That night, Lu Na couldn’t sleep. They had traveled farther away than any village that was close to Jianye. They couldn’t see the walls of the city anymore. This was the farthest away she’d ever traveled, yet it wasn’t the reason she couldn’t sleep.

The dirt floor didn’t help.

Lu Na stared at the moon. She couldn’t believe that it was another full moon. The last one almost got her killed, but the Wintersweet ancestor didn’t give her as many chills as her own spirit. Had she had that within her this whole time?

“Can’t sleep?” Sun Ren asked. She was taking the second watch, sitting atop a large tree root. She was carving a figurine from a piece of wood.

“No,” Lu Na said. “I have a question for you, but I’m not sure how to phrase it so I don’t sound crazy.”

Sun Ren stopped and stared at Lu Na.

“After dealing with the Wintersweet Sect, I would never think that. You went through a lot.”

“My spirit told me a secret about our bond because of my mother. And she scares me.” Lu Na gripped her chest, still feeling her heart beating fast.

“I’m not sure if I can speak much about this, but I also had a scary introduction to my Baihu. I’m sure you’ve heard about the nine-tailed fox? That’s what she is. And they’re very strong so when we bonded for the first time, I peed myself.” Sun Ren chuckled. “You see it’s all cute now, but her true form in my spirit realm looked like a beast with nine tails and sharp teeth that could rip me to shreds.”

“Aren’t you ever afraid Baihu might hurt you one day?” Lu Na asked.

Sun Ren patted her own chest.

“I know what you mean. There’s that fear that our spirits could turn on us and eat us inside out. Yet, after all my years with Baihu, I know that we have built a bond and trust between each other. We share goals, share ideas, and more importantly, Baihu knows that I’m the master of my body. Without me, she would be nothing more than a feral spirit, doomed to roam the earth forever alone.”

“But I thought they went back to the Spirit Realm.”

“They could, but why? Baihu told me it was so boring there. It’s why they bonded with us. They need a purpose.”

“So no fear?”

Sun Ren sat down beside Lu Na.

“Anyone that has practiced summoner arts would never say no fear. But it’s more like an optimistic hope. Because if not, what else can we do? They’re already bonded to us.”

Lu Na nodded, but she knew that wasn’t the case. If her spirit, Nugua, could unbond from someone and live for thousands of years before bonding with her, then it’s possible to be rid of them.

“Then what if there was a way to be rid of all the spirits in the world?”

“I’m not sure about that,” Sun Ren said. “If we didn’t have these spirits, then many people would suffer. They make our lives so much better. But if we didn’t have spirits anymore, then at least we wouldn’t have to fear powerful summoner sects.”

Lu Na thought about that as she slept. Was there a way to be rid of all spirits? Was the artifact her mother was seeking something powerful enough to do that? And if it was, would she use it?

The next day, Lu Na woke up with a start. Sun Ren had stayed up all night instead of waking Lu Na for the third watch.

“Why didn’t you wake me afterwards, Sun Ren?” Lu Na asked.

“You seemed like you needed the break after bonding with your spirit. Besides, if Hen Li is as strict as my sifu, you’re about to have a hard day. Think of it as my gift to you.” Sun Ren got up and dusted off her clothes. The hemp tunics weren’t as fashionable, but they were sturdier as they traveled.

“Amituofo, I hope you had a good night’s sleep,” Hen Li said.

Lu Na stretched, hoping to get as much of the tightness out.

“Good morning Hen Li,” Lu Na said.

“I think you should call him sifu,” Sun Ren said. She kicked a bunch of dirt into the campfire until it was extinguished.

“Sifu? That might be too early,” Hen Li said. “I’m not qualified to be her sifu yet, but I am more than happy to teach her about the summoner arts. Besides, if Lu Na were to be my disciple, she would be a disciple of Buddhism, not of summoner arts.”

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to shave my head or stick to a vegetarian diet,” Lu Na said. She wondered what her father would have said about that. While he revered Buddhists, she wasn’t sure if he would approve of her becoming a nun. It would strip him of any opportunity to marry her off otherwise.

“Anyway, starting today I will attempt to teach you about the summoner arts,” Hen Li said.

“Should I step away from this?” Sun Ren asked. “I wouldn’t want you to share any secrets that will get the Wintersweet Sect after me again.”

“Amituofo. No, I’m not planning on teaching Lu Na any of the secrets from my former sect. It was one condition we made so that they would leave me alone. But there are those general summoner arts all sects teach their disciples and that’s where we will start.”

“That’s good. I enjoy starting from the bottom,” Lu Na said. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be as bad as Sun Ren mentioned.

“Not like you have a choice, Na Na. At the moment, you’re weaker than a newly bonded child in any of the summoner sects,” Nugua said.

“Ah, your venerable spirit has joined us,” Hen Li said. He pressed his palms together and bowed toward Lu Na.

“Why are you bowing?” Lu Na asked.

“Amituofo. Your spirit is an ancient being. One that was on this earth when the venerable Buddha was alive, spreading his dharma. I’m sure your spirit has the wisdom of the ancients.”

“Wait, so you can hear Lu Na’s spirit?” Sun Ren asked. She was packing up the rest of their items. “Can you hear mine?”

“Amituofo. I’m sorry I didn’t mention this earlier. But yes, I can hear Lu Na’s, but not yours. It’s most likely because Lu Na’s spirit is both untrained yet powerful.”

“Hah, hear that Nugua? You’re untrained like a bad dog. All you know to do is bark without knowing your place,” Lu Na said. It felt good to be the snarky one for once.

“With enough practice, you’ll be able to make it so that only you can hear her words,” Hen Li said.

“Awww, but then I wouldn’t be able to converse with the brawny monk. I especially like it when little Na Na stares at him as he sleeps.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“I don’t do that!” Lu Na said. Well, she did last night because Lu Na was debating on whether to tell Hen Li everything Nugua told her. She didn’t because she wasn’t sure if Hen Li could do anything to help.

“Amituofo, let the sins pass. I’m certain you weren’t, but I want to reiterate that I’m on the path of the Buddha. Worldly desires and emotions need to be beyond me.” Hen Li picked up his pack and started walking away.

Sun Ren followed behind.

This was going to be a long journey to the labyrinth.

They had walked toward the Yangtze river. There was a fishing village not too far away. It was already midday and the sun was over their heads.

“I’ll see if we can find some lodgings for tonight, Sun Ren said. “We should rest up as much as we can before we get further along. I have a feeling that Lu Na won’t be able to keep up so easily.”

Lu Na wanted to refute that, but the long walk they’ve had since the morning was already killing her. Her feet hurt and her back was tired from carrying all her supplies.

“Thank you,” Lu Na said.

“Are you ready for your first lesson?” Hen Li asked.

Lu Na nodded.

“Then, since you’re a little ahead of most beginner summoners, we’ll start with something more advanced. We are going to manifest your spirit.”

“I’m not sure if we should. She’s mean and ugly,” Lu Na said.

“Hey, that’s uncalled for. I’m a little mean, but definitely not ugly. But since you’re so tired, I’ll forgive you. I know how mean you can be.”

Hen Li stopped underneath the shade of a tall tree.

Lu Na dropped onto the ground, right against the tree. She didn’t care that she felt something wet underneath her when she sat down. Her legs were burning.

“It gets easier, I promise,” Hen Li said. “You just need some more practice.”

“You mean practice walking? I’ve walked a lot before, but never this much.” Lu Na took a long drink from her waterskin.

“Well, if you manifest your spirit, then you could call upon your spirit to strengthen your body and soothe your fatigue.”

“Nugua, can you do that?” Lu Na asked.

“Of course Na Na. I’ve already told you, there is so much I can do that you don’t know,” Nugua said.

“Then why haven’t you?”

“You’ve never asked. Besides, we’ve only just bonded. I can’t read your thoughts, you know.”

Lu Na wanted to throw the water skin at Nugua. She calmed herself with a deep breath. She massaged her legs, trying to get the blood running through them again.

“I’m sorry Nugua. I’ll be nicer. Can you please help me?”

“I will if you manifest me. It’s been ages since I’ve been in the human realm.”

Lu Na looked up at Hen Li who smiled.

“Amituofo, it’s great to see both spirit and human have a cordial relationship. That’s actually the first lesson. You two need to get along better.”

“We get along fine when we’re not walking for hours without stop,” Lu Na said. She laid her head against the tree and closed her eyes.

“Then look carefully.” Hen Li said.

Lu Na forced her eyes open.

Hen Li clenched his left fist and a five colored hound appeared beside him. It had the face of a puppy with the body of a large dog. Its body had long rainbow streaks going through it all the way to its tail, which was as white as Hen Li’s hair.

Lu Na had seen Hen Li summon his spirit before, but it was never this close. For a moment, while his hands glowed, she saw it was another technique that a summoner used.

“It’s that simple,” Hen Li said. “Now that you’re bonded, all it requires is your will power and picturing your spirit as you summon her. Use your left fist as a signal for your spirit that you want to summon her.”

Lu Na clenched her left fist and pictured her spirit in her mind. She closed her eyes to focus. Nugua was this grotesque monster with claws, fangs, a snake bottom half, and really old jade beads covering her body. She wanted her to come out, to finally control her, and be useful for once.

Nothing happened.

Lu Na opened her eyes to Hen Li silently chuckling. His five colored hound was gone.

“Amituofo, I apologize Lu Na. But you look like you were constipated as you were trying to summon your spirit,” Hen Li said. “You don’t have to push or anything. You should try to reach out to your spirit through your bond.”

“I feel nothing,” Lu Na said.

“Hmm, that’s odd. I would have thought it would be easier for you since your spirit has been talking with you for a few years already. When I first summoned, Bifang Niao came right away for me.”

“So what do I do now?”

Hen Li looked Lu Na up and down.

“Your spirit can easily be as strong as Bifang Niao when I first bonded with him. Yet it doesn’t seem like you can access your spirit.”

“That’s because Lu Na is too weak,” Nugua said. She stirred within Lu Na’s spirit realm. It felt like rattling in her chest. “All my power comes from somewhere else. Whereas Lu Na’s natural abilities would never have made her a summoner.”

“What are you talking about Nugua?” Lu Na asked.

“To make it simple, on a scale from one to ten, the brawny monk is a nine. He’s a genius. Sun Ren is a seven, only because she’s brilliant and hardworking. You are a two. There are children in summoner sects stronger than you.”

“So is that it, then? I can’t ever be a summoner?”

“Amituofo, that is not true,” Hen Li said. “Even in summoner sects, there are those born with a lower ability. Yet they’re still able to become summoners. It will take longer.”

Nugua laughed in hisses.

“For Lu Na, it will take her the rest of her life to ever reach the pinnacle of stage two and that’s only if she practices every day.”

“Stages, levels, none of this means anything to me,” Lu Na said.

Before Hen Li could respond, Sun Ren had come back.

“We have to go now. It appears we’re being followed,” Sun Ren said.

“How? We left in the middle of the night. We didn’t tell anyone where we were going,” Lu Na said.

“I’m not sure, but I did a quick survey of the area on my way to the village and noticed a few people on our trail.”

“Maybe they’re going the same way we are.”

“I hope so. But to be safe, we’re going to have to take a short ferry over the river and go a different route on the other side.”

Lu Na’s stomach dropped.

“Does that mean we’ll have to sleep on the ground again?”

Sun Ren nodded.

Lu Na was still trying to rub that one spot on her back that ached and the constant walking didn’t help.

“Fine, let’s do it. I’ll try to keep up.”

The trio picked up their pace to reach the small village on the Yangtze River. They restocked on a few essentials before moving on. After paying the ferryman, they crossed without issue.

Once they reached the other side, Lu Na’s legs were locking up. They took a minor break in a clearing.

“Here’s the plan. We’re going to take a more dangerous route directly to Lujiang,” Sun Ren said. She was looking at the people crossing on the ferry. “If they’re following us, they will come that way too. We can lose them in the forest not too far from here.”

“Amituofo. I’ve been this way before. I would not suggest going that way,” Hen Li said.

“I know about the myths about the forest, but we don’t have a choice. If these people are following us, then we have to lose them before they realize we know. Maybe the danger of the forest is enough to keep them away.”

“Who could be following us?” Lu Na rubbed her legs, trying to get them to work again. The brief break reminded them they needed rest.

Sun Ren eyed Hen Li.

“It’s most likely the Wintersweet Sect again. They most likely have spies within the Lu compound and have been following us ever since we left. That’s what I would do.”

“Then what’s in that forest? Why is it so dangerous?”

“Amitoufo. The forest is a legendary boundary between our human realm and the Spirit Realm. It contains a multitude of powerful spirits that have transcended the human realm.”

“It’s a forest with a lot of feral spirits that can rip a man limb from limb without hesitation,” Sun Ren said. “It’s not a magical place. It’s just where they all gathered, like a monster’s den.”

“And that’s where we are headed?” Lu Na asked.

“Only for a little bit. My father’s army has explored the area before so I know of a few routes that should be safe.”

“And if they aren’t?”

Sun Ren smirked.

“That’s what the monk is for.”

Lu Na wanted to argue against that, but Sun Ren was right. They had little to fear with Hen Li around. The fight between him and the senior disciple from the Wintersweet Sect was still fresh in her mind. They should be fine then, right?