David

There was an accusative silence in the admissions office after Daoist Shi left. Alice went back and forth between spinning the flute and tapping out notes to a song she didn't actually play aloud. David stood unmoving, choosing instead to examine the room.

The walls were of the middling-grey stone which made up the entirety of Tianbei Mountain. In the pale, almost-blue light of the Yin Fire lamps, trace minerals sparkled. In front of most of the walls were bookcases, populated with tightly tied and rolled bamboo sticks. On some bookcases, there were actual books - paper, held together with string.

The only books bound in a familiar way were the ones used to record applicants and admittances. They lay open on the counter. The blot of ink from when Daoist Shi struck out Feiyan's improperly written name was nowhere to be seen. The telltale hum of the Song bled from both books, discrete and complex and banal.

After a few minutes, Alice was just about ready to stop miming on the flute and brought it to her lips.

"What drives you so desperately to get into my sect?" Hao asked, before she could start.

"Nothing," said Alice. David thought she must have been close to meaning it by this point - other than the lamps, nothing about the sect had made a good impression on him.

"You are lying," Hao said softly. "You wouldn't have kicked up such a fuss without good reason."

Alice set the flute on the counter and gave Hao her undivided attention. Her eyes, bright and brown and clever, reflected the glimmer along the walls. "What reasons would you consider good? What sort of answer did you expect?"

Hao frowned. "That is a concerning lack of ambition. You are standing in the halls of the greatest sect of all five continents. Even those pushed to trial by their families have hopes and dreams of cultivating in the Ascending Sky."

Alice shrugged. "Zhu Feiyan made the cut, and she's the picture of mediocrity."

Hao looked at her as though she were crazy. "The House of Zhu is not amongst those we will offend without just cause."

"You didn't find her suspicious at all," said Alice, whose anger had boiled over again. "Princess Feiyan showed up without guards or luggage."

"There will be consequences if she isn't who she claims to be," blustered Hao. "Consequences!"

"Consequences!" echoed David.

Hao glared. "You shouldn't look down on our disciples. Fifteen years of age and beginning foundation establishment is no small achievement - almost as good as my own." He turned his nose up, expecting to be asked about his achievement, but neither David nor Alice gave him the satisfaction.

There was another silence, but the silence no longer belonged to Hao.

"You should consider what this looks like to us," Hao said slowly. "A man and a woman walk into our office during admissions, clearly dressed in the robes of another sect. They claim to be refugees from another continent to garner sympathy. Primordial qi is missing from the man's kidneys, but both are clearly forming their cores. One word comes to mine above all else - spy. Feel free to explain to me why this isn't the case."

"You've said why," said David, who was irritated again. "Let's say you were going to spy on some random sect. Would you arrive wearing those black robes?"

Hao shrugged. "Maybe I would, so I could answer these questions in the way you just did. I would also present an outlandish story that could be verified - but only with too much effort. I would arrive on the last day of sect admissions, so my bone age couldn't be easily ascertained. Unluckily for the pair of you, the Ascending Sky is unfailingly competent. Bet you didn't expect that, did you?"

"If you were so competent, you wouldn't need to call your peak master to figure out whether or not we're seventeen," said Alice. Both David and Alice had been in high spirits when they walked into the admissions office, but now it had been ruined.

Hao smirked. "Don't even think of trying to run away. We'll get to the bottom of this soon enough. You clearly don't understand the depths of how devious I've been. It probably looked to you like I was on your side or something like that, but it's been long enough that Master Feng's arrival is imminent, and you'll answer for your crimes."

David couldn't quite believe those words had left Hao's mouth. "Were you that afraid of losing a fight to a teenager?"

Hao's Song rose, but then it was cut off abruptly.

"Guess you are," said David, unable to stop himself. But Hao didn't rise to the bait.

"While you're still an applicant within these walls, you still do count as a guest of our sect," said Hao, clenching his jaw.

"I'm starting to reconsider,” said Alice. “You are who you associate with, after all.”

Hao paled in anger. "If someone had told me that a newly established cultivator would speak to me in such a manner, I wouldn't have believed them. I am your superior in cultivation and you will show me the due respect."

"But I don't respect you," said Alice, with just enough faux confusion in her tone to cause the vein in Hao's temple to bulge.

"This conversation is over," said Hao.

"Good. There's really nothing worth talking about," said David. "I expect an apology after whatever your peak master will do is finished."

"It seems that our guests are bolder every year."

It wasn't Hao who had spoken. The voice was softer and more acerbic. It had come from the door, which David remembered Daoist Shi had slammed. He hadn't noticed it open.

"I am Daoist Feng Shui, Resolved, of the Ascending Sky, of the city of Tianbei. I greet juniors who have chosen the path."

Sometime during his conversation with Hao, Shi had returned with the peak master.

Alice remembered the exact words Li had greeted Daoist Nan with on the Iron Path. "We greet our senior, Daoist Feng, whose banner will not flag, whose palace will not fall, whose promise will be kept," she said, giving him a short, deliberate bow. It seemed a lot less silly coming out of Li’s mouth.

Peak Master Feng was a few inches shorter than Hao, who wasn't quite David's height. Like Fairy Guan, he wasn't dressed in the black robes of the Ascending Sky, but in white - mourning colors. He was a shade darker than pale and his face was very slightly long - at least compared to the perfectly sculpted cultivators David had grown accustomed to.

Perhaps it was just a trick of perspective from the hat he wore - a little black rectangular pill box which held his hair in place above his head. It was kept in place with a little black string stretched taut beneath his chin. A smart silver needle passed through the hairpiece at an angle. He had a thin mustache that hung past his chin, and looked a little out of place on his youthful face. He appeared no older than David.

Shi stood behind him like a shadow. She remained angry. "These are the applicants I told you about," she announced.

"Please be silent, Disciple Shi,” Feng snapped, looking over his shoulder. “Only speak if you have something that isn't unfailingly obvious to say.”

When she was sure that Feng was looking at David and Alice again, she rolled her eyes. David said nothing. He recalled that Li had waited for Daoist Nan to speak when he’d accosted them.

“Auspicious,” said the peak master. “Good manners are often in short supply nowadays.”

Feng’s Song was, in the same manner as the other old cultivators David and Alice had met, contradictory and deep. The sharpest notes which came through were of rust - hard work, careful observances, building-planning-executing-framing-Construction.

“Interesting,” said Feng. “Most people find Principle unnerving. The nature of such a thing is often debated amongst my peers, when they aren’t squandering millenia of resources killing one another.”

If anything was unnerving about dealing with older cultivators, it was never Principle. It was the preternatural stillness in their movements.

“Do you know why I’m here?” Feng asked.

David nodded. “We were told there was a way for you to determine my age.”

Feng gave him a nod. “That is indeed within my capabilities,” he said, looking contemplative. “But that would depend on whether or not you can answer some of my questions.”

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“Questions?”

The peak master gave David a warm smile. “It will be a learning experience for all of us.”

“Right.” David’s brow creased.

“Don’t give that sort of expression to your elders,” Feng said. “Of the many teachers in the Ascending Sky, I am rumored to be the best. Would I not be remiss in my duties if I were to spend time with my disciples and prospective disciples without teaching them something?”

"This unworthy disciple thanks Master Feng for his teachings," said Hao.

Feng's smile became something that didn't quite reach his eyes. He ignored Hao, choosing instead to address David and Alice. “Feel free to interrupt me with any pertinent questions,” said Feng.

Alice moved herself closer, to stand beside David.

“The question here today is ‘how should I go about determining someone’s age?’ Before we look towards cultivation, we should always consider some mundane solutions. What would be amongst the most down to earth ways of knowing when you were born?"

David wasn't sure what Feng wanted with this line of questioning.

“You could have been present at my birth,” said Alice, with a cheeky grin. “Then you would know for sure.”

“Very good,” said Feng. “But unfortunately we are strangers.” Feng looked at David. He was expected to answer the question as well, it seemed.

“You might confirm with a mutual acquaintance,” said David, who felt this was perhaps the most vacuous line of questioning he had ever heard in his life.

“Do you believe this acquaintance exists?” Feng was serious.

“No,” said David.

“You can ask them where they’re from and send people over to check if they know-”

Feng gave Shi a hard stare. “Was that any different from the solution suggested previously?”

Shi shrank into herself.

“Do you have any other possible solutions?” Feng asked.

“Well, it’s called bone age, right? Both of us are still growing. Can’t you take a look at our growth plates?”

“That would require cultivation,” said Daoist Feng. “And the sort you would be more likely to find to the west in Bei’an.”

“No, it wouldn't,” said Alice.

“Well how would I be able to look at your bones without cultivation? Would you like for me to cut off a limb and take a look?” Feng chuckled.

Right, they didn’t have x-rays here. “You could use our teeth?” David suggested.

“Do you want the tooth back after I’m done?”

David shrugged. “I’m out of ideas.”

“So mundane means are likely closed off to us. We must come to solutions only possible through cultivation." Feng paused, looking for disagreement. There was none. Even if David hadn't left his wallet back at the Falling Leaves, he didn't think his high school id would work for this situation.

"Now, the Earth Peak is known for its collection of esoteric sutras and arts. We dabble in many things and one of our favorite subjects of study is cultivation as it relates to the body. That is the subject of this next question."

David couldn't help but wonder if longwindedness was a side effect of cultivation in general.

"The common folk tend to view cultivators as impervious to harm, but this doesn’t become true until certain conditions are met. Are you aware of the conditions?”

David was not. He shook his head.

“Do you have any guesses as to what these conditions might be?”

Alice spoke up. “Forming a core wouldn’t be enough. It has to be past that.”

“How far past?”

“Before the final Earthly Tribulation,” said David. “It would be difficult to survive otherwise. One of the meridians, I’m sure of it.”

Feng clapped his hands together. “Very good. Now, which of the twelve primary meridians would you consider a likely candidate?”

“I don’t know anything about the different meridians,” David admitted easily. Li had mentioned meridians at some point, but he couldn't even name all of them, let alone their classical purpose in cultivation. Feiyan probably could, but David strongly suspected that whatever she'd said about the heart was just unadulterated horseshit.

“Good,” said Feng. “Honesty is integral to excellence. I would have told you to work out the answer at another sect had you guessed."

David nodded.

"The meridian in question is the xinbao - superimposed over your heart. When it is opened, you will find yourself able to survive mundane catastrophes without lasting injury. At every moment, it overwrites your physical self with who you want to be. What does this have to do with the situation at hand?”

“I’m assuming,” Alice said, as she ran her fingers over her nails, “it would be hard to tell how old someone was via physical means after they’ve opened that meridian. But you’re explaining that it’s not the case with cultivators who aren’t searching for their nascent souls. Are there ways?”

Daoist Shi, who had probably expected the peak master to be angered by David and Alice, looked rather upset. David thought it stemmed from a misunderstanding of the sort of person Master Feng was. Feng seemed like the sort who would enjoy a riddle, especially if he’d come up with it.

Feng nodded. “Two ways. The physical means is more common - marrow will record the number of times you’ve seen the sun rise. What might be the other way?”

"In qi," said Alice. "But if it were that simple, then these questions wouldn’t be worthwhile.”

“What was different about the day you were born?” asked Feng. There was something indulgent about his smile now, which contrasted with Shi and Hao’s blatant displeasure.

“The day I was born or any day that I could have been born?” David asked.

Feng nodded - approval. “Any day.”

“On the day I was born, I took my first breath,” said Alice. “My body became wholly mine.”

But David thought that was the wrong direction. “The sun. Not just the sun,” he said. “All stars. The stars have never been in the same place since the day I was born.”

Feng was delighted. He turned to Shi. “Regardless of age, this is the sort of disciple we’re looking for here at the Ascending Sky.”

“Yes, of course, peak master.” Shi looked as though she’d swallowed a lemon.

“Disciple Hao,” Feng barked. “What are the three martial forms of the Skybound Scripture?”

“The Skyward Blade, the Hammer of Storms and the Star-seeking Palm,” Hao replied lifelessly.

“Who are the premiere cultivators of each form?”

“The respective peak masters of Sword, Sky and Earth,” said Hao.

David imagined Daoist Shi swinging a hammer around. It amused him.

“Can you read the stars of my birth?” Alice asked, looking excited. David remembered that back on earth, she’d gotten a bunch of their mutual friends into astrology. He shuddered.

“Do I look like a man who would exploit others?” Feng asked in mock anger. He took on a more serious tone. “Such things are not meant to be given and taken freely, disciple. You know another name for the stars of your birth - it is Fate. To observe a Fate is to take it for your own. My Star-seeking Palm will not seek your fate, but I can do more than simply dig at your marrow or poke at your kidneys. If Primordial Yin is the shadow cast by the Heavens upon your birth, what I’m doing can be explained as asking the question of how many days it’s been that you’ve lived under the sky.”

Will, not can’t, David noted. “If you were to get into a serious fight with someone, would the Star-seeking Palm alter someone’s fate?”

“Clever, boy.” Feng’s mustache twitched. “I can’t claim to have been the victor of every fight I’ve been a part of, but I’m willing to bet all my enemies have had very hard lives since. But I will be making my request of the skies soon enough, and all of those mortal concerns have long been severed. I haven’t taken a named disciple in centuries. Should you ignite without issue, I might reconsider my solitude.”

If Hao was angry before, now he looked incensed.

Feng drew himself up to his full height. “As my guest, I must ask of you - will you allow me to read the bones and share in your Path. I would like to determine your age.”

There was a bit of a commotion outside of the room, a rumbling - likely of conversation. David looked over to the door, prompting Feng to do the same. It was ajar.

Feng gave a look of deep loathing to Shi, who squeaked and hurried over to slam the door shut.

“You’re not one of mine,” Feng said to her. “Which peak are you from?”

Shi gulped.

Feng gave her a dismissive wave. “Never mind. I’m not going to bother either of my two seniors about something this trivial. They have eyes, after all. I’m sure they share my opinions about your prospects already.”

David gave the girl an apologetic look, but the one she returned was of hatred.

After a few moments, David realized the peak master was still waiting for his answer. He nodded quickly. “Go ahead.”

The Peak Master’s Song rose, murky but Principled. When David blinked, the man’s hand was over his chest.

There was a peculiar feeling - not the invasion of something foreign but his own Song recoiling. It felt a bit like his nose was running - but the ‘nose’ wasn’t where he expected. David concentrated on it, listening to it intently, not letting his Song falter.

After several moments, Feng’s hand dropped to his side.

“More and more curious,” he said. “My disciple was not mistaken. You do not have primordial yin or yang. There is an idea in your qi I can’t place.”

“Is he actually seventeen?” Hao hazarded. David had forgotten he was still in the room.

“Yes, but who cares,” growled Feng. Shi, who gave a strangled gasp, certainly did, but Feng was paying her no mind.

Feng leaned from side to side like the needle in a metronome, still speaking - to himself. “A tree grows in the greenhouse from a seed. A seed reaches for the empty throne. The throne is the seat of a tree. A tree grows in the greenhouse from a seed. A seed-”

“Master Feng?” David asked, tapping the man on the shoulder.

Feng jolted back into reality, then jerked away from David’s grasp. “Put his name down in the books,” he barked at Shi, who hurried over to the counter.

“Name?”

“Ji,” David said. “Ji Kang.”

It wasn’t the name on his birth certificate, but the name his mother called him by. It would be hard to explain if he had said David.

Shi turned to Alice. “Name?”

“Chow. Chow Mulan,” Alice said, with a smug smile. David was entirely sure that no one had ever called Alice ‘Mulan’ in her life.

“Young Miss, I would like to confirm,” said Feng. “Two disciples forming their cores at such a young age is no small matter.”

“Sure, go ahead,” said Alice.

Feng placed his palm over Alice’s heart and there was a moment of silence in the room.

And then the sound of Silkworms split the air, bright and starving. Feng snatched his hand back as if he’d been burned.

“Was that-” Hao started.

“It can’t be-” Shi whispered.

“A principle,” said Feng.