Chapter Sixteen: Pretty Talented

It turned out that while Lacy was pretty talented with aura control and qi breathing, she was close to a genius at qi control, and Peegra let her know it every chance he got. It was reassuring, she had to admit. The seven days of disapproving glares from some of her fellow recruits during the preliminary tests to sort out who wasn’t willing to put their all into the exams forced Lacy to hold back many biting remarks, but now she was finally being rewarded for her efforts.

Peegra told Lacy to practice. Lacy practiced. Peegra asked Lacy to demonstrate her progress. Lacy demonstrated her progress. Peegra complimented Lacy like she was his own daughter, reinforcing her drive to practice even more.

Being a spirit cultivator was a sweet gig.

But repeated good days didn’t last forever.

“BEAST SURGE!” Yellowvine’s Guardian bellowed as he touched down in the center of the party, returning from his scouting.

“How far out?” Instructor Poko asked. “What variety?”

“Maybe an hour from the east,” Mai Mosa replied. “Some kind of fire-attuned insect. Ants, likely.”

Instructor Kong cursed, to all the recruits’ surprise. This was the first time he’d lost his composure.

"Rest assured, you have a Sapling at your disposal while the ants are all likely Seeds,” Mai Mosa said very confidently…yet the instructors and other guards didn’t look reassured at all.

“Regardless, we run!” Instructor Kong intoned. “You estimated an hour? Then we take advantage of the warning!”

The mood shifted like never before as everyone picked up their feet and kicked into a higher gear. Before, they marched. Now, they ran, because everyone knew what a beast surge was. The instructors had made sure to explain the phenomenon in detail in case this very thing happened.

As Lacy remembered the lecture, every once in a while a particular kind of spirit beast thrived so well in an area that they overpopulated their territories and one of three things happened: the thriving beasts fought amongst themselves; the surrounding beasts that were previously pushed out all temporarily joined hands against the thriving beasts; one or more very powerful beasts got sick of seeing the thriving beasts and chased them out.

Each of those scenarios could cause a beast surge, though it didn’t really matter which. What mattered was that thousands, potentially tens of thousands of spirit beasts were heading their way, destroying everything in their path.

The party ran their lungs out, but unfortunately, the hour estimate was not quite accurate. Barely thirty minutes passed before the earth beneath their feet trembled, reminding Lacy of an earthquake.

“DO NOT SLOW,” Mai Mosa ordered before he dove into the trees, having promised to try redirecting the tsunami of flesh and bones.

Yet it was clear he failed when just minutes later orange ants the sizes of small dogs burst through the vegetation, and Instructor Poko shouted, “FORMATION ONE!”

The guards had long since taught the recruits several formations to take in the case of various dangers. Formation One was the simplest, designed for occasions when their party might be outnumbered. The recruits funneled together—careful not to stab each other with their spears—to be surrounded by the guards with Lacy and Peegra at the center because they were valuable spirit cultivators. Simple as that.

The guards all faced outward, kicking, stomping, and sweeping widely with their spears and glaives. Fortunately, from what Lacy could see, the insect beasts didn’t seem that intent on killing the humans in their way—perhaps because they were mindless bugs—but their very nature was deadly.

Along with their caustic bites, everywhere the orange insects died their version of blood scorched the ground. Grass was burning, spear hafts were burning, combat robes were burning, and the air itself became clouded with wisps of smoke. It wasn’t at any volume that really threatened their lives, but Lacy’s nose itched and she had to suppress the urge to cough.

Though while she could barely see the guards through the mass of recruits between them, Lacy had a front-row seat to Peegra’s magic. They were all pressed quite tightly together but the man was left with just enough room to wave his hands like an orchestra conductor, carefully yet efficiently guiding ambient qi all around them in a resplendent whirlpool that surrounded the party. Then Peegra allowed his hands to drop, and the qi flowed downwards into the ground, where it collected…something.

Lacy squinted her eyes and focused. She put the fight out of mind. Forgot the acrid stench of fire ant blood that singed her nose. Ignored the countless chitters, grunts, and shouts. Pretended as though the ground shaking was normal.

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Just like with the water qi in her bowl, a mystic veil was removed and suddenly she saw the rich earth qi that Peegra molded like clay. It took the man just a handful of seconds to concentrate before the earth qi in the ground caused dirt to rise and fall randomly around the party, tripping dozens of ants and preventing the aggressive ones from fighting back too much.

Still, despite the awesome display of magic, and the flashes of Mai Mosa darting around, destroying dozens of ants with every swing of his halberd, the experience was not pleasant for anyone. Smoke continued to gather, bushes and trees caught flame, guards screamed in pain.

Yet just as quickly as the swarm appeared, they disappeared, and Mai Mosa touched down, looking entirely unfazed as he spoke to the party.

“We are fortunate. The beast surge widened rather than thickened by the time they reached us.”

The Yellowvine Guardian said that as if the party hadn’t suffered any injuries, seemingly ignoring the few recruits and the one guard who sported severe burns along their lower halves. One recruit Lacy didn't care for lay unmoving on the ground after an ant got him in the throat.

“Guardian, please scout for more threats while we assess injuries and inventory,” Instructor Poko said.

Mai Mosa sighed through his nose at receiving orders but nodded and became a blur that disappeared into the canopy.

“Elite Peegra, your assistance is required,” Instructor Poko added as three guards were already moving, grabbing medical supplies and bringing the injured together around Peegra.

“It is somber circumstances that bring my next lesson, but in truth, the importance of this lesson cannot be taught properly without such circumstances as these.”

Lacy tilted her head in confusion as Peegra gestured for her to watch, and he knelt beside the injured recruits and guard which was surprising since Peegra often went out of his way to keep his robes clean. He did, however, ignore the unmoving recruit whose neck was split.

Then his hands went up, slower than she’d ever seen them. He grasped the ambient qi around them quite easily, but then it wasn’t exactly clear when it had gone, because he gently dispersed it…everywhere?

‘No, wait…’

She was missing something again. Peegra’s open hand slowly closed into a fist, slow as a snail. He was bringing the qi back, but it was somewhat hidden now, because she couldn’t see what he was controlling.

So Lacy closed her eyes and focused once more.

The heavy breaths, groans, pained yelps. The lingering smoke that stung not just her nose but her eyes. The chatter from adrenaline-fueled recruits. The thundering beats of her own heart.

She pushed them all away. They meant nothing compared to what she stood to gain.

Then she saw it.

Like glitter and snow combined with a vibrant green, this was wood qi, also called life qi. It was taken from the surrounding plants—grasses, bushes, trees—and delivered to the injured. A film of wood qi was laid down across the most serious burns, then it sank into the skin.

Breathing heavily, Peegra stood up and dusted off his knees.

“As I am no master of wood qi, that is all I can do,” he said as he wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. “What they need now is time, and the guard to circulate his blood essence. Lacy, did you follow the slow movements of my qi? Being careful and deliberate is my secret to controlling that much wood qi. When you begin to sense it, however long that takes, simply remember the care. I liken wood qi to an infant spirit. Treat wood qi with delicate hands.”

Lacy nodded seriously, wondering if she should tell him that she’d already begun sensing earth qi and wood qi. On one hand, he was her teacher. He needed to be kept up to date on her progress in order to create the best training program. However, on the other hand…what if her amazing progress was suspicious? She knew that it was supposed to take between weeks and months of meditation to sense all the primary qis: fire, water, earth, wind, wood, and gold.

“I…I may have sensed something,” Lacy said, leaving room for plausible deniability so that she could judge his reaction before committing.

“Really?” he asked, eyes bright like a kid on Christmas. “Already? That is wonderful!”

Lacy internally blew a sigh of relief.

“Yes, I think I saw…powder? Glittering powder. Was that the wood qi? That you laid on the burns in thin films?”

Peegra jumped to his feet and hollered in joy like he forgot how somber the situation was supposed to be. When he calmed down he placed both hands on Lacy’s shoulders and brought her in close.

“My dear Lacy, as if your future was not bright enough! Truly, you are blessed by the gods! Blessed by every great spirit that allied with humanity! As comfortable a life as any Elite cultivator often has, no one is more well-regarded and protected than a spirit physician! If you would like, once we acquire you a proper physician teacher, we can redirect your training so that you may focus on learning healing!”

Lacy felt like the deer her dad hit on the road last year. All the other recruits had gone quiet at Peegra’s excitement, listening and watching.

“Um…thank you, Peegra. That’s very…nice. But, no, I’d still like to…do both.”

Peegra looked slightly disappointed but still nodded along as he said, “Yes, yes, that is wise. Most physician cultivators only have talent for wood qi and often cannot protect themselves as well as physicians who also learn to wield other elements. Since you are talented in both water and wood—which coincidentally synergize very well in complex techniques—it is prudent to learn both, yes.”

“Do not forget,” Instructor Poko said, walking over to them, “that she intends to be a dual cultivator, as well. Is the wood element not very compatible with that, too?”

Peegra visibly winced.

“Well, yes, it is.” He looked back at Lacy. “But that path is incredibly difficult. Often only children of the wealthy become dual cultivators because of all the support they receive. Are you absolutely certain…”

Peegra trailed off after he noticed Lacy’s pursed lips.

“Very well,” he coughed. “Your enthusiasm is commendable, and in fact, admirable.”

He let go of Lacy and turned to collect his bag of personal belongings from where he’d dropped it when Lacy cleared her throat.

“Um, I forgot to mention that I also sensed earth qi from when you—”

Peegra was in front of Lacy in an instant, wrapping his arms around her with gusto.

“I am blessed by the heavens to have such a talented student!”