The days passed by. The boys played in the mornings and studied in the evenings. Their father, Shen Jianhong, even left his seclusion at one point to check up on them. Every evening before dinner Fu Yaling came to evaluate their recovery. She, Fu Ying, and Fu Liu would speak out of earshot of the boys then she would leave. Zhihao assumed everything was alright if no one was telling him everything.
Then the morning came where Zhihao and Yuxuan returned to training with Fu Liu.
The sun had just began to rise when Zhihao entered the courtyard. The crowing of roosters both near and far echoed around the Fu clan’s lands. Fu Liu and three other men were already seated in the courtyard. Each sat in a cardinal direction of the courtyard centered around the mats where the boys would meditate.
The man to the east Zhihao recognized as the head of the first branch. Fu Yanjing wore a large flowing outer robe and circular glasses, his long slightly wavy hair pulled back in a loose pony tail. He had fine features with freckles on his upper cheeks. He looked more like a comfortable mortal than an elder of a cultivator clan.
The man to the south sat meditating with an unsheathed sword on his lap. After the last lesson, Zhihao was familiar with the sharp feeling energy coming off the man. The man sat with perfect posture. He had sharp handsome features and wore his hair in a tight low pony tail with some hair left loose to frame his face. This man looked like an immortal compared to the head of the first branch.
The third man in the west sat leaning his had on a hand while he read a scroll. He left his long black hair loose. He had sharp cheekbones and freckles on the bridge of his nose. Even with such a lackadaisical air the man gave off a pressure that Zhihao was certain meant he was the strongest man here.
Zhihao was about to ask why these people were here when Yuxuan stepped out from the doorway behind him.
“Grandfather who are these guys?” Yuxuan asked.
Before Yuxuan could get scolded Zhihao jumped in.
“Grandfather, seniors, apologies.” Zhihao grabbed his younger brother by the back of his head and made Yuxuan bow with him. “Can these juniors ask why these seniors have joined us this morning?”
The reactions of the three unknown men were varied. The man Zhihao thought to be Fu Yanjing laughed. The man with the sword frowned and seemed to meditate harder, if that was possible. The third man looked from Yuxuan to Fu Liu and raised an eyebrow quizzically.
Fu Liu cleared his throat and gestured to the mats in the center of the courtyard.
“These men are here to act as your dao protectors in case an event like what occurred before should happen again.” Fu Liu gestured to each man in a clockwise order. “Head of the main branch, Fu Yanjing. Since you two have entered foundation establishment you will now train with him and your fellow second stage disciples.”
Fu Yanjing smiles at the boys in greeting. “I’ve heard many things about you from Fu Liu, I look forward to guiding you.”
“Guo Botao, the head of the second branch. Should you two prove to have talent with swords, there is no one better in the Fu Clan to seek enlightenment from.”
Guo Botao, eyes still closed in meditation, nodded.
“And the clan Patriarch, Fu Zixing.” Fu Liu finished the introductions.
Zhihao, still holding Yuxuan, dragged him into kowtowing.
“Junior greets honored elders!”
“Uh.. junior greets elders!”
Yuxuan elbowed Zhihao and whispered angrily ,”Stop yanking me by my head!”
“You’re gonna get us beat up Yuxuan!” Zhihao whispered back. He let go of Yuxuan but stayed ready to grab his head again should the need arise.
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Fu Zixing snorted. He turned his attention from the boys to Fu Liu who shrugged helplessly. Fu Zixing gestured and Zhihao and Yuxuan were immobilized and levitated to their spots in the courtyard.
“Youre safe as long as I’m here. Meditate earnestly. Do not let yourselves be distracted.” Fu Zixing flicked his sleeves and the boys were dropped unceremoniously onto the floor.
Zhihao hurriedly sat up and entered the lotus position. He heard Yuxuan start to mutter something and shot him a glare. Yuxuan harrumphed, but also entered the lotus position. Fu Liu placed the six walled box in front of them when they were ready.
The sharp energy surrounded Zhihao instantly. He circulated his qi through his channels and meridians, and with each circulation the energy became more distinct to his senses.
What at first felt like the edge of a razor being scraped against his skin began to give way to a sensation of many razors scraping. He felt the way the aura interacted with the ambient qi around him and his own. The sword aura changed the nature of the qi.
Zhihao’s qi was pure. He was young and had only practiced the Fu Clan’s basic sword forms. As he cycled his qi through his channels and meridians he noticed small amounts of the changed qi joining the qi he absorbed. Small amounts at first that carried that same sharp feeling.
Zhihao stopped absorbing qi and focused on investigating the changed qi he had already absorbed. The scraping feeling remained, feeling more strange because this time it scraped him from the inside. He almost tried to expel it until he noticed the channels that the qi had passed through felt stronger. More stable. He felt a tingle along his neck as he understood what was happening. The sword aura and sword qi were in fact scraping him. It wasn’t just a feeling. He was being carved and polished, essentially refining himself, as he circulated this qi.
Zhihao returned to whole heartedly focus on absorbing the sword qi and cycling it through his body.
“It seems the elder brother has some karma with the sword after all.” Zhihao heard a voice say. It sounded far away as if coming from another side of a building. “Oh, the younger one as well.”
When Zhihao heard that it felt like cold water had been splashed on his face. He opened his eyes and glared at Yuxuan.
Yuxuan had such a smug expression on his face Zhihao wanted to scream.
Zhihao closed his eyes and put all his effort into meditating. Yuxuan wouldn’t be able to cultivate the sword qi if there wasn’t any left! Zhihao began to circulate his qi faster, furiously trying to pull in as much qi as he could.
Yuxuan snorted and did the same.
Zhihao grit his teeth. Maintaining his sitting position he scooted forward towards the box that was generating the sword aura. He peeked at Yuxuan from the corner of his eye.
Yuxuan was scooting up too!
The two boys continued to scoot on their butts towards the box under the eyes of the four seniors.
Fu Liu sighed and stared up at the sky.
‘They have promise Liu.’ Fu Yanjing’s voice sounded in Fu Liu’s mind.
‘For them to both have to have grasped the fundamentals of sword qi after only two sessions of meditation, they are indeed talented.’ Fu Zixing this time. ‘What do you think Guo Botao?’
‘Bring them directly to the second branch. Their talent is wasted in the main branch.’
‘You wound me Guo Botao.’
‘Apologies Senior Yanjing.’
‘They will go to the main branch for the next month. A friend will then arrive to take them to the Starlit Sword sect.’ Fu Zixing thought with an air of finality.
‘Thank you and senior’s generosity Patriarch.’ Fu Liu thought. He then looked down at his grandchildren.
Zhihao and Yuxuan had scooted all the way from their mats to be right in front of Fu Liu. They both were trying to look like they were still meditating while subtly elbowing and shouldering each other to get closer to the Hundred Razor formation in front of them.
Fu Liu tried not to laugh and increased his qi flow through the box so the boys would have more sword qi to absorb. The boys had always been rambunctious, but they seemed more so today than usual. Fu Li was just glad that they were alright after the scare from a few days prior.
Yuxuan’s soul had been damaged by the heavenly tribulation and Zhihao had been overloaded with qi, yet now there were hardly any signs something had been amiss with them.
Fu Liu thought maybe he had overreacted when Yaling had given her diagnosis. The boys were fine and there were no signs of the heavenly tribulation gathering above. He would thank everyone for helping him watch over the boys and apologize to them for wasting his time later.
After a few hours Fu Liu withdrew his qi from the 100 Razor formation. He rose and gestured to the others . They quietly left the courtyard to not distract the two boys.
Zhihao was deep in meditation, no longer trying to fight with Yuxuan over the qi, his cultivation was stable.
Yuxuan was snoring. Upright in the lotus position and still circulating his qi, he was fast asleep.
Fu Liu brought the other elders to his reception hall. More of a large room than a hall, it featured a dark brown low to the floor table surrounded by cushions and two large windows, one to look into the inner courtyard and the other facing the road out front. With a gesture to his attendant the woman bowed and left the room. Everyone wait for Fu Zixing to be seated before following suit.
”It seems we won’t be getting a repeat of last time.” Fu Yanjing said as he sat down beside the beside the table.
”That is for the best. Heavenly tribulation is no small matter for two children in the second stage.” Fu Zixing replied. “Even with us to watch over them, there was still a chance for something to pass beneath our notice.”
Guo Botao and Fu Liu nodded.
”Patriarch, if I may ask, why are you sending the children to the Starlit Sword sect?” Guo Botao asked.
Servants entered the room, placing cups of tea and water before the men at the table with practiced precision. Fu Zixing took a sip of tea as he mulled over his response.
”We are a large fish in a small pond. Yuxuan has the innate talent and potential to pursue immortality. Even we would beggar ourselves supplying the boy with the resources he deserves.” Fu Zixing replied.
”Then why not send him off to spread his wings while keeping the elder brother here?” Guo Botao asked.
This time Fu Liu spoke. “Brother Botao, you saw for yourself how they compete with each other. Is it not better for him to have a rival that won’t truly mean him harm? They will push each other forward while standing side by side.”
Fu Zixing faced Guo Botao and gestured to Fu Liu, agreeing. Guo Botao nodded, seeing the wisdom in the words.
“It’s a shame Fu Zhihao’s talent is lacking compared to Fu Yuxuan’s. Fu Zhihao will be welcomed in the second branch once he can no longer keep pace with his brother.” Guo Botao sighed and raised his tea cup.
”Indeed. The main branch will also accept him with open arms should he wish to take a more active role in the clan.” Fu Yanjing added and raised his cup as well.
Fu Liu laughed, “You two will have to fight me for my grandson! This third branch is already his home!” He raised his cup as well.
“We’re toasting the future with tea. Bring out the liquor nephew!” Fu Yanjing laughed and drank down his cup.
As servants brought out bottles for the other elders of the clan, Fu Zixing turned his attention back to the two boys outside.
Yuxuan was no longer cultivating in his sleep. The boy had fallen over and curled up on the floor beside Zhihao who still sat diligently cultivating. Zixing raised his cup to the boy, wishing him success on his path.