Chapter 667

Chapter 667

What we discuss here is never to leave this room.

An ominous start to an impromptu meeting, especially considering the individuals involved, but Yuzhen had expected as much. Yesterday morning, chaos and confusion reigned as every high-level Expert in the Citadel came to alert upon sensing the presence of a massive Domain, one that reportedly covered the entire fortification and then some. Though unable to sense this Domain herself, she knew something was wrong when Gerel barged into her office through the shuttered window, his bare chest glistening with sweat from rigorous practice. Despite knowing he worked himself to the bone each and every day, it still surprised her to learn firsthand just how far hed travelled along the Martial Path, having progressed by leaps and bounds since revealing himself as a Peak Expert of the Empire. When they first met, their skills were more or less equally matched, albeit weighed a bit more heavily towards him, but now, she could not hold a candle to his luminescent blaze, a rising star soaring high into the Heavens while she watched with her feet on the ground below. By the time she registered the sound of her breaking windows, he was already at her side instructing her to take up her sword and prepare to escape, using that authoritative Guard Captain tone she so loved to hear.

It was only then that she noticed the presence of a powerful Martial Warrior, one demonstrating Purity somewhere inside the Citadel. An impossible feat, considering how far away the presence felt, but there was no denying the fact that she could sense the Energy of the Heavens coalescing around someone to the south. It would have been no trouble at all to trace the disturbance to its source, as any Martial Warrior could find it with both eyes closed, and though Gerel would not let her go see what all the fuss was about firsthand, he had no qualms about sending her Guard Captain, Tang Yu, in her place. At first, Yuzhen assumed the Domain belonged to an Imperial Divinity making his or her presence known, but what Tang Yu reported back caught her completely by surprise. During an informal, scheduled visit to a local marketplace, Legate Falling Rain began Demonstrating Purity for all to see for no discernible reason, almost exactly the same time the massive Domain took shape. The Legate then cut his visit short and rushed out the Eastern Gate, demonstrating Purity all the while, presumably alongside whoever had deployed the massive Domain, whom Tang Yu believed was seated within the Legates carriage.

After verifying this information with multiple independent sources, Yuzhen was at a loss to explain it. Strangely enough, the news of Falling Rains miraculous recovery was quickly glossed over, likely because a large majority of the population believed hed been lying about his injuries in the first place. Some thought he was playing the pig to eat the tiger, while others claimed it a ploy to shirk his Martial duties, and there were countless more equally insensible reasons floating about. Yuzhen knew better however, as shed seen Rains struggles with his ailment firsthand and how much the poor boy suffered in the months after shattering his Core, so it amazed her to learn hed recovered so quickly. Truly a beloved child of the Mother Above, and Yuzhen was grateful for Her mercy, but it troubled her when no one from Rains family sent word of the good news.

If he truly had recovered, why did Akanai bring him out of the Citadel? Better to stay here inside the walls with a veritable army to defend him, but the fearsome Warrior womans actions were as enigmatic as ever. Word trickled out into the streets claiming the Legate had been attacked, a rumour Yuzhen attributed to Luo-Luos agents, but only because she was unable to trace the rumours back to any other known factors. After thinking it through, she determined that the clever Imperial Servant was lending credence to the suspicions that Rain was either never crippled or had long since recovered and was merely hiding it. Likely to hide the real cause for Rains miraculous recovery and buy time for him to rest and recuperate, which made Akanais actions all the more understandable.

Rain was better, but still not at his best, so they meant to feign strength and cover up his weakness.

The people of the Citadel ate it all up, of course, spurred on by the celebrations of Rains most fervent believers. A cult of personality had sprung up around him over these past few months, as BoShuis tales of Falling Rains meteoric rise from tribesman to Legate grew in popularity and won the hearts of many an admirer. These supporters praised him to no end, even for things he wasnt responsible for. The lack of Defiled attacks for one, as if he had any control over the Enemy, or the cheap availability of coal and oil, which to be fair was his idea, but the work had all been done by Yuzhen and Luo-Luo. Some even credited Falling Rain for their own personal accomplishments and achievements. Many Martial Warriors who returned from Castle Jianghu claimed they found Insight from someone speaking with the Legates voice, and while one or two such cases could be attributed to coincidence, there were hundreds of them claiming the Legate had personally bestowed Insight upon them. These men and women came from vastly differing backgrounds and factions, and while they had fallen quiet as of late, Yuzhen noted that Major Rustrams retinue had long since arrived at its five-thousand member maximum, when before, he failed to muster even two-thousand without Akanais Khishigs to make up the numbers.

Du Min Yans retinue had reached full capacity as well, and Baatar was by far the most popular commander to serve under if given the choice, though few were. Falling Rain had won over the hearts of many, in spite of what his detractors were saying, and the people in his periphery benefitted as well. Most of this was likely due to BoShuis efforts in spreading word of Falling Rains many accomplishments, especially considering how most of his writings contained enough truth that they couldnt simply be dismissed out of hand. When asked if BoShuis account was accurate, Yes, but - was how most arguments would begin, and the majority of listeners would simply stop paying attention after Yes.

Such was human nature, for in these dark and uncertain times, everyone wanted someone to believe in, and being the highest ranked official in the Outer Provinces made Falling Rain a popular choice.

The adoration was not limited to Martial Warriors only, as the common citizens loved their Legate, mostly thanks to Luo-Luos tireless efforts to improve their lives and give all credit to her Lord Husband. When it became clear their hero wasnt returning to the Citadel, riots almost broke out as Rains supporters demanded justice be served to whoever might have attacked him, but thankfully, Luo-Luo had thought ahead and sent word back that he was in good health and simply wanted to spend more time with his family while he still had the freedom to do so. A filial man, this Legate Falling Rain, a veritable saint without flaw if one were to believe what his most fervent believers spouted, but even his detractors didnt have much to say anymore when asked about his shortcomings. Mostly, they pointed out how young and untested he was, which was why he should hand his authority over to someone with more experience, but they were all split on who that person should be. Add to this Uncle Nian Zus public admiration for Rains forethought and cunning, as well as Colonel General Shuai Jiaos open admission that much of the credit for their recent victory belonged to the Legate, and Rains general approval was at an all time high, despite having been in a coma since returning home from the second lines.

In light of all this, Yuzhen still found it laughable how Rains supporters would believe anything, as many of them now claimed that the massive Domain must have been his, as if that were even possible. Uncle Nian Zu, a Peak Expert and Living Legend only had a Domain measured in metres, though it could stretch further if needed. To cover the entire Citadel, however, even a hundred Nian Zus would not be enough, so to think Falling Rain capable of such a feat was nothing if not laughable. Even BoShui himself had come out and stated that such a thing was not possible, for a Domain that large must belong to a Divinity, and a powerful one at that. Hardly surprising Falling Rain had a Divinity protector, considering he brought three of them to Sinuji before rising to the office of Legate, but there was a significant distinction between presumption and proof, and now everyone knew there was at least one Divinity present at the marketplace.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

Of course, this revelation led to a scramble inside the Citadel to identify this mysterious Divinity, but as a mere Marshal, Yuzhen was largely outside the loop when it came to such things. Her only responsibilities were to keep in mind the various groups and territories associated with a Divinity and tread lightly when dealing with them, out of respect for their powerful backer. As for dealing with the Divinities themselves, this was Uncle Nian Zus purview, and he spent the entire day inundated with queries and requests which left him in a foul mood when it came time for dinner last night.

They had a rule for these pleasant family dinners, which was that work talk would have to wait until after dessert, else they would never talk about anything else. Luckily, Yuzhen had no burning questions to ask since she had already pieced most of the puzzle together, or so she believed. Rains demonstration of Purity at the marketplace had come as a surprise to everyone, so Akanai brought him away to avoid close scrutiny from the rest of the Citadel. Turning the planned day trip into an overnight one was to give him more time to wholly recover, and while Yuzhen was unable to uncover any hard news regarding his condition, she suspected hed come out of the waking fugue hed been suspended in for the past two weeks, else there would be no reason to keep hiding him.

The night passed without incident, but shortly after sitting down to work this morning with her breakfast in hand, Yuzhens efforts were interrupted by Gerel once again, though this time in a less spectacular fashion. After knocking on the door, he strode in to inform her that Akanai had called a meeting before even setting foot inside the Citadel walls, only to open up with an ominous and foreboding statement. Whats more, she wanted express confirmation of her words from everyone present, fixing her steely, blue-eyed gaze on Uncle Nian Zu, Gerel, Major General BoHai, and Yuzhen before continuing on. Last night, the boy came under attack from Wraiths, or individuals disguised as such. He is unharmed, but we must proceed as if the threat still remains, for we have no way of knowing how many were present.

No way of knowing? Never one to stay silent and let others finish speaking, Uncle Nian Zu asked, Surely you have at least a rough estimate of their numbers, at least? Your people fought them off, so you should have some idea. How bad were the damages? If you have need of more trustworthy soldiers, Binesi and twenty of my Famed Fifty can be at the District in half an hour, with the rest following shortly after.

No need. Shaking her head, Akanai offered a nod in thanks and said, There was no damage, not to my people, for they saw neither hide nor hair of Wraiths, disguised or otherwise.

Odder and odder, but once again, Uncle Nian Zu could not help but ask, Then who defended the Legate?

No one. Lip curling in exasperation directed elsewhere, Akanai explained, The boy defended himself. Somehow, he slipped out of his room unseen by the watchful eyes of a dozen Experts and made his way out to an empty field, about a kilometre north of the district walls. There, he did battle with an unknown foe, and though there were signs that he killed more than one, they left no bodies behind for my Khishigs to identify. Her scowl darkening as she glanced east in Rains general direction, Akanai huffed and added, We only know this much because little Yan woke to find him missing in the middle of the night. We sent a search party out to find him, but even with so many combing the District for signs of his presence, he somehow managed to slip past us all and stroll back into the manor without a care in the world.

I dont understand. Still yet to realize his constant questions were the reason for Akanais fractured narrative, Uncle Nian Zu asked, Putting aside his questionable decisions, if the boy fought off Wraiths and survived, then why are you so uncertain of the details? What does the boy have to say about this?

Nothing. Sighing in obvious frustration, Akanai shook her head and slumped in her chair, the first time Yuzhen had ever seen the authoritative woman look so defeated. There is much to explain, so I will start from the beginning. With a bit of added prompting from Yuzhen, Uncle Nian Zu kept his questions to himself long enough for Akanai to tell her tale, and what a tale it was indeed. Rain had indeed recovered due to a combination of factors, but he hadnt regained consciousness until after arriving at the bamboo grove, and this was only the beginning. There was something wrong with his head, leaving him unable to speak properly or contain his emotions, and he was now drifting about in a different sort of fugue, one in which he demonstrated an almost child-like fascination with anything and everything he came across.

Hm. Not one to even feign humility, Rang Min made no effort to answer immediately, and instead took a seat without asking. The man even had the audacity to glance about the table, as if searching for the teapot that should have been there. Granted, offering tea and snacks would have been the courteous thing to do, and she would have done so for any of her other Lieutenant Marshals, but Rang Min was a special case, someone who made her feel wholly outmatched and out of her depth. Eschewing common courtesy had seemed prudent at first, to show she was in no mood for his games, but now she realized it was a childish tantrum, and his disapproving stare seemed to say he expected better of her.

Maddening. This man was a fugitive from the Society, and if she had not taken him in, then he and his entire family would be dead and buried. How dare he... expect common courtesy...

Suppressing a sigh, she sent for a servant to bring tea and snacks for her esteemed guest. Though he showed no outward sign of satisfaction, she wanted to drive her fist in his face when he touched his lips to his cup before placing it back down without drinking. A message, telling her that this was an empty courtesy, but one he expected nonetheless. Your father taught you better than this, he said, his voice neither loud nor soft, but powerful and compelling. Haste makes waste. You were impatient, and worse, you showed it. Since I know you are impatient, I can then use this against you. You understand?

Yuzhens frosty smile came easily as she imagined Uncle Nian Zu and Gerel pummelling Rang Min to a pulp, she said nothing and let the silence continue. Cracking a half-smile of his own, he nodded ever so slightly in approval. Of course, he continued, intentionally ceding the victory to her in this game of wits, if only to rob her of true victory, I would also be impatient, were I in your shoes. Quite the predicament, if I do say so myself, one I do not envy you for.

More power games, pretending he knew why she wanted to know about tracking matrices, but Yuzhen would not be fooled. And what, pray tell, is my predicament?

The puppet Legate is no longer of any use, Rang Min Sent, smiling as he touched his teacup to his lips once again, And the Imperial Clan seeks to remove him. Though Yuzhen was certain she gave nothing away, Rang Min added, Hardly unexpected, of course. Shen ZhenWu had this outcome in mind before even arriving in Central. Why else would he bring so valuable an Imperial Servant, a first generation noble no less?

Hardly surprising he knew, as Luo-Luo had not been circumspect when announcing the news, but Yuzhen was unsure why it mattered. Regardless of her parentage, Luo-Luo was still an Imperial Servant, which meant she had no power of her own or ties to her family. Evidently, Rang Min knew more than he was letting on, but Yuzhens pride would not let her ask or even admit ignorance to the fact. Instead, she glowered and waited for him to get to the point, only to remember the lesson he just taught her regarding the value of patience.

Infuriating man. Why couldnt Rang Min be greedy and incompetent like all the other merchants and nobles she dealt with? How did he come to the right answer so quickly? No, perhaps she was looking at this the wrong way. Perhaps he already knew about the attempt on Rains life, because he was the one who procured those tracking matrices, and was now trying to pin the blame on the Imperial Clan instead...

Rolling his eyes as if he could read her thoughts, Rang Min sat back in his chair, crossed his leg, and folded his hands over his knee. A year ago, she would have thought him arrogant, but now that Gerel had crossed over into the realm of Peak Expert, she saw Rang Mins actions for what they were; a self-imposed handicap. He knew there were two Concealed Peak Experts in the room, and by presenting his neck, crossing his legs, and interlacing his fingers, he was offering his opponents the advantage. It might not seem like much, but when it came to Peak Experts, even a small advantage could spell the difference between victory and defeat.

I had no part in the attempt on the Legates life, he said, his caution reserved solely for the Imperial Clan, and in his eyes, Rain was most certainly not a member. I can swear an Oath upon this, if needed. The Legate is a creature of habit. He walks the same routes, shops at the same stores, even orders the same dishes at the select few restaurants he cares to frequent. Were I to order his death, my assassins would have no need for a tracking matrix in order to find him. This much, you should know.

Unsurprising that Rang Min had done his research, and not at all reassuring that he would admit it. So then why havent you tried to have him killed?

Because, he replied, his lips pursing in muted anger, After the debacle during the contests, I consulted the Clan histories and learned that the denizens of the Saints Tribulations Mountains are not to be trifled with.

...Yet you still pushed for trial by duel. The answer came to her even before the question left her lips. Because if Rain and his comrades had died there, then you could have offered up Zian and the other young talents who took part as a sacrifice to appease the People.

Offering a half-hearted shrug, he neither confirmed nor denied her accusation, and it terrified Yuzhen to no end that this man could be so callous as to plot against children and young talents. And for what? So that his untalented son could shine that much brighter once there was no one around to overshadow him? What sort of future would the Society have then? From where Yuzhen sat, Rang Mins actions made no sense, but then again, perhaps he was arrogant and deluded enough to truly believe his fool of son was a dragon among men.

Abandoning this line of thought, Yuzhen decided to proceed as if she believed Rang Min for now. You still have yet to answer my question.

Offering a half-hearted shrug, he Sent, I am uncertain of the exact details, as the Oath required to learn the skill is exceedingly thorough. Even now, more than fifty years after the fact, we still have yet to learn how the tracking matrices are made, only the ingredients required, none of which are extraordinary in any way. As for how they work, we know even less, only that they are akin to Runic Inscription, only in the absence of runes and inscriptions. Smirking in response to her incredulous stare, he continued, Such is the way my Grandfather described them to me. They are an alternate method of harnessing Heavenly Energy, one the Imperial Clan keeps secret for a very obvious reason, one you will understand once you consider how the tracking matrices find their target.

With blood. Why was this an issue?

As she opened her mouth to give voice to her question, the world slowed to a crawl as matters came to a head. Rang Mins eyes widened in alarm as Nian Zu and Gerel revealed themselves, but neither one was the cause of his concern. All three Peak Experts shifted before her eyes, each of them no longer where she first spotted them, and only then did she notice the bodies staining her office carpets.

Wraiths in the Citadel! Nian Zu shouted, his Chi-enhanced voice booming across the Citadel as he fought off another unseen assailant. All stations on alert! Wraiths in the Citadel!

And then the room devolved into chaos as the three Peak Experts fought for their lives, and Yuzhen could do naught but watch and pray.

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