My Own System Is Failing Me.

  Jianrong stood in front of a man who towered over her.

  “Sorry for the inconvenience.” She started with an apologetic smile.

  The man took in a long breath.

  When the Array came to life, his Aura erupted and enveloped Jianrong.

  Even before the battle started, it was not uncommon to struggle for Aura supremacy.

  Jianrong stood unbothered while she waited.

  The man's intent pressed relentlessly.

  “BEGIN!”

  It took Jianrong only one step to close the distance.

  The opponent took a startled half-breath as he felt nothing from her.

  Then she tackled his front leg; a moment later, he was bound up into a ball, screaming.

  Rong rolled off the man and clapped. “Nice try, good luck!” she cheered.

  Elder Tan stood up, his Aura exploding.

  “You DARE!” he shouted.

  Jianrong blinked, then counted his palm strike.

  “Okay, Dokey then,” she said as she took hold of the wrist and clamped down on it with her right hand as her hip rotated and her left palm struck his elbow, shattering it, then hyperextending it.

  The man shouted, then screamed several octaves higher as she rotated her body, twisting his arm a full rotation, making him collapse on the ground.

  "Elder Tan violated protocol by attacking after the match's conclusion. Recruit defended herself appropriately. Healers, attend to the Elder." Qin said stiffly.

  There was a pause, then he looked at Rong.

  The woman watched him openly, her brows raised as she smiled, genuinely enjoying his discomfort.

  Qin turned to Pei.

  “After this, I would like an opportunity to speak with the two of you in private.” He said tightly.

  Pei’s smile sparkled. “Of course, General, Jianrong looks up to you. I am sure we can find some common ground to discuss whatever it is you have in mind.

  After a short break, Jianrong stood in front of two men with their swords drawn.

  “Sorry for the inconvenience.” She said with a regretful smile.

  The elder to the side spoke. “You will need to use a weapon.”

  Rong clicked her tongue, then shrugged. She turned her hand, and her Great Dao appeared, Lei Zhenyu.

  After a moment, she rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, all glory will be yours….” she sighed, listening to the sword spirit talk non-stop.

  Aura crushed down on her as she continued to sigh, her body moving into slow, circular rotations as she warmed up, oblivious to their Aura attacks.

  “Begin!”

  Both men’s feet planted to send their sword beams, one bit into her leg deep.

  Her Dao deflected the other.

  Then the first man fell screaming as her blade flicked in a faint, then landed on his thigh with a grunt as his Aura failed, then the power that followed through fractured bone.

  The second man leaped away.

  Jianrong caught him mid movement, their blades intersecting.

  Then his sword was blown away by her overpowering strength, tearing the flesh between his thumb and palm from the blow.

  The next moment, she planted her foot in his chest and sent him on his way.

  The sword danced around her as she played with her companion, then sent him back to her ring.

  With a salute, she returned to her position.

  The judge surveyed the situation and ordered the men to be taken away.

  “Recruit, do you need assistance?” the judge asked.

  Jianrong saluted the man. “No, elder, I am fine, already healed, thank you.” She replied.

  Qin’s voice rang out.

  "Deploy the training constructs. Standard Core Formation parameters. Six units."

  Turning to Rong:

  "You'll face automated combat puppets. They don't tire, don't hesitate, and coordinate perfectly. This will show your capability against ideal doctrine execution."

  Jianrong raised her hand.

  Qin blinked, then nodded. “Yes?”

  “Can I use Aura now?” she asked, curious.

  "...You haven't been using Aura offensively?" Qing asked.

  Rong's brow scrunched up in amusement. “You didn’t think it was strange that the man's leg did not fall off when I hit it?” she asked.

  Qin spoke in a whisper: "You were... holding back enough to prevent dismemberment."

  Rong nodded, "Yes, Excellency. You may have given up on me, but I have not given up on you as a possible bidder." She smiled.

  Pei's face was a mix of horror and joy, "Her value just went up AGAIN," he thought.

  "Against the constructs. Full power. Show us what you're actually capable of." Qin stated clearly.

  Rong smiled, then looked to Feng, who nodded and pulled out a crystal, activating it.

  The six puppets were human-shaped, made of wood and metal.

  They made Jianrong think of those crash dummies used in car testing from a show she had watched once.

  As everyone waited for her to step up, her eyes sparkled with mischief.

  Raising a fist before her, the group felt her Qi stir and stilled.

  They felt disoriented as they realized she was not using any benefits; she was fighting with just her body.

  When she opened her hand, a small white star appeared.

  Pei took a sharp breath, then turned and saw Feng recording her, and felt lightheaded.

  “Oh no!” he thought.

  Raising her hand above her head as she looked up in exultation, the star flared brighter.

  “IN THE BRIGHTEST DAY!”

  “IN THE DARKEST NIGHT!”

  Jianrong's body shifted as her stance widened; her other arm moved to accentuate her words.

  “NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT!”

  “NONONONONONONO!” Pei screamed internally.

  “LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVILS MIGHT-“

  Jianrong’s powerful Aura filled the room and made everyone under Nascent Soul groan.

  “BEWARE MY POWER!” Her words thundered through the hall, like the coming of Ragnarok.

  Her fist clamped down on the small star, making it seem to initiate the process.

  “DIVINE FOX FORM!!” Her voice pierced people's minds and hearts.

  Jianrong’s Aura collapsed and condensed into a white mass around her, giving her an even larger tail, as her feet gained large claws and her hands and forearms swelled in size.

  Jianrong’s face covering shifted, and her entire head elongated into a fox's head that came to a point with a black nose with two long golden arcs that seemed like the eyes of a smiling beast.

  Qin felt the world tilt.

  When he had seen her other manifestation, he did not know what to make of it.

  But now, being close enough to touch it…it felt alive, as if it was real and solid.

  Jianrong turned her hand, and a new sword appeared.

  It was a Saber, but its head held a great cloud with intricate designs.

  The material was a strange brown with gold within it, golden light that sparkled.

  When her Aura poured into it, the gold came to life even brighter.

  Then she turned it and let the tip strike the floor as she rested her hand on it.

  The weight sent a tremor through the floor.

  Qin wanted to stop.

  He wanted to end the demonstration and move straight to debriefing.

  From debriefing to healing his people and seeing if Jianrong COULD heal crippling injuries.

  But the hall was filled with allies and foes alike.

  If he ended the demonstration, one of them would offer to do it at their own location.

  The Technical Officer approached Qin quietly.

  "General, the constructs are rated for Core Formation..."

  "That Aura pressure was— The weapon weight suggests—"

  He looked nervously at the smiling white fox that looked at him.

  "Should we perhaps—"

  Qin cut him off: "The constructs can handle it."

  He made his bed after saying, "Show full capabilities."

  Now he had to lie in it.

  He turned to The Puppet Controller, "Activate combat protocols."

  "Standard Core Formation coordination pattern." He added.

  "Defensive formations authorized."

  "Recruit. You may begin on my signal."

  "Yes, Excellency." Her voice came from within.

  She lifted her 30kg Yuntou Dao from the ground with one hand.

  With a shrug, it rested on her shoulder.

  Her head facing forward, she waited.

  "I'm ready." The Puppets Activate

  Six constructs moved into formation.

  Combat arrays powered up. Coordination protocols engaged.

  The system did not know how to rank the opponent, so it moved to its most aggressive settings.

  The Final Moment. Before they started, the hall became deathly silent.

  Everyone was holding their breath.

  Qin's hand raised.

  Rong crouched as her eyes within the constructed lit up, Qi flowing ever faster.

  The moment stretched.

  Someone in the crowd leaned to their companion and whispered.

  "Should we—"

  "Shh!"

  Pei's mind was screaming with anticipation. "YES! YES! THIS IS PERFECT!"

  "Maximum drama!"

  "Maximum spectacle!"

  "Her value is—"

  "Wait."

  "Those puppets are expensive."

  "If she destroys them—"

  "Qin will be upset—"

  “Beg-“ Qin had not finished when the floor where Rong had been buckled.

  The Nascent Souls followed her with their Spirit Sense, since she was moving too fast in a crowd to see what was happening.

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Rong had replicated the heavy weapon that had cleaved elders in the Clan.

  She had taken a great deal of time carving the shape within its heavy form; Ling's presence lingered, as whenever she came and went, Rong collected the soil.

  Ling may be her lover, or someone she joked with and held in desire.

  But she was Rong's Earth God, and having her presence in her hand gave the woman a great sense of relief.

  The weight gave Jianrong a sense of permanence even as everything else changed, including her own body.

  Qing was close enough to watch with his eyes; what he saw made his mind fall silent.

  The brown and gold blade moved like an apparition in the fox's hand.

  Where it passed, it ceased to be whole.

  The first construct was cleaved in half, not with a shout or influential art,

  The sword simply rotated over her head once in a windup, then stretched out and blew the magical construct apart, moving on to the next.

  A construct would brace, Qi would flare, and other units would move into place.

  Then it would cease to exist as Rong passed by, her blade bisecting everything: Qi, wood, arms, legs, bodies.

  When metal was struck, it was either cleaved or crushed into smaller pieces.

  In a dozen breaths, she returned to her starting point and put away the sword and dispersed the armor, drawing her Aura back into her body.

  They had not landed a single blow; she simply chased them down, and they moved to work in tandem to suppress, but they ceased to exist after one attack.

  Silence.

  Absolute silence.

  Then someone in the crowd:

  "Did... did she just—"

  "In a dozen breaths?"

  Another:

  "I couldn't see her. I'm Core Formation. I couldn't SEE her."

  Nascent Soul observer: "I tracked her with Spirit Sense. She was... hunting them. They never had a chance."

  The Technical Officer spoke to Qin, voice shaking: "General. Those constructs were rated for—"

  Qin replied quietly. "I know."

  A long moment passed.

  "I know."

  Then the accusations began to form.

  "Those constructs were defective!"

  "No way a Core Formation cultivator destroys six military-grade constructs in seconds. The equipment was faulty. This demonstration is invalid."

  "She must be using hidden treasures. Concealed artifacts. No Core Formation has that power naturally."

  Jianrong smiled and curled around Feng as they both watched in fascination as Qin was forced to defend his Sect's honor and Pei tried to placate everyone.

  “Uncle Pei, I am not tired, let those who doubt come up, I don’t know, sharing some pointers.” Rong offered until Feng shushed her, making her pout.

  Qin's voice filled the hall.

  Raising his hand for silence: "The demonstration is concluded."

  His voice was loud. Authoritative. Final.

  "Celestial War Doctrine equipment performed to specifications. The constructs engaged according to the rated parameters. Recruit exceeded those parameters. That is the assessment."

  "Secure the demonstration area. Begin damage assessment for records."

  "Representatives will have the opportunity to review recordings and submit formal inquiries through proper channels."

  Jianrong turned to Feng, “See how much you can sell the recording for, all I want is meat.” She grinned.

  "That recording is worth significantly more than meat." Feng pointed out.

  Rong rolled her eyes. “I know that fool, this is so you can get you a little nest egg.”

  "We should probably negotiate proper terms—" Feng offered.

  Rong sighed and shooed him away with a dismissive hand as she moved to Pei, who was sweating, listening to the two of them. "You handle it. I trust you. Just get me meat."

  Pei guided Jianrong away as they fell in behind Qin, who moved with firm determination.

  A short time later, Pei was sitting in front of Qin’s desk, relaxed as Qin leaned forward, his elbows planted in the expensive piece.

  “We would request assistance in healing to understand your recruit’s ability,” Qin stated.

  “That… would be irregular...” Pei began.

  “Uncle Pei, why not let me help that poor man who got too excited… It's not a demonstration… It's just goodwill between friends,” she offered.

  Pei listened, then turned back.

  “Besides, shouldn’t Commander Pei and General Qin have some piece of professional courtesy amongst fellow soldiers?” Rong asked softly.

  Later that evening.

  Jianrong focused on the man's bones, then moved to the cartilage, then to the ligaments.

  But the time she was repairing his tendons and muscles, she thought he might cry a river of gratitude.

  “Thank you, truly, I was wrong…thank you.” The elder spoke with tears on his face, for not long before, he had been told they could do nothing for him.

  “It is fine, please take better care,” Rong replied and stood to leave.

  “Young lady, please wait,” Qin said from nearby.

  Jianrong turned to him, then noticed neither Pei nor Feng was around.

  She stood a meter away and waited.

  “Jianrong, we understand now that you were born in an exile village.”

  Qin said while looking at his notes.

  “We understand that you have built what you have.”

  He closed his eyes, trying to make what he was saying as painless as possible.

  “Your family was open with our investigators; we know about your hardship with the Gilded Sect.”

  The ship began to move.

  General Qin licked his lips, then pulled out a letter and handed it to her.

  Glancing at it, he saw it was from her mother. She opened it.

  It was three pages long, with tear marks.

  When she was done reading it, she placed it in her ring and waited.

  “We have agreed, your family is safe and will remain safe with Sect members providing protection and assistance. That includes not interfering with their lives. You have siblings who are all far along the path; they will be provided for, and positions in sects are already waiting for them should they choose them. But for now, for your cooperation, we don't need to do anything.”

  Qin swallowed.

  “Jianrong, the contract with Divine Cloud had to be amended; no one felt comfortable with knowing you would not have oversight. This is for the best.” He explained.

  Rong waited.

  “You will become an inner disciple of Celestial War Doctrine. As part of the agreement, you will work jointly with our allies from time to time... To that end, we will help you grow.

  There was a long silence.

  “I promised to ask. I know you have already talked about this, but we are concerned about the Empress of Tianrelion. The Divine Cloud Sect would see her being reinstated into power. All they ask is that you provide any information about her or the details of the treasury you might have omitted or something you may have remembered.”

  “It warms my heart to hear my Empress will return to her former glory. As for where she is or what happened to the Treasury contents, I have no idea.” Rong stated evenly.

  A sharp pain lanced through her Spirit.

  “Jianrong, you must know…only you saw them last, so I need you to think very hard,” Qin stated.

  Rong nodded. “Very hard, yes.” She agreed.

  Qin clenched his jaw. “What was the last thing you told her?”

  “I told her I would love her until my last breath,” Rong stated.

  Qin’s mouth opened and closed. “What was the last thing you saw her do?”

  “Stab a guard who tried to rape me in the face,” Rong stated.

  Jianrong sat down on the floor, then lay down.

  Qin blinked.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Lying down.” She replied.

  The silence was heavy.

  “Jianrong,” Qin said quietly.

  “Hm?” Rong looked at him.

  “Jianrong…you cannot lie on the ground,” Qin explained.

  Rong simply looked at him.

  “Get up!” Qin ordered.

  Rong rose and stood in place.

  Time passed.

  “You must have questions.” Qin offered.

  Rong shook her head. “Nope.”

  A disciple came and escorted her to her room. The person spoke to her, but Rong did not listen, preoccupied with her thoughts.

  Rong didn’t register their actions or departure. She simply lay down and closed her eyes.

  Sitting in the lobby of the Bloom, a host of people waited.

  “GOBBLE, GOBBLE!” Pleasant raced to her, picked up her feathered friend, and gave him kisses.

  “MOM!” Shen screamed, then the young boy and his sister raced from their couch, where they were resting with Matron Bright, to Jianrong.

  The fox fell to her knees with tears in her eyes.

  Picking them up, both babbled about all that happened while Pleasant ran around on their shoulders and heads, adding his voice to theirs.

  Na and Lin Su were there with Elaren.

  Rong kept crying, so happy to see them all.

  Finally seated, with the children lying asleep on her, the adults talked.

  Na clutched her robe in concern. “We have been watching it all, it’s terrible, you look so unhappy!” she said, her eyes tinged red.

  Rong laughed. “Don’t let the act fool you. I couldn't care less. What is Mom's and the others' status?

  Elaren looked to Lin Su, who smiled. “They have been trying everything to find Sulara; everyone from Elaren’s estate was questioned, but they said they were sent in advance when the Grand Elder started acting strange.” Lin Su smirked.

  “Once the airships arrived, everyone fell back to the Bloom except those who had been seen. Every Sect has dispatched its airships to find us.” Elaren.

  “Nadia, Gaila, Valen, Jang, and the Dars are all living in the town rental. Virea already fell back to the Bloom, and as soon as security lessens, the others are considering it.” Lin Su said softly.

  “Janice..Bram..everyone.” Rong said weakly, thinking of her home full of all the people she loved and adored. Waking up surrounded. The sound of children and crows.

  “They all miss you. Next time they will come.” Elaren replied.

  Rong wiped her face. She suddenly felt a sharp pain of desire to see them.

  “What is the plan?” Elaren said evenly.

  Rong considered. “When we need to know how they can pinpoint with such high accuracy. Till then, everyone needs to be near a Dar, and we fill the Bloom with everything we need to flourish.” Rong offered.

  Time passed as they talked until she sighed and kissed everyone goodbye.

  “Back to the grind. I love you, please hug Nadia and Gaila, and Jang… he must be beside himself.” She asked both of them.

  Jianrong’s eyes opened, and she moved to clean up. Food was brought, and she ate it; then she retired.

  General Qin Renshu, Captain Han Weixun, and Lieutenant Shen Lian watched through the arrays.

  “She is completely different,” Shen Lian said softly.

  Han Weixun simply nodded.

  Qin Renshu frowned. “She kept talking before now; she is like a sleepwalker.”

  Days flowed by.

  Jianrong still prayed, but silently.

  The Array technicians noted her regular calisthenics workouts but were unsure what she did or why.

  They watched her move through the attack and defenses using her knife in her room.

  Qin reviewed the reports and sensed a growing disharmony aboard the ship, as people knew of Rong but had never seen her.

  That evening, she was ordered to report to the training hall in the morning to observe.

  When morning training started, Jianrong was there, clean, pressed, and ready.

  Her eyes moved over the disciples, who were training.

  Something happened, and a person was hurt.

  There was a delay in medical care, and Lieutenant Shen, who was watching, looked to Rong.

  Without a word, she monitored the training.

  Shen Lian finally frowned and approached her. “Disciple, can you help him?” he asked.

  Jianrong blinked, turned, and looked behind herself, then back to him while pointing to herself. “Is Excellency speaking to me?”

  The Lieutenant’s mouth opened then shut with an audible click.

  Lian did not reprimand her.

  That would be doctrinally suicidal.

  Instead, he did the only thing that would preserve control and reactivate the utility.

  “Disciple Jianrong is authorized to intervene in training injuries at her discretion while observing.” He stated.

  Rong's brows rose a fraction, but did nothing.

  “You can heal him,” the Lieutenant stated.

  Jianrong shrugged. “Can he not heal himself?” she asked.

  This was not sarcasm.

  This was not cruelty.

  This was a doctrinal interrogation.

  She has just forced the Sect to confront three things in public:

  Doctrine assumes self-sufficiency

  Doctrine tolerates preventable harm

  Her intervention would mask systemic failure

  She was asking whether the system should function before she did.

  That is dangerous ground for the Sect.

  “The injury exceeds expected self-recovery parameters for this rotation,” Shen Lian stated.

  “What does that even mean?” she said dismissively and approached the man.

  “Did you need medical assistance, disciple?” she asked the man, who immediately made eye contact with his superior and then nodded.

  Rong placed her thumb above the wound, and a few heartbeats later, it was healed.

  The man tried to thank Rong, but she simply walked away and returned to observing.

  Some disciples pulled her to eat with them. When they asked about training, she admitted she knew nothing about the Sect and could offer no help.

  Jianrong’s alienness to the Sect forced Qin to act.

  Jianrong stood straight and unafraid in front of the three Nascent Souls who ran the ship.

  “Jianrong, it has been noted you have not been integrating yourself,” Qin stated.

  Rong's features remained neutral. “I have little in common with you people, so it seems logical I would not find common ground. Was there anything else, Excellency?” The woman asked.

  All three men bristled at the way she spoke.

  "The current arrangement isn't working. You're compliant but not engaged. We both know this." Qin stated.

  The General leaned back in his seat.

  "What would make you actually cooperate? Not just obey - genuinely work with us?"

  Rong tilted her head.

  “To be honest…I don’t know.” She said simply, looking around.

  “The problem is not so much that I am not engaged, it is that I do not know how to engage with you people. Your ways are not my ways. I don’t understand your fighting or your magic. “The Lieutenant had me heal a man who, from my perspective, was barely hurt. I don’t understand why he didn't seek normal aid rather than needing magical assistance.” Rong pointed out.

  “You train using Aura and Qi non-stop, requiring you to take pills constantly. Your entire way of doing things confuses me.” She shook her head.

  “Perhaps provide guidelines for what you expect, and I can follow them.” She said evenly.

  “Since you completely disregarded my contract, which keeps me at your disposal indefinitely with unfettered daily access, I can only assume anything that would restrict that would be met with dismissal, so really, you have nothing to offer me that I value. I must remain always at your side like a loyal dog, and your offers consist of the color bowl from which I feed and the color of my collar that restrains me.” Rong pointed out.

  "That's... not accurate," Qin stated.

  "The consortium requirement is crossover mission availability. Joint operations involving multiple sects. That's what they paid for - shared access for specific missions."

  He looked at her directly.

  "Everything else is standard sect membership. You're a Celestial War Doctrine inner disciple with normal terms, normal autonomy, and normal life. The only difference: when the consortium calls for a joint mission, you must respond."

  Jianrong took a deep breath and let it out through her nose, then, with a wave of her hand, air raced around and condensed, forming a pink blob that she sat in, bulging alarmingly.

  If she had not created something from thin air, the three men would be livid.

  Instead, they stared as their Spirit Senses probed it over and over, trying to understand how she was doing it.

  Rong turned her hand, and a silver token appeared, which she tossed onto the ground, making a ruckus as it slowly came to rest.

  “According to my token, I am an attendant to a nation that no longer exists, to an Empress no one can find. I don’t see your sect’s name on there.” She pointed out.

  No one moved to pick up the Token.

  Jianrong sighed. “I understand you cannot let me run around. It is a cultivator's nature, like asking the sun to be cold or snow to be hot. I get that. But you are expecting me to move into a role and you quite literally flew off with me, healing your people without a word, I did not even get to say goodbye or take my personal effects from my room or say goodbye to my family.”

  Her hand moved, and the token returned to her.

  “Tell me, is that how you always work? Is that what this Sect represents? I know nothing about you. I am under the impression you’re militants, but I don’t know if that means you work for a government or if you’re a free-standing army. Are you ascetics? Are you all celibate? Do you have special cultivation requirements? I have no idea. That is where we are, and you are asking me why I don’t fit in. Who the fuck are you? What are you? Where are we going? Why are we going there?” She stated, exasperated.

  Qin turned to Captain Han Weixun, who lowered his eyes.

  “I see. Let us resolve this now. Jianrong Dar Bloodforge, you admit you understand your position. I will be honest with you; you are not some ignorant outer disciples. You are correct: you will never be able to leave the Sect’s control. If we cannot secure your loyalty, we will be forced to place anchors in your Soul Sea.”

  Jianrong closed her eyes and chuckled.

  When her eyes opened, they were cold as she glanced around and started doing calculations.

  “I see,” Rong said flatly.

  Qin felt a thread of concern. “Child, do not make permanent decisions for temporary problems.” He warned.

  “Oh, I see, tell me more.” Rong nodded to encourage him.

  Shen Lian swallowed, as if the room's light were being drawn into the woman as her eyes glowed a soft amber.

  “Our Sect will not treat you as a bloodline resource or a factory to produce children,” Qin stated.

  Rong's brow rose. “Ok, well…thank you, that is sadly a low bar most don’t meet.” She murmured.

  “But,” Qin said, then stopped, knowing this would be painful. “You will never be allowed to see your family again.”

  Jianrong waited as all the heat seemed to leave the room, and their breath became visible as if it were a winter day.

  “Pray tell, why?” Jianrong said softly.

  General Qin nodded. “Our Sect swears loyalty to its brethren; there is no room for familial bonds. Each disciple must know that those around them value them like family. That can only happen if there are no other bonds. That is a heavy price, but we pay it to ensure the family you leave behind has the tools to flourish in your absence.”

  “Which is all based on…” Her eyes moved between the three. “Your word.” Rong pointed out.

  “What are you saying?" Qin said coldly.

  “What I am saying, Excellency, is that you are asking me to do a lot on faith. I don’t know what it even means to be a disciple of your Sect or what that life looks like. Perhaps it would be easier if I explained what I wanted in life.”

  She smiled, then motioned with her hand.

  “Secure my family's safety, farm the land, and enjoy their company until I die of old age. That was my dream.” Rong stated.

  Captain Han Weixun finally spoke. “The day you proved you could fight above your class was the day that dream died, child. You have gained a great boon from a deity; our scans show you have at least two bloodlines moving through you as we speak. You will never grow old and die. You will continue to grow strong as the bloodlines take hold. The form you hold now is that of an adolescent; you may reach the 9th Heaven, and the Sect will support that journey.” He stated passionately.

  Rong frowned.

  “What are you talking about? I have one bloodline. My mother's. What do you mean by the nine Heavens? Do you even hear yourselves?” Rong said in disbelief. “Will I become a 20th-level mage, able to cast 9th-level spells…what is happening here?” she said in disbelief.

  Qin raised his hand. “Your birth was under special circumstances, and later you interacted with beings you do not fully understand. Your birth allowed you to survive what is not survivable by human standards. There have been documented cases of interactions in which the recipient of divine essence is simply consumed. The bodies are igniting and burning up completely. You are alive, and more than one bloodline has been pressed into you. What you were before is no longer who you are. Your mother gave birth to you, but you are no longer her daughter.” He stated.

  Jianrong raised her eyes, which turned bright as her Aura unfolded.

  “SHUT UP!” Jianrong’s voice exploded with emotion.

  “I will always be her daughter, no god, no man, no Sect can change that!” she shouted at the General as she beat her chest like a drum.

  “YOU DON’T FUCKING KNOW ME!!” Her voice rose even higher as her blood boiled.

  Her anger slowly passed; her breath came unsteadily.

  Her eyes moved from each face.

  She motioned to herself. “I didn’t ask for this! I did not seek immortality…I sought strength because if I didn’t, we would have died.” Her words landed like a truth no one could understand.

  She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed.

  “So, what if I have divinity flowing through my veins?” She chuckled. “It's there because of how I felt for them and how they felt for me. It wasn’t a treasure I consumed to leave who I was behind. I’m not a child trying to gain strength because I was bullied. I don’t need to forget who I was because I was weak before, and part of me never wants to forget that.”

  Rong wiped her face.

  “I get it, if not you, then someone would be sitting there telling me this. Just understand, I don’t care about what you value. Just point me at the problems, and I will fix them or die or whatever.” She stated tiredly.

  “Child...the words I used were not meant to harm you. I…apologize,” Qin said softly.

  “A parent never forgets their child. I only meant you are a phoenix in the nest, and it is time to spread your wings.”

  The Qing turned to the captain, who bowed his head.

  “We will train you; you are our family now. I truly mean that.” He said quietly.

  Rong trembled, then rested her face in her hands and began to sob.

  Qin looked to Shen Lian, “Take Disciple Jianrong to her quarters to rest. When we reach the sect… a new master will be waiting…she is very excited to meet you.” Qin lied but knew she had not heard him.

  For two days, Jianrong did not leave her room; she did not eat, and she did not get out of bed.

  Knocks at her door were left unanswered.

  Qin looked at the Array images and sighed.

  Meanwhile.

  In the Bloom of Returning.

  Nadia Bloodforge held her newborn against her as she fed, resting under a relocated tree.

  Above her, a colorful pheasant rested.

  All around her, trees had been transplanted along with the earth to allow them to grow.

  In the sky, crows milled about with some smaller birds who had joined them when being pulled into the Bloom.

  They were family, of course, there was room for them.

  All around the Bloom, work was happening as people moved with urgency to make this their new home.

  In the distance, Jianrong was strolling and laughing with a small group of women so close she could not tell where one ended and the other began.

  A smile graced Nadia’s face as she saw her daughter laughing.

  Janice was amongst them, Rong always reaching for her, for her child that she saw as her own family.

  Sulara leaned against her and told stories from when she was younger, and others asked questions, but everyone was there simply to be together and share warmth.

  Finally, Rong was ready.

  She took a moment for each person she loved, speaking to or kissing them.

  Finally, she was sitting next to Nadia.

  “Are you ready?” Nadia asked, taking her hand.

  Dar Luso appeared and sat next to Rong, his hand resting on hers.

  Jianrong glanced at Dar, then at her mother, then finally at her sister.

  “The stage is set. They think they have broken me. In reality, all they have done is break their preconceptions of what I am.”

  She smiled brightly.

  “Once I am settled, they will slowly fade from your life. But you will not fade from mine.”

  Jianrong said it with the certainty of the sun rising.