Lex was silent as Jing Bei and Jing Xiao unrolled a blank canvas scroll in front of him.

“The View From the Heavenly Mountain Gate,” intoned Yuyan once the twins had finished. “Before our clan’s fortunes began to decline, this treasure made our estate unparalleled in its beauty. Even the other great clans praised our home when they came to visit...”

She trailed off then, and although she kept her thoughts hidden, Nayao and the twins both became melancholic, as did many of the other foxes.

“Forgive me,” murmured Yuyan a moment later. “A moment of sentimentality for things past.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” answered Lex, again going with the reply that his foresight told him would engender the best response. “I too know what it is to long for things that cannot be recovered.”

Yuyan gave him another smile. “My lord’s kindness is bountiful. But his time is valuable as well, so please allow me to continue.”

When Lex nodded, she gestured to the empty scroll. “The View From the Heavenly Mountain Gate allows its user to alter either the layout, or the location, or any building whose exterior you touch. Simply place a writing instrument to the canvas as you look upon a place, and it will guide your hand to draw its interior, as well as its surroundings. Once this is done, you may alter them as you wish.”

“But only within certain parameters,” answered Lex, stating it as a fact rather than as a question, “and subject to certain limitations.”

If his certitude surprised Yuyan, she didn’t show it. “My lord is correct. In addition to needing to make contact with the building, the alterations to be made require considerable time. While the map of the interior will draw itself over an hour, the time necessary to alter its interior, or to move its location, is eightfold as long. Even then, both can only be done if the place remains unoccupied for that time.”

Lex grunted, glancing at the scroll’s aura.

Although the item’s emanations had been masterfully hidden from casual examination, now that Lex had absorbed the content of the Nine Methods of Earthly Formation, it was trivially easy to see past the magical camouflage, and he could see that the View From the Heavenly Gate had several other limits that Yuyan hadn’t mentioned.

Its ability to teleport a building was limited to only a few miles, and couldn’t send its target to another plane. More than that, the destination had to be someplace capable of supporting it; the building couldn’t be put in the air or atop the ocean. Even a bog or shifting sand dune would automatically engage the item’s failsafe, cancelling the magic.

Similarly, its ability to alter the interior of a building could change the layout, but not the contents of a place. Wooden doors, for instance, would remain wooden, regardless of whether or not the user wished them to be made of iron. Nor could furniture or furnishings be affected; such things wouldn’t even appear on the map the scroll created – it could only show a floorplan, rather than cataloging contents – and while they’d be moved about harmlessly as the building’s interior was altered, they were otherwise unaffected by the scroll.

As a tool for architecture and urban renovation, the View From the Heavenly Gate was a powerful magic item. But in virtually any other context, it had little to offer. Even generating a map of an unfamiliar building, with its sixty-minute requirement and need for the user to be touching the place in question, sharply limited its utility as a potential tool for reconnaissance.

Particularly since it could only be used on one building at a time.

But none of those are insurmountable limitations, Lex knew.

Even though it would take more than six seconds to ascertain for certain, he could easily envision numerous possibilities if he used the crystal stylus he’d found beneath Hvitdod’s lair in conjunction with View From the Heavenly Mountain Gate. For that matter, he could simply augment the scroll directly, the same way he’d been doing to magic items since before he’d become a titan. And of course, now that he knew the crafting techniques of the Nine Methods of Earthly Formation, there was always the possibility of simply adding further enchantments to the scroll.

But those were possibilities to be explored another time.

“My wife’s clan has again proven its value,” murmured Lex as he telekinetically rolled the scroll back up, storing it in his pocket dimension. “A treasure such as this will be a great boon when I begin working to restore my kingdom.”

“That we might prove useful to the new head of our clan is the greatest honor that any of the Pimao Jingzhi could hope for,” answered Yuyan reverently. “It is in that spirit that my youngest daughter shall present our next heirloom. Shiji.”

The two-tailed slowly rose, gulping as she began to walk toward him stiff-leggedly, reaching inside her robe. In her thoughts, she was reciting the same calming mantra as her mother, but unlike the six-tailed kumiho she wasn’t able to concentrate on it, her thoughts continually returning to how everyone’s eyes – including those of their clan’s new leader – were on her. In her current state, breathing and walking simultaneously was already pushing what she was capable of.

And a moment later even that was too much, as one of her steps came down off-center, causing her ankle to suddenly give out.

With a yelp, Shiji went tumbling-

-only for Lex to catch her, easily bridging the few feet between them as he knelt down and caught her shoulders, steadying the girl. “Be careful.”

A mixture of shock, embarrassment, and relief turned her thoughts into a confused jumble as she nodded dumbly, before suddenly remembering her manners. “Ah! Th-thank you very m-, OW!”

Wincing at having bitten her tongue, the shame of having made a fool of herself twice was even worse than the pain in her mouth, causing Shiji’s eyes to water as a sob rose in her throat, her expression crumpling.

But that too was averted as Lex patted her on the head, causing the young kumiho’s eyes to blink in confusion as she looked up at him.

“You’re a good girl, Shiji,” intoned Lex. “I’m pleased to have a vixen as earnest as you as my concubine.”

The words were like acid on his tongue. Shiji didn’t look any older than Fruit Crunch, perhaps even a year or two younger. As far as Lex was concerned, a girl her age should have been playing with toy ovens and doing homework. As it was, only the fact that his foresight was telling him that she didn’t fully understand what a concubine was – she thought that it simply meant “making him happy,” without knowing any of the prurient aspects that the word signified – made what he was saying even slightly palatable.

Even then, Lex was sorely tempted to denounce her being given that title at all. Just like with the todds who had been castrated, it was a circumstance that he found viscerally repulsive.

But just like with those desexed males, his foresight told him that forcing the issue would have evoked an extremely negative reaction from all of the foxes here, save only Teumessia. The single-tailed silver fox notwithstanding, no one wanted him to strip Shiji of her concubine status; doing so would have humiliated the child in question, distressed her sisters – and though she kept her thoughts controlled even in that possible future, Yuyan didn’t seem pleased by it either – and shocked and angered everyone else there.

Not to mention how Mei Li would likely react if he did such a thing.

It was for his wife’s sake more than anyone else’s that Lex choked down his disgust, keeping a neutral expression as Shiji smiled and withdrew a small object from her robe.

I was praised! she called telepathically, her expression beaming. Mother, did you hear? He said I made him happy! Does that make me a good concubine?

Indeed it does, daughter. It didn’t escape Lex’s notice that, unlike her inner thoughts, Yuyan made no attempt to guard her telepathy; either she didn’t know the spells necessary to do so, or she wasn’t willing to use them here. Now, give our lord the Conviction of Sublime Peace.

Yes!

Grinning widely, Shiji raised held out both of her hands toward Lex.

Resting on her palms was a small figurine of a palanquin.

“My deepest apologies for having to deliver this to you in such a state,” announced Yuyan as Lex took the tiny conveyance, looking it over. “However, shrinking it down was the easiest way to transport it effectively. Upon your instruction, I will dispel the enchantment and return it to its normal size.”

“That will not be necessary,” answered Lex. “My magic is more than up to the task.”

“Of course,” agreed Yuyan. “Then, please allow me to describe this in further detail. The Conviction of Sublime Peace is a transport worthy of the ruler of a great clan, as ours used to be. At its full size, it can hold up to four, and requires no attendants to bear it aloft. Instead, it can hover above the ground of its own accord, creating an image of six celestial foxes that are carrying it aloft...”

She continued to describe the Conviction’s functions, but Lex had already divined everything the item was capable of.

In truth, it was far less impressive than the first two treasures. While its exterior was richly decorated and its construction was incredibly sturdy – to the point of being comparable to the fortress that Branwen’s shield could become – it bore only modest magical capabilities. Its self-directed flight was incapable of rising more than six feet off the ground, though if it found itself further aloft, it would fall like a feather, and the illusion of its bearers was entirely cosmetic. The interior was magically warded against eavesdropping, and also bore an enchantment that made anyone looking at it lose any aggressive feelings they might otherwise have had toward its occupants.

But that was all.

As a defensible form of transportation, it was adequate, but Lex knew that wasn’t its primary purpose. Rather, this particular item was designed primarily for ostentation. Everyone who looked upon it was meant to know that the passengers it carried were people of great importance, too much so to be viewed by those beyond its boundaries.

And yet, for all its lacking in function, it was the one that seemed to evoke the strongest feelings among the assembled foxes.

I remember when Father took me riding in that for the first time, recalled Nayao mournfully.

Ah, that old thing, sighed Wenwen, taking another drink. I never did paint a picture of when Mei Li’s mother first brought her home in it.

Jing Xiao, remember how angry Mother was when she found out that we’d taken that without permission so that we could go to the sweets shop?

I still think that she was so upset because we ate all the sweets on the ride back, and had none left to share with her, Jing Bei.

“Such a dignified mode of conveyance is to be cherished,” announced Lex a moment later, ending the flood of nostalgia filling most of the thoughts there. “I will put this to use befitting its status, as well as its history.”

“We could ask for nothing more.” Yuyan’s smile shrank than. “Save only that we had managed to preserve more of our clan’s treasures. It is to my shame that I must admit that all of our other heirlooms were lost or sold as our prestige diminished-”

“Really now, Yuyan,” came Teumessia’s voice from the back of the hall. “You’re not going to tell him about the Pimao Jingzhi’s other treasures?”

A murmur of unease ran through the assembled foxes then...save for four vixens among the crowd, who had a sudden spike of terror go through them.

More notable was how, for the first time since her clan’s audience with him had begun, Yuyan’s discipline wavered, letting a sliver of her true thoughts slip through.

Troublemaking slattern!

Outwardly, however, the six-tailed kumiho’s calm demeanor remained unblemished. “I must insist that you not speak out of turn in front of our lord, Teumessia, lest your shamelessness embarrass our clan.”

The silver-haired vixen waved her folding fan slightly, still covering the lower half of her face with it. “I feel no embarrassment. A good concubine makes sure to tell her patron everything she thinks he’d want to know.”

Standing up, Teumessia pointed a second fan – this one still folded – at various foxes and began calling out names. “Thi-Quyen. Loan. Dien. Tuyet. Stand up, all of you.”

One by one, the foxes in question – vixens all – rose to their feet, and even if he hadn’t been able to read their thoughts Lex would have known that they were terrified.

The first one, the two-tailed fox-woman called Thi-Quyen, seemed to be having trouble breathing, taking big gulps of air as she swayed unsteadily in place. Despite also having two tails, Loan was weeping softly, and it was only because the one-tailed Dien was hugging her that she was able to remain standing. Tuyet, also having only a single tail, was pale-faced and wide-eyed, looking ready to faint at any moment.

More notably, all of them were in a state of panic.

I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! Oh gods, please, I don’t want to die!

Please, please don’t let him choose me! Anyone else but me!

Why did I have to be born a yeu ho?! To die like this for my ancestors’ sins is too cruel!

He won’t spare us all. Even if he is a xianxia, there’ll be someone who’s life is more important to him than ours...

“My lord,” continued Teumessia as she looked at Lex. “These four vixens aren’t like the other foxes here. Each one of them is a yeu ho, the rarest breed of fox...other than myself, of course. And the reason for that-”

“Teumessia!” intoned Yuyan sharply. “That’s enough! This is not your tale to tell!”

But the silver fox ignored her as she looked at Lex, and he was aware that behind her fan, she was smiling.

“The reason for that is because a yeu ho has the power to grant someone else eternal life.”

Author's Note

As Lex receives the Pimao Jingzhi's remaining treasures from Yuyan, Teumessia calls out the yeu ho among the clan, terrifying them even as she reveals that they can grant life everlasting!

What exactly makes the yeu ho different from other foxes? And why does it seem to necessarily involve their deaths?