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Chapter 54 – Fa Yuan

Salutations over, Fa Yuan straightened herself from the bow. Properly deep, not on her knees, as befitted an Elder of a neutral kingdom. If she had been a citizen, it might have been politic for her to kowtow, but as a power in of herself as a Nascent Soul cultivator, a single bended knee and a deep inclination of the body was appropriate.

Such matters were important to certain individuals. Since she had not had time to properly study the prince, to ascertain if his ego required such careful management, it was better to manage any potential misunderstandings beforehand.

That was the problem with courtesy though. It was a failure of the individual and society. In a perfectly wise and correct society that followed the Dao, there was no need for this. 

The wise had no care for false courtesies, for they saw Through to the heart of matters. Failing that, the virtuous sought no false pleasantries, knowing there's was no virtue in such falsehoods. The benevolent would never chastise the impolite and the righteous were too busy fixing wrongs for the added friction. 

False courtesies mattered not for the wise, the virtuous, the benevolent or the righteous. But politics was no place for those individuals, and so Fa Yuan had to default to politeness to function in this moment. 

Later, then, might she move with greater speed and directness. 

Not far away, General Fu Ke Yi had moved to flank his master. Standing behind and to the side of the other man, ready to swing his or put himself in the way if she attacked. The other guards were further back – at different angles that blocked entry and attack from outside rather than meant to safeguard against Fa Yuan herself.

It would be pointless anyway. She might not be a martial cultivator, but she so out-ranked the Energy Storage guards that it would not matter. They might be suitable for the vast majority of threats, but they might as well have been paper dogs as far as she was concerned.

Something both the general and prince obviously knew by their positioning.

“Elder Yang.” Prince Liu Jing Mu, third prince of the kingdom and current overseer of the tumultuous and newly formed state, smiled in greeting at Fa Yuan. “Or should I call you Fairy Yang.”

“Whichever pleases the prince,” Fa Yuan murmured. At the small gesture, she gracefully sat on the seat drawn out for her to take. A small – but marked – sign of favor. Or a desire for her to relax and lower her guard.

“Thank you for your patience in heeding General Fu’s request to hide your presence. It – and the nelgnth of your journey – was necessary.”

Fa Yuan stayed politely silent, instead reaching for the winepot and glasses. She served the pair of them and then, hesitated over the third cup. A head tilt and cutting glance was all that was required to voice the question to the soldier who shook his head. Placing pot down, she continued to slowly and demurely serve the drinks, all while letting the silence after the prince’s comment to drag out.

Taking the cup with both hands, the prince raised it upwards, toasting Fa Yuan who copied his motions. He swallowed the drink without hesitation before placing the cup down, his movements copied moments later. As she filled his cup again, the general snorted.

The prince rolled his eyes, dramatically, while looking at the noisy general.

“You are always so quick to cut through the socials.”

“We’ve already wasted nearly ten minutes with greetings and salutations. Are we going to waste another hour on drinks that can make neither of you intoxicated, just so that you can dance around the matter again?”

“If necessary.”

“I did wish to compliment the prince on his cultivation. His core is smooth and unblemished, clear as a crystal and multi-layered,” Fa Yuan murmured.

“Please. There is flattery and then, there is outright falsehood. I know my own core is marked and diminished by the pills and tonics I have had to consume to advance.”

“And yet, your energy flows smoothly, the control of your aura marked and almost imperceptible till you received my cup.” Another exaggeration, but not as large a one. The prince truly could have been a successful Elder cultivator in the Verdant Green Waters. In a smaller sect, he might even be considered a Core Elder – and he was young, only in his mid-thirties. He might never breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage without a series of fortuitous encounters, but high Core Formation was entirely possible.

“Fairy Yang is all too kind, yet all my gains are nothing compared to the Fairy. Not only have you managed to hold onto the acclaim and recognition of the populace in your kingdom and outside, but you have progressed to Nascent Soul. Likewise, your control of your aura and senses are remarkable, nor is your own martial skills anything to be ignored.” The prince let out a very dramatic sigh. “Why, your participation in the destruction of the tyrant is well known and storied.”

“I did little in that battle,” Fa Yuan said, demurely. “It was my martial brother and the Sect Head who did much of the work.”

“Immortal Long.” Prince Liu said. “In embracing the precepts of the Dao and releasing his ownership of a rare World Spirit ring, he wielded it as a weapon against the tyrant, ending him. Such a marvelous tale, though one wonders if he will return to claim ownership of the new mystic realm.”

“Many have put hands on it, demanding access and ownership indeed,” Fa Yuan replied. “Is the kingdom of Liu interested in it?”

“Interested in a spirit realm that harbors an unknown amount of what must be rare and powerful cultivation herbs? A little.” Prince Liu smiled. “It certainly is to our fortune that the foremost expert of the contents of the realm is before me.”

“Who? Me?” Fa Yuan shook her head. “Certainly not.”

“Yet, you traveled with the one who had lived within it for months. Years, if the rumors are to be believed. A former fellow Verdant Green Waters Elder, before his embrace of the demonic arts.”

“Wen Yin Xue.”

“Yes.”

“He would certainly be the expert on the matter, but he is no longer in the realm.”

“And yet, you spent much time with him. Surely he spoke about the realm.”

Opening her aura such that he might sense even the smallest change in timber of voice, heart rate or other indicator, she replied. “Not at all. He was quite insistent on keeping the matter silent. And during our entrance, matters proceeded in an unexpected fashion.” At the general’s sudden spike in interest, she added. “A Nascent Soul demonic cultivator struck us at the last moment. Only because Yin Xue brought him into the realm on the other side of the portal did I survive.”

Silence, then Prince Liu let out a long and tired exhalation. He placed the cup, now drained of wine, onto the table, his fingers trembling only a little.

“Then, it’s true.”

In contrast, General Fu let out a hungry and savage grin, almost vibrating in place. Somewhere in the distance, Fa Yuan heard the cry of crows and the buzz of insects and she felt, once more the scales of war and peace shift.