~~~

Dark clouds cover the sky, and heavy rain pours with such intensity that it is hard to see beyond a couple of feet. No one would believe it is only the middle of the day. Obscured by the storm and accompanied by the ever-present rumbling of thunder, Rumbling Thunder Mountain can almost be confused with a growling giant.

All things considered, it is a poor time for the city to live up to its name.

Lady Bai Wen does not seem to mind. She waits outside the city gates in peaceful silence, literally and metaphorically untouched by the storm. Liu Jin stands to her right, and at her left is the ice sphere that carries the still-frozen Duke Lai.

Bai Wen could easily fly them into the city, but that would be far too impertinent. General Dan cannot be treated with the same rudeness Duke Lai was. That is why they are waiting until someone comes out. They know the presence of a cultivator as strong as Bai Wen has not gone unnoticed. It is only a matter of time before a representative is sent out.

“The general must have quite a lot to think about,” Bai Wen says as their wait drags on. “There wouldn’t be a storm otherwise.”

Liu Jin blinks. “What?”

“You did not know?” Bai Wen asks. “Well, I suppose it is only natural. I have been in the Storm Dragon Empire longer than you. Rumbling Thunder Mountain did not get its name for no reason. It is only General Dan’s presence in the city that keeps the area relatively storm free. He is quite remarkable for a foreign Emperor. His talents would have better flourished in one of the Four Great Sects.”

Liu Jin is both impressed by General Dan’s power, and very glad Bai Wen is saying these sorts of things out of General Dan’s earshot.

When the gates finally open, two lines of soldiers march out, their footsteps squelching on the mud. City Lord Chu walks in front of them. Liu Jin can barely see the man through the rain, but he knows his Qi well enough.

“City Lord Chu, it is a pleasure to meet you again,” Liu Jin says, using Qi to allow his words to be heard through the rain and thunder.

“Ah, Lord Qing, yes…” City Lord Chu pauses. Liu Jin can almost imagine him nervously rubbing some sweat from his brow. It is not Liu Jin he’s worried about, however.

It is the unidentified Heaven Realm cultivator next to him.

“You look well,” City Lord Chu adds. “I am happy to see the border has not been too hard on you.”

He lost an arm.

Well, that is probably not the sort of thing one should say at a time like this.

“Yes, it’s good to see you,” City Lord Chu says, nodding before finally forcing himself to look at Bai Wen and the trapped Duke Lai. “However… these circumstances… They are not what I expected. You understand, right? I…I cannot seem to comprehend the mystery before me.”

City Lord Chu badly wants to wave his hand at Bai Wen and her prisoner and demand an explanation, but he also doesn’t dare do something that could potentially offend such a powerful cultivator.

“I am Bai Wen of the Divine Frozen Palace,” Bai Wen says. The strength of her voice makes City Lord Chu and the soldiers behind him jump. “I have captured the traitorous Duke Lai and brought him before General Dan so he might face justice for his many evil deeds.”

There is a moment of silence as everyone processes those words.

“Oh,” City Lord Chu says.

All things considered, that is probably the most correct answer.

~~~

The walk to General Dan’s house is longer than it needs to be and highly uncomfortable. Rain and thunder accompany them all the way to the top. They save them from complete silence and the curious gazes of the citizens, but alas, rain and thunder cannot protect them from General Dan.

During the welcoming feast, Liu Jin’s impression of General Dan had been of a stern and distant man with remarkable self-control. It isn’t often that an Emperor can sit in the same room as people of lesser realms and somehow not make himself the center of attention, yet General Dan managed to do exactly that. His presence loomed over the grand hall but in a very distant way. The people wouldn’t have been able to enjoy themselves otherwise.

That impression solidified during the negotiations that followed. Though he had been angry at the demands made of him, General Dan satisfied himself with only bloodying the noses of the representatives of the Eternal Flame Clan. After that, he treated them with nothing but professionalism. Other cultivators wouldn’t have shown such restraint.

Unfortunately, Liu Jin now realizes how much General Dan has been holding back.

There are no guards with them. Even City Lord Chu has not been allowed in the room; they simply wouldn’t be able to bear it. General Dan’s presence fills the room so completely that the mere act of breathing is hard. The air is full of static, and the slightest brush of his robes generates sparks.

It feels as if they are standing underneath a thundercloud, eager to unleash its first lightning bolt.

“I had already received word of Duke Lai’s… activities,” General Dan says, looking at Liu Jin. “You will be pleased to know your messenger arrived safely.”

General Dan is referring to Yi Jiao, and while it pleases Liu Jin to know she is well, he has a hard time feeling anything resembling relief at the moment. Keeping his knees from buckling under General Dan’s presence requires all his concentration.

“I had planned on summoning Lai here, so he might have the opportunity to argue his case.” General Dan shifts his gaze to Bai Wen. “However, I did not expect Duke Lai to be brought before me by someone who claims to be a member of the Divine Frozen Palace.”

“I claim to be a member of the Divine Frozen Palace because I am,” Bai Wen says, hands clasped together and head bowed. “This one’s name is Bai Wen, number one disciple of Lady Bai, the First Among the Five. It is a privilege to be welcomed into your house, General Dan.”

Unlike Liu Jin, Bai Wen bears General Dan’s presence without trouble. It is only natural. She is used to being around one of the strongest Emperors in the Crimson Cloud Empire. Impressive as he is, General Dan cannot compare.

General Dan looks at her in silence for a moment.

“Your Qi does not betray any weakness,” General Dan notes. “It is certainly what I would expect of someone from the Divine Frozen Palace, yet it would have never occurred to me that those from the Divine Frozen Palace would walk around covered in rags from head to toe.”

Perhaps General Dan says it out of curiosity. Perhaps he means it as a taunt. Either way, Bai Wen’s reply is completely serious.

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“It is the only responsible thing to do, General.”

General Dan frowns. “Responsible?”

“Should I freely show my face, men would inevitably fall for me and be unable to forget me for the rest of their lives. As I do not intend to take responsibility for those men, I cannot afford to show either my face or body.”

Bai Wen says it all without a hint of humor in her voice. Whether it is true or not, Bai Wen certainly believes it. Remembering Meng Yue’s appearance during his wedding, Liu Jin is inclined to believe her.

“I see,” General Dan says in the tone of voice of someone who did not see but did not really want to dwell on the subject out of an abundance of good sense. “Regardless, the fact of the matter is that you are in my lands uninvited, have savagely beaten one of my nobles, taken him prisoner, and now parade him in front of me.”

He gives a pointed glance at the ice sphere containing Duke Lai floating next to Bai Wen.

“An explanation would be appreciated.”

“What is there to explain, General?” Bai Wen asks. “Duke Lai is an evil man who conspired with foreign enemies and committed treason against you. Stopping him and bringing him here to face your judgment was the only logical thing to do.”

General Dan glares at her. “That does nothing to explain why a member of the Divine Frozen Palace is here.”

Bai Wen thinks for a moment and answers, “The Divine Frozen Palace wishes to kill Murong Bang. I was sent here to-”

“I completely understand,” General Dan says before she can finish. “Yet that does not explain how you came across this boy or how you came to believe him.”

General Dan’s eyes go back to Liu Jin.

Liu Jin wishes they could have stayed on Bai Wen.

“Duke Lai is working for those beyond the Dead Plains. That is what your messenger said. Do you realize how outlandish that sounds?” General Dan asks him, leaning forward slightly. The small gesture is enough to make him seem like a giant to Liu Jin. “Most people wouldn’t have understood what you were talking about. Had you told me Duke Lai was collaborating with General He, I would have considered it probable. I have been harboring such thoughts since the supply crisis began.”

“If it helps, General He is probably also working with those beyond the Dead Plains.”

General Dan gives him a long look that has Liu Jin dearly wishing he could make himself disappear.

“No, that does not help at all,” General Dan says.

“Regardless, it is true,” Bai Wen says. “The entire city saw him summon and use corpses. You could call upon a thousand people from Stone River City, and the thousand will tell you the same story.”

“It is not obvious because he’s unconscious and trapped, but his Qi is not that of a normal cultivator anymore,” Liu Jin adds. “I will admit my encounter with Lady Bai was quite fortuitous, but that does not change the truth of the matter. You do not need to take me at my word, general. As soon as you feel Duke Lai’s Qi, you will know he is no longer something that belongs to this side of the Dead Plains.”

“Fortuitous.” General Dan snorts. “Is that what you are calling it?”

He snaps his fingers, and the ice sphere next to Bai Wen suddenly floats up to him. He looks at it carefully for a few seconds, his frown growing deeper as he does.

“It seems there is truth to your words, and if so, you have done me a great favor,” he admits reluctantly. “However, is this a favor from the Divine Frozen Palace or from the Eternal Flame Clan?”

General Dan’s words are a heavy stone cast into a small pond. Liu Jin is from the Eternal Flame Clan. Bai Wen is a member of the Divine Frozen. Yet, they both appeared together at his doorstep. That’s suspicious no matter how one looks at it.

Where do their allegiances truly lie?

“It is neither, general,” Bai Wen replies with all the ease in the world. And yet, though it did not take her even a second after General Dan spoke to utter those words, it feels like the silence lasted much longer. “This is a personal gift with no connection to either the Divine Frozen Palace or the Eternal Flame Clan.”

Liu Jin fights the urge to look at Bai Wen in surprise.

She could have easily claimed the feat for the Divine Frozen Palace. After all, it was her who did all the work. That she is not doing it can only mean she is trying to make things less complicated for Liu Jin.

“I encountered this child fleeing from his pursuers and lent him my aid,” Bai Wen explains. “After hearing his story, I decided to deal with Duke Lai. It was the natural thing to do.”

“Very well,” General Dan says. “Whether I am dealing with the Eternal Flame Clan or the Divine Frozen Palace ultimately matters little to me. I’ll leave you to settle your feuds. However, be ready. I expect both of you to be present in Duke Lai’s trial.”

“Naturally.”

~~~

The first person Liu Jin encounters after meeting General Dan is Mud. Usually, that’d be a good thing. Liu Jin’s relationship with Senior Brother Mud has always been cordial.

“What in the world are you?”

Alas, Liu Jin did not count on Bai Wens’ reaction. The disciple of the Divine Frozen Palace circles around Mud, her aura alternating between fascinated and repulsed.

“How is this even possible?” She wonders out loud. “Your Dao… I knew the Eternal Flame Clan was full of uncouth savages, but you’re an aberration. An affront to everything good and proper.”

“This one is Mud,” Mud says.

Bai Wen ignores him in favor of turning towards Liu Jin.

“If this is what the Eternal Flame Clan does to its disciples, I must confess my bewilderment at your refusal to abandon them. Surely, you can see your place is not with them.”

To Liu Jin’s surprise, Mud places himself between him and Bai Wen.

“You insult me, ignore me, and try to poach one of our disciples,” Mud notes without any particular emotion in his voice. “Some would call that uncouth. Of course, this Mud is not so rude as to insult someone to their face, no matter how deserving they might be.”

“I must confess some surprise. I did not imagine you had enough sense of self to be insulted.”

Feng Zhi bursts into the room before things can further degenerate. Yi Jiao is walking behind him, but Liu Jin barely pays her any mind. His eyes are focused on the angry glare on Feng Zhi’s face.

“You!” Feng Zhi says, completely ignoring the two Heaven Realm cultivators as he strides toward Liu Jin. “All this time! You have been spying for the Divine Frozen Palace!”

He sounds almost happy to say it. The prospect of having figured out the mystery behind Liu Jin seems to outweigh any anger he might have felt over Liu Jin’s perceived betrayal.

“Young Master,” Liu Jin says. “I regret to inform you I have not betrayed anyone.”

Feng Zhi simply points at Bai Wen, his eyes never moving away from Liu Jin’s.

“My wife is a member of the Divine Frozen Palace,” Liu Jin says. “I neglected to mention this fact because it held little relevance.”

“I am his sister-in-law,” Bai Wen adds unhelpfully. “I can, unfortunately, confirm he has no intention of abandoning the Eternal Flame Clan or betraying them.”

With a far too calm expression, Feng Zhi puts a single hand on Liu Jin’s shoulder.

Then, he punches him down the mountain.

The hit comes hard and furious; Liu Jin is completely unable to block. It breaks his nose and sends him flying through the walls and out of the mansion. By the time Liu Jin manages to stop himself, he’s already all the way down to the bottom of the mountain, wet and covered in mud.

He sighs.

“Was that truly necessary?” Liu Jin asks a second later as he re-enters the room through the hole Feng Zhi made with his body. His nose has fully healed already.

“It made me feel much better,” Feng Zhi replies with entirely too much relish.

“Interesting,” Bai Wen says, rubbing her chin. “It seems some gestures of friendship are ubiquitous even in different Sects.”

The joy completely falls off Feng Zhi’s face. “F-friendship!?” He splutters in complete indignation.

Mud claps his hands. The sound is soft, yet it instantly stops everyone from talking.

“Amusing as this all is, we have more serious matters to concern ourselves with,” Mud says. “Brother Qing, we received your message. Is what you said there true?”

Liu Jin nods seriously. “Yes, Brother Mud. Those beyond the Dead Plains are at work here. You only need to feel Duke Lai’s Qi to know my words are not lies.”

“I never once considered you would lie about something like that,” Mud reassures him. “While your relationship with the Divine Frozen Palace is a matter which will be investigated, this Mud believes we can all agree that those beyond the Dead Plains take priority.”

He looks at Feng Zhi and Bai Wen as he says that. Neither contradicts him.

“There is one more thing,” Liu Jin says. “If we are to deal with those beyond the Dead Plains, then there is one person we absolutely cannot ignore anymore. He was working with Duke Lai.”

“Ah, yes.” Mud nods. “I am aware of who you speak of.”

“Yuan Tao,” Feng Zhi growls out.

~~~