The Fourth Wall - Chapter 29 preview (Patreon)

Three cultivators faced an army of irate librarians as the cataclysmic release of energy in the surroundings still illuminated the surroundings. The earth threw minor quakes still, rumbling as rocks and buildings shifted and smoke spiralled into the air. Mixed smells of melted soil, burnt grass and the crisp air of a mountain realm mingled, even as the cries of injured and frightened humanity intermixed with the echoes of the explosion.

Few enough injuries, but tragedy, sufficient.

Three Nascent Soul elders, one ancient beyond belief, the other an old man and only a third who could be called middle aged at best. All of them angry, their energies half-exhausted at empowering the initial activation of the protective formations that had shielded the library. Even so, they did not hesitate to launch an attack, one that combined the full strength of their combined might at the trio.

Tou He conjured his staff, bringing it forth and slamming it into the earth. Connected to the ground, flames lit up from within him to protect against the attack, burning away the initial onslaught before it crashed into the mountain projection of his technique and dao understanding.

Sheltered within the projection, Wu Ying felt his mind clear entirely. Surprise registered at how easily they had manipulated his senses, stole into his thoughts and guided him and the winds to them rather than flee like they should have.

Then, a crack, as the flames began to gutter and the mountain broke under the weight of the energy. Wu Ying threw his own energy into the battle, calling forth the wind to fan the flames of his friend’s element. Together, the newly recreated inferno snapped backwards, causing the youngest of the elders to stagger back, clutching his head as blood dripped from his nose.

“Enough!” Wu Ying croaked out, finding himself on his hands and knees as the pain of utilizing his element and skills overtook him. “Or you will regret it.”

“Regret it. You have destroyed us.” Overseer Norbu snarled, only to find himself flung backwards by a swing of Yang Mu’s fan. He was thrown aside, and only the quick reactions of the librarian elders in extending a tendril of energy saved him from being crushed. 

“We did nothing of the sort,” Yang Mu snapped. “We did exactly as you requested. We have dealt with the problem of your mystic realm, ensured no attack may arrive from it and protected the library and the city. Forevermore.”

Her words resounded in Wu Ying’s soul, truth and a cultivation technique that imparted said truth to all those who stood there. 

“You destroyed our access to the realm,” the oldest of the trio of librarians grated out, sweat beading his deeply lined face. Strain in every beat of his words, in the way he held himself, the deep furrows and the clenched hands around his knobby cane. “You destroyed the ??? (need to research a word).”

“We harmed no one that we did not need to. Ensured there was less damage than if we had actually undertook to attack the city within,” Yang Mu said. As she spoke, her hands were moving, weaving the words and the truth together. “You never told us they were allies.”

“You were never meant to survive.”

“Yes.” Now Yang Mu smirked. “and still, we did. Still, we managed to do what you contracted us for.” She gestured at Wu Ying. “Our deal is done, no?”

“So what?” now the youngest snapped, straightening up unsteadily. For all that he was the youngest, he looked the most unsteady, the greatest in pain. It was easy to see why, as the flames from Tou He’s defense raced back up the energy striking them, spiraling across the thread of the attack and splitting to near him. It had yet to reach him, but every moment, it burned closer.

“So we are no longer bound by rules of guests and agreements.” Yang Mu snapped open her fan, twisted it sideways and threw it. She moved so quickly and abruptly that no one could stop the fan from splitting the thread of energy and hang there. Immediately, Tou He sagged as the weight of blocking multiple Nascent Soul cultivators were relieved.

Wu Ying knew what would happen, but he was still surprised when the attack reappeared as Yang Mu opened her other fan, releasing the twined energy of their opponents into the mortal realm once again. It struck, not the cultivators themselves but the top of the library, vaporizing the tip of the roof itself before the attack was cut-off abruptly.

Stunned silence before cries of horror and outrage filled the surruondings. Yet, none dared attack the trio, for even the Nascent Soul library elders looked perturbed by the redirection of their own attack. A small motion and she pulled her fans back, a small smile across her lips.

“Now, shall we talk?”

***

She did really hope they did, for she was uncertain how many more such attacks her fans could handle. Powerful enchantments though they were, she was pushing the edges of their usefulness. If not for the fact that none of the trio were enchanters or formation masters, that they were unused to combat was she able to pull off the first surprise. A more skilled opponent would have noticed the limits of her fans, altered the methodology of their attacks or the form of it.

Made it impossible to block.

Wu Ying was giving her that look, the one that said he understood. He was good like that, good at being in a crisis. She wondered if he really knew that, understood how rare a skill that was. How well he had honed it, such that in a moment of crisis he was evaluating all those options.

His hand was not on his sword, but even crouched low like he was, he was ready to spring forward. Utilize a sword draw and take down one of the others. She could see his eyes tracking each of their opponents, evaluating positions and strength. 

Even injured and outnumbered, she was certain if they fought, he would account for at least one of their opponents. Maybe even two. It would be enough for her and Tou He to allow them to retreat at the least, perhaps even win an outright battle if they so chose to fight.

But at what cost?

Again and again, he had sacrificed himself. She would not have him add to his injuries, not if she had a choice. Not this time. 

“What is there to say to you?” the speaker was the eldest. The most senior member, the one she pegged at having the greatest degree of influence within, though not the most dangerous in a fight. Or the most intractable. That would be the silent one that glowered at them, whose hands were clenched tight and lips curled in disdain.

“An understanding that needs to be reached,” Yang Mu murmured. “Of what you will lose, if we do battle.”

“You dare threaten us!” the eldest continued.

“Not you.” She waved a hand above their heads. “Your library.”

A flicker of doubt now even as the youngest straightened. “We have wards against anything you may attempt.”

“Really?” She waved towards Tou He who had recovered, the phantasmal image of the mountain he had conjured rebuilding with each moment, the gouged cavern and the split reforming. The fires that wreathed the mountain itself continued to burn, though it was contained at the moment. “Do you think you could stop the Heaven’s Flaming Staff and the Verdant Gatherer?”

“Do you think a special title you’ve given yourself mean anything to us-?” the man snarled, then hesitated as the youngest member of the group twitched, lips moving a little though his words never reached them. After a moment, the older man looked even more uncertain.

“Perhaps I should add… your wards are not as secure as you think,” Wu Ying said, still crouched where he was. As the attention of the group focused on him, he offered them a small nod. “Or did you think I spent all that time not investigating and setting up for this very encounter?”

More uncertainty on the older man’s face. The youngest Nascent Soul cultivator stepped forward, his almost blond hair streaming behind him as he straightened. Yang Mu could not help but wonder how he managed that coloration – whether it was a dye or a bloodline. Hair like a dog, scruffy and disarrayed. 

“We have wards inside too. Are you saying you bypassed them all?”

“Not all. Just those that stopped flames.” Now Wu Ying raised a hand and the winds blew, catching the edges of Tou He’s fire and making them burn further. “Just the flames.”

“You dare!”

“It is not our wishes,” Yang Mu said, slipping into the conversation smoothly. He had raised the threat, doubled, even tripled it; but any good merchant knew you could not pressure your customer too far or else they would retreat. To complete a sale, you needed to lower the barrier of agreement. “We have no desire to harm such a store of knowledge, for we understand how great a loss that might be.”

“What do you want?”

“Nothing more,” she answered immediately. Then glanced at Wu Ying who offered her a nod in confirmation. She repeated, more firmly. “Nothing else. Let us leave.”

“And the damage you’ve done?”

“Is done.” 

“No!” Now, the silent one grated out. “Punishment must be enacted.”

Yang Mu could see how both the others twitched. They were upset, as they were slowly trying to find a way out of the confrontation.

“Punishment.” The word echoed through the air as Tou He repeated it. He looked up, the flames on the mountain growing stronger with each word. “Let us talk grievances then.”

“How long have you known there was an entire civilization within?” The staff rose and dropped, a ringing thump that echoed through the surroundings.

“How many cultivators have you sacrificed to your allies?” Another thump.

“How many did you kill for your library?” Another.

“You understand nothing.” Fist clenched, the second man strode forward, pulling energy through to him. Environmental chi stirred and twisted, molecules of ash and soil and ink coming together. It surrounded the man, words scribbling in the air as he continued. “It was you outsiders, you foolish cultivators who put us in this position.

“Attacking them.” Lines, scrolling horizontal across the air in a language that Yang Mu could not read.

“Releasing them into our world.” More lines.

“Forcing us to bow down.” More. 

“To compromise.” Another line.

“You dare judge us!” Fist clenched and punched forward. The words he had formed flew onwards, forming a drill that flew toward the group.

Tou He caught the scrolling, rotating words in a blast of flame. The pair fought one another - fire burning at the words, slowly making them fade. As they fought, the man ground out. “Better to sacrifice others, than yourself. Better to work with demons, than to ask for help from us mortals. Better to save your library and to the hells with the rest of us. So, I shall judge you!”

His last words had Tou He lean forwards with his flames, throwing the attack back at the other man. He watched the flame sweep across the words, shatter the drill and leave the other man reeling. Only a last moment joining of powers saved the other from more grevious injuries.

He stalked forward and Wu Ying stood and followed him, pushing aside his pain and injuries to move with that swordsman’s grace. Yang Mu’s gaze darted between the pair before she hurried over, daring to place a hand on Tou He’s arm and hold him back. She winced as the flames swept over her, though it did not burn.

“Let me, please.” Yang Mu met his gaze, silently imploring him. She watched as he reigned in his temper, pulled the flames back to the relief of the numerous bystanders. 

“Honored Cultivators. This, it is not, productive. Any battle between us will be destructive. What you have done, we cannot - will not - “ she shot a look at Tou He as she said that and he, regretfully, nodded. “judge. But what we did was necessary.” 

Wu Ying spoke up then, hand on the hilt of his sword. “Perhaps even, if the fates are kind, an overall boon for your library. For you were dying a slow death, one where fewer and fewer cultivators came. Eventually, a day of reckoning would have arrived. Whether it was us or another.”

The silent scholar opened his mouth to object, but now the ancient one took charge again. He cut the other man off, a sneer on his lips and contempt in his voice. “Just go. I will not hear any further justification for your sins. Or recriminations on ours.” He thumped his short cane on the ground and the earth rippled beneath their feet, throwing the group backwards. Tou He had allowed it to pass through his own defences, for it was not an attack - just a punctuation.

Flying backwards, the trio retreated, watching for additional attacks. Warily, they fled for many li till the sun had set, the moon had risen and still, they flew through the air. Until, at last, Wu Ying had to call a halt, Yang Mu coming to his side within moments to help him stand.

“Fool man. I told you, we could have flown ourselves,” she chided him, gently. 

He offered her a half-smile and she clutched his arm tighter to her, helping him over to a slip of rock where he could rest. Tou He was moving around the outskirts, setting up a barrier formation to alert them while she cared for him. Once she was certain he had caught his breath, she could not help but ask.

“Did you really set up traps to bypass their wards?” Somehow, doing so, risking the burning of a library was not something she could envision him doing.

“Of course not.” He added after a moment. “I did work out which wards were which, of course. But they were not something I could safely bypass without alerting them.” That small, depreciating smile of his that made her want to kiss him reappeared. “I’m no formation master, not like some.”

“So you bluffed.”

“You’re not the only one who can do so,” he replied. “And it’s not like they could check. At least, not immediately.”

She stared at him, watched as that smile morphed into an infrutriatingly self-satisfied one moments later. In the end, she could only shake her head in amusement.

“Now, tell me about what happened to you two,” he said, his breathing evening out as the pain began to pass. “It must be quite the tale.”