Mu happily kicks her legs back and forth while she watches the terrain fly by. With Xie Chen in the lead they ran into no problems whatsoever requisitioning a spiritual carriage for their use. While it’s not as fast nor as shiny as the one Jin Fu has Gao Mu still finds the ride quite enjoyable.
“Fox.”
An points out the window, narrowly allowing Mu to see the orange blur before they are past it. Zhi lets out a sigh and announces their score… again.
“Seven points for each of you. You’re tied again.”
Mu lets out a huff and pouts. To pass time during the route she and her disciple began playing a game where every time they see an animal during the ride whoever calls out its name first gets a point. Yet every time she manages to spot anything within the rapidly moving terrain An spots something else right after. It’s almost enough to make her suspect the girl is not going above her score on purpose.
“It is getting late, venerable guests. Shall we make a stop in the next city and allow the horses to rest?”
None of them offer any complaints. As comfortable as the carriage is they’ve been in it all day now and could use a break and as they all realize when Mu’s stomach growls, some food.
“I’ll get you something, Master.”
An states once they leave their carriage within one of the Xie clan’s stables and set off into the city. Following her nose she spots rows of street carts selling skewers, candy and much more in a large alleyway off the main street. She reaches into her robes to fish for her coin pouch as she goes-- or one of them at least as there are several smaller ones concealed within hidden pockets on the inside of the robe. The moment she takes a single step into the alley she stops dead.
“An?” Mu calls out before walking up to her and taking a look at her face. “An?! An, what’s wrong?”
With a physics defying twist Twelve slithers out of An’s grasp to appear in front of her. The sentient doll’s visage suddenly being so close they’re almost nose to nose knocks An out of her daze. She takes a step back in fright and falls down on her rear. Only after she’s fallen does she realize she’s lost all strength in her shaking legs.
Without any need for words Zhi and Yating flank the trio on both sides. While Yating peers into the alley with her hand reaching for her halberd Zhi scans their surroundings for any other threat that may appear. The sudden burst of motion catches Xie Chen off guard and causes her to freeze up for a moment before she manages to catch herself.
“Is everything alright, venerable guests?”
Her query goes unanswered. Mu pulls An in and rubs her head whilst the latter breathes heavily, air rasping in and out through her mouth faster and faster as she’s beginning to hyperventilate. When Chen attempts to ask again Yating raises her hand to stop her before she can begin and kneels down next to the pair.
“Is it more like them, junior sister?”
“Do- don’t,” An pants in between breaths. “K- know.” She manages to wheeze out before a coughing fit overtakes her. All the while her eyes remain wide open, staring into the distance without truly seeing. Yating exchanges a glance with Zhi.
None of them have ever seen An react this intensely to anything.
“My apologies, Lady Xie. I will need to ask for permission to keep my weapon drawn.” Yating says while removing her halberd from her back and untying the cloth covering the head.
“Of course, Lady Tai. Might this one know the reason?”
Yating bites her lip before replying, carefully considering how much she should say.
“There is a reason we are attempting to cross through to the Jin clan’s territory as quickly as possible. It appears part of our concerns has arrived here as well.”
“Tsk. Even ‘ere there’s demons huh?” Zhi mutters while shaking her head, slightly afraid but not surprised. Her quiet whisper however does not escape Chen’s ear.
“Lady Zhi, are you certain?” The young Xie asks with wide eyes, her pitch rising to the point her words almost come out as a squeak.
“Ah crud, ya heard.” Zhi chides herself with a click of her tongue. “Nah, kent say fer sure.”
“I- This one would like to request clarification.” Chen says while looking at each member of the group in turn. Extending her spiritual sense deep into the alley she can’t detect anything out of the ordinary, except perhaps the slightest gut feeling that something is off making her hair stand on end. As a cultivator she’s long learned to trust such feelings and narrows her eyes. Her hand reaches for her sword. She’s certainly beginning to take their words a lot more seriously than before.
“Might this one ask what is in there?”
“N- n- nothing.”
“Please explain, Lady An.”
“G- gone for m- months.” An replies while shivering.
“Huh, months? Didn’t you say it got harder the longer ago it was? How can you still feel them?” Mu asks while Yating shushes her before she can give more of An’s restrictions and abilities away. Given that Yating herself was unaware of any of this she assumes it is information An told her in confidence, something Mu’s guilty expression a moment later all but confirms.
“The accusation that anything demonic was here is a serious one, even if you say it was months ago. Were you anyone else…” Chen bites her lip before shaking her head. “But no. I must take this seriously, I'm afraid. A thousand apologies for waylaying your journey. Might this one request for your assistance in investigating this matter?”
------
Chen lets out a long sigh, impatiently tapping her foot even as she refrains from commenting and strains her senses to get an idea of what her newfound companions may be doing. Even though she understands their reasoning in wanting to keep secrets close to their chest and is willing to forgive their discourtesy it does not make the wait any more bearable. Especially since she hasn't the slightest idea what the youngest member of their group is doing.
If it weren’t for the fact that they were Song Suwan’s disciples she wouldn’t even humor them. After all, what could a girl so young she still carries around a life-sized doll wherever she goes sense that she cannot?
Her eyes narrow. Given that the child managed to become one of Song Suwan’s disciples in spite of her age it shouldn’t be nothing. Spreading her spiritual power through the ground she senses the intricate root network below it, from the farthest lateral roots of ancient trees to the thin but no less vivacious grassroots. Chen absorbs them all into her senses and uses the feedback to center herself, reminding herself she is but one part of a grand whole. When her brown eyes open once more they are briefly inlaid with flecks of green that fade almost the moment they appear.
Paying the Xie heiress no mind, Mu stands close to An. She keeps her hand on the young girl’s shoulder as they both step into the alley together. The moment they cross the seemingly invisible threshold An tenses up again. Her teeth practically grind together as she resists the urge to flee and instead raises her head to peer into the unknown.
She sees a humanoid shape that’s so clear it could be real. One arm is extended in front of it with a finger curling as if beckoning someone to approach whilst the other is confidently resting on its hip. It should be easy to see who this is yet she finds herself unable to distinguish any of its characteristics except for two very notable ones, her every attempt to inspect any other part of the stranger’s form being met with incomprehensible anatomy. No, the only things she can see are those two: a wide crescent smile and a pair of knowing eyes sending the message that it knew she would come here and that it’s waiting. Except…
It feels off. Like this was not left for her. The message seems purposeful. Made to be read by someone specific capable of seeing what this being left behind. Whoever it was that made this, despite their strength and peculiar ability did not account for her existence or presence here. She swallows. Even if that is so, what could they possibly do about it?
She’s felt her grand master’s power and she’s felt fragments of a power far beyond that. The power of Immortal Soulfire. With those experiences combined she can tell. Whoever left this is not someone Suwan can handle. An’s downward spiral is abruptly interrupted when a soft hand lands on her head and gently rubs it.
“They’re gone, right?” Mu says with a gentle smile. “Let’s go check. Even if Master isn’t here we’ll be fine!”
An reluctantly nods and hides a smile in her sleeve while her master helps her stay on her feet. As comforting as her words might have been the pugilist couldn’t quite keep a glint of excitement out of her eyes while speaking. For her master’s sake An will shoulder any burden, no matter how painful.
------
“A- are you sure this is where it leads?” Mu asks in a high-pitched voice, her earlier excitement having vanished like snow before the sun the moment they arrived. She gulps when An confirms her fears with a nod.
After hours of walking the trail had slowly led them further and further away from the city. Pristine packed earth was replaced by uneven forest paths full of roots that snag ankles and thorns that cut flesh. To say that progress was slow would be an understatement.
It didn’t help that the further they went the more they could see An twitch and jump at every sound or move. What made it especially concerning was they couldn’t even sense half the things she reacted to.
One would think that the moment they reached the edge of the forest and the twilight gloom no longer sends shadows of branches flickering all over their forms forcing them to react or be caught off guard should a true threat appear their fears could be assuaged. Mu most certainly did. But no, she thinks with a gulp, it absolutely hasn’t.
For what the forest gives way to is a wide open space even gloomier than the claustrophobia inducing trees. Ahead of them lies an abandoned village, its buildings on the verge of falling apart and its denizens long gone. The air seems harder to breathe and the very colors feel more muted than before.
In stark contrast to her master’s reaction An seems to relax the closer they get to the village. Such peculiar behavior does not escape Xie Chen’s notice. She narrows her eyes in suspicion as she scans her surroundings.
Cold and dreary, the area stands in stark contrast to the majority of the Xie clan’s lush territory. Dry earth crunches beneath her feet as the wind causes what few dead trees remain within the village to sway. Half broken shutters and doors creak along with them. Her nose scrunches when the breeze reaches them, its scent like that of stale air billowing out of a collapsing tomb. Letting out a shudder she gathers some of her qi and sends it into the ground, eager to center herself and once more find balance within the roots below.
She finds none. No roots belonging to the greenery within the treeline they just left nor any of the thin burgeoning ones belonging to the weeds that inevitably grow wherever there is uncovered soil. Not even tendrils of the ancient root networks that make their home meters upon meters below the ground.
Looking back to the forest behind them she can see the gradual decrease. From giant trees to brown tufts of grass and again to naught but dry earth in a matter of meters. There’s no more insects buzzing around their ears nor do any birds nest within the crumbing chimneys or atop the withering roofs. Even termites have not laid claim to any of the ruined structures within the village they are so carelessly walking into. Her heart catches in her throat when she puts everything together.
There isn’t a single living thing left within this place.
Thanks for the chapters
Thanks for reading!