The Amber Lily Academy lay just outside the core of the Pilgrim’s Ward, slightly off the beaten path but close enough to the hustle and bustle of travelers to provide endless opportunities to meet new people and encounter foreign experts at any given tea house or corner cafe. The Academy itself seemed to prize this sort of easy access to travelers, forgoing the high walls and impressive gates favored by most sects and even mortal academies in favor of a more open-feeling campus environment with multiple public gardens and pavilions for casual discussion between scholars.
That didn’t mean, however, that anyone who wished to could enter the academy grounds. One could argue that the open ironwork fences that allowed people to gaze at the beautiful campus within also functioned as a form of advertising, making it clear that the academy existed as a refuge for Scholars who were women as not a single man could be seen wandering the campus outside of the clearly indicated Visitor’s Hall.
Wu Ling and Su Xiang, however, after presenting their mission token to the dour-looking woman guarding the entrance, were guided to a bustling plaza at the opposite end of the academy. There, they found several wagons and carriages being loaded by dutiful workers while a group of women attentively provided instructions about how some equipment was to be handled, how supplies should be loaded or any number of other details as they prepared to depart on a journey into the mountains that would take several days in each direction.
Spotting a familiar woman with flat, owl-like features, short tawny hair, and thin-rimmed spectacles perched on her petite nose, Su Xiang pulled Wu Ling along to greet the woman who seemed to be in charge. “Alchemist Huang, greetings,” she said, cupping her hands and bowing slightly. “This is my sworn sister that I mentioned the other day, Wu Ling. Sister Ling, this is Independent Alchemist Huang Yeyan, she is the Instructor in charge of this expedition.”
“Alchemist Huang,” Wu Ling said, cupping his hands and bowing slightly. Of all of the professions a Scholar could pursue, the paths of Alchemy and Formations were considered not only the most prestigious but the most vital to society overall. Third-stage Scholars like Alchemist Huang represented the very beginning of the path of alchemy in the eyes of their own profession, in fact, first and second-stage cultivators were only allowed to refer to themselves as Alchemy Initiate or Alchemy Novice rather than claiming the title of ‘Alchemist.’ Properly speaking, Wu Ling and Su Xiang should have both given deeper bows to someone with cultivation multiple stages above their own, but as the people responsible for protecting this expedition, neither of them felt that being obsequious from the beginning would help matters if they needed to take charge in a dangerous situation later.
The Alchemist’s bright golden eyes flickered over Wu Ling, taking in everything from the zither carrying case at his side to the bundle of art supplies he’d brought along with his bag containing clothing and other daily necessities. To cultivators who could afford a cosmos bag or spacial ring, the collection of supplies fairly shouted Wu Ling’s humble origins. While Si Xiang hadn’t yet received a spacial treasure from her sect, the young sword cultivator traveled considerably lighter than Wu Ling and didn’t stand out nearly as much as the young artist did. “I thought you graduated from the Pure Virtue Musician’s Hall,” she said, her brows furrowed in doubt. “What’s with all of… this?”
“Junior Sister Wu?” A bright young woman’s voice called from across the courtyard before Wu Ling had a chance to answer. “What are you doing here?” A young woman set down the large stack of writing supplies she’d been carrying and hurried over to Wu Ling and the others. The twin buns that she wore her rich brown hair in combined with the generally soft features of her face to give her a mouse-like presence which was only reinforced by the high, almost squeaky pitch of her voice. “Did you come to paint the eclipse?” the young woman asked when she arrived.
“Initiate Liang Xuanji,” the Alchemist said, speaking up in surprise. “You’re acquainted with Aesthete Wu?”
“Sister Ling, I thought the classes at your school were relatively small,” Su Xiang said, frowning a bit at Wu Ling. “How is it we seem to run into your classmates everywhere we go?”
“Oh, no, Junior Sister Wu and I were never in the same class,” the mousy young woman said. “I graduated years ago. I found out about Junior Sister Wu when she painted a portrait for my sister-in-law Xia Xueyi who sent it to my elder brother Liang Xufan. He put the portrait in his practice hall to inspire him in his training. When I found out that it was painted by a Junior Sister at my former academy, I just had to go meet her!”
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“This isn’t actually that unusual Sister Xiang,” Wu Ling explained with a smile. “The Pure Virtue Musician’s Hall organizes events frequently to introduce current students to accomplished graduates along with mixers that help young ladies to meet potential suitors like Senior Sister Liang’s brother,” he said before turning to Liang Xuanji. “I’m glad to know that Senior Sister Xia and your elder brother have found happiness together,” Wu Ling said, offering a polite bow and a welcoming smile. “I hope that Senior Sister Liang also still enjoys the Starlit Gardens painting from last year.”
“Yes! It’s hanging in my room here at the academy. You paid so much attention to the positions of the stars that I can still tell the night it was painted just by looking at it,” she gushed. “So is that why you’ve come now? You’re going to paint the night sky of the eclipse?”
“Actually, I’ve come this time with my sworn sister, Su Xiang, to act as your guardians for the expedition,” Wu Ling explained. “Sister Xiang and I grew up together before my father died. She’s been at the Shining Blade Hall her entire life and she’s an incredibly perceptive swordswoman.”
“Aesthete Wu,” the owl-like Alchemist interrupted, trying to reclaim control of the conversation that ran the risk of creating casual acceptance before she’d agreed to allow Wu Ling to act as one of their guardians. “Brawler Su has reassured me that despite training as an Artist, you aren’t lacking in the combat capabilities to protect our group, but I must confess to being skeptical,” she said, giving a quick piercing glance to Initiate Liang to hold her tongue while she spoke to their prospective guardians. “I’d hoped that the Shining Blade Hall would be able to offer up two swordswomen for this task but it seems that few people there appreciated the opportunity to be present during a lunar eclipse. Can you help to provide some reassurance of your capabilities to keep us safe?”
“Of course, Alchemist Huang,” Wu Ling said with a smile. “Sister Xiang, would you be willing to walk a few paces away and prepare a Flying Crescent?” Seeing Su Xiang following his instructions he then turned to his mousy senior. “Senior Sister Liang, would you like to see my latest painting?” Wu Ling asked with a mischievous smile.
“I’d be happy to see any of your paintings, but,” she started to say only to cut off mid-sentence as Wu Ling summoned the cute and cuddly Yue. “That doesn’t look like a painting!”
“My Artistic cultivation is a little different than most,” Wu Ling explained, handing over the fluffy Snow Rabbit to Liang Xuanji. “Her name is Yue and she’s going to keep you safe,” he explained, stepping away to stand next to the owl-like alchemist. “Alchemist Huang, watch carefully.”
Before anyone could speak further or ask questions, Su Xiang swung her sword in a flashing arc, sending a crescent of pure white sword light flying directly at Liang Xuanji! Yue, however, had long been accustomed to blocking Su Xiang’s sword light. With a wiggle of her whiskers, a cloud of mist formed in front of Liang Xuangji, instantly freezing into an icy shield that deflected the sword arc harmlessly upward. All around the courtyard, workers and cultivators alike stopped in their tracks at the sudden demonstration, many of them assuming that Wu Ling in his ice-blue dress must be some kind of ice cultivator!
“Is that a contract beast?” Alchemist Huang asked, surprised at the power demonstrated by the fluffy little rabbit. Contract beasts who could follow instructions to the level this little rabbit displayed were rare and usually had to be specially trained before they could be relied upon. If the training given to the beast was poor, cultivators counting on them for protection could find themselves in extreme peril when the beast’s own survival instincts overrode its training. While she was impressed by the display, she still wasn’t certain that it meant that Wu Ling could be relied on.
“She’s a Guardian Beast,” Wu Ling explained, holding his arms out and catching Yue as she jumped joyfully into his arms, snuggling up close to his chest. “She’s one of two paintings that I’ve brought to life permanently. It only requires a bit of my energy for her to manifest, and she also welcomes spirit crystals as snacks,” he added, pulling a spirit crystal from his purse before feeding it to the contented rabbit and passing her back to Liang Xuanji. The young woman all but squeaked in delight as she cuddled the rabbit, oblivious to Su Xiang’s slightly jealous gaze.
“There’s more than just her,” Wu Ling added. “I hope, however, that seeing her puts your mind at ease?”
“On an expedition for a lunar eclipse, you’ve brought us a Guardian Beast named Yue,” the alchemist said with an ironic smile. “Aesthete Wu, you either have presented yourself very cleverly for us, or this truly is fated. I’m inclined to believe the latter. Since you’re already acquainted with Research Assistant Liang, I’ll leave you in her capable hands to settle your things in the wagons. Once we’ve finished loading everything, we’ll be headed out, hopefully within the hour,” she finished, turning to leave the young people to settle in.