The next morning, the Park Sect was thriving.

  Thirty disciples stood in the clearing. The yellow bucket was already half full.

  Wei was leading them through the "Cloud Pushing Form" when a siren wailed nearby.

  The disciples flinched.

  "Focus," Wei commanded, his voice cutting through the noise. "The noise of the world is merely wind. Do not let it shake your roots."

  Two men walked onto the grass.

  They wore blue uniforms. They had badges that caught the sun. They carried batons and sidearms.

  *The Blue Clad Enforcers,* Wei noted. *The City Guard.*

  He stopped his movements. He bowed slightly.

  "Greetings, Officers. Do you wish to cultivate?"

  The older officer, a man with a thick mustache and a thicker neck, did not bow back.

  "All right, show's over," the officer announced, ignoring Wei and addressing the crowd. "Break it up. You can't run a business in a public park without a permit. Move along."

  Wei frowned. "This is not a business. This is a Sect."

  "Whatever, pal. You're collecting cash," the officer pointed to the yellow bucket. "That makes it a business. And unless you have a vending license, you're loitering and soliciting."

  He hooked a thumb at his belt.

  "Pack it up, or we pack you up."

  Wei evaluated the threat.

  These men had poor foundations. Their Qi was stagnant (too many donuts). Wei could disarm them both in less than a second.

  But he remembered the warning about the "Blue Army." Attacking one summoned ten thousand more.

  *A swarm tactic,* Wei deduced. *Troublesome.*

  "Actually," a voice piped up.

  Sarah stepped out from behind a tree. She was wearing a backpack and holding a clipboard.

  "We do have a permit."

  She handed a crisp sheet of paper to the officer.

  "NYC Parks Department Event Permit #4922-B. Authorized for 'Group Fitness and Wellness Activities.' Zone 4. 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM."

  The officer snatched the paper. He read it. Ideally, he wanted to find a typo.

  "This... looks legit," he grunted. "When did you get this?"

  "Yesterday afternoon," Sarah said sweetly. "Expedited processing fee. It's all in order."

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  The officer scowled. He handed the paper back. He didn't like being outmaneuvered by a teenager with pink hair.

  He stepped closer to Wei. He loomed. It was a practiced intimidation tactic.

  "Listen," the officer lowered his voice. "I don't care about the paper. We've had complaints. Noise complaints. Weirdo complaints. Watch your step, 'Master.' One toe out of line, and we shut you down. Permit or not."

  Wei looked at the officer. He saw the intent. It was bullying.

  "Your liver fire is rising," Wei noted helpfully. "You should drink less coffee."

  "Is that a threat?" the officer put his hand on his baton.

  *Click.*

  *Click. Click. Click.*

  The sound wasn't a weapon being drawn. It was the sound of twenty smartphone cameras activating.

  The officer looked around.

  Every single disciple—the businessmen, the yoga moms, the college students—had their phones out. They were recording.

  "Is there a problem, Officer?" a Wall Street broker asked, holding his $1000 iPhone steady. "We're just exercising."

  "Live streaming to TikTok right now," a teenager added. "Say hi to my 50,000 followers."

  "This feels like harassment," a lawyer in the back noted, her voice projecting clearly. "I specialize in civil rights litigation. Do you want my card?"

  The officer froze.

  He looked at the sea of glowing screens.

  In the cultivation world, a "Formation" relied on spiritual energy.

  On Earth, the most powerful formation was the **Array of a Thousand Eyes**.

  Public accountability.

  "No problem," the officer spat, stepping back. "Just doing our job. Keep it down."

  He signaled to his partner. "Let's go."

  The Blue Clad Enforcers retreated, defeated not by a fist, but by the threat of a viral video.

  Wei watched them go.

  "Impressive," Wei said to his disciples. "Your reaction time with those talismans is excellent."

  He looked at Sarah.

  "And your Dao of Bureaucracy is formidable."

  Sarah grinned and tucked the permit back into her clipboard.

  "The pen is mightier than the sword, Wei. Especially when the pen fills out Form 1040-EZ."

  She checked her watch.

  "Now finish the set. We have twenty minutes left."

  Wei nodded. He returned to his stance.

  "As the Manager commands."

  *Exhale.*

  The Sect was safe.