Shang’s legs ached with exhaustion, but he kept running. He was only a few minutes away from the village, so close that he could hear faint cheers in the distance. At this time of night, it could only be coming from one source. Shang was grateful the sounds were celebratory. If something catastrophic happened to Xin, they wouldn’t be cheering would they?
Shang hoped he wouldn’t be too late.
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The crowd exploded in applause as YiHua passed the third phase of evaluation. The test of containment was perfunctory at this point. After their earlier display, Aran was certain they would pass.
Containment, at this stage, was a measure of aptitude more than skill. This test assessed the quantity of qi a cultivator could harness at one time. Greater volume and density of qi contained within channels allowed for greater strength and speed of attacks. The metric is used primarily as a screening tool for those wanting to pursue more specialized cultivation Paths that require a large volume of qi in their techniques.
The rules were simple. They both had to hold on to a qi generating artifact for one minute. The jade green gem in YiHua’s hands was originally made for road maintenance. It generates a steady flow of qi that empowers the logograms of engineered roads to enhance durability. In its activated state, the generator pushes reconstituted qi outwards, imbuing everything it touches with qi.
The feeling of foreign qi entering the body was uncomfortable at best. It felt akin to being dunked from head to toe in mind numbingly cold water. The more the energy pushes against the cultivators containment threshold, the more painful it becomes.
Cytan cleared his throat loudly, again.
“Got a frog stuck in there?” Aran asked.
“No, just wondering when you’re going to remove—” Cytan began.
Aran dropped his veil for a brief second. Time seemed to dilate as he met Cytan’s eyes. The crowds faded away, and a fathomlessly deep chasm opened between them. Inside its depth was the inky dark of true night. “Counselor, I will not remind you again that this is my Sect, and this test will be administered how I see fit.” Both Aran and Cytan knew it was an empty bluff. While Aran had the right to choose recruits, his ability to enforce his decisions were another matter. If they came to blows, Cytan would come out on top. But at what cost. Aran was willing to bet that Cytan would be too squeamish for the fallout of a real fight between them.
Cytan’s eyes burned as they glared at him, but he said nothing.
YiHua handed the qi generator to Xin, both of them smiling, assured of their success. Aran sat back with an encouraging smile on his face. Of course he wasn’t going to let the boy die. Sure, Aran had thought to leave Xin to his fate at first, but that was before he understood his prodigious potential. He was waiting for just the right moment to intervene. He needed to time it just right. He wanted the boy to feel indebted to him for saving his life. That bred loyalty like nothing else. Plus, this had the benefit of watching Cytan squirm. That in itself was enough of a reward.
After fifteen seconds of Xin holding the generator artifact, the orb was buckling under the strain, its constitution losing its integrity, the built in fail safes for the artifact and the feeble draw of qi from the receiver orb not able to compensate for the sheer influx of qi. Aran would have to call it soon. A shame he couldn’t enjoy the look of horror on Cytan’s face a little bit longer.
“Xin! Drop that!” A boy screamed as he pushed through the crowd. Xin’s head snapped up at the sound, but before he could even react, YiHua had already kicked the generator from his hands.
“Shang! What are you doing here? What’s wrong?” Xin asked.
Shang was dry heaving at the edge of the clearing. “Oh, thank god,” he managed to get out between breaths. “Listen to me Xin. You were right, all along. Something is wrong with your cycling. There’s something embedded in your system. It’s an orb the size of an acorn. You need to expel it, now.”
Xin’s eyes widened in shock, but he wasted no time following instructions. The orb was easy to spot when he knew what to look for. Xin, having never encountered anything like it, likely didn’t know something like this was even possible.
Seconds later, the orb coalesced in Xin’s outstretched palm. He flung the artifact away, shocked that that thing was embedded in his system without him even knowing. Upon contact with the hard earth, the casing of the orb gave way with a great SLOOSH. Dust and debris rushed towards the orb as the explosion created a vacuum. Air rushed into the site of the implosion, pulling at the leaves of nearby trees. It took a few seconds for the air to settle. The orb was gone. In its wake was a crater five paces wide and just as deep, gouged into the hard packed earth.
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The crowd was frantic, backing away from the site of the implosion and the new boy, Shang. Aran blinked slowly, letting the dust of the implosion settle over his hair and robes. He looked down at the mud covered ruins of his favorite embroidered slippers. He didn’t know whether to laugh or to scream.
Instead of the savior, he was now one of two things—clueless or cruel, either unaware of Xin’s impending doom or a facilitator of it. It was unlikely anyone would believe the former. His plans were ruined, just like his shoes, all because of that boy’s untimely intrusion.
Aran tucked a loose hair back into his queue, trying to clear away his anger so he could focus on the steps he needed to take. From the way Xin and YiHua embraced Shang, Aran could see they were close friends. That drew his curiosity. The strong always stuck together. Perhaps this new boy would be another treasure. He almost flinched in horror when he scanned him. His meridians were shattered. All twelve. Aran had never seen a spiritual injury so brutal, so complete. But that wasn’t even what bothered him most. As he studied the boy, he felt his pulse quicken. He had to fight from taking an involuntary step back. That boy…his mismatched eyes, reminded him of something, or more precisely someone, Aran had fought for years to forget.
Nothing was going right for Aran. This trip was one layer of failure after another. And now that reminder. The only salve was the promise of the new recruits. He would gain their obedience. Aran sighed, coming to a decision. Besides, fear was as good a motivator as any other.
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Shang sagged in relief. He'd made it. His legs were trembling as he walked towards Xin and YiHua. He didn't have to walk far. His friends bolted towards him, their hugs nearly flattening him to the ground.
Shang could only relish the feeling for a few seconds. "Uff, you're squeezing a bit hard there." He tapped on YiHua's shoulder, and she stepped back, looking embarrassed.
"How is it that you always get to make the flashy entrances?" She asked.
Shang chuckled. "What can I say, I'm blessed by the heavens with good timing."
Xin, still shocked and gaping, gripped onto Shang's shoulder. "You saved my life."
Shang was taken aback by his solemn tone. Under Xin's glowing admiration, Shang felt like a fraud.
"What are friends for?"
Xin's brows pulled down and his eyes grew foggy. "T-thanks,"
Shang's response was interrupted by a yell of alarm. The Headmaster and Xiao were being dragged from the crowds. Though neither fought, the sect disciples were not gentle.
They were dropped in a heap at a broad man's feet. Even from a distance, Shang could tell there was something different about this man. Something dangerous. Everything about him, from his clothes to his impatient expression, screamed strength. Tora Aran Kei. The Golden Tiger. And even from this distance, Shang knew the moniker was apt. Even in the dead of night, the man emanated a presence as golden as the sun.
"Explain," Aran's voice was bland, almost bored.
The Headmaster shot his son a warning look. He sat up on his knees. Before he could answer, he was on the ground. Shang hadn't even seen the strike.
"I'll have none of your lies. This is your last warning."
Xiao looked to his father for guidance, but he was sprawled on his side, unconscious, blood slowly trickling from his nose. "I uh, yes, the orb was my doing. I implanted the artifact into Xin's system." Xiao was shaking as he spoke.
He was met with a drawn out silence. "I don't care about petty schoolhouse pranks," Aran spat, his voice like acid. "What I care about is a village living under my sect, breaking my laws. Do you know the laws I speak of?" He paused long enough to indicate he expected an answer.
Xiao's mouth opened and closed as he thought of what to say. "Yes, Sect Leader, I know." His voice was a small whisper, but it carried easily in the hushed silence.
“Do you admit to the trafficking of illegally sourced artifacts? Artifacts obtained without sect approval?”
Xiao’s whole body shook. He turned, looking at the crowd, trying to find someone, anyone, to help. No one dared meet his eyes. From the guilty expressions of the village Elders, Shang guessed many knew about this already. Some looked ready to bolt.
“Yes.” Xiao was sobbing now.
Shang felt his earlier elation drain away. Whatever problems he had with Xiao, he did not want to see him in the hands of that man.
"Your family has enriched yourselves and this village with the trade and distribution of stolen artifacts. You live under the will of the Empire, enjoy its riches, its protection, yet not its laws.” Though Aran’s voice was not loud, Shang could feel the weight of each word like a hammer. “Your selfish acts have stained not only your hands but the hands of every villager that has benefited from your theft.” The crowd stirred at those words. A wave of shadow aura washed through them, silencing their complaints.
Aran turned to address them. “For every violation under Heaven, there exists a commensurate punishment.” He let that last word hang in the air. “But, my father always says, punishment given breeds contempt while punishment chosen invites contemplation. So, I will give you a choice on how to repent. When those responsible relive the agony of this day, they'll always remember that it was their actions, their choices, that championed such pain.”
Aran walked past Xiao, towards the village elders standing at the edge of the crowd. “The oldest of us deserves veneration for their wisdom. That wisdom is what keeps younger men from folly. But, when that wisdom is withheld or when it leads them astray, you must shoulder some of the blame.” The elders shrank back under his attention. “But no doubt, much of the blame lies with that family." Aran sneered at the Headmaster and Xiao. "So, I will give you a choice, either the Headmaster’s family dies or you all lose one hand. Your choice. I’ll give you a few minutes to discuss amongst yourselves.”