Oh. That’s… well… yes. I suppose.
Okay. I can do that.
“Okay. Thank you, and the… other part?” Ash asked. “I’m trying to do what I feel is right here, but in the same breath, I don’t want to ruin things for you. I know you and Zha seem to have a thing and I’d hate to ruin that.”
Gen’s eyes crinkled at the edges at that, the small smile he was wearing growing exponentially wider.
“Ashley, I think perhaps I understand your concern better now than I did previously. Knowing who you were adopted by, the attitude you’ve shown so far, and how you handle things, it all adds up to me now,” Gen murmured, then he sighed. “Ashley, you’re a very brave, kind, caring young man, who wants to better the world so that it betters others.
“Master Zha is… Master Zha is exactly what you’re afraid of her being. Or what she might become. She very much is the future head of a ‘Deng situation’, we’ll say. Where the Outer Sect will be completely ruled by her given enough time.
“That is… the expected outcome, however. The norm.”
Frowning, Ash shook his head. He couldn’t accept that.
“It is what happens in every sect, Ashley. Because that’s the cultivator’s path. Master Zha took her position because she believes it’ll eventually give her the leverage to take over the sect entirely,” Gen explained. “She’ll turn the Outer Sect into her own version of the sect. Of course, the Inner Sect master is doing the same thing at the same time.
“All the while, our sect leader works at cultivating his own alliances, friends, and allies so that he might put the Zhas and Dengs of the world down when the time comes. All while training students to one day become allies. Or foes. It can go either way.”
“But… you’re not like that, Master,” Ash disagreed. “Even the sect leader said he trusts you. You’ve done nothing but act generously to me and my friends.”
Gen nodded his head at that, still looking very amused and genuinely sad at the same time. Like a man who’s realized a bittersweet truth.
“Yes. Because I was not a cultivator for a longer period of my life than I was a cultivator,” explained Gen. “I lived a very normal life. Much like your Mother Far and Father Duyi. Who clearly gave you a much deeper lesson in their own beliefs than I originally thought.”
“They… took me in when they had no reason to. They taught me everything about how to live here,” Ash mumbled, looking away from Gen.
“Yes. And you’re a credit to the Sheng name, Ashley. I’ve spoken to your parents, you know. I sent a letter to them after Yan left,” Gen said. “They wrote me back. Nothing but praises for you, and how glad they were that their children had found me. I do remember them from a long while back. When they were both much younger. It’s good that you took care of them the way you did.”
Ash shrugged his shoulders. It seemed to him like an obvious thing to do.
“I lived more of my life as your parents did than as a cultivator would. You gave me back something I’d lost and had set to the side,” Gen said, reaching out and laying his hand on Ash’s shoulder. “I am not a normal cultivator with my strength as it is. I will live a very long time because of what you’ve done, but I’ll not forsake what I learned living as a citizen. Zha, Sect Leader Bao, the Deng family, are all cultivators first.
“You live for your friends and family, but they all live for themselves. Even my new relationship with Zha, as you obviously deduced, is likely based on Zha’s need to bring power to herself.”
“You don’t think she cares for you?” Ash asked, looking at Gen.
“Perhaps. Far too early to tell. I would like to believe that,” Gen said with a nod of his head. “But for the time being, I must assume she is merely attempting to use me. Though I’m gratified to know she has rebuked every other man’s attention in the entire sect and has put a great deal of trust in you. She wouldn’t have asked you to solve her problems otherwise.”
“But that just… leads us back to this point, doesn’t it? I don’t want to be her knife,” Ash admitted. “I don’t want to… eliminate… people for the sake of her convenience.”
“Then don’t,” Gen said, nodding his head once. “I’ll speak to her on my own when she visits me tonight. I think I can bring her around to a slightly different point of view. It’ll take time, but this is a good opportunity to begin.”
“Do you care for her?” Ash asked.
Gen looked momentarily confused at the question, then he laughed softly.
“I don’t know?” Gen replied after a few seconds. “She’s quite fun to fool around with, if I may say so. If I had to—no. Actually, in thinking about it, perhaps I have determined my own answer.
“I want to care for her. Even though at this time, I only like her. I will give it time, effort, and dedication, and see what becomes of it. After all, it isn’t as if you just love someone in the first moment. Love is built out of many little things that add up—small situations, shared experiences, and thoughts. They pile one unto another until one day, you can look back and say with sincerity that you love a person. One doesn’t climb a mountain in a day.”
Ash nodded at that. It made sense.
“And now you, Ashley. Do you love Mei Deng? It’s obvious she’s courting you. At least to me. Quite directly and without shame,” Gen said. “Though others would say you’ve already taken her against her will. That’s at least what she’s showing to the outside world. Smart girl, that one.”
Blinking, Ash didn’t know how to respond to that.
“I… think I want to care for her?” Ash said, repeating Gen’s earlier statement. “I want to. I think I’m willing to try.”
“Then you understand exactly how I feel,” Gen offered and patted Ash’s shoulder. Leaning back in his chair, he put both hands on his cane. “Though I do think you should pursue Mei a little. It’d put her off balance and she’ll have to consider if it’s really what she wants.
“Jia isn’t ready in any way. She’ll need more time and courting, as well as dealing with her family. Yue is likely closer than Jia, but… Yue probably needs more time to consider how she feels. She’s young in mind, if not physically.
“Tala, you should actively chase immediately. Challenge her to a duel with a prize that has no worth and beat her relentlessly.
“As to your concubine, Na… well, use her as you need to work out your frustrations. Perhaps after a day of wordplay with Mei. Na will be receptive to that reasoning and feel properly utilized, and Mei will feel flattered that you had to utilize Na after dealing with her.”
I… I don’t… uh… right.
“Sorry, not the time or place it would seem,” Gen murmured with a laugh. He apparently could read Ash like a book. “Ah… Ashley. Perhaps one day you’ll be a master of others, and you can put the changes you wish into practice. Though… that will be a very long way off, I think. You’re skilled, you have a deep talent for this, and a sharp mind that provides you with quick answers. But it will still take time.”
Time.
And that’s what I need the most.
Time. Time so that I can plan my own clan, alliance, family, whatever. To keep everyone who depends on me living comfortably until we can make our own living elsewhere.
Which means I need to deal with Zha and earn her grace in what ways I can, as I can.
“When you speak with Master Zha, don’t tell her that I’m not going to do anything with the list,” Ash said slowly, thinking through his words as he spoke them. “I’m going to read through it and see if there’s anyone that should be removed simply for the health of the sect first.
“If I can take care of those people… then I think I can earn some favor with her, show her some face, and help bring about the changes I want.”
“Ah… a very intelligent way to go about it,” Gen congratulated him. “I will speak with her about the whole of it but will let her know that you plan on weeding out anyone who would be ill to the sect. I think that would actually he
lp define where you fit inside her head as well.”
Taking in a breath, Ash let it out in a whoosh.
“Thank you, Master Gen,” Ash said, smiling at his instructor. “I appreciate you.”
“Of course, Ashley. I look forward to being an honored elder in your clan. When I can lounge about and cultivate while doing nothing at all. Being supported by my students,” Gen said with his wolf-like grin.
Laughing at that, Ash could only shrug his shoulders.
“I’d be honored for you to take that role, Gen Sheng,” Ash said, and bowed his head deeply to his master, then sat up and got out of his chair. “First though… I need to get that clan moving. Which means I need more members in my alliance, more relics, more treasures, more… everything. Because if Jia and Mei are right… this is going to be a bloodbath.”
“It will indeed be that,” Gen agreed. “I think quite a number of people will be killed out of hand at the tournament. I know for a fact that Zha has been given permission to dispense executions as she sees fit for those who don’t perform to their utmost. The Outer Sect normally has around three thousand disciples. We’re at about five thousand right now. Quite a few left to have removed.”
Shit. That means what I normally do could be a problem.
I’m going to have to actually try, aren’t I?
“Pity the Deng family can’t ever take me to the vault for my promised treasures,” Ash said a bit bitterly.
Gen only laughed at that.
“They couldn’t even show you their graves, let alone a chamber pot. The Deng is dead. You hold the last two daughters of the Deng family in your harem. They live because of your name being attached to theirs,” Gen said. “The rest were all executed. Old to young, regardless of age. The Deng… is no more. I only regret I couldn’t save any more of their geniuses and hand them over to you. They would be quite useful in the future as Sheng concubines for you to put children in.”
And that is why we must never become the Deng.
Because an Ashley Sheng will eventually come along and get us all killed.
“Ah, do remember to go over and collect your weekly allocation. Today is allotment day, after all,” Gen murmured. “And it would be noticed if you didn’t collect yours.”
Seven
Walking much more slowly, Ash was on his way to collect a pill he didn’t want or need.
One that people fought each other for and probably had been killed for.
Or endlessly tortured over. Like Yan.
Shaking his head, he couldn’t even begin to understand this world. None of it made sense, everyone cared only for themselves, and everyone else was little more than a bug.
Treating each other like insects and as if nothing matters but their own gain.
Mei, Jia, and Yue all act much the same way as everyone else. It isn’t just… a group of people or one family. It’s everyone here.
All acting without a care for anyone but themselves.
And here I am wanting to change that.
How does one change an entire nation?
Can you even do such a thing?
Stepping into the line with so many other disciples, he slowly went through the queue. Person by person, step by step, he wound his way to the front.
By the time he got his pill, Ash didn’t feel like he was any closer to an answer either. Despite spending the entirety of the hour mentally chewing on it.
Moving out of the line, Ash saw that everyone was still here. No one had left.
Being the first to leave was likely going to make you a target for a group that wanted what you had.
Locke. You’re always scanning everyone, aren’t you?
“Usually. Why, Chosen One? Need to add more women to the harem?” Locke asked.
Maybe. I need you to mark everyone who has above-average talent. Then break it into four groups.
Green, Blue, Purple, Orange. Green being the lowest bracket, Orange being the highest.
Got it?
“Not only did I ’get it,’ I’m already done,” Locke answered.
Looking around, Ash saw a number of green, blue, purple, and orange markers floating over people’s heads.
Perfect. Any chance you can remove anyone who’s being correctly utilized? Chances are, they have a solid background or backer and don’t need any help.
A handful of circles vanished.
Perfect, thank you.
Walking out of the square and into the open territory where people would get mugged or robbed, Ash stopped just outside the boundary and then turned around.
Everyone would have to pass through this way. He planned to speak to everyone he could who had an under-utilized talent. The more he could recruit into his alliance, the better.
If there were anyone who had already gotten their pill and wasn’t now looking at Ash, they were more than likely blind.
All eyes were on Ash, waiting to see what he’d do.
A group of young men looked like they wanted to challenge for Ash’s pill, but someone in the group seemed to warn them off.
Suddenly, a young woman went toward Ash at a quick walk. Watching him as she did so, she passed him and went on her way.
There was no circle over her head, which meant she was of no interest to him.
“You!” said a man who strutted up to Ash as if he were the king of the world. “Give me your allotment.”
Ash looked away from the crowd and to the man.
Using Sneaky Peeky, he looked into the man.
He was a level nine, nearly the peak of a Body Refiner.
Looks like a reasonably safe opponent, read the green box.
Fine, you can serve as my example.
The man acted like any other cultivator he’d met here in the sect. Looked like most of them, as well.
“No. If you bother me again I’m going to take ten spirit stones worth of belongings from you,” Ash promised. “Remember this moment, because it’s the only chance you’ll have to back out of this course of action.”
“Give-me-your-pill,” growled the man, then lifted his hands and went straight at Ash.
Using Spring Step, Ash brought his hand around in a full-force slap.
The smack of Ash’s hand blasting across the man’s jaw was like the crack of lightning. Before the man could recover, Ash launched another Spring Step-fueled slap with his other hand, smashing the man’s head back in the other direction.
Going down to one knee, the would-be robber had blood trailing from both sides of his mouth. His lips were split open and it was very likely he’d bitten either his tongue or the inside of his cheek.
“Ten spirit stones worth of belongings. Now,” Ash said, then pointed to the ground. “Right there. Then get out of here.”
Mumbling something Ash couldn’t understand, the man threw a small pouch on the ground and stumbled off.
Looking back to the massive number of disciples all staring at him, Ash realized this was his opportunity to gain some people for his alliance.
“Everyone can leave. There won’t be any challenging for pills today. Make a line, then leave. One by one,” Ash said. “If I ask you to step aside, please step aside. Don’t make me ask twice.”
Anyone he wanted to speak to was likely going to give him face and do what he wanted them to. Those who had too much pride—ones who would ignore him and cause a problem—weren’t the ones he was after anyway.
Not picking up the pouch, Ash deliberately ignored it. Leaving it there. People began to troop by him, leaving the square.
No one said anything to him, and no one argued with what he said. They just left.
A young woman with a green circle was making her way towards Ash. Catching her eyes with his own when she glanced at him, Ash pointed to the side.
Turning as pale as a ghost, the woman nodded her head slightly and stepped out of line. Ducking her head, her shoulders hunching, she meekly went and stood by herself off to one side.
She was cute, athletic, and seemed to
be as timid as a mouse. Her light-brown hair was cut very short and her dark-brown eyes stayed glued to the ground.
Ash wasn’t going to question Locke’s ability to pick out a winner, though. He’d been dead-on, so far.
Slowly, the line passed him by. Every so often, he’d ask a few people to step out and line up to the side. A small group was forming over there.
During all of this, he’d been keeping his eye on one orange circle in particular. After the changes he’d asked for, it’d been the only orange to remain.
Ash couldn’t see the owner, but he got the impression they were reticent about walking past him.
Slowly, the square emptied out of people, until only the orange circle remained.
A young woman in a faded blue dress stood near the back of the area. Her hands were folded in front of herself, looking for all the world like she didn’t wish to exist.
From this distance, he really couldn’t distinguish many details. It looked as though she had thick black curly hair, and that she was less developed physically than Mei, but more so than Jia. Her dress emphasized her assets in the right way but was rather modest and looked a bit overworn.
Glancing to the group at his side, Ash only now realized that they were all women. Every single one of them.
Locke… why are they all women?
“Because you said you wanted to add to your harem. I eliminated the males, and anyone who had male genetic material in their system in any way, from the search function.”
You… I didn’t… you’re an asshole, Locke. You did that on purpose.
“I? Me? Moi? I deliberately misunderstood your request? How could you accuse me of such a thing, Chosen One?” Locke asked mockingly.
Because it’s you.
“Fine, fine. Yes. I did it. The ones I eliminated really weren’t any better than the crop you’ve selected. I promise. She was still the only viable orange. You just missed out on a number of blues. Didn’t lose anything important.”
Lifting her head, the woman in blue peeked at Ash, then looked around herself. Apparently, the young woman hadn’t realized she was alone. She knew now, though.
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