Heaven's Laws - Lifestone - Chapter 21

It was an hour before Huifen brought herself to the point of being able to use heart of ice. It wasn’t because she was incapable of circulating the technique, but she’d been unwilling. Her father-in-law had said she must make her protests known to her husband. Instead of a leaking faucet, this early morning she’d torn the faucet from the wall and had all but beaten him with it. The only reasons she hadn’t done more was because deep down, she was thankful he’d taken the initiative in handling Big Sister Ping, even if he’d taken it too far.

Despite heart of ice running, she winced at naming the woman as sister in her head. Once again, she’d been betrayed. Chao himself had said as much when rebuking the woman.

Forcing her thoughts into the back corner of her mind, she focused on what Father Zan was saying. They were standing in the same clearing where she’d saved her Chao. It was only Zan and Quinyuan there with them. Billi was probably around somewhere, but the divine realm cultivator seemed uncomfortable with these types of gatherings. Huifen was secretly relieved she wasn’t there. The woman had a fearful presence, and it was difficult to trust her.

“An impenetrable array formation doesn’t exist,” Zan continued his instruction. “Those like the one being used to protect the joint sect is nearly invincible in this realm, you’ve witnessed firsthand some of its vulnerabilities. When stretched too thin, enough force can displace the air inside the array, practically allowing some of the force to slip through and harm those inside. Eight low realm cultivators are dead because of it.

“Once you reach the highest levels of the divine realm, all such arrays are rendered useless by cultivators that can tear space. There are ways to defend against them. Placing cities and sects in mystic realms that might seem visible to the eye but actually exist on a different plane is one such method to confuse such cultivators. Reactive assault arrays are another. Even those are no guarantee that a cultivator won’t find a way passed it. Does this mean you should end your travels and return to the Ice Phoenix Palace to hide for the rest of your lives?

Huifen felt the defiance spin up inside her, even if the emotional aspect of it was numbed by her heart of ice technique. She glanced at her husband, concerned he might really be having second thoughts. Instead of apprehension, or even a mustering of courage, he chuckled lightly while stifling his volume to remain respectful. It was as if it hadn’t even crossed his mind.

Chao gave her a charitable look, as if she were the one he was worried about.

Before she could object, Father Zan threw out several flags at different distances and a placed a large qi gathering array at their feet. It was the kind of qi gathering array often used when armies marched and by richer merchants and cultivators when traveling. They’d seen similar ones go at auction for fifteen to twenty thousand golden taels.

“There are three different categories of array formations. Active,” he said with a gesture. There was a surge of qi from the gathering array at their feet, then suddenly, a dome of energy surrounded them. It even coated the ground. It was the simplest kind of array with only three flags surrounding them in a triangular shape. They were the closest of the ones Zan had thrown out. From where they stood, they only had a radius of ten meters between them and its boarder.

“Active formations are the most widely used and simplest to understand. You simply activate it and it will cast a controlled layer of qi to defend whatever is inside it. They are generally the most dependable, however, the more complex an array is made, the more likelihood there is for there to be flaws in its defense. The array you used in the inn suffered from many such flaws because it was a hybrid unit.

“It was active in the sense that it charged your room with qi, making the walls stronger, however, it was also reactive. Its main defensive formation would only activate when something triggered it. If it had been active from the start, a nature cultivator would’ve never been able to bypass its perimeter. Does that mean that reactive arrays are useless?”

A second array of four flags activated beyond the first. Huifen could sense its qi, but only just. If she hadn’t been looking for it, she may have missed it entirely.

“The best use of a reactive array is as a warning system. This keeps it from the problems that come with excess complexity. It can also be noticed by the perceptive, which is a warning to the polite and criminally minded. But it can also make you a target. Which is the last kind of arrays, passive ones, are often the best. If you had to choose one, you’d want to chose from this last type.”

The final, furthest set of flags activated. At least, she thought they had. There was a pull of my qi from the gathering array, but nothing seemed to happen. She wasn’t unfamiliar with the arrays on the market, so she had a hunch. Then Father Zan confirmed what she was thinking.

“Passive arrays aren’t passive because they don’t have to be activated,” father-in-law said with a snicker. “They are considered passive because once activated, they don’t respond or act on anyone who passes through them. This qi gathering array,” he motioned to the device at his feet, “is considered passive because it doesn’t affect anyone that passes within its scope of influence. It simply gathers qi and distributes it.

“The last array I activated is like it. Its job is simply to conceal anything within its formation. Even though it can’t actively defend against an enemy, or react to it, its ability is often more beneficial when traveling. If an enemy or bandit knows you are there, they can work toward penetrating your defenses. But if they can’t find you, even if they know you’re there, they must thoroughly search for you. In doing so, they will reveal themselves and often place themselves in a difficult position that you can take advantage of.

“Where increasing the complexity of arrays causes flaws, using simple but powerful arrays in layers can be used to great effect. This current setup is basic, but it’s the one I’d recommend for you as you continue your travels. The only drawback is that you won’t be able to use these arrays while staying amongst people. So no inns, and no comfy beds.”

Quinyuan blew a puff of ice qi into his face. “What your father is trying to say,” she retorted, “is that when you need to sleep or refine something difficult and your guard will be down, use this method. Other activities are best kept to closed quarters.”

“That’s debatable,” Zan said roguishly, stepping away from his wife.

She chose to ignore him. “Adding layers, extending your array’s range, learning to better hide your flags, and throwing in more complex arrays are also options. Just make sure you’re building upon what you see here and not replacing the layers. And of course, the more arrays you have active, the more qi it will cost you.”

Retrieving the qi gathering array, Zan put it away and the three arrays depending on it for qi flickered before shutting down. “Keep the flags,” he said, leaving them be. “You might have better in your stash, so be sure to have some fun playing around with them. Now, it shouldn’t have to be said, but I’m your father, so I’m going to say it regardless. Chao, you’re lucky to be alive. If your wife wasn’t one of the most competent fairies in the history of this little world, then you’d likely be dead.”

“And you, daughter-in-law, are probably ready to swear off befriending anyone you meet for the next few centuries, but if it wasn’t for your friendship with Sage Ping, do you really believe she would’ve made it so easy for you to discover and treat Chao’s plight? I’m not telling you to be unwise in who you befriend. I am saying that your charm and generosity toward Ping are in part responsible for how things have turned out. As for when you should and shouldn’t be friendly, I’ll leave that for you to figure out.” He turned, smiling at his wife. “Anything you’d like to add?”

In a rare show of physical affection, Quinyuan flew forward and pulled them both into an embrace. After kissing them on the head, their mother touched down on the ground and looked up at them—Chao especially. Huifen was only a few centimeters taller than her old master.

“Meditate on these things and the consequences of tonight’s events,” Quinyuan gave Chao a pointed look. “Billi will follow you until you’ve met up with Pangfua. Be kind to her. The protection she can provide will only be with you for a few more days. She will be joining your father and me on a trip. We will not be able to return for a time.”

As Huifen began to protest, Quinyuan smiled. “Don’t worry, daughter. Recent events have sped up our schedule a bit, but we intended on taking this trip regardless. I need to get stronger, and even your father-in-law is overdue for some training. Kang will watch the Ice Phoenix Sect while we are gone and, as much as we’ll miss Fang’s leadership, Yongrui will temporarily take over as the Fire Phoenix Sect Master. It will be a punishment for the man as much as a privilege, but I have no doubt he’ll do the job well. It was his lack of respect for authority that got him in trouble in the first place. Now many of the elders he spurred in the past will be in his care and making sure he hears about his every mistake.

“When you meet up with Pangfua, I recommend keeping your cultivations hidden and mingle with the other disciples as if you were one of them. She will command them to act accordingly. It won’t be a perfect disguise, but it should be enough for those unaware of current events. Her presence should be enough to dissuade other sects from bullying our disciples, but don’t underestimate a cultivator’s greed. The monoliths are visited by sects from not just our continent but Land Bridge and Northern alike.

“The only thing else I have to say is, keep each other safe.”

It wasn’t the last thing she said to them before Zan and Quinyuan left Huifen alone with her husband. The woman who had been her master since she was young was acting less like a master and more like a mother with every passing day. At first, the change had frightened Huifen, but more than a year later, she now cherished such moments.

Before things could become uncomfortable between them, Huifen spoke without looking his direction, “You will sleep. I know you want to talk, husband, but I’m not ready for the discussion we need to have. This will give me the time I need to think things through, and after being poisoned, you need to rest.”

Then to her astonishment, he replied, “Yes, my Huifen.”

When he moved toward her to show affection, she stepped away from him.

He didn’t complain, but pulled a qi gathering array from his spatial ring and set it up to empower the three sets of flags still in formation around them.

“Did you want to refine these arrays, or shall I do it?” He asked.

“You do it,” she insisted. Softening her tone, she added. “I have a set of each already refined.”

He took the time to go from flag to flag to refine them with a smearing of blood. She waited until the process was done, he’d returned to the qi gathering array, and activated the three defensive formations. Then she felt compelled to do something for him even if she wasn’t in the best mood.

Removing a thick blanket she had stored in her ring, she spread it on the grass to give him a place to lie down.

As he took advantage of the blanket, he thanked her. Before placing his head on a pillow he’d removed from his spatial ring, he said, “Good night, my Huifen.”

Seeing that the sun had already ascend above the horizon, a petty part of herself wanted to rebuke him, but she stopped herself. Instead, she replied, “Good night, husband.

Chao fell asleep within minutes.

She’d known he’d been more tired than he was letting on, but not to this extent. Still, she was thankful for the time to herself. The first thing she did was thoroughly scan the area and took note of every living thing. Even if their hybrid array had weak points, if she’d simply been paying attention to every new person that entered the village, or the inn for that matter, then she would’ve noticed Ping’s arrival. The woman’s disguise may have been enough to fool her, but if she’d just kept an eye on her, she’d never been able to succeed in poisoning Chao.

It wasn’t long until she was convinced they were safe. Her mind was quick to turn to all the things she could blame Chao for, but it didn’t stay there for long.

She couldn’t help but remember something the Divine Ice Phoenix once told her she’d often mediated on since their meeting. “Judge justly when you can, and be merciful when it is right.” But when was it right to be merciful?

She worried that Chao had been right. It hadn’t been said between them, but she’d been ready to take Ping’s life. She likely would have if he didn’t stop her. She still wasn’t convinced he was right to save the woman. After her conversation with the Divine Guardian, she knew she could be wrong. That should’ve been enough to hold herself back, but it had taken Chao stepping in to force her to remember herself.

“Don’t think of who you are, but who you must become,” the ice phoenix had concluded. One thing Huifen was sure was that she wanted to become more like the Divine Guardian. The ice phoenix was humble in nature, while also being the most powerful existence Huifen had ever seen. She was a creature that looked down on the worlds yet retained her compassion for them. There was no one above her. The only thing left to govern her actions was the depths of her own wisdom.

Huifen considered what had happened and her own actions. In the love and care she’d showed in saving her own husband, she found no fault. In Chao’s mercy in saving Ping, she was still conflicted. The question was, should she undo what he started? It was within her power to hunt down Ping and take her life. Chao may try to stop her at first, but she knew he would only take things so far. No one would blame her for taking the woman’s life. Mercy was harder than justice, for it left one vulnerable. What if it didn’t have the positive affect her husband hoped it would have?

“I didn’t save them for their sake. I saved them because I could and because I cherish life…”

The ice phoenix’s words were once again like trumpets going off in her ears. Perhaps, hoping for Ping to learn from this wasn’t wrong, but it certainly wasn’t a pivotal reason to undergo the risks of mercy. To be merciful for mercies sake would put her imperfect judgement aside for virtue’s sake. That she could do, for now.

To say that her struggles ended there would disregard the weight of her circumstance, but she settled on a new direction the Divine Guardian had pointed her down many months before. There was much meditation on these things ahead of her.

Chao had only been sleeping for a few hours when Billi’s divine presence descended from above. Huifen was suddenly anxious, but was determined to be polite.

She quickly scanned their surroundings then deactivated the qi gathering array.

“Greeting’s, Senior,” Huifen said, saluting the woman as she touched down beside her.

“Hello,” the red headed woman replied.

“Please accept this one’s apology for pulling her weapon on you earlier. In the confusion of the moment, I acted foolishly.”

“Forget it.”

“I must also thank you for capturing Sage Ping. You’ve been a great help to us.”

“Mmm,” the woman replied. Each of her responses had been more distant than the last. She was watching Chao sleep with a complex look.

“Might I ask why you’ve come, senior?”

“Did you want me to retrieve this woman for you to kill?”

It was said so cavalierly that Huifen didn’t know how to respond. Did she? She had no doubt the woman could bring Sage Ping to her. But if she wanted to do that, she’d do it herself.

“Thank you for the offer, but no.”

“Why? Is it because you don’t want to undermine your husband’s decision?”

Seeing the woman was genuinely confused, she realized how strange this all must be for her. “In part, but also because I know he did it for me. As much as I’ve insisted that he stop trying to make things easy for me, it doesn’t seem like it’s a request he’d capable of keeping. And maybe that’s for the best. I’ve been wrong about such things before. If he’s so sure, then maybe I’m wrong. Even if I’m not, this isn’t something in which I’d take an unyielding stance.”

“So you’ll just let her go?”

“I…” Would she? Huifen took the time to formulate the words for what she’d decided. “Yes. I will not pursue justice or revenge.”

Billi glanced at Huifen then back at her husband. The woman only replied after a few long moments. “I don’t understand. You have justice in your reach and you willing to just let it go? The oldest memory I have is from when I was a child of four or five years of age. I wanted someone to save me from the Mai family—to punish them for what they did to me and made me do. How can you give it up so easily?”

The divine cultivator’s voice sounded young and confused.

Huifen slowly approached the woman she’d once seen kill dozens with little effort and even less remorse. She realized that the woman seemed so heartless, because she was, but not out of choice.

“Senior,” she said, standing within arms distance from the blood cultivator.

The woman looked over to her, but her gaze came only up to her chin. “Yes?” Billi asked.

Huifen smiled as warmly as she could. “I wish I knew the answer to your question. I was contemplating that very thing before you arrived. And it’s not easy for me. Only a few months ago, I know I would’ve never come to the same conclusion. There were things done to me by people I could never forgive. They’re dead now, and my only regret is that I didn’t get to take their lives with my own hands. And yet, under these circumstances, I think my husband was right to show mercy.”

“Do you not fear placing your trust in one such as him?”

“Such as him?” Huifen didn’t like how she was speaking of her Chao, but she remained gentle with her tone. “He’s the one that executed the main perpetrator of the crimes against me before the ice poison had even been resolved from my body. He might be prone to mercy but is certainly not opposed to justice. I think he might even have a better grasp of them than I ever gave him credit for. Perhaps even better than I do.”

The woman suddenly bowed deeply. “Forgive me. I sometimes speak harshly without intending to. I’m not good at human interaction. Even now, I’m not sure how I offended you.”

Huifen founder herself wanting to scramble as her husband used to when she’d been his master and she tried to bow to him. Billi might have been submissive to Zan, but she was also many full realms above Huifen’s cultivation. It was a docile fear she felt in the woman’s presence. It made her realize she’d been unfair to Chao in thinking him childish when they’d first met. It was a feeling she’d hadn’t felt since her first few years in the Ice Phoenix Sect.

“Please, Senior, don’t burden yourself with such things. My husband and I owe you a debt of gratitude because the help you’ve given us this night. How about traveling with us for the next few days? Mother Quinyuan said that you’d be following us until we joined up with Sage Pangfua. This is a great chance for us to show you our gratitude and you’re welcome to ask all the questions of us you will.”

“I…” The divine cultivator showed her first signs of emotion in her startled response. “I must go.”

In the next instant, she was gone.

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This one might be tweaked later. Getting a similar philosophical feel that many of the early eastern cultivation novels have without sounding preachy is something I'm constantly  looking out for.

Cheers!