《Of Hunters and Immortals》


 1. Ash and Silence

    Jiang Tian knelt in the light dusting of snow, ignoring the damp chill seeping through his trousers with practised ease. He¡¯d been tracking this deer for the last six hours and wasn¡¯t going to let something as banal as being uncomfortable ruin things for him now.


    The forest lay still beneath the promise of early winter, its silence broken only by the occasional creak of branches and the whisper of the wind through bare trees. The air was crisp and dry, tinged with the scent of frost and distant pine, and Jiang exhaled slowly, watching his breath curl into the cold.


    Hunting was something of a seasonal occupation, and while he had more success ¨C or was willing to take more risks ¨C than other hunters even in the depths of winter, Jiang knew that this would likely be his last big hunt before the heavy snows arrived. That was fine. It was far from his first winter, and their family was well prepared for the months of scarcity.


    Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have even bothered coming out this far, but a herd of deer had been pushed closer to the village by some danger in the deeper woods ¨C probably a spirit beast of some kind. It was an opportunity, and Jiang had ever been one to leap at those.


    Which led to him crouching low behind a cluster of frost-touched bushes, eyes locked on his prey. A young buck, ribs barely beneath its burgeoning winter coat, stood barely thirty paces ahead, head lowered as it foraged for grass hiding under the blanket of snow. It favoured one leg, the rear left, where a jagged wound marred its hide. A wolf¡¯s doing, most likely, and a fatal wound for an animal going into winter. Already, he could see it was too skinny to survive the coming months ¨C and yet, the deer had survived long enough to escape its predator and was tenacious enough to keep up with the rest of the herd. That, Jiang had to admit, was impressive.


    Still, survival did not mean safety. And today, the deer¡¯s luck had run out.


    Jiang moved with practised precision, raising his bow in one smooth motion. The wood, recently oiled to protect against the cold, creaked softly as he drew back the string. His world narrowed to a single point¡ªthe place just behind the buck¡¯s shoulder, where the arrow would slip between the ribs and into the heart.


    The forest held its breath.


    He loosed.


    The arrow struck cleanly, and the deer dropped without so much as a cry. The rest of the herd scattered, their white tails vanishing between the skeletal trees. Jiang lowered his bow, already rising to his feet.


    A clean kill. Efficient.


    Snow crunched beneath his boots as he closed the distance, the weight of the hunt settling into his shoulders alongside the usual considerations. How much of the meat would they dry? How much should be traded? Should they sell it to the butcher and save the money for later? Their stores were in good condition¡ªhis mother had ensured that¡ªbut winter was long, and things rarely went as planned. If the snows came early, if one of the storage barrels soured, if his sister took ill¡­


    Best to be prepared.


    Jiang crouched and examined the carcass. A poor winter for it would have meant a poor winter for predators, too. Still, it would be enough to feed his mother and sister for a few weeks if they were careful and supplemented the meat with their supplies of grain and the odd lot of berries he sometimes found in the woods ¨C not to mention Madam Hu would probably be interested in buying the pelt. She was old enough to complain bitterly about the cold every winter, though far too stubborn to ever consider moving to a larger town.


    With a huff of effort, Jiang adjusted his stance, rolling his shoulders beneath his cloak, and shifted the carcass up and over his back. It was heavy, but he was strong. Always had been. Even as a child, he¡¯d been quicker, sharper, more aware than others his age. It wasn¡¯t something he thought about much¡ªit was simply the way he was.


    Above him, a raven cawed, the sound echoing through the forest. He quirked a smile. Ravens were scavengers, smart enough to follow hunters in the hopes of scoring an easy meal. He didn¡¯t mind tossing them the scraps he didn¡¯t care for, but didn¡¯t have the time right now.


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    The village lay six, maybe eight hours to the south. Typically, he would have camped for the night¡ªthere were good spots to the west, beneath thick pines where the wind couldn¡¯t cut so deep¡ªbut not with the scent of fresh blood clinging to him. Wolves, bears, and even the occasional spirit beast prowled the deeper woods. No, better to press on.


    He started walking.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    The sun was already low, sinking behind the jagged peaks of the Qingyun mountains in the distance, casting long blue shadows over the snow-dappled ground. The village of Li¨³x¨© experienced early nights and late mornings, thanks to the mountain ranges to the east and west.


    Jiang Tian was making better time than he¡¯d hoped for, his steady pace unhindered by exhaustion despite the long day. His breath came evenly, legs strong beneath him, and though the deer had weighed heavy at first, his body had long since adjusted to the burden.


    Yet, something gnawed at the edges of his awareness.


    The forest was still. Too still. The usual sounds of the night¡ªrustling underbrush, distant howls, the occasional hoot of an owl¡ªfelt muted, as if the trees themselves were holding their breath. The sensation prickled at the back of his mind, an instinct honed over years in the wilderness. His father had called it hunter¡¯s sense¡ªthat feeling when the forest quieted before a predator made itself known.


    Jiang wasn¡¯t afraid, not exactly. Every hunter knew what it was like to become the hunted, and he¡¯d had his fair share of close calls with fellow predators. But something told him that this was¡­ different. Worse.


    He pushed forward, lengthening his stride. The sky had darkened fully, the path ahead illuminated only by the pale light of the rising moon. He adjusted his grip on the deer, readying himself to pick up the pace.


    Then the wind shifted.


    Smoke.


    Jiang inhaled sharply, his senses sharpening at the acrid tang that flooded his nose. Not the thin, pleasant wisp of chimney smoke or a distant campfire¡ªthis was thick, heavy. Wood, thatch, something else underneath it.


    Burning.


    His stomach clenched, but he didn¡¯t waste a second. His body moved before his mind could finish processing, muscles acting on pure instinct. He dropped the deer in the snow without ceremony, barely hearing the dull thud as it landed. Above, a lone raven cawed at the bounty he was leaving behind. A full day of work abandoned in an instant.


    He ran.


    The world blurred around him as he sprinted through the trees, feet finding familiar purchase on the uneven ground. He barely registered the branches that snagged at his cloak, the icy wind biting against his skin. The scent grew stronger with every step, acrid and unmistakable.


    His pulse pounded in his ears.


    The trees thinned, and then¡ª


    Light. Flickering orange in the distance.


    Jiang¡¯s breath came fast and sharp as he burst free from the forest, emerging at the crest of the gentle slope that overlooked Li¨³x¨© Village.


    His home was burning.


    Flames licked at rooftops, smoke curling into the sky in thick, choking plumes. The streets were empty. No shouting, no scrambling figures hauling buckets of water.


    No one was fighting the fire.


    No one was there.


    Jiang didn¡¯t stop to think. He ran.


    His boots pounded against the packed earth of the village path as he pushed forward, his gaze locked on his family¡¯s home on the outskirts. It was a small thing, sturdy despite the years, built just outside the village proper where the land sloped into the woods. The distance had always given them a little privacy, a little peace.


    Now, it made them vulnerable.


    The first bodies appeared as he passed the central square. Dark shapes sprawled in the dirt, some still clutching weapons, others lying in the awkward stillness of the dead. Jiang didn¡¯t slow. He didn¡¯t check their faces.


    It was a bandit raid. It had to be.


    He had seen the aftermath of raids before, had heard the stories from traders passing through. Villages burned to the ground, people slaughtered or taken, everything of value stripped away.


    It didn¡¯t matter.


    Not right now.


    Jiang sprinted past a collapsed food stall, past the well, past the smouldering remains of what had once been the tailor¡¯s shop.


    Then, at last¡ªhis home.


    His heart pounded as he neared the familiar shape of the house, the sight of it standing¡ªstill standing¡ªcutting through the haze of smoke and fire. It was untouched, the flames still distant, though the air was thick with the smell of charred wood and blood.


    Jiang didn¡¯t hesitate. He slammed his shoulder against the door, not bothering to check if it was unlocked. It burst open under his weight, the wooden frame groaning in protest as he stumbled inside.


    ¡°Mother! Xiaoyu!¡± His voice cut through the thick silence, hoarse with urgency.


    No response.


    The hearth was cold, the small table overturned. A bowl lay shattered on the floor, its contents spilled and dried.


    No blood. No bodies.


    They were gone.


    Jiang stood still for the first time since he¡¯d smelled the smoke, his breath coming in slow, measured exhales. His mind worked rapidly, assessing. The house wasn¡¯t ransacked¡ªno drawers torn open, no signs of a fight. They hadn¡¯t been killed here.


    Which meant¡­ they¡¯d been taken.


    His hands curled into fists.


    Outside, the fire crackled. The village lay in ruins, its people either dead or dragged away. His mother and sister were out there somewhere, in the hands of raiders who would not be gentle, who would not be kind.


    Jiang inhaled deeply, steadying himself.


    Then he turned and stepped back outside.


    It appeared his hunt wasn¡¯t over yet.

 2. Bitter Harvest

    There wasn¡¯t time to waste, but all the same, Jiang couldn¡¯t afford to be hasty.


    He forced himself to take a deep breath, closing his eyes and ignoring the shattered bowl and overturned table. He wanted to rage, wanted to sprint out the door, find the bandits, make them hurt¡­ but rage wouldn¡¯t help him here. It may feel good, but it made people reckless and stupid.


    Think. Reason. Plan. Only then should you act.


    His father¡¯s words echoed through his head as he took a low, slow breath. His eyes snapped open, and he turned, striding out of his house with purpose.


    Judging by the state of the village and the fact that no one was fighting the fires, his family was far from the only one to be taken. Li¨³x¨© wasn¡¯t a large village by any means, but it was still home to almost two hundred people. Any bandit group bold enough to pick this kind of target was either just as numerous - or dangerously competent.


    Not the kind of target he could fight.


    That was fine. He didn¡¯t need to fight ¨C his only goal was to retrieve his family, not punish the bandits. As much as the notion of them getting away with this burned, reason prevailed. Getting himself killed in a quest for vengeance helped no one.


    His first step, then, was to check if anyone was still alive in the village. Judging by the bodies lying around, he wasn¡¯t hopeful, but he had to at least check.


    The second step was to track the bandits. A group large neough to attack the village would leave plenty of signs of their passing and would probably be moving slowly, so Jiang wasn¡¯t terribly worried about that ¨C not even at night. The tricky part was what to do once he caught up with them.


    Jiang exhaled through his nose, pushing the thought aside. That was a problem for later. First¡ªthe village.


    He moved quickly, his steps sure and steady as he crossed the open street. The fires were still burning in places, but they hadn¡¯t spread enough to make navigation impossible. Even without anyone around to actively fight the fires, buildings were spaced far enough apart that it wasn¡¯t easy for the flames to spread.


    Li¨³x¨© hadn¡¯t been a large village, but it had been home. His home. A collection of sturdy wooden houses, a few workshops, a central square where traders stopped every few months to barter their wares. The well. The apothecary¡¯s hut. The tailor¡¯s shop. The butcher¡¯s place. All familiar landmarks, now twisted by violence.


    The well stood dark and abandoned, a bucket lying on its side where someone had dropped it in a hurry. The tailor¡¯s shop had taken heavy damage, the roof caved in, half-burned bolts of fabric scattered in the dirt like discarded rags. The apothecary¡¯s door had been smashed inward, its shelves overturned.


    Clearly, the bandits didn¡¯t stop at just taking the people ¨C though now that he thought about it, it was a little odd that the bandits had moved on so quickly. They clearly hadn¡¯t had much trouble subduing the inhabitants, so why didn¡¯t they take advantage of the buildings to stay a while, sleep in actual beds instead of out in the wilderness?


    Jiang dismissed the thought. It ultimately wasn¡¯t important why the bandits did what they did, just that they had done it.


    A ragged cough cut through the silence.


    Jiang¡¯s head snapped toward the sound. Near the butcher¡¯s shop, half-buried beneath a collapsed beam, a man lay sprawled in the dirt, one arm dragging weakly against the ground. Blood darkened the snow beneath him.


    Jiang moved without hesitation, crossing the distance in long strides. He crouched, hooking his hands under the beam, and heaved. Wood scraped against wood as he shifted it just enough to drag the man free.


    Zhou Wei, the butcher.


    Jiang had known him his whole life. A thick-set man, heavy with muscle even in his age, a permanent scowl etched into his features. He had a daughter, younger than Xiaoyu, though just as stubborn.


    Now, his face was pale, his tunic slick with blood. His leg was bent wrong, crushed beneath the weight of the fallen structure. Even if Jiang had the skill to mend wounds, there was nothing to be done for him.


    Zhou Wei coughed again, breath rattling in his chest. His eyes flickered open, rolling for a moment before finding Jiang¡¯s face. His lips curled, part grin, part grimace.


    ¡°Thought¡­ you were dead,¡± he rasped.


    Jiang shifted, pulling off his cloak and pressing it against the worst of the bleeding. It wouldn¡¯t save him, but it might buy him a little time. ¡°Who did this?¡±


    Zhou Wei¡¯s fingers twitched against the ground, curling weakly. ¡°Gao Leng.¡± The name was bitter on his tongue. ¡°It was¡­ the Hollow Fangs.¡±


    Jiang¡¯s stomach turned.


    That¡­ was worse than he¡¯d thought.


    The Hollow Fangs were as close to an infamous gang of bandits as any could get. They had terrorised the region for years, always vanishing before any sect or magistrate could send a force after them. Led by Gao Leng, the Wicked Blade, it was said that none could stand up to them.


    In hindsight, Jiang should have known it was them ¨C no other bandit group would be so bold as to attack a village like this. Just before winter was the perfect time to do it, too. Trade and travel were rare once the snow started falling heavily, and it could well be months before anyone even realised the village had been attacked. By then, the Hollow Fangs would be long gone.


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    ¡°My family,¡± Jiang pressed, his voice sharp. ¡°What happened to them?¡±


    Zhou Wei exhaled, long and shuddering. ¡°Taken,¡± he said. ¡°Most of the women. Some men, too. The rest¡­¡± He coughed, spitting blood into the snow. ¡°They killed the others. Fast or slow, didn¡¯t matter. Just for sport. Saw them go after Madam Hu.¡±


    A bitter, savage smile spread across Zhou¡¯s face, broken a moment later by another cough. ¡°The vicious old hag took three of them with her. Gutted a forth. He¡¯ll be dead soon, wound like that.¡± Zhou Wei was rambling now, breath coming shorter as he faded.


    Jiang pressed harder against the wound, though it was useless. ¡°Where did they take them?¡±


    Zhou Wei¡¯s head lolled to the side. His breath came slower now, his eyes glassy. ¡°South,¡± he murmured. ¡°Toward the river. Left¡­ a few hours ago.¡±


    Jiang gritted his teeth. It wasn¡¯t the worst case scenario ¨C even knowing the terrain like he did, the river was a few hours, and the bandits were no doubt much slower. Still, he would have to move fas¡ª


    Zhou Wei¡¯s fingers twitched again, grasping blindly. Jiang caught his wrist, and the butcher¡¯s grip tightened with surprising strength. ¡°My girl,¡± he whispered. ¡°Lanying. They took her.¡±


    Zhou Wei¡¯s fingers dug in, desperate. ¡°Get her back.¡±


    His grip loosened. His breath hitched.


    Then, nothing.


    Jiang¡¯s mouth worked uselessly, and he wrenched his eyes away, forced calm on the verge of breaking.


    ¡°I will,¡± he promised thickly, though there was no one to hear it. ¡°I swear it.¡±


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    There was no one else alive in the village.


    He didn¡¯t let himself dwell on it.


    The trail wasn¡¯t hard to find. Even in the dim moonlight, the path was clear. Trampled snow, broken branches, deep footprints where carts or heavily burdened men had sunk into the cold earth. Scattered debris¡ªa discarded waterskin, a torn strip of cloth, a snapped arrow shaft¡ªmarked their passage. The Hollow Fangs had numbers, and they weren¡¯t trying to hide their movements. They didn¡¯t have to.


    Jiang moved swiftly, his breath steady, boots near-silent against the frozen ground. He kept off the direct trail, following parallel through the trees, avoiding open ground where the light of the rising moon might betray him. The night was cold, the wind sharp, but he ignored it. His focus was on the path ahead, on the faint echoes of movement carried on the wind.


    Hours passed. The scent of smoke reached him first.


    Jiang slowed, dropping lower as he crested a ridge. Below, nestled in a shallow valley beside the river, firelight flickered through the trees.


    The bandit camp.


    He edged forward, keeping to the cover of the undergrowth, and took in the scene.


    They had set up in a natural clearing, using the river as both a barrier and a resource. At least a dozen fires burned, their glow casting long shadows against the trees. A larger bonfire was set in a cleared area ringed by tents, providing a central area for the bandits to drink around. Crude tents and lean-tos littered the space further from the bonfire, some barely more than patched-together tarps slung over branches. Horses were tethered near the water, stamping and snorting in the cold.


    Everything ¨C from the tents to the men¡¯s clothes to the saddles ¨C was stamped with the crude symbol of a fang dripping poison.


    And the bandits¡ªfar more than he had expected.


    Jiang counted at least a hundred, maybe more. Some sat near the fires, sharpening blades or drinking. Others patrolled the edges of the camp, weapons in hand. These weren¡¯t mere raiders; they were organised. Efficient.


    The Hollow Fangs were supposed to be a roving band of killers, dangerous but small enough to avoid drawing the attention of larger sects or magistrates. This wasn¡¯t a handful of outlaws scraping by on stolen grain. This was an army.


    How had they not been stopped? How had no one realised the extent of the problem? These were not the kind of numbers that developed over night ¨C a group this large needed food, resources, weapons, gear. That they could avoid notice like this¡­ it boggled the mind.


    Jiang¡¯s jaw tightened, and he shrugged off the feeling of hopelessness.


    It didn¡¯t matter how many of them there were, or how they had survived this long. He wasn¡¯t looking to fight these bandits, his only goal was to free his family.


    He shifted his focus. The prisoners.


    Irritatingly, they were being kept in two large, crude cages made of lashed-together branches near the centre of the camp, right beside the bonfire. The makeshift nature of the cages wouldn¡¯t stop a determined escape attempt, but they would certainly slow anyone down enough for the bandits to have plenty of time to react.


    The prisoners themselves were separated into two groups by gender. The men sat hunched in one cage, hands bound, feet shackled. Some looked alert, watching the bandits with quiet hate. Others stared blankly at the ground, their will already broken. None spoke.


    The women, in the other cage, were guarded more heavily. A few of the bandits lounged against the makeshift bars, leering. Others laughed, passing a wineskin between them.


    Jiang¡¯s stomach clenched.


    His eyes swept over the women, searching¡ª


    There.


    His mother sat stiff-backed, her arms wrapped around Xiaoyu, who pressed herself into her side. His sister¡¯s shoulders trembled, her small hands twisted in their mother¡¯s sleeve. She wasn¡¯t crying¡ªtoo scared, maybe, or too exhausted. Jiang let out a slow breath, tension seeping out of his frame.


    Alive. They were alive.


    Now, the problem.


    The placement of the cages left little room for stealth. He could reach the edge of camp easily enough¡ªgetting past the guards was another matter. Too many men were still awake, too many eyes watching.


    He stayed low, shifting his position to get a better look at the camp¡¯s layout. The bandits had settled in for the night, but they weren¡¯t all resting. Some still patrolled the perimeter. Others drank and laughed around the central bonfire. A group of them had gathered near a large, half-collapsed structure¡ªremnants of an old outpost, maybe¡ªwhere their leader was likely camped.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Jiang shifted back into the trees, moving carefully to avoid snapping branches or crunching snow. He found a thick cluster of undergrowth near the ridge, low enough to stay hidden but with a clear view of the camp.


    He unfastened his cloak, wrapping it tightly around himself. The cold would be harsh, but he had prepared for a night outside ¨C though, of course, he had assumed there would be a fire.


    No matter. His clothes were warm enough that the cold wouldn¡¯t kill him. He would wait for an opportunity to move.


    But as the hours stretched on, doubt gnawed at him.


    The bandits were more disciplined than he had expected. Even as the night deepened, the camp didn¡¯t fully settle. The men at the fires drank and laughed, but not all of them. Others patrolled the perimeter, torches flickering as they made their rounds. The guards near the prisoners didn¡¯t relax, and those who drank never let their weapons stray far.


    He ground his teeth, forcing himself to stay calm. He had assumed he would be able to slip in under cover of night, take advantage of their drunken stupor. But now, watching the way they moved, the way the camp was organised, he wasn¡¯t sure that opportunity would come.


    And if it didn¡¯t¡­


    Jiang exhaled sharply, shoving the thought aside. No. He wouldn¡¯t allow it to come to that. There had to be a way. He just needed to find it.

 3. Hollow Promises

    It was almost dawn by the time Jiang finally admitted to himself that the chance he was looking for wasn¡¯t coming.


    If he was being totally honest with himself, he had come to the conclusion hours ago, but consciously knowing something was very different to feeling like it was the right choice.


    The bandits were too disciplined, too numerous. Even if he had the element of surprise, even if he managed to slip past the perimeter, even if he reached the cages¡ªthen what? He had no key for the shackles. He had no horse to make an escape. The bandits would hear, react, and cut them down before they got twenty paces.


    Jiang exhaled slowly, keeping his breath quiet in the freezing air. His hands flexed against the cold-packed earth beneath him, fingers digging into frost-bitten leaves. His body ached with the need to act, to move, to do something¡ªanything¡ªbut all he could do was watch.


    There was no path forward. Not alone.


    That left only one option.


    The thought of it made his stomach twist. Leaving them¡ªhis mother, his sister, his people¡ªwas the last thing he wanted. But wanting something didn¡¯t make it possible. He couldn¡¯t fight an army. He couldn¡¯t sneak past a hundred men. He needed help.


    And the only help worth getting was at least four days away.


    Jiang¡¯s jaw tightened. The nearest town, W¨²y¨¨, was two days on foot if he pushed hard. Once he arrived, he¡¯d have to convince the local magistrate¡¯s office to send word to the Azure Sky Sect. That would take another two days, assuming no delays. Beyond that¡­ who knew? He had never seen a cultivator in person, only heard the stories. If they truly were as powerful as people claimed, maybe the problem would be solved in a single night. Or maybe the Hollow Fangs would slip away like they always had.


    And in the meantime, his family would be trapped here. Waiting.


    Jiang¡¯s fingers clenched in the dirt.


    He pushed the thought aside. No use thinking about what he couldn¡¯t change. The only thing that mattered was moving, now, before he lost his nerve.


    His eyes flicked back to the camp. If they were leaving soon, if they planned to take the captives elsewhere, he needed to know. If they intended to stay, it gave him more time. Either way, he had to be certain.


    Jiang carefully ignored the part of his mind asking him what the answer would change. Even if the bandits were planning on moving, tracking them to wherever they were going could take days. Days during which no one was coming to help, no one would even know that help was required.


    The smart thing to do was to leave now, make it to the nearest town as quickly as possible, and hope that whoever came to help was competent enough to track the bandits if they had moved. Or he could even volunteer to accompany whatever force was sent, do the tracking for them.


    Two more hours, he decided. Once the sun peeks over the mountains.


    He would give himself two more hours to see if the bandits were going to move, and then, regardless of what they were doing, he would leave to get help.


    The time came and went.


    Jiang stayed.


    He knew he was delaying. He told himself it was necessary¡ªwatching a little longer, making sure¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t the truth. The truth was, leaving felt like failure. Like cowardice. His mother and Xiaoyu were right there, trapped behind wooden bars, and he was going to turn his back and walk away.


    His fingers dug into the frozen ground. His breath curled in the cold air. The camp below hadn¡¯t changed. The bandits weren¡¯t moving.


    It didn¡¯t matter.


    Jiang exhaled sharply through his nose, forcing himself to move. He shifted back into the trees, keeping low, every instinct screaming at him to stay. He ignored it. It wasn¡¯t instinct¡ªit was desperation. A useless thing. He had made his decision.


    His boots found familiar purchase on the frost-hardened soil as he retraced his path away from the ridge. He moved carefully at first, wary of any patrols that might have strayed farther than expected. But the further he got, the less caution mattered. The bandits weren¡¯t hunting him. They didn¡¯t even know he existed.


    Jiang¡¯s jaw tightened.


    He increased his pace, settling into an efficient stride. No more hesitation. The town of W¨²y¨¨ was waiting. Help was waiting.


    He ran.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Elder Lu Heng sat cross-legged in the quiet of his borrowed room, eyes half-lidded, breath slow and measured. The faint scent of incense curled in the air, blending with the distant murmur of W¨²y¨¨¡¯s streets beyond the window. The town was waking¡ªmerchants setting up stalls, carts rolling over packed dirt roads, the chatter of morning business beginning.


    It was all very¡­ mortal.


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    He barely heard it. His attention turned inward, past the physical world, past the gentle hum of spiritual energy that ebbed and flowed through his body. Cultivation had once been simpler¡ªgather qi, refine it, break through. He missed those days, when progress was a matter of perseverance and force.


    Now, it was more nebulous. Strength alone would not carry him further. Perspective, understanding¡ªthese were the things that mattered. It was why he had left the Sect to wander, to observe the mortal world. There was wisdom in watching, in helping, in seeing the world as it was rather than how the sects viewed it.


    A sharp knock broke his meditation.


    Elder Lu¡¯s eyes opened.


    The door creaked as it swung inward, revealing the town magistrate, Liu Cheng. The man¡¯s silk robes were pristine, but sweat shone on his forehead despite the morning chill. He bowed deeply, his back stiff with deference.


    ¡°Esteemed Elder Lu, I apologise for disturbing you.¡± His voice was carefully measured, respectful to the point of obsequiousness. ¡°There is¡­ a matter that requires your attention.¡±


    Lu Heng studied him.


    While he made an effort to be approachable, he was under no illusions of how his visits to towns were usually seen ¨C as something to be weathered, endured. A shame, really, and far from how the honoured founders had wanted the Azure Sky Sect to be seen. Regardless, for the magistrate to not only approach him without an invitation but to outright interrupt him, the matter must be important.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    The magistrate hesitated. ¡°A boy arrived at the gates not long ago. He claims his village has been razed to the ground, and with the survivors being captured.¡± He swallowed. ¡°By Gao Leng.¡±


    Lu Heng¡¯s expression did not change, but the air in the room sharpened.


    Gao Leng. The Wicked Blade.


    A bandit, a murderer, and¡ªmost damning of all¡ªa former Outer Disciple of the Azure Sky Sect.


    The Hollow Fangs had been a stain on the region for years, slipping away every time the Sect sent someone after them. Their survival was an embarrassment, but more than that, they were an insult not just to the Azure Sky Sect¡¯s authority but to its very name.


    Gao Leng had never been particularly talented, barely reaching the second stage of Foundation Establishment before he was expelled. But that alone made him dangerous¡ªfar too dangerous for anyone but a cultivator to handle. He should have had his cultivation sealed the moment he was cast out, his dantian shattered, his spiritual energy reduced to nothing.


    But, of course, that hadn¡¯t happened.


    Because Elder Yan Zhihao, ever the stubborn, prideful bastard, had vouched for him.


    Lu Heng¡¯s fingers flexed at his sides, though he kept his expression impassive. How many mortals had suffered for the sake of Yan Zhihao¡¯s reputation? How many villages had been burned because an elder refused to bear the shame of a failed disciple?


    He took no satisfaction in how Gao Leng had turned into an even bigger stain on Yan Zhihao¡¯s name than before.


    Well.


    He took a little satisfaction.


    Either way, this could be the opportunity he¡¯d been seeking for years ¨C a chance to finally erase this blemish on the Sect¡¯s honour.


    ¡°Where is the boy?¡±


    The magistrate¡¯s shoulders twitched, though he hid it well. ¡°He was taken to my office to rest. The journey exhausted him, but he insisted on delivering his report before accepting food or sleep.¡±


    Lu Heng stood in a single smooth motion.


    ¡°Take me to him.¡±


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Lu Heng stepped into the magistrate¡¯s office, his gaze sweeping the room in a single practised motion. It was a modest space¡ªcluttered shelves, a simple wooden desk, an oil lamp still burning from the night before. And standing in the centre, stiff-backed and sharp-eyed, was the boy.


    Younger than he expected.


    The boy was perhaps at most fifteen, lean but not scrawny, his clothes worn from travel but well-maintained. He was tall for his age, posture straight and shoulders squared. It was the way a man carried himself, not a boy. Lu Heng had seen it before¡ªchildren who had been forced to grow too quickly, who had stepped into responsibilities too large for them because there was no one else left.


    He did not waste time treating him as anything less than what he had become.


    Lu Heng met his gaze. ¡°You¡¯re the one who brought the report.¡±


    The boy nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    No excessive deference, no stammering awe. It could be that the boy simply didn¡¯t know he was speaking to a cultivator, but that wasn¡¯t terribly likely ¨C not to mention a boy from a small village would normally be nervous even just speaking to the magistrate.


    Interesting.


    Lu Heng stepped closer, absently letting a thread of his qi extend toward the boy¡ªa reflex as much as anything. A cultivator¡¯s way of gauging presence, strength, social standing. The magistrate wouldn¡¯t have noticed it, but this boy¡­


    Jiang frowned, just slightly. A flicker of something in his expression, a shift in his stance, as if some part of him had caught the touch but didn¡¯t understand what it was.


    Also interesting.


    But not important. Not now.


    Lu Heng didn¡¯t dwell on it. ¡°You¡¯re sure it was the Hollow Fangs?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lu Heng raised an eyebrow. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Their symbol was everywhere.¡±


    ¡°How long ago?¡±


    ¡°Two nights.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where they went?¡±


    The boy nodded. ¡°They made camp near the river. By the ruins of an old outpost. They were still there when I left.¡±


    The magistrate, standing off to the side had been gradually stiffening the more the boy spoke. ¡°You are speaking to an Elder of the Azure Sky Sect,¡± he said sharply. ¡°Mind your manners.¡±


    Lu Heng waved a hand dismissively. ¡°He¡¯s not wasting my time.¡±


    The magistrate immediately stepped back, bowing low. Interestingly, the boy seemed more confused than chastised. Clearly, he was unaware of how rude he was being ¨C not that Lu Heng particularly cared. The boy¡¯s village had just been razed, and he had spent two days rushing to get help. A little unintentional rudeness was nothing in the face of that.


    He considered what he had learned. The numbers worried him less than the logistics. He could kill them all himself without difficulty ¨C the reports indicated that even Gao Leng, the most dangerous of them, was only at the fourth stage of Foundation Establishment, having barely advanced since he¡¯d left the Sect ¨C but could he do it before they realised what was happening?


    That many men, with that many hostages¡­ someone would take desperate measures. Someone would use a prisoner as a shield, or slit a captive¡¯s throat just for spite. Others would flee, and Lu Heng had no desire to spend the next six months tracking random bandits through the woods.


    No, better to do it properly. Better to make sure none of them escaped, and none of the villagers died for it.


    Lu Heng turned for the door. ¡°I¡¯m returning to the Azure Sky Sect.¡±


    Jiang stiffened, just slightly. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back within a few hours,¡± Lu Heng said. ¡°I need reinforcements to ensure none of the bandits slip away and to keep the prisoners safe.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°If the Heavens allow, you¡¯ll be reunited with your family by the end of the day.¡±


    Jiang¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but Lu Heng caught the flicker of scepticism in his eyes. Not fear, not doubt¡ªjust the quiet disbelief of someone who had never trusted in anything so intangible.


    Lu Heng huffed a quiet laugh. It had been a long time since someone so obviously thought he was lying.


    He stepped outside and, with a minor flex of Qi, leapt through the air faster than most mortals could perceive. Using his full speed within the town walls could cause chaos, after all, and the delay was minor.


    Seconds later, clear of the walls, he began moulding his Qi into his favoured movement technique.


    There was work to do.

 4. Veiled Intentions

    The Azure Sky Sect¡¯s mountain loomed ahead, shrouded in clouds. Lu Heng landed at the outer gates in a controlled descent, his robes settling around him as he strode past the disciples manning the gates.


    The Sect¡¯s inner halls bustled at all hours of the day ¨C disciples sparring in open courtyards, others meditating in quiet alcoves, elders moving with measured purpose. Lu Heng ignored it all, making his way to the Grand Hall. He had already called for a meeting using the sending stone he habitually carried with him. If not for how easy it was to intercept such transmissions, he would have been happy to convey all of the important information without having left W¨²y¨¨ ¨C but considering how often the Hollow Fangs had slipped away from justice in the past, it was too great a risk.


    By the time he stepped inside, the other Elders were already waiting. Some stood in quiet discussion, others took their seats along the curved wooden table at the centre of the room. Elder Shen was the first to glance up, sharp-eyed as always.


    ¡°Elder Lu,¡± he greeted. ¡°Your message was vague, but the matter sounded urgent.¡±


    Lu Heng inclined his head. ¡°Indeed, Elder Shen,¡± he responded. ¡°I thank my fellow Elders for responding so promptly.¡± The formalities were occasionally annoying, but long experience had taught him that to ignore them was to invite trouble from the more¡­ ornery elders.


    ¡°Well, out with it, Lu Heng,¡± Ren Li spoke up with a characteristic lack of manners, leaning back in her chair. ¡°What¡¯s so important that it couldn¡¯t wait for our monthly get-togethers?¡±


    Lu Heng didn¡¯t allow any of the amusement he felt to cross his face. Ren Li had never much cared for propriety ¨C something that had earned her more than her share of enemies. Personally, Lu Heng admired her willingness to make her opinion known.


    ¡°I have received news that Li¨³x¨© village was razed two days past by the Hollow Fangs. A survivor managed to escape and bring word to me in W¨²y¨¨.¡±


    There was a beat of silence before Ren Li leaned forward and smacked the table in front of her. ¡°Hah! Finally, the bastards slip up. I¡¯ve been wanting to get my hands on Gao Leng for years now.¡±


    Across the table, Elder Shen nodded. ¡°This is long overdue. If we strike swiftly, we can finally put an end to this stain on the Sect¡¯s name. Two days headstart is not ideal, but it is more notice than we have ever received before. I move that we send a force of disciples immediately, before the chance is lost.¡±


    Murmurs of agreement rippled through the hall. Even the more reserved elders, those who typically hesitated before committing to action, looked resolved. The Hollow Fangs had been an embarrassment for too long ¨C not that Lu Heng was surprised by the call to action. Besides Gao Leng, the Hollow Fangs were a mortal gang of bandits. There was no danger to be had, no risk to be taken in wiping them out.


    ¡°Elder Lu Heng,¡± Shen continued, ¡°this matter is yours to lead. You brought the report, you know the details. Do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will take command of this attack,¡± Yan Zhihao interrupted. ¡°My disciples can be ready within the hour.¡±


    Silence fell. A few elders turned their heads sharply while Lu Heng blinked in surprise. He¡¯d certainly never gotten on terribly well with Yan Zhihao, but they had never been antagonistic either. This sort of demand was well outside the bounds of propriety ¨C all but a slap in the face to Lu Heng, though, to be honest, he was more confused than offended.


    A certain amount of politics was accepted for an Elder ¨C even required ¨C but Lu Heng largely tried to stay outside of it. He just couldn¡¯t see what Yan Zhihao had to gain from such a brazen demand.


    Elder Shen¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Elder Yan, you presume too much. This falls to Lu Heng.¡±


    Yan Zhihao inclined his head, though not in apology. ¡°And yet, the matter concerns me most. Gao Leng was my disciple. It is my responsibility to see him cut down.¡±


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    ¡°Responsibility?¡± Ren Li scoffed. ¡°Where has this sense of responsibility been for the last few years?¡±


    Yan Zhihao ignored her. ¡°This is an opportunity to correct my mistake. A mistake that, I might remind you, reflects upon the Sect as a whole. It is only fitting that I be the one to resolve it.¡±


    ¡­Lu Heng could see the reasoning, but even still it would be more fitting for Yan Zhihao to request command of the attack, not demand it.


    ¡°I have also contributed more to the sect than most,¡± Yan Zhihao added smoothly. ¡°For years, I have taken in and trained promising disciples, ensuring the strength of our future generations. Surely, that deserves some recognition.¡±


    A few of the elders stiffened. Again, the argument did make sense ¨C but only when viewed without context. Since when did the Elder measure contribution like that? Even if they did, what bearing would it have on this situation? The point was to eradicate the bandits that had been preying on the mortals for years ¨C it was as simple as that. Politics should have no part of it.


    Yan Zhihao smiled. ¡°In contrast, Elder Lu Heng, you have not taken on disciples in some time. For all your wandering among mortals, one might think you would have found some worth sponsoring by now. Give a fellow Elder some face and relinquish command of the attack.¡±


    The silence that followed was thick, incredulous. A few elders straightened in their seats, some leaning forward as if they had misheard. Ren Li let out a short, sharp laugh, though there was no humour in it.


    Elder Shen, the nominal leader of this meeting, was clearly not amused. His lips pressed into a thin line, his fingers tapping once against the table before he inhaled to speak. Lu Heng could already tell what he was about to say¡ªYan Zhihao had pushed too far, had all but demanded a rebuke.


    Lu Heng lifted a hand before Elder Shen could open his mouth.


    The movement was small, but it was enough.


    Elder Shen paused, though his disapproval didn¡¯t fade. The other elders were watching, waiting.


    Lu Heng turned to Yan Zhihao, studying him with open curiosity.


    It was too much. The demand, the reasoning, the way he¡¯d worded it¡ªarrogant, yes, but so overtly so that it verged on foolishness. Yan Zhihao was an ambitious man, but he wasn¡¯t reckless. He knew how to maneuver within the Sect, how to press advantages without overplaying his hand. This? This was blatant.


    It almost felt deliberate.


    Lu Heng had no doubt that Yan Zhihao wanted the credit for bringing down Gao Leng. That much was obvious. But this level of provocation was unnecessary. He could have made a more measured case and worn down the opposition with persistence instead of brute force. Yet, instead, he had all but forced the elders into a position where they had to deny him.


    Unless.


    Lu Heng¡¯s fingers flexed against the wood of the table.


    Unless that was what he wanted.


    There were few things that could truly damage an Elder¡¯s standing within the Sect. Open disrespect toward a fellow Elder, however, could do it¡ªespecially if it led to official censure.


    Why, though?


    Lu Heng didn¡¯t have an answer, not yet. But he had learned long ago that curiosity and caution should go hand in hand.


    He let out a quiet breath, then inclined his head.


    ¡°If Elder Yan Zhihao wishes to take responsibility for the attack,¡± Lu Heng said evenly, ¡°then I see no reason to stand in his way. After all, we all want the same thing here, do we not?¡±


    For the second time, silence.


    Not the stunned silence from before, but something heavier. Calculating.


    Ren Li¡¯s brow furrowed. A few of the elders exchanged brief glances, sharp-eyed. Some, like Elder Shen, looked displeased¡ªbut others had caught on, even if they did not yet understand why.


    Yan Zhihao himself hesitated for half a heartbeat before his expression smoothed.


    ¡°I appreciate Elder Lu Heng¡¯s graciousness,¡± he said, voice carefully even.


    Lu Heng smiled, mild as ever.


    ¡°The sect comes first.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Elder Shen said slowly. ¡°If Elder Lu Heng is willing to¡­ accept your request,¡± he stressed the word, ¡°Then who are we to argue? With that said, this is a matter that affects the entire Sect and will be handled as such. You will not bring only your personal disciples. The force will be chosen from all of our disciples.¡±


    Yan Zhihao¡¯s expression tightened for the briefest moment before he bowed. ¡°As the Sect wills.¡±


    And with that, the Elders dispersed, each leaving to notify their disciples of the attack.


    Lu Heng remained seated.


    The room emptied quickly, but the tension did not. He caught the way a few elders glanced at him before they left¡ªsome considering, some wary. The stench of politics clung to the air, fouling what should have been a simple matter. The Hollow Fangs should have been a problem easily resolved, a threat eliminated without question. Yet now, doubt had settled in the cracks.


    Had he made the right move?


    His fingers drummed once against the table before he stilled them. It hardly mattered. The choice had been made. If Yan Zhihao had another motive for his posturing, it would come to light soon enough.


    Lu Heng exhaled softly, rising to his feet. He had a journey back to W¨²y¨¨ ahead of him¡ªand a boy he wanted to speak to again.

 5. Rude Awakenings

    Jiang woke to the sound of knuckles rapping sharply against wood. His eyes snapped open, body tense before his mind caught up. A door. Not his door¡ªhe wasn¡¯t home. The past two days crashed back into him in an instant, exhaustion weighing heavy on his limbs.


    ¡°Boy¡ªwake up! The honoured Elder has demanded your presence.¡± The voice was muffled through the door, but clearly impatient. A moment later, it slid open without waiting for permission. A middle-aged servant stepped inside, dressed in crisp brown robes.


    Jiang couldn¡¯t remember his name, but it was the same man who had shown him to this little room after the cultivator had left. He¡¯d been exhausted enough that he hadn¡¯t much cared where he was going beyond the knowledge that it contained a bed.


    Judging by how tired he still felt and the sunlight seeping in from the corridor, he hadn¡¯t slept long. Part of him wanted to snap at the man for disturbing him, roll over, and fall back asleep for the next few days. The rest of him, the part desperate for news of his family, had him rolling to his feet.


    The servant frowned at his wrinkled clothes and unkempt hair. ¡°You¡¯re meeting Elder Lu Heng, not some back-alley peddler,¡± the man said, already bustling forward. ¡°At least try to look like you belong in polite company.¡±


    Jiang blinked at him. He¡¯d spent the last two days running through the forest ¨C hardly surprising he didn¡¯t look his best. The cultivator hadn¡¯t seemed to care earlier, why would he care now?


    With a huff, the servant grabbed a nearby basin and thrust it toward him. ¡°Wash your face.¡±


    Too tired to bother arguing, Jiang took the damp cloth and ran it over his skin, then dropped it back into the basin.


    ¡°Absolutely hopeless. Why do I even try?¡± the servant sighed. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to make you look presentable ¨C if such a thing is even possible. Very well, if you¡¯re going to look like a vagabond regardless, you can at least make sure the Honoured Elder isn¡¯t waiting for too long. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The servant set off at a brisk pace, muttering under his breath about lost causes and improper manners. Jiang followed without comment, his steps steady despite the lingering exhaustion in his limbs. The hallways were cleaner than anywhere he¡¯d ever been¡ªpolished wood, silk banners hanging from the walls, the occasional servant passing in quiet efficiency. The magistrate¡¯s estate, then.


    The guards at the gates hadn¡¯t wanted to let him in when he¡¯d first arrived, but he¡¯d made enough of a nuisance of himself that they had eventualy caved, warning him that the Lord Magistrate would toss him in prison if he was wasting time.


    It was by far the biggest building he¡¯d ever been in ¨C so big it seemed mostly pointless. The entirety of his village could probably live comfortably in the building twice over, but besides the magistrate¡¯s family and a dozen or so servants, it seemed like the place was empty.


    The servant stopped before a sliding door, smoothing his robes before stepping inside. Jiang followed.


    The room was large but sparsely furnished. A low table sat at its centre, a tea set arranged neatly on its surface. Cushions lined the floor. Soft afternoon light filtered in from an open window, the scent of incense barely detectable in the air.


    Seated at the table was the cultivator.


    Jiang didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Are the bandits dead yet?¡±


    The servant sucked in a sharp breath, turning so fast he nearly tripped. ¡°You¡ª! That is not¡ª!¡± He clamped his mouth shut, face rapidly shifting between horror and despair, bowing in desperate apology in the direction of the cultivator.


    Even though he didn¡¯t really know what these people considered polite, Jiang was aware enough to realise he was being rude. In the face of news of his family, though, he just didn¡¯t care.


    Across the table, Lu Heng exhaled a quiet breath¡ªsomething close to a laugh, though his expression barely shifted. ¡°Direct.¡±


    The servant let out a sound of pure distress and all but fled, shutting the door behind him with a little more force than necessary.


    ¡°I am Elder Lu Heng,¡± the cultivator said after a moment, ¡°Of the Azure Sky Sect. You may call me Elder Lu.¡±


    Jiang eyed him. ¡°¡­Jiang Tian,¡± he said shortly.


    Lu Heng inclined his head. There was something faintly amused in his expression, but he didn¡¯t comment.


    ¡°So?¡± Jiang pressed. ¡°Are they dead?¡±


    Lu Heng poured himself a cup of tea. ¡°The Azure Sky Sect dispatched a force to eliminate the Hollow Fangs and rescue the captives. One of our Elders is leading them. I expect them to be finished within the hour.¡± He sipped his tea. ¡°I assumed you would want to be awake for it.¡±


    Jiang sagged despite himself. For some reason, he hadn¡¯t expected things to actually work out. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said belatedly, relaxing enough to sit down at the table. For some reason, the cultivator seemed to find that amusing as well, but then, who knew what those people thought?


    Now that it was no longer a question of whether his family would be saved, Jiang felt the weight of the last two days settle into his bones. Exhaustion had been there from the moment he stumbled into W¨²y¨¨, but he had been too tense to acknowledge it. Too much running, too much waiting, too much thinking about what would happen if he had been too slow.


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    Now, he had to think about what came next.


    The bandits would die. His mother and Xiaoyu would be safe. But Li¨³x¨© was gone. Even if the fires hadn¡¯t burned everything to the ground, it wasn¡¯t as if the survivors could just¡­ go back. A village wasn¡¯t just its buildings. It was the people. And most of them were dead.


    Jiang exhaled through his nose, staring at the patterns carved into the table¡¯s surface.


    Across from him, Elder Lu said nothing.


    The silence stretched, not uncomfortable, but present. Eventually, Jiang rolled his shoulders, pushing the worst of his thoughts aside. Thinking about it wouldn¡¯t change anything. It never had before.


    Across from him, Lu Heng studied him for a moment before speaking. ¡°Tell me about yourself.¡±


    It was phrased as a demand, but the tone made it an invitation.


    Jiang shrugged. ¡°Not much to tell, really. Why do you even care? Cultivators don¡¯t have to do with us common folk.¡±


    Elder Lu raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you would know, would you?¡±


    There was faint censure in his tone, and Jiang ducked his head apologetically. He usually didn¡¯t put much stock in social niceties ¨C spending most of his time in the woods tended to wear down what few interpersonal skills he had in the first place, not to mention the only people he really talked to were his family ¨C but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t at least aware of how to be polite.


    Elder Lu said nothing, merely watching him with that same calm, unreadable gaze. He didn¡¯t seem offended, nor did he seem particularly interested in reprimanding Jiang further. He simply gave him a moment to collect himself.


    Then, after a measured pause, he spoke again. ¡°Tell me about your family.¡±


    Jiang glanced up at him, frowning slightly, but this time answered without hesitation. ¡°Not much to tell there, either. My father was a caravan guard. Died when I was seven.¡±


    Elder Lu nodded, waiting. It wasn¡¯t an uncommon story amongst small villages, and he didn¡¯t waste his time expressing pity or condolences. Jiang preferred it that way.


    ¡°After that, it was just my mother, my sister, and me. Xiaoyu was three. Too young to help with anything, so my mother did most of the work in the beginning. I started hunting when I was eight. At first, it was just traps, rabbits, small game. Took me a few years to get good enough with a bow to bring down anything bigger.¡±


    Elder Lu studied him. ¡°And your mother?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a seamstress. Mostly worked on repairing clothes, but she could do other things if people were willing to pay. There wasn¡¯t much silver to go around in Li¨³x¨©, though, so we mostly got by on trade.¡± Jiang shrugged. ¡°Wasn¡¯t bad. We never went hungry.¡±


    He rolled his shoulders, trying to avoid thinking about their current situation


    Understanding filled the cultivator¡¯s gaze, along with a faint note of pity. ¡°They were captured.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a question. Just an observation.


    Jiang¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How did you escape them?¡± the Elder asked curiously.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t there,¡± Jiang responded simply. ¡°Out on a last hunt before the snows make it too risky. Got back to the village a few hours after¡­ after.¡±


    The Elder tilted his head. ¡°And yet you knew where they were camped. You tracked them?¡±


    Jiang nodded.


    ¡°And then, seeing you couldn¡¯t fight, travelled two days without stopping,¡± Elder Lu continued. ¡°Through unfamiliar terrain. In winter.¡±


    ¡°I know how to navigate,¡± Jiang said simply. ¡°And I couldn¡¯t afford to be slow.¡±


    ¡°Most wouldn¡¯t have made it.¡±


    Jiang shrugged. ¡°Most wouldn¡¯t have had to.¡±


    Elder Lu huffed quietly, something like amusement flickering in his gaze. Jiang wasn¡¯t sure why. He hadn¡¯t said anything funny.


    The cultivator took another sip of tea before setting his cup down with a soft clink. ¡°Your family is fortunate to have you.¡±


    Jiang shifted a little uncomfortably. He didn¡¯t quite know what to say to that. It felt¡­ odd to hear something like that from a cultivator. From someone who probably didn¡¯t think about people like him much at all.


    Actually¡­ now that the immediate pressure was gone¡ªnow that he wasn¡¯t running, wasn¡¯t waiting, wasn¡¯t tense with the fear that everything might have been for nothing¡ªhis mind had space to turn toward other things.


    Like why Elder Lu was still talking to him.


    Cultivators weren¡¯t like normal people. They stood above mortals, moving in their own world of power and sect politics. Some deigned to help, some changed fates on a whim, but most simply ignored those below them.


    If the man had thought of Jiang at all, it would have been enough to send a servant to inform him when the bandits were dead so he could reunite with his family. This personal attention was¡­ very much out of the norm.


    ¡°¡­Why are you asking me about this?¡±


    The words were out before he could stop them¡ªtoo blunt, too direct¡ªbut then, Jiang had never been good at talking the way people wanted him to. He hesitated, remembering belatedly that cultivators were supposed to be above him, that there were ways he was meant to speak to them. He made a slight effort to soften it. ¡°I mean¡­ why are you even talking to me?¡±


    Across the table, Elder Lu¡¯s lips curved faintly. Not quite a smile, but close. ¡°Because you¡¯re slightly interesting,¡± he said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. ¡°And I don¡¯t have much else to do.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Interesting how? I¡¯m a peasant hunter from a tiny village. The most interesting thing that¡¯s ever happened to me is my home being attacked by bandits, and even then, I¡¯m not the interesting part about it.¡±


    Elder Lu took another sip of tea and tilted his head slightly. ¡°I very much disagree on that part, young man. Even aside from that, though¡­ tell me, Jiang Tian¡ªare you aware that you¡¯re Qi-sensitive?¡±


    Jiang raised an eyebrow. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This morning, when we first met. You felt me do something, didn¡¯t you? I saw your reaction.¡± the cultivator said mildly.


    Jiang opened his mouth to argue but stopped before the words could leave his mouth. There had been something, hadn¡¯t there? A strange sensation, just for a moment. It had felt like¡­ he wasn¡¯t sure. Like the moment before an arrow was loosed, when the air held tension that no one else seemed to notice. At the time, he had dismissed it, but now¡­


    He frowned. ¡°So what does that mean?¡±


    Elder Lu didn¡¯t answer immediately. He set his cup down, his expression thoughtful, but before he could respond, something shifted in his posture. A small change, barely noticeable¡ªexcept for the way his gaze sharpened ever so slightly then relaxed.


    ¡°Ah, I believe that is something we can discuss later,¡± Elder Lu said with a pleased expression. ¡°It appears Elder Yan Zhihao is back, along with the disciples we sent. I imagine you would prefer to reunite with¡­¡±


    The Elder trailed off, eyes narrowing slightly.


    Jiang tensed, a bad feeling curdling in his gut. ¡°What?¡±


    Before Elder Lu could respond, a sudden gust of wind swept through the open window, rattling the tea set. Jiang barely had time to register the movement before a figure appeared in the room as if the air itself had solidified.


    Jiang tensed.


    The sensation was immediate, sharp and instinctive. He definitely felt something from this man ¨C something he couldn¡¯t adequately explain. Now that Elder Lu had pointed it out to him, he paid more attention to the sensation before, focusing on it. It was pressure, the way a storm felt before it broke, restrained but coiled tight.


    Dangerous.


    Elder Lu exhaled, unbothered. ¡°Elder Yan,¡± he said mildly, ¡°I assume there¡¯s a reason I can¡¯t sense the mortals you were supposed to retrieve?¡±


    Elder Yan Zhihao was furious. His posture was stiff, his expression taut with barely contained frustration. But he did not lash out. His voice, when he spoke, was sharp and measured. ¡°The camp was there. Most of the bandits were there.¡± He inhaled sharply. ¡°But Gao Leng wasn¡¯t. Nor were the prisoners.¡±

 6. A Path Offered

    Elder Yan had continued to speak.


    Jiang barely noticed.


    There was a ringing in his ears that wouldn¡¯t stop, muffling the voices around him, the flickering candlelight smearing at the edges of his vision. It felt like his body had turned to stone, heavy and unmoving, yet fragile all the same¡ªlike if he let himself think too much, he would crack apart entirely.


    He had been right there.


    Close enough to see them. Close enough to¡ªwhat? What would he have done?


    A hundred bandits, minimum. Their leader, the infamous Gao Leng, a cultivator. He had left because there had been no other choice, but none of that mattered now. None of it changed the fact that he had turned his back, walked away, and now his family was gone.


    ¡°¡ªou find any indication of where they might have fled to?¡±


    Elder Yan¡¯s jaw was tight, his expression carved from stone. ¡°No. The snow over the past few days has buried any tracks they may have left. Even my disciples could find nothing.¡± The man¡¯s frustration bled into his words, though he forced them into an even tone.


    Jiang¡¯s breath came short and shallow.


    Across the table, Elder Yan shifted, his gaze finally turning toward him.


    ¡°And why, exactly, is this mortal boy here?¡±


    There was something in the way he said it¡ªdismissive, almost irritated. As if Jiang was nothing more than an inconvenience.


    Elder Lu¡¯s voice remained steady. ¡°This is the one who brought the report.¡±


    Jiang forced himself to listen, forced himself to be present, even as his thoughts threatened to drag him under. Elder Yan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, studying him in a way that made something crawl up Jiang¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Tell me then, boy,¡± Elder Yan asked, voice measured, ¡°Did you see Gao Leng at all, or did you just imagine it was him? Are you even certain the prisoners existed at all? If this is some fevered imagining of yours, speak now, and I will be merciful.¡±


    Jiang blinked.


    Suddenly, the ringing was gone.


    His grief didn¡¯t vanish, but it moved, folding into something else¡ªsomething that burned at the edges, a sharp and ugly thing that coiled tight in his ribs. He looked up, the words slipping out before he could think better of them.


    ¡°Oh, I see. I must have imagined my entire village burning down. What a relief.¡±


    The blow came before Jiang even registered movement.


    One moment, he was sitting. The next, he was hitting the floor, the taste of blood in his mouth, his head ringing in a whole new way.


    He blinked up at the ceiling, mind catching up to what had just happened.


    Footsteps. A voice.


    ¡°Disrespect me like that again,¡± Elder Yan said, his tone as calm as before, ¡°and I¡¯ll kill you on the spot.¡±


    Jiang exhaled sharply through his nose, staring at the ceiling for a moment longer before pushing himself upright. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing blood across his knuckles. His cheek throbbed, and a few of his teeth felt loose, but none of it mattered.


    A soft sound. The click of porcelain against wood. Lu Heng¡¯s voice broke the silence, quiet, but carrying a weight of its own.


    ¡°Striking a boy to soothe your own failure,¡± he said smoothly. ¡°How low you¡¯ve fallen, Elder Yan.¡±


    The air in the room seemed to drop several degrees. The pressure in the air spiked for a moment, and despite the anger still simmering in his veins, Jiang froze. It was the instinctive actions of prey that had caught a predator¡¯s gaze.


    Elder Yan¡¯s expression twitched, his hand flexing at his side. A heartbeat of tense silence stretched between them. But, in the end, he said nothing.


    Elder Lu finally turned back to him, studying him for a moment before quietly saying, ¡°You have my condolences.¡±


    Jiang swallowed, but it did nothing to dislodge the lump in his throat.


    ¡°Your family is not likely to be killed,¡± Elder Lu continued, his voice steady. ¡°The Hollow Fangs were too organised to throw away resources like that. They will likely be sold as slaves.¡±


    Jiang¡¯s stomach twisted.


    Slaves.


    It was meant to be a comfort, he knew. Slaves could be found. Tracked. Freed. It was better than the alternative. But it wasn¡¯t good.


    Elder Lu continued, ¡°If the Heavens are kind, you may yet find them.¡±


    Jiang exhaled sharply. The anger surged back up, fresh and searing. He clenched his fists, pushing himself fully upright, his body aching, his face throbbing, but his resolve solid.


    ¡°Fuck the Heavens,¡± he said. His voice was quiet but firm. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And what will be different this time?¡± Elder Lu asked, eyebrow raised. ¡°Have you suddenly discovered the ability to fight off fifty bandits by yourself, including a cultivator at the fourth stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm?¡±


    Jiang bristled at the words, but he had no answer.


    Because he knew¡ªknew that if he found them right now, it would play out exactly as it had before. He would be too weak, too slow, too helpless to do anything.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    Even to his own ears, it sounded hollow. Even if he left this instant, it would take another two days to get back to where the bandits had camped. That meant the tracks would have potentially four whole days to fade ¨C assuming the bandits had left any tracks at all.


    The cultivators might not be hunters like he was, but he doubted they were incompetent. They would have looked for tracks ¨C but considering the camp was next to a large river, it was likely that the bandits had loaded the prisoners onto a boat. Travelling via the river and given four days¡¯ headstart¡­ they could be almost anywhere by now.


    Even if he somehow managed to track them down before his family was sold off, Elder Lu was right ¨C there was nothing he could do. He would need the power of a cultivator to even have a chance, and there was almost no hope of convincing a cultivator to come along with him.


    Unless¡­


    Jiang¡¯s breath steadied as his mind started to work. He was looking at this the wrong way again, getting his goals mixed up. What use was brute strength when he had no army, no allies? He could learn to fight for a lifetime and still fall in seconds against even a low-level cultivator like Gao Leng. No, what he needed wasn¡¯t overwhelming force¡ªit was skill.


    He had spent half of his life hunting. Watching. Learning how to move unseen, how to follow a trail that others missed. But no matter how sharp his instincts, no matter how steady his hands, there was a wall between him and the world of cultivators. A wall built of strength, of ability, of sheer, overwhelming difference.


    But if he could break that wall¡ªeven just a little¡ªthen that changed everything.


    A cultivator could move faster than any mortal. Could vanish into the shadows, could bend qi to strengthen their bodies, to move unseen. Even at the lowest level, they could do things beyond mortal reach.


    He didn¡¯t need to become a great cultivator. He didn¡¯t need to reach some lofty realm of power.


    He just needed enough.


    Enough to track them. Enough to act instead of running for help. He wasn¡¯t going to wait again. He wasn¡¯t going to rely on the goodwill of people like these Elders.


    He would do it himself.


    Jiang exhaled slowly, his chest still tight with grief and rage, but his mind was finally clear. He turned sharply to Elder Lu, his voice steady despite everything.


    ¡°What would I need to do to become a cultivator?¡±


    The Elder held his gaze for a long moment before a smile spread across his face. It wasn¡¯t the condescending amusement Jiang had seen earlier, nor was it the polite indifference he had expected from a man like this. It was something else. Something almost... satisfied.


    ¡°Any mortal of sixteen years of age or above who is at least at the first stage of the Qi Condensation Realm is eligible to apply for entrance into the Azure Sky Sect,¡± Elder Lu said, his voice light, almost lazy. ¡°Entrance exams are held infrequently and are often quite competitive. Coincidentally¡­ it just so happens that the entrance exams are being held in three weeks¡¯ time. If you can ignite your dantian and reach the first stage before then, you would be eligible.¡±


    Jiang didn¡¯t know what ¡®igniting his dantian¡¯ even meant, but three weeks didn¡¯t sound like a long time to do it. Assuming these entrance exams took place at the Azure Sky Sect, that meant he had to actually get there in the first place, which was a journey of at least two weeks.


    So, effectively, he had a single week to do something he¡¯d never even heard of, something that separated the mortal from the immortal.


    No time to waste, then.


    A sharp scoff interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Elder Yan sneered. ¡°He¡¯s a peasant child. Even if, by some miracle, he was able to reach the first stage, he¡¯s very clearly not an adult, which means he¡¯s ineligible anyway.¡± The man turned to Jiang. ¡°How old are you anyway, boy? I¡¯d wager not a day over fourteen.¡±


    Jiang inhaled sharply, mind shifting without hesitation to the only possible path forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m sixteen,¡± he lied.


    One moment, Elder Lu had been seated, tea still in hand. The next, he stood between them, one arm raised in an almost lazy motion to block Elder Yan, his sleeve fluttering as if from a breeze that hadn¡¯t touched the rest of the room.


    Jiang hadn¡¯t even seen him move.


    A heartbeat of silence.


    Elder Yan¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Move.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elder Lu said pleasantly.


    Elder Yan¡¯s aura flared, sharp and heavy. ¡°I said I¡¯d kill him if he disrespected me again. A bald-faced lie certainly qualifies.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Elder Lu said, as if the statement was of little consequence. ¡°I recall. That being said, I didn¡¯t hear a lie.¡±


    Elder Yan¡¯s entire frame went rigid. ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd. Look at him. That boy is not sixteen.¡±


    ¡°And yet, I believe him. Unless, of course, you are calling me a liar.¡±


    Elder Yan¡¯s expression twisted further, but he didn¡¯t speak. Jiang didn¡¯t pretend to understand any of Azure Sky Sect politics, but clearly, making that kind of accusation ¨C no matter how obvious the truth was ¨C wasn¡¯t something Elder Yan could afford to do.


    Elder Lu¡¯s smile curled sarcastically. ¡°Besides,¡± he added lightly, ¡°would you not be willing to give a fellow Elder some face?¡±


    There was a beat of silence. Jiang held very still, instincts screaming at him to avoid attracting attention. Elder Yan turned sharply on his heel and strode toward the door, his aura crackling with barely contained fury.


    The door slid shut behind him with a sharp click.


    Elder Lu took a sip of his tea, looking at the closed door with a considering expression. ¡°You know, I probably shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he said conversationally, before turning to Jiang with a smile. ¡°But I¡¯ll admit it was very satisfying.¡±


    Elder Lu moved back to his seat with an easy grace, setting his teacup down with a soft clink before regarding Jiang with something that might have been amusement or maybe curiosity.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said lightly, ¡°you¡¯ve certainly made a choice, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Jiang didn¡¯t answer.


    Lu Heng didn¡¯t seem to mind. He poured himself more tea, steam curling in the space between them. ¡°Let¡¯s go over what that choice means, shall we? You¡¯ve decided to attempt the path of cultivation. To do that, you must ignite your dantian and step into the first stage of Qi Condensation. Simple in words, but¡­ well.¡± He gestured vaguely. ¡°Not so simple in practice.¡±


    Jiang frowned. ¡°How do I do it?¡±


    Elder Lu smiled faintly. ¡°Ah, that is the question, isn¡¯t it?¡± He leaned forward slightly, tapping a finger against the table. ¡°But before we get into that, there¡¯s something else you should consider.¡±


    Jiang waited.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made an enemy tonight.¡± Elder Lu¡¯s voice was light, but his expression was sharp. ¡°Elder Yan is not a man known for letting go of grudges. He already lost face today, and the fact that I protected you will only make it worse.¡± His gaze flickered slightly, something thoughtful in his eyes. ¡°I suppose that, in a way, you could say that I made an enemy for you tonight ¨C though you certainly didn¡¯t help matters by lying.¡±


    He pinned Jiang with a stern look. ¡°And before you go making a habit of that, keep in mind that almost anyone of a higher cultivation than you will know when you lie.¡±


    Jiang pointedly didn¡¯t apologise. He would do it again in a heartbeat if it got him closer to helping his family.


    Lu Heng chuckled, shaking his head slightly before taking another sip of tea. ¡°Well, you certainly have the attitude for cultivation, at least. That sort of reckless abandon could serve you well ¨C or, most likely, it will get you killed.¡± He set the cup down again, folding his hands in front of him. ¡°Alas, such is life. Let¡¯s get back to your real concern. Your family.¡±


    Jiang went still.


    ¡°If you manage to ignite your dantian, pass the entrance exams, and enter the Azure Sky Sect, you will gain time. Power. Resources.¡± Elder Lu watched him carefully. ¡°And most importantly, you will gain access to information. A sect has eyes and ears in places you never could. If your family is sold, there will be a record of it somewhere. Someone will know where they have gone. You will not be searching blindly.¡±


    Jiang¡¯s pulse quickened.


    ¡°But,¡± Elder Lu continued smoothly, ¡°before you get ahead of yourself, you should know this¡ªyou have three weeks to achieve what most take years to accomplish. If you fail, you will be left as you are. Mortal. Helpless. With nothing to show for it.¡± His gaze was steady. ¡°Are you prepared for that?¡±


    Jiang didn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lu Heng exhaled through his nose, something like amusement flickering in his eyes. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡±

 7. What Even Is Cultivation?

    Elder Lu paused, placing his cup of tea down on the table before giving Jiang his full attention.


    ¡°I suppose we should begin by establishing what you already know about cultivation,¡± he mused. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine it will be much, but I always find it interesting to see how people¡¯s preconceptions affect their progress. So, then, let¡¯s begin by having you tell me everything you know about Qi.¡±


    Jiang blinked.


    ¡°Qi is what cultivators use to do stuff,¡± he said bluntly.


    Elder Lu took a long, deep breath.


    ¡°Well, the good news is, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± He rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. ¡°This might be harder than I thought,¡± he admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever taught someone who had absolutely zero knowledge before.¡±


    He brightened. ¡°This might actually be fun. Alright then, from the very beginning. Qi is the lifeblood of the world. The force that governs all things. The stories are a little¡­ inconsistent ¨C some say that long ago, a dragon gifted Qi to the world. Others claim it was always here, waiting to be found. It doesn¡¯t really matter. What matters is that Qi exists, and those who learn to wield it become something more than mortal.¡±


    Elder Lu let the words settle, watching him before continuing. ¡°Every living being ¨C even mortals ¨C carries a trace of Qi on its own. Just enough to live, to breathe, to move. But that is not cultivation. A true cultivator does not rely on what is within but learns to draw in Qi from the world itself.¡± He gestured faintly, as if to the air around them. ¡°It is everywhere. In the earth, the sky, the rivers, the flame.¡±


    ¡°But not everyone has the ability to become a cultivator. There is something that sets certain people apart ¨C some gift from the heavens, perhaps, or maybe simply something passed down through family lines. Nothing is certain ¨C even the child of two cultivators may lack the ability to cultivate.¡± Elder Lu shrugged. ¡°Either way, it is not relevant for now ¨C judging by the fact that you are Qi-sensitive, you almost certainly have the ability.¡±


    Implying that there¡¯s a chance I don¡¯t actually have the ability to cultivate? Jiang wondered to himself. He shook his head slightly, refocusing. If it turned out he was unable to cultivate, then¡­ well, his situation wouldn¡¯t really be worse than it was before; it just wouldn¡¯t be better either. He would deal.


    ¡°Most mortals go their entire lives without ever touching Qi. Not because they lack it, but because they lack the ability to grasp it.¡± Elder Lu tapped a single finger against the table. ¡°To cultivate is to reach out and take what lingers in the air, pull it into yourself, refine it, and, eventually, make it your own.¡±


    Jiang exhaled through his nose. That sounded like a lot of words to explain very little. ¡°So Qi is energy, and cultivating is absorbing that energy?¡±


    Elder Lu looked vaguely affronted for a moment before sighing.


    ¡°Essentially, yes. Though I have to say, your way of saying it takes a lot of the wonder and grace out of things.¡±


    Jiang resisted the urge to roll his eyes. ¡°Alright, so how do I start taking this energy out of the air?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Elder Lu shot back, ¡°Not for a good long while yet. If it were so easy to use ambient Qi, every common farmer would be a cultivator. While Qi is ever-present, that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s always present in useful quantities. The ambient Qi density tends to fluctuate, forming areas of higher or lower density. The Azure Sky Sect is located in an area of particularly high density, which aids greatly in cultivation. One of the advantages of joining a Sect is getting access to these areas.¡± Elder Lu waved a hand. ¡°But I digress. The point is that Tianque is something of a Qi desert ¨C you¡¯re very unlikely to find a place with high enough density to be useful.¡±


    He paused for a moment. ¡°Well, I suppose there are rumours that the Qi density is much higher in other places on the continent, such as the warring kingdoms of Baizhou, but that¡¯s not particularly relevant to your situation. No, for people in your situation, the solution comes in the form of natural treasures or elixirs.¡±


    Elder Ly paused expectantly. Jiang pushed down his impatience.


    ¡°And what are natural treasures or elixirs?¡± he asked obligingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you asked,¡± Elder Lu beamed. ¡°Natural treasures are objects infused with Qi over time¡ªplants, minerals, even some rare beasts. The longer they absorb Qi, the stronger they become.¡± Elder Lu settled back, fingers tapping lightly against the table. ¡°They are the foundation of cultivation outside of sects. A proper treasure can serve as a focal point, allowing you to draw in Qi even in a place as barren as Tianque. Elixirs are essentially artificial treasures ¨C they¡¯re generally weaker, but much more stable and easier to cycle with.¡±


    Jiang frowned. ¡°So I need one of these treasures or elixirs to even start?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Elder Lu admitted. ¡°It is possible to cultivate with only ambient Qi, but it is¡­ inefficient. Slow. Without a natural source, drawing in enough Qi to ignite your dantian can take years.¡±


    So¡­ that was a yes, then, he did need one of those treasures or elixers to even start.


    Jiang absently wondered if talking too much was a cultivator thing. He was self-aware enough to admit that under normal circumstances, he would find this kind of thing fascinating. Right now, though, all he could think of was that every minute he wasted was another minute his family were in the hands of bandits.


    ¡°And these treasures¡ªhow do you use them?¡±


    ¡°Depends on the type. Some must be refined. Some are consumed. Others simply need to be held nearby while meditating.¡± Elder Lu shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s part of why elixirs are generally more popular ¨C more expensive and difficult to make, but much simpler. Even if you somehow found a natural treasure perfectly suited to your alignment, consuming it would still be painful and take weeks to months to fully process before you could consume the next. An elixir, on the other hand, would only take a day or so to recover from.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Jiang nodded. By the sounds of things he would have to try and get his hands on an elixir, then. Natural treasures might be more powerful, but his goal was simply to progress as quickly as possible. It didn¡¯t matter if he was a weak cultivator as long as he was strong enough to do what he had to.


    ¡°What did you mean about finding something suited to my ¡®alignment¡¯?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ah, another excellent question! Qi is not a single force¡ªit has nature, which we call affinity or alignment. Fire, water, earth, wood, metal, lightning, even the more¡­ esoteric varieties. The Qi you absorb at the moment of ignition determines your alignment. Absorb fire Qi and your cultivation will be attuned to fire. Absorb water Qi, and it will follow that path instead. Alignments or affinities can shift ¨C or be shifted ¨C but the process is generally slow, difficult, and painful.¡±


    Jiang considered that. ¡°So what affinity is best?¡±


    Elder Lu shrugged. ¡°None are inherently stronger than the others. Different affinities are just better suited to different things. A cultivator aligned with fire Qi will find their techniques naturally aggressive. Water Qi excels in flexibility and healing. Wood Qi is similar¡ªboth are good for longevity. Lightning Qi strikes fast and hard but is difficult to cultivate without rare treasures. Earth Qi lends itself to defence, stability, endurance.¡±


    Jiang absorbed that for a moment before exhaling sharply. ¡°Alright. Where do I get an elixir? Would the merchants here have one? How much do they cost?¡±


    Elder Lu laughed. A quiet huff of amusement at first, then something fuller, shoulders shaking slightly. Jiang frowned, waiting for an answer.


    ¡°Ah, I apologise, young man, that was rude of me,¡± Elder Lu said, shaking his head, ¡°There is no way you could have known, but¡­ well, you definitely can¡¯t afford one. And no, mortal merchants in a small town do not typically sell cultivation elixirs.¡±


    Jiang¡¯s frown deepened. He wasn¡¯t entirely surprised ¨C he hadn¡¯t expected cultivation to be cheap ¨C but the way Elder Lu said it, so matter-of-fact, still stung. Though, in fairness, even if the merchants here did sell elixirs, he didn¡¯t actually have any money. In hindsight, he probably should have checked the coin stash back at home before running after the bandits, but then again, he hadn¡¯t exactly been in the best frame of mind.


    Before he could ask what he was supposed to do instead, Elder Lu looked at him consideringly before coming to a decision, lifting a hand and offering Jiang a small glass vial.


    Jiang tilted his head.


    The Elder¡­ hadn¡¯t been holding a vial before now; Jiang was certain of that. He also hadn¡¯t reached for it. He hadn¡¯t opened a pouch, hadn¡¯t shifted in his seat. One moment, his hand was empty. The next, the elixir was there.


    Jiang glanced up at him. ¡°Where did¡ª¡±


    Elder Lu smiled, tilting the vial slightly. ¡°A trick for another time. Take it.¡±


    Jiang hesitated only for a breath before reaching out, the cool weight settling into his palm. He turned the vial over, rolling it between his fingers. The liquid inside caught the light, a faint golden hue, thicker than water but not quite oil.


    He could¡­ almost feel something from the vial. It was like hearing whispers at the edge of his hearing or having a word at the tip of his tongue that just wouldn¡¯t quite come.


    An elixir.


    Considering their conversation, it couldn¡¯t really be anything else, and yet¡­ why? Why was the Elder giving him this ¨C not to mention helping him at all? He wasn¡¯t wealthy or well-connected, and when the Elder said he couldn¡¯t afford something like this, Jiang was inclined to believe him.


    The Elder could clearly read the hesitancy on his face. He waved a hand, unbothered by the scrutiny. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, boy. You need an elixir, and I have one to spare. A coincidence in your favour.¡±


    Jiang wasn¡¯t sure he believed that, but he wasn¡¯t exactly in a position to argue. Without another word, he pulled out the stopper.


    Elder Lu¡¯s hand slammed down on his wrist.


    ¡°Okay, maybe try thinking just a little more,¡± Elder Lu said, exasperation creeping into his voice. ¡°You don¡¯t just drink an elixir and suddenly become a cultivator. Do that, and you¡¯ll waste most of it.¡±


    Jiang frowned. ¡°Then what¡ª¡±


    ¡°You need to learn how to cycle Qi first,¡± Elder Lu interrupted. He let go of Jiang¡¯s wrist but didn¡¯t move away, still watching him closely. ¡°Elixirs aren¡¯t infinite. That is the only one you¡¯re getting from me, and if you use it without knowing what you¡¯re doing, it will be a complete waste.¡±


    Jiang slowly re-stoppered the vial. ¡°...Fine. How do I learn to cycle? And, for that matter, what is cycling?¡±


    Elder Lu leaned back slightly, seeming satisfied that Jiang wasn¡¯t about to do anything reckless.


    ¡°Cycling is how a cultivator refines and moves Qi through their body,¡± Elder Lu said. ¡°Without it, all the Qi in the world would be useless to you.¡±


    Jiang exhaled through his nose. ¡°And how do I do it?¡±


    Elder Lu tapped a finger against the table. ¡°That is the difficult part. The general idea is simple: You sit, you breathe, and you guide the Qi through a cycle, drawing more in with each pass. You see, Qi calls to Qi. The moment you begin to stir it, more will follow. But getting it to move in the first place is the challenge. You will have to focus¡ªfind what little Qi exists in your body and begin to shift it, no matter how minuscule the movement. Once you succeed, you must maintain the cycle. The more you refine it, the more natural it becomes.¡±


    Jiang frowned. ¡°And how long does that take?¡±


    ¡°That depends entirely on you,¡± Elder Lu said. ¡°Some grasp the concept in hours. Some struggle for months before they feel the first stirrings of Qi.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°And some never succeed at all.¡±


    Jiang¡¯s fingers tightened around the vial. ¡°I don¡¯t have months.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Elder Lu agreed. ¡°Which means you will have to succeed faster than most.¡±


    ¡°Why do I need to learn to cycle before I drink the elixir? What difference will it make?¡±


    Elder Lu took a sip of his tea. ¡°The elixir is essentially highly concentrated Qi.¡± He paused. ¡°Well, no, actually, it¡¯s not, but the explanation will suffice for now. Once you drink the elixir, it will flood your body with an excess amount of Qi, which you must guide to your dantian. If you take the elixir too soon, before you have enough control, you may not be able to ignite your dantian at all. You will need to wait until the last possible moment¡ªpreferably a day or two before the exams¡ªso that you have time to recover, but still retain enough power to attempt your breakthrough.¡±


    Jiang tucked the vial into his belt. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Elder Lu studied him for a moment, then leaned back. ¡°Any other questions?¡±


    Jiang hesitated. Then, before he could second-guess himself, he asked, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    The Elder quirked a smile. ¡°I wondered how long it would take you to ask,¡± he said lightly. He sat back in his chair, taking another sip of his tea. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re the sort to want a better reason than ¡®I felt like it¡¯?¡±


    Jiang frowned.


    ¡°As I thought. Very well. Tell me, what has this actually cost me?¡± He lifted a finger. ¡°A few hours of my time.¡± Another. ¡°Some basic advice.¡± A third. ¡°And an elixir that, in the grand scheme of things, is not worth much to me. As to what I stand to gain?¡±


    Elder Lu drained his tea and set the cup gently down. ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s something you would benefit from finding out yourself. If you happen to be worried about it, rest assured that I view this as an investment.¡±


    Jiang narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°And if I fail?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Then I¡¯ve lost a few hours and an elixir. Hardly a devastating loss.¡±


    Elder Lu pushed himself to his feet, brushing nonexistent dust from his sleeves. ¡°Well then,¡± he said, tone light, ¡°I look forward to seeing you at the entrance exams in three weeks¡¯ time.¡±


    Jiang blinked. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    Elder Lu arched a brow. ¡°Were you expecting more?¡±


    Jiang didn¡¯t answer. He wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected, exactly¡ªsome final piece of advice, maybe. Another test. But instead, Elder Lu simply turned, stepping toward the door with effortless, unhurried grace.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Elder Lu said, pausing with his hand on the frame. ¡°One last thing.¡±


    Jiang straightened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die before then,¡± Elder Lu said pleasantly. Then he slid the door open and was gone.

 8. The Path Ahead

    Jiang moved through the trees, his stride steady, breath even. The cold air bit at his skin, but he barely noticed. He had grown up in the woods, knew how to move through them without tiring himself too quickly.


    It was no exaggeration to say he was far more comfortable moving through the forest than he was moving through the bustling streets of W¨²y¨¨. He¡¯d never seen so many people in one place in all his life ¨C though considering he¡¯d never actually left his village before, that wasn¡¯t really saying much.


    Either way, once Elder Lu had left, there was no reason for him to stay. Reaching the Azure Sky Sect in three weeks was going to be difficult enough as it was ¨C delaying would only make things harder. The guards at the gate of the Lord Magistrate¡¯s compound hadn¡¯t tried to stop him, so he¡¯d just¡­ left. Walked out the main gates and started following the road that stretched toward the Qingyun mountains in the distance.


    He hadn¡¯t stuck to the roads for long, choosing instead to slip off deeper into the forest. Running straight to the Azure Sky Sect along the roads would be faster, but he had nothing¡ªno money, no supplies, nothing but the clothes on his back, the knife at his belt, and his bow.


    If he stayed on the roads, he¡¯d starve before he made it halfway there.


    The forest was slower, but it would keep him alive.


    His stomach was already starting to remind him that he had barely eaten in the last two days. He would need to find something soon. Winter had settled early this year, and the deeper he travelled, the thinner the pickings would be. Most of the smaller animals had already begun retreating into their burrows, but he could still catch something if he was careful.


    A rabbit, maybe. Or a grouse.


    He pressed forward, eyes scanning for signs left by something moving through the area. A patch of disturbed snow. Broken twigs. A tuft of fur stuck in a bramble. Anything that would indicate the presence of game in the area.


    It didn¡¯t take him long to spot a set of tracks a little further ahead¡ªsmall, sharp depressions in the snow leading toward a bramble thicket. Rabbit.


    Jiang slowed, breath steady. He stepped lightly, avoiding brittle twigs, shifting his weight carefully. He dropped into a crouch, hand going to his belt as he eased his knife free.


    A flash of movement. A twitch of ears.


    He moved fast. The knife left his fingers, spinning once before sinking into the rabbit¡¯s side. It kicked once, then stilled.


    Jiang exhaled, rising to his feet. Not much meat, but enough for now. He retrieved his knife, wiped the blade clean, and slung the rabbit over his belt before moving on.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    He stopped a few hours before dark to give himself enough time to build a proper fire and find a good place to sleep. His cloak was warm and well-made, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t appreciate the added warmth a proper camp would provide.


    Long practice made the process quick and easy, so he used the remaining time before the sun dipped below the mountains to collect a decent supply of extra firewood. The canopy was thick enough that he didn¡¯t have to worry about being buried in snow, so he didn¡¯t bother to construct any kind of solid shelter.


    Skinning the rabbit he had caught earlier was the work of a few minutes, and before long, the smell of roasting meat filled the air. Jiang sat cross-legged near the fire, turning the skewer slowly to ensure the meat cooked evenly. The rabbit wasn¡¯t much, but it was food.


    He ate quickly, wasting nothing. The meat may as well have been tasteless ¨C it was fuel to him, nothing more.


    With the necessities taken care of, he finally settled himself.


    Then, finally, he settled himself.


    Meditation.


    Jiang exhaled slowly, settling into a cross-legged position, hands resting loosely on his knees. He had no idea what he was doing. ¡°Find the Qi within your body,¡± Elder Lu had said. ¡°Even the smallest amount. Shift it. Move it. The moment you begin to stir it, more will follow.¡±


    It had sounded simple enough, as most things did before you actually had to try it.


    Jiang closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, trying to focus on the sensations around him. The distant rustle of wind through branches. The faint crackle of dying embers.


    Minutes passed.


    He felt¡­ he felt¡­


    Nothing.


    His brow furrowed, and he opened his eyes, staring thoughtfully at the trees around him. Maybe he was approaching this wrong. The only thing he really knew about meditation was that it involved sitting in the same place for a long time, thinking about the universe or something. From the few stories he¡¯d heard in his youth, there tended to be a lot of talk about ¡®opening yourself to the world¡¯ or something.


    Then again, the characters in the stories were always already cultivators. From what Elder Lu had explained, it sounded like they were trying to absorb the ambient Qi ¨C but right now, he was trying to find the Qi inside himself. So, logically speaking, he should be looking inward, not focusing on the world around him.


    With a ¨C only slightly ¨C frustrated huff, he closed his eyes again and tried focusing inward. On his breath. On his heartbeat. On¡­ whatever Qi was supposed to be.


    Nothing.


    Again.


    A muscle in his jaw tensed.


    He slowed his breathing further, searching for something, anything. He wasn¡¯t even sure what he was looking for¡ªwasn¡¯t even sure how he was supposed to find it. But Elder Lu had said it was there. Had said every living thing had Qi, even if only a trace.


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    He just had to¡­ notice it.


    Jiang grit his teeth, forcing himself to relax.


    And then, just as he was about to give up, there was a flicker.


    Faint. Barely there.


    Like a whisper at the edge of hearing, or a word on the tip of his tongue that he couldn¡¯t quite grasp. It reminded him of the feeling he had gotten when Elder Lu had looked at him back in W¨²y¨¨. That same sensation of something brushing against him, but¡­ from the inside. Somehow.


    He focused harder, reaching with a clumsy mental grasp.


    The sensation wavered, shifting like smoke through his fingers. The more he reached for it, the further it slipped away.


    Jiang¡¯s eyes snapped open.


    The fire had burned lower, embers pulsing softly beneath the wood. The cold pressed in at his back, the warmth of the flames keeping it at bay. His hands curled into fists before relaxing again. He had felt something, that was undeniable. It was progress, however slow.


    Jiang tightened his cloak around his shoulders and leaned back against the tree he was sitting by. The only thing left to do was try again.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    The days blurred together. Run. Hunt. Gather what little food he could. Try to meditate. Get nowhere. Keep moving.


    His thoughts turned, unbidden, toward his family. As much as he¡¯d been trying to distract himself by doing something, anything, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was making a mistake.


    Jiang had always been the type to act first and think later. After his father died, he¡¯d walked into the forest with his bow and a knife, determined to provide. It had taken three days to catch a rabbit. He hadn¡¯t thought about how his disappearance would affect his mother, hadn¡¯t realized how much it would worry her. But he had succeeded.


    Was this the same?


    Jiang stared into the fire, turning over his decisions in his mind, trying to determine if he¡¯d made the right choice.


    He knew, logically, that his family was gone. Tracking them wasn¡¯t impossible, but it might as well be. The bandits had almost certainly used the river¡ªthat was why the cultivators couldn¡¯t find a trail. Four days by boat could put them anywhere.


    Even if he somehow found the right path, where would it lead? A slaver¡¯s den? A market in some distant city? He couldn¡¯t just walk in and demand answers.


    The best he could do was figure out where they had been sold. Someone, somewhere, would have records. If he could find those, then he could find them.


    Then what?


    Buying them back would be the simplest answer. But how? He had no money, and no way to make any. Even if he could hunt, even if he could sell pelts or meat, that kind of money wasn¡¯t something he could gather in a lifetime, let alone in time to help them.


    Which left only one viable option ¨C becoming a cultivator. But how long would it take?


    The entrance exams were only the first step. Even assuming he was able to pass at all, he would have to prove himself even beyond that, and he had no idea how the Sect actually worked. How did cultivators grow stronger? How long would it take before he was strong enough to do anything?


    Jiang wasn¡¯t a fool. He knew what happened to men sold into slavery. Hard labor. Dangerous tasks. Work that killed quickly. His mother and sister wouldn¡¯t have to worry about that¡ªnot in the same way.


    Women were used for¡­ other things.


    Jiang exhaled sharply through his nose, forcing himself to stay still. His heartbeat had picked up, anger creeping in at the edges of his thoughts. He shoved it down. He couldn¡¯t afford to get angry at things he couldn¡¯t change.


    This was the best path.


    Without the Sect, he had nothing. No money, no resources, no power. He didn¡¯t even know how the world worked outside of his village. W¨²y¨¨ had been overwhelming enough¡ªcrowded, loud, full of people who had barely spared him a glance. A city would be worse.


    How was he supposed to track down slavers when he didn¡¯t even know where to start looking? The Azure Sky Sect could give him more than strength. Information. Connections. A way to move through the world that he had never had before.


    But how long would it take him to succeed? How long would his family have to wait?


    Jiang set his jaw. Without a goal, without a deadline, he knew it would be easy to become aimless. He¡¯d seen it happen before¡ªhunters who got too comfortable, who lost track of time and let the seasons pass them by. He wouldn¡¯t let that happen.


    Six months.


    That would be his limit.


    It wasn¡¯t long, not really. Cultivators spent years, decades, trying to grow stronger. But he wasn¡¯t trying to reach some grand height. He didn¡¯t care about immortal legacies or powerful techniques. He just needed enough.


    Six months to learn. Six months to train. Six months to gather whatever resources he could.


    Then, no matter what, he would leave the Sect and find his family himself.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Jiang sat cross-legged by the fire, hands resting loosely on his knees. His breath came slow and steady, eyes shut as he tried¡ªagain¡ªto focus.


    Days had passed, and he still wasn¡¯t making much progress. But little progress wasn¡¯t no progress.


    At first, he had felt nothing ¨C or, at least, nothing consistent. Now, at least, he could sense¡­ something. It wasn¡¯t inside him, not where he needed it to be, but it was there. A faint presence in the air around him, drifting, shifting, just beyond his reach.


    Qi.


    It had to be.


    It wasn¡¯t strong, just a whisper at the edges of his senses. But as he moved closer to the mountains and to the Azure Sky Sect, it was growing. Subtle, but noticeable. If he focused, he could almost feel the change, like stepping from cold water into warm. Elder Lu had mentioned that the Azure Sky Sect was located in an area of higher density, which gave him some hope that detecting it would become easier as he continued to get closer.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough.


    No matter how much he reached for it, no matter how carefully he tried to grasp the sensation, it never led him to the Qi within himself. Either he didn¡¯t have enough Qi to sense, or he simply didn¡¯t know what he was looking for.


    He felt like he was getting close, like all he needed was a better grasp of what Qi actually felt like, then he could do it. But to get a better look, he needed to find a better source of Qi than just the ambient stuff. And the only source he had was the elixir, which he couldn¡¯t afford to drink until the last moment.


    Jiang paused, a thought occurring to him. Unless¡­


    Unless he didn¡¯t drink it. The elixir was meant to be consumed and wouldn¡¯t actually give him any Qi until he did, but it should still have Qi inside it. Right now, he didn¡¯t need to drink it ¨C he only needed to detect the Qi.


    Jiang¡¯s hand drifted to his belt, fingers brushing against the small glass vial secured there and pulling it free. He didn¡¯t pop the cork, just held it gently in his grasp.


    At first, there was nothing. Just the smooth glass against his palm, the weight of the liquid inside shifting slightly as he adjusted his grip.


    He exhaled, closing his eyes. Focused.


    The ambient Qi in the air was still there¡ªfaint, drifting at the edges of his awareness, barely more than a whisper. But the elixir¡­


    It was different.


    Subtle, like catching a scent on the wind or hearing a distant sound just at the edge of perception. But the longer he focused, the stronger it became. The Qi inside the elixir wasn¡¯t scattered like the air around him. It was dense, concentrated. Held in place by the confines of the vial, but still shifting, still alive.


    Jiang concentrated, letting himself sink into the sensation.


    The more he focused, the clearer it became. The Qi pulsed, slow and steady, like a heartbeat. No, not quite¡ªa current, flowing in tightly wound loops, shifting and coiling within itself. Each movement was deliberate, precise, following patterns he didn¡¯t understand but could somehow recognize. Like a perfectly woven net or an intricate series of knots.


    It was¡­ beautiful.


    Not in the way he had expected. He had thought Qi would be raw, untamed power, something to seize and wield. But this wasn¡¯t wild. It wasn¡¯t chaotic. It was structured, intricate, and layered in ways he couldn¡¯t begin to unravel.


    And for the first time, Jiang truly understood just how much he didn¡¯t know.


    The stories never talked about this. Even Elder Lu had only explained Qi in simple terms¡ªenergy, life, power. But what he held in his hands was more than that. It wasn¡¯t just force; it was something living, something deliberate.


    Jiang exhaled, letting the sensation slip away.


    He had a long way to go. But at least now, he had a place to start.