Though he doubted it’d matter, it never hurt to dress for success.
The only real problem was it was still hours before dawn, and he couldn’t sleep.
Leaning forward on his bed, Ash scrubbed at his face with his hands.
The nerves were keeping him awake. The thought that the Deng family would attempt to do something. That they’d make an attack or try and knock Ash and Jia out of the competition.
“They’ve been far too quiet,” Ash muttered. “Far too quiet since we stopped them in the sparring rings. That speaks to either confidence or a lack of options.
“And if the latter, does that mean they’ll be desperate today?”
Groaning, Ash closed his eyes and pressed his hands to his temples.
It was the same conversation he’d had with himself several times already. Several times and with the same answer.
“There’s nothing I can do, and they’re either confident or desperate. In either case, all I can do is be on guard. Right? Right.” Ash said into his hands. “I hate this shit. I’m not made for this kind of thing.”
Standing up, Ash ran his hands through his hair.
There wasn’t much for him to do right now other than worry.
Maybe a walk? A walk might help.
I’d rather nap.
Opening the door to the common room, Ash left his bedroom. In the blink of an eye he was outside.
Staring up at the dark sky.
He realized inherently that being outside was no different than being inside, but it felt different already.
“Done fretting yourself to death?”
Ash flinched, looking over his shoulder back to the front door of his home.
Tala was walking up to him. Her sword wasn’t belted at her waist, and she seemed dressed for sleep.
Sighing, Ash looked forward again. Living this far out of the way, he was almost guaranteed to never have visitors or be bothered.
At least not by anyone who wasn’t looking specifically for him.
“I don’t think so. At least I won’t be doing it inside the house anymore tonight,” Ash said.
“From what you were saying,” Tala said, easing up next to him. “There really isn’t anything else you can do about it.
“Other than be ready, as you yourself said. Many times.”
Ash frowned, looking over at the Rabbit woman.
“These aren’t for show,” she said, reaching up and touching one of her elongated ears. “I admit you humans tend to stare at them, and more often than not it’s a… strange gaze… but they’re not decorative. These really are my ears, and they’re very good at catching sound.”
Ash looked up to the black-furred ears sticking up above her head.
“Mm. I didn’t think they were decorative, but I won’t deny I didn’t think your hearing was that good.
“As to the staring… well, yeah. You’re a bit of an exotic woman out here,” Ash said, turning his head to the sky.
“Exotic?”
“Uh… outside of normal. Beautiful for your outside-of-norm looks.”
Tala snorted at that. “You’re fortunate to look upon me. I’m a beauty in my own country, let alone this shit hole.”
Ash smirked at her words.
He’d come to expect that taciturn and elitist view. It wasn’t abnormal for her, and it didn’t even bother him anymore.
“Uh huh. We’re all honored to stare at you and be in your presence. We should all record our encounters with you. For posterity,” Ash said.
“You’re not one to jest. You stare as often as others, if not more. And not just at my ears.”
“I do. And?”
“What, you just casually admit it?”
“Yes? I mean, why wouldn’t I? I’m not bothering you, and you haven’t complained about it.
“If it was something that annoyed you, you would have called me on it,” Ash said. “So, I’ll stare. You’re something different out here.”
“Different? Why not take the Owl to bed, then? She’d be willing. Or even your little merchant friend. I get the impression she’d deign to lower herself to sleeping with you,” Tala said, her voice cold and brittle.
“Mm. Why not Moira… because the line between slave owner and lover is a bit blurred right now. Maybe down the road.
“I’m not one to say no to a tumble, but it just hits me in the right spot where I’m not completely sure,” Ash said. “As to Yue… maybe. I think getting in bed with her would have a lot more repercussions than I’m willing to take on right now, though.”
“Hmph. I’m surprised you haven’t forced your needs on my elegant self,” Tala murmured.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. It’s not as if the thought hasn’t crossed my mind. Then I’m promptly reminded that it’d be rape and… well, I’m not a good person. I beat the crap out of people. I’ve even killed people.
“But somehow rape seems a bit worse to me,” Ash said.
The silence that came after that statement was heavy.
Heavy and massive.
“The sun is rising. I’d be willing to grace you with the right to lightly spar with me,” Tala asked. “Hand to hand combat, no weapons. Nothing full speed. Maybe one-fourth at most.”
“I’m so blessed,” Ash said.
Light sparring sounded really good right now.
***
“Welcome, one and all. I am the head elder of the Outer Sect. You may call me Elder Deng,” said the old man standing in front of the assembled prospective students.
This tournament was closed to the public, since it was an internal examination.
There would be no outside eyes. Nobody to vaguely impress.
No one to fool with the promise of fairness.
All that meant internal politics would be in full effect.
“I’ll now call each master up to the front and introduce their two candidates,” said the head elder. “While this may seem like a silly thing to do, it never hurts to make sure everyone knows everyone.
“After all, there’s only one hundred of you participating.”
“Do not make that face. This is a good opportunity for information gathering,” Jia said, standing next to him.
“Then gather away. I’ll just stare off into space,” Ash said, rolling his eyes. “None of this matters at all.”
“Hmph. Maybe I will share nothing with you.”
“Awww, don’t be like that. Consider it a favor I’ll owe you. Or one less you owe me.”
He heard Jia click her tongue in annoyance.
She really does hate owing people.
“I do not think I will ever be able to repay you. That is something I have come to accept,” Jia muttered. “Ah, we are next.”
“How do you know?”
“We are last,” Jia muttered.
“…aster Gen, head of the library,” said the head elder.
Old Gen walked out to take his place next to the other masters.
After taking the pills Ash had prepared for him, he had immediately locked himself away in closed-door training.
He’d come out of it just for this moment. Ash hadn’t laid eyes on him until now.
He looked the same as he had previously.
The difference, though, for anyone who actually looked, was in his eyes. That and the small smirk at the corners of his mouth.
The cane he held in his hand clicked as he moved. Carried more for comfort and habit than use, Ash figured.
“My disciples are Jia and Ashley,” Gen said simply. His voice was soft in tone, though loud enough for everyone to hear. “That’s all.”
That was the extent of his introduction for Jia and Ash. All the other masters had extolled their people’s virtues at some length.
“Ah, Gen,” said a master Ash didn’t know.
In fact, he didn’t know almost all of them. Nor did he care to. They were unrelated to him.
Unless they’re in the Deng family—then they’re related to me.
�
��…a concern. You can’t deny that, can you?” asked the master.
Gen only smiled broadly at the other master, saying nothing.
“It’d only be common sense,” continued the master. “Why not turn your disciples over to me? I’ll be happy to train them personally. They have great potential.
“Though I wouldn’t be able to allow them to participate in this tournament.”
Gen nodded, bringing his cane around in front of himself. Leaning on it, he stared at the other master wordlessly.
“So you agree then?” asked the master.
“No. Of course not,” Gen said. “How would I become an elder if I did that?”
A number of masters’ stances changed with that statement from Gen.
Just how many of these masters support the Deng family? It’s going to take some time to dislodge and break their hold on the Outer Sect.
As stupid as it sounds, I’d almost be better off just starting a new sect from scratch.
Hah.
“Then I’ll challenge you for your disciples, Gen. They would be better off with me, and I think a duel for them would be the best way to determine this,” said the master who had spoken out against Gen to begin with.
“Ohm? I see no reason to accept such a silly wager,” Gen said. “There’s nothing in it for me, young one. I have no reason to accept.”
“You should accept for your face alone!” said someone from the crowd.
Gen snorted at that. “Can we move this along? I’d like to become an elder as soon as possible.”
“Fine!” shouted the master who’d challenged him. “If I lose, I’ll give you my own disciples.”
“Pah, I don’t want them,” Gen said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The head elder stepped up and coughed into his hand.
“There’s little you can say that would change my mind, Head Elder Deng, and you can’t force my hand in this,” Gen said, glancing to the other man.
Blinking twice, the head elder looked enraged.
Ash doubted anyone ever spoke to him like that, let alone telling him so directly that whatever he was going to say didn’t matter.
“If you win, I’ll allow you and your disciples three treasures each from the Outer Sect vault, you damn cripple,” the head elder hissed between his teeth.
“Done,” Gen said immediately. He flicked his staff to Jia, who caught it out of midair. “Now, let’s get this over with.”
Moving nimbly and quickly, Gen took several steps away from the other master and then moved into a defensive stance.
Everyone stared at Gen in shock. No one had been expecting him to be able to move so easily. So quickly.
To act as if he weren’t a cripple.
“It would seem the pills worked wonderfully,” Jia said.
“So it would seem. Yue is far more accomplished than I thought,” Ash replied.
“She is. She has been feeding Yan a steady stream of pills to get her up to speed. It is… interesting. I think she does it out of her dogged loyalty to you.”
“At least someone supports me. Instead of mocking me with pretty eyes and a sharp tongue, that is,” Ash said, turning to stare at Jia.
She gave him a broad smile and lifted her eyebrows.
“My eyes are pretty?”
“Idiot,” Ash said with a grin, looking back to the masters.
An area had been cleared, and Gen and the challenger were standing alone.
“I wonder if this will be quick,” Ash said.
“I do not think so. Gen will take his time and relearn himself with this match. He will also make a statement to the others in doing so.”
After a second round of thought, Ash couldn’t help but agree with Jia’s assessment.
A downward chopping hand from the head elder signified the start of the duel.
Gen made no move, just stood still, waiting.
“Emperor’s Heavenly Blade of Destruction!” shouted the challenger.
Well, that’s a stupid thing to have to shout in a battle. I would have punched him in the mouth.
Sharp white lines coalesced in the air. A blade of force formed from the wind. Visible sharp eddies of wind were visible to the eye.
They began to grow larger, becoming considerably sharper in contrast as well.
Gen nodded and held one hand in front of himself.
“Break,” he said, and gently pushed his hand out.
Nothing happened visibly. Or that one could hear.
Though everyone felt the tremendous force that blasted out from Gen. Blasted out from him and tore the wind construct apart as if it had never been there.
Blinking placidly, Gen gave up his defensive pose and then just stood there.
“Ah, I see. If that is the best you can muster, then this will only be a matter of when—not if,” Gen said. “Unless you’d like to surrender now, and spare yourself the pain I will inflict upon you.
“I have much suffering to return to the Deng family. If you are not careful, you’ll be my first outlet.”
The challenger harrumphed and then put his hands together and began to rapidly flash hand seals. One after the other.
Several entities began to take shape out of cloudy-looking air. Then they began to slowly move together, melding into one shape.
The attack takes so long. The fool is lucky Gen is being patient. Otherwise he could just come over and punch him up.
“Most cultivators, as you have said several times, are terrible martial artists,” Jia said, her voice interrupting his thoughts. “The idea of simply beating someone down is extremely foreign to them.”
“They’re in for a rude awakening, then. I don’t plan on playing by their rules,” Ash said, the words sounding very much like a threat.
Finally, the air formed itself into a humanoid shape, with the loud sound of wind ripping through trees and tearing them up out of the ground.
Loud to the point of being uncomfortable.
After a second longer, it lunged for Gen.
The older man gently clapped his hands together. A soft pat was heard, but once again, the force that came from it was extreme.
It felt like someone had set off a bomb nearby, and the shockwaves were rolling through Ash.
The air construct blew apart, the shriek of the wind it had brought with it stopping instantly.
“A very well-constructed fart,” Gen said, letting his hands fall back to his sides. “Are you done now? I really would like to get this all over with so I can become an elder.
“My disciples will make short work of everything. In fact, the better question is which one of them will win?”
Turning bright red at the insult, the challenger began to swing his arms back and forth, whips of air forming and lashing out at Gen.
Over and over the blows fell, Gen vanishing under the repeated strikes as dust, grit, and the air itself was torn to bits and sent in every direction.
Ash couldn’t quite see what was happening anymore, and he could only briefly follow flashes of Gen inside the maelstrom.
The resounding booms of the whip cracks over and over were like hammer blows to the very air.
After a full minute, the challenger let his arms droop, panting heavily. It was obvious to everyone he’d lost control of himself and simply tried to kill Gen.
This had turned from what was supposed to be a duel into a full-on death match.
Slowly, the cloud thinned out, and Gen grew slightly visible.
Coughing twice, the older man waved a hand in front of his mouth.
“Quite a bit of dust. Perhaps you should consider taking up a job as a rug beater. There’re quite a few rugs in the sect, and I’m sure they could use a thorough cleaning,” Gen said.
Ash could now see his master, who appeared to be completely unharmed.
Though his clothes were a ruin, hanging onto his frame through sheer will alone.
Under those bits of clothing, though, everyone could see Gen’s body.
&n
bsp; Where they all had expected an older man with sagging skin and a wizened frame, they found only muscles.
Corded, flexing, firm muscles on a body that a young man would have. Though it was dotted with liver spots, gray hair, and wrinkles.
“Goodness, it would seem you owe me a new training gi as well,” Gen said patting at his rags.
Sighing, Gen looked to the challenger.
“It is now my turn. And might I say, you are quite powerful. Now I shall gift you an attack, unless you’d like to surrender?
“I cannot guarantee my attack won’t permanently harm you. It might even kill you. Are you sure you wish to taste it?
“You could surrender. It would cost you very little,” Gen said, offering the challenger an easy way out.
An incredibly simple way to allow the enemy out while also protecting himself. It would be hard to find Gen at fault for any wrongdoing with such a gentle offer towards his opponent.
Squaring his shoulders, the challenger lifted himself up into a straight posture, facing Gen head on.
“Bring it,” he said.
“As you like. Though, do not hold me at fault for what happens. I have warned you. Head Elder, do I have your permission to attack? Or would you prefer to force him to surrender and bow his head?” Gen asked, looking to the head elder.
“Hurry up and waste your breath. I won’t deny it’s impressive you could hold out, but you haven’t learned a new attack since we were young.
“You’re still nothing but a cripple. Just a cripple who’s learned how to defend himself,” sneered the head elder.
Gen looked to the challenger and held up his hands.
“My apologies. The head elder has sentenced you to whatever fate this brings. Take it seriously now, and defend with all your might,” Gen said.
Holding out a hand in front of himself, he sighed softly.
“Burst,” he said.
There was no shockwave this time. No blast of force. Nothing to indicate anything at all had happened.
Several seconds passed.
The head elder started laughing, clapping his hands together. “Is that all? Are you attempting your hand at parlor tricks now? I mean truly, Gen Sheng, this is—”
The head elder froze. His challenger slowly toppled forward.
Smacking lifelessly against the stones, the man lay there unmoving.
Cultivating Chaos Page 25