The Ninefold Jade Sect didn’t just occupy a district of Biragawa; it felt like the anchor the rest of the city had been tethered to.

  Jiang slowed as he approached, not because anyone stopped him, but because the scale of it demanded attention. The outer wall rose higher than most of the surrounding buildings, pale stone fitted so precisely that he couldn’t see the seams between the blocks from this distance. It curved gently, following the natural slope of the land rather than cutting across it, and for a moment, he wondered if the Sect had been here first – if Biragawa itself had simply grown around it, reshaping itself to accommodate something older and far more powerful.

  The streets here were wide and clean, the stone underfoot worn smooth by centuries of careful maintenance rather than neglect. There was no refuse piled against the walls, no gutter runoff staining the corners. Even the air smelled different – less smoke, less rot, more cold stone and faint incense drifting from somewhere within the compound.

  Jiang was feeling increasingly out of place.

  The market had been bad enough – his hunting leathers hadn’t exactly blended in, but they weren’t completely out of place either. In a city hosting a lot of cultivators here for the beast tide, it was expected that some of them would look like they’d just come back from a hunt. In this part of the city, though, everyone looked like they had stepped out of a painting. Robes of layered silk and fine wool in subdued, tasteful colours. Boots polished to a soft sheen. Hair bound with simple jade pins that probably cost more than Liǔxī had earned in a good year. It wasn’t to the point of garish displays of wealth – but nothing was cheap.

  Jiang grimaced faintly and made a mental note to revisit the matter of new clothes sooner rather than later.

  He circled the compound rather than heading toward the main gates. Those were impossible to miss – tall, reinforced doors flanked by stone pillars carved with layered formation scripts that made the air around them feel subtly wrong. That wasn’t even taking into account the two cultivators standing guard. Jiang wasn’t stupid enough to actually use his Qi senses on them, but he got the feeling that either one of them would be significantly stronger than he was.

  Not an option.

  Fortunately, there were plenty of other entrances. Further along, smaller gates broke up the curve of the wall. These were clearly not meant for disciples or guests – they were functional entrances, designed for traffic rather than ceremony.

  Jiang slowed, doing his best to blend in with the flow of pedestrians as he watched. He… wasn’t very successful, but thankfully no one was paying close attention to him anyway.

  Carts rolled in at a steady pace, piled with crates of produce, bolts of cloth, sealed barrels stamped with merchant seals. Others rolled out empty, or with refuse covered by canvas sheets. Between them walked people in plain, practical clothing – some of them carrying baskets or bundles while others left empty-handed, chatting quietly as they went.

  Interesting.

  Unlike the Azure Sky Sect, where the servants all lived within the walls of the compound, it seemed the Ninefold Jade Sect employed a local workforce who returned to their homes at the end of their shifts. That, combined with the steady stream of servants entering and exiting made one thing abundantly clear: this place was enormous. Large enough that individual servants were interchangeable. Anonymous.

  That worked in his favour.

  A part of him wondered if it would be possible to slip in unnoticed, maybe steal a servant’s uniform and slip in with one of the carts.

  He dismissed the thought almost immediately. He let his awareness brush lightly outward – not enough to draw attention, just enough to confirm what his instincts were already telling him. The wall hummed in much the same way that the city wall had, only much stronger. Denser. Threads of structured Qi ran through the stone in layered patterns that made his damaged meridians itch in warning.

  Formations. Powerful ones.

  He had no idea what they did specifically, but he was willing to bet that “detect intruders” was somewhere near the top of the list. If the little jade blocks could identify cultivators with a buzz, these arrays would almost certainly tear apart any attempt he made at a disguise. No, sneaking in wasn’t an option – but the sheer number of servants was still useful. It meant that he could afford to be a little more overt in approaching people and asking questions.

  Caution was still warranted, of course, but he could afford to take a minor risk. As long as he avoided mentioning any specific details, such as the names of his family, he could probably get away with quite a bit without drawing too much attention.

  So, the question became who, exactly, he was going to approach.

  He needed a servant who wasn’t on shift, someone heading out or coming back, not laden with Sect property, not accompanied by a supervisor. Someone he could approach without a dozen eyes following. He also needed to approach them in a public area, so they would be more relaxed.

  It was probably a good idea to start with a small group of people as well - that way, the chances of at least one of them being sympathetic were higher. Of course, there was also the risk that they would clam up, but he could probably try a few times without much trouble.

  He scanned the departing crowd until his eyes landed on a likely quartet. One man and three women, all wearing the standard grey woollen tunics of the general staff. They weren’t rushing, nor did they have the hunched, weary posture of people coming off a gruelling shift in the kitchens. They were laughing about something as they walked, their breath puffing white in the cold air, heading away from the gate and toward the residential streets.

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  More importantly, Jiang noted with a quick sweep of his eyes, none of them wore the jade pendants or badges that marked higher-ranking staff or guards. No buzzers. No scanners.

  Perfect.

  He pushed off from the wall where he’d been loitering and intercepted them as they turned a corner, keeping his hands open and his posture non-threatening.

  “Excuse me,” he said with his best attempt at an open smile. “My name is Jiang. I was hoping you could help me with something.”

  They slowed, the man shifting half a step in front of the three women without seeming to think about it. His eyes flicked over Jiang’s worn leathers, noting the bow at his back and the knife at his hip.

  “You’re a bit far from the hunters’ quarter, friend,” he said. His tone wasn’t unfriendly, but it wasn’t particularly welcoming either. “If you’re looking for work, there’s a hiring square near the South Gate.”

  “I’m not looking for work,” Jiang replied. “I… this might sound a little odd, but I’m actually looking for my family, and I heard that they might be in the Ninefold Jade Sect. I was hoping to ask if you’d heard of them.”

  The man snorted softly. “Right. Let me guess. Distant cousins you haven’t seen in years? Just heard they got a good posting in the kitchens and figured you’d drop by to see if they can spare a few silvers for a ‘family emergency’?” He shook his head. “If you want a donation, try your luck at the temple, but don’t bother us. We’re off duty.”

  “It’s not like that,” Jiang said quickly, ignoring the insult. “My… our village was attacked by bandits, months ago. My mother and sister were taken to be sold as slaves. I’ve been tracking them across the province, and the trail leads here. I was told they were… purchased. By the Sect.”

  It was a bit of a risk, sharing this many details about the situation. If these people went to a steward, it wouldn’t be hard to connect ‘new slaves from a bandit raid’ to his family. But without the truth, he was just another beggar looking for a handout.

  The man rubbed the back of his neck, discomfort written plain across his face. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Truly. But what happens in the markets is not our business. We are household staff. We clean floors and carry trays and remember who likes green tea and who prefers black. But if you are legitimately looking for news of your family, you should be able to go to the main gate and ask for the steward. The Sect is not without compassion, even for slaves – they will likely allow you to meet with your family. Depending on the circumstances of their purchase, you may even be able to help work off their debt.”

  Jiang winced. Under normal circumstances, that would likely be good advice – but unfortunately, that wasn’t an option for him personally.

  “They won’t listen to someone like me,” Jiang said, playing into the fact that he was still dressed like a mortal. “I’m just a hunter. If I walk up to the main gate, the guards will just run me off. Besides, I don’t even know for sure if they are here, and you know what the rumours about cultivators are like…”

  The man shrugged, looking away. “Sorry, lad. It’s not our business. We’ve got our own families to worry about.”

  He started to turn away, signalling the end of the conversation. The two older women followed suit, keeping their eyes on the ground, clearly wishing to distance themselves from the uncomfortable reality of what he was saying.

  “Wait,” the younger woman said.

  “Mai,” the man hissed. “Don’t.”

  “Oh, hush, Yan,” she snapped, stepping out from behind him. She looked at Jiang with a mix of pity and determination. “Look at him. He’s come all this way. And you know he’s right about what the guards are like. They’d break his legs for loitering before he got a word out.”

  Jiang blinked. He hadn’t actually expected that the sect cultivator’s reputation would be bad enough that his vague excuse would work. And… would the guards really just break someone’s legs like that?

  “I don’t expect the Sect to hand them over because a nobody from a burned village asks nicely,” he said, “I just… they probably think I’m dead. As far as they know, everyone is dead. I want them to know that’s not true.” He hesitated. “And if there’s a way to arrange a meeting, even once, somewhere… then I’ll take it. But I know that probably won’t happen.”

  Yan shifted his weight. “You want us to carry messages between you and a Sect guest.” He grimaced. “That is dangerous talk, friend. We step over too many lines; it’s not just our jobs we lose.”

  Mai nodded reluctantly. “The Elders don’t like surprises.”

  “I know,” Jiang said. “That’s why I’m talking to you here, instead of waving my arms at the gate.” He spread his hands a fraction wider. “I don’t have any right to ask. But I’m asking anyway.”

  Mai looked at the others, then back at Jiang. “If they are here,” she said slowly, “they are being treated well. The Sect does not mistreat those under its protection, not even the servants or slaves.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “Truly. But my mother is a seamstress. She’s only ever lived in a village of a few hundred people. Even if she is being treated well, she is alone in a strange place, where she doesn’t know the rules. She will worry. My sister will worry.” He swallowed. “If our positions were reversed, I know I would.”

  Silence again. The man’s expression had shifted from irritation to something closer to reluctant sympathy, though he still shook his head as if trying to dislodge it.

  “We really should not be talking about this in the street,” he muttered.

  The middle woman sighed, very softly. “Yan,” she said, “we are on break. We are allowed to speak to people. No one is going to flog us for answering a question.”

  He shot her a look. “That depends on the question.”

  Mai ignored them both and looked back at Jiang. “What are their names?” she asked. “I can’t promise anything, but I can at least ask around.”

  Hope flared in his chest so suddenly it hurt worse than the lingering ache of his meridians. “That is more than I could have asked for. Thank you. My mother’s name is Xieren, and my sister is Xiaoyu. Our family name is Tian.”

  Mai nodded. “Alright. I am off-duty again the day after tomorrow, at first bell. Wait for me outside the same gate we used today – if I have news, I will bring it then. Though be warned, if I learn you are lying, there may be disciples waiting for you.”

  “That’s fair,” Jiang said.

  Yan looked unhappy, but he didn’t argue further. The group started walking again, this time a little more subdued than before. Jiang watched them go, feeling almost jittery from a sudden onset of nerves. That… had gone better than he’d dared hope.

  Things could still go wrong, of course – there was a risk that some disciples would be waiting to ask him some pointed questions, like Mai had threatened, but… well, he got a good feeling about her. The thought of waiting two days while being within a stone’s throw of his family was irritating, of course, but this was far, far better than nothing.

  He had waited this long. He could endure two more days.

  He turned away from the compound and started back toward the less polished parts of the city, feeling the fragile thread of hope tugging at his chest with every heartbeat.