“Is that offer of training with you all still open?” Ling Qi asked after Elder Zhou’s lesson had ended for the day. She had drifted over to where Han Jian and the others stood at the base of the cliff that formed one of the borders of the training field.

  She wanted to work on strengthening her arts this week, and practicing with Han Jian and his group was her best option for that. She wasn’t quite ready to begin using the new techniques in the class spars, but she wanted to start by the end of the week, which meant polishing her skills beforehand.

  Han Jian paused in signing something to Han Fang and looked over to her with a smile. “It is. Got things polished enough that you’re willing to show off a bit?” he added, making her flush slightly in embarrassment. Of course Han Jian would be perceptive enough to tell that she had learned a few new tricks.

  “Something interesting, I hope. You will need it to keep up,” Gu Xiulan interjected from where she sat on one of the benches nearby. “I wouldn’t want you to be left behind. I intend to complete my breakthrough to Yellow Soul by this time next week.”


  “And Fang and I should both be reaching Silver by the time the truce ends or soon after,” Han Jian said. Han Fang grinned widely at this, straightening his shoulders proudly.

  “With your new techniques, I figure you’ll be fine as well,” Han Jian added reassuringly.

  “I do have some pretty good options that I haven’t shown off,” Ling Qi admitted, feeling some worry. The ranks of those who had reached the second realm in one or both forms of cultivation was growing, but she still felt like she wasn’t quite ready to break through. “They do need some polishing in real combat though.”


  “Well, that’s what these sessions are for,” Han Jian said, studying her carefully. “That said, everything going well for you? I heard you had an argument in Elder Su’s lecture hall the other day.”


  Ling Qi scowled at the reminder of that encounter. Every time she thought of it it just made her angrier. Huang Da didn’t have any right to talk to her like that or act like they were anything other than enemies.

  “Yeah. I actually wanted to warn you about that. That Huang Da guy and I had a disagreement over some resources, and that somehow turned into him deciding that he……” Ling Qi trailed off, expression screwing up in disgust.

  “He decided that he’s going to…… pursue me. He’s a creep. He was stalking my other friend, Li Suyin, before he switched to me. You might want to watch out for him. I don’t really know what he’s going to do.”


  “You’re not interested then?” Gu Xiulan asked curiously. “I suppose he is hardly your type. And pushy men are so boorish.

  “Still, the Huang family is quite wealthy and prestigious as I recall, if a little odd. You could do worse.” Gu Xiulan paused thoughtfully then amended, “Perhaps not if he really changed his mind so quickly.”


  Ling Qi stared blankly at the other girl. “No. I’m not interested at all. He tried to get Li Suyin and I to split up and choose him over each other and Su Ling like the arrogant jackass was someone we should have fought over. He then attacked us when we didn’t oblige.”


  “Ugh.” That seemed to convince her, going by the way Gu Xiulan made a face.

  “Even so, you should try not to dip into vulgarity like that,” she chided. “No one will respect a lady who speaks like that.”


  Han Jian coughed to draw their attention. Both he and his cousin had awkward expressions, likely at the direction that the conversation seemed to be heading. “I’ll keep an eye out for him. Don’t worry. I’ve started working on my family’s sword art, and I’m not exactly helpless in a fight. None of us are.”


  “I know. He’s just a sneaky bast……” Ling Qi glanced at Gu Xiulan’s raised eyebrow and huffed irritably. It wasn’t like the girl was wrong about talking like a commoner; it made other people look down on her. “He’s stealthy and has some kind of poison effect on his weapon. That might be a technique. Just keep your eyes open.”


  “We will,” Han Jian replied. “If you want to join us, head down to the training field we met at before in about two hours. We start around then and go until Elder Su’s lessons start.”


  Ling Qi nodded. That would give her some time to cultivate at the vent with the others and talk to Li Suyin and Su Ling about possibly joining Han Jian’s group to train. She wanted to make sure they were interested before trying to convince Han Jian and the others. If the joint training session went well, maybe she could convince Li Suyin and Su Ling to let Han Jian’s group share the vent in return for further training sessions.

  There were so many things she still needed to do.

  Ling Qi’s stress levels were not helped by the atmosphere on the mountain. Everywhere she looked, there were the signs that her fellow disciples were training furiously and otherwise preparing for the end of truce. The greedy looks she had gotten in the immediate aftermath of Elder Zhou’s test were returning. More and more, she felt hemmed in and surrounded by enemies.

  It didn’t help that her ears caught the word going around. That stupid conversation with Huang Da in Elder Su’s hall had apparently fueled all sorts of rumors, most of which painted her as the spirit stone-digger for leading on a wealthy scion for her own gain. It looked like the bastard even had fans among the other girls, going by the cold looks she got and the muttered words she heard in her passing.

  By the time she joined up with Bai Meizhen and the others to head up to the vent, Ling Qi was definitely in the mood to hit something despite having just been in Elder Zhou’s lesson.

  Ling Qi ended up leading an impromptu lesson in physical cultivation for Li Suyin and Su Ling, who were both looking to make improvements in that regard. Bai Meizhen was content to simply sit beside the vent meditating, the silvery mist swirling about her in a wide spiral.

  Su Ling took to it more; while Li Suyin listened in, it seemed she was focusing on reaching Late Red Soul for the moment. It seemed that Li Suyin had been neglecting her base cultivation in favor of expanding her qi, opening meridians, and learning arts.

  Ling Qi raised the idea of group training during her time at the vent. Li Suyin had been receptive to the idea, but Su Ling had been more reluctant. Between the two of them and Su Ling’s own worries, Su Ling eventually agreed to give it a try.

  Despite feeling a bit better, Ling Qi was still feeling high-strung and agitated as she descended the mountain afterward. When she arrived at the concealed training field and passed through the barrier, she was surprised to find that she was early. The only one there was Han Jian, who was crouched in the middle of the field, talking to the tiger cub she had seen with him a few times during their initial meetings.

  “Heijin, we’re really partners now, aren’t we? You have to start working with me here. I need to be able to work you into my tactics.” The handsome boy pleaded with the cub, who was curled up at his feet, apparently ignoring him.

  Ling Qi cleared her throat awkwardly. “Hello, Han Jian. Am I…… interrupting something?”


  Han Jian blinked and looked up, hands resting on his knees.

  “Ah, Ling Qi, No, you’re not. I’m just trying to get this lazy bones to work with me,” he said with a note of frustration. “I already had to carry him here, and now……” Han Jian stopped as the tiger cub stood up, still with his back to the boy, and padded over to Ling Qi.

  Ling Qi looked curiously down at the cub, which had paused at her feet, looking up at her with feline arrogance. The cub stared her down before sitting down again and brushing a paw against his ear before beginning to groom it.

  Ling Qi twitched as a voice that sounded like an arrogant young boy seemed to echo in her ears. Having ‘spoken’ to Cui before, she wasn’t completely taken off guard, but she was surprised at how clear his voice was. Was it perhaps because she had grown closer to Yellow realm and had mastered the fourth layer of Argent Soul?

  “Why should I? You’re giving Han Jian trouble, aren’t you?” Even knowing that bound spirit beasts understood her, she still felt rather silly talking to an animal.

  Heijin seemed nonplussed.

  The little feline was definitely demanding.

  “Sorry about that,” Han Jian said as he approached, shooting his ‘cousin’ a dirty look. “He always was spoiled along with the other cubs at home so……”


  the cub cut in haughtily.

  Ling Qi bit her lip, holding in a laugh at Han Jian’s expression, but attempted to look sternly down at the cub.

  “If I pet you, will you listen to what Han Jian is saying?” Ling Qi asked. She felt like she should be more annoyed by the spirit’s demanding and haughty tone, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to be. He was only a kitten after all.

  Ling Qi got the impression that the tiger cub was pouting at her despite the limited expressiveness of his face.

  he replied with great dignity.

  She sighed and crouched down to scratch behind the cub’s ears before giving Han Jian a pointed look. Heijin’s fur really was amazingly soft and silky, and the cub pushed his head up against her hand as she petted him.

  Han Jian roughly scrubbed a hand through his hair.

  “Thanks,” he said, glancing to Ling Qi before focusing on Heijin. “Now, look. I get that you don’t really respect me, but this has to stop. I need you to work with me. Do you really just want to laze around all day without getting stronger?”


  the tiger cub replied, peering up from under Ling Qi’s hand with disdain.

  Ling Qi felt uncomfortable as Han Jian’s expression contorted into a frown.

  “.……Yeah, I wasted some opportunities,” he replied evasively. Ling Qi didn’t miss the way he looked briefly at her. “But I told you I wanted to start making up for that, didn’t I? How am I supposed to catch up if you won’t even give me a chance to try? I’m responsible for the ones around me: Xiulan, Fang, Yu, and others too once I get back. I need your help with that.”


  Ling Qi wasn’t entirely sure how she felt to be left out of that list so she concentrated on the soothing feeling of soft fur as she brushed her hand down the cub’s back.

  Heijin did not reply immediately, nuzzling at her hand. ‘
he answered imperiously.

  Han Jian rested his face in his palm briefly, giving the tiger cub another frustrated look, before looking back at Ling Qi. “Sorry you had to hear that, but thanks for getting him to hear me out.”


  “It’s no problem,” Ling Qi replied awkwardly. “That said…… do you think I could ask you for a favor?”


  Han Jian nodded easily. “I suppose I owe you one. go ahead,” he replied, gesturing for her to continue even as Heijin butted his head against her hand to remind her to keep petting.

  “I was hoping I could bring by Li Suyin and Su Ling, my other friends, to train here too sometimes. We could all use a little work on our fighting skills.” That was an understatement, particularly in Li Suyin’s case.

  “Well, I don’t mind you using the field. But I assume you mean training with us.” Han Jian grimaced, scratching the back of his neck as he often did when thinking. “Let me talk to the others about it. Give me a day or two, alright?”


  “Sure,” Ling Qi responded, scratching Heijin behind the ears one last time as she heard the sound of others entering through the barrier. It was time to get started on the actual training.

  It was a little nerve-wracking to be at the center of attention. Facing them, Ling Qi could see Han Jian’s and Han Fang’s curiosity, Gu Xiulan’s calculated interest, and Fan Yu’s dour dislike.

  “So, this first art is……” Ling Qi began nervously, letting her flute drop into her hand. “Area control, I guess? It makes me harder to hit and confuses people’s senses. I can include others in it, but it’s more tiring.”


  Han Jian hummed thoughtfully, giving her flute a curious look. “Don’t tire yourself out. Fang, you want to try and tag her?”


  The bald boy nodded amicably, stepping forward and adjusting the practice wraps across his knuckles. As the others retreated, he fell into a neutral stance, fists raised in guard.

  Ling Qi studied him, Elder Zhou’s lessons allowing her to pick up the nuances of his starting stance. It leaned defensive, but he could snap into a more offensive mode quickly if he got the opportunity. Ling Qi held back a self-deprecating laugh as she raised her flute. It felt strange to know even that much.

  Mist billowed from the gaps in her flute as the first melancholy note of the Forgotten Vale Melody rang out. In mere moments, the field around them grew as dark as an overcast spring morning, the light mist swirling outward to engulf them both. Han Fang’s expression grew tight with concentration as the mist rolled over him. Ling Qi began to circle him as she continued to play, and Han Fang’s narrowed gaze hesitated before flicking to follow her.

  Cautiously, he advanced on Ling Qi, quickly eating up the short distance between them. The faint sound of thunder rumbled in her ears as a shimmering heat haze began to arise from his bare scalp, pushing away the cloying mist. When he seamlessly shifted to an offensive stance and lunged, she was ready.

  Cool, dark qi flooded through the meridians in her legs, and the edges of her being grew fuzzy as she flowed around his opening strike and the one that followed it, gracefully dodging with barely a stutter in her song. As she leaned out of the way of his third punch, she dodged to the side, disengaging from melee range impossibly fast as her limbs blurred and wavering shadows trailed from the hems of her gown.

  As Han Fang spun to face her new direction, already moving to close the distance she had made, she began the second technique of the Forgotten Vale Melody. The mist grew dark and thick. Han Fang jerked, glancing around in bewilderment as the shifting shapes in the mist drew his eye and allowed Ling Qi to slip away even further, fading into the misty shadows. Her song echoed, seemingly from everywhere now, and gave little indication of her position.

  Still, she found herself at an impasse. Han Fang advanced cautiously through her mist, searching for her, but she had little in the way of offensive options if she wanted to attack while maintaining her mist. In a real fight, that would be a problem, but in a simple demonstration spar……

  Her song cut off, and Han Fang immediately fell into a defensive crouch. It was not enough as a blunted training knife struck between his shoulder blades with a thump.

  “That’s my hit,” Ling Qi said impishly as the mists began to dissolve under the light of day, revealing her position.

  Han Fang gave her a chagrined grin as he bent down, picking up her knife. He gave her a friendly bow as she approached and took it back.

  “Looks like we need to get you started on a perception art, Fang,” Han Jian’s voice rang out from outside the clearing mist. “That’s a good art,” he added, complimenting Ling Qi

  Ling Qi smiled, warmth budding in her stomach. Fan Yu was still glowering at her, of course, but both Han Jian and Gu Xiulan looked mildly impressed.

  “Shall I provide her with some power then?” Gu Xiulan asked lightly, glancing at Han Jian.

  “If Ling Qi’s ready for a full match,” Han Jian agreed.

  Ling Qi nodded decisively as Gu Xiulan sauntered over, a slightly cruel smile blooming on her lips.

  She almost felt a little bad for the boys in the coming spar.

  Threads 33-Peers 1

  “So, I think I would call my outing with Xuan Shi a success,” Ling Qi finished, drumming her fingers on the arms of her chair. She’d left the exact details out of her report, but she had parted with the Xuan scion on good, if awkward, terms.

  “Very good. He is an important contact,” Cai Renxiang said crisply, capping the scroll case in her hands with a snap. It soon joined its brothers on a pyramidal stack. “We should be on our way.”


  Ling Qi eyed it and the stack of unfinished documents covered in unfamiliar numbers and names. She stood, and Cai Renxiang did the same as they left the girl’s office.

  “You know,” Ling Qi started casually, “what is all of that back there about? I can’t imagine that taking care of finances for a handful of people and a small gathering requires that much paperwork.”


  “Somewhat more than you might imagine,” Cai Renxiang replied in that way she had, the one that made Ling Qi unsure if Cai was being sarcastic. “What brings the question?”


  Ling Qi gave an awkward shrug as they made their way out of her liege’s residence. “Just curious, I suppose. I was wondering what has made you so busy.”


  “It is merely another set of tasks Mother has set me,” Cai Renxiang replied. The light that had once clung to her head and shoulders seemed to suffuse her more fully now, gleaming from the folds of her gown and leaving a faint shimmer in her wake. “I am to mirror the role of the Minister of one of Mother’s minor holdings.”


  Ling Qi blinked, staring at the back of the girl’s head blankly. “How are you to do that from here?”


  “Only the administrative portion of the role, obviously,” Cai Renxiang said, glancing back at her. “I receive the same reports, requests, and other information that he does. Of course, the budgets, reviews, and legal rulings I create are for Mother’s eyes alone. I have not been reprimanded for errors yet, so I can only assume that I am performing adequately.”


  “Only adequately?” Ling Qi asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Cai Renxiang did not visibly react to her words, but when she spoke, Ling Qi did hear a tinge of frustration to her words. “I will not presume. I will admit, however, that it is somewhat vexing to see a new month’s reports and find inefficiencies that I had uncovered continuing unobstructed and find other short-sighted decisions being repeated again and again.”


  Sixiang whispered dryly. Her head felt oddly quiet with only the muse and herself present.

  Ling Qi had to admit, she would not say that she knew her liege’s mind perfectly but that seemed like something deliberately designed to agitate her. She supposed she couldn’t know the Duchess’ mind. “The Duchess is not the sort to hide her displeasure, I think,” Ling Qi commented carefully, “or to accept adequacy.”


  “I am aware. I simply fail to understand her intentions,” Cai Renxiang said, the irritation in her voice subsiding. They lapsed into companionable silence as they reached the cliffside of the mountain and took flight, heading for the building her liege had rented for this month’s gathering. They needed to be there first to greet guests as they arrived.

  ***

  The hall was much the same as it had been each time before. Colorful tapestries and strings of flowering plants were hung on the stone walls, and there was a table laden with treats from all over Emerald Seas, attended by minor Sect workers. There was a single stage for entertainers, which she would be spending a large portion of her time during the gathering on.

  For now though, she stood near the entrance behind and to the right of Cai Renxiang to greet their guests as they arrived. She had done this a couple of times now and had prepared herself mentally for a good half hour of dull greetings and pleasantry. However, she found herself surprised by the first ones to arrive.

  While Bai Meizhen arriving early to claim and dominate a corner of the hall was not unusual, the one with her was. Bao Qingling was not a common sight period. The tall, gangly girl had shown up briefly at the first one to give Cai Renxiang some face but never again. She was also missing the shapeless smock and other accessories Ling Qi had always seen the girl wearing before. While the thick padded clothes, gloves, and boots remained, the top layer was made of silk in shiny black and green, rather than dull brown leather.

  “.…… the qualities, texture, and toughness of the silk is a significant divergence. How is the retention of the toxin potency?” she heard Bai Meizhen ask as they approached.

  “Seventy-five percent,” Bao Qingling replied gruffly. Her gaze remained straight ahead as she spoke, but her fingers twitched with a certain nervous energy. “Still needs workshopping, but progress has been satisfactory so far.”


  “The work reminds me of the crafts of certain family artifacts,” Bai Meizhen said smoothly. “The quality is not quite there, obviously, but it is an intriguing project. The use of treated spider webbing, rather than traditional silk, is an interesting twist.”


  “You’re too kind,” the taller girl said, a bit of pride creeping into her dry voice. “The works of Bai Xiong are treasured masterworks for a reason.” Their conversation fell silent as they approached the hall.

  “Miss Bai, Miss Bao,” Cai Renxiang greeted formally as they stepped inside. “Welcome to my hall. You honor me with your presence.”


  “Thank you very much for coming,” Ling Qi echoed. “I hope that you find the afternoon enjoyable.”


  “And I am honored by your invitation,” Bai Meizhen replied evenly. She cast Ling Qi an amused glance, but Ling Qi retained her pleasant mask. They had to go through the motions after all; she could chat with her friend later.

  “As am I,” Bao Qingling added stiffly, dipping her head with a twitchy jerk. “You’ve outdone yourself, Lady Cai.”


  “Thank you for your kind words. Please partake as you will of refreshments while the other guests arrive,” Cai Renxiang said, gesturing that they were free to pass.

  There was another exchange of bows, and the two passed them by. Ling Qi glanced back at them as their conversation resumed.

  “I would be interested to see the reaction of your silk to some Bai venoms,” Bai Meizhen began.

  Then Cai Renxiang shot Ling Qi a look, and Ling Qi smiled apologetically. They already had more guests coming. Eyes up front. She would have to figure out what those two were up to later.

  Guests trickled in, coming in ones and twos and threes. Gu Xiulan arrived, as did Xuan Shi and some of Ling Qi’s former tutors. Shen Hu drifted in alone, still seeming awkward, although dressed nicely.

  As the arrivals were beginning to taper off, Ling Qi found herself facing the day’s second surprise. As a head of red hair came into view, she caught even Cai Renxiang’s lips briefly twitch down into a frown.

  Yet, nonetheless, as Sun Liling came to a stop in front of them, her hands tucked into her pockets and her shoulders casually slouched, Cai Renxiang did not miss a beat. “Welcome, Princess Sun. It pleases me that you have deigned to accept one of my invitations.”


  “It really is a pleasure,” Ling Qi added blandly. She knew in a vague sense that Cai Renxiang regularly invited everyone above a certain status to avoid giving offense, but she supposed that she had never considered that this would include Sun Liling. “I hope you have managed to cure your restlessness, Princess Sun.”


  “Hah, suppose I have,” Sun Liling laughed. “Apologies if my presence disturbed your delicate sensibilities the other day. I hope ya remembered my message.”


  Sixiang mused silently in her head.

  “She did,” Cai Renxiang replied evenly. “Your concern is appreciated, Princess.”


  “I’m glad,” Sun Liling said agreeably. “I’ve been reminded that we can’t let little grudges and indiscretions get in the way of cooperation. We’re all servants of one Empire after all,” she drawled.

  “An admirable view,” Cai Renxiang said as Ling Qi tried to keep a dubious expression off her face. “You are welcome to my gathering, Princess Sun. I hope that you find it satisfactory.”


  Sun Liling nodded then passed them by. Ling Qi shared a long look with her liege. It looked like she wasn’t alone in not buying that for an instant. For now, there was little to do about it. She remained by Cai Renxiang’s side until the greeting was done.

  As Ling Qi mounted the steps to the stage and drew her flute to begin playing the first of her new pieces, her thoughts wandered to the party ahead. While she would observe everyone as well as she could from the stage, she had to consider how she would spend her time in the intermission between performances.

  When Ling Qi began her first piece of the afternoon, she allowed her qi to stir and effortlessly weave the Spring Breeze Canto into the light and ephemeral notes of her song. In studying the Harmony of the Dancing Wind art, she had worried that it was too direct and intrusive, or even rude, to use in social gatherings, but in attending these gatherings, she had begun to pick up some unspoken rules.

  It was simply accepted that everyone would listen in on everyone else. If Ling Qi focused, turning her attention to any one party goer, she could see the traces of perception arts. Cai Renxiang cast an invisible radiance over the gaggle of young nobles she conversed with, and its shadow stretched beyond them into the shifting crowd. Bai Mizhen’s presence loomed in the far corner, periodically exuding tendrils of qi like a snake tasting the air. Bao Qingling stood enshrouded in a drifting web of strands that vibrated with every passing motion and word in her vicinity.

  These perception arts were not uncontested however. As the soft notes of her song drifted over the hall, people would fade in and out. She looked to Wen Cao, quietly conversing with another boy, and found her senses distorted, as if she were seeing and hearing through a veil of rippling water. She looked to Sun Liling, and the beating of a monstrous heart drowned out Sun’s exact words as she chatted with a girl Ling Qi did not recognize.

  It was a little irritating that she had only found this out such a short time ago. However, she could not resent her friends in this for not explaining. Like many other things, it simply wasn’t something that was talked about. It was something that was known implicitly, the same way that she knew that speaking loudly would result in people nearby overhearing her words. If someone had needed that explained to them, wouldn’t she be baffled?

  The norm she had figured out gave her a new perspective on these gatherings. It was all one big dance of play and counterplay. Still, at least, she was beginning to develop the proper tools for this battlefield as well. So Ling Qi played, and Ling Qi observed.

  The overall mood was good. Disciples were pleased with her performance and the provided refreshments. In casual conversations, praise for her liege came easily to many lips. The swift, steady rise in ranks she was undergoing was not eliciting much resentment, but the comments she overheard regarding herself were less positive in tone. From the scions of various Emerald Seas clans, there was a certain air of resentment toward her, as if she had snatched something that belonged to them.

  More annoying were the veiled sneering toward some of her recent actions. Scions complained that she was thoughtless and destructive for setting off the storm on the Outer Peak without warning. that she wasted her time playing around with mortals, and that she built her staff from gutter trash, ignorant of “that sort’s” inherent untrustworthiness. The last complaint was especially annoying because there was always the undertone that she was that sort as well, and that obviously, someone should see about displacing her from the position she found herself in at Cai Renxiang’s side.

  Of course, she couldn’t act on the comments she had gleaned when the notes of her song pierced the obscuring veils of party goers’ social masking arts. That just wasn’t how the game worked. No, she had to smile, keep her knives up her sleeves, and act like the only things she had heard were the things said to her face.

  Ling Qi had put aside many petty grudges in the Outer Sect as she grew past their perpetrators. She had fixed her eyes forward on climbing the mountain of cultivation and cast aside her detractors as meaningless distractions. But that was not really an option anymore, she thought grimly. Perhaps these specific individuals could be treated the same way, but the families of Emerald Seas and beyond that they represented were not so easily ignored.

  Ling Qi allowed none of her thoughts to be expressed on her face or in her song, continuing to play the smooth melody she had composed for the party as she turned her attention to more individual concerns. Although her art failed to allow her to perceive Sun Liling’s actual words, she could still observe the girl’s actions, which were very mundane. The princess chatted, mingled, laughed politely at jests, and just generally acted the part of any other noble at the gathering. Sun still kept her slouched and casual posture and skimped on formal motions, but in every other way, she seemed to simply be behaving herself.

  Bai Meizhen seemed surprisingly comfortable among the guests. The ripples of terror that she had once unleashed with her every motion were controlled now, and she spoke with ease to those who engaged her. Ling Qi even spied what she suspected was the source of Meizhen’s previous complaints, a handsome young man in white and black robes who seemed to hang on her every word. Ling Qi didn’t miss the spark of extra animation that entered into Meizhen’s expression when those seeking her attention drifted off and the pale girl turned back to Bao Qingling, who hovered nearby, radiating prickliness from her scowling expression. She had caught the Bao’s attention shifting her way periodically as well, so Ling Qi suspected that they would be speaking later regardless.

  Eventually though, her first piece wound down, and Ling Qi stepped away from the stage to be replaced by a young man with a guqin whose name escaped her at the moment. She gave him a polite nod as she passed him by.

  Sixiang drawled.

  Ling Qi considered her options as she made her way to the drinks table and accepted a cup of pale plum wine. It would have been mildly intoxicating to a mortal, but for anyone here, it may as well have been a simple fruit juice.

  What should she do? Usually, at these gatherings, she said hello and made small talk with whichever of her friends were present and traded pleasantries with the handful of people who approached her. That was the only reason she remembered that Wen fellow’s name. He was consistent in finding and greeting her at these things.

  She glanced in the direction from which she could feel the Wen’s qi; he seemed rather withdrawn today. This was fine with her; though she knew he was a valuable contact in the Ebon Rivers province, she didn’t much care for him.

  She was getting distracted though. Ling Qi took a sip from her cup and then turned and began to walk toward the most brightly lit portion of the room.

  Sixiang asked quietly.

  Ling Qi thought back.

  Cai Renxiang would be the one to observe and learn from. Besides, she was certain no one could actually enjoy being alone, surrounded by false faces at these gatherings. …… Well, Xiulan might; that girl did seem to delight in trading insinuations and jibes with unfriendly people. She chalked that up to her friend’s aggressive, confrontational attitude though.

  Ling Qi left those thoughts aside as she made her way through the crowd to reach Cai Renxiang.