Silver Fox & The Western Hero: Warrior Reborn: A LitRPG/Wuxia Novel - Book 1

by M. H. Johnson

  Alex was in his ring once more, eyeing his multiple glass containers with a feral smile. Within each was liquid he could summon to his lips at will.

  He then turned to look at his jet black and shiny orb of ever-growing darkness, the original band having become a sphere as time went on.

  He took a deep shuddering breath, knowing he could very well be playing a fool the likes of which would make even the fox shake his head. He gently placed his finger upon the globe, and imagined drawing up a single bead of that darkness.

  Alex gasped, suddenly fighting a mad impulse to reabsorb what was, after all, a part of him, before finally getting it under control.

  But when he tried placing it in a glass of water, it began to boil and froth rapidly, which made him wince.

  A drop of perfect blackness in water?

  Failure.

  Was his mad plan worthless?

  Then he looked down at the flask of wine he had stored that he was planning on opening when he finally reached the milestone of achieving his first meridian connection.

  Oh well, some things were more important.

  And the minute he broke the seal and savored the rich, fruity wine, he was filled with a buoyant sense of hope.

  Only to find that when a second drop of darkness went from his straining fingertips into the glass full of wine, it too boiled away, for all that the air was redolent with spices and fruity woodsmoke, as well as earthier tones.

  His heart began to race with excitement when he thought he understood.

  When he emerged from his sense of the ring, Liu Jian had only smirked when Alex asked if he had any lead vessels, or if the city had such a thing as bubbling wine. Though he had blanched at the man's expression, his grumbles about patients not being worth their keep, he found both a dusty lead-lined chalice and a bottle of wine a pale Liu Li declared had cost three silver talons, as well as traces of several more common alchemical ingredients, which were thankfully in plentiful supply.

  Liu Li raised her eyebrows when she looked at Alex’s display of items. “So contemplating these things is going to help you meditate on the elements? Enhance your affinities? I’ve never heard of such a thing, Alex. You really should just focus on clearing your first gateway.”

  Her father snorted. “Considering that the odd breathing technique he now uses might have actually pulled him back from the brink of death, I’ll give him more leeway than most. No doubt the lad’s found some scrap of poorly understood lore somewhere. And maybe what would be folly for anyone else might actually work for him. He is a Ruidian, after all.” The full weight of his regard then landed on Alex. “I will let you explain yourself in your own time, boy, so long as it’s understood that no apprentice of mine is foolish enough to drink something as acidic as wine from a lead-lined vessel!”

  Alex had grinned. “This one assures his generous master that he is a wiser fool than that.”

  The old man smirked.

  Liu Li’s eyes widened. “Do you even know what wise fool stands for?”

  Alex blinked. “No?”

  The old man chuckled. “Let him figure it out. The wordplay is based on his native tongue, after all.”

  Alex blinked. His native tongue? Oh, language. Ruidian. He had never spoken English in front of them, had he? Though come to think of it, Ruidian and English did have their similarities.

  Then he smacked his head, suddenly getting it.

  Inspector WiFu.

  The mischief-making Silver Fox, whose tales were told so animatedly in the food markets by storytellers and orphaned children he had shared his lunch with more than once before things had taken such a dark turn.

  WiFu was credited with so many breakthroughs and wonders, inventions that improved life for all, as well as times of hardship and tumultuous change. Yet somehow, he never got credit for the marvels forged in his name. Probably because they were often the result of the very disasters he helped create. He was a god of mischief credited with making things far harder for himself than need be, antagonizing the entire local pantheon.

  Had he chosen a different path, he could have been a king among gods. Yet he favored change above all else.

  A wise fool indeed.

  Alex spent some time cultivating and meditating upon the mercurial nature of his patron before entering his storage ring once more. A tarnished copper trinket beneath even the meanest beggar’s notice. And a genuine artifact of the gods.

  It fit his patron so well.

  Alex stood once more in his imagined study, now equipped with a compounding lab just like Liu Jian's. He took a deep breath and carefully poured some bubbling wine kissed by flame into the lead-lined cup, mixing a tiny dash of the rich loamy soil from the cultivation yard and some of the fruity tannin-rich brew from his first wine flask as well.

  Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal, the classic five elements, were all now a part of his brew.

  But according to his understanding, the understanding imparted with his synergism of the paths of Fox and Dragon, there were eight elements, at least. Eight plus the inverse of purified Qi, the darkness of chaos, change, and catalyzation. Nine, in total, that he had access to.

  For Lightning, he had a small wood chip from an oak struck by lightning thrice, an ingredient which had earned a curious eyebrow from Master Liu, but Alex wasn’t shy about playing up the sympathies the man now had for him, at least in the pursuit of his mad hunch. The bubbling wine incorporated Air, and that odd joining between Earth and Fire, the most ephemeral of the eight elements, somehow conjured to mind endless space, spirit, the soul.

  He could only hope that his conscious intent, or perhaps the nature of this very ring, would serve to catalyze the final element as he carefully expended one more drop of his precious Dark Qi into the flask of bubbling brew.

  Eyes widening in wonder as the entire mixture turned a glossy black, and the bubbling stopped altogether.

  His experiment was a success.

  Alex whooped in triumph, savoring his breakthrough for several golden seconds, but wasted no further time, carefully replicating the experiment as he converted both flasks of bubbling and fruity wine into that mixture of perfect alchemical darkness, laden with properties he still didn’t fully understand.

  But he sure as hell wasn’t going to experiment with Dark Qi, considered the ultimate foulness by almost all other cultivators, within Master Liu’s pristine cultivating garden.

  He wasn’t a complete fool.

  He had a hunch about what it could do.

  But no matter the personal risk, there was one more step he had to take.

  Alex took a sip, successfully held it in his mouth, then flashed a wild grin.

  His mad hunch had worked.

  And now it was time for the next stage of his recovery.

  Train his heart out and become the strongest fighter that he possibly could. Open his meridian gateways and finally tap into his own potential.

  Train with every last ounce of his soul, so he would never be so cruelly bullied and humiliated ever again.

  Congratulations! You have mastered your first Arcane Formulae: Dark Qi storage. Using a liquid stabilizing agent comprised of the eight core elements, you have managed to successfully create Dark Qi Elixir!

  Effects of Dark Qi Elixir: Unknown.

  Biochemical Mastery is now Rank 5. You have full immunity to all poisons and potions mastered. You may synthesize balms to all poisons mastered. You may synthesize any potion mastered. (Note: Hard limits to the amount of any substance generated per day. Macronutrient deficiencies and penalties to all skill checks may apply.)

  Additional benefit at Biochemical Mastery Rank 5: Lesser Alchemy Pathway is now open to you! You may now learn Arcane Formulae. You can now manipulate arcane ingredients and catalyze the inherent Qi within them, regardless of personal Qi cultivating status.

  Note: You may add none of your own Qi until meridian gateways are opened and elemental Qi is being cycled. Exception: Unorthodox storage techniques det
ected. You may make use of Dark Qi to catalyze alchemical potions.

  Presently known uses for Dark Qi in alchemy: None.

  And it was not until the next morning, his mind still in awe of the fact that one of the most sacred professions a cultivator could embrace was now open to him, at least in its lesser form, that the full ramifications of what he had done yesterday finally dawned on him.

  He didn't need Master Liu's compounding laboratory to create mundane pills, potions, or forge the Qi-laden magical elixirs that were the true lifeblood of the Alchemist.

  He could do it all within his artifact grade ring, able to form any alchemical equipment he needed with the power of his imagination alone. And as the storage vessels for the tinctures he was oh-so-slowly formulating without depleting himself of much-needed nutrients proved, they had permanence, even when he was not focusing on them.

  12

  Despite the injuries to body and spirit he had suffered, Alex now looked forward to training his heart out every day, improving his mastery of body and mind in the arena of combat, determined to better himself until the day came that he could actually beat Liu Li more often than once every couple of days. Of course, she was now a Rank 4 Basic Cultivator, and Alex had yet to clear a single meridian channel.

  But it was a worthy dream, and perhaps Liu Li had sensed both his intensity and his elation, tapping his helm with her sword when their daily training was done.

  “You almost had me there when you trapped my sword with your gauntlet, Alex. And sacrificing your spear to snap grab my own, racing up its length with your gauntleted hand closing your line, blade already unsheathed, you would have probably gotten any number of pikemen, assuming he wasn’t part of a triple layer wall of pikes, in which case you would be dead.”

  Alex coughed, stumbling to his feet. “Yes. But if the formation was already fracturing, and I had managed to close, I’d be surrounded by dozens of men holding weapons way too long to reach me while I closed in and blew through them, tearing them to pieces.”

  She nodded. “You’d be the hero, leading the vanguard, and most likely honored with drink at the general’s own table. Your fighting spirit, I mean. For you would most likely be dead.” Her hard gaze softened into a smile. “Still, you’re fighting better every day. You were never one for the easier path, I could tell that straight off. But ever since… you know... you’ve been training harder than ever.”

  Alex nodded. “I think you know why.”

  Liu Li sighed. “It doesn’t matter how skilled you are, Alex. A mortal challenging a cultivator is like challenging death itself.”

  Alex smirked. “So, let’s make a deal. I won’t challenge Lai Wei at all. At least not until I finally open my First Meridian Gateway, and ascend to the rank of cultivators.”

  This declaration earned him a bemused smile. “Actually, I think that’s a wonderful dream, Alex. But you’ll need to clear all seven meridian gateways to be his match, and less than one in a thousand people even have the potential to do that. Don’t get me wrong. The way you’re making so much progress in clearing out your First Meridian is fantastic!” She squeezed his shoulder. “But you still have so much farther to go.”

  Alex nodded. “You’re right. So I guess it’s time for me to get cultivating.”

  Soft laughter caressed Alex’s ears. “If nothing else, your tribulations have done wonders for your sense of dedication. Go cultivate. Father is busy today and closed the shop, so he won’t mind.”

  Alex blinked at that. “What is he doing?”

  Her gentle gaze hardened. “Enjoy your meditation, Alex. May it make you an even better fighter in the morning.”

  Alex frowned, but knew better than pry any further. Instead, he went back to cultivating, feeling an almost euphoric sense of accomplishment as he got ever closer to his breakthrough number.

  Dual-Path Purification Cultivation now at 89%

  He was so close to his goal! But he was obviously hitting a plateau. The rate of improvement had already slowed significantly after reaching 80%

  Alex did his best to push away the frustration, knowing that could quickly lead to a self-defeating trap.

  Instead he breathed deep, inhaling the wondrous vanilla scents of the blossoming greenery within the garden, delighting in how it reminded him of the landscaped gardens his mother used to love taking him to as a little boy, the air alive with the shouts and laughter of other playing children as they savored perfect spring days in a halcyon life that Alex knew he could never return to.

  But he could chase new dreams now, he thought, feeling his body tingling with the strength of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy flowing through his limbs, the environmental Qi seeming to catalyze his own purifying efforts as well as filling him with boundless energy.

  He found his thoughts wandering to Liu Li, as they so often did, entranced as he found himself by her jade green eyes, soft lips, and gentle smile. For all that her lithe, muscular body moved as adroitly as any dancer when they sparred, there was a sensual grace to her as well. Even her striking fox ears only added to her beauty. Her mystique. Truth was, his heart raced from the sheer delight of seeing flashes of her fierce, beautiful smile as much as it did from dodging deadly blows that could kill him if live steel were in play.

  Had he not been so determined to stay in his master’s good graces… but he was.

  As much as he admired and was grateful to his patron, he was determined not to play the fool. At least not in this.

  He frowned then, visualizing the girl he so deeply admired as he meditated. He could clearly see her expression change in his mind’s eye, as if he was glimpsing her in truth.

  “Father, why is he here?”

  Alex felt a momentary dizziness, somehow sensing father and daughter and the entirety of the apothecary, including the hooded man who had just entered before locking the door behind him with a wave of his hand, radiating an almost physical sense of peril.

  “The Jianghu sect greets the worthy Liu Jian and his sacred daughter.”

  Liu Li flushed and lowered her head.

  Liu Jian frowned but wiped his face of all expression. “How may this one serve you, Elder Ying?”

  Alex could sense the man’s smile. “Many new reeds sprout in the rich fertile soils of our rivers and lakes, and our clan is always grateful for the noble farmers that till our soil.”

  A black silken cloth that rang not with the clash of copper or silver, but the rich soft tones of gold appeared as if by magic from the man’s black gloved hand. “The Jianghu sect is always generous to those who serve us well.”

  Liu Jian paled as he counted out the coins. “Elder Ying, the gold here is...”

  “Gold eagles and platinum phoenix both, for our clan’s favored cultivator.”

  Liu Jian grimaced. "And my family is grateful. As always. But this implies an order of no less than twenty of my cultivation pills."

  “Correct.”

  “Elder Ying, regrettably, performing such a feat at this moment would be extremely difficult, for I lack the ingredients at this time to create even half that number.”

  A cultivating Alex frowned, sensing the sudden chill in the room even in his vision.

  “Then those ingredients must be gathered with all haste, Master Alchemist Liu Jian.”

  The older man huffed a sigh. “Would that I could, but the Lai clan have used their influence at the temple to forbid even merchants specializing in alchemical supplies from bargaining with me. Of course, there are other less reputable suppliers I can use, but I would never dare bring anything before you that was short of perfection. I will not let a foolish merchant's penny-pinching ways result in a flawed product. Thus, I've had to hunt and forage everything I need myself! And they have not limited themselves to simple economic warfare either..."

  “I am well aware of their attempted assassination of the pet Ruidian you have taken on as your apprentice, Liu Jian. My understanding is that he is actually quite skilled, for an herbalist.”

>   He smiled at Liu Jian’s gasp. “Your last batch of poisons. His doing, yes? The perfect symmetry of elements, each dosage having the precise effect desired upon the... spirit beasts hunted. Perfection. And of course, the Jianghu sect supports you in this endeavor, for all that some would consider it a grave offense, if they knew your pet Ruidian was now a master brewer of poisons. For we welcome all those who refuse to follow the rigid strictures set forth by others, just as all those whose lives have been touched by the fox will forever be welcome within our fold.”

  The last was said pointedly at a furiously flushing Liu Li, and it was beyond obvious that Elder Ying was both aware of her carefully hidden fox blood, and valued her all the more for it.

  “I am an understanding man, Liu Jian, and for you alone, I will even be a patient one. For I am well aware that no stronger Alchemical tincture or cultivation pill can be made than when a master craftsman gathers all necessary ingredients himself.”

  The elder swallowed. “Elder Ying...”

  "And of course, you need not worry about your shop. The Lai clan is well aware of how close they came to crossing the red line. They will push no further.” He chuckled softly. “You need but let your apprentice compound while you are gone. Broken Fang will continue to make his regular deliveries to all the sickly souls of this city you have taken under your wing, for in truth, none of the herbal infusions need the touch of Qi an alchemist such as yourself might bring. The natural healing properties of the infusions should be sufficient, yes?”

  Liu Jian swallowed, bowing low. “Your knowledge is most impressive, Elder Ying. Of course, I will need time to prepare."

  The man cloaked in shadow dipped his head. "And time you shall have. I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor by next season's end. I am well aware that you have your favorite hunting grounds, Liu Jian, and it is best if your spears alone pierce the flesh of the spirit beasts you will use for your cultivation pills. You may rest assured that none have dared to poach upon your lands in the seasons you have allowed your Qi-rich harvests to ripen.”