“Let's go.” I commanded.

  I laid back on the wagon and allowed my aura to spread out as far as possible. After all, I wanted to catch any eventual pursuers right now, to not be surprised by them later. Sure enough, only minutes after my caravan left the town a bunch of cultivators left too, following just out of sight.

  “We have a few tails, three dozen cultivators. None in the third realm, five in the second and the rest are just first realm cultivators.” I said.

  “Shall we go and take care of them, mistress?” Targo asked.

  He was one of the most powerful cultivators in my employ, and would soon ascend into the third realm thanks to a little help from me.

  “Don't worry about it. So far they’re only following us. But if they attack? Knock them unconscious if possible, and rob them blind. If they come a second time? Show them the error of their ways, and get a heavenly oath out of them.” I said.

  “So, all as normal.” He asked.

  “You got it. He who doesn't take warnings will have to deal with the consequences of his actions.” I said.

  “Will you do some fighting yourself?” He asked, excited.

  “No. Only if our enemies actually have a third realm cultivator here. I doubt that though, just imagine the loss of image they’d suffer from sending a third realm cultivator to deal with an uppity little second realm cultivator.” I said with a grin.

  “Your insistence on hiding your cultivation, as well as your strange attachment to your name continue to baffle me.” He said.

  I grinned again. All real cultivators in my employ seemed to suffer physical pain from my actions. They simply couldn't perceive a world where they’d do either of the things I did. It was great.

  “What can I say, I like my name, and don't see a need to change it. And would you want to deal with an old third realm cultivator? I sure don't, I just broke through a little more than a year ago. There’s only so much I can catch up with my methods.” I said.

  “Yes. Only so much. You mean like reaching the third realm in less than two decades, without any cultivator helping you, or any resources to call your own?” He asked.

  “Exactly.” I easily agreed.

  “And you don't know just how ridiculous that is?” He asked.

  “No? I don't really. I don't have anyone to compare to. Anyone with the same starting conditions I had at least.” I said.

  “What do you mean, perhaps all these powerful insights you hide inside of your head?” He asked.

  “You got it. I didn't meet anyone like me so far, so I can't compare. I do know people like me have to be there though, because it really wouldn't make sense if there weren't.” I said.

  “I see. And you still won't tell anyone where you gained your insights from? We talked about my qi intent for three sentences, yet you managed to advance my understanding by leaps and bounds. And your insights into the nature of qi, insights every cultivator would kill to know. And we get them free of charge, just by working for you with no additional cost to us. Even the dead weights.” He protested.

  “I am pretty great, aren't I?” I said with a small smile. “But you miss something. If you are more powerful, it can only help me. After all, I really don't want to fight, so if my subordinates are more powerful, I won't have to fight myself. I like to plan and plot, but fighting? Just not for me.”

  “But you can fight? I remember Velgo retelling your first meeting. You just took him out without any time to notice you. And the captain of your guard is powerful, so taking him out without his notice straight after your ascension should be impossible.”

  “It’s not that hard. You just have to accelerate the other's head fast enough. And gravity is very good at accelerating things if you multiply it by a few times.” I explained.

  “Gravity is just a downward pull. Not something to fly with, and definitely not something to go invisible with.” He said.

  “But it is.” I denied. “Gravity is the most powerful force I can think of. Sure, it’s a little unimpressive on a planet, but you have to think on a bigger scale. Our planet orbits around the sun because of a combination of speed and gravity. And our sun orbits around a black hole in the middle of our galaxy.”

  “I have literally no clue what you just talked about.” He admitted. “As so often.”

  “You’ll understand in time. At least if you continue on your way.” I said.

  “But how? You may know how to ascend into the fourth realm, which is another one of your strange secrets, but we normal cultivators need to join a sect for that sacred knowledge.” He said.

  “I actually have an inkling about two different ways on how to ascent in the fifth realm, and the sixth one after, considering the way you ascend to immortality.” I said.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Of course you do.” He said with a snort.

  “What? I didn't find out how to reach immortality. I have a friend who told me in return for something else.” I said.

  “So, you have an immortal friend who had enough of a debt to you to tell you how to reach immortality? That doesn't really make anything better.” He said.

  I sighed.

  “Don't be like that. I'm just a normal girl with some extra knowledge and a lot of ideas.” I said.

  And smiled. That had been the lie I told my employees to tell others if they asked about me. Though it really was only half a lie at best. I had been a normal girl in my first life and would have been one in this one too - probably at least.

  And I had a lot of ideas, all thanks to the knowledge the civilisation I was originally born in had gathered over the ages. Of course, said knowledge limited me too, for example, I would probably make a really bad shadow or frost cultivator.

  After all, both shadow and frost really were nothing on their own. You needed light to have a shadow. Just like frost was just the absence of heat or the absence of molecular vibrations, a shadow was the absence of light. Though, not even that. Without light, you had darkness, but you needed light to even get a shadow.

  That meant I didn't hire anyone cultivating these qi intents, or intending to do so. I could not help someone cultivate the absence of something. The absence of natural forces was just a fact of those forces existing, not something in itself. At least for me.

  “Oh. They sped up.” I noted.

  At the same time, a small packet of qi entered all of my guards, informing them of everything I managed to find out about our enemies so far. Their power levels as far as I could tell, their meridian networks, any strange exits for qi in their body, to surprise their enemies in the fight.

  Everything.

  Wait, who was this guy? Why couldn't I penetrate his aura?

  ---

  Hatsume of Clan Waid watched his pupils follow the small caravan with a dispassionate gaze. This would be easy. Sure, their enemies were generally more powerful and had spirit robes, but he had the numbers.

  And should things go south, he’d still be there to step in. And while embarrassing, losing anyone here would be much worse. Not that either would happen. Their enemies were simple, independent cultivators. Sure, they gathered around that insolent spirit seamstress, but she didn't have any backers either. Apart from the irrelevant mayor of her hometown that is.

  “Kill the girl, I don't care what you do with the rest.” He commanded finally.

  “Yes, revered elder.”

  His pupils moved forward quickly, hoping to catch their enemies by surprise. Something alerted them though, and they turned towards his people. Idiots, he hissed. Suddenly, he stiffened. A powerful spiritual sense just swept over the area.

  But his cloaking held up.

  “Why don't you join in? It’s not like your people stand a chance without you, mine know everything about yours, every little secret, their qi intent, their meridian paths. Everything.” A voice next to him said suddenly.

  Hatsume jumped up in surprise, seeing his quarry standing there without a care in the world.

  “How did you get here?” He yelled.

  “I walked here.” She answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  “You're really good at hiding yourself. I mistook you for one of the others until you didn't come with them. And your aura. I couldn't penetrate it without you noticing.” She said.

  Damn.

  Their information was completely wrong.

  “So you are a third realm cultivator?” He asked.

  He started preparing for a fight, young geniuses like her were a pain to deal with, despite their relative inexperience.

  “Well, I guess that cat is out of the bag. By the way, do you know where to find a cat? I need one.” She said. “You are going to swear a heavenly oath that you won't tell anyone of course.”

  “And who do you think you are, whelp, to command me like that?” He asked, angry.

  “I am Triss, stupid.” She said.

  Hatsume allowed the rage he felt at her dismissive words flow through him. But he kept a tight leash on the rage. He was the master, the controller of his emotion, his emotions didn't control him. Slowly, a red aura formed around him.

  “Let's get this show on the road.” She said.

  Suddenly, he felt incredibly heavy, despite the power of rage running through him. His enemy stood a few metres from him, so he charged. She managed to evade in the last moment, stepping in between his legs the moment he passed. Hatsume fell on his face, and the rage flowing through him increased.

  “Watch your step, moving in high gravity is bad for your joints.” She taunted.

  Hatsume took in her words, used them to empower himself even more than before, and charged again. Only for his enemy to float out of his reach.

  “That was way faster than before. You're one of those emotion cultivators, aren't you? Probably shame, considering how you always miss me.”

  Hatsume yelled incoherently, jumping up to catch the elusive prey. Flying was impossible for him, but just jumping was easier than any type of flying technique he knew.

  His prey easily evaded him, but now his win was just a matter of time. He reached the third realm nearly a decade ago, so he had far more qi than his opposite did, regardless of her talent.

  “Ohh, close one. Better luck next time.”

  “Good jump, you really put those legs to good use.”

  Still, he couldn't help but worry a little, as his prey continued to evade. Until he suddenly felt lighter.

  “You nearly had me there, you're getting closer.” She continued to mock him.

  She was running out of qi and had to use all to stay afloat. Hatsume grinned savagely, and jumped up, soaring higher than ever before in this fight. His prey moved ever upwards, her flying technique seemingly unrestricted in height, until he reached the apex of his jump.

  Gravity reasserted its control over him, and he started plummeting to the ground.

  Suddenly the forces attacking him doubled, tripled, quintupled, and he fell down fast. Too fast!

  Worried, Hatsume made sure to fall feet first, hoping to absorb the energy of his fall in time. Suddenly, his head snapped to his side, a bright red copy of a small hand appearing on his face.

  “That looked like it hurt. Do you think it’ll stay for a bit?”

  She slapped him! KILL! His fall forgotten, Hatsume twisted around, hoping to see the savage that didn't stop insulting him since the moment they started fighting!

  She was floating out of his reach again and pointing downwards. He followed her finger, seeing something he forgot, the ground! With a cry of rage, he tried to right himself again but was too late. His feet touched the ground, and pain shot up through his legs, his spine, and his arm.

  He watched his opponent land next to him, as pain defeated rage, and finally him.

  As his vision faded, he cursed his luck, dying an insignificant death, trying to kill an insignificant no one.

  Spoiler: Spoiler

  Gods are actively malicious.

  One of my first lessons everyone in Quisaneat learnt.

  Never trust a god. I did not know where our ancestor’s hate and mistrust of all gods came from. No one I asked knew that answer.

  We followed these words religiously though, after all our society flourished ever more, our walls expanding, our population and wealth growing.

  Strangely for all their obvious mistrust of the gods our ancestors made sure enough people served the gods at any one time. Priests commanded respect even without any obvious power. After all you couldn't trust gods, and neither the power they may give you. No, priests were the weakest members if you went by sheer power.

  They worked independent of that. No, we respected priests because they sacrificed all their future for the city, their life.

  "Do you want to serve a god?" The city's high priest asked me.

  The question every single citizen had to answer by themselves once in their life. The most important question I would ever have to answer.

  Did I want to serve a god, and give up on magic, on my birthright?

  "No." I answered without a shred of hesitation.

  In the past century and a half, few people chose differently. Well, few of those like me. Members of the High Houses.

  The less fortunate, the desperate, they turned towards the gods quite often, or priesthood, for our priests served no god, they served all gods. No chose priesthood out of a desire to be respected by those that really mattered. Like my father. Or me in a few years. Few people were more respected than priests after all. Because no one else sacrificed their power for the good of all.

  "Then rise, daughter of Quisaneat, rise proudly and take your right, your inheritance." The high priest intoned.

  I rose without hesitation. All my life, I had been prepared for this moment, and what was to come next. I could not fail now, would not. I took the first, shaky step towards adulthood. And another, suppressing the shaking. The third step brought me in a shallow pool of water, not even reaching up to my ankles.

  I looked ahead, right into my future. The Caves. An impossibly dark, gaping chasm. The only place we knew where a human, or any creature for that matter, could chose a Path. You entered a child, but came out as an adult. No one really remembered everything when going through the cave, but something. Enough my family knew what to expect, and had prepared me for it.

  With five steps I stepped inside, and looked around. Suddenly, I sat on a camel, spear in hand, and looked down on a battlefield. I readied myself for a charge,

  No! I forced the images entering my mind down with ease, and went deeper.

  Hoe in hand I tilled my fields, content to

  I took another step, easily forcing that Path into submission.

  I moved from one form into the next, slowly weaving my magic into the minds of the vipers in front of me. I commanded them to hunt, to kill. And to return to me later.

  I took another step. Not for me, vipers were delicious, but not something I’d want to tame. My mother had far more interesting beasts than these.

  Sand swirled with my every step as I moved towards my enemy. A wall of sand, reaching all the way up in the sky threatened to swallow me, but I was not alone. I pressed.

  And stepped forwards. Dunecallers were vital for our city’s survival, but neither rare nor all that interesting. I looked forwards, forcefully suppressing the images assaulting my mind. Not far, until I reached the second cave.

  Well, I knew what to expect now. Without pause, I took the next four steps, not even bothering to acknowledge the sensations. I knew the moment I stepped past the threshold. The temperature, already unpleasantly warm before, suddenly shot up, the steam in the air filling my lungs, forming pearly of water flowing down my skin.

  Pearls of water that threatened to pull me down, into the water. Back, out towards the Mountain.

  Water swirled in lazy rivers, perfectly controlled by me. I

  I stepped forwards. Floodcallers were important, vital even, but nothing for me.

  The next Paths all seemed to tempt me towards a different future, but not one of my own choosing. Commander. Captain. Stormcaller. Earthbreaker. Galewalker. Suncaller. Moonwalker.

  The first Path to really tempt me was Mindweaver.

  My mother’s Path, and a powerful one. But I wanted my own Path. So I forced the sensations down with a little, lingering regret and took a step, probably the last one in the second cave.

  Wizard. My father's Path, and one of the most powerful Paths known. Anything related to magic could grow it, regardless if you fought, researched for trained. I had always wanted to be a wizard.

  Almost. I almost stopped right then and there. But my father’s voice entered my mind right there.

  “Remember Vy’ia. The caves will test you, confront you with your dreams and ambitions. The last step will be the hardest one. The world will offer you a Path, a powerful Path, and one you always wanted. Do not take it.”

  So I didn't. With a single tear running down my cheek I took the next step, towards the unknown. But also towards my very own Path.

  We did not know what to expect of the third cave. Too few people managed to defeat their dreams for my house to gather a comprehensive retelling of the third cave. Which meant the increasing gravity and powerful gust took my by surprise.

  I caught myself just in time to avoid moving backwards. Moving backwards meant defeat after all. With all my muscles straining to move against the strong wind, gravity and water current I took another step forwards. My knees nearly buckled, but I managed. I gulped, but took another step, fighting wind, water and gravity. I stumbled halfway through my step, but managed to catch myself before my knees hit the water.

  I forced myself to stand up again, and stopped. Moving forwards in the third cave was just for bragging rights, and another step wasn't wirth failing here.

  For the first time I allowed the cave to completely take over my mind. You could not progress past this point.

  I made it.

  I allowed myself a relieved smile.

  Green. I was surrounded by green and a little bit of brown. Curiously, I looked around myself, following a way only I could see. Suddenly my surroundings changed. Instead of a huge garden of trees I entered a different garden, one filled with grass, going as far as I could see. I took another step, and suddenly entered a more familiar territory. Dry sand surrounded me, though I never saw the strange trees or bushes surrounding me.

  I continued walking.

  Water everywhere. I looked around in wonder, seeing myself completely surrounded by water, with only a huge boat stopping me from sinking to the bottom.

  Enough. I forced the images to the back of my mind, as my Path came clear.

  One word, Explorer.

  Yes, this would do quite nicely, I could work with this. A very narrow, but at the same time quite broad way to grow, to expand, like it was best. I just had to explore stuff. I smiled, and focused on myself, feeling for the ball of potential I knew to be there. A ball that had been frustratingly impossible to move. Until now. It had grown. First, it became malleable, upon entering the caves. Once I passed the first hurdle, that promise of quick power, it had doubled in size. And now, upon defeating my dreams, small and big, it had quadrupled.

  I swayed a little, and remembered I only needed to do one, last task. I took something from all those sensations assaulting my mind, the mere concept of exploring, and connected it to my potential. Changed it into a useable form, usable and able to grow.

  When I opened my eyes again all pressure had disappeared, and I stood back where I started. I stepped back out, back into the dry desert sun of my home.

  I entered the cave a child, but came out an adult. Ready to face the world. Now, it was only a matter of time, before I could do some magic of my own.

  Still, looking at all the envious faces around me I couldn't help but feel proud. I entered the caves, reached the third cave, and left under my own power. The world awaited.