Volume 2- Chapter 4

Chapter 4

~~~~Tai Su~~~~

Life as a cultivator is both not what I was expecting and exactly what I was expecting.

On one hand I learned martial arts, how to move at speeds that would leave normal people befuddled, how to shatter rocks with my bare hands and a lot of what the stories of my past life told me was normal.

On the other hand, I am not doing it at the sect, but close to home in Seventh Yellow Hill Town, but at least the company is pleasant.

Our hands moved faster than our eyes could fully process, each hit blocked or parried in a choreographed dance both of us had to learn in the days since were were assigned our newest mission.

Ya Xue ‘s body turned slightly and I knew that the foot strike would come, a strike which I parried and mirrored immediately after. This was a routine for our bodies to get used to the flow of battle.

One of her fist strikes which should have evolved into the next strike of her foot, was telegraphed when it shouldn’t be, her fist going just a bit further than it should have, which I took as my signal.

My position was no ideal. I wasn’t overextended but it was a position meant to make blocking easier when I should be dodging and judging by what I am seeing, that is exactly where she wanted me to be.

I lowered myself down just as the hit was about to hit me and fell on the floor on my hands, my legs stretched in front of me and in-between her legs, and then I pulled them apart.

My hands hurt from the fall, but Qi enhanced them enough, that the fall only hurt as opposed to cracking or breaking a bone because I managed to prepare myself for it.

Ya Xue hadn’t and when she fell I was faster to recover. I jumped quickly towards her and sat on her, my ass on her chest, my legs pinning her hands down and my fist clenched and ready to smash into her.

I strengthened my muscles and my fist left its position with the speed of a cobra and my fist hit its intended target as cracks from what could be only bone made themselves heard.

“Tai Su, strengthen your muscles and bones, you always forget the bones.” Master Shen Xifeng admonished.

She then proceeded to heal my arm as Ya Xue went limp beneath me now that the fight was over.

My fist hit the floor just near her head and it was my own bones that cracked and not the dojo Lord Xi prepared for us and that elder Shen Xifeng enhanced with her formations and some alchemical compounds.

“Bones are far slower to enhance, if I did that I wouldn’t have been able to make the hit.” I explained.

I wasn't screaming due to a technique elder Shen Xifeng taught me that would reduce the pain one felt to almost nothing. I wasn't yet at the level where I could still retain some measure of sensory output from it, instead having me lose most of my sense of touch around my arm, but it beat screaming from having my bones shatter.

“You’ll need to work on it still, but otherwise excellent performance.” She said once my healing was done.

I was trying, muscles came easily and strengthening them was instinctive, but bones? Bones would sometimes take me seconds to enhance, my Qi refusing to work with them with the same ease it did with my muscles.

I rose up from Ya Xue then proceeded to pull her up.

When she was up and no longer disoriented from hitting the ground, our master addressed her.

“Ya Xue, you have improved, but you do need to pick the moment when you break the flow better. You did the breaking as well as you could, given how long you’ve trained, but you telegraphed it and Tai Su noticed it. You need to either learn to hit harder without the mnemonics of pulling your punch back or stick to foot strikes, as those seem to not require it from you.” Master explained.

It wasn’t an admonishment. But an acknowledgment of what just happened.

Both of us turned towards her and bowed.

“We thank you for instructing us master.” Both of us said as one.

Ya Xue and I were hit with an issue as we begun cultivating and training, we were advancing too fast in our cultivation compared to the others. The others could keep up, somewhat and in short bursts still. But with the exception of Bao, who had the capacity to accrue more Qi to pad her reserves to last for more than a short spar, the others quickly ran out of Qi after a fight and we could easily just fight four or five of them one after another and last even longer.

Master Shen Xifeng noticed it, and had us train privately with her more than the others to ensure we made the most of it, while occasionally taking Bao in with us and still allowing us to train together when not doing our personal training.

“Both of you are improving and have been cultivating diligently, too diligently as a matter of fact and in two months I will no longer be able to allow you to train with the others at your current pace.” She explained serenely.

Ever since she ‘dealt’ with the thief and showed us the thing the woman was turned into, she had turned from the force of nature that barely seemed held back from killing anything around her by a thin facade of humanity into a pleasant woman, that while strict doted on us. It was jarring, but still better than fearing for my life all the time.

“Is that a bad thing master?” I asked.

I thought diligence was expected of us, how are we moving too fast?

Her answer was a giggle of all things.

“No, it is not a bad thing, but it complicates things on my end somewhat. Growing in power and diligence are never a bad issue, but you’ve noticed that you grow in power faster than the others. Having Water Meridians is a real advantage and combined with some diligence and resources, you might be able to push through the second tier in a year and a half.” She explained.

“You told us that the record for it was eight months for water meridians to achieve the second tier master and that most consider one year to be the benchmark. It looks like we’re slower than normal.” Ya Xue replied.

We've already been cultivating for weeks at what the elder called a proper pace, but by her estimates we were still far slower than the benchmark used for other cultivators.

She shook her head.

“Cultivation takes time, and the spirit stones I gave you speed it up, because with them around you no longer need to only absorb the Qi in the air.Instead it flows into you from the spirit stones as well, which allows multiple Qi streams to flow into you at the same time. One year is what happens if you do nothing but cultivate, take care of your bodily needs then go back to cultivation while eight months is what happens when you always have a spirit stone available to you,. For the others it would take them five, and Bao Xiaoli two and a half normally, three years with her technique.” She explained.

“How long will it take her?” I asked.

Bao has those intermediary roots, which allow her to cultivate faster and achieve some sort of equilibrium between her meridians and dantians which would essentially guarantee her passage into the second tier like we did. If the others tried to do that technique their time to cultivate would essentially triple. Others have tried to do the normal cultivation and then switch to her technique, but it does not work.

One needs to start in early to properly align the flow of Qi so that the breakthrough is smooth, otherwise it takes even longer, up to fifty years after you reached the peak of the first tier, to align the flows and guarantee a breakthrough.

And judging by the elder's words that's fifty years of tireless cultivation.

Reaching the peak of Qi Comprehension means one will live up to 150 to 170 years old so it is technically doable and some actually try it to guarantee success, but most cultivators with Light Meridians try to rush it the normal way, are simply not interested in pursuing greater power at all,or give up after a failed attempt to Ascend.

“At her current pace three or five years depending on the technique, the others will take something between twelve to fifteen years before they reach Qi Comprehension and choose to stay there or risk a breakthrough.” Our Master explained.

“Thank you for explaining Master.” I said and bowed again, something Ya Xue mirrored shortly after.

“You have nothing to thank me for, now I have allowed you this past month to get used to life as a cultivator, the combat training, your pursuits and your specific duties Tai Su, but now you will have your first duties as members of the pavilion.” Master said.

Both Ya Xue and I straightened up.

Master Shen Xifeng held up her end of the bargain and taught us the basics of our chosen professions.

Bao has started to learn formation crafting, the twins and Yu Zong alchemy with Yu Zong focusing on medicine while the twins focused on physical enhancers. Da Xiu and Ya Xue did not bother to pursue a crafting profession that involved Qi and Mei Lin and I chose making one time use talismans.

I also had to work alongside teacher Hao Wen in her scholarly work to explain the nuances of Virtue and Valor and translate one to those that only knew of the other, as well as help with smoothing out issues between foxes and humans.

I have to do it, because the original mission demanded that elder Shen Xifeng and whichever disciples from among us wanted to join her Pavilion were meant to ensure teacher and whatever students she has do just that. And unfortunatelt, sect master Fu Jian did not want to change his orders once he noticed that one of said students joined his sect.

“We are ready for it master.” Ya Xue declared before I could.

I nodded shortly after to show my support.

“I am glad to hear it, what do you know of the Wolf beast clans?” She asked us.

Ya Xue looked at me and gave me a defeated look that told me she knew nothing of them. She barely knew much of foxes, as her studies were focused on cultivation, philosophy and history and none of those included the wolf clan, as apparently they haven’t done anything noteworthy, ever.

“ Very little master, I know they’ve been around for thousands of years and that they are the first beast clan to rise, but they’ve had no Nascent Souls in more than two thousand years and always insist on living in small clans or tribes, which are little more than large packs. I know some of them can speak imperial and can trade with us, even as they are not allowed in towns or cities, but I’ve never seen one or spoken with people that claimed to have did.” I answered.

I asked teacher Hao Wen before I became a cultivator about the other beast clans. After the fox clan and the spider clan, the largest are the wolf clan, which arrange themselves in small tribes or large packs. There’s also technically speaking the naga, but the snake people have no human ancestry, so they do not count as a beast clan.

The largest settlement of the wolf clan is in the far west and it’s a relatively decently sized town of three thousand, which is said to contain close to a third if not half of all their people, while the rest of their people exist in migratory groups or small villages around the Town of Willows.

“Unsurprising, considering that imperial policy is to hunt any that show up in our lands and refuse to politely leave when asked to, at least outside of Orange Prefecture.” Our master said.

“Why is that Master?” I asked.

“Ya Xue, you seem like you know, please tell me what you know of it.” Elder Shen Xifeng encouraged gently.

I turned towards Ya Xue.

“Other species, with the exception of the fox clan, are not allowed to exist in most of the Empire of the Blazing Sun after one too many of them ate our people. Orange Prefecture is part of a quartet of Prefectures together with the Lemon Prefecture to the far west near the border with the Naga and Satsuma and Clear Sky Prefectures to the far East where mostly Foxes which did not want to join the main clans live. With the exception of the Satsuma and Clear Sky foxes, all members of other species need special dispensation to be allowed to travel through the Empire and they cannot settle in it.” She explained.

“Ah, so that’s where the Koji foxes live.” I nodded sagely.

“Koji?” Ya Xue asked.

The elder answered before I could.

“It means orphans. All members of the fox clans come from lineages started by a single nascent soul fox that was forced to breed with humans by the spiders. There are twenty one ‘old’ lineages of which seventeen still have their Ancestor. Three of those ancestors left to start the Union of the Lao, while the other fourteen decided to go south and founded the Fox Clans.

Most of the Koji foxes decided to just settle down in the Satsuma, Orange and Lemon Prefectures with us, instead of following the others and it is the reason why those three Prefectures have laxer laws and views in regards to foxes, as most of those that live in them are either foxes like those in Satsuma, or are descended from them like the people in the Lemon and Orange Prefectures.” She explained.

I didn’t know that and judging from Ya Xue’s reaction she didn’t know either.

Teacher told me there ware some foxes to the far east, but she knew little of them beyond the fact that they were called Koji and that they existed. She certainly didn’t mention anything about our Prefecture being descended from them.

I knew of the fox blooded and how those seemed to exist and refer to anyone with red hair, but I didn’t know that most of the prefecture has some fox ancestry.

“So what are we meant to be doing with the Wolf Clan, master ? I doubt we are meant to hunt them down?” I asked.

We were a part of the Pavilion meant to handle disputes and ensure that the Prefecture existed in harmony. We were meant to be able to defend ourselves, yes, bu we aren’t meant to go look for trouble and hunt people down.

“A rogue cultivator has decided to settle with one of the wolf tribes we allow to exist within our borders according to what the reports said. The man is not imperial and is not well versed in our language either from what the reports say. Your duty will be to go talk to him and find out what lead him to coming here, if he received any training somewhere, or if he is affiliated with other organizations.” She explained.

“That sounds like the sort of thing you send a bureaucrat for master, not multiple cultivators.” Ya Xue replied.

I agreed, at best you would send one cultivator. If the situation was as lopsided in our favor, the wolves should know better than to harm even the most harmless or obstinate of emissaries.

“Normally yes, you would be correct, the wolves know better than to start anything if they don’t want to go extinct and know that they are allowed to exist in Orange Prefecture and that allowance can be rescinded whenever we feel like it. That being said, this is an easy enough mission to allow you to get used to talking and dealing with non-imperials and I decided to send the two of you, Da Xiu and Mei Lin on it, as your temperament is well suited for it.” She responded.

Of the eight of us, Da Xiu and I are the only ones actually excited about our duties. Yu Zong, Bao and Mei Lin are only in it because we are, and the first two are unlikely to remain part of the Pavilion.

Yu Zong will eventually join the Medical Pavilion and Bao showed a talent for the skills necessary in creating formations, which she will be able to start working on upon reaching the Second Tier, and when she does she will join the Formations Pavilion. The twins will probably remain, if for no other reason because they seemed to hit it off with some foxes and will probably stay invested in ensuring the stay of their new friends will be a harmonious and fruitful one, and Mei Lin is Mei Lin, she is a special case and all of us know it.

Ya Xue on the other hand? Her stay in the Pavilion is a temporary one at best, even if she was anything more than lukewarm on it. Once she reaches Foundation Establishment and the peak of the Second Tier she will have to leave for the capital to do whatever those with her Physique are meant to do.

“Why me as well master?” She asked simply and tried to hide her insecurity.

Elder Shen Xifeng and I both frowned. Ya Xue may not be the most diplomatic individual, and her confidence issues are something she needs to work on, but the Pavilion is not a bad fit for her. She genuinely seems to find the foxes pleasant to be around and has managed to act as an impartial judge in some disputes between foxes and humans.

It was mostly worries about some goods quality, but still, she was a good fit for the pavilion even if her own issues did not allow her to accept it.

“Your stay in the Pavilion of Harmonious Cooperation and Integration is a temporary one, assuming you wish to advance to the third tier that is. We all know that you will try it, despite how well you seem to be doing in the pavilion. It’s still no excuse for me to not do my duty as your master and develop your talents in the path you are most suited for.” Elder Shen Xifeng explained softly.

“And we thank you for it elder, we will go tell the others about our future mission, when will we leave?” I interjected before Ya Xue could do or say anything else.

The last thing I wanted was for her to wallow in her insecurities. She wanted to grow in power and Ascend the Tier and that was fine, but the fact she seemed always so insecure of her position in our pavilion, or really any group she’s in, can get tiring after a while. Bao and I continue trying to make her feel welcome, but these bouts of insecurity always seem to rise out of nowhere.

Elder Shen Xifeng noticed what I just and sighed at that, knowing that because she didn’t bring it up propriety forbids her from bringing it up. Her attempts to make Ya Xue feel welcomed and valued don’t work, I don’t know why or how, but the only thing that seems to work is Bao and sometimes Yu Zong and I would rather not make their jobs more difficult.

“You will leave in three days and will stay with the wolf clan for a week. You will take supplies for two weeks of travel and some weapons just in case. Also inform Bao Xiaoli that I would like to talk with her about something important today.” She dismissed us with a wave of her hand.

“We will prepared and inform the others of it elder Shen Xifeng.” I declared and both Ya Xue and I bowed.

We then proceeded to head to our quarters and look after the others, we had important news to share.