267 Expedition Preparations
Back in my office, Alice leaned against the doorframe, her eyes searching mine. “How did it go?” she asked. Her tone was measured, yet I could sense the weight of expectation behind it.
“Not bad,” I replied, easing myself into the chair.
Not long after, attendants entered with three sealed scrolls, each bearing the sigil of a world power. I broke them open one by one. The first came from the Martial Alliance.
“To the Sovereign of the Floating City New Willow, your name now rides the winds of the world, and the Alliance bows in respect to your unique strength. Let us bind our fortunes together, for no steel shines brighter than that forged in our halls. In return for your friendship, we extend our greatest artisans, willing to supply weapons wrought by heavenly flames and tempered by generations of warriors. Accept our offering, and the Alliance shall be your shield and spear.”
The second was from the Union, their words woven with pride and ambition.
“To the Esteemed Master of the Sky-Borne City, your arrival has stirred not only hearts but also destinies. The Union admires strength, and we recognize it in you. Allow our seasoned warriors to stand by your side, men and women molded by centuries of combat. With them, no tide of enemies could breach your walls. We desire to exchange our strength for your wisdom and innovations, uniting Union steel with New Willow’s brilliance.”
The last came from the Heavenly Temple, their words polished with sanctity.
“To the Sovereign Who Walks Above the Clouds, the heavens themselves witness the marvel of your city. We, who carry the sacred burden of guiding mortals toward enlightenment, wish to share our treasured techniques. Our methods of cultivation, preserved through divine heritage, can elevate your people beyond mortal limits. Accept the blessings of the Temple, and together we may cultivate harmony between heaven and earth.”
I set the letters aside and began drafting responses. I had no intention of giving them everything they wanted, but neither did I plan to shut them out completely. A careful balance had to be struck, just enough to keep them pacified, yet not enough to bind me in chains.
“At least, it’s not a war declaration.”
It had been three days since I began preparations for the expedition to the Empire and the visitation of the envoys. In that short time, I had constructed layers of countermeasures for scenarios that could unfold in my absence. I knew I couldn’t predict everything, but I had to do what I could to keep New Willow from suffering while I was gone.
Right now, the floating city rested along the shore, anchored firmly to the land below. Crews had already begun laying down roads that stretched outward, linking us to neighboring cities. The deals struck with local lords promised mutual trade, opening opportunities for merchants and common folk alike. Whether this settlement along the coast would become permanent, I couldn’t say, but a road leading into the heart of the land was a blessing to any city that sought prosperity.
Yet a knot of unease twisted inside me. With the Night Blades absent, infiltration remained a constant risk. The Guardians could fill the gap to some extent, given there experience, but that was during the time I had Wen Yuhan’s Destiny-Seeking Eyes. I told myself it would have to do, even if doubt lingered.
Whispers stirred at the back of my mind, faint but persistent. The power of faith stirred, whispering not in words but in presence, brushing against the edges of my thoughts. I turned sharply, scanning the room as if expecting to find someone standing behind me. The office was empty save for Alice.
She frowned at my sudden movement. “Is there a problem?”
I exhaled slowly, forcing a small smile. “Nothing,” I said. “Just my imagination.”
“When will be our departure?” Alice asked plainly.
“Tomorrow, first light,” I answered, adjusting the last stack of documents. “I still have a few things to do before then.” I stood, letting quintessence ripple over me, my form shifting into the Willow Sovereign with golden hair, eyes glowing a radiant blue, orange robes trimmed with gold, and every inch crafted to inspire awe. Finally, I wore my wooden mask.
Alice tilted her head. “Where are you going, dressed like that?”
“Parents,” I replied simply, my voice layered with an intent I didn’t bother hiding.
“Let me come with you,” she said after a pause, her tone less a suggestion and more a decision.
“Sure,” I agreed, not bothering to argue.
We walked down the long path through New Willow. From up high the city looked orderly, but only now, passing through its streets, did I see the daily rhythm of the people. Merchants haggled over bolts of cloth, children darted past us laughing, and wagon wheels rumbled across newly laid stone. No one dropped to their knees, no prayers were whispered in reverence. They looked at me instead with curiosity, some even daring to glance twice at the stranger with otherworldly hair and eyes. To them, I was not Da Wei, their ruler, but a wandering cultivator whose presence stood out against the ordinary bustle of the market.
And strangely, it was liberating. For once, I could walk without the suffocating weight of reverence. I wanted to be treated as an equal, though deep down I knew that, in my true face, such a wish was impossible.
At last, we reached the familiar door of my parents’ home. I knocked. A moment later, my mother opened it, her expression polite but puzzled at the sight of my disguise. Then, with a quiet breath, I let the disguise fall away.
Her eyes widened. “Oh, Wei!”
“Da Jin, darling, we have guests,” my mother’s voice carried warmly through the house. “It’s Da Wei and Lady Aili Si!”
When Alice and I stepped inside, I stopped short. My father sat cross-legged at the low table, opposite him my nephew Chen Wei, the two of them leaning intently over a chessboard. Chen Wei had taken his adult shape, his brow furrowed in concentration as he plotted his next move. For once, the house wasn’t filled with laughter but with the quiet tension of a serious match.
I sat down between them, glanced at the board, and couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, dear nephew,” I remarked, “you’re in checkmate in two moves.”
Father groaned and slapped the board with the flat of his hand. “Oh, come on! Where’s the fun in spoiling that?”
Chen Wei crossed his arms, muttering, “Yeah, it’s stupid.”
Alice bowed gracefully, her voice soft yet steady. “Greetings, mother, father. I hope we aren’t intruding.”
My mother waved her hand with a chuckle. “Oh no, you don’t. You’re always welcome here.”
Father leaned back, eyes narrowing mischievously. “So, Da Wei, when are you getting married?”
I coughed into my fist, faking embarrassment more than actually feeling it. “Please, don’t call me that. There’s a reason I’ve forbidden the name ‘Da Wei.’ If you’re going to refer to me, it has to be the Great Guard. When I am gone, I don’t know what spies might infiltrate or uncover about our fine city. I have enemies I’d rather not see New Willow confront in my name.”
It was true. I had made it law recently that my given name was forbidden, replaced with the mantle of the Great Guard. Out of the seven hundred thousand souls now living in New Willow, only a hundred or so knew my true name… and they were the remnants of Willow Village before its rebirth as a city. Later refugees also heard it, but the sound of “Da Wei” to them was nothing more than the characters for “Great” and “Guard.” That veil of meaning protected me, and by extension, protected them.
My mother, however, was not so easily shaken by titles or laws. She peered at me, then at Alice, her lips curving into a sly smile. “But still… when are the two of you getting married?”
I faked a cough, trying to deflect my mother’s sly remark. “Well, we are not like that. Tell them, Alice.”
Alice’s lips curled into a mischievous smile as she clasped her hands behind her back. “Indeed. If anything, our relationship is that of a slave and a master… with him the slave. He gets off on it.”
My parents froze, staring at me as though I had sprouted another head. Chen Wei blinked rapidly, tilting his head with innocent curiosity. “Uncle, what’s a slave?”
Alice immediately faked her own cough, covering her mouth as if to reel back her words. “I am joking, Mother, Father. Your… son has a long history with me, one spanning millennia. I only found it bizarre that you still see him as your son despite the complications involving reincarnation. While it is rude to ask, I cannot help but wonder… doesn’t it make you uncomfortable?”
Father leaned back, stroking his chin with a thoughtful expression. “Of course, it is. But what can I say? It’s a fact I saw him born that day, and that I named him Da Wei.”
Mother nodded gently. “I feel the same.”
Their words lingered in me like a quiet weight. I understood Alice’s misgivings, considering all that had happened. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that my parents had named me “Da Wei”—the very name I had chosen when I first arrived in the Hollowed World. In all but its purpose, Da Wei was an alias. Yet when I was reborn in the False Earth, stripped down and remade, I became Da Wei in truth. A borrowed name had become the name that defined me.
A sudden knock echoed from the door. Alice rose and opened it, revealing Da Ji standing in the entryway with a cheerful grin. She raised a tray high in her hands. “It looks like the whole family is here. I brought rice cakes!”
We were eating rice cakes in peace, each of us chewing thoroughly while savoring their sweetness. Chen Wei broke the silence, his eyes shining with admiration as he spoke between bites. “You are so awesome, Uncle Wei. You saw so fast that I was checkmate in two moves.”
Father snorted and waved him off. “Anyone can do that, even a mortal. You just suck at chess, little Wei.”
I puffed up with pride and leaned back, raising a rice cake like it was a scholar’s scroll. “Oh no, I am just that good. I’m always a million steps ahead of my enemies!”
Who wouldn’t want to appear brilliant in front of their nephew? Well, not me.
Chen Wei nodded eagerly, swallowing his mouthful in haste. “I want to be just like you, Uncle Wei! Maybe I will become a slave too.”
The room went silent as the room froze. It probably would, if Da Ji hadn’t learned self-restraint.
Da Ji’s chair scraped against the floor as she stood, her nine tails flicking into existence in a flare of agitation. Her golden eyes narrowed dangerously as her voice dropped into a growl. “Brother, what have you been teaching my son?”
I nearly choked on my rice cake, trying to raise my hands defensively. Alice, on the other hand, smirked like she had been waiting for this moment, delicately brushing her fingers over her lips as she interjected smoothly. “Forgive David, will you? He’s just so crass and tasteless.”
I’m like, what the fuck?
The tension hung in the air until Chen Wei, oblivious to the storm his words had caused, leaned forward with sudden determination. “Uncle Wei, I want to come with you on the expedition. I want to gain experience and prove that I can help.”
There was a tense silence after Chen Wei’s outburst, the kind of silence that pressed against the chest and made every heartbeat feel louder. I finally broke it with a firm tone. “You can’t come.” My gaze shifted toward Da Ji, who was still bristling with her nine tails lashing behind her. “I did tell you it was hush-hush, right?”
Da Ji raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. “But he’s family, isn’t he? And what even is ‘hush-hush’ supposed to mean?”
Before I could answer, my mother’s angry voice cut through the room. “What is the meaning of this?” Her hands trembled as she set down her teacup, glaring first at Da Ji, then at me.
Da Ji leaned back, her tails fading into nothingness as she raised her hands in mock surrender. “Just to stay clean out of this, I thought Da Wei would tell you, Mother.”
My father’s voice was quieter, but it weighed heavier. “I know it would be better if we were out of your lives, Da Wei… but keeping secrets from us?” His hand rested protectively over Mother’s as though steadying her.
I wanted to snap, to declare outright that it was none of their business, and that it was state business and beyond them. Yet favoritism crept in, pulling me back. They weren’t strangers; they were my blood. I breathed out and forced myself to explain patiently. “It is a matter of national security. If people outside the decision-makers knew where we are going, it would raise suspicion, put a target on New Willow, and possibly get all of us killed. That is why it has been kept secret.”
Mother’s expression softened, though the tension didn’t vanish from her shoulders. Father gave a slow nod, as if weighing my words in his heart. At last, they calmed.
“I’ll be honest,” I continued, deciding there was no longer a point in pretending otherwise. “I had no plans of telling you anything. But since the cat’s out of the bag, you ought to know: I’m going. Da Ji as well. And Alice. It is going to be dangerous.”
Father squeezed Mother’s hand, his tone resolute. “I understand.”
Mother’s eyes shimmered, her voice softer but edged with steel. “I understand… but make sure you’ll come back to us. You hear me?”
A weight settled in my chest at those words. I lowered my head slightly, conceding to her heart’s demand. “Yes, Mother. Father. I will come back. For now, how about we finish the rice cakes and… talk about how slavery is bad, so that Chen Wei here doesn’t get any weird ideas.”
Chen Wei blinked innocently, rice cake halfway to his mouth. “Why? Is being a slave that bad? I think you have it good, Uncle Wei.”
I winced, choking back the urge to bury my face in my hands.