Only the quiet hum of crickets filled the garden when Min Yon Sul returned to the pagoda-like building. He wasn’t sure what to do. Was he supposed to just wait outside? Or was he supposed to knock on the door and announce his return.

His choice was stolen from him as the door opened and the young woman, Rei Yang if he remembered correctly, opened the door.

”Took you long enough. Get in and start brewing the t--. What happened to your face?” Rei Yang asked.

”Fell on the stairs.”

She gave him a look that said she didn’t believe him for a second ”I didn’t know the stairs in this place had knuckles. Well, whatever, get in here and get the water boiling.”

Min Yon Sul stood in place for a moment, unsure. He didn’t have the slightest idea about brewing tea. But he didn’t want to keep the entitled seeming cultivator waiting and just nodded.

”As you wish.”

The woman paused and turned back to him, skewering him with an icy look.

”The only response I want to hear from you, a slave, is ’Yes, my lady’.”

Min Yon Sul ground his teeth, but managed to keep his temper in check ”As you wish, my lady”

The nostrils of the woman flared but after a heartbeat she pulled herself back under control ”I see you cannot expect much from you common hicks.”

She spun in place and stomped back in the building. Min Yon Sul squeezed his hand in a fist. What the hell was the woman’s problem? Sure, she had probably grown up with a gold spoon so far up her ass that you could almost see the glint when she spoke. But even then, in Min Yon Sul’s opinion, it should’ve been quite fucking obvious even to her that etiquette wasn’t exactly on the list of things taught in this shithole.

Gah, she probably has someone cut her food for her so she doesn’t have to strain herself, Min Yon Sul thought.

Despite his annoyance, he followed the woman inside. The luxury on the inside of the building struck him like a fist. The walls were of a dark brown, lacquered wood, with lighter coloured decorations criss crossing them. Light from what could’ve only been Qi lamps shone on the shiny surfaces.

Every piece of furniture was a piece of work that had most likely taken ages to create. No nook or cranny had been left without ornamentation of carvings and gold inlays. As the initial shock faded, it gave way to an oppressive feeling.

The air was heavy. Min Yon Sul couldn’t explain it any other way. He had to strain himself to breathe normally.

”Well, what are you waiting for? The tea isn’t going to brew itself.” Rei Yang asked, gesturing towards the kitchenette.

”I-, I don’t know. It’s hard to breathe in here.” Min Yon Sul said.

She looked at him, uncomprehending. Then a realization dawned on her face. Before she could say anything Shin Yang spoke.

”I keep forgetting how fragile you mortals are.” he said.

”Pardon, what do you mean by that Master Shin Yang?”

”It’s the materials used in building this place. The passive Qi inside here is crushing you. I think it better you wait outside.”

Min Yon Sul grit his teeth. ”Thank you, but I’ll manage, Master Shin Yang.”

The older man harrumphed ”Stubborn. Suit yourself.”

Min Yon Sul started towards the kitchenette but another voice stopped him. ”I refuse to drink tea soiled by some dirty slave’s hand!”

Min Yon Sul stared at the young man rising from the sitting stool. What the hell was he supposed to answer?

”Pardon me, young master, but it was requested by the young lady” He said with a bow. These fuckers seemed to like all the scraping and the ego stroking, so it couldn’t hurt.

”I bet my right arm you don’t even have the slightest idea on how to properly brew tea. I will not let the young lady suffer your incompetence!”

You have a point there, asshole.

The young man turned to Rei Yang and in completely different tone continued ”If you allow me, it would be my delight to brew you the tea you deserve, my lady.”

Min Yon Sul had to give credit where credit was due. The young woman had to have a will of iron to not roll her eyes. He wasn’t sure if he hadn’t done so himself.

”I appreciate your kindness, young master Jun.” She replied in even tone.

”You, go to the hallway and wait for orders. I don’t want your presence sullying the air.” The young man said to Min Yon Sul.

Without a word, Min Yon Sul turned and walked back to the entrance of the building and sat on his knees. He could still see into the room but at least he wasn’t right under their scrutiny anymore. He hadn’t met any cultivators before but based on this group they seemed like a bunch of assholes with too high opinions of themselves.

He had to admit the old man was somewhat of an exception, though. At least he treated him like he wasn’t some sort of bug or rat that had slipped in the building.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

With nothing else to do, Min Yon Sul let his gaze wander. The detail in the decorations all around him was mind blowing. He constantly noticed new fine details in the wood work. Eventually his eyes turned back to the room. More specifically on the young man working at the counter in the kitchenette.

The young man’s back was toward the room, but Min Yon Sul could see him working from the side. He had to admit it was evident that the young man had done this countless times. His hands moved with a surety only experience could bring. For some reason the young man poured the boiling water in the cups and then back to another pot. Why he did that, Min Yon Sul had no idea. Maybe it was a ceremonial thing.

He then added three precisely measured spoons of the dried leaves in the pan. The youngster kept starting the pan intently. After a while something clearly indicated it was done as he poured the liquid in each of the cups in turn.

Just before picking up the tray, the young man’s movement seemed off for a tiniest bit. Thus far the whole process had been like a dance with every move choreographed to last minute detail. Then the young man jerked in a way that went against the flow.

Min Yon Sul couldn’t pinpoint it before he noticed the young man withdrawing his other hand from over the cups. Something was tugging at the back of his mind. He’d felt it before. It was the moment just before the dots connected and puzzle became clear.

The young man carried the tray to the table and served each of the other two cultivator their cups. He then set his own cup down and placed the tray on the middle of the table.

The other two let out content sighs and picked up their cups. Just as they tipped the cups back realization hit Min Yon Sul like runaway mine cart.

He shot up from his seat and shouted ”Stop! Don’t drink it!”

But he was too late.

Three things happened in the next heartbeat. The young woman immediately fell on the floor, convulsing and blood started pouring from her eyes. The young man shot towards the door. And lastly, the air around the old man shattered.

The neutral look was gone, replaced by a mask of cold fury. The small rivers of blood trickling from his eyes only accentuated the demonic look on the man’s face further. The whole building groaned under the pressure of his anger. The fine porcelain cups on the table crumbled and the wood work in the walls cracked.

The wave of pressure threw Min Yon Sul on the floor, driving the breath out of him. He didn’t remember the last time he’d been so terrified.

Despite his fear, he was struck by awe when a blade of water materialized in the air in front of the man and shot after the young man in a blur of colour. Instant before it struck the young man between his shoulder blades it struck something invisible.

After a moment of resistance the air cracked and gave way to the watery blade. The delay had been just long enough for the young man to shift to the side. Instead of skewering the man the blade passed through his triceps, severing the whole arm in a spray of blood.

The young man howled in pain but kept running. As he ran he pulled a jade plaque from his robes and held it in front of him.

”It’s done! It’s done!” he shouted.

The young man slipped out of the door and disappeared to the darkening evening.

Before Min Yon Sul realised what was happening he was hoisted up by the front of his shirt for the second time during today. Shin Yang held him up by one hand, his breath growing more and more ragged.

”You! What’s your part in this?” Shin Yang said, his eyes piercing Min Yon Sul’s soul.

”I-,I-, I don’t-, I--” Min Yon Sul stammered.

”Speak! Or I will make sure there is not enough left of you to bury!”

”I don’t have anything to do with this! I just heard some overseers in the bathhouse! They were talking something about a boy carrying some poison!”

”Poison? Did you hear its name?”

”I don’t know, I don’t --”

”Think!”

Min Yon Sul raked his brain in panic ”It was Soul something --”

”Soul Sundering Poison?”

”That’s it, yes!”

Shin Yang dropped him on the floor. Next moment two pills appeared on his hand. Swirls of bright red streaks ran across the white surface. Min Yon Sul wasn’t sure if it was just a trick of light but it looked like the pills themselves were pulsing with inner light.

Shin Yang forced on of the pills down the young woman’s throat and the swallowed the other himself. He then turned back to Min Yon Sul.

”Tell me everything you heard.”

”I don’t remember. I was doing my fucking hardest to forget I ever heard that conversation.”

”Listen, you may well have just saved my life. And more importantly my niece’s life. I’m a man who pays my debts. But you need to tell me everything you know.” Shin Yang said.

”I didn’t hear much else. They said something about some Elders waiting or something.” Min Yon Sul said.

”Did they say how many?”

”No, don’t think so. But it was in plural. Also, I don’t know how many of the overseers are in on this.”

Shin Yang closed his eyes for a moment. He then said ”As I said, I pay my debts, no matter if it’s a slave in a shithole of a mine or the emperor himself. State what you want and it’s your if it’s in my power to give.”

Min Yon Sul’s head swam. This was a Martial King. He could ask anything he could imagine and the man would probably be good for it. But there was one thing that outshone everything else by a wide margin.

”Freedom.”

”Done. As long as we live through this you will have it. But I have one condition.”

”And that is?”

”Protect Rei Yang. That little shit Jun Chang had a Transmission Jade on him. The Elders are probably already on their way and they will most likely be Martial Saints at the very least. I will not be able to protect you while facing them. Not the way I am now.”

”Me? Protect her? How do you expect me to pull that off? Especially with this thing on my neck.” Min Yon Sul said, while wiggling his collar.

Without a word the older man reached for the collar and closed his eyes in concentration. Min Yon Sul felt a tug in his midsection and something changed in his Core. It felt like a splinter that had bothered him ever since he could remember had finally been pulled free. Strength coursed through his body like never before. Just like that his lifelong source of misery was no more.

”What did you do?” Min Yon Sul said in wonder.

”I destroyed the Qi binding in the collar. Now, let me get that thing off of you” Shin Yang said.

Min Yon Sul thought for a second. He couldn’t believe what he was about to say ”Wait, leave it on. I’ll stick out like a sore thumb without it.”

”That is a fair point. Are you sure?”

”I can figure out a way to get it off myself later since it won’t kill me anymore to remove it.”

”Fine. Now, you need to take her and leave here.”

”There’s no place to hide in this fortress. We can’t just walk out of here either.” Min Yon Sul said.

”There is one place.”

”I’ve lived almost my whole life here and can’t think of anything.”

”What is the one place here no one expects you to go willingly.”

Min Yon Sul didn’t have to think long. ”Oh, hell no. Not the fucking mines.”

”You don’t have any other choice. Everyone knows you’re with us. And once the Elders arrive this whole landscape might look different in few moments. You stay, you’re dead.”

Min Yon Sul ran through his choice in his head. ”Oh, fuck me sideways with a shovel. Fine. I don’t see any other way either.”

”Thank you.” Shin Yang said.

Min Yon Sul moved to pick up the unconscious woman and walked to the door.

"Hey, Min Yon Sul."

Still carrying the woman on his shoulder, he turned back to Shin Yang.

"Take this." Shin Yang said and flicked something small towards him.

Min Yon Sul grabbed it from the air by instinct. He opened his palm as saw a finely decorated ring.

"This is a really bad time to propose. And while you're handsome man, I don't swing that way."

"It's a spatial ring, you rascal. It'll have much of what you need to survive." Shin Yang said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

He stared the ring at the ring with new respect. He'd only heard of such things before. "How do I use it?"

"I don't have the time to teach you now. You'll figure it out."

Min Yon Sul gripped his hand around the ring and lifted his gaze back to the older man.

Min Yon Sul nodded towards the young woman on his shoulder and said ”Hey, old man, you better make this up to me later, so don’t kick the bucket before that.”

Shin Yang burst into a hacking laugh ”Oh, that is refreshing. I don’t remember the last time anyone has spoken to me like that. I don’t plan on dying just yet. Keep her safe. Good luck.”

”And to you too.”

With that Min Yon Sul stepped into the darkening evening.