Carving arrays is a delicate process, the words of the World are not things that tolerate mistakes, each one must be perfected, their connections fluid and curves smooth. Even learning the language is a headache and a half, which is why most array artists are past their thirties. Now creating a new array? That, my friends, is a monumental task.
But it doesn’t stop Vozen from trying.
Converting Qi to air is a simple process. Take the character for Qi, conversion, and air, and organize it into that order. Then Qi will fill the carving and create….well, air. Not exactly an impressive feat, but it is the first step to what he’s trying to do.
He knows how to make a partial conversion, theoretically, it would simply fill this whole room with array script, which is what he’s doing right now, as a proof of concept. He doesn’t actually plan to make a room like that standard, it would be too difficult to keep a secret and allow worthy students to enter at the same time.
Maybe on the mountain.
Using this discovery to benefit only the strong leaves a bad taste in his mouth though. This could be a massive breakthrough! Potentially a whole new path to tread! If only they didn’t need to hide their discoveries from the other sects and the greedy jackals of the world. Imagine how much further research would go if they all worked together.
Ah well, such is the way of cultivators, to walk the journey alone.
-
There are few things that can match the exuberance of one happy Yorin. He swings his guandao with glee through the air with absolutely none of the careful precision expected of cultivators. Kisrin looks on bemused at his antics as Tantra carries a soft smile. fifteen hunts and two thousand merits, but they got something worthy of her friend. The guandao might even last him into anchoring.
“This is amazing!” Yorin says excitedly, “It’s so light! And fast!”
Kisrin chuckles, “that's what the scripts are for.”
“I can’t believe you got me something so expensive! This is the best! You guys are the best!” Yorin says.
“Now, now Yorin, say such things to a merchant and they’re liable to take advantage of you” Tantra warns.
Yorin snorts, “please Tantra, tell better jokes, you would never do that”
A sly smile creeps onto her face, “That's what you think, with your simple little mind Yorin, perhaps I’m playing the long game? It’s always a positive to know competent cultivators in my business after all.”
“Is that why you’ve been training with the young master?” Kisrin asks, “making connections?”
Tantra nods, “exactly, if I can get the ear of the whole sect then the Jade Sol enterprise will have another source of muscle to protect its assets.”
Kisrin lets out a sigh of relief.
Yorin eyes them both then sighs, “honestly, you two…”
“Hm?” Tantra asks.
“Oh how I wish I could tell you Tantra, unfortunately that’s not my place,” He looks pointedly at Kisrin, who freezes up.
Tantra raises a brow, “tell me what?”
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“Nothing of importance!” Kisrin says quickly, “Yorin is just being silly.”
Tantra blinks, then shrugs, “well okay then.”
-
Tantra is doing push ups, one at a time.
She still can’t do proper ones, but that’s because she’s been actively avoiding them. But she has to now, to complete her foundations. Her legs have passed the threshold where they no longer take damage from Qi boosting. Eight months into the journey and she’s already done a third of her foundations. That kind of progress is unheard of. She’s experimented a little with it, and while she can’t take much before her muscles reach exhaustion, she can move incredibly fast if she wanted to. She suspects she’s not very far along physically, still only being able to match Yorin who still has little over three years before he completes his legs if he keeps jogging everyday. Which is interesting, but not surprising. Still, now that she can boost, she can beat Yorin in any race at any time. She considered continuing with jogging, to specialize in her legs, and maybe she will, but she has to at least alternate between the two exercises if she actually wants to reach foundation rather than becoming a running maniac. Jogging exercises the muscles of the legs, lower back, and abdomen, and while the latter two don’t see as much benefit as the former, they still see significant benefits. Push-ups have some overlap but they mainly train the arms, chest, and back. Which should only take another six months with her boosting technique, then…then she can go home.
-
“You know,” Etra slurs as she takes a swig of her gourd around the fire, “you're not so bad for an uptight cunt.”
Tantra scrunches her brow as she swallows a piece of sweetened bread, “I’m fairly certain that’s not how normal people phrase a complement”
Etra waves her off, “normal people are lameee. All about planting crops and tilling fields. Or other shit, like cutting wood. Can you imagine dedicating your life to chop wood? Honestly, if they loved trees so much they might as well fuck ‘em.”
Tantra gives her an affronted look, “carpenters are the reason we have our homes! It is a most honourable profession and I will not hear you disparage it.”
“Oh puh-lease,” Etra says, “If they want to chop wood so much they should become immortal. Then they can do it for eternity!”
“If everyone travelled the path, we’d have no one to keep our societies from collapsing.” Kisrin points out.
“Maybe it should collapse then! Honestly, peasant life is fucking depressing. At least compared to this” Etra says as she passes the gourd to Yorin who happily takes a sip.
“Surely it can’t be that bad.” Tantra says
“Speak for yourself, merchant girl, I was raised in a village. The only thing you had to look forward to was back breaking labour, occasional gossip, and on rare occasions some meat from a spirit beast that got a little too close.” Etra says.
“Don’t forget the goblins,” Kisrin says.
“The fuck are goblins?” Etra asks.
Kisrin shrugs, “short, humanoid, green. Has a tendency to mutate rapidly.”
“And they're all connected to the dao of hunger.” Tantra points out.
Etra stares at both of them, “that is horrifying, how have I not heard of this before?”
“Gobs live back in Ranya’s home,” Ranya says between bites of venison.
Etra just looks confused.
“She means down in southern Rikidan” Tantra provides, “which does beg the question of how you both got here?”
Kisrin shrugs, “wandering cultivators from the sect scouted me.”
“Same!” Ranya says as she tears off a big hunk of meat, “I miss Hilly, he was so cool!”
Kisrin scoffs, “mine was a cultivation freak, forced me to run as fast as I could behind her or I’d be left stranded.”
“Guys! Jojo’s walking to the centre of the field.” Ranya says excitedly.
All the chatter ceases as they observe the caramel skinned man carrying a torch walk around the small pockets of fire made by the disciples to the centre, Where logs are stacked against each other in preparation for a pyre.
“Greetings precious disciples of the Serpent’s Fang, and congratulations.” Jorin’s voice doesn’t exceed his normal volume, and yet it travels across the field to all the disciples present, “Hard has the year been, filled with death and mourning. But those who stand today are stronger for it, ever prepared for the future, ever prepared for the struggle. I want us to take this moment to commemorate the fallen, to their memory, and to their bravery, I want us to take this moment to recognize the tenacity we have all displayed on our journey, I want us to take a moment to prepare ourselves for another year of pain. Yet there is beauty in the suffering, do not forget that, or the moments that tie us all together as sect brothers and sisters.”
He takes a deep breath, then lets it all out one boisterous yell, “happy new year!”
There are cheers as he throws the torch into the pyre.