by Wong, Tao
“Yes, Master. There is no need.” Wu Ying echoed.
“I see.” Master Cheng fell silent, letting his gaze roam over the pair before he gave a firm nod. “Very well. Fa Yuan, the Patriarch and the Sect protectors want to speak with you about your experiences.” When Fa Yuan still stood, he gestured at her to go. Fa Yuan’s eyes widened, and she shot a glance at the dark sky, to which Elder Cheng shook his head. “I fear rest will be in short supply in the next few years.”
“Yes, Master.” Another bow and Fairy Yang disappeared out the doorway, green robes flaring behind her as she hurried, leaving but the hint of her perfume and the memory of her passing.
“As for you…” Master Cheng smiled at Wu Ying, his hand falling to his own belted sword. “Show me what you have learned.”
“Master?” Wu Ying said hesitantly, even as he took hold of his own weapon.
“If you intend to throw yourself into such situations, it falls to me to ensure you survive your youthful follies.” His eyes glinting, the Elder drew his weapon. “There will be even less rest for you in the coming months.”
Wu Ying drew his weapon automatically, taking a stance across from his Master.
Just before his Master engaged, he spoke one last sentence. “A storm is coming. And I will make sure that at least this dragon learns to dance in the winds of calamity.”
###
The End
So ends Book 4 of A Thousand Li
Wu Ying continues on his journey to immortality in
book 5—the Second Storm
Expected Q1/Q2 2021
Author’s Note
Thank you for continuing the journey with me and Wu Ying in A Thousand Li. As you can guess, the dark sect and their machinations will play a large part in the next arc, with Wu Ying attempting to climb in strength and power as well as beginning to gain a true glimpse of what his dao will be.
Writing during this time (2020) has been challenging. While I’m Canadian, watching the political chaos in the US is heart-wrenching. Covid has affected all of us, no matter where we lived. I’m grateful that I’m able to continue to earn my living during these trying times, telling the stories that live in my head. And perhaps, hopefully, provide a little joy and thoughtfulness to another person’s life.
Sometimes, all you can do is exist. And move on, from day-to-day, doing the best you can for yourself and those around you.
If you haven’t, please check out my other series, the System Apocalypse (a post-apocalyptic LitRPG), Adventures on Brad (a young adult fantasy LitRPG), and the Hidden Wishes (an urban fantasy GameLit series). Book one of each series follow:
Life in the North (Book 1 of the System Apocalypse)
A Healer’s Gift (Book 1 of the Adventures on Brad)
A Gamer’s Wish (Book 1 of the Hidden Wishes series)
I also host a Facebook Group for all things wuxia, xanxia, and specifically, cultivation novels. We’d love it if you joined us:
Cultivation Novels
For more great information about LitRPG series, check out the Facebook groups:
GameLit Society
LitRPG Books
About the Author
Tao Wong is an avid fantasy and sci-fi reader who spends his time working and writing in the North of Canada. He’s spent way too many years doing martial arts of many forms and, having broken himself too often, now spends his time writing about fantasy worlds.
If you’d like to support Tao directly, he has a Patreon page where previews of all his new books can be found!
Tao Wong’s Patreon
For updates on the series and the author’s other books (and special one-shot stories), please visit his website: http://www.mylifemytao.com
Subscribers to Tao’s mailing list will receive exclusive access to short stories in the Thousand Li and System Apocalypse universes: https://www.subscribepage.com/taowong
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About the Publisher
Starlit Publishing is wholly owned and operated by Tao Wong. It is a science fiction and fantasy publisher focused on the LitRPG & cultivation genres. Their focus is on promoting new, upcoming authors in the genre whose writing challenges the existing stereotypes while giving a rip-roaring good read.
For more information on Starlit Publishing, visit our website!
You can also join Starlit Publishing’s mailing list to learn of new, exciting authors and book releases.
Books in A Thousand Li series
The First Step
The First Stop
The First War
The Second Expedition
The Second Storm
Glossary
Aura Reinforcement Exercise—Cultivation exercise that allows Wu Ying to contain his aura, trapping his chi within himself and making his cultivation more efficient and making him, to most senses, feel like someone of a lower cultivation level.
Body Cleansing—First cultivation stage where the cultivator must cleanse their body of the impurities that have accumulated. Has twelve stages.
Cao—Fuck
Catty—Weight measurement. One catty is roughly equivalent to one and a half pounds or 604 grams. A tael is 1/16th of a catty
Cì kè (or cike)—Translates as assassin. It also refers to a type of dark or heretical sect and a form of martial arts taught to assassins or those trained just to kill.
Chi (or Qi)—I use the Cantonese pinyin here rather than the more common Mandarin. Chi is life force / energy and it permeates all things in the universe, flowing through living creatures in particular.
Chi Points (a.k.a. Acupuncture Points)—Locations in the body that, when struck, compressed, or otherwise affected, can affect the flow of chi. Traditional acupuncture uses these points in a beneficial manner.
Core formation—Third stage of cultivation. Having gathered sufficient chi, the cultivator must form a “core” of compressed chi. The stages in Core formation purify and harden the core.
Cultivation Exercise—A supplementary exercise that improves an individual’s handling of chi within their body. Cultivation exercises are ancillary to cultivation styles.
Cultivation Style—A method to manipulate chi within an individual’s body. There are thousands of cultivation exercises, suited for various constitutions, meridians, and bloodlines.
Dao—Chinese sabre. Closer to a western cavalry sabre, it is thicker, often single-edged, with a curve at the end where additional thickness allows the weapon to be extra efficient at cutting.
Dantian—There are actually three dantians in the human body. The most commonly referred to one is the lower dantian, located right above the bladder and an inch within the body. The other two are located in the chest and forehead, though they are often less frequently used. The dantian is said to be the center of chi.
Dragon’s Breath—Chi projection attack from the Long family style.
Dark Sects— Sects that delve into the darker side of human and demonic nature, intent on progression of power and personal strength over morality. Dark sects are destroyed when found, as they often indulge in torture, cannibalism, blood magic, murder and other darker urges.
Elements—The Chinese traditionally have five elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Within these elements, additional sub-elements may occur (example—air from Chao Kun, ice from Li Yao).
Energy Storage—Second stage of cultivation, where the energy storage circulation meridians are opened. This stage allows cultivators to project their chi, the amount of chi stored and projected depending on level. There are eight levels.
Huài dàn—Rotten egg
Hún dàn—Bastard
Jian—A straight, double-edged sword. Known in modern times as a “taichi sword.” Mostly a thrusting instrument, though it can be used to cut as well.
Jianghu (Jiāng hú)—Is literally translated as “rivers and lakes” but is a term used for the “martial arts world” in wuxia works (and this one too). In moder
n parlance, it can also mean the underworld or can be added to other forms of discussion like “school Jianghu” to discuss specific societal bounds.
Li—Roughly half a kilometer per li. Traditional Chinese measurement of distance.
Long family jian style—A family sword form passed on to Wu Ying. Consists of a lot of cuts, fighting at full measure, and quick changes in direction.
Meridians—In traditional Chinese martial arts and medicine, meridians are how chi flows through the body. In traditional Chinese medicine, there are twelve major meridian flows and eight secondary energy flows. I’ve used these meridians for the stages in cultivation for the first two stages.
Mountain Breaking Fist—Fist form that Wu Ying gained in the inner sect library. Focused, single, powerful attacks.
Nascent Soul—The fourth and last known stage of cultivation. Cultivators form a new, untouched soul steeped in the dao they had formed. This new soul must ascend to the heavens, facing heavenly tribulation at each step.
Northern Shen Kicking Style—Kicking form that Wu Ying learned at the outer sect library. Both a grappling and kicking style, meant for close combat.
Qinggong—Literally “light skill.” Comes from baguazhang and is basically wire-fu—running on water, climbing trees, gliding along bamboo, etc.
Iron Reinforced Bones—Defensive, physical cultivation technique that Wu Ying trains in that will increase the strength and defense of his body.
Sect—A grouping of like-minded martial artists or cultivators. Generally, Sects are hierarchical. There are often core, inner, and outer disciples in any Sect, with Sect Elders above them and the Sect patriarch above all.
Six Jades Sect—Rival sect of the Verdant Green Waters, located in the State of Wei.
State of Shen—Location in which the first book is set. Ruled by a king and further ruled locally by lords. The State of Shen is made up of numerous counties ruled over by local lords and administered by magistrates. It is a temperate kingdom with significant rainfall and a large number of rivers connected by canals.
State of Wei—The antagonistic kingdom that borders the State of Shen. The two states are at war.
Tael—System of money. A thousand copper coins equals one tael.
Tai Kor—Elder brother
Verdant Green Waters Sect—Most powerful Sect in the State of Wen. Wu Ying’s current Sect.
Wu wei—Taoist concept, translates as “inaction” or “non-doing” and relates to the idea of an action without struggle, that is perfectly aligned with the natural world.
* * *
[1] Taotei – a mythological (or, in our case, real) beast from Chinese folklore that has an unending hunger.
[2] Dao when capitalized is talking of the true Dao, the Way that encompassed the heavens and earth and everything in between. It is the Way that is natural and that cannot be explained. For in explaining, one misses the point.
[3] In Chinese legends, a beautiful maiden that was turned into a frog with three legs and sent to the moon
[4] A white magpie with three eyes, six legs, and a glittering red tail
[5] It’s a minor joke, that when someone gets fat (and old) Chinese people will say they’ve grown :prosperous.” After all, you could only grow fat if you were well fed and thus prosperous.
[6] This is a reference to Nüwa, drowned in Chinese mythology in the Eastern Sea. Enraged by her cruel death, she transformed into a bird (the jingwei) and carries twigs and stones in her mouth, dropping them into the ocean to fill it up. She continues that act to this day.
[7] Yes, that’s a real style. It’s actually the most common praying mantis style.
[8] Traditional Chinese measurement. I won’t use it again probably, since without the tone variation, it looks the same. The actual size varied depending on the age, but in the modern period, it’s been standardized to 32mm so, about an inch and a quarter
[9] Courtesy refusals do happen. In fact, there are long tracts in classic books like Water Margin about how various people decline the courtesy of eating, of insisting of paying. Depending on their families, even modern day Chinese do this. Though the process (at least in my experience) is significantly shortened. We don’t take hours on figuring out who is paying the bill.
[10] From the Chinese term ‘吃醋’ that directly translated means “eat vinegar” or more correctly, jealousy or envy. It comes from a story that Emperor Taizong from the Tang dynasty decided to choose a concubine for his premier Fang Xuanling. Xuanling’s wife was so jealous that, given the choice between accepting the concubine or drinking a poison, she drank the poison. She only learned later that the Emperor had switched the poison with vinegar to test her resolve and loyalty.
[11] The kowtow is a very subservient form of a bow, where the individual gets on their hands and knees and places their head on the ground. Generally used for the Emperor or when paying respects to those in high authority, or during prayers. Which, I guess, is the same thing. Almost never done now in the modern day outside of temples at most and unless you’re trying to humiliate someone.
[12] Translates as water tiger and, yes, it’s a real monster. Sometimes called a kappa, though some assert they are two different creatures. For our purpose, only the suiko are real.
[13] The Hmong are an actual ethnic group that lived in China before being pushed out of their original lands. They have a rich cultural history, from their famous embroidery and love songs and a unique traditional dress sense. As always, I’m only using a small portion of their history here.
[14] I had to play with this sentence multiple times while trying not to say “it’s a fat guitar with less strings.” The pipa is actually quite a beautiful instrument to listen to.
[15] Reminder, the “Ah” portion is an honorific only used when one is familiar with said person (or trying to force familiarity). By dropping his generation name and using Ah, it indicates a closer relationship between the two.
[16] By the way, this is a real fish. Excluding the metallic chi, that is. And the overly aggressive nature. Also, extinct, but they grew up to twenty-three feet in length.
[17] Cheers. Often shouted out loudly before everyone downs even more alcohol in a show of mutual support. It always puzzles me how a large group of people who can’t process alcohol well still have a very strong drinking culture.
[18] Naming conventions – it’s common for parents to use either the personal name twice for children or a nickname rather than the actual name. Again, there’s a vastly more complex naming culture in traditional Chinese culture pre-Western colonization that we’re not even going to touch.
[19] Ancient China used bells to tell time on the hour as well. Incense sticks – and incense clocks – were a common method of telling time as well, with incense sticks being carefully marked to indicate amount of time. The amount of time an incense stick burnt varied, depending on size and use. The day was broken up in two hour portions, and also in ‘ke’ which these days is the equivalent of 15 minutes. It gets a lot more complicated (as always), so we’re just sticking to minutes and hours.
[20] Exchanging pointers is another term for dueling. It denotes a slightly more formal form of sparring, often conducted between martial arts groups or between senior and junior students. The idea is that during the process of sparring, both participants learn something from the fight. Depending on the skill level difference, these exchanges could even be a form of guidance.
[21] Rice balls. Often cooked in a sweet dessert-soup base. Black or red sesame versions are most common.
[22] Translates as dragon beard candy. Yes, that Long.
[23] The Chinese version of chess is somewhat different than the Western version of chess. It consists of seven different types of pieces, with movements of some similar (the horse/knight, chariot / rook) and some quite different (the cannon).
[24] Yes, this is real. You’d be surprised the kind of fights that occur around the dinner table on who gets to eat the (cleaned) chicken tail (basically, the but
t which is fleshy and fatty).
[25] Technically translates as an assassin. Yes, the Chinese have their own version of the ninja, just less glamorized.
[26] Translates literally as “rivers and lakes,” but in this case, in the book refers to the world of martial arts. It comes from the poem by Fan Zhongyan which states (roughly) – “Living in temple and palace, I will help the poor peoples. Living near rivers and lakes, I will worry about the emperor.”
[27] Translates literally as “non-doing” or “inaction.”
[28] This is more a direct translation of jiā yóu, meaning ‘more energy’ or ‘more focus’. Normally, I don’t use direct translations, but it’s one of those amusing translations.