A Thousand Li

by Tao Wong

  Wu Ying felt the chi flow through his body, the foreign—no, the different—balances of chi, and chose to use them. The north wind was cold, perfect for combating the warmth of excess fire chi, to guide it to other portions of his body that needed the increased heat. Poisonous chi, too great in amounts that it killed organs and muscles, could be spread around and collected in the stomach and intestine, in the kidneys by the southern wind, whose warmth and grounded existence contained the chi and made use of it to break down toxins the body produced naturally.

  East wind, bringing with it the taste of sea water, took hold of excess metal chi, flowing it through to harden skin and muscle, fingernails and hair. The west wind with its ever-changing patterns, forced to shift and move by the mountains of the west, took hold of the wood chi that had invaded his body and contained it, using its bountiful surplus of life to bolster his body, shifted when it shifted and grew, diverted it when necessary to renew cells that were forced apart.

  The four winds flowed through him, balancing his chi. And the fifth wind, the central wind that grounded them all, mixed them as his body needed. Created a balance that he never knew he could have. After all, the earth encompassed everything but the heavens and the hells, so it too could encompass his body.

  As Wu Ying breathed and cultivated, as his body slowly relaxed, Wu Ying realized the truth of the body cultivation method.

  The Five Winds were not meant to cleanse his body. There was nothing to cleanse.

  What was, was as it should be. It was but a matter of finding the balance to make himself stronger.

  Better.

  And whole.

  ***

  Hesitant voices outside his cultivation chamber. A gentle push on the unbarred door. The familiar smell of flame and heat contained like the fires of a forge, powerful and steady but controlled. The other smell was bloody, corroded iron with a slight touch of earth, like the smell from an open mining pit. The light tread of feet brought the smells closer. Voices, familiar and recognizable, called out in concern.

  Wu Ying opened his eyes and sighed at his robes that clung to his body, dried blood and sweat all over it. No refuse though, no waste exuded. No more, he guessed. Not if he learnt to apply his new body cultivation correctly.

  “I’m fine,” Wu Ying said to his friends. Or tried to, his throat dry and hoarse from screaming. He had to clear it a few times and swallow the water handed to him before he got the words out. His voice was a little hoarse still, but he could tell it was healing already.

  Just like the rest of his body. Imbalances fixing themselves, his body strengthening. He felt the Five Winds body cultivation method running in the background, putting him back together. He was not healed, but Wu Ying knew now that it was but a matter of time.

  “More than fine.” He stood and walked over to the pair.

  “What happened?” Tou He asked, assessing Wu Ying and noting the easier way his friend moved. “Something good?”

  A grin burst from Wu Ying’s lips. “I figured it out.”

  “Your body?” Yu Kun said, walking around him. He frowned as he sensed the shift, then went so far as to pick up his friend’s arm and pull back the sleeve of the robe to stare at the flesh beneath. The mottled nature of Wu Ying’s skin was still there but faded. “I see.”

  Wu Ying continued to grin, basking in his good health.

  Without warning, Yu Kun formed a blade edge of metal around his fingers and slashed Wu Ying’s arm. The sharp edge of the metal chi glanced off the skin, the blade dissipating and leaving only a minor mark.

  Yu Kun raised an eyebrow, while the pair gaped at Yu Kun. “What? I had a feeling it had changed.”

  “Does it feel different?” Tou He asked.

  “No…” Wu Ying said, though he was a little hesitant. He did feel different, but the sensitivity in his skin was the same. There was no pain, just pressure from Yu Kun’s attack. “I don’t think so.”

  “Fascinating.” Yu Kun rubbed his chin. “Perhaps I should look into Body Cultivating.”

  “And become even slower at soul cultivation?” Tou He said teasingly.

  Yu Kun made a face. He was older than the pair and still in the Energy Storage stage. While breaching the barrier between Energy Storage and Core cultivation was hard, he was fast approaching the age when doing so would be nearly impossible—at least without a lot of luck—as the impurities and blockages hardened further.

  “Why did you two come?” Wu Ying said, diverting the conversation as he walked away from his friends to the pail of water nearby. Using the cloth set beside it, he began the process of wiping himself down. There was, he figured, unlikely to be enough time for a proper bath if they were there.

  “Ah! It’s past midday. And when we heard from the attendants that you had been screaming…” Tou He shrugged.

  “No one came to check on me?” Wu Ying said, surprised. While Tou He had gone to his own cultivation room, they normally checked on one another. Or paid for an attendant to do so.

  “They did. I did, before we went to have lunch. You were lying on the floor, unmoving at the time. We assumed you were resting,” Yu Kun replied. “It was only after we were gone that you did whatever you did.”

  Wu Ying frowned.

  “By the time the attendants had an Elder here, you seemed to be stabilizing and getting better, so they left you alone. Or so we were told.”

  That was the issue with hiring or using the general attendants to help watch for issues. Due to the dangers—and yes, pain—of cultivating, it was quite possible for individuals to suffer from the act of cultivating. Yet at the same time, it was those lessons and pain that an individual often had to push through to achieve success. Finding a balance between intervention and aid was difficult, and interrupting a cultivation session could do as much damage as letting a cultivator continue. As such, most attendants would rather not get involved.

  “Afternoon already…” Wu Ying shook his head and tossed aside the cloth. Behind the room partition, he changed his robes, wincing as he found himself putting on his combat robes from the sect. He really needed to get better clothing. Or more of it. From behind the partition, he called, “And nothing has happened?”

  “Nothing,” Tou He said. As Wu Ying walked out from behind the room partition, the ex-monk continued. “The ladies are not doing much either. Xiang Wen is packing to leave in her residence. And Wan Yan is—”

  “In the library. Studying,” Yu Kun butted in. “I have a friend watching her for now.”

  Tou He nodded in agreement. “So what now? Keep watch?”

  Wu Ying considered the question, then stopped thinking about it. Instead he smiled, waving for the pair to follow him as he strode out the room. Perhaps if knowledge was a failure, it was time to trust his instincts.

  Chapter 24

  The worn wooden door swung open, revealing the young lady standing behind it. She raised an eyebrow, even as Wu Ying brushed at the crumbs on his lips and swallowed around the baked meat bun he was chewing. He offered her a sheepish grin, his stomach having insisted on being filled the moment they had hit the streets and the delectable smell of the various roadside meals had permeated his consciousness.

  “Wu Ying…” Then, realizing the familiar term she had used, Xiang Wen blushed a little. She quickly corrected herself. “Cultivator Long. I did not expect to see you again before my departure.”

  “I know,” Wu Ying said. “I have a few questions for you.”

  “You do?” She flicked her gaze over Wu Ying’s shoulder, taking in Tou He, who had followed him, unashamedly munching on a trio of meat sticks.

  Yu Kun had hurried off to the library by himself, having been asked to keep a more direct eye on Wan Yan.

  Wu Ying flicked his gaze to the insides of the residence in unspoken plea. After a moment, Xiang Wen stepped back and invited them in. As she led them through the courtyard into the inner visiting room, Wu Ying saw the other cultivators from her sect—her escorts—busy packing, explainin
g why she had been the one to meet them.

  When the group were seated and tea and snacks poured and offered, then, finally, they got around to speaking of matters of import.

  “I have to ask, but you are not affiliated with the dark sect, are you? Beyond the corruption you discarded,” Wu Ying said.

  “Wha—” She was not the only one surprised by his blunt question, even Tou He’s eyes widening in surprise.

  “Please. Can you just answer me? I’ll explain once you do.”

  Her cheeks flushed, lips pursed, Xiang Wen shook her head. When Wu Ying still stayed silent, she put voice to her answer. “No. I want nothing to do with them. Unless it is at the end of my sword.”

  “I thought so.” Wu Ying relaxed, sitting back in his chair. His hand, near his sword hilt, shifted another inch away.

  “What is this about?”

  “Simply. I was attacked a day ago in my room. By someone who smelled… well, like you did,” Wu Ying said.

  It did not take long for Xiang Wen to put things together. “And you thought I was the attacker?”

  “Initially. But now, no.”

  “I’m flattered at the Honored Cultivator Long’s assessment. But why the change of mind?” Xiang Wen asked.

  “Yes. I’d like to know too,” Tou He said.

  “Call it a hunch.”

  Tou He groaned and put a hand over his eyes. The ex-monk’s outlandish reaction pulled a giggle from Xiang Wen, who covered her mouth with her long sleeves.

  “Really?” Tou He said, still not looking at Wu Ying. As if his embarrassment over Wu Ying’s admission was too much for him.

  “Really.”

  Hand lifted to rub his bald head, the ex-monk gestured for Wu Ying to continue whatever he was up to. There was a rather resigned look on Tou He’s face.

  “Well, I won’t take more of your time.” Wu Ying stood and bowed to her. “We need to return to watching for trouble.”

  “You’re not leaving just yet,” Xiang Wen said firmly. She rose too, glaring at Wu Ying and daring him to try to leave.

  “Miss?” Wu Ying said.

  Behind him, Tou He had tensed a little at her actions, but Wu Ying was entirely unperturbed.

  “As I said. I want nothing to do with the dark sect. Except at the tip of my blade,” Xiang Wen said. “It seems there will be an opportunity to pay them back for the debt they owe me. I will not let that opportunity go.”

  Wu Ying smiled. “Then you will help us.”

  “No.”

  Wu Ying jerked at her answer, eyes widening.

  “You will help me.” A hand dropped to the sword she carried on her waist, clenching around the hilt. “And we will end them.”

  Tou He laughed out loud, muttering something about “a type” as Wu Ying blathered on.

  ***

  It did not take Wu Ying long to explain the situation, though he was a little annoyed that he had to repeat himself again when Xiang Wen brought in her sect mates. That they had arrived and the grinning, bushy-bearded man had called Wu Ying “the peeping tom” the moment he had been introduced had not improved his mood.

  Still, Wu Ying was grateful for the help. Like them, Xiang Wen’s sect had not sent an Elder. In their case, their sect was located within a short distance of the Double Soul, Double Body Sect and thus had seen no reason to do so. The grounds between the two sects were relatively civilized, more than safe enough for inner sect members to travel without major issues.

  “So you think they intend to attack the Double Soul, Double Body Sect because it can fix the corruption they’ve placed in others?” He Shi Rong, the bearded man, rumbled, arms crossed over his muscular chest.

  Wu Ying nodded.

  “I can see that. We’ll need to stop them…”

  Beside the big, rumbling—and obvious—leader of the group, a shorter, plumper young lady nodded in agreement. She had a cheeky smile and a glint of mischievousness in her eyes. Duan Jia Yi, the young cultivator, was playing with a set of embroidery, her deft fingers never stopping as she spoke. “Do you think our friends here have been spotted?”

  “Of course. He walked right up to Ah Weng and asked her to her face. But let’s wait for Ah Gui to get back,” Shi Rong said.

  Not a moment later, a thin, whip-like man walked in, a bow in one hand and a quiver belted across his body. Unlike the others, he was not dressed in their sect robes but in the muted colors and low-quality hemp robes that were favored by wandering cultivators. All the better and easier for cleaning and repairing, after all.

  “Ah Gui, what word?” Shi Rong called.

  Bai Gui shook his head. “Escaped.”

  “Then they were watched?” Xiang Wen said. The female cultivator had been quiet since the others had arrived, beyond introducing the group.

  “Yes. The moment I spotted their watcher, they fled.” His lips curled up in disgust for a second. “Should have kept it nocked.”

  “No. No violence, not yet.” Shi Rong shook his head. “We’ll deal with them tonight.”

  Tou He glanced at Wu Ying, who returned the look, both of them a little surprised and put-off. It felt as if they had been caught up in the plans of the others instead of the other way around. It was, at best, disconcerting, but it was clear, as they discussed options, that Shi Rong was highly experienced at such clandestine operations.

  “So they know of him,” Shi Rong said.

  “They do,” Xiang Wen confirmed. “What are you thinking?”

  “Depthless Gully?” Shi Rong said.

  “Him?” Xiang Wen’s lips pursed. “It could work.”

  “It will work.”

  “A bit dangerous,” Jia Yi said with an impish smile. “Think he can run fast enough?”

  “He can handle himself,” Xiang Wen said.

  “Better for him to run,” Bai Gui said. He hefted the bow a little. “But I can cover him.”

  “His friend uses one…” Xiang Wen said, rubbing her chin.

  “The one watching the library?” Shi Rong spoke up, frowning. “We need him to stop.”

  “They’re already made.” Stab went the needle in Jia Yi’s hand. “Might as well leave them.”

  Shi Rong sighed. “True. Later on, we could—umm…”

  “If I’m correct, you are thinking of using Wu Ying as bait for tonight, are you not?” Tou He said, interrupting. He swept his gaze over the group before they reluctantly nodded. “Then I shall be with him. As will Yu Kun.”

  “I don’t know… you’re changing your plans,” Shi Rong muttered. “And so many of you, they might choose to avoid you entirely. Much harder to take down three than one, quietly.”

  “Then they won’t be able to attack the tower without us falling on them,” Tou He said. “It’d be stranger if we didn’t change our plans.”

  Wu Ying watched as they pulled out a paper map of the tower and its surroundings. He stayed silent as they detailed where each of them should go, the other sect members arguing back and forth. Tou He even joined in the discussion once in a while.

  Wu Ying stayed silent, availing himself of the snacks Xiang Wen had brought in. And when he had finished them all, he even followed her to the kitchen to help bring back more. She then located the mortal servant they had hired and sent him to purchase more food.

  It was when they were walking back to the group that she spoke up, a puzzled look on her face. “You’re not taking part in the discussion?”

  “Would your sect mates listen?” Wu Ying said wryly.

  “Probably not,” Xiang Wen said. “Ah Rong is very bossy.”

  “Exactly. In any case, it seems they agree with what I suspect.”

  Xiang Wen raised an eyebrow, her footsteps barely making a sound on the wooden floors they traversed.

  Wu Ying added, “That they will come for me anyway, wherever I am. I’m in their way.”

  “So you don’t care because they’ll attack you and that’s good enough?” Xiang Wen frowned. “Are you that unconcerned about your life
?”

  “Not at all. But you all will be watching the tower too. Maybe even be in it. And we only need to hold off whatever attack there is long enough for the Sect Protectors to arrive.”

  “Are you not worried they have Elders involved?” Xiang Wen whispered, her voice tinged with fear.

  Wu Ying slowed a little, glancing at Xiang Wen before he shook his head.

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “How would they hide an Elder?” Wu Ying gestured with one hand to encompass the island. The tray that he’d taken his hand off wobbled briefly. “There’s only so much you can do with aura suppression. And it’s not a big island.”

  “Enchantments. Talismans. Even a good aura suppression technique could make them look a level lower. And we don’t know what else the dark sect can do…” Xiang Wen said.

  “Maybe,” Wu Ying said. “But if that’s the case, then they are already here. And nothing we can do would change that.”

  “So you just don’t worry about it?”

  “Would worrying change what needs to be done? Is there anything you could prepare for tonight that you haven’t?”

  “No…”

  “Then thinking about it just makes you scared now. Better to enjoy the present,” Wu Ying said, hefting the tray of food to indicate what he meant.

  Xiang Wen laughed, cocking her head. “You’re a little different from before.”

  “I might be reveling in not being in pain,” Wu Ying admitted.

  She laughed once more as they entered the room. As she took her seat, she was more relaxed, joining in on the conversation and teasing that the group took to just as much as they did the planning.

  It made Wu Ying smile, strangely enough. Before he grabbed another mandarin and peeled it.

  ***

  The entire planning session took a little more than an hour. With as little information as the group had, there was only so much they could plan for. More than once, a pointed conversation was answered by shrugs from Tou He and Wu Ying.