"It would be inappropriate of me to suggest such a plan and then not volunteer for the dangerous role," Ling Qi said, a touch of exasperation reaching her tone. Being put on the spot was beginning to bother her a little. While Sixiang had a point diverting her course here would do more harm than good.
"I will praise your personal integrity at least," Wu Jing said reluctantly, crossing his arms.
Luo Zhong however, just smiled. "A fine sentiment, though our companions are hardly helpless," he replied, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. He did know what he was doing. "So friends, we shall need one or two additional volunteers. Who is feeling brave?"
Ling Qi prepared herself to wait as conversation began around her to suss out who else would be going along. She allowed her gaze to roam over the group as they spoke, she hoped it wouldn't be too hard to keep whoever got picked safe.
"...Ling Qi stop it," Sixiang sighed in exasperation
'Stop what?' Ling Qi thought not letting her frown show on her face.
"The whole detached aloof act. I don't want to boss you around, but c'mon girl. I get that it helped when you didn't know what you were doing, but you're past that. You know your manners, you know the expectations, you've even got a fancier dress than anyone else. So just engage with the people your supposed to be chatting up already! Stop treating them like an obstacle or challenge and just treat them like people."
Despite herself, Ling Qi's eyes widened at Sixiang's silent tirade, and Luo Zhong glanced her way. "Is something wrong Miss Ling?" He asked casually.
She shook her head faintly. "...No, there is nothing Sir Luo," Ling Qi replied, her tone distracted.
"I do not mind if you have any input on the selection," he said lightly.
Ling Qi glanced around at the others present, with Sixiang's words still echoing in her thoughts, she really looked at them. Not at their cultivation, or the patterns of elements and meridians thrumming under their skin, or even the larger pattern of their group dynamic. It may have seemed a simple and obvious statement but…
These people were friends. The cliques she had seen existed, for sure, but as she watched one of the young men in fur cloaks boasted his prowess to a girl in an elaborate green gown, and she tittered in amusement. Wu Jing argued with a young man in simple and utilitarian garb, but both of them were in good humor. Everyone was polite and formal, and she did sense some animosities, but… had she been looking for masks where there were none? She had come here so wound up and worried about looking for plots and schemes, had that come across in her demeanor?
"...No, I do not know anyone well enough to have a useful opinion," Ling Qi found herself saying in a quiet voice.
Luo Zhong looked at her for a moment, then simply gave a hum of agreement. "Well, we shall let them have it out for awhile longer then."
In the end, the ones who Luo Zhong decided on were one of the young men in cloaks, Sha Feng, and a girl named Lin Fei with spectacles and a plain grey gown.
" Thank you sir Luo. I shall try to be the one targeted! It will be a unique experience I am sure!" The young man was tall and lanky, with a sort of roguish look to his features. He had the feeling of an eager spring breeze, and looking close, Ling Qi could feel the faint imprint of a grinning crescent on his spirit.
"And I suppose it shall be down to me to put you back together afterward," Lin Fei drawled. "I fear for our future." She had a no nonsense air about her, and wore her black hair ina tight bun of the sort one typically saw on older ladies. Her spirit had a solid and dependable feel, like a field of dark earth, newly tilled.
"Sweet Lin Fei, your words wound. As a man, I am shamed by your lack of confidence in me," Sha Feng said with a put upon sigh. Ling Qi raised an eyebrow, either Sha Feng was a flirt, or they were quite familiar with each other.
"I am only as confident as you deserve," the girl said haughtily, though it seemed half in jest. Sha Feng hung his head and the other cloaked young man… his twin brother Sha Fong, clapped him on the back. However, conversation ceased as Luo Zhong spoke up again.
"I am certain that with Miss Ling along, there will be no trouble," Luo Zhong said with amusement.
"I do not doubt your power Miss Ling, only this one's recklessness," Lin Fei said, briefly dipping her head.
"Neither do I," Sha Feng replied. "Though I hope you will not take all the fun."
"I will try not too," Ling Qi replied. She forced herself to relax a little. Sixiang was right in that much, she was doing herself harm by trying to act like someone else. She was Ling Qi, not Bai Meizhen or Cai Renxiang, it was time that she started acting like it. If that brought trouble… she would overcome it. "So long as you are able to keep up," she added allowing herself a challenging smile.
That brought an answering grin to Sha Feng and his brother, and a sigh from Lin Fei. She caught Luo Zhong giving her a brief but unreadable look out of the corner of her eye. Soon though the three of them set off from the dwindling group, who were already making arrangements to split into trappers and archers.
As they set off through the trees, Ling Qi glanced back at her two temporary followers. They walked a half step behind her and did not shy from her gaze. They were probably from baronial clans then, and main line at that. She turned her attention to Sha Feng "You follow the path of the Grinning Moon then?"
Sha Feng paused for a moment, almost missing a step. "Yes, is it that obvious?" He asked curiously.
She could feel the currents of wind and ripples of the moon in his aura, so to her it was. "Only if you have the right eyes," she replied impishly
"Ah of course, I had heard some rumors in that regard," Sha Feng said, giving her an assessing look. "It is good to see that they are not just that."
"Moon spirits can be dangerous and unreliable things," Lin Fei added carefully. "It is unusual for a new cultivator to walk that path."
"Hmph, I resent that," Sixiang grumbled, and both of Ling Qi's companions nearly jumped.
"I believe the revel I met you at could have left me catatonic if I had not impressed your grandmother," Ling Qi said dryly, addressing the empty air. "So her words are not wrong."
"Details," Sixiang huffed.
"...So that is the nature of your hidden spirit," Sha Feng mused. "It seems you must be quite the spirit speaker Miss Ling."
"I am at least, very lucky," Ling Qi acknowledged. "But enough of me. I am afraid I am not very familiar with your group. When did the two of you reach the Inner Sect?"
"Lin Fei and I were lucky enough to scrape through last year," Sha Feng said with a chuckle.
"Speak for yourself, I placed fifth among the production students," Lin Fei replied with a sniff.
"You knew each other before as well then?" Ling Qi asked idly, just to keep the conversation going as they walked.
"We are quite familiar indeed, our families lands neighbor one another. We are betrothed," The young man said cheerfully.
"The trials one undergoes for family," Lin Fei said with a small smile.
Ling Qi was struck by awkward silence for a moment. Despite her jibes, Lin Fei did not exactly seem to dislike Sha Feng. The only examples of noble betrothal she had seen thus far were Xiulan and that girl who had attacked her over Huang Da. It seemed bizarre that Lin Fei was so content.
"Getting off track, confront issues later, you have a good conversational flow going," Sixiang chided.
"Well, I wish you happiness," Ling Qi said, after only just missing a beat and swiftly changing the subject. "If I might ask another question, have I done something to offend Wu Jing?"
Sha Feng's eyes narrowed a little, but Lin Fei sent him a chiding look. "I do not believe so. Sir Luo and Sir Wu have an… eccentric relationship. Sir Luo seems to encourage his contrariness, even when it is mildly disrespectful. Please do not take offense."
"I do not," Ling Qi said reassuringly. "But I cannot help but feel that he has some personal dislike for me."
"He is simply sore regarding recent events," Sha Feng huffed. "The Wu family did better than the Li in the invasion, but they were still reduced to a bare remnant from the Counts they were. They now reject the ways of the Emerald Seas and cleave strongly to the Peaks. As if we cannot stand on our own..." Sha Feng said, growing more disgruntled by the word. It had the air of a previously spoken grievance.
"Sha Feng," Lin Fei said harshly, cutting him off.
My apologies," he said sheepishly. "Please do not give my rambling much merit."
Ling Qi nodded easily, but filed away his words for consideration. She supposed that there would be a faction even in the Cai's supporters that would be displeased by last years events. The Bai were still not friendly with the imperial throne. Ugh, things only got messier every time she looked closer.
"I will try not to do so," Ling Qi said politely instead. "Well I suppose I will just have to try and convince him of Lady Cai's position."
Sha Feng laughed, but there was a touch of nervousness in it. "I am sure you can manage Miss Ling."
"...Yes," Lin Fei agreed. "Ah, Miss Ling, are you going to suppress your qi then?"
"Right, my apologies," Ling Qi said. "It slipped my mind for a moment."
Ling Qi breathed in deeply and suppressed her qi, scattering it as she had while hiding in the clouds, for a moment she felt her outline waver. She had gotten much practice at home though, suppressing her power for the comfort of her household, and so rather than vanishing entirely, her power merely ebbed low at the very threshold of the third realm. It was still uncomfortable, but bearable after practice. She could hold this indefinitely barring sudden shocks.
"Let's get baiting then," Ling Qi said lightly. "It would be best if we pretended to be a gathering party I think…"
These two at least weren't unpleasant to talk to Ling Qi mused as they continued toward the beasts territory, hashing out their plan. Ling Qi felt like she was was beginning to realize something. Meizhen used her mannerisms as a nigh invulnerable armor to deflect unwanted social advances, and for a time emulating her had been helpful but… it was not really her, and continuing to cling to that false face was only doing her harm.
She would have to figure out her own approach in the future, something that was more honest to herself. However, for now she had a lion to hunt. It did not take too long to work out their plan. They would separate and begin working their way through the beasts territory, harvesting plants and herbs, Ling Qi would take the central role so that she could easily react if either of them were attacked. Sha Feng and Lin Fei would also release their spirit beasts, a hawk and an owl respectively, to act as overwatch and messenger to the other groups as necessary.
Simple and elegant, as a plan should be, in Ling Qi's opinion. Though it did rely on the lion being hungry enough to attack. Alingge and she had not seen any signs of recent kills though, so that should be fine. If not they would just have to use plan B and comb through in force to flush the beast out of its lair.
The downside was that it was a pretty dull plan to enact. The fact that they had to separate meant that they couldn't chat much… and Ling Qi found that she didn't mind her companions company. By the time they separate and Ling Qi was idly collecting herbs, she was beginning to entertain the seed of idea. She would probably need Xiulan's help but… she did know a few important people, 'foreigners' mostly of course, but… maybe she could set up her own little gathering in the future? It would have to be a small thing, since she still disliked the crowding of Cai Renxiang's parties, but maybe it was time to give bringing her disparate social group together another try. She wasn't quite the same confused commoner she had been the last time she had made the effort.
While she mused on such thoughts, she kept her senses alert, keeping close track of the twin beacons that were her companions qi. They were well out of sight, but if she poured on the effort and dropped her suppression, she could be on either of them in seconds.
"You're such a mother hen sometimes," Sixiang laughed.
'There's nothing wrong with caution,' Ling Qi thought primly, reaching down to pluck a likely looking bunch of wild berries. She paused before her fingers could touch them though. She had felt something, a ripple in the wind and ambient qi, a well hidden spike of hostility and hunger. She vanished, leaving the berry bush swaying as air rushed in to fill the space where she had been crouched.
It did indeed, only take a few seconds for her to reach the clearing where Sha Feng had been gathering herbs. A snarling two meter long cat was upon him, with dull grey fur marked with darker spots and stripes. The beast had him pinned to the ground, and its jaws were locked around his forearm, fangs digging into the thick leather bracers worn under his armor, and into the flesh beneath. Similarly, the beasts claws claws scrabble at his chest, cutting through cloth and leather to cut lines of red in flesh. She had to restrain the reflexive urge to sing a single sharp note and blast the beast off of him.
Because his expression was one of excitement rather than distress as they struggled to wrestle his way out from beneath the great cat. Remembering her words, Ling Qi instead materialized in the branches of a tree above and breathed out, a ripple of vital qi spreading through the clearing with the beat of her heart. Sha Feng's skin shimmered with viridian light and suddenly the beasts claws no longer found purchase. She watched in some bemusement as the young man used the beasts moment of confusion to free his other arm and with a vortex of howling air gathering around his fist, punched the lion in the side of the head, in three rapid jabs.
The beast seemed hardly harmed, and yet for a moment, the grip of its jaws on his forearm loosened and Ling Qi felt the older boy take hold of the wind his outline briefly wavering as he slipped free and reformed a meter away, standing in a ready position, a saber in his left hand. The beast let out a low snarl as it rounded on him, but she could sense the beasts own attempts to discern the source of the shimmering viridian armor. It wasn't stupid. For a time she observed as the lion circled and the boy feinted and slashed, not letting himself get pinned again.
Then Ling Qi spotted the fluttering of wings in the sky overhead and grinned, allowing her hold on her qi to loosen. The Lion immediately began to turn toward her, ignoring the bellicose boy advancing on it with a saber… Only to yowl as arrow carved from pale green wood punched into its flank from the other side. Immediately the beast shimmered, the air around it shifting as light and wind bent. Ling Qi watched as he eyes showed it dart off to the south. Her other senses however, showed the trail of qi leading west.
The hunt that followed lasted a bit under half an hour as the pursuing nobles came out of the woodwork to chase down and box in the fleeing beast. It was not exactly what Ling Qi would call harrowing or challenging, but she somehow got caught up in it a bit, hopping through the canopy of the trees beside Alingge as they directed the others. Some part of her had been a bit worried about Sha Feng's wounds, but he seemed rather pleased with them all told, boasting to the others about his brief tussle and letting Lin Fei fuss grumpily over him.
At last, the lion fell, wounded and boxed in by disciples with spears and swords. She might have felt bad for it, but… Ling Qi was not that softhearted. It was a predatory spirit beast unbound and wild, the only reason it did not prey on humans regularly was geography. All in all the hunt itself seemed almost… anti-climactic.
Though she supposed that the hunting was always a sideshow, given the venue. Ling Qi watched a particularly brawny boy hoist the carcass onto his shoulders as the others chatted and laughed. Through the crowd, she met Luo Zhong's eyes and he smiled. The time for the real challenge had come. The victory celebration.
She still was not sure of the Luo scions intentions and that did bother her. She felt like she had been prodded and herded, and she absolutely had been put on the spot, but why?
[] Get answers, proactively seek out Luo Zhong during the victory celebration and press him, politely, on what exactly he wants.
[] Let him play his game, make up for lost time and try to forge a few more lines of personal acquaintance among his group.
