Chương 21: Chapter 20

The tallest tower of the Sable Lotus Palace wasn't like the others. Instead of opening on elegant apartments, decorated war-rooms, or well-stocked archives, the needle-like construction was a solid block of the same Qi-resistant black stone that made up the rest of the sprawling fortress. It reached for the night sky like the remnant of a mysterious past. A solitary balcony stood beneath the disadorned obsidian roof, opening on a walkway that ended in an arch.

No door led inside: the only thing visible beneath the great arch was solid stone. To anybody but the Ancestor, of course. Wu Zetian stepped on the walkway with a distinct feeling of amusement. It felt a bit like getting back home from a light stroll and a bit like getting off a private jet. Being an Immortal was indeed handy, wasn't it? Making her way across the platform, she let her perceptions extend. The city came alive beneath her feet.

People of the Sect were hard at work mending damages to the fortifications, healing the wounded, or, more unpleasantly, burying the dead. Watching them bounce back with such energy made for a charming sight, and Wu Zetian felt possessive love wash over her. This was her city. Her Sect. Hers. These people were hers to command, hers to make use of, hers to protect. In her previous life, she had lived for duty.

As the perfect daughter her father wanted her to be, she had sacrificed life and limb to the protection of that numerical abstraction that was a company's prosperity. She was never a martyr: the ruthless game of leadership and macro-economics was her sea and she its fish. But in chasing after that ideal, she had forgotten what was truly important. A family. Friends. People. She had paid dearly for it. She didn't intend to repeat her mistakes.

Indeed, this world was far more dangerous than her previous one, and it would require plenty of strength to survive. But she wouldn't chase after a vague idea anymore. This time, she would spread wealth, and people would rejoice because of her instead of the opposite. They would know her and chant her name. Oh, not out of any selflessness, not even now. It was her greed speaking, the selfish avarice for a place that she felt belonged to her, for people she felt belonged to her. For a home she intended to treasure.

To never be alone ever again. In a way, she was like an old dragon, squatting over the things she felt were precious to her, burning to ashes all who'd dare to threaten them. Had she changed? She didn't think so. But she liked to think there may be something better in this new self compared to the old one. Maybe it was just a naive hope, but how did you face eternity without hope?

Maybe there was an answer somewhere in the Great Path's higher rungs, but if that was so, she couldn't see it, and it was fine enough like that.

"Welcome home, Founder." The majordomo, He Yuan, waited beside the portal. The old man bowed with perfect poise.

"The Sable Lotus Palace rejoices at your return."

"He Yuan." She tilted her head in greeting.

"I seem to have lost some time awareness on my way back. How long has it been?"

"You've been away one day, four hours and thirty-six minutes, honored Ancestor," was the answer that made her bite her lip. Long enough for another Immortal to drop in and wipe out the whole Sect, if he was so inclined. She had rushed out to solve the food shortage and catch the hero before he disappeared, knowing that nobody else would have been a match for the Stranger. Now, she could see what a hazard recklessly venturing out could turn into. In the future, she would have to plan her movements better.

He Yuan pressed a gloved hand against the wall, and the portal came to life. The black stone turned into a liquid mirror. Without waiting, Wu Zetian strode inside. The portal, enchanted with a stable version of Shadow Step, would have once been powered by an array carved into the tower's rock. With that being switched off to save the expenditure, He Yuan's Qi made for a good replacement.

Wu Zetian could have shed a tear at how inferior this darkness felt, but it would be like railing against an elevator for being made out of metal, so she didn't make much of it. On the other side, palace maids formed a corridor of welcoming loyalty. Each a beauty in the prime of her life, they wore flowing dresses with wide sleeves and round collars. The Sect's glyphs were emblazoned in silver on elegant, dark silk that seemed woven from the night's own mantle.

Elaborate hairstyles were held by delicate pins carved out of gleaming rubies and high-quality spirit stones.

"Welcome home, great Founder!" came the pleasant chorus of young voices. Wu Zetian smiled and nodded, striding on the plush carpet. Once, she wouldn't have glanced twice at this type of servant. Now, she tried to. These girls were plucked from the Sect's ranks, through making themselves noticed or recommendations, dressed up for the job and allowed to live in the palace's bounds.

It was a great honor, as it allowed both a comfortable lifestyle and the chance to catch the eye of powerful cultivators for all kinds of benefits. It was one of the reasons why even noble families pushed endlessly for their cadet daughters to be admitted. But it was also dangerous. In this world, people with power were quick to take what they wanted and these girls, who would have once been chosen for their skills but now only were for their beauty and grace, were the definition of prey.

It wasn't rare that the same families that pushed for their induction also pressured them to offer all kinds of favors to important officials in exchange for clout. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. … which was the reason why the shadows of the palace had been taking a keen interest in whoever harassed the staff lately. Interestingly, Wu Zetian had already caught and corrected ten offenders. Which said much about how general discipline had fallen around here.

If her eavesdropping wasn't enough to confirm it, that is.

"Bai. I am glad to see your stomach has healed," she said, pausing to exchange a kind word with a few.

"Hou, how is your brother? Has your letter been answered yet, Xue?" The girls replied cheerfully, managing, to their credit, not to break composure too much. Likely because He Yuan hovered behind her like a storm cloud. They were a cute bunch, Wu Zetian decided, and being able to help them even a little was… nice. And surprisingly instructive.

In the Sect's heyday, the palace maids would have made for an interesting combat unit, all of them at least Formation Establishment to be allowed the honor to work directly for the Sect's leadership. Both low-born and noble daughters were allowed, and that little experiment in democracy was still there, even if all the rest had woefully fallen in standards. Still, what interested Wu Zetian was how loyal they were to each other, and to the job.

They would easily make for a cute defense force once properly brought back to speed. Moving deeper into the palace, the maids bowing behind, she thought once more about the place's dark, stony look. It was impressive, she didn't intend say anything about it, but… maybe something a bit more cheerful? She wouldn't mind something wooden and polished. Thoughts for when she had some money, she supposed.

"Grandma!" The little chirp startled her like twelve Nascent Soul cultivators baring their fangs at her never could. Little ponytails bobbing, Wu Lin darted toward her with a determined expression plastered on her face. Her little feet made a pat-pat-pat sound as she made a beeline through staff and property. Straight to a hop for her lap.

"I missed you, Grandma!" She cried out, hugging her fiercely.

"You have to tell when you leave, you know! It's not nice otherwise!" Wu Zetian's mind went blank. Uh, she's small. That was all the mighty Immortal could come up with. In her previous life, Wu Zetian had protesters dump stinking oil on her custom designer suit. In this one, people who cowed thousands threw at her the Qi equivalent of a missile cluster. Neither came even close to the stopping power of a little girl hugging her with a mix of happiness, relief and teary-eyed betrayal.

"Young mistress!" He Yuan was beside himself. The man's moustache flipped up and down like butterfly wings.

"This is beyond rude!" He looked at a complete loss, wanting to fix this disaster and not knowing how. He couldn't just rip the young mistress off the Founder!

"Young mi…!" Wu Lin's nurse appeared just then. Her war-like frown melted instantly as she took in the sheet. She turned as pale as a sheet, covering her mouth with a gasp.

"Shut up!" Wu Lin cried out over the ruckus, refusing to abandon Wu Zetian's lap.

"I am just welcoming Grandma back home! This is what family does!" Wu Zetian didn't think a combined attack from Nascent Soul cultivators could have jostled her harder. Everyone was panicking, the maids included, begging the young mistress to see sense, while the young mistress was very intent on not doing so. Despite that, Wu Zetian's thoughts were strangely lucid. It was her fault, she realized. Or thanks to her, depending on how you looked at it.

She hadn't acted like the quintessential big-shot in Tales of Ascension, announcing her presence with grand sweeps of Qi and making sure that everyone was cowed or terrified to breathe in her presence. She had always restrained herself, letting out the aura equivalent of a Qi Condensation cultivator and nothing more. The thought that it would make her approachable never entered her mind. In her previous existence, kids had never liked her.

She was the "scary lady" and then the "scary old lady" whose permanent scowl would make for a fair fairytale witch impression. But here? That was the same as being openly approachable. Especially for a lonely child.

"Enough." Her voice cut through the chaos. He Yuan, the nurse and the maids froze as though in a play, looking at her in fear. Not being sure of what she was doing, Wu Zetian raised a hand. People gasped, and it took far too much of her self-control not to snap at them. Instead, slowly and gently, she put a hand on the child's head. She is trembling. She's scared, but not of me. Wu Lin had never appeared in the novel. It didn't take much to see why, but that didn't matter now.

Wu Zetian had learned enough to see that the smallest and most talented member of the prestigious main branch was a very, very lonely child. How could she not? Her mother had died when she was too little to remember her, and her father had followed soon. She likely didn't have anything to remember them, apart from the stories of his siblings. Her only family were his brother, who was far too focused on his role as Master Deputy to pay attention to her, and her eldest sister, who was now gone as well. The civil war.

The siege. All her brief life, Wu Lin had been surrounded by chaos, danger and uncertainty, the little genius girl who could do nothing but endure alone while the world came crumbling around her, with nobody of those she loved to be there for her. Was it so strange that when Grandma appeared, she'd throw away any pretense at property to just… hug? No, it wasn't, and Wu Zetian's heart squeezed painfully for her. Poor child.

"I am sorry, my child," she murmured. Guilt left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Next time, I'll warn you, alright?" The child turned teary eyes up to her. She had a cute face, and Wu Zetian was painfully reminded of how young she actually was. To everybody's relief, Wu Lin finally stepped back.

"Promise?" She sniffled, wiping her eyes. Wu Zetian bowed gracefully, so that they would be eye level. Someone gasped. Again. She would have to put some law to stop that.

"Promise," she said, smiling kindly.

"And that's the word of an Immortal." She hesitated, then spread her arms. Wu Lin watched her for a moment, raw and unguarded. Then something gave way, and there she was, diving in her arms. Wu Zetian didn't mind the tears on her priceless dress. They were precious ones, fit to adorn any great Immortal's robe. The nurse repeatedly asked for forgiveness, of course, no matter how much Wu Zetian dismissed the matter.

Wu Lin was somewhat back to her cheerful self when she hopped away, and Wu Zetian watched her go with a soft smile. Family, mh?

"You seem to have something on your mind, He Yuan." She didn't need to turn: she could feel the majordomo's flickering question like a dot of heat.

"Mhyes, quite, honored Founder." The majordomo bowed deeply.

"Your intuition is as deep as the sea, matched only by your grace. This unworthy He Yuan thanks you from the bottom of his heart for showing compassion to that foolish child." Wu Zetian hummed.

"Watch your tone," she said casually.

"She may be foolish, but she's my child."

"By your will."

"Indeed. Come now. Has the council assembled?"

"Yes, Founder. They wait for your pleasure."

"Then let us shorten their wait."