Heaven's Laws - Lifestone - Chapter 38

“Do you think I should consider Fairy Eu-meh my disciple?”

Huifen gave her husband a suspicious look from where she sat in the nature meditation chamber on the second floor. He’d already played his music for the Ice and Fire Phoenix disciples this morning. It had been nearly a week since Dvora of the Night Pearl Sect had drugged him, but the pang of jealously still stung. She was tempering herself and the feeling was fading. However, his question seemed to reinvigorate those feelings. She had been the one to mention fairy Eu-meh to him as a possible marriage partner when he was still just her disciple.

She made a conscious effort to keep herself from circulating Heart of Ice and seriously considered his question. She had never been close with Eu-meh. They were from the same generation, but the woman was a free spirit unlike her closest friends Daiyu and Zhu. Where the two of them sought her out, Eu-meh always did her own thing. It was because of that that she tended to hold the woman in high regard. Even her seeking out Chao showed equal parts humility and independence. Eu-meh respected her husband’s abilities but didn’t rely on him for motivation or moral support.

“She’s a willing pupil,” Huifen replied. “That doesn’t make her a direct disciple. Why? Are you thinking of taking her as one?”

He shook his head from where he sat. “No. She was just the first person to come to me and ask for me to teach her the laws. I feel like I’ve been a poor teacher and neglected her.”

She saw the crease in his brow. He was serious. And what did he mean that the woman was the first to come to him? Had he forgotten his own wife?

Then she thought back to when they had first met. She hadn’t made it easy for him. She’d even argued with him about his teaching methods and the use of Heart of Ice. He’d pursued her as much as she’d pursued him. Fairy Eu-meh hadn’t done anything of the sort. She recalled his shock as he’d described how quickly the woman had dropped Heart of Ice. Huifen had watched them from afar as she considered whether to bring him to the Divine Realm with her or not and seen the woman’s willingness herself.

Her posture stiffened. Had Eu-meh thought higher of Chao’s abilities than she had? No. That wasn’t fair. She’s understood how exceptional he was from the beginning. That’s why she’d wanted to bring him to the Ice Phoenix Sect. It was her future safety that had caused her to doubt him. It was wise for her to question such things, and he’d convinced her. But Eu-meh had never shown him such doubts. No wonder he was feeling negligent. They’d even disappeared into the Frozen Moon Mystic Realm for a year and the woman’s faith in him hadn’t faltered.

“In the beginning, you told her you wouldn’t receive payment for your instruction?”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “And that I’d only show her the basics. It would be up to her as to what she could do with them. It’s moved beyond our original agreement, and we haven’t spoken of it since.”

“She should be thankful then for anything beyond the original agreement. You don’t owe her anything.” Even as she said it, she felt there was something unfair about her statement even if she technically agreed.

He grew quiet and turned to her. “I’ve never really been there for her when she needed me, but she has always offered me friendship when she thought I needed it—even if I never took her up on it.”

Huifen’s heart rate sped, and her eyes narrowed. “And when did she think that you needed it.”

“That’s—”

“Tell me, Chao.”

He shifted in his seat to face her. “Do you remember your arrival at the Festival of the Dueling Phoenix with Prince Jin?”

“You left—alone.”

He slowly nodded his head. “It wasn’t my finest moment. Fairy Eu-meh noticed that I wasn’t taking your departure well and said that I could depend on her if I needed anything. As I said, it was an offer of friendship, not the worst thing my wife can possibly imagine.” He folded his arms across his chest and gave her an insistent look.

She sneered at him but caught herself. That’s exactly what she was doing. She’d been the one to speak to him about marrying the girl and he’d outright rejected the idea. He’d even been willing to pursue cultivation by her side while acting as her husband without the benefits.

He continued before she could. “I understand that what Dvora did has made it hard on you—even if you’re trying to hide it.” He scooted forward and took her hands in his. “This is our first time dealing with anything like this. It’s different than life and death. If I was to die, you’d know I was unwilling, but if I was to fall to the deceitful charms of a woman…

“It’s supposed to be the other way. You’re the divine fairy. I’m just a lowly boy from a farm.”

She scowled before she could stop herself. She didn’t like it when he belittled himself, even if he was teasing her.

“One with hidden charm that only my wife was wise enough to discover. I’ll keep your secret,” he smirked. “I don’t expect you to handle this like a frigid ice fairy, nor would I want you to. Maybe I should’ve waited longer to bring up Eu-meh. Since we arrived and saw her amongst the other fairies surrounded by male suiters, it’s been bothering me. I’m not thinking of taking her as a personal disciple or spending more time with her. I just want to help her find a husband if she’s interested in marrying, and not fall for some random cultivator. Maybe I’m overstepping, but I feel responsible. I brought it up because I thought you might have felt the same about me while I was still your disciple and could help me think through it.”

She pulled away from him but gave it some serious thought before responding. “I was conflicted. I was thinking through Prince Jin’s offer and had already developed feelings for you—though I didn’t know it at the time.”

When his posture changed in reaction, she didn’t have to look at him to know the look he was giving her. She blasted a little ice qi in his face and he chuckled.

“I don’t feel that way about her, Huifen.”

She was quiet for a long moment before she tried on a smile. “I think you should speak to her. I don’t know how much advice I can give you, since I ended up marrying my disciple.”

“You’ll do it with me?” He asked with and expectant glint.

“I’ll be there, but I think you should talk with her privately. As much as I don’t like the idea of you speaking with other fairies, it’s important that she understand this is coming from you and not the idea of your wife. You’re a Sage of the Ice Phoenix Sect. Don’t underestimate what your personal attention is worth. She’s a gifted fairy who you’ve inspired already. This may just convince her to reach even higher. It’s selfish of me to keep this opportunity from her. Just don’t try to talk her into marrying. The way we came to know each other is atypical. Remember, complete trust is essential for her future.”

“That gives me an idea.”

“Oh?”

***

Finding Eu-meh wasn’t difficult. It was made even easier because every joint sect disciple was given a transmission jade to use while in the Divine Spire. They requested for her to come to them and travel with Fairies Daiyu, Zhu, and Diu. The four of them should be enough to dissuade any attacks even if they were from a Sky Realm cultivator. Daiyu especially was formidable with her large success, earth realm cultivation. Zhu was at a higher level, nearing the peak, but she wasn’t as patient in combat. It was rumored that Eu-meh might be even more skilled then the both of them. She didn’t spend much time in the arena though. Diu was also competent. An ice fairy’s defensive abilities were amongst the strongest on the Monolith continent, so any battle they had against the typical sky realm cultivator wouldn’t be a quick one if they worked together.

Just thinking about the murderer still being uncaught put Chao on edge. He was hoping that just the two of them in this nature meditation chamber would draw the culprit out. They looked like a soft target so after a few days of cultivation here they should look quite tempting.

As he waited for the fairy to arrive, he reached out with his perceptions beyond the barrier protecting the small garden and studied the bonsaied fruit tree that only came up to his chest in its small pot that rested on the floor. It was a common peach tree. It had light purple flowers blooming, and some were already fruiting. There were even two ripe fruits that had fallen to rest on the carefully laid out rock floor. Chao was as interested in the barrier that allowed his perceptions to slip past it but kept him from physically approaching as he was the penjing scene made up of bonsai trees and plants. He’d always liked to feel with his hands when observing nature and earth. This chamber would still be of great use to someone learning the laws.

When the four fairies arrived, Chao and Huifen rose to their feet.

The fairies gave them martial salutes, Diu had to stop herself from bowing.

“Sister Fen. Brother Tao,” Fairy Zhu said, taking the lead to remind everyone how they should address them.

Huifen soon asked them to come take a seat with her, giving Chao his chance. “Sister Eu-meh, would you sit with me?”

She didn’t give much reaction, but it wasn’t because of her Heart of Ice technique. It seemed she’d expected as much. “Mmm,” she agreed.

As they stepped aside to take a seat on the floor, Fairy Daiyu gave him a warm smile as she passed by and said, “Hello, Brother Tao.”

She’d always been the most considerate of Huifen’s friends. It was such a small gesture, but amongst ice fairies it made her stand out—even without Heart of Ice.

He cupped his fist and gave Daiyu a warm smile, before taking a seat. He realized he felt partial to her as well, just not to the same extent as Eu-meh. Was this what it was like to belong to a sect? It reminded him of something his father often said. A man takes responsibility, even if it isn’t his responsibility in the first place. This was his sect, the one he belonged to and that belonged to him. He should want it and its members to succeed. He was just surprised at how personal it had become to him

Glance in Huifen’s direction, he watched momentarily as she addressed her friends. She intended to speak to them about marriage as well as what they’d discussed.

Turning to Eu-meh, he began with a more comfortable subject as his sound barrier surrounded both groups but was segmented to give them some privacy. “How goes your training?”

Seeing her dimples perk up, he wondered if all fairies had such peculiar features like the woman before him and his wife’s nose.

She held back her answer and kept a straight face. Only when he was about to ask again did she hold out her hand and create an orb of ice. It was a fine earth realm summoning.

He felt it change. He was close enough that he felt the chill its bite. It was no longer earth realm ice at all. “Sky realm. You’ve reached small success with enhance?”

Her smiled widened. “I’ve been touching on it for a while now, but only recently, thanks to your playing, was I able to make a breakthrough.”

“Oh?”

“I’m sure of it. Thanks to the greater focus your music gives me, I might one day reach beyond the Overlord Realm. Thank you, Brother Chao.” Placing her hands on her knees, she bowed where she sat.

He was speechless. Even if Eu-meh wasn’t as fast as Huifen or the century old Sage Pangfua, she’d reached a level with the laws that all overlords hoped for. It was what often kept them from being able to ascend to the Tribulation Realm.

“Congratulations,” he said after she’d sat up. He scrambled for something to say. This was not the topic he’d planned for this conversation. “Is that your intention? To ascend?”

For once the headstrong fairy shook her head like she didn’t dare. “I’m not sure.”

“I see… Our reason for summoning you, and the others, was because I wished to speak to you.” He caught himself struggling to look her in the eye. Such a practice was common among mortals, but not cultivators. So he made himself look at her. “With the recent changes in the sect, and the battle not long past, how are you managing?”

She straightened where she sat. “That’s not really why you asked me to come, is it? I know you well enough to know that you’re evading what you really want to say. Please, say it.”

Her candor didn’t surprise him. It was just like her. Instead of feeling like she put him on the spot, it seemed to lighten the weight bearing down on him. “Very well. Do you want to get married?”

She craned back, giving him a startled look. “Brother Chao. I can’t do that to Big Sister Huifen. How could you?”

He didn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction. “I think you’re the only fairy I know that could make that joke.”

She innocently smiled but didn’t push any further. “Do you think I should? I’m not against the idea, but…”

“That depends on why you might want to. My fear is that you’re feeling pressured. Things have changed so quickly. It could be a great benefit but marrying the wrong person could be disastrous.”

She looked down and away.

“Forgive me if I overstepped,” he said without hesitation. “Originally, I only intended to show you a few things with the laws, but you’ve gone well beyond the basics and I didn’t keep my word and limit things to a few lessons.”

“I’m still willing to pay you back for all that you’ve taught me,” she said, lowering her head even further.

“No,” he insisted. “We were never master and disciple, or even just two cultivators that shared a love for the laws. You helped me in the mine, with Elder Wang li, to find my passion for teaching, and anytime I needed someone to help instruct the other disciples you were the first to step up. All of this before I was given the title of Sage. Eu-meh, I can’t help but to want the best for my friend. I offer you my assistance if you need it. Whether it’s to find a husband, or anything else.”

A grin pulled at the corners of her mouth but was quick to retreat. She was still staring at the floor with a wide expression. “I don’t know what to say. I hoped—”

“Hoped?”

She glanced up at him. “That you might one day take me as your disciple, but after marrying Sage Huifen…”

“It’s awkward.”

She nodded.

Glancing back at his wife, he saw her deep in conversation with her friends. “It’s as you say,” he turned back. “However, she gave her blessing when I asked her advice about bring up this topic with you. As for taking you as my disciple, I can’t.”

“I understand.” Her eyes shot back down to the floor.

“But we can.”

When she spied another upward glance, he almost laughed. “What do you mean?”

“Huifen and I have agreed that we won’t keep things like disciples separate from each other. So if I accept you, you’ll belong to both of us. We won’t make the same mistake she did when accepting me as her own. Spending much time alone together can cultivate feelings between a man and woman whether they want them or not. Instead, our interactions will take place in a wider social setting, like that of a large family. And let’s face it, disciples don’t tease their masters.”

He watched as she turned bright red.

“You’re more than a disciple to me, Eu-meh. As are Fairies Daiyu and Zhuto my wife. Li Qiang will also become a part of our group, as will Diu. We intend to keep it small, but there will be others eventually. It will be different than traditional discipleship. Much will stay the same, but if you have questions about cultivation, bring them to me or my wife. Honestly, she can probably answer many of your questions better than I can.”

“Brother Chao. Master…”

“None of that,” he said, holding up his hand to stop her. “Just, Brother Chao. As much as this will be like discipleship, it is also an extension of our friendship. It was Huifen’s idea to make it more like a friendly gathering because she believes its important for ice fairies to further develop social skills without using Heart of Ice. I agree with her wholeheartedly. So do you accept?”

“I do.”

He knew it was coming before he finished talking. As she moved to kowtow, he threw out a gentle blast of qi. “This is a tradition Huifen started with me, and I intend to continue it. Friends do not kowtow to one another. Now, before we join the others, be completely honest with me. What are your thoughts on marriage? You’re not persuaded by any of the men in the Divine Spire, are you?”

She seemed to return mostly to her old self, sat up straight, and addressed him, “What men?”

He snickered. “Then?”

She became uncharacteristically bashful all over again. “I do want to get married, it’s just…”

“Is it really so strange that you can’t say it aloud?”

“I want to first make it to the Divine Realm and find someone that’s already established. I don’t want my children to have nothing to fall back on in case I die early. I know it’s presumptuous.”

He sensed there was much more to it than just wanting the best for her future children. There was a story behind it, and not a pleasant one. After all the talk about being her friend, he didn’t really know what she’d been through at all. It was the same with most of the other disciples he considered friends. Now wasn’t the time to ask.

“So you’re embarrassed because you dream about reaching the Divine Realm?” He kept the question light, but his thoughts were much heavier.

Who told you to put a limit on what you want to achieve? He almost said the last thought aloud but stopped himself. So what if she didn’t have Huifen’s talent. She was still one of the most talented fairies in the number one sect on Monolith continent, if not the world. Why would she limit herself?

She shrugged.

The last thing he’d ever thought was that what she’d lack was courage, but something was putting a damper on just that. “It’s not presumptuous to dream of making it to the Divine Realm, but it is presumptuous to think you’ll reach it by being too fearful to try.”

“You think I’m afraid?” She gave him an glacier glare that he hadn’t seen since she’d challenged him in the Torch Stone Mine.

Motivating her was easy enough if all he had to do was challenge her. “Then prove it. If you can make it to the Sky Realm before the Frigid Moon Mystic Realm opens up to the sect, I’ll provide the resources for your breakthrough myself.”

He expected for his offer to catch her off guard, but not to see her bottom lip tremble with emotion. “Thank you,” she said weakly.

“Come on. Let’s join the others.” He kept her reactions in mind. He wanted to know more about her background, but insisting she tell him everything on the spot didn’t seem like a good way to go about it.

They were only a few meters away, so they were taking a seat next to them a few moments later. As soon as they did, Sister Daiyu bowed her head to him so sharply that purple tinted dark hair was flung forward. “Thank you, Brother Chao, for your willingness to share your wife’s time with this one—and for your own guidance.”

Fairy Zhu did the same and added her own, “Thank you.”

He felt the blood rush to his face.

Huifen stifled a chuckle.

Then Eu-meh took the opportunity to bow to her. “This one must thank Sage Huifen.”

If she was feeling the same discomfort, his wife didn’t show it. Instead, she addressed the group. “This is just something that Chao and I want to do. Now, as for what you can expect...”

---

I've been going back and forth a little on this part of the plot. I don't normally do a lot of rewriting, but I've been doing a little more than typical to get it just right. I don't foresee anymore patches like this coming up, but we'll see.

Cheers!