The Third Kingdom - Chapter 24 preview (Patreon)

“This is now how I wanted to win!” Pan Shui’s voice was strident, as she complained to her sisters the room over.

Wu Ying sighed, rubbing his temples as the trio continued to shout at one another. He had been working on his World Spirit Ring on-and-off for the last few hours, taking care of the fields. One particular field had been laid out with new formations to concentrate the wind chi that had become inherent to his ring, drawn and fed as it was from his own energy.

He had a plan. One that he was uncertain would work – but might ease the demands on the medicinal baths he took regularly and the spirit herbs that were infused in the baths. It did remind him that he was overdue for one, but that was something he would have to undertake somewhere… safer.

Nonetheless, if he could grow a number of more common spirit herbs but infuse them with his own wind chi to begin with, it was possible a competent apothecarist could substitute or modify the ingredient list for his baths further, saving him time and repetitions.

On the other hand, he did limit his experimentation to one field. It had taken him many months of pondering before he even began the growing process, though he had in the meantime prepped the location and begun the infusion of chi into the field. Part of the problem was deciding on what herbs were best used.

He had to replace the ones he might need in the future while also taking into account the herbs ability to absorb wind chi. There were other concerns too, like the availability of the herbs he might replace, the price of those herbs, potential side effects and reactions between the various herbs and any corruptive influences or byproducts.

Even speaking to a competent apothecarist for the initial trimming had not provided him with an exhaustive list. He would have to experiment, grow and harvest the herbs first before a final decision could be made.

In fact, Wu Ying knew he likely had made mistakes. It might not even be possible to change these herbs out, since the delicate balance of medicinal baths – and even worse, pills – were products of years of experimentation and flashes of insight. Making a single change could lead to a lower efficacy at best, poisoning or corruption of the body at worst.

Better to limit the amount of time and space he devoted to this experiment. It was not as though his World Spirit Ring stood up to its name. It was still not even the size of his old village. Not that he could have cared for all that land himself.

It did lead him to wonder what, if anything, he should do about that. Taking care of a half-dozen fields was one thing, since he could act at the speed of thought in his ring. Even a dozen fields would be no strain. But if it kept growing, what would happen when it was the size of a county? A kingdom?

Did he then create forests and lands for his herbs to grow untamed? Would it even be possible to do that, without the natural spirit beasts that helped care for the environment? If not, could he eventually sustain such creatures?

It boggled the mind that might be possible, but there were stories…

Certainly he had experimented with normal animals, finding it impossible to bring anything more complex than ants or bugs within. Even those, he had to be careful in regulating, for without the natural predators of the world; they had a tendency to flourish and over-populate his ring, requiring him to cull them.

At what point would his ring be effective for animals and spirit beasts? Were they barred? If they were not, could he bring humans in? Somehow, Wu Ying doubted that; at least until he became be an immortal. Still, such rings and flasks were storied items, wielded by everyone from the most common immortal to the The Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal.

Sadly, information was still lacking. That was the problem of cultivator society in a sense – too much of it was hidden from one another, such that information that might aid others was never disseminated. All too much knowledge was lost when cultivators died or ascended or were locked behind sect libraries or noble houses.

Of course, Wu Ying could not be too offended. He too kept the secret of his own ring hidden in fear of being struck down by another who desired it. The danger of owning the ring was significant, though he had been, thankfully; untargeted as yet.

Still, he understood it was but a matter of time.

“Well, what you want doesn’t matter. There’s no one else to fight,” Pan Yin shouted back. “So just suck it up and take the prize tomorrow.”

“No!” Another shout, then Wu Ying heard a door yanked open. Loud stomping feet and then his door was banged on, the door attempted to be shoved open. There was a pause when the door did not give way, before Pan Shui hollered through it. “Come out here!”

Wincing, Wu Ying fully extracted his mind for his Ring, waited for mental equilibrium to be achieved before he walked over and pulled the crossbar off the door. He stepped back swiftly as the door was thrown open, nearly hitting his foot.

“You! Fight me,” Pan Shui demanded.

“No.”

“I won’t take a win like this! It’s ridiculous,” Pan Shui said. Behind her, Pan Yin and the middle sister appeared, both of them looking a little embarrassed. “At least we should fight for a proper second place.”

“No. I already gave up, so it would not be fair.”

“It’s not fair for me to be the winner when I haven’t even fought anyone either!” Pan Shui said. “The entire tournament is a farce then!”

“Not my problem.”

“Unless you want to make friends with the Seven Pavilions. I think they would actually be grateful if you helped them with it,” Pan Yin said, musingly.

“You’re not helping,” Wu Ying replied.

“See! Even Elder Sister thinks you should do this.” Pan Shui said.

Pan Yin growled and reached forward, grabbing her sister’s ear and twisting it. “No. I actually think you should stop complaining and just accept the prize. What are you going to do if you lose, eh?”

“I won’t lose,” Pan Shui said mulishly. She then let out a louder yelp when Pan Yin twisted harder. “I won’t, I won’t! I promise.”

“You can’t promise such things.” Another twist before she let her sister go and turned to Wu Ying, bowing a little. “I apologize for her insult.”

“It’s fine.” Wu Ying said, hiding his smile. “She is young.”

“Oh, like you’re a decrepit old hag like that Elder Cao!” Pan Shui said. Then her eyes narrowed as she leaned in to peer at Wu Ying’s face, searching for lines. “You aren’t, are you? I mean, Body Cultivators are supposed to be able to look younger easier. Or older. Wait, are you a child?”

Wu Ying reached out with two fingers and pushed on her forehead, making Pan Shui back off. “I’m not old and I’m not going to fight you. Now, can you leave me alone? Some of us were cultivating.”

Pan Shui rolled her eyes. “At least congratulate me on winning the tournament!”

“Changed your mind fast, didn’t you?” Wu Ying teased.

“You…”

Grinning, Wu Ying bowed. “Congratulations on winning, Cultivator Pan.” He paused, then asked. “What happened to the other two? How bad are their injuries?”

“Serious, but not life threatening.” Wu Ying nodded. That much, he had expected since if they had died, he had expected to hear of it. Even now, the wind carried snippets of conversation and a sense of what was happening through his open window. Not enough to review everything that happened, of course, but more than sufficient to alert him if something major occurred. Like another body was found or the contestants died. “They will both recover, but neither can fight.”

“Who was declared the winner?” Wu Ying asked.

“Me,” Pan Shui said, bitterly.

“Of the match.”

“No one. It was announced as a draw,” Pan Yin said.

“Huh. That must have annoyed everyone involved,” Wu Ying said.

“You don’t say,” Pan Yin muttered. “We left before things grew even more unsettled.”

Wu Ying sighed. He had picked up something of the altercation but it was obvious that none of the angered parties had felt like testing the Elder’s ire. While it was possible for Energy Storage cultivators to beat a Core Formation cultivator – he had, after all done the same a few years ago – it required training and specialized formations. Battle techniques that empowered the individual.

Nothing that a group of wandering cultivators would have on hand.

They could still bury her in bodies if they so desired, sacrificing lives to inflict injuries upon her, building up such wounds till she was forced to either retreat or risk death. However, that kind of sacrifice over disrupted wagers and a disappointing tournament was unlikely.

“Well, congratulations again, Cultivator Pan.” He gestured to the door, indicating for her to leave him be.

“Not interested if you get a prize?” Pan Yin said, curiously.

“What do you mean?”

“After all, all three of you in the quarter finals lost.”

“But I gave up and was declared the loser, while the other two were considered a draw. It’s obvious that I won’t receive anything. There are only three prizes.”

Pan Yin sighed. “But you truly don’t have any desire for the prizes, do you?”

Wu Ying shrugged.

Pan Shui, listening to the two talk snorted. “Enough flirting already. The prize ceremony will be tomorrow instead of the day after. Everyone is supposed to show up. Or at least, those who can stand.”

Wu Ying ignored the annoying insinuation while Pan Yin smacked her sister in the arm for her comment.

“I’ll be there,” he said. Then he lowered his voice. “Any further leads?”

Pan Shui shook her head. There was no need to ask leads for what.

“Then, after the ceremony, we should return here. Stay indoors, eat whatever travel rations you have and wait.”

“Till when?” Pan Yin said.

“Till they find the killer.”

“And if they don’t?” Pan Shui fist tightened as she stared between the two who were speaking. “You heard some of the conversations out there. Some of those fools are already thinking it’s one of us.” Her voice dropped. “Or Liu Ping, because of her aura.”

“They think she killed her own brother?” Pan Yin said, surprised. “What fool would think that?”

“The kind that is scared and looking for an excuse. Any excuse, to lash out,” Pan Shui replied.

He held a hand up. “Let’s worry about it later. Make it through the night, get your prizes. You make use of your prizes, get stronger. Then, if the killer hasn’t been found…”

“We worry about it then?” Pan Shui said. “I don’t like waiting for something to happen.”

“Few do. But Elder Cao has made it clear our help is unwanted. Stepping in, without her acknowledgment could just mean causing more problems. Knowing when to step back is important too.” Wu Ying could not help remember his own lessons in not hurrying around. Running from one kingdom to another, all to return to find that if he had just waited, matters would have resolved. Sometimes, the greatest wisdom was in doing nothing.

“We’re to trust her? Even if she has done nothing?” Pan Shui said. “Or she’s incompetent? After all, the one who had actual skill at this was the one who was killed, no?”

“Then, do you have a suggestion?” Wu Ying retorted.

“I… well…” Pan Shui trailed off.

“Exactly. I’m no investigator either, and what little I’ve seen has shown me that none of my usual tricks work.” He shrugged. “In the end, we wait. Now, if you don’t mind…” He waved back at his room. “I was resting.”

“Yes. You need it, after such a strenuous battle earlier.” Pan Shui stuck her tongue out after speaking before she hurried out before her sister could hit her again.

He snorted, then stared at Pan Yin who had not moved. She had, in fact, a tiny smile that danced on the edges of her lips.

“What?” he asked.

“Oh, just amused at the way my sister acts when she has found someone she likes.”

“A crush?” he shook his head. “I have no time for that. And she is way too childish.”

“Good,” Pan Yin said. “I won’t have to deal with you then.”

“…what?”

Instead of answering, Pan Yin followed her sister, leaving Pan Mu the last one in the hallway. The girl laughed a little at Wu Ying’s face, before she chose to take pity on the man.

“It’s okay. We all know you’re a horrible marriage prospect. But the heart wants what it wants, no?”

She then left Wu Ying to stare after the women as they returned to their room where Pan Shui was already haranguing her sister for telling him her secret. He snorted after a second, stepping back and closing the door.

Sisters. Devils, all of them.

***

Rather than continue to listen to the comedy trio in the other room, Wu Ying left for the same field as before. He had finished his practice with his sword, the minor privacy bubble he had put up keeping his practice a secret. Or so he hoped, at least. It was hard to tell, but with the sheer restlessness and the trio of Elders and the head of the merchant association all caught up in talks in their compound, he was fairly certain he was fine.

Hours passed before Wu Ying finished, just as the sun began to set. Practise over, Wu Ying found himself reluctant to return to his room. Instead he took the long way around, passing through the village on his way back as he pondered the investigation. Whatever words he had spoken to the Pan sisters, he had been concerned for a while. It was why he had taken the opportunities to view the crime scenes, to listen and ask about developments.

He remembered the Investigator’s face, her dreams and hopes she had inadvertently told him. Liu Jing’s laughing manner and the way he always tried to look out for his impetuous sister. Even the big mouthed sect cultivator had not deserved to die.

Yet…

What could he do? He was no investigator, that was true enough. Nor did he see a reason for the death of Gao Qiu or Liu Jing. Their murders were as different as they were sudden. The only killing that had an obvious motive had been Investigator Chu’s – and that did not help him narrow his suspect list.

Whatever clue she had, it was obvious it was insufficient for Elder Cao to find the killer. Unless she was the killer. Which, well, that would be bad.

His thoughts had brought him here, unconsciously. To the only other building in the entirety of the village that he could not access, that was blocked off from his senses – even the wind refusing to provide anything but the most modest of hints of what lay behind the formation.

Wu Ying’s lips pursed, as he wondered what secrets lay behind it all. In the end though, he turned away, for he could do nothing. Only to turn back, when the door opened and a familiar Guard Captain’s face was revealed.

“Cultivator Long.” The man’s voice was low, cutting through the quiet of the night.

“Guard Captain Teng,” Wu Ying replied, offering a slight bow.

“Investigator Chu mentioned that your particular brand of cultivation and aura control was significantly different from those in our kingdom.” A nod to the man’s statement. “Yet, you have found nothing?”

“Not at the previous sites. No.”

“And if you saw a third, do you think you could find something then?” Teng Fei asked.

“Perhaps. Sometimes, scents and clues are hard to apprise, when sensed alone,” Wu Ying said.

“Yes. So Investigator Chu mentioned too.” Another pause, then Teng Fei stepped aside from the door. “I’m hungry. Haven’t had supper. I won’t be back for another… oh… ten minutes? Perhaps you could watch over the building for me.”

“Watch the building…” Wu Ying said, carefully.

“To ensure no one disturbed the bodies.”

“I see. Of course.”

“Thank you, Cultivator Long.” So saying, Teng Fei left, though not before ensuring the door was propped open as he left.

Wu Ying made his way to the entrance, frowning a little and stopping in front of the open doorway, noting how the formation had been opened to allow entry and egress. So long as the door stayed open, the formation would too.

Feeling just a little like he had snuck out of cultivation practice as a child, Wu Ying stepped pass the threshold into the building. He paused inside, his senses extended, waiting for the alarm to blare.

Nothing.

Releasing a held breath, he headed up the staircase. There was no need to work out the layout of the building – the winds had already mapped it out for him the moment he stepped within, whispering of rooms and open doors, wide passages and enclosed cupboards.

And the beginning of rot.

The room where Investigator Chu had been killed differed from where she had been laid out. The first was above, in her office. The second, down below the ground, in one of the few cellars in this temporary location. Cold stone, with secondary wards to ensure that she did not rise as a jiangshi.

First, the body. Wu Ying headed down, fast; pausing only long enough to ascertain the wards below would not trigger or be broken by his entry. Then, over to her body; a simple yellow talisman placed upon the forehead to preserve and protect.

The wound that killed her was ugly, half the side of her head crushed. He raised a hand, comparing the blow to his own fist and memories of other wounds. Definitely a punch, delivered with such great strength that it crushed her skull like an egg being struck by a hammer. A cultivator then, someone in the high stages of Body Cleansing at the least with good technique or an Energy Storage cultivator or higher. A Body Cultivator could do as much too, of course, but again – someone who was more than in the beginnings of their cultivation journey.

It did not narrow the suspect list down much at all. He’d already assumed it had to be an Energy Storage cultivator of some sort – just from the initial murder, it was unlikely that even a hidden strike from a Body Cleansing cultivator could have ended Gao Qiu. Never mind the fact that he had been snuck up upon – or chosen to give his back.

So.

Someone trusted or an Energy Storage cultivator.

And a female perhaps – or a man with small hands. The blow looked to be concentrated. Unless they used a striking technique focused on one or two knuckles – and then, it was too broad. So, probably someone with small hands.

That, at least, was useful. Surprising they had chosen to attack barehanded actually, but Investigator Chu had been mortal. Did they choose to kill with their weapons before due to fear of being overpowered otherwise? If so, that definitely wasn’t Elder Cao, what with the arrogance she had.

He wished he had seen the body initially, where she was struck. Perhaps he could find clues above, but the body, after further quick perusal; offered no further clues. Not to him, at least.

So, someone comfortable with killing with their bare hands, someone confident enough to do so with a single attack. Either a female or someone with small hands. If it was the same killer as before, then they were confident in their use of three different weapons. A dagger for Liu Jing – or some shorter weapon to cut his throat- a jian for Gao Qiu and now, unarmed.

Unusual.

Turning aside, Wu Ying headed for her room, knowing that the Guard Captain would be back soon. Even if he had allowed him in – and that was interesting behavior, now wasn’t it? – there was only so far the Captain was likely willing to bend the rules.

So best to get this done.

Upstairs, the room was filled with paper, in bookcases and cupboards, notes everywhere. The only location which was not clogged with paper was the desk which was barren. No notes or papers there, nothing to indicate what Investigator Chu had been working on the night she died. Which, now that Wu Ying thought of it, made sense. If she had left a clue, the Captain and Elder Cao probably wanted to find it and it would most likely be in the papers she had been reading.

So be it. He would review the scene of the murder as it was – empty but for the furnishings. Desk in front, bookcases to the side, chair behind the desk and another in front of it. Wu Ying walked around the desk, his gaze flicking across the surroundings as the wind stirred gently, ruffling parchment paper and his hair alike.

Someone had cleaned up the blood, though he could still smell the remnants of it as it rotted. On the floor, across the desk a little and more on the back of the chair and back wall.

He traced it all, noting the largest remnant stain – where she had likely lay, bleeding from the injury – to the scattered droplets. The way it arced, the slight amount down to the right side of where he was which matched the wound on her corpse.

Right-handed then. Just like the initial killer. He assumed it was the same for Liu Ping, but he had not been around to hear Investigator Chu’s analysis of that murder. Even small splattering on the right side floor, where the killer must have shook their bloody hand out.

Other smells were present, the muskiness of Teng Fei’s own chi, Elder Cao’s and the Investigator’s own sharply edged chi. All of them present, and no one elses. Not too surprising – Wu Ying had never managed to pick out any additional trace chi.

The wind danced, whispering of a familiar scent, of a twist in the environment that he recognized. He went to a cupboard, opening it to find the missing seal. Gao Qiu’s protective talisman.

“What’s it doing here?” Wu Ying muttered, gaze darting around the surroundings. Why had he not heard about it being found?

There was some paper with the document, one which he picked up to read. His eyes darted down the paper, the information on it neatly written.

… token returned to us by suspect Pan Min. Suspect indicated that victim Gao Qiu had left the token behind accidentally after midnight assignation. When Gao Qiu’s death was disseminated, suspect Pan Min volunteered full details of their evening. See Timeline A for further details.

Below the dry text, another note was penned in, in-between lines detailing the interview in more depth.

Suspect Pan Min cleared via multiple eyewitness reports, including sisters Pan Shin and Pan Yin. Recommended to lower probability of suspect Pan Min being the killer by a margin of two cun.

Wu Ying read further before he sighed, realizing that there was little new. At least, it cleared up the question of how Gao Qiu was killed. Unfortunately, all it did was increase the suspect range again to everyone in the high Energy Storage level or whom Gao Qiu would trust. Which, in truth, was probably only a half dozen.

Biting his lip, Wu Ying looked around for the list, finding it soon enough. He memorized the names, most of them known to him. The Pan sisters, the sect cultivators, himself, Gao Qiu and a few other wandering cultivators.

Not many, in truth.

For a time, Wu Ying just stood there, reviewing the room and memorizing what he could of the surroundings. Hoping further inspiration would spark in his mind. Nothing did, not even when he sensed the Guard Captain on the way back.

“Thank you, Cultivator Long, for watching the building.” Teng Fei smiled, holding up the pair of steamed buns he had acquired. “This should last me the night.”

“You’re welcome,” Wu Ying said, walking down the stairs and smiling to the Captain in gratitude.

“I hope it was not too much of an imposition.”

“Not at all.”

“It’s good that we can rely on you. After all, matters are very unsettled right now. Those who are willing to step up, well, those numbers have grown ever smaller each year.”

Wu Ying offered the man a tight smile, returning the intense gaze Teng Fei turned on him. There was an unspoken thought in there, one that Teng Fei was unwilling to voice.

In the end, Wu Ying offered a last bow, still uncertain of what the man meant. A second later, the guardsman walked into the building and shut the door, sealing the building once more.

Leaving Wu Ying to stare after him. With stolen knowledge perhaps and no further ideas of what he should do.

“I wish people would just say what’s on their mind!” he muttered, as he wandered back to his roo. Damn fools.