~~~

The banquet celebrating Lord Feng Gui’s new status comes and goes without any fanfare. Or rather, there is a lot of fanfare, but none of it is the unwanted kind. The celebration goes precisely as intended, without chaos, destruction, or death. Lord Feng Gui is not the Patriarch yet, but he will be, and the Eternal Flame Clan has chosen to accept it without struggle.

The days that follow the banquet are almost boring in how mundane they are. There are no angry outbursts or silly grudge matches. The Sparring Hall is almost unreasonably subdued, as if the disciples there feared the act of making a fist.

Liu Jin cannot say he dislikes it. In fact, he wishes the Eternal Flame Clan could be like this more often.

Elder Xue has finally stopped swamping him with work in the Apothecary, an opportunity he has used to walk around the compound and enjoy the rare peace and quiet. In the morning, Liu Jin visited the Medical Pavilion and was pleased to see everything going smoothly. Then, he decided to check up on the other disciples who had been in the Dead Plains.

“It’s time I challenge Feng Zhi!”

A mistake, in hindsight.

“That’s a horrible idea,” Liu Jin tells Huang Shing.

The two are in the Summer Forest, well away from prying eyes and ears. Huang Shing is in the middle of a simple tree-cutting mission. Mundane as the task is, there is a reason why Huang Shing is doing it beyond solitude. Like Liu Jin, Huang Shing is someone whose cultivation increased significantly while in the Dead Plains. His body needs to relax and properly stabilize before he can train in earnest once more.

“Putting aside his high cultivation level, Feng Zhi’s father is slated to be the next Patriarch,” Liu Jin points out as he helps Huang Shing cut the fallen trees into smaller pieces and tie them into bundles. “Feng Zhi has also been given credit for the discoveries in the temple. In all the time we have been here, his star has never been higher.”

“That might be true…”

“Might be?”

Huang Shing clicks his tongue. “Brother Jin is far too harsh.”

“I find it important to keep certain people honest, especially to themselves,” Liu Jin says as he finishes bundling a few branches. “Whether in cultivation or status, Feng Zhi is stronger than you. Challenging him is a horrible idea.”

“Hear me out, Brother Jin,” Huang Shing says, holding up his hand. “Certainly, Feng Zhi is more popular than me, but he’s not as popular as he could be!”

“Oh?”

“People don’t like Feng Zhi much,” Huang Shing tells him, lowering his voice. “That’s what Senior Brother Xi told me.”

“You have been talking to Xi Mou?” Liu Jin’s eye twitches. “The same Xi Mou who was part of Lord Feng Shang’s faction in the Dead Plains?”

“I figure if nothing was done about him when he came back, then it’s safe,” Huang Shing shrugs. “Senior Brother Xi has sort of become a leader among the younger members of Lord Feng Shang’s faction now that the other tournament participants have left.”

“He’s deliberately egging you on to cause trouble.”

“Almost certainly,” Huang Shing says, nodding eagerly. “I’m not that dumb, Brother Jin, but I don’t think he’s wrong when he says Feng Zhi is not that popular. Despite his position, he’s not someone who has much support.”

Liu Jin frowns. Though he does not like to admit it, Huang Shing has a point. Due to Feng Hao’s existence and Lady Ling’s influence, Feng Zhi has few true allies in the Eternal Flame Clan. Rather than a Young Master, most people probably think of him as a “spare.”

“And if we’re talking about cultivation, the gap that seemed so insurmountable when I joined the Eternal Flame Clan is much smaller now.”

Huang Shing raises his hand to the sun.

“I just need a little more for him to be within my reach. This is not arrogance, Brother Jin. I have defeated people who surpassed me in cultivation in the past. I have always been stronger than my level would suggest.”

Liu Jin sighs.

“Aha!” Huang Shing points at him. “I know that sigh! It means I have a point, but you don’t want to admit it!”

Liu Jin tilts his head to the side. “Do I have so many sighs that you can differentiate between them?”

“You sigh a lot, Brother Jin.”

Once again, Huang Shing is not entirely wrong. About the difference between him and Feng Zhi, that is. While Huang Shing has kept growing, Feng Zhi has not advanced even a single level in all the time they have known him. The difference between them has shrunk to the point where it is only a little over half a realm.

However, even taking into account the curse of the Earth Realm, that is still an insurmountable obstacle under most circumstances. Huang Shing might be stronger than his level would suggest, and were they talking about anyone else, Liu Jin would be forced to admit he might have the smallest odds of winning. Maybe one in fifty.

But this is Feng Zhi they are talking about.

“Feng Zhi is also stronger than his level would suggest,” Liu Jin tells him, stacking bundles of branches on top of each other. “That is not even taking into account the Eternal Flame. You have no answer to that.”

Huang Shing crosses his arms and looks away. “Is it really that great?”

“Yes,” Liu Jin replies. “Yes, it is.”

Though he has only felt it a few times and seen it less, that was more than enough for Liu Jin to get a good sense of how powerful the Eternal Flame is. Feng Zhi might only be in the First Level of the Earth Realm, but the Eternal Flame allows him to wield far greater power.

“Even if he underestimates you at first, you are not strong enough to immediately end the fight. He’ll soon start taking you seriously. Once that happens, you will lose. And if you actually prove strong enough to make him use the Eternal Flame, you will die. It is that simple.”

“Argh!” Huang Shing runs his hands over his hair and yells at the skies. Nearby birds fly away in fear. “Friends are supposed to encourage each other, you know?”

“I am encouraging you to live.”

Huang Shing flinches and clutches his chest. “That one cut deep, Brother Jin. I think I just took more damage right now than in all the time I was in the Dead Plains. Even the dragon didn’t hit that hard.”

As if weighted down by gloom, Huang Shing slumps against a tree and sits down on the dirt.

“What am I supposed to do about Yi Jiao then? The whole point of coming here was to rescue her, but the months have passed, and I have done nothing!”

“Correct me if I am wrong,” Liu Jin says, sitting down on top of a fallen tree, “but despite your claims, you weren’t exactly shying away from those girls at the party.”

“This and that are different!” Huang Shing repeats his words from the party. “Yi Jiao and I… we were never…” He blushes. “....as physically intimate as you and Sister Mei are.”

“I’d be surprised if you were considering your ages when you were separated. Families tend to be protective about that sort of thing. I imagine meetings between the two of you were heavily regulated.”

“Not at first,” Huang Shing answers. “When we were kids, we used to play around a lot. No one minded it then. When it became an official engagement, yeah, there were always chaperones. I couldn’t just visit her. They had to be formal meetings and the like. It was all so stiff.”

Liu Jin can easily imagine it. As a child, his interaction with Xiao Shuang had all been heavily controlled. He’d thought it was because of her condition, but things would have likely been the same if she was perfectly healthy. Important families tend to be heavily protective of anything that could potentially threaten their daughters’ virtue.

“After we were separated, I began traveling…and well…” Huang Shing blushes bright red. “It looks bad if the wandering hero doesn’t accept a maiden’s kiss for his good deeds! That’s how it’s supposed to go, right?”

Liu Jin says nothing. Saving damsels and the associated rewards are not a matter he has any experience with.

“Anyway! It doesn’t matter! I still need to save Yi Jiao!”

“Do you even know where she is? Have you encountered any clues about her whereabouts during your time here?”

“No,” Huang Shing admits, hanging his head. “I was hoping defeating Feng Zhi would make him reveal that.”

Liu Jin wants to sigh but doesn’t because Huang Shing just told him he sighs too much.

“There’s no guarantee he’ll do that. You don’t even know if she’s in the compound. The Eternal Flame Clan has several branches all over the empire and beyond. She could be in any of them.”

“But why would he kidnap her if he’s not going to keep her close? Unless… Do you think he threw her away?”

“Does that strike you as something he would do?” Liu Jin asks.

“I don’t know…” Huang Shing bites his lower lips. “There are stories about his father.”

“Something tells me Feng Zhi is not much like his father.”

“But he did steal my fiancée! Which does sound like what his father would do! But… I wanted him to be worse,” Huang Shing admits. “When I came here, I was expecting him to always act like a petty tyrant. A spoiled brat. But he isn’t like that. It’s annoying! I… don’t understand him at all.”

Fiercely protective of his brother. Temperamental. Focused. Stubborn. Those are all things Liu Jin knows about Feng Zhi, but at the same time, he understands what Huang Shing is getting at.

“We don’t really know much about him, huh?”

~~~

“I was wondering how long it would take you to visit me.”

Lady Ling’s manor is the same as always, and its owner is no different. Always elegant, Lady Ling is dressed in silks and adorned in jewels. Aromatic incense is heavy in the air, making everything look just a little hazy. It is too extravagant to welcome a simple visitor, but Lady Ling is nothing if not extravagant.

“My lady, I came here the same day I returned to the Dead Plains,” Liu Jin replies.

“And you immediately disappeared in the depths of the Apothecary ever since.” Lady Ling points at him with her fan. “Xue has been hiding you from me all this time.”

“My lady looked for me?” Liu Jin blinks. “Whatever for? I thought it was enough that Elder Xue brought me so my lady could express her thanks.”

“That was before I learned how much you had done for my dear Hao. You have gone above and beyond all my expectations. However, Xue has kept you so guarded, you’d think there was something harmful about a lady wishing to express her thanks to her son’s protector.”

“Elder Xue worries about me. That is all.”

“Am I someone to be worried about now?” Lady Ling scoffs. “Oh well, I suppose her old age has finally made a shred of motherhood bloom in that woman. It is amusing as it is inconvenient.”

“This one lacks the knowledge to opine on such things,” Liu Jin says as neutrally as possible.

“As respectful and tactful as always. If every one of my husband’s subordinates could follow your example, things would be far more peaceful here.” Lady Ling’s fan snaps open to cover the lower half of her face. “But I digress. Speak, why is it that you sought an audience with me?”

“I came to ask about Feng Hao,” Liu Jin says. “I wish to know if he has recovered and whether he will be allowed to continue his training with me.”

“Training…” Lady Ling mutters. Her fan snaps shut. “That could work.”

“My lady?”

“My child is as healthy as can be. As is natural.”

“Of course. Young Master Feng Hao looked quite healthy the last time we spoke.”

“Unfortunately, my husband does not seem to understand that.” She frowns darkly. “Even since they returned, he has had his men poring over old scrolls and having my dear, bright child analyzed. All because of what happened in that dusty old temple! That’s simply no way for a child to spend his days!”

Liu Jin can understand Lord Feng Gui’s actions. What happened to Feng Hao in the temple definitely requires proper investigation. All the same, he agrees with Lady Ling’s point.

Feng Hao is a child. He deserves to live as one.

“To make matters worse, he’s having that little monster brought in as well! All because he helped out a little in that temple!”

Feng Zhi helped more than a little, but Liu Jin wants Lady Ling on his side for this, so he just nods.

“I’ll bring it up with my husband. Since it’s for training, he’s almost certain to agree to let Feng Hao have some time off, especially since he’ll be spending it with one of the heroes of the Dead Plains.”

Liu Jin bows his head. “That title is too much for me.”

“Nonsense. Young men should strive to have as many titles as possible.” Lady Ling smiles. “Now, if that is all you needed to say, allow me a question of my own.”

“Of course.”

“What do you know of the girl who used the Eternal Flame in the Dead Plains.”

“On that matter, I cannot say I know more than Lady Ling,” Liu Jin replies. “If this one knows of it, surely, Lady Ling knows of it as well.”

Lady Ling holds his gaze for several seconds.

“I see,” she says after a while. Her fan taps her hand exactly twice. “If you say it, I must assume it is true because you would not dare lie to me. In light of your services, I must acknowledge your words as true.”

“My lady’s generosity is without bounds.”

“Naturally, and in the spirit of that generosity, allow me to give you the following advice: You have my permission to take her.”

Liu Jin blinks.

“What?”

“A girl of strong Feng blood is valuable,” Lady Ling continues. “Why, if someone like that little monster were to marry her, she’d bear him powerful offspring, which could prove troublesome if he ever shows ambitions above his station. Similarly, it would be inconvenient if my dear child were to be paired off with someone so beneath him. However, if she was taken as a prize by a disciple with a proven record and demonstrated loyalty, the threat she poses would be neatly neutralized without the need for me to do anything. As you are a disciple of the Apothecary, I imagine you do not need any help procuring items that would help ensure her agreement, though if needed, I can provide you with a few elixirs.”

Liu Jin pushes down the revulsion he feels.

“That will not be necessary, Lady Ling.”

Lady Ling smiles at him as if she hadn’t suggested something perfectly horrible.

“I am glad we had this talk. Come here next week. My son will be waiting for you.”

~~~

Just as Lady Ling assured him, Feng Hao is waiting for him the next time he is called to her manor.

“I am so glad we can train again, Elder Brother!” Feng Hao says while he attacks Liu Jin. “The things you taught me helped me out a lot in the Dead Plains!”

“I am glad to hear that, Young Master,” Liu Jin replies as he easily dodges around Feng Hao. This level of sparring is not enough to inconvenience him. “I am also glad that your condition has improved.”

Feng Hao had already returned to normal after whatever happened to him in the temple. However, the current Feng Hao has gone a step beyond that. His Qi roars with every attack, showcasing his new strength.

Spirit Realm, First Level.

And he’s not even nine yet. Unbelievable.

“Has the Eternal Flame given you any trouble since returning?” Liu Jin asks. Feng Hao shakes his head.

“Not at all,” Feng Hao says, his attacks slowing down as he thinks. “My father and the men with him have let me use it a couple of times.” He frowns. “They are always taking notes and whispering to each other. It is annoying.”

“I imagine they are just worried.”

“I know my father is worried. The old men just seem to keep talking about the Sun Scrolls and other such things.”

The Sun Scrolls. That name has been showing up a lot these days in whispers and rumors passed around by the disciples. They say they are some sort of ancient relic of the Eternal Flame Clan and that the barrier in the temple may be some sort of clue towards finding them. They don’t know the barrier is older than the Eternal Flame Clan, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some shred of truth to be found in their speculations.

“And do you find it easier to use the Eternal Flame now?”

“Should I show it to you, Elder Brother?!”

“No,” Liu Jin replies back just as quickly. “Do not ever use the Eternal Flame without proper supervision. And no, I do not count as proper supervision,” he adds when he senses what Feng Hao is about to ask. “That would be your father and your brother.”

Feng Hao sighs.

“They would probably agree.”

“That shows they have good sense,” Liu Jin replies as he stops a kick aimed at his head. “I am hoping that good sense extends to other matters.”

“Huh?”

“There is something I wish to discuss with your brother, Young Master,” Liu Jin says, not seeing any point in hiding his intentions.

“Huh? With my brother?”

“Yes,” Liu Jin replies. It is one of the reasons why he went to Lady Ling to restart Feng Hao’s lessons. Not the only one, obviously. He has spent enough time around Feng Hao’s family to feel somewhat responsible for him.

Feng Hao needs at least one normal influence in his life.

“Are you two going to fight?” Feng Hao asks, frowning suspiciously.

“I have no interest in fighting your brother, young master. Trust me on that.”

However, Huang Shing might if he does not act quickly enough.

“I just wanted to know where I might find him. I assume he lives in the main house, but does he perhaps have another residence in the compound?”

Feng Hao stops to think.

“I think he has a mansion somewhere in the compound?” He scratches his cheek. “My mother mentioned it once, but I have never gone there.”

“I see. Do you know if he lives with anyone there?”

“Maybe his servants? Sorry, Elder Brother. I don’t actually spend much time with my brother. Mother doesn’t like it.”

“I can imagine. I apologize for bringing up something uncomfortable,” Liu Jin settles into a combat stance once more. “Let’s resume your lesson, young master.”

Feng Hao brightens immediately. “Right!”

Hours later, Liu Jin is making his way back to the Inner Disciple’s mansion. The sun has almost set, and for the first time in a long time, he is not worried about being ambushed.

“As expected, the two do not spend much time together,” Liu Jin mutters under his breath.

It would have been nice if Feng Hao could have answered all his questions, but he never expected to find Yi Jiao that way.

“How about you?”

Liu Jin casually kicks a pebble at a nearby tree with enough force to crack it in half. However, the pebble never makes contact with the tree; it stops in the middle of the air. Space shimmers and fizzles as the invisibility technique of the person who had been following him ever since he left Lady Ling’s manor is dispelled.

The figure revealed is one Liu Jin can recognize. She is a servant he has seen hanging around Feng Zhi a few times.

“What can you tell me about your master?”

~~~