---D-Day+202, Siesic 13th, Thursday Morning---

---Yuxueshi, Downtown---

“Courting death!”

An angry shout pierces through the cacophony of people and animals crowding the streets in the chilly autumn air.

Sigh.

*clackclack*

Our wagon rattles along the urban road.

God, you up there? Homey, buddy, dude? Is it too much to ask to go two blocks without someone loudly declaring someone else wants a fatal marriage? Come on, surely you can manage that.

Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This is a “cultivator” town after all.

Jade Snow City,¹玉雪市 named for the mountain its at the bottom of. Mount Yuxue. Itself named for its light green snowy peak. One of the tallest in the Pubushan mountain range.

Visible from anywhere in town is the Beyulongong. The biggest sect in Yangxu starts further up the green pine covered slopes at the top end of a busy switchback highway. Lions Keep’s access road looks like a deer trail in comparison.

Tall marble walls border a wide rectangular strip of courtyards, gardens, pagodas, pavilions and waterfalls. The long complex climbs past the tree line before disappearing into the cloud shrouded summit.

“How many people live up there?” I ask.

Big Ji answers. “Nearly five thousand disciples and elders, dashi.²Great Master With just as many servant residents.” Snuggles into my side some more.

Yeah, it's not a sect from the xianxia webnovels with hundreds of thousands of disciples spread across entire mountain ranges. But it still looks pretty fucking impressive to me.

By the way, we aren’t in the medieval RV anymore. Got here yesterday and moved into a mansion that had been prepared for us. Not as big as the Lian clan's estate or even the Blue Cloud palace. But its buildings and courtyards still cover a couple football fields worth of turf.

Being a government "official," backed by the emperor and crown prince, certainly has its privileges.

Sadly the superyacht on wheels turned around and headed back to Beiguang. So this cool partly cloudy morning I’m headed downtown in a small brown and gold carriage with just Ji and Frankie. Shopping for alchemy ingredients since I want to try out some more pill recipes.

My infernal longsword, Tormentor, rests on priest-wife's lap. While the divine rapier, Sanctity, lays across older sister's thighs.

“And how many live here?”

“Dashi, the last census reported almost a hundred thousand.”

While big walls and strong ass formations keep me from seeing clearly inside the sect. Everything turns kind of blurry. I get the impression that it's lightly populated. Size-wise it looks a good mile across, stretching miles upwards. Eyeballing it, I'd say the mountain itself is four plus miles high.

So not Everest's five miles but still damn impressive. And, yes, I'm pulling that number out of my butt. Still, it feels right.

Yuxueshi, on the other hand, is a walled blob. Packed with buildings and people. Dirt streets full of pedestrians and carts. If we didn’t have mounted escorts, the living kind, working like a plow? Would probably take hours to push across this wuxia town.

The temp here is a big drop from the heat of the coast and plains. From eighties and nineties to sixties and seventies. We are significantly higher up than we were in the capital.

Architecture wise its similar to Chenghai and Beiguang. Very medieval chinese. Though there's less stone and more wood. Overly wide curved roofs with peaked corners, chinese lanterns, pagodas, etc…

The crowds themselves are different here too. The port was a cosmopolitan mix of people and classes. The capital strongly leaned to the bureaucratic side with their regalia and badges. Cultivator town, however, is for cultivators and adventurers.

A mish mash of arms and armor dominate. Plus a sprinkling of the more flamboyant outfits I'd only seen in xianxia comics and games.

This entire community is geared towards supporting the sect. Since cultivators prefer to focus on, you know, cultivating. Most of the basics, food, clothes, scrolls, weapons, etc… are imported. Those goods being made, or shipped, here. Before going uphill.

Of course what's good for the goose. Is also good for the gander.

Meaning all that stuff for the North Jade Dragon Palace is just as attractive to other cultivators. Especially the Sanxiu,³Rogue Cultivators sect-less daoists. Plus adventurers, sellswords, and more. The Biaoju⁴Adventurers Guild maintains a large hall here.

"Courting death!"

*crash*

Sigh.

Lean forward and look to my right. Just in time to see an eatery's table smashed. Fists and kicks fly. Qi spikes. Techniques fire.

But no weapons are drawn.

My new guard captain, Taoyi Xin, warned us yesterday. Hand to hand combat is fine. Even some skills and spells. Use anything to destructive though? Start swinging swords and spears around? The Beyulongong will show no mercy.

I lean back and ignore the idiots. Going back to people watching. Look out at the sheer variety of people. Something no video game could ever capture.

Porters with large loads of wood or pottery on their backs struggle through. A bulbous nosed dwarf argues with a street hawker. Kids weave in and out of the crowd. Trying to steal food from stands. Or snatch unguarded purses. Four men lifting a palanquin shuffle by.

The heavy funk of too many people and beasts of burden. Kicked up dust hangs in the air. Not washed as often as they should be robe and tunic wearing masses stream like a confused river. Each preoccupied with their own goals. Their own dreams.

A couple of North Jade Dragon Palace outer disciples, blue robes with green sashes, pass by. The Beyulongong in town seem to move in twos and threes. Shopping, eating, or just wandering.

Have not seen them in any of these beatdowns though.

"What's with all the fighting?" I was a bit off on the whole strong prey on the weak thing. Xianxia with laws, whodathunkit? So maybe this isn't like the webnovels too?

Ji tilts her head up and amber eyes grin. "Dashi, most daoshi⁵daoists are prideful. They're reputation is important. So insults, real or not, are taken very seriously." Oh, so it is the same. "Many also hope to attract a sect’s attention. Even becoming a waiwei dizi⁶outer disciple provides protection and resources free daoists do not have."

"But don't they have that?" Point to the sort of coliseum looking building on the town's west side.

"There are tournaments throughout the year, dashi." Lovingly kisses my shoulder. "But only those sponsored by the North Jade Dragon Palace offer hopefuls the chance to become disciples."

"And that's what the littlest princess is here for, right?" Yes, the twerp is still hanging on my china girl.⁷Tiang Li Zexi

Awkwardly nods. "...Yes."

"But…" I frown. "Isn't she kind of young for kung fu school?" The girl's, like, nine or something.

Ji smiles sadly at me. "Dashi, the great clans start teaching their heirs at an early age." Looks away. "Though it is tradition to wait until after the seed spills and river flows before joining a sect."

"Uh, the what?"

Frankie's half dark elf gray skinned hand squeezes mine and purple eyes flutter as she whispers steamily in my left ear. "Puberty, master."

The devotion I feel through our connection⁸an empathic link created by rings given by Jon in Volume 1 Chapter 26b again leaves me mystified. It is still hard to believe that someone so beautiful. So amazing. Is also, so completely broken.

"Ah." That makes sense. "So why is Mulyn here now?" From what I've been told, puberty starts in the early teens for this planet's humans too.

Li's older sister squirms. "The imperial palace can be a dangerous place, dashi. Her mother does not have many allies." Shoulders shiver. "Lynlyn will be safer in the sect. The Beyulongong has little patience for the schemes of concubines."

Miss royal pain in my ass is back at the compound with Li. Last I knew, still throwing a fit over my skellies ignoring her commands.

*whiny*

The yanese driver pulls on the reins to bring our carriage to a stop. Annoying his horse. Two guards on the back jump down as a servant opens the side door. Horsemen surround the wagon to block the masses.

We're in front of a store with the embossed character 藥 over the door and sewn into banners. It's in the center of a row of three story buildings. Couple of large open shutters. Balconies. Nice looking place.

"Welcome esteemed Taiyi!" Eh? Ah, of course they noticed the 太醫 sewn into little flags attached to the wagon.

Two employees, I guess, of the shop who shouted are kowtowing outside next to the front door. They probably saw the silver pheasant badge too. Which marks me as a bureaucrat with the rank of Xianguan. A "county-level" official.

Now there's all kinds of nuances to yanese hierarchy but basically I'm in the middle ranks. At least that's how Ji explained it. 

Ignoring the door greeters, I debark. Help Frankie and Ji down. Then we head inside followed by a couple of servants.

Inside is what I expected to find in a medieval drugstore. Drawers. Lots and lots of little drawers. They fill the back wall from floor to ceiling. A long counter blocks access to it. Along the room's sides are cauldrons, pestles and other alchemical tools.

A sizable chamber with a couple dozen customers lies between the counter and front door. But doesn't feel crowded. This apothecary caters to wealthier clients if the quality of their robes and accessories is anything to go by.

Unfortunately we don't get ten steps before, "Tiang Ji?"

Eh? Sigh…

The surprised guy who asked the obvious looks to be in his early twenties, yanese, and has that young master "look." Spoiled, rich, and arrogant.

"Like a bolt from the blue." "This is a fortuitous encounter."

Richie rich has two mouthy lackeys with him plus a few attendants behind them.

"Hing Zedon." Ji puts a whole lot of disgust in those two words. Half expected her to spit. But she recovers quickly and goes full blabber mode. Cupping fists while saying. "I am honored to meet a young master of the Hong clan once more."

"The honor is mine, Tiang Ji. I am beyond happy to see you in fine health."

"You overpraise me too much young lord-" blah, blah, blah. Christ, got no patience for how many words these xianxia freaks need to just say, "hi."

So I start looking around at all the stuff. Nice pots. Some bronze. Others iron. Think that one is made of stone? All the salesmen are busy and I'm not in a hurry. Really only paying half attention to all the oxygen they're wasting, until douchebag says.

"Jiejie,⁹elder sister I just purchased some Night Plum Flower powder." Was that a wink? "Why don't you join us?" Is he leering? "We can wager on how fast your robes will disap-"

*ving* *gasp*

Sanctity is out of the scabbard, with its tip touching asshole's adam's apple, faster than you can blink. I'm not even facing the guy. The silver and blue rapier, and my arm, were a blur.

Slowly turn my head his way. "Apologize."

*gulp*

Hing's minions look super nervous. But johnny jackass is acting unfazed.

"Physician," the jerk smirks, "do I look ill to you?"

"Yes," I nod, "so I'm prescribing corrective surgery." Push the tip a little further. "For your face and attitude. Now apologize."

Uhoh, someone just found their angry eyes. Meanwhile the peanut gallery is panicking. Fleeing out the front and back or hiding behind the counter.

"You dare threaten me?!" Now that's a sneer. "Impudent dog! I am not some distant branch heir with delusions of grandeur." Scoffs. "This shao is the fourth son of Patriarch Yu-uhlk!"

*ping*

Whatever shit for brains was going to say is interrupted by Sanctity piercing forward. And would have gone all the way through his neck too. If it wasn't for those meddling kids! Well, fingers, in this case. Which are pinching the tip of my holy sword. Stopping it.

"Shaoye!" "Quick! Healing ointment!" "Stop the bleeding!"

No, not douchebag's fingers. He's toppled backwards with blood spurting out of his punctured throat. While his frantic minions try to save him. There's a new guy who's appeared.

And that's exactly what it looked like. One moment he's not there. The next he is. With a vice-like grip on the business end of my ad hoc scalpel. Lightning mcqueen is an older guy. And not wearing the blue robes with red sashes of the three inner disciples. He has plain gray robes and a gravelly voice.

Bet he's the uncle bodyguard.

"Greetings, distinguished Badun Yuehan. This old fool humbly asks you to forgive the young master." Dude's speaking all respectful like but still has a death grip, actually pinch, on Sanctity. "His lordship is stressed and misspoke. The Hing clan sincerely apologizes."

"No!" Croaks dipshit as he struggles to his feet. Helped by his minions. A paste has been applied over the hole I added to his esophagus and the dark red squirting has stopped.

What a pity.

"Shaoye," rumbles old guy without looking back, "forgive this one's tardiness. Preparations took longer than expected."

I feel an… itch. No, my shadows feel the itch. Something has them feeling uncomfortable. But what could it… ah. The grey guy. He's about glowing.

With holy talismans.

Strong ones too. [Super Senses] detects dozens under his robes. They aren't blocking the connection to my undead. But they are certainly butting in. Not sure if my living shadows can still manifest properly. 

Huh. Is this a trap?

"Uncle! Kill him!" Ribbit's leaky boy. Wow, if looks could kill I'd be nothing but ashes by now. Unfortunately, for him, they can't. 

Douchebag's bodyguard doesn't take his eyes off me but speaks apologetically. "Honorable lord, I humbly offer that this strategy has little chance of success."

Dipshit shakes his head. "No, he dies. Quickly, before his guard rallies."

Old guy sighs. "Very well my-"

*clack*

The shop door opens and a deathly chill invades the space. Miss buttinsky speaks as she enters.

"Forgive the interruption but I am curious. Are you foolish, incompetent, or both?"

I don't look but recognize her voice. Apparently the asshole knows her too since he growls.

"Shen Ling."

It's that necromancer bitch from the traffic jam!

Temperature has dropped so much, I can see my own breath. Karen, the death mage, spouts again.

"Well, Junfei Badun, which is it?"

Bet she wants to speak to the manager-wait.

*squint*

You talkin' to me?

The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch.