Tian collapsed backwards, gasping in air. Advent of Spring howled into action, dragging in great gulps of qi with every breath and desperately trying to replace the overdrawn vital energy.
Oh. Oh my very good grandson! You have done something remarkable here.
Tian didn’t have the energy to respond. Everything hurt. His hair hurt. His toenails hurt. He could feel his meridians fluttering, not about to collapse but a whole lot closer than someone who had to build them from scratch would care to see. Nothing mattered but pulling in qi and restoring his vital energy. He could hear mortals quietly murmuring. He did his best to ignore them. He didn’t succeed.
“The rest of the Immortals from the Temple arrived. Looks like they are clearing out the city.”
“With the giant crane here, that should go fast!”
“Do… do you think-”
“The immortal is recovering. Whatever he did taxed him. Look at his sister standing guard. Little Treasure is fine. You might not be if you disturbed him.” The last two voices were bare whispers, but to an immortal, they might as well have shouted. The armored noble and his wife? Probably. Tian asked himself how he felt.
Like someone with enough vital energy to not fall over and die right this second, but no bets on the second after that. But, hell, he could talk. Kind of. “Let them approach, Sister. Just the family, no cultivators.” Tian murmured. “Please and thank you.”
“Why are you speaking to me like I’m some kind of outsider?” Liren grumbled. “Okay, you two can come over. Come see your boy.”
“Because I memorized politeness and when I’m tired I just repeat the words without thinking. Sorry, Sis.” Tian murmured.
“I know, I know.” She sighed. “Alright, my brother is fine, just exhausted. Don’t jostle him, but he can probably answer your questions. Your boy is… better than fine.”
“We thank the immortal for his life saving favor!” There was a sound of repeating thuds. Tian wished he couldn’t recognize the sound of genuflection.
“Please stand.” Tian kept his eyes closed and his voice soft. Advent of Spring usually ran without his attention, but his fragile state had him nervous. Eating too much after you have been starving is often a mistake, after all.
“How could we? Immortal is the savior of our son! Please, accept our bow!” Tian thought the man’s voice sounded like someone who received more bows than he made. Well, that was normal for a noble.
Tian opened his eyes. The whole family was kowtowing. The crane flapped into the shrine and gently headbutted him. Tian reached up and softly stroked her head.
“Please. Rise. Really. Madame, he should be safe enough to touch now. I’m told a mother’s hug is very reassuring, and when he wakes he will need a lot of reassuring.”
“Heroes truly come from the young. Man, woman and Crane, immortals descending on my Bluestone City to save it at the final moment.” The noble stood. Tian shook his head quickly.
“It was that Martial Uncle who truly saved the day. We juniors merely did as we should.” Tian knew that the Heavenly Person senior was listening, even if the nobleman did not. His work on sensing attention hadn’t been for nothing. “This little daoist is called Tian Zihao. This is my martial sister Hong Liren. Might I have the pleasure of knowing the honored sir’s name?”
The rote words flowed smoothly, practiced and repeated since he first learned them under the parasol trees in West Town Temple.
“I am the Bluestone Count, Jin Wushong. This is my city.” His smile was wan. “What’s left of it.”
“It’s bad, but it could be worse. The monsters quickly converged on this shrine.” Tian hesitated, then asked. “I mean no disrespect, but… is there something in particular about your son that would make him worth an immortal heretic launching a citywide campaign of destruction to ensure his death?”
The count turned white, but spoke calmly enough. “I don’t think so. He is my heir, for what that’s worth, and we are a pillar family of the Kingdom. Certainly his loss would be an immense loss of face for the Emperor, and by all accounts, very unlucky for the region.”
Tian wanted to shake his head. None of that sounded like enough to motivate a deathsworn assassin to go undercover as a tutor for who knows how long, nevermind all the resources that went into the monsters.
“Pillar Family?”
“Ah… we were one of the families that supported the Founding Emperor when he turned the fallen Kingdom of Wu into the Broadsky Kingdom, received the Mandate of Heaven and ascended to the imperial throne. My many times grand uncle was a rather senior minister in his service, and we have been serving the Kingdom ever since.”
Tian did some quick math in his head. “Fair to say you are a big family?”
The count’s mouth twitched. “Fair to say. To the point where we have family rules requiring branches to be split off and considered separate families at a certain point.”
Tian nodded. “Go see to your city, Count Bluestone. I will cultivate here and keep an eye on your boy. When I am strong enough-”
“When you are strong enough, Brother, you will continue to sit and cultivate. We aren’t in the desert. They have their own doctors here. They can do without you until you regain your full strength.” Liren butted in, her tone brooking no argument. Tian sighed, but did what he was told. He really was shaky. And he knew better than most he couldn’t save everyone.
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It took another hour for the boy to regain consciousness. Tian was startled from his cultivation by the Madame’s cry, and the boy’s sobs. Eventually, there was another round of thanks, and then questions.
“Immortal Tian, why are you glowing? And the Immortal Sister is glowing. And the crane is glowing a bit too. I’m not glowing, and Mom’s not glowing. Do all immortals glow?”
“Pardon? Glowing?”
“Yes, you are glowing the brightest, but all of you are glowing.” The little boy, whose child name was Jin Treasure, nodded seriously. Tian took a closer look at his eyes. Black irises on white sclera. No signs of anything strange.
Have him look inside the shrine. Quick, we need to find out if I’m right before that Heavenly Bum interferes!
“Right about what?”
“Little Treasure, please look inside the shrine. Is it glowing?”
The little boy looked around and quickly covered his eyes with a yell. “The statue and the Imperial Conferment! Great Grand Uncle and the Emperor’s Conferment are both glowing solid gold and super bright!”
Get him for West Town Outer Court! Grab him now and run! Or, don’t run, just slap a brand on him, stamp his forehead, whatever, just make sure these local losers don’t ruin him. Quickly, that bum is rushing over!
“Little Treasure, how would you like to cultivate immortality at my temple? I dare to guarantee we are the very best in the kingdom, and no one will bully you.”
“It would be my honor, Immortal, but I haven’t been tested.” Madame looked like she wanted to interject, but a quick death glare from Liren shut her up.
“No problem, you are now part of the West Town Outer Court.” Tian was talking very fast.
“Now just a moment, Junior Tian!” The Heavenly Person entered the shrine in a gust of wind. Tian noticed his left side appeared to have been sprayed with blood, though he didn’t look wounded.
“This promising youngster is from the ruling family of my Bluestone City, to say nothing of separating him from his family. West Town is nearly three months travel from here as a mortal. Isn’t it too cruel?” The old man’s face was positively wreathed with benevolence. “I can assure you, I will personally guarantee his care in our Bluestone Temple.”
“Senior’s benevolence humbles this junior, truly.” Tian bowed. “Regretably, I don’t know the Senior’s honored name?”
“You may address me as Martial Uncle Fan.”
“Martial Uncle Fan, your heroic defence of the city and great merit in killing Old Freak Blackhand has been carefully remembered by us two juniors. I can assure you that your merits will be faithfully reported, as will your merit in ensuring this young man could grow up safely.” Tian bowed again.
“You are assuring me about my merits?” The Senior’s expression went from benevolent to benevolent-and-smelling-a-rat.
Liren bowed and handed over a letter. This wasn’t the first time they had to manage a delicate matter with a Heavenly Person since leaving the Windblown Manor. They had made preparations.
To Whom It May Concern,
The bearers of this letter are on assignment under our joint authority. Please provide them all reasonable assistance and extend all reasonable courtesy necessary. Should you feel their requests are unreasonable, or are concerned about a breach of discipline, refer it to one of us before taking action. We will investigate and remedy as needed.
Your cooperation will be noted, and appreciated.
Rui
Feng
Fu
The seals of the elders were vivid red. Brother Fu’s seal was a rich purple. The color on Martial Uncle Fan’s face was similar, but quickly settled down. “I want it clearly noted that he comes from Bluestone City. And I want him posted back here when he’s Level Nine.”
“The former, I can promise. The latter is in the hands of Elder Rui, but I don’t know why he would have a problem with that.” Tian nodded obediently.
“Hrmf. You’re mighty quick, kid. I’ll let it slide on account of the letter and you two pitching in unasked during the battle. Your own merits are… substantial. And will be reported correctly.” The Martial Uncle turned to leave, then froze a moment. Then turned back.
“Ah, my tone was a bit harsh. I apologize, the battle against Blackhand was not a simple one. Please, do stop by my Bluestone Temple before you continue on your journey. We would be very happy to host you both.”
The two bowed and made polite noises, ignoring the baffled looking mortals. Once the senior was gone, Liren and Tian exchanged looks. The senior had clearly connected the dots about who Tian was, and more importantly, who Direct Disciple Fu was to him.
“Out of curiosity, Brother, why are we steal- recruiting this talented junior?”
“Good question. Grandpa, why ARE we stealing this kid?”
Because, one, he’s got real cultivation talent, miles better than most. Not as good as what you have now, but hey, he hasn’t even started building his foundation. And, two, and far more importantly, he can see Merit. And that makes him rarer than one in a billion. I can’t even begin to imagine what his physique is like after his little adventure.
That bag of bones Fan has a dog’s nose, and came running the second he sniffed a juicy bun. Hehehe. What a shame, what a shame. This merit will belong to you and the Liren girl. And West Town Outer Court, and by extension, many others who have been good to you.
“Merit?”
A conversation for another time. Think of him as… lucky. For the whole country. The kind of luck that keeps kids from dying in the womb, or plagues of insects from eating up all the rice, or makes sure just enough rain falls. But don’t expect him to trip over bags of gold or always come back from fishing with a catch. It’s not that kind of luck.
Tian thought for half a moment, then leaned over and whispered in Liren’s ear. “Because I think this whole attack was aimed at this kid and this shrine, and I’m certain it’s related to what happened at the village. So. We send our letters, find the Censor, ask our questions to the magistrate and prefect, and make our way home. It will be a nice bow to put on this nasty little adventure. Tie it up, make it someone else’s problem, and return with the next generation of heroes of the West Town Outer Court.”
A ghost of a smile haunted Liren’s face. “It has been a long time since we have been home. The people will be gone. It won’t be the same. But it will be good to be home.”
“True.” Tian nodded. Then added. “And we are going to sort out whatever is going on with your vital energy before we get too far from the City.”
“My vital energy is fine, thank you very much!”
“No. It isn’t. You have stagnated for almost half a year, and are stuck at Level Six. You are my sister. Whatever it is, you can tell me and I will help you. Which you should know. Sister, isn’t it you who’s treating me like an outsider?”