The Magistrate: Chapter 31 (Patreon)

Chapter 31

A Bitter Man

In early Summer, Tobias was released from being the 2nd Prince's guest. His body ached as he sat inside a carriage on his way to the 1st Prince's palace. Tobias's cane rested against his leg, while he quickly finished writing the letter he'd been drafting in his head to the 3rd Prince for months. His brush strokes contained none of their former elegance. The words were barely legible due to the damage to his bones and tendons.

Outwardly, Tobias was nearly as handsome as he had been when he broke through to the initiate realm. Internally, he was a crippled mess of a man. The imperial healer had managed to put his face back together and regrow his teeth with a pill. Tobias had only realised after he'd finished his recovery that the healer was not trying to fix him but trying to hide what had been done to him. Treating his internal injuries as an afterthought, while leaving him nearly too broken to function.

His muscles were always tight, and one leg was longer than the other. Fine motor control was impossible, and doing something as simple as dressing himself was difficult. Whenever it rained, everything hurt so much that the only way Tobias didn't end up bedridden in agony was by remaining in a hot bath. Every day he lived was meant to be a punishment.

Tobias was left an angry, bitter man.

The Imperial Family had chewed him up and spat him out.

As he finished the last brush stroke, he handed the letter to Disciple Xi to set. Disciple Xi took the letter and, with a technique, dried the ink. Tobias took the letter back, rolled it into a scroll, and then sealed it with wax before pressing his seal into the wax.

He then handed the scroll back to Disciple Xi with a copy of his Finch Equations he'd prepared earlier and opened the carriage door.

Disciple Xi took the scroll and equations and disappeared out the door, following Tobias's instructions to deliver it to the 3rd Prince. The letter was a proposal for an experiment and a way to distract the 1st and 2nd Princes.

Under Imperial Palace law, each prince was allowed to have a personal guard of up to one thousand. The princes were given pills or the resources to make the pills, so their guards could reach the initiate realm. Additional pills and resources were supplied to help one hundred cultivators reach the foundation realm. Finally, pills or resources were provided so that ten could reach the core realm.

The 3rd Prince had no interest in the throne and didn't have a personal guard. That didn't stop him from being entitled to one.

Tobias' experiment proposed that they build one for him, using these guards and the army records to calculate what the key characteristics were that made a person talented at cultivation. Once they understood these characteristics, they could investigate whether developing them enhanced people's talent for cultivation.

Divinity was half the equation for discerning how far a cultivator could go before their natural path came to an end. It was something you couldn't affect if you were a cultivator. Talent was the other half. Tobias wasn't sure if the talent portion could be influenced, but he was certain that he could conduct an experiment to assess whether it could be. That experiment would take years, and Tobias would need to be in the Imperial Palace with access to the Imperial Archives and army to do so.

That would require him to be the 3rd Prince's guest.

If it turned out talent came from human characteristics or behaviours and could be influenced, it would give the 3rd Prince a way to develop himself outside of cultivation, allowing him to make greater progress. It was something a man like him might find interesting.

Being the 3rd Prince's guest to run the experiment would keep Tobias safe and help him build his prestige and value to The Three Kingdoms. If he could make himself valuable enough, the 2nd Prince might not send assassins after him.

Those details were what the princes would see based on his actions, so it was unlikely they would think it was all a ruse. They would likely think it was a desperate last-ditch attempt to save himself.

Tobias closed the door as Disciple Xi disappeared and gave Disciple Wo a reassuring smile. He hadn't spoken of his plan while they remained in the 2nd Prince's palace. Anytime his young assistant brought it up, Tobias simply replied that the 1st Prince would protect them.

That hadn't reassured Disciple Wo, which was why he continued to bring it up. Disciple Xi was there whenever Disciple Wo's questions took a dangerous turn, gently moving the conversation back to a safer alley. He didn't know Tobias's plan, but he knew Tobias wasn't foolish enough to believe the 1st Prince would protect him after he had set him up, so he assumed he had one.

Disciple Wo returned the smile and leaned back in his seat, looking more relaxed than he had in months. He'd read the letter while Tobias wrote and seemed to think the plan was a wise move. His reaction was part of Tobias's plan.

Despite his injuries, his mind was far sharper than it had ever been before coming to the Capitol, and his anger and bitterness refused to let him live meekly anymore.

Tobias clutched his cane, ignoring the aches coming from every part of his body, doing his best to appear calm. His plan hinged on whether the 3rd Prince's aides would accept the letter and whether they would pass it along to the 3rd Prince in a timely manner. If they did, Tobias would be forced to remain in the Imperial Palace, and he needed to get out of here.

Months ago, Tobias would have considered this a death sentence, but now he had a plan to make it back to Cloud City safely. If it didn't work, they'd be in real trouble.

***

Tobias's meeting with the 1st Prince was short. The 1st Prince asked his opinion on how an obscure piece of palace law applied to Mist City and then sent him on his way, not bothering to address Tobias's crippled state. Keeping his anger in check in the man's presence had taken all of Tobias's self-control, but he managed to play his part without saying anything that would have led to his execution.

Disciple Xi met his carriage at the Outer Palace gate, before they entered the city. As he climbed inside, he didn't carry a reply from the 3rd prince, so the three of them continued on their way.

Once they were out of the Imperial Palace, Tobias had the driver redirect the carriage to the Lee Clan compound, so he could pay his respects, sending Disciple Wo ahead to warn them of his arrival. Disciple Wo had spent years training to become Tobias's majordomo and knew all the protocols he needed to adhere to for an unannounced visit. Tobias hoped he would be skilled enough to soothe over any negative feelings.

Arriving unannounced was considered extremely rude by nobles, but Tobias didn't have any other option. The five Great Clans each had a compound in the Imperial City, and they were right outside the Outer Palace gate, making announcing his intent ahead of time impossible.

He hadn't known when he would be released, and he couldn't share his intent without showing his hand, so all he could do was hope they would forgive his rudeness. Tobias needed to impose on their hospitality for the three of them to survive the night.

Thankfully, over the past four years, he'd received numerous invitations to visit the Great Clans and other noble clans. They were all extremely intrigued by his equations, and the emperor hadn't made the information publicly available, so Tobias felt he had the leverage he needed to safely remain in the Imperial City.

It wasn't a good plan, but it was the only one he had that could potentially keep the three of them safe. However, if the local Patriarch Lee didn't invite him in, there was a good chance that other Great Clans wouldn't either.

They knew where he had been and how he had arrived and would spot his injuries immediately, putting two and two together. They would know who had likely injured him, but not why, so they might not be willing to take the risk of inviting him in.

Five minutes after they left the palace gate, the driver stopped the carriage and opened the door, revealing the Lee Clan's extravagant gate to their compound. The compound, like much of the Capitol, predated the Great Plague. They had been built in an era when cultivators were still considered craftsmen. The beauty of the compound's entrance was breathtaking. It was artfully carved, overlayed with numerous formations and arrays to prevent harm from coming to the family within.

Tobias wasn't able to enjoy it. He was too angry and worried to pay attention to his surroundings.

Tobias put his weight on his cane as he climbed out of the carriage, scanning the people standing in the entrance. To his surprise, 3rd Patriarch Lee stood waiting to meet him in front of his servants. The robe he wore was nearly identical to the one Patriarch Lee wore, so he couldn't be anyone else.

Coming himself was more than Tobias had hoped for. Nascent soul realm cultivators rarely bothered with mortal affairs.

Tobias gave a respectful bow, wincing through the pain caused by his incorrectly healed back. "Magistrate Finch greets, 3rd Patriarch Lee. You honour me with your presence."

This Patriarch Lee was an elegant-looking young man with a small moustache and goatee. He carried himself like the princes yet held none of their regal presence. He was handsome, the way all cultivators were handsome, but seemed to lack the quality that made some cultivators stand out.

The Patriarch Lee, who Tobias was friends with, thought the young man before him was the only branch head of the younger generation who had any common sense. It was why his family operated out of the imperial city. He was the only one with the ability to handle such sensitive matters.

3rd Patriarch Lee returned Tobias's bow. "The honour is all mine, Magistrate Finch."

Tobias knew he had to appear humble. "Next to the Lee Clan, I am of little consequence."

"This may be true, but as an individual, your reputation holds great weight. The significance of your work is known in all corners of The Three Kingdoms. Our clan has also conducted a significant amount of business with you over the past few years, strengthening our position more than we thought possible. The Lee Clan holds you in high regard, Magistrate Finch. How may I be of assistance?"

Tobias gave a respectful bow to the man's praise and held out his hand to Disciple Wo. Disciple Wo placed an ornate box in his hand filled with his grandpa's tea. His personal supply had run out while he was recovering. All he had left were gifts.

Tobias hobbled forward and offered the box to 3rd Patriarch Lee. "I have a delicate proposal for your family, which cannot be shared here, and can wait for your leisure."

3rd Patriarch Lee took the gift, opening the box to examine its contents, inhaling the scent. "What tea is this?"

"It's called Three Towns Tea. 2nd Patriarch Lee of Cloud City considers it the finest tea of the modern age."

The Patriarch Lee standing before him smiled, showing his pleasure. "A princely gift."

"A princely gift for a princely matter."

It was also a gift that would infuriate his friend the moment he discovered another member of his family had got his hands on it before him. Knowing the old man's disposition, Tobias expected him to drop everything and race to the Capitol to scold him.

3rd Patriarch Lee nodded. "My servants will prepare rooms so you and your assistants can relax. I thank you for not imposing on my time. I have several important matters to attend to today, which I cannot postpone without causing offence. Tomorrow afternoon is the first chance I'll have to speak with you, I'm afraid."

Tobias heard what was left unsaid. 3rd Patriarch Lee was unsure how to respond to his presence and was buying himself time to speak with the head of their clan. The man no doubt sensed his injuries and knew that getting involved was not something he could decide for himself.

The fact that they had been invited in was all that mattered in Tobias's mind. "I look forward to our conversation tomorrow afternoon, then."

Tobias motioned to his assistants.

Disciple Wo turned to inform the palace servants that they would be staying at the Lee compound for the night and that their services were no longer required.

As Tobias followed Patriarch Lee into the compound, the servants removed their luggage. They handed it over to the Lee Clan's servants.

When the four of them arrived at the centre of the compound, Patriarch Lee politely handed their party over to the care of his majordomo. The elderly man took them to an entire wing of guestrooms and informed them that news of their arrival would quickly circulate around the compound, so they should prepare for dinner invitations from the extended family.

He then left them to direct the servants to unpack their things, while other servants arrived with refreshments. Tobias helped himself to a few snacks while directing the servants where to put his things, enjoying his first moment of safety in years.

Tobias inhaled and released his breath slowly to relax, ignoring the sounds of the servants unpacking his things.

The 2nd Prince could not send assassins after him or his assistants here. 3rd Patriarch Lee was a nascent soul realm cultivator, known for his wisdom and diligence. He was also the most skilled fighter in the Lee Clan since the Great Plague. Core realm assassins would not make it two steps within these walls, and the 2nd Prince did not have any nascent soul realm guards in his service. Those were all members of his family or field marshals of the Imperial Army.

Tobias was grateful for the patriarch's prudence because it would look like he was trying to buy time for the 3rd Prince to read his proposal and respond. If the 3rd Prince didn't bite, which he hoped he didn't, Tobias could move ahead with his actual plan. Offering to use his improved equations on the Great Clan's cultivation methods and techniques in exchange for their protection.

Being greeted by the 3rd Patriarch personally upon his arrival was a very good sign that Tobias wouldn't have to go anywhere else. He knew his standing had grown due to his auction, but he hadn't realised he was now respected enough to be greeted at the door by someone so prominent.

Tobia had spent weeks thinking about how to escape, drawing on everything he had learned to find a plan with the highest chance of success.

The Lee Clan compound in the imperial city contained one of the five copies of their clan records. The others resided in the head of the clan's palace and their compounds in each of the State Capitols. This was a practice shared by all five Great Clans, so if the Lee Clan hadn't taken him in, he would move on to the next.

It wasn't a perfect plan, but it would keep them all alive for a few more days. And right now, that was the best Tobias could manage.

***

The following morning, Tobias's friend, Patriarch Lee, smiled at his confusion as he hobbled to the table that had been set in the middle of the guest garden. The servants had informed Tobias that Patriarch Lee wished to share breakfast with him, but had failed to specify which one of them they were speaking about.

Tobias was more than a little shocked to see who was waiting for him. He knew that nascent soul realm cultivators had methods for instantaneous communication, but he didn't realise they could cross half of The Three Kingdoms in less than a day.

Tobias stopped before the table and bowed. "Magistrate Finch greets his friend, Patriarch Lee."

Patriarch Lee's smile vanished, and he began to scowl. "3rd Patriarch Lee informs me you gave him a gift."

Tobias didn't believe the scowl for a second. "Please, excuse me for a moment."

Tobias left the table, despite the pain it caused him to walk, and returned a few minutes later with another ornate box. He placed his gift on the table in front of Patriarch Lee.

  Patriarch Lee continued to scowl. "This better be what I think it is?"

"That depends on whether you think it's Three Towns Tea."

"I do."

"Then you will not be disappointed. My grandfather appreciated your advice and wants you to know that you will be a priority customer if he succeeds in cultivating Three Towns Tea."

"I heard your grandfather nearly died when he opened his stomach meridian."

"You are misinformed."

"It went smoothly."

"No. His heart stopped. Disciple Dong was able to restart it and keep him alive long enough for his cultivation to extend his life."

Patriarch Lee finally opened the box and inhaled, giving a happy sigh. "Do you know how rare it is for someone of my cultivation to find a tea this enjoyable?"

"I imagine it's quite rare these days. Rare enough to travel across half The Three Kingdoms in a night when you hear someone else in your clan received it before you did."

He closed the box and chuckled. "Tell your grandfather that I look forward to his success and that if he is ever in Cloud City, to stop by to share a drink with me."

"I'll let him know. How have you been?"

Patriarch Lee lost his smile. "I received some unfortunate news about a friend."

Tobias knew he was still joking. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"The poor man went and discovered a method for accurately measuring how far cultivation divinity and talent can take you, and forgot to mention it to me. He then went and handed the method over to the state without asking me if he could receive any concessions. The poor man only received a small promotion when he could have ridden his discovery to wealth and power."

Tobias tried and failed to keep his face straight. "That is very unfortunate for your friend."

"Between you and me, I believe he made a mistake."

Tobias took a sip of his tea. "How so?"

"He should have trusted me to hand over his discovery directly to the emperor."

Tobias heard what was left unspoken. He had hurt his friend by not trusting him.

"Perhaps when your friend handed over the discovery, it had already been made public knowledge. Perhaps too many people knew about it for it to be kept a secret. Perhaps your friend didn't know the value of what he had found and had been freely sharing it with people for several seasons."

Patriarch Lee threw his head back and roared with laughter. "You're telling me you had no idea how valuable your discovery was?"

Tobias blushed. "I wrongfully assumed the elders could already accurately predict how far their disciples could progress and were simply not sharing the information."

Patriarch Lee slapped the table happily. "They can to some extent, but from what I've heard, your Finch Equations take it several steps further."

"You really haven't seen the equations then."

"No. The emperor hasn't made the knowledge available to the public, and the sects refuse to share. They've been using it to make changes and have seen significant improvements, which is frustrating the rest of us."

Tobias felt himself smile. Perhaps, he really could protect himself from the 2nd Prince.

Patriarch Lee leaned in close. "Is it true you came up with the equations because you were trying to work out why disciples were failing to hand in state assignments?"

"Who told you that?"

"A friend of mine, who you know as Elder Cloud."

"I didn't know the two of you were friends."

"Most of the older generation are acquainted. Now stop dodging my question."

Tobias rolled his eyes, enjoying his friend's company despite the pain. "Yes, I created the equations to figure out how to fulfil my assignments without failing. And I would like to point out that I succeeded."

Patriarch Lee continued to chuckle. "My branch family practices a unique version of the Lee Clan cultivation methods and techniques. What information would you need from us to be able to assess our potential accurately?"

Tobias recited the long list of information he would need to know to give him an accurate assessment.

Patriarch Lee stroked his beard while he considered his options. "Why do you need to know what techniques each individual in my family practices?"

"Some techniques require higher divinity and talent than others. The act of practising a technique above your capabilities stifles your growth and reduces your progression. However, once you have fulfilled your potential, there are no adverse effects of learning techniques that would have previously harmed your potential. Also, to clarify, I do not need the name of the individuals whose information you give me."

Patriarch Lee shook his head. "With that much information, you can figure out who someone is without a name. However, knowing which of our techniques are harming our youth is valuable enough to justify the need."

Tobias noticed Patriarch Lee say which of their techniques were harming their youth rather than whether their techniques were harming them. That suggested there was a problem with this branch's cultivation techniques or methods.

Tobias considered his words carefully. "Most of the trouble with techniques only interferes with those with low divinity or talent. You can learn most of what you need to know by studying those with the lowest potential and extrapolating. This isn't a perfect solution, but it offers more privacy."

Patriarch Lee shook his head. "I've learned to commit completely or not at all. Half measures lead to misery and a life filled with regret. If I'm going to do this, I will commit in every way or do nothing at all."

Tobias kept discussing what he would need and why for another four hours before Patriarch Lee finally nodded. "I'm interested in your services, Magistrate Finch."

Tobias smiled. "I haven't offered my services."

Patriarch Lee scoffed. "I enjoy your grandfather's tea, but I'm not racing halfway across The Three Kingdoms for it. I know you're in trouble."

"What are you offering?"

Patriarch Lee lost his cheerful attitude. "Who did you upset?"

"The 2nd Prince."

"How?"

"I learned something I shouldn't have."

"You need an escort to Cloud City?"

"Yes."

"That's my offer then. I'll escort you when you're required to move to and from Cloud City in return for you using your equations to assist the Lee Clan."

Tobias bowed. "Thank you."

"Does that mean you accept?"

"No. I need one more thing from you."

Patriarch Lee frowned. "You're already pushing the boundaries of our friendship with my offer, so choose your words carefully."

Tobias took that to mean that this was an agreement between friends, not between him and the Lee Clan. "My second request is as much for your amusement as it is for my personal gain."

Patriarch Lee began to smile. "You want me to tell you how much you should charge the other Great Clans."

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble."

Patriarch Lee chuckled. "I've missed our talks, my friend."

***

Twenty-five days later, Tobias placed his calculations in front of Patriarch Lee and took a seat at the garden table. Tobias had been able to estimate how long the work would take him based on the data available, so Patriarch Lee had gone back to Cloud City and only returned the previous day.

Tobias covered his mouth as he stifled a yawn. The patriarch's offer had been so generous that doing anything other than working around the clock would be considered rude, and the Lee Clan's cultivation issues had been more complicated than Tobias expected. He'd had to request additional information from the 3rd Patriarch Lee's majordomo on multiple occasions, because every branch family seemed to have some unique technique they preferred to practice.

Patriarch Lee poured Tobias a cup of Three Towns Tea and opened the book to read the findings. Servants came forward with a variety of delicate snacks, which Tobias helped himself to. Each one was a work of art, and Tobias soon found his stomach too full to eat anymore.

Despite how injured his body was, his stomach worked fine, so food had become one of his few pleasures in life.

Fifteen minutes later, Patriarch Lee put down the book and sighed. "My brother was right. My techniques are too destructive for others to follow in my footsteps."

Tobias had spent a great deal of time thinking about his equations over the years, along with the data that was available to him at the sects. He'd devised many ways to expand on his equations. The original ones were only a work aid to help him give out assignments, not something he'd created to show cultivators everything their data could teach them, so they were somewhat lacking. His new equations were far more specific and helpful.

"Only for those who lack the divinity and talent to practice them safely," Tobias replied.

"That's most of my family, based on what I just read."

"Yes."

Patriarch Lee closed the book. "I received an interesting communication from the head of our clan while you were preparing this. Apparently, for the past four years, the Xu family has been calling in favours all over The Three Kingdoms to acquire cultivation methods for their prodigy to study. The clan head asked me to find out if you shared something with their family that would cause their prodigy to gain an advantage over us."

Tobias and Xu Ling wrote to one another each season, so the only reason they would have looked into their relationship was because of the letter he had sent.

Tobias considered the question. "It's unlikely."

"But not impossible."

"When a prodigy is involved, I'm told nothing is impossible."

Patriarch Lee nodded. "This is true. I take it you do not wish to share what you told them."

"It depends on whether you are asking me as a friend or as a patriarch of the Lee Clan."

Patriarch Lee smiled. "I'm glad to see you've learned from the mistake you made with your equations."

"You were quite insistent."

"I'm asking you as a friend. A patriarch of the Lee Clan doesn't ask for anything."

Tobias relaxed. "Do you have time to hear my meandering thoughts on cultivation?"

"I always make time for such discussions."

Tobias spent the next few hours sharing his thoughts on cultivation, explaining at length everything he had learned and why he believed what he did. He hadn't managed to expand that knowledge significantly in the past few years, but having time to reflect on cultivation and experiencing it firsthand had given him some more profound insights.

However, studying the Lee Clan's records had expanded his understanding in several ways, partly because their records were better than the sects', but mainly because he had expanded his equations to understand as much as he possibly could from the data he'd been given.

The biggest surprise from the Lee Clan's records was that opening an energy meridian before the age of twenty-five seemed to make it harder for cultivators to progress when they reached the foundation realm. This wasn't apparent in the data from Cloud and Mist Sect, but then they didn't pour pills into their disciples whenever they wanted them. Instead, they made them work hard to earn the resources they needed, and that took time. Time that let them grow older naturally and not encounter the same problems that the clans encountered.

Patriarch Lee listened in silence to Tobias's thoughts. He had an amused smile on his face most of the time, occasionally asking a question to clarify some point or another, but he did not try to hurry him up.

"That's everything I know about cultivation," Tobias finished.

Patriarch Lee put down his tea. "Your philosophy on cultivation is influenced by Peace Master So, isn't it?"

"How did you know that?"

"That brat still calls me master."

"You were the master of a sage."

"His success had little to do with anything I taught him. The brat could always see further than the rest of us. I'll introduce you to him the next time he visits. You explain his teachings much better than he does, which will both please and annoy him, which I'll find very entertaining. For a man who follows the dao of peace, he's quite prideful."

Tobias decided that he needed to steer the conversation away from intentionally upsetting a sage. "Do you have any comments or corrections you would like to make about my understanding?"

"No. It wasn't until I reached my fifth century that I understood cultivation as well as you do, and even now, I could not state it so plainly. May I ask why you do not describe the cultivation world with cultivator script?"

"What's cultivator script?"

"Ah. Never mind. It is unimportant. What is important is that your grasp of cultivation is unparalleled for your age. And your ability to articulate that understanding is second to none. You have a truly unique view of the world."

Tobias tried to brush off the compliment. "And yet I have little use for this knowledge."

"Which makes it even more impressive. Nothing you told me is incorrect, but some of it was incomplete."

"Like what?"

"For those who choose to walk a dao path, true synchronicity between their cultivation methods is impossible. Who they are can never truly align with a dao, and so whatever cultivation methods they use can't perfectly align either."

"One would assume this is where you begin making minor changes to your techniques and cultivation methods to continue making progress."

"Correct. It is a long and slow process, but a change to your cultivation base is possible."

Tobias was glad that he had given Xu Feng the right advice, since he'd been giving Xu Ling the wrong advice when he'd told her she should have been cultivating from the moment she could. Thankfully, she was a perfectionist who hadn't found what she was looking for, so she couldn't alter her father's cultivation methods and continued to refuse to move forward with something inferior. Most cultivators would shudder at her attitude, but prodigies had so much divinity that losing a little as they aged barely mattered to them.

Tobias sipped his tea with shaky hands. "Do you think I told the Xu family anything that would give their prodigy an advantage?"

Patriarch Lee erupted in laughter and slapped the table. "My friend, you stated complex cultivation ideas so simply and concisely that I am filled with envy over not meeting you when I was as young and inexperienced as the Xu Family's prodigy. She is better informed than any prodigy born into my clan, while being unencumbered by the struggle of understanding our poor explanations. You need to write a book."

Tobias could tell this wasn't a casual suggestion. "You think so?"

"You would be doing a great service to The Three Kingdoms if you did. The Great Clans would also consider you someone who needed to be protected if you were to share your insights."

Tobias smiled. "I guess I'll have to write a book then."

"Good."

Tobias rose to his feet.

Patriarch Lee frowned. "Where are you going?"

"To write the book. I need all the help I can get."

***

Tobias spent three days writing out his thoughts on cultivation. He went through numerous drafts as he tried to organise his thoughts as clearly and concisely as he could. When he was done, he organised breakfast with Patriarch Lee and handed it over. It wasn't a long book, but then Tobias didn't understand cultivation in the same way cultivators did. He knew what you were supposed to accomplish as you progressed through each realm and the pitfalls that awaited you, but he didn't truly understand the steps.

His book was more like a course overview than a textbook, but since Patriarch Lee thought that it would be valuable to the other Great Clans, Tobias had written it down.

Patriarch Lee frowned the entire time he read, and when he was done, he closed the book and placed it in front of him. "Which cultivation manuals have you studied?"

"The Zodiac Cultivation Manual."

"Only that."

Tobias nodded. "Cloud Sect has made it very clear that they do not want me to be capable of stealing their secrets, so I haven't gone looking for others. I'm also not interested in cultivating."

"May I invite someone to read this. I believe it will help your situation if they do."

Tobias nodded.

Patriarch Lee looked up. "3rd Patriarch Lee, would you please join me. There is an important matter we must discuss."

Tobias flinched as 3rd Patriarch Lee appeared, sitting in what had been an empty seat at their table. "How did you…where did you…what just happened?"

Tobias's gaze moved to his friend's storage ring.

Patriarch Lee chuckled. "I didn't pull him from my storage ring. Those in the nascent soul realm can move instantaneously through our aura."

Tobias didn't know much about auras. All he knew was that you began to develop one in the foundation realm and that it was like a sixth sense. You instinctively knew where everything was within your aura. It wasn't like sight or hearing. If there were 2,352 grains of rice in your bowl, then you would know that there were 2,352 grains of rice in your bowl. The Zodiac Cultivation Manual mentioned it, but didn't go into detail about it, and had no technique that utilised it, so it was mostly a mystery to him.   

3rd Patriarch Lee inclined his head to his elder. "How may I assist you, 2nd Patriarch Lee?"

Patriarch Lee offered him the book Tobias had written. "Read this."

3rd Patriarch Lee flipped through the book much faster than Tobias's friend had, finishing in less than a minute. Then he went back to the start and read more slowly.

Tobias and Patriarch Lee waited in silence until he was done.

3rd Patriarch Lee turned to 2nd Patriarch Lee. "Is he what I think he is?"

Patriarch Lee paused. "He might be."

"Could Peace Master So write this?"

"No. That brat can see far, but he's terrible at conveying his understanding to others. Magistrate Finch can't see far, but what he can see he understands, and can explain to others."

"This is the most helpful cultivation manuscript I've seen in my lifetime."

"It's the most helpful cultivation manuscript I've seen in my lifetime. No member of our clan will ever have to suffer through ignorance or our inability to communicate again."

"How do you wish to proceed?"

"I want to give him access to our library and place him and his family under our full protection."

"That's too much. You already risk upsetting the emperor by transporting him to Cloud City."

"Magistrate Finch has only read the Zodiac Cultivation Manual. His only other training was a few days of casual conversation with that brat's first disciple. Look what he created with so little knowledge, and now imagine what he could create with our library."

3rd Patriarch Lee paused. "Publicly recognising him and placing him under our clan's protection is still too much. However, if he could prove his usefulness by showing he can produce more insights like this, even the Emperor would have to see our actions as us acting in our own interests instead of working against him."

"Then we privately protect him and his family until he can do so."

Tobias felt like this was a good time to enter the conversation, because this was what he'd been hoping to gain with his equations. "Am I to understand that you wish me to study cultivation to see if I can simplify what I read like I have with this book?"

They both nodded.

"If you are willing to consider this after having read what I have written, would the other Great Clans also consider offering a similar deal?"

Patriarch Lee nodded. "Their family secrets would be off limits like ours, but we have an extensive collection that is available to those we trust. The other Great Clans are the same. If you are willing to provide your insights to them, I can see them giving you access along with the protection you need."

"Will it affect what I receive from my equations?"

Patriarch Lee smiled. "Not if you bring it up after you've delivered them the information you just gave me. Once they understand the value of your insights, they will be quite happy to provide you with what you need."

Tobias smiled. "May I propose something that might be beneficial to you in return?"

Patriarch Lee sighed. "You wish me to share the results of your equations with the other Great Clans."

Tobias nodded. "There were many similarities between your clan's results and the results of the Cloud and Mist sects. However, if my memory is correct, there were several key differences. Things that are problematic for your clan may not be problematic for the sects or the other Great Clans. And things that are problematic for the sects or the other Great Clans may not be problematic for yours. As far as I can see, the information contained in the results of my equations cannot harm your family, beyond revealing how strong the members of your family can grow without cultivation pills. That could be a problem, but it is a problem that can be offset by the ability to trade with the other powers in the Three Kingdoms to correct your family's understanding of cultivation."

"That was beautifully put, but the answer is no. Incorporating this information into our family will take years. What you propose will only be possible after we've gained all that we can from what you have already done for us."

Tobias sighed. "Then let us hope I'm still around when your family needs my services."

3rd Patriarch Lee paused and then held up the book Tobias had written. "The Lee Clan will privately shelter you and your family from all threats for one year and give you access to our library in return for being able to distribute your teachings among our clan. When your time is up, we will see if you can replicate what you have done here and with your equations. If you can, we'll consider protecting you and your family publicly."

Tobias turned to Patriarch Lee. "You said I should come to you for advice on these matters."

Patriarch Lee chuckled. "Promise him a better version of the book you wrote and ask him to send an elder of our family to watch over yours for five years."

Tobias turned to 3rd Patriarch Lee.

The man smiled. "I agree to your terms."

A wave of relief washed over Tobias as the fear he'd been holding in since he left the 2nd Prince's dungeon receded. Tobias and his family were finally safe from the Imperial Family. Safe from the 2nd Prince's assassins. Cloud Sect was going to be angry with this agreement, but Tobias was willing to give up his position if it meant that they were safe.

Tobias cupped his hands and bowed. "Thank you for this. I will do everything within my power to exceed your expectations."

Patriarch Lee smiled. "I know you will, my friend."

3rd Patriarch Lee held out his hand, and Tobias's gift appeared in it. "Perhaps we should share a drink to celebrate our new alliance."

Tobias nodded. "I would like that."