“How did you know where I was?” I ask MIng Lai as we walk.

“I knew you were at the library. I happened to find you on the way there.” Ming Lai responds as we walk into another pagoda. Small tables litter the floor in front of a stage where three men and a woman wearing Master robes sit writing on parchment. Ming Lai leads me over to Jing Xia, who greets me with a smile.

I grab Ming Lai’s hand before she leaves for her own class. “Thank you Senior Sister.” I bow my head to her, thankful for her protection from that con artist.

Ming Lai slips her hand out of my grip and pats me on the head. “Of course Sister Lin. We disciples must look out for each other.”

“What happened?” Jing Xia asks as Ming Lai walks away.

“Nothing important.” I answer, smiling up at her.

The Masters proceed to introduce themselves before going on to teach calligraphy to the gathered disciples.

Over the next month, I settled into a routine. First I’d get up in the mornings to practice martial arts, then I’d eat lunch with Jing Xia and Ming Lai, after lunch, I’d use my four hours of free time to study spirit cultivation at the library. Tai Qiu would occasionally come to help me in my studies, but that was rare. After the library, I’d join Jing Xia to learn from the Master Scholars. Finally, I’d finish the day with the two requiems I could perform, the next requiem requiring me to advance in my cultivation before I could perform it.

In the entire month, I only advanced one more page in the spirit manual. The third page was about recognizing the spirit inside of me. Tai Qiu said that I am in the spirit forming stage of spirit cultivation, the very first step.

I sit on my bed, thinking about the third page. My flute sits in my lap, my fingers feeling the wood of the instrument.

Bringing the flute to my lips, I begin The First Requiem. The world transforms around me; bodies covering the rocky floor, red and brown from the color of dried blood. The battle continues on, matching my song, until only the two warriors are left. Their blades dance, their bodies moving with the beat of the requiem.

Inspiration hits me, and I pause in my music, the battle stopping as the two warriors stare at each other.

Softly, my voice sings out. The words of the song are unfamiliar to me, but The Twelve Requiems of Illusion begins to glow softly, opening to a single blank page. As I sing the unfamiliar words, the two warriors bow to each other, their dance becoming deadlier. I begin to see spirit in the warriors. The song ends, but this time, one warrior kills the other without dying. The surviving warrior turns to me, bowing before the song ends.

My mind is in a dream-like trance as I find myself in the training hall, my hand grasping the leather of an old sword’s handle, the scabbard of the sword is grey with age.

I know that I can choose to break the trance here, but decide against it. Curious to see what will happen.

Reverently, I draw the blade from the scabbard. The music of the requiem surrounds me, as the surviving warrior appears in front of me.

He bows to me, then draws his own bloodied sword from the scabbard at his waist.

My body bows back to him, before it turns, revealing the dead warrior, who still has a gaping sword wound in his chest.

The surviving warrior lifts his sword arm in a ready stance, pointing towards the dead warrior and my body copies his. The dead warrior also enters into a ready stance.

The requiem pauses for a brief moment.

Then the requiem continues, and the dead warrior slices at me with his sword. The surviving warrior moves flawlessly to counter, my body copying his. The deadly dance continues, except this time, I am the one fighting on the deadly battlefield.

I feel no true danger, so I do not break from the trance.

My qi reserves complain, nearly empty from whatever illusion I have created around myself.

Finally, the requiem ends, with my sword piercing the dead warriors flesh, right where the previous sword wound was.

A hint of a smile appears on the dead warriors face, before he disappears. The surviving warrior bows to me again, before disappearing as well.

Words solidify in the spirit within me, glowing with a bright red fury; the name of the sword technique being taught to me.

Roars Of The Ruinous Dragon

I drop to the ground in meditation as my qi wildly fluctuates in my body. Breathing out, a strange mist leaves my body as I cleanse my third meridian, breaking through to the third level of qi awakening.

My qi doesn’t stop contracting and expanding, and I don’t stop cultivating. To my surprise, I feel my fourth meridian being cleansed as well.

I don’t know how long I sit in the training hall, an unsheathed sword in my lap, but when I open my eyes, I am in the fourth level of qi awakening.

“Well, that was fun to watch.” A chipper voice says from behind me, startling me from my thoughts.

I hurriedly stand up, turning around to see a young man watching me. He is dressed in martial robes which don’t tell me his position in the sect. Straight short black hair, and a relatively handsome face don’t give me any clue as to who he is. But the air around him is sharp, and I can feel from the spirit in him that he is much more powerful than I am.

I bow to him, blushing. “I apologize if I disurbed you.”

He smiles at me, shaking his head. “You didn’t disturb me. After all, it’s not every day that I get to watch someone cleanse two meridians at once.” His gaze drops to the sword and scabbard I am holding in my hands.

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I hurriedly sheathe the sword, holding it out to him. “I shouldn’t have taken this without permission, I apologize.”

The young man laughs, waving away the sword. “No need to be so polite, you did nothing wrong. Something powerful brought you to that sword, and the sword seems to like you. You can keep it.”

I look down at the shabby and obviously old sword, wondering at how it could like me. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? “Thank you for giving it to me.”

“Of course.” The young man says, turning to walk towards the exit. “it is almost time for your martial training with the masters. I suggest you hurry if you don’t wish to be late.”

I pause, groaning as I realize that the whole night has passed me by.

They say that once you reach a high enough cultivation level, you can go months or years without sleep.

I am not at that cultivation level, which means I have a rough day ahead of me.

JIng Xia greets me with a smile as I arrive at the training grounds, and I wave at her tiredly.

Her smile turns to a frown as she studies me, “Are you alright, Sister Lin?”

I shake my head. “No.”

Her expression switches to shock as she realizes that I am holding a sword in my hand. “Where’d you get that?” she asks.

“Someone gave it to me.” I answer a little sharper than I intended. I don’t want to explain what happened, but I don’t want to be mean. I turn my gaze to the ground as I continue, “Sorry, I didn’t get much sleep.”

“You’re fine,” Jing Xia says, grabbing me and pulling me into a hug.

I blush, embarrassed that she still treats me like a child.

Soon, I’ll hit my growth spurt. I’m sure of it.

The martial masters soon walk out and take us through our grueling training. Master Chao Wan immediately picks up on my increased ability, and pushes me even harder, leaving me with a bone weary tiredness as we approach lunch.

To my surprise, instead of immediately dismissing us, like they usually do, the young man that I spoke to earlier walks out in front of us.

I sit up, beginning my stretch routine on the grass. The weather is starting to cool, and a cloud passes overhead as the young man looks over the group of new inner disciples, myself included. He winks at me as his gaze passes over me.

“Good morning disciples. I am Elder Quon Li.” The young man smiles as everyone’s attention fully centers on him. “I am here today to tell you about the disciple rankings and challenges. The disciple ranking has been posted in front of your rooms as judged by Elder Yu. In order to rise in the sect and gain rewards, you have to challenge those ranked above you. You can only challenge someone ranked higher than you if you are younger than them. We want you to prove your talent, not your experience.” Elder Li takes one last look over the crowd, before smiling. “Good luck.” he says and turns around, walking away.

I meet Ming Lai and Jing Xia at lunch. Jing Xia greets me with a worried look, while Ming Lai simply nods to acknowledge my presence before her attention turns back to the scroll in her hands.

“Is something wrong?” I ask, seeing Jing Xia’s strange expression.

Ming Lai sighs before handing me the scroll. I unfurl it, wondering what could be making them act so strangely.

Inner Disciple Rankings

Ming Lai immediately brings my attention to a certain heading.

First Year Disciple Rankings.

* Bun Lei, Age 15, 4th Level Qi Awakened

* Jia Lin, Age 12, 4th Level Qi Awakened

* Hai Fun, Age 15, 4th Level Qi Awakened

* Gang Lu, Age 15, 3rd Level Qi Awakened

* Jing Xia, Age 15, 3rd Level Qi Awakened

“Do you see the issue now?” Ming Lai asks, picking up her chopsticks to take a bite of her food.

“Not really?” I respond, folding up the scroll to hand it back to her.

“There are two inner disciples younger than you with a lower ranking.” Ming Lai starts, her movements elegant as she continues to eat. “But they are not the issue. The issue is that you have become a target for every ill-intentioned suck-up outer disciple in the sect.”

“When did you reach the fourth level of Qi Awakening? Weren’t you just at the second level?” Jing Xia interrupts, puzzled.

I squirm in my seat a little, adjusting the sword at my waist. I’m still not used to having a weapon on me. “Last night.” I respond.

The both of them share a look before looking back at me. Ming Lai coughs slightly before continuing, “you need to be extremely careful now. People like to prey on rising stars, using them to raise their own status.”

“I understand.” I say, lowering my head as I begin to eat my rice.

Jing Xia walks around the table, laying her hand on my shoulder. “We are here for you.”

I smile at her. “I know.”

“Jia Lin!” Someone calls and all three of us turn to see a young boy around my age confidently standing in front of us, wearing the robes of an outer disciple. “I, Long Bai, outer disciple of the alchemy pavilion, challenge you to a duel.”

The dining hall goes quiet at the loudly declared challenge. The boy blushes a little at the attention.

My breath catches at the suddenness of the challenge. I know that there is a proper etiquette for this situation. For cultivators, it is rude and dishonorable to deny a challenge issued. Standing up, I nod to Long Bai. Doing my best to recite what other cultivators had done when receiving a challenge, I respond, “I, Jia Lin, accept your challenge.” I pause, my mind racing to remember what comes next. My face stays carefully expressionless. “SInce you have issued the challenge, what do you wish to wager?”

“Your position as an inner disciple.” Long Bai immediately responds.

My heart skips a beat at the wager. I had expected it to be something simple to prove his capability as a cultivator, not something threatening my very position in the sect.

Ming Lai coughs softly, shooting me a worried glance, “Do you have something of equal value to offer?” She asks calmly, her eyes staring at Long Bai piercingly.

Long Bai pauses, his body going stiff.

After a long drawn out moment, Ming Lai continues, “If you don’t have anything to-”

“My life!” Long Bai interrupts. “I’ll owe you a life debt.” Long Bai stares at me challengingly.

Ming Lai frowns, unable to argue with his response.

I frown as well. I can’t take back my acceptance of the challenge, but I have no desire to wager my position as an inner disciple.

Long Bai smiles triumphantly, “Since you have accepted, then let us go-”

This time, knowing that I cannot let him continue, I interrupt him by saying, “I’m afraid that I’m exhausted from my cultivation breakthrough last night. I’m sure you can wait till tomorrow morning before our duel?”

Long Bai frowns, but reluctantly nods. “Very well, our duel will be tomorrow morning.” Long Bai twirls around, his outer disciple robes fluttering as he walks away.

I stare at his back as he walks away, my mind racing. I’ve never truly fought someone before! What if there’s an accident? What if he is stronger than me and wins the duel? I know that being an outer disciple is not a safe position for someone like me. I know that I’m a little… naive when it comes to the ways of commoners and those in lesser positions.

“You shouldn’t have accepted the challenge without hearing the wager.” Jing Xia says, bringing my frustrated attention to her.

“I know!” I yell at her angrily, frustrated with myself and the boy’s attitude. Seeing her troubled expression, I turn away, embarrassed about my outburst. “Sorry.”

I don’t wait to hear her response as I hurry back to my room.