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Sects were not as exclusive or as hard to create as I first thought they would be. Or at least non-martial sects weren’t. Martial sects in contrast were held under tight control by the empire, requiring imperial consent to be established. The only new martial sects allowed were offshoots of the existing sects, which required their sponsorship and oversight.

Non-martial sects on the other hand could be created by any B-class citizen for the cost of 50 Tael, a 1 Tael per member annual fee, and a 25% tax on any business conducted. Other than that, the definition of what a sect could be was limitless. You could make a sect for just about anything: crafting, professions, social groups, and all officially recognized and protected by the empire.

Although protection was a bit of a loose word.

It was more like legal protection, like creating a company or a corporation back in the old world. From what I’d read, many of these sects existed—like the farming sects for example—to assist with commerce and creating a sense of competition in a basically closed market economy. But what truly mattered to me was that to resolve conflicts, these sects had the powers to appoint Wardens as protectors—either in the form of individuals or one of the martial sects—to battle out their differences in the courts.

That created a lot of wiggle room for how I could eventually protect my people in the future, but more importantly, if I created a sect, Terrans wouldn’t be considered mere mortal commoners anymore. A sect gave us an identity. A reason not to be messed with on an individual level. And although it would make our existence known as a group, it was still a ubiquitous enough status to not be seen as a threat.

Or at least not right away.

It was more like a union. The same my dad used to tell me about when I was a kid. I didn’t really understand it back then—paying dues to belong to some club at work. But it could mean literally everything to us now. With numbers came influence and with influence came power.

So long as I was strong enough to protect everyone in the end.

The idea was almost enough to make me giddy for the future, but there was still one more hurdle in the way. To create the sect, I needed to be a B-class citizen still, and to achieve that I needed to reach my goal of placing in the Iron Bracket more than ever.

And that meant finding a way to explain my growing strength to fully unleash my skills in the ring. I was unfortunately still short on solutions when it came to that problem, but the idea that I could maybe create lightning with my newfound knowledge had me pushing the complications to the back of my mind.

Master the ability first, I told myself. Then figure out how to mask it.

I was so eager to get started with my training that I almost didn’t see the small figure crouched outside my door. I immediately dropped into a martial stance, ready to fight, until my eyes quickly adjusted to the dim lighting and I made out who it was.

“Yu Li?”

She pressed a finger to her lips as I approached, cradling the sleeping Su Ling in her arms. A look of concern then flashed across her face as she looked up at me. “What happened to your arm?”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “What are you doing here sitting on the ground like this?”

As I stooped down to her, I saw her eyes were puffy and red. And when I pushed aside her hair to look further, I noticed a huge red bruise on her cheek.

Anger erupted inside of me like a burst water main. “Who did this to you? Was it Hein?”

“No,” she said quickly, grabbing my wrist. “Listen to—”

“Who was it then?”

“You need to calm down,” she said. “I’m not going to tell you until you promise to hear me out before you react. Okay?”

My pulse was throbbing in my neck. What the hell had Hein done now?

I channeled my anger into [Indifference], putting on the mask for Yu Li’s sake, but my anger was still frothing over like a boiling pot. “What kind of animal attacks a young mother like this? Is Su Ling okay?”

“She’s fine, just…listen first. Please.”

“Fine,” I said with [Struggler’s Resolve]. “Tell me what happened. Who did this to you?”

She finally shook her head slightly. “I don’t really know, to be honest. There were a bunch of them, wearing hoods. They were waiting for me outside my apartment. They started calling me a stupid bitch and a whore and telling me that everything was my fault. Then one of them hit me and said, ‘that was for Chun’ before they all ran away.”

Thunder pounded in my chest as my Frenzy peaked. “Was one of them black?”

Yu Li looked up at me oddly. “I don’t know. I couldn’t tell, it was getting dark. Why would you even ask that?”

Out of context, that probably sounded pretty racist, but I knew that bitch Jian Yi had to be behind this. That nasty-assed look she’d given me this morning said it all.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, fuming. “That little bitch is going to pay!”

“No!” Yu Li said in a hushed whisper, grabbing my wrist even tighter. “I didn’t come here to tell you this happened for you to go and take revenge. I did it for the opposite.”

I leaned back a bit, furrowing my brow. “What do you mean?”

“Yes, it was obviously some of our neighbors who did this to me, but I don’t know exactly who and you don’t know exactly who either.”

“I got a pretty damn good idea.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “Making you react like this is what they want. It’s just like you said. About splitting our unity. People are scared about what you are doing, Chun…a lot of them. Maybe most of them. But they don’t all hate you like whoever did this to me. I’ve been going around and talking to people. There are a few that want the change you might be able to bring if you can truly defeat Hein and own this place. But the scared ones are sitting on the fence, not knowing which way to go. But the ones who attacked me tonight, they’re the ones that want to see you fail. They attacked me because they wanted you to respond like a madman and prove to everyone that you’re no better than Hein. Worse than him even.”

I was starting to see the clarity through my Frenzy. “Another chess move…”

“Chess move?”

I shook my head. “Nevermind. I really need to find some books on Earth history or something.”

“Look, the point is, if you go down to the square and make a commotion, go beating up people or worse, you would have fallen into their trap. You’d turn the majority of the people who are on the fence against you. Then who knows what they’d all do to you or me after that.”

My Flame cooled some as the wisdom of her words rang true. As I thought on it some more, what Jian Yi was doing had some brilliance to it. She knew openly opposing me would only make her look weak in the eyes of the cultivator mindset that was pervasive in our community. And plus, I wouldn’t rise to a paltry challenger like her anyway—the same way most cultivators still didn’t see me as a real threat. But she had nearly made me expose myself as the monster I truly was inside. And the fallout might not have stopped there. If I had truly lost it, I could have found myself answering to guards and enforcers. But Yu Li had saved me from all that, thank goodness.

“Since when did you get so smart?”

She snorted out a laugh. “Since I had to start watching my idiot big brother’s back for trying to start a revolution.”

I chuckled as I turned my back against the door to sit next to her. “I still feel like killing somebody for what they did to you. That shit was out of line.”

She shrugged. “Cowards can be assholes. And I should know. I tried to get one to marry me by having his child.”

I glanced down at her. It was the first time she’d actually admitted it out loud, or at least to me anyway. She let out a sob as a sudden flush of tears came to her eyes.

“You know what’s really messed up?” she said, her voice cracking. “It wasn’t the slap to the face that really hurt me. It was the truth in their words. I was a dumb, stupid bitch to have gone and done this. Gotten myself pregnant…and for what? Now look at all the problems I’ve caused. For you, for me…for everybody.”

“Hey, hey…” I said, putting my arm about her consolingly. “It wasn’t all your fault. You were young and that bastard took advantage of you.”

“And I let him,” she said somberly. “I let him because… because I thought he could give me a better life. A way out. I was so damn stupid to believe his lies. He made me feel so special and I believed him like the dumb, little naïve girl I was.”

I couldn’t say anything to that. Perhaps Yu Li had more self-awareness than I gave her credit for. Still, it was a reminder of just how badly the system had warped her thinking, tempting her with the promise of freedom for offering up everything to her oppressors. She was quiet for a long time and as we sat there in silence, I rocked her gently beneath my arm.

“We all do dumb shit in life that we regret, Yu Li,” I said eventually. “You’re not alone in that. We live and we learn. The only thing we can do is move forward after that.”

She sighed, wiping her eyes and nose. “I know. And I have Su Ling now and despite it all I love her so much.”

I smirked. “Well, the sucker has good genes, I’ll give him that. Guess, I can’t fault you too hard for falling for the guy. And hey, you at least got a beautiful kid out of the deal, right?”

She laughed at my stupid joke and nudged me with her forehead. “Only you could come up with something like that, Chun.”

I laughed with her until we both fell silent again.

“Thank the heavens for you, Chun,” she said, patting my arm. “I don’t know what kind of mess I would be in without you looking out for my dumb ass.”

I chuckled. “I should be the one thanking you tonight. I probably would have killed that girl if you didn’t come and find me first.”

“What girl?”

“Jian Yi.”

“What? You think it was her?”

“She’s giving me all kinds of reason to suspect.”

Yu Li nodded. “Well, I know how you feel. Trust me, for at least an hour I was debating with myself whether to not just let you go down to the square and tear everyone a new asshole on my behalf. But that’s Hein’s style. That’s not what you’re trying to do here, right?”

I sighed inwardly at the comparison. It was exactly what I wanted to go and do.

“I have to admit, the thought tempted me, but no…that’s not what I want for us at all. I have new plans for us, Yu Li. Something that might be able to protect us in the long term.”

“What do you mean?”

“Probably best you don’t know for now. I don’t want you having information people can use against you…or us. Before it’s time.”

She looked up at me with a frown of disappointment but then nodded. “I understand. For as mysterious as you are, I will always trust you, Chun. Remember that.”

I smiled and gave her a kiss on the crown of her head. “Thanks, little sis.”

“Hey, you mind staying over tonight? I’m still kind of…shaken up a little.”

“Of course,” I said.

I didn’t have to mention that there was always the chance that they would come back. Especially if they didn’t see a reaction of any kind from me. I’d have to find some way to keep Yu Li safe without being attached to her 24/7 though. But for now, staying with her would be what it would take to make her feel safe again. At least for now.

An immense feeling of gratitude filled my soul as I gained a whole new appreciation for Yu Li. She wasn’t just some childhood friend whom I took care of out of a sense of obligation because she had gone and gotten herself knocked up. She was a person who cared for me just as much as I did for her. Who knew me well enough to stop me from falling into a trap that I probably wouldn’t have seen until Jian Yi’s blood was dripping from my hands.

It was a reminder that there was more than just me to fight for now. Yu Li was sacrificing her life and safety for me as well. The part of me that wanted to jump headfirst into unlocking the lightning art techniques was still gnawing at my soul, but that would have to wait for now.

Tonight, my family needed me.

And I had to keep them safe.

* * *

Master Hei Dong took a long, deliberate sip of his tea as Lo Feng approached the table, the Fire Bird Sect leader grimacing as he was forced to wait while he finished. The atmosphere in the Autumn Leaf tea house was lively as usual and the presence of the Fire Bird leader along with his entourage of inner disciples was nothing special in the eyes of the high-tier patrons.

Members of the imperial government and leaders from various sects all lounged on the comfortable cushions around him, enjoying the relaxation of Qi-infused teas and spirits with the accompaniment of fine music while being catered to by beautiful serving girls.

Placed on the edge of the second terrace of the Imperial City proper, the tea house had a panoramic view of the lower city and the edge of the mystic barrier that separated them from the darkened wilds of the forest beyond. Hei Dong marveled at the sight before turning back to Lo Feng, who was still standing at the edge of his table.

It had been quite the relaxing evening until Lo Feng decided to show up, as for what purpose he still didn’t know but he would be damned if he would let Lo Feng know that he actually cared as to why.

“Greetings, Master Lo Feng,” he said, setting down his cup. “Have you come to join me for a late tea?”

“I do not intend to stay long.”

Hei Dong smiled and poured him a cup. “Please, it would be most impolite to refuse a simple cup of tea with an old friend.”

Lo Feng harrumphed at the imposition of his power, but quickly took a seat across from him.

“Most gracious of you, Vice-Warden.”

Hei Dong smiled at the title. “Is there a reason for this particular visit? Must be quite urgent to have sought me out during my leisure time.”

“Not urgent but important,” Lo Feng said, reaching into his robes for something. He then dropped a sealed envelope onto the table. “Although the urgency may well depend upon you.”

It was Lo Feng’s turn to sip tea as Hei Dong reached for the envelope. He knew what it was even without opening it. The wax seal marked with the signate of an imperial magistrate clearly defining what it was.

“So, you choose to deliver your writ personally,” Hei Dong said, nodding. “I am honored.”

“Do you not wish to open it to see our demands for settlement?”

Hei Dong shrugged. “It matters not. We will not settle in this matter. We will see your champion in the courts. Do you still intend to send your nephew, Hong Feng?”

“Assuming your daughter Fia has actually qualified for the Gold Bracket this year, yes.” Lo Feng then gave him a nasty sneer. “If not, your beautiful wife would suffice, I suppose.”

Hei Dong’s anger slipped for a second, his hand strangling his teacup, but he stopped himself before the expression showed on his face. A juvenile attempt to turn the conversation towards violence. An area of weakness for Hei Dong. Luckily, he had caught himself quickly enough and responded with his strength instead.

“As much as the great Lady Silver Moon would enjoy schooling your nephew in the ways of the mystic arts, she would certainly hate to rob her daughter of the opportunity to slay her very first sect elder.”

The anger was now reversed, quickly turned Lo Feng’s smile into a scowl. He downed his tea in a gulp and slammed it onto the table before standing. “Bold words, Vice-Warden.”

“Accurate words I would say,” Hei Dong said, pushing the letter towards him. “You are of course free to rescind your writ at any time, if you fear the outcome.”

“You keep it,” he said. “And be sure you read it also. The compensation we are seeking is not a paltry sum.”

“I wouldn’t expect it to be.”

Lo Feng smirked, adjusting his robes. “By the way. I heard there was quite a disruption during the finals of the Wooden Bracket tournament. Quite an unfortunate accident, I hear. Enough to question the competence of the sect running the tournament event, I would think.”

Hei Dong had received the reports from his Sub-Warden, Lein Cho. It pointed to the incompetence of the man’s niece, but he was assured that she was dealt with appropriately. Still, Hei Dong wasn’t about to give Lo Feng the satisfaction of those kinds of details. He instead focused on the latter part of the report as a response.

“No accident,” he said. “A publicity stunt that was slightly mishandled, but which provided an incredible boon nonetheless. In fact, the Warden has already received a commendation of thanks from the princess herself for the sharp increase in excursion fees in Jurin Province.”

Lo Feng grimaced again, brooding. “Well, how fortunate. Let’s pray that any future mishaps within the tournament are equally as beneficial.”

“One can only hope,” Hei Dong said with a smile. “A good evening to you, Master Lo Feng.”