The connection was brief and tenuous. Like the morning dew gathering into a drop at the ed of a blade of grass, the earth Spirit’s consciousness collected. Slowly. Ponderously, until it was pressed up against the tiny threads, and fully aware.

Normally, it was diffuse. Spread out over the breadth of itself, passing by the cycles without a single thought. The sleeping time of winter, the growth of spring, the heat of summer and the falling leaves. There was little variation. Occasionally, the ground would rumble, or there would be a flood, but for the most part, its existence passed in silent stillness.

But now, with those tendrils it connected to, it saw. It did not see the Qi of the Dragon Lines, nor the minerals around, but it saw as humans did. It felt… almost familiar.

It felt like something it had known, long, long ago.

An old bearded man smiled at them all. He had his hands on the earth, and a bright smile on his face, even as he died.

A promise, through all the planes, and all the worlds.

‘And so the great Ancestor, Shennong, commanded his disciple in the ways of preparing the fields. Till the land. Fell the Trees. Divert the waters, Break the Rocks, Sow the Seeds, Reap the Harvest. Craft for theyself a place to call home, and give thanks to the land for its bounty…’

The Earth Spirit shuddered, as it remembered. Its tendrils spread through the man’s body, tasting his essence. His nature and spirit. Testing.

Something deep inside told the Earth Spirit that this man was worthy.

The ancient pact was important. It did not know why, only that it was.

It carved off a small portion of itself. Of its true essence, and placed it within the man.

The connection sealed and solidified, welding two souls together.

Satisfied, the Earth Spirit Made to return to its previous state of existence. To let this gathered consciousness drift away. Even if the feelings were intriguing, this was not the Earth Spirit’s place. They both had a role to fulfill.

They would be connected for but a short time. And then, the feeling would fade.

Like it was supposed to be.

The Earth Spirit prepared to turn away again, but not before looking one last time through their connection.

It gazed upon more men and women, who were smiling at its Connected One. At the man in front, holding out his arm to clasp.

“If you want it, Green Trees will be your home. Welcome to the Village, Brother.”

The sudden surge of emotion hit the Earth Spirit, shattering its concentration.Tears sprung to the Connected One’s eyes.

The sensation was so pure. It worked down their link like the roots of a tree, setting deep and taking hold as the feeling plunged deep into the spirit’s core.

The feeling of belonging.

The Earth Spirit turned away in a panic, fleeing. But it did not allow its consciousness to fade. It couldn’t.

It all kept coming back to that feeling.

Within a day, the Earth Spirit was watching once more.

It hoped to feel that again.

============================

For the first time in a long, long time, Xiaoshi could say that he was truly happy.

The village of Green Trees had accepted him as one of their own. Nobody kicked him, or forced him to work more hours; they merely invited him for games of Go, or shared their food and drink with him, as he shared his bounty with them.

It was like a great weight had been lifted from him.

Each breath he took on his farm was a hymn, a praise to the Heavens and the Earth.

He had made it. And his parents could rest easy. The Shrine was in the most beautiful place, high on the hill so that they could watch over him, always.

“Hey, Xiaoshi!” Linlin called, the pale farmer’s daughter waving at him happily. ‘We’re all going to head down to the river, do you want to join us?”

There were three others as well, Boyi, Boer, and Bosan waving at him.

And perhaps, in time, more would come?

Xiaoshi put down his hoe, and grinned back. “Of course, my friends! I’ll be along shortly!”

Life was good.

========================

It started off slowly. In wonder and curiosity it reached through the connection to watch and learn.

It learned the feeling of fat heads of rice through fingers; It felt the summer breeze across its face. It tasted the dumplings made by friends of the Connected One from the village.

It felt joy, as its Connected one harvested his fields. It learned sorrow, as its Connected One bowed his head in front of funerary tablets.

It felt pride, as he built the shrine upon a hill placing the funerary tablets within, overlooking his little shack and his fields

All these things came to it, from the wellspring of gold that traveled between them.

The roots of emotion built themselves. With it came a desire, unconscious and unspoken, the mass of energy that was the spirit formed itself to look like its Connected One. A shining body of featureless Qi.

The Earth Spirit went to the festivals, even though it was sleepy. It watched the dances, and the party, and the soft kiss between its Connected One and Linlin.

Its Connected one fell in Love with the village. And so too did the Earth Spirit.

Slowly, skin began to coat Qi.

The spirit of Earth grew more enamoured with the people of the village. It loved them just as it’s Connected One did. Like a moth to a flame it could not stop. The feelings were too much, invading its thoughts and dreams.

It wanted to feel the love and affection the villagers had for each other. It wanted to try the games, eat the rice cakes, and feel like they felt.The Earth Spirit wanted to connect to all of them too.

But that was not how things were done. Despite it, it wanted to know. It was an obsession. An overriding desire, that felt wrong, yet somehow right.

A blend of features formed over the latticework of Qi. It took months of effort, trying to get the right form. Tall, short, fat, skinny, small—

Until the Earth Spirit finally looked in a conjured pool of water in its domain of grass, and saw her new forms reflection.

She saw herself, and drifted further away from the formless mass she once was.

As she looked at herself in the calm waters of the conjured pool, she was struck by an urge.

An urge that for nearly a year, she had managed to ignore.

========================

Xiaoshi dreamed of an endless field. It was a recurring dream, now, one that he had after a particularly good day. A beautiful field with verdant grass, healthy trees, and a wonderful blue sky. Mountains rose in the distance, sheltering the little slice of paradise.

The only thing that changed here was the cycle of seasons. Now nineteen years old, he had seen it twice revolve.

The only slight imperfection was he felt like somebody was watching him at times. Shrugging, he settled in for stargazing, and enjoying the mountain vistas.

“Hello.” A voice said suddenly, and Xaioshi nearly jumped out of his skin. Whoever had spoken sounded the words out oddly, like they were unfamiliar.

Scrambling to his feet, he was about to look around, to see who had spoken, but there was no need to. Right in front him was a young woman. She was of average height, with pale skin and she had brown hair and warm green eyes that took his breath away.

She looked like a princess with her beauty and regal bearing. Even wearing the clothes of a peasant farmer, she had a presence about her. The only slight mar was her freckles, but they weren’t distracting.

It was strange that she was in his dream, but, his parents hadn’t raised him to be impolite.

“Uh… hello?” he answered back, still a bit off balance from her sudden appearance.

The woman nodded, appearing pleased at his greeting. Warmth flooded his chest, a familiar feeling, like every time he was about to run out of Qi—

He paused, and glanced at his feet. At his feet, where two golden bands connected him to the woman. It pulsed, filling him with warmth. It was a feeling that put him at ease as he worked. He looked back up into those fathomless.. Almost inuman green eyes.

And then he saw the rest of her. The mass of Qi that was beneath the earth, supporting this entire dream-world.

The realization was a thunderbolt.

He hadn’t been feeling tired from all his Qi use. He hadn’t even noticed. But every time he started to flag.. And every time he wondered how to grow a certain crop… his energy would refill, and his predictions would come true.

He hadn't even noticed.

“...are you the one who has been helping me, oh majestic earth spirit?” Xiaoshi asked, as he immediately sunk into a bow. Earth Spirit were supposed to be like gods, his father had said, and he prayed every day before the little shine to the spirit of the mine… even if it hadn't helped him in the end, they were to be respected.

“Yes.” The simple, one word answer rung with only truth.

“This Xiaoshi thanks you for your benevolence.” he said, defaulting back to the manners pounded into his head by the Overseer. He risked a glance up at the woman. Her face was flat and expressionless, but he felt a slight hint of frustration in his chest, coming from her. “What do you desire for your boons, oh great spirit.”

His head ducked down again, wondering for what reason the Earth Spirit had graced him with her presence. She was helping him, that much was obvious.

The frustration spiked for a moment. There was silence, as the earth spirit just stood there, looking at him.

“Let's be friends.” The earth Spirit Said, in Linlin’s voice. The day she had asked Xiaoshi to come with her and her brothers to the river. “That is what I want.”

Xiaoshi looked up in shock, just in time for the ground to drop out beneath him. He landed on his rear in a river that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, with the earth spirit looking down on him from where she stood on the shore.

“We are friends now, yes?” she asked, with hope in her voice, even if her face was blank.

Xiaoshi knew not how to address this. An ancient and venerable earth spirit, acting like the village children trying to make their first friend.

He tentatively reached out, feeling their connection. It was a quiet undercurrent. Hope. apprehension.

And beneath it all, a kind of loneliness.

As lonely as Xiaoshi had been, back in Pale Moon.

Xiaoshi didn’t know for what reason the Earth Spirit had chosen him. He didn’;t know why she wanted to be his friend.

Xaioshi grinned. “Of course. You just gotta help me up, first.” He held out his hand. The earth spirit blinked at the hand, before reaching out her own. She touched it, and started to pull.

But was completely unprepared for Xiaoshi to pull back, as hard as he could. The earth spirit just seemed confused, as she tumbled into the water.

She surfaced, spluttering, and for an instant, Xiaoshi wondered if he overstepped himself. The earth spirit looked at him. Then, like a mason carving a masterpiece, her stiff face split into a massive smile. A surprisingly girlish giggle escaped her throat.

A hunk of mud the size of Xiaoshi was uprooted from the bottom of the river, and slammed into him, sending him flying.

Naturally, Xiaoshi would never let such an insult stand. He retaliated as best as he was able, and in a muddy river, a friendship was cemented.

They both eventually collapsed, panting, on the bank.

Xiaoshi had a smile on his face, as he stared at the beautiful sky above.

Peace claimed his soul, for a moment and an eternity.

Then, he realised he had been very rude.

“Lady Earth Spirit? What is the name you wish me to call you by?” He asked her. “This one is Xiaoshi, son of Xiaoshen.”

The mud-coated face turned to him. The Spirit blinked, caught off guard by the question, her bright smile fading.

“...I do not have a name.” The Spirit stated after a moment. She seemed concerned by the revelation. There was another pulse of anxiety. “Call this one whatever you wish.”

He considered it for a moment, staring up at the beautiful blue sky.

“Tianlan.” He said.

The girl turned to him, confused.

“Tianlan. Azure. We met under this beautiful sky, didn’t we?”

“Tian…lan?” the spirit tasted the words. “Tianlan.”

The smile was as bright as the sun.

=========================

It was strange, having a passenger in one’s head, Xaioshi reflected. Tianlan had started out stiff, but she had rapidly devolved into using the slang of the villagers.

“Try that one next, Shishi!” Tianlan demanded, and Xiaoshi rolled his eyes, as he pricked up a skewer of meat. Their senses connected, the spirit let out a moan of happiness.

The festival was in full swing, the paper lanterns lit, and everything was just perfect. He smiled at Linlin, and handed her another skewer. The Bo Brothers were there as ostensible chaperones, but in reality, they were just stuffing their faces.

It was set to be a wonderful night.

Their festivities were interrupted, however, by a commotion at the front of the village.

Xiaoshi glanced at Linlin, who shrugged, and they all started in the direction of the rapidly forming crowd.

“What’s going on, Chief?” Boyi asked, as they approached. The mood in the circle was grim.

“They say that the Ten Antidote Serpents were Ten Venom Serpents, and that they had been peddling poison as Demon Beasts all this time. So the Emperor Marched on their home and slew them all!” the chief stated, his voice cold and hard.

“Demon Beasts? The Antidote Serpents? He dares to call them that?!” an elderly voice demanded, full of wrath. Poison scars still dotted Yuheng’s face from a real Demon Beast, and it was widely known that the gentle serpents had healed his wound.

“There’s more. We are to be on the lookout for a wicked traitor, who attacked the Emperor’s army, and burned the Emperor’s flag. All who aid him will be put to the sword, to nine degrees of separation, and their village be burned and salted.”

The mood died completely at that statement. Linlin squeezed his hand, her normally light skin the colour of a corpse.

The Chief sighed, and shook his head. “... we shall not discuss this today. Like any swordsman will come this far east in the first place. Everybody! Return to the festival!” he called.

Slowly, the people went back to the party. But there was a pall over the proceedings.

Xiaoshi tried to shake it off. They were at the outskirts. The chief was right. Like anybody would come this way.

===================================

Life went on, after the proclamation. He spoke with Linlin’s father, about her hand, now that he had established himself. It was a little bit awkward with Tianlan constantly telling him to kiss her, and getting upset when he tried to force her out of his senses during it. The earth Spirit was entirely too curious for her own good!

“You sure about this, Brother Xiaoshi?” Brother Boyi asked, his arms crossed, and a smile on his face.

Xaioshi nodded, as he picked up his pickaxe.

“We need new plowshares, and nobody else has any iron. I’ll be a week, at most, and go through the edge of the forest. Nobody will know I’m there!” Xiaoshi said, as Tianlan sung “Adventure, Adventure!” in his head.

Well, that too. His dear friend was endlessly curious.

He set off on his adventure, a smile on his face, and waving goodbye to a good friend.

It was the last time he would see him alive.

================================

An injured, vagabond swordsman passed through the village. The people of Green Trees, being kindly folk, took him in to nurse him back to health.

On the next day, The soldiers of the Emperor marched into town, looking for man who had raised his hand against the Lord of the Azure.

============================

There was something wrong.

It came to Tianlan in bursts of fitfulness. There was something wrong. It was an itching in her back.

Her consciousness was always with Xiaoshi now. But there was something further down that was plucking at her soul, and she didn’t know what.

Xiaoshi hummed to himself, as he wandered back to town, big hunks of iron ore slung across his back.

“You've been quiet, Tianlan. Are you alright?” he asked her, his leisurely pace setting them towards the village.

Tianlan scratched at her back. “I’m fine… but… I have a bad feeling.: she whispered to him.”

“Bad feeling, huh? Well, we’ll be home soon, and we can figure it out when we get there.” He said, as they broke the treeline. Her Connected one paused, as he glanced up at the sky.

“That's… a lot of smoke. Did Boer try to cook again?” Xiaoshi asked, trying to inject some levity…. But he broke into a light jog away.

Tianlan’s back itched again, as she sat upon the field that was her home.

Then the smell hit them. The smell of ash and blood. Xiaoshi dropped his basket of ore, and broke into a sprint. A mad dash to the village, where the medical hut was ablaze.

Xiaoshi staggered to a stop, as he caught sight of the villagers. They were lined up, on their knees with their heads pressed to the ground before a man. He was in the uniform of the Imperial Army. His hair was tied up like a nobleman, and he was smiling at the head within his hands. It was one that neither of them recognised.

His armor was sooty, and the blade stabbed into the ground was bloody. He had a captain’s rank emblem on his shoulder. There were five more soldiers, all of them were watching the villagers, amusement written on their faces.

“You all did receive the Proclamation two moons past, did you not?” The Captain asked, his voice mild and conversational.

Chief Xin was on his knees, his forehead pressed flat against the dirt.

“We did, Mighty Captain! We of this humble village could not conceive of a man who could escape the Mighty Imperial Army for so long, and thus we let down your guards! We beg your forgiveness!”

The man raised an eyebrow, a smile overtaking his face.”Oh? Listen to this peasant, who thinks so highly of us!”

The soldiers around them laughed, and Tianlan got a sinking feeling in her stomach.

“But… well. The Emperor’s orders were clear, were they not?” he continued in the same tone. His sword came out of the ground, and went in a pretty arc.

Chief Xin’s arm hit the ground. He started to scream.

She felt Xiaoshi’s blood freeze.

“To the ninth degree. All Traitors, out by the roots. And do be quiet.”

Chief Xin, who welcomed Xiaoshi to the village, who had said he would always have a place with them. The old man who told the children all sorts of stories.

The sword came up again, as the soldiers drew their blades, and what was about to happen set in amongst the village.

She could feel Xiaoshi’s hesitation. She could feel his trembling hands.

He wanted to run. He wanted to run so badly.

The sword arced down. Linlin screamed.

Xiaoshi pulled on their connection.

Something told Tianlan that it wasn’t supposed to work like this, but she ignored it. Rage flood her veins. Tianlan gave her power freely.

Xiaoshi roared, and Tianlan roared with him. The Imperial soldier, the captain, finished his downward swing. They watched together, as the balde carved into Xin’s shoulder, and the man, smirk still on his face, raised his other hand to contemptuously block them.

Until his eyes widened.

He was in the fourth stage of the Spiritual Realm. An existence that would have eclipsed Xiaoshiu earlier. It didn’t matter.

There was no hesitation. Xiaoshi swung, a nearly artless thing. His fist met a metal sword, and the sword shattered. It met Pale Moon Ore riveted plates, the material holding beneath the onslaught, but not preventing what happened next. The force of the blow continued through, and pulped the cultivator beneath.

The other men froze. Their eyes widened at seeing an expert of the Azure Empire destroyed in a single blow.

Then, one found his resolve. “Death to the Traitors! Glory for the Emperor!” He screamed. The rest took up his cry.

================================

Xiaoshi was numb, when it was all over. When he stared at the devastation. The fires had spread during the fight, burning down half the village.

“What do we do?” somebody asked.

Xiaoshi and Tianlan stared at the people of the little village, terror upon their faces, as some of them wept.

Xiaoshi could feel Tianlan’s , and her self recrimination for not noticing sooner. He reached out, and she calmed, slightly, latching on to something else. Something dark.

“...We have to leave.” Xiaoshi said, as he stared at the devastation. They couldn’t stay here, the Imperial army would be back.

He saw a few start to weep, at having to abandon their home. He felt Tianlan’s possessive protectiveness, and nodded. His eyes sought out Linlin’s.. She was terrified.

He took a deep breath. He had only known them for three years… but they had been the best three years of his life. He’d take care of them.

But something else bubbled beneath the surface.

Something ugly.