The Jade Shadows Must Die [Cultivation LitRPG]

Waking was a sharp, shocking sensation. Rix didn't know exactly how the healing array functioned, but it seemed to operate in reverse, restoring things that had been damaged most recently and then working backwards. As such, his consciousness flared back to life while he was still in the process of healing. The first thing he felt was the bones of his chest crackle as they re-knit — presumably from Luna's killing blow — before the array's mana cascaded through the rest of him, restoring the muscles and flesh of his side and arms.

The experience left him feeling raw. Even as his body was renewed, he still felt the ache of his wounds in his mind, like afterimages left on his skin.

Interestingly, the process didn't heal the soreness in his muscles from his constant training. It made sense, he figured, since he'd been told the array basically restored users to the state they were in when they entered it.

"You all good?" asked Luna, looming over his prone form. Though her hand was healed, she was still subconsciously clutching it against her chest.

Rix nodded and dragged himself up. "As good as I can be, considering I was just dead."

"I hope you're not looking for an apology," she said.

Rix laughed. He didn't feel bad about losing. The reality was, he'd lose many more fights on the journey forward. The important things were that he survived and learnt, and both had definitely been true today.

"As long as you're not looking for one for the hand, we're fine," he replied.

She glanced down at her fingers. "Yeah, that was a hell of an injury. I've never had anything that bad before. They didn't have arrays like this back in the sect, so we had to be more careful. Anything you did tended to stick for longer."

"Thank the heavens we're in prison," Rix deadpanned.

They returned to the stands.

"Congrats again on the style, by the way," Luna said, once they were sitting.

He grinned. "Thanks. Feels like it took forever."

"You ask too much of yourself, Zao Rixian," she said, in a fairly reasonable impression of Breaker. "You would chase the mayfly before you have properly learned to jump."

"That definitely doesn't make sense," he replied.

"Or are you simply not wise enough to understand?" she asked, arching one eyebrow dramatically. A moment later, she let the impression drop. "Point is, it was pretty quick for someone who had never had a proper lesson until three months ago. Maybe now I can finally stop holding back when we train."

Rix scoffed and had just begun formulating a reply when they were interrupted by the Ringmaster. "Zao Rixian, someone wishes to speak with you."

Rix's eyes narrowed. "What about?" Knowing about Xu Sho's relationship with the prison, he wouldn't have been surprised if the man leveraged that at the behest of his son to lure Rix into an ambush.

"You've attracted the eye of a potential sponsor," the Ringmaster replied.

Rix let out a disbelieving little laugh. Of all the things this could have been, this was about the last that he'd expected.

Luna cleared her throat. "Are you sure they weren't, perhaps, interested in me?" She sounded properly incensed. "Seeing as I'm the one who just cracked open his ribcage."

The Ringmaster inclined his head. "You were very impressive, darling, but no, they were quite specific. They want the boy."

Rix grinned at Luna. "I guess they recognise talent when they see it."

"I'm going to make you recognise my sword repeatedly in training tomorrow if you don't wipe that smug look off your face," she countered. She let out a dramatic huff. "Go on then, go and see what the blind men have to say."

Rix began to follow the Ringmaster down towards the ring. "If I may ask, who is the corporation?"

The man furrowed his brow. "It's a smaller one. I don't believe they've sponsored many fighters before. They're called Wellspring Antiquities."

That name hit Rix like a bolt of lightning. It wasn't that he'd entirely forgotten about them, but with Breaker now guiding his cultivation, he'd definitely shuffled their letter to the back of his mind. The situation had become somewhat complicated with the presence of their existing mentor, but it would be foolish not to hear Wellspring out.

He was led past the ring and into a tunnel under one of the other quadrants of stands. It was somewhere he'd never been before, though he'd seen many fighters disappear down there between bouts. The entrance led to a red stone corridor lined with plain wooden doors. It was arranged much like the rows of cells in Rix's block. A single guard stood watch over proceedings. She looked him up and down as he entered, but didn't make comment.

The Ringmaster knocked on one of the doors before opening it and gesturing for Rix to enter.

"You may return to the stands when you're done," he said.

Inside, the room was sparsely furnished. There was a table with two chairs and a man seated behind the far side. In contrast to many of the more garish fashions of the audience members, he was dressed in a simple black cotton tunic and pants reminiscent of the uniforms of Spiritlock's staff. He was a Tatsuyan, though pale even for them. He had neck-length black hair neatly slicked back with oil and thin, delicate features that put Rix in mind of the winter sparrows that sought refuge in the city during the colder months.

The man looked him up and down, as though searching for something. Eventually, he gave a little nod to himself. "Yes, it is you, I think."

"I'm sorry?" said Rix. "Do I know you?" He was almost positive he'd never seen this man before in his life.

His question seemed to shake the man from his reverie. He refocused on Rix's face. "Not exactly. But I know you, Zao Rixian. I know you. But first…" He reached into a bag and withdrew two wooden blocks about five inches long. They were etched with array symbols. Rix sensed no mana from them, but as the man placed them on the table's edges so that they flanked the two of them, he did feel something. It was vague, barely a whisper, but familiar all the same. He drew a sharp breath. He'd never had any sense for qi the way he did mana. He couldn't feel it when Luna cultivated, or Breaker did anything at all. Their mentor said it would come with time, and practice, and potentially by opening certain gates. But in that moment, he knew that was what he felt. It was different to using his System granted spirit eye. To that sense, mana was like a light being switched on in the dark. This was more like a subtle ripple, a reverberation in the massive sea of qi that enveloped them at all times.

Just that small action confirmed his suspicions. Wellspring Antiquities were cultivators.

"Please, sit," said the man.

Rix did as he was told, and then his companion gestured for him to lean in, so they were both slightly hunched over the table.

"That's better," the Wellspring representative said. "This array will protect our conversation from any prying ears. Not that I expect much of that in a place like this, but we've learned that we cannot be too careful."

Questions were racing through Rix's mind, but he forced himself to focus. "Who are you?"

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"Ah, of course. My name is Kurogane Kokuryu and I'm here on behalf of Wellspring Antiquities."

"And you're a…cultivator?" Even with the array, Rix felt a hesitation in uttering the word aloud.

"I am." A little smile appeared on Kokuryu's face. "As are you."

"Barely," Rix said. "Are you a Martial Soul as well?" Rix couldn't feel any mana coming from the man, but he'd learned that didn't mean much.

Kokuryu inclined his head. "I'm a Nova, though in truth, the Martial Path isn't my true focus any more."

That made sense in the context of what Breaker had said. Why pursue the copy when you have the real thing.

"Can we get back to what you said before?" Rix asked. "How do you know me?"

Kokuryu's features softened. "I apologise for being oblique, but it is a delicate matter." He hesitated. "Your parents. Their names were Zao Roshon and Zao Mei?"

Rix's breath hitched. He wasn't sure he'd heard anyone say their names out loud since the day they died. As far as he'd been aware, they left barely a trace behind beyond the smoking wreckage of their store. "You knew them?" he asked.

At the confirmation, Kokuryu visibly relaxed. "I did. They were held in incredible regard at Wellspring Antiquities. We were deeply saddened to learn they'd been discovered."

Rix went very still. "What do you mean 'discovered'?" His voice had an edge to it that he hadn't intended.

Kokuryu studied him, a flicker of something crossing his face — surprise, maybe? "How much do you know about your parents?" he asked carefully.

"They were antique traders," Rix said, with as much certainty as he could muster. "Good people. Everyone seemed to like them."

Kokuryu let out a gentle laugh. "Most of that is true. They were good people." He looked Rix dead in the eyes. "But they were also the most powerful cultivators Wellspring Antiquities has ever encountered."

It was Rix's turn to laugh now. It burst out of him, sharp and involuntary. That was a ludicrous suggestion. People with power didn't live the way the Zaos had. A tiny hut, a meagre lifestyle, a pokey little shop in one of the city's dark corners. "I think you must be getting them confused with some other couple."

"I'm afraid not," the man said gently. "We have actually met once before. You and your sister were at your parents' shop when I visited." He gazed at Rix's face. "We thought you both dead, but here you sit. I can still see that child in you, even now."

Rix stared back. His mouth felt impossibly dry. The man spoke with such conviction. "No," Rix said. "That's ridiculous. If they were so powerful, how did they die in a simple robbery?"

Kokuryu's lips thinned. "I see there is much you don't know, so this may come as a shock but…your family's deaths were no accident. They were targeted. Killed for the knowledge they possessed."

Rix shook his head, then again more firmly. "No. I watched it happen. The people responsible…they took things. And my parents didn't fight back!"

Kokuryu's lips curved in a sad, almost fond smile. "Yes, we were all very thankful for that. If they had, I suspect large parts of the city would have been levelled."

Rix felt like he was falling. That day had been the catalyst for everything in his life. He'd played its events through a thousand times in his mind. The notion that he might not have the right of it was almost impossible to reconcile.

"I don't believe you," he said.

Kokuryu let out a sigh, his expression showing a hint of tenderness. "Let me ask you a question. How is it that you can cultivate?"

Rix blinked, thrown by the sudden shift. "I—" He stopped, something cold settling in his chest. "I found a book in their store after it had been burned."

Kokuryu nodded. "That makes sense. But do you really think they had that by chance?"

Rix's parents had owned all sorts of esoteric objects. It was literally their job. A dusty book babbling about ancient secrets wasn't at all out of the ordinary. Even after he'd discovered what the book really housed, he'd just assumed they were unaware of what they'd bought. The more he heard Kokuryu talk, the less certain he felt about that.

Rix didn't want to believe him. If the man spoke the truth, it completely reframed Rix's narrative.

But that new story wasn't entirely without appeal.

He drew a sharp breath, focusing his gaze back on the cultivator. "You say they were killed intentionally. By who?"

Kokuryu's expression darkened. "They're called the Jade Shadows. They hunt cultivators, though to what end we do not know."

The Jade Shadows. And just like that, Rix had a name. An actual group upon whom he could pin all his pain and ire. He'd always been frustrated at the apparent random nature of his family's killings. It felt deeply unfair. But Kokuryu's explanation cast everything in a new light.

"One of them is here in the prison," Rix said. "Xu Han. He's the reason I'm here."

Kokuryu's eyes widened. "We were aware that Xu Sho was a member. This is a relation?"

"His son," Rix replied. "He was there with him the day they killed my parents."

"I see," the man said gravely. "Then you are in even more danger than I realised."

Rix let out a bitter laugh. "You don't know the half of it."

He spent a few minutes running through his situation.

"That is…deeply troubling," said Kokuryu when he'd finished.

"I don't think they know who I am yet," Rix replied, "if that makes you feel any better. Han's just an asshole with an ego."

"Still, the Xu family are dangerous."

Rix snorted. "You don't need to tell me. Is there anything you can give me to help me get stronger before the fight? This is supposed to be a sponsorship meeting, right?"

The man's expression turned apologetic. "Technically, this is an expression of interest. Spiritlock doesn't allow actual sponsorship until you reach Spark. I had to wait until you were at Peak Whisper to even organise this meeting. And unfortunately, it will be the last one we have until you officially tier up, so I'll have no opportunity to help you before then."

"Can't you, I don't know, smuggle something in? You got me that letter."

Kokuryu furrowed his brow. "A message is considerably easier to convey than a physical object. I'll see if there's anything I can do, but I think it unlikely."

Rix exhaled sharply. "Okay, maybe you could help with something more long-term. Even if I manage to kill Han, his father has significant sway within the prison. He may not know who I am, but if I kill his son, that probably won't matter."

Kokuryu grimaced. "That is…a severe complication. We have some eyes within these walls, but not the sort that can keep you safe from the wrath of a man such as Xu Sho."

Rix nodded. "I figured as much, which is why I think I need to get out of here after the fight."

"You speak of escape?" Kokuryu asked.

"I know it's a big ask, but it seems like my only option," Rix replied. "I've heard rumours there are tunnels below the Cauldron. Apparently, some prisoners managed to get out through there a few years back."

Kokuryu spent a moment processing that. "I'm not sure I can be of immediate assistance, but give me a little time. We do have some resources I can draw upon." He shot Rix a hint of a smile. "Also, cultivation has the potential to open doors in ways that many places don't consider."

Rix smiled back. "That's part of why I asked."

He realised that, at some point, he'd begun to believe the man. About everything. That was a big thought, but it was something he could unpack later.

"Why are you so interested in me?" Rix asked.

"Anyone who cultivates is worth trying to save," Kokuryu replied. "But your parents were special. I suspect that, with time, you could be as well."

Rix exhaled sharply. "Might be the first time anyone's said that to me."

The Wellspring representative drummed on the table. "We're close to exhausting our time here. These meetings are intended to be short. As I said, we won't speak again until you are eligible for sponsorship. But it would be good to know something of where you're at with your cultivation."

Rix hesitated. This was actually tricky. He'd already told them about the book, but Breaker had been very clear that his existence should remain a secret. Deep down, Rix still harboured some…concerns about Breaker's whole situation, but there was no denying that he was providing real, tangible cultivation guidance. Kokuryu, on the other hand, well, they'd only just met. It didn't make sense right now to reveal Breaker's existence until he understood Wellspring's intentions better.

And if Wellspring were going to help Rix escape, that secret probably needed to run both ways. The reality was that Rix's escape plan may need to come to fruition before he could deliver on his promise to help Breaker with his own imprisonment, and he didn't think the man would take that well. Rix felt bad about the idea of leaving Breaker in the lurch, but he wasn't sure what other options he had.

"There's not much to tell," Rix said. "Before ending up here, I managed to gather some qi, open my meridians, and I started work opening my first soul gate." The lie rolled off his tongue smoothly.

Kokuryu's eyebrows shot up. "Soul cultivation as a first step? What about your qi? Have you attuned it?"

Rix blinked several times. This was the first he'd even heard about 'attuning'. "No," he said carefully. "The book I learned from was badly burned. A lot of the process was missing."

Kokuryu frowned slightly. "I see."

"Is what I'm doing…wrong?" Rix asked.

"Not wrong," the man replied. "Just uncommon. Conventional wisdom says you start with the body — which the System takes care of for us, thank the heavens — before moving to energy cultivation. We don't begin soul cultivation until we have an adequate qi supply and that qi is attuned."

The comments on body cultivation, at least, resonated with what Rix had been told.

Kokuryu must have seen some concern on Rix's face, because he continued quickly: "To buck tradition is often a sign of greatness. You must understand, our knowledge is something of a patchwork. Information on our arts is scarce and closely guarded. Even your parents, the best sources on cultivation we've ever known, said that there are as many paths to power as droplets in the ocean. We will simply need to take your unique position into account for the future."

Rix nodded. He'd find a way to take the issue up with Breaker later.

"As I said, we will need to end things here. Do you have any more pressing questions?" asked Kokuryu.

A million of them screamed through Rix's head, but one was louder than the rest. "Of the group that killed my family, I only know Xu Han and Xu Sho," he said. "Are you able to help me find the rest?"

Kokuryu's eyes narrowed fractionally, and he took a moment to answer. "You realise they hunt people like us?"

"Not if I find them first."