Chapter 6: Chapter V: Qian Ru II

Qián Ru fidgets.

 

He can't help it.

 

Never in his life had he worn a hánfù, the traditional garb worn by men during gatherings of a formal nature, and while it doesn't differ much from his mother's dresses he had been wearing up until that point, the subtle changes are enough to leave him uneasy.

 

He can't help it.

 

The fabric is too soft, the cloth too stifling, as if his body is trying to find commonalities with what he's already accustomed to and yet ends up failing each time. A tidbit, no more, but while the similarities are too narrow to form a whole new experience for Ru, the differences are too stark for him to draw solace in the customary.

 

It is maddening, akin to a faint noise in one's ear, a low hum just barely out of range that doesn't desist.

 

"Stop moving!" Wèi Lan hisses next to him, her sideways glance leaving no doubt in Qián Ru's mind she'll hit him if he doesn't do as he's told.

 

Oh well.

 

She shouldn't have ordered him to dress in these stupid clothes if she didn't want him to fidget, and seeing as how Big Sister was weirdly intense, Ru thought it all the more reason to provoke her, disliking the limelight being taken away from him.

 

Well, Wèi Lan's focus to be exact. He really didn't care what any of the others present thought of him.

 

Besides his mother and Wèi Chan, of course.

 

He wasn't stupid.

 

Taking a thorough look around the room, one that had been decorated with all the flourish the Wèi Sect could bring to bear and earning himself a soft kick to the shin for moving so erratically, allowed Ru to comprehend the marvel that was the Wèi Sect's Main Banqueting Room.

 

He had never seen anything like it in all his days.

 

It was simply gorgeous.

 

The walls were covered in a thin veneer of what looked to be walnut wood, the cinnamon-hued color coinciding well with the etchings on the walls. Corinthian columns traversed the room, each one adorned with an intricate capital plated in gold.

 

It was perhaps the most stunning work of architecture Ru had even seen, each of the paintings on the walls, thin etchings carved into the wood itself, a work of art in its own right.

 

Together, they were simply a symposium of beauty, a testimony to the magnificence of the human mind. Each one depicting something different. Each one more wonderful than the last. Spirit Beasts and their ilk were portrayed in exquisite detail, so lifelike they made Ru's heart beat faster with every scene.

 

He spied a Flaming Ibex, the capra's two giant horns lowered in a defying manner, daring its spectator to last but one round with it. Its fiery hooves were arched in the air, rings of fire surrounding its stout body in a breathtaking display of fire and flame.

 

Alongside it, Ru spotted the infamous Bronze Crowned Bear native to the Shenzhen province, the spikes of purified copper jutting from its head enveloped with bioluminescent moss that shone bright even during the day.

 

He had never seen one, thankfully, but word of mouth was that the light from the bioluminescent moss is the last thing anyone saw before they died after encountering one.

 

You could understand why he thought the statement foolish.

 

Still, it was a powerful animal, rumored to be no less than the Earthly Realm in cultivation. One whose thick, reddish-brown pelt sold at an exorbitant price, the daggers at its helm fetching quite the hefty sum themselves.

 

Ru heard that the money's worth from a mere dagger alone could last a merchant's family an entire year, more than a decade for those poorer.

 

Here it was simply used as cutlery.

 

He could see many others, Spirit Beasts in all shapes and sizes. Some were portrayed fierce, their fangs and teeth bared in a threatening display, while others neared aloofness. A few were even depicted as cute, a certain amalgam of lizard and ferret catching his eye with its adorableness.

 

None of which he had a name for.

 

It made him realize how ignorant he was, how much more he had to learn before he could even set foot out into the world. And it made him think about the entire world out there, waiting to be explored, the adventures waiting to begin anew, the realization leaving him even more of a jitterbug.

 

A tragedy, considering the veritable glare he received from Big Sister because of it.

 

But what was the rebuke from Big Sister when compared to the infinity awaiting him? Besides, after the day he had due to her absence, and funnily enough, due to her presence, he considered it a just punishment.

 

Even if, for all intents and purposes, his mother, Ai, stood next to him with all the grace of a healthy adult woman.

 

Well, maybe healthy wasn't quite the correct terminology considering the state of her Qi, but at least she didn't show any outward sign that she had seen a lighter shade of death no more than a few hours ago, which, given the circumstances, was a lot to be thankful for.

 

"How are you feeling, mother?" he asked Ai, turning to look at her and disregarding the incredulous expression Wèi Lan shot him.

 

It wasn't his problem the Wèi Sect, almost in its entirety, had chosen to stand there like a bunch of buffoons, waiting for someone to appear, as if this display of unity was anything noteworthy.

 

If he was the one being invited to dine with them, ignoring the fact that he was, he would find it much more suitable if everyone was already sitting at the table, ready to eat when he arrived.

 

Then there wouldn't be any need for greetings, and more importantly, there wouldn't be any need for posturing, which, given what he had learned thus far, adults were very much prone to do.

 

Besides, he was already hungry.

 

Why couldn't they serve the appetizers already? Word of mouth was they were the best part of a meal, and they even came before said meal. Ergo, now was the appropriate time. Which left Ru wondering why there would even be a meal if the best dish was served before it.

 

Stupid adults and their heathen ways.

 

"Ru… Now is really not the time." his mother admonished him, trying her best to appear the gracious guest and not look in her son's direction, who seemed to have forgotten they were indeed guests and that at any moment they could be thrown out the backdoor for this sort of impudence.

 

"But why not? She isn't here, so I doubt she would take offense, and I am really bored." he replied, staring down Wèi Ling, who had shushed him just then.

 

Stupid Ling!

 

She should be the last person to shush him, considering the hammer he still held over her head. Even if his mother was healthy and hale, that still doesn't mean Ru had forgotten about the whole ordeal. Far from it, actually, since he now had a list with her name on it.

 

Her and her daughter too, that stupid cunt.

 

Fucking calling him a whore just because he liked Wèi Lan. The nerves on her!

 

"Shut up, you petulant brat! And stop moving!" Wèi Hu hissed next to him, reminding him of her existence. A reminder he very much did not need, promising himself he would find a way to punish Wèi Lan's cousin, even if it meant he would have to sacrifice the rest of his life in order to do so.

 

Nobody called Qián Ru a whore and got away with it!

 

At that moment, a formidable presence enveloped the room, one which left Ru's damning retort in his mouth, and Wèi Chan, who had up until then been sitting, looking almost bored with the proceedings, rose from her chair to stand, an air of solemnity about her.

 

For an Emperor had arrived.

 

The first thing Ru noted about Wèi Fen was that she didn't have the pale blue eyes so prevalent in the Wèi Sect. Instead, hers was the shade of Marigold, a reddish-orangish hue that seemed almost sinister in the low light.

 

She walked with a grace only seen in those who had reached Emperor-hood, a self-assurance that nothing could stand in her way.

 

Not even the Gods themselves.

 

Ru could feel his breath stolen from him as he gazed at the magnificence of Wèi Fen, for even the heavenly beauty of the Wèi Sect Matriarch seemed dull in comparison. She was the very epitome of perfection, a delicate sight far grander than even the grandeur of the room, something Ru had not thought possible not one minute ago.

 

It was everywhere he could see, the adulation of those surrounding him. The terror in his mother's eyes, the yearning in Wèi Lan's. Even the jealousy and rage in Wèi Hu and her mother told all that was needed to say, for this was not just another.

 

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Another woman.

 

Another cultivator.

 

This was Wèi Fen.

 

A cultivator in the Emperor Realm.

 

And in that moment, for the infinitesimal of time, Ru couldn't help but feel pity for Wèi Chan, for some part of him, something deep within, told him she would never reach the level of Wèi Fen. That her power, the only thing standing between the Wèi Sect and utter annihilation, was but a sham.

 

He couldn't say what it was, nor how he came to that conclusion, but for the fleeting of moments, he knew he was right.

 

And then it was gone.

 

And reality reasserted itself and reminded him that Wèi Chan was a cultivator in the Emperor Realm, and to feel pity for her strength was to beg for the damnation of the world.

 

The second thing Ru noted about Wèi Fen was the large viper coiled around her body, its pearl-white scales almost iridescent in the gloom of the room. The serpent, oddly enough, had the same pale blue eyes so common to the Wèi Sect, the bright red ruby atop its head practically gleaming in the torchlight.

 

It was beautiful, a fitting jewel for the prodigal daughter of the Wèi Sect, now returned.

 

But more than anything, it was the most powerful Spirit Beast Ru had ever seen. Easily somewhere in the Heavenly Realm, if his instincts were anything to go by. Which made it all the more amusing, since, technically speaking, the pearl-white snake could be considered the fourth most powerful cultivator in the room. Fifth or Sixth in the entire city of Shenzhen.

 

It was ridiculous.

 

Just thinking about it made Ru's head hurt.

 

And there were far more powerful Spirit Beasts out there, some who had even reached Emperor-hood. It was therefore no wonder people were drawn to power like moths to a flame. No one could survive otherwise.

 

Glancing at Wèi Chan, Qián Ru felt a twinge of worry enveloping him, cognizant of the fact that should the two not see eye to eye, it would not take much for the entire city to feel the backlash.

 

Here, the devastation would not leave a shadow behind.

 

All Lan could tell him was that Wèi Fen was supposed to have been Matriarch of the Wèi Sect, and that her mother had taken her stead. Whether it was voluntary or not was still not certain, the thought prompting a shiver from him.

 

He would not let them harm his mother. There was no doubt about that. But how exactly he would corral two of the most powerful women he knew in his entire existence was still up for grabs.

 

Just then the white serpent unhinged its jaw, baring its large fangs at the room as its forked tongue tasted the air, the sight causing Ru to tense up.

 

Fortunately, a mere greeting came out of its mouth, if a rather strange one at that.

 

"Ssssalutations, Mother. It has been far too long."

 

Wèi Fen herself seemed entirely devoid of emotion at the gesture, nothing of her facial expression divulging the magnitude of the greeting.

 

If Ru hadn't known better, he would have thought Wèi Fen hadn't seen her Sect for a month or two and had now returned. Certainly not the century she had been away.

 

It was as if she was entirely apathetic to what was happening around her, and yet Ru knew better than to think that. This was still a cultivator in the Emperor Realm. Someone stronger than even Wèi Chan.

 

Still, peculiarities could be forgiven when you numbered in the dozens in a population of billions.

 

"Wèi Fen. Daughter. I expected a great many things from you when I released you from your oath, but to see it with mine own eyes... You did good, child." Wèi Chan spoke, her smile almost motherly in its sincerity.

 

It would not be remiss to say Ru felt the prickle of tears in his eyes at such a proclamation. It touched deep inside of him, inside everyone present, arousing a feeling of self-worth, a sense of pride, of gratitude and wholesomeness.

 

Wèi Fen didn't even blink.

 

And yet her snake spoke in her stead, lowering its head in acknowledgment of Wèi Chan's words.

 

"Well, I believe little Ru is hungry enough to eat one of us, so I suppose we should do ourselves a favor and feed him before he starts getting any ideas. Shall we?" Wèi Chan announced, amusement evident in her tone, much to Ru's squawk of disbelief.

 

The nerve on her! Starving her guests and thinking it a laughing matter. He should have walked out of here when he had the chance!

 

Unfortunately, everyone else thought it awfully amusing, chuckling at his account.

 

He suspected foul play.

 

In all his embarrassment Ru did not notice the pointed look Wèi Fen shot his way, her expression inscrutable.

 

~~~~~

Wèi Fen was seated to the right of Wèi Chen, as is only to be expected. The two sisters have a lot to discuss, a lifetime of stories to share with one another. Qián Ru would have been surprised were it any other way. What he hadn't expected was the fact him and his mother were invited to dine with them. Seated at the head table, with Wèi Ling, Wèi Hu, Wèi Lan, Wèi Chan's husbands and one other. A woman he had no name to. A woman who was easily on the Ninth Step of the Heavenly Realm.

 

The third most powerful cultivator in the room.

 

She did not bare any resemblance whatsoever to the Wèi Sect, her hair midnight-black, her eyes a deep shade of burgundy. She was also shorter than the Wèis, seeming almost childlike in appearance.

 

Albeit the intelligence that shone from her eyes dispelled that foolish notion with one look.

 

And for whatever reason, the woman did not stop staring at him. From the minute he sat down in his chair to the minute the dishes were served; it was continuous goggling. One so feverish it even made Wèi Hu uncomfortable.

 

Fortunately, once the food arrived it seemed the woman forgot about his existence, content to devour every dish, leaving him sighing quietly in relief.

 

He did not need another powerful cultivator poking her nose in his business.

 

Whatever it currently was.

 

Even more infuriating than the incessant staring, at least in his eyes, was the fact that Lan still acted the smitten girl in front of her aunt. She had to be reminded to eat her food, a fact Qián Ru couldn't help but turn his nose at, incapable of understanding how someone could dare ignore the gift of the Gods that was the food at the table, let alone act so clueless as to leave food on the plate!

He would have smacked her if both his and her mother weren't there, and in fact almost did, until he realized it would only make Wèi Hu, who was already the definition of a nuisance, even more so. The girl seriously had something going on for Wèi Lan, and it seriously irked him, because it meant that due to Lan's mental absence, he had to suffer the consequences.

 

The icing on the cake to the lousy dinner was the fact his mother was too ashamed to properly eat, seeing her colleagues working around her while she sat and enjoyed their efforts simply unfathomable to her. Beyond taking quick tastes so as not to offend, Qián Ai sat there, a poor imitation of a statue. It was ludicrous, and Ru almost blew a gasket because of it.

 

Almost, given the state of the food.

 

So, is it any wonder that by the time dessert was served, Ru was very much not in the mood to talk. A tidbit only two at the table truly noticed, content to watch the events ensuing with quiet trepidation.

 

It was not fear that guided them, far from it. Fear had long since ceased its hold on these two individuals. Fear, in the face of the heavens, was a death sentence. Fear was but the mortal woman's escort, the navigator of those too weak to know better. No, it wasn't fear, but exhilaration, a sense of novelty.

 

Male cultivators were rare. Extremely rare, even next to cultivators in the Emperor Realm. This was the first time any of them had seen one so young, and watching him behave, watching him act, was the most interesting phenomenon the two could think of.

 

That, unfortunately, did not translate well to those too weak to understand the significance of novelty in the face of the infinity, and so the two chose to keep their amusement quiet, aware that Ru would not take too kindly to their quaint experiment.

 

"So, tell me, Ru. I've heard you have been enjoying my daughter's companionship for the past few weeks a bit too much, wouldn't you agree?"

 

Ru had to reel back, shaking his head trying to figure out if he heard the man correct.

 

Realizing that he did in fact, judging by the irritated expression on the man, one of Wèi Chan's husbands he assumed, Ru could not help but stare gobsmacked, unable to understand how someone could be so stupid.

 

Did he honestly just accuse him of taking Wèi Lan hostage? In front of Wèi Chan no less? Or was this another one of the grownup's lingos, an attempt to sully his name?

 

He did not know, and frankly, he didn't care. If Big Sister expected him to stand up for her, she should have lavished him with much more attention this evening. He was tired, he was fed up, and he really didn't see any reason to hold back.

 

So, voice rottenly sweet, with just a shade of fluster in his tone, Ru answered Lan's father.

 

"I'm sorry, Mr Wèi. It's just that I have a lot of nightmares. Really frightening ones, like you wouldn't believe. Lan helps me a lot by sleeping with me. She makes them all go away just by hugging me in bed. I really can't thank her enough for her sacrifice. If it has affected her cultivation, I'm sorry to hear that."

 

It was supposed to be a joke.

 

He thought it was funny.

 

Why would he need Wèi Lan to sleep with him, even if he had nightmares? He was ten years old already. He wouldn't be caught dead sleeping with Wèi Lan in the same bed.

 

Then if it was just his bad attempt at humor, why was everyone staring at him as if he said something wrong?

 

And why was Wèi Lan so red in the face?

 

He seriously did not get grown-ups.

 

At that moment Wèi Fen's snake spoke, its address clearly meant for him.

 

"Tomorrow, at dawn. Meet me at the Wèi Sect's Courtyard. It is clear we have much to work on regarding your discipline."

 

This time Wèi Lan seemed almost angry when she looked at him.

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