There was a certain sort of exhaustion that came with cultivation. One’s spiritual sense needed mental effort to move deftly, and mental effort, like physical effort, was a well that could run dry.
And while there were pills that could help in this regard, Lu was wary of going too hard and cutting corners with his health. Slow and steady. Wearing myself thin will only result in shoddy work – that’s a lesson I learned the hard way, and I don’t feel like learning it a second time.
But it was difficult. While intellectually he knew that rushing would end poorly, the impending – if mostly still hypothetical at this point – invasion attempt from Salt lent everything a sense of urgency.
It was as though he was a fish on a hook, unable to resist the pull of something looming far above. Beyond his sight, beyond his comprehension.
Another scroll joined its sibling on his ‘completed’ pile, and he let out a hissing breath between his teeth. Shake it off, Lu. These are normal thoughts, but they aren’t useful to have right now.
You’re progressing just fine – more than fine, even.
A small, anxiety-burdened smile came to his face. Ah, thinking in the third person again. Did a mere imp really rattle me so hard?
He eyed his ‘uncompleted’ pile and, after a moment’s thought, swept the neatly arranged scrolls into his purse.
That’s enough of that for today. I should actually practise some of these spells, or else they might not stick in my head.
And I’ve been looking for an excuse to visit Lan, anyway.
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Lan, as could be assumed from his realm, lived in the inner sect. The middle of the mountain had neither the barren starkness of the core sect, nor the packed-tight majesty of the outer. Rather, the inner sect out of all the sections of Mt. Steadfast Heart, resembled a city.
The buildings were tall, multiple-story affairs with equally tall roofs. The ground was paved with stone tiles, matching the walls of each dwelling such that the whole landscape seemed to have been built by a single pair of hands. Trees sprouted in rows along the main street, and while they paled somewhat when compared to the massive giants of the deep forest, they were still impressively large.
It was all very orderly. And while Lu had only been to the man’s rooms a handful of times, he was more than familiar enough with the area to make his way to Lan’s building.
Ah, I don’t come here nearly often enough. While the outer sect is, of course, the shining jewel of the mountain, sometimes a change in scenery is nice. I’ve been volleying between the bottom and top so frequently, it feels strange to enter the middle for anything other than passing through.
As had become common recently there were very few disciples out and about. Where a year ago there would have been men and women socialising in the wide pavilions, now Lu passed only a single disciple moving quickly past him in the opposite direction.
Soon he was through the front door of Lan’s building, and he could feel a handful of spiritual senses all pulling qi from the air around him.
It isn’t just me. Everyone’s cultivating. He felt a bit soothed as the senses pulsed on the edge of his awareness, some anxiety ebbing away with the evidence of shared emotions. I shouldn’t get too far into my own head, I suppose. It isn’t as though these are problems I’ll have to face alone.
With a slight spring in his step Lu journeyed up to the second floor, and found the door marked with Lan’s name.
He knocked, flaring his sense at the same time to identify himself. Lan’s own sense responded, and a moment later the door opened.
“Oh, Lu. I wasn’t expecting company.” Lan, his black robes clean but slightly wrinkled, seemed sincerely surprised. “Let me put some tea on.”
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“So, it seems you’ve managed to find a partner while trapped in that hellscape, hm?”
Lan had not changed much as far as Lu could tell. His bearing was still somewhat turtle-like, his head always ready to retreat into his collar at the first sign of hardship. He wore empty spectacles as was the fashion amongst scholars, but besides that he was completely lacking in accessories; no rings adorned his fingers or ears, and his face was without makeup.
Not that every man needs to wear makeup, but come on. You’re in a relationship, put in a little more effort! Or perhaps Jiendao preferred plain-faced men?
“Ah,” the man replied bashfully, “Yes, that’s right. I hope you don’t mind me using your discoveries to get people on the right track, but I couldn’t see any other way forward. I sort of assumed after the first months, that we might be there forever…”
Lu waved his concerns away. “Think nothing of it, think nothing of it. But I didn’t come here to talk about that; I’ve experienced enough of Salt for two lifetimes.” His raised his teacup, taking a small sip. Eh, nothing special. Or maybe I’m spoiled; you wouldn’t think it to look at him, but Bull brews a terribly good pot of tea. “How did you meet? Was it you who approached her, or the other way around?”
His cup made a small sound as he set it on the table, and Lan’s bashfulness seeming to multiply as one second bled into the next. Lu continued, “Please, Sir Lan, your lady’s telling was sparse at best. I require details if I’m going to give you advice!”
The bashfulness disappeared. “Advice? Lu, you’ve never been in a relationship. Why would I follow any advice you gave?”
Lu made an affronted sound. “Never been-? Lan, my friend, I’ve been in dozens of relationships, more than there are stars in the sky.” His hand moved quickly enough to whoosh audibly as he gestured for emphasis.
Lan shook his head. “One-sided attractions don’t count.” His tone was muddled, as if he wanted to be joking but couldn’t follow through.
Now the both of them had reddened cheeks. “What nerve! Why, we’ll see how you feel when you hit a rough patch, and come slinking back to sip from the fountain of my mind.”
Lan’s lips twitched. His eyes narrowed in thought, before he replied: “Ah, pardon. I apologise; I didn’t think this would mean so much to you.” He took his own sip of tea, hiding his mouth behind the cup. “Of course you know I’d always consider your experiences valid. Who else would know a woman’s heart, but the gallant Lu with his most steadfast of hearts?”
Lu’s pride prickled. This cad, speaking such compliments in such a sarcastic tone! As if I could let that slide! “You impugn my honour, Sir Lan. I demand a duel, to determine which of us is the superior man!”
For the first time a bit of visible mirth overpowered Lan’s other expressions. “A duel? It seems strange to fight a duel over such a thing – it isn’t as though we’re competing over the same woman.”
His arms crossed and his chin held high, Lu proclaimed as though to a crowd. “Perhaps we are! Lady Jiendao is a fine woman; is it hard to believe I’ve fallen for her myself?”
Lan blinked. “Lu, there’s no need to go that far. If you want a duel, we’ll duel.” His fingers flexed. “It’s been a while since I tested my spellwork, anyway.”
Ha ha! No man can resist defending his lady; you’ve been led around by the nose, Sir Lan! “Very good!” Finishing the rest of his cup with one long sip, Lu stood. “One of the fields, then?”
Lan stood as well, a mix of amusement and exasperation on his face. “As you wish. But don’t be offended if I don’t hold back; my manly pride is on the line, after all.”
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The different tiers of the sect had stretches of wilderness of differing size between them. The one between the inner and core sect was larger, while the one between the inner and outer sect was smaller.
As such, they journeyed out to a field higher up the mountain. The wind was colder this far off the ground, just enough to draw vapour from one’s breath despite the otherwise mild weather.
Lu discarded his outermost robe, while Lan seemed content to fight in his normal day clothes. They stood across from one another, wisps issuing from their lips like short-lived spirits.
“Outer Disciple Lu, of the Steadfast Heart Sect, challenges senior. Please accept my request.”
Lan’s brow arced, but he replied with the proper response. “Inner Disciple Lan, of the Steadfast Heart Sect, accepts junior’s challenge.” He moved his body into a stance. “Feeling traditional today?”
“I always feel traditional, senior brother.” Bull never observes the propriety in these things; if I try he just attacks immediately. But as proper gentlemen, we should hold ourselves to a higher standard! “To first blood?”
“If you wish. I’ll allow you to make the first move.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Lu inclined his head. “Sir Lan is generous.”
Lu’s first attack was in the form of his spiritual sense, but it would be a lie to say that was the start of the fight; both of them had been weaving illusions since before they had even reached the battlefield.
His sense cast out, landing glancing blows against an amorphous blob that might have been Lan’s own sense, or more likely a soul-mimicking illusion. Either way, the silhouette of the man across the field blurred and turned to smoke, but not before a single black needle shot from a dissolving fingertip.
Lu twisted space in a formless expression of ki, and the needle diverted just enough go past his Disjointed Image’s cheek as four orbs of different colours flashed into existence. With a wave of his hand they rushed forward to blanket his opponent’s side of the arena.
They never got the chance to detonate; between one second and the next they simply ceased moving, hovering in place as Lu lost any and all connection to the spell. His surprised expression hidden beneath invisibility, Lu called out, his voice erupting from mid-way across the field. “Ah, very impressive. I’m not familiar with that art.”
Another patch of empty air – assuming it wasn’t a double-bluff – replied. “Yes, I learned it just recently. I’m afraid that as the days pass, the likelihood that we become embroiled in a more domestic conflict worsens.”
Please, don’t remind me. “True, true.”
With another gesture the floating elemental orbs teleported downwards, intersecting the ground and detonating regardless of Lan’s subversion of his spells. The field erupted in violent explosions, and Lu cast out with both his sense and Gravity Vision, searching for his opponent.
As the world became a muddle of wind and vapour, beams of light came from multiple points to strike all over both Lu’s Image, his second-string illusions, and most importantly his real body.
His shield flared bright, deflecting the beams, but it was evidently only a scouting strike. Even as Lu located a knot of mass on the otherwise empty field, a second, much more numerous volley flashed out.
Space Ripper! Lu went upward, to the side, then forwards rapidly. As he left each location it was pierced through by a dozen beams, their afterimages searing his eyes even as they swivelled to track the equally mobile Lan.
Ah, but they’re also striking my various illusions. You can’t tell which me is real, but I know exactly where you are! Take this!
For a moment gravity disappeared, dust flying into the air as it decompressed, but then the next second it began coalescing together. Lan’s form became visible as dust gathered beyond his spell’s ability to erase, and he dropped to his knees as his personal mass went up two orders of magnitude. Even as he continued to dodge the beams of light, Lu began hurling spells at the kneeling figure.
Then with a rush of wind, Lan disappeared. The spells curved in the air, but the inner disciple avoided gravity’s pull by dint of sheer speed, a movement art propelling him across the ground at a level comparable to sound.
Light Ray! Light Ray! Oh shi- Lightning Palm! Only by stacking his muscle reinforcement was Lu able to get his hands up in time to block the rushing Lan. He wasn’t sure if the other man actually knew where he was, if it was a lucky guess, or if it was pure happenstance, but in any case getting hit by the speeding body hurt. Lu flew through the air, was struck by enough piercing beams to exhaust his shield, and hit the ground with his set of white training clothes full of black-edged holes.
Immediately all the light arts ceased, the battlefield becoming quiet. Lu stood, wincing as his burned skin pulled in uncomfortable ways, his illusions dropping away.
“Point for you, elder brother.”
Lan wobbled slightly as his weight returned to normal. “Ah, I suppose so. Again?”
“In a moment.” Golden light played under his skin as his burns healed. “What gave me away?”
Lan’s hand came up to adjust his spectacles. “Pardon?”
“My location. How did you hit the real me?”
A shake of the head. “I simply hit everything. Your illusions are quite good, but my reserves are deeper; I can afford to attack overwhelmingly.”
Lu’s nose wrinkled as the last of the pain disappeared. Ah, so it was luck. He would have barrelled into each of me in turn… how do I counter that? The obvious solution was to make his invisibility too real to discern, but that wasn’t realistic when fighting higher realm opponents, with higher realm sensory abilities.
Unless… His nose wrinkled further. “Sir Lan, perhaps this is simply my bruised ego, but I wish to request something of you.”
The man’s brows went up. “Yes? If this has anything to do with Lady Jiendao…”
“No, not at all.” Though you might prefer that it was. “You are aware that the Steadfast Heart is now an unorthodox sect?”
“…Well, not openly.” Lan’s expression betrayed a hint of pain at the reminder.
Lu nodded. I feel the same way, of course. But given that we are… “But given that we are, it seems foolish to ignore paths that are now open to us. With the larger crime already committed, any lesser one becomes meaningless.”
“You don’t really mean that.”
Lu hesitated. “…No, not really. Well, a little bit.” Lan gave him a dubious look. “I’ve been reading up on certain spells. Nothing dangerous – in truth, nothing too different from the illusions we both already employ – but still, unorthodox.”
“You speak of mind-bending arts.” The dubious look neither grew nor diminished.
“I do, senior brother. With your permission, I would like to practice these arts in combat with you.”
Lan shuffled in place, evidently uncomfortable. But then he went still, his eyes becoming sharp. “Which arts? Name them.”
Lu did so. With each art Lan’s eyes narrowed more and more, until his face was deformed by mingled distaste and confusion.
“When could you possibly have learned all these arts? Did you tuck the entire Black Cloak Group’s archives into your sleeve before leaving?”
Lu waved him off. Don’t be ridiculous. Even if I had done that, the patriarch would have confiscated anything I took. “I Learned them just recently, after being granted access to the whole of the archives. Ah, don’t make that face, jealousy is unbecoming of men of our stature.”
Despite Lu’s words Lan’s expression failed to soften. “Let me guess, you learned them all within the span of a few days?”
Just the one, really. “More or less. Why do you ask?”
Lan shook his head slowly. “…No reason. But are you certain you want to continue with this? While those are far from the most sinister of mental arts, there are good reasons they are not handed out freely. If people discover your know these things, there will be repercussions for you.”
Lu bit his lip. Of course, of course. In normal circumstances I would never dream of it – but these are far from normal circumstances. “Terrible things are coming for us, Sir Lan.”
“You don’t need to tell me. I’ve spent longer on the other side than you have, at this point.”
The man was not much older than Lu was, but in that moment he looked tired beyond his years.
“So, do you agree? May I test these arts?” Even if I need them, I’m not so callous as to do so against an unwilling friend. Perhaps I should start with spirit beasts or some such…
There was silence for a long moment, and Lu began to brace for rejection, but eventually Lan let out a breath.
“Alright. But don’t mix them with other spells to start with; I’m not familiar with these arts in the least.”
Lu let out his own breath. “Ah, and yet you know enough to recognise each by name?”
Lan flicked his sleeve. “Those are two different things. Don’t compare recognising an art with actually knowing it.” He backed up, retaking his stance. “For now, just do them one at a time. Perhaps I’ll be able to rope in someone gullible enough to let you go all-out, but not today.”
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As Lu descended back towards his home, his mind was alive with different thoughts.
I wasn’t able to win a single spar. I suppose it isn’t unreasonable; Lan was part of an active siege for the past year, from his perspective. Combined with his higher realm and hard-won familiarity with ki techniques, my poor showing doesn’t seem so poor.
Ah, but at least I know I could, theoretically, defeat him. Some of those unorthodox arts… if I layered them together, I can tell they’ll become quite formidable.
He hadn’t done so against Lan, but against an enemy he would have no such compunctions. One side of his mouth quirked up in something like a smile. Ah, is this how it starts? I wonder if some of those Black Cloak minions had the same thought…
But the next moment he shook it off, and as he approached his home his spirits lifted. No, no. That’s me being naive again. It isn’t as though just knowing a spell will compel me to use it – and besides, it isn’t as though altering a person’s mind is worse than killing them anyway. Even those villains who kidnapped Bull and I weren’t as savage as the enemies I’ll be facing should the worst come to pass.
He put any ethical musings behind him as he walked. Overall, despite the layer under his robes being scratched up and full of holes, he was pleased with the day’s progress. I’ll perform a few small errands, and then get back to cultivating. My current pace is quite good – ah, I can almost feel the inner realms within my grasp already.
There was a wide smile on his face as he opened his door, but that expression immediately inverted itself as his eyes scanned the room.
There were three people sitting around his dining table, each wearing familiar robes and veils of heavy golden fabric. A bit past the table was a hole in the floorboards, half again as wide as a man’s shoulders, as though the wood had simply disappeared to reveal a pitch-black hole.
Lu closed his eyes and prayed to whatever was listening, but when he opened them the trio were still there.
The middle figure spoke, her voice high and young. “Erm, hello.” She put her fingers together in front of her chest. “Very sorry for the interruption, but-”
“Why me?” Lu couldn’t keep the sourness from his voice. “Am I simply cursed? Do the very Heavens despise my existence?” And today was going so well, too.
The woman narrowed her eyes, but the taller of the two others – barely identifiable as men beneath their all-concealing clothing – put his hand on her shoulder. “We need to speak to your patriarch, without our presence becoming common knowledge.” His voice was deeper and had more rasp than Lu would have expected from a holy man. “But making our way to the top unannounced would likely end in violence. Please forgive young Song for guiding us thus far; we simply had very few choices.”
Did you perhaps consider sending a letter, or using smoke signals, or literally anything other than burrowing up into my rooms like a mole a second time?
Lu opened his mouth, but it took a second for his to comport himself enough to speak politely. “I am going to fetch an Elder, who will be able to handle your request. You will remain here, out of sight, and fix my floor. Is that agreeable?”
The man inclined his head. “Thank you, young master. We appreciate your understanding.”
Some of Lu’s anger ebbed away. Well, at least one of them is polite. He pointed to the floor, turned, and with soft motions stepped through and closed the door behind him.
For a moment he stood still, deep in meditation, before his eyes opened and he began making his way down the hall.
Damn every single thing to Hell and back. One of them was apparently enough to melt a chunk of the mountain; what could three do together? And no convenient portal to step through this time…
Is this connected to learning those unorthodox arts – a punishment? No, no, that’s too self-centred… But maybe..?
Lu went back up the mountain, his heart in his throat as he dashed with inappropriate speed through the outer and inner sects, all the way up to a small building with shingles like phoenix feathers.