"Ahh... I suppose I should head home as soon as possible." Kong Wang sighs. "... As there are still several weeks of space travel ahead of me."

Jian Cheng can't stand to see his benefactor becoming gloomy again, so he bounces to his feet

“You’re the son of the sect leader, I’m sure they’ll just be relieved to see you safe and sound.”

“Hmm, maybe but, if truth be told, I’m considered a bit of a disappointment at the sect. I got lost again and this time was lucky to escape with my little life.”

For all his fantastic power, Kong Wang is starting to remind Jian Cheng of Fatty Li Feng. Both were born with plenty of power, but far too little confidence. Instinctively, he knows what to do.

“Nonsense. You’re looking at it all wrong. You were ambushed by an assailant, yet reversed the script and killed a famous foe.”

“He is rather well known…” Kong Wang nods. “Although his name escapes me at the moment ...”

“Take his head then,” Jian Cheng suggests. “As proof.”

“Yuck, really?”

“Absolutely, it’s the truly brutal thing to do – you’ll appear really ruthless.”

“Okay then,” Kong Wang shrugs. “Let’s dig him up.”

Jumping at the chance - no matter how gruesome - to flex his newfound muscles. Jian Cheng begins shoving boulders aside willy nilly.

“Who knows maybe he has something valuable on him as well.”

He does too - treasures aplenty.

Soon, the two slightly sweaty friends and a slumped headless corpse are staring at the contents of the elder's spatial belt, strewn across the coffin-sized and shaped rock table in front of them. Riches beyond Jian Cheng’s wildest imaginings are littered along that narrow ledge.

“Bah,” Kong Wang spits. “Barely worth it bothering about. The Shining Phoenix Sect is only this much. How pitiful - they really are a poor cousin.”

Jian Cheng can’t disagree more. There are 30-something crystal spirit stones in three glowing shades of green, each appearing stronger than the last. There is also a shining pile of gold and silver coins of an unknown denomination. The apple of his eye however is the dazzling lightning sword… Following his gaze Kong Wang sighs. He reaches forward and slaps the sword lightly and it disappears into his storage ring.

“Sorry,” he says, making a face. “It is indeed a halfway decent sword, but it’s some way beyond your current capabilities. Same goes for all but those first five spirit stones... These coins aren’t valid here either so I’ll be taking them too.”

As Kong Wang speaks the items he indicated evaporate into his spatial ring.

The constant stream of disappearances leads Jian Cheng to feel a bit bitter. Not with his friend, he can’t fault his logic. No, it is his own lack of power causing his dismay. Staring at the wealth, his eyes grew bigger than his stomach. Power is the real riches. Jian Cheng doesn’t have enough power to covet those treasures, that to Kong Wang are only old tat. The saying went, that to the victor goes the spoils. Yet, while it was Jian Cheng who finished off their foe, the treasures were all tucked away by Kong Wang.

Realistically, they can never be kept by the younger boy. Having them is merely a ticket for trouble, even Kong Wang can see that. Apart from the powerful weapon, a few paltry second and third grade spirit stones, plus a fistful of coins was not near enough to get a yuanying expert like Kong Wang out of bed. But they could bring a world of misery down on a novice ninqi like him.

As the other saying went, to treasure a jade ring is a crime. However, if Jian Cheng was, say, tier-nine ninqi, his friend would surely have given him some face and let him keep the lot. Sighing, he scans the few remaining items.

“How about this?”

“A stupid book… how boring…” Kong Wang appears determined to downplay their windfall. “I never read them, they can make you go blind you know?”

“It appears to be a ledger.” Ignoring his bitter older brother, Jian Cheng flicks through a few random pages.

“Yes, see, these pages record payments… Most seem to be to other sects, such as the Tang Clan, the Beggars Sect… There’s a real goldmine of information in here...years’ worth of entries. …”

Closing the book again, Jian Cheng checks the cover. “Apparently it belonged to a Yao Bao...”

“Ke-ke.” Now Kong Wang appears in much better spirits. “Yao Bao, you clown, that’s his name alright. He’s their sect book keeper or some-such. Or was. Should have stuck to his abacus and not crossed me! Stupid bean counter… Hee-hee, now they’ll have to teach someone else to read and write…”

“Senior, your sect elders would walk over a mountain of blades and a sea of fire for this book, it has countless secrets within.”

“Does it? I thought it was all amounts of money…”

Jian Cheng gives up. He tosses the book to his friend. “Trust me, hand this book to your father and you’ll be a hero.”

“I trust you.”

“Good, now trust yourself,” Jian Cheng says. “ You’ve not only performed intricate qi-hole surgery, formed a new sect and vanquished a famous foe, you’ve now retrieved invaluable information for the sect.”

“Wait, is the information valuable or invaluable?”

“Ahh.” Jian Cheng doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Put it this way, your father will be truly proud. A tiger father does not beget a dog son.”

Kong Wang is silent for a second, before sitting up straighter. Finally, he stretches his lazy waist and smiles before pointing at the shrinking pile of goodies.

“You should take that black cloak, it’s a little like armour, plus it’s fairly fire resistant.”

“Really? Thank you.”

"And those boots too.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Oh, what special properties do the boots have?”

“Style. Class.” Kong Wang smirked. “Two things you could really do with.. Seriously though, good leather that. They’re so much better than those smelly sheep-innards things you’re sporting.”

“Fine then. They're a bit big, but I’ll put them on now.”

“Do it over there. Don’t take off those stinky things anywhere near me - never fear, you’ll grow into them... How old are you by the way?"

"This one has just turned 12, so can be considered your little brother."

"Oh that's great! I don't have a little brother yet... I've just got a little sister, she's elev-- Oh no, she's twelve. I've missed her birthday... Quick, I need a present, or she'll never forgive me.”

"Do you want the armoured robe back?"

"No, no ... It's got to be something actually good. ‘Unique and thoughtful’ she said. Help!"

Jian Cheng thinks for a second, then reaches into his tunic pocket.

"Here's a hunting knife me and my father made. It's super sharp and never goes dull."

Kong Wang makes a face.

"My father has a special secret technique, he learned abroad, where he folds the metal over numerous times..."

Same disdainful face.

"It's also made from a magic ore my father brought back."

The face tilts slightly.

"You realise of course, it's from another world and no-one else will have one..."

The dubious face actually starts to show some interest.

"Also, it's rare and handmade, which is practically the same as unique and thoughtful."

"Is it?" Kong Wang holds out his hand. "Ooh, it's got a fluffy little fox carved on it! You should’ve said so, she'll simply adore it!"

"It's a dire wolf."

"Oh really? I doubt she likes dirty old wolves--"

"No, no it's a fox for sure. That was another knife I was thinking of. Anyway, I was saying it would be a dire wolf that looked so cuddly and cute."

"Phew," the blade disappears into the ring. "How much do you want for it?"

"Nothing of course, big brother has given me so much."

"I have to pay something. It's such a unique and...Thoughtful... Knife… I know, I'll teach you the guixigong."

Jian Cheng stares at his big friend with wide eyes, two full moons over a slack jaw. The Tortoise Breathing Art is a legendary martial technique used to restrain one’s breath and reduce one’s heartbeat. A powerful concealing technique which can mask cultivation levels and even feign death... It is also a myth!

"I take it you've heard of it then." Kong Wang continues. "That first breathing technique I taught you was good, but this is much better for advancement, as well as all those concealment aspects. It's what I was taught as a child and it worked fine for me.

“Technically it's restricted to core disciples only, but since you're founding elder of an entirely new chapter, I suppose it’s okay."

Apparently it isn't a myth...

Jian Cheng’s slack jaw opens and closes, but he still doesn't speak.

"You know, you must be the youngest elder ever! Hah!" Kong Wang seems to recall something else.

"Also, I almost forgot to give you these special clan body and soul enhancement techniques."

A fistful of green jade slips appeared in his hand and he begins shuffling through them.

"Aargh, I can't remember which is which. Should be two for the body and one for the six senses... Here take the lot, I can't be bothered reading the bloody things. “Those other slips should be some low level techniques or pill recipes I picked up on my travels. I can't even remember, rubbish mostly..."

Receiving the nine slips with trembling fingers, Jian Cheng can't help but sigh. One man's trash is indeed another man's treasure. He reverently slides them into his pants pocket, but Kong Wang plucks at his sleeve.

"You should put them in your storage belt so they don't get stolen. Sacred techniques and all."

Spatial ring. He'd been given that elder’s spatial ring. It was a belt, but still. How rare was a ring like that? Not just one that was a belt buckle, but any spatial storage artefact.

The three Misty Cloud sect elders at the testing, didn't have one between them. Only a yuanying level artificer - a specialist talismans expert cum blacksmith could create one using the rarest inter-dimensional ore that occasionally falls from the heavens in meteorite form.

Overcome, he falls to his knees and kowtows. As he bends forward for a second bow, he is dragged roughly to his feet by the collar of his tunic.

"Little brother you embarrass me. No more." Kong Wang bends and retrieves the belt then proceeds to show the gob-smacked boy how to use it with his consciousness. The first things that went in were his "ugly boots". Followed by the blood vial, the five spirit stones and the nine jade slips. Jian Cheng sits there for an incense stick of time, gleefully inserting and retrieving items. It never gets old.

Kong Wang lectures the whole time about the Thundering Tortoise Sect, and the ins and outs of the techniques - including the specifics of the guixigong. While a lot of it went in one ear and out the other, he can sense how proud his friend is. Talking about his beloved sect, Kong Wang shows a real pride and surprising technical insight. Occasionally, as he tells an anecdote, Jian Cheng gets glimpses into his home life. It seems the sect is actually rife with political intrigue and his father's position as sect head is coming under fire from his unfilial family.

The sect is beset by more tangible enemies too, especially the other divine beast sects, which occasionally try to gang up on them. It seems even the powerful have problems - the tiger truly still fears the dragon. And they both bully the tortoise it seems...

The only ones with Kong Wang's best interests at heart, appear to be his doting father, his first uncle and his wilful younger sister. Silently, Jian Cheng reaffirms his vow to become powerful, so he can help his senior brother in their central sect endeavours.