Sky Pride

Chapter 2- The Demon’s Suffering

“I’m not sure how to address you. Daoist Heavenly Demon? Daoist Heavenly?”

“Why must you address this Heavenly Demon at all? Could this whole journey not be undertaken in silence? Complete, total silence?”

“It could.” Tian nodded. He let the silence gather for a bit, then asked “Are you just not sure what the proper mode of address is? In the kingdom, absent information to the contrary, Daoist Student Heavenly Demon would probably be the most formal and suitable.”

Heavenly Demon’s hair fluffed out wide. “This Heavenly Demon was born as the twelfth son of the Duke of Rushing Waters, whose hereditary territory alone is greater than this flyspeck kingdom! To say nothing of this Seat’s position in the Stellar Descent Cult. You dare speak to him about proper etiquette? And who says this Demon’s a daoist? Your mother’s a daoist! Your whole family are daoists!”

“Haven’t got a mother, but you are quite right about the rest. The Duke of Rushing Waters? Where is that territory? I don’t know it.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? It’s the largest dutchy in the Northern Expanse. Wait, before that, what do you mean you don’t have a mother? Everyone has a mother. That’s how people work.” Heavenly Demon’s hair flattened out again, but it was looking a bit frayed.

“I have always been content to be extraordinary. Let’s not dwell on the inadequacies of my inferiors. I really don’t know anything about the world outside the Wasteland of Song. Is the Rushing Waters Dutchy named after a big river or something?”

“The Dragon Repose River can be described as a big river in the same sense that the sun is a big light, yes! Are you calling this Heavenly Demon your inferior for having a mother? Are you so tired of a beggared life, you want your death to be rich and full of color?”

“Ah, Daoist Student Heavenly Demon, you mustnʼt think that an ascetic’s life is without richness. Why, just look at the iron nails that I have collected. You never know when they might be useful, and see all the different shapes? Each is a slightly different size and suited for a slightly different purpose. Lots and lots of blacksmiths worked hard to make them. A true treasure, more useful than any golden ring. And I take a little offense at the suggestion that I would ever look down on you. It is quite obvious that you are extraordinary.”

Tian gestured with his open hand, the other clenching a dozen iron nails. There was not a word of lie, either. From the extraordinary richness of the black and red robes with near-microscopic stitching making up the embroidery of the Bifeng on the back, to the gleaming gems of his golden rings, to say nothing of his height and peerless appearance, the Heavenly Demon truly was extraordinary.

“Well. Yes. Naturally this Demon is extraordinary.”

“I’d never just assume you had a mother. What is that qi technique, by the way? You keep gathering qi to your finger tips, but it doesn’t look like you are going to stab out with them. And your killing intent feels like being constantly bombarded by moths’ wings. It’s quite unique. You must have worked hard to master it.”

“That is none of your business. Just learn it with your body.” The hair had reached entirely new heights of puffiness, floating outward in a growing cloud.

“Is that red light coming from your hair or your scalp?”

“What red light?” The Heavenly Demon’s raising hand paused. Tian had his head cocked to one side and was peering around the tall cultivator’s side.

“Oh, it’s gone now. There was this red light that was starting to shine a bit, reflecting off your hair, and I couldn’t tell if it was coming from the hair itself or from your scalp. Very domineering, I thought. Well worth learning the technique. It really conveys your status as the Heavenly Demon.”

“I… this Demon never really noticed. It’s really glowing?”

“Oh yes. I wanted to learn, so I can have a white light glowing around my hair. Can you imagine it? Slowly spreading and filling the area with moonlight?”

“It would look quite suitable, though it would have to be a different shade to contrast with your hair. This Heavenly Demon does know that his aura can cause his hair to move and his clothes to flutter. Perhaps it is related.”

“Aura? Ah, you said you weren’t a daoist earlier, but you also said something about cultivating to the Heavenly Realm. Are you practicing a different but related cultivation system?”

“This Heavenly Demon practices the Constellation Refining Furnace Body True Method and its attached auric arts, as is proper for any Heavenly Demon. It shares some similarities with the crude cultivation arts of the wasteland in form, at least, and naturally this Heavenly Demon has learned about your… necessary adaptations… to your adverse circumstances.”

They had been flying towards the Mountain for most of the day, and for most of the day, Tian had kept a barrage of questions falling on Heavenly Demon. The tall cultivator, who looked like he could fight a hundred bastards wielding broken bottles and bad intentions and come out without so much as a chipped nail, seemed exhausted by the experience. Yet he couldn’t manage to shake off the affable, sincere, relentless interest of Tian. It was the combination of a complete unwillingness to take a hint, refusal to understand an explicit instruction, selective deafness, and genuine curiosity that was so lethal.

“Farie Hong, is your… servant? Attendant? Always so chatty?” The toad floated along on the jade tray, having no trouble at all keeping up with the cultivators on their flying tools.

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“I’ve seen him happily sit in complete silence for the better part of a week, and it would have gone on longer if it wasn’t for people coming to visit him. He just takes an interest in people. Also, we are apprentice sister and brother of the same generation in our sect. And dao companions.”

“Really? I would have thought… ah well, I suppose there are all sorts in the world.”

Liren nodded, then asked “Incidentally, is your name really Chanchu?”

“No, that’s Little Mo’s nickname from when we first met. I had to give him a thumping when he tried to call me Laihama.”

“Well, of course. That’s just insulting.”

“Right? You get it. How could anyone look at this elegant physique and call me Laihama?”

“Quite bizarre. Which I suppose is fitting for a demon. But really, how should I address you?”

“Oh, people call my sort Jin Chan, so I just go by Supreme Lord of the Heavens and Earth, Wealth Directing God, Arbiter of Fortune, Caller of Winds and Rains, He Who Sets the Stars in Motion and Binds the Planets to Their Courses, Unparalleled Amongst Beasts With Smooth Skin, The Amphibian Divine, Jin.”

He took a breath, his dewlap expanding mightily. “But as we are companions who met on the road, you can call me Lord Jin.”

Liren nodded thoughtfully. “You know I met your old master a couple of times?”

“Oh? Impressive, I assume.”

“Impressive doesn’t begin to describe him. Which is why I have a request. Please. Make sure I am there when you introduce yourself to him that way.”

“Well, obviously a disciple must be appropriately humble when returning to their master after a long absence. Incidentally, how did you come to be entrusted with the job of finding this Lord after just a few meetings with that Venerable?”

“Brother Tian was a student of his.”

“Really? No offence, but he seems a bit…”

“I did say student, not disciple. And I absolutely take offence.”

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just that this Lord has always had high standards, and tends to judge strictly. I am sure he has many excellent qualities.” The toad made an effort to sound conciliatory. Tian wasn’t looking in that direction, but he could still sense the vein in Liren’s forehead throbbing.

“So, Daoist Student-”

“This Heavenly Demon is not a daoist, damn you!”

“Eh? Then what are you? A cultist? Should I address you as Cultic Student? I would be curious to learn the ideology you follow. I have always been taught that addressing someone properly is immensely important, so I truly appreciate your guidance.”

“The appropriate address for this Seat is Heavenly Demon.”

“Right, I understand that, but a cult must have some sort of ideology necessitating study, which means you are a student, and since Heavenly Demon is a title, there is a hierarchy, and if there is a hierarchy, there are tiered modes of address for each rank.”

“And in this case, this Heavenly Demon’s rank is Heavenly Demon. And do you think the ideology and teachings of the Stellar Descent Cult may be bestowed upon you simply at your request?”

“Yes?” Tian blinked, then blinked some more at the obvious offence on Heavenly Demon’s face. “Daoists consider preaching the true dao to be a significant merit. We want people to know our ideology. My whole sect was founded because an Ancient Crane landed on our mountain and preached the dao. I’ve read the so-called secret teachings reserved for direct disciples, and I can tell you, Cultic Student Heavenly Demon Heavenly Demon, they are quite ordinary and orthodox daoist teachings with a bit of a bird theme.”

“This Heavenly Demon is unsurprised. Listening to a crane cry and building a sect from the received ‘wisdom’ seems exactly right for this barren land. And why did you say this Heavenly Demon’s name twice?”

“Well, if your position is Heavenly Demon and your proper address is Heavenly Demon, then obviously the polite thing to call you is Heavenly Demon Heavenly Demon. So how does your sect transmit its teachings if it doesn’t proselytize?”

The tall man came to a dead stop in mid air, his mouth opening and closing silently. After a few moments, he asked. “Daoist Student Tian, have you ever considered leaving daoism? You would be superbly suited to becoming a demon of my Stellar Descent Cult. This Seat foresees rapid promotion in your future.”

“Oh, how kind of you to say that! I have often thought of leaving the sect, but I can’t imagine leaving daoism. Is there really nothing you can tell me about your cult?” Tian was itching with curiosity. He had never spoken to someone from outside the Wasteland of Song. This was all so interesting!

“We worship the Supreme Ancient Demons, The Primordial Ones who dwell beyond the stars. Beings of such unspeakable power that they have long since transcended this world. Transcended this plane of existence entirely, in fact. In the crudest terms, the constellations are transmissions of power from them to us, through the membrane of the universe. Such is what we preach to the laity, anyhow. To know the true teachings requires a series of initiations, with each level of progression in the cult revealing the hidden truths and the keys to greater power.”

“Forgive me for saying this, but you don’t seem nearly evil enough to be a demon worshiper.” Tian smiled, doing his best to make it sound like it wasn’t a character defect.

“Who is evil?! Your whole…” The Heavenly Demon bit off his words, but his hair seemed reluctant to settle down again. “I’m speaking in your dialect. The only word the rubbish kingdoms of the Wasteland have that approximates our deities is ‘demon.’ You can think of them as “gods” if that helps you, but it’s not really correct. Our doctrines, including doctrines on ethics and morality, might not align with Daosim, but they are strict. Far from being evil, from this Heavenly Demon’s perspective, it is the masters and slaves mentality of this wasteland that is truly evil!”

“Say, Lord Jin, how do you fund your adventures through the wasteland?” Liren asked, from behind Tian. “Keeping you fed can’t be cheap.”

“We have learned to live off the land, as it were. You see, people keep attacking us, we retaliate, things escalate, and then the local oiks… the misguided denizens of the Wasteland, no doubt cruelly shaped by their harsh conditions, die. As do their castles, clans, sects, schools, chambers of commerce, bandit gangs, armies and other collections of rabble. It all amounts to a mountain of dross, but we have become skilled at sifting for the gold within.”

“Surely the spirit crystals must be of use to you, at least.” She probed.

“The what? Oh, those wretched things. The quality is so low, it would be harmful to use them directly. We use them to fuel what you would call arrays and formations. When the pile gets too high, we refine them into higher grade stones, just for ease of transport. The conversion rate is atrocious, but at least you have something reliable and useful at the end. Mmm, tell you what. If you can satisfy this Lord with a good meal, I wouldn’t mind teaching you the method.”

The toad burst into laughter, his dewlap quivering with the brassy croaks. “But then, that might be a bit hard for a pair of brokies!”

Liren smiled, positively angelic. “I’m very interested. I suppose I will just have to find a way to manage. Somehow.”