Lu Na and Sun Ren both got up. Sun Ren stood in front along with Nugua. Lu Na leaned against the wall a little longer. If she was going to die, she would not die tired.

Hen Li had risen to his feet, holding himself up with his staff. His monk’s tunic was torn in many places and there were a few gashes on his arms. He chanted the heart sutra again.

Lu Na joined him. She needed the calm now more than anything else.

Nugua slithered forward with both hands raised. Her long, razor claws were gone and her fingers looked like any normal maiden’s.

She could do that? This whole time, she showed off her claws like a feral beast and she could have put them away at any time? Was it to scare Lu Na? What about her fangs? Could she put those away too and look like a normal human?

Lu Na shook her head. These were not the questions or worries she should have now, faced off against two large spirits that could tear them all limb from limb. Nor should she ignore the loud thumping and shaking from the earth walls that Nugua had erected earlier. They were coming for them, too.

“Sun Ren, help me pull out my wards. I might have something strong enough to stop those spirits,” Lu Na said.

Sun Ren sheathed her sword.

“There’s no point. We’re trapped. If you put up another wall here, all it would do is suffocate us.”

“Greetings. We aren’t here to fight.” Nugua continued to slither slowly toward the two large spirits. They both looked like large boars. “We are trying to run away from the spirits out there. If you would be so kind as to let us through, we’ll leave you alone. Otherwise, I have a very muscular monk that can probably do a dance or something.”

Lu Na looked to Hen Li who was still reciting the heart sutra. She laughed when she thought about the monk doing a dance. Maybe he’d do one with his staff and do a little twirl.

“You speak, spirit,” a woman’s voice came from behind the spirits.

Nugua tilted her head.

“Of course I speak. All spirits speak.”

“Not the feral spirits in the labyrinth.”

A loud thud shook the earth wall right behind them. There were cracks running through the center.

“Nugua, the wall is about to come down. We either have to fight through them or die here,” Lu Na said.

“Oh child, there’s no fighting these two spirits. But I’m sure our host would be gracious enough to allow us through this tunnel to talk safely instead of watching as we get trampled by the feral beasts on the other side.” Nugua slithered forward, still keeping her hands up.

“Very well,” the woman’s voice called out.

The two large boar spirits turned and shuffled out of the tunnel, allowing the group to follow. They walked only a few steps before the earth wall collapsed and the feral beasts charged at the group.

“Keep running past my spirits,” the woman commanded.

The group shuffled as fast as they could until they squeezed through the two boar spirits. They were so large that Lu Na had to press herself hard against the tunnel to get through.

The two boar spirits didn’t turn to face the feral spirits. They had large tusks that could easily gore these spirits with ease, yet they didn’t move. Lu Na watched the large cat leap at the boar’s hindquarters. She flinched when she saw the boar kick backwards so hard that the cat flew back against the other two feral spirits.

“Keep going, Na Na.” Nugua picked up Lu Na by her arms and led her down the tunnel.

When they came out of the tunnel, the light here was brighter. There was no ceiling here. The sun was shining up in the sky, warming them. Lu Na didn’t realize how cold she felt just a few minutes ago in that dark tunnel.

“How is this possible?” Lu Na walked a short distance away to reach the edge of the labyrinth. She peered down and saw that they were easily hundreds of feet up above the ground. They must have been on the roof of the labyrinth. It seemed to stretch for many li in all directions.

“We’re not outside,” Sun Ren said. “I still can’t talk with Baihu. I can’t feel her. And the air here smells just like it did inside. This is not natural.”

The two large boar spirits calmly trotted out of the tunnel. A woman closed the tunnel behind them with a wave of her hand. Even without Lu Na’s spirit vision, she knew that the woman was using a technique. How was that possible?

The woman was dressed in a cross collared gown that was tight on her. Her narrow sleeves were frayed at the edges.

“Greetings, my name is Jie.” The woman clasped her hands onto her arms and bowed. “Might I know your names?”

All three of the humans cupped their hands.

“Sun Ren.”

“Lu Na.”

“Hen Li.”

Nugua slithered over to Jie and circled her a few times before sniffing her.

“You wear the Xia clothing, but there’s no way you’re one of them. Who are you?”

Jie smiled and bowed again toward Nugua.

“You are right. I’m one of the original architect’s descendants. I’m one of the few left from that time. I’m glad someone recognized my choice of clothing.”

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“If you call that clothing,” Nugua said as she slithered past Jie.

“Be polite. Nugua,” Lu Na said. She was used to her attitude, but other people wouldn’t be as forgiving.

“Oh Na Na, don’t worry about me. I’m as close to the oldest thing in this labyrinth that I can see. Someone who prizes the old ways like Jie wouldn’t mind me.” Nugua turned to smile at Lu Na with her wickedly sharp fangs.

Jie bowed toward Nugua.

“Of course you’re right, honored elder. Your clothing suggests that you were once revered as a goddess.”

Nugua reached down and jingled the beads that made up her clothing.

“These old things? I’ve had them since before the Xia dynasty even existed. And again, I am very pleased that at least someone appreciates me unlike some rich young miss.”

That stung. Lu Na appreciated Nugua, at least when she didn’t make her life harder than it needed to be.

“Anyway, lead us to your village,” Nugua said.

“Right away.” Jie moved past Nugua and led the group deeper into the labyrinth. The two large boar spirits followed behind.

When they reached the village, Lu Na stopped. The village was large and reached as far as the eye could see. There were cows and sheep grazing over the grass. Large boars spirits roamed freely over the grassland like large protectors. The far side closest to the labyrinth’s walls were packed earth huts. They lined up all the way down along the grassland.

“How is this possible? Aren’t we still inside the labyrinth?” Lu Na asked.

“We are,” Jie said. “My ancestors especially made this place. I’m certain you heard about how emperors used to bury servants with them when they died. So after this labyrinth was built, my ancestor built a few places throughout the labyrinth so that we could survive being buried alive in here.”

“Those must be the blue sections highlighted on the map,” Lu Na said.

“Oh, you discovered the map? That was also designed by my ancestor. He was ordered to create keys and maps of the place and have them appear outside the labyrinth so that people would come inside.”

“But people can’t leave. Wouldn’t that mean dooming them?”

“It’s so they can steal their resources and anything else they brought inside,” Sun Ren said. She had her hand on the hilt of her sword.

Jie smiled and raised up her own hands.

“You are very observant. That policy was banned after a few generations when we became self-sufficient. That and we also had a few of our own family members come in willingly with supplies.”

A large group of people approached them from the huts. They weren’t only people, but also spirits. Many of the people wore clothes different from Jie. Some of them wore more modern clothes that Lu Na recognized.

“But since you’re here, I’m sure we can work something out where we can both benefit,” Jie said. “Come with me to my hut and we can discuss.”

“Do you speak for everyone here?” Sun Ren asked.

Jie nodded.

“And you’ll guarantee our safety and we can leave whenever we want?”

“Of course. We’re a peaceful people. We want nothing to do with what’s going on outside of these walls.”

The group followed Jie to her hut. It was one of the smallest ones near the entrance they came in. It only had space enough for a small sleeping space and a hearth. There weren’t any tables or chairs.

Lu Na was dirty enough from the recent scuffles, but the last thing she wanted was to get more dirt on her clothes. She reached into her pack only to discover that she didn’t have her sleeping mat. Had she forgotten it back at the inn or did it fall out in the scuffle with Yang Deli?

Jie clapped her hands, and chairs rose from the ground around the hearth. There were enough seats for everyone except Nugua. The spirit slithered around the room, exploring on her own.

Lu Na inspected the seat. It was made of wood, polished and varnished as if by some artisan. There were even some small figurines carved on the back of the chair. She touched the chair and noticed that it was a little warm. Even without her spirit vision, she could tell that this was made with spirit energy. And the most inspiring part was that it was made completely out of spirit energy unlike her inventions.

Her earth walls simply used spirit energy to shape the dirt in the ground into a wall. They made nothing new. Yet these chairs were a marvel.

Lu Na tried to lift the chair and found it too heavy to move.

“Na Na, what are you doing? You’re being rude to our guest,” Sun Ren said.

Lu Na smiled sheepishly before sitting down on the chair.

“Sorry, I was just admiring the chair. How did you make it?”

“Oh, I’m not sure, but maybe one of our elders could explain it.” Jie was smiling. She brought three cups of tea and passed it to each of them. “We have quite a bit that we can exchange. We hadn’t had many people entering the labyrinth for quite a few years, until recently.”

Lu Na took the cup and it felt warm. She looked around to see the pot or any fire, but the hearth was cold and dead.

“How are you doing this? The tea is warm, but where are you getting it? You are a strong summoner or an inventor. I don’t think I could ever make something like this.”

“I guess we can get right to the exchange then,” Jie said. “I’ll tell you what I know if you show me how you created those walls back in the tunnel.”

“My inventions are nothing compared to what you can already do. It’s just using spirit energy to shape the area around it and—”

“Wait, Na Na,” Sun Ren said. “We can’t give away your secrets without knowing what they have and whether it’s useful to us.”

“But Sun Ren, the techniques they’re using here are way more advanced than anything I can do. I doubt they’ll care much for my simple tricks,” Lu Na said. She really wanted to know how any of the techniques she’s seen from Jie works. If she could get even half of it, she could solve a lot of issues.

“Amituofo. Sun Ren is right,” Hen Li said. “While I believe in charity for others, I think we need to focus on our mission here above all else.”

“Oh, a Buddhist monk? We could use someone like you,” Jie said. “But I understand your hesitation. I’m sure the myth is that there is no way to get out once you get in.”

“Wait, is there a way out?” Lu Na asked.

“There is, but it requires defeating the labyrinth. And let me tell you, there has been no one in this labyrinth’s history that has solved it. Not even my ancestors who helped build this know the answer.”

“Then why tell us this?”

“It’s because you three have done something that no other human has done in the last few centuries. You have figured out how to find our little village within the labyrinth. So it must mean you three are exceptionally smart and we could use your talents here.”

“Are you inviting us to live here?” Lu Na asked.

“Of course. It would be a shame to watch you die and become a ghost among the others in the labyrinth.” Jie leaned back in her chair and sipped her tea.

“And if we refuse?” Sun Ren asked.

“Then I must insist.” Jie made a clicking noise with her mouth and the chairs they sat on glowed green.

Thick branches sprouted from the chairs, wrapping the three of them. Sun Ren tried to struggle against it, but thinner branches tied her down against the chair. Hen Li didn’t struggle and only chanted the heart sutra.

Lu Na was amazed by what she was seeing. It was another technique that she couldn’t see properly. If only she still had Nugua’s help, maybe she could make something like this.

Of course, the amazement only lasted seconds as the branches squeezed tighter and made it harder for her to breathe.

Jie sipped her tea, making a very loud slurping sound. It was the only sound Lu Na could focus on as her body was being crushed.

“How do you three feel like joining us now?” Jie asked.