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Chapter 82 – Xin Gang

Chu Xin Gang lurched upward, hands raised in defense. His aura flared, blowing apart the tent that he had been put to rest within, destroying the cot he had been laid upon and shattering the cup and pitcher of water laid out for his eventual waking. Energy roared to life around him, chi re-ordering itself about him as his spirit restored the surroundings.

Heart beating like a drum, his dantian barely filled with immortal energy, memories of an earlier life, a harder one, pressing upon his mind. Reminders of the farmstead when he had arrived, the missing and dead when the rebels – the damn dirty Ascendants – had come through, destroying all that was dear.

Bringing chaos to the heavens.

“Sir! You’re safe.” Not far away, gently guiding the remnant pieces of the tent down from the sky with his own aura and piling it to the side, Guard Bu stood. His weapon was held before him, ready to block further attacks.

“I know that.” Xin Gang stood up from the ground, brushing himself down. He noted how he was still in his armor as well as the yellow talisman paper that fell to the earth amidst the shattered remnants of the cot, the crumbled remains of a spirit stone on it. The emergency feeding talisman must have been how they had replenished his chi reserves.

Withdrawing a stone from his own spirit ring, he placed it in his left hand. Utilized the runes on the gauntlet embedded in his armor to begin drawing the energy outwards. It was similar to moving cultivation, though a little more efficient than what most immortals could do. The ability to draw in energy while moving was a difficult skill to learn, and almost always wasteful.

Better to spend an hour cultivating than eight hours, half-cultivating while undertaking routine tasks. One meant you were focused on the process, the other, distracted and impulsive.

“Status.”

“We have retreated three li from the mansion and set-up camp. Injuries have been cared for, with yourself and Lieutenant Lu the worst struck. Minor wounds were sustained by two others but full recuperation is expected in a week. They are ready to ride, if necessary.” Guard Bu gestured to Xin Gang himself. “You have awakened, so we are but waiting for Lieutenant Lu to do so as well.”

“Extent of his injuries?”

“He could ride. Slowly. Nothing that will cripple him, though we expect he will not be wielding guandao or sword in his right hand anytime soon.”

“That’s why we train with both,” Xin Gang said. “Good job. Clean up this mess, make sure we’re watching for additional danger. I will check on the Lieutenant.”

He marched over the man’s tent, set not too far away from where his had been in the center of the small encampment. Extending his aura gingerly, grateful there was no pain, Xin Gang checked on Lu Ong. Most of the Lieutenant was shrouded, the medicinal and magical bandages that wrapped arm, hands, thigh and torso helping to speed up recovery. One bandage was over his head, but when Xin Gang looked inside, he noted it just across the temple.

As though sensing his presence, Lu Ong stirred. Xin Gang approached, poured the man a cup of water and then once his subordinate had drank, served himself a cup as well. Only after Lu Ong had settled did he ask for the report he so desperately wanted.

“No.” Lu Ong shook his head. “Nothing exact. I have impressions, and I can send us in that direction, however.”

“Only that?’

“The fluctuation in the formation and the environmental chi was too much for me. It destroyed the bone before I could finish enscribing it.” Staring at his maimed fingers, Lu Ong voice held no accusation in them. So, why was it that he heard it anyway?

A Guardian did not apologise to ones subordinate anyway. “Your fingers. Are they functional?”

“They will be. Nothing physical was permanently harmed.”

There was something in his voice. “But?”

“I cannot see.”

“Your eyes look fine to me.”

“No. Not that. I cannot see.” He gestured upwards, to where the third eye would have been. “My ability to foretell, it’s gone. The attack, it was targeted there.”

Horror laced Xin Gang’s voice, horror and guilt. “Permanently?”

“No.” Then, immediately. “I do not know.” A breath, inhaled and then slowly exhaled before he added. “I think… not? The energies utilized, they churned and burned, my sight is now a mess. Like staring at a murky river, where the silt has been dredged upwards. It’s all blackness, but occasionally, there are flashes of light.”

Xin Gang let out a low, relieved breath. He reached out and squeezed the man’s shoulder in comfort. “Rest then. We don’t want you falling off your horse. I’ll have the men feed and cook something for all of us, before we begin pursuit.”

Lu Ong sank back onto his cot gratefully, allowing Xin Gang to leave the tent before he displayed any further, uncouth emotions. He surveyed the small numbers of his patrol, grimacing before barking out orders to his men. In a few hours, they would be on the road again, chasing after their prey.

Even if they were gone by the time they had arrived, there were likely to be clues left behind. Almost, he was tempted to send a scout ahead, but then reconsidered it as he surveyed the still smoking courtyard of the mansion in the distance.

Their enemy had proven the ability and propensity to set traps. Better to move together, when they could support one another.

Taking position under the awning of one of his soldier’s tents, he extracted a camp chair and a small writing table. He would need to compose a number of missives – not just to the Department of Justice that he was, ostensibly, working under but also the Department of War and State Department. Local forces would need to be further alerted about the empty mansion, the former residents and their new, wanted positions.

In addition, with the damage done to the mansion, additional reports would have to be submitted. Without a local hegemon, the spirit beasts that made up this quarter would likely begin to annex the space soon after. If their presence was not quelled quickly, it would be messy to deal with later.

Justice might grind slow, but the engine of its destruction was the paperwork of the Jade Empire.