“There is nothing better to maintain secrecy than a life-binding oath of nondisclosure,” the Black King said. “Should I ever spill any details of our dealings, I will die. The same applies to you. The only way for either of us to avoid this is to transcend. Even then, the backlash will be quite severe.”
Wang Jun sent a drop of his blood and signed the page. The Black King did the same.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” Wang Jun said.
“The pleasure is all mine,” the Black King replied in a mocking tone. “By the way, as your newest business partner, I’m very interested in your well-being. Therefore, I’ll give you a word of caution and advise you to be careful on your way home. Things are not what they seem, and your intelligence may be your downfall.”
The Black King’s figure shimmered and disappeared, leaving Wang Jun alone in the dark cellar.
I’m on my way back, Wang Jun sent to Elder Bai as he exited the meeting place.
Hearing no response, he tried again, but to no avail. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he sensed life-threatening danger. His figure distorted instinctively as he barely dodged three long needles. He barely noticed five talismans heading toward him through the gaps in the needle’s offense. Four of them bore frightening energies he wasn’t confident in resisting. He shifted his body and collided with the fifth talisman, which covered him in a layer of invisible suppression. It was a dampening talisman, which would render him unable to communicate for a period of time.
A dagger suddenly burst out from a nearby shadow, threatening to pierce his heart. Wang Jun used his superior control, condensing the shadow into binding chains that bought him the split second he needed to evade. He then entered the shadows, where he was greeted by a white-cloaked man. Wang Jun’s own cloak had turned white and his hair black. In the shadow world, everything was inverted and surreal.
They exchanged no words. Wang Jun flitted from landmass to landmass, and the assassin did the same. Daggers of light condensed and attacked Wang Jun, and as he dodged, he sent chains of light to bind his faster and more powerful opponent. Wang Jun was surprised at the man’s strength and skill, but his mind was calm. His only option was to bide his time until he could contact Protector Ren.
Was it Hei Ling who leaked my position? Wang Jun thought. He had no proof, only speculations. The man was suspicious and sneaky, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt the man was hiding deep secrets. It was even possible that Hei Ling himself was the cloaked assassin.
A blade of light shaved off a strand of Wang Jun’s hair, jolting him back to the present.
I can’t afford to be distracted, he thought. A door of light appeared in front of him. As he reached out to climb through it, a fiery explosion caused it to collapse. Wang Jun coughed out a mouthful of blood as the backlash ravaged his organs. He wasn’t a body cultivator, so his physical durability was rather low. To make matters worse, his opponent had at least reached the middle of core formation, two subrealms higher than his.
Wang Jun decisively jumped out from the shadow world beside a guard barracks. Thinking fast, he activated an expensive Flicker-Form Talisman, which allowed him to teleport five hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.
His timely reaction saved his life—a blade that was meant for his heart only pierced a quarter inch of his skin. Blood blossomed on his black cultivation robes as he continued flickering in a confusing pattern. Once twenty-eight seconds were up, he teleported to a nearby Wang family safe house.
Wang Jun panted as he tore open his robes to reveal the gash that was spurting blood. While the dagger hadn’t pierced his heart, it had cut some significant blood vessels. He pulled out a pill, which he crushed into a powder and mixed with the blood on his wound. Pain wracked his chest as the flesh knitted and the blood scabbed and peeled away.
No time to stay put, Wang Jun thought. He stowed away his black robes and changed them out for bright-blue ones. He then retrieved a thin mask from his bag of holding and placed it on his face, which wriggled and contorted as his features became fine and subdued. His skin darkened slightly, as did his hair. His qi fluctuations were hidden to some extent.
After removing any traces of his short stay, he walked out onto the street and blended in with the crowd.
Chapter 14: Concealment
In Central Square, a young lady walked through the crowds with a sense of purpose. The people parted slightly as she bravely approached a small establishment with an intricate wood construction. She attracted awkward glances and disdainful stares on her way to the front desk. Pretty girls with bright complexions and refined expressions evaluated her as she walked up to the matron of the establishment.
“My name is Hong Meigui1, and my dream is to become the world’s best tea server!” she said with a determined yet distinctly feminine voice.
Hong Meigui’s determination and natural good looks quickly won her a position in the reputed establishment. That evening, she was quizzed on her knowledge of various teas and tea-serving etiquette, as well as her skills in holding a pleasant conversation. After assuring herself that the girl’s skill matched her determination, the matron arranged for two senior tea servers to give her a haircut and a makeover.
Despite their insistence in giving her a bath, Hong Meigui stubbornly refused. It was only once she emerged from the bathroom perfectly washed and scrubbed to their satisfaction that they relented. Instead, they focused on painting her nails and cutting her hair so that it matched the establishment’s standard style. They also arranged for appropriate clothes to be tailored to her supplied dimensions.
The next morning, they introduced her to their regular clientele. Middle-aged men showed up in droves to greet their newest darling.
“Well, have you found him?” Elder Bai asked in a stern and infuriated voice. The older man’s eyes were bloodshot; it was clear he hadn’t rested since the second young master’s disappearance.
“I’ve looked all night, but I haven’t found the slightest trace,” Li Ming replied. “Should we be so hurried, though? I’ve heard the young master’s survival abilities are legendary. More to the point, that man must have given him some sort of protective treasure he could rely on.”
“You will not relax for a single second until he is found,” Elder Bai said. “If you’d kept tabs on Hei Ling like you should have, we could ask him where the young master ran off to. If he doesn’t come back, I’ll have your head. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” Li Ming replied before returning to his search.
Elder Bai fidgeted as he read through many incoming reports. Unfortunately, quantity did not equal quality. No one had seen a trace of the young master since his disappearance the day before.
It had been a busy morning for Hong Meigui. She laughed at her patrons’ not-so-clever jokes and blushed at their insinuations. Thankfully, there was no groping involved, as such behavior would result in their immediate expulsion. It was one of the many reasons she’d chosen the Violet Wind Tea House to begin with.
“Thank you for coming!” she said as she bowed to the guests she’d just served. She cleaned and stowed away the tea set with refined grace as the two gentlemen concluded their business discussion. She had no doubt that this information was how the teahouse made most of its profits. In the future, she’d consider starting her own teahouse. For now, however, she had much to learn.
“Your talent is wasted in this establishment,” the middle-aged man said. “If you were to serve guests at my estate, the additional business generated would be nothing to sneeze at. Name your conditions, and I’ll take you out of this place.”
“My apologies, sir, but I’ll have to refuse,” Hong Meigui said with a sweet smile while covering her cherry lips. “Working here has always been my dream. Now that I’ve finally gotten past the most difficult hurdle, I really want to stay here for as long as possible. I know that I don’t have much time remaining.”
The man sighed. “That’s true. Everyone who works here
is at most twenty-seven years old. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the road for you. If you’re ever looking for employment, remember that this old man will always have a place for you at the Cai estate.”
“I’ll be sure to remember your generosity,” Hong Meigui said while bowing deeply. The man nodded and left the room.
“It’s not often that our ladies refuse such a tempting offer,” the matron said with a smile as she walked into the room. “Most take off as soon as a suitable opportunity arises.”
“I was serious when I told you that this is was my dream.” Hong Meigui said as she finished cleaning up. “Whom will you be requiring me to serve next? It’s almost closing time, but I’m sure there are many regulars who’ve yet to meet me.”
“Strangely enough, it was a new customer who requested you,” the matron said. “Tidy yourself up for an incense time before heading into Room 43.”
Hong Meigui breathed in deeply. She composed herself before donning her usual sweet smile and walking into the last guest room. She was greeted by a cold figure in a black hooded robe. Her smile faded lightly as she gulped, then regained her composure.
Hong Meigui walked to her seat in front of the mysterious guest and kneeled down on the soft pillow reserved for the second guest. This was the teahouse’s custom when serving lone guests.
“May I know what tea this esteemed sir would like to drink?” she asked.
The man paused a while before answering. Hong Meigui could feel his cold gaze scanning her thoroughly, leaving nothing unchecked.
“Pu’er tea will be fine,” he said in a young voice she’d heard once before. It was the voice of the second young master of the Wang family, Wang Jun. She pushed this small detail out of her mind before opening the drawer with unsurpassed grace. She opened the container with her left hand despite being accustomed to using her right. After retrieving a single scoop of the extremely expensive tea, she poured hot water into the small brewing cup and immediately poured it over the lone cup in front of her guest. This first washing step was necessary for bringing up the temperature of the porcelain cup and disinfecting it.
“Why don’t you keep this lonely man company and drink a few cups?” the man asked.
“It would be my honor,” Hong Meigui said as she skillfully retrieved a second cup. This request wasn’t unusual with single guests. “What might I call this esteemed elder?”
The man chuckled. “I’m hardly an elder. In fact, I’m barely over twenty. You may call me Young Master Wang.”
“I’m sure that Young Master Wang is a handsome man,” Hong Meigui replied. “Would you like me to stow away your cloak?”
“That won’t be necessary,” the man said. “You’re very skillful for someone who just started this morning. Where did you learn to brew tea?”
“I haven’t told any other guests this story, but for you, I’ll make an exception,” Hong Meigui said. “I was born in a small town called Fallowroot City. It’s only a few days’ walk away. My father is Hong Hao, and he used to own a tea shop in the capital. He was a very skilled owner, but unfortunately, he had a terrible mind for business. In fact, you paid a visit to this business once two years ago.”
“I recall this faintly,” the man said.
“Eventually his shop closed,” Hong Meigui said. “As his only child, he taught me everything he knew about tea.” She let out soft sigh. “It’s a pity that he passed away a year ago. That’s when I decided to become the best tea server in the city and eventually own the best tea shop.”
“So you’ve come to scout out the competition.” The man chuckled. “How interesting. We have a need for ambitious minds like you. Would you like to work for the Wang family?”
Hong Meigui hesitated before ultimately shaking her head. “I still have much to learn. It’s best that I wait until I’m ready before proceeding with this dream of mine.”
“Don’t you know you’re insulting me?” the man said suddenly, releasing a stifling pressure. She hovered on the brink of consciousness before the pressure was immediately released. However, she felt a hand grasp her neck and pin her to the wall. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of her mouth.
“I don’t like it when little girls disobey me,” the man said as he held a black dagger up to her face. “Why don’t you apologize?”
Hong Meigui could do nothing but helplessly gasp for breath as she struggled against the man’s powerful grip. She tried to scream but to no avail. Her face turned red as she tried to squirm free. A pool of wetness formed at her feet as she slowly lost control of her body and eventually fell unconscious.
“Was I wrong?” the man said doubtfully.
Out of the seventy-six suspicious characters that had suddenly appeared in the city, this Hong Meigui was the most suspicious. The guards had no record of her, but that wasn’t a dead giveaway. Although her technique was different, it was similar in many ways to Wang Jun’s tea-brewing method. What intrigued him the most was that the choice followed Wang Jun’s thought pattern, which he had grown very familiar with in his time at the Jade Bamboo Conglomerate.
Grimacing in disgust, he tossed her to the ground away from the pool of urine. Just to be sure, he lightly groped the woman’s body, both ensuring that the lady bits weren’t fake and looking for any treasures that might be found on the body.
“I guess she’s just an unfortunate girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said, sighing. He might be an assassin, but he wasn’t unscrupulous.
He stowed his dagger before disappearing from the room. A few screams confirmed that the staff had found the woman’s unconscious body. Hong Meigui would be fine. Wang Jun, on the other hand, wouldn’t be so lucky. He’d left a surprise on his dagger, and even a strong-willed person like the second young master would only be able to resist for a short time before collapsing under the strain.
“I’m so sorry, my dear,” the matron said soothingly. “We usually don’t get characters like these. I’ll make sure that this despicable Wang Jun fellow gets a lifelong ban for this.”
“Thank you, Matron,” Hong Meigui said. Her eyes were red from all the crying she’d done.
“Make sure you get a good rest tonight, and you’ll get the day off tomorrow,” the matron said. “Let me know if you need anything, and I’ll take care of it personally.”
Hong Meigui nodded as the woman retreated from her small bedroom. As soon as the door closed, she scampered to the small board in the floor where she held one of her most precious possessions: a small gold ring.
Wang Jun sighed in relief as the talisman finally dissipated.
Elder Bai, I’m fine, Wang Jun sent mentally once the bubble of interference dissipated. Don’t alert anyone but Protector Ren. I’m situated on the first floor of the Violet Wind Tea House.
It wasn’t long before Protector Ren arrived. The black-cloaked cultivator raised his eyebrow. Wang Jun rolled his eyes as he dismissed his disguise. He was no longer a woman but a young man with blond hair.
The next day, operations in the Jade Bamboo Auction House resumed as normal, minus one small detail—the odd rumor buzzing around the crown prince’s faction that Wang Jun had physically assaulted a new waitress in the Violet Wind Tea House.
* * *
1 In Mandarin, Hong Meigui translates to Red Rose.
Interlude: Violet Wind Master
Gong Lan’s orange kasaya fluttered as she landed on the aptly named Violet Wind Mountain. Waves of purple gas buffeted her as she walked up the remaining steps leading to the ancient monastery. Three men walked behind her—they were her senior apprentice-brothers, monks who had been carefully selected and raised by her master. While she’d originally wished to leave them behind, the bodhi seed had convinced her otherwise. The trip was dangerous, and she was here to find out why.
They remained unfazed as they climbed the enchanted steps one by one. They were different than those protecting the World Tree Monastery. Instead of reflecting one’s innermost hea
rt, they caused the climber to brood on their future. The only way to climb the steps was to focus on the present moment. It was no wonder that the Violet Wind Monastery hadn’t received any visitors other than monks in the past hundred years.
“Greetings, World Tree Master,” a middle-aged monk said as they reached the end of the stairs. “The master predicted your arrival. He awaits you at your earliest convenience.”
“I don’t dare share a title with the Violet Wind Master,” Gong Lan said humbly. “I am but a junior who has taken up a heavy mantle. Please call me Gong Lan.”
The man shook his bald head. “Seniority must be respected at all times. It is what keeps us united, no matter what tribulations we face.” He led the way through their modestly built cloister, where each building was built from an odd purple stone. The wondrous material naturally repelled spiritual force. The monks in the Violet Wind Monastery were strongest due to the constant polishing their souls received.
They soon arrived at the Violet Wind Monastery itself. The large purple building had been built tall, and the edge that faced the constant purple wind was sharp as a blade. They climbed 999 steps before reaching the top floor, where an older monk waited. He was accompanied by six men who had all reached the resplendent soul realm, a watershed in the Buddhist soul-cultivation system.
Gong Lan sat down on the cushion directly in front of the aged master, while her followers obediently sat behind her. “I assume Violet Wind Master knows why I am here?” she said.
“The World Tree Master is wise,” the old man said. “In private, Violet Wind is fine.”
“Then in private, you may call me Gong Lan,” she said. “Though I hardly deserve to be called wise. All master’s apprentices know of your prophetic abilities.”
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