[Young Master Xian]—❈—52:: Saying Goodbyes [II]

“I know I asked for private,” I say, staring around the windowless room, “but isn’t this a bit much?”

Despite the lack of a window, the room is comfortable, airconditioned through some means I can’t discern, and tastefully designed.

Frankly, it’s perfect for a small group of people to discuss highly sensitive matters over a meal.

The hallway leading up to it had been long and eerily silent, interspersed by thick, heavy doors entirely identical to the one leading into this room.

This is all the establishment is. There is no public dining area, no outdoor seating, nothing, just long, silent hallways leading to windowless, soundproofed dining rooms.

Xiuying, Meng Yi and I settle ourselves into the comfortable cushions surrounding the low, square table before making our orders to the mortal server.

When we’re done, he bows and exits, closing the door and cutting off what little sound was coming in from the hallway.

“Feels like we’re about to plan a rebellion, or something,” I say.

“Are you sure we won’t need to?” Xiuying asks, tone light, but with real seriousness in her eyes. “Because I’m starting to think that whatever you found in that hidden realm that started all of this is much more than noble rank.” Her gaze shifts from my shocked gaze to Meng Yi’s. “It’s true, isn’t it?”

I nod. “Yeah, it’s true,” I admit.

Despite having guessed it, the confirmation seems to shake Xiuying deeply, and she leans back to process it.

“I think you’ve broken her brain,” Meng Yi says, after almost a minute of watching Xiuying in silence.

My manager’s words stir the former soldier out of her preoccupation.

“Of course my brain is broken,” she says. “Don’t you understand the weight of this? Qigang used a heavenly item.” She whispers the last words, as though scared that she’ll be somehow heard through the soundproofed walls.

Meng Yi let out a small sigh. “Some advice, Junior Xiuying,” she says, “save some of your shock for after our Young Master tells you everything.”

Xiuying’s eyes widen. “There’s more?” she asks, then frowns as Meng Yi’s manner of addressing her registers. “Wait, what do you mean by junior Xiuying?”

Meng Yi looks at the other woman like she’s slow. “I mean junior,” she says. “As in lower-ranking, subordinate, inferior, if you prefer. You’re an official servant of Qigang now, ergo, I outrank you, Junior Xiuying.”

Xiuying’s expression steadily morphs into one of horror as Meng Yi speaks.

The older, more powerful cultivator looks desperate for an argument against Meng Yi’s claim, except that she can’t actually seem to find one. “But… No, that’s not… My cultivation is… You can’t…” Finally, she turns to me. “Qigang!” She says my name like a little girl calling Daddy to make her sibling stop picking on her.

I sigh. “Meng Yi, go easy on your junior,” I say, drawing a laugh out of Meng Yi, and an annoyed “Oi!” from Xiuying.

I smile, letting the moment of levity run its course, before the room settles back into silence.

After a few moments of silence, Xiuying braces herself and looks to me.

“How much more is there?” she asks.

I tell her. All of it. From my initial belief that I’m the victim of an isekai, to my realization of what I truly am. I tell her what had enabled to make that change, how evil Qigang came to be, even my rolling power.

Everything I can think of that’s relevant to who I am and the impossible, dangerous things I can do, I share with Xiuying.

When I’d come clean to Meng Yi about my rolling power, she’d been scared, but she’d quickly suppressed it and moved to trying to figure out how best to use it without buying trouble.

It’s largely the same with Xiuying. Sure, there’s a lot more cursing, but, in the end, she sets her fear and worries aside to focus on how she can support me.

Not for the first time, I wonder how I got to be this lucky to have found these two.

I must have borrowed a lot of good karma from the echoes that make up my soul, because Heaven knows it sure as shit didn’t come from Qigang.

 The meal is brought while I spill my secrets, and I continue even as we eat.

Xiuying asks questions, of course, and Meng Yi chimes in every now and again to help me clarify some things, or remind me of something or other I’m forgetting to add.

She seems to have no problems with me coming clean to Xiuying. I’m glad for that.

Eventually, the conversation moves from my secrets to us figuring out next moves, namely what we’re going to do about the ridiculously powerful cultivator (who is apparently a dragon) that’s summoned me to The Capital.

“I think I’m just going to come clean,” I say, shocking both women. “I’ll try to keep the rolling power hidden, but everything else, I think it’ll be best to just tell her and get it over with. Besides, it’s not like I’ve done anything actually illegal.”

“Besides eating a divine rank fruit,” Meng Yi says.

“And basically murdering her son,” Xiuying adds.

“Twice,” Meng Yi points out.

“Oh, let’s not forget that your soul is fused together with Wild Qi,” Xiuying says.

“True,” Meng Yi says. “One could argue that you are a corrupted being.”

“And messing with Wild Qi or corruption will probably get you the death sentence faster than eating a heavenly item,” Xiuying includes.

“You are technically also a Body Snatcher,” Meng Yi rounds up.

I look from one woman to the other, more than a little scared now. “So, no truth then?” I ask.

Surprisingly, neither of them answer with a resounding and definite “No!” Instead, they star at each other, a conversation passing between them.

“It’s hard to say, Qigang,” Meng Yi admits.

“Former you was a useless piece of dogshit, so she might not care too much that he’s dead,” Xiuying says. “She might even be happy that she’s rid of him without having to resort to kinslaying.”

“Even more in your favour is that you are a boon to the family, by any standard. And like I told you, the only things that matter to cultivators are lineage and ability,” Meng Yi says. “You have enough of the latter that she might be willing to overlook any discrepancies with the former.”

“She’s right,” Xiuying says. “You can get away with a lot with the kind of talent you have.”

“I’m not that talented,” I say instinctively.

Both women share a glance.

“Sure you aren’t,” Xiuying says, not sounding like she means it at all.

I ignore it and return to more important matters. “So, what are you guys saying? Should I tell the truth, or should I lie?” I ask.

An almost pained wince crosses Meng Yi’s face at my question.

“Qigang, we need to consider that your skills with deception aren’t exactly stellar,” she says.

“She’s saying you’re a shitty liar,” Xiuying oh-so helpfully clarifies.

I make a rude gesture at her, and she grins widely before sticking her tongue out at me.

Such a child.

As sucky as it is to hear though, Meng Yi is right, I’m not at all a good liar. And if my mother catches me in a lie, I might end up in a much worse position than I would have been in if I’d simply told the truth.

“So, the truth then?” I ask, looking to both women.

Meng Yi looks like she wishes she could come up with some perfect solution to the problem. Finally though, she says, “It might actually be your best choice.”

“Just like you said to begin with,” Xiuying points out.

“True. Maybe we should trust our Young Master’s opinions more,” Meng Yi says playfully.

I roll my eyes at their antics. “Trust is all well and good, but it is important to question. With questions, mistakes can be fixed, lessons can be learned, better paths can be discovered. You two are intelligent women and I’ll always welcome your counsel.”

For a moment, both women stare at me with surprise, then Meng Yi says, “Wow, our Young Master sure is passionate.”

Xiuying fake swoons. “He really is a man among men.”

“I take it back, you two are idiots,” I say, barely holding back a laugh.

We chat about nothing and everything for an hour after that, until eventually, we remember that we still have things to do with our day, namely saying the goodbyes that made me ask for an extra two days to begin with.

Unlike both women who have lives and friends in Silver Springs, I have zilch, so I decide to head back home while they go see who they want.

“I’d like you to come see my family with me,” Meng Yi says.

I hesitate. “Is that okay?” I ask.

I mean, I’d met Meng Yi’s family before, but this feels like a more private type of affair, doesn’t it?

“I think it might be easier for them if you’re there,” Meng Yi says.

“Ah. Okay then, sure. I’ll be happy to.”

“While you guys do that, I’ll go officially make Jin interim Commander of the outpost until they send official replacements for both of us,” Xiuying says, confusing me for a moment before I remember that I do have a military position.

“Wait, is it okay for me to just leave town like this?” I ask. “Being Commander and all that.”

“I’m sure your family will handle it,” Meng Yi says.

“I suppose,” I allow, still not feeling right about it.

“It’s not like you ever did the job anyway,” Xiuying says. “You, or that idiot former you.”

Fair. And that’s certainly a way to describe Qigang.

We take our leaves then, Meng Yi leading me down the somewhat familiar path to her home.

It was late the last time she took me. The streets had been empty and the walk quiet. This time though, it’s late morning. And while a residential area like this doesn’t have much foot traffic at this time, there are still many people who stay home for whatever reason to gawk at us as we walk.

Meng Yi ignores it, unflappable as always, and I follow her lead.

Her sisters cry when she tells them, and the youngest, Bingbing, grips her in a tight hug like she’ll never let go.

Her mother, on the other hand, doesn’t quite seem to know how to feel about it.

Later, when she manages to catch me in a quiet moment, she says, “We were going to send her to The Imperial Academy, her father and I. She has too much talent, too much gift for this place. But then her father died and…” she swallows, then meets my eyes, something deep and unfathomable in her gaze. “Her destiny is with you now,” she says.

It’s evening before we leave. Bingbing cries again. And Meng Yi’s eyes shimmer with wetness.

When the little girl finally lets go, she stares at me and asks, “You'll take care of my Big Sis, right?”

I crouch down to her eye level and meet her gaze steadily. “I swear it,” I say.

As we leave, I take Meng Yi’s hand in mine, and she leans into my side.

“Maybe, if things go well, we can bring them over,” I say. “Maybe even see about igniting their qi, so they can become cultivators.”

Meng Yi shakes her head. “They can’t cultivate,” she says. “I’ve checked. My mother’s too old, and my sisters don’t have the talent.”

“Oh,” I say, a little saddened by what that implies. Meng Yi seems to have made her peace with it though, so I pivot. “Well, even so, we’ll see if we can bring them over when things settle down.”

“I don’t want them there, Qigang,” Meng Yi says. “I don’t want them anywhere near The Capital.”

I stare at her for a moment, then I think about what little I know of The Capital.

I nod.

“Yeah,” I say. “I guess that makes sense.”

Meng Yi meets my eyes; a hand placed on my chest. “This isn’t your fault, Qigang,” she says. “I was always going to leave them. You don’t have to fix this. I… I like that you care enough to want to. But you don’t have to.”

I take a deep breath and let it out. “Okay,” I say.

She graces me with a beautiful smile, then we resume walking down the street that we will not return to for many years.

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Thanks for reading.