One pest spared, another grows in spirit, the farm falls. -Farmer’s saying in the Taisi Fields

* * *

“This Lian Liu greets his seniors and begs forgiveness for his rudeness in following them. His impudence is beyond measure for believing he was undetected,” the man didn’t dare bow for fear of slicing his neck on Kansi’s blade.

I reached over and pulled Lian’s hood down to reveal a gaunt face with skin as pale as porcelain. It seemed he wore the black cloak all the time. Not that I was one to judge, but when was the last time he’d seen the sun?

Based on the rest of his appearance, though, a question began to form in my mind. Was his pallid complexion his fault? His hair was cut short and stuck out in every direction on the left side of his head. The right side was shaved to the skin and featured a brand like a coiled chain burned into his skin.

Is he a slave? I wondered. It was not unheard of for young cultivators to be owned by greater ones. In my day, many of my enemies among the lesser Ascendents followed such practices, fleshing out their armies with scores of lower ranked cultivators serving as enslaved infantry. They were treated as expendable cannon fodder.

“You’re from the Chained Demon Sect,” Kansi noted, recognizing the brand. “One of Lady Saraia’s dogs.”

“The Sword Saint’s prized disciple gives this one too much credit,” Lian countered, still wary of her blade. “This one is far too lowly to be anything more than an ant to her Ladyship’s radiance.”

Saraia…I’d heard that name only once before, but it was barely in passing. But, the way Kansi spit her name, she couldn’t be friendly. However, it wasn’t something I could ask without potentially revealing my identity. I kept my mouth shut, letting Kansi lead.

“And what would the Chained Demon Sect want with me. My master had no quarrel with you and yours.” Kansi’s expression was dark as the night around us as she pressed the blade gently against the man’s neck, just enough to remind him of the threat he was under without causing harm.

Lian didn’t flinch. Instead, he sighed. “This one is on a mission for one of the Sect Elders and is not at liberty to share the details. Please accept my apologies.”

Knowing who Lian was and who he worked for seemed to change Kansi’s entire demeanor about him. She grabbed him by the back of his scarf before yanking him around and shoving him to the ground. Her sword was back at his throat in an instant.

“Why. Were. You. Following. Me?” she growled. Fear flashed in his dark eyes as he desperately tried to keep his composure under threat.

“I…I was…I can’t…” He squeezed his eyes shut and words came tumbling from his mouth almost too quickly to hear. “I wasn’t after you! I would stand no chance against you! Just…just…I thought if I f-followed you, I’d find what I’m looking for!”

My heart fell.

This was the Moon-Soaked Shore. It was widely recognized as a backwater of cultivation where only those unfortunate enough to be born there actually lived. Even amongst the natives, anyone with any hopes of strong cultivation left to find more fertile lands with less corrupt qi. There were only two things to find in the Moon-Soaked Shore: moon qi, and me.

The last thing I needed was another cultivator hunting me, especially if that cultivator worked for yet another Ascendent. At this rate, I would not live long enough to see Tenri to Silver. It was only a matter of time before Kansi realized who I was. Now I had to try to fool Lian as well.

Kansi shot a glance at me. “What do you think? He was following you as much as he was me.”

“Without knowing what he’s searching for, it’s difficult to say. I don’t know the Chained Demon Sect,” I admitted, figuring it was more believable to be unaware of the sect’s activities than those of this “Lady Saraia.”

“The sect reports directly to one of the ‘Three Gifts from Heaven,’ Lady Saraia’s most loyal followers, and they’re known for solving their problems through less than honorable means,” she explained. Lian rolled his eyes.

I rubbed the back of my neck. Kansi might have a negative opinion of the sect, but I did not. The Sword Saint was the most honorable person in my retinue. That included myself, given that my strongest techniques were founded on statistical analysis (gambling) and manipulating the odds (cheating). If Kansi followed the same ideologies as her master, then her idea of “less than honorable” could mean anything from a simple misdirect to something more sinister.

Yet…

“Let him go,” I answered. It was a decision that I was sure I’d regret, but executing a prisoner was needless bloodshed. I had enough needless bloodshed in my past.

Kansi sighed, then sheathed her sword so Lian could relax some. “You better not follow us anymore. Complete your mission on your own.”

“Of course. This one thanks his esteemed seniors for their kindness,” Lian finished with a bow.

“Get lost, then.”

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Lian bowed again, then pulled his hood back up before retreating into the darkness. With the issue settled, and his eyes off my back, I pulled my hands into my sleeves and began the walk back to the inn. The night was getting chill.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Kansi murmured as we walked together. “The Chained Demon Sect are as wicked as the yokai they bind.”

“Yokai aren’t inherently wicked,” I countered. “Nor are people or cultivators.”

“For someone who was so eager to draw Lian Liu out of hiding, you’re awfully comfortable with knowing a practitioner of darker arts is on our tails.”

I shook my head. “Cultivation is cultivation. Qi is qi. There is no such thing as dark or light, there is only the will of the heavens and those who seek to challenge it in their own way.”

“And what of the yokai?”

I thought about the best way to answer her without telling her that I’d lived among yokai for many years. “Small minds are afraid of what they do not understand. Fear of those who are different is what led to children being executed in the Moon-Soaked Shore just for having the tiniest spark of moonlight.”

Kansi went quiet, chewing silently on my words for the remainder of the journey. When we reached the inn, I asked a staff member to guide me to the room Tenri and I shared. Once I was safely inside and the door was shut behind me, I settled down on the bed. Tenri had used it, and the sheets were still ruffled, but I couldn’t be bothered to ask for another set. I was too weary with worry and fell completely asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.

* * *

Tenri and I walked wearily to the caravan in the morning. As we walked, I rubbed some polish into Chiho’s jade feathers. Tenri had been nice enough to purchase some for me since my money had all gone to bribing the kitsune, and the last thing we wanted was an irate Chiho. The pin had done a good job in keeping the apprentices safe from harm, all while terrorizing Master Feng relentlessly into the wee hours of the morning. In my mind, it had done good work, and failing to reward good work would lead to that same terror being turned on us.

“Sorry I woke you up this morning,” Tenri muttered. “I had a nightmare.”

“I am the last person to judge or complain about bad dreams,” I answered. “As it happens, you woke me up from one of my own. I should be thanking you.”

“I dreamed that Saikan was swallowed by the sea before we got back,” he said, stretching his arms. “Hanako and my mother would probably harass me for the details and call it an omen.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Dreams are just dreams.”

“Let me guess, ‘they can’t hurt me?’” He nudged me with a playful smile, but I shook my head.

“No, dreams can hurt you, but only if you let them.” That was the only way I’d survived my imprisonment, after all. One does not live with constant nightmares conjured by an irate labyrinth with reality altering powers without finding a way to nullify the psychological damage. Most of the time, I woke up perfectly fine.

I yawned, stretched, and finished rubbing the polish into Chiho. The pin vibrated happily before flitting around my head at a speed that was almost too fast to see. It tucked my hair into my usual blue and silver ribbon. By the time we turned the next corner and spotted the caravan preparing to depart, the little pin was already tucked away into my sleeve.

To put myself into the mindset of a guardsman, I started by counting all the caravan members I could see as we approached. Seven apprentices, a dozen or so mundane mercenaries, two cultivators, and Master Feng. Everything was…

I blinked. Two cultivators. Kansi was standing across from a dark-hooded figure, arms crossed and looking none too pleased by the turn of events. As soon as she spotted me approach, she brushed past the other figure and jogged over to me.

“You won’t believe this,” she began. “That scheming little rat went to Master Feng and offered his services for the trip between Heimian and Saikan! For half the normal rate!”

Lian approached much more calmly. “I’m not following you, if that’s what you’re wondering,” he insisted. “This one is not so foolish as to try and evade Master Kansi and her friends.”

“Then what exactly are you doing,” I growled. I knew I’d regret the kindness and generosity that I’d shown the night before. I just didn’t realize how quickly it would come back to bite me.

Tenri and I were here to speak with the Flower Maiden, a job that was already made difficult by the presence of Kansi. We were using Master Feng’s caravan as bait to draw my sister out of hiding, but, with a cultivator of Kansi’s caliber protecting the caravan, there was no guarantee she’d risk it. With a second one, there was no way she’d be foolish enough to attack now.

“I’ve heard that Saikan’s been having trouble with shades and spirit beasts lately. I intend to offer my services while I gather information on my mission.” Though his face was once again covered by his scarf, I could hear his coy smile clearly in his words.

I turned to Tenri who only shrugged. Even as Administrator, he didn’t have any power to stop the cultivator from joining us if Master Feng had already agreed to his employment. In the end, all Kansi and I would be able to do was sulk.

“As long as neither you nor your mission are a threat to Saikan,” Tenri began, “as Administrator, I would be more than happy to welcome you. We always have work for an eager cultivator. Can you swim?”

“Well enough. There were many rivers near my home,” he explained.

The signal to move out was given, and the caravans began to move. The four of us walked together, none too eager to let Lian out of our sight.

“This is stupid,” Kansi hissed to me. “We are walking alongside a tiger and hoping it won’t bite!”

“It’s not like we have much choice.”

Tenri nodded. “Keep your enemies close, I guess?”

“What are we whispering about?” Lian whispered, making all three of us jump in surprise. For someone who’d been so bad at tailing us, he was surprisingly light-footed in a smaller setting.

“Nothing,” Kansi said with a sigh.

“I see. That reminds me,” Lian turned to Tenri and I. “I am familiar with Sword Disciple Kansi Ren, but I am not familiar with these two seniors. This Lian wishes to inquire as to your names?”

“I am called Tenri Lin. I’m the Administrator of Saikan,” Tenri introduced.

“I see. Honorable Administrator, please accept my greetings. And yourself, Void Master?”

I sighed and reminded myself that nobody in this age knew my given name. Only my titles had survived the test of time.

“I am Tsuyuki Yoru,” I introduced. “Just a wandering cultivator helping out in Saikan.”

“Tsuyuki…Yoru…” Lian’s words were contemplative enough to make my skin crawl. “I see. What a unique name.”

My blood froze in my veins. His eyes were visible through the scarf, and in them I saw satisfaction and excitement. Dread filled me and my mind began to panic.

This Lian Liu…he knew my name. He knew who I was, which could only mean one thing.

I was his mission.