the Baishan Sect

The Baishan Sect kept to the frontier, a sword school that trained women and held to stern rules of its own; its name carried little weight in the Central Plains. Its swordplay is light and quick, built on speed, precision and closing the last half step first. Its leadership changed hands more than once, and after the disaster Dugu Linghe brought down on the sect, Bi Taotao took command of a house already listing.

Restoring it was another matter. The sect owed the Three Pillars of Kunlun its strength against the Maskwalkers, and it had dead sisters to replace, so Perfect Transcension became the shortest road — everyone in the sect knew the time was being bought with people. The elders argued a long while over whether the art was wickedness or a gift; the younger disciples put it simply: if no one can say for certain, why not try it ourselves.

The art worked. Their skills leapt, and their faces hollowed out inch by inch. They still stand in ranks at the gates and the crossings, still use Baishan techniques; the hands on the hilts no longer look much like hands, and though the gate still stands, there is hardly anyone left inside who can still speak.

• Baishan Disciple: Fights with paired daggers, lightest on her feet of the four, twisting and darting in until she is at your flank.
• Baishan Scout: Savage legwork and a hand crossbow; she skirmishes in and out like wind, loosing bolts the instant you cross her path or step into a blind spot.
• Baishan Twinblade Guardian: A flick of the wrist sets her twin daggers whirling like scattering blossom, and short blades flash out between exchanges; she lived through the sect's turmoil and swore to stand with its master to the end, though the ones she waited for never came back.
• Baishan Sword Guardian: Conical hat low, purple robes streaming, swift as a bird flashing across the sky; she once trusted a sister with her back, and the blade still came from behind.

All four styles are built on speed and closing in. Racing them is a poor trade; give half a step, let the combination finish, and the opening shows itself. The scouts usually stay on the outside with their crossbows, so cut them down first and half the formation comes apart.

The crossbow and the thrown blade are the only ranged threats. Follow the sound of the string rather than the figure. Once you are inside, stay inside — never let them step back and start the combination again. They cover each other the way sisters do, so pull one out of the line and the rest lose their cue — though to the last they believe the back behind them belongs to a sister.