Interlude: The Silkworm (Patreon)

Bones and bugs. That was all the Southern region had if one were to listen to the snide gossip of the poser nobles from the Central provinces. It was an unfair assumption that trickled down from those too privileged to respect anything not their own to the masses who were too poor to learn the truth.

That was not to say that the Southern region didn’t have bones and bugs. They did, and plenty of both. Enormous skeletons filled with the majesty of long-dead behemoths, in such numbers that some figured the entire region to be a giant graveyard. Colorful insects were in abundance, great butterflies as large as birds, ants that built golden palaces and marched like drilled legions, spiders with eyes that shined brighter than any gemstone. Insects were respected in the South for their beauty, and for their danger. Poison and venom were the great killers there, more than any blade or claw.

Southern barbarians, it was said, drank venom by the cup and hid poisonous insects in the beds of whoever offended them. Travelers to the South were told to drop silver taels in their drinks at every tavern they stayed at. It was lies of course. Nowhere in this world was truly safe, but the Southern region was more dangerous than most so those who were born outside it considered themselves fortunate and those born in it deserving.

The Southern region was more than that though. They had mountains that stretched like fingers to grasp the clouds above. Lush jungles teeming with life and filled with medicinal flowers and herbs. They had cities some new, many old. They lined the many great rivers that cut through the jungles and were home to skilled artisans and bone carvers.

They had history. Long before being incorporated into the Empire they had seen many powers prosper among the river cities. Mighty chiefs proclaimed themselves rulers of the rivers and lakes and drew in warriors with their cunning and feats of courage. The Snake King dispensed justice through his sacred serpents. Granny Three Worm wandered wherever she pleased, feeding her grubs Old Age, Disease, and Death. Princess Cicada crooned music so mournful it toppled kingdoms.

They had honor. They were the last to be conquered by the Empire. Their warriors had held it at bay with their bravery and strength. Making use of the jungles that they had long called home to stymie any incursion. It was a mark of honor that the Sunset Emperor himself had to personally lead the battle that slew the last free kings on the continent. They had been marked then, the Southern regions they were called for that’s all they were in the greater Empire.

They had a name. Zumulu. It was home.

Xie Jin was beginning to question why he left.

“Another,” he called, picking off the last bit of meat from his skewer. The stall owner motioned his understanding and flipped over fresh skewers of pork and wild greens roasting over red coals. Behind him was the noise and bustle of the main thoroughfare of Clearsprings City. A long road that stretched from the main gates to the City Lord’s mansion.

Xie Jin snorted and downed the cup of cheap rice wine the stall owner’s wife poured him. He hadn’t heard of Shen Jianyu before today but he would not forget him anytime soon. The exams were canceled, Brother Chen and Lan Fen had been missing ever since that Liquid Meridian realm pulled them away and he was stuck in this city.

“That bastard.” He slammed the cup down onto the counter. “I’m going to find every nasty rumor about him and then spread them to every city under Heaven!”

“Two more skewers, piping hot.” The stall owner thrust the skewers at him.

Xie Jin rummaged through his pockets and dropped two coppers before grabbing the steaming skewers and leaving. The meat was tough and stringy and lacked any sort of seasoning, but it was cheap and that was all he could ask for.

“Damn Liquid Meridian,” he said between chewing. “At least leave Brother Chen.”

He continued his grumbling and cursing the higher powers as he made his way into the tournament district, devolving into sullen eating. A hop and a skip put him ahead of a body crashing into him.

The man responsible for said flying body roared from the arena, a square of dirt sectioned off with rope. “Who’s next?”

Tempers had run high since Shen Jianyu canceled the exams. For those who came from means and were valued enough, they would be sent to another city for exams so missing this one was an annoyance at best. For the rest, the poor, the cast aside, the working, the lonesome, this exam had been a major chance ripped from their grasp. They were either too poor to travel to another exam or tied down with obligations and work. These lesser were well aware of reality and their lack of ability to change it so they instead took their frustrations to the arenas.

He could empathize with their anger. He couldn’t afford the journey to return home either. His once grand plans had gone up into so much smoke. He sighed. There were more than a few of his countrymen who traveled to Clearsprings City. Should he just try to return with them? That would invite its own set of unpleasant questions, not that going back home was any better in his current state.

The challenge seeker, by some hawk-eyed grace, zeroed in on Xie Jin. “Come and fight, skeleton.” He beckoned his hands in a taunting fashion.

Xie Jin narrowed his eyes and slowly chewed the last stubborn piece of meat. “I don’t fight for free.”

“Fifty silvers if I don’t shatter you.”

Xie Jin casually walked over, twirling the skewers in his hand. He stopped just as crossed over the rope and sighed, he spotted a familiar shock of white hair. “I guess I’m not getting paid.”

“Getting scared already?” The man grinned. “You Southern barbarians have no meat, just bones and poison.”

“Just for that, I’m going to enjoy what’s about to happen to you.”

The man looked at him in confusion leaving him unprepared for the hammer fist from behind. It caught him on his temple and he was sent flying out the arena much like his opponent before him.

Lan Jia did not spare the man she had so brutally struck a second glance. Her qi flared about her. “You’ve finally scurried out of your hole you rat.”

“I wasn’t even hiding, don’t pretend you were looking for me,” he said.

“Where are Chen Haoran and Lan Fen?”

Xie Jin shrugged. “How would I know?”

Lan Jia cracked her knuckles. “I’ll beat the answer out of you then.”

“Just say you’re here for round two, it’s embarrassing.”

Lan Jia growled and darted forward. Xie Jin flicked his skewers at her face which she twisted her head to avoid. He darted in low, aiming for her legs. Lan Jia brought her knee up to break his chin and he rolled to the side. He lashed out to sweep her legs but she jumped over it and he was forced to roll again to avoid her stomping his chest in.

“Is crawling all you can do?” Lan Jia’s palms glowed green. He had seen the move before, a difficult-to-predict strong palm strike.

Xie Jin channeled qi to his legs and closed the distance between them. Lan Jia lashed out and before her palm could scatter in its myriad patterns he caught the blow on his bone armband. He felt a burst of pride seeing Lan Jia’s eyes widen as the force of her strike dissipated. Then her second palm slapped him in the chest.

He felt weightless as he hurtled through the air and landed heavily at the arena’s edge. He could feel the rope sitting uncomfortably under his neck. He took a sharp breath and hissed at the stinging pain that ran through his chest. Before he could move Lan Jia straddled him and pinned his arms with her legs.

She slapped him across the face. “Do you think your poison will work now?” She slapped him again. “Did you think you could be my match without such an underhanded trick?”

He cycled his qi in an attempt to launch her off. Lan Jia matched him with her own qi and punched him. Although he stood above her in cultivation, one was nothing to someone with her skill.

“You were right,” she said while punching him. “I don’t expect you to know where Chen Haoran and that bitch are.” Her palms glowed green. “I just wanted to beat you.”

Xie Jin wheezed out something unintelligible. He could already feel his face starting to swell.

“Trying to beg now?” she asked.

He licked his teeth, he hadn’t lost any. “Nice thighs.”

Lan Jia made a sound of disgust and brought her palms down… only for Xie Jin to spit a stringy, nearly unchewable meat in her face. It splattered across her eyes and she instinctively closed them. He felt her balance shift and he flipped them both over till he was on top and she had her neck on the rope. He drove his knee into her gut and wrapped the rope around her neck.

He pulled.

Lan Jia bucked and thrashed under him like a wild bull. Xie Jin’s sloppy pin failed and Lan Jia sat up. He wrapped more rope around her neck and spun behind her, sitting on her back and squeezing her arms with his legs. It was ugly and disgraceful. He pulled the rope taut and Lan Jia flushed red.

Whatever commotion going on in the crowd he couldn’t hear it focused as he was on choking Lan Jia. Hopefully, no one would intervene, he would really have to run if that happened.

“Xie Jin?”

A voice called out to him and he ignored it, Lan Jia was beginning to gasp whoever was trying to stop him would have to throw him off.

“Xie Jin.”

It was strange that someone was calling his name. If it was someone who knew him well enough like that then they shouldn’t be trying to stop him.

“Xie Jin.” Someone was tapping his shoulder.

“What!” He whipped his head around and found a girl with steel-grey hair calmy watching him.

“A moment of your time please,” she said.

He stared. Lan Jia sputtered. “I’m a little busy right now.”

“I can wait.”

“It’s not a matter of waiting…” He turned back to Lan Jia while racking his brain for just who this girl was. He gave the ropes one final pulls and Lan Jia’s eyes rolled into the back of her head. He felt her grip slacken and he held on for two more seconds before releasing her. She slumped over and he pushed himself off her and patted his dusty clothes.

“Do I know you?” he asked his next problem.

“My master is Lady Lan Fen, I assume you are acquainted?”

He frowned. “I am, is there any news from them?”

“My Master asks if you’d like to leave the city.”

Looking at the strange servant of Brother Chen’s scary wife, Xie Jin wondered once more if he should have ever left home.

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Today's chapter marks my first ever late chapter. Naturally it is all XKARNATIONS fault. Please blame him.