The streets were still packed with people, the celebrations showing no sign of slowing. Laughter rose from the shops, vendors called over one another, and children darted between adults with sweets clutched in their hands.
Su Yan barely heard any of it. His thoughts remained elsewhere as he made his way towards Spirit Hall at a slow, uneven pace.
The physical weakness had long since left him, but a deep discomfort remained, stubbornly refusing to fade.
Glancing down, he found his hands trembling slightly. Whether from fear or anger, he no longer knew.
He clenched them into fists and forced himself onward.
Soon, the familiar ornate facade of Spirit Hall came into view.
The streets surrounding it were far quieter than those he had just passed through. Without the crowds pressing around him and their celebrations filling the air, Su Yan finally found it a little easier to gather his thoughts.
With 2B and Nihilister beside him, he climbed the steps and entered.
The interior was almost as quiet as the street outside, possessing a calm, almost serene atmosphere. Only a single clerk sat behind the front desk, the soft rustle of paper one of the few sounds disturbing the silence.
As Su Yan approached, he saw that the clerk was a young man, perhaps in his late teens. He was engrossed in sorting through what appeared to be a stack of reports and failed to notice the three people now standing before him.
"Excuse me," Su Yan called.
The young man did not respond. He turned another page, still entirely absorbed in whatever he was reading.
Su Yan waited.
His fingers curled against the edge of the desk.
Then he brought his palm down.
A sharp bang rang through the quiet hall.
The young clerk jumped, scattering the pages he was reading, his eyes wide in surprise.
He froze, staring at the three people who seemed to have materialised out of nowhere.
"Who are you?"
Su Yan took a breath.
"I am a Spirit Master, and I need to speak to your deacon."
The young clerk took a moment to compose himself, quickly gathering the scattered pages before putting on a polite smile.
"There is no need, respected Spirit Master. Whatever you require, I am sure I will be able to assist you."
"Call your deacon, please," Su Yan forced out, fixing the young man with a glare that brooked no argument.
The clerk gulped.
"I understand. Please give me a moment."
As the young man disappeared deeper into the building, Su Yan closed his eyes and tried to rein in his temper.
Drawing on methods he remembered from his previous life, he slowly inhaled, held the breath for a moment, then released it just as gradually.
He repeated the process until the sound of approaching footsteps reached him.
Su Yan looked up to find the older man approaching, the young clerk following half a step behind with a sheepish expression.
The man's hair and neatly trimmed beard had long since turned grey, and deep lines marked his face, but his back remained straight and his eyes were clear and alert.
He approached the desk and gave a quick bow in greeting.
"Respected Spirit Master, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Deacon Lu." He glanced briefly towards the young clerk. "I apologise for my apprentice's inattentiveness. He is still young and learning, so I hope you can overlook his mistake."
"I am sorry."
The young clerk bowed deeply towards Su Yan.
Su Yan sighed.
"It's fine. If anything, I should be the one apologising. I allowed my anger to get the better of me."
Deacon Lu nodded.
"Then let us put the matter behind us. What was it you wished to speak with me about?"
"I believe there is a fugitive Spirit Master within the city."
The deacon's brow creased.
"I see. We should continue this conversation somewhere more private."
He turned and gestured for Su Yan to follow, only to pause after taking a few steps.
Looking back towards the young clerk, he said, "Pay closer attention to your surroundings while you are on duty. I understand it can be dull when you are here alone, but that makes it all the more important that you notice when someone arrives."
The young clerk lowered his head.
"I understand."
Deacon Lu gave a satisfied hum before continuing deeper into the building, with Su Yan, 2B and Nihilister following behind him.
He led them into a simply furnished room. A desk stood before a large window, with a chair tucked behind it. Light streamed through the glass, illuminating the space. Two walls were lined with tall bookshelves filled with scrolls and books, while a low table stood between two sofas at the centre of the room.
He gestured towards one of the sofas, inviting them to sit. Without ceremony, Nihilister dropped onto it and turned her attention towards the window. Su Yan sat beside her, while 2B took up position just behind him.
Deacon Lu sat directly across from them.
"Right, let us begin. Who do you believe to be the fugitive Spirit Master?"
"Before I answer, my name is Su Yan. Nine years ago, my family and I lived in this city. We were relatively wealthy merchants, but one night, a group of Spirit Masters attacked our estate. They slaughtered my family. I survived only because my mother hid me away and a Spirit Hall patrol happened to be nearby."
"I am sorry for your loss," Deacon Lu said.
Su Yan's gaze lowered briefly.
"It was a long time ago. That isn't why I came."
He drew in a quiet breath before continuing.
"The Spirit Masters from Spirit Hall managed to kill most of the group responsible, but one of them escaped. I believe that man has been living in this city under another identity."
Deacon Lu's expression grew more serious.
"Who?"
Su Yan raised his eyes to meet his.
"Patriarch Ruan."
Deacon Lu was taken aback.
"Patriarch Ruan? The same Patriarch Ruan whose son's awakening the city has spent the past week celebrating? The man who has lived here peacefully for the past eight years?"
Su Yan nodded grimly.
"The very same."
Deacon Lu's brows furrowed as he studied him.
"You understand that this is an extraordinary claim, correct?"
"I do."
He studied Su Yan a moment longer, then nodded.
"You will need evidence to support such a claim. What do you have so far?"
Su Yan's head dipped slightly.
"The moment I saw him, my body reacted violently. I am almost certain it is him."
He raised his head and looked directly at Deacon Lu.
"I know that isn't proof. But the man who escaped possessed a double-headed bat Martial Soul. Spirit Hall should have a record of Patriarch Ruan's Martial Soul, so all we need to do is compare them."
Deacon Lu frowned.
"I am afraid that will not help us immediately. Patriarch Ruan has never registered his Martial Soul with Spirit Hall."
"Then surely that makes him suspicious. You can investigate further."
Deacon Lu shook his head.
"Many Spirit Masters choose not to register with Spirit Hall for any number of reasons. Some of those reasons are less innocent than others, I grant you, but many simply value their privacy. His failure to register would not, by itself, justify treating him as a suspect."
Su Yan's hands clenched into fists.
"All you need to do is make him reveal his Martial Soul. Then everything will be clear. If he is innocent, he should be more than willing to do so."
Deacon Lu sighed.
"Su Yan, I appreciate that this is a sensitive matter for you, but we cannot compel someone to reveal their Martial Soul without more substantial evidence. Even the kingdom's laws would require more than this."
His expression softened as he noticed Su Yan's growing agitation.
"Based on your testimony alone, I do not have sufficient grounds to open a formal investigation into Patriarch Ruan or order him to cooperate. I am sorry."
The tension seemed to drain from Su Yan's body, and his head dipped.
Deacon Lu continued, "What I can do is examine the records of the original case and attempt to contact the Spirit Masters who handled it. They may be able to provide further information, or perhaps even come here to verify your claim."
He leaned forward slightly.
"For now, leave this matter with me and wait."
"That's it?" Su Yan raised his head. "Just wait?"
Deacon Lu nodded.
"Yes. If Patriarch Ruan truly is the man you believe him to be, Spirit Hall will not let him escape justice. You simply need to wait."
"I understand," Su Yan said.
He rose and moved towards the door with stiff, mechanical steps. After opening it, he stood aside to allow 2B and Nihilister to leave before him.
Su Yan cast one final glance back at Deacon Lu, then followed them out. The door struck its frame with a sharp crack behind him, closing far harder than he had intended.
By the time they stepped outside, Su Yan was breathing heavily as he tried once again to rein in the turmoil within him.
"What now?"
Nihilister's voice cut through his thoughts.
Su Yan looked around. Somehow, the streets were still busy, laughter and celebration filling the air as though nothing had changed.
In the distance, he spotted a restaurant where the crowds appeared noticeably thinner.
"Let's get something to eat. I need time to think," he answered in a low voice before starting towards it.
A little while later, Su Yan once again sat before a table laden with food. His appetite had all but vanished, however, and he occupied himself by taking occasional sips of tea as he turned the situation over in his mind.
2B sat quietly beside him, her own meal untouched, occasionally turning her head in his direction.
Nihilister, by contrast, appeared entirely unconcerned by their current predicament, steadily making her way through the fragrant assortment of dishes before them.
They had been seated in a private room on the second floor, with a balcony overlooking the restaurant's main hall. Below, a group of musicians played upon a raised stage.
Su Yan felt his racing heart gradually begin to settle beneath the gentle music.
Then the performance abruptly stopped.
Looking down, he saw the musicians being hurried from the stage as a well-dressed young man stepped into the space they had occupied.
The man cleared his throat before speaking.
"Eight years ago, our esteemed Patriarch Ruan…"
Su Yan's arm snapped back before he realised what he was doing, the cup already beginning to swing towards the storyteller below.
Tea spilled over its rim, splashing across his hand and soaking into his sleeve. The sudden heat cut through his rage, and he froze before he could release it.
Only then did he realise that 2B's hand had already closed around his wrist.
He slowly lowered the now-empty cup.
"Su Yan."
Her grip remained firm.
"Breathe."
He became aware of the short, rapid breaths escaping him. He drew the next one out, feeling the air slowly fill his lungs, then released it just as carefully. After several more, the tension within him began to ease.
"I'm all right now, 2B. You can let go."
She hesitated for a moment before releasing his wrist and settling back into her seat. This time, however, she turned fully towards him, her attention unmistakable despite the visor concealing her eyes.
Su Yan reached unsteadily for the teapot and poured himself another cup, using the familiar motion to steady his hands.
As he raised it towards his lips, a thought stopped him.
"Eight years…"
The words slipped quietly from his mouth.
He closed his eyes and thought back over everything he had heard since entering the city. Every storyteller hired by Patriarch Ruan began from the same point. Every retelling emphasised those same eight years.
Then his thoughts returned to Deacon Lu.
He had mentioned the same eight years.
The storytellers had been paid to repeat that story wherever they went. Yet Deacon Lu had used the same timeframe without hesitation.
Su Yan slowly lowered the cup.
Were storytellers the only people Patriarch Ruan had paid?
He had never registered his Martial Soul, yet no one appeared to find that strange. His reputation had been repeated so often that the story had become accepted as fact.
And now Spirit Hall knew that Su Yan suspected him.
His eyes snapped open, and he turned towards 2B.
"2B, what are the chances that Spirit Hall is working with Patriarch Ruan?"
Nihilister stopped eating, her attention shifting fully towards him.
2B tilted her head.
"What makes you believe that?"
Su Yan explained what had occurred to him, drawing their attention to the repeated eight-year narrative and Deacon Lu's use of the same timeframe.
When he finished, he waited for their response.
2B shook her head.
"The evidence is entirely circumstantial. From what I observed, Deacon Lu gave no indication that he was working with Patriarch Ruan."
Su Yan tightened his grip around the cup and stared down into the tea.
"But the possibility isn't zero."
She hesitated before answering.
"No, it is not. But the same could be said of almost anything. Possibility alone does not make it likely."
"But if it is true, we lose whatever initiative we have. He could disappear, destroy whatever evidence remains, or prepare something to discredit us before Spirit Hall can investigate."
He looked towards 2B.
"Our only advantage was anonymity, and I stupidly gave that away."
He turned towards Nihilister.
"You were right. Some part of me knew it was him. I just wanted confirmation, and now I may have cost us that edge."
He rose from his seat.
"We have to act before they have time to react."
His grip tightened around the cup.
"Tonight."
By the dead of night, thick clouds had swallowed the moon.
Su Yan waited in the courtyard of a stranger's home, with 2B and Nihilister beside him beneath black cloaks.
His fingers tapped quietly against his folded arm as he strained to detect the slightest movement, especially from the family sleeping beyond the closed doors only a few steps away.
The property stood closer to the boundary of the Ruan estate than any other nearby home, making it the ideal place to wait while Pod scouted the estate.
Eventually, Pod descended quietly into the courtyard.
Speaking at a much lower volume than usual, it said, "Report: Reconnaissance of the target estate is complete."
Su Yan nodded before retrieving a blank sheet of paper, a brush and a small container of ink.
He placed them upon a nearby bench, dipped the brush into the ink, then held it out towards Pod.
"Please draw a map of the estate and mark any buildings or areas of interest."
Pod adjusted the brush several times within its grip before bobbing once in the air.
"Understood."
It took several minutes, but a simple map of the estate gradually took shape across the paper.
Su Yan studied it closely. Several areas immediately drew his attention: the guard quarters, servant quarters, storage buildings, kitchens, studies and a library.
Most important of all was an isolated courtyard near the rear of the estate.
The courtyard where Patriarch Ruan and his family resided.
"Pod, what was the guard presence like?"
"Report: Guard presence is high, but the patrols appear lax. Many guards have been drinking, though none appear inebriated."
"Proposal: Avoid direct contact where possible."
"Easier said than done," Su Yan muttered as he considered the map.
After a moment, he turned towards Nihilister.
"What is the effective range of those weapons?"
Nihilister glanced down at the map.
"From here? Anywhere inside the estate. If I can see it clearly, I can hit it."
One of the mechanical heads shifted over her shoulder.
"I compress the fire inside before releasing it. Gives it more range, and it explodes when it hits."
Su Yan nodded.
"Good. Once we're in position, you'll strike the guard quarters, the storage buildings and the kitchens. That should create enough chaos to keep the guards and servants occupied."
His finger moved across the map before stopping over the isolated courtyard.
"Then we strike here. Surround the courtyard with an impassable wall of fire and cut off every approach. That will give us time to deal with the patriarch without interference."
"How are you planning to get us into the estate in the first place?" Nihilister asked.
"We'll wait until the patrols outside the walls move far enough away, then use my barriers as steps to climb over."
Su Yan traced a path above the estate with his finger.
"I'll keep manifesting them beneath us until we reach a position above the estate. From there, you'll have a clear line of sight to every target."
"What about the casualties?" 2B asked.
Su Yan's finger remained pressed against the map.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
"I know there will be casualties, but all we can do is minimise them by not striking more targets than necessary."
His voice was quiet but firm.
Su Yan stared at the map for another moment before folding it away.
"Let's move. The longer we wait, the less time we have."
He slipped out of the courtyard and peered around the corner into the street.
A small patrol of Ruan family guards was passing nearby. They were far less disciplined than they should have been, with several chatting and laughing among themselves. A healthy flush coloured more than a few of their faces.
Su Yan drew back behind the wall and waited until their voices had faded into the distance before signalling for 2B and Nihilister to move. Pod drifted silently at 2B's side.
As they ran out into the open street, Su Yan activated his first Soul Skill, and a barrier manifested before them, followed by another slightly higher and farther ahead.
The three of them leapt from one barrier to the next. Each time they moved forward, the platform behind them vanished and another manifested ahead, carrying them rapidly over the estate wall and higher into the air.
Before long, they stood high above the estate, its grounds spread out beneath them.
Scattered points of light remained visible below. Some moved with patrolling guards, while others shone through the windows of buildings throughout the estate.
The wind tugged at Su Yan's cloak as he looked down upon it all.
This was it. There would be no turning back after this.
Nihilister tore away her cloak and cast it aside, allowing the night wind to carry it into the darkness. Her full form stood revealed beneath the clouded sky.
The dragon heads of her weapons uncoiled and settled at her sides like waiting hounds. Their jaws remained clamped shut, the metal trembling faintly with the force building inside them.
Then heat rolled from Nihilister's body.
A soft orange glow seeped through the seams of her armour and weapons. It steadily intensified until it illuminated Su Yan's face and drove away the chill of the night.
The glow continued to build until it reached its peak.
Su Yan waited for the jaws to open.
They did not.
Nihilister held the charge, her weapons burning brilliantly at her sides, but made no move to fire.
"Nihilister, what are you waiting for?"
She glanced back at him over her shoulder.
"Your order."
Su Yan looked once more over the estate sprawled beneath them, then met Nihilister's crimson eyes.
"Nihilister. Open fire."
A feral grin spread across her face, savage delight burning in her eyes.
"Order received, Commander."
And the night erupted into flames.