We walk down the road to the town, and the closer we get, the more I can feel the tense energy in the air. Farmers avoid our gaze, and the carts making their way to the city rush past us as fast as their horses can pull them.

Another farmer turns around in his field as he catches sight of us, walking in the opposite direction.

Lai Ming doesn’t seem to notice the strange occurrence, but a glance at Xia Jing shows that she’d noticed the scared farmer as well.

As we get closer to the city, I’m able to make out cultivators and armed mortals watching the road from the walls of the city. Two cultivators in Early Foundation Establishment stand at the gates, and one of them holds their hand up, stopping us a few paces down the road.

“Declare yourselves.” The man states simply, his eyes narrowing on us.

Lai Ming steps forward, “We are three disciples of the Flowing River Sect.”

“What are three disciples of the Flowing River Sect doing so far from your lands?” The cultivator asks.

Lai Ming looks around, the city her eyes lost in thought. “This is Yang City, isn’t it? I thought we had a Master here.”

The cultivator shakes his head. “Your news is out of date. The master was pulled back to your sect several months ago.” He pauses, giving us a look. “You can enter, but I recommend you leave before the gates close. Armies are marching, and The Flowing River Sect’s neutrality won’t protect you here.”

He motions with his hand towards the guards on the wall, and their tension releases.

Lai Ming leads us into the city. The streets are nearly empty, with only the occasional mortal making their way past us.

She leads us through the city, eventually turning towards a lightly lit building with a single red lantern hanging over its door. As we pass through the door’s frame, I see a small crow carved into the wood.

Scantily clad women greet us as we enter the building, and I rub my arms, mildly uncomfortable with the atmosphere.

“A courtesan house?” Xia Jing whispers to Lai Ming.

Lai Ming hides a smile, before walking over to one of the women, and bowing her head slightly. “Is the mistress of the house in?”

The woman, clothed in silk, smiles and motions for us to follow her. We’re led to a familiar room, almost exactly like the one I’d visited with Lu Kun and Sun during our trip to the Immortal Garden where we’d met Shia’s sister.

The woman bows, then leaves the room.

Xia Jing shifts uncomfortably. “What are we doing here?”

“Don’t you want a break from our travels?” Lai Ming asks, and I realize that she’s messing with our sister disciple.

Xia Jing’s eyes narrow, catching on as well.

A young woman enters the room, her steps seeming to flow over the ground as she walks. Tiger-orange eyes watch us from behind a veiled face, and the spirit of the room is filled with enticing roses. Her qi is only in the sixth realm of qi awakening, but I still get a sense of danger from her.

Lai Ming bows her head. And the both of us follow suit.

“I’m afraid that the mistress is out, but I am here as her representative.” Something about her voice attracts my attention, and I focus on her, but I can’t see anything past her veil. I’ve never known anyone with eyes that shade of orange either. Her eyes meet mine, and crease into a smile, before returning to the other girls.

“We need safe passage to the lands of The Flowing River Sect.” Lai Ming says.

The young woman pauses, “That is complicated. No path is safe with armies and demons running wild across the planes. Even the oceans are dangerous without imperial ships patrolling.” Her eyes meet mine. “Stay tonight, and I will see if I can find you passage upriver.”

“Stay here?” Lai Ming asks, her voice rising a notch. “I mean-”

The young woman lets out a small laugh, “I understand your hesitation, but there is no safer place in the city. Once you’re far enough upriver, you’ll enter territory controlled by Princess Shi Da.” Her eyes flicker to me before returning to the other girls, “Her people will not harm you.”

Lai MIng thinks for a moment, then bows her head, “Thank you for your kindness.”

“Of course.” She knocks on the wall behind her, and another courtesan enters the room. The courtesan bows low, and motions for us to follow her.

Xia Jing waits until we’re out of earshot of the woman, then asks softly. “Who is she?”

“A member of The Watchful Crows.” Lai Ming says, “They often have members in places like this.”

“Have you been to this city before?” I ask.

She nods, “Elder Wu took me here a couple years ago. We’re some distance away from the sect, but closer than I’d feared we might be.”

The courtesan leads us to a large room with four beds on the second floor. She bows and leaves us alone.

Lai Ming drops into one of the beds, letting out an exhausted exhale. Xia Jing sits on the edge of a different bed, her face unreadable as she looks into the distance.

I look at the both of them, then sit down on a third bed. “I think it’s time you tell us what happened.”

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My words cause Lai Ming to freeze. She sits up and looks at me, then meets Xia Jing’s eyes as well. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You killed three other disciples.” I say. “I need to know why.”

Lai Ming’s expression darkens. “It’s complicated.”

“Exactly why we have to know.” I look at Xia Jing, who nods in agreement. “How do you know that Elder Fu is going to betray the sect?”

Lai Ming looks at the floor. “I wasn’t planning on killing them.” The words are quiet, but they echo through the room with a sadness that breaks my heart.

I move over to her and sit next to her. My hand gently rests against her back, and she leans into the touch. Xia Jing moves to the other side.

“I know, we both do.” I say.

She’s silent for a long moment, then the words come out slowly, “I was following Disciple Gao in my outer sect robes.” Her hands clench tight against the sheets, a light frost covering the cloth. “He gave a message to a merchant. I suspected something was wrong, so I swiped the paper from the merchant. It had detailed movements of our elders listed on it. I should’ve stopped there and given it to Elder Wu.” She takes a deep breath, then lets it out. “I don’t know when he realized I was following him. He led me into that forest where the other two disciples were waiting. He thought I was just an outer disciple in over her head, so he told me things as he promised me death.”

She closes her eyes.

“That’s how I know. Elder Fu and Elder Song have betrayed the matriarch and the sect.”

“That’s not enough proof.” I say.

Lai Ming opens her eyes and nods, “No, it isn’t. But we can’t sit back and let it happen.”

“We’re with you every step.” Xia Jing says,

***

I roll my flute in my hands, alone in the room. Xia Jing and Lai Ming had left to find us some food, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The Twelve Requiems Of Illusions opens in front of me, and I stare at the name of the eleventh requiem.

The Eleventh Requiem: Annihilation

The very word radiates a feeling of danger, as if the world were about to collapse around me at any moment.

I close the book, and place it into my storage ring. I’m not ready. Not yet.

I get up and stretch my body, enjoying the simple movements as I ready myself to dance.

Softly singing, I raise my hand and widen my stance.

First Song: Dance Of The Brook

The moves flow easily from me, already ingrained into my very spirit. A step here, a twirl there, all in preparation for the moves of the martial art.

A soft knock on the door catches my attention.

I finish a move, and stop. “Come in.”

The door opens revealing a familiar young man who smiles cheekily. “Sorry to disturb ya.”

“Sun?” I study the young man, who’d grown since I’d last seen him, a small scar on his left cheek. “You’ve gotten taller.”

“The one and only.” He looks me over with a twinkle in his eye. “You’re still short.”

I narrow my eyes at him, considering if I should reach for my sword.

“Can I come in? I won’t stay long.” He asks.

I sigh and sit on the edge of my bed. “Come in.”

He steps inside, closing the door behind him. He looks around the room, and I hear him mutter something to himself before he turns to me. “I heard you’ve been gone a while, there are a few things you should know.”

I tilt my head, and he sits down on the bed across from me.

“Right, big news first. Most of the imperial princes are dead in the wake of the Emperor’s passing. There are two large forces still at play. Second Prince Shi Han controls the forces to the south with several sects supporting him while Princess Shi Da controls the forces to the north. She has declared herself Empress with the support of your father and The Heavenly Truth Sect.”

“The second prince?” I ask softly.

Sun nods. “I’d heard that you had some history with him.”

“In some ways I would not be where I am today without his evil.” I say softly. “But I would happily see him dead.”

Sun looks at me curiously. “That’s unlike you.”

I meet his eyes. “I’m accepting who I am.”

“You’re not someone who takes joy from death.”

“You don’t know the evils that man has done, the whispers that follow him to the lowest of servants.” I glare at him, daring him to challenge me.

“I know what kind of evil follows that man.” Sun says, and something in his gaze warns me that he speaks truth. “And death could not find him sooner. But you know better than anyone that there is no joy to be found in killing, only a perverse thing that twists you ever further away from being human.”

I purse my lips, “Since when did you become so wise?”

“You can guess that this is not the only life I’ve lived.” His eyes flash, first turning red, the spirit of the room taking on a sharp danger, before turning green, the spirit becoming soft and healing. His eyes continue to shift, his spirit transforming with them; blue, purple, grey, tiger-orange, and gold, before finally turning back to their normal brown. He pauses, then his eyes turn red, the spirit sharpening into danger.

“In this life, Xi Leng took the lives of a thousand men, women and children, never questioning the orders of his master until it was too late. But by then, he was no longer human, and instead a demon like the one that infests Ai.” His eyes shift back. “I’ve had to wrestle with the regret and terrible grief that comes with such a life, Jiajia. I can only hope you never find joy in killing, because it would be a terrible loss if you did.”

I turn away from him, glaring at the floor. “I’ll still put my sword through his throat.”

“As you should.” He says with a snort. “He’s a disgusting bastard that deserves death a thousand times over.” He stands up with a practiced grace. “Before I forget, Lu Kun sends his greetings and well wishes to you and your sister disciple. Last I heard, he was fighting with his sect a few villages north of here.”

“Thank you Sun, I’ll tell Sister Jing. If you see him, please say hi to him for me.” I say.

“I will.” Sun steps to the door, his hand pausing on the handle. “You are one of the strongest women I know. You will find a path for peace with yourself that does not involve a fall to the depths of the abyss.”

He steps outside, leaving me alone in the room.

I stare at the door for a long time, then I pull out the book of requiems from my inventory.

It opens to the page of the newest requiem.

The Eleventh Requiem: Annihilation

I pull my flute out of my robes, my fingers tracing the wood as I hesitate.

Pushing my fear aside, I place the flute to my lips.