Benton watched as Yang Xiu and her opponent, a girl who looked severely out of place with her yellow hair, walked into the arena. He scanned the blonde.
Affiliation: Poison Claw Sect Age: 14 Cultivation: Qi Gathering – Minor Realm Six Qi Available: ??? Techniques:
Misty Silent Steps, Wind and Water Fan Art
Spiritual Roots: A- Qi Aspect: Mist on the moor, concealing all
Yikes. The sect was bringing out their best. An A- talent and already at minor realm six while still being fourteen. Nice. And like the previous duelist from the sect, she had both a weapon technique, interestingly a fan, and one for movement. Both were aspected to match her own qi.
After the rules were read, the exact same as the last duel, the bout began. The blonde immediately hid behind a boulder and pulled out a talisman. An instant later, mist began pouring out of the device.
As Benton had expected from the girl’s qi aspect, she primarily used mist for concealment. What he almost commented on was how her incongruous hair stood out so much. It was definitely not a natural shade unless Su had seen much less of the world than he thought.
Benton wondered if the girl colored it that way as a rebellion against her natural type or, a much more likely scenario, if it was a deception tactic. No one would expect someone who stood out so much to be a concealment type.
“Does the Esteemed Master Cultivator object?” Elder Pan said.
“No,” Benton said. “This is perfect. Yang Xiu will need to bring her A game in perception to win this one.”
Hah. A game. As opposed to the blonde’s A-. He hadn’t even intended that particular pun.
Of course, he wasn’t wrong, either. Yang Xiu and Yang Ru had probably chatted between matches, and he wouldn’t have been able to resist gloating about his achievement. She must be just about desperate to not only to match his win but to also reach Large Success in her perception technique.
The two were closer than almost any sibling pair Benton had ever met, but they were also very competitive with each other. It was a healthy rivalry as far as he was concerned.
“The talisman requires Mao Ning to use her own qi to produce the mist,” Kang Ya-Ting said. “A device that uses another’s qi or any external power source such as a beast core is prohibited.”
Benton hadn’t known that. The only device like the elder described that the twins had was a single defensive talisman each, and Benton didn’t think either would even consider using the expensive, life-saving measure during a completely safe spar. Besides, maybe that rule had been explained to them during preparations. Or maybe the rule only applied to the sect members.
However the rule was administered, the growing cloud of mist gave Yang Xiu trouble. His spiritual sense tracked Mao Ning as she made her way closer and closer to the archer, but his disciple didn’t seem to know where her opponent was.
“Keep a watch on how Mao Ning uses her mist to hide herself, Zou Tian,” Benton said. “See what kind of ideas you can pick up.”
“It almost sounds like the Esteemed Master Cultivator plans to make the ward into a disciple,” Kang Ya-Ting said.
Time for another gamble. The more truth Benton revealed, the more he seemed like an eccentric who had fun being mysterious instead of someone who had a lot to hide. He just hoped his read on the sect elders was accurate.
“Of course, I plan to take Zou Tian as a disciple.”
Both Kang Ya-Ting and Zou Tian were clearly shocked. Only Elder Pan took the matter as one that was obvious.
“The Esteemed Elder Kang did not think I would take the boy as a disciple?” Benton said.
“No. Obviously that was your intention. This one was just surprised that the Esteemed Master Cultivator would admit it.”
“I also plan on teaching cultivation to all the guards and wagon drivers you send with me.”
“Please tell me that the Esteemed Master Cultivator is planning to at least wait until after leaving the city before teaching any of them,” Kang Ya-Ting said.
“Uh… Is that a big concern?”
“Does running afoul of the City Lord concern the Esteemed Master Cultivator? Because the authorization that was granted was to take all these people out of the city, which is the exact authorization that the Esteemed Master Cultivator requested this one to obtain. The authorization does not allow making any citizens into cultivators. Of course, any acts performed outside the walls don’t fall within the City Lord’s jurisdiction, but with all the attention that has been drawn from becoming a friend of the Poison Claw Sect, this one wouldn’t advise flouting any regulations.”
“Got it,” Benton said.
“Why would the Esteemed Master Cultivator want to teach all of them anyway?”
“Mainly because I don’t have a choice,” Benton said. “The road between Vermillion Incomparable Rain Town and Prosperous Gray Forest Village is simply teeming with spirit beasts. There is a high possibility that I and the twins will need to go into the woods in order to counter threats, and we can’t exactly leave all the mortals alone and helpless. Even if they’re only Qi Gathering Realm two or three at that point, that’s still less helpless than if they weren’t cultivators at all.”
“Why would the Esteemed Master Cultivator tell me all this?”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Well, we’re friends, right? There should be no secrets between friends.”
“So, friend,” Kang Ya-Ting said. “What is your cultivation?”
Benton laughed. He was genuinely starting to like the elder. “Well, now, see you got me there. I fear that, if I were to tell you that, it would ruin our burgeoning friendship.”
“I see.”
“Truly,” Benton said, “no jest. What if I told you I was actually in a really low realm, like Qi Gathering or something? You’d be all like, ‘This one cannot be friends with someone at such a low realm.’ Or if I told you I reached Nihility fifteen hundred years ago. You’d be all like, ‘Yessir, Master Cultivator Who is the Highest Ranked Cultivator on the Continent, Sir.’ Either way, friendship gone. It could only survive if I actually fall in a narrow range of realms that you suspect me of being in.”
“Nihility?”
“No. Don’t go drawing conclusions from that, my friend. I just pulled that realm out of a hat. It doesn’t mean anything. Probably. Almost definitely. Surely, it doesn’t.” Benton grinned, having entirely too much fun.
Down in the arena, Mao Ning was slowly creeping toward Yang Xiu, who had no idea where the other girl was. Benton, in addition to tracking the sect girl with his spiritual sense, could hear her feet crunching on the sand when he channeled just a tiny bit of qi to his ear.
His disciple could surely do the same with the technique he’d given her. The problem was that she was having trouble processing the input, meaning she couldn’t use the sounds to place where her opponent was.
“I’m is surprised Mao Ning isn’t using a movement technique to silence her steps,” Benton said.
“Creating the mist uses a lot of qi,” Elder Pan said. “The Esteemed Master Cultivator’s disciples have access to about twice as much qi at that realm as any of our sect members. The Esteemed Master Cultivator’s disciples also use qi much more efficiently. It was quite the task to find opponents who would challenge them instead of simply being overwhelmed by the huge qi deficit.”
“Well, then. I thank you greatly for your diligence.”
“Think nothing of it. It is this one’s job.”
Benton turned to Kang Ya-Ting. “I don’t know if you have anything to do with the pay structure around here, but you should seriously think about giving Elder Pan a raise.”
“I’ll take it up with the leader of the sect branch here in Sixth Flawless Flowing City,” Elder Kang said dryly.
Down in the arena, Yang Xiu did something that made Benton smile. She closed her eyes.
“Oh, I think she’s got it…” Benton said.
Yang Xiu steadied her breathing, almost looking like she was meditating standing up.
“That’s the right track.”
Her bow was pointed toward the ground with an arrow nocked but the bowstring not yet pulled. She held her breath.
Benton didn’t say anything else, not wanting to add any noise.
In an instant, Yang Xiu spun thirty degrees to the left, and in one smooth motion, raised her bow, pulled back the bowstring, and loosed.
A grunt came from the mist.
Yang Xiu smiled. After that it was simply a matter of how many arrows would it take to kill her opponent.
Soon, the other girl was down, and the match ended. In contrast to the last contest, Yang Xiu didn’t bother exchanging niceties with Mao Ning before sitting on the sand and sinking into a meditative state.
A moment later, Benton got the notice he’d been expecting.
Host’s Disciple, Yang Xiu, has reached Large Success in Peerless Peering and Perception.
Host is awarded one Sect Point.
Host has twenty-five Sect Points available.
“Again, much gratitude to Esteemed Elder Pan for his diligence and skill at arranging matches.”
“This one takes it that Yang Xiu also advanced in her technique?”
“I believe she did.”
Surprisingly, another box popped up.
Host’s Disciple, Wan Ai, has reached Qi Gathering – Minor Realm Four
Host is awarded one Sect Point.
Host has twenty-six Sect Points available.
Wow. Wan Ai had gotten past the minor block between the third and fourth realms all by herself. She was doing great.
“The Esteemed Master Cultivator truly has amazing disciples,” Elder Pan said. “They beat the two best matchups in the same minor realm that this one could find for them.”
“I’m quite proud of them.”
“They should return for the All-City Tri-Sect Tournament. As friends of the Poison Claw Sect, they are allowed to participate. We would be honored to have them represent us.”
A tournament? Greg would probably tell Benton that the disciples had to participate in a tournament. It was like a rule of the genre or something.
----------------------------------------
“Elder Dai.” Kang Ya-Ting cupped his hands. He had no idea how she was going to take the news. He had no idea how he should take the news.
“How did the matches go?”
“Our sect members won both contests, though we held clear advantages in each.”
“And how did our new friend react?” Dai Shuren said.
“He was overjoyed.”
Elder Dai raised her eyebrows. “Truly?”
“It was a good learning experience for his disciples.”
“I see. And the duels?”
“Chao Su’s disciples won both, though the fights were close. Each was able to achieve Large Success on a technique they were learning. Chao Su was very grateful and complementary of Elder Pan. He said we should ‘give him a raise.’”
“Interesting turn of a phrase,” Elder Dai said.
“Indeed.”
“Anything else to report?”
Kang Ya-Ting tensed. “Chao Su admitted that he planned to teach everyone who left the city with him how to cultivate. I felt his words a tacit admission that he plans to found a sect.”
“Really? In Prosperous Gray Forest Village?”
“Presumably.”
“What are your thoughts?” Elder Dai said.
“If he’s doing what he explicitly stated—raising up F-ranked peasants to mid-Qi Gathering in order to defend the village from spirit beasts—it’s a non-issue. The return of steady shipments of the spirit lumber would be good for the economy, and since we have an in with Chao Su, the Poison Claw Sect might be able to find a way to profit off the trade. There is a larger concern, though.”
“Do tell.”
“I asked him about his cultivation.”
“Just in the middle of a conversation? Really?” Elder Dai said.
“You had to have been there. It made sense at that moment.”
“I’ll yield to your judgment, but I’m assuming he didn’t tell you.”
“No,” Kang Ya-Ting said, “but I did glean interesting tidbits from his answer. He claimed that it was possible he was but a Qi Gathering cultivator.”
“Interesting. Could it be true? Have we ever seen him manipulate his qi?”
Elder Kang thought for a moment. “I’ve seen him use a spatial ring without relying on a beast core, so he’s definitely at least Foundation Establishment.”
“Good point.”
“For all my spiritual senses tell me, he could be a mortal. I don’t even get the vague unease around him like I do with the sect leader. The more I think about it, the more I keep coming back to a single probable conclusion—Chao Su has reached Nihility, two major realms above us.”
“Nihility? Really?” Elder Dai said. “That realm would mean he’s one of the strongest cultivators on the planet.”
“The best evidence in support of that conclusion is the fact that I can’t sense him at all. Being so far above me would make my failure logical. And let’s not forget his treasures. Elder Pan suspects that both the twins’ cultivation methods, weapon techniques, and auxiliary techniques are all Heaven grade. Note that the siblings don’t share a single one of those in common. That means, counting the sword technique Chao Su gifted us, he’s handed out seven Heaven grade scriptures. Seven! And every single one of them matched the recipient’s qi aspect and needs perfectly. How many does he have access to in order to pull out the perfect one for each situation?”
“You make a compelling argument, but Nihility is just so hard to believe.”
“In his response about his cultivation level, that was the other example he used, that he reached Nihility fifteen hundred years ago. Being that old would explain a lot of his weird behavior.”
Elder Dai took a deep breath. “I can’t believe we might have had the strongest man on the continent visiting our sect and we’ve been treating him like a common tourist.”
“We definitely shouldn’t change our behavior. This treatment is what he wants.”
“You’re sure.”
“Positive.”
“I hope you’re right,” Elder Dai said. “For all our sakes, I hope you’re right.”