Chapter 201: Stones

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The waters of Stone River are perfectly clear.

Usually, the flowing water of a river will inevitably stir up the soil beneath and around it on its journey to the ocean. The minerals in the ground, in addition to the plant and animal life in the water, give a river its color, be it brown, green, blue, or even red.

However, Stone River has fully transparent water. One can easily see the many colorful fishes moving below the surface and the gray, black, and white stones that lie at the bottom of the river. Viewed from up high, the river looks like a path made of shiny cobblestones.

Flowing to the left and right of that path is Stone River City, the city Duke Lai rules over.

Unlike Rumbling Thunder City, which rises high into the skies, Stone River City is nestled deep inside the large valley that shares its name. It is made of countless houses and buildings of all shapes and sizes. The closer Soaring Feather gets to the city, the easier it becomes to see how it bustles with activity. There have to be tens of thousands of citizens moving about down there.

In terms of size and population, Stone River City has no need to envy Rumbling Thunder City.

Duke Lai’s manor–His castle, really. The construction is too large and fortified to be called anything else–is located in the center of the city. While Stone River cuts the city in half and makes the rest of the city accommodate around it, Duke Lai’s castle remains bold and strong, leaving the river no choice but to go directly under it. Each half of the building is located on a different side of the river. It is a curious detail that makes the otherwise traditional construction look daring and bold.

Liu Jin takes it all in. The castle, the river, and the city around it. It makes for a pretty sight, especially when viewed from high up.

It is a good city, Liu Jin decides as Soaring Feather lands in front of Duke Lai’s house.

A group of soldiers is already waiting for him before the gates. The appearance of a cultivator in the True Realm flying above their city must have put them on alert.

“Halt!” one of the soldiers, most likely their leader, shouts. His hand is held out as if the gesture could somehow stop Liu Jin. “Identify yourself, stranger. Why have you come into our city unannounced?”

“Are you stupid?”

The words do not come from Liu Jin.

They come from Yi Jiao.

“Are the people of Stone River City so ignorant they cannot recognize the robes worn by those from the Eternal Flame Clan? Do they not know that the Eternal Flame Clan and General Dan, the man you owe your loyalty to, are good friends? Have you still not realized the one who stands before you is a Core Disciple of the Eternal Flame Clan who has come to visit Duke Lai?”

Yi Jiao’s questions come out fast and furious. With each one, she waves her arm at Liu Jin to emphasize her point. The commander almost seems to shrink as she speaks.

“E-Even so!” the commander manages to get out, “W-We cannot possibly take you at your word! Y-You must submit yourselves for questioning!”

“You are asking a representative of the Eternal Flame Clan to submit to your authority?” Yi Jiao sounds completely outraged, and not one bit is fake. The idea that he and, to a lesser extent, she should submit themselves to the authority of the local soldiers simply does not make sense to her.

“How dare-”

“Okay.”

Yi Jiao’s head whips so fast that Liu Jin is surprised she didn’t hurt herself doing it. The look she gives him is a perfect mix of outraged and betrayed.

“Just make sure to let Duke Lai know that Qing Jing of the Eternal Flame Clan has come to greet him. I would be very cross if you declined to do at least that much,” Liu Jin adds, looking the soldier right in the eyes.

“N-naturally,” the pale-faced commander replies

“Brother Qing!” Yi Jiao shouts, finally getting over her shock. “We represent the Eternal Flame Clan! How we allow ourselves to be treated reflects on the reputation of the Eternal Flame Clan!”

“You’d be surprised at how many things the reputation of the Eternal Flame Clan can withstand,” Liu Jin replies while thinking of the many things he has seen the people of the Eternal Flame Clan do, himself included. “A few small indignities are nothing.”

Of course, there is a difference between things that happen behind closed doors and things that don’t. That must be the root of Yi Jiao’s objection.

“These men are merely doing their job,” Liu Jin tells her. “Such professionalism and loyalty to their duty in the face of adversity are to be praised, not scorned.”

It is easy to enforce the rules when one is in a position of power, but not one of these soldiers is stronger than them. It wouldn’t be unusual for them to bow their heads and let them do as they please. Instead, they dare to block their way. That takes real courage and is worthy of respect.

At least, that is the way Liu Jin thinks. Yi Jiao still doesn’t look convinced.

“I outrank you,” Liu Jin reminds her in a quiet voice when it looks like she is going to keep objecting. “Will you give our Eternal Flame Clan a reputation for disobedience?”

Yi Jiao blushes and lowers her head in embarrassment. The meaning is clear. She will follow his lead for now.

Liu Jin and Yi Jiao allow themselves to be led into the local garrison, a much smaller and less grandiose location than Duke Lai’s house and spend the next hour answering questions. Well, Liu Jin spends the next hour calmly answering questions. Yi Jiao just glowers at everything around her.

Once the nervous soldiers are done with their questions, they leave the two alone in the interrogation room. The following minutes pass in comfortable silence for Liu Jin and highly uncomfortable silence for Yi Jiao.

“If you have something to say, now would be a good time for it,” Liu Jin says. He takes a sip from the tea the guards have provided them at his request. Unsurprisingly, Yi Jiao’s cup is untouched. The tea is not particularly good, but it is warm, and sometimes, that is what matters most. “After all, we are alone here.”

“The walls often have ears, Brother Qing,” Yi Jiao says.

“Oh, that?” Liu Jin waves his hand dismissively before pointing to the side. “I already placed talismans in this room to prevent us from being overheard.”

“What?!” Yi Jiao’s eyes bulge as she follows Liu Jin’s finger and finds a talisman on the wall. It is not the only one. A quick look around reveals at least five others like it. “How did you…? When did you even have the time…?! I didn’t see you move!”

She blinked.

At least, that is what the part of Liu Jin that is still a kid wants to say. However, that wouldn’t be strictly true, even if it would feel pretty nice.

Instead, he goes with, “You can speak your mind.”

That does it.

“What are you thinking, Brother Qing!” she rises to her feet with both hands balled into fists at her sides. “We have allowed the enemy to imprison us! I thought we were supposed to be in a hurry! What will happen if the others suffer because we wasted time here?”

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Liu Jin frowns minutely. He was worried about that as well. Even now, the urge to barge into Duke Lai’s house is strong.

However, that won’t lead to an optimal outcome.

“You may not believe me right now, but this is the fastest way to settle things,” Liu Jin says. “Breaking into Duke Lai’s house and demanding an audience would feel good, but it would also make him more negatively predisposed towards us than he already is. The last thing we need is to add spite as a motivator for him.”

Spite is a dangerous thing. Liu Jin has seen it in action often enough to know that. Perhaps if Liu Jin had more leverage, he could afford to act more brusquely, but he doesn’t.

“Put yourself into the position of the people of this city. Two high-level cultivators showed up unannounced and headed right for their leader. The soldiers were right to be wary of us. To them, we are a threat, and it is hard to say they are wrong. If we had forced our way, it would confirm their suspicions and give Duke Lai more than enough reason to treat us as hostile.”

Yi Jiao frowns. “Even so…”

“We are not the ones with the power right now,” Liu Jin reminds her. “Duke Lai is.”

“I know that! I am not an idiot,” Yi Jiao hisses at him. “That’s why I am worried! I know how these things work. My father once made a merchant wait for a month before finally gracing him with an audience, and that was only so he could say no to face! All because that merchant was heard making vulgar comments about an aunt of mine. Who is to say Duke Lai won’t do the same?”

“Part of me would prefer that,” Liu Jin admits.

Yi Jiao stares at him.

“Are you… are you vague and mysterious on purpose?” She asks. Her finger then switches between pointing at him and her. “Or is it because of what I did?”