The Third Kingdom - Chapter 25 preview (Patreon)

Waking up the next morning, Wu Ying could not help but still turn the night’s events over in his mind. The murder itself had provided him with some little information, though it was Teng Fei’s actions that stood out. The Guard Captain had defied the Elder, something Wu Ying would never have imagined him doing. And he had done that for him, which was another interesting wrinkle.

Was it because he had a rather unique place among the other wandering cultivators? Because he had been asked to look at the previous deaths? Or was it that he had hoped that Wu Ying’s own aura control and expanded spiritual senses might have learnt something they had not? Even if so, why did he ask him to look, when the Elder had not wanted his help any further.

Unless he thought the Elder could not be trusted to finish the investigation. Or that his own suspicions, that she might be the killer was true. Then again, didn’t just disprove the fact that it had be a Core Formation cultivator? But if that was the case, why the hesitation at bringing people in for enhanced interrogations? According to Gao Qiu, the government had done as much before.

Then again… Elder Cao was retired. She was not the government anymore. Was she then waiting for reinforcements? Was there a group of government officials coming, and they were trapped here on purpose?

That was certainly possible.

Or, more worryingly. Perhaps she knew who it was, and was unwilling to bring them in.

That thought sent a cold shiver down his spine. There were only a couple of people whom it might be impolitic for the ex-General to deal with. He did not know enough of either sect – beyond the fact that they were one of the larger ones in the kingdom. But size was not the only consideration. Connections – personal or family -, favours and strength could all alter the equation.

If his assumptions were true, then perhaps Elder Cao was playing politics with their lives. Trading favors or influence for her looking the other way. The pressure of her dao, the way she spoke… he could not see it. Not unless… not unless she saw it as her duty to ensure the tournament and the Seven Pavilions were left blameless and better off.

If that was the case, then Elder Cao must have been Investigator Chu’s killer. The small fist, the location… It fit. If the Elder and whichever sect Elder were working together.

A chilling thought. Elder Eng looked too greatly bereaved by the death of his own disciple for it to be him. Which meant the obvious suspects were Elder Tsui and Elder Cao. Except, of course, both Elders were old. And few cultivators – especially sect Elders – grew that old without learning how to lie.

Though, why he would wish his own disciple’s death, Wu Ying had no answer.

Even if it was all true, what could he do about it? What should he do about it? A single Elder he might beat. It would be risky and dangerous, but it might be something he was willing to try, given the right circumstances.

Two would be foolish in the extreme. He did not have his Master around to save him.

In the end it all came back to this – what did he owe those here? What should he, as a stranger, an outsider, do?

He was certain, when the arrows fell, he could escape.

It was not his place to dictate what a kingdom did. As an outsider, he knew little about the historical and cultural aspects in play, he did not understand what those like the White Flower Merchant Association wanted to achieve or how trustworthy they truly were in carrying out their stated objectives. Perhaps they were the culprits? Perhaps they were the killers?

After all, if it did not require a Core Formation cultivator, then Gao Qiu or Liu Ping might have done the initial killing. And Elder Cao could be waiting for the government to sweep in and capture the rebels. Holding them here till all could be caught.

Though, why her brother then? Unless it was a cold-blooded distraction. Or competing rebel associations.

As he thought. Politics.

Deep politics.

He had no place here. He would not be around to see the completion of any action he began, any change that might occur. He was but a traveler.

Those who were rooted in place must take responsibility for their own world. It was not his place to enact his beliefs, his morality on others. Not on a kingdom wide scale.

This, Wu Ying knew.

Yet; that did not preclude him acting on minor matters like these. It was one thing to be helpless when a drought struck, knowing that one could not dictate the movement of the clouds. Yet, it was a poor farmer who did not place an offering for immortals and dragons alike, beseeching their generosity in bringing the rain. It was a lazy farmer who did not dig down their wells or plan for a dropping river height.

You could lament the cruelty of the world; but if all you did was cry, you were no longer a victim of circumstances but a co-conspirator of your own tragedies.

Even so…

Wu Ying let out a long breath as he heard the striking of a gong, the Seven Pavilions tournament organizers calling all participants to the dueling rings. It was time. Time for the presentation of prizes.

How many would attend? He doubted someone like Gao Qiu would leave Liu Ping alone, not after what happened to her brother. And Kong Lai might be protected by wards, but even then; it was unlikely for her Elder to trust in those alone.

It would leave Pan Shui alone to take the prize, which might create even more problems. He had listened as the sisters had left earlier, other members of the foreigner residence choosing to follow. Lost in his thoughts, he had ignored their invitation.

Wu Ying let out a slow breath, his pensive musings stopping.

He ceased worrying, playing out potential consequences or projections of what might or might not happen. He stilled that unquiet mind, no longer thinking about the future. And instead, for the first time, searched his soul for the answer.

The mind was smart, the mind was knowledgeable, the mind was ethical.

The mind was not wise nor moral nor generous.

The Dao could not be found in the deep contemplation of ethics or future projections of problems. It could only be found deep within one’s soul.

Wu Ying breathed in.

He might not be able to change the kingdom or alter the fate of the masses, here and now; he could make a difference.

And while he had no desire to be a champion of justice, an unrepentant wandering hero; neither would he turn away from the task that was before him. His father had taught him better. Plan for the future, certainly, but you still had to do the work before you.

He breathed out.

And made up his mind.

***

Wu Ying drifted upwards, to the second floor of the restaurant rather than the stairs below. He found them there, as expected. The General had taken her usual place on a rooftop. Showmanship, all of it. With the way she blanketed the surroundings with her aura, everyone with even a modicum of ability knew where she was at all times.

Well, so long as they were willing to extend their auras out like her. Which would be a direct challenge to her authority. An interesting thought that – was her inadvertent help to the killer(s) by enforcing the limits on everyone’s aura senses accidental or on purpose?

Then again, would it have mattered? After all, Wu Ying was unable to ascertain their aura or traces of their passing, even through all three murder scenes. Perhaps, in the end, whether she blanketed the surroundings or not, the ending would have been the same.

“Cultivator Long. Are you choosing to join us?” Elder Tsui asked as Wu Ying approached their table.

“Elder Tsui. Elder Eng. If you will have me.” At their agreement, Wu Ying took a seat, greeting the other two inner sect cultivators and letting his gaze dance across Kong Lai’s form. She was pale and sweating, leaning against the arm of her chair, blankets and cushions padded to prop her upright. “I am glad to see that you are doing well, Cultivator Kong.”

“Well enough to fight,” Kong Lai said. “If they’d let me, I could show them that. Draw, my burnt meridians!”

“Ah Lai!” Elder Eng snapped. “Apologize to Cultivator Long for your behavior. It is unbecoming to protest an official ruling like a spoiled child who has been refused a sweet. If you are saddened by the draw, then next time, beat your next opponent in such a way that it is impossible for your win to be contested!

“The failure is in you. Just like it was in Gao Qiu!”

Kong Lai flushed and eventually bowed her head. She whispered an apology, though whether it was to Elder Eng or to Wu Ying, neither knew.

The awkward atmosphere extended for a time, only for an attendant to sweep by to offer Wu Ying tea and suggest additional dishes. After Wu Ying declined, the attendant hurried off to deal with the next table, leaving them alone.

“I’m surprised, Cultivator Long, that you chose to sit with us. You have chosen not to do so, until now,” Elder Tsui said, curiously. A small gesture and he created a simple privacy bubble around them with his chi. It would do little against a dedicated probe, but more than enough for casual conversation.

Enviable ability, that. Damn formation masters.

Wu Ying was in the midst of picking up a small fried dumpling and placing it on his plate when he was asked this, so he made sure to finish what he was doing before turning to Elder Tsui. Beneath them, the swell of conversation continued to grow as more and more of the wandering cultivators arrived at the dueling rings, many of which had been taken down already.

“It seems most feel I should be up here, anyway,” Wu Ying said. “And with the results of the tournament, I feel it is best to give myself some space from those who might have wanted a more… exciting… finish.”

“We had the best fight…” Kong Lai muttered, sounding somewhat pleased by that at least.

“Do you want to do midnight salutations all the way back to your sect?” Shi Fei leaned over and hissed at Kong Lai.

Thankfully, the two Elders were willing to ignore the byplay between the two younger members of their sects, as they spoke with Wu Ying.

“You should have been here since the start anyway,” Elder Tsui said. “It is good that you are no longer running around with the riffraff.”

“Mmm… they make decent customers and even better suppliers,” Wu Ying said. “And the knowledge they have of the byways and other hidden resources are useful for someone like myself.” He touched his chest and then continued. “In turbulent times, you never know what you might hear too.”

“You mean the killings?” Shi Fei asked, breaking in.

Elder Tsui glared at him and he ducked his head, embarrassed.

“Yes. It took a long time, but I think, finally; the wind has brought some answers.”

The two Elders frowned, Elder Eng speaking fiercely afterwards. “You know who the killer is?”

“No.” Wu Ying shook his head. “Not yet. But I have suspicions and I need to check one last thing.”

“The Inspector’s office then,” Elder Eng muttered, angrily. “We’ve not been allowed to see it either.”

“Not that,” Wu Ying said. “But I expect one way or the other, my suspicions will be proven by the end of the day.” He glanced down at the crowds, a tight smile dancing across his lips. “Probably much later in the day, truth be told.”

“Why? If you need only one thing, then do it now. Gao Qiu’s killer has slumbered peacefully for too long!” Elder Eng ranted, his voice rising a little only for Elder Tsui to shake his head, causing him to lean back in his chair. Even then, he was almost visibly radiating his need to act.

“Less commotion, Ah Eng. Otherwise, the killer might run. But I am curious, why so long?” Elder Tsui muttered.

“Well…” Quickly, Wu Ying cast about for a reason. A memory sparked and he spoke, only realizing after that he spoke how true his words were. “The winds of the hundred hells rise at night, and it is those winds that I must speak with.”

“The winds of hell?” Kong Lai mouthed to Shi Fei, almost leaning away from Wu Ying.

“My cultivation style,” his Body Cultivation style, but they didn’t need to know that, “concerns the Seven Winds. Of which hell is but one direction.” Then, staring at Kong Lai, he grinned and added. “And heaven another.”

“So not a demonic path then,” Elder Tsui said, bringing attention back to him.

“No. Just unusual,” Wu Ying said. “Then again, so is my element.”

“True. Few enough wind elementalists. And none that I’ve heard of having achieved your standard,” Elder Tsui said. “Not in our kingdom at least.”

Wu Ying offered a tight smile of understanding, wondering if everything he had spoken was enough. Before he could add further to the hints, the conversation was cut-off by the voice of the Head Judge below.

The Judge coated his words with regality and formality, doing his best to make the ending of the tournament more grandiose than what it was, offering praise to all the contestants. Reminding them of the most interesting battles and techniques on display.

Most stark, to Wu Ying, was the lack of mention of his own participation; though he could understand the reasoning behind that quite easily.

The ceremony droned on, the officials all insisting on taking their turn to speak and hoping that in their expulsion of meaningless words, they could somehow shore up the prestige of their tournament. An event that had been marred not just by a lousy showing in the matches but also death and murder.

“They won’t recover, I think,” Elder Tsui remarked. “I wonder how many more merchant associations or sects will dare host tournaments after this.”

“Surely it’s not that bad,” Wu Ying said. “The murders are appalling but if they are solved, the matter will be put to a rest. And the fights, while dangerous were quite entertaining.”

“If it was just this tournament, it would not matter,” Elder Eng muttered. “But in the last year, five of the nine tournaments have had some calamity involved. From individuals found to be using demonic verses to gain an edge, to widespread poisoning of participants to an all-out massacre.”

“Five of nine?” Wu Ying said, surprised. “Why am I only hearing of this now?”

“Because at least three of them were never to be spoken of again,” Elder Tsui replied, gesturing a little ensure that the privacy formation was still in play. The one he had created using just his own chi to surround them was not meant for truly private conversations after all, just idle gossip. “Two were held by sects, the third by a merchant association that is now defunct. All of those were private events, excluding wandering cultivators like those below.”

“Then, knowledge of such instances have been kept quiet.” Wu Ying muttered.

The two Elders nodded. “A bad sign, that so much has happened in so short a period. A third calamity for all to know of might see the end of such occasions, to the detriment of us all.”

“Surely you can all still trade?” Wu Ying said.

“It’s not the trading itself that is important, but the gathering and legitimacy these events impart. The connections that a tournament held by a prestigious merchant association or the announcement of winners to the public bolster our reputations,” Elder Tsui replied. “Even for us, meeting the few rough portions of jade that linger below,” he gestured at the crowd, “can be helpful and aid us in improving our sects.”

“Never mind what we might find at the auctions. For, as you say, wandering cultivators get everywhere – and what cultivation cave or previously lost manual or spirit herb they might stumble upon, useless to them might see a breakthrough for us,” Elder Eng added.

“Thank you for enlightening me, Elders,” Wu Ying replied with a courteous inclination of his head.

It seemed the burgeoning tournament and auction scenes were more important than he had thought. Looking down, his gaze drifted over to a couple of cultivators, men he had seen with Gao Qiu before. Wu Ying could not help but think that such events were also great cover for the rebels. It allowed them to gather without attracting attention, to plot and recruit.

Yet before he could trace that line of thought further, there was a change in the rhythm of the speeches below. Loud clapping, too enthusiastic to be polite. Wu Ying realized that the last speaker was done, with Pan Shui now ascending to the stage.

She was presented a small lacquer box containing the pills and technique scroll with words exchanged before the young woman took center stage. She stared down at the crowd before her, the triangular headdress that she and her sisters wore shading her from the morning sun.

Something in her stance, in the glint in her eyes forewarned Wu Ying. It was not just him though, for her elder sister was pushing towards the stage.

Too late.

“I won’t take too much time. I know many of you think I don’t deserve this prize. So, I’m going to give any of you who are dissatisfied with the results a chance to win it from me.” Turning, Pan Shui pointed to the vacant center stage, the only one still left. “Anyone who thinks they can beat me, just meet me within and try your blade.”

Grinning cockily, she put a hand on her hip and glared at the crowd. Almost everyone was too stunned to move, only Pan Yin managing to face palm herself. Softly, she muttered to her sister and herself. “I’m going to beat her so badly, even mother won’t be able to recognize her!”

“Let me…” Kong Lai stirred only for Elder Eng to glare at her.

“Foolish girls. The tournament is over,” Elder Tsui muttered. “This type of grandstanding is so… uncouth.”

“But cool,” Shi Fei muttered, softly.

Wu Ying on the other hand was taking a more direct approach to the problem. Using a thread of wind, he sent his words to Pan Shui’s ears and her ears alone. “You fool, at least limit the number of challengers. Otherwise they’ll beat you down by challenging you one by one.”

Pan Shui’s eyes widened when his words reached her and she looked up to spot Wu Ying. Then, after a second and before the stunned crowd could fully recover, she added. “Only your three best though! I don’t want to be losing to some Body Cultivator just because I fell asleep.”

This time, even Wu Ying could not stop from face palming himself.

Damn fool of a girl.

Now they really were going to take her up on the challenge.

***

The arguments below grew in pace and volume, giving Pan Shui’s sisters more than enough time to get her spear. Even the Seven Pavilion management were drawn in, with the merchant group eventually agreeing to fund the usage cost of the tournament rings. It was a cynical move since a good series of fights could bolster both Pan Shui’s and their reputation.

After the fourth person to sneak up onto the second floor of the restaurant to ask either Wu Ying or Shi Fei to join the fight, Elder Tsui manipulated the air to form an opaque privacy ward. The not so subtle method of partitioning themselves away from those below discouraged their unwanted petitioners, though it did make service a little more difficult.

“I’m thinking the fresh water prawns with garlic, steamed of course,” Elder Tsui was saying, ignoring the ongoing conversation below.

“We had that two days ago,” Elder Eng complained.

“It was good.”

“It was, but I’d prefer drunken prawns instead,” Elder Eng said. “They nearly managed to make it perfectly the last time.”

“Fine, but we will have the catfish steamed then, with ginger and soy sauce. I won’t have it fried,” Elder Tsui replied immediately. “Cultivator Long?”

“Hmmm?”

“Do you have any requests?”

Wu Ying blinked at the pair of Elders, then realizing what was happening thought for a second. “Ginger beef with gai lan.”

“You like simple food too, then?” Elder Tsui remarked, smiling. “It is the best, is it not?”

“I like my food in a variety of ways, but they do their rice well here,” Wu Ying admitted. “Their beef is also fresh; but the pork is a little old.”

“How…?” Elder Eng began then stopped when Wu Ying tapped his nose. “Ah, your winds.”

“Yes.”

“A fascinating ability.”

“They’ve been serving us rotten meat?” Elder Tsui said, enraged.

“No, no. Not rotten. It’s still good, but it’s not as fresh.” Wu Ying waved his hand to calm the other man. “I would not eat here if they chose to do such things. And certainly the Seven Pavilions would never do something like that voluntarily.”

“Not that it matters,” said Kong Lai. When everyone else looked at her, she clarified. “As cultivators, even if the food is a little rotten, it would not harm our bodies. It would have to be truly spoilt for it to cause problems.”

“And how do you know that?” said Shi Fei, archly.

“I worked the kitchens when I was in the outer sect,” Kong Lai answered.

“It’s not a matter of whether it will harm us or not. It’s a matter of taste. Of dignity. I will not stoop to eating rotting meat. How can one expect to progress if you stuff your body with corrupt items? Your body must be clean and pure to progress,” Elder Tsui said, hotly.

“The earth takes all…” muttered Kong Lai.

Wu Ying chose to ignore that byplay, instead continuing. “Now, the other question is the fowl. Chicken or duck?”

“Roast duck of course,” Elder Eng said, immediately. “It’s well done here, and even I can smell it being roasted right now. There’s nothing better when it’s fresh and hot and the skin crispy.”

“Definitely,” Elder Tsui concurred.

In short order they had a proper lunch order. Elder Tsui took it upon himself to make sure it was correctly placed with the hostess, going so far as to leave their table and the privacy bubble. In the meantime, Wu Ying noted that the group below had finally come to a conclusion of who would be joining the battle.

Ascending the steps of the hastily built podium once more, the Head Judge, looking harried waved at the crowd to quieten down.

Well, it seemed that Pan Shui got her way at least. Whatever the outcome, she would have a fight that would be spoken of by everyone who survived.