Chapter 19 – Rice and Qi

Lin Yue tracked Shadow’s form as he darted between the glowing fruits. Each pass stirred a supernatural breeze through the purple leaves. The parasitic dragon snapped at invisible wisps of energy, growing more substantial with each bite.

Great. He’s gorging himself on whatever powers this thing. The fact that none of the other disciples noticed the spectral feeding frenzy suggested some advantages. She wouldn’t need to waste time meditating to maintain her power levels. Only having to show up when they burned through Shadow’s gluttony would save time.

But… she’d still need to practice meditation, if only so she would not be dependent on him.

Watching him bloat larger with each pass started to spark anxiety. What if he damages it? Or worse, kills the whole tree?

Xue sat cross-legged on the ground beside her, mimicking Xia Rou’s meditative pose with cute determination. Shadow swooped past again, now twice his original size.

“Okay, I’m done.” Lin Yue stood up and brushed dirt from her robes.

Xia Rou’s eyes snapped open. “What? We haven’t even been here five minutes!”

“I’m full.” Lin Yue shrugged. “Ready to go study or whatever comes next.”

“But learning proper meditation techniques is crucial for—”

“I’m good.” Lin Yue cut her off. “Stay and meditate if you want. You can fetch me from my room after?”

“Bah!” Xia Rou bounced to her feet. “What kind of senior sister would I be if I abandoned my junior to wander alone?”

Xue tugged at Lin Yue’s sleeve. “Where will we go now?”

“Well, I expected us to meditate for a few hours at least.” Xia Rou tapped her chin. “But I suppose we can check the available jobs instead.”

Lin Yue shifted away from Shadow’s bloated form as he drifted back toward her. “Jobs?”

“Oh yes! The pavilion needs disciples to handle all sorts of tasks.” Xia Rou led them back into the building. “Though until you learn some proper skills, most positions remain closed.”

Lin Yue gripped Xue’s small hand as they followed Xia Rou through the winding corridors. The contact helped ground her thoughts—and kept the kid from wandering off to explore random doorways.

Although the way Xue clung to her, that probably wasn’t a worry.

They rounded a corner into an open room. A wooden board dominated the far wall, emanating a soft spiritual glow that lit the space in ethereal blue. Ghostly text floated above the surface, arranged in neat columns and rows.

What the hell? Lin Yue squinted at the supernatural display. The organized information reminded her of game interfaces from her past life, minus the fancy graphics. Just rows of text hanging in the air, describing various tasks and requirements.

Lin Yue scanned the floating text, focusing on the job titles first. “Inkstone Guardian” sat at the top, followed by “Cloud Leaf Artisan” and “Brush Spirit Keeper.” The list continued down with positions like “Shield Path Walker” and “Memory Vault Keeper.”

Sounds like fantasy bureaucracy. Each title glowed with its own intensity, some dimmer than others.

A separate box near the top displayed names in neat columns. Lin Yue spotted Xia Rou’s name among dozens of others.

“When you registered to your room, the spirit script added you automatically.” Xia Rou pointed to Yue’s name. “It connects to all the pavilion’s facilities. Pretty neat, right?”

Yue grunted in agreement. Most of the jobs listed had names beneath them. Beside the listings, there were small numbers as well, but it didn’t match the number of assigned workers.

“The other houses manage things differently.” Xia Rou bounced on her toes. “But Ink House has the best system. As long as a job’s available and you aren’t already assigned somewhere, you can take any posting you are qualified for.”

Shadow drifted through the spectral text, causing ripples in the ethereal display. I really wish I could swat him out of the air.

“Postings aren’t permanent. People switch jobs all the time.” Xia Rou traced a finger along the numbers. “But once you commit, you’re locked in for at least a week before you can change.”

“What are those numbers?” Yue asked.

“That’s your weekly pay for the job. They adjust based on supply and demand, plus however much the Pavilion needs it done,” Ruo explained.

Lin Yue took in the numbers. Like a stock market for chores.

“Look!” Xue tugged at Lin Yue’s sleeve and pointed to “Outer Treasure Hall Keeper,” which showed the highest current payment of seven spirit stones.

Lin Yue studied the shifting spirit script. “This seems very... automated? How does it all work?”

Xia Rou grinned, her robes swishing as she spun to face Lin Yue. “That’s advanced spirit script stuff! Maybe we’ll understand when we’re elders, right?”

Lin Yue nodded. “Which jobs can I actually take?”

“In my opinion, three good options exist for new disciples.” Xia Rou tapped the glowing text. “First, Wind Step Messenger. You’ll learn the sect layout fast, plus overhear lots of interesting conversations. Minimal supervision too. It’s a fast ticket to learning where everything is, and you’ll meet everyone important.”

Lin Yue frowned at the payment, though. One measly spirit stone? Doordashing really isn’t appreciated here, I guess.

“Second choice: Memory Scribe.” Xia Rou pointed to another entry. “Lots of reading access, perfect for getting access to manuals. Very quiet, solitary work.” She yawned dramatically. “Also boring. Really, really boring.”

Rou took a step and moved down the board and pointed to another job title. Three spirit stones.

“Third option: Brush Spirit Keeper.” Xia Rou brightened. “You’ll learn about magical tools and have access to supplies. Low supervision, but you’re responsible for damages. Better pay though—because some tools hurt to clean.”

Lin Yue eyed the payment amounts. The first two positions offered one spirit stone per week, while the tool cleaning job promised three. Other positions showed anywhere from one to seven stones except for the fancy ones. “Do I have to choose now?”

“No rush.” Xia Rou gestured at the flickering numbers. “But they pay in spirit stones, and you’ll need them.”

“The best job for an outer disciple?” Xia Rou bounced excitedly. “Inner Path Servant pays seven spirit stones per week. You just follow an inner disciple around and learn from them.”

Learn from them? Yue frowned. She suspected it would be more like run their errands and do all their grunt work. “Seven stones?”

Rou nodded, but deflated slightly. “But an inner disciple has to choose you first. They’re pretty picky about who they let shadow them.”

“I’ll think about the options.” Lin Yue studied the flickering spirit script.

Rou nodded. “When you touch your name, the ones that have openings and you have access to will highlight, so it’s easy to see what you can pick at a glance.”

Yue reached out and put her index finger on her label. Sure enough, half the jobs darkened. Mostly the ones that paid better.

“Oh!” Xia Rou stepped forward and pressed her finger against her name in the glowing text. A trail of light followed her fingertip as she dragged it down to ‘Path Beginner Guide.’ The characters flashed bright blue. “Since I’m already teaching you two, I might as well get paid for it!”

A small crystalline stone materialized in the air. Xia Rou snatched it before it fell and slipped it into a tiny silk purse at her waist.

Lin Yue stared at the purse. The spirit stone should have made an obvious bulge in something that small. “How did that fit?”

“This?” Xia Rou patted the purse. “It’s a chudi—a storage bag. They can hold lots of items as long as they fit through the opening. The neck size depends on the bag’s price. Mine’s pretty cheap, so I only use it for small things.”

“I want one.” Lin Yue eyed the purse with newfound interest. The possibilities for a magical storage space made her previous pick-pocketing schemes seem amateur.

Xia Rou burst into laughter. “The cheapest chudi costs a hundred spirit stones!”

Lin Yue closed her eyes. Still cheaper than saving up for a new car. The memory of browsing dealership websites for her first beater brought a bitter smile to her lips.

“Most new disciples can’t afford one right away.” Xia Rou patted her purse again. “But it’s usually their first major purchase. Makes sense—carrying stuff around gets really annoying after a while!”

A hundred spirit stones seemed like a fortune now, but the convenience would be worth every piece. She’d need to find some way to earn them faster than these entry-level jobs offered, though.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

At one or two stones per week, I would be hauling stuff around like a pleb for months. She glanced at Shadow, who was curled up in a ball at the edge of his tether, ignoring everything. Unless we find another solution.

“Since we’re here, I might as well show you the class board!” Xia Rou skipped toward another section of the hall.

Lin Yue frowned. “Classes?”

The word triggered memories of dozing through high school lectures. Please don’t let there be pop quizzes in cultivation.

Rou led them to another glowing board similar to the job listings. More ethereal text floated, organized into neat columns displaying class names and costs.

“Every week, inner disciples teach different subjects.” Xia Rou pointed. “See? Basic Glyph Formation, Ink Refinement, Combat Scripts—all the fundamentals!”

Lin Yue studied the prices. “One to five stones per lesson?”

“The better teachers charge more.” Xia Rou traced her finger down the list. “But look—Defensive Arrays only costs two stones this week! Spots fill fast.”

Shadow coiled around Lin Yue’s shoulders and yawned. “The combat training might keep you alive longer.”

“Everything’s self-service in Ink House.” Xia Rou bounced on her toes. “You’re responsible for your own education. The tools are here—it’s up to you to use them!”

Lin Yue crossed her arms. “What stops people from being lazy? Just doing the bare minimum?”

“Oh, those people exist.” Xia Rou’s cheerful tone shifted darker.

“And?”

“They don’t last long.” Xia Rou’s smile turned predatory.

“Why not?”

Xia Rou laughed. “They tend to die on missions. Those start after your first year, determined by your master’s needs. Or Ink House’s if they are too busy to check on you.”

Shadow’s spectral form rippled. “Ruixian is very demanding.”

“Speaking of masters...” Xia Rou tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I wonder who yours is?”

Lin Yue shifted her weight. “That’s a secret for now.”

“How interesting!” Xia Rou clapped her hands together. “A mysterious master!”

Lin Yue rubbed her temples. “What’s next on this tour? I’d like to get settled in sometime today.”

“Oh! The supply shop.” Xia Rou spun toward the stairs. “After that, you’re free to explore on your own.”

They moved to the second floor, passing several disciples hurrying up and down the steps. Lin Yue dodged a young man carrying a stack of scrolls. “The shop’s in the main building?”

“We have several inside.” Xia Rou hurried up the last few steps. “All the basics are here—just like the workshops and quarters. Advanced facilities are spread out through the pavilion proper.” She wagged a finger. “Don’t worry about those yet. First-years stick to Ink House, mostly.”

Xia Rou paused. “Just remember what I said about getting lazy.” She studied Lin Yue with sudden intensity. “You’re not lazy, are you?”

“Not when effort pays off.” Lin Yue met her gaze steadily.

“Nice!” Xia Rou brightened and bounced toward a set of wooden double doors near the stairwell.

The doors opened into a room lined with shelves. Cultivation supplies filled every surface—bottles of ink, stacks of paper, rows of brushes. Three disciples browsed the merchandise, comparing items and muttering to themselves.

A disciple in plain gray robes recorded inventory on a glowing scroll while supervising. The spiritual light cast dancing shadows across rows of ink bottles and stacks of pristine paper.

“Everyone gets basic supplies for free.” Xia Rou picked up a brush and twirled it between her fingers. “Monthly quotas cover the essentials—standard ink, practice paper, brushes. The on-duty disciples track everything, even the free stuff.”

Lin Yue ran her fingers along a shelf of colored inks. “What about clothes?”

“Oh, they give us unscripted basic robes every three months.” Xia Rou straightened her own pristine black silk. “Plus cleaning supplies for your room, and enough practice materials to keep up with basic training.”

“And if we need something special?”

“That takes approval from our seniors. Or going out of the house to shop.” Xia Rou set the brush back in its holder. “We don’t have merit points like the righteous sects. Blackspire operates only on spirit stones.”

Lin Yue glanced at the recording disciple. “Is there a list?”

“This shop handles all the basics.” Xia Rou counted off on her fingers. “Ink Workshop for special mixtures and brushes. Paper Mill makes talisman sheets. Robe Workshop handles all the clothing. If you examine the jobs board, there are tasks to work in all of them.”

Lin Yue eyed the rows of supplies. “What are the shop hours?”

“All hours!” Xia Rou grinned. “Lots of night owls in Ink House. Don’t worry too much about the ‘schedule’ mentioned earlier—plenty of disciples ignore it completely. Just show up for jobs and classes on time.”

“What about food?” Xue tugged at Lin Yue’s sleeve. “Where do we get that?”

Xia Rou blinked slowly, tilting her head. “Do corpses need food?”

Lin Yue’s hand tightened on Xue’s shoulder.

“I’m hungry.” Xue’s stomach growled on cue.

“Actually, I haven’t eaten anything either.” Lin Yue studied Xia Rou’s confused expression. The enthusiastic guide’s perpetual bounce had stilled for the first time since they’d met.

“Huh.” Xia Rou tapped her chin. “You must be pretty new, then?”

“What?” Lin Yue narrowed her eyes.

“Well, most disciples don’t bother with food except as a luxury.” Xia Rou shrugged. “Some buy spiritual food to increase their capabilities, but that’s expensive and rare.”

No food anymore? Lin Yue’s stomach clenched at the thought. Even street rats scrounging through garbage managed to eat something. “Is there no regular food at all?”

“Well, there is a restaurant in the main pavilion.” Xia Rou waved toward a wall. “More of a drinking spot where all pavilion members gather, not just Ink House. They serve regular dishes alongside alcohol.”

Lin Yue crossed her arms. The thought of giving up food twisted her gut into knots. Even prisoners get meals. “I’m not ready to skip eating yet.”

“I need food,” Xue mumbled.

“What if we left the pavilion to get our own?” Lin Yue watched Xia Rou’s expression carefully. She had the impression that they weren’t really allowed out.

Xia Rou shook her head. “Outer disciples can’t leave without permission or good reason. It’s for the safety of the disciples.”

Yue choked back a dark laugh. For our safety? As if. Well, she had joined a cult, even if it wasn’t entirely by choice.

Xue’s bottom lip trembled as she stared at the floor.

“Don’t worry!” Xia Rou beamed at Xue. “I can help today and fetch something while you study those rules I gave you.”

“Thanks.” Lin Yue squeezed Xue’s shoulder. “That would help a lot.”

“No problem at all.” Xia Rou patted the tiny purse at her waist. “I’m getting paid as your Path Beginner Guide, remember?”

Xia Rou bounced away down the corridor, her endless enthusiasm echoing off the stone walls until she disappeared around a corner. Lin Yue watched the space where she’d vanished, analyzing every interaction they’d shared.

Too helpful. Too friendly. The perpetual cheer reminded Lin Yue of multi-level marketing schemes from Earth—all smiles until they had your money. But what angle could Rou be working? New disciples probably arrived broke and clueless all the time.

“Sister Rou seemed too nice.” Xue tugged at Lin Yue’s sleeve.

“Sharp.” Lin Yue guided them back toward their room, climbing the oak stairs. At least she had memorized the primary path up and down. “Not sure what she wants from us.”

Shadow drifted alongside them. “Everyone wants something.”

Their room waited exactly where they’d left it. Lin Yue pressed her palm against the door. It channeled a trace of qi that reacted with the sapphire tattoo on her palm and clicked open. Inside, the massive rules tome dominated their small table.

Lin Yue lifted the heavy book. It outweighed the cultivation manual by at least triple. “Great. More reading.”

Xue looked at her and then at the floor. “Maybe you could teach me to read?”

Ha. Yeah, that would be a good idea. “Sure, brat. Learning isn’t that hard, just takes effort and time.” She had learned on her own stealing scraps and scanning the city official notice boards, after all.

She dropped onto the bed, letting the tome fall open across her lap. Xue scooted close.

The pages crackled with age despite their pristine condition. Rows of precise characters marched across each page in neat columns. Yue started sounding out the letters for Xue to figure out.

A knock interrupted an hour later. They paused and Yue opened the door. Xia Rou smiled at her, holding up a tray with two wooden bowls of steaming white rice.

“Best I could do!” She set the tray in Yue’s hands and then disappeared in a flash.

What?

Lin Yue studied the plain rice and brought it inside. A quick taste confirmed her suspicions. No sauce, no vegetables, not even salt. The blandness explained why most disciples skipped eating entirely. Maybe it would beat starving or chewing on street vendor’s mystery meat.

“I want to go back to the inn.” Xue poked at her rice with wooden chopsticks. “The food was better there.”

Yue nodded. The feeling was mutual.

Then again. Food was human nature. Were the members of Ink House inhuman? Or had they just been fed bland slop to the point where they no longer noticed the lack of good food?

Maybe she and Xue could open their own store and sell… literally anything better than plain rice.

Then again, maybe she was totally off base. Another option was figuring out how to get inert spirit stones cheap, maybe from Yanlue. Then having Shadow fill them up from the Inked Soul Tree thing.

If it didn’t get noticed… If the ‘energy’ from the tree was comparably the same soul stuff that went into the spirit stones…

That could mean a lot of stones fast.

The wheels turned in Yue’s head as she picked at the food with Xue.

Shadow floated closer to her. “What are you scheming?”

Ha, he knows me so well already.