To learn the path of a powerful immortal was one thing, but she had improved and refined her path beyond where it had taken her already. That meant that aside from any difference in their talents he was being given a better start than she had.

“It’s fortunate for us that your elders refused to allow you to cultivate. It’s simpler to build a foundation correctly than to correct a flawed one.”

Mareus had suspicions that she knew more about his situation than she let on. But, if Sen’shi village was a part of her territory then it would make sense she would keep an eye on the people in it.

It wasn’t like his condition was a secret to begin with, most of the adults and any of the younger generation who knew the basics of cultivation could tell that something was wrong with him. Even some of the younger kids whispered about the weirdo who wasn’t allowed to cultivate.

Some things still didn’t make sense though. “I thought I was too old. Wouldn’t that affect my growth.”

“Hmm, you should remember that your elders had a poor understanding of what it takes to properly cultivate. Not only did they lack a fundamental understanding, but they lacked the resources to properly support a talented individual.”

Sure his village didn’t have access to the ancient elixirs or family treasures passed down from one generation to the next like in the stories, but it was like they were that poor either. Especially if you looked at the bigger families like the Wei or Guo, who not only harvested fields of rare and powerful herbs but were also the biggest buyers down to the family gardens.

If they were going to support someone with talent then they would be part of their family or at the very least a member of their forces. Not some disabled orphan with knotted meridians.

“Honestly, it’s a shame that the greatest talent your valley produced spent his days drunkenly brewing wines.”

“Grandpa Gin?”

Mareus searched his memories of the shriveled old man. He was healthier than he would expect for a man who drank all day, sure.

The image of gray streaks leaping from one rooftop to another before Ganju and Mai’s wedding flashed in his mind.

No. He was just having fun. Plus, he spent the next week nursing his knees.

“Was that his name? I never met that child myself. The first time I noticed him, he wasn’t much older than you are now. He was a bit taller though. It’s a shame I had things that kept me away for some time, I would have liked to seen how far he could have gone with proper guidance.”

“Do you know what happened?” Mareus asked.

“Unfortunately, by the time I returned he was half drowned in a barrel of what was more fermented fruit juice than wine.”

Fu Kong studied Mareus before passing him a bun from her bottomless sleeve.

“I apologize, he was someone important to you so I shouldn’t have spoken poorly of him.”

He thoughtlessly reached for the treat when he noticed the color rushing back to his knuckles. Mareus turned his hand over to find deep crescents from where his nails dug into his palm.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…”

She cut him off. “Don’t apologize.” Her flat tone didn’t match the abruptness of her words. “Mortal or Immortal, emotions are important to a cultivator. But it is important you understand why you feel what you feel.”

Mareus stared at the bun, watching the dough rise wherever he poked it as he turned it over in his hands.

He started and stopped several times before saying, “I know I’m mad, but I don’t know why. I feel like I should be more sad. I don’t know.” He watched her blurred face through teary eyes. “Why do I feel like this?”

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Fu Kong took her time to brush the backs of his hands before she responded. His grip relaxing and revealing several tears in the buns flesh.

“Morta- Humans are unique compared to the other races. While each emotion is shared between each thinking being, Humans experience a more complex weave of conflicting thoughts and feelings that often make it harder to understand than we would like. Because of this there are more words describing emotions in human tongues than any other. Words like sorrow, indignation, and anguish.”

Mareus slumped against his teacher. Her hands hovered over his back for a moment before she accepted the embrace.

“I will never stop you from expressing your emotions, and if you need help understanding those feelings then we can learn about them out together.”

Mareus couldn’t find the words to respond, instead he silently let his tears fall without leaving her arms.

By the time he finished his snack was soaked through and falling apart. An inky tendril coiled around it before swallowing the mess completely and flattening into the ether.

“Wha-”

Fu Kong wordlessly produced a new one from her sleeve and held it out for him. Which he gratefully accepted and chewed on like a child needing to keep their mouth busy to keep from crying.

“Should we continue our earlier conversation or would you like to stop here for today?” She asked.

Mareus had almost completely forgot the point of them coming to the surface, his excitement from producing the ball of energy feeling like it was days ago.

“Um, what were you saying before?” He sheepishly finished his snack.

“I was explaining how you were mislead about your condition and the nature of cultivation.”

He straightened. “Right! Am I really not too old to learn? I still don’t understand how you’re going to cure me, but I’ll do whatever it takes.”

She held up three fingers. “I’ll correct you on three things. The first,” she lowered a finger. “Age means next to nothing when it comes to cultivation. Of course, you will develop certain views or habits that can make it more difficult, but if you’re willing to put in the effort you can surpass geniuses who practiced from birth.”

Mareus chuckled at the thought of one of the elders seriously practicing with children.

She lowered the second finger and continued. “Second, you do not have anything that needs to be cured. In fact, your condition is quite the opposite. Third…”

“Wait!” He cut her off. “I need more than that. What do you mean I don’t need to be cured. I thought my meridians were all jumbled up and made it dangerous for me to learn even the most basic breathing technique.”

“This is why fools shouldn’t be allowed to run around with titles they didn’t earn.” Fu Kong pinched brow. “I want you to think back to before you spoke to that quack who called himself a physician. When you first practiced a breathing technique. Did it seem difficult?”

“It was really hard, it took me forever just to focus enough so that I could guide my breathing.”

“Is that something you think a toddler could learn in under an hour?” The corner of her mouth curled into the shadow of a smile.

“Then why did the accident happen?”

“Your village’s lack of knowledge is to blame for that.” She watched for his reaction before continuing. “Your core was simply beyond what any of your elder’s could have imagined. And the breathing technique your Grandmother taught you created a path that connected your soul to the Dao. Being a child, you didn’t know how to control that flow or stop it so the underutilized energy of the valley rushed endlessly in.”

Mareus stared down at his stomach, the faint sensation of an ocean swirled inside of him.

“From what I can sense, I believe you digested the equivalent of what most Mortal Realm cultivators gain in a year. Though, I can’t say how much you took in that passed through you and returned to the valley. Luckily that place was well balanced and you were properly grounded to the world.”

His image of the ocean grew violent and a cold sweat ran down his neck. “What, what would have happened if I wasn’t?”

“Several different things: you could have exploded if the energy didn’t have anywhere to go, your organs could have melted out through all of your orifices,” She leaned in. “You could even have become part tree.”

Mareus’ sweat made the rock slick and he fell back screaming, “Help! I think it’s happening!”

An otherworldly chuckle rode on the wind, knocking him out of his panic. He felt all over his body and pinched multiple places before he was satisfied it was skin and not bark. When he looked back at his teacher he saw her hiding behind her sleeve, still laughing.

“You- you’re making a joke.” He sighed. “A teacher shouldn’t tease her student.”

“I apologize, I was too curious how you’d react. Only the last one was a joke.” She continued laughing as she spoke.

“Thank goodness. I could have exploded?!”

He began to pout when he realized she was still holding up the last finger. Mareus pointed at it with a faint hope that he could end his embarrassment.

“What was the third one?”

“Hmm?” Fu Kong quietly cleared her throat remembering the her other hand. “Yes, the third correction.”

Her brows narrowed in contemplation. She was silent for so long that he started to wander if her joke made her forget her lesson.

“I’ve decided we’ll come back to that one. It’s still too early for you.”

Mareus’ mouth hung loose. He even picked at his ear to make sure he heard her correctly.

“Did you forget it?” He asked.

“I don’t forget things.”

She forgot. He decided.