Through the Looking Glass
Snow and ice swirled around Zeqing as she watched Hanyi practice the latest measures of her song. Hanyi was making progress, maybe it was time to finally
consume/devour/absorb… no. It was time to go back home and perhaps enjoy a cup of wine to settle herself.
"Hanyi," Zeqing beckoned, "you've done an excellent job today. It is growing late, however, and it is time to return home."
Hanyi looked at her, with eyes like crystals shimmering in the dying sun, and nodded her head tiredly.
As Zeqing knelt down and picked Hanyi up for the flight back home, Hanyi perked up and asked, "Hey, Mama? Do you think that if Zhengui comes by later I could stay up a bit past my bedtime and go sledding with him? He hasn't been over in forever!"
"We'll see, it depends on the time."
As the world blurred past them, Zeqing allowed Hanyi to rest against her shoulder. The bubbling desire and hunger rose up again inside of her at this close proximity, but it was with practiced ease that those emotions and wants were quashed.
It was as she was getting closer to her home, that Zeqing sensed a familiar presence dispersing from her home. Now… what would Xin be doing here at this time, but couldn't stay for a drink? Probably something to do with a ploy she was engaged in at the moment.
As she landed at her door, and gently set Hanyi down, a small package caught her eye. A letter addressed to her and a small box that it was tied to.
After preparing the meal for the evening, and letting Hanyi loose in the backyard to play, Zeqing finally opened up the letter.
"Dear Zeqing, While you could not come to see the Outer Sect trials in person, it would be a shame to not witness the fruits of your student's labors first hand. As such, please feel free to borrow this formation for the week. It will allow you to remotely view the trials from your home.
Sincerely, Xin
P.S.
I will have to come by and reclaim the formation after the tournament however, my dear husband would be quite cross with me should he learn that this particular item had disappeared."
With a huff, Zeqing opened the small box and inspected the intricately carved stone. Indeed, there was a trigger that would allow her to remotely view the stages of the tournament. There was also a trigger that allowed the stone to project the image upon a still surface, allowing those of a… less defined spirit to view as well.
Moving to a less used and more open room, Zeqing shifted her house to provide a large shallow pond in the middle. Triggering the projection ability, she placed it in the pool. The perfectly flat and crystal clear water allowed the formation to perfectly project the image allowing anyone in the room to see a singular stage.
With a flick of her qi, Zeqing shifted between the stages and didn't see where her student was. Disgruntled, she settled on watching the bloody demon for the time. It was a terribly boring match, there was simply no competition between the demon and her prey. The only one who could have offered a challenge seemed to be allied to the demon anyway! A singularly disappointing match.
Apparently, however, there was a second round! After sifting through the stages, Zeqing was able to find the stage that Ling Qi would be playing in. Not a lot of competition though, except for one male that seemed to be progressing nicely through his third realm.
"Hanyi," Zeqing called out, "There is something here that you might want to see."
Hanyi ran over to the room and looked inside. "Hey Mama, what are you looking at?"
"It appears that Ling Qi is about to present her skills in front of the Sect and its guests. Come, let's see how well she will do and the fruition of her training."
Zeqing sat down on an appearing bench, and Hanyi sat on her lap so that both could easily see what would be happening in the match.
As the stage formed, Zeqing couldn't help but chuckle with mirth at the grounds that Ling Qi found herself in. Even Ling Qi found it amusing. However, it was a long moment before Ling Qi decided to proceed forward with a plan.
Zeqing hummed in appreciation as the mists flowed away from Ling Qi in its full glory. It was amusing to watch the rabble attempt to dispel the mists but to have their tricks thwarted by the technique that Ling Qi had finished just a week ago.
But, much to Zeqing's delight, the show was just starting. Ling Qi had apparently decided to hunt the largest prey available in this stage, and press herself against an individual who was even further along his path than she was.
The boy was strong, and it was apparent that Ling Qi would struggle besting such a challenge in a headlong conflict. When Ling Qi peeled away from the boy, it was slightly disappointing, until Zeqing recognized the strategy. A bead of cold pride grew in herself at what Ling Qi was attempting to do.
"Mama," Hanyi whined, "why is big sister running away from the dirty mud boy? She can totally beat him!"
"Watch closely Hanyi," Zeqing murmured, "and ask yourself why she is letting the rabble stay conscious."
Hanyi leaned closer and peered deeply into the pool. "Oh!" Hanyi exclaimed, "Is she doing the same thing we do to other spirits, taking their qi for ourselves? That's so smart! She can just keep attacking him forever without letting him fight her back!"
"Just so, but things are never as simple as they seem. The boy is strong, let us see how he responds to this."
Zeqing watched as the boy and his spirit companion left their ground after Ling Qi 'retreated' for the second time. The boy had apparently decided to traverse through the ground itself to hunt the people that Ling Qi was using to replenish her qi. It seemed that he was succeeding as well.
Ling Qi was chasing him around the mountain to… some effect. Her mist seemed incapable of holding him stationary and so he kept retreating and rapidly moving towards another target of his.
"So, Hanyi. What should Ling Qi be doing here to beat the boy? It doesn't appear that what she is doing is very effective right now."
"Ummm… be faster? Call him a cheater? Because he is totally cheating right now."
"Perhaps, but listen closely now because you may one day find yourself in a similar situation. Of hunting a beast that can outpace you, but is too weak to confront you. Find the thing the beast must have, and then take it for yourself. Find the thing the beast wants, and hold it close to your heart.
It will force the beast to confront you, for if he does not have that which you have taken he will surely perish. If he must face you and can no longer flee, then the battle has already been won. So, what can Ling Qi do here to force the boy to confront her?"
"Big Sister could… capture a couple of the rabble and cage them in a single location? If the Dirty Mud Boy is trying to beat up all of the rabble, then holding some of the rabble near her would force him to come to her."
"Quite right, Hanyi. Good job. You'll have to tell her that when next she comes to practice and train. She can be forgiven though, after all, she is so very young, even amongst her kind."
The battle took quite a while to end but it was enjoyable to watch. A game of hide and seek where the rabble were always the losers. Eventually, though, Ling Qi and the boy were the last ones in the stage, and the mountains began to dissolve around them. It was quite the humorous show. Perhaps the next round would be just as entertaining.
A/N
@yrsillar Another Omake for the Omake Throne! Although I do have to lament at my timing, being right after an official update does make my writing look poorer by comparison.
Anyway, I haven't done an omake in awhile, and while this plot bunny wouldn't leave me, it was a challenge to write. I still feel as though something is off with the perspective of what I'm writing. Well, it's done and posted. As always, critiques and criticisms are always welcomed!
