Days passed. Weeks would have been too long for the starving demons. In those days, they crossed the entire central continent. They arrived at a large chain of mountains in the northwest, where Serrendil and her people, along with the Runebound Clan, decided to make their new home.
“Are you certain this is where you wish to go?” Clever Dusk asked them. “You are welcome at our destination. Only ruins remain here, and enemies long forgotten.
“Forgotten is good,” said the Matriarch of the Runebound Python Clan. “Forgotten is how we survived. Besides, there are relics there we wish to recover. Sacred items that will further guard our five clans.”
“We might be welcome where you go, but our people aren’t suited for each other,” Serrendil said. “Don’t get me wrong. You’re great. But you live in trees, and we live in mountains.”
“We will send some of our number with them,” the First Feather of the Iridescent Clan said. “A third. Is that acceptable?”
“They would be most welcome,” Serrendil replied, bowing her head.
“The rest will journey with the Star-Eye Clan,” the First Feather continued. “Though we’ve done our fair share of fighting in recent years, we’ve always been reliable allies.”
“We would love to have you along,” Clever Dusk said. “And you, Clear Sky?”
“I’d like to see where you all go,” Cha Ming said. “I trust that you’ll journey to another branch of the Star-Eye Clan?”
“Indeed,” Clever Dusk said.
“Then that’s where I need to go,” Cha Ming said. “I have a friend in need, and a favor to repay.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Clever Dusk said. “I believe the chieftain there will be intrigued by your request. The aid of an immortal would be a great boon to any clan.”
An immortal? Sun Wukong sent to Cha Ming. Does she mean me?
Obviously, Cha Ming said. If we’re going to be traveling all the way across the world, we might as well go somewhere where we can find you a new body.
The Monkey King didn’t answer, but Cha Ming knew the demon was just being emotional.
Soon, Cha Ming thought. Soon, he would fulfill his promise. Soon, the Monkey King would be unleashed on the world once again. Just in time for the Clear Sky Brush to awaken. He sensed her there, growing in power. Growing in strength.
“Hurry up, slowpoke,” Huxian said from up ahead. “You’re falling behind.”
“Coming,” Cha Ming said, picking up the pace.
They walked for another day, pushing through their exhaustion. The farther they went, the more their group thinned. Most of the monkeys chose to stay together, but they shed demons and clans according to their nature.
Eventually, they were deep in the Mendin Lands. A place of glass towers and artifice and comfort foods. It was only then that Cha Ming realized something. “Huxian?” he asked.
“Yeah?” Huxian replied.
“Where are Mi Fei and Xiao Bai?” Cha Ming said. Somewhere, sometime, they had vanished. Dropped off the starry road. When they asked, no one knew when or where they’d gone. When asked about it, Clever Dusk simply smiled.
“You will meet again if you are fated,” the inkborn monkey said.
Perhaps it was for the best. Mi Fei had been through much, and the wounds on her heart were still fresh. Perhaps he wouldn’t meet her again in this lifetime, but if he did, it would be under better circumstances.
They continued traveling. At the end of the third day, they’d crossed much of the Mendin Lands. They approached a large door that led to the very east of the central continent, an arid place without much inky water. The Star-Eye Clan began filing through, as did the Iridescent Clan. They waited their turn, wondering what awaited them there.
“So,” Huxian said, “what were you planning on the other side?”
“Me?” Cha Ming said. “I was thinking of teaching for a while. I miss the feeling. I think I could use a few years without drama. You?”
“Questing,” Huxian said. “Advancement quests are a pain. Might as well get started on them and get ready for your breakthrough. You ready?”
“Ready,” Cha Ming replied. They walked through the opening in the sky and entered their new home.
Two weeks had passed since the events in the demon lands. Two long weeks filled with investigations and speculation. The demons were gone—that made most people happy. By why in the seven hells did they need to take their treasures and their power with them? That was the main school of thought, followed closely by “good riddance.”
Wei Longshen could only shake his head at their naivety. What else did they expect from those they’d tried to annihilate? He avoided the topic of conversation, especially when speaking to the man in front of him.
He and Cao Wenluan were currently having tea. His nervous sister and Wei Longshen’s wife, Cao Shufen, was serving it. No one else was in the room. No one else could overhear them.
“I heard some news today,” Cao Wenluan said. “Some troubling news. Perhaps you could enlighten me on the validity of it.”
“Anything I can do to help, Brother Wenluan,” Wei Longshen said. “We’re one family, after all.”
“Yes, I suppose we are,” Cao Wenluan said. “And I’m sure you understand who runs it.”
“Naturally,” Wei Longshen said. “What is this news you’ve heard, Brother Wenluan? I’ll be glad to offer any insights I have.”
“As you know, the Mi Clan’s standing has fallen since the escape of their daughter,” Cao Wenluan said. “I’ve personally dealt with their patriarch. They’ve been questioned, vigorously. We’ve determined what happened, for the most part. We know who rallied the demons, and we naturally know the Mi Clan blade master betrayed his clan. Yet one thing still eludes us.”
“The elders?” Wei Longshen said. “Have you not determined who they were yet?”
“Their presence is obscured somehow,” Cao Wenluan said with a frown. “A powerful force is blocking our investigations, and I have no way to resolve this.”
Wei Longshen knew, of course. There was only one treasure in the prefecture that could do this, and it was a secret his patriarch had kept from all but him. Wei Longshen personally wielded the Dagger of Hidden Justice, a powerful weapon capable of severing karma and disguising lies.
Now, no karmic threads resulting from the event would lead back to him or Cao Shufen. And any of the other elders involved, for that matter. Perhaps only his father knew what he’d done, but the man hadn’t spoken a word about his dagger’s greatly diminished power. He knew better than to ask such foolish questions.
“Perhaps the Black Fish was involved?” Wei Longshen suggested. “He’s strong. He has good cloaking capabilities.”
“This is beyond him,” Cao Wenluan said. “But I heard a rumor today that hinted at something greater. You see, some elders of the Mi Clan could swear they heard music. A melody. Everything was peaceful, and suddenly, everyone in their mansion started fighting.”
Cao Shufen stumbled with her teapot. Wei Longshen caught it before it could hit the ground. “Careful, dearest,” he said, helping her set it on the table. “This is a precious tea set. A wedding gift from your own brother.”
“How could I forget,” Cao Shufen said.
“Well?” Cao Wenluan pressed.
Wei Longshen smiled. “I’m uncertain of who that could have been. Perhaps if they recalled the tune, I could try to track it down.”
To which Cao Wenluan placed a jade on the table. He activated it, and the dissonant sound played.
Wei Longshen feigned a ponderous expression. He thought long and hard before shaking his head. “No, I’m afraid I’ve never heard anything like this. It must be something new.”
Cao Wenluan leaned forward. “Did you make it?” he asked.
Wei Longshen raised an eyebrow. “My dearest brother, I don’t make music. I find it. Anyone who knows me could tell you that. In fact, I haven’t even composed a song for my own wife. Isn’t that true, dearest?”<
br />
“It is,” Cao Shufen said. “And I give him grief about every day. He promises he’ll make me one. Someday.”
“I see,” Cao Wenluan said. “No matter. The real reason I was here was to tell you to drop your family’s bid for the prefecture’s leadership. It’s mine. I’m taking it.”
“Oh,” Wei Longshen said, taking a sip of his tea. “Well, if you want it so badly, we’ll be happy to give it to you.”
This time, Cao Wenluan raised and eyebrow. “What? No fight? After all this posturing and manipulation? All those clans you’ve roped in?”
Wei Longshen put his teacup down. “Brother Wenluan, you and I both know who really runs this prefecture. Any titles are meaningless. It’s loyalty that matters. I’m just surprised. I thought I was doing you a favor.”
“How so?” Cao Wenluan asked.
“Well, it appears to me that the role of prefecture lord is extremely limiting,” Wei Longshen explained. “It was a duty my father was willing to take, and none of the other family leaders much wanted it. Even your own father.”
“He wasn’t too excited about it,” Cao Shufen agreed.
“I would have taken up the burden myself, but alas, I’m not very powerful,” Wei Longshen said. “I would lose the position the instant I was challenged. Thus my father’s claim.”
“I’m listening,” Cao Wenluan said.
“Like I said, it’s in your best interest not to be tied down,” Wei Longshen said. He took out a bundle of letters from his robe. “Especially given all your hard work as the prefecture’s commander. You’ve eliminated the only threat to the prefecture and consolidated its borders. In fact, it’s expected we’ll see an increase in population of over fifty percent. And that’s a conservative estimate.
“These accomplishments are what prompted all these recommendations to the capital. By all the great clans and great sects. By the prefecture lord if you were willing to allow someone else to fill the role, and by many generals affiliated with the Cao Clan in the Brightmark Kingdom’s capital. There are also a few ministers from our extended family that serve the king. They would definitely be willing to put in a good word.” He placed the bundle of letters on the table, allowing Cao Wenluan to peruse them. Their seals did nothing to obstruct the destructive qi he used to bypass them.
“Well, then,” Cao Wenluan said. “It seems you know how to play this game after all. When can I expect you to lay down the gauntlet?”
“My dear brother, as you well know, the Wei Clan lives to serve,” Wei Longshen said. Until the moment I gather enough power to overthrow you and stab you in the back, he thought. Then the world will be rid of you once and for all.
“Very well,” Cao Wenluan said. “When can I expect this good news?”
“Within three months,” Wei Longshen said. “That should be more than enough time to round up the rabble and get rid of the Black Fish.”
Cao Wenluan snorted and felt at his bare arm that showed a vicious black scar. He’d gotten it last week, and after all this time, it still hadn’t vanished. Had Cao Wenluan not recovered from the damage of Black Fish’s attack, or did he keep it as a trophy? It was difficult to tell what went on inside that man’s head.
Cao Wenluan left soon after, leaving Wei Longshen and Cao Shufen alone in the room. Once they were sure he was out of range, they breathed out a sigh of relief.
“See?” Wei Longshen said. “I told you it would work.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Cao Shufen said.
“I’m ambitious,” Wei Longshen said. “My goal is none other than to defeat your brother. A lofty goal if I do say so myself.”
“It’s one of your redeeming qualities, yes,” Cao Shufen said. “Now the real question is this: When do I get my song?”
Wei Longshen sighed. “Such things can’t be forced, dearest. They require emotions and memories we’ve yet to develop. Thoughts we’ve yet to experience. Tell me, Shufen, would you like your song earlier? If so, I can offer you a symphony of plotting and betrayal, accompanied by a chorus of disappointment. I can have it ready within the hour.”
She scowled. “I’ll wait. Just promise me it will be the first song you make.”
“That I can do,” Wei Longshen said. Some things you could fake until they were a reality. Others, you had to play the long game. Falling in love would be easy. Defeating Cao Wenluan, on the other hand, would require time, effort, and planning.
Two weeks had passed since they’d exited the starry road. Mi Fei had immediately found a map and placed them on the upper rim of the central continent, just to the right of the Slovana Empire. They were in Mendin now, the land of glass spires, strange breakfast foods, and apparently, suits. She and Xiao Bai were sitting in something called a café, which for some reason wasn’t the same as a teahouse. Instead, it was a place where you could get coffee, but which also served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The quaint and local cuisine was nice. A fusion of spicy and meaty Slovana foods and the bland and sweet Mendin cuisines.
“I don’t understand suits,” Mi Fei said, nodding at a pair of men in navy outfits as they went about their business. “Just about everyone and their dog wears one, but they’re expensive, and very difficult to maintain. On top of it all, they’re rubbish for fighting. Why would anyone bother?”
“Eh,” Xiao Bai said, sipping out of a clever innovation called a straw and slurping up a mixture of yogurt, crushed ice, and sweet fruit. “It’s just a style. You’ll get used to it. You’ll find a new one every place you go. It’ll change with the food, with the music, and normal everyday conversations.”
“You make it all sound so boring,” Mi Fei said. “Isn’t that what life is all about? Seeing those things, taking pictures, and discovering and rediscovering?”
“It’s better than wasting away, I guess,” Xiao Bai said.
“Spoilsport,” Mi Fei said. “You’re starting to sound like an old lady.”
“I am an old lady,” Xiao Bai said.
“Right,” Mi Fei said. “An old lady who’d rather run away than confront a lovestruck fox.” Though, in truth, Mi Fei was glad they’d run away. She needed the distance from anything that reminded her of her family. More than anything else, however, she needed to sort out these memories. Oh, and she needed to deal with that stupid shadow, which she still saw flickering everywhere.
“Look, it was the best way to go,” Xiao Bai said. “After you’ve been through about a million awkward goodbyes and made enough good men cry, you learn that slipping out at three in the morning is the way to go.”
Mi Fei coughed, spitting out her foamy, caffeinated drink. “You don’t need to make it sound like that,” Mi Fei said. She sighed. “It’s nice to be somewhere new, though. Away from anyone we know.”
“Drama sucks,” Xiao Bai agreed. “In my experience, if you stay anywhere longer than a couple of weeks, you’ll start attracting more.” Her eyes flickered to the side. “See what I’m saying?”
“Excuse me, ladies,” said one of the two men in blue suits roaming the streets. “Do you have a moment to speak about our Lady and Savior, Jezeriah?”
“No. Absolutely not,” Xiao Bai said.
“But your very soul is at stake!” the man exclaimed. “If you’d only give me one minute—no, thirty seconds, I could make it worth your while. In fact—”
“No,” Xiao Bai said insistently. “Don’t make me kick you.”
The man gulped and backed away.
“Seven hells, I hate preachers.”
“What’s the deal with them anyway?” Mi Fei said. “They’re everywhere around here.”
“It’s because we’re on the fringe,” Xiao Bai said. “As far I know, in Mendin, most people worship Jezeriah or her evil sister.”
“And in Slovana…” Mi Fei said.
“They have demigod clans,” Xiao Bai said. “What’s the use of worshipping foreign gods when you’re literally their descendants? Then it’s all about whose ancestors were the best gods, and big battles b
etween pantheons. Sporting events. Family drama, and so on.”
“Such a strange place,” Mi Fei said. “I like it. I think we’ll have a good time around here.”
“For a couple of weeks at least,” Xiao Bai said. “Any thoughts as to what we’ll do?”
“I was thinking of becoming an adventurer,” Mi Fei said.
“You want to fight monstrous demon lairs?” Xiao Bai asked, horrified. “Those are their homes, you know. All that treasure? It’s for their children!”
“I don’t mean lair crashing,” Mi Fei said. She placed a book in front of Xiao Bai. Not a jade, and not a scroll—a plain, mass-produced picture book. “Have you ever thought about exploring ancient ruins?”
“Great,” Xiao Bai said sarcastically. “One of these phases.” She stood up to leave and cracked her fingers. “All right, let’s get this over with. Let’s go to the museum first. We’ll find a cursed artifact and some bad men who want to steal it from us. That’ll get us somewhere legit faster.”
“What do you mean?” Mi Fei asked.
“Come along, and try to keep up,” Xiao Bai said. “You want to go ruin diving? Fine. Let’s go ruin diving. The good old-fashioned way. Complete with backstabbing, treachery, curses, and stupid traps that rich people sank a ridiculous amount of money into when they decided it would be a great idea to get buried with their money.”
“Hey, wait up!” Mi Fei said.
She chased after her sister, not noticing the two men in suits trailing behind them.
– End Book 12 –
About the Author
Nothing is more satisfying than that moment when a novel takes your heart and heals it. You walk into the book wanting an escape from reality. You find something that broke and remade you.
That's what I look for when I read. It's also what I strive for when I write. Every piece of my life is something I weave into my stories, trying to take you and my characters beyond just another cultivation or fantasy novel and into something that touches your heart and soul.
Claddings of Light : Book 12 of Painting the Mists Page 65