The Third Realm - Chapter 14 preview

There were things that immortals, demons and humans alike were not meant to experience. Such experiences were why Grandmother Meng served her Soup on the Bridge of Forgetfulness, driving away nightmares that would plague an individual if allowed to fester. The consumption of the Twice Cooked Dog Kidney and Wolf Liver Pill was one such experience.

It was not just the taste on the tongue when one swallowed it. At least its presence in the mouth was brief, a transitory affair. One would expect it gone, after sufficient drink was swallowed. No, it was the fact that the taste, the smell of the pill when the protective outer coating had broken down seemed alive that made it a true horror.

For it crawled out of his stomach, breached his lungs and throat, became close companions with his taste buds and nostrils. There was no way to describe the taste, the smell for one who had yet to experience the horror – drinking raw, rotting sewage from the bottom of a badly cared for waste bin was significantly better.

It lived there, even as the sensation of the pill overtook the remainder of his nerves through its body, so powerful was its presence. Nerves meant to transmit movement, pain and sensation on skin and organs revolted at the sensation of taste, opening Wu Ying’s mind to new degrees of terror.

Worst of all – it worked.

Chi flooded into his body, his cultivation method circulating faster than ever as though it too was revolted by the sensations, intent on breaking down the pill, on flooding the pill and its effect away in a deluge of energy.

Empty meridians, nearly empty dantian were filled as the chi gathering formation in the room strained, struggling to keep up with the howling abyss that was Wu Ying’s cultivating presence. Energy poured through his aura, no longer sieved aside for the most appropriate portions, entering his meridians in a rush of cold and heat that made his body ache.

The pain was a minor matter, a footnote to his existence as he was deluged by the force of the pill. Once more, Wu Ying lost track of time as he rode the wave of cultivation, drawing in energy again and again, refining it within his meridians before it entered his dantian where it was refined once more as it passed into his Core.

Eventually though, the period of cultivation madness ended and Wu Ying, released from the throes of the pill, collapsed to the side, exhausted mentally and physically. Even so, he could not help but smile a small contented smile at the new Core layer and his half-filled reserves.

***

Cleaned, fed and sorted; Wu Ying left the cultivation chamber a changed man. No need to spend weeks, even months working on filling the next layer of his Core. Instead, the disgusting, god forsaken pill had taken care of the majority of the work in a few days of cultivation, leaving him ready to face the outside world. It would not be always like this – the efficacy of the pill would decrease as he used it more along with the corresponding size of his own Core – but it was a marked advantage.

There were disadvantages to using pills heavily in one’s cultivation journey of course, pill corruption and remnants needed to be purged. He had less to worry about that as a Body Cultivator – the repeated cleansing of his body helped curtail that issue early on – but it was still easy to over compensate.

More difficult for most was cost and availability. Strong, talented apothecarist were hard to find. Even worse was the bottleneck in spiritual herbs, where locating the appropriate herb was difficult as a greater proportion of wild herbs were required for Core Formation pills.

The first breath of air as he stepped out of the cultivation tower clear and clean, fresh in a way that the recycled, enchanted and cleansed air of the tower failed to achieve. The wind, long hidden away in its greater part, gusted around Wu Ying, causing his robes to flutter, bringing with it reminders of the world around.

He smiled, looking up at the sky, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face. He basked in the momentary tranquility of the world around him for a long moment, his remade Core thrumming, the Never Empty Wine Pot swirling at ever greater speeds as it reacted to the fresh air and the streaming chi.

Then, and only then, did he pay attention to the greeting party that was fast approaching him. A familiar quartet headed by a pair of Elders, while far behind, the Apothecarist Cai had just emerged from his cultivation tower.

Wu Ying sighed, knowing he had no choice but meet them. If he failed to do so, he would be breaching the bounds of etiquette, especially since he would need to speak with the Sect Head to take his leave and thank him for the use of his cultivation tower.

Better to confront the problem head-on.

“Cultivator Long,” Elder Cai Yao spoke immediately when they arrived. “I see your secluded cultivation session was successful.”

“It was. Thank you for asking.” Wu Ying bowed in acknowledgement. “Thank you for meeting me, upon my exit.”

“Not at all. I see you have changed your dress to more appropriate wear,” Elder Cai said, flicking his gaze over Wu Ying’s dark green robes. Not the Verdant Green Waters sect robes, but reminiscent of them at least. More formal than what he would normally choose, but this was supposedly a formal situation. He watched as Elder Cai’s gaze tracked down to the sword he wore, belted at his side.

“One tries, though travel means that my wardrobe is, hopefully understandably, limited,” Wu Ying said. “I take it the Sect Elder desires to speak with me?”

“Oh yes, he does,” Elder Cai’s smile widened a little.

“Cousins, there was no need to greet my guest yourself. I would be certain to bring him to speak with the Sect Head,” Apothecarist Cai arrived with a flap of his robes, his movement a little too loud, a little too hasty to be considered elegant.  No surprise then that the quartet gave the Apothecarist scandalized and scornful looks when they turned to him. The Apothecarist flushed a little, but chose to turn to Wu Ying. “Congratulations, Expert Long, on your successful cultivation session.”

“You’re welcome. And thank you for the pills,” Wu Ying said. “They were highly effective.”

“Even those dogshit pills he makes,” one of the younger set of the quintet spoke, his hair slicked back, his lips twisted in a smirk. He was only in the early Energy Storage stage of cultivation, but then again, he was only in his late teens. A prodigy probably.

“Children should not speak when Elders are talking,” Wu Ying said, then turned back to Apothecarist Cai. “Shall we go? I would not want to keep your Sect Head waiting any longer than we have to.”

The youngster moved to interject, only for Elder Cai to raise a hand and cut him off.

“Of course…” Apothecarist Cai said, bowing. “I have already arranged for word of your exit ahead. Hopefully the Sect Head has time to see us.”

“I’m sure he will,” Elder Cai interjected, again with that self-satisfied smirk.

None of that escaped Wu Ying or Apothecarist Cai from the way his eyes narrowed, but their course was set. Leading Wu Ying along the paved walkways to the main Sect headquarters, this time, none of the sect members – close family or branch members – dared to approach the group. It had as much to do with the people behind, glowering at those around, as a new tension through the air that had been missing before.

Ascending the steps to the raised home, Wu Ying was surprised to sense the presence of a peak Core Formation cultivator approaching the entrance. He slowed down instinctively, moments before the Apothecarist did. Within moments, a towering figure with a handsome, long mustache and deep set eyes was staring down at them from his position atop the stairs.

Behind the man, three pair of Elders flanked him. They were all in the Core Formation stage of varying degrees of strength, though only a single member of the group was a female – the oldest of them all. The rest were men, ranging in age from middle aged family men to old, white haired and whiskered individuals.

“Sect Head.” Apothecarist Cai dropped to a knee, lowering his head as he offered a clasped hand bow to the man.

“Clan head,” Elder Cai echoed simultaneously, copying the bow of the other. He made sure to move to the side so that he was on the same level as Apothecarist Cai before doing so.

Wu Ying, a step behind the pair, was certain to put his own hands together and bow, offering his own greeting. “Honored Sect Head. Honored Elders. I, Long Wu Ying, a wandering cultivator greets you.”

It was a little stilted and formal, but overly courteous was what he deemed was appropriate to the situation.

“Expert Long, I understand you used our cultivation chambers to progress your cultivation base,” the Sect Head said, flicking his gaze over to the apothecarist. “Was the attempt successful?”

Wu Ying nodded, bowing again in thanks.

“Interesting.” The Sect Head tilted his head to the side. “Do you know, that it is considered rude to restrain your aura in this kingdom. Hiding one’s strength is a sign of a deceitful individual.”

“Ah…” Wu Ying replied, inclining his head. “My apologies.” He relaxed his control, allowing his aura to expand. He kept it constrained to only a hundred feet around him, but he no longer tried to hide it from those around. “It is an old habit. I travel in the deep wilds, as Apothecarist Cai might have mentioned.”

“He did. He also spoke of the Thousand Stryration pill that you brought,” the Sect Head’s eyes glinted with ill-concealed avarice.

Now Wu Ying understood the greeting. Meeting him on the steps rather than inside which custom would normally dictate. Out here, damage from a fight would be less noticeable, easier to clean up. The presence of not just a few Elders of the Sect but nine others – the six behind, the two by his side and the Apothecarist – on top of the Sect Head an obvious show of force.

“A lucky find that fate had brought me,” Wu Ying replied. He was uncertain how much they cared about fate and fortune, about karmic ties. Some – like his Master – would be wary of interrupting the movement of fate. Others would care not.

Best part of him calling attention to his fortune was that he was telling the truth. It was fate, it was good fortune and the well wishes of a ghost that brought him the pill. If they had chosen to go there themselves, they might have had the same luck

Or not.

Not everyone could meet a ghost and not react. He might have reacted worse himself, if not for the clear feeling from the wind that while she might be present to his sight, she was not there physically. There was only so much she could do.

Or so he’d believed. Perhaps ignorance and arrogance had lent him undeserved confidence in his own superiority. It was hard to tell.

“Such a pill… it holds great value to our Sect.” Wu Ying glanced over as the Sect Head continued to speak, seeing the Apothecarist refuse to meet his eyes. He wondered then, if it was shame at letting this knowledge and this confrontation to occur, or shame at attempting to acquire it himself. “We would consider it a great favour if you were to sell it to us.”

For a second, Wu Ying felt it. That twinning of fate and events. It was not the same, Master Li asking him to give up the World Spirit Ring. It was not the same for the other had right, beyond force and desire. Yet, he felt it, the twisting of time and fortune.

Perhaps he had spent too much time with his own Master, to miss such an event. Perhaps he just saw it in his mind, believed it.

But…

“I see,” Wu Ying murmured, as he tried to buy time. Tried to sense the shift of karma, as fate and fortune twisted. The wind blew, and with it, a hint of the Heavens, of the same elusive wind he had followed across so many lands.

“Come now, you’ve taken much, putting a great strain on our cultivation tower. Surely a small gift in return is no small matter,” Elder Cai said, that smirking grin stretching across his face.

Wu Ying turned, his brown eyes meeting the other’s. He could see the tension in Elder Cai’s shoulders, even as he gloated.

The arrogant fool, to be so blatant…

Ah.

Of course.

It would suit Elder Cai if Wu Ying chose to refuse bluntly. He was not certain the game they played, but some of it was beginning to be clear. Still, his anger had his mind spin through the possibilities. He could leave, running from them. They could not catch him, once he made his way clear. They might have greater strengths, greater overall power, but he was the wind.

The most dangerous moment was here, now. Before he resolved himself, one way or the other. In the gap of time when he made a decision and moved, they could suppress him, injure him and finish the fight before he could create the space he needed to flee.

Winds blew, pulling at robes, disturbing hairs as his friends, his allies, himself, reacted to his emotions. His mind cleared, and Wu Ying shifted his weight, twisting one foot so that he was facing the other fully. The movement was deliberate, elaborate. A clear signal to any martial cultivator.

It was enough.

Elder Cai sprang back, sword appearing in his hand. His companion, a step below drew his sword too; and the other hanger-ons did so a beat later.

Wu Ying did not still, but he did raise an eyebrow. Then, deliberately, he turned and shifted his weight back to neutral to speak to the Sect Head, filling his voice with scorn as he spoke. “Is this how you treat guests, Sect Head of the ____? To meet answer with swords?”

“You… you… you were about to…” Elder Cai said.

“Answer your question. You did want an answer, did you not?” Wu Ying replied.

“I…”

But Wu Ying had turned away already. He shifted his hand, seeing more people tense, but he ignored it. He turned his right hand upwards, empty and sighed. “Well, I had forgotten I left the Thousand Stryration Pill with Apothecarist Cai. Or I would present it to you, Sect Head.

“A gift, for the hospitality shown to me.” Then his gaze flicked to Elder Cai and his subordinates, all of whom still held swords in hand. “By most.”

The rebuke drew a sudden intake of breath from the Elders behind. The old woman even went so far as to cackle with glee.

The Apothecarist smiled a little, quick to hide it a moment later. Then, realizing his own role, he bowed low. “I shall, with the Sect Head’s permission, retrieve the pill?”

The Sect Head flicked his gaze at Wu Ying, then at the bared blades. His brows drew down, as he glared at Elder Cai who hastily sheathed his weapon. The loss of face, to draw against a guest was significant. “I… well, yes.” He nodded to the Apothecarist. Then looking at Wu Ying who look utterly at ease, he stepped to the side and gestured. “Shall we wait within? I shall have refreshments brought forth.”

“I would be delighted,” Wu Ying replied.

He did not, as they entered the building, miss the fact that Elder Cai and his friends were barred from coming in, even as the other Elders peeled away, leaving him alone with the Sect Head and two others.

***

Four hours later, Wu Ying left the building burdened with a large amount of travel rations, some minor pills, enchanted talismans and everyday equipment along with a trio of robes in the dark green and browns he favoured cut in the local fashion. All minor gifts, as return signs of hospitality. Nothing that was worth even a tenth of what he had given away, even if one included the items in their entirety.

Even so, as he left after having declined to stay for dinner, Wu Ying found that he felt lighter. The pill might have been of use to him in the future, but holding onto it would have caused a scene. It would have created enemies he did not require or need, in a new kingdom that he had just arrived in.

He had done that once before. For better reasons than a pill he could not use.

Perhaps he was learning. Perhaps he was a fool to give up his good fortune. But after an hour’s travel along the main roads and no sign of pursuit, he chose to believe his actions were honorable. Whatever enmity he had generated with Elder Cai, it was insufficient for the man to hunt him down and attack him.

A situation that Wu Ying could not entirely be certain would have happened if he had not chosen to give up the pill without a fuss.

He chose to believe what he had done was right. And if the scent of the Heavens, so clear and clean and crisp had faded, he could not find it in himself to care. He would find it again, and learning – or not- to trace it was sufficient for him.

After all he had a kingdom to explore.