The next day I walk alongside the wagon again, enjoying the feeling of the sun on my face. Shia rests, still wrapped around my body and hidden by my robes.

The majority of my excitement about the travelling has passed, but I still stop every once in a while to observe a particularly interesting animal or plant.

Overall, I still enjoy the simple pleasure of walking with the sun shining on my face.

The trees don’t cover the road, in spite of them being right next to it. I’m sure some famous cultivator or another created the road this way for some profound reason, but I enjoy it simply for the fact that it lets the sun through.

Occasionally, I feel the attention of something powerful from the side of the road. Shia always stirs when I feel it, then she falls asleep again after confirming there is no danger.

I hadn’t realized how lazy snakes were. But it seems she likes to sleep most of the day away.

Not that I mind. Her presence on my body is comforting in a strange way. It’s hard to describe the sensation of her scales against my skin.

On the third day of our traveling, we start to leave the forest behind, the landscape turning into farmland. The mortals watch us curiously as we walk by, some with excitement, others with weariness.

Shia curls down my arm, resting her head against the back of my hand so that she can see the scenery around us.

“We’ve left the forest.” I say, walking far enough away from the caravan that no one can hear me. “What are your plans now?”

“I cannot roam this world on my own.” Shia says. “I am tied to your side until I can pass through human lands without worry.”

“I understand, I’ll be happy to have you until those times come.” I respond, surprisingly happy that she won’t be leaving me. Having her with me is comforting.

The caravan slows to a stop, and I look towards the front to see Tai Qiu looking around wearily.

Shia stirs underneath my robes, her head lifting and her tongue tasting the air. Suddenly her qi erupts out of her, forming a shield made of green scales in front of the both of us.

Qi strikes down from the sky, slicing through the wagon I’m walking next to and cracking the shield Shia created.

Men wearing strange clothing burst out of the fields around us, rushing towards the caravan.

Shia squeezes my arm, breaking me out of my reverie as a large man rushes towards me with an equally large sword. It’s size and shape is unfamiliar to me, but I easily enter a stance from the Roars of The Ruinous Dragon.

As his sword comes crashing down at me with speed bellying it’s size, I step out of the way, drawing my sword in one fluent motion to slice through his neck.

My eyes are drawn to the blood as it spurts out of his neck onto my robes.

I quickly bring my attention back to my surroundings, hurriedly dodging out of the way of arrows coated in a black fire.

Scanning the battlefield, I realize something very quickly.

We’re outnumbered. Tai Qiu is busy fighting multiple swordsmen on her own, and many of the masters and disciples were killed from the initial ambush. The strongest warrior she fights is at the level of Early Core Formation, and he is flanked by at least five men in Late Foundation Establishment. She won’t win on her own.

I take a step towards Tai Qiu, only to be blocked by another man in black. I step away from his initial strike, immediately noticing the difference in cultivation as his movements seem nearly twice as fast as mine. Early Foundation Establishment.

“You need to run.” Shia says.

I ignore her, my eyes focusing on the swordsman in front of me. His strikes carry weight and killing intent behind them, but he lacks the techniques of a true warrior of the battlefield.

I feint in and he confidently matches my feint. My sword twists around his, guiding it away from me.

I cut through his stomach, using the opening I’d created.

Then I step back from his death swings. My eyes lock onto the guts spilling out of him, before I look back to Tai Qiu.

I can’t reach her.

“You must run.” Shia says again.

My eyes catch Tai Qiu’s, her brow stained with blood.

She wants me to run as well.

I turn, qi flowing through me as I activate the Movements of The SIlent Monster.

A man tries to stab at me as I run by him and I roll underneath his sword, immediately continuing my run as I finish the roll.

“Three of them are following you.” Shia says as I sprint back towards the forest.

I don’t say anything as I keep running.

“Duck!” Shia says, and I follow her order a second too late as I feel an impact on the back of my shoulder.

I curse as I stumble, then I start zigzagging. Occasionally dodging an arrow until I reach the treeline.

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As soon as I am hidden by the trees, I jump onto a branch, climbing the canopy and hoping my technique will completely hide my presence.

My breathing steadies as I watch the men cautiously walk below me. One at Early Foundation Establishment, the other two are in the eighth level of qi awakening.

They speak softly enough that I can’t hear them. Shia slithers out of my sleeve, her size growing as she travels along the trunk of the tree next to me. I notice that she looks slightly pale, an odd look for a snake to have. Still, she is so silent, that if I didn’t know she was there, I wouldn’t be able to find her.

When she’s positioned above the man in Foundation Establishment, she strikes, her fangs sinking into his neck.

As she does, I drop down on another man, my momentum pushing my sword through his chest.

The third man turns to us, raising his strange sword, and lets out a roar that forces me to step back, holding my ears to block some of the sound.

The man charges at me, and I step back dodging his initial strike before cutting his sword arm off, then stabbing him.

A bloodcurdling scream leaves his throat, silencing the forest.

I step back, caught off guard by the sound.

Shia slithers up to me, entering my robes through my sleeve. “We must leave, the sounds he made will attract others.”

I nod, running deeper into the forest, keeping my technique activated.

“They are collapsing on us from every direction.” Shia says. “There are too many of them.”

I frown, until my gaze stops on something.

A portal.

This one isn’t surrounded by chains, instead, two men wearing the same strange clothes of the men that attacked us stand guarding it. They are only at the second and third level of Qi Awakening. I don’t know why they left what are practically mortals to defend the portal, but I’ll take it.

I walk forward, blood dripping down my hand and onto my blade from the arrow still in my back.

I open my mouth and start singing.

The Third Requiem: Murder

The young woman I’d seen murder men countless times steps infront of the two guards, her appearance captivating them.

I walk towards them, their gazes completely caught by her.

I cut both of their throats.

My heart aches as I kill the two men who hadn’t even drawn their swords.

The young woman winks at me as I stop my song and she disappears.

I am disgusted with myself, and the killing I have done. But it doesn’t shock me as it once would have.

I’ve become desensitized to it.

My hand tightening around my sword, I step through the portal.

Ming Lai

I calmly pour Elder Li Mei Wu’s tea, not a drop wasted, before handing it to her.

She takes a sip of it as she reads a scroll. Her expression is as unreadable as always.

I turn away to pour myself some tea, when the sound of a cup shattering hurriedly makes me turn back to her.

Elder Li Mei Wu’s eyes are wide as she looks at a paper that hadn’t been there before, slowly unfurling itself onto the table.

Her eyes show the most expression I’ve ever seen her make. She pulls butterfly pins from her hair. She blows on them, and they flutter to life, flying away to deliver messages.

Then she stands, hurriedly leaving the room.

I glance down at the paper only to see one word written on it.

Ambush

Just the one word. Who sent the paper? The recent caravan to Tong Xun comes to mind, but they shouldn’t even have left the border of our territory yet. Plus they have an Elder with them.

Worry fills me before I hurriedly stomp it down.

I leave the room, following Elder Li Mei Wu. A blade of ice forms underneath my feet, flying me to her.

She stands in a clearing, the other Elders and masters slowly appearing.

Eventually, the Matriarch arrives. Her gaze landing on me briefly, before turning back to Elder Li Mei Wu.

“Why have you called an emergency meeting?” The Matriarch asks, her voice soft.

“Elder Tai Qiu and those with her have been ambushed by unknown forces.”

I freeze as my thoughts go to Jia Lin.

She must be fine, right? She’s so young, too young.

I didn’t say goodbye.

It doesn’t matter. She must be fine.

Ice forms on my fingertips, and I calm my qi. A calm heart, that is what I should have.

The Matriarch’s voice is cold, without any of her usual warmth. “Gather the Master Warriors. Have Chao Wan immediately gather together his finest men to search where they were last seen.”

More ice starts to form, beginning to create a blade. Again, I calm my heart before stepping forward.

I bow to the matriarch. “Matriarch, please allow me to accompany the search party.” I hear the slight emotion in my voice, but choose to ignore it.

The Matriarch watches me silently.

Making this request directly to the Matriarch is out of line. Still, if there’s a chance… I have to find her. I have to make sure she’s alive.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here. We don’t know what kind of danger awaits us, and I don’t want to risk a Core Disciple.”

I bow again, turning away and leaving the room. Ice cracks in my hands as they clench into fists.

I can’t trust them to make sure she is alive, they’ll move too slowly and cautiously. By the time they move, she will be… I have to find her myself.

Thankfully, I know someone who is surprisingly good at tracking people down.

My steps take me to the rooms of the inner disciples. The cold radiating from me prevents anyone from approaching as I slam on the door of Jing Xia’s room.

She groggily opens the door, looking at me with surprise.

She smiles cheekily. “So you finally have some time for your friends.”

Her smile disappears as she notices the ice forming on my hands.

“The caravan to Tong Xun- it was ambushed.” I say, my voice catching slightly.

Her expression turns serious as she stands up straight. “Let me grab my things.”

I nod as she closes the door.

I stare at the door as I wait.

I should’ve said goodbye.