“Greetings, Elder,” Rhee said immediately, bowing.

  A moment later, both Ishin and Lei followed suit—Lei nearly stumbling in the process.

  How hungover is he?

  “Yes, yes, that’s all good,” Elder Zhou replied impatiently, waving them closer. “Let’s hurry up and get introductions out of the way so we can get going.”

  The three former Eight Oaths Resolve disciples stepped forward hesitantly. Elder Zhou pointed at each of them in turn.

  “These are Disciples Zhu Rhee, Ro Ishin, and… what’s your name again?” he asked Lei.

  “Disciple Hou Lei, Elder.”

  “Right. And Disciple Hou Lei.” Elder Zhou then gestured in reverse, introducing the three disciples who had been waiting behind him. First, he pointed to a young man with thin dark hair and a sword at his hip. “This is Disciple Wu Kai.”

  Next, he indicated a woman about twenty years old with blue hair tied into a single braid, her arms wrapped in bandages. “Disciple Tan Chen.”

  Finally, he gestured toward a tall, lithe, shaggy-haired man who carried a bow and appeared to be the oldest of the group. “And Disciple Wei Long.”

  Ishin tried to engrave the names to memory. It helped that each was fairly unique.

  Rhee stepped forward, pressing her hands together in a formal bow toward their new acquaintances. “We are pleased to meet you and look forward to serving alongside you within the Crimson Abyss Sect.”

  “Friendly, at least,” Wu Kai replied. “We too—”

  “There will be plenty of time to talk and become acquainted once we’ve departed,” Elder Zhou interrupted. “Let’s get to the sky field.”

  Without waiting to see if anyone followed, Elder Zhou turned and strode back inside the Kurai Estate.

  Ishin noticed Rhee frowning at the elder’s back.

  “We’d better follow him,” Wei Long sighed, turning on his heel to pursue.

  The blue-haired woman, Tan Chen, offered Ishin and his friends a sympathetic look. “You’ll get used to the Elder’s… decisive personality.” She followed after Wei Long.

  “They seem like a nice bunch,” Lei said.

  “Hard to tell this soon,” Ishin replied, hoping Lei was right.

  “We’d better hurry and grab our bags,” Rhee said, already heading for hers.

  Ishin quickly snatched up his pack and spear before the three followed the rest inside.

  “What’s a sky field?” he asked Lei.

  “I don’t know. A field under the sky?”

  “It’s where sky chariots dock,” Rhee explained impatiently. “Now come on.”

  Elder Zhou led the group at a brisk pace through the grand yellow-and-white complexes of the Kurai Estate. Half an hour later, they stepped out onto a lush grassy plain nearly three square miles in size. A fifteen-foot stone wall encircled the space, flanked by a series of tall observation towers.

  Dozens of sky chariots stood scattered across the field. Some had intricate engravings carved across their hulls, while others boasted fierce figureheads at their bows. The smallest was the size of a long wagon; the largest was as big as a house.

  So these are sky chariots.

  Ishin had never seen one up close before. His only glimpses of these crafts in Yellow Dome City had been from far below, when they glided across the sky. One of the larger vessels caught his eye—a blue-and-green chariot with a wide outer deck and a curved central structure. Most remarkable of all were the massive feathered wings extending from either side. They looked real.

  It uses the wings to fly?

  He scanned the field and realized no other chariot shared that feature.

  Then how do the others fly?

  Elder Zhou stopped in an empty patch of grass, far from any parked chariots.

  “This should do,” he said aloud to no one in particular.

  He flicked his hand, and a small black-and-red wooden sculpture appeared on the grass before him. Ishin frowned—it was smaller than his head. Surely that couldn’t be their sky chariot.

  The Elder bent down, touched the sculpture with two fingers, and it began to glow a deep crimson. In moments, it started growing, expanding at an incredible rate until it became the largest sky chariot Ishin had seen yet—covering nearly a thousand square feet. A three-story square structure rose at its center, capable of housing at least two dozen people. A snarling beast, part dragon and part boar, was carved into the bow. The entire polished wooden structure gleamed in the Crimson Abyss Sect’s colors.

  It’s massive!

  None of the other chariots compared—not even close. What fascinated Ishin most was how the vessel had been small enough to fit in one hand, then expanded to its full size in seconds.

  If the others can shrink, why are they left out here?

  “By the Heavens,” Lei murmured beside him, dumbstruck. Ishin felt relieved he wasn’t the only one awed.

  Even Rhee appeared captivated, her gaze lingering on the enormous vessel.

  “Get on board, everyone,” Elder Zhou commanded.

  The chariot’s sides were lined with a high taffrail, like a ship’s, with no visible entrance. Elder Zhou demonstrated by leaping effortlessly over the ten-foot barrier.

  “Come on now. Everyone up.”

  The three disciples who had traveled with him vaulted the taffrail without hesitation—they were clearly used to it.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Definitely different from the Eight Oaths Resolve School.

  Ishin cycled qi to his legs and vaulted over, landing on the smooth polished deck. Up close, the central structure loomed even higher, its stone-like outer walls carved with violent imagery.

  “Brutal, isn’t it?” someone asked. Ishin turned to see the bow-carrying disciple and after a moment he managed to recall the appropriate name–Wei Long.

  “It is,” Ishin agreed, stepping closer to examine one panel. The engraving depicted a primate-like creature being chased through trees by flying hunters. Above that, a city burned.

  “I asked the Elder—he said it’s the sect’s history,” Wei Long said flatly. “I suppose it’ll be ours soon enough.”

  “Your history once you’ve officially joined,” Elder Zhou cut in from behind them.

  Ishin turned to find both Rhee and Lei now aboard.

  “Pick one of the rooms on the second floor,” Elder Zhou instructed. “Stay out of the third floor—that’s where I’ll be controlling the chariot from, and I won’t tolerate disturbances.”

  Ishin didn’t need to ask how the Elder would react to such a disturbance.

  “The first floor has basic provisions,” Zhou continued. “It’ll take us two weeks to get there. Cultivate, talk, train—do whatever you want. Every other day, we’ll land. Questions?”

  Rhee raised her hand hesitantly.

  “Speak,” Zhou said, his patience thinning.

  “Honored Elder, is there anything we can do to assist during the flight or on the days we rest on the ground?”

  “No. Just stay off the third floor. Anyone else?”

  No one spoke after the swift dismissal.

  “Good. I’ll notify you when we’re about to arrive.” Without another word, Elder Zhou turned and moved inside the tower, leaving them alone.

  Ishin caught Rhee’s troubled expression. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. It’s nothing.”

  “Sounds like it’ll be an easy voyage!” Lei said brightly. “Shall we find our rooms?”

  “I’ll show you around,” Tan Chen offered.

  She led them through an open conservatory on the first floor and up a narrow spiraling staircase. Halfway up, the chariot lurched, nearly toppling Ishin backward into Rhee. He braced himself against the wall, struggling to hold his spear steady.

  “Looks like we’re off,” Tan Chen said. She glanced back at them sympathetically. “You’ll get used to it.”

  They remained in place as the vessel climbed rapidly. When the upward motion stopped, Ishin was about to move again when Tan Chen stopped him.

  “Wait. The next part is about to come.”

  The chariot suddenly lurched forward, hurling Ishin against the wall. He managed to keep his footing but didn’t move until the craft stabilized minutes later.

  “The descent will be worse,” Tan Chen warned.

  Worse? Ishin thought. “Why?”

  “Make sure you’re somewhere flat when it happens. The Elder doesn’t warn us.”

  “We have two weeks of this,” Rhee muttered, looking pale. “I might just stay in my room.”

  “Understandable. We have ginger in the kitchen for motion sickness.”

  “I’ll take some,” Lei said, looking distinctly green.

  “I’ll bring it after you settle in. Let’s go.”

  The rooms were sparse: a straw mattress, private latrine, and an empty woven basket. No windows, no lanterns, no candles.

  Ishin dropped his pack on the floor and slid his spear beneath the bed.

  At least it’s not too cramped.

  Two weeks. He’d be stuck here for two weeks. His only hope was that so high above the ground, there might be more lightning qi in the air.

  With that in mind, he went back downstairs. In the communal room, Wei Long and Wu Kai were playing go. Neither Tan Chen nor his friends were present, so Ishin stepped outside onto the deck.

  The sight stole his breath. They were surrounded by endless blue sky, interrupted only by drifting clouds. He walked to the taffrail and looked down at the mist below—and far beneath that, the faint outline of a vast green forest.

  I can’t believe I’m above the clouds. Is that the Howling Scape Forest down there?

  If he told Bin and Na about this, they’d never believe him. Back in the Daihu Tribe, only heroes in stories could fly through the heavens. Now he was one of them.

  “How are you faring?” Tan Chen asked, leaning casually against the taffrail beside him.

  Her sudden appearance surprised him, though he didn’t show it. “I’m fine. I’ve just never seen anything like this.”

  “I felt the same way my first time,” she said with a smile. “It’s beautiful up here.”

  “It is,” he agreed. “Are the others still upstairs?”

  “They are,” she said with a wince. “The adaption proved more challenging for them than it has for you. I brought them both some ginger. Hopefully they’ll adjust soon—otherwise, it’ll be a rough trip.”

  Ishin suspected Lei’s misery came from his hangover. Rhee, though… she might truly suffer.

  “How long have you been traveling with the Elder?” he asked.

  “A month,” Tan Chen said. “He recruited me from Lost Root City after I killed a Twin-Headed Nightspawn Serpent in the Blood Pits.”

  “That sounds impressive.” For the first time, Ishin examined her with his third eye—and found she was at the fifth layer of the Initial Realm, close to the sixth, and a wind cultivator.

  She might be stronger than Rhee.

  “Impressive enough for the Elder,” she said lightly. She glanced toward the communal room. “Wei Long was selected after placing first in an archery contest. Wu Kai earned his place by being the last one standing in an all-out fight among a hundred martials hoping to join the sect.”

  Ishin was very intrigued by those accolades. “You saw that?”

  “No. I only heard the stories. Before your group, I was the most recent recruit.”

  Still, remarkable feats.

  “I saw your performance in the tournament,” she added with a meaningful look. “All three of you.”

  She must have watched it with the Elder.

  “Then you saw how talented Rhee is.”

  “I saw how talented you all were.” Her attention drifted to his face. “Those scars. You didn’t earn those in the tournament did you?”

  It was the first time in weeks that anyone had referenced his scars. Their mention brought forth memories of his encounter with the Sun Tiger that stormy day.

  “No,” he answered. “I got these before. Back in the Nine Striped Hills where I hail from.”

  “I’ve heard of that region,” Tan Chen said, surprising Ishin.

  “You have?”

  Nodding, she replied, “Only a handful of stories. Some legends say that the Tiger Zodiac hailed from there.”

  The Golden Tiger Monarch.

  “So I’ve heard.”

  “Your scars reflect fortitude,” Tan Chen said, her gaze fixed on the open sky around them. “Something to take pride in.”

  “I am not ashamed of them.” In truth, despite the painful memory and the odd looks they earned him, Ishin had grown accustomed to their presence.

  Tan Chen tilted her head toward him. “Good.” She lifted her left arm and pulled down her sleeve, revealing a dark purple scar that ran the entire length of her limb. It continued past the point Ishin could see, disappearing beneath her robes.

  Ishin stared at the wound in shock.

  “A gift from the Twin-Headed Nightspawn Serpent,” she explained, sliding her sleeve back into place. “It stretches over half my body.”

  “That’s…” He didn’t know what to say—awful didn’t sound right.

  “Gruesome,” Tan Chen finished for him.

  “Yes.”

  “It is my badge of victory,” she replied without regret. “I hear that strength is valued in the Crimson Abyss Sect. Not the immortal beauty that so many other cultivators chase.” With a smile, she added, “I hope that is true.”

  He did too.

  The chariot rocked suddenly, forcing Ishin to grab the taffrail.

  “Must have hit a wind current,” Tan Chen said. “Happens sometimes.”

  Great.

  His friends were probably miserable right now.

  “If you’ll excuse me,” Tan Chen said, “I’m going to cultivate. It’s rare to be surrounded by so much wind qi.” She paused. “You might want to give it a try, too.”

  She must have seen his cultivation. Encouraged, Ishin sat against the taffrail and opened his third eye. Sure enough, wind and light qi swirled around them—and there was a good amount of lightning qi as well. Not as much as Tyrant’s Rest, but more than anywhere else he’d been.

  Smiling, Ishin realized these two weeks might prove very beneficial indeed.