Two days passed by with no occasion worth mentioning. All there was to Zhang Cai’s routine, to be told, was that he cultivated, had conversations with Shu Ligui over some food—no more than one period, he let her to rest for dinner or breakfast where they would eat alone—and made small talk with some of the attendants tending the place.

He had the idea to go out on a stroll, and asked the people for where or what of their sect was beautiful. Blue Lotus Sect’s mountain had many beautiful peaks, they said, and there were many cave-dwellings from which they could descend into the Sect Market. At least half of the sect lived under the mountain, it seemed, where the Qi of Earth and Water bundled together to make springs and rivers that flowed and nourished the lands sloping below. Half the irrigation water came from these streams, while the other half they diverted from the great river passing through the Eastern Marsh of the Slingerwhale.

Apart from that, they talked about the lands below. The smell of pure Qi, with the mud and soil and greenery, was the most wonderful thing. Those on the outer mountain counted themselves unlucky in that sense; this place had little to consider with strong wind and desolate outlook, except the ever-expanding view that filled one with a domineering feeling of standing on top of the world,

Of course, Zhang Cai didn’t see any of that except the latter-most, for the air did not know the word rest and the clouds washed away the earth. Thunder boomed outside, and he was seated across Shu Ligui again. She had her hair tied up with a crimson bow, and her complexion was much brighter and cheery, and since she could long cultivate she had no need to rest as strictly as before. There were desks before them still with steaming bowls of food. They had a lentil soup with dumplings, some filled with ground meat and some with vegetables, as well as the must have white rice.

As they were talking of the air and the event where an insane fellow who attempted to crash onto a lightning bolt last night, they heard a commotion below. A chatter, then heavy steps, sounding plenty, came up.

‘’Probably the new guests.’’ Zhang Cai commented. He was trying to stuff three dumplings inside his cheeks.

‘’Sir Zhang, please eat more moderately.’’

Some of the steps went upstairs while most remained on their floor. Whooshes of the sliding doors came, and they heard the attendant’s words.

‘’Miss Shu is here, Elder Li.’’

‘’Showmone yhou khnow—’’ He stopped speaking at her glare, swallowed, then asked again.’’Is someone you are acquainted came?’’

‘’I know most of them on an acquaintance basis. Only in some family gatherings, and the engagement celebration of my elder sister.’’

They were strictly talking about Li Noble Clan members, and not other possible visitors.

‘’Oh. Why are they asking for you then?’’

‘’Common courtesy for a relative—’’ as she replied there was a knock on the door and a mature, sweet voice rose. ‘’I suppose.’’

‘’Miss Shu, are you there? Are you available?’’

Zhang Cai thought that the voice sounded familiar.

‘’Should I go out?’’ He whispered.

‘’No need,’’ Shu Ligui replied. ‘’Not at the moment, my apologies.’’

The other party slid the door open before her words sounded across the room. ‘’My my, no need to be conserved with fa...mi...ly...?’’

Zhang Cai turned around to see a unforgettable silver fan, and a dumb look on the eldery face. The woman had a blue and jade necklace with seven jewels, cheeks and lips too rosy for someone her age, and as his observation came to an end a fuming look in her eyes.

The dumpling in his mouth fell to the floor. Four of them to be precise.

‘’You!’’

‘’You!’’

Both pointed fingers at the other party, but Zhang Cai pulled himself back to gather the dumplings on the floor. He blew on them, patted their surface, then swallowed them again in a single motion.

‘’You unsightly creature.’’ The woman, who was Li Bo’s Great Aunt, shouted.

‘’Whe hwhe hoerew swhomone rhwesting, dhownt showut!’’

‘’Sir Zhang, please speak after you eat.’’ Shu Ligui commented(threatened) and cupped her hands towards the elderly woman. ‘’Fifth Elder.’’

‘’I said,’’ Zhang Cai gulped. ‘’We have here someone resting, don’t shout.’’ In the meantime he devoured a few more dumplings. He had the honed instinct of a beggar that told him when there was an argument, food would be caught in the crossfire. Such heavy casualty wasn’t something he could afford.

The old woman cast him a most incredulous look, then straight up ignored him and focused on Shu Ligui. ‘’Shu, dear, how do you know this thing? Is he your servant?’’

‘’Sir Zhang is neither my servant nor a thing, Elder Li.’’ She seemed displeased, and Zhang Cai agreed with Shu Ligui. She had said that she wasn’t available, and the woman still charged in. ‘’How are you acquainted, may I ask?’’

Her manner of questioning did not seem to fit a younger generation. She asked not for her well-being, nor of her journey, but Zhang Cai couldn’t care less.

‘’This thing caused Bo’er to get poisoned, what else! Do you know how many spiritual herbs we spent to heal him? Thousands of silver—and he had the gall to just leave without any compensation.’’

Zhang Cai cast Elder Li an amused look. ‘’It was in my agreement with Li Bro that my injuries would be compensated. Who are you to question it?’’

‘’Wretched creature, who gives you the right to speak?’’

‘’I need no right from no one, retard.’’

‘’Sir Zhang!’’ Shu Ligui reprimanded him.

‘’Miss Li, this woman tried to kill me in my sleep, even when I came under a contract and treated Li Bo and Li Huan as close siblings. What is she if she’s not a retard?’’

Both women seemed frozen, and a very awkward silence came upon them. Outside the door, a few disciples of Li Family approached at the sound, glancing into the room. Zhang Cai waved at them without minding the silence and a few waved back.

‘’Go back to your rooms! I will break the legs of the last one to go in!’’

The group scattered like mice and Elder Li let out a sigh. She kept up a very natural, charming smile, and pulled her fan over her face. ‘’Well, my dear Shu, I heard you intend to duel some of your peers?’’

‘’Yes, Elder. Sir Zhao Yan and Gou Ri, both of whom accepted my request. I am recuperating from some injuries at the moment, so I have to have you wait a few days before the occasion.’’

‘’My dear, what happened?’’ She walked closer, swiping past Zhang Cai with a hidden glare, and sat down. On air. Zhang Cai saw through his Qi sense that a illusory chair had appeared under the woman who took Shu Ligui’s wrist to feel her pulse

‘’How does she do that?’’

Also, she seemed like a bright silver lamp in his Qi sense. She had to be at the top of the Rocksmote, if not early Threshold. This raised a few questions in his mind.

‘’By the heavens...you seem alright for now.’’ Elder Li pulled her arm back into her sleeves. ‘’When did you get injured?’’

‘’Two days ago.’’

‘’I see.’’ She said, then kept glancing between them, and Zhang Cai saw Shu Ligui a little amused at something. ‘’Well, can you tell me what happened?’’

Shu Ligui kept her gaze on Elder Li, and the woman just let out a weird laugh and covered her face with the silver fan. ‘’Hohoho, anyway. I hope to see your triumph over these rabble soon, my dear.’’

She stood up, flashed by the door at a speed Zhang Cai couldn’t catch, and turned her back to them. ‘’Anyway, have a great rest!’’

The door slid shut with a thud, and Zhang Cai kept looking at the door. He could sense that the woman was there, and she made no attempt to hide herself.

‘’Well, anyway.’’ He said, imitating her hollow voice.

Then they heard the steps going away.

‘’May I ask something?’’

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‘’Go on.’’ Shu Ligui nodded.

‘’She wasn’t close to you, was she?’’

She nodded again. ‘’I do not have a recollection of her name, even, if I dare to say.’’

Zhang Cai waited for a moment, then burst into a shrieking laughter.

‘’Sir Zhang!’’

‘’I am sorry. I am so sorry!’’ He coughed himself back into normalcy. ‘’That last bit was quite awkward, I should say.’’

At that Shu Ligui turned her head away and wiped her nose. ‘’Indeed.’’

‘’Anyway...’’ Zhang Cai had a feeling that this word wouldn’t lose its amusement for a while.

‘’May I ask something as well?’’

‘’Yeah...yes, I mean.’’

She retracted her look and put her interlocked fingers under her chin. ‘’Did she really attempt to kill you?’’

‘’Yes.’’ He nodded. ‘’But I find it weird how she failed.’’

‘’She was not serious about it, you think?’’

‘’I mean, yeah? Li Bro was there, and it was him that shielded me, but he was barely back on his feet then. If she was serious about her attack, I don’t think he could have stopped it.’’

‘’She must have been trying to intimidate brother-in-law.’’

‘’For what?’’

‘’She should be on the side of the first heir, if nothing has changed these five years.’’

‘’Li Bro didn’t seem interested in being the family head.’’ He commented.

Zhang Cai knew little of the ways of nobles, but it was common sense that, even with an external threat, internal strife for power found no end. Death of Lord Of The West was a prime example—the ancient hero fell to the ambush because of his younger brother, who himself was deceived by the Xians, all for the sake of being the family head.

‘’...did he?’’ Shu Ligui muttered, then said no more about the matter. ‘’You were not seriously angry at her, were you sir Zhang?’’

‘’Nope.’’ Zhang Cai ate the last of his dumplings. ‘’I do not think she is worth being angry at. I wasn’t displeased back in the estate, too. I wanted to make fun of her though, for Li Bro’s sake.’’

He thought of the Li estate and the scene of the brutal execution came to his mind. The meal in his stomach churned a little. Then he cast a look at the cooled dumplings on Shu Ligui’s bowl.

‘’It is a good attitude to have, but I have to say for your sake—’’ As if noticing his gaze, she threw two dumplings at him. ‘’It is better to not make enemies of characters like her.’’

‘’She made me her enemy, not me.’’

‘’There is nothing I can say to that.’’ She nodded. It seemed Shu Ligui’s regard for Li Bo’s Great Aunt was similar to Zhang Cai’s own opinion, so they said no more about the matter. Finishing their meals, he left her to cultivate. She had to be in her prime condition for the duels, which required more effort than usual.

Out of the room he encountered a few children and teens, only two near his age, and he made small talk to them. One of the young ones recognized him as the puker, and he shook his head at the young boy with a wry smile. He asked about, while minding their privacy, about how Li Bo and Li Huan were doing. It seemed both were fine; Li Huan had been grounded for stealing a flying blade for an escapade, and Li Bo had been teaching the young ones how to cultivate instead of the elders. He didn’t ask about his cultivation as common sense. He thanked them, then went back to his room. He had already sent his letter with the help of an attendant, which cost him twenty silver, and did not forget to leave his Qi signature. If he hadn’t, he might have left his letter with the young ones.

Then some five days went by, where the air let up and Sun came back to welcome them back to outside. Zhang Cai kept his relation with the Li family children close, eating with them down the lobby when Shu Ligui cultivated. Most of them were normal to his surprise—normal when compared to Li Huan. As a matter of fact, Li Huan was considered an abnormal genius since she could reach the peak of Glassmade at her age. Most here were first or second-step Glassmade, and those near his age, sixteen being the oldest, were still stuck in the third-step. Bit by bit, his sense for what was average changed, though Zhang Cai wasn’t consciously privy to it.

On the fifth day Elder Li asked Shu Ligui out for a stroll to ‘let her mental state relax’, and Shu Ligui was of the same mind. Her injuries were long gone, and her meridians alive with Qi. Her face no longer had any distortion to speak of and returned to being the usual cold beauty manner. So he, as well as the whole entourage of Li Noble Clan members went together. He led them, since none knew about where to go, step by step climbing the peaks recommended by the attendants.

Elder Li commanded Shu Ligui’s entire attention on the path, so he spent the time mingling with the teens, where he heard many things about the lands north and the important people there. There was a Sword Saint, they said, who cut a mountain, now residing near the Farstone Holding. A few portals leading outside this world had appeared near Xia border, a descendant of the giants who served at the court of Zhao went missing, and the corpse of a Divine beast fell from the heavens to the chasm rounding the Northern Central Continent...He was quite confused by the term—he had heard The North, the North-eastern continent, the Northern Central, and the Northern Central Continent used on too many occasions. Which was what, he had no idea. The news themselves did not concern him except the last—he had to round the entire place, so any disturbance could slow him down greatly.

Merrily, however, they went their way. Four hours they spent walking and talking and ended the day at one of the highest peaks overlooking the setting crimson waves. The Sun was of a very warm countenance, blasting away the damp cool brought by mayhaps the last of the spring’s rain. Mountain itself, as well as the fields rounding it seemed ablaze with fire.

‘’Let us go down for dinner.’’ Elder Li said after watching the scenery. She swept her sleeves, and the two dozen people floated with her, and with another motion they went down the peak to the Guest House...except him.

He saw Shu Ligui cast him a sorry glance, and he trot a few steps to the cliff to watch them descend. A few pointed up at him, but he saw Elder Li cup her ears and laugh.

Zhang Cai remained silent for a moment, then burst into laughter at the pettiness. Also, he became sure that she definitely reached Threshold. Cultivators couldn’t fly on their own without the required cultivation base.

‘’It has been some time since I climbed a mountain.’’ Zhang Cai muttered, then jumped down the slope to hold onto the sides. His grip was firm on the protruding earth. He shook them, then for a moment let his entire weight hang, but there was not even a tremor. It seemed to him that this mountain was more than it showed. Without wasting time, he started his descent.

He took care to not slip but did not spend time ascertaining his steps. Sometimes he leaped a dozen meters to find another dent to stick his hand, and at other times he held onto a single protrusion with two fingers to hold himself afloat. The Sun left its light with him, going down the west horizon, where all kinds of lights started to light up across the mountain. Red and white and yellow lit up the gates of the pagodas, pathways to the peaks, and the bridges across the hills. Zhang Cai rested his left leg and arm on a rock and turned around to look over the scenery. His spatial pouch swung like a pendulum on his neck.

A cool wind blew upwards, raising his wet hair. He was covered in sweat and grime. Dust and some kind of rock painted his fingers white and brown, though the former was more evident. Wiping his forehead, he exhaled, and found his blood rushing next to his meridians. ‘’It has been a long time since I pushed my body alone.’’

This kind of exercise differed from a battle. After all, he could control the intensity, as well as how his muscles moved. When a certain muscle burnt, he could change his grip, or the angle he held, or could simply stretch and put them between the gaps to let them rest. Continuously repeating these, combined with the rich Qi in the air of the mountain, nourished his body unlike anything he had seen. Though small in contrast, he felt that this bout of mountain climbing was more beneficial than a week of normal training.

‘’Should I go a little west?’’ Though unmapped, he knew there were great mountain ranges separating humanity from the Xia Empire. Not many dwelled there because of the foul Qi—hundreds of years of conflict and blood gave rise to vengeful ghosts and ghouls of unimaginable power. His master had said that his constitution gave him an edge against such creatures, but Zhang Cai knew nothing about how it did. But knowing the incredible Qi density there, it might be a good idea to train along the way.

‘’It doesn’t matter.’’ He would decide on the way. Thinking of that, he took a deep breath and made his way down again. He had only come a quarter of the way down.

His descent continued for hours. On the way some flying disciples commended him for his training sense, though he could only smile with embarrassment at the fellows. Some made small talk, but when he was halfway a certain one caught his eye. The man, who looked a few years older than him, rode on a spear instead of a sword. He had wild, blue long hair like water, wore a tight blue uniform, and also proudly declared his Qi capacity at six thousand strands of Qi. He seemed almost on par with Elder Li, but did not seem to carry the special aura that the Thresholders had.

‘’Well done brother!’’ the man said in a loud, steely voice. He had been accompanying him for a few minutes, inspecting his back like a general would appraise his soldier. Zhang Cai felt a little disturbed at the prying gaze. ‘’Were you starved?’’

Zhang Cai halted for a moment and turned around, hanging from a single arm. ‘’How did you know?’’

‘’All light wounds on your back—’’ he put a hand under his chin and hummed. ‘’They should have been gone, unless your body had nothing to mend them. That causes the scarring most of the time.’’

Zhang Cai nodded. ‘’I was a beggar for around a decade.’’

‘’A beggar?’’ The man appraised him again, this time more careful. ‘’How long have you been cultivating?’’

‘’Some three years? I’ve been apprenticed for six, though.’’

He seemed dumbfounded. ‘’...well done, indeed. Well done. I wonder how you remained buried in dirt all that time.’’

Zhang Cai understood a part of his meaning, though he chose to not answer. The man seemed a serious enough fellow, but as he traveled further he understood that not everyone wished to hear answers to their questions. Further than that, he realized he didn’t want to answer everyone at some point. He wasn’t so starved of human contact, it seemed.

‘’All is good, though! I suppose you are apprenticed to one of the elders?’’

‘’Ah, I am a guest here. Not a sect brother.’’

He seemed dumbfounded again. The man coughed twice, muttering ‘’I see, I see.’’

‘’Well then, I like your training ethic brother. You have my praise.’’

Zhang Cai simply nodded.

‘’You are going to run a lap after this, I assume? It wouldn’t do to exhaust yourself before tomorrow. There are some tough nuts around.’’

‘’No, I’ll just go down to guest house?’’

‘’Brother...’’ the man showed him a weird smile. ‘’...the guest house is on the other side of the mountain...’’

A cold wind blew between them. Zhang Cai wiped his sweat and let out a sigh.

‘’That fucking hag....’’

‘’Well, never mind. Just follow the route to the south and it should be alright.’’

‘’Thank you, senior brother.’’ Zhang Cai put one hand over his chest, since he couldn’t cup his hands.

‘’No matter, take care!’’

The man flew away in a hurry, and Zhang Cai resumed his descent.

He came back to his room at the dead of the night, five hours later, with no soul in sight. He washed his body with water Qi, threw it out the window, and put on a fresh set of robes. Right after that he collapsed on the bed.

Tomorrow was the duels, and the tournament for the new recruits.