Yu sat in a circle with her “faction” just before sunrise the next morning. The prior evening, when her mind would not allow her to sleep despite her exhaustion, Yu forced herself to admit her master was right. Not about the serve and sacrifice thing, but about the leadership. She needed to step forward. So she had called this meeting and, surprisingly, everyone had shown, despite the late notice and early hour. Yu suspected the twins had had something to do with it, but she could not say and didn’t want to ask. They also had started making a habit of getting up early for their “hunting days” so it was not entirely foreign.

She scanned the group now sized at thirty-three outer sect disciples. Yu reflected on the size of the group and wondered how twenty-nine people had decided to join her, the twins, and Ai. That also did not include the various beast bonds that were there, either sitting with their human or running around with each other. Bai and Shing’s coyote, Nan, had become partners in chaos and were running around bothering all the other bonds.

Shaking her head at their antics, Yu spoke to the group. “Thank you all for coming. I apologize for the late notice. We’re here because I wanted to meet and chat a bit. I have a few things to share about what happened and what’s coming. Most of you won’t be affected by this except with my absence, but others may wish to get involved in some way or another. Before I get into it, please remember that you are all here voluntarily. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy you’re here. But I just wanted to remind you, you all have the freedom to leave. So, onward. None what I’m about to say is all that secret. It’s just something I thought we should discuss as a group. Here goes.” Yu took a breath and said, “You probably noticed, that I was absent for a couple of days. Well, I was kidnapped from the sect.” Yu heard a few gasps, but not nearly enough that she believed it had been kept a secret. She decided to tell a very abridged version that mostly discussed how certain people in the sect betrayed her, the sect master, and the sect. All she shared about her escape was that she “managed it” and that her master had rescued her.

Looking around the group, Yu saw a number of different emotions on many different faces. Some had fear, some sympathy, and some curious. But the overwhelming majority was awe. Yu mentally shook her head at that, wondering if their opinions would shift after she said what she had to say next. After what Li and Lu had gone through, she felt she owed them and these others the truth.

“I tell you this because I have enemies. Being the sect master’s disciple alone makes me a target by others, both in and out of the sect. Powerful people don’t like him. When you add onto that my… umm… more unusual abilities, we have to accept that I am a target. You should understand that if you want to be part of my… err… faction. I have powerful backing in the sect leader, yes. But he does not make me invulnerable, as was proven. That is not to say it’s all bad though. If you stick around, I’ll hopefully be able to support you. And yeah, I’ll probably be pretty strong when I’m older. I expect to become an inner and then core sect disciple. I have high confidence actually. My faction could become one of the strongest in the sect. Maybe not the biggest, but one of the top in strength, definitely. That is if I survive. Powerful clans don’t like me. I have my own morals which sometimes conflict with theirs. I won’t sell out to them or bow to them as my superiors in anything but strength itself. And I’ll bring into this faction those I feel the right fit, no matter their clan or family. Some will be vergers like myself, others may be from greater clans like Fan Ran.” She nodded her head in his direction. He smiled. Yu smiled back and continued. “I just want you all to understand the risks. If you decide they’re too great, I get it. I certainly don’t hold it against you. We have an uphill climb to be strong, as do any without the backing of powerful clans. But as I admit that, I want you also know that I can help train you. Maybe someday in the future, equip you. But I can promise you that if you put in the work, train hard, hunt regularly, dedicate yourself to the drive for growth in power, you’ll have learned to be strong yourselves. And that will stay with you whether I and this faction survive or not. So, before I go any further, I wanted you to know my goals and intentions. If anyone wants to leave, come talk to me one-on-one. I’ll thank you and honestly wish you the best. No judgement. Now, before I go into some specific future plans, does anyone have any questions or anything they want to share?”

Yu sat silently, sending her gaze around the circled group. Some were looking down, likely thinking. Some were looking at each other. A few, like Ran and Shing, was looking directly at Yu. They were showing pride and confidence. She smiled at each them and the others of those looking at her.

A while later, nobody seemed to say anything so she nodded. “Alright. I wanted to share what is going to happen over the next one to two years. Some of you may already know, but for those who don’t, I’ll just go ahead and put it out there. A spirit realm was discovered and it is specifically useful only to those who haven’t yet compressed their Qi.”

A number of exclamations, swears, and surprised gasps followed that. Then the deluge of questions followed to which Yu held up her hands. “I know you have questions.” Then she turned to Ran and asked, “Fan Ran, would you be willing to explain to everyone?”

He looked surprised for a moment, then smiled and nodded. His explanation was excellent. Precise, to the point, and full of answers to the questions that would have inevitably come. After that was complete, Yu took over again. “I wanted to let you all know for two reasons. First, I will be going in. My master has made sure I get a spot. That is assuming he judges me strong enough.”

The expected envious expressions followed and she continued. “And I am definitely not strong enough now. That means from today until I step into the realm, I plan to go a bit overboard with strengthening myself. I will be practicing fighting and hunting pretty much non-stop. I plan to make and spend a large pool of points over the next year plus, hundreds of thousands probably. I want to be ready in both capability and skill pool. But… that also means the amount of time I have to train each of you individually will be reduced. Not eliminated, but dramatically reduced. I can tell you for sure that I won’t be training any new people personally. I will depend on you all for that. The twins along with Fan Ran and few others will take over most of the hunting groups, as they have been doing. And then those people will bring new recruits up to take more groups, and so on.”

“Can you explain why you can’t help us get stronger to participate in the spirit realm as well?” asked one of the newest girls.

“Good question. Fan Ran did not say this, but only the strongest of the strong with the most potential will be allowed to participate in the tournament. That means nobody with less than eighty or ninety or even more open meridians.” More surprised voices followed. “Yes, that is a high bar. Our empire’s average is far lower than that, especially when you remove the greatest clans from the calculation. The final number of participants hasn’t been decided yet, nor has the minimum meridian count. But I can assure you it will be not many of the former and a lot of the latter. Let me emphasize this, if you want to participate in the tournament, you need to meet that minimum threshold. Now, having said that, if anyone here, or who joins, has over eighty meridians of potential and wants a chance to participate in the tournament, I will take a direct hand in helping train you. You’ll have to prove it, but if you do and can, I will help as much as my schedule allows. Questions?”

“What kind of support can you give us if we decide to try?” asked Minu. “That’s the purpose of a faction after all.” Eryu, her Sable, sat on her shoulder and wiggled his whiskers at Yu, making her grin.

“Thank you for asking that, and you’re right. One-on-one trips into the deeper areas of the forest, personal combat training while there, more detailed training in woodcraft. If I feel your potential is high enough and you’re working hard enough, I’ll provide some more material things, like a butchering set, some enchanted materials when I can make or afford them. Possibly talismans and even shared access to an advanced training room with an illusion array. I’m still working through everything I can offer. Silver isn’t really a problem right now, but only because we’re still small. Let me add that the most valuable thing I have to offer – at least I think so – is the guided training deeper in the forest because that is where the real contribution points are. High grade 2 beasts and especially grade 3 beasts are worth a lot more points than grade 1, or even mid grade 2. Remember, points are everything. They get you Qi skills and other support and training opportunities. Is there something in particular you wanted to ask for or you think I should be offering? I’m pretty new at this whole faction leader thing so I could use the help. Right now I’m going by what I saw my clan offer back home, which isn’t really the same as a sect because of the point system.”

“I can probably help a bit with that,” Ran offered.

“Thanks,” Yu responded. Then after a moment of thought, she added, “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you all think of ways I can help and take it to Fan Ran. He’ll compile a list and fill me in. I don’t want to promise the world. Like I said, we’re small, but I do want to try to meet the needs of people who are willing to put in the effort and have potential.” Yu saw smiles and nods and felt relieved she wasn’t totally messing this up. “Okay then. Umm. I think that’s it. Thanks everyone. The sun’s almost up, so I’m going to send a few letters in the Message Center and then go hunt.”

***

Yu had to stop at the market and spend some of her newly stolen… ahem… earned silver on replacing all her gear. None of the stores had hook swords, which was as disappointing as it was expected, so she purchased a pair of standard Jian with back scabbards. There was no armor available in any of the stores small enough for her frame, so she would have to do without that as well. She was able to buy a standard bow, thought it was quite expensive because it had to be able to withstand the rather substantial force she placed on it. That plus a quiver and various arrow types put a tiny dent in the mountain of loose coin in her ring. Beyond the weapons and armor, she once again purchased a butchering kit, a wood carving knife, camping set, jade preservation containers, preserved rations (Yu splurged a bit on better tasting ones), and a few water canteens.

None of what she purchased was enchanted. Yu just did not want to spend the coin when she still held out a flicker of hope that she might get her old ring back. She hoped Grandma Huan never found out she had lost it. Yu shivered at the thought of the old woman’s… disappointment.

“Hey, Yu,” Zhao Minge said as she approached and petted the large eagle, Jin Kong. “I heard you started your own faction.”

Surprised, Yu turned to him. “I did. How did an inner sect disciple hear that? Wait, Lu told you, right?”

He laughed and nodded. “Guilty. But it isn’t exactly a secret. Nothing with you is.”

“I suppose. Yeah, it’s true. The faction is brand new and I have no idea what I’m doing. Why do you ask?”

“When you join the inner sect, count me in,” he said proudly while pointing his thumb into his chest.

Yu laughed. “Sure. If we’re still around, you can join.”

After having a relaxing chat with both him and his bird during their flight, Yu waved them a “thank you” and headed into the forest.

Yu had decided not to enter the grade 3 marsh that day. Without her armor and familiar weapons, plus Yu wanting a relaxing experience, she decided to take a detour to a familiar spot.

It took Yu a few tries to get used to her new bow, but by the time she arrived at the pond with the fish, she had slain and butchered a few grade 1 beasts and collected a few herbs. Yu sat at the edge of the pond and looked into the flowing water. She just sat and relaxed, watching the flashes as the fish swam past.

“What would it be like,” she asked the fish, “to live a peaceful life like you.” Then she ran her hand along the top of the water. “Only having to worry about an occasional child like me coming by.”

Yu watched the water for a little while longer, pondering her own life and the weight of her responsibilities. Then she rolled up her right sleeve and looked at the tattoo there. She ran her wet hand along it and felt a small pulse from it.

Grinning, she asked it, “Want to get wet? Isn’t that kind of not a thing for fire and lightning?”

Chuckling, Yu took off her boots, rolled up her pants, sat at the edge of the pond, and just dangled her legs and feet in the cold water. She shivered but did not remove them. The last time she had entered the pond, it had not been winter and the water certain let her know it had frozen over recently.

The fish scattered, but Yu just sat there. After a while, they seemed to accept her legs as part of the pond and started swimming by her again. Every once in a while, she could feel the cold touch of scales at one or another fish rubbed up against her legs.

Then she plopped her back down and stared up into cloudy winter sky. The air was colder than normal and she could see her breath as she exhaled. It wasn’t that cold, at least to her. She had seen most of the other disciples wearing warmer gear. But she… wasn’t normal.

I’ve never been normal. A sick baby to a corrupted girl. A corrupted girl to a trainee with potential. A trainee to a what I am now. A young woman trying to grow, I guess. I wonder what I’ll be next.

Yu rubbed her tattoo again while staring up at the heavens and wondering at the gods. “Is this why you healed me? Are you expecting so much?” Then she let out a puff of air, her warm breath turning white in front of her. “What about you, tiger? Is this what you were thinking?” Yu lifted her hand up in front of her and recalled the feeling from the cave. She flexed her will and with a dim red flash her knife appeared in it. She looked it over again. “What about you Jiang? Did you know when you gave this to me?”

With another flex of her will, she sent the knife back into the mindscape and dropped her hand onto her chest. “Why does everyone get to decide my future except me?” she asked the gods. “You, my parents, the tiger, the bird, my master. Even my own power. When do I get to decide for myself?”

Closing her eyes, Yu relaxed in the grass and dirt beneath her. She toned down her focus of the mantra that controlled her overly-receptive senses. The smells of the forest assaulted her nose, telling her of the minerals in the water, the beasts that had been there recently, and the smell of winter in the air. She felt the cold of the water, its surface tickling her smooth skin as the current pushed water between her toes. She listened as her ears told her of the sounds brought close by the winds, and the breathing of a nearby person. She sniffed deeply again and sighed.

“Come on out,” Yu called.

“I’m sorry,” Prince Zihao called to her as he walked closer in near silence. “I did not mean to intrude on your private moment. I was just passing by on my way deeper in and heard you speaking.”

“It’s fine,” Yu said, sitting up and pulling her legs from the water and bending them in front of her. Yu laid her arms across them and her chin on her arms. “Join me,” she offered. She noticed he was wearing a hooded red fur overcoat over his sect robes as well as matching gloves to hold off the chilly air.

“Thank you,” he said as he sat to her side. Yu caught him glance at her legs, which she knew were pale, smooth and toned. But his brown eyes moved back to hers almost instantly. “Making decisions is one of the heaviest responsibilities we have,” he said to her. “Believe me, I know. Sometimes I wish someone else could make them for me.”

Yu tilted her head to look over at him. “You know, I told your sister once that I wouldn’t touch the responsibility of the crown. That it would be too heavy.”

“It is heavy,” he confirmed while looking into the pond.

“Have you ever thought about giving it up?”

“Have you of your responsibilities?” he asked in response.

Yu sighed. “Yes.”

“Can you tell me about it?”

Yu looked at him. “Why do you care?”

“I want to get to know you.”

She looked back at him, once again wondering at his true motives. Did he want to get to know her for her, or did he want to know the powerful cultivator who he could recruit or control? Yu decided she’d find out. “I’m sure you did your research on me, like everyone else with spies and the like.”

He nodded. “I did. Will you tell me anyway? When did you think about giving up your responsibilities? Why?”

Yu let out a breath. “I… didn’t have an easy childhood. I had an… infirmity. It left me unable to cultivate and, like just about all cultivators think, I was seen as powerless. The trash of the family. I was healed one day, no I won’t say how, but I still had to hide. It isn’t easy being a child able to cultivate, finally having power, but never being able to tell anyone about it. Being viewed as trash and knowing you aren’t, but being locked away anyway. I thought a lot of times about giving up on my family. I love them, and I want to do right by them, but I was a tool. They used me… expect to be able to use me. At times it was… is… hard.”

“I can’t imagine having the power you have but being restrained,” he said softly. “Did you lash out?”

“A few times. I pushed the boundary here or there. Nothing major. I really do love them and wouldn’t want to hurt them, despite it all.” Yu sighed. “I’m going to become strong, Zihao. Really strong. And I’m going to be a threat to a lot of people. Am already a threat. How do I know who to trust? Can I trust you? How do I know you won’t betray me? Use me like the rest? Your sister and my bond are probably the only people in the world I trust fully.” Yu let out a single laugh. “One human and one cat, the only people in the world.”

Zihao chuckled. “I don’t know if you'll understand or believe me, but I actually am in a similar situation. I trust Ai’er. I trust my nursemaid who was more a parent to me than any other since I was a baby. That’s all. I don’t trust my mother or father. I certainly don’t trust my brothers or other sisters. A prince can’t afford to trust.”

“Because of your power and the threat you pose to theirs?” Yu asked.

He stared at her for a few breaths. “Huh… I suppose you do understand after all.”

Silence followed that as the two of them watched the water and world. “I guess you should go to where you were going,” Yu proffered.

He sighed. “I guess I should.”

After a few more breaths of doing nothing he stood, wiping dirt off his warm outer layer. “Aren’t you cold?”

Yu looked up into his eyes. “No.”

He looked back into hers and nodded. “Thank you for allowing me to join you. I hope we can see each other again.”

She looked up at him. “We will.” She let that sit for a few more breaths when she grinned. “Your sister still lives next door to me.”

He smiled, chuckled, nodded, turned around, and moved deeper into the forest.

Yu followed his strong form with her eyes until he disappeared behind the trees. Then she stood, put her boots back on, took out her bow, and headed in a totally different direction.

***

The girls were asleep by the time she got back after turning in the missions and materials. She had decided to stay out later than usual in hopes that it would help clear her mind and prepare for her next few years of heavy training. Her plan, in broad terms, was to make the following years the hardest and most intensive of her life. She would push herself until she reached her limit and then push past it. Nothing would stop her from becoming strong enough to go into the spirit realm.

Yu closed to the door to her room and removed her wet sect clothes. After she dried herself with a warm towel, she pulled a large mirror from the ring. It was something that had been in the ring when she had first examined its contents. She had found the mirror in a corner with a good deal of makeup perfumes and other beaty supplies. That lunatic boy was quite the narcissist.

Using the mirror, she examined her reflection.

“Are you ready?” she asked herself.

What looked back were two liquid silver eyes and long straight silver hair. Those were the first things everyone saw. In a way they were her signature and showed the family lines she had come from. But that wasn’t all. She looked for more and saw smooth skin covering visible veins pumping what she knew was blood of red and gold over powerful muscles and sinew. They were signs of her childhood ever since she had been healed and the things she had lived through as well as the hard work she had put in.

But it was not enough. She wanted to see deeper. She wanted to know if she was ready for what was to come. She looked at her reflected hands and sent streams of Qi into them. One crackled with lightning and the other blazed with silver fire. Her body glowed blue and then green and then brown and then black. Then her eyes glowed silver and her hair floated behind her. She held her flaming and crackling hands before her and looked herself in the eyes.

“Are we ready?” she asked again.

Grinning, she let the Qi go and said, “Let’s find out. Because ready or not, the spirit realm awaits.”

Then she dressed in her sect robes, glanced in the mirror one more time, saw a gentler silver glow, and stepped into a void. The last words she had spoken, echoed with power throughout the room. “Training starts now.”