by Tao Wong
Wu Ying bowed once again, lower than ever this time. The Elder snorted, shaking his head as he turned around, muttering about idiot teenage boys. Once Elder Huang was gone, Wu Ying found himself dancing a little. An afternoon off! And contribution points! Now the question was, who to ask about what he could spend it on?
Tou He unfortunately was as ignorant as Wu Ying. But unlike Wu Ying, his ignorance was based on a conscious decision to ignore the entire issue.
“Don’t you want to be an inner sect member?” Wu Ying said with a frown as they spoke over lunch.
As usual, the pair was sitting together after martial arts and cultivation training. By this point, their martial arts training had progressed to studying forms for different weapons and repeating those forms till they had each memorized. However, Senior Chi Shing had indicated that they would begin the sparring portion of their training very soon.
“I do. But there is no rush,” Tou He said.
“Yes, there is,” Wu Ying said.
“Why?”
“Because you might be kicked out otherwise!”
“They only remove the bottom hundred. So long as our cultivation level is high and has progressed and we consistently contribute to the sect, we are safe.” Tou He inclined his head slightly, looking at Wu Ying curiously. “I thought all your work with Elder Huang was for that purpose.”
“No. I just forgot about the library.” Wu Ying scratched his head. “And I didn’t really get a briefing on my options when I came.”
“Really? Your sponsor offered nothing?” Tou He looked pityingly at Wu Ying. “Well, as I have the afternoon free, shall we work on your knowledge lapse?”
“Sure. But who do we ask?” Wu Ying said.
Really, Wu Ying only knew a few people. Senior Chi Sing had no desire to spend time with them. Wu Ying could not bother any of the Elders he knew with such a trivial matter, especially Elder Cheng. After all, Elder Cheng would have already spoken to him on this if he intended to. As for Fairy Yang… well, he had heard rumors that she had entered secluded cultivation to break into the Core Formation stage. At this juncture, it was impossible for her to speak with anyone. And really, Wu Ying remembered the cold, beautiful woman who had led him here and shuddered. No. Not her. That left…
“Senior Lee?” Wu Ying muttered to himself. She had been nice that time he bumped into her. They had even exchanged greetings when they had seen one another around. She seemed, unlike so many others, accessible at least.
“You know someone?” Tou He said with a smile.
“Maybe.”
“Then let us go! I’d rather not see Elder Yun again if possible.”
“Eat first!” Wu Ying said, jabbing his chopsticks at Tou He, who had risen.
The ex-monk flushed and sat back down, rubbing his bald head apologetically. Wu Ying rolled his eyes but suited action to words.
Finding Senior Lee was easier than expected and only required them to interact with two other seniors and run one extra errand. It was a good result, considering how most inner sect members liked to make outer sect members who bothered them run random errands. Senior Lee herself was actually at home at the time, seated in the inner courtyard of the small house she had been provided as an inner sect member.
“Wu Ying, was it not?” Senior Lee greeted Wu Ying after the pair had entered and made their own greetings.
“Yes, Senior.”
“Why did you look for me?” Liu Tsong asked.
Her hand absently came up to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear, distracting Wu Ying for a second. One of the dangers of joining the sect was the sheer amount of distraction the women in the sect provided. Cultivation cleared the skin, perfected the body, and made one more “true” to who they were meant to be. In most cases, that meant making said person more beautiful. But like any good thing, constant exposure had increased the boy’s resistance and he quickly shook off his enchantment.
“We were hoping Senior Lee would be willing to provide some guidance,” Wu Ying said.
“Guidance? Well, you’d normally speak with the Elder—or the Senior they assigned—for that,” Liu Tsong said doubtfully.
“I have not seen Elder Cheng since he offered me this position months ago,” Wu Ying said with a bob of his head. “And Fairy Yang is in seclusion.”
“Oh, Elder Cheng!” Liu Tsong exclaimed, as if his name explained everything. When Wu Ying and Tou He looked at her blankly, Liu Tsong smiled. “Elder Cheng is known for his eccentricities. He believes in the Dharma of Fate and expects that those picked by him are either fated to progress or not. As such, he does not belief in providing further help. Of course, all that means is that the other Elders and Seniors take up the burden of helping his recruits. If they wish, of course.”
Wu Ying groaned slightly before he stopped, glancing fearfully at Liu Tsong. Liu Tsong just offered a sympathetic smile. Sometimes, actions like his audible groan could be considered a major loss of face for his benefactor. After all, Wu Ying was complaining about him in public. Such actions could be punished, if Senior Liu Tsong felt the need for it. As his initial reaction faded, Wu Ying realized that it was quite possible no other Elder would have chosen him. So perhaps Elder Cheng’s whims were a form of good fortune as well.
“Then will you help us?” Tou He said, getting right to the point.
“Well, I guess so. If it’s only questions,” Liu Tsong said, casually brushing hair out of her eyes with a graceful sweep of her hand. Sadly, her actions were lost on the innocent Wu Ying and had little effect on the ex-monk.
“What kind of facilities do we have access to as outer sect members?” Wu Ying said.
“For now, you have access to the first level of the library, where basic martial arts techniques and some less rare cultivation techniques are available. Of course, you should stick to the Yellow Emperor’s Cultivation System for now, but it is possible to supplement his cultivation system with others if you’re insightful enough. And there are scrolls on the cultivation methods available for the next stage—Energy Storage,” Liu Tsong said, ticking off items on her fingers. “You’ll want to begin practicing those battle techniques soon, if you intend to learn any. When the tournament begins, you’ll want to be well versed in them.”
“Thank you. I was thinking the very same,” Wu Ying said with a nod. “You should train too, Tou He.”
“I have my own techniques,” Tou He said with a shake of his head.
Wu Ying frowned then shrugged. Tou He was particularly cagy about the name of the temple he had come from, though Wu Ying had at least gotten him to admit that it was not the infamous Shaolin or Wudang Temples. But whatever temple it was, Tou He had been practicing for years, which probably would put anything Wu Ying learned in this short period to shame. Anything except for his own sword technique.
“Next, there’s the apothecary. You can trade in your spiritual herbs and minerals, if you have any, for contribution points. But I warn you—they’re very picky about the quality of the herbs, so if you do not know how to care for them, I recommend you just mark the location and sell that information. You can also borrow books about herb gathering there, if you’re interested,” Liu Tsong continued. “In addition, if you’re facing a blockage in your cultivation, you might speak with the apothecaries about a suitable pill. Of course, it’s quite expensive. Truthfully, at the Body Cleansing level, there should be no blockages that time and dedication cannot fix.
“Then there’s the blacksmith and armory. You can purchase weapons and turn in rare metals if you find any. Obviously, those metals that are suitable for smithing are rarer, but they’re less picky about the state the ore is in.”
Wu Ying nodded slowly, taking in all this information. It seemed he had been missing out on much of the sect. Though in some ways, it didn’t matter, since he’d had no contribution points to spend anyway.
“Is there a way to get more contribution points?” Tou He said as he glanced at Wu Ying.
“Oh! There’s t
he assignment hall of course. But did you not go there?” Liu Tsong said with a frown. “Surely that’s how you got your current assignments.”
“No. Elder Huang just told me to come by the next day,” Wu Ying said.
“Oh. Oh dear.” Liu Tsong frowned.
“What?”
“Nothing. Nothing,” Liu Tsong said, waving. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Really?” Wu Ying said.
“Sure…” Liu Tsong smiled sweetly. “Well, that’s all I can tell you about the facilities. Did you have any other questions?”
Wu Ying considered then said, “Are there any cultivation methods or items I should buy? Or not?”
“That I should not speak about,” Liu Tsong said firmly. “That is something your own Senior or sponsor should discuss with you. Or those in the appropriate departments.”
Wu Ying grimaced, but no matter how he pushed, Liu Tsong refused to budge. After his third request, she politely but firmly escorted them out of her house, leaving the pair standing on the doorstep.
“That was rude,” Tou He said.
“Yeah. I was just asking—”
“Not her. You.” Tou He waved a finger in front of Wu Ying’s face. “She already refused you once. Why did you ask her again?”
“But how am I supposed to progress?”
“The same way we all do. Through hard work,” Tou He said.
At that point, a group of cackling noblemen walked past. They were clad in the same green robes of the outer sect members, but their station was clear through the sheer variety of expensive items they wore. An embroidered gold-edged fan, a belt with a jewel-set sword, and a jade-and-gold hairpin were among the many expensive items the group showcased.
“You were saying?” Wu Ying said as the group walked past them.
“Well, those of us not born with their advantages,” Tou He muttered.
Wu Ying rolled his eyes but clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Come on then. Let’s visit the library.”
“I must decline. I have learned what I needed and should continue my own cultivation,” Tou He said. “But I wish you well.”
“Uh huh,” Wu Ying said with a snort and waved as his friend left him.
At least Wu Ying had directions to the building now. Setting his feet on the main trail, the cultivator took a light jog to head up the mountain. One of the reasons he had not known about all these important facilities was due to their location. As important buildings for the sect, they were not located at the lower edges of the mountain like the outer sect members’ residences and the kitchens but secured within the inner sect portion of the mountain. Of course, there were rumored private collections reserved only for Elders farther up, but those were of little concern to Wu Ying.
The mountain that the Verdant Green Waters Sect occupied was one of the highest in the province and stretched for numerous li upward. The one main road up the mountain branched off along the way to residences, halls, and other locations for training. In fact, Wu Ying lost count of the number of halls available just for the outer sect members. As it was, the new recruits all trained in one courtyard and ate together in one hall, while older, more established outer sect members stayed at other residences according to their results in the tournament.
Wu Ying actually had little interaction with those outer sect members. A large portion of those sect members were like Tou He—lacking any real ambition to progress, they were content to work the menial jobs and while their life away slowly progressing in their cultivation. It was, Wu Ying had to admit, not a bad life. Compared to a peasant’s life, it was downright luxurious. A small number of outer sect members—the few who had just missed out on promotion the year before—spent most of their time cultivating and training. With their goal missed the previous year by such a small amount, most worked hard to ensure they entered this year. None wanted to be another infamous story in the sect like the thrice-touched Lee.
Because of all this, most of the outer sect members had little time for those who had just arrived and had yet to undergo the tournament. Who knew which one of the sect members would last the year and which would leap over the dragon gate[9]? In the first case, one would waste their time, and in the second case, one might inadvertently insult a soon-to-become Senior. For those outer sect members who desired a quiet, peaceful life, neither option was desirable.
Jogging up the mountains, the lush vegetation of late spring all around him, Wu Ying listened to the distant rumble of water down the river and the minor falls throughout the mountain. He could not help but wonder how his parents were doing. The one thing he had made sure to take care of—with the help of his friends at the docks and Xi Qi—was to ensure that the majority of his allowance was sent to his family. Since he received his payment directly from Elder Huang, that had been a simple matter to set up through the use of promissory notes and the merchants in town. A letter should be coming soon, Wu Ying hoped.
Finally, Wu Ying found himself at the library, its designation splashed across the front in large, beautiful calligraphy. Even from his position a few feet back, Wu Ying could feel the pressure of the spiritual energy imbued into the calligraphy.
“Right place. Now, where…?” Wu Ying said softly as he walked toward the main doors.
Within, a desk attendant sat, watching over entrants.
“Purpose of visit?” the attendant asked, his tone bored.
“Greetings, Senior. I want to browse the martial arts manuals for outer sect members,” Wu Ying said.
“Browse, or do you want a consultation with the Elder?” the attendant asked.
“Consultation?” Wu Ying said hesitantly.
“Place your sect stamp on the jade plate.” The attendant pointed. “I will verify your total.”
“Yes, Senior.” Wu Ying placed his stamp on the plate. After a moment, he spoke up. “Could you tell me how many I have?”
“You don’t know?” the attendant said with scorn in his voice before he looked down and muttered under his breath, “Idiot nobles.” The attendant looked up. “It’ll cost a hundred contribution points to see Elder Ko. I had a slot open up earlier today, so you can see him in an hour if you wish. I will send him to you if you wish to browse the stacks until then. And you have a hundred forty-seven contribution points.”
“So many!” Wu Ying yelped. He even ignored the attendant’s spurious accusation of him being a noble, so great was his surprise.
“Of course. It is not worth the Elder’s time to speak with you otherwise. But the price of the consultation also includes one manual recommended by the Elder,” the attendant said. “Or you can browse the stacks and look for yourself.”
Wu Ying looked behind the attendant at the shelves that made up the library. He frowned at the disordered mess the numerous scrolls and books seemed to make, never mind the sheer volume. And truth be told, Wu Ying had little confidence in finding a martial art that suited him. Not yet, at least.
“I would be grateful for whatever guidance the Elder may impart,” Wu Ying said.
After the cultivator had stored his sect stamp and the attendant had provided Wu Ying a brief summary of the library’s rules and layout, the attendant waved Wu Ying in. All the necessary bureaucracy taken care of, Wu Ying took a deep breath and stepped into the library to take the next step on his cultivation journey.
Chapter 8
Within the library, Wu Ying moved to the left, starting at the shelves which the attendant had indicated were for martial arts techniques. Quickly, Wu Ying realized that these techniques were not haphazardly shelved but set aside by the kind of technique. In his hands were techniques for the spear, a weapon that Wu Ying had some knowledge of but no significant formal training in. Wu Ying set the book aside and moved down, searching through the stacks.
Spear. Ji[10]. Dao[11]. Bow. Mace. Rope. Greataxe.
One after the other, the manuals ran on and on. There were eighteen traditional arms[12], and it seemed that the sect had manuals for all of th
em. Some, like the crossbow, only had a few manuals, while other more popular weapons, like the axe or jian, had significantly more. Out of curiosity, Wu Ying stopped at the area where the jian[13] manuals were kept.
He flipped through the manuals, scanning the instructions and forms. As he flipped through manual after manual, his frown grew greater and greater. At times, Wu Ying would stare at a particular passage before shaking his head and moving on to a new manual.
“You find our work on the jian inadequate?” a deep voice said, startling Wu Ying.
Turning, Wu Ying realized that an Elder stood beside him, dressed in the iconic green-and-grey robes that the Elders all wore around the sect. A quick look at his headdress was enough to inform Wu Ying that whoever spoke to him was high up on the ladder. Piercing black eyes bore into Wu Ying, seeming to weigh him even as a suffocating pressure filled Wu Ying with trepidation.
“I would never dare say something like that, Elder,” Wu Ying said, bowing deeply.
“Interesting. What style did you learn?”
“Long style jian,” Wu Ying said. “My father never mentioned the style name.”
“Long family jian. If I’m not incorrect…” The Elder looked down the shelf and stepped past Wu Ying, who shrank back automatically. He pulled a small manual from the shelf and handed it to Wu Ying. “Is this it?”
Wu Ying took the manual hesitantly then, under the eyes of the Elder, scanned through it slowly at first. Moving more quickly, he flipped through page after page, skipping toward the end. The Elder said nothing, watching Wu Ying read till he was done.
“I’m sorry!” Wu Ying said when he realized he had been making the Elder wait. At the Elder’s wave to dismiss the apology, Wu Ying finally answered the question. “Yes, this is it.”