“Zhu Bi! What’s wrong? Answer me!” Alex's scream was more mental than physical, uttered in the heartbeats before he knew his eyes would open with a jolt, and he feared the tenuous link they shared, as if communicating from a vast distance chillingly closer than it should be, would be severed the instant he joined with his body once more. And even in that moment of dread, he knew he dare not put off that feat for even a heartbeat, lest the River of Souls claim its due at last.

And in a jolt of horrified understanding, he knew.

Zhu Bi’s panicked young mind joining with his own for just a moment in time.

Enough for him to recall her gentle concerned worry for her kung fu brother who had turned out to be both her beloved ancestor and a figure out of legend, looking no older than her youngest brother, with eyes a thousand years old. So she flashed a gentle smile as she gently knocked on Alex’s door, but dared no more, having seen as well as everyone else the strikingly beautiful women he had taken for consorts. And if he wanted absolute privacy in the heart of his own sanctuary, who could possibly blame him?

She only hoped he would allow her to help care for their kits, and she smiled at the thought of him naming name one of his children after Zhu Bi’s own clan, honoring their shared heritage, the connection of kin across countless centuries.

Only to feel her own heart skip a beat as the man who had utterly claimed her heart made her ears quiver with a gentle voice that was like honeyed wine to her soul. “I think our dearest friend has far more important things on his mind than yet another mundane supply trip. Let’s give him the same privacy he always knew to give us.”

Zhu Bi chuckled at that. “For all his protestations that his art required absolute abstinence, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if WiFu’s Chosen found a loophole to that pesky rule as much as any other.”

Yingpei laughed. “Our Alex does seem to have a knack for slipping past the strictures that tie the rest of us in knots. But as Master Gong noted, despite the absolute miraculous abundance of the most priceless Qi infused plants to be found anywhere, Alex’s realm has only the tiniest fraction of variety needed for a true alchemist to pursue his art. He’s simply inverted what is normally plentiful versus scarce. The good news is that the woodlands the gate links us to has literally hundreds of different varieties of herb, wildflower, and mushroom Master Gong needs to establish a cultivation garden that would make even Gold grandmasters jealous, with just a few more horticultural expeditions.”

Zhu Bi nodded. “Alex’s sanctuary is a wonder, but the library is sadly lacking any tomes on tattoos and talismans, for all that Lady Chun An made it clear that the library was blessed with several golden tomes she would be happy to let me make use of in the future, in pursuit of my own path forward. But now, with things as they are…” She patted her own belly before gazing into the loving eyes of her husband.

“She instead gave me the perfect tome for strengthening the greatest gift I could possibly hope to give. I’m just glad Alex’s gate opens so close to a major trade town. Hopefully we’ll be able to get all the mundane supplies we need, and perhaps even some practical crafting manuals some enterprising cultivator no doubt stocks for those with the gift eager to found their own villages or sanctuaries rich in spiritual energy, and away from the politics of city cultivation.”

“Exactly, my love.” Yinpei’s expression turned solemn, and Zhu Bi was touched by the genuine concern in his gaze. “Are you sure you want to come with? There’s no harm in staying here.”

She laughed at the thought. “And let you savor that final trip to the market without me? I love you, dear, but among those Alex rescued there are absolutely no tattoo masters and only one talisman artist who only just broke through to Bronze, with no background in tattoos at all.” She then grinned. “And I forgave him for not thinking to bring any supplies with him the moment he told me about his master’s contacts for rare supplies in a number of trade towns, including the one we plan on visiting.”

Yingpei chuckled. “Fortuitous indeed. Alright, we’ll leave Alex to his rest.”

Zhu Bi nodded. “My cousin might be a bit hotheaded, eager for justice where others didn’t even see a crime, but he hasn’t seen any sign of Dongfang Hong’s invaders anywhere near the gate or town. And if anyone can assure our absolute safety, it’s him and his oversized partner.”

Yingpei grinned. “And considering their history with Alex, maybe it’s for the best that he stays here with his consorts.”

Zhu Bi gave him a meaningful poke. “Yes. Both of those girls are very beautiful, and very much spoken for. And don’t think I didn’t catch you ogling that one over-endowed girl!”

Yingpei laughed at that. “I would have thought it something of a disadvantage, following a warrior’s path with such a… blessing. But just seeing the way she moved, weaving about the dueling ground in perfect coordination with Alex and your sister kitsune, it’s clear that she wasn’t hindered in the least.”

Zhu Bi’s gaze turned solemn. “She moves like someone who has mastered the art of dance, and like someone who knows what it means to fight for her very survival. And with those long legs of hers, and clearly favoring a polearm, I’d be surprised if most foes can even touch her. So long as she’s not staying still and throwing straight line punches like an oversized Strength cultivator who takes the idea of becoming one with the mountain a bit too seriously.”

The pair shared a chuckle at that, before heading to the rest of the excited looking group of cultivators, an odd mixture of experienced Silvers and numerous former servants now blossoming under the freedoms and liberties they now all enjoyed, one having just broken through to Bronze, still bright with the glow of recent accomplishment, and all of them excited to have been welcomed as new disciples by both alchemists and treasure crafters who didn’t hide their intentions to use the palace as the base for their new school, more certain that ever that that was what the mysterious lord of this realm had intended.

Zhu Bi and Yingpei had shared a grin at that, almost positive that that was, in fact, the case.

And their trip was everything they could have hoped for, contacts in Erjizhen having recently gained access to massive storehouses of supplies with unexpected destinations Zhu Bi’s band was careful not to react to, but merchants the world over love one thing above all others, more than happy to sell almost the entirety of the windfall of resources heading to YanTu nation for an unspeakable fortune in priceless herbs that Yingpei made sure netted them absolutely everything they could get, including extra wagons and mounts and plenty of top quality livestock. Zhu Bi felt a pleased sense of satisfaction with how well their journey had gone, even her cousin Su Xiao giving her mate a congratulatory nod.

“Not nearly as worthless as I had feared. At least your kits will have decent heads on their shoulders,” he said as the crimson sunset turned to dusk under the thick canopy of massive trees whose branches formed an almost cathedral-like latticework of branches above the completely clear trade road the made their way along, their destination at last in sight, the quickest among them getting ready to bring the first wagon through.

Yingpei chuckled good-naturedly. “I will never doubt your skills with a blade, cousin Xiao. You may rest assured I will do my best to guard your backs equally as well when it comes to the matter of coin.”

Su Xiao scowled as his powerfully built partner gave a booming chuckle. “He’s got you there, Su Xiao. For all your strengths, negotiating isn’t one of them.”

“I negotiate just fine,” Su Xiao huffed, earning a smirk from his partner.

“You intimidate, which gets you fawning servility, questions answered when we need it, and as sharp a bargain as you like against the smaller merchants and food sellers you know better than to use your glare on. But against major players it just unnerves them and they respond with bluster, threatening to sick their pathetic broken excuses for cultivating guards on you if you don’t take or leave their offer. And since we’re supposedly the good guys and don’t want a bloodbath…”

Su Xiao scowled at those words before going completely still, eyes widening.

As a cold creeping sense of dread that hit Zhu Bi at the same time.

For a heartbeat, she tried to shake it away. The gate was just ahead! Its golden corona radiated invitingly. They were only feet away! Their perfect storybook ending couldn’t end like this, could it? She so didn’t want it to be true.

But no kitsune was alive today who didn’t have a sense of the story of their lives. Who didn’t at least feel a shiver when death was coming for them.

And Zhu Bi wanted to quake with the sudden terror she felt.

Both shared a look. Instantly understanding.

“Stop the train! Everyone get of the road. Get off now! Leave the supplies and double back through the woods to the gate. Run! Run now, you damned fools!”

But it was already too late.

Suddenly the air was alive with shouts and screams and panic as a wave of fire washed over everyone.

Only then did the laughter of a madman washed over them.

A Wujen master of Flame, only now appearing upon the board.

“I have found it! The gate is here! Liutenant Lu! Send a dispatch at once, we have found the gate! Benren, Yuzhuo. Capture the survivors and prepare them for questioning!”

It was a voice that roared from the heavens. Or the blazing red dot that had appeared out of nowhere. A voice well used to command. So utterly confident in his prowess and skill, in his mastery of the battlefield, that he thought nothing of roaring commands everyone could hear.

And he had been speaking in the YanTu dialect, which Alex’s spirit might understand perfectly, but perhaps no one else who didn’t wear prince Dongfang Hong’s colors.

A red appearing on the board, and Alex’s Forest Sense through Zhu Bi had revealed absolutely nothing. Until the very moment his greens had begun to enter the portal, invisible to all outsiders.

And only in that moment had fiery death dropped down from the skies.

A hawk hunting in secret, waiting for just the moment to strike.

Just the moment to triangulate the ultimate prize, before finally revealing his fangs.

A frantic Zhu Bi screamed and ran for all she was worth, before she was blown off her feet by a wave of heat and flame.

Chapter

Alex jolted awake with a scream.

“Senechal! We are under attack!”

All deference transformed to cold resolve with Alex’s words. “What are you orders, my lord?” Said the voice of a man well used to command.

“Ring the alarm and have everyone who can fight head to the gate!” Alex thought a moment, furiously pushing aside his panic. “Our trade caravan was struck is being pinned down by a fire wujen with soldiers at his command! The gates now being camped! Our enemies know our location. Prince Dongfang Hong’s men know our access point!”

“Shall I close the gate, my lord?”

Alex gave a quick shake of his head. “No. Our friends need it, whoever can slip through! Any foe who never swore the oath can’t use it, everyone else can just jump through. If anyone breaks through enemy lines hoping for salvation… our closing it is a death sentence.”

“Understood, my lord.”

“Alex? Alex, what’s going on?” Hao Chan’s groggy voice echoed in his mind. Alex felt a fierce wave of gratitude that at least she and a still foggy Yinzi would be okay. “The Red Prince’s men ambushed us. Our friends are being attacked outside the gate!”

Hao Chan’s fuzzy mind instantly sharpened to steely intensity. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan is you and Yinzi kit up and help guard the gate, just in case! I’m going to run interference until help shows up!”

“So, let us help you!”

“There are dozens of soldiers and their captain can fly! He’s killing our friends with massive exploding balls of flame. Going out there now would be a death sentence for you!”

“Wait! You’re going to face a flying Silver Wujen alone? Bingwen was a master of flame, and he nearly killed you!”

Alex deliberately cut off communication, feeling the seconds tick by.

He didn’t have time to put on his half a ton suit of armor, and didn’t think it would do much good for what he was intending. It was everything he could do just to still his racing heart and don his enchanted mail shirt and helm, sharktooth dao at his hips, indestructible fangtian ji held in furious grip as he left his quarters, racing at full speed for the palace entrance where the gate was, passing a handful of either alarmed or fiercely determined cultivators kitted up at least somewhat, just like him, raising to the defense of their home.

“We are under attack!” Alex roared at the top of his voice to the clearing at large, spottin no less than two dozen cultivators who had been seated as instructor and disciples. Powerful Silver Giants, and those of humbler dimensions. He caught the wide shocked eyes of Liqin; the sleek, amorous, and incredibly talented chef who knew everyone’s favorite dishes with Quickness close to a Silver specializing in speed, just one of the familiar faces Alex recognized as surrounding the pair of Silver Giants whose lesson Alex had interrupted.

“What the hell is going on, Alex? The seneschal just woke us up and said there was an emergency!” said Dineng, words echoed by the closest Silver Giant, a massive seven foot cultivator covered in hard slabs of muscle, the potency of his Metal Qi all but radiating from his form.

“Explain yourself, Aspirant. Succinct and to the point!”

Alex clenched his jaw, before jerking a nod. The man was absolutely right.

His friends were dying, and they had no time to waste.

With a single finger he pointed at the ground so completely covered with spiritual herbs and wildflowers with almost no sign of grass at all, such had been his mad singleminded focus when he had forged this world.

Focus even now compelled by his need, the very plants flattening where Alex pointed as if to cause indentations very much like pen to paper as Alex drew out the situation in an anxious handful of seconds.

“A platoon of soldiers has pinpointed the location of our gate! They are led by a Deep Silver Fire Wujen who can blast explosive balls of flame and has air superiority! He waited until one of our men had crossed, only then striking out with his balls of fire.”

Alex swallowed down the awful lump in his throat. “He… he killed multiple men. I’m almost sure of it. The rest scattered. But the unit’s clearly experienced in battlefield tactics and jungle skirmishes. He’s split his men into two pincers and he’s closing them fast!”

He didn’t bother telling them his insights came from Forest Sense while communing with a girl he was now desperate to save. All that mattered was that they sensed the urgency and acted.

And faster than he could say the words, the picture was plain for all to see, no one bothering with such stupid questions as why the foliage was bending to his will. And Alex, despite his horrified shock at sudden death striking their expedition, was gratified to see that his Seneschal had wasted absolutely no time. What truly amazed him was seeing Elder Ru upright and among them, though panting more than slightly, with a troubled Chun An by his side. Just a few of the now dozen Silvers than had run at a mad sprint to be here where the gate had been set up, once the alarm had rung.

And all they had to do was gaze out the now perfectly translucent gate to see the charred devastation around it, to hear the distant shout of commands in a language few save Alex understood.

Then a man Alex had thought just days away from death stood tall and proud, projecting a strength that had once been fearsome indeed.

“The Red Prince’s mongrels have dared to assault us and kill our brothers on our lands! They seek to triangulate the location of our sanctuary, so Wujen specialists can be summoned to breach the gates between worlds. There can be no doubt! The survival of our community is now at stake!” Elder Ru declared as additional Silvers raced for their impromptu battle meeting.

Hard eyes in an ancient lined face locked upon a full dozen Silver Giants. “You have all served in the Imperial Legions. You have five minutes to gather your squads and arm yourselves!”

Words immediately answered by twelve massive raised fists slammed to chests. “As you command, general!” The twelve roared.

“General, intel is lacking, and most of us lack military grade equipment!” shouted none other than a now fully healed Shan, looking every inch the soldier with no trace of earlier injuries, nor any ire, despite having been scolded by their de facto leader not that long ago.

“Dong Xiao can help with that!” said Alex, relieved that his Seneshal hadn’t batted a mental eyelash when Alex had made the second half of his command known… surprised the man would instantly understand not only the inventory Alex had on hand but how best to distribute it. But as Dong Xiao himself had pointed out more than once, he was the seneschal.

This earned him several more pairs of raised eyebrows, and a few furrowed brows.

Before everyone’s eyes widened at the sight of Dong Xiao himself, looking as cool as a cucumber without a single hair out of place.. even as he gently placed what must have been close to a thousand pounds worth of armor and weapons, most bearing at least modest enchantments, from Alex’s and Xun Hu’s quarters, followed by half a dozen more servants also loaded up with armaments, alchemical supplies and everything else Alex really hadn’t ever gotten a chance to look through but might just save a life or two now, servants whose distant gazes made them slide right out of focus, as if they were somehow extras in a play.

Much to Alex’s relief, no one asked questions, and the Seneschal and his men seemed to know exactly which cluster of either Silver Giants, Bronze Ogres, or lesser aspirants would be assigned what gear.

Elder Ru frowned. “Four minutes remaining. Are your squads formed? Good.”

“You’re with us, Alex,” said none other than a hard-eyed Dineng, now wearing a sturdy blue steel set of lamellar armor and wielding a guandao, already looking taller and more real, more solid, than Alex had ever seen him before.

Shan, also with the group Alex found himself assigned to, also gave him an approving smile. “You fight well, boy. It will be good to see what you can do when we fight for our lives!”

The Silver Giant who had first addressed Alex nodded in agreement. “You all fight under my banner. Brevity is everything. You will call me ‘Zha’ and follow my directions. Who among you knows battle sign?”

Alex noted Shan’s nod as he finished donning heavy plate armor radiating an icy aura. Alex thought it a good choice, since Fire might well be their greatest obstacle. So too, another pair of Bronze cultivators wearing legionnaire armor they had had in storage and, in the case of one, an amulet Alex could sense protective warding energies from, also nodded.

Dineng gave an regretful shake of his head.

“I know mapsign,” Alex said, clenching his jaw, feeling like a clock was ticking down inside his head. Having studied too much history not to know what a devastating advantage areal support would provide. “But we’re running out of time! A Silver Wujen is tracking down our friends, maybe frying them as we speak!”

Elder Ru frowned, gazing at his granddaughter who dipped her head.

“Chun An is the only Wujen with the capability of flight among our number, Alex. And Flame is not her element.”

Alex winced and dipped his head. Of course he understood.

It was one thing to fight for the lives of friends and to preserve their community. It was quite another to throw one’s grandchild to the wolves, which would be the net effect of forcing her to fight as a lone counter to a master of flame who probably had long experience with areal battles and dealing with counterattacks of all types. And the way Chun An’s skin paled, it was clear she both dreaded what she would soon be forced to face, while girding herself for the fight to come.

“Alright!” Alex said, forcing the words out. “I’ll keep the fire asshole distracted. You guys just try to extract our men, and smash the shit out of whatever Bronze assholes get in your way.”

The Silver known as Zha glared at Alex’s insolence. “Know your place, disciple. It is for your betters —”

“Are you sure, Alex?” cut in a concerned looking Elder Ru.

Alex forced a smile. “I am. Now to do what I damn well should have done last time shit hit the fan.”

He took a deep breath, looking at all twelve hard eyed Silvers that would lead the squads as well as Elder Ru and Chun An.

“Please accept my party invites!”

Alex received a dozen frowns and only a few cautious nods before the flood of information flooding his mind sent him to his knees.

“Elder Ru has accepted Party Invite! Lady Chun An has accepted Party Invite!

Silver known as Zha has accepted Party Invite!

Seven other Silvers designated A through G have accepted party invite!

Savingthrow versus Scholarship made.

You are temporarily stunned!

Alex let his interface’s words wash over him, more than a bit overwhelmed. So much so, he feared he’d be good for almost nothing. It took several long moments of closing his eyes and ignoring the external exclamations and sharp demands before he got a good lock on his nine mental guests.

Immediately dialing back the intensity of their mental communication.

Dialing it to the point he could think clearly, and move without feeling drunk and disoriented.

“Alex?”

He ignored Elder Ru’s words, quickly thumbing through his mental interface until finding exactly what he needed.

Giving a relieved sigh when he metaphorically tied off his exquisitely precise Forest Sense and Internal Map interface to the nine men and women he had formed a Party with.

And in that instant, each and every one of them could sense the flood of reds honing in on the surviving greens.

“This… this is beyond remarkable!” Said a wide-eyed Elder Ru.

“Is this a Ruidian gift?” Murmured the Silver his interface recognized as ‘C’.

Alex flashed a grim smile. “There’s so much more I could do if it were just three of us. But with nine? All I can do is give you access to what matters, an internal sense of where all the players on the board are, so you can maneuver around them, strike when you have the advantage, and rescue our brothers and sisters! And if I can hold the eyes of that damned wujen…”

“You’re going to try to distract the deadliest piece the enemy has on the board,” whispered none other than an awed-looking Liqin.

Alex flashed a bleak smile. “True.”

Anxious eyes met his own. “Do you really think you’ll survive?”

“Only one way to find out.”

He took a deep breath, knowing he dare not wait any longer, sparing only a second to meet Elder Ru’s enigmatic eyes. “I’m going to distract them. Get the men through as soon as you can!”

He then leaped through the gate, into a maestrom of screams and flame.