Elder Zhu shuffled through a lush garden. Slaves took long metal blades and trimmed the trees and bushes. Stone walkways snaked through the garden, branching off like a labyrinth. The garden was so large and perplexing newcomers would often get lost in its spiraling paths. The slaves bowed as Elder Zhu walked past. Their crimson robes drooped.

Nearly nobody, not even the slaves, knew all the paths in this garden. Only people like Elder Zhu, who had been alive for a hundred fifty years, could claim to know this garden. He usually strut through the garden like a king. But this time, his steps were inelegant and weary as if he walking to his execution. He wandered into dead ends and had to retrace his steps to get on the proper path.

He arrived at a humble straw hut in the middle of the garden. Despite the modest nature of the hut, it didn’t clash with the grandeur of the garden. 

An old woman with two pairs of long scissors snipped at a bush, shaping it into a lion. Her robes lacked the elegance of Elder’s clothes. She dressed in dulled crimson robes like the slaves. She had short hair, like one of a man’s, tough and stalwart. Her two ravenous dogs of scissors tore through the bush in a chaotic manner. The only thing holding them back was the old women’s skillful hands.

Unlike the slaves, she didn’t bow or greet the elder. She ignored him and started pruning the lion-shaped bush into an image of a dragon.

“This student greets you,” Elder Zhu bowed, his muscular body bending at the waist.

The old woman stopped trimming the bush. She examined it for a couple seconds before saying, ”Still not good enough.” The bush burst into flames. The elder glanced up to see the ashes fall to the ground.

“It’s nice to see you again, my Little Zhu,” she said.

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“May I asked what ancestor called me here for?” he said.

“You know why I called you here,” she stepped towards him, “raise your head. Don’t feign politeness in front of me.”

The elder stood up straight but avoided meeting her eyes.

“I’ll ask you then, why I did tell you to come?” she asked.

He gulped. “I failed to kill Xing Chen Wei, the Blue Fire Sect head.”

“I’m curious. How did you manage to fail to assassinate a mere a fifth stage cultivator?” Only people on their level could address fifth stage cultivators as mere. “I heard there were some… complications, but I’d rather hear them from you.”

The elder delivered a short summary of the events

The old woman nodded while he told his story. “Hm? The Will Of The World descended? Along with somebody who could control plants?”

“That’s right!” Elder Zhu said angrily, “I’m assembling a team to attack him right now! I’ve gotten information that he’s moved out of the Blue Fire Sect, out the Sapphire Fire’s protection. I’ve convinced two other elder’s to come help me, along with all my subordinates. We will crush this man!”

The rustle of leaves. A gust blew through a windless garden. “You foolish kid,” the old woman sighed, “even after all these years, you haven’t learned. How many elders did you ask to follow you?”

“...fifteen.”

“Why do you think only two agreed to follow you? What did the others say?” The elder had no response. She continued, “You’re thoughtlessly provoking a tiger. Who knows, he might turn out to be a dragon. Either way, you are not to continue your pursuit.”

“But-”

“No. I forbid you from assaulting him. Actually, you are to be punished for even thinking of starting such a stupid campaign. I will send you a letter of your punishment later. He has moved away, we no longer need to care about what he does. Losing Hui Ming to The Will Of The World probably hurt us more than everything else, she had the potential to become on the level of you elders.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” all he could do was apologize.

“But she’s a lost cause now. Focus your efforts on taking the Blue Fire Sect. Find out if Xing Chen Wei still has protection and take the necessary preparations to finish her off,” she ordered. She twirled and went back to pruning bushes. Elder Zhu bowed again and left. He couldn’t do anything here, but he would make sure everybody else could feel his anger.