STNS: Chapter 466 (Patreon)

It took over one month for Wu Jian to return to the Sui Kingdom after his stint in the Qing Province. He first traveled with Master Yun Chi, Lili Ling, and Tang Tiantian back to the Southern Tang Dynasty. Master Yun Chi delivered on his promise. He had given Wu Jian a storage ring containing all of the alchemy ingredients Zhou Lihua needed to refine pills for their army. He left not long after that. It had been too long since he’d last seen the others, and he was worried that something might have happened during his time away.

He didn’t know what the best method to enter the Sui Kingdom would be now. The last time, they had to sneak in, but they had secured the entrance last time he had been present, which meant he should be able to just go right on through the pass. But what if the Undying Sun Sect had managed to reclaim the pass? He would be walking into death trap if that happened. Although it would be interesting if he had to fight his way out, he knew that his number one priority was delivering those ingredients to Zhou Lihua.

His fears were fortunately unfounded. He wasn’t attacked when he arrived at Siwang Pass. In fact, he was greeted with smiles instead. The people present were members of Mei Xilan’s army. Fang Heng had been placed in charge of guarding the pass. He had been given orders to have Wu Jian escorted to their new base upon his return.

A lot had changed in the time that Wu Jian had been away, it seemed. Wu Jian was eager to learn about what happened during his long absence.

The new base they were using was an old farming and fishing village located along one of several rivers that ran through the kingdom.

Nestled along the riverbank, the village would have normally exuded an air of tranquil simplicity, but that sensation was decimated by the numerous people bustling around. They were all wearing uniforms similar to the ones Fang Heng wore. This new uniform was a martial training outfit without any form of armor for protection. The most predominant colors were white and blue, and emblazoned on the breast was the symbol of the Sui Kingdom.

The first thing he saw were the many people in uniforms, but there were also farmers tilling the fields and fishermen lazing about on their boats after casting their nets. The dwellings were elevated on wooden stilts like most buildings in this kingdom, their sturdy frames adorned with carvings and patterns that reflected the cultural heritage of the inhabitants. Gently curved roofs were thatched from local reeds and palm leaves, creating a seamless connection with the earth and sky.

In this picturesque setting was a mansion that stood above the rest, set amidst a sprawling garden and manicured lawn. It commanded attention with its imposing presence and elegant architecture.

The mansion’s design drew inspiration from several traditional Sui Kingdom elements, incorporating both sophistication and simplicity. Its facade boasted intricately carved wooden beams and ornate lattice work, showcasing the craftsmanship of many skilled artisans. Delicate paper lanterns hung from eaves, casting a soft glow that illuminated the surroundings at night. Meanwhile, the roof was tiled with glazed ceramic shingles, their vibrant colors shimmering in the sunlight. Decorative finials adorned the ridgeline, adding a touch of grave and refinement to the building’s silhouette.

It really was an impressive structure.

Wu Jian thought he was going to be led into the building, but Fang Heng swerved around a garden and took him to the back, where he found an expansive training ground hidden amidst the tranquil courtyard gardens. He wasn’t a good judge of size, but it was rather large. There, he found a battle happening before his very eyes.

[Dragon’s Roar]

Hou Jingshu gathered chi into her lungs and released it with an immense roar, generating a powerful shockwave that blasted through the training field.

[Vermillion Blaze]

Her target was Huo Shuchang, who had no intention of taking her attack lying down. He channeled his chi through his hands, which quickly caught fire, then released the attack. A torrent of searing flames erupted from his arms. A wall of fire blocked Hou Jingshu’s technique, incinerating it. Wu Jian was shocked to see a technique that could burn chi like that, but this was a technique that the Vermillion Bird had bestowed upon Huo Shuchang… and it wasn’t like Wu Jian had room to talk about absurd techniques when he could cut through chi like it was butter.

[Vermillion Inferno - First Pillar]

The wall disappeared and the area underneath Hou Jingshu glowed bright red seconds before a massive pillar roared from beneath her, erupting in a fiery explosion that engulfed her body in flames. The heat was so intense that Wu Jian could feel it from where he stood.

From within the flames burst a figure, Hou Jingshu, her body wreathed in in glowing chi that resemble the scales of a dragon. This was her defensive technique. Heavenly Dragon Scales allowed the user’s skin to take on the same quality as a dragon’s scales, offering the user a significant boost in defensive prowess. Dragons were creatures of immeasurable strength. Something like the fires of the Vermillion Bird would not be enough to melt their scales.

Wielding her spear, Hou Jingshu brought the weapon down upon Huo Shuchang, who created a powerful shield that took the shape of a massive bird that resembled the Vermillion Bird.

[Vermillion Shield]

As sparks flew and flames exploded between Hou Jingshu and Huo Shuchang, another battle was taking place between Youmei and Mei Xilan. The young woman who would one day rule this kingdom was struggling to hit the slippery Youmei, who would constantly disappear into a shadow and reappear somewhere else, almost like she was playing a game of tag. Well, that’s probably all this was to Youmei.

[Ice Lotus]

Several ice lotuses impaled the place where Youmei had been seconds prior, then exploded into several briars that expanded along the ground. It looked like she was trying to prevent Youmei from being able to emerge from the ground. That might have been a good strategy for someone who didn’t use shadows, but shadows weren’t effected by ice--or so Wu Jian thought at first.

Her ice actually froze the shadows?!

Practitioners often sought to master control over their elements. Mei Xilan’s ability to freeze shadows could have been attributed to her mastery of the ice element. By channeling her chi and focusing her intent, she could extend her influence of the ambient moisture in the air, lowering its temperature to below freezing in a localized area. This technique must have advanced to the point where she could manipulate the very essence of the shadows, imbuing them with her icy energy and causing them to solidify into a frozen form.

How much effort had she put into honing her element, he wondered.

Judging by how much effort everyone was putting into their sparring, it was clear they had been training like this for a while.

Wu Jian made his way toward a spot on the grass. It was bad form to interrupt sparring matches like this, so he planned on watching them until they were done, but just as he was getting ready to sit down, Hou Jingshu and Youmei stopped attacking. This confused their partners. However, Youmei sniffed the air several times while Hou Jingshu vibrated like she had sensed something. Wu Jian felt a moment of tension settle over him as the pair turned his way.

“MASTER!!!”

“UGHO?!”

He was completely prepared for Youmei’s tackle, but her strength still knocked the air from his lungs and sent him sprawling to the ground. It was fortunate he had been on a grassy field. The indent his body would have made on a harder surface would have been no joke.

“Master! Master! Youmei is so happy to see you again! You were gone so long!!”

“I’m happy to see you too--but don’t lick me while in your human form!”

Youmei started licking his face and neck moments after bodily tackling him, lathering him in a layer of saliva. Was it fortunate that her human form didn’t generate as much saliva as her panther form? He didn’t know. However, it was awkward to have a girl who looked no older than nine licking him all over his face. Anyone seeing this who didn’t know what this girl was would get strange ideas. He didn’t need that in his life.

“I see you’ve returned,” Mei Xilan said as she came over to him with the others.

“Yo!” Huo Shuchang grinned as he raised a hand in greeting.

Hou Jingshu had also come up with them, but she said nothing. She looked like she was struggling with something. Her cheeks were inflamed and her slitted eyes still resembled those of a reptile even though the battle was over. She was also breathing pretty heavily. Wu Jian thought he smelled something in the air, but his thoughts were forced to turn away from that as he focused on Mei Xilan.

“I’m back, and I’ve brought the ingredients.” He sat up and looked around. “Where is Zhou Lihua?”

“She’s probably in her alchemy room, refining pills. We don’t have many ingredients to offer. However, she said that she wanted to practice, so she spends most of her days there,” Mei Xilan said.

“I see.”

That made sense. Zhou Lihua was the type to hone her abilities just like everyone else, but she no longer followed the path of the cultivator like they did.

The sparring session ended there, and Mei Xilan had Wu Jian and the others follow her into the mansion. If the exterior was nice, then the interior was a study in opulence, with polished hardwood floors gleaming beneath intricately woven rugs, while silk drapes billowed gently in the breeze blowing through open windows. There was no glass. He guessed they didn’t have the means of making that right now. However, everything else looked beautiful.

Word of Mei Xilan’s existence had reached every corner of the Sui Kingdom and there were now people flocking to her in droves. Most of them were dissatisfied with the way the Undying Sun Sect ruled them. Because Mei Xilan was the rightful ruler of the nation, she needed to live in a place that commanded respect, according to Zhang Ming. He was the one who had commissioned this place built for her. It now stood as a symbol of Mei Xilan’s authority--at least, until they could overthrow the Undying Sun Sect.

They entered a magnificent throne room that exuded regal splendor. Richly carved wooden panels and intricate lattice work, reminiscent of ancient imperial palaces, adorned the room. At the center, atop a raised dai, sat a majestic throne, crafted from the finest ebony wood and embellished with intricate mother-of-pearl inlays. The throne was flanked by towering pillars adorned with snowflake designs. It seemed excessive to Wu Jian, but he understood it was meant to be a symbol of Mei Xilan’s authority.

Mei Xilan sat upon the throne and looked down at him and the others as she crossed one leg over the other.

“Zhang Ming, go and fetch Zhou Lihua. While she is coming, let us exchange information,” she commanded.

She’s gotten more regal since last I saw her.

They exchanged news. Wu Jian told her about his time with Master Yun Chi, and in return, she informed him about the changes that had happened in the Sui Kingdom. The Undying Sun Sect was still holed up in their fortress, the palace that once belonged to Mei Xilan’s family. It seemed they were determined to remain there. That could only mean they wanted their group to attack, which meant there was undoubtedly a trap waiting in store for them. In most circumstances, the smartest option would have been to force them out, but they did not have the power to do that. They would have to attack eventually.

“We simply have no other options. Waiting them out will take far too long,” Mei Xilan confessed.

“When will we attack?” asked Wu Jian.

“After we train a suitable number of soldiers.”

Zhou Lihua and her attendant, Zhou Wen, soon appeared in the throne room with Zhang Ming. Zhou Lihua’s face brightened when she saw him, but she did not run up excitedly. She couldn’t with Zhou Wen so close. After offering Mei Xilan a martial bow, everyone exchanged information again, and Wu Jian gave Zhou Lihua the storage ring with all the alchemy ingredients he’d gotten from Master Yun Chi.

Now that he had returned, the goal was to train as many cultivators as they could before they launched an attack on the Undying Sun Sect. He just hoped they would give their group enough firepower to overturn whatever trap their enemies had in store for them.