Mi Fei blushed. “No. Not at all. I just saw that I could do bricks, and I thought bandages would be easy. Turns out, they’re hard.”
“Cloth is complicated,” Cha Ming agreed. “Too many crisscrossing fibers.” He peeled off the bandages, revealing stained black cloth touching now-clean skin. The burnt-over stab wound was gone, and tendrils of darkness were receding as the last of the poison was purged. He tasted something bitter in his mouth. “You fed me a medicinal pill?”
“Four,” Mi Fei confessed. “The first three did nothing, so I panicked and fed you a normal regeneration pill. Not something for body cultivators, but I thought it would be better than nothing.”
“It probably saved me,” Cha Ming said. “Thanks.”
“We’re a team, aren’t we?” Mi Fei said. She brushed tears from her eyes.
“Are you all right?” he asked her.
“I’m just tired is all,” she said with her usual defiance, though she looked away to hide the tears. “I thought to wait and see if you’d recover. It didn’t seem wise to break our concealment.”
Was she crying for me? Was she worried? The thought both warmed and broke his heart. “It was probably the right decision,” Cha Ming said. “Though Huxian is likely worried sick.”
“I’m sure Xiao Bai is as well,” she said. “But it’s fine. It reminds me of all the good times we had together.”
“The… what?” Cha Ming asked, frowning. What good times?
“I… I’m not sure what I meant,” Mi Fei said. “Forget I said that. It’s been a very confusing evening, Cha Ming.”
Something wasn’t right. Cha Ming frowned and glanced at the camera. He retrieved it and sent his spirit inside. He didn’t sense anything amiss. Perhaps he was being paranoid, but something was different about her. Her aura was chaotic and unstable. It worried him.
“Why don’t we rest for a few hours while I recover?” Cha Ming said, taking care to frame this about himself rather than her. She looked like she needed a day to recover, though he had no idea why.
“That sounds good,” Mi Fei said. “I think I could use some good old-fashioned sleep.”
“We should probably wait till the afternoon, when the streets are more crowded,” Cha Ming said.
It was a slow recovery. In normal situations, it was easy to replenish qi and vitality. All that was needed was a steady stream of ambient qi. Unfortunately, that was difficult to obtain where they were. The Space-time Camera blocked qi out, so Cha Ming had to improvise and use up inkwell jades. As for his body, it wouldn’t be able to replenish itself until he found high-quality food. Created food wasn’t very filling at his level.
Hours passed. Mi Fei fell asleep, though she stirred like she was having a nightmare. Something was definitely off about her. Yet he could do nothing about that—it wasn’t his place—so he focused on his personal recovery. He ignored her whimpering as he absorbed the pure energy from the inkwell jades, though it mercifully subsided after the first hour.
“That’s as much as I can replenish for now,” Cha Ming said when he was done. Mi Fei jerked awake. She seemed even more tired than before she’d gone to sleep. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said.
“All right,” Cha Ming said. “Let’s hope there’s nothing waiting for us outside.” He waved his hand, and the space-time barrier faded. A dose of destruction energy reduced the wall to vapor.
As soon as they emerged, a gray slit opened in the air.
“How did they find us so fast?” Mi Fei asked, drawing her longsword. She looked at it warily.
“Relax,” Cha Ming said. “It’s only Huxian.”
“About time,” Huxian huffed as he walked through the doorway. He pulled Xiao Bai along with him. “Where exactly have you two been?” He and the white rabbit looked at them accusingly.
As for Xiao Bai, she flashed and appeared in front of him. “What the hell did you do to her?” she asked, then blurred over to sniff at Mi Fei. “What happened? Are you all right? You don’t look well. You— Oh.” She paled. “Oh.”
“What happened?” Huxian asked. “Did they—”
“No!” all three of them shouted.
“Okay, okay,” Huxian said. “Relax. Why don’t we get out of here first? I don’t like the way this place smells.” It wasn’t a glorious reunion, but at long last, they were safe.
Four hours later, the four of them walked out of a restaurant deep in the center of the city. Cha Ming was no longer gaunt, and his vitality stores were back to normal. Just in time for the meeting Xiao Bai had scheduled earlier.
“Actually, we’re late,” Xiao Bai said. “Our appointment is for noon, but it’s better to show up earlier rather than on time. Showing up late doesn’t make us look very good. That’s what low-class people do.”
Huxian shrugged. “Better than an impromptu inspection. The nerve of those lords.”
“They were obviously colluding with the criminals,” Cha Ming said. “Then again, it’s all just a big coincidence unless we have proof that it’s something else. What’s this about low-class habits?”
“It’s just the way those stupid birds do things,” Xiao Bai grumbled. “The opposite way everyone else does.”
“Apparently, showing up late is something people who think they’re important do,” Mi Fei said. She was looking a lot better after their meal and her private discussion with Xiao Bai. A lot more stable and composed.
“Isn’t that… good?” Cha Ming said. “Didn’t you say we were supposed to show off?”
“That’s the thing,” Huxian said. “Acting like you’re important is the opposite of showing off to them. You’re basically setting yourself up. You’re inviting a face slap, not offering one.”
“I’m confused,” Cha Ming said.
“Everyone is confused,” Huxian said. “It’s like a bad trope, taken to the extreme, then inverted. But hey, there’re a lot of cultures out there. Who am I to judge?”
“Let’s just get this over with,” Xiao Bai said. “This way.” She led them down the street to a tall red-and-gold building. The Iridescent Phoenix Clan was an ostentatious place. They were proud as peacocks, and they liked to show off their feathers. In this case, their feathers took the shape of decorations. Many pieces of artwork forged by countless flames had been melted into the outside of the building.
The inside didn’t lose out in the slightest. It was filled with beautiful vases and ornamentation. The Iridescent Phoenix Clan seemed to have a particular love of glass, which they used to refract and reflect light from flames and other sources.
The moment they entered, they were greeted by a dozen beautiful men and women who began to fawn over them. “Lady White, we expected you early, yet here you are, catching us unprepared. We apologize—we thought you might not show up.”
“Yes, it was an unfortunate mix-up,” Xiao Bai said. They looked at her expectantly. She sighed. “Surely you agree that we’re important enough for you to make an exception?”
“Of course, of course,” the leader, a woman with vibrant red hair and well-painted eyes, said. “We’ll make sure everyone knows that you’re not to be disturbed.”
“I’m sorry. It was an honest mistake,” Cha Ming said.
“Oh,” the woman said in disappointment. “Well, I suppose you could return tomorrow.”
“We’ll go now, we’re important enough,” Xiao Bai said. The woman’s expression brightened again. “Excellent, this way!”
What exactly is happening? Cha Ming asked.
Well, we have two options, Xiao Bai said. One of them will get us in today, and the other will get us in tomorrow morning. Both are polite. Which one works best?
Today, if possible, Cha Ming said.
Excellent, Xiao Bai said. Shut up and follow along. This is a bit embarrassing, but I’ll live. Just let me do everything, and for the love of all that is holy, don’t say anything. Don’t do anything of your own initiative.
Huxian nodded
sagely. I’ll help. We’ll split the embarrassment.
It’s nice to know someone who’s sensible, Xiao Bai said.
What exactly are they talking about? Cha Ming asked.
You’ll see, Mi Fei said. This should be funny. They proceeded to a tall door in the back, but just as they were about to enter it, a demure man walked over to the door.
“Excuse me,” he said with a nod and ducked in front of them.
Xiao Bai sighed. Then she yelled, “You dare!”
The man turned around. His eyes shone with delight. “Excuse me?”
“Do you have any idea who we are?” Xiao Bai asked harshly.
“Haven’t you heard of the fearsome Lady White and the dreaded Lord Eight Directions?” Huxian barked.
Cha Ming was confused. He stepped forward to interfere, but Mi Fei held him back.
Watch, she said. He did just that. Xiao Bai hurled insults at the man, and Huxian did the same. They nearly came to blows at one point. Their arguments were unreasonable, and the man in front of them simply held his ground, smiled calmly, and deflected their arguments. But he was insistent that he’d done nothing wrong and wanted to go his own way—without fighting, of course.
Finally, Xiao Bai had had enough. She pounced on the man, and he simply dodged to the side. He was slow. Not nearly fast enough to avoid her. But she tripped up and swung widely. He dodged and tried to explain himself. “There’s no need, really. I’ll just go on ahead. No need to let this escalate.”
Xiao Bai looked like she was about to blow a vein. Fortunately, Huxian was there. He put his hand on her shoulder and whispered, very loudly, so that everyone present could hear, “Don’t worry, we’ll get him back. We’ll let our elders know about this. Mark my words, there’s nowhere you’ll ever be able to hide. You’re nothing but a simpleton who doesn’t recognize how high the heavens are and how low the earth is.”
“Of course, of course,” the man said politely. He continued on his way. Once the man was out of earshot, Xiao Bai whispered to the attendant, “How did we do?”
“Excellent! We should be able to get you in by the end of the day. Just sit tight. Don’t be afraid to take a few blows!”
Cha Ming stared, mouth agape.
The woman continued escorting them. At random intervals, they were interrupted by calm men and women who were just minding their own business, and Xiao Bai—and sometimes Huxian—would attack them verbally. Sometimes, they’d even throw a fist at them or fly back from a punch they took on purpose. They built up a bit of an audience as they went on. Every time they started moving, those above them would whisper loudly. Words like “Yes, I’ve heard of Lady White and Lord Eight Directions. Who would dare tussle with those two? They’re heaven’s chosen. One would have to be a fool to pick a fight with them.”
Yet pick fights was what everyone did. It took a total of twenty fights to finally get through the long array of corridors, stairs, and elevators on their way to their destination. Every time they encountered a delay, both Xiao Bai and Huxian simply strutted on as though they were the most important creatures in the world. And everyone egged them on and agreed with them.
I’m so confused, Cha Ming sent.
It’s very strange, Mi Fei agreed. Apparently, this is their culture. If you’re very gifted, their way of showing respect to you is getting their face slapped on purpose.
Wait, so you mean we’re picking fights and getting insulting to show respect to people? Cha Ming asked.
That’s right, Mi Fei said. The more talented you are, the humbler you should act. If you see someone acting humble, you’re obligated to challenge them. See how everyone is encouraging both of them? They’re basically heroes, taking one for the team. It’s getting us so much goodwill, we’ll be able to see the presiding elder by the end of the day instead of tomorrow—though admittedly, we’re losing so much face, we’ll be the last of his or her meetings.
Indeed, quite a crowd had accumulated by the time they got to their destination. The cheering crowd praised them as they advanced. They acted well above their station, but it was a sacrifice they were willing to make. People worthy of attention tried to maintain a low profile, but there was honor in strutting about basically asking to get beat up—and actually getting beat up for their efforts.
It took them an hour to reach the waiting room, where thankfully, only eight of the twenty they’d encountered were still waiting. “Do we have to fight anyone for seats?” Cha Ming asked when the attendant left them in the waiting room.
“No, this is neutral ground, thankfully,” Huxian said. “We’ve done our job.” He looked exhausted.
“I don’t know what to say,” Cha Ming said.
“Then don’t say anything to ruin it,” Xiao Bai said with a glare.
He gulped and looked around. It was a large waiting room. Many snacks had been arrayed, and there was much to drink. In the center of the room was a bowl of colorful punch. The entire room was filled with all colors of the rainbow as well as metal and glass ornamentations. Whereas Stargazer City reflected nature and wilderness, the Iridescent Phoenix Clan’s headquarters showed off as much as possible. In a way, Cha Ming realized, they were giving the city face. They were pretending to be important so that they could give others a chance to prove their worth. The irony was that this was probably lost on most humans.
“Is that who I think it is?” Mi Fei asked.
Cha Ming looked over. His eyes narrowed when he saw who it was. Li Yang, the imports and exports manager for the Li Clan sat, waiting for a meeting. Another familiar man sat beside him. “What’s his name again? Cao Wenluan?”
“Yes,” Mi Fei said. “They don’t look very happy to see us.”
“I’m guessing there’s a high probability they were involved in the attack yesterday,” Cha Ming said.
Xiao Bai and Huxian tensed.
“Don’t,” he said. “I have no proof. They know I have no proof.” Indeed, the duo rose and walked over with a smile.
“If it isn’t Brother Cha Ming and the beauty Mi Fei,” Li Yang said in his usually pleasant voice. “Mind if we take a seat?”
“Not at all,” Cha Ming said. They sat opposite them. “It’s a small world. We were speaking just a few days ago, and coincidentally, we meet again.”
“I personally come here quite often,” Li Yang said. “The Iridescent Phoenix Clan is one of our preferred trading partners, after all.”
“So I’ve gathered,” Cha Ming said. He looked to Cao Wenluan. “Did you come for the same reason?”
Cao Wenluan raised an eyebrow. “I’m a military commander. He’s a businessman. What possible overlap could there be for us in coming here?” His eyes flickered to Mi Fei. “At first, I thought this trip would be unpleasant, but fortunately, a flower graces our presence.” He bowed his head. “How goes your noble father?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Mi Fei replied crisply. “I don’t speak to him often.”
“Pity,” Cao Wenluan said. “I believe my mother went to your estate some time ago. Did you perhaps see her then?”
“I wouldn’t want to waste her time,” Mi Fei replied. “I’m sure she and my mother had much to talk about. They’re very similar.”
“Yes. Did you know they had the same tutor when they were younger?” Cao Wenluan said.
It seemed like a normal exchange from Cha Ming’s point of view. At least, as far as their words were concerned. There was, however, a frosty touch to Mi Fei’s words. She wasn’t happy to speak to him.
Bad blood? he asked mentally.
The man is a beast, Mi Fei said. He’s not even married, but he has eight concubines in his harem. You can imagine what his mother wanted to speak to mine about.
Any positive impressions Cha Ming might have had about the man instantly evaporated. Perhaps he could arrange to meet him in a dark alley and… no. The man was far too strong. Even with Huxian by his side, he could feel danger oozing from him. He had a certain bearing that made it feel like everything in
the room revolved around him. This wasn’t a common man—he was a man whose actions could shape a nation.
Is he a karmic anomaly? Cha Ming wondered.
“I imagine you’re all here to inquire about those caravans?” Li Yang asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“Get bent,” Xiao Bai snapped.
“Please, Lady White,” Cha Ming said. “He hasn’t done anything to warrant such treatment. Or have you, Li Yang?”
“N-no, of course not,” Li Yang said. “I was merely curious. That’s all.”
“We’re naturally here about the caravans,” Cha Ming said. “I’d imagine you are all here for the same reason. Or at least something related to these caravan raids.”
“N-naturally,” Li Yang said. “Like I said, we do business with them. But trade has taken a hit of late, and there are problems to resolve if we want to continue our business relationship. These are unstable times. I’m sure you can understand.”
Cao Wenluan snorted. “Why beat around the bush? They’re demons, and you want to grab a bigger piece of the pie because you can.”
“I resent that,” Huxian said.
Cao Wenluan shrugged. “It’s the way of the world, little fox. Nothing personal. If one prefecture wins, the others lose. If humans win, demons lose. Simple as that.”
“You make everything sound like a zero-sum game,” Cha Ming said.
“There are limited resources in this world,” Cao Wenluan said. “Like I said, I hold nothing against your demon friends. In fact, I greatly respect demons, especially the strong ones. As for the Li Clan… well, let’s just say you don’t want their respect. Those who have it don’t fare too kindly.”
“Shut up,” Li Yang snapped in an unusual show of sternness.
Cao Wenluan sneered at him. “Or what? You’ll stop me? You and what army?”
Li Yang bit back any further words.
“I once heard a story,” Mi Fei said. “I’m not sure if it’s true, but my tutors assured me it was. They said that the Li Clan was once a poor clan, but their fortunes changed a few centuries ago when they struck a bargain with the Golden Dragon Clan.”
Crown of the Starry Sky: Book 11 of Painting the Mists Page 42