When Willow said that the two of us were betrothed, I choked on my wine and started coughing. From the expression Willow wore, this was the exact reaction she was looking for. I thumped my chest to clear my throat.
“Wh-What?” I asked, my voice hoarse. “What do you mean we’re betrothed?”
Had I somehow accidentally proposed to Willow? Was that what happened? Or… had Sidra made a deal behind my back? That wasn’t impossible. She did it to Astra. Why couldn’t she do it to me?
“I don’t know.” Willow said, grinning. “What do you think it means?”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Willow.” I said, a warning in my tone.
Willow sighed.
“Fine.” She said, disappointed. “You’re no fun.” Her expression grew serious. “How much do you know about the history between our two clans?”
I shook my head.
“Not a lot.” I said, frustrated. “I know that our two clans once warred with one another, but stopped after the heads of both clans came to some kind of agreement. However, they were the only ones who knew the details of said agreement, along with their direct descendants. I should have learned about the agreement, since I’m one such descendant. However, my uncle prevented me from getting involved in clan affairs, so I never did.”
I tried to rectify this over the past several years, but failed. Clan Stone Pillar has ties to the Dawn and Dusk Sect, which was why I was able to learn more about them. However, the Dawn and Dusk Sect contained no records about the agreement between Clan Wind Dance and Clan Stone Pillar. This didn’t surprise me, given the distance between the Whispering Hills province and the Myriad Rivers province.
“I thought as much,” Willow said. “Your ignorance was one of the reasons why I found it difficult to believe that you were Connor Wind Dance’s son. As the young master of Clan Wind Dance, you should have learned about the agreement.”
I clenched my jaw. My uncle denied me many things in his attempt to suppress me.
“You know about the agreement, I take it?” I asked.
Willow nodded.
“Yes.” She said. “My grandmother taught me about it. She is the head of our clan, and the one who made the agreement with your grandfather. In short, the agreement is a marriage contract between our two clans.” She gestured to the both of us. “A marriage contract between us, to be exact.”
I stared at her, incredulous.
“I’m going to need more context.” I said. “How did our grandparents make a marriage contract between us? We weren’t even born yet! In fact, I think our parents weren’t even born yet.”
Willow sighed.
“Let me start from the beginning.” She said. “A few centuries ago, our two clans were fierce rivals. We competed with each other for resources, prestige, and so on. It didn’t help that the territories of our two clans bordered one another, so conflicts were frequent. Things started to heat up and the fights between our two clans grew fiercer with each passing day. It looked like war was inevitable. However, neither my grandmother nor your grandfather wanted a war. Clan Stone Pillar and Clan Wind Dance aren’t the only powers in the Myriad Rivers province. There are several other clans and sects who would have loved to see a war break out between our two clans.”
I nodded. While I failed to find out anything about the agreement between Clan Stone Pillar and Clan Wind Dance, I learned more about the other major powers in the Myriad Rivers province. The most notable ones were the Celestial River Sect, a minor righteous sect, and the Pit Viper Sect, a minor demonic sect. However, the strongest power in the Myriad Rivers province was Clan River Heart.
“If Clan Stone Pillar and Clan Wind Dance fought, it would have weakened them, which the other clans and sects in the province would have taken advantage of.” Willow continued. “To avoid this, my grandmother and your grandfather met and came up with an agreement. Their grandchildren would marry, forging a connection between our two clans. They decided to skip a generation, since tensions were still high between our two clans and they wanted to avoid backlash from their own people. Rather than deal with that, they decided to wait. That was also the reason why they kept the agreement secret.”
Willow shrugged.
“It worked. While there are plenty of people in either clan who still hold grudges, most of the younger generation doesn’t. However, that peace is contingent upon the agreement. Without it, our two clans may very well come into conflict with one another again.”
I frowned and sat there thinking for several moments.
“Do we even need the agreement now?” I asked. “As you said, the younger generation of our two clans doesn’t hold any grudges.”
Willow thought about it for a moment.
“For now.” She said. “However, a marriage between our two clans will guarantee peace. Without it, things are uncertain.”
I shook my head, before drinking the rest of my wine. When I emptied my cup, I held it out to Willow. She filled it again.
“I don’t know why I even care about this.” I said, taking another sip of my wine. “The only reason I haven’t completely severed ties with Clan Wind Dance is because of my father, my cousin, and Junior Sister Clarissa. If it weren’t for them, I would have discarded the Wind Dance name a long time ago. I don’t see why I have to get married for their sake.”
Willow raised an eyebrow at me.
“Do you hate the idea of marrying me that much?” she asked.
I shook my head.
“No,” I said. “It isn’t you. It’s Clan Wind Dance. They… Well, they never treated me like kin. I was always an outsider, a pariah, because of my demonic heritage.” I snorted. “It’s ironic that I found more love and acceptance from my demon kin than my human ones.”
Willow studied me for several moments, before she took a swig from the bottle of spirit wine.
“If it makes you feel any better,” she said, “The agreement doesn’t specify us. When our grandparents made that agreement, they just said that they wanted their grandchildren to marry one another. I’m my grandmother’s only grandchild, so I have to marry a Wind Dance. However, the reverse isn’t true for you.”
My demonic nature reared its head and I narrowed eyes at her. Rage bubbled up inside me.
“I could marry that cousin of yours,” Willow said, giving me a sly look. “Or that oaf they tried to-…”
Before she finished speaking, I pounced on Willow and pinned her to the floor. We must have looked ridiculous, given the size difference between us. I looked down at her, growling. Willow looked up at me, her face flushed and her lips parted.
“No.” I said in a tone that brooked no disagreement.
“So you can be assertive when given the right incentive.” Willow said, smiling at me. “That’s good to know.”
I snarled at her.
“Enough with the games.” I said.
Willow’s smile widened, and she reached up to caress my cheek. Her touch cooled the anger inside me.
“Don’t worry.” She said. “The only man I intend to marry is you. I meant what I said earlier.” Her expression grew serious. “However, I also have to fulfill my duty as a Stone Pillar. If you marry me, you must do so as a Wind Dance. That means facing your clan. Can you do that?”
I froze at her question. Could I do that? I didn’t know. The last thing I wanted to do was see my kin from Clan Wind Dance again. If I could, I would have avoided them for the rest of my life. The only exceptions to this were Lucius, Clarissa, and my father, assuming the latter was still alive. However, if I wanted to be with Willow, then I would have to return to Mt. Wind Dance. If we married one another, it wouldn’t be just between us. It would be a union between Clan Wind Dance and Clan Stone Pillar. Our families would have to get involved.
“Yes.” I said, looking Willow in the eyes. “I can. You’re willing to have me, despite the troubles that I bring. How can I do any less for you?”
Willow looked relieved at this.
“Good.” She said. “For a moment, I thought you were going to say no. That was the reason why I didn’t bring it up until now.”
I snorted, before giving her a light kiss on the lips. Willow let out a frustrated groan when I pulled away.
“Tease.” She said.
I chuckled.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Consider it payback for all the times you’ve teased me.” I said.
I pulled away from Willow and sat cross legged again. When I pounced on her, I spilled spirit wine everywhere, so I used the cleaning technique to clear it all away.
“I should warn you,” Willow said after she sat back up as well, “We’re going to face opposition from your clan.”
I raised an eyebrow at that.
“I already knew that.” I said. “They consider me their greatest shame.”
Willow shook her head.
“I meant not in the way you think.” She said. “About six months before I left the Myriad Rivers province and took the entrance exam, your uncle visited Clan Stone Pillar several times to try and finalize the betrothal agreement between our two clans. At first he brought his son, your cousin, along. However, Lucius Wind Dance and I didn’t want to marry one another. As I said earlier, I don’t like pretty boys and Lucius Wind Dance wasn’t interested in me.” She paused. “Besides, I think he was in love with someone else.”
I blinked at her.
“Really?” I asked.
While I had known Lucius all my life, I knew little about his love life. I never asked him about it. At the time, I had been consumed by desperation. Looking back on it now, I realized how much I depended on Lucius and how little I gave in return. While I could blame my circumstances, that didn’t change the fact that I relied on Lucius but he could never rely on me. I wanted to change that.
“Yes.” Willow said. “I’m not sure, since it was just a hunch on my part, but it seemed as if Lucius longed for someone else.”
Hmm, if that was true, then I wondered who Lucius had feelings for. One of our kin? Someone else? Regardless of who it was, I would do everything in my power to help Lucius be with the person he loved. It was the least I could do for him.
“My grandmother also opposed the idea of me marrying Lucius Wind Dance.” Willow continued. “Your uncle is just the acting head of Clan Wind Dance. My grandmother wanted me to marry the son of Connor Wind Dance, the actual head of Clan Wind Dance.”
I frowned.
“Your clan knew about me?” I asked.
Willow made a so-so gesture with her hand.
“We knew that Connor Wind Dance had a son, but that was it.” she said. “Your clan made sure that no outsiders knew the truth about you. Everyone just thought you were in secluded training this entire time.” Her expression darkened. “At least, they did until your uncle brought that oaf with him when he visited Clan Stone Pillar.”
Her words filled me with a sense of foreboding.
“What oaf?” I asked.
Willow made a disgusted sound.
“An arrogant fool who thought he was a dragon among me,” she said, “When in reality, he was a mere frog in a well. He was rude, condescending, and vain. Your uncle said that he was Connor Wind Dance’s son, but we knew right away that he was a fake. My grandmother once met Connor Wind Dance, and refused to believe that he sired that oaf. However, we had no proof, so we had to play along with your uncle’s act.”
The sense of foreboding within me reached a crescendo. They didn’t. No. That was too much, even for my uncle. He wouldn’t go that far, would he?
“What was this oaf’s name?” I asked, hoping that my suspicions were wrong.
“Zayne Wind Dance.”
When Willow said Zayne’s name, I felt something inside me snap. It took me a moment to realize that it was the last thread of patience I had in regards to Clan Wind Dance. Anger blossomed in my heart, feeding the resentment I harbored against my kin.
How dare they.
I planned on taking my revenge on them by becoming a bright star that none of them could ever hope to surpass. However, after hearing what my uncle and Zayne tried to pull, I decided that I needed to do something more proactive. They went beyond the pale. This was not only an insult to me, but an insult to my father.
“I’m going to make them pay for that.” I said in a calm and even voice despite the rage boiling inside me. “I’m going to make them pay for besmirching my father’s name like that.”
Willow blinked at me in surprise.
“Interesting.” She said. “I never knew that you could make a face like that. You look like you want to kill someone.”
“That’s because I do.”
Willow studied me for a moment, before shrugging.
“Well, if you want to kill the oaf, feel free.” She said. “I have no objections.” She scowled. “He had the gall to insult me in my own home.”
At the moment, I wanted nothing more than to wrap my hands around Zayne’s neck and wring it. However, he wasn’t the only target of my rage. There was my uncle as well. I was willing to let bygones be bygones, despite the way he treated me. He was my uncle, after all. However, he crossed a line when he presented Zayne as my father’s son. It was obscene, and I would make him suffer for it. Why would he do that? Was the marriage between Clan Wind Dance and Clan Stone Pillar that important to him?
“Do you know why my uncle would go that far?” I asked. “I know the agreement is important for the peace between Clan Wind Dance and Clan Stone Pillar, but even so.”
Willow snorted.
“I think your uncle was more interested in my dowry.” She said. “Which includes an elemental stone mine, among other things.” She smirked. “A mine that produces wind elemental stones, to be exact.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. That explained a lot. A mine that produced wind elemental stones was a priceless treasure for Clan Wind Dance, the majority of whom had Wind-aligned spirit roots.
Elemental stones were natural treasures that could be used with qi gathering arrays in order to change the properties of the qi they gathered. Cultivators used them to change the qi in their environment to better suit their affinities and help facilitate their cultivation. Though, given what I learned about alchemy and magic treasure refining, changing the qi in the environment would help with those endeavors as well.
When Astra rescued me from Mt. Wind Dance and brought me to her old immortal cave, which was now my immortal cave, she used divine elemental stones to change the qi emitted by the Earth Fire from regular fire qi to divine fire qi. Without that, I doubt that I would have become a divine demon.
“Would your dowry go to your husband’s family?” I asked. “Or would it go to your husband himself?”
Willow pursed her lips.
“I don’t know.” She said. “The agreement never specified.” She shrugged. “I guess it would depend on the marriage contract itself.” She tilted her head. “Why do you ask?”
The smirk on her lips suggested that she already knew what I had in mind.
“Given the way my uncle treated you and your clan,” I said, “It would be a real shame to let him get what he wants. I think snatching that elemental stone mine out from under his nose would be a good way to get revenge on him. What do you think?”
Willow pretended to think it over.
“You know,” she said, “I think you’re right.” She grinned. “Of course, you’ll have to earn my grandmother’s approval first. She has the final say in this matter, since the elemental stone mine belongs to her.” She shrugged. “Still, knowing you, I think you’ll succeed.”
I felt touched by Willow’s faith in me.
“I look forward to meeting her.” I said. “If she’s anything like you, I’m sure we’ll get along well.”
Willow smiled at that.
“Now then, it’s gotten quite late.” I said. “We should head to bed.”
Willow nodded. With that, the two of us cleaned up the alchemy lab before heading out to our respective rooms for the night.
----------------------------------------
A few days after my late night rendezvous with Willow, our entire group met up in the room I shared with Elliot in order to discuss our next course of action. After putting together all the information we had gathered, the six of us had a rough idea of the area where the disappearances were taking place.
Elliot’s map of the Sacred Ironwood province now contained several dots, which marked the locations of the small clans and sects that had gone missing. This included the location of Cultivator Gray’s clan, who was the leader of the Five Wandering Blades. All of these marked locations were to the northwest of Clear Basin City and encompassed a large area of the province. The road from Clear Basin City and Azure Canopy City to the north brushed along the western edges of this area.
The six of us wore grim expressions as we crowded around the map and studied it.
“Looking at it like this,” I said. “It appears that the rogue cultivators weren’t the primary targets of whoever caused these disappearances.”
Elliot nodded, frowning.
“Yes,” he said, “I think you’re right, Brother Flamewind.” He tapped the map with his finger. “The real targets were the small clans and sects located in this part of the Sacred Ironwood province. The missing rogue cultivators must have been victims of opportunity.”
Cultivator Rexanne wore a worried expression on her face.
“Who would do this?” She asked. “And why?”
“Does the reason why matter?” Cultivator Isabel asked.
“Of course it matters!” Cultivator Albin snapped. “Hundreds of people have gone missing!”
Cultivator Isabel gave him a level look.
“Yes, and?” She asked. “This isn’t our sect’s territory. These people are not our concern. We aren’t a group of Righteous cultivators on a quest to slay evil.” She nodded to the map. “Our mission is to find out the cause behind the disappearances of the rogue cultivators and put a stop to it. Nothing more, nothing less. Finding out the reason why they disappeared only matters if it helps us fulfill our mission.”
As cold and callous as her words were, Cultivator Isabel wasn’t wrong. The only reason why we were here was because the disappearances affected the Dawn and Dusk Sect’s interests, albeit on a small scale. If it hadn’t been for that, we wouldn’t have even looked into the matter.
The world of cultivation was harsh and cruel. The law of the jungle prevailed. The strong were respected, and the weak were trampled upon. This situation was a perfect example of that. Several hundred people had gone missing, and few even noticed. Why? Because it didn’t affect them. Not only that, the missing people were a bunch of weaklings that no one cared about anyway.
That said, just because the world of cultivation was harsh and cruel, didn’t mean I had to be. I wasn’t some hero or savior, who wanted to right all of the world’s wrongs. However, if I saw injustice occurring right in front me, I would do something about it. That was the kind of person I was, the kind of person I chose to be. That was the path I would walk.
“Sister Black Saber is right.” Elliot said in a firm voice. “We must focus on our mission. We can’t afford to let ourselves become distracted.” He paused. “That said, the sooner we put a stop to these disappearances and the more lives we save, the better. I think we can all agree on that.”
He looked at each of us in turn. After a moment, we nodded in return.
“The question is, how should we find the cause behind the disappearances?” Cultivator Isabel asked, tapping the map. “We managed to narrow down the focus of our search, but this is still a large area. It would take us months to comb through it all.”
I raised an eyebrow at her.
“Do we need to go looking for them?” I asked. “I thought the whole point of donning these disguises was to lure our opponents in and catch them off guard.”
“True.” Cultivator Isabel said, conceding the point. “However, I would like to have a more concrete plan in place other than flying off and hoping for the best.”
Willow pointed to the dot furthest away from Clear Basic City, far to the northwest. It belonged to a small sect called the Forest Tiger Sect, which specialized in claw martial arts.
“Why don’t we pretend that we have family from this sect here?” Willow asked. “We were worried because we haven’t heard from them in a while, so we decided to pay them a visit. At least, that’s the story we’ll tell others.” She pointed to the other marked locations on the way to the Forest Tiger Sect. “Along the way, we can check out the other clans and sects that have gone missing. What if there are survivors? They might be able to tell us more about what’s going on.”
Cultivator Isabel and I nodded, before turning to look at Elliot. As the leader of this mission, he had the final say.
“It’s as good an idea as any.” Elliot said. “Let’s do it.”
With that, our group made plans to leave Clear Basin City.