Cultivating Chaos 2

by William D. Arand

  Locke?

  There was no response to his inquiry.

  “I heard them go by,” Na added. “It was two people. Very strong. I could feel their Qi through the earth. They haven’t come back up yet. They didn’t feel familiar to me. Non-sect masters.”

  Chunhua grunted at that, her hand on Ashley’s face sliding up to his hair and then moving through it.

  “I’ve fed you some medicine. I also did a little bit of work to help you,” Chunhua murmured. “Rou teaches me what little bits she can, if I can use them. You had a few things inside your brain that weren’t right. I’ve repaired them.”

  Locke? Hello?

  Pushing his Qi into his ring, Ash could feel a response that matched back to what he always felt from it. He could also feel Tai and Ehrinis in there.

  They were currently engaged in seeing if they could break the bed with their hips.

  Pulling away from the ring, Ash gave his head a small shake.

  Which was the wrong thing to do.

  It left him feeling like he was winded and the world around him was shivering uncontrollably.

  Oh, shit. I really got hurt, didn’t I?

  Again, there was no response from Locke.

  “Master Sheng, we should move away from this location. Just in case they come up and search for us,” Na murmured.

  “I’ll carry him,” Chunhua said. Releasing Ash, she got to her feet. Then she bent down, scooped him up, and held him just as Rou had done when he was injured. “Lead on, Na. I’ll follow and care for our Ashley.”

  Feeling like he wanted to throw up from the movement, Ash gritted his teeth. Keeping himself from doing just that down Chunhua’s back.

  A cool hand began to lightly brush back and forth over his neck even as Chunhua got him situated against her forearm.

  “I’ll care for you, Ashley,” Chunhua said, as she and Na started moving away from their current location. “Take care of everything.”

  By the fourth step she took, Ash realized he couldn’t hold it anymore.

  Leaning further over Chunhua’s shoulder, Ash tried to throw up beyond her so it wouldn’t touch her.

  “There, there, Ashley,” Chunhua murmured, seemingly undisturbed by his retching. “I’ll care for you. Worry not.”

  Which were the last words he heard before he blacked out again, as he laid his head back down on Chunhua’s shoulder.

  ***

  Groaning, Ash shivered once and then slowly curled up.

  He felt cold and nauseous. All he wanted to do was get warm and throw up again.

  Possibly at the same time.

  “He’s waking up, I think,” Na murmured. To Ash, it felt like she was atop him. “Do… mmm…should you put your clothes back on?”

  “No. Ashley has already seen me nude. Several times now. I have nothing he hasn’t already viewed at his own leisure. Nor anything that I haven’t offered him,” Chunhua said. She sounded like she wasn’t far off.

  Letting out a slow breath, Ash didn’t want to move.

  “Oh… he might be back asleep,” Na mumbled.

  “Given how hard he hit his head, that’s not surprising,” replied Chunhua.

  “You offered yourself to him?” asked Na, her voice changing volume as she moved away from him.

  “Indeed. To service him even as others watched and then to join his bed, as well,” Chunhua said and then laughed. “I fear I’ll have to get into his bed naked for him to make a move, however.”

  “Yes… Ashley… Master Sheng… is very slow to approach,” Na agreed.

  “I would say he’s just… very concerned about us, actually,” countered Chunhua. Then she clicked her tongue and sighed. “Ash, are you awake? Are you listening? I tire of waiting and will wait no longer. If we survive this, I’m getting into your bed, whether you are willing or not. I want to grow closer with you for who you are and what you’ve done for me. And that’s final. I shall claim my place and Rou’s as well. Tala, Na, Jia, and all the rest can come after us.”

  Na’s sharp intake through her nose was audible.

  Ash imagined she was looking in his direction.

  Managing to muster up some energy, he grunted once.

  If he survived this, he was going to put a lot more effort into wooing his harem. The cultivating world was too chaotic for him to take his time.

  “Oh. Good. I’m glad you understand,” Chunhua said, her voice coming closer. Soft fingers brushed his hair back tenderly from his brow. “I know you’re cold and don’t feel well. That’s the medicine I put into you just a short bit ago. It’ll help clear the rest of the damage. You’ll be fine when we wake up.”

  “Unfortunately, that’s the only outcome we can bet on right now and can’t wait for. Even from where we were, I could feel those two Qi signals exploring the tunnel the attack made,” Na added, drawing near again as well. “There’s no telling if they’ll remain in the hole, or start looking for caverns. They could end up b—”

  There was a distant crackle and boom of power.

  “Ah, it would appear you’re a fortune-teller of doom,” Chunhua grumbled. There was a rustle of fabric, which was likely Chunhua redressing herself. “Ahh, still wet. But the vomit is gone. This’ll do. Time to go, Ashley, my heart.”

  “I’ll carry him this time, it’s my turn. You have the light as well,” Na said, her voice coming directly from above Ash. “Forgive me, Master Sheng. Ashley. This’ll likely cause you discomfort.”

  He had about a second to prepare himself before Na picked him up, then pressed him to her front. Much in the same way everyone else seemed to carry him.

  Groaning, Ash pushed his face into Na’s neck, grabbed the front of her clothes with both hands, and tried to hang onto her.

  “Ahh… ahhhhh… alright…ah… we’re ready,” Na said in a very uncertain tone.

  There was a pop and flash of light through his eyelids as Chunhua likely made more magic to guide them with.

  Locke? Are you there?

  Once again, there was no response. Ash was on his own with Na and Chunhua. There would be no insights or assistance from Locke.

  Distantly, in the darkness behind Na and Chunhua, Ash could see a faint wash of red light.

  As if someone were scouring the area with flame.

  “We’re going to go down into the crevice!” Chunhua said from in front.

  “What!?” Na asked, moving much faster now.

  Unfortunately, it was jostling Ash every which way and he suddenly wanted to throw up again.

  “We don’t really have a choice. They’re behind us. And we couldn’t feel anything from there, so it’ll hide us just as easily,” Chunhua said. “Now jump!”

  Na came to a stop, Chunhua appearing off to one side. She gave him a slightly fractured smile and waved a hand at him.

  “Right behind you, Ashley,” said the sorceress.

  Then Na jumped.

  And the light of Chunhua and her magic vanished out of sight.

  There was a feeling of falling for a moment as rocky edges and jagged outcroppings passed by. And then they hit solid ground again.

  “We reached the bottom!” Na called, then scurried out of the way. Ash imagined Chunhua would be coming down next.

  There was a rather large bottom from the shaft above them, but no sign of Chunhua.

  Peering upward Ash felt helpless and terrified.

  She didn’t just… close it behind us and stay up there to throw them off, did she?

  Locke, answer me damnit!

  Staring up into the dark, Ash felt his heart lurching and his stomach falling into his feet.

  There was no sign of Chunhua.

  Right up until there was.

  Appearing with a thump, Chunhua landed and then moved forward quickly.

  “Lot of rocks coming! Go!” she commanded, putting her hands out in front of her and pushing at Na’s back.

  There was a sudden rush of air that swarmed over them as they ran. Propelled along with it were
dirt, grit, and small rocks.

  A deep, resonating boom made everything quake around them as well. Several watermelon-sized rocks tumbled away from the corridor and practically chased after them.

  “I kind of… brought down a lot of the cave,” Chunhua said with wide eyes and an odd smile. “I… I just figured it’d keep them from searching too much into the crevice and further down the cavern.”

  Ash was watching her even as he bumped and bounced along on Na’s shoulder.

  Then her words slowly processed through his foggy mind.

  There was no way out for them, but to go deeper. Ever deeper and without a map or gear. All while two masters were looking for them, to kill them.

  “Good work,” Ash got out. He wanted to encourage her for what she did, because it was definitely needed. Even if he currently felt like a rotting pile of putridness left underneath a month’s worth of dirty clothing. “Very good work, Chunhua.”

  “Of course, Ashley. Can’t have you dying on me just when I got you to promise to let me into your bed,” replied the sorceress.

  Lifting her left hand, she caught his chin with her fingertips, then pressed a swift kiss to his lips. It was brief, a little awkward, and jarring, but she managed it even as they ran onward.

  Running through the dark caverns without an idea of where they were going, or where they even were.

  Locke?

  Ash tried once again.

  And once more, there was no response to his mental call.

  Not even a whisper.

  As far as Ash could tell, the blow to his head had possibly knocked Locke out as well.

  Thirty-Four

  “I can’t… go any… further,” gasped Na as she stumbled along. Over the last few minutes, she’d almost dropped Ash at least three times.

  “Okay,” said Chunhua from in front of them. She was also sucking in lungfuls of air. Both women were completely spent and winded from the mad dash.

  Except it hadn’t really been a dash, but a marathon.

  Ash had no way of knowing, but he would put the staggering breakneck pace that they were moving at—sometimes up, sometimes down—as having lasted two hours at a minimum.

  He couldn’t even begin to wonder how deep in the earth they were, or how far away they were from the sect now. If they’d traveled further and further they could be out in the plains with no hope of help anywhere.

  There was a thump that Ash couldn’t identify, followed by Na dropping to her knees.

  Carefully, she set Ash down like he was delicate pottery, then collapsed onto her side. Laying there, panting, she closed her eyes.

  Looking around, Ash realized that the thump had been Chunhua, who was only a foot away. She was also laid out and unmoving on the ground.

  I… Locke?

  Unable to help himself, Ash tried to call out to Locke once more and found him unresponsive.

  Chewing at his lip, Ash sat there, watching the two women who had single-handedly saved him. Picked him up, and ran off with him. Away from those who would see him dead.

  They were more than spent, they were exhausted.

  They need to go somewhere safe.

  Can I get back out of the Hall on my own, though? I don’t think I ever exited it without Locke’s help.

  But how would others have done it, if not for that?

  Making his decision, Ash reached out with his Qi, wrapped up Na and Chunhua, and brought them into the Hall with him.

  Or tried to.

  There was no jump this time. No trans-location and appearing somewhere else.

  He was still in the cave.

  Listening to Na and Chunhua gasp and pant.

  Okay. Okay, can’t go into the Hall.

  But we can still retrieve things, right?

  Focusing on the storage aspect, Ash tried to pull out his bedrolls.

  They were instantly there next to him.

  Grabbing the closest of the three, he began to roll it out. He was determined to do something for these two women who’d risked everything for him.

  Unfortunately, he still felt incredibly weakened. It wasn’t as bad as it was when he’d woken up, but he was in no way well. Which meant setting out the two bedrolls had taken longer than it should have.

  When he’d finally finished, he went to Na first and lifted her up partially. Keeping her head and shoulders off the rough ground, he dragged her bodily over to the bedroll.

  Her eyes had opened briefly as he’d done so. She’d watched him as he’d moved her into position atop the bedroll.

  Giving her a smile, he patted her sweaty brow and then turned to Chunhua. Doing the same for the sorceress, he moved her atop the other bedroll.

  Chunhua’s eyes had never closed since she’d laid down. They’d followed him as he settled Na, and then as he’d moved her.

  When he’d gotten her in position on the bedroll, she finally blinked.

  At the same time, the light she’d created flickered before coming back to life again.

  Ah, she’s keeping it up and burning herself out at the same time. We’ll fix that now.

  Retrieving a solid Qi brick from his storage, Ash reached out and grabbed the floating light. Holding it in his hand, he could feel a dull warmth emanate from it through the gauzy feeling in his hand.

  Sticking the brick on the ground, Ash then put the light atop it. It made a weird flicker, then grew in brightness.

  Focusing on the point where the light met the brick, Ash bent his will and desire. He wanted to slow the rate of transfer. He assumed that in doing so, he could dim the light without turning it off.

  Slowly, with increasing accuracy, he could feel the connection between the brick and the light. The flow of one to the other.

  The momentum of it.

  Even though he wasn’t touching his Dao, he could feel it wanting to burst free of him and be used. To be utilized and order the world accordingly.

  In response to that, the tribulation that hovered over him eternally shifted. It became interested in him.

  Easing away from the ache that flared in his Dantian from his Dao wanting to be used, Ash turned his attention back to the light. Dampening the flow, he lowered the light filling the area considerably.

  Pulling out two hand towels from the Hall and a bottle of water, Ash set about wiping down the two women who’d saved his life.

  Cooling them down, getting water in them, and giving them some time to rest.

  Which they clearly needed, since each one of them fell fast asleep almost as soon as they drank their fill of water.

  Looking from one to the other, there were no reservations in his head anymore about either one of them.

  They weren’t just selling themselves to him out of duty or honor, but choice. It would have been easier and safer for them to not jump into the hole where he’d vanished.

  Chewing at his lip, he reaffirmed his earlier choice. He wouldn’t turn them away if they actually wanted to have sex.

  Wanted to have a relationship that was more than what they had currently.

  He did have feelings for them both in a strange way. Ones that were creeping up to where Mei sat in his heart. Though, they were still slightly behind where Moira was.

  Or Jia.

  For whatever reason, despite his best logical thoughts, Jia still held a prominent place in his head and his heart.

  It just felt odd to him to have feelings for more than one person. Having more than one spouse was literally illegal in his homeworld.

  Sneaking closer by the second, Ash’s tribulation drew closer and closer.

  With a grunt, Ash adjusted himself where he sat. Resting his hands in his lap, he began to cultivate formally.

  He knew how to handle the tribulation now. He just needed to use his Dao to receive or return whatever it put out. Because that was the trick here, he figured.

  The tribulation was here to test his path. His Dao.

  Him.

  Not to kill him, but to test him. To push him to th
e limits.

  Closing his eyes, he focused inwardly. Then he gradually tuned everything else out.

  ***

  Opening his eyes, he found that Na was starting to stir. Her breathing changed, her heart rate sped up incrementally, and her head lifted partially from the bedroll.

  He was far more aware of things than he wanted to be when he dove that deeply into his cultivation. Far too aware of Na and Chunhua.

  “Ash—Master Sheng?” Na whispered, slowly propping herself up in the bedroll.

  At that moment, he’d realized that the Qi brick and the light that had been feeding off of it were both gone.

  How long was I cultivating?

  “I’m here,” Ash said quietly. “Chunhua’s still sleeping.”

  “I… how… how long was I asleep?” Na asked, getting into a seated position. Her head slowly turned one way, then the other.

  She can’t see me… is my night-sight that much better than hers?

  “I don’t honestly know. I’m afraid I was cultivating and lost track of everything,” Ash admitted. “At first it was to battle my tribulation, then it was to work on repairing some of the issues lingering in me. Chunhua did a wonderful job, but it’s easier for me to see what’s wrong.”

  “Yes. That’d… yes. I understand,” said Na. Letting out a breath, she had ended up turning her head toward Ash. She likely couldn’t see him, but she could at least hear him.

  Probably sense him, too, given her inherent strength and talent.

  “I think… I think we might be in the Jade Vaults. Or… at least, the caverns that lead into them,” whispered Na. “They’re what gave the Jade Fist its name. There’s a high level series of abilities and techniques that involve jade from the Jade Vaults. Only those who are sworn to the Jade Fist for life may enter the vaults, or even learn the abilities.”

  “And… these were below the sect?” Ash asked.

  “That’s what my family believed,” Na confirmed. “Not that it was somewhere else, but that it was directly beneath the sect. Heavily defended and fortified.

  “But… no one had ever thought there’d be a way in from elsewhere. But if it really is beneath the sect, that’d mean it likely is actually a cave or series of caves. Like where we are now.”