Just because the world hated me and everything I do, I managed to get a fatal new problem sent into my lap as well. As I’d been walking on my way back, I’d noticed that my core had somehow returned. That was not the bad part, though I would’ve liked to have an understanding of how that worked. The part was when I realized that something was eating through my Chi inside my body, and tearing at my spirit itself. It didn’t take me long to figure out that it was the poison which had so conveniently just disappeared. Of course nothing would solve itself so quickly.
To my relief, the poison stopped once again when I entered the village, which is precisely when my core seemed to vanish again. With my already annoyed mood, this was enough to make me pissed off. I didn’t notice it at the time, but the very wind, earth, and air seemed to be howling around me in anger and every creature, and person in the village was giving a wide berth as I walked past them.
I opened Granny Lang’s workshop, finding the old woman inside. She looked at me, and then sighed.
“What’s wrong boy?”
“Poison. I figured it out,” I said, taking a seat on her bed. “It starts affecting me when I step out of the village.”
Granny Lang walked closer to me, as she pressed her fingers to my chest, trying to sense what was wrong.
“I feel it now. It’s definitely there,” she said. “Works when you go outside the village, you said?”
I gave a nod. “I don’t have a core while inside, which is why it seems to not be working here.”
“Hmm, something is definitely keeping it at bay in here,” the granny said, as she took a puff from her smoking pipe. “I’ll try to see what I can do, boy, but this poison isn’t really easy, and poison isn’t really my speciality either. The Yi- or well, Shie girl could probably help you. Snakes and poisons run hand in hand.”
I sighed. “It would’ve been quite helpful to have Liuxiang here, yeah. But I’m afraid the capital is too far away for me to do anything about it.”
“It would take almost a month just to travel back and forth. But you could try sending the arrogant eagle brat. He should be able to go there and back in two weeks,” Granny Lang said.
“Still not enough time to make it for the duel,” I replied, trying to smile but found that I couldn’t. I had already been worried enough about this, and with the poison, there was no way I could even fight.
Granny Lang hummed in thought for a moment. “Boy, you just need to hold the poison back ‘til the duel is done, yes?”
I looked at the granny with renewed hope. “Yes, just the duration of the duel will do. If I make it back we’ll have enough time to work through whatever remains.”
The Granny looked at me, before giving a nod. “Let me see what I can do.”
I looked at her, before bowing to her. “Thank you Granny, you’re a lifesaver.”
The old woman clicked her tongue. “Making me work so hard at my age. Have some shame, you stupid child. You’ll work me to death!” she exclaimed and I just smiled happily at her.
The old woman huffed as she kicked me out and started looking for a solution, so I went out to get my own problems sorted. I was really starting to regret wishing for more work, I almost missed the days of relaxing I had.
Who am I kidding? I know I’m a workaholic and I’ll die at some desk while trying to build a magic powered spaceship to explore the solar system if they let me do it.
I walked out with that thought, finding Zhang standing outside with a concerned look. I realized I hadn’t explained to him what had happened, and so I quickly gave a brief rundown of events. That only made the frown on the boy’s forehead deepen. Then, to my surprise, he bowed his head deeply.
“Forgive me for asking you to pull on a power like that, Brother Jie. If I hadn’t-“
I cut him off. “If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have even figured out that this was going to be a problem and would’ve been marching right into the duel with the poison eating at me. So if you start feeling bad, I’m going to smack you.”
Zhang looked like he wanted to protest.
I just glared at him and eventually he relented like a scolded puppy. Zhang definitely needed to relax more.
“You should stay. I can fight in your stead. It’s safer that way,” Zhang said.
“Can’t. They’re there for me, so if I don’t go, nothing will happen. Or worse, something will happen that I can’t control or influence. I trust you with my life, Zhang, but this is not something you can do for me.”
I didn’t linger for Zhang to have the chance to protest and moved forward, trying to find Yan Yun. She wore a sparring uniform that I wasn’t quite sure where she’d gotten from, as she was going through stances. Her Chi was unstable still, but she was making steady recovery to her former strength. A week would be more than enough to have her back in form at her current pace.
She noticed me coming, and stopped. “Is something wrong Lu Jie? You looked… tired.”
“Much. I’ll explain later. Can I borrow Leiyu?”
At my words, the bird manifested with a crackle of lightning.
“What do you need from our magnificent self, servant?” Leiyu asked. Good to see his attitude was back in full force.
“I need you to deliver a message to the Azure capital for me,” I said.
Leiyu paused.
“Did… did Leiyu hear you correct?”
“Uhh, yeah? Can you do it quickly enough? If not I’ll get someone else.”
The bird squawked in a tone I could not understand, and I saw Yan Yun giggling under her breath.
“To dare even suggest that we would be beaten by some kind of messenger pigeon. Leiyu will do it, but there will be a price.”
“As many pills and Qi crystals as you want for a week,” I said in a flat tone.
“Consider it done.”
I wanted to laugh at the interaction. If only dealing with my problems was as easy as dealing with the spirits I had.
Yan Yun, clearly amused as well, had a worried expression on her face. “Is something wrong? Why the urgent message?”
“The poison had some unforeseen side effects. I need to get it sorted before the duel if possible. But it’s also not gone and I’d prefer if it was gone entirely.”
Yan Yun’s expression turned dark. “I can ask Zu Ri- Huo Qiu I mean. She may know.”
“I doubt it. It wouldn’t make sense to send an assassin that knows the cure of the poison they use. It’s just bad practice to do that. Elder Yan may be foolish, but he’s not stupid,” I said, and then paused. “No offense.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?” Yan Yun asked.
“That- well, I just insulted your grandfather,” I said, feeling a little awkward.
“Anything you say at this point is deserved. I would be far less kind if you asked me to speak at all,” Yan Yun said, huffing. “He’s a stupid, arrogant, self important man drunk on his power. I wish I’d seen him as clearly as I do now, but it had been too easy to justify everything awful about him by the good parts. Because… There were good parts. Which is probably hard to believe for you.”
“No, I believe it. His methods and motives are twisted, but… I think he cares for you in some weird kind of way,” I replied.
Yan Yun nodded. “But that does not excuse what he does, and how he behaves, and I realize that now. And… I wish I could somehow change him. But perhaps the only way to do that is through some difficult choices.”
I looked at Yan Yun, before placing my hand on her shoulder. “The future is uncertain. And I don’t know what exactly he will do, or what he is planning. But… if the time comes where I have to fight him, I will try not to kill him. And if he continues on this path, it will come.”
She looked at me, first in surprise, and then with a quiet nod. “Thank you. It’s more than I can ask for by now.”
After those words, I parted with Yan Yun, Leiyu following me as I handed him the letter I was sending to Liuxiang.
“Leiyu will be there in a week. You better keep your side of the promise.”
“I will,” I replied and watched the eagle fly off into the sky with a shooting crackle.
I stood there in silence for a moment, wondering if there was some god watching me right now, probably laughing to themselves at my misery.
I didn’t let the thought linger. I had work to do.
***
Elder Yan slammed his fist onto the table, the Qi enforced wood shattering into splinters from his strike, anger and fury boiling forth in him. “That good-for-nothing Shadow.”
Lightning flared around him, his anger making his Qi flare as the world around him shook.
“A method needs to be found. If that boy is not eliminated soon, then there’s no telling what else he’ll do. To have freed a Shadow… just what other power has he obtained from the Divine Tree?”
Elder Yan paced around his room, his mind racing through thoughts. He needed a weapon to strike with, if he truly intended to become Lord of the Seventh Peak, something like the Divine Tree would be perfect. He had been at the peak of the Eight realm for over a decade now. But with that tree, he could break through and match the Lord in strength.
A knock sounded out at the gate and Elder Yan turned, wondering who would dare disturb him with his mood so sour. A moment later, a terrified servant opened the gates, looking in and bowed deeply.
“E-elder… the Elder from the Alchemy Hall has arrived.”
Elder Yan mood finally lightened as he gave a nod to the servant, dismissing her. After taking a moment to compose himself, Elder Yan made his way towards the waiting chamber.
Opening the gates, Elder Yan looked at the Elder seated inside. It was a young man, far younger than he was. Not for a moment did Elder Yan think that reflected the true age or strength of this man. The Alchemy Halls swore an oath of non-violence and that, combined with their fealty to the emperor, was perhaps the only reason they had not been wiped out from existence entirely.
The strength these alchemists could use was beyond terrifying. But such matters did not matter.
Elder Yan gave a light nod, greeting the elder as he stepped inside.
“We hope your journey from the capital has been pleasant,” Elder Yan said.
“Oh yes indeed. Apologies for the delay, an Elder Spirit had decided to bar our path and dispatching it took some time for my men,” the man said, folding his leg. A moment later, almost as an afterthought he put his hand into a pocket realm and pulled out a pouch. “Oh, I made it into a pill on the way here, you can take it as an apology,” he said, throwing the pouch over to Elder Yan.
Elder Yan fumbled over the pouch, surprised by the lack of etiquette. Perhaps… the man was truly as young as he looked? He’d certainly heard of prodigies rising through ranks at an early age in the capital.
A moment later, Elder Yan looked into the pouch and found his breath stuck in his throat.
“This… is this… a heaven grade pill?” he asked, wetting his lips as he spoke.
“Ah, is that what you call them? I forgot,” the man said.
Elder Yan looked at the man, withdrawing any notion of arrogance he may have had before. If this boy was as young as he looked, he was a genius that only came in centuries.
Elder Yan coughed into his fisted. “There is a matter I must discuss with you. I believe the general gist was already sent over to you in my letter?”
“About the boy that’s got you running around, right? Yup, I heard. He seems interesting. You said he was an alchemist, right?”
“He’s a demon in disguise, is what he is,” Elder Yan spat, vibrating.
“Careful, an actual demon may take offense to that,” the man said, chuckling.
Elder Yan raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment further. “The boy is planning to sell potent pills that he has somehow taught mortals to make. He plans to take over and destroy the Alchemy Hall’s authority and the Lord seems to be in support of his choices.”
The man frowned. “Hmm, that’s not good. Can’t have that. But I think I have a solution,” the man said, before turning to face the gate. “Oi! You can come in now!”
Elder Yan looked out in confusion, which was only further increased when Lei walked into the chamber.
“Lei? What’re you doing here?” he asked, baffled.
“Found him outside running in circles. I thought he was lost but turns out he was just afraid to see you. He’s got a message from your forsworn enemy child,” the man said, as the letter vanished from Lei’s hand, moving into Elder Yan’s.
He did not understand this art, nor how he worked, but decided not to question it. The Azure city had its own secrets, and he would pry them open with time, once he was Lord.
Slowly, the Elder read through the letter, before looking up to see the man grinning back at him.
“What a fun proposition, don’t you think?” he said. “A duel to settle all grievances! Truly the most simple way to solve a problem.”
“Do you… truly intend to conduct this farce?” Elder Yan asked.
“Yup! If he wins, I’ll ask him to join the Halls. Can’t have free pills running around, but either way, he won’t be your problem no matter what. But let’s hope he loses. More fun that way, right?”
“This is not about fun, that boy is dange-“
The Elder stopped as the man raised a hand, his expression turning serious for a moment.
“Oh, sorry, I let loose my intent for a minute. But trust me, Elder. I’ve seen what dangerous is. This is a child. A child on the loose. Let’s not lower ourselves to the level of children,” the man said, as he dusted his robes, standing up.
“Anyway, I’ll talk with the Lord to get this arranged in, say, a week? Sounds like a good date. Please pick your candidates and make sure they’re also suitable. No elders, for example. Let’s stick to the children fighting other children,” the man said, as he turned.
Elder Yan bit his cheeks, wanting to say many things, but held the poison words back. He would not be pushed around when he was Lord.
“Very well,” Elder Yan said. “But before you leave, please, at least let me know your name.”
The man turned around. “Ah right, I never did say that, did I?”
Elder Yan sensed a slight pause, before a strange smile overtook the man’s face. One that made a strange chill run down the Elder’s spine.
“My name’s Sheng Yuan.”