Things didn’t improve the next days. I tried to keep my head down and avoid doing anything to further the rumors. Even then, I knew that was an effort doomed to failure. So, I simply tried to concentrate on learning and improving. That was the whole purpose of being in the sect, after all.

But the other disciples’ behavior preyed on my mind. I felt isolated and lonely. Emotions I knew well and could deal with, but they took the joy out of learning about a magical world. I had to muster the motivation to read about history or culture, and often reached for my old self’s novels. Escapism to combat loneliness was also familiar. At least I managed steady progress with my cultivation, and new things with formation arrays.

The problem was that the irritants actually hindered my progress. Many disciples weren’t content with just avoiding me, but made my life difficult in minor ways. Snide looks and hushed whispers didn’t bother me much, beyond sapping my willpower. But when I returned to the library, I often found the books I’d been reading were taken out, and the older disciples assigned to the library professed under many apologies that they were unable to help me find volumes matching my requirements.

It was slightly more apparent in the workshop. The one I’d been going to saw less and less traffic. People no longer let me look over their shoulders as they worked. In fact, they tended to pack up shortly after I entered, to attend to urgent business elsewhere. Funnily enough, that didn’t reduce the demand on books or materials any.

None of them were openly disrespectful. Maybe my silence and inaction encouraged them. As the days went on, these kinds of things became worse. From a single misplaced book to almost all in a particular topic checked out. From working with elementary formations if I was there to taking materials I might need and leaving.

But the worst was probably martial arts practice and sparring. While people couldn’t refuse to partner with me under the gaze of the elders, they never put up a serious challenge. Later on, they’d let me beat them while barely fighting back, smirking at the end. Making it clear to everyone what happened.

The atmosphere was turning against me. I knew that. People saw everyone else doing things like that and joined in. Group mentality would push them beyond reasonable caution, leading them to actions they would usually recognize as stupid.

I sighed, kicking my feet in the pond. I was alone in the clearing, of course, and tried to destress after another practice session where the only thing I trained was my facial muscles and self-control. The cool water and birds chirping in the trees helped me push it aside, but they couldn’t quite ease the frustration.

I couldn’t really attack them. Oh sure, I could impose my will and leave them groveling, but the problem was that would only cement the issue. I’d be perceived as the one at fault, as a bully, if I struck back too hard. But what else can I do? Bait them into openly insulting me, then come down hard? The rate things are going, it’s going to happen soon enough. But that’s not the real solution.

I shook my head. Changing people’s minds and hearts was never easy. Maybe it wasn’t even worth trying here.

They’d even unnerved me enough that I took to wearing most of my protection. Enchanted items and hidden shields I’d been given at the palace, to ensure the heir wouldn’t die from an unfortunate accident. I’d always kept some surprises on me, but added more as time went on. Better to be cautious.

Feeling annoyed, I got up and made my way over to the main sect buildings. It was about time I checked up on other things. Although I couldn’t help but keep worrying over what I might do about the way the disciples treated me. The elders would be reluctant to help, since they clearly shared their attitude, just hid it better.

I was so consumed by my thoughts that I barely paid attention to my surroundings. I noticed that failing when my foot slipped in a puddle, and I had to flail around, almost falling, before I regained my balance.

Snickering followed. A group of disciples sat under the shade of a tree close by, with qi constructs around them. I glanced back at the puddle. Had it been that way before, or had something happened? If only I’d paid more attention.

I looked back at the disciples. Some others had stopped at the minor scene, and most of them put their heads together. My eyes narrowed as I recognized one of the girls in the closer group. The girl I’d helped back at the beginning, when she was being bullied. She sneered and leaned over to whisper something to the girl besides her. I couldn’t make it out, but from the glances they shot at me, what they said was easy enough to guess.

And wasn’t that one of the former bullies standing there? Just a few meters from her former victim.  I guess I know what’s what. They both snickered at something another guy said. The group looked pretty diverse, with people from the second to the fourth stage, some inner disciples. Maybe they were a regional faction or something.

I shrugged and ambled closer to them, looking them over. It took quite a bit for them to notice me and stand up.

“Something we can help you with?” one of them asked.

I let the silence draw out for a bit before I shrugged. “No. I’m sure you are all studying hard for improving your techniques. It is nice to see disciples helping each other like that.”

When I turned away, they were silent for a bit, before the conversations resumed. I could hear what might be scoffs from a few people. Then a few low exchanges that were mostly banter about helping each other.

But I circulated qi to my ears, sharpening my hearing. And one of them was too careless, parts of their comment reaching me, “… so weak, how will … Empire cope …”.

Okay, that’s it.

I turned back around, holding up my hand and sending a trickle of qi through the talisman in the form of a gold-threaded silk bracelet cradling my wrist. Then I marched back towards the group of disciples. I could hear the people around me falling silent, watching.

The disciples clearly knew something was up, and most of them showed signs of unease. They certainly stood up quicker than before, some bowing.

At the same time, I felt the presence of guards joining me. One of them descended from the sky, one melted out of a shadow in front of the crowd, and one of them simply strode through the throng. They came to attention around me.

“What did you just say?” I asked, quietly but with a voice cold enough to cut, the brown-haired boy standing next to the girl from before. He was an inner disciple, at least in his twenties.

He shifted.

“Not man enough to repeat it, are you?” I snorted. “Just as well.”

“I didn’t - “

“You called me weak.” I cut him off, taking another step forward. “How dare you, you worm?”

The crowd grew even quieter. I noticed it had swollen, other disciples coming over perhaps in response to my pulse of qi.

“He disrespected his princess.” I stated, my voice dropping over the space like a stone. I looked to the guards. “Teach him what that means.”

I could have beaten him myself, since he was in the early part of the fourth stage. But I didn’t want this to be me winning and then kicking him while he was down. No, this was the Imperial Princess administering justice.

The guards didn’t hesitate. Two of the soldiers grabbed the boy, while Kei Weriga took up a guard position beside me. The disciple struggled, but the fifth-stage soldiers made him look like a toddler in comparison. He tried to use a technique, but one of the guards flared his qi, of the darkness affinity, and suppressed the boy, smothering his attempts.

They dragged him away from the group, into open space in front of me, and in full view of everyone. Then they started beating on him. A few strikes brought the disciple staggering to his knees.

I’d been pulling in some air qi, then formed it and sent it to the guards, carrying a message others wouldn’t overhear. I wanted them to be careful, to avoid any crippling or long-lasting harm.

Of course, the definition of ‘lasting harm’ was different in a world with qi-based healing and medicinal pills. The guards certainly didn’t go easy on the offender. Their strikes and kicks were precise and smooth, and the way they targeted them told me they knew what they were doing. His head only received glancing blows, while his torso and extremities took the brunt. I could hear bones snapping a few times. I made sure my face didn’t flicker, watching everything with a cool expression.

At first, the boy tried fighting back, but quickly, that was reduced to trying to cover his vulnerable spots. It didn’t take long for him to fall and finally curl into a ball. The guards stopped soon after that.

The beating didn’t take long. Of course, with cultivators that could move quicker than any normal human, quite a number of blows fell.

At last, one of the guards stepped back, while the other crouched and pulled the disciple’s hands away. “Speak,” he commanded.

The boy blinked. Then he raised his head and glanced at me. Slowly, he levered himself to his knees so he could get into position for a kowtow. “Please, forgive this unworthy one, Your Highness.”

I let the moment stretch out just a bit, conscious of the eyes on me. Then I gave a firm nod. “You’re forgiven.”

Without sparing him another glance, I turned around, letting my gaze sweep over the crowd. He’d be right as rain tomorrow. I curled my lip slightly, before I strode away. Disciples scrambled out of my path.

As I went, I could hear people start talking. The tone had definitely changed.

I didn’t feel particularly ashamed or remorseful. The boy had brought this on himself, and while my orders might have been ethically dubious, there was enough justification in my mind. In the end, I headed off worse possibilities. I didn’t feel particularly good or smug about it, either, just indifferent.

Maybe news spread, but no one else came close to me the rest of the way, and I didn’t hear any hushed whispers directed at me. Satisfied that this went well enough, I returned to the library.

I stayed there for quite a while, enjoying the newfound calm. Immersing myself in books, I only stopped long enough to conjure some water to drink before diving back into another topic. No one bothered me. While I was still aware of disciples watching, they didn’t concern me as much.

When I left to return to my routine, I noticed the same. The snide looks and whispers vanished, or were at least carefully hidden. Disciples still avoided me, but they didn’t make it quite so obvious, and many of them ducked their heads rather than scrunch up their noses at me when they did. I overheard some of what they said, and privately shook my head at it.

Having someone beat up for impertinence has shaken them. But I think it’s more of a ‘shaken awake’ then ‘shaking in shock’. Maybe I looked at this too much like an Earth me problem, forgot how this world views strength.

Overall, things calmed down, and my next few days in the sect were productive. I still felt antsy, but my quick progress helped keep my mood up.

Unfortunately, things changed sooner than I thought. I was cultivating in my favorite spot when San Hashar came to tell me the news.

“A Heavenly Gold Bear. Sounds suspicious,” I commented. “A beast in the equivalent of the seventh stage just so happens to wander here, threatening the settlement?”

The soldier tilted her head. “Things like that do happen occasionally. And whether there is more to it or not, I am needed to fight it. The sect patriarch is old, and the usual reinforcements they’d call might not come quickly enough for the outlying villages.”

“Of course.” I stood up and fidgeted with my robe to pull it straighter. “Go and subdue it, I wouldn’t keep you. And yes, take some of your strongest people with you.”

“I’m uncomfortable leaving you exposed,” she admitted after a moment. “Especially like this.”

I nodded. “We will need to have the rest of the guards reinforce the perimeter. I don’t trust this, and a real threat is more likely to come from outside. But don’t worry. I’m well protected, Mother’s people saw to that. And if needed, you can be at my side in minutes even from deeper in the forest, can’t you?”

“Quicker, my lady.” San Hashar straightened up. “I will keep as close as I am able.”

I ran a hand through my hair, smiling a little. “I suppose this has given me an opportunity, as well. A distraction is just what I needed.”

She regarded me silently for a moment, before nodding. “Then, with your leave?”

I nodded. “May the Wind speed your steps, the Sun warm you and the Moon guide you, San Hashar,” I quoted.

She went to a knee, bowing her head for a moment. “Your will, Luminous Princess.”

Then she departed. I looked after her for a moment before I turned my thoughts to planning my next steps.