On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

“Sixteen guards, six by the main entrance, ten patrolling in pairs. Sloppy though, their course looks random at first glance, but it’s actually patterned and therefore predictable.” Wei Feng declared, the sea breeze blowing off the mountainous cliffs causing his hair to ruffle around his handsome face. The air smelt of salt and ozone, and Daiyu was once more reminded of how she preferred her own home, deep in the mountains of Shaanxi Province. There are mountains here, yes, but the sea encroaches on them unpleasantly…

As her attention wandered, Brother Wei frowned. “Daiyu-er, are you troubled?” He asked, the other Cultivators they had gathered for this important task looking equally nervous, as she was the trump card in their assassination attempt here. Troubled? Me? No, I just have a portentous feeling, as if something is going to happen, be it for good or ill… Looking up at the moon overhead, she forced her features to her usual mask of beautiful, calm stillness.

“It is fine. I was just… just extending my senses. Carefully of course.” With her Foundation realm, she was most suitable for detecting the Qi of other Cultivators without being detected, so it was not entirely a lie. With one last glance at the moon, she extended tendrils of Qi outwards, the invisible threads spreading out like an ethereal spiderweb.

“I feel three.” She said at last, puzzled. “That seems at odds with the information we had gathered.” The favoured Chosen of the Heavens that we have uncovered at great risk, he should not be so unguarded. The information that we extracted from the disciple of Chong Gui, that vile traitor, advised that there would be at least five, from the Unquenchable Sun, and the Emerald Lotus sects, the two Great Sects that had betrayed the Cultivators of China and sided with the Party.

“Surely that is to our advantage. We brought eight to ensure we could overpower their five, and we should surely be superior in skill, should we not?” A woman said arrogantly, her twin sister beside her echoing those sentiments, nodding her head, short brown hair framing attractive features, though the cast of her dark eyes was harsh. “My sister speaks true! When fortune offers favours, only a fool declines out of cowardice.”

“Now, don’t be so rude to Beautiful Daiyu’er, Min’er.” Brother Wei interjected, causing the two sisters to pout, irritated, and Daiyu wished she could show such annoyance herself, but as she was in charge of this delicate operation, she was allowed no such luxuries. “I too am suspicious of such good fortune. When meat buns fall from Heaven, only a fool eats them without checking for poison.”

“Perhaps when we disposed of that treacherous member of the Unquenchable Sun they changed up their defences? But why weaken them?” One of the Cultivators from her own sect said, scratching at his head, puzzled. “Unless they have an art or technique to mask their Qi from even our Daiyu’er, and are lying in wait somewhere. But how would they even know when we planned to strike?”

“There’s no traitors here.” The other twin sister snapped. “If there has been a leak, it hasn’t come from the Mountain Fang sect, look to your own!”

“Peace, Mei’er.” Brother Weng interceded again, and Daiyu was finding her patience with the two sisters slipping. They are both Blade Cultivators, well known for being hot-tempered. Still, they do raise a good point.

“None of my people would betray us and leak information. My Honoured Patriarch would surely dispose of them, but not until they had suffered endless torments, as befits a traitor.” The breeze off the sea up the mountain roared, snatching at her words and fluttering the deep black dress she wore in lieu of her usual white gowns, the materials made from anti-ballistic fibres, a technology that was an affront to the noble art of Cultivation. Divination, Formations, Refining, Smithing, Talismans and Taming. Though I suppose one could argue that it could count as smithing, though no Qi or arts has gone into the crafting… “If there is a leak, it must have come from Golden Starfall, after all, did not Tang Bai assist us in luring out and capturing that swine? Even so, what merits would it have for him or his sect? No… it is either coincidence, or…” she looked up at the moon again, biting her lip in a rare display of nerves. Some of the members of her sect held in their surprise, to see the fearless, intimidating Ever Beautiful Black Jade so animate. “.. well, if you do not trust coincidence, as I do not, then it is either the Dao showing us the way to strike, or something else unrelated to us has happened.” Chang’e, Goddess of the Moon, why do you watch us so? And what will you see? Our victory, or…

“So, do we turn tail and run, missing our chance?” Mei’er demanded, and her sister Min’er echoed her, the long, heavy curved Blade she carried shining dully in the moonlight. “We need to cut the head of this chicken, to show the monkeys of this CCP that we have no intention of being bullied! Our sect may not be of the new Six Great Sects, but our founder was still from Kunlun!”

“Enough.” Daiyu said, her tone harsh. “Keep calm, or you are no use to us. My honoured Patriarch has decreed this Heaven-blessed who knows too much must die. But we shall leave no evidence it was us. After all, Qi cannot stop steel, even now.” Not without… no, I must not think of that.

“Yes, we need to stick to the plan, but remain vigilant.” Brother Wei agreed. “So, Daiyu’er, your sect brothers and sisters will take the guards patrolling in pairs and those at the gates to the mansion. Silent and deadly. Bodies go over the cliffs into the water. We leave no traces. The four of us who have the best combat skills will infiltrate, kill any enemy Cultivators or Heaven-chosen we encounter, then make sure that the worm who sold us all to the government meets a just end.”

“Then the mansion shall be destroyed in fire. I want none to discern what happened here. If however, the target is not here, or it is a trap… well, you all have the pills, I believe?”

“That we need to resort to such methods is a great shame on us all. I would rather die drowning in the ocean, but… yes, we cannot leave proof behind that damns our sects. That bitch from the Emerald Lotus would certainly see us destroyed if she had evidence she could use.” Mei’er cried.

“Enough then. We all know what we must do, and what is at stake. Begin!” Daiyu commanded, with one last glance at the moon. For good or for ill, the eyes of the enemy must be blinded. Father, pray for your daughter. Perhaps the Gods will listen…

*********

“How did you get in… argh!” the soldier cried out, head bisected from his neck by a single slash from Mei’er, her heavy, thick blade cutting through flesh and bone like butter. A second fell to a slash from her sister, and Brother Wei had his sword out, Qi glittering around the edge of the blade. One soldier raised the weapon they carried, an automatic rifle, a vile and crude weapon, that robbed one of the need to hone strength, to improve, to Cultivate. It was worthless in the face of smithed steel wreathed in Qi wielded by a Sword Cultivator though, and metal and plastic were severed, before the severed arms and head of the soldier hit the ground, blood spraying.

Sword Cultivation is effective, I must concede. But I abhor the inelegance of it. The last two soldiers were backing off, one reaching for some sort of communication device, a phone or a radio. Dodging the spreading droplets of blood that were splashing as the sisters and Brother Wei did their grizzly work, Daiyu concentrated, unleashing two lethal palm strikes. The first guard staggered, Qi forced into their body detonating within his meridians, instantly rendering him unconscious and dying, while the second was struck in the throat, and with her training and newfound strength, even a slender girl like Daiyu could crush a throat and snap a neck with ease, flesh and bone giving under her fist.

Not the first I’ve killed, but it never feels good. Especially not when they are merely hired soldiers, doing their duty. Still, mercy is a luxury for the strong, and right now our position is one of weakness. “None of the Cultivators have noticed us yet.” Daiyu frowned as she extended her sensing Qi. “That seems… odd. Still, it will only be moments before they react. Your sword Qi was very… noticeable. I must congratulate you on the technique, by the way. Is it a lost art?” She said as they raced for the stairs, ascending rapidly. As they did so a blearily blinking face peered down over the banister at them, an older woman in a lacy nightgown, her face bare of makeup.

“Intru…” she began, eyes going wide in alarm, before a pair of thin throwing blades took her in the eye and throat. Her body jerked and spasmed, hand scrambling at the sharp edges, cutting her fingers to the bone, before she was beheaded by a swing of Brother Wei’s sword as he crested the stairs. The headless body fell, and Daiyu caught it, the spray of blood soaking her hands.

Disgusting. She fought the urge to wipe off the blood as she lowered the body to the ground gently. The twins were looking proud at their first strikes, rows of throwing weapons visible in belts over their dresses. Well, they did act fast. She was a Cultivator, though only Qi Refining, not even at the peak.

“Yes, now I have managed to master the art of projecting internal Earth Qi into other objects, though due to my Dao, it only seems to work with swords.” He grinned. “Being blessed by the Heavens and the Dao is a great opportunity for us, one that these dogs are determined to snatch from us, like curs snatching a bloody bone from our plates.”

“Less talk, more speed.” Daiyu cut him off, her sensing Qi picking up the remaining two Cultivators, though they seemed… dull, barely conscious. This is disturbing indeed. Still, we must succeed!

The polished wooden door to the master bedroom was locked, so Daiyu merely kicked at it, her slender leg extending from the hem of her black dress, slamming the door violently, the lock shattering and the hinges breaking. As the door fell inwards one of the Cultivators staggered weakly towards her, and she paid him no mind, leaping forwards and hitting him with multiple lightning-fast palm strikes in the soft style, injecting torrents of her Qi to lethal effect. Brother Wei was in next, the second enemy dying under his sword with barely a struggle.

“What is going on here?” He said, puzzled, Qi flicking the blood from his blade, another show of how his Cultivation had advanced since he was chosen by the Heavens. “I’m not sensing any life from the… by the Dao!” He swore, shocked, and Daiyu blanched too, blood draining from her face. He matches the description of the target, but… There was a man in bed, older, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties, somewhat overweight, but still with sharp, patrician features. Yet now those features were twisted into an expression of terror, mouth locked open in a soundless roar, eyes staring and dead. A fly buzzed slowly, drifting lazily from the open eye, and Daiyu felt the urge to gag. There were others in bed with him too, a pair of young female Cultivators, who were also dead, it seemed, similarly tortured. One had vomited copious amounts of blood, and had suffered numerous blooms of bruises and lacerations internally, her skin black with damage. The other was twisted as though her spine had shattered, and her legs were distorted and deformed, the muscles having knotted cruelly. She had bled too, her eyes crusted with blood and filth.

“He’s… already dead?” She pulled down the sheet he was wrapped in, the silk stained with blood, vomit and other fluids, careful not to touch the filth. Their target was ruined too, and he had several large clusters of internal bleeding around his lower body, another centred on the heart.

“We should go. I don’t like this. It smells of a decoy, or worse.” Brother Wei was spreading his own Qi, trying to sense danger, though as he had still not breached Foundation realm, his perception paled compared to Daiyu’s. “I suggest we just burn down this place. Let nothing of what happened here be known.”

“I agree.” Mei’er agreed, and her sister chimed in her approval too.

“Start preparing the alchemical flames.” Daiyu declared. “I need to be sure…” she placed her hand on the forehead of the deceased man, feeling bruising starting to form underneath her touch. Qi flowed from her, investigating the corpse, and she was immediately struck with the absence of life. There was a little Qi remaining, but far too little for a body that was only just starting to cool in death.

Behind her, the twins were splashing around the sickly-smelling, aromatic liquid from several flasks. It was a modern concoction, though from the old recipes a few things had been added, meaning it would be harder to extinguish and would burn even if doused in water or starved of air, at least for a short time. “You need to hurry. We have to meet up with the others and make our escape soon. He’s dead, we succeeded.” Brother Wei said urgently. “It is too much of a risk to…”

“Be quiet. I am concentrating.” Daiyu waved him to silence, concerned and irritated. Such delicate Qi manipulation was hard even at the borders of High Foundation realm, and required immense focus and tight Qi control. I can feel the residues. Yes, he was not a Cultivator, there’s no refined Qi anywhere, but some crude Earth Qi that has been pulled in through an alternate method. He was definitely a Heaven’s Chosen, but… even in death, there should be more lingering traces… the flow of Qi passed down to the entry point of the body, the meridians often called the roots of the spiritual form. No, that’s… not right, not at all. Flames were starting to flicker as the first sparks were lit, the alchemical fluids slow to burn, but unstoppable once the conflagration was established, and the light cast grim shadows over her face as she considered the possibilities. His… it seems like everything spiritual has been torn from him, leaving only a damaged, dead husk. Her gaze went to the two beside him, the dead Cultivators. Them too I suspect…

“Come on.” Brother Wei took her arm, as the flames started to burn, brilliant in red, orange and yellow, tongues of blue and white starting to creep into the fires as drapery and wooden furniture ignited, filling the room with oppressive heat. “Dead is dead. I doubt very much he knows of any ancient clone techniques, or could even get them to work if he did! We’ve won!”

Daiyu nodded. With one last regretful look back at the bodies, the edges of the bed starting to burn, she turned to the door. The twins leapt through it first, blades in hand, and she followed them, Brother Wei in the rear.

“So, do you think some other sect got to them first? I’d imagine there would be no shortage of others who wish the eyes of this Department for Managing of Divine Mysteries blinded, even if for revenge at their own secrets being discovered.”

Daiyu shook her head as they descended the stairs, passing by the headless body from earlier. “No, this was not the work of a Cultivator. A Heaven’s Chosen perhaps, or something worse. It was as if their very souls had been devoured. There was a dark Qi lingering too, perhaps why the other Cultivators were so…” before she could finish her thoughts, she tensed. She had been extending her Qi instinctively, searching for danger, and now multiple signals were shining in her inner vision. Worse, sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard…

“Shit, is that enemies?” Brother Wei declared, sword ready, and Daiyu agreed. “Four Cultivators. Three Peak Qi Refining, one is Lower Foundation.” She grimaced. “And worse… I cannot sense the Qi of most of the members of my sect.”

The door to the mansion burst inwards, and stepping over the bodies were a pair of robed Cultivators, one man, and one woman, as well as a dozen Ministry soldiers, equipped with modern armoured bodysuits and holding top-of-the-range assault rifles, as well as grenade launchers and more. On seeing each other, the groups froze, but it was the newcomers that spoke first, the girl saluting in Cultivator fashion, fist over her heart. “Well, isn’t this a surprise? When the life-signal in our lusty little Vice-Minister went out a few hours ago, we raced over. To think it would be the famous Zhao Daiyu, the Black Jade that is Ever Beautiful. One of our own.” She shook her head, sadly, and at the colour of her dress, which was a vivid, luxurious green, Daiyu already had suspicions as to who sent her.

“Life-signal? I thought Life-Candles were a lost art, unable to function since Kunlun retreated?” Brother Wei said, buying them a moment to think, but the woman in green merely snorted derisorily.

“This is the modern world, a fact that most of you sects have failed to grasp. Technology. He simply had a smart-watch relaying his heartbeat to us.” she scoffed. “I get why you are aggrieved, Cultivators just love secrecy. But that is why we are weak! The old ways are dead, we need the best of both the old and the new. You are too late anyway. Our poor dead Vice-Minister had already used his gift to identify most of the Chosen in China. A few might escape us for now, but they’ll be brought into the fold or killed in due time, should they prove reluctant.”

“Who are you?” Daiyu asked, assessing the situation. Four versus fourteen were bad odds, even if they had twice the Cultivators. The only blessing was In these close quarters, the firepower of the soldiers would be limited, and three of them were weapon Cultivators, specialised in close brutality. “And why…”

“Well, I wouldn’t expect such a prodigy as you to know me, miss Black Jade.” She smirked. “I am Sun Lisha, of the Emerald Lotus sect. Since I only recently made Foundation realm, I am far from a famous prodigy like you. But I digress. My sister Lihua agrees with you. She thinks these modern tools make us weak. But Cultivators should grasp power wherever they can, right? You understand, miss Black Jade. Not all of us are a blessed as you, so we must take help where we can.” She shook her head sadly. “To think you’d have murdered the Vice-Minister. We were going to use him to ferret out all the other Chosen worldwide and help them see serving China is the only real choice. Now we can’t. Have you no patriotism, no love for anything but your sect and your own power?”

“We didn’t kill him.” Daiyu sniffed, looking around for a way out. “He was dead when we got here.”

“A likely story. Even if I believed you, then why are you here in force, when no-one is supposed to know about this lonely clifftop mansion? And with such numbers too. Your sect fought well, but in the end, they died. One of them gave me a nasty shock too.” She giggled, gesturing down to the burned hem of her robes. “Well, that doesn’t matter. Your sect is over now. I guess we will see just how incorruptible your jade is, Zhao Daiyu!”

Blades flashed out then and several soldiers died, pierced by the sharp darts in vital spots. Brother Wei leapt forwards, and his Qi-wrapped blade cleaved another, before the male Cultivator moved to block him, a heavy iron rod his weapon of choice. Metal met metal with a ringing crunch, Qi dancing in the air. More blades flew, dropping several more soldiers, before the survivors began to fire back, their discipline holding even in the face of sudden death.

Qi cannot stop steel yet. Though perhaps… she thought of the moon once more. Numerous impacts shocked her, her bare arms being sliced open by trailing bullets, her dress blocking other hits, though her speed, already surpassing those who lacked the will to Cultivate, had been boosted by her blessing from Heaven and the Dao. She did not like to use such, as power that was not her own was power she could not control, but even so… I must not fail here, else the sect will be targeted!

“Can’t you fools do anything right?” The man shouted, pushed back by Brother Wei. He suddenly swelled, muscles bulging grotesquely, and his blows increased in power, his metal rod pushing Brother Wei back.

“Come now.” Sun Lisha smiled, meeting Daiyu in a flurry of blows, her own style relying on poisoned blades that were wrapped around her knuckles, as well as using her Qi to reject intrusions. “We are up against some tough opponents. Blade cultivators, huh?” she smiled at the twins, who had cut down most of the soldiers. “We should have waited outside.”

“Regret your folly in your next reincarnation!” Daiyu declared, finally landing several blows. Her cheek stung, poison already seeping in, but she forced Qi to the site to neutralise it as best she could, stimulating her natural healing. Sun Lisha staggered backwards and out into the open air, followed by her male companion, who despite his sudden massive strength, lacked skill, and one arm went flying, Brother Wei slicing through it with his sword, bone and all severed.

“I’m not sure what sect you brought these weapon Cultivators from, but we’ll find out when you are captured!” Sun Lisha grinned, despite the pain of foreign Qi from Daiyu’s blows that was seeping into her. “But that means we only need you alive!”

Min’er staggered, blood blossoming. Then a mighty roar sounded, the bullet from the distant sniper having exceeded sound. Her sister howled out a cry of pain and fury, rushing towards her, but Min’er waved her away as a second and a third bullet pierced her torso, the wounds clearly fatal, even for a tough weapon Cultivator.

“Sister!” Mei’er howled, her blade cutting down the last of the soldiers, and she threw her small blades at the one-armed man and Sun Lisha, though they both evaded.

“I’m done…” Min’er coughed, blood streaming from her mouth, as well as soaking her legs and the clifftop beneath her. Bright flames from the blazing mansion were reflected in her dark eyes as she made a decision. “No honour, you have no…” she fumbled a bloody hand and was swallowing something. The eyes of Sun Lisha widened as she leapt backwards. More bullets were coming in, and Daiyu felt a sickening impact on her shoulder, the fabric stopping the bullet from penetrating, but the force enough to crack her collarbone and gouge a crater in her flesh. Even so, she never took her eyes off Sun Lisha, knowing she had to die, no matter the cost.

“Farewell, sister!” Min’er had swallowed, and all those who could feel Qi recoiled as the treasured pill, a rare, precious legacy of Kunlun erupted within her, triggering a wild cascade of Qi energies, raising her body temperature explosively, creating human combustion. Qi Flame Cascade Pills. Father gave me these to ensure we would never be taken alive, and any evidence of us would die with us. Even so… Sun Lisha knows me!

Even in death, the flaming Min’er leapt, her legs carbonising and shattering below her. She flew at the one-armed man, and even as bullets pierced her disintegrating body, she distracted him enough that Brother Wei was able to use his most secret skill, Puppet Sword. Strings of Qi held his blade at a distance, and such a feat was only possible now that he had grown stronger after his blessing, and it was still a mere shadow of the arts of old. Even so, an extra metre of reach was enough to send his blade scything through the neck of his distracted opponent, and the man died, choking on his own blood, before the weight of his head tore it free.

“Well, this didn’t go to plan, did it?” More sniper rounds rang out as Sun Lisha hopped backwards. “We’ve suffered far too many losses trying to capture you alive. I am in for quite the scolding. Perhaps they’ll dock my allotment of pay and spiritual resources for this.” She smiled. Daiyu had taken a second hit, and some of her ribs were broken, and her dress was torn. “That one should have killed you though.” She noted. “You have grown strong, miss Black Jade. A shame. Why couldn’t you and your sect just be happy with what you had? Is it such a hardship, sharing your talents with the Ministry, for the good of the Country, no, the world?” She raised a fist and the bullets stopped, which was timely, as Brother Wei was barely able to stand, a bullet having blasted through his thigh, only his Sword Cultivator training and Qi restricting the pain and blood loss keeping him upright, and Mei’er was wracked with grief, her eyes dead to all but rage and revenge.

“Are you all so selfish that you would drink from this blessing alone until you were full, denying others even a drop? Already, several of us have reached the Third Circle, as the Ministry calls it. Far better we have fewer, stronger Chosen, than let everyone serve only themselves. It leads to this. Four chosen dead, plus how many Cultivators? A waste.” She shook her head, and several armoured vehicles drove up, heavy machine guns pointed at Daiyu and the others. “So, you might as well surrender. Your sects will be sanctioned, but if you agree to be bound by one of our Chosen who has a suitable divine mandate, then you can live and pay for your sins against the Party, China and the World!” She gestured to the mansion, which was now fully ablaze, the heat scorching their skins in the cool night.

I see. Divine mandate. Yes, this power has come from the Heavens, but I do not trust it. Power I cannot dominate is power worthless to me. But right now… I will grasp at any sword, even one without a hilt, one that cuts me deep, so long as I can survive this. Chang’e, give me your strength!

“Die, murderous bitch!” Mei’er cried, rushing forwards, blade in hand, and Brother Wei threw his sword, piercing Sun Lisha in the shoulder. He then retreated, hobbling desperately on his ruined leg, calling out for Daiyu to run.

“Fine. Damn, that hurts.” Sun Lisha cried. “They chose death. A shame…”

You can run, they don’t know your sect, though I do. Still, there is no retreat for… Sounding like a buzzsaw, the machine guns opened up. Mei’er was down, both legs sawn clean off by the blasts, and before she could fumble for her pill, Sun Lisha was there, poisonous blows striking her arm, numbing her.

So fast, unstoppable. And I am slowing from that poison too. Even my Qi cannot fully neutralise it. Even with her boosted kinetic vision and speed she was helpless, the numerous small calibre rounds battering her, shredding through her armoured dress. Qi and the power of Chang’e held her body together, but even so, she was losing blood too fast, her Qi almost entirely depleted. If it wasn’t for the blessing I would be dead already. She stumbled, knees hitting the ground next to the edge of the cliffs, the waves crashing on the jagged rocks below sounding almost soothing, as if to lull her into the next world peacefully. Her mouth tasted iron and bile, and she tried to turn her head to see if at least Brother Wei could escape, but everything hurt too much.

“Oh well. Your corpse is proof enough, I suppose.” Sun Lisha said, having yanked out the sword, looking pale from her own blood-loss. “Or you can have one last try at killing me, I know you want to. But my fellow Cultivators are back from killing the rats from your sect.” she gestured to the two robed men, accompanied by more soldiers and armoured vehicles, coming across the clifftop.

It’s over then? Her hand went to her dress, where her pill remained. Going out in a blaze of flaming Qi was perhaps a better fate than this, her life draining away. Chang’e was supposed to be immortal, having stolen the elixir of immortality from her first husband… well, it seems she chose poorly in me. For here is where my jade shatters. Incorruptible? Hardly. For a moment then her thoughts strayed to Jang Huifen, the poor businesswoman who had no clue of the world she was thrust into. She had proved surprisingly good company, and mercifully she would not be implicated by this disaster. If she continues to support the Ministry, our defeat will not touch her. With a bright, bloody smile, she coughed, messily scattering a rain of red.

“Well, down on your knees. How the haughty have fallen. My sister should take note. Qi cannot stop steel, right?”

“Fuck off.” Daiyu spat an epithet, most unlike her. “I stopped plenty of it.” Her hand moved towards her pill, and Sun Lisha paused, unwilling to be burned along with her. She raised a hand to signal another barrage, but Daiyu merely leaned backwards, her body tumbling off the cliffs towards the inly blue water below. Jagged rocks passed by her fading vision, and then there was an impact, and she was sinking, the night skies above fading away, only the shining moon left in her eyes…