JING LIN
The nerve. Linghe had so many comebacks he wanted to say, but instead he just nodded and clasped his hands behind his back as he left the clearing they had chosen for the night. He could not wait to complain to his retainers about this. He then paused in his step. No, then his retainers would ask if he had actually been doing anything besides observe. He would have to swallow her words with pride and dignity.
“Where have you been?” The question and its owner, made Linghe pale by a few shades, for a moment. He was not even well hidden by the trees yet. Quickly he grabbed the armored man waiting for him by the shoulders and pushed him farther in so they could speak privately.
“He Feng what are you doing here! A noisy boar like you is incapable of being discreet!”
“I, Ha Cheng, am also here, noble Jing.” Another bookish looking man stood off to the side of them. They both seemed a bit older that Linghe, with He Feng a bit taller and Ha Cheng a bit shorter.
“Cheng has no presence, you could learn from him. Now, why are both of you here. I was on my way to report.” Linghe gestured to Ha Cheng approvingly as he praised him.
“We are buried in your responsibilities!”He Feng crossed his arms.
“We have made several mistakes managing your domain without you, your grace.”
“Thank you for being so honest Ha Cheng, but you two should be more than capable to manage for a few...like two weeks and I have only been without contact for one.” Linghe admitted with a dismissive sweep of his hand.
“His imperial majesty formally requested that noble Jing Lin-”Ha Cheng started.
“Stop, stop. I understand the gravity of the situation. I just don’t have that much to report right now. I was going to add some poetic flair to what information I did report.” Linghe scratched is chin.
He Feng cleared his throat and spoke sarcastically. “Noble Jing, if I may. I think it better to explain that to the Emperor instead of leaving him in the dark or crafting tales.”
“You want me to explain that the sect that I established has been utterly reduced to the level of a loose gathering of fugitives in the time that I have been lollygagging around the heavens?”
“Yes.”He raised his eyebrows in anticipation.
“He Feng!”
“And that you are parading around as Chao Linghe.” Ha Cheng added.
“He doesn’t need to know that. It was just the first name I could think of.” Jing Lin brandished his horsehair whisk, absentmindedly picking at the hairs of his spiritual device while he thought.
The three sat in silence for a time as Jing Lin plotted. Currently his own palace processed much of the communication between temples and the heavens. It had grown accustomed to the increase in prayers and offerings after the Ling sect collapsed. Had he been paying attention, that would have been the biggest sign that he needed to step down to fix things, but it had been decades since then. Now, the reverse had happened. A decline in processed prayers and offerings.
Without the communication techniques maintained in temples by Ling sect practitioners, temple attendants were simply doing what they could or making it up as they went. Combined with the Cheng-chun famine, the suffering in the region was novel. Even the heavenly Emperor was moved to intercede.
“Well,” Jing Lin tapping his chin with his whisk. “Fortune is with us in one way at least.”
“How is that?”He Feng was genuinely hoping for good news.
“Cheng-chun’s royal cultivator has joined noble Jing’s charges.” Ha Cheng pointed out.
“How is this good? We still need the Ling sect fixed or some other work around. The heavenly Emperor isn’t going to let us off until communication is restored.”
“Calm down and think about about it Feng. If I can get the three of them to stay together, then Jiaxia and Guanshu will keep Yi-Wen safe until he can perform the ritual. That way the famine ends and Ling cultivators that protected him will gain fame and possibly a reexamination as to the rumors that lead to the sect being raided and rooted out to begin with. A single snare with two foxes.” Jing Lin waggled a finger in front of He Feng as he explained. “And if I can do that with just some gentle persuasion, his grand holiness Da Fen will be most pleased.”
“Tsk. Most pleased. I will be content with just ‘no longer riding us’. It’s scary being the same room as the Emperor you know?”
“I mean at first, but then you get used to him.” Jing Lin waved it off.
Ha Cheng frowned. “Because he likes you, your grace.”
“Which is why I don’t want to go back yet. He likes me, for now.” Jing Lin crossed his arms and stared at the two very seriously. “Convey to his imperial majesty: that I plan to utilize my current position to carry out his wishes. A high profile incident would be a great way to start returning the fortunes of the Ling sect. I just might need permission for a few minor exercises of power.”
The two retainers were clearly annoyed playing messenger boys. While he wasn’t a major god or even in upper heaven, Jing Lin had the emperor’s ear and anything he had to tell him could have been sent via communication array. Minor gods weren’t usually so well connected, and He Feng and Ha Cheng could only talk to the emperor because they did so on Jing Lin’s behalf. Eventually, despite this, the heavenly Emperor Da Fen was going to get tired of seeing their faces in the court. Neither of them were social butterflies, but having known Jing Lin when he was mortal, He Feng could at least pretend to be like him for a bit in court.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“While I work this plan with the Min siblings and the royal cultivator.” Jing Lin clasped his hands and whisk behind him once more. “Ha Cheng, we shall continue to pursue other methods of reestablishing temple practices. It is not safe to gamble with Da Fen’s patience by only relying on the one method.”
“Yes, your grace.” Ha Cheng gave a small hand gesture and nod as he accepted his task.
He Feng nodded as well. “And for me?”
“I think that I will need you to do some footwork. I will need a way to stay with the siblings after they finish the task I am escorting them on. Also it is our best interest to find more capable Ling practitioners. If only the Min siblings are left…”
“Then we will look like fools trying to bring back a weak sect with only two golden geese.” His retainer sighed. “Do you have any ideas on where to start?”
“There were escort quests before the Mins’, head back to the library the ghosts there are not fully informed on what the living cultivators are doing, but they are up to date on general sect business.”
“Including the library transfers and sect ranking. Understood. Still in Scholar’s Terrace?”
Jing Lin sighed. “For now. I will miss the Terrace, but the new location will be a fresh start.”
He Feng and Jing Lin stood for a moment, eyes closed, reminiscing.
Ha Cheng cleared his throat. “Our success will mean the rise of Ling sect. We should use this time thoughtfully and make careful moves. You and Noble Jing can have this moment sometime in the future, over a hot cup of wine.” The two nodded and sighed.
“Ha Cheng has a point. Let us use today’s sorrow as wood for tomorrow’s flame.” Jing Lin patted Ha Cheng on the shoulder. “Please continue to be so practical. And He Feng, please continue to be my blade.” He patted his other retainer as well.
“I would rather be your rope.”
“My what?”
“So, I can save you from falling off cliffs of your own making.”
Ha Cheng broke composure hiding his laughing face with his hand as He Feng smirked. Jing Lin could feel the heat of an embarrassing blush spread across his face.
“Yes, of course. This pain is the stab of the blade that only true friends can wield. Come share in this with me!” The minor god began chasing after his retainer whipping him with his whisk.
HUNTING PARTY
The palace was a day’s journey behind them, and in that time Dongcheng had a good grasp of the type of people he was traveling with. His old comrades had changed little. They were still weathered men tired of working under less competent command. They were a little put off by being on a mission to hunt down what seemed like one man, but understood the honor of being personally tasked by the king. Their chatter was typical: maneuvers, where to eat, condition of their horses, and women.
In contrast, the two white and black clothed cultivators were the most difficult to deal with. They saw no point in being very sociable, no merit in resting to look after the horses, and no reason to do anything but meditate when not traveling. The only thing they did do was follow his orders without question. It was a strangely off putting relationship. When the rest of the party was interacting, he heard them whispering to each other and he found that over time his lieutenants had formed a dislike for the two. On day two of their journey there was already quite clearly a divide in the group.
The last cultivator sat in a strange place in the group.
“If I may ask master Fu, how did you come to be a part of this manhunt?” Dongcheng spoke casually, masking his genuine curiosity and relief that Fu Bai Chang had finally rode his horse close enough for him to inquire.
The older man chuckled instead. “Does it not make sense to send someone along who knows him well?”
“It does.” The general thought for a moment. “Did you volunteer for this? Or did you think that you would be given a chance to protect Ru Yi-Wen?”
“Perhaps it is best if we just speak freely general Chao. My loyalties lie with the king, not with my former pupil. I cannot attest to why he has abandoned his station and stolen a relic.” He turned to smile at Dongcheng. “But as far as what the boy is capable of and what connections he has to the outside, I have a particular advantage in that area.”
“Then please allow this general full use of it.”
“Of course.” Both of them shared a cordial smile in agreement. After a moment Dongcheng looked over his shoulder at his lieutenants and behind them on tired horses were the two other cultivators.
“Master Fu, what can you tell me about the cultivators from the Heaven’s Right Hand sect?” Dongcheng looked to Fu Bai Chang from the corner of his eyes, trying to learn more about the man’s nature.
“Heaven’s Right Hand…They are a very sect with a strong sense of justice and have honed their abilities for over two centuries. The two with us are at the Spirit Severing stage at least. A stage above Yi-Wen. Capturing him shouldn’t prove difficult for them. If necessary you could split them up and one could still take him on their own, leaving no where to run. The emperor has assured that there is more than enough expertise as well as power here to ensnare the boy.”
Dongcheng nodded. “Thank you. Everything you’ve told me has given me a better insight to the strength of this party. Now,” The general wasn’t sure how to phrase it. “How did the royal cultivator manage to be...lower in stage than our companions?”
Fu Bai Chang shifted on his horse uncomfortably. “The royal cultivator is appointed by the head of several sects in a small council assembled by the emperor. They are chosen based on potential and serve for life.” He cleared his throat. “And one does not have to perfect one stage to progress to the next.”
“And Ru Yi-Wen?”
“He was a prodigy as a child. Even now, he is capable of inspiring breakthroughs in others, while his own cultivation is pitiful. Unfortunately, matters of the Dao seem to take up most of the space in between his ears. He’s not good for much else.”
“I see. He cannot apply much of what he knows.”
“Exactly. The boy can speak what he thinks is nonsense and then turn around wondering why everyone is staring at him.” The man freed a hand from the reins to thoughtfully smooth his hair, putting right what the wind was shifting out of place.
“And his combat prowess?”
“He is rather practiced, but I doubt he can take you in a sparring match general. He’s spent all his time practicing, not fighting for his life.”
Dongcheng chuckled to himself. Under normal circumstances he would agree, but spiritual matters were almost foreign to him at this level.
“We should be at the town where he was pulled from the river soon. Do you have anything you can use to track him from there?” The general relaxed some in his saddle.
“If he is still there we will know. If not, we shall have to rely on you general.” The cultivator looked over at the general and the younger man nodded in acknowledgment.
The warm smile master Fu gave him in return felt practiced and Dongcheng realized that although master Fu looked just old enough to be his father, he could be much much older. Tales of cultivators, immortal and not, living for centuries in youthful bodies came to his mind. For a moment he wondered if he would even realize he was in the presence of someone older than the kingdom itself if he ever met them.