~~~
Is this the reward for competence? Lu i ponders after Liu Jin tells her what Elder Xue has entrusted him with. Not only more work but more difficult work as well?
She sighs theatrically, her red locks swaying lightly as she shakes her head.
I have often wondered how it is that certain people end in positions so ill-suited to them. I believe I may have found the answer. They were exalted to incompetence.
The odd phrase gets a raised eyebrow from Liu Jin.
Exalted to incompetence?
If your duties and responsibilities increase with every job well done, youll eventually receive one beyond your abilities, Lu i explains. Isnt that just asking people to make a mistake?
Liu Jin rolls his eyes at her pessimism only to blink a few seconds later, his coback left forgotten on his lips.
She does make a frightening amount of sense.
I believe I just realized sothing about the world I did not wish to know.
I believe they call that maturing. I wouldnt know anything about it.
Liu Jin and Lu i laugh, but it does not last long. The weight of the challenges ahead cannot be overco by such fleeting lightness. It hangs over the room and drapes it in its dourness.
I do not intend to beco soone who eventually finds an obstacle he cannot overco, Liu Jin says.
Good. I never once took you for that type of person.
The outrageous words co naturally from Liu Jins lips, and Lu i accepts them without a second thought. So would call them arrogant, but what else is there for them to say? The ti for modest goals is long gone. The battle they are in is one between Emperors. Power is not enough. Skill is not enough. Intelligence is not enough.
If one does not aim to succeed in spite of all logic, one cannot win.
However, Liu Jin adds, throwing a aningful glance at the room, I would not go as far as to say the only reward for a job well done is more work. Otherwise, you would not have been able to make yourself quite so comfortable.
Before Liu Jin had gone into isolation training, he and Lu i had shared a single office between them, though it was Liu Jin who used it more often, usually to receive complaints from the other divisions, a task both tedious and thankless.
In his absence, well
Liu Jins desk has been left untouched, but thats the only part of the office that is the sa as he left it. A hand-knotted rug with intricate patterns covers the floor. The sofa they are resting on is soft like a cloud and large enough for them to lay on opposite ends of it without touching. Multiple cushions are scattered over the floor, and tapestries hang over the walls. A stick of incense burning in the corner gives the room a pleasant scent.
There is also a large perch where Soaring Feathers much smaller perch used to be, but Liu Jin decides not to think about the implications of that right now.
I wondered when you were going to comnt on it. Her amber eyes shine. Well, do you like it?
It is comfortable, though I have to wonder how necessary the change was.
Comfort is a necessity. What more justification does one need? Lu i airily waves her hand. What use is power if you cannot enjoy it?
To do things that require doing and enforce a stable system?
Lu i stares at him.
You are precious. I truly did miss you these past two weeks.
It is good to be here, Liu Jin says, a smile forming on his face. How have things progressed during my absence?
Bu Jing has returned twice to challenge you, Lu i tells him, her playful smile fading.
Bu Jing. A forr disciple of the dical Pavilion who worked for Elder Cheung. During the banquet, his alchemical skills proved inferior to Liu Jins. His combat skills, however, are an entirely different matter. Bu Jing is soone who is already in the Third Level of True Realm. Liu Jin would have surely lost against him before.
What would happen if they were to fight now?
I was planning on advising you to avoid him, but I wonder if that is needed now. Lu is Qi brushes against his, feeling Liu Jins new strength. You have done quite well for yourself.
I was in a good place to advance, Liu Jin says as his Qi responds in kind. You, who have advanced despite this, are equally worthy of praise.
Lu i has grown by another level in his absence, putting her in the Second Level of the Spirit realm. There is sothing different about her Qi, but he cannot quite put his finger on it.
Youre too humble, Lu i says, but there is no praise in her words. I recomnd boasting a little more in the future. It will help stop the weak-willed from acting against you, and there are so many weak-willed people.
If the Eternal Fla Clan were filled with weak-willed idiots, it wouldnt be the Eternal Fla Clan.
The implication being that it is strong-willed idiots were dealing with?
Have you?
I havent had to deal with Bei Hong, which is not to say he hasnt co here to drop disciples. I just delegate dealing with him to other people. You should give it a try. It opens ti for Lu i stretches, making herself more comfortable on the couch. Relaxing.
I can see that.
It is not as if I have been neglecting my duties. Feel free to check the records or ask Khong Hu if you have any doubts. The dical Pavilion has been fulfilling all its duties properly. There has been no neglect or blatant favoritism.
Though Liu Jin plans to check the records, he doubts anything he finds there will prove Lu i a liar. Hed ascertained as much before even stepping into this room, making sure to visit every floor in the building and seeing how things have been operating in his absence.
However...
Does that an I can encounter subtle favoritism?
But of course, Lu i replies without sha. Thered be little point in having the dical Pavilion otherwise, wouldnt it? But dont worry. I am aware of your scruples. Its not the sort of thing that would put anyones lives in danger.
Liu Jin sighs, well aware Lu i is not wrong.
When Liu Jin had ordered those belonging to Lord Feng Shangs faction to be treated fairly, there had been so grumblings from others, but his decision had not been wrong. The power of the dical Pavilion cannot be blatantly abused lest the Elders supporting Lord Feng Shang find cause to take away Elder Xues control over it.
However, that does not an they have not been taking advantage of the dical Pavilion in other ways. After all, it had been through the dical Pavilion that they had taken away Lord Feng Shangs chances of winning glory through the Crimson Cloud Tournant. That is over now, but that does not an there arent other ways of leveraging control of the dical Pavilion.
Making patients from Lord Feng Shangs faction stay more ti than they should to keep them from reinforcing their ranks. Ensuring those in Lord Feng Guis faction are treated promptly and so on. They dont really harm the patients but do allow us to take advantage of our power.
They are not the sort of things Liu Jin would co up with. His upbringing has ensured he takes the job far too seriously for that.
However, they are the sort of things Elder Xue wouldnt have a problem with and would even encourage. Furthermore, they are the sort of things the other disciples would expect, and that would mollify their desires sowhat, keeping them away from more flagrant abuses of authority.
Really, you could benefit from trying to do things my way more often.
If I tried to do things your way more often, youd advise to do worse, Liu Jin replies, moving his eyes to the ceiling. Plots and sches do not beco . That is part of the reason I ca here first.
When Liu Jin looks back at his plans and the results that have co from them, he can only call them mixed. Positive in the sense that he has yet to fail (for to fail is to die), but mixed all the sa.
So it wasnt just because you wanted to see again? Im hurt. As she speaks, Lu i crawls on all fours over to his side. The way she moves inevitably draws Liu Jins eyes to various parts of her body.
He forces them back to her eyes.
Cunning, curious, and intelligent.
Equally entrancing in their own ways, which is not really helpful right now.
I am not sure how to best approach the task Elder Xue has given . You, however, seem to to be more at ease being
Devious?
Cunning, Liu Jin says instead.
I prefer devious, Lu i tells him. Its such a pretty little word, dont you think so? However, I dont think you ca here without any ideas of your own. Go on, tell what you have planned.
Liu Jin does.
Huh, interesting. Lu i lays her head on his chest. It is not a bad idea.
Do you think so? I worry I am being too blunt.
Youre overthinking it, Lu i says. Unless you are dealing with complete idiots, there is no such thing as an undetectable plot. The key is to force others to take action even though they know it could be a trap. In that regard, we are well poised to take advantage of the biggest weakness in Lord Feng Shangs faction.
And that is?
Desperation. Lord Feng Shangs faction is eager to prove themselves and gain power. They have been on the offensive so much lately because they are desperate to produce results. Even if they suspect youre laying a trap, they will eventually have to trigger it.
I see. Liu Jin frowns. Perhaps, I should be focusing on narrowing their targets as well.
Instituting a curfew for disciples of Lord Feng Guis faction could work. At the very least, he should act to prevent disciples from wandering alone in the middle of the night. Elder Xue would likely support the idea and bring it up to the other Elders who support Lord Feng Gui.
There is also one thing I would like to recomnd.
Which is?
Feng Zhi.
Liu Jin frowns. What of him?
This may be a good opportunity to nd fences with him, wouldnt it? Elder Xue did give you permission to recruit whoever you wished.
Feng Zhi. With soone that strong at their side, even a Core Disciple wouldnt be an insurmountable obstacle.
Unfortunately, Feng Zhi heavily dislikes him right now.
I would lose nothing by asking, but hes likely to say no. Hell probably see it as a plot of Elder Xue.
Our allies do seem to have troubleso relationships. Lu i frowns. However, I cannot fault him for being wary of that woman.
Elder Xue is certainly intimidating, but Liu Jin is starting to get the sense Lu i just doesnt like being outdone in being herself.
He decides not to say that out loud.
By the way, while I am perfectly happy giving advice, I will not join you in laying an ambush for these braggarts.
And here I thought youd enjoy showing those lesser than us their place.
Oh, how you tempt , but no. I must decline.
Liu Jin hums. There is clearly more than what Lu i is willing to tell him. That much has beco clear to him as of late, but he has no desire to push. Lu i is hardly the only person keeping secrets between the two. She does not ask. He does not ask. That is the unspoken agreent between them. It will change eventually.
But not yet.
Very well. You have already given so ideas. If I cannot recruit Feng Zhi, I might as well go the opposite way.
Lady Ling?
Liu Jin nods. He had promised Feng Hao to visit him once hed gotten out of isolation training anyway.
There is also soone else I think will enjoy the opportunity to take part in this.
Oh? Do tell.
Well
~~~
You wish to aid you in your quest? Fan Bingbing asks.
That is so.
The short, brown-haired girl takes a mont to think it over.
You will not tell the specifics, only that we are up against enemies strong enough to almost kill an Inner Disciple and who will likely attempt to do the sa to us. Do I understand that correctly?
You do.
Why would you think I would say yes?
I assu Sister Fan is tired of standing guard over the dical Pavilion all day. Surely, this will be more to Sister Fans tastes.
Fan Bingbings brown eyes are as tranquil as ever.
You assu correctly.
~~~
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