~~~

A disciple from External Relations bursts into Liu Jin’s office and glares at him with stormy blue eyes. It is the second time in as many days this has happened; it is even the same disciple. Predictably, he leads with the same words.

“How much further do you think you can insult us!”

Liu Jin sighs as he looks down at many documents on his desk. Should he be happy he is being distracted from this tediousness? Should he be angry that these tedious tasks will now inevitably take longer to finish? Since when did organizing shifts and reviewing daily reports become things he has to do? This is the Eternal Flame Clan, is it not? Are the disciples here meant to learn how to fight or to pursue the Dao of Bureaucracy?

If Master could hear him, he’d probably say such a Dao exists and leave him wondering whether he’s joking or not. His father would know the truth, but he’d decline to comment, possibly to spare Liu Jin the headache.

“Well? Do you have nothing to say for yourself?!”

Liu Jin raises an eyebrow with deliberate slowness and leans back against his seat. “I was unaware there was any need for me to say anything. Surely, the situation has already been explained to Brother Yuan’s satisfaction. Or is there, perhaps, something he still fails to understand that he must interfere with my work so vehemently?”

Yuan Yi’s lips twist into a snarl as he draws himself to his full height. Though only three years older than Liu Jin, he stands two heads taller than him. His Qi, which marks him as someone in the Fifth Level of the Spirit Realm, blazes around him, further magnifying his presence.

“You dare!”

Liu Jin’s red eyes narrow. His Qi does not rise so much as it coils around his body.

Yuan Yi instinctively leans away from him.

“You are the one who dares, Brother Yuan. You dare barge in where you are not wanted. You dare interrupt my work to discuss an issue that has already been settled.”

“Settled?” Yuan Yi echoes incredulously. His hands twitch at his sides as if he wanted to squeeze something with them. “What is settled about the Medical Pavilion refusing to give out medicine?!”

“The Medical Pavilion is not doing any such thing,” Liu Jin immediately corrects. “We simply cannot afford to distribute that which may be contaminated. Do you not remember Elder Xun’s verdict? Do you mean to imply he was wrong? Am I to take that as the official position of the Division of External Relations?”

As expected, Yuan Yi immediately backtracks. “Of course not!”

“Then understand why we do what we do,” Liu Jin tells him. His fingers tap against his desk at a slow rhythm. “Elder Cheung was experimenting on disciples for the sake of harvesting their dantian. There is no telling what someone like that could have done to the many elixirs and medicines we have in storage. For all we know, we could end up giving out poison by accident. It would be reckless for us to distribute them without first making sure they have not been tampered with.”

Hence, the Medical Pavilion has stopped sending medicine to the capital, leaving those in the Crimson Cloud Tournament with few supplies to draw from. As far as reasons to sabotage Lord Feng Shang go, it is not a bad one. Liu Jin would go as far as to say it is a decently reasonable fear.

It is still just an excuse. So far, they have not found any signs the medicine in storage has been modified in any harmful way.

“Brother Qing certainly said those words yesterday, yet it seems to me the Medical Pavilion has no problems giving out medicine to the disciples who come here. Why, then, is it so hard to send supplies to the capital?”

The muscles on Yuan Yi’s neck are so tense it is a wonder he manages to get any words out.

“Brother Yuan, the disciples who come here, do so because of minor injuries,” Liu Jin says, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his desk, lacing his fingers together. “Simple remedies such as those can be made overnight. For most common injuries, we do not even need to waste resources. A simple technique will do. The needs of Core Disciples are not so easily met. You cannot possibly expect us to produce such high-quality remedies so quickly.”

By the time they have enough made to send over, the Crimson Cloud Tournament will be over.

What a truly regrettable set of circumstances.

“But why am I even telling Brother Yuan this?” A small, terse laugh escapes Liu Jin’s mouth. His palm hits the desk with a little too much force. “Did we not have this exact same conversation yesterday? Lord Feng Shang will receive what he needs when we can provide it. Until then, our hands are, regrettably, tied. You are free to tell that to Elder Fa. “

Liu Jin takes his eyes off Yuan Yi, doing his best to ignore the heat rising in his gut. He had almost been done working out the night shift when Yuan Yi broke into his office. He just needed a couple of-

Yuan Yi’s palm slams against his desk.

“You dare treat me as a mere messenger?! As a servant to be dismissed?!”

“Elder Fa dares treat you as a mere messenger,” Liu Jin points out. “I merely honor him by following his example.”

Is he perhaps being too antagonistic?

Absolutely.

Liu Jin is thankfully aware enough of himself to recognize that. It is unfair of him to take out his frustrations on someone in a similar position. Yuan Yi is doing Elder Fa’s bidding in the same way Liu Jin is doing Elder Xue’s bidding.

They are both simply playing their roles.

However, because they are both playing their roles, Liu Jin knows where this is heading. There is no sense in pretending otherwise. Now that things have reached this point, Yuan Yi will do the same thing he did yesterday.

That he must lose time to this farce has Liu Jin rather… nettled.

“Qing Jin, I challenge you!”

There it is.

~~~

Every disciple in the Eternal Flame Clan can make three guaranteed challenges per day. As the name implies, the person receiving a guaranteed challenge cannot turn it down. Even if a Core Disciple were to be challenged by an Outer one, it is not allowed for the Core Disciple to walk away. No matter how much of a waste of time it is, no matter how beneath him it is, so long as he hasn’t already accepted three other guaranteed challenges during the same day, he can only accept it.

Ever since the trial, guaranteed challenges between disciples who support Lord Feng Gui and disciples who support Lord Feng Shang have seen a surge in popularity. Indeed, Yuan Yi and Liu Jin do not fail to draw a crowd as they face each other in front of the Medical Pavilion. Some are disciples who followed them as they walked out of the building. Others are disciples who came with Yuan Yi but had not been allowed inside the Medical Pavilion as only one person is needed to deliver a message.

“Pathetic!” Yuan Yi yells out. “You do not even have the gall to step into the Sparring Hall with me?”

The reaction from the crowd is all too predictable. The disciples from External Relations cheer and echo Yuan Yi’s words, calling Liu Jin a coward, gutless, and many such things. Those from the Apothecary and Medical Pavilion attack Yuan Yi instead.

There is, however, one person whose words manage to break through all the heckling.

“Oh?” A pair of clear brown eyes blink owlishly. “And why should Brother Qing do that?”

Yuan Yi glares at the girl who just spoke. Though their cultivation levels are the same, their appearances could not be more different. Unlike the tall and imposing Yuan Yi, whose muscles are visible even when he is wearing robes, the girl is short and thin to the point of looking frail, almost doll-like. Unlike Lu Mei who is blooming into a woman of alluring, unforgettable beauty, this girl, with her short brown hair, could pass for a child with the right clothing.

She is Fan Bingbing, one of the disciples loaned by Elder Ju to Elder Xue.

Though not the strongest among them, Fan Bingbing acts as the representative between Liu Jin and the disciples of the Exploration Division. It would not be proper for the Core Disciples to lower themselves to interacting with Liu Jin. That is simply the way of things. Outer Disciples are for everyone to command, but only the Elders can give orders to Core Disciples.

“The rules of the Eternal Flame Clan say we cannot decline a guaranteed challenge,” Fan Bingbing continues. “Nowhere do they say the challenge must be held in the Sparring Hall. It would be good of Brother Yuan to educate himself further lest he brings shame to the Division of External Relations.”

Fan Bingbing says it all in a dull monotone, but that does not stop Yuan Yi’s face from twitching with anger, an anger which grows when some of the disciples around them laugh.

“This does not concern you!” Yuan Yi hisses.

“Oh, is that so? My apologies then. I will endeavor not to correct Brother Yuan next time he makes a mistake.”

Though some people laugh, there is no hint of mischief in Fan Bingbing’s eyes. She truly meant everything she just said.

As Yuan Yi is about to step towards Fan Bingbing, Liu Jin flares his Qi, forcing Yuan Yi’s attention back to him. “Brother Yuan, why are you wasting time when you are the one who issued the challenge? If you are thinking of challenging Sister Fan instead, by all means, make your choice right now.”

“I would not recommend it,” Fan Bingbing says, hands folded behind her back. “I would not be as kind in my victory as Brother Qing.”

Yuan Yi’s face twitches. “You take it for granted I will lose?”

The opening is too good for Liu Jin to ignore.

“Why should today be any different from yesterday?”

That does it. The crowd, which had given them a wide berth from the start, backs away even further as flames flicker around Yuan Yi’s body. Even Fan Bingbing quickly moves away from them.

[Raging Flame Burst]

Liu Jin uses [Ground Contraction] as crimson flames devour the field. People cover their faces and look away as the brilliant fire swallows everything and rises several yards into the sky. Yesterday, Yuan Yi only used this technique right at the end. Now, he leads the fight with it. Regardless, the method for dealing with it remains the same.

As soon as the flames start fading, Liu Jin dashes in, spear in hand.

Through the roiling smoke and flickering embers, Yuan Yi meets his eyes and smiles.

[Raging Flame Burst]

The technique bathes everything in fire once more. Liu Jin’s heart leaps inside his chest as he barely switches direction in time. However, Yuan Yi is not content to let him be. He does not wait for the explosion to fade but goes right for Liu Jin, his body rising from the fire like the ashes cast out by a volcanic eruption.

[Raging Flame Burst]

Liu Jin grits his teeth and brings forth Qi as the fire hits. This is not at all like yesterday; Yuan Yi has become a living volcano. The cobblestone floor melts. The air itself is distorted by heat that would kill lesser men.

[Raging Flame Burst]

Ah.

So that’s how it is.

Should he just let Yuan Yi tire himself out then?

No. Liu Jin frowns. Doing that will play into Yuan Yi’s hands. There is really only one way to handle this.

Lightning crackles around Liu Jin as he dashes towards the center of the flames. Liu Jin has less than a hundredth of a second to appreciate Yuan Yi’s widening eyes before his technique engulfs them both in flames once more.

Liu Jin grits his teeth and bears it.

Yuan Yi’s cultivation may be higher than his, but he’s using his power too recklessly. By spreading it over such a large area, he weakens its potency. Meanwhile, Liu Jin’s lightning is tightly coiled around his body, focusing and magnifying his power.

In a battle of heat, the winner is Liu Jin.

Spear meets fist. The reinforced weapon draws a deep gash on Yuan Yi’s arm. Blood spurts out only to immediately evaporate, heat searing the wound shut. Someone yells out something. Liu Jin cannot make out the words over the roar of the flames. He can barely see. All he has to go on is Yuan Yi’s Qi.

That is enough.

Again and again, the two clash in the middle of the inferno as everything around them burns and melts, and the fire rises higher and higher. It is a wild, frantic dance, and for a moment, Liu Jin allows himself to cut loose. The spear is swung harder and faster each time, becoming more akin to a club as Liu Jin takes out his frustration on Yuan Yi, scoring three and four hits for every one of his.

It does not take long for Yuan Yi’s movements to slow down and falter. Keeping his [Raging Flame Burst] going all the time may be useful for dealing with those weaker than him, but in a match like this, it was just a waste of energy.

“Winner, Qing Jin!”

Of course, Yuan Yi likely knew that already.

“Brother Qing, I challenge you!”

The smoke has not even finished clearing. The cobblestone floor is more akin to muddy water, and smoke rises from Liu Jin’s body.

Yet, a disciple dares makes his challenge.

A bitter smile appears on Liu Jin’s face as his suspicions are confirmed. Yuan Yi knew he would lose like he did yesterday. His strategy was never to win. Rather, he sought to wear him down for his next contender.

“Ah, so that’s why Brother Yuan fought in such a peculiar way today. Shall I feel flattered? If I am to be honest, I don’t think I am worth all this effort.”

“This one does not understand what Brother Qing is talking about,” the disciple who has just challenged him says. Like Yuan Yi, he’s in the Fifth Level of the Spirit Realm. “This one was just so moved by Brother Qing’s fight he saw no other alternative but to seek guidance from him.”

Liu Jin holds his face in his hand and laughs.

“Of course.”

This is not the first time Liu Jin has been challenged by disciples from other divisions. Ever since Elder Xue took over the Medical Pavilion, the challenges against him have increased. Thankfully, none of them have come from Core Disciples. If a Core Disciple challenged him without a solid motive, it’d just be an assassination, and everyone would treat it as such. However, it’s a different story if something happens to him while fighting an Inner Disciple. Any harm that befalls him then will be treated as a tragic accident.

Still, this is the first time someone has tried this approach on him.

As he gets ready for his second fight that day, it occurs to Liu Jin that he may be capable of scoring a surprise hit with [Art of the Roaming Thief] and quickly end the match. However, doing so would mean revealing the technique to those watching. There are too many eyes on him, studying his style and probing it for weaknesses, to do that.

“They will keep challenging you because they are not afraid of you,” Lu Mei had told him a few days ago. Unfortunately, she is right. He is not the sort who sees spars as an excuse to mangle his opponent. Even if he did, he’d probably fix them up not soon after doing so.

That means people can challenge him without fear.

“The Empire fell into disorder once the Black Storm Dragon vanished. While many had been against him, it had been his power that kept the Empire whole. It had been through terror that the Empire had been united...”

Lei Kong’s words flash through his mind in the middle of the fight.

What does it say about people when terror is deemed necessary for order?

“Winner, Qing Jin!”

“Brother Qing, I challenge you!”

Another fighter steps up. If Liu Jin cripples him, will the challenges stop? Maybe not, but people will be forced to think twice before doing so. How should that be called?

Carefully applied cruelty?

Necessary cruelty?

At what point does it become just cruelty?

If he sat down with this person and talked to him, if he explained himself properly and reasoned with him, would he stop fighting him? Can he honestly expect that of someone? If Liu Jin were to meet a person who told him, “Please, put aside your goals, for I have goals of my own.” Would he listen to that person?

Probably not.

Is this what his father grappled with? Is that why he chose cruelty and fear? If so, he can begin to understand it. Or rather, he can understand the frustration and the allure born from that frustration.

Yet, that is not his path.

However, this...

“Winner, Qing Jin!”

“A marvelous performance, Brother Jin,” Khong Hu tells him. Liu Jin had not seen him at the start so he must have come out to watch at some point during the second match.

“It was well done,” Fan Bingbing says with a nod so slight one could be forgiven for thinking it a mere trick of the light.

“Thank you,” Liu Jin says, taking a deep breath. “However, it occurs to me that our brethren from the Division of External Relations have come in search of guidance, yet only three have been able to receive some from me. I do not wish for the others to feel left out.”

The disciples from External Relations, who had been picking up their fallen brethren, freeze in place as all eyes suddenly turn to them.

“Perhaps,” Liu Jin goes on. “Some here wish to volunteer.”

“An excellent idea,” Khong Hu says.

“Interesting.”

Surely, there has to be another way.

~~~