spirits, and she watched them as she considered. “Okay, but… Will I really have the strength to protect everyone?”

“If you work hard and develop your martial spirit. Yes. Let me show you.”

With a look, her husband took it as a sign and changed his song to a happy one. As always, he allowed some of his enhancement to seep into the ears of the people listening. She saw it on their faces as well as heard it in their voices. Their protests changed until the entire town was dazed with unwanted delight.

She couldn’t help but to look back at the man she had married. Why had she ever felt life any other way was worth living? If it wasn’t for him, the dull existence of an ice fairy was all she’d know. Now, nothing seemed bleaker to her than that.

She allowed the joyful music to bring a smile to her face, then flew up to hover a few stories above the townsfolk. As she thought of how she should handle so many lingering spirits, an idea began to form.

Taking a seed out of her spatial ring, she coated it in nature qi. Picking her target, she flicked the seed toward it. A dire wolf the size of a cow was prancing up and down like a puppy as the seed pierced through its ethereal heart cavity. Its well-defined ghostly visage puffed into midst. The other lingering spirits were too lost in their own dance to notice or care.

Removing seeds by the hundreds, she held them off to the side with her qi as she began to pick her targets. As an overlord from the Ice Phoenix Sect, her control was beyond what even the town’s sky realm leaders could comprehend. Within seconds, it was like a cloud of spiritual energy was blanketing the festival grounds.

Huifen wasn’t just covering the seeds with qi but activating the nature element’s absorbing attribute. The seeds didn’t just disperse the lingering spirit’s energy. They captured some of it for their own use. She’d never met Long An, but after all the stories and being surrounded my people the woman had loved, she felt a certain amount of kinship with her. She wasn’t entirely sure this would work, but she intended to leave the town with a little surprise.

Within minutes, hundreds of lingering spirits fell, leaving their qi to enrich the ground and blow wherever it may.

She felt the man’s presence as he approached. She didn’t turn to face him but continued her work.

“Senior fairy,” Bartolomeo, the man that had attacked her began. “Please forgive my foolishness and hotheadedness. I should’ve never challenged you.”

She thought back to her conversation with Chao about mercy. Even before she’d met him, she never would’ve pursued this man’s transgression, but many in this world would have. “Your care for these people is commendable. Just be careful that your zeal doesn’t become the cause of their downfall.”

“Yes senior.”

The man left when there was a scream from below. “Husband.”

Huifen felt the mayor move to intercept a woman who was up and running toward the field of lingering spirits. The man held her there as she wept.

The woman was just the first of many who began to recognize the spirits of their friends and family in the throng of ghosts.

Huifen continued her work, holding back tears of her own. She quickly saw Chao and saw what she knew she would find. He was tear-faced and grinning. He spoke with Yu-yan to keep himself under control as much as to comfort her.

Summoning even more seeds from her spatial ring, Huifen took his example and focused on removing any non-human lingering spirits from the field. It was qi intensive since she was making use of her nature laws, but as an overlord it made little difference. Her skill with her ice lotus technique and use of each individual pedal as a weapon translated to the seeds beautifully. It was just a concentration of qi and execution of force.

“Mama,” a young voice cried. Huifen saw Yu-yan standing. She was filled with the joy of a child and love of a daughter. It took all of Huifen’s strength to keep from going to the girl and weeping. If that wasn’t enough, she found her husband watching the girl with the same intensity he had when studying the laws. She knew he was determined to memorize the girl’s reaction and never forget.

A few minutes later, the girl spotted her father.

Huifen had cleared the field and the surrounding forest. She descended, landing next to Chao and kissed the top of his head.

He smiled.

She spent some time watching the townsfolk. There wasn’t a dry eye in their midst. Many people came up to thank them while the music was still playing. It was their reactions to seeing deceased loved ones that she’d never forget.

“Even in death my husband can’t dance. Not that it ever stopped him.”

“Father.”

“Mother.”

“You stinky old coot.”

“You’re better looking in death than you ever were in life.”

Much of the conversation was sorrowful, but it didn’t stay that way. There was something about the music that put people in the right mood. It wasn’t long until laughter was as common as whimpers.

Chao commonly played for an hour. It was all that was necessary to cultivate his mother’s garden, but that night he didn’t stop. By dawn, the remaining lingering spirits were but a wisp of what they’d once been. After all their activity that night, it wasn’t long before the weaker ones simply dissolved. The stronger ones took longer.

Some of the last remaining ones were Yu-yan’s parents. Not only were they still dancing, but they were dancing together.

“Does that happen often?” She asked her husband.

“Never, but I’ve rarely seen human spirits. It’s the first time I’ve seen anything like it.”

Yu-yan was still wiping the sleepies from her eyes but had awoken ten minutes earlier. She looked over at the sound of their conversation.

Chao explained. “Your parents loved each other very much.”

The girl simply nodded her head as if she never doubted.

“It’s time to say goodbye, Little Yu-yan,” he said softly.

She saw the girl ball her hands into fist and she called out. “Bye, momma. Bye, papa.”

Then her Chao, the wonderful man that he was, enhanced the girl’s words and put them right in the spirit’s hearing. The emotion they contained couldn’t be denied. What remained of the girl’s parents stopped dancing. They looked in Yu-yan’s direction as if they recognized her. It was then that they started to dissipate, leaving nothing but a light mist behind.

The girl plopped down in her seat. “I think I heard them say, ‘Bye.’”

Huifen couldn’t take it anymore. She’d walked over to the girl’s log and scooped her up into her arms.

Playing the last note, Chao slowly came to his feet and put his pipa away. She found him watching her a moment later.

“What are you looking at?” she asked, feeling a tinge of embarrassment.

He replied, “The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m hungry,” Yu-yan said, interrupting their moment, causing them both to laugh. The innkeeper laughed with them. He hadn’t left the girl’s side all night.

“Follow me to the inn,” Hong said. “I’ll make everyone breakfast and gather her things. Will you depart with her today?”

“If possible, yes,” Huifen admitted, putting the girl down.

“That’s probably best. Come Yu-yan. You can help me in the kitchen one last time.”

She scurried to walk at the man’s side as he headed for town.

***

It was only a few days later when one of the local women happened by the festival grounds and she saw the field had been overtaken by violet blossoms. It would still be a few moons before they started bearing fruit, but once they did the town would have a rich harvest of ample qi fruit. Even the leaves of the plant could be eaten and would help low realm cultivators.

The town’s three sky realm protectors arrived soon after and were able to identify the flowers.

“Who were they?” Bartolomeo asked.

“Sages, at the least,” The mayor replied.

“I was courting death and didn’t know it.”

“Hopefully, this time it will sink in.” His admonishment wasn’t without charity. He cuffed the man on the arm in good humor. “Let’s go. We have much planning to do.”

“Lets.”

Chapter 25

The two of them left the town early in the afternoon with the girl, Duan Yu-yan, at their side. Chao would’ve normally taken the lead to talk to the girl and keep her company, but he made a conscious effort to hold back to see how his Huifen handled it. He was pleasantly surprised.

He never doubted her care for the girl. It was how practiced she was in filling their conversation with little snippets of general cultivation information and about the Ice Phoenix Sect that made him wonder. She spoke to the girl as an adult—never speaking down to her. He thought back to his early days with Huifen and found it had mostly been the same for him. Alas, she was an ice fairy with all the frigid grace that that implied. Knowing his wife as he did, and the heart behind her approach, he saw a charm in it that he used to think was callous majesty.

They no longer slowed their pace. When the girl became too tired and needed to rest, he carried her.

Popping some herbs into his mouth, they kept him refreshed. Huifen took some as well. She rather enjoyed them. They didn’t stop that night.

When the divine cultivator Billi descended to have supper with them, Yu-yan didn’t even bat an eye. She didn’t have much concept of the different cultivation realms. Her first comment to the woman was an inquisitive one.

“I like your hair.”

Billi wasn’t as standoffish as she’d been with them. “Thank you. You can touch it if you like.”

“Yes, please.”

Then the redheaded blood cultivator came over to a blanket laid out and squatted down to the girl’s level.

Yu-yan didn’t come up from behind or the flank, but right to her. She leaned just centimeters from the woman’s face and felt the strands by her ear. She collected it in her hand and lifted it, letting it fall. “You’re very pretty. Would you like me to brush it for you?”

Billi just nodded.

The girl skipped over to her stuff and found a wooden brush in her bag. She held it up to show off as she hurried back. Yu-yan’s melancholy had anything but disappeared, but she saw an opportunity to make friends and put her sadness on hold.

“Mama used to do this for me all the time. If I pull too hard, let me know. I do that sometimes.”

Chao watched the little girl as she sat about to brush Billi’s hair. She started humming to herself.

Billi, on the other hand, stared emotionlessly into the distance from where she sat.

Chao’s father had said she had sisters. Was that why she was so comfortable around the girl?

He finished preparing a plate, then handed two of them to Huifen. He motioned for her to take it to them. She understood his meaning. He could be considered an intruder in the blood cultivator’s mind, but if it was just the three girls, it might be good for her.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he said, deactivating all but the passive array hiding them. He scanned the area again to be safe. Then he went for a walk. He wouldn’t go far and might as well forage a little while he was gone. It would be their last night before joining up with Sage Pangfua and the joint sect disciples.

***

Huifen was careful as she sat down close by as Yu-yan bushed Billi’s hair. She wasn’t sure if she would interrupt the blood cultivator’s rare moment of peace, so she remained at a distance. It was a few minutes before the woman seemed to notice something.

“Why did Young Master Chao leave us?”

“He didn’t want to interrupt,” Huifen answered. “He thought the three of us might enjoy some girl time without him.”

“Big Brother Chao is a very caring person,” Yu-yan added. Then she proceeded to tell them of all that happened last night even though they’d both witnessed it. She was at the age that talking was natural for her. Her silence the last few days had been an exception, not the rule.

When the girl had talked herself out of breath, Billi responded. “So he’s caring?”

“Yup. Mama would say, ‘He has a big heart.’ And Papa would say, ‘It’s larger than a dragon’s heart.’ Which is gross.”

“You think blood is gross?”

Huifen grew pensive as Yu-yan answered. “Yup. When I was younger, I used to throw up if I just saw a bug get squashed. I’m bigger now, though, and have even helped butcher the chickens. They’re gross too. Their feathers get everywhere. And if you don’t wash your hands, your stomach can be sour for days.”

“I think it’s gross, as well. I’ve never butchered chickens before.”

She did?

“I could show you, but I wasn’t allowed to hold the knife. And—I, uh, closed my eyes. I can’t believe those poor chickens are dead.”

Huifen needed to say something. “But don’t you think there’s something beautiful about it?” What was she saying? “It’s just like the color of Senior Billi’s hair.”

“That’s true,” Yu-yan agreed. “It’s sticky. The color is pretty, though.”

When the divine cultivator gave her a contemplative glance, Huifen smiled clumsily.

“You don’t have to care for my feelings,” the woman said.

“Senior, I want you to feel comfortable. And what she said is true. I’ve seen you use your blood cultivation. It’s gruesome, but there’s also something beautiful about it. And you’re beautiful. One look at you and one can only expect charm and grace. It’s one of the reasons you make such a terrifying warrior.”

“I know I’m terrifying.”

“You can be. But that’s not all.”

Yu-yan giggled and leaned over the woman’s shoulder from behind to address her directly. “I don’t think you’re terrifying. You’re nice. And have the prettiest hair in the world. Mine gets all knotty, but yours is so smooth.”

“I’m nice?”

Huifen nodded. “Ever since you’ve gained your freedom, you’ve done nothing but help. With Sage Ping, keeping Chao and me company during our meals, and now spending time with Yu-yan when she needs a friend… You don’t have to be great at social interactions to be a friend.”

“Friend?”

The girl brushing her hair took that opportunity to wrap her arms around the woman’s neck and squeeze her from behind. “Yup. Big Sister Billi and Big Sister Huifen are good friends. I—” The girl sniffled when remembering something but didn’t let the redheaded woman go.

Several scenarios played through Huifen’s head as she thought of the worst possible ways the woman could react. Instead of violence or panic, Billi placed her hand on the girl’s arm and held it there.

It was a minute later when the woman asked. “Is there another brush or comb?”

When Yu-yan stopped and also looked at her, Huifen was caught unprepared. She found herself removing a comb without thinking. She reached out and handed it to the woman who held it up like she was waiting for Huifen to scootch closer. So she did.

There wasn’t much change in Billi’s expression, but she showed great care in the way she combed through Huifen’s hair. She worked through it as well, showing an expert hand. She’d done this before.

Huifen dared a question. “Senior. Have you spent much time with your sisters?”

Her answer came easy. “Not in many years, but when I was younger… They didn’t want us to compete, so they allowed us to grow together—train together. It was used against us. We all knew it. If one of us tried to leave or killed ourselves, then the others would suffer.”

It was Yu-yan who didn’t hold back what she was thinking. “Not even dire beast would do such a thing.”

“Humans can be far more vicious than dire beasts,” the blood cultivator said evenly.

To her surprise, Billi spent that night with them. Chao was gone for a few hours but must have grown uncomfortable having the defensive formations inactive. He sat ten meters away from them and busied himself with his tinkering. Yu-yan was already asleep, so he skipped over any of his work with sound.

For most of the night, she and Billi just sat there. The girl was sleeping between them, but they were having a soft conversation. It came a question at a time with long bouts of silence between them. There were a few instances where Chao sent whispers to Huifen’s ear. They were light teases and compliments. He didn’t like to go long without flirting.

When the sun rose, the girl woke, and Chao served breakfast. They left soon after that. It was the early afternoon when Billi announced she’d be leaving because they’d soon arrive. She didn’t want to cause a stir with her presence. Yu-yan was well-mannered and fairly reserved, especially for her age, but as soon as the divine cultivator said it, she ran up and hugged her around the waist.

“We’ll miss you, Big Sister. Will you come to visit me at the Ice Phoenix Sect?”

The closest thing Huifen had ever seen to a smile touched Billi’s face. It was just a twitch at the corner of her mouth, but it was something. “You want me to come visit?”

“Very much. And Big Sister Huifen too. Big Brother Chao will come, of course, because boys aren’t allowed to be rude.”

He snickered but didn’t say a word.

“I’ll be gone for some time,” Billi said, “but when I return, I’ll come see you.”

The girl squealed and hugged her even tighter.

The divine cultivator rested her hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“Thank you for all your help, Senior,” Huifen said. “This one has enjoyed getting to know you.”

“Yes.” Was all she said in reply.

Yu-yan let go of her waist and stepped back to wave.

“Billi,” Chao said suddenly, pulling their attention with his complete lack of formality. “Welcome to the Long family.” He gave her a deep martial salute.

She didn’t move. She just stared back at him, incapable of processing what was happening. Ultimately, she just returned his martial salute and flew away.

When Huifen gave him a complicated look, he replied. “I like her.”

“I do too.”

“So do I,” Yu-yan said seriously, insistent on joining the adult conversation without understanding its true meaning.

Chao walked over to the girl and said, “You know, you have pretty hair too.” Then he placed his hand on her head and messed it thoroughly.

The girl went bright red, huffing out her annoyance.

When they finally arrived at their destination, they found a building that had remained standing. It wasn’t just any building, but a tower with a base larger than many pagodas and more than seven stories tall. Instead of the divine granite common to the area, this one was black with silver specks. It was like a starry night even in the noonday sun.

Then they saw the many disciples at ground level outside its entrance. Many were from the joint sect, but just as many were from other sects.

“This should be interesting,” Chao said.

Huifen couldn’t help but agree.

Chapter 26

They drew near on foot, and the sheer size of the tower became clear. It was a round building, as wide as all but the Ice Phoenix Palace. It was one of the few remaining structures left from this ancient civilization. No other location was more visited.

“It is called the Divine Spire, for no one knows the name of the sect or cultivator that it belonged to,” Huifen said to Yu-Yan’s inquisitive ear. “It’s theorized that it was either the trial grounds for an ancient sect, or the inheritance of a divine cultivator. Few of the trials inside will threaten one’s life, but it limits the number of times a person can attend some of the most popular ones. Much like a mystic realm, there are also many stations that can benefit one’s cultivation. The higher one ascends, the harder the trials and the more beneficial the stations become. However, those on the highest floors might even be too much for sky realm cultivators. As for the seventh floor, overlords have been unable to fully utilize the opportunities there. Such is the difficulty.”

Chao took in the glassy finish of the spire’s exterior. He knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish. This wouldn’t be a short-lived visit. They planned on being here for months.

The Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects always had a presence here. Only during the threat of the Sun Emperor had they drawn back, but Pangfua would’ve arrived within the last couple of days, reestablishing their sect’s preeminence in the region.

He found his Huifen watching him after what she’d said. Much of it was for him, he realized. She’d mentioned this place before, but here they were—finally. This single location was one of the greatest opportunities for cultivators on this continent and to the wider world. There was limited room in the tower, but the joint sect only reserved some spots, allowing other sects to come and go as they pleased. It was a paradise for rogue cultivators—often acting as their springboard to the heavens. If talent, skill, and luck were on their side, they could ascend to the earth, sky, and even overlord realms without the help of a sect. It explained why there were so many people.

He gave his wife a mischievous look. How couldn’t he? He was disguised as Tao the sound cultivator with his wife as Fen’er. She was a nature cultivator fond of orange dresses and flawed jade jewelry. They were respectable earth cultivators, but they’d be lucky to find entry into the Divine Spire even after months of waiting. Those with the most strength and the right relations would be allowed entry first. But they weren’t about to wait. Nor would they just attend to some of the trials on the lower floors. There were many secrets to this spire. Many puzzles that had yet to be solved even after thousands of years. It was rumor, legend, that there wasn’t just one inheritance waiting within these walls, but that of an entire civilization that had exceeded the comprehension of the current generation of lower realm cultivators.

It was like the fleeting dream of overly hopeful youth to believe such rumor, but Chao dared to hope. What if it hadn’t been a lower realm civilization that had thrived here? What if it had been a divine realm sect? What if Lifestone had once been a part of the divine realm?

Their pace was a comfortable one. That didn’t mean they were being careless. When they were still a kilometer out, a group approached them, incoming fast.

“Allow me,” Huifen said, directing Yu-yan to stand by Chao.

When he saw the anxiety in their young friend’s face, he chuckled, messing her hair again.

“Big Brother Ch—Tao,” she complained.

“Can’t help it. Your worried face looks ugly.”

She huffed, shaking the hair off her face. She didn’t buy it for a second. “Your every face looks ugly,” she retorted.

He gave her the creepiest grin he could manage.

She pretended to be revolted, but her smile came easy.

He let out a long, drawn-out breath. “When will you learn, Little Yu-yan? You simply look cuter with messy hair.”

He spied the grin tugging at his wife’s mouth.

Three cultivators at the earth realm arrived within seconds of each other. They were wearing different uniforms, which might explain why it looked like they’d been racing.

“Hold,” a woman commanded, wearing violet martial robes with an identical shade of eye liner that extended to the edge of her face. As haughty as can be, she addressed them. “There’re no places available for any new rogue cultivators. You will have to leave.”

“Dvora,” a man in what looked like wooden armor injected. “Stop with the bullying.” He brought his palm to his fist and addressed them. “Greetings, fellow cultivators. I am Baros of the Morning Mist Village. What the fairy from the Night Pearl Sect says isn’t far off, I’m afraid. The Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects have recently returned to the spire, so it has displaced many cultivators who’ve been waiting. There’s a six month wait for cultivators without sect support.”

 Huifen saluted the man. “I’m Tong Fen, and this is my husband Tao. We have an appointment. You needn’t worry about us.”

“There are multiple sects keeping track of every person that enters the spire,” The violet dressed woman said presumptively. “If you try to sneak in, it won’t end well.”

“So you’re assuming we’d endanger the child with us by breaking the rules?” Huifen replied.

The woman crossed her arms over her chest. Only then did she glance at Yu-yan as if seeing her for the first time.

“Children are not allowed in the spire,” a third man said, wearing green and yellow robes.

“She’s not here to cultivate,” Huifen reassured.

“No exceptions will be made.”

The Dvora woman gave her a snooty look. “It’s best if you leave.”

Chao saw Yu-yan's expression and messed her hair again.

She didn’t pull away this time but looked up at him regretfully. She thought she was making it impossible for them.

He gave her a wink.

“Are you going to make us leave by force?” Huifen asked. Her voice was even and relaxed.

The Night Pearl Sect woman glared at her but didn’t make a move.

“We will do nothing of the sort,” Baros said. “Will we Fairy Dvora?”

The woman closed her eyes as if to center herself. “Of course, not. You’ve been warned.” She didn’t give them another look before flashing away.

“You’ve been warned,” the less talkative man said before following her.

“Sorry for the harsh welcome,” the Morning Mist Village disciple said. “I wish you luck.” He waved before running off.

“It looks like this might be funner than I thought,” Chao said, nudging Yu-yan.

“Husband, we must be careful.”

“I’ll be good. I promise.”

“Good boy.”

Yu-yan giggled.

They continued on and it wasn’t long before they reached what looked like the outside of some extravagant camp. Maybe the beginning of a young town. There were more than a dozen permanent buildings and the tents were at least five times their number. Many of them stood like mobile pavilions. There were also quite a few formation arrays set up within the camp. He assumed they belonged to different sects and would give them a safer place to do business outside the tower.

There was no fence set up around the group, but there was a gate with a large welcoming party waiting for newcomers. There was no bypassing their perceptions, so Chao and Huifen didn’t bother trying. There wasn’t a line when they arrived, so they came right up to the gate made of a dark hardwood.

The same three cultivators that had greeted them were amongst the people there, but it was another woman in violet that received them. She had brownish orange hair and freckles across her nose and under her eyes. Her pupils were crystal blue. She must have been an elder of the Night Pearl Sect, for she had a sky realm cultivation.

Chao had to hold himself back from asking her if he could take a closer look. He’d never met someone with eyes like hers. Treating people like test subjects wasn’t exactly a comfortable experience for them. He knew that intimately after spending so much time training with Sage Kang.

“We understand you are rogue cultivators that insist on adding their names to the waiting list,” the woman said dully. She didn’t cultivate a technique similar to Heart of Ice, however. She was simply as irritable as Fairy Dvora was.

“No,” Huifen replied. “We’re here under the invitation of the Ice Phoenix Sect.”

The woman bit her tongue as if it would do anything to hide her grimace.

Chao noticed the younger woman Dvora in the back of the group. Her eyes widened and shot to the ground. It seemed it was the kind of information she was supposed to glean.

“Very well,” she said through grit teeth. “We will put your name on the contact list. Runners will be sent to the Ice Phoenix Sect representative later today. You’re welcome to remain outside of camp while you wait. What are your names?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Huifen replied. “We wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.”

When she didn’t say more, the Night Pearl Sect elder smirked, thinking she caught them in a lie. Only then did Huifen take out her transmission jade. It was something many medium-sized sects only had a few of even amongst their elders.

He saw the envy in the disciples surrounding them. His Huifen reached out to Sage Pangfua directly. She didn’t name who she was talking to. “Big Sister,” she said aloud. “Yes. We’ve arrived at the front gate. Thank you.” She put the jade away and stepped back, reaching for Yu-yan’s hand.

Chao resisted messing the girl’s hair as he stepped back with them. He knew it was in him to get carried away. His wife reminded him often. His main reason for pestering the girl was to distract her. She’d been through far too much this last week.

The stage was set. Everyone waited in anticipation. A few moments later, from the Ice and Fire Phoenix’s side of the camp that was right up near the entrance, an ice fairy shot into the sky. She soared up to the fourth story of the tower before changing trajectory. An instant later, she was coming toward them in a curved descent.

The woman touched down with cool grace. There were few fairies, if any, more beautiful than the woman that had come to greet them. The exception was the woman’s own daughter. His Huifen.

“Elder Sya,” Huifen said with a martial bow.

Chao did as well while guiding Yu-yan to mimic them.

“We hoped we’d see you today,” his mother-in-law said, bypassing pleasantries. She stepped up to Huifen to give her a close scan. “You look well.” She glanced between them.

“Very well.”

“And you, Junior Tao?” She cleared the distance between them with a single stride. He still didn’t think he knew the woman well, but even if her expressions were restricted, he could see the genuine concern in her eyes.

“Better than ever,” he reassured her.

Then she gave him one of her grins. Hers was far more natural than all but Sect Master Quinyuan’s.

He couldn’t help but respond with one in return.

“And who is this?” she said, putting on the face of an elder of the Ice Phoenix Sect.

Yu-yan saluted a second time. “I am Duan Yu-yan, fairy elder.”

“She has recently lost her parents,” Huifen said, stepping up to her mother’s side. “They were heroes that died fighting a few thousand lingering spirits while protecting their town. She has agreed to join the Ice Phoenix Sect.”

Even though the girl’s eyes were growing wet at the mention of what happened, she stood tall.

“I see,” Sya said, leaning down to get on the girl’s level. Her expression held a glimmer of hope. “You have my sympathy, little one. It pleases me to meet you.” The warmest expression Chao had ever seen the woman make beamed down at the girl.

“I’m happy to meet you, too.”

Straightening, Sya said, “Allow me to escort you to Sage Pangfua. She’s been anticipating your arrival.” Only then did she turn and look at the Night Pearl Sect representative. “Elder Alfori,” she said with a nod, then picked the three of them up with her qi and flew toward the tower’s entrance.

When Yu-yan began to squirm while flying for the first time, Huifen pulled the girl to her, holding her tight.

“Oh?” Chao said when he saw where they were heading.

“We have a limited number of people we can send inside at a time,” Mother Sya explained. “Our disciples rotate. They must sleep anyway, so it works out.”

“The other sects seem bitter that we are here.”

“Yes. Understandably so. We pulled out because of the Aureate Empire’s threat. Our return, even if the other sects gave in willingly, has taken seats from them all. There are few with bad intentions. They’re just disappointed. Watch out for that Alfori woman, as well as the Morning Mist Village disciples. They won’t harm anyone while we’re here, but don’t put bullying past them.”

“We’ve noticed,” Huifen replied. “They backed down when challenged, at least. We met a disciple of the Morning Mist Village. He was the only one amongst the three that greeted us that showed any manners.”

“That is their way. Polite as a deceitful snake. Be wary of them. The Night Pearl Sect is forthcoming with their annoyance, but they also led the way in convincing the others to give us the number of place holders we have.”

“Mmmm.”

“These checkpoints are annoying,” Sya said. “Let’s get you settled right away.”

She landed, setting them all down and marching up to the booth of ministers. There were five of them sitting side by side.

When they saw her, many of them stood and saluted, but not all. The man closest to the entrance remained seated. He had a head of curly brown hair and a matching beard. His smile was so inviting that it seemed fake. He wore wooden armor similar to that of Baros of the Morning Mist Village.

“Fairy Sya,” he called heartily. “How can this one help you?”

“Elder Harnish,” she said, turning so it looked like she was saluting the others sitting there but not him. “The Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect have two place holders not being used. This is Tong Tao and his wife Tong Fen. The spots have been reserved for them. They’re the guests of our joint sect and have unlimited access to the spire.”

“Unlimited?” The man replied. “For two earth realm cultivators?”

She didn’t bother responding.

“Fine. Fine,” the man gave in. “The spots are yours, of course. Then let’s get them spelled and they can get started.”

“Talismans are what were agreed upon. If I find any tracking spells on my joint sect disciples, Sage Pangfua will hear of it.”

“Yes. Yes. Don’t beat up an old man for being forgetful.” He chuckled. Two wooden talismans shot out of his hand. Chao and Huifen each caught one.

“Place them in your spatial rings so they can’t be tracked,” Mother Sya insisted. “If there’s any problems entering or exiting, show them to whoever stops you.”

They both replied that they understood.

“And what of this pretty little lady?” Elder Harnish said, kindly motioning to Yu-yan.

“She’s to see the Sage.”

“Not exactly by the rules, but very well. Good cultivating.” He gave them a genial smile.

They left the booth of elders and finally walked toward the entrance. The doors were open and arched up to a point. Chao got his first close up view of the black and silver stone. The silver specks glowed with their own light.

Once inside, they entered an open room as large as the joint sect’s arena. The walls were made of the same black stone, but the ceiling and floor were the opposite. They were dull silver with black specks. The ceiling was high, and he could already see different stations spread throughout the room. People were everywhere. The space was large enough that there were nearly as many sect pavilions inside as out.

One caught his eye. Its grandeur was beyond all the rest. He’d seen this one before. The first time was just before his mother had died. He’d stayed there while his father was trying to save her.

Sya headed straight for the domed cloudy building with the two ice phoenixes spreading their wings over the entrance. As they neared, the wings moved to receive them. They’d gone shopping and attended an auction in the capital city, then met the Li family sage. They’d traveled the countryside as two wandering adventures and stayed in almost every town they passed. Chao had nearly been assassinated, only to be saved by his wife. Her friend was the assassin. The woman had also trained her for that exact purpose. He’d practically kicked the Sect Master of the Fire Phoenix Sect out of office and saved the man’s wife from his own sword. They’d explored old runes and saved a village from an army of ghosts. Finally, they reached their destination.

As soon as they entered the companion chamber to the Ice Phoenix Palace, its doors closed behind them, and they found Sage Pangfua waiting for them with Father Tu and Little Genji. As soon as the doors were shut, Mother Sya spun around and pulled Huifen and Chao into an embrace.

Chapter 27

Sya continued squeezing them both for a long moment. She stepped back and took them in. Her gaze landed on Chao, and he saw what remained of the woman’s icy demeanor melt.

“Son-in-law, this one is pleased to see you in good health. Are there any lingering effects from the poison?”

He bowed deeply to her. “This one is pleased to see you as well, Mother Sya. I have fully recovered thanks to our Huifen.”

“Good,” she said before sidestepping and addressing her daughter.

Yu-yan’s mouth drooped open. “Mother?” The girl mumbled.

He grinned down at her. He should’ve expected what happened next. Father Tu appeared as soon as she had moved over and grabbed Chao by both shoulders only to shake him. “My boy, we’re happy you’re in good health. Of all the people…”

“Husband,” Sya warned out of the side of her mouth, motioning toward the girl that was with them.

The man just nodded and gave him a double handed pat. “Now you’re here and the treasure hunting can begin.”

He cuffed his father-in-law on the shoulder. “You’re telling me you haven’t started without us?”

The man grinned from ear to ear. “I didn’t say that.”

He then noticed that Pangfua and Genji hadn’t stayed put. As soon as Father Tu had stepped back a little, a full-grown Genji slipped through and hugged him around the waist. He was taken aback. They had some friendship, but he wouldn’t say they were close. Hugging wasn’t exactly commonplace amongst friends. Not even family. Father Tu had always been the exception, and he could understand Mother Sya having that inclination because she’d lived with him for so long, but this? Then he realized he didn’t actually know where the young woman was from or what her background was. Only that she was Sage Pangfua’s disciple and was now sixteen.

“This one is happy that you’re okay, Big Brother Chao.”

He copied Tu’s grin and replied. “Thank you, Genji.” He wasn’t sure how intimately to address her, so he went with something neutral. “You look all grown up. Did you do something with your hair?”

She stepped back shyly. Instead of the bob on the top of her head, her dark hair was straight and drooped over her shoulders. “You noticed.” She didn’t let the smile reach her mouth.

“I did. It looks very mature.”

Then he saw something that was even rare for his wife—an ice fairy blush. “Thank you, Big Brother.”

“Husband is right,” Huifen said, joining them. “You look lovely, Little Sister.”

She then hugged Huifen.

He glanced at Pangfua to see her watching the girl closely. Their eyes met and he understood what she was thinking right away. She was the girl’s master, but Genji was no longer a girl at all. If she was outside the Ice Phoenix Sect, there would be talks of marrying her off. More than that, she was nothing like the ice fairies that the Ice Phoenix Sect traditionally produced. The sage was coming to terms with it. This was a whole new era for the Ice Phoenix Sect and Pangfua would ultimately be the one to lead them into a new age.

“Brother Chao,” Pangfua said, motioning for him to give her his hand. “May I?”

He didn’t hesitate.

She took it and began to scan him. When she opened her eyes, she gave a satisfied nod. “There’s no trace left of the poison.” She cupped his hand with both of hers. “That’s a relief. We’re overjoyed that you’ve made it here safely.”

“Thank you, Sage Pangfua.”

“None of that, Sage Long Chao,” she replied, narrowing her eyes. “Having you and Sage Huifen here will allow me to rest easy.”

“There’s a threat?” he asked, matching his demeanor with hers.

“There is, but we will speak of it later.” Her eyes moved to the girl half hiding behind him. “You’ve brought a guest?”

“Yes,” Huifen said, grabbing the girl’s hand and presenting her. “This is Duan Yu-yan.”

The girl that had been as warm as a lap cat to divine cultivator Billi was now glancing around timidly like she was amongst a den of hungry beasts.

“Little Yu-yan, I have heard of your parent’s deeds,” Pangfua lamented, but then she gave her a dazzling smile. “It’s an honor to have you here.”

The girl had gone from not speaking, to chatty, only to revert back in the sage’s presence. “Yes,” was all she said.

 Huifen squeezed her hand to encourage more, but Pangfua shook her head as if to say it was unnecessary.

“I don’t think I’m the cause of her distress. Am I, Little Yu-yan?” Pangfua asked.

He watched the girl’s eyes dart from Huifen to him. Yu-yan built up courage then pulled at his wife’s hand. When she drew closer, the girl asked at barely a whisper. “You’re a sage?”

He’d already concluded the girl didn’t have a good grasp of the different realms, but it seemed she had some grasp of this term.

“Yes,” Huifen replied. “My husband and I have been hiding our true cultivation for convenience and to accommodate Senior Billi. She’s why we’ve used our real names. But the deception is also for our own safety. It doesn’t change anything between us.”

Chao took that opportunity to mess the girl’s hair. “It’s all true. And you’re still cuter like this.”

“Big Brother Chao,” Genji said with a glare. She bent down and began to run her fingers through the girl’s hair to fix it. “You have nothing to fear. As you can see, even though Brother Chao is usually quite solemn, he also has a silly streak. Shall we call him the Silly Sage?”

Yu-yan cracked a wide grin.

He didn’t mind that she saw him as silly, for he saw himself as easygoing and prone to make fun. But to be seen as “usually solemn”? He realized Genji mainly knew him from the Frigid Moon Mystical Realm. He’d spent most of his time there taking care of Huifen. Once she’d recovered, they had several peaceful days, but almost as soon as they were married, he’d turned his efforts to figuring out how to protect her. Father Zan had been there to accommodate him, and ultimately, he’d taken him to the Training Construct. Those had been dark, demanding days. Of course, she saw him as solemn. He was just thankful that she knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t take offense. On the contrary.

“I like it,” Chao replied with a snicker.

The girl looked relieved but was still hesitant to look him in the eye as she asked. “So you’ll still come visit me?”

“Of course,” Huifen said, beating him to it and running her fingers through the girl’s hair as well. “Sages have friends too. So can divine realm cultivators like Senior Billi.”

“That means…” Realization struck the girl. “Big Sister Billi is stronger than a sage?”

“Much stronger,” Pangfua said. Her anxiety was enough for Chao to notice. “Genji, can you take our new friend to the side chamber and get her sorted. I think some food and rest is called for.”

As if to declare it true, Yu-yan yawned.

Genji took her by the hand and led her away.

“If you would please, Brother Chao.”

In answer to Pangfua’s request, he surrounded them with a sound barrier as soon as the two younger girls were out of the room.

“You were traveling with the blood cultivator?” She asked as soon as it was up.

“Yes,” Huifen said. “Her contribution by capturing my husband’s would-be assassin was reported to you?”

“It was. I just didn’t expect her to stay with you.”

Huifen relayed a brief telling of how the woman had mostly join them for meals and only remained in their presence after Yu-yan had been added to their party. “I can’t say I’m confident that she isn’t dangerous, but she isn’t as bloodthirsty as I first believed. She showed incredible restraint in her handling of Ping. It was as if she was confused and fearful of acting.”

“I agree,” Chao said. “And even though she undoubtedly has killed female cultivators in the past, I doubt she’ll be any threat to the woman of the joint sect. She took to Yu-yan almost immediately, and most of her conversations were with Huifen. She opened up to her.”

“You speak as if she is planning to join the sect,” Pangfua said.

“I think she’s an unofficial member of the Divine Fire Sect already. From what I could gather from my father, he and Elder Law saved her and her sisters from slavery to a divine realm family. She’s sworn an oath of loyalty to him. Also, she promised she’d visit Yu-yan when she returned with father and Mother Quinyuan from their journey.”

When he felt Pangfua begin to circulate her qi, he knew she was using Heart of Ice. The sage had come a long way from using it unceasingly, but she hadn’t embraced it like Genji and Quinyuan had.

Pangfua replied, “She’d have to have an unimaginable amount of self-control to survive what she has, but now that her shackles have been removed, who can tell if her control will remain? This is beyond my experience to handle. Senior Zan will be returning with her, at least.”

“Sister,” Huifen said with concern heavy in her voice. “You mentioned there’s a threat. What are we facing and how can we help?”

“We’ll take our leave,” Mother Sya said suddenly. “We’ve already been informed, and I need to get back.”

“Thank you, sister,” Pangfua replied. “Brother Tu.”

Soon it was just the three of them. She no longer held anything back. “The threat is different from the one you faced with the Aureate Empire. It’s not direct and there’s no clear enemy to face. It could be any or all of the sects in the Divine Spire. We’ve only been here for two days, and already there have been four incidents. It’s not just bullying, either. That’s to be expected. These were attempted murders. One of which succeeded, and another of our disciples will never be able to cultivate again.”

Chao felt his wife’s qi churn as her anger grew. She responded. “Don’t they realize they could put us in a position where we’d feel forced to banish everyone to keep our disciples safe and the spire for ourselves?”

“That might be exactly what they’re thinking.”

“They want to unite the sects against us?”

“Perhaps, or they might just want to use that possibility as a deterrent. You likely didn’t notice because he has a knack for keeping his cultivation hidden, but Elder Harnish of the Morning Mist Village has reached the overlord realm. Forcing every sect out wouldn’t be easy on my own.”

“If you need our help, just give the word,” Chao responded.

“Thank you, Little Brother, but if we took such actions then finding the culprit would be neigh impossible. Also our joint sect isn’t the only one that has been attacked. We can keep our people safe by having them stay in groups. Attacking us then would cause too much of a commotion.”

“Do you want to use us as bait?”

“No, but if you could mingle with the disciples of the other sects and gather information, it would be helpful. Your current identities could be useful. The only reason there’s been so many attacks is because the first one looked like a simple case of bullying taken too far and the other three happened so close together. One of my duties is to make sure your cultivation isn’t hindered while you’re here, so I’ll use you sparingly.”

“Why?” he said with a smirk. “What are the cultivations of the disciples attacked? Are they in the sky and overlord realms?”

“No, but you were just poisoned—almost losing your life. It’s an unnecessary risk.”

“Unnecessary, but practical. It might also be the best method.”

“The primary assistance you can provide is to be here in case something happens. If we need to take more drastic measures or the threat worsens, I know I can call on you.”

 Huifen stepped past Chao and gave Pangfua a martial salute. “You have our full support.”

“Thank you. And thank you, Brother Chao. I’ve never doubted your willingness to help, but this isn’t your responsibility, it’s mine. You have my word that I’ll call you if needed. Just having the option makes things much easier on me.”

Chapter 28

They were soon given a full telling of what had happened. Huifen caught the detail that every disciple attacked had been female. It wasn’t just the four from their joint sect either. There had been seven attacks altogether. Including a Fire Phoenix Sect disciple, three disciples had died. The others had also been female.

The question was, why did they discriminate? At lower cultivations, males still had a physical advantage because they gained muscle easier, had a larger bone structure, and so on, but once they reached the earth realm it made little difference. By then, most combat was done through qi empowered martial techniques. The physique improvements from elemental qi refining the body over time also didn’t discriminate. A layer of qi also acted as a cultivator’s primary defense. Males were still generally larger and might have some advantage due to their mass in the number of direct hits they could take, but how often were cultivators a perfect match?

Then there was the natural yang and yin she had to consider. She knew perfectly well how some cultivators would prey on others. It had happened to her, and almost to Chao. But this wasn’t that.

There had also been the bizarre methods of the attack. From what they could tell, each one had been categorically different. Different weapons were used, different elements, even the types of techniques used varied. It spoke to the likelihood of there being more than one murderer. There was also the possibility that they were trying to disguise their methods to not get caught. That meant they’d used weapons made from materials that didn’t suit their cultivation, or possibly even offensive formation arrays. That would require them to be of a higher realm—possibly sky realm cultivators.

“Are you convinced this Sage Harnish didn’t notice we were hiding our cultivations?” Chao asked as they weaved through the sect staging area on the first floor of the spire. They were surrounded by a sound barrier.

“Yes,” she replied. “Don’t underestimate the blindness of arrogance. He gave us but a glance and seemed set on artfully harassing mother.”

“Should we beat him up?”

“Husband.”

“It’s Silly Sage, remember?”

“Don’t you dare bring this to our marriage bed. I can only take so much.”

“The more of my pestering you take, the more I’ll have to make up for it later. You sure you’re not interested?”

She scowled.

He laughed, but his expression faded. “I don’t like it that Genji sees me that way. As solemn.”

She drew to a stop, then had to step out of the way as a fairy was coming from the other direction. After the woman passed, she asked, “Why?”

He gave it a moment’s thought before answering. “Because cultivating should be enjoyable. It was only because of our enemies that I was forced to show that side of myself.”

“And what if I find that side attractive?” she challenged, trying to lighten his mood for once.

He gave her a flirty squint, but his solemnity returned. “You find it attractive because we live in a world where such force is necessary. What if it wasn’t? After the week you spent at my cabin cultivating the elements, there’s no way you’d ever be interested in anyone else if that was our reality.” He shook his head like the answer was obvious. “I’m also handsome.”

Why did his questioning of the way things were always irritate her? Was it because it was just a fantasy or because he might be right? At least, she knew he wasn’t stuck in such illusions. But he was wrong, wasn’t he? It was his martial ability that made their relationship possible. She would never have even considered him otherwise. Would she have married him under the conditions he mentioned? Seeing as she had no good answer, she rose up on her tiptoes and messed up his hair. Not that he had enough for it to matter.

He and his father had always kept it short. She thought it had been because they lived in the woods away from people, and it just made things easier. “Have you ever thought about growing out your hair?” she asked.

“You want me to look like a scholar now—like mother does father?”

“You just don’t have much hair, so it’s hard to get back at you for poor Little Yu-yan.”

“Is that so?”

She shrugged. “I’ll just have to get more creative, I suppose.”

“Do you really want me to grow it out?”

“No. Please don’t. It would feel too much like you were trying to be someone else.”

“Like I said, I’m just too handsome.”

She held back a sharp retort and hooked her arm under his. “I’m going to miss having Yu-yan tagging along.”

“Same. You’re not going to get mad if I spoil her a bit when we see her again, will you?

She jabbed him in the arm with a finger. “This is one case where I’ll be mad if you don’t.”

“Greetings,” a familiar voice sounded from behind. They turned to find Baros in his wooden armor a few paces away.

The man had long brown hair down to his shoulder. It was pushed back to keep off his brow, and the sides of his head were kept short. He was obviously young, but also had a full beard. Huifen would consider him a handsome man, but the Morning Mist Village grooming style was strange to her. Her husband really was more to her liking.

“Brother Baros,” Chao said, returning the man’s salute. “It’s good to see you again.”

“It’s Brother Tao, isn’t it?”

“It is. And this is my wife, Tong Fen.”

“I am Baros of the Morning Mist Village,” he smiled. “Sorry for earlier. I hope you don’t find it rude, but might I ask what sect you’re from and your relationship with the Ice Phoenix Sect? I fear I’ve offended you once already because of my assumptions and would prefer not to make the same mistake twice.”

“Of course. We’re both rogue cultivators, not directly associated with any one sect. I’m a sound cultivator with a little talent with the pipa. My wife is a nature cultivator and a talented healer. As you might expect, we’re better at befriending others than cultivating, which has led us here and to be in the Ice Phoenix Sect’s good graces.”

The man chuckled. “To be in the earth realm as rogue cultivators at such a young age makes you anything but untalented.”

“You honor us,” Chao bowed, making an effort to leave out the ‘this one this’ and ‘this one that’ from his speech pattern.

“If you’d allow me to go one step further to give you a tour of the first floor of the Divine Spire, I’d be the one in your debt.”

“Husband,” Huifen said meekly, playing the role of the softspoken wife. “Remember we have people waiting for us.”

“My Fen’er is right,” he said, looking down at her. He found her act alluring. Turning back to the man, he added, “But if Brother Baros wouldn’t mind escorting us until we meet up with our friends, we’d be grateful.”

“Oh? Then the honor is mine. Where are you to meet these friends, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“They should be at a training construct of some sort on this first floor…”

“Ahh, then it must be the Trial of Might. It’s one of the only constructs in the Divine Spire that you can participate in repeatedly. But don’t let that fool you. It’s highly competitive and can earn you great prestige. If you earn a high enough point total, the spire still has rewards to spare for anyone that breaks into the top 100. The higher your rank, the better the rewards.”

The man waved for them to follow, and they did. He spoke openly as they walked. “It’s believed that this area around the entrance of the first floor was used to greet guests. That’s why there’s such a wide-open space. Despite that, the first floor is filled with numerous stations. Some of them aren’t trials at all. The first stop for most everyone that enters is called the Spire’s Blessing.”

After they exited the crowd of tents and people, the rest of the first floor was revealed to them. It looked like the front half of the first floor was the staging area, while the second half had different stations lining the wall in a grand crescent. Huifen had heard much of this place over the years. Often from those that had been here but seeing it for the first time left her heart fluttering.

She could see what Baros meant by stations, for the room was segmented along the wall. There were murals and displays, historical telling’s of ancient battles, pillars and daises that acted as giant card jades. There weren’t just a few of them, but likely a hundred or more on this first floor alone. Many of them were being ignored by the cultivators present.

She glanced over to see her husband licking his lips as he focused on these neglected stations. Of course, he was. He wanted nothing more than to seek out mysteries that no one else had figured out. Many of these smaller trials were like puzzle stations. The prize might be in the answer to the riddle itself, but if one wasn’t perceptive enough then they wouldn’t even realize it. Other rewards might be more substantive.

Father Zan had been right. One of Chao’s most attractive features was his undying curiosity. It was infectious. She couldn’t allow herself to grow to hate that about him.

“There it is,” Brother Baros declared. He motioned toward the giant pillar that connected the floor to the ceiling at the center of the room. They were still tens of meters away, but they could see the overhead display that held an ancient scroll, a violet vial with a sealed top, and a jade pillbox. At first, she thought it was a painting of the prizes, but as they got closer, the items looked to be behind some kind of glass.

There was a large platform at the foot of the pillar, but she couldn’t help but to wonder how the items were still there after all this time. Had no one like Father Zan come here and took a look? Then she thought better of it. Would someone at his level that could manipulate space even be interested? If that were so, wouldn’t he be here right now with Quinyuan, ransacking the place? Instead, they were going off planet to train.

She still didn’t know exactly what realm her father-in-law had reached. From what she could discern, the earliest a cultivator should normally be able to manipulate space was at the Divine Lord realm, so he had to be at least that. But there were two realms above it—the Heavenly Sovereign, and Divine Monarch realms. To such cultivators, a lower-realm legacy would have little worth. That could only mean… She glanced over to her husband once again and began to laugh to herself.

“Is the glass covering the display unbreakable?” She asked.

Their guide nodded and let out a regretful sigh. “From what I’ve heard, it’s many times harder than the divine marble the spire is made from. Not that anyone knows exactly how tough it is for no one has ever been able to break it.”

She found Chao looking at her. His intentions were clear. She suddenly felt more knavish than ever before, like the two of them were secretly planning a burglary. It was rather difficult to keep the smile from her face.

“Since this is your first visit,” Baros continued. “I recommend you make use of the Spire’s Blessing while we are here. It’s not a trial, but assesses your talent, physique, and cultivation, among other things, and will provide you with resources. Most people only get a few rich qi crystals, but they’re free. If your talent is high enough, the resources are even better. There have even been people that received things never before seen.”

She knew why he wished them to make use of it now. This Baros wanted to see how the spire assessed them. He’d quickly be able to figure out what threat, if any, they presented. Even if this station would provide free resources, it would also give away what they were hiding.

“Thank you, Brother Baros,” she interjected. “We’ve already decided to scout out the different stations and to learn as much as we can first. We’d hate to make use of an opportunity like this only to have our cultivations improve and miss out on better resources later because we were too hasty.”

“I can respect your decision,” the man said, masking his disappointment well.

With one last look at the unclaimed resources behind the overhead display, Huifen followed the man around the central pillar and listened to his explanation about many of the stations as they walked. A few moments later, she saw the group of joint sect disciples at the far end of the room amongst the crowd. There was another platform there. Three people were spread out on it, standing motionless. It was a training construct.

The wall directly in front of the platform had a list of one hundred names seemingly etched in the nearly indestructible stone. Beside their names wasn’t just a point total, but also a combat ranking. The bottom sixty names were categorized as Soldier. The next twenty were graded as Officer. Then twelve were categorized as Commander. Only six were given the rank of General, and two were listed as Royalty. There were forty odd people standing there waiting for the results of those participating.

Baros noticed the direction she was looking and skipped the rest of the stations when seeing it. “The Trial of Might,” he said with an awe-filled tone. “Many people make the trip to the Divine Spire just for this. When you take to the platform, you will find yourself facing off with multiple enemies. The more you defeat, the more points you earn. It’s not based on cultivation either. It scales depending on your current realm. Most of those in the top one hundred ranking are unknown heroes of the past, but there are cases where earth realm cultivators have made it to the list when sky realm cultivators and even overlords have not. This is also why people often return here.”

“Is there anyone in the spire that has made it on the list?” Chao asked, while scanning it from afar.

“A few. Your Sect Master Quinyuan ranks the highest out of all cultivators alive, as far as I know. Sage Pangfua, unsurprisingly, and her disciple Ice Fairy Genji are also there. Elder Harnish is the only one from my own sect, and there’s Elder Alfori from the Night Pearl Sect. Often higher realm cultivators have an advantage because of their experience in battle. That is all currently, but if you get a good enough point total, you can still earn qi crystals without making the list. The first try is the most profitable, but the construct seems to keep track of everyone’s progress. If you improve after multiple tries you can earn even more.”

“That’s incredible,” Chao responded.

Huifen quickly found Quinyuan’s name in the top ten. She was listed as a Commander. Pangfua was just under the bottom half and listed as Soldier. Genji was near the bottom and also received the Soldier rank.

They came to a stop at the back of the crowd. It was undoubtedly a training construct. The three people on the platform remained unmoving but sweat gathered on their brows and the effort was plain on their faces.

A moment later, a woman of the Night Pearl Sect collapsed to her knees. She seemed disappointed, but her face lit up when there was a flash of light and a qi crystal the size of one’s thumb appeared on the pedestal on her side of the platform. She hopped up as if she wasn’t tired at all and took her prize.

“Such purity,” Chao said out loud.

“Yes,” Baros replied. “The spire only produces the purest crystals.”

“Produces?”

“That’s the current theory. How else could this place provide such rewards for thousands of years? The only explanation is that it’s able to compress qi.”

Chao let out a high-pitched whistle.

It was then that someone caught sight of them. Huifen saw the dimpled Ice Phoenix Disciple Eu-meh that she had once presented to Chao as a possible wife candidate for him. She swallowed down her embarrassment when she realized the girl was surrounded by men from their sect and others. She wasn’t alone. Ice Fairies Daiyu and Zhu, her two closest friends in the sect, were also standing there annoyed.

The guys surrounding them were offering them compliments. Even the joint sect men had been drawn into the competition.

When Chao saw it, he snickered.

“What are you laughing at, husband?” Huifen asked. She knew perfectly well he suffered from the same foolishness that other men did. So did her father. She’d grown to accept it and even savor it to a limited extent. “If we weren’t married and I was standing there now, you’d be right there with them.”

“Oh, would I?” He replied smugly, poking her in the ribs. “I don’t think so. Instead, I’d just play you a song and you would be mine.”

She glared at him. “You think my heart is so easy to win?”

“Easy? My dearest Fen’er. No one can do what I can do.”

Knowing that Brother Baros was still present left her red in the face.

When her husband gave their guide a confident look, the man smiled but didn’t know how to react. It wasn’t exactly polite conversation. Still, she liked that her Chao didn’t shy away from claiming her.

It was then that Ice Fairy Eu-meh slipped past the last obstacle in the crowd and arrived to greet them. “Brother Tao. Sister Fen,” the girl addressed them with a bow. “It’s good that you’ve made it.”

Huifen could feel the fairy’s distress. She’d had enough of the soft-spoken act. “Hello, Sister Eu-meh. Allow me to lend you a hand.”

She glanced at Chao, and it only took him a moment to realize what she was requesting. He nodded and she lifted her voice. He enhanced her volume. “Enough already. Don’t you see you’re harassing these fairies.”

The murmur of the crowd died at her words.

“You’ll have plenty of time to impress them later. For now, give them some space.”

It was only to be expected. For the first time in recent memory, the ice fairies of the joint sect were being allowed to marry. Every eligible and shamelessly illegible suiter alike couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

When the crowd began to part, Chao looked surprised by their reaction. She knew it was because she was hiding her cultivation and true identity. What he didn’t know was that even if she were unknown, the word of any fairy held a lot of weight in this type of setting. These men were here to impress woman, after all. She was also as attractive as any of them. To resist her was to look bad in front of those they were trying to impress. It helped that the joint sect fairies immediately headed in her direction.

Soon, they were surrounded by their fellow disciples.

“Sister Fen’er,” many fairies said as they greeted her. Chao wasn’t completely neglected, but she had just saved them from their predicament.

It was the golden headed Fairy Zhu who cut through the noise. “Sister, are you here to try the training construct?”

“My husband Tao and I were hoping to explore some of the higher levels before we committed to anything,” she replied.

“We can take you,” Zhu insisted, grabbing ahold of Fairy Daiyu’s arm.

“I’ll keep an eye on those that remain,” a woman said from off to the side. She was a sky realm fairy from the Ice Phoenix Palace.

“Thank you, Elder,” Huifen replied. Their eyes met and understanding passed between them. “Let’s go as a small party, for safety’s sake. Is anyone else interested in going to the second floor?”

Soon, eight of the fairies had agreed to go with them.

“Brother Baros,” Huifen said, turning to the man. “Thank you, for your hospitality.” Not only was she thanking him, but also dismissing him in the same breath.

“It was my pleasure, Sister Fen. Brother Tao,” he said, saluting them both. The man’s eyes lingered on Fairy Eu-meh longer than the other fairies before he bowed his head to them all. “Cultivate well.”

No one returned the farewell except for Chao.

They were about to leave when another voice cut through the noise. “Brother Tao.” Fairy Daiyu’s younger cousin hurried toward him.

The fairies that were going to ascend with them didn’t have a good reaction to the young tawny skinned fire cultivator. He’d been one of those competing with the other men for their attention.

“Brother Li Qiang,” Chao called out. They clasped hands at the wrist. “You’re coming with us.” It wasn’t a question.

Huifen realized her husband wasn’t excited about being surrounded by so many fairies on his own. She found it amusing. “Let’s go,” she announced.

And so they skirted around the crowd and the Trial of Might toward the staircase behind the station. The stairs were not hidden, but they were obviously put here so that anyone that ascended would have to pass by this trial. It was the main focus of the first floor. As for the second, they’d soon find out.

Chapter 29

As they ascended, Chao surrounded them all with a sound barrier. “We should probably keep any discussion about Huifen and my identity to a minimum, but it’s safe for the moment to ask us any questions you have,” he instructed.

“Thank you, Brother Tao,” Fairy Daiyu replied loud enough for the other fairies to hear. She was purposely setting the example by using his fake name.

A fairy of the Fire Phoenix Sect he wasn’t familiar with asked about the murderer that hadn’t been caught. He let Huifen answer most of those questions. Sadly, they didn’t have many answers.

Before they reached the top of the spiraling staircase that followed the outer wall of the tower, Fairy Eu-meh appeared at his side. She gave him a slight bow of the head before addressing him. “Brother Tao. This one was wondering if you planned on continuing our law training while we were here.”

She’d been one of his original students, so he didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Do you have a copy of the law jade that Huifen and I put together?”

“I do. And I’m making use of it daily. Have you concluded whether your music improves a person’s ability to learn?”

Had he? He believed it did. He just hadn’t been able to test it as thoroughly as he’d like. “What are your thoughts on how it affects you during your training?”

She pursed her lips in thought. Her dimples became pronounced. He had to admit she was beautiful. She had more personality than most ice fairies even when using Heart of Ice which only added to her charm. He had no intentions or romantic feelings for her, but he did consider her a friend. The more he thought about it, the more he realized she was one of his closest ones. When seeing the male cultivators showering her with attention, he also felt protective of her. His wife had once asked him about marrying the girl when she was still his master. Is this how she’d felt being responsible for him?

“I don’t know if it helps my learning directly,” she said. “But as for my clarity of mind, it undoubtedly helps.”

“Let me know when you normally practice the laws and I’ll come by each day and play for you. Gather the disciples interested.” He turned to his friend that had turned quiet. “You’ll be coming as well.”

“I’ll be there,” Li Qiang reassured him.

Chao noticed Eu-meh wasn’t as annoyed at his friend’s presence as the other fairies were. They’d both spent a lot of time together during his law lessons, so it made sense. She always seemed less irritable than the average ice fairy. It made him wonder if she was interested in marriage. Should he ask her? This way he could help her find a suitable partner. Or would that be overstepping? He’d never formally been her master, but she’d asked him to teach her. It was something he’d have to discuss with Huifen. He knew she’d struggled a lot during his discipleship under her. She’d spent time considering these questions far more than he had.

One of the first things he noticed when stepping onto the second floor was that the qi was far denser here. He didn’t have to say a word, for Fairy Zhu was ready with an explanation. “With each floor you ascend, the qi is richer, but the pressure also grows. Most earth realm cultivators can’t go past the third floor, and even then, they can only stay there for so long. It’s possible to ignore the trials and stations all together, and just climb as high as you can to cultivate. The only issue is that the floors hold heaven and earth qi, so it’s not beneficial for major breakthroughs—for elemental cultivators, at least.” She gave Chao a glance as she said it.

“The pressure also can benefit one’s physique.”

Chao had been wondering how the murderer had been able to attack fairies without being captured with the openness of the first floor. One look at the layout of the second floor gave him his answer. No longer was there one large open space. There were different rooms in every direction. If the second and third floors were both like this, then all it would take was for someone to wander off on their own. The tightness of the corridors would allow for easy ambushes, and since it was the divine marble used to segment the rooms, trace amounts of qi from attacks wouldn’t have an easy chance to escape.

He found himself growing angry just thinking about it. He’d heard how their Fire Phoenix Sect disciple had died. Not only had she been murdered, but her face had been disfigured after her death. It had been the same for all of the victims. Their one disciple that had survived had her core attacked directly and it had shattered. There was a chance that Father Zan could remove it, but then she’d have to start cultivating again from the beginning.

The details from the victims led Chao to believe that it was a crime of passion, not a political one. It was possible it could be both. He almost wanted to disobey Sage Pangfua and go out looking for the murderer on his own. If he got his hands on the perpetrator…

He’d have to remember they might have needed information and there could be more than one person involved.

The second floor didn’t just have trial stations, but also those to help one’s cultivation. It didn’t have many of the smaller stations with puzzles to solve, historical data, or general daises that acted like giant card jades with the writings of ancient cultivators.

They took the left leading passage. It was there that they found a chamber that was covered in vines with moss on the walls and ceiling. On the far side of the room was a small garden with a variety of different plants. They ranged from root to fruit crops, flowers, shrubs, and a couple of miniature sized trees. The barrier protecting the garden was difficult to observe. Chao could feel the presence of the plant life despite it. It wasn’t a chamber designed to cultivate nature qi, but the natural concepts and their variety made it a great place for cultivating the laws. Whether that was the original intent of the room or not, he wasn’t sure.

Even though Huifen was deep in conversation with the other fairies, he caught her glancing back at him and gave her a confirming nod. It was exactly as she thought. She’d probably be spending a lot of time here over the next couple months. It was large enough for thirty to forty people, but if there were that many present then the qi in the room would have to be shared. He was starting to see why they limited the number of people inside the spire.

The next chamber was covered in different rock formations. Behind another barrier were gemstones and different ores in their most natural form. He’d used rocks he’d found or spent time amongst the boulders near his house when he’d been figuring out the earth laws. Seeing the ore and gemstones in their natural state would be worth studying. He had a decent understanding from his time in the mine, but it had been limited in variety. This was just another example as to how vast the elemental laws really were. It was possible for one to reach large success enhance with iron, but barely be able to enhance other earth minerals at all.

Many of the remaining chambers held no surprises. There was one with different kinds of flames. They varied because of the fuel being burned. At least, that’s how they were normally formed. The barrier kept him from being able to examine the fuel source, but the flames were easy to see.

The wind chamber was the most fascinating. There were no barriers as in the other chambers, but wind circulated throughout the room and constantly changed direction. If you stood in the middle, eventually, wind would hit you from all sides.

Our fairy guides weren’t taking us in a straight line but making sure we saw all the chambers close to the second-floor entrance first. There were only two elemental ones remaining. The next was made of the divine marble except for the barriered off side of the room. There he found some kind of flower that came up to his chest. Its color was hard to make out for it had constant violet sparks sizzling from it. The earth realm lightning wasn’t alone. There were moments where the sparks intensified to sky realm red. At such times, some of the sparks elongated and struck the wall, floor, and ceiling.

The one lightning bud wasn’t alone. Another one was growing beside it but hanging from the ceiling. It was slightly smaller, but it sparked with the same intensity.

When they came to the last dedicated cultivation chamber, it was nearly twice as large as the others and in the center of the spire. There were no barriers in this one, but they were surrounded by indestructible glass. It was filled with water. The water beneath them and above seemed to run in a current in opposite directions, while the water in the walls made it like being inside a waterfall. Somehow, he could sense water concepts all around them even though he didn’t have access to the water itself.

“There’s no ice station?” He asked. He watched the demeanor of the fairy’s wane.

“There isn’t,” Daiyu replied.

Eu-meh shook her head.

His sound barrier was still active, so he took some liberty to encourage them. “Even if this room was filled with ice, what you are used to at the joint sect would still be superior to this. These chambers aren’t even filled with elemental qi. If this spire really is from an ancient divine sect, it’s my guess that they considered water and ice the same element. They may have even specialized in water. Don’t forget that my Huifen and Sister Eu-meh have both cultivated the water laws, and they found success within a matter of months due to their ice element expertise.” He didn’t mention that it had only taken days for his wife. As much as he looked for opportunities to make her look good, he wouldn't crush the rest of these girls’ confidence while doing so. They were the fairies of their own sect. He grinned as he thought of another way to flatter his fairy.

“Don’t forget that Sage Huifen borrowed a small lake and used it to create a massive ice technique that would’ve been impossible to execute any other way. There’s an opportunity here, even if it’s not directly related to the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome.”

As if remembering who he was, they all turned and issued him a martial salute. “Thank you, Brother Tao.”

He felt his face redden at their response.

Li Qiang had remained quiet, but Chao heard his sigh of frustration. There was no need to ask him what the problem was. When he’d first spent time with the guy, there conversation was about nothing but talk about girls. Now that the fairies of the Ice Phoenix Sect were more prone to accepting suitors, his friend’s luck with them still hadn’t changed.

Chao couldn’t blame him. He’d never been desperate to get married like Li Qiang was, but he could admire a beautiful woman as well as the next guy. Now wasn’t the time or place. He’d have a serious talk with him when the time came.

“There are three main trials on the second floor,” Fairy Zhu said in her matter-of-fact way. Chao wondered if she would’ve had a cold personality even without Heart of Ice… “To be honest, they seem like a waste of time, and you are limited to trying them three times.” They exited the water chamber and entered the trial half of the second floor. There were three passages.

She pointed to the one on the left. “This one has a training construct that will test your endurance. The temperature will alternate between hot and cold. It will become harder to bear the longer you’re inside the construct.”

Pointing to the center passage, she continued. “This trial plunges you into a body of water and tests how long you can survive without air. Those at a higher cultivation have a huge advantage, so people rarely visit it. And the final one.” She motioned to the last one. “It has the most practical application. This trial’s construct tests your speed while the environment changes around you. The wind, temperature, and even gravity will change.

“As for the prizes, they mostly just offer more qi crystals unless you reach the Commander rank or higher. All of the trials still provide good resources if you score high enough.”

Huifen walked ahead of the group then turned. “Sisters. Little Brother. Thank you for escorting us. I look forward to training with you once again. For now, return to the first floor and continue your cultivation. My husband and I will explore the rest of the spire and find a place to settle in. If you have need, don’t hesitate to contact us. Sage Pangfua will provide those of you that don’t have a transmission jade one during your time here. Cultivate well, but your safety is paramount.”

“Sister Fen’er,” Zhu said, showing a crack in her cold demeanor. “Most of the attacks were on the second and third floors. If you two go alone—”

“Pray,” Huifen interjected, “that whoever is responsible for what has happened to our sisters would dare to attack us. Sage Pangfua will be leading the investigation, but little else would please me more than to personally catch this monster in the act.”

“Mmm,” Chao said with emphasis, slipping through the group and grabbing his wife’s hand. “We’ll do our best to appear as easy victims. If we can put an end to this today, we’ll be sure to make an example of them.”

They said their farewells and were alone a few minutes later.

“Is there anything you wish to do on the first two floors before we proceed?” She asked.

“Not yet. Not with so many people around. Let’s find our base station away from everyone else. Hopefully, I can make it to the highest floors. I want you to get the most of our time here.”

“Husband, I promised you I wouldn’t leave the lower realm without you. Let’s take advantage of every opportunity while we’re here. There’s no need to rush. If we’d just stayed in the Ice Phoenix Palace and dual cultivated, we still would’ve ascended in record time. The density of the heaven and earth qi in his place should be of great help to you. While here, we will progress even faster.”

“If we can find a place to dual cultivate in safety.”

“Sage Pangfua and Mother Sya can stand watch if there are any resources that might take us an extended amount of time to refine.”

“So you’re not worried about surprise visitors?”

She gave him a sideways look. “We have formation arrays for a reason. It’s something we’ll have to grow accustomed to eventually anyway.”

“My wife’s wisdom never ceases to amaze me.”

“You do remember that we could be attacked at any time, right?”

He nodded ardently and gave her a wink. “I’ve had my perceptions extended to their peak since we arrived on this floor. What do you say to taking a careless walk with me to the next one?”

“You’re wearing your flexible armor, yes?”

“Why bother asking when you can just reach over and find out for yourself?”

She stepped back to face him. “How can you take this so lightly?”

“I assure you, I’m not. Flirting with you is just my most comfortable state. It’s when I’m not flirting that you know something’s wrong. It would help our performance if you flirted back.”

Then to his surprise, she reached over and smacked him on the butt.

“I can’t believe you just did that.”

She became very still. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

He leaned close to her ear and whispered. “Yes.” Grabbing her hand, he wrapped it around his arm. He began to walk then stopped. “Uh, which way to the stairs?”

Chapter 30

They made their way to the third floor without any incident, passing more than ten people at the middle trial station. Chao lowered his sound barrier so that their conversation would carry. He doubted whoever had attacked their people would be foolish enough to attack again so soon, but he certainly hoped he was wrong.

The third floor was different than the first two. Like the second floor, the first half was a maze of rooms. There were more people here than on the second floor. They wisely stayed in large groups. What made it unique was that it was designed for elemental cultivation. The chambers were laid out in the same order as the second floor, but instead of concepts and elemental representation, each chamber was lined with benches. The elemental qi that filled each room was far richer than the first two floors.

In comparison to a dedicated chamber in the Ice Phoenix Palace, the density of qi was about the same. The main difference was that there was far more pressure, so it forced the qi into your meridians during cultivation at a faster rate. The pressure would also stimulate your physique and even toughen organs. If you stayed too long, however, it could injure or even kill. At Chao and Huifen’s cultivation, they weren’t bothered.

“Is it air pressure?” He wondered aloud. “It certainly isn’t from a gravitational change.”

“Technically, yes and no,” she said. “The air pressure isn’t alone. It would be more accurate to think of it as a higher realm cultivator’s suppression falling on you. The qi in this spire has a will of its own, even if it’s artificial and caused by an unseen array formation.”

He creased his brow but didn’t pursue the matter. If he had to guess, the pressure was equivalent to a sky realm cultivator. Maybe one that had reached small success. His wife was disguised as an earth realm cultivator. She shouldn’t be able to tell what it was equivalent to, so he didn’t ask now since they weren’t using his sound barrier.

Any hopes of running into the murder on the third floor were quickly dashed. Every chamber had at least one group cultivating. Some of them were made up of members from the same sect, while others had more variety to them. When they entered each room, they had to cross a barrier that held back the qi but let people through.

The responses they got from the groups varied, but most didn’t look happy when they entered. They thought they’d have to share the qi. But despite the unfriendly looks, no one said anything until they entered the fire qi chamber. There were two groups inside. One was from the Fire Phoenix Sect. He recognized a few of the disciples there.

Core Disciple Shoi-ming was massive even standing next to Sage Fang. He was a large success sky realm cultivator and was the number one ranked disciple of the Fire Phoenix Sect. It seemed like he cultivated muscle mass as much as fire qi.

The man’s eyes cracked open as soon as they walked into the room. He seemed to recognize them but didn’t say a word. With a small nod of the head, he closed his eyes again. Disciple Zhou, who had once been a top-five disciple of the outer sect and had bullied Chao, was also there, but he didn’t notice them. Chao had been in the nascent realm when he faced off with Zhou who had been in the earth realm and won. The man had proven to be more than just a bully, but they’d had little chance for interaction since their fight. Zhou had obviously moved up to the inner sect otherwise he wouldn’t be here.

It wasn’t the Fire Phoenix Sect that challenged their presence, but the disciples of the Night Pearl Sect. There were seven disciples plus a sky realm elder sitting opposite the Fire Phoenix Sect. It was the largest cultivation chamber Chao had seen on the third floor. The Night Pearl Sect all had veils pulled over their faces as they cultivated. He wondered if it was supposed to simulate cultivating the moon.

The sky realm elder stood, removing her veil. “The quota to this room has already been met, and it will be hours before it’s available again,” the woman insisted.

At her voice, many veiled faces turned to look at them. It seemed that every member of this Night Pearl Sect was as pushy as Dvora had been.

Huifen gave the woman a shallow martial salute. “We’re not here to cultivate, senior.”

“That’s good, then,” the woman replied, returning to her seat.

Passing through the room, they found there was one final chamber even larger than the last filled with water qi. The Morning Mist Village disciples were there and ignored them. The room was similar to the second floor, where water ran down the walls and across the ceiling behind divine glass.

They then entered a wide hall to the second half of the floor. There were only a few strides between the Water Cultivation Chamber and an even larger room.

“Does this lead to a trial or is it another cultivation chamber?” he asked. “The heaven and earth qi seems denser here.”

“This is the Vault,” she replied. “It’s speculated that all the qi crystals are compressed here, but no one knows for sure.”

They kept a slow pace as they entered a wide-open room—the most open one they’d seen since the first floor. There was an energized pillar that stood three meters tall. It reminded Chao of the lightning flower he’d seen on the second floor except the energy was under strict control. So much so that it looked to be held at the top of the three-sided pillar like an orb of liquid. Behind it was a massive round vault made of the same white-metallic substance as the pillar.

Chao found himself drawn to the liquified energy atop the pillar.

He felt Huifen grab his arm, stopping him from getting closer.

“I’ve heard it’s a defensive weapon that protects what’s inside,” she said in hushed tones. “It’s not even safe for an overlord.”

Chao nodded his understanding. They weren’t alone in the room. More than thirty people lined the walls cultivating. Even with so many people, the qi was denser than the rest of the third floor. No one seemed to be bothered that they were there.

The way to the next floor was obvious. There was a side passage to their left that skirted around the defensive pylon. From there, they ascended.

The fourth floor was like the first. It was one big open room but had far fewer stations. What’s more, the qi density and suppression had gone from a low realm sky cultivator to that of one at large success. It was enough that most earth realm cultivators would be unable to remain for long.

There weren’t any cultivators present. Despite that, they didn’t stay to explore.

The fifth floor contained the suppression of an overlord. Any normal sky realm cultivator would find it uncomfortable and remaining there long term could be dangerous. One of the unexpected benefits of his father’s Training Construct was that he was already accustomed to such suppression. He had faced hundreds of overlords daily for weeks. Not only had his perceptions been stretched and refined, but so had his ability to handle such pressure. He sensed it, but he felt no danger. But could he remain here indefinitely?

The floor was also fairly open, with four different rooms walled off. He sensed people there cultivating and making use of one of the stations. He doubted they’d run into the person or persons that had attacked their lower-level disciples here. If they did, they were probably using these higher floors to hide as opposed to hunt. Everyone here was in the sky realm.

“Should we stop here?” Huifen asked.

“I don’t want to overdo it, but I think we should try the next floor before we decide.”

She didn’t object.

The sixth floor was open. All that seemed to be there were murals on the walls. It didn’t just have the suppression of an overlord, but a peak one. The density of qi was so rich that Chao was tempted to sit down and start cultivating.

“Let’s try the seventh floor,” he said, still able to move around comfortably. The only real downside was that the pressure heightened his sense of danger. It felt like an overlord was glaring at him from some unknown place. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to remain long-term.

On the seventh floor, Chao was finally starting to feel the oppression that a high-realm cultivator could cause. It had to be that of the tribulation realm. He wasn’t frozen under its pressure but remaining there could be dangerous. Cultivating for a time wouldn’t be a bad idea though. Besides, there was just a small chamber at the top of the stairs with one big shut door blocking their way to the rest of the floor.

“So the tower’s main legacy is hidden behind this door?” Chao asked. Huifen had already mentioned that this floor would be shut off to them except for basic cultivation. Rumor had it that you had to excel in every trial on the lower floors before it would open to you.

“This is it,” she confirmed. “I suggest we try to earn our way before breaking in. We will be here for some time, and we already have so much to work on.”

“Agreed.” He sent out his little fire dragon to examine the surface of the door. It was almost identical to the pearl-white vault of the third floor. The only difference was that this one was larger and there was no obvious defensive array. “So you’re the prize that no one has been able to win even after thousands of years,” he said aloud.

“Husband, should we start on the fifth floor?”

“Sixth,” he insisted. “I think I might be able to stay there indefinitely as long as I’m just cultivating. Any pills that might be difficult for us to refine might be a different story. We should probably go down to the fourth or fifth floors.”

“You’re sure?”

“There should be fewer people there too, so we should have less interruptions.”

She huffed out a sigh.

As they descended the stairs, Chao turned back and gave the locked door on the seventh floor one more glance. He didn’t know what was behind this door, but he was determined to eventually find out. One way or another.

Chapter 31

They set up their arrays on the sixth floor between murals in the most unassuming spot they could find. Very few people came here in the first place. Besides Pangfua, Elder Harnish was the only sage in the spire, and there were only a few sky realm cultivators that might also come. The fifth floor was more attractive because of its trials and similar qi density.

Huifen agreed that they should keep their array formations small. There were two main benefits. The smaller the array, the less work it had to do to supply qi to the defensive formation. This was especially important for active formations like their defensive barrier. The less spread out, the more powerful its shielding ability was. Passive arrays also benefited from this. Their cloaking illusion contained more detail the more qi. The second reason was that it would be less likely for someone to stumble upon a smaller area.

She watched as Chao set up the formation for the defensive barrier. Once active, they both scanned inside the formation with their perceptions.

“It’s as I feared,” she said. “It allows some qi through but blocks out much of it and lessens the pressure.”

“So no defensive array except during dual cultivation and pill refinement?” Chao asked.

“It seems that way. There is another benefit, however. If the floor’s pressure starts bothering you, we can turn on the defensive array for a time to allow your body to recover without leaving. If we make the defensive formation even smaller, we should be able to fill the space with elemental qi without much loss for dedicated cultivation as well.”

“Are you comfortable with just the cloaking and warning arrays active?” He had yet to sit down.

“We just have to stay on guard. It’s the same as if we were just cultivating here like normal cultivators except that we have two extra layers of protection.”

He turned back and studied her. Once he was convinced, the distress melted off him and he came over to sit beside her. “I’ll leave up the defensive formation flags so that all we have to do is activate them.”

Hidden behind their cloaking and warning arrays, they sat with their backs facing the wall and began to circulate their qi-gathering techniques. They were within arm’s reach but didn’t hold hands to keep all their meridians available.

She found that the added pressure made circulating her qi much easier. In many ways, she knew this simulated the qi density of the divine realm. The only abnormal thing was the suppressive aspect the spire provided. Just moving to a higher floor was a trial in and of itself. She found herself wondering what it was like for children born in such a qi dense environment. Then she remembered one of her husband’s concerns.

Glancing at Chao, she confirmed he was circulating his qi well enough. There was slightly more tension than normal though. “Are you comfortable?”

He didn’t look at her, but after a moment he responded. “It’s actually more comfortable here when circulating qi than when holding back the pressure alone.”

“Mmmm. Let me know the moment you notice any changes. There’s no reason for us to take any chances while your body adapts.”

“I’m a cultivator, not some delicate boy that needs your tending to.” The sides of his mouth tilted up.

“Silly Sage,” she huffed. Remembering why she’d interrupted him in the first place, she changed the subject. “The qi density here is closer to that of the divine realm. It will make it more difficult to practice your space laws but should also be good practice.”

She saw the realization come over him. His eyes were already fluttering back and forth in contemplation as he turned to her.

“Cultivate to your peak first,” she insisted. “It will help you regulate your internal pressure with the pressure of this floor.”

He nodded, but his eyes remained distant. Reaching up, he tore a small line in space. His face lit up. “I will,” he promised, but continued observing the space tear. “It takes more qi, but not as much as I feared. Maybe tearing space isn’t as difficult as space bending, or creating a space barrier…” The lines in his face deepened.

He shook off the thought when he saw she was glaring at him. “Stop flirting with me,” he randomly accused.

“What? Idiot.”

His grin widened. “Thank you, my Huifen. You’re incredible.”

She’d gone from rolling her eyes to blushing in the length of a breath.

Her husband wasn’t the only one who was overly excited to finish qi gathering. She had the first technique in the third pillar of the Ice Phoenix Tome, Indominable Plumage, to play around with. It was a true lifesaving method unmatched in this realm. Then there were her other techniques and the ice, water, and nature laws. She was especially excited to spend some time on the second floor to study in the water and nature chambers. The very room they’d chosen as their temporary home was similar to the enlightened painting they’d received from Empress Sun Yan Ya. Of course, it wasn’t just one painting but the entire room that was covered in murals. She was surprised Chao had been willing to sit down and gather qi at all. These walls were filled with concept laden artwork. Such murals were believed to contain the execution of ancient martial techniques that might be on the level of a divine sect. The sixth floor alone would’ve been worth the trip to come here and decades of focused meditation.

That was only the beginning. She hadn’t even considered the spire’s trials. It would be easy to get overwhelmed if she weren’t careful.

***

Zan floated tens of meters off the ground holding his wife’s hand a few kilometers from Phoenix City. It was here that Prince Rong had been devoured by a destructive wall of space created by Chao, his own son. It wasn’t just the two of them. Billi hovered nearby with her red hair snaking about in the wind. Now that she didn’t have to appease her dead captor, it was one small liberty she took—just letting her hair do what it liked.

Kang was there too. His hair was as long as the woman’s and more than once Zan had asked him to stand back. The man’s inquisitiveness wouldn’t get him killed during what Zan was about to do, but he still wondered how the man had lived this long. The man’s ice cultivation helped, making his physique tougher than even the average fire cultivation of the same level. It wasn’t by much, though and a fire cultivator’s advantage was that they had a slightly higher regeneration rate.

The last person he’d invited was the temporary Fire Phoenix Sect Master, Yongrui. He’d get more out of this than the others because of his fire cultivation but witnessing the recovery of the contents of a destroyed spatial ring and the inner world of a tribulation cultivator was something they’d all benefit from. Even Billi wouldn’t have been privy to either event in the past.

“I’ll begin with the prince’s spatial ring,” Zan said. Seeing Kang edging forward, he gave the new overlord a look.

The man straightened like a post.

“Since you’re over eager to get started, tell me Kang, what’s the difference between the space in a spatial ring and the common space we are in now?”

The tall, elegant man’s eyes narrowed. “A spatial ring’s space is simpler, not allowing in living beings or qi… But that seems to contradict space’s nature. It shouldn’t matter.”

“You’re right. Space, though theoretically complex, is actually simple in essence. As you said, the space inside a spatial ring shouldn’t hold different characteristics than common space. And it doesn’t. The reason why its practical use is different than one might expect, isn’t because of the space it contains, but because of the method of transport between common space and the artificial space inside a ring.

“These rings aren’t created in the way Chao creates his space tunnels. The most common way, even in the divine realm, is to kill a creature that has a natural spatial storage ability. They look for smaller creatures with smaller cores. Its death wipes its spiritual imprint on its own core, allowing a person to refine it. These cores can be melted and shaped by a skilled artisan. The artificial space remains. Then its core’s internal space is accessible by the will—not the use of spatial laws. Technically, there is no difference between artificial and common space. It’s limited by the laws of the will. Which begs the question, what is the will?”

He bumped shoulders with Quinyuan when no one answered.

She perked up. A smile came to her face as she addressed the others. “The will is the spiritual projection of a cultivator’s intent. Even lower realm cultivators can project their will to a limited extent before their spirit has merged with their body as in the sky realm and their spiritual sea hasn’t developed as in the tribulation realm. It’s what guides martial techniques and travels through one’s extended qi to try and make sense of the world. This is otherwise known as a cultivator’s perceptions. The will is sometimes called intent, or even a person’s spirit or soul. At higher realms, there are spiritual attacks that are based primarily on one’s will.”

Zan leaned over and kissed her on the head. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. Now, the will has its own limitations. It can’t influence another person’s will directly. Not even a divine monarch can override a person’s will and make them act unwillingly. This is why you can’t just throw your enemies into a spatial ring then toss it into the sea. When one will battles another, it can only attack or defend. Even most divine cultivators are limited to forcing another person to retreat. Practically, this means a higher realm cultivator can force a lower realm opponent’s martial techniques to fail. It’s only once someone reaches the Divine Soul Realm that harming someone with your will becomes feasible.”

Everyone turned their attention to Billi. He knew she was numb to what other people thought of her due to her harsh upbringing, but she was mindful enough to bow her head to reassure them she had no intention of harming them.

“Without training, battles of the will between Divine Soul Cultivators are rarely deadly. Most can barely manage to give their opponents a headache because they’re so evenly matched. They’re much more dangerous to low realm cultivators. Even then, they can only kill and not enslave you or place you in an artificial space.

“Enough theory. What happens when an artificial space has its core, a spatial ring in this case, destroyed? Simple. The artificial space remains unmoving until its separation from common space breaks down. A ring like the prince’s could last in this state for thousands if not tens of thousands of years. So what happens when this separation breaks? Everyone, fly back a hundred meters.”

As he said it, he waved his hand in the space before them. Sensing everyone had done as he said, he found the trace concepts left over from the spatial ring’s destruction. Then he gave it the command with his will.

It was a non-concussive explosion. It went off as the space was suddenly filled with the old ring’s contents. It displaced the air, sending an arial blast in all directions. To them, it wasn’t harmful, but, if this had happened in a heavily populated mortal realm, people could die.

Zan had caught the ring’s contents with his qi and began letting it down to rest on the grassy area below. There was already a clearing caused by his daughter-in-law’s ice domain she’d used here just over a month ago.

The others flew forward to check out its contents. As Zan expected, it was filled with divine realm junk. It was common for lower realm cultivators that advanced to the higher realm to collect everything they could get their hands on once they ascended. One reason was because it took a while to grasp that such things, even common rocks that held large quantities of qi, could exist in excess after living the first part of your life in a place where they were rare. Secondly, newly ascended cultivators could appreciate common divine realm materials and trinkets in a way those that grew up with them couldn’t.

He saw the faces of these lower realm overlords light up like they’d found the hidden legacy of some great person. Even his own wife was dazzled by many things she’d never seen before. Not to the point that she lost herself though.

“Separate anything that Empress Sun might value,” Quinyuan called out.

“Take your time examining its contents,” Zan said where only she could hear. “We’ll be leaving this world in a few days, and you’ll see many knew things, but there’s no danger here, so enjoy it while you can.”

Quinyuan narrowed her eyes playfully. “Then I’ll do just that.”

He chuckled as she flew down to get a closer look. Only Billi remained with him in the air. He flew over to her.

“Master Zan,” she said, saluting him.

“We haven’t had much time to speak since you’ve returned from your mission. What are your thoughts after observing Little Chao and Huifen?”

She floated there stoically. Her eyes drifted down to the lower realm cultivators searching through the junk. She spoke. “I don’t like seeing them. They’re everything that was taken from me. Everything I’m not. But I’m also drawn to them. Will I ever be like them?”

“No,” he said, holding nothing back. “They’ve been through a lot, but they’ve retained much of the innocence that comes with their age and lack of experience. Even though you are only a few years older, your experience with hardship is too vast.” He waited to continue so that what he said could seep in.

“With that said, what you can have is no less remarkable than the love they share for each other, for other people, cultivation, and the world. The difference is that yours will be tainted by what happened to you. You’ll have difficulty seeing beauty for what it is because you know the danger that might be hidden. Their difficulty is in seeing the danger and the ugliness of the world. You’re like them in the sense that you too have much to learn. You’re simply coming at life from opposite ends.

“But I promise you this. One day, if you stay disciplined and honestly face your wounds of the heart, you will join Chao and Huifen in the middle where experience and truth meet. You will find you are no less than they are, and never have been despite what has happened to you—and they are no less than you. You will have joy and they will have sorrow. You will see the world as it truly is.”

The usually expressionless girl closed her eyes. After a moment’s thought, she asked. “Do you know this, or are you being kind to me and loose with the truth? I honestly don’t know the difference.”

“Little girl,” he said, folding his arms across his chest but giving her a charitable glint. “I once told you that there are a thousand levels of existence more dreadful than what you’ve experienced. I did not lie. I’ve been a slave and a slave master. I’ve experienced war more often than days you’ve been alive. I’ve won, and also lost. I’ve had loved ones taken, ravaged, and killed. I’ve taken revenge and been left with nothing but to suffer unbearable injustice. I’ve been lost and alone without hope only to find light in the darkness of insanity. So yes, Billi. I’m telling you the truth. It doesn’t make your path any less difficult, but I’ll point you in the right direction even if you don’t want to go there.”

She nodded to herself, then to where she knew he could see. “Thank you, Master Zan.”

“You’re, welcome.”

Eventually, Billi flew down and looked through their plunder. He gave the group an hour to sort through everything before he called out for them to store what they had found. When they’d gathered around him once again, he asked them a question. “What’s the difference between the artificial space in a spatial ring and that of a cultivator’s core?” He cut Kang off as he began to answer. “Nothing. There are true artificial spaces created by divine lords and above that can even be crafted into jewelry, but those that possess them wouldn’t trade one for the entire wealth of this world. That is why the term artificial is rather deceptive. Come. Let’s take a look inside this tribulation realm prince’s inner world.”

He caught them up in his qi, tore space, then dragged them in behind him.

Chapter 32

They appeared in the vacuum of space. Quinyuan felt her husband’s perceptions scan her before quickly moving on. He’d trained her in what to do to survive in this environment. Breathing was impossible, so it required one to rely solely on their qi to sustain them. The only real difficulty was learning to stop breathing. It was not pleasant, especially the first time. She turned and found that Kang was just fine. Even without Heart of Ice, he was an analytical powerhouse. It didn’t surprise her that he’d figured it all out himself.

Turning her attention to Yongrui, she found the man had a constipated look from holding his breath. When they’d arrived, he’d probably tried to take a breath but found he couldn’t, let out some more air to make room, then tried to forcibly take another one. There was no air, so it put him in his current predicament.

“Fill your lungs with qi,” she instructed, but didn’t say more. She was friendlier to him than most of his own sect’s elders. That didn’t mean she would make things easy. He was stubborn and fiercely independent which got him in trouble, but at the same time, he learned best when put in situations that were just as stubborn as he was.

She noticed Billi looking at the new Fire Phoenix Sect Master with her head curiously cocked to the side.

Quinyuan noticed the smile pull at her own mouth in response. It was coming so easy to her now. Smiling had once been a skill she’d developed, but now it was as natural as breathing. She wondered at how much she’d lost over the last thousand years. Without the technique, would her life have been richer—better? Would she have married? Had children? It was likely. Would she have reached her current cultivation? She didn’t know. She certainly wouldn’t have met Sister An, and marrying Zan would’ve been impossible.

She didn’t ignore her regret but gave it its place to help guide and motivate her to make better decisions in the future. Gratitude also had its place. She wouldn’t let anything take away the family she was now a part of. She’d never use Heart of Ice again if it meant she’d lose what she felt for them.

It didn’t take long for Yongrui to figure it out. He still looked uncomfortable, but he gave them a nod that he was ready to move on.

She turned her attention to the great sphere of blue tribulation fire that raged many kilometers away.

“The question of whether a person’s inner world is miniature in size or the same as common space has been answered, don’t you think?” Zan asked smugly, mocking the lower realm belief.

The planet of tribulation fire wasn’t alone. There was a second sphere orbiting it, but far off to their flank. Its size was similar, but slightly smaller. Quinyuan had experience creating her second planet when she’d advanced to the tribulation realm. Even though she made it the same size as the original, her first had absorbed more energy during her breakthrough and grown in both realm and size.

Zan continued, “This dead prince’s inner world is typical for a tribulation realm cultivator of the Divine Fire Phoenix Sect. There’s nothing truly exceptional about it, but neither are there any flaws. That is the glory of cultivating a technique established by a divine beast that has reached the Divine Monarch Realm. It can be cultivated to the peak. For most qi gathering techniques in the lower realm, that is impossible.”

“What of Little Chao?” Kang asked.

As methodically cold as the ice sage could be, Quinyuan knew that he cared deeply for the boy. Perhaps more than he cared for the boy’s father, whom he called master and was as close of a friend to him as the man had. Even that wasn’t being fair to him. He’d commissioned Zan to wipe out the Hayka Cult because he cared for the disciples being experimented on. He and Chao were quite similar in the fascination they had for the world, but Chao’s was a wonder-filled, joyous thing, where Kang’s was different… Or was it? Chao had a love for people equal to his love of laws. Was that the difference? Or had the Ice Phoenix Elder’s injury that left his face emotionless for all those years deceived her? Maybe now that his breakthrough had allowed his expressions to recover she should reevaluate him to be fair.

“By all common wisdom, Chao’s method should be considered flawed and limited,” Zan replied. “However, his core and inner world speak for themselves. Both he and his wife have broken from tradition. It will make their advancement less certain and even more dangerous, but it is also the very thing that will make them exceptional.

“Theoretically, relying on cultivation techniques created by divine beasts, or even human Divine Monarchs, isn’t the best approach. It could be said that there is a unique set of techniques that would work the best for each individual and they can only be found through trial and error. The problem, of course, is that trying to figure them out could prove deadly and take decades if not centuries. That’s why master disciple relationships are so important. If the disciple is struggling, they have someone with greater insight to guide them with a proven qi gathering technique as a foundation.

“Honestly, this is why Chao must rely on dual cultivation with his wife far more than any common cultivator ever would—even if he hasn’t realized it yet. His technique is just at the beginning stages of development. Her technique at least has a proven foundation. His is completely unique to himself. Huifen would likely make it to the peak without him—even if she didn’t have her virgin yin. But without her support, for him it’s likely impossible. Not without his father forcing pills and natural treasures down his throat. Unless…”

He refocused. “I’m going to draw back my protective qi, so be ready to defend with your auras. I want you to experience exactly what it’s like in a dead cultivator’s inner world.”

As soon as he did, Quinyuan felt the tribulation fire’s heat. They were far enough away that it wouldn’t harm her, but she summoned her defensive aura for comfort’s sake.

Kang and Yongrui didn’t have as easy a time of it, but the fire sage sneered with glee. He obviously admired the massive sphere of flame and even wanted a piece of it for himself.

She saw her husband give the man a sidelong glance. He had that mischievous glint in his eye.

“Yongrui,” Zan called. “This is a cultivator’s wonderland for one with your fire cultivation, but also extremely dangerous for your realm. I will turn it into a temporary mystical realm so that you can use it while we’re off planet, but first I must make it easier to manage. Pay close attention to what I’m about to do. You won’t understand it now, but one day this will be useful to you. Everyone else, follow me closely with your perceptions. There is much for you to learn. Especially you, Little Fairy.” He gave Quinyuan a confident smirk. “It’s not every day I get to show off. Now, let me take care of this second planet.”

What did he mean by taking care?

She watched as he flew right at it. Even as he drew near, he didn’t slow. He was but a tiny unburnt speck in the light of its surface. Then he plunged straight into the arrogant flame.

There was more than one gasp. She could feel the tension through her friends’ auras.

She followed him closely with her perceptions. His clothing disappeared into his spatial ring before it turned to ash. He swam to the very core of the planet of fire. Only then did he stop.

Stretching himself as if comfortable in the ocean of flame, his core began to spin. As her husband’s inner world opened to receive the tribulation realm fire, it was as if the entire world cried out, voicing its grievance. Its surface churned but it could no longer escape.

She knew he was at least a Divine Lord, for the Divine Fire Sect Elder never would’ve shown him such respect if that wasn’t the case, but even now, she didn’t know what realm he had reached. He said it was important that she didn’t know for certain. Not while she, Chao and Huifen were still in such a delicate state.

Divine Lord and the two final realms brought with them much responsibility that other near-peak cultivators would demand of him. Such individuals had the power to change worlds for better or worse. He sought to protect their family for as long as he could.

Watching him now, the man that had become her husband, she felt giddy in the way only a young woman should. It was something she never expected. She was proud of him and could call him her own. The concept wasn’t new. In her thousand years of life, she’d counseled many, but to feel it herself?

She didn’t believe Zan when he’d teased her about still being young. Only now was she starting to believe there might be more to his words. How did a woman that had sworn off marriage for a thousand years have any right to feel this—bliss? She thought of her friend, Sister An. Had she known that her insistence would one day save her from the dismal existence that life with Heart of Ice had wrought?

Thank you.

It was as much a prayer to the heavens as to acknowledge what her friend had done for her. Even though the old practice of using Heart of Ice as a way of life wasn’t established by her, she had propagated it, potentially ruining the lives of countless women. Many of them had been the people she held most dear. She was just glad she hadn’t taken as dogmatic a stance as the sect had taken in the past. Marriage had once been forbidden entirely. That was a dogma that she had personally done away with.

She allowed her mind to turn to more joyful things. Her husband was swallowing a planet whole, and she was getting to witness the process.

Chapter 33

Finally, Chao had reached his peak. His Huifen had started circulating his mother’s old medically inspired, qi-gathering technique before he had. They’d both made a practice of it because it cleansed a person as much as qi purifying pills if done consistently. He also knew Huifen just liked the way it made her feel.

He committed himself to circulating it for a quarter of an hour. After that, it was time to get started. Huifen was already deep into the card jade Divine Envoy Po had gifted her. Grinning to himself, he turned to his own cultivation. But where should he start?

There were so many areas of study he could focus on. Many of which would be of great benefit to him. For a start, his laws couldn’t be neglected. There were countless new ones for him to examine. The sharpness laws that Sage Li had revealed to him were just the beginning. Concepts existed in both animate and inanimate states. Sharpness could become slash, pierce, cleave… And who knew how many nuance concepts existed in just the movement of a blade?

Before he moved on, there was one question he needed the answer to. He summoned an awakened fire dragon of the nascent realm. It didn’t cost him much qi, but he noticed every distinction between his use of it now and when he was outside the tower. Even his fire dragon cost more qi.

He then tore space again. This time he did so vertically. He made it about a meter in height. The increase in qi was greater than it was with his fire dragon, but not to the extent he expected. Why?

A space bend appeared next to the tear. He’d only made a joint. It was about two meters high and thirty centimeters (one foot) wide with a rounded surface. This was the simplest type of space bend, but it had just cost him at least three times the normal amount of qi. Maybe closer to five times. Was it because of the amount of air he had to displace to create it?

He took it further and created a fist size tunnel in space. Even though there were two tears that would act as exits to his tunnel, until space expanded and joined them, their surface area was smaller than the space bend, so it cost him less qi. At least, that was the theory. Then he made an interesting discovery. After his tunnel had swallowed the qi rich air of that floor, it was much harder to reverse. Forcing it closed cost more than its creation. Air displacement really was the issue.

It wasn’t the air itself that was actually denser, but there was simply more qi, or energy, mixed in with it. It was this excess qi that increased the density.

He wasn’t finished. He reverse-created another tunnel of equal size and cut off his qi to see how long it would take for it to dissipate on its own. Observing it closely, minutes went by. No wonder it had cost him so much qi to force the tunnel closed. A few minutes later it finally disappeared.

He organized his thoughts. If it was the air’s density that held it open, then…

He reverse-created a space tear, then created a space bead that was the same shape and size. They were both as long as a painter’s quill and thinner than a strand of hair.

The space tear was a void in common space. It was the only container that could be considered truly empty. Even an empty jar was filled with air. This was filled with nothing.

Then there was the created space. It was what his space bends consisted of. It was space borrowed or created and then overlapped onto common space. It was solid and slippery. Even though space couldn’t have any substance itself, created space was also the hardest of all substances.

Both his tear and created strand of space began to dissipate at a faster rate than was normal outside of the tower. It was the difference between the qi density of the lower and divine realms.

Things were as he suspected. This was both good and bad. Using large space law techniques would drain his qi quickly, but they were still technically possible. A defensive space barrier, as an example, would use a large percentage of his qi. It wasn’t as bad as his father had warned, but it did mean his current fighting style of surrounding himself in space while picking his attacks in his own time would be impossible in his current state.

However, using space laws in qi this dense also had its advantages. If it was harder to deconstruct once it contained air from the divine realm, that opened him up to many new possibilities—and more dangerous ones.

Even if what his father had said about his use of space in the divine realm was exaggerated, for all practical purposes it was true. However, it was far better than he’d feared. He wouldn’t be as defenseless as he’d first believe.

Stretching out his perceptions, his will flew toward his target, tearing space horizontally many meters away. The desperate training his father had put him through when surrounding him with overlords had not been for nothing. Even if he was left with the same problem he’d originally had, a weak defense, his offensive capabilities were still potent.

He spied Huifen out of the corner of his eye. She was still absorbed in her card jade. As much as he wanted to return to those peaceful days where he studied the laws and cultivated his mother’s garden, there was something he wanted much more. To explore this universe and everything in it with his wife while keeping her safe. There was one thing he knew his father hadn’t exaggerated about. There were men out there that would want to harm her and take her for themselves. He had work to do.

Taking out his new pipa, Chao strapped it over his shoulder, holding it in the nontraditional way. He wouldn’t say he preferred this technique, but it allowed him to stay mobile while playing. In their weeks traveling, he’d become competent enough playing it on its side that he rarely missed a note.

Even if his space laws had the potential to make him near invincible in this realm and the divine, his father had said there would come a time at the highest realms where even the most common physiques could resist them. Out of all of his laws and techniques, it was his sound laws that were the most unique. They weren’t limited like the other laws but could carry his will and command every law he had access to.

He began by playing a familiar song. It had been one of the first he’d played for Huifen. It was a lighthearted, joyous melody. He filled it with emotion and intent—for them to focus their minds, see the wonders of the things they were studying, and to understand them. After he’d played through the song several times, he stopped, pulled out a bucket’s worth of card jades, even more scrolls, and a few stone tablets.

Chao had already scanned and categorized them into theory, practical instruction, and songbook categories. They were also broken up by instrument. Before he tried the zither, flute, or drums, he wanted to further his knowledge of the pipa first—or should he call it a lute?

He picked up a jade on basic music theory and started to read. He’d spend some time each day on theory, then instruction, and only then turn his attention to a new song. Today would be his first time trying to learn one in written form. He knew the basics of reading music already. Remembering all the rules wouldn’t take long. The terms and their meanings wouldn’t be as easy to recall. His mother’s education in the matter was limited. She’d always emphasized the human connection to music over technical instruction.

An hour later, he was plucking at the strings of his pipa as he tried to make the notes match what was written in the jade. This song was a simple one, but it arranged things differently than he’d ever seen. There was so much to learn. Too much. It threatened to overwhelm him, but he reminded himself that no one even knew the true limits of the laws. Just because his mind had been opened up to a better understanding of how little he knew, it didn’t mean he was further behind today than yesterday.

After he’d gotten through the song and had glimpsed its majesty, he put everything away and began to surround himself with the many blades he’d found in the sage’s spatial rings. He had dozens not including his primary weapons.

Huifen stirred from her steady state of meditation for the first time since they began and piled the many swords and daggers she had before him.

“Keep your weapon close at hand,” he insisted.

She nodded and went right back to her meditation.

He marveled at her, then set his mind to arranging the weapons in a circle around him. He remembered back to the cultivation chamber of the Li family. He couldn’t exactly set up his own chamber without making it a permanent structure, but he thought he’d gleaned enough from what he saw to try something.

The bladed weapons weren’t laid out in any specific order. The chaos of different materials was exactly the point. If they were too similar, he would have difficulty focusing on the sharpness concepts. If they were all yin leaning weapons, for instance, the yin concepts would be as pronounced as sharpness. Perhaps, more so… An element was a concept of a higher level. It was possible that too much presence of a higher concept would drown out lower ones. It was just another thing he’d have to test.

Using his qi, he lifted the blades surrounding him all at once until they floated with their blades facing him at an angle and were pointing straight to the sky. His control of them, especially with the qi density of this floor, would be awkward at best. He didn’t need to do anything more than just hold them in place.

He popped a pill into his mouth and swallowed. His own qi had already taken a hit. Then he studied the blades surrounding him. It wasn’t nearly as pronounced as it was in Sage Li’s cultivation chamber, but he could feel it. His study of the sharpness concept began.

***

Huifen wasn’t just spending her time trying to figure out Indominable Plumage, the first technique in the third pillar of the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome. This divine realm card jade held a series of exercises that would allow her to practice aspects of the technique without wasting her qi.

Much like Ice Phoenix’s Breath, Indominable Plumage used a large number of meridians and flooded them with qi. Instead of every meridian, it focused on those on the front half of her body. Her ice gown would be necessary after casting it. The biggest danger was that there would be more pressure inside her meridians. It required her to use almost an identical technique to Ice Phoenix’s Breath but while also blocking off those meridians on her back. It also required a far higher level of control since she’d have to focus all the qi that she released to a limited space in front of her. In many ways, it was an advanced use of Ice Phoenix’s Breath.

She’d spend much of her time on the first exercise. It required her to shut off the meridians in her back and open those in the front. It wasn’t difficult if time wasn’t an issue. The technique’s danger came from the necessity of doing it instantly when a massive burst of qi from one’s inner world threatened to destroy her body if she made a mistake.

She had to admit that Ice Phoenix’s Breath was far easier and much more natural. When releasing such a large amount of qi, the meridians in her body naturally reacted by opening. To forcibly keep some closed went against the body’s desire to protect itself. Mastering these exercises would be of great benefit, even if they were tedious. She was a cultivator of the Ice Phoenix Sect. If she couldn’t handle tedious then she would’ve stopped cultivating long ago.

The practical implications of Indominable Plumage weren’t lost on her. If she could use it to create a wall of defensive ice, why couldn’t she use it to create a movement technique, or an offensive attack? Such techniques were simple at a conceptual level, but the danger was extreme. Not just to herself either. If she could direct all of the qi of Ice Phoenix’s Breath in one direction it could be even more powerful.

She did something as she practiced the exercise over and over that she never would have just a few years before. She let her imagination wander as she thought of the many possibilities.

Chapter 34

Chao played a new song as he descended from the fourth floor. It was a little suspect that an earth realm cultivator and his wife had been spending so much time on the higher floors, but both of their cultivations looked abnormal at a glance to this part of Lifestone so they made a show of ignoring their onlookers. Chao’s golden core was obviously unique, but Huifen’s glistened unlike any ice core anyone had ever seen. Unbeknownst to them, it was because of the trace amounts of tribulation ice that was being held in check. An ice core and water core looked nearly identical. And as for nature cultivators, they had the widest variety of core coloration of any type of cultivation.

His Huifen wasn’t just walking quietly at his side. She held a sprouted seed in her palm and was feeding it a steady stream of qi as it was readying to sprout. Even with her laws, she couldn’t just cause any plant to grow and flower at will. The water lily and lotus were the exceptions. The one she held she’d been nursing for hours. The process didn’t take much thought but going through it was good for her to better understand plants in general. This specific plant was the red Azalea.

It was a shrub instead of a standalone flower, but shaping it was easy enough once she got it started. The reason she’d picked such a common plant was because it was anything but yin loving. It didn’t like to be too cold, or too hot for that matter. It was mentioned in her jade of poisons that it could cause mad honey disease if ingested in high enough doses. The poison wasn’t her goal, however. She was trying to get closer to the nature laws. She also found the flower beautiful.

Just as she had her perceptions extended, Chao was also looking for signs of an ambush. Their carefree demeanor was mostly for show. Now that they were on the third floor by the vault with its energy pylon defense and tens of people in the area cultivating, he mostly relaxed. Even if there was more than one assailant, this group was made up of too many sects for them to be planning anything here. They didn’t have much further to go. Their objective was just through the room and down the hall near the middle of this floor.

The barriers that separated rooms contained the qi within but allowed everything else to pass through unhindered. He wondered if any of their many arrays were capable of the same thing, but they hadn’t even come close to experimenting with everything the sages’ rings held. That too would take time.

They made it through the large open room that held the vault without problem and could see into the next room—the largest dedicated cultivation chamber on the floor. Every cultivator had to pass through it to get to the vault and ascend the stairs to the next level. Chao assumed that was one of the reasons for its size, but he also thought it might be more than that.

The last elemental meditation chamber on the second floor had also been focused on the water element. It also seemed the most advanced of all the chambers. He didn’t have more evidence than that, but he suspected that the civilization that had created the Divine Spire was focused on water cultivation, or at least heavily favored it.

As he stepped through the barrier into the water cultivation chamber, he noticed the difference in volume. There was a conversation going on which he’d barely noticed before entering the room. The barrier muffled sound. When they’d taken their first stroll through this floor there had been no conversation, so he hadn’t noticed it.

Stepping to the side, he let Huifen pass by. She gave him a curious glance but walked past him to greet the ice phoenix disciples waiting for them.

He walked back through the doorway and through the barrier to confirm how it affected the sound. It seemed qi wasn’t the only thing the barriers blocked.

Reentering the room, he didn’t mention it and greeted the fairies standing to meet them. Fairies Genji, Daiyu, Zhu, Eu-meh, and even Junior Disciple Diu, the library clerk, were all there amongst ten others. There were even two male ice phoenix disciples in the late earth realm that had joined them. The elder leading them was no other than Mother Sya.

It reminded him that he’d promised to spend some time with Father Tu within the next few days. Even if it would take away from his time for cultivation, he was excited to see what his exuberant father-in-law was up to.

“Junior Brother Tao,” Elder Sya greeted him with a senior’s martial bow.

“This one is pleased to see you, Elder,” he bowed. Even if he was trying to limit his native pleasantries, his mother-in-law deserved an extra measure of respect.

“Everyone, take a seat,” Sya said, lifting her voice.

He then noticed there was a group from the Morning Mist Village with their wooden armor on the far side of the room cultivating. Their presence would make things difficult.

Huifen’s hand found his arm. Their eyes met then they both looked to his mother-in-law.

She gave them a subtle shake of the head.

Forcing the other sect to leave wasn’t an option—unless he was ready to reveal his true identity. Playing his pipa to prepare them for their study of the laws was one thing, but the other sect would be present as they practiced. He quickly considered the possible consequences. If they limited their practice to the borrow game then there would be little the Morning Mist Village disciples could discern, but they’d also have to keep their conversations to a minimum. To the untrained eye, the difference between one’s elemental qi and the laws was almost impossible to distinguish. The difference between the laws, borrow, create, and enhance, were even more difficult to discern. Realizing this, he smiled at the two fairies waiting for him.

He surrounded them with a sound barrier. “Summon Fairies Eu-meh and Diu if you would, please,” he requested of Sya.

She called them over.

Fairy Zhu was already sitting near Huifen, so when she saw the two girls coming, she also leaned closer. When her eyes met Chao, they widened, but he waved her to join them as well. The taller Fairy Daiyu was right behind her as he’d expected.

He extended the barrier to conceal their conversation then instructed the four girls to lead the others in the borrow game. “Conversation is to be kept to a minimum and any questions should be saved for later. I’ll be playing a new song today, followed by one you’re familiar with to be sure my enhancement takes hold. Eu-meh, Diu, I’d like for you to ask the other disciples individually their thoughts on the effects of my music after practice each day and record them. Can I count on you?”

“Of course, Senior Brother,” Diu blurted out.

“We’ll do it,” Eu-meh replied with a determined look.

“Thank you. Now let’s get started.” Turning to Huifen, he said, “Fen’er, would you like to sit with the Elder as she practices?” They’d already discussed this, so he already knew her answer. She wouldn’t be able to directly practice the ice laws while the other sect was here, but she had other things to work on and she could do them while spending time with her mother.

Huifen nodded, smiling broadly.

He saw Sya return her nod gracefully.

“Let’s begin,” he said.

Eu-meh took over, directing Diu to one side of the room, then began instructing Zhu and Daiyu with what to do. It surprised him to see how quick Huifen’s two friends followed the fairy’s instructions. It reinforced his earlier thoughts about her being closer to being his personal disciple than he realized.

Walking through the midst of them as everyone began the borrow game, he spotted Genji practicing with Mother Sya. The girl grinned when she saw him.

He couldn’t help but smile back.

He stopped before the Morning Mist Village’s group of disciples. There were nine of them in total.

He didn’t have to wait for them to acknowledge his presence. A wiry man that looked too skinny for his armor stood. He was the only sky realm cultivator from their sect present.

Chao gave him a martial salute. “Greetings, Elder. I am Tong Tao. It’s been requested by the Ice Phoenix Sect for me to play a few songs. I’m capable of blocking out the sound, but I wanted to ask before doing so. It’s said that my playing can help focus the mind for cultivation. If you’re willing, I’m more than happy to extend my playing to your disciples as well.”

“Greetings, Young Tao,” the man said with a deep tone that didn’t match his image. “I appreciate your asking. May I ask how long you intend on playing?”

“A quarter hour should do it.”

He glanced down at the disciples in his charge but didn’t dwell on it for long. “If that is all, then please. We will happily hear you.”

“Very well. There is nothing required of you to get the most out of my music. As you see, the Ice Phoenix Sect disciples commonly just continue with their cultivation.”

“Then I must thank you beforehand.”

Chao gave him a farewell salute before returning to the ice phoenix side of the room and took a seat on the bench near the exit.

He’d play his new song enough times to have it memorized. It wasn’t the most complex song he knew either. He still had to think of the notes to not make any mistakes, though. He expected the split focus to affect his enhancement law. Turning his full attention to his pipa, he began to play. He labored to touch on the emotion of the song.

It wasn’t as strictly joyful as what he normally played. It had long, contemplative notes and it built slowly. The song was like an adventure. More often than not, traveling was a drawn out, tedious thing. Unless one appreciated the world around them and engaged with their new surroundings, it could be boring. The song was much the same, but it held the promise that something was coming. Something grand and exciting. Minutes passed when he finally neared the culmination.

It was like cultivation. Long hours were spent meditating, gathering energy, and practicing martial techniques. Often progress was slow and daunting, but it led to greater heights.

The notes quickened. The force of his strumming peaked. As was always the musician’s aim, Chao lost himself.

The pace calmed, and the force softened. The days after a fierce battle, even when victorious, were melancholic. He was careful not to enhance the sadness of the song, but a little slipped through regardless.

As his playing drew to a close, he looked up and found the entire room had stopped cultivating. He felt embarrassed. Drawing their attention was not his aim.

Eu-meh was the first to clap, and soon the rest of the room joined her—including those of the Morning Mist Village. He hadn’t played the song flawlessly, yet they applauded.

Looking at his Huifen, she laughed at his discomfort. He hadn’t expected this to happen, but it seemed she had.

Her and her surprises. He sighed. Without any delay, he launched into his next song. By the time he was done playing, the Ice Phoenix Sect had returned to their practice. He stood and Huifen joined him.

Mother Sya also rose to bid them farewell with Genji at her side.

“Thank you, Brother Tao,” the young disciple said.

He wanted to be more personable with her but was afraid anything too intimate would be noticed by the Morning Mist Village disciples. “Thank you, sister fairy,” he replied.

As they passed, Eu-meh turned from her practice and called out, “Excellent new song, Brother Tao.”

Many of the other disciples echoed the sentiment.

He shallowly bowed and responded, “Cultivate well.”

As soon as they reached the Morning Mist Village side of the room, the Elder that he’d spoken with shot to his feet. “Thank you for sharing, Brother Tao.” The man cupped his fist.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, senior. I hope it will be of some benefit.”

He walked a little quicker than normal and exited the room into the fire qi chamber where the Fire Phoenix Sect disciples were waiting for them. They weren’t alone. A group of Night Pearl Sect disciples were also there, and the young fairy Dvora who’d first tried to bully them outside the spire was amongst the group. This would be interesting.

Chapter 35

“Brother Tao. Sister Fen,” Core Disciple Shoi-ming greeted from where he sat.

“Senior Brother,” Chao replied, saluting him. Shoi-ming was the current number one disciple of the Fire Phoenix Sect and nearing the peak of the Sky Realm.

Li Qiang hopped up from his seat and ran over to him. “Brother,” he said, then leaned close and whispered. “I’ve let everyone know what to expect. We’re ready.”

“And the Night Pearl Sect?”

Li Qiang glanced back at the women with their purple veils covering their faces and shook his head.

“Then take a seat.”

Huifen had already found a place to sit with a female Fire Phoenix Sect disciple he wasn’t familiar with.

He grinned through his nervous energy and approached the Night Pearl Sect disciples. As he expected, their elder confronted him immediately.

“The quota for this room is already full,” she insisted.

“Senior, I’m not here to cultivate, but to play for the Fire Phoenix Sect. My music is said to help focus the mind, so they’ve requested I play for them daily. I can shield you from my song if you’d prefer not to hear it, but you’re certainly welcome to listen as well. I’ll be playing for approximately a quarter of an hour.”

He could just make out the narrowing of her eyes as she considered it. Ultimately, she nodded then sat down without another word.

He saluted then returned to his seat.

This performance went much like the last one. His brother disciples were less vocal, but they all stood in response to applaud his new song.

At the end of his performance, Core Disciple Shoi-ming approached him. The man said something under his breath where only Chao could hear. “Can I speak with you?”

“Yes…”

The man then stepped back and gave Huifen a martial salute. “Alone if Sister Tong Fen wouldn’t mind.”

Seeing that his wife was about to object, Chao leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll be alright.” He’d sensed Shoi-ming’s animosity as well. It wasn’t at the level of hostility, but the man had a bone to pick with him so he might as well find out why.

Huifen let her discontent show but motioned that she’d wait here.

He then followed the man past the Night Pearl Sect and to the next room. It was filled with lightning qi and conveniently empty of cultivators.

***

Dvora felt her entire body tense up as the mountainous sky realm fire cultivator led the sound cultivator she’d mistaken as a common rogue out of the room. As her elder leaned over, she already knew what would be asked of her.

“Go,” her elder commanded.

Casting her technique, Concealment of the Darkest Moon, she bowed her head humbly and rose to her feet. The technique hid one’s cultivation and intent. Seeing that her target’s wife had returned to her seat, she hurriedly followed behind the two men with the speed of a messenger. It made sense that her sect would want to inform the remaining elders about the discovery of a talented sound cultivator able to help focus one’s cultivation. That was her excuse. But delivering a message was the furthest thing from her true intent.

***

The number one disciple of the Fire Phoenix Sect started to pace back and forth. His face was contorted as he let his emotions bubble to the surface.

He stopped in his tracks as a disciple of the Night Pearl Sect hurried past them then out the other side of the room.

When the man looked at Chao, he started to say something but then stopped. He looked around the room in question.

“Speak freely Brother Shoi-ming. It’s safe,” Chao confirmed.

The man bowed slightly in thanks. “You’re a once in a millennia cultivator, Sage. You’re combat ability, the song you just played… So why? The Fire Phoenix Sect has already lost so much. I stood with you at the battle against that traitorous Tengfei and the elders that followed him, but why rob the sect of its rightful Sect Master for the sake of some woman? Why did you banish Sage Fang? What gave you the right?”

Chao felt his heart drop into his gut. He was convinced he’d done what was right, but it still hurt hearing Shoi-ming’s objection. “He hasn’t been banished, and I didn’t do it for her, but for the sake of my friend.”

“Is that what you think? And what of the Fire Phoenix Sect?” The giant man stepped forward, looking down his nose at Chao. “That friend was a disciple of the Fire Phoenix Sect long before he met that two-faced woman. I’ve known him my entire life. He never would’ve abandoned the sect unless he was forced. I’ve heard the reports. I’m not officially an elder, but—”

Chao cut him off. “Everyone considers you an elder in everything but name, Shoi-ming. It was the same for my Huifen. Say what you want to say.”

“You made him leave. And now that thug Yongrui is leading the sect.”

He felt that much of what was being said was warranted. Not the misconceptions, but Shoi-ming was obviously close to Fang. Hearing him refer to Yongrui as a thug was a different story, however. He responded through gritted teeth. “Thug? He helped me when no one in either sect would. I don’t know what he did. I’ve never asked him, but it doesn’t matter. Quinyuan forgave him, so why haven’t you?”

Like the paws of a bear, Shoi-ming waved them around in exasperation. “He was caught betting on his opponent in the arena and losing on purpose. He has no honor.”

The revelation left Chao gaping. “That’s it? I mean, dishonorable yes, but how is that unforgiveable?”

The fire cultivator licked his teeth. “He did so as an elder, not a common disciple. He must be held to the highest standard.”

Chao couldn’t help but chuckle. After Yongrui’s advice to try to get as much out of Prince Jin as possible before the man had assaulted Huifen, he could see his friend doing something so foolish. “Enough talk about your current Sect Master,” Chao demanded. “You want to know why I pushed Fang to leave?”

Shoi-ming swallowed what he was about to say and only nodded.

“Because if I didn’t, he would’ve done exactly what you say. He wouldn’t have given Ping a chance at redemption for the sake of the sect. He felt obligated, and so he would’ve chosen his sect over his own wife. I gave him the excuse to do what he really wanted to do. What he should do. So instead of having your rightful Sect Master grow to despise the sect because his duty forced his decision, or because he’s an honorable man, grow to despise himself, I decided to gamble.

“In exchange for a time without Fang’s presence, I hope to win two sages to our side. If Ping recovers from this—really recovers—how will she feel toward the Fire Phoenix Sect? The very sect that didn’t execute her and instead allowed her husband to pursue her.”

The lead disciple was still fuming. Chao's jaw muscles twitched, but the man didn’t respond.

“Are we done?” Chao asked. “Or do you wish to challenge me as Fang did?”

The man hardened his gaze and remained unmoving.

They faced off for what seemed like a long time. Chao was ready to defend himself. The man’s cultivation was higher than his. Even if he could defeat him in battle, at such a close range it would be difficult to remain unscathed if he was caught off guard.

Core Disciple Shoi-ming took a large step back and bowed at the waist. “This one doesn’t dare to challenge Sage Long Chao. I don’t like what has happened, but I’ve also overstepped. Forgive me.”

Chao felt some weight fall from his shoulders, but he wasn’t willing to leave things at that. “Nonsense. Stand up, brother.”

The man did as he asked.

“Are you upset because the sect lost a Sect Master, or because it was Sage Fang? Because I feel the same. But I can’t accept that he’s gone for good. I refuse to.”

With a nod of acceptance, Shoi-ming’s eyes shot to the floor. “I still don’t like it, but… I think I understand.”

“Good.”

After a few long moments, it became clear neither of them knew what to do next. Chao didn’t really know the man well. Only that he liked to throw his weight around in the arena, but he also never pursued conflicts outside of it. If the man knew Fang well and admired him as much as it seemed, he probably shared the sage’s sense of fairness, and certainly his passion.

“So when will the Fire Phoenix Sect gain a new sage?” Chao asked.

The man hesitated after what had just passed between them, but ultimately smirked. “Soon,” he replied.

“Then you better get busy,” he challenged.

Shoi-ming cocked a brow. “I’ll leave first.”

And with that, the big man was gone.

Chao’s countenance turned complex. He was feeling his age. He was younger than every elder, and even Shoi-ming by at least a decade. Yet, he was a sage. He was also a husband. If he let himself, he could so easily fall into a boy’s mindset—it was all too much. But it wasn’t age primarily that made one a man. Nor was it experience. It was taking responsibility simply because you saw something that needed to be done and doing it.

He'd been so convinced before this last conversation that he’d done what was right, but even if he had convinced Shoi-ming, now he was having his doubts. His Huifen questioned him, and so did a future sage. Was there something he was missing?

***

Dvora cursed the barrier between cultivation chambers not for the first time. Her concealment technique usually made things like eavesdropping child’s play because it hid her intent, but the room’s barrier made it impossible. She didn’t hear a word of their conversation. At least she could track their movements, so she knew the sky realm fire cultivator had left the room. She waited a moment longer to be sure the sound cultivator’s wife didn’t rush in. When it seemed like she wouldn’t, Dvora stepped into the doorway and smoothed her gown.

Appearing in the room, she watched the young man take notice of her instantly.

He was agitated but didn’t seem to be frightened.

She pulled up her veil, revealing her face.

“Dvora of the Night Pearl Sect,” he said politely, saluting her. “I prefer not to be in a room alone with any woman besides my wife. If you have something to say to me, do so when we’re both present. I’ll leave first.” He started to leave.

She inwardly cringed. What she had to do was bad enough. Did he have to make it so difficult?

“Brother Tao,” She stepped forward, bowing low. “Please wait.”

He did stop, giving her a sideways glance, but didn’t turn back to face her directly.

“I must beg your pardon for the way we met. There is no excuse. I was frustrated with losing time to cultivate in the Divine Spire and took it out on you and your wife. Can you forgive me?”

“From what I’ve seen, your Night Pearl Sect makes it a habit to take out their frustration on those they deem weaker than they are.”

She made a show of glancing up meekly before casting her eyes downward in submission. “I can’t speak for the actions of my sect, but many sects share this resentment. For my part, I’m trying to swallow my pride. Please.”

When he let out a sigh, she knew she had him. She straightened, keeping her head low.

“I am not one to hold a grudge. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no problem between us, but my Fen’er’s opinion is highly valuable to me. I can promise you that we will discuss it.”

She brought her hand to her mouth as if concerned at his response. When he turned to address her directly, she let her eyes meet his, but held herself back a little longer. Patience was a prime virtue to those of her sect.

“If it’s that important to you, I’ll do my best to convince her.” He grinned.

Men were so predictable. Their innate desire to help a woman in need was almost too easy to manipulate.

She tilted her head up to allow him to see how much she appreciated it. As she did, she breathed out through her mouth, slowly directing the aphrodisiac powder toward his face.

The instant he breathed it in, his expression softened.

She drew near to him, grabbing ahold of him. Running her fingers up his arm, she drew his eyes with her own. “Thank you, Brother Tao, for your kindness. If you would allow, I’ll show you how much I appreciate it.”

She moved slowly as she undid the button on her shoulder. As it came undone, she pulled the fabric back to reveal her cleavage.

“I’m married,” he insisted but sounded confused.

Dvora felt a twinge of guilt when seeing he was still resisting. So often the powder wasn’t even necessary. With it, how often did they resist?

She began to lead him toward the exit opposite the one from which he had come, when he closed his eyes and jerked away from her.

She quickly redid the button. A moment later, she sensed a second presence and bowed deeply. “This one again apologizes.” Turning, she found the man’s wife giving them both an icy glare.

Bowing to the woman, she repeated. “Sister Tong Fen. I must apologize to you as well. I let my dissatisfaction get the better of me and took it out on you when we first met. Please forgive me.”

She cursed to herself. She’d been just moments away from success. Many of the rooms were interconnected and she already had her escape mapped out in her head for after she’d got him moving. But now she had no choice but to retreat.

“I will leave first,” Dvora said, spinning to go. “I’ve lingered too long. There’s a message I must deliver.”

Turning her back to a possible enemy wasn’t ever a comfortable experience, but her deception required it. As soon as she was out of the room, she quickened her pace until she was running. Unless the woman was a fool, it wouldn’t take her long before she realized something had happened to her husband. The culprit would be obvious.

She hurried to the second floor and into the maze of elemental meditation chambers. She saw the Morning Mist Village’s Disciple Baros and ignored him as she continued. Her veil was covering her face, and she was still circulating her technique so it should be enough.

She made it halfway through the room when she felt him grab her by the hand.

He pulled her toward a side chamber in a direction she didn’t want to go.

She meant to resist, but this wasn’t the first time she’d found herself conflicted.

He pushed her up against the wall and held her there. It wasn’t forceful, but his face was so close to hers that if she moved, they’d likely touch.

“I’ve missed you, Midnight Fairy,” he said sweetly. “Are you ready to be my bride?”

She rolled her eyes. “We’ve discussed this. You’re becoming a nuisance.”

“You say that, but I don’t believe it,” he teased, tilting his head to the side.

When her eyes followed him, she rebuked herself for allowing his boyish charms to entice her. “You don’t? The only reason I’ve entertained your advances is because I thought you might be useful to me and my sect.”

He smiled, brushing his nose against her veil, causing it to graze her chin. “You think me naïve? I’ve observed you, Dvora, for half a year. First as my opposition. I was surprised by what I learned. We’re both skilled in the art of deception, but you don’t enjoy it. Neither do I. You’re frustrated that you must resort to such methods, but you’re willing to do whatever it takes. It’s exactly the kind of determination I want in the mother of my children.”

“Oh? You think you know me so well? Me? A wife? A mother? And what if this future wife of yours practices a technique to make it seem like her virgin yin is still intact when it was taken long ago? What if everything you think you know is the deception I’ve carefully planted in your mind from the beginning?”

She watched him with a smirk as he took in what she said. To her surprise, the softness in his expression didn’t change.

His descent to press his mouth against hers was slow. She could have stopped him. Why didn’t she?

He pulled back a moment later and said, “That doesn’t count because your veil is still covering your face.”

She was speechless.

“Dvora, I know the women of your sect often marry men in respectable positions to use their status as a cloak to hide the true practices of your sect. You’re on that very same path even though I’m sure you’ll despise it. I offer you something better.”

She began laughing spitefully, pushing him off her. “Something better? Do you wish to save me? Provide, protect, and make me into a respectable wife? That’s what you think I want?”

He shook his head. “No, I offer you freedom. To live for yourself and not some old hag hiding beneath a silk sheet.”

She placed her hand on her chest and mockingly replied, “My savior. So I should give up one slave master to be indebted to another? You want me to marry you to become a rogue cultivator with no support.”

“Fancy way of wording it, but yes.”

“You’re a fool. Why do I even listen to you?” She headed for the doorway when he cut off her retreat.

“Because instead of being married to a respectable man who will never know your true motives, I will know exactly who you are and love you anyway. My only ask is that you give me all of yourself. I will not share.”

She took a step back. She almost felt like he’d laugh at her if she dared to agree, but she too had done her due diligence. As insane as his offer was, she believed it was genuine. “You’re asking me to give up everything.”

“And I’ll also be giving up everything and we’ll both receive far more.”

She diverted her eyes, unwilling to let him see what she knew was written all over her face. She’d already failed to deceive him so why was she still trying to hide it?

He pulled her to himself by the waist. He lifted her veil, and she didn’t stop him. “If it’s the lack of support that gives you pause, fear not. I intend to provide enough for both of us. I just need some time.”

She tried to pull away, but he held her firm.

“What are you planning?” She asked.

“I need you to trust me.”

“If you get yourself killed it’s a definite no.”

He chuckled. “And if I succeed? Swear that you’ll marry me.”

“If…”

“Swear to me, Dvora.”

When their eyes met, she knew her answer but hardly believed it. Opening her mouth, she heard herself say, “I swear it.”

This time when he kissed her, she rose on the balls of her feet and returned it. She knew better than to think he would directly steal from his sect. Instead, his sect must be planning something from which he could greatly profit.

Much to her surprise, she had no intention of betraying him. He was right. Seduction, deception, and subterfuge were not how she wanted to live. Love might be something she’d one day have, but the husband her sect would force her to marry would only see the illusion, never who she really was. And she’d lied to Baros while trying to dissuade him. Her virgin yin was still intact. It was only after marriage that her sect’s most potent seduction techniques would be taught her. Marriage to a respectable man, as he had put it, was too important to leave to chance.

***

“Something’s wrong with me,” Chao said for the tenth time since they’d left the third floor.

At first, he just seemed confused. Huifen thought it was because of his conversation with Shoi-ming. She’d seen the man’s complex expression when he’d reentered the fire cultivation chamber. As for Fairy Dvora, she’d only been alone in the room with her husband for a minute at most.

By the fourth floor, Chao was getting handsy even after she’d requested him to stop. By the fifth, he was trying to pick her up and kiss her right there on the spot. Thankfully, there weren’t many cultivators present. When they reached the sixth, she dragged him with her qi across the floor until they made it to their base of operations, quickly installed the flags, and activated all three arrays including the defensive barrier.

When she turned, he was starting to undress.

She struck him with a cold blast of ice qi.

There wasn’t enough force to do him any harm, but he fell to his rear and pouted. “Come on. Don’t be that way.”

“Be quiet for a moment while I contact Pangfua.”

Big Sister responded immediately through her transmission jade.

“Sister. What’s wrong?”

“I think Chao has somehow been drugged with an aphrodisiac,” she replied, trying to stay calm.

“What? Do you know the method used?”

“I don’t. There are no injection points, so it had to be through the skin transdermally or breathed in. I think it was administered by Dvora of the Night Pearl Sect, who’s only in the earth realm. It’s getting worse.”

“Do you sense any abnormality with his cultivation?”

“No.”

“Okay, that is good.”

“Are you on your way?”

Pangfua hesitated but soon replied, “My being there will only complicate things. Treat it like it’s an undeadly poison. As soon as it’s out of his system, the symptoms will clear. If that doesn’t work, then…”

“Okay. I got it. Thank you, Big Sister.”

“Contact me as soon as he’s back to normal.”

“I will.”

With the conversation over, she found Chao sitting on the floor breathing heavily, staring at his hands.

“Dvora, that whore,” he hissed.

At least he was aware enough that he’d understood their conversation, but that didn’t clear her concerns. Huifen had never heard him curse anyone. Not even Great Elder Jilpa who’d arranged Huifen’s sexual assault. It had to be bad if he was losing control of himself to such a degree.

“Husband,” she said softly.

The way he looked up at her would’ve been disgusting coming from anyone else. Even now it was disturbing since his desire was artificial at best.

“Should we…” he said, turning his head as he struggled not to leer at her.

“No,” she commanded. “Do you want to make it a habit that every time some harlot drugs you that you give in to your lusts? Cultivate your mother’s technique. If you succeed in getting through this, I will thoroughly reward you.”

The hungry look he gave her was held in check by a clenched jaw. He closed his eyes and began to circulate his qi. His tension remained.

She stayed at a distance, sending a constant, gentle breeze of qi to help cool him down. And she waited.

Chapter 36

Chao’s symptoms started to clear half an hour later. It was a potent drug but didn’t last long against the cleansing ability of his mother’s technique. His desires weren’t a good gauge to use since his Huifen often inspired such feelings even without the drug. He could tell he was almost back to normal when his breathing started to slow, and his body temperature was cooling down.

Even though he’d pulled back from his possible seductress, the feelings of guilt stung as potently as if he hadn’t. When she’d grabbed his arm, he’d wanted her to continue. He vividly recalled that surge of lust. The image of her chest was imprinted in his mind even as he tried everything to forget it.

He opened his eyes to find his wife sitting across from him. “I’m sorry, Huifen.”

“Did you do something that requires an apology?”

He shook his head. “When she grabbed my arm, I pulled away, but—”

“That’s enough, Chao. Am I angry? Yes, but not at you.”

He nodded. “Why would she…”

“I don’t know, but I promise you that I’ll find out.”

“Will you kill her?”

She grew quiet. Her nostrils flared.

He waited patiently.

“I promised you that I’d look at the facts before coming to a decision in these situations. Will you?”

Despite his lingering desire, his mind was clear and so was his underlying fury. “I will follow your lead. I’m too emotional to make a wise decision at the moment. I’m afraid I’ll kill her just to help get her out of my mind. Besides, you’re my wife. When it comes to my dealings with other women, your opinion matters to me more than my own.”

Huifen took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Then how do you feel about confronting this Dvora of the Night Pearl Sect right now?”

“And if our identities are revealed?”

“We won’t go in with the purpose of revealing them, but if we find it necessary…”

“Okay, my Huifen. I’m ready.”

***

Contacting Sage Pangfua, Huifen let her know that Chao had recovered, and they were descending the spire.

They were both quiet as they moved. She was thankful for it. What she’d told him was mostly true, but she wasn’t happy with him even if she should be. He had done everything she could expect of him. That wasn’t enough to keep her disappointment at bay. Shouldn’t he love her so much that the stupid drug didn’t affect him? The thought was a foolish one. It wasn’t him she should blame. And why her Chao? First poisoning and now this?

She wasn’t the only fool. How could he possibly leave this to her? She was the unmerciful one. And didn’t he know that women tended toward jealousy? To think this woman had dared to touch her husband. Would he object if she killed her on the spot?

His hand squeezed hers. She became consciously aware of her nose. It was ridiculous to think it betrayed her on its own. Glancing at him, she gave him a fake grin.

No, not on the spot. She’d at least speak to the woman. She couldn’t promise she’d be fair, but she’d hear her out. She’d sworn as much.

As always, they were careful not to attract too much attention while on the upper floors. They were rarely visited as it was, so their pace didn’t slow.

Once they arrived on the third floor, they didn’t have to be as concerned. The cultivation chambers were all near full capacity, so running into the murderer still on the loose wasn’t likely. They reached the second floor and found it mostly the same. There were far fewer people in the meditation chambers, some were even empty, but no one was there alone.

Their heading was the Ice Phoenix Sect’s station on the first floor. Pangfua had requested to be present when they confronted Dvora. It should help keep the Night Pearl Sect at bay, their identities hidden, and Huifen from unwarrantedly killing the woman.

They were halfway through the maze of meditation chambers when they saw a familiar face. Baros of the Morning Mist Village was waiting there with his arms folded behind his back as if in meditation when he noticed them. The man’s face brightened.

“Hello, Brother Tao. Sister Fen.”

“Hello, Brother Baros,” Huifen replied. “I’m afraid we have a meeting with the sage. We’ll be leaving first.”

The man stepped in the way, cutting them off. “Please, wait.”

When they moved to step around him, the man bowed deeply at the waist. “It’s about Sister Dvora. Please.”

Huifen stopped in her tracks. Chao did the same. She even felt her husband’s defensive aura activate. It seemed he had no intention of letting a secret method affect him again. The realization pleased her.

Noticing that there were other cultivators in the room sitting in meditation, the water cultivator motioned toward a side passage. “Please.”

She felt Chao strengthen his grip and pull her to follow. She wanted to know what this was all about, so she followed as well but not without letting out a sliver of her defensive aura.

It was more of a hallway between chambers than an actual room where they stopped. Once again, Baros bowed deeply. He must have thought it was too little, for he fell to his knees and kowtowed to them. “I must beg for your forgiveness. Please forgive Sister Dvora for her actions. She doesn’t act of her own accord. She has no choice.”

Knowing her husband was quick to forgive, she pulled him back and took a small step forward. He’d said he would leave this up to her, so she’d hold him to it.

Huifen felt Chao’s sound barrier snap into place before she responded. “Before any of that, why are you doing this? What are your motivations? And stand up before someone sees you.”

The man touched his head to the ground one last time before coming to his feet. He kept his eyes low. “I will tell you, but not here.”

“It’s safe,” Chao insisted. “Not even an overlord can hear through my sound barrier.”

Baros looked up at Chao, a firm line forming on his brow. “Okay. I’ll choose to believe you. It needs to be quick. Dvora once tried the same with me. I practice a technique that renders similar drugs ineffective, but I let things play out. As she led me away, she believed I was under her spell, so she let her true feelings show. I saw everything. I confronted her when she tried to administer the antidote and execute the last stage of her plan to blackmail me.

“The Night Pearl Sect isn’t what it seems. They cultivate power through deception and extortion. Most of their disciples are daughters of cultivators they’ve planted in high-status families or orphans. Dvora is one such person they picked up off the street as a girl. She seeks to leave her sect but is still beholden to them.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Huifen insisted. “Why are you trying to help her?”

“Because we’re secretly engaged.”

Huifen began to laugh. “And you believe that she’s capable of keeping her word?”

Instead of taking offense, Baros grinned. “The water’s surface might seem calm, but the danger lies within. A defense against aphrodisiacs isn’t the only benefit we water cultivators enjoy. A person can control their words, and even their reactions, but not how they feel. It’s not that you don’t believe me, but that you don’t want to, Sister Fen.”

“Your cultivation allows you to sense what a person is feeling?” Chao asked, unable to hold himself back.

Of course, some fancy cultivation technique would distract him.

“She didn’t like that very much, Brother Tao,” the man replied, then gave her a pointed look. “I’ll say this. The men of my sect are no less manipulative than the fairies of the Night Pearl Sect. In Dvora, I’ve found someone like me. Someone that despises their sect’s methods and wants out. Please, believe me. If you insist on seeking justice, she’ll be punished instead of the elder that ordered her to act and likely sent back to her sect as a show of remorse. Then there’ll be no hope for her to escape.”

“Do you know which elder ordered it?”

“No, and I didn’t ask. Doing so could get her killed.”

“Are you willing to trade your drug-diffusing technique for our silence?” Chao asked.

She turned sharply and confronted him. “You said you’d let me handle this.”

“And you can,” he said gently. “If there’s a technique that can shield us from such drugs, I just think it would be a worthy trade so that we can both cultivate it. I don’t like the idea of some guy using the same thing on you and taking advantage.”

She was about to say her Heart of Ice technique was more than enough to numb her to such drugs, but Baros didn’t know that. Besides, if Chao really had a technique that could help…

Chao had already learned Heart of Ice, but it didn’t have the same effects on him. It took years for it to be completely effective for new ice fairies. He didn’t have the physique for it and his cultivation was already too high for him to start at the beginning.

“Fine,” she said in the end.

“Are you willing to trade?” Chao asked again.

The man stared back and him blankly. “I’ve sworn to never teach my sect’s techniques.”

“And…”

“Yes,” the man replied, blinking to himself. “If that’s what it takes. But you must promise me that Dvora won’t find out that we’ve spoken.”

“Great. She won’t hear it from us. Also, I don’t need your sect’s techniques. Explain to me how it works in detail. I don’t cultivate water, so I’ll have to figure out a version for myself.”

The man looked at him like he was crazy.

“Are you going back on your word?”

“No,” Baros replied quickly. Then he began to explain.

***

“Not only did I track them to the sixth floor, but they were just spotted on the first floor visiting the ice sage. To resolve Powered Drake Marrow in half an hour, even if the woman is a healer of note, is impossible unless they’re hiding their cultivations.”

“Then your failure wasn’t a complete waste, Junior Dvora,” Elder Alfori said from her purple cushion where she looked down at the cowering disciple. “Sit up. It’s no use trying to hide you if the sage is involved. You’ll have to bear the consequences of your failure, but I acknowledge your senior’s request was untenable if anything went wrong. You’ll have my support. Now prepare your confession. The ability to gain ground with the sincerest apology is a skill in itself. The lesson is hard won, but useful. Sometimes, getting caught so that you can apologize is more powerful than doing no wrong.”

“Thank you, elder,” Dvora groveled, wishing she was anywhere else. Now that she had hope to one day depart, she wanted nothing to do with the witch’s lessons in manipulation.

They felt the sudden increase in pressure before there was any word from outside the tent. “Sage Pangfua,” one woman announced. “The Night Pearl Sect welcomes you. How can I be assistance?”

“I’ll be speaking with your elder,” came a crystal-clear voice that seemed beyond passion.

Dvora’s eyes were glued to Elder Alfori, so she saw the downward flick of her finger. Her forehead touched the ground the next moment.

She sensed as much as heard Elder Alfori come to her feet. “Sage Pangfua.”

“I’ll not take much of your time, Alfori. One of your disciples has drugged and tried to seduce Tong Tao, a sound cultivator who I’ve sworn to protect.”

The sage’s perceptions fell upon Dvora, dissolving any illusion of whether she was recognized or not. Even though her elder had told her to prepare an apology, there was a very real possibility she’d be dead before she got the chance.

“I’m not here with demands but a warning. Because the Night Pearl Sect was helpful in making my joint sect’s return to the spire a peaceful one, I’ll give you face this once. However, if a similar mistake is made again, you will pay double the cost.

“Tong Tao and Fen want to handle this graciously. It seems they’ve heard some untoward rumors about the Night Pearl Sect. They don’t want the girl Dvora punished and assume she was acting on another’s command.”

“Sage—” Elder Alfori began but was cut off.

“Stop, Alfori. I don’t care. The Tong family would rather forget this ever happen in hope that they’d gain favor from the Night Pearl Sect and be allowed to cultivate in peace.”

There was little hesitation for the elder. “I swear it.”

“Good. And the girl will continue to cultivate as usual. Since they consider her a known asset, the Tong family would feel more comfortable if they could keep an eye on her.”

“Consider it done.”

“One last thing,” the sage said. “I realize Tong Tao and Fen may have been targeted because they aren’t considered a part of my joint sect, but if I find any indication that even the lowliest cultivator I’m responsible for has such dealings with your fairies, I will personally force you from the spire. I expect this to be the last time I hear of this.”

“As it should be. I will more closely manage our search for this murderer and keep you better informed.”

“Then I will leave first.”

Dvora kept her position facedown on the floor even after the sage had left. The ice fairy hadn’t given them any room, and the elder’s implied excuse that they were looking for the murderer was ignored.

“To your feet, junior.”

Dvora did as she was told.

“You will go directly to the fire cultivation chamber on the third floor and remain there. Food will be brought to you.”

“Immediately,” she replied, then turned to leave but not without hearing the instructions being given to the elder who had asked her to blackmail Tong Tao.

“We will do strictly as the sage said. It’s likely that these two are specialists summoned to hunt down this murderer, so we’ll leave it to them. That would explain why they’re hiding their cultivations, the time of their arrival, and their closeness with the sage. It would also explain their request to be left in peace.”

“Should I inform the elders?”

“No. Our speculations will remain private but spread the word that they are to be left alone.”

“I’ll do as you ask.”

A shiver traveled up Dvora’s spine. No wonder this Tao was able to resist her powder. He was likely a sky realm cultivator and a special investigator employed by the Ice Phoenix Sect. If they had the respect of a sage, their abilities must be unrivaled. This was just another reason for her to abandon this way of life. She’d been put in life-threatening danger because of the whims of her senior.

She was now to be used as a sign of good faith between her sect and the Ice Phoenix Palace by being banished to the Fire Cultivation Chamber of the third floor. If she was going to leave with Baros, she’d have to look at this as an opportunity and cultivate as much as she could.

Chapter 37

They saw Dvora the next day sitting on the bench in the fire cultivation chamber with her face veiled. She didn’t make any movement in their presence, even after Chao began to play his song. He had to focus extra hard to keep the feelings of anger out of his music. Thankfully he’d already played in the water cultivation chamber, so his heart and mind were in a good state to face her.

How long had it been since they’d had a sense of normalcy in their lives? Finally, after training in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm, fighting nine overlords and two tribulation realm cultivators, recovering his hearing, confronting the Sun family, being poisoned, saving his assassin from execution, ridding a town of an army of lingering spirits, and being drugged by a seductress they’d have a time of peace. After everything that had happened, they were constantly aware that danger could be lurking around every corner, so they took extra steps to be ready.

One of the easiest most basic practices they implemented was to keep their defensive auras active. They limited them to the earth realm, but it was more than enough to keep things like airborne powders from being unwittingly breathed in.

They had both continued cultivating during their travels, but, despite their diligence, their cultivation had slowed. They had that problem no longer. Chao especially found himself in a near perfect environment. The sixth floor very closely mimicked the divine realm and was rich in heaven and earth qi. Two days after the incident with Dvora, he was breaking through to the fourth level of the sky realm.

There were three notable breakthroughs within any large realm. Small success was at the fourth level, large success was at the seventh, and reaching the peak was at the limit of the ninth level. They were substantially different than minor breakthroughs. Even these minor breakthroughs were beneficial, giving a person more qi to work with, but during a notable breakthrough a cultivator would gain more qi than in all the minor breakthroughs combined.

That was only the most obvious and easiest to measure difference. There was also an increase in power and control. These jumps in power were harder to measure for there was no categoric change in their martial techniques or qi. A fire cultivator for instance might have their flames change in color when advancing large realms, but small realm breakthroughs might only improve their fire’s intensity and temperature. For someone like Chao, it was even harder to measure since he didn’t focus on a single element.

Sitting back-to-back with his Huifen on the sixth floor, his fingers were laced with hers. There really was no need for her to help in his breakthrough. However, the floor’s pressure put uncommon stress on his body and meridians, so she was close by just in case she needed to shield him with her aura to give him some breathing room. It also gave them a chance to practice qi circulation at high intensity together.

The only practical danger was his tendency to slip into an overly focused state and lose himself in spinning his core at the fastest possible speed. Huifen’s presence was a proven deterrent to that.

It went exactly as they hoped. His breakthrough went smoother than ever. The pressure seemed to help stabilize his circulation and even though his core spun faster than normal, Huifen didn’t have to lend him a hand.

Once more, his mother’s technique proved its worth and he was without impurities after his breakthrough.

“Your turn, my Fen’er,” he said with a chuckle.

“Are you going to stay there?” she asked as she began removing ice artifacts from her spatial ring and surrounding herself with them.

“You don’t need me?”

“I’m only breaking through to the third level. I don’t even need ice qi. You just want to keep your shirt off while staying close by in hopes that I’ll be energized after I’m finished.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to delay your breakthrough a little longer?” He gave both her hands a squeeze.

She swatted at him, but he was up before she reached him. “I still need to focus, Tao.”

“I’ll be over here standing watch.”

She glared, but he could tell that it was a playful one. Still, he’d wait. He didn’t have to wait long. She began breaking through within a few minutes. Gathering the excess qi from her qi artifacts took much longer.

He was careful to keep an eye on their surroundings with his perceptions. He could barely pierce the divine material the tower was made of, but since the floor was one large room, it made his job much easier. In the end, it was a common breakthrough. It’s just that overlords required much more qi, so it took longer than his own.

After their advancements, Chao was able to return to his tinkering in earnest. The next few days had them visiting the lower floors for an hour or two, but the rest of the day was theirs. They were still determined to focus on their own projects for a time before attacking the Divine Spire head on.

In many ways, it was like the sixth floor was specially made to prepare one for the Divine Realm. That didn’t mean the density was exact, the divine realm likely held even more, but it acted as a good springboard for him to gauge how things worked in a higher qi environment. Chao didn’t just test his space laws, but all of his elements and martial techniques. The cost of qi was greater. Not to the same extent it was with space, however. There was also the benefit that he could recover qi much faster. His qi gathering had never been so smooth.

He found himself spending almost half his day dedicated to sound. The new music, theory, and martial techniques were unlocking a whole new world for him and what he considered his most advanced law. Even though it wasn’t at the same level as space, a Prime Law, he could control space through his sound.

Instinctively he wanted to spend most of his time on sound’s martial techniques for he’d never had any official ones. Master Songsmith Koo had spoken of using his new pipa to attack a person directly. He’d always just compressed sound or blasted it and manipulated its frequency to affect his opponents. But he found with each new song he learned that new aspects of what sound could do were being revealed to him.

The number of songs he’d learned growing up was limited. Each new one he learned had its own features and patterns. The emotions they could entice added emotional range to his playing. He really was a boy who’d grown up on a farm. A true frog in a well. That didn’t undermine anything his mother had taught him, but there was an entire realm to music and his journey had only started.

His favorite new song was called The Rice Farmer’s Battle Hymn. It was written by a mortal king many centuries ago while his nation was being invaded. By the end of the war, half of the king’s population had been killed. His son had died leading his men. He’d written the song in his fury and grief. It was said that its playing caused such inspiration that the commoners rose up under its influence and fought like maddened beasts to drive back the conquering army.

In the description of the song, the author of the songbook said that what actually happened was that a traveling cultivator caught wind of the song and was drawn to what remained of the king’s ragged army. The cultivator inquired about local events because the song moved him. There were many self-written songs later released under the king’s name as was requested by his nation’s savior.

What intrigued Chao about the song was its intensity. It didn’t start soft and build but bombarded its hearers from the very beginning. That didn’t mean it didn’t intensify. It was the fact that it started so hard and was still able to build that demanded attention. Playing it with his pipa gave him a sense of exhilaration, but there was more to the music than he could manage with one instrument. There was a place for the drum.

He hadn’t even touched the drums Master Songsmith Koo had given him since they’d left the Golden Palace, but today he was finally tempted enough to bring one out. His music usually inspired joy, grief, and sorrow. However, he could share his own emotions through any song, but that was through a manipulation of his laws, not the song itself. This song aroused a different emotion entirely—a brutal frenzy. Rage.

As he removed the barrel shaped drum that was made to rest on the floor, it came up to his waist as he stood. He wondered if he would’ve even understood this song two years ago. Would it have meant anything before the Sun family had assaulted his Huifen?

Then he remembered what he’d told her after they’d arrived at the Divine Spire. He didn’t like it that Sister Genji considered him solemn, but then why was he drawn to this battle hymn? It was solemn to the extreme.

He’d changed, but the way he saw himself hadn’t caught up. So how should he see himself now?

He continued to think about it as he removed the two thick sticks paired with the drum. They were made of no common wood, for this was an overlord rank instrument. Not that Chao really understood what that meant. His instruments didn’t possess any arrays, so it was ultimately just a drum that could stand far more of a beating than any regular instrument.

Shielding Huifen from the noise of his practice, he began to test the drum according to the primer card jade he had read. Where you hit the drum from the outside to the inside of its face made different sounds. The closer to the middle, the deeper the sound and how evenly spread the vibrations would be.

According to sound cultivation theory, these vibrations could be channeled and directed into martial techniques. The more one played, the more energy they could gather, then strike out with it in a more powerful assault. He’d never used sound in this way, but drum vibrations seemed to have the right frequency naturally to make such techniques easier. At least, that was his suspicion.

He was getting distracted. It took an hour messing around with the drum before he was playing the song as originally intended—and with many mistakes. He wasn’t making use of the drum’s full capabilities, but just playing it as a mortal might. He didn’t grow tired since he didn’t use his full strength. Every drummer he’d ever seen back home or in his travels with Huifen had always done much more than just playing along with the music. Their playing was a performance, a dance, but he wasn’t playing to impress other people. He was only interested in one thing. How the song made him feel.

Despite his mistakes, it was enough. Master Songsmith Koo had been right. He’d always love the pipa, and it would remain his main instrument, but limiting himself to one instrument was a mistake.

The song with the pipa alone was intense, but with the deep thrumming of his drum, it encouraged his heart to beat in unison with the long dead king’s dreadful purpose. It didn’t require a high cultivation to feel it. As the minutes passed, Chao felt a kindred connection to the king as he’d remembered all the man had been through.

It wasn’t the battle against the Monolith Continent’s overlords that were most closely represented in this song. It was his days in the Training Construct surrounded by hundreds of overlords. Their battle against Emperor Sun had been desperate, but their life wasn’t in constant danger. They’d had a choice when to attack and when to defend from the safety of his space barrier. In contrast, the overlords in the construct had never stopped coming. He’d died hundreds of times. He found himself reliving those deaths and his playing gradually improved.

It took Huifen stepping through his sound barrier and calling out to him to get him to stop. Even after he ceased playing, he still heard the drumbeat in his ears.

“Are you alright?” She asked. “You’ve been playing for hours.”

He looked down at the drum, laying the sticks on its face. As he opened his hands to release them, he found his fingers were stiff. He put the drum away in his spatial ring then gave her a sad smile. “I’m okay. I just got carried away. This song and the drums have a different feel than everything else I play.”

“Mmm. Did you want to spend some time on the second floor tomorrow in the element meditation chambers?”

He then noticed she was holding a blooming red Azalea in one hand and a lotus in the other. Their root structures floated just above her palms and were feeding directly on her nature laws. “That sounds like a great idea,” he replied, walking over to take a closer look at the flowers. “You’ve taken a sure step toward working with non-yin heavy plants.”

“It’s just supplying a seed with nature qi.”

“For someone that doesn’t cultivate nature qi, that’s a near miracle in itself. And you’re not supplying it nature qi at all. You’re using the nature laws to enhance this plant’s nature so that it can use your qi to grow. You may never be able to directly create a non-yin heavy plant but borrowing from the source then enhancing it to make use of your ice qi is almost a guarantee.”

She didn’t say anything but tilted her head to the side and he watched her nose give a happy flare. He’d observed her long enough to be able to tell the difference between its happy and angry tics. And she should be delighted. The reason he cultivated heaven and earth qi was because any elemental focus would limit his laws. She was working with those limitations and finding ways around them. “Already touching on the enhance law of nature. My Huifen is incredible.”

She rolled her eyes as if annoyed, so he struck. “I was going to offer to play with your hair, but if you don’t consider this something to celebrate…”

“Rub my back first.” She fell against him, resting her forehead high on his chest.

He indulged her.

Chapter 38

“Do you think I should consider Fairy Eu-meh my disciple?”

Huifen gave her husband a suspicious look from where they sat in the nature meditation chamber on the second floor. He’d already played his music for the Ice and Fire Phoenix disciples this morning. It had been nearly a week since Dvora of the Night Pearl Sect had drugged him, but her pang of jealousy still stung. She was tempering herself and the feeling was fading. However, his question seemed to reinvigorate those feelings. She had been the one to mention Fairy Eu-meh to him as a possible marriage partner when he was still just her disciple.

She made a conscious effort to keep herself from circulating Heart of Ice and seriously considered his question. She had never been close to Eu-meh. They were from the same generation, but the woman was a free spirit unlike her closest friends Daiyu and Zhu. Where the two of them sought her out, Eu-meh always did her own thing. It was because of that that she tended to hold the woman in high regard. Even when the woman sought out Chao, it showed she possessed equal parts humility and independence. Eu-meh respected her husband’s abilities but didn’t rely on him for motivation or moral support.

“She’s a willing pupil,” Huifen replied. “That doesn’t make her a direct disciple. Why? Are you thinking of taking her as one?”

He shook his head from where he sat. “No. She was just the first person to come to me and ask for me to teach her the laws. I feel like I’ve been a poor teacher and neglected her.”

She saw the crease in his brow. He was serious. And what did he mean that the woman was the first to come to him? Had he forgotten his own wife?

Then Huifen thought back to when they had first met. She hadn’t made it easy for him. She’d even argued with him about his teaching methods and the use of Heart of Ice. He’d pursued her as much as she’d pursued him. Fairy Eu-meh hadn’t done anything of the sort. She recalled his shock as he’d described how quickly the fairy had dropped Heart of Ice. Huifen had even watched their practice from afar while she considered whether to bring him to the Divine Realm and seen the woman’s willingness herself.

Her posture stiffened. Had Eu-meh thought higher of Chao’s abilities than she had? No. That wasn’t fair. She understood how exceptional he was from the beginning. That’s why she’d wanted to bring him to the Ice Phoenix Sect. It was her future safety that had made her so cautious. It was wise for her to question such things, and he’d convinced her. But Eu-meh had never shown him such doubts. No wonder he was feeling negligent. They’d even disappeared into the Frozen Moon Mystic Realm for a year and the woman’s faith in him hadn’t faltered.

“In the beginning, you told her you wouldn’t receive payment for your instruction?”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “And that I’d only show her the basics. It would be up to her to get what she could out of them. It’s moved beyond our original agreement, and we haven’t spoken of it since.”

“She should be thankful then for anything beyond the original agreement. You don’t owe her anything.” Even as she said it, she felt there was something unfair about her statement even if she technically agreed.

He grew quiet and turned to her. “I’ve never really been there for her when she needed me, but she has always offered me friendship when she thought I needed it—even if I never took her up on it.”

Huifen’s heart rate sped, and her eyes narrowed. “And when did she think that you needed it.”

“That—”

“Tell me, Chao.”

He shifted in his seat to face her. “Do you remember your arrival at the Festival of the Dueling Phoenix with Prince Jin?”

“You left—alone.”

He slowly nodded his head. “It wasn’t my finest moment. Fairy Eu-meh noticed that I wasn’t taking your departure well and said that I could depend on her if I needed anything. As I said, it was an offer of friendship, not the worst thing my wife can imagine.” He folded his arms across his chest and gave her an insistent look.

She sneered at him but caught herself. That’s exactly what she was doing. She’d been the one to speak to him about marrying the girl and he’d outright rejected the idea. He’d even been willing to pursue cultivation by her side while acting as her husband without the benefits.

He continued before she could. “I understand that Dvora’s actions have made it hard on you—even if you’re trying to hide it.” He scooted forward and took her hands in his. “This is our first time dealing with anything like this. It’s different than life and death. If I was to die, you’d know I was unwilling, but if I was to fall to the deceitful charms of a woman…

“It’s supposed to be the other way. You’re the divine fairy. I’m just a lowly boy from a farm.”

She scowled. She didn’t like it when he belittled himself, even if he was doing it to tease her.

“One with hidden charm that only my wife was wise enough to discover. I’ll keep your secret,” he smirked. “I don’t expect you to handle this like a frigid ice fairy, nor would I want you to. Maybe I should’ve waited longer to bring up Eu-meh. Since we arrived and saw her amongst the other fairies surrounded by male suiters, it’s been bothering me. I’m not thinking of taking her as a personal disciple or spending more time with her. I just want to help her find a husband if she’s interested in marrying, and not fall for some random cultivator. Maybe I’m overstepping, but I feel responsible. I brought it up because I thought you might have felt the same way about me while I was still your disciple and could help me think through it.”

She pulled away from him but gave it some serious thought before responding. “I was conflicted. I was thinking through Prince Jin’s offer and had already developed feelings for you—though I didn’t know it at the time.”

When his posture changed, she didn’t have to look at him to know the look he was giving her. She blasted a little ice qi in his face, and he chuckled.

“I don’t feel that way about her, Huifen.”

She was quiet for a long moment before she tried on a smile. “I think you should speak to her. I don’t know how much advice I can give you, since I ended up marrying my disciple.”

“You’ll do it with me?” he asked with an expectant glint.

“I’ll be there, but I think you should talk with her privately. As much as I don’t like the idea of you speaking with other fairies, it’s important that she understands this is coming from you and not the idea of your wife. You’re a Sage of the Ice Phoenix Sect. Don’t underestimate what your personal attention is worth. She’s a gifted fairy who you’ve inspired already. This may just convince her to reach even higher. It’s selfish of me to keep this opportunity from her. Just don’t try to talk her into marrying. The way we came to know each other is anything but typical. Remember, complete trust is essential for her future.”

“That gives me an idea.”

“Oh?”

***

Finding Eu-meh wasn’t difficult. It was made even easier because every joint sect disciple was given a transmission jade to use while in the Divine Spire. They requested for her to come to them and travel with Fairies Daiyu, Zhu, and Diu. The four of them should be enough to dissuade any attacks even if they were from a sky realm cultivator. Daiyu especially was formidable with her large success, earth realm cultivation. Zhu was at a higher level, nearing the peak, but she wasn’t as patient in combat. It was rumored that Eu-meh might be even more skilled than the both of them. She didn’t spend much time in the arena though. Diu was also competent. An ice fairy’s defensive abilities were amongst the strongest on the Monolith Continent, so any battle they had against the typical sky realm cultivator wouldn’t be a quick one if they worked together.

Just thinking about the murderer still being uncaught put Chao on edge. He was hoping that just the two of them in this nature meditation chamber would draw the culprit out. They looked like a soft target so after a few days of cultivating alone they should look quite tempting.

As he waited for the fairies to arrive, he reached out with his perceptions beyond the barrier protecting the small garden and studied a bonsaied fruit tree. It only came up to his chest in its small pot that rested on the floor. It was a common peach tree. It had light purple flowers blooming, and some were already fruiting. There were even two ripe fruits that had fallen to rest on the carefully laid out rock floor. Chao was as interested in the barrier that allowed his perceptions to slip past as he was the penjing scene made up of bonsai trees, plants, and the rock garden. He’d always liked to feel what he was studying when observing nature and earth elements. This chamber would still be of great use to someone learning the laws.

When the four fairies arrived, Chao and Huifen rose to their feet.

The fairies gave them martial salutes, Diu had to stop herself from bowing.

“Sister Fen. Brother Tao,” Fairy Zhu said, taking the lead to remind everyone how they should address them.

Huifen soon asked them to come take a seat with her, giving Chao his chance. “Sister Eu-meh, would you sit with me?”

She didn’t give much reaction, but it wasn’t because of her Heart of Ice technique. It seemed the fairy had expected as much. “Mmm,” she agreed.

As they stepped aside to take a seat on the floor, Fairy Daiyu gave him a warm smile as she passed by and said, “Hello, Brother Tao.”

She’d always been the most considerate of Huifen’s friends. It was such a small gesture, but amongst ice fairies it made her stand out—even now that they weren’t always using Heart of Ice.

He cupped his fist and gave Daiyu a warm smile, before taking a seat. He realized he felt partial to her as well, just not to the same extent as Eu-meh. Was this what it was like to belong to a sect? This was his sect, the one he belonged to and that belonged to him. He should want it and its members to succeed. He was just surprised at how personal it had become to him.

Glancing in Huifen’s direction, he watched momentarily as she addressed her friends. She intended to speak to them about marriage as well.

Turning to Eu-meh, he began with a more comfortable subject as his sound barrier surrounded both groups but was segmented to give them some privacy. “How goes your training?”

Seeing her dimples perk up, he wondered if all fairies had such peculiar features like the woman before him and his wife’s nose.

She held back her answer and kept a straight face. Only when he was about to ask again did she hold out her hand and create an orb of ice. It was a fine earth realm summoning.

He felt it change. He was close enough that he felt its chill. It was no longer earth realm ice at all. “Sky realm. You’ve reached small success with enhance?”

Her smile widened. “I’ve been touching on it for a while now, but only recently, thanks to your playing, was I able to make a breakthrough.”

“Oh?”

“I’m sure your music was the cause. Thanks to the greater focus your music gives me, I might one day reach beyond the overlord realm. Thank you, Brother Chao.” Placing her hands on her knees, she bowed where she sat.

He was speechless. Even if Eu-meh wasn’t as fast as Huifen or the century old Sage Pangfua, she’d reached a level with the laws that all overlords hoped for. It was what often kept them from being able to ascend to the tribulation realm.

“Congratulations,” he said after she’d sat up. He scrambled for something to say. This was not the topic he’d planned for this conversation. “Is that your intention? To ascend?”

For once the headstrong fairy shook her head like she didn’t dare. “I’m not sure.”

“I see… Our reason for summoning you, and the others, was because I wished to speak to you.” He caught himself struggling to look her in the eye. Such a practice was common among mortals, but not cultivators. He made himself look at her. “With the recent changes in the sect, and the battle not long past, how are you managing?”

She straightened where she sat. “That’s not really why you asked me to come, is it? I know you well enough to know that you’re evading what you really want to say. Please, say it.”

Her candor didn’t surprise him. It was just like her. Instead of feeling like she put him on the spot, it seemed to lighten the weight bearing down on him. “Very well. Do you want to get married?”

She craned back, giving him a startled look. “Brother Chao. I couldn’t do that to Big Sister Huifen. How could you?”

He didn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction. “I think you’re the only fairy I know that could make that joke.”

She innocently smiled but didn’t push any further. “Do you think I should? I’m not against the idea, but…”

“That depends on why you might want to. My fear is that you’re feeling pressured. Things have changed so quickly. It could be a great benefit but marrying the wrong person could be disastrous.”

She looked down and away.

“Forgive me if I overstepped,” he said without hesitation. “Originally, I only intended to show you a few things with the laws, but you’ve gone well beyond the basics, and I didn’t keep my word by limiting things to a few lessons.”

“I’m still willing to pay you back for all that you’ve taught me,” she said, lowering her head even further.

“No,” he insisted. “We were never master and disciple, or even just two cultivators that shared a love for the laws. You helped me in the mine, with Elder Wang li, to find my passion for teaching, and anytime I needed someone to help instruct the other disciples you were the first to step up. All of this before I was given the title of Sage. Eu-meh, I can’t help but to want the best for my friend. I offer you my assistance if you need it. Whether it’s to find a husband, or anything else.”

A grin pulled at the corners of her mouth but was quick to retreat. She was still staring at the floor with a wide expression. “I don’t know what to say. I hoped—”

“Hoped?”

She glanced up at him. “That you might one day take me as your disciple, but after marrying Sage Huifen…”

“It’s awkward.”

She nodded.

Glancing back at his wife, he saw her deep in conversation with her friends. “It’s as you say,” he turned back. “However, she gave her blessing when I asked her advice about breaching this topic with you. As for taking you as my disciple, I can’t.”

“I understand.” Her eyes shot back down to the floor.

“But we can.”

When she gave another upward glance, he almost laughed.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Huifen and I have agreed that we won’t keep things like disciples to ourselves. So if I accept you, you’ll belong to the both of us. We won’t make the same mistake she did when accepting me as her own. Spending much time alone can cultivate feelings between a man and woman whether they want it to or not. Instead, our interactions will take place in a wider social setting, like this. And let’s face it, disciples don’t tease their masters.”

He watched as she turned bright red.

“You’re more than a disciple to me, Eu-meh. As are Fairies Daiyu and Zhu to my wife. Li Qiang will also become a part of our group, as will Diu. We intend to keep it small, but there will be others eventually. It will be different than traditional discipleship. Much will stay the same, but if you have questions about cultivation, bring them to me or my wife. Honestly, she can probably answer many of your questions better than I can.”

“Brother Chao. Master…”

“None of that,” he said, holding up his hand to stop her. “Just, Brother Chao. As much as this will be like discipleship, it is also an extension of our friendship. It was Huifen’s idea to make it more like a friendly gathering because she believes it’s important for ice fairies to further develop social skills without using Heart of Ice. I agree with her wholeheartedly. So do you accept?”

“I do.”

He knew it was coming. As she moved to kowtow, he threw out a gentle blast of qi to sit her up. “This is a tradition Huifen started with me, and I intend to continue it. Friends do not kowtow to one another. Now, before we join the others, be completely honest with me. What are your thoughts on marriage? You’re not persuaded by any of the men in the Divine Spire, are you?”

She seemed to return mostly to her old self, sat up straight, and addressed him, “What men?”

He snickered. “Then?”

She became uncharacteristically bashful all over again. “I do want to get married, it’s just…”

“Is it really so strange that you can’t say it aloud?”

“I want to first make it to the Divine Realm and find someone that is already established. I don’t want my children to have nothing to fall back on in case I die early. I know it’s presumptuous.”

He sensed there was much more to it than just wanting the best for her future children. There was a story here. After all the talk about being her friend, he didn’t really know what she’d been through at all. It was the same with most of the other disciples he considered friends.

“So you’re embarrassed because you dream about reaching the Divine Realm?” He kept the question light, but his thoughts were much heavier.

Who told you to put a limit on what you want to achieve? He almost said the last thought out loud but stopped himself. So what if she didn’t have Huifen’s talent. She was still one of the most talented fairies in the number one sect on the Monolith Continent—if not the world. Why would she limit herself?

She shrugged.

The last thing he’d ever thought was that what she’d lacked was courage, but something was putting a damper on just that. “It’s not presumptuous to dream of making it to the Divine Realm, but it is presumptuous to think you’ll reach it by being too fearful to try.”

 “You think I’m afraid?” She gave him a glacier glare that he hadn’t seen since she’d challenged him in the Torch Stone Mine.

Motivating her was easy enough if all he had to do was challenge her. “Then prove it. If you can make it to the sky realm before the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm opens, I’ll provide the resources for your breakthrough myself.”

He expected his offer to catch her off guard, but not to see her bottom lip tremble. “Thank you,” she said weakly.

“Come on. Let’s join the others.” He would keep her reaction in mind. He wanted to know more about her background, but insisting she tell him everything on the spot didn’t seem like a good way to go about it.

They were only a few meters away, so they were taking a seat next to the others a few moments later. As soon as they did, Sister Daiyu bowed her head to him so sharply that purple tinted dark hair was flung forward. “Thank you, Brother Chao, for your willingness to share your wife’s time with this one—and for your own guidance.”

Fairy Zhu did the same and added her own, “Thank you.”

He felt the blood rush to his face.

Huifen stifled a chuckle.

Then Eu-meh took the opportunity to bow to his wife. “This one must thank Sage Huifen.”

If she was feeling the same discomfort, his wife didn’t show it. Instead, she addressed the group. “This is just something that Chao and I wanted to do. Now, as for what you can expect...”

Chapter 39

Just as they spent some time each day playing for the cultivating disciples on the third floor, they spent time with their new group of disciples on the second. As they did, Huifen spent much of her personal efforts on trying to better understand the nature laws.

The more she tried to understand nature, the clearer her water and ice laws became. She was beginning to think they really should be considered the same element. The distinctions between them were qualitative in nature but also relied on the same fundamental substance. Chao had once described water as a transitional element that should help her understand the other ones. It had indeed helped in her understanding, but he was wrong that it was an intermediate element. Nature was the true intermediate. It had heavy yin and heavy yang variations, and everything in between.

It was a long road, but she saw the possibilities. One day, she might be able to borrow and even enhance fire and lightning based vegetation. Creating it outright was likely impossible, but if she could reach the fourth law morph, she might actually be able to create something that shouldn’t exist. She dreamed of yin flames.

For now, she tried to borrow the form of the different plants in the penjing garden. It was still difficult for her to work with unknown neutral plants, and heavy yang ones were impossible. However, if she started with a seed, it was possible for her to slowly cultivate a normal yang plant until it could thrive off her yin qi. Her current goal was to bridge that gap.

She tried again to borrow the peach tree’s basic form. It appeared in her lap in a miniature state compared to its original version on display. Many might consider this a success, for she had indeed borrowed from the source. As soon as she did, the tree found itself surrounded in ice qi. She tried to enhance the miniature version to train it to make use of her qi, but the tree’s leaves started to wilt. Within a minute it shriveled and died.

Dropping the borrow, she watched as what was left of the small tree disintegrated before her eyes. She placed her hands on her lap and began to meditate on what she had seen. It was the same as all the other times before. This type of plant simply needed sun. Too low of temperatures were quick to kill it. The reason starting it from a seed was different, she theorized, was because of the natural process the seed went through while it was sprouting. If she was able to tap into this natural process, then her enhance law probably wasn’t as advanced as it seemed. It was possible that not every type of plant could survive the process. She needed to try other seeds—many different types—to know for sure.

It also gave her hope that there might be plants out there that could allow her to borrow and enhance without a seed. Possibly even create…

There was a sudden shrill whistle that drew her attention.

Chao held what looked like a bamboo flute in both hands and was cringing at the sound he’d just made. When he realized everyone was looking at him, he rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry. Sorry. I think I should practice on a back mountain somewhere before I try this again. I don’t think the flute likes me.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. He’d been trying to understand the basics of the instrument for the last two days. The simplest of songs still evaded him. He’d had success with the drum within an hour, and the zither took him even less time. Thankfully he still used his pipa for most of his sound cultivation studies. He was just trying to expand his horizons.

“It’s just a skillset you’ve yet to develop,” Huifen said to encourage him.

“I thought Brother Tao was developing a new martial technique,” Eu-meh said with mock sincerity.

The golden-haired Fairy Zhu smirked. “I sure was frightened.”

Everyone laughed.

Li Qiang tried to comfort his friend but didn’t hide his own grin.

Huifen prepared to speak up to remind them to remain respectful, when Fairy Daiyu blasted the room with ice qi and asserted, “It wasn’t that bad.”

There was a chorus of objections.

Instead of calming the situation, Chao exasperated it, “You’re all courting death.” He then blew in his flute without any care for hitting the right note. The noise cut through the room like a wailing child not getting their way.

Huifen sighed after the laughter had calmed, and the offhanded comments had mostly stopped. They’d only had their discipleship group for a few days, and this wasn’t the first time such outbursts had stopped everyone’s cultivation. Her husband was often right in the middle of it. After their dark days under Emperor Sun’s shadow, she couldn’t help but to allow it in moderation. She was smiling as well.

Chao winked in her direction as he replaced the flute with his pipa. Meeting him had added a whole new aspect to her life that she hadn’t known was missing. Heart of Ice was the main culprit, but he had insisted and slowly taught her what fun was. Silly Sage was a good title. He really wasn’t as solemn as he feared.

The song he played was one of his new ones. It was a favorite of hers. Unlike many of his old ones, it was complex. It started lighthearted, but quickly descended. The bulk of the song was downright tragic. That just added to its impact. Soon triumph filled their ears, and she felt a yearning settle inside her as a desire to experience such victory.

It was different than the mindset his old songs gave her, but in many ways the same. That must have been his laws at work, for the songs themselves were completely different. She thought this new one fit her temperament far better.

Glancing up, she didn’t see the ceiling but was looking past it. The waking visions she sometimes experienced were rarely the same. However, there were aspects they always shared. There was a plane, the pinnacle, not of the lower realm, but like that of the highest heaven. Sometimes stairs ascended to this platform that rested in the darkness of space. Other times, there was an invisible border at which a multitude of the greatest of cultivators were gathered. The gathering was not peaceful, for they all sought to break the barrier by force.

When she ascended to this barrier, she found it gave her little resistance and she slipped right through it at the protests of all who were present.

She flew up to reach the platform of cloudy white stone. There were no stars above or beyond it. The galaxies laid at its feet. When she reached it, she wasn’t alone, but the crowd there was sparce. There was a loneliness to dwelling there. It was what accompanied those at the peak of martial power. The loneliness wasn’t alone. With power came long life. Wisdom followed. She desired such loneliness. To reach the end of human knowledge and to peer upon the universe as it truly was.

The vision faded as her eyes landed upon the man she had married. It was but a fantasy, a daydream, but it had guided her life since before she arrived at the Ice Phoenix Sect. Her mother had helped cultivate the desire inside her. It had never been necessary. Her Peerless Spiritual Body was like a beacon to her young heart even before she understood where it was guiding. Destiny called her. It was something she couldn’t deny. Chao complicated everything even as she determined to bring him with her with all her might.

If any other man had become her husband, she’d have little doubt, but he threatened her vision as no other person could. There were times where he seemed like the most competent of cultivators, and others where he rejected the very notion of defying the heavens. What if the day came when they reached that border that marked her final step and he reached out his hand, touched its surface, and then bowed his head. Instead of defying the heavens, he seemed to travel a path in allegiance with it. But that wasn’t what she feared the most. What if he decided to accept heaven’s will and she followed him instead?

She’d already been wrong about so many things. She concluded that she wasn’t a naturally just person. Only her lessons from her master turned mother-in-law, and her now husband had tempered the blind fury inside her. Quinyuan had taught her to decide for herself, but here she was surrounding herself with others. She was a living contradiction. She was starting to trust, especially Chao, more than she trusted her own judgement. All the more reason she should reach the peak of the martial arts. With such wisdom she’d be able to understand. But after living without Heart of Ice for more than two years now, she no longer wanted to do so alone.

A little fire dragon with overly large eyes zipped across the room and hovered before her face. It reached out and nuzzled her nose. It disappeared the next instant.

Chao looked away as soon as she glanced over and pretended he didn’t notice. Sometimes he got lost in his cultivation and it was like he’d forgotten she was even there, but then he’d do something like this. Confused or not, there were some things she couldn’t deny. Chief among them was that there was no other place she’d rather be.

***

As had been their custom in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm, they refined pills in the morning. They weren’t focused on yin or yang pills any longer. They’d refined countless of each. What they focused on now were new pills that they hadn’t refined in the past. The dual refinement techniques had become mostly second nature to them. It was what gave them the confidence to do it behind their array formations without requesting supervision from Sage Pangfua.

After a few weeks of their new routine, Chao was starting to see a pattern to the speed of their cultivation. His Huifen’s speed was slower than his. That was to be expected since they were spending so much time in a heaven and earth qi heavy environment, but with their pill refinement, dual cultivation, and the Esh Vine Nectar still in his system, his speed was even faster than it had been in the earth realm.

Just three weeks after he'd reached the fourth level of the sky realm, he broke through to the fifth. It would undoubtedly slow as he neared the peak of his realm, but he could very likely breakthrough to the overlord realm before they left the Divine Spire.

Had that been what his father was hoping for all along? It was just like the slippery old man to hide things from him.

Huifen’s cultivation wasn’t staying still either. Three weeks later, when he was readying to break into the sixth level of the sky realm, they requested Sage Pangfua to come attend to her breakthrough to the fourth level of the overlord realm. It was completely unlike her last breakthrough for she was breaking through to small success.

Mother Sya was also there.

Chao sat behind Huifen, ready to inject heaven and earth qi into her if the situation required, but what she really needed was to intake massive amounts of ice qi. His main job was to monitor her wellbeing. In the end, he just got to admire his formidable wife. One of the surprise benefits she received when creating her inner world’s core with tribulation ice during her overlord breakthrough was that her hybrid qi refined her physique even further than it normally would. Perhaps it was due to her Peerless Spiritual Body, but she adapted quickly. Breakthroughs often taxed the body and pushed the meridians to their limit. For her it was as easy as morning meditation.

***

Chao sat surrounded by blades. He’d first found sharpness a difficult concept to cultivate. There was one aspect to it that was physical. The blade held the required edge, but it didn’t equal this edge or sharpness would’ve existed as the material itself. There was more to it than that. Many substances that span different elements could be considered sharp. It wasn’t limited to weapons and tools used for war, preparing food, or dividing two parts of an object. Stones, metal, wood, thorns, talons, claws, beaks, and fangs were only a beginners list of the things that could be sharp.

There were certainly different levels of sharpness as well. A child might be given a knife with a dull edge only sharp enough to cut weak plants and dig up the dirt, while a cultivator’s blade might be honed to the finest degree. Neither were as dull as a hammer.

Borrowing sharpness came first. The difficulty was the same as when dealing with intangible elements like space and sound. He felt like it should be applied to an object, but it wasn’t that object. Space was the same. It existed only naturally as the container of matter and energy. It never came alone. It was the laws that made the impossible possible.

It was through this contemplation that success finally came. He borrowed the sharpness of his blade and applied it to seemingly nothing. But he was too familiar with nothing so he knew better. Air was something.

One of the most interesting aspects of sharpness was that it was directional in nature. A space tear could be deadly when approached from any angle. But sharpness applied to a strand of air was useless if it wasn’t approached from the front. Even then, air held little weight, so a weak piece of clothing was enough to overpower its edge.

That didn’t mean it was useless. Sharpness might not hold any weight or stoutness on its own, but…

With his swords resting on the ground, he awakened a wisp of wind and handed it a new weapon. He tossed up an old shirt. It didn’t fly as evenly as he liked, so when the wisp approached the shirt it was more wadded than flat.

He rarely used wind when fighting. It lacked in most areas compared to other elements unless your goal was to move things instead of harming them.

The wisp burst into the shirt, sending it flying. He scooped it up with his qi and caught it. Stretching out the shirt, he was surprised by what he found. There were a few large cuts on different places on the garment. It was a success, though a small one.

It made him wonder, if he advanced, would he be able to add sharpness to his martial techniques or his laws that were more substantial in nature? Perhaps he was limiting it too much. He imagined a massive fire dragon with fangs that could do more than burn, but then he realized piercing, slashing, and cleaving might be better concepts if such things were possible.

Would they be worth developing? Covering one of his awakened elements with space tears for teeth would be far more destructive.

Perhaps the reason sharpness seemed to hold less promise was because it was a lesser law. Or maybe he needed to be able to create or enhance it before it showed its true worth. It was far less complex with fewer variables than any element. Enhance should just empower what it already was. Morph, however, he lacked enough experience with to even guess.

Should he pursue it? That was the real question. There were countless concepts, or lesser laws. It wasn’t in him to just give up because it didn’t seem promising. It held secrets—all concepts did—and he wanted to know them all.

With the elements, he wasn’t sure what direction to go next. He had reached awaken in all of them. He was working on morph with the few that continued to allude him, and was determined to figure them out, but what about after that? He couldn’t say he’d reached large success in awaken with any of them. He rarely even used an element without awakening it any longer, so he felt that that was only a matter of time.

There was something. One final thing that his mother had accomplished that he hadn’t. She’d reached perfection with her ice borrow law. He knew technically what that meant but could only comprehend it in theory.

Mother An had once fought Mother Quinyuan. She’d been in the sky realm where the Sect Master had been a sage. As the telling goes, there was no way An should’ve been able to defeat her friend, but she didn’t just command her own qi, but the ice of her opponent at will.

Chao could already do the same, couldn’t he? He’d once borrowed the fire from his opponent in the arena but didn’t dare to do the same against a cultivator of a higher realm. The force of their martial techniques was simply too much. So how had his mother overcome this?

Did she borrow the ice Quinyuan had summoned, immediately awakening it to fight against her? Was perfection so powerful that the laws of a sky realm fairy could completely overwhelm that of a sage?

Should he seek perfection with fire? It had always been one of the easiest elements for him. He believed it was because of his natural yang despite cultivating heaven and earth qi, but the better he understood his relationship with sound, the more he suspected it might be something else. It might not be his yang at all, but because Zan was a yang cultivator, and he loved his father. If Mother An would’ve lived, perhaps his ice laws would’ve grown to be just as profound. Certainly his wife had helped make up the difference.

In the end, it was his space laws that he turned to in hope of improving his martial prowess. His sound laws were the arbiter, but if his space laws didn’t improve then how could he protect his wife and himself once they reached the divine realm? The combination of the two held the most hope. Without neglecting everything else, he poured himself into figuring out what space could do under the sixth floor’s pressure. It was the simulation of the divine realm he needed.

He used what he already knew, but in many ways, he worked in the opposite direction. Instead of learning to manipulate space in his surroundings, he used a space tear as his canvass. Creating inside a true void cost very little as long as he could tear a big enough area of natural space.

The tear he worked with was round in shape and no bigger than his fist. The tear consisted of nothing. He empowered its border. The emptiness was naturally filled, but even as it was, the space tunnel was contained in its cylindrical wall of nothing. It was a strange paradox. It shouldn’t be so, but he’d seen it practically worked out too many times to deny it.

It wasn’t the first time he extended the void canvas. As it deepened like a cavern dug out of the space before him, air was sucked in to fill the new emptiness.

He didn’t command its boarders to change their shape, for that would require him to displace the air that had entered his tiny space cavern. Instead, he erased it entirely and felt the air that had been sucked in rebound, blasting into his face. It was almost like he had forcibly expelled the air but erasing his space tear had allowed natural space to automatically fix itself. The natural process expelled it for him. On a large enough level, he could use both processes to his advantage.

He started over. Creating a tear the same size and shape, he also created a tiny, red, nascent realm flame that floated right in front of it. He pushed against his little canvas and the round void extended outward like the tunnel of a gopher. It wasn’t deep. Only a meter at most, but as soon as the air started to be sucked into the void, the flame went with it and was smothered under the inrush of air.

Chao created a second flame after the small cavern had filled in and erased the tunnel. The air rushed outward. Instead of smothering the flame this time it enlivened it. He had to lean to the side so that it didn’t singe his face.

His reaction was unnecessary. Nascent realm fire would no longer burn him.

The experiment proved the concept would work.

If he could make a tear large enough, especially once he reached the overlord and tribulation realms, he might be able to use the same technique often enough that he could use it to swallow the techniques of cultivators far stronger than he was. The force they could generate, and their speed was still something he couldn’t hope to match. His options were growing.

When he noticed Huifen was watching him, he got up and walked over to her. “Could you use a little break?”

She nodded.

He scooped her up with his qi and caught her with one arm beneath her legs and the other behind her back.

She asked him what he was doing.

Instead of answering, he carried her toward the wall, removed a pillow from his spatial ring, and tossed it to rest there. He sat down and leaned into the pillow with her laying against his chest.

Huifen didn’t complain, but she looked concerned. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing,” was all that he said.

They lounged there without saying a word. Before long, she curled up against his much larger and warmer body then relaxed her eyes. He focused on her breathing and for a time they forgot everything else.

Chapter 40

Chao made it a habit to meet with Father Tu once a week to go “treasure hunting” with the man. It was within the Divine Spire, so much of their time was spent on the first and second floors exploring the different trials. Tu’s favorite stations were the puzzles.

If someone thought less of his father-in-law because of this, they could only find out the hard way if they sought to bully him. It wasn’t because he lacked martial ability or the mentality to fight, but because he had a keen mind and was constantly seeking to challenge himself. Chao learned quickly just how fierce the man’s intelligence really was.

He was loud and generous in their meeting. “Junior Brother Tao,” he said, grabbing him by the shoulders.

Chao wanted to stop at each obelisk they passed. They were like giant card jades with instructions on cultivation, history, and martial techniques. He had learned enough through conversation to know there was nothing here on the first floor that would be too helpful for someone at his level, but just the idea that these had been created thousands of years before was enough.

There was one specific puzzle that Tu was drawn to on their first outing together. Chao had encouraged him to keep visiting it. They headed there first.

This station was built into the wall. There was a partition that held them back. There was also one of the barriers common to the Divine Spire that allowed their perceptions to pass. At the back of the station, against the wall, were waist high columns that each held a different element. These podiums, or platforms, held their small element in place perpetually until someone came along and interacted with them.

“Senior,” Chao said, motioning for Tu to take the first turn.

The man stepped up and flicked his loose sleeves, causing them to snap. Then he reached out toward the red nascent flame and extended his perceptions.

The flame twitched a few times as he took control of it with borrow. Even though Chao started all of his students with the borrow game, it wasn’t uncommon for the first law to be used outside the large sects. There was a certain familiarity even the most common cultivator would develop with their element of choice. Street performers often took this even further. Such displays were dependent upon a small success borrow at the best. Only the street performers that took their tricks much more seriously ever achieved large success.

The flame rose off the podium and slowly floated toward them. There was a second platform near the front of the station they were meant to move it to.

The little flame’s trip wasn’t a smooth one, but compared to their first visit to the station, Tu’s control was far more impressive. As the flame descended, he was able to complete the first step without putting out the flame on the first try.

“Well done, Senior Xiao Tu,” Chao applauded.

The man nodded, but his focus remained sharp.

The last step was to borrow the flame and duplicate it. It was a more advanced use of borrow but didn’t reach the level of create. It required one to use the current flame to make an exact copy of the first—not to create a new flame entirely through the power of the laws.

Tu drew back his hand and leaned forward. The flame flickered once again. On the second platform a hand’s length away, a phantom flame began to form.

Chao could sense some of Tu’s own fire qi was fueling the formation, but it was difficult to tell how much since it wasn’t his will guiding it. The phantom flame slowly solidified until it was nearly identical to the first.

In the next moment, the flame snuffed out. Tu lost control of the first flame, and it darted to the starting platform seemingly of its own free will.

His father-in-law huffed out an exorbitant amount of air. He didn’t realize the man had been holding his breath.

“You completed both steps on the first try,” Chao congratulated again.

“I’m not sure that last step counted. It’s hard to tell if I just ignited my qi or not.”

There was a clicking noise, followed by the shifting of stone. On the station’s counter, its surface shifted. A clear qi crystal appeared that was about the size of a grape.

Seeing his prize, Tu quickly changed his tune. He shook as he chuckled.

“The spire only recognizes success,” Chao said, cupping the man’s shoulder. It was still a foreign gesture for him, but his father-in-law was rubbing off on him.

What he said was true. The Divine Spire kept track of everyone’s progress. It would only reward a person if they reached a certain standard and did better than on their last attempt.

“It’s your turn, Junior Brother Tao.”

He smiled gratefully, but his brow creased. “Senior—”

“Not this time.” With a hoot, Tu threw out a set of flags that rested against the station on either side and surrounded them. Soon they were encapsulated in what looked like a bubble of turbulent wind. Only the station was still open to them. “It’s one of many rare array formations I’ve collected over the years. While we’re under its influence, no one will see your performance. Show your father-in-law what you can do.”

Chao quickly examined the barrier, before giving the man an awe-filled look. “One of your secret artifacts?”

Tu waved a hand. “Nothing like that. It’s a simple barrier with a unique design. That is all. Now no more excuses.”

He gave his father-in-law a martial salute. He didn’t want to come off arrogant, but if the man was asking for a demonstration. “Very well.”

He didn’t want to discourage Father Tu, but he’d been able to complete this trial with the fire element since the age of three. As for the other elements…

They’d been here many times before. He’d already completed the trial with the earth element. Since he had a golden core, it was the element he allowed himself to fool around with in public. But Tu wasn’t asking him to do it again, or even complete it with the fire element.

Extending his qi, he borrowed from every element at the same time. He lazily drew them toward the closer platforms and made sure they touched down in their designated places. With just as much ease, he copied the originals and a duplicate of each appeared on the platforms right next to them.

With the trial complete, he bowed to his father-in-law.

He feared it might discourage him, but instead, Tu boomed with laughter. “That’s my son-in-law. Tell me plainly. How well would my Hui Hui do?”

“Water and Nature with ease. With her ice laws, she’s better than I am.”

“Mmm.”

There was a sudden glow from the station’s barrier. As it brightened, the voice of a drowsy man sounded, “Greetings, Divine Master. I do not have your qi signature on record. Please proceed to the Initiation Construct to be measured and have your information recorded. You will then receive a worthy reward.”

They’d retreated to the edge of the array’s barrier. Chao had already placed a space wall between them.

The voice continued. “If you are not here to cultivate and instead wish to make use of this tower to train future generations, there is something I will offer you now. Please take it.”

When his space barrier had dissipated, he found the station was still glowing, but not as bright. On top of the partition rested an almost transparent card. He swept it up with his qi.

“The tower is currently ownerless, so it is without name. This ticket contains the information necessary to start the process of taking ownership. A Divine Master such as yourself should be able to complete the requirements with ease. The tower is designed to require this so that future owners would experience every major trial so they might make the most use of the facilities. Welcome, once again. I look forward to your climb.”

As soon as the voice finished, the glow of the station’s barrier dimmed completely.

The smirk his father-in-law gave him was like that of an adventurous child. Chao was quick to match it. Treasure hunting indeed.

He contacted Huifen who was on the first floor with Mother Sya somewhere out of sight. It was too much of a discovery to let things rest. They contacted Sage Pangfua next and would meet with her soon.

Chao contacted Sister Eu-meh by transmission jade and told her they’d be delayed. She replied by saying that they’d still meet in the nature meditation chamber to get in some extra practice. It was a room normally without use.

He learned in the conversation that Li Qiang wasn’t with them. When he was about to reach out to his friend, he found him standing there with several other cultivators from different sects as Father Tu’s array formation was put away.

“Brother Tao?” The young man cried, then noticing Tu he bowed. “Greetings, Master Xiao.”

“Senior,” Chao said. He’d been meaning to talk to his friends one-on-one about marriage. This was a perfect opportunity. He leaned over and said something under his breath.

“It would be my pleasure,” Tu said, striding forward and throwing his arm around the tawny-skinned fire cultivator. “This one will now give you some pointers on how to win a young fairy’s heart.”

Huifen and Mother Sya arrived a moment later. They were coming from the same direction of Tu and Li Qiang’s heading, so they had a quick exchange of words before joining Chao.

His wife leaned in closely to embrace him. He shrouded the three of them in a sound barrier.

“Have you yet to examine it?”

He nodded, slipping it into her hand.

She stepped back and turned side-long so that Mother Sya could see what she was doing. Huifen’s eyes widened. She stealthily handed it to Sya who also scanned it.

The Ice Phoenix Sect Elder was much more composed with her reaction but was just as quick. She gave them both a glance and then said, “Let’s go.”

Chapter 41

“Divine Master? This voice called you that?” Sage Pangfua asked.

“Yes,” Chao replied.

The three sages and Mother Sya sat facing each other in the middle of the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile cultivation chamber.

Pangfua remained statuesque as she contemplated their story and the translucent card’s information the voice had called a ticket. “When will you take possession?” She was looking back and forth between Huifen and Chao.

They glanced at one another. Chao was at a loss for words, so Huifen addressed what she knew her husband was thinking. “Should it be us?”

“Yes,” her Big Sister replied. “This has never happened before in modern memory. Since Little Brother is the one that caused the event, it is only right that it belongs to you if you can complete the trials.”

“The sage is right,” Mother Sya interjected. “We have no doubt you’d use it for the good of the sect during your remaining days on Lifestone, and who’s to say what secrets it holds that might be of benefit to you.”

“It’s as the elder says,” Pangfua emphasized. “Something few know about the Ice Phoenix Palace is that it’s not just a dwelling place and massive qi gathering array, but it’s also a divine transit vehicle capable of flying at heaven-defying speeds between worlds. There’s no direct evidence that the Divine Spire has similar capabilities, except maybe its design, but it’s a genuine possibility.

“And let me be blunt. I’m not capable of completing the trials at my level. Only Quinyuan would have a chance and she’s already a tribulation realm cultivator. The trials scale in difficulty the higher your realm. It can only be one of you unless we wait for Master Zan to return. And if he wanted this place, I suspect he would’ve already taken it.”

As they left Sang Pangfua and Mother Sya to meet up with their group of disciples, Huifen was still having trouble processing what her Chao had unwittingly evoked from the Divine Spire. It believed he was a divine realm cultivator—one of significant ability. Who could manipulate the elements like he did except for someone nearing the peak?

She thought back to what Father Zan had said. He’d made Chao help her with her breakthrough to the overlord realm because he knew Chao’s concepts would pass into her inner world. In time, they would only build and eventually, she’d have the ability to manipulate every element to a limited extent. For these abilities to develop to such a level, she guessed that she’d have to be a Divine Lord at the least. No wonder the spire had called him Divine Master.

Chao was instead lost in his own musing. They were still weaving in and out of the crowd of cultivators on the first floor as they headed to the second. She couldn’t deny his natural charm, but he looked mundane in his green martial robes. How could a look be so deceiving?

When her staring drew his attention, she smiled back at him and said, “My husband is incredible.”

He hadn’t been expecting it, so he reddened. “When do you think we should try?”

Changing the subject so soon? He’d always been bad at receiving compliments. Should she praise him more often? It’s not like there was a lack of things to commend him for. “There’s no hurry.” Confirming his sound barrier was up, she added, “I think we should wait until you’ve advanced to the next realm.”

“But don’t the trials increase in difficulty with your cultivation?”

“It won’t make any difference for my husband.”

He gave her a suspicious glare. “What about you? You’re not going to complete the trials yourself?”

“Who said that I wasn’t?”

A roguish smirk slowly came to his face. “Then you want to compete?”

“And why shouldn’t we have some fun with it? But only for fun. You said it yourself. We need to constantly reassess one another’s abilities.”

He leaned in close and whispered in her ear even though the sound barrier was blocking their words to the world. “What’s an ice fairy doing trying to have fun?”

“And just when I was trying to be nice,” she replied, stepping to the side to gain some distance.

“I was just about to sing the praises of your wisdom and agree that we compete.”

Returning to his side, she gave him a snooty look. “Oh? Then let me hear it.”

They continued their flirty back and forth as they reached the stairs to the second floor.

“Should we tell them?” He asked.

“Not until we’re ready to reveal ourselves to everyone. Fairy Daiyu would take our secret to the grave, but Fairy Zhu might inadvertently give it away. She’s always been hotheaded, even with the Heart of Ice technique. I’m sure Eu-meh is trustworthy enough, as is Diu, but Li Qiang?”

“I don’t think he would willingly tell anyone, but I’d put him in the same category as Zhu except for different reasons. When he gets excited, he likes to talk.”

“Well think of it this way. Once we take ownership, if this place really is capable of flying, then we can keep them locked away and never let them out until their cultivation reaches a high enough level that we don’t have to worry about them.”

He gave her a look of sham astonishment. “Did my wife just make a joke?”

She began glaring at him, but a sudden surge of qi spiked, stealing her attention. They’d reached the top of the stairs to the second floor. With the qi barriers between the numerous cultivation chambers, there was no way it could be that far away. Sensing through the barriers was one thing, but the divine stone the spire was made of made sensing even more difficult.

“What is it?” He asked.

She didn’t look at him. Her perceptions were extended to their limit. “A fight.” Without another word she threw off all restraints and surged toward the qi.

Chao didn’t need any explanation and followed right behind her.

They passed through the first two chambers, finding a large group deep in meditation. Their lack of reaction boded well. It was possible someone was practicing techniques. However, they still needed to know for sure. She was far more sensitive to qi than normal.

She didn’t slow. It was possible she’d already given away their identities by this simple act, but her friends were waiting for them in the direction of the spike of qi. They were four earth realm fairies of the Ice Phoenix Sect. Even if it was a sky realm cultivator that had attacked them, they should be able to defend themselves for some time. If this murderer had dared attack them, they had to be getting desperate. Perhaps she’d find the person injured or backed into a corner when they arrived.

A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. Fairy Zhu wouldn’t let things be. Even if Daiyu insisted they try to keep the culprit alive for questioning, Zhu would badger the person until help arrived. It was the fairy’s weakness, but also her strength.

They were nearing the Nature Meditation Chamber where they always practiced. The surges of qi grew stronger. Huifen prepared herself for a fight, but she tempered her approach just in case there was a competition of techniques or something similar.

Flying through the entrance, she found it mostly empty. There was one person, however. She found them crouched down facing the wall. The person wore dark violet martial robes like those of the Night Pearl Sect. They were looming over something. It took a single motion of the person’s arm for her to realize what they were doing. But she only felt the presence of a single person.

Beneath the fiend in violet robes was a sprawled-out body. The gown was pulled up too high and out of place for her to make out its color, but the victim’s legs had a tawny tint unlike the common folk of the region. And those slippers. She would recognize them anywhere. She had a few pairs of her own and they’d annoyed her for more than a decade. It could only be one person, and they were already dead.

Huifen’s qi began to circulate with deadly purpose.

That single slip of killing intent drew the attention of the person atop the body of her dead friend. With the reflexes of a savage beast, the person spun around on all fours. The woman’s silky dark hair whipped to the side as the mask she wore was revealed. It was pearl white, depicting the face of a beautiful woman. The only color was the red of her lips and the trails of blood dripping down the corners of her mouth.

The woman’s weapon wasn’t an instrument of metal or heavenly materials, but black phantom claws that spawned from her hands like ethereal gloves. As the woman turned, it revealed what was left of Fairy Daiyu. She could barely make out the traces of the blue of her dress beneath all the blood. Her face was so ravaged she didn’t look like a person at all.

As the demonic woman slowly rose to her feet, she left her hands low and out to the sides with her phantom claws stretched out and facing them. The aura she gave off was undoubtedly that of a sky realm cultivator.

“You have terrible luck,” the woman said with a far too human voice. “And you have such a pretty face…”

Due to the practice with her husband, Huifen tempered her hybrid qi to the overlord realm as she unleashed her aura, but she did so in full. The weight of her perception crashed down on the fiendish woman.

As soon as they did, the woman once again showed animal-like instincts and shot out of the room.

For a moment, Huifen was torn as to whether she should give chase. She didn’t want to let her get away, but the fluctuations of qi hadn’t stopped since their arrival. It raged even stronger just a room away.

It was Chao that helped her decide. “Go,” he insisted.

She feared leaving him alone to face the threat. Would she ever stop doubting him?

She’d already moved. The tempest inside her was too much for doubts to restrain her. Fairy Daiyu had once burned her hair in her early days in the sect. Her friend had been so hotblooded and spiteful then, but she’d grown into one of the most compassionate ice fairies Huifen had ever known. Now she was mutilated—gone.

Even with a head start, there was no world in which the demoness could outrun her. The woman was reaching the next chamber when Huifen arrived, but she caught up with her before she could take another step.

The woman jumped to the side, choosing to face off with her pursuer.

Taking the middle of the room, Huifen cornered her. If the woman dared to continue fleeing and offered her back, she’d regret it.

The demoness retook her bestial posture. “Such rich ice qi,” the woman said with reproach. “And such a high cultivation. But don’t you dare think it’s enough.”

She placed one arm on top of the other, turning her claws on herself. Raking her forearms and wrists with a single smooth motion, her blood flowed. As soon as it did, she erupted in power. Her claws became crimson and grew twice as large.

“Come, Ice Sage. Meet my death qi if you dare.”

What the woman meant by death qi, Huifen couldn’t be sure, but there was one thing she couldn’t deny. The woman was burning her blood essence. She was insane, trading years of life for a surge of power.

There was something distinct about this woman’s qi that Huifen had never sensed before. She flew back to give herself space to work. It was dangerous. But why, she didn’t understand. The one thing she was sure about was that her friend’s murderer wasn’t concerned with escape. She was more than willing to give her life if she could take Huifen down with her.

***

Chao had felt this once before. When Huifen had admitted to Quinyuan what had happened to her during her meeting with Prince Jin, that disquieted lightheadedness had struck him then as well. Some part of him couldn’t believe this was happening. Another part was ready. Last time he’d had no choice but to bottle up all he was feeling. His mission had required impossible precision. But now?

If he was going by just the face, it would have been impossible to identify the masked woman’s victim. There was one hand, however, that had been left unscathed. How was that possible unless Fairy Daiyu had been ambushed before she could fight back?

His first thought was, why her? She was perhaps the kindest fairy he’d met in the Ice Phoenix Sect. Even when she told him to get lost, she did so in the most gracious manner possible.

He didn’t delay racing toward the source of battle. He could feel the fluctuations of qi before stepping through the barrier into the next room as if it were blasting him in the face. They were that tumultuous.

He shot through and stopped suddenly to survey his surroundings. There was a lull in the battle. A man stood in a martial stance not ten meters away in fire phoenix martial robes. He held a sword in his hand. But like the woman, he wore a mask. It was like polished obsidian and only covered the top half of his face. It was like the face of a demon with small horns on both sides.

“Earth realm pest. Is my Nang right behind you?” The man asked with a snicker and smirked with one side of his mouth. “Stay put and wait your turn. I’ll be finished soon.” Turning back to his prey on the other side of the room, the man’s smirk only grew.

It was then that Chao saw the remaining fairies of his discipleship group. Fairy Diu was slumped against the wall unconscious with Eu-meh kneeling over her. Then he saw his friend’s face. One side of it was sliced down the cheek. The gash was wide and ugly. Only ice qi held it together.

He could tell the masked man was in the sky realm even if he was certain he wasn’t a fire cultivator. This man had been toying with them. He’d even aimed for Eu-meh’s face.

It was Chao’s fault. He’d picked this room and asked them to meet him here. This was the one day he and his wife had been late for their meeting. None of it made sense. Why would two Sky Realm cultivators attack a bunch of lower realm fairies? And to mutilate their faces?

He saw that Fairy Zhu was the only fairy that remained standing against this monster. Any fear she felt was burned away beneath her fiery scowl. Her blond hair was loose and wild in the ice qi churning around her. He’d never been fond of her but seeing her now, defending her friends with the last of her strength, he regretted ever thinking less of her.

When the man moved to attack, something inside Chao snapped. Whatever was holding him back suddenly wasn’t there and his perceptions found the attack’s trajectory. Just as when facing off with hundreds of overlords in the joint sect’s Training Construct, he tore space, intercepting the man’s attack before it had even built enough to unleash its force.

Fairy Zhu struck out with an upward slash of Springtime’s Frost to meet the higher realm cultivator’s attack.

The man continued to swing, but his expected martial technique didn’t execute so he faced Zhu’s attack head on. It blasted him backwards. The room was dangerously small for such a battle, but his defensive aura was enough to prevent any injury.

Chao had already stepped into a space bend. The man noticed him only after he appeared with a spear in hand.

That pitiless smirk returned to the man’s face. He moved to respond, but his sword wasn’t there. He was expecting an earth realm cultivator. The spear defied such speed. It reached his defensive aura. There was little impact, so he seemed to think that his opponent was weaker than he anticipated. He was flung back.

Chao’s space tear tipped spear went right through the man’s shoulder, but Chao didn’t stop there. He drove the man backward and thrust his spear deep into the wall, pinning him there.

It was then that the man lifted his hands to grab at the spear and froze when he finally realized something was missing. Nothing was left of his strong hand except for a bloody stump.

Chao have him a moment to process what had happened before saying in a low grumble, “I’ll take care of that for you.”

Stepping back, Chao lifted his left-hand palm up. A little, orange-colored fire dragon rested there. This wasn’t the cute version he often used with Huifen. This was the viper-headed serpent with a lion’s maw that had faced off with the overlords of the Monolith Continent, but it was so much more.

He hadn’t noticed the hum around him, for it seemed to follow him wherever he went. It wasn’t his fire laws that summoned the dragon directly. His will birthed the creature, injecting it with shared madness.

Its eyes weren’t the orange of earth realm fire, but the golden of sky. That was the least terrifying thing about them. Human-like eyes peered at the man’s bloody stump with the same hunger its master felt. It wasn’t a hunger for flesh and blood. It craved pain. To inflict the same suffering that Eu-meh felt and Daiyu had before her death. That of the other girls this monster had assaulted. The pain Prince Jin and the Sun family had caused his Huifen. This man would feel it all.

There was doubt in the man’s eyes, but he wasn’t fearful. Not yet.

The murderer’s smirk returned in defiance. The dragon wasn’t large enough to bite what was left of his arm and even this little bit of sky realm fire would only burn him. Why should he fear?

The dragon struck with such speed that the man didn’t have the chance to pull back his stump. Its head grew with its mouth. Golden brilliance filled the room as the temperature raged. The awakened creature bit down on the demon cultivator’s arm.

The man’s eyes widened. He didn’t believe it. There was a long delay, then he shrieked. He started to circulate his qi to force out any unwanted energy.

Chao was ready. He palmed the man’s forehead, slamming his head against the wall. His sword was already in hand. With it spun around in a reverse grip, he did something his father had had him practice countless times. He thrust the pommel of his sword into the man’s abdomen, forcing flesh into the surface of his dantian and the circulating qi inside. It wouldn’t cripple him, but he immediately vomited blood.

Chao’s defensive aura was already in place, so the blood was kept from reaching him and splashed to the floor.

The man continued to wail as the fire dragon held on. It only lasted a few seconds, but even after his dragon had dissipated, the man’s screaming didn’t stop. When it finally did, he had lost his edge.

Chao then tore the mask from the man’s face. He didn’t recognize him at all.

The man started to slump forward.

Flipping his sword around, Chao covered it in torn space, and thrust it into the man’s other shoulder, just below the collarbone. He drove it in up to the guard to keep his target in place and to secure him to the wall. He’d kept its blade parallel with the ground so that it wouldn’t slice through the shoulder under the man’s weight.

Chao then palmed the man’s forehead once again, positioning him so that he couldn’t escape his gaze. He remembered the man’s smirk which was now nowhere to be found. Chao tried it on. He couldn’t stomach cruelty for cruelty’s sake as this monster did, but he believed the man deserved such spite.

The man’s eyes narrowed. Some fight remained.

Chao spoke through gritted teeth. “I’ve been questioning whether it was worth pursuing the sharpness laws, but I think I’ve found their use.” When he’d faced off with Sage Ping after she’d tried to poison him, he’d had an awful idea. His present circumstances were too personal for laws or martial techniques. He’d use his bare hands. He held up his fist so that the man could see it. “Knuckles aren’t exactly sharp on their own. Do you think I should sharpen them across the top edge, or down each joint? And what if I make the blade too small? Do you think a small enough edge and a point should be considered the same thing?”

With his palm against the man’s forehead, he pressed with all of his weight. The skin was being pulled upward to the point that he couldn’t blink. Patting the man on the cheek, he added. “I promise you that I’ll keep you recognizable.”

The man spat in his face.

Chao squared up. His spear was in the way so that he couldn’t stand directly in front of the demon cultivator, but it wouldn’t keep him from what he intended. Not that there was really a lot of conscious planning going into what he was doing. He knew two things. He hated the man before him, and he wanted to hurt him as much as possible. He simply followed the path of least resistance to gain what he desired most.

With his knuckles covered in his rudimentary law of sharpness, he threw his entire body weight behind his left fist. It hooked wide, slamming into the man’s lower ribs. He didn’t wait and followed up with a right hook to the other set.

The man had summoned his defensive aura to mostly block both strikes.

“That’s a bad habit you have there,” Chao scoffed.

Stepping back, he lifted his hand palm up once again. This time a purple earth realm lightning serpent appeared coiled there. He didn’t have the same control over it as he did with fire’s morph law, so the lightning was sending sparks into his palm at a constant rate. He ignored the pain. It was a realm lower than they were. That didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt.

“Every time you unleash your aura, I will do this.”

The man tried to spit again, but the lightning serpent struck. As it shot into his leg, the man’s entire body tensed up for the briefest moment.

Chao realized it probably wasn’t enough, so he kept fueling the serpent with qi as it swam down his leg. It then attacked his foot with abandon.

The man’s jaw clenched shut. He seemed to struggle until his mouth cracked open. His cry came out oddly—even melodious under the lightning’s effects.

“Good,” Chao said, cutting qi from the serpent. He didn’t wait to drive his fists again into both sets of ribs. This time there was no defensive aura to meet him. He felt the crack of bone. He stepped back to examine his handy work. “This is in the way.”

A fire dragon dived onto the man, but he wasn’t its target. Within seconds the man’s upper torso was naked to the world as his shirt burnt to a crisp. He’d done his best not to burn the man too badly. How would he be able to measure his sharpness technique if he did?

Before he could throw another punch, he heard a familiar voice. “Brother—Brother Tao.”

It was Eu-meh that had spoken. She was being held upright by Fairy Zhu. Both girls had the frigid look Heart of Ice bought them, but there was no denying the hesitancy in her voice.

He looked upon the mangled half of her face. Her voice drew him past the injury to the person beneath.

“Brother Tao. We must question him.”

“Sister Eu-meh is right,” Zhu said with a little more strength. “Who knows how many of them there are.”

He nodded that he understood. With a flick of his wrist, he threw Zhu enough pills for the three fairies. “Take these even if you’ve already swallowed a recovery pill. Make Diu swallow one as well.” He could tell she was still alive.

The blond headed fairy acted at once. Swallowing her own, she handed another to Eu-meh before walking over to Diu and forcing open her mouth.

Turning back to the man, Chao addressed him. “If you answer my questions, I will reward you. If you don’t answer satisfactory, you will be punished.”

He’d regained enough of himself to know what he must do. He was about to torture a human being. To do something he believed was wrong in principle—that he’d never do. If rage could advance in realm, that’s exactly what had happened.

“My wife is retrieving the woman you called Nang. What is your name?”

The man scowled at him, but he was no longer willing to outwardly defy him. “Jolon. Wancheng Jolon. Nang is my wife.”

He slightly bowed his head as if to accept his answer, then drove his sharpness covered fist straight into the man’s gut.

The man coughed. He even spat out a little more blood, before complaining. “You said you’d reward me.”

“This was your reward,” he said, then held up his hand. “This will be your punishment if you defy me.” Another purple earth realm lightning serpent took shape in his hand.

The man’s teeth started to chatter as he trembled until his mouth slammed shut.

“You will make no more offhanded comments,” Chao said.

The lightning serpent leaped from his hand to pierce into the man’s uninjured leg. He let it swim around for a few seconds as the man shook. Only then did he cut his qi.

“Now. Tell me. Why?”

Chapter 42

Huifen studied the demoness’s qi as they faced off. She’d called it death qi and there was certainly something corrupt and fading about it. Much like decay. As furious as she might be, Heart of Ice stayed her hand. She was far too familiar now with poisons not to treat this woman like a true threat. Who so easily traded their own lifespan for power?

The masked woman slashed out with one claw after the other. The black and red energy had difficulty mixing like oil in water. Great streaks of death qi surged, expanding as they flew. They looked like they’d cover the entire room.

A wall of Ice Shroud pillars shot up from the floor. Huifen couldn’t chance ending this fight too quickly. She had to at least grasp something about how this woman’s qi worked. Chao would have an easier time fending against it than she would because of his impenetrable space barriers.

As the two martial techniques collided, she felt the impact. It was truly a frightening level of force from a sky realm cultivator. Her shroud had only taken one attack, but something was happening. Her will permeated her ice as with every technique. Unlike the resistance she was used to facing in the borrow game where one person’s laws competed with another, she was losing control like it wasn’t ice at all. It was eroding away her ability to control it or was changing the ice itself.

She didn’t enhance her shroud but began to manipulate her technique. The fog of imperfections in the ice started to clear as it went through a substantial change. Soon, she could see through it like a window. The wall had become transparent. Much of the death qi remained where it had collided with her ice. It was like a living substance. It was corroding her ice, seeping into every crack.

She remembered Senior Billi’s blood qi. Huifen had only seen it in action a few times, but it also seemed to be like a liquid creature brought to life. Where Billi’s qi was filled with vitality, this death qi was just the opposite. It fed off life, desperate to drain whatever it touched of qi and substance.

How could it exist if it was so close to collapse? To devouring itself? Is that why it needed her blood essence? And how could she possibly know this technique—to practice it—if every time it drained her of her lifespan?

She thought back to the young fairies the woman had mutilated. Did she feed on their essence like some vampire or succubus? And why only females? None of the reports said anything about corrosive qi being used in the attacks.

She remembered her dead friend.

The death cultivator chose that moment to strike out. As she did, the mass of qi attaching itself to her shroud only grew. The erosive nature of the substance strengthened as well.

Huifen took a breath’s length to finalize her observations. It should be enough for her to consider how to combat such qi later. She needed to hurry. Chao was alone.

With a blast of her will, the wall of ice began to glow with glacial light. She had to make full use of her defensive aura as the temperature plummeted. Much like the heat that fire produced, tribulation ice radiated deep into the surrounding area.

The bestial death cultivator noticed the danger immediately. She howled as she began slashing out in a mad frenzy.

Even under the presence of tribulation ice, the corrosive nature of this death qi didn’t faulter. Instead, it seemed to grow even more powerful.

There wasn’t much time. This crazed woman would break through her shroud in a few short moments. Huifen considered changing the ice into water and driving it in the woman’s direction, but she didn’t know how the death qi would react. There was no moving force to her Ice Shroud, so it should work. It was a gamble. If it failed, she could fall back on martial techniques. There was another option, but it was also a gamble. If her theory was right, she could face off with this death qi and find a counter for it in the same fight. Better now than when facing off against a genuine overlord that cultivated the same qi.

Chao, wait for me.

***

He barely acknowledged the impact of his sharpened knuckles against the man’s chest. It was like Chao’s mind had segmented. One part of him was asking the questions, trying to get every single detail out of the man. Another was systematically adjusting his semi-effective sharpness laws as he figured out what worked best. But at the heart of it, he couldn’t get the maiming of Daiyu and Eu-meh out of his head.

It wasn’t just them. He was in a waking nightmare, seeing Huifen take on the same injuries. To see flesh torn from her face. It was as if once again, he hadn't been there when his wife needed him the most.

He’d done his best to keep his promise to himself. To never imagine what Prince Jin had done to her. It wasn’t because he feared he’d think less of her. No, he knew doing so would only fuel his anger until it became a blinding and all-consuming heart demon.

He hit the man again. Had he even questioned him this time? The image of this Jolon slashing his wife’s face caused a surge of fury that moved his fist without his permission.

That was just an excuse. He was allowing fury to take over. No, he was commanding it to. His parents had taught him too well to be deceived by his own heart. He wanted this.

When he’d faced Prince Jin, he did what needed to be done, but that wasn’t justice. The man had sexually assaulted his Huifen and abused the power and authority he had—the ultimate authority on the Monolith Continent. The man’s death was the only answer, but it had ended too quickly. The pain the prince had experienced compared to the months of anguish his wife had then suffered couldn’t be compared. Killing the man so quickly had been an injustice. It wasn’t fair. How could he get away with so little when his victims were still suffering until now?

His Huifen wasn’t alone in her suffering. The entire joint sect had been under Emperor Sun’s shadow of vengeance for a year before it was finally snuffed out. Families had their homes and possessions forcibly taken and were thrown into the street. Outer sect disciples had died. Many cultivators in Emperor Sun’s own army died when they tried to flee his unjust war. Not to mention the ten overlords Monolith had lost that day.

Where was justice if death was the end? Was Prince Jin to be reincarnated as a lesser beast that didn’t even have the intellect to remember his sins or comprehend his punishment? Or was it as the mortal religion taught? That a day of judgement was coming. Chao wasn’t sure. All that he knew was that the man before him had unleashed an incalculable amount of suffering on the world and he had the power to return some semblance of it to him before he was gone.

But how could this man’s temporal pain bring back the dead and enliven the spirits of those who remained behind? That’s why he let anger guide him. Something had to be done. It still wasn’t enough. He already knew that he didn’t have the wisdom nor strength to do it right, but he was doing his best. To just kill the man was the greater evil. To let such men die. Where was the justice in that?

***

Huifen backed up as far as she could in the room and even found an exit. This space was too small for her most powerful techniques. What she needed was a good medium to test her theory. Her ice and ice phoenix martial techniques wouldn’t work for what she planned. Overwhelming the woman with force was possible, but she would leave that until she’d tried all other options.

She continued to supply qi to her Ice Shroud as it was being corroded while summoning a lotus to float in the air behind it. This wasn’t her Ice Lotus technique, for she used nature’s create law to bring it to life. She’d grown up surrounded by such blossoms. It was the flower most in tune with yin qi, and the one from which the Divine Ice Phoenix herself had fashioned their sect second technique. To Huifen, it reminded her of the dreams of her youth, and the love of her mother and family home. It was the catalyst for changing her from an ice fairy with some talent with water, to one that could manipulate the nature laws themselves.

Her lotus started no larger than the size of a fist. It needed both size and strength to be able to defend against the onslaught of what was coming, so she fed it as much hybrid ice qi as it would take. But ice alone wasn’t enough, so she used her conversion technique to fill it with nature’s vitality. If ice wasn’t enough to fend off death, then she’d test its will and defy it with life itself.

Her lotus was closed like a sprout as it grew rapidly. She’d never tried to just make one as large as possible, but with nature feeding it there seemed to be no end to the size it might take.

The death qi came all at once. With each slash the masked woman made, the amount of corrosive qi multiplied. Breaking through the wall of ice at one point, it poured through as if having a mind of its own.

Like a plant too big for its container, her lotus filled the room, blocking the caustic energy’s path. She felt it immediately. The foremost petal was being drained of health. Her ice qi was bolstering its structure, but nature qi was fighting back. She cut her supply of ice qi entirely and focused on feeding it as much natural vitality as possible. Her theory had been right. She could feel it starting to work.

Her lotus flower turned to face the death cultivator and slowly bloomed at her command. As it did, the death qi rushed to get between its petals and as deep into the plant as it could to cause as much damage as possible. But instead of dying, the lotus welcomed the assault. As soon as all the energy had reached its core, it started to close, leaving it no way out.

The masked woman shrieked but didn’t throw another attack.

The death qi didn’t go quietly, but without more blood to feed on, it ate itself up. It was a few long minutes before Huifen’s lotus dissipated and she found the murderous woman crouched against the wall like a cornered animal.

With the same bestial reflexes from before, the woman moved to slash out, but Huifen’s finger flick forward. From it flew a small lotus petal rich in nature qi. It intercepted the woman’s attack, piercing straight through the phantom qi covering her hand. The woman’s technique faltered entirely, and a bloody wound was found where Huifen’s petal had shot through her wrist.

She watched as ice began to fill in the wound. “You’re an ice cultivator?” She didn’t expect the woman to respond.

In one last desperate attempt, the woman struck out with her remaining phantom claw. Another lotus petal pierced through her remaining good wrist, stopping the attack before it began.

“You have a lot to answer for.” What remained of Fairy Daiyu flashed through her mind. Heart of Ice was keeping her under control, but she’d seen the woman crouched on top of her friend, cutting streaks in her already unrecognizable flesh.

Heart of Ice started to falter, and she let it. Her aura became wild. The woman was already shivering after facing off with her tribulation ice. She started to shake even more, then called upon her own ice defensive aura to combat it the best she could.

Huifen stood there watching the murderous woman far longer than she should have. She needed to return to her husband to make sure he was okay. It took every ounce of strength she could muster to stop herself from striking out.

Heart of Ice began to circulate, bringing her unruly heart back under control. Taking a step closer, she reacted as the woman lunged at her. All it took was the flick of a finger. A pill shot down her enemy’s throat.

The woman’s eyes widened, but some part of her finally yielded.

Huifen snatched the mask from her face to reveal an aged woman. She examined her to confirm the ice poison was working. The meridians around her core were shrouded in ice after a few seconds.

Turning back to the entrance they’d entered through, she hurried to leave. The woman lunged at her, but a wave of qi picked her up and dragged her along.

 It had taken her far too long to deal with this woman, but what she’d learned was valuable. She just hoped her husband was alright.

Coming across the corpse of her friend, Huifen was tempted to place her in her spatial ring to save her some dignity—and so she didn’t have to look. She decided to leave her where she was. This was an active crime scene.

The fluctuations of qi had come to an end. No one had joined the masked woman in her assault, so it was likely Chao was just fine.

As she stepped through the door, she saw him. She was too wary to drop Heart of Ice in fear she’d do something foolish. She found Zhu kneeling over a now waking Diu. They were both alive. Then she saw Eu-meh’s injury.

She was tempted to rush across the room and begin her treatment when she realized something was wrong. They hadn’t noticed her enter the room. They were diverting their gaze on purpose.

She found Chao again and it was like he was someone else. His face was barren as if the woman’s death qi had leeched him of his spirit, except, in the next moment, his countenance became feral, and he launched his fist at the wall.

Looking past him, she saw his spear jutting out of it. Then she realized something was there. She sensed another person with her perceptions. “Chao,” she called out.

When he turned, she saw the man pinned there beneath his sword and spear. The man’s head drooped lazily to his chest only to clumsily lift again as he struggled to understand where he was. There were so many cuts on the man’s torso that it was hard to tell what was red from blood or an open wound. But that wasn’t the worst of it. She couldn’t tell where the man’s pants and legs began because they were both so covered in char. Smoke rose from what was left of them.

She quickly examined the man with her perceptions and found his dantian intact, but his meridian pathways were burnt past saving. He was dead and simply didn’t know it yet.

“Did you capture Nang?” Chao asked without any inflection in his voice. “The woman.”

Huifen stepped deeper into the room and dragged the death cultivator behind her.

The woman squirmed where she floated. Then her eyes found the man pinned to the wall and she grew perfectly still. In the next instant, she clawed at her own forearms just as she’d done when burning her blood essence, but this time with her own nails.

When the woman gave off a surge of power even with her dantian frozen, Huifen was caught off guard.

The murderous woman darted for Chao. He didn’t bother moving.

With a swipe of her qi, Huifen tossed her into the air, appeared above her, and launched a palm into the flat of her back. The woman slammed chest first into the divine stone floor. She’d stopped moving, for now.

Going to her husband, Huifen knew she should be angry at him for breaking his word. They were supposed to discuss these things, but deep down a part of her cheered. She also felt a seedling of fear. She was the unmerciful one that needed to be pulled back from madness’s edge. If her husband suffered from the same deficiency, what would stop them from becoming worse than the monsters they’d just apprehended?

He looked at her blankly as he started to explain what he’d learned. “She’s the one that mutilates them.” He nodded in the unconscious woman’s direction. “It’s not necessary for her technique. She burns her blood essence and must replenish it with the essence of her enemies within a short period of time or it can kill her. But she doesn’t stop there. She hates them. Her husband doesn’t often disfigure them, but he enjoys it more than she does. He likes to watch.”

Huifen didn’t reply. She didn’t know what to say. Instead, she grabbed one of his blood-covered hands and created water before setting about the task of cleaning it.

Turning to Fairy Zhu, she commanded her, “Contact Pangfua immediately. Core Disciple Shoi-ming as well. Have them come here directly. Tell them the murderers have been apprehended and Fairy Daiyu is dead.”

It seemed they hadn’t been sure of Daiyu’s fate, for all three ice fairies were suddenly stricken. Despite that, Zhu was quick to do as asked.

Huifen washed Chao’s other hand then led him over to their three disciples and began healing Eu-meh’s face the best she could. She hadn’t lost an eye, but it was close. And Huifen had no idea how well the injury would heal. With enough advancements to major realms, most of the damage would be repaired, but she might live the rest of her days with a scar that would never completely fade.

***

Shoi-ming trusted his juniors to the Ice Phoenix Sect elder in the Water Cultivation Chamber before rushing through the third and second floors. Every cultivator he saw on his way he commanded to stay put. As he neared, there were a few male and female cultivators near the location which he commanded to head to the third floor. He saw droplets of blood leading to the room that had been mentioned. He followed them while being careful with his footfalls so as not to disturb the evidence. He should’ve brought a few disciples to guard this location. After a second’s thought, he summoned his transmission jade and issued the order.

He wasn’t officially an elder, but he was expected to take the same level of responsibility. And after losing four overlords, including Sage Fang, his sect needed him more than ever.

Stepping into the room in question, he found Sage Pangfua already there with three fairies. One was wounded. Sages Chao and Huifen were filling her in with the details.

Pangfua quickly turned, met his gaze, and ordered, “We need to secure the area.”

“I’ve summoned a group to help,” he replied. “They should be here in less than a minute.”

She gave him a little bow of the head before turning back to the sages.

It was immediately clear from their conversation that Chao and Huifen had subdued the murderers. He wasn’t fond of Sage Chao, but he respected him. Even if he had pushed Fang to abandon the sect, he’d also been the one to save it from the Sun Emperor and his overlords.

He found the aged woman tied up and laying on her side against the far wall near the feet of a man that was pinned there. The man had fallen unconscious and was hanging there broken.

Shoi-ming scanned him. Death was looming.

He busied himself when his men arrived. He knew better than to distract himself with the conversation. The details would be revealed to him soon enough. His job was to make it easier on Fairy Pangfua. The less distractions she had, the better he was doing his job.

Despite not listening to the whole explanation, much of it he still overheard. He hadn’t seen Sage Chao’s sword and spear more than a couple times, but the instruments of war pinning the murderer to the wall were undoubtedly his. And from what he was hearing, this sage—his junior in years—had questioned the man thoroughly.

He began to wonder at his own judgement. He thought Chao naively idealistic, but, in this instance, he did exactly what needed to be done—despite how distasteful it was. If he was that wrong about him, then it was possible there was more to Fang’s situation than he’d wanted to believe.

He didn’t like being wrong, but he admitted it when he was. He’d apologize when the time was right.

After checking in with the guards posted at all the odd entrances, he returned to the room where the man was still pinned. He’d finally died without a sound.

Shoi-ming made a fist and imagined thrashing the man himself. It was dirty work that put a bad taste in his mouth, but the safety of the sect came first. What this man had done was the work of the Asura Cults. Who else could produce such perverse, bloodthirsty followers?

When Pangfua was about to lead them out of the room, Shoi-ming spoke up, “Sage Chao, your weapons.”

The young man turned and looked at him like he just realized he was there. That was all the confirmation he needed. Even if Chao was naïve and idealistic, he was willing to do whatever it took to keep the joint sect safe. His reaction was proof enough that what he’d done to the murderer was taking its toll.

“Allow me,” Shoi-ming said. Turning, he put his boot firmly on the corpse’s chest, grabbed both weapons and ripped them out of the wall with a mighty heave.

As he removed his boot, the body slumped to the floor. They had all the information they needed so the integrity of the crime scene no longer mattered. They had four witnesses including Chao, and one hostile witness in the crazed old woman.

Wiping his boot on a bloodless portion of the man’s back, he turned to Chao, flipped the weapons around and offered, “Would you like me to clean them?”

“No,” Chao replied in hushed tones. He then added with a little more strength. “Thank you, Brother Shoi-ming.”

He gave the sage a martial salute.

“Go,” Pangfua said as Chao took his sword and spear. “I’ll catch up with you.”

Sage Huifen took the blade from her husband and began to clean it as she led the group out.

Fairies Zhu and Diu followed while guiding Eu-meh who was now donning a veil of ice phoenix blue.

He soon heard sobs and a command to circulate Heart of Ice as the fairy’s saw what was left of Fairy Daiyu. Shoi-ming’s heart bled for them. He’d also lost friends in the past. Too many.

Soon it was just him and Pangfua in the room. She was direct as always. “Junior Brother, I need to ask a favor. There is too much evidence of Sage Chao’s presence if the corpse remains as it is. Can you make it look as if you did it yourself?”

Even if his respect for the young sage hadn’t grown, it was a request he wouldn’t have hesitated to fulfill. Now, he was honored. “To the smallest detail.”

“Thank you.”

“Leave the rest to me. After I’m finished, I’ll have this chamber and the corresponding ones cleaned to look as if nothing ever happened.”

A sliver of a smile appeared on the sage’s face. It was something he would never get tired of seeing.

“I haven’t forgotten you,” Pangfua said to the tied-up death cultivator. “Come.” She dragged her into the air with her qi and left.

Shoi-ming turned to the corpse. He thought Sage Chao had done this day’s dirty work, but it seemed there was some left for him. He’d lived four decades. Three as a cultivator of the greatest sect on the Monolith Continent. This wasn’t the first time he’d been called to do gruesome work, and it wouldn’t be the last.

It was necessary to disguise the wounds from the badly hidden sage, Elder Harish, who would insist on seeing the body. If anything was off, then he’d begin to suspect. The Morning Mist Village’s Sage mostly stayed out of the Divine Spire and left it to the younger generations, but this could give him cause to investigate personally. Shoi-ming would do his work thoroughly.

***

Dvora had returned to her seat in the Fire Cultivation Chamber and didn’t say a word. She’d later report to her elder, but there were fire phoenix disciples present so now wasn’t the time. She didn’t want to give away that she’d followed the massive Core Disciples Shoi-ming when he’d left. Any courage she’d once possessed had been driven away by what she saw.

It hadn’t been more than a glimpse, but it was enough. The man pinned to the wall. His body was shredded and burned to coal. She’d spied Sage Pangfua, and every person in the room. She’d known without having to hear a word what had transpired. The man Tao and his wife Fen’er had caught the murderers.

She’d never seen a person so mangled and yet still alive. It was the man who’d caused such butchery that she’d tried to seduce. She felt nauseous but had already emptied her stomach in some random room on her return trip to this chamber. There was a part of her that told her that what the man had done was for a good cause. She was no murderer and inwardly rejoiced that the danger was gone. But what if this Tao came for revenge now that his job here was finished?

Should she just keep her mouth shut and hope that she’d be forgotten, or find this Tao the first chance she had and fall on her face to beg forgiveness? Should she flee? Doing so if the man didn’t come for her would cause her equal trouble with the Night Pearl Sect. And if he did come, she knew it would be impossible to get away.

She’d seen the spear and sword driven directly into the stone of the Divine Spire. Was that something a sage was even capable of? All that was left for her was to wait. Either her life was over, or it had been spared.

For the longest time she couldn’t cultivate and just sat there.

She was pulled aside later and repeated exactly what she had seen. It seemed Sage Pangfua had already informed the heads of the sects that the murderers had been caught. Her elder would give her report to Elder Alfori and she was to return to her cultivation. That was all. She couldn’t even talk with the woman and had no guarantee her own sect had any plans to protect her for simply following the orders she had been given.

Her mind turned to Brother Baros. She’d had little interaction with him since everything had transpired, but he’d reassured her that things were still progressing as they should. So she did the only thing she could. She sat there and waited.

Chapter 43

Even after his Huifen had arrived and he’d given Sage Pangfua his preliminary telling of events, Chao struggled to banish the dark thoughts from his mind. He’d seen death and tragedy. He remembered his mother’s broken body with vivid clarity that few of his other memories carried from the early years of his life. It was only natural. Heightened emotions focused the mind in a way few other things could. And his heart was currently inflamed.

He didn’t shy away from peering down at Daiyu’s corpse as they entered the room. Her parents wouldn’t have a presentable body for burial. To treat the human body like a butcher does meat…

He was surprised when it was Fairy Zhu who cried out first. Why it surprised him when she had been the girl’s best friend struck him as odd, but she’d shown a strong front through the whole ordeal. She’d finally reached her limit.

Diu didn’t hold back either. Only Eu-meh beneath her veil didn’t make a sound, but it wasn’t because she didn’t care. She’d been a husk of herself since the fighting was over.

“Heart of Ice. Now,” Huifen commanded. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to let them grieve. There were disciples standing guard at each entrance, but they’d only be able to keep back elders of the other sects for so long.

When he was still his wife’s disciple, she had taught him this lesson well. Showing weakness, even amongst the disciples of your own sect, could spell disaster, and the joint sect was one of the safest places on planet Lifestone. They were currently surrounded by numerous sects. Many of which weren’t happy with their return to the Divine Spire. There was also the question of why these two murderers were wearing the martial robes of sects they didn’t belong to that they’d have to contend with.

Chao was already convinced by the man’s story that they had stolen the garments. But questions needed to be asked. Like how two sky realm cultivators were able to stay hidden for so long. He and his wife’s own situation might allow him to glean what others might not. It was something he didn’t want to think about. For once, he wanted to leave it for somebody else to discover.

After their fairy disciples had calmed themselves and were circulating their technique, they readied to leave the room when there was a commotion.

“You have to let me in.”

He knew who this voice belonged to. Li Qiang. The man’s cousin had just been murdered. Chao should have wanted to save his friend from seeing what had become of her, but he was more than just his friend. He was his master.

“Let him in,” Chao commanded.

“Chao?” Huifen questioned.

“He’s a cultivator.”

He saw his wife out of the corner of his eye fall into a contemplative state. She didn’t question him further.

As soon as Li Qiang had made it into the room, he saw the group first. He moved to bow to them when he saw the corpse. He completely forgot they were there and marched across the room. Stopping at what was left of his cousin, he just stood there staring.

They all stopped and waited.

Li Qiang fell to his knees. He was quiet. There were no sobs, crying out, or vows of vengeance.

Chao readied to go to his friend when Fairy Zhu stepped forward. When she reached him, she didn’t seem to know what to do, so she went to her knees beside him.

Li Qiang glanced over to see who it was and didn’t say a word. He turned back to the pile of bones, flesh, and blood that had once been the older cousin that looked out for him.

Huifen slipped in under Chao’s arm and embraced him. It wasn’t for her. She had Heart of Ice circulating. She was concerned about him.

Sage Pangfua appeared in the doorway a few strides away from the two kneeling disciples. She assessed what was happening in an instant and stood there quietly.

She was the fairy that most baffled Chao. After a year of going without Heart of Ice, she still had the most frigid personality. A true ice fairy, but it would be wrong to say she lacked compassion or care. It was just the opposite. In contrast, Quinyuan and Huifen had seemingly come alive as their personalities bloomed without the technique, while Pangfua stayed the same. He wondered if she’d ever needed Heart of Ice at all.

She gave them a full minute before she spoke. “It’s time to withdraw.” The body disappeared into Pangfua’s spatial ring.

There was still so much blood.

Fairy Zhu got up first. She waited at Li Qiang side. He took a moment longer.

It felt like a mournful parade they were unwittingly forced to participate in as they reached the first floor. There was always a crowd at the Trial of Might, but too many people had been requested by their disciples to return to the first floor. Everyone knew something had happened.

Chao and Huifen had taken a place at the back of the group. Most of the attention was on the bound woman being dragged in the air by Sage Pangfua’s qi. Everyone else was looking at the veiled Eu-meh. Most wouldn’t be able to tell who she was, but too many of the male cultivators had been trying to court her for them to not recognize her outline and demeanor.

As soon as he heard the first whisper, Chao banished every voice from reaching her ears. He wanted to do more. To reveal himself and put an end to it, but too much was already being done for the sake of him and his wife.

Once they’d all entered the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile cultivation chamber and the phoenix wings had closed behind them, the fairies stopped circulating Heart of Ice. The sobs started in hushed tones. It was Fairy Zhu who lost control first. She found a place on the floor, took a seat, and covered her face with her hands as she began to heave.

Chao watched his friend Li Qiang walk over and sat down silently next to her. Embracing wasn’t common in their culture, even amongst friends. Even between spouses it wasn’t common, but acceptable as long as it wasn’t done in public. Just as Zhu had done for him, Li Qiang was doing for her.

Fairy Diu wasn’t far behind in her sobbing, but she was too far gone to find a place to sit. Eu-meh remained silent but stayed with the girl.

Pangfua soon returned from a chamber near the back. Their prisoner had been placed there. Chao realized it was a room he’d never seen utilized. Its purpose was clear.

Mother Sya and Father Tu soon arrived. Huifen went with her mother and was soon speaking with the fairies one on one.

Tu stood at Chao’s side. His father-in-law showed just how much wisdom he was hiding under his friendly exterior. He didn’t grab or embrace him as usual. He didn’t even ask him a question. They shared a few looks and stood ready to do whatever was needed of them.

Not long after, Tu removed a tray and a kettle from his ring. Upon the tray’s surface was a small array. As soon as the kettle was placed upon it, the array was lit. He removed some tea and herbs. It brewed quickly and the smell was a soothing one.

Knowing his father-in-law, it wouldn’t be a cheap tea he was using even if no one would rightly appreciate it just now. Soon he joined the man in handing out mugs. Sya noticed the tea and helped pass them out. After handing a cup to Pangfua who gratefully accepted it, his mother-in-law returned and kissed her husband on the cheek.

Lastly, Tu poured a mug for Chao and himself. Handing one to him, his father-in-law said, “It slightly numbs the senses without dulling the mind. Drink.”

He took the man’s offer and did more than sip even if it was still hot. He’d moved beyond being burned by such low temperatures long ago.

Before she’d entertain the elders of other sects, Sage Pangfua heard the story from Zhu, Diu, and Eu-meh.

Zhu began by saying Daiyu was ambushed by both of the masked sky realm cultivators at once. The attack had come from behind while they were leaving the room. Fairies Diu and Eu-meh had already stepped through the doorway. The burst of qi from their attacker’s assault pushed Zhu the rest of the way through.

Eu-meh had met the man head on as he tried to follow them into the next room where the woman remained behind. She’d used Ice Shroud to manage the space and hold him back. He was too strong.

When he burst through, Eu-meh was pushed back. Diu jumped forward with a large Springtime’s Frost crescent she’d been holding for that exact moment. The man crashed through it with the strength of his physique and sent her flying across the room to collide with the wall.

Zhu summoned Ice Shroud to block the man’s path as he raced across the room to finish her.

It was then that Eu-meh cut him off and faced the man in close quarters. Zhu praised her swordsmanship. “Sister, I’ve never seen such skill.” It was in that desperate exchange that her sword was broken.

Seeing the opening, he struck Eu-meh’s face.

The three of them had their backs to the wall. Eu-meh and Zhu took turns unleashing martial techniques to keep him at bay and Diu safe. Eu-meh faltered first. Zhu had the highest cultivation, so she was the last one standing.

“If Daiyu wasn’t ambushed, we could’ve taken him with her help,” Zhu insisted.

Li Qiang gave a sharp nod as if there had never been any doubt.

“Thank you,” Pangfua said when their tale was over. “I’d like you four to wait here together. I’ll do my best to not make you repeat what happened again, but if there are questions, I might call on you for answers.”

They were led to one of the side rooms by Mother Sya.

“Little Sister,” Pangfua said from where she sat in the middle of the domed room.

Huifen was seated at her right hand, facing her. “What would you have of us?”

“I have no intention of revealing your identities, but I’d ask the same of you as I did of your disciples. Brother Chao, can you make sure you and your wife can hear today’s conversations? I’d like to have your opinions once these meetings are over. And having you nearby just in case there’s some hidden danger would give me peace of mind.”

“Of course,” Huifen replied, and Chao repeated.

“After today’s events, I know you need time to process what happened, but this is the price paid by those in authority. I’d keep you from it a little while longer if I could, but I fear that time has passed.”

“Do not worry about us, Big Sister Pangfua,” Chao said in place of his wife. He knew she’d agree, but her worry for him would make her regretful. Speaking up was the least he could do to alleviate her worries—at least for the moment.

It ended up being more than eight hours before the meetings with the other sect elders were over. The Night Pearl Sect swore the woman was not associated with them in any way and they’d find out where she’d gotten ahold of their martial robes.

Elder Harnish of the Morning Mist Village was the biggest pain to deal with. However, he was also the most helpful. The two criminals had tracking talismans in their spatial rings and the hidden sage was able to confirm they’d arrived as the leading elders of a middle tier merchants guild called The Treasury of Earth and Sky. It was located nearby on the Monolith Continent.

“It seems I must give this guild a visit,” Pangfua responded.

“You have nothing to worry about in your absence,” Elder Harnish reassured her. “I won’t be admitting any new cultivators to the spire, including those of your own sect, you understand, but I’ll make sure things continue as they are. Once you return, there can finally be some normalcy here without the threat of these murderers skulking around.”

“Then I must thank you beforehand.”

When they were all gone, Zhu, Diu, and Eu-meh were given sleeping arrangements in Pangfua’s cultivation chamber. There were enough side rooms for the three of them. Li Qiang was sent to his own quarters since he hadn’t been directly involved in the incident.

“They can stay here for as long as they like,” Pangfua said once it was just Chao and Huifen remaining. “With the significance of Eu-meh’s injury, I fear asking her to stay while letting the others go will only make it harder on her.”

“Can her face be restored?” Chao asked.

“There will be a scar.” Pangfua didn’t hide it. “It looks worse now than it will. The cut was straight and clean. In a week we’ll see how well it heals. She’ll receive the best medicines to make sure the healing is even. Reaching the sky realm will improve it. If she can reach the overlord realm, then it will be even better. It’s not until she reaches the Divine Body Realm that it will be completely restored, and that’s if she survives her Divine Tribulation. Who’s to say she will advance far enough to even get the chance?”

“She will if she wants it,” Huifen said as if she would personally guarantee it.

When she looked at him, Chao knew she was saying it for his sake as much as for Eu-meh’s. He’d made things hard for her.

“How are you both doing?” Pangfua asked.

Neither one of them wanted to be the first to respond, so ultimately, he gave a non-answer, “I’m just glad that it’s over.”

The Sage nodded that she understood. “Then that should make what I ask of you next that much easier. When I leave the spire to confront this guild, I want you both to stay here and secretly keep an eye on things.”

When Huifen was about to speak, their senior held up her hand to stop her.

“I know what I’m asking is unfair. This is personal to you, but I think we can safely conclude that this merchant guild had no idea the type of people they were in business with. This death qi you described I’ve seen before. It is unquestionably the art of the Asura Sects, and one often forbidden even by them. And if my memory serves, I already know the woman’s motive.”

“There’s a motive?” Chao asked. He knew it was unwise to separate blame from a person’s actions no matter how crazed they seemed, but he’d been sure this woman had just given herself over to her internal demons.

Pangfua was silent while she gathered her thoughts. “There was a fairy in the Ice Phoenix Sect four decades ago. She had just turned sixteen. She met a young man in Phoenix City and fell in love with him. She was caught sneaking out without a pass several times. She was made to leave the sect. It wasn’t a punishment as much as an acknowledgement that she was more interested in marriage than cultivation.

“She returned a year later and seemed repentant. If she had gotten married, she would’ve been allowed readmittance as long as she started in the outer sect and proved she desired to cultivate. From what I remember, the man no longer wanted to deal with her once she’d left the sect, so she’d come back on her own.

“She was diligent for a year and got promoted. She’d never lacked talent. It was after she entered the inner sect that she began to spread a slanderous account of what had happened to her. She said that we’d paid him off. I had personally handled her case and never even met the man directly.

“When called out, she seemed repentant once again, and was given two more chances before she was removed from the sect for good. In the end, she was claiming we were actively breaking up marriages and stealing women away from their families. Her name was Nang.”

Huifen’s cheek found his shoulder.

They sat that way for a long while before Pangfua spoke up. “You should both get some rest. Brother Chao, do you mind if I borrow your wife for a few minutes before you go. It’s a personal matter.”

“Of course,” he said, coming to his feet and stretching. “I’ll be just outside.”

***

After the young sage had left the small building and the doors had shut behind him, Pangfua addressed her. “He’s going to need you now as you once needed him. Are you of the right mind to do what you must?”

“I am,” she replied, without much thought. He was her husband. She would do whatever she had to.

“Your husband just tortured a man to death who had murdered and mutilated two of his closest friends. Are you sure?”

She blinked at her Big Sister’s use of imagery. Considering herself, she weakly shrugged. “How can I be?”

Pangfua nodded firmly as if that’s what she was waiting for. “I’ve watched your husband closely since my mistake with him in the mine. Your Chao is not a man who finds solace in duty or following others. You and Quinyuan are his connection to the sect, as are those he calls friends. He follows his conscience, which is why he doesn’t hesitate to do foolishly heroic things like spend four months in a mine out of spite of the person that put him there or sneak into the midst of seven overlords and kill the prince they’re protecting.

“What might make him a questionable recruit to sects seeking obedient disciples, also makes him a much better man because he won’t follow some senior into doing something he believes is wrong. But there’s also a downside to such independent thinking. Once such a person goes against their conscience, they don’t have the excuses of duty to fall back on. What others won’t lose sleep over, he’ll agonize over for days, weeks, and even years. This act in particular might ruin him. You can’t let that happen. It’s better to be ruthless and wrong than to face life as a coward.”

“You think him a coward?” She replied with more bite than she intended.

Pangfua smiled broadly. “It has never crossed my mind. I’ve just lived longer than most mortals dare to hope. If I hadn’t seen it work out that way multiple times already, I wouldn’t have mentioned it. If you have trouble talking with him, send him to me. There’s an old friend of the sect that has much experience with this very thing.”

“Thank you, Sister,” Huifen said, bowing her head.

“You are very welcome. It shouldn’t have to be said between us, but if things become too much for you, don’t hesitate to contact me.”

***

The two young sages left, and Pangfua was finally alone. There was only one more thing to do before she could return to her own cultivation. Standing before the rarely used doorway, she commanded the icy panel to open. It slid up from the floor to the ceiling to reveal the still tied up woman who’d murdered the young fairy that lay dead in her spatial ring.

“Sister Nang. Oh how far you have fallen.”

The shriveled elderly-looking woman was bound, but her mouth was uncovered. Her laughter came out as a hiss. “You remember? To think the Ice Phoenix Sect’s century-old witch would remember one such as I. Your guilt must still gnaw at you.”

Pangfua tossed a pill to the floor not far from her mouth. “I feel guilty, but not for how I handled your case. You still shift blame to everyone but yourself. Today, you murdered and desecrated the disciple of a sage and I have delivered you from suffering their wrath. This is the last act of mercy I will show you. Take the pill.”

“The inhuman savage that ripped my husband apart? Yes. Pretend you and he aren’t the same as I am. You can give your shame another name, but that doesn’t change what you’ve done.”

Pangfua actually laughed at the absurdity of the woman’s claims. “That inhuman savage has never harmed an innocent soul. Your husband was the first to earn his cruelty. In my estimation, Sage Long Chao is too kind for this world, but he just so happens to have the courage to face it. And it isn’t him that I saved you from. His wife, the one that defeated your death qi, would be far less forgiving than he was to your husband. She’s known the girl you slaughtered for most of her life and considers her one of her only true friends. Now swallow the pill and die. I might be too charitable to let my junior sister and her husband face their own cruelty while it’s still in my power to shelter them, but I’m not against revealing my own. One more word and I swear that I won’t let you die until morning.”

She took little solace in seeing the woman come to terms with her end. Humbled, Nang licked the pill off the floor. It wasn’t a painless poison, but it was quick. Within a minute, her sect’s former disciple was dead.

Chapter 44

They returned to the sixth floor of the Divine Spire in their little quiet corner of the world. They’d both desired to be the ones to catch the murderer, murderers in this case, and now they both regretted the circumstances in which it had happened.

Neither one of them had spoken since they arrived. They sat facing each other. Chao didn’t seem to notice her presence and Huifen was lost in her thoughts as well. She looked at the sleeves of her orange gown and noticed there were some splotches of blood that she’d missed. She should change but couldn’t find the motivation to move.

“Thank you,” he said, pulling her attention. “I know you must be angry, but you held off saying anything all this time.”

“I’ve just done my duty as your wife.”

He bowed where he sat. When her ice qi blew in his face, the traces of a grin appeared at the corners of his mouth but were gone just as quickly.

“I know I’m a hypocrite,” he continued. “All the times I’ve spoken to you of mercy and encouraged you to pursue it… I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I must ask for it.”

She should be quick to accept his apology. He was in a sensitive state and there would be a time to discuss his failings at length. She wasn’t sure if now was that time. She decided to start the conversation. She’d stop if things became untenable.

“Just answer me this, Chao. What’s changed? When you retrieved my virgin yin from Prince Jin, faced off with Sage Ping, and were nearly sexually assaulted yourself by Dvora of the Night Pearl Sect, you handled yourself with restraint. But as soon as Daiyu is murdered—Eu-meh is disfigured—you lose all control.” She didn’t use an accusatory tone, but as soon as she saw the contortion of her husband’s face, she knew he’d taken it that way.

“I don’t feel for her that way, Huifen,” he growled. “Is that what you think? I’m secretly in love with Eu-meh and did this in some fit of rage for what happened to her?”

Closing her eyes, she softened her tone as much as she could given the situation. “No. I swear that that’s not what I meant. I mean the question in as literal a manner as possible. What’s different this time?”

He could only hold onto his aggravation for a few seconds before he deflated. “Sorry. I’m sorry, my Huifen.” His eyes were glassy as he searched everything for the answer except for her face. “What’s changed? Nothing has changed. That’s the problem. I wasn’t there when you needed me. And once again, the people I care for, who I’m meant to protect, were harmed and I was too late.”

Her smile had come a long way in the last couple of years. She wore one now to show him just how appreciative she was. “Chao, you retrieved my virgin yin—something no one else could do.”

“I didn’t save you,” he shouted her down. “I retrieved a natural treasure. As precious to you as it is, and as thankful for it as I am, it’s just a resource. It’s not you. I saw what you went through. I know what that did to you. And isn’t that why I’m here? Isn’t that why you’d dared to marry me? Because you’re convinced that I can stop it from happening again.”

She created a little water in the back of her throat that allowed her to swallow. She also understood what it was like to feel powerless. How couldn’t she after seeing her friend Daiyu dead? In that, she could sympathize, but to say that she only married him because he was capable of protecting her? He was going too far. “Is that what you think of me? That I just wanted you because you had strength?”

“Of course not, but it was the deciding factor.”

She felt her nostrils flare. The worst part was she knew he was right. The ice fairy she’d been two years before wouldn’t have even taken offense. Other things would’ve mattered, like loyalty to her and her sect, but she never would’ve married unless she knew her husband had immense martial might.

She thought back to how they’d ended up together. She’d developed feelings for him before her assault, but it was only after he’d shown what he was capable of that she’d dared consider him a possible partner. And why was she taking what he said personally? After what had just happened, he had to be an emotional mess. He’d once kept his mouth shut for weeks as she verbally berated him. The least she could do was return the favor.

Then his countenance changed, and he shook his head at himself. “I’m sorry, Huifen. Again. You just lost your good friend and I’m taking out how I feel on you.”

Holding up a hand, she replied, “Don’t. There will be a time to grieve, but what’s going on with you is more pressing. Forgive me. Mother Sya warned me that if I scorn your honesty when you open up then you may never do so again. I’m heartbroken over losing my friend, but not so much that I’d abandon my husband when he needs me the most. I want to be there for you. I’m here.”

He seemed to pull strength from an unknown source and was smiling the next moment. “I know you care for more than just my martial prowess,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m also very handsome.”

She felt annoyed but playfully rolled her eyes at his untimely joke.

“I didn’t mean to imply you only cared about strength, Huifen. It’s an essential part of what’s required of me. That is all. And to have it and not be able to use it when it’s needed the most? There’s something very wrong with this world. With the realms—the lower and the divine. There’s so much strength to be had, and yet it’s not enough to even dissuade a couple of crazed Asura cultivators from harming many in their self-destruction. I wanted to be merciful, Huifen, but mercy has never felt so wrong.”

He reached out in the space before him like he was about to ring someone’s neck. “So I took the only avenue left for me. I tried to be just. But…”

She thought he was finished so she reached out to touch his hand.

Suddenly, his fists clenched tighter, and his eyes became distant. “I couldn’t pay him back. He died too quickly. What amount of untold pain did those two loose on this world? I told you I was capable of this, Huifen. That there would be a day that I might not be able to hold back.

“I’ve failed in my purpose to protect my friends, to protect you, and now I’ve failed to live up to my own standards. I’ve disappointed you. I haven’t kept my word. You have every right to be angry Huifen. To despise me.”

“I’m not angry, Chao.”

She waited for him to grasp what she’d said and look at her before she continued. “If anything, I’m jealous.”

He looked at her with deathly concern.

“There are few things in the last year that I’ve wanted more than to pull Jilpa and Prince Jin back from their graves. To spend a great sum of time and effort inventing ways to punish them. Should I be angry with you? Maybe, but I can’t bring myself to do so. You were the light to help pull me out of the darkness. If you found no avenue for mercy, then who am I to say that you were wrong?

“Though I will say this. There is no justice in this world. We stop corruption where we can and that’s as far as it goes. You couldn’t have hurt him enough to make up for the least of his sins.”

Chao seemed to calm a little with her words and they sat there in silence.

There was one more thing he needed to hear. “You’re wrong about one thing.”

“Mmm?”

“You weren’t too late this time. If it wasn’t for you, three more fairies, our friends, would be dead. They’re alive because of you.”

“Yes,” he said, giving her a menacing grin. “And what I did next left them so terrified they couldn’t gather the courage to leave the room.” His expression melted.

“You’re wrong,” she replied. “What did you say of Li Qiang? They’re cultivators, Chao. They were frightened, sure, but you also just saved them from a certain end. Even mortals lust for vengeance. Don’t think for a moment that some part of them didn’t want to offer you help but they were too embarrassed to do so because they knew they could do no better. You’re right. I didn’t think you would ever do what you did, but, now that I’ve seen it, I’m just as sure any man or woman would do the same under the right circumstances.

“Being at the top of the world and looking down doesn’t make things easier. There’s no guide to tell us when and how to act. There’s a freedom to such power, but the responsibility…”

He began to nod and the wistful look she’d grown so accustomed to from him proved she’d shed a little light on the darkness of his mood.

“What do we do now?” He asked.

She was wondering that very thing. Seeing him so deep in thought, she realized that the answer could come later. Crawling forward, she slipped past his defensive and kissed him on the mouth.

***

She rarely slept, and Chao knew she wasn’t sleeping now, but he was just as gentle as if she had been as he lifted her off his chest and laid her down on the matting they’d placed on the ground.

“Where are you going?” She whispered without opening her eyes.

“For a walk. I’ll stay on this floor. I just have some thinking to do.”

“Okay.”

He did as he said. The sixth floor was open from end to end with murals on most of the walls. There were only gaps to give some separation from one piece to another. They’d set up their array formations in one of these gaps.

He scanned the murals as he walked, but his mind was too preoccupied to notice much of what he saw. Some great orator was standing over a sea of people. The man wore a majestic cloak that would be out of place in any of the regions Chao had visited.

Two cultivators were facing off high in the air over a valley. Their techniques were immense and only spared the world’s surface because they so desired.

A beautiful fairy floated above a mob of men reaching up with gifts in their hands.

But it was a common battle scene that drew his attention. Everything was framed to pull his eyes to rest upon the determined look of one man among many who seemed to be on the losing side. Chao knew this wasn’t the case. Why was he so certain?

As common as this man might look, he hid tremendous power. But even if he acted and the battle was won, was it worth the cost?

Chao knew the answer. That depended on the circumstances. Had the price Chao paid for what he’d done to the murderer been worth it? He wasn’t sure he yet knew the extent of that cost. He hadn’t been prepared for what he faced. He was caught off guard. How many situations were there waiting for him that might do the same? He couldn’t be prepared for everything. There were times he’d be left with no choice but to act. Perhaps there wasn’t a right answer.

With power came obligation. To wield the swords of mercy and justice—or to just ignore them and do what you want.

He walked away from the mural. Glancing back to where he knew his wife lay hidden behind the formation arrays, he sighed. He’d continue what she started and tried to take his mind off the day’s events. So he did what came easy for him and returned to his tinkering.

As he walked, he thought of where he’d left off with his space laws. This sixth floor’s high pressure and qi density was just another puzzle he was looking to solve. Coming to a stop, he tore a round patch of space the size of his palm and considered what he’d already learned.

The higher air pressure made any displacement of air more costly. So creating and borrowing space took more qi, but so did reverse creating it. His canvas of torn space gave him new options. There were still limitations he was trying to solve.

When he expanded a tunnel, it took excessive qi to undo it. Perhaps cavern was a better term since there was no second entrance. Maybe a space pocket was even better. He could make it almost any shape that he wished. Either way, expanding his canvas of torn space also displaced air.

Air’s natural tendency was to fill every container connected to it. As soon as his space pocket opened, air was sucked in. Although, it might have been more accurate to say air pushed its way into the empty space.

Why did his canvas have to expand at all? His goal was to create a large pocket of nothing on this canvas—on nothing’s surface. He shouldn’t have to displace the air at all. If he could just create the open space, then air would naturally fill it and it would cost him far less qi.

He tried again. His torn space canvas was ready. He tried to open up the space behind it. To tear space within a non-existent plane. He could envision it, but that just meant it was imaginary at best.

He walked further into the open space of the room and thought of the mural of the soldier in the losing battle. It reminded him of his own enemies. First, there were those who had threatened his wife. Prince Jin, Great Elder Jilpa, Emperor Sun, Prince Rong, the Fire Phoenix overlords… Those that had attacked him personally. Dvora, Elder Kang—

He faltered. Elder Kang, who was now a sage, was one of his dearest friends despite what he’d done to him in the mine. He’d grown enough to know the difference between a master’s discipline and true animosity, but the lessons he’d learned in those early months in the sect were ones he’d never forget. It had seemed that someone had wanted to take everything from him, and he’d fought back even when he knew he was destined to lose. But he hadn’t lost.

His dantian spun frantically. Qi gathered at his call.

He saw their faces. Wancheng Jolon and his wife Nang appeared amongst the ranks of his enemies. The bloodthirsty man’s smirk mocked him. Syaoran, Senior Billi’s old master that Father Zan had defeated, had worn a similar expression when leering at his Huifen. And how could he forget the twisted, self-righteous look of Emperor Sun who had come for revenge and was more than willing to ravage his wife?

Just as the soldier in the mural hid his true strength, Chao faced what seemed an inevitable defeat.

The answer came. It was simple really. He couldn’t create nothing on what wasn’t there. Creating a canvas to work with wasn’t necessary if he created the space pocket all at once. If his canvas wasn’t satisfactory, then he’d recreate the canvas itself.

What he needed to face his unknown future enemies had to reach a size that could match their threat. He had agonized for weeks over the parameters necessary to create a suction force powerful enough to combat divine realm cultivators. It was something he couldn’t know with certainty without numerous trials and testing. Testing that was impossible until this very moment.

He reached out with a great portion of his qi to fill the open air.

It was his habit to tear space from top to bottom, but for this to work he had to create everything at once. It shouldn’t be possible. A surface the size of his palm, or even a person was one thing, but what he envisioned was thousands of times larger.

It took so little for him to slip back into that day’s cold fury. He envisioned his enemies and so they were there. He felt something familiar. A desperation that was born inside him long ago. His first time feeling it was the day he left the mine. His surroundings faded away except for his singular purpose.

There was no push or command for his canvas to expand. And this was no door or window that opened all at once.

It was the great mouth of a divine beast. The internal expanse of its throat peered back at him. It was larger than the whole of the sixth floor. As wide and equally as tall as the joint sect arena with its onlooking stands. He shouldn’t have any grasp of its size, for its borders were torn space and without any light. But he created it, so he knew it, and for far less qi than he could possibly imagine.

The air started to push at his back, ripping him from his imaginings as well as the ground. There were no faces, and no army. Only a colossal monster of his own making ready to swallow him whole.

He’d always been careful in his tinkering. So why had he failed now? It had just come to him. He found inspiration in madness and unequivocal need.

Huifen was behind him near the wall of the room. With air pressure equal to the divine realm, this space pocket, this vortex, would only find strength.

He tried to fly in the opposite direction and failed. There was no escape.

He’d found a way to create something so dangerous without having to displace the air. It should’ve cost him the qi of ten overlords. Its existence was a miracle unto itself. Even if it was summoned for far less than his normal technique, its price wasn’t a small one.

He abandoned trying to escape entirely, throwing out his hands and pushing qi through every forward-facing meridian of his body. He created a space barrier as fast as he could.

The suction force didn’t let up. His speed only increased.

When the force was cut off, it happened all at once. His momentum was too much. He threw his knees up and slammed into his own space barrier. His arms and legs helped brace against the impact, parting only after they’d reached the end of their strength. He smacked into the immoveable surface with the side of his face and chest.

He didn’t dare to let go of the qi being fed to his barrier even if he’d already cut the flow from his giant space vortex.

He’d already fallen back to the floor when Huifen arrived at his side. He forced himself to his feet and placed himself in front of her. He knew what was coming.

The increased air pressure bolstered what contained it. Only when his creation ran out of energy to sustain itself did it collapse all at once.

The vortex had only existed for a few handfuls of seconds, but everything it swallowed returned all at once.

He pulled Huifen to himself and lunged at his still active space barrier. As he did, he used what little qi he had left to wrap them in space. He held it for a few long moments until he was sure the turbulent waves of air had settled down enough that they could manage against them. His space barrier failed.

It was like he’d finally let out his breath as he was smacked in the face with a strong gust. It was many minutes before the wind in the room settled.

They found the flags of their arrays scattered, but they were thankfully undamaged. Only after they’d gathered them did Huifen then ask. “Are you injured?”

He shook his head. “Are you?”

“No. What happened, Chao?”

He found a place to sit on the floor. Realizing what he had done, the implications started to crash down on him.

He explained what had happened.

“You know this can’t happen again, right?” She said, standing over him. “These types of mistakes can’t happen.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then that’s the end of it.”

“No. There’s—"

“It’s not like we would’ve died. It was just a large empty space. After the air filled in, we could’ve just flown out right? Or would’ve been pushed out.”

“Not necessarily. You could probably survive for quite some time without enough air. I could for a while. But what if it would’ve thrown you against the border of torn space? Or if you collided with the rim of the entrance?”

“Chao, that goes without saying. You’re underestimating your wife. Have I not been watching and seen your every advancement with space? I can’t sense a space tear with the precision that you can, but I know if it’s there. And I’m powerful enough to combat some wind.”

He couldn’t help but concede her points. It didn’t calm his spirit. He hadn’t had the chance to consider every implication when it happened, but his mind was now sifting through the most severe ones.

If she was saying anything, he missed it, for every concession he could think of was met with an inevitable counter. It wasn’t just the accidental technique he’d pulled off, but how he might use it if faced with another Jolon or Nang. It horrified him.

He started to rock back and forth. A hot flash caused him to pull at his collar. He became balmy.

“Chao,” Huifen shouted. She was standing in front of him, leaning down with her nose right in his face.

Her eyes. They were beautiful. He shook his head. He didn’t want to tell her, but he couldn’t keep it from her. Stilling his uneasy movements, he held her gaze.

“Calm down, now,” she said lightly. “This isn’t like you. I’m okay. We both are.”

“Huifen. I don’t think that lower realm cultivators are supposed to be able to unlock the Space Laws. I’m not sure anyone is without centuries if not thousands of years of experience.”

She cupped his cheek and pressed her forehead against his. “My husband is incredible.”

He grabbed her hand. He was going to push it away, but he kissed it instead.

Sitting down right in front of him with their legs touching, she tried to comfort him.

He wanted to forget everything, but that was impossible, so he just said it out loud. “What if I kill everyone?”

She replied to him calmly. “It’s a power technique, but there are many such techniques out there.” She thought for a moment then answered. “I can think of many limitations. It wouldn’t kill every cultivator it pulled in, and the suction force is limited in range and strength. For it to be big enough to do catastrophic damage, you would need much more qi, and don’t forget that outside of Lifestone’s atmosphere there’s no air. It would have no effect if created in space.”

“You’re right about all those things.” It was true. “You’re just missing the main variable. What if I wanted them dead? Today, I gave myself over to do things I never thought I’d do. Say you were captured, or worse, killed. What might I do then?”

He threw out his hand and created a miniature version of his vortex. He succeeded on the first try. The opening was just the size of his fist. The pocket wasn’t very deep. He retrieved a coin from his spatial ring of lesser value and tossed it.

As it flew toward the vortex, it started to fall downward as if it were about to prove her point. He then created a wisp of wind that caught it up and took it right to the pocket of space. The suction force caught it. Before it entered, he created a web of space tears. The coin shot through it and disappeared. He stopped supplying his technique with qi. A few seconds later, the coin shot out of the collapsing space to scatter across the floor in pieces.

“Making it more deadly is the easiest problem to solve. I can also manipulate its size, which will change its reach and force. If that’s not enough, I’m sure I could use the wind laws, if not change the density of the air directly, and empower it further. You’re right about the limitation of qi. However, to kill everything on Lifestone, I wouldn’t need to draw them into my vortex. What if I created a pocket large enough so that when it was full, the air itself would thin to the point of killing every creature that requires it to breathe.

“It’s not just that it’s possible, Huifen. It’s only a matter of time. I don’t know if it will be possible when I reach the overlord realm, the tribulation, maybe higher, but I was able to create a space pocket larger than this room in divine realm level air density while still in the sky realm. What could I do in lower realm space?”

She tried to hide her response behind a mask of concern for him, but she was still just an ice fairy who had stopped using Heart of Ice two years before.

“You’re right,” he went on. “This can’t happen again. Not just the practicing of space laws while I’m in an indignant state, but what I did to Jolon. It’s not because hurting him was wrong, though that’s likely true, but because I let myself do things I’d never normally would.”

“Then don’t,” she said as if the answer was obvious.

“How can you not be frightened?”

“I am a little. But this is also a good thing. You’ve become more formidable, which means we both have. That’s not a problem. You’ve found yourself lacking in an area of discipline you thought you had under control. The solution is simple. Work on it with the same fervency you do the laws. Maybe spend more time with Heart of Ice. Perhaps you could figure out a version that works for you as it does for ice fairies.”

“Maybe.” It was possible. What Brother Baros had explained to him wouldn’t help. The water cultivator’s technique diluted things like poisons in the body, making them easier to handle. It also made him more sensitive to what others were feeling. It didn’t affect anyone but the user.

A great deal of water splashed down on his head, soaking his hair, face, and upper robes. He found his wife with a finger pointing in the air. She wiggled it and smiled.

“Enough getting lost in your own head. You’ve had enough of that for one night. For now, I’ll distract you. You can gather qi in the morning and meditate after. No more law tinkering or martial techniques until the battle is won in here.” She tapped him on the head.

Another orb of water appeared above her finger.

He blinked a few times before nodding his assent. “Your ice laws may have surpassed mine, but do you really think your water laws have as well?”

“Splash me if you can. If not… I hope you can swim.”

Chapter 45

Outwardly, Huifen was being as soft and longsuffering as she knew how to be, but her spirit was disquieted, and her trepidation only grew. As they played, Chao came out of himself and even seemed to enjoy it at times. She didn’t let up or let him go off and do his own thing. Never had he put himself in danger during his cultivation until now. He was the most careful, mindful person she’d ever known. But after seemingly turning his new technique on himself, and what he’d done to the murderer, she was lost with what to do.

He hadn’t targeted himself on purpose. Of that, she was certain. He’d gotten carried away. Lost in himself. That wasn’t just common for him. It was exactly what he did. But never had he expressed such rage in cultivation.

After Prince Jin’s violation, she had known exactly what she had to do—despite how difficult it was. She needed to come to grips with what had happened to her. To be convinced in her own mind of who she was and who she wasn’t. To face her weakness, lack of wisdom, and the reality that she couldn’t always be in control. But she also had to develop a strategy of how to face her weakness if it ever happened again. She wasn’t responsible for what had happened to her, but she’d become stronger because of it. She had done that.

She wanted to counsel Chao to do the same, but she feared leaving him alone. So she did the only thing she could. If she couldn’t leave him, then she wouldn’t. Even as he gathered energy with his mother’s gathering technique, she was keeping an eye on his every move.

This was likely a once in a lifetime mistake. Something that would never happen again. He had faced the perfect storm of emotion and tragedy, but she couldn’t take chances. There was also another possibility. One she couldn’t dare to believe. She wouldn’t believe it.

Elder Kang had warned her on their first meeting. His face had still been frozen at the time, so he looked half-insane. Only her own master’s word, that he was trustworthy, kept her from tearing him apart when he confessed to putting Chao in the mine. He’d explained to her the process her future husband had gone through. Only one other person had ever responded as Chao had. The successor of the Hayka Cult. He was the type of man that took obsession for power to the very limit and had terrorized an entire region.

Father Zan was said to have once been possessed by the same kind of obsession but took it even further. It wasn’t just one region of some lower realm that he had treated like his own personal natural treasure repository. He’d refined worlds of cultivators until he reached the heights of some unknown realm…

If the successor of the Hayka Cult had been such a person, and so had Father Zan, did that mean Chao took after him and had the potential to do the same? She’d seen it more than once. He’d closed himself off completely from the world and spun his core at a speed that no one else could match. Was that not the peak of obsession? It endeavored to outdo enlightenment itself. What’s more, he was only in the sky realm and yet had an ability with the laws unheard of even by the Divine Envoy and Divine Elder Law of the Fire Phoenix Sect. Was her Long Chao a monster?

She knew why his new vortex technique frightened him so much. It had horrifying potential. She hadn’t mentioned her own plight, but she knew how he felt—at least to a limited extent. She hadn’t practiced Frigid Falling Star since she’d advanced to the overlord realm except in the Training Construct. She’d been able to destroy mountains in the sky realm. But now? At the overlord realm she could destroy Phoenix City in a matter of seconds. Just one blind fit of rage and she’d regret it forever.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to acknowledge what she already knew. Chao wasn’t the Hayka Cult successor or even his father. He may have the capacity for such evil, but he’d never fall so far. She wouldn’t let him.

She laughed aloud to herself.

Chao flinched in response but kept on cultivating.

She’d once questioned whether he’d be ruthless enough to follow her. Now she was determined to help him temper his demons. It was something she couldn’t do alone. She’d come to understand that sometimes you needed others. That’s why she’d agreed to forming their discipleship group. It’s also why she wasn’t going to leave him to himself but would insist that he play his music for the sect’s disciples tomorrow and spend time with their discipleship group as they always did. She’d sat everything aside during her recovery after her sexual assault. Only Chao and Pangfua had remained by her side.

She contacted Pangfua and requested to have Chao speak with the man she had mentioned. She then returned to her own qi gathering but didn’t take her eyes off him.

***

Chao felt like a shadow of himself drifting through the world. There were moments that color came back. When playing his music in the water and fire cultivations chambers, and seeing Li Qiang, Zhu, Diu, and Eu-meh. They needed him so he had to put his worries aside and attend to their needs. And mostly his Huifen. He knew she was neglecting her own grief to be there for him. He tried to reverse it. To reassure her that he was okay so that she could take care of herself, but he just wasn’t all there the day after everything had happened. Parts of him had shut down and they weren’t listening to him.

Eu-meh came with the other fairies to the same chamber where Fairy Daiyu had died. It would’ve probably been wise for them to find a different place to cultivate, but they were cultivators. They faced their fears just as Eu-meh was facing the crowd with the veil still covering her face. Everyone knew who was beneath it. It would be a week or two before she revealed her new scar to the world, but she wasn’t hiding away despite no one requiring her to show such courage.

His Huifen was much stricter than normal. Chao followed her lead and called out every fumble as they struggled to focus. As powerful as his music might be, it could stir the heart but never change it. He ended up taking out his dizi flute. “You asked for it.”

He played a single screeching note, and the entire room was left chuckling. It wasn’t the easy laughter common to the group. They laughed almost out of habit as much as because they found it funny.

“It’s not that bad,” Zhu said aloud. Her heart wasn’t in it, but everyone knew why she’d said it. It’s what Fairy Daiyu would’ve said. Their late friend’s timing had been better, and her sarcasm had been the sweetest kind.

There were a few weak chuckles, but the group was soon lost in the memory of their late friend.

When Zhu started to tear up, Li Qiang got up, walked over to her, and sat down beside her. The two of them would’ve never associated with each other if it wasn’t for Daiyu being Li Qiang’s cousin. Chao had always considered Daiyu one of his wife’s followers, but there was far more to her than that. Knowing what he knew now, how she’d once bullied his Huifen and changed so drastically. What had it taken for her to humble herself and call her old target Big Sister?

After their session was finished, Chao followed his wife to the first floor where he assumed they were going to see Sage Pangfua. When they exited the Divine Spire entirely and headed to a small stone building the joint sect must have constructed recently, he was confused. “Fen’er, what is this place?”

“We’re going to meet with an elder you’ve met before,” she replied.

“Okay.” Before they reached it, he asked. “How are you?”

“I’m managing.”

“Sorry, I haven’t been in my right mind. Let’s talk tonight.”

“Yes, husband.”

There was nothing in her tone to give it away, but he knew by her choice of words that she didn’t intend on holding him to it. He gritted his teeth. He wasn’t angry at her but himself. He’d been able to put away his own emotions after killing Prince Jin, so why was he so affected now? What was the difference?

As soon as he stepped into the small building, Chao recognized the man sitting in the middle of the floor meditating. Elder Gen was the Armory Master of the joint sect. He then took in the building. It was little more than a stone hut ten meters by ten meters, but it was lined with hundreds of weapons. Swords, spears, axes, and more filled the walls from top to bottom. The Fire and Ice Phoenix Sects had brought their own armory to the Divine Spire.

He noticed how old the man looked. There were deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and forehead. His beard was peppered with silver. Rarely did a cultivator show such age unless they were in the twilight of their years.

Chao noticed he’d surpassed the man’s first or second level sky realm cultivation. Considering Elder Gen was showing his age and at the early sky realm, he’d have to be hundreds of years old.

He remembered the elder as generous and wise. He didn’t remember him being so aged though.

“Hello, Sages,” Gen greeted without opening his eyes.

“Senior Gen,” Chao replied, bowing immediately.

“Elder,” Huifen said, mimicking her husband. “Sage Pangfua has recommended we come and see you.”

“Yes. Yes. I’ve heard.” He was silent for a moment before cracking open his eyes. He blinked them repeatedly as if waking from a nap. “It pleases this old one to see you, Little Lotus, but I request you give me some time alone with your husband.”

To get a reaction out of an ice fairy takes a special talent. Hearing him use the nickname Father Zan had given her caught her off guard. “Of course, Elder Gen.”

Seeing his wife turning to leave without saying the many words she must have had prepared also left Chao disjointed. He wasn’t even sure why he was here except that Pangfua had recommended it.

“Shut the door behind you.”

Huifen obeyed.

“Take a seat,” Elder Gen ordered.

Chao did as he asked and sat across from the sect’s weapon master. He opened his mouth to say something when a cheery expression came across the old man’s face, and he removed something from his spatial ring. It was a large jug.

“Spirit wine. Drink with me.” A few cups appeared on the floor between them, and Gen began to pour.

“Senior, I fear acting foolishly if I get intoxicated. Just last night I made a dangerous mistake while cultivating.”

The man laughed. “I can’t afford the type of spirits that can make a sky realm cultivator drunk. This is just to take the edge off and help an old man remember his glory days.”

“I see…”

He took the cup that was handed to him. When Gen drank, he did as well. He wasn’t fast to swallow it but swirled it around in his mouth. “It’s good.”

“A reminder not to look down on the mortal realm.”

He nodded before taking another drink.

“It goes good with torture.”

In the middle of swallowing, Chao choked, coughing half the wine back into his cup.

Elder Gen’s expression narrowed, but still seemed jovial. “We laugh at some jokes, not because they’re funny, but because the alternative is even worse. Sage Chao, do you know why you’re here?”

He suspected he knew, but he needed confirmation. “No, Senior.”

Tilting his head back, Gen slurped down the rest of his cup and poured. After taking another drink, he answered. “Before becoming a cultivator, I grew up in the castle of a mortal kingdom. It wasn’t a small one. The city in which the castle resided had a population of one million people. Early in life, I was found to have some talent in combat and with the sword. So I was made to live in the castle. I trained with the nobles and officers’ sons. I was bullied in my earlier years, but then came the whispers of war. Even the proudest men don’t overlook skill when their lives are on the line.

“I was lucky to be befriended by a young lord. We grew up together. He dreamed of the glory of battle as much as he enjoyed warming young maiden’s beds. He wasn’t a good man—at first.

“Once the war had finally started, his father was killed in battle and my friend became king. That sobered him quickly. Who struck the killing blow on his father was never found out, but the group of men was routed and captured. My friend executed every one of them with his own sword. He turned to me, his most talented officer. He wouldn’t be able to do the same in the future, so he asked me to become his King’s Blade. For all his failings in his youth, lacking genuine care for his friends was not one of them.

“He knew what he was asking of me, for he’d done it himself. He believed his executioner shouldn’t be a man that sought the position. He should also be a person close enough to him so that he could remain constantly aware of the burden he was asking them to bear. And so, at the age of nineteen I became the King’s Blade—his executioner.

“We were at war. That was only the beginning. It wasn’t long before spies were caught in our midst. Once again, my friend didn’t want some stranger to interrogate them. It needed to be someone close to him so he could experience it indirectly. And so his King’s Blade also became an instrument of torture.”

Elder Gen took a break to down his cup, pour another, and down that as well. Once his cup was again full, he took a small swig and swallowed. “My friend the king didn’t hide behind walls of stone but was always on the field of battle with his men. The only nobles at his side wielded swords of steel and not tongues of deceit. If they weren’t honorable, honor was forced upon them all the same. The enemy that attacked our home wasn’t there to just take land, plunder, or enslave. Their grudge was an ancient one. They sought to eradicate us.

“It seemed a war without end. Half our population was wiped out in the first seven years. Many died from starvation. We saved and protected those that we could, but we were destined to lose. My friend had gone from a drunkard and womanizer to a life of tireless service. In the end, there was no distinction between noble and commoner. There was military rank, skill in combat, and our shared desire to survive.

“In the little downtime my friend had, he didn’t rest, but turned to the music he’d once used to seduce young ladies’ hearts. He’d never been as talented as I was with the sword. Yet, he had a mind for music like nobody else. He was able to express exactly what he was feeling. That wasn’t all. His music inspired those with little to no training to take up arms. That is what made him king. Where he marched, his people marched. When his music sounded, so sung the hearts of his people. He didn’t start out a good man, but the tragedies of war molded him into a great one.”

Chao knew this story, though it had taken him some time to realize it. On the pages of one of the songbooks he received in the Golden Palace, he’d found the description of this mortal king and several of his songs.

Leaning forward, he waited in anticipation.

Elder Gen continued. “There was a group of cultivators traveling through our region when they caught wind of my friend’s marching song. They flew down from above to address our musicians and were surprised to find our king amongst them. They were living legends as far as we were concerned, so we brought the army to a halt to show hospitality. The fairy leading them was an elder of the Fire Phoenix Sect. That was about four hundred years ago now. She spoke with our enemy’s king. It took a single conversation. They left and never returned. She saved tens of thousands of lives and invited a few of us with talent to join her sect. I was amongst them.

“My friend insisted I go. He said that he’d called upon me to do more than any person had any right to ask. He started to rebuild our country after my departure. Per the deal struck with the fairy cultivator, he also began to compose. One song a year was the deal they’d agreed to. He wrote many more than what was asked of him.

“As for the fairy that recruited me to the Fire Phoenix Sect, her name was Fairy Mei. She died a century ago.”

Chao didn’t immediately respond when his Senior’s tale was over. He mapped the main events and people’s names in his mind.

When Gen had returned to his drink, Chao dared to ask. “What was your friends name?”

“Xiao Longwei. No relation to your wife’s family.”

He knew this famous composer as Lord Longwei. To think this elder who had helped him pick out his first weapon in the sect had known this king personally.

Chao removed his pipa from his spatial ring. It just felt appropriate.

His favorite song composed by the man was The Rice Farmer’s Battle Hymn, but it was written for marching to war. He’d learned a few other songs Longwei had written since he’d become one of his favorite songsmiths. The one he picked was similar to his wife’s current favorite, but it didn’t turn from tragedy to triumph in the end.

When he began to play, Elder Gen downed his drink, poured another, and then sat there and listened.

How could Chao not remember Daiyu’s butchered body and Eu-meh’s face? Was that not the very purpose of such woeful song? But tragedy wasn’t always a physical thing. His wife’s suffering had taught him as much. Then his mind turned to his mother. Her lessons. Her kind discipline. The delight she shared with him for the laws and her music.

Lord Longwei’s song wouldn’t have it. It drew him into the memory of his father opening the door that fateful night. Zan held Mother An’s broken body. She’d never wake up.

As Chao’s own tears began to fall, he realized his eyes were already closed. He wanted to remember. To never let go.

He was unwise in not holding back. His sound laws weren’t something difficult for him. It took him more effort to not enhance his song than it ever did to empower it. It was cruel to force such emotion on his elder unexpectedly, but he was unwilling to stop.

As Longwei’s song drew to its climax, instead of the horns of victory, it bemoaned a soldier’s lament. It was too long and drawn out to grant relief. Only the last line gave its listener a twinkle of hope.

When the song was over, Chao tried to hang onto his memories, but they were already fading. He realized what he’d just done. Opening his eyes, he found Elder Gen still sitting across from him. Instead of weeping, he found the man smiling and staring off into the distance.

How was that possible? Chao knew what he had done. His sound laws had reached such a level that he wasn’t sure even a fairy circulating Heart of Ice could remain unaffected. No, that wasn’t it either. Elder Gen was obviously affected, but instead of sorrow he was content?

“Thank you,” Gen said. “I haven’t heard that song in centuries. Longwei later married. She wasn’t a noble woman, but one of the first maids he’d deflowered. She’d bore him his first bastard in their youth. She’d married later and bore two sons, but her husband had died in the war. I was invited to their wedding. She wasn’t beautiful but had her own charm. She bore him another son and two daughters. He wrote this song to play at her funeral. He didn’t have any cultivation talent to speak of, but he still lived a moderately long life for a mortal, dying at an age of one hundred and three.

“Ha,” the elder hooted loudly. “I must thank you for letting an old man reminisce. Now, as for why you are here. I heard from Little Pangfua and Youngster Li Qiang what you did to the murderer. It’s impressive—for an amateur.”

There was an abrupt hum of strings. Chao had reacted to the man’s comment by gripping his pipa’s neck. He put it away but suddenly felt defenseless. Was his elder praising him or telling another joke?

Gen chuckled again. “I knew your father. You could say we were friends, but that doesn’t mean he likes me very much. Do you know why?”

“No Senior,” he said weakly.

“When he first visited the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect, Fairy Mei was still alive. Though, she didn’t have many years left. Zan has always hidden his cultivation, but everyone knew he was from the divine realm. They were scared of him. I wasn’t. Not because I was his match. There’s simply nothing he could do to me that I didn’t deserve a thousand times over.

“There’s this tavern in Phoenix City where the elders of the joint sect used to commonly patronage in those days and Zan used to frequent it. No one likes to drink alone, so when he offered divine realm alcohol, I was amongst the first to join him. I thought the stuff would kill me, but as drunk as it made me, it was also infused with qi. Best hangover I ever had. My cultivation improved the next day.

“After the first few times drinking with him, he started telling us stories. Most of the time, he told them as if they happened to someone else, but often enough he unintentionally confessed they had happened to him—or were things he’d done.

“So I did something that no one would. I told him the truth to his face, knowing he could kill me at any time. That’s why he befriended me, and also why he despised me. I won’t betray my friend’s drunken confidence, but I will tell you this. Your father didn’t start out as a monster. It was thrust upon him much like execution and torture were thrust upon me. He became the villain as I did but was also like my friend Longwei who I consider amongst the greatest of men.

“You were sent to me for advice, and I will do the same as I did for your father. I will tell you the truth.”

“Please, Senior,” Chao said, bowing his head low. His response was more reactionary than a conscious effort. He wasn’t sure he was ready to hear what the elder would tell him.

After the revelation that he knew Zan, Gen waited some time before he went on. But when he did, he addressed Chao directly. “You fear yourself a feral beast. A brute. Let me be the one to enlighten you. That’s exactly what you are. All men must learn to be brutal. To come to grips with the darkest aspects of themselves. To be violent and ruthless. To not be capable of such things puts you at the mercy of those that are. But these things don’t make a man. Honing them and bringing them under control gets you one step closer. Even that is just the beginning.

“Long Chao, the reason you lost control, above all else, is your lack of experience.”

He’d recovered enough to finally respond. “Senior, this wasn’t the first time I experienced something like this. What happened to Sage Huifen. And my mother…”

“But it was the first time you had the power to do something about it and knew it,” the man said pointedly. “If you want to really know a man, give him what he doesn’t have. Freedom. Riches. Cultivation prowess never before seen in this world.”

It was like a drum thundering from heaven, rattling him. Chao had been taught that there was darkness inside him. He had internal demons, which everyone had, but to know it and experience them were two different things.

“One of the drawbacks of being raised in a sect—or on the safety of a farm—is that life is too safe. Trials and sparring are designed to get you closer to the real thing, but they’re not the same. Your reaction to what happened wasn’t wrong. You didn’t freeze in fear or disbelief. You didn’t lose yourself so much that you just killed this murderer outright. If it wasn’t the right response, then when would such emotions be right? Most people never have the power and authority to do what you did, but you don’t have such chains holding you back. So in a sense, what you did was only natural. It was the purest response.”

Resting his elbows on his knees and lacing his fingers together, Gen grinned. “The great tragedy is that next time you’re in a similar situation, you won’t feel the same. Your emotions won’t be as poignant. You’ll be able to think much more clearly. It’s both a blessing and curse. Eventually, you’ll feel nothing, but that allows you to do what you must without it destroying you.”

Chao indeed felt the wrongness of what he had done but hadn’t forgotten how selfish he was being. He was neglecting Huifen, and now wasn’t even considering the man sitting before him. He thought through Gen’s story and believed he should feel pity. How many people had this man executed? How many enemies had he tortured for information? That didn’t even include the men he killed in battle. But there was no grief or indifference in the man’s expression. Gen seemed at peace.

“Is there a way to stop it from happening?” Chao asked, remembering Kang’s warning after asking his father to refine Prince Jin. His father’s old friend had doubted that making it to the apex with a clear conscience was possible, even if that’s what Zan wished for him. Kang had speculated that retaining the ability to empathize might be the best possible outcome.

The man seemed to ignore his question and went on. “You must learn control. You won’t have the same experience I did. It’s not your destiny to dutifully torture men in hope of keeping your countrymen alive. Control is essential, but it’s just the foundation. The glory of man is sacrifice.

“Your emotions don’t matter. They’re one of the many things a man often sacrifices for those in his care. Whether it be a spouse and his family, his homeland or sect, a man is not a man until he sacrifices his own desires for the good of others.”

What Gen said made a lot of sense, but should he just resign himself to ignoring emotions? It sounded like he was saying all men should forgo feeling entirely just as ice fairies once did when making use of the Heart of Ice technique. He was already convinced that was wrong. So what was he getting at?

Before that though, there was a strong contradiction with the cultivator philosophies he had to address. “That means most young cultivators—”

“Are children with more power than what’s good for them. There’s nothing wrong with seeking power and self-improvement, but if it never moves beyond self-seeking then that’s when real villains are born. It’s tyranny in its infancy stage. Cultivation often gives birth to such individuals. It’s a miracle there are as few tyrant cultivators in the world as there are.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Chao did it as much to hold himself steady as anything else. It became clear that he was just at the beginning of his journey and still had a long way to go.

He asked the obvious question. “How?”

“That’s the hardest part. I’m not sure the answer works itself out the same way for any two people, but there’s one thing you must have. Courage. You must find the courage to be inwardly honest. Face your successes as well as your guilt and then let it change you—but only for the better. Despair is as dangerous as any enemy. Guilt can easily lead you to the same end, but it can also guide you forward as well as any sage.

“I won’t tell you whether what you did was morally right or wrong. I will tell you that you must face it. You must decide how you will react next time, or, when that time comes, you will once again be a slave to your anger. Not facing your demons is also a choice. Then, each time something like this happens, you must face what you did and decide again. Keep moving forward. Remember failures but don’t dwell on them. Dwell on victories. Dissect them both to see only where you can improve.

“I would’ve likely drunk myself to death in those early days of my career, but war is exhausting, and alcohol was hard to come by. I was kept busy and forced to face what I’d done every time someone was strapped to my table. Facing it honestly is what saved me. I had no other choice.

“Longwei had his music. Seeing as you also play, music might be a less bloody way to come to grips with what you’ve done, and who you are.

“With all that said, you might come to believe you deserve despair and self-loathing, but even if that were true, punishing yourself serves no one. It squanders your time and can even harm your body to make you less useful to others. Acknowledge what you’ve done if you’re convinced it was wrong, determine to do better, then make love to your wife and get back to work. That will make you a man.

“A cultivator, however… Most cultivators, even the most powerful, retain a certain level of humility because of the older, more powerful cultivators around them as they advance. For you and your wife, that is nearly nonexistent with your father out of the picture. Now that he isn’t here, what’s holding you back?

Leaning forward with unexpected swiftness, Elder Gen flicked him hard on the forehead. “You are.

“You have freedom, young Chao. Riches and a martial prowess that no one else can match. You’re only challenge in this realm dwells to the north. Should you run from your power now that you know there’s a tyrannical demon inside you capable of devouring those around you? Should you choke out the spark that has given it life, or smother it by locking it in some cage deep in the sea of your soul? Must you save the realms from yourself?”

The old man licked his teeth then spat off to the side. “There’s no decision more foolish than that one.”

Elder Gen’s countenance suddenly changed to such a degree that it forced Chao to swallow. There was no emotion coming from those eyes, but a calculated cruelty. What might seem like a mask on anyone else seemed perfectly natural for this old man. His peaceful demeanor from before was the true mask hiding the demon beneath. The demon had revealed himself, and it spoke. “There’s only one way forward. You mustn’t reject the ruthless side of yourself but embrace it. What value is kindness and generosity from someone that has no choice? You have a choice. Don’t discard power for weakness.

“Become a tyrant, Young Chao, learn to control it, and then direct it toward something greater than yourself. Then your kindness will mean something. Your sacrifice for others will blaze brighter than any star in the night’s sky. A cultivator doesn’t cage ruthlessness. They wield it.

“Your actions yesterday weren’t tragic or woeful. You simply unsheathed your sword for the first time and found it more treacherous than you ever imagined. Sheath it. Keep it close to you and practice often. If you want to master a weapon, you must train. If you don’t rule over your heart demons, they will rule over you.”

Gen suddenly clapped and was back to his old self. “But this is coming from one who lived as a mortal for the first thirty-five years of his life. What do I know?”

Chapter 46

Leaving the building, Chao still felt disconnected from what was going on around him, but Elder Gen’s demeanor, as much as his words, had jolted him out of himself. Was what he said the difference between facing this murderer and when he’d killed Prince Jin?

He remembered appearing behind Jin and his own disbelief at what happened next. As an early earth realm cultivator, he removed the Fire Phoenix Sect’s Lead Disciple’s head with a single slash of his sword. In contrast, he held no doubt when facing off with Daiyu’s murderer. It wasn’t about whether he could win, but which method he’d use to do so. That’s all it had taken. There really was nothing holding him back.

When he saw Huifen standing not far away, he marched over to her and stopped abnormally close. “Thank you, my Fen’er, for bearing with me. I think you deserve a reward.”

“Tao—”

“I promised you we’d talk. So let’s go.”

They were silent as they ascended the spire, but once they reached the fourth floor, he began to fill her in with what Elder Gen said. He didn’t go into great detail but relayed to her the principles he’d gleaned. The one thing he left out was what Gen said about a man’s need to sacrifice his own emotions. It was something he was still working through and wasn’t sure it applied to women in the same way it did men, or perhaps no one at all. Advice was advice. It wasn’t law.

He had a feeling that if he decided to become a restrained tyrant as the man had described, it was up to him to decide how he handled things. He agreed with the advice, at least in part, for he’d ignored his own problem with the smell of meat after he’d killed Prince Jin for the sake of his wife. It had felt like the right thing to do. Maybe Gen only meant it to that extent.

Once they’d made it to their little abode on the sixth floor, he had every intention of giving her his full attention, but there was something he had to ask. He directed her to sit in front of him with her back facing him. As he ran his fingers through her hair, he said, “Do you think Elder Gen is right? Should a cultivator become a tyrant, then learn to control it? If so, how does one train such a thing?”

She leaned forward and away from him—no longer responding to his petting. “Chao don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve been a tyrant since we left the golden palace. Not often toward me, except in a few extreme circumstances, but I’m also your wife. There’s very little you’ve done I haven’t agreed with wholeheartedly. Do you not remember your handling of Sage Ping? Not only did you force your will upon me, but Fang, Mother and Father, and the entire joint sect.

“And what do you think we were doing at the Golden Palace, or to Yu-yan’s village? What is tyranny if not forcing your will? Elder Gen is right, but he doesn’t know the whole story.”

He subconsciously continued to run his fingers through her hair. “Should I be apologizing right now?”

There was a bit of hesitation before she shook her head. “As much as I’d like to say that I let you take the lead in these matters to honor you as my husband, the truth is I’ve been conflicted and too indecisive to act. Your insistent mercy and generosity have been just as tyrannical as the cruelty of what people would generally consider the actions of a tyrant. I admit it has made following your lead strenuous at times, but it’s been mostly for my good, I think.”

Leaning back, she gave him a sidelong look. “I have peace of mind.” A quaint smile appeared on her face. “You’ve already been training this tyrannical part of you. You’re usually better at controlling it than I am. And as for directing it, that’s where you’re the most gifted. You’re incredible, Chao.”

He felt the color rush to his face. Not liking how uncomfortable it made him feel, he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back into an embrace.

She giggled as he tried to kiss her. “This might sound funny coming from me, but you’re terrible at taking a compliment, husband.”

His fingers found her ribs and he dug in, but only for the briefest of moments. “That’s what you get for being right.”

She laid against him for a few minutes before he asked. “Can you tell me about Fairy Daiyu?” When she looked like she was going to object, he insisted. “I promised you we were going to talk.”

Eventually she nodded, then began to say, “After she burnt my hair, she purchased what was supposed to be a restorative hair-balm in Phoenix City. It ended up being a fake product sold by a fraud. Instead of restoring my hair, it made it smell something awful. I first thought she’d meant it as another cruel joke, but in her insistence, she put some in her hair as well…”

And so they began telling stories to remember Huifen’s late friend. Chao didn’t have many to add, so he mostly listened, but he made sure to mention the fairy’s kindness at every opportunity.

***

After many hours, they turned their attention to what was coming next. Sage Pangfua would be leaving to confront the murderers’ sect in a day or two. A message had been sent and they’d give this sect a little time to prepare. It was a grace that wouldn’t have been given if they thought the sect was guilty of some crime.

Sitting facing each other, Chao had his pipa in his lap while Huifen had a water lily in one hand and a brilliant orange tiger lily in the other. She was keeping a close eye on him even now. He’d decided to put all normal cultivation off for a few days and follow Lord Longwei’s example. But even though they’d been sitting there for half an hour, he’d yet to play a single note.

“Is something wrong?” She asked.

“I—” He looked like he was going to say something more than once but kept thinking better of it. He ultimately said, “I don’t know what to play. None of the songs I know seem to fit the way I feel. I should probably learn some more, but… There are hundreds of them. Thousands. I fear if I spend the time looking through them to find the perfect one, it will just delay what I need to be doing right now.”

“You don’t have to be in a hurry.”

The overly generous smile he gave her meant he didn’t agree but wasn’t about to argue with her. She’d seen the same expression as far back as when he was still her disciple. It’s just now she recognized it for what it was. Forcing the issue would solve nothing. It wasn’t the main problem anyway. Things had been simpler when he’d only known a handful of songs.

She could look through the songs with him, but she wasn’t familiar with how to read music. She remembered back to how drastically her own emotions had changed, sometimes from moment to moment, during those early days in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm. Finding the right song might be an impossible pursuit.

The song wasn’t the important thing anyway. He needed to find a way to face his internal demons without causing harm to himself or anyone else. Perhaps… “Chao, why don’t you try writing your own music?”

His face lit up, but quickly faded. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“Then just tinker with it. Like you might a new law.”

That caught his attention. He stared off for a while as he tried to figure it out. A while later, he removed an empty card jade and sat it before him. Then he strummed a few notes, stopped, thought for a minute, then did it again.

Huifen spent much of her time on her own cultivation, but she was too curious not to watch Chao as he seemingly acted at random. He’d play parts of songs she already knew then another that gave her a similar feeling. Then he’d play something she didn’t know followed by something she did but ended up completely different. There were numerous abrupt starts and stops.

When he finally played something unique, she knew this had been exactly what he’d needed. His intro started cheerfully but hit a dramatic wall before free falling into something dangerous. It sounded like his favorite battle hymn before the tempo screeched to a halt. There were the beginnings of something tragic when he got stuck on a note. He stayed there for a long while, strumming the same note over and over until adding a few notes to it. He then returned to his tinkering.

Chapter 47

Chao wasn’t writing one song. He was experimenting. Why did certain patterns of notes cause specific emotion? He wondered about it for the thousandth time. This time there was something more. He was putting patterns to individual emotions. He was categorizing them. Sometimes he remembered to make notes. Other times, he got carried away and eventually had to stop himself and go back to record what he’d just done.

There was no magic to the process that fixed his every problem. It did allow him to direct even his darkest emotion. He was careful, at first. Meticulous. In a very real sense music was more to him than it was to others. He could distinguish his song from the laws theoretically, but what about when he played? It took him effort not to blend the two. To separate emotion and song felt… wrong.

The danger in directing emotion while cultivating martial techniques or his laws had become obvious when he developed his vortex technique. He had a tendency to become too singularly focused. Things like safety and his surroundings were quickly forgotten. It was Elder Gen’s reaction to one of the darkest songs composed by Lord Longwei that insisted how right he might be.

Still, he treaded carefully. There was no way Huifen would leave his side after what he’d done with the space laws, and he didn’t want her to. He knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time before he lost himself in his music. Crafting his own song would only delay the inevitable. He made use of that and tried to stay aware of his sound’s effect on the surrounding world.

As he labored to write his first song, he realized something before the end of the first hour. He wasn’t a songsmith at all. Perhaps that day would come, but instead of crafting a song he was simply putting music to the thoughts in his head. As time passed, it became easier, even effortless before he’d get stuck and be drawn out of his own musing.

It was during one of these unintentional breaks that he was finally able to rest easy. His Huifen looked up to give him her attention even if she was still mostly focused on her own cultivation. She was fine even though his sound enhancement was slipping into his song more often than not. There was loss, sorrow, and he’d even been dabbling with his past fury.

It wasn’t exactly safe, for his playing exuded power. But it didn’t carry the danger of life and death or bodily harm. This was it. His channel of expression. It had always been. He’d needed this. To rediscover himself. So much had changed—had been exposed—but much was still the same.

There had never been danger when he was led by curiosity or the joy of tinkering with the laws of the world. In those cases he lost himself, but it wasn’t a blind obsession. It was fury that blinded him. That’s where he had gone wrong. That’s how he’d almost killed himself and his beloved wife. There was a place for anger, but Elder Gen was right. How he felt wasn’t important. It was the expression of his anger that mattered. The aftermath. To control it he must first experience it. To learn from it. There was much he’d discovered already. More was to come.

With the fear of unintentionally hurting Huifen and himself gone, nothing was holding him back. What came next wasn’t the manipulation of an old song to project his emotion, or an enhancement of the emotion the song already held. His passion and the song melded together. Emotion and law touched.

For a time, all that existed was the memory of yesterday’s events and his indignant wrath.

***

Huifen knew it was coming. She was only surprised he’d held back for as many hours as he did before losing control. She too hoped his music was a way he could contend with his inner demons safely. It seemed to be working. When she noticed the change, she circulated Heart of Ice and watched him closely. It was an angry song. One of which she understood too well. After he played for a few minutes, she started to breathe easier.

She slowed the circulation of Heart of Ice, wanting to experience a fraction of the emotion his enhanced song was producing. It would allow her to feel what he was feeling, but also refresh her own anger. Elder Gen had been right. Experience would numb one to emotion as much as Heart of Ice would. She wasn’t nearly as numb to it as the old King’s Blade had been, but she and her anger were old friends. Sometimes she felt like it was fading with her hatred of Great Elder Jilpa, Prince Jin, and Emperor Sun. Her loathing didn’t burn as hot as it once had. It felt wrong that it could cool, but that was the way of things.

How often had she heard her husband’s music? How many times had she felt its power? But what besieged her senses as Heart of Ice slowed wasn’t the enhanced sound laws of her husband. It left her dumbstruck. The world paled.

She opened her eyes to a waking dream. Prince Jin sat across from her and was lost in his explanation of his plan to link Lifestone with the divine realm. Jilpa was behind her. She sensed her there. The numbness of her dantian and surrounding meridians was a beacon of danger to her current self. She could smell the fire qi in the room. Conversation of the Overlords was in the next room behind her.

It was then that she spoke up. She’d made her decision to take Chao to the divine realm with her. How long would it have taken her to acknowledge her developing feelings for her disciple if what Jilpa did next never happen?

The memory of her had finished speaking. Prince Jin responded unlike someone that had just been rejected. Huifen wanted to imagine tearing them both apart, but a memory wasn’t a dream. The younger her spit in the woman’s face. She tried to strike out. The vision went dark in the next moment.

An instant later she was hovering high above the Fire Phoenix Palace. It was more a fortress than princely or majestic. The overlords had sensed her. All seven of them flew out to face her. Prince Jin was with them. She saw their faces. The irritation of Great Elder Jilpa. Prince Jin actually looked ashamed. Sect Master Tengfei pitied her.

How many times had she envisioned this? Her qi had already borrowed the whole of the hot springs below. Frigid Falling Star only took seconds to form, but with the help of the hot springs, it was done in an instant.

Some of them attacked her outright in hopes of stopping her. A few placed themselves between the technique and the palace. The rest fled.

Her sharpened glacier of ice flew at the fortress with deadly purpose. It was too large and fast for them to divert it off course.

She’d already let it go when her aura exploded outward with almost the same force of Ice Phoenix’s Breath. The few Overlords that had tried to attack her were easily thwarted. This was the sky realm version of herself. If she hadn’t given herself away when she’d entered her room that day and been found out by Chao. This was one likely outcome. The one she most often dreamed.

She looked past the overlords to the destruction left from her Frigid Falling Star. It hadn’t just pierced the buildings defensive arrays and advanced realm building materials but thrust straight into the mountain beneath. It stuck where the palace had once been, like the top of a mountain’s peak that had been ripped off by a giant and used as a spear. It wasn’t a question if anyone was left alive, but whether they’d ever find the remains of those that had been inside.

Two overlords had tried to block her attack. One hadn’t been able to get out of the way. Six more overlords to go and one wretched prince.

She didn’t have much qi left. She knew what she’d do with what she had. They attacked all at once. A fearsome grin stretched across her face. This would be the end. Today, an early sky realm brat would leave her mark on this world by taking the lives of more overlord realm cultivators than any sage would ever boast.

It was at that moment that she stopped herself. The ruins below were evidence of her failure. Instead of justice, she’d taken the lives of many innocents. Far more than those that had wronged her. They had harmed one person where she had harmed many.

She remembered her husband. As questionable as his recent actions might be, he had also stood for something she yearned to believe in even if it was at odds with her darkest desires. Justice. Mercy. To do what was right. She trusted him more than she trusted herself. And where was he? How had she gotten here?

Questioning the vision gave her enough clarity to bring her back to the music. It was then that the vision cleared, and she saw him there. She executed Heart of Ice with a severity she hadn’t for the longest time. She then came to grips with what had just happened. Something in Chao’s laws had changed. The song hadn’t just driven her to feel intense emotion. It was like she had experienced anger for the first time.

If only that had been the sole thing the music had done to her. She’d lost control of herself completely. Thankfully, she hadn’t executed any techniques while bewitched or they could both be injured or dead. She knew what she had to do next. She scanned the room and reached out with her perceptions as far as she could. They were still alone.

Before she slowed Heart of Ice again, she prepared herself. It isn’t real. It had certainly felt that way. Every one of her senses had been active. She could smell, taste, touch… She needed to know for sure if it was his sound and not something strange going on in her head.

After she was ready, she slowed Heart of Ice again. With the sound came emotion. The visions came again.

Chapter 48

Now that Huifen was aware of what was happening to her, she was able to sense her connection to the music even though she’d been thrown into another dreamscape. A girl with thick eyebrows in an ice phoenix gown stomped toward her. She was the most vicious bully of her youth. She’d injured Huifen enough to send her to the infirmary once already. It seemed this time she intended the same if not worse.

If she so desired, Huifen believed she could put a stop to the vision at any time, but Chao’s song had enflamed her heart to the very limit. She didn’t want it to stop. Perhaps stopping the vision would be more difficult than she thought.

Her bully was a few years older than she was and a full head taller. Huifen was only twelve. She saw the girl ball her fist. Even at this young age, she waited for the girl’s punch to connect. She’d use it as an excuse for what she did next.

She never thought she could kill the girl. She just wanted to hurt her enough so that she’d leave her alone.

Jumping back, Huifen removed her short sword from her spatial ring. It was a warning. One her bully didn’t heed. The girl removed her sword as she continued to stalk forward.

Huifen threw up an Ice Shroud between them. It was another chance for the girl to turn back. Instead, her bully attacked the small pillar with Springtime’s Frost, shattering it. It was the last mistake she ever made.

Her bully had continued forward as she attacked the pillar. A nine-petaled Ice Lotus was waiting behind it. The girl was too close. It exploded in her face. Sage Pangfua had later said the girl’s death had been quick. There had been no suffering. With Heart of Ice circulating, she’d mostly just felt relief that the bullying was over, but deep down, she felt disgusted with herself. Even if the girl deserved what she got, Huifen believed she should feel more—pity, sorrow… Then she saw how the other young fairies began to look at her and she felt powerful for the first time in her life.

She hated it at first, but Master Quinyuan taught her how important strength was. How this incident would help protect her in the future. Now her peers knew she could only be pushed so far. She also taught her to mourn for the girl. It was one of the few times she’d been commanded to stop circulating Heart of Ice.

How long had she been entranced by her husband’s spell when his music changed? Had he sensed she’d reached the conclusion of her vision, or had she relived it multiple times? When the song took a melancholic turn, it matched the direction her emotions were heading. Or was it just the opposite? Was her husband turning her emotions wherever he willed?

As her vision started to change, she noticed the music lost some of its power over her. As much as she wanted to memorialize Sister Daiyu, she didn’t want to mourn. Maybe she wasn’t ready. Knowing the girl as well as she did, Huifen believed there was a different reason. Her friend wouldn’t want their memories of her to be tragic. She’d want them to remember her fondly. To laugh and to smile.

The realization struck Huifen like a fridged tempest. Sister Daiyu had only been without Heart of Ice for a year, and yet this ice fairy had had such an impact? No, it had started before that. Had Daiyu always been such a cheerful presence? It was only after Heart of Ice that Huifen noticed. How could an ice fairy have such a warm disposition?

That was the real tragedy. She was only now appreciating her friend’s gift to the world after she was gone. She determined in herself not to mourn. She wouldn’t remember Daiyu’s end. She’d remember her gift.

It took her a few minutes to escape the inner world of her mind and return to the room in which she sat with her husband. She saw him still playing. He remained lost in his song.

Was Huifen’s rejection of the sound’s power a testament to the power of her will, or was his music losing its power because his anger burned much hotter than the stewing of his sorrow?

She immediately began to consider what this new ability of his meant. The martial application could be immense, but then she thought better of it. Anyone approaching them while he played, if they had any hostile intentions, would be using techniques like Heart of Ice for martial focus. She had to admit that one of the reasons his wrathful song had affected her so powerfully was because of her inner demons. It had revealed just how far she still had to go to reign them in.

Was that its true power? To reveal the depths of the heart? Or did it enliven the demons already there? Either could be useful to any cultivator.

She then recalled one of Chao’s theories about sound’s ability to place a person in the right frame of mind for cultivation. After what Huifen had just experienced, she could deny it no longer. But which emotions were the most beneficial for cultivation? Which were the closest to enlightenment? She’d always been in awe of the things that he could do, but this… To be able to cultivate the laws so easily, and even teach others was one thing—an incredible thing—but if his music could place someone in a state of enlightenment, or closer to it by the most nominal degree, anyone within range of listening could advance their cultivation at a faster rate over time. Perhaps further than they’d ever possibly reach without him.

The value of such a person to a sect was priceless. The divine realm sects would want him as much as they’d want her. On one hand, this ability could help preserve his life, and on the other, it could doom him to a sheltered existence as little more than a pampered slave even to the most noble sects. She couldn’t let that happen. Any limits to his freedom were limits to his cultivation. Limiting cultivation meant limiting the years of life they’d spend together.

As he continued to play, she didn’t dare to use Heart of Ice. Her husband had advanced further down a path that no one else had traveled. To not experience it—appreciate it—seemed like the greatest transgression. She wouldn’t leave him to wander it alone.

Looking up past the ceiling to some far-off distance, she envisioned the peak of the martial arts she’d so often dreamed of in her youth. It had brought her to this point in life. It had given her guidance and power. Her physique was the compass that she’d followed to reach it, but before her was another instrument that shone even brighter. It might be pointing in the same direction. She wasn’t entirely sure.

The path of her Peerless Spiritual Body was a straightforward one. Cultivate, absorb energy, make it yours, advance. Understanding of laws was necessary, but she’d never struggled as her peers had. As the legends foretold, those with her physique were never slow of mind. Their bodies breathed in qi from their very first breath. It enriched the whole person.

There was one obvious way that her husband’s path differed. He advanced with the laws whether his cultivation advanced or not. She could only imagine where he’d be today if she had never been attacked by that snow fox. Would he be at the same level? Perhaps not, for Elder Kang had given him the space law jade, but could she rightfully claim that his elements would be any less potent? It was likely the challenges he faced when coming to the Ice Phoenix Sect had pushed him even further. However, she couldn’t say for sure that he wouldn’t have advanced as far just in different facets. And now he was touching on something she was unsure how to evaluate.

There were no high-ranking sects currently on Lifestone that practiced the sound laws, but she’d read enough to know he followed none of the typical paths. Did he even have a martial skill to speak of with sound? Was that the distinction? The sound he practiced wasn’t on the martial path at all. Was that why she felt the path he was taking was so different from her own? But to say he wasn’t a martial artist was absurd. If she wasn’t so familiar with how he thought and his every technique, she wasn’t sure she could beat him. She even owed much of her martial prowess to him. But was that really his foundation?

She knew the story of his childhood. His mother hadn’t been shy about showing him the laws from the moment he could hold open his eyes, but long before he’d begun his tinkering, he dreamed in the presence of his mother’s song. His fire laws were amongst his most advanced, but they weren’t his foundation in the same way they were for a fire cultivator. If anything was, it was this. The song and emotion surrounding Huifen at that very moment.

She looked around the room as if trying to see his song moving through the air. It didn’t move dangerously as advanced elements might, but it was as advanced as anything she’d ever experienced. This was her Chao’s foundation. Instead of defying the heavens, he communed with them.

It was late in the morning of the next day when his playing finally stopped. He gave her a curious look when he saw she was watching him intently.

“Is anything wrong?” He asked.

“No. How do you feel?”

He thought for a moment before nodding. “Like my mind is my own.”

“Good. There’s much we need to discuss.”

Chapter 49

Chao heard his wife’s explanation and was just as shocked as she’d been. It didn’t take but a moment for him to grasp what had happened. As with most breakthroughs, a foundation must first be laid before you can break through old boundaries. This wasn’t like any common advancement. He tried it again later and found it impossible to duplicate what had happened to the same level. However, now that he knew something had changed, he could feel it every time he played.

As was his habit, he wouldn’t conclude anything without much testing and observation. It was the first time he was confident those steps weren’t necessary. He knew exactly what had happened, and he also knew why. Still, he tested it. It wasn’t the first time his own emotion had worked with his enhancement law—or was it morph—to unfold his emotional state upon the world. All it had taken was for him to bring his music to the next level. Why certain melodious patterns caused specific emotions he could only theorize, but when his emotions and his music aligned something extraordinary happened.

  He continued practicing for much of the day, only taking breaks for their visits to the cultivation chambers and his discipleship group. Even though he had trouble reaching the same heights he had that night in Huifen’s presence, the act of joining the song with his emotions was still powerful. More powerful than his playing had been before.

He saw it in the faces of the cultivators in the Water and Fire Cultivation Chambers. He saw it in his own disciple’s reactions.

Then the next day came, and it was time for Sage Pangfua to leave. She was off to visit the merchant guild, Treasury of Earth and Sky. It was as much to allow the guild to apologize and show regret as it was for the sake of the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects.

Chao and Huifen would be spending most of their time in the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile cultivation chamber. Pangfua was leaving it as a symbol of authority. To the other sects, there were no longer any overlords present. The badly hidden Elder Harnish was the only known exception. Chao and Huifen still hadn’t been found out as far as they knew much to the thanks of Pangfua and the steps the joint sect had taken.

“You’ll be able to focus on your cultivation without having to rely on artifacts and heaven and earth qi,” Chao encouraged Huifen while taking in a deep breath of the icy qi from where he sat. “Think of this as a vacation.” Every time he visited this small chamber, he couldn’t help but reminisce.

“We must keep a close eye on the other sects while Big Sister Pangfua is gone,” Huifen insisted. “Don’t rely on the grace of cultivators just because something tragic has happened. Even after we’ve saved them. There are always those willing to take advantage when they see easy benefits. It would be more accurate to say that we must take time off from our vacation on the sixth floor to do Pangfua’s job while she is gone. Be ready to work.”

“I could just play a song and put everyone to sleep.”

She gave him a blank stare.

“Fine,” he said, straightening with mock good posture. “I’m ready.”

“Good. Mother Sya will be the joint sect’s main representative while Pangfua is gone. Think of this as an opportunity to get on her good side.”

“Am I not already?”

When she didn’t answer, his countenance changed.

The corner of Huifen’s mouth perked up.

He glared at her but laughed a second later. He was emotionally drained after so much time with his pipa the last few days. It made things like continuing to push the development of her sense of humor much easier. Thinking of it that way, he didn’t feel like he was betraying Daiyu’s memory or his own contrition over what he’d done. He might even try to sleep tonight.

***

With Sage Pangfua leaving the Divine Spire, Elder Harnish was moving up their timetable. This was exactly what Baros had been training for. Water cultivators from the Morning Mist Village couldn’t conceal their emotions like those from the Ice Phoenix Sect who practiced Heart of Ice, or cloak their presence like the fairies of the Night Pearl Sect. Their talent was in sensing the emotion of others. But it was possible for them to mask their emotions by focusing on a single feeling and projecting it. It wasn’t exactly a trick of cultivation as much as it was an act of mental discipline. One that just might save his life.

He’d kept a close eye on Dvora since she had been assigned to a public form of closed cultivation. She was right there where everyone could see her, but besides interludes for necessities and sleep every two days, she never moved. After he completed this mission for the elder, he’d have everything he needed to take her with him and leave. It had been a few days since they’d spoken, but he was excited to finally encourage her with the news she’d been waiting for. He already had a basic idea which direction they’d head. The exact destination would be decided later.

She passed through the same chamber on the same route she usually took. Her presence erasing technique was active, but it didn’t make her invisible. It made her barely identifiable to a cultivator’s perceptions which they often relied on as heavily as any of their five senses.

He slipped his hand through the qi barrier of a side entrance. She let out a little squeal before he pulled her through to himself. With his back to the wall, he brought her to where they were just out of sight. She was alone, but they had little time. He noticed immediately that something was wrong. Her head was already resting against his chest, and she gave off a small tremor.

He ran his hands up and down her back as if to smooth out every wrinkle. He gave her a long moment to settle down before saying, “I’ll have the funds within a matter of days. We can leave in a week’s time.”

She nodded against him and even looked up, but what he said didn’t seem to relieve her worries.

“What is it?” he asked as he lifted her veil.

She dismally shook her head as she looked up at him. “I think I targeted the wrong person, and I’m not sure my sect will back me. Actually, I’m convinced that they won’t. It’s Tong Tao.”

“Wait,” he said, cupping the side of her head with his hand. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “You don’t have to worry about Tong Tao and Tong Fen.”

“You don’t understand.” She grew terribly still. She considered what she was about to tell him but went through with it. “They’re the ones that caught the sky realm murderers. He’s dangerous.”

His eyes narrowed at the revelation, but he thought back to his interactions with them both. “It doesn’t matter.” Seeing as she wasn’t about to budge, he decided to tell her everything. “I spoke with them after what happened. He was more unnerved that your technique could work on him than he was angry with you. We made a deal, and he promised me that they wouldn’t pursue anything against you.”

“You did what?” She said, seething as she stepped back.

He closed the distance between them. “What do you mean, ‘You did what?’ I did everything in my power to guarantee you wouldn’t be sent back to your sect. I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d respond this way. Not interfering in your sect’s business, I understand, but won’t your business be our business in just a matter of days?”

She fumed back at him for a few long moments before her chin slumped to her chest. She nodded meekly.

He knew how much it was taking for her to humble herself after all she’d been through. It was one thing to rely on an elder cultivator of whom your future sect-life depended. It was another thing to put that same level of trust in someone your equal.

He removed a sealed envelope from his spatial ring and handed it to her. “Take it.”

After realizing it was weighed down with currency, she gave him a sober look.

“This is part of the funds I’ve gathered,” he said. “I want you to hold onto it. It’s my promise to you. It’s also a choice. There’s enough in here for you to leave now. Or you can leave the seal untouched and wait for me a little longer.”

“Take it back,” she insisted, slapping it to his chest. “Don’t be a fool. It’s like you’re begging me to steal your money.”

“I’m not testing you, Dvora. You’re not required to marry me just to earn my help. Riches can always be earned again. You want to leave your sect. If this will help you with that, then take it, even if you go without me. I’ll consider it money well spent. Soon, I’ll have enough to leave as well. If you prefer, we can go together, and you can pay me back over time.”

“You really are a fool.” She kept offering the envelope as if hoping he’d take it back all while knowing he wouldn’t.

“I almost wish that were true. I realize the position I’m putting you in. No more deceptions or half-truths. Not between us. I’m being as honest as I know how to be. Taking advantage of it is only natural for a Night Pearl Sect fairy. I choose to believe you’re more than that. Now put it away.”

When it finally disappeared into her spatial ring, she glared at him. “I already swore that I’d marry you. You want to be truthful? Why are you giving me the option to go back on my word?”

He smirked. “To be honest is to be vulnerable. It’s much harder than deceit. I probably should’ve led with this months ago instead of first seducing you. I doubt you would’ve taken me seriously if I did.”

“You seduced me?” Her eyes went wide in disbelief. “I seduced you.”

“And it worked, but not for the reasons you intended.”

She stopped herself from arguing further. “I’ve already been here for too long, Betrothed.”

He snorted out a laugh, scooped her up, and kissed her. “Go. I’ll see you in a few days.”

After she was gone, his expression turned severe as he refocused on the problem at hand. There was an unspoken reason why he’d decided to give her the envelope. If he failed in his mission, then he’d likely be dead. Telling her now would just give her more to worry about. He wouldn’t burden her further. If he indeed intended to be a husband to her, this was his duty.

Chapter 50

Sleep came easy enough, but the little peace Chao found while awake was quickly banished as dreams overtook him. He envisioned a monster that wore his face governed by nothing but rage. The Ice Phoenix Palace was engulfed in an inferno while the joint campus was split in two down the middle. The monster enjoyed the irony as he flooded the Fire Phoenix Palace and cast it in a giant cube of ice. As it froze, the walls cracked and collapsed. That was only the beginning.

He'd tested the full extent of his space vortex technique above the Golden Palace. Both people and structures were devoured. As the vortex was deconstructed, what had been sucked upward fell toward the earth. He later found the bodies of Prince Koshing and Empress Yan Ya. Somehow, she’d kept ahold of her son even in death.

For his last act of destruction, he returned to his family’s cabin. He couldn’t decide how to destroy it, so he awakened multiple elements and had them compete to see who could cause the most damage. Even as his awakened creatures did as he commanded, they groaned in protest. They didn’t want to comply but had to obey. The last thing he approached was his mother’s garden. The stumps he’d sat on during her lessons he burned. The herbs he commanded the earth to swallow.

The images of his destructive rampage arrayed themselves before his eyes. It didn’t matter where he looked. They were all he could see. They screamed out for justice—vengeance—against him, but his heart had already been thoroughly hardened. When they couldn’t break him, they dissolved in the wind. All that was left was a glass coffin. Huifen laid there—never to awaken again.

He sat up from his nightmare. Huifen was there the next instant. Her hands were on the back of his neck and forehead, cooling him with ice qi.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Mmm.”

“How long was I asleep?”

“The first hour seemed peaceful, but the second…”

“I see. If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to spend some time on the laws.” He stopped her when she was about to object. “I intend to use this time to forget how I feel. Last time, I did just the opposite.”

“Okay, but I’ll be right here if you need me. And nothing dangerous.”

“I promise.”

He decided to focus on something he’d put little effort into recently. Technically, he could awaken his nature laws, but he’d stayed away from them mostly to give Huifen room to explore them on her own. He did this so that she wasn’t constantly comparing herself to him. Especially since he cultivated heaven and earth qi while she cultivated ice.

Her heavy yin elemental focus gave her some advantages. Ice, water, and yin plants would require less qi from her than it would for him to use the same techniques. On the other hand, there were disadvantages. It greatly limited what she could do with neutral or yang heavy plants.

He didn’t just want to keep her from discouragement. If he tinkered with nature too often, then she’d start to pick up on how he was executing his techniques. It could lead her in the wrong direction. The reason he decided it was time to return to them was because she’d reached a high enough level with yin-heavy nature, and she was becoming proficient with enhancing her own version of yang-heavy plants. He knew she’d be watching him carefully anyway, and the comparison between their techniques might be of help to her now.

His favorite vegetation to create were trees. To his younger self, he’d believed they were the strongest variety. Who could blame him? He’d grown up in the Redwood Aurora with giant wooden canopies towering above his little place in the world. They were what he was the most familiar with. He’d also experimented with mushrooms, flowers, and countless herbs commonly found in his mother’s garden. He wished he’d spent more time with vines. He didn’t like things with thorns, so he rarely messed with them growing up. Looking back, they would’ve made creating martial techniques much easier. They were what Sage Ping and most of the nature cultivators he’d faced in the Training Construct used.

Instead, he turned his attention to his favorite yin-heavy plant. The water lily. Lotuses more closely reminded him of his wife, but they could technically be a yin or yang flower depending on the environment in which it was grown. The water lily had stricter limitations. It was also the flower he’d introduced his wife to when she’d begun cultivating the nature laws. It had a heavy-yin nature which gave her a closer connection to it.

His technique to create one was almost identical to Huifen’s. The only difference was the type of qi he used. It grew rapidly above his palm. He decided to create a fuller root system even though it wasn’t necessary. He held it delicately with his qi since it wasn’t growing in water. It started to bud. Its flower opened a moment later. This one was blue even though he could’ve have made it a variety of colors. There was a reason for that.

In his other hand, he created a red azalea like the one Huifen had been practicing with. He thought to awaken both, but he wasn’t familiar enough with either. He held them in place so she could observe his manipulation of qi.

With the two plants reaching full maturity, he created something above his lap he had far more practice with. A miniature redwood appeared. It didn’t have to go through the growing process. It was half the size of both flowers, and was what he’d always made his nature figurines out of. He only gave it two branches beside the main trunk from which several small branches grew and budded to give it a leafy head of hair. Then he shaped its face and awakened it.

It looked from lily to azalea before crossing its arm-branches. Spinning so that Huifen could see it, it threw its arms out as if it should’ve expected as much. It then faced the lily first and started to move one arm like it was lecturing it. Instead of a little voice, the only sound was the wrestling of leaves.

***

In those early morning hours, Huifen wasn’t surprised to see her husband trying to reassure her in his silly way. She hadn’t forgotten the sounds he’d made during his sleep. It wasn’t anger or sorrow he was expressing, but malevolence and cruelty. In the next moment, he’d muttered in disgust. She’d been surprised by how animated he’d been. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen from him.

After he awoke, things got better. There were no signs of the anger that had led him to nearly killing himself while cultivating. As the day went on, they became busy. They listened in on every report Mother Sya received from their side chamber. When they had any free time, they discussed things with her. It was a mostly uneventful day. Some of their fairies were being harassed by overly eager suiters, while a few of their own fire phoenix disciples bullied a fairy from the Night Pearl Sect by trying to force her to lift her veil. It was a matter of flirting taken too far by immature young men. Their punishment was to lose a few days of cultivation in the Divine Spire and relieve the fairy of her duties at the encampment’s outside gate. There was suspicion that the woman had led them on to cause such an outcome. Regardless, as good for her as it might’ve been, it was an even better lesson for them. They were simple mundane problems they were happy to deal with.

The most trying thing about the day was worrying about her husband, and how well he seemed to be recovering. Perhaps it was because she’d isolated herself and thought of nothing else, but by the end of the day he seemed to have returned to normal. What had happened to her and what he’d done certainly weren’t the same. He also had the tendency to suffer alone in silence. She’d just expected it to take longer for him. So had Pangfua. Maybe it was because of his music, or just that he’d never had Heart of Ice. He’d always lived life having to deal with his emotions as they came. She couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Her recovery had been much more extreme.

As soon as she realized some part of her was wishing his internal turmoil wouldn’t end so quickly, she rebuked herself. How selfish could she be? To help cultivate the right mindset, she requested a special meal to be made and rewarded him that evening as if he’d won one of their bets. Any new reports would be left to the next morning unless there was some kind of emergency. Even though there were a good number of cultivators in the Divine Spire at night, it was a far more laid-back environment than during the day.

It was nearing midnight when Huifen asked, “Did you want to try to sleep again tonight?”

“I—”

They were cut off by voices from outside their room.

“This one requests to speak with Big Brother Tao. If he’s available,” Li Qiang’s voice sounded.

They looked at one another, and she watched as her husband didn’t hesitate to rise to his feet. Their discipleship group had met with them there earlier in the day instead of the usual place.

Mother Sya wasn’t currently on duty, but was spending time with Father Tu. Another elder had taken her place. She left the room to allow Chao to speak with Li Qiang.

Huifen didn’t need her husband’s sound laws to listen in. The young man was also her disciple, so she didn’t hesitate. If things got personal or went in an inappropriate direction, Chao would put up a barrier. Until then, she observed them with her perceptions.

As soon as they were alone, Li Qiang fell to his hands and knees. Her husband moved to stand him up. What the young man said stopped him in his tracks.

“Brother Tao, teach me to fight.”

“I’m already teaching you. Now get up.”

“No,” he cried. “It’s not enough. Train me so that what happened to Daiyu will never happen again. If I had been there, I would’ve been worthless. The most I could’ve done was use my body to block a single attack. I’ve sworn that I’ll protect my dead cousin’s closest friend Fairy Zhu in the way I should’ve protected her.”

Chao was silent for nearly a minute before he replied. “Does Fairy Zhu know this?”

“She hasn’t rejected my presence.”

He sighed. “I’ll train you, but you must consider exactly what your goals are otherwise you might end up having to protect Fairy Zhu from yourself.”

“That will not happen.”

At first, Huifen was befuddled by what she was hearing, but soon she started to laugh under her breath. She couldn’t deny the change in her husband’s friend. He’d never possessed an urgent desire to cultivate as the martial path required but was changing. She also knew how Fairy Zhu would react.

Didn’t she?

Her laughter fell off. Much in her friend had changed as well. Before, the only thing Zhu and Li Qiang had in common was Fairy Daiyu. Now they were more like-minded than Huifen dared to believe. She was surprised that Zhu hadn’t come to her requesting something similar. Maybe Li Qiang had just beat her to it.

“How often do you visit the Trial of Might?” Chao asked.

“I’ve tried my luck three times,” Li Qiang replied. “So once every week or two.”

“Then from now on you will challenge it twice a day, regardless of how painful it might be. Your goal isn’t to break your old record, but to become so used to battle that it’s second nature. We will discuss your losses and victories. You will also spend twice as long with the laws as before. Do you agree.”

“I do.” The young man kowtowed to her husband. He let him bow…

Huifen’s eyes started to water but she held down a sniffle. Her Chao hadn’t recovered. He’d stepped further down the martial path. So why did it grieve her? She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She’d been witnessing the death of the innocence of the boy she’d found deep in the Redwood Aurora and didn’t know it. As much as Li Qiang was her disciple in name, the steps Chao was taking would secure the young man as his own. He would train him and do it well.

She stopped listening to their conversation. If Chao wanted her to know more, he would discuss it with her. She’d decided to approach Sister Zhu. The girl was stubborn and wore her emotions on her sleeve far more than any ice fairy should. She didn’t need a choice, but direction. Huifen would provide it.

Chapter 51

It was past midnight when Baros received the message. Their sect had fewer transmission jades than the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects, but they weren’t so poor that the elder he was assigned to didn’t have one. This elder was a portly sky realm cultivator who had a naturally kind expression. His armor pultruded over his gut, downplaying his powerful shoulders. Even now, he called the four disciples including Baros to follow him. The man’s sternest expression was rather genial. It made him a good representative for the village.

They began on one side of the fourth floor and headed toward the stairs. It was open so there was no place for individuals to hide. As they went, Baros’s job was to approach the cultivators they found and ask them to leave.

“Something strange is happening with the energy pylon guarding the vault on the third floor,” he relayed to a mixed group of cultivators he found sitting in a circle. He gave them a courteous martial salute. “Please descent to the first floor while it’s being investigated. I can reassure you that no one has been harmed. Just follow close to the wall as you pass through the room it is in.”

There were no elders amongst this group, so they were quick to comply. Baros had a sky realm cultivator backing him, and even after the murderers had been caught, many were still on edge. This group of rogue cultivators didn’t even complain about the request cutting into their limited time in the spire.

Deceiving them made him feel dirty. It was made worse since he could feel their concern with help from his water cultivation, but he’d grown accustomed enough that he hid what he was feeling well.

Renz, his fellow disciple, had approached a group from a mid-tier sect. Their elder was near the peak of the earth realm and didn’t take kindly to the interruption.

“This one begs your forgiveness,” Renz said with a bow. “Elder Harnish of the Morning Mist Village will make sure every sect receives fair treatment after safety is restored to the pylon.”

The large group of fifteen ultimately complied.

He and Renz shared a glance. His friend didn’t share the same animosity against their sect’s duplicity, but neither did he enjoy it. He would’ve preferred a straightforward contest, which made him the honorable sort. That was what made them the closest of friends since youth.

Baros still hadn’t told the man that he was planning to leave. He didn’t want to put him in a position where he had to choose between a friend and the village.

They soon had every cultivator on the fourth floor moving downward. Once they reached the third floor, they did the same thing. Elder Harnish had already cleared the room with the vault and energy pylon. It was nearly half the size of the floor, so they followed the stragglers along the wall as Harnish set up his array around the pylon.

Clearing the remaining rooms on the third floor was tedious but didn’t take as long as he feared it might. Even the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect elders leading their groups didn’t resist. They’d seen Elder Harnish arrive not long before they started clearing floors. It became obvious that the elder’s hidden overlord cultivation was the worst kept secret in the spire.

When it was finally clear, Baros and Renz hurried back to the vault room and took their positions. There were four stations in Elder Harnish’s array formation that were spread out and encircling the pylon. Baros took his place near the wall at the array flag closest to the stairs leading up to the fourth floor. If the pylon activated, its attack would be too fast for him to escape, but it still made him more comfortable. With the three other Morning Mist Village disciples in different positions, if he wasn’t the first one attacked then he might just have the time to escape. But escape wasn’t his objective.

“Take your positions,” Harnish commanded. The curly-headed sage stood between the pylon and the entrance to the water cultivation chamber.

As Baros stepped up to place his hand on the array flag, he scanned the device that looked more like a miniature tower than any flag. Its base was a stone tripod. Each of them contained their own power source. The shaft and flag were metal in nature, but he wasn’t familiar with the kind. On top of the flag was a flat platform just big enough for a person’s palm. He placed his hand on its surface.

“Activate them all at once,” Harnish demanded. “Remember. Focus your mind on a single non-threatening emotion and the pylon won’t harm you. This array will release a bloodthirsty aura and distribute it throughout the room. If you don’t actively project a non-threatening emotion, it will attack you.”

Not hesitating to go through the mental exercise to prepare his mind, Baros gave his friend Renz a final nod before the order came. This wasn’t a simple request from his senior, but a matter of life and death. There were several stories of cultivators who had tampered with the vault door and pylon. If it attacked, survival would be almost impossible. Its defensive beam was strong enough to vaporize overlords. What could an earth-realm cultivator do in response? The danger was clear, but that was why Sage Harnish was paying so well. It wasn’t like the man was throwing all the responsibility for the danger to others either. He was standing there with them.

“Now!”

Baros fed qi into the array flag to activate it. Before his qi even reached it, he was already focused on his emotion of choice. Hope. Even if he wasn’t convinced Dvora would marry him, he enjoyed daydreaming about such a future. There was much he’d read from her that he knew was true. She hated the deception of her sect and wished for a way out. Whether she would love him, or was even capable of it, he wasn’t sure. He’d chosen to trust her anyway. Why? Getting away wasn’t enough. There had to be something more—something better for him to abandon everything he had.

As soon as the array formation activated, he felt the bloodlust seep into the air. That alone normally wouldn’t be enough. Fights had broken out in the vault chamber and the pylon never activated. But this bloodlust was directed at one specific point in the room. The vault.

A threatening sensation filled the space in response. The pylon sizzled into life, glowing with power.

Instinct assaulted him, demanding he flee. His mind’s image of Dvora faltered, but it didn’t collapse entirely. She was wearing commoner’s clothes with her veil removed.

Then, before his eyes could register what happened, a beam of energy shot toward one of his fellow disciples. One moment the man was standing there and the next parts of him was gone.

A part of Baros swore that he should be angry. He should want to avenge the man he’d just seen killed. But he knew already that this was an enemy they were foolish for even facing. There was no vengeance to be had. His desire to flee grew instead. He started to lose his focus and a thought came to him. Should he go now? The distance wasn’t far. Ten meters at most. But deep down he knew that if he moved, he would die.

He did the only thing he could do and closed his eyes. He wasn’t even sure if he loved Dvora, but he did want to. He’d already committed himself to her, as long as she’d do the same. Everyone in his life, as far back as he could remember, was his competition—people to deceive. Even his friendship with Renz, the purest he’d experienced, was one of respected rivalry. Competition remained, but deception had never existed between them.

That’s what he hoped for more than anything in his relationship with Dvora. Not only that there could be trust, but peace. They could set goals and work toward them together. The only competition between them would be for the sake of enjoyment.

He could feel the pylon striking out at the room around him. His eyes remained closed. He wasn’t sure if it hit anyone else. The goal of this formation wasn’t entirely known to him, but he did have a general idea. Elder Harnish’s goal was to create an array that would force the pylon to waste energy until it was out. If it did, getting into the vault would theoretically be much easier. That’s why this test was essential. The array formation was designed to spread bloodlust throughout the room. Would that be enough to keep the pylon from detecting the array flags and attacking them directly? It was a question that needed to be answered before Harnish would spend the money and resources to create arrays that wouldn’t need disciples to activate.

The image that appeared in Baros’s mind was a new one. It wasn’t romantic images of Dvora that captivated him, but mundane ones. Like this one of them in a small kitchen fixing a meal together.

He wasn’t sure exactly how long the array formation was active for his mind was elsewhere. When Elder Harnish issued the command to deactivate it, he simply put his hand back on the small platform and injected his qi. Even then he didn’t relax but continued to keep his focus on Dvora. His friend Renz had to grab him by his shoulder before he opened his eyes.

“Still alive?” Baros asked.

The man snickered. “Yeah. You?”

“I guess so.” He then looked to find Elder Harnish still in place deep in thought. The third remaining disciple had fallen to her knees at the base of her flag. They went and helped her to her feet.

The three of them stayed quiet until the elder was finished with his calculations.

Turning to them, a wolfish grin spread across his face. “You three have done well.”

A large pouch shot toward each of them. Catching his, Baros felt the weight before sighing and putting it in his spatial ring. Finally, he had what he needed. He almost wanted to go grab Dvora and leave without delay, but their departure would need to be a stealthy one. One last deception and they were free.

Chapter 52

The messenger entered the mobile Ice Phoenix Palace’s cultivation chamber at a run. She leaped to her knees and began talking before her head even touched the floor. Only disciples temporarily running errands for guild points would kowtow when they entered. This girl was almost out of breath, which was nearly impossible for an earth realm cultivator, even early ones, unless she’d forgotten to breathe for some time.

“This one reports. The elder of the Morning Mist Village has commanded everyone to leave the third floor. It’s said that there is something wrong with the Divine Spire’s defensive array and it’s attacking people.”

Elder Sya shot to her feet as she heard the young woman’s words. “Have we confirmed that there are cultivators that have been killed?”

Chao and Huifen didn’t wait to exit the side chamber. It seemed their days of mundane reports were over. Pangfua had only been gone for a day, but Chao was getting restless already.

The girl remained bowed, but she’d settled back on her knees so she could easily glance up to see who they were. Her eyes went wide before her gaze snapped back to the floor. “This one answers. Not to my knowledge.”

“I must investigate,” Elder Sya said. “Will you go with me?”

“Of course,” Chao replied.

“I’ll ask you to remain at a distance and only interfere if there’s no other choice.”

“You suspect something?” Huifen asked.

“If Elder Harnish is involved, always. The timing is just too convenient.”

“We’ll do as you ask.”

Chao nodded to his mother-in-law. There were other sky realm elders from the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects present, but she’d been given command by Pangfua without hesitation. Her relationship with Chao and Huifen helped, as did her personal relationship with the Sage. Those were far from her only reasons for being chosen. She had the mind and temperament needed for such responsibility. Any other choice would’ve been the wrong one.

As they moved to leave the building, Sya issued a new command to the young fairy that had delivered the report. “Exit the spire and find our elder in charge. Use my name when telling them to gather the joint sect into defensive formation.”

When the young fairy wavered, Sya commanded, “Go.”

The fairy jumped to her feet and shot past them.

As soon as they were outside the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Chamber, Sya called for a nearby elder. A burly fire phoenix elder shot over and Chao surrounded them in a sound barrier. Sya gave him the most basic details and her fears of what she thought Elder Harnish was up to. She asked him to contact Pangfua.

Before Chao’s sound barrier had even dissipated, the man shot above the constant foot traffic into the air toward the exit. For the transmission jades to reach Pangfua, he needed to be outside the spire.

She pulled another elder aside, and he flew above the crowd and issued a boisterous command. “Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects assume defensive formation!”

It was a shockwave through the crowded first floor. The joint sect had amongst the highest number of disciples in the spire, but compared to the total number of occupants they made up a tenth of the total at any one given time. Even if they were greatly outnumbered, the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects were the preeminent power on the Monolith Continent. To issue a call to formation was a call to battle.

There was a moment of shocked silence before screams of fright and desperation rose from those hurrying to join up with their own sect. The crowd was startled into action like a hive of bees under attack. Everyone on the first floor scurried about, but the instant they saw an ice or fire phoenix uniform they made way.

Elder Sya wouldn’t have to take to the air for the crowd was parting at her approach. She did so anyway to save time. Chao and Huifen made use of this fissure and ran beneath her, doing their best to keep up. By the time they reached the stairs to the second floor, the crowd had made space. There was already a stream of cultivators retreating from the second floor after the Morning Mist Village’s warning. Many ice and fire phoenix disciples had formed up near the Trial of Might. Only those still fully engrossed in the trial itself were on the platform and a few brave cultivators insisted on waiting for their friends.

The joint sect disciples didn’t harass them, but two lines had formed. The ice phoenix disciples formation had four in the front and four in the back. They stood ready, scanning the crowd with their weapons in hand. Almost twice as many fire phoenix disciples formed up at their flank in a similar two row formation. One of the largest fire phoenix disciples was yelling at a few stragglers that remained at the rear, issuing threats, and questioning their sanity.

An ice fairy elder flew in from above and landed between both formations at the rear, immediately taking charge. A fire phoenix elder led a group out from behind the Trial of Might. They’d just arrived from the second floor. Without a word, he saw the situation and picked up a dozen cultivators with his qi and flew them over to join the formation.

Chao couldn’t help but feel a little giddy at the sight, even if he wasn’t sure it was necessary. It was a display of discipline and might that none of the other sects could compete with. There was only one exception he saw, and their numbers were half of the joint sect.

The Night Pearl Sect had formed up with the wall to their back. It seemed they wanted to be clear they weren’t forming up directly against the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect, so they did so a comfortable distance away.

Before Elder Sya reached the stairs to the second floor, another ice phoenix elder led the joint sect disciples that had been cultivating on the third floor. Core Disciple Shoi-ming was at their back, flying low while facing the rear.

“They’re with them,” Huifen whispered. He saw them too. Their personal disciples were unharmed.

“That’s a relief,” Chao replied.

Sya touched down as Shoi-ming broke off from the group. Besides giving the elder a glancing nod, his gaze remained fixed on the way he’d come.

“Elder Harnish is headed this way,” Shoi-ming said, leaning over to Sya. “The bulk of the Morning Mist Village is with him. After seeing their coordination, it seems they’ve been planning this for some time.”

His mother-in-law nodded that she understood.

“Should I stand with you?” Shoi-ming asked.

“There’s no need,” Xiao Tu called out. He marched in from behind, passing Chao and Huifen who had stopped to give Elder Sya her space. As he did, he glanced in their direction and gave them a wink.

His father-in-law’s hands were full. He threw out three array flags with guidance from his qi before he’d even reached them. With one flag at his wife’s back and one on either side a few meters in front of her, he stepped up, patted Core Disciple Shoi-ming on the back, and said, “Thank you, brother.”

Chao heard the normal jovial tone in Tu’s voice, but any real mirth was missing. He was more concerned that his father-in-law was overstepping than excited to see what he might do.

Huifen grabbed his arm to stop him. Chao looked at her, seeing confidence in the way she shook her head. It was then that Core Disciple Shoi-ming obeyed and flew over to the joint sect’s formation. Instead of landing behind them, he landed in front and folded his arms over his chest.

“This way,” Huifen said under her breath, tugging Chao’s arm in the direction away from the joint sect. Opposite them was a crowd. Most of them were independent cultivators, but there were a few groups from sects that had recently hurried down from the second floor. One such group was from the Night Pearl Sect and Fairy Dvora was amongst them.

Seeing his wife’s intention, he hurried with her. They placed themselves directly in front of the bloated crowd. Not only would it give them a good angle to intercept any attack from the badly hidden Sage of the Morning Mist Village, but they could protect the disciples behind them as well as feel out any hidden agents that might attack from any direction.

Chao made a point to look the Night Pearl Sect elder in the eye. He wasn’t fond of the sect and their cultivation practices, but they were the closest ally the joint sect had in the Divine Spire so he wouldn’t let personal feelings interfere. The woman’s veil covered her face. It was thin enough for him to see her features. “Your sect is formed up over there against the wall,” he said, pointing. Other cultivators were giving their formation space, even if it wasn’t as much as they were giving the joint sect. The only problem was that the bulk of the crowd was cutting them off from their sect. There were just too many people.

He saw the fairy elder quickly observe their predicament, then consider something before glancing back at the disciples in her charge and shaking her head. She looked like she was about to lead them out into the open so they could make their way around the crowd when a heavy presence made itself known. It came from the top of the stairs and was heading down.

Seeing that the elder fairy had stopped in her tracks, Chao no longer gave them the option and placed himself directly in front of her, spinning to face the possible threat. He even stepped back after seeing his wife do the same to blend in with the crowd.

***

Dvora didn’t know whether to stare at the monstrous Tao or divert her gaze. She ended up doing a mixture of the two, not finding the courage to take her eyes off him for long. Then she watched as he tried to direct her elder to the rest of their sect. It made sense. They were allies after all. That didn’t mean he’d give her any leniency. If he really was an overlord like she suspected, he didn’t need permission from her Night Pearl Sect to kill a disciple that had offended him. Even if her Sect Master was an overlord as well, the woman wouldn’t chance offending this Sage Tao for a lowly one such as her.

They were just about to leave when she felt a new aura press down on her as a new threat arrived. This person didn’t hide it as Tong Tao and his wife did. She then saw her elder faulter. To her horror, Tao was suddenly right in front of her, blocking her escape. He’d placed his back to her, and even held his hands out to the sides to keep anyone from going around him.

It was then that the most terrifying thing happened. The man she’d seen pin a sky realm cultivator to the wall touched her. He was motioning for people to move backward, and she hadn’t reacted fast enough. His hand had grazed hers.

He turned and found her frozen there. Instead of the wrath of an overlord, she saw concern staring back at her. He quickly gave her a look of acknowledgement and even shifted to place himself more in front of her. What was going on? Did he not despise her?

A chill swept over her body. It wasn’t from fear but relief. She simply didn’t believe what was happening. She didn’t dare believe that this Tong Tao, who was a target she’d tried to seduce then blackmail, wasn’t hostile. If his body language was to be believed, he was protecting her. Not just her, of course, but he was including her under the umbrella of her sect.

She’d been living in fear for days. That was enough shock, but the massive presence she’d almost forgotten had arrived. The kindly old Elder Harnish with his brown beard and slightly darker wooden armor came around the corner with a proud look on his face. His pace didn’t slow as he took in the reception. More than twenty Morning Mist Village disciples were at his tail. Her Baros was with them.

Chapter 53

The tension between the formed-up Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect and the encroaching Morning Mist Village was palpable. All conversation ceased and only whispers remained. Elder Harnish was seemingly ignorant of the force aligned against him. He finally slowed after passing the Trial of Might’s platform. There was only a short distance between his party, the joint sect formation, and Mother Sya and Father Tu.

Before words could be exchanged, Elder Alfori of the Night Pearl Sect took to the air, landing beside Sya just outside of Tu’s array formation.

Huifen observed that the woman was a good meter in front of the Ice and Fire Phoenix elder, but she had also placed herself behind the frontal array flag. On the surface, it looked like she would try to play peacemaker, but she was also in a defensive position clearly on the side of the joint sect.

There were many ways to read into the woman’s actions. All assumptions might’ve been true, or none of them. She knew the woman was a political creature as was the way of her sect. She inwardly bemoaned. There’d been a time she enjoyed politics because the mind games were a different sort of challenge, but after her and her husband’s conflict with the Sun family, she’d be happy if she didn’t have to bother with them for the rest of her life. And yet here she was, hidden on the sidelines trying to discern the intentions of powerful sects.

Glancing over at Chao, she watched as he looked between the three elders of the sects facing off. He wasn’t unwise to political maneuvering. He’d proved he caught on to more of what was happening than he outwardly revealed. If he did involve himself, he wouldn’t try to maneuver into the best possible position. He was too honest for that. It would make him feel like he was trying to take advantage of others. He’d call out Elder Harnish and force him to drop the act. She’d enjoy seeing it if he did, but remaining in hiding gave them advantages revealing themselves didn’t. There was also a higher likelihood that Harnish would reveal what he’s up to if he didn’t feel threatened.

Even if the smug look never fell from the Morning Mist Village elder’s face, he scanned his surroundings and his gaze settled on Elder Sya. Lifting up his voice, he spoke with a melancholic tone. “Everyone can rest assured. The danger has passed. The Divine Spire’s defensive pylon seems to have returned to normal.”

So that’s how you’re going to play it. Huifen nudged Chao’s wrist, feeling the sound barrier surround them immediately.

“He’s lying,” Chao hissed under his breath.

“Yes. Unless there’s conflict, we shouldn’t act. If he feels like he must hide it, then he lacks confidence in overpowering his opposition.”

He nodded.

“Elder Harnish,” Elder Alfori of the Night Pearl Sect said with a shallow martial bow. Her veil still covered her face. “What happened?”

The man put on a doleful expression, making a point to meet the gazes of the crowd before responding. “Regretfully, Morning Mist Village lost one of its promising disciples to the vault’s defensive array. As far as I know, his is the only loss of life.”

There were several gasps from the crowd, but one in particular pulled Huifen’s attention. She glanced over to find the Dvora woman, the very one that had tried to seduce her husband, standing behind him. Her first thought was to blast the woman away from him with her qi, but she hadn’t forgotten Brother Baros’s plea.

Despite the man’s insistence, she had difficulty believing that a seductress like Dvora hadn’t deceived him. That wouldn’t explain her reaction to Elder Harnish’s words. Huifen had almost felt her fearful yelp. But why such a reaction?

She scanned the disciples behind the elder and found Baros at the front of their group. He was shiftily eying the crowd, but his eyes drifted in Dvora’s direction more than once. The fairy’s reaction didn’t make sense if she were reacting to a stranger’s death. But if she feared it might have been her secret betrothed?

“We mourn for your loss,” Elder Sya finally spoke. “Given the situation, I must ask, why did you required the elders of every other sect to leave instead of soliciting their help?”

The man looked back at her as if dealing with a pitiable student without the wisdom to know their own foolishness. “It was with their safety in mind, I assure you.” He walked forward with his hands behind his back in a comfortable gate. He then turned to the crowd and began to pace as he explained. “Before the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect returned to the Divine Spire, I was here during the year of their absence. It is rare for the vault’s defensive array to activate, but I’ve been able to decipher a few of its mysteries.”

He stopped close to the crowd with his back turned to his opposing elders. “I suspect that the reason the pylon activated today is because my sect’s disciple directed killing intent toward the vault itself, whether intentional or not. Once it activates, for a short period of time, it’s more sensitive to negative emotion.”

Spinning, he slowly walked back and addressed the elders. “As you know, water cultivators are able to project their emotions, so I took it as my responsibility to clear the area and wait at the pylon until I sensed it had returned to normal. Since my fellow elders do not have the same experience that I do, I requested they leave as well with every intention of explaining my actions as soon as I deemed it was safe. And thus here we are.”

His explanation was completely reasonable, and yet Huifen was just as certain it was filled with deceit. It begged the question, what was he really doing at the third-floor vault? Why else would that man had spent more than the last year of his life here? He was seeking the unknown treasure inside. Before the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect’s return to the spire, he’d had freedom to do as he liked. As soon as Pangfua had been gone for a day, his original plans were revealed. He’d even gotten one of his sect’s disciples killed in the process. If he was willing to sacrifice the disciples of his own sect, then what else was he willing to do?

***

Pangfua had been greeted in a way contrary to how the Treasury of Earth and Sky leadership was pompously dressed. Their colors were white laden with gold, and their robes were made of enough fabric for three people. They were polite enough, but fear permeated their every word.

The guild hall was a nine-story pagoda made of red brick, a dark stone roof, and golden trim. It had a rustic, but majestic feel. It was rare for rich merchants to purposely make their buildings look old on the Monolith Continent, but the Treasury of Earth and Sky was near the border, so they took much from Landbridge as well as Monolith. She had to admit that she preferred this style over the cleaner style in Phoenix City and the capital.

The guild master didn’t just come out to her for their greeting, but his entire family of more than fifty exited with him and prostrated themselves before her. The children were included. It wasn’t just a display of prominence. The children’s presence was a plea for mercy.

Their hired cultivators also appeared flanking the family on both sides, giving deep martial bows. There were as many of them as there were family members. There were sky realm cultivators in both groups. It was some show of strength for a merchant guild. She also knew they had good relations with three or more sages.

Without showing any emotion, a sweep of her qi lifted them all from the ground and placed them back on their feet. “I haven’t come to seek retribution,” she called out.

The guild master hurried forward, bowing as he did. “Sage Pangfua of the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect. This one is at your service.”

The crowd quickly dispersed as the man led her to the top floor of the pagoda, flying there himself. Besides a woman whom he introduced as his wife who served them a rich herbal tea, they were alone.

He had a long mustache that curled at both sides. His sideburns were grown long as well curling upward outwardly in the same manner. The man proceeded to apologize.

Pangfua let him. Her presence here was to reassure him and his family as much as it was to get answers. It was tedious, but she didn’t really mind doing it. A lesser sect wouldn’t bother showing up at all if they had no intentions of pursuing anything, or if they did, it would be to extort an exorbitant amount of resources from the unfortunate party. Under Quinyuan’s leadership, they’d do no such thing. Such conflict presented an even better opportunity. Friendship prospers in adversity. It had taken her decades to understand this lesson of her master, but she now knew its worth. There was a reason why the Sun family hadn’t been able to cause more harm to the families of their disciples. The goodwill they’d acquired over the last few centuries caused unexpecting parties to rise up and offer a willing hand when the need arose.

She took the man’s gifts when offered, making a point not to respond to their worth. She reassured him that the joint sect had no intentions of holding the Treasury of Earth and Sky responsible for what had happened. It was then the conversation turned to the employment of Sister Nang and her husband. The man had already gathered much information and had it written in a card jade. She also was given the contracts the couple had signed.

It was as she expected. There was nothing suspicious about what she discovered. If Pangfua didn’t have experience with the sects of the Landbridge Continent, she wouldn’t have been able to pick up on the holes in their story. In the end, her suspicions were confirmed. She was even confident she knew the Asura organization Nang had joined. It was known for carrying out assassinations, and not just on the Monolith Continent.

Before half a day was over, she had everything she came for. She’d stay for a few more days so that the guild could show their hospitality and develop relations.

It was in the morning of the second day while the guild master was showing off some of his best wares that she received the voice transmission. Only after she excused herself and apologized for having to leave so suddenly did her expression turn bleak. She already knew that Elder Harnish had been trying to open the vault before their return to the Divine Spire. If the man had just been forthcoming, she wouldn’t have denied him, and even offered assistance. So why the secrecy? Why wait until she was gone? Was he so used to civil intrigue that he was incapable of an honest approach.

No. If he thought it would gain him more benefits, he would’ve involved her. If he was in her current situation with the Treasury of Earth and Sky, he was the type to extort resources. The joint sect had managed the Divine Spire for the last few centuries. They were the highest ranked sect and had the right to claim it. The only reason they’d chosen to share the benefits of the spire with outsiders was because of good will. After Harnish had gotten a taste of having the spire mostly to himself, it seemed he didn’t want to let it go.

Once she’d taken to the air, she didn’t hold back as she shot into the distance.

Chapter 54

Mother Sya chose to limit the joint sect’s activity to the first floor until Pangfua’s return. After Elder Harnish’s explanation, they were put in a difficult position. If they decided to push back too hard without Pangfua present, they’d have to reveal themselves.

Chao regretted keeping their identities hidden. He was sure if their presence was known that this Sage wouldn’t have attempted whatever he was up to. It was clear even to him that the man was saying just the right thing to manipulate the situation. There were two facts that were all he needed to know as far as he was concerned. The vault was involved and the elder had gotten one of his own disciples killed.

Instead of returning to the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile cultivation chamber with Mother Sya, he and his Huifen decided to mingle with the crowd. What remained of it was mostly made up of rogue cultivators. The sects retreated and gathered in force. Only a few groups dared to ascend now that the spire was considered safe when even the joint sect remained where they were.

They did hear a few firsthand accounts of how the Morning Mist Village had approached groups and asked them to descend. They didn’t even have to ask directly for the most important detail. No one had been attacked by the defensive pylon before they’d been asked to descend. Since Elder Harnish was relying on excuses anyway, Chao was sure he had another lined up explaining this away.

“This is annoying,” he said to Huifen from the safety of his sound barrier. They’d stopped on a lightly traveled path amongst the sect tents. It was easy enough to just stay put and bring the whispered conversations to them with his sound laws.

“It’s the price for seeking friendly relations with every party present,” Huifen replied sounding far more patient.

“Even those with bad intentions?”

“Yes. Elder Harnish may be a Sage hiding his cultivation, but he is not the Morning Mist Village. Their Sect Master is also an overlord and nearing large success—if he hasn’t already reached it. They likely have as many sky realm cultivators as we do.”

“So only our number of overlords make us more powerful?”

She shook her head. “No. Our cultivation techniques can’t be compared to sects without divine realm backing. That doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous. There’s also the question as to whether this Harnish is acting with the Morning Mist Village’s best interest in mind. Imagine what would happen if we took offense and a battle broke out. Harnish flees and we follow. Then, when his senior sees him return, he beats the man to a pulp and apologizes. If we weren’t holding back, how many of their disciples would we kill before finding out this elder was acting on his own?

“There is a clear distinction between us and the Asura Cults. Tao, I’m concerned I’m having to say this. The Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects seek justice, not revenge. After what has happened, are you sure you’re up for this?”

A glimpse of Wancheng Jolon battered and smoldering in the smoke of his torture flashed through Chao’s mind. He shook off the memory. “I still believe in mercy,” he said, looking up at the ceiling.

“But?”

“I… Sometimes mercy is wrong.” He gave her a troubled look. “I don’t want to be wrong.” When no other explanation came… He shrugged.

“So what do we do if we don’t know what is right or wrong? Or what if we know what is right, but we want to do the opposite?” There was an edge to her tone, but also uncertainty.

He realized then that his struggles were affecting her deeply. There was no enlightenment or great realization that struck him with eternal wisdom. All he knew was that his wife needed him to be strong, so he would be. Sliding over to her, he nudged her with his shoulder. “Then we make the best decision we can with the information we have and deal with the consequences afterward. And if you don’t want dire beast meat, then we hunt dire birds.”

She looked like she was about to scold him. “What does that even mean?”

“It means that dire beast meat is the best for our cultivation. If we don’t like it, then we find a way we can stomach it anyway.”

He thought she was going to object to his silly example, but instead she latched onto it. After a moment, she grabbed his arm and embraced it.

Sage Pangfua arrived not long after. Even without her aura blasting the area with her presence, the crowd grew still as she entered the Divine Spire. There was a chilled fury that followed in her wake. She didn’t stop or slow. After entering, she headed right for the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile cultivation chamber. Just behind her, Elder Harnish followed. He kept his head high and had the same affable demeanor, but it couldn’t disguise the reality of the situation. He was following behind her like a puppy with his tail between his legs.

Chao looked at Huifen who was already shaking her head.

“There’s no way to follow them in without peaking Harnish’s interest,” she confirmed. “Can you listen to their conversation from the outside?”

“I can try.” He reached out with his perceptions and tried to penetrate the domed cultivation chamber. As he suspected, it was as impossible as if trying to penetrate the walls of the Divine Spire. That didn’t necessarily mean he couldn’t hear what was going on inside. Different pitches of sound traveled through various materials at different rates. Knowing this, he was looking for even the slightest hint.

He frowned. He didn’t give up right away. After a minute more, he had his answer. “I can’t hear a thing.”

***

Elder Harnish started to weave his tale. He’d barely got started when Pangfua held up her hand and addressed him. “I don’t trust you, which makes your words meaningless. I’m of the mind to banish the Morning Mist Village from the spire indefinitely. What concessions will you make to guarantee your sect continues receiving benefits?”

The elder gave a rare scowl. “You’d dare—”

“Yes,” she said, filling the room with her aura. The elder’s cultivation was her equal if not higher, but within the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile chamber there was ice qi surrounding them both. To attack her here was suicide. “A string of murders, this happens in my short absence, and you broke your word. I will only ask you one more time, what concession will you make.”

Seeing the elder smirk, she knew immediately his outrage had been a feint. The man was never short for words, but after his blustering was over, she forced him to concede.

“We will give up half our seats to other sects.”

“And?”

“I won’t enter the spire again—unless you’ve requested my help studying the defensive pylon, or my sect is in danger, of course.”

His scheming never stops. Pangfua inclined her head and glared at him. She held him like that until he moved uncomfortably. “Thank you, for the offer,” she replied without the same frigidity of her gaze. “I spent nearly a decade here in my youth, and I have the centuries of experience of my Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect to fall back on. I reassure you that I’ll personally check the vault’s defensive formation every few days for any strange activity.”

 “That’s for the best,” Elder Harnish acquiesced.

When he was finally gone, Pangfua breathed out a sigh of relief. She would’ve preferred a direct confrontation to Harnish’s scheming. She wasn’t sure she’d ever had an honest conversation with the man, or if anyone had for that matter.

Elder Sya entered a few minutes later. It would be a while before Sister Huifen and Brother Chao would join them so as not to draw too much attention to themselves. For now, they compared notes.

***

As he promised, Sage Harnish left the Divine Spire, but he didn’t go far. He rarely actually entered anyway since the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects had returned. Within his own lodging built of the surrounding stone mixed with brick from just across the border, he relaxed near the back of the room drinking spirit wine from a jug.

After swallowing a mouthful, he tapped his tongue to the top of his mouth, enjoying its taste. He turned his attention back to the sky realm elder that remained on his knees and said, “Pangfua responded as I assumed she would. Everything is settling nicely into place.”

“Should we be ready to move immediately, Master?”

“The sea’s calm surface conceals the dangers of the deep. Always remain dangerous, but on the surface appear as lucid as the morning dew. For now, we will wait patiently as our prey comes to the water’s edge day after day. We will observe until the right time reveals itself.”

“Understood.”

“Now go. Take a group to the third floor to cultivate and keep your eyes open.”

Chapter 55

A few days passed, and things returned to normal. Except for the Morning Mist Village having less disciples in the Divine Spire at any one time, it was like nothing had happened. Uncomfortably so. Chao kept asking himself, “What was the point?” Elder Harnish wasn’t a fool according to every source, so how couldn’t he know this would happen? Which meant he knew, and yet he acted anyway. What made it worth it? What did he gain?

The obvious answer was that, somehow, he’d been able to open the spire’s vault and was hiding it for some reason. If that were the case, then why hadn’t he just taken the contents and left before Pangfua’s return? Which led Chao to believe that he hadn’t been able to open the vault, or if he had, he was somehow unable to take what was inside. If the latter were the case and he had a way in, Chao couldn’t exactly blame him for keeping it to himself. But now, the Morning Mist elder had been banished from the spire. Was he waiting for an opportunity to sneak in, or was he planning on waiting until the joint sect allowed him access again?

In the end, the man’s actions just didn’t make sense.

He and Huifen had joined Pangfua at the vault’s defensive formation and found nothing out of place. Chao learned that what the elder had said about directing killing intent toward the vault or pylon was true, but it wasn’t new information either. It had been the same for centuries. Only those independent cultivators or sects unfamiliar with the spire wouldn’t know.

“What is it?” Huifen asked from her seat within their protective formations on the sixth floor. It was the first time they’d returned there since Pangfua had returned.

He couldn’t help but catch her worried expression. “It’s nothing new. I still feel like there’s something we’re missing. What benefit did Harnish receive in doing this?”

She sat aside her prize Ice Phoenix Tome that held the first technique of the third pillar she’d been studying. “Hmmm. I haven’t puzzle it out either.”

“I’m thinking about approaching Baros and asking him directly,” he said.

“Don’t,” she replied, reaching over and placing her hand on his. “There is no telling if he’s involved, and if he is, then it’s unlikely we’ll get an honest answer. That alone isn’t a reason not to try, but it will draw suspicion to our identities, especially now. If Sage Harnish is really up to something, keeping our identities concealed is more advantageous now than it was when we first arrived. Hiding from possible assassins is one thing. Giving Pangfua two hidden sages to call upon if there’s hostility is something else entirely. If what you’re thinking is right, she might need us soon.”

“I don’t disagree… However, could it not stop whatever he’s up to if we reveal ourselves?”

“It could. That might be all it takes. But what if it only delays things until we leave the spire? Remaining hidden will allow him to continue with anything he’s planning. And it puts Pangfua in a much better position.”

“I just don’t like her being in this position in the first place.”

Her face lit up, and she gave him a smirk. “I’ll have to tell Big Sister you’re worried about her.”

Chao opened his mouth to respond but found no words. He felt the blush hit his face but he narrowed his eyes. “Are you saying I shouldn’t be?”

She just grinned wider. “Would you prefer to take her place?”

Glancing to the side, he only had to think about it for an instant. The moment he looked back he saw her downturned expression.

“Of course, you would,” she chuckled lightly. With a sigh, she added. “Instead of speaking to Baros, let’s approach this Dvora. I’ll do it.”

“You sure? Will it not draw suspicion?”

“I think it’s far less likely. If what he said is true, then she wants to distance herself from her sect already and she’s still being disciplined. If not, then she’s manipulating him and unlikely to mention us. Besides, trust your wife. I can be persuasive.”

***

She’d spoken with Baros just yesterday. He’d promised her they’d be leaving soon. He had the rest of the funds and Dvora had seen his sincere enthusiasm. It was only then that she dared to believe that everything he’d spoken of would actually come true. She’d even tried to give back the pouch of money, but he wouldn’t take it. They’d chanced her getting in trouble as she laid out her schedule to him in detail. Leaving without being caught would take as much effort from her as it would from him. It wasn’t just getting outside the Divine Spire with time to spare before anyone would miss her. It would require misdirection. They were working with their own situations within a certain window. Leaving tomorrow wasn’t possible, but within a week it was doable.

As she passed through the meditation chambers of the second floor on her way to get some sleep for the first time in two days, she stopped mid-step. Tong Fen was waiting at the entrance of this rarely used chamber. She told herself that the fairy wasn’t there for her, but then the woman motioned to a side chamber.

She found she didn’t have the strength to resist. All the relief she felt just two days before when the woman’s husband had shielded her from the possible confrontation turned to mist and floated away, leaving her a dry husk.

This woman in orange martial robes wore too unyielding an expression as she guided her into the room Baros often used. She couldn’t look the woman in the eye. Was this it? She’d been caught trying to seduce this woman’s husband. Perhaps it’s exactly what she deserved after all the deception. So close to leaving this life for good only to lose her life days before her escape.

As terrified as she was, she’d been through too much just to give up without a fight. “Sister Tong Fen,” she said, dipping her head.

“You fear I’m here for revenge?”

Her gaze climbed all the way to the fairy’s waist before falling. “It wouldn’t surprise me.”

“I’m not here for any such thing. What do you know about the Morning Mist Village’s purpose with the vault?”

She was about to feign ignorance when she stopped herself. Baros had admitted he’d spoken to this couple and even asked them not to pursue her. He’d been so convinced. Perhaps she should put her trust in him.

This Fen’er knew about them, but did she know that Dvora was aware? Playing dumb wouldn’t help her either way. It might even anger this monstrous woman if she really didn’t intend her any harm.

She mustered the courage and met the woman’s gaze. It was piercing and overbearing, but she didn’t look like she was ready to attack. “Nothing directly, but…”

“Go on,” the fairy said, softening her tone.

She leaned forward and answered tactfully. “Whatever they did is over. A few disciples were paid handsomely for their service. One died in the process.”

“Are any of them injured?”

A chill shot up Dvora’s spine. This woman’s husband had surprised her the same way. She was actually concerned? Ringing her hands, she caught herself. It was a nervous tell she hadn’t let slip in years. She couldn’t believe she was about to do this, but just as her betrothed was trying to be honest, so would she. “My Baros is uninjured. We’ll be leaving as soon as we can slip away.”

She swallowed hard as if something didn’t taste right, but then she noticed the way Tong Fen was looking at her. The woman was giving her a thin smile.

“I wish you the best,” Fen’er said but seemed to falter. “We’re concerned Elder Harnish might be up to something that might harm more people. Is there anything else you can tell me?”

Dvora scrunched up her face as she thought. “Nothing of his future plans. Baros did warn me to stay out of the vault’s chamber, but he’s been focused on leaving.”

“If you hear anything before you’re gone, especially if it might endanger others, please let me know.” She gave a martial salute.

“That’s it? Are you not going to tell my elders?”

“Why would I do that?”

“You’re allied with my Night Pearl Sect, are you not?”

Fen’er leaned forward as if to impart a secret. “I think what you’re doing is right. A gift from my Tong family.”

Dvora found the woman’s hand outstretched. She timidly reached out. Two pills were placed in her hand. Precious ones.

“Sorry I don’t have a spare jade container, but they shouldn’t lose potency as long as you place them in something in the next couple of days. And be sure to keep them separate.”

“Why?” she asked, exasperated. “Why would you do this?”

“Because… I enjoy it.”

“Thank you,” she replied slowly before thinking better of it and bowing deeply. Without knowing what to do next she added. “Goodbye.”

***

Back peddling, Huifen felt a sudden hand touch her lower back.

“That was unexpected,” Chao whispered awfully close to her ear. “So pushy.”

“Stop it,” she replied, embarrassed by his sarcasm. She hadn’t pressed the fairy at all after she’d realized that the only reason Baros was involved was to earn enough money for them to leave. “Do you think we should’ve taken her into custody? We could help them leave after learning what they know.”

“You were thinking that and you still let her go? And to gift them pills…”

“Enough of your teasing. You’re rubbing off on me is all.”

“You said you enjoy it.”

She threw a puff of ice qi in his face but acquiesced. “I do.”

“At least we know it was a ploy by Harnish to try something with the vault. He even paid a few disciples to do this “something” which got one killed.”

“It’s good information but doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t already suspect.”

“Maybe Harnish has a thing for dragon’s breath candy, and we can bribe him to tell us what he’s planning?”

Grabbing his hand, she didn’t answer his nonsense and headed back toward the upper floors. Just as she said, Pangfua would spend some time each day examining the vault’s defensive array for the next couple of weeks. Whatever it was that Elder Harnish was planning, if he wanted to do it anytime soon, he’d have to go through Sage Pangfua to do it.

Chapter 56

A week later, Chao sat with Father Tu discussing concepts and laws. Li Qiang was playing the borrow game with his study partner, while the girls were huddled on the other side of the chamber. Their practice was going well, and Huifen was very hands-on as she competed with each of them in turn. Most of her time was spent with Fairy Zhu, however.

Life had been sucked out of the group since the loss of Fairy Daiyu but loss was something he had experience with. There was a haze. It made exuberance difficult, but it wasn’t gone. He’d experienced real lifelessness when his mother had died. Even then, he and his father had each other, which was what eventually forced them to go on. There were more people present this time. The haze didn’t have the same power. There was too much life to suffocate. Too much compassion—affection.

“So either it’s an excessively complex concept, or made up of many…” Tu said, thinking out loud.

Chao nodded. “What governs the array refinement process, the refinement process for any treasure for that matter, is dependent upon the refiner’s blood, the item, the link created between the two, and the natural rules that govern the process. There’d have to be at least one concept for each variable, and they’d have to work together, which would be governed by other concepts. Is there one concept you could single out to do what you ask? Perhaps. But if you master it and happen to be wrong, you’d have to start over with a different one.”

His father-in-law’s resolve didn’t falter. He had a shrewd gleam in his eye. “But if you could pull it off. Can you imagine breaking your opponent’s link to their weapon during a fight, or changing it so that the weapon rebels during an assault and listens to you?”

Tu had come to Chao with this idea on his own. The man was a merchant who relied on arrays and defensive treasures, so he could understand where the idea had come from. It would be genius if he could pull it off. If someone really could manipulate the link between a cultivator and their treasures it could prove extremely powerful. Frighteningly so. Maybe it wouldn’t win every fight, but if it were possible to get a person’s weapon to reject them then their own martial techniques could blow up in their face.

“I’ll help you if you want to pursue it, Father” he replied, cupping the man’s shoulder to encourage him.

“Very good,” Tu said, bringing his hands together. “I might not be able to compete with higher realm cultivators like my daughter and son-in-law, but just you wait. The time will come when not even a Divine Monarch’s weapon is safe.”

***

It had been peaceful since the murderers had been caught. Elder Harnish had pulled his ruse, but Shoi-ming expected no less from the man. Today had been especially quiet. He often sat as guard and disciplinarian in the third floor’s Fire Cultivation Chamber. One of the benefits of his bulk was the intimidation factor. He wasn’t shy of using it to his advantage when it suited his purpose, but today the chamber was empty except for his juniors and the fairies of the Night Pearl Sect.

The purple-veiled fairies were abnormally quiet for girls their age, but he’d grown used to it by now. Perhaps it was just the secretive nature of their training. He thought it might seem like a game to the younger ones. It’s just as they matured the game never ended and they somehow forgot they’d been playing one.

There were still some of the Morning Mist Village disciples in the next chamber with his joint sect juniors. There were so few of them that he didn’t see them as a threat. If anything, he felt sorry for them. To have a whole wall of ice fairies sitting across from you not hiding their suspicions after what had happened was not pleasant.

After the Morning Mist Village had all but retreated from the spire, the joint sect had been given an entire ten additional seats they could utilize, and they did. At this time of the day—it was nearing noon—the majority of their joint sect was in the spire. There were a few elders outside, and those who cultivated at night were sleeping. Even Pangfua was in the Water Cultivation Chamber with her fairies.

The sage had continued to visit the vault to scan the area to make sure nothing was out of place. Shoi-ming had spoken to her, suggesting she take advantage while she could and ascend the tower to do some cultivating of her own. He was willing to watch the Fire and Ice Phoenix Sect disciples while she was gone. Sage’s Chao and Huifen were below on the second floor, and the elders knew to reach out to them if there were any serious threats. As dutiful as ever, she’d refused. He’d have to insist next time he had the chance.

Movement caught his eye. He glanced over from his meditative state where he was seated on the stone bench against the wall. There was no need to make himself look bigger. He already had the largest physique of anyone in the spire. All he did was shift forward in his seat. The Morning Mist Village disciples all flinched as he did even though they were on the clear opposite sides of the room. He sat by the entryway to have the best vantage against any enemy that might be ascending the tower. They’d all have to pass this way.

There was one elder at the back of the small group. There were only six of them including the man. All wore their wooden armor. To a fire cultivator, they looked like warriors dressed in kindling.

They were passing through the room to head downward. Shoi-ming took note that no one was there to replace them.

Their elder was in the front and wore a tight smile. It was as fake as any of theirs, but when he nodded respectfully, Shoi-ming nodded back.

The last person in line was lagging behind the rest. So much so that they’d left the room before he was halfway through it. He seemed so deep in thought that he didn’t notice when he dropped something. It looked like a toggle used in the fastening of his armor.

One woman from the Night Pearl Sect was the first to bend down and pick it up. She called out to him but did it so meekly he didn’t notice. She sat there, waiting for him to respond. When he didn’t, she stood and followed him. The tightening of her fists was a good indicator that she wasn’t too happy about being ignored.

Just a moment ago he was pitying the young men of the Morning Mist Village for having to cultivate across from a room full of ice fairies, but that didn’t mean he’d save one from getting a verbal thrashing. If he butted into every confrontation between juniors, they’d never learn anything.

***

Baros’s normal amiable expression was missing, and his eyes bore a line into the ground as he walked. From the outside, he seemed troubled and oblivious to what was going on around him, but he noticed everything and threw it all into his calculations. There had been no perfect moment for them to leave. Not even a semi-decent one. And now it was too late.

No. His Dvora was not muddle headed. She’d understand that the wooden toggle falling wasn’t by chance. He’d even heard her bend over and call out to him. Barely heard her. That had to mean that she’d realized what he intended. It must.

When she called out again, he was alone in the next chamber. His walking had slowed even further. His sect had gone on without him. They were too focused on what was about to happen to worry about him.

He didn’t respond but kept going. She didn’t catch up right away, so she was following his lead.

Only when they were in the next chamber did he sidestep the entrance. He waited until she had entered to take her hand. This chamber had a side path connected to it, so he dragged her with him. He couldn’t be sure the sage wouldn’t come this way, but there was no time to delay.

Pulling her in, he spun and lifted her veil to look her dead in the eye. “We have to leave, now.”

The blush faded from her cheeks, but she stood her ground “Why?”

“He’s coming. Elder Harnish.”

“Is he insane? The Ice Phoenix overlord is only a few rooms away.”

“He knows. He’s counting on it. Now, stop, Dvora. This will give us just the window we need to get away, but we must go. And then we have to move fast. Without stopping for at least a day. We’ll head straight to the Landbridge Continent. From there… We’ll figure it out.”

She skipped right over her personal matters and said something she never thought she’d hear herself say. “He’s going to war with the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects? No. He’s not that foolish. If he wants her here… What did you do, Baros? How did you earn this money?” The envelope he’d given her appeared in her hand.

He stepped back, shaking his head. “What? You think I hurt people? Or that I’d be involved in what Harnish is up to? I stood in a room with a divine defensive aura and thought of our future together so that it wouldn’t sense me as hostel and vaporize me. That’s how I got this money, Dvora. Now he’s coming, and we’ve got to go.”

Before he’d even finished, her hand had reached his chest, and she drew near. “What is he going to do?” She asked.

He wet his lips. “Kill them.”

“A sage? And a peak sky realm cultivator?”

He leaned down, putting his forehead against hers. “It’s a trap.”

She gave him a peck on the lips and drew back. “Then… Find Tong Tao and Tong Fen. Tell them exactly what you told me.”

“Why?” He grabbed her by the wrist. “We have to go.”

“They’re overlords, Baros.” She started to grin but faltered. “At least, the husband is. I tried to blackmail a sage and he didn’t kill me. I owe them.”

“No,” he said confidently as if that alone would make it true.

“I told you they caught the murderers. But I didn’t tell you I saw one of them pinned to the wall. A spear in one shoulder, and a sword in the other driven in up to the hilt. What else could do that?”

He had no response. Tao was a gracious individual. He seemed like an easy target to take advantage of. And he’d been so quick to compromise.

She grabbed his hand that was hanging loose at his side and brought it to her chest. With her other she clasped it. He still held her by the wrist… Loosening his grip, he cupped the back of her hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I have to warn them, Baros. I despise my sect, but I won’t see them harmed. And.” She smiled, but tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “It’s the right thing to do. I’ve never been a righteous person, but my betrothed wants me to be honest. So let me try.”

He knew he didn’t have time to delay, but he had to think. If they did this… He nodded deeply. “I will warn them. And you’ll—”

“You warn Tao and Fen’er. I’ll warn my elder and the Fire and Ice Phoenix Sects.”

He kissed her on the forehead, hard. Then he released her. “Go.”

Chapter 57

Dvora hadn’t moved before she felt the mountain of qi moving in her direction. It was distant, but because of the way the rooms blocked qi she knew it would be deceptively close. She then felt herself being dragged. Baros then nudged her forward in the direction she needed to go.

It was just enough to get her moving. She didn’t look back but darted through the chambers. She peered back to the most direct route to descend to the second floor. Just two chambers away, she saw movement. There was no time.

She fled at full speed. Terror covered her like a blanket, but it wasn’t alone. Something she’d rarely felt in recent years accompanied the fear. She felt clean. The filth that accompanied her normal missions for the sect wasn’t there. This was what it was like to have a clean conscience.

Shooting into the Fire Cultivation Chamber, she threw out qi to force herself to a stop. “Sage Harnish is coming,” she screamed. “He means to trap us against the vaults defensive array.”

Her elder was on her feet and in her face in an instant. “How?”

The peak Sky Realm Core Disciple Shoi-ming had acted as well, but he wasn’t standing next to her. His voice drowned out anything her own elder said. “Fire Phoenix Sect, retreat to Pangfua.”

Looking back, she saw the massively built man place himself directly in front of the entryway as the fire cultivators in his care didn’t hesitate to do as he asked.

“The Night Pearl Sect has a long history with the Morning Mist Village,” her elder said, flying over to stand at Shoi-ming’s side. “Let me try to delay if not dissuade him.”

Dvora’s chest swelled with pride. She despised her sect, but they weren’t without virtue. Seeing the woman’s response, even though she’d try to turn things in her favor, was like a beacon endorsing her decision to warn them.

“You can try, but don’t step in front of me or I can’t shield you.”

The elder nodded.

The two sky realm cultivators from allied sects backed further into the room.

She expected the sage of the Ice Phoenix Sect to appear at any moment, but a massive aura crashed down upon her first. She fled to the back of the room to huddle with the sisters of her sect.

“Elder Harnish,” her fairy elder cried as soon as she felt his presence.

Dvora could just see the wood-armored sage through a gap between cultivators blocking the way. The elder had always wore such a gentle expression. Now he looked arrogant and out for blood.

“If you’re going to go, do it now. I’m in a hurry.” Harnish demanded of the veiled elder. Turning his attention to the bulky fire cultivator, he sneered.

There was hesitation from her elder’s expression, but Shoi-ming insisted. “Go. Save your juniors.”

It all happened so fast. In a handful of seconds. The next thing she knew, her Night Pearl Sect Elder had swept them all up with her qi and was flying them out of the room.

No. This was the moment she’d been waiting for. She’d separate herself from her old sect for good. Using her own qi, she pushed out of her elder’s influence. She was left on her own. Without looking back, she fled toward the opposite chamber with as much speed as she could muster.

“As for you,” she heard Sage Harnish begin, but she passed through the barrier between chambers and the voice became mute. Suddenly, another wave of qi grabbed ahold of her and pulled her to the side of the room with a mighty jerk.

***

“Move!” Harnish grunted.

Shoi-ming removed his zhanmaodao, a 200 centimeter (78 inch) longsword with a single edge, from his spatial ring. He held it out in front of him as his defensive aura burst forth. He knew his weapon was far too big to fight in such a small area, but he didn’t intend to swing it. His Burning Cage began to form.

An almost translucent dao was in Harnish’s grasp. He swung out with the force of an overlord.

Shoi-ming’s defensive technique was only forming when the massive wave of qi slammed into his cage. It drove right through it and into Shoi-ming himself. He flew backward, through the entryway and into the next room.

***

Pangfua had plucked the Night Pearl Sect junior up just in time. Core Disciple Shoi-ming blasted in from behind her. She had to brace him with qi. She’d already moved her ice and fire phoenix juniors to the back of the room with a small group of independent cultivators that had been cultivating there as well.

The immense core disciple took advantage of her qi and showed remarkable agility for one with such size. Righting himself in the air, he dropped to the floor with a skid. Even after taking an overlord’s attack head on, he didn’t back down for an instant. His zhanmaodao was lifted into a defensive position. He had every intention of facing the Morning Mist Village Sage head on.

She’d been just as caught off guard by Sect Master Tengfei’s betrayal as anyone. The other Fire Phoenix Sect Sages had followed the man into betrayal which made things even worse. To find out the honor of your brother sect was a lie after a century of life… Then Sage Fang had returned and some of what was lost had been restored. Only he was gone in the next breath.

Shoi-ming was not Sage Fang. His talent was almost just as frightening, but he didn’t have the man’s boisterous personality. Shoi-ming was closer in temperament to Tengfei. He lacked the dead sect master’s soft edge, however, and the man’s mind for politics. She’d been worried about the Core Disciple after Little Sister Huifen’s assault, but over the last two years, he’d proven he was dependable beyond all doubt. For him to stand beside her in battle was like having the Fire Phoenix’s legacy resurrect from the dead. As tarnished as the sect’s honor might be, it was nothing a little fire couldn’t cure.

She would’ve blocked Harnish’s entrance, but he flew in directly behind Shoi-ming and was already there. She flew over to stand at the fire cultivator’s side.

“Pangfua,” the overlord sung, oozing enmity. “Pangfua,” he repeated, giving her a far too unconvincing smile that he was happy to see her. “You’ve been anything but kind in our many exchanges. It’s all thanks to that that you’re so easy to read. No half-truths. No deceit. When you said you were going to keep an eye on the vault, you kept your word.”

The man began to applaud.

With Heart of Ice spinning, she was immune to his insults. She issued one of her own. “All the work you do to hide such hideous character. Does it not get exhausting?”

“Does the ocean not seem inviting on a warm summer’s day? And yet the depths contain the dangers of life and death. Deception is water’s nature, as is its overwhelming might.”

The water sage’s aura exploded.

Pangfua held it back from harming the juniors behind her. Compared to every other cultivation chamber, this was a large one. Twice as big as most of them, but an overlord’s assault would turn it into a chamber of death.

She berated herself for moving her juniors instead of just flying into the adjoining chamber to stop Elder Harnish there, but the man had wasted no time. As soon as the fire phoenix disciples had arrived and explained he was coming, Shoi-ming had flown through the entryway an instant later. Speed had always been the enemy sage’s goal.

“He’ll trap us in the vault,” a girl screamed from behind.

Pangfua already suspected as much, but what good would that do? She’d checked the vault’s defensive array herself just an hour past. She scanned her memory. There had been a handful of Morning Mist Village juniors cultivating in the Water Cultivation Chamber with her sect. Their elder had remained in the chamber the entire time. Two juniors had returned not too long ago from the vault’s direction. Had they—

She acted before the water sage could. An Ice Shroud many meters thick rose up from the floor to crash into the ceiling. It wasn’t alone.  She executed the technique twice more to close off the sides and give them time. An exceedingly limited amount.

“I must check the vault’s array,” she said.

“I will be enough,” Shoi-ming replied. Her junior’s qi was already a churning storm. Reject her? He’d been waiting.

She seemingly disappeared from his side and shot past her juniors. Reaching the barrier separating her from the vault, she didn’t stop until she was on the other side. Even if the defensive array was active, she had no choice. If she had been alone then there’d be no reason to retreat, but more than forty of her joint sect’s most promising juniors were cornered. Tengfei may have willingly put his own advancement above his own sect’s wellbeing, but she was not him. She was the Hundred Year Disciple of the greatest Sect Master the world of Lifestone had ever known.

When she wasn’t immediately attacked. Her perceptions scanned the room as quickly as possible. There was—nothing. She scanned the room again. The hall that led to the stairs ascending to the fourth floor was clear.

She didn’t believe it. Sage Harnish wouldn’t dare put himself in this situation unless his trap had been set and he was absolutely sure it would spring. She was missing something. There was no time. She didn’t doubt Shoi-ming, but to hold back a water sage in the greatest Water Cultivation Chamber on the Monolith Continent? Impossible.

There was only one thing she could do now. They’d have to try their luck, likely falling into his trap.

She rushed back the way she had come, blowing past the juniors in her care, and forced herself to come to a stop behind the peak-level sky realm cultivator Shoi-ming.

The man had erected a one-sided Burning Cage spanning from wall to wall. The room pulsated with the heat of green overlord fire. The man hadn’t increased the realm of his flames through the laws like Junior Brother Chao. He was simply pouring so much qi into the technique that his sky realm flames had gone through a transformative change. His cage was pressing against the ice pillars she had erected, and it wasn’t losing out.

“I’m taking them,” she cried.

He didn’t say anything, but her Ice Shroud started to crack. Spinning his longsword to aim downward, he straightened himself, grabbed the hilt with both hands, then thrust at the floor. Fire qi erupted. One of his feet sprawled back, and he bent low, using his blade to help brace against the ocean of qi struggling against his barrier.

She knew he had every intention of fighting to the very end, yet there was nothing she could do for him. She’d hoped he would one day take up the mantle of Sect Master of the Fire Phoenix Sect. Glancing up, she saw the river of water running above their heads behind divine glass and knew the abundance of water qi in the chamber made it the perfect environment for the water sage.

Yet she spun away and gathered the large group of juniors with her qi. It was time to go, but not without a final gesture. “Thank you.”

She wasn’t sure if Shoi-ming heard her, but she said it anyway. If she lived passed the next few minutes, she swore she’d make Harnish’s death as severe as she knew how.

Chapter 58

Baros remained hidden as Harnish sped past. The sage wasn’t alone. There were at least two elders and six juniors following close behind. These were the juniors most favored. Testing the vault’s defensive array was a job that wouldn’t have even been offered to them because of its sure danger.

He had never been favored no matter how well he performed. The position of core disciple was saved for the children of elders and political allies. Was it bitterness over this that led him to consider leaving the sect? No. He didn’t deny there was a grain of bitterness, but it was the methods of his sect that weighed down on his soul.

As soon as the sage and his followers had passed by, he waited a few long moments before darting into the chamber they’d just passed through and into the opposite direction. Dvora had asked him to warn Tao and Fen’er, so that’s what he’d do.

When she’d told him that they’d caught the murderers, he suspected that they were professionals brought in by Sage Pangfua to track them down. Tao’s personality put that in doubt, but it was a wide world, and he didn’t pretend to understand everything. Even as he shot down the stairs to the second floor, he was trying to puzzle the man out. What he did next would completely rely on him.

Maybe he was like Senior Tu, the husband of Ice Phoenix Sect Elder Sya. Baros had multiple run-ins with the man, all of which were positive. There were few people he’d met that were simply a joy to be around and seemed genuine to the core. Tao was just as genuine but lacked the same power of personality.

What does it matter? He was betting that what Dvora had said of them was true. If not, he’d likely never see her again. But even if he didn’t completely trust her, he trusted her abilities.

He neared the place where Tao and Fen’er usually cultivated with a group from the joint sect. It was out of the way from the main route, but he’d periodically kept an eye on them—especially after what Dvora had said.

How long had it taken him? He’d come as fast as he could. Seeing the last entryway, he hurled himself through it.

He stopped abruptly only to find a blade placed firmly against his throat. The usually well-mannered fairy in orange that meekly followed her husband’s lead had reacted faster than his senses could interpret. Across the room, Tao was also already on his feet with this sword out. He spied Fen’er’s expression, then her husband’s. Even with the blade at his throat, he felt relief. It seemed his Dvora had been right.

Only then did the rest of the room come to its feet. A tawny-skinned fire cultivator was next, followed by a blond ice fairy. He then saw the newly scarred Eu-meh. The cut was straight from the corner of her eye down her cheek. It was like an eternal trail of tears had been etched there. He’d always found her beautiful, but never sought her favor—nor would he. She was still undeniably eye catching.

He didn’t have to say anything when Fen’er recognized him. Her blade was slowly retracted. “Do you seek death?” She rebuked.

“Sage Harnish is in the spire,” he sputtered. “He plans on trapping Pangfua using the vault’s defensive array. Dvora said you could—”

The entire space started to shake. It was like the growl of a massive beast. His sense of balance had seemingly been struck a killer blow.

“Husband,” Fen’er yelled.

The noise cut off abruptly. Baros regained his equilibrium then saw Tao’s expression. There was no fear or rage. There was just—nothing. That was until the beginnings of a grimace appeared on the man’s face before disappearing.

“Where is he?” Tao asked. It was as breathy as a whisper, but the volume was like getting cuffed on the ear.

He hadn’t believed Dvora’s description of what this man had supposedly done to the murderer. But now he feared even answering his question. It was like there was some horrifying beast beneath the surface. If he answered, it might show its face, but if he didn’t? “He’s already there.”

The married couple shared a look.

Baros breathed lightly when the man retained control.

“You will all follow us as quickly as you can to the third floor,” Fen’er commanded. “Stay back a few rooms so as not to get in our way.”

“Wait,” Baros cried, louder than he intended. “The Morning Mist Village is outside the spire. Besides Harnish and a few men, the first floor is clear and many of your joint sect are there.”

He wasn’t sure why he said it. He’d intended to fulfill Dvora’s request, but now that he was in the midst of helping, he couldn’t stop. If he could keep their juniors from leaving the spire, then fewer of them would get captured. The last thing he wanted if everything went well was a standoff with hostages involved.

The deceptively strong fairy seemed to weigh their options. With a nod from her husband, she addressed the blond fairy. “You will gather our joint sect at the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile cultivation chamber and take refuge inside. It’s a defensive treasure. Use my name if you have need.”

“Yes, Master,” the blond fairy shouted, giving the others no room for disobedience.

Baros then found Fen’er, a fairy half a head shorter than him, giving him a somber stare. “Stay with them. Even if your sect ceases to exist today, you will be spared.”

“Dvora?” He dared.

“We’ll do what we can.”

The next thing he knew, the two of them were gone. He’d expected them to be hiding their cultivation after all that had happened, but the fairy had called the woman master. That could only mean…

“Let’s go,” the blond fairy demanded. The group of joint sect disciples had their weapons ready.

He filed in with them, trying to get close to the front. Once in the next room, he called out. “If there are any surprises, I’ll try to distract my sect.”

“Good.”

He couldn’t help but glance back the way they had come. “Who?” He said mostly to himself.

“Don’t worry,” the tawny fire cultivator said from his position directly behind him. “Unless they’re too late, Sages Chao and Huifen will not let any harm come to them.”

The color drained from his face. The overlord killers? “They’re of an upright sect,” he objected. “Why the deception?”

Deception he understood, but it wasn’t something a sect as powerful as the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects made use of. They didn’t have to. Sage Pangfua, if it wasn’t for Harnish’s underhanded tactics, could likely wipe out their entire sect in an afternoon except for the Sect Master himself. Even Harnish wouldn’t last long.

The explanation unexpectantly came from Eu-meh who was right in front of him. “The Northern Continent are hunting them.”

Making it to the stairs heading to the first floor, they reached the bottom without touching a step.

The Northern Continent was after them? Baros felt weak. Not only was he dealing with the two deadliest sages on Monolith, but now the Asura Cults were involved? He was suddenly second-guessing taking Dvora north. Not only were the Asura Cults bloodthirsty, but they were also perverse. You never knew what grisly fate you’d end up with if they caught you and meant you harm.

Perhaps. He looked at the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect disciples in front of him. Maybe they’d head south.

***

She wasn’t sure she could trust Baros, so Huifen had threatened him. It hadn’t been direct, but he now knew they were considering the annihilation of his sect. She also confirmed he hadn’t known who they were.

Staying ahead of Chao, she couldn’t focus solely on the danger her Big Sister Pangfua was in. She’d seen his reaction. He wouldn’t just be out for blood. She knew that now. She’d spent so long fantasizing over how she’d get revenge on the Aureate Empire that she understood it fully.

Part of her—the dominant part—wanted to just let him. To act out his justice without restraint. It was that same part of her that wanted to save her Big Sister and destroy everything that got in the way. It even felt right to do so. It was natural. But if she let him, was there any turning back?

She didn’t believe his fall would happen so quickly. Darkness was deceitful. It wouldn’t show up all at once. A person fell by degree. One small compromise after another. It was the fact it felt so right that made it so dangerous. If they lost control this time, next time would be that much easier.

Reaching the third floor, she got her bearings and flew down the most direct path. They were coming. “Big Sister, wait for me.”

***

Pulling the bulk of her joint sect juniors behind her, Pangfua entered the vault’s chamber. Her perceptions landed on the pylon at the center of the defensive array. Even still, it had yet to activate.

She’d already considered the worst case scenarios, and believed the best course of action was to fly them across the room into the hall leading to the upward staircase. If she moved fast, even if the array activated, she’d save many. She hated the very idea of having to play games with their lives, but she didn’t have a choice.

There was also the possibility that the defensive array wasn’t the real threat. Harnish might be counting on it to steal her focus. She scanned the wide-open chamber as thoroughly as she could with the little time they had. There was nothing.

She hugged the wall as she shot through the room at a reckless speed that would affect the senses of some of her weaker juniors. It couldn’t be helped.

Reaching the hall’s entrance, she sensed a distortion in front of her even though it was mostly invisible to her perceptions. It was something she’d witnessed before. There was a concealment array covering the entry to the hall.

Stopping so quickly wouldn’t harm her overlord physique, but her juniors would have trouble. She gave them as much buffer room as she could as she brought them to a halt. There was more than one groan that came from their ranks.

So the vault’s defensive array hadn’t been the danger after all. Elder Harnish had—

She struck out with her dao as killing intent shot up like a fountain throughout the chamber. It was everywhere, which could only mean multiple arrays were hidden throughout the room. If she had missed them, they’d have to each have their own miniature concealment array.

Her Springtime’s Frost was a probing attack. She had a feeling she already knew what she would find behind the concealment array. Her icy qi attack passed right through it only to collide with a wall of energy behind it. It washed over a hidden defensive array’s shield.

The vault’s pylon started to hum with qi. Sage Harnish’s trap was sprung. She didn’t even know what triggered it. It could’ve depended upon her moving to the far side of the room, or movement itself might’ve been the cause. If Harnish really was secretly an array master, then there were likely multiple triggers.

That only left her with a final choice. Should she remain here and try to force open the array blocking their way, or retreat the way they had come, for the array wouldn’t fire into the next chamber according to the joint sect’s records. If she remained and tried to crack the shield blocking them, it was certain many would die, and there was no guarantee she could force it open. If there were enough qi crystals, or even more than one defensive array waiting, it would likely delay them long enough.

The only way to have a guaranteed chance to save some was if she went back the way they had come. It would require fighting Harnish with her juniors present, but a few should survive—she hoped. No matter the choice she made, her juniors were about to die.

She knew she could be making the wrong decision, but she decided to go back the way they had come. If she targeted the defensive array blocking their exit, it was likely the pylon would target her. With her dead or injured, none of them would survive. Such decisions were the curse of leadership, but once she made her decision, she threw her entire being behind her choice.

Bursting back through the room the way she had come, she dragged her juniors with her. It was then, halfway through the room, that she felt it. The pylon targeted her. It wasn’t something she could outrun. This was a divine realm array. Her joint sect had reliable records of overlords being killed by a single of its attacks.

She cut her qi carrying her juniors. She’d do what she could to block them, even if she had to become a human shield. There was no churning of qi inside her. It was like it had been drawn back. During her time in the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects, she had always been amongst the most talented, but never had taken the top spot.

When she was a girl, Quinyuan had another disciple that shone with even more brilliance than she had. She called the fairy Big Sister and watched her ascend with the Ice Phoenix Envoy decades later. Then the Fire Phoenix Sect had had a string of talents. She always ended up in second place. There had been times it had wounded her pride, and bitterness had even taken root, but eventually the bad had shattered, leaving only the good. In her century in the Ice Phoenix Sect, the one virtue she’d embraced above all else was that tenacity could overcome. And even when it wasn’t enough, her betters learned to respect her. To fear that if they didn’t give it their all, she would pick apart their every mistake and make them regret.

By the time Little Sister Huifen had come alone, her bitterness was decades behind her. She took the girl under her wing instead of competing against her. To have a little sister in earnest was much greater than halving a thousand rivals. But that didn’t mean her martial spirit had grown dormant.

The corners of her mouth tilted up. She was aware of how rarely her smile showed itself, but there was one set of circumstances that always brought it out. The moment someone thought they had her figured out. She reveled in defiance.

Little Sister Huifen. Senior Quinyuan. For once, I’m a step ahead.

The icy star inside her inner world ejected qi from its core. Once reaching its surface, qi burst in all directions. Exiting her dantian in an instant, her meridians were like highspeed pathways, but half of them were blocked. Only those facing forward and aimed at the angry pylon offered no resistance.

With an even more bloodcurdling, all-engulfing force than Ice Phoenix’s Breath, the first technique of the third pillar of the Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome, Indominable Plumage, was executed for perhaps the first time in battle in Lifestone’s history.

While her little sister had been out adventuring and Quinyuan had been dealing with the Aureate Empire, Pangfua had been spending all her free time in meditation and practice of her sect’s newest technique. After so many decades of practicing Ice Phoenix’s Breath, it was simple enough to execute the first step of the technique—unleashing one’s qi. It was the second step that was much more difficult.

How many times had she failed before she’d gotten it right? To bring such force and massive amounts of qi under her control at the near instant it appeared seemed like an impossible feat, but ice wasn’t force. It had laws and concepts that governed its every action and reaction. Indominable Plumage wasn’t a manipulation of those laws, but it used ice’s nature to its advantage.

A gaseous glacier rushed out, threatening to engulf everything in front of her. It came to a point between her and the pylon. Its forward motion stopped as if that had been its destination all along. Just like with any qi, the denser it became, the greater its realm. The frontal layer of her Indominable Plumage didn’t brace against the qi behind it. It waited like an indominable wall, welcoming it. Instead of being pushed back, it was compressed. The ice belonged to her. It was guided by her will. As soon as its job was done, the force loosed from the gathering wall of ice as if it had just been dragging it behind it all along. By the time her overlord ice had been condensed to the tribulation realm, the remaining force contained in the qi simply pressed further qi into the transcendent defensive structure, increasing its thickness.

With her arms outstretched and her clothing shredded, she hardly had the qi left to cover her form. Her body faltered. Her grin only grew as she defied her body’s exhaustion.

A terrifying pulse of heaven and earth qi echoed through the room. The pylon struck out. Such a condensed beam of qi shouldn’t belong to this lower realm.

The beam struck her barrier dead center. To her astonishment, she remained unharmed. The surface of her Indominable Plumage had formed tiny cracks. Glancing back, she saw her forty juniors huddled together. A few elders were among them and taking care of the wounded. They were shielding them the best they could against Pangfua’s aura of tribulation ice.

It wasn’t something she could do anything about. She hardly had any qi left. If she stopped supplying it now, her technique would crumble.

Despite standing against almost certain death, Pangfua’s grin widened, revealing grit teeth. She expected no miracle, but she’d die as she lived. Stubborn to the very end.

Chapter 59

Big Sister Pangfua had gone out of her way to give them as much freedom as possible while in the spire. It was a stark contrast to the time she’d left a disciple in the mine without knowing the cause. Big Sister had then watched over them for their year in the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm and kept a close eye on his Huifen when she needed it the most. Their relationship was a strange one, but as far as Chao was concerned, she was family.

If it was just her, this Sage Harnish’s crimes would be enough, but he knew most of the disciples present in the spire would be cultivating on the third floor today. He didn’t think for a second that the man would spare them. Whatever he was up to, Harnish would silence all opposition.

As they sped through the second floor and up to the third, a familiar despair boiled up in Chao’s chest like it had never left him. It was the very thing that had guided his rage when he broke Daiyu’s murderer. He despaired that things could never be made right. There was no punishment he could give the man to make up for what he had done. And now this old sage was going after his sect. The man’s kind exterior reminded him of the traitorous Sect Master Tengfei.

Regrettably, Tengfei hadn’t suffered long. He should’ve been the first to step up to defend the sect. And yet, his betrayal was greater than all the rest. He’d led the fire phoenix sages to support the prince. Without such support the crimes against Huifen would’ve been impossible.

Chao hadn’t realized he’d put his sword away. Both of his hands were balled into fists. He didn’t plan on just stopping the man. As a sage of the Monolith Continent, Chao would do his best to make things right.

The doorways were only big enough for one person to pass through at a time, so he had difficult seeing past Huifen. When she came to a sudden stop, he moved closer to try and see what was going on. She let him, but her hand was suddenly blocking him from moving past her.

They were looking through the barrier that held the qi in the next room. It was empty except for a few men from the Morning Mist Village. Just beyond them was the Water Cultivation Chamber, and then the Vault. Elder Harnish had already made it. They were too late.

Just as it had happened before, the walls of his mind fell. This time it was much easier. His conscience wasn’t silent, but it came like a distant warning that he had little trouble ignoring. He moved to step around Huifen. She’d already been through enough. He knew she might want to finish Harnish herself. That was fine, but he wanted her to have no part in what he was about to do.

He quickly observed the two cultivators in the next room. One was a sky-realm elder, and the other a near-peak, earth-realm junior. The sharpness law covered his fist easier this time.

The hand that touched his chest wasn’t forceful. He found his Huifen cutting off his path. Her face was filled with a determined warmth that ice fairies shouldn’t possess.

“No,” she insisted.

“I have to—”

“Do no such thing.”

There was a pleading in her eyes, but it wasn’t a helpless one. She would fight him if she must.

“Chao. Pangfua might still be alive. Killing them won’t make up for what’s been done.”

He didn’t like it, but she was right. Justice could come later.

“Using the technique I once used on the Aureate Empire’s soldiers, I’ll spare those that I can.”

His brow creased. Qi surged through him. “And Harnish?” He said through gritted teeth.

“He dies,” she promised as her hand found his.

That’s not enough! He glared down at her. Didn’t she understand? Not even death was fair retribution for what was being done. Why was she of all people standing in his way?

Rage overtook him as if it were a type of qi. It was so potent that he couldn’t hold back. He didn’t see her meek expression, and her imploring words were drowned out by the angry storm. His need to see justice done after all they’d been through had become compulsory. Even then, he didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t stop himself. He looked for a safe way to resolve her reluctance.

He could feel the strain in her grip. She wasn’t just holding him back, but herself as well. Moving her shouldn’t be difficult. However, her resistance caused him to pause. If she wanted the same thing, why stop him?

“Even if I make it through quickly, I won’t be able to hold back the pylon to save them,” she insisted. “You can.”

He started shaking his head but found it difficult. It was like his own body was rejecting his objection. What she said was reasonable, yet a part of him demanded that it wasn’t.

“Save them, Chao.”

A balmy chill covered him like a wet blanket. He was here to save them, wasn’t he?

After forcing his will during their confrontation with Sage Ping, he’d promised her that they’d discuss these things. But did he want to keep his promise? It felt wrong. He had the strength of a sage which demanded he seek justice for those that couldn’t seek it for themselves.

It was like this justice was a relentless dragon. An opposing phoenix that longed for mercy and the safety of his friends was there inside of him as well. Why was there conflict? Why couldn’t he have both? Justice and mercy rose up on their haunches. They’d battle to assure him they were right.

He looked upon his Huifen. The glow of her skin, the softness of her face, and the emotion there would’ve been nigh impossible for her just two years before. He’d almost killed her when he let his emotions run unchecked and created his first space vortex. Here he was, letting them rule him again.

Reaching into the depths of his mind, he grabbed the dragon, Justice, by the throat. To the phoenix, Mercy, he did the same. It was a wild image in the confines of his imagination, but his passion needed an outlet, so he strangled the imaginary beasts before tossing them into separate cages. Once they were inside, he slammed the doors and locked them tight.

Turning to his wife, he lowered his gaze and agreed to her request.

She kissed him. Before spinning to face their enemy. “I will get you to the water chamber. Can you space tunnel from there?”

“I should be able to, yes.”

“Then let’s begin.”

***

Flying through the barrier and into the Fire Cultivation Chamber, Huifen startled the elder and junior on guard. She didn’t slow as the sky-realm elder stepped in her way. A large wave of qi battered him with a swipe of her hand. The junior had broken off to engage with Chao, but the weight of their auras left him suddenly too frightened to move.

They shot through the room and into the next one. Sage Harnish hovered mid-chamber. With his sword in one hand, he executed casual swings of his dao to keep constant pressure on whoever was holding the overlord-realm Burning Cage in place to contest him. It could be only one person. Core Disciple Shoi-ming.

As soon as they arrived, another elder and five more juniors turned to face them.

“In formation!” The sky realm cultivator cried.

They surrounded them.

“Chao?” She asked.

“Getting past Brother Shoi-ming’s cage is tricky without breaking it, but… Thank you, Brother Fang. I got it.” With a swipe of his hand, space tore. In the next moment, he was gone.

One of the closest Morning Mist Village Juniors dived out of the way as if Chao’s tunneling had been an attack. Another yelped. They all moved back.

Only the elder showed any backbone. He seemed to think it was a trick. “Don’t let him deceive you. Attack where he was standing.”

As water started to form on their blades, Huifen reached out with her perceptions and ripped it from their control. Her water laws had surpassed that of these common water disciples long ago. The action startled the juniors and elders, but it also earned her the attention of the sage himself.

The bearded Harnish glanced back to find a lowly, orange-gowned fairy of the earth-realm surrounded by his people. Her palm was lazily facing up with a growing water orb floating over it.

With one last good slash of his dao to challenge the fire cultivator, he turned sideways to address her. He brought a finger to his lips as he thought. “Tong Fen, a guest of the Ice Phoenix Sect,” he said as if congratulating himself for remembering. “I can respect your good intentions, but it’s foolish to die for your friends. Especially, when its already too late.”

“Master,” the elder sputtered. “The man with her disappeared.”

The sage did seem a little surprised but lacked all concern. “Oh? My Morning Mist Village admires loyalty, even if misplaced. You and your husband will return with us to my sect. Our inheritances for female cultivators aren’t at the level of your friend’s sect, but I assure you they’re better than what’s available to rogue cultivators.”

“And if we refuse?”

“It’s not a request. Anyone left alive in the spire will either join us or die.”

Huifen reached down and undid her sash. All the while staring him directly in the eye. “I met you long ago, Sage Harnish while I was still in my master’s care. You were arrogant then, and I see that hasn’t changed. If Mother Quinyuan were here, you wouldn’t defy her. And yet you dare bully my Big Sister.”

Her sash disappeared into her spatial ring. She saw the sage glance down at her dantian. She didn’t gloat or parade her aura.

“The ice phoenix brat?” The man snorted, but his carelessness was gone. “Huifen, was it? I’ve just been playing with this fire boy, but don’t mistake my intentions. All I’ve need to accomplish was to push him back. The damage is already done.”

It was then that the Burning Cage started to dissipate.

Harnish smirked, turning back only to see the person he’d been striving against was gone. That side of the room was empty.

“My Chao has him,” Huifen announced like it should’ve been obvious.

As the sage turned back, he began to snicker. “Has him? Where?”

“Far enough away to not get in our way.”

“You think you can fight me and win?” As he said it, he stretched out his arms. “Here?”

She’d been there more than enough times to understand his meaning. The water running behind divine glass was intimidating, but it was the rich water qi that filled the room that gave him an advantage.

“I will do what I can to spare your elders and juniors unless they’re found worthy of death. But this chamber will be your grave.”

The sage gave her one last pitiful look, before shouting. “Now.”

The five juniors and one elder were in formation. Water was hurled at her from every side. The sage added his qi to theirs.

Huifen remembered the vision the Divine Ice Phoenix had shown her of how it had frozen an entire world to protect it. As the phoenix had once taught her, her intent permeated her technique to its very core.

One last errant thought slipped through her mind as she unleashed Ice Phoenix’s Breath. She’d miss her orange robes. Thankfully, she had more to spare.

Icy qi blanketed the room, intercepting every drop of water. Their techniques were like snowflakes caught in a blizzard’s wake.

Chapter 60

Shoi-ming did the only thing he could do by remaining on his feet. He pushed against the impossible weight of an overlord’s water qi. His sword clawed at the ground as he was slowly driven back. Even then, his Burning Cage didn’t fail. It wasn’t just his strong body that pushed, but qi flowed out of him like a river of fire. If he gave way, not only would he be forced into the vault’s chamber, but then Sage Harnish could stand on this side of the barrier and take shots at Pangfua from the safety of this room.

He didn’t know if she’d made it, but doubt found no place in his heart to fester. He’d grown up in a typical mortal family. They’d been too poor to have many material goods. He never went hungry, though. It was Shoi-ming’s appetite and his body’s response to hard work that caught everyone’s attention. He wasn’t much taller than average, but he’d been strong even as a boy. He had also been bullied until a local merchant family took him under their wing. Their main headquarters were Phoenix City. He’d been approached by a Fire Phoenix Outer Disciple who he expected to bully him further. Instead, this boy that was about his age had recruited him to the sect. There he found a place that rewarded hard work. His family was able to live a life of humble wealth, and the merchant family that took him in had become a large supplier to the sect. For all that he had been given, he owed his sect.

If he was asked to become a wall, he’d become a wall. If his job was to slow an overlord, he’d do so barehanded if he had to.

Qi surged through his meridians at a reckless speed. He’d never been good with half-measures. Growing strong required effort. Yet effort required strength. Sage Fang taught him that all cultivators seek strength, but that is where they failed. To become truly strong one must cultivate effort itself.

Not all cultivators find success. The talented and untalented alike share one thing in common. Effort. With all things equal, it was the only variable that relied solely on the person wielding it.

Shoi-ming’s double-handed grip tightened on his sword’s hilt. His chest and shoulders flexed, acting like a vice to further secure his weapon. The muscles in his upper body were engorged with blood and qi. They weren’t alone. His waistline wasn’t lean like those of his juniors who sought size and strength but only did enough work to look the part. They ate because it would help them grow. He ate because he had no other choice. They carried stones to get bigger. He carried them twice as heavy, and three times longer. They ran for hours without the help of their qi to condition their bodies. He ran for days to condition his heart and mind.

Few of his brothers understood what it really meant to have a strong body. It wasn’t about looks, size, the weight one could carry, or explosive strength. It was about the amount of effort you could exert and how long you could exert it.

His form might seem deceptive, but beneath the fat of his waist were bulging sinews that even a dire beast of the same realm couldn’t match. A lesser man might buckle it the middle underneath this burden, but Shoi-ming might as well have been made of divine oak.

His upper body and torso were keeping him stable, but true power came from the legs and transferred upward. He wasn’t just pushing against Sage Harnish’s assault, but his own overlord-realm Burning Cage. Just as his sword’s blade was dragged against the stone of the chamber, so did his cage’s columns of fire burn against the walls and ceiling. The qi flowed between him and his technique like a geyser. He pushed against it, and his cage crept forward.

Even though he’d been pushed back from the beginning not once had he faltered. His legs didn’t lose out to the sage’s techniques. It was a failure of grip between his feet and the ground. But that problem would soon be resolved. Once his back neared the entrance to the vault’s chamber, he would shift and use the wall to brace himself. Then, Harnish would be forced to go all out. He’d show this frail sage from a weak sect exactly what a cultivator from the Fire Phoenix Sect was capable of.

With a thought, he remembered Sage Fang’s display of his multi layered Burning Cage and how fine its bars of flame had been. He’d received advice from his senior. Effort wasn’t limited to just the body. A cultivator was made up of body and mind.

As he continued to push, he commanded his cage. Little happened at first. Just a flicker. He envisioned what he was aiming for and continued drawing it in to mimic his senior’s efficiency. The same power for less effort. An effort-cultivator didn’t reject such notions but sought them out. Waste was the greatest heresy.

And so he drew it in, whether it desired to listen or not. When his mind said, “Stop, it’s just too much.” He taunted it. The more you want to stop, the further you will go.

He was just starting to find some success when Harnish’s bombardment ceased. His mind went to the worst place possible. Somehow the murderer knew that Pangfua was dead.

All it took was the memory of her kindness for him to start to move. His legs drove downward, burning with qi and brutish force. His cage scraped against the walls, ceiling, and floor, but move it did. If he could get it moving at a fast enough pace, he might just be able to give Harnish a burn he’d never forget.

“Brother Shoi-ming, stop,” a voice came suddenly.

“Brother Tao?”

“Yes. Leave the rest to my Huifen and come with me. Let’s collect Pangfua and the sect.”

He immediately noticed Chao’s tone, or lack thereof. This wasn’t the overly considerate and idealistic junior, but the sage who was willing to do whatever he must. That was all he needed to hear to believe him.

Cutting qi from his technique, Shoi-ming stood up.

***

Reaching the barrier between the Water Cultivation Chamber and the Vault, the first thing Chao saw was the domed wall of tribulation ice segmenting off a larger part of the room. He then saw the active pylon. Great surges of compressed qi shot up from its base, through its column, then flew out the orb at its top. It jumped from the orb at such a speed it looked like a strobe of light.

Even through the barrier he could sense the power in those beams of compressed qi. He wasn’t sure how she’d done it, but Pangfua was holding them back. She was using a technique unlike any he’d seen.

That mattered little. It was common knowledge that standing behind the barrier separating rooms granted safety from the defensive array. Chao still didn’t trust it completely. He needed to get past the barrier to examine what was happening in the room with his perceptions if he wanted a chance to save them.

Glancing back, he saw the collapsing Burning Cage. He considered waiting and stabbing Sage Harnish in the back. It was like something was crying out, demanding that he make things right, but that voice was now more of an echo coming from a great distance.

With a swipe of his hand, he created a wall of space to shield him and Shoi-ming from any surprise attacks. Pangfua and tens of his fellow disciples were moments from death.

The speed of the pylon’s attack wasn’t something he could compete with. Just taking a step through the barrier might bring certain death. Stepping to the side of the entryway and out of sight, he motioned for Shoi-ming to do the same.

The bulky peak sky-realm cultivator was leaning heavily on his sword. He’d exhausted himself holding back the sage.

Once the man was safely out of the way, Chao began to awaken blue lightning serpents. He kept them in the nascent realm because their true purpose wasn’t to fight but distract.

Once ten of them were summoned, he commanded them to go. They flew into the next room then spread out in the empty space opposite the entrance and Pangfua’s ice. They hissed at the pylon as they went.

There was no time to come up with a better plan. He stepped through the barrier, glaring at the pylon. He restrained his madness as it found a new target. It cried out from inside him, but he simply let it howl.

The pylon was domineering. One of his lightning serpents vanished from the world as the defensive weapon flashed. The pylon’s all-devouring qi systematically struck out with no apprehension. It viewed him and his feeble nascent realm serpents with the same level of caution. Something about that offended him. The howling inside of him turned to a throaty growl.

Even then, he didn’t heed it. His passions pulled him one way, but his mind didn’t falter.

The pylon targeted him. His killing intent hadn’t lessened just because he wasn’t letting it rule him. All reason thundered inside him like an anthem of warning. Terror and regret pleaded their case. Yet he stood alone in the storm, unmoving.

He’d been a child when he’d first tinkered with laws that could destroy him. For more than half his life, facing such danger had been his daily delight. They were the games he’d played as a boy. The heavens had fascinated him to no end. As he grew, their dangers only increased. Sky-realm, overlord, and even the tribulation elements... Then the space laws appeared like a gift from the heavens, and finally the ascension of his sound laws dominated them all. Face to face with this hostile power, he held it in the highest regard. His respect wasn’t alone. As its qi started to gather, a glimmer shone in his eye.

This compressed qi even had the potential to shatter space. It was a divine realm defensive array likely created by a Divine Lord or higher. Such a cultivator was at the very realm where one could first resist space with their body. He knew the danger, and yet he didn’t want to destroy it. He wanted to make it submit—to study and learn its every secret. He wanted to have it, but it was trying to kill him and those of his sect.

His hand was already moving with a certainty that matched the pylon’s own. He swiped from top to bottom. A wall of space appeared between them. It wasn’t his typical created space. Just as when breaking through to the sky-realm when he’d enhanced the borders of his own inner world, he did the same to his defensive barrier.

The pylon struck out.

Chao had faced overlords and their ability to create overwhelming force. This was not that.

The flash of compressed qi struck his barrier. Energy, matter—all things—would normally wash over its surface as if it wasn’t even there. This didn’t follow the laws of nature. The impact rattled space like a metal cage.

A rush of cold fear draped over him, challenging his confidence. It was terrifyingly powerful, which made him want it even more.

He reinforced his space barrier, but the pylon changed its target. He realized his barrier would make it impossible for it to target his killing intent’s origin.

Disappointed, he refocused as it destroyed another of his flying serpents. This was the time that he needed. His perceptions flew out, looking for flaws in Pangfua’s wall of ice.

He found what he was looking for quickly enough. Her technique hadn’t been designed to create a perfect seal from wall to wall. Only to protect them. Finding a gap was easy when he wasn’t required to stay in place like the pylon. He tunneled his way in. What he saw left him relieved yet also caused his heart to ache. There were a few elders trying to hold back the cold of Pangfua’s barrier, but some of the disciples had already gone still.

Tearing space, he didn’t look as he lifted Shoi-ming with his qi and dragged the giant man through the space tunnel behind him.

The temperature was deathly cold. Chao had much more experience than any sky-realm cultivator should with tribulation realm ice, but that didn’t mean he was immune. His resistance was battered as was his defensive aura. So he did the only thing he could. He treated the wall of divine ice as the enemy and struck out.

The qi of his inner world heeded his call. He didn’t hold back. As if painting the inner wall of Pangfua’s technique with a layer of space, he cut them off from it completely.

He didn’t need to say anything. Big Sister Pangfua cut off her qi as soon as she felt his barrier appear. She began to fall.

Core Disciple Shoi-ming shot past him and scooped the sage up in his arms before she hit the ground.

Chao blinked at the man’s sudden burst of energy but didn’t lose focus on what needed to be done. Small flames of sky realm fire appeared above them, radiating heat. He feared that if they warmed them up too quickly, even a cultivator’s body couldn’t handle it. He took stock of his own qi. He’d used a large amount in a short period of time, but he still had three quarters of his total left. He just wasn’t sure how long he could last.

The tunnel he’d created to relieve Pangfua was still in place even if it had been hidden in a space bend just in case Harnish decided to retreat in this direction. He was still supplying qi to the barrier protecting it from the pylon. Two barriers, one tunnel, a bend, and three flames of sky realm fire.

Huifen, come quickly.

He turned his attention to his sect elders who remained conscious and tossed them a bunch of pills. They were simply for high-rank recovery. He didn’t know if giving those injured anything else would do more harm than good.

Chapter 61

“You’re leaving?” The beautiful Fairy Eu-meh asked as he turned away.

Baros’s training gave his grin a confidence he didn’t have. “Not everyone in my sect is like Harnish. I have to save who I can.”

“Do you want us to come with you?” The tawny skinned fire cultivator said, stepping away from the mobile palace. They’d just finished gathering everyone on the first floor from the joint sect and they’d piled in.

“No. I’ll be able to move freely alone.”

The blond fairy that had taken the lead appeared at the man’s side. “If you return alone, we’ll grant you entrance, but if you have others from your sect…”

“I understand.” He gave them a martial bow.

“Best of luck, Brother Baros,” Li Qiang called out.

The group he’d traveled with for such a short time returned his salute.

He didn’t waste any more time. What his Dvora had done in insisting she needed to warn her sect had sparked something in him. It was like he finally had the freedom to act as he willed. He wouldn’t hold back.

As he exited the Divine Spire and saw his fellow Morning Mist Villagers surrounding the only entrance, he didn’t feel fear or animosity, but the most potent joy he could remember.

To the water cultivators surrounding him it would’ve been almost a substantive thing. He couldn’t hide his smile, knowing that the emotion would help disguise his purpose.

Bowing to the elder in charge, he announced. “The cultivators inside have taken a defensive position. I’m to head to the perimeter.”

The man waved to him. “Go.”

As soon as permission was granted, he sped off to where he knew Renz was positioned. His friend had been given the task to stop anyone from leaving. The extent to which Sage Harnish would harm other sects, he wasn’t sure. He suspected the sage would just want to control the information about Pangfua and the joint sect, but for such a plot to succeed it would just be far safer to kill everyone involved.

There were shortcomings to that as well. Making people believe it had been a great accident would be easier if several of the smaller sects present fully believed them. Pangfua had said she’d keep watch on the vault’s defensive array after all, so the groundwork was already laid.

Glancing back toward the spire, he couldn’t help but worry about Dvora. He inwardly pleaded with the heavens that she’d make it out alive.

His eyes turned to the giant array formation Harnish had set up now covering the entire outside encampment. It wasn’t strong enough to stop stronger earth realm cultivators from leaving, but it would warn those at the perimeter if they tried.

As for the people that had been outside of the spire, Baros saw them all herded together. There was some segmentation in the camp. The Night Pearl Sect was separated and showed a mild amount of hospitality, while the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sects were not shown the same kindness. Elder Sya and her husband Brother Tu stood at the forefront of the largest group. The Morning Mist Village faced them with overwhelming numbers. Their main source of power was that his sect had twice the number of sky realm cultivators present than every other sect combined. Many of them had just arrived today.

Renz wasn’t hiding. He was with a group at the gate where they’d normally greet newcomers. They shared a look, and his friend knew something was going on.

Repeating what he’d said to the elder at the spire’s entrance, he took his place at his friend’s side.

After the attention was off him, Renz said in hushed tones, “What is it?”

“We need to leave.”

He felt his friend’s emotion. He was assured—relieved. Renz’s directness in battle had never been a good fit for the sect, but had he been wrong about him? Had he also desired to leave all this time?

“Brother Baros and I will do a quick sweep,” Renz called out, getting a nod from their senior.

They took off at a run, remaining within the array. The gate was near the middle of the perimeter, but Renz only led him halfway to the wall before diverting course and heading inward.  There was one of the more permanent structures in their path, which Renz stopped behind. He was careful as he scanned their surroundings. Glancing around the corner, his friend asked. “What’s this all about?”

“I’m leaving. I want you to come with me.”

His friend still wasn’t facing him. Baros still felt the man’s reaction. It wasn’t as overwhelming as his own elation at finally feeling like he was doing what he was meant to do, but it was similar. His friend felt relief at his words.

“Harnish can’t win,” he began to explain.

Renz turned in a relaxed manner. He knew the man well enough to know his grin was genuine.

With a sudden spike from his friend’s qi, pain followed. He looked down to find a curved dagger piercing him just below the ribs. Its curve was designed for this very purpose, to slide upward and pierce the heart or the lungs.

This was the man he’d grown up with.

Renz’s expression changed. He was scoffing back at him. He’d never seen this side of him.

“As soon as you took Sage Harnish’s mission, I knew you were planning to betray the sect.”

His mouth began to move, but before he could speak, Renz slid the dagger out of his stomach. One word managed to escape his mouth in a mostly intelligible manner. “Friend.”

“You’ve always been a self-righteous fool—too blind to see that I’ve been using you as a whetstone to sharpen my skills all these years. There was a time I would’ve tried to persuade you to stay, but you’ve grown annoying.”

A fist struck his open wound and Baros fell forward without the strength to catch himself. He felt the cool grass on his cheek. To lose so much strength already, he knew his betrayer’s blade had found its target. The heart wasn’t always a fatal wound for someone in the earth realm if they were able to get treatment.

If Renz had said anything else, he didn’t hear him. Nor did he hear him leave. Baros did the only thing he could and removed the best lifesaving medication he had and swallowed it. He didn’t believe it would be enough.

There was regret, but there was also a calm soothing him that he couldn’t rightly explain. He’d been right. Not about Renz. If he’d forced the issue when they were younger, perhaps, but his old friend had given himself over to Sage Harnish’s teachings. He should’ve known better. He had. To be honest was to be vulnerable.

What he’d been right about was following his conscience, even if things hadn’t worked out as he hoped they would. He needed to make sure Dvora knew what he’d tried to do. That he’d tried to be a good man, and for once he’d succeeded.

An empty card jade appeared in his hand. With the last of his strength, he began to write.

***

The water chamber had become a cavern of ice. Large icicles stood where her opponents had been. She’d limited her Ice Phoenix’s Breath to the overlord realm since most of them were in the earth realm. Her opponents during the battle against Emperor Sun had been in the sky realm. There were no guarantees that what she’d just done would work, but she’d tried to save them. It was all she could do.

Instead of a human-shaped statue of ice, Harnish had gotten off a technique in time to defend himself. There was a wedge of ice where he’d been standing. She hadn’t gone all out, or even used her hybrid qi, so it wouldn’t surprise her if he were still alive.

She waited.

It was a long moment before she felt a spike of qi.

The ice covering the great wedge began to crack. Water trickled. The cracks widened, and then the water sprayed under the increasing pressure.

Huifen increased her defensive aura to full power. Her gown of ice covered her, acting as an additional layer of armor.

The ice crumbled. The wedge was washed away. A wall of water reaching to the ceiling hurled toward her. An Ice Shroud pillar rose up to take the force head-on. As the mass of water crashed around it, her aura held. Not even a single drop touched her.

As the water filled the space, she reverse-created her Ice Shroud. Through the turbulent water, she could see Harnish’s form.

The sage’s voice boomed at a much lower octave than his talking voice, but it reached her easily. “Foolish girl. Do you really think your techniques are the ultimate under heaven? Welcome to my Deep Sea Domain.”

Huifen felt the force crash in on her from every direction. The entire room was filled with water under the sage’s control. The power of her aura held it back.

Soon the flow stabilized, and they were facing off underwater.

“Is that all?” She wasn’t normally one to mock, but he was trying to kill her Big Sister.

He looked like a dark mass. His voice carried through the water with a deep rumble. “With the qi supplied by this room, I can fight without end.”

He must’ve been using a technique for his voice to carry as it did. She didn’t need it. Qi empowered the volume of her words. “You’re a fool. Using the array to kill Sister Pangfua won’t get you into the vault.”

The water let out a deep boom of laughter. “Fool? You’re centuries too young to know what might anger me into giving anything away.”

“You’re too arrogant not to tell me.”

His laughter thundered even louder. “Perhaps. And why not? What I’ve started can’t be undone. It’s not Pangfua’s presence causing the spire’s defensive array to attack but several hidden arrays of my own design. It won’t stop until it’s out of energy. Without qi, destroying the pylon and breaking into the vault won’t be difficult.”

He actually told her... She didn’t know how to respond.

“It’s okay, little one. You’re still little more than a child, otherwise, you wouldn’t have let me do this.”

Huifen sensed danger. In the next instant, the water slammed into her from every direction. It came so fast and with an impossible weight. Her aura collapsed. Then the wet darkness swallowed her whole.

Chapter 62

Dvora had lost consciousness under the tribulation ice, only to wake a few moments later to the warmth of overly hot balls of fire floating overhead. The heat was starting to sting her skin. Her grogginess vanished as something was forced down her throat.

Blinking, she found someone in front of her. An ice fairy was lying on her awkwardly, pressing her up against the wall. It wasn’t heat coming from the girl’s body, but a deathly cold.

“This one as well,” an assertive ice fairy said with a frigid expression.

Suddenly, the girl on top of her disappeared. That could only mean one thing.

“Can you stand?” the elder fairy asked.

She spoke without realizing it. “I think so.”

A gale of qi caught her up and placed her on her feet.

She found herself staring at the elder’s ring. The girl that had been on top of her had shielded her from the tribulation ice—likely saving her life. Now she was just a corpse put away for burial.

“Sage Chao, what do you need?” A voice sounded, drawing her attention.

Dvora found the Fire Phoenix Sect’s Lead Disciple Shoi-ming holding a fairy. Not just any fairy, but Sage Pangfua. Her head was resting against the man’s shoulder. She looked like a child as he held her effortlessly with one arm while leaning heavily on his massive sword. He was exhausted, but her weight seemed to burden him less than his own garments.

“Nothing, brother.” A man replied. She then noticed who it was. The man who frightened her more than any other person she’d ever met was standing there with his back to the group. “Help the others. I’ll focus on finding the source of this killing intent.”

It was at that moment that she realized what the Lead Disciple had called him. “Tong Tao is… Sage Long Chao?”

She let out an exasperated chuckle. Scanning the area, she found a colorless wall blocking them off from the rest of the room and a lightless tunnel like some man-sized black hole.

Shaking her head, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The joint sect was upright. Why would they hide their identities?

The most comical thing was that she’d fallen for it. She hadn’t just tried to blackmail a sage, but one that slaughtered overlords like cattle. And here she was, amongst his sect juniors and only alive because he was holding back the spire’s wrath that was aiming for them all. But how? He did it with so little effort. This was all too much.

She sat back down in a daze.

***

Chao examined the defensive array and confirmed it was only targeting them because it was already active. With his barrier of space shielding them, it wasn’t directly aiming for them any longer. That didn’t mean he wasn’t having to brace against random assaults.

The room was filled with so much killing intent that just about anything that entered would be attacked instantly. He suspected there was a separate array spreading the killing intent around, but he couldn’t find its source.

As it became clear the pylon had no personality behind it, much of his anger cooled. He’d been too late to save everyone, however, most of them seemed to have survived.

First trying to explore the room with sound, he found that the pylon disrupted what he could discern each time it attacked. It didn’t just drown out other sound waves. It canceled them out. With enough time, he could probably figure out the pattern, but that wouldn’t be a fast method.

He tried to systematically attack parts of the room, but nothing. He then checked the path leading to the stairs. His perceptions were blocked. That meant there were defensive arrays there. Perhaps many. The problem that had to be solved first was how to get the people behind him to safety. He had a few ideas, but the easiest thing was just to wait until Huifen finished her fight. It was difficult, but he decided to wait.

***

The sheer weight of Harnish’s domain should’ve been impossible. It seemed to wash Huifen away, except it attacked her from every side. The next thing she knew, she was having to squint against the pressure that was threatening to crush her eyes in their sockets.

She thought to retreat, but she couldn’t move.

The water found less resistance where it flooded into her mouth and nose. Her lungs and stomach filled. Like a bug underfoot, she felt like she was being crushed. The pain wasn’t just pressing in from the outside but from within. Her insides were being pushed apart.

How had she come to this? She’d just used Ice Phoenix’s Breath. Had she made a mistake?

She called on her qi to bolster her body. Her hybrid aura filled her, struggling against the foreign threat. When the pressure lessened, she had a moment to think only to realize the water filling her lungs wouldn’t allow her to breathe. The qi inside it belonged to another.

She was familiar with the technique used to breathe outside her world’s atmosphere. It wasn’t something she practiced but Mother Quinyuan had excitedly shown her after Father Zan had taught her. As she tried to fill her lungs with qi, she realized how serious her predicament was. It wasn’t just water in her lungs, but water controlled by an enemy sage. His will held the liquid qi in a vice grip. Huifen, the youngest overlord in the history of the Monolith Continent, was going to die by drowning?

Her mouth turned up into a snarl. She attacked the water in her lungs with her perceptions. Just like playing Chao’s borrow game, she grasped ahold of it to rip it from her enemy’s control. Her expression darkened. It didn’t budge.

Her mouth was closed. Her teeth were grit. The water was no longer entering her body yet Sage Harnish somehow kept a grasp on the water inside of her. How was that possible? Was it some trick of a water cultivator?

One thing was certain. All the warnings from Mother Quinyuan and Father Zan had been right. Even after reaching overlord and with her physique, she wasn’t invincible in this realm. Harnish wasn’t even that powerful of an overlord, but he was in the right environment. How naïve could she be? If she’d only attacked after her Ice Phoenix’s Breath technique, it would’ve all been over. She had entered a water sage’s perfect trap.

She wasn’t finished. The only question was, how? She remembered Jilpa’s poison. It left her dantian frozen, unable to spin. That may hold the key.

The memory wasn’t alone. Heart of Ice was failing. Jilpa had cast a technique to knock her unconscious, stealing her mind—her passions—her ability to respond. That was then, but now?

How often had she dreamed of how she’d react if she could go back to that very moment? She’d planned at great lengths how to carry out a vengeance she could never have.

The greatest storms built over time, but what erupted inside her came all at once. Had she so thoroughly failed in her recovery? This rage wasn’t blind, yet it seethed with mature intensity.

There was something else. How could Huifen forget her terror? Being in the presence of the Divine Ice Phoenix’s fury seemed to have shattered her soul. The memory returned with such sharpness it was as if she were living it again.

A destructive beam of defilement and filth flew through space on a collision course with the world the phoenix was visiting. The divine beast quickly froze the world in protective ice only to spin and face the coming destruction. The phoenix’s hatred was almost palpable. It wasn’t just the assault she was protecting the world from, but herself.

Huifen had seen the protective technique daily for weeks. The destructive one, however, she’d only seen once. She’d even used the first to save many lives.

Was her own fury a gift of the divine phoenix’s blood? She already knew the answer. A divine beast didn’t have need for learning new techniques. The Ice Phoenix Cultivation Tome was developed based on the divine phoenix’s natural talents.

The wrathful storm inside her didn’t belong to another. The ice phoenix had taught her a lesson. Nothing more.

She thought her mind was her own, but that seemed to change the moment she decided. All the hatred she’d felt for Jilpa and the Sun family. Her being poisoned and taken advantage of. It accumulated into an all-consuming fervor.

The massive beam of ice that repelled the attack from the Worm of the Profane didn’t belong to her. She didn’t need it. Her cultivation, techniques, and elemental laws were intimately hers.

There was an explosion of purpose. Her laws hadn’t been enough to strip the water from Harnish, but suddenly every drop in the room was wrenched from his grasp. It wasn’t laws that allowed her to steal control of his element, but a will that would perish before it could ever be outdone.

He’d tried to crush her. To leave her with no way out.

Jilpa’s face flashed before Huifen’s eyes.

The water didn’t just obey her. It trembled as she had in the divine phoenix’s presence. As if it had a life of its own, water cascaded outward. Like a divine serpent, it grabbed ahold of its prey. The waters around her parted. It rushed from her lungs. Joining with the rest of the water, it obeyed her as she squeezed the life from the room.

The water laws weren’t her only talent. Recalling how it had been forced into her stomach and lungs—what she did next was only right.

As clarity returned to her, she coughed up blood. She was certain it was over, which caused her to doubt.

Looking up, she saw shattered ice strewn across the floor in great heaps of frozen shrapnel. Not only had she turned the water to ice but caused it to burst.

The fury left her as quickly as it came. Glancing around the room, dread overtook her. She’d intended to save those under Harnish, but now it was too late. There were frozen pieces of them everywhere. The water sage was in no better condition. What frozen pieces belonged to who was almost impossible to guess.

She swallowed a recovery pill without thought. Her injury wasn’t a small one. The realization of what she’d done overwhelmed her sense of self preservation. This wasn’t what she’d intended. It would’ve been better if she were ruthless from the beginning and slain them all.

Chao had needed her. She’d insisted that he could trust her to do what was right. Yet she failed so miserably.

Not trusting her body to walk, she flew toward the vault, reverse-creating the ice that was blocking her path.

Chapter 63

Chao felt her approach before she’d entered the room. He didn’t wait for her. Shooting through the space tunnel, he appeared at the other side. He reached through the room’s barrier and grabbed her hand. All that it took was a touch. He was so intimately familiar with her body’s every working. Before he could say something, she attached herself to his neck.

As he was about to plunge through the barrier to inflict whoever it was that did this to her, she spoke. “They’re dead.”

He stood there glaring through the barrier into the next room. He could see that she was right. “Good,” he insisted, knowing she was probably bothered that she hadn’t been able to save the lower-realm disciples. He knew it was his anger talking, but he simply didn’t care.

“Pangfua?” She asked.

“Alive. How bad is it, Huifen? Are you in pain?”

“Yes, but that’s the worst of it. I won’t be able to eat for a day or two, but I can still fight.”

“Absolutely not. You—”

“Chao,” she interrupted him. “The others.”

He realized that he hadn’t looked. When he did, he saw the unyielding side of her ready to let go of him and leave to find out for herself.

He sighed, flying back the way he had come. They appeared amid what was left of the joint sect disciples.

“Sage Huifen,” a voice called out.

She began to release him, and he planned to fight her, but she must have suspected as much. A burst of her aura separated them, even if it was only by a few centimeters. He let her go.

He watched her as she briefly conversed with an ice phoenix elder that was in decent shape.

“How many?” Huifen asked.

“Four.”

He glanced away in shame, but his wife was injured. His eyes darted back and followed her as if not believing what she’d told him about her condition. She began to help where she could when Lead Disciple Shoi-ming spoke up. “Sage Chao.”

“Yes?” he replied, watching his fairy another moment before turning to find the man still carrying Pangfua.

“It’s done?”

He nodded. “It is. The tunnel is safe. Do you think—”

“Leave the rest to me.”

Chao didn’t know Shoi-ming well, but he’d seen the same look in Sage Fang’s expression the night the Fire Phoenix Sect Master had challenged him with his Burning Cage technique. All he knew was how to give his everything. In that they were the same.

The lead disciple wasn’t the only one doing what they could. His Huifen had a girl floating before her in a half-conscious state. Her examination only took a few seconds. One of Jilpa’s ice poison pills appeared in her hand. She sent it speeding down the girl’s throat before commanding a fire phoenix disciple to carry her. An Ice Phoenix Sect elder was trying to command the disciples that could stand into formation much like a mortal teacher might ask children to stand in a line. Not everyone had their wits about them. Those that could help directed those that couldn’t.

When Shoi-ming flew forward to announce he’d carry them out, Huifen appeared at his side and swept Pangfua out of his grasp. There was no hostile intention behind his wife’s actions, but Shoi-ming hovered there as if frozen in stone.

Chao then saw that his Huifen had wrapped the fairy in an ice-blue blanket. He realized Shoi-ming had been holding her just right so that her ice phoenix gown remained wrapped over her nakedness to shield her dignity.

By the time she was finished, Pangfua started to stir. The Hundred Year Disciple’s head snapped to the side as she took in the room, and an instant later the blanket billowed outward only to show her dressed. The sage studied the group of disciples for a moment before sweeping back and finding Huifen and Chao.

“Harnish?”

“It’s done,” Huifen reassured her.

“Then we must rescue the rest of the sect. He wasn’t one to leave loose ends.”

As his wife was reading to gather the sect, Pangfua stopped her. “You’re injured.”

Before she could respond, the fairy turned to Chao, “Can you stop the pylon?”

“One way or another.”

She gave him a nod, then turned back to Huifen. “Stay here and help your husband. We’ll be enough.”

When his wife began to object, Pangfua stopped her. “I only exhausted my qi and remain uninjured.” Finding Shoi-ming, she commanded. “Carry them for me.”

“Yes,” the man boomed. He didn’t wait and lifted the injured disciples and elders with his qi.

Chao flew over and grabbed Huifen by the hand to stop her from trying to follow. She watched them go.

He could feel the turbulent energy inside her and knew much of the turmoil was directed at him, but she didn’t protest. Instead, she asked, “Can you make it quick? They might need us.”

“Yes,” he said turning back to his defensive wall of space.

“You found the source?”

“No.”

“Look at me, Chao.”

He did.

“Are you going to attack the room’s surfaces? I have plenty of qi. What do you need me to do?”

“Nothing,” he replied. His attention turned to the ice holding her insides together as her body slowly healed. It also numbed much of her pain.

“Then what?” she demanded. He could hear her worry.

“I’m going to break it.”

“How? If you can’t find it…” Her eyes went wild when she realized it wasn’t Harnish’s hidden array he was talking about.

“Chao, its already active. It might explode. The spire might not be able to take it.”

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers. “I know. Trust me.”

With a downcast gaze, she nodded. “Okay.”

Pulling away, Chao kept hold of her hand, dragging her behind him where she floated, supported by her qi. He didn’t want her to see his face.

***

When Dvora saw the chunks of mostly frozen flesh cluttering the Water Cultivation Chamber, she’d already reached her limit and would have to react to how ghastly it was later. It struck her how thorough Sage Huifen had been. There weren’t any pieces left of the Morning Mist Village sage and his followers larger than a fist.

She wished she could vomit, or even just cringe. She just didn’t have the emotional energy left to bother.

They moved quickly. It wasn’t long before they had reached the ice palace on the first floor. Sage Pangfua spoke briefly with the disciples inside when she recognized the blond girl as one of Tong Tao’s—Sage Chao’s friends.

She’d thought she’d been through too much to feel much of anything, but, realizing Baros was likely with them, a warmth bubbled up inside her and she was suddenly flying toward them.

The sage announced she was leaving them there.

Dvora almost collided with the sage as she made it to the door’s edge and craned her neck to see in.

“Inside,” the ice sage commanded.

She was amongst the first ushered in. As soon as she entered, she scanned all the faces, then shot past them. She went from room to room, only to be stopped by a fairy.

Dvora almost retaliated when she noticed it was the fairy Eu-meh. Her face wasn’t covered so she saw the girl’s scar.

“You’re looking for Brother Baros?”

As if her head was spinning, her focus snapped into place at the woman’s question. “I am,” she replied, half-bowing.

“He left the spire when we got here. He said that not all his sect were like Harnish, so he went to save those that he could.”

A gloomy shadow overtook her, but then she realized what it meant. She was the one that had requested that he find them and ask the hidden sages to come save them. It was the first time she remembered doing something simply because she thought it was right. Not only had he accepted her request, but she was now finding out he was trying to save his sect as well.

Instead of responding, she shot back toward the entrance of the domed building. Everyone was already inside, and the doors were closing. She had enough of just being dragged around as she tried to survive. A surge of her own qi earned her a boost of speed. She exited just in time.

She knew there wouldn’t be much she could do in the fight, but Sage Pangfua was taking care of it personally. Dvora wouldn’t need to. What she could do is support her betrothed by being there, so that’s what she’d do.

Chapter 64

Xiao Tu and his Ice Phoenix Sect elder-wife Sya had been managing the joint sect disciples outside the spire when it happened. They didn’t need the localization array to tell them something was happening. Tens of sky realm cultivators were gathering outside their building. Most of their disciples were in their sleeping chambers, including a few elders. There were a few groups out and about in the encampment.

“You gather the flock, Momma Phoenix,” Tu said, taking advantage of the situation to address her with a nickname that was normally off limits. “I’ll hold them back.”

“Yes,” Sya agreed immediately. “I’ll be just a moment.”

He guffawed. “So submissive.”

All that it took was a look.

His playful expression vanished, and he gave her a confident grin.

She didn’t rebuke him. This wasn’t the first time they’d face conflict together. He might not be a traditional cultivator, but he hadn’t won the heart of his ice fairy with good looks and personality alone.

Removing something from his spatial ring, he held it ready just in case they were attacked as soon as they exited the building. Looking down at his long, icy-blue sleeves, he gave them a ruffle. He’d been working on his physique so that he could wear a sleeveless uniform next to Brother Zan, but his confidence still had a way to go.

The door to their recently built structure swung outward. He stepped out first followed quickly by Sya.

There were already three join sect elders hovering above facing off with more than fifty sky realm experts from the Morning Mist Village.

He recognized what was happening right away. As hostile as the approaching party might have been, they weren’t being hasty in the process. They let the three joint sect elders face off with them to inquire of their purpose.

The confrontation was happening about ten meters overhead, and they were giving them a berth of about fifteen meters. Their closeness was certainly meant to be oppressive.

Lifting his voice, Tu interrupted the conversation. “We have visitors. Don’t tell me this is that merchant band I commissioned to procure some Mountain Spirit Wine. Your timing couldn’t be better. Come down here. I’ll give you a bonus.”

His nonsense was so out of place that the Morning Mist Village elder addressing their joint sect glared down at him with no little conceit. He didn’t even notice the joint sect elders retreating to join them on the ground until he was alone.

“You’re sending this fool to address this war party?” The man bickered. His eyes peered past Tu to his wife, Sya. Most of them knew her far better than they knew her husband.

“You aren’t here to bring me spirit wine? Then what business do you have?” Tu said as amiably as ever, but a grand pole with a golden shaft that was nearly five meters tall appeared in his hand. At its top wasn’t the blade of a spear. Four sets of molded bull horns faced north, south, east, and west on its end.

Tu had already tagged the numerous cultivators encircling them with his perceptions. His expression dulled for the first time since their arrival.

The enemy elder eyed his staff as he called out. “Elder Sya. We’re here at the request of Sage Harnish. Are you sure this is how you wish to receive us.”

He almost felt bad for the man as the only response he got back was the legendary scorn from his ice fairy. Tu had been on the receiving end of that scowl more times than he cared to remember.

Oh well, that was his queue.

“You’re dismissed,” he yelled up at the man. Tu had put the mobile defensive array away and grasped his staff with both hands.

It was then that the Morning Mist Village elder finally had enough. Removing his dao from his spatial ring, he took a martial stance in the air. “You’ll regret—”

Power erupted out of the top of Tu’s staff. Phantom bulls grew to the size of small dragons as they charged for each enemy sky realm cultivator Tu had tagged with his perceptions, driving them back.

This wasn’t some earth realm technique matching his cultivation. It was one of the overlord rank artifacts he bragged to his son-in-law about. It required his qi to activate and control, but it was powered by only the densest qi crystals, making it expensive to use.

It wasn’t just the enemy elder that had been talking that was being driven back. As many bulls as there were cultivators rushed out of his staff in a great wave of might. Many of the sky realm cultivators cut their phantom’s down, but the force behind the eerie bovines was too much to take head on.

The first wave was enough to send each of them back three or four meters. That didn’t mean that wave was the last. A second wave, just as potent, surged out of the top of his staff. He glanced over to confirm Sya had already left.

He scanned the skies between waves to see if there were any cultivators he’d missed. Not seeing any, he unleashed the next wave while throwing out the array flags to contain their staging building and the lodging containing their sleeping disciples.

It didn’t take his wife long.

The eighth wave was like a trumpet sounding her return. A few joint sect disciples and another elder were with her.

Tu felt his wife’s hand on his shoulder followed by, “It’s done.”

His staff disappeared into his spatial ring to be replaced by a Qi Gathering Array that could be fed crystals just like his staff. As the defensive barrier took form, he looked at the ground to see many fist-sized, high-grade qi crystals laying there cracked and broken.

Most lower realm arrays used crystals in a manner that would never break them. They’d remain whole to be recharged and used later. Such an overbearing artifact couldn’t abide by such rules. He’d already lost what most would consider a fortune.

He scanned his flag’s placement and there were no flaws in his barrier. Only then did he rest easy.

The same Morning Mist Village elder arrived above their defensive array with a few others at his side. The man was obviously riled up but held himself in check.

“Wave at the idiots,” Tu said, grinning widely.

His wife gave him a humored glance.

“It’s time to find out what this is all about,” she said under her breath. “They wouldn’t do something this bold unless they thought they could distract Pangfua, or worse…”

“This Sage Harnish is bound to get the surprise of his lifetime when he finds our Huifen and son-in-law are here to interrupt his nonsense.”

“You’re right but let’s not give away our hand just yet. I’ll do the talking.”

“You worry your husband will ruin negotiations?”

“I worry you’ll skip over negotiations entirely and go straight to threatening them.”

He scratched the side of his face. “I may have been considering that.”

The talks didn’t gain them much more information except the enemy elders seemed certain Pangfua was dealt with, which could only mean they intended to kill her. How was the real trick. He wasn’t sure how much of a difference there was in power between Pangfua and Harnish, but he knew how much more potent joint sect techniques were compared to smaller sects.

They also had the disciples still inside the spire to worry about, but they were in no position to force their way in. They tried using their transmission jades to contact those inside. No answer came. Some kind of array must have been set up to jam their communications. So they observed and waited.

As they did, the Morning Mist Village elder who was originally meant to address them was now hurling threats and insults. Tu, a lowly earth realm cultivator, had led the way in fooling the man. They were hostages in name only.

“We originally intended to offer some of you admittance into the Morning Mist Village if you took an oath, but now I’ll just kill you myself,” the man sneered, thrusting out his dao. A jet of water struck the barrier but did little more than send a tremor through it.

To spite the man, Tu removed a chest a meter long and just as deep. Tipping back it’s lid, he showed the man it was filled to the brim with only the highest quality qi crystals. He yawned while meeting the man’s gaze.

And so they waited.

As the minutes passed, he grew less certain he knew how things would turn out. It’s not that he thought there was a chance they’d lose, but to get out of this without tragedy striking again? What if Pangfua was really killed?

His Sya had known the Hundred Year Disciple since her youth. His daughter viewed her as a big sister.

He was ready for conflict and willing to risk his life, but there were no answers to death. There would be a time to grieve, honor the memory of their lost ones, and then to try and move on. To see both his fairies, his wife and little girl, go through that again and with someone so close to them, he cursed the world of cultivators for the millionth time. It didn’t change anything. Hating the evil of the world was no way to deal with it.

Tu sensed Sya’s tension in her hand as he held it.

It came like a descending dragon. The aura of an overlord approached at a rapid pace from inside the spire. Everyone on both sides of the conflict looked up in anticipation. They hoped to behold the arrival of their sect’s sage who’d announce their victory.

A fairy walked out of the spire instead of flying. Tu immediately noticed how exhausted she looked. Pangfua wasn’t alone. Stopping at her side, Core Disciple Shoi-ming leaned heavily on a sword that was as tall as he was.

“Pangfua,” Tu cheered, but his voice was drowned out by the disciples behind them. Those that had been sleeping were now awake.

As if knowing this would happen, the skies were suddenly filled with more than a hundred sky-realm cultivators, forming up in a semicircle that surrounded the entrance to the spire.

Tu’s expression darkened. Even if the fairy sage had survived, this was a war party with formations capable of killing overlords.

Some brave soul near the middle of the central formation facing her called out, “Sage Pangfua of the Ice Phoenix Sect. Surrender peacefully and your disciples will be spared.”

Before the man could say more, Pangfua called out, “Harnish is dead.”

“You’re out of qi and surrounded. This is your last chance.” The man obviously didn’t believe her.

Then the deepest of rumbles as if from the bowls of the earth caused the very air all around them to shake in fear. It wasn’t a true tremor, for the ground remained silent and acquiesced. It had come from the Divine Spire. As in the path of the mightiest of storms, the air pressure dropped, the rain slowed, and there was a moment of calm. Then came the whirlwind’s roar as if from a distant terror, but it was already there.

The qi in the air sizzled. It was as if the spire shook, but nothing moved. Power radiated from it at such a frequency that the only things quaking were the insides of the people watching. It was then the sound came. Thunder crashed from the spire far above.

The air remained electrified when Pangfua spoke. “Sages Long Chao and Long Huifen are finishing what Harnish started. The more trouble you cause, the harder it will be on you.”

Shoi-ming stepped out from beside the sage. “This many water cultivators in the air are making me thirsty.” He lazily lifted his giant sword to rest on his shoulder, but not without changing his stance and outright daring them to try something.

Pangfua smiled. Her own thin blade appeared at her side, and she stepped forward to join his challenge.

Chapter 65

The look Chao had given his Huifen had been a reassuring one. Nothing of it remained.

The dragon, Justice, was stuck in its cage as was the phoenix, Mercy. Four joint sect disciples had died because he was so desperate to punish Harnish himself, but his wife had stubbornly tried to save the enemy sage’s disciples, getting herself injured in the process. Dragon, phoenix, it didn’t matter, he hated them both. He also sought them and cherished them, so why did they so ardently struggle against him? Why couldn’t he just save who he wanted to save?

Qi was pouring out of him already. He hadn’t retreated with the joint sect for a reason. It wasn’t necessary to stay here. They could fix this problem later. If he went now, he feared what he’d do. Was he fighting to keep himself from slaughtering what was left of Harnish’s sect? His reason wasn’t so noble. He needed a target—something to hit. He’d found one.

Who in this lower realm could even fathom breaking this pylon? A few overlords? His own wife? The odd divine realm cultivator that was here for whatever reason? He only gave that a moment’s thought.

As in his destructive vision’s madness, he created an awakened creature of each element and had them compete. They appeared on the other side of his space barrier which shrunk to a size that would just protect him and his wife. His awakened elements sped around its borders like eager beasts on the hunt.

Lightning and wind were the swiftest. The cackling serpent of pure energy against the wispy, bird-like mass of air. They grew in realm as they went. Their speed increased as they did. A little fire dragon followed next with a water carp and ice fairy on its tail. Something that looked like a stick bug with leaves for wings came second to last only to be followed by a fist sized gorilla made of stone, chasing behind it on all fours.

The last two were new additions. He hadn’t given them much thought.

They all darted toward the pylon but didn’t take a direct trajectory. Instead, they scurried about, dodging any beams that came their way. Perhaps it was cheating, but they didn’t hold much killing intent. It wasn’t the tower he was truly angry at. The intent they held could only be his own. That didn’t mean their aim would be any less true.

His golden lightning serpent reached it first. Its head became like the head of an arrow covered in torn space. Its bite cut deep, but as the tribulation lightning filled the wound, divine destruction followed.

Greatly compressed tribulation wind sunk its beak in next, releasing its pent-up energy into the pylon itself.

The fire dragon struck and exploded after it was already failing. Water and ice landed on nearly the same spot. The nature creature wouldn’t be out done. The earth elemental had no business reaching the pylon, but the defensive array had already lost its ability to retaliate. Like a charging beast it pounded into the thing with its chest.

There was a surge of heaven and earth qi, then the pylon started to fall. The energy being held back spewed upward.

Chao felt Huifen’s grip tighten.

He was ready.

His space vortex was more difficult in concept than it was to create. A painter must start with a stroke on a specific place on the canvas. He had to make it all at once. What made the job easier was that they were no longer on the sixth floor. The airs density here just wasn’t that much.

He was careful to create it outside of the flailing qi’s reach. He intended to contain it. The rest mattered little.

Like a giant mouth reaching to lick the pylon off the floor, it opened right on top of where it had fallen. He didn’t know how large he should make it, so he made his vortex’s belly as tall as the spire and just as wide.

As before, the empty space needed to be filled, so the air and qi in the room rushed toward the opening. Its internal boundaries existed in a space of their own so there was no obstruction from the spire itself.

Closed within his space barrier, Chao and Huifen floated alone in the darkness, but there was nothing lonely in what they felt. The energy beneath the broken pylon was only building. His vortex was just as ferocious. It devoured all the qi the spire would feed it.

When the energy only kept building, a new fear set in. What if the qi didn’t stop. Was an explosion imminent?

He intended on relieving the spire of such a dangerous attraction as the pylon. How many well-intentioned cultivators had lost their lives due to curiosity? If they really did take possession of the spire, then it was one feature he would rather be rid of so that his future disciples wouldn’t have to face life and death in his own home.

If that was how it was going to be, then so be it. He glared into the darkness. If the spire collapsed, it wasn’t just the two of them he had to worry about. What of his joint sect’s disciples inside and out?

He constructed something in his mind that he thought just might work.

The qi at the base of what was left of the pylon was reaching a zenith. He knew it was coming.

Huifen’s hand tightened around his own.

“Greetings, Divine Master,” a familiar voice came. The growing qi stopped. Not only had it stopped building, but any qi that had been coming from what was left of the pylon was cut off.

“Hello,” Chao answered in confusion.

“I still don’t have your qi signature on record. Do you intend on taking the tower’s treasures by force?”

“No…” He then proceeded to tell the voice briefly what happened.

“I understand your predicament. You still intend on climbing the tower and taking ownership?”

“We do.”

“Very well. Would you prefer for me to remove these killing intent formations from the area and restore function to the defensive formation or leave the defensive obelisk without function and remove its hazard.”

“I would prefer you to remove it… Why are you asking me?”

He pulled Huifen by the hand and into a side hug. She squeezed to reassure him.

“Your reasons for destroying the pylon are sensible. I also prefer having an owner to set directives, so by complying I hope to motivate you to finish the tower’s challenges quickly. I was created to serve.”

The contrast between the defensive pylon’s ability to kill without discrimination and the voice’s desire to serve was jarring.

“What are you, a spirit?”

“An artificial spirit. My consciousness exists within the tower itself, but I can project myself in a similar manner to the way a creature’s residual energy appears after it dies.”

“Do you have a name?” Huifen asked, speaking for the first time.

“Hello, lady fairy. My name is to be set by the tower’s owner. Forgive me if I misspoke. I can’t get a bearing on your qi signature nor sense where you’re hiding. Are you also a Divine Master?”

“We will be sure to face the tower’s challenges within the next few months,” she replied. “Please do as you’ve suggested. If you could make this room safe for our disciples, that might persuade us to undergo them even sooner.”

“The repair will take about twelve hours, but the qi has been redirected from the obelisk already so that it’s safe.”

“Thank you,” Huifen replied, leaning her head against his shoulder.

“There’s one last problem you might be able to help us with,” Chao said.

“Please, speak,” the artificial spirit responded modestly.

“Well. I’m currently containing the qi the pylon released in a separate space. Is there something you could do about it? I planned on releasing it a little at a time, but…”

“Certainly, Divine Master. With your permission, I’ll condense the qi in the space you created into crystals.”

“We’d greatly appreciate that. Uh. How long will it take?”

“Not long. Just a few minutes.”

With his perceptions, he watched as a human spirit formed in the room without any hair and a young man’s face. An instant later, the spirit dived upward into the space vortex.

Huifen pulled away but was squeezing his hands. Overlord ice formed above them, giving off enough light for them to see each other.

Feeling the chill, he created an orb of orange earth-realm fire.

Her eyes were as wide as he’d ever seen them. “Do you know how much power it would take to compress that much qi into crystals in just a few minutes?”

He nodded. “Yes.” Then realizing he really had no way of comprehending it, he shook his head, “No.”

“Neither do I,” she admitted.

Keeping its word, a few minutes later, the spirit reappeared and Chao was able to close his vortex. It took another minute or two for the air in the room to settle.

Unwrapping them from space, they saw the artificial spirit for the first time with their eyes. He was ethereal but had well defined features and wore the simplest of martial robes.

Three of the purest qi crystals they had ever seen floated over to them. They were the size of a person’s head and as translucent as a diamond.

“For the inconvenience,” the spirit said, bowing at the waist and offering the crystals to them.

They just stared.

If time wasn’t sensitive, they would’ve stayed to ask questions, but they both knew it wasn’t over. There was one last thing to do.

***

Dvora’s cultivation allowed her to hide her presence, but it didn’t make her invisible. She was leaning against the wall just next to the exit. Even there, she was probably too close. She’d seen Sage Pangfua and Core Disciple Shoi-ming standing just outside the spire surrounded by a hundred sky realm cultivators. They weren’t there to greet them but were facing off against them in military formation.

What should she do? Her sisters didn’t seem to have joined with the Morning Mist Village in the assault. If she exited and darted by, would they let her go? It was possible things had already gone too far. Her appearance could set off a series of attacks by someone that had reached the edge of their control.

She’d heard what Pangfua said—that Sage Chao and Huifen were just finishing what Harnish had started. She’d felt the disturbance in the qi, and that explosion had left the spire quaking. It hadn’t lasted for long. The Morning Mist Village elders had yet to respond. She didn’t want to poke her head around the corner again just to have it blasted off.

By all that was right, they should’ve laid down their weapons at Sage Pangfua’s feet. The sage had just saved her life by blocking the assault of a divine realm defensive formation. That should be impossible. Yet, despite such a feat, they were showing Sage Pangfua disrespect now that she was in a weakened state.

Dvora knew as well as anyone how unfair life really was but she yearned for something better. The worse part was that everyone desired such fairness for themselves and yet didn’t even try to make it a reality.

In her indecisiveness, she didn’t move. Time felt like it had been stretched. Each second was drawn out as if taunting. An irrational fear gathered her into its arms. It whispered mock warnings. Why aren’t you moving? If you stay here, you’re going to die. All she had to do was move back from the exit.

She heard no response from the Morning Mist Village. That was a good sign, wasn’t it? Why didn’t she move back? She didn’t want to miss her chance. Baros was out there waiting for her. She had picked sides, but so had he. They weren’t just secretly engaged. They were now allies.

When she dared to look around the corner, she saw the same thing she’d seen after Pangfua and Shoi-ming’s announcement that their hidden sages were coming. Then she spotted a group of Sky Realm elders from the Morning Mist Village huddled together in the air. They were having a hushed conversation.

She realized then that there was an opportunity. The join sect was an upright one, but that didn’t mean they were against deception during battle. Whether the Morning Mist Village elders should believe what they’d just heard was probably at the heart of their hesitation. That could only mean…

Dvora stepped out from where she was hidden before what she was doing fully registered. She hated the deceptive ways of her sect. They were exhausting. This was the opposite of that. All that she had to do was tell the truth. It was just as frightening as deceiving a cultivator far stronger than her. There was one blessed difference. She was convinced it was right.

“Sage Pangfua is telling the truth,” she called. Her volume wasn’t sufficient, so she lifted her voice and said it again.

She kept walking forward. As soon as she started speaking, she didn’t stop. “My Night Pearl Sect has known of the hidden sages here for weeks. We didn’t know their identities then. We only believed they were here to hunt down the murderers. And they found them. I saw it with my own eyes. Sage Chao had the man pinned against the wall as he questioned him.”

The group of Night Pearl Sect elders was watching her. Not one of them said a word. She knew the next detail would make her words undeniable.

“His spear and sword were driven into the divine stone of the spire. He’s been going by Tong Tao.”

As the last word slipped from her lips, Dvora found herself standing in front of Sage Pangfua. When had she—?

The sage stepped forward to stand at her side. “What the little sister from the Night Pearl Sect says is true. Sages Long Chao and Long Huifen were disguising themselves, but not because they were looking for the killers. However, I can confirm they were the ones to bring them to justice. They were hoping to train here in peace, for a time, without having to face assassins from the Northern Continent.

“They plan on attending the Divine Flying Tiger Clan’s Trials.”

Several of the Morning Mist Village elders looked to a man hovering there in their midst. It seemed he was their main spokesman. His mouth dangled half open.

Their chance to humble themselves was too fleeting. Before they could act, the perceptions of an overlord poured out of the Divine Spire. The pressure came so fast that it didn’t even have time to build.

In the next instant, Dvora looked up. A fairy in a gown of ice floated next to a man in green martial robes. Except for the transcendent opulence of the icy gown, even the woman’s jade jewelry looked flawed with mundane beauty.

At the sages’ arrival, all of the Morning Mist Village elders fell from the sky in a desperate attempt to take a knee. Many of them took it further and were soon kowtowing.

The two sages floated down to join Panfua and Core Disciple Shoi-ming.

“I take it our identities have been revealed?” Sage Chao asked.

“Yes,” Pangfua replied. “There was no way around it.”

“Finally,” he sighed, turning to his wife. “I’m still going to call you Fen’er.”

When she gave him a weak grin, Dvora saw his expression change.

“My Huifen?”

“I’m fine, Chao. I’m just trying not to move too much to aggravate my injuries.”

Dvora was baffled at how ordinary their conversation seemed. It was surreal coming from them.

“Sister Dvora,” someone called her by name. She then realized she was still standing amongst them.

“Yes, Sage Long Huifen,” she replied, bowing at the waist.

“There’s no need for that. Thank you for your help.”

She bowed even deeper, but a gust of qi propped her up. She found Sage Chao chuckling under his breath.

“Brother Baros?” he asked.

She was quick to respond. “He returned to the staging area to try and convince his sect not to participate in the fight.”

“Very good.” Sage Chao began to scan their surroundings. “We’ll look for him soon.”

“Are you ready?” Pangfua said, accepting nods from her party. “Then let’s get this over with.”

This time, Dvora made sure to stay at their backs as the three sages and Core Disciple Shoi-ming approached the group of kneeling elders. There was no discussion.

Sage Pangfua addressed them. “I have contacted your Sect Master, inviting him here to join us. You can explain to him exactly what you’ve been up to.”

The group kneeling was the same that had been discussing what to do before Sage Chao and Sage Huifen’s presence was revealed. They crumbled like a mob of common criminals at their feet. Further kowtowing and begging followed.

Chapter 66

Huifen found her parents under the protection of a defensive formation covering the joint sect’s camp. They hadn’t moved to join them. Even though the enemy might seem subdued, it would only take a few of them with evil intent to take advantage of the lowering of the array. Then they might take hostages.

She scanned the crowd of humbled sky realm cultivators. None of them acted as if they had a hidden trump card, but these elders had followed Harnish. She wouldn’t put any deception past them. It was best to treat the situation as if they were planning something.

“Elder Alfori of the Night Pearl Sect,” Huifen summoned.

Pangfua still looked exhausted.

Their eyes met and her big sister gave her a small smile.

The elder flew in from where her sect had been huddled together and touched down before them. Then she did something Huifen had never seen from the woman. She removed her veil and gave Pangfua a look of concern. Her voice was low, but she asked, “Are you?”

“I’m well,” the ice sage confirmed. “I just exhausted my qi. I’ve already recovered a little. Your sect?”

“The Morning Mist Village took steps to make it look as if they were upholding old allegiances. I’ve contacted our Sect Master as well. She’ll be here soon to make sure things proceed as they should.”

“That’s for the best. And the other sects?”

“No one dared to resist the Morning Mist Village except for Brother Xiao Tu. He used some artifact to drive them back as Elder Sya gathered your sect. From what I can tell, no one was injured.”

“I missed father-in-law in action?” Sage Long Chao said with a sigh.

Huifen patted his arm. “We should search the camp for any unexpected surprises.”

“I’ll go,” Pangfua said.

Shoi-ming straightened himself and shouldered his sword, obviously intending to go with her.

“Sister Alfori, would you please join us? Your presence will help reassure some.”

“Of course,” the fairy said, covering her face again with her veil.

“Little sister, you’re looking for someone?” Pangfua addressed Dvora.

“Yes,” she said with a bow.

“Then come along.”

Pangfua turned back to her. “Sister Huifen. Brother Chao. We won’t be long.”

“Don’t worry about us, Big Sister,” Chao insisted. “We’ll keep an eye on them.”

When the group was gone, her husband surrounded them with a sound barrier. “The Sect Masters from the Morning Mist Village and Night Pearl Sect are coming here? Should we expect a battle?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so, but we should be ready for one regardless. Pangfua contacted the Morning Mist Village Sect Master herself. She either is certain he would disapprove of what’s happened, or she intends on drawing him out and ending any further threats. As for the Night Pearl’s Sect Master, she’s just as likely to side with the Morning Mist Village as to back us. Their alliance is one that has spanned a thousand years. Her presence will have a limiting effect on the retaliatory steps we can take.”

“Should we just kill them all now?”

Huifen found herself seriously considering it before a sense of horrendous guilt overtook her. This was the very part of her she feared would cast a shadow over the rest. Then she saw her Chao hadn’t noticed. He had briefly dropped the sound barrier and let his words reach the ears of the kowtowing enemy.

“Don’t be cruel,” she said without thinking.

As his expression turned sour, she realized he’d meant to only taunt them. He nodded at her rebuke. Relief washed over her.

“I failed, Chao. I lost control.”

“No. You failed by getting injured. The rest, we’ll figure out later.” He wasn’t even looking at her while he said it.

“But—”

“Later, my Fen’er,” he said, leaning over and kissing her on the side of the head. “You can’t be so worried about what you might do wrong that you don’t act at all. You taught me that. This isn’t over.”

Her insides were being held together by ice, but she’d still allowed Heart of Ice to expire. She knew immediately why she’d let it happen. She was afraid. Afraid of what she’d become. Afraid of what she already was.

Chao was right. She began circulating her emotion numbing technique and prepared. With the sect masters of two sects coming here directly, it was possible that this would turn worse than they imagined. Both sects were allied. They might bring what remained of their sects for an all-out war.

Huifen extended her perceptions into a wide perimeter while keeping a close eye on the elders still bowing. She wasn’t sure how long it would take the overlords to arrive, but the spire was closer to their sects than it was to the joint sect. It wouldn’t take long.

As for the elders of the Morning Mist Village, they didn’t bother addressing their pleas. They owed them nothing, so they kept them waiting.

She sent a quick message with her transmission jade to Mother Sya. She received confirmation that everyone was uninjured. Father Tu interjected by asking about her health. Even with the vision of a cultivator, it was difficult for them to see each other between the buildings and tents, but it seemed her father had seen enough.

All that was left after their conversation was for them to wait. They expected to feel an overlord approaching at any moment when a shriek from the outer reaches of camp caught everyone off guard. The elders lowered themselves even further. Chao shot into the air, pulling her by the hand.

From just beneath the array formation surrounding the entire camp, they looked down upon the place from which the scream had come. Pangfua’s group was there, but one of them was missing. Dvora.

What had she said? Baros had tried to convince his friends not to fight against the joint sect.

Since they couldn’t see exactly what was happening, Chao moved to fly in that direction.

Huifen stopped him. “Wait,” she said before swooping down and grasping ahold of the group of lead elders of the Morning Mist Village with her qi. She pulled them along after her as they went.

They neared the area from where the scream had come. She found Dvora kneeling with Brother Baros’s head lying there in her lap. The fairy was silent, staring blankly at the man that would be her husband.

 Chao descended, but she stayed put. Turning to the elders she’d dragged along, she asked, “What happened here?”

***

If she’d only gone with him. Dvora would be with Baros now, fleeing as fast as they could. Her decision to stay had changed that. Seeing him lying there without the normal color in his cheeks was disturbing, as was his lack of responsiveness. But as she knelt with Baros strewn across her lap, she wasn’t the emotional mess she should’ve been. She had perfect clarity.

The conversations going on overhead, Sage Long Chao and Huifen’s arrival, and the elders’ response—she heard them all. The card jade was also clenched tight in her hand.

Baros had been careful with his parting words to her. So careful. It hadn’t been that way between them in the beginning. He’d been bold in courting her, but that had changed after she’d agreed to run off with him. She’d wondered for a time if it was because he was regretting asking her. It was just the opposite. It wasn’t just his wellbeing he was being considerate of, but her own.

She ran her finger behind his ear, brushing his hair aside.

All of her training told her she should view him as a naïve fool. It was the kind of foolishness she was taught to look for in a husband. Such trust was easy to take advantage of. His feelings for her would blind him even further. But he wasn’t blind. He believed there was a chance she would take advantage of him. He even permitted her to leave with his money without ever looking back.

The veil she wore at every public gathering had been put away and she had no intent of ever putting it back on. She’d teared up when she’d first pulled him to her, but now she smiled down at him. It would be a struggle. There was so much training from her sect that had to be undone. Marrying him wouldn’t have been a problem. Being married without constantly trying to manipulate him would’ve been the real challenge. Even if she left the sect and was without a mission, it was what she’d been raised to do. He’d known that as well.

When one of the Morning Mist Village elders descended, she almost attacked him on the spot. The man wasn’t alone. Sage Huifen was at her side in the next instant. She was kneeling there with her. Overlords didn’t kneel. The sage’s hand was on her shoulder. She knew she should be horrified, but there was a gentleness in the way this fairy looked at her—an understanding.

Then the elder placed his hand on Baros’s forehead and began to examine him. “He held in his lifeblood. That gives us a chance. This wound, however… His primary meridian to the heart has been severed.”

“Do everything you can,” Sage Huifen said. “If it’s resources you need, just say it—regardless the cost.”

Even when she first saw what she’d considered his corpse, she’d screamed and went to him, but she’d been too emotionally drained to have much more of a reaction. Hearing that he might live, even if it was the most fragile of chances, ripped her heart open. What had dampened her eyes now flooded her face. They took him from her, and she found she had no strength to even try to stop them.

If not for Sage Huifen, she would’ve remained there, kneeling in the grass. The fairy took her somewhere nearby. All she could do was watch. It was a while before she remembered the card jade. She gave it a squeeze.

Chapter 67

Seeing Brother Baros at the edge of death, Chao didn’t know what to do. Huifen had threatened a Morning Mist Village elder into doing his best to heal the man. She’d taken Dvora to the side to be there for the fairy. Brother Shoi-ming had flown up and unleashed his aura as he peered down on the still kneeling enemy. Big Sister Pangfua was more directly watching over the group of elders Huifen had dragged along. He was there, ready to back up anyone who needed him. Despite that, he felt powerless.

Four disciples had fallen because he’d been too late. His wife had been seriously injured even if it wasn’t life threatening. If it wasn’t for the artificial spirit in the Divine Spire, who knows what would’ve happened if the destroyed pylon hadn’t stopped before it could explode.

He’d chosen to save his sect’s disciples instead of inflicting justice on Sage Harnish. His wife had sought to save the disciples of their enemy and suffered for it. And now Brother Baros had tried to persuade his sect to do what is right and it was questionable whether he’d survive.

What was the point of doing what was right if the people you cared for only suffered in its wake? He was beginning to understand the ruthlessness of cultivators at the top of the world. There was a pragmatic logic to it. If they would’ve just slaughtered Harnish without any care of his disciples, the outcome would’ve likely been the same, but Huifen would’ve remained uninjured. And what was the point of Baros’s actions? Had it help with anything besides getting him killed?

His eyes fell on Fairy Dvora. Baros’s efforts had only caused more suffering. And the girl’s? If she hadn’t sent him to warn them when they did then Big Sister Pangfua wouldn’t be alive—nor Shoi-ming, numerous disciples and joint sect elders.

The girl had drugged him, tried to seduce him, and nearly harmed his relationship with his wife. Yet in defiance of her own sect, she’d done what was right by warning Pangfua and sending Baros to alert them to what was about to happen. If she hadn’t…

They just couldn’t win.

For all the power he had grasped since Huifen had glided through the Redwood Aurora into his life, he was no closer to being able to protect those he cared for. Was it more speed he needed? More overwhelming power? What was the point if he’d never be fast enough? Ruthlessness alone wasn’t the answer. Even wisdom couldn’t change circumstances as they came. All that strength had taught him was how little power he really had.

As a new overlord aura approached, he flew up to join Shoi-ming in the air. A second one emanated moments later. He wasn’t sure if their timing boded well or poorly. He’d be ready for either.

There was one thing he noticed right away. The person that would arrive first had a similar aura to Sage Harnish. Secondly, this newcomer was far more powerful than their dead enemy.

He arrived high above the array formation that Harnish had set up to warn his elders of anyone trying to flee the encampment. This sage’s wooden armor was darker than that of the rest of his sect.

The barrier didn’t blur their vision, so Chao got a clear picture of the man. Their eyes met. His beard was grey and wispy, reaching down past his chest. His hair was just as grey, but his eyes were blue as crystal, and his visage was youthful and ruddy. He didn’t have the physical stature of Shoi-ming, but Chao knew this overlord was one of the most powerful they’d ever faced. He was near the peak.

“Stay here,” Pangfua called out as she shot upward. A loud chime sounded from where she had left the formation. It didn’t restrict her.

The Morning Mist Village’s Sect Master nodded to him before turning his attention to the approaching ice sage.

“They competed against each other in a mystic realm nearly half a century ago and developed a friendly rivalry,” Shoi-ming shared.

Chao nodded. He forgot at times that not all of the sect’s disciples were as young as he and his Huifen.

“I agree. He shouldn’t attack her outright if he plans on fighting,” Elder Alfori said, appearing at his side.

His defensive aura blared at the fairy’s sudden arrival. Since when was she so familiar?

The elder didn’t take offense. Nor did she move back in fear. “You might find it difficult to believe, but Sect Master Uilleam isn’t like Harnish.”

He let his defensive aura calm but left it active. He gave the elder a nod.

Hearing their conversation wasn’t difficult.

“Deaths have been kept to a minimum, “Pangfua reassured the Morning Mist Village Sect Master. “I was able to defend my group of disciples from the spire’s defensive formation, but four of them succumbed to my ice as I held it back. Sage Long Huifen faced Harnish directly. She was forced to kill him. An elder and three or four disciples were caught in the battle and also died. The only other death I know of was one of your disciples who was stabbed in the back.”

“You’re injured?” Uilleam asked, keeping his expression firm.

“Just drained of qi.”

The Sect Master grew quiet as he took it all in. It was then the second overlord arrived.

Chao didn’t hesitate to fly up to meet them. Harnish’s array formation chimed as he passed. He stayed back, not directly joining them to respect Pangfua’s request. He found Elder Alfori had followed him, while Shoi-ming had stayed put. The man seemed torn as to whether he should. Chao motioned for him to stay.

Huifen appeared at Chao’s side a moment later. She consoled him before he asked. “She’ll be fine for now. This isn’t over.”

He gave her hand a squeeze.

“Sect Master Ginevra,” Pangfua said, bowing her head in greeting.

The woman’s blond-greying hair was back in a long ponytail. Her features were sharp even from beneath her veil, and she was rather petite, but she also exuded power that Chao had rarely felt in an overlord. Her cultivation was nearly as high as the Morning Mist Sect Master’s. “Hello, Sage Pangfua,” the fairy sage replied. Glancing to her side, she added, “Uilleam.”

“Hello, Ginevra.”

“So what’s the meaning of this?” The moon sage asked.

There was a pause before the man responded. “Harnish is dead.”

“What?” The Night Pearl Sect Master became unstable in the air.

Uilleam went to her, stabilizing her with his qi and placing his hand just above her elbow.

She didn’t pull away from him, replying with little strength. “How?”

“He plotted against the Ice Phoenix Palace to open some vault. Four of Pangfua’s disciples were killed in the process.”

“You fought him?” Ginevra asked Pangfua.

“I didn’t. Sage Huifen stopped him. With the help of Sage Chao, they saved my life in the process.”

The fairy was there one moment, then gone the next. It wasn’t speed that masked her approach, but her presence was veiled completely.

Ginevra appeared before his Huifen. Chao placed himself and a wall of space between them, only to hear the Night Pearl Sect Master’s words after he’d wrapped his wife in space.

“How did he die?”

Huifen’s hand found his shoulder, and she whispered, “It’s okay.”

Dropping the wall of space, he soon saw the veiled woman’s features clearly. Her eyes were damp and swollen.

Chao then heard Huifen’s explanation of what happened under the water sage’s domain. She didn’t hide anything, but neither did she exaggerate. As for the techniques she used to defeat Harnish, those she kept to herself.

The woman didn’t respond in anger. Sect Master Uilleam appeared next to her, this time wrapping an arm around her shoulder and taking her hand in his as if to lead her away. Instead, he just held her there. Pangfua joined them a moment later.

“I shouldn’t have given him such freedom,” Uilleam admitted.

A pained shriek sounded.

Chao found the source, only to see Dvora standing above one of the many kowtowing disciples with a blade sunk into the back of his neck where the armor didn’t cover him.

They all moved at once.

Pangfua placed herself right in front of the Morning Mist Sect Master.

Unwilling to let his Big Sister face the sage after what she’d just been through, Chao moved to cut her off, but Huifen was too fast. She was already there by the time he started moving and even Elder Alfori placed herself between him and the near-peak water sage.

That great dragon inside him that demanded justice roared out when a blaring flame warmed the area and Sect Master Uilleam shot off into the distance. The attack hadn’t been a Fire Phoenix technique.

The Night Pearl’s Ginevra seemingly disappeared only to reappear in the distance to attack again.

A liquefied flood dragon struck down the follow up attack. The qi-serpent’s body nearly covered the sky, showing off the might of the water sage.

The moon sage wasn’t as flashy, but her ability to evade his perceptions sent a chill of fear through Chao. The speed of such battles made a cultivator’s normal senses almost useless. Their perceptions were all they had to follow along. If it wasn’t for his strategy of surrounding himself in space, he couldn’t be sure he could defeat this moon fairy. And if she intended to assassinate him when he was unaware? There was no doubt her flare of fire qi could do the job in an instant.

As powerful as the Morning Mist Sect Master was, the most impressive thing about him was how he was able to defend against the woman’s attacks. The water dragon had a long body. It encircled the man, shifting to intercept each attack.

She didn’t just attack from front, flank, and back, but shot in from above and below. She was like a bird of prey swooping in from every direction on its aerial target. Her speed was enough that he was having trouble fighting back. That wasn’t quite right. He simply wasn’t fighting her.

“What’s going on?” Chao said aloud. Why did it seem like the Night Pearl Sect Master was taking Harnish’s death harder than the man’s own Sect Master? And weren’t they allies of more than a thousand years?

Huifen suddenly shot past him, setting off the chime of the array as she dived toward the earth. Then he saw it. Some of the kowtowing disciples and elders of the man Dvora had just killed had risen to their feet and were about to take the woman by force. He watched as his wife blasted downward with ice qi, sending the lot of them back to the ground. Most of them sprawled to their backs.

As his wife arrived at her side, Dvora didn’t just let her take the blade, but handed it to her. Words passed between them.

As interested as he was in their discussion, he trusted his wife to handle it. He returned his attention to the spectacle of water and fire. He’d been responsible for the deaths of half the overlords on the continent, but in all actuality, he’d seen very few in action. Their goal during the battle against Emperor Sun was to kill their enemies as quickly as possible before they could become a problem. He and his wife had been remarkably efficient.

Chao didn’t have an emotion numbing technique, but after his time in his father’s training construct, very few things bothered him even when he was startled. As he watched the duel rage, he felt his heart thunder in his chest. Water cultivation really did make for an exceptional defense. As for what the Night Pearl Sect cultivated, it was even more fascinating. It was undoubtedly a fire cultivation method, but their focus on the moon and their veils gave it some unique characteristics. It made him wonder if their ability to hide their perceptions was because there were concepts cultivated just as the Li family did with their swords and sharpness. He was almost sure of it.

It made him think of the moon and its many attributes. It reflected light, but it didn’t produce heat. It filtered light, or veiled it, giving it a pale softness. The moon was even talented with concealing itself depending on the time of the month and season. It couldn’t control the amount of light it reflected, but that didn’t mean cultivators that imitated it wouldn’t develop such techniques.

After a quarter hour, there was no sign that the duel would be over anytime soon.

Elder Alfori had descended to help with Dvora. Chao even saw Mother Sya fly up carrying many disciples with her qi with the help of a few elders. Father Tu was there. The man gave him a nod.

Chao flew forward to accompany Pangfua who had been hovering all alone. “Big Sister,” he said as he joined her.

She gave him a quaint grin but didn’t turn away from the fight. There was silence between them for many minutes before she said, “Their story is a tragic one. It should be over soon.”

He tilted his head to the side, unsure how she’d come to her conclusion. “Who will win?”

“They aren’t fighting, Little Brother. Just working out frustrations in a way familiar to them. I’ve seen it once before.”

“I—I don’t understand.”

“It’s not my story to tell, but just know that Sage Ginevra lost a son today.”

The color ran from his face. “Should we be wary?”

Pangfua shook her head.

“Did we kill him? Her son?”

“Not just hers. Theirs.” She looked at him before realizing she was being unnecessarily cryptic. “Harnish.”

He was suddenly at a loss for words. His mouth even moved but nothing came out. Finally he spoke. “Harnish was the son of two sages?”

“Yes, but he’s not related to Sect Master Uilleam by blood. As I said, their story is a tragic one, but he adopted the boy as his own and even raised him in his sect. I mustn’t say more. Besides, they’re about to finish.”

Chao returned his attention to the fight as he puzzled through what she had said. There was a sudden wail that carried as far as Sage Ginevra’s explosive flares. The water dragon was gone in an instant and from a few kilometers away, he saw the two dueling sages embrace.

The Night Pearl Sect Master had thrown herself at Sage Uilleam. Her face was buried in his chest. Her weeping was mostly silent, but even an earth realm cultivator could see her shudder with each sob.

“They will join us when they’re ready,” Pangfua said.

He watched as Uilleam started to undo the moon sage’s braid. The man carefully picked the strands apart before he ran his fingers through it.

Chao didn’t know the story, but he didn’t have to in order to sense the danger. This wasn’t the danger of life and death. It alarmed him as much as if it was. The way Uilleam was holding her. Their familiarity.

His eyes darted downward where he found his Huifen once again kneeling with Dvora.

She seemed to sense him. She looked up. He knew enough about the Night Pearl Sect and Morning Mist Village to know their physical locations weren’t close. Certainly two sages could meet each day if they put in the effort, but it was far enough to make it bothersome. It begged the question, why would two people who obviously cared for each other put such a distance between them?

Pangfua had said Harnish was their son, but he wasn’t Uilleam’s by blood. Did that mean their relationship had started later or had Ginevra been unfaithful?

Even though Huifen could tell something was wrong in his expression, she gave him a sympathetic grin and turned back to the girl. There was already much they had to discuss later. This just added another thing to the list.

It wasn’t long before the once dueling sect masters headed in their direction. They were no longer embracing but remained close.

As soon as they reached Pangfua, they both saluted her and apologized.

Chao didn’t regret Harnish’s death, but it still grieved him that they’d lost a son, and he was directly involved in his death. He was compelled to say something. “I lament your loss.” He bowed his head without taking his eyes off them.

Sect Master Uilleam gave him an inquisitive look. “This is?”

“Sage Uilleam. Sage Ginevra,” Pangfua said in turn. “Let me introduce you to Sage Long Chao.”

“The young sage that is husband to your Sage Huifen?” Ginevra asked. Her tone was a strict one still overcast by her earlier sobs.

He felt the sudden urge to defend his wife. “I had every intention of killing Sage Harnish myself, but my Huifen stopped me. She sought to save as many of your disciples as possible and was injured in the process.”

“Chao,” Pangfua hissed.

“It’s alright, Little Sister,” Uilleam responded.

“Yes,” the moon sage agreed. “It’s been over nine hundred years since we could consider Harnish a boy. He was always up to mischief, but his schemes have only become viler as time passed. There have been accusations. To think he would turn to murder, and that of someone we consider a friend…”

Chao realized the strict edge to the fairy’s tone was more that of a practiced disciplinarian than accusatory. It reminded him of some ice fairies who always seemed to be scowling without scowling while using Heart of Ice.

“Well met, young sage,” Sect Master Uilleam said with a friendly bow of his head. “We regret that we’re meeting under these circumstances. We were looking forward to meeting you both.”

Chao saluted them but didn’t know how to respond.

Pangfua saved him. “There’s some business we should address.”

The sages all glanced down to see Dvora sitting there in a daze with Huifen and Elder Alfori at her side.

“Do you know this girl who would dare murder a disciple in the presence of his Sect Master?” The water sage asked. He sounded as curious as he was angry.

“I do.” Chao’s response drew all their attention. He began to say that she was an acquaintance but thought better of it. If she hadn’t warned Pangfua and sent Brother Baros to them, many more would’ve died today. “She’s a friend.”

He briefly told them how she’d drugged him and tried to seduce him. Seeing their reactions, he grinned. Looking to the Morning Mist Sect Master, he directed his response to him. “Brother Baros, a Morning Mist disciple, warned us of the attack on Sister Pangfua and came here to warn his friends not to fight when he was attacked. This girl was secretly engaged to him. He begged us to spare her after she drugged me.”

Chao didn’t spare the moon sage. “He said that she was just acting on orders and wanted to leave her sect because she despised the deception. They both did. Huifen and I encouraged them. If I had to guess, Sister Dvora just killed Brother Baros’s murderer.”

He felt Pangfua’s glare, but she needn’t worry. Neither sage responded in anger. They didn’t even try to defend their sects.

“Uilleam, it’s all our fault,” the moon sage said.

“It’s my fault,” the water sage countered. “I didn’t do a good enough job with Harnish.”

“No. You were a wonderful father to him. He did this to himself, but the sects’ practices? The guilt is on our heads.”

The Morning Mist sage didn’t object. He did say, “Pangfua, would you act as mediator?”

“It would be my honor,” she said with a bow of her head.

And so the four of them descended.

Chapter 68

Even though her Chao and Sister Pangfua were with them, Huifen placed herself between Dvora and the descending overlords. She held up a cheap card jade, drawing their attention.

“You don’t have to worry, Little Sister,” Pangfua assured her.

Chao didn’t stay there but hurried over to stand by Huifen. He placed his hand on her lower back. He was examining her with his perceptions she realized.

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

“Well met, Sage Huifen,” the Sect Master of the Morning Mist Village addressed her. “As I was telling your husband, we were looking forward to meeting you both—just under better circumstances. If you’d allow, it’s been said that I’m a gifted healer and would be more than willing to help correct your condition. Especially knowing our Harnish was the cause.”

She looked to Chao and found the revelation that their close relationship with the sage she’d killed didn’t surprise him. Then she looked at Pangfua. Her Big Sister nodded that it was true.

She set the information aside for now and replied, “Greetings, Sect Master Uilleam. Sect Master Ginevra.” She saluted them both in turn. “My injuries are not serious, and I’d prefer to allow them to heal naturally so that I can learn from my mistakes.”

The water sage saluted her. “Understood.”

Ginevra closed her eyes and sighed. “I am sorry for what my Harnish has done today, and thank you for trying to spare members of our sect.”

As soon as she said it, Huifen couldn’t look at the woman. Our sect? And she believed she spared them? She’d left them in pieces.

Chao’s arm slipped around her back.

“Little Sister,” Pangfua said, drawing her attention. “What’s the significance of this card jade?”

Thankful for the change of topic, she tossed it to the ice sage. It only took the fairy a moment to scan through it. Her eyes narrowed. Turning to Uilleam and Ginevra, she offered, “You should read it for yourselves.”

Uilleam took it and handed it to the moon sage to read first. After a moment, the woman cast her gaze downward and shook her head to herself. She handed the card jade back to the man who then began to read.

It was only a few seconds before the water sage exuded a sudden power. Ginevra snatched the card jade from his grasp before he could crush it. “Harnish,” Uilleam growled. “His corruption has tainted the whole. I’m a blind fool.”

The moon sage tossed the card jade to Chao. Then she saw the woman float up until she was level with the enraged Morning Mist Sect Master. Huifen had seen how familiar they were after their fight, but now the fairy took it even further. The Night Pearl Sect Master looped her hands around the back of his neck and leaned in until they were forehead to forehead.

Chao moved.

She turned to see him stride past Dvora to the dead body. He called out, “Is this man Disciple Renz?”

He bent over and grabbed the corpse by the back of the neck, lifting him for all to see.

She almost flew forward to stop him, but something kept her from moving. It wasn’t just something. She felt the same as he did. She’d read Brother Baros’s card jade. He’d warned Dvora to avoid Renz at all costs, not because he wanted her to seek revenge, but because the man was dangerous.

“He is,” a disciple close by answered without removing his face from the grass.

“And did any of you witness him stabbing Disciple Baros?”

Hushed whispers spread throughout the crowd of kneeling Morning Mist disciples.

“Answer him,” Sect Master Uilleam commanded, as he flew up and peered down at the lot of them.

One young disciple shot to his feet and bowed at the same time, making him look like he was sticking his rump in the air. “I—”

“Speak.”

“Uh. I didn’t see it, but Brother Renz was bragging about it.”

A disgruntled groan escaped from a nearby disciple.

She watched Chao glance back, but Sect Master Uilleam was already moving. The murmuring man flew upward to hover upside down before the water sage. “Are you dissatisfied that your fellow disciple confessed first?”

The man had tensed up as if the slightest movement might summon his death. “No,” the guy said subdued. He then corrected himself. “Er, yes.”

“So you witnessed Disciple Baros’s murder?”

“No. M—Master. Renz was bragging. He believed Sage Harnish would reward him for killing a traitor.”

Uilleam’s aura intensified and the man hanging upside down fearfully added, “Of which Baros wasn’t.”

The man began to fall as the Sect Master released his qi. He let out a startled yelp before crashing shoulder-first to the ground.

“Bring me to this Baros,” the Sect Master demanded.

Many of the Morning Mist disciples jumped to their feet, but Huifen called out, “He’s over here, Sect Master.”

When they arrived, a sky realm water cultivator was kneeling over him. With a swipe of his hand, Uilleam literally tossed his own elder into the air and took his place at Baros’s side.

The elder was caught off guard, flipping awkwardly before catching himself high overhead.

Huifen trained her focus on the water sage. When the man had said he had some talent in healing, he was just trying to sound modest. Besides nature cultivators, water cultivators were commonly known as the best healers. She wasn’t sure if Uilleam was at the same level as Sage Ping, but he was still one of the greatest natural healers on the continent. With his cultivation base, he was possibly even the best.

The Morning Mist Sect Master lowered his palm to his dying disciple’s sternum with force almost equal to a weak attack.

Her initial reaction was to stop him, but then she sensed the control of his qi. It didn’t enter Baros violently. The robes covering his upper body were deconstructed as if burned up by overlord flames, then the qi entered every meridian on his chest like a pillow of air. The precision of force was at a level she’d rarely witnessed.

The water sage worked quickly. Within a moment, he growled at what he had found.

Dvora then appeared across from him, kneeling on the other side. Elder Alfori appeared next to her. She was starting to pull the girl away, when Uilleam bellowed, “Don’t worry, little one. He will not die while under my care.”

It didn’t take long before the sage removed his hand and stood up. Ginevra was at his side in an instant. Her arm looped under his.

Brother Baros was seemingly glowing with vitality. He suddenly lifted his head off the ground only to rock sideways as if tossed about by the waves of the sea. His eyes opened but remained unfocused—rolling about—unsure.

His betrothed didn’t move in a panic, but, with relieved grace, she lifted his hand in hers and bent forward to give him something to focus on.

He found her looking down at him a moment later.

Sitting up looked painful for him. Rolling over was just as difficult, but he managed to scoot closer to her.

“You are out of danger. It will take a few weeks before you’re in fighting form. Also,” the water sage hesitated. “The damage is already done. A primary meridian was severed. Using certain martial techniques and advancing your cultivation any further will be impossible.”

It wasn’t despair or regret that crossed Baros’s face, but acceptance. “Take this.” A weighty money pouch appeared in his hand. He struggled to hold it there but pushed it closer to Dvora.

Surprisingly, she took it and placed it in her spatial ring. But then she did something that one simply didn’t do. She removed her spatial ring from her right index finger.

Despite his look of horror, Baros didn’t stop her as she tried to put her ring on his hand. The ring was far too small. It ended up just fitting on his pinky. She gave him an amused look as she slid it on.

“We did this,” Sect Master Ginevra whispered where Huifen could barely hear.

“Yes,” Uilleam agreed.

Then her Chao interrupted. He was no longer holding the corpse of their friend’s would-be killer. “Sect Master Uilleam, is there no known natural treasure that can heal him?”

The man gave her husband a contemplative glare. Only after a few moments did he shake his head. “Not that his earth realm cultivation could handle. Or those that could are so rare that they’d be worth a small sect.”

“What are they called?” Huifen said, suddenly hopeful that one of the countless natural treasures they’d won in their battle against Emperor Sun could be of use. She had cataloged what they had.

The water sage rattled off four different ingredients known to repair meridians. “There’s another problem. We only have a week—two at the most—before his body has healed and any such treasures will have limited effect. They must be administered before he recovers. As for heavenly treasures that will restore his meridians after he’s healed, they’re unknown to me. It might be impossible.”

Huifen found Chao watching her. She gave him a mournful look, shaking her head.

He didn’t resign himself to the inevitable, but it seemed to provoke him. He glanced over at the Divine Spire. She knew exactly what he was thinking.

“My Huifen, I must ask you to wait because of your injuries.” He looked back and gave her a remorseful look. “We can compete later.”

“Go,” she said decisively.

He launched himself into the air and didn’t hold back as he shot off toward the spire.

“Young heroes are the most admirable,” Sect Master Uilleam said. “Perhaps we should try our luck at the spire again, Ginevra. It’s been more than a century, hasn’t it? The more of us that try, the better chance we have for good results.”

“Mmmm,” the Night Pearl Sect Master replied.

“Seniors,” Pangfua said, bowing respectfully. “That’s unnecessary.”

“Oh?” The water sage replied.

Huifen was feeling annoyed by the foreign sages’ lack of faith in her husband even though she knew she was being unfair to them. At least she controlled her tone. “Chao couldn’t find Sage Harnish’s array formations. Instead of deconstructing them, he attacked the vault’s defensive pylon and destroyed it. If he can’t win the resources we need, then he’ll take them by force. I just hope the spire has what we need.”

She couldn’t hold herself back any longer. She flew up and followed her husband.

Chapter 69

Sage Pangfua continued to watch the Morning Mist and Night Pearl Sect Masters carefully after Huifen and Chao’s departure. She’d known that they were close, but never had they shown such public affection.

Uilleam had a pensive look as he watched the young sages go. Ginevra was instead lost in her own thoughts. She’d attached herself to the water sage at the hip.

Pangfua saw how the sage navigated the man’s wooden armor—she was so practiced that she didn’t have to think about it.

“So it’s true,” Uilleam said.

Looking up at the man, Ginevra replied, “That he killed a divine realm cultivator?” She glanced in Pangfua’s direction.

“It is true,” she answered.

When the two sages turned to face her, she continued. “They both did, although… What Chao did to Prince Rong destroyed him to the point that there was nothing left.”

“Such devastating power. And he’s only in the sky realm,” Uilleam muttered. “If you live long enough you see everything.”

“Not everything,” Ginevra said.

“The day is not over.”

As soon as he said it, she scowled up at him. “You think a day can make up for a thousand years?”

“It can’t, but does that mean I should do nothing?”

The moon sage pulled away from him. “Enough of this. Let’s go and watch.”

***

It was Brother Baros that had given Chao and Huifen their tour of the Divine Spire when they’d first arrived. He’d taken them to this central pillar on the first floor and tried to convince them to step onto the platform so that the Spire’s Blessing could assess their talents, physique, and cultivation.

Chao glanced up at the overhead display that still held the ancient scroll, violet vial, and jade pillbox. They were still there. He had to stop himself from taking them and instead stepped onto the platform. He noticed that people were gathering behind him, but he paid them no mind.

He felt an intrusive presence as it scanned him. It lacked the oppressive intent that usually accompanied the perceptions of a higher-realm cultivator.

The Divine Spire’s spirit appeared before him with a slight bow. “Hello, Divine Master. It pleases me that you’ve come. Give me a moment as the scan completes.”

“Thank you,” was all he said. His mind was too preoccupied to concern himself over what he knew the spirit was about to discover.

When it spoke, it remained respectful. “Divine Master, forgive me, but I must ask you to reveal your cultivation. You are currently only registering as in the sky realm.”

“I am not hiding my cultivation.”

The spirit’s ethereal form turned its head curiously. “Then how were you able to control every element, pierce divine marble, destroy my defensive array, and create your own space?”

“See for yourself,” he replied, knowing an explanation wouldn’t be enough. One of each of his awakened creatures of every element appeared. He commanded them to stay still so that the construct could examine them. It didn’t take long.

“The control of concepts. You have mastered these laws.” A grin grew on the spirit’s face. “After scanning your meridians, I’ve concluded your talent is common. Your physique also lacks any special characteristics. Only your cultivation is unique, but too rare for me to assess. This mastery of laws is even rarer. Perhaps to the point of making you the singular entity to ever possess such ability. It is my honor to welcome you, Master Long.”

He got the feeling the spire’s spirit had much more to say. That was a problem. “I’m limited in time. A friend of mine who’s in the earth realm had a major meridian severed. I’m looking for any treasures that can heal him before he recovers and it’s too late.”

The spirit bowed his head and replied, “The tower possesses a few treasures that will be sufficient for what you require, however…”

“However?”

“They are the last of their kind, so they’ve been removed from reward circulation.”

“Then what must I do to get them?”

The spirit spread out his hands regretfully. “Access to decommissioned rewards is only given to the owner of the tower.”

“How long will it take to complete all the trials?”

“With satisfactory results, as little as three and a half weeks and as long as three months.”

Chao shook his head, preparing himself for his only remaining option. Before that, he asked. “My friend doesn’t have time to wait. Is there any other way? I would rather leave the spire in one piece.”

The spirit showed neither fear nor offense. Instead, its face literally brightened, and its eyes widened. It was as if he’d been waiting for him to ask. “There is a way. Reach the number one spot in the Trial of Might.

“I must warn you. Emperor Xiahou Tzu, at the top of the Royalty list, was an ancient cultivator who nearly reached the peak of the divine lord realm. You will be facing enemies scaled to your realm, but he will be your opponent. He was once the owner of this tower and easily the most powerful cultivator to ever participate in this tower’s challenges.”

It was enough of a shock to pull Chao from his musings. “What realm was he at when he set the record?”

“He was in the divine body realm. That wasn’t the first time he took first place, however. He reached the overlord realm at the age of twelve. It’s a little unfair for him. This world contained much richer qi during his life, and he reached the sky realm at eight. You have far more experience than he did at this stage of cultivation.”

Chao bit his tongue. It wasn’t to bite back an insult, but because his mind was suddenly swimming. What the spirit was asking might be impossible. He bit even harder until he tasted blood. “Okay,” was all that he said.

Hopping off the platform, he flew around the central pillar toward a slab of stone that reached to the ceiling. The only name he knew near the top was Quinyuan. She was number nine on the overall list and at the top of the Commander rank. Sage Pangfua was sixty seventh on the list and in the Soldier rank. Only Little Genji was a little higher at fifty-nine. Elder Harnish and Elder Alfori were near the bottom, while Sect Masters Ginevra and Uilleam were in the seventies.

At the very top, Chao found the name Xiahou Tzu. Only one other person had even entered the Royalty rank with the man. That was his goal, but he knew very little about what to expect.

What he did know was that enemies would spawn, and he’d have to face them. After defeating them, more enemies would come. As he won each round, even more enemies would spawn. Before long, he’d be facing an entire army.

He flew past the score board and landed directly on the center platform of the training construct.

“How many do I have to kill?” He asked. “How many rounds?”

The spirit appeared at his side. “The record is one hundred and forty-eight thousand two hundred and forty-three opponents. Xiahou Tzu failed on the eighteenth round where he faced off with one hundred and thirty-one thousand and seventy-two opponents at once. In the end, he ran out of qi.”

“How quickly do the rounds come? Do I have to kill them all before the next one?”

“If you don’t kill them quickly enough, more will spawn. There is also no downtime between rounds unless you kill them in less than a minute. If you want to skip ahead during early rounds, you can request the next one to spawn, but you’ll have to face the opponents from both rounds at once.”

Nodding that he understood, he plunged his perceptions into the training construct’s platform.

The world became dark. Even as light spilled into the space, it came from no source and simply filled the expanse before him. The ground was dark-grey stone and reached kilometers in every direction. There was no sky. It was pitch black, but there was light filling the immediate area above. If there was a boundary, he couldn’t see its beginning or end. It was like the area was surrounded by impenetrable shadow.

The first opponent began to spawn. It began like an ethereal spirit, but soon solidified and looked human. Its cloak was a lighter grey than the ground. There was nothing about the man that gave away his cultivation.

Chao’s perceptions fixed that. His opponent was a sky realm water cultivator. Lifting a hand, a lightning serpent shot forward. The man was soon curled up and smoking on the ground.

He recognized that this training construct was a lot like the one at the joint sect that his father had upgraded. It was simulating him as if his qi were full. He also noticed that the air’s density was at the level of the lower realm. He should have no problems.

“Send them all,” he commanded.

The spirit appeared before him, wringing its hands greedily. “The next round?”

“All eighteen rounds. They will all share my level of cultivation?”

“They will. Then let me confirm. You wish to face the second through the eighteenth rounds all at once? That will be a total of two hundred and sixty-two thousand one hundred and forty-two sky realm cultivators.”

“Yes.”

The spirit pulled its hands to its chest and made fists before shaking them in triumph. It seemed it had been waiting for so long for someone with such boldness that it could hardly contain its excitement. “Very good. I must warn you. These cultivators will not be trained solely in singular combat. All of them have knowledge of battle formations. Battle formations that might exceed what exists in this era. Do you still wish to proceed?”

“I do.”

“It will take me a few minutes to prepare,” it said, bowing deeply. With that, the spirit vanished.

Chao looked up into the distant darkness before flying upward to get what he thought might be a good vantage for the battle. The opposing cultivators started to appear by the tens, then by hundreds. More than ten thousand were lined up before him within a minute. That number was only multiplying.

***

Huifen had stayed back as her Chao took the platform of the Spire’s Blessing alone. He hadn’t even stayed for the gifts it prepared for him after it scanned him. She watched the spirit grab the treasures it had prepared and follow after him. It hadn’t just rewarded him with the common qi crystals. She looked up at the overhead display and saw that one of its prized possessions was missing. A violet vial with a sealed top.

The spire saw the worth in her husband, which brought a sad smile to her face. Even after their battle with Emperor Sun and his many overlords, their journey had begun as a happy one. It was as if the heavens were lashing out at them. It wouldn’t let them rest. The attempted assassination on her husband came first, then a village overrun by an army of lingering spirits, Dvora’s drugging of Chao, the murder of one of her closest friends, Eu-meh’s disfigurement, and finally Sage Harnish’s attempted murder of Sage Pangfua and most of their sect in the spire.

She knew Chao wasn’t approaching the Trial of Might as a challenge. His playful curiosity was a distant memory. She feared what was happening to him. What it meant for them.

Then as he took to the platform of the Trial of Might, he conversed momentarily with the spire’s spirit before it left him. It didn’t simply leave or vanish but headed straight for her. Before it reached her, there was a loud click and the scoreboard started to change.

The top ten places remained near the ceiling while the rest of the names fell, receding into the ground. What took their place was an empty flat surface. It seemed polished smooth but didn’t reflect the light as it should. As the rest of the names vanished into the floor, the empty surface glowed with light until an image appeared. It was her husband.

Chao didn’t even glance at the first opponent. A sky realm lightning serpent struck the man in the throat before he could move.

She heard them converse.

It was then that Huifen noticed the people gathering behind her. Sect Master Uilleam and Ginevra approached with Pangfua and Core Disciple Shoi-ming.

Pangfua was at her side in the next moment when the spire’s spirit arrived.

“Greetings Mistress Long,” the spirit bowed, then held out the purple vial to her with both hands. “This is sap from an extinct Lavender Birch. It was also once called honey qi. It can be taken at any time by cultivators at any realm, but it has the miraculous ability to enlarge the meridians for a short period of time. This makes it especially beneficial to one’s breakthroughs to major realms. There is enough here for a couple doses.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking it and placing it in her spatial ring. “The tower has what we need?

 “It was well earned. And yes, it does.” The spirit turned sideways and directed the growing crowd to the image of her husband on the partition.

“You wish to face the second through the eighteen rounds at once?” Everyone heard the spirit ask Chao. “That will be a total of two hundred and sixty-two thousand one hundred and forty-two sky realm cultivators.”

“Yes,” he replied.

The gasps came from many including the two Sect Masters and Big Sister Pangfua. Huifen understood their apprehension. During their battle against the Sun Emperor, they faced an army of thousands of sky realm cultivators. But this wasn’t that. Chao wasn’t just preparing to face tens of thousands but literally hundreds of thousands of cultivators.

She didn’t doubt him. How could she not remember the only time she’d ever seen him genuinely frightened? It was right after he’d first figured out how to summon a vortex and was realizing how world-altering it could become.

She was confident that he had it in him, but fear lingered there in the back of her mind. If he broke and the monster she feared dwelt there was finally released, she swore to herself that she wouldn’t abandon him. She didn’t even care if she had to partake in his insanity. She wasn’t going anywhere.

Thousands became ten thousand, and tens of thousands reached a hundred thousand. Soon more than two hundred and sixty thousand sky realm cultivators were spread out in formation. It was a sea of people. If they used battle formations, this army could take over the Monolith Continent with ease. There were strategies an overlord could use to escape, but it was an overwhelming might to face on your own.

With a swipe of his hand, Chao surrounded himself in space, disappearing. Immediately battle formations started to form below. Some of them Huifen didn’t recognize.

“This…” Pangfua started, not daring to say more.

“Is defeating such a force even possible?” She heard Sect Master Ginevra whisper from behind.

Suddenly someone was there, squeezing her hand. “Big Sister Huifen,” Eu-meh said, nodding to her. The girl didn’t bother to cover her scar.

Fairy Zhu pulled up beside her, folding her arms across her chest.

“I bet it takes him less than an hour,” the girl’s self-appointed bodyguard, Li Qiang, said as he stepped up to stand at her side.

Zhu nodded matter-of-factly.

Huifen couldn’t help but give them a thankful grin.

“Shall we begin?” The spirit asked. He gave them all a look, then gave out a melodic laugh.

A barrage of overlord-killer techniques filled the sky, aiming exactly for where Chao was hiding.

Chapter 70

Chao noticed the complete silence of his conscience as he waded through the massive army’s bombardment in his spherical space barrier. That caused him more concern than if it were screaming at him. It could be silent because he was in a construct facing unreal opponents, but in a very real way he was about to test his most powerful technique at a level he’d never dared.

Even when facing off with the defensive pylon’s overflow, he’d reserved much of his qi in case something went wrong. To truly summon a vortex with all his power… What kind of calamity would that unleash? Here in a training construct with his friend’s future on the line, he was about to find out. To learn if his fears of causing a world-slaying event were just the imaginings of a young cultivator, or if he possessed a power that shouldn’t exist in this world.

As much as he feared this power, he’d tested it on the smallest level. An empty cup pushed upside down onto the surface of water didn’t accept the water readily because the cup really wasn’t empty. Air took up space. The air in the cup needed to be displaced. His vortex wasn’t the same. It didn’t contain air but was truly an empty container that needed to be filled. This allowed it to absorb things from above, below, or the sides–regardless of the angle.

That didn’t mean that the placement of his vortex didn’t matter. From above, the air pushed upward. Anyone on the ground would have the air brush past them as it moved. But if the vortex was created with its mouth opened perpendicular to the ground, then the air behind anyone standing there, or flying for that matter, would have to push around or through them.

A vortex’s angle to the ground, size, and depth all affected its potency. He hadn’t tested it nearly enough to have mastered these variables, but he did understand a few of the basics.

Off to the side of the army, he envisioned the colossal cavern of space. It was his first time braving something so large, so there was a lot of guess work involved. What if he tried to create something larger than his qi could handle? What if it wasn’t large enough and he drained himself without killing enough of the construct’s opponents? They were important questions, but he’d tinkered too many years not to have a natural gauge for such things. This was just theoretical at best, but his imagination was one of his most developed skills.

A tremor in his space barrier won his attention. These were just sky realm cultivators yet—

Thousands of martial techniques flew true as they impacted the sphere of space surrounding him. Alone, they were doing nothing, but, as his barrier shook once again, he saw the interaction the individual explosions were having when forced the same spot. They didn’t cancel each other out but fused, reinforcing one another.

He then noticed the energy. It was made up of any number of elements, but there was something very peculiar about it. There were concepts at work. It was almost like the elements that would normally reject each other, or interact, were holding back until they reached their target only to unleash everything all at once.

He sensed it right before it happened. The miniature tunnel he was using to allow for airflow and feel out the world, he tore wide open and plunged through it.

His barrier shattered as he appeared half a kilometer away. He deconstructed the tunnel before being forced to create a quick space bend which he plunged into.

Techniques that he could never survive chased him. There were only a few at first, but he was flying above the army where he was easily visible.

Blinking from their view only to reappear meters away in any direction, he was playing a losing game. One he never intended to play. He needed time. That was something he didn’t have.

***

There was a mousy squeal as Chao appeared outside of a space barrier and was forced to flee.

Huifen stared longer than she probably should have, but she’d never heard Fairy Zhu make such a sound.

Zhu’s squint narrowed as she noticed the attention. Instead of shying away, she objected, “How can Sky Realm cultivators forcibly break space? It’s absurd. They must be cheating.”

The spire’s spirit, now with his arms folded behind his back, turned to the girl, but Sage Pangfua spoke first. “No. Just as a cultivator close to the peak can use excessive amounts of qi to transform their element to the next realm of potency, they’re using their numbers to force their techniques to unfathomable realms. Our battle formations are also capable of the same to a limited degree, but not like this.”

“Well said,” the spirit replied. “This is indeed only achievable through superior battle formations. Many of which will be accessible to anyone that takes first place in the Trial of Might.”

There was a sudden silence that came over the group. They knew exactly what the spirit was insinuating. Chao wasn’t just competing to win a miraculous resource to save his friend or even ownership of the tower.

“The legacy of an ancient Divine Sect.” Sect Master Uilleam declared.

“Precisely,” the spirit replied reverentially.

“Legacy?”

Huifen glanced back from watching Chao’s retreat to see Genji with an elder at her side. The young ice fairy greeted her master with a salute.

 “Come and watch,” Pangfua commanded.

As soon as she was at her master’s side, her eyes widened at seeing Chao. “Why’s he running?”

Pangfua quickly caught her up.

Huifen knew her Big Sister had been hiding Genji away while danger was present in the Divine Spire. She had the ice palace to cultivate in, so her time there was anything but a loss.

In response to his predicament, Genji responded lightheartedly. “Oh, okay. It shouldn’t take long for him to figure it out.”

“Let us hope so, little one,” Sect Master Ginevra said. “I’m afraid it might be too late. Sometimes there just isn’t an answer to overwhelming force.”

Pangfua whispered in Genji’s ear.

Respectful as ever, the young ice fairy turned and saluted the Night Pearl Sect Master. Instead of responding to the moon sage, she looked over and met Huifen’s gaze.

Should she say something? Was Genji expecting confirmation it wasn’t true? Glancing up at the image of her husband’s battle, she felt no apprehension. No fear. What he was facing was an incredible enemy. Something none of them thought possible. But she knew her Chao. He hadn’t been trained simply by a Divine Realm training construct. He’d been trained by Father Zan.

She watched Chao’s movements. This enemy was capable of destroying created space, but she well remembered the chases Zan put him through. Her father-in-law could pop one of Chao’s barriers with a flick of his finger. He even made a point of doing exactly that when her husband was being especially dull.

Looking back to Genji, Huifen gave a little shrug and followed up with a wink. The true battle wasn’t playing out before them but in her husband’s mind. He was holding back from what he knew he must do. That realization, that he was still battling with his inner demons, swelled her with relief and pride.

And then, as if to answer her every worry, Chao stepped into a space bend but never stepped out.

***

Chao kept trying to envision his vortex technique as he plunged from one space bend to the next. It was the first step necessary to cast it. The difficulty while fleeing caused him doubt. He was too practiced with his tinkering for that excuse to hold for long. Of course, he couldn’t envision his technique while preoccupied with staying alive.

It was only the first excuse of many. He was soon focusing on what might go wrong instead of what needed to be done. There was a time for that, but not when it was time to act. He knew better. That’s why none of the excuses stuck.

Where did these excuses come from? Why was he seeking them out? The answer was obvious. He’d come here to save a friend. That was true. But that motivation wasn’t alone. There was something much more sinister latching onto it. It hoped to use something noble for its own selfish end.

That ravenous fury that wouldn’t leave him be was there in an instant. Still caged, the dragon, Justice, swore to solve his every problem. The phoenix, Mercy, objected. The moment he released them, they would be at each other’s throats.

Why couldn’t there be peace between them? Why didn’t they work as one? Neither seemed to hold the answers despite how much he desired them to.

They weren’t really what troubled him. It was the heavens that sent him trials. Trials with solutions he couldn’t accept. Not even overwhelming power could make things right, so why even try?

 Enough qi caught up with him through his space bend that it felt like he’d been struck by Sage Fang in the back. Instead of struggling, he wished it would finish him. He’d died so many times in training constructs under his father’s instruction that he welcomed the pain.

Despite that, he didn’t stop moving. There was still something driving him forward. He had a decision to make which he hoped to ignore, but a part of him still fought to face it. He just didn’t like to leave things undone.

Seeing that he was running himself in circles, he plunged into the next space bend, then surrounded himself again. The barrier he created was no different from the first one. This time he didn’t stay. He tunneled to a different location. Before stepping through he created a new barrier as this one was being destroyed. As it was about to collapse, he disappeared.

When he reappeared in his new barrier, the enemy had completely lost track of him. He was finally free to think.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know what was bothering him. He just didn’t want to face it. The truth was that the world was unfair. It was such a simple truth that all parents taught their children, but they don’t tell you that it was a problem that would never be solved.

Every concept could be studied, and, ultimately, controlled. These were challenges—problems—that could be fixed. But the single most horrific problem had no solution.

How could one create a family, a livelihood, even a sect and yet never have full assurance that it could be protected? Even if he reached the martial peak, the moment he lost focus or looked away, tragedy could strike at his doorstep.

There was no guarantee, nor would there ever be, that he could protect Huifen from everything the future might hold. Nor would he be able to protect the others, or even himself.

When faced with a problem without solution, what should he do?

He ground his teeth so hard he feared he might break them. He didn’t like the answer he’d come to many weeks before… But so be it.

The locks to the cages he’d envisioned weren’t just removed, but the cages themselves shattered. If he could’ve been in two places at once, he would’ve kicked the dragon and phoenix both in the rear to demand they get on with it.

Justice and Mercy didn’t need encouragement. There was no opposition more natural. Teeth and claws, massive bodies and qi, they clashed only to end up grappling.

Chao no longer held back his internal turmoil but let it rage. If there was no solution, then all there was left to do was fight. He’d fight on both sides and choose one as he wished.

Turning his attention to the battlefield, he concerned himself very little with what the army was doing. All that mattered was their position. He had no more excuses.

Without the distraction of countless techniques aiming for his life, the vision of his vortex became clear. He didn’t hold back. For the first time, he poured himself out while casting his most destructive technique.

A divine wyrm as long as a small continent seemingly snuck up on the army from the flank. Its maw opened instantly. It was half as tall as the Divine Spire, and just as wide. This was no Divine Beast. Chao’s vortex had arrived.

At first, it seemed like nothing was happening, then the air of this illusionary world began to move. One of the basics he’d learned about his space vortex was that if he made it big enough, most of the variables controlling it didn’t matter.

The pull started small, like the gale of a storm. For sky realm cultivators it wasn’t difficult to manage. That changed within seconds. The vortex’s belly was hundreds of kilometers in length and needed to be filled.

As for Chao’s qi, he’d used all but the last recesses which he was funneling into his technique to keep it from collapsing with a little extra for the last step.

These were sky realm cultivators. Their ability to fly and the amount of force they could exert with their techniques placed them near the top of all existences in the world. All reason demanded they should at least be able to flee, but once they realized they were in danger, it was already too late.

Entire formations of men were swept into his serpent’s mouth. Their defensive arrays held them together, but they went in all the same. It was like one small encampment after another was being plucked from the ground.

Those furthest away were able to put up more resistance. For a moment, it looked like a large bite had been taken out of the army’s flank and the rest could hold out. It was then that small chunks started to peel away from the ground. Once boulders were being dragged into its mouth, the rest of the army was seemingly swept up all at once.

The next part was the most dangerous. Those pulled into his vortex weren’t necessarily dead. Only those that collided with something like the walls of his vortex would be in immediate danger of death.

He waited, allowing his vortex to swallow even more. He wouldn’t let it fully gorge itself. If he waited too long then the suction force would slow or stop all together, and its prey would be able to escape.

With the little qi he had left, he tunneled to hover not far from the base of his vortex’s mouth. There was only one reason he wasn’t devoured with all the rest. With his hand outstretched, a wall of space shot upward and outward, opposing the enormous space worm.

He cut his qi to the vortex. It was too massive to dissipate right away, but it didn’t take long.

With his hand braced against the frictionless space barrier as tall as the worm’s mouth, he began to slump forward only to fall to his knees. His qi was almost empty, but there was enough for him to hold his barrier together as his vortex spit his enemies out. Frictionless it might be, but that didn’t mean his barrier was impossible to collide with. Just the opposite. There was no structure more solid than created space.

Kneeling at the base of the wall, he didn’t even have to use his perceptions to know the first enemy returned. Like hail on a shingled roof, a series of raps sounded only to be followed by even more. It wasn’t long before there were so many that he was unable to distinguish between individual raps.

Then bodies began to fall. Not bodies, but parts of them that had somehow made it over his barrier. He wanted to extend it upward, but he couldn’t. His qi was too low to do more than he was already doing.

Looking up, he then saw something that caused him to flinch. The random limbs should’ve been enough to set him on edge, but he watched one individual cultivator miss his wall entirely and shoot off into the distance with such speed that he doubted Huifen could match it with a head start.

Perhaps that meant that some of his opponents would survive. He should probably prepare for the man, but he’d just expelled more qi than ever before, and his limbs didn’t want to listen to him.

When most of the rapping slowed, Chao examined the opposite side of the wall with his perceptions. What he found should’ve left him appalled. Instead, he just sighed.

There was already enough blood and body parts scattered around him, but he had to see it with his own eyes.

He sat back on his haunches as his defensive barrier started to unravel. Because it lacked friction, what struck high on the barrier didn’t fall slowly like a raindrop on a window in an afternoon storm, but as if the wall wasn’t even there. What hadn’t been blasted outward had become a pile of corpses. To call them corpses was too generous. All that was left was bloody sludge.

As his wall came down, a hill of the sludge that stood many times overhead appeared, threatening to collapse on top of him. Part of him wanted it to. It wasn’t meant to be.

What did happen surprised him. So much blood had built up against his barrier, that with it gone, it all came crashing down. A crimson wave washed over him where he kneeled as deep as his chest. He had to brace himself so as not to fall over.

There was a time he would’ve mourned so much death. Even in this illusionary world. But all this did was confirm what he already knew.

Covered in carnage, he came to his feet. He called out, “Is this enough?”

Besides the hill of gore directly in front of him, the entire area was splattered with much of the same.

The spire’s artificial spirit appeared before him, already on its knees. It then placed its hands on part of the bloody floor that was still mostly intact and kowtowed. “Master Long, would you please give me a name?”

“I will, but it’s a decision best made with my wife’s counsel. Can I now have the healing treasure that you mentioned?”

“It is waiting for you outside the construct.”

“Then, take me there.”

Chapter 71

Huifen flew over to Chao before she could confirm that his focus had returned to his body. She placed herself in front of him, wanting to wrap her arms around his neck, but she stayed back momentarily so as not to startle him. That wasn’t out of the ordinary, but her feelings of apprehension were.

She stiffened her back against her foreboding. She’d been there when Father Zan was putting him through his special training. She’d seen the toll it had taken on him. It was the same after Daiyu’s death, except then he’d lost control. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her—not on purpose. Since when had she feared her own husband?

Before she realized his consciousness had returned, he strode forward and wordlessly embraced her. She ardently returned it. It was a long moment before she released him. When she did, he held her securely around the waist and didn’t let her slump back down to the floor. Their eyes met and he seemed at ease.

She immediately felt that something was wrong—like all her fears were finally realized when he poked her on the end of the nose with his own.

“I’m okay,” Chao promised. “But you.”

He bent low like he was going to put her down but instead swept her off her feet. Only then did she remember they had an audience.

She glared at him then motioned toward the crowd.

He shrugged but didn’t resist as she swung herself from his arms. He was usually the timid one, but she was the one blushing. Not that it mattered. The crowd was utterly silent. Many of them hadn’t moved away from where they’d been standing while watching Chao on the scoreboard partition. She saw one girl disappear behind it as if not certain she should be there. Others were poking their heads out, trying to see.

Chao heedlessly looked around to find every joint sect member there, except for the group outside, more than forty elders from various sects, twice that in random disciplines, and three sages were watching them. He glanced away as if they were of little concern, only to suddenly turn his back on them. When she saw what he was going for she understood.

It wasn’t just one prize on the bowl-shaped podium waiting for them. The spire’s spirit was bowing its head behind the stand and started to explain. “Master Long. There are seven different natural treasures and three pills remaining that are capable of restoring the meridians of an earth realm cultivator. Each of them is unique in their own right. Might I know who was injured and the extent of his injuries?”

“Brother Baros of the Morning Mist Village. Are you familiar with him?”

“Of course, Master. And his injuries?”

Before her Chao had to find the water sage in the crowd, the man flew forward and bowed his head. He didn’t step foot on the training construct’s platform but remained at its edge. “This one answers. The primary meridian that runs from the dantian to the heart.”

Huifen couldn’t help but noticed Uilleam’s change in demeanor. He’d been respectful since his arrival, but he’d still treated her and her husband as youngsters, though equal in rank. Now the near peak sage was bowing at his back, as if acknowledging the true difference between them.

 The artificial spirit asked a few more questions before pointing to a blue pill with white swirls. “This one is the least valuable, but don’t let that trouble you. It’s more than enough for what you have need of. The reason for its lesser value is because healing meridians is its only use. The others have some unique properties or can be used to advance cultivation as well.”

Chao strode forward and carefully took it. He then turned to Uilleam and asked. “Do you think this will do?”

The water sage saluted before stepping onto the construct. Holding out his hand, he let Chao drop it into his palm and examined it. It took a long moment. As he studied it, he slowly started nodding to himself.

“Truly miraculous,” the sage finally said. “This should do. Leave it to me.”

The man flew off over the crowd toward the exit.

It seemed her husband was about to do the same when Huifen looped her arm beneath his. “Let him handle it.”

“Then?” He seemed to finally notice the people surrounding them. “Uh. Now what?”

“Master Long,” the artificial spirit called out.

They turned back around and faced him.

The spirit continued. “Would you like me to return these resources to storage, or take them with you?”

Huifen’s eyes met Chao’s and she was so elated she let out an exasperated giggle.

Seeing her reaction, he snickered and asked. “Do you have an extra jade pill box.”

“Certainly, Master.”

It wasn’t just a pill box the spirit pulled out, but a small chest. As it opened it, a shelf pulled up revealing two layers of long compartments to separate different materials. It then took a moment to put each in their place. “This is just the beginning of the resources available to you as the tower’s new owner. A few of them could be cultivated in a nursery, and after a few decades, you could be harvesting them consistently.”

She squeezed him so hard that she immediately apologized.

He removed her hand from his arm and wrapped her fingers with his. “This way I can squeeze back.” He was teasing her.

Despite how miraculous it could be to have meridian healing medicine the joint sect could use as it wished, she couldn’t ignore how composed Chao was after what he’d just done. She’d been worried, and even jealous, at how quickly he seemed to have gotten over what he’d done to Daiyu’s murderer, but it was now like he wasn’t affected at all. Was it because his battle had only been in a training construct? Why had he let the blood wash over him?

“Take it,” he suggested.

When she started to reject his request, he added. “You’re the one who’s studied healing with Sage Ping. I could help grow them, but I don’t see when we’ll have the time. Maybe give them to Pangfua and they can grow them back at the sect?”

He was right on all counts. “Okay.” She then took it.

“Master,” the artificial spirit said. “The scoreboard is about to update.”

At its words, everyone started moving away from the training construct to where they could get a look at the stone partition. Chao wasn’t aware that they’d been able to watch him, so she took his hand and flew them over to hover over the heads of the crowd. Pangfua, Shoi-ming, and the moon sage joined them.

As the bottom placeholder’s names started to rise from the ground to the top ten near the ceiling, Huifen saw his confusion and briefly explained that everyone had seen him fight.

His first reaction wasn’t surprise, but he gave her a pointed look. “I’m okay, my Huifen. We knew it would happen the way it did. I’m just relieved it’s over. Now there’s no doubt.”

She nodded her understanding but knew there was more he wasn’t saying.

It was then that the bottom ninety names joined the top ten. Only then did a new name reach the list, climbing up from the bottom. It climbed slowly at first, but its speed only quickened. Once it reached the top ten, it ticked passed one at a time until it reached the royalty list. The names usually looked like they’d been expertly carved into the stone, but the second and first place names shone with golden light. As his name slipped into second place, it too glowed. Then it moved a final time and all the light gathered into her husband’s name, Long Chao.

Suddenly, someone from their group flew down to the ground and commanded, “Bow.”

Huifen glanced back to find Sage Ginevra gone. The moon sage had been the one to issue the command. Then to her surprise, Pangfua and Shoi-ming seemed to conclude the same and descended to join their martial salutes with the rest of them.

“Don’t you dare leave me up here alone,” Chao hissed in a playful tone.

“I won’t,” she said, but still flew back a little way and saluted him as well. She then saw the solemnity overtake him that she’d grown so accustomed to. She didn’t like not knowing what was going on inside him. She had a lot of personal difficulties to consider, but if he hid what was going on inside, how would she know if she’d have to put her own problems aside for a time and be there for him?

He returned the salute of the whole room, before looking at her and sighing. “Let’s go check on Brother Baros.”

He flew down and gathered their discipleship group with his qi. Even Li Qiang was holding back from his normally familiar greeting. Chao called out to the spire’s spirit. “We’ll return soon.”

Huifen saw the spirit bow in response, and they flew toward the exit.

Chapter 72

As they exited, the first thing Chao noticed was that the kneeling Morning Mist Village had vanished from the staging area. It seemed they’d been commanded to return to their sect. He wasn’t sure what he thought of that, but it would be nice not to have to think of them causing mischief while they were still there.

They found Sect Master Uilleam kneeling over a sitting Baros. When the younger cultivator saw them arrive, he moved to get up when the water sage warned him. “Take it slow.”

It was then that Dvora darted in from the side and braced Baros from her seat.

Noticing them, the water sage came to his feet. “The pill’s effect won’t be immediate, but we need to keep an eye on him. Is there a place he can get some rest?” At that moment, Sect Master Ginevra arrived followed slowly by the crowd that had been inside. “And for us to talk in private?”

“Join me in the Ice Phoenix Palace,” Pangfua said, suddenly there with them.

Chao continued to carry their discipleship group with his qi, and they changed locations again. This time they dropped Baros off in a side room with Dvora. Shoi-ming remained outside with their disciples to direct the sect. Only the sages remained with them.

As he and Huifen had so often done with Mother Quinyuan, the five of them sat down in the middle of the mobile chamber and faced each other.

It was then that the fairy responsible for warning them ran out of the side room and threw herself on the floor at Chao’s feet. Instead of thanking him, she strangely chastised him. “Why would you do all this? What are we to you?”

He was completely taken aback—not knowing how to respond.

“Disciple Dvora, you’re pestering your husband’s savior,” Sect Master Ginevra rebuked.

“It’s okay,” Huifen said, shifting over to help her rise to her knees. “If you’re worried about ulterior motives, then you don’t know my Chao. He doesn’t help people to gain advantage, but because he enjoys helping.”

Dvora had mostly risen to her knees but was still leaning heavily on her hands. “We can never repay you.”

“You don’t—”

“Sister,” Pangfua interrupted. “It’s not just repayment she’s worried about. She wants to ask you a favor and you’ve already done so much.”

“Oh?” Huifen said, turning back to the fairy. “What would you ask of us?”

“Please take us into your Ice and Fire Pheonix Sects,” the girl pled, kowtowing again.

“Of course, you can come,” Chao finally spoke. “We were about to ask Sect Master Uilleam and Sect Master Ginevra’s blessing for you to join us.”

Dvora stiffened like she didn’t believe him. When she didn’t speak, Ginevra responded. “I will not apologize for our sect’s approach to martial training, but neither would I force you to stay. As for your reward for warning our ally, sending you off to the Fire Phoenix Sect is only the beginning. You’ve earned far more.”

Dvora’s features softened.

Then Uilleam spoke his mind. “I would go as far as to apologize.”

Chao was able to discern the Night Pearl Sect’s scowl through her veil. Ginevra was about to retort when the water sage held up his hand. “Fairy Dvora, would you leave us now? We have much to discuss. Only know that we will grant you and Baros’s wish to join the Pheonix Sect.”

“Yes.” The girl bowed while coming to her feet and disappeared into the side chamber.

“You would go as far as to apologize?” Ginevra said bitterly.

“Yes. And apologize to you for the ten thousandth time,” Uilleam said, giving her a pointed look. He exaggeratedly lowered his gaze to her, then turned to the rest of them and did the same. “This must be confusing, and for that I apologize. Ginevra and I are husband and wife.”

Chao saw the quizzical response of Pangfua, who knew the water sage well. She responded with, “That makes a lot of sense.”

The Morning Mist Village Sect Master looked at his wife before continuing. “Perhaps relaying our tale would be of help to the young sages?”

Ginevra nodded.

“It’s been nearly a thousand years since our sect was attacked,” he began. “We were little more than newlyweds at the time. We’d been married for two years. We were the most talented pair of cultivators of our generation.

“Then the invasion happened. They didn’t kill everyone but took us as slaves. I became the property of an elder of this Asura Cult, while my wife was taken as concubine by another elder. Instead of resisting, our people complied. The enemy was so confident in their power over us that, in time, they let us meet and conspire. And so, we didn’t just serve them, but began to hone skills that would become the bedrock of the Morning Mist Village and Night Pearl Sects.

“To our captors, we were the best of slaves. In time, we were promoted. Our men advanced from housekeepers to managing their households. Our women became their favorite mistresses. It took time, but eventually we were trusted completely. It was then that we struck.

“There are times when even those with superior cultivations are weakened. While they sleep. In their drunkenness. In the throes of passion.” As he said it, the water sage couldn’t look at his wife.

“In the span of a single night, most of their sect was wiped out. We came together to finish the battle, but that was only the beginning of our problems. Ginevra was pregnant with her captor’s child. And our situation wasn’t unique. Some couples reconciled quickly. For others, it acted as a lasting scar. There were many who parted ways.”

“You wouldn’t forgive me for what I did,” the moon sage insisted. “What I had to do to survive.”

“I didn’t abandon you. I was there every moment for you and baby Harnish. I just needed time.”

“Not abandoned? It was a year before you could stomach intimacy with me. By then, I felt too repulsive to be touched.”

As the water sage told his story, Chao’s deepest fears of having his Huifen taken from him were playing out in his head. Not only was it a possibility, but this couple was living proof. It was unlikely that this would happen to them here in the lower realm. But once they reached the divine there would be many cultivators far more powerful than them.

He looked at his wife, only to find she was deathly still. Her eyes were boring holes in her lap.

He didn’t take any half-measures but swept her up with his qi and sat her down at his side where their knees were touching. She didn’t even change her posture as he moved her.

Taking up her hand, he placed it on his. If she wanted to pull away then he would let her, but he felt it was crucial that he made the first move after what they’d just heard. It hadn’t even happened to them. He feared exactly what she did. Strength was authority. It was possible that they’d one day end up in a situation where the choice wasn’t theirs. How would he react in the same situation? How should he?

“We’ve had many years together,” the water sage said. “I’ve remained faithful through the good times and bad.”

“But I haven’t.” Ginevra rebutted.

“I believe you have. My commitment is evidence of how much I believe it. And I won’t be intimate with another to appease your guilt.”

The Night Pearl Sect Master rolled her eyes like a young fairy. “When did I ever ask for such a thing?” With a shake of her head, she looked to Huifen and Chao in turn. “Now you see why we split the sect into Morning Mist and Night Pearl. This is the same argument we’ve had for a thousand years.”

“Mmmm,” Uilleam replied. “The advice I’d give you is to learn to forgive and forget.”

Ginevra rebutted, “Or hold loosely to your lives. It might be better to fight to the end instead of submitting in order to survive.”

When Chao saw that her husband wasn’t objecting, he swallowed the growing knot in his throat. He already knew the problem with that option. Huifen had already been taken by force and hadn’t been given the chance to fight. It was easy for him not to hold it against her for she’d literally had no say in the matter. What if she had? Killing her captor later would’ve gone a long way to make up for any infidelity, but would it be enough?

The decision he’d made in the Trial of Might was ever-present with him. Justice and mercy often seemed diametrically opposed, but in this situation, they weren’t going at each other’s throats. Mercy wanted what mercy always wanted—to forgive and forget. Justice despised infidelity, but to put the blame on Sage Ginevra seemed wrong. Did that mean justice and mercy agreed?

He would’ve swept Huifen up and embraced her if it wasn’t for the three other sages sitting there. Instead, he squeezed her hand before reaching over with a finger to her chin and ever so gently turning her head to face him.

Her eyes finally flickered up.

He didn’t say anything. A look was enough.

She seemed to deflate before resting her head on his shoulder.

From there, they moved on. The two sect masters advised them to keep the details about the Divine Sect’s legacy to themselves. Just the meridian restoring medications were unique natural treasures to this world. Ones that they proposed purchasing if the joint sect ever found a way to produce more. Such treasures could even tempt sages like themselves.

Big Sister snorted at that.

Chao didn’t know what adventures Pangfua and the water sage had shared, but the man seemed to view her as a little sister instead of any genuine competition.

Seeing her response, Uilleam grinned widely.

“It won’t be an easy transition between cultivation techniques for Dvora and Baros,” Ginevra said. “If you need our advice, seek us out. We’ll give you both our transition jade information. What position to you intend on giving them?”

Huifen spoke up first. “They will join our discipleship group. Having a true water cultivator and a fire cultivator with a different approach to the elements should greatly benefit the group’s understanding of the laws. It might even make it easier to teach others.”

Chao could only agree.

“Personal disciples?” The moon sage’s hand shot out to the side only for Uilleam to catch it and give it a pat. She turned to her husband blankly and said, “How do we make up for causing this mess?”

The Sect Master was prepared with an answer. “I will dissolve the Morning Mist Village.”

It wasn’t just his wife that rang out in objection.

Uilleam wasn’t about to hear any of it. “Since we defeated a more powerful enemy, we’ve considered our deception a strength. Perhaps it’s also our weakness. We’ve wanted our disciples to be practiced in such methods and prepared for the worst so that what happened to us could be manageable for them.”

His wife gave him a grim look. “After all this time?”

“I failed with Harnish.”

“He was nearly a thousand years old. He bears the responsibility himself.”

“I don’t doubt his guilt, but there’s no doubt my teaching helped lead him to this, Ginevra. It’s time we rejoin the sects. If you’ll have me.”

She was at a loss for words.

He reached over and lifted her veil. “I told you the day wasn’t over. We need to rethink everything. Together.”

The Sect Master of the Night Pearl Sect normally had such a rigid bearing, but in that moment she seemed fragile. With a tentative nod, she said, “Okay.”

Chapter 73

Sister Pangfua bid them to go on without her from the Water Cultivation Chamber. Core Disciple Shoi-ming was already purging the gore that had remained there with fire, but not without first retrieving the spatial rings of the cultivators Huifen had killed.

Sage Harnish’s ring would first be returned to Sect Masters Uilleam and Ginevra. Their son’s personal effects would return to them before the ring would come to her.

Just being in the room caused Huifen to relive those last moments before she’d ripped Harnish’s water from his control. It hadn’t struck her then, but she now realized what the Divine Ice Phoenix had taught her through the vision it gifted her. She’d once completely depended upon her Heart of Ice technique. It had shielded her from emotion, but it was exactly that that had empowered her will. The phoenix hadn’t taught her to hate. That had been Jilpa’s lesson. But the divine beast had shown her how to direct it.

She was only scratching the surface of what she had done. Emotion wasn’t a power in and of itself. Neither did reason nor will stand alone. It was only when the three agreed that they became exponentially stronger. Was that all there was to it?

Other than ice fairies that used emotion numbing techniques, did not all cultivators already do the same? Did that mean it was the Divine Ice Pheonix’s blood that had granted her this power? Or was it the vision she bestowed that had trained her to tap into a power she already had? Perhaps, her anger simply burned hotter than was common to most cultivators/

“What is it?” Chao asked reassuringly.

She realized she’d been standing there saying nothing. “Thank you.”

He arched his brow.

“For all the times you’ve challenged me when I was sure I was right.”

He grinned. “Then I must thank you for doing the same.”

She gingerly returned his smile. Then she glanced back at what was left of the mess she had made during her battle. Blood was splattered all about in odd places since the ice had thawed and the created water had dissipated.

“There’s so much I still don’t understand. About cultivation, people, myself…”

“Don’t worry. Your husband understands all things.”

She frowned. “It feels wrong to jest considering what happened here. What I did.”

He gave her a sympathetic look. “I don’t think there’s a place we can go where this place won’t travel with us for the rest of our lives.”

How could she argue with that? Leaving the Divine Spire wouldn’t be enough. The memories of cultivators only die with them. She then looked at what was directly in front of her. The vault was waiting. “Shall we?”

He held out his arm and she took it.

***

Chao noticed that any trace of the defensive array he’d destroyed was gone. The ground where it had stood was now covered over and was seamless with the rest of the floor. As for Harnish’s array formations, there were stacks of broken tripod-shaped arrays against the walls. They were only the size of a full plate of meat and there were more than thirty of them.

“So many…” he mumbled.

Huifen patted his arm. “Look there,” she said, pointing to the hall leading to the stairs.

A few larger arrays were sitting at its entrance. They must have been the ones that had created the barrier blocking Pangfua’s escape.

“Greetings, Master. Mistress,” the spire’s artificial spirit said, appearing before the vault. It bowed to them in turn.

“Hello,” they both said.

“You’re here for entrance into the vault?”

Chao replied, “Yes, but first, we’d like to give you a name.”

“Oh?” The spirit’s ethereal form grew brighter.

His Huifen was encouraged by the spirit’s excitement and said, “We will call you Ji, because you have persisted for so long.”

“Ji. That pleases me,” the spirit said, bowing deeply. It arose, then stepped to the side. “Let me welcome Master and Mistress Long to the tower’s vault.”

Without any sound, the round door rolled into the wall to reveal a shimmering barrier. It was translucent, but much easier to notice than the barriers between rooms. Directly through the barrier, Chao thought he saw something that looked like a cauldron. He walked up to the gleaming energy and looked to Ji.

The spirit nodded that it was safe.

Stepping through, he entered a chamber as deep as the last room. It stretched to the right and away from the stairs. He had to take a few steps to see around the corner. It was easily the largest chamber on the floor.

Then he spotted what he’d seen through the barrier. It wasn’t just a cauldron. It looked to be made of a white jade-like stone and reached to the ceiling. It was a perfect sphere except for a wide base made of three legs that reached out like dragon feet. There seemed to be no opening on the top, but there was a door on its side.

“So many…” Huifen said, under her voice.

Only then did he look away from the giant cauldron to find it was encircled by many smaller ones. He counted a total of eight of them. There were nine in total including the large pearl white one. Chao remembered back to his visit to the ice phoenix pill refinery and their many cauldrons. Each one of these surpassed any he’d ever seen. That didn’t mean he knew by how much. He had no real way to grade them.

Seeing that they were both focused on the largest cauldron, Ji began to explain. “This is the Cosmic White Jade Cauldron. It is made of divine white jade and often forms on the planets closest to stars. It is unaffected by heat that would turn most metals to gas. It also has purifying properties which is why it’s used to compress heaven and earth qi into qi crystals.

Ji strode forward, pointing to the smaller cauldrons and named them one after the other. “Each of these are specialty cauldrons. Though they can be used to refine pills, they are made of materials that might be better for one type of resource or another. Amateur refiners often split ingredients up into yin and yang, but they can be broken down into more detailed categories, and often should be. Do you have an interest in pill refining?”

Chao turned to Huifen, but she was already giving him an insistent glare. Shaking her head, she addressed his obvious interest. “One day maybe, but we have many priorities we can’t neglect.”

He whimpered but knew she was right.

“Tomes on pill refinement from many ancient sects are now in your possession,” Ji replied. “When the time is right, all you have to do is request them to get started.”

They thanked him before moving on. The cauldrons took up what he thought was most of the chamber, but he’d been wrong. This wing of the room wasn’t physically larger, but there was a set of shelves lining both walls with a very interesting feature. They reached to the ceiling and were covered by the shimmering barrier. As he got closer, he realized that each shelf had many partitions, and each had its own barrier that could be removed without having to disturb the other ones. That was only the beginning.

Ji began to explain. “This is where the cultivation techniques, weapons, armor, apparel and the natural and heavenly treasures of the tower are stored.”

If this was all, it would’ve been a letdown. There was no way this small number of shelves held the prizes for the entire tower. Then, as if to answer his unasked question, the shelves began to move as if sinking into the ground. What replaced them were more shelves with new treasures from the floor above? He asked Ji if that was right.

“Yes, and no. The shelves travel on their own vertical plane that spans floors. The one against the outer wall reaches to the very top and goes to the subterrane level. The inner wall doesn’t ascend as high, but it also reaches the bottom level. It is there that the qi crystals are stored. They and the world’s qi are used for energy by the tower to keep things running.”

“How much is there?” Huifen asked. “Of the natural, heavenly treasures, and qi crystals?”

“Most of the treasures I used to give as prizes have reached critical levels, so I no longer provide them. Of those, there are only a few of each. As for the qi crystals, I have excessive reserves since I have been doing little else besides refining more for the last few thousand years. If you want a number, I’m nearing a count of two trillion qi crystals. I use them as fuel, so that’s equivalent to a few hundred intergalactic voyages. I would’ve been able to do far better if the world’s energy remained at a higher level.”

“Then it's true. The Divine Spire is also a transport vehicle. One that can traverse space?”

“It is as you say.”

“That’s incredible,” Chao said, dazed by the moving shelves. He tried to guess what some things were as they cycled. Very little of it he recognized. When he saw the first scroll, he almost asked Ji to stop, but then there was an entire row of card jades with a variety of colors followed by many more. There were more scrolls and an entire library of tomes that just flashed by.

He looked over to Huifen to find she was also staring at this trove of unlimited possibilities. Her nose was twitching at each shelf that passed as if counting them off. He didn’t interrupt her. They just stood there for the longest time taking everything in.

“Do you have anything on the laws?” he asked, not really expecting anything.

“Of course, Master,” Ji said. The shelves slowly stopped before cycling upward in the opposite direction. “I’m afraid the selection is limited for someone with your capabilities. Xiahou Tzu, my most powerful master, was a water cultivator and mostly acquired manuals with a focus on that and compatible elements. I hope you can find something that will benefit you.”

“Expert Ji,” Huifen called. “Are you able to change the element in the Water Cultivation Chamber to ice?”

“That is well within my capabilities. Would you like me to do it now?”

She looked at Chao, and he reassured her.

“Yes, please,” she said.

“It will take a few minutes.”

“Thank you…”

The next look she gave him was one of disbelief. It was all too much. He understood it for he was feeling the same way.

“Did you want to look through what is available on the laws?”

Chao just shook his head. “Uh, I’ll return to look through them later.”

“Very well. Did you want to visit the seventh floor?”

He chuckled. Once he started, it took him a long moment before he could stop. “Shall we?”

Huifen agreed.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Chao felt the weight of a divine cultivator’s perceptions crash down on him. It was still repressive, but it didn’t affect him as much as the first time he was here. Living on the sixth floor for a few months had greatly benefited him.

“Shall I reduce the aura?” Ji asked.

“Thank you, but no,” he replied.

The door sealing off the bulk of the seventh floor was almost identical to the white vault. Its color made him think of the Heavenly White Jade Cauldron. He asked the spirit if it was made of the same thing.

“No. I’m afraid divine jade is far too rare. I can assure you it would take a divine lord more than a day to break through it and all its protective arrays.”

Ji became contemplative before saying, “It has been many millennia since someone has dwelled on this level. It will act as your living quarters, customizable cultivation chambers, captain’s deck while traveling, and your last line of defense. Master and Mistress Long, welcome to your new home.”

Just as with the vault door, this one rolled into the wall. What was waiting beyond the shimmering energy barrier was a wide-open space as large as any of the floors below.

Stepping through while holding hands, their eyes were drawn up at once. The top of the spire was their ceiling. It domed inward to a point, reaching three or four stories high. It wasn’t just plain marble, but a mural covered every centimeter.

The artistry was so detailed it was like they were plunged into a new world. The sky near the entrance was blue and inviting. Divine beasts flew about minding their own business or rested at ground level. There were many creatures that Chao had never seen. Near the center of the ceiling, clouds had gathered. They weren’t angry and threatening, but thick as a mountain of cotton. Pillars of light shone down all around them. This light seemed to be an illusion of artistry, but the light was also cast from the mural to fill the space.

The far side of the room was under the protection of artistically painted stone architecture. Instead of divine beasts, there was a mural of plenty. Fruits of the vine, stalks standing as tall as a man, and sacred herbs protected by their own aura gave it a homely feel.

The murals didn’t stop at the ceiling, but they did give way to practicality. Where paintings might hang, the murals flourished. The stone too remained visible to give it a feeling of security.

Only then did he take in the massive bed that reached out from the wall like a quarter moon. There were decorative wooden partitions that broke up the room into sections. Chao wasn’t sure if it was Ji that had arranged things, or it had been the last spire’s master, but each piece of furniture looked to come in twos. One side of the room mirrored the other.

“Would you like me to explain the history of this place?” Ji asked.

He was about to tell the spirit to go on when Huifen stopped him. “Husband let’s save it for later. There’s already so much to absorb. After all that has happened…”

“Then let’s get some rest,” he replied.

They made their way to the crescent-shaped bed, and she didn’t hesitate to kick off her slippers. Her ice gown dissolved then he helped her put on a nightgown. He knew she wasn’t in any serious danger, but there was no denying her injuries. The covers were blue and dark. The pillows were a little large for how she liked them. She rested her head on one anyway.

Chao placed himself right beside her after he changed. He held her until her breathing slowed. He quietly informed Pangfua through his transmission jade of what they were doing. It wasn’t long until he too fell asleep.

***

The artificial spirit Ji had served more master’s than years these two young cultivators had been alive. It secured the door to their room without needing to be informed, as well as lessened the pressure that the repressive array provided to a level acceptable for the young mistress’s injuries. At the opening of the seventh floor, a spiritual pulse went out that only the highest realm cultivators could sense. It was a declaration of victory. A celebration that the ancient spire finally had a new owner.

The pulse wasn’t like that of the birth of a heavenly treasure. It wasn’t qi that burst into their surroundings. This spiritual pulse defied the laws of nature. It piqued the curiosity of a few old monsters on Lifestone, but they soon lost interest. Its reach wasn’t limited to that little world.

It broke through the world’s firmament without slowing. The worlds of that solar system were quickly left behind. New solar systems came and went until it reached what seemed like a smaller one that was mostly shrouded in darkness despite the young strength of its star.

It was there above that bleak canopy that Zan floated with Quinyuan and youngster Billi. He’d been explaining to them that the creatures they hunted had ravenous appetites. They swallowed the energy from the light as swiftly as Chao did his cultivator portion.

The pulse was almost insignificant, but he’d been waiting for it.

“Husband?” Quinyuan said when he suddenly stopped talking.

He focused momentarily before responding. “It seems they did it. Give me some time as I try to glean details.”

In the lower realms of cultivation, a person’s perceptions were accompanied by their qi. Their ability to perceive the world took on whole new facets and reached beyond anything any mortal could dream. Reaching the divine spirit realm wasn’t just a different level. It spiritualized one’s perceptions, allowing them to reach out exponentially further than one could with just their qi. It also gave them access to view the spiritual realm which overlapped with the material one. It was something they could only catch glimpses of before that.

It took Zan some time to pinpoint where they were. It took even longer to get past the Divine Spire’s defenses. After that, he quickly learned what he was looking for. “The spire is theirs. Huifen is slightly injured, but now they’re resting.”

“Should we?” Quinyuan began.

“No. It’s not serious. I am curious to hear the story when we get back. Most of the damage is internal.”

“It will help protect them then?”

“The Northern Continent could rise up against them and wouldn’t be able to disturb their rest for a thousand years. If they become that lazy, then I’ll beat them myself.” When he saw Quiyuan’s glare, he gave her a wink. “I guess I’ll let them get away with it for a day or two. It is nice that they have a safe place to call their own, but they aren’t destined to hide away in some tower. Their real trials have just begun.”

He then spied Billi’s wide-eyed expression at learning her friend was hurt and clicked his tongue. “Enough, already. There’s a nasty space insect a few kilometers below us that is weighing whether we look like easy enough prey to attack. I’ll take the first few. Practice sensing them.”

He didn’t wait. Flashing away, he appeared behind the light-absorbing beast and struck out with his fist. He needed to be careful at this distance so as not to inadvertently assault the others.

This beast wasn’t much for him, but it was a tribulation realm monster. He felt its body break as it soared in the fairies’ direction.

Reaching almost the limit of his speed without using excessive qi, he appeared behind the women to judge their reactions. Quinyuan flinched but was too hesitant to react. Billi, on the other hand, struck out with a whip of blood qi that wrapped around the beast and dragged it to a stop.

“Good,” he said, only partially startling them. “Are you having difficulties spotting it?”

His wife answered. “Spotting it, no. Following its movements is proving difficult.”

“Understandable. Even if cultivators don’t use their eyes solely in battle, to truly fight blind is a skill that can only be practiced in the absence of light. Billi remove its head and refine its blood. It should be beneficial to you.”

She looked at him like he’d gone insane. “It’s an insect.”

“It’s not a real insect. I just called it that because, besides a few of its tricks, it's insignificant.”

Her face changed immediately. “Oh. Okay.”

Removing a dao from her spatial ring, she flew over and decapitated it with a single slash of her sword. Then a tendril of blood reached out from her and struck at the wound like a viper.

“It’s a winged lizard?” Quinyuan said with a gasp.

With its death, its light-absorbing ability faded to reveal what looked like an overly skinny salamander with wings in place of its gills.

“I guess you can call it that.”

Billi spun her head around to look at him when she had a thought. “Is there any other reason why it's hard to see the surface of this planet besides these things?”

He gave the girl a wide grin, only to turn to Quinyuan and incline his brow.

The little blush his wife had fled from her cheeks. “You mean this planet is covered in these things?”

“These and other creatures like them. These are the weakest ones.”

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