Bing Anxi casually observed the packed streets of Rulan from her seat at the top deck of Cangzi’s teahouse. Below her, ordinary mortals scrambled about living out their dull, uneventful lives. It was sobering to see mortals in their natural state, a reminder that in another world, she could be the beggar wench begging for scraps.
The girl possessed doll-like features—pale skin, eyes dark as coal, and glossy black hair that fell to her waist. The most unusual thing about her, however, was her black dress—clearly of foreign make. Such dresses were uncommon, even in a city as large and prosperous as Rulan.
“Sorry for the wait, the dialogue with Elder Longtree took longer than expected. He told me where to find the people who have the artifact,” a young man said, appearing behind her.
“Tell me, Feng Li, what use is a bodyguard who leaves his master all alone in a teahouse?”
Feng Li was an elite disciple from her father’s sect, and her fifth bodyguard this year. He was a plain faced young man with sharp eyebrows, and wore a neat white martial artist’s tunic. A sword with a green sheath hung off his back.
“You know how Elder Longtree can get, and besides, it was important information.”
“More important than my life?”
“Well... Elder Longtree thought it was.”
“Does he still expect us to play as gofer to an old crone living out in the forest? We’re core disciples of the Golden Celestial Sect; not servants to be used on menial tasks like collecting trinkets.”
“Think of it as a task, or mission. I’m as frustrated about this as you are,” Feng Li replied with a grimace. He took a seat in the chair across from her.
“What type of delivery mission requires the abilities of two core formation experts? This mission feels different, I sense there are a lot of moving parts involved in this,” Bing Anxi said, flagging down a nearby waiter.
Feng Li frowned. “No time for tea, we’re already late as is, any longer and our guide might just ditch us.”
Bing Anxi waved the waiter away with a sigh. “Very well. Let’s depart.”
----------------------------------------
Rulan was carefully divided into several districts, making the city easy to navigate. Bing Anxi had an inkling of respect for the city planner; its architecture had obviously been designed with an eye for the aesthetics. The streets were crowded but clean, and the streams of horse drawn carriages and riders stayed within their designated lanes.
“Esteemed guests,” a slim figure called out to them, running over to meet them. “My name is Tong and I was told this is where I’d find you. You’re here a little later than I expected, I’ve been waiting all morning. I was starting to think you would never—”
“Enough talk. Are you here to lead us to the Red Sharps or chatter the day away? We are not very patient people,” Bing Anxi said with a tone which sent the man to his knees.
“My apologies to our esteemed guests,” Tong grovelled. “I was rude, please forgive this one’s transgressions. I will lead you to our headquarters right away. A carriage is required for our trip, and luckily the stable isn’t too far from here.”
Bing Anxi probed the pathetic man with her spiritual sense, she sensed only the slightest amount of qi within him. With a sneer she pulled her spiritual sense away in disgust.
“Your cultivation may be negligible but at least have some self respect. you’re pathetic. I should have you flogged right here,” Bing Anxi snarled, ignoring Feng Li’s exasperated face.
“Enough playing around, let us be on our way,” Feng Li interjected, helping the whimpering man back to his feet.
“You are really no fun, at least my last bodyguard could take a joke.”
“Your jokes got him killed.”
“Sending a lowly qi condensation waste here to greet us, I wonder what your master intends?” Bing Anxi continued, ignoring Feng Li’s burning glare.
Ordinarily, core disciples of a first class sect such as hers would be treated like nobles in the secular world. Yet a single, puny gang had seen it fit to send a peon to greet her.
He bowed his head. “Esteemed guests… there were several attempts at our vaults last week, which is why I was sent instead of our sentinels. We meant no offense, I assure you.”
Tong had been right, the stables were only a brisk walk away. Travelers lined up into neat queues waiting to rent a horse. Of course, as high ranking disciples of the Golden Celestial Sect, the duo had no obligation to wait in line. The crowd quickly parted, staring at the three with a mix of deference and fear.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
One pair, however, refused to budge from their position in line; A man, and the other a woman. They wore expensive clothing—matching black robes trimmed with white—and both toted a wide assortment of steel weaponry. The man was middle-aged and the woman beside him seemed to be only a few years younger. Bing Anxi could feel the slight presence of qi radiating off the duo. They were rogue cultivators, and strong enough to make Feng Li tense up.
By sect laws, Bing Anxi could’ve had them executed for not giving her any face, but their qi pressure gave her a pause. As she was closer, their power levels were more clear to her—the man was a mid core formation expert, and the woman at the mid foundation establishment.
Bing Anxi’s cultivation was only a half step below the man’s, while Feng Li matched him at the mid core formation. Most would shrug the woman off on the account of her weak cultivation base, but Bing Anxi didn’t dare disregard her, such Carelessness has led to the demise of many young talents.
Tong scurried ahead, waving and gesturing frantically. The two rogue cultivators stared at Tong with cold contempt but finally stepped aside when Tong mentioned the name of the Golden Celestial Sect. With a relieved smile, he turned and waited for the two to catch up.
“I have never seen such a shameless bootlicker,” Bing Anxi commented, her lip curled at his display.
“Right this way, please,” Tong said. “We have a carriage waiting in the back.”
----------------------------------------
The party of three rode in silence, drawing closer to the large fortress that towered over the port of Rulan. The fortress once belonged to the Yulong Empire but after their costly war with the neighboring Tian Empire, they decided to sell their excess properties to meet their losses. The Red Sharps, the biggest crime syndicate in Rulan, were more than happy to take the fortress off the empire’s hands.
“We’ve arrived,” Tong announced as the carriage pulled into a large courtyard.
High stone walls encased the courtyard; to the north was the entrance to the fortress, and a pair of armored guards flanked the gates. Bing Anxi took note of the guards’ cultivation, Both were at the peak foundation establishment. Odd. It was almost wasteful to use two foundation establishment cultivators as mere gate guards. Even in a gang as large as the Red Sharps, foundation establishment cultivators were considered far above average.
Tong scrambled from his driver’s seat and raced to open the carriage doors for his passengers. Feng Li was the first to exit, and he was followed shortly by Bing Anxi.
“Right this way,” Tong said, leading them to the door.
Bing Anxi followed him, fully expecting to be let in without hassle. To her surprise, however, the guards stopped them at the gates. Bing Anxi frowned, but quickly quelled her anger. Getting frustrated would not help their situation.
“Is there a problem?” Bing Anxi demanded in her haughtiest voice, drawing her syllables out to remind them of her station.
“No entry allowed without turning in your rings,” the guard on the left said. “And that sword doesn’t go into the stronghold.”
Bing Anxi bristled at the lack of respect. “And if we don’t comply?”
Tong must’ve felt her anger because he stepped forward with an indignant scowl, “These are guests of the branch manager, I suggest you move out of our way right this instant.”
“Have you verified they are truly the guests of branch manager Tassel?” the guard on the right asked.
The questions sent Tong stammering for answers, “Well- I assumed… I mean, they seem to be-”
Feng Li grabbed Tong by the shoulder and yanked him aside, sending the weak man sprawling to the floor.
“I’ve held my patience far too long, it seems these mortals need a lesson on manners,” he spat, drawing the sword from his back. “We are core disciples of the Golden Celestial Sect! I refuse to be treated like this!”
The guard on the left looked at his partner. “Looks like we need to teach these greenhouse flowers a lesson, brother.”
Bing Anxi leaped back while Feng Li rushed forward, his blade furiously slashing at the nearest guard. Instead of backing down, the guard met the blade head on with a fist emitting cyan qi.
The other guard bolted towards Bing Anxi, releasing a wave of colorless qi directed at her head. Bing Anxi ducked underneath the wave, drawing a talisman from her spatial ring, she activated it without a moment's delay. A silver ball of fire began forming above her, the guard hastened his sprint and then sent another wave of qi towards her.
Bing Anxi closed her eyes and waited, right before the qi wave reached her, she sent her fireball spiraling towards the guard. The fireball burned through the guard’s qi wave and slammed into his chest, sending him flying into the air.
The second guard cursed when he noticed his partner fall but he was too preoccupied to go aid him. It was becoming increasingly clear they were outmatched.
“Now you fall!” Feng Li roared as his blade separated the guard’s head from his neck.
Bing Anxi checked on the guard she had defeated just moments ago. Dead. His chestplate and everything under it had been incinerated. Not surprising, Only someone above the nascent soul could survive that fireball.
“What is the meaning of this?” Feng Li barked, storming over to where Tong was cowering.
Tong prostrated himself on the floor. “I have no idea, they- I- I don’t recognize them… they could be spies or assassins, I don’t understand how this could happen. Please believe me, esteemed-”
“I didn’t think you two could take them out so fast. That was a fine show of strength.”
Bing Anxi and Feng Li snapped to the direction of the sudden interruption. They must not have noticed the large wooden gate opening in the heat of the battle.
A tall, lanky man in a red tunic was leaning against the doorway. Bing Anxi probed the man’s strength with her spiritual sense but came up with a blank. Either he was at a level far above her or had a concealment treasure on hand. She was willing to bet on the latter.
“Now that you’ve proven your identities, why don’t the two of you come in?” he said. “Ignore what just occurred, it was nothing but a test.”
Feng Li glanced at Bing Anxi for instructions. After a moment’s hesitation, she only nodded, and followed the lanky man into the stronghold. Feng Li followed close behind, his hand still wrapped around the hilt of his sword.