PtM Book 14 - Chapter 37: Asylum

3/5!!! Double release today!

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A breeze swept across Cha Ming and his group of industrious formation artists and their freshly completed formation tower. The wind hugged the runes and swept sand across them as though mocking their efforts and hard work.

The air smelled of blood and change and spoke of an invisible enemy. Times were changing, and the entire city could feel it.

Cha Ming’s group consisted of ten other Runebound clansmen, a few ex-students on loan from Iridescent Wonder, and one inkborn glyph shaper, Painted World. There were a few human craftsmen present as well, rankers with classes like runesmith and wizard and mage.

For a normal project, Cha Ming would never have needed their help, but this was far from a normal formation. The tower they’d just completed was one of sixty-four that spanned the entire city.

“Are the others ready?” Cha Ming asked Painted World.

“Yes, they’re all in position,” Painted World answered. “Should we begin?”

“Yes, let’s all start as a single unit,” Cha Ming said.

They began pouring energy into the formation tower, which served as a spark to ignite the huge number of inkwell jades beneath this tower and the other ones. The formation wouldn’t need so much energy once it was up and running; it was just the first activation that was so energy intensive.

Lighting the tower caused a chain reaction. Two at a time, the sixty-three others ignited until the circle was completed. For a moment, Cha Ming saw nothing but a white light, which soon faded to reveal lines of sacred golden that linked this tower with all sixty-three others.

One. Two. Ten. Twenty. One hundred. A thousand. Ten thousand. The number grew until forty thousand formation lines came together to work as a single unit.

It was a sight to behold, even with eyes as sharp as his. Or perhaps it was because his eyes were sharp that he could see it. It was hard to imagine such beauty existed.

As the formation’s light faded, his assistants collapsed to the ground. “Good work everyone,” Cha Ming said. “Take a rest, and we’ll travel back to the city in an hour’s time.” His eyes narrowed as he looked toward the north, where the wind was coming from. The scent of blood had grown stronger, and an uneasy feeling was growing inside him.

“Sorry. I need to go. I’ll be back.” Cha Ming said.

“What is it, sir? Can we help?” one of the formation artists asked, but Cha Ming was already gone.

There’s a battle up ahead,Cha Ming thought. No. A confrontation. Conflict. And whatever that conflict was, he could feel he had something to do with it.

He flew as quickly as he could and even teleported in short hops, then remembered he had a void-faring ship. He summoned the vessel and sped off into the distance, where he saw another convoy of small ships racing northward.

He was surprised to see members of the Star-Eye Clan, the Runebound Clan, and the Iridescent Clan. Elder Finleaf was leading the convoy in her personal ship. Clever Dusk was in attendance as well, which meant that the Tree of Life was undefended.

Cha Ming pulled up beside the inkborn and adjusted his speed to match their pace. “So you sensed it too,” Clever Dusk said, shooting him an enigmatic smile.

“What’s going on?” Cha Ming asked.

“We have guests,” Clever Dusk answered, but did not elaborate.

It only took them a few minutes to cross fifty kilometers. Up ahead was a single ship being pursued by dozens of other ships. Small figures were flying about the lone vessel, unleashing attacks with sword and fist to defend against arrows and spells and artillery.

The group from Verdant Crossroads left their ships and blocked the way, forcing the single vessel and their pursuers to stop as well. These ships weren’t at all weak, and they contained many powerful individuals, but even they weren’t so foolish as to try charging through a group of fusion-realm demons, forget the fact that one of them was the legendary Elder Finleaf.

“Why are you interrupting our good business?” a man asked, flying out from the large ships. He wore an archbishop’s robes, and though arrogant, he scanned the crowd carefully. So did his counterparts who emerged from the other ships.

The ship this group had been pursuing was not a powerful craft. It was a merchant’s ship, a large one, built to carry cargo within its large holds. Defensively, it was a wonderful ship, but it wasn’t suited to combat or flight.

Two familiar figures emerged from the ship: Sect Master Frozen Thorn and Daoist Frozen Rain. Both were covered in wounds, and Frozen Thorn was even missing an arm. The stump on his shoulder was encased in ice to stop the bleeding.

“Greetings, demons of Verdant Crossroads,” Sect Master Frozen Thorn said, using as dignified a voice as he could muster. “We are the Frozen Lotus Sect, and we hail from Desert’s Blessing. We have come seeking asylum from our pursuers, who insist on eradicating us for matters of belief.”

“I remember you, Frozen Thorn,” Elder Finleaf responded. “Last we spoke, you discussed the possibility of relocating your sect to Verdant Crossroads. I never imagined this scenario, but we will consider your request. That being said, perhaps we should wait until everyone is present.” Multiple bright rifts appeared on the eastern flank, and rankers and ships flew out from the rifts and assembled into companies.

There was movement to the north as well. Two armies, one brightly colored, and the other clothed in black. Both armies looked at each other with animosity, but it was clear they were here for the same reason.

It stood to reason that another force would arrive from the west to complete the encirclement, and it came in the form of three ships. One was ornately crafted with symbols of the Asherall Governing Council, and none other than Ambassador Flitwick flew out from it. He was accompanied by a bishop of the Church of Jezeriah. Not an archbishop, though,Cha Ming noticed. It seemed that Archbishop Hammond did not support whatever was going on.

“Many thanks for your assistance, Elder Finleaf,” Ambassador Flitwick said. “The fugitives from the north are as good as caught! Attack and destroy them by the authority of the Asherall Governing Council!”

All three human forces began to close in on the helpless Daoists, including, ironically, those affiliated with Harid Dej. Cha Ming panicked for a moment, but soon discovered that his worries were unfounded. As the rankers closed in, Elder Finleaf fused with the land, as did the others accompanying her.

The land expanded. Cliffs burst out and blocked off the approaching armies, and geysers exploded with flames that would devour any who chose to continue their pursuit. It was just past dawn, but the sun began to burn bright and hot. The desert sand began to melt. Simultaneously, bamboo stakes shot out of the ground like a pike line welcoming a calvary charge. The combination stopped the encirclement in its traps, preventing them from taking a single offensive action against the beleaguered Daoists.

Several of the figures from Verdant Crossroads fused with their manifestation. The most prominent among them was Bloodfur. A black-furred monkey with a black staff and black armor appeared, and his mere presence caused the weaker members of the human armies to bleed from every orifice.

Shimmering portals of starlight opened. Troops began pouring out from the Starry Road Network. They surrounded the Daoists and formed a protective shell around them.

“W-what?” Ambassador Flitwick exclaimed. “This… this is outrageous! How dare you block the Governing Council’s army!”

Elder Finleaf smirked. “Outrageous?” She hadn’t even activated any techniques, but her presence weighed heavily over all those present. She was the most powerful fusion-realm demon in Verdant Crossroads, not counting the Thread Seer, and speaking a single word caused the earth to shake and the winds to billow. “This is the Autonomous Territory of Verdant Crossroads, Ambassador Flitwick. Last I checked, we have full rights to negotiate matters of immigration into our territory. Further, this is a process that began months ago, and if you had any objections, you could have stated them earlier.”

A figure flew out from the army from the east. It was the general of Asherall’s army. Cha Ming frowned as he recognized the general as the leader of those assigned to Merenthal and Aaron Shacklebolt. “With all due respect, these are invaders from outside the Republic. It is our sacred duty to repel such invaders.”

“Well, this is news to me,” Elder Finleaf said, not budging an inch. Their auras clashed for only a moment, but that was more than enough to send him flying back a few feet, coughing up blood. “Last I checked, we did not receive an official decree from the Republic. You have officially deserted your post, General Lancaster. You and your entire army. There was no official withdrawal of support, and no warning was given to our commanding officer in the east, yet just this morning, I received a report from Commander Merenthal and Strategist Shacklebolt that you were nowhere to be found.”

“We naturally came to fend off these invade—” the general said.

Elder Finleaf cut him off. “I do not need your excuses. You would also do well to remember that while I might not have the right to destroy your army for desertion, it wouldn’t be overboard to execute its leaders. Desertion is a far greater crime than entering our autonomous territory without permission. This is especially the case when the party is a group of refugees claiming asylum.”

Clever Dusk flew up then and whispered in her ear. “Ah, right. I’d almost forgotten,” Elder Finleaf continued. “Desert’s Blessing has no official standing army. Yet I see two organized armed forces from the Church of Jezeriah and Harid Dej intruding on our territory. Together. How interesting! How novel! I really wonder how I should treat such hostilities. Should I celebrate your spirit of cooperation or prepare myself for the fourth Great Mendin War?”

Two figures flew out, one from each army. “I beg your pardon for the intrusion,” the representative from the Church of Jezeriah said. “We were simply chasing these fugitives and thought it best to take care of them before they could be a bother.”

“And what is their crime?” Clever Dusk asked them both. “Surely it would be a crime recognized by the Asherall Republic and both the Churches of Jezeriah and Harid Dej, if this cooperative lineup is any indication?”

“Well, um…” the man from the Church of Jezeriah said.

The representative of Harid Dej spoke up instead. “They follow heretical ways. They have inducted mortals on a path not unlike the ranker paths, and such a cancer must be expunged.”

“Oh?” Elder Finleaf said this time. “How interesting. This is especially rich coming from the Church of Harid Dej, which will allows infernalists among their ranks. Am I to understand that all non-ranker paths are unacceptable and should be expunged?”

“He most certainly did not imply such a thing,” the representative of the Church of Jezeriah interrupted. After all, such a statement would imply that the demon path was also a heretical one. “What he means to say is that these individuals are not of the demonic path and not of the ranker path. Such a thing is an abomination.”

“I see…” Elder Finleaf said. “Then does this mean the light and dark republics have declared war against Daoism once again? Has the Agreement of Free Path among nations been revoked? Has the Asherall Republic also amended its foundational laws without my noticing it?” Every word caused Ambassador Flitwick to shrink back.

She then looked to the one-armed sect master of the Frozen Lotus Sect, Frozen Thorn, who was currently being supported by Frozen Rain. “Tell me, Sect Master. Do these mortals they speak of follow the Daoist path?”

Frozen Thorn grinned despite his grievous wounds. “These mortals have embarked on the Path of the Painted Daoist,” he said. “They use Daoist techniques and manipulate Daoist domains. I see no difference in the path they pursue and my own, so I was surprised when they declared war on us without provocation.”

“Then it seems to me that we have no choice but to step in,” Elder Finleaf said. “Verdant Crossroads is a part of the Asherall Republic, which is a signatory of the Agreement of Free Path. We accept the Frozen Lotus Sect and its affiliated mortals as refugees escaping unjust persecution. Not only will we be filing a complaint to the Court of Free Path, we also make this statement to their pursuers: Should you continue with your aggressive actions, we will be forced to retaliate.”

There was silence for a moment. Many couldn’t believe she would say such harsh words for a group of Daoists. Even Cha Ming was surprised.

“If I may—” Ambassador Flitwick started.

“No. You may not,” Elder Finleaf said, cutting him off. “Please inform the Asherall Republic of our decision. I will be sending official documents of censure, reprimanding the commanding officers of this so-called army for abandonment of their duties, and I expect an explanation. I will also be censuring you for your actions personally.”

The ambassador nodded stiffy. What else could you do when confronted by raw and unbridled power backed by legally sound reasoning?

The two armies from the north spoke up next. “We apologize for the intrusion and meant no offense to either Verdant Crossroads or the Asherall Republic. We will withdraw our forces from Verdant Crossroads with your permission.”

“Permission granted, but remember that I am lenient today only because of the sensitive nature of other parties,” Elder Finleaf said. “For you, there will be no second chances. As for you…” She looked toward the army and pondered what should be done next.

“I suggest the army set up camp near the city to await the Governing Council’s verdict,” Ambassador Flitwick suddenly said.

Cha Ming’s eyes narrowed. It seemed he had just communicated with his superiors.

“We hope to come to a satisfactory resolution, and that resolution may involve punishment. I will also inform the Governing Council of your… decision to harbor harmful elements within your autonomous border. I expect a response in two days’ time.”

Elder Finleaf inclined her head at the ambassador and shot the army’s general a death glare before turning to Frozen Thorn and Frozen Rain. By now, a large group of cultivators had emerged from the ship, but Cha Ming saw no mortals. Right, Cha Ming thought. They obtained the realm relic from Kerava. The treasure was a portable space that could accommodate many people, though the costs of maintaining such a treasure increased drastically if it contained too many cultivators. Their claiming of this artifact was now proven both appropriate and prescient.

“Our city isn’t large, but I believe we have ample room to accommodate your members,” Clever Dusk said. “Within the city, of course.” Away from the army outside it, were her unspoken words.

Their small convoy proceeded to lead the ship back toward the city, with Asherall’s army following closely behind. It was only when they passed the boundary of the newly installed grand formation that Cha Ming realized that his work was not unrelated to this confrontation, and had been commissioned for this very reason. The refugee ship entered the barrier safely, as did Ambassador Flitwick. The army did not. They struck camp just outside the formation’s boundary.

Supplies had already been prepared. The Daoists were immediately split up into camps the moment they emerged from the Frozen Lotus Sect’s realm treasure. They were just as wounded and exhausted as Frozen Thorn and Frozen Rain were.

It was only then that he noticed some figures were missing. A large chunk of elders was nowhere to be found, including Elder Glacial Blade, and the Frozen Lotus Sect’s ancestor was conspicuously absent.

But Cha Ming didn’t inquire. Their looks said everything he needed to know. And he had no doubt as to the reason behind their sudden migration: The Churches had reacted much more strongly to the Painted Daoists than anticipated.

***

Hours later, Cha Ming found himself at the top of the Tree of Life, where council meetings were held. The sun was out and the sky a bright violet, but the tree’s inky-black leaves and condensed starlight struck a fierce contrast to it, lending a mysterious ambiance to their meeting location.

Frozen Thorn and Frozen Rain were in attendance. The demon representatives were limited to Elder Finleaf, Clever Dusk, and five others. The First Feather represented the Iridescent Clan, while Merenthal represented the Runebound Clan via incarnation. The other four representatives were not of the five great clans, and by tradition, they represented the elements of water, metal, fire, and wind.

“Please correct me if my information is mistaken,” Elder Finleaf said. “I will attempt to summarize the situation to the best of my abilities. You Daoists somehow broke the status quo in the cultivation world by using a method invented by Daoist Clear Sky, who is affiliated with our Star-Eye Clan.

“Your group of a thousand Daoists began converting the sixty thousand mortal members in your group, despite greatly lacking in power compared to your rivals. Violence ensued from both the Churches of Jezeriah and Harid Dej, who felt threatened by your actions, and you were forced to evacuate your entire people and flee to Verdant Crossroads.”

Frozen Thorn inclined his head. “It is as you say, Elder Finleaf. We played with fire and were burned for it. We couldn’t resist the alure of strengthening our mortal population, which forms the foundation of our very existence.

“We Daoists have always been strong but few in number. We simply wanted to correct the imbalance before the Church claimed us, just as it did the populous demon clans in the Great Mendin Wars several millennia ago.”

The First Feather snorted. “Anyone with a modicum of real-world experience would tell you they would react poorly to those threatening to poach their worshipers.”

“But we didn’t compete for worshipers,” Daoist Frozen Thorn said firmly. “We offered this power freely, with no limitations to loyalty. In fact, we did not plan on prohibiting the worship of either goddess. Painted Daoists can chose to worship as they will.”

“I think we are skimming the main issue,” Merenthal said. “Neither church would care if not for the fact that these Painted Daoists of yours can cultivate much like rankers can. Is my information correct? These people are equivalent in power to rankers, without the restrictions of either goddess?”

Frozen Thorn was in a difficult position, so he could only answer truthfully. He flicked his sleeve and sent out five talismans each to Elder Finleaf and Merenthal, who then passed them around. “These talismans are cheap, and our talisman artists can easily replicate them. Those who use them will become the equivalent of initial-bronze rankers, with roughly half the strength of an initial-rune-carving Daoist.” He then summoned a white talisman. “On their own, they cannot grow. Only Painted Daoists created using these expensive initial-rune-gathering-grade talismans can cultivate.

“There is a large disparity in talent among Painted Daoists. Roughly ten times greater than observed in normal Daoists. Both their talents and their growth are comparable to rankers. Whereas it might take a hundred days to cultivate from the initial-rune-carving realm to the early-rune-carving realm for a talented Daoist, it would only take ten days for an equally talented Painted Daoist.”

The council members began to discuss in hushed whispers, with only Clever Dusk and Elder Finleaf remaining silent. Cha Ming remained silent as well. Several minutes later, Elder Finleaf silenced everyone with her aura and spoke. “Surely there is more to this matter, Sect Master Frozen Thorn. I would expect severe aggression from them for what you have revealed, but not such outright hostility. Forget an alliance from both Churches to stamp you out.”

Frozen Thorn grimaced and nodded. “There are a few secretive details, but we do not believe that either Church is aware of them. I say this because my father, the late Ancestor Frozen Lotus, assured me that no high-level members of the Church were involved in questioning the members they captured.

“They attacked us not long after capturing a few of our Painted Daoists, and they attacked swiftly and on multiple fronts. It was only through our ancestor’s foresight and sacrifice that we were able to escape.”

Elder Finleaf nodded slowly. “These other details. Would you be able to share them with all present? We need to know of the risks involved in harboring you. Your flight to Verdant Crossroads has set off a political storm the likes of which you can’t begin to imagine.”

Frozen Thorn gulped. He looked to Frozen Rain, then to Cha Ming, who spoke up for them. “Elder Finleaf, perhaps it would be best if we obtained a promise from all members here that this information will not be leaked out, as the consequences would be dire,” Cha Ming said. He had already gotten the gist of the situation from the two Daoists and wanted to prevent any more mishaps.

“Very well. This meeting is officially sealed,” Elder Finleaf said. She pulsed with power that merged with the Tree of Life, then descended as runic symbols that seeped into their souls. The seal was strong—much stronger than the dormant seal in Cha Ming’s spiritual sea that would eventually prompt his return to the Crimson Lotus Empire.

“Many thanks, Elder Finleaf,” Frozen Thorn said. “I have already gone over the basics of these Core-Painting Talismans, but perhaps you do not understand their full implications.”

She gestured for him to continue.

“Like all things, this boils down to economics. For a Daoist with talent, the resources required for awakening are not extreme but still substantial. The most basic cost for a chance at awakening through ceremony is roughly two hundred lesser inkwell jades. The chances can be increased to nearly a hundred percent, with the right offerings, medicinal pills, and the like, but only if both parents are Daoists with sufficiently high talent. Even then, the costs are capped at roughly a thousand mid-grade spirit stones per person.”

Elder Finleaf frowned. “And why are you telling us this?”

“To give you some perspective, Elder Finleaf,” Frozen Thorn said. “Demons are not at all like Daoists. Demons with the right bloodlines will naturally reach the initiation realm and even be born at this level. They will continue to progress as long as enough time elapses and they absorb sufficient energy, until they reach the limits of their bloodline.

“Daoists are different. We depend on talent but also luck and insight. Those with less talent will rarely exceed the early-rune-carving realm no matter how many resources they expend. We take great care in finding those with talent and awaken these people forcefully, because only in this way can we make up the costs involved in an awakening ceremony. Those with too little talent not only have limited growth, but their chances of successfully awakening are also negligible, making it prohibitively expensive to attempt it in the first place.”

He flicked his sleeve and proffered a red talisman. “This is a fire-aligned Core-Painting Talisman. It can be produced by mostly any mid- or late-grade-rune-carving talisman artist for roughly six hundred lesser inkwell jades. A Painted Daoist awakened with this talisman will remain at this realm indefinitely and be unable to exceed the initial-rune-painting realm.”

“That’s three times the basic cost,” Merenthal cut in. “How is that worth it?”

“Because the method is a hundred percent effective.” It was Frozen Rain who spoke. “The odds are equal for everyone.”

Only then did everyone realize the implication.

“You mean to say that every talisman will awaken a potential cultivator?” the First Feather asked.

“That’s not what I meant at all,” Frozen Rain said.

“What she means,” Cha Ming said, “is that these talismans works on mortals and not just potential cultivators. You need to realize that only a minority of mortals have cultivation talent. Those with nonexistent talent cannot normally be awakened, even by expending a massive amount of resources.

“Core-Painting Talismans bypass expensive ceremonies and enable those Daoists not talented enough to awaken to cultivate, and mortals as well. Regardless of their inability to advance, they are far better off than they would be otherwise.”

“I believe I see what you mean,” Clever Dusk said. “This is the equivalent of converting the lowest-ranking monstrous demons into initiation-realm demons with the weakest bloodline. Imagine how society would transform? Our cities would have to quintuple in size, if not more…”

“The vast majority of bronze rankers in Mendin never advance either,” Frozen Thorn continued. “They waste the potential they’ve been given.”

“I understand,” Merenthal said. “The situation would then develop much like in Mendin. A larger number of weaker rankers make for a more stable societal basis. In a demon city, everyone is a fighter, so these cities are more easily defended. Mendin has emulated this to some extent.”

Clever Dusk raised her hand. “Perhaps I am mistaken in my assumptions, Teacher, but these Painted Daoists have uses beyond military applications, do they not? I would hate to consider people as mere weapons.”

“That is correct,” Cha Ming said. “Depending on the runes their cores are painted with, they might have proficiency in certain crafts. Moreover, their domains are useful in a variety of applications.”

“We ran some experiments and compared them with common ranker classes,” Frozen Rain said. “Wood- and water-aligned Painted Daoists are able to compete with the farmer, arborist, apothecary, and doctor classes. Fire- and metal-aligned Painted Daoists can compete with many crafting professions. Earth-aligned Painted Daoists can compete with geomancers, builders, and engineers. In almost all cases, they can compete with on-element wizard or runesmith classes, though it depends on which runes they are working with.”

Elder Finleaf sighed. “Now I see why they’re so hell-bent on attacking you. You’re threatening their unique foundation.”

“That was also our ancestor’s assessment,” Frozen Thorn said.

“My condolences for your loss,” Elder Finleaf said.

“My father was never one to shirk back from protecting his people and their way of life,” Frozen Thorn said. “Elder Glacial Blade was also killed, as were many other elders.” He gestured to his arm, which was bandaged but had not yet been regrown and shrugged. “I got off easy. We lost half our elders, each a peak-rune-gathering or law-stitching expert. Myself excluded, only five law-stitching Daoists remain in our sect, and ten at the peak of the rune-carving realm.

“In the lower ranks, we lost a third of our rune-gathering experts and half of our rune-carving warriors. Out of the sixty thousand mortals in our care, we were only able to evacuate forty thousand. Twenty thousand souls died in the span of a few hours.”

Cha Ming’s heart clenched when he heard the numbers. The death toll was much higher than he’d feared. He was also well-acquainted with Glacial Blade and thought well of the man.

Now, he was dead. As were many others. All because of his crazy ambitions.

“But it was worth it,” Frozen Thorn continued. “Because now, we have hope.”

“Assuming we allow you to remain here and don’t throw you out to the dogs outside,” Elder Finleaf said evenly. “Painted Daoists could bring us many benefits, but we already have rankers in Verdant Crossroads. Moreover, I can tell that you haven’t revealed everything. If you don’t spit it out, I will evict you all.”

Frozen Thorn looked to Frozen Rain, who nodded. “Please allow Frozen Rain to teleport to the third refugee camp and retrieve an individual.”

“I will open up a portal. It is safer,” Clever Dusk said. She waved her hand, and starlight poured from the leaves on the Tree of Life and formed a new link in the Starry Road Network. A path lit up in a yellow brick pattern to lead the way.

“While Frozen Rain is gone, I will go over the rest of the data.” Frozen Thorn brought out the white talisman again. “This is an initial-rune-gathering talisman. Clear Sky has been producing these for us for fifteen mid-grade spirit stones each. How many did you say you could produce per day if you wanted to?”

Cha Ming shrugged. “I could probably manage ten thousand per day if I had the ingredients.” His progress in soul cultivation meant that even with 729 incarnations, he could produce two per day per incarnation without time acceleration.

“The cost is two hundred and fifty times higher than the alternative,” Frozen Thorn continued. “However, it imparts these Painted Daoists with the growth potential of rankers. We are not sure what happens after they reach the peak of what we call the Rune Painting Realm, but we surmise that breaking through is possible, for reasons that will soon become apparent.

“Simple statistics and extrapolations tell us that one out of three will be able to exceed their original limits over the course of their lifetimes and reach the early-rune-painting realm. One in ten will reach middle-rune painting. One in thirty will reach late-rune painting, and one in a hundred will reach the peak of rune painting. If what holds for rankers holds true for Painted Daoists, we surmise that one in a thousand could become silver-ranked equivalents.”

Seeing the confused expressions, Frozen Thorn broke it down into numbers. “It is difficult to evaluate things in term of military potential, so I will use the equivalent worth of a craftsman instead. A mid-grade Painted Daoist could generate twenty-five chips per day in income by practicing their craft, and this applies roughly across the board for those with crafting potential. Assuming five days per week, fifty weeks per year, total earnings of thirteen mid-grade spirit stones can be expected, roughly paying off the original investment, and this number would apply for one in ten Painted Daoists given the talent figures from before.

“That alone isn’t enough, so consider that one in thirty will pay off the investment fivefold, and one in a hundred twenty-five-fold. And these are just wages. Tell me, what shopkeeper would simply earn back the wages they pay? Usually they would leverage their labor and earn several times more. And should any of them break into the rune-gathering realm… Well, the productivity increase would not just be fivefold.”

“Both product quality and quantity increase drastically,” Cha Ming chimed in. “Even if they were only half as effective as a normal rune-gathering cultivator, you’re looking at a hundredfold increase in productivity.”

“Exactly,” Frozen Thorn said. “Add in military benefits, and also the fact that these people already have Daoist techniques and crafts that they can leverage…”

“Numbers wise, it would be beneficial to take them in,” the First Feather said. “But doing so would invite open conflict with Asherall, Fendal, and other neighboring republics.”

“Asherall will soon abandon us, and Fendal is already invading, so let’s not mind those cases,” Elder Finleaf said. “I’m more concerned about the things I don’t know; my instincts tell me that this isn’t all there is to the situation.”

The First Feather’s eyes widened. “But this is already an unmanageable problem. What more could there be to the story?”

Elder Finleaf eyed the portal that Clever Dusk had summoned. “I imagine the new arrival will tell us more.”

It was then that Frozen Rain entered, ushering in a cloaked individual. A light shone down from above, imprinting this person with a restricting rune, despite the fact that the cloak they were wearing was a law-stitching artifact meant to shield their presence.

“Please remove your cloak and show others your core,” Frozen Thorn instructed.

“As you command, Sect Master,” the individual said. The cloaked individual removed the garment, revealing Mendin features. She had a head of short golden hair, curled according to current Mendin fashion. She also wore the clothing of a low-ranking member of the clergy. Everyone stiffened when they saw her.

“Relax, everyone,” Frozen Thorn said when he saw their expressions. “This is Sherril Godfrey, one of our agents in the Church of Jezeriah in Desert’s Blessing. She was a silver-ranked administrator in the Church. I brought her here because she participated in a risky experiment.

“The experiment is actually one of the reasons we suffered so many losses. We were quick to flee for our lives and gave up on many thousands of mortals. We had no choice, because if we did not flee immediately, the truth might be discovered. It would be the death of us.”

Sherril Godfrey did as instructed and bared her core for everyone to see. It was a beautiful thing, painted with exquisite patterns relating to space and time. It was Cha Ming’s first time seeing her core, so he inspected it with laser focus. He took in not only these patterns but also the single blob of shifting silver paint floating around it. It was tinged black with the essence of the Inkwell Plane.

“Sherril Godfrey is now an initial-ink-gathering cultivator, a Painted Daoist like the others,” Frozen Thorn said to the dumbstruck members of the council. “The talisman we used on her converted her ranker cultivation and transformed it to the Painted Daoist equivalent. The ramifications…”

Elder Finleaf nodded. “I see now. These talismans allow those unwilling to worship Jezeriah or Harid Dej to defect. For that alone, they would hunt you down.”

Frozen Thorn shivered. “We can only assume this is still a secret, because their pursuit would have been even more vicious. So perhaps you now see the reason this meeting must be kept sealed.”

Elder Finleaf gave him an appraising look, then looked to Cha Ming. “No one mentioned production by other craftsmen. I assume you are the only one who can craft these talismans?”

“Yes,” Cha Ming said. For now. “And for now, I’m not sure if I should continue, given the risks. I understand this greatly reduces the worth of the Daoist faction, but…” He shook his head apologetically to Frozen Thorn and Frozen Rain. “At least the original talismans are beneficial.”

Surprisingly, it was Elder Finleaf who dissented. “Clear Sky, this is a valuable innovation. The presence of one Painted Daoist at rune-gathering grade also serves as a proof of concept. The fact that rankers can be converted can be kept quiet. We could even spread rumors that using a talisman on a ranker will result in swift and immediate death.”

“Clear Sky, this is important to us,” Frozen Thorn said. “And after how much we’ve been through, and how much we’ve paid…”

Cha Ming shook his head. “I need to think on this. Apologies, everyone. Twenty thousand people just died because of these talismans. How many more will die if their full effects are known?” Nothing had ever weighed so heavily on Cha Ming’s conscious since his arrival on the Inkwell Plane.

“Perhaps you are right, Majana, but from my perspective, it is silly not to use a weapon simply because it is too powerful,” Merenthal said. “Let me be blunt: The war isn’t going well, and we are only fighting Fendal. To make matters worse, the Asherall Republic has relocated its troops from the eastern battlefield to right outside our capital, and we cannot take any precautions against them, as this could be considered an act of rebellion.”

“I understand,” Cha Ming said, “And I apologize. I just need time to consider. Perhaps the path has a future, but right now, I see it as a huge liability. I just want us to consider our options before we grow the number of casualties to a million.”

“Regardless, we will grant the Frozen Lotus Sect asylum for now,” Elder Finleaf said, reassuring Frozen Thorn and Frozen Rain. “However, we need you to stop inducting Painted Daoists of any kind.”

Frozen Thorn frowned. “But this is the basis for our cooperation.”

“We ask this not because they are not useful, but because of the diplomatic stance of the Asherall Republic,” Elder Finleaf said. “We are technically a subsidiary to them at this moment, and pacifying them for the time being will buy us time we otherwise wouldn’t have.”

Frozen Thorn had to accept this. “We humbly accept the shelter you have offered and will abide by any and all rules you specify.” He then turned to Cha Ming. “We also hope that Daoist Clear Sky will consider the benefits of growth-capable talismans to those in need and clarify when he would be willing to continue producing them.” He looked defeated. Betrayed.

Cha Ming knew he was frustrated, but this could not be helped in the short term. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to assist them, but he needed to think of a better way to do so. These thoughts naturally made him think of the mysterious Dao Origins Talisman, which now, more than ever, he wished to use. Later. Not now. He had other things to worry about first.

“If that is all, this meeting is adjourned,” Elder Finleaf said. “Let us reconvene after Daoist Clear Sky returns from his business trip.” With that, the demons dispersed, and Cha Ming excused himself before either Frozen Thorn or Frozen Rain had a chance to say anything.

He went to meet with his fellow travelers, Iridescent Charity and Iridescent Virtue. They were off to a Mendin city called Fierra to procure alchemical tools and ingredients. But his mind didn’t dwell on their supposed business trip or even Huxian’s matters. Instead, he thought of the cost of freedom and whether it was worth paying.