Guan Li woke to the sight of her clan's guards with their swords drawn, surrounding two nude cultivators. Guan just had to chuckle at the sight mentally. She looked at her guards and gave them a subtle gesture with her fingers. They immediately pressed forward as if to strike down the two sitting idiots.

  "Please still your blades, these young masters have done nothing wrong." Guan Li said breathily.

  "That's right, we did nothing wrong; it was that naked vagrant who used some kind of demonic art and overpowered us," Yung Tai said indignantly.

  "That is correct, and then that monster took our clothes and probably did devilish things with Miss Guan," Dei Wang chimed in.

  "You will not sully the young mistress honor with your words; any more talk like that, and I will cut your tongue out," the captain of Guan's guards said as he pressed his blade against Dei Wang's throat.

  Dei Wang clamped his mouth shut and slowly backed away.

  "Young master Dei, the brute struck me just as he struck you, as for the reason why he took your clothes and not mine remains a mystery to us all," Guan Li said, affronted.

  "Or are you accusing me of somehow having a hand in this?"

  "Dei Wang was merely saying what we were both thinking; the reputation of your clan would suggest that this was all a plot to put us in your debt," said Yung Tai.

  Guan Li stood and looked at the two naked cultivators with disdain in her eyes.

  "To think that I entrusted my safety and honor to the Tai and Wang clan only for both of you to be bested by some rogue cultivator. Then, to be accused of orchestrating the whole thing. Keep in mind I was stuck just like you two. I just managed to keep my clothes on."

  Those words must have hit their pride, Guan Li thought, as both Yung Tai and Dei Wang looked slightly abashed by her statements.

  Guan jammed her nails into the palm of her hand, drawing blood and eliciting tears from her eyes.

  "What am I to do now that my honor has been stained like this? Can you imagine the scandal? Three naked men in the middle of the night attacked me. How can I salvage my honor?" Guan Li said as she let the tears stream down her face.

  The two cultivators were mortified as they looked at her.

  "When mother finds out I will be punished for sure. She most certainly will want to have words with your clan heads. She takes the purity of her daughters very seriously, as Brother Dei can attest to."

  At the mention of her mother, the two idiots went white. It was one thing to look down on her, but it was another issue regarding their mother.

  "Now, wait a second, Sister Guan. There is no need to involve the Ice Empress in this," Yung Tai said placatingly. He stood up and tried to maintain an air of humility. His image was shattered, considering he was in a bright red man thong.

  "Brother Yung is correct, Sister Guan. There is no need to let this reach the ears of her Frozen Majesty," Dei Wang chimed in, moving the blade away from his neck. "How about we chalk this all up to the evil machinations of a demonic cultivator? We need not mention anything about your involvement in the situation."

  "Brother Dei, that is fine, but what about my reputation? What is to stop you or Brother Yung from talking about this incident after a few glasses of wine at Madam Ka Mai's House of Flowers," Guan-eyed Yung Tai as she spoke.

  "We can swear on our honor that we will provide you with proper compensation as well as never uttering a word about your presence here," Yuan Tai said as he nudged Dei Wang with his elbow.

  "Yes, I agree with Brother Yun in this matter; worry not, Lady Guan; I can speak for Clan Wang when I say you will be properly taken care of," De Wang tried to speak with a stoic expression. His old man underwear that hung loosely on bony hips ruined the look.

  "Words are cheap, brothers; ink is stronger." Guan Li's demeanor shifted from that of a tear-soaked damsel to that of an aquiline predator. Her hawkish nose twitched with delight as if it could smell its prey closing in. She snapped her fingers, and one of her guards proffered a long sheaf of parchment and two knives.

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  "This is the Li family's general Non-Disclosure Agreement if you two gentlemen want to read it. I suggest you do so quickly, though. My guards have alerted your families, and they should be sending help shortly. I wouldn't want to be here in such a state when they show up."

  Guan Li handed the two idiots each a knife.

  "This will have to be a blood oath, gentlemen, so there will be no reneging on our deal."

  "Now, sister Guan, be reasonable. We all know about the Li family's Non-Disclosure Agreement; it could be anything there. I am not calling you a liar, but I would like my family's scribe to read it over," Yung Tai said apologetically.

  "I will have to agree with Brother Yung in this matter as well," said Dei Wang, suddenly finding fellowship with the rotund cultivator.

  "So you two don't want to honor our agreement," Guan Li said as she picked some dirt off her dress. "That is a shame. I had hoped to solve this issue amicably. Mother will be very disappointed that the young masters of the Tai and Wang clans are not only perverts but also oath breakers."

  Yung Tai and Dei Wang both took the blades that Guan Li proffered to them and swiftly cut their fingertips. Stamping their bloody finger on the contract, they cursed Guan Li internally. They had been played like rubes.

  "Thank you very much, honored brothers, but this Guan Li must bid your leave. I fear that this night has taken a lot out of me." Guan Li nods at her clan guards, who pick her up and carry her away princess-style.

  "Thank you, fellow cultivators. I wish this were a pleasure, but it wasn't. Let's promise each other never to do this again. Oh, one more thing: my people will be by to collect my tribute at the end of the month."

  With those last words, the Li guards leaped off into the forest just as the Tai and Wang forces came upon the clearing.

  "Young masters, what is going on here, and why are you two naked."

  Yung Tai and Dei Wang just looked off into the forest with unveiled disgust.

  "Young mistress, was that a wise thing to do? Those two brats seemed pretty murderous," Ty asked Guan as he ran toward the Li family portal at breakneck speeds.

  "Bah, I was merely playing the hand I was dealt with. Besides, I was able to extract concessions from both of them as well as some juicy blackmail. Mother can't possibly be mad with that result." She patted Ty's arms warmly. "You worry too much stress is the number one killer of men over forty, you know."

  "Don't try to hustle me, Miss Guan. I know the game," Ty said sternly, not meaning it.

  "Madam said you will debrief her when you return to the compounds."

  "Did she seem mad, Ty?" Guan Li said innocently.

  "Young mistress knows that no one can read madam's mood," Ty said, trying to change the subject.

  "Come on, don't be like that. Did she use my full name or call me Gigi?"

  "The madam called you her little Gigi," Ty said reluctantly.

  "Perfect, she's in a good mood. Hurry, Ty, before one of my sisters ruins it."

  Guan Li could see her family's portal shimmers in the distance. It always took her breath away every time she laid eyes on it. The ten great families all had portals in every one of the twelve Sects. This was all part of some old pact the founders and clan heads had agreed upon. The portals were keyed to people who the clan heads and the sect leaders had given rights. If you didn't have permission, the portals would rip you apart.

  Ty dove into the portal head first along with his charge and fought the disorientation as he exited. He was always impressed by the prowess of the ancient ancestors and founders for having been able to build these things. It always made him nauseous whenever he portaled. He was a trained cultivator of the Li clan, so he fought back the urge to vomit. The young missus was not so lucky.

  Guan Li hated portaling. Every single time, she would empty her stomach. The guards were used to this, so none showed any hint of disgust at her unladylike reaction. Covering up her mess with the snow, Guan straightened up and headed to see her dear mother.

  The Li clan compounds are located in the heart of the northern tundra, commonly known as The Spine of the World. It was desolate and barren; nothing grew here except the world's most beautiful women. At least, that's what the male cultivators whispered amongst themselves. This was just home to Guan Li, and she was glad to be back. She entered the massive compound and felt the warmth and detection array roll over her. They keyed into her identity and adjusted her internal temperature to a more bearable degree. Mother would know she was home now and knew it was not wise to make her wait.

  The servants bowed as she made her way to her mother's chambers. Of course, there was deference in the bows, but Guan could also see some genuine smiles. She had always treated her servants like people, which was not normal for someone of her status. Her sisters seemed to be gone from the compound; good riddance, they would have criticized her mercilessly. Guan walked up to the door, where she could see the many paper birds zipping in and out, relaying her mother's orders to her many supplicants. She seemed more busy than usual today. Guan thought it would be better to make the report short and quick. Mother hated when she was interrupted during one of her work moods.

  Guan Li stood on the precipice of her mother's door, ready to announce her presence, when a clear, piercing voice called out to her.

  "Well, don't just stand out there like some simpleton Gigi; you may enter,"

  Guan Li gulped as she pushed the doors open and entered the lair of the Ice Empress.

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