Yu Chen laughed as Han Li cracked a crude joke. The cultivator was deep in his cups, his porcelain face rosy and curled into a lecherous grin. Xue Lan threw an empty cup at him, and he ducked it with a laugh.
He was in conversation with Li Ming who sat beside him, and they were animatedly talking about how beautiful Elder Shu had looked when he’d stopped by the Manual Pavilion the other day, seemingly oblivious to the thunderstorm that was brewing on Zhang Lie’s face in the corner.
However, Yu Chen noticed Li Ming spoke just loud enough to ensure the other man heard. The man took great pleasure in antagonizing his friend.
They were in the small town at the base of the mountain, Jin Hua having planned the trip to the restaurant he’d promised Yu Chen all those months ago, although the situation had changed since then. Instead of celebrating him becoming a qi cultivator, they were celebrating Yu Chen’s entrance to the Inner Sect, and his discipleship under Elder Gu.
Jin Hua had also entered the inner sect in the months Yu Chen had been away, having established his foundation, becoming a strong cultivator. He’d also been accepted into the defense department, achieving his dream.
As far as Han Li went, he had yet to break through, although he was getting close, and he was still part of the Outer sect for now. Xue Lan on the other hand, had managed to step into Qi Refinement, having managed to advance her cultivation as well.
“So, what happened between you and Wu Feng?” Jin Hua asked him quietly, ignoring the antics of the others. “Half of his face is paralyzed, and the word in the sect is that he’s out for blood.”
Yu Chen snorted.
“He got what he deserved. He tried to rob me, him, his brother, and a handful of others. They attacked me while I was wounded, thinking I was easy prey, but Lue She showed them otherwise.” He said, raising a hand to pet the striped snake that was wrapped around his neck. Lue She flicked her tongue in response, tilting her head at his touch.
“Those two have always been trouble.” Jin Hua said with a sigh, “Still, you should be careful. Li Feng doesn’t know you are back yet. He’s been in sealed meditation for the last few weeks, preparing to break through to foundation establishment. Once he finds out you’ve returned to the sect, things there might become dangerous for you.”
Yu Chen didn’t say anything, spearing a piece of meat off of his plate and slowly chewing it. The taste made him grimace. After feasting on spirit beasts for so long, he found the meat of normal animals to be lacking a certain vibrancy.
“I reckon he’ll be even angrier once he comes out and finds the state I’ve put his brother in. My business with Wu Feng isn’t finished, and I’ll be seeing him soon.” Yu Chen said, punctuating his words with another stab at his plate.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Jin Hua asked in worry. “Li Feng won’t be able to do anything to you directly given your difference in realms, the sect won’t allow such a thing. But there are a million ways he can make your life difficult, and the sect won’t always be around to protect you.”
Yu Chen didn’t say anything, instead continuing to eat in silence. He might have been able to make peace with the duo once upon a time, but their second fight had destroyed any possibility of that now. Even if Yu Chen was inclined to forgive them, which he wasn’t, the serious injuries Wu Feng had sustained meant the brothers wouldn’t forgive him.
Only enmity could exist between them now.
Perhaps noticing his mood, Jin Hua decided to change the subject, and soon the atmosphere at the table became lighthearted once more. The rest of the night passed in happy laughter as the group celebrated Yu Chen’s return.
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Yu Chen groaned as he stumbled into his new home, making his way to his bed and falling into a deep slumber.
To his surprise he found himself awakening in a familiar place, having been pulled into his Inner Realm. He looked around blurrily, trying to find his bearings, only to find Xiao Huang hovering nearby, examining him with a look of contemplation on his face.
“Hatchling, you’ve returned. Come, let’s begin your lessons.” Saying so, the tiny dragon took off, curling gracefully through the air.
Yu Chen followed in silence, his mind clearing rapidly, despite the few drinks he’d had earlier. It seemed as though he was mostly unaffected by physical maladies within his Inner Realm. Surprisingly the dragon didn’t lead him towards the river, instead choosing to cut a path through the open field, diving in and out of the tall grasses as they traveled.
Yu Chen couldn’t help but feel envious at the sight. He enjoyed his human form, but did Xiao Huang have to make being a dragon look so fun? Yu Chen would give much to be able to fly through the air in graceful spirals.
Xiao Huang must have noticed something in his expression, coming to a halt within the field.
“Is there something on your mind, hatchling?” He asked in his deep bassy rumble.
Yu Chen hesitated before speaking. “I was just wondering what it must be like to be able to fly through the air.”
Xiao Huang preened as he undulated in the air, artificial sunlight gleaming off of his glistening scales.
“Ah,” Xiao Huang said in a plaintive tone. “It must be so troublesome to be landbound. There is not much that is comparable to flying, feeling the wind against your scales as you cut through the air. Unless of course it is diving into deep waters, exploring the mysteries that lie beneath the surface.”
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Yu Chen watched in silence as the little dragon spun through the air in slow, sinuous circles.
“What is it like to be born a dragon?” He asked suddenly.
Xiao Huang slowly came to a stop in the air, weighing Yu Chen with a considering gaze.
“Would you like to hear the story of my birth hatchling?”
Yu Chen nodded.
“My mother is known as Qing Long, the uncreated. She is never-born, spun into existence by the Heavens themselves to maintain the natural order, and she is closer to a living force than a living being, although when the time is right she can manifest form. She is the guardian of the east, but she is also present in the winds of spring, and it is she who brings rain and fertility, nurturing the lands.”
Xiao Huang’s voice was low and reverent as he spoke of his mother.
“Perhaps you are unaware, hatchling, but understand this, there are forces in this world even greater than I, and I am among the greatest. I was only one part of a clutch she laid among the roots of the World Tree, one of a hundred and twenty eggs.”
His voice grew soft as he spoke, and his eyes gave the impression of one recalling fond memories.
“I was born into strife and death, hatchling. The sound of battle was my lullaby, and as I pierced my shell, the light of day touching my eyes for the first time, it was the sight of one sibling devouring the other that I saw.”
“I was little more than a beast then. Driven by hunger I joined the fray, rending my siblings with tooth and claw. The fight between us all went on for weeks, although the unworthy didn’t survive the first day. With every death I became stronger, smarter and more aware, until at last there were only two of us remaining.”
Yu Chen listened, rapt with attention as Xiao Huang recalled his earliest memories.
“This may seem strange to you, but this is the way of dragons. It is how we determine the worthy. It was never our mother’s intention for more than one to survive, but still she spread her power one hundred and twenty ways, so only the most deserving would inherit it.”
“My brother was a true dragon, fearless and strong, his scales gleaming with the same azure color that our mother’s did. He was long of tooth and claw, and smart as well. I could see that the wicked gleam of intelligence within his eye matched my own. Together we might have conquered the world, but dragons do not form societies. There is only room for one at the peak.”
“Our fight was a beautiful thing, taking place beneath the watchful eye of our mother as we vied for her affections. We struggled against each other fourteen days and nights, neither willing to submit.”
Xiao Huang’s voice filled with nostalgia as he recalled the violent memories.
“In the end I stood above his broken body, victorious. Huanghe, my mother named me, as my scales were the same color of the river that spread across the world. I felt her touch for a single moment in time as she cradled me, and told me of my purpose.”
“And then she disappeared into the wind, and that was the last I ever saw of her.” The dragon’s voice had become tinged with sadness, and his eyes were shaded with melancholy at the memory of his mother.
Yu Chen bowed his head, his heart heavy for his little yellow friend, and the two sat in silence for a time, and no one but them knew what they were thinking.
“And so we come to today’s lesson, hatchling. During your body tempering you experienced something, yes?” The dragon asked as he cast a penetrating gaze towards Yu Chen.
Yu Chen looked up, startled, but Xiao Huang regarded him with a knowing gaze. “Yes Shizu, how did you know?”
The dragon snorted, shooting forth a tiny trail of smoke from one nostril.
“I am Huanghe Shenlong, what is there that I do not know?” The dragon said with an arrogant flick of its claws. “I was waiting for you to mention it to me but I grow impatient.”
Yu Chen cheeks flushed red, and he chewed his lip as he looked up at the dragon.
“Apologies, Shizu. Within the pool I came to realize that there was some strange property to the energy within the water. The energy itself contained something of the water. Or at least that’s how it felt. As I absorbed it I felt as if I understood what water was on a deeper level.”
“Hmm.” Xiao Huang practically purred the words, and Yu Chen could sense the dragon’s satisfaction, though he tried to hide it. “What you felt was something very important, something many, no, most, cultivators go their entire lives without touching upon.”
The dragon spun a lazy head around Yu Chen’s head as he spoke, his voice taking on the resonant tones common to his lectures.
“You touched upon the Concept of water itself. The Concepts are the Laws of Heaven and Earth and understanding them is key to advancing your cultivation. Eventually, your ability to comprehend them will be your main impediment towards moving forward.”
“For many cultivators a single Concept can become everything to them, and they will hinge their entire lives upon it. Take those dullards who follow the sword path.” Xiao Huang said in disdain. “Fools who externalize their path of Cultivation. They all dedicate themselves to the sword, but only the talented among them will develop a Concept.”
Yu Chen sat enthralled, his mind awhirl as Xiao Huang filled it with new information.
“It begins with the Sword. Perhaps, if they are a once in a generation talent, they will develop a Concept of Sharpness,” Through Xiao Huang’s voice the words carried a deeper meaning, ringing with some note just beyond Yu Chen’s hearing. “And a peerless talent will form a Concept of Slicing, or perhaps even Severing.”
Yu Chen’s head began to ache as Xiao Huang enunciated each Concept, the depth of meaning contained within them too much for him to grasp.
“And how many of those unparalleled talents do you think can follow a sword all the way to its most Fundamental Law, forming a Concept of Division?”
Yu Chen’s head rang as Xiao Huang ground out that last word, the world itself seeming to shift as it was uttered. He watched red drops fall, hitting the grass, and realized absentmindedly that his nose was bleeding.
Xiao Huang paid it no mind, fixing him with a stern glare.
“You must be able to grasp these abstract Concepts if you truly wish to become powerful, hatchling. The sword is a physical thing, and easy to understand. If one can form a Concept of it, they will become deadly when wielding one. However, if one can form a Concept of Sharpness, then anything that is Sharp can become a Sword.” Xiao Huang’s lecture continued, and Yu Chen focused through the pain, doing his best to grasp exactly what the dragon was saying.
“And if one can understand Severing, then even a blade of grass can become a Sword capable of cutting through anything.” Xiao Huang said, and his voice shook the Inner Realm as he spoke.
“Conceptualize Division, and your Mind itself becomes the Sword.”
Yu Chen’s heart palpated as Xiao Huang spoke, possibilities streaming through him.
“Of course, a dragon has no need to become a weapon, for a dragon already is a weapon. Remember this hatchling, if you forget all else. The only thing a dragon cultivates is their own nature. What value lies in exploring a hunk of metal that’s been beaten into shape?”