Chang-li sat cross-legged on his pallet, watching the other scribes as they snored and turned over in their sleep. When he was certain they were all gone, he focused on Scribe Wulan's pen case, thinking hard of the ghost of the dead scribe, urging him to come out.

Nothing happened. All of the other times Scribe Wulan had appeared had been the ghost's doing, but Chang-li didn't want to wait until Wulan decided to show up.

He cycled his lux through his channels in a simple circular motion, holding the scribe case in his hands, pressed against his stomach in the vicinity of his core, imagining the lux flowing into and filling it as well. There was an audible pop, and Scribe Wulan was sitting in the air in front of him, looking irritated.

"What's worth interrupting my beauty sleep, boy?”

“Ghosts don't sleep.”

“Have you ever been one?" Chang-li couldn't answer that. "So, tell me, what was so important that you had to wake me up?"

Chang-li took a deep breath. "You said in your journal that you left a trove of Morning Mist sect secrets in the vault at Fai-Lan City.”

"Of course we did. Cultivator Kang didn't want to risk them in the tower. He was a dutiful son and a loyal member of the sect."

"And if Kang never came back to claim them, then they're still there?”

“You're the Imperial official. You tell me, how often are records thrown out?"

Chang-li blinked. Thrown out? Records? What kind of sacrilege was that? One of a licensed scribe's chief duties was to re-record fading records so that they could be kept and accessed by future generations.

"There you are, then.” Wulan clearly understood the reaction Chang-li was having.

"And those records are written in the same sect script you've already taught me?"

"Should be," Wulan said. “Copied 'em all myself, and I only know three scripts."

"They've got techniques in them. Secrets. Ways of weaving lux. Maybe even the path to Mental Refinement?”

"Of course. Otherwise, we wouldn't have bothered to write them down.”

"Thank you.” Chang-li bowed. "That's all I needed. You can go back to sleep." After a suspicious look, Wulan faded and vanished. He put the pen case back under his pallet before lying down.

There were many flaws with his plan. He had no idea how to get hold of the sect documents. Even if they were in the library in Fai-Lan City, they'd hardly be available for anyone to show up and take. Once he did, he'd have to translate them, then put them into practice, if he could. The more he thought about it, the more his spirits plummeted. He just didn't have the skills he needed to pull this off. Not on his own. He just needed an angle.

He came fully awake, staring at the ceiling, his mouth dropping open. Why hadn’t he thought of it before. The final piece of his plan had been staring him in the face all along. All he needed to do was present himself at the library as the duly appointed representative of the Morning Mist sect, who had deposited those documents so many years ago. No one would think anything of him requesting the papers for their young master, who had remained here, back at this tower cull, in need of the sect’s documents?

Joshi listened gravely as Chang-li explained his plan. "And you think this plan is worth the risk?”

“For a copy of the sect documents, yes," Chang-li said. "Wulan says that's everything in there you need to reach Mental Refinement, maybe even Spiritual Refinement.”

"Your ghost friend is not the most reliable informant," Joshi observed.

"Not really, no. But he's all I've got. And I believe him when he says the documents were there. If they are, and the last scion of Morning Mist's perished in this tower, then they'll still be waiting. All I need is a letter sealed with your signet ring, asking for the documents. I'm certain I can persuade the library to hand them over, and this document showing I’m the sect scribe and a Physical Refinement cultivator myself."

"Hmm," Joshi said. "I admit it would help me to have a guide to Mental Refinement."

"Then you don't know the next step either?"

"The monks of Harupa explicitly told their students that they were being given preparation to reach Bodily Refinement only," Joshi said. "That is why we were taught so many different cycling techniques. One of them was almost guaranteed to help us reach that point. Afterwards, we could prove ourselves to a sect and learn the next step. Also," he added, sounding thoughtful, "this library would likely contain lux braid patterns, yes?"

"I assume so. And I don't even know what else," Chang-li said. "What do sects keep in their books of knowledge anyway?"

“I don’t know. I’ve never been part of a sect before.”

“I’ll need a set of robes, if I’m presenting myself as sect scribe.”

"Be careful," Joshi said. "I appreciate your help, but you've already done more for me than I could possibly ask or repay."

"I'm doing this for myself," Chang-li assured him. "I don't want to be trapped at this stage of cultivation for the next four years until I finish my indentures. I'm going to cultivate now."

Joshi had nodded, a grim look in his eyes, telling Chang-li that he felt the same way.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Chang-li waited for an opportunity to speak with his superior alone. Toward the end of the afternoon, there was a lull in the rhythms of the scribe's office. Several of the other junior scribes had been sent out through the camp on duties, while Chang-li languished at the counter and Inspector Dah presided over affairs. Now the office was otherwise empty. Chang-li set down his pen, set aside the records he had been copying, and approached his superior.

"Inspector," he said diffidently, "I wish to submit my request for my annual leave."

Inspector Dah looked up from his own work. "Have you been here a year? No, that can't be correct. This Tower Cull has only been active for half a year."

"Yes, but I have reached a year's service in the Scribe Corps," Chang-li pointed out. "I served eight months in the office at Red Rock City before being posted here."

"Ah, of course, of course. What do you intend to do with your leave?"

"The monthly caravan to Fai-Lan City is leaving tomorrow. I thought I would go there."

Inspector Dah frowned. "You would spend two days of your five days of leave merely in travel? I know Golden Moon City is a backwater, but there are taverns and gaming houses and dance halls, enough for most young men."

"I wish to improve myself," Chang-li said. "I hoped to attend the opera and ballet in Fai-Lan."

Inspector Dah shrugged. "I suppose it is a worthier use of time than many of the days I spent on leave when I was your age. I shall approve your request and sign your travel chit."

Chang-li's spirits rose. He produced the forms already filled out for the inspector's signature.

"Your timing is good," Inspector Dah said. "By the time you return, I expect the tower will be reopened to lower-ranked cultivators. I believe Magistrate Bao will wish to redouble our efforts to get this cull back on schedule. I am not sure I will be approving any leave requests for the next few months."

"Yes, sir," Chang-li said. "Thank you."

He joined the caravan the next morning, carrying a bulging pack. The caravan heading down the mountain was twice the size of the one Chang-li had followed down to Golden Moon City a few weeks before. While most of the workers and porters would be loading up with supplies at the docks and returning them to the camp, there were a significant number heading for Fai-Lan City like Chang-li. It was half a day's travel up the river from Golden Moon City and a far larger town. Golden Moon was a fishing village. The Tower Cull had temporarily swollen its importance, making it a base of logistics for the cultivators who were challenging the tower.

Fai-Lan City was a true town. Chang-li had not previously been there and was looking forward to this trip.

As they were about to leave, a pair of last-minute additions joined the caravan. To his shock, he recognized Min and her brother. The nobles spoke to the caravan captain before slipping into place toward the rear of the caravan. Min spotted Chang-li. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped for a moment before she schooled her features.

Chang-li would have sworn she hadn't expected to see him here. Either she was a very good actress, or her presence here had nothing to do with him. He very much hoped it was the latter but certainly couldn't be sure. The Oaken Band woman had her spoon in far too many pots for her own good.

As they started down the mountain, the caravan spread out as it usually did. There were twice as many guards as the last time Chang-li had gone down the mountain. And disciples from three of the sects as well. Since no one below the Peak of Bodily Refinement was being permitted into the tower, it was probably easy to get disciples to help out guarding the caravan.

Chang-li was reassured there would be no repeat of the attack which had driven him into the tower. Though part of him wanted a rematch against those tower beasts. His core brimmed with lux. It seemed that reaching the Peak of Bodily Refinement meant he was no longer leaking lux like a sieve. It felt good to have it in his core, ready to answer.

Chang-li cycled as he walked. He barely had to spend any thought on keeping his cycling pattern going as he walked. It was as natural to him as breathing. Cultivating had worked many changes on him already. He wasn't just stronger; he felt faster, like he could move more quickly than an ordinary person. His pack was stuffed to the seams, but he barely noted it as it rode on his back. He thought his soul space had become larger too, though he couldn't check. Only his sword was hidden there. He had Wulan’s pen case and the ancient journal buried deep in his pack.

Halfway down the mountain, the caravan halted in a green mountain meadow full of trees and a quiet brook for everyone to rest and have a drink of water. The cultivator disciples went ahead. Some of the other caravan members were muttering to each other, asking if there was trouble ahead. The caravan captain told them this was a step that had been taken ever since the princess's caravan had been attacked.

"We have seen no sign of escaped tower beasts since then," he assured them. "It's merely a precaution."

Chang-li took off his bag and drank some water but didn't bother to sit. He wasn't tired at all. His muscles felt pleasantly warm from use. He could have turned around and raced back up the mountain, pack on his back, without getting winded. Min drifted toward him. She knelt by the brook to fill her cup.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," she murmured, not looking at him.

"No? And here I thought you might be coming to keep an eye on me.”

“Not at all. What are you doing here? Have you been sent on an errand to Golden Moon?"

Chang-li hesitated. He didn't want her to learn what he was up to, but he certainly wasn't going to tell an easily disproved lie. "I've been granted leave to Fai-Lan City.”

“Have you?" There was a note of amusement in her voice, and he guessed that she knew he wasn't leaving the tower out of boredom. "And how will you be spending your time?"

"Enriching myself." The less he told her, the less she’d be able to manipulate him.

"Always a good plan," Min said. "My brother and I are on our way to attend my grandfather. He's reached Fai-Lan City on the annual tax procession, and we are paying our respects.”

A thrill of fear ran through Chang-li. He had spoken to Brother Stone enough to know exactly who Min's grandfather was. The head of the Oaken Band Brotherhood, a man who could order Chang-li's death as easily as a cup of noodle soup. "Ah," he managed.

Min looked up, amused. "Not that grandfather. My other grandfather, the governor of Riceflower Province."

Chang-li blinked. Riceflower Province was the home of Golden Moon City, Fai-Lan City, and the tower itself, though the capital was nearly 80 li away. "I didn't realize you had two grandfathers.” He realized as the words came out of his mouth how foolish they sounded.

"Most people do," Min replied. "At any rate, he's making his yearly procession through the province. As he's not coming to Golden Moon City, he sent for my brother and me to attend him. We will be returning with the caravan in five days."

"As will I," Chang-li said.

"Since you are going to the same place as I am, it might be good for us to know how to reach each other, should we have need."

Chang-li wanted to believe there would be no situation where he needed to contact her. Unfortunately, he could think of quite a few. "I don't know where I'll be staying. I've never been to Fai-Lan City."

"Ah, then take a room at the Royal Peacock Inn. It's on the outskirts of the administration district, unless you were planning on spending time on the other side of town." She paused and shook her head. "Of course, if you haven't been there, you don't know what I'm talking about. The brothels, gambling, and drinking tend to happen in the Low Quarter."

"No, I, uh, that is, Royal Peacock. That sounds good to me." Chang-li made a mental note to consider staying literally anywhere else.

"I will be at the Governor's residence, adjacent to the administrative district. Should you need me, send a note. Enjoy your time off."

Min rose and sauntered away. Chang-li couldn't help watching her go. The movement of her hips as she walked away sent a thrill through him. She had a self-assurance about herself that was appealing, but she was a dangerous woman on many levels. Fear, that must’ve been what he was feeling.

"Two grandfathers," he muttered to himself as he put his pack back on and joined the reforming caravan. She had two grandfathers, and both of them could order his execution. He resolved to stay clear of Min from now on.