Since the tournament, Sha Xiang had stalked the inner sect. For once, the demon core seemed to agree with her about a course other than unbridled violence. It knew, just as she did, that they were small fish in a very large pond. Or rather, easy prey. The core did not like being prey.

For the time being, at least, it was content to remain beneath notice. To gather knowledge of the inner sect’s lower ranks, and to take this time to gather strength.

Sha Xiang had spent much of her time these past few weeks cultivating, and she could feel the pressure in her dantian building. She was almost ready to attempt breaking through into late Body Refining. She could also feel the demon core growing, as it wrapped her dantian even more tightly. As it twisted her meridians. As it crept into her qi and manifested ever more clearly in her presence.

It had begun whispering to her during her meditations. Soft and soothing. Telling her how strong she was, and how she deserved more than what she had. Urging her to take. It grew along with her, and as it grew she could feel its desire.

It wanted. What it wanted didn’t seem to matter, really. Power, wealth, status. It was an undirected avarice that extended beyond the mere physical. Followers, acclaim, authority. It wanted to be adored. It wanted to command. To be obeyed. The demon core’s thoughts bled into her own. It sometimes became difficult to tell where the core’s desires ended and hers began.

One thought that was truly hers though, was a morsel of information she remembered from her first days in the sect, in Elder Wen’s cultivation lessons. As one climbs ever higher through the realms of cultivation, one must come to better know their self. Perhaps late Body Refining could stave off some of the worst mixing of thought and desire, perhaps not. She was certain, however, that reaching Golden Core would provide the clarity that seemed to elude her of late.

The demon core whispered what sounded like encouragement at that. So she must be on the right track.

“Xiang,” came the sharp sound of her name from beside her.

She pulled her thoughts back to the present and graced Cui Bao with a smile. “I’m fine,” she said, if a bit curtly. He’d been displaying more open worry for her since the tournament. It was touching, she supposed, but far from necessary. They were sitting beneath a tree across from one of the inner sect homes, waiting for its occupant to return for the evening.

Da Ning hadn’t been anyone Sha Xiang had paid much attention to while in the outer sect. But then he’d been the only disciple unaffiliated with either her or He Yu to make it far enough in the tournament to qualify for a position in the inner sect. There seemed to be some bad blood between Da Ning and He Yu, but that was secondary, and more of a bonus than anything else.

Most importantly, Da Ning was a noble, and an unaffiliated one. So far as she could tell, he had no allies within the inner sect. He had no enemies either. He’d been keeping his head down much like she had but didn’t yet seem to be making much progress, either in his cultivation or his reputation.

The thing she needed most right now was an in with the rest of the inner sect, especially the nobility. They seemed to run things around here, much like in the broader world, and Sha Xiang couldn’t go around starting fights with them if she wanted to gather allies. And after she saw what happened to Xiao Jun, she wasn’t interested in coming off as a failure in Kong Huizhong’s eyes.

She’d discussed the matter with Bao, who had a surprisingly good head for these sorts of things. Turned out that being a street thug wasn’t all that different from navigating the politics of the imperial administration. Know who was strong, who was weak, and who had something to gain. Give what you could to get what you want. Well, she certainly had a lot to give—and the best part? She wasn’t going to be the one to pay.

The demon core cackled its agreement. It liked the fact that she would gain a follower without having to give up anything of her own. It certainly would have preferred if she had simply dominated Da Ning through sheer force, but it at least understood the need for diplomacy in some situations.

“Here he comes,” Cui Bao said, standing and stepping fully into the path.

Sha Xiang joined him.

Da Ning slowed his pace when he saw them, his posture growing tense. He removed his sword hand from his sleeve but didn’t summon a weapon. He was wary and ready to fight but didn’t look eager to be the one to start it. It seemed that he’d caught wind of the reputation Sha Xiang had built for herself in the outer sect.

“Sect Brother Da,” Sha Xiang said as she pressed a fist into her palm in salute. “I wish to speak with you.”

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His eyes narrowed. “Forgive me if I am hesitant to trust the two brutes that have shown up on my doorstep,” he said, still sounding wary.

At her side, Cui Bao tensed at the insult. Sha Xiang couldn’t have agreed more, but she motioned for him to step back anyway.

“I can assure you we have no wish for violence. I have a proposition for you, one that would be of benefit to us both. You have my word that should you refuse, we will leave you in peace and you will never hear us speak of this evening again. Any future conflict would only be within the bounds of formal competition for rank within the inner sect.”

The words felt like lies as they tumbled from her lips, but that was mostly due to the demon core’s desires. She meant what she said. Kong Huizhong had given her a quick lesson on how to speak to nobles without making herself appear obsequious or meek, and as Da Ning visibly relaxed, it seemed those lessons had been put to good use.

“Let us speak then,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. Despite his desire to hear her out, it seemed the conversation was to take place here on the path, surrounded by the growing dusk.

“You lost to He Yu in the outer sect tournament. I know that you also have some history with that friend of his, Li Heng. I lost to He Yu in the tournament as well, and I have history with both of them as well.”

“Settle your grudges on your own, Sect Sister Sha. Do you think I have forgotten how you conducted yourself in the outer sect? You are little better than a bandit as far as I can tell.”

Sha Xiang grit her teeth and said nothing in response. The demon core’s anger flared at the insult, mixing with her own and fueling it. She’d figured that looting advancement resources from the weaker disciples would come back to bite her in the ass, but not with a pompous sort like Da Ning.

Fortunately, Cui Bao jumped in on her behalf. “We never took from you, and you can hardly blame us. We had none of the advantages of someone of your birth. We had to take what resources we could.”

Da Ning glanced between the two of them for a moment before speaking again. “So what is it you want then? To offer me a chance for revenge?” His tone said exactly what he thought of that proposition.

“He Yu, Li Heng, and Tan Xiaoling. I want to see all of them brought low. And I want to do it with allies at my back.” The demon core hissed. It did not want allies. It wanted subjects. “I’m going to run the inner sect,” she added at the last. That at least satiated the core for a moment.

“I watched the final round between Sect Brother He and the Jade Princess. I am not so arrogant to think that I can face either of them with my present strength.”

“You wouldn’t have to.” Sha Xiang withdrew a pill box from her storage treasure.

Cautiously, Da Ning reached for it. When he cracked the lid, a rich medicinal scent filled the air. Da Ning snapped the box closed, glancing around to see if they were being watched.

“What trickery is this?” he demanded.

It was a Grade III Red Soul Refining pill. Taking it at any point during the Body Refining stage would dramatically boost one’s cultivation base, and reify the presence of their spirit. They were rare and expensive. Kong Huizhong had given her five of them. He’d warned that both she and Cui Bao should only take one apiece for themselves, otherwise they risked a severe backlash. The remaining three were for tempting others to their side, just as Sha Xiang had been tempted by Xiao Jun’s offer of an elixir.

“Take it,” she said. The demon core let her know of its displeasure, but then fell silent. It knew the pill was buying something greater. It knew the pill was an investment.

“I’ll not be indebted to the likes of you,” Da Ning said, holding the pill out for her to take back.

“Consider it a token of good faith,” Sha Xiang said. It galled her to do so. “Side with us, and there’s more to come.”

The pill box vanished into Da Ning’s storage treasure. “Let us continue this inside,” he said. “I shall prepare tea.”

Sha Xiang allowed herself to relax a bit, releasing some tension she’d been holding without realizing it. It was a step, and one in the right direction. And all it had taken was one incredibly valuable pill.

“Of course. It would be rude to refuse your hospitality,” she said.

They followed Da Ning inside his home. It was a bit smaller than the one she shared with Cui Bao, but no less finely appointed. Say one thing about the inner sect, they took care of the disciples. She wasn’t certain if the creature comforts she’d been afforded as the six hundred-twentieth-ranked disciple would make her soft or hamper her cultivation, but she certainly wasn’t going to complain about them.

Once the formality of tea had been dispensed with, talk of alliance resumed. Da Ning turned out to be more shrewd than he’d first appeared, seeking to discover the source of Sha Xiang’s wealth. At first, he did so subtly, but as she avoided giving him a straight answer, his questions became more directed.

Finally, he simply asked, “How is it that you can afford such things? I was not idle in my time in the outer sect, and I looked into the backgrounds of those who were distinguishing themselves by their cultivation.”

She wasn’t so bull-headed as to reveal the Court this early, but it was pretty clear that she couldn’t get away with avoiding some sort of answer any longer. At length, she said, “I have a benefactor.”

“Not Xiao Jun, certainly,” Da Ning said. “He failed to enter the inner sect.”

Sha Xiang exchanged a glance with Cui Bao. The noble hadn’t mentioned that Xiao Jun had vanished from the outer sect shortly after the tournament. Hopefully, that meant he didn’t know.

“Not Xiao Jun,” she said evenly. “Now that I have entered the inner sect, I’ve caught the eye of someone greater.”

“Sect Sister Sha truly has good fortune,” Da Ning said.

“And I share that fortune with those who make common cause with me. That pill should easily allow you to reach late Body Refining. As I said, there is more to come. All I need from you is to help me make inroads with the other members of the inner sect. Once we’ve gathered enough strength, we can bring those who have wronged us to our knees.”

Da Ning produced several jars of wine from his storage treasure. “I think we will have a long and fruitful relationship, Sha Xiang.”

The demon core howled with glee, and it was all Sha Xiang could do to keep from joining in.