"This inquiry will determine the causes, blame, and guilt for the recent incident inside Heavenly Tower 3525 – the Golden Moon Broken Tower," Inquisitor Zhan Sho declared. Chang-li knelt at the far left back corner of the room lined up with the other scribes, Inspector Dah at one end. They had been summoned to the Cultivation Master's offices for this hearing, but to Chang-li's deepening worry, it was not Cultivation Master Bao in charge of the proceedings but Inquisitor Zhan Sho. Nor were they the only ones present. The room was full of tense, worried people. At the front, flanking the inquisitor, stood the Dowager Pearl and Cultivation Master Bao. Between him and the scribes were all the cultivators who had been part of the recent tower expedition, including Joshi.
Chang-li had never had dealings with an Inquisitor before, but the position was famous throughout the Empire. Inquisitors were cultivators who had gone past the Peak of Mental Refinement at the very least, before leaving their sects to join the Emperor's government. An Inquisitor had great power and scope of actions. He could order trials, declare punishments, strip cultivators of their licenses to cultivate, and even investigate sects and have their charters revoked.
This was Chang-li's first tower cull. He didn't know if it was common for an Inquisitor to be involved or if there had been signs of trouble even before this incident. Perhaps the towerbeasts who had escaped and attacked him and the caravan on the road had been enough to have Inquisitor Zhan Sho brought in.
The mood in the room was tense. The cultivators present were grouped by sect and arranged by rank, from Grand Master down to lowest Disciple. Joshi was present too, seated cross-legged among the cultivators, all on his own, a little ways off from the rest. Chang-li couldn't tell what he was thinking by staring at the back of his bald head. He wished he had a chance to speak with his friend and see how he was doing. Perhaps after this, if they both survived it...
"I speak in the Emperor’s Name. Does any here question me?” Inquisitor Zhan Sho asked, turning to scrutinize the entire room. He had a scribe of his own, wearing the iron ring on his thumb that marked him as a member of the Scribes Guild like Chang-li and not just a common clerk. The scribe was busy taking notes. Chang-li looked at his fellow junior scribes. They all looked as worried as he felt. They had been present in the tower, each and every one of them. There could be unexpected consequences.
“We will now begin this hearing." Inquisitor Zhan Sho bowed to Cultivation Master Bao and the Dowager. Hiroko knelt at the Dowager's side, wearing her indigo robes. They were the only nobles present. Chang-li didn't know if she was here to watch the proceedings or participate in them. He was worried she could reveal secrets that he and Joshi did not want to come out.
In the tower, while cultivating, they had been forced to rely on each other. He had grown fond of Hiroko, and when he saw her in danger, he hadn't hesitated to risk his life. Now, though, he worried. Did she feel the same loyalty to him, or would she feel honor-bound to tell Inquisitor Zhan Sho of their illicit cultivating?
Chang-li longed to be back in the tower, with nothing more than death from ravenous towerbeasts to worry him. He couldn't even enjoy the feeling of his newly remade body. He hoped his fellow scribes hadn't noticed how his wiry frame had become far more muscled, or that the last few spots on his face had cleared up. Even his teeth felt straighter than they had been. Chang-li was counting on his voluminous scribe’s robes to hide all of that. He couldn’t hide from a cultivator who took a close look, but if he could have a little more time to firm up his story and figure out how to explain a scribe had reached the Peak of Bodily Refinement, that would be good.
"A tower cull at a broken tower is inherently dangerous," Inquisitor Zhan Sho was saying. "They are always considered to be at a greater risk of a tower eruption. Nevertheless, it is a duty that loyal cultivators must assist in for the good of the empire. Even a broken tower provides life-giving lux to the surrounding lands. Should the Emperor be forced to completely destroy this tower, the city of Golden Moon would be rendered uninhabitable. Its fields become a wasteland. The seas around grow lifeless. Yet, should a tower eruption occur, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocent peasants would die."
The cultivators all nodded their agreement. The Inquisitor was saying nothing new, merely reminding everyone here of their duties.
"Thus, it is every cultivator's duty to heed the Emperor's call and assist with a tower cull. That does not mean that we should neglect to take ordinary precautions. Tell me, whose idea was it to bring so many nobles in who were not cultivators but instead must be protected, distracting the cultivators from their true duties?"
The Dowager cleared her throat. "It was my idea, Inquisitor."
There was a stir. Hiroko looked up at her, and Chang-li could see surprise on her face.
"Yours, revered Pearl?" Inquisitor Zhan Sho asked.
"Mine, set in motion by my student, Indigo Princess Hiroko, with the aid of several of the Young Masters. I felt it was important to give the gem court nobles a sense of the duties which their future spouses are expected to accomplish. Only when cultivator and spouse are united in purpose can the Emperor's will be truly executed."
"Revered Pearl, that is an excellent point, but in your wisdom did you not consider that this tower might have been too dangerous? After all, they were entering a third floor with a bunch of uninitiated. Not just the nobles but also the servants and guards.”
“A third floor which had already been greatly culled by the participating sects over the past weeks. If it had not been for the failed champion challenge, everything would have been all right. I suggest that the blame lies with the rogues who snuck in and engaged the champion."
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"Agreed," Inquisitor Zhan Sho said. "We have already determined which guards took bribes and elicited confessions from them. Their punishment will be severe. There will be no repeat of this incident. Their confessions have been taken. They permitted five rogues to enter. They also deny allowing the claimed Young Master of the Morning Mists sect entry. All of them deny ever having seen him. My next point of inquiry then is focused on Young Master Joshi."
All eyes went to Joshi. He remained sitting but bowed low at the waist toward Inquisitor Zhan Sho and the Dowager.
"You name yourself as Young Master Joshi of the Morning Mists sect, is this correct?"
"It is," Joshi said. His quiet voice echoing through the room. Chang-li tensed, worried for his friend and himself.
"You have yet to produce your license and documentation attesting to this fact."
"As I explained, my functionaries and disciples are following along behind me. They have all of the paperwork."
"And you were in such a hurry because?"
Joshi shrugged. "My sect is small. We have lost strength in recent years. I feared that if I reached this tower after the third floor had been cleared, the other sects might attempt to deny me entrance. I have sworn an oath on my Grandmaster's spirit to restore the honor of the Sect of Morning Mists. I will prove myself at this tower and then continue on to another until I have climbed to the highest peaks."
"Your abilities as a cultivator no one doubts. We have multiple witnesses who speak of the efforts you made against the monstrous tower beasts. Indigo Princess Hiroko states you saved her life. We therefore grant you five days' time for your functionaries to arrive with the documents. You are not permitted to leave this camp until then. Should they fail to arrive, you will be subject to a more severe inquisition. However, entering the tower without a properly registered license is a crime against the Emperor."
"My only crime is that I am eager to advance so that I may serve my Emperor better," Joshi said.
"A fine will be levied against your sect," Inquisitor Zhan Sho said, “once they arrive." Now he turned back to the other Young Masters. “Now, we move to the performance of the other sects. Li Jen and Li Jiya of the Moon Whispers Sect, you have received official commendations to be added to your licenses reflecting your quick reactions and efforts to preserve the lives of non-cultivators who were placed in danger. You are both a credit to your sect."
The two Moon Whispers cultivators bowed low until their faces almost touched the ground.
“We also have reports that Soaring Heaven and Jade Lotus acquitted themselves adequately.” There was a slight stir in the room at this implied slight.
"We also have a report that several non-cultivators acted very bravely and one confusing report of a scribe who displayed cultivation techniques in the defense of himself and others." Now Inquisitor Zhan Sho strode through the ranks of seated spectators until he approached the scribes. "Which of you is Chang-li?"
Chang-li's mouth was suddenly dry. He bowed low, placing his eyes level with the floor. “I am."
"Cultivator Li Jiya speaks well of you. She says you saved the life of one of her disciples. She also states that she saw you assisting Young Master Joshi in the defense of the Indigo Princess."
The other scribes shifted. Chang-li heard a low mutter but couldn't make it out. This was exactly what he had feared. Attention.
Inspector Dah turned to him in surprise. "Scribe Chang-li, you are a cultivator?"
"I am licensed," Chang-li said desperately. He pulled out his forgery and held it up, hoping Inquisitor Zhan Sho didn't look too closely.
Inquisitor Zhan Sho peered at it. "How does a scribe acquire a license like this?"
"It was a result of my first experience in the tower," Chang-li prevaricated. "Inspector Jin saw that I had reached the first condensation of my core thanks to my exposure to towerbeasts and cycling. He agreed to grant me a license. As you know, Inquisitor, scribes are permitted to acquire cultivation licenses."
"They are, but it is hardly common. What possessed you to do this?"
"Ah, your worthiness, I desire always to serve the Emperor to the fullness of my abilities. My dream is to one day serve in your capacity as an Inquisitor. I know that the path would be difficult, but it is known to happen."
"Indeed," Inquisitor Zhan Sho said, raising an eyebrow. "I myself began as a guild scribe. But it is not a common path. I assume you have family backing, perhaps a sect already interested in sponsoring you….”
“No, your worship. I am attempting the climb on my own.”
“Is that so?” The Inquisitor sounded skeptical. “Well, perhaps it shall be done. What do you say to the report that you were instrumental in saving the princess?”
“With no disrespect to Young Master Li Jiya, sir, there is only one man who should have the credit for saving all our lives.” Chang-li’s mind raced. His mouth was dry. He needed to get the attention off of himself as fast as possible, no matter the cost.
“Indeed?”
“Yes, your worship. Young Master Feng’s quick action and heavenly strength saved all our lives. He defeated the monster bird single-handedly. All any of the rest of us did was distract it a little, but he showed it the strength of his cultivation and it was no match.”
Chang-li could just see Feng from the corner of his eyes. The cultivator stiffened, then began to preen as others turned to look at him.
“You speak honorably, scribe.” Then, at last, the inquisitor turned away. He approached Feng. “You are the Young Master of the Soaring Heavens sect?”
“I am.”
“And I have been told you opposed the plan to bring so many uninitiated into the tower.”
“I did, your worship. It was my opinion that we could not adequately protect the princess with so many other nobles about.”
“A belief which has been shown to be correct. I congratulate you on your foresight, Young Master. I will have a commendation attached to your license. Your sect will have a place of prominence in the next part of the tower cull, I promise.”
The inquisitor turned away even as Feng was bowing and thanking him. “As to business. The tower is closed to all cultivators until we have ensured its safety. The grand masters present will take their cultivators who have reached the Peak of Bodily Refinement and sweep the third floor, looking for any other threats and confirming the source of the monster bird. After that I will make a judgement regarding the fourth floor. If I decide this tower is too dangerous, I shall send a petition to the nearest Prism and ask them to come and complete the cull for us.”
That got a reaction. Every cultivator in the room began to protest, and Chang-li knew why. A Prism could destroy every beast in this tower just with his aura. If that happened, the cull would be over, and all chance of advancement here would be lost.
He didn’t want that to happen, but it sounded like the chance of him going back into the tower anytime soon was lost anyway. The inquisitor held up a hand. “I have spoken. In the Emperor’s Name, it shall be done!”