~~~

“Disciple Qing Jin, Lady Ling requires your presence.”

That Lu Mei’s warning proves prophetic comes as no surprise. From the moment Liu Jin made the choice to associate with Feng Hao, he had known something like this was inevitable. If anything, Liu Jin is surprised it has taken this long for anyone to approach him.

The two servants that show up at his doorstep are not particularly strong. Should Liu Jin send them away, they would not be able to take him by force. Of course, if he does that, it will be a Core Disciple who seeks him out next time.

That is a scenario he’d rather avoid.

“It would be my pleasure to accept Lady Ling’s invitation.”

Lu Mei is in the Medical Pavilion. Khong Hu is in the Apothecary. Huang Shing is still in the middle of isolation training. That leaves Bei Hong as the only one Liu Jin can trust with his eagle, which should be fine.

Hopefully.

The walk to their destination goes by in silence. The Eternal Flame Clan’s compound is vast, far larger than any city Liu Jin has been in. However, the compound is… sparse. It is made of lone buildings separated by vast distances. The Sparring Hall, the Medical Pavilion, and the Apothecary are small islands surrounded by a sea of white tiles. Even though Liu Jin has lived in the compound for a while now, there are many areas he has yet to see. The Division of Exploration. The Technique Hall. The Main House.

Lady Ling’s mansion.

It is perhaps a tad smaller than the Inner Disciple’s quarters. However, unlike the Inner Disciple’s quarters, this property only has one owner.

Lady Ling.

Feng Hao’s mother.

Originally, she was just one of Lord Feng Gui’s many concubines. Lady Ling did not even live in the main compound but rather stayed in one of the Eternal Flame Clan’s branches where Lord Feng Gui would often visit her. However, the strength of her son, as well as the death of Lord Feng Gui’s main wife, had significantly boosted her position within the hierarchy of the Eternal Flame Clan.

Should Lord Feng Gui become the next Patriarch, Lady Ling will most likely move into the main house with him.

That is not to imply her mansion is lacking in grandeur. It is, after all, a mansion. On the outside, it is surrounded by a beautiful garden. On the inside, it is luxuriously decorated, ostentatiously so even, with ornaments of gold and jade every couple of steps. It has a large courtyard at its center.

“Lady Ling waits for you inside,” one of the servants tells him as they stop before a set of doors. They will not go any further than this, an example Liu Jin wishes he could follow.

Taking a deep breath, he opens the door and kneels.

“Lady Ling, this one has received your summons and now presents himself before you.”

A soft, melodic laugh reaches his ears.

“Oh my, such a proper lad. Please, do come in.”

Liu Jin lifts his head and gets his first look at Lady Ling.

Unsurprisingly, she is an attractive woman with a figure that will enchant ninety-nine out of a hundred men without fail. Her black hair is done in an elaborate hairstyle with jade pins and flowers holding it in place. She wears red, the color of the Eternal Flame Clan, but her robes are far more ostentatious than even those of the Elders and cling to her body in a way that is most assuredly intentional.

Liu Jin makes his way to her with as much poise as he can muster. The room he is walking into is full of reds and purples and decorated with gold.

“It has been so long since someone new has visited me,” Lady Ling says as he sits. “I do appreciate you humoring my wishes.”

“I would not dream of declining your invitation, my lady.”

Again, the same melodic laugh reaches his ears. Liu Jin imagines quite a few men have been lulled into a stupor by it.

“What a charming young man you are.” Her green eyes shine. “Handsome too. Oh, if I were a few decades younger!”

Liu Jin does his best to keep his expression neutral.

“Please, do not joke about such things, Lady Ling. This disciple would not dare dream of competing with Lord Feng Gui.”

“That would be a problem, wouldn’t it?” She laughs again. “Very well, I shall not tease you too much.”

Liu Jin inclines his head. “My lady has my deepest gratitude.”

“Not at all. It is I who should be thanking you. You have been such good company to my son lately.”

There it is.

She brings it up without changing the inflection on her voice. The look in her eyes remains the same. Her smile does not change.

Yet, Liu Jin cannot help but feel nervous.

“He’s trying to keep you a secret,” Lady Ling tells him in a conspiratorial whisper. Making fun of the very idea that a secret is something Feng Hao can have. “The poor dear thinks he has done a good job of getting away from his guards. Ah, youth. He is precious. Don’t you think so?”

“Young Master Feng Hao is a bright child.”

“Bright,” Lady Ling repeats, her full lips forming the word with care. “I like that. He is my dear bright child. Tell me something, have you wondered why I summoned you?”

“The thought did cross my mind, my lady.”

Liu Jin knew someone would approach him if he kept meeting Feng Hao. However, for someone as important as Lady Ling to summon him is a little unusual. Liu Jin would have expected her to use an intermediary, not to meet him face to face.

“I love my son very much,” Lady Ling says, looking off to the side, a wistful look on her face. ”We all do. He carries on his shoulders the future of the Eternal Flame Clan.”

“That is a mighty responsibility for one so young.”

“Quite, and yet he must bear it. Ah, my poor child. So young. So naive. So overly trusting.” Lady Ling sighs melodramatically. “As his mother, I cannot say I approve of him having become so close to a stranger in such a short amount of time. That is why I needed to see you with my own eyes. Surely, you can understand that?”

Liu Jin inclines his head in acknowledgment. “Naturally, Lady Ling. It was not my intention to become overly familiar with Young Master Feng Hao. I merely…”

Merely what?

“Merely complied with Young Master’s orders.”

“Is that so? My son has some of the best tutors in the Eternal Flame Clan instructing him, yet he goes to you for lessons? No, do not answer that.” Lady Ling shakes her head. “The truth is I can almost believe it. My Little Hao is so very stubborn sometimes. And yet…”

Her eyes narrow. Her Qi suddenly spikes.

Heaven Realm, Level Nine.

Even if she had initially been a concubine, Lady Ling is still a woman Lord Feng Gui chose to have a child with. Her strength may not be as mighty as that of most Elders, but she’s still far stronger than him.

“You are someone who went with that little monster to Night Phantasm City.”

Liu Jin blinks.

Little monster?

“Do you mean to say Young Master Feng Zhi, my lady?”

“Do. Not.” Her menacing intent spikes, pressing down on his head. “Say that name in my presence.”

A second passes. Her Qi returns to normal. The pressure over his head vanishes.

“Surely, there is no need to show any respect to that,” Lady Ling says with a perfectly dismissive wave of her hand. “It is enough for you to call my son Young Master. An inferior product from an inferior woman does not merit any acknowledgment.”

Ah, so it is like this.

Feng Hao and Feng Zhi may share the same father, but they do not share the same mother.

For Lady Ling, Feng Zhi is nothing but a potential obstacle in Feng Hao’s way. Right now, it is Lord Feng Gui and Lord Feng Shang who are quarreling with each other. Who is to say Feng Hao and Feng Zhi won’t take their roles in the future?

“My son seems to like you,” Lady Ling tells him, her words heavy with meaning. “It would be a shame if the trust he has placed on you were to be betrayed.”

“My lady, I would never do such a thing to Young Master Feng Hao.”

“Good. See that you don’t. Pray you never make an enemy out of me, child.”

“I would never dare betray you or your son, my lady,” Liu Jin says with as much sincerity as he can.

Lady Ling holds his gaze for several seconds. Searching. Testing. Measuring.

A smile blooms on her face.

“I see. Oh, but where are my manners? I have not had any tea brought in yet, have I? We simply must remedy that! You can speak to me about my son and his progress while we drink. Would that be a problem?”

“No, my lady. It would be my pleasure.”

~~~

Lady Ling keeps him talking for hours. She never threatens or tries to attack him. She remains perfectly charming throughout.

It is still a very tense meeting, and Liu Jin can only be glad that it is over.

He walks back to the Inner Disciple’s quarters alone. There is no need for the servants to escort him this time, although Liu Jin doesn’t doubt they will escort him back to Lady Ling’s house in the near future.

Liu Jin shakes his head.

He had expected things to grow complicated, but he had not expected them to do so in this manner. He thought his main problem in the Eternal Flame Clan would be to rise to a high enough position to be listened to by people who can enact actual change. Instead, he’s slowly being caught in a feud between brothers who use their children as pieces on a board.

If Lady Ling is like this, Liu Jin has no desire to meet Lord Feng Shang’s wife.

He frowns as he finally reaches his room but does not close the door. Not yet.

“Would you please come out?” he says as he takes a seat. “I do not appreciate being followed.”

One moment, he’s alone.

The next, a servant appears before to him. He is of average height and androgynous appearance.

“To think Disciple Qing was able to sense this one. Impressive.”

Liu Jin’s eyes narrow. “I have met you before. You are… one of Feng Zhi’s servants.”

He saw this person when they were on the flame-wheeled wagons on their way to Night Phantasm City. He had been one of the servants they had taken with them.

“I thank Disciple Qing for putting this lowly one in his eyes. If Disciple Qing already knows this one’s identity, then explaining my purpose should be easy.”

Liu Jin wants to sigh. He also wants to hit something.

He does neither. He merely looks at the servant with an expression that rapidly approaches resignation.

“Feng Zhi sent you.”

“It is as Disciple Qing says.” The servant reaches into his robes and pulls out a letter. With his head still bowed and his knees on the ground, he holds it out to him. “Please, accept this.”

Begrudgingly, Liu Jin takes it.

“Thank you, Disciple Qing,” the servant says before vanishing.

For someone who is “just” a servant, that person is unexpectedly fast and stealthy. Liu Jin sighs as he closes his door and activates the talismans that ensure his privacy before opening the letter.

Whatever games Elder Xue and others are playing, leave my younger brother out of them. You performed adequately in Night Phantasm City. It is clear to me you are someone with potential.

Do not give me cause to end it.

It is a threat.

It is most definitely a threat.

Liu Jin sighs as the paper almost immediately burns and turns into ashes. This… this has been a truly poor day.

As if to punctuate his statement, someone chooses that moment to knock on his door.

Liu Jin wants to ignore it.

He really, really wants to.

The knocking grows more insistent.

“Brother... Qing... are you… are you in here? They told me this was your room.”

No.

Not possible.

Liu Jin punches the air next to him. The motion is so fast the crack of sound resounds throughout his room. That is the most annoyance he allows himself to show.

When he opens the door, Pan Qiu is right there. Liu Jin wants to demand what it is that Pan Qiu thinks he is doing, but his appearance gives him pause. He is sweaty and breathing heavily, his skin so pale he can see blue veins beneath the surface.

“Ah, so it is your room,” Pan Qiu says, panting. “I just… I thought…”

“Did you sneak out of the Medical Pavilion again?”

Pan Qiu immediately shakes his head, his face anxious. “No, that’s not it. They let me go. They always let me go. It’s just… I had gotten so used to feeling ill I hadn’t noticed how bad it was until you healed me.”

Liu Jin frowns.

No. Surely not. That would mean the state he had found Pan Qiu in had not been the exception but the norm. It meant the Medical Pavilion kept him like that on purpose. He understood Pan Qiu needs to eat different poisons as punishment, but if his condition is always this bad, how are they expected to test the effectiveness of the poisons? That doesn’t make sense.

“I realize we have had our differences…” Pan Qiu keeps his eyes on the ground as he says this. His head is bowed, but not by choice.”But could you please… could you… treat me again.”

Silence.

That is Liu Jin’s answer, and the silence stretches for several seconds. It stretches until Pan Qiu’s shoulders sag in defeat.

“I understand… I will just…”

Liu Jin moves out of the way, making space for Pan Qiu to step inside.

“Come in.”

~~~

Last time, Liu Jin had quickly treated Pan Qiu by removing the poison from his body. It hadn’t been particularly difficult. Cultivators naturally expelled impurities from their bodies. Some just happened to be much better at it than others. Liu Jin, for example, is someone who can selectively and actively expel any substance from his body. He has far more control over the process than the average cultivator.

Pan Qiu does not. He has to rely on his body’s natural defenses to deal with the poison. When Liu Jin healed him, he had just given those defenses a little help. Regardless, there had been no need for him to take an in-depth look at Pan Qiu’s body.

It’s different now. Liu Jin takes his time examining Pan Qiu’s meridians under the dim light of his room. He sends small pulses of Qi into Pan Qiu’s body to take in the states of his organs and dantian.

Something is wrong.

“Is everything okay?” Pan Qiu asks. His voice quivers slightly as he talks. Liu Jin had expected he would grow impatient once he had removed the poison from his body, but Pan Qiu keeps behaving in a surprisingly meek manner instead.

“No. I don’t think it is.”

“What is it? What is wrong? Is there still poison in me? Have I been damaged?!”

Liu Jin doesn’t answer right away. He’s too busy trying to recognize what he’s sensing. There are slight alterations in Pan Qiu’s dantian. They are very, very small. Like a frame tilted a few millimeters to the right. Not noticeable at a glance, but the more you look at it, the more you start to realize something is off.

It feels familiar.

This is something Liu Jin has seen before, but how could that make sense? Not a single patient he has treated has had something like this. It is an issue so minor most would ignore it. In fact, why is he assuming it is an alteration? It could simply be a quirk of Pan Qiu’s dantian. Not all have exactly the same shape.

Yet, why does it still feel like he has seen this before?

Suddenly, it clicks.

It is as if lightning has struck his brain. For a moment, he goes perfectly still.

“Is something wrong?”

Liu Jin is on his feet in a flash, his hands already rummaging through his spatial pouch. Herbs. Money. Fangs. Claws. Cores. No. None of those are it. Where is it? Where is it?

There!

The notes feel familiar on his hand. The stacks of paper hit the floor one after another as Liu Jin goes through them, his eyes darting from page to page.

“Brother Qing…” Pan Qiu speaks up from behind him. His voice is hesitant and carries no small amount of fear. “What is going on?”

A large smile spreads across Liu Jin’s face. This is it! He understands! He finally understands! It is not exactly the same, but the principle!

The principle is the same!

It is the same… and that’s not a good thing. If the Medical Pavilion is responsible for Pan Qiu’s condition, that would mean...

His smile fades. He turns towards Pan Qiu with a solemn look on his face.

“We may have a problem.”

~~~