Threads 219-Second Day 3

Ling Qi stretched her arms over her head and let out a sigh of satisfaction.

“Look at you being all uncouth.” Sixiang laughed, the ghostly image of their face appearing over her shoulder. “Tut, tut, what would everyone think?”

“There’s no one around to complain,” Ling Qi said dryly, shaking out her sleeves to make them hang properly again as she lowered her arms. She paused for a moment, considering. “No one who could politely admit it anyway.”

There were probably a lot of perception-focused cultivators around after all. She began to walk again, leaving the pavilions further behind as she headed toward the hills. She had flown this far, but she had felt like strolling the last bit.

“Seriously though, you’ve gotten better,” Sixiang said idly, their phantom weight resting on her shoulder.

Ling Qi let her gaze wander up to the afternoon sky. “So have you. Do you remember that first party?”

Sixiang cringed theatrically. “Ugh, we were both a couple of bumpkins, huh?”

“A bit. It was disrespect on my part though.”

“Yeah,” Sixiang agreed.

There had been a certain contempt, Ling Qi thought, for the idea of nobles. It was still there in the corner of her heart every time she saw a display that could have fed a city if it was sold, if she were honest. But it was just the way things were. The strong do as they will; the weak do as they must. That was life.

“It doesn’t always have to be like that,” Sixiang contended.

“Sure,” Ling Qi said easily. “I believe in Renxiang after all. But it’s always going to be a struggle not to revert to the resting state, even if we succeed at everything. My original point was, all these displays and rituals… They’re not so different from what the priests do with spirits. This stuff is all carefully constructed to discourage us from staving each other’s heads in with rocks.”

“You’d all probably be more flashy about it,” Sixiang accused.

“A fancy rock is still a rock.” And that was what she was doing now in trying to extend those rituals, that acknowledgement, to a whole other people. that they might all avoid painting the mountains crimson.

When in the world had she begun to think that she had any business taking on such a problem?

“When you decided you were gonna reach the peak of cultivation,” Sixiang answered.

Ling Qi didn’t reply. They had arrived.

She saw Xuan Shi and Wang Chao up on the hill, but Luo Zhong stood at the top of the hill with them, smiling easily as he chatted with the animated Wang Chao. Zhengui watched them all with what she recognized as polite befuddlement, which probably meant they were talking politics.

“Hello, honored guests,” Ling Qi greeted politely as Sixiang’s image blew away on the wind. “It looks like we have picked up one more.”

“Sect Brother Luo met us on the way, and I didn’t see the harm in bringing him along,” Wang Chao declared cheerfully. “We already intended to invite him to our gathering after, no?”

“I am sorry for the intrusion, but this sounded quite interesting,” Luo Zhong said in a conciliatory tone. “I will leave if our host wishes.”

It would be rude. Not unacceptably so, but just enough. It reminded her of why Luo Zhong irritated her just a little. “I don’t mind your presence. Sect Brother Xuan?”

“This one has no objections,” Xuan Shi said placidly. “If Sir Wang and Lady Ling believe Brother Luo’s integrity.”

Of course not.

“Do you know what we were intending, Luo Zhong?” Ling Qi asked politely.

“Some casual technique and formation demonstrations,” Luo Zhong said, straightening up from his bow. “Sect Brother Xuan’s innovations are impressive, or so I hear.”

“Sect Brother Luo is too generous,” Xuan Shi said, shrugging his broad shoulders. “And this is merely a casual meeting.”

Ling Qi blinked at the emphasis Xuan Shi put on that word, and she knew Luo Zhong caught it too from the way he straightened up marginally.

<Turtle-boy doesn’t usually stand up for himself like that,> Sixiang thought.

“Yeah, Big Sis said this was just for fun,” Gui intruded haughtily. The tone really didn’t suit him.

“Haha, of course it’s just for fun, Sir Ling,” Wang Chao chuffed. “I think we’ve all had enough of serious concerns for the day. You would not believe how my sister grilled me over my performance in these last months.”

Ling Qi smiled. “I am sure your elder sister is merely showing affection in her own way. She only wishes for you to excel.”

“Bah, she’s gotten to you already!” Wang Chao threw up his hands.

Luo Zhong watched them pensively. Xuan Shi did so with an unreadable air.

Ling Qi watched Luo Zhong out of the corner of her eye, considering. How did she want to handle his presence?

Well, the best thing was just to treat him like any other plus one Wang Chao would have brought along. Maybe she could get him to cough up what he wanted without dragging it out.

<Sixiang,> Ling Qi thought. <Could you let Xuan Shi know my thoughts on this? I’d like to not leave him out.>

She didn’t forget Xuan Shi’s words that she didn’t respect him. She saw no reason to feed Kongyou’s plots on that account.

“So, how did you hear about this meeting, Sect Brother?” Ling Qi asked.

“Ah, Sect Brother Wang was discussing his meeting with some of our peers,” Luo Zhong replied pleasantly. “The chance to see the craft of the venerable Xuan in action was too good to pass up.”

Of course he had, Ling Qi thought. Wang Chao liked attention. If she were being unkind, she would say he liked to brag. It wasn’t the worst flaw to have, but it did have its downsides.

Wang Chao grinned. “Of course I did! I’m proud of my companions! Ah, Lady Ling, you may end up fielding some questions regarding your gardening.”

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

“It’s not something worthy of attention yet,” Ling Qi demurred. She was certain Wang Chao was overestimating things. Her hobbies weren’t important. At most, a few might be interested in Zhengui.

“Yeah! This one’s just practice, even if it turned out pretty good,” Gui chirped.

“Hmph. Elder Sister and Gui should have more pride,” Zhen hissed.

“Weigh this one’s opinion how you will, but thy design principles are sound, however they came about,” Xuan Shi said thoughtfully, glancing her way.

<He says he’s fine just treating the guy as another guest, as long as he acts the part,> Sixiang whispered.

“I hadn’t heard you were expanding your hobbies, Sister Ling,” Luo Zhong commented.

“I’m simply exploring my little brother’s nature more thoroughly. But please, this meeting is not about me. Brother Xuan, I’m interested in seeing what you’ve done with your armors since I last saw them deployed.”

“Yes! I am looking forward to testing my might against your shell!” Wang Chao agreed excitedly.

Xuan Shi looked at her for a moment and nodded once. “As Sister Ling wishes. Let us find a clear space then.”