“Silver Fish, Silver Fish. Slipperiest of them all,” Cao Wenluan said. “You’ve been causing me quite a lot of trouble. I would expect no less from the direct disciple of the West Sea Guardian.” The hateful man was strong—far stronger than Silver Fish, at least for the moment.
“Murderer,” Silver Fish said with a nod.
“There is no murder in war,” Cao Wenluan said. “Besides, if anyone here is a murderer, it’s you. You have ten—no, a hundred times more blood on your hands from personal kills than anyone else in my army. Including me.”
“Just go ahead and kill me,” Silver Fish said.
“I admit that’s very tempting,” Cao Wenluan said. “The only problem is that I’m not sure how your master will react. Therefore, I’ve come up with a compromise.” He summoned an item from his ring of holding. It was a demon-restraining collar. Silver Fish’s eyes narrowed.
“I’ve done a little digging and discovered that you’re especially sensitive to demon-sealing items,” Cao Wenluan said. “I’m not sure why that is—it should really be the opposite since you’re human. Regardless, I believe that if I simply capture you and send you off for ransom in a faraway place, your master won’t be too upset. We get rid of you. You go free. I get rich. Win, win, win. A wonderful solution, wouldn’t you say?”
“Piss off,” Silver Fish said. He didn’t bother spitting, as he was sure the net would catch even that.
“So ungrateful,” Cao Wenluan said. “Pack him up.”
One of his vice-commanders took the collar and headed toward Silver Fish, who began plotting how to kill the man. If he failed, he would die. Hell, if he succeeded, he would still probably die.
Then he heard it—a strange hum, a song that filled the air. No one else seemed to notice it, though Cao Wenluan did tense and frown. There was a burst of sound as a black spear flew down from a treetop, piercing the net and destroying the entire formation. Its core artifact exploded, knocking away the elders who had channeled power into it. Then a woman landed before Silver Fish, tall, dark, and heroic.
“I remember you,” Serrendil said, picking up her spear and pointing it at Cao Wenluan, then looking back at Silver Fish. “You’re that annoying guy who turned out to be not all that bad.”
“And you’re the kidnapper that found her conscience,” Silver Fish said. “Get lost. They’re dangerous.”
“Obviously,” Serrendil said. “Fortunately for you, I can’t stand bullies. They had the nerve of bringing out a slave collar of all things.”
“Dark Requiem,” Cao Wenluan said crisply. “Surprising, but not unexpected. Execute backup plan seventy-two.” The men surrounding them shifted at once, and the bulk of the troops backed away. At the same time, the elders switched weapons. They put away metal items in favor of rarer weapons made of obsidian, enchanted wood, and stone.
“Smart,” Serrendil said. “No metal.”
“I hope you understand we’re probably not getting out of this alive,” Silver Fish said.
“It reminds me of the story with the alligator and the silver swan,” Serrendil said. “The one where the alligator gets the swan and chokes on its metal corpse.”
Silver Fish laughed. He channeled his joy and the irony of the situation into his ink. The inky lake swirled and poured power into his summons, bringing three large alligators and a massive swarm of razor-winged birds into existence. They dove into Cao Wenluan and his troops the moment they appeared, piercing holes in armor and shields.
“Attack!” Cao Wenluan commanded. The elders and the support soldiers let out a volley of ranged techniques that came raining down on Silver Fish and Serrendil. Silverfish swung his anchor in response, and a wave of inky water smashed into the deadly wave and continued to flood their battle lines. Their opponents slowed, but Serrendil, like him, sped up. The ink was their friend. It amplified his stories and her songs.
Serrendil’s spear sang as it bit and slashed the demigods and rune-gathering cultivators. She was a siren in dark waters, snatching hearts and breaking minds. As for Silver Fish? He commanded inky horrors and raging waves that smashed apart anyone unlucky enough to get in their way. His three alligators swarmed Cao Wenluan, who, for a moment, could do nothing but defend. Then he surged with power and began pushing him back. His black sword cut through their bodies, their tails, and even their stubby claws.
Silver Fish and Serrendil jumped back onto the inky lake. This was where they were the most powerful. This was where they would take their last stand.
I can get him, but it’ll mean the end of us, Silver Fish said.
I can think of worse ways to die, Serrendil replied.
Silver Fish nodded and began channeling the power of the inky well. He didn’t drain it this time, but instead destabilized it. If Cao Wenluan so much as took another step, he was dead.
“Halt!” Cao Wenluan shouted. His troops stopped. He glared at them for a moment, then waved his sword. To Silver Fish’s surprise, his men parted, opening up a clear path away from the inky lake and back toward Stargazer City. “You win this one, Silver Fish,” Cao Wenluan continued. “I offer you a choice. You can detonate the inky lake and take out a considerable number of our troops. I will likely survive, but you will both perish. Not a very good ending for either of us. Alternatively, you can both run away. You broke some of our artifices and killed three of our elders. Not a bad victory.”
I think he’s serious, Serrendil said. He wouldn’t be able to stop us once we got out.
What if it’s another trap? Silver Fish asked. He restabilized the lake slightly, holding off from blowing it up.
“This reminds me a story,” Cao Wenluan continued. “That of the alligator and the birds.”
“Which one?” Silver Fish asked. “There are hundreds of variants.”
“The one of the stoneskin alligator and the crackling crane,” Cao Wenluan replied. “The stoneskin alligator was a deadly predator in its lake, and nothing could fight it. He sampled everything around him, knowing that it couldn’t be beaten, but there was still a single bird he had never tasted. Every day, he tried to catch it, to no avail.
“One day, he thought to trick it. He told the bird what wonderful plumage it had, and that it was a pity that alligators could not see very well. The bird asked how it could help, the alligator said that it could see her, in a way, with its tongue and teeth.
“The crackling crane, not being very bright, used its single leg to hop into the alligator’s mouth. The alligator, happy to have won, bit down on it. Unfortunately, it had underestimated the crackling crane’s flames. They were violent and explosive, and while not a problem on the outside, they began blasting through its weak inner defenses. He had a choice to make. Should he risk his life to eat the crane?
“Ultimately, he let it go. From then on, the crane flaunted its plumage in front of the crocodile every day. The alligator didn’t dare try eating it ever again. To this day, alligators keep their distance from the mythical birds, running away whenever they see them.”
“That is a terrible story,” Silver Fish said flatly.
“That’s very offensive,” Cao Wenluan said. “My mother told this story before putting me to bed when I was younger. Very educational.”
“Fine,” Silver Fish said. “You win this lake. We win our lives.”
“We’re all winners, then,” Cao Wenluan said.
Silver Fish nodded to Serrendil, and together, they flew out of the encirclement. Serrendil used whatever speed techniques the Clockwork Ancestor had given her, and Silver Fish parted the plane’s ink-filled air. They only stopped once they were sure their opponents weren’t pursuing.
“Well,” Silver Fish said, “that was strange. I wonder what they’re up to.” He swept his hand, and a circle of ink appeared, revealing everything around the inky well. Then, to his surprise, Serrendil summoned a music box. Now they could also hear everything that was happening.
Most of it was boring. The soldiers gathered their dead and recovered from th
eir wounds. They set the ink-gathering boxes back up; however, they didn’t activate them right away. Eventually another figure came.
“Prefecture Lord Dripping Blade,” Silver Fish muttered, recognizing the man. “What the hell are you doing in this godforsaken place?”
“Lord Dripping Blade,” Cao Wenluan said with a light bow. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“I wish I’d come sooner,” Lord Dripping Blade said. “I heard you almost caught Dao Lord Black Fish. A pity I wasn’t there.”
“I was outmaneuvered in the end,” Cao Wenluan admitted. “But it’s fortunate that you weren’t there. Remember your contract?”
“True,” Lord Dripping Blade said. “I wouldn’t want to be crippled due to a technicality.”
“Did you bring it?” Cao Wenluan asked.
Lord Dripping Blade’s face contorted. He tossed a storage ring to Cao Wenluan, who inspected it. “You’re fleecing me, but what else can I do?”
“You’re winning out on this exchange,” Cao Wenluan said. “Trust me.” Then he waved some men over. They placed a few more black boxes around the lake.
Lord Dripping Blade then pulled out a black vial. “I’ve heard grafting a bloodline is very painful,” he said. “I’ve also heard that it will stunt my growth. Unfortunately, my Dao is limited. I have no other options.”
“You are wise not to underestimate Clear Sky,” Cao Wenluan said. “Even I would not dare do so.”
Lord Dripping Blade grunted. He floated out to the middle of the lake. The men activated the twelve devices, and to Silver Fish’s surprise, they didn’t take inky energy from the lake but released captured energy into it instead.
Lord Dripping Blade drank the black vial. His face contorted with pain as inky energy filled his veins. For a moment, Silver Fish remembered the rakshasa and the terrible way in which they were made. The lake stirred as it recognized the inky power inside the prefecture lord and began to aid him. His aura warped and changed, as did the essence of his domain.
This continued for the better part of an hour, until finally, there was a crack. A massive swirl of dark energy poured into the lord as he broke through to the next sub-realm. The inky lake was drained of all blackness within seconds.
Lord Dripping Blade rose then. He summoned his trademark blade. Instead of silver, it was now dripping with inky water. “Such power,” he said.
“Impressive,” Cao Wenluan said. “This was the best result you could have hoped for.”
“I’m still just a Daoist,” Lord Dripping Blade said, flexing his hand, “though I feel power I never knew existed.”
“Demonic energy is abnormally powerful on the Inkwell Plane,” Cao Wenluan agreed. “That you can channel a fraction of it is a blessing. Your advancement will be slower, as you must adjust your comprehensions, but with luck, the sky is the limit.”
“Has there been any news?” Lord Dripping Blade asked. “Our contacts have been silent of late.”
“I’ve discovered nothing of note,” Cao Wenluan said. “I will inform you the moment I hear anything.”
“Then I must return to the prefecture,” Lord Dripping Blade said. “I need time to get comfortable with my new powers.”
“I wish you luck,” Cao Wenluan said. “Since you’re heading back, please give this to Lord Burning Lake.” He flicked an item at the lord, who caught it and inspected it.
“A letter?” Lord Dripping Blade said. “How old-fashioned.”
“I try to stay cultured,” Cao Wenluan said. “Please give it to him and no one else. I believe he’ll find my proposal to be intriguing.”
“I will deliver it,” Lord Dripping Blade said, then looked up toward Silver Fish and Serrendil, who were spectating from the inky pool. “By the way, did you know that they can spy on you from any inky well?”
“Yes, I learned that a few weeks ago,” Cao Wenluan said. “I suppose that means they’ll tell Clear Sky.”
Lord Dripping Blade bowed exaggeratedly. “Till next time, Black Fish.” Then he turned and flew away.
Silver Fish cut the connection and walked over to a nearby tree.
“Well, that wasn’t ominous,” Serrendil said. “Do you think they’ll chase us?”
“I doubt it,” Silver Fish said. He began tracing glowing lines on the tree’s smooth bark. His affinity to ink wasn’t the only reason he was a slippery nightmare to the prefectural army—these doors were also a problem.
He finished the door and opened it. “Are you coming?” he asked.
“Such a gentleman,” Serrendil said. She walked through and looked around in wonder at the starry sky. “It’s even more beautiful than I imagined. These roads lead to more than one place?”
“There are hundreds of doors in the forest,” Silver Fish said. “Perhaps there are others elsewhere. It is said that the Star-Eye Clan could send mortals across the continent in a single day back in their prime. Starry roads are short in this world, but they cover long distances in reality.”
“Where are we headed now?” Serrendil asked.
“To Stargazer City,” Silver Fish said. Around them, the stars shifted and showed reflections of reality. The demons retreating from the human onslaught were there, little more than tiny pinpricks of light.
Doors appeared every so often, but Silver Fish ignored them. He only stopped once they reached a large door at the end of their path. When he knocked on it, it opened up almost immediately, revealing a room of Monkey Clan elders led by an inky-black monkey.
They stepped inside and closed the door behind them. “Matriarch,” Clever Dusk said with a nod.
“Chieftain,” Serrendil replied. “I didn’t think to announce my intentions to travel. It seemed unwise given the current state of the prefecture.”
“The consequences would have been quite terrible, yes,” Clever Dusk said. “Are you here to kidnap innocent demons?”
“Er… no,” Serrendil said, blushing lightly.
“That is good,” Clever Dusk said. “We’re a little busy right now, so Silver Fish, please show her around. Serrendil, welcome to Stargazer City.”
Chapter 21: What Friends are For
Cha Ming was no stranger to pressure. He’d battled invincible monsters and hordes of devils and fiendish demons. He’d laid low kingdoms and thwarted seers, unravelling carefully made plans centuries in the making.
It was this experience that made it so hard to accept that he’d reached his breaking point again. This time, not because of the sake of the world but because he was probably going to lose an alchemy competition.
“I’m not saying he can’t win,” Iridescent Wonder said. “It’s just that every year, there are at least twenty-five competitors that have achieved the iridescent-pill-seal level. The top ten pills always have iridescent seals.” It was him, Iridescent Charity, Iridescent Virtue, and Iridescent Tempest in the room. Iridescent Wonder had chased Huxian and Bifang out long ago in a fit of rage.
“But he makes Grandmist seals,” Iridescent Charity said. “Surely that counts for something.”
“Apologies, Master, but it’s not good enough,” Iridescent Virtue cut in. “I’ve studied the grading system extensively, and it emphasizes raw power, not accommodation. Grandmist seals are rare, yes, but in this competition, they are lacking.”
Cha Ming wanted to pitch in. He wanted to involve himself. It was his life that was at stake. His and Huxian’s. Unfortunately, his mental processes had come to a standstill. His subconscious had taken point in searching for a way forward.
“I’ve looked at the numbers, and he’s right, Charity,” Iridescent Wonder said. “Clear Sky needs to finish in the top ten, but the top fifteen invariably produce top-tier pills with iridescent seals. They’re not some small boost—we’re talking as much as a half-step increase in pill performance.”
“I’ll figure out a way,” Cha Ming said softly with the cold, calm certainty of a man who was bleeding out. “I always do.”
“And we’ll help you,” Iridescent
Charity said. “We’ve promised as much. Perhaps we could modify a recipe? Spike it with higher-level ingredients?”
“Risky,” Iridescent Wonder. “But possible.”
“There’s no point in worrying about it,” Cha Ming insisted. “I’m not a strong-enough alchemist to pull it off. Not yet. So I need to keep training. Keep crafting. What’s the point in discussing whether I can modify a top-tier pill recipe if I can’t even craft one in the first place?”
Iridescent Wonder scratched his chin. “He’s got a point. He needs to start somewhere. But eventually, we’ll need to strategize.”
“Don’t forget that we have a fallback,” Cha Ming said.
“We do?” Iridescent Wonder said.
“I can now craft late-grade-iridescence pills,” Cha Ming said. “That means I can attempt more burnings. I could make a few attempts before the competition. Wasn’t that why you introduced me to Ashen Sky?”
“I took you there to gather ingredients and to show you the foolishness of following such a path,” Iridescent Wonder said sternly. “After sixty-six burnings, he still hasn’t gotten anywhere. If there’s one person who could warn you against trying what you’re suggesting, it’s him. You can’t force this.”
“But it’s something,” Cha Ming said.
“It is,” Iridescent Wonder said. “But every time you try increases your chance of death. I was optimistic about one more try, but not several more attempts.”
“But it’s something,” Cha Ming repeated.
“Do you know how many fail in their third attempts at a burning?” a voice said. Cha Ming looked to the side and noticed it was Iridescent Tempest. She hadn’t spoken till now and had been busy tending to plants in the garden.
“I don’t,” Cha Ming admitted.
“Master asked me to read up on it two weeks ago,” Iridescent Tempest said. “There’s actually a great deal of research that has gone into it. Nearly everyone survives their first burning, though those of the Phoenix Clan are guaranteed to succeed. After that, however, things get risky. Only two-thirds survive their second attempt at an artificial burning. Half survive the third, and after that, the odds drop by half each time. There’s insufficient data to surmise what happens after the tenth attempt, but Elder Ashen Sky’s example is stated as an extreme outlier. Tell me, Clear Sky. Do you think your odds of success are so low that you’re willing to gamble your life at the flip of a coin or even worse odds?”
Claddings of Light : Book 12 of Painting the Mists Page 33