Alex flashed a heartfelt smile at the sight of a giddy Yinzi spinning about the surface of the water and a positively glowing Hao Chan who was radiating pristine health, striking beauty, and a transcendent connection to the world around her that sent shivers through Alex’s soul when she gazed right back at him and smiled, as if reading his mind.

“Shall we continue our ascent, Alex?”

Alex grinned and nodded as they ascended the steps in unison, no more hindered by the increasing flow of spiritual energy washing down the steps than they had been cresting the plateaus of basic servitude and Bronze ascension. And for all that Alex endured a brief moment’s dread with each basin crested before Bullrushing like mad across the massive pools, he saw no trace of ambushers, assassins. Nor could he find any trace trace of the extra haunted level that he and Cheng Lei had encountered the first time they had dared the steps.

Yet the view that greeted them upon daring the first of the steps leading to the Gold tiers, filled Alex with just as much wonder as it had the first time he had dared those steps. And he could tell that Hao Chan and Yinzi felt just as moved.

“Alex, all those stars! Glittering like a thousand jewels upon a night sky saturated with so much color, a sea of emerald and ruby rivers upon glittering obsidian fire!” Hao Chan whispered, eyes wide with wonder, paying no head to the hair whipping behind her as jade pins were yanked free and sent hurtling like shooting stars in the endless starry heavens as the continued their ascent, both girls now leaning forward as if against a truly blustery day, though their eyes were glittering with excitement, the farthest thing from feeling exhausted or afraid.

“And the moons!” Yinzi squealed. “So many of them with clouds and oceans, worlds just like our own! Look, Alex, you can actually see tiny cities upon lush green plains besides snowcapped mountains! And if you squint really hard you can almost see massive boats sailing upon the...”

Quickness check made!

“Careful!” A suddenly alarmed Alex cautioned. “Yes, the sight’s beyond incredible. It’s as if someone just boosted reality with a top tier graphics card. But if you fall off the steps, you blaze forever as a shooting star while our enemies above laugh at your fate!”

Yinzi’s ears and enthusiasm immediately wilted. “Alex I… I’m sorry.”

Alex sighed, kissing her brow. “You have nothing to apologize for,” he said with a rueful shake of his head. “You have no idea how much I just want to sit upon these steps and just take in the wonders all around us,” he said, gesturing to the distant snow capped mountains marching off in the distance, each and every one crowned by a magnificent city of sparkling gold.

“But the longer we delay, the easier we’ll lose our resolve, our fierce desire to ascend, the fires of our own hunger muted by the serene wonders all around us,” Hao Chan whispered. “And if that happens...” she paled and shook her head. “The gods will be laughing at our folly.” Beautiful amber eyes glared at the glorious vista all around her. “Which means this incredible view is just another sort of trap. One we’d be fools to lose ourselves staring at for any longer than we already have.”

She exchanged a nod with Yinzi, and both began ascending up the pearlescent gold steps once more at a steady no-nonsense pace, bending down against the spiritual pressure now sending hair stripped free of all clasps and pins whipping wildly behind them, their attire fluttering like sails in an ocean storm. And none of that slowed their ascent in the least, Alex was more than pleased to see.

Nonetheless, he made a careful point of positioning himself behind them both, hands upon the their backs, ready to grab tight to silken qipaos the instant either lurched, stumbled, or otherwise lost their balance. Fortunately, neither did.

And then they were just a step away from ascending to a Ruler’s rank and all the privileges such entailed, should they dare to declare themselves… or risk the ire of whatever dire threat might be waiting for them in the basin above.

Alex exchanged glances with the girls before him. “We all know the plan?”

Yinzi nodded. “We’re party linked. You’ll use your Spirit Qi to send me an instant flash of all the pieces on the board that might oppose us, and I use the brilliant moonlight and nighttime gloom to teleport behind the closest threat and save your cute behind, just like I did against that Gold that almost killed you!”

Alex grinned. “You did indeed save us both, little fox, for which you have my lifelong gratitude.”

Yinzi positively beamed at the praise as Alex turned to Hao Chan. “Once we’re both in play, Hao Chan will strike when and where our foe seems weakest, and if I give the command, you both scatter and I’ll do what needs doing.”

The girls exchanged anxious nods. Bracing himself for absolutely anything, Alex leaped over the lip of the basin, visualizing himself like the prow of a ship, desperate to slice through any currents or waves crashing his way.

Only to be captivated by absolute silence.

“Alex?”

Beholding a magnificent spa inlaid with jade and a brilliant gold alloy. He smiled with unreserved pleasure upon beholding all the distinct areas of the massive basin, from ice cold pools to miniature bubbling whirlpools that radiated a warm steamy haze calling out to his tired muscles, all of it interconnected with constant flows of spiritual energy keeping all the different temperatures and salinities separated. It was a marvel transcending the most glorious baths he had ever seen in any documentary of ancient imperial palaces or the most luxurious of hotel suites.

And through all of it there was no sign of trap, threat, or peril that he could see. It was just as empty as it had been the first time he had dared the golden steps and the plateaus promising such peril and power.

Within seconds, Hao Chan and Yinzi were grinning cheek to cheek, all but squealing with delight when they happily made use of the baths, savoring a delicious soak while Alex solemnly served as sentinel, doing his absolute best to ignore the too frank smiles being flashed his way.

“Congratulations, you two. We’ve achieved the domain of king’s and rulers, surpassing the intrigues of Silver for the glory of Gold. And now a choice lies before us.”

“Whether or not we imperil our cultivation bases to savor the sweetest of delights in each other’s arms?” Yinzi quipped, earning a smirk from Hao Chan as she finished tightening the qipao that instantly dampened against her kung-fu sister’s skin.

Alex chuckled, before pointing towards the majestic golden bell radiating both Light and Dark Qi before a well-lit passageway that nonetheless strained Alex’s eyes to look at too closely, instantly guessing its function.

“If we ring the bell, we’ll earn the attention of the Crown Princess, the court, and the city entire, and most certainly Dongfang Hong as well. It will be a spectacle and a cause for celebration as a new Gold is discovered who wasn’t riding his family’s privileged past for an easy ascent to comfortable silver taking the Path of Rulers. For this bell can be run only by those who dare the spiritual waters of the golden steps, proving themselves worthy of a Ruler’s mantel, one day, on the merits of their cultivation base and resolve alone.”

Alex grinned at their expressions. “That’s right. Ringing this bell is like declaring ourselves the heroes of our own story… and alerting everyone else to our status as well.”

Yinzi gazed at Alex for long moments, tilting her head. “But mother heard no rumors of Royal Phoenix bells being rung in the months since, well, things happened… and that’s one of the things her ears would have definitely picked up on, Alex.”

Alex nodded. “Correct. Because the first time the Blue Prince and I dared this path, we hid our purpose and potential from a realm full of schemers and competitors we’d rather keep off our trail. But this time...”

“This time you’re eager to alert the very enemies who probably want us dead?”

Alex smirked at Yinzi’s deadpan expression. “This time we’re just days away from the trials that will decided the fate of Jade tier treasures. A contest that will draw in powerful Silvers and probably Golds as well, for thousands of miles in all directions, thanks to the High Roads cutting a month’s worth of travel time to just a day or so.”

“And this time, Dongfang Hong’s blocked access to the Highroad exit point, and all communication from leaving the Province!” Hao Chan said, instantly getting it.

Alex nodded. “Which means that powerful connected guests are welcome, but threadbare cultivators eager to make a report of nefarious exit points will have have to travel a month by foot to a completely separate city, and pray that every gate guardian in the ten Sacred Cities within the province aren’t controlled by guards already in Dongfang Hong’s pocket.”

Yinzi winced. “And with an entire nation’s treasury at his disposal… shit, Gate guards are the perfect target for strangling unwanted communication from leaving the province!”

Alex grinned. Gesturing toward the bell. “And what do you think happens if we continue to ascend the ranks of gold? Gold, and perhaps beyond?”

Hao Chan paled, gazing at Alex for long moments. “Alex, if… if we actually have the potential for Jade, and there is a bell to be rung at that tier...”

“There is.”

“Then there’s absolutely no way that the emperor won’t have some means of finding out! Whether to welcome a worthy disciple...”

“Or crush a potential upstart?”

Hao Chan winced. “Either way, there’s no way in hell our enemy will be able to stop that message from going through… is there?”

Alex winked. “I’m betting no one other than a Jade seer could do such a thing.”

Yinzi laughed at the thought. “A Jade seer? How could someone with that much power not end up an emperor… or empress themselves?”

“Exactly,” Alex agreed. “Fortunately for our enemies, the chance of any random commoner daring these steps actually achieving Jade is probably infinitesimal. So I guess Dongfang Hong has absolutely nothing to worry about. Right?”

The three exchanged truly wicked grins at that.

“So, who’s up for ringing that bell?”

Chapter

Hao Chan gazed at Alex for long moments before slowly nodding, approaching the ancient artifact with a reverence Alex hadn’t expected. She went so far as to bow her head before pulling the ringer.

Alex felt a shiver of wonder as the hairs rose on the back of his neck when the entire basin seemed to resonate with that single pristine note, as if to signal the irrevocability of their actions. And the look on Hao Chan’s face, brimming with tears and a fiercely proud smile as she presented a shimmering Gold talisman with a single jade star at its end, filled Alex with a fierce affection for the beautiful angel of his heart, who had come so far.

“I did it, Alex. After struggling for so long just to find a path forward, never even thinking I’d make it to Bronze… after being told I was defective and worthless, cast off from my family as if I were nothing… memories locked away, destined only to become a dancer and so much worse…” She swallowed, eyes filling with tears. “Yet here before me lies proof of my worth, my strength, my right to ascend!”

She shook, tears streaming down her face as her talisman blazed with a golden fire. “I have dared to walk the golden steps beside my kung fu sister, beside the man that I love, and claim the talisman of kings and queens. And no twisted politics, corrupt wujen, or tainted poison will ever take that truth away from me!”

Alex swallowed, heart in throat as a sobbing Hao Chan wrapped herself in his arms, filling him with such fierce pride, such joy to see her blossom before his very eyes, wanting nothing more than to swear himself to her then and there, before the bitter burden of their unorthodox path forced them back with painful gasps and a smile.

“My future husband taught me a most fearsome and powerful art,” she teased with a smile.

Alex chuckled and winced. “So powerful that we must both act as pure as driven snow, until both of us have ascended to the rank our talisman makes clear is our birthright… even if it takes us a century to get there!”

Hao Chan swallowed, piercing his heart with her smile. “But it will be worth it, I promise you that, my love.”

Alex bowed his head. “Yes it will.”

Yinzi was clapping, hopping up and down in giddy excitement. “Oh, this truly is like the wondrous tragedies told only by the best storytellers in bard’s row! Now come on, it’s my turn to get a golden talisman and ring the bell and then I can say dramatic lines!”

Alex’s grin matched Hao Chan’s own when the entire plateau vibrated under Yinzi’s enthusiastic ringing, and her squeals of joy when she earned a talisman near identical to Hao Chan’s own. “Ooh look! Nice and gold and shiny! Now I too can earn a kingdom and a harem of my own! And you two are my first choice for lead mistress and master of my delicious herd of doting pleasure servants!” She flashed a wicked grin. “In fact, you two will be the only members of my harem, and I will be keeping you both very, very busy.”

Hao Chan rolled her eyes, before giving Yinzi a tearful hug. “We did it, kung fu sister! We just showed the world what two so-called broken cultivators daring to follow their future husband’s crazy path can do if they have absolute conviction and are maybe just a tad bit crazy like you and me!”

Yinzi’s tearful smile matched Hao Chan’s own before her eyes widened with surprise. “Hao Chan, look at your talisman, there is a difference!”

The taller girl blinked, then frowned. “What do you mean… oh, there is!”

Alex, curious despite himself, leaned in himself.

Perception check made!

“No kidding. It’s subtle, but it’s there.”

Yinzi nodded. “A phoenix for Hao Chan, and a tiny fox for me! How about you, Alex?”

Alex grinned. “You know what? Let’s find out.”

Alex pulled out his once translucent talisman that was now as dark as midnight, gazing into the hypnotic symbol at the very bottom that was simultaneously a taijitu, or yin-yang symbol, with each opposing eye depicted in the shape of a fox, and a tiny etching of a sitting fox, smiling right him, with taijitu symbols for eyes. A tiny jade crown etched in gold glittered upon the top of his talisman, making it clear exactly who he was to all who would dare challenge him. Between that and the symbol of his patron was the inscription that still sent shivers down his soul to read.

Thrice Won is Sacred.

No Living Soul May Refuse Your Challenge.

“I’m assuming there will be no problem if I ring the bell, this time around?”

Of course his talisman was dead silent, because what else would it be? As he gazed awkwardly at the girls smirking by his side. Alex sighed, frowning at the bell, wondering if maybe prudence would be…

Finesse check made!

He kept his balance when an exasperated Yinzi pushed him forward. “Quite being a worry wort, and ring the bloody bell!”

“But what about...”

She rolled her eyes. “Do you really think your magical artifact is going to disappear or something?”

Alex smirked. “Considering how messed up the puppet-masters in play upstairs are… yes.”

Yinzi pinned him with her gaze. “And is that how my father operates?”

Alex gazed at the pretty young Kitsune whose tail was weaving back and forth with unmistakable exasperation.

Just like his first wife of countless centuries ago.

Alex paled and tore free his gaze, not even sure what he had been thinking or why he felt so lost in fairytales sometimes, but not hesitating to ring the golden bell, come what may, and unable to hold back the fierce grin curving his lips when the plateau shook like an earthquake had just changed the course of countless fates, entire rivers of possibility being shaken off course, and he couldn’t even say why, only that a part of him delighted in breaking free of all expectation.

“There, was that so hard?”

Alex rolled his eyes, knowing that tone all too well. “No, darling. You were right, as always,” he smirked, happy to see that his talisman was exactly as it had been before, even if the fox now looked like it was laughing at him, and the sudden tense silence made it clear that he had played the fool once more.

He winced and looked up. “I’m sorry, did I say something stupid?”

Yinzi solemnly shook her head, yet the way tears were flowing free from eyes gazing at him with an intensity Alex had no words for made it clear that something had happened.

“Yinzi?”

“It’s alright, Alex. Lets just continue, while the strength of our revelations still fills our souls,” Hao Chan said, though her eyes also made it clear that something significant had happened.

Alex frowned before at last nodding. “You’re right. Come on, let’s take advantage of our momentum while we can. To the next set of steps, and a sight that will absolutely take your breath away!”

This earned a teasing smile. “More remarkable even than a spectacular night sky blessed with six moons that are themselves miniature worlds?”

Alex grinned. “Alright, maybe it’s a tie. Now come on! I know the perfect place to take a rest, if we need it.”