by Tao Wong
“Yes, I was. I’m glad.”
“It’s not as if I have a choice. Elder Wei is part of the expedition and needs help bringing the materials.”
“Why is Elder Wei coming?”
“Do you not know? The Elders accompanying the expedition are all looking forward to the production of the Sagacious Amber Dew Pill. Elder Li has gathered all but the last piece, which is what the expedition is for. The pill helps release cultivation bottlenecks in the Core formation stage. To increase efficacy of the pill, Elder Wei intends to produce it the moment Elder Li harvests it.”
“I’ll be glad to have you there.”
“I’m not.” Wu Ying frowned, and Liu Tsong shook her head. “You’re too low in cultivation. If it was not for the fact that Elder Li no longer has competent help, I would never recommend you going. The untamed spirit lands are too dangerous.”
Wu Ying bristled at his friend’s words. Unlike Liu Tsong, he at least consistently trained his martial arts. The sole reason she was stronger than him was her cultivation. In terms of pure martial arts, he was better than her, he was certain. But… “Thank you for your consideration.”
“Har! Don’t pout.” Liu Tsong smiled. “Come, try one of these tea cookies. My servant managed to acquire some from Yu county.”
Pushing aside his irritation, Wu Ying took one of the proffered cookies. Her concern was well-intentioned. As he bit into the surprisingly chewy cookie, Wu Ying made note that if he was going, he really did need to tell Ru Ping directly.
***
The armory, unlike many of the other buildings in the sect, was made of carved stone instead of wood. The grey stone of the armory was carved with numerous glyphs and sigils for the formation ritual which reinforced the armory’s walls. Along the red roof of the armory, additional glyphs and carved spirit animal guardians could be seen, some so lifelike Wu Ying would almost swear they watched him as he neared the building.
The armory sat in the middle of the sect’s properties, abutting the slope of the mountain. Few members of the sect visited, as even entering the building cost a minimum of a hundred contribution points. That ensured the traffic to the building was minimized and increased the overall security of the building. Many sect members waited and consolidated their contribution points before they entered the carved stone hallways.
After Wu Ying had informed Ru Ping of his decision and purchased all the necessary mundane equipment, at Fairy Yang’s recommendation, he took a visit to the armory to seek out appropriate equipment.
“Long Wu Ying?” Elder Wen said. The Elder, matronly and stern with light brown hair, walked out from her office. As she came up to Wu Ying, she stared up from under Wu Ying’s collarbone. She took the cultivator’s sect token, her nimble fingers turning the sect token over and over. At Wu Ying’s acknowledgement and bow, Elder Wen smiled. “Elder Li and Elder Yang mentioned you might be visiting.”
Wu Ying blanched. “Did they?”
“It is a good thing, young man,” Elder Wen said, lips curling up in amusement. “Many in the sect strive for years and never receive even a trace of acknowledgement. And here you have gained the attention of numerous Elders.”
Wu Ying scratched his head, somewhat bemused by Elder Wen’s assertion. Considering half the interest he had created was from Elders who were not favorably disposed to him, Wu Ying had to disagree with her assertion of the favorability of that attention.
“Now, what are you looking for?” Elder Wen said.
“I was hoping the Elder could provide her advice,” Wu Ying said. “This is my first expedition…”
“Advice?” Elder Wen paused as she considered. “Very well. Let us see what you have.”
Elder Wen walked over to a nearby table, gesturing for Wu Ying to follow. In short order, Wu Ying had the contents of his storage ring on display. Not that there was much—other than the jian he carried on his hip, there was another mortal-level jian, a dao, and his crossbow to show the Elder.
“Nothing else?”
“Nothing of note but my manuals, Elder Wen,” Wu Ying said.
“No armor. A poor crossbow. No talismans.”
“Yes, Elder,” Wu Ying acknowledged.
“Well, it looks like we have much to offer then. Tell me of your fighting style and your current martial styles.”
Wu Ying hesitated then pushed it aside before the Elder could grow impatient. There was little point in hiding his capabilities from the Elder. The sect was not that large, and all his styles—with the exception of the Long family style—had originated from the sect itself. Wu Ying would not be surprised if the details of what he had acquired were in his sect token.
When Wu Ying finished speaking, Elder Wen said, “I would counsel a few options with your current contribution points. Come.” Elder Wen strode to the center of the waiting hall and stood before a table before she beckoned to the waiting attendants. “Bring the Azure Thunder Silk, the Radiant Flame Talismans, and the Brilliant Woo Petal Bracer.”
In short order, the attendants returned. During the interim, Elder Wen had taken a seat, allowing Wu Ying to serve her the tea that sat brewing on the table. At Elder Wen’s gesture of consent, the attendants pulled apart the cloths hiding each of their burdens from view. First to be revealed were simple, pale underrobes made from Azure Thunder Silk. As Wu Ying traced the silk with his fingers, he sensed the chi woven directly into the silk itself.
“Thunder Silk is produced by the thunder silkworms. Twice as strong as woven steel of the same width, the silk’s nature helps absorb impact and resists cutting. It is also extremely comfortable in all kinds of weather and helps regulate a wearer’s temperature,” Elder Wen said. “Expensive, but Thunder Silk is worn by the majority of our inner sect members who are intent on placing themselves in dangerous situations.”
“Is the silk considered spirit-grade material?”
“No. But it is on the border between mortal and spirit,” Elder Wen said. “True spirit-grade material would be out of your price range. You are better purchasing this and proper armor from the blacksmiths.”
Wu Ying nodded, moving his fingers away from the robes. “How much additional protection would this offer?”
“Some,” Elder Wen said. “Mostly against creatures who wield air- or earth-aspected chi. Certain forms of blunt impacts will also be decreased.”
“And the talismans?”
Elder Wen turned toward the talismans, simple slips of yellow paper with words written on them. However, they were not ordinary words but chi-infused scribbles, powered by the author’s chi. “The Radiant Flame Talismans were penned by a flame cultivator. Powerful talismans for offense. A single offensive talisman is sufficient to injure, if not kill, a beast below the equivalent Body Cleansing stage. Against those at the Energy Storage stage, it will injure and distract.”
Wu Ying eyed the five offensive talismans before he turned to the other five.
Three were separated and what Elder Ru gestured at next. “Defensive wards. Not as effective, as they’re flame-aspected, but they will form a simple fire wall sufficient to scare away most beasts.
“The final two are warding talismans. They will form wards when deployed and alert you when those of hostile intent cross the barrier.”
“Useful, but limited use,” Wu Ying said.
“Of course. If they were unlimited use, they would be significantly more expensive,” Elder Wen said. “Lastly, we have the Woo Petal Bracer.”
Wu Ying picked up the bracer. The bracer was delicately carved of jade, the petals of numerous types of flowers detailed with loving care. As Wu Ying turned the bracer, the wood of the table they sat at sparkled through the gaps between the petals. “There’s a distortion…”
“Between the petals,” Elder Wen said. “The bracer collects chi from the surroundings and stores it between the petals and inside the jade itself, a nectar of power. Its creator was metal-aspected, and when used with your jian, it will allow you to project metallic sword chi.�
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“A chi attack?” Wu Ying said, surprised. He turned the bracer over a bit quicker. This was a powerful, precious artifact.
“Yes. You have two uses before the bracer must recharge,” Elder Wen said. “Still, it is powerful.”
“Can I afford it?”
“Barely,” Elder Wen said. “I must caution you, unless you choose metal aspect, this bracer will reject you once you gain an aspect. Its creator was strongly metal aspected and passed that on to his creation. Even those of wood or earth aspects are unable to use it.”
That would explain the cheaper cost of the bracer. Those in the Energy Storage stage would find the equipment useful but not necessary, since they could project their own chi. Those in the Body Cleansing stage would desire the bracer but find it a risky investment unless they were already metal aspected.
Then again… Wu Ying touched his ring. He did have the Yellow Emperor’s cultivation manual for the Energy Storage stage. He planned on continuing in the Yellow Emperor’s cultivation method, staying away from aspecting himself until he found a cultivation style which suited him. It was not, Wu Ying knew, the most optimal or the most efficient of choices. But it left his choices open and that, Wu Ying felt, was important.
“Defense, offense, and versatility,” Wu Ying said, naming each of the three items she had brought. He hesitated but discarded an errant thought. Asking for something to make him lighter on his feet or faster was useless. Not only were items that contributed to speed in high demand, but he was going to be traveling with the expedition. It was unlikely he would ever need to run away.
“You have much to think about.” Elder Wen finished her cup of tea and stood. “Inform my attendants when you are done. They will deduct the requisite points and return your sect token to you.”
“Thank you, Elder,” Wu Ying said as he stood and bowed.
“Take care. And remember, on your first expedition, there is no shame in being cautious,” Elder Wen said before she walked off.
Wu Ying sat back down to ponder his decision and her final words. Was she hinting he should pick up the silk robes?
Chapter 17
The day of the expedition arrived all too quickly for Wu Ying’s taste. When Ru Ping realized Wu Ying would be joining the expedition, he initiated an even more intensive set of lessons, forcing Wu Ying to work the fields and repeatedly harvest the plants they expected to encounter. In the little free time he had left, Wu Ying bought a set of light, banded armor and threw himself into cultivation and training with the martial specialists. Pill refining could take a backseat to increasing his survival chances.
At the main paifang that marked the boundaries of the sect proper, Wu Ying looked around at the expedition group. Elder Lu, the gatekeeper, spoke with the other Elders, while the remaining members of the expeditionary force spoke to one another.
“Why are we waiting?” Tou He asked, looking about at the gathered group. “Are we not all here?”
“We are, but it’s not yet a fortuitous time to leave. I understand Elder Li paid for a reading to ensure we face better fortune,” Chao Kun said.
“Har. That’s all superstitious rubbish,” Li Yao said as she joined them, her quarterstaff on her shoulder.
All three men turned toward her with varying expressions of disapproval and disappointment.
“Are you saying Elder Kim’s foretelling is rubbish?” Chao Kun said.
“Ah… not Elder Kim,” Li Yao backtracked. “But most fortune telling is wrong.”
“Street fortune tellers and charlatans are not Elder Kim. He is well known for his ability to read the will of heaven,” Chao Kun said.
“Yes, of course. I never understood what delaying our journey would do. We could leave now and get to the flower sooner,” Li Yao said.
“The journey is at least two weeks long,” Chao Kun said. “And that is if we travel directly to the kurinji flower. But worry not. We have a week’s leeway.”
Wu Ying smiled in agreement, recalling the additional information Ru Ping had imparted to him. The flower had been first located over a decade ago. Soon after, Elder Li had traveled to the clearing to verify the find and ascertain when the kurinji would next blossom. Ever since then, this expedition had been in the making, though quietly. After all, no one in the sect wanted another cultivator or sect to learn of this fortuitous encounter.
“Congratulations on your breakthrough,” Wu Ying said to Li Yao. “It was good timing.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Li Yao said with a smirk.
“You’re at Energy Storage 4?” Wu Ying said, recalling previous conversations.
“Yes! I’m much stronger now.”
“Of course you are,” Tou He said.
That should be obvious. A single increase in cultivation at the higher levels saw a significant increase in fighting strength, unlike when one was at Body Cleansing.
“What? You don’t believe me? Come, I’ll let you taste my stick!” Li Yao said, pulling her quarterstaff off her shoulder and shaking it at Tou He.
Her words made the group cough and look away, with Li Yao growing increasingly crabby as the group declined to fight her.
“Thank you all for coming,” Elder Li’s voice cut through the chatter, drawing everyone’s attention to the Elders.
Wu Ying was surprised to note a new Elder had joined them, one clad in the Elder’s traditional black robes but with a much more ornate headdress. Similar to the ones worn by the Hall Masters, but with gold and green trimmings.
“Elder Kim will be seeing us off and blessing this journey. Please.” At her last words, Elder Li gestured to the group.
The group, except for the Elders, dropped to their knees. Elder Kim pulled a small bamboo whisk from his storage ring, an urn of blessed water in his other hand. As Elder Kim walked around the group, he chanted, the words esoteric and confusing, a melodic susurration that enveloped and held the group still, its melody resonating with the Dao of the universe and drawing in chi from the surroundings. Each spray of water offered benediction and cleansing as chi wrapped around the expedition’s members’ bodies. As chi cloaked Wu Ying like water, it merged with his flesh, bones, and meridians.
Seconds turned into minutes, the power seeping into their bodies. When Elder Kim finished, he was back at the head of the group. Elder Li gestured, and the sect members stood. Wu Ying silently assessed himself, feeling the blessing that lay in his bones, the traces of heavenly chi that tilted luck in his favor. It was not much, a sliver of silver in his favor against the weights of fate. Then again, so much of this world existed and changed because of the smallest of things.
“Thank you, Elder Kim,” Elder Li said.
A chorus of thanks erupted from the group before Elder Wei gestured and the group took off down the hill. As Wu Ying joined the run, Xi Qi caught Wu Ying’s gaze. The gatekeeper flashed him a quick smile and nod, offering his own silent blessing before the pace of the expedition took them away.
***
They travelled down the mountain and around it, taking the first main branching road. The expedition could have left via another exit and cut their journey short by a few hours, but Elder Kim had recommended they leave by the main gate. It did not matter, not really, to the group of cultivators. Once they took the branch, the group sped up, easily outpacing the movements of any low-level cultivator. There were no horses this time—the creatures were too easily scared off by the monsters in the spirit lands. Better to move on sure feet.
As one of the lowest-level cultivators in the group, Wu Ying found himself running at nearly full speed to keep up with the light jaunt of the others. Clad in the light armor he had purchased for this trip, he found the increased weight mildly frustrating, the restrictions on his movement more so.
Once again, Wu Ying mentally cursed the fact that he knew no qinggong skills. Idly, Wu Ying wondered if the bracer he carried could perhaps be adjusted, even transformed, to store and expand chi to allow him to run lighter. An idle thought, since i
f it was possible, it would have to be done by a celestial designer and enchanter. And Wu Ying could not afford either.
All Wu Ying could do was run and cultivate, drawing in the chi from the surroundings to help refresh his body as he jogged behind the group. Beside Wu Ying, Tou He ran effortlessly, matching his friend’s pace as he looked about with a half-smile. Behind, a pair of porters, individuals tasked with carrying the sundry mundane items the Elders could not or would not carry in their storage rings, followed. They took the run with ease, long legs stretching into a li-eating lope. And right at the back, Chao Kun and a pair of other martial specialists watched the rear, wary of ambushes.
At first, Wu Ying just ran. The land around them was well-known and picked over, with little to interest a harvester or cultivator. Animals did make their way in occasionally, but for the most part, the land around them was well cared for in the way wilderness set next to civilization had a tendency to become. Still wild in some parts, but tended. Deer paths became well-worn trails, earth pounded down by the relentless trek of humanity. Occasionally Wu Ying caught glimpses of logging and harvesting, trees and vegetation taken when someone felt a particular need. If not for the sect’s desire to keep the land around them green, Wu Ying knew the forest here would have been bare.
For the first few hours, the world was normal and placid. At some point, as they made their way down the mountain and entered the valley in the mountain range, that changed. The first sign of the change was in the pathway they ran. The path, no longer ground under countless feet, became sparse, with newly broken vegetation by the cultivators ahead of Wu Ying.
Next was the change in the vegetation. The vegetation grew greener, more bountiful. Fed by rain and untouched by man, more of the trees grew higher and taller. Below, the undergrowth grew thinner, if no less lush, feeding off the sparse sunlight that filtered through the leaves.
Lastly, Wu Ying felt the change in the chi. The environmental chi around the sect was dense and plentiful, drawn from the surroundings and the dragon line which ran under the mountain range. The chi in the surrounding forest was nearly as plentiful, if rawer, more untamed. It was also, unlike the chi in the sect, more heavily aspected to wood, earth, and water. As Wu Ying ran, he noted how certain members of the expedition grew stronger, more carefree, and others slowed as their natural aspects struggled against the environment.