A golden dragon roars to the sky. It reaches for the heavens itself, rising higher and higher, reaching through lightning and thunder to ascend ever further. No man can stop it, no being can stand in its way. Jingyi’s eyes widen. It is not just her that stands astounded, every single cultivator within the room can feel the powerful image radiating from the blonde swordswoman.

“I am Song Suwan, Nascent Soul 8th Stage, Wielder of the Bloodied Blade of Song and 47th disciple of Song Huan!”

Had any other made such an outrageous statement they would have claimed them a fraud with delusions of grandeur. With the powerful image still fresh in the minds of each and every one of them however none could muster up the courage to make such a claim. The thought of such a young Nascent Soul Grandmaster is enough to make wizened patriarchs cough blood yet with Patriarch Zri confirming her identity and the memory of the massacre of the Wan still fresh in their minds they cannot deny the truth in front of them. After centuries, Song Huan has taken another disciple.

Jingyi goes over every slight accidental or otherwise she has caused the woman so far. Her face goes pale, she can only hope the disciple is more forgiving than the master. It is no secret how the very blade Suwan holds received its name after all. She nearly jumps when Fu reassuringly places his palm on her shoulder. He looks at her with a thousand yard stare and gives her a shrug and a smile. She bites her lip to suppress an unladylike snort at the absurdity of it.

“Hmph, what a farce,” The Zri patriarch says in a mocking tone. “To use the Third Sword of Song Huan to fake power, oh how low the Wan have fallen.”

He spreads his arms wide and shakes his head side to side. “Fellow daoists, we cannot let this travesty stand. Rest assured our Zri will punish this fraud. We only ask that the blade be kept a secret, it pains my heart to imagine reclaiming our precious heirloom only for outsider scum to set their sight on it.”

Just as the crowd seems fully swayed to the patriarch’s side Suwan speaks up. Despite speaking in little more than a low whisper her voice seems to resound throughout the building, as if this mere pavilion were too small to contain its might. 

“There are limits to my patience, old fart. Out of courtesy for your, hah, ‘care’ I have refrained from fighting you until now. Do not mistake my mercy for weakness.” She holds her blade vertically in front of her, hilt held tightly in both hands. All around her ethereal golden blades form with their points similarly aimed at the sky. First a hundred. Then a thousand and a thousand more. On and on it goes until ten thousand Qi swords surround her.

“Is that…”

“The Wan’s ten thousand blades technique!”

“What, I thought it was lost!”

The patriarch’s face turns sour. Realizing he might make a foolish move Suwan decides to intervene before her hand is forced. She raises her blade high, the golden ethereal blades following suit. 

“No technique is lost to Song Huan.” The blades turn, the tip of each and every last one aimed at the patriarch. “It appears we are not welcome here. As thanks for raising me, I shall show mercy one more time” One by one with deliberate slowness each of the swords fade before she sheaths the fabled blade of Song and turns on her heel, “Do not waste it.”

 

-----

 

“I’m starting to think Teacher might’ve had a point with the whole ‘slash first, ask questions never’ thing.” Suwan quips as she bats aside another attack coming for their carriage. Fu scoffs. “My, to think those bandits would dare attack a carriage bearing the mark of the Jin, the audacity. Oh, what a coincidence, it’s almost enough to suspect someone tipped them off.”

“Glad you’re taking this so seriously, Fu.”

“You’re welcome, Suwan.”

Jingyi bites her nails as the carriage rocks. Her eyes dart between the window and the two casually chatting while her breath quickens. Seeing her distress Suwan leans forward, grabs her shoulders and looks her in the eye.

“Don’t worry. It’s all gonna be just fine, they don’t hold a candle to us.”

“Haha, that’s right dear, they won’t dare to act openly against our Jin once we’re back lest they provoke open war. The Iron Fist sect would never let that stand, the moment we’re off the road the Zri are out of options and until then we have a veritable monster on our side.”

“Teacher isn’t a monster!”

“That’s what you have a problem with?!” Jingyi can’t help but shout at the short girl before she straightens and composes herself.

“My apologies for the outburst. I shall pay remunerations for this offence once we return to town.”

“Ay ay, Jingyi, don’t worry about it. Slip-ups happen when one’s common sense is thrown out the window. Hang around Suwan enough and you’ll build an immunity to it.” Fu laughs. Suwan aborts her attempt at looking mad to bat away another attack, annoyed at their persistence she manifests a small ball of fire above her palm and flicks it towards the ‘bandits’. The resulting explosion does more damage to the carriage than the attackers ever did.

“Whoops.”

“Please, Suwan. You’re gonna give my driver a heart attack.”

“Eh, he survived having the roof suddenly vanish, he’ll be fine.”

“It occurs to me that all the damage we’ve taken so far has come from you.” Fu snorts. Both Jingyi and Mu blush. With Suwan facing the road behind them with one leg on the bench her short yukata leaves little to the imagination. Jingyi can’t quite parse the complex feeling she has at seeing Fu so unaffected by the blonde accidentally flashing her rear due to the explosion’s wind pressure. 

As the attacks slowly peter out time passes in several more flashes. Fu’s eye twitches at the way Jingyi seems to glance at Suwan and blush each time it happens. Muttering something along the line of ‘oh not again’ he decides to proactively keep her attention on himself by striking up conversation. An attempt that somewhat backfires when the conversation turns to Suwan’s past and the two childhood friends end up sharing embarrassing stories. He decides to chalk it up as a victory nonetheless as the mood has visibly lightened by the time they return to Golden Carp City.

“Welp, nice seeing you again, Fu. Catch ya later.” Suwan says with a wave while hopping off their ride. Jingyi and Mu share a surprised glance at the slight. Fu on the other hand is already instructing the driver while offhandedly waving back. Chalking it up to one more of their oddities the two disembark as well, Fu hurriedly leaping off first to offer them a hand. 

“Will you be staying the night on the road, Venerable Song? Our Tong clan would be glad to host you and your disciple for as long as it pleases thee.”

“Nah, thanks for the offer but I’ve already spent far too much time in this city. Got places to be.” She winks. Fu puts his hand on Jingyi’s shoulders to dissuade her from attempting to convince Suwan further, knowing it a fool’s errand. 

“Where do you intend to go, Suwan?”

“Eh, probably not the Steadfast Rock’s territory if it's as unstable as you say, might cross through the White Rose Sect.”

“Well then, we’ll see you off at the east gate in a bit.”

 

-----

 

Zhi yawns, angrily batting An’s hand away when she pointedly pokes her in the side. Crossing the corner they arrive near the city gates to find the Jin heir amongst a crowd of women receiving a dressing down from his fiancee. Suwan chuckles at the misunderstanding as she leisurely saunters towards them. 

“My, Fu, to think you’d gather so many women the moment I let you out of my sight. And in front of your fiancee too, how bold.” She titters. Zhi and An can’t help but stiffen at the disrespectful way she is addressing the young lord.

“Ay ay, don’t tease me so, Suwan. They’re here to see you off, it seems you made quite the, ah, impression.” He wiggles his eyebrows. Jingyi’s face pales when Suwan does not dispute his words. She had discounted all his excuses out of hand when he blamed Suwan for their presence. Not only that but the blonde saw her argue with her fiance in public, she has to keep her face from flushing at the indignity. 

When Zhi heads straight for him she pushes her emotions down and directs a kind smile her way. Zhi visibly stiffens when she notices the noble lady stare at her suspiciously. She flounders like a fish on land, the difference in social status so ingrained in her she dares not speak. Yet she cannot bear to not ask her question. She squares her shoulders and briefly meets the woman’s eye before averting them again, awkwardly swaying her head to the side as if she was merely surveying her surroundings all the while chiding herself for her cowardice.

Noticing the street rat’s closeness to Gao Mu, Jingyi grasps on to the chance to ingratiate herself to them and takes the initiative.

“Greetings, young lady. I do not believe we have been introduced yet. I am Tong Jingyi, third in line to the Tong clan.”

Zhi frantically looks to the side for a moment before realizing the noble is talking to her, putting on a brave face she bites her cheek and looks her straight in the eye without shying away. 

“This lowly one’s Zhi, second disciple of So- eh, Su… Master Suwa-”

“It’s cool Zhi, cat’s out of the bag already. Chin up, you’re with us now.” Song encouragingly pats her shoulder before moving to greet the rest of the entourage. 

“This one is Zhi, second disciple of Song Suwan.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Zhi,” Jingyi replies, glad she made the right call. “How may we be of assistance.”

Zhi can’t help but do a double take at the noble’s politeness and willingness to help. She gulps. Deep down she knows how amazing her master truly is but to be confronted with it so directly is a new experience entirely for the teen. She takes a breath to gather her nerves.

“Lord Jin made a deal wi’ Mu ‘ere.” She says, one hand moving to point at her before remembering pointing is impolite, instead she ends up awkwardly waving her hand in the petite girl’s general direction, unsure what to do. “We were wonderin’ if dat still stood. Wat with ‘er leavin’ an’ all dat.”

“Yeah!” Mu pipes up while stepping closer. “There’s a group of kids under our care, Fu- Lord Jin promised he’d prepare a mansion for me after the banquet and I meant to house the entire group there so they don’t have to live in that small hut in the slums and especially now that we have to leave I’m worried they’d get in trouble without us around or even go hungry if we can’t help them out and if they get in a fight they can't win cause Zhi usually does that for them but she’s coming along as well.” 

Jingyi elegantly drops to a knee to look the young pugilist straight in the eye. She directs a nod and a smile to the street rat as well before placing her hand over her heart.

“I swear on my name that I shall personally see to it. You have my word that I shall ensure they are not only housed but also clothed, fed and educated. Please rest assured, I shall have someone lead me to them so I may personally see to it everything takes place as promised.”

“Oh, I know where they are!” WeiWei speaks up while raising her hand high. She sways as the weight of the bag she is carrying over one shoulder unbalances her. She briefly hops on one foot with a giggle before she manages to stand up straight again.

“You do?” Suwan asks with a raised brow, Weiwei raises her thumb and smiles at her enthusiastically. “Yeah, I help them out now and then when I have some time off. Leave it to me! Oh but do come visit now and then.” She winks before unsubtly prodding Yating towards her.  “Go on, TaiTai, last chance.” 

Yating looks like a deer in the headlights, unprepared to be pushed into the spotlight so suddenly. She bows deeply. “It was truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Song. I wish you all the best on your journey.” Tai straightens with a complicated look on her face and a tear in the corner of her eye. WeiWei smiles sadly, her free hand reaching for the white haired woman until Suwan sighs. She runs a hand through her hair in exasperation before winking at WeiWei and mouthing a quick ‘thank you’. 

Suwan takes a deep breath, more than one pair of eyes being drawn to the way her chest bulges as she does. “Tai Yating, I can tell you have potential and if I’m not wrong, you’ve regained interest in cultivation. Will you come with me?”

A tear runs down the courtesan’s cheek as she clasps her hands in front of her chest. “Bu- but I can’t just leave. The pavilion gave me a place to stay when I needed it most, I can’t just abandon them without prior notice.”

“Tsk tsk, TaiTai, just go with them, we’ll be fine!” WeiWei giggles.

“I can’t just make Lady Song wait for me, all my belongings are still there, my heirlooms, I can’t just leave them behind either.”

“Nope.”

“N- Nope?”

“Nope.” WeiWei nods while planting the heavy bag over her shoulder on the floor and giving it a pat. “All here.” The little minx smiles. 

“Wha-”

“Be selfish for once, TaiTai. You’ve given up more than enough for us. Go. Do what you want to do for once.”

The courtesan chokes back a sob. She turns to Suwan and bows deeply. 

“If it is no trouble, This lowly one would be happy to accompany you.”

“Ay ay, look at you, Suwan, such a bleeding heart.” Fu jests.

“And i’m sure it’s pure coincidence you introduced me to her specifically isn’t it, Jin boy.” She fires back. “Farewell, Fu.”

“Farewell, Suwan. Stay safe.”

“I’m the very picture of safety.” 

They only manage to keep a straight face for half a second before they both burst out laughing.