Yan Duo strode through the Sworn Sword Sect with a confident front. He ignored the dull ache across his wrists, folded within his robes. His old wounds always acted out when there was strong qi nearby. Today was a most important day for the Sect: the Emperor’s Envoy had arrived.

  There would be a tour of the grounds. A meeting of the Elders. A banquet to the prosperity of the Empire. And a demonstration of the Sect’s continued martial prowess. But something crucial would be missing from the itinerary. The presence of a Disciple, mortal no longer, given to the Sect by the Emperor himself. Several days ago, Disciple Ji-eun went missing after an altercation with Cai Shufen. She still had not been found.

  Master Yan kept his pace steady as he walked through thawing gardens and under flowering trees. Servants in black robes, the unnoticeables of the Sect, were busy sweeping detritus from the ancient stone pavers, making way for their betters along the worn paths. Outer Disciples passed by in dark greys, bowing respectfully towards him as they did. His own silver robes stood starkly against theirs, denoting his rank in Sect hierarchy.

  The presence, or lack thereof, of a single Outer Disciple would not drastically impact the Sect… usually. But it was the rather unique political position of Disciple Ji-eun that called such an assumption into question. A commoner, a mortal from the Savage North, and a gift from the Emperor in all ways that matter, made for a uniquely important person to suddenly disappear from their entrusted hands. Yan Duo kept in mind that he was particularly close to the matter, and so hoped that his evaluation of the situation was worse than it truly was. But nevertheless, he worried. In over 400 years of life, all of which was in service to the Sect, no Disciple had ever simply gone missing. That in itself was cause for concern.

  She couldn’t have simply left. Wards surrounded the Sect, designed to detect pure qi moving through their boundary. An ancient defence against spies and deserters, and a way to keep track of Disciples coming and going before the previous Emperor’s administration reforms. But if Disciple Ji-eun was still within their grounds, where was she, and why was she remaining hidden? Was it even by her choice?

  Yan Duo approached a large stairway cut directly into the mountain. It led upward toward the mountain’s peak, where the Inner Sect lay hidden from below by cloud. He was requested by his Elders to accompany them for the visit. A great honour for the Master, doubly so to be in the presence of the Envoy. So long as it was meant as an honour, that is, and not as a punishment for his failure regarding the wayward Disciple. The heavy qi he had felt all morning was approaching.

  Two Sect Elders — denoted by their wisened features and shimmering sword-silver robes — escorted a figure clad in Imperial red robes down the wide steps of the Inner Sect. They wore a completely featureless mask, emblazoned with a circling Red Phoenix, a symbolic gesture of their purpose: a vessel for His Highness and the Empire itself. Flawlessly polished gold accents adorned their robes, the only time yellow was officially allowed on someone beside the Emperor himself. They carried themselves with a picturesque grace, as if standing above the world around them. Perhaps, on some level, they were.

  Yan Duo bowed deeply to the three approaching figures.

  “Master Yan Duo of the Lower Sworn Sword Sect greets Elder Han, Elder Go, and the Emperor’s Envoy.”

  His bow was returned by the Elders. The Envoy remained upright, as courtesy dictated. The Emperor bowed to no-one, and so his envoys bowed to no-one but him.

  “Well met, Yan Duo,” said Elder Han. “We greet you in the presence of His Imperial Highness’ Envoy.” Elder Han turned to face the Envoy and bowed his head, not meeting the man’s — woman ’s? It was impossible to tell — eyes. “Envoy, this is Master Yan Duo of our Sect, a most respectable practitioner of our ways for over 400 years. Recently, he has found a place teaching Outer Disciples alchemy and qi manipulation.” The Elder turned back to face him. “Join us, will you, for a tour of the Outer Sect? Your knowledge of our Disciples will prove to be enlightened, I’m sure.”

  “Of course, Master Han. This one is honoured to be met with such a request,” Yan Duo replied with a bow.

  It was all scripted, of course. The Elders knew that. He knew that. Even the Envoy knew that. But, with all things politics, it was the show that mattered. A demonstration of diligence, of coordination, and of refinement. If the setting was appropriate, Yan Duo had no doubt he would be made to perform a sword dance instead. At least that would be a better reflection of his cultivation.

  The tour proceeded smoothly. Master Yan Duo flanked Elder Han to his right as they casually strolled through the slowly thawing Outer Sect. Disciples made themselves visible in subtle ways. They practiced their katas openly on the grass, or whispered between themselves of philosophy and the martial path. All were close enough to be noticed, but just far enough away to not break decorum. Master Yan Duo did not comment on the behaviour. If it painted their Sect in a better light within the Envoy’s eyes, then he had nothing to comment on.

  Occasionally, Yan Duo was asked for his opinion, or to comment on a particular Disciple.

  “And him there, emulating the Seventh Form of our intermediate art? What are your thoughts on this Disciple’s display?”

  Judging by Elder Go’s use of phrases like ‘emulating’, their opinion was low. That boy had joined their Sect some thirty years ago, the third son of a noble family to the East. He had been trained in commerce and fine dining, not war or marital arts. The Intermediate Arts required a fine understanding of one’s own body. In Yan Duo’s opinion, the boy done well to comprehend what little he had. Unfortunately, it was not the Master’s place to disagree with his Elders, no matter his own thoughts.

  “His current display of the Seventh Form is lacking, Elder Go. Strokes two to four are completed sluggishly, while seven onwards are rushed. I will make note of this, and reaffirm the teaching methods of the marital pavilion that boy is assigned to.”

  “Good. Astute observations,” was what he received in turn.

  Silently, they entered a training hall to observe the Disciples within. Some occupied the floor, stood against opponents or practice targets. They went through practiced motions. Not too weak in any strike, but not too strong either. Control was a key tenant of the Sworn Sword Sect’s art, and it was demonstrated in these small bouts. Yan Duo spied in the corner a set of bamboo training poles smashed and splintered apart. A wooden sword sat propped against the wall next to it, two halves side by side. Some Disciple had clearly used Sect resources as an outlet for their frustrations, and whoever was responsible failed to clean up their mess. He would had words with the instructor in charge of this pavilion.

  The observed the training in silence for a while. None of the Disciples had noticed them enter, nor had they noticed they were being watched. It would be stranger if they did: here were three true Grandmasters of the Empire, at least in the Soul Realm, and a Master in the Spiritual. These Disciples in the Foundation and Initiate were easy to disguise against their senses.

  After some time, Elder Han spoke to the envoy, not bothering to lower his voice.

  “Envoy, we have prepared a demonstration of our Sect’s Inner Disciples for your viewing. Outer Disciples have been invited to share with them the enlightenment of our Inner Sect.”

  “Lead on,” they said. It was the first time Yan Duo had heard them speak so far. Their voice was completely androgynous: it was hard to even discern an age.

  The Elders led them through the Outer Sect towards an open air duelling ring. Stands surrounded the stone platform in a raised ring. Dozens of Disciples had already filled many seats, but the very best were reserved for the Elders and their honoured guest. Master Yan took a position standing against the far wall. Courtesy dictated that he not sit in the presence of his Elders — let alone an Imperial Envoy — and so he stood. Several other Elders joined them for the marital demonstration, including one Yan Duo was very familiar with: Elder Mu. There was a low whistle against his ears, a voice invisible on the wind.

  “Observe and listen close,” his Elder whispered.

  “Elders of the Sworn Sword Sect, we greet His Imperial Highness’s Envoy,” Elder Mu declared with a bow. The man’s wisened features were perfectly serene. Not a strand of his silver hair, streaked through with grey, was out of place. He took a seat beside the Envoy. As one of three de facto leaders of the Sect during the Patriarch’s absence , it was assumed he would take charge during this more formal section of the Imperial visit.

  “This one is Elder Mu Yueliang. In the absence of our current Patriarch, Fa Wei, I hope the attendance of myself and our Elders will suffice.”

  The Envoy nodded slightly as two Disciples, both in the patterned silver robes of the Inner Sect, entered the arena below. With a cursory glance over their qi, Yan Duo placed them both in the Adept Realm.

  There was little fanfare from the observing Disciples. It was unbecoming to whoop and cheer at a site of learning. The two Disciples within the ring bowed and tightened the coloured sashes around their waists, one red and the other blue. An efficient way to make telling the opponents apart easier, particularly for the Outer Disciples, with their less refined senses. The Disciples bowed to each other, swords held in a false holster by their side, and took opposite sides of the ring. Qi lights flared around the arena, a protective ward against lethal blows and stray splinters. It shouldn’t be necessary today, but prevention was better than any cure. From one side of the arena, the thundering of a drum echoed out, a countdown to the bouts start. Each beat grew louder. With a crescendo, the match began.

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  The Elders watched with middling interest. All assembled here were far beyond the level of needing such pointers, or even finding the fights of what amounted to children interesting. Yan Duo always found little satisfaction in the duelling of the lower sect, though as Master he was entrusted with their teaching. He kept half an eye on the battle, but followed his Elder’s words, paying more attention to the conversation between Elder and Envoy.

  “I do apologise for our Patriarchs absence this day, esteemed Envoy. He had been quite busy lately with matters that take him beyond our Sect,” Elder Mu began.

  “That is fine,” the Envoy replied. “His mission serves the Empire, and so it serves the Emperor himself.”

  The duelists below used a basic opening, practically telegraphing their moves to each other. It was not something done to win a battle, merely a show of sportsmanship.

  “Tell me, have you appreciated your time within our walls thus far, Envoy?”

  “For the purposes of this inspection, yes, Elder, I have.”

  An exploratory strike from blue, followed by an attempted counterattack from red. Perhaps a little too aggressive.

  “I see,” Elder Mu began. “And has this inspection yielded fruit?” A hasty riposte. “Pardon me for overstepping, but if there are matters of concern within our Sect, it would be my duty to rectify them.” Followed by a well-guarded reset.

  At first, red was guarded. Ready for a sudden attack.

  “These are Imperial matters, Elder Mu. But…”

  Though quickly, that hesitancy faded. They went back on the offensive, searching blue’s defence’s for cracks.

  “The treatment your Outer Disciple’s offers each other is concerning. A Sect divided is no Sect at all. Innocuously cracked stone at the base of a mountain may foretell of greater seams at its peak.”

  A weakness they found. Blue’s defences crumbled. But it was a feint.

  “Your words are wise, Envoy. Yes, I have noticed our youngest members show little respect for their place atop our mountain. It troubles me to think on such division; after all, students take after their masters. It is our job as gardeners to trim these young shrubs into thriving orchards, capable of yielding fruit for the Empire as a whole.”

  Blue parried an incoming strike and redirected it into the dirt. Absently, Yan Duo felt a sliver of qi shiver within their viewing platform.

  “You speak of fruits, Elder Mu. Tell me; do you believe a single rotten peach can spoil a basket?”

  “Of course, Envoy. All it takes is one. It ruins the smell, and coats the fresh fruit in its decomposing self. A single perished fruit will speed the decay of all those around it. I should know, having spent many a year tending to our Sect’s orchards myself.”

  “Then, tell me; as a cultivator of many fruits, what do you do with the rotten refuse?”

  There was a lull in the battle. Red continued with their offensive stance, but waited for blue’s move.

  “If you catch it early enough, you recycle. Compost the dead fruit to make room for a new harvest. But if the fruit has already found its way into the basket, there is not much that can be done to save the harvest.”

  “And what shall you do this time, Elder Mu? Spare the fruit, or save the harvest?”

  Red was forcing blue to keep to their pace now.

  “As always. I will prioritise the harvest as a whole, rather than a single suit, no matter how ripe it may have once been. Strong action is the best way to reassure those who rely on our harvests, yes?”

  Blue fended off red and went for a surefire jab. Red’s aggressive stance thus far had little in the way of defence.

  “The girl.” Red switched tactics. Or perhaps, they simply revealed their hand. “One year, three months, and fourteen days ago, His Imperial Highness decreed that Ji-eun of the Northern Provinces would be bestowed upon the Sworn Sword Sect for matters of training in the martial path and civility. This marked the first time in three hundred and seventy six years that a mortal was placed within a Sect by the Emperor’s own hand. During liaisons with the Ministry of Rites, it was made explicitly clear that this Envoy would, in part, act as a measure of Outer Disciple Ji-eun’s progress within the Sect.” The Envoy paused, his words impacting every Elder in attendance. “The words of the Son of Heaven, his Imperial Highness, our Emperor, are law. So, Elder Mu, tell me: where is Outer Disciple Ji-eun?”

  Red struck an advantageous blow against blue, shattering their guard. Blue’s sudden aggressiveness had backfired; now, once again, they were on the back foot.

  “I must apologise. It is as you say. His Imperial Highness gave our Sworn Sword Sect a chance to prove ourselves by elevating a mortal to greater heights. In that, we have failed.”

  “Elaborate.”

  “One week ago, Disciple Ji-eun disappeared from our Sect after an unsanctioned altercation with another Outer Disciple. Their pavilion Sister, as it was. Efforts have been made to locate them, but so far, she has evaded us. For what reason we do not know.”

  The clashing of swords filled the empty silence that hung around the Elders.

  “Before her disappearance, what realm had she acquired?” The Envoy asked. Their ageless voice had betrayed not a hint of emotion thus far.

  “Disciple Ji-eun had just entered the Initiates Realm, I am told.”

  “I see. Continue your search. May it yet bear fruit.”

  The duel below began rapidly concluding. Red had struck a decisive blow, and was moving for a finisher. Blue saw an opening to attack, but it would be a low blow. A true gamble. It could win them the match, but could also cost them a painful injury. It would also be highly unsportsmanlike. Master Yan saw the hesitation pass across their features. In the end, they chose not to go for the strike.

  The duel ended in red’s victory. But, for those in the crowd who knew what to look for, blue had won themselves honour. Red clearly thought so, bowing deeply to their opponent, more than etiquette dictated. It was a good match between two well-trained Disciples.

  The Envoy was seen off by Elder Han and Elder Go. Yan Duo moved to follow, but was asked — out loud — by Elder Mu to stay. An excuse of giving pointers while the duel was still fresh in the Discple’s minds was given. Once all others had left, Elder Mu led him towards the duelling ring slowly, where several Disciples had gathered. They wore a mix of grey and silver; it was a rare occasion where the two halves of the Sect interacted.

  “That went well,” Elder Mu began. “What are your thoughts on our exchange, Yan Duo?”

  He hesitated in his response. Politics.

  “Forgive me for my lack of comprehension, Elder. From what I understood, in brief, you promised the Envoy to root out the source of the Outer Disciple’s current... lack of cohesion, while he sought from you an explanation on Outer Disciple Ji-eun’s sudden disappearance from our Sect.”

  Elder Mu hummed to himself.

  “Close. You are correct with the first part, thought. Ji-eun has already helped us greatly with this. But you’re a tad off on the second.”

  “Enlighten me, please, Elder. How has Disciple Ji-eun already helped?”

  “Simple. She was bait. That was likely not the Emperor’s first, or only, consideration in providing her to our Sect, but it was an obvious use for an obviously divisive element. Care to try and decipher from there?”

  Yan Duo thought for a moment. On all that he had pieced together before the game ended. He repressed a sigh. 400 years of life, and still, he felt like a child when standing next to the Elders. Elder Mu especially.

  “The Emperor, in his wisdom, knew our Sect was facing division within its leadership. A timely element in the form of a mortal girl from the North arrived. In giving her to our Sect, he hoped you and the Elders would make use of her in the game, and thus reveal what side each of you was on? Or rather, whether your intentions for the Sect was for prosperity, or decay.”

  “Astute. Yes, and how successful that scheme was. Not just one Elder caught, but three. All posturing and planning behind the scenes to suppress, stunt, or otherwise remove Ji-eun from the Sect. Not for the purpose of undermining our Sect, mind you, but because they were threatened by the presence of a mortal — and a commoner at that — within our halls.” Elder Mu sighed. “It will take time to remove them in full. They are Elders after all, and our Patriarch is still Heaven’s knows where. But at least their eyes and ears within the Sect can be removed far more swiftly. Such as that Cai Shufen. She’ll be quick to go once I get around to the Outer Disciples.”

  “I see. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Elder Mu.”

  Idly, Yan Duo wondered if that was why he assigned his own granddaughter to Disciple Ji-eun’s pavilion. As a way to monitor her more closely, or insurance against those more direct than Cai Shufen, perhaps. It was strange that his granddaughter was even in the Outer Sect to begin with, now that he truly thought about it. Every other Elder had their children directly sent to the Inner Sect. Another example of corruption, then, at least in Elder Mu’s opinion.

  He still had a question on his mind, that final blow Elder Mu could have struck. The gamble that could have overturned the otherwise decisive political loss.

  “Why, may I ask, did you forfeit from the Envoy? There was a question you could have asked to turn the game around.”

  Elder Mu smiled.

  “Because while I may have lost the battle, by doing so I won more than I could have otherwise gained. Respect and honour are far more valuable on an Empire-wide scale than whatever concessions I may have wriggled free of in future. The Envoy knows that I chose to stay my hand and accept the judgement of His Highness. For that, we will be looked upon favourably. All he wanted in asking about that Disciple was for someone to take responsibility. I did. And so now, whatever ‘punishment’ is levied by the Emperor for losing a Disciple will be reduced, and we have remained an honourable sort in His Highness’s eyes.” Elder Mu turned to face Master Yan Duo, a slight curve to his sword-silver eyes, as though he was excited for his next words. “I wonder, Yan Duo, what do you think that decisive question was?”

  “Why is Disciple Ji-eun so important to the Emperor?”

  “Precisely. Even if all the other Elder’s think she was just a throwaway piece for this single game, the presence of an Envoy to follow specifically her progress is shocking. Do you know the last time we had an Envoy visit?”

  “No, Elder, I do not.”

  Envoy’s were exceedingly rare. It was assumed that Sect’s did not need supervision, and so if one occurred, either something important was happening or the Emperor himself was concerned with the Sect’s performance.

  “It was when our current Patriarch was sworn in. That was nearly 400 years ago now, well before you had anything to do with the inner working of our Sect. Ostensibly, it makes sense. The Emperor would want to check on His investments. But I doubt an entire Envoy would be needed for that. There is more here. But, as the Envoy said, those are Imperial matters. It would be the height of impoliteness to ask such things when an invitation to ask is not given.”

  “I see.”

  They approached a set of large double doors that led into the dueling arena. Excuse or not, Master Yan Duo did want to see the appropriate lessons taken from this exhibition. It would be a shame to waste it. Though questions lingered in his mind, he ignored them. Politics was not his game to play. It was the stage of his Elders, thankfully.

  “I must say, I find myself impressed with your performance, Yan Duo. It makes me excited for what is to come.”

  “Thank you, Elder Mu.”

  “I’m not just talking about your performance regarding the training of Disciple Ji-eun. Finally. After a century of blindly following, you’re beginning to question! What lies behind the curtain? Why pull the strings that way and not the other? Being an Elder is far more than just the power of your qi, Yan Duo, and you are beginning to show the true makings of one. Your refinement still needs a bit of work, but I think you’re truly ready now.” Elder Mu paused before the large doors and turned to face him, a small smile across his wisened face.

  “Master Yan Duo, I shall begin training you as an Elder of our Sworn Sword Sect.”

  His heart kept from his chest.

  “Surely not. There are many who sit further up the Sect than I. How many Grandmasters would be skipped over if I was made an Elder?”

  “Many of those Grandmasters sit there because they do not want to become an Elder. You are at the Spiritual Realm, yes? The minimum for being an Elder is the Soul Realm, only one bottleneck above you. Far better than proving yourself in battle time and time as a Grandmaster, you can continue teaching as an Elder and providing a great service for the Sect. We’re about to lose three of our rather limited Elders. Elevating a promising talent a tad early is an excellent way to refill the ranks.”

  Yan Duo considered his Elder’s words for a moment. He hated politics. But, maybe, he just hated being the one on the string.

  “Thank you for your kindness, Elder Mu. I will… consider your words carefully. For now, I still have Disciples to teach.”

  “Of course.”

  With a straight back and a suppressed quiver, Yan Duo stepped forward as Master. For how much longer, he did not know.