Lu Na spent most of the day practicing the omni-breathing technique as Sun Ren recuperated. She kept trying to push her held breath into her spirit realm over and over, but nothing was happening. The only advice Nugua and Hen Li gave her was that she had to feel her spirit realm first. It’s what you can do once you manifest the spirit.

Now that concept was harder than the breathing. She couldn’t feel her spirit realm. It was like asking someone to feel their heart. No one can actively feel their heart unless they thrust their hands into their chest to grab it.

And the worst part was, she wasn’t sure how she would even push the air from her lungs into this spirit realm once she felt it. These concepts were too hard to understand.

After a certain time attempting it, she switched to thinking about the monkey king’s technique. There was something very ephemeral about it. As if it could turn into anything it wants. How did the monkey king do that? Was it from practicing the Scroll of Immortality? Or was it a technique the monkey king himself had?

Lu Na took out her spirit wand. It was an improved version of the simple ones Uncle Chen sold. She changed it so that it only gathered the same amount of spirit energy every time she used it. One reason the wards exploded the first time around was because the spirit wand would get more than she intended. It was too much for the wards to handle.

Next Lu Na took out her diagnostic invention. This one she had been thinking about for a long time. What if she had a device that told you what a technique did? Of course, it would only be useful if a spirit’s technique wasn’t trying to kill her.

She gathered a bit of water spirit energy from the air and pushed it into the diagnostic invention. Then attached the diagnostic to the monkey king’s scroll.

It began glowing black and then became many colors all at once, never staying the same. This was going to be difficult. It reminded her of the mountain again, but at least she clearly saw the different spirit energies that maintained the technique. All she saw in the scroll was as if someone were adding in different colors to a barrel of water and mixing it constantly.

Lu Na put the diagnostic invention down and let it continue to read the scroll. Maybe it just needs time.

Meanwhile, she checked Sun Ren’s forehead. Her fever was gone, but her lips were parched.

“Sun Ren, drink this.” Lu Na tipped a small water skin toward her mouth. Sun Ren didn’t respond as the water dribbled along her cheeks.

Maybe that should be a new invention she makes. A way to get water into someone regardless if they were awake or not. Better yet, why not add food in there? That way they can keep the unconscious alive and fight whatever injuries they have.

But since she didn’t have that, Lu Na took a clean cloth and dipped it in water. She opened Sun Ren’s mouth and made her suck on the cloth.

Food she couldn’t do or else she’d choke. Hopefully Sun Ren would wake up sooner rather than later now that her fever was gone.

“Amituofo, I think we have a problem,” Hen Li called from outside.

“Are the bandits back?” Lu Na asked.

“No, worse. It’s some government procession that is coming this way. Your earth dome will block their way.”

“They can’t be that big, can they?” Lu Na peeked out of her dome and saw a wide carriage being pulled by eight horses. Soldiers lined up beside the wagon, armed with spears. They all wore serious military gear as if they were prepared to fight a war. “I can release the dome, but you’ll have to help me move Sun Ren.”

“That is fine as long as you can lift her onto my back. While I am not a fully ordained monk yet, touching the opposite sex is still against my belief,” Hen Li said.

Lu Na made a note of that. If she ever wanted to push Hen Li away, all she had to do was reach out with her hands. It reminded her of the silly games that her younger brothers would play with her because she was a girl.

Lu Na deactivated the ward before putting it away into her chest pocket. She then lifted Sun Ren onto Hen Li’s back. She hated to admit it, but that took a lot more effort than she thought.

Sun Ren was oddly very muscled. It was another thing she reminded herself that she needed to practice. It wasn’t enough to have summoner arts. Without a physical body like her or Hen Li, she would be in big trouble if someone attacked her body. She can’t always use earth wall wards.

The trio moved further in toward the trees off the road. Hen Li, with the help of Lu Na, had Sun Ren lean against a tree. Hopefully, moving her didn’t make her injuries worse.

It took a while before the procession finally reached their location. When they got close, Lu Na saw the horses weren’t normal horses but horse spirits. She didn’t notice from a distance because they also wore armor like the soldiers. Up close, she saw them in different colors.

“That is an extravagant display,” Lu Na said.

“Amituofo.” Hen Li pushed his hands together and bowed toward the passing procession. “Some rich and powerful people use spirits to pull their wagons because they’re tireless so long as the summoners have spirit energy. It’s such a monumental waste of resources as the summoners would have to ingest many spirit essence pills. Not even summoner sects would do such a thing.”

Lu Na wondered who would employ these summoners to pull their carriage.

The procession stopped. The soldiers moved from around the wagon and surrounded the trio.

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“Can I help you?” Lu Na curtsied as deep as she could.

The carriage partition opened and a skinny man walked down. There was another man inside that wore blue and green silks that didn’t leave the carriage.

The skinny man wore an imperial robe that had a silk patch with a bird embroidered on the front. He had a slight hunch in his back.

“Good day,” the skinny man said. “My superior wants to know if you three had anything to do with the litter of bodies all across the field.”

Lu Na curtsied again and smiled as sweetly as she could. It felt like facing the Wintersweet Ancestor again.

“Begging your pardon, but I am not sure what you are talking about. We are weary travelers who had the misfortune of one of our companions being sick.”

“You are a bad liar, girl,” the skinny man said. “My men found a field of bodies and only you three were in the vicinity. Did you have anything to do with that?

“Amituofo, let me answer you.” Hen Li approached the skinny man and all the soldiers tensed. They pointed their spears at Hen Li, stopping him.

Hen Li pressed his palms together and bowed.

“We are indeed three travelers and one of our companions is sick. However, we were attacked by the bandits and had to defend ourselves. While we made sure to not kill them, they came back with more men and attacked us at night.”

The skinny man looked Hen Li up and down for a moment.

“Well, at least you’re not a liar like the girl, even though you are clearly not a monk.”

“Amituofo. While I have not been fully ordained, I follow the path of a monk until my sifu has deemed me worthy,” Hen Li said.

“Do you two know the punishment for murder?” the skinny man asked.

Lu Na froze. That was the last thing she needed. She already pictured herself in a jail like the one Hen Li stayed in Jianye. She wouldn’t survive there. She looked toward Sun Ren. Maybe her status as the Marquis’ daughter might save her.

“Amituofo, let the sins pass. We didn’t mean to kill them. We had no choice, as they had us surrounded. They were going to kill us.”

“We cannot allow murderers, especially powerful summoners, to walk freely.”

The soldiers all took one step forward with their spears pressing in on Hen Li.

“That’s enough Xun Zheng,” the man inside the carriage called. “They explained their reasoning and there’s no reason for them to attack the large group of people. We don’t have time to deal with them right now. The rebels are at the labyrinth.”

Xun Zheng cupped his hand and bowed toward the man in the carriage.

“Yes, right away. Soldiers, let’s continue on our way.”

Xun Zheng got back into the carriage and the soldiers resumed their previous position alongside it. They continued on their way without saying another word to the trio.

Lu Na collapsed beside Sun Ren.

“That was dangerous.”

“I agree.” Hen Li sat down as well. He wiped the sweat off his head.

“Knowing Sun Ren, she would have tried to take them. I could already see her ready to throw her daggers.” Lu Na laughed.

“No, I was ready to show them my father’s badge,” Sun Ren said.

“Sun Ren! You’re awake.” Lu Na grabbed a water skin and passed it to her. “You need to drink. Do you want any food?”

Sun Ren grabbed the water skin and drained it. She grimaced when she stood up. She stretched.

“How long was I asleep?”

“A day or so? But how are you?”

Sun Ren smiled.

“Good as new. But I can’t do much for a few days. So if we run into another group of bandits, we might have to run instead.”

“Wait, that was an option?” Lu Na asked.

“Amituofo, running is always an option,” Hen Li said.

“Not from those bandits. They were a danger not only to us but to all the travelers on this road.” Sun Ren sheathed all the daggers in the bag. “It would be unethical to leave them free to do as they please.”

Lu Na only nodded, but she didn’t agree with Sun Ren. Her friend was a very upright person, but not at the cost of their lives. But if she wasn’t that kind of person, she wouldn’t have helped her with the Wintersweet Sect.

“Let’s get going,” Sun Ren said. “I don’t want to spend another night sleeping on this hard ground.”

“Are you sure you can move?” Lu Na said.

Sun Ren stooped and touched her toes. She then bent side to side and twisted her torso.

“I think I’m fine for a little walking. And if we try to follow those guys, then we might be safer. Besides, I’m sure both of you heard the guy in the carriage mentioning the labyrinth. He’s headed the same way.”

“Amituofo, that is a safer idea than traveling on our own,” Hen Li said. “I wouldn’t want to face any more bandits if possible. The sight of those bodies gave me very bad memories. Please let the sins pass.”

“Fine. Let’s go.” Lu Na gave Sun Ren her staff and carried her packs. “Why do you think they’re going to the labyrinth?”

“I’m not sure. It’s not really a secret, especially among the imperial administration, that there’s a treasure in that labyrinth left by the Xia dynasty. It’s just that in two thousand years, there has been no one able to discover what’s inside.” Sun Ren walked with a slight limp.

“Maybe someone discovered a way? Then maybe my mother has something to do with it?” Lu Na said.

“Your mother? This is the first time hearing this,” Hen Li said.

“Oh, I guess Sun Ren and I didn’t tell you of the secret I discovered. My mother is alive and has been inside the labyrinth for the last few years.”

“How has she survived for so long without food and water?” Hen Li asked. The two ladies stared at Hen Li. “What? I was told all about the labyrinth from the Wintersweet elders. One of the original ancestors of our sect tried to find out its secret. He was never heard from again.”

“I don’t know how she’s survived for so long,” Lu Na said. “It’s one reason we’re headed to the labyrinth now. She told me through a spirit message to help free her. That’s what the silver phoenix hairpin is, a key to something within the labyrinth.”

“Are you sure it was your mother and not the trap of some other group?” Hen Li asked. “I have heard of some summoners powerful enough to recreate entire memories that can fool someone.”

“I’m not sure,” Lu Na said. “But I can tell you that the hairpin she gave me was the one that delivered the message and the same one that saved both me and my brother from death. I owe it this much to check. But if you’re afraid it’s a trap, you don’t have to come with me.”

Sun Ren wrapped her arm around Lu Na’s.

“You aren’t getting rid of me that easily. I’m going with you to see this through to the end. And who knows, maybe with your luck we can discover something that can help my Sun family.”

“Amituofo, I wouldn’t go back on my word. I said I’d go with you to resolve this, then I will,” Hen Li said.

“Thank you both,” Lu Na said. But honestly, she wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. If what they said was true that once you went in, you can’t come back out, then wouldn’t that mean killing herself?