by Tao Wong
A Thousand Li:
The First War
A Cultivation Novel
Book 3 of A Thousand Li Series
By
Tao Wong
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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A Thousand Li: The First War
Copyright © 2020 Tao Wong. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2020. Sarah Anderson Cover Designer
Copyright © 2020 Felipe deBarros Cover Artist
ISBN: 9781989458402
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Author’s Note
About the Author
Books in A Thousand Li series
Glossary
What Happened Before
Two years ago, sixteen year old Long Wu Ying, a rice farmer in the state of Shen was conscripted into the army. Through a series of fortuitous encounters, Wu Ying gained the attention of an Elder of the Verdant Green Waters Sect and was admitted as an outer sect member, to begin his journey to immortality.
That year, he was forced to fight to keep his place in the sect where he defeated Yin Xue, the nobleman’s son of his village in the final rounds of the competition. In doing so, he became an inner sect member with the attendant benefits and training. As an inner sect member, Wu Ying has progressed in his studies, growing in strength as a Body Cultivator – the lowest stage of cultivation – and gaining a secondary occupation as a Spirit Herb Gatherer.
Wu Ying is still in the early stages of his immortal journey, but has found fast friends in the sect in Tou Hei – an ex-monk turned cultivator – and Li Yao – a female cultivator who defies her noble parents to be a martial specialist. But the drums of war beat and Wu Ying must find strength, not only in his friends but within, to survive the encroaching armies.
Chapter 1
Cold winter air, humid and barely lit by the rising sun, was expelled from Wu Ying’s mouth as he exhaled. Seated cross-legged in the central courtyard of his house in the Sect, he breathed in a slow, rhythmic manner. Chi—the energy of the world—entered his body and circulated through his still, muscular, lean form with each breath. As he drew in more chi to spiral through the twelve cleared meridians of his body, the chi pushed and strained against them, bringing with it pain and pressure. Again and again, it circulated, passing from meridians to just below his navel as it entered his lower dantian. There, the energy was packed tightly with the accumulation of the last five months’ chi, energy gathered after his return from his expedition and throughout the winter months. Each breath brought more chi, his dantian a tight ball of energy that ached with the accumulation, one that sought a release.
Holding the energy tightly, Wu Ying opened his eyes. Dark brown eyes stared outward, fixing upon his friend who sat before him. Liu Tou Hei, the ex-Buddhist monk who still wore the orange robes of his order and kept his head shaved, sat before Wu Ying, watching over him. Beside the monk, Fairy Yang was seated on a nearby table, reading a scroll and casting occasional glances at Wu Ying. Tou Hei stared at his friend placidly, offering only a single nod of reassurance.
Wu Ying shut his eyes once more, drew another deep breath, and set to it. Chi gushed from his dantian, following his meridians, rushing forward at an ever faster rate. Each breath brought another circulation among the greater and smaller meridian paths, scouring them clean of minor refuse. With all twelve regular chi meridians cleared, Wu Ying was ready. He had been ready for months to take the next step.
Another exhalation as Wu Ying focused and pushed the distractions aside. Energy thrummed through his body, beckoning him to move, to make use of it. But all this energy, this accumulation of chi, was for another reason. For the next stage. Wu Ying directed the chi at the first of the Energy Storage meridians—the Conception Meridian, ren mai[1]. Breaking through the blocked Conception Meridian and freeing it for use was the first step in the Energy Storage stage. At least for the Yellow Emperor cultivation style that he practiced. From there, the cultivator would have to open and cleanse the other seven meridians as dictated by his style.
Each breath cycled the chi, bringing the accumulated energy to bear. Each circulation wore away at the blockage, an internal blow against the vessels that made up his body. Each circulation was a punch in his chest that started from within then reversed as the energy rebounded. With each rebound, Wu Ying had to take control of the rebounding chi and redirect it to join the normal flow of chi in his meridians, even as he pushed against the blocked barrier. The amount of chi he was channeling was greater than the amount his meridians could handle, increasing the pain ever further.
His dantian was the dam that had held back the flow of chi, forced to build up to dangerous levels and threaten the flood plains of his body. Now, Wu Ying had released the flow of water—of chi—into the drainage ditches that criss-crossed the fields of his body. But the flow of water was so great that some of it gushed out, spilling into the fields where they were not meant to be, while the rest broke against the dirty jam at the drainage ditch that led to the next field. Each time the chi flowed back, it spilled and was lost, wasting Wu Ying’s months of careful husbanding. At the same time, the water damaged the fields.
Pain flowed through Wu Ying’s body, making his breath hitch and his body tense. It mattered not, for Wu Ying’s consciousness was concentrated within. At pushing and pushing at the blocked meridian. But no matter what he did, it would not give way. And in time, the gushing water subsided, the flow reduced. The impetus for his breakthrough receded. Even as his chi escaped, the pain faded, going from nerve-shattering, bone-breaking agony to the more subtle pressure of constant hurt.
A moment’s hesitation, then Wu Ying began the slow process of reacquiring what chi still flowed in his body. He dragged the overflowing energy back to his dantian, wrapped it behind the dam of his will, and reduced the flow within until it reached a manageable level. When he was done, only then did Wu Ying open his eyes.
“I failed,” Wu Ying admitted to his friend and Fairy Yang, though he knew they had sensed that already.
Tou Hei nodded placidly while Fairy Yang gave a simple curt nod before standing to leave. The most dangerous part of breaking through—or failing to break through—had passed. Though Wu Ying’s body hurt, smaller blood vessels broken, the damage—for a failed breakthrough—was minimal.
Drawing another d
eep breath, Wu Ying pushed aside the feelings of failure and closed his eyes again. He might have failed, but he still had work to do. Work to recover what chi he could, to contain it for his next attempt.
***
Wu Ying stood in the middle of a courtyard much larger and more ornate than his own. Seated in front of him was his Master, Elder Cheng. Master cum sponsor for the Sect. Even seated, Elder Cheng looked to be taller than most men Wu Ying had met. Elder Cheng’s oval face was framed with long, lustrous black hair, and like Fairy Yang, his disciple, he was dressed in the traditional green-and-black robes of an Elder of the Sect. By his side, Elder Cheng’s jian rested against the wooden chair he sat upon.
“It seems that you failed,” said Elder Cheng.
“Yes, Elder Cheng. I’m sorry,” said Wu Ying.
“It is no matter. We all fail at some point,” said Elder Cheng. “What is more important is that we learn from our failures. Now, what did you learn?”
Wu Ying hesitated as he considered his words. No use being dishonest with Elder Cheng. Wu Ying had been mulling over the failure for the last few hours, trying to work out what he had done wrong. “I did not have enough chi to break through to the next stage. My blockage must be harder than most.”
“Incorrect,” said Elder Cheng. “It was not that you had insufficient chi. It was that you had insufficient enlightenment. Cultivation is not just about an accumulation of energy. It is an accumulation of knowledge and experience. And you, you spent the entirety of winter in the Sect.”
“I did take some assignments…”
“Some. But none of those assignments pushed you. None of them expanded your mindset, expanded the type of experiences you have had. And while your dalliance with Li Yao has given you something new, have you drawn upon that to expand your cultivation?” said Elder Cheng. “Have you achieved any enlightenment from being with her?”
Wu Ying flushed as Elder Cheng blatantly spoke of Wu Ying’s budding romance with his fellow Inner Sect member.
“Don’t think that I chastise you because I seek your embarrassment. I do so for your own good. At your age, there are many competing desires. The flush of youth is strong. But this is also the time to expand upon your cultivation. When one turns twenty or thereabouts, breaking into the Energy Storage stage becomes significantly more difficult. The blockages in each meridian harden. It is possible to break through afterward, but it requires herbs and spiritual treasures. Expensive spiritual treasures.
“As for Core Cultivation, after thirty, it is extremely difficult. Too many gifted students fall by the wayside, thinking they have time, indulging in fleshy pleasures and their ego.”
Wu Ying blinked, never having had his teachers be so blatant about the difficulties of expanding one’s cultivation. He knew that there were roadblocks as one aged beyond the normal lifespan of a mortal. Even though each level of cultivation expanded one’s lifespan, the ease of ascending to the next level still favored the young. The additional lifespan that one gained from achieving a higher level of cultivation worked against the very laws of nature itself, or so it seemed.
“You should know that you are not one of those gifted sons of heaven. You have some skill. You have some ability. You have even achieved more enlightenment than most in the time I have known you. None of that truly matters if you do not seek to better yourself.”
“I’m sorry, Master. I will do better.” Wu Ying lowered his head.
“Good,” said Elder Cheng. “That is all that I will speak of this to you. From here, it is your decision. That too is fate. Now, your Senior has told me that you have improved your swordsmanship. Show me.”
Wu Ying nodded, walked to the center of the courtyard, and drew his sword. He paused, looking at Elder Cheng, and received a nod of acknowledgment. At first, Wu Ying started with basic forms of the Long family sword style. However, he soon diverged, adding in the movements of the Northern Shen and the Mountain Breaking Fist styles he had studied. Dragon sweeping the Branches turned into the Third mountain Fist which transformed into a sweep from the Northern Shen style before ending in the Dragon rises in the Morning. Motion to motion, form after form, he continued around the courtyard. It was fifteen minutes before he was done.
“Impressive,” said Elder Cheng. “You’ve definitely improved and integrated the styles you have been studying. I have noticed that you are not touching upon the Dragon’s Breath, your chi projection method.”
“That is true, Master,” said Wu Ying. “Because I have been trying to conserve my chi, I have not been practicing that form.”
“That is your decision, but I would recommend you reconsider it.”
Wu Ying waited for Elder Cheng to add to his statement, but he waited in vain. “Is there a particular reason I should be practising the Dragon’s Breath?”
Elder Cheng looked concerned, stroking his chin. Eventually, he seemed to make up his mind and spoke. “The state of Wei has shown its aggressiveness over the winter. We have confirmed that they are purchasing large amounts of feed and other materials they will need for an extended campaign. As you know, the Six Jade Gates Sect have added to their Core Formation elders. It is because of this that we believe the state of Wei has chosen to escalate the war.
“While we do not expect, nor desire, our Sect members to take part in the war, it is not necessarily up to us.”
“I see.”
“Now, as for what you’ve been practicing, I have a few suggestions…”
***
Later that evening, after an exhausting afternoon of training with Elder Cheng, Wu Ying found himself at the inner sect dining hall with Tou Hei and Li Yao. With the year coming to a close, the Sect had opened up the stores and become more generous in the kinds of food that was served. It helped that the martial specialists had located a herd of white-tipped spirit deer, many of whom now graced the Sect’s cooking pots. This uncommon bounty saw an increase in the hall’s attendance, making the normally barren building busy with traffic. The sounds of people eating filled the room, the clatter of utensils, the tap of wooden chopsticks on porcelain bowls, and the slurp of wet noodles a homey reminder.
“How did it go?” said Li Yao.
Wu Ying looked at his girlfriend, marveling once more that someone as beautiful and refined as her would deign to even pay attention to him, never mind being his girlfriend. Li Yao was smaller than him, standing barely five foot four, but she had the pale, smooth skin of a noble—and graceful demeanor of one too. But unlike most noble women, Li Yao was muscular and athletic due to her training as a martial specialist.
“It could be worse,” said Wu Ying. “He did tell me that he is expecting this year’s war to be worse than normal.”
“I heard that too,” said Tou Hei. “When I was out of the Sect, I noticed some movement among the peasants bordering the state of Wei. Many of them were sending their children and elderly to family farther from the borders.”
“We do have it worse when a war breaks out.” Wu Ying stabbed desultorily at his bowl of noodles, remembering when past wars had shaken his village. The worse the fighting got, the more the lords would take in terms of food, people, and money.
With a small smile, Li Yao watched the pair talk. “At least we won’t be required to fight.”
“Isn’t that kind of what martial specialists do?” said Wu Ying.
“No, not really. We’re the Sect’s fist, but only when in contention against another Sect. We owe some loyalty to the kingdom, but we are cultivators. The Sect has already seen the passing of one kingdom and it still stands. We must have a longer view,” said Li Yao.
“I’m surprised to hear you say that,” said Tou Hei.
“Why? Because I’m a noble’s daughter?”
“Yes.”
Li Yao shook her head. “We are not all the same, you know. Some of us seek to be real cultivators. I know, I know, there are many here just to increase their strength. They are but an extension of their family. But you should know me better tha
n that.”
One thing struck Wu Ying about what she had said and he leaned forward, fixing Li Yao with his gaze. “You said the Sect had survived one kingdom?”
Li Yao nodded.
“Did the Sect abandon the previous kingdom?”
“In a way. This was three hundred years ago or so?” said Li Yao. “But if I recall my history right, the old kingdom insulted the Sect and the Sect Master chose to use the insult as an excuse to withdraw the Sect’s support. Forced to fight cultivators and the invading army alone, the kingdom fell.”
“Huh. That wasn’t what I learned in school,” said Wu Ying.
“I doubt the official curriculum would be as blunt,” said Li Yao with a slight smirk.
“Well, let’s just hope that they’re all wrong.” Tou Hei looked around the crowded dining hall then lowered his voice further. “We’re not really trained to fight with an army. In fact, maybe it’s something we should look into with the martial specialists.”
“I’m not really interested,” said Li Yao.
“Shirking knowledge for the sake of preference is not wise,” cautioned Tou Hei.
Li Yao shrugged, a mulish look crossing her face. When Tou Hei looked to speak again, Wu Ying shook his head. He had learned to read Li Yao well. When she got into such a state, even logic would not dissuade her. In time, she would likely come around, but you had to let her come to that realization on her own.
“I do like that spring is coming,” said Wu Ying, changing the topic. “I’ve seen some new assignments in the hall. Soon enough, I’ll be out gathering again.”
Li Yao brightened. “Definitely. I can’t wait to see you fight for real. After all that practice with your sword by yourself, doing it together will be amazing.”
Wu Ying kept a straight face, but Tou Hei could not help but choke off a laugh.
Grinning devilishly, Tou Hei leaned forward and said to Li Yao, “Tell me more about Wu Ying’s sword. Have you taken a good look at it?”
