We meet again, and I bring the battlefield

Although others would've tried to haggle for something in return, I didn't hesitate.

"Of course, Master. I could've never created the Wraith Summoning technique if you didn't teach me so much."

For me, this technique wasn't something precious. I could make a dozen more techniques if I wanted, given time, and Lin Chu gave me an expensive Body Purification Pill just because I asked.

That the pill turned out to be corrupted with Qi deviation was of no importance. Although I panicked back then, in retrospect I understood that the amount of Qi deviation inside the pill was really low.

Besides, giving people expensive things made them feel indebted to you (assuming they weren't ungrateful leeches), and this feeling was much more lasting than a simple trade.

"This goes without saying." Lin Chu turned to the watching sergeant. "Clean this up. Disciple, what do you need for the summoning?"

I spent an hour explaining the details. Lin Chu memorized things quickly, but didn't repeat the technique himself.

"Later, write it down so it can be put into the Sacred Library of the Lin clan, Disciple Ru," Lin Chu said. "For now, I order you to create as many wraiths as you can and keep them away from where the Tao clan can see. When we have enough, we will use them for an attack through the tunnel."

I smiled and bowed.

My plans were progressing, although I wondered how much time I had left until Lin Deng recovered enough to throw stones our way.

"I will do just that, Master."

"To help you, Disciple, I will give you all the Qi stones I brought with me on this expedition. I will also try to create more wraiths myself—we need as many as possible—but I still need to appear on the walls often enough. It discourages the Tao clan from sending their Qi Condensation cultivators to raid the city."

I suppressed a shiver. So it was only thanks to Lin Chu that Tao Song didn't fly over the wall to fry me?

"Your presence is like cold water doused on a phoenix's flaming feathers, Master. As long as the Great General stays quiet and you are with us, I have no doubts we will win."

Lin Chu didn't deem that flattery with a reply.

***

After this, my days became very monotonous. Before I barely had time to relax because I was so deep in research, I was drinking ink and eating paper. Now I barely had time to relax because I was meditating and gathering Qi.

The Qi stones given by Lin Chu ended quickly. Creating a single wraith took a couple of minutes, but taming ambient Qi to put inside of it took two hours.

I was so busy gathering and taming Qi that by the end of the week, I learned to refine Qi while doing other things. I refined Qi while eating, while walking, even while sitting in an outhouse.

With this newfound ability to multitask, I refined Qi and visited Chang Dong. The man was still sober—to my surprise—but was healing steadily.

The same could be said about Fen Kuang and Lin Deng. Fen Kuang was already walking around, only occasionally bumping into objects. Lin Deng, from the rumors that flew around the governor's palace, was spending less and less time drowning out his pain with wine.

Which meant that he was getting more sober and angry by the day.

However, Lin Deng still didn't act yet, and thus I thought I had more time. I have created 70 wraiths, but that didn't feel like enough.

Staying in direct sunlight drained the energies of the wraiths, so I kept them in a cellar under the governor's palace. My useless zombie was also there, forgotten by me now that I had new, better undead.

70 wraiths could kill hundreds of soldiers, but cultivators could wipe them out easily. Especially Tao cultivators, with their love for Fire techniques. I planned to make at least 70 more and thought that I had plenty of time.

I kept thinking that until my fate caught up with me.

One day, the Tao clan tried to rush our walls. I heard that—it was hard to miss the explosions and the familiar sound of rocks crashing upon our walls—but I ignored it. This wasn't exactly the first time, but their attacks were always just jabs at our defenses.

So far, Lin Chu always fended the enemies off. As for me, I had no desire to risk my skin fighting out there if I could avoid it.

Besides, making more wraiths was much more important. They were our hidden weapon, a dagger in the sleeve of the Lin clan. A dagger that will strike once and go for the heart.

I was summoning another wraith in my room when I saw a bright red glow of Qi through the wall leading outside. That Qi was approaching from above, quickly, and the colors of it were familiar.

It belonged to Tao Song.

I jumped to my feet and kicked the water bowl away. The ritual was interrupted, and the Qi used in it returned to my body.

A moment later, I heard a crash from the palace's roof.

"What's going on?" someone shouted from the hallway.

"Is this an attack? Are we attacked?!"

"The Tao clan! There's a cultivator on a flying sword!"

I pulled the window of my room open and jumped outside to the palace's garden.

There, I looked up toward the bright Qi of the Golden Phoenix, and saw her hovering near the palace's roof. Her beautiful hair was glowing like true gold when lit by fire. Fire that was spreading over the palace's roof.

"The palace is on fire! Everybody, get away from here!" I shouted.

My cry was soon echoed by servants and soldiers in the palace. But no good deed will go unpunished.

"Ru Yujin," Tao Song said, smiling at me. "I didn't dare to hope."