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Chapter 74: "Taken Under Consideration."
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The privacy formation blurred sight through the border of the formation. It was enough that Shae almost walked directly into Guard Hon when she left.
"Ah, Wise Shae, sorry about that." He stepped back quickly.
"Heh, not your fault, Guard Hon." She shook her head.
"Well, I was probably a bit closer than I needed to be."
She shrugged. "Maybe? Anyways. Did anyone come investigate the qi pressure spike?"
He shook his head. "Surprisingly no. I got curious and read some plaques on the plants, then asked around. The privacy formation and more formations around the plants dampen qi pressure significantly. So, no one would have felt it unless they were quite near. Some of the plants are even really sensitive to such disturbances, so they get extra protection."
"Oh? I'm surprised they would grow them up here then. Must be tricky since this gets used by cultivators often?"
Hon shrugged. "Maybe, but the qi density is pretty high, and they built all the infrastructure anyway."
"Ah, yeah. Suppose it makes sense then. Long needs time to think, shall we... check the perimeter?"
"Heh, I'd love to." He smiled awkwardly and then turned to lead the way.
Shae caught up to walk beside him right after the first corner. "You mentioned the qi density. How does this compare to the sect?"
Hon tilted his head up to think. "Hmm. Depends where in the sect you are, but... this is pretty close to the outer court. Where our new sect disciples stay."
"Hmmm," she hummed with a smirk. "So would it be acceptable for me to try cultivating?"
He turned to give her a disappointed frown. "I heard you did that while the caravan was passing the roadblock north of Flame Well. Most people aren't so comfortable exposing themselves in public."
"Snrk! You make it sound like I was naked. Ha ha ha." She snorted then giggled.
Hon turned away abruptly and cleared his throat loudly. "A-hem, uh well, it's not an unreasonable comparison. Some do consider their cultivation secrets more valuable than their privacy."
"Heh. So, it's more of an unspoken rule?"
He made a show of looking around. "See how there are no benches? No open grass to sit on comfortably? That kind of implies they don't want anyone stopping to sit or rest."
"Ah! So that also implies no cultivating?"
He nodded. "Not that many cultivators would lower their guard that much in public anyway."
"Mhmm, but I have a guard to watch my back?"
"Uh- No! No, I won't let you do that!"
"Ha ha! It's so funny how bashful you are about it."
He frowned and tried to smooth the front of his robes, which didn't work well while walking. "I'd rather not be so blunt, Wise Shae, but you must realize you are rather uninformed on the matter."
Her cheerful mood was dampened quickly by that and she turned her attention back to the gardens.
"Err, I didn't mean-"
She raised her hand briefly, to stop him. "No, you're correct, Senior Hon, and your wording was about as nice as it could have been."
He shifted slightly at her use of the title. "I'm still your guard, Wise Shae."
"Why though? You'll be my senior at the sect soon enough, why the theatrics of being my guard? No offense, but it seems like you've been acting more like a travel companion than a guard."
"Have you had many guards?" He smirked.
She gave him a flat stare.
"Heh. Sure I've been more casual, just like you would want me to be if I was instead acting as your Senior, correct?"
She reluctantly nodded.
"I'm not sure why our elders assigned me to guard you, beyond just keeping track of you. It would make more sense if you were already a recruit."
"Which I am, now."
He nodded. "True, so perhaps they assumed you would get an invitation for your actions during the battle. Or, they realised that dealing with Seniors correctly isn't your strength, and you needed someone on more equal footing?" He smirked and raised an eyebrow.
She returned a knowing smirk. "That's a really long way of saying I'm difficult to deal with. Heh heh." She forced a chuckle. "It's not wrong though. I suppose I might have treated you differently if someone said you were just there to supervise me." She exhaled roughly and stared forwards.
Hon let the point lie and returned his attention to his surroundings.
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They had walked almost a full circle around the privacy formation when Shae clued in that Hon was hesitating to ask something. A couple breaths later, he again opened his mouth to speak, then snapped it shut and turned away.
"What is it? Just ask already." Shae rolled her eyes at him.
"A-hem. Well. It's difficult to ask. The privacy formation reminded me that we are in public and could have observers."
"Ah. A conversation for later then." She paused to watch him nod in agreement. "Can you say what about?"
"Err, it's a- just a follow up from Master Long's earlier comments."
"Ah! Then I suppose it can easily wait. You will have to remind me of the context though. I don't have your sect's memory techniques."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Perhaps I misunderstood. Elder Ghon made it seem like everyone learned a memory technique for perfect recall."
Hon frowned in confusion. "Not that I'm aware of. The elders probably do. Cultivator memory is just better, especially once you cleanse your mind and associated meridians. We pick up a few simple tricks, sure, yet only a few bother with a full technique."
"Huh." She looked up to reconsider her assumptions. "I suppose Master Long's memory has been a bit-" she stopped herself and turned away to force out a cough. "Well, I shouldn't say."
Hon snorted a laugh.
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Shae read a few more plaques as they made a second circuit of the gardens. She also cracked open the package from Doctor Cho to dig out the pencil and small notepad from Nurse Joi. She wrote a few small notes and put them away, then only smirked at Hon when he gave a questioning glance.
When they arrived back where they began, Shae stopped just outside the privacy formation.
"Going back in?" Hon asked.
"Yes. He made it sound like there was more to discuss."
He shrugged. "May fate be kind to you."
"Heh, thanks." She stepped through.
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Shae wasn't sure if Long was standing in the exact same spot, but she wouldn't be surprised if he was. She had approached the pedestal and now waited silently.
"Hmmm. That was quick." He said without looking at her.
"Time flies when you have something to think about. Did you need more time, Master Long?"
"Hmm." He stroked his short beard. "I'm not sure it would help. And now, we must add to the pile. Wise Shae, once I reported to the sect leadership, they were concerned about Elder Ghon and requested I retrieve that other letter you had from him."
"Concerned? That doesn't sound great, but not terrible either. I don't have it, it's with my travel pack, which Apollo said she retrieved from the battle."
"Hmgh." He grunted. "She didn't mention she had it." He huffed out a large breath. "This is why I leave the sect regularly, politics."
"Really? I would think you'd be more prepared for that than most, Master Long of House Long."
"Tsk. And that's the problem. People expect too much."
"Hmm. Speaking of. I don't think the letter would help much, Elder Ghon wrote it before the incident." She paused, about to say something else.
"Apollo still has it, if that wasn't clear. You'll likely find it in your quarters at the sect."
"My quarters? You say that as if my acceptance is guaranteed."
He glanced at her blankly. "Do you doubt that it is?"
Her lips parted, and she blinked rapidly at the question. "I suppose not. I'm just curious about the exact details."
Long looked away again and waved a hand at the open space between them. "There's a standard contract, nothing to fret over. The sect needs its recruits happy, not begrudging their agreements and responsibilities."
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"Hmm. I suppose that makes sense." She nodded.
A breath of silence stretched between them.
"Was there something else, Master Long?"
"Hmm? Ah, I suppose there was. I- I think you understand the gist of the secrecy around Dao, but just to reiterate. Discussing Dao is not a thing you should be doing with others near your stage. I don't say that just because you are you. Rather there's a significant reason guidance should only be passed between Master and Disciple." He continued to stare past the beast core and spear display.
"Alright." She said slowly. "Are there books to read, or a Master at the sect that can guide me in the matter?"
"Heh. Books." He chuckled quietly. "I imply it's restricted information and you want to know if it's written down?" He showed the edge of a smile. "I'll see if we can get you an early entrance to the Dao track. To protect others as much as assist you. It is a series of classes that prepare students for core formation, and thus for embracing a Dao."
"That... sounds like a good idea." She agreed slowly, because she was stuck on another point. "So, dangerous information just dies with whoever knows it?"
He flashed a stern eye at her.
"Uh, Master Long?" She bowed as an apology.
"Heh. That wasn't for that. Precisely how sects store valuable information is a tightly guarded secret. Your questions are innocent curiously, but it's an area we have to be cautious over."
"Ah. I see. I-"
"It's fine. Have you read or heard many legendary tales?"
"Uhm, a few." She shrugged.
"Surely they mention jade?"
"The gemstone? Yeah, it's used for spiritual tools and cultivator jewellery, right?"
Long visibly rolled his eyes at her. "Rarely is it just jewelry. Did those stories not tell of how important it is? What it can do."
She shrugged again. "It's like a magic rock? Lots of other things are magic in those stories. Swords, usually."
He looked a bit disappointed, then sighed heavily, and remained silent.
Shae tilted her head in confusion and searched her memory a bit harder for how jade was used in the legends and folktales. Wait there was something with jade slips, right? "Hmmm, I guess the heroines sometimes find secret techniques on jade slips, and their sect tokens are usually jade. Sooo, it can store information?"
Long took a deep inhale that seemed to reinvigorate him. "Yes. That is what I was referring to. Though, to simply say store information is a bit too simplistic." He shook his head slightly. "Nothing you have to worry about for your first year."
"Hmm. Not even in that advanced class you just mentioned?"
"Pff~" He huffed out some air. "Well, maybe... it seems that won't be the only class you'll have to take early."
"Heh. I was planning on challenging a few. It'll be good to replace them with something."
Long glanced over at her briefly. "Don't expect to have much free time. They keep new students busy, even if they don't have classes. They might ask you to tutor some students as well, for whatever classes you challenge. I'd advise accepting that responsibility, it will even get you a few points of sect comp."
"Hmm, good to know, thank you." She dipped her head at him, like a shallow bow, to show her thanks.
The old Master looked up through the privacy formation. "Hmm. We might have to miss our lunch meeting if we want to make the sect by nightfall."
"Oh? That's right, you did say someone wanted to meet me? What about?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure they wanted to meet you so much as just get eyes on you. Observe you a bit, which they have now done. It was mostly politics, though." He huffed and shook his head. "I'd rather not. Did you have a good breakfast?"
"We had a few sticks of fried canyon herring."
"Ah. That's good. Always a classic favorite. Hmm, it's been a while since I've had it off the street carts." He moved a hand towards the pedestal.
"Uh, before that, Master Long." Shae spoke quickly.
"Hmm?"
"I asked earlier if you would accept my advice?"
"Hmm. You asked if I would listen... yet that is just splitting hairs. I will listen to a few words, at least." He smirked.
She sighed, which released some nervousness that she hadn't noticed. "Good. Two things, and the first is easier. Guard Hon, and I suspect many others, are under the false belief- sorry I'm editorializing. Under the belief that the city defense was... Let's say, a closer battle than it really was. If Hon or someone else asks, my advice is to explain what you were trying to do."
Long's mouth went into a tight frown of distaste. "Is this about that foolish bet you tried to make during my duel?"
She frowned at him. "No."
"Why? And do you think that I would hide my motives?"
She shook her head. "I don't think you would have to. I think Hon and anyone else are perfectly happy assuming you and the sect acted as was wholly necessary. That your motives were purely defensive. I don't really expect him to ask. Yet it came up in conversation between us, so there's a chance." She opened her palms wide to her sides. "I'll not claim my position is unbiased. Yet, I think that if they knew what you were trying to do, why and how important it was to you. Then they might have a greater appreciation for the struggle of cultivation ahead of them."
"... for the struggle of cultivation ahead of them." He mumbled an echo of her words and turned back to staring at the display pieces. "You might have a point there, Wise Shae. I'll have to consider it."
She sighed with relief again. Then bowed slightly, "Thank you for the consideration."
He just hummed and nodded.
She waited a couple breaths, then shifted anxiously.
Long noticed. "Hmm? Ah, you said there were two things?"
"Yes, Master Long. This may come across as a bad joke, but do you recall earlier when I asked how much you'd pay for my advice?"
He drew his stony mask back over his face and let a frown show through it. "I'd call it a sour joke, at this point."
She blinked, then forced a cough and cleared her throat. "Alright. Well, I was just a tiny bit serious." She ducked her head between her shoulders as she spoke apologetically.
Long looked on flatly.
"Obviously, I don't know you or your specialty that well. I can't really offer proper advice or assistance, but I do have a hunch. Though, I'd need to ask a few questions to see if my instincts are on the right path."
"Hmmmgh." He closed his eyes, hummed into a groan, then turned his head back to the pedestal. "I can't say I'm pleased with the direction this is taking. Yet, I somehow feel like I owe you a small indulgence, just because you've been quite reasonable today. Well, reasonable compared to our other conversations. You're still far beyond proper decorum for your stage."
"Uhhhm. Thank you?" She tilted her head and paused. "Before we reached Gatewash, I decided I should practice my manners so I don't slip up too badly once we reach the sect. Hmm, and the enlightening discussion with Nurse Joi helped to encourage it."
"Hmm, keep practicing, then. As a small pointer, it is generally a grave insult to question someone's motives, worse still to question those of their sect or other organization. Both of which you have just done."
She hunched her shoulders. "Er- I was trying to be nice about it."
He huffed out a slow breath. "I can tell. Which is why I didn't repeat your earlier lesson, I doubt it would really stop you at this point." He huffed again. "Sometimes, Miss Shae, it is best to simply not discuss a topic rather than risk someone's ire."
Shae clamped her mouth shut and breathed nervously through her nose. The uneven breaths did little to calm her down.
The older cultivator sighed. "Get it over with quickly."
"Ah- right, of course, Master Long." She took a deep breath. "So, getting to the point, and without saying too much. I think I have the most basic outline of your qi aspect and... from the battle, some sense of your broader cultivation path. Am I correct in saying it's not so narrow as to be tied directly to the Jian Quan or the nature of geysers?"
He released a slow exhale. "You're correct to dance around it so much. And close to correct about that generalization. Though, the Jian Quan has had a distinct impact on my journey."
"Mhmm. Right. Because of your sword style."
He flicked narrowed eyes to her.
"Uh, I only noticed because of your practice with Sword Bai."
He frowned. "That's an awfully casual way to address your elder."
"Err, sorry, I meant Elder Bai. Would Sword Saint Bai be acceptable?"
"Hmm, he would probably prefer that, but he will not be the only sword saint with that name. Did he tell you his given name?"
"No." She shook her head.
"In that case, Young Elder Bai is acceptable if someone needs the clarification."
"Alright. Thank you for your guidance, Master Long." She bowed quickly.
He nodded. "You were trying to make claims about my sword style?"
"Err- No!" She almost choked on her words. "Obviously I don't know anything about sword styles. It was only because of the immediate comparison between the two, and it is called the Jian Quan."
"Hmm." He narrowed his eyes again, then nodded and relaxed his gaze. "So, knowing that connection, what is your magnificent advice?"
"Well, it's not about that. It's hardly advice at all, more of a push in a possible direction. However, I have to make sure it's actually a valid direction. It would be embarrassing if it was something you already did a hundred years ago."
He frowned and looked back at her for just long enough to say, "How old do you think I am?"
She cleared her throat into a sleeve. "A-hem. Anyway, I got the impression that you visit the Jian Quan regularly? Are there other large bodies of water you frequent?"
"It's reasonably well known that the sect has several water features used for water based cultivation. A large lake trapped between mountains is among them. It's quite nice, but the qi density limits access." He looked up at the sky briefly. "Perhaps... Well, it's worth seeing at least, even if it doesn't help your cultivation. The sect has many such locales."
She nodded. "Alright. Sounds interesting." A little intrusive thought asked, I wonder if it has a nice beach. She flushed briefly while thinking about beautiful cultivators in Earthly swimwear.
"Did you have more rude guesses?"
"Ah- err- sorry." Shae rubbed her neck and hoped she hadn't paused for too long. "I would probably have a lot to speculate on, but I get the impression that would be unwelcome. So I've reduced my advice to a simple suggestion." She pulled a small slip paper with a wooden texture from her robes and stepped forwards to offer it with a half bow.
Long glanced at her hand and took the folded note with two fingers. He bounced it on his palm like he was weighing it. "Just a few words... and how many fortunes did you expect for these few words?"
She forced a laugh. "Ha- heh- you remembered that? A-hem. Of course I wouldn't dream of demanding anything. How could I truly claim these words hold value to someone else?"
"But?" He squinted at her.
"Admittedly, I was hoping for something like a friendly wager, yet that seems overly optimistic and impossible to adjudicate. It might even be slightly harmful if you really want me to be wrong. Instead, I suggest you only read it if you're curious, and it could even wait some years." She shrugged. "If you ever find it to be helpful, thank or reward me as you see fit. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong and you can enjoy that fact as it is." She smirked.
He hid it well, but she thought he smirked too. "Well." He tucked the paper into his robes. "I must say, Wise Shae, that was less painful than I imagined. I'll consider your offer when I have less pressing matters on my mind."
"Excellent. That's all I was hoping for, Master Long." She dipped her head again.
He nodded and shut off the privacy formation.
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