Atop a tree, Ash lays on a bed of feathers and hide. The full moon casts down as a gentle breeze hums and whistles through the leaves. A pleasant cooling touch to the warm humid weather. A day gone by so fast. Ash ate, worked out, and gathered cigarette butts from the alley. Had a chat with Rip Sock and Loose Tooth too. They were chilling, and grateful. As Ash suspected, they appreciate people who help clean things up in the alley. Little did they know Ash has uses for the cigarette butts. By mixing them with the liquid plastic and gasoline, Ash made the dumpster fire cocktail. The underground auction really simplified things by gathering the rest of the ingredients. Mixing these potions are not difficult. The same for the Landfill Surprise. Ash made it the second he got home, along with the dumpster fire cocktail. He yawns at the full moon, stretching his arms and back out as he gets comfortable on the hammock. The Rancid Garbage Punch ingredients need about five more days for the bacteria to really build up. The eggs are getting that signature sulfuric sting, and the milk is nearly gag inducing. Ash hasn't checked the fruits in a while but no doubt they are much filthier, for now. Come next week, his true trials begin.
By continuing this steady routine, and trying his best, Ash suspects his growth will continue at an astounding rate. If only he had some friends for the journey. Baro got seriously heated, and seriously hurt in their fight yesterday. Admittedly it was a damn good battle, no doubt a phenomenal learning experience for the both of them.
Turns out Baro was holding back in the first fight too. Ash snickers. He must have been caught off guard by Ash's sudden grasp of qi. He should have known something was up from the moment Ash began using the Garbage Collector's Glide. It was mere seconds after realizing how qi application works.
Ash looks into the swirls of his palm. He awakened qi two days ago, and planned to take it slow. After all, it took years to figure out how to move his body again, he fully expected the same with qi. Instead it flows identically to the mystic energies of his old world. The output is just severely limited due to the weakness of his current body. Baro obviously wasn't expecting Ash to have such an expert grip over qi mere minutes after learning it's applications, it was his mistake helping Ash realize those applications. Baro started slow to gauge Ash's abilities, but quickly realized he couldn't afford to hold back, unfortunately he couldn't realize that before Ash used a premature toxi-grip. It stressed the ever-loving heck out of Ash's meridians and peripheral nervous system, all for less than stellar results. Still, the sudden long ranged attack was enough to catch Baro off guard. Had the pain not been so overwhelming, that victory would have belonged to Ash. Instead they both fell at the same time.
Ash pouts. Victory was definitely mine.
Baro was much more prepared for the second battle, yet came with his arm still broken. Ash fully suspected him to heal before the fight, and in anticipation Ash healed himself prior too. Instead, Baro engaged with a broken arm, and lost the first exchange in the process. Yet he still managed to send Ash flying with a flaming strike. A strike like that would burn Bou and Lou Sar to bone, along with the entire classroom. If Ash didn't have a previous life of qi understanding, Baro would have ended him with that first blow. During their first fight, Baro never revealed that he could engage that attack on such short notice. Whatever that flaming technique is, Baro's body is developed enough to handle the strain. Before Ash could even recoil, that Baro began healing up his second arm. Ash tried his best to stop it, but he was too slow. From that point on, each hit was more devastating than the last. Ash's leg got burned, the back of his skull cracked, along with bits of his spine and ribs, he lost a tooth, and still used toxi-grip too.
Ash laughs. Despite that brutal beating, Baro's condition was arguably worse by the end. They weren't fighting too seriously the first time and still both ended up on the floor, knocked out. Ash anticipated more mayhem so he invested most his money in thunderblood mixtures. He'll get it all back when the next batch of coconuts are done. He hops down the hammock and checks the coconut trees. They're setting in. He'll have more Kireina Kami to sell next week. There's no point in going to classes anymore, so the only thing to do is stay home and train diligently on a daily basis. Today he went a little lighter than usual, it couldn't be helped as the day before he pushed his body well beyond it's limits.
This morning Ash felt so weak. He can only wonder what Baro's morning was like. Hopefully he comes around, it's not like Ash genuinely has any nefarious intentions. It's just the things he does seemed reasonably suspicious. He just has to explain to Baro that he's only seeing one perspective. Ash is still grateful for that fight, it showed him clearly what real fights in this world can turn to. It got out of control fast. In his old world, the only thing he fought were ever-increasing piles of trash. It's incredible the kind of insights a real fight can give to a person. Ash was skeptical at the time, but turns out that even the scavenger fight had it's own benefits. If it weren't for them, Ash may have attacked the Sar brothers as he attacked Baro. He was so critical of the scavenger experience being a waste of time, but in truth if it weren't for them he'd have no idea just how weak qi practitioners really are. If he threw a genuine Garbage Removal Punch without thinking too much about it, he could have caught a body.
Sweat drips down Ash's neck as he heats up. If he accidentally killed Bou or Lou Sar, then he wouldn't be relaxing right now. Their parents would employ any and all means at their disposal to get revenge. The only family Ash has, Janne, randomly disappeared. His only business partner genuinely doesn't care if he lives or dies either. Now his only pal in this world thinks he's some crazy poison lover. Hopefully Noana finds a way to get Baro his message.
It's just a straightforward apology. Ash is sorry for not explaining himself. He said that there is reason for everything, that it's all for earnest cultivation, that he'll explain everything if Baro comes over and listens. He also scribbled a little note about bringing Noana over too. If she really spends the time looking for Baro, and succeeds, the least he can do is give her some pointers. Ash wanted to look for Baro himself, but he had to get home, exercise, tend the gardens, dedust the house, feed the livestock, and meal-prep. There really wasn't enough time in the day. It's near midnight and Ash is finally done with his meal prep. The thunderhoof steak is finally dried and sealed, and ready for consumption. He can't wait for breakfast tomorrow. He can see it coming together now, bread made from scratch using garbanzo bean flour as base. He'll top that bread with eggs as the main course, with dried thunderhoof steak and bacon for a meat side. Spinach for salad, green tea for drink, and overnight oats for dessert. A five course super breakfast.
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Hopefully Noana managed to deliver the message to Baro. Ash scratches his head as he picks some fruits. She said she wants to learn from him, but does she really want to be a trash woman? For one reason or another, at least 2 thirds of the Khal sect were men. Though if she's willing to go through all of this, chances are she doesn't care if the martial arts is designed primarily for trash management. Baro's fire based attacks are much more suited for combat though, but Ash can't just make Baro deal with teaching her. Besides, unlike Ash, Baro doesn't have a debt of honor to repay. This girl stood up for Ash when everyone was hating, and they started hating her too. A part of Ash wants to just say that no one asked her to do that, that he was in complete control of that situation and she self-inserted for nothing, and the consequences are her problem. Thing is that he's kind of the reason she did that.
Ash slaps himself. He's being an asshole and running away from the problems he is causing. She was doing the right thing, and got attacked for it. It's clear that she doesn't want to be a bystander in events she doesn't want to participate in, and that she made a stand for it. If it were someone other than Ash there, she would have probably done the same thing. It's just a shame that instead of listening to her pleas, the other students turned on her. Those Sar brothers must be very confident about their social status if they're willing to hurt a noble's daughter so openly. Ash is frustrated that he has to worry about teaching so early but really it's kind of nice knowing the kid's aren't all bad.
Ash returns inside and dumps the fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms he picked into the fridge. He goes to his room, and manifests a board from his qi. A technique identical to what his teacher used in class. Only unlike her, Ash doesn't need to write on it. It writes based on his thoughts and qi fluctuations. Such is what it means to be an expert with qi. Ash writes down his curriculum, a one year course which will cumulate into a body ready for the poison demon ritual. Normally it takes four years to train an amateur, but Ash has a feeling Noana has been trained from birth. In some shape or form, she likely already has the other three years of knowledge. Ash just needs to realign it for the garbage arts, and assign the right meal plan.
His plan for the alley folk is much more meticulous. Rip Sock and Loose Tooth are in relatively decent shape, but the rest need a few years with the right diet and exercise routine just to reach qi practitioner. Hopefully by then he can put them on the poison demon ritual and their cultivation will skyrocket. The toxi-grip makes the garbage arts almost second nature. With a few more years of rigorous exercise and trash disposal duties, they will become the first generation of full fledged Khal Sect Trashmen. It will be a glorious day, and Ash can't wait for it.
He draws out the amount of resources he needs. The foods, utensils, poisons, and potions. Raising these men will no doubt be an expensive project, a small price to pay for saving the world. The Unofficially official sec city underground auction will always be interested in trade. Ash's face goes red, and his qi board distorts. He giggles excitedly whilst thinking of his favorite part of the auction.
"Sister Xiaojie, sister Xiaojie, lovely lovely sister Xiaojie,"
Ash snaps out of it as solidifies his qi board. He needs land for the Khal Sect too, and this farm won't be enough to feed more than a handful of people. It may be bountiful but that bounty will struggle to hold for more than five people for an extended period of time. He needs to create the sect too. Ash dreads this stage. He can't go cheap, the Khal Sect deserves the greatest artisans greatest level of care and dedication. Each stone must be carved with love, and the halls must stand grand with statues of the forefather lugging heaps of trash, a weight so grand it's comparable to an old god known for carrying the weight of the skies on his back. Such is the burdensome weight put on the back of the Khal Sect disciples, and such is their strength to see their commitment to the end.
Such a glorious sect requires a tremendous amount of wealth to erect. This is where Ash finds himself stumped. In order to sustain such a grand sect and thousands upon thousands of disciples, he will need an astronomical amount of Gillards. Though he has some rough estimates, he's not sure at all if they are accurate. The Khal Sect will need an investment of about two hundred million gillards, put in over the course of five to seven years.
Ash's main sources of income for the next while would be thunderhoofs and Kireina Kami mixtures, and he doesn't see himself hitting two hundred million by selling these things. Though the income will suffice in pursuing his personal goals, the long term ones will need much more work. Ash continues piling his notes on the board. the words almost incomprehensible under the vast amount of scribbles fighting for space.
If he grows at an unreasonable pace, would Prince Charock support him, or take him out before the Khal Sect attains too much influence? Ash can't say for sure, so it's best to keep his head low. The whole going to academy thing hasn't been working out, it may be best to cultivate in secret for the next while. Ash can attempt an advance grade somewhere quieter. Ash scratches his head.
Assuming Prince Charock allows me to leave this kingdom, he's probably got spies on me right now. Bastard.
Ash takes a deep breath. Every time he thinks about Charock, he gets worked up. It's the way he blatantly declared Ash a slave, that was unheard of. Never in his old life was he spoken to in such regard. He's been talked down to, insulted, spat on, and beaten, but never made to feel like a slave. Still, there is something unnatural about Prince Charock's cultivation. It's leaps and bounds ahead of Ash, and he can no doubt destroy his classroom with a mere flicker of his energy. Ash recalls a question he had which his teacher ignored, one about advancing beyond Qi Phoenix. He's certain cultivation goes further, he felt it in the disruption of his energy. What Charock hit him with was not qi. Ash doesn't know what it is, he just knows it wasn't qi. There was only ever the one mystic force in his old world, this world seems to have two, maybe more. Ash smirks, maybe that means that the garbage arts can grow beyond the limits of his old world too. An exciting opportunity.
A heavy knock on the door.
"I got your letter, this better be good."
Ash gets jolted right out of his thoughts. His board dissipates as he rushes down. Ash gulps as he slides the door open. Baro crosses his arms. Like Ash, he's lightly bruised all over, but looks to be in overall decent health. He has a crumbled note in his hand and his eyes are piercing. Noana meekly cowers behind him, and waves.
"Yo," Baro said.