Prologue: Want of a Nail

Prologue: Want of a Nail

A man called Jin Rou stared out into the sky from a floating island. It was silent, save for the occasional gust of wind.

He sighed.

When Gramps had said he had to go, Rou hadnt known what to expect. Gramps had said he was going to a sect, and Rou had been quite excited. He even said that he would be calling the person they were meeting Grandmother.

Rou went to sleep that night excited. And woke up to the stern eyes of a woman on a floating island.

Most of her face was hidden behind a veil, but her icy blue eyes were so sharp he feared that he would be pierced by them.

This most certainly wasnt a woman to call grandmother. Indeed, she had introduced herself to him as Lady Falcon.

She was a strange woman, Lady Falcon. She had the same air about her as well, she would probably kill him for thinking it, but she reminded him instantly of a brothel madam. The kind that brooked no foolishness or disrespect. He had had dealings with the Red ladies before, odd jobs like cleaning, or rat catching, or even taking out their trash. Most of them were, if not kind, fair to an orphan who didnt steal and did his job without complaint. Once Madam Red Oak had even gotten her girls to heat him some water bought him a meal after he spent the day hip deep in sewage, clearing a backed up sewer drain.

Dont let your eyes wander, bow appropriately, and answer all of her questions to the best of your ability. That was how one got along with such a woman, and didnt get the bouncers called on his ass.

Lady Falcon seemed to approve of his demeanor, and would come by occasionally to check on him. He wasnt allowed to ask her anything about cultivation But she checked up on him and spoke to him about his progress.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

It was weird.. But nice. She even took off her veil, once. She was stunningly beautiful, but Rou managed to tear his eyes awayand then she has started visiting even more often. She started staying for hours at a time, asking him about his life, and swapping embarrassing stories about Gramps. She had told him about the time when he fell off a building right into a pile of shit, and Rou had laughed for a good ten minutes.

Even now the thought brought a smile to his face.

Rou took a deep breath, and turned away from the edge of the floating island, and back towards his home.

The house was big. The finest thing Rou had ever set foot in. He had an entire floating island to himself, and he had cultivation manuals from Gramps he could use.

But it was kind of lonely. There was no sound, save the wind and the birds. Rou had grown up in the city, and to suddenly have the silence was unnerving. He was looking forwards to the day when Lady Falcon visited him again.

His musing was interrupted by an explosion. He nearly jumped out of his skin, at the sound of the detonation, whirling around just in time to get hit by a backwash of air and Qi

The swirling tornado of two cultivators locked in combat slammed into his island.

Blood filed his mouth, and the world went dark.

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Eh Seiyu, I think we hit something. One of the women said, as she dragged herself out of the crater.

What? These islands should be emptyoh heavens, did we hit a storage house? The woman named Seiyu got up and looked around, her keen senses catching something in the rubble. Bailu! We hit somebody!

Bailu paled. Ah, hells. Ill get the medicine. We can kowtow to our sister laterthats a man.

The bastard.

But she supposed little Rou was fine enough. He was particularly good at growing herbs, she found. There had even been notes on his table that was some manner of combined techniqueone that would be quite interesting.

He had grown on her, the child. Polite, hard working, and diligent. Something she would want in her own child.

And nownow he was laying in the medical wing, barely clinging to life. Minyan had spat blood and nearly had an internal deviation when the wards had broken, and she had rushed over to see what had happened.

Her own students! Her own damn students nearly killed him!

It it had not been ideal. Shen Yu had trusted her with this, and the boy had nearly died through the actions of Soaring Heaven Isles disciples.

Minyan touched the boys neck, confirming the weak but steady pulse, and then turned to where two disciples still had their heads pressed against the floor, frozen and unmoving.

Literally. She made sure to avoid the nerves, so that they could experience their muscles freezing and defrosting, rupturing and liquefying then freezing again after their Qi-empowered constitutions healed the damage.

You two are very, very lucky. Minyan informed the women. She idly considered freezing them completely and then shattering them anyway. He yet lives, and thus, you yet live.

She unfroze their mouths so they could answer her magnanimous actions.

.We thank you for your benevolence, Elder! Both girls choked out. We are ready to pay with our lives for harming your son!

Son?! Well, she supposed it was a bit of an obvious choice, Tianzhe Minyan being so protective of somebody else? Unheard of. But it was still annoying.

Is it true?! a voice demanded, as Lili, the Crane of the South Wind, materialized out of thin air. Her eyes were wide. I was wondering what all this commotion was aboutMiner, is it true?! You have a son?

Tianzhe Minyan was screaming internally. Any other answer would have a lot of problems

...Yes, he is mine.

With whowait, is he?! Shen Yu?!

Minyan inclined her head.

Her Sisters eyes widened. Shen Yu finallyMinyan! Why did you not tell me! She whined, as she hugged Minyan, her gesture full of warmth.

... I did not want to test our Sisters tolerance. The rules are absolute.

Lili puffed out her cheeks. Such a stickler! Who would dare deny Minyans child the protection of our sect?! I will fight tooth and nail for your rightsoh, we have to tell the rest of our Sisters!

And just like that any chance of keeping things quiet went out the window.

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