Vol. 6 Chapter 1- Impatience

Comparison is the thief of joy. Tian and Hong were, unquestionably, the strongest in the Outer Court of Ancient Crane Monastery. Others might have more polished skills and better equipment, but the difference in physical capability, elemental awareness, to say nothing of the sheer depth and purity of their vital energy, put them miles beyond their peers. Which put them in a bit of a tricky situation. Tian didn’t understand that. Hong very much did.

“It’s no longer a question of networks or of family ties. It’s a question of strength. Once the gap gets to a certain point, things become very difficult. We are notionally in the same realm- hell, we are juniors, but you have made it very clear that you stand above everyone. And… once I heard about what you did, I arranged a private duel with a certain senior sister.”

“How many moves did she last?”

“One. My boxing isn’t anything special, but…”

“It doesn’t have to be.” Tian looked over his shoulder at Liren. “Not with the strength you can put behind it, the speed you can throw your hands, and your ability to know their every move before they make it.”

Liren nodded faintly. “Straight right cross, caught the point of her chin and dropped her flat. I thought I had really harmed her for a few seconds.”

Tian nodded. “Word got around afterward.”

“Yeah.”

Burning Heaven didn’t add to the conversation. She was carrying them to the rendezvous point for the expedition to the White Peacock’s testing ground, and it seemed her mind was firmly focused on what they might be tested on.

Liren continued after an awkward pause. “It will be better when we are in the Heavenly Realm. Once the gap gets past a certain point, there is no comparison, right? And the bitterness of being surpassed in realm by a junior is one all the Level Tens are familiar with. Most of them will cheer for us when we ascend. But until then, we are all part of the Outer Court. The fear is that we will choose to rule it.”

“No. Also, how? I mean, I can’t control who gets what missions, who gets paid whatever, housing is practically whatever you want…”

“Yeah, but you and I can wait for someone in a quiet spot, beat them rotten and rob them. Then extort the next few with the example of the first as motivation.”

Tian blinked at her. His expression clearly communicated that, while he understood all the individual words, he couldn’t understand why she put them in that order.

“I didn’t say it was likely, and most of ‘em know we wouldn’t. Not even taking into consideration what the Inner Court or the Elders would do if we tried. But you have to put it in the context of a hundred and fifty years, two hundred years, of seeing the biggest scumbags getting the biggest rewards. Not all the time, but given our particular circumstances, we would be a perfect fit. The, hah, the arrogant young master and mistress of the Outer Court.”

Tian started slowly nodding. “There is Burning Heaven and Sister Mei as our Heavenly People backing. Throw in the rest of the Wangs and Sister Lin, and we have money, the production lines for some crucial goods, and the cultivating birds and animals. You have ties to the disciplinary squad, I have ties to the hospital, we both have ties to the Inner Court and Direct Disciples, and short of an all out ambush by a dozen or so peak level nines, they can’t beat us in a fight either.”

“Talismans would be a big equalizer, can’t forget them. Same with arrays, and they probably don’t know poisons barely touch you. I guarantee someone in the Outer Court got their hands on a Heavenly Realm talisman and kept it just in case.” Liren sniffed.

“Right. Elder Rui gave you those Goldsword talismans. Who’s to say they couldn’t get some of their own?”

“Right, and they have had a century or two to collect their own life saving measures. My point is just that it would be… unwise… to push too hard.”

“I wasn’t going to push at all!” Tian threw his hands up.

“You don’t have to. You already won.” Burning Heaven laughed. It seemed she had only been pretending not to pay attention.

“She’s right. From their perspective, we conquered the Outer Court and didn’t bother to tell anyone we had done it. But what would change if we did?” Tian could hear the sinister chuckle in Hong’s voice.

“Literally nothing? Because we don’t actually have the power to change anything?”

“We do with soft power. Soft power backed by hard is the best kind. And everyone knows that, while we could, we are currently choosing not to. We are choosing not to make waves. You are being punished very publicly, and you are very publicly going along with it. I’m laying low too, mostly reviewing the current rules and regulations for the Outer Court, as well as compiling a standard of conduct for the Disciplinary Squad. Not alone, obviously, but…”

Tian groaned and buried his face in his hands. He could do this much political math.

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“What would we have to- no, wrong question.”

“Yeah. It’s not about what we could gain, it’s about what they could lose. Starting with face, a sense of security, opportunities to advance, and going from there.”

“So what does this have to do with our little… outing?”