The Magistrate: Chapter 138 (Patreon)

Sorry, I didn't drop a chapter yesterday. This chapter took longer to write than I expected. The last section only came to me when I went to bed. I haven't halted payments for this month. I'm going to be dropping chapters as fast as I can to finish this series, and then I'll write and drop four chapters of farmer before going back to my usual schedule.

Chapter 138

To Rest

The 3rd Emperor was not a man who fought his own battles, even ones he believed he would win, so killing his inner circle was the last thing Tobias had wanted to do. He knew it would make him desperate. He knew it would make him foolish. He knew it would cause him to involve the Ice Matriarch.

However, allowing his people to go through with their assassination attempt would have been worse. Tobias's guards would have been forced to step in, and the Finch Clan would have ended up with another servant clan. One much weaker than it currently was.

Despite his intentions, that was still a potential outcome.

Tobias sat in the Ice Matriarch's throne room sipping tea. The bitter cold which radiated from the cultivator before him did not bother him in the slightest, and yet it could kill a core realm cultivator. An unfortunate side effect of her cultivation method.

Tobias was not here to play games. He was not here to show weakness, so he used his control over the daos of ice, cold, heat, and tea to keep their drinks at the perfect temperature.

His actions did not go unnoticed.

Not even the Ice Matriarch had his level of control over her chosen element. So, it was a warning she understood and respected. Tobias wasn't sure if it was enough.

It was obvious to anyone who met her that the Ice Matriarch's cultivation method was flawed, and not because of the bitter cold which radiated from her. Her dao had been corrupted, replacing flesh and bones with crystal clear ice, leaving her transparent. Her thoughts were muddled just as much, leaving her mentally inflexible, more like a robot than a human.

Tobias could see into her hidden heart. There were no feelings. No wants. No desires. Just memories of what she had once cared about. Memories which told her she existed to protect her clan. These memories had turned her into a monster, making her capable of doing anything to outsiders. The 3rd Emperor and his clan were treated far better than the other slaves she kept. Protected by both their connections and their usefulness.

Tobias placed down his empty cup and watched the Ice Matriarch imitate his actions. "Are you sure you wish to involve yourself in this matter?"

The Ice Matriarch moved her gaze to the chests beside them, taking note of the blood price that had been paid for her slaves. It was enough for her to build an army. "The losses from your visit have exceeded my highest estimates. I must ensure there is no more unnecessary waste. Are there any rules preventing me from acting as his second?"

Tobias shook his head. "So long as there is no compensation for your assistance, you may act as his second."

"Then I will act as his second and fight in his place."

"Outside influence will not be tolerated. You will be required to order your clan to stand down and not interfere. Should you call for assistance during the battle, you will be in breach of the trial and open to summary execution."

The Ice Matriarch laughed. "And who will execute me?"

Tobias refilled his cup as the temperature within the throne room plunged, dropping so rapidly that the Ice Matriarch immediately quit laughing to bring her cultivation to bear. Tobias set the teapot aside and lifted his drink as the temperature came to rest only a hair above absolute zero.

The temperature did not touch him or his hot tea as he slowly drained his cup, but the Ice Matriarch moved in slow motion. The dao of ice had little to do with temperatures this cold and did not offer her much protection.

Tobias eventually put down his empty cup and released his control over the room. The temperature quickly rose, causing the Ice Matriarch to notice that Tobias had drunk his tea without her noticing. The steam wafting from the teapot also didn't escape her notice.

Tobias refilled their cups. "I would not have come here if I could not see this matter through. Please remember that when you take the field."

The Ice Matriarch accepted her tea and nodded.

"Now that I have confirmed your participation, I would like to discuss where the ritual will take place."

***

The Guardian Su had not given Tobias or his companions permission to stay within the settlement, so they sat on the deck of his flying ship sharing a meal of seaweed salad and fish. The locals had been more than willing to trade what they had caught and gathered for exotic grains and spices but had only accepted what was offered after Tobias insisted.

Lung Mei patted her stomach appreciatively before flopping onto her back and releasing a loud burp. "That salad was fantastic."

"You didn't eat the salad," Hun Fen replied.

"Which is why it was fantastic."

Ming Dia Lu smiled. "Is this your way of telling us that you're no longer interested in that cute vegetarian monk?"

Lung Mei shuddered. "It never would have worked out."

"Was it the vow of celibacy or the lack of protein in his diet that made you realise it wasn't meant to be?"

"It was his taste in men."

"Oh."

"Apparently his vow only applies to women."

"Sounds like a rather weak vow."

"Everything about that man was weak. If he wasn't so cute, I would have seen it sooner."

"He's lucky he didn't see Master let loose," Hun Fen replied while chuckling. "He might have died from fright."

Lung Mei sat up and turned to Tobias. "Master, when did you get so powerful?"

Hun Jia, Xu Ling, Hun Fen, and Ming Dia Lu gave him their full attention.

Tobias finished chewing his mouthful and swallowed. "When I entered the nascent soul realm."

Lung Mei rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. When did you get so powerful that you could take on so many at once?"

"When I entered the nascent soul realm," Tobias repeated.

Lung Mei frowned. "But that was when you were at your weakest. You said you've grown significantly stronger since then."

"I have."

"How is that possible?"

Hun Jia raised an annoyed eyebrow.

Tobias reached out and took her hand before she started chastising Lung Mei. Lung Mei only studied when she was interested or absolutely had to, so Tobias hadn't bothered teaching her about the nascent soul realm. He had hoped that correcting her foundation would fix this personality trait, but Lung Mei embodied nature, and nature did not care for where it was going. Also, centuries of having little interest in studying had cemented it as part of her personality.

Hun Fen reached out on her mother's behalf and smacked the back of Lung Mei's head. "You're embarrassing Master with such a basic question."

Lung Mei shuffled away. "How is it basic? It's about the nascent soul realm."

Hun Fen facepalmed.

Tobias shifted his and Hun Jia's position through a technique, so he sat beside Lung Mei. He placed his arm over her shoulder like he had when she was a child. "Those in the nascent soul realm are dao beings given form through spiritual energy. Their form comes from their dao and the dao enlightenment they achieve before they entered the nascent soul realm. With the right enlightenment, anyone can become significantly more powerful than they were when they enter the nascent soul realm."

Lung Mei frowned. "How much more?"

"Before entering the nascent soul realm, I contemplated the dao of a mountain and achieved enlightenment. When I entered the nascent soul realm, I brought that mountain with me." Tobias let go of her shoulder and held his hand above her head. "Try to stop my hand from falling."

Lung Mei grabbed his hand, and Tobias slowly let it fall, allowing her to try to hold up part of the weight of a mountain. Lung Mei's arms slowly lowered, unable to withstand the weight. The boards beneath her creaked, but she didn't give up.

Tobias took his hand back when he felt the message was clear. "When I entered the nascent soul realm, I entered as the mountains and the seas, the sky that spread above them, and the land which lay beneath. Rivers powered my muscles and forest fires burned through my veins."

Lung Mei turned to Xu Ling. "Is that what it's like for everyone, Aunty?"

Xu Ling burst out laughing. "No."

Tobias placed his arm back over Lung Mei's shoulder. "Xu Ling doesn't share my fascination with dao, and since she wasn't my direct disciple anymore, I couldn't force her to study dao like I can with the three of you."

Lung Mei's eyes widened. "Is that why you made us contemplate the dao of that stupid mountain!"

Tobias chuckled. "You're welcome."

"You said it was necessary for us to enter the nascent soul realm. It took me years!"

Hun Fen raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to enter the nascent soul realm more powerful or weaker than you were before?"

"Obviously more powerful."

"Then contemplating the dao of a mountain for a few years was absolutely necessary for you to enter the nascent soul realm."

"Oh." Lung Mei turned back to Tobias. "So how strong are you?"

Hun Jia sighed. "Strong enough to give you nightmares if he answers honestly and strong enough for me to question why he brought so many guards."

Tobias leaned over and kissed Hun Jia's cheek. "The power to destroy is not the same as the power to protect, my love. I still have a long way to go before I will be comfortable bringing you to a situation like this without additional protection."

Hun Jia smiled. "I could always grow stronger, and then you wouldn't have to worry."

Tobias smiled back. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

Hun Jia lost her smile. "You mean that, don't you?"

Tobias nodded. "Power invites conflict. Conflict invites violence. And violence invites loss. Those who walk beside me must be strong enough to protect themselves or remain tucked away where harm cannot find them."

Xu Ling turned to Hun Jia. "Meeting your sect has made him paranoid. He's worried there's some unknown force out there who can sweep us all away if we upset them. He was never this cautious before."

Tobias raised an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that. I said this cautious, not that you weren't cautious."

Tobias snorted.

"And I'm not wrong. You're training these three like you're preparing them for endless conflict."

"I'm not."

"It's what it looks like."

"Well, it isn't what it looks like."

"Then what is it?"

Tobias looked at Xu Ling and frowned. "Do you really not know?"

Xu Ling tried to look into his hidden heart.

Tobias blocked her. "No cheating."

Xu Ling sighed and shook her head. "I don't."

"I'm teaching them everything they need to surpass me, like I did with you."

"Well, it looks like you're training them for endless conflict."

Hun Fen folded her arms. "How could anyone possibly train us to surpass Master without it looking like they were training us for endless conflict, Aunty?"

Xu Ling opened her mouth to retort and then laughed. "You make a valid point."

Tobias looked around him, but didn't see smiling faces. All he saw was hidden concern. Hun Fen was going to cross blades with a sage realm cultivator. Everyone had seen what she was capable of, but that wasn't enough to give them confidence. No one wanted to say she couldn't do it. No one wanted to put doubt into her mind.

Hun Fen's gaze briefly met his and paused.

Tobias smirked.

Hun Fen smirked back.

They had no idea how much she'd been holding back.

***

Snow fell across the frozen city while Hun Fen battled in the sunless sky above, exchanging blows with someone no core realm cultivator should ever face. The 3rd Emperor had long since realised that Hun Fen would end his life with a single strike and had fallen silent, sinking into his chair in pensive thought. The survivors from Tobias's purge huddled nearby in awe and terror, whispering about the return of the 1st Emperor.

They didn't know what they were talking about.

The 1st Emperor had never been so talent.

Tobias barely paid attention to the battle above him as he monitored his surroundings. He intended to do this by the book. He didn't want anything going wrong. And the Han Clan still had a handful of core realm cultivators left to support the 3rd Emperor. They might have some treasure hidden away they were waiting to unleash, so Tobias couldn't spare his disciple the attention her feat deserved.

Ming Dia Lu twitched in her seat, trying to follow the exchanges. That was impossible for someone of her limited cultivation. The Ice Matriarch was moving too fast, shifting positions to stay ahead of Hun Fen's attacks, which followed her wherever she went.

She had never encountered the dao of contact or the dao of the landed hit, so she could not counter the dao slashes which followed her across the battlefield. All she could do was try to block them with walls of ice, but these counterattacks were far more draining on her than Hun Fen.

The 3rd Emperor suddenly sneered with disgust from his chair beside Tobias. "It would appear my second is trying to flee the field, Magistrate Finch. I imagine that you must feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction now that your revenge is finally at hand." The 3rd Emperor leaned forward and looked across Tobias to Ming Dia Lu in the other chair. "Did Magistrate Finch share our history? Did he tell you how he begged for mercy each time my guards entered the dungeon? How his indistinguishable mumbling could not be understood. How he whimpered and cowered at every little noise while he waited for their return. I should have ignored my advisors and trusted my instincts, ending his life when I wished. It would have saved our clan from so much suffering."

Tobias snorted with amusement at the provocation.

The 3rd Emperor turned to Tobias. "What did I say that you find so amusing, Magistrate Finch?"

"All of it."

"All of it?"

"I took my revenge upon you long ago. All that will happen here today is justice."

The 3rd Emperor gave Tobias an amused smirk as he patted himself down. "It appears that your revenge has been rather lacking."

Tobias returned the smirk with a lazy smile. "You coveted The Three Kingdoms like a starving man staring at ripe fruit. If you had been allowed to have your way, you would have stripped the empire and gorged yourself swallow everything, including its future."

The 3rd Emperor rolled his eyes. "You didn't take my empire from me. The clans and sects did. At best you played a minor role in my downfall"

Tobias continued to smile. "History didn't end simply because you were no longer involved. And the clans and sects hold no more power in The Three Kingdoms today than you do."

The 3rd Emperor looked above to where Hun Fen was trying to prevent the Ice Matriarch's escape. "So, you're the new emperor. I was right. You came here for my seal."

Tobias snorted again. "I do not lack imagination like you. And I do not need a title, seal, or violence to get my way. It might surprise you to learn that The Three Kingdoms has not known famine for four centuries. It has not known plague for five centuries. There are no wars. No threats from abroad. Her borders stretch from sea to sea. And a child can walk with a purse full of gold and a satchel full of pills from one sea to another without fear of being accosted. My revenge was never to harm you, but to build a kingdom you would sell your soul to enter and never let you in."

Tobias snapped his fingers.

His guards heard the unspoken order and revealed their presence to the 3rd Emperor, but no one else. They numbered in the hundreds and were equipped with more wealth than the Han Clan had ever seen. Each one was a nascent soul realm cultivator, a peak beyond peaks in the 3rd Emperor's understanding of the world. Combined, they would have crushed The Three Kingdoms he had once coveted with ease.

Ming Dia Lu turned to the 3rd Emperor. "Those are not The Three Kingdoms' soldiers, merely Magistrate Finch's personal guard."

The 3rd Emperor slumped into his chair again.

Tobias snapped his fingers, and the guards faded from the 3rd Emperor's perception. "Your mistake wasn't sparing my life. Your mistake was not seeing the value I could offer you and your clan. Had your choices been different, perhaps the Han Clan would now rule the world instead of being a footnote in history."

Tobias raised his gaze as the Ice Matriarch pulled out a rather impressive trick and slipped through Hun Fen's net, successfully folding space to flee.

Tobias lowered his gaze to the 3rd Emperor. "It appears your second has fled the field. By the laws of the Han Clan, you must take her place."

The 3rd Emperor rose from his chair, straightened his robes with his aura, and looked up. "Do you know how an Emperor greets death, Magistrate Finch?"

"Like a faithful servant come to lead him to rest."

The 3rd Emperor smiled. "The Han Clan may be no more, but your answer tells me that you carry our legacy, and that that legacy is greater than it's ever been."

Tobias looked up and returned the smile. "The problem was never your clan's legacy. It was when your clan chose not to live up to it."

Tobias rose to his feet and offered the 3rd Emperor a bow which two strangers of the same station might have once shared on an empty road. The 3rd Emperor understood the significance of the bow and returned it in kind.

They were no longer enemies. They were no longer tied by fate and history. The animosity between them was about to pass like two travellers meeting by chance. The road to immortality was long, and should they meet again in this life or the next, they would see nothing but a stranger who had crossed their path.    

The 3rd Emperor turned away and rose into the air.

There was no battle. No exchange of blows. The great monster of the old world stood before the heroine of the new age and was struck down before he could bare his teeth.

He died like a faithful servant was leading him to rest.