by Tao Wong
Once the rescue group managed to traverse the beguilement formation, they found a much-reduced scouting group. In a heptagon formation, seven members of the original group sat, each of them cultivating and supplying chi to the formation via the formation flags set forth before them. Even Wu Ying could tell the formation had been hastily constructed using pre-prepared formation flags. As he extended his senses to the formation and the individuals supporting it, Wu Ying could not help but notice how a significant portion of the chi they provided was dissipating into the air instead of reinforcing the formation.
What was even more shocking was the state and numbers of the scouting group. Elder Li, who sat in the center of the formation, had a cane laid before her, but it was one Wu Ying had never seen. Each of the surviving members of the scouting group lay about on the ground recuperating or sat cultivating, and all were injured. Even Tou He looked the worse for the wear, seated in front of a formation flag, bare-chested with deep bruises along one side.
“What happened?” Wu Ying said.
“The taotei caught us unaware,” Chao Kun replied. “Rest for a bit. I will deliver the Elders to Elder Li, after which I will show those of you who have arrived how to replace us at the formation flags.”
“I know this formation,” Li Yao volunteered.
“Good. Bei Khoo is tiring the most,” Chao Kun said.
Li Yao bobbed her head and trotted off to replace the cultivator.
The other cultivators moved to take a break, have a quick word with their friends, or in a few cases, relieve other cultivators at the formation flags, leaving Wu Ying to truly take in the clearing. The first thing to catch his eyes were the kurinji plants dotting the clearing. The kurinji were a few-feet tall shrubs that sprouted and grew at irregular intervals. As Wu Ying bent to look at a shrub, he could not help but notice how close to blooming the flower buds were. The petals for the plants were purplish-blue in color, with some shading all the way to sky blue. It did not take Wu Ying long to notice the plant he stared at was of the common variety, flowering once every twelve years. What they were looking for was the much rarer, spirit-enhanced plant which flowered once every half century.
“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Ru Ping said as he limped over.
Wu Ying’s jaw dropped as he saw how bandaged the cultivator was, one entire side of his face covered.
When Ru Ping saw Wu Ying’s gaze drift to where his ear had been, and the bandage that covered one eye, the cultivator offered a sad half-smile. “I am one of the lucky ones. It only ate one ear. I shall regain my eyesight eventually.”
“What is the taotei?” Wu Ying asked, his voice hushed as he looked around. “Everyone mentions it, but I have never heard of it.”
“I keep forgetting you are new to the sect,” Ru Ping said. “The taotei has plagued these lands for decades. It constantly moves around the spirit lands, so much so we do not know if there is one or a dozen of these creatures. We believe it be at least three though—for its cultivation level constantly changes.”
“And this one’s level?”
“Peak Core,” Ru Ping said. “It’s a demonic beast, released from the underworld directly. The taotei has four legs and carries its strength in its forelegs. It has a mouth filled with teeth, horns that surround and protect its body, beady, ever-hungry eyes, and a flat snout. The creature prefers those with chi for its meals, but it never stops eating.”
“The trees.”
“Yes. We should have known. We should have realized it had come to this land.” Ru Ping’s voice dropped as he continued. “Maybe she did and wanted the flowers anyway. When we arrived, Elder Li set up the formation immediately. But it was too late by then.
“It hit us when we were nearly done. Tore into Ah Bei. Bit off his arm. And then his torso. And legs.” Ru Ping glanced at a corner before jerking his gaze back to Wu Ying. There, in the shadows of the mist, Wu Ying could swear he saw a darker spot. “Killed and ate another two before it bore me down. If not for Senior Ge’s attack and sacrifice of his arm, I might have been eaten too. He struck it in the side. And then…”
“Then?” Liu Tsong, who had stayed, asked breathlessly.
“Then Elder Li hit him with her cane. Broke her cane and released the stored chi within, blowing it away. She hurt it enough that it backed off. And when it was outside our formation, we activated it forcefully,” Ru Ping said, nodding toward the group.
“That’s why it’s so sloppy,” Liu Tsong said.
“Yes. It saved our lives. But we cannot leave,” Ru Ping said.
“I don’t understand. If it’s at peak Core formation, should not the Elders be able to win?” Wu Ying said, brows drawn as he spoke. He looked over to where the Elders spoke in hushed tones, tension and worry radiating from their bodies.
“Not everything can be judged solely from their cultivation level,” Chao Kun said as he returned to the group. Even in the short time away, it looked as if his arm had been bandaged over. “Just as it is possible for a cultivator to beat those a tier above them.” Chao Kun looked pointedly at Wu Ying. “It is possible—even likely—for certain kinds of creatures to be stronger than their tiers. Elder Po is the only martial specialist among the Elders. And the taotei is a powerful, tier-bending demonic beast. It draws its strength from the food it eats, growing in strength as it eats more. Or when it is starved.”
“Then what are we to do?” Wu Ying asked.
“That will be up to the Elders. For now, you have training. You will need to take your turn too,” Chao Kun said, jerking his head toward the formation points.
“Yes, Senior.”
The basics of the formation support was simple—all it required Wu Ying to do was take the cultivator’s place, sit down, and channel his chi into the formation flag before him. The trick was that Wu Ying needed to channel the chi into the formation in a steady and constant fashion to match the expenditure of energy. This was unfortunately complicated by the inefficient formation, due to its hasty set up, and the variable amount required due to errant winds blowing away the mists, and the addition or subtraction of living creatures within the formation.
All of that meant it was better to send more chi rather than less into the formation. Wasted chi would not affect the formation, but too little chi could weaken it. As Wu Ying breathed and focused upon the formation flag before him, he steadied his beating heart and pushed more chi through his meridians from his dantian, sending it coursing from his hands to the flag. Even as he supported the formation, Wu Ying cultivated, drawing in additional chi from the ambient environment to increase his endurance. Each moment, each breath saw the exhalation of power, saw the chi in his body course through his meridians and out into the formation. The process was tiring, as if Wu Ying was taking part in a fast-paced marathon session. A marathon that required him to breathe slowly and steadily.
Hours later, Wu Ying was awoken from his cultivation and gently pried away from the formation flag. Too tired to walk away, Wu Ying rolled to the side and lay spread-eagled on the ground, his body soaked.
“If you would leave, that would be great,” the cultivator who had taken his place grumbled before he shut his eyes. Hands cupped together loosely, the cultivator deepened his breathing and took over the reinforcement of the formation.
Wu Ying ignored the cultivator, too tired to speak as he focused on recovering his energy. Eventually, Wu Ying managed to stagger to his feet and find a somewhat private location to wipe himself down, change his clothes, and comb his hair. Finally presentable, the cultivator strode over to join the small fire where a filling meal stewed.
“How long was I at the formation?” Wu Ying muttered as he noted both Li Yao and Liu Tsong still in their places in the formation.
“About four hours,” Tou He said from behind Wu Ying.
“Tou He!” Wu Ying exclaimed as he spun and hugged his friend. He stepped back when Tou He expressed his displeasure and detached from his friend. “You are looking better.”
“We’ve been taking turns on the formation as best we can. But”—Tou He shrugged—“it is hard. I do not have the same amount of chi as the others.”
“How long did you last?”
“About three hours at a time,” Tou He said. “We had to meditate and regain our chi as fast as we could before the next person failed.”
Wu Ying could not help but feel a flush of warmth at the idea of beating his friend at something. Then he mentally kicked himself for the thought. “You were injured?”
“A cracked rib and a sprained wrist,” Tou He said, holding up his left hand. Wu Ying could tell the inflammation had mostly disappeared, leaving a slight discoloration on the wrist itself. As for Tou He’s chest, Wu Ying saw the remnants of the bruises. “I was far away from the taotei when it arrived. Barely got a hit in myself. It still shattered my tong fa.”
Before he could ask additional questions, Wu Ying’s stomach rumbled, reminding him of his initial plans. In short order, the pair were seated a short distance away with bowls full of stewed meat, yams, wild mushrooms, and cabbage.
“We must have just missed speaking to each other earlier,” Wu Ying commented after he had finished half his bowl.
“Probably.”
“This taotei. How bad is it?” Wu Ying said, dropping his voice so as not to disturb the others.
Tou He gained a haunted expression. The ex-monk ran a hand across his bald head, pausing as he felt the beginning of scruff on it before he repeated the motion. “Bad. It’s strong. Fast. But most of all, it’s hungry.”
“How is that bad?”
“It wants you. Your chi. Your soul. It looks at you and you know it wants to eat you. To tear you apart and consume you. It frightens me,” Tou He confessed.
Wu Ying frowned, still not understanding, but fell silent as Tou He did not seem to desire to speak further. After spooning in a mouthful of stew, Wu Ying chewed and thought of another topic. Or at least, a related topic. “Did the Elders decide what we’re going to do?”
“Nothing,” Tou He said.
“Pardon?”
“We are to wait here, enforcing the formation until the flowers bloom. At that time, Elder Li will harvest the flower and Elder Wei will make the pills as planned.”
“But the taotei—”
“Cannot get in so long as the formation holds. With your reinforcements, the Elders believe we can hold on long enough for the kurinji flower to bloom. When the Elders have consumed the pills, they will grow even stronger and will take on the demon then,” Tou He said.
Wu Ying looked at the frowning face of his normally happy friend. “You sound worried.”
“I am. It is at least six more days before it’s expected to bloom. Maybe longer,” Tou He said. “And we’re already tired. What if we cannot hold the formation?”
“Then we all die,” Elder Wei’s cold voice crackled through the night air. The old pill refiner looked at Wu Ying then Tou He, sniffing. “Are you not a Buddhist?”
“Yes—”
“Then what are you concerned about? You will reincarnate. Or are you concerned all that meat you have eaten will make you a meal too?” Elder Wei cackled after she spoke. “There are no guarantees in cultivation.”
“Yes, Elder,” the pair chorused together.
“Do you think a fight between us and the monster would not be harmful? How many of these flowers would be damaged? What if it damages the one we need?” Elder Wei said with disdain. “If we lost the flower, would not all this be a waste?”
Tou He said, “But if we die—”
“We die.”
Tou He clamped his mouth shut while Wu Ying looked between the two. Elder Wei looked at Wu Ying, her eyes boring into the cultivator. He offered her a respectful nod. Whatever he thought, Wu Ying understood the necessities that drove the decision. Neither choice was optimal. And since the decision had been made, he could not change it. All he could do…
“Better eat up, Tou He,” Wu Ying said, bumping his friend with his shoulder. “We’re going to need the energy.”
Elder Wei nodded curtly at Wu Ying before walking off, making the rounds around their small encampment. As Wu Ying watched, she stopped by Chao Kun, unwrapped his arm, applied a salve, and rewrapped the damaged limb before moving on.
Together, Wu Ying and Tou He exhaled in resignation and got more food. The next few days would be long and tiring.
Chapter 21
A hand landed on Wu Ying’s shoulder, jolting him from his cultivation. Four days later, the entire process had become automated for Wu Ying. Sit down, channel chi at the bare minimum required to ensure the formation did not break. When you feel the hand on your shoulder, move aside and allow the next person to take over. Rest, eat. Cultivate to restore your chi levels. Rest more. Take over when it was your turn.
Simple. But not easy. Wu Ying rolled out of the way with a surge of energy then lay on the ground beside the cultivator who had taken his place. This time, to Wu Ying’s surprise, it was Li Yao. The female martial specialist was too tired to speak, though she flashed him a quick smile. All of them were too tired.
Each rotation, the cultivators entered the formation anchor points a little more exhausted. Each time, they struggled to stay focused, to keep the chi to the right amount without wasting. Even as they all gained greater experience and practice, exhausted minds and souls slipped. When the formation nearly failed when Tou He collapsed on the third day, the Elders had started rotating in. The addition of the Elders helped stabilize the formation and allow the cultivators more time to rest, as the Elders’ greater chi amounts allowed them to stay in the formation longer.
Twice, the taotei had attempted to breach the formation. Each time, its presence had forced a significant and painful increase in chi expenditure. Each time it tested the formation, the cultivators exhausted themselves even faster. If not for the taotei’s greed and impatience, coupled with its lack of tactical thinking, the formation would have fallen long ago.
As Wu Ying pushed himself to his feet, he stumbled, the sudden motion sending his head spinning. He tottered unsteadily till he regained his balance and stumbled over to the unending cooking fire. Once he spooned food into his bowl from the seemingly bottomless pot of stew and rice, he sat down hard. Bleary eyes traced the simple fire-aspected demon stone Elder Wei had donated to make the cookfire, the poor peasant within him marveling at the waste of taels. The exhausted cultivator who ruled his body quieted the whining peasant within with a mouthful of food.
As Wu Ying finished his meal and moved to get another bowl, Ru Ping arrived next to Wu Ying, his bandaged face somber. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired.”
“Hold out your hand.”
“What?”
“Hold out your hand and keep it steady,” Ru Ping commanded again.
Too exhausted to argue, Wu Ying removed one hand from his bowl and held it out for Ru Ping. Ru Ping stared, eyebrows sloping together before he allowed Wu Ying to retrieve his hand and more food.
When Wu Ying sat back down with his meal, Ru Ping spoke up. “Your hand is trembling.”
“A little,” Wu Ying admitted.
Cultivating and channeling chi was not supposed to be a physically demanding act. But doing so for four days straight with little break would take a toll on most bodies. The constant churn of chi through meridians and dantian would affect the physical body in the same way channeling chi could increase a body’s strength or agility as a directed effect.
“You will not take your place at the next rotation,” Ru Ping said.
“I won’t?”
“No. Elder Li has determined she requires someone with both working eyes. Eat, rest, cultivate.” Ru Ping fished in his robe and pulled out a pill. “Take this when you have finished eating. It will dissolve while you sleep and provide nourishment for your body and increase your passive absorption rates.”
“What is it?” Wu Ying said, taking the bottle with both hands and turning it around to see no labe
l attached.
“A Yang Metal Water Chestnut Pill,” Ru Ping said. “The yang chi within increases your passive chi absorption while the metal aspects help to cleanse your body.”
“And the water chestnut?”
“Tastes good.”
Wu Ying blinked and looked at Ru Ping. The other cultivator’s face was bland, offering no clue if he was joking. In the end, Wu Ying thanked the other for his aid and returned to his food. Even the brief surge of energy from a full stomach had faded as his body hungrily drew on whatever source of energy it could to fill the gaping maw in his dantian.
In short order, Wu Ying stumbled away from the cookpot, stuffed. He swallowed the pill before he collapsed on his bedroll, a part of him grateful for the balmy summer evenings before he fell asleep.
The next day, Wu Ying woke to the high morning sun beating down on his eyelids. Wu Ying threw a hand over his eyes before memory returned. Shooting up from his bedroll, Wu Ying was surprised to find his muscles moved without the usual aches and pains that had plagued him the last few days. Even more surprising was the extent his dantian had filled overnight. He was nearly half full, the highest amount he had been from a night’s sleep since they started this process.
After completing his morning ablutions and dealing with an overfull bladder, Wu Ying returned to the campfire. To his surprise, Wu Ying saw Elder Li working the campfire, frying up sticks of dough and warming a pot of soybean. Wu Ying scratched his head, surprised to see the civilized meal, and even more surprised when Elder Li made a stick of marinated meat appear in her hand to roast over the fire.
“Come, help me turn these,” Elder Li said without turning around.
“Yes, Elder,” Wu Ying said and hurried over.