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REBORN
Book One of the Jade Phoenix Saga, A Xianxia Cultivation
LitRPG Series
D. I. FREED
Thanks for checking out Reborn.
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The Portal Books Team

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This book is dedicated to my wife and children. Without your
support, I never would have been able to realize this crazy dream of
becoming an author.
Contents
Prologue
Part One
1. Barn Incident
2. Corrupted Sign
3. Jing Clan
4. Fall and Rise
5. Death and Life
6. Free
Part Two
7. Rescue
8. Secrets
9. Future Planning
10. Visitor
Interlude
Part Three
11. Fear, Doubt, and Failure
12. Grandma Huan
13. Stories and Sects
14. Skin
15. Foundation Building Stage
16. Pain and Truth
17. Skin Mantra
Interlude
Part Four
18. Street Performance
19. Leaving the Firelight
20. Ring
21. First Night
22. Fear and Courage
23. Vine
24. Food
25. Plunge
Interlude
Part Five
26. Feathers
27. Fengbao
28. Thanks
29. Hook Swords
Part Six
30. New Home
31. Fox and Boar
32. Dogs and Hunters
33. Unwelcome
34. Despair
Part Seven
35. Story
36. Sale
37. Bath
38. Burn
Interlude
Part Eight
39. Identity
40. Opening Ceremony
41. First matches
42. Second day
43. Night Before
44. Final Day
45. Honor and Sacrifice
46. Final Matches
47. Prizes
Interlude
Part Nine
48. Review
49. Party
50. Friends
51. Sects
52. Target
53. Good Trade
54. Compensation
55. Discoveries
Interlude
Part Ten
56. Senses
57. Smell
58. Plot
59. Punishment
60. Show
61. Elder
62. Challenge
63. Next
Interlude
Part Eleven
64. Introduction
65. Energy
66. First Meridian
67. Additions
Interlude
Part Twelve
68. Skill Scroll
69. Fire Skills
70. Uncle Gen
71. Lightning and Darkness
72. Blood
73. Bai
74. Story
75. Preparations
76. Goodbyes
Epilogue
Afterword
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Prologue
Main hall, City Lord’s Palace of Fei Shu City, Xiao Weili Prefecture,
Xing Nation, Gui Empire:
Fenghuang Da paced across the worn wooden floor with a scowl on

his bearded face. One particularly sharp turn caused the marbled red
seams of his otherwise black hanfu to whip out and then stream
behind him, fluttering about his legs. Out of his left eye, he saw a
single long black hair that had escaped from his topknot. It bothered
him that it exposed a sign of imperfection in the otherwise refined
clan leader’s visage he allowed the public to see. As the lord of the
city and Patriarch of the city’s strongest clan, he felt he should show
no weakness. Even at a moment such as this.
“What could be taking so long?” His clenched fists and stomping
gait revealed his agitation, despite his best efforts.
“Brother, be calm,” pled Fenghuang Gen. Da’s middle brother
continued to enjoy meals more than physical training, so he was
thicker around the middle than cultivators who focused on combat.
But as a healer, it was not unexpected. Most of them behaved that
way. He wore a green qipao with blue vines adorning the chest and
cuffs. Still, his gentle appearance did not lessen the power and
prestige he wielded as a powerful master of his craft.
Gen raised his hands in an appeasing gesture and spoke again.
“These things take time. There is nothing you can do.”
A laugh sounded in response to the comment. Da looked over at
Fenghuang Zhao. His youngest brother leaned against a nearby
pillar, his hands crossed over his chest. Still young by cultivator
standards, he was shorter and thinner than both his elder brothers.
Dressed in a black qipao highlighted by silver clouds, he laughed
again and clapped his hands to his thighs.
In a mocking, but not unkind, tone he said, “My dear eldest and
fiercest brother, general of the mighty Xing Army, esteemed Patriarch
of the Fenghuang Clan, bringer of peace to the Xiao Weili prefecture
and mightiest cultivator for a hundred thousand li in any direction,
finally brought low by the birth of a child. And not even your first.”
More teasing laughter from Zhao and even a few chuckles from
Gen followed this statement. Da finally paused his march to turn
swiftly and glare at his most irritating brother.
“If you ever loved a woman, Zhao, you might be lucky enough to
worry for her as I do my Meixiu and her sister-wives.” Da returned to
his pacing with even more fervor than before, each echoing step
causing the ether lamps hanging throughout the palace room to
sway and the light to shimmer against the gold and silver designs.
Fenghuang Da didn’t care. Let them fall, he thought to himself.
Zhao offered a sly smile and responded cheekily, “Brother, I love
many women. And often.”
Da huffed and shook his head but ceased his pacing.
Gen stepped up to Da and said, “Zhao, boorish as he is, is
correct. At least in that you must calm yourself.”
He held up his right hand and it glowed for a moment,
illuminating the room with the color of the forest. A green square
with black writing and a blue border on it appeared before him. “Do
you see, brother?”
Name: Da
Clan: Fenghuang
Clan Rank: Patriarch
Qi Type: Aura
Qi Affinity: Fire, Metal
Cultivation Stage: {Blocked}
Status: Agitated, elevated heart rate
Health Assessment: Lack of Qi control may result in harm to self,
nearby individuals, or objects and structures.
Fenghuang Da glanced at it, waved his arm dismissively, and

huffed again. “I do not require your insight, Gen. If I lost control,
this—”
His statement was interrupted by the howling cry of a baby.
One of his second wife’s maids approached with her head
lowered, carrying a bundle of crying newborn. Seeing his child for
the first time, the clan chief summoned his Qi and rushed to the
woman.
He knew it would appear as though he had vanished and
reappeared in less than the time it took to blink an eye, but he did
not care at that moment. And it suited his purposes anyway.
Da let go of the Qi of the Heavens and Earth as he stopped in
front of the meek woman. She lowered herself to her knees, still
holding the child.
“Speak!” he bellowed, anxious to hear of his second wife’s
condition. The child’s crying immediately ceased upon hearing the
echoing roar.
The servant’s timid, shaky voice was low but heard by all in the
silence. “My lord. Your lady wife is well and is expected to return to
full health in a day or less. I have been ordered to present to you
your young daughter, Fenghuang Yu.”
Da restrained himself from raising his voice again. Losing control
of his emotions like that was unbecoming of a leader, especially
before a mortal.
In a much softer but no less commanding tone, Da ordered,
“Stand and hand my child to me.”
The terrified woman rose slowly and then extended her arms,
which held the pink-skinned child bundled in wool and violet silk.
Da knew his reputation. In fact, he worked hard to maintain the
fear that most in this country had of him. In a world where power
was the only true currency, fear was a commodity of incalculable
value.
Da reached under and lifted his youngest child. Despite this
being his fifth child, it still amazed him how small and vulnerable
they were. His scarred warrior’s hands dwarfed the small swaddled
form. He turned, ignoring the woman as she bowed low and backed
out of the room. With as much gentleness as possible, he pulled
down the cloth with a finger so that he could gaze upon the face of
his only daughter.
Da felt his two brothers appear on either side of his shoulders
and stare down at the tiny form. Gen reached his hand out and held
it over the child.
It glowed green and he said, “She is healthy. Obviously I can tell
no more until she is tested at the stone in ten days. She barely
made it in time.”
Despite being the most talented healer of his generation in the
nation, not even Gen had the ability to use the God Sign to assess a
human until they had first been declared by the gods.
“She’s so small and wrinkly,” muttered Zhao, his face alight with
both awe and bewilderment.
Not taking his eyes off his daughter, Da heard Gen chuckle lightly
behind him. “She is a baby, brother. You looked much the same
when you showed. I remember.”
The younger of Da’s two brothers had been born one hundred
and seventy-two years after Gen, making him the baby of the family.
This of course meant he had been spoiled rotten and had thus
developed a blasé attitude toward the future and his responsibilities.
That did not mean he was weak or timid or unable to fight. In fact,
he served a critical purpose for the family with his Darkness affinity
Qi. Da was thankful for the abilities of both his middle and younger
brother. The clan would be far less without them.
Gen continued his description of Zhao’s birth. “But you cried
more and smelled much worse than this little gem. Yu…” Then in
more of a whisper, “Jade indeed.”
Da straightened and turned his head to look at his brother in
surprise. “You know the translation, then? It is obscure, even for the
ancient tongue.”
Gen shrugged and said blandly, “Don’t pretend that isn’t why you
and Meixiu picked the name, or that you won’t make your daughter
study it just as hard as we had to. It’s a tradition in our family that
you have kept with your other children. It is a shame that most
families name their offspring with little thought for the old
translations. In fact, few remember much of the ancient tongue at
all. Except us. Although this one did take me some time digging in
the scrolls. Only you and Meixiu would choose such an auspicious
name.”
“True,” Da responded, with a nod. Then he turned back to his
tiny daughter and, with the gravity of a Patriarch, shook his head
and said, “Either way, our clan will benefit from her, as we do from
all Fenghuang children. If she can cultivate, then she will become an
Aura-, Mana- or Ether-wielder, adding power to our forces. Knowing
her mother and myself, she will likely be a power to rival the three of
us.”
Fenghuang Gen asked, “And if she cannot?”
“She will be valued and will eventually allow us to arrange an
alliance through marriage. The clan must always come first.”
Ten days later, the one hundred and three most senior members of
the Fenghuang Clan stood in a ceremonial room large enough to fit
one hundred and fifty comfortably. Its red walls were adorned with
large birds in flight, each plumed in a single color of the rainbow,
except for a few black, white, silver, and gold birds shown
sporadically in between.
The decadence was not something Da personally appreciated,
but it was necessary to show the clan’s prestige. Oftentimes a show
of wealth was as effective as a show of physical strength.
Sitting at the front of the room on a raised dais, he allowed a
little of his power to leak out, knowing they would feel the pressure.
It would… encourage all to remember he was the Patriarch. Not that
his position was easily mistakable. His seat of rank was a tall ornate
chair of dark wood with a carved phoenix, its wings spread in flight,
cresting just over his head.
To his left and right and slightly behind sat two similar but
smaller and less ornate chairs. On the left was Caretaker Bo. The old
man was rubbing his long white beard and laughing lightly as he
spoke to an obese middle-aged man who was also chuckling, each
laugh causing his bulging stomach to bounce under his blue qipao.
To the Patriarch’s right was a stunningly beautiful woman in a
violet hanfu, her hair long and purple like the silk wrapped around
her, but worn up in ornate curls held at the top by a pair of long
crossed silver rods. Meixiu’s head was tilted as she listened to a
young woman whispering in her ear. Her beauty still captivated Da,
even after more than a century. She was also the only one of his
wives permitted to be present, the other two being neither clan
elders nor strong enough in their cultivation.
Da sat with no expression on his face, as was proper for one of
his position, simply watching his clan’s various factions building
alliances or enmity as they willed. He would not lower himself to get
involved in such drivel unless the clan was put at risk. And they all
knew better than to get the clan chief involved – that almost always
resulted in both sides losing face and power. And sometimes blood.
A child snuck his way around the outside of the room, staying
low and silent. Da’s eyes flicked to the child, but he made no other
motion, despite his desire to grin at his precocious second son. That
boy’s affinity was strong and rare, like his uncles’ – he would make a
great warrior for the clan one day. Perhaps even his heir. There was
no harm in him watching the ceremony. Which reminded Da…
With a glance around the room, he watched as his clan members’
calm conversations began to slow and emotions began to rise. None
had eaten or drunk anything since the sunrise of the previous day as
a supplication to the gods. That rule was not technically required to
be followed for the ceremony, but it had become a tradition to the
point of causing a significant loss of face to anyone who might
breach it.
Allowing just a bit more of his power to spill out, Da stood and
the room slowly became silent.
“Welcome to the Declaration Ceremony of our newest additions,”
he intoned. “As is the tradition of the Fenghuang Clan, we hold this
ceremony on the shortest and longest days of the year, as then we
are closest to the gods who grant us our God Sign and the gifts of Qi
and cultivation.”
Every person in the room – save the two seated to his left and
right – bowed their head and spoke in unison, “Clan chief.”
His second wife and mother to his only daughter, Long Meixiu,
stood and called out in a captivating voice that resounded through
the room, “Bring the Eye.”
The red-painted double doors at the other end of the hall opened
and four trusted family guards, strong cultivators all, entered
carrying a table made of the same dark wood as the Patriarch’s
throne. The table appeared to be simple, with slats and four legs;
but upon its top, numerous circles and swirls were carved. These
were runes and designs that only the greatest of Ether-wielders
could understand or create.
Atop the table were eleven items: ten were perfectly distributed
in a circle around the eleventh, and were of similar size and shape
but different colors. Each was a beast core, a concentrated form of
untamed Qi taken from the corpse of a demonic beast. They were of
different affinities, and partially pressed into the enchanted wood.
The affinities were Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, Metal, Ice, Wood,
Lightning, Light, and Darkness. There were more affinities in the
world, but cores of those were nearly impossible to acquire.
The final item, placed in the center of the circle of cores, was a
tripod made from a single piece of nearly black steel, its legs also
covered in mysterious runes and whirling designs. Where the three
legs met at the top was a perfect circle of steel, within which an
equally flawless, clear crystal was inlaid. At one handspan across and
three tall, the crystal showed the perfect symmetry of two stretched
pyramids stacked upon each other.
The crystal’s clarity was immaculate, but a rainbow of swirling
colors appeared to be swimming within it, almost alive.
No matter how many times he had seen it, Da still marveled at
the sight of the Eye of the Gods, the complex creation that could
peer into the truth of humans. Of course, he did not let that show.
Others were not so restrained. Every single one of the strongest
cultivators of the Fenghuang Clan watched as the most valuable
object in the clan’s possession was brought before them. Some
gawked. Others showed reverence. And a few even showed greed.
Da mentally marked the latter down in his mind and decided he
would have Zhao watch them.
Not that the reactions were a surprise. The Eye’s value would be
enough to buy the entire city of Fei Shu and every clan in it. It was
gifted to the Fenghuang Clan many generations ago for services
rendered to the kingdom and his majesty, the king at the time,
through saving him and his family from the deadly demonic beasts
that rule the wild lands of the Xing Nation.
The guards placed the table which held the crystal on a spot
marked on the stone floor in the exact middle of the room, then
turned their backs to it and stood guard. After standing at attention,
they then removed their sabers from their back scabbards and stood
ready to protect the clan’s most valuable asset.
Caretaker Bo stood. “Bring the children!” he called loudly through
a wrinkled smile.
A stream of nineteen women in identical white hanfu with a
single small flaming bird stitched into the top right of their fronts
stepped in from an ornately painted archway to the left, each
holding a child. The last walked to Da’s second wife and handed
Meixiu their daughter.
Da and Meixiu had first met on the battlefield and had nearly
ended each other in a fierce and chaotic battle before realizing they
were fighting on the same side. Recognizing each other’s strength,
they became sparring partners, friends, and, not long after, lovers.
After many years of this, she agreed to become his wife, and, years
later, they had their first child together. It had only been a few days
prior that their Jade Phoenix, Fenghuang Yu, had joined their family
and clan.
Da watched impassively as the nineteen mothers created a
crescent-shaped line four paces from the table. Meixiu stepped
beside the last woman, creating a striking contrast with her purple
against the white of the others. The sounds of shuffling and
whispers started to pick up in the background as the women formed
up. Da watched the room carefully, observing which clan members
smiled at, sneered at, greeted or derided which of the women. He
found none foolish enough to act that way toward his own wife and
daughter, though. At least not in his presence.
Da called, “Caretaker Bo, are your charges prepared?” (As the
individual responsible for the children’s supervision, education, and
preparation, Elder Bo received a unique title in the clan, “Caretaker.”)
The smiling old man bowed his head and said, “They are
prepared, clan chief.”
Da then looked upward toward one of the two round windows
near the roof of the building, and all heads in the room followed. A
few moments later, streams of sunlight filtered through the glass and
made contact with the crystal. It glowed gold, a color representing
the only affinity no human could wield: heavenly power.
The room fell silent and stayed like that for thirty breaths until
the sunlight passed, and the golden glow was absorbed into the
center of the crystal. Then, like golden fluid, it flowed down the
runes on the circlet holding it, then down the legs of the steel tripod,
and downward again.
When the gold faded from the steel, the tabletop flared with
light, and all the runes and designs glowed. It was so bright that
many of the weaker cultivators in the room had to turn away or
squint.
Da did not even twitch, standing like a statue. With so many eyes
upon him, he would show no weakness, even at such a display of
power. When the glow faded, only the beast cores’ subtle radiance
reminded those present of the power of the device before them.
The Caretaker turned toward the first woman in white and said in
a gentle tone, “Fenghuang Chen, approach.”
As was tradition, he was speaking to the woman but stating the
name of the baby in her arms.
She walked forward to the table and stopped before the guards.
“I ask leave to near the Eye of the Gods so my child’s future may be
determined.”
The guards took a single step to the side and the woman walked
to the table. She placed her son, Fenghuang Chen, inside the tripod
and directly under the large crystal. She then took one step back.
The room was silent except for the sound of the cultivators
breathing in anticipation.
Nothing happened for just short of a minute until the crystal in
the middle flashed black once, and then the beast core to the right
of the baby’s tiny head glowed noticeably brighter and then dimmed.
Caretaker Bo turned to Da and said, “Clan chief, the gods have
smiled upon the Fenghuang Clan. A new Fire Warrior is born.”
Giving the emotionless response expected of him, Da nodded
once. As for those present, the clan’s elders applauded politely,
pleased but not impressed.
The core had lit up only dimly, showing what would be a slightly
below-average affinity strength.
To conclude the child’s Determination Ceremony, Fenghuang Da
said, “Show this child’s God Sign.”
Elder Bo touched the glowing red crystal and the baby’s God Sign
appeared in deep red with white writing for all to bear witness.
Name: Chen
Clan: Fenghuang
Clan Rank: None
Qi Type: Aura
Qi Affinity: Fire
Cultivation Stage: None
Status: None
There was much more to a cultivator’s God Sign, but only this
broad information would be shared publicly. One’s personal
information was only shared with those one trusted absolutely. To do
otherwise put the cultivator at risk.
Chen’s mother stepped forward with a broad smile, picked up her
son, and walked to the other side of the room. She stood in one of
the designated places for future clan cultivators.
This process was repeated with the next woman and baby.
However, this time there was no flash nor change of brightness of
any of the beast cores. Unlike the previous applause, there was
disappointed muttering and head-shaking.
Elder Bo said, “Clan chief, this child cannot form a dantian and
will not cultivate.”
That meant the child would not be able to form the organ that
holds Qi.
As expected, Da thought to himself. He knew that branch family,
and they had produced no cultivators in more than five centuries.
Thus, the family would gain no prestige from this child. He would
become a mundane member of their society and add value to the
clan as an ordinary laborer.
Of course, he did not allow any emotion to cross his face as he
again nodded once. The downtrodden mother took her child and
walked to a separate area of the room, away from the rest.
The process proceeded as usual for the subsequent six children.
Three were average Aura cultivators of Fire, Fire, and Earth affinity
respectively, the most common in this prefecture. The other three
were not able to cultivate.
The next child caused something of a stir when the center crystal
flashed white instead of black, and the black beast core glowed
brightly. It actually sucked the light from around it, causing it to
appear lighter, but that is semantics.
The Caretaker spoke excitedly when he called out, “Clan chief,
the gods have truly smiled upon the Fenghuang Clan today. A new
Darkness Mage is born.”
Raucous applause broke out in the room. Da mentally rolled his
eyes as a whoop came from his little brother. While nearly everyone
in the room was cheering because they saw a Mage and a rare
affinity, Da knew better. Zhao would have the twenty-third member
of his small intelligence and assassination squad in just a handful of
years.
The Shadow Phoenixes, as he called them, were one of the
Fenghuang Clan’s best-kept secrets. Few knew that this small squad
was one of the key reasons the clan had stayed strong and grown in
power and reputation over the generations.
The clan Patriarch from four generations ago had initiated the
program and begun arranging for the gathering and breeding of
Darkness affinity family members. The clan was usually able to
create one every thirty or so years, which was stunning considering
the rarity of cultivators of that affinity.
On the other hand, that cultivators of even moderate strength
could live to nearly a thousand years of age made breeding for
specific desired traits plausible – if controlled and encouraged
properly, at least. That lifetime might seem like a lot of opportunity
to mortals, but cultivators tended not to reproduce often unless they
were of an excessively wealthy noble status. This was due to the
outrageous amount of resources required to raise a strong cultivator.
It was generally a better investment to put more resources toward
fewer cultivators – or even a single one – than spread resources
among many, so that each had less.
Returning his mind to the matter at hand, Da started planning
how to manage this child’s potential value to the clan. It would be
many years before he could defend himself. Until then, he would
need resources, training, and, most importantly, protection. At least
until he could use Qi outside his body, which usually happened
between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. It was rare, but
cultivation geniuses could actually start using external Qi a year or
two earlier.
Obviously, the earlier, the better because that offered the children
more time to perfect their bodies as they grew. This was a superior
option to changing them after they had already developed, which
was arduous, exceedingly resource-intensive, and much of the time
painful.
Fenghuang Cho’s black God Sign and white writing confirmed
that his clan had another powerful asset on the rise.
Name: Cho
Clan: Fenghuang
Clan Rank: None
Qi Type: Mana
Qi Affinity: Darkness
Status: None
By the end, Da was pleased that it had turned out to be a good

harvest for the Fenghuang Clan that cycle. As he waited for his
daughter's turn, he saw that all the remaining girls and boys would
become cultivators of one type or another.
There was even another Wood affinity healer, which excited Gen.
She would be a valuable asset as well. Healer Mages with Wood or
Water affinity were rare in their city, although less so than those with
Darkness. Of those that did attain a healer’s affinity, almost none
had both Water and Wood – Gen was nearly unique in that respect.
Da was almost positive no other in Xing Nation had them both.
As expected, none of the children would be able to wield Ether.
Ether-wielders were the rarest of all cultivators and were usually
sent to various sects or colleges for specific training immediately
upon being able to process sufficient Qi in their bodies to open
meridians.
Interrupting his musings, Da watched as Fenghuang Yu was
finally brought forth by Meixiu. The room was filled with a
murmuring of the expectation that had been placed on the tiny
shoulders of the only child of the two strongest cultivators in the
city.
It was widely known that potential was passed down. When two
powerful parents had a child, the child was almost always as strong
or stronger than those who created them. Da and Meixiu had
discussed this at length in the days prior to the ceremony. Together
they had decided how to treat the child in the case of her either
having good cultivation talent or none.
Da watched as his beautiful and brilliant second wife placed their
daughter on the table the same as the others and took a step back.
Nothing happened for a moment, but then a yell was heard from
outside which was loud enough to be audible through the thick
wooden walls and doors. Da and the others in the room all turned
toward that sound with disapproving looks. Everyone knew not to
disturb the Declaration Ceremony.
Immediately after the first yell dissipated, another followed. And
then another. Then there was a booming sound, and the entire
building shook with the vibrations of it. Then came another, and this
time the earth lifted and slammed down beneath their feet. All but
the strongest cultivators lost their footing and ended up on either
their knees or backsides.
“Yu!”
Da turned with a start to see his wife lunging toward their child,
who had blood oozing from a wound somewhere. The guards were
still mostly steady on their feet and doing their job, securing the Eye
of the Gods so that it would come to no harm. They extended
hidden flaps from under the table and began to close it just as
Meixiu grabbed her daughter before running to her husband.
“Is she all right?” Da asked quickly.
“She is unconscious but alive,” Meixiu replied. “I will bring her to
the healers and we will know more. You must go.”
She gently kissed his cheek and began a steady run to the
healers’ area of the city lord’s estate, followed closely by Gen.
A palace guard, bleeding profusely from an arm which Da saw
was mostly missing, pushed open the door with his other shoulder,
tumbled in and weakly said, “Under attack.” He then fell over, never
to move again.
The vibrating sound of an explosion echoed throughout the
shaking building as the guards staggered slightly but continued to
secure the precious device. Without an Eye of the Gods, the
Fenghuang Clan would have to use another larger clan’s or bring
their clan members to a public ceremony supported by the empire
instead. This would be deadly – exposing so many new cultivators to
the public every year would put a target on them all. Their clan’s
true strength was known only to a few inside or outside the clan,
and Da wished to keep it that way.
He watched the guards as they concluded the sealing process,
letting out a sigh of relief as the flash of the Ether enchantments
took hold. He knew it would require someone much more powerful
than him to break the protections on the table.
His body burst into flame as he ordered, “Secure it and continue
your duty,” and then strode past the guards into whatever battle
awaited him outside.
Bo Fang stood perfectly erect in the dim clan audience hall. He had
been the Matriarch’s personal guard for nearly two centuries. She
had saved him as a youth, and in exchange, he had sworn his body,
Qi, and soul to her service until he died. Over that time, he had
watched as she led her already dominant clan to even greater
heights of might and wealth.
Her powers were strange, yet their effectiveness was undeniable.
Fang had witnessed her give seemingly random orders that resulted
in the ruin of individuals, families – even entire clans. She would
deliver nonsensical commands which would result in the devastation
of reputations. And just as casually, she would release information
nobody could possibly know, resulting in the deaths of thousands.
Only one hundred and twenty years ago, he had delivered a
missive with nearly a million silver to a small unknown clan. It had
seemed innocuous enough, but had resulted in the clan’s rise to
power. That clan had dominated their province until, forty-five years
ago, another letter with almost as much silver was sent to a different
clan, resulting in a bloody war. Both clans had been almost mutually
annihilated when a third had come along and exploited their war-
weakened states.
Bo Fang later witnessed the Matriarch speaking to one of her
mysterious agents about that event. “The boy is dead, as you
intended,” the spy had said.
His Matriarch had nodded and responded, “Fine. It’s a shame
about the investment in those clans, but that child would have been
a significant threat, so it was worth the loss.”
Despite it all, he had rarely seen her show much interest or
emotion regarding her own actions. She didn’t seem to find any
particular joy in victories, nor anger at whatever behavior led to the
actions she took. Occasionally the family would cause her
consternation, but beyond some minor annoyance, he had not seen
his Matriarch show much beyond minor satisfaction.
That was until ten days ago. He still shivered at the memory of it.
The entire palace had shaken from her power and rage.
He had been eating in one of the large clan dining halls when
they had felt it. Whether cultivator or mundane, guard or servant,
noble or peasant, every single living being had fallen to their knees.
The world itself had seemed to fear her terrible power as reality bent
and stretched around the palace.
However long he lived, Bo Fang would never forget the scene he
had witnessed when he had finally arrived at his mistress’s
chambers. Her face had been filled with such fury that the fear had
almost stopped him from noticing the two irregular lines of blood
that traced down from the corners of her eyes onto her cheeks.
Cultivators and servants had been bowing and scrambling to
follow the orders she was yelling at them. She had turned her head
to Fang and had ordered him to retrieve scrolls from the archive of a
sect in the Gui Empire. She had handed him a rolled parchment and
a round jade badge with the symbol of a dragon carved into it.
Additionally, his Matriarch had given him a set of orders about whom
to speak to, and when, and about what to say at what point.
Everything had been detailed out in precision and, as always, he had
followed her orders precisely and without question.
He was watching his mistress read one of those scrolls now in
the large central clan audience chamber as he stood guard, ten days
after that terrible event. Suddenly, and for no reason he could
identify, she closed her light-brown eyes. Her long silver hair slowly
rose and floated away from her pale, wrinkled face and the white
silk shawl embroidered with silver characters draped over her
shoulders.
She showed no outward change as her eyes opened and her hair
fell. She called out “Let them in” to the pair of guards standing in
front of the ornate black-painted bamboo doors. Bo Fang watched
how the embedded ornate silver swirls glittered in the dim room
when the double doors, twice as tall as a man, swung inward.
Two cultivators of such power that he felt pressure simply from
being in their presence approached his guard position. He glanced at
his mistress and she waved him away. As instructed, he turned and
took one full step backward, into the deeper shadows of the
audience chamber.
The male and female were nearly alike, with their long dark hair
in matching brown ponytails. They were both covered from top to
bottom in wrapped black cloth so that only their nostrils, mouths,
and deep brown eyes could be seen. They lowered themselves to
their knees in front of her and pressed their foreheads to the floor
slowly.
The Matriarch looked down upon them from her raised dais and
said nothing. The female cultivator then spoke in a high-pitched
voice that surprised Fang with its youthful sound. “It is done,
Matriarch.”
“You followed my instructions?” the old woman asked.
The male responded this time. “Exactly as you ordered.”
“Good.”
Fang’s mistress actually smiled for a brief moment before her
face returned to its usual stoic countenance. She closed her eyes
and once again the world seemed to waver and bend, although this
time nobody could feel the pressure.
It was over as suddenly as it had started, and she nodded.
“Good,” the old woman repeated. “It is critical that child be
ruined but not dead. She has a part to play. I will call on you
occasionally to go back there. As that foolish boy says, there are
many strings still to be plucked, and we must do so at the right time
and in the right way. You may go for now.”
Without looking at the Matriarch, the pair rose to their feet and
left the hall. When the doors closed behind them, the old woman
returned to the scrolls. She looked down at them intently and
muttered two sentences. Bo Fang didn’t know if he was supposed to
hear them or not – it was impossible to tell with his mistress. Either
way, he did.
And they terrified him.
Part One
CORRUPTED
Eons before humanity, four heavenly beasts brought together

all the different types of power in the universe. A great act of
forming took place and our world was born.
The True History of the World, lost to time

Author, unknown
ONE
Barn Incident
Thirteen years later (early spring) – A dilapidated barn in Fei Shu

City:
Fenghuang Yu retched onto the floor of the barn. She spit up blood
and vomit into the hay and grass that was scratching her bare legs
and arms. She was prone on the filthy floor, trying to hold her long
multicolored hair out of the mess with one arm while also protecting
her stomach with the other.
“Mundane girls like you should cover themselves, cousin. You are
being indecent, showing so much skin,” Fenghuang Li mocked.
Spitting out the remains of her last meal and more blood, Yu
glared up at the three figures who were standing over her slumped
form.
Two boys and a girl against a cripple. How brave and honorable.
“Girls that cultivate are allowed to wear the same clothes as
boys,” Yu called back with a glare, proud that she heard no trace of
fear in her words. She had learned long ago that wearing a
cultivator’s attire in her secret training was a risk, but still she wore
it.
The sleeveless beast-wool shirt ended at her navel. The leggings
stopped halfway down her thighs, and her soft cloth shoes ended
just above her ankle. Her garb’s limited covering allowed for
flexibility of movement and targeted skin exposure so that students’
bodies could strengthen through Qi absorption.
Unfortunately, the student outfit, while perfect for training,
offered little actual protection. Cultivators had their Qi for that. Yu
didn’t. Not that it stopped her. In fact, she felt it made for excellent
training attire, even without Qi. She wore it because it was
functional, and, admittedly, as a small act of defiance.
The fact that it exposed so much skin meant it was only worn by
young cultivators, and only when required. Yu was aware she had no
right to wear a cultivator’s clothes, but the hypocrisy angered her.
She welcomed the anger. It quelled the fear.
Li, the girl who had hit her and shoved her down, let out a
braying laugh. She leaned over called sneeringly, “You’re no
cultivator.”
Yaozu, the larger boy, stood directly in front of her. He quietly
sneered down at her while squeezing his fists so tightly they caused
his knuckles to crack. Given his dinner-plate-sized hands, the sound
was loud and ominous.
The smaller of the two boys next to her, Chen, added, “Yeah,
you’re a freak.”
Yu’s temper flared as she reached behind her back with the hand
that had been protecting her stomach. After a moment’s fumbling
through the hay, she found one of the two wooden short swords she
had been practicing with. They were the best she was permitted,
given her… infirmity. She would certainly have never been allowed
anything that could cause her to bleed.
Tensing her weak muscles, Yu prayed to the gods that her three
assailants were not cycling Qi to protect themselves. She swung the
short blade in a sweep in front of her. Her prayers were answered.
Her target must have been distracted by jeering at her because the
blow miraculously did some actual damage. The thwacking sound of
wood on skin and bone surprised all of them, but likely surprised
Yaozu the most, as it was his knee she had successfully struck.
His eyes widened, and a sharp yell of pain escaped his mouth as
his leg buckled beneath him. Yu swung again, twisting her wrist as
her years of relentless practice had taught her. She brought the
sword into contact with the boy’s temple, now that his head had
fallen within reach.
Despite the pain in her hand from the vibrating wood, she smiled
as his body dropped like a bag of rice next to where she lay
sprawled in the hay.
The other two shook off their surprise and Li yelled, “What did
you do?”
“He should have been cycling,” Yu replied.
Arrogant asses. They took their power for granted. Yu, who had
to earn every ounce of strength she had, was better than them. At
least when it came to martial skills.
As quickly as she could, she twisted her torso. She held herself
upright with one arm and reached out for the other wooden sword
that lay behind her, having been discarded on the barn floor when
her tormentors had surprised her. Her perfect ambidexterity, one of
her only two redeeming features, led her to always utilize dual
swords when she practiced melee combat.
Just as her hand closed around the leather-wrapped wooden
handle, her feet were grabbed and she was yanked roughly toward
her attackers. Her arm no longer supported her, causing her head to
jerk downward and her chin to slam into the filthy compacted dirt
floor of the barn. The taste of coppery blood once again filled her
mouth as she bit her tongue.
She was bleeding again and that meant trouble. Yu needed to
get to a healer, and soon.
She tried to spin and swing one of her swords, but her prone
position and the grip on her ankles prevented her from getting any
leverage and the blow held little force, and certainly not enough to
hurt a prepared cultivator – even a young one.
The swords did absolutely no damage when her attacks struck
their arms, simply bouncing off their now Qi-enhanced skin. Yu saw
movement from her side and looked over just before a fist made
contact with her head. All she knew for a short time were flashing
lights and ringing ears. Then her vision went dark.
When Yu became aware of her surroundings again, she saw a
tall, familiar form towering over her and yelling at the remaining two
upright assailants. She saw Li pointing at the now barely stirring
body of Yaozu on the hay-covered floor. The ringing finally faded
enough for Yu to make out their words.
“—knocked out Fenghuang Yaozu. She deserves to be beaten.”
Yu’s much larger brother, Fenghuang Lei, looked contemptuously
down at the two still-conscious cultivators and then over at Yaozu’s
prone body. His massive frame put him head and shoulders above
the others, causing the offending parties to shuffle back involuntarily
and crane their necks to meet his eyes.
With a sneer he said, “That fool was knocked out by a cripple?”
Yu winced at the descriptor she knew was true but still hated.
She also knew her brother didn’t mean it; he was trying to get rid of
her tormentors peacefully. It would not be honorable for him to take
physical action if he had another option. After all, they were as much
ants to him as she was to them.
“He deserved it and the lump he’ll have. Go drag his useless ass
out of here before you join him unconscious on the floor.”
The two looked like they were going to argue, but her brother
released a little of his Qi. The crackling of ice accompanied a cold
vapor rising from his fingers.
“You are of a branch family. Don’t press your luck further,” he
growled in a threatening tone.
Yu both admired and envied her brother’s strength and rare
affinity. The ability to command ice was nearly unheard of in the
Xing Nation, and her brother’s strength in it was far above the
average. Lei was the most gifted youth in the family and a great
hope for the clan’s future. He was also one of the few who didn’t
abuse his half-sister.
The two younger cultivators walked over to the slumped Yaozu,
leaned down, and grabbed him by his armpits. While their faces
were closer to Yu’s own slumped form, the younger boy, Chen,
quietly growled out, “This isn’t over, freak.”
The girl followed up with a sneering whisper, “Watch yourself,
freak.”
They easily lifted the boy using their Qi-enhanced bodies and
dragged him away like he weighed nothing.
Her brother didn’t move until the group was out of sight and Yu
could no longer hear their steps. Once it was clear, he turned to his
little sister and walked over to where she lay. He held out his hand.
Yu spit the blood in her mouth to the side and grabbed it.
Looking like he didn’t even notice her weight – which he likely
didn’t – the young man very gently lifted her to her feet and stepped
back. A wave of nausea washed through Yu at the sudden motion.
She wobbled slightly but eventually was able to stand by leaning on
his broad chest.
She saw him checking her up and down for any significant
injuries. He grunted when he saw the blood by her mouth. Then he
scanned the area and noticed the vomit and blood on the floor. His
eyes flashed ice blue, a mist rose from his body, and the ground
beneath his feet crackled from the cold. Yu shivered slightly from the
sudden drop in temperature.
“Thank you,” Yu mumbled, looking down at her feet. She saw her
breath mist as she spoke.
She heard a sigh, and the cold quickly dissipated into the warm
spring air.
“Yu’er, what did I tell you?”
He was using her family’s affectionate name for her
She didn’t answer or raise her head. She was angry and
embarrassed and exhausted, the combination robbing her of the will
to speak. She felt her brother’s hand on her forehead as he pressed
it gently up so she had to look at him.
His sad look matched the tone in his voice, “Yu’er?”
She then heard him growl as for the first time he saw her swollen
face and the beginnings of the black eye that she knew would be
fully formed soon.
She needed to get to a healer immediately. The intensity of her
emotions and fatigue was distracting her, though.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. I was minding my own business. I
wasn’t bothering them,” she whispered.
Another sigh, and then he spoke, “C’mon. Let’s get you to a
healer before you can’t walk from the blood loss and I have to carry
you. And then I’ll walk you home so you can change before your
mother finds you dressed like that and smelling so awful.”
Yu dragged her feet and leaned against her brother for strength.
Together they walked out of the isolated barn and toward their
home in the city center.
He did end up having to carry her, to her shame and frustration.
Yu kneeled, fully healed, at the far end of the long polished dinner
table with her family.
She ate the meal of rice and spicy beef, moving her chopsticks
slowly. Her uncles, brothers, and her father and his three wives also
sat around the table making quiet and polite conversation.
She glanced out of the corner of her eye toward the opposite
side of the table. She saw her father at the head position, his head
turned to his left to speak to one of his wives. The first, Ning
Huiqing, hated Yu for reasons beyond her understanding. Next to
that conniving and vicious woman was Yu’s mother, and next to her
was her father’s third wife, Shen Guoling. Yu had little interaction
with her and did not know her very well.
Opposite them were Yu’s uncles, Gen and Zhao. Yu enjoyed what
little time she had with her uncles. Gen was always gentle and
understanding when he healed her. Zhao, on the other hand, was
mischievous and joked around all the time. He didn’t seem to care
about anything except gambling and women as far as Yu could tell.
She loved them. But at the same time, she hated the looks of
pity that always showed on their faces when they interacted with
her. In some ways, pity was worse than the abuse she received from
others. Physical pain would fade after all, but the looks never
stopped, and had not for thirteen years.
Next to them was Lei. He was, of course, her favorite. The eldest
brother, Howin, was technically Lei’s senior, but was far less talented.
Thus he would have been lower down the table were he present.
However, he was off learning how to cultivate at some sect or school
somewhere. Yu didn’t know or care for the details.
A seat away from Lei were the identical twin boys who were her
primary tormentors. Compared to the large Lei, they looked small.
But they were actually average in looks, size, and build. Their short
black hair and maroon eyes made them look sinister, in Yu’s opinion.
It certainly fit their personalities.
Delun and Deming had never liked her, and not just because of
her condition. As with their appearance, they were both barely
average cultivators, despite having their father’s Fire affinity.
Unfortunately for them, theirs was many times weaker than their
father’s. As such, they would not inherit any standing or position
beyond that which they could earn for themselves.
Most importantly, however, they felt that Yu was spoiled and
received more than them because she was the only child of the
strongest wife. The most baffling part of that was that Yu could
never figure out why. All they said was that they should have what
she did as she didn’t deserve it. That made no sense to her. What
did she have other than ridicule and abuse? She would trade
positions with them at a moment’s notice were it possible. To be
average would be so much better than being what she was.
Focusing back on her meal, Yu ignored the buzz of conversation
around her. By ignoring the rest of her family, she hoped to avoid
notice, although she did see that the twins were giving her sneering
looks throughout the meal. Despite her twin brothers being older
than her, third and fourth after Howin and Lei, they rarely acted their
age.
A few minutes later, when everyone was finished, her father
cleared his throat. “You are dismissed,” he called to the room.
Yu was relieved, thinking nobody had told her father about the
barn incident.
But just as Yu was about to get up and hurry away, he continued,
“Not you, Yu’er. And Lei, please stay as well.”
Yu’s shoulders slumped. She knew what was coming, and her
heart fell in advance. This would be another lecture about her
practicing her martial skills. Every time something happened to her
that resulted in a healing, a reminder of her constraints would
ensue. After all these years of practicing against her parents’ wishes,
and the injuries that resulted from that, she was used to it. Not that
it hurt any less.
“I would like to stay as well, lord husband,” her mother said.
He nodded at her once and the rest of the family silently started
to leave. They all knew Yu was in trouble again. They probably
wondered how bad it would be this time, and hoped she wouldn’t
disgrace the family too much. All, that is, except the twins and their
mother, Ning Huiquing, who lingered behind. Delun and Deming
were smirking. They were overjoyed every time their father took Yu
to task. On top of that, it appeared that Lei might be involved as
well, and that would bring them even more delight.
Huiqing, on the other hand, was glaring. Yu could practically feel
the vitriol that woman had for her.
Over the years Yu had learned that it was her, not her twin boys,
who came up with most of the torments in Yu’s life. Yu wasn’t sure if
the twins were clever enough to come up with more than their
favorite game of “hit the freak.” The twins were not subtle, but Yu
kept the beatings secret, lest she should look even weaker in her
father’s eyes. And they were always smart enough to keep it just
short of doing lasting harm.
Huiqing, on the other hand, was the real brains and power
behind Yu’s troubles within the clan. Not that she could prove
anything.
The twins’ mother used her position and influence to encourage,
manipulate, or even force others to cause Yu problems. And her
sons were her favorite instruments for this. Not that they were
unwilling. In fact, they were likely that woman’s most enthusiastic
accomplices. She and they also used their positions to protect any
who harassed Yu.
Reluctantly, that woman and her sons also exited the dining hall.
Yu and Lei remained, facing her mother and father.
Once all the doors had been slid shut, her father spoke. “Come
sit up here so we can speak, Yu’er,” he ordered.
Without lifting her head or looking at anyone, Yu walked to the
other end of the table, a position reserved for the strong and
important, and knelt on a pillow seat across from her brother and
next to her mother.
Looking at her mother, her father said in a casual tone, “I
received an interesting report today.”
Yu saw her mother raise her perfect violet eyebrows. “Oh?” she
said in a questioning tone.
He nodded. “Indeed. Apparently, a young trainee cultivator –
Fenghuang Yaozu I believe is his name – was brought to my brother
for healing. He is from one of our largest branch families that
manages many of our merchant businesses.”
Yu said nothing as her mother responded.
“I see. And why do you bring that up now, lord husband?” she
asked.
“Normally, I’d simply let it go as a normal training incident and
ignore it as beneath my notice,” he answered. “However, this boy
had a concussion from a blow to the temple. Late into the evening.
After the day’s training was complete. Yet the wound was shown to
have come from a slim wooden training sword.”
Yu heard his tone getting a little firmer by the end. She winced
internally but said nothing. Nobody else spoke either.
Back in his casual tone, her father then said, “You see, his friends
brought him in, and when they were asked what took place to cause
such an injury, they said it was carelessness and would not happen
again. My brother is, of course, a discreet man, and he let it go. But
not long after, a certain girl we know also requested a healer. Not
Gen, mind you, but another. That healer reported that the girl had a
very slight concussion as well. She also sported a lump on her head
the size of a dumpling, a black eye, and various bleeds. At least,
according to the report.”
Yu kept her head lowered, staring at the table and her folded
legs beneath her. She had learned that silence was best. Her tongue
had a way of making situations worse.
Still, Yaozu had deserved it. She only wished she could have
given the same to the other two.
Nobody said anything for a while. Eventually, her father spoke
again.
“I see. Then I will ask the one who brought you to the healer,” he
stated with complete neutrality. Looking at her brother, he asked,
“Lei, what happened this evening?”
Lei looked their father straight in the eyes when he answered, “I
don’t know the whole story.”
Yu knew he was dissembling and appreciated the attempt, even
if it was destined to fail. At the same time, she was always
astonished at how her brother could look their mighty father directly
in the eyes. She wanted to curl into a ball and hide anytime she met
his terrifying gaze. Yu always saw anger and disappointment when
she mustered the courage to look for longer than a few seconds.
“Tell me what you know,” their father ordered Lei.
Her brother nodded and told the story like he was reporting to a
military commander.
“I was assigned mount care duty this evening, and I realized we
were running low on some supplies. So, I went to another barn
farther into the city to borrow some things for the night. I obviously
would have returned them. But when I got close, I heard the sounds
of scrabbling and scuffling from one of the stalls. I entered,
assuming I’d find a pair of lovers and send them on their way. What
I found instead were Yu and three others: two boys and a girl.” He
paused for a moment, then continued in the same formal tone.
“The larger of the two boys was unconscious on the floor. The
two others were dragging Yu’er out of a stall. She was striking at
them with her wooden practice swords, but, of course, it served no
purpose against cultivators and was ineffectual. The younger boy
punched my sister in the face, and she blacked out for a few
seconds.”
Yu could feel her mother shifting in her seat slightly at that last
part of the story, but she stayed silent.
Yu’s brother concluded the story with, “I confronted the two
upright children and instructed them to leave and take their
unconscious friend with them. They did, and I took Yu’er to a healer
and then home.”
Yu’s father was silent for a few breaths, likely processing the
events that had been related to him.
“How did you knock out the boy?” he inquired of Yu. “He is a
cultivator. At the Foundation Building Stage, yes, but I understand he
is at the second level, which means his skin and at least some bones
would be reinforced. A wooden sword swung by you should have
been barely useful.”
Her father was explaining this as though speaking to a child. Yu
felt some of her anger begin to bubble back up through the shame.
Of course, she understood the stages of cultivation. Just because
she wasn’t permitted to join the clan’s cultivation classes did not
mean she was completely ignorant.
The foundation stage was the first, and was used to build up and
strengthen the body. Its purpose was to prepare the cultivator for
the opening and use of meridians in the second stage and beyond.
Meridians were the pathways by which cultivators could cycle Qi, in
whatever form it took. Of course, Yu could not access Qi, could not
prepare her body for meridians, and could not use them even if she
could find and open them. She was a crippled freak, and always had
been.
“Well?” Her father interrupted her melancholic thoughts with a
snapped question.
She flinched and mumbled out an answer. “I surprised him.”
Yu knew nobody would believe her if she didn’t start with a
justification for a non-cultivator defeating a cultivator.
“That does not fully answer my question,” her father said in
response.
She sighed and explained, “He wasn’t actively cycling at the time,
and I struck his knee at the outer ligament, which caused it to
spasm and buckle under him. I struck his temple with the flat of the
blade while he was distracted by the surprise and pain.”
Silence followed again at the table until her father asked, “And
why were you at the barn?”
Yu didn’t know her shoulders could slump any further, but it was
apparently possible. “I was practicing my sword forms.”
A moment later he said, not unkindly, “You are not a cultivator,
Yu’er. We allow you those swords as a hobby and don’t interfere with
your practice because you appear determined to continue regardless
of our wishes. But by now you know you cannot fight with your
condition. You are too weak. Too fragile.”
Anger flared up within Yu. She knew she was weak. Everything
that was wrong with her was because she was weak. Her fury
caused her mouth to run without thought.
“I’m better than them. I work harder, remember the forms better,
and can use both hands perfectly. I’m a better swordsman and
fighter!”
Her tone was much harsher than she had intended it to be, but it
was too late at that point, as her mouth continued on its own.
“I know you think I’m a disgrace to this family and only bring
dishonor to you, but my martial skills are better than any of those
pretenders at less than foundation stage. I can bring value to the
clan, even if you refuse to see it.”
Her mother sucked in her breath, and Yu realized what she had
done by speaking to her clan leader in such a way. Any other
cultivator would be severely disciplined for such impertinence.
She attempted to correct it by bowing and saying, “I am sorry,
lord father. I did not mean to disrespect you or the clan.”
Yu deliberated whether she should reference her knowledge of
the second stage of cultivation to prove she had learned about it,
despite her father’s ban on doing exactly that. The stages, which she
learned through reading and eavesdropping, were Foundation
Building, Meridian Formation, Consolidation, Qi Manifestation, Qi
Shaping, Form Control, and Immortality. Even without official
classes, she could learn that much. Not that she didn’t sneak around
to eavesdrop on the classes anyway. But either way, it was too late.
After a moment of silence, his only response was a curt, “You are
dismissed, Yu’er.”
Yu bowed as low as she could without hitting the table, stood,
and left the dining hall. The moment the door slid shut behind her,
she ran out of the family hall and to her small rooms.
TWO
Corrupted Sign
Tears were already staining Yu’s face by the time she closed the door
to her bedchamber, gasping for breath. She sat on the edge of her
small bed and put her face in her hands, feeling like her heart would
burst from her chest it was beating so hard. Her body could not
support sprinting for more than a few minutes, which was,
pathetically, only long enough to cross the palace grounds.
“I can’t believe I said that,” she mumbled into her hands between
wheezes.
“Milady, can I help you prepare for bed?” The words of her maid
came through the closed door.
Yu wiped her face with the back of her hands. “Yes. Come in,
Feng Jie,” she called.
Yu sank back onto the bed, reliving the awfulness that was
simply another day in her cursed life.
Staring up at the ceiling from her bed, Yu revisited the fight at the
barn. She had had them beaten. She knew she had.
Yu wasn’t lying to her father. She was a better fighter. She knew
all thirty-two dual jian forms better than anyone in the palace save
her “teacher,” who wasn’t allowed to actively teach her. She just had
to secretly watch him and memorize everything as he practiced the
forms and taught his real students.
No, the problem wasn’t skill. Yu was just too slow, too small, too
feeble. She let out a sigh and whispered to herself, “Too crippled.”
Then she whispered another word and pressed her intent and
will into the world, “Sign.”
The God Sign that appeared continued to prove her correct.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ {Corrupted} ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Name: Yu
Clan: Fenghuang
Clan Rank: Patriarch’s Child
Age: 13
Meridians: 0/{Corrupted}
Qi Type: {Corrupted}
Qi Affinity: {Corrupted}
Body: 2 {Corrupted}* | Mind: {Corrupted} | Spirit: {Corrupted}*
Martial Forms:Tai Chi: (Initiate), Kung Fu: (Novice)
Weapon Capabilities: Jian: (Initiate), Dual Jian: (Novice), Whip:
(Novice), Bow: (Novice), Staff: (Novice), Spear: (Novice)
Qi Skills:
Aura: None
Mana: None
Ether: None
Status: {Corrupted}, * = Reserved
Honors: None
Titles: The Corrupted
~~~~~~~~~~~~{Corrupted} ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Without even looking at the words, Yu felt it was easy to see how
much of an aberration she was. Her God Sign had no color. None. It
was totally transparent with simple black writing floating before her.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
For the Christian Recorder.
Mr. Editor: I am glad to say that our church is gaining ground.
Christians are a unit in this place in laboring for the building of
Christ’s kingdom. Meetings are being held everywhere, with very
marked results. Elder James Madison is carrying on a great work in
St. James. He seems to be determined that every valley shall be
filled and every hill made low. I think that he is the right man in the
right place. The Elder visited my Sabbath School and addressed the
children. He expressed himself as highly pleased with the progress
of the church and school.
Elder Lazarus Gardiner, of St. Peter’s Chapel, is scattering Gospel
seed and contending against the assaults of sin, at the head of
noble-hearted workers for the success of African Methodism in this
State. They have paid five hundred dollars on their new church and
have arranged for the payment of another five hundred when due.
The Elder is up and a-doing. God speed him on his journey!
Dr. George W. Bryant is sounding the Gospel trumpet from the
battlements of Zion at the Union Bethel. He is master of the situation.
If our Gospel be hid, it is hid unto them that are lost. The Baptist
church is also doing a great work in this place. I was at a union
meeting at the Rev. James Chaig’s church, a Baptist brother, and the
Spirit of the Lord God filled the house. It was densely packed. The
conference of glad voices giving praise to God was a heaven below.
Brother Benjamin Buchannon also held a union meeting last
Sabbath, which was a complete success. Fully three thousand
people were present. The church and the yard were literally packed.
God bless these brethren! May they live long and continue as
instruments in the hands of God, enemies to ignorance and friends
to holiness! J. H. Scie, P. E., is on the scout, I presume, although I
have not heard from Elder Thomas. And Elder Burch I can give no
account of, as I have no news from their district since Conference.
A. H. NEWTON.
June 5, 1877.
Dedication of Macedonia Church.
The Rev. A. H. Newton was ably assisted in the service of
dedicating the beautiful new Macedonia Church in Camden, N. J.,
last Sunday. The dedicatory service was conducted and sermon
preached by Bishop A. W. Wayman, D.D., at 11 A. M. In the
afternoon the editor of the Christian Recorder and at night
Macedonia’s ex-pastor, Rev. W. H. Yocum, B.D., preached. There
were present the Rev. G. A. Mills, Rev. J. W. Cooper, T. N. Allen, S.
B. Williams, G. S. Smith, T. Gould, L. J. Coppin, B. T. Tanner, D.D., J.
H. Bean, J. W. Becket, D.D., W. Rice and G. M. Witten, of our
church, and S. P. Smith, of the Congregational Church of Knoxville,
Tenn. There may have been other ministers present. In the afternoon
the audience of the main audience room overflowed, filling the
basement, where they were addressed in a good sermon delivered
by Rev. G. M. Witten. The collection of the day amounted to over
$900. Macedonia has been partly described while in course of
erection. It is of brick, the windows are of beautiful stained glass, the
floor is entirely carpeted, the pulpit is furnished, the gas jets, the
excellent finish of the entire building within and without command our
congratulation to our Brother Newton and constituents, who with him,
as well as with his predecessor, Elder Yocum, under whose
pastorate the building was started, erected and enclosed, have been
faithful.
October 24, 1886.
Another Account of the Dedication of the

Macedonia Church.
For the Christian Recorder.
Mr. Editor: In the midst of the ranges of thought and sentiment,
and while the busy world was moving on in the grand march of
improvement, the Church of the Living God is unfolding and
developing everywhere. The Kingdom of Christ is gaining territory in
the marts of men.
Sunday, October 24th, the Macedonia A. M. E. Church of
Camden, N. J., was dedicated with imposing services. Indeed, I
venture the assertion that it was the grandest occasion in the history
of the congregation. More than forty years ago a few fathers and
mothers, African Methodists, concluded to build the house to God in
that city, all of whom have finished their well-begun work, and have
fallen asleep; but Brother Wilson, Father Sample, Mother Quinn and
Sister Hill. The younger men and women, inspired by the fathers,
took hold where they left off and have carried forward the work until
the third building is successfully reared on the same lot; but the glory
of the latter house is greater than the former. The members and
congregation needed this new church seventeen years before it was
built. They were losing their congregation of young people, their
societies were taking their start from Old Macedonia until eight other
churches were built in Camden. With the exception of one or two,
Macedonia was the poorest. Standing two and one-half feet below
the grade of the street might be seen a small flat-roof house covered
with felt, pitch and gravel; this was the A. M. E. church with a gallery
all around it, yet some of our ablest ministers had pastored there.
After I had labored three years in the city of Providence, R. I., in
August, Bishop John M. Brown said to me, “Brother Yeocum, we
have needed a new church in Camden for years, can you not go
there and build that church. You will find a good lot of people. We
must have a church there that will compare with the churches in
Philadelphia or we shall lose all that we have.” On the 22nd of
August I found myself in Camden, N. J., and it was not long before
we commenced talking about the new church. About the last of
October our first grand rally netted us $575.00; at the last service in
the old building we raised about $300.00 and soon $1,000.00 were
in hand. The old church was taken down and many were fearful that
the church would never go up again. We took the congregation some
distance from its stamping ground to what is known as “Kaighnsville”
and worshipped in our mission school-house just in the rear of the A.
M. E. Z. Church. Here we remained eighteen months while the
carpenters and masons were working on the present noble structure.
There were many discouragements and trying circumstances
confronting us, but we toiled on trusting in the Lord whose work it
was. The tribes led on by the presidents, Mrs. Anna White, the late
Lyda McCoy and Mrs. Maggie J. Moseley and Mrs. Lizzie Green,
collected money perhaps as they never expected. It was simply
marvelous. The former, if my memory is correct, raised over $500.00
during my three years pastorate while the building was being
erected.
On the first Sunday in December, 1885, we went into the
basement of the new church complete. That was an occasion of
surprise as well as of joy to the members of the congregation. For
many a Job’s comforter had prophesied that it would not go up
again, while others laughed saying, “Aha! Aha!” “Where is their
church now?” Perhaps some said, “What they do build, if a fox go up
thereon, it will break down.” In April, 1885, I was succeeded by the
Rev. A. H. Newton, who is a successful, energetic pastor, who does
not sit down or stand still waiting for something to turn up in his favor,
like some pastors. But he goes to work with such vim and is here
and there so much among his members that one following him
learns that Rev. Newton has been there. With this spirit he carried to
completion this fine and beautiful church. He and his members
deserve much credit. The church has all the modern improvements
and many say that it is the finest A. M. E. church in New Jersey. I do
not remember the dimensions but it is a large two-story brick building
with a cellar below where all the heating is done. On entering the
front door there is a stair-way leading to the audience room on the
right and on the left. Before entering the lecture room there is a fine
study and lecture and class room with frosted windows. The ceiling
of the basement is high, it is easily ventilated, the windows of the
best enameled glass. There is no paint on the wood work, simply
finished in oil, thus retaining the natural color of the yellow pine. The
audience room is large with three isles, one in the center and one on
each side, with a door at each isle, making the exit very easy. There
is a large gallery across the front, making the seating capacity about
550. The windows are the best variegated stained glass. In each
there is a memorial to Bishop R. H. Cain, the Rev. A. H. Newton, W.
H. Yeocum and Mr. Perry Wilson, the oldest member. The ceiling is
very high, carved and angled, with two large reflectors which give a
mellow, beautiful light. Unlike many of our churches all the floor is
carpeted and the fine furniture on the pulpit, together with the
splendid pipe organ, make an elegant finish.
At 10:30 a. m., after the usual form, Bishop A. W. Wayman, D.D.,
preached one of his noted sermons which was well received by the
people, the text being, “Who is she that looketh fair as the morning?”
And Rev. B. F. Lee, D.D., preached a most elegant, instructive,
sermon at 3 p. m. The congregation was so large that the Rev. G. M.
Witten preached to a crowded basement also at the same hour. At 7
p. m. your humble servant tried to preach from Rev. 1:11, “I am
Alpha and Omega,” the theme being, “Christ, the First and the Last.”
The collection was $900.00, which was very good considering the
circumstances of our people. The visiting members present were Dr.
B. T. Tanner, Rev. J. W. Cooper, Rev. G. A. Mills, Rev. S. B. Williams,
Rev. W. A. Rice, Rev. J. H. Bean, Rev. J. H. Morgan and Rev. L. J.
Coppin.
Rev. William H. Yeocum, B.D.
Trenton, New Jersey.
Resolutions, Etc.
Little Rock, Ark.

Whereas, The Rev. A. H. Newton, since his advent in our midst as
pastor of Bethel A. M. E. Church and subsequently, became
superintendent of our Sabbath School, demonstrating a great love
for the Sabbath School and zealously desirous of promoting its
complete success as a place of reform and education for the young,
has ardently labored to extend its usefulness and sound religious
and moral teachings in the minds of our youthful members, has
striven to lead the young to religious devotion, has spared no pains
to cause the officers and teachers to imbibe the same zeal, and,
being a devotee to music, has caused its uplifting influence to flow
among us, leading our voices to leap forth in joyous strains in
adoration to our King of kings, and to promote a higher intellectual
and spiritual standard among officers, members and scholars, and
has sown the seed that will bring forth an abundant harvest when his
hoary head is laid to rest in its last resting place; therefore be it
Resolved, 1. That the officers and teachers of the Bethel A. M. E.
S. S. give to Rev. A. H. Newton a vote of thanks for the expending of
his time and labors in promoting our welfare.
2. That we commend him to his many Christian friends for his
many deeds of kindness and labors of love, for both our temporal
and spiritual good.
3. That the above preamble and resolutions be recorded by our
secretary, and a copy be given to him.
H. J. BROWN,
W. H. SMITH,
G. W. OLIVER,
Committee.
November 19, 1876.
Respecting Rev. A. H. Newton.

At a meeting of the officers and members of the Bethel A. M. E.
Church, held in this city in 1876, the following preamble and
resolutions were adopted:
Whereas, He has served us faithfully for one year as pastor of
Bethel Station, in this city, and labored faithfully and honestly to build
up our Sabbath School and other organizations placed under his
charge by the General Conference; and
Whereas, He has taken special pains to instill into the minds of the
young of the church the grand and beneficent principles of
temperance and morality; and
Whereas, His Christian conduct, scholarly attainments and liberal
views have endeared him unto us; therefore be it
Resolved, That we, officers and members of the Bethel Church, do
hereby tender to him our heartfelt thanks for the noble work he has
done among us, and we will ever pray that the blessings of Almighty
God may rest upon him and his family, and aid him in his new work
to accomplish good work for the cause of Christ.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be presented to
Brother Newton, and that they be published in the Little Rock daily
papers.
G. W. OLIVER, Secretary.
November 18, 1876.
Macedonia Church Endeavors to Retain Their
Pastor.
Camden, N. J.
To the Presiding Elder and Members of the Quarterly Conference
of Macedonia A. M. E. Church:
Whereas, The New Jersey Annual Conference of the A. M. E.
Church will hold its annual session at Trenton April 20; and
Whereas, Another year’s faithful service of our pastor, Rev. A. H.
Newton, will expire; and
Whereas, His Christian deportment and liberal views, his
gentlemanly and agreeable qualities have endeared him to us;
therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the members of the Macedonia Quarterly
Conference, do, for his two years of earnest labor in the upbuilding
and finishing of our church and increasing our membership, tender
him our heartiest thanks; and
Resolved, That in this he has our heartiest regard and the good
wishes of the members of the Quarterly Conference, and we
sincerely hope that his future may be as bright and prosperous as he
may hope or desire, and we also pray that the Bishop may return
him to us for another year.
Resolved, That a copy of these minutes be presented to Rev. A.
H. Newton and be printed in the Sentinel and the Tribune.
Signed in behalf of the Quarterly Conference of the Macedonia A.
M. E. Church.
WILLIAM STEVENSON,
JAMES HURT,
CHARLES COX,
EZEKIEL WALLACE,
GEORGE ROBERTS,
JAMES BRISCOE.
March 24, 1887.
Notice.
Rev. A. H. Newton, pastor of the Bethel A. M. E. Church, has been
transferred to the Louisiana Conference. We regret to lose Mr.
Newton from this city, as gentlemen of his attainments are none too
plenty in the ranks of the A. M. E. ministry. Aside from being liberally
educated, he has shown a practical Christian spirit and work since
his residence in this city. He is to be succeeded by the Rev. J. R.
Jenifer.
East Camden, N. J.
At the last Quarterly Conference of the Hosanna A. M. E. Church
the following resolutions were offered by the Rev. W. W. Chase:
Whereas, The church has prospered under the presiding eldership
of Rev. A. H. Newton for the past four years; and
Whereas, This is his last year and Quarterly Conference; be it
therefore
Resolved, That we return to him our grateful thanks for the manner
in which he has conducted the business of the church, and pray that
the blessings of God may rest on his labors; and
Whereas, In the appointment of the Rev. F. A. Sherman to fill the
unexpired term of Rev. G. B. Smith has proven a blessing to the
church and the community; we pray that he may be successful in
preaching the Word of God; and
Whereas, He has been zealous and faithful in the discharge of his
duties, both temporal and spiritual; therefore be it
Resolved, That he has our prayers and best wishes for his future
success.
HARRY INGRAM,
WILLIAM INGRAM,
DAVID CORSE,
JOHN TOULKS,
BENJAMIN INGRAM,
NATHANIEL INGRAM,
GARDNER INGRAM,
HEZEKIAH COMMARGER,
Church Officers.
March 14, 1896.
Resolutions of Respect.
The Fourth Quarterly Conference of the Mt. Zion A. M. E. Church,
at its regular session, adopted the following resolutions:
Whereas, The Rev. A. H. Newton, having served us as pastor, and
as he is near the termination of his administration, it is the honor that
should be given to whom it is due and credit to those who justly merit
it; therefore be it
Resolved, By the members of this Quarterly Conference that in the
Rev. A. H. Newton we recognize a faithful Gospel minister and
energetic worker in his Master’s vineyard; and furthermore we
recognize him as a gentleman whose character is irreproachable
and whose ministerial bearing and executive ability commend
themselves to the judgment of the intelligent; and furthermore be it
Resolved, That we highly appreciate his efficient management of
the temporal, financial and spiritual interests of the church, and
whose administration of two years has been one of perfect
tranquillity and fraternal feeling, one of its prominent characteristics;
and be it
Resolved, That in giving him our testimony of appreciation we
would not forget his companion and coadjutor in his ministerial work,
and do highly esteem her as a Christian lady for her untiring
perseverance and devotion that has characterized her during her
husband’s administration.
Mt. Zion A. M. E. Church.

The quarterly meeting of Mt. Zion Church last Sunday was a grand
success. The Rev. A. H. Newton, the pastor, is very energetic and a
grand church worker. Rev. Gilbert T. Waters preached a noble
sermon in the afternoon. The Rev. Thomas held the audience
spellbound at night. Elder J. H. Morgan consecrated the elements
and administered the Lord’s Supper, with the assistance of Elder
Thomas. The church was crowded afternoon and evening. There
were many strangers present, who expressed themselves benefited
during the day. Mrs. Lulu L. Newton left last Monday morning to
spend a few days in Camden and Philadelphia with old friends. Mrs.
Ada A. Harris, daughter of Rev. A. H. Newton, will spend some time
in Atlantic City before returning to Raleigh, N. C. Elder A. H. Newton
has raised $900 since Conference for church purposes. The
congregation of Mt. Zion are well pleased with the appointment of
the Bishop. The Sabbath School of Mt. Zion will give a grand concert
in the near future, conducted by Mrs. Ada A. Harris, for the purpose
of getting new singing books. The collection at Mt. Zion last Sunday
was $45.83.
The members of Mt. Zion Church tendered their pastor, Rev. A. H.
Newton, a nice little surprise in honor of the reverend gentleman’s
fiftieth birthday. They had a good time and left many substantial
tokens of their regard.
The Obituary of the Rev. William Watson.

The Rev. William Watson, a member of the New Jersey A. M. E.
Conference, died at his residence in Woodbury, N. J., Tuesday,
August 7, 1888. He was one of the oldest preachers of the
Conference, and was therefore regarded as the “Father of the
Conference.”
The funeral services were held August 9 at the A. M. E. church,
Woodbury, N. J. The Rev. J. T. Rex preached the sermon, which was
very impressive, and Rev. A. H. Newton and Rev. Johns made very
appropriate remarks concerning the character and usefulness of the
deceased. Friday, August 10th, the body was carried to Frankford,
Pa., where services were held in the church, when eulogies were
delivered by Elder G. A. Mills, Bishop Turner, Elder J. W. Cooper and
others. Rev. A. H. Newton read the following resolution:
Whereas, we realize the fact that we sustain a great loss by the
decease of our dear brother and colaborer in the work of the Master;
be it therefore
Resolved, That it is but a just tribute to the memory of our brother
who has been taken from us to say that in his removal from our
midst we mourn for one who was in every way worthy of our respect
and our regard;
Resolved, That while we bow in humble submission to the hand of
Divine Providence, and while sorrow for the loss of a good man, a
kind shepherd, a faithful and beloved minister, we find consolation in
the belief that “it is well with him.” He fell at his post, and we believe
that he has triumphantly entered the Haven of Eternal Rest.
Resolved, That we also remember the family in the hour of
affliction and trial, we tenderly condole with and devoutly commend
them to the keeping of Him who looks with pity on the widow and
fatherless, and that we share with them the hope of a reunion in that
better land where death and separation are forever unknown.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be presented to the
family and printed in the Christian Recorder and other papers.
REV. J. T. REX,
REV. A. H. NEWTON,
REV. G. M. WITTEN,
REV. WALTER THOMPSON,
Committee.
LODGE NOTICES.
Past Grand Master P. T. Colding, G. Bailey, W. O. Castor, A. H.
Newton, Rev. Bean and twenty others of the State of New Jersey
paid Prince Hall Lodge, No. 10, a fraternal visit on last Wednesday.
Short addresses were delivered by those present.
Last week we left out the names of the officers elect of the Grand
Chapter: S. N. Robinson, M. E. G. P., P. L. Colding, R. D. G. H. P.,
Camden; W. H. Jackson, R. E. G. K., Bordentown; A. H. Newton, R.
E. G. S., Trenton; J. L. Derrick, R. W. G. Treasurer, Camden; W. F.
Powell, R. W. Grand Secretary, Burlington; W. H. Douglas, R. W.
Dist. Dept., Plainfield.
Madams Pitts, Daniels, Webb, Hack and Newton have been

assiduous in their efforts in making the fair a success.
At a meeting of the Damascus Commandery, K. T., No. 4, Trenton,

the following officers were elected: Sir A. H. Newton, Em. Com.; Sir
J. Thornton, Gen.; John Seruby, Capt. General.
Rev. A. H. Newton, Chaplain of the Senate,

Trenton, N. J.
Rev. A. H. Newton has been appointed Chaplain of the State
Senate, Trenton, N. J. Thus we creep up. This is a great honor to
Rev. Newton, as well as the race. We congratulate him.
March 29th-April 3d.
Camden, N. J., August 20, 1894.
The Adjutant-General W. S. Arcory, W. S. U.
S. A., Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir: Will you please inform me of the probable number of
troops enlisted during the Civil War, those having died from wounds,
being sick in hospitals, and the number of those killed on the
battlefield?
Also please advise me of the cost of the war, how many colored
soldiers enlisted, the years they enlisted, and the first battle they
engaged in.
Very respectfully yours,
A. H. NEWTON.
The following was the reply to the above:
Address: “Chief of the Record and Pension Office, War
Department, Washington, D. C.”
RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE,
War Department,
Washington, August 24, 1894.
Respectfully returned to
Mr. A. H. Newton, 332 Washington St., Camden, N. J.
Inviting attention to the accompanying printed statement
showing the number of troops furnished by the several States
and Territories under the different calls by the President,
including the number of colored troops.
According to the latest official compilation, 67,058 officers
and men were killed in action, and 292,470 died of wounds or
disease during the war.
According to a statement made by the Secretary of the
Treasury on June 10, 1880, “the expenditures of the
government on account of the war of the rebellion from July 1,
1861 to June 30, 1879,” including interest on the public debt,
“aggregated $6,189,929,908.58.” The amount expended
since the latter date is not shown by any statistics filed in this
Department.
The first authorized enlistment of U. S. colored troops
during the war of the rebellion was made in the State of
Louisiana in 1862. No detailed information as to the
organization and service of colored troops can readily be
furnished from data now accessible.
(one enclosure)
By authority of the Secretary of War:
F. C. Ainsworth,
Colonel, U. S. Army, Chief of Office.
Per
The Legal Form of Apprenticeship Used in the

Case of A. H. Newton.
State of North Carolina,
County of Craven,
ss:
This Indenture, made the eighteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord 1852, between the Worshipful William S. Blackledge,
Esq., Chairman and Presiding Justice of the Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions of the county aforesaid, of the one part, and Jacob
Gooding, of the same county, of the other part,
Witnesseth, That the said Presiding Justice, in pursuance of an
order of said Court, doth put, place and bind, unto said Jacob
Gooding, a free boy of color, an orphan, named Alexander H.
Newton, aged 17 years 16th July, 1852, with the said Jacob
Gooding, to live after the manner of an apprentice and servant until
he shall attain the age of 21 years. During which time the said
apprentice his said Master shall faithfully serve, and his lawful
commands gladly obey, and not absent himself from his Master’s
service without leave, but in all things as a good and faithful servant
shall behave.
And the said Jacob Gooding doth covenant, promise and agree,
with the said Presiding Justice, that he will teach and instruct, or
cause to be taught and instructed, the said apprentice the art and
mystery of a bricklayer and mason, and constantly find and provide
for the said apprentice, during the term aforesaid, sufficient diet,
washing, lodging and apparel fitting an apprentice, and also all other
things necessary both in sickness and in health, and at the expiration
of said apprenticeship will pay to said apprentice six dollars and
furnish him with a new suit of clothes and a new Bible.
In witness whereof, the parties have hereunto set their hands and
seals the day and year aforesaid.
J. GOODING. (Seal)
WILLIAM BLACKLEDGE. (Seal)
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
J. G. Stanly.
State of North Carolina,
County of Craven,
ss:
I hereby certify that the above is a true copy of the original filed in
this office.
Witness my hand and official seal this 22d day of August, 1878.
S. W. CARPENTER, C. S. C.,
Per J. B. Willis, Deputy.
(Seal Superior Court.)
Transcriber’s Notes
Minor errors and omissions in punctuation have been fixed.
Page 20: “the thoughlessness” changed to “the thoughtlessness”
Page 78: “loaded with human frieght” changed to “loaded with human freight”
Page 79: “the Rio Grand” changed to “the Rio Grande”
Page 99: “Klu Klux Klan” changed to “Ku Klux Klan”
Page 100: “were Klu Kluxing” changed to “were Ku Kluxing”
Page 104: “in Chatanooga” changed to “in Chattanooga”
Page 111: “now occupied ed by” changed to “now occupied by”
Page 113: “one of the the Ten Commandments” changed to “one of the Ten
Commandments”
Page 122: “this conncetion” changed to “this connection”
Page 123: A repeated line of text was removed.
Page 124: “Harriet Henson, son and others” changed to “Harriet Henson, and others”
Page 128: “$57 for for traveling expenses” changed to “$57 for traveling expenses”
Page 133: “was begining” changed to “was beginning”
Page 177: “Omnipotence, Omnicience” changed to “Omnipotence, Omniscience”
Page 179: “most greviously” changed to “most grievously”
Page 186: “others may life?” changed to “others may live?”
Page 199: “Dibine Leadership” changed to “Divine Leadership”
Page 243: “assistant princial” changed to “assistant principal”
Page 247: “sermon deliverd” changed to “sermon delivered”
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Fenghuang Da paced across the worn wooden floor with a scowl on

Fenghuang Da glanced at it, waved his arm dismissively, and

By the end, Da was pleased that it had turned out to be a good

Eons before humanity, four heavenly beasts brought together

The True History of the World, lost to time

Thirteen years later (early spring) – A dilapidated barn in Fei Shu

~~~~~~~~~~~~ {Corrupted} ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another Account of the Dedication of the

Little Rock, Ark.

Respecting Rev. A. H. Newton.

Mt. Zion A. M. E. Church.

The Obituary of the Rev. William Watson.

Madams Pitts, Daniels, Webb, Hack and Newton have been

At a meeting of the Damascus Commandery, K. T., No. 4, Trenton,

Rev. A. H. Newton, Chaplain of the Senate,

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{Corrupted}