The Magistrate: Chapter 32 (Patreon)

Chapter 32

The First Step

As Winter began, Tobias arrived at the Halfway Embassy in the back of a rickshaw pulled by Disciple Xi. Snow covered the ground, and a bone-aching wind pierced through the thick furs he'd been wrapped in to survive the journey. Tobias had intended to arrive in late Autumn, when the weather wouldn't leave him in constant agony, but going through the Great Clans' records and applying his new equations to them had taken longer than he thought, significantly lengthening his stay in the Capitol and expanding his understanding of the sort of problems that cultivators faced.

Disciple Xi placed down the handles and reached over, lifting Tobias out of the back in his bundle of furs, like a baby. Tobias couldn't walk. He couldn't stand. The bitter cold turned the pain that made daily life nearly intolerable into something that was completely debilitating.

He needed to get inside the embassy. He needed to heal from what had been done to him, and this was the only way in The Three Kingdoms to do so.

Patriarch Lee flew above the tips of the bamboo forest on a pair of folding fans and jumped off, landing next to Disciple Wo before catching his fan and making them disappear into his storage ring. He made no comment on Tobias's state, barely even looking at him.

It had taken Tobias months to realise that his friend was not indifferent to his suffering. He was filled with rage over what had been done to him, rage that he would not dare put into words, fearing the harm that it would cause his clan.

Ignoring Tobias was how he coped with that anger.

However, Tobias had caught a glimpse of his anger when the 2nd Prince's guards tried to kill him while they travelled. Patriarch Lee had beaten them into a bloody pulp before his eyes, taking care to break their bone and injure their muscles and tendons the way Tobias's had been, before going a step further and targeting their meridians, permanently crippled their cultivation.

He was cold and methodical, crippling them in ways that would leave them in constant pain, but would not prevent them from performing their duties. It was worse than killing them from a purely strategic point of view. Killing them would have allowed the 2nd Prince to replace them, but crippling them so they were weaker but still able to perform their duties left the 2nd Prince without the support of some of his strongest tools.

Patriarch Lee's anger had scared Tobias, reminding him that the man had lived through many bloody battles, despite his cheerful demeanour.

Tobias stifled a groan as Disciple Xi carried him to Cloud Sect's entrance. The motion of his steps was not as bad as riding in the Rickshaw, but Tobias had been battered around from their travels so much that everything now hurt.

Disciple Xi paused before the threshold, fearing his actions. Using the Halfway Embassy as a stopping point was something Tobias was only supposed to do while travelling between the two sects with the sect's approval. Coming here without an invitation was something that Disciple Xi could be punished for. Tobias had promised that he had business with the two elders inside. That they would allow his visit, but he had not told him what that business was, and Disciple Xi was a stickler for rules.

Patriarch Lee appeared behind Disciple Xi, forcing him to enter or keep him waiting. Keeping a nascent soul realm cultivator, you had seen beat four core realm cultivators nearly to death, waiting was not something Disciple Xi was willing to do, so he stepped forward.

The moment that Disciple Xi crossed the threshold and passed through the chi gathering array, Tobias began to feel better. The deep ache in his bones began to recede, and his muscles unclenched. The sudden drop in pain left him dizzy, and he didn't notice anything again until Disciple Xi placed him on a bench inside the bathing area.

Disciple Xi reached for the furs Tobias was wrapped in to help him undress.

Tobias shook his head. "I can manage now."

By the time Tobias had extracted himself from the furs and undressed, the others had already bathed and were sitting in the hot springs. Tobias eventually joined them.

An hour later, Tobais forced himself to climb out of the hot spring and dress, motioning for his assistants to remain where they were. Patriarch Lee had already dressed and headed inside. If it had been up to Tobias, he would have stayed in the hot spring all day, but he was nearly asleep on his feet, and he needed to tell the two elders why he was here.

Much of the constant pain he dealt with daily had been washed away by the healing waters, leaving him bone weary. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and experience a night where he didn't toss and turn, but he needed permission to stay before he could do so.

Patriarch Lee was sitting and chatting with Elder Cloud and Elder Mist when Tobias entered the main room. The healing chi coming from the hot spring in the centre of the room was even stronger, and Tobias's cane tapped against the wooden floor as he walked over and bowed.

"Magistrate Finch greets Elder Cloud." He bowed again. "Magistrate Finch greets Elder Mist."

Elder Cloud sighed, without looking over. "Why are you here, Magistrate Finch?" His displeasure was evident.

Tobias had been thinking about how to discuss this matter for months. As a royal magistrate, he had to walk a fine line, avoiding any breaches of the law. No one would be able to save him if he did.

"I am here to inform Elder Mist that due to a conflict of interests, I will not be able to help her with any more problems of the nature we discussed on my first visit."

Both elders turned to stare at him, hearing everything that was left unspoken. They took in his injured state, his new mark, and where he had come from, putting it all together in only a moment, without him needing to say an incriminating word. They both now knew that the 2nd Prince was behind the attempted thefts of their sects' secrets.

Both elders rose to their feet, clasped their fists in their palms, and bowed. The hostility they had shown at his unannounced visit was entirely gone.

Patriarch Lee watched the exchange without sharing his feelings on the matter.

Tobias returned their bow more deeply, feeling a faint ache in his back, instead of the crippling pain that would have accompanied the motion when he arrived.

Elder Cloud motioned to Tobias's exhausted state. "You seem weary, Magistrate."

"It's been a long journey, Elder Cloud," Tobias replied diplomatically.

"I can see. I have much to discuss with Patriarch Lee before you continue on your way. Feel free to rest in the upper rooms while we talk."

Tobias bowed again. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Think nothing of it, Magistrate Finch."

***

Fifteen days later, Tobias comfortably climbed the Cloud Steps, enjoying the strength his body offered and a life free from pain. Tobias's injuries were not caused by dao influence or lingering chi corruption, just repeated violence, so Elder Cloud and Elder Mist had not needed to call for someone to treat his injuries, only leave him to sleep and let his body recover. Sections of misaligned bones had dissolved and reformed, scar tissue had broken down, and everything that had been done to him had been undone.

Tobias had thought his experience in the 2nd Prince's dungeon had left him a bitter and angry man. The truth was much simpler. He'd been in pain, constant pain, and that pain had made him bitter and angry. Without that pain, life was not as horrible as his mind had told him it was. He was not as angry as he thought.

His bitterness was just as bad, but it was not over from his treatment, but over the fact that he lived in a nation where others could do what they wished without consequences. It was a bitterness that he had been carrying for the past twenty years, but now realised he could no longer ignore.

However, he was in no position to make any changes.

Tobias stopped with his assistants outside Cloud Sect's main gate, without the shortness of breath the climb usually induced, and bowed to the gatekeeper. "Magistrate Finch greets Elder Sho."

Cloud Sect wouldn't have changed in his four, nearly five-year absence, but Cloud City had undergone a substantial transformation. Tobias had passed through busy snow-covered streets, filled with workmen transporting goods for the building projects that were underway. The districts where he'd been housing the disciples now contained members of Mist Sect and hundreds of manors and mansions with more under construction, along with all sorts of facilities that cultivators needed.

As Tobias had climbed the Cloud Steps, he'd spotted dozens of commercial spirit gardens, substantially larger than any he'd ever seen, along with many large buildings whose purpose he didn't understand. Cloud City was a different place from the one he had left.

Elder Sho examined Tobias for several seconds. "Don't take offence if the Elder Sing from Mist Sect bars you from visiting your boarding houses, Magistrate Finch. Your beauty is second to none, and I believe she'll fear you distracting her disciples."

Female attention had been a problem while Tobias was in the Imperial Palace. Instructor Han hadn't been the only member of the Han Clan interested in him, but she had been the most forceful. However, his time visiting the five Great Clans had taught him exactly how much the cultivation world cared about appearance. Even in his broken state, his looks were unmatched. He'd been invited to dine with so many women that it had extended his stay in the Capitol.

"I won't, Elder Sho."

Elder Sho turned to Tobias's assistants.

They both bowed.

"Disciple Xi greets Elder Sho."

"Disciple Wo greets Elder Sho."

Elder Sho eyed Disciple Wo and scowled. "You've made no progress in your cultivation since I last saw you, but you have successfully prevented yourself from experiencing any deviations."

Disciple Wo bowed again. "This one thanks you for the compliment."

"If you hadn't already gained permission to leave the sect, I would tell them not to allow it."

He turned to Disciple Xi. "You claimed you needed to leave the sect because fear was interfering with your progress. Yet, you've made more progress in the past few years than in the previous twenty. Stories about your alchemy skills have spread throughout The Three Kingdoms."

Disciple Xi cupped his hands and bowed again. "My time away from the sect grew my understanding of my dao path in a way that I did not expect."

"Have you put to rest your fears?"

"I believe so."

"Good. Welcome back, Inner Disciple Xi. You may enter."

Disciple Xi walked forward.

The fact that Disciple Xi had been allowed to enter first wasn't lost on Tobias. It was a minor insult, perhaps to remind him of his place or to stress how much losing one of the sect's most productive alchemists for years had hampered the sect.

Elder Sho turned to Tobias. "Cloud Sect has missed your presence."

Tobias examined the man's statement and found it free from double meaning. "I have missed being here."

"Welcome back to Cloud Sect, Magistrate Finch. You may enter."

Tobias started walking as Elder Sho invited Disciple Wo to enter. The insult he'd been given was not to remind him of his place, but to emphasise how important Disciple Xi was to the sect. Elder Sho didn't want to involve him in his problems going forward.

Disciple Xi quickly extended the distance between them. He'd been officially absent for years, and he had business in the sect that he needed to take care of for Tobias before he went into seclusion. Disciple Wo also quickly passed him. He wanted to be done with Cloud Sect as soon as possible, so he could use Tobias's cultivation chamber. It had been filling with chi for years, and Disciple Wo was certain he could open and cleanse several energy meridians with it before he left to take care of Tobias's family.

Tobias felt himself relax as he wandered through the outer sect, noticing the familiar sights and sounds. He made his way up the staircase to the inner sect and continued on to the staircase to the core disciples' area. Nothing had changed while he was gone. Cloud Sect was still Cloud Sect, and it was as stuck in its ways as it had been when he first arrived.

The only significant difference was that there were more young disciples. Tobias's housing business had emptied the sect of most of the disciples who had reached the end of their natural path, opening the doors to new generations. The arrival of the disciples from Mist Sect had encouraged the men near the end of their natural path to push themselves harder so they could leave the sect. Because of this, a little over two thousand disciples had made their way to the city below to begin a new chapter in their lives.

The money they were generating for Tobias was more than he would have dreamed possible before coming to the sect. The wealth they generated for themselves was also staggering. Those with the strongest cultivation were already in their own mansions, having bought manors and then upgraded. The rest were quickly approaching the point where they could afford the same comfort. Tobias knew he needed to begin renovating his entertainment and shopping district, or the spare money they had would start to leave the city.

Tobias wandered through the core disciples district, enjoying his walk down the familiar road. The peace, security, and freedom that Cloud Sect offered were something he'd missed. He'd spent more time in the Capitol than he'd spent here, but this place felt more like home.

He was almost disappointed when he arrived at the gate to his residence. He debated continuing his walk but decided that Aunty Nang would be upset with him if he did.

He rang the bell beside the gate and waited.

Aunty Nang opened the gate, wearing a thick fur coat. She had a big smile plastered on her face until she saw Tobias' face.

Tobias gave her a lopsided grin, knowing she was doing all sorts of mental gymnastics to try to fit his old face on his new. Eventually, she leaned forward and took Tobias's face between her hands and squeezed.

"There you are."

Tobias roared with laughter.

Aunty Nang released his face and laughed. "I almost thought you weren't in there."

"It's a bit of change."

Aunty Nang blushed. "A bit of a change is a chicken becoming a falcon. This is like a chicken becoming a phoenix. You're making me blush. At my age."

"I can't do anything to help you, I'm afraid."

"I'll adapt." She began poking and prodding his body. "You said you'd been crippled."

"I was given permission to stay at the Halfway Embassy."

Aunty Nang continued prodding. "How long were you there for?"

"Fourteen days. I woke up this morning."

"That is a long time to heal. I take it you're hungry then."

"Starving."

"Good. I've got a large piece of spirit boar belly roasting over some charcoal, and enough side dishes to feed my clan. Get in here so I can fatten you up."

Tobias smiled. "I don't think that's possible anymore."

Aunty Nang smiled back. "At least allow this old woman to try."

"Always."

***

Later that evening, Tobias sat in his viewing room, enjoying the relaxation of his garden. The freezing night air washed through the residence, leaving Tobias clear-minded and relaxed while he worked. He'd done his best to keep up to date on his assignments, but there was a lot of information about his investment that hadn't been sent to the palace. Tomorrow morning, he would be back working in the state assignment hall, so this was his only opportunity to figure out what Cloud Sect had done with his housing project during his absence.

Aunty Nang sat beside him, bundled in furs, helping him understand the changes to Cloud City, pointing out when construction projects began and finished, using the map that Elder Kang had supplied. Elder Kang had made extensive changes to his original plans during Tobias's absence. Aunty Nang had approved these changes on Tobias's behalf, and it was taking him time to figure out their intent.

Nothing was ever simple in Cloud Sect.

Tobias used his folding fan to point at the map. "Elder Kang took over construction of all these facilities, I notice."

Aunty Nang followed his fan and nodded. "He decided to provide those facilities for the disciples from Mist Sect, so they didn't need to enter our sect and distract our disciples."

Tobias wanted to laugh, but he was wise enough not to. Using Mist Sect as an excuse was how Elder Kang was saving face, while making changes that many of the older elders didn't want. It was an interesting angle.

"How many disciples have arrived from Mist Sect?"

Aunty Nang handed him a ledger.

Tobias went through it line by line, adding up how many disciples he was hosting. It was close to one thousand. Elder Tan had told him how many disciples were at the end of their natural path more than four years ago, so there were still more to come.

Tobias frowned and motioned for another ledger, scanning through the Mist Sect's disciples' personal accounts. Some had built a sizable amount of accommodation credits through his auction. "I notice none of Mist Sect's disciples have purchased a residence."

"Elder Sing has not given them permission. Mist Sect is still treating their disciples' time here as a temporary solution to their problem."

Tobias turned to the map, scanning the layout. There were manors and mansions under construction that didn't have buyers. The cost of the buildings was too much for many disciples, but they wouldn't be forever. However, Tobias noticed that Cloud Sect's disciples seemed to only be interested in living to the west of his entertainment and shopping district. Those buildings were closer to the sect, making travel back and forth easier.

Tobias pointed with his fan to a cluster of manors on the east side that had been built but never purchased by the disciples. "Cloud Sect disciples seem to have no interest in living on the East side."

"You are correct."

"Do you know the reason? They use the facilities there more often than they visit the sect."

"The western residences allow them to be closer to the sect. If it should come under attack, they will be able to respond faster."

Tobias hadn't considered that they would take that into account when they chose where to live. "Set aside the eastern manors for premium hosting for Mist Sect. Cloud Sect disciples can no longer purchase a residence there. Inform Mist Sect's disciples that if they ever get permission to purchase a permanent residence, they will have first right to purchase the one they are being hosted in."

"Would you like us to continue construction on the eastern side?"

"Not until all the manors have been claimed. Once they have, construct only ten at a time. Also, make sure to charge them significantly more for hosting them. Should Mist Sect decide that this arrangement doesn't work for them, I'm going to be left with a lot of wasted investment."

Aunty Nang made a note. "Have you looked over your personal accounts?"

Tobias continued to flip through the ledger. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Cloud Sect has called back all of its former servant clans with building experience, and construction is now moving as quickly as possible. During your time in the Capitol, you built up a substantial fortune. That fortune is no longer required for these projects. The excess is sitting in your account unused, and I was wondering if you have made plans on how you wish to spend it."

Tobias almost missed what was left unsaid.

Aunty Nang never talked about spending what he earned from Cloud Sect unless it was for household expenses or projects that would help the sect. She was their spy, and everything she did was in their interest, so her bringing it up meant that Cloud Sect recognised the money as his. They were telling him that he had done enough for them to have considered him to have earned it.

Tobias put down the ledger.

Before leaving the Halfway Embassy, Tobias had told Elder Cloud and Elder Mist about his deal with the Great Clans. That he had traded them his expanded equations for protection for his family and the divine pills he needed to reach the foundation realm. Tobias still had no interest in cultivating, but it had become necessary for his own safety.

He knew this would upset Cloud Sect, because they wanted him to have low divinity. However, Tobias had no choice. All he could do was hope that his warning to Elder Cloud and Elder Mist about the 2nd Prince and handing over his expanded equation to the sects for free would alleviate their concerns.

Tobias was trying to show them that he had chosen a side, and it was not the Imperial Family's side. He was trying to show them that while he wished to work with them, he would not act outside the law. He would walk the fine line of helping them in every way he could without compromising himself as a magistrate.

Cloud Sect had responded to him by providing what he needed to ensure his family's safety.

Tobias swallowed the lump in his throat, fighting back the emotions that welled up inside him. "Do you have my personal ledger?"

Aunty Nang handed over another ledger.

Tobias flipped through until he found the most recent entry. His auction had tripled in size every year since it began. Each one made him significantly more money than the last, multiplying his fortune each time. This was primarily due to incentivising the gatherers to grow more spirit herbs for better accommodation and partly due to Disciple Xi's improved efficiency at producing pills.

The ledger showed proceeds from the last three auctions, and his profit from hosting so many disciples was all superfluous to his needs and had been accumulating in his account. He had years of safety net, and his absence had prevented him from spending anything.

Tobias pulled out a piece of paper and began doing calculations. Since leaving the Imperial Palace, Tobias had made plans to purchase enough cultivation pills for his parents and older relatives through this year's auction, which was part of the reason he had postponed it, leaving the pills in the state vault until he arrived.

The purchase would have only taken a fraction of his wealth, which likely wouldn't have upset the sect, even though he would have purchased what they needed to reach the initiate realm. Now that he had Cloud Sect's blessing, he could expand his plan to his entire family.

However, his calculations showed that even if he paid more for the pills than anyone ever had, he would still have at least two-thirds of the money from their years' auction left. Tobias decided that the excess should be spent on building his family a proper home, one that matched their new standing as the family of a royal magistrate and initiate realm cultivators.

His position offered his family one type of security. Displaying his wealth would offer them another. Helping them reach the initiate realm was another.

Tobias used the costs for building mansions in Cloud City as a guide and realised that he could easily afford to house his family. It wouldn't even take half of his earnings from this year's auction, and that was with him buying them the pills they needed.

Tobias outlined a budget for the construction project before passing it to Aunty Nang. "Does Cloud Sect deal with any reputable construction companies who would be able to build my family a compound worthy of my status?"

Aunty Nang took the budget. "No. Cloud Sect prefers to utilise its servants for this purpose. However, the merchants we deal with will be able to make introductions to anyone you will need. I'll begin making enquiries tomorrow. What do you plan to do with the rest of your fortune?"

"I'm changing this year's auction so that I can supply my family with cultivation pills. Between that and the construction project, I'll only earn half of what I otherwise would have this year."

Aunty Nang paused, doing some mental calculation. "If that's what you intend to do, you should set aside money for a divinity testing array. If you don't, you might inadvertently cripple someone's cultivation potential."

Tobias hadn't considered that. "Are they expensive?"

"Not particularly, but they do require an initiate array master to calibrate them once they are in place."

"Make it part of the construction budget."

"And the rest of your fortune?"

"I need to think about how I should use it."

Tobias turned to his garden as he heard the gate open. A few moments later, Disciple Wo began walking down the veranda. He'd been stripped of his disciple robes and now wore a comfortable garment made from grey silk.

He stopped before Tobias and bowed. "Cultivator Wo greets Magistrate Finch."

Tobias stood and returned the bow. "Magistrate Finch greets his future majordomo."

Cultivator Wo gave a small smile.

Tobias walked over to a shelf and picked up the contract. "Would you like to read this one last time before we perform the ceremony, or should we just go ahead with it?"

Cultivator Wo walked over, sensing the test Tobias was giving him. "You changed the contract in case I said no, didn't you?"

Tobias chuckled. "There might be something in this version about morning foot rubs."

Cultivator Wo shuddered. "Give me the real contract and I'll read it again."

Tobias picked up another contract and handed it over. "I'll go prepare the other room for the ceremony."