Before slowing to an abrupt halt, heart racing in sudden panic, as Elder Panheu’s gaze caught his own.
Alex winced at the sight of the man he so wanted to impress gazing solemnly at the spot Alex was supposed to be kneeling prostrate before the world at that very moment.
The white-haired cultivator tilted his head up, catching Alex’s gaze with his own.
“I am sorry, master, I—”
The man immediately raised his hand. “You will resume the position until first light, moving only to light these three candles so all may see and judge you as they see fit. Then we will speak again. Do you understand, supplicant?”
Alex swallowed through his parched throat. “Yes, master. It’s just that—”
Panheu turned around, shutting the gate behind him.
Alex sighed, chuckling quietly to himself, and immediately assumed the position once more, taking discreet sips from a water flask kept in his divine artifact as darkest night transformed to the first crimson light of day. Alex had not allowed himself to wallow in exhaustion or boredom, instead alternating between his Twin Path purification technique to slowly chip away at his massive seventh and final meridian blockage and his Eternal Fox technique to rejuvenate and revitalize his body.
By the time the carefully-tended garden behind his master’s pavilion was alive with the chirping of birds, the gate was opened once more, Elder Panheu gazing intently at Alex for long moments before finally giving a quiet nod.
“Come in, aspirant. I have classes to teach, and you a garden to care for.”
Though he was almost delirious for lack of sleep, Alex’s body felt incredibly energized, and he complained not once as his mentor immediately set him to carefully weeding a garden chock full of potent herbs and flowers rich in spiritual energy, Earth and Wood Qi radiating in abundance from the well-cared for plants.
Alex was careful to at least sometimes flinch and feign weakness as the day went on, knowing he should at least appear to be injured, but his mentor was having none of it, and by the time afternoon was rolling around, they had tilled and weeded the garden and Alex had shifted any number of meditation stones to where his mentor thought them best placed.
His mentor at last gave a nod of approval, only then consenting to physical sustenance, Alex savoring the bowl of rich chicken and rice soup he had been given as if it were the most magnificent meal in the world.
“You did well, supplicant. I think my garden will prosper under your care.”
Alex smiled at the collection of blackcap head, sageroot, and jasmine berry bushes bobbing gently in the breeze, along with a dozen other varieties of medicinal plants he had once worked with as a compounder. Just a fraction of the size of the garden nestled safely within his divine artifact, but a magnificent horticultural sight, nonetheless. And though it might lack Silverbell blossoms, the most crucial of all alchemical ingredients necessary for making priceless cultivation potions, it was otherwise as well-stocked as any apothecary or cultivator could hope for.
“I will do my best to make that wish a reality, master.”
Panheu just nodded thoughtfully. “I will be back at dusk. You may rest or meditate. I expect you to be refreshed enough for whatever lessons I might teach you upon my return,” he said.
Alex grinned. “I very much look forward to it, sir.”
Alex took in his surroundings while his master was away. He knew without a word being said that the central building was off limits, and wouldn’t even think of entering without his mentor’s express permission. To him was relegated an extremely modest shack, with just enough room for him to comfortably lie down in, though he had to be careful not to bump into the tools and implements hanging from the hooks and pegs upon its walls.
He was grateful as well that even Dragon Academy had access to plumbing and proper sanitation facilities, or at least its cultivation masters did, feeling more comfortable and less awkward taking care of his all too human needs than he had in quite some time.
For all that his increasing mastery of the Eternal Fox body cultivation technique was having miraculous benefits, there were certain bodily functions that could only be delayed for so long.
Rested and refreshed, he spent long moments looking past the beautiful roses, orchids, and lilies delineating the boundaries of his master’s impressive cultivation garden to the deep blue sea beyond, taking deep breaths of the crisp, clean air with the tang of the ocean in every breath despite their elevation, the grounds overlooking a steep drop of several hundred feet to the sea below.
In that moment, Alex felt a bubbling sense of accomplishment welling up inside him. Despite all the obstacles he had faced; slavers, corrupt merchants, and multiple hordes of spirit beasts attacking him and his companions along the way, Alex had done it, risen himself up from collared slave to aspirant at the grandest temple in all of Yidushi, perhaps in the entire principality.
For all that he was still the lowest of the low, with but a simple hemp robe as his only possession save, of course, for the treasures safely stored within his mystical ring, he was absolutely determined to raise himself up just as far as he possibly could.
And that, of course, meant first and foremost getting in his master’s good graces.
The man was no fool, Alex already knew that. Eyes that shifted between silver and sky blue, seeing so much without a word being said, knowing exactly how far he could push Alex with their arduous work shifting massive rocks today, somehow sensing that Alex was more than ready, despite having suffered multiple serious injuries just a day ago. If he was at all suspicious or curious about Alex’s methods, however, he didn’t say a word.
Alex eyed the garden, so similar to Master Liu Jian’s own. His happy reverie immediately soured, before he transformed it to intent focus once more. He didn’t know what had happened to his dear friends, didn’t know if there would ever be an opportunity to see them again. He only knew that if he had been just a little bit stronger… Alex shook his head. Wondrous and remarkable as this world was, it was every bit as savage and brutal as life back on Earth could be. Really, if he wanted to protect the people he loved, he needed to grow stronger. Strength was everything in this realm, and a good man’s resolve meant very little if he lacked the power to back it up.
With those thoughts in mind, Alex took a deep breath of the wondrously vibrant air in the center of the garden, feeling the pristine Heaven and Earth spiritual energies pouring down from the sun above, welling up from the sea beyond and the ground below, as pristine and pure as any cultivation spot he could imagine.
Dual Path purification technique is now at 95.7% efficiency.
The hours seemed to flow by as Alex lost himself in trance, visualizing as best he could the massive seventh meridian blockage that had ground his cultivating to a standstill for so long, for all that he had grown powerful in so many other ways.
He took comfort in feeling his stores of Dark Qi, that which most cultivators considered waste, separating into his divine treasure, knowing well what a potent resource it could be. His Light Qi infused and energized his body and mind, yet there was only so much benefit he could get from that in a single day, so he funneled the excess into a separate visualized chamber in his ring as well. He noted the brilliant disk of gentle sun-like energy was now glowing in his personal garden, much like his saintly artifact, a fangtian ji he could only draw when the darkest of nemeses threatened innocents nearby and he embraced a state of ultimate sacrifice, touching divine selflessness only long enough to draw his weapon and use it in defense of the innocent and just, for all that his own base desires, passions, and hunger to advance marked him as anything but a saint, save in times of dire peril.
It was only after hours had passed and Alex opened his eyes with a satisfied smile, at one with his environment, and knowing he was truly alone thanks to his Qi Perception, that he finally caught sight of his master’s bemused smile as he gazed at Alex, tilting his head to his side, and Alex felt a shudder through his soul, serenit
y instantly popped.
Despite rank four in the Qi Perception skill, he hadn’t detected Elder Panheu at all.
Seeing him awake and alert once more, a total giveaway since a startled Alex had lurched back and tipped over, Elder Panheu didn’t hesitate to swipe a slightly sweaty brow with a single digit and take a thoughtful sniff.
“And not a trace of waste do I detect, young aspirant. What a remarkable cultivation technique you appear to have. Or were you merely sleeping sitting up?”
Alex swallowed, cheeks flushing, feeling intensely embarrassed at having been caught so unawares, desperate to find a mentor he could truly trust, knowing at the same time he’d be a complete and utter fool to give the game entirely away.
He settled for kowtowing before his master. “This one apologizes for his lack of awareness, Elder.”
Panheu snorted. “Hard to spot anything at all with your eyes closed.”
Alex flushed at his master’s gentle laughter.
Panheu’s face grew serious. “You were wise not to react to Lai Wei’s goading. This is good. The school entire saw his animosity towards you, so the next time he tries to stab you in the back, no one will be shocked by the attack.”
Alex blinked. “This is a good thing?”
His mentor shrugged. “It adds to the credibility of future assertions and claims you might make. For one in your position, this is priceless.”
“My position being that I’m a Ruidian?”
His mentor nodded. “And the lowest of the low. But enough on that. He managed to embarrass his uncle in front of you, which earned you both the man’s hatred and his diligence in assuring you never suffer from the burrs of his nephew’s discontent. At least, not in any way that can easily be traced back to him.” The cultivator flashed a wicked smile. “Quite delightful, really. I always find Lai Leng’s pills to have the most invigorating edge of refining potency when he’s snapping his teeth at the world entire.”
Alex couldn’t help grinning back. “If I didn’t know better...”
Cold eyes suddenly gripped his own. “But you do. You do know better than to dare say the thoughts that could cause such discord aloud.”
Alex blinked. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the Silver on guard the day I arrived, Zhao Doushi, was in your pocket, caught sight of Qi strikes I had thought kept well-hidden, noted my incredible rate of recovery, and told you I was a ringer to bet on. Then you used me to net yourself a fortune from an embittered alchemist who knew better than to outright poison you, and now his fierce discontent results in the most potent, ‘sharpest’ refining pills imaginable.
Alex paled and coughed as the cultivator before him glared, as if the man could actually read Alex’s mind. “Yes, of course, Elder Panheu. I have already forgotten whatever unworthy tidbit I was about to say.”
His master nodded, peering at Alex thoughtfully. “I believe it’s time we had our first lesson. My instructions are simple. Sit in the lotus position and observe. When you are ready, emulate.”
Alex nodded slowly and proceeded to do just that while his mentor slowly rose and embraced what looked for all the world like a Tai Chi dance to Alex’s untrained eyes, his mentor’s motions slow at first, almost painfully slow as he adopted a low stance and slowly danced a fluid series of steps that morphed into foot sweeps and circular strikes, before increasing his tempo until his movements were nearly as fast as Hao Chan’s, though his form lacked Silver Swan’s long-ranged deadly whipping kicks, instead focusing on circular blows, sweeps, and movements that suggested flipping or knocking multiple opponents off balance, though it was hard to tell with just one person.
Qi Perception check made!
But what was not hard to sense after a time, what made Alex’s eyes light up with sudden wonder, was spotting the glow of white Qi flowing through his master’s forged meridian channels.
Soul Sight skill check made!
Alex grinned with awe as it all clicked into place. His master wasn’t just going through the physical motions, it was the flow of Qi as much as the contraction of his muscles that was propelling him faster and faster through his katas or forms, until he moved at a speed Alex found both dizzying and electrifying.
And when Master Panheu finally wound down to a halt, bowing shallowly to all four cardinal directions, over an hour had passed. An hour of his mentor moving faster than any athlete or performer Alex had ever seen on stage, cinema, or even when he and Hao Chan had trained endlessly together.
What his master had done was beyond remarkable, and for all that his was a slender, wiry build, Alex had absolutely no doubt the man could crush him with ease, if he so chose.
“Now, Alex, let’s see how much of my form you managed to pick up.”
Heart racing with sudden anxiety, strangely afraid of displeasing his mentor, Alex took a deep breath, got up, and mimicked the forms he had seen, slowly and carefully, as accurately as possible.
After endless moments of hard staring, Elder Panheu shook his head. “What a waste it would have been if those fools had had their way.”
Alex blinked. “Elder Panheu?”
“Quiet! Listen. Do not speak. Now mirror my form and shift your balance like so. Good. Now slide your right foot forward… that’s it. Now spin with your sweep kick and parry with your right arm while your left catches and draws mine in, like so. Can you sense the flow of it?”
Alex blinked at those words, not quite sure he understood what his mentor had meant, for all that Elder Panheu’s elbow was now securely trapped in an arm bar.
His mentor sighed, flexed his arm, and flowed out of Alex’s bind like water. “Try again, Alex, and this time, try to feel the energy all around us flowing through you.”
Alex frowned, doing his utmost to focus on his master’s subtle shifts in balance, judging the instant Elder Panheu committed to his attack, and countering as best he could.
Only to fall flat on his face as his increasingly cold-eyed mentor gazed almost pityingly down at Alex. “When first I saw your potential, I had high hopes, Alex. But it is obvious you still don’t truly understand what it means to be one with your Qi.”
Alex blinked at this. “Elder Panheu?”
The older man gave a curt shake of his head. “Silence, Alex. Just watch my form. Watch and learn.” His gaze hardened. “And until you are able to truly replicate my form, best you say nothing at all.”
Alex blinked, opened his mouth to respond, then immediately snapped it shut before the man’s hard-eyed glare. He bowed his head in acknowledgment instead, his mentor now paying him no mind, merely going over the basic kata again and again.
Alex felt a growing sense of frustration.
There was so much he wanted to ask, so many questions he had about the temple, about the life of a student, about what was expected of him, even about how exactly he was supposed to ward attacks, even the gentlest of strikes from a Silver.
Instead he choked back all questions, doing his best to quiet his racing thoughts and mimic Elder Panheu’s movements as precisely as possible.
Much to his chagrin, he was able to counter his mentor’s blows no better than he had the first time when the elder eventually consented to test Alex’s basic understanding of the forms he had demonstrated.
Again, Alex was pushed over effortlessly. A displeased Elder Panheu now refused even to speak with him before turning in for the night.
Alex swallowed a lump of anxious dread, struck with the sudden feeling of walking into an accelerated honors class and realizing he had absolutely no idea what was going on. Where the welcoming gaze of a teacher greeting a new student would soon tighten into a concerned frown when it became clear that the student just didn’t have what it took to keep up.
And the thought of Elder Panheu looking at Alex the same way his calculus professor had once looked at him filled Alex with ice cold dread.
When he tried to lie down and rest, he found his heart racing, unable even to focus sufficient to calm his own nerves. Because sud
denly it didn’t matter what else he had been able to accomplish using brute strength and clever savvy. He didn’t have the faintest idea how to master this new form, White Crane kung fu, that his master was attempting to teach him. He didn’t even know where to begin.
But it didn’t matter, he realized, eyes wide with the fear of failure and exile, fists clenching against an enemy he could never beat with brute force. He couldn’t help chuckling ruefully as he got up once more, knowing exactly what he had to do.
And for all his failures the following day, his complete inability to replicate the odd power in his master’s movements, or tip him over even once, or keep from being sent tumbling off his feet, perhaps his one saving grace had been the single smile Alex had earned from his master who had greeted the day to find Alex diligently mirroring the forms he had been shown the night before as best he could.
But he knew he was doing something wrong. Utterly and completely wrong.
For all that he was mirroring his mentor’s movements perfectly, for all that he felt more in tune with his sense of self, his originally stiff transitions turning smooth and supple, awkward balance slowly becoming centered and sure, he didn’t get one notification from his interface that he was advancing in this skill, even as one day bled into the next.
Elder Panheu’s gaze was troubled when he consented to talk to Alex after the end of his first week of struggling futilely to learn his master’s movements.
“Perhaps it’s my fault, Alex,” his mentor said, voice filled with such sympathy that Alex was on the verge of panicking, fearing he was about to be politely shown the door. “I think perhaps we should have started with the basics.”
Alex raised a polite brow, knowing better than to speak to the man, only observe and listen and bow politely when he was handed his twice-daily meals.
His master’s smile was almost gentle. “Come. Sit here and face me in the lotus position. Very good. Now, as best you can, watch my breathing. Try to sense the flow of Qi running through my meridians as I breathe in and out.”
Silver Fox & The Western Hero: Warrior Forsworn: A LitRPG/Wuxia Novel - Book 3 Page 3
