by Wong, Tao
***
Days passed, and to Wu Ying’s minor relief, the talisman never burnt itself. It stayed inert until such time as Wu Ying discarded the talisman. The minor charge within the talisman would run out soon, and rather than leave a trace, he set the entire set burning with a thought.
Afterward, they kept searching the forest for their prey.
Wu Ying no longer led the team in a single straight line but instead followed the contour of the ground, searching appropriate environments for the Sun Lotus blossom, or cresting hills to review nearby lakes in search of migrating Ben. While his Master had provided Wu Ying a map, it had only provided a rough location. Day after day they rode, heated battles with demon beasts and the occasional spirit beast increasing in frequency.
Hungry, egg-laying demonic flies swarmed them in the morning, seeking a place to grow their children. A liberal application of an apothecarist’s rub kept the smaller examples of the monsters away. Still, the larger, more aggressive demon beasts had to be fought as their fist-sized proboscises attempted to tear through flesh.
In the afternoon, they faced a cloud leopard spirit beast, one whose newly acquired Core status left the team sans an extra horse. A quick retreat had the team backtracking from the creature who seemed content with its offering of horse flesh.
An overgrown and twisted demonic snake swallowed Yu Kun whole in one sudden gulp, only to be torn apart from the inside as the cultivator broke free as his friends fought the snake’s children. And only careful scouting allowed them to avoid a costly battle with a mid-stage Energy Storage wolverine whose size had grown to that of a full-grown tiger.
But it was the evenings, when flying demonic barred owls and massive, fist-sized flame and air-aspected mosquitoes came out to play that protective talismans were used. Luxuries like daily baths were set aside as the group collapsed in mental exhaustion night after night under the protection of necessary campfires and protective formation flags.
For all that, Wu Ying and his team found no sign of the materials they required. No Chan Chu miraculously appeared in areas they were not meant to, and the few Ben they did see were flying so far overhead they might have been figments of their unfulfilled desires. As for the blossoms, the single plant Wu Ying managed to locate was too young to provide a flower.
Transplanting the immature Sun Lotus took Wu Ying half a day of tense work, as he shifted the plant to his ring. Over the course of their journey, he had begun the process of revitalizing the world spirit ring. He had removed the old, lifeless soil and replaced it with new, well-tended soil purchased from a local gardener before they had left the city. A small portion of the ring had been set aside for a compost pile, one that was liberally seeded with remnants of spiritual herbs Wu Ying had gathered. Unused, unneeded spirit herb cuttings were discarded into the pile, while other parts and soil from chi-rich locations were worked into the soil in his ring.
To care for the Sun Blossom and transplant it, Wu Ying needed to alter the temperature, humidity, and the chi flow in his ring. He had to dig out a small pond, fill it with water, and ensure a constant flow of nutrients. All of that required a careful application of chi through the ring itself, as well as the addition of formation flags. Thankfully, spending time with Ru Ping had provided Wu Ying a basic understanding of managing environmental chi flows, and the addition of crushed beast stones in the right aspect covered for his shortcomings. In the short term, it would last, though he would need to perfect the formations and the environment in the Sect.
While he worked, his friends cultivated and watched, dealing with a couple of inquisitive demon beasts. Without Elder Yang, they were forced to fight more than ever, but thus far, they had managed to deal with such attacks well enough. Still, injuries accumulated faster than their boosted healing could recover. All that they could do was keep moving, day after day.
Chapter 28
Nearly two weeks after they had left Hinma, the group arrived at their destination. A short half-day ride was left for them, and within the valley, amidst the small lakes, as the sun beat down on them on this clear day, a field of floating Sun Blossom Lotuses arose.
“That it?” Yu Kun asked.
“That’s it,” Wu Ying confirmed. He kicked his feet into his horse, taking them off the ridge that had opened up before them and down into cover again. He rode forward for a while until the team regrouped with him, out of sight of potential enemies.
“Why are we stopping?” Lei Hui asked. “It’s right there. As close as a meat bun to Tou Hei’s mouth.”
“What!”
Snorted laughter arose, a brief break of levity that was much needed.
Wu Ying waved, bringing the humor to an end. “We need to make sure there are no enemies awaiting us. Yu Kun and I will scout the surroundings. You all will continue to make your way down, slowly. We’ll meet at the south edge of the main lake, at the portion that hooks up near the outflow.”
“What do we do if we arrive first?” Lei Hui asked.
“Have lunch,” Wu Ying said. “Watch for trouble and set up camp. It’s unlikely they’re here, and even if they are, it’s unlikely they’ll attack you first. Better to either kill Yu Kun and me separately or attack us all together.” He did not add that as he was the only Gatherer in the group, all their enemies needed to do was finish him off to end the quest.
There were nods from the group. Wu Ying swung his feet off his horse, dismounting and handing over the reins. Yu Kun copied his motion, and in short order, the much smaller expedition started riding down.
“Left or right?” Yu Kun said.
“Left.” Wu Ying added, “Don’t engage. Just find them, if you can. We’ll decide what to do once we know.”
On foot, the pair loped into the forest in their respective directions. Wu Ying moved easily, churning his chi and holding his aura close, much like Yu Kun. Of the group, the pair of them had the best aura control and woodsman craft. If anyone could ascertain if others had arrived and lay in wait, it would be either of them.
It might be a little paranoid, but Wu Ying had vowed to himself that he would not make a mistake. Not when so much rode on his decisions.
***
Hours later, as the midday sun had passed its zenith and crept toward the horizon, Wu Ying arrived at the meeting spot. To his amusement, the expedition had set up a camp including a small cooking fire. Tou Hei manned the fire while Lei Hui added formation flags around their temporary encampment, boosting its defensibility. Wang Min had her guzheng out, her fingers playing the instrument, yet no sound arose. A small formation circle around her dampened all noise, allowing her to practice without alerting anyone or endangering the camp.
When Wu Ying parted the underbrush and stepped out, he was gladdened to note the group’s instinctive motions. Wang Min shifted her hand, her repeating crossbow appearing in it. Lei Hui placed his on the formation flag he’d just planted, ready to activate the defenses. Only Tou Hei did not make any overt moves, though his hand had never strayed far from his staff.
“Any problems?” Lei Hui asked, relaxing and moving to the next location. These flags were simple to set up and had the advantage of being useable when not completely distributed. The flags and written talismans of melded metal and jade were all created to channel both external and stored chi for their effects. In this case, a simple attack formation against those breaching the initial line of defenses.
“None that I noticed,” Wu Ying said.
The group smiled while Wu Ying made his way to his horse to extract a water bottle. While he had one in his storage ring, it was better to drink those out here first. The horses themselves were stabled a short distance away in the clearing, staked down at a convenient tree and close enough to a trickling stream that they could water themselves as needed.
A short distance away, Sun Lotuses in various states of bloom bobbed in the water. Many had blossomed, the golden and pink flowers casting reflections of the midday sun across the valley. It was a tranquil sight, and Wu Ying set asi
de the worries of command, the concerns for his martial sister and Master, and reveled in the natural beauty. As water played and waves lapped at the shore, Wu Ying breathed and cultivated.
A noise behind him made Wu Ying pivot, hand falling to his sword. He had it drawn and pointing at the interruption before he thought, only to spot Yu Kun. The other cultivator’s eyes had widened, hands raised to block the attack that never came.
“Those were good reflexes,” Yu Kun said. “Wu wei[27]?”
“Yes,” Wu Ying said. Speaking, thinking, threw Wu Ying from that moment of peace, of oneness with the world, and he found himself sighing.
Achieving wu wei, acting without acting, was always difficult. He grasped it sometimes when he sparred, when he dueled. That brief moment of oneness with nature and his body, when the gap between thinking and acting, choosing and moving, disappeared. There was no thought anymore, for action was effortless because it was perfectly in line with the flow of life. There was no more individual desire or thought, and so, there was no more consideration before action was taken. It just… happened.
“Beautiful,” Yu Kun praised.
And it had been. So fast, so effortless that Yu Kun had had no chance to react. Not unless he had achieved that state of mind too. It was what they all strived for, in their own ways. Finding a place in the Dao.
“Thank you. I assume you didn’t find anything?” Wu Ying said as he assessed the relaxed nature of Yu Kun’s comments, the way he strolled over to Tou Hei to procure lunch.
“No cultivators. No tracks of other large beasts either,” Yu Kun said.
The way he said the last sentence made Wu Ying pause. He considered his own experience, considered what he’d seen, then frowned. This was a watering hole, a location to gain freshwater. While not the only one in the region, it was an easy-to-reach location. So why would the local wildlife stay away from it?
“Problem?” Lei Hui asked.
“Maybe.” Wu Ying turned back to the lapping waves of the lake, the serene sight suddenly taking on a different sheen. He looked from side to side, taking in the water.
Seeing his distraction, the group left him to it and continued to set up the camp for the day.
A short ten minutes later, Tou Hei was by Wu Ying’s side. He held out a soft, pliable bun overflowing with stir-fried meat and vegetables. “Eat.”
Wu Ying took the bun without a word, biting into it and chewing. The taste of the bouncy, lightly floured rice bun soaked in meat juices filled his mouth as the fresh vegetables crunched as he chewed. But it was the savory taste of the meat and the slight rush of chi that made Wu Ying release an unintentional moan of pleasure. After he swallowed his second bite, Wu Ying finally freed himself from his gluttony to ask, “Marten?”
“Yes. Soaked it in some peach wine,” Tou Hei said. His eyes twinkled. “I got the cast-off versions from your friend.”
Wu Ying snorted. Zhong Shei’s family’s version of unsuitable wine was considered top tier nearly anywhere else. As he bit into the bun again, stuffing the remainder into his mouth to chew and to free his hand to accept another from Tou Hei, he caught sight of a firefly. The demon beast insect was the size of a large cat, nearly two feet in length with its wingspan doubling that. It hovered before flying down to perch on one of the Sun Lotuses.
A bulge in the water, silent before the explosion, was all the warning they received. The dragonfly, reacting on instinct, had begun to take off, but it was too late. The oversized carp that erupted from the lake took the two-foot-long dragonfly in its mouth, serrated teeth crunching down and cracking wings, before the fish’s leap ended, its body and tail disappearing into the water once more.
Wu Ying’s jaw dropped open, food nearly dribbling out.
Yu Kun’s laconic voice from behind said, “Well, now we know why there are no beasts drinking from the lake.”
***
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Tou Hei asked as he stared at the now-shirtless cultivator. “There are other lakes.”
“But those flowers have already blossomed. They’ve grown to quite an extent. How long would it take to find another? What if they’ve stopped blossoming by then?” Wu Ying said. “Another location might not have the same.”
“Also, no giant spirit carp in the Core cultivation stage,” Tou Hei pointed out. “I’m all for fish, but mostly as a meal. Not being the meal.”
Wu Ying nodded over to where Wang Min sat, the guzheng before her. She had finished tuning the instrument and now just awaited Wu Ying. Lei Hui stood by her, ready to activate their formation flags around the campsite if necessary. When she began playing, there would be no muting of her music this time.
Yu Kun was gone from the camp, ranging the hills in an attempt to spot potential problems. If there were attackers, Yu Kun could hopefully spot and potentially deal with it all beforehand. As for Tou Hei, he would keep an eye on the water and Wu Ying. Hopefully he would be able to haul the cultivator back on the rope wrapped around the ex-farmer’s waist.
“Are you sure this will work?” Tou Hei asked.
Wu Ying shrugged. In theory, the music Wang Min would play would calm the monster. But it was only in theory. They weren’t trying to decrease its chi or make it lethargic during a fight, as they had planned with the Chan Chu. Instead, the song Wang Min would perform would just reinforce the natural, placid nature of the carp.
After all, Wu Ying was not its natural prey. Nor was Wu Ying going to agitate the monster. His only goal was to acquire the Sun Lotus blossoms. In theory, this should work.
In theory.
Drawing a deep breath, Wu Ying slathered himself down with the oil Lei Hui had handed him. The oil would mask his chi and scent better, while also keeping him warm in the frigid cold lake. Preparations complete, Wu Ying waded into the water, the hemp rope playing out behind him. He kept walking until he was forced to swim, taking long and slow strokes to drive himself toward the closest Sun Blossom.
With so many to choose from, Wu Ying was intent on getting only the best of the flowers. More so, he intended to pick at least two, and potentially a third in its entirety to plant within his spirit ring. Of course, he had not admitted the full scope of his plans to his friends, wary of the objections they might raise. But Wang Min would either manage to calm the spirit carp or she would not.
Long, gentle, slow strokes brought him close to the floating lotuses. He pushed aside one of the leaves, paddling gently as his eyes focused on his target. The large, resplendent flower gleamed in the slow setting sun, its petals almost seeming to be on fire as it reflected sunlight. In the water, Wu Ying could smell, could sense the flow of chi, the disparate elements of fire of the Sun Lotus and the water chi in the lake sharp, painful contrasts.
A buzz above Wu Ying made his head turn. An unnaturally large mosquito fly, seeking a place to land and deposit its eggs. Something brushed his legs, then water rose and splashed as the mosquito was eaten. Gone in a flash of silver-white scales as a carp—only four feet long—acquired its meal for the day.
Wang Min continued to play, the gentle notes of her guzheng thrumming through the air. Wu Ying felt the slight pressure on his aura, felt the tune’s gentle persuasion to relaxation that it engendered within him. He took control of his mind, forced it to focus on his objective.
There were things that tickled his feet, that brushed against his arms underneath the murky water as he paddled. There were monsters beneath the water.
And he ignored it all.
He had a job, and as he reached the blossoms, he began the process of completing it.
Separating the Sun Lotus blossom from the lotus pad itself was not difficult. To keep the Sun Lotus alive, he would need to use wood and water chi while plucking the blossom. To separate the stalks, he had specialized implements to grip and hold the flower. But this close, Wu Ying sensed another issue.
The fire chi within the Sun Lotus blossom was so intense, he felt his face and hand blister. What he had expected to take t
ime with, he realized, he would need to hurry. All of the documents he had read had mentioned this problem, but only in passing. Unfortunately, the other Gatherers who had written the books were in the Core cultivation stage. As such, they had a natural defense against the heat that beat upon Wu Ying’s skin.
Paddling beside the flower, Wu Ying made up his mind quickly. There was no point in worrying about incomplete information or his own lack of understanding. He could curse himself out later for not grasping the details. Now he had to work. And work fast.
His breathing hitched as Wu Ying kicked more vigorously in the water, feet brushing against plants and creatures below. His hands moved, grasping the implements, filling them and his own arms with his unaspected chi, reinforcing them with his aura. Then he stuck his hands forward.
Burning. His hands were on fire, his face too. He cut and pulled, dislodging the blossom and harvesting it as quickly as he could. A small motion and he extracted an ice jade box into which the Sun Lotus blossom was deposited. Wu Ying hurriedly closed the box, pushing his chi into the enchanted storage, reinforcing its natural ability to seal. Another exertion of will sent the box into his world spirit ring.
The heat disappeared as Wu Ying stopped paddling. He sank, water covering his face, his arms, providing blessed relief. At first, Wu Ying had his eyes closed, but he pried them open to see small darting fish floating beside him, among the waving tendrils of the lotus roots. And beneath his feet, far beneath, he caught sight of something bigger.
Something much bigger. Languidly swimming, tail flicking in slow motion.
He watched for a time as his breath grew short. Watched the monster paddle, ignoring all around it. And Wu Ying grinned. This could work. As he kicked upward and broke the surface, Wu Ying smiled.
This really could work.
***
The third target. This was going to take the longest, for Wu Ying was working to free dangling roots, cutting them when needed and preparing the land within the ring. The pond he had created needed to be deepened, some of the rich spiritual water he swam in replacing the current liquid within. As he swam, he debated whether it was worth the risk. But Wang Min had played well, and thus far, no issues had arisen even after he had acquired the second Sun Lotus.