Auntie Ling came over to snuffle him.
“I’m all right—just a bit battered from a long day.” He gave her a once-over in return, then said, “How about you? Are you… well?”
The badger stepped back, the expression on her face tentative. She lifted a paw to show him how little being poisoned affected her, then she extended her qi through her claws. A bit later, more qi spilled from the rest of her body, clinging to her fur like a layer of oil. When she looked at him next, however, there was another presence hidden within her eyes. One who gazed at Hong Fei just as Hong Fei gazed at them.
Auntie Ling slowly nodded.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “There’s nothing amiss?”
She took a deep breath, then placed her paw on his knee to reassure him.
“So it’s Qi Blossoming for certain… that’s marvelous.” A grateful smile escaped onto his lips despite the exhaustion. “You’ll want to explore this state for the hour that it lasts. Sense the organization of your cauldrons and meridians, as well as the flow of qi within them. Learn what you can, use the extra qi to temper yourself, and—”
Auntie Ling’s sad eyes stopped him. He’d forgotten that the ascent to unity with the Dao was lost to her. The only way she could climb now was through Advancement Stones.
“Sorry,” he said. “I was just—I was just excited for you.” His smile turned wry.
The badger chittered her teeth, then huffed softly in encouragement.
“Eh? You’re the teacher now, is it? Planning to teach me all about being Qi-Blossoming.” Hong Fei chuckled. “Surely this isn’t revenge for all those lessons in The Fox Eyes the Hens.”
Auntie Ling barked and shook her head definitively, though there was a slyness about her too.
“Well, then come on, Teacher Ling. That’s enough of a rest. There are people waiting on us, both at the bathhouse and at the estate. But first…” Hong Fei rose to search the Rock Knife’s body.
There was no spatial ring, but he did find a pouch full of a couple dozen silver taels, as well as jade pin in the shape of a warrior-mocking gecko.
As for the stone club, Hong Fei eyed it warily. The weapon looked to be made of marble, with the base wrapped in leather to improve the grip. The rest of its length was etched with a geometric design that resembled the one on the locked box in his spatial ring. He took the box out to compare them, and that did indeed seem to be the case.
“I expect it’s enchanted in some way or other,” Hong Fei muttered.
Auntie Ling moved him aside to touch the marble.
“No effect,” he observed. “Then again, there wasn’t one when he hit you with it earlier. Perhaps the magic reinforces the stone? Or make it easier to project qi? Either way, leaving it here would be a waste.”
Hong Fei picked up the club by its grip, and the weapon suddenly turned hot, the heat penetrating through the leather binding. The geometric design glowed a dangerous white, and even though he threw the club across the room, a myriad of rays flashed in every direction. One of which punched a hole in Hong Fei’s gut, going through him.
“Gods damn it,” he said, feeling the rush of his essence flooding toward the injury.
His mother had always said, “Be as careful at the end as you are at the beginning.” And he’d thought he was, but apparently not enough.
The club had been trapped, with the trigger an attempt to wield the weapon without the proper qualifications.
There wasn’t much qi left in Hong Fei’s lower cauldron, but he used what there was to stem the bleeding. A gut wound was bad, however, with the filth from punctured intestines leaking out into the abdomen. In a Dustborn, it was a death sentence. And even for someone at Qi Gathering like Hong Fei, he still might die—if not from infection, then from the damage to the organs hit by the beam of light.
Dimly, he heard the sound of people crying out. The trap had also punched through the nearby stone walls to hit the tavern’s neighbors.
Hong Fei gritted his teeth. He’d reacted without thought when he’d tossed it away. And even if he’d had time to consider his options, there would’ve been no good ones. The tavern was in the middle of a city. Someone would’ve been bound to get hurt.
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The pain was becoming extreme now. “The plan…” Hong Fei gasped. “It doesn’t change. I’m going to need you though, friend.” He leaned on Auntie Ling, and she helped him to get to the tavern door.
Her enhanced claws cut through the marble, weakening the blockage. Then she slammed into it with her shoulder to open the way for him. Together, the two of them climbed up toward the bridge above. About halfway, Hong Fei pulled himself onto her back, and she carried him the rest of the way.
###
Hong Fei lost consciousness only after they were clear of the cliffside steps. Fate’s Attendant had fought to stay awake until they were safely on level ground, but then couldn’t hold on for any longer.
Alarm filled Auntie Ling. The injury didn’t look severe from the outside, but she’d punctured enough bellies to know the danger even a simple wound could hide. And the mind of the crocodile that existed alongside hers agreed—the man would be served by getting him to a healer.
Auntie Ling tried not to think about that other mind, the one that had shone her how easy it was to project her qi and whispered of what could be done to disassemble human bodies. They had so many weaknesses, humanity. It was up to guardians like him and her to cull the worst of them. Those thoughts nearly sent her running to the estate immediately, but she knew Hong Fei would demand she protect the red 3, even if it risked his injury worsening.
The rescued humans cried out at seeing Hong Fei wounded. The bravest among them offered to take him from her back so that he could be put into the cart instead. She shook her head and gestured for them to get moving. The sooner they arrived at their destination, the better for Fate’s Attendant.
The group was smaller than it’d been when they’d started. A few of the humans must’ve slipped away during the fight with the Qi-Blossoming gangster. No matter, enough remained that everyone would eventually be identified and located. And if need be, Auntie Ling could hunt them down herself. She’d registered the scents of every single one of the rescued people.
For the time being, her focus must remain on getting Hong Fei to safety. She also needed to escort the humans, much like a shepherd guided their flock. The crocodile approved of that thought, which sent a shudder through the giant badger’s body.
The crocodile, seemingly amused by her response, slipped under the surface of her thoughts until the time its presence became necessary again. At least for the next hour or so.
###
Little Ruyun flew down the corridors, pushing off the recently repaired walls when necessary to keep from slowing down. She wasn’t supposed to be seen running this fast, but this was an emergency! The courtyard’s master was back at the estate and injured too!
People ducked out of the way. Some yelled at her. Others called to ask after what had happened to cause her to hurry. But this was no time to gossip. The other members of the dūtóu’s household had to be alerted as soon as possible.
Alas, there was no one present when she arrived at the courtyard—the kitchen, the quarters, and the storerooms were all empty. In that case, there was only one place the others could be. Little Ruyun spun on her heels to dash toward the estate’s main kitchen.
A way down to the cold cellar was there, which was where Sun Han had been teaching the Kangs about the human body. Even Ugly Dog attended once she knew the scholar was making an effort to simplify his teachings, to make them comprehensible to those without his level of education.
As she ran, Little Ruyun saw the rest of the estate mobilizing. People seemed to be heading toward the stables for some reason, and it was a good number of them too. She stuffed her curiosity down deep, setting it aside until later. The courtyard’s wellbeing came first, and that meant Hong Fei’s wellbeing.
She arrived at main kitchen and blew past the cooks, dodging between them as necessary. One was holding a knife in hand, which she ducked under, then called out an apology to the startled woman behind her.
The trapdoor to the cold cellar should’ve been too heavy for a young girl, but Little Ruyun threw it open. The thud of wood on stone would alert her family below someone was coming.
One time, she’d snuck down during a private lesson Sun Han had held for the adults alone, and she’d nearly been speared through the eye by a dart Ugly Dog had thrown. Now, she knew better than to sneak up on the woman, or anyone else from their courtyard. They took seriously the edict from Hong Fei to strike first if necessary.
A pair of lanterns had been left lit, and Little Ruyun passed the pots of pickled vegetables, the bags of rice, and the carcasses of butchered animals hanging from the rafters. She made her way through the various underground storerooms, the chilly air a relief from the heat above.
Eventually, she came to a door with Ugly Dog peeking out from behind it.
“Oh, it’s you,” the bodyguard said.
“I have urgent news,” Little Ruyun cried out. “Dūtóu Hong—”
“Hold on,” Ugly Dog replied, stopping her. She opened the door fully and waved Little Ruyun through.
Inside, bodies were stacked one upon the other against the walls. These were the Tiger Masks who’d been slain during their assault on the House of Yu. One of them, a woman, lay at the room’s center with her body opened up and her guts pulled aside.
Sun Han had drawn a circle and split it into four quadrants on the stone floor. Organs were set aside in each quadrant depending on their function and their role in cultivation. Little Ruyun thought of it as a map, and the scholar had approved of that idea, calling it “a useful metaphor.” He’d then had to explain what that meant, but they’d all eventually understood, even Ugly Dog.
There were open books around the circle’s periphery. Kang Lian was at one of them, her brow furrowed in concentration. She looked up at her daughter’s arrival. “You better have a good reason for being here,” she said, her furrows deepening. “I told you I’d explain once you’re older—”
“It’s not that!” Little Ruyun quickly interrupted. “Dūtóu Hong is back, and he’s hurt!”
A stillness descended on the room that lasted half a breath, and then the others ran past Little Ruyun even faster than she’d run to tell them the news. Most surprising was that her mother had been the first one out the door. When Little Ruyun turned to follow, however, she saw that Kang Lian had been outpaced by the others, even Sun Han with his injuries.
Little Ruyun couldn’t help shuddering. She’d learned during their lessons in the cold cellar what it meant to be burned so badly, as well as the price the scholar had paid to mute the resulting pain.
Then she realized: No one is following the rules! Which meant Little Ruyun could now run as fast as she wanted. She chased after the others in search of their dūtóu.
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Auntie Ling, Uncommon Badger 3 | 3. Tough: resists damage, especially bludgeoning. Free: no upkeep cost.
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Ilchit Blood Priest 2 | 2. Shapechanger: change appearance, within 20% mass of target. Substitute: Calls forth a spirit from the deck and empowers it with a +1 | +1 for one hour; afterward both the blood priest and the spirit enter a 24-hour cooldown.
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Scholar Sun Han 2 | 2. Versatile: Useful in a variety of roles. Support: provides a base understanding of cultivation principles and is able to provide qi to others.
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Little Ruyun, Lian's daughter and part of Hong Fei's household.
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Kang Lian, Ruyun's mother and part of Hong Fei's household.
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Ugly Dog, a new bodyguard in Hong Fei's household, former Rock Knife, RED 3.