“Cheng Si-mui?”

“Oh, Gou Si-hing. How are you?”

Two days before they were due to leave, Gou Dzing stepped into the room where Cheng Baak-hap had been secluding herself, almost immediately stepping on piles of paper that were strewn across the floor. The young woman herself sat in the middle of them, her head resting on one hand. Or perhaps more accurately, her head was clutched in her hand – stray hairs escaped her long plait from where she had been excessively rubbing her head.

“You sound tired, and you look pale. Take a break.”

“I wish I could, but there's so much that still needs to be done. I've been trying to read all of the research that exists on demons, but... urgh, who wrote this? It sounds like a small child going on a school trip around the neighbourhood! And there's hardly any information...”

“So if there's hardly anything, you won't find more if you keep staring. Come on, Cheng Si-mui, you look exhausted. You can't start such an important expedition like this.”

She put down the document she had been holding and rubbed at the back of her hands anxiously. The skin was pink and raw looking, as if she had been doing the same thing over and over.

“What's wrong?”

“What do you mean, what's wrong?”

“Don't be like that. I think I've known you long enough to tell when something's wrong.”

“I-”

“Cheng Baak-hap, what- Oh, Disciple Gou Dzing, how are you?”

“Disciple Gou Dzing greets Lady Maan Dzi King.”

“Master, not Lady.”

“Apologies, Master.”

Maan Dzi King flowed through the room without disturbing a single page on the floor to deposit even more on what could be seen of the table. “I see you have broken though to the Third Daan-tin.”

“Huh? Gou Si-hing, when did you...?”

“See?” Even in the gloomy interior of the underground room, gold shimmered in Gou Dzing's eyes.

“Amazing.” Cheng Baak-hap grabbed Gou Dzing's face and stared into his eyes with professional curiosity. “Has Gaam Si-hing seen them yet?”

“Actually, I have no idea where he is. I thought you might know.”

“Gaam Yuk Ying has been given a task, as you all have,” Maan Dzi King said archly. Her finger impatiently tapped the pile of pages she had just brought. “Disciple Gou Dzing, I'm afraid we're a little busy here.”

“When was the last time you took a break, Master Maan?”

“There is no need.”

“Perhaps not for you, Master, but Cheng Si-mui-”

“Are you telling me how to teach my own disciple, Gou Dzing?”

“Master Maan, you are a dragon with centuries of experience and wisdom. I have been on this earth less than three decades. If there is some great plan that I am failing to grasp due to my inexperience, I beg you to enlighten me, because I do not understand why you will not permit-”

“No, you don't understand. And you probably never will. I know your type.”

Gou Dzing stared at her in utter confusion. “Master Maan-”

“You're dismissed.”

“Mast-”

“Leave.”

Gou Dzing and Cheng Baak-hap exchanged bewildered looks. Maan Dzi King's powerful aura washed over them, making Cheng Baak-hap shiver and back up against a wall. Gou Dzing's Earth nature was holding him in better condition, but he was still only a human who had broken through to his Third Daan-tin.

“And if you think you can complain about me to the Divine Empress, think again.”

Gou Dzing spoke through gritted teeth. “What do you mean, Master Maan?”

“She will not believe you. I have been by her side for over a thousand years.”

She closed the door on his face.

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

Wong Tang tapped out her pipe. “I believe you.”

“You... You do, Master?”

The Grandmaster blew smoke through her nostrils. “Have you seen Lau Yan?”

“I haven't, Master. I believe she and Can Si-mui have gone somewhere.”

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

She took a few deep breaths, then sniffed the air. “They should be back soon, it seems. Little Gou?”

“Yes, Master?”

“Thank you.”

“For what, Master?”

“For sticking to your beliefs.”

“... What do you mean, Master?” He was surprised to feel her long-fingered hand on the top of his head. She ruffled his hair.

“You don't even know what you're doing. A natural. It's good. But look after your heart, Little Gou. Sometimes I think you are too gentle.”

“Master?”

“We'll talk about this later. Lau Yan is here.”

Gou Dzing's eyes widened as, from the dusky skies, he watched a huge shape descending. Shimmering brown and green, the dragon Gong Lau Yan rippled down to meet them. He felt tiny in her presence. Her feet landed in the long silvery grass that was so common across the high plains above the limestone cliffs of Sek'syun, and Chan Bik slid from her back and threw herself excitedly at Gou Dzing.

“Gou Si-hing! I'm at Second Daan-tin Adept! Look what I can do!” She snapped her fingers and something, not a flame, like Gou Dzing expected, but more like an orb of light, appeared above her palm.

“It's like a little star,” he said. “That's pretty.”

“It's very hot, Gou Si-hing. I could probably burn a hole through someone with it.”

“Lau Yan, come with me,” the Grandmaster was saying. Her granddaughter shrank to human shape.

“What's happening?”

“You must stay calm.”

“What's happening, A-po?”

“Lau Yan...”

Gong Lau Yan breathed deeply, but her strong brows were still furrowed. “What is it?”

“We need to go to talk to Maan Dzi King.”

“What's going on, Gou Si-hing?” Chan Bik whispered.

“We're a little worried about Cheng Si-mui. Stay close.”

“What?” Gong Lau Yan and Chan Bik spoke at the same time, their eyes boring into Gou Dzing.

“Lau Yan,” the Grandmaster said warningly. “Stay calm. There are too many others here who could be harmed if you get angry. The same to you, Little Bik.”

“What did she do?”

“If you can't say calm, I'll send you back to your Aunt.”

“... yes, a-po.”

“Then let's go. Little Bik, stay behind Gou Dzing, please.”

Chan Bik didn't respond, her face agitated.

“Chan Bik.”

“... yes, Grandmaster.”

They headed inside. Gou Dzing was feeling as though he and his Master were holding back two very angry dogs, when the slightest of someone's aura met his senses. It was slow, but superheated, like a lava flow. The Grandmaster's face was perfectly composed, and her disciple wondered how many times she had controlled her anger like this, but he had simply never noticed due to his own lacking spiritual powers.

“Maan Dzi King.” They halted by the door and Gou Dzing gripped Chan Bik's hand tightly to stop her running forwards.

The door slid open. Maan Dzi King bowed to her sovereign. “Divine Empress. Is something the matter?”

“Where is Disciple Cheng Baak-hap?”

“Working inside.”

“Please bring her out.”

“She is very busy, Divine Empress.”

Three people opened their mouths to shout at her, but a sudden thick aura, like magma under the earth, like lava down a mountainside, almost crushed them flat. Gou Dzing and Chan Bik collapsed, gasping. Although she remained standing, Gong Lau Yan's grey-brown eyes narrowed and a trickle of sweat ran down her face.

Maan Dzi King crumpled against the doorframe, looking hurt and confused. “Divine Empress?”

“Cheng Baak-hap, come out here, child,” the Grandmaster called, her eyes fixed on Maan Dzi King. Cheng Baak-hap poked her head out between the dragon and the doorframe. Her face looked blotchy and pale, but her eyes were dark with lack of sleep. Her breathing sounded forced; shallow inhalations followed by forceful exhales. With a cry, Chan Bik forced herself upright and stumbled over.

Gou Dzing didn't see what had happened next, but both girls were suddenly being held, one in each arm, by the Grandmaster, and Gong Lau Yan had one of Maan Dzi King's wrists in her hand. “If there's a problem, talk to me about it. Don't take it out on a child.”

“What problem?” Maan Dzi King sneered. “You think you're the centre of the universe, don't you?”

“Chan Bik,” the Grandmaster said. “Please tell me now if you have had any issues with Gong Lau Yan's methods of training you.”

“No, Grandmaster. She brought me to Wong to meet the phoenixes there and learn more about Fire. I have reached Second Daan-tin Adept already.”

Cheng Baak-hap squeezed her hand. There was a proud twinkle in her tired eyes.

“Little Gou.”

“Master.”

“Take these two to eat and rest for the next day. We will be leaving the day after tomorrow.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Gong Lau Yan, Maan Dzi King.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Maan Dzi King?”

“Yes, Divine Empress.”

“Go back inside. We must talk.”

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

Cheng Baak-hap fell asleep before she could even eat, so Gou Dzing left her and Chan Bik in their room. There was still no sign of Gaam Yuk Ying, so he was getting nervous, ad he felt he needed to talk to someone about Maan Dzi King's strange behaviour. Even is Yuk Ying didn't say much, when he did, his words would tear past the nonsense and put Gou Dzing's head on straight.

He leapt up the limestone cliff behind the tea house, the cool air fresh and salty on his face. Dawn was rising behind him.

He retraced his steps from that morning, walking slowly across the rippling fields of silvergrass to where he had found his master the previous evening. As if the same events were playing out, he could see her figure there again, seated on an outcrop of limestone, her lanky figure folded in thought as she stared south.

“Good morning, Master.”

“Good morning, Gou Dzing. How is Little Cheng?”

“Too tired to eat, Master. She said she felt sick, so Chan Si-mui put her to bed and is keeping her company.”

“I see.”

She said nothing more. Gou Dzing assumed she would tell him when it was the right time, about what had happened in the discussion between her, Gong Lau Yan and Maan Dzi King, so he didn't ask. Instead, he said, “Master, where's Gaam Si-hing?”

“I requested that he look for Teem Djeung Baak.”

“Why is that, Master?”

“I should be asking you, Little Gou. Why did you let her go?”

“I thought it would be dangerous to try and fight her with Chan Si-mui and Cheng Si-mui with us. She was fast.”

“But not as fast as Gaam Yuk Ying.” The Grandmaster tapped out her pipe. The sound echoed in the silence between them. It had been a long time since her disciple had felt that she was disappointed in him, and he could feel his insides squirm.

“Perhaps you were right, Gou Dzing. It is possible that this woman could have harmed your junior sisters in the process. However, that is a very small possibility.”

“But Master, if it's a possibility-”

“There are times when it is good to be risk-averse, and times when it is not. You already know this, Gou Dzing.” The Grandmaster sighed and sat back. “I'm being harsh, I'm aware of that. You cannot possible have the kind of experience and understanding that I have. I'm just afraid... that this Teem Djeung Baak may come back to be a bigger problem than before. A person like that, with no morals, no apparent ties or affiliations... We have no idea what they want or what they will do next. That's why I asked Gaam Yuk Ying to find her. And the fact that he has not yet returned is... equally concerning.”

“You don't think something has happened to him?”

“Ha. That child? Not in the slightest. No, I'm more concerned that Teem Djeung Baak has disappeared.”