It was the height of summer, but despite the sun beating down upon them it was still cool in the mountains. The mountains which, it turned out, were rather beautiful when they weren’t covered in fog and Yu Chen could see further than two handspans in front of his face.
They probably would have been even more impressive if he could catch more than a fleeting glimpse.
“Don’t worry, it’s not too much further!” Jin Hua shouted towards him as their group raced through a bamboo forest that stretched across the mountain range.
It was a unique experience for Yu Chen. He wasn’t used to being the one struggling to keep up with others, as he trailed behind Jin Hua and the two other outer sect disciples the boy had gathered to help them complete the mission he’d told Yu Chen about a few days ago.
Yu Chen had asked why they’d needed so many people when they were on a simple gathering mission for the sect, the sort of open-ended request that was always available, but Jin Hua had assured him the extra help was necessary.
It turned out the mission wasn’t so simple.
A few weeks ago, Jin Hua had stumbled across a patch of Moonlight Orchids, a spiritual treasure that was highly desirable for their use in various pills and elixirs, in a small valley a few hours away from the sect.
Unfortunately, he’d discovered they were guarded by a spirit beast.
It wasn’t uncommon to find such beasts lingering around such treasures, as they were drawn to them as much as humans were, but it was a bit of bad luck for Jin Hua who could have earned a substantial amount of contribution if he’d been able to bring the flowers back alone.
Instead, he’d had to form a group to take the beast down. Still, it wasn’t so bad, with the addition of the spirit beast’s core, as well as its corpse, there should be more than enough contribution to satisfy everyone.
Jin Hua slowed his pace a little to accommodate Yu Chen.
“I can understand the girl,” one of the unknown cultivators rudely complained, “her stealth skills might come in handy when we attack the beast, but why would you bring the boy? He’s only at qi awakening, he can’t be of much use!”
Yu Chen’s steps faltered at the words, and he frowned, but he kept his mouth shut and continued running, pretending he hadn’t heard what the boy said. Jin Hua had introduced him as Han Li, and he was also at the fourth level of Qi Condensation.
Jin Hua glanced over his shoulder and flashed an apologetic smile at Yu Chen, before turning around and speaking to the other boy.
“He’s already agreed to take a smaller cut so what are you complaining about?” Jin Hua said to the petty boy. “Besides, he’s a decent martial artist. You are still struggling around with the Iron forms, aren’t you? Inner Sect disciples are expected to master the Steel forms you know.”
As the two boys bickered back and forth, Yu Chen cast a glance at Xue Lan, the fourth member of their group. If she had heard what Han Li had said, she didn’t say anything about it, simply running along with a look of single-minded focus.
Yu Chen followed her lead and kept silent as they ran, thinking about what the older boy had said. It was true, he was the weakest of the group, as he hadn’t broken through that long ago. The other disciples in the group were at least a few small levels above him.
He thought about the information he’d read in the Golden Mist Manual.
There were four smaller levels that made up the Qi Condensation realm, with cultivators becoming progressively stronger as they progressed through them, as each of the small realms brought some substantial change to the quality of one’s qi.
Yu Chen was only in the first level, which some called Qi Awakening, and others Qi Gathering. It was the level where one managed to awaken and draw in qi for the first time, circulating it throughout their body.
Once you managed to accumulate enough qi, you stepped into the second level of the Qi Condensation realm, called Qi Stabilization, where your focus was on gaining complete control over your qi. Xue Lan was at this level, and nearly at the peak.
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The third level was called Qi Refinement, and Yu Chen knew little more than it involved cleansing one’s meridians and purifying their qi. The exact process was a mystery to him.
And then came the fourth and final level, the eponymous Qi Condensation stage. Cultivators here focused on condensing their refined qi into a more compact and powerful form. This was the level the two older boys were within.
Yu Chen had sparred with Jin Hua a few times and had personally experienced the vast differences those levels made in one’s strength. If Jin Hua didn’t restrain his qi, he could as well be facing a toddler instead of a Qi Awakening cultivator.
It was a humbling experience. I won’t be that weak for long. Yu Chen promised himself.
He was already hard at work on entering the Qi Stabilization level, although accumulating enough qi to break through took time.
Still, it wasn’t too early to practice. At the peak of the Qi Stabilization, one would possess near complete efficiency when gathering and using their qi, while mastering it would allow one to use their qi for long periods of time without becoming tired or running out of energy.
It was the first step to creating a stable foundation for the future.
Another far off goal for him.
He contented himself with focusing on the little things he could control, determined to become stronger step by step. Right now, he was focused on the wasted potential he was exerting as he used his qi to run, noticing the leakage that occurred when he was too wasteful with energy. Every step he took caused a bit of qi to splash into the world around them, marking his level for all to see.
Unlike the others. Unlike Xue Lan.
He glanced over at the girl as she ran, envious at her perfect form. She was a small mousy thing, with a knack for blending in and disappearing when you didn’t keep your focus on her. As far as Yu Chen could tell she had perfect control over her qi, each step perfectly synced without the faintest hint of leakage or wasted qi. Even the two older boys couldn’t match her level of control, despite being at a higher realm.
Yu Chen wondered if it was a technique she’d learned that helped her control her qi so well. However she did it, it was impressive.
The two boys finished their bickering, and the group lapsed into silence as they all continued running.
Yu Chen didn’t mind; he was just happy to be able to leave the sect and enjoy the wild places of the earth once again. He’d been cooped up in the sect for months, since the early spring, and was glad to be out exploring once again.
Places like this bamboo forest, which was ancient and dignified, older than any Yu Chen had ever seen. Places like this rarely saw any humans at all and were filled with spiritual beasts and all sorts of earthly treasures. Places he’d never have seen if he hadn’t begun this journey.
Jin Hua finally brought them to a halt after they had penetrated deep into the depths of the forest, to a place where the sky was so crowded with ancient trees that only the faintest hints of light made it through to the bottom, dappling the dark greenery of the verdant undergrowth.
“The clearing isn’t too much further ahead, so let’s go over the plan.” Jin Hua said as he eyed the group seriously.
“Xue Lan,” Jin Hua nodded towards the girl, “Has done some research based off of my observations and has come to the conclusion that our foe is a Blackscaled Asp.”
Han Li swore.
“An asp? You said it was a Tier 1 beast! You dragged me all the way out here to tell me the damned thing is venomous?” The older boy said as he cast a baleful glare at Jin Hua.
Now that they had all stopped running Yu Chen took the chance to look over the older boy who was similar in strength to Jin Hua.
Han Li was tall and lanky, his robes unembroidered like all outer sect disciples, but his defining feature was a face that women would kill for. A face quite at odds with his rough demeanor.
Yu Chen failed to hold back his snigger, and a light sound of amusement escaped his lips.
“What the hell do you find so funny?” Han Li demanded, as he whirled about to face Yu Chen. “One bite from that damned thing and you won’t live to see tomorrow. I hope you don’t think I’m going to save your sorry ass.”
“Hey, I said I had a plan, didn’t I?” Jin Hua asked placatingly, before Yu Chen could reply.
“Xue Lan is also an apprentice in the Formation Hall, and she’s arranged an array for us that will neutralize the snake’s venom.”
Han Li settled down a bit at the words, only to be immediately riled up by Jin Hua’s follow-up.
“The plan, short and simple. Xue Lan and Yu Chen will be responsible for setting up the formation. Han Li and I will be responsible for distracting the snake while they do so. Any questions?” Jin Hua asked.
“Yes!” Han Li shouted; his eyes livid. “How the hell do you know the formation works? Why the hell do I have to be the one to distract it? And, even if we can get rid of its venom, how do we kill the damned thing?”
“The heavens are fair. Venom is its strength; it won’t be so powerful without it.” Jin Hua said confidently. “Even in the first place, it’s still only a Stage 1 beast. If the four of us can’t manage to beat it, do we even deserve to be called cultivators?”
“As for why we have to distract it,” Jin Hua continued, “look at them, they aren’t strong enough to go toe to toe with a spirit beast yet.” He said, as he gesticulated towards the other two disciples.
Han Li opened his mouth to say something else, but Xue Lan beat him to it.
“I’m in your care, senior.” She said softly, as she bowed, casting her eyes towards the angry boy.
“Of course.” Han Li said awkwardly at last, the tips of his ears turning red.
With a sigh of defeat, he fell back, listening as Jin Hua finished outlining the plan.
The whole thing seemed rather simple to Yu Chen, and he had to admit it seemed sound. Jin Hua would approach the glade first and catch the beast’s attention. After it set upon him, Han Li was to intercept it, splitting its focus between the two.
Meanwhile Yu Chen and Xue Lan would be in charge of placing the formation talismans that Xue Lan had prepared in a large circle around the circumference of the fight. If everything went to plan, the snake's venom would be neutralized and they would join in the fight, providing support and backup to the two older fighters.
They continued on their way, walking this time, after the briefing wrapped up, walking in silence until they reached the outskirts of the glade. Jin Hua and Han Li parted from the others with a silent nod, before making their way towards the center.
Yu Chen and Xue Lan split in separate directions, circling around the glade from the left and right, keeping one ear open for the sounds of battle that were sure to begin soon. Yu Chen was slapping a talisman on a tree every 20 paces or so, and he’d made it almost to the halfway mark when he suddenly froze in place.
His face went ashen, the color seeping away as he made eye contact with a massive black snake that was slithering through the underbrush.