The rays of the rising sun woke me up. I prepared for another day of training and cultivation. Soon I would reach the bottleneck and would need to prepare for a breakthrough. First, I had to get out of the bed, which was too soft.

I opened my eyes in an unfamiliar room. It had too many tapestries. I looked around confused, when my brain finally clicked in and I remembered I was not in the Fiery Peak Sect. I was in my room, in my bed and waking to the life of a mortal.

I wanted to sleep more and let dreams claim me, but I had a task in front of me.

I got out of the bed and looked out of my window. The sun was just on the horizon and the courtyard was mostly empty; only a few servants were moving around getting ready for their duties and guards were standing around guarding the safety of the Silverhand family. It was a sight I was not used to. The Fiery Peak sect rose with the sun, because everyone had things to do, but mortals slept in, especially the merchants, who slept after the long night of making deals and feasting.

I put on my clothing and unwrapped the manual.

Today would be a busy day, but I would have time before my parents would wake up and I would have to meet my maid and then join the social life of the clan. My condition would provide a perfect opportunity to get some reading done, so I dove into the manual scouring it for relevant information.

I was pouring through the manual. One segment sounded promising

…To harness the energy necessary to utilize the arts, the learner must utilize the soul to force the energy into the vessel. Thus selected, the energy is then used in the work. Once the learner reaches the point where he can produce energy thus, he can proceed into learning the weaving, beware for this process is not without danger and the learner must heed all the warnings, if they do not wish to perish in a grisly way…

This part revealed much about the nature of this cultivation art, despite the obnoxious words. I assumed the energy referred to Qi, and the work was the process of cultivation. It was a strange terminology, but not so alien I could not decipher it, but it meant I would have to discover what this vessel was.

I moved the pages, but while I found the passage on the nature of the vessel and its variants, it was nearly completely unreadable. Only a few cryptic mentions of sticks and branches were written there. It was maddeningly useless, but I did not expect that this would be easy. The only readable passage was not very useful.

…Learner must remember that the residual energy will degrade the vessel and thus the stone must be purified regularly, or a new vessel must be found. Beware of contamination, for it will limit the usefulness of the vessel.….

It told me that there would be a stone component to the vessel, but I did not know what kind of stone it was. Would the vessel require precious stone or some special kind of Qi receptor? Qi would also not degrade the material under normal circumstances. It was the energy of existence. This passage left me with more questions than answers.

I turned back to the first page to go over the manual again, when I heard the knocking on my door.

I looked up from the manual and the sun had risen and it was clear the rest of the mansion was now awake.

“Enter,” I said and put the manual down. Further exploration of these pages would have to wait.

My mother entered followed by a girl of roughly my age. She looked at me and frowned, ”Mei you should not be awake. You should sleep and rest. You are sick.”

“I just woke early and did some slight reading, mother, because I could not sleep.” I explained to her and looked at the girl standing behind my mother.

The girl looked at me back looking rather surprised. I guess I was not fitting her idea of a proper lady, which I guess was not exactly wrong. I still only had the simple clothes befitting a peasant.

“You really should rest, Mei,” my mother shook her head. “Anyway, I have found you a maid. This is Adra. She has been training to be a ladies’ maid, and I gave her this opportunity,” my mother said. Adra bowed to me.

I looked closely at Adra. She was rather mousy looking, even compared to me. Her black hair was a mess and her clothes were fixed in a few places by a rather obvious stitching, which I suspected was done by her, as her hands were full of small scars consistent with someone using a needle, if said someone was not very good at it.

“You can stand up,” I said to my would be maid. She looked at me with enormous eyes looking like a deer in the path of a savage beast. I did not know what to do.

“Mother, what am I supposed to do with a maid?” I asked.

“She will help you dress, run errands for you and help you with anything you need during social occasions,” my mother explained. I still did not know why I would need help with this. I was no longer a small child, but I did not want to argue with my mother further. It was pointless and it would only upset her. She was the one who knew how things worked in our clan much more than me.

“I will serve you faithfully and fulfill your every desire, as is befitting,” Adra said to me, but she still did not meet my eyes. It was annoying.

“I am sure you will be helpful and your services will be invaluable, but please look into my eyes, when I am speaking with you.” I said to her, The reaction to my request was rather surprising.

Adra sputtered and raised her eyes to meet mine clearly startled, ”I cannot do that, mistress. You are a member of a Silverhand clan, while I am just a common born. To look at you in such a way would be a grave insult to your clan,” she explained to me and promptly lowered her gaze remembering her own worlds.

It was a strange custom, with which I was not familiar. It made little sense to me, but when I looked at my mother for an explanation even she looked taken back by my words.

“Mei has been away for a long time and she is unfamiliar with the customs of our city. It will be one of your duties to remind her and help her, when she falters,” my mother said to Adra.

Adra just nodded silent, clearly overwhelmed by the amount of responsibility my mother pushed on her.

“What have you planned for today?” I asked my mother. I remembered the conversation from yesterday.

“I think it will be best, if you stay in bed and recuperate for today. I will arrange a shopping trip to get you some new clothes tomorrow and after that we shall host some parties to introduce you to the rest of the clan in a controlled environment. What do you think?”

It would be a novel experience. I never went to the market in the town until now. All tailors or other tradesmen visited us in our home. “I think it will be okay,” I said to her.

“Perfect, then I shall go. I have letters to write,” she smiled and marched right out of my room leaving behind Adra who looked at the closing doors desperately.

I looked at her for a long moment, as both of us were silent. It was Adra who broke the silence first.

“What does my mistress wish me to do?” she asked.

I had no request for her, but it would be useful to learn something about her. She might be my close companion for a very long time.

“There is nothing much to say, mistress. I was born in the city to a cook and learned at my mother’s side. My family decided I would have poor prospects as a cook and helped me to get into the household of the famed Silverhand clan. Here the clan tutors trained me in the duties of a servant and your esteemed mother picked me this morning,” she explained and added a promise after a moment of looking at my skeptical face, “I will not fail the trust she has given me.”

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“I am sure you will help me get reintegrated into the clan swiftly, but I am not sure what your task will be,” I told her truthfully. She moved her eyes looking at the pile of dirty clothes at the base of my bed.

It was enough of a hint for me, “But for now, you can have my clothing cleaned. The journey here was long, and the roads were rather dirty.”

Adra collected my clothing. I heard a few gasps as she collected the clothes from my battle with bandits, which had some amount of blood. I ignored this outburst, and I returned to the study of the manual, which was so suddenly interrupted. It proved not very promising.

I could find the section titled the “Training tools”, but I could make only the headline out of these pages. The rest of the text was too damaged to make any sense out of, so I returned to the front of the book and started over again. It was here just a few pages away from the warning about the dubious nature of the book that I found a rather interesting passage.

…Once the control over the energy flowing in the world is gained this first crucial step is finished. This allows the neophyte to proceed with further learning and reach into the true mastery and understanding. He will do so in the same way as many others have done before him, using the same time-tested tools and materials. This is where the greatest flaw of the art for the neophyte lies. For the first tools of the trade must be constructed and while they are not complex, they can be expensive. Stone is a common base thanks to its ideal properties, but the piece without flaws or faults necessary is expensive and there are the materials themselves woven into the stone. While all materials of first order are not as expensive as gold, the materials of higher quality will cost much more than this second most common of first order materials. As such, any neophyte will need a source of income or master willing to pay for his training…

The text ended here. It was lacking in details, but told me more than enough. I already knew the stone was part of the vessel I would have to make, but now I knew at least one material I would have to get was gold.

It was progress, but the rest of the materials remained a mystery to me. I needed a gold and quality stone without blemishes. I would also need the ability to touch Qi in the air, but as a cultivator I already mastered this skill. Ironically, I could even brag that I was the best of my peers in this exercise, but it was not a particularly noteworthy skill. The real limitation was the speed of circulation and quality of refined Qi, the amount drawn in was not a significant concern, as nearly everyone could draw more, than they could cycle.

Ability to touch Qi and draw it into dantian was one cornerstone of cultivation. Once the cultivators drew the mixed Qi of the world into themselves they began cycling and purifying it, while expelling the impurities and Qi useless to the cultivator.

I delved back into the text seeking more materials necessary for construction of this vessel. I found no more readable mentions of the construction, but there was a rather confusing passage in parts about more advanced use of this technique.

…Do not overcomplicate things. Unlike the training vessel, which comprises purely of the base and symbolic material the advanced device combines in its core two symbolic material entwined, If the device is properly made it does not affect the exercise in a significant manner…

I looked at the passage dubious. It could not be so simple. How could inert metal like gold do the same thing as the human body? I knew there had to be more to the secret, but no matter how much I scoured the manual, I found nothing. It was frustrating.

I put the manual away and considered my options. Common wisdom was clear. What the manual described was impossible. Gold was important, but it lacked any relationship to Yin and Yang. It was not alive and only those alive could properly cultivate. I knew there were ways around that particular limitation with application of Qi rich materials, but the manual specified no such materials. It was nonsensical exactly as the foreword warned, but I was seeking an uncommon source of wisdom and what was uncommon wisdom to those set in their ways, but foolishness?

“My lady, you have a visitor,” my maid interrupted my line of thought.

“Who is it?” I asked curtly. Her interruption was inconvenient. Adra immediately bowed and apologized.

“I am sorry my lady, if I offended you. It is the young Lord Xian. He wishes to meet you,” she explained , as she looked at me expectantly.

“I am sorry I was so cross with you. He can enter,” I said.

“Do you wish to refresh yourself?” Adra asked, looking at me dubiously.

I shook my head, and she left.

I put my manual away and waited for my cousin to enter. It did not take long.

“Young Lord Xian Silverhand here to meet Mei Silverhand,” Adra announced and bowed deeply towards the door.

A young man of regal bearing entered. He dressed himself in rich clothing embroidered with silver, which was undoubtedly in fashion right now, not that I could tell you what was in fashion even in the sect. He had a sword at his waist and a disarming smile on his face. It was easy to guess he was a scion of a rich family, but I was unaware our clan was rich enough to buy such extravagant clothing for someone who was not the heir. The whole look certainly underscored his beauty and I could certainly see how he could make a maiden swoon.

He looked around the room confused, before his eyes landed on me. For a moment his eyes had a look of dismay on them, but it quickly vanished and only an amicable smile reflected in them.

“Cousin Mei, It is nice to meet you after so long. I have heard about your failures and came to offer condolences. It is truly a sad day, when one member of the Silverhand clan fails in their goals.” he said to me.

I would have rolled my eyes, but I had to be polite so I put on my best smile, ”Cousin Xian. Meeting you is a pleasure. I have heard about your exploits.” Admittedly, I was not very good at politeness and the words of the guardsman at the gates were still alive enough to be remembered.

“That is great to hear. I am pleased that stories of my skill and prowess spread so far and wide. It is true what they say: They recognize a true duelist everywhere.” My cousin took my remark as a compliment to his skill.

He claimed himself duelist and so I looked at his sword. It did not look very rugged and used, but that meant nothing. He might have just bought a less used sword to impress his cousin.

“What brings you to my humble room?” I asked him. I really had no time for a conversation.

He blinked at my rudeness, but ignored it, ”I came to ask you, if you would honor a party I am organizing with your presence. This party will be on the edges of the river Asp in five days' time. It is a celebration of my fiftieth victory and many young men will be present there.”

“I am honored by your offer, but why me? I arrived just yesterday.” My confusion had to be clear as he explained himself immediately.

“You are newly arrived, after a long absence from the clan and It is only proper for you to be introduced to the clan and the city. I am always ready to help the less fortunate among our clan. It is only proper,” he explained to me.

“I thank you for your kind offer. I will arrive, if the circumstances allow it” I answered him. It was nice of him, although I was rather sure it was in point a way to puff off his own ego at the expense of the former cultivator. I was fine with that and my mother said I would have to socialize within the clan.

“Then I will expect you,” he smiled and turned around, nearly bowling over Adra as he walked away.

I returned to my thoughts. The manual kept its secrets for now, but I had an obvious option in front of me. I could simply try to build a vessel and try experimenting with it. The instructions I surmised were clear. I required gold and stone without a blemish.

“Adra, could you bring me paper and writing implements?” I asked. She did as I requested with haste and I kept scribbling various possibilities. I did not know how such a device looked. It would be best to start with a simple process.

My masters trained me in conducting Qi through my body and thus it would be best, if I touched the object. I had no idea, if I had to touch the gold or stone and so the gold would have to be on the surface, for sake of experimentation. In the end I ended with something resembling a golden coin encased in a brick of stone. It was not the most creative of designs, but it would allow me to experiment.

I finished the last sketch, when I remembered a minor issue. I had no gold. In the Fiery Peak sect it was a simple question of going into the sect's warehouse and requesting such mundane material, but in my clan I did not know how to get pure enough gold.

I stood up and walked to my mother’s rooms. I did not make it all the way here as I ran into my mother halfway through our home. She was hurrying towards me.

“Mei, what did Xian want?” she asked me immediately, looking rather worried.

“Nothing much, He just invited me to a party he is throwing in his own honor,” I explained, taken aback by my mother’s directness.

She looked at me worried, ”Mei you have no clothes and your manners are lacking. You will be just an attraction for Xian’s amusement.”

“I will be okay. You yourself said that I need to socialize with the clan and this is a perfect opportunity for this.” I pointed out.

“That is true, but one bad showing can taint your image for the entire clan. It might be disastrous for your future, but we cannot refuse an invitation to such an occasion. It would make us look rude. We will get you the best clothing tomorrow and I will give you etiquette lessons,” my mother decided.

Her concern for me was rather strange. I was not someone who could not make a mistake and be destroyed. I was simply not anyone important. Why should people care about me? I was nobody in my clan. It was baffling, but my mother was very keen on this and I did not want to disappoint her.

“I will strive to learn as much as possible,” I said. My mother looked relieved at my proclamation, but I still had a question for her.

“Mother, would you have some golden jewelry to spare? I need some for my cure. Just a golden ring would be more than enough.”

My mother looked at me thinking about something, “I am sorry, but I have none to spare. I will lend you some pieces for your parties so you do not go around without jewelry, but I cannot spare any. Although you should have golden jewelry in your own lockbox,” she pointed out.

I never thought about that. I vaguely remembered some jewelry from my youth, but I did not remember what kind it was.

“Thank you for the reminder. Can I help you with something?” I asked her.

“Just rest and recover. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”