Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Glossary
About the Author
Books the Kylie Chan
Copyright
About the Publisher
The Serpent lies on the carpet, alone.
The city lights shine through the windows.
It raises its head and tastes things gone;
it drops its head and returns to the sea.
The Turtle raises its head from the water;
the lake stretches around it.
People point and talk, excited.
It goes to the bottom and settles in the mud.
CHAPTER 1
Leo and I sat on the mats across from each other in the Fragrant Lotus training room. His dark face was rigid with concentration as he held the chi on his outstretched hands.
I held one hand on his forearm, watching as the energy flowed through him. Float it to the other hand.
He lost it and it snapped back, hitting him in the middle of the chest. He bounced backwards but didnt fall; then sagged, leaning on the floor. This is so damn hard.
That was a pathetically small amount of chi for anybody to generate, especially an Immortal, I said. You ate meat, didnt you?
He didnt reply but his face said it all.
Alcohol too? I said.
Not alcohol.
I felt the answer through his arm. Well, Im glad youve forgiven him.
He pulled his arm away. That is none of your business and youre not supposed to be able to do that.
I didnt pursue it. You have a choice here, Leo. Either give up trying to do energy work or give up meat, alcohol and sex. You cant do both.
But Im a Shen, he said, softly protesting.
Shiny new and green as grass, I said.
He grimaced.
The door flew open and my secretary, Chang, charged in and planted himself in front of us. Theyre taking away my job!
Leo waved one hand and his wheelchair rolled to him. He pulled himself into it. You salute your Master when you enter. Where is your respect?
Chang fell to one knee and saluted me and Leo. Lord. Lady. He rose and gestured impatiently. They say I am no longer to serve you, maam. Stop them!
Yi Hao came in, her expression desperate. Im sorry, maam, I didnt expect him to react like this. I thought hed be happy not to have to do it any more.
I pulled myself to my feet and Leo held one arm out to steady me. Yi Hao was my secretary before you were, Chang. You had the job on a temporary basis; I explained it to you before.
I thought she couldnt be trusted.
Thats why were going down to the Earthly this afternoon. Ill find out one way or the other if shes trustworthy, and if she is she can resume her post.
Let him do it, maam, Yi Hao said. Ill do something else.
That stopped Chang and he stared at her.
Shes a tame demon, she doesnt have free will, I said. If a human or Shen orders her, she must obey. Shes seen that you want the job, so shes ceding to you, even though itll make her miserable.
And the fact that youre making such a fuss about it proves that youre not worthy to do it, Leo said. You need to release your attachments and accept circumstances with serenity and grace. His face went strange. Where did that come from?
You were just connected to the universe while we were doing chi gong, I said. Well, thats what it feels like anyway. Some of it rubbed off.
I think Ill spend more time connected to it then, Leo said, musing. He glared at Chang. Cede the position. You deserve to be moved back in with Lok.
I dont want to serve the dog again! Chang said, desperate. Im better than that He stared at us for a long moment, then fell to one knee and lowered his head. I will report to Master Lok immediately. He rose, saluted us, and went out without looking back.
I exhaled a huge breath. Finally!
What if Lok doesnt want him? Leo said.
Then Ill put him to work in the gardens, I said.
Oh, good idea. Leo concentrated, attempted to lift himself out of the wheelchair, and failed. Okay, I give up. Meet up with me again after Ive been vegetarian for a few days. He spun his chair to leave.
Martin will understand, I said.
Martins been trying to make me abstain, he said without looking back. He said the same thing you did.
Dont forget youre driving me to Kwun Tong in an hour to meet with the Demon King, I called after him.
Dont go, maam, Yi Hao said. Dont see the King. Hes She searched for the words. He will hurt you again.
Dont you want to be sure that I can trust you? That you wont turn? I said.
Not if it puts you in danger.
I wont be in danger. Half a dozen Celestials are coming along. Well be fine.
She shuddered and dropped her voice. Protect me, maam.
I pulled her into a quick hug. Dont worry, I will.
Leo drove me through Hong Kongs industrial area in Kwun Tong to the meeting place. We had to meet on the Earthly; I refused to invite the Demon King onto the Celestial Plane, and I wouldnt travel to Hell if I could avoid it. The streets were two lanes either way, passing between multi-storey factory buildings with the floor numbers painted in large letters on the sides, for easy lifting of objects up to the correct floor by crane.
Leo checked the building numbers carefully, and pulled into the right one. The entrance was large enough to allow two trucks to pass side by side. Just inside the ground floor on the left were three enormous lifts, large enough to hold the ubiquitous Hong Kong blue lorries. The ground floor was deserted, and the small grimy windows let in rays of sunshine that lit up the floating dust. Leo drove to the edge of the vast space of the ground floor area and parked the car next to the wall. Bricks were heaped against the back wall, strewn haphazardly on the concrete. Paint marked the floor, taking the shapes of the objects that had been sprayed with it.
The Tiger and several of the Wudang Mountain staff came into the building through the truck entrance, knelt to salute me, and waited quietly behind us.
This is a bad place to meet, Leo said softly. He was in his wheelchair behind me to my right. Difficult to defend.
Hell stick to the protocol, I said. Not even the Tiger could teleport in. Were safe.
I wish I had your confidence.
The noise of the traffic outside stopped and the only sound was the breeze whistling through the factorys broken windows. All ten floors of the building were empty.
Someone shouted and a red and gold palanquin appeared in the entrance. About twenty young men surrounded it: demons in human form. All of them appeared to be in their early twenties, of all races, tall and muscular and wearing only skin-tight black bike shorts. They were all impossibly handsome. Some carried the sedan chair and others flanked it.
Is he insulting me? Leo said.
Hes probably insulting both of us, I said.
The Demon King stepped out of the sedan chair in Celestial Form. His perfectly white, strikingly beautiful face was surrounded by a huge mane of red hair that stood up on his head then fell down his back past his waist. His scaled armour and boots were red and gold.
The Tiger summoned an outdoor table and chairs, and I stepped forward to talk to the Demon King. He saluted me and I saluted back, then I gestured for him to sit. He bowed slightly and gestured for me to sit first.
I had an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu and wished that John was doing this. Now that I was clear of the demon essence, I felt the Kings dark nature even more intensely. He was sinister and charismatic, and I just wanted this done and to get out of there.
I sat at the table, and my staff repositioned themselves to the optimal configuration. The Kings men moved to stand behind him, mirroring my own Retainers. The Demon King sat and smiled across the table at me, his face alight with warmth.
You failed, I said.
He raised one hand slightly. I forgot for a moment it was you, and straight to the point as usual. Youre alive, Emma, and clear of the demon essence. I didnt fail.
If the Xuan Wu Serpent hadnt intervened I would have died.
He dropped his head slightly and an expression of remorse swept across his face. I acknowledge that I caused you a great deal of suffering and that you nearly died. He raised his head and saluted me again. I apologise most sincerely for my misjudgement, madam.
You owe me one, George.
He waved one hand to indicate the demons behind him. These are a gift to make up for it. Enjoy them until they expire, then dispose of them.
I glanced at the handsome young men. I think you underestimate me, Wong Mo.
He shrugged. Okay. Worth a shot. Come and live with me and you can have as many of these as you like. He leaned over the table and grinned. Three, four, at once, theyre remarkable. You should try. How about I send you one or two just for a sample?
Give it up, I said.
He sighed theatrically, his shoulders moving with the sound. Guess Ill just have to give them to the Mothers then. Thats what they were originally bred for. I have to keep making them, they dont last long.
I inhaled sharply. Ill take them then.
He waved me down. No, no, if youre not going to use them as sex toys then dont bother. Thats all theyre good for, they cant even speak.
Ill still take them.
He shrugged. Suit yourself. He waved the young men forward. Serve the Dark Lady.
The demons moved mechanically to stand behind my staff, seemingly unfazed by their fate.
Will you still bring me Kitty Kwok? he said. She needs to be stopped, and shes human. I cant do it.
I nodded once. We made a deal. You cleared the essence from me; I agreed to bring her to you. You will have her.
Is there anything else I can do to atone for the pain I caused you, Emma? he said, his face still warm and full of affection.
Yi Hao, Er Hao. I waved my two demon servants forward without looking behind me. These are my demons from One Two Twos nest. I want you to tell me if they are the original demons or copies; and if they are programmed to turn. I want your assurance that I am safe with them, because I love them dearly.
He turned his attention to them and his face lit up. If you can love these two demons then maybe there is room in your heart for one more.
You said youd love me as snake broth, I said.
He leaned back and his expression grew wry. Youll never let me forget that, will you? It was a spur of the moment thing, Emma, just competitive bullshit. You know I was talking out of my ass.
Will you check my demons for me?
I will. He waved them closer. Come here, little ones, I will not harm you.
Or hurt them, I said.
He nodded acquiescence. Of course. He waved to them again and they sidled towards him. I hear you were willing to sacrifice the Tigers wives one of whom is your own best friend for these two tiny demons.
The wives had the Tigers whole army defending them. All these demons had was me, I said. Any creature that chooses to seek humanity and attain the Tao is worthy of protection.