Kang Lin met her grandfather in Elder Dai’s chambers, cupping her hands and bowing low as she presented the scroll containing Chao Su’s response. The letter was, of course, unopened.
Grandfather removed the wax seal and began reading. After but an instant, he lowered it and peered at Kang Lin. “What was Chao Su’s attitude when he saw you?”
“Answering Esteemed Grandfather. Esteemed Cultivator Chao was very welcoming. In fact, his greeting made him seem … oddly exuberant about this lowly one’s presence.”
Normally, she wouldn’t be quite that formal with her beloved grandfather, but they were in the presence of Elder Dai. There was no one higher ranked in the Sixth Flawless Flowing City sect branch than her.
“I see,” Grandfather said. “And, out of curiosity, what are your feelings about his disciple, Yang Ru.”
Uh…
“Answering Esteemed Grandfather. This lowly one has no particular feelings about Disciple Yang.”
She literally had never given the boy a second thought. Maybe she had some small bit of admiration for his skills with a spear considering how little time he’d been training with the weapon.
“Has Cultivator Chao proposed closer ties?” Elder Dai said.
Kang Lin’s eyes widened.
“More like a tentative overture, Elder Dai.”
How embarrassing! Kang Lin wanted to lower her head in shame. To be the subject of such a humiliating topic with Grandfather was bad enough, but it had to be in front of Elder Dai, too?
For the first time in Kang Lin’s life, she regretted being born with lightning aspected qi. If she instead were earth aspected, she could conjure a hole to bury herself.
Well, once she reached Foundation Establishment, anyway, but her sheer embarrassment might be enough to trigger her breakthrough.
Grandfather returned to reading and, after a moment, chuckled.
“What is it?” Elder Dai said.
“Remember the weird symbol that we puzzled over for so long, Elder Dai?”
“Of course.”
“According to Friend Su, it’s a smiley face drawn sideways for some reason.”
Elder Dai looked confused. “Why would one put something like that in a letter?”
“To indicate he’s happy?”
Grandfather returned to reading, his face growing sterner as he continued. “The good news is that Friend Su will not hold our sect at fault at all when Teng Jian goes after him, Elder Dai. Almost as good, he will not hold the Chameleon Jade Sect at fault if Teng Jian does not target Friend Chao’s disciples or the village.”
“I see. He’s that confident he will win?”
“Granddaughter, what was Friend Chao’s demeanor like as he wrote the letter? I assume you paid close attention?”
“Answering Esteemed Grandfather. This lowly one did as she was taught and studied the Esteemed Cultivator as he wrote. At first, he was rather jovial, smiling, holding back a laugh. Then he turned serious. Then grew jovial again. He signed the letter with a flourish and, as he was about to roll it up, added something more. As he was about to roll it up the second time, he put the end of the quill in his mouth and chewed on it for a moment before adding something else.”
“When you say serious, do you mean concerned?” Grandfather said.
“Answering Esteemed Grandfather. This lowly one meant … irritated. Maybe a bit angry. Or maybe resigned would be a better description. At no point did Esteemed Cultivator show any signs of worry.”
“Excellent, Granddaughter, you have done well.” Grandfather turned to Elder Dai. “I think we should get a letter to the Chameleons as soon as possible.”
“And say what? Warn them? We’d look like idiots if Teng Jian simply kills him.”
“We’d look even worse if he ends up destroying their entire sect branch, and the City Lord has to get involved.”
“It’s too risky, Elder Kang.”
In contrast to the content of their words, neither elder looked in the least annoyed with each other, and Kang Lin got the feeling that they had these kinds of discussions often. She felt honored to witness such high-level decisions being made that may affect the entire future of the sect.
“What do you suggest, Elder Dai?” Grandfather said.
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“A middle ground. We cannot forgo warning them of Cultivator Chao’s response, but there is no need to stake our reputation on him winning. We simply say that we’ve observed him to be a powerful cultivator but are unable to judge the veracity of his claim to be able to defeat the renowned Teng Jian.”
“Excellent. I will write that response as soon as we finish going through this letter, Elder Dai.”
She grinned. “Thank you, Elder Kang.”
Kang Lin began to wonder exactly how close her grandfather was to the other elder. She knew that Esteemed Grandmother died shortly after Esteemed Mother’s birth, but it was hard to think of Grandfather as pursuing someone … romantically.
Grandfather returned to reading the letter and chuckled again. “According to Friend Su, the mysteries surrounding Teng Chun’s death were mainly for the benefit of my amusement.”
Kang Lin couldn’t help it. She barked out a laugh.
“You have something to say, Granddaughter?”
Mercy. She brought that embarrassment on herself with her thoughtless action.
Well, nothing for it but to respond. “Answering Esteemed Grandfather. This lowly one apologizes for her outburst. This lowly one, from her very limited interactions with the Esteemed Cultivator, believes him to be fun-loving. This lowly one would not think it strange for him to play a prank.”
The idea of anyone playing a trick on Grandfather simply for the amusement value was both a strange and wonderful thought.
“I see. Perhaps the idea has some merit. Friend Chao is most unfathomable.”
Grandfather returned to reading. “Oh. This is interesting news. Friend Chao believes there will be a beast tide somewhere between two months and a year out.”
“How can he possible put that range on it? Either it’s a month or two out, and it’s definite. Or it’s a year out, in which case there can be no surety.”
“I only know what he’s written, Elder Dai. Friend Su is concerned about Fatty Ren in Vermillion Incomparable Rain Town and asks that we send help.”
“To Fatty Ren but not to him? And this is the second missive regarding Fatty Ren and Cultivator Chao. What exactly is the relationship between the two of them?”
“According to the message from Fatty Ren, the two of them literally just met as Friend Chao was passing through on his way back to the village.” Grandfather turned toward Kang Lin. “What were your observations when passing through the town?”
“Answering Esteemed Grandfather. The town was in dire shape. This lowly one agrees that something went terribly wrong there, and corruption on the part of the Town Manager certainly could be the cause. He was cast as the villain by the tongues of everyone this lowly one heard.”
“The story made sense, Elder Dai,” Grandfather said. “Reading between the lines, Fatty Ren holed up in his palace the last twenty years cultivating and let a mortal run the town unsupervised. That scenario is certainly plausible. As is Fatty Ren being behind the corruption and executing the Town Manager to cover his tracks. The new Town Manager, Xuan Jiahao, is en route and will get to the bottom of things quick enough.”
“Do you advise we send more help?” Elder Dai said.
“Not at this time. The threat is too nebulous to support direct intervention. I will make sure that Xuan Jiahao pays attention to signs of any beast incursion and keeps us informed.”
“Very good, Elder Kang. That is an appropriate and measured response.”
Grandfather cupped his hands and smiled. “Gratitude, Elder Dai.”
It wasn’t so much what he said as it was the way he said it. There was definitely something going on between the two even if just a flirtation. Kang Lin really didn’t know how to feel about that. They were both … old.
Grandfather went back to reading, though he was clearly near the end of the scroll from how far down his eyes were. “Friend Chao asks another favor.”
“What this time, pray tell?”
“Friend Chao wasn’t prepared for a beast tide and should have purchased more bows and a lot more arrows, apparently. He’s asked me to mention his need to a merchant.”
Elder Dai shrugged. “It doesn’t cost us anything and would strengthen our relations both with him and the merchant.”
“My thinking exactly, Elder Dai.”
“Is there anything else in the letter?”
“Only another small mystery. Any idea what ‘TTYL’ means, Elder Dai?”
The way the two of them smiled at each other gave Kang Lin the creeps. She was very glad to be dismissed.
----------------------------------------
Teng Wuying looked up from his desk to see a messenger enter the room. The outer sect member approached the desk, cupped his hand, bowed low, and held out a scroll case.
“What’s this?” Teng Wuying said.
“Missive from Elder Kang of the Poison Claw Sect.”
“Ah. More information about the cultivator who killed my nephew probably.” Teng Wuying said, taking the case. “You are dismissed.”
The man bowed again and left.
Teng Wuying opened the case.
> Esteemed Elder Teng,
>
> Esteemed Cultivator Chao Su, independent cultivator and friend of the Poison Claw Sect, expressed regret over the matter involving the former Esteemed Cultivator Teng Chun.
>
> Esteemed Cultivator Chao Su is of the belief that an altercation between him and the Esteemed Master Teng Jian would result in the unfortunate loss of your brother. The Poison Claw Sect is unable to make a judgment one way or the other in regards to the validity of Esteemed Cultivator Chao Su’s belief.
>
> The Esteemed Cultivator did make it clear that, upon prevailing in such a challenge, he will hold the Jade Chameleon Sect blameless for the actions of a grieving father, assuming a condition. The Esteemed Cultivator is adamant that any grudge be settled between the Esteemed Master and himself without involving his disciples or the Prosperous Gray Forest Village.
>
> The Poison Claw Sect urges the Jade Chameleon Sect to encourage Esteemed Master Teng Jian in the strongest possible terms to adhere to that condition. Esteemed Cultivator Chao Su intimated that his anger would extend the entire sect if a disciple or a villager is harmed.
>
> Again, the Poison Claw Sect makes no determination regarding the Esteemed Cultivator’s ability to take action on such anger, but this one’s sect must warn that the prudent course of action would be not to risk the ire of such an unknown quantity.
>
> Best to you in your future endeavors,
>
> - Elder Kang Ya-Ting
Well now, that was the most interesting letter he’d received in simply ages. The Poison Claw Sect wouldn’t risk their reputation regarding the strength of the independent cultivator, but the man surely had them spooked to send such a warning.
Teng Wuying sighed. His brother would be beyond livid when he emerged from seclusion and discovered that his worthless son had been killed. Encouraging him to avoid collateral damage when seeking vengeance was absolutely guaranteed to make him go scorched earth.
Of course, his brother dying would not be the worst outcome for Teng Wuying, clearing his status as the head of the house. That death leading to an attack on the sect’s branch would be a massive loss of face, however, even if such an attack came to naught.
Hmm. The issue would require much thought. Luckily, he had time. It would be months before Teng Jian either broke through or failed in his attempt.