by Tao Wong
“It matters if they have been pushed aside. Any demonic or spirit beast that could drive them away might be too strong for us to win against,” Elder Po said. “This expedition has grown more dangerous.”
“Do you want to return?” Elder Li asked, her voice a challenge.
“No. But we should be aware of the increased dangers.” Elder Po lowered his voice even further. Wu Ying had to strain to catch his next words. “We are likely to see more deaths before this is over.”
Someone sniffed.
Then Elder Wei’s voice came, cold and merciless. “Only among the unimportant. I’m sure you all have your contingencies, as I do.”
“And they don’t matter?” Elder Dong said, anger tingeing his voice. “I thought you brought one of your direct disciples, Ye Fan.”
“My least-promising direct disciple, ” Elder Wei replied. “Though it would be a pity to lose her and Chao Kun. They have some minor talent.”
Wu Ying winced, wondering how Liu Tsong would feel if she heard her master so casually dismiss her potential death. A moment later, Wu Ying realized his own life had not even merited a mention. As his face flushed with anger, Wu Ying bit into his tongue by accident, and he released a little yelp. The arguing voices in the tent stilled, and Wu Ying scrambled to his feet as Elder Dong poked his head out of the tent.
“You there. What are you doing here? What was that noise?” Elder Dong asked.
“Uhh… cleaning my bowl, Elder,” Wu Ying hastily replied and bowed. “I bit my tongue while eating and walking. I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
“You can’t even move and eat. Idiot.” Elder Dong sniffed. “You’re the smelly one, aren’t you? Go clean the bowl and yourself. And do not come near this tent again.”
“Yes, Elder! My apologies Elder,” Wu Ying said, bowing again before he scrambled away.
When he was a distance away, Wu Ying tenderly probed his bit tongue and breathed a sigh of relief. Getting caught eavesdropping was unlikely to do him any additional favors.
Still, Wu Ying could not shake the memory of the conversation. And how casually the Elders, Elders who were meant to look after them, had dismissed their lives.
The next day, the expedition began running at first light. Hours passed before they met the first scouting party. Unlike before, the xing tian pulled back rather than clash with the cultivators and trailed the group at a distance. As the group ran, they heard the clash of axe against shield punctuating the silent forest.
“Why are they doing that?” Tou He growled as the second hour of the xing tian trailing them passed.
“Can’t you tell?” Wu Ying said, tilting his head to where the last clash came from. “Can’t you sense it?”
“Sense what?” Tou He said.
“The increase in demonic chi. They’re drawing in more of their people,” Wu Ying said.
As the xing tian were currently mute, the clash of axe and shield must be their way of signaling for more of their clan.
“We should kill them then.”
“And how are you intending to catch them?” Li Yao said as she swung around from where she ran. “They are at least at the Energy Storage, maybe Core stage. Once you leave the group, they will flee from you. Senior Ge and the Elders might be able to catch them, but that would give the xing tian a chance to catch them alone. And if they leave, who protects us?”
Tou He jumped over a knee-high root, landing lightly, while Wu Ying swung around the root. As Wu Ying ran, he felt his chi churn, pushing through his meridians. If there was one advantage to all this running and constant re-use of his chi, it was how clean his opened meridians were. It did nothing for the uncleared meridians that were still clogged with impurities, but he found the stench others complained of had reduced significantly. If they kept this up for the next couple of weeks, he might be able to move and cultivate without becoming so reek, maybe even break through to the next stage.
“So what do we do?” Tou He said after the group had run for another hundred feet.
“Run. We run and hope to leave their hunting grounds,” Li Yao said.
“Won’t it allow them to gather their people? If we all head in the same direction and fight them…” Wu Ying offered.
“I’m sure the Elders have a plan,” Li Yao said.
Wu Ying frowned, recalling the overheard conversation from last night. Perhaps the Elders did have a plan, but as he looked back to where the injured cultivator flagged and the porters struggled, Wu Ying wondered if the plan was to leave bait behind. He shook his head, discarding the thought. He would worry about that when it happened. If it happened. It was not as if he could do much to stop them.
On and on they ran. In time, even the least sensitive of the cultivators could feel the ominous presence of the demonic chi in the distance, surrounding their group. Twice, the expedition group moved so fast, they overtook the xing tian deployed ahead of them and clashed with the scouting groups. Each battle was fast and furious, the entirety of the expedition group taking part in the attack.
“We won, didn’t we?” Tou He asked blithely after the second fight, looking forward to where the Elders were speaking in soft tones. “Why do they look even more worried?”
“Numbers,” Wu Ying panted. He had been of little use in the fights, barely contributing to the demise of a single Energy Storage-level xing tian. And even then, he had to pierce it with a bracer-reinforced attack while it had been distracted by his friend. Now, Wu Ying was finding it hard to keep up, his breathing ragged, his chi stores dropping precipitously.
“I don’t understand,” Tou He complained.
“He means there are too many xian ting. We have defeated over twenty, but there are still more. How large a clan have we found?” Chao Kun said as he dropped back to speak with them. The senior martial specialist had been shifting position along the line as they ran, ensuring no one had been left behind.
“Oh. Ohhh… Buddha’s tears,” Tou He said as he looked around at the foreboding surroundings. He gulped and clutched his tong fas tighter, the pair of half-T short sticks a polished burgundy wood. “We should run faster.”
“Trying,” Wu Ying said then shut up, saving his breath.
Hours. Lunch was eaten on the run, passed from one cultivator to another. The pieces of meat and congealed, glutinous rice were wrapped in green leaves for freshness. The food tasted strange, having been stored and reconstituted from the enchanted storage rings, but in these circumstances, it was the perfect supplement. Eventually, as Wu Ying and the other lower-level cultivators trailed farther and farther behind the group, Chao Kun made another appearance with bottles of pills.
“These are chi restoration pills,” Chao Kun said. “Place under your tongue. Do not chew. Let it dissolve slowly and pull the energy into you. There are three pills in each bottle. Only use them when you are low.”
“Thank you, Senior,” Wu Ying and the other cultivators chorused.
“No need. This is from Elder Wei.”
Wu Ying hesitated, but after seeing how the other cultivators perked up the moment they placed the pills under their tongue, he took one out and used it. The first thing that struck him as he closed his mouth was how bitter the concoction was, making his face pucker up. The next was the surprising fruity fragrance that filled his mouth. As Chao Kun urged them onward, Wu Ying took off running, breathing through his nose and drawing forth the chi the pill released into his body. The chi from the pill was unaspected, ensuring all of them could make full use of it. Wu Ying knew the aspected cultivators would make less optimal use of the pills than he did, but then again, they were of higher cultivation level. So it probably all balanced out.
Given a second wind, the group sped up, leaving their surprised pursuers behind for an hour, but soon, the clash of weapon and shield surrounded the group once more. This time around, the tempo of the shieldbeat had increased and synchronized. Each clashing filled the forest, pushing at Wu Ying’s chest with the force of their impact.
&nbs
p; “Get ready,” Li Yao, who had taken her turn running beside the slowest of the group, warned the cultivators. “They’ll be coming soon.”
Wu Ying nodded, his jaw clenching tightly. All around, he saw the guards pulling in close to the expedition group.
“Hurry up. We’re nearly there!” Elder Po’s voice came from the front, drawing their attention.
When Wu Ying mouthed “Where?” to Li Yao, the cultivator shrugged.
But in answer to Elder Po’s declaration, the entire expedition sped up again. Wu Ying fumbled for a second, tossing his second pill from Elder Wei’s stash into his mouth and storing the pill bottle. It was a waste in a way, for Wu Ying could tell he had not fully assimilated the first pill. Worse, the continued use of the pills would leave toxins and impurities in his meridians, forcing him to extend his cultivation time.
But better a longer Body Cleansing than dead.
The first attack came from their right, a trio of impatient xing tian charging forth from the undergrowth. Tou He and the other pair of cultivators on the right flank took the attack straight-on, never breaking their stride. One threw a curving metal disc that slipped above a shield, tearing off a xing tian’s ear as it blinded its target. A second guard fired bolts from a repeating crossbow[25] and peppered a xing tian who managed to block all but two of the bolts. Unfortunately for the monster, the cultivator had poisoned the bolts, and the demon stumbled as the poison entered its bloodstream. Tou He caught the last demon’s descending axe high with the tong fa before hooking the weapon and striking the axe out of the demon’s hand with his other weapon. A quick series of strikes cracked and broke the creature’s knee, allowing Tou He to disengage and catch up with the expedition.
As if the initial attack was a signal, more probing attacks were launched at the group. As the attacks intensified, the group was forced to slow its headlong rush. Wu Ying soon found himself facing off against a pair of xing tian, his sword weaving a defensive formation as he fought off the striking axes. The shields the monsters wielded blocked any attacks he could throw, forcing Wu Ying to constantly retreat and opening a line in their formation.
All around, Wu Ying caught glimpses of various cultivators locked in battle. A porter, smashed to the ground by a shield, gasped his last as an axe buried itself in his chest. Li Yao battled three xing tian by whirling her spear above her head and conjuring a series of ice spikes that cut into her opponents, pinning them in place. As quickly as the demons fell, others took their place.
As the line was about to collapse, Elder Dong appeared, jumping high above their heads. As he spun through the air, he threw a series of inscribed yellow talismans. The talismans unerringly struck the xing tians’ foreheads and carried the demons out of the line before exploding and wreathing their targets in flame. In the brief respite, the cultivators regrouped, breathing heavily and favoring wounds.
“Do not stop. I will hold them off!” Elder Dong directed the group.
In Elder Dong’s hands, his axes appeared before he threw them out to strike and injure the xing tian who had already begun to charge. As one, the remaining members of the expedition took off, heeding the Elder. Wu Ying’s last glimpse of the Elder was Elder Dong slowly backing away, his axes flying from his hands, still burning with flame.
“Will he be okay?” Wu Ying gasped.
“Shut up and run,” Chao Kun ordered with a snarl. But even he threw a worried glance backward.
As the Elders took a direct hand in the running battle, the next few minutes were easier. In short order, Wu Ying found the group slowing down and bunching up. Elder Po fell back to watch their back as Wu Ying saw the reason for the expedition stopping. A wide canyon lay before them, separating one mountainside from the other. Between the two, from far below came the light rumble of water.
“What are we going to do?” one of the cultivators said.
Already, the rhythmic drumming of the xing tian approached. Wu Ying looked behind, seeing nothing but undergrowth and the thin line of combat cultivators.
“Relax. Once we cross, the xing tian will not be able to harm us,” Liu Tsong said.
“But how will we cross!” the same worrywart cried out.
In answer, Liu Tsong pointed at the edge of the canyon, where Elder Li and Ru Ping stood. Elder Li continually struck her cane on the ground, and as Wu Ying watched, earth formed and added to the dirt beneath Ru Ping’s feet. The man strode forward, dispersing seeds before him that fell and grew, anchoring the formed earth and creating a green-carpeted bridge. As the pair walked forward, the bridge formed beneath their feet.
The remaining members of the group stared in awe for countless seconds before Chao Kun’s voice cut in. “This is not the time. Watch yourself. The xing tian will attack us for real once they realize we are trapped.”
“And we’re down one Elder already,” Tou He said.
As if to punctuate his words, sudden explosions erupted from the treeline. Elder Dong stumbled out of the vegetation, past the line of guards who parted to let him through. Li Yao grasped the Elder and held her cold hands over his bleeding wounds, freezing the blood that dripped from the injured Elder.
“Do not worry, child. It’s mostly superficial,” Elder Dong said, chest heaving as he drew in air.
The Elder made no move to stop Li Yao however, allowing her to continue her ministrations. Once Elder Dong caught his breath, he fumbled out a healing pill and swallowed it, closing his eyes to cultivate and heal.
Wu Ying gestured with his head to Tou He, and together, the pair joined the thin line of guards near Chao Kun. As they readied their respective weapons, the crackling of flame coming from the forest died off and the beat on the shields increased in tempo.
And then stopped.
“Ready yourself,” Chao Kun warned.
The xing tian exploded from the trees in a wave. Wu Ying drew upon the Brilliant Woo Petal Bracer and sent the metal chi into his sword. Executing Covering the clouds with the Tail, Wu Ying tapped into his understanding of the Dragon’s Breath and the metal sword chi to strike at the xing tian. The attack, when it struck, tore open skin and muscle, exposing bone and injuring the demons that failed to block the cultivator’s attack. Next to Wu Ying’s initial target, a pair of demons whose shields had been badly cared for had their defenses shattered, leaving them exposed.
Wu Ying’s projected attack was joined by others. By his side, Senior Ge threw his fists forward at such speed, only the after-shadows of his fist strikes could be seen. The projected fist strikes forced back those who faced him, many falling to the ground, bloody and concussed. Those demons that had the misfortune to face Elder Po could not withstand even a single punch.
But not all portions of the line were as equally fortunate.
Tou He, unable to project energy—even falsely like Wu Ying—took his attackers on directly. The ex-monk swung and thrust the blunt end of his weapons, catching, upsetting, and striking those demons that came within range. But the limited range of his attacks forced him to retreat as axes and shields pressed him back.
As more and more xing tian arrived, the line buckled.
Wu Ying found himself beset by one of the xing tian that had broken away to attack him. Forced to pay attention to the demon, Wu Ying allowed others to close in on the group. Yet he had little choice, for the demon’s overbearing strikes required all his attention. A careless block would see his weapon beaten out of his hand, exposing him to further injuries.
A twist and Wu Ying kicked out, sending the demon flying backward even as it blocked the kick. Another thrust, slipping through the gap between shield and axe, tore open the inner thigh of monster. A hasty dodge and a follow-up corkscrew punch set back another attacker.
The line of cultivators was forced to collapse backward, relying more and more on Chao Kun, Li Yao, Elder Po, and a few other powerful martial specialists. Wu Ying fought as hard as he could, but often had to divert more powerful opponents to Senior Ge.
“Useless.”
As the monster opened the mouth that was located at its belly button, the smoke dove within. Immediately, the demon beat on its torso in an attempt to drive out the smoke. All along the line of cultivators, the xing tian were assailed by the smoke. Those behind backed away, wary of the living smoke.
“Fall back,” Elder Po said, shaking the blood off his fists.
The cultivators retreated under the protection of the hip-high smoke. As Wu Ying retreated, he glanced back to see the smoke continuing to spill from the cauldron manned by Elder Wei and Liu Tsong. Wu Ying watched as the Elder directed the smoke from the cauldron with waves of her hand, the smoke twisting and surging toward the xing tian. Even as he watched, Wu Ying saw how the level of smoke forming decreased, the way the smoke at the edges of the clearing dissipated.
“How long can she hold?” Tou He asked.
“Long enough,” Liu Tsong replied with a grim smile. “We used a lot of rare materials for this, but it should hold.”
Wu Ying breathed a sigh of relief, then looked back to where Elder Li and Ru Ping worked. How Ru Ping made the seeds grow and sprout, holding the earth together so that Elder Li’s chi would be less exhausted, amazed Wu Ying. Wu Ying knew the Elder had to be supporting the entire thing with her chi, chi that was being exhausted as they crossed the gap.
As Wu Ying looked back at the cauldron and its smoke and the xing tian prowling the edges of the smoke that had poisoned and killed their friends, Wu Ying could not help but marvel at the Elders. Together, they had held off a clan of xing tian.