Alex returned a gentle grin. “And that is the real reason why you never left the servants’ quarters. It’s home, filled with people who love and care about you.”
Liqin’s cheeks flushed brightly, one tightly knuckled fist punching his shoulder. “You don’t have to actually say it.”
His grin grew. “It is possible to make new friends, you know. Meet good people who honor their oaths, their commitments, who have nothing but your own well-being in mind when they aid you.”
The young woman stopped and turned to face him, soft brown eyes peering deeply into his own. “And next, you’re going to tell me you’re such a person?”
Alex swallowed awkwardly. “Well, I…” He froze, feeling soft, warm lips caress his own.
Liqin darted away so fast that Alex was left gazing open-mouthed at a pair of grinning young men watching him.
“She went that way,” said a powerfully built youth giving Alex a knowing smile, for all that he was just a basic cultivator with only a couple of channels open.
His friend smirked, not bothering to keep his voice low. “I hear Liqin likes the exotic ones. You and I don’t stand a chance.”
Both gave good-natured chuckles when a bemused Alex began chasing after Liqin at a sprint.
18
“And this here is the Great Library,” Liqin said as she pointed to a massive coliseum-sized structure faced with pristine quartz that sparkled faintly yet diffusely enough as to inspire awe while remaining free of glare. Yet what truly left Alex breathless, as his friend beamed with pride while showing off the treasures of her home, was the incredible flood of spiritual energy he sensed radiating from the place, as if the building itself was its own magnificent mystical treasure.
All around it lay marble pathways interspersed by stone benches and tables. Wisteria-draped gazebos sat surrounded by perfectly maintained luxurious green grass, while a ring of brilliantly blossoming cherry trees, set a good fifty paces from the entrance, surrounded the library in its entirety.
Alex couldn’t help but smile at the sight of so many students meditating or studying quietly by themselves or gathered in groups, often perusing any number of tablets, scrolls and manuscripts. Sometimes they erupted in animated discussion, while others listened raptly as one among their number lectured over a given tome. He was able to tell, even from this distance, that those were instructors of some sort, both by their posture and by the flashes of deep Bronze and, in one case, Silver, that he sensed from them.
“So, I guess this school actually hosts outside classes and discussion groups?” He paused, curious. “And I see a cluster of students just sitting around, cultivating in lotus positions. Aren’t they afraid of being challenged and assaulted?”
Liqin grinned at the observation, gently combing a stray curl back with her fingers. “Yes, some of our instructors host lessons outside the pagodas, and the library courtyards are the perfect place. Of course, only a few instructors regularly do so, and they keep well away from other groups, so no voice drowns out another’s. As for cultivating, this is a choice spot. And no, Alex, none of the cultivators you see have to worry about being challenged while doing so.” She chuckled softly. “After all, they did earn the right to cultivate in those spots unmolested for an entire cycle of the moon.”
Alex’s gaze turned thoughtful. “So even in an academy as prone to challenges as our own, a student can at least secure the right to study or cultivate here without being bothered.”
She nodded solemnly. “Of course, they’ll have to re-earn that right with credits or combat at month’s end. But for now, those spots are theirs.”
The graceful sweep of her hand took in the entire edifice and surrounding courtyard. “Of course, we’re all free to admire and be inspired by the wonders of this school all we want! But all the space between the cherry trees and the building proper is the property of the library, and duels are forbidden here. Furthermore, unless you have a class, a cultivation spot you have claimed, or a study table which you and friends have rented, you are expected to admire it all from the public paths alone.”
He studied the various groups scattered across the space. “Alright, that makes sense, I guess. Wait, There isn’t a fee for entering the library itself, is there?”
She laughed. “Don’t be absurd, Alex. Of course not!”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. Because I’ve learned to take nothing for granted.”
“Probably for the best,” she agreed. “Still, if you seek a consultation, that will cost you, especially if you’re after a full Qi Gong analysis of your spiritual flows performed by a Spirit Doctor who can help you find your best path forward. This, as you can imagine, is a major investment. And should your nature be at all beyond the ordinary or incorporate more than one element, you should expect to pay at least one Spirit Pearl for a thorough consultation by a skilled journeyman, and even more for the consultation of a master.”
Alex’s eyes widened at such a cost, and Liqin flashed a teasing grin. “And that doesn’t even include time spent studying the library’s priceless manuals or actually arranging training sessions with the masters that the Spirit Doctors think might be an ideal fit for you. Though, of course, they will carefully list their prescribed tomes and recommended instructors for you, as well as make a backup copy for future consultations, in case it’s some months or even seasons before you can actually afford to follow the path they set for you.”
She chuckled at his expression. “Now you see why students work so hard to earn credits!”
Alex gave an impressed whistle. “Wow. I can see how costs would really add up. I’m guessing, regardless of what the Elder explained at the base of the golden bridge, a wealthy background really helps out.”
His companion nodded soberly. “Master Xian Sheng was right. There is no shortcut for bypassing the Path of Perseverance, or the Golden Steps we all must take to earn our talisman.”
Qirin furrowed her brow, gazing at a far-off point, perhaps on the other side of the magnificent miniature city they strode within. He followed her gaze, noting a golden gate shimmering in the distance. “Not for most of us, anyway. But once we earn our talismans, for those of us who did not ascend to a Gold’s impossible glory or a Silver’s easy life, it’s all about accruing school credits. And one of the most lucrative and dangerous ways to earn credits is by hunting beast cores or exotic Qi-infused herbs in the deepwoods or the nearby Dark Rift. That will earn you credits faster than anything else, since you could just as easily sell your prizes in the city below, with much less risk of being challenged by disciples looking to fleece you before you can complete your work assignment.”
She chuckled softly. “So you see, Alex? Ultimately you were right. Our academy’s wealth and prestige aside, aspiring cultivators often do find themselves hunting for beast cores and spirit grass, just like they do everywhere else, even if there are at least a few paths open to those with other interests.”
Alex grinned at that, though one phrase in particular had caught his attention. “Dark Rift?”
“I believe you Ruidians refer to them as dungeons? Tunnel entrances or crevices in the earth which lead to massive underground caverns that are extremely rich in exotic mushrooms and fungi, and a plethora of deadly spirit beasts?”
He grimaced, his hopes sinking. “I was afraid that was what you meant.”
Qirin nodded her agreement. “It’s a perilous path, and the waste Qi buildup can be toxic if you don’t spend many hours cleansing yourself between delves. But that concentrated effluvia paradoxically stimulates the growth of priceless blossoms and fungi that feed off the dark essences which are so poisonous to you and I. And if you’re truly daring and are willing to do more than just forage safely in the shallows, instead actually daring to dive deeper with a band of kung fu brothers and hunt down true spirit beasts, you just might find yourself with a handful of top-grade Spirit Pearls before you know it, which the school would pay very handsomely for indeed! To say nothing of
honing yourself in the crucible of actual combat, you’d be working as a group to bring down perilous threats, while developing a sense of teamwork and loyalty that’s at least as valuable as one-on-one mock duels, as far as the Royal Legion is concerned.”
Alex dipped his head. “That makes sense, actually. Triumphing in battles fought between armies is about learning to think and act as a unit, not just specializing in individual duels with no sense of your fellows or the strategic needs of your regiment as whole.” He smirked crookedly. “Unless, of course, you’ve reached deepest Silver or broken through to Gold, and you’re basically a regiment all by yourself, in which case, I guess you’ll pretty much just do as you like.”
Liqin chuckled, sharing his amusement. “Exactly. Learning to fight in group formation might be the professed objective of the tougher assignments, but what our school’s artificers and alchemists are really interested in are the priceless Qi-infused herbs and beast cores you can gather from the wildlands or the rift nearby. For this reason, the various central pagodas take a dim view on anyone interfering with students fulfilling their school-assigned work quotas.” Her smile took on a jaded edge. “It’s a balancing act. Gangs like the Spirit Wolves can intimidate students into paying tribute, though normally it’s only for a small fraction of what they’re worth.”
Alex blinked. “A small fraction? Not hustled for everything they’re carrying?”
“Normally, that never happens. The student hunters and gatherers and journeyman crafters also know that if they are squeezed too hard by specific groups, their complaints to their mentors will force sanctions against members of those gangs. Of course, no low-ranking Bronze wants to be forced into submission matches by angry Wolves and get beaten to a broken pulp before being robbed of everything they worked so hard for, so they are typically open to giving a tribute, if it’s not too unreasonable.”
Liqin glared over her shoulder back toward the way they had come. “That student healer was foolish to think he could get away with paying no tribute at all to the gang in control of the Blue Pagoda’s quarter of the city. Only students that actually commit to daring the Rift are given immunity from forced challenges! But Mou Xi was a bigger fool, forcing a challenge for the entire bag’s worth of spirit herbs, and worse—far, far worse—nearly killing an aspiring healer in the process.”
Alex nodded thoughtfully as they continued their walk across the breathtaking campus, as much a miniature city as it was a wonderfully picturesque fairytale cultivation academy, many hundreds of feet above Baidushi proper. It was a sanctuary radiating so much spiritual energy, along with an undercurrent of darkest violence he could see in the eyes of so many young cultivators, that Alex couldn’t help but think that if he were to be forged in fire, here was where the embers of his soul would truly blaze.
19
“And here we are, Alex, the Aspirants’ quarter, where all freshly ascended aspirants go for basic orientation and safety, until they understand what being a student of this school truly entails.”
Alex frowned at the humble collection of open-faced pagodas and bunkhouses surrounded by countless trees rustling in the cool morning breeze, their boughs heavy with ripening fruit. Though the area was clean and orderly, with vibrant grass covering the ground between the small handful of buildings and the pear trees, he couldn’t help but note that this tiny corner of the massive cultivation academy was as distant as could be from the grand pagodas, which appeared so majestic against the backdrop of the clear blue sky, the true jewels and centers of learning within this academy.
“I can’t help but notice that this location is, well…”
“Out of the way? Off the beaten path?” Liqin grinned. “Of course it is, Alex! You all are—forgive me for saying it—the lowest of the low. The least experienced fledgling students, who need their hands held until they learn the ropes, stay here. And unless they are among of the very few who earned Silver talismans, they will need to take advantage of the most basic cultivation lessons and meditation spots available to them until such a time as they have determined their strengths and secured their foundations. But once they are ready to break through to Bronze, they can start to take advantage of all that our wonderful academy has to offer.”
She gave an excited squeeze of his hand. “And do you know what’s the best part of being here, Alex?”
Alex smirked. “Not a clue.”
“No one can challenge you while you’re in the beginner’s grove! Or, at least, that’s what the more experienced students call this area, on account of the pear trees demarcating the boundaries of safety. Just like with the cherry trees surrounding the library. Now come on, let me introduce you to Bang Jiao.”
With those words, Alex soon found himself kowtowing before a smiling elder with a snow-white beard and hardly any hair at all on his shiny pate. But the wizened man’s twinkling eyes spoke of countless years of wisdom slowly accrued, and for all that the gentle breeze showcased a body nearly emaciated with the centuries as his shimmering robes pressed against him, Alex couldn’t help but be impressed by the potent aura of Silver he sensed.
The elder’s gaze was welcoming and cautionary all at once.
“And thus yet another guest arrives among us outside the appointed time.” His weathered cheeks creased in an indulgent grin. “So be it. Make yourself comfortable, Ruidian. This will likely be your home for many weeks, if not months, to come.”
Alex’s eyes widened at the estimate, but he held his tongue and gave another respectful bow. Then his eyes lit up, Qi Perception catching the sense of a number of vaguely familiar auras and two well-met friends.
“Alex! I knew you’d survive whatever they threw at you!” enthused an overjoyed Yingpei Lin, radiating such warmth and pleasure in Alex’s presence that he couldn’t help but smile back, while Zhu Bi immediately scowled and shushed him with a smack on his shoulder, earning a wince and an apologetic smile for all the other completely silent students gazing their way as Bang Jiao exchanged final words with Liqin.
“It does you credit, bringing so many wayward sheep to our fold, dear Liqin.”
She beamed a happy smile before flowing into an elegant curtsy with a gymnast’s grace. “It is always this one’s pleasure to serve an elder as esteemed and revered as yourself, dearest Bang Jiao,” said the suddenly demure cultivator.
The elder nodded. “We must all follow our fates wherever they lead us. Even wayward foxes and hens must obey their karma. You have done well in bringing this lost cub to his den.” He graced her with a knowing smile. “Even the humblest cooks and fishermen must embrace their Dao. One can only hope that it leads to enlightenment of one sort or another.”
Liqin winked, mirroring the man’s smile. “Elder Bang Jiao may rest assured that his most loyal cook has found great enlightenment while preparing both her fish cakes and shark fin stew; savory, spicy, and sweet, in just the proportions you prefer. And may I battle a dozen sea serpents if it is not the freshest fare that Father and I could coax from market and fishermen alike.”
Bang Jiao positively beamed. “Wonderful, dearest Liqin. Absolutely wonderful! I have no doubt your Dao will lead you to Crown Princess Cui Zhe’s own palace as her master chef before the century is out!”
Liqin’s cheeks flushed at the praise. “One can only hope, revered elder. One can only hope.” With those parting words, she was gone in a flash. Her arms might lack the strength to use a jian any heavier than her father’s at her full speed, Alex thought with a considering smile, but her legs were like coils of spring steel, dashing off with a cheetah’s grace.
The elder briefly watched her departure, then turned Alex’s way, nodding with approval when Alex immediately fell into the line of kneeling supplicants before him.
Alex was pleased to see the man’s satisfied nod was not of that of a man who enjoyed dominating his students as they embraced positions of supplication, but merely a revered elder accepting due respect.
“As I was saying before the arrival
of our most recent supplicant, your talisman is everything to you: who you can challenge and to what stakes and what degree of bodily harm, all depend on your talisman. Should it be of sufficient esteem,” he said, with a nod to a beaming Zhu Bi and an abashed Yinpei Lin, “the advantage will most definitely be in your favor, with very few able to challenge you without severely draining their own talismans, if they are able to offer challenge at all. Not least, you can rest easy with the knowledge that your quarters and chest of sacred items most valuable to you can be threatened by none save those who walk a ruler’s golden path. And since none of us heard heaven’s bells these last 3 nights, it is safe to say that we are free of any new contenders for royal thrones, this moon at least.”
This earned a handful of polite chuckles and a raised hand from none other than Zhu Bi. Her hair freely flowed down her back in a graceful waterfall, her proud kitsune ears now free for all the world to see.
“Yes, daughter of the fox?”
Zhu Bi grinned, a nonplussed Alex caught off guard by the casual reply and the realization that absolutely no one was looking at Zhu Bi with malice or contempt.
“How often does the school receive aspirants who actually manage to obtain golden talismans?”
Bang Jiao dipped his head in approval. “A worthy question, Zhu Bi. If you mean students who enter these halls with soul-linked family heirlooms, we have two Gold talisman holders currently in residence. Both are following the most rigorous training regimens you can imagine, with little time for pointless duels or challenges that do not correlate directly with their studies or body cultivation techniques.”
Zhu Bi immediately bowed her head respectfully. “Thank you for that information, revered elder. Though I was also wondering… when was the last time the bells were actually rung?”
“Ah. You mean an aspirant free of any golden heirloom, who actually dared walk the Path of Perseverance?”
Silver Fox & The Western Hero: Warrior’s Path Page 27