Exchange Pointers
Yuxuan’s jaw dropped as he watched his grandfather spar with Fu Yanjing. They both moved like they were dancing across ice. Flashes of light reflected off their swords with each clash.
Fu Liu fought aggressively, pushing the attack, and parrying often when he was baited into feints. Yuxuan thought his grandfather was trying to keep up the pressure in order to make his own opening, but each swing of the blade met either steel, air, or cloth.
Fu Yanjing on the other hand was like a hurricane and Yuxuan realized why he always looked so sloppily put together. The loose fitting outer robes Fu Yanjing wore trailed behind each movement, and Yuxuan could easily see that being disorienting in a battle. Sometimes Fu Yanjing would duck an incoming swing and the motions would send the bottom of his robes billowing out and up, hiding the movement of the Auspicious Steps.
Everything about Fu Yanjing was calculated. Yuxuan found it easy to believe that Fu Yanjing had created the sword technique that was a core technique of the Fu Clan.
Yuxuan peeled his eyes from the sparring match ahead of him to ask what Zhihao thought of it. Zhihao sat with his head on his hands and his eyes glazed over, with the slightest grimace on his face.
“Are you… pouting, big brother?” Yuxuan teased.
Zhihao blinked and rubbed his eyes. “No, I’m just trying to see. It’s too fast for me to follow.”
Yuxuan nodded in understanding then put a hand up to Zhihao’s temple. He guided Zhihao in circulating his qi through his eyes then mind before returning it to his dantian. “Like the movement technique, just focus the qi where you need it.” Yuxuan smiled before turning back to the spar.
“Thanks Yuxuan.” Zhihao clapped Yuxuan on the shoulder.
It occurred to Yuxuan then that he understood things too easily. What being ‘chosen under heaven’ meant.
When Yuxuan had first come to after the heavenly tribulation, he had woken up as a boy the same age in another world. His memories of home had been much like his memories of that place. Ephemeral and dreamlike. Vague impressions of people that should be there. Recollections of events that had no way of happening. He remembered going to a doctor and seeing if he suffered a mental illness.
Yuxuan still didn’t know how to explain it all to Zhihao. Let alone explain it to anyone who would ask more pointed questions. One day he would figure it out. For the time being he would just enjoy being a kid and having a friend.
Zhihao circulated his qi through his eyes like a mad man. At first he wasn’t sure if he was doing the technique right, if what he was doing even was a technique, until the blur of movement started to gain definition. Zhihao shot Yuxuan a thankful smile.
Fu Liu had been prepared for sparring with Fu Yanjing. At least he thought he had been. Uncle Yanjing had taken it upon himself to raise Fu Liu when his parents never returned from exploring a secret realm. One day when Liu was no older than 4 or 5 Fu Yanjing had shown up, told Liu to gather his things, and brought Liu to stay with Uncle Yanjing and his own children.
All this to say Liu had exchanged pointers with Fu Yanjing many times, and had even developed his swordsmanship to be more offensive to counter Fu Yanjing’s own deceptive style.
Still, Fu Yanjing had developed the Final Sword himself. A sleeve flashed by Liu’s face and he felt the warning from the Auspicious Steps. Before he could react, the tip of a sword pierced through the fabric aiming for his throat. He swung his sword hard to deflect the thrust, stepping into Fu Yanjing’s guard, and brought the pommel of his sword down onto Fu Yanjing’s shoulder.
There was no resistance to the strike and Liu knew he had been fooled. With his off hand he grabbed the fabric of the robe and pulled it away only to see the leisurely smile of Fu Yanjing.
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Fu Yanjing turned his thrust down and to the side, resting the blade on Fu Liu’s neck.
“That’s another win for me Liu.”
Fu Liu sighed. He had bested Fu Yanjing only a handful of times, still he had hoped to impress his grandchildren with this demonstration. Lie was mentally preparing a lecture when the boys ran up to him, jumping with excitement.
“Grandfather that was awesome!” Zhihao roared.
“Grandfather, you didn’t tell this young master your swordsmanship was so domineering! If main branch head hadn’t been so tricksy you would have gotten him! Come, this young master will learn anything, no matter how dumb the name of the technique is!” Yuxuan exclaimed.
“Children, nephew, I’ll be taking my leave now.” Fu Yanjing gave a wave and left the courtyard.
Fu Liu bowed to Fu Yanjing then smiled down at the boys. “You boys enjoyed that then? Good! Tomorrow, we’ll start training that then. You’ll only have about a week to get the fundamentals down.”
“One week?” Zhihao and Yuxuan asked.
“Indeed. The Patriarch has invited an elder from the Starlit Sword Sect to come take Yuxuan to their sect for training. The elder may also be amenable to taking others with him should he deem them worthy, so do your best Zhihao.”
“Wait you’re shipping me off to some sword monastery?” Yuxuan’s eyes bugged out and he turned to look at Zhihao. Zhihao wanted to laugh but his thoughts were filled with the news.
Yuxuan was going away.
“It’s not a sword monastery, sects are like mortal schools. You will be able to train under specialized instructors, learn techniques, and make new friends.”
“Sects are like gangs! They bully people, fight for resources, and have life or death battles with other sects all the time! Grandfather, this young master isn’t going!” Yuxuan tried to look mad, but had ended up hiding behind Zhihao’s back as he spoke.
“What do I need to do to go with Yuxuan to the sect grandfather?” Zhihao asked.
Fu Liu cocked his head to side and squinted at Yuxuan. “Who’s filling your head with such nonsense Yuxuan? While those things do happen, it’s unlikely for you to be involved in every such occurrence. Did your father tell you that? Never should have let him near my daughter.” Fu Liu said the last part to himself. He turned to look at the building where Shen Jianhong usually worked in seclusion. Though the man was a genius at formations, he had quite a peculiar view of cultivation colored by his years as a rogue cultivator.
“Grandfather, what does father have to do with this?”
“Zhihao, I think this is what’s called exposition. Or grandfather is going off on weird tangents. Can cultivators go senile? Wait, that’s all beside the point! I’m not going! Isn’t our clan the strongest in the region? Why do I need to go anywhere?”
“Our clan is indeed strong. But that is only because of how we operate. Most clans only have one direct branch and they sit at the top of their clans like tyrants. Our Patriarch decided merit and strength were better determining factors for leadership. We also foster relationships with other powers in the region by letting our younger generations build ties together.” Fu Liu squatted down to be eye level with the boys. “You can only grow so strong without experiencing the world.”
Zhihao could almost hear the wheels turning in Yuxuan’s head as he thought it over. He turned to look Liu Fu in the eye. The dao oath he’d made to himself just a few days before echoed through his mind. “Grandfather, I’m going too. What do I have to do?”
Fu Liu smiled at Zhihao and the still silently thinking Yuxuan. He gave Zhihao a conspiratorial wink before saying. “Be so strong the elder can’t say no.”
“Can I accomplish that in a week?” Zhihao asked.
“Yeah, can he do that in a week?” Yuxuan parroted from behind Zhihao.
“That’s up to you. You’ve exceeded any expectations I had for you in the last month. You’re both at a stage in cultivation that the average person wouldn’t achieve until they were in their late teens or early twenties.”
“Is that not enough?” Zhihao asked.
“Normally, anyone would pay any price to have a disciple like you Zhihao. The only issue is that there are children like your brother, chosen under heaven, and the world of cultivation is in chaos trying to understand why there were so many born at once.” Fu Liu responded, his face taking a more serious expression.
“I’ve heard you guys call me that. I know it means I’m really good at cultivating, but what does it mean? Am I like the chosen one or something?” Yuxuan finally steppeing out of hiding from behind Zhihao.
“Normally, it would mean that you had the potential to accomplish great things. That you would be able to ascend to one of the higher planes without having to overcome the Tribulation of Ascension, the path ahead of you is clear. In a sense, yes Yuxuan, you would be a ‘chosen one’. Now? Many believe it to be a sign that the Heavenly Dao that governs the universe may be facing its own tribulations.”
“How many others are there?” Zhihao asked.
“We know of 37 at the moment. But that only counts those on our continent that our Patriarch can reach out to about such matters.”
“Zhihao’s as strong as me, tha-“ Fu Liu cut Yuxuan off.
“For now he is Yuxuan. Five years from now? 50 years from now? 500? Zhihao, your potential is great, but the difference between you two may one day be like heaven and earth. The most powerful sects only take on those who have a chance of ascending. Why would they potentially waste resources on you Zhihao, especially when your brother is a sure thing. You have to show them you deserve the opportunity.” By the time Fu Liu was done explaining the situation, his face was stern. Of course he wanted his grandchildren to both make it into the Starlit Sword Sect, but in this he would not coddle them. It was best they understood the truth of the situation, so that they would be informed no matter what the future held for them.
“Go clean up and get ready for supper boys. We’ll practice the Final Sword tomorrow.” Fu Liu ruffled their hair and left to his office. As a branch head he could only put off his actual work for so long each day.
“Go ahead before me Yuxuan, I’ll see you at dinner.” Zhihao said as he walked over to where they kept their practice swords in a rack to the side of the courtyard.
“Do you want me to stay with you?” Yuxuan asked hesitantly.
“I can’t keep up with you if you practice more Yuxuan.” Zhihao grabbed his sword and returned to his usual training position in the courtyard. When Yuxuan finally left, Zhihao sighed. He was frustrated.
Zhihao stood in the courtyard and practiced sword forms until a servant came and scolded him for being late to supper.