A couple days went by. The ship was sailing with ease. It was heading northwards as far as Wei Zhiruo could tell from the wind direction. Towns, villages, mountains and valleys diminished one after another into an unblemished blot of blue.
She and other children spent most of their days listening to daily lectures of brother Li. They were learning the art of true meditation. How to sit properly, what was to be the poise, and how to perfect the motion of hands and feet and their placements or how it would all affect the process of actual breathing; all these were their subjects. Brother Li, or brother Deng at times, would call everyone to the hall inside the ship—which was unexpectedly huge, enough to accommodate a couple hundred people inside— and then teach them the movements. These were just the basics, they were told. Just motion with no essence within it. The real deal was to be taught once they got admitted into the sect.
When there was no class, Wei Zhiruo liked to sit alone sipping her tea. Or looking out from her cabin's balcony. If someone visited, she'd make them tea too, and then sit down together listening to the latest gossip. Rong Hualan would drag her brother every day to her room to get some bites of pastries she'd packed from Shajing. Or Ning Fei, finding herself bored out of her mind, would come to lounge in her room dragging her nonchalant sister behind her.
It would seem Wei Zhiruo was finally spending some quiet and peaceful time, but in reality, she was wide awake. She was aware of the undercurrents in her surroundings. Even playful Hualan would suddenly grow tired and fall silent between talks, as if she was suddenly becoming aware of the huge change they were going to face soon.
Today, Ning Fei came alone. And she looked troubled.
"...they don't even pretend anymore." Ning Fei whispered, looking at the sky outside.
"How are others reacting to it? Didn't any older brother or sister stop them?" Wei Zhiruo turned to ask. Ning Fei gave her a look, but didn't say anything. "I guess…this should be normal for them. You should be prepared."
"I am. I knew when they explained those spiritual roots to us, that mine wasn't good enough." Ning Fei murmured. "I knew having more roots would be troublesome. I guess I didn't think much of it at first. Never thought it would be perceived so…worthless that people will become so demeaning…or that they will start seeing me as trash? I am worried I won't be able to accompany Yizhuo, you know. More than these curses, these insults, I'm more worried about whether she will face trouble because of me. I am afraid...as she grows stronger this distance between us will become too much for me to catch up to. Don't misunderstand, I am not envious. I just think she will be…lonely, walking alone. But these will come later, won't they? For now, I am losing sleep thinking about a solution. Because of me, Xi Qingqing and her group will keep making fun of Yizhuo. I don't like that."
Wei Zhiruo recalled what happened yesterday.
They were sitting in the lecture hall together, the five of them, sitting in the front row. Brother Li hadn't reached yet so the hall was full of chattering children. Suddenly, those six, Xi Qingqing and Yu brother and sister, and a few of their followers came strutting like delicate swans, covered in their silken layers of fabrics.
They walked to the front, after some commotion, they settled down eventually. But it seemed, someone from the back, a girl called Fu Mei, had decided to seat herself in the front row as well and because of her, Xi Qingqing's group had difficulty finding one more seat to sit down together. It was not much of an issue for anyone. They could have easily sat down anywhere else like any normal person. But instead, one of the followers immediately targeted Ning Fei, giving her pointed looks. She didn't say anything but it was uncomfortable to watch her glowering heatedly at Ning Fei.
It was that girl Fu Mei, who became nervous first, watching the situation escalate. She immediately fumbled and even showed intention to leave, but was held back by Xi Qingqing's followers.
That girl scoffed and said, "Why are you leaving your seat? I didn't say anything to you, did I? There are some people in this hall who still don't understand their places and I think it's because people like you give them enough courage to be so presumptuous! You have three spiritual roots, right? You shouldn't be ashamed of sitting here in the front! Not at all! Especially when we all know people with less claim than you can come swaggering down here, and sit in front and take the seat of someone more deserving than them just because their sister happened to have some talent! Go on, sit down!"
The accusation had been too pointed to be missed by anyone. Ning Fei had immediately grown pale. If the others didn't hold back Ning Yizhuo, yesterday's trouble wouldn't have stopped just there.
Wei Zhiruo refilled both their cups.
She said, "I don't think they will stop targeting you, Ning Fei. But don't act like a fool and distance yourself from your sister because of them. You might think you will protect your sister by creating distance, but it will just worsen your relationship and situation further. Take hints. Why do you think that girl dared to shout at you, there, right in front of everyone in the hall? Do you think she would have dared to do the same to Yizhuo's sister, had Xi Qingqing not been there?"
Ning Fei pondered and after some time, answered, "Because she has Xi Qingqing support?"
"Correct." Wei Zhiruo nodded affirmatively. "Because she knows by behaving just like that, she will please Xi Qingqing, who doesn't like Yizhuo. Or me for that matter. She is a follower, through and through. Anything she does now will be seen as Xi Qingqing's position in the matter itself. You understand what I mean right? You might think by distancing yourself from Yizhuo, you will do her good, but others will never perceive this situation that way. You two are family to others. They will see this distance as a chance; they will exploit you as Yizhuo's weakness. Don't let them come in between you two, Ning Fei."
Ning Fei fell silent for a long time. Wei Zhiruo had already seen what kind of person this girl was—she often appeared nonchalant like her sister, as if nothing mattered to her, but she was the real soft-hearted girl. Ning Fei's nature was such that, unlike Ning Yizhuo's real cold-heartedness, she really took things to heart.
Ning Fei sighed and stood up, "I see, Zhiruo. I appreciate the warning. I might've been really thinking along the wrong line. I guess I should get going now. Yizhuo was quite nervous today…she must be worrying about me. I will come to chat with you later."
After Ning Fei left, another visitor soon took her place. Rong Hualan visited with yet another of her stories. This time, it was about her distant cousin Tang whom she'd suddenly spotted on the ship today. It seemed young lady Tang was quite afraid of being spotted by Hualan and had been lurking around the peripheries, hiding from everyone's sight. If it wasn't for the sudden clash between her cousin Tang and Xi Qingqing's followers, Rong Hualan might have even remained ignorant of her presence altogether.
To further elaborate her reason for being surprised, Hualan explained a little bit of the history of her Rong Family in Shajing.
According to her, the whole Rong clan was full of unconventional people. But nothing compared to the tale of Rong Su, the heretic little scholar uncle in Hualan's family who had claimed he'd seen the stars falling from the sky, into the Fire pits of Spirit Mountains, and making huge craters and fissures, even opening the door to hell!
Much of the reputation which the Rong family had secured through Imperial Concubine Rong, who wed into the Imperial harem some hundred years ago and was posthumously reinstated as Dowager Empress by the current Emperor, immediately collapsed overnight. As the story of the heretic Rong Su became famous all over Dajin, so did the reputation of 'mad' bloodline of Rongjia. Even the Imperial family officially declared they will no longer marry any of the Rong family's daughters, or their relatives, fearing these brides might bring the 'madness of the scholar' with them into the Harem. Rong Hualan's generation in particular, was facing trouble even securing marriage ties with other noblemen in Shajing itself.
Rong Hualan, however, was pretty happy about this whole affair. As she came from a 'side-branch' of the Rong family, with no influence or money, she naturally worried less about everything, and laughed more. With so little expectations from her future, she had a big heart. Before knowing about immortals, she was busy dreaming about opening another shop in Shajing and living her days counting gold coins.
"That Tang Shiyi though, my cousin, she'd always dreamed of becoming the queen one day." Rong Hualan whispered, covering her mouth with her hand, failing to hide her gloating smile. "It was devastating when she found out about the whole fiasco. No one could make her stop crying that day. But she never gave up. I heard she was chasing after the Second Prince in the capital. People were spreading so many rumors too. Everyone seemed to confirm we were really a family of lunatics! So, just imagine my surprise when I found her here. I couldn't believe my eyes. She, who should've been in the capital, by pure chance was visiting Shajing. Then immortals came, and she got selected. Isn't her luck incredible?! But enough of her…did you know what I found out today? It's about Ning Fei and her sister."
"What?" Wei Zhiruo good humoredly asked as she sipped the eighth cup of tea of the day, refilling Hualan's cup as well.
"Just the fact that she is the last descendant of general Ning Baiyu!!" Rong Hualan said excitedly. "That General Baiyu, our war god! She hid it so well! But I won't fault her for that—I heard the two sisters were missing from the capital. News and notices were flying everywhere asking to report any sight of them. It was suspicious, you know. How could two such famous people, and so young too, get lost on their own? But I guess, these two might've been fleeing from their home. It's amazing they managed to remain unnoticed for so long."
"Why would they flee? Is her family in trouble?"
"Ahh…I think it's because of the Ning family in the capital? They are a bunch of troublemakers, with no equals. If it wasn't for General Rong, no one would have cared for them—the title and riches they all enjoy were earned by the General himself. He fought in battles and bet his life, even died. But those Ning family relatives are all real ingrates!" Rong Hualan saw her genuine confusion and explained.
It seemed a year ago, General Ning Baiyu died in the Battle of Cold Desert, leaving behind his widow with just two daughters and no male heir. Madam Ning died soon after, just two months after her husband's death. When the question about the next heir became too prominent, the emperor intervened and gave the title of Princess to eldest daughter. But then, the Ning clan started clamoring about the guardianship rights for the young princess. A fierce contest started between the relatives, and it was still unsettled when news came that both the new Princess and her sister were missing from the capital.
"I am guessing someone wanted their life, some adversary of General Baiyu. Or maybe it was a conspiracy of the Ning clan? Who knows right? It's difficult to survive when you don't have support from your parents you see…it's too difficult," As if she touched some kind of nerve, Rong Hualan fell silent.
"And about Xi Qingqing?" Wei Zhiruo asked while wiping the rims of her own cup. "You said you heard something about her too? Weren't you going to tell me about her first?"
"Nothing much. Just someone recently found out Xi Qingqing's mother was related to the First Princess in the Imperial capital," Rong Hualan chugged down the whole cup of tea, stuffed a few pastries into her mouth before she continued. "You know…? First Princess? The beloved sister of the current Emperor? Now there's even a rumor going around that Xi Qingqing and Yu Yichen are childhood sweethearts. Some girl heard Yu Yichen talking with Xi Qingqing, I think it's quite probable. They both come from the capital and their families have been aristocrats from previous dynasties as well. The privileges they enjoy, we people cannot imagine..."
She bit another pastry.
"But everyone has their share of troubles, I guess. Yu Yichen's father—," Hualan wiped her mouth and whispered, "—he recently brought his first-love, as a concubine into the main house and the rumor has it that he wants his wife to divorce amicably and leave."
"Yu Yichen…About this boy, I seem to have not warned you yet. Stay away from him."
"Why?"
"Too much trouble."
***
Until noon, everything was normal. However, soon, the wind surged. Thrums of rain, beats of hurried footsteps rising and falling, and slapping gusts of wind playing with the ship's sails and ropes, this was the scene that met her eyes at first. Pretty usual, silent and commonplace. Apart from the fact that she was standing there to find out the cause of the loud blast, nothing seemed unusual anywhere. Just a normal ship sailing in a stormy sea— no, flying over a stormy sky.
In front of her eyes, the gray sky turned grayer; mist rolled and parted its mouth to swallow and chew them alive—a loud blast rang nearby, when she turned, she saw another ship sailing in front of theirs collapsing. Then she saw Demonic cultivators. They were coming in droves like hungry locusts.
"Boom! Boooom!!"
"Silver Horned Devils," Li Sifeng opened his clenched jaw and muttered, while his sleeves billowed in the stormy wind. "Be ready! They are here."
"How do they know we will take this path, brother Li?" Someone asked, scrunching up his eyebrows. "How did they know we were going to take the Eastern Tower route?"
"Spies," another person said. " Some might have escaped and warned these devils."
"Everyone! Be alert at all times! Don't let them stab you in the backs!" Li Sifeng yelled, as he heard the attacking sound come nearer. Another ship's sail caught fire. The orderly fleet was scattering noticeably. "Let's go!! Protect the main ships! Be quick, take positions!"
Wuji Sect's main ship was moored nearer, then it was towed closer to theirs. Wuji Sect's disciples jumped out, some flew down using their swords. A few of them dashed towards the Great Elder's cabin, while some representatives came to Li Sifeng.
Deng Yaping was among those who walked up to Li Sifeng. He gave Li Sifeng a grim look, then stayed silent for a couple seconds before he asked suspiciously. "You sure it's not your Sect's problem?"
"As sure as you are."
"That's like saying nothing at all! I know you were doing something here these days, were you aware they might ambush the ship?"
"Hmm...you can say that. Rest assured brother Deng, I am checking with Sect Master to see how they found out our routes. Sect Master has already agreed to clean up the sect this time. I guess, the process is already underway there. He even said those ancient ones woke up to carry out the purge this time. There is no way any of those lurking devils will survive that."
"Tsk! Then if it's not our Sects, there are spies in our midst? Where are they hiding—? I am pretty sure I've checked hundreds of times already! If this wasn't a top-tier secret mission of the sect, I'd be suspicious of what the Law Enforcement Hall was up to! This isn't some simple intelligence failure, is it? But my sect did the same. I am being told the purging woke up those ancient ones as well. How many moles did you count here?"
"Ten. Killed."
"Still better than what I had to face. Thirty Outer sect disciples! And a couple inner sect ones too. That was a real disaster. What's next?"
"We…found some hidden demon seeds. Before those are found, these ambushes won't stop."
"Are you sure?!" Brother Deng stopped on his track. He seemed to be recalling all the faces he had killed these days, and then shivered as he picked up the traces. "You…I see. That's why you refused to gather at first! You said you didn't want the two Sect's children mingling too much…was that an excuse to refuse further contacts between both our ships? You could have just sent me a message directly…don't tell me, they were watching me?"
"Yes," Li Sifeng shrugged despondently, walking towards the Elders cabin. His brown eyes laden with chilling breath narrowed as he muttered coldly, "We just finished cleaning up our ship last night. I was unsure about how many of them were hiding amongst your people, so I just sent a message to your Grand Elder. Is the cleaning over?"
"He didn't reveal a thing—that's good! But yes, by God, it's done! If those were real demon seeds…then…I can't imagine how many might be lurking in the sect right now? It's unbelievable!"
A glance shot back and forth shared a look of understanding. Then both of them vanished together.
Wei Zhiruo, who was eavesdropping, lost sight of both the figures. She turned back and saw herself surrounded by a group of curious little heads.
A swarm of warriors with weapons clashed with Black cloaked enemy forces. Angry shouts emerged from a distance. Flurry of clouds, embers blew in the air: fire, water, and vapors furiously fogged everyone's vision, swirling everywhere; debris, wood splinters came flying around to be bounced off by Protective Arrays and Enchantments. She heard cries, saw Spirit Beasts jump out of nowhere to join the fray.
A pack of wolf-shaped flying creatures growled and chased the enemy army of corpses, letting out angry roars and setting fire to their vessels; elsewhere a hawk could be spotted lunging down at them. She saw a tiny red fox jump upon the sail clambering to its topmast, scurrying closer and closer towards its tipping edge till the sail bent down, then it stretched its claws to rip out a hole into an unwary demonic cultivator. Red splattered everywhere. Blood. Accompanied by a loud piercing shriek of another child who happened to see that gruesome scene.
Everyone got busier. Cultivators were fixing Arrays, forging pills, medicine potions and Talismans directly on the spot. A few monks were busy assigning tasks and securing logistics while scurrying around urgently to reinforce the Protective Barrier. Each of them wore heated looks, weary grim air clung to their hunched stiff backs.
She noticed the children around her growing apprehensive as well. Not many had come out, but whoever did was looking worried.
"What is going on?" She heard a child ask. That child held the hands of his friend, shrunk further within his tiny frames, then gathered courage to look around himself like a small tortoise glancing furtively from within his shells. "Who are we fighting? Can someone explain?"
"Is this war?" Rong Yuanchun turned to his sister for an answer. Rong Hualan however, had no answer for her brother, maybe for the first time as well, so she gripped his hand tightly instead, to give warmth. Ning Fei and Ning Yizhuo kept their silence, though both girls were betraying signs of growing panic in their minds as they hugged one another closely.
All of a sudden, the floor of the ship rattled like a drum and threw everyone off their feet.
"Boom!! Booom!!"
Thunderous blasts followed, lightning struck and thunder clapped overhead. Not a drop of rain, however, fell on their back.
By the time Wei Zhiruo steadied herself on her feet again and looked around, the once gray sky overhead had turned a deep shade of sooty black—fumes were rising nearby, smoke engulfed her vision. Too many things were collapsing, and burning fiercely to keep count of them; chaos seeded itself, and was now excitedly extending its roots plunging them deeper downwards.
"Someone is attacking our ship!"
"Why would they do that? We didn't do anything wrong, did we? Who even are these people?"
"Are they though? Are they even human?"
"Be quiet and watch!"
***
A black figure collapsed into a cyan one, coarser lines distorted till finally, both disappeared. Ambushers came into clear view. They donned black flapping cloaks, with recognizable silver totems stitched to their robes front, wore huge silver masks surging with black mist polluting the air around them with thickening miasma.
In front came four demonic cultivators, soaring with the wind, bursting into scornful and mocking laughter. They menacingly approached the main ship flying on their feet at an incredible speed.
"Looks like they've prepared quite a feast here! Many, many little treats. I am starving…!"
"Is this why you came along, Red Arm? To choose your new food reserve?"
"You cannot fault me, can you? With so much tender meat on display, you probably wouldn't mind if I took away a few of them."
"Oh, I won't mind, but don't forget that our master needs talent. Don't overdo it."
"Haahaha…I will be careful. I will leave the best for our master! Hurry up, break the barrier…why is it taking so much time? Let me show how it should be done!" The chortling man's shaggy hair blew furiously as he crossed the distance and became the first to touch the dome-like Protective Barrier.
Suddenly he dodged. Three burning daggers flew to his face, then multiplied into hundreds of needles and attacked him at the same time. Taken aback, his face grew red and furious, he released his nascent soul aura and attacked back. The protective barrier remained unchanged.
But the demonic cultivator didn't notice a spherical object behind him, it stealthily lurked near his neck—when he took out a hammer and was hammering the shield creating ripples in the golden cover, the object suddenly sprouted legs and with incredible speed, penetrated his neck. Then it self-detonated.
"Boooom—!"
After a blast, nothing was left of him. A ghostly hand rose out from the Ship; it captured the escaping soul of demonic cultivator and crushed it.
"Noo!!" A demonic cultivator yelled. The laughs which sounded ugly, chaotic and piercing stopped abruptly. Another demonic cultivator stopped in his tracks, then he commanded his corpse-puppet to attack.
Two demonic cultivators rose up together, flew with the misty clouds then lunged down, attempting to break into the ship. However, several balls of metal rose in the air. Round and spikey, they hovered and blasted as soon as they neared the enemies.
Something which could blow up a Nascent soul was definitely nothing less than an unheard-of Immortal Treasure...what these demonic Cultivators feared was that there was someone from those 'ancient monsters' lurking nearby, some Huashen, or even a Mahayana Cultivator defending the ship.
A demonic cultivator saw this goaded, "People of Tianlan and Wuji sects. You cannot escape your death today, so be obedient and come out and face us! Don't make us dig you out from your rat holes!"
No longer had he finished uttering those jeering words, the demonic cultivator saw a tall figure shooting out from a distance. His long sleeves and robes fluttered like a Golden Crow's plumage, leaving golden afterglow at each of his steps.
When Wei Zhiruo heard the awed gasps from cultivators around her, she realized his presence was equally surprising for their party as it was for those demonic cultivators—seniors who had held their calm facing the huge horde of enemies before, suddenly became abuzz with excitement.
"It's Grandmaster Wen!"
"Grandmaster Wen is here! We are saved!"
Grandmaster Wen looked nothing like an Elder. He was too elegant, too delicate. Long hair, sharp nose and cheeks, and amorously lowered almond shaped eyes, which coldly looked at the vast world as some illusory fragment, never partaking in its liveliness. His eyelashes fluttering, his lips stretched into a taut line—even amidst the smoke and fire, his face was too breathtaking to be a human. Or real. This was the first time Wei Zhiruo had seen someone as beautiful as her master.
"It's him—!" One of the demonic cultivators recognized him and gasped.
"Wen Ruofeng…why is he here!?"
"General! Summon the general brother!!"
The General of Silver Horned Devils was summoned immediately, he appeared with a flash, wearing the most horrendous looking ghost mask. He came surrounded with a horde of corpses, levitating gruesomely.
"How did your lordship have time to come meet us here today? What auspicious occasion is this…?" The Demonic General stared at the True Taoist Lord Ruofeng. His red eyes deepened a few shades in sarcasm as he drew out his sword. Hundreds of his puppet corpses quickly directed their swords at that man.
Even when facing the famed Huashen cultivator like True Lord Ruofeng, he didn't shrink. He was complaining internally about the breach in information, but he wouldn't shrink from fighting. Every Silver Horned Devil who came here today, came prepared to die.
The Demonic General continued, "Nobody told us you will be coming, or it wouldn't be just us few juniors coming to greet you. You aren't disappointed by this small reception, my lord?"
"Enough. Use your swords not your tongue. Let's end this farce." Lord Ruofeng pulled out his weapon. He didn't intend to waste a word.
"Okay, okay…let's fight if that will please you, my lordship! You won't mind my army following me, will you?" He asked but showed no intention of stopping.
Immediately the sky became concentrated with corpses and puppets, other demonic slaves and disciples all ready to face the Huashen together! Suddenly, all the figures she'd seen before—the armored men and women riding on other ships and theirs gathered as well, ready to fight. In a blink of an eye, two forces lunged at each other.
Wei Zhiruo gripped the ship's gunwale as she leaned down like others watching the spectacular collision of two forces.
Lord Ruofeng's strikes came like volcanic eruptions, fiery golden embers scattered everywhere. A shadow of sun hung on his head, blinding everyone. Current swept out cutting through air till they formed billowing winds that immediately cleared away the clouds in its way; with just two of his moves, he had subdued the man in front of him.
Both the red and gold dazzled overhead. Although they were fighting several layers above in the sky, the thrums and chills, pressure and ripples of aura penetrating the ship's strict protective barrier could be even felt by the children.
"A late-stage Nascent soul dares to fight a Huashen…brother, look carefully. You might never see something like this again." A Cultivator whispered to his companion.
Wei Zhiruo, who was lost in her admiration, was brought back to reality. Suddenly she heard someone shout loudly.
"It's a trap!!"
"He intends to self-destruct his soul! He is using a Demonic Immortal relic!"