Tantra is…confused.

  It’s been perhaps an hour, why can’t she move? Compared to the amount of world Qi she regularly pumps into her bloodstream, this should've been nothing. Is it her dao? But…that makes no sense, she’s never heard of a dao hampering its wielder, so surely it’s something else. Tantra’s almost tempted to do some testing with her other techniques, maybe layer scales with soul Qi, or use regeneration on her still healing back.

  But if it is her dao, she can’t afford to go unconscious again, not in this place.

  Wouldn’t that just be hysterical?

  They finally reach the slums and Tantra leaves them defenceless after a full month of hypersensitive paranoia, would make for a pretty good joke if they weren’t the herbs fueling the metaphorical pipe as it were.

  Fuck, nothing can be simple, get a dao and somehow it manages to bite her in the ass. Ah well, at least she has an excuse to practice the second control technique now, unless she wanted to waste her Qi puppeteering herself. She has an abundant amount of free soul Qi to push through her core now that she’s learned that over ten seconds of boosting is potentially fatal territory.

  That’s going to be a sore spot for a while, isn’t it?

  Probably.

  She grabs a thread of soul Qi, holding it outside her core, it’s…changed. It pulsates now, and carries a slightly pink hue. She brings it to her tongue, and tastes the tang of iron so common with blood, but sweetened, then she brings it to her nose, and taxes in the scent of…something like coal?

  Strange.

  She takes the thread back and reintegrates it with her core, holding precarious control as it tries to absorb into the rest of her Qi. She can barely distinguish the difference between the mass of contained Qi and the thread she controls, but it’s enough to force it to keep moving until it reaches the other side.

  Tantra takes a deep breath and pulls.

  Only a few motes of what was once a thread grace her on the other side. Tantra would be disappointed but the fact she can even do this exercise means she’s passed a bottleneck in her control.

  Meaning she can finally start making some serious progress after over a year of stagnation, she can even train her natural Qi senses as a nice little treat.

  A slight grin creeps up onto her face, this is something to look forward to, she doesn’t even know where to start with her dao but control?

  Forgive her language, it’s been a hard month, but control is her bitch.

  She’s already far above the standard, by a lot.

  From her assumptions she thinks most people increase their control as a happy accident in forming Qi for their techniques, yet she can barely accomplish the second exercise of ten in this blessed book.

  This manual must have been written by an immortal, Tantra refuses to believe otherwise, it’d simply be too ridiculous. Why then might an immortal pursue such a path? Her sects secret technique and her modification already prove that control has utility, and surely a cultivator of such prestige wouldn’t waste their time on something frivolous.

  Perhaps it was for their dao.

  Now that she has her own she has to get serious about actually making techniques, but she doesn’t even know where to start. She could see how her Qi interacts with the different techniques in Rakan’s manuals, there are plenty she hasn’t explored because they’re either useless to her purpose or are just weaker versions of techniques she already has.

  Tantra doubts she’ll somehow find a manual about the heart dao of all things so conveniently, how does the heart dao even work? Sure it’s a monster with serpent’s circulation, and she has this new sense of where people's heartbeats are, which is convenient for combat, but otherwise what does it do?

  She imagines a lot of esoteric daos have the same problem, and she’ll have her hands full trying to figure it out when they’re back at the sect and she has the luxury of experimentation.

  In the meanwhile she keeps training, grabbing another thread-

  “Tantra,” Synthia whisper in her ear, Tantra looks sharply at the woman.

  “Wha-”

  “Shush,” Synthia startles Tantra by placing a shaking hand over her mouth, “There’s people outside, a whole group.”

  Tantra pumps Qi into her arm and slowly moves her hand away from her mouth.

  “What?” she whispers.

  “They’re just standing there,” Synthia whispers, “I saw them from the window…I don’t know if any of them spotted me.”

  Tantra pushes Qi into her limbs and forces her body to stand slowly, summoning her kanabō in her hand and walking close to the cloth covering the doorway.

  She takes a deep breath and pushes it aside.

  What’s on the other side is dozens of armed mortals, an old man with a cane and a grey man with more scars than skin standing at the front, the former carrying an expression of slight amusement while the latter looks at her with…respect?

  They look a bit comical, the old man hunched over while the grey man towers over him, probably halfway between six and seven feet tall.

  “Well,” the gravelly voice of the old man says, “you certainly saved us some time, my son here was so adamant that I don’t walk straight on in, worried about banal things like my life.”

  Tantra doesn’t respond, simply tracking each and every mortal, looking for any signs that one of them might be further along the path then they should be.

  “Not very talkative are we?” he says, “that’s fine, we can work with that. From the scars I assume you are the kin-killer? Would be awkward if you weren’t.”

  Tantra nods slowly.

  “Huh, honestly expected someone more…menacing”

  “Father” the grey man chides as he rubs at the bridge of his brow.

  “Hush now,” the elderly man whacks him with his cane, to the amusement of the other mortals present, “did I say you could speak?”

  The grey man rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything.

  “Good,” the man nods, “now, what’s say we get to business?”

  Tantra infuses her lungs with Qi and growls, taking a step forward and-

  The elderly man raises a hand, “come now, do I look like I’m ready to wrestle with a cultivator? Me and mine are only here to talk, no violence necessary.”

  “The weapons tell a different story,” Tantra growls.

  “So she speaks!” the elderly man says joyfully, “was wondering for a moment there, and don’t worry about all that, it’s to sell an image to the masses you see, can’t be seen displaying weakness.”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Who are you?” Tantra says.

  “Does the name Raizen Wurs ring any bells?”

  Tantra shakes her head.

  “Thought not, damned south siders ignoring us again it seems.” He chuckles, “well Raizen’s who I am and this here is my son Sasei, we’re here for some…let’s say business?”

  “We are here for business father, stop trying to be cryptic with the honourable cultivator”

  “Well you’ll have to forgive me oh wise son o'mine, perhaps I should just let you do all the talking and keel over already? You clearly seem to be confident in your wisdom if you keep interrupting me.”

  Sasei huffs and returns to his silence.

  “Honestly, if you know what’s good for you, you won’t get any children, they’re a pain in the ass.”

  “Noted,” Tantra says, still weary of all the very many weapons.

  “Good good, now where was I?” Raizen taps his skull, “right! Business. I’ve acquired a new…let’s say friend shall we? They’ve been quite vocal about your capabilities, and from the things I’ve heard of the display not a few hours ago I’m inclined to agree.”

  “Sorry, but I’m not looking for employment, I’ve got my plate full already,”

  “Right, the noblewoman, what’s say she joins us?”

  “No,” Tantra says firmly.

  Not a second later Synthia pushes aside the cloth and walks up to Tantra’s side.

  “Get back inside,” Tantra whisper-yells.

  “No,” Synthia says then turns to the group of armed mortals, “what is it you want…Raizen? If this is all for my head I’m rather flattered but there are less theatrical ways of going about it.”

  “You can keep your head,” Raizen smiles, “In fact I benefit greatly by keeping you alive.”

  “How so?” Synthia scrunches her brow.

  “That’s a conversation for another time, right now I’m interested in your cultivator friends services”

  “Surely I don’t need to repeat what she’s already stated.”

  “Yes, yes, you need protection blah blah blah. Honestly, does everyone take me for a fool?” Raizen grumbles, “we can provide protection, would barely even inconvenience us really.”

  Tantra actually barks a laugh at that, “Is that what this is? Trying to separate me from Synthia so it’s all the easier to claim her bounty? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

  “Kind of,” Raizen says, which earns him a fierce glare from his son, “If we wanted to kill her we’d have just sent in a hundred goons and it would be over with, instead we come to talk, with a cultivator, not exactly the smartest thing to do in these times.”

  “And that’s supposed to make me trust you?”

  “No, that’s what she’s for.” Raizen nods to his side, and almost theatrically his goons part to reveal a woman in deep purple robes, a green sash tied around her waist alongside a similarly colored trim to her robes.

  Tantra’s eyes go wide.

  “Etra?”

  “Good to see you too,” the woman lets loose a fierce smile, “was worried you keeled over and died, I was pleasantly surprised when these two chucklefucks called me over ‘cause they found you.”

  “We could still have you all killed,” Raizen points out.

  “Father!” Sasei exclaims.

  “You won’t,” Etra waves him off, “you like my company too much to even try.”

  “Uhm,” Synthia says, “can someone kindly explain what's going on?”

  “Of course, of course, if these two could kindly keep their mouths shut.”

  Sasei huffs and Etra just chuckles but neither of them speak.

  “Good,” Raizen grins, “now, about a month ago Etra here and I had a…conversation, a few deals may have been made in exchange for finding you and the others, one of them conveniently being her assistance with the war, alongside her friends.”

  Tantra turns to Etra, “others?”

  “Only one I’ve got with me is Erick,” Etra shakes her head.

  Tantra deflates but…well at least they’re safe…wait.

  “You’re helping them with the war?” She says incredulously, “can you even move your right arm?”

  “If I push Qi into it, yeah, enough to fight at least, learned that trick from you,” Etra says cheekily as she waves the offending arm.

  “This isn’t a joke Etra, I saw the front lines, you shouldn’t be there.”

  “Well, I’m not exactly bleeding coin, so my options were a little limited on what I could bargain with.”

  “And what, exactly, did you bargain with?”

  Etra looks away sheepishly and has the audacity to whistle.

  “Etra,”

  “Don’t be so hard on her,” Raizen chuckles, “she’s horrendous at making deals.”

  “I know,” Tantra growls.

  “Calm,” Sasei says, “It’s nothing so dramatic as my father makes it out to be, we simply…require you to be bait.”

  “What?”

  “Well, do you still have your robes? The one with the golden snake?”

  “Yes?”

  “Good,” he nods, “we can set up a few ambushes with that.”

  “Okay?” Tantra says slowly, “is there anything else?”

  “Yes,” Raizen nods, “you’re going to be the proud new tutor to my granddaughter.”

  Tantra stares at Raizen, then at Etra, “did you offer me as a teacher?”

  “Well, I offered all of us as her teacher, so yes?”

  “Etra,” Tantra says, “I already have my hands full with Erick, and you expect me to handle another one?”

  Sasei tilts his head, “it shouldn’t be too much of a problem, you already have plenty to care for.”

  Tantra blinks at him, then slowly turns to a conspicuously nervous Etra.

  “Etra,” Tantra says, saccharine sweet, “what does he mean by that?”

  “Um…there may be a few…individuals I need to introduce to you?”

  -

  “So, explain this again, but slowly,” Tantra says, “elaborate on your thought process even, I’d love to know what made you think any of this was a good idea.”

  “Uhm…” Etra says, scratching her cheek, “well I came down to the slums a few times, y’know out of curiosity.”

  “Of course,” Tantra nods, “makes perfect sense, who wouldn’t want to take a casual stroll in gang infested territory?”

  “Hey, I’m a cultivator, I woulda been fine.”

  “The fact that a bunch of mortals are currently holding the line against cultivators should disabuse you of any notion of safety.”

  “Fair,” Etra shrugs, “but I'd still hold a significant advantage.”

  “I’m debating strangling you right now,”

  “Please don’t”

  Tantra sighs, “okay…continue.”

  “Well, after the…I want to say third time? I caught Milo here trying to steal my storage ring, and well, the rest is history really.”

  “So you decided to take on an idiot and his friends as students?” Tantra glares at the boy, who just shuffles uncomfortably, “Etra, please, after all these years I was under the impression you possessed common sense.”

  “Hey, that’s not fair,” Etra says, “they were practically bones when I first met them! What was I supposed to do, leave?”

  “And I suppose you want to take on the rest of the street rats as well?”

  “If I could I would,” Etra grumbles

  Tantra rubs at her brow, a severe headache coming on, “you realize that the whole reason we stayed in this damned city was so that Erick could reach foundation before we move on to the sect? Now you put the burden of six children on my lap, what is this? You couldn’t just feed them if it bothered you so much, you had to teach them and make promises? Are you genuinely stupid? If I cracked open your skull would I find a brain?”

  “Wow, she’s kind of a bitch,” one of the twins whispers to the other.

  Tantra glares at her and the girl jumps a little, “If you knew even half of the dangers we might cross on the journey you’d realize why I’m being such a ‘bitch’”

  “C’mon Tantra, be nice, they’re just kids,” Etra begs.

  “You’re right they are just kids. You, me, and Synthia are the only adults here and clearly only two of us understand responsibility.”

  Erick hisses at that, looking almost sympathetic to Etra.

  “Look,” Etra says, “I was just trying to do a good thing, is that so wrong?”

  “No,” Tantra sighs, “what’s wrong is you decided to make this decision on your own, and now I’m responsible for much too many children.”

  “Hey, I can help”

  “You will,” Tantra runs a hand through her hair, “good gods, we’re going to have to find another city to spend five years training in, aren’t we?”

  “Well, we could always hire a higher realm cultivator to escort us, you’re chummy with that Zon guy right?”

  “That’ll cost all my savings,” Tantra grumbles, “I was hoping to use that for more mercantile pursuits.”

  “Well…you still have plenty of time?” Etra shrugs.

  “I’m still considering strangling you.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, I can chip in on the cost.”

  “Etra, no offence, but your savings are miniscule compared to mine.”

  “Well fuck you too then”

  Tantra snorts, “didn’t take long to get back to your normal cadence did it?”

  “Eh, keeping my mouth clean is a struggle”

  Tantra chuckles slightly at that.

  “Uhm,” a boy with an unruly mop of hair interrupts, “does this mean you’re taking us with you?”

  Milo hits the boy upside the head, and he yelps, turning to look indignantly at him.

  “Yes,” Tantra sighs, “unfortunately it does.”

  Tantra cares little for the cheering that follows.