Elder Win paused, as if to make sure he had everyone’s attention. “Now for your next lesson. If you’ll recall from the day before, our school has access to some of the best meridian and body cleansing techniques you’ll find anywhere under the desert sun that we offer to all cultivators, free of charge, who’ve proven worthy of our pins. Now, you will all be given the rest of the afternoon to learn the basics of a suitable technique and put it to the test as well.”
Alex’s eyes widened at this, barely having time to throw a curious glance a beaming Ya Ling’s way, who flashed him a teasing smile and a shooshing motion when Alex solemnly followed behind the rest of his class as Elder Win, much to his surprise and delight, began giving them a scenic tour of the lush valley below from the lip of the caldera, though taking the opposite path that Alex and his companions had the night before. And no one had any need to make use of the rope lining the inside of the trail running around the circumference of the ancient volcano crater. Perhaps it was thanks to the sun shining brightly overhead, but everyone’s steps were sure, and more than a few of their number’s breath was hitched in awe as they gazed upon the distant groves and lush golden fields stretching out for miles below.
“And there below you is the greatest prize our city possesses, the wondrous jewel of life and sustenance that keeps our entire city fed,” Elder Win said with a certain amount of solemnity, before raising his voice in a question. “Who among you can tell us the greatest prize among all of the wonders you see blossoming below?”
Alex couldn’t help smiling when one of the younger cultivators raised her hand excitedly.
“Yes, Ling Ling?”
“Is it the water, master?” She tentatively asked over the murmurs of her classmates.
Elder Win smiled in approval. “Correct. For all that the caldera's soil, infused with such potent Fire, Wood, and Earth spiritual energy gives forth crops absolutely brimming with vitality, it is the water from our quartet of falls that makes it all possible. Without that water...” He shook his head sadly. “Our wondrous grove would shrink to a hundredth of its present size, and most of the citizens of this city would be forced to leave. And I’m sure you can imagine what their fates would all too likely be.”
Alex winced at the doom pronounced so abruptly, the foreboding words quieting the entire class, now gazing at the various falls with varying degrees of solemnity.
“Master Win?”
“Yes, Ma Guo?”
“I know our city has rested upon the lip of the caldera for over a thousand years, and we hardly get any rain at all. So what keeps the water flowing down the slopes of the caldera?”
The elder cultivator smiled warmly. “An excellent question. You’ll find the answer, in part, tied to the rest of today’s lesson. And I do believe that is Elder Shi awaiting us, just ahead.”
Alex took a closer look at the salt and pepper haired cultivator in pale yellow robes grinning at them all from a small grassy field recessed from the caldera’s edge as they neared the southern waterfall just below.
Elder Win took the fork in the path leading up to the top, Alex taking careful note of the fork leading down to the western rift as they passed it.
“Greetings, disciples. You may all refer to me as Elder Shi. My singular goal during our time together is to instill within each and every one of you the most pristine foundations you’re capable of maintaining. And for that, you will need nothing less than access to the strongest cleansing techniques that our academy has access to. Nothing less than the best to be found anywhere within the desert sands.”
Alex blinked. He had been ready to hold back a smile at the supreme confidence of that statement, but certainly the surprising amount of potency radiating from the man made it clear he truly had forged himself to a pristine ideal. Even if he was the farthest thing from a Gold, the Silver tier potency radiating from the ageless-looking man was the strongest, and purest, that Alex had sensed from anyone since arriving here at the academy.
And it seemed that his own observation had not gone completely unnoticed.
“And I see several Ruidians among your number this semester,” he declared, giving both Alex and Linnea curious looks, before turning to Elder Win. “Do we truly have two mixed-blood disciples daring a cultivator’s path this year?”
Elder Win chuckled softly. “Only one, I suspect. Our dear Linnea is here for… inspiration as much as anything else, I suspect.”
Guo nodded thoughtfully. “I see. Very well.” He turned and smiled politely at Linnea. “You’re of course welcome to observe and take whatever inspiration you may.”
Linnea curtseyed respectfully. “Thank you, elder.”
He then turned to Alex, his voice candid. “Can you truly cultivate Heaven and Earth spiritual energy? Would you mind giving our class a demonstration of your talents?”
You have successfully summoned Enhanced Water Shield with elements of Wind, Wood, Lightning, and Steel! You have successfully hidden multiple elements within your shield!
Master Guo’s brows furrowed as he studied Alex’s manifestation for long moments. It was all Alex could do not to flinch under the scrutiny, hiding so many secrets in plain sight. But there was no better arena to forge himself than under the hooded gazes of would-be masters and peers. Some were openly admiring, which warmed Alex more than he wanted to admit, and from several other students, most especially Tan Yi and several youths beside him, he sensed nothing but the sharp taste of bitter envy. Which was good, he told himself. It was exactly what he wanted. To hone himself and master discretion under gazes eager for his condemnation.
Because it was one thing to brilliantly blaze forth with the deadliest art he had ever dared. But to slowly incorporate multiple elements hidden within the veil of one, so subtly that it looked like nothing other than a basic disc of spinning water, was another matter altogether. Even if there was no compounding synergism allowing for near absurd levels of boosted efficacy that Prismatic Shield allowed for, the subtle infusion of harmonizing elements Alex embraced now still granted him a Water Shield that most would find surprisingly hard to counter. Not to mention it’s ability to shred unarmored or perhaps even armored flesh that attempted to strike him directly, as well as effortlessly rip most weapons from their users hands.
Much like Elder Shi’s casually held quarterstaff, gently prodding Alex’s defenses with what was not coincidentally it’s weakest element. Yet Alex’s Water was infused with both Metal and Wood, in addition to Air and Lightning. The result being Elder Shi’s eyes widening with near comical surprise when his quarterstaff was ripped completely free of his hands and sent lazily cartwheeling into the valley below.
As much as a part of Alex wanted to grin in triumph, mostly what he felt was apprehension when Guo fixated upon him with hawk-like intensity… that soon faded to the bemused countenance of a man who had intended such all along.
Casually gazing at the staff whipping through the air down to the alley far below… until he lazily held out his hand and his staff cracked through the air towards him once more.
Perception Check made!
You fail to get out of the way in time!
Alex’s eyes widened, danger sense shrieking warning too late for him to do more than hunch over as the staff clocked his shoulder, the entire class oohing in admiration.
You have suffered one Superficial Wound.
Elder Shi tutted. “You have a fine technique, certainly, lad. But a shield only guards your front. You must be in position to ward yourself from attacks from all angles before you dare the rifts or wujen with such a limited defense.”
“Stupid Ruidian finally being put in his place,” Tan Yi said with a snicker echoed by the more envious.
Alex, however, not being a fool, immediately lowered his head. “Thank you for your guidance, Master Guo. I will endeavor to take that into account when sparring or delving in the future.”
He held his half-bow for long moments until he sensed Guo’s demeanor soften, much to his relief. Because Alex cared absolutely nothing about the snickering of a handful of fools who, just as he had hoped, failed to understand the significance of his shield. All he cared about was that Guo, who had clearly felt the need to vindicate himself, felt like he had gotten the better of Alex sufficient for any perceived slight to be forgiven, and so would hopefully view Alex with the bemused warmth of an elder correcting the mistakes of an eager student, as opposed to a cocky Ruidian who had dared to show up an elder of the school and thus risk earning Guo’s enmity from that moment on.
To his great relief, Elder Shi gave a good-natured chuckle. “Nonetheless, it is an impressive manifestation of Water Qi. And did I detect traces of Metal? How fascinating. If you are one of the very few who can infuse two elements in a single ward, then your defenses will be impressive indeed! I would counsel you to practice your Water Shield manifestation without fail for at least half a glass every day. I have no doubt that, with just a bit more diligence and training, your future kung-fu brothers will be quite well-served to have you by their side.”
Alex bowed once more. “Thank you for your wisdom, Elder Shi. I shall endeavor to train daily, just as you advise.”
Alex knew it wasn’t his imagination that Elder Shi’s hard smile had soften to a grandfatherly grin of approval. If social skill checks were a thing in this world, he was almost certain he had passed with flying colors. Or at least, he had avoided failing spectacularly as he had done so often in his last life lived.
Guo gazed at him thoughtfully. “And now we’ve learned that blond-haired Ruidians, at least, have the potential to harness spiritual energy.”
Alex blinked, quietly certain that there were a couple leaps in logic going on there, but forbore to interrupt the elder he was determined to win over, or at least, not have gunning for him behind the scenes, so he smiled politely as the man spoke on.
“The question, however, is how well one of your mixed heritage allows you to deal with the buildup of waste Qi, an issue which seems to affect your red-headed cousins far less than it does true-blooded cultivators. Is that not right, Linnea?”
“Absolutely, Master Guo!” Linnea concurred with a cheeky grin. “It takes at least half a dozen delves before we feel any buildup of anything at all! And then we just garden in our sanctuaries for a season and we’re perfectly fine.”
Elder Shi grinned indulgently. “Indeed. Our goal this day, however, is to teach you all techniques to purge yourselves of waste Qi and achieve a pristine foundation without needing to revert to direct interaction with the elements of Wood, Water, and Earth, though certainly that’s a viable strategy even among cultivators. But it is only to our benefit to enhance our ability to cleanse ourselves by breathing and cycling techniques alone.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Are you versed in any cleansing techniques, Alex?”
“I’ve learned how to use the sun to rejuvenate myself,” Alex conceded, recalling how good it had felt at first, just to soak up the glorious warm rays of the sun, as if embracing a dragon’s natural path of both cycling and rejuvenation. It was nothing compared to his Desert Fox Cultivation which incorporated all the elements, but was the first technique he had instinctively picked up when first embracing his new life and just beginning his journey as a caravanner. And of course, he was far more interested in keeping his secrets close while learning what he could. Much to his Pleasant surprise, he didn’t receive more than one snort of derision when he took on the lotus position, loosened his changshan tunic, and just enjoyed the feel of the sun caressing his skin.
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He soon lost himself in the pleasure of the suns warmth that, sensing no active hostility against him at that moment, and had no problem tuning out what he was sure were bemused whispers, until Guo’s words pulled him back to himself.
“And I note that you use the Fire element as well as Water. Perhaps it is that contrast that consumes and filters the waste? Either way, I sense no undue buildup of toxicities within you, whatsoever. Most impressive, disciple. Though we won’t know for certain if this is, in fact, the best path for you until our final test. But for now, continue to refine your current cleansing technique. An affinity for the sun is never a bad thing, after all!”
Alex blinked in surprise, having expected any number of headshakes and criticism. Especially since the absorbing and refining of the sun’s cleansing energy was more a passive cycling technique than anything else, and he was hardly doing anything conscious with it at all. Nonetheless, he knew better than to protest what was effectively a passing mark and quickly pulled himself back into the moment before standing upright once more, giving Elder Shi a final bow as he stepped back.
Elder Win, however, looked a tad bit surprised, but elected to say nothing as his fellow instructor then proceeded to carefully watch everyone else’s cleansing techniques with an eagle eye, those who had any such technique at all. And if the class thought that Alex’s easy commendation would serve as the benchmark for their examination, they were sorely mistaken.
“No, child. You need to refine and cleanse your meridians, not squeeze tight additional spiritual energy on top of it, that will only make things worse! It’s a good thing you enrolled when you did, or you’d have plaque hopelessly embedded. Who taught you this technique? Your mother? Clearly she needs private lessons herself, though I shudder to think of the state of her meridians!”
These words earned humiliated tears and a bowed head from Ying Ying, the girl visibly trembling by the end of Guo’s critique, barely able to focus when he gave her half a dozen immediate pointers. Yet focus she did when his voice suddenly cracked like a whip, and Alex couldn’t help wincing in sympathy.
“And you, boy. Why are you smirking? Your cleansing techniques are no better than hers!”
These words were directed to Tan Yi, who had the gall to look affronted. “This is my clan’s revered Water technique that has served us well for generations!” He said with an outraged huff, just like a young master would.
Much to Alex’s surprise, Guo’s flash of anger lasted for only a moment, before he muted it into a bemused chuckle. “Aye, your family has quite a number of talented Water cultivators, and their techniques are exceptional. You, however, appear to have skipped multiple steps in your attempts to shortcut the cleansing rituals your family is so well known for.” He flashed a cynical smile when Tan Yi’s eyes widened, for all the world looking like someone who was caught with his pants down.
“Let me guess. You focused all your efforts on the first and final patterns, but felt no need to master the middle seventeen steps?”
“The middle fifteen cycles are redundant copies. All the benefit’s in the first and last,” Tan Yi said with a scowl, cheeks blazing as he glared at anyone smirking his way.
Elder Shi’s smirk turned pitying. “And so you took it upon yourself to modify your clan’s arts without even bothering to learn if deeper meanings and principals were being used than those you could sense when first you learned them? Did you even bother to consult anyone? I know for a fact you must not have, or your father would have correct your cavalier assumptions with brutal efficiency, I’m sure.”
Tan Yi said nothing, didn’t dare to. He just lowered his head and murmured what could barely be called an acknowledgment. Still, Elder Shi was gracious enough to nod his head before giving the young master a handful of terse instructions on how to best incorporate the second and third forms of his family’s technique before coolly assuring that he would make sure Tan Yi had mastered it in full before he would ever call himself a graduate of Silver Sands.
Guo then flashed a pale-faced girl visibly trembling under his hawk-eyed gaze a disarming smile. “Greetings, initiate. Hopefully you have learned sufficiently from the folly of others and will show me a technique that’s actually worth my time?”
The next two hours passed in a similar vein while Alex spent most of that time meditating and simply enjoying the feel of the warm sun infusing him as Guo quickly went from tearing everyone’s forms apart to rebuilding them to be stronger with more stable foundations than ever before. Such that by the time Guo declared their class adjourned, no less than half the students were gazing about with a sense of wide-eyed wonder. Nearly all of them had achieved mini breakthroughs allowing them to both cleanse and cycle with greater ease than ever before, insights that for a handful at least, seemed to have sparked a profound revelations of one sort or another.
“Well done, disciples. I sense remarkable improvement in almost a score of you! Now I can think of no better time than the present to put your revelations to the test while you all on the cusp of grand insights. It is time for us to seize the moment and make the most of it!”
With those words and a nod from Elder Win, the pair proceeded to shepherd the students off the clearing and back onto the path, Linnea using her newfound grace to dart effortlessly forward to walk by Alex’s side.
“Ooh, are we heading back now, Alex? It’s been a long day, hasn’t it?”
Alex shook his head. “I don’t think we’re done quite yet, Linnea.” He lowered his voice, falling back to whisper in her ear. “In fact, I’m almost certain he’s going to have us actually enter the rift.”
Linnea’s furrowed brow turned to surprise when that turned out to exactly be the case as they gathered in the clearing right before the magnificent falls, the rift entrance nestled in the cliff face visible even from where they stood.
“Alex, half of these kids hardly know what they’re doing! It would be madness to send them into the rifts!”
Alex winced, for Linnea hadn’t bothered lowering her voice. Fortunately, they were near enough to the waterfall that their masters could pretend not to have heard. Though the way a few of the students clenched the safety ropes lining the outer edges of the fortunately wide path overlooking a rather sheer drop made it clear that her words had reached at least a few ears.
Elder Shi turned around, smiling back at the youths before gesturing toward the vast maw of the gloomy cavern entrance from which the waters leading to the roaring waterfall emanated. “And here, while of many of you are on the cusp of grand insights, we’ll put your revelations to the ultimate test.”
The awed youths, captivated by both the falls and the beauty of the valley below, immediately paled. Some visibly flinched, others like Ma Guo and Ling Ling, put on stoic expressions for all that their white-knucked hands tightly clenched the hilts of their jian or the sashes securing their cheongsams or cultivation uniforms.
For some reason this made Elder Shi positively beam. “Nervous? You should be.” His bemusement turned to a hard glare. “For these are rifts which only the most skilled and talented cultivators dare to explore. Cultivators who have spent seasons… no, years, honing their martial skills and ability to channel spiritual energy. Cultivators who have learned to work and fight together in perfect harmony.” He crossed his arms, shaking his head. “Clearly, it will be many seasons before any of you are ready for that. Still, it will serve as an ideal testing ground. You will all be expected to endure at least a quarter of a glass within this Rift, arguably the safest of them all, radiating the least waste Qi of all the delves here in Liushi. Those of you that don’t collapse might actually have a future taking on the most vital of all roles within this city. Once our time is up, then we will return to the clearing and determine just how well your cleansing techniques serve you.”
He said the last with a hard smile for Tan Yi in particular it seemed, though he wasn’t the only one to blanch and drop his gaze.
Guo’s hard glare turned to a half-smile once more. “I can see the question so many of you are dying to ask. Well, go on, ask it.”
Ling Ling swallowed, one hand nervously pulling her braided hair. “Elder Shi?”
“Yes, child?”
“If the rifts are so perilous, so filled with waste Qi that it puts all our cultivation bases at risk… why would anyone even bother?”
Tan Yi rolled his eyes and his hulking protector snorted. A few others also exchanged amused looks, though Ling Ling wasn’t the only one gazing at the rift entrance with genuine wonder.
Elder Shi let loose a bright chuckle. “Simple, aspirant. Within those rifts are spirit beasts possessing succulent meat that will nourish you more thoroughly than any meal you’ve ever had before. Spirit beasts that, in some rare cases, possess meat so precious that their hearts and livers can enhance your body cultivation and revitalize your entire foundation! Should you manage to recover any such prizes, you could earn its weight in credits or silver coin from the cafeteria or, if you stumble upon a truly rare find and actually know what you’re doing, you could set yourself up for life, making a private sale to a wealthy body cultivator or their clan who are desperate for a breakthrough!” He grinned, eyes twinkling. “Of course your greatest chance of securing such prizes is here, within the depths of the Western rift. But within each and every one of these rifts lies prizes valued by every single wujen within this academy. Can you guess what those are?”
Alex couldn’t help smiling when the man pointedly looked his way. “Beast cores,” Alex said.
The man nodded. “Correct! You have the potential to earn more credits in a single day’s venture with any successful hunt than you could in an entire season of completing more mundane tasks in the assignment hall, regardless of the quality or rarity of the meat, simply by successfully harvesting their beast cores. And should you get a true beauty, a Silver tier beast core of sufficient quality and rarity, you’ll be wealthy indeed. A few such successful runs could see you living comfortably in one of the nicest homes in the city!”
He grinned at the awed excitement he saw in more than a few faces with that pronouncement. “But don’t expect to be daring the Eastern Rift until you’re well into Bronze, with Silver-tier wujen and Ruidian by your side. Your starting rift should be this very one. Liushi’s western rift, where the waste Qi exposure is minimal, the creatures pristine and free of any warping, and their meat truly exquisite, even if their cores are on the smaller side.”
One of the youths frowned at this. “But sir, honored master, even if we should be successful hunting down these creatures… there’s still the matter of actually retrieving the core and dressing the kill… right?”
Elder Shi nodded solemnly. “There is. Some choose to do it on sight, in the rift. Most others will instead to choose to make use of storage pouches and travel bags, not wishing to waste time or risk distraction, and indeed, our restaurant prefers kills kept in perfect status so that they may make full use of the blood, brains, and viscera that too often goes to waste when kills are dressed in the field. Fortunately, we have skilled instructors happy to teach you the basics of dressing your kill, as will your future delving companions once you’ve broken through to Bronze and have sufficient skills and training to safely handle the rifts.”
Of course, there’s always the crack the skull open and tear your prize free method, Alex thought to himself, but forbore mentioning allowed, somehow certain that the elder wouldn’t be too pleased to hear repeated the cavalier practicality that had ruled Alex and his companions during their earlier delve. But considering the size of the beasts and how unappealing meat smelled in that rift, Alex had no problem with ruthless practicality.
“Alright, then. It’s time we formed into groups.” He gestured toward Alex and a half dozen others. “You all, please step forward and link arms.” His gaze grew intent. “This is important, children. If you do nothing else right today, at least do this much. Maintain contact with your peers while stepping through the rift, so that we may enter the delve as one.”
One of the youths gulped. He was a painfully skinny youth who’s eyes twinkled with nervous energy, for all that Alex knew already he’d never break through to Bronze. “What happens if we, um, let go?”
Elder Shi’s gentle smile turned hard and cold. “Then you risk appearing in the rift all alone, with nothing but wild jungle on all sides, and shadowy predators where you least expect them.”
The boy paled at those words.
Elder Shi chuckled. “But fear not. So long as you refuse to panic, and keep yourself calm and collected, you can still avert disaster. Simply turn completely around and peer into the forest gloom until you see a door-sized gate of obsidian darkness flashing with a thousand stars. Step back through and you’ll be none the worse for wear.”
Elder Shi’s words did little to comfort the wild-eyed boy.
“Wait, you’re saying we could end up lost and alone in there? That we won’t be able to find you, even if you’re next to us?”
“These are multi-instanced rifts,” Linnea calmly explained. “No one’s quite sure how it works, but my clan theorizes it’s overlapping wave functions collapsing with each new group to manifest. All the city’s living potential, it’s life force, helps generate the manifestation and the jungles and beasts within are simply vessels of potential to process the Dark Qi that only snap into existence when we’re able to measure them with our senses.”
The skinny youth’s eyes widened with both fear and wonder, more than a few disciples gazing at Linnea in a new light, though Tan Yi snorted his contempt.
“You’re going to allow this foreigner to say such things here, Elder Shi? We came here to learn, not listen to absurd Ruidian blasphemies!”
Alex grit his teeth, glaring at the sneering youth, expecting him to be put in his place.
Much to his surprise, and dismay, Elder Shi flashed Linnea a reproving look. “You know our stance on discussing religious doctrine in public, child.”
Tan Yi grinned with dark satisfaction as Linnea flushed and lowered her head.
“This one apologizes, elder.”
It was all Alex could do not to wipe the smirk off Tan Yi’s face permanently.
“No worries.” Elder Shi waved off the apology, making it clear that it wasn’t quite the big deal that Tan Yi clearly wanted it to be. “Now if you aspirants would be so kind as to link up? Excellent. Let’s proceed.”