Yu Di woke up with a stiff back. That was something he hadn’t felt in years. Yu Lin was still laying against his chest, but somehow she turned around and put her back against him.

  That was the worst night's sleep of his life.

  Yu Di had faced entire sects hunting him down after he stole their cultivation manuals. He had survived the danger of the desert to avoid the powerful alchemists that hunted him. There were nights that he couldn’t sleep because large insects chased him through a dense forest after kidnapping their queen.

  All those things were at least ten times more dangerous and miserable, but sleeping in this dank, dark place filled with smells and other horrors with his daughter made it worse. No parent would ever want to have their child in a place such as this.

  Yet the only thing Yu Di could do was to use a sliver of his full power and slaughter everyone here in order to break free. He wouldn’t be able to sleep if he knew a sect like this was still out there, kidnapping other children and forcing them to be slaves.

  It would only cost his life.

  Staring in the dark, thinking about how little lifespan he had left, and pondering how that darkness could be permanent, was scary. Reflecting back to all those ordeals from before and almost dying multiple times made Yu Di wonder why he did what he did.

  Was he just that addicted to gaining power and levels that life mattered so little to him?

  Why did it matter now?

  Yu Lin coughed into his arms and shifted again.

  Right.

  Death didn’t seem so scary anymore. Not being there as she grew up was scarier.

  There had to be another way out of this sect. There was no way they had every corner covered. They didn’t have the resources nor did they know how. All Yu Di had to do was find a way to sneak out, avoid the politics of the sect, and feed his daughter.

  Something felt hot on his waist. Yu Di reached down and pulled out the wooden badge. It signalled he needed to meet with the head servant, Cui Ying.

  Well, Yu Di might as well see what he wanted. He shifted Yu Lin in his arms until he was carrying her. Getting up hurt his back as the tensed muscles pulled against gravity.

  To his surprise, Yu Lin kept sleeping all the way until Yu Di got out of the servants’ quarters. A bunch of servants were cleaning the area already and some were coming back from their late shift.

  Cui Ying greeted them with two brooms, one regular and the other just the right size for Yu Lin.

  Yu Di took the regular one and wrapped it under his armpits. He would not put down his daughter.

  “You could at least say ‘thank you’ for getting you the broom,” Cui Ying said.

  “Thank you,” Yu Di said. He turned before he said what was really on his mind. Spending so much time with Yu Lin’s grandfather had loosened his lips, especially around annoying people.

  “Do you remember your task?” Cui Ying asked.

  “Yes, sweep the sect’s floors.”

  “I know asking you to do such a task by yourself seems like a lot, but just sweep whatever garbage you can see. I’ll call you if we find anything that needs your attention. As long as you don’t piss off another Elder, you should be fine.”

  Yu Di swallowed his next words. He counted to three before speaking.

  “Thank you for the advice head servant. Your wisdom is like a life-giving elixir. However, is there any way you can exempt my daughter from this work? She’s only four.”

  As if to emphasize his point, Yu Lin snored in his arms.

  Cui Ying looked like he was about to give in, but then frowned instead.

  “Look. You pissed off one of the most connected Elders. You can’t mess with the order of things. And me? I'm nobody. I’ve worked so hard to get to this position and I don’t think I’ll ever go higher before I die here. Do you think I would mess that up for you just because you have a kid?”

  Yu Di forced a smile and nodded. He knew better than most what kind of world he lived in. He just hoped that it wouldn’t be as cruel to his daughter.

  Cui Ying looked up past Yu Di.

  “And another bit of free advice. Try not to associate with undesirable people.”

  Bai Feng flew in on her flying sword like a gust of wind and landed right next to Cui Ying.

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  “Oh, are we having an informational conversation? I’d like to be a part of that.”

  Cui Ying cupped his hands and bowed low to Bai Feng.

  “Head servant Cui Ying greets inner sect disciple Bai Feng. I apologize, but I must get back to my work.”

  Cui Ying turned and went back into the servants’ quarters.

  Yu Di glared at the man’s back. He knew Cui Ying was right, but it didn’t make this any easier to deal with.

  “Is there something I can help you with?” Bai Feng asked. She stooped to look at Yu Lin’s snoring face.

  Yu Di was torn. An inner sect disciple wielded a lot of power in any sect. Usually they’re just below Elders, but he wasn’t sure if that held true here. However, there really was no getting around that he needed help, even if it might come from an undesirable like Bai Feng.

  “Yes, I need help,” Yu Di said. “I’m not sure what to do with my daughter as I go about my task.”

  “You can always leave her with me,” Bai Feng said. “I’ll take care of her.”

  Yu Di bowed his head.

  “No, I can’t ask you to do that. She would only be in the way of your cultivation.”

  “Nonsense. Such a cutie would only help me. Why don’t you come with me, little cutie?” Bai Feng reached out with her hands.

  “I’m sorry, she’s still asleep.”

  “No, she’s awake.” Bai Feng leaned down toward Yu Lin's face.

  “But she’s snoring.”

  “Her eyes are open, staring at the world.”

  Yu Di held Yu Lin up to see her face. Bai Feng was right. The snoring came from her breathing through the nose.

  “Why didn’t you tell Baba that you were awake?”

  “Because I want to be comfy-womfy,” Yu Lin said.

  Well, Yu Di couldn’t fault her for that. He put her down on the floor to relieve his burning arm muscles. If he could, he’d hide in some comfortable cave or preferably a high-class inn. Wait a second. A new question hit him.

  “Senior Bai, why does the sect look so poor?” Yu Di asked.

  “What do you mean?” Bai Feng said. She reached down to hold Yu Lin, but the girl backed away.

  “I know little, but I know that immortal grade pills and elixirs are super expensive, especially for mortals. If that’s so, why are the servants sleeping in an unfurnished jail cell?”

  “Oh, are they?”

  “Didn’t you start as a servant here too?”

  “No. I was recruited as an outer sect disciple over thirty years ago now.” Bai Feng took out a small piece of candy to entice the little girl.

  That gave Yu Di a lot more information about this sect and Bai Feng. First, something bad was happening to the sect to put it in such a poor state. Even the weakest sects that Yu Di knew could sell off a few assets to hire mortal servants and renovate the place. The only sects that didn’t were dying sects, which this was not, or truly demonic sects where they cared more about devouring every bit of resources to advance at the cost of everything.

  Second, Bai Feng wasn’t as old as Yu Di thought. Her outer appearance of a middle-aged woman was because she was a middle-aged woman. She didn’t use her Qi to change her looks to make her young like so many other vain cultivators. Or she didn’t know how.

  That made Yu Di question the age and strength of Elder Li. He also looked like a middle-aged man.

  “Thank you, Senior Bai for that information,” Yu Di said. “I guess I have to work harder at my cultivation until I can rise in the ranks to get out of the servants’ quarters.”

  Bai Feng stood up straight and gazed right at Yu Di.

  “Come on, you and I both know that your current cultivation is a lie. Some of your Qi leaked out yesterday when you confronted Elder Li. I’m sure that was the reason he left you alone.”

  Yu Di nodded.

  “What are you going to do about this?”

  Bai Feng smiled, showing off a little of her teeth.

  “Nothing. I just want to make a friend. So many people here are always after a better position or trying to recruit as many people for their cliques. I don’t want any of that. Besides, you have this cutie here.”

  Bai Feng reached out with her hand again and Yu Lin hid behind her father’s leg.

  Yu Di didn’t even need to consider it. Being friends with an inner sect disciple could only be a positive in his situation. Despite head servant Cui’s warning, he really had no one else to depend upon. And if he could use Bai Feng to help him escape, even better.

  “I would love to be your friend,” Yu Di said.

  “See cutie, your father and I are friends. You don’t have to be afraid of me.” Bai Feng reached down toward Yu Lin. This time, the sun caught against her golden ring on her right thumb.

  “Little Lin, I have to sweep the sect. Go with Auntie Bai.” Yu Di pulled at Yu Lin to get her to come out from behind him.

  “No!” Yu Lin shouted. “Don’t leave me Baba.”

  “I’m not leaving you. I just have a job to do. Otherwise we can’t eat.”

  “I don’t want to eat.”

  “I don’t want them to beat me for not doing my job. Do you want Baba to be beaten?”

  “No.”

  “Let me sweep the sect.”

  “No!” Yu Lin grabbed the larger broom and ran off with it.

  Yu Di sighed and picked up the smaller broom.

  “Sorry about this Senior Bai. I’ll come find you later and make little Lin apologize to you.”

  Bai Feng smiled. Her face reminded Yu Di of his mother for a moment.

  “Don’t worry about it. I know it’s hard to take care of a little one while also being in a sect.”

  “Do you have children?”

  “No.” Bai Feng looked at the fleeing little girl. There was a note of sadness in her eyes. “I’ve only seen my juniors have kids. They tend to seek me out. Although the last one I took care of was over a decade ago.”

  Yu Di cupped his hands and bowed.

  “Thank you for your help, Senior Bai. But I really need to chase down that butt of a child.”

  “Of course. Maybe I’ll see you during lunch.”

  “That would be nice.”

  Of course, Yu Di suspected he wouldn’t have any lunch. Not only did he need to sweep the entire place, he had just associated himself with an undesirable. Yet after talking with Bai Feng, she seemed like a nice person, an inner sect disciple, and very smart. So why was she an undesirable?

  Yu Di ran off after Yu Lin. This was going to be a rough time.