81 – You’re Finally Awake

The sixth day of the tournament began. I stood just outside the viewing room on the central tower, still processing everything Elder Yinyue had divulged the day before.

Our Tianhe Sect had come here to recruit as many talents as possible, relationships with other sects be damned. Apparently the repeated attempts on my life, and on the lives of those traveling with me, had finally crossed a line. Elder Yinyue explained that the Sect Leader had chosen to intervene only now because, unlike the ambush at the foot of Lingshan, this time other disciples of the sect had also been targeted. It was no longer being treated as a personal grudge against me alone, but as a deliberate attack on the sect itself.

With relations already strained by the killings my party had carried out in the Southern Mountain Range, the Tianhe Sect had decided that empty platitudes and conciliatory gestures would achieve nothing. Instead, they would take a hard stance. I still wasn’t sure whether that was the right call. It felt like one of those situations where you were damned if you did and damned if you didn’t. Pushing this hard would almost certainly isolate Tianhe further and pile more enemies at the gates. We were only one sect, after all. I had visited only a single other sect so far and had no clear sense of how we compared in overall strength, but the direction was obvious.

On the other hand, doing nothing would signal that our disciples could be attacked with impunity. Not openly, of course, but the message would still be clear: those disciples were expendable. That perception might form regardless of whether we antagonized everyone or not. Did the Tianhe Sect already have some larger plan in mind?

Elder Yinyue had concluded that I had handled my role well so far and simply needed to see it through. She also warned that other sects and noble families might still try something, whether or not they fully understood our intentions. In essence, when the time for recruitment came, I would serve as the convenient scapegoat for all their hostility.

That made it the third time I had been used as a distraction.

You know what? I might as well start advertising the service properly.

The Great Xuan Danxing Distraction Service

Will absorb attention, hostile or otherwise, for a reasonable fee!

WOLOLO WOLOLO!

The worst part was that I couldn’t even work up any real anger about it. I knew I should feel outraged, but my brain had absolutely no emotional context for this kind of treatment. All the indignation simply defaulted into the gaping maw of the “extended chores and additional job responsibilities” section of my mind.

Fuck it.

I was going to demand compensation from Elder Yinyue! Then from the Sect Leader! And finally from my father! Being paid triple for this unscheduled, out-of-scope chore seemed like the bare minimum.

Then I heard footsteps approaching from the side. Scholar Liu finally reached the top of the tower. He paused for a brief moment when he saw me, then continued forward as though nothing unusual had occurred. It seemed he, too, had heard the prevailing interpretation that my earlier actions had been a publicity stunt. I considered for a moment what to say.

“Greetings Scholar Liu.”

“Greetings young master Xuan.”

We exchanged formalities.

“I would like to…”

He raised a hand, cutting me off, and delivered a prepared response with his eyes closed. “None of that is necessary. Whether it was intentional or not does not matter to me. What matters is the result, I am now employed by the Wànlì Merchant Guild, and that has allowed me to prepare something of value for my own disciple.”

“You have a disciple?” I asked politely.

“Yes. I took her in only recently. A brilliant and clever little girl,” he said with clear pride.

“Oho. Did she enter the tournament?”

“Ha! I wish. She is still too young, and by the time of the next tournament she will already be too old.” He let out a quiet sigh. “Unfortunate timing. But enough pleasantries. We have work to do.”

If I still had lips, I might have smiled. At least older, professional coworkers still existed in this world.

“Of course.” I opened the door. “Shall we?”

The two of us entered the central tower. I announced the beginning of the second preliminary rounds. The previous day’s matches had reduced the original five hundred and twelve participants by half. Today’s rounds would continue cutting the field until only sixteen pairs remained for the final day tomorrow. Each remaining participant needed three consecutive victories to secure a place. Frankly, I hoped something more interesting would occur. So far most of the fights had ended with little spectacle.

—

Hanmei trailed after Qianxue at a careful distance. Her senior sister never missed an opportunity to place herself above the others, sometimes through subtle manipulation, sometimes through genuine help when her mood was good. So when Qianxue suddenly announced that she needed to “address something” and left alone, Hanmei could not help but grow suspicious. It was exactly the same method Qianxue had used to quietly recruit her and several other sisters for the earlier hunt against the Xuan without the rest of the group knowing.

She followed her into the noble district, struggling to keep up. Her movement arts and stealth techniques simply could not compare to Qianxue’s. That alone deepened her unease. When Qianxue finally landed in a secluded garden, Hanmei hesitated. Following her own senior sister like this felt uncomfortably close to betrayal. Yet curiosity and suspicion won out. She edged closer, fully aware that she lacked any real skill at concealing her presence or divine sense.

“What did you steal this time?” Qianxue’s voice carried a note of genuine horror.

“Does it matter?” answered a man Hanmei did not recognize. “Remember, you owe me.”

“What do you need?”

Their conversation continued, centering on the City Lord’s permit. The two were so absorbed in their discussion that they failed to notice Hanmei listening nearby. That changed the moment Qianxue made her demand.

“Just brush this against the female Tianhe Sect disciple, the one with the elaborate bracelet. Then let nature take its course.” Qianxue handed the man a small Yin crystal. “You should be able to do that without being seen, correct?”

“I do not do murder,” the man objected.

“Please. Don’t pretend the things you steal never lead to someone dying. This is no different. Do this, and you won’t have to worry about the permit.”

What followed was a cascade of mistakes.

The realization that her senior sister intended to kill Ningguang shattered Hanmei’s composure. Even after everything that had happened with the Xuan, relations between the Jiushuang Sect and the Tianhe Sect had remained largely cordial. The sudden lapse in concentration was enough for the two to notice her. She tried to flee, but the unknown man closed the distance in seconds, moving far faster than she could react. Then her attempt to fight back was quickly ended with Qianxue wielding a dagger, her swing aimed at her neck. Qianxue’s bloodthirsty expression was the last thing she saw. 

Hanmei gasped awake in an unfamiliar room. She needed to warn the others immediately.

“Hey, you. You’re finally awake.”

An out of place voice stopped her cold. At the edge of the bed sat a small doll fashioned to look like the Xuan, complete with extra floof.

“H-huh? Wha…?”

“Don’t be alarmed. This is only an illusion and a countermeasure, in case anyone tries something.” The doll raised one tiny hand as it spoke.

Noticing her completely dumbstruck expression, it raised both arms and made a bold offer.

“Want some huggies?”

“Wuh!”

Before the doll could react further, Hanmei snatched it up and hugged it tightly against her chest. “So cute!” she squealed, rubbing her face against the soft plush.

“I never thought this would actually work,” the doll muttered as her chest pressed against its face. “I think your mind is still a little addled from being unconscious.”

“Now that’s rude.” Hanmei lifted the doll up to eye level.

“My apologies. Would you like me to call a physician, or do you need more time alone?” the Xuan plushie offered.

“Oh! I need to warn Ningguang! Senior Sister Qianxue…”

“The matter has already been resolved,” the plushie interrupted calmly. “What Jíyǐng stole has been returned. Qianxue was apprehended. Ningguang is fine. And you missed most of the excitement.”

Hanmei felt her shoulders loosen. Hearing that everything had been settled left her relieved… yet also strangely powerless. It took longer for her thoughts to settle.

Excitement? 

“Right, the tournament!” she finally remembered. “We were supposed to be representing our sect.”

“You missed the examination phase, but the second day of the combat tournament is still ongoing.” The Xuan plushie projected a mirror in the air so she could watch the matches.

“So… Master of Ceremonies? That’s quite the promotion.” With nothing more urgent to say, Hanmei settled into small talk, recognizing the central tower from which the view was being projected.

“Well, this and that happened.”

“Who’s the favorite to win? Anyone interesting so far?”

“You know, I don’t really pay that much attention. The current favorite is a boy named Bai Chengbei. There’s also a dark horse called Qín Wèimíng, apparently he has severed meridians but is still advancing purely through talismans and prepared formation arrays. Then there’s… hmm. That’s odd. There’s a girl who also performed quite well, but her name eludes me.”

The projection first showed Bai Chengbei seated and waiting for his next match, then shifted to Qín Wèimíng on the opposite side, sweating as he tried to stabilize his Qi while meditating. The view jumped around several more times, failing to locate the girl the Xuan had mentioned.

“Ah well. I’m sure she’ll turn up again,” the Xuan said offhandedly.

“Is everything really resolved?” Hanmei asked, seemingly influenced by the uncertainty in his tone.

“Hmmm.” The plushie considered for a moment. “There’s a high chance Qianxue will be released. For various reasons. Her actions will most likely be settled between our respective sects instead.”

“I see,” Hanmei said quietly, the defeat clear in her voice.

“Will she not be punished by your sect?”

“Unfortunately, Qianxue is one of the Sect Leader’s favorites.”

“Uegh.” The plushie made a disgusted sound. “Sounds like more trouble. But we’ll manage. What about you?”

“I…” Hanmei’s words trailed off.

When this incident finally concluded, her position would be the most precarious of all. Qianxue would almost certainly receive only a light punishment. Hanmei herself would be safe for a time. That is until Qianxue returned with whatever superficial penalty the Sect Leader decided to impose. After that, there was no telling what her senior sister might do. One possible solution existed, but it was one she was unwilling to take. Cutting ties with the Jiushuang Sect and leaving entirely.

But it was effectively impossible. Cutting ties with a sect you belong to was a life and death matter. If she leaves on her own, She would be branded a traitor, and no other sect would take her in. Official permission from the Sect Leader was equally unlikely. The only way to leave with any dignity intact would be to reach Nascent Soul and depart under one’s own power.

“I’m fine,” Hanmei lied.

Something soft gently booped her nose.

“Stop lying,” the Xuan plushie said, its right arm stretching unnaturally to poke her.

Hanmei chuckled at the absurd sight. “Why are you a doll, anyway?”

“Research suggests that seeing something cute upon waking is generally beneficial,” the plushie stated matter-of-factly. “And looking at you now, I’m inclined to agree.”

Her chuckle turned into a soft laugh. “There’s research for that?”

“Of course. People get bored. There’s research on everything.”

On the projection, the crowd erupted as Bai Chengbei entered the arena once more. He brandished his spear, then swept it in one smooth motion. The surroundings turned white with ice. The resulting battle lasted less than a minute. Chengbei overpowered his opponent as usual, and the spectators, particularly the women, cheered even louder.

Hanmei settled back with a quiet exhale, an unexpected warmth settling in her chest. The Xuan plushie mimicked her, exhaling and letting the tip of its tongue loll out of its jaw.

“Can I just watch for a while without anyone else arriving?” she asked, referring to his earlier offer.

“Of course. Take your time.”

Feeling a little mischievous, Hanmei reached out, pinched the tip of the doll’s tongue, and pulled, stretching it farther from its jaw.

“Ow ow ow! what the fuck?!”

And so the second day of the combat tournament continued… and eventually came to an end.

~ Valarion