Who Said You Were Coming?

Hong Zhao took the chameleon charm that Lan had given him and put it around his neck. The jagged trinket faded into nothing the moment it touched his skin. He looked at his ring and concentrated. Effortlessly his ring disappeared, leaving not even a tan line behind. His skin looked as if it had held no ring before. He looked at the road in front of him as he thought of the last meeting that he had with Li Wen.

A lot had changed since Lan's last visit. He entrusted the safety of the sect to Li Wen full time while he was gone and warned him not to let others make the same mistake that Li Wuhan made. When the man nodded, Hong Zhao could see shadows under his eyes. He doubted that Li Wen had gotten even a wink of sleep since the funeral, even though it had been a day since then.

He had explained most of the conversation he had had with Lan and expressed the dire need of an alchemist. He kept the treasures that Lan had given him to himself and only said that he had a plan after Li Wen's eyebrow went up when he said he was heading to Yuan City.

He also had decided to do some recon around the city. Soon he would have to lead the sect into conflict with Zheng Guo. If he had to go blind, he would be more of a hinderance than the rest of them. Also, if he could crumble the infrastructure before the inevitable battle, he would be better off. After he finished his brief, Li Wen herded him out of the door and looked at him blandly.

"Whatever you are going to do, just do it." He had said before shutting the door on Hong Zhao.

It was hard for him not to take any offense to Li Wen's bluntness in the office, yet he let it drop because of the man's loss. He couldn't blame Li Wen if he believed that he had been the reason for his son's death. Lan had made it clear that she thought the same. He sighed as he took the qi suppressor onto the inside of his travelling clothes. It felt odd wearing the gold and black robes once again.

The moment the pin was fastened, he could feel a vacuum effect around him. It felt as if he had no breath for a moment as the qi suppressor did its job. When he got his lungs back, Hong Zhao shuddered as he looked inward and noticed that his qi spiral was stuck at only a tenth capacity. If he had to rely on any of his abilities, he felt he would only be able to do what he could at the ninth star student rank. The effectiveness of the pin almost made him faint. He realized now why Lan had given him so many qi grasping pills. He would need to take one after taking off the pin in order to gain his third star disciple rank once more.

Hong Zhao sighed and took to the road. Yuan City was a few months in travel, if it were any indication with the men Zheng Guo sent. He knew it would be a long trip for just him to be taking. The cultivators that were sent were well looked after. They had gold for the trip, and the fear of the villages to care for them. He had what was within his masked ring, and the kindness of a few people if he was lucky.

"So, we're ready then." Ren Cai smiled as she took up the rear.

"Who said you were coming?" Hong Zhao shot a look over his shoulder. He didn't like unforeseen changes to his plans. The ease that she had snuck up on him made him feel uneasy. He might only be almost eleven years old in this life, but he had spent the better part of fifty years as an expert infiltrator and tactician. Having someone just appear behind him made him question the effectiveness of those years of training.

"I mean, I guess I don't have to go." Ren Cai thought about turning around. "Because you know where all the inns are along the way, especially those who are willing to look the other way when giving rooms to a child on the road who has no one. Oh!" She stroked her chin thoughtfully before putting a finger in the air with a surprised expression. "I didn't know that you knew your way around Yuan City! You really are amazing, having never been in a city before yet knowing the exact layout. I'm truly impressed!"

Hong Zhao sighed. It wasn't as if he didn't think about these issues already. But he didn't know Ren Cai would watch his back, or just stab it. Even as Zheng Chi in her previous life, she easily turned coat if it suited her. What would make this life any different. Though if she were planning to betray him or not, whether she was with him or making her own way there made no difference, the result would still be the same. "Fine." Hong Zhao looked up to the sky in a silent prayer for patience before setting off once again down the road.

"Yay!" Ren Cai raced to his side and grabbed his arm. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Kill me now." Hong Zhao muttered under his breath. It was going to be quite a long trip, yet maybe a little less time with a guide. He began walking at a brisk pace with Ren Cai humming a tune at his side. He could already tell he would be annoyed with her before long. Who knows, maybe this was his punishment.