In those wuxia movies, there is always a scene where people run across rooftops fighting. When I watched it, it seemed pretty dramatic. Right now, though, I was discovering some flaws in the whole idea. Maybe if you know where you are going, you can get there faster. Maybe if you know you’re faster and stronger than your opponent, it makes sense. But with the full moon looming in the sky, running across rooftops just makes you a conspicuous target. Or so I was coming to understand.

A throwing knife sliced through the air past my ankle. I quickly dodged. I had been relieved to note that my pursuer wasn’t going in for the kill. However, he was definitely looking to maim.

I had been responding with a volley of potatoes. Potatoes don’t make an ideal weapon, but every time I lobbed one his way he ducked or dodged, and I was able to put an extra pace or two between us. I dug in my bag and grabbed another potato. The supply was almost depleted, and soon I'd have to resort to cabbages. My pursuer paused, black against the full moon. I had caught a glimpse of his face, but it was covered in black cloth. His outfit looked surprisingly like the one I'd been wearing when I first got to this world.

As we ran, the man hissed, "Ah-Jiu, the society knows you have the package."

"What? What package?" Was this some kind of secret code? My memories from this world’s OG-me were murky, and I wasn’t sure what was the right response. I wracked my brains trying to discover a password that would get this guy to stop throwing knives at me.

The voice paused, then said, “If you bring it back you might receive leniency."

We had left the roofs around the main streets far behind. Now we were dashing across the maze-like rooftops of the back alleys. I leapt over one slipshod structure that protruded into the street, and dodged around another rickety second-story addition that perched precariously on an old house. Another piece of knowledge I gained from this experience was that rooftop battles are most successful in places where the roofs are in good repair. Hopping and skipping over the roofs around the main streets was a piece of cake, you only had to keep your balance. The back alleys were another story entirely.

As I wove over and around the rickety structures that jutted into my path, I caught another glimpse of my pursuer from the corner of my eye. I couldn’t see his face because it was covered by a black cloth. The moonlight threw his dark figure into relief. It illuminated his fingers, which shifted as he gripped a weapon.

I ran, dust and roof tiles shaking loose beneath my feet. I pivoted to the right and then pushed my foot down in preparation to leap across the street to the building on the other side. My stomach sank as I felt rotting wood shatter under my foot. Luckily, I made it across, and scrambled to steady myself before running on.

My pursuer wasn't so lucky. Silhouetted against the full moon, I saw his figure collapse through the roof, then heard the loud, indignant squawking of chickens. I grinned in relief, ran a few steps further, and hurled a cabbage in the direction he had seen me headed. It made a satisfying distant thud. Then I hopped off the roof and hid in the dark shadow against the wall.

After he extracted himself I heard him run past as silent as the wind. I resisted the temptation to stick my head out to peek and waited for a while, then crept home silently through the shadows.

I didn’t recognize this guy from my current life or from OG-me’s life. But he seemed pretty sure that he knew me. And he wasn’t messing around. Come on, OG-me, what were you caught up in?

Today’s market trip was a bust, I thought, looking at what remained in my bag. Luckily I had some eggs and flour at home. One of the first splurges I’d made when I first had access to a market. Back at home, I chopped up the one remaining cabbage and some scallions to make a quick okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki-makers are some serious craftsman, and some even apprentice for decades. Mine wouldn’t even come close, but all the same, it was pretty delicious. The eggy batter was fluffy and savory, the cabbage was tender without being soggy. Grandma didn’t seem to mind eating a slightly late dinner.

The next day I sent a neighbor kid to the market to buy the vegetables. No need to tempt fate again. The boy seemed pretty excited to earn a couple coins for the errand. In the meantime, I had a job to do.

I hadn’t seen any peppers at the Mortal market, and in the Demon market they were sold as herbs for making spiritual elixirs. There were several different types, some fresh and some dried. Some were spicier than others. Most of the peppers looked slightly different from any I’d seen back in my old life, but to my surprise the ghost peppers were exactly the same.

I set aside the one ghost pepper I'd purchased and then sorted the others. I wanted to make a few sauces with slightly different complex flavors, maybe fruitier, maybe greener, maybe a hint of bitterness, maybe hotter. I had already sterilized several clay jars. Making American-style hot sauce is actually not that difficult. You mix your ingredients with salt overnight to get the lactic acid bacteria going. Then, you adjust the flavor and add vinegar. I crushed some garlic and a mix of chilis in my big mortar and pestle, mixed in a good handful of salt, then put the eyewatering mixture in one of the ceramic pots to sit overnight. I didn’t let the little fox Xiao-Yu into the kitchen, but she stood outside the courtyard door, sneezing and eyeing me disapprovingly.

The next morning, I topped off each jar with a good amount of vinegar. The smell was mouthwatering. After a lot of thought, I’d decided to start slow. My restaurant would mostly serve simple foods. Eventually, I wanted to ramp up to barbecue and fried chicken. Who doesn’t love it? And of course, I’d be betraying my home world if I didn’t introduce Buffalo wings to xianxia-world ancient China.

The day before new recruits arrived to Azure Dragon Sect, Patriarch Shan and his family, sect disciples, and vassal families all feasted together, as they had done every sixty years for the past several millennia. The Patriarch’s family sat along a banquet table on a platform at the north end of the large courtyard. Yun-Ying’s family, the Luan Bird tribe, was a vassal family to the Azure Dragon tribe, so they sat at a lower table on the left of the main platform.

Yun-Ying sat with her family. She had been casting surreptitious glances at the Patriarch’s family. Specifically at the third generation fifteen-year-old young master, Lin-Qing. That is, until her older sister Yun-Xuan pinched her thigh under the table, throwing her a discreet, censorious look. Yun-Xuan had been born under a lucky star, giving her enormous spiritual energy, and she was already showing great promise in cultivation. She had recently started learning cultivation techniques, with a focus on the wind-based techniques that were Azure Dragon Sect's specialty.

Each cultivator could have an affinity for one of five spiritual roots; metal, fire, wood, water, or earth. Within each type of root, some cultivators had greater affinity for certain types of techniques. For example, Yun-Ying and Yun-Xuan both had wood-type spiritual roots. Yun-Xuan had a great affinity for wind-based techniques, just like the Azure Dragon Patriarch's family. Yun-Ying, in contrast, had an affinity for thunder-based techniques. All cultivators, like all living beings, had Qi meridians for all five elements, so, with difficulty, a cultivator could learn to perform other types of techniques, but only weakly. Because of the constant struggle for power, cultivators considered that a waste of effort and rarely did so.

Practicing techniques before the age of twelve or thirteen can damage the meridians, so Yun-Ying and Yun-Xuan had only recently started learning cultivation techniques alongside Lin-Qing. Whenever Yun-Xuan practiced the Red Peony Wind technique, Yun-Ying couldn’t look away. Yun-Xuan, with a beautiful, peaceful face, performed the hand seals. Then, twirling into the air, she stretched out her arm, lashing out a ribbon of wind. Peony petals fluttered everywhere. Red Peony Wind didn’t have much potential use in a fight, but it provided a strong foundation for more damaging, possibly even lethal, advanced techniques.

The day Yun-Xuan mastered Red Peony Wind, the teacher had praised her steady, elegant movements, and Mother had clasped Yun-Xuan’s hands, beaming and looking over her from head to toe in pride. Although Yun-Ying didn’t have an affinity for wind-based techniques, she yearned to learn Red Peony Wind. She secretly practiced the technique, over and over, in the bamboo grove beside Azure Lake. Finally, early this morning, after great effort and repeated practice, she had succeeded.

Yun-Ying slipped a sweet glutinous rice ball into her mouth. It was delicious. She could barely repress a smile of excitement. She wiped her mouth to cover her expression, and glanced at the Patriarch’s table again. This time she had an excuse, because Patriarch Shan was talking.

“Tomorrow our new sect members will arrive. Some from other Immortal Tribes, some from the Mortal realm. Some may come who will be future disciples of our Azure Dragon Sect. Although we look forward to their arrival, no bond can be closer than that between all those sitting here today. The great hopes of the Azure Dragon Sect sit here with us.” He glanced at his grandson, Lin-Qing and extended his hand, gesturing towards the courtyard.

Lin-Qing rose, expressionless. He walked down the platform to the center of the courtyard. He was a tall young man, with a very straight posture, and an aloof expression on his face. His eyebrows were shaped like swords, giving him a stern and austere demeanor unusual for his age. He stood in perfect stillness for a moment, before performing the Bamboo Crescent Moon technique. As he performed the finger gestures, wind and leaves rose, floating around him. A curved sword coalesced in his hands, energy and wind writhing together. Lifting the sword, he slashed it towards the south, where there were no people. The sword emitted a cutting wind, slicing some of the floating leaves in pieces.

Patriarch Shan nodded in approval and Lin-Qing bowed and returned to his seat. Everyone complimented Patriarch Shan on his grandson’s talent, making him beam with good humor. After complimenting the young man, Madam Yun nudged Yun-Xuan. An intense, whispered debate ensued. Yun-Xuan stood reluctantly and walked to the center of the courtyard, keeping her eyes glued to the ground.

She performed the Red Peony Wind. As always, Yun-Ying could barely contain a gasp at how ethereally beautiful it was. Completing the hand gestures, Yun-Xuan spun into the air. She extended her arm, and a fragrant ribbon of wind shot out, scattering red peony petals in its wake. Yun-Xuan twirled her arm, and the ribbon made graceful arcs through the air. After Yun-Xuan completed the technique, she quickly returned to the table. Her face was completely impassive, but her ears were very red. Yun-Xuan sat down quietly and took a sip of tea.

Madam Yun radiated pleasure at all the compliments Yun-Xuan received. Patriarch Shan graciously said, “At such a young age, she can already perform Red Peony Wind. The Yun family truly has ability.”

Madam Yun beamed even more broadly, and humbly rejected the compliment. “No, no, it’s nothing in comparison to the talent of other cultivators here.”

In response to this, a swell of complimentary murmurs rose again. Suddenly, a loud young voice broke through.

“I can do it too.”

It was a few moments before Madam Yun registered the voice. She looked to her far right, where Yun-Ying sat. Yun-Ying was already standing up. She shook off Yun-Xuan’s restraining hand and walked to the center of the courtyard. She gave a proud glance at Yun-Xuan, then started performing the finger gestures.

Completing finely calibrated finger gestures, controlling Qi, accessing an element for which she had little affinity. It was very difficult, and her brow furrowed as she scowled with concentration. Finally, she succeeded. She twirled up a little into the air, and a ribbon of wind shot out from her arm, scattering red peony petals on the ground.

It lasted much shorter than Yun-Xuan’s had, but as her feet touched the ground, she felt a flush of pride. Sweat beaded on her forehead and ran down the side of her face. She smiled triumphantly at Patriarch Shan, then at Yun-Xuan. Yun-Xuan was still drinking tea, and she couldn’t see her expression. Yun-Ying walked back to the table, as if she was floating with each step.

Patriarch Shan said graciously, “Indeed, that the Yun family can produce two such talents is the fortune of Azure Dragon Sect.”

Yun-Ying sat down and used the hem of her sleeve to wipe sweat from her eyes. She glanced sideways at Yun-Xuan, who was still gazing intently into her cup of tea. Then Yun-Ying glanced further to Mother.

Madam Yun didn’t meet her eyes, but leaned slightly to her right, in front of Yun-Xuan. She reached out her hand towards Yun-Ying. Yun-Ying smiled and put her hand into her Mother’s hand. Gripping her hand, Madam Yun pushed a handkerchief into it and said in a hushed tone, “Wipe your sweat.” Yun-Ying looked around. The buzz of polite compliments continued, but Madam Yun was no longer beaming. She only received each compliment with perfect politeness.

Yun-Ying quickly wiped her forehead with the kerchief, mopping up the sweat. She fiddled with her spoon before spooning another glutinous rice ball into her mouth. She felt slightly ill. It wasn’t as delicious as she’d thought. It stuck to the roof of her mouth like wax.