Seven hundred and forty two, Ling counts as she takes another step up the long stairs towards the mountaintop. She contemplates the reasons for the inane walk as she trudges on. Officially it is said the long climb towards the peak serves to teach disciples humility and test their perseverance. She scoffs believing it likely it is merely to give the elders time to prepare whenever someone approaches, the practicality forgotten after millennia of tradition and theatrics.
Pressing a nail into her palm she reminds herself to stop getting sidetracked and focus on the trial ahead. It is not for her own pleasure she slogs on after all. Having carefully considered all options and gone over what she’s learned time and time again she has finally decided to ask her father for assistance. Her hackles rise when she considers the convenience of having to visit him regardlessly to receive the compensation for her participation in Lai Min’s entourage. Did he predict her need that far in advance? It isn’t beyond him, she concludes. It seems just like that man to set things up so she would not need to lower herself to come here purely to beg, merely to pick up her promised rewards, an easy segway into such a conversation.
She takes several deep breaths to cool her fouling temper, greatly enjoying the chill morning air coursing through her lungs. By the time she reaches the peak she is the very picture of serenity. She approaches the entrance to the residence with small measured steps, her face emotionless and her fan held in front of her while the shawl draped over her arms billows behind her. With utmost elegance she sits down on her knees and lights an incense stick. Placing it within the ornate holder she brought along she sets it down in front of her and settles in for the long wait.
For all intents and purposes she seems like a filial child showing respect to her father while she waits and truly, none could find even a hint of discourtesy within her demeanor. She knows her father will understand however. The incense stick right in front of her serves to give the image of attending a funerary service, her lack of mourning wear as of yet combined with her purpose in waiting sending a clear message. The incense sticks she has brought along while ornate and rich are the ones used for timekeeping, each lasting precisely one hour before running their course. She would of course deny all allegations of pointedly informing him exactly how long he’s making her wait this way. The fourth stick is nearly gone by the time she hears his booming voice.
“Enter.”
She stands up and opens the large gate. Demurely and with a lowered head she enters making her way through a large courtyard and overly long hallway. Still she cannot help but marvel at her surroundings. The entire mountaintop mansion is composed of ice appearing as if it were carved from a single block. Each wall engraved with scenes of winter, each pillar a frosty oak supporting a snow covered canopy. This time she does not push down her scoff, while it is tradition for each sect master to rework the mansion to their liking Li Hong certainly did not go for a subtle approach. The powerful image of a frost covered oak greets her the moment she lays eyes on him, the clear mark of a Nascent Soul grandmaster. She extends her spiritual sense towards him, marveling at the way her sense picks up even the grainy texture of its roots beneath her feet. She has to control herself to keep her balance, the dissonance between what she can see with her eyes and what she can feel with her spiritual sense throwing her off. Stepping through the ethereal root she clasps her hands and bows her head.
“Core Disciple Li Ling greets Sect Master Li Hong.”
Li Hong gasps. Ling can feel his spiritual pressure engulf and press down on her while his spiritual sense scans her top to bottom.
“Ling, is it truly you? Have you finally learned manners?”
The ice princess refuses to dignify him with a response. She sighs the moment the pressure fades. Maintaining her refined demeanor she elegantly sits down on the pillow placed before his throne, a subtle dig if she’s seen any. She looks up at him without any emotion.
“This lowly one would not dare question why the Sect Master makes a young woman get down on her knees in front of him while he maintains a position of power and sits atop an extravagant throne.”
Hong’s eye twitches, he tilts his head back and glares at her down his nose with piercing blue eyes chilling the girl to the core. His hands tighten around the arms of his throne until his nails whiten.
“You dare! Unfilial brat, do not make me fetch your mother.”
Ling raises an eyebrow and thoughtfully raises a hand to her chin.
“Are you purposefully making it easy for me to win this little spar, father? Should I make a pleading request to take me and spare my mother or would you prefer I remark on the fact you believe mother frightens me more than you? Perhaps it is your intention to have me question which mother you intend to fetch or bring up the fact you are cruel for bringing ‘mother’ into the conversation given that you still refuse to share even the slightest detail regarding my mother’s identity or her very existence with me?”
“I gave you her bell and fan.”
“A most generous deed, a thousand praises to the magnanimous Sect Master Li Hong.”
“...Tch you just suck all the fun out of things don’t you.”
“Perhaps a trait I have inherited, I would not know. Evidence shows however the ability to suck everything out certainly increases the chances of courting you.”
“Do not insult my wives.”
“Apologies, I went too far.” Ling apologizes genuinely. With their little act firmly dead, they move to a small table to the side, a steaming pot of tea seemingly appearing out of thin air allowing Ling to fill both their cups.
“So, daughter of mine, I assume this is not a leisure visit.”
She straightens, Li Hong following in kind when he notices the serious tone in which his daughter replies.
“Indeed. I am here to share information regarding Shen Qiu and the Shen in general I have managed to gain from my indentured servant.”
Hong squints. He takes a sip from his tea while quietly contemplating her words. “Am I correct to presume you wish to be paid for this information?”
“Partially, there is a favor I wish to ask but let us put that aside for the moment. Shen Qiu’s education is sorely lacking, any one of our retainers has one far surpassing the one she received. She does not fire back at any of my taunts nor does she snap no matter how much I degrade her. Were it not for her cultivation being beyond mine I would have thought her a peasant, additionally…
“Additionally?”
“... Her senses are sharper than mine, far sharper than they should be. She was able to perceive the Halved Peak during our flight which should not be possible at her current level. On the other hand she was entirely unable to see through the Hu's illusionary mists in the slightest and did not notice the ambush that nearly took our lives even as we were being completely surrounded. On that note, the blow she took for me is not one she should have survived. By all means it should have torn straight through her and continued on to inflict damage to me.”
“Grand Elder Lai’s report stated the one that fired the technique was only a 5th stage Foundation Establishment expert,” Hong replies while tapping his fingers on the table. “Even accounting for our techniques slowing her down enough she could not raise her defenses the technique should not be capable of causing much more damage than was inflicted, your report collaborates this, are you implying the Grand Elder was wrong in her assessment of the foe’s strength?”
“No, honourable father. My report was merely inconclusive. The attacker drained one of his companions to empower the attack. It is my belief this only remained unnoticed due to him destroying his own soul shortly after.”
Hong does not reply. Ling simply sips her cup while waiting in order to give her father the time to think. He slowly lets out a deep breath that chills the air, a grim expression on his face when he looks his daughter in the eye once more.
“That… Do you truly believe it could be the case?”
“I would need to investigate further. It is for this reason I would like access to Shen Lei as well as permission for Shen Qiu to accompany me when I make contact.”
“Very well,” The sect master replies while waving a hand to dismiss her. “I shall make arrangements, your payment for the previous mission is by the door.”
“Many thanks, Sect Master. This one is deeply grateful for your consideration.” She replies without a hint of mockery before turning on her heel and departing.
-----
“My lady, the cost! Our finances are already dire, I cannot accept this.”
“Consider it an investment, my dear.” Ling replies while setting the ornate pill furnace in her hands down. Sitting atop three legs the richly decorated and formation encrusted cauldron has four handles and is composed entirely of gold. Shun reverently opens the cauldron and looks within, gasping at the quality all the while.
“It should lighten our future expenses. We shall be relying on your expertise.” Reaching into her sleeve Ling pulls out a note and hands it to her friend. “Perhaps you could make the first one on the list now to test it out.”
She hardly finishes her sentence before Shun skips over to the cabinet. Hiding a smile behind her sleeve she notices Qiu turn her head away to do the same. Her smile widens when Shun returns and places a spiritual ginseng, dried wolfberries, cacao beans and a drop of cobra venom within the cauldron and closes the lid. Both girls remain silent while Shun manifests a flame within it and devotes her full attention to her concoction. Minutes tick by fast as they all wait with bated breaths until Shun lets out a gasp after nearly an hour has passed and lifts the lid. A strong smelling smoke billows out when she reaches in and pulls out a perfectly spherical translucent red orb. Holding the pill up to the light she inspects it for impurities or flaws before finally nodding.
“There is yet room for improvement but I believe this one is a success, mistress.”
“Excellent, well done my dear.” Ling smiles warmly before tossing the pill to Qiu.
“Take it, I have some good news for you as well.”
“Oh?” She replies surprised while popping it in her mouth. “What’s this by the way?”
“I have succeeded in receiving permission for you to visit your brother.” Ling replies. She waits for the redhead to finish consuming the pill before continuing. “Since we shall be entering secluded cultivation tomorrow we must head there immediately.”
She turns on her heel and gestures for her servants to follow her, savoring the gleeful smile on Qiu’s face before she concludes her explanation.
“Oh and Qiu?”
“Yeah?”
“That was an aphrodisiac. Do take care to behave properly outside.”
Such a silly girl, taking candy without knowing what it is. So trusting! ^.^
Thanks for writing!
Thanks for reading!
That was a wonderful bit of trolling there. Maybe next time learn what a pill does before consuming it?