Our Concubine Is Special.

  Ren Shidao was going through the motions, as he always did, when something piqued his interest.

  His meridians sang in the presence of the two women.

  Then, as he watched, Alia turned to Xin and began making out with the woman in front of him.

  The man blinked, his mouth opened as Alia reached up and fondled her husband's concubine, and the woman moaned seductively.

  Meanwhile, the two were conversing internally. Alia was alarmed, while Rong was pragmatic.

  “We are drugged, either through the food or touch, my heart rate is going through the roof,” Rong stated

  “WHAT DO WE DO!? I feel like a dog in heat, and it's getting worse!” Alia's thoughts were frantic.

  “Play along, have him focus on me, meanwhile, do anything that eases the strain,” Rong stated.

  Seeming to realize what she had done, Alia froze and then sheepishly explained.

  “Please forgive me, your wine was so good I lost myself. You must know Xin has a special constitution. We use her to cultivate in two ways; she is very adept with men… and women.

  Alia looked annoyed, pinching the woman's chin, making Xin yelp.

  “My husband has trouble keeping his hands to himself when she's at the house, so I brought her along for my own use.” Alia breathed and then smiled.

  A thought passed from Xin to Alia through their Qi connection, understanding they were suffering from an aphrodisiac of high intensity, but there were no rules they could not use it for their pleasure or purpose.

  “If the master wasn’t so lacking…I wouldn’t mind.” Xin said barely above a whisper to Alia, who nodded and laughed.

  Shidao smiled winningly. “I have a place we could relax and enjoy each other in private. Sealed with no one to witness us enjoying ourselves.”

  Alia considered.

  “Mistress, I am so horny, please…” Xin begged.

  Alia gave her an annoyed look, and Xin flushed and looked down in shame. Then she looked to Shidao; her breathing was now panting.

  “I trust what happens here will be our little secret?” Alia asked, letting her hand linger, then pinched, making Xin shudder as he watched.

  “Of course, I hope this is something we could repeat if you find my presence agreeable,” Shidao said smoothly.

  Then, to his shock, the concubine moved her hand to pleasure herself. “Mistress, please, I'm burning up.”

  Alia flushed but didn’t reprimand her.

  “Show us.” She said simply.

  Shidao nearly leaped out of his chair, moved to a wall, and touched it, his Aura unlocking a door.

  The room was filled with items no one would speak of in public conversation or above a whisper in private.

  The door shut behind them, and the man took a seat on the large, curved couch to watch them as a concealment array came to life.

  Alia walked to the side, kicking off her soft shoes and letting her outer robe fall to the floor as she picked up a small whip and smiled, testing its strength in her hands.

  Her eyes moved to Shidao. “Would you mind going first? I prefer how she tastes afterwards.” Her face flushed bright red, saying what Jianrong fed her to say.

  Shidao's brain slowed as Xin bit her lip and moved straight to straddling his lap.

  Her amber eyes looked into his. “You’re a Core Formation warrior, right, Excellency? That means you have stamina…I like that.” Xin said, her lips brushing his as her Qi flowed out of her mouth, thick and refined.

  Shidao’s body surged with power as he breathed in her scent and her Qi.

  They kissed slowly, and the sensation only got stronger as their bodies got hotter, their intimate organs swelling as desire was part of every thought.

  Then her mouth moved to his ear as she told him what she liked, what the young miss enjoyed, each thing more depraved than the last, her hips rolling in a slow, deliberate circle that fed him heat and certainty.

  Even like this—pinned beneath warmth and breath—Shidao knew he could still kill.

  Reflexively, he cycled, and his Core answered him without thought; no ordinary strike could reach him before he responded in kind.

  Xin’s hand reached back, bracing against her own hip as if to steady herself, her weight holding him to the couch, not that he minded in the slightest.

  Then Alia took a seat beside them, took his hand into hers, fingers interlacing with his on Xin’s right side, her eyes bright and hungry.

  Later, when he was done with them, those same eyes would look at him in fear; he looked forward to it.

  Xin giggled.

  “Excellency, next time bring some friends to join, mistress…likes a lot of attention.

  Xin back arched as her left hand gripped his shoulder to steady herself, as she groaned, her body on fire on top of him.

  “Excellency,” she moaned as his speed increased. “This reminds me.” Xin smiled sweetly.

  “Hm?” Shidao blinked.

  “Alacazam.” She replied with a wink.

  Six new people appeared in the room, but what startled Shidao the most was the fact that there was a knife buried to the hilt in his throat.

  Jianrong tilted her head, but her body kept moving.

  “The drugs you gave us are strong. I have a feeling we were not supposed to be leaving anytime soon.”

  She smiled dreamily as her Core came to life, and an immense cultivation pressure made the couch groan. The room was silent as his mind screamed to find a solution.

  “The problem with you people is you rely too much on Aura forecasting action,” Jianrong said, her eyes glowing amber as she shuddered, then stilled.

  The blade had not severed veins, but it was exiting the other side of his throat, and his breathing whistled past sharp edge.

  Dar Luso took one arm while Andrew took the other.

  Behind Rong, Gaila stared at the man whose image had tormented her for twenty years.

  Jang stood beside her, arms around her.

  Mireya moved to Alia, who pulled her hand free, then stood and embraced her oldest sister.

  Daelyn’s hand came to rest on Rong’s shoulders as her face moved to be beside Rong's.

  “You stole my brother from me.” She said with tears running down her face.

  Shidao was trembling, but when he tried to talk, he couldn’t.

  Jianrong smiled. “Let me help you, darling. You were going to tell us that we can't kill you because you’re Ren Shidao, Grand Investigator of the Southern Region of Tianrelion.” She offered.

  The man's eyes burned into her with indignation, hatred, and impotence.

  Rong clicked her tongue.

  “Sister,” her head leaned against Daelyn’s, who grinned like a wolf.

  “Tell him who I am,” Rong said softly.

  “This is Jianrong Dar Bloodforge, my sister, and the woman who killed the traitor who overthrew the legitimate government. The nation of Tianrelion is dead. Your power is gone.” Daelyn spoke with a voice that pierced. “Fate has placed you in our hands.” Her eyes were bright with tears and righteous fury.

  Jianrong licked her lips. “You must know, we have been dying to meet you, truly… It’s a dream come true.” She breathed as her Aura pressure kept building, making the man's veins on his face and forehead visible.

  Rong's hips began to move in slow circles again. “Don’t die yet, I am going to enjoy this so much I don’t want it to end too soon.” She murmured, enjoying the drug's effects on her own body and the effect she was having on him.

  Dar Luso finally spoke. “His name was Huanle Hyun-Soo.”

  Rong’s Aura flared as her blade twisted and then cut through meat and bone like it was soft bean curd.

  As her other hand grabbed his face, her eyes looked into his, her feral smile growing as terror filled his.

  “Don’t worry, you won't be lonely, Imma send all your little helpers to hell with you,” Rong stated.

  In the silence of the room that reeked of dozens of partners and blood, the soft crying of Gaila and her children was the only noise.

  Dar Luso moved to Alia and began cycling with her. The woman's breath was now a heavy, erratic pant as she obviously struggled. The two returned to the Bloom so Lana and Vessa could look at her.

  “The drug he used must have been powerful,” Andy said softly to Rong.

  She nodded. “I have a feeling that even if it were your worst enemy, under its effects, you would be begging them for sex.”

  Shepard looked around when he noticed a display of personal effects.

  “I think he did this a lot, some of this stuff…are things a person would not give up. Tokens, hairpins…a tooth?

  Jang stepped over and began opening cabinets and drawers; the more he searched, the angrier he became.

  Rong sent Gaila and the sisters away; meanwhile, the three moved around, looking.

  By the end, Jang found a ledger: names, places, amounts, and the status of cultivation, all recorded using symbols that meant nothing to them.

  Page after page, names, ages, features, pleasures, shames.

  “So…he was using people for cultivation…that is some dark shit,” Andy admitted.

  Jianrong removed her outer garments and started changing into dark attire.

  Jang glanced at her, then back to the book. “She was on this list.” He said tightly.

  Rong glanced at Andy and took a breath.

  “Dad, is it safe to say everyone here is a part of this?” Andy asked.

  Jang didn’t say yes, but he looked around at the keepsakes, the clothes of innumerable nameless women, and nodded.

  Andrew and Jianrong nodded to one another.

  Rong's hand touched Jang, and he disappeared.

  Andrew pulled out his armor, put on a black hood, then unsheathed his Kukri.

  “Tag team again?” Andrew asked.

  Rong smiled under her hood, then nodded.

  Both Jianrong and Andrew were surprised to discover other people on the property.

  Not staff, but prisoners—twenty-four women held in small cells, all drugged, all wearing identification collars, all looking broken.

  The same place where those people were being held was a large chamber.

  Restraint posts that circled a raised bed.

  Viewing positions were marked on the floor—places where family members had been forced to stand and watch.

  This was where the Dao of Stolen Bonds ceremonies happened.

  "This…is a lot of information I don't want," Andrew stated, his voice tight with controlled rage.

  Rong looked around at the restraints, the viewing marks, the bed stained with decades of violence. "I say we don't touch this place, but we drag the bodies here. Let anyone who finds this see exactly what they were doing."

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  “Oooh nice.” Andy agreed.

  It was just before dawn that the estate just outside the city caught fire.

  By dawn, the place was swarming with people.

  They could not simply let the people go; they did not want to be identified, and they absolutely were not letting people they did not know into the Bloom, so they left the trail leading right to them.

  The two sat in the trees in the distance, invisible to anyone not Core Formation who was actively searching for them.

  What Rong and Andy discovered was that they would need to kill more people.

  The investigators who arrived held the women.

  A man then came in a sealed wagon, loaded them up, still collard and shackled, and rode away.

  “Oh wow,” Rong said, finding herself not surprised but still frustrated.

  They shared a glance, then Rong jumped to the ground and fell upward while Andrew removed his hood and started walking on an intercept course.

  Between the light blue Albatross high above, loitering, Jianrong’s eyes tracking the wagon, and Andy following it from a safe distance, they found its destination.

  Word was passed, and Andrew entered a large structure, moved to a desk with a man at it.

  “Greetings. I am new to the city and am interested in joining the adventurers' guild. What do I need to do?”

  The man smiled and pointed to a sign-up desk with a woman at it.

  Andy nodded thanks, then turned back and asked.

  “Friend.” Andy licked his lips, then quietly, while looking around.

  “Where is a good place to find a good time cheap?”

  The man smiled. “You sign up, we get you approved you will find everything you need is under one roof.”

  Andrew stilled, then smirked, his eyes moving to the clerk who was helping a man.

  “Not her, we have a special woman for that.” The man warned.

  Andy nodded, then saluted and joined the line to sign up.

  High overhead Emerald Lantern.

  Divine Cloud Sect, Southern Fourth district, Commander Pei Zongqiu, 4th Expeditionary force sat in silence as he reread the report.

  He looked up at Vice Commander Lin and moved his head, then motioned to the tablet.

  The man cleared his throat. “Er uh, so we know they arrived two days ago, the second day, the Investigator was dead, along with everyone from his residence.”

  Pei nodded. “I know that because it is in the report, what I don’t understand is… how.”

  Vice Commander Lin made an O with his lips, realizing he had just briefed the commander with the brief he was looking at. “From this altitude, we are only able to track life signs. We know a group arrived; we are assuming Jianrong was with that group. A short time later, life signs began dropping at a rapid succession. Eventually, there were only two life signs that moved around the property. We found what seemed like very weak life signs, then set the main house on fire. We were able to make visual confirmation.”

  Pei leaned back. “I did not see Qi spikes listed.”

  Dax glanced at Lin.

  “Commander, as far as we can tell, the people they kill did not know they were there, and the method they used was not strong enough to register from our altitude.”

  Pei frowned. “Verify, can we register sword beams and explosive arts from here? Correct?”

  “It is as you say, Commander.”

  “Message Vice Commander Liu Feng, he is to make contact with the woman,” Pei ordered.

  Looking at his people, he added more softly.

  “Two people acted on behalf of the family. It was likely a sibling; we will look at all of them.”

  The Hyun-Soo residence was buzzing.

  The passing of the Grand Investigator had removed a weight from Gaila; she had become so accustomed to that when it was gone, she couldn’t stop crying in relief.

  The entire family felt it.

  No one knew that Karma's weight had been on the family for so long that it was normal to them.

  Now everyone smiled easily and laughed with relief.

  In the center, watching it all with joy was Jianrong, who sat with Alia, who was feeling better after taking a detoxifying pill.

  Life was good until the bell rang.

  Jianrong felt something was wrong, so she sent everyone to the Bloom, but Alia, Jason, and Lin Su.

  The bell rang once more, and the gate opened.

  Jianrong’s hands were gloved, her head covered, and her heavy robes in place.

  What she found was someone she recognized from what felt like a world prior.

  A young man stood stiffly, his soft robes accentuated with blue thread, and a cloud motif hung at the threshold; his long golden hair was tied in a ponytail.

  She had not noticed that he had hazel eyes prior.

  “The young miss is resting; may I help you?” she asked distantly.

  Vice Commander Liu Feng paled. “I was ordered to seek you out to converse.”

  Jianrong’s eyes moved along the street to all the people, then back to him.

  “Aren't you fucking people hiding in the hills?” She hissed.

  Feng’s throat flushed. “Trust me, Jianrong, I don’t want to be here.”

  Rong clicked her tongue. “Did you at least kill my grandfather? She asked, hopeful.”

  Feng swallowed, then shook his head.

  Rong took a deep, annoyed breath. “We have conversed. Why not leave and make everyone happy?” she offered.

  Feng leaned in. “The next person who comes is my Commander; he is a Nascent Soul….I just need to talk to you and discuss your life here.”

  Rong frowned, then looked up with her eyes moving around. She didn’t see it, but she felt it in her bones, that same old presence that she had learned later was scrying. “You have been watching me.” She murmured.

  “Yes,” Feng admitted.

  The gate opened wider, and the man entered.

  Rong guided him to a small stone table with benches.

  Rong turned her hand and small cups, then a pot of wine appeared, and she began to pour.

  “Your monsters have killed a lot of my people. I consider your sect my mortal enemy…just thought we should start with the truth.” Rong said, picking up her cup and toasting the fallen, closing her eyes, she prayed silently.

  Pleasant hopped down from the tree, his wings stirring up the leaves, and landed on her shoulder.

  Her hand came up and cupped his head as she kissed him. “One cup, no more, mister.” She stated, poured another cup, and held it so he could drink.

  Feng stared at the bizarre scene as the pheasant first glared at him hatefully, then drank, and drank and drank until the cup was empty.

  It's back arched and its head raised, then “GOBBLE, GOBBLE!”

  “Yes, yes, very powerful young man, off you go.” Rong stood and put the bird back in the tree, but he continued to stare down banefully at her companion. His beady eye catches the gold of the sun's light.

  Feng gulped his wine and cleared his mind.

  “I will speak honestly. You could have murdered me that day, but you did not do it.”

  He watched as the pheasant moved as close as possible so that it could glare.

  Swallowing, he continued.

  “Jianrong, what would you say. If I told you Heaven designed Ferals to test cultivators and not hurt mortals?”

  Rong raised a brow, then leaned back, only for her pheasant to see it as an invitation to land in her lap and move into her robes.

  With an exasperated sigh, she patted the bulge and spoke.

  “I would say that checks out, and also that is not accurate. Feral kill everything human. Cultivators just run faster than mortals.”

  Feng licked his lips, then poured more wine and downed the cup.

  “I am limited on what I can tell you, but what I can tell you is that is not what is supposed to happen.

  Over a decade ago, a new department head took over Feral deployment.

  Ferals are designed to be safe for the world and dangerous for cultivators. It is a way for backwater regions to strengthen themselves and for Heaven to recognize their true value.”

  Rong blinked. “So, when we feel them looking at us, REALLY looking. It was Heaven?”

  Feng shook his head. “No, that was the department overseeing their deployment. Heaven, get the images later when we forward them. But they have not been forwarding them.”

  Rong frowned. “So, you're saying the point of the biological machine is to test people like me, but the guy who took charge skipped all that?”

  Feng gave a relieved smile. “Yes, his department also oversees spirit herb growth.”

  Rong clicked her tongue,” Those purple spotted plants in Feral Forest.”

  Feng’s smile grew, “Yes… so that was you.”

  Rong rolled her eyes. “So, you guys put someone in charge, he goes full genocide, and now what…sorry?” she asked, flabbergasted.

  Feng shook his head. “They cost the sect over a million spirit stones, him and his entire team, the committee that approved his actions, and many others were liquidated over it.”

  Rong opened her mouth. “Like...literally?”

  Feng nodded. “They can be used for raw materials for Ferals.”

  Rong opened her mouth in a growing horror.

  “What…are they normally made from if you don’t mind me asking?”

  Feng frowned in thought. “If I remember, it's some kind of large-scale…slug or leech for the muscle and a sea creature like a clam for the bones.

  Rongs squeezed her lips tight, not wanting to vocalize that her body was made of slugs and clams.

  “Ok…let us say nothing you say would surprise me…which is saying a lot, Jesus fucking Christ. “She sighed, then her robe gobbled.

  Her eyes found Feng’s. “All this is great, but why are you here?”

  “What would you say if I told you there is a world beyond this?” Feng asked.

  Rong raised a brow. “You talking celestial bodies of earth and stone or the Ascension thing they cultivators worship?” Rong asked.

  Feng laughed. “You make it sound like a religion.”

  “I mean... if the shoe fits.” She replied.

  Feng frowned, “It's real. Have you never seen a Heaven's Envoy?”

  Rong narrowed her eyes and sucked in her upper lip. “I uh HAVE met such a person.”

  Feng went still from her reaction. “Why…did you meet them?” he asked his head tilting as he grew more accustomed to her form of speech.

  “Our paths crossed when she tried to confiscate my sister,” Rong replied.

  Feng’s brow creased in thought. “You cannot obstruct Heaven Jianrong, it's... well, it's Heaven!” he explained.

  “Yeah… they mentioned that,” Rong replied.

  The man's face moved through several emotions. “So, what happened to your sister?”

  Rong looked surprised. “She is with my mom…where else wh- ohhh yeah so mmmm well it’s a long story but let us say it all worked out in the end for us,” Rong explained.

  “How about this, I explain how the world works outside of this continent?” Feng stated.

  Jianrong scrunched her lips, then looked at the house, then the gate.

  “I will invite you in, my family is here, if you try and hurt them or disrespect them, I will kill you in the most painful way I can imagine. “She leaned forward. “And I have a vivid imagination.”

  “I understand.” Rong rose, went to the gate, barred it, pulled the bell tight so it could not be rung, and activated the arrays.

  When she sauntered by, Pleasant stuck his head out and gobbled at the man, earning him a head rub and smile.

  “My handsome protector.” She crooned.

  The two sat in a comfortable den. Lin Su did not speak to the man, but she did bring food and did not leave without kissing Rong.

  Feng’s mouth wanted to open, but he clenched his jaw.

  Rong nodded. “Good work, don’t worry about my social life.”

  Feng took a breath. “This continent is considered a barbarian land.” He began.

  Rong blinked.

  “That sounds disrespectful, but it is simply a designation.” He looked around. “Do you have anything to draw with?” he asked.

  Rong rose and got him some parchment and a stick of charcoal.

  Feng began to draw circles.

  He pointed at the outer ridge, “Barbarian lands are places where Qi is relatively weak. Those who cultivate there generally struggle not because of their ability but because of the environment.”

  Rong's brows rose. “Wait, is each ring on your drawing on the surface of the planet?”

  “Planet?” Feng tasted the alien word.

  “Sorry, uh, are these circles on the land here we can reach by traveling?”

  Feng blinked, then nodded. “Yes, they are on the earth we live on.”

  “So, sorry to stop you, but you're saying the closer I get to the center, the stronger the mana becomes?” she asked.

  Feng realized her question and smiled. “There are many circles, but to answer your question, yes.”

  Rong nodded for him to proceed.

  He drew another set of circles, some of which overlapped. “At the center of the circle, you have Heaven towers, these have both people like you and me, but also, they are connected upward. “

  Rong nodded. “Like, where tribulations from?” she asked.

  Feng nodded, “Yes!”

  Then he pointed at the circle closest to heaven.

  This is where the most influential Sects and Clans exist,

  As you move out, they have rankings and different levels of power based on their standing.

  Rong nodded; she didn’t know why, but she understood how streets were arranged.

  “Here the world is very cutthroat, difficult, and uncertain,” Feng stated, pointing to the barbarian lands.

  “The rest of the world is not like that. Honor is as strong as steel where I am from; people live and die for face. A word given is the same as an oath written in blood.” He explained.

  Rong looked at him incredulously.

  Feng saw it and sighed. “Please, I am being honest.”

  Rong raised her hands. “Ok, that sounds nice, why don’t people move there, why even be in the barbarian lands besides distance?”

  Feng smiled at a standard childhood question. “The danger in the Barbarian lands is people…” he said, seeing her look, and added. “Normally, when all is done as directed.”

  Rong smiled at that.

  “As you move inward, there is more Mana. As you know, mana strengthens everything.” Feng stated.

  Rong raised a brow. “Everything?”

  Feng froze, then nodded. “Yes, the same way you reinforce your weapon with Aura, the mana in the environment strengthens plants, flesh, materials like stone and metal.”

  “Wow, that is wow… is it a lot because when you infuse Aura, it is a big jump.” Rong wondered aloud.

  Feng nodded. “Where you are in the circle and how long it has been there are the determining factors.”

  “So a ten-thousand-year-old ginseng in an inner circle…” she said

  “Would make you explode if you took a bite of it.” Feng laughed.

  “So that means the people must be incredibly powerful.” She speculated.

  Feng nodded. “Someone in the inner circle reaching Core Formation before twenty is not uncommon.” He explained.

  Rong tilted her head, confused.

  “Jianrong… your ability is not common, not even in the inner rings. This is why my Sect has sent me to recruit you to train to compete in the trial towers.”

  Rong blinked. “I don’t understand. Is there something relevant to these towers, or is it just a prestige thing?”

  Feng shook his head and pointed at the center circle. “So, you understand all mana emanates from the center, you understand that mana strengthens you. Now, I am explaining that once you reach a certain level, you can train here. The goal is to allow you to ascend.”

  Rong frowned. “Ascend as in reach Nascent Soul?” she asked slowly.

  Feng shook his head. “No, and if I can express anything to you today, it is do not seek Nascent Soul, not until you have the proper training. To fail to reach that realm properly blocks you from many trials that require your soul to be whole.” He explained.

  Rong chuckled. “I will give it to you straight, Feng. I have met four Nascent Souls, and of those four, I have killed two. The other two I would have killed if I could, but… You see, I am Core, and they can fly and shit.”

  Feng paled. “Don’t joke about that.” He warned.

  Rong smiled. “Okay..anyways..I don’t know how to reach Nascent Soul anyway, and I am not in a hurry to do so.” Her eyes landed on him. “Was there something else?” she asked.

  Feng took in all she was saying, decided to believe her, and leaned forward.

  “Jianrong, listen to me. I was serious. I don’t know why you spared me, but I value my life, which is why I am telling you this…. Accept.” The young man wiped his brow. “I swear this is the best outcome. I see you love your family, that is great. But these powers, once they realize you can do what you say you did, they will come.”

  Rong sighed. “My Clan did that, we will just hide. We have accepted that as a way to survive.

  Feng took a knee in front of her and took her hand into his own. “You don’t understand Jianrong. The power you see us with…. In my sect…” His eyes locked with hers, then pointed at the outer circle near the barbarian lands.

  Rong blinked.

  Then he pointed inward. “These people, they will wipe out villages and towns to make someone like you an orphan, so you have no one.”

  Jianrong looked into the man's eyes and found fear. Real fear.

  “I get the impression you're not safe either.” She said softly.

  Feng nodded. “We work on the fringe, we get a cut, and for that we survive.

  Rong bit her lip in serious contemplation. “Let's say…I did kill a Nascent Soul, how would they know?” she asked, resting her hand on his.

  Feng nodded while listening. “Every cultivator, sect, clan, or organization has Karma. When you kill people, your name shows up on a ledger. No one is present for thousands of kilometers, but we are all connected through the system via Heaven. Right now, wheels are spinning.”

  “I am not disbelieving you, it's just…Well, I have killed a lot of people.” Rong admitted.

  “My father told me it works like a beacon, but people aren’t always watching. You were killing low-level grunts, right?” Feng asked quietly.

  Rong nodded.

  “The higher the cultivation, the louder it becomes. Seers see it in the stars, divination points to you, or even worse. The organization within heaven that oversees the Trials learn who you are.” Feng stated.

  Rong shook her head, not understanding.

  Feng put his hands to his face and sat back down, his expression contemplative.

  “You asked about the trials, well, all of it leads to the center circle. Your competing, growing, and ascending drive Karma generation. Karma fuels Mana, which is why where the Karma is, there is Mana. If you go to a place with no people, there is little to no Karma.”

  Rong looked at the circles and had a thought. “So, everything they have you do, generates…revenue, it fuels the system like burning fuel for the whole.” She murmured.

  Feng clapped his hands, pointed at her, and nodded. “Exactly, there are all kinds of rules, but the faster, more complex, and more challenging the trial is, the more Karma it generates.”

  “I have been told Karma is luck and for cultivating.” Rong probed.

  “Yes, I have been told it does even more than that.” He admitted.

  Rong raised a brow.

  “People without Karma stagnate; they grow weaker. Time catches up with them.” Feng stated.

  Rong smiled. “How do I know you're not just trying to breed some kind of superior bloodline?” Rong asked.

  Feng grinned. “That only works out here; people have no value. As you move into the inner circles, skill is worth more than bloodline, because a bloodline may work, it may not, and it takes decades to find out. During that time, you are generating nothing but still burning resources.”

  That made sense. They knew Karma was tangible; they had touched it.

  Rong snorted, “I feel like I am being recruited to be on an elite team for a sport.”

  Feng nodded. “Once you sign with us, your family is safe because harming them offers no benefits.”

  “Instead, they have to pay you for my contract.” Rong thought aloud.

  Feng smiled broadly. “Exactly, I have a contract with me, we guarantee premium resources, training, and guidance.”

  Rong pet Pleasant’s head when he stuck it out. “What happens if I am not good at this. I am not seeking to advance.”

  The young man shook his head. “That doesn’t matter, you, me, anyone who has skill once they find it will be pressed into service because EVERYONE benefits. Even an Emperor's child, if found to be powerful, is not exempt.”

  Rong blinked, shocked. “It's happened several times, since royalty live under better conditions,” Feng explained.

  Rong stood up and walked around.

  She believed him. The fact that Heaven could reach down and test them anywhere told her she was always within their reach.

  The question they asked was why have tribulations.

  People talked about being ‘worthy,’ but when you looked at people like Yue, the idea that he was worthy was laughable.

  But if you changed that to viable.

  Are you feasible for powering their machine?

  Then people like Yue sat in the backwaters, while she was forced into the churn…

  That made too much sense.

  The world punished those who had the skill, forcing them to use it, while letting the lazy and useless skate by.

  “I will sign a letter of intent. I want my family to look at the contract your sect offers.” Rong stated.

  Feng opened his mouth to dispute her idea.

  A moment later, a peal of thunder shattered the sky and made them both cover their heads in instinctual terror.