In between bites of a second dumpling, Ming Jia Ying asked, “You said you had new training regiments and assignments for us?”
“Indeed I do,” Tomo nodded. “I'll send personalized training exercises to each of you via your Encyclopedia pages later, but we can discuss your assignments now. We need to start making allies and soon. Diplomatic relationships can take decades to form normally, but we obviously don't have that kind of time.”
“So we're going to have to split up,” Lin Liqiu added insightfully. “In that case, I'll head to Japan.”
Lin Liqin was shocked by his sister's sudden decision, but was even more surprised by Tomo's agreement, “My thoughts exactly.”
Seeing her brother's confused look Lin Liqiu answered the unspoken question, “Tsu Tsu, Jia Ying, and Wei are going to need Ki forged weapons of the finest quality if we're going to face the Gaian Empire. There's still more for me to learn and Japan is where the master smiths are. While I'm there I can get a feel for the political climate and see if there's any way to recruit Japan to our cause.”
Tomo just smiled. Lin Liqin quickly added, “Then I'll go with you.”
Lin Liqiu shook her head, “You and Tsubame should go with Jia Ying. They are both making good strides in learning to use ki but could use your guidance. Also I'm sure Jia Ying would like to visit her family and fiance before he leaves the capital. I'd like you and Tsu Tsu to look around and give me your unbiased opinion of the Gaian Empire. I want to know exactly what we've gotten ourselves into.”
A light blush reached Ming Jia Ying's cheeks as she asked excitedly, “Can I really go see them?”
“Did I perhaps leave my notes lying around somewhere?” Tomo smirked, “Of course you can Jia Ying. I've been keeping your mother updated on your progress and already let her know to expect you. Now Liqiu, I'm curious, where would you send Wei?”
Lin Liqiu glanced at the map for a moment, pondering the question, “Egypt? As I recall the death element is outlawed in Gaian society. If he wishes to master it and the life element Egypt would be the best choice. They are also already hostile to the Gaian Empire so recruitment should be possible.”
“My thoughts exactly. There is much Wei could learn there about soul channeling, as they call it. Especially soul contracts could be of use in our future dealings. They bind individuals to the terms of the contract with harsh penalties if it's broken. A handy tool when trying to forge political bonds on short notice.”
Ku Wei frowned, “Grandfather, are you sure you want me to cultivate the death element? I've only heard the stories, but each is worse than the last. Infections, plagues, and the jiangshi[1] hoard that resulted in its cultivation becoming taboo.”
“Like any tool, whether it is used to help or hurt is up to its wielder. The fire element is capable of great destruction, but it's still widely practiced.” Tomo placed a hand on Ku Wei's shoulder, “Imagine Liqiu had been conscious when you first treated her. The operation would have been incredibly painful. Your death element could decrease activity in the area, numbing it and allaying any discomfort. Then your life element can stimulate the area to increase healing. As for the stories, a death cultivator could reduce your ability to fight off an infection or disease, but they aren't the source. And the jiangshi outbreak, well, those were actually the work of rogue life cultivators. However, the empire couldn't ban the practice of the life element and lose all their healers, so the death element became a convenient scapegoat.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
While Tomo was reassuring Ku Wei Tsubame was examining the map. She noticed faint lines that seemed to have been drawn by Tomo. Her curiosity peaked, she inquired, “What are these wavy lines that criss-cross the map?”
Everyone's attention was drawn to the map as Tomo explained, “In my world the more superstitions among us would have called those leylines[2]. Pangu[3] produces an electromagnetic field that helps protect the surface from the dangers of space. That field oscillates, inducing currents that run through the planet's crust. Those currents are what I use to tether this pocket dimension to Pangu.” Tomo placed a coin on the map before continuing, “We are currently anchored at Duihaiguo. I can move the anchor point along the current pathways, but in order to create a doorway big enough for one you to pass through two or more currents need to overlap.”
Tomo seemed to have recalled something as he suddenly stepped back from the table and with a wave of his hand he was gone. A moment later he reappeared carrying a large trunk that seemed to be made out of the same dark star filled material that the door to the pocket dimension was made from. Setting the trunk down, he opened it and fished out several sacks made from the same substance.
Setting the sacks on the table, Tomo quickly stopped the curious Tsubame from picking one up, “These are very dangerous. Let me explain what they are before you examine them.” Tomo waited for all of them to acknowledge his warning before he carried on with the explanation, “I call these quantum sacks. Before the Encyclopedia was forged for me I attempted to create my own item using my chi. This is one of my 'failures'. Through quantum entanglement and my ability to link space any item that is placed in one of the sacks ends up in the trunk and can then be retrieved from any sack, regardless of distance. Effectively, all of these sacks contain the same items at the same time. The reason I considered it a failure is that, due to the spacial fluctuations, any living tissue that is placed inside ages at a rate of one week per second, including the user's hand.”
Tsubame still seemed eager to try the new item, “So we just have to be quick when retrieving items.”
This time it was Ku Wei that stopped her from grabbing a sack, “It's not a matter of speed. Do you know what happens if you go three days without water? You die. The same thing will happen to your hand in half a second if you reach into one of those.”
“There is some good news however,” Tomo interjected, raising Tsubame's hopes. “The aura produced through Ki should protect you long enough to use them.”
“Should?” Lin Liqin seemed to have picked up on the key word.
“It hasn't been tested yet but the theory is sound. Would you be willing to try?”
Under the watchful gazes of the others Lin Liqin hesitantly picked up one of the sacks. Aura began to cover his hand as he carefully opened the sack and dipped his pinkie in. A brief moment later he withdrew it and began looking it over. As he bent and unbent his finger he said, “It seems fine. I could feel the aura wearing down. Even without supplying more ki to reinforce the aura I think it would last about five seconds. That time would probably be reduced to one or two seconds for those that just completed their first ki refinement.”
Tsubame attempted to grab a sack with a hand covered in a hazy white aura indicating her ki is still in the foundation stage, but was once again stopped by Tomo quickly reclaiming them. Ignoring her pleading expression he stated, “In order to avoid accidents these will be reserved for those that reach their second ki refinement. Consider it a reward from your teacher for being diligent in your studies.”
Lin Liqiu raised her hand and produced a weak golden aura. Tomo tossed her a sack and Tsubame looked at her longingly, but Lin Liqiu just stuck out her tongue at her friend leaving her crestfallen.
Tomo stowed away the rest of the sacks for safe keeping while explaining some of the finer details, “As you can see the trunk is about two cubic meters in size so the combined size of the items you store in the sacks can't exceed that. Also you can't pass an item from one sack to the other simultaneously, the item has to be placed entirely within one sack before it can be retrieved from another.”
Ku Wei and Ming Jia Ying were admiring the quantum sack in Lin Liqin's hand when Ming Jia Ying commented, “This material is so pretty. It's like it contains the entire cosmos.”
“A cosmo bag! That's a much better name,” Ku Wei exclaimed.
“That sounds so cool! Now I want a cosmo bag even more,” Tsubame declared wistfully.
Hearing this exchange Tomo just sighed and sat down, looking rather defeated.
Author's Notes:
[1] Jiangshi are a type of reanimated corpse in Chinese folklore, similar to a zombie or vampire. They are often under the control of the one that created them
[2] Leylines, according to some people, are natural energy currents running through the Earth that can be tapped into by building a structure on that location
[3] Reminder: Pangu is the name of this alternate reality Earth