Chương 23: Into the Belly of the Beast

Hao felt like a lizard aching for a glimpse of sunlight after wandering through the dark, winding bogs of the Blue Night Mountains for almost two weeks. The vast cradle shaped by the steep, glimmering peaks blocked out almost every bit of external light, casting the forests, swamps, and silver lakes in perpetual gloam. No one born in the Sunbeam Empire could feel at home in such a place. He'd been born and raised in the Emperor's light.

The Emperor's presence was constant, a nurturing radiance which urged every subject to grow tall and mighty, a reassuring power which felt like a warm hand on his shoulder. The light could be harsh at times, beating down like the gaze of a stern father upon his misbehaving children, but without it Hao felt lost in this land of pale fog, silvery mist, and heavy shadow.

But Wildfire burned brightest in the dark, as proved by Hao's battles against the accursed denizens of the Blue Night Mountains once he'd recovered, reaping savage wild cultivators, malicious spirits, and the occasional demonic beast which sniffed out the caravan. Though even Wildfire wasn't eager to consume this particular specter.

"Kill it!" Sister Fu snapped at Hao, who staggered beneath the unceasing onslaught of a four-armed rotting corpse which assaulted him with an equivalent number of blades. The foul thing stank of death, shadow, and water. Its sagging skin was white as a fish's belly. Every blow landed heavily against the Cheng Spear as Hao blocked its flurry of blows.

"Put it back in the water!" Sister Xing leapt over, her blade slick with muddy ichor from the lesser corpse that she'd just put down, and struck from the side, carving a gash in the revenant's flabby side. Corpse-water gushed out like a popped abscess, full of pus and squirming parasites and black essence, and the thing gurgled as two of its arms focused on fighting off Xing. That was a mistake. Hao roared, allowing his Wildfire to burn brightly within his spirit. Qi raged through his healing meridians.

The Wildfire whipped through him, still driven by the fading taste of the Four Winds he'd consumed, and raged in defiance against the water, shadow, and earth qi which stifled him. He reared back, coiling as he adopted the First Form of the Dawn Lord Spear Art, the Sunrise Thrust.

Qi swirled within him, guided by both the motions of his body and the image he focused upon: the break of dawn, the golden sun rising in the east, inevitable in its approach— The foul corpse vomited stinking sludge everywhere as Hao's blazing spear ripped through its tough skin.

It was sturdier than a decomposing mass of bloated flesh had any right to be, anchored by its spiritual nature and the qi saturating its stinking body, but the yin qi embedded in the revenant fled at the approach of Hao's light: blazing red flame touched with a thread of gold from the Dawn Lord Spear Art.

"Got you!" Hao sneered at the revenant, tearing the Cheng Spear free. He burnt away the foul ichor which stained the heavenly jade head, smiling as he felt a hint of approval shuddering through him from the Cheng Spear, and returned it to his storage ring as Sister Fu's arrow plunged through the corpse's head, putting it down for good. Hao gasped as the fight came to a close despite the power coursing through his healing meridians.

Setting the rotten beast ablaze stung, leaving a deep-seated ache in his channels, but he watched the shadowy spirits bound to its flesh burn away with great satisfaction. Undead were amongst the worst horrors this world had to offer, but at least they were from this world. As horrific as the rotten revenant was, it still didn't approach the spirit-deep repulsion that he suffered from the Grey Hilt. These were an ugly part of the Dao, but a part of the world all the same.

Just like gore, venereal diseases, and Master Bolin.

"Just a Distillator this time, at least," Sister Xing said grimly, sweeping her blade through the humid air to condense water qi upon the edge and cleanse her weapon of the ichor.

"That Ruminator corpse…"

"I'd rather not think of it, if you please," Sister Fu cut the other Distillator off.

"My robes still stink from when Brother Xiao popped its distended belly while I was right next to it."

"Apologies," Hao said with a grin.

"For what it's worth, your radiance is so brilliant that you shine even through a nice sheen of entrails. That's commendable, Sister Fu!" He chuckled as his friend sent a murderous glare his way.

"I really do apologize. I didn't expect its reaction to the Dawn Lord Spear Art to be quite so … explosive." Sister Xing shook her head.

"The Dawn Lord Spear Art belongs to the Acolytes. It's meant to slay creatures of the dark, even ones not tinged by sorcery's taint."

"Truly?" Hao considered the Art's fierce, efficient motions for a moment. It was an aggressive style, favoring straight thrusts and endless pushes against the foe's defenses. Even his normal spear art couldn't match the sheer ferocity of the Dawn Lord Style. Still …

"It's a fine Spear Art, but I would've expected something grander from the Acolytes."

"Well, not many of the Acolytes actually use it," Sister Xing explained as she conducted rites over the burning corpses, ushering their spirits along to the next life. She steadily cleansed them of the foul specters which had raised the cultivator's rotting body into undeath.

"Master Wan told me that the Dawn Lord Spear Art is mostly granted to the feeder sects for their promising disciples. Valuable, but not first-rate by the Acolytes' standards. True Acolytes have access to better arts."

"Feeder sects?" Sister Fu arched a fine black eyebrow. She and Hao shared a glance.

"Even the White Rivers Sect doesn't recruit that way. Children are tested young, then those who are worthy are inducted into our ranks."

"How large is West Lake City? I know of it, but our caravan has never passed through."

"It's one of the smaller provincial capitals in the Corelands," Hao replied, "Two million mortals or so. Nothing compared to the Golden Capital."

"Or Sun Wall City," Sister Xing said.

"I know you've never visited, Brother Xiao. What of you, Sister?"

"I've never had the pleasure," Sister Fu said with a sigh.

"Master Ren has many contacts there, of course. Some in the Acolytes, others in the contingents of the other Great Nine Sects. He's spoken of taking me to visit a few experts he's familiar with in the Seekers of the Charted Abyss—" Sister Xing's lip curled into a sneer.

"—but only when I ascend to Rumination," Sister Fu finished.

"There are many unique alchemical reagents which can only be found around Sun Wall City due to the … unique confluence of factors there."

"Well, Sun Wall City's population is close to a hundred million these days," Sister Xing said stiffly, sour from the mention of whatever the Seekers were.

"It will only grow as the unrest between Sunbeam and the Four Winds spreads."

"Because no one in their right mind would attack it," Hao cut in. Sun Wall City protected far more than just Sunbeam from the foul grasp of the Dark World and its denizens. Even the Four Winds focused their eyes upon the Corelands, unwilling to poison their own lands if the Sun Wall fell.

"Exactly. But tens upon tens of millions, and all of them want to become an Acolyte," Sister Xing continued.

"The Acolytes have too many responsibilities to test every talented child who dreams of joining them, so the feeder sects help to filter the chaff from those capable of taking the Sun Dragon Trials. There's no point wasting good cultivators." Hao leaned forward, slinging a mortal spear over his shoulder. It felt cold and dead in his hand, unworthy of him. He side eyed Sister Xing.

"You sound as if you know what the Trials entail." Sister Xing's lips thinned.

"Rumors. Nothing more." She spun abruptly, facing the direction the caravan would be heading.

"Come, Brother Xiao! There's more work to be done. We can't afford any lapses before reaching the Azure Tigers! We've found too many destroyed caravans to rest."

"Someone's hiding secrets," Sister Fu murmured next to Hao, eying Sister Xing with renewed interest.

"The Xiao Hao I know would be off trying to charm them out of her." Hao elbowed Fu as he turned to follow Sister Xing back to the main path.

"And piss off Master Wan? You see the way he dotes on her. I'm just now getting back into fighting shape. I'd rather not end up with any more broken bones, Sister." Sister Fu tutted at him.

"Where's your sense of adventure?"

"We're wading through a dark, haunted bog. Isn't that enough adventure for you?"

"So dull! It's hard to believe you're the same boy who slipped itching powder into Senior Jun's undergarments…" The Azure Tiger Sect had—in the tradition of cultivators everywhere—claimed the biggest of the Blue Night Mountains for themselves. If the valleys generally swallowed the caravan up, then the Azure Mountain and its foothills left them feeling like fleas upon the back of some great slumbering beast.

While they couldn't see the mist-shrouded heights of the Azure Mountain which held the Upper Monastery, they had observed the enormous collection of buildings which made up the Lower Monastery from afar. The wooden towers and fortifications sprouted from the black mountainside, burning with eerie blue flames which cast away the shadows which settled across the Blue Night Mountains like a mantle. Wild black woods blanketed the Azure Mountain, largely untamed save for a few paths carved into the mountainside.

A small gatehouse guarded the entrance to the mountain road, overseen by four Azure Tiger Distillators responsible for managing visiting caravans and traders. Master Wan quickly ushered them into a small plaza nearby, joining a few other wary caravans who'd stopped to trade with the sect. Hao traded quick glances with the guards protecting the other caravans. They all clutched their weapons as the Azure Tiger overseers prowled about.

"I don't trust them," Hao growled to Sister Fu as they dismounted their wagons. Two of the Azure Tigers swaggered over to speak with Master Wan, who was the only one of the caravan who didn't seem perturbed by the towering men.

"I wish you could come with us. Keep an eye on the juniors, won't you?" Sister Fu nodded, appearing utterly at ease as she examined the Azure Tigers. Both men and women were bulkier than ordinary cultivators, muscular rather than lithe, built much like Hao himself. Their faces were hard with a cruel set to their broad mouths, enhanced by the impression of fangs bulging beneath their lips, and wild eyes of either striking blue or pitch-black tracked everything around them. You could be reading stolen content.

Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"I am of the White Rivers," Sister Fu murmured, though she'd abandoned her white-and-blue sect robes in favor of a spare set of Sister Xing's garments. Her cultivation would stand out on its own. There was no need to scream that she was of the Great Nine to the brutish Azure Tigers.

"They will be safe with me, Brother. Besides, I doubt they'd wish to anger one like your Master Wan." Hao nodded, stiff as a few more of the Azure Tigers emerged from the gatehouse to prowl along the plaza, watching the dozen caravans camped out at the base camp with a predatory bent. No doubt they were imagining just what riches the caravans carried. He wouldn't forget the splintered caravans they'd stumbled across over the past two weeks.

Master Wan had been wary the entire trip, on edge as he shielded the wagons from truly powerful creatures, but his frowns had grown deeper and deeper with every ravaged merchant train they'd found and put to rest. Few caravans opted to wind their way through the great valleys and strange beasts of the Blue Night Mountains.

A steady stream of traffic flooded to and from Sun Wall City—such a vast metropolis couldn't hope to sustain itself without external supplies—but there were far gentler roads than the ones overseen by the Azure Tigers. Most of the caravans they'd encountered had been picked clean over.

The Azure Tigers were said to keep the roads clear for traders, driving mighty beasts out of the valleys and into the mountains proper, but he, Sister Xing, and Sister Fu had dealt with dozens of low-level predators and undead which shouldn't have been so close to the roads.

That wasn't even counting the pain-in-the-ass spirit beasts who alternated between challenging them to games of riddles and extorting them, or the flesh-eating plants which had a habit of uprooting themselves and chasing after anyone unfortunate to cross their path.

"They've been failing in their duties," Hao said with a scowl.

"Just be wary, yes? They're guilty of incompetence at best and malice at worst." It wouldn't surprise Hao if the Azure Tigers had looted the destroyed caravans themselves. He doubted that even the savages would outright maraud the caravans. Why put off traders from entering their territory? But they wouldn't have seen anything wrong with taking a tax from the dead. Sister Fu cradled the Midnight-Speckled Frog in the crook of her arm, crooning softly to it before placing it back into the wagon.

She leaned upon her staff unimpaired now. Her wounds had completely healed over a week ago.

"I've concocted a few new poisons during our travels," Sister Fu said.

"Some I'd hoped to use on Yuchen. Others … well, Master Wan's spoken at length about the Azure Tigers' constitutions. Perhaps I'll get to test those claims."

"Never change, Sister," Hao said with a smile. He glanced at Master Wan, who motioned for Hao to join him and Sister Xing.

"Stay safe, won't you?"

"You're the one going into the belly of the beast," Sister Fu pointed out.

"Don't be stupid. Go, Brother. They're waiting on you." Hao nodded, bade goodbye to a few of the nervous Calcinators who would be remaining with the caravan, then walked past a leering Azure Tiger Distillator to stand next to Master Wan and Sister Xing.

"We are ready," Master Wan said to the lead Azure Tiger, who offered a shallow bow to the Ruminator.

"You have been granted leave to ascend the Azure Peak," the scarred warrior said stiffly.

"Remain on the path, Warden-Errant." With that, they began to ascend a paved path which climbed up the imposing mountain slopes. Forests encroached on the path, casting it in shadow broken only by braziers filled with blue flames. The path was too sheer and steep for a mortal to safely climb.

"Are you certain that leaving the caravan all alone is a good idea? Your juniors are skilled Calcinators, and Sister Fu will guard them, but the Azure Tigers below…" Hao said to Master Wan, remembering their hungry, animalistic gazes.

"Put your Corelands suppositions behind you. The Azure Tigers are wild folk, but they are not barbarians," Master Wan said, never pausing as he strode up the rocky road to the Lower Monastery, which spread across the mountainside like a dozen enormous palaces painted black-and-blue. The massive buildings all centered around a central tower, past which was shrouded in fog. The Lower Monastery seemed to blend into the mountainside, camouflaged perfectly in the gloom and pale mists of the Azure Tigers' homeland.

"They know us well. Very well, in some cases." Master Wan muttered the last bit. That wasn't exactly a relief to Hao as they strode through the forest-lined path. Spirit beasts watched from the recesses, eyes burning in the dark, and the calls of crows and owls filled the air. Day never truly fell upon the Blue Night Mountains. There was always the sensation of being watched. Every passing second only made Hao's hair stand further on end.

"You walk like one of the Great Nine," Master Wan told Hao.

"I won't ask you to tame your fire. It's your greatest strength, though you should remember that fires who burn too hotly tend to find themselves snuffed out."

"So I've heard."

"Follow Junior Xing's lead. She's visited the Lower Monastery before and knows the correct etiquette," Master Wan instructed.

"Be respectful. Avoid speaking to the Azure Tigers if I'm not around. We'll only be here until morning, but that's plenty of time to be dragged into an honor duel or ten."

"I don't have time for these brutes," Hao said with no small disdain.

"The faster we leave here, the better. All I care about is reaching Sun Wall City. The White Rivers might not be as savage as the Azure Tigers, but our— their —pride outshines them a hundredfold. I know the etiquette. One doesn't run their mouth in the White Rivers unless they want their tongue torn out."

"I'm surprised you made it through," Sister Xing teased, eyes bright as she glanced up at the enormous Lower Monastery just a short distance ahead.

"Muteness doesn't suit you." She leaned close to Hao and whispered.

"Expect to get sick and tired of the word ' azure'. The Tigers aren't the most creative bunch."

"We have a private audience with my superior, Acolyte Sungaze—" Hao had to fight the urge to roll his eyes at Master Wan's words. Cultivators truly weren't the most imaginative when it came to naming conventions. Especially the stronger ones. He wasn't sure that Sister Xing had much room to talk here. The Sunbeam Emperor ruled the Sunbeam Empire, had the Sunstruck Dragon Form, and established the Sun Dragon Acolytes who guarded the Sun Wall…

He assumed it had something to do with greater cultivators so strictly defining themselves by their Dao, their Way, which was the bedrock of their cultivation. Immersion in one facet of the universe didn't come without consequences. Monochromaticism, as Master Wan likely would have put it. Cultivators were so steeped in their own color that they couldn't always see beyond it.

"—whom will make use of the intelligence that you acquired, Brother Xiao. The Sapphire Tiger, the overseer of the Lower Monastery, will likely join us. She works closely with Acolyte Sungaze to coordinate measures against heretic operations within the Blue Night Mountains." Master Wan paused a little at the mention of the Sapphire Tiger, a small smile dancing across his lips.

"How many slip through the Sun Wall? Heretics seem to be everywhere."

"The truly powerful heretics can't sustain themselves outside the Dark World. They've given themselves in full to sorcery, thus the material is anathema to them. Lesser heretics can still breathe mortal air, like your Xia."

"I'll say it again: she's not my Xia. You talk about her as if she's some ugly baby that I'm stuck with."

"There are no ugly babies," Sister Xing said primly.

"Only harsh eyes."

"You never met my little sister, then. I remember Nuan was a screaming, pink monkey when she came out. Acted like one, too," Hao recalled, smiling.

"Bald, toothless, and wrinkled as a prune … honestly, I thought my mother had given birth to some shriveled old lady at first. I called my sister Granny Nuan until she was three."

"What ever happened to her?" Hao's face fell.

"I have no clue. Still traveling with my father, I expect." He fixed his eyes forward, refusing to say anything else on the matter. A few minutes passed before something flickered on the edge of his spiritual senses.

"Master Wan…"

"Come greet us, Guardian Tang!" Master Wan clapped. His jade eye spun to peer at a black bough above, fixed upon a subtle fold of shadow hidden within the nest of branches. Hao's vision couldn't pick anything out, but some itch of perception told him something filled the seemingly empty space. Then the darkness slowly melted away, revealing a man clutching a massive two-handed dao sword. Guardian Tang's hulking figure was draped in fine silk robes which were bright blue with black stripes woven into the fabric.

The stripes seemed essential to the man's camouflage, blending into the shadows in a way that wasn't entirely natural. Guardian Tang faded back into the dark the second he fell still, then shifted so that they could still see him.

"Warden-Errant Wan," Guardian Tang acknowledged, settling his startlingly blue eyes upon the Ruminator. Hao and Sister Xing watched him carefully, though neither prepared for battle. There was an old familiarity in the Azure Tiger's words.

"What gave me away this time?"

"You're still learning to regulate yin qi properly. Your shadow is too dark. Perhaps try emulating the honorable Water-Dancer." A woman garbed in similar robes—though they were more black than blue—faded into existence in a nearby tree, lounging effortlessly like a big cat atop its perch. Her eyes were dark as pitch. Even her sclera was black, making her eyes appear as if they were open pits.

"Compliments from an Acolyte? What fortune!" Water-Dancer beamed, landing with feline grace as she dropped from her own tree. Shadows clung to her like spiderwebs.

"Pay attention, Guardian Tang. There are benefits to following the Sable Arts."

"I prefer the Azure," Guardian Tang growled, tumbling from his hiding place to land with a heavy thud. He stretched to his full height, standing evenly with Water-Dancer. Both towered over Sister Xing, though Hao was almost of a height with them.

"Hiding's not my style."

"There's something to be said for standing in the sunshine," Master Wan agreed.

"Or whatever passes for it in the Blue Night Mountains. Did Acolyte Sungaze send you to greet us?"

"It's our pleasurable duty to serve the Warden-Errant." Water-Dancer grinned. Her teeth looked white as snow and sharp as knives. Spiritual pressure emanated from her like a steady growl, though something about her muddled the signature, making it difficult to perceive her true strength. In contrast, Guardian Tang burned with the strength of a Ruminator, practically bellowing his strength to the world.

"Acolyte Sungaze has been expecting you. He never mentioned two little cubs." Master Wan brightened.

"My students! Water-Dancer, Guardian Tang, it's my pleasure to introduce my pupils: Xing Jia and Xiao Hao."

"This one smells like rain and spring," Guardian Tang said, peering at Sister Xing, who met his brilliant blue eyes evenly.

"You'd take well to the Blood. Do you have teeth, girl? You might make a good Azure tiger." Sister Xing's smile was as cold as Hao had ever seen it.

"I have other ambitions."

"I'd prefer you not attempt to recruit my students, Guardian Tang," Master Wan said too-pleasantly.

"Let's attend to business, hmm? Acolyte Sungaze isn't one to be kept waiting."

"A moment," Water-Dancer growled, stalking closer to Hao, who ached to summon the Cheng Spear into his hand and give her a good poke. Did no one ever teach the Azure Tigers any manners? Of course not. Their Patriarch was some sort of enormous beast.

"This one…" Water-Dancer leaned so close to Hao that for a moment he thought she was about to kiss him, though she ended up giving him a long sniff instead.

"Back off," Hao barked. The Azure Tigers were arrogant, confident in their bestial power. Strength was the only thing they respected. He shoved Water-Dancer backwards, though she only took a step back or so. Her strength was unreal—she felt as solid as iron.

"Water-Dancer!" Master Wan glided to stand in front of Hao as the tall woman peeled her lips back in a snarl, growling as shadow spun into wicked claws which erupted from her knuckles. The air went eerily silent. Guardian Tang laid a hand on Water-Dancer's shoulder. She twitched, looking ready to tear into him.

"Peace, sister."

"That one smells of smoke and flame. But below…" Water-Dancer said, watching Hao as a cat would a plague-infected rat.

"Sorcery. I'll never forget that stench! What have you brought into our lands?"

"An ally. A fellow servant of the Emperor." There was a note of warning in Master Wan's voice which had Water-Dancer step back. Her shadowed claws dissipated, fading back into the twilit sky. Sister Xing took her hand from the hilt of her sword.

"Shall we go?" Water-Dancer glared at Hao with obvious mistrust, but nodded.

"Don't fall behind, Warden-Errant." And just like that, the two Azure Tigers took off up the mountainside, covering vast ground with every long, loping stride.

"What are you waiting for? After them!" And just like that, Master Wan dashed towards the dozen palaces of the Lower Monastery above. Hao and Sister Xing sprinted after him, burning a bit of unrefined qi just to keep pace, and he wondered just what else the barbarians had in store for them.