25. Translation

Sixty miles away from the grandmaster’s base camp, the three who had been sent to the center of the strange phenomena came to the camp of the scholars who were investigating the Qi shadow which had drawn the attention of sixteen different sects.

Having this much attention focused in the Tunrida’s province was not the best for anyone involved, which is why each sect had agreed to the terms. Only one elder per sect, and no more than three disciples.

Then, in the spirit of joint cooperation, the elders had divided them further into teams of three, creating sixteen teams. It was only by chance that Lahri, Farun and Arjun had been sent into the heart of the phenomena, where they had encountered the mountain with the impossible storm and the impossible boy who resided there.

They had felt but a fraction of his power, they were certain, but there was a depth to the boy’s strength which was simply unfathomable.

While the elders could send them to their knees with the pressure of their Qi, this boy seemed to have the power to do the same with the whisper of his voice.

The team’s return was noticed, and while they would report to their elder in private later, as was natural, first they would report to the entire conclave, which was an hour in forming as the elders and their mortal servants dithered a bit.

Arjun, knowing that the delay was inevitable, took the opportunity to bathe and change from his blue and silver traveling clothes into a cultivator’s robe of the same colors. Lahri took the opportunity to eat, while Farun scribbled a note to be carried off by one of the mortal servants.

It was that note that ensured that the delay was only an hour, as the conclave was swift in forming after that.

It never reached its intended destination, but it wasn’t meant to. It was waylayed, and then waylayed again, and each time it changed hands it was read until the entire camp knew that this team had found something which they couldn’t discuss openly, but Farun No-Far had seen fit to pre-purchase a half dozen flying swords with the contribution points he expected to earn from his discovery.

Farun’s machinations interrupted a comfortable bath from one of his companions, and Arjun’s hair was still wet when they stepped inside the tent to join the sixteen elders already there.

‘Elder’ in the south generally meant one who walked the silver path, but there were six bronze path elders present as not every sect had the numbers to send their silver path elders. Still, the room was filled with venerable and powerful cultivators, who were examining the young squad with a measure of curiosity and contempt.

The most powerful cultivator in the room was Tonilla, and she was the one who took control by speaking first.

“Well? What exactly did you bet our wrath upon, Farun?” she asked.

“Why are you asking him?” Arjun demanded.

“Because he did something behind our back to make it look like it was his discovery, of course,” Lahri said. “It was Arjun who negotiated the deal and it was I who decided to chase the beast to their camp after it had confronted us. The three of us together share in the spoils, just as—”

“Yes yes, it was a team effort. Very good. What did the three of you find?” Tonilla demanded impatiently.

And so they explained. How they had seen a mountain with a storm that never moved, and when they had investigated they were ambushed by a jaguar of the bronze path. Working together, they had driven it off, and even given chase.

The elders scoffed at their foolishness there, each believing that the children were overstating the danger they’d been in. None of those present knew that Xol had been in an untenable condition; his soul oath preventing him from finishing the battle that he started in the most satisfactory way and forcing his retreat.

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Regardless, the tale moved on to the discovery of the compound at the base of the mountain worthy of being an outpost to any of the fine sects of the alliance, and the young cultivator within who had greeted them. How they had gone to speak with his superior, a boy younger than him yet with a cultivation so profound that it was difficult for the three juniors to describe it properly.

Each tried, but came up only with metaphors like “It tasted like the scent of peaches on the wind mixed with the overwhelming force of a typhoon,” “He burns brightly in the cold darkness,” or “He may only walk the bronze path, but I would wager on him over anyone in this room,”

This boy, apparently, spoke for the true master, and was authorized to extend the bargain. In exchange for exclusive rights to the region for two months, the master would grant the alliance access to an advanced beginner’s technique which would greatly elevate their raising of young disciples.

The true master was not studying the phenomena, however, but rather had invoked it.

This gave the elders of the coalition a moment of pause. For two reasons. First, the scope of it! And second, this was the realm of the Tunrida, a spiritual beast upon the golden path. That the Tunrida had not flown forth to put an end to these machinations implied that the hidden master was himself of the golden path.

The three juniors were sent away, and three hours passed before a decision was reached.

Little Bug would have his peace, and the coalition would have the Peach Blossom Dream.

They began scouring their camp for the best translator, eventually agreeing that there wasn’t one, but six, as while they all spoke a common pidgin, their individual dialects were far more nuanced and they needed to ensure that the information from the practitioners of this art was recorded in as much detail as possible.

Fortunately, they had two months to secure the deal, so the team of six followed the three who had found the opportunity. And Farun carried at his belt six flying swords.

He regretted his purchase, because it was a waste of contribution points, and the swords were heavy and kept pulling his pants down.

~~~~~~

Six weeks passed, and Hien Ro was at the end of his rope as he dealt with all of the guests of the compound. There hadn’t been room for all of them, and so only the direct followers of Little Bug were allowed admittance into the compound which the young master had formed with his techniques, but a semi-permanent tent fort had been built in the clearing where the nine original guests and the six additional ones who had turned up since the initial bargain had been struck were sleeping.

But the work was being done inside the main compound. Hien Ro, Yara, and even Adan were questioned relentlessly about the Peach Blossom Dream, which Hien Ro thought was going well beyond the original intent of what Little Bug had intended when he’d struck the deal, but it wasn’t worth the trouble in climbing the mountain to disturb him again.

Another crack of thunder, which caused him to wince as he wondered, as he always did, whether that was one which had struck his friend.

“No, no no no,” he said.

“No?” the translator said.

“This part is wrong,” Hien Ro said.

“But got from mistress Yara,” the translator objected.

“Well, okay, so for her it might be right,” Hien ro admitted. “I mean, I know that the Peach Blossom Dream is different for men and women because I heard our master comment to her not to listen to me and … and I never told you that. Oh crap, you’ve all been listening to both of us and didn’t realize that there’s a male and female version.”

The translator let out a low moan that was a signal of his despair.

Hien Ro patted him on the shoulder. “Cheer up. At least you figured it out while there’s time to fix your notes. By my count you still have two weeks left.

Abruptly thunder rang through the compound. Then again, and again and again, and then a string of thunder that would not end.

“Or maybe not,” Hien Ro said. “I’m going to go check on him.”

He set out despite the protests of the gathered coalition, but none of them dared break their part of the deal by setting foot on the mountain. Hien Ro raced up the face, finding the rock close to the summit where Little Bug rested.

A look of beatific triumph was on the boy’s face. He opened his eyes when Hien Ro approached.

“I did it,” were his only words before collapsing.

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