CRACK.
The air crackles, the hair on my neck stand on end as something presses against the wards. Qin Tao's jaw tightens as he rises from the floor. Lubi frowns, unmoving beside me.
I pause, wiping my hands as I rise.
Lubi's hand slides down my shoulder to crook of my elbow. "Don't, Li Mei," his voice firm and pleading. I look at him as Qin Tao's foot steps race from the room. His hazel eyes are pleading.
Please stay. They beg. Stay with me.
His warmth radiates up my arm, his energy brushes across my skin leaving a pleasant tingling in its wake. Unseen hands massage the back of my neck.
I want to stay. I can trust him. His touch is familiar and comforting, I want to fall into his arms.
No, I don't. Something is wrong.
I...
SLAM.
Unintelligible shouts beyond the enchantments of the walls pull my attention from Lubi. The touch abates. My free hand presses against his. "Lubi," I exhale, his name a whisper. "I want to trust you so please... stop that."
The corner of his mouth twitches as he frowns. "Nothing good will come if you go outside right now."
"I have to face them some time," I reply. Lubi rises with a sigh. "They're friends of the men I encountered in the cave?"
His fingers caress mine as they pull away from mine. "They can't hurt you if you stay inside."
[System Alert: Penalty game will begin shortly. Denial will impose a 7 day difficulty increase and double reputation points lost. Successful completion will grant ??? award. Do you accept? Yes or No.]
System, why bothering giving me a choice at all?! I sigh as my fingers press the acceptance button in my vision, placing my fingers against Lubi's lips. My ears flush hot as I smile.
"Ssh. It'll be okay. I have faith we can solve this without anyone getting hurt. Let's go greet our visitors."
His face turns bright red as he rapidly blinks. "Uh, if you say so."
"The Sect has rules against attacking anyone inside this area of the grounds, right?"
"Yes. If you take the bait, it'll hurt your standing more than theirs since your new to the sect."
So it is a trap. The system enjoys putting me into terrible scenarios. Always has. But I think we can navigate this one without getting too messy.
"Grieving seems to be a tradition continued even by the Heavenly sects." Lubi flinches away like I struck him with the comment. I move past him, hurrying to the courtyard. I need to face this challenge. This is already hard mode without a penality making it even worse. It'd be too pathetic if I died immediately on day one of the secret route.
***
"Bring out the witch!"
"She must pay for her crimes!"
"Get out of our way, Qin Tao!"
"You've been bewitched by her! No one would blame you if you walked away!"
Flicking red and black energy pulses on the edge of the ward's inner barrier, repelled by the tranquility enchancement. A lullaby whispering against a wrathful dirge.
Daylight dances between shadows of lush bamboo into the court yard. Five cultivators stand before Qin Tao, the swords on their sashes revealing their intent. Qin Tao to his credit stands outnumbered but confident, defiant. His stance strong, wind ruffles his short black hair as he focuses on a blond man with a deep green and gold sash who stands at the center of the group.
"Let it go, Brother Aoto. Elder Zhu has made his judgement, do not disturb the peace of this place further," Qin Tao's voice is firm and commanding. One of Aoto's brothers pales at the reminder.
All sound fades away as I step into the court yard, leaving a faint ringing in my ears. All eyes shift from Qin Tao to me. Something in their gaze chills me and my skin crawl. I recognize the weight and malevolence in their expressions too well. They will never be my allies no matter what I do in the future.
Yes, these men mean me great harm.
"There she is. The demon witch herself," Aoto spits at the ground in my direction, his lips curled back in a snarl. He puts his sheathed sword at me, his white robes billowing in the movement. His long hair is silken, sparkly golden in the sunlight against his tanned skin. His eyes narrow, glaring at me. "Have you come to accept your punishment?"
I take a deep breath with a soft sigh. I flick my damp hair over my shoulder as I gather myself. Killing intent brushes over my skin in waves. I focus on what lies beyond the flesh of the man, stripping away all but the system of qi ciruclating through his spiritual body. Red and orange pulse through his legs and arms. He's a fire root, powerful, but he's at a bottleneck. All the energy is trying to flow out but it can't.
He burns brightly but not as much as the man trying to shield me from him. Wind and metal ground Qin Tao, the dancing arcs of lightning remind me that I can't fail again. I blink but return my attention to Aoto. I'm weaker and slower than the fire cultivator.
"And what do you intend to do, knowing the restriction placed upon this area?" I ask annoyed this is happening so soon after the promise of a forced rest. I don't know exactly what the system intends to punish me with. This is an event that'll damage my reputation in the sect and build new animosity towards me. "What authority do you have that Elder Zhu doesn't, Senior to punish me?"
"You dare speak his name?" Aoto shakes with rage, stomping forward. The cultivators with him are negligible, their energy drowned out by their defacto leader. He's the problem. "You court death, witch."
"Elder Zhu welcomed me, Senior." I reply, I don't feel the weight of the restriction but I know it's blocking me from using any techniques save my observational ones.
How am I going to manage this?
"Fighting is forbidden, is it not?" I ask, tilting my head with a questioning gesture. I need to buy time.
"You're going to beg for forgiveness for maiming Brother Li Xiao." Aoto snaps. "How dare you lounge about while he suffers. You took his arm!"
Ah. So that's what happened. Li Xiao deflected the direction of my talisman and his arm caught part of its effect. It's so effective because its so hard to dodge. I absolutely will not apologize for defending myself. It's starting to make more sense. If I didn't come out - I'd be seen as a coward. Now that I'm out here, I have to endure Aoto's nonsense.
If I fight back, there'll be some sort of excuse or claim that I started it. They outnumber the three of us. "You're brothers out numbered me. How could I not defend myself? So many strangers against one of me while I was exhausted from fighting the demon beast."
While it's tiring to keep repeating myself, I have to keep stalling. I doubt Aoto truly cares about why I did what I did, only that I was cause of his mentor or someonne he loved getting seriously injured. Losing an arm won't stop Li Xiao from being a cultivator but it restricts him from certain techniques. It's a frustrating path to walk but it's only my problem because Aoto is making it mine.
"We demand justice for Li Xiao!" Aoto's grip on his sword's hilt tightens as his stance shifts. He's going to draw his sword.
"How about we make a bet?" He wants to do something. If I can reframe this, I can navigate around the restrictions and sect rules to keep my promise to Lubi. The idea isn't my favorite but it's something.
"If you land one unarmed strike on me by the time a joss stick burns down, I will apologise." I offer with an arrogant lift of my head. "Only you Aoto, I will not be set upon again."
Qin Tao turns his head to stare at me. "Have you gone mad from a fever? Li Mei, no, you're still recovering!"
I smile brightly at Qin Tao and glance over my shoulder to Lubi who looks just as distraught. They don't understand. I don't have the time to explain it to them.
Lubi clutches the fabric at the back of my robe. "You can't do this, Li Mei."
Aoto appraises me and cackles, handing his sword to one of his juniors. "I accept. Brother Lubi, get the joss stick."
Lubi lets go and disappears back across the threshold. Aoto's group gather into a wide circle, setting a small ring for the bet to occur in.
Qinn Tao stalks over to me and leans in close, hissing in my ear. "Reconsider. You're going to get hurt, Li Mei." His voice is terse, I heard a whisper of distant thunder as his energy arcs away from me. "Let me help you. I can champion for you."
I shake my head. "I have to allow them a way forward. I haven't proven myself. If I shrink away now, I will never be safe here."
[System Alert: Penalty Game activated! Dodge all of Aoto's attacks for 1 minute.]