A Storm Was Brewing

"You can't leave."

A familiar voice suddenly rang out. You and the Marquis of Northguard turned to look. It was his wife. She emerged from the shadows, shot the marquis a glare, then turned to you.

Before you could react, she folded her hands before her, took a measured half step back, and bowed slightly to you. "Things have come to this, and saying more won't help. In short, Little Mi, you cannot leave the estate right now."

"Why?" the Marquis of Northguard asked before you could.

You helped her straighten up. She looked at Dingbei Hou with undisguised disdain. "I don't know what happened to you two in the palace, but one look at you tells me it was nothing good."

She turned to you and said with certainty, "His Majesty doesn't want you competing in the Five Nations Martial Arts Tournament, does he?"

You nodded.

She showed no surprise. Instead, she gave a soft "Mm," as though a suspicion had been confirmed. Releasing your hand, she paced a couple of steps beneath the covered walkway. Her steps were unhurried, her skirt barely stirring, as though she were weighing something in her mind.

After a long while, she raised her eyes to the Marquis of Northguard. "Whatever his reasons, there is one thing we can be sure of: His Majesty does not want Great Xia to place well in the Five Nations Martial Tournament."

Dingbei Hou's expression turned extremely grim in an instant.

His lips moved a few times, as though he wanted to argue, but something seemed to have lodged in his throat. He could not get a single word out.

Standing beside them, your head was buzzing too.

He didn't want Great Xia to place well?

Great Xia was his own country. The Five Nations Martial Arts Tournament took place once every four years, bringing all five nations together at Heavenly Capital Peak, with cultivators from the Central Province serving as judges. It was not merely a contest of martial skill, but of national fortune, of prestige, of strength and weakness in the eyes of the world.

Great Xia had already gone twelve consecutive years without placing in the top three. The military officers at court were seething, and the common people were rife with discussion. If it lost again this year, Great Xia really would go from "one of the five nations" to "last among the five nations." Besides, battles were frequent at the borders. Who could say the two were unrelated?

Why would neighboring countries hold a nation that ranked last in the Five Nations Martial Arts Tournament in awe? Why would they fear coveting its territory?

The Marquis of Northguard had gone pale. "My dear-you mean His Majesty-" "I haven't said anything," she interrupted him, her tone mild. "I'm only asking you this: an emperor knows full well that the Five Nations Martial Tournament concerns his nation's fortune, knows full well that he has a sixteen-year-old genius at the ninth level of the Acquired Realm in his hands, yet refuses to use her. What do you think he wants?"

Dingbei Hou opened his mouth, then closed it again. He struggled for a long while, wanting to say something, but you interrupted him.

Both the marchioness and the marquis looked over. You raised your hands to show your innocence. "My lady, my lord, should I step

aside first?"

You only wanted to cultivate in peace and grow stronger. You really did not want to get mixed up in all these twists and turns of court politics!

Your words left the covered walkway silent for a moment.

Dingbei Hou's expression was complicated, as though he wanted to laugh but could not. The corners of his mouth twitched before he finally let out a long sigh. "You child—"

"No need to leave," his wife took over, her tone crisp and decisive, as though she had expected you to say that. She looked at you with nothing but apology in her eyes. "You would have learned about these things sooner or later. It isn't that we want to drag you into the water. You're already in it."

"Sixteen years old. Houtian Ninth Level." She enunciated every word. "At that age, with that cultivation, you couldn't find even one in all of Great Xia, however you counted on your fingers. Even if Dingbei Hou hadn't taken you into the palace today, His Majesty would have met you sooner or later."

She paused, her voice softening. "Whether you want it or not, the moment you gained this strength, you were already on this chessboard."

Though you did not want to accept it, you knew she was absolutely right.

You also understood why she had said you could not leave.

You might seem like a coveted prize now, but in truth, you were a thorn in the emperor's eye, a splinter in his flesh. The moment you gained even a little fame or showed your face before those powerful figures, only death would await you.

Once you understood that, your gaze toward Dingbei Hou could not help taking on a hint of resentment.

All this trouble had come from him taking you into the palace.

But still, the same thing held true: with martial skills and a cultivation method to be had, it was worth it!

Your stare made Dingbei Hou uncomfortable all over. He gave a dry cough and edged half a step behind his wife. "Well—Little Mi, if you feel wronged—"

"I don't," you said, withdrawing your gaze, your tone calm. "The cultivation method is real, and the martial skills are real. I'll just have to trouble you to give me more guidance, my lord."

Dingbei Hou opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally, he laughed heartily and thumped his chest. "All right! As I said before, it's my Li Household's ancestral cultivation method's good fortune to have you learn it!"

"All right." His wife straightened her sleeves, her tone returning to its usual composure. "Little Mi, you cannot leave right now, but that doesn't mean we're keeping you locked up here like a prisoner. Eat as you should, drink as you should, and cultivate when you should."

She paused, lowering her voice a little. "As for everything else, the marquis will shoulder it."

Dingbei Hou immediately straightened his back. "That's right. I'll shoulder it."

His wife glanced at him without speaking, then took a small purse from her sleeve and pressed it into your hand. "Take this."

You squeezed it. It was heavy, probably with silver.

"Whatever you want to eat, have the servants go out and get it for you," she said, as casually as though she were giving instructions to her own child. "Don't stint yourself."

You lowered your head, answered with an "Mm," then turned and walked away quickly.

Behind you came Dingbei Hou's lowered voice. "My dear, how much did you give her?"

"None of your business."

"I was only asking-"

"Enough nonsense. Tell me what happened in the palace-"

Her voice gradually faded into the distance, scattered by the night breeze through the lantern light beneath the covered walkway.

When you returned to the little courtyard where you were staying, you did not hurry inside. Instead, you stood in the courtyard and took a deep breath.

The night was deep, the spring breeze gentle. It was the finest season.

You stood in the courtyard for a while, pressing down all the tangled thoughts in your heart.

You knew very well that, as you were now, you had no standing to concern yourself with affairs of court. Dingbei Hou and his wife were willing to protect you out of kindness, but you could not take that kindness for granted.

There was only one thing you could do-grow stronger.

Strong enough that one day, you would no longer need anyone's protection or have to watch anyone's expression.

You pushed open the door, went inside, lit the lamp, and laid the four books out on the table.