Luckily, Lu Na had prepared a few of her light wards before she left. With the null metal, she could make them brighter and last longer than the previous ones. She gave one to Sun Ren and Hen Li.

Hen Li attached his to his staff. Before they all left, he had purchased three staves for them to use in their travels. Lu Na was glad as it made walking on uneven ground easier.

“How long do you think it will take us to get there?” Lu Na asked.

“If we walked straight there and only stopped to sleep, we could make it there in five days,” Hen Li said.

“That’s if nothing gets in our way,” Sun Ren said. “Because of the current state of the country, we’re more likely to encounter many issues along the way. Instead, I’ve plotted out a way to avoid any major issues that the Sun Family scouts have reported.”

“Wow, that’s convenient,” Lu Na said.

“Except it will take us at least thirteen days to reach the location on the map. And traveling on the road is never a guarantee.”

“Amituofo. If it’s our fate, then it’s our fate. Let’s try our best to get there,” Hen Li said.

The trio didn’t walk too far from the city before stopping for the night. They had walked to a nearby village and found a place to stay.

The next morning, they changed their clothes. The last thing they needed was people recognizing them in the Sun family red tunics or the gray robe of a Buddhist monk.

Lu Na wore a plain hemp tunic like the one she got from the blacksmith’s wife. Except this one was better made and not itchy. She kept her hair tied in a basic braid instead of the elaborate one made by her maids.

Sun Ren wore a man’s brown tunic and black pants. She tied her hair up into a bun, mimicking men’s hair, and covered it with a red scarf.

Hen Li’s transformation was the most drastic. They tied his hair up in a bun and tied it back with a black scarf. He wore a cream robe and shaved off all his facial hair. He put away his Buddhist prayer beads.

“I think this should be enough to confuse anyone,” Sun Ren said.

“I’ll say. The brawny monk went from wholesome beggar to young prince,” Lu Na’s spirit said.

“Yeah, Hen Li looks like a rich noble. I look like his maid and you look like his bodyguard,” Lu Na said.

Traveling with Sun Ren and Hen Li reminded Lu Na how different they were to her. First, she wasn’t used to the pace they set. They could walk so far and so fast that Lu Na had trouble keeping up. After stopping for the third time that morning, she had to ask.

“How are you two not tired?” Lu Na sat down on a flat rock as the other two leaned against a tree. Her legs were burning from all the walking and she noticed that the city of Jianye wasn’t that far behind them. She could still see the walls.

“I’m used to marching with my father during his drills,” Sun Ren said. “I’ve been training all my life to match my brothers.”

“I can’t believe your father would train you like that,” Lu Na said.

“He didn’t. I did.”

“Then what about you monk? You only just got out of jail. Shouldn’t your body be tired?”

“Amituofo. I’ve been leaning on my spirit to give me the energy,” Hen Li said.

“But that’s cheating. My spirit only makes jokes at my expense,” Lu Na said.

“Jokes? No child, they’re all truths,” her spirit said. “Like how you walk funny when you’re tired. These two might as well purchase a wheelbarrow and carry you to the labyrinth.”

Hen Li smiled.

“I guess it’s time to teach you your first lesson as a summoner.”

Lu Na perked up.

“Seriously? You’re going to teach me summoner arts?”

“Yes, now would be the best time to start before we go farther from the city.” Sun Ren pulled out her dagger. “It’ll only get more dangerous. I’ll go get lunch then, as you teach her.”

“First, Lu Na, I realized you don’t know the name of your spirit despite speaking to her this whole time,” Hen Li said.

“She tried to tell me, but she couldn’t,” Lu Na said.

“That’s normal for legacy bindings. Normally, your mother would have formed some sort of pact with your spirit to do certain things for you and you would grow into its power. So I doubt you formed any pact with your spirit. Isn’t that right, spirit?”

“Her mother left not too long after our binding,” Lu Na’s spirit said.

“Then are you willing to form a bond with her?” Hen Li asked.

“A little scrawny compared to my beautiful figure, but I guess she’s alright.”

“Then, spirit, what are you willing to accept for the pact?”

Lu Na heard her spirit hiss. She felt her spirit’s excitement.

“Monk, are you sure you want me to bond with Lu Na? Her mother wouldn’t like that.”

“Why not?” Lu Na asked. “What does she have anything to do with this?”

“Your mother asked me to protect you and to never hurt you. You know that bonding with you goes against that,” her spirit said.

“Are you talking about the secret of the spirits?” Lu Na asked.

“Yes. The monk knows about it, too.”

Hen Li nodded.

“It’s how I got this white hair. My former spirit, Bifang Niao, absorbed so much of my life force that I fear I only have a few more years of life left.”

“Then why are you still using a spirit?” Lu Na asked.

“Are you talking about my Panhu? He’s a sweet spirit. He only uses the ambient spirit energy leaking from my Bifang Niao. Don’t worry, I’ll still live long enough to teach you the summoner arts. I can teach you not to overextend your spirit and harm yourself.”

“Will this help me get stronger?”

“Of course. Not only that, the summoner sects teach their disciples on how to use their spirit energy more efficiently.”

“What do I need to do?” Lu Na needed to get stronger if she wanted to face another danger like that senior disciple from the Wintersweet Sect.

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“Then I need your blood,” her spirit said.

“You want my blood?” Lu Na said.

“Not much, just a drop. For now, anyway. If I take anything else from your scrawny body, you’ll probably collapse. Let’s start small.”

Hen Li bowed his head.

“Amituofo, your spirit is wise. There are many other spirits that require a greater sacrifice for their bonds.”

Lu Na took out her dagger.

“What did you sacrifice?”

Hen Li smiled.

“You don’t ask a summoner that,” Lu Na’s spirit said. “It’s very private, like asking to see them naked. Although I wouldn’t mind if it was the brawny monk.”

“No, that’s okay. I can tell you since you’re going to be my disciple. What I sacrificed was my heart.”

“What? How are you still alive?”

“Bifang Niao is my heart now. He keeps it beating.”

“So if I give my spirit my blood, does that mean she will be inside it?

“Not literally. But the bond will be strengthened through your blood. You’re lucky. It usually takes being bonded with your spirit for a while before they tell you exactly what they want.”

“Okay, what do I do now? Do I prick my finger and give her blood? How does it work?” Lu Na held the dagger’s point to her finger.

“Spirit, are you ready to receive your offering?” Hen Li asked.

“Yessssss.”

Lu Na felt a tugging inside her chest. She saw a black tentacle of spirit energy come out of her chest. She pricked her finger with the dagger and let a single drop of blood fall onto the tentacle of spirit energy. The tentacle wrapped the drop of blood in black spirit energy. It turned the blood black before disappearing back inside Lu Na’s chest.

The world suddenly changed.

The smells of the trail suddenly rushed into her nose. Lu Na could smell the very dirt on the ground as if it was pushed in her face. The quiet birds chirping before suddenly became loud in her ears as if they were roosters crowing in the morning. The world became a rush of vibrant colors. The trees were already filled with the changing leaves as Autumn came to a close, but now she saw each leaf almost as if they were painted with a brush.

That lasted only a few seconds before everything faded.

Lu Na gasped for air. She hadn’t noticed she had stopped breathing. She rubbed her nose, trying to get the smell of dirt out of it, but there was nothing there.

“How was it?” Hen Li asked. “When I first bonded with Bifang Niao, he took me up into the sky. I was soaring above the clouds and could feel the absolute freedom, the power of being a god. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

“That was intense. Everything suddenly came into view like I’ve never experienced before,” Lu Na said.

“And it only gets better from there. With enough practice, you can continue having that feeling.”

“Is that why summoners do it? To get that feeling again?”

“Amituofo, some yes,” Hen Li looked grim. “You must promise me to not chase that high. So many of my fellow disciples resorted to drugs and other illegal practices to feel it again. They ended up dead after only a few years.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Lu Na’s spirit said. “I’m old enough to know how to take care of my summoners. I want this one to live a very long life, at least until her mother gives me what she promised.”

“Now we get to skip the part where we wait until your spirit matures before they talk with you,” Hen Li said. “Spirit, would you be so kind as to tell her what your name is?”

“I hope you’re ready for this, child. My name is Nugua.”

“Is that name supposed to mean something?” Lu Na asked.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t hear her name as I’m not bonded with her. What did she say it was?” Hen Li asked.

“She said her name is Nugua.”

“Amituofo.” Hen Li shook his head. “Your mother plays with forces that would make the emperor cry. Are you sure she said Nugua?”

“Spirit?”

“Say my name.”

“Nugua?” Lu Na felt another jolt in her chest. She dropped the dagger.

“Lu Na?” Hen Li asked.

Lu Na blacked out and felt herself dragged away into her spirit realm. She felt it once before, so knew what was happening.

Once within her spirit realm, she saw the same grass and waterfall as before. Her spirit showed up again, still half snake, half woman. But this time, her face wasn’t that of her mothers. The woman’s face was one that looked like one of those paintings of famous, beautiful women that her father had hanging.

“Nugua?” Lu Na said.

“Who else? Were you expecting your mother again?” Nugua slithered over the grass toward her. The jade beads that made up her outfit jingled with every movement. The sun reflected off the many pieces of metal on her body.

Lu Na took in a sharp breath.

Nugua smelled like blood.

“That was delicious, to taste young blood again.” Nugua licked her lips, showing off her sharp teeth. Blood stained them. “I’m so glad you bonded with me.”

“Does this mean you’re eating my life force now?” Lu Na asked.

Nugua thrust her hand out in front of Lu Na’s face. Her claws were inches away.

Lu Na didn’t flinch.

“No, child. I’m not eating your life force,” Nugua said. “Unlike all those summoners out there, your mother truly prepared a great bounty for you. She left me a small mountain of her spirit energy for me to munch on while I bonded with you.”

“So you’re eating her life force?”

Nugua slid around Lu Na, looking her up and down.

“I guess I can finally tell you her secret. It’s only fair, as we’re on our way to find her. You’ll find out, eventually. Your mother is a monster, even among spirits. She and her phoenix spirit devour other spirits in order to fuel their own spirit energy.”

“That’s nothing new. Uncle Chen told me that there are spirits that do that. What makes my mother a monster?”

Nugua stopped in front of Lu Na, smiling widely. Each of her teeth were sharpened to a point.

“Your mother doesn’t stop with the spirit. She also eats the life force of the person as well. That’s why I warned you earlier about trying to find her. Even if you do, she’ll be the pariah of both humans and spirits when it’s discovered.”

“Then why are you working with her?”

Nugua touched Lu Na’s chin. Her smooth skin felt human, but it was very cold.

“Your mother could have devoured me and she tried. But I gave her an alternative. I told her about the labyrinth that you’re headed toward. It’s got immense power that she wouldn’t ever need to devour another human again. And of course she made me an offer I couldn’t refuse in exchange for bonding with you and guiding you.”

Nugua took a few steps back, stretched her arms into the sky, and leaned back against her snake tail as if it were a chair.

“Your mother promised me my kingdom within the Spirit Realm. Do you know what that means?”

Lu Na shook her head.

“True immortality. I won’t have to fear being devoured or worse, being enslaved in the Spirit Realm. Did you know that those without power that go back to the Spirit Realm from here are no better than slaves? It’s why so many spirits would rather risk being devoured in the human realm than go back.”

“How do you know my mother will keep her promise and not devour you afterwards?” Lu Na asked.

Nugua sprang forward. She wrapped her entire body around Lu Na in an instant and squeezed.

It wasn’t a tight squeeze, but Lu Na could feel her insides start pushing inward.

“Two reasons. One, she bonded me with her dear daughter. If she doesn't give me what I want, I’ll devour you myself.” Nugua was so close now the smell of blood was overpowering. “The other reason is because she gave me enough spirit energy that I could form my kingdom in the Spirit Realm without her. I’m not a fool. I already got paid in full. Your father would appreciate that.”

Lu Na nodded. She couldn’t breathe.

Nugua released her. She patted Lu Na on the head as she coughed.

“Don’t worry child, you’ll be fine as long as you listen to me. And you should be so lucky that I’m such an experienced spirit. Normally, when you get pulled in by a spirit like this, you only get incoherent messages from them. Unless, of course, you’re bonded with something as strong as the Bifang Niao. So go back out there to your new sifu and learn as much as you can. Maybe you’ll even be a decent summoner.”

Lu Na was thrown out of her spirit realm. When she woke up, she was still coughing.

“Are you okay?” Hen Li asked.

Lu Na drank some water, hoping it would calm her. Her whole body was still shaking.

“Sorry I didn’t warn you. Normally, most beginners only get a small introduction to their spirit and they come right back out. I hope she told you what you needed to know about your bond.”

Lu Na nodded, rubbing her own chest. Nugua surely told her what she needed to know. She couldn’t tell anyone about her mother being such a monster but more importantly, she remembered what her mother told her: not to trust Nugua.

Yet that was a hard thing to do. How could she not trust the very spirit that lived within her? Did she have to seal her away like what Hen Li did?

Without Nugua, Lu Na was powerless. Her wards were strong, but limited. She needed Nugua to help direct and shape her wards. She would work with Nugua for now until she found her mother. Then maybe her mother could help her.