Silver Fox & The Western Hero: Warrior’s Path

by Johnson, M. H.

  She smirked, rolling her eyes at him. "Whatever that means. So long as you acknowledge my win." Soft lips caressed his own before she darted away, leading him past the rustling trees between them and the grass-covered general grounds. “We’re just past the outskirts of the Aspirant’s Quarter. If anyone’s expecting your return from the library, no one will see you come this way. See the tree line just a few hundred yards off, and not a single glaring cultivator in sight?”

  Alex nodded.

  “That’s where the pear trees start, demarcating your safe zone.”

  Alex flashed a grateful smile. “Thank you, Liqin. I definitely owe you one…”

  He flushed when soft lips caressed his ear. “Yes, you do. But I’m always happy to do favors for friends.” With a final wave, she was off at a speed that would have left him dizzy, just a few weeks before. Which was both humbling, and chilling.

  If Liqin, at the upper edge of Bronze Speed with little more than a college athlete's strength, could move so quickly that most mortals couldn't even track her, how fast could a Silver cultivator specializing in speed move?

  He hoped he never had to find out.

  Not until he was one himself.

  That line of thought filled him with sudden foreboding. No matter that the field before him looked empty of anything other than a single student meditating upon the grass and not looking his way at all… he’d be a fool to assume safety if he just strolled across.

  Even now, he feared cleverly concealed spies keeping a lookout, whatever his Qi Perception told him, and he could all too easily imagine Duo Ku laughing down at him as he got the best of Alex before making his life a nightmare of unending pain.

  Alex’s heart began to pound.

  It was stupid just standing here, even with the hooded servant’s robe and the helpful cover of the supportive rustling leaves.

  Not because anyone was watching, because no one was.

  But because he absolutely hated the idea of being so badly intimidated by the local equivalent of the school bully, after all he had seen and done. Every trial endured.

  Every foe cut down.

  So his hesitating on the edge of this pagoda’s line of safety, even when the coast was clear, was idiotic.

  Then he smiled.

  So what if it was a trap? Who cared if foes were to drop in out of nowhere? At this moment, no one was looking his way.

  And a moment was all he needed.

  Bullrush! Bullrush!

  You have successfully stagger-stepped Bullrush seven times! Destination reached!

  In the time it would take someone to sip from a flask, Alex had both zigzagged across the field and safely leaped to the line of pear trees encircling the Aspirant’s Quarter.

  Safe, or as safe as anyone could be at this school.

  He slipped free of his robe and spent a long moment comfortably seated upon a swaying branch, gazing down the way he had come, and except for the quietly meditating student radiating a strong Bronze aura, Alex saw only a pair of chatting students, a boy and a girl, strolling along the central path without a care in the world, probably having made far saner arrangements than Alex, such as only paying the equivalent of a monthly tax to the Spirit Wolves or similar gangs, as opposed to living under the threat of mutilation like he was.

  In fact, the pair exchanged cordial nods with the meditating Bronze that Alex was sure was a Spirit Wolf in disguise.

  And that was when all three cultivators stopped and turned as one, peering up at Alex nestled safely within his tree with cold, hungry eyes.

  Alex smiled right back and gave them all the finger.

  “We’ll get you in the end. You know that, don’t you, Ruidian? Every smiling girl who catches your eye, every student glancing your way, every teacher’s assistant you would speak to after class… you’ll never know it was us, eyeing our prey, until you’ve fallen to our fangs.”

  Alex smirked down at the girl who had made the declaration. “That sounds lovely. Now why don’t you all go fuck yourselves?”

  For long moments he just sat there and meditated while his enemies below snarled and cursed, enjoying the feeling of peace and oneness with his surroundings and the bitter, impotent fury of his enemies as the three wolves left in unison. Alex only then allowed his mind to recall the brilliant surge of insights from the tome he had spent so many hours absorbing before ascending to Rank 6, when he felt an unexpected revelation tickling the back of his mind.

  He smiled as his heightened senses made out the clink of chopsticks in wooden rice bowls, spoons in porcelain soup bowls, and the general sounds of dining, already knowing what his next move would be.

  And when he dropped from the rustling trees outside the eating hall with a smile on his face like it was the most natural thing in the world, he caught nothing but nonplussed stares as he quietly walked up to his favorite table and took his customary seat by his friends.

  Yingpei’s relieved grin touched Alex more than he wanted to admit, though his friend was wise enough only to say, “It’s good to see you, Alex. It's clear your studies agree with you!"

  Alex smiled right back, noting the vigor and cheer his friend was radiating. Whether it was exercise, love, or a profound breakthrough that was transforming his friend, it was definitely for the better. “Likewise, Yingpei. Remind me not to let my guard down, the next time we spar.”

  He was surprised by Zhu Bi’s quick hug and beaming smile. “We’ll talk, and you’ll share… later.”

  “Where the hell were you for the last week?” a scowling Qiang demanded just as Alex began to dig in. “We all thought you had lost your nerve and fled!”

  Alex glanced toward the branches swaying overhead. “I was just meditating on my breakthroughs at the library, and I decided to head back and have a bite to eat.”

  Qiang blinked. “Wait, you were at the library this whole time?" He furrowed his brow. "How did you even manage to get back here when the Spirit Wolves are still hot for your blood?"

  He then followed Alex’s gaze to the treetops. "You don't mean...”

  Alex nodded. “Of course. How else?” Which was absolutely true. At least for the final leg of his journey, though he certainly wouldn't be giving away anything more than that, with Spirit Wolves or a pawn no doubt listening in.

  Far from mocking, Dineng’s bark of laughter was almost good-natured. “And this place is absolutely littered with trees! All of them border neutral zones which no Spirit Wolf can challenge you in. But only a crazy Ruidian like you would spend a week meditating in a cramped library study when you've actually got a damn Silver pagoda at your disposal! Best you get some food in you, Druid. In case you missed it while you were meditating, work assignments are now mandatory. Even for us. So we’re all going to select our first work assignments later this week.”

  Alex grinned. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  Dineng's calculating smile turned to something else, eyes intently measuring Alex’s own. "Alex?"

  "What's up, Dineng?"

  "Did you actually put on weight?"

  Alex grinned as more than one pair of cynical eyes fixated upon him, several widening with surprise.

  "He looks the farthest thing from a half-starved cultivator."

  "He's clearly flexing! Look, you can see the muscles through his changshan."

  "Those private rooms are expensive. How could he possibly afford to stay that long?"

  "Lucky bastard; he discovered a Silver tome. He must have!"

  Alex smiled, saying nothing. And much to his relief, that seemed to be the end of any potential interrogation, though Bang Jiao’s cool gaze from across the eating hall held his own for a long moment before he turned to address the class.

  “As I was saying earlier, I expect you all to think long and hard about what assignments best suit your temperaments and objectives while at this school,” Bang Jiao cautioned. “And you’d best consider assignments that have a certain measure of built-in security, especially if you’ve come to n
o accord with the Spirit Wolves or any other group, lest you wish all your hard work taken from you, leaving you with only broken bones and bitter tears.”

  Yingpei winced. “He’s not really selling the benefit of earning credits, or even attending such a dangerous school,” his friend whispered, and Alex had to nod in agreement.

  Bang Jiao continued along that vein for some time before departing with a final glance Alex's way, his gaze utterly unreadable as Alex respectfully bowed his head.

  “What do you think he means by ‘assignments with built-in security’?” whispered Zhu Bi.

  Alex frowned. “I might have said working for the Blue Pagoda or another vital area of the school, assuming they have accords with all the bullies. But considering what I witnessed within minutes of leaving the servant’s quarters…” He shrugged and sighed. “I’m increasingly certain that there are no really ‘safe’ options at all.”

  Yingpei nodded. “Indeed. This will be a test, as this entire school is a test. Perhaps most especially in terms of seeing how we deal with those who would control our lives for their own ends.”

  Alex nodded and let their conversation flow to more mundane topics, with Zhu Bi sharing her excitement for the specializations she was eager to pursue. Alex was suitably impressed when she confessed her dreams of mastering the Qi of contracts and binding, and from there, basic talismans, and perhaps one day, mastering scrolls of protection and creation.

  “I’ve heard of contracts, and talismans can protect the user, right?”

  Zhu Bi nodded animatedly. “Yes. Talismans permanently bound to the wielder are called tattoos. A truly skilled master can inscribe tattoos that can enhance your strength or resistance to various elements. An incredible boon for a front-line warrior!” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Of course, there is a cost, though it’s mitigated when one is inked by a master, and the proper spirit beast offerings are made.”

  “Ah. What kind of cost?”

  “A cost in power, of course. Even a master tattoo artist, skilled in harnessing the natural flow of spiritual energy all around us when scribing his blessings, will still need to harness his talisman to the life force of the cultivator himself.”

  Alex frowned. “That seems like it might be a steep cost.”

  Zhu Bi quickly shook her head. “An appropriately powered tattoo, inscribed by a skilled practitioner who takes the time to do it right, will only tap into the smallest tributary of the endless flow of a cultivator’s spiritual energy. And the benefits, Alex. Skin impervious to steel blades, without having to achieve Silver rank or learn an elite body cultivation technique; strength far beyond what most Bronzes can ever achieve, eyes that see farther than a hawk’s, and that’s not all! A wujen’s tattoos can even grant powers that she can pour spiritual energy into, to use at will!”

  Alex’s eyes widened, dutifully impressed. “Really.”

  His friend nodded animatedly. “Turning to smoke, flying through the air, slipping through any crack… or, at least those are the tattoos I could find records of before coming to Risen Phoenix Academy. I’m sure there are many, many others. And that is to say nothing of talismans that let you heal your allies, bind your foes, or even jump right into a painting! And, so long as you make it through a sketched door before the talisman fades, you can walk through the door into a city completely different from the one you left!” Her perky ears wilted as she sighed. “Of course, everything but the first few body-enhancing tattoos I mentioned are all just legends, and everything I’ve pulled from the library only hints at the possibilities. Twice, the librarian had to apologize profusely, insisting that the advanced crafting tomes were kept in the appropriately aligned pagodas, and she refused to show me anything further. I was only able to request Bronze contractual primers and a talisman that works no differently from a compounder's healing poultice!”

  She snorted. “They act like studying anything more advanced than that would be far too dangerous without supervision. As if I would purposely blow up the library.”

  “To be fair, that’s not a bad thing,” Alex noted. “And the healing poultices I used to make for my master would speed up healing anywhere from five- to twenty-fold.”

  Yingpei couldn’t help grinning with pride for his girl. “Even if most of those stories are based on legend, I have no doubt that if such works of wonder are possible, my Zhu Bi will be the one to unlock the secrets of their creation!”

  Zhu Bi positively beamed at her lover’s praise.

  “Chase that dream, Zhu Bi,” Alex commended. “I, for one, can’t wait to see what you come up with!”

  They spoke of other things then, and Alex found good company the best seasoning to any meal. All of them felt sated and in good spirits when the lunch bell rang, and they made their way to their next class, which, for most of their table, meant mastering the flow of spiritual energy inherent to elemental striking techniques. Almost a third of their class had finally managed to harness their elemental affinities to a degree sufficient to pummel the various mannequins with Qi infused strikes. The Adepts looked on and offered helpful advice, save for a smirking Cao, who had immediately honed in on Alex the moment they made eye contact, his shield of fire and fist of flame at the ready.

  “The rumors say you've made some profound breakthrough in the week you dared to skip all your assigned classes." This was said with a mocking smile, earning a dark chuckle or two, before Cao's gaze turned cold. "Well, Supplicant? Summon your shield. Let’s see if you’ve gained any insights in how to best counter Flame.”

  Qi Perception Check made. Critical success! You sense the flow of spiritual energies around you better than ever.

  Alex took a deep breath, readying himself and doing his best to sense not only each of the cultivators in his environment—students and the Adepts instructing them—but the flow of Light Qi as a whole.

  It was only when Master Instructor Zha Shi’s glower turned flinty hard that Alex summoned forth his Shield of the Grove, the advanced construct of Wood Qi still earning awed whispers even from the students who had seen it before. At least a few sensed something of its potency, or at least the intricacy of the intertwining leaves and branches that comprised the hand-held ward. Of course, Cao only snorted, his brilliant flaming fist blazing all the brighter, as if to challenge the audacity of a novice aspirant daring a Silver-ranked Ward.

  And Alex felt it then, an added something. Not just the delicious feel of an ancient grove’s blessing washing through him, nor the hot, fiery hunger for battle inflaming the cultivator he was being forced to fight, but beyond that, transcending that, he thought he was just beginning to catch a sense of the glorious sea of silver-white spiritual energy surrounding them all.

  Without warning, he was jolted almost completely out of his near-epiphany by the harsh words and impatient glare of the instructor overseeing the match.

  “Delay no longer, Ruidian. Manifest your Oak Fist.”

  Alex took a deep breath, doing all he could to flow back into the state of moments before, slowly shaking his head. “That won’t be necessary, Master Zha Shi.”

  The man’s eyes flashed. “Do you think to avoid the challenge before you? Are you truly such a coward as that?”

  Alex forced a smile. “I am more than happy to embrace randori, Master Zha Shi, and I await Adept Cao’s most sincere instruction.”

  The man scoffed at Alex’s response. “You would dare to face him with your naked fist? Very well. Play the fool; I won’t stop you. Perhaps your classmates will learn some wisdom from your madness.”

  Alex smirked. “Perhaps.”

  Barely waiting for him to finish, the Fire Adept took his answer as an invitation to rush him and put him in his place as quickly and savagely as he could.

  Shield of The Grove successfully Wards Fist of Flame!

  You fail to deflect Fire Qi!

  Piercing Strike has successfully penetrated Fire Shield.

  Opponent suffers 1 Light Wound.

  Cao’s furiou
s glare hardened to serious focus as he began to pummel Alex’s shield, just as he had the week before, alternating jabs, overhand blows, and hooking punches at all angles. Each strike tested Alex’s reflexes, balance, and combat sense while seeking to overwhelm or slip past his shield, just as before.

  He couldn’t help indulging in a patronizing smile whenever Cao forgot himself and tried to slip a low angle kick to the ankle or knee underneath Alex’s Shield of the Grove, before wincing and snarling when Alex instinctively checked the blows. His shins had become significantly toughened from the rigors of his training, and the massive boost to Strength and Vitality that he had enjoyed with his most recent ascension meant that Cao was the one who was wincing and cursing. The man's slight limp made it clear that at least one toe had suffered from a poorly placed strike, for all that Alex was supposedly the one without a proper body hardening technique. Yet Alex knew he could only play defense for so long, feeling his Qi trickle away as his shield endured the furious onslaught of fire-covered fists. He focused even more intently, ignoring the handful of students like Qiang mocking him, even as his friends cheered him on.

  Attempting to channel specialized attacks while battling a skilled opponent was nothing like coaxing forth partially mastered disciplines in the pristinely calm environment of a quiet library, where the only target was a training dummy awaiting his every tentative blow. This was being pressure-tested in the extreme.

  Alex found that even the strikes he had felt so close to mastering now took every bit of focus just to bring to the fore.

  Finesse check made!

  Yet bring to the fore, he did, sensing just the moment to strike—during the heartbeat in which his opponent was shifting his stance and balance, Cao’s contemptuous scowl that of a man getting increasingly tired of taking his opponent seriously when Alex hadn’t even thrown a single punch or kick.

  Spotting the sudden shift in stance, Alex knew that Cao was planning on slamming him right out of the sparring circle.

  Only to find himself airborne when Alex swept the charging man off of his feet with a twisting hip throw, sending him crashing to the ground.