Immortal Connections - Chapter 23 Preview

Chapter 23 - Wu Ying

The Jade Emperor, the ruler of all thirty six heavens, only subservient to the three Sanjing - the three Pure Ones who took little part in the day-to-day lives of mortals - and the originator of the bureaucracy and management of all. He who ruled in the Jade Palace and oversaw Qi Bao - the City of Seven Treasures - which all immortals who served the celestial government lived. Supreme Commander of the Armies of Heaven, the Undefeated General and heir to the Yellow Emperor himself, the greatest cultivator of them all. The Jade Emperor, whose simple projection was enough to cause all to kneel before him - even the stubborn and strong, like Shou Ren who had bent knee at last in respect - and who stared down upon them all.

He was old, that was what Wu Ying felt, a bone deep certainty that had nothing to do with the middle aged visage staring down upon them or the ramrod straight back of the man before them. Clad not in armour but robes, fold upon fold upon fold of gold threaded silk and yellow die, edged with white the colour of the purest white jade. His face, lined imperceptibly, his bearing regal as the massive hat - sticking high and with brims to the side, swaying gold ribbons at the ends. The very presence, the very appearance of everything that an Emperor should be - majestic, regal, imperious.

Yet, he felt old, weary. As though the invisible burdens that rested upon his shoulder had ground him under, century after century of bearing that weight. A flicker of his glance, to the side to see Shou Ren watching him in turn. No time to say anything, for the projections of his ministers flickered into place, following their lord and ruler.

Their presence too pressed upon them. Where the Jade Emperor's force of presence and dao - one of Heavenly Command and Virtue, of Command and Ownership - demanded they bend knee to the order that he imposed and imbued, their complimentary daos were but minor weighted coins on the scales of pressure that crushed them. Daos of Bureaucratic Order, of Unyielding Authority, of Lawful Justice placed their fingers on the scale of authority and once more, the Ascendants were forced down.

Face to the ground, hands propping himself up by virtue of strength and stubbornness. Only a few, daring this now. Wu Ying shed the daos to the side, like water off the back of a swan, refusing to let it keep him down. Refusing to submit, entirely; though he only desired to keep his head up in case of a swinging ji.

Not in defiance, though he could not speak for all those present.

“Ascendants, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the Thirty Six Heavens and All Realms Below, Heaven’s Author, Lord of Ten Thousand Thousand Years, Commander of the Armies of Heaven and Most Wise Judge of the Ten Thousand Hells,” Grand Chancellor Yi Yin intoned. His voice rolled out across the courtyard without issue, pushing everyone to bow further, “greets you.”

Idly, Wu Ying noted, there was no necessity for them to kowtow. A holdover of the cultivators own interactions with mortal governments, perhaps? One of the more common concessions offered to powerful cultivators when meeting the Emperor was reducing the degree of subservience required, from the full prostration of head and knees to ground to a single knee and bent body.  

A subtle pressure on their dao, an insinuation of what had to be said when there was silence after the Grand Chancellor spoke had Wu Ying opening his mouth in time with the others, chanting the words. “We humble servants, greet His Imperial Majesty and wish him ten thousand years more of health and wisdom!”

Out of the corner of his eyes, Wu Ying noted the twisted sneer, the anger that radiated out of Shou Ren as they were puppeted. With his head bent, his contempt would likely have been hidden from all, especially as it disappeared in a moment.  On the other side of the man, Xin Heng looked to be as serene and unbothered by the whole thing as before. If she noticed her friend’s careless display, Wu Ying found no sign.

“You have struggled long and hard, endured great challenges including the heaven sent calamities of our testing chambers to emerge, fully formed immortals of the realms. As new ascendants, there are many duties and responsibilities that are now part of your new existence. Your time in the Palace of Lesser Harmonies was time meant for you to familiarize yourself with this new world and your place within it. Now, the time has come for you to move on, to take your place among the Heavens. We trust that you are able and willing to take on the duties and roles you have studied during your time here.” 

The Grand Chancellor fell silent, waiting for his answer. He did not have to wait long, as a rumble of assent passed through the group. Wu Ying himself made a noise, deep in his throat, choosing to play along for now, wary of the battle ji and guards. Suspicion had bloomed and could not be shaken, not with so many of them there.

“Good. Good. Yet, we find, it is not always that way. Many of you have been brought to the Palace of Lesser Harmonies at your ascendance, escorted here by our guards or nearby immortals. For some, their arrival amongst us is unplanned. For others, their very presence is unwelcome among the pristine and orderly halls of the Jade Palace.” 

Tension mounted as the Grand Chancellor spoke, the Emperor still silent and glaring down at them. Wu Ying knew it was unlikely the Emperor himself would speak, that was the reason he had Ministers after all. Such routine matters only required his presence, not his voice. However, the words being spoken were rather discomforting – especially for one such as Wu Ying.

“We have hoped, that in the time you have been here, that you have achieved some degree of acceptance and understanding about the requirements of existence under the benevolent auspices of His Imperial Majesty.” On and on, the Grand Chancellor went. “It is believe that some of you have had your eyes opened, that many have joined the ranks of the aspirants for recruitment. We are grateful that wisdom has shown down upon so many.” 

He could sense the tension, the rising impatience among the others. He felt it too himself, wondering what the man intended. The Grand Chancellor Yi held his silence for a beat more, before he continued.

“But such lifestyles and wisdom is not for everyone. It is known that other, heretical or divergent beliefs exist under the Dao. Though such lifestyles are not desirable in the corridors of power, the Jade Emperor in his wisdom understands that such lifestyles are not, inherently, wrong. Blessed be his name, his lineage and his continuing wisdom.”

Again that subtle tugging, and the group echoed the last line.

“As such, those who desire to leave – to depart the halls of power will be allowed. We but ask that you make yourself known, now.” A slight pause, a hand rising to hold some of the more eager in place. “Know that when greater wisdom arrives, you too will be welcome here.”

An awkward silence fell over the proceedings, as the Grand Chancellor stopped speaking and waited. Eventually, one of the bravest members in the group, an Ascendant from the north, still clad in his furs stood up, bowed deep to the Jade Emperor and the Grand Chancellor and then took a step back. He muttered thanks for their hospitality before striding for the doors. 

As though his actions had galvanized the rest of the immortals, other immortals stood. One after the other. Not once did the guards make a movement to hinder those leaving, their stern regard still fixed on the crowd before them. 

Wu Ying found himself balancing the offer in his mind, debating if he should take them up on it. To leave now would set him outside of the bureaucracy of the Jade Emperor. While return might be possible, he doubted re-entry would be as easy or simple as they said.

On the other hand, he had never planned to join them. Keeping himself aloof from the various interest groups, training and studying but not partaking in the inter-personal politics. Managing to not anger any particular group, at least not to the point that he had to do battle with them. Not yet, at least.

It was all so that he could leave, to fulfil the promise that he had made. Not once had he intended to join the bureaucracy, but still, he hesitated. Waiting, till the first of the leavers had crossed the threshold of the palace, till the winds had told him that there were none waiting to take them at the gates. Once out of sight, they moved – wary of the mercy shown such that they crossed tens of hundreds of steps in moment.

Yet, betrayal that they had expected did not emerge. Perhaps they were too foolish to expect such things, for these were the Heavens. Betrayal and lies, deception could not be that honorable – or so the orthodox sect’s often said. What they did, on the other hand…

More than that though, more than expectations of beings being, well, flawed were those guards and their weapons, standing silent still.

Waiting, for the next act.