The smell of ash grew as the window clattered evermore.

They sat around the fire, the two women, a blanket wrapping them in their huddle, shaking as they shook, slowly reaching a still before starting again.

If I know their circumstances, I may wish to help, but can I even help myself?

The sights from the trial still haunted his mind, yet they seemed far away, disconnected from him. Perhaps they were. In each Hao was dead. Yet he was not and the treasure in the cave would be his; they can no longer come to pass. Even then, Hao was not fully sure.

Hao saw the daughter nearly cry. He knew neither of their names, yet they showed him goodwill and asked for help.

His mind was sharpened by world energy, his bones still felt the vibration of the bell’s tones. It was shaking him.

Just hours ago, he was covered in the blood and filth of a beast.

Hao sat still, staring at his hands, as the window tried to open and close, getting louder by the minute.

Whenever he looked up, the two near the firepit started shivering—His hand was not.

More cold air, they shivered more—Still he was not.

The room smelled clean; it was spotless, and the only sound was the crackling fire that struggled to live and the window as it whistled.

Hao stared down, feeling as if he was somewhere else.

The bell’s dull ringing, blood and filth on his body, and the smell tore to the back of his head. Blood dripped down his arms, a sturdy blade in his fingers. He pressed it down into the skull of a living creature, a great beast from land in his eyes; it could feed many.

‘Boy’ the way the mother said it, repeated a few times, he said in his head. The slightly joking tone in her voice mocked the word ‘boy’. The impurities that the two peeled off his skin, the blood they scraped out of his shattered fingernails. ‘Boy’

It was obvious why she said it with such mockery — Could a cultivator at any age in any way be considered as such? Especially one splattered in blood.

They shivered, and he did not. “Don’t tell me a reason, just what you want from me,” Hao said.

They both lifted their heads from their huddle, and cold air brushed against them even more. “We need only your name, the name of the person who has connections to the elders. There is a lot we can provide in return. We have been here for a long time; we have information on all sorts of things. We are experienced in speaking and acting around the sect.” The daughter said in haste.

This time the mother did not stop her, only holding her arm.

“There is nothing we wouldn’t give Young Master if he gives us his protection.” The mother said.

Hao walked around behind them, to one of the beds that was nearby. Throwing a blanket to them. They wrapped themselves further.

He grabbed the wet cloth the daughter was using to clean.

Walked over to the window that was shuttering, letting in the wind.

He opened the window and placed the cloth at its seam, closing the window once again. The window slowly froze, and the shuttering stopped.

Bam!

Hao turned to the sound. The daughter was outside the blankets with her knees and head on the floor.

The mother also threw the blanket aside but went to her daughter instead, grabbing her arm.

“My mother is a Dancer and can provide much to you… We know secret servants should not; we have served our ancestors long. He is ruthless but loose with his trust. In the past, I poured tea for him and his guests myself. His tongue is light with secrets, and he speaks frequently of factions and events in the Sect.” She said.

A red mark appeared on her forehead as she was pulled back up by her mother.

“Do you have a death wish?” The mother said.

“She does not lie, but there are some things better left unsaid.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

She pulled her daughter back under the thin blanket. Not hesitating in reprimanding the grown woman.

The windows stopped its horrid noise. The fire was still flickering, smoke being pulled outside at a faster rate. The air in the room was clearer than before.

“My name carries no weight. People do not know it. But if you wish, you may use it. It will not cause me any trouble,” Hao said.

Hao was going to lower his head but a voice like a knife through silk tore across the room.

“Your name will be well known in the sect before noon tomorrow. Unless it is suppressed on purpose. You must maintain your reputation; If we are wronged, it is the same as wronging you. There would be more trouble than you realize.” The mother said.

She stood, her daughter following.

I am familiar with their game now. Righteous bowing while killing the innocent. The game is a facade, only strength matters.

“Then can we enter your service?” The daughter asked. Hope in her eyes.

“Entering my service and using my name are two different things, are they not?” Hao said.

“It’s what we ask for.” The mother said, and the daughter echoed.

“Very well, if your ‘Ancestor’ lets you walk from him.”

Hao was already expecting more trouble than what he asked for.

But things had already reached this point. What secrets do you have? What question can you answer?

“What name should we use for our Young Master?”

“Hao.”

He walked to the side of the fire as the flame breathed, dancing along with the smoke; he sat, his chance to rest would have to wait.

They looked at Hao and he looked back as they walked around to the fire, both going to either of his sides.

They sat on either of his sides, looking at him from opposite sides for an unknown reason.

They suddenly lowered down to their knees into a kowtow.

Hao felt extremely uncomfortable, but the feeling faded as seconds passed. This must be what is expected of them. The Islands would never allow such a thing. All elders are revered, especially mothers and, even more, those who still work.

“Servant Wu Meiqi greets Young Master Hao.” The mother spoke first.

“Servant Wu Zhengqi greets Young Master Hao.” The daughter spoke just after.

They lifted their heads from the kowtow to Hao, who was struggling to hide his discomfort. Something that would take practice.

“We hope the Young Master treats us well, and rights our wrongs. If he has a family name, we hope to serve them as well.” Meiqi said, watching Hao’s face turn to stone, then ice.

“I fear the day I earn my family’s name before I do all I must do.” If that time comes, I may be dead, and the world may get swallowed. He saw gravestones far away, beyond a fog that would never set.

“I didn’t know our Young Master, despite his age, could make such a face. Buddhas and Demons would shiver.” Meiqi said.

Hao was starting to attach the name to the voice.

“Could you be less formal, when it’s just me around, please,” Hao said.

He could get used to the title Young Master, but the bows and kowtowing were too far.

“I hope I can answer some of the Young Master’s questions before the night turns to rest.” Zhenqi, the daughter, said, her voice still holding a nervous tone.

Hao scratched his head and sighed; was asking them to be informal too much to ask for.

Hao had many questions. For now, he only had one, some he would leave till later if he needed to ask them. Their loyalty and honesty had yet to be confirmed.

He untied the string around the top of the Spirit-Holding bag he got the Second Elder, a gift or reward, which he did not know. Even with the string loosened, the top did not open.

Meiqi slid closer to him, and Zhengqi copied her mother, doing the same.

“Young Master is warm; Fire only does so much for mortals during summer nights,” Meiqi said, getting the reaction she was expecting from Hao.

Hao turned red, holding out the bag as his voice cracked. “How do you use this artifact?”

Meiqi chuckled, the elderly woman in age but not appearance, a grandmother of few wrinkles.

Her arm shot from her robe. Slender, skin tight to the muscle, age had been far too kind to her.

She grabbed Hao’s hand. Hao was growing redder by the second, his face becoming a spring berry.

He had been teased before, none so forward as to touch him.

Truthfully, he didn’t think he had ever talked to a person in general who did not talk down to him.

She chuckled again — “Young Master must get used to such things. He has seen blood, but never a woman. None outside of dreams…”

They both watched as Hao grew redder, a miracle of a color.

“They say that the mind is strengthened along with the body if you practice cultivation young. But emotions remain the same or grow worse.”

“Is this ‘Dancer’ that you are? Does it have to do with my dreams? Or how my exhaustion went away?” Hao asked. He had too; It was becoming too strange.

He gulped, afraid of the answer.

“I thought Young Master did not want to know why we needed your help. Focus on the artifact for now.” Meiqi said. A sly smile grew on her face.

“No, you are right.” Hao said, his voice cracking. He did not want to know if she had been inside his head. Not if she had seen any part of his recent dreams.

She held Hao’s finger over the ruby on the bag.

“Bind it with blood essence, from what I know there are few artifacts like this one in the Sect. Ancestor gets covetous eyes when he sees such things. You should be careful who sees it.”

He knew of the blood essence she had mentioned. Blood of the deepest red reflected a golden shine in light.

For now, he would have to focus on that.

Clearing his mind, he channeled the world energy in his body; No need for the steps of ‘Water Breaking Fist’.

It flowed easier than before, going down to his finger while touching the bag.

He lifted his finger from the ruby, forcing blood through his finger.

The red droplet looked slightly different from what he had imagined. It had a glossy black shine, which smoked away as it was falling from Hao’s finger.

With the black gone, the color he was expecting emerged before it touched the red gem.

The blood soaked in and the gem gave a slight shimmer, then the string came loose.

He could use it, and he knew how to bind an artifact. I must return to the cave when I get the chance.

The world suddenly became woozy, gray, and grainy; his head felt light and his vision became a tunnel.

His shoulder began to sink—feeling the weight of gravity, he started to lean back.

Meiqi was already close and held him up., “I should have told Young Master, I heard extracting blood essence can be taxing. You can rest, we will help you to a bed.”

The two of them worked together, getting Hao across the room.

He heard one last thing before he fell asleep.

“It is impressive that the Young Master has stayed away so long.”

They got him in a bed. It was one not far from the window that he sealed, which was now completely frozen shut.

Hao tossed and turned in his rest, his mind running through the days once again.

“Mother, can you soothe him in his dreams again?”

“Don’t be foolish, I haven’t eaten in long. With what little life I have left do wish me to die an early death.”