No, he thought, to somewhere else in the building. It moved toward a remote corner in the Alabaster Group, the practice room that Cha Ming had rented. The disturbance was far too great for him to ignore. In a flash, he appeared beside Cha Ming. He watched as the young man painted with blank eyes and created sigils as though they were nothing. He fused them into forms Tianhao couldn’t understand, and he painted runes by the hundreds.
Is this enlightenment on the Dao? Such an experience could never be sought, only found by chance. And as his teacher, it was his duty to be his Dao protector.
Lu Tianhao’s eyes flickered as he sensed an approaching transcendent. The man wore a black cloak and emanated a deadly baleful aura. Tianhao flashed in front of him, blocking his path. “What are you doing in my territory, pray tell? Do you think I’m afraid of you?”
The black-cloaked figure’s eyes looked toward the practice room where Cha Ming was located. “Enlightenment on the Dao? Such a precious moment. Surely you don’t think you can prevent me from disrupting him?”
“I’m afraid normal distractions won’t cause him to bat an eyelash,” Tianhao said calmly. “But if you actually harm him, I’m sure you know the consequences. Do you think it’s worth it?”
The man swished his sleeve, sending howling winds toward the Alabaster Group’s building. Everything shook, causing much noise to permeate the entire complex. This included Cha Ming’s chamber. Naturally, he didn’t wake.
The cloaked man shook his head. “Not worth it, then. Protect away.” He disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“What about you all?” Tianhao said, projecting his voice across the city. Many figures in Daoist robes came out of hiding and bowed. They were all core-formation ants, and they knew better than to barge into the Alabaster Group’s territory. After all, there was a bit of a workaround to transcendent interference. He had installed a Five-Element Purple Helios Formation in the building but had granted the control to others in the group. If they acted, using the formation and spirit stones, they could decimate anyone at core formation or below. It wouldn’t incur too much karma for him either. It was all about intent, after all. Making a shield to defend someone didn’t upset the plane’s will so badly, but attacking could damn near kill you.
I wonder how long it will last, he thought before sitting cross-legged in meditation. A single glare of his was enough to frighten just about anyone away.
“Rise and shine,” a gentle voice said, waking Cha Ming from his sleep. He felt the stone floor beneath him as well as a sticky puddle. It was blood.
“What happened?” Cha Ming asked, groaning.
“You gained enlightenment on the Dao, creating some very mysterious sigils in the process,” the voice said. Cha Ming now recognized it as Lu Tianhao. “I was negligent. At the end of the enlightenment session, you collapsed while at your weakest. You bumped your head very hard, and you know how scalp wounds are. They bleed like an open faucet. Doubly so for someone with such powerful vitality, since you regenerate your blood faster than it bleeds out.”
Cha Ming opened his eyes and saw his white-haired, white-robed teacher seated in front of him. Off to the side were the hundred and eight sigil focuses. He willed them to his wrist and finally noticed that they were gray.
“Gray…” Cha Ming said. “That’s right. I found a way to fuse the five elemental sigils. I condensed them into an eight-colored sphere. Everything merged into gray.”
“I should add that you somehow added around ten thousand runes to each sigil focus within twenty-four hours,” Lu Tianhao said. “I’m not entirely sure which feat is most impressive. Regardless, you should probably come up with a name for these sigils. They are entirely new, and I can’t promise you I won’t copy them.”
“The five elements came from destruction and creation,” Cha Ming said while standing up, “and this gray feels like the fusion between creation and destruction. But the Dao created two, and two created many. Then is this gray the Dao?”
“A bold assumption to say the least,” Lu Tianhao huffed.
“Then it’s settled,” Cha Ming said. “I’ll be bold for once. I’ll call these Dao sigils.” He heard the older man chuckle. “Now then, let’s have a rematch.”
“Are you ready?” Tianhao asked. Cha Ming nodded and bowed. “Begin!”
The white-robed man cast out twenty-four flaming sigils that turned into twenty-four formations. One hundred and fifty thin threads shot out from the twenty-four sigils, threatening to form a Lesser-Grade Burning Dragon Combat Formation. In response, Cha Ming shot out twenty-four Dao sigils that morphed into blue formations. He laid them down so that they blocked the red lines being formed. Blue tendrils shot out to form a Lesser-Grade Ice Dragon Combat Formation.
To his surprise, however, Lu Tianhao retrieved these sigils and cast out twenty-four earth sigils. In turn, Cha Ming retrieved his and cast out twenty-four more Dao sigils. They continued this dance for many cycles as Cha Ming wondered as to the point of it all. The result of such a cycle was a draw. Or was it?
It got Cha Ming thinking. Why was he spending so much time retrieving the sigils? Why didn’t he keep them out and exchange the qi after taking it back?
Cha Ming decided to try it. He changed his earth formation to a metal formation, then swiftly withdrew the wood qi and inserted fire qi. He also slightly changed their positions to accommodate a new combat formation as quickly as possible.
To his surprise, Lu Tianhao kept the pace. The speed he used was clearly not the fastest he was capable of. Despite Cha Ming’s increased speed, the cycle continued. After many cycles, Cha Ming finally began to wonder—why was there a need to withdraw and insert qi in the first place? He could convert qi by two steps if he so chose. That is, his wood qi could either become fire qi or earth qi. This was one of the wonders of his Perfect Five Elements cultivation technique.
Once again, Cha Ming’s pace increased. He didn’t withdraw his qi. Rather, he simply willed it to become the next element in sequence, and it was so. His gold formation became a water formation directly in response to Lu Tianhao’s shift from a wood formation to a fire formation.
After a few more cycles, he didn’t even withdraw the qi tendrils. Instead he shifted the sigil formations from one position to the next while changing the runes and the qi element in the formation lines simultaneously. Then when Tianhao’s pace increased once more, he thought about how else he could save time. Why did he need to completely shift the formations? Could he perhaps shift to two-element formations? Then he would only need to change twelve runes out of twenty-four. The new runic lines would be substantially reduced as well.
As Tianhao’s gold formation shifted to water to counter Cha Ming’s shift from wood to fire, Cha Ming instead chose to transform half his formation. Instead of changing to an earth formation, the counter to water, he only shifted half of the fire to earth. He used his spare soul force to rapidly condense them, finally creating the first formation of their match, the Lesser Magma Formation. Tianhao could only grit his teeth and activate his combat formation, which could only show three-fourths of its prowess as opposed to Cha Ming’s, which could show one and a half.
“Impressive,” Lu Tianhao said. “But how will you deal with this?” He threw out another twelve sigils. Runic lines shot from these sigils and joined his existing formation. A mid-grade combat formation activated, and Cha Ming’s magma formation was immediately overwhelmed by their difference in rank.
“I can’t beat a mid-grade formation,” Cha Ming said, shaking his head.
“Who knows,” Lu Tianhao said, shrugging. “If you only use formations, you’re completely correct. However, I’ve seen people break formations with their fists. This entire time, I’ve never prevented you from using all means at your disposal.
“In any case, let’s stop here for the day. You’re qualified as a lesser-grade formation master now. And now that your cultivation is stable, you should consider breaking through to the next level. You have nothing to gain by remaining in earl
y foundation establishment.”
Cha Ming inspected his qi seas and saw that they were now like still mirrors without any hint of turbidity. His teacher was right. It was time.
Interlude—Fanning the Flames
The soft spring dirt cushioned Hong Xin’s footsteps as she and Hong Yinyue walked to their next destination. Wherever they went, they would stop at an inn to play. The room and board was free, and whatever tips they made over and above that was theirs to keep.
It took some time to get used to such favorable treatment. She barely remembered the days when she was a mistreated tavern wench. The only memories that remained were those of a burning man and running in the dead of night. But now she was focused on the road. She loved the road and loved music and loved dancing. She wouldn’t trade them for the world.
“You have a little hop in your step today,” Hong Yinyue said. “What has you so excited all of a sudden?”
“It will be my first time inside a big city,” Hong Xin said. “I’m very excited. Tell me again how many residents Quicksilver has?”
“Around ten million,” Hong Yinyue said calmly. “But that is a conservative estimate. Their domestic policies have greatly increased the wealth and livelihood of their residents. In fact, they have a saying in some political circles. ‘Always Be Constructing.’ Whenever they need to make some tough choices, they remind themselves to always choose growth over other minor matters.”
“Ten million,” Hong Xin whispered. “That’s an awful lot of people. I could know a dozen people in the city and never see them. Even our performances wouldn’t change that fact.”
It was hot out, so Hong Xin took out one of her red fans to cool down. They called their group the Hong Sisters. It wasn’t her idea, of course. Hong Xin found this title very embarrassing due to Yinyue’s age. She herself was just a woman in her early twenties, but Yinyue had lived for several centuries—or so she said, though she still maintained the appearance of a young woman in her midtwenties.
“You should focus on the road,” Yinyue said, projecting her voice so that only she could hear. Hong Xin’s eyes darted around as she maintained her calm demeanor. Her “elder sister” would only say such things if there was trouble. And trouble meant that Hong Xin would have to take care of it all by herself. Yinyue always refused to act.
“Could the gentlemen in the woods be so kind as to greet us in person?” Hong Xin asked in a sweet voice that pierced through the hearts of men. A dozen men stumbled out awkwardly, weapons in hand. They all looked at each other in confusion, which made sense, given that her suggestion had changed their original intent to catch them by surprise.
A person that seemed to be their leader stood forward. “You both know what we want,” the man said. “These are hard times, so we need to spread the wealth. Understand?”
“But we’re just innocent travelers,” Hong Xin said, waving her fan in a way that caused the bandits’ hearts to throb. “Surely you wouldn’t harm beautiful ladies such as ourselves.”
The man looked confused but quickly regained his composure. “We won’t hurt you if you give us your money, your instruments, and your fans. We’ve heard the rumors. You Hong sisters get lords and kings begging for your favor and showering you with gifts.”
“So you’ll let us go if we give you our money?” Hong Xin asked with a flutter of her hand, a sway of her hips, and a voice that could compel any man to answer.
“Y-yes, of course,” the man said nervously.
Lies. She had gotten very good at spotting them. It came from having to put up with all the flattery and the promises. It obviously didn’t help the man’s case that the dozens of men behind him were releasing enough murderous intent for a thousand men.
“Elder Sister Yinyue,” Hong Xin said gently, “could I please get some music?”
“Of course,” Yinyue replied, chuckling. Before anyone knew it, a jade zither had appeared before her. Her fingers plucked some introductory notes, setting the stage for Hong Xin. Hong Xin knew that Yinyue could decimate the group if she wanted to with those same notes, but she intentionally kept the music normal. It was an accompaniment, nothing more.
The temporary confusion subsided as the bandits realized what was happening. They began to organize themselves in a formation. Hong Xin would have none of that. Her body twirled as she made eye contact with them. Their hearts melted, and they couldn’t help but let their weapons fall. A swish of her fan brought blazing flames to scorch them. It was only then that they realized they were completely helpless.
“Mercy!” the leader said. He tried to pick up his weapon, but the burning metal singed his hand. His arms were blistering under the intense whirlwind of flame conjured by the single fan.
“I don’t show mercy to creatures such as you,” Hong Xin whispered. Then, with a murderous look, she swung both her fans and intensified the flames fourfold. And inside the flames she saw three figures growing and mutating. One had gold skin, and another’s was barky. Yet another had fiery eyes, but his fire was nothing in front of her flames. In fact, an inner fire could be seen burning out of control from inside him. His pent-up anger came to a head and cracked through his skin, destroying him from the inside out.
Soon, nothing remained but ashes. Hong Xin swept both her fans, and the ashes blew into the nearby woods. Then, the last note sounded.
“Your dance is getting better,” Yinyue noted.
“It’s because I get so much practice,” Hong Xin replied. “Who would have thought that so many of these creatures were plaguing the countryside.”
“It will only get worse,” Yinyue said, sighing. She stowed away her zither, and they continued their journey.
That day, the Hong Sisters played in the northern side of Quicksilver. They passed by the Alabaster Group and proceeded without stopping. After all, the city was huge. Even if they knew a dozen people in the city, it wasn’t likely they would spot each other.
And in this city, Hong Xin only knew one person.
Chapter 32: Beast Tamer
Huxian overlooked the battle at the base of the mountain with a worried expression. He was busy conserving his energy for his breakthrough and couldn’t spare any to help the beasts getting slaughtered by the dozens. It didn’t help that the geomantic boa was undergoing her breakthrough either. And Silverwing… well, he wasn’t sure what Silverwing was up to. He hadn’t seen Silverwing in a long while.
Down below, beasts from all nine peaks were clashing with cultivators sent by Zhou Li and the crown prince. Kings were mingled in with lords while mid-foundation-establishment cultivators were mixed in with initial- and early-foundation-establishment experts. The lesser beasts weren’t qualified to mingle. It was a meat grinder.
The seven remaining sovereigns, on the other hand, held back. They were the reserve force that kept the late- and peak-foundation-establishment cultivators in check. The core-formation cultivator on the human side didn’t participate at all, and neither did the owl monarch, but Huxian could constantly feel their senses assessing the situation, ready to jump in at any moment.
The natural defenses were breaking down. Trenches and walls that had been erected by the geomantic boa before her seclusion were collapsing. There were traps in random places throughout the mountain that the beasts used to their advantage. However, they were outnumbered and outclassed. The reinforcements brought over by the humans had greatly changed the tides, and their battles became increasingly savage. The last few days had been loss after loss for the Silverwing beasts.
Down below, a ferret lord summoned the power of earth to fight against a water cultivator, but he was firmly suppressed by a nearby wood cultivator. Wood cultivators that focused on battle were rare but not unheard of. It didn’t take long for the ferret lord to be felled by the human tide as they rushed to take over Silverwing’s mountain. They were like a knife cutting through the butterlike battle formation the beasts had erected. Tactics were never their strong suit, and the absence of the geomantic boa aggrava
ted that weakness.
Huxian saw the sovereigns looking on nervously as the file of human cultivators began encircling them from the high ground. It was a turning point in the battle. Five of the seven launched into battle, intending to eliminate the threat, but they were quickly intercepted by five cultivators on flying swords.
“Are you sure you want to be interfering in the matters of juniors?” an old man said.
The Reptilian Lion Sovereign roared and pounced on that same cultivator. His strength was overbearing, to the point that three human cultivators were forced to step in to restrain him. Meanwhile, four other sovereigns joined the fray. There was a small pink bird, a massive wolf that blended in with the shadows, and a lanky monkey that controlled the nearby greenery. And surprisingly, a massive panda.
The cultivators were at the peak of foundation establishment but couldn’t obtain any advantage from the beasts. It was a well-known fact that beasts on the same tier were invincible. The heavens, in their fairness, made their advancement incomparably difficult in exchange.
Seeing that the lesser beasts would be routed, the two other sovereigns dove toward the spear of cultivators, intending to decimate them. These were the sovereigns with the fiercest attack power, Mantis Sovereign and Eagle Sovereign. They were also the fastest.
Unfortunately, it seemed the humans were prepared for this. Six cultivators dove in to intercept them, rendering their efforts to join the battle useless.
“How could we possibly let you take away this victory from us?” one of the cultivators said while exerting himself to block the two incoming sovereigns. “This battle will end in a landslide victory!”
Huxian, who was overseeing the battle from his cave, was tempted to halt his breakthrough to interfere. With his help, the situation would easily be defused. But then he wouldn’t be prepared for their last wave and the inevitable reinforcements.
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