“War?” asked Sua Xing Xing. “What war?”
Sen had been a little surprised that Bahn Huizhong knew, but not entirely shocked. Sen hadn’t spread the news to that particular sect, for so very many reasons, but the elder of the Vermilion Blade Sect increasingly struck him as the sort of man who didn’t miss that much. Of course, Sua Xing Xing had not been in the circle of trust for that particular secret. Some of it was simply his discomfort with the woman. Telling her would inevitably mean spending more time with her, rather than less time with her. He also wasn’t sure about her allegiances. He had put out quiet feelers to see if she had actually left her old sect, and the answer seemed to be yes. Of course, that was a very easy lie to maintain if most of the sect was told that it was true. Now, though, the information was in the air. Sua Xing Xing was looking back and forth between Sen and Bahn Huizhong expectantly. The sect elder was giving Sen an apologetic look, having seemed to realize he’d let something slip that he probably shouldn’t have.
“Follow me,” said Sen in a tired voice. “Both of you. We might as well get this all out of the way now.”
Sen led them to his office and told the young man outside that they weren’t to be disturbed for anything that wasn’t a true disaster. Sen slumped into the chair, a comfy one he’d had made, behind his desk. There were two more chairs in the room. They were not as comfortable. Sen didn’t love the idea of giving people a reason to want to stay in his office. Bahn Huizhong settled in one of the chairs, while Sua Xing Xing produced a tea set from somewhere and, with a bit of assistance from Sen, made them all tea. With cups in everyone's hands, Sen regarded the other two. He started with Bahn Huizhong.
“You’ve clearly put some things together. So, what do you know or, maybe I should say, what do you suspect?”
Bahn Huizhong briefly eyed Sua Xing Xing, which drew an annoyed look from the woman.
“In terms of what I know,” said the man, “it’s not much. I know that there’s been a lot of communication between sect leaders lately. A lot more than there usually is. I was told by my sect patriarch to get ready and that something was coming. I reached out to some people I knew and they told me there’s a war brewing, but it all got very speculative after that. Some people think it’s going to be a war between kingdoms here. Some people think it’s going to be war with one of the kingdoms over the Mountains of Sorrow. There’s even a rumor or two floating around about some kind of sect war, but no one seemed quite sure which sects it would be. The only thing that everyone seemed sure about was that a war with someone was coming.”
Sen nodded. He supposed that was about what he expected to be going around in the upper reaches of most sects.
“Okay,” said Sen. “That’s what you heard. Now, what do you think is going to happen?”
Bahn Huizhong took a lot longer to answer that question. He kept putting it off by taking another sip of tea until the cup in his hand was empty.
“I don’t like to guess,” said the elder. “Guessing is dangerous when it comes to war.”
“Humor me,” said Sen.
“I’m not what anyone would call a political expert, but you can’t be an elder for as long as I have without learning some things, even if it’s mostly by accident. You get a feel for the politics of nearby nations. If there’s a war coming, it’s not going to happen between any of the kingdoms on this side of the mountains. There just isn’t enough tension. As for war with someone on the other side of the mountains... I guess that might be true, but I doubt it. The sects here are petty, but none of them want to give up the power they have to answer to some cultivator dictator. More to the point, the kingdoms there know that about us. Taking territory on this side of the mountains is probably achievable. The problem is keeping it. It’s too much hassle, too much blood, and too much expense.”
Sen nodded while Sua Xing Xing was listening very closely to every word the man spoke.
“So, what does that leave?” asked Sen.
He was pretty sure that the man had guessed. Even so, it was better to hear it for sure than make wrong assumptions.
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“That doesn’t leave much. I don’t know how or why, but all I can’t think of that’s left is either an invasion from the lands beyond the seas or a conflict with the spirit beasts.”
Sen had never considered an invasion from overseas. He was vaguely aware that there were civilizations there but contact with them had been sparse, if one was being charitable, and nonexistent if one was being practical. Not that there had been a reason to consider it, since he knew what was coming. He nodded in acknowledgment of the man’s words.
“What I’m about to tell the two of you is being kept quiet. Generally, it’s only being shared with sect patriarchs, matriarchs, some carefully selected sect higher-ups, and mortal royalty. There has clearly been a bit of talk about some kind of war, but I’m honestly surprised the secret has held this long. That being said, this is not information you are to share casually. Can you live with that?”
Sua Xing Xing wore the most serious expression he’d ever seen on the woman’s face.
“Yes, Patriarch,” she said without hesitation or any of her usual annoying habits.
“Anyway, he dealt them a significant blow, which likely bought us some time, but that time is running out. Long before we’re ready, everyone will be up to our eyes in hostile spirit beasts pouring out of the wilds and looking for blood.”
“It makes sense now,” said Bahn Huizhong. “Training the mortals the way you have been. Starting a sect when you so clearly hate them. Reinforcing the defenses around the town, plus whatever you’d done here that I can’t see. I’m assuming it’s significant.”
Before Sen could respond, Sua Xing Xing cut in with an almost accusatory tone.
“You’ve been preparing for this. From the start.”
“Not from the start. From about a year ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before now?”
Sen gave her an incredulous look.
“Really? You can’t figure that out?”
She didn’t quite grind her teeth, but Sen thought it was a close thing.
“You probably think I’m a plant. Or, you think I’m just some self-serving cultivator.”
“Can you think of anything you’ve done that would have convinced me otherwise?”
“I might have tried a little harder to convince you if I’d known all of this was coming.”
“You should have tried harder regardless if you actually wanted me to trust you. At this point, I have to start relying on people I don’t particularly trust because there’s no other choice.”
Sua Xing Xing looked a little paler after that rebuke.
“What are we planning to do?” she asked.
“Plan?” asked Sen. “What makes you think that there is a plan beyond what’s already being done?”
“But—” she started only to have Bahn Huizhong cut her off.
“Where would you suggest we rally our forces?” he asked.
Sen appreciated the effectiveness of that question. It folded together a lot of distinct problems into one, easy-to-grasp problem. It didn’t take Sua Xing Xing long to start mentally unpacking all of those distinct issues, at least if the vaguely sick expression she wore was any indication.
“Oh,” was her only reply.
“The only things we can do right now are train, advance, and fortify our positions,” said Sen. “Well, that and not scare all of the mortals into doing something stupid. If you’re looking to help, help me with that.”