~~~

Liu Jin manages to hold his tongue in the arena. He holds his tongue during the journey back to Murong Bang’s estate and even succeeds in waiting until he’s in Murong Bang’s great hall.

Any more than that would require a more patient heart than his.

“General, what is the meaning of this?!”

Liu Jin’s voice echoes across the grand hall as he glares at one of the Three Heavenly Generals. Many would consider doing that suicide, but Murong Bang does not look angry at all.

Just amused.

“Oh?” Murong Bang says, smiling as he scratches the inside of his ear. “You’re talking pretty loud for someone who could barely stand in my presence just a short while ago. Is that wise?”

“If General Murong treasured wisdom, I would not be here!”

“How dare you!” One of the guards standing next to Murong Bang shouts at him, already taking his sword out of its sheath.

A brief glare from Murong Bang is all it takes for the man to freeze in place.

“Does it look like I need to be defended from a child’s words?” Murong Bang asks him. “Is that what you are saying?”

The soldier’s face goes white as he realizes his mistake. Rather than uttering excuses or pleading for mercy, the soldier kneels on all fours with his forehead pressed firmly against the ground.

Murong Bang rolls his eyes.

“Everyone who doesn’t trust himself to not say or do something stupid, leave at once!” Murong Bang bellows. “Excluding the child, of course. I’m in the mood to humor him. The rest of you are not so lucky.”

Showing far more caution than Liu Jin had been led to believe they had, Murong Bang’s soldiers leave the room one by one.

“General Murong,” Liu Jin says when it is just the two of them left. “I am a disciple of the Eternal Flame Clan. I am here as an ally of General Dan. It is impossible for me to be part of your army.”

“You say very sensible things.” Murong Bang’s grin stretches wide as he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You see how that’s a problem, right? You’re a smart kid. You should be able to figure it out.”

Liu Jin closes his eyes and sighs.

“I say sensible things in a place where there is no room for sense. Is that it?”

Murong Bang slaps his knee and laughs. “See? I knew you were smart. If I say you’re part of my army, then you’re part of my army. There is no room for impossibilities when an Emperor has made up his mind. If the Eternal Flame Clan has a problem with it, they are welcome to come here. The same goes for that fool Dan. They won’t, of course. Because that’d be stupid, and people are always so afraid of being stupid. That’s the most stupid thing of all.”

Liu Jin presses his lips into a thin line. With the threat of the Death Fashioning Scripture so prominent on the horizon, starting a fight with Murong Bang over this would be stupid. Murong Bang realizes that better than anyone.

The man might be a savage, but he’s a cunning savage. Far more so than people give him credit for.

“And if I still try to refuse, you will withdraw your support. Is that it?”

Murong Bang’s booming laughter immediately echoes throughout the grand hall. It is so loud and strong that it rattles the blades above their heads.

“Kid, you cannot more refuse anything I say than you can stop the sun from rising. I thought we made that clear already, but….”

Fire shines in Murong Bang’s eyes.

“It seems you need a reminder.”

Liu Jin’s body is swatted into the ground by a great force. It happens so suddenly that he cannot put up any resistance. This is not like what happened in the arena. Murong Bang is not loudly flaring his Qi for the whole city to feel. No, this is far more focused. It is as if Murong Bang has put his entire weight into one fist and is now pressing it against Liu Jin’s head, grinding him into the ground.

“If I tell you to stop breathing, do you think you’re in any position to say no?”

Murong Bang’s Qi hammers each word into his mind. His mere voice is like a heavy blow falling upon his body. Liu Jin can no longer tell up from down. He cannot breathe. He cannot see. He can barely think. It feels like his body and soul are being worn down just by Murong Bang focusing his aura on him.

When Murong Bang finally releases him, Liu Jin is left gasping on the floor, covered in cold sweat. He wipes his face and is surprised to find tears in the corner of his eyes.

“Do you understand now?” Murong Bang asks him. He has not moved from his throne all this time. “You are here for my amusement. Dan knew that when he sent you here.”

He snorts.

“But for the sake of argument, in a make-believe world where refusing me was something you could do, then yes. I would immediately make sure all your ambitions fail by doing my utmost best to attack that fool Dan the moment you try to go against me. Really, you should be thanking me. I could have told you to kill everyone who came with you instead of making you fight a few Spirit Beasts. The lives of a dozen or so people to ensure the survival of a country. That sounds like a fair trade, doesn’t it? We can still do that if the notion of joining my army is so unappealing.”

Murong Bang’s smile stretches into a smirk.

“To be honest, I am a little curious to see if you have the stones for it. Perhaps we should start with that woman of yours? She looks like she’d break easily enough.”

Death.

It spreads throughout Murong Bang’s estate like a whisper. The lights dim, and the servants faint one by one. A man grabs his chest to make sure his heart still beats. A woman touches her neck, afraid it has been sliced. Even hardened soldiers feel the urge to remove themselves from the premises.

All because, at that moment, Liu Jin wants nothing more than to kill Murong Bang.

“Oh? So you do have a killer in there,” Murong Bang says, completely untouched by Liu Jin’s aura. The general rises from his throne and walks until he’s mere feet away from Liu Jin. The look on his face is nothing but approving. “Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead. Try it.”

Poison Qi flows around Liu Jin’s body. His whole body vibrates with energy. Every fiber of his being wants him to lash out. The pressure in the room mounts as Murong Bang looks at him with an eager smile, waiting for him to take the next step.

Liu Jin takes a step back instead.

His Qi fizzles out. The aura emanating from him fades away, and those in Murong Bang’s estate can breathe easy once more.

He will not play Murong Bang’s game.

“Disappointing,” Murong Bang says. “But not unexpected.”

Murong Bang shows him his back.

And immediately spins to kick Liu Jin right in the chin.

The impact explodes under Liu Jin’s head. His jaw breaks, and his skin is torn away, revealing a glimpse of the bone beneath. The blades on the ceiling shine ominously as Liu Jin’s body is launched right toward them.

[Ground Contraction]

Right before being skewered, Liu Jin uses a movement technique to halt his momentum. He twists his body and snatches a sword out of the ceiling before speeding to the ground with lightning shining around his body.

“Lesson One,” Murong Bang says. “If you do not kill, someone else will. We do not kill so we can live. We do not kill to avoid dying. We kill so we can kill more.”

Menacing intent radiates from Murong Bang’s body in waves. The message is clear. If he does not act, Murong Bang will take the initiative. The option to not play Murong Bang’s game was never once open to him.

Liu Jin charges.

“Lesson two,” Murong Bang says as he grabs Liu Jin’s lightning-covered sword and kicks him in the chest. Liu Jin’s ribs crack. Blood flows from his mouth as he’s sent flying. “You cannot kill me with lightning this weak. How am I supposed to use you against the Death Fashioning Scripture if you’re so weak?”

Liu Jin coughs weakly as he picks himself up and raises his fists. It’s a useless gesture, but that seems to be the point of this. If Murong Bang wished to kill him, he’d already be dead.

“You meant what you said in the arena, then?” Liu Jin asks, trying to catch his breath. “You will fight the Death Fashioning Scripture?”

In the blink of an eye, Murong Bang appears in front of him, grabs him by the face, and slams him into the floor.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Murong Bang says as he lifts Liu Jin’s face up and slams him down again. Liu Jin’s lightning roars around him, but it does nothing to Murong Bang.

“I do like the idea of killing those uptight fools from the other side,” Murong Bang says, letting go of Liu Jin. “Just thinking of it warms my heart a little.”

Despite the pain he’s in, Liu Jin forces himself to speak.

“Is that why you did not fear saying their name in front of so many people?” Liu Jin asks. “Because you already decided to fight them?”

Murong Bang snorts. “You have no idea how the name thing works, do you?”

Liu Jin shakes his head.

“I thought so.”

Murong Bang quickly brings his hand down to strike his throat, but Liu Jin is ready for it. He dodges under the man’s fist and lashes out with a snake made of poison Qi. Its target is Murong Bang’s eyes.

“Better,” Murong Bang says as he flares his aura to destroy Liu Jin’s attack.

Murong Bang grabs him by the arm and tosses him at the door with so much force that Liu Jin’s arm is torn out of its socket.

“Think!!” Murong Bang shouts as Liu Jin screams in pain. “It’s not as if there is a team of people ready to strike the moment someone says their names. Lightning will not fall from the Heavens to punish you. They don’t care about us enough to do that.”

Liu Jin’s eyes glow. A poisonous snake so large it nearly fills the grand hall surges from his aura.

A single fist from Murong Bang blasts it into nothingness.

“You just call their attention,” Murong Bang continues, not even slightly winded. “The more you do it, the more attention you call to yourself. If you get into the habit of doing it…”

Murong Bang smirks sinisterly.

“Well, I am sure you can figure it out.”

Murong Bang moves behind him with a single step. Liu Jin turns around in time to be slapped across the face and smacked into the floor.

“It’s an insidious little thing. A crutch,” Murong Bang continues. “The Black Dragon never forbade others from speaking his name. People just did it on their own. The methods of the other side are a poor replacement for true terror.”

Usually, Liu Jin likes hearing people praise his father. That is not one of those times. The genuine glint of admiration in Murong Bang’s eyes does not help matters.

“Of course, none of this is any of your concern,” Murong Bang adds. “You will not be part of this.”

Liu Jin just barely manages to find the strength to look up. “What?”

“As you have so eagerly reminded me, you are a member of the Eternal Flame Clan and an ally of General Dan,” Murong Bang points out. “I can hardly risk you in battle against the Death Fashioning Scripture. Think of the politics.”

Murong Bang’s grin is all teeth. His burning eyes are alight with so much joy that Liu Jin knows the man just wants a reaction out of him.

Liu Jin obliges him.

He forces himself to stand up and tries to punch Murong Bang in the face with a fist covered in lightning.

“Besides, you’re just a Hundred-Man Commander,” Murong Bang adds, stopping his fist with one hand. “I can hardly use you for such an important task. No, I have something more… suitable for someone like you to sharpen your teeth with.”

Murong Bang squeezes. Liu Jin’s hand breaks.

“What...will you have me do, general?” Liu Jin asks through gritted teeth, refusing to cry out in pain

“Hn.” Murong Bang’s eyebrows rise slightly. “Not bad.”

With that, he lets go of Liu Jin and walks back to his throne. Despite his many injuries, Liu Jin feels himself relax. The sense of imminent violence is gone from the room.

Murong Bang is done toying with him, it seems.

“You managed to put quite a bit of disdain into my title there. That will serve you well in politics,” Murong Bang says as he sits down. “Not much here, though. You will need more than disdain to deal with bandits.”

Liu Jin blinks. “Bandits?”

“Yes, bandits. You should have run into a few of the pests on your way to the city.”

Liu Jin had. In fact, they had been attacked by so many bandit groups on their way to Cloudburst City that it had become obvious they were being deliberately led to them, something their guide had admitted after Liu Jin interrogated him.

Did Murong Bang put him through that, knowing things would reach this point?

No, that cannot possibly be the case.

“We have quite a few rats like that around here. I can’t say I mind them. If people can’t chase away some rats from their houses, that’s their problem,” Murong Bang says as though it weren’t his responsibility to keep his territory free of rats. “However, there’s one group that’s been gaining influence as of late. They’re not important enough for me to do anything about them in person, so go kill them for me, won’t you?”

~~~

“I feel very torn right now,” Lu Mei tells him as she applies ointment to his many wounds. “Tales of you having fought Murong Bang today, regardless of how one-sided it was, will spread and boost your reputation. However, getting into a slugfest with an Emperor is for idiots like Bei Hong, not you!”

Liu Jin coughs weakly. He is lying on his bed as Lu Mei tends to him. “He did not exactly give me a choice. I am pretty sure things would have gone worse if I hadn’t hit him back.”

“My lord speaks the truth,” Lei Kong says. He is kneeling on the ground by the side of Liu Jin’s bed. “Murong Bang is not the sort of man who gives people choices.”

The glare Lu Mei shoots could have reduced a man to ashes.

“Have you ever hit Murong Bang?” she asks acidly.

“Well, no…”

“Exactly,” she says, applying ointment on Liu Jin with a little too much force. “Don’t encourage him out of loyalty. Can’t you see how wounded he is now?”

“It is not so bad,” Liu Jin says. Unlike Lei Kong, he does not shy away from Lu Mei’s glare. “My wounds might not be healing quickly, but that’s because Murong Bang made them.”

The works of an Emperor are not easily undone. It will take a while for his regeneration to restore him.

“I will be fine in a few days.”

“And in the meantime, you are weakened. Hardly comforting, considering the general is sending you to hunt bandits. Perfect time for an assassination.”

“I do not think the general will attempt to assassinate my lord. That is not like him.” When Lu Mei glares at him, Lei Kong quickly adds, “However, that does not mean others won’t try. Lady Lu is right in noting the danger of this, my lord.”

Liu Jin glares at him, and Lei Kong quickly ducks his gaze. The traitor.

“Be that as it may, I am more worried about the bandits,” Liu Jin says.

“Why?” Lu Mei asks as she starts bandaging him. “They should hardly be a threat.”

“It is not their strength that worries me,” Liu Jin says. “Murong Bang is toying with me. He has made that clear enough. Since that is the case, this mission cannot be as straightforward as it seems.”

Rats and people who could not defend their homes from rats. That is how Murong Bang saw things.

But if the landlord cannot keep his property safe, how long will it take for the rats and the tenants to ally themselves against him?

~~~