What is Zetsu playing at? What could he hope to gain from laying everything on the table? I felt like he could see all my secrets. Thank goodness the system itself is so far outside his experience. Can’t guess what you can’t conceive. Though maybe that doesn’t matter since he just needs to guess what it can do. Does he expect me to go behind the Elder’s back?

Zhenzhen hadn’t spoken since Elder Zetsu stepped back, her face a wordless thundercloud. Her cloud felt too small to share and Felix estimated if he could survive the jump. It looked unlikely.

They flew to Elder Rong’s house. Once in his tearoom, she dropped him on the floor. Then she’d let out a long list of expletives.

That is a lot of creativity. How does she know so many? Wow, I believe that one means a person who prefers drinking from a necrotic cow udder. Gross.

Her cloud moved back and forth as if she was pacing. The more he watched the more Felix realized it wasn’t her normal pernicious and volatile anger. It boiled and built like a pot overflowing.

She is worried. I am a little touched. If carefree Zhenzhen is concerned, then there must be something I’ve missed.

Zhenzhen floated over. Her ride brought their eyes level. She didn’t lounge like normal but sat at the edge of her cloud, legs hanging over the side.

“Are you sure he didn’t threaten you?” said elder Zhenzhen.

“No, Elder Zetsu was polite. If a little insistent,” said Felix.

“Are you sure? Nothing implied?” said Elder Zhenzhen.

“I mean he gave me some information. Wanted to make a deal as it were.”

“Conniving old peeper,” said Zhenzhen. “I shouldn’t have had you take that pretty pill.”

“Not creeper than any other elder. He said some scary things, but his offer wasn’t that bad. Wait, what pill?” said Felix.

“You don’t understand Felix. You can’t trust old men like him, Felix. They are liars. Sneaky. Filthy. Dirty!” said Elder Zhenzhen, staring into the distance as her words grew heated. “They promise you things with sweet lies all while hiding the ugly truth.”

“I wouldn’t say dirty exactly, maybe a little slimy or shady,” said Felix. “You sure you don’t need to know the details?”

“You aren’t listening, Felix,” said elder Zhenzhen. “The details don’t matter since he can’t be trusted either way. A poisonous truth and a sweet lie from such a man is one thing, poison.”

Now I feel like she is overreacting. I know he did come on a little strong. Is this even about Elder Zetsu?

“No, I’m telling you, it was more of a quid pro quo thing,” said Felix.

“Quid pro quo. Nonsense words,” said Elder Zhenzhen. She reached forward and grabbed his two cheeks. “Listen to me, Felix. You can’t trust them.”

Yeah, I think we aren’t talking about the same thing.

“Are you listening to me, disciple?” said Zhenzhen.

The cloud beneath her started to take on the dark sickly green of her attack. It began to roil beneath her, flashes of something in its depths.

You aren’t leaving me much choice in this, are you Zhenzhen?

“Yes, I believe you elder. I won’t trust him,” said Felix.

“Good, good,” said Elder Zhenzhen, patting his cheek. “Very good. I will keep you safe from people like him. I promise”

And who will keep me safe from you?

He watched her and found she wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. A long off expression on her face. She barely seemed to be in the room with him despite only an arm’s reach away.

What are you thinking about Zhenzhen? Where is Orange when you need her? I need her awake for things like this. I could wake her. It's only fair for all the trouble she gives me.

He leaned forward and kissed her. Zhenzhen’s eyes opened wide, and her body froze.

Dangerous! Hot but dangerous! Where did my reasoning go?

[Orange Voice] Mmm, what did I miss? Oh, nice.

Zhenzhen's eyes met his.

Uh oh. Thought Felix and Orange Voice.

Elder Zhenzhen wrapped her arms around him and pulled him onto the cloud. He returned the hug and leaned into her. They melded.

Best plan ever.

[Orange Voice] Holy shit what a wake-up call.

Both of his internal monologues grew incoherent as they continued to lock lips. With words gone Felix found himself lost in emotion and sensation.

The back wall of the tearoom blasted inward.

Chips and pieces of the walls went everywhere. Smoke and ash obscured the new entranceway. A snake of fire shot from the open hole toward the lip locked pair.

For the second time that day, Felix was unceremoniously shoved off the cloud. Elder Zhenzhen raised a finger and a finger made of clouds appeared. With a dismissive motion, the finger deflected the fire serpent to send it crashing into a wall.

A blur shot forward through the smoke and haze. Then it stopped. A cultivator dressed in the Clear Sky uniform stood there, sword drawn with fire licking down its length. The man glanced at Felix who only now got to his feet. Then the man locked eyes with the disheveled Zhenzhen.

He turned and fled.

Fair.

Elder Zhenzhen snorted and reached out a hand. Clouds formed at her fingertips and grew into a gnarled dark green hand. The man didn’t have a chance as he was grabbed and lifted off his feet. He struggled, but the cloud hand didn’t even budge.

“I am sorry esteemed elder!” said the man, falling limp. “I detected someone assaulting Young Disciple Felix and came to intervene. A thousand apologies.”

Oh wow, huh, how do we explain this? Oh god, my reputation is already shitty.

[Orange Voice] Yeah, this is how you go from sect genius to sect gigolo. When I had this issue, I could skip down. Good job me.

You aren’t helping, and stop using terms from our Earth memories, it's weird.

“You’re lying,” said Elder Zhenzhen, slowly fixing her robes. “I don’t like liars.”

“Esteemed Elder,” said the man. Sweat appeared on his brow. “Elder Zetsu tasked me to watch over this boy. If I had known you were the one with him, I would have never dared-”

“You aren’t a member of the Clear Sky sect.” said Elder Zhenzhen “You also didn’t sense anyone else in the room, my technique would’ve made sure of that.”

“El-“

“Your origin doesn’t matter now. I will get the truth out of you one way or the other.”

The man thrashed again and this time his struggles released waves of power that left cracks in the floor and ceiling. Flashes of fire also streamed toward Felix. A mist rose from Zhenzhen’s other hand and smothered them. Grey foam frothed in the man’s mouth.

“Poison? Do you think I will let you die to poison? How optimistic,” said Zhenzhen.

She squeezed.

A core cultivator was a core cultivator, the man didn’t explode instantly under the pressure. It took longer than that.

Flesh gave and bone broke. His cultivation kept the light of life in his eyes even as his body started coming apart. The gnarled cloud fingers weren’t together and instead of the body separating in two, parts escaped between the fingers. Felix felt something wet hit his robes. Then the man’s core finally, blessedly, gave out letting him die. A wave of chaotic qi came with it.

[Orange Voice] Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why did we kiss this crazy woman?

“Elder, how could you kill him like that?” stammered Felix.

“Oh, and you were so bold a moment ago little, Felix,” said Elder Zhenzhen and gave him a flirtatious look. “Where did that brave man go.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“He fled when you mulched a man. I thought I had gotten used to gore but this… he said he was a Clear Sky Sect member. How could you kill him without verifying?”

Elder Zhenzhen sniffed and gave a dismissive wave to the pile of gore that had once been a man.

“His attack was aimed at you Felix, not me. That is why he died,” Said Elder Zhenzhen.

“Still, couldn’t this cause tensions with our allies?” said Felix.

“Use your brain, my brave little disciple. Why would a man a whole realm above you bust into a room like this where you, a little essence-condensing cultivator would be alone?”

“Why would Elder Zetsu do this?”

“You still think Clear Sky sect did this? I am disappointed Felix. Really. That was an assassin, and if I had to guess he was from the empire,” said Zhenzhen. She the bloody mess. “His movement technique is one favored in the empire. It is not unheard of for a sect member to use techniques from elsewhere but it is rare. He must have thought you were practicing alone and distracted. Finally, I’ve sensed some disturbances in the sect that I believe are intentional distractions. The only thing that doesn’t make sense is how they know you are worth targeting.”

Elder Zetsu was right. They are coming after me now.

“She is right, disciple. This appears to be a foreign attack,” said a voice from outside.

The hole in the wall gave a view of the forest to the side of the house. Elder Harold alighted at the new entrance and walled in. He took in the scene and sighed.

“So, it seems Felix was their target.” He continued and frowned at what was left of the man. “Why didn’t you capture him?”

“He started a suicide technique to finish his mission and used poison. Crazy Faceless,” said elder Zhenzhen. “Capturing also likely wouldn’t have done any good. You know that the empire is good at compartmentalization. At least that is what you and that loudmouth Onooka have been complaining about at all the meetings. I do listen and I was not going to waste my time.”

So you were lazy?

[Orange Voice] A hot lazy.

I said stop using… Alright, yeah. Hot lazy.

Elder Harold inspected the corpse. The blood and gore gave him no pause.

“Dirty bastards.” Said Harold, sorting through the contents of the man’s cosmos sack. “But why now? Our attack on them is happening tonight. We must have slipped up somewhere.”

“The rest of the sect?” said Elder Zhenzhen. “I detected fire-based qi in large quantities.”

Elder Harold gave a dismissive wave.

“Mere distractions. Talismans were placed to keep us occupied but did very little real damage. With only us here, I’ve had our allies comb the sect for more culprits. Still, we can’t be sure if the assassin worked alone.”

“Elder Harold, do you really think they know? About me?” said Felix.

“They must know something. That is the only reason they would risk an agent with such a high cultivation on you. I thought we had muddied the waters,” said Elder Harold.

He looked up from the corpse and inspected Felix. His eyes lingered on Felix’s disheveled robe.

“Little sister there are limits to what is acceptable,” growled Elder Harold. “I am disappointed.”

“At what.” Said Elder Zhenzhen, conspicuously looking at the ceiling. “Saving our disciple?”

“There are certain lines that should not be crossed. Even you should know that. I thought you knew that,” said Harold.

“Elder Akeno and Elder Shen wouldn’t judge me,” said Elder Zhenzhen.

“You are using the moral compass of a butcher and a pervert. I love them but they are not beacons on everything,” said Elder Harold

“He is an adult!” said Zhenzhen.

“He is our disciple!” said Elder Harold, “I thought you of all people would understand the sanctity of that relationship.”

Zhenzhen fell back as if struck.

Okay, that is a fair point Elder Harold, but I am not sure that reasoning applies. I was the aggressor here. Can I even be considered so young? I am going to regret this latter but…

“Elder Harold, Elder Zhenzhen was not the aggressor. Even though she is old she doesn’t act her age.”

“I am 30!” said Zhenzhen.

“How are you a nascent soul?” said Felix. That is faster than my and Xue’s current rate! Wait, that’s right. This bitch is one of the stingy elders who won’t share their manual. “Let me see it.”

“No. You are not looking at my manual. It’s private.” said Zhenzhen.

“What? Private? We just- I can literally improve it.”

“Don’t you have trouble doing things with manuals two realms higher than you? What can you even do.” said Zhenzhen

“How did you know that?” said Felix.

“Enough!” said Harold, massaging his forehead. “We don’t have time for this nonsense. You are both cultivators so I will not intervene but know little sister that this matter doesn’t have my blessing. Now, come with me. We need to enact countermeasures in case more agents are lurking. Felix, clean up this mess.”

Elder Harold shook his head in disgust and flew out the door. Zhenzhen glared at the departing man. Then she looked at Felix. She blew him a kiss and flew out the door.

They both flew out the blown-in wall and Felix stared after them. Then he looked at the hole and the man-mush on the ground.

[Orange Voice] Yeah, we stuck our dick in crazy there. Hot though.

Kissing is a few levels lower than… yeah, that was impulsive and not well thought out.

Felix sighed and turned to the room. The hole’s additional sunlight illuminated the spreading blood.

“How am I supposed to fix this?” said Felix.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The hole he left alone. He figured Elder Harold would report it to whoever manages the sect's housing. Somebody needed to have built them after all.

The corpse he could do something about. After all, several sect manuals discussed the art of disposing of corpses. Most had been much more thorough than what was required here. After all, he didn’t need to hide the body.

Piece by piece, he took the corpse to a hole several meters from the house. Digging depth hadn’t been a barrier to a cultivator’s muscles. A grave later, he was left wiping up the last of the blood. An unfortunately large stain refused to be removed from the floorboards.

There should be a utility manual for this. Thank God I read the self-cleaning ones. They even took care of the blood on my robes.

[Orange Voice] You know, for all you complained about Elder Zhenzhen’s methods, you keep thinking about the kiss. You didn’t do that after you kissed Daiyu.

When I kissed Daiyu it was on the mask. Cute and nice but Elder Zhenzhen was much more… Bah, whatever, it was a bad decision. It was also your fault.

[Orange Voice] Hey, don’t blame me. I just woke up.

I should though. I was never such a horn dog in my past life.

[Orange Voice] Our life you mean, and if we average them, we still come out horny.

Felix grunted and shook his head. He dumped the last bucket of slightly pink water into the woods. Hopefully, far enough away it wouldn’t attract bugs.

I thought I had isolated your influence.

[Orange Voice] Influence? We are interested in the same things. I just focus on it, because you know, it’s awesome.

Yeah, but we are also different.

[Orange Voice] In our perspective, maybe. Though is it fair to label me the horny one? I am not the part of us that decided to kiss our nascent soul elder. Good job by the way.

Felix paused by the mound of dirt that marked the assassin. He considered saying a word for the unknown man but just shook his head.

We shouldn’t be proud of that. We should be more bothered by the death of this man. I am changing.

[Orange Voice] Exactly, and just like our opinion on life and death changes so can our opinion on relationships change.

Is it changing for the better though?

[Orange Voice] … Stop moping and admit it, the kiss was fun.

Alright, you got me there. It was fun.

[Orange Voice] And it isn’t like you are in a relationship with anyone. Let’s be honest, your friends include Martel, Xue, Everglade, Yang Mei, Cixi, and Daiyu. The first is a friend you never try to talk to because it is awkward. He knew both the original owner of this body and the Felix who had transmigrated from Earth. The rest are just your friends who also happen to be attractive. That’s it. You, or we, aren’t in a relationship with anyone.

But Xue…

[Orange Voice] You have a one-sided crush on her. I know it, we know it. Get over it.

He nodded absently and returned to the room. The large hole still had some debris he could at least clear.

Perhaps.

[Orange Voice] Continuing, Everglade has the hots for Xue, let’s not be dense. Yang Mei has something like a crush on you, but you’ve chosen not to pursue it. Cixi we barely know. Daiyu is the only one of all these girls you made an actual move on her but so what? You aren’t married to any of them.

So, it’s okay if I just go around seducing people.

[Orange Voice] Yes.

I don’t have time for this kind of nonsense. We need to focus on saving ourselves.

[Orange Voice] This only reconfirms my argument that you should have some fun. Life is short.

Are we sure you aren’t just a heart devil?

A knock from the front door gave him pause, a chunk of wall in his hands.

Assassins!

[Orange Voice] Let's head out through the hole.

They must have waited for a second chance. Why did the elders leave?

[Orange voice] Well we are not going down without a fight.

Hell yeah, we- wait, we don’t even know, let’s calm down.

“Come in?” said Felix “I am in the teat room in the back.”

Felix turned toward the door and put a hand on his sword.

Cixi walked through the door.

[Orange Voice] And the girl we know the least. The suspicious one.

“Felix, what happened here?” said Cixi, staring wide-eyed at the human-sized hole. She glanced down at the blood stains he hadn’t completely cleaned. “This is Elder Rong’s house. What if he finds out you damaged it when he gets back?”

“Well, he’ll need to talk to Elder Zhenzhen and the assassin she killed. I had nothing to do with it.”

“Assassin. Here?” said Cixi looking around. She pulled out her chakrams and they took on a purple hue. “How many are there?”

“I am alright, thanks for asking.” Said Felix

“I didn’t mean to-

“I was just teasing, and Elder Zhenzhen dealt with the only one,” said Felix, rolling his eyes. He stretched. Cixi’s annoyed expression helped him to finally relax. “So, what do you need? Did you figure out what you are going to do about that Dragon Spear Elder?”

“If you really think it's safe,” she said, slowly putting away her chakrams. She surveyed the room carefully. “I’ve decided I should leave the sect on a mission. I already have one picked out.”

“What? Cixi please, you are just an essence-condensing disciple like me. Being by yourself when a nascent soul is interested in you isn’t the best plan.”

“My mission requires me to hide my identity. I have some resources squirreled away, I- I don’t plan to come back until I am at least a core cultivator. Even if I am weaker, even a nascent soul won’t be able to squash me with a hand.

[Orange Voice] Poor choice of words. It might be best if you don’t expound on the assassin's untimely death.

Obviously.

[Orange Voice] Or maybe you should? It does invalidate her reasoning somewhat.

“But surely in the sect, you will be safer,” said Felix but she looked pointedly at the hole in the wall. “Theoretically.”

“I’ve decided Felix,” said Cixi. “There is something I must do.”

[Orange Voice] See, super suspicious.

Felix studied his friend. There was more passion there than he’d seen in months of traveling together. Fear and resolve intertwined.

The world doesn’t only revolve around me.

[Orange Voice] She is suspicious. Definitely a spy. Seduce!

That can’t be our solution to things. You just gave me shit for kissing Elder Zhenzhen.

[Orange Voice] Yeah and I complimented us on it. Multiple times.

Also, she is my friend, and I don’t think she is a spy. Something shady but not a spy. I hope.

[Orange Voice] You know, if our secret is already out, why not help a friend?

That’s not a bad idea.

“Alright Cixi, I understand,” said Felix. “I appreciate you coming to tell me. Are you sure?”

“Thanks, Felix, and yes, I’m sure. I leave tomorrow.” Said Cixi.

“Before that though, I have a way I can help you,” said Felix, “Can you spare a few days before you depart?”

“I suppose.” Said Cixi, eyeing the hole again. “But honestly I don’t want to wait.”

“Good, good. Then could I see your cultivation manual?”

“I am going to decline,” said Cixi.

“Trust me Cixi. You’ve heard the rumors in the sect. Can I at least see it?”

“…I don’t want anyone to see it. Not even the elders.”

[Orange Voice] Also, remember Elder Zetsu is from the Clear Sky Sect. He could be watching.

But I know where even his eye can’t reach in this sect. A place we have access to. While the Elders are busy.

“Cixi, come with me to the Hall of Knowledge.”