Crown of the Starry Sky: Book 11 of Painting the Mists

by Patrick Laplante

  “You ask, numbskull,” Miyue said. “Though… Star-Eye Monkeys… I don’t have many memories of them.”

  “Huxian, why in the heavens didn’t you fill them in?” Cha Ming asked.

  “I was busy working on something with Lei Jiang,” Huxian grumbled. “I also thought it was just Gua being crazy. As usual.”

  Cha Ming massaged his forehead. He was glad they’d made the trip. He filled the others in on the situation in Stargazer City and the Star-Eye Monkeys’ abilities. They were impressed, but also concerned.

  “You’re saying they can’t use their abilities for the time being?” Miyue asked.

  Shallow Moon nodded. “Correct. It would take many months to recover, even with restorative medicines. My apologies.”

  Maybe I can help, a voice said. It was Sun Wukong.

  You never help, Cha Ming said.

  That’s fair. I guess I don’t, Sun Wukong said.

  “I guess we can figure something out,” Gua grumbled. “Stupid variant demons…”

  As for the Star-Eye Monkeys, they looked even more depressed now that their secret was out. They’d already been expelled from their clan for the same reason.

  Teacher, can you really do something?

  Not efficiently… Sun Wukong muttered from inside the Clear Sky World. What’s worse, I’ll need to borrow your body. You’ll suffer some side effects.

  What kind of side effects? Cha Ming asked.

  What they’re feeling, Sun Wukong said. Assuming it works.

  All right, Cha Ming said. Let’s try it. He prepared himself for the sensation he’d only felt a few times before.

  Sun Wukong’s spirit overlapped with his. Cha Ming’s shape began to change. His teeth grew sharp. His eyes grew larger. A tail poked out from his robes, long and red. Finally, a crown appeared. It was a crown of stone, and a fully closed circlet that was much heavier and bulkier than the Stargazer Chieftain’s. Sun Wukong took control of his body and summoned the Clear Sky Brush, then stabbed it into the courtyard’s paving stones. A pulse ran through the air.

  Birds flew away. Cha Ming felt something wrestle with the monkey demons. His domain warped and changed, as did the laws around him. A large runic array formed around Cha Ming and the demons, revealing a blue dust he could barely see. It fully covered the demons and their black fur, especially their eyes.

  Sun Wukong spoke something incomprehensible using Cha Ming’s voice. The dust trembled as a wind picked up. It swirled in the courtyard and began to sweep away the dust and push it into the vacuum that was Cha Ming. It flooded his body, and for a moment, he could see every star in the sky. He could think infinitely quicker. Problems that he’d thought about, like talisman crafting, concepts, among other problems, began working themselves out. He grew excited. There was so much he could do. With such power, he could become invincible. He…

  As quickly as it had come, it went away. The sensation faded. So, too, did the dust.

  What was that? Cha Ming asked as his awareness returned to normal. Sometime during the process, the monkey demons had all fallen to one knee. Each held their staff in their right hand, butt down and at attention.

  Stardust, Sun Wukong explained. I can’t channel much of it myself. It’s not in my nature. But a king’s crown is a king’s crown. Then the crown disappeared, and Cha Ming felt exhausted. Lethargic. His eyes glowed slightly blue.

  “What was that?” Huxian asked. He was staring at him with wide eyes.

  “You surprise us, human,” Shallow Moon said, rising. “Only a demon of the Monkey Clan should possess such a crown. But who am I to argue with facts? We hear and obey.”

  Great. Now he was practically monkey demon royalty. Cha Ming understood intellectually that he should do something. Still, he didn’t want to. Moving seemed troublesome. In fact, he wanted to rest. He struggled with these emotions as Sun Wukong explained everything to him. It was a good two minutes before he could finally move and speak. Slowly, at first.

  “This crown,” Cha Ming said slowly, “was bestowed upon me by an elder and must be kept secret.”

  “It shall be as you say,” Shallow Moon said. He hesitated. “This ability is beyond what even our chieftain is capable of.”

  “Your chieftain,” Cha Ming said, his voice speeding up slightly, “has barely reached the Investiture Realm. A fusion-realm chieftain… might be able to achieve such a feat. I am not sure. My elder is not of the Star-Eye Clan. Regardless… with the assistance of his spirit, I drew unwanted power from your bodies into mine. I shielded myself with his crown. The resulting fatigue is… acceptable. A day’s rest or so will do.” A day’s rest in the outside world, maybe. Ten days inside the Clear Sky World.

  Shallow Moon bowed deeply. “We are thankful. Months of rest have been accomplished in a few minutes. We can be more useful now. I do caution your friends to temper their expectations, however.”

  Cha Ming nodded. “Gua, the second thing I learned from Stargazer City: These variant demons were cast out due to clan politics and external pressure. The chieftain seemed reluctant to do so. But it still stands that they did not find their place in their clan.”

  “He is not a bad chieftain,” Shallow Moon said. “We have just been fighting for too long. But to elaborate on the reason we left, it is that we simply did not have the luxury of time to discover what we were good at. Every demon has a craft, yes? We builders are special. We learn crafts quickly. We create master works quickly. But only if we are gifted in these crafts.”

  He summoned a blob of black water. “Our variation of Star-Eye Monkey is new. There are no ancestral memories for us to draw upon. We have a slight affinity to water, but our affinity to wood is greatly hampered. When we were exhausted, it was difficult to think and use wood, though now it might be possible to use it, however inefficiently. We are perhaps a third as effective as a normal clan member might be in what would be considered normal demon monkey work. My apologies.”

  “Oh.” That was all Gua could say.

  “Then are we fine?” Cha Ming asked. “Can this misunderstanding be resolved?”

  “We’ll think of something,” Miyue said in Gua’s stead.

  “We will work with Mr. Gua and his staff and perform whatever duties are needed,” Shallow Moon said. “We are indebted to you.”

  Clever Dusk, who had remained silent during the exchange, chimed in. “It would help if we were allowed to perform a variety of suboptimal work, however.”

  Though the same Builder constellation floated in her eyes, it was shining blue and shifting. Cha Ming could see her channeling a light-blue dust, the same dust that had accelerated his thoughts before. “My apologies, I am simply thinking of a solution. Yes, that is optimal.”

  She looked to Gua, Huxian, Miyue, and Mr. Mountain. “In order for us to be most helpful, it would be best to experiment. We were under pressure in our clan and did not receive the luxury of time. But we are nothing if not quick learners. This way, if we find something we are gifted at, we would let you know. Everyone would prosper, yes?”

  “Er…” Gua started.

  “That would be wonderful,” Miyue said. “Let’s get everything cleaned up first. As a team. Then we’ll work something out. Please go ahead and discuss other things, and Gua, please go read up on the latest fashions. I’m sure you’ve been dying to do that.”

  “Sure,” Gua said. He’d lost all his pent-up energy.

  Yep. Nothing like guilt to solve problems.

  “Is there somewhere we could talk?” Cha Ming asked Huxian. “I wanted to give you, Lei Jiang, and Silverwing an update.”

  “Right. Right. Secret mission.” Huxian waved them over. “Miyue. Private room. Bring snacks.”

  “Special service?” she asked, perking up.

  “No!” he growled.

  She giggled as she led them to their rooms. Some things never changed.

  “Wow,” Huxian said. “I thought that chieftain was a major jerk before. Seems his entire clan’s batty. It’s proba
bly a good thing they left.”

  “It’s better than fighting a constant war,” Silverwing agreed. “How long has this been going on?”

  “Decades,” Cha Ming said. “Longer if you count some fights over a hundred years ago that led to the Golden Dragons leaving the mountains.

  “That’s not pretty at all,” Huxian said. “Dragons take their hoards seriously. They’re generous, but they don’t like being pressured. They’re proud.”

  “Generous?” Cha Ming asked. “I’ve only heard they’re misers, and I haven’t seen anything to change my mind.”

  “That’s just rumors or discrimination,” Huxian said. “Golden Dragons will always give you a good deal.”

  “I heard their mercenaries are expensive,” Silverwing said doubtfully.

  “Have you seen them fight?” Huxian said. “They’re worth every penny. And trustworthy to boot. They’d rather die than leave the one they’re protecting behind. I’m thinking that since they were chased away from their mountain into cities, they’re dealing with a resource shortage. They’re not misers. They’re just broke.”

  “Either way, it’s a complicated situation,” Cha Ming said. “At a glance, it seems whoever is raiding the caravans is targeting Stargazer City’s economy. Though I wonder if that’s just obfuscation.”

  “Obsfusti-what?” Lei Jiang said. Huxian also looked confused.

  “It means making things excessively complicated and mysterious in order to hide something,” Silverwing explained. “Could be the case. Though that’s a pretty long-term goal if it has been going on for decades.”

  “It could be a long game, but one that’s changed recently,” Cha Ming said. “A new piece entered the game. Either willingly or unwillingly.”

  “I’m no expert, but how do you know they’re not doing the same to the Iridescent Phoenix Clan?” Silverwing asked.

  “We don’t,” Cha Ming said. “They easily could be. But the Iridescent Phoenix Clan is more integrated with the prefecture. They do much more trade, so the prefecture depends on them. Stargazer City is more isolated.”

  “It also contains more raw materials,” Huxian said. “That’s where I’d start if I was sieging people. Starve them out.”

  “Well, it’s a start,” Cha Ming said. “What else is special about either clan?”

  “Well, they’re both one of the five major demon clans on the continent,” Huxian said. “But that could just be a coincidence. Apparently, the old stories around here say this was a pure demon world in the beginning. They say that back then, there were only those five clans. Four of the clans are still kicking, but apparently the Inkwell Clan is dying off. Not sure why.”

  “I heard they all ran away into the Inkwell Sea,” Silverwing said.

  “No one knows,” Huxian said.

  Cha Ming felt at his cheek. He’d been marked by the Rapid Turtle Clan’s elder. Were they related to the Inkwell Clan? It seemed increasingly likely. “Their clan may or may not be involved, but at least two of the five clans are. Whatever is going on is hurting at least one of them. Then there’s the fact that all these variant Star-Eye Monkeys popped up. I don’t think it was a coincidence they were targeted.”

  “Or sent out,” Silverwing said. “Smells fishy, given how caravans were getting ambushed all of a sudden.”

  Cha Ming nodded. “Agreed. Whether they performed ambushes now to catch them or they were sent out due to the caravans, it seems unlikely these events are unrelated. We still don’t know if it’s humans or demons doing this. The Star-Eye Clan thinks it’s the Iridescent Phoenix Clan. But given that there were both humans and demons on the bandit raids, I’m also inclined to believe humans are meddling.”

  “Yeah, demons don’t normally bring humans on raids,” Huxian said. “I mean, there are exceptions. By the way, me and my quest are super suspicious about the White-Eyed Tiger Demons and the Origami Clan.”

  “So am I,” Cha Ming said. “Unfortunately, I have little to go on in human territory. As far as the prefecture is concerned, this wasn’t a crime. The demon tribe with jurisdiction didn’t care to help either. What about you? Did you find anything on your end?”

  Huxian hesitated. “We’ve heard of a few things. It’s hard to say anything concrete.”

  “Disappearances among demons in the city might be slightly up,” Silverwing said. “Nothing major. Immigration from demon territories, on the other hand, is up fifty percent from ten years ago.”

  “So there’s enough trouble in demon territories to drive them from their ancestral homes,” Cha Ming said. “Are they all from the same area?”

  “Tribes neighboring the demon monkeys,” Silverwing said. “Apparently, some inky wells are drying up at the fringes of demon territory.”

  Cha Ming frowned.

  “Relax, it happens,” Huxian said. “Apparently, it’s been happening since the beginning. Water flows from the center, but the flow was stronger at first. Now it’s leveled out. Think of it like… hm… have ever you seen glaciers?”

  Cha Ming nodded.

  “Well, they’re melting, and when they’re gone, there’ll be nothing but a natural cycle and a lot more deserts. This plane is relatively new. Maybe a million years old.”

  “That’s new?” Cha Ming asked.

  “Obviously,” Huxian said. “You know how long demons live. That’s like… two hundred times the lifespan of a top-tier demon. That’s peanuts. “Anyway, because the plane is new, demon energy is dwindling. Humans ascended, but they breed like rabbits, so the plane is reaching a steady state.” He shrugged. “It’s a natural cycle. Happens everywhere.”

  “All right,” Cha Ming said. “But these inky wells disappearing could be more than just a coincidence.”

  “Maybe,” Huxian said.

  “Anything else?” Cha Ming asked. “Anything about black-furred or black-feathered variant demons?”

  “Nothing about strange demon variants,” Silverwing said. “But I have heard that the Iridescent Phoenix Clan has been complaining about monkey demons. From none other than our resident braggart Lei Jiang.”

  They looked to the small mouse, who was drinking a fruity iced drink. “What?” Lei Jiang said. “You just need to speak their language.”

  “What did you do, spit in their face?” Silverwing asked.

  “No,” Lei Jiang said. “I was humble to them. It pisses them off, especially since I’m a mouse.”

  “They are nuts,” Huxian said. “I hate their type.”

  “Can you translate?” Cha Ming asked. “I’m extremely confused.”

  “I won’t ruin the surprise,” Lei Jiang said. “Anyway, it’s nothing new. They’ve been complaining about them for ages. They’re so used to it that when the caravan issue came up, the first thing they said was they were being attacked by demon monkeys. Then people started complaining about previous attacks by monkeys, settlements being raided by monkeys, and monkey thieves. It takes years to build up that kind of hate.”

  “Damn,” Cha Ming said. “So it’s hard to tell if the problem lies with them, the Phoenix Clan, or if they were instigated.”

  “Seems they were primed,” Silverwing agreed. “Someone—anyone—just had to set off the fuse.”

  “Great,” Cha Ming said. “Well, either way, this can’t be good. We’re going to have to find out a way to stop these bandits. We don’t really have any other leads. I just wish we could take prisoners. And I don’t even know what the Crimson Lotus Empire is worried about. Warring demon clans doesn’t exactly seem like an imperial issue.”

  “Just tell us when we’re going out again,” Huxian said. “I don’t think we can do much in the city.”

  “It’s good you’re keeping an eye on the Star-Eye Monkeys,” Cha Ming said. “I’m worried someone will come after them if we leave them unattended. Speaking of which, do you need any money to take care of them?”

  “I think we’ll manage,” Huxian said. “But our costs are going to go up. Our business is about to get very expe
rimental.” He rubbed his hands together expectantly.

  Chapter 20: Reunion

  Cha Ming didn’t stay at the tailor shop. There was too much drama there, and more than anything, he needed time alone to think. Too much had happened in the past few days, and letting pressure pile up was both foolish and unproductive. Therefore, he went on a walk.

  The Burning Lake Prefecture was a marvel in architecture. Its skyscrapers, a legacy of the late Prefecture Lord Hanging Garden, were well known throughout the kingdom. Many came from far away to see their verdant splendor. While some argued the best place to do this from was the coast or the harbor, Cha Ming disagreed. The best vantage point was the Burning Lake.

  You would have thought that Prefecture Lord Burning Lake would have added a feature or decoration here, Cha Ming sent to Sun Wukong in the Clear Sky World. He was resting, as his show of force the previous day had exhausted him. Perhaps a torch? Or a ring of fire for everyone to see? Hanging Garden left his mark. It hardly seems fair that Burning Lake doesn’t leave his own.

  This Prefecture Lord Burning Lake might be arrogant and vindictive, but he clearly isn’t vain, Sun Wukong said. If it were me, I would have ordered the hanging gardens destroyed.

  Yet here they stand, attracting cultivators from all over the continent. Meanwhile, the Burning Lake remains unadorned, Cha Ming said. I guess I shouldn’t complain. It’s a place both mortals and cultivators enjoy. The lake is unimaginably deep and inhabited by demons that leave humans alone. Fishermen fish while birds make their homes. City dwellers walk around it through the trees, renewing their faint connection with nature. Myself included. Then a thought struck him. Teacher, are there humans who cultivate only demonic energy?

  As he ruminated on his answer, Cha Ming took the time to enjoy the scenery and take a breath of fresh air. Demonic energy lingered in it like a subtle flavor. The Burning Lake was a font that fed not only the inhabitants of its waters but every demon in the city. Even the famous hanging gardens were dependent on the violet vapors it gave off, using them both to sustain themselves and to improve their foliage. The Burning Lake was the origin of life in this city, regardless of what anyone else thought. It was owned by no one and everyone, and its name was lost and forgotten.