Kai glimpsed the entrance to the Treasure Hall from behind the corner of a pedestal where he hid. His nerves were frayed. What started as a casual walk from the gate of the Celestial Temple rapidly devolved into a sneaking and skulking when he picked the wrong path to walk on and was accosted by some larger children for this infraction.
The confidence he had in his recently acquired knowledge plummeted. Basic knowledge of temple rules and regulations did not prepare him for the complex dynamics of power that seemed finely balanced between the various halls and disciples. He looked down at the blood-stained sleeve of his robe, before touching his lips. Pulling his hand back he inspected it. The bleeding finally stopped.
Walking on a path reserved for the outer disciples was worthy of martial discipline, which he suffered silently. He hadn’t been injured much from the repeated blows to his face, such was his ability to duck, dodge, and block with his arms, but he’d hidden his merit coins in his mouth, and in the fight they had pinched the inside of this cheek, causing his mouth to bleed. After they dumped him off of their path, he’d crawled through a garden to another course, then made the rest of his way with much more caution, avoiding other disciples when possible.
He ducked back behind the pedestal. Blue robes were leaving the Treasure Hall and heading directly toward him. He steeled himself and took a breath, and waited. After they passed, Kai moved quickly toward the entrance, retrieving his merit coins from his mouth, and cleaning them of blood.
Guards flanked the vault doors that were still open this time of day. They watched him, with his green robes, enter the chamber.
“Initiate?” An older voice echoed down from a dais, on top of which sat an old crone of a woman, her skin crinkled and thin. Kai looked up, finding the elder a strange sight. Cultivators could live a long time, their aging process old, but in the end, most couldn’t escape the ravages of time. Those that couldn’t progress and ascend would eventually age and die.
“This little one is Sun Kai. I have come to trade my merit for a cultivation method,” Kai began by assuming a kneeling posture.
“Merit?” The old lady’s voice quaked, but it wasn’t weak. “What merit can an initiate have earned?”
Kai looked around the antechamber, there were three daises, each with their elder, of them one other was occupied with another disciple in purple robes. He swallowed and turned his head back towards the elder.
“This little one has created a soul space.”
“A soul space?” the elder’s voice rose in pitch and volume as she seemed to peer over the burnished wood platform where she sat above Kai. Her responses caught the attention of the unoccupied elder; the man opened his eyes and inspected Kai.
“Yes honored elder,” Kai replied, then focused on his internal energy, permitting it to flow back toward his eyes. The warmth returned as he looked up at her. Details he hadn’t noticed before came into focus; the jade pendant that she wore around her neck, the clear and bright eyes that seemed ageless, like pools of ancient water.
“I see. Most unusual,” she paused. “And you want to learn a cultivation method, we have several soulforger techniques you might choose.”
“This one is looking for a traditional cultivation method,” Kai replied, stifling the energy flow to his eyes until he felt the warmth recede.
“Dual Cultivation?” The elder from the adjacent dais spoke up.
Kai didn’t reply, except to nod. The silence stretched out for a moment before the elder woman huffed out a breath.
“Fine. You’ll have to convince Old Jie,” she nodded to an attendant, who hurried forward. The attendant was a young girl dressed in blue robes.
“Talia take Sun Kai to the archive, explain to him the rules of Treasure Hall.”
“Yes elder,” Talia bowed and turned to wait for Kai.
Kai stood and followed after the outer disciple. He missed the look the elderly woman gave the other elders and the wry smile that flickered before she deftly suppressed it.
“I am Fa Talia, a first-year outer disciple. I was an initiate, like you, last year.” she turned to Kai as she continued down the hall. The hall was richly adorned with golden relief and deep red, ancient tapestries of battles and glorious warriors adorned the walls.
“The Treasure Hall has four main branches; the Archive is where we store all cultivation methods or martial techniques, the Pill Hall is where we store all cultivation resources,” as they walked Talia peered over at him, inspecting him.
“I thought the Alchemy Hall is where you obtain cultivation resources?” Kai inquired.
“They have some there, and you can request they make you pills or elixirs, but all missions to retrieve ingredients or resources are issued by the Pill Hall and then stored here. The Alchemist hall trades the merit they earn here for what they need.”
“Thank you, senior sister.”
“Hah, that’s the first time someone has called me senior sister,” she smiled before continuing, “The Weapons Hall is where you can trade merit for weapons, and lastly the Spirit Treasure Hall, where you can trade merit for spiritual treasures.”
Talia stopped walking, stopping in front of an ornate entrance that branched off the main hall to the side.
“Each hall has its guardians, fearsome spirit beasts tamed by the Treasure Hall elders with immense spiritual presence capable of sensing everything that happens in their domain. Theft is swiftly rewarded with death, so don’t be foolish. The only way to acquire anything is through the exchange of merit.”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“This one understands senior sister,” Kai nodded.
“Good. There’s always one or two disciples that think they are clever enough to sneak away with something. That would be a shame if that happened to you.”
Kai swallowed, taking in the warning. He had no intention of stealing from the treasure hall, but just hearing the punishment was immediate death he began to grow afraid. All it would take would be for the guardian to find him objectionable in some way, then they could kill him and maybe not even plant evidence. This is a very dangerous place. Could they kill me without repercussion here?
“The Archive,” Talia nodded towards the entrance, “doesn’t allow the removal of any of their scrolls or books. When you purchase a cultivation method you are essentially renting a private room inside the archive for five days. You are permitted to take that cultivation manual into the room. The five days don't have to be used consecutively. Many methods are divided into different tiers, you can spend one day studying the first tier then come back next year, and spend another day studying the second tier, and so on.”
Kai listened to the rules of the Archive Hall, nodding to show he understood. I can probably transcribe the method to my soul space and study it later.
“Lastly,” Talia fixed Kai with her stare. He looked into her face, noticing the violet facial decorations surrounding her eyes for the first time. Is that a clan marking? “Each method has a summary which you can read before selecting it for purchase. You are not able to look at the method itself before deciding, so be very careful when reviewing the summary. The descriptions are carefully written to provide enough information that you don’t get stuck with a cultivation method that doesn’t work for you, but careful attention is required.”
“This one thanks senior sister for her kind attentions,” Kai bowed.
“Aren’t you a polite guy,” Talia remarked, her smile illuminating her face, “Do you have any questions before I leave you then?”
“Are there people to assist in finding something suitable? Or how does it work?” Kai scratched his head, starting to wonder if he was to just aimlessly wander around reading titles and summaries.
“Make your presence known when you enter the Archive, guardians are available to assist, but they can be a bit peculiar. Just be patient and one will come around eventually.”
“Thank you again, senior sister.”
“All right, off you go then,” she nodded.
Kai looked at the Archive; coiling serpents of gold twined around jade posts that flanked the entrance to the hall. He stepped forward and began walking down the hall. Old Jie. That’s who they said I need to convince. I guess he’ll be inside? Kai continued walking, when he reached the end of the hall, he stood in front of the golden door. He swallowed and continued inside.
The sound of Kai’s steps echoed off the inlaid stone as he walked forward and stopped just inside. He breathed, his breath catching in his throat as the looked up at the Archive.
The sheer size and scope of the chamber before him was staggering; a sense of awe washed over him. The shelves, stretching far into the distance, were lined with ancient tomes, scrolls, and other written materials, each containing powerful cultivation manuals and martial techniques. With rising anticipation he stood, his eyes roaming around, the realization of how much potential knowledge must be contained within this room.
The air inside the Archive was thick with the scent of ancient paper and books, and Kai took a deep breath, savoring the smell. Looking around the room, he noticed the dim lighting, which gave the space a sacred and mysterious atmosphere. There was an almost reverent atmosphere created by such a vast space being so quiet. When his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he began noticing lines inset into the floor, filled with spiritual energy the dim lines formed complex patterns. An array formation?
“Hello?” Kai broke the silence, his voice echoing around the room. He moved into the room, his steps continuing to echo until he stopped in the center of a mosaic representing the sun, lines radiating out in gold and silver. He waited for a response.
“This little one is here to find a cultivation method.” He spoke again into the Archive, though he saw no one.
A deep vibration echoed around the room, it was an eerie sound unlike any he was familiar with, with each deep pulse echoing around the hall, reverberating, building up, before crashing in on him.
Kai turned in the direction where the sound came from but saw nothing. A shadow flickered over a shelf. Kai turned towards it. The deep rumbling repeated, this time punctuated by steady clicking, and the burst of wind unsettling the room’s air, but then quickly stilling again.
“Hello?” Kai enquired again. The room fell into silence as Kai watched and waited.
With a final rumble, Kai turned and took in the sight of the approaching beast. Long and sinuous, with muscular fore and hindlegs, the creature was covered in black scales. Sharp talons extended from each claw, a solid black that clicked off the stone floor as it moved.
With a burst of speed, the dragon stood in front of Kai, his hot breath blowing Kai’s hair back, as he stood still, afraid to move a muscle.
Kai raised his head to look up into the towering face of the black dragon. Kai gulped. One bite. I would barely be a snack for this monster. He could eat me in one bite.
Kai set his jaw and looked into the dragon’s eyes. Blue eyes, as dark as the night, swirled with deep purple soul light. Kai’s breath caught in his throat as he realized what he was looking at. A soulforger?
“I heard you were a soulforger,” the deep base of the dragon’s rumbling voice echoed around the room. A wicked light gleamed in the beast's eyes. “How delicious.”