Cultivating Chaos 2

by William D. Arand

  In fact, let’s do that.

  Something must have changed on Ash’s face because Zi Xin suddenly took two steps back. His hands came up in front of himself in a defensive posture.

  Slowly, he began backing up toward the door. Whatever he’d seen had spooked him to the point that he didn’t wish to be here any longer.

  “Go, Zi Xin, and do not come back to Sheng Street,” Ash muttered. “If you come down my street again, you’ll have to pay the tax. You’re no longer welcome here as the house elder. I’m the house elder on Sheng Street.

  “You can call me grandfather and pay your taxes like a good toad if you come back. Otherwise, I’ll make you wish you’d never raised your voice to me.”

  Zi Xin turned and fled, darting out the doorway and running away.

  Snorting derisively, Ash stood up straight.

  “I swear this sect is full of more rubbish than a trash can,” Ash growled.

  “It’s about normal, honestly. Power is strength, not kindness,” Mei murmured. A warm hand slipped into place around Ash’s forearm and dragged him back down into the chair. “Though I’m very appreciative that you stood up for me as if I was your woman. I could feel the power and violence in your words. I swore I felt you decide to kill him as well. Your killing intent was palpable.”

  “Yes, Master Sheng was extremely powerful. It gave me chills,” Na said from the door. She’d closed it and now remained standing there. “Zi Xin’s family name is Zhou. Zi Xin Zhou.”

  “He’s been rather forceful in his pursuit of me,” Mei explained, her fingers lightly stroking back and forth along Ash’s arm. “It will be quite wonderful when the information starts to spread that I’m your woman and you’ll not accept anyone pursuing me. That should curtail all of it quite cleanly.”

  “That’s not what happened at all,” Ash exclaimed, looking at Mei with disbelief.

  “It’s exactly what happened. It’s what he’ll tell people, and what I’ll agree with,” Mei said, smiling at him, showing off her lovely teeth. “The terrifying Ashley Sheng refusing to leave the young, family-less and vulnerable Mei Deng. Forced to join the Sheng Alliance, she must now entertain Ashley privately at his request. Even going so far as to throw a house elder out of her home when he asked Ashley to leave her alone.”

  “Yes. That’s how the story will go. Everyone loves a good romance,” Na said from the door. “I had no idea Master Sheng had such strength of heart. It was stunning to watch.”

  Mei wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out between her teeth. Then she leaned forward toward him, laying a hand on his cheek and tilting her mouth toward his ear.

  “You could always just show me your petals,” she whispered to him privately. “I might let you off the hook if you listen to my demands and do as I tell you.”

  Ash had no response.

  Three

  “Everyone looks like they’re staring at me,” Ash mumbled. They were standing off to one side of the assembly area.

  Mei, Na, and Ash had been joined by Moira and Tala. Yue and Jia had yet to find them. He didn’t think they’d attend without finding the rest of their group.

  “That’s because they are, Master Sheng,” Na said from his left.

  “You apparently attacked a house elder?” Tala asked, her long ears twitching one way, then another. “I’m missing some of the details, but that seems to be the recurring theme. You threw a house elder out of… oh. You threw a house elder out of Mei’s house and refused to leave.”

  Tala turned her lovely face toward him and gave him a flat stare.

  Unable to maintain contact with her frosty green eyes, Ash looked ahead toward the front. Hopefully, where someone would show up soon and end this, so he could go home.

  Then again, it was likely Tala would go home with him. She’d been cold to him and avoiding him since he’d kissed her the night before.

  He didn’t regret doing it, she’d had very soft lips, though he did regret angering and upsetting her.

  “Ah, that spread faster than I expected,” Na said. “I’m surprised Zi Xin spread the information so quickly. He’ll lose a great deal of face for it.”

  “I don’t think he spread it,” Mei said, shaking her head. She was holding Ash’s right arm with her left and had his forearm pressed into the side of her chest. “If I had to guess… someone was watching Sheng Street and then questioned him a bit.”

  Ash got the impression by “questioned him a bit” she meant someone had interrogated him. Possibly by force.

  Those who supported the Deng family want to know what’s going on.

  “You’re not exactly helping dispel the gossip,” Ash said gruffly, trying to pull his arm away from Mei without harming her.

  Except that she had a grip on him that’d require him practically flinging her off to break it.

  Damn Earth cultivator. Far too much strength.

  “Am I supposed to? That’s news to me,” Mei murmured and then laughed softly. “Stop struggling. I’m not letting go. Unless you’re planning on throwing me, this arm is mine.”

  “You’re becoming aggressive,” Moira said from behind him.

  “I… suppose I am,” Mei admitted, then shrugged her shoulders. “Or at least more honest about it. Certainly more honest than our pretty rabbit friend.”

  “True. I can appreciate your honesty,” Moira said.

  Ash shook his head. He wasn’t stupid or dense.

  Mei had acted interested in him from the day she realized what he was. It made him nervous, however, that he couldn’t figure out if she was interested in him, or what he was.

  Truth of the matter was that if he knew she was interested in him, he’d probably try to make a move on her. His attraction to Mei was strong.

  “Finally,” Tala growled, as a group of older men and women walked out to the front of the assembly stage.

  His master, Gen Sheng, was one of their numbers. He was a short man, walking with a cane he didn’t actually need anymore.

  He had short white hair, a face full of wrinkles, neutral brown eyes, and maintained a quiet and powerful aura.

  The crowd began to hush as the delegation stopped at the center of the platform.

  “Welcome one and all,” said a woman in her forties. She had black hair and dark brown eyes. She was very attractive for an older woman and would have likely been a real beauty in her youth. “I am Master Zha. I am now the Head of the Outer Sect disciples. Every master in the Outer Sect reports directly to me.

  “This is all due to what occurred recently. Nothing will change at this time as far as how we will conduct ourselves.”

  Nothing? Really? That seems… odd.

  “I get the impression that these types of… wars… are far more common than you or I suspected.”

  “—a number of losses,” continued Master Zha, smiling and showing her teeth. “Master Sheng and I have spoken with the sect leader and successfully petitioned to recruit from other sects.”

  Ash noticed Gen nodding his head at that. He didn’t look annoyed or even like he was paying much attention.

  He had the calm look of a man who approved of what was being said, knew what would be said next, and cared not at all.

  “There you are, Ashley,” said a voice from his left. In the next moment, Yue was there, standing almost hip to hip with him.

  “Some of you may have noticed a significant number of newly arrived students. They’re all the best that other sects had and we’ve brought them here to join the Jade Fist,” Master Zha explained, putting her hands on her hips. “And with so many new faces, it’s about time we had a tournament to determine everyone’s strength.

  “And by tournament, I mean a true fighting tournament. One-on-one fights until only one remains. Everyone will participate. The bottom five percent will be dismissed from the sect. There’s no room for them here with all the new recruits we’ve brought in.”

  Harsh.

  There was a general feeling of unease permeating through
out the entire audience now. Ash didn’t worry in the least about this tournament. So long as he could get past the five percent barrier he’d just lose on purpose after that.

  He didn’t really feel like dealing with a tournament right now.

  “This will occur in exactly three weeks. The annual alchemy examination will be in two weeks. Starting tomorrow, I will personally speak with each and every outer disciple to ensure your class placement. The day after tomorrow, regular lessons will begin, regardless of whether I’ve spoken with you yet or not,” Master Zha said. “I’ll also be testing and interviewing every master, house elder, and instructor’s assistant. I don’t plan on leaving any weeds behind.”

  In other words, she’s going to hunt down anyone who’s still affiliated with the Deng and eliminate them. As well as Deng family members.

  “That would include Na or Mei if they weren’t attached to you, I imagine. You won’t be able to shut Na out as easily. Unless you don’t care if she dies, which, let’s be honest, we really shouldn’t care. She’s little more than another Deng genius without anything we want.

  “Well… outside of a throw or six in the bedroom. Real beauty, that one.”

  “With that all being said, I’m going to introduce our newest Master, Gen Sheng, and ask him to close our assembly,” Master Zha concluded, then stepped to one side, indicating the older man.

  Gen smiled politely at the new Outer Sect Headmaster and took several steps to the front of the group.

  “I’m Gen Sheng,” Gen said, resting both hands on his cane. His words were soft, almost to the point that it was difficult to actually hear him. Though Ash heard him perfectly. He also heard the steel in the old man’s voice. “I will not accept any more personal disciples, so stop asking. I’m also now in charge of Outer Sect security, and some of the security for Jade Fist city. If you have concerns, bring them to me. That is all, you may go.”

  Smirking at that, Ash looked around the assembly area.

  He couldn’t see anyone that would be “security”, but he got the impression there was likely a large number of older men who were around. Those former members of the Open Hand who’d joined Gen and lived through the battle.

  Ash could imagine them sticking around to work with Gen. They owed him.

  He’d given them back their cultivation, provided them with a way to strike out at the hated Deng family, and granted them their revenge.

  Gen had delivered on everything he’d promised them and then some. Now they were his, well and true.

  It was no wonder that Master Zha had quickly worked to ingratiate herself with Gen and incorporate him into her plans.

  “Oh, I recognize you. You’re my new neighbor,” Yue said, her head turned around toward the rest of the group.

  Following her gaze, Ash found she was addressing Na.

  “Yes, that’s right. I challenged for their home just this morning. They were so confused they actually attempted to fight me. I imagine they’ll have to figure out what to do with house number one hundred as it’s unlikely they’ll be able to keep it for long,” Na said, smiling at Yue. Then the young woman bowed her head toward Yue. “I’m Master Sheng’s personal attendant, Na Deng. I’m available at his leisure—and pleasure—in whatever way he wishes, for as long as he allows me to live.”

  Yue’s eyebrows shot up at that and she looked at Ash.

  “She’s one of the people I saved,” Ash said with a shrug of his shoulders. “She’s just wasting her time. I have no need of her or a personal attendant.”

  “Then… then I shall take my life and trouble you no more,” Na said, immediately bowing deeply at the waist toward Ash, and then collapsing to her hands and knees while pressing her forehead to the ground. “My death will not trouble you, I swear. I’ll make sure I leave my corpse in a place that will not be found.”

  “That’s not necessary. You can just live your life and—”

  “I swear, my death will not trouble you, Master Sheng,” Na repeated, interrupting him at the same time. “I’ll take my leave now.”

  “Ashley!” Moira hissed, glowering at him. Her large eyes demanded that he immediately fix the situation.

  Damnit. Of course, she identifies with her.

  Damn, damn, damn!

  “Stop. That’s… stop. Stop. No killing yourself,” Ash commanded.

  “Are you taking me into your service then?” Na asked, not having raised her head. She was still prostrate on the ground at his feet.

  Moira nodded her head once definitively, glaring at Ash.

  “Yes,” Ash said, checking a sigh and keeping himself from rolling his eyes. He really didn’t have much room to work with this. “I’m taking you into my service.”

  “I understand. I’ll serve you in every way, Master Sheng. I’m yours in all things,” Na said. “May I rise, Master Sheng?”

  He really didn’t understand why Na was throwing herself at him like this, but he didn’t see another way out right now.

  “Yes, please do. You’re making a scene,” Ash muttered. More than a few people had noticed what was going on and were watching.

  “Thank you, Master Sheng,” Na said. Lifting her head, she placed her hands on his boots and then lowered her face down to the tops of them. “Thank you, Master Sheng. Instruct me in whatever way you wish, and I shall attend to it.”

  “Oh, my fu—get up. Now. Stop this,” Ash growled.

  Na sat upright, then got to her feet, bowing her head thrice toward Ash.

  “Yes, Master Sheng,” Na murmured. “Of course.”

  “No more of that. No more bowing, no more prostrating, no more… no more of any of that,” Ash said. “If you do… if you do, I’m going to get rid of you and I don’t care what happens. Do you understand? And don’t call me Master Sheng.”

  “Of course, Master Sheng. I will obey your orders. But I must humbly decline the last one. You are my master, Master Sheng,” Na said her eyes wide. “And any child I bear for you will serve your family as well.”

  “What? That’s just stupid!” Ash said.

  “Why?” Yue asked, sounding confused. “It would be right for her to bear children that would serve your family.”

  “Because… because you don’t just… turn children into slaves,” Ash said, feeling very strange about this.

  “They’re not slaves, they’re familial servants,” Mei said, also looking at Ash as if he were odd. “Should she bear your children, they would serve your family, which is their family.

  “Unless you’re saying that her children would be part of the clan?”

  “Clan?” Ash asked. He was feeling extremely bewildered now.

  “Yes, a clan,” murmured a voice from behind him. Turning his head, Ash found Gen standing there.

  “The Sheng clan. Your personal branch of the Sheng clan. Because that’s what you need to start preparing for. If you do have her bear your children, you’ll have to decide if they’ll be familial clan servants or Sheng children,” Gen said, nodding his head. “I would suggest familial servants at first, then turn them into an Ashley Sheng branch family down the road.”

  “Oh, that’s a good idea,” Mei agreed, nodding her head.

  Ash just stood there, not really comprehending the full context of the discussion.

  The fact that they were talking about forcing children on Na, and then making those children servants, wasn’t something he could really wrap his mind around.

  “The process to have a clan recognized takes time,” Gen continued, looking around at those gathered nearby. “It’s good that you’re all discussing it now. The Sheng family never truly had a registered clan, so you’ll have to start from nothing. I look forward to being one of the first honored elders.”

  “I’ll handle that,” Yue declared. “I’ve been meaning to make connections with the Realm Lord’s court. It’ll be a good excuse, and greasing palms to get a clan registered is very normal.”

  “What can we do for you, Master?” Mei asked, smiling at G
en. Ever since being accepted as a student, she’d been extremely deferential to Gen.

  “Mmm, nothing, really,” Gen said, leaning onto his cane. “I was just curious about what was going on. It seems I have yet another student to instruct.”

  Na nodded her head rapidly at that.

  “Fine. It makes me glad to be stealing away the few remaining geniuses of the Deng family,” Gen said, with his wolf-like smile. “Though I do wonder who else will try to move onto Sheng Street, as you call it. There are another five homes on your little path.

  “And given your victories, there’s definitely a good deal of confusion now about which way the ranking of houses goes.”

  “Not to mention the Essence,” Yue said. “It’s all moving toward Ash’s house. I heard it used to go the other way.”

  “Yes,” Gen said, with a small smile. “That does seem to be the case now, doesn’t it? Hmph.

  “Well, I’m going to go check in with Master Zha. She and I have been working closely since she was brought in. She’s from the Mountain Bear sect, you know. The sect leader recruited her personally to handle this matter.”

  Ash detected something else in Gen’s words. It wasn’t just admiration for a co-worker. If Ash had to put a name to it, he’d almost think it was familiarity or tenderness.

  Everyone bowed their heads and pressed their fists together toward Gen.

  Smiling wider at that, Gen bowed his head in return and then began to slowly walk away. Making not a single noise as he did so.

  “He’s… very strong,” Na murmured. “I wasn’t able to deduce anything of his power.”

  “Yes, our master is a very wise and powerful man,” Mei said, then laughed softly. “Though I find it rather amusing that he’s sleeping with Master Zha. I wonder if she initiated that, or he did.”

  “Your thinking runs the same as mine, huh?” Ash asked.

  “Indeed. I hope they find comfort in one another,” murmured Mei.

  “He’s so much older though,” Tala said.

  “There are those who will chase power, rather than the person,” Yue said with some disgust.

  Ash imagined everyone added, “Like Jia” to the end of her statement. No one had any doubts as to what Jia had wanted from Ash, and why she’d challenged him previously.