“My disciple tells me of the plight of your sister disciples.” Li Yuze says. A serving woman comes by, setting a mug in front of him. “What did Old Xiang ask for?”

I let out a long sigh, my body deflating as the day finally catches up with me. For a moment, I consider not answering his question. He is someone I barely know after all.

My eyes flicker to Li Mingze, then I give Li Yuze my full attention.

“She wants to know where the portals in my realm lead.” I answer.

Li Yuze sits back in his chair, his hand stroking his chin as he thinks. “That could be… dangerous. Can you get that information to her?”

I shake my head.

“That is for the best, young one. You don’t know the value such information holds. So then, what are you to do?”

I look down at my hands, wondering the same question.

What am I going to do?

I could try to make up the information, but I know so little about the realms that exist beyond my own. Still, it might be my only option.

“I may have a solution for you.” Li Yuze says.

I look up at him.

He reaches down to open the case of his instrument, then plucks a single string. The note rings out and the sound of the inn disappears, the world itself becoming blurry. All that I can see is the two of us and the table between us.

“Your sister disciples are not the only ones held in the depths of the Fourth Sect.” Li Yuze leans forward, his eyes holding mine. “I can help you, if you help me.”

I reach over to the red fox mask I’d set on the table. I hold it up, looking over the simple wooden mask.

I turn it over and place it over my face.

“How can I help you?” I ask.

Li Yuze smiles. “I will give you false information to give Old Xiang.” He reaches into his robes, and pulls out a wooden talisman. “All I need you to do is place this inside the boundaries of their formation.”

I reach over and grab the talisman from him. Symbols I don’t recognize run down it, imbued with qi and spirit.

“Get out of there as soon as you can, you won’t have long.” He says, drawing my attention back to him. “Once that talisman is placed, things will be set in motion that no mortal or cultivator can stop.”

I turn it over, then place it inside my robes.

I sit up straight and look into his eyes, judging the man before me. “You plan to kill them, don’t you?” I ask.

He doesn’t look away from my gaze. “Many of them will die. Such is the way of life. But that is not my goal. My goal is to save those they keep tortured and half-alive in the darkest depths of their dungeons.” His eyes narrow as a brief hint of anger appears, “But do not act a stranger to death. It is twisted into the very essence of your spirit, as it was in my Master’s. You have no right to be casting judgement on me.”

I hold his gaze for a long moment before looking away. “I’ll leave tomorrow. Can you have the portal locations for me by then?”

“Of course.”

With those words, the sound returns to the room and the chair across from me sits empty.

Li Mingze’s music returns, but I find myself in no mood to listen.

My chair scoots back as I stand up.

I find a serving woman and request a room for the night. They refuse to charge me, which is good, because I’m not sure they accept the money I have.

I’m led up to a decent sized room on the second floor, around the same size as the room I’d had as an Inner Disciple.

I collapse face first onto the bed, the firm mattress giving slightly under my weight.

I let out a long groan before turning over to look at the wooden ceiling.

I breathe in and out, calming my mind. I softly hum the Third Song: Tranquil Lake. The world around me slows, as every thought becomes a drop sending soft ripples through my mind.

One day away from my sect and I’m already creating enemies with another powerful sect.

There’s still so many questions on my mind, like why did Lai Ming kill those disciples? Did the Elders really betray the sect?

Is my father okay? The war was just beginning to escalate back home, but that’s so far away now.

I wish I could talk to Qiu Tai. She would be able to help me here, show me the things I’m missing. I feel foolish for so easily trusting Li Yuze, but I find myself with no other options.

Shia slithers down my arm, her head wrapping around my hand.

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“What do you think?” I ask her.

“As soon as you have your sister disciples, you must leave this place.” Shia says. “Forces are at work far beyond your current power, and you are forced to move to the whims of ancient cultivators. This place is not yet for you.”

Something about her words gives me a strange sense of hope. Someday I’ll be able to catch up to them. Someday The High Inquisitor will have to listen to me because of my own power, and not my sect’s or my mother’s. I will not feel like a rat under the gaze of a snake with my every waking move.

***

I infuse qi into my voice again as I stand in the middle of the street. My mask is secured tight, and my hand rests on my sword without any tremor.

“Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect is ready to speak with High Inquisitor Xiang.” My words echo down the street, startling the mortals who are just beginning their days in the early morning light.

It doesn’t take long for the same cultivator I’d met last time to arrive on her flying sword. This time two other cultivators accompany her.

Again, she offers her hand for me to step on her sword, but I ignore it. I still haven’t forgiven her for sending her qi into my body like she did.

The sword takes off and we approach the imposing structures of the Fourth Sect.

I keep my gaze steady as we pass through the pillars and the strange qi barrier that washes over me.

Again, we approach the garden where the High Inquisitor calmly kneels in the dirt, weeding.

High Inquisitor Xiang stands up as we land. I force myself to meet her gaze as I step off the sword.

I give a small bow, “Core Disciple Lin Jia of the Flowing River Sect greets High Inquisitor Xiang.”

“Disciple Lin, do you have it?”

I nod my head, “I’ll need to see my sister disciples again, before I can give it to you.”

She narrows her eyes at me, and despite myself, I feel that hand of fear grasp my heart in its deadly grip. She keeps that stare on me for far too long, then nods and turns away.

I let out a breath, then follow her as she leads me into the dome. Again, qi passes over me. I can’t help but tense as they search me.

Nothing happens as we arrive at the same door I’d seen the girls in last time. The High Inquisitor opens the door for me, revealing the two girls. They stand up as I enter the room, and I can’t help the smile that appears at the sight of them.

I reach into my storage ring and pull out a scroll. I hold the scroll out to The High Inquisitor.

She accepts it, and it disappears into her robes. “You are free to go.” At her words, the strange bracelets crawling up the girl’s arms drop to the floor.

The High Inquisitor motions towards one of the men standing guard and he walks over. “My Acolyte will show you out. Do not attempt to stray from the path he leads you on.” With that said, she turns back down the path she’d come from.

I watch her go, then turn to the girls just in time for Xia Jing to crash into me with a hug.

I hug her back, then awkwardly push her away to look at the man the High Inquisitor had left us with.

He looks at us with a cold stare before turning around, and walking forward.

“He seems nice.” Lai Ming mutters, rubbing her arm where the faint imprint of the bracelet can still be seen. In a louder tone she yells out to the man. “You’re going to take us to our things first, right?”

He pauses, glancing back at us. Then he turns and walks down a different hallway. We follow him to a small room where familiar masks and many other items are separated onto different shelves.

Lai Ming and Xia Jing hurry over to their things.

I walk over to a shelf with an unfamiliar dagger and strange clothes on it. I lift the clothes up, “Who do these belong to?”

“Not your business. Don’t touch.” The Acolyte says with a glare.

I drop the clothes, and flinch at the slight clacking of wood. The Acolyte continues to keep his eyes on me, but doesn’t say anything.

I turn back to the girls. “Are you ready? Let’s get out of here.”

Xia Jing straps a sword to her waist that I’ve never seen before, but I don’t say anything. “I’m ready.”

Lai Ming nods in agreement.

We follow the Acolyte through a twisting set of hallways and corridors.

Eventually, an exit can be seen with two Foundation Establishment guards chatting idly next to it. They stand up straight as we approach.

Qi echoes faintly through the building and everyone stills.

Another pulse of qi echoes out, still faint but noticeable.

A third pulse, this one much stronger moves through the whole building.

The sound of shattering reaches my ears, and I feel as the qi in the whole building goes haywire.

The Acolyte turns to me, reaching towards a sword at his waist.

I don’t wait for him to pull it as I combine The First Song: Dance Of The Brook and an opening move from Whispers of The Silent Raven.

My sword slides from its sheath as I flow past The Acolyte.

His head hits the ground, his body following a moment later.

My sister disciples are already moving as explosions echo through the building. Strange qi signatures appear everywhere, and in the distance, I hear the beautiful music of Li Mingze.

The two cultivators reach for their weapons, moving towards us.

Lai Ming is already there, a sword of ice extending into the heart of one of the cultivators. The second cultivator dies a moment later as Xia Jing steps out of the rock wall behind him, her sword sticking out of his chest.

I sense as spirit and qi moves towards us. I reach into my robes and pull out my flute. “Get us out of here.” I tell Xia Jing as multiple cultivators run into the room.

I place my flute to my mouth, then play.

The Sixth Requiem: The Tomb

The notes are long, and their darkness engulfs the approaching cultivators, buying all the time we need as Xia Jing’s hand grabs my arm and we disappear into the earth.

The earth spits the three of us out inside the city.

Cultivators fall from the sky as mortals scream and run. Explosions of qi shatter buildings as the red light of High Inquisitor Xiang clashes with a green network of roots and life that is Li Yuze high in the sky. Despite the terrible power it holds, I am drawn into the notes of Li Yuze’s music as he plays his instrument to control his nearly overwhelming power.

The High Inquisitor is being pushed back.

But more powerful sources of qi are approaching, beyond even the both of them. Beyond anything I have yet sensed.

Lai Ming grabs my arm, dragging me through the city as I am entranced by the beautiful battle.

More cultivators battle in the streets, but we ignore them as we make our way out of the large city.

My breath catches as a familiar spirit echoes on the horizon. A spirit I know deep in the heart of me, one that I carry with me through all my journeys.

The same spirit that resides in my flute.

I search the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. I want to see her again.

I want to see my mother.