“When a man lives a life of good deeds, he earns a better life in his next reincarnation,” he said, in a rush to explain. “He might be richer or happier in his family life. When he does evil, his next reincarnation punishes him with poorer circumstances. But life after life, the Prince has been reincarnated to much the same status as before. It means he’s done nothing good or bad in each life to tip the scales enough either way to merit change. He neither advances nor worsens. It means he’s lived a passive existence every single time. How is that even possible?”

“With intervention from the Queen Mother of Heaven, I suppose,” the Star said slowly. “She promised me he would enjoy a good life each time. But even the Queen Mother must abide by the Wheel of Rebirth.”

“So she can’t meddle with his reincarnation,” the professor said, pausing to face the river, “but she can meddle with his life so that he’s reincarnated to a life that’s no better or worse. She can do this by suppressing emotions and motivation. Traits that propel us to kindness or evil. Traits that fuel purpose.”

“Purpose.” The Star turned her face up to the sky. “I understand. The guardian spirits are leaving, but some do so unwillingly. With nothing to protect, no prayers to answer, they lack purpose.”

Professor Kang knew this was his last conversation with the Star. That he would now live with the absence of wonder. He reminded himself that he had seen the immortal. That before she left, a Star had taken him by the arm. It was enough. It had to be enough. As if she could hear his thoughts, she turned to him.

“You’ve been a good friend, Professor,” she said. “May favorable winds attend your journey, for all the days of your life.”

The Journey East

Map by Nick Springer / Springer Cartographics LLC

Chapter 27

On Friday, most students used their afternoon of free time to stroll around the streets of Shangtan and its market square. They browsed secondhand stores and shopped for used books and clothing to replace what had worn out. They treated themselves to meals from sidewalk kitchens. The more devout offered incense at the town’s temples.

Shao and Lian left the barracks in ordinary clothes, nothing that marked them as students of Minghua. They loitered in the market, watched a fortune-teller shake his bamboo canister, customers crowded around intently as the wooden fortune sticks spilled out onto the cloth-covered table. Stalls all around echoed with spirited haggling. Shao nudged Lian toward the stall selling baskets. The lane beside it led out of the square toward the riverfront, where they would meet Sparrow.