MA Book 2, Ch 6.2: Tianlong Tianba

When Princess Long Xueyue walked into the Garden of Harmonious Discourse precisely at the fourth hour, Crown Prince Tianlong Tianba was standing beside the pavilion, apparently admiring a specimen of winter jasmine.

He turned as her footsteps crunched on the white gravel, his mouth opening to deliver whatever carefully prepared greeting he had planned —

— and stopped dead, his expression freezing mid-transition from calculated warmth to something approaching physical shock.

Xueyue savored the moment, maintaining her serene expression as she crossed the garden at an unhurried pace. She could feel his powerful spiritual senses sweeping over her, examining what she wore, and could practically hear the mental calculations as he tried to identify, categorize, and price each item.

The Frostbite Spider-silk robe moved around her like liquid midnight, its ice serpent embroidery seeming to flow and shift with each step. The spun Platinum outer robe, though apparently mundane and inert to spiritual senses, seemed all the more suspicious for that fact: it caught the afternoon light and reflected it back in shimmering, prismatic patterns that would have been impossible for any normal fabric to achieve. Her frost crystal and Azure Frost Drake Bone earrings, necklace, and hair ornament gleaned with a cold, pure light.

And on her wrist, she wore the most enigmatic piece of all. The bracelet was a band of polished, pale-blue Azure Frost Drake bone, a material thought lost to history for nearly a thousand years. Set into it were no less than seventeen flawless frost crystals, each one glowing with a faint, internal light and pulsing with the power of a Peak Foundation Establishment-level defensive formation somehow inscribed inside the crystal itself, a feat of talismanic and refinement art that the most talented talisman makers in the Empire — the famous Wei Long included — had declared to be impossible. At its center, the main clasp was not a simple jewel, but a complex, purely mechanical device of metal and glass. This was the watch: a piece of alien technology that ticked silently against her skin, the mystery of its existence and origins more valuable and profound than all of the Imperial Treasury’s spirit crystals combined.

She stopped at precisely ten paces — close enough for a conversation and far enough for formality — and performed a bow that was respectful but decidedly not subservient.

"Elder Brother," she said, her voice carrying clearly in the garden's acoustics. "This younger sister thanks you for your invitation. It has been far too long since we shared tea."

For just a moment — a single, glorious moment — Crown Prince Tianlong Tianba was utterly speechless.

His mouth worked soundlessly as his eyes tracked from the spun platinum, to the numerous frost crystals, to the Azure Frost Drake bone and back again, his composure cracking like thin porcelain under sudden pressure.

When he finally found his voice, it came out slightly strangled.

"Little sister. How... well you look."

There was a pause — longer than courtly etiquette normally permitted — while Tianba visibly struggled to reassemble his carefully-cultivated political mask. Xueyue waited patiently, her expression pleasantly innocent, as if she had absolutely no idea why her brother suddenly seemed so discomposed.

For a moment, Xueyue thought the Crown Prince might actually forget himself enough to lunge forward and physically examine what she was wearing. His hands had actually started to move before he caught himself and forced them back to his sides.

"Please," Tianba said, and the word came out strained. "Sit. Let us... let us have tea."

They moved to the pavilion proper, settling onto cushioned chairs across from each other. Tianba had clearly planned to maneuver her into the inferior position — with her back to the Hall of Military Affairs and the sun in her eyes — but he seemed to have forgotten entirely about such petty tactical concerns, too distracted by the impossibility of her attire.

Xueyue deftly claimed the more favorable spot instead.

An attendant appeared, moving with the silent, gliding steps of someone trained from birth in the art of invisible service. She was a cultivator herself, Xueyue noted, at the Early Foundation Establishment stage. In a provincial backwater like Yuhang City, this woman would be a respected powerhouse, likely an elder of a minor Sect or clan. But here in Tianlong City, the shining capital of the Empire where Foundation Establishment cultivators were as common as pebbles upon a mountain, she was but a mere handmaiden: her status making her barely qualified for the great privilege of serving tea to her betters.

The tea set she carried was a relic of a bygone era — priceless porcelain from the previous Celestial Phoenix Dynasty, thin and delicate as a cicada's wing and painted with intricate crimson phoenixes that seemed to dance in the light.

A subtle political statement on Tianba's part, Xueyue mused. A reminder of just who currently controlled the wealth in the Imperial vaults.

The servant’s head was bowed at the precise, correct angle, her movements a symphony of practiced grace as she arranged the cups, the spirit silver brazier, and the jade caddy of tea leaves. And yet, for all her training, she looked visibly shaken.

Xueyue could see it in the faint, almost imperceptible tremor of the girl's hands as she lifted the heavy, spirit-water kettle. A tiny, uncontrolled ripple disturbed the surface of the water as she poured it over the leaves, the steam rising in a fragrant cloud. It was the scent of the famous 'Golden Dragon's Whisker,' a luxurious Golden Core-grade spirit tea that was more concentrated Ling Qi than physical substance, and cost over a hundred mid-grade spirit stones for a single jin!

The servant was terrified. And rightfully so! After all, the poor girl was currently standing between two titans, two figures who defined the very era she lived in.

On one side sat Crown Prince Tianlong Tianba: the heir to the Dragon Throne itself, a genius 208-year-old Nascent Soul expert, and — save the Tianlong Emperor (Long May He Reign!) — the most politically powerful man in the entire Empire.

And on the other side… sat her idol. Princess Long Xueyue herself: a living legend, the most talented young cultivator in verifiable history, the only woman known to have defied all convention to form a High-Grade Golden Core at the mindbogglingly young age of twenty. She was the subject of countless stories. The aspiration of nearly every woman and little girl who hoped to tread the path of cultivation…

To serve such beings... a single misstep, a single spilled drop of tea on the wrong robe, a single breach of etiquette — any of these could mean a swift and silent exile. Even death.

Xueyue watched her with a kind of detached, composed sympathy.

Tianba, for his part, seemed entirely oblivious to the servant's terror… or, perhaps, he simply relished in it as part of the “natural order of things.” His gaze was fixed on Xueyue, a warm, fraternal smile back in place, though his eyes remained sharp and calculating, no doubt still considering the unexpected artifacts she wore.

The silence stretched between them.

When he finally spoke again, Tianba’s voice had regained its composed, friendly tone.

"Little sister," he said, lifting his teacup in a gesture of invitation, "you truly look radiant. Seclusion has clearly agreed with you! This elder brother has been quite remiss in allowing so much time to pass without a proper family conversation! We have much to catch up on."

His smile was warm, genuine, perfectly calibrated. Only someone who knew him well would notice the slight tension at the corners of his eyes, the careful way he was controlling his breathing.

Xueyue returned the smile with equal warmth.

"Elder brother is too kind! This younger sister has missed our conversations as well. Court life is so formal, so constrained. It's rare to find opportunities for genuine family discussion."

They both drank simultaneously — a ritualistic moment of harmony that was entirely superficial.

The silence that followed stretched, becoming a tangible thing — a heavy, suffocating blanket that dampened the pleasant sounds of the garden.

An exotic bird, unaware of the royalty it serenaded, let out a clear, fluting call from a nearby spirit tree, the sound as loud as a warning gong in the stillness.

Steam rose from the two teacups in perfectly straight, serene columns, as if even the air itself dared not move.

A single drop of condensed steam fell from the kettle's spout onto the heated silver brazier, evaporating with a sharp, explosive hiss that made the attendant physically flinch as if she had been struck. But Tianba did not even look at her, his gaze still fixed on his sister, a seemingly warm, friendly smile frozen on his lips while his Nascent Soul-level senses continued their subtle probing.

"Tell me," Tianba said, settling back slightly, his posture relaxed and open, "how was the breakthrough itself? Six months is quite lengthy for Golden Core formation. This elder brother remembers his own advancement taking only four months. Though of course, everyone's path is unique. The Dao manifests differently for each cultivator."

Surface meaning: I am an interested elder brother asking about his sister’s experience.

Actual meaning: Six months seems like an unusually long time for a breakthrough, when the formation of my own Supreme Grade Golden Core took only four. What are you hiding?

"Oh, the process was quite smooth, actually," Xueyue replied, her tone light and conversational. "Though… this younger sister is not as naturally gifted as elder brother, so perhaps she simply required more time to achieve what elder brother accomplished more swiftly? One can only work with the talents Heaven provides, after all."

Translation: Nope! I'm not going to give you any more information.

"Mm." Tianba's eyes drifted back to her jewelry, and this time he didn't try to hide his curiosity. "Though clearly younger sister has been fortunate in her resource acquisitions! Those materials look quite exceptional. This elder brother must confess considerable interest in the nature of your... supply chains. One always seeks to improve one's own resource networks. After all, members of the illustrious Tianlong dynasty must maintain certain standards."

He leaned forward slightly, his expression one of friendly fraternal interest.

"Perhaps younger sister might deem to share some of her contacts? This elder brother would, of course, be happy to reciprocate with introductions to his own suppliers. Family should help family, after all."

Translation: Tell me where you got those materials. I want access to those sources myself!

Xueyue took a delicate sip of tea, appearing to consider the request seriously.

"Elder brother's generosity truly touches this younger sister's heart. As for my sources..." She gestured to her attire with apparent openness. "Why, these were all provided by my Imperial Factor in Yuhang City. Sourced from the Jiang merchant family. As a matter of fact, Young Master Jiang Li completed a contract delivery just before that… unfortunate attempted poisoning incident at the banquet. The items you see here were included as mere courtesy gifts to thank this younger sister for her patronage."

She smiled warmly, before continuing.

"That Jiang family truly is quite capable, and possesses remarkable access to rare materials. This younger sister has been most impressed with their service. Perhaps elder brother would like an introduction? This younger sister would gladly share such valuable connections with family."

There was a moment of absolute silence.

Then Tianba laughed — a genuine, delighted sound that seemed to fill the garden.

"Oh, little sister," he said, his eyes twinkling with what appeared to be affectionate amusement. "It seems you've developed quite a sense of humor during your seclusion! 'The Jiang family' indeed. Really now! Next you'll be telling me that you sourced millennium-old catalysts from a street vendor in the lower market district!"

He shook his head, still chuckling.

"This elder brother appreciates the jest, truly. And he understands if younger sister prefers to keep her supply sources private — such information is valuable, after all."

Xueyue blinked, her expression perfectly innocent.

"Fabrications? I assure you, this younger sister speaks only truth. The items were indeed provided by the Jiang family of Azure Province. The contract—"

"Little sister, please." Tianba held up a hand. His smile was fond, indulgent, as one might look at a child telling an amusing fib. “This elder brother may have been born at night — but not last night.”

He set his teacup down with exaggerated patience.

"For now, this elder brother is willing to respect younger sister's privacy. If you wish to maintain the — rather crude — fiction that these came from provincial sources, then so be it. It's fine with me. Truly!" Tianba assured her, waving a hand dismissively. "In fact, I would have been disappointed with you if you gave in right away. We all have our secrets. Our little private arrangements. Believe me, this elder brother understands the game well."

His expression became more calculating.

"Though… he does wonder about the wisdom of relying too heavily on sources that must be kept so carefully hidden. What happens when those mysterious benefactors of yours decide their support comes with... expectations?"

Surface meaning: I am concerned about your dependence on unknown allies.

Actual meaning: Your secret supporters may betray you, as I have far more to offer them. You're vulnerable.

Xueyue took a deep breath, visibly collecting herself.

"This younger sister… appreciates elder brother's concern. Her supply sources are quite reliable, regardless of their origins. And, as for expectations..." She smiled. "This one finds that clear, honest business relationships are often simpler than complex political alliances. One always knows exactly where one stands with merchants."

"Merchants," Tianba repeated, and his tone suggested he found the continued pretense more amusing than annoying. "Yes. Of course! Well, this elder brother hopes that younger sister's… 'merchants' … continue to provide her with exceptional service."

He pointedly took another sip of tea. The silence that followed was different this time — a heavier, more calculating quiet.

Tianba's gaze drifted for a moment from Xueyue's face to a point just beyond her right shoulder, where an ancient, gnarled spirit pine grew against the pavilion's lattice. Some kind of spider, its body no larger than a copper coin but its legs long and delicate, was methodically repairing a tear in its intricate web. It moved with patient, ruthless efficiency, oblivious to the titans whose conversation was deciding the fate of provinces.

Tianba watched it for a long, contemplative beat.

He then shifted topics, his voice a model of smooth, unbothered control.

"Speaking of which, this elder brother has been meaning to discuss the situation in the Azure Province. There have indeed been some concerning developments. That audacious attempt upon my little sister’s life, for instance! And now, I hear, the Azure Cloud Sect's destruction! All troubling developments, wouldn’t you agree?"

"Indeed," Xueyue nodded. "This younger sister was shocked and appalled to learn of the Azure Cloud’s fate upon emerging from seclusion. Such a tragedy. Truly!"

"Mm." Tianba's expression was thoughtful. "The entire matter is quite mysterious. Reports of a single cultivator destroying an entire sect? This Crown Prince's administration is naturally concerned about such instability in our peripheral provinces. Banditry. Lawlessness. Unauthorized violence. The breakdown of proper order. Frontier or not, such things simply cannot be allowed to stand."

His tone was casual, conversational. "This elder brother has been considering sending additional administrators to the Azure Province. Perhaps establishing stronger Imperial oversight in key population centers might do some good?"

Surface meaning: I’m concerned about provincial stability.

Actual meaning: I am going to show your supporters who is truly in charge here.

Xueyue's fingers tightened fractionally on her teacup.

"Oh? How... thoughtful... of elder brother to be so concerned about the well-being of a small, backwater province," Xueyue said, her voice light but her eyes sharp. "Though this younger sister hopes that increased Imperial presence doesn't unduly disrupt local business operations. The Jiang family, for instance, has established extensive commercial networks throughout the region. It would be most unfortunate if heavy-handed administration interfered with legitimate trade."

Translation: The Jiang family is mine. A move against them is a move against me.

Tianba's smile didn't waver, but his eyes had gone very cold.

"Legitimate trade interests will be protected, of course." Tianba assured her smoothly. “This elder brother would never dream of interfering with younger sister's private arrangements."

They smiled at each other across the table — a mirror of warm, apparently fraternal smiles that didn't quite reach their eyes.

"Well," Tianba said, setting down his teacup with finality, "this has been a most enlightening conversation. This elder brother is pleased to see younger sister so established. So… confident... in her new position."

"This younger sister is grateful for elder brother's wisdom and interest in her affairs," Xueyue replied, her tone matching his perfectly.

They both stood, executing formal bows that were precisely calibrated to acknowledge status without conceding anything of substance.

"We should do this again soon, little sister," Tianba said. "Perhaps after Father returns? Yes, a formal Feast! So that we can all celebrate younger sister's breakthrough to a... High Grade Golden Core properly."

A subtle jab and probe for information in equal measure.

"This younger sister looks forward to it," Xueyue lied with perfectly-composed sincerity.

…

Minutes later, in the Garden of Harmonious Discourse, Crown Prince Tianlong Tianba stood alone, his expression thoughtful.

The servants had been dismissed. The tea had gone cold. And Tianba was thinking very, very hard about everything that had just transpired.

His sister was hiding something. That much was obvious. The real question was what — and how significant.

The materials she wore were as mysterious as they were strange. Flawless frost crystals. Genuine Azure Frost Drake bone. That strange, flowing metal robe… All materials that should be practically impossible for a mere Eighth Princess to obtain. After all, who in their right mind would waste something as scarce and valuable as Azure Frost Drake bone on mere jewelry?

She'd claimed they came from a provincial merchant family. The Jiang family of Azure Province.

This was, quite obviously, a lie. And a rather insulting lie, at that.

…

…

…

But why that specific lie? Why invent such an obviously false story?

Unless…

Tianba frowned, a small seed of doubt beginning to germinate in his mind.

What if she was actually telling the truth?

No. Impossible! Provincial merchants didn't — couldn’t possibly — have access to such materials. The entire premise of that thought was absurd!

…

Unless.

…

What if the Jiang family was just a front for something else? A cover identity for a far more powerful organization operating out of a location so resource-poor that no one would even think to investigate it? What if their status as mere "provincial merchants" was itself a carefully constructed deception?

…

Huh.

That would actually be quite clever!

Hiding an extremely sophisticated operation behind the facade of rustic incompetence. No one would even look twice at a backwater merchant family. No one would believe they could actually be significant. Why, even his own first reaction was to think his sister was making a jest at his expense.

Tianba's frown deepened.

He needed to investigate this right away.

Carefully.

Thoroughly.

Not because he believed the Jiang family themselves were the source, of course — that was still an absurd thought — but because they might very well be a front for whoever was actually supplying his sister.

Find the merchants. Find the connection. And find the real suppliers!

He turned to summon his personal assistant, his mind already working through the details. To begin with, he would send administrators to Azure Province. He would drown the land in civilian bureaucrats conducting “routine oversight.” Cataloging resources. Verifying tax records.

Investigating local commercial operations.

All perfectly legal. All perfectly reasonable. All designed to uncover whatever his sister was hiding.

If there was nothing there, fine! He would, perhaps, lose a bit of face and look slightly foolish for investigating a backwater merchant family.

But if there was something...

Then he would have found the source — which could then be stolen right from under his sister’s nose!

Crown Prince Tianlong Tianba smiled. His sister had played well today. Better than he'd expected. But she'd also given him a lead, however inadvertently. Now it was simply a matter of following that lead to its source. 

He would find out what she was hiding.

And then, he would take it for himself.