Book 6: Chapter 9: Conflicting Objectives

Book 6: Chapter 9: Conflicting Objectives

Sen watched the woman as his patience slowly burned away. He supposed if he hadnt been immunized to all loveliness by the unearthly beauty of Lai Dongmei, he might have been taken off-guard by this woman. Almond-shaped eyes that were wide with surprise and fear stared at him. She had high cheekbones and delicate features with full lips that had parted in shock, as if she meant to speak but had forgotten how words worked. Hed felt her lurking since back when hed bought those vegetables from that hilarious farmer. Sen smirked a little in his head at the way the man had painted rural life as a series of misadventures that usually ended with someone falling into a pile of ox dung, getting chased around the village by an angry spouse, or a child apologizing to an elder while everyone glared sternly and tried to keep straight faces. Hed have to track that man down again someday, just to listen to some more of his stories.

Ever since then, though, this woman had been trailing him. What was so interesting about buying vegetables, anyway? She never interfered or got too close, but Sen had been chased enough by people who meant him harm to be thoroughly done with finding any novelty in being tracked by anyone, even a beautiful cultivator. No, he thought, especially a beautiful cultivator. He expected that she could get what she wanted out of most people with a smile and implied promises. As the silence dragged on and on, Sen found his annoyance growing. Sure, hed startled her but this was growing silly.

You do know how to speak, dont you? asked Sen when his patience was down to a dim, flickering candle flame inside of him.

His words seemed to be enough to bring her out of whatever fear trance she was in because she finally started talking.

I am Li Yi Nuo of the Vermilion Blade Sect.

Sen let a groan escape his lips as he lowered his jian and cast a hateful look at the sky.

Another sect? Seriously? Well, no. Just no, said Sen before he shook his head at the woman who seemed baffled by his words. Look. Im sure your sect is great or powerful or some other positive word, but I really dont have the energy to deal with any more sects right now. So, please stop following me, and tell your elders not to make any more of these.

Sen held up the compass and then crushed it into a tiny ball before he turned and threw it into the forest. He looked over at the woman who had cried out in horror as he destroyed the tracking treasure.

What have you done? she demanded. That was a priceless sect treasure.

Im not a fan of being hunted, said Sen in a cold tone that seemed to bring Li Yi Nuo up short. But I suppose I should give you something to make up for the loss. Here. Im told these would be valuable to most sects.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

Sen conjured a canvas sack from a storage ring and dropped a couple of dozen healing elixirs into it. He tossed the bag to the sect woman he wanted to escape as soon as possible. Her eyes bulged when she scanned the bag.

These are she started.

Potent, wonderful, other nice words. I get it. Our business is done. Have a safe journey back to your sect.

Sen managed to take a few steps before the woman shouted at him.

Wait!

Gritting his teeth, Sen turned and looked at her.

Im trying very hard to keep all of this civil and not start a war with your sect. That being said, Im also very, very tired of strangers and sects intruding on my life. So, Li Yi Nuo of the Vermilion Blade Sect, please help me to accomplish that goal.

Her face shifted through several expressions before it finally landed on resolve. Damn it, thought Sen.

A few months ago, were you to the west of here, traveling south? she asked.

The question caught Sen a little flat-footed. He had expected her to start making demands or spouting nonsense about the glory and the honor of her sect. He frowned at her.

I was. Why?

Did you encounter members of my sect on that road?

Sen frowned a little harder. Where is she going with this? He couldnt help but wonder if she was going to declare some kind of duel on the spot depending on his answer. A big part of him thought he should just turn and walk away, but this situation was different from most of his encounters with sect members. Of course, he didnt know what she wanted to know.

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I mean that the technique forces them to see and understand what their actions wrought from the perspective of the heavens and the perspective of people who were affected by those actions.

No. No, this technique came from you. You did it. You can undo it.

You arent hearing me. Im not saying I cant because I cant be bothered with it. Im saying that I cannot. I am incapable of doing it.

Thats a lie, fumed Li Yi Nuo. The cultivator can always stop their own techniques. Why would this technique be the exception.

Because theres divine qi woven into that technique. Ive learned the hard way that divine qi does what it wants to do and nothing else. I cant make it stop doing what its doing any more than I can stop the heavens from sending tribulations. If those men are still suffering, its because the heavens think they havent learned what they need to, yet.

You must return to the sect with me and explain this to the elders.

No.

Why not?

Because Im not stupid. Your elders already know. Theyve already tried to break that technique using every method they can think of and failed. The only thing left to try is killing me, which also wont work, but theyd do it anyway. So, why would I ever surrender myself to people who intend to kill me?

Li Yi Nuo seemed at a loss before she said, To atone.

Atone? asked Sen. Atone for what?

What you did to those men is unspeakable. Honor demands you surrender yourself.

Sen burst out laughing. Honor? Oh, you simply must meet this guy I know. Hes a big fan of talking about honor. Me? Not so much.

Judgments Gale, the divine wind, isnt interested in honor?

Sen rolled his eyes. Dont believe every story you hear. Listen, you arent going to be able to convince me to come of my own volition. Since your sect sent you here alone, Im going to assume that you arent weak. They probably loaded you down with a lot of other treasures and tools to either bring me to them or kill me outright. You might even be able to do it, but it wont come cheap. The most likely scenarios are that we either kill each other or I kill you.

You really think youre better than me?

Sen sighed. How have you spent most of your time over the last five years?

What?

In the last five years, what have you been doing?

Why does that matter? asked Li Yi Nuo.

Humor me.

Ive spent most of that time cultivating and training with my master. Why?

Now ask me the same question.

I dont see the point of this.

The answer is killing. Ive spent most of the last five years running from one life-or-death situation to the next. The sad fact of the matter is that, despite my best efforts, I have become a very efficient killer. I dont have a real conflict with you. I dont want to kill you. Please dont put me in a position where I have to prove to you how good I am at ending peoples lives.