The Third Kingdom - Chapter 28 preview (Patreon)

“How annoying,” Elder Cao said, the Gurellia General staring at the trio before him. “Now I’m going to have to kill you all. It’s really vexing when all a person has planned comes apart, and for what? Because of a nosy cultivator that should just have left things alone.”

“Well, that answers my question on whose side I should be on,” Elder Tsui said, his voice light. The man stood with one arm crossed across his stomach, the other resting over his heart and on top of his crossed hand.

“There was a decision to be made?” Elder Eng looked incensed, glaring at Elder Tsui. Only for the other Elder to give a wink that made the other man growl. Turning his full attention back to Elder Cao who had a hand around her ribs where a light sheen of metal could be seen glowing, he spoke. “Tell me, why did you kill my disciple? Why all this… foolery?”

“Chaos.” Wu Ying spoke up. His mind had put the pieces together when he first saw her, linking together conversations. “Chaos and reputation loss. She wants – they want – the tournaments and auctions to stop being held. To make them undesirable in the extreme. Isn’t that right?”

Elder Eng’s lips turned up slightly, her initial sardonic good humor returning. Wu Ying shivered at the changes in her demeanor, mercurial as the famed metal it seemed. “It’s a good thing I have to kill you. I think you’re a little too smart to be allowed to live.”

“Nothing smart when the clues are as clear as day,” Wu Ying replied.

“You… You never left the government, did you?” Elder Eng spoke up, seething visibly. “This is a plot by the kingdom itself. They want to keep us weak. All their talk of relaxing restrictions, all a lie to appease us while you work behind the scenes.”

“The Third Prince is a fool. Did you think the First Prince would let him weaken the government like this?” Elder Cao replied. When she took her hand away, Wu Ying stared at the patch of glinting material around the wound he had caused, as though she had plugged it with metal itself.

“Why?” The voice took them by surprise. Not that she was alive, they all had sensed her stirring; but the fact that she dared speak up. Liu Ping snarled the words as she battled the combined auras of four Core Formation cultivators at once. “Why kill my brother too? Wasn’t one enough?”

“Why not? The more deaths, the more chaos. The deaths of traitors like you and your brother mean nothing. You scorned the largesse of the kingdom you live in, so why cry when we take it away?”

“We took nothing from your kingdom! Everything we have, everything we gained, we earned! We slaved day and night, working for pittance to get as far as we have!” Liu Ping screamed the words, her aura trembling and twisting as she began to lose control. Her bloodline triggered by her rage began to overtake her and claws and fangs extended. Wu Ying could almost swear that she grew new hair, and certainly her scent grew musky and animalistic.

“You shirked your duty to the kingdom. Every one of you sect and wandering cultivators. Threw away your responsibility to us.” The polearm lowered, pointing at Wu Ying. “Even you. Leaving your country, leaving your sect. None of you know the truth, the weight of duty and responsibility!

“But I shall show you it now.”

Pressure to a level that Wu Ying had never felt before slammed down onto him. He staggered and sunk to his knees, wondering how this one individual could do this when the other Core Formation cultivators in his life had never done so. It hurt, as he felt something within him, the Core within his dantian creak and twist as it experienced the full spiritual assault of Elder Cao’s own understanding.

How could she do this? A difference in training, a difference in philosophy? Or perhaps, for his Master and his Elder Sister, he had never been someone they had ever needed to fight seriously?

Then how about the dark sect that he had fought? Did they too not take him seriously? Or had the presence of the demonic taint within lead them to a different path of power.

Or was this just the case of Wu Ying never truly understanding the depths he had traveled within? Like a man searching through a cave, only able to grasp what his hands touched, what he smelled; only for a brief light to shine now to allow him a glimpse of the wider world.

Was this effect something that happened all the time, the casual intimidation factor of Core Formation cultivators given life? That someone at the heights of their understanding of their own dao be able to physically manifest their comprehension to such an extent, impacting those about.

And if so, could he not learn to do so himself?

Even as his thoughts spun around him in a swirling maelstrom of doubt and conjecture, Wu Ying worked to free himself. She crushed him, with her understanding and even the earth itself compressed as she imprinted her understanding and personality upon the land. Wu Ying’s dao rose about him, his understanding of the world and body providing him the gateway to freedom.

Responsibilities were a foolish joke to the winds, a mortal failing that had little relation to the eternal storms. They blew where they wished, traveled from one ends of the earth to another, seeking nothing but their own ends. Duty and responsibility, honor and burden – those were concepts for mortals. As heir to the Seven Winds, as a cultivator of the soul cultivation method the Formless Realm, Wu Ying felt her dao press upon him.

And he shed it.

Not all the way, for the difference in cultivation strengths and enlightenment between the pair were stark. Yet, their dao’s were in many ways in opposition. Not completely, for Wu Ying’s own path of travel and knowledge, of carrying himself where the wind willed it did not entirely shirk his ties to society. He was no ascetic, hiding from the world and refusing to acknowledge it.

But those ties that he did acknowledge were ones he chose. Not ones imposed upon him by society or family or kingdom. He was not, would not be bound by custom or tradition, in legal scripture or social mores. Under pressure of the opposing dao, Wu Ying’s own nascent understanding clarified and strengthened.

Under pressure, metal formed. Under pressure, diamonds grew. Under pressure, winds howled.

On his feet, now, Wu Ying stood. He took in the field of battle that he had, ever so briefly, left while he struggled under Elder Cao’s dao.

Three Core Formation fighters clashed, weapons, chi and killing intent marring the land around them. Wu Ying was surprised to note a small formation of flags had been cast around him, a protection that had saved him from the effects of the battle above.

Gratitude for Elder Tsui who must have enacted the defense for him. How much time had he been battling her dao, that Elder Tsui had managed to do this and for the battle to take itself into the sky above?

Mere seconds, perhaps. But in a battle between Core Formation cultivators, seconds were enough.

High above, he watched as the trio flashed across the sky, utilizing flying swords to strike one another in passing before moving on. Elder Eng was taking on Elder Cao directly, the pair closer to the earth as Elder Eng attempted to pull energy from the earth while guarding Elder Tsui from below.

The majority of his attacks rained down upon the Guerilla General, fist of stone and even boulders conjured to split the earth and strike his opponent down. Fighting a defensive battle as he was, his long, white beard trailing in the air the powerful and sturdy Core Formation earth based Elder was already bleeding. His podao under his feet, he struggled to keep Elder Cao away from the more dangerous of the pair.

Above the two, dodging the occasional shard of metal or weapon intent sent after him was Elder Tsui. He flitted across the sky, casting formation flags into the air, building a powerful formation amidst the battle. Many of the attacks flying from above were targeted at Elder Tsui’s formation flags by the General, each strike tearing a few down.

Yet, even though he struggled to keep even a third of the formation flags he threw into the air and locked in place, Wu Ying could sense the way the environmental chi began to accumulate, drawn into the burgeoning formation.

What kind of formation would it be?

That, Wu Ying was uncertain. He was no formation master, and the kinds were as numerous as there were masters; though most could be split into the kinds of effects the formation was meant to have.

Support formations – meant to grow, or bolster individuals or plants. Those were the kind he was most familiar with for obvious reasons. At the same time, support formations could be inverted to deny chi or heaven’s understanding, wilting and impeding growth or individuals.

Confinement formations came in many forms – whether by creations illusions or hypnotic images or sounds to confuse others. These kinds of formations could also be used to hide locations and people, by restricting their presence from the world around.

Killing formations on the other hand were as they were named. Methods to end the life via the concentration of elemental energies or the use of mental, visual or sound attacks. There were even rumors that high grade formations could concentrate daos.

A flicker of movement, and Wu Ying jumped aside as a giant boulder crashed into the earth close to his position. Breaking the formation that Elder Tsui had created for him, he took to the skies, for the first time drawing fully on the Core chi within his body and engaging his qinggong methods to ascend.

“You can move…” Elder Cao snarled, dodging another attack from Elder Eng. She swung her polearm, sending killing light at Wu Ying and forcing him to ascend faster, dodging it.

Watching the pair fight, Wu Ying made a quick decision. He could not afford to fight up here like them. He had neither the energy reserves or the skill in aerial combat the pair displayed. Even his knowledge and understanding of the winds that came with his own Body Cultivation techniques were still landlocked. In time, perhaps, he would learn to dance through the air, wield weapon and killing intent with the same ability.

Time he did not have. Then, he had would have to contribute to this battle in his own way.

Decision made, he now just had to enact it.

The woman might impose her beliefs, her moments of enlightenment through an over-pressuring dao. One that weighed down the body and crushed movements as it stole strength from the soul. His own soul cultivation technique was of no use here, nor was his own burgeoning dao. It was not something that could be imposed upon others.

Hah!

Perhaps that was the other difference. Her beliefs encompassed others, while his own Master was about stepping away from such social restrictions, cutting himself free. Just like he himself desired freedom to travel the world, to experience and learn and grow…

And none of that was useful now.

Blocking a casual cut, Wu Ying was forced backwards, skimming through the air as he was darted higher. He took the imparted energy, allowing it to drive him back as he tried to clear his head. Enlightenment while fighting was important, it could be revelatory and even impactful – allowing one to breach the upper limits of one’s previous self.

It also could get you killed.

Turning his attention to the pair below, Wu Ying extended the only thing he could. His understanding and connection to the wind, tapping into his own bloodline. He called his connection to the world and begged them for their aid.

The wind answered.

Already, it had been tossed and turned, churned and set afire from the attacks the Core Formation elders had expanded all around. It moved and twisted around the demands the other Elders imposed upon it, forced to obey as they imposed their will, their existence upon this slice of the world. And if the wind cared not for such small matters, it still – in this time, in this place – sought release.

When asked, it answered.

The air swirled and churned, growing stronger with each passing second. Energy borrowed from attacks, redirected with just the barest of touches from Wu Ying’s own energy. Exploding rock crashed downwards, throwing up dirt whilst it was redirected by the metal shards surrounding Elder Cao.

Tiny needles and knives whipped through the air, growing more deadly with every second but also less in her control. With the barest twitch of his concentration, Wu Ying created a small bubble of calm around himself and Elder Tsui who darted about above, riding the gusts of air to his next location.

Chaos grew as their vision decreased. And still, Wu Ying urged the wind to grow in strength, his hands, his body, his chi moving to the rhythm of the central wind as a whirlwind rose with ever growing intensity. Beneath, in the flickering glimpses Wu Ying caught below, the two Elders continued their battle. Blood flew in increasing rivulets, as wounds accumulated on both sides, shards of metal lodging in earthen armor and skin alike.

A scream, a cry.

Wu Ying sensed it, moments before Elder Eng exited the tornado’s edge, flying backwards from a strike that had shattered his earthen armor, his body pinned by a released polearm. Elder Cao’s tactic of throwing her own weapon away in the middle of a fight had caught her opponent by surprise, casting him away.

Leaving her to ascend, like a comet through the night sky, ignoring the gusts that attempted to blow her off course. Even as Wu Ying shifted his position, she came on, speeding up with each second. He fled to the edges, riding the wind upwards, higher and higher as she followed.

Till they both finally reached Elder Tsui, who had stopped moving at some point.

Darting upwards with a last blast of energy, Wu Ying grinned.

“Got you…” he muttered, as the ex-current-General rose up, into the middle of the completed formation.

And learnt why one did not anger formation masters.

Or let them prepare.

Light raced from one formation flag to another. Energy, accumulated over the bout and by the formation itself lit itself ablaze. Flames erupted, a choking heat that sent the wind spiraling upwards even further and took Wu Ying with it.

He floated above the formation, above the cultivator caught in the web of flames and1 the Elder that controlled it. He barely had to tap into his own chi now, so great was the tempest that had been formed. From his prime position, Wu Ying looked down on them both. He saw it from above, and could not help but note…

“A peony. A red peony.” He laughed, watching as the flames grew. “A red, flaming peony of doom.”

Petals closed, webs of flame restricting Elder Cao’s ability to dodge. She twisted and dove, rose and ducked as new tendrils grew, ever faster. Shards of metal, bars and whips struck at the flames and diverted their attention. Others twisted and melted, droplets of liquid silver and gold falling. Each moment, it increased in intensity as she sought to break out of the trap.

Then the petals closed and there was no more time.

Just a moment, just a fraction of a second before the flaming petals enclosed her; she seemed to shift and change. Metal that Wu Ying had thought was to free herself flowed backwards, melted in the flame. It arrived, encompassed her body, enclosed her.

Then the petals closed, and a burning closed bulb stood where the woman had been. Elder Tsui floated closer, drawn in by the formation and his need to control it all, sweating as controlled the formation directly.

Above, Wu Ying rose, the choking heat drying his tongue out, leaving his skin crisped and burnt. Smoke rose from below as well as ash, the intense heat having set even the fields beneath them on fire. Wu Ying extended his energy and high above, a channel opened that brought cool air down to him as he positioned himself in the center of his still moving tornado.

The closed bulb raged and burnt, but as he watched; portions of the bulb bulged and twisted. Each time, Elder Tsui’s face would grow tight, sweat on his face evaporating as quickly as it formed. A twisted look of pain crossed his features more than once, before his nose began to bleed freely. Eyes were next, blood drying and blackening under the immense heat.

“Is she still alive?” Wu Ying could not believe it, even under evidence of his own eyes. Was this the difference between those at the upper tiers and his own? Or was the enchanted talismans she bore, the arm guards and helmets and other protective works aiding her survival?

Was the Verdant Green Waters, for all their vaunted strength, really not that much then? This kingdom had focused all its resources on a few rather than the many, and in so doing, had they managed to achieve greater total strength in their people?

Another twitch, all across the flame bulb. Wu Ying wished to help, but this was a fight he had no part in. He knew not about the formation being wielded and the heat itself would damage him if he went down.

Elder Tsui coughed out blood as a hand punched through a petal. He spat blackened liquid as another arm joined it, one clad in shining silver and gold as it parted the flames. A surge of chi, of dao intent, and the formation; already fragile shattered.

The backlash threw Elder Tsui away from the bulb, his unconscious body falling in an arc away from the battlefield. Backlash from a forcibly opened formation that one was linked to was considerable. It was why it was never recommended to tie them to yourself in this way.

And yet, here they were.

Beneath, Elder Cao; a living, moving statue of silver and gold stared up at him. He could see, he could feel, the heat radiating off the metal. The rictus snarl of pain from a throat scorched so dry it had no voice left. Yet she still lived, injured and floating in mid-air.

And Wu Ying, above her.

Alone.