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Cultivating Chai Chapters 1-4 (New Story WIP)
🕑 Added 2024-06-01 12:19:47 +0000 UTC1:
Xiao Feng awoke with bleary eyes.
It took him a moment to register that he was lying down, another to determine that it was soft and comfortable and a third to conclude that he was nestled on a bed.
Every inch of his body hurt, from his arms and legs to his mouth and ears.
Which was why, he supposed, he was bound in medicinal bandages from head to toe, leaving only his nose and eyes uncovered.
Xiao Feng wanted to scream out for help, to call another and inform them of the terrible mistake that had just occurred.
‘A cultivator does not lose composure in public,’ A voice rattled the insides of his skull, obnoxiously loud and forcefully dominant in tone.
I’m not a cultivator, damn you! He protested within the confines of his mind. Like I’ve been trying to explain to you for the past god-forsaken hour, I’m a normal college kid from a… well, a world that is not this one. A student, a scholar, whatever term you prefer— look man, just let me be, alright. I’m not cut out for this flying swords and fighting demons business.
‘You are in control of my body. I am but a shard of my foundation soul, latched onto yours in a desperate attempt to conserve what remained of myself. I can no longer control my body, thus you must become Xiao Feng,’ The voice explained.
Well then, mighty cultivator. Explain to me how— and why I’m in your body. The last thing I remember is leaving my dorm room to grab a cup of overpriced chai because I ran out of tea leaves….oh.
Perhaps unaccustomed to his silence, Xiao Feng decided to ask out of concern, ‘Did you remember something?’
A minute passed by without response.
Finally, he answered, I was crossing the road. Admittedly, I wasn’t all there. College is stressful, you know? I had an exam day after and it was a subject I’m particularly bad at, so I hadn’t been sleeping too well. Now, you’re probably curious why I went out to get chai when I was dead tired, but you’ve gotta understand man— it’s my Nectar, drink of the gods. I can’t function without it.
Flummoxed by the answer, Xiao Feng asked, ‘Is that knowledge supposed to be important?’
Well, the important bit comes after. See man, I might not have been paying complete attention while I was crossing the road. And the last things I remember? A loud, blaring horn, the screech of heavy tires and a loud horn screaming in my ears…. Damn, the evidence really is stacked against me, eh?
‘What does that mean?’ Xiao Feng asked, not understanding.
It means I died, Xiao Feng. You did too, maybe at the same time? Anyway, some voodoo shit happened and now I’m here, in your body. Dead, but not quite.
‘Your soul possesses the strength of a Second Layer, Foundation Establishment cultivator. Whatever you may be, dead is not one of those things,’ Xiao Feng explained. ‘Oh and before you try to tell the sect that you are not Xiao Feng again, consider that they will brand you a demon and torture your mind, body and soul until you reveal secrets that you do not possess’.
Torture? Jeez man, that’s a bit uncalled for, isn’t it, He asked, his question a more rhetorical one.
He had seen, no, forced to sit through the entirety of Xiao Feng’s memories even before he understood what was happening. He had been a regular American before however long the coma he’d been in had lasted, a broke college student with six figure debt to his name and a major that would make repaying it an uphill task. Oh, with a penchant for taking care of stray kittens and basically functioning on Chai.
Not the heretical stuff like Chai Tea Latte, mind you. Which basically translated to Tea-Tea Latte, making about as much sense as him being another world after crossing the road without paying as much attention as he should have.
No, he was talking about the real deal, from the Masala Tea that sent an electrifying kick to the brain to the sophisticated flavour of the oft pricey darjeeling tea that left a pleasant, floral aftertaste. Ironically enough, he hated green tea and found matcha tea boring at best.
And the same held true for Xiao Feng, who knew more about him than he was honestly comfortable with.
‘No, it is not. You would basically be admitting to possessing me, a hero of the Frontier Sect and destroying most of my soul in the process. We do not take kindly to demons possessing our cultivators, you see? And one capable of such a feat is a danger to our very existence on the frontier.’
But I’m not a demon, He replied after a few moments spent contemplating.
‘You are not, but it took me long enough to wrap my head around the fact that you come from another world. Good luck trying to explain it to another.’
Wait, wait, wait a moment. Why can you understand what I’m saying, to begin with? He asked, not having realised the language barrier should have made communicating impossible.
‘I told you already. Most of my soul was destroyed in the battle for the Zheyan Pass. The fragment that remained latched onto your soul for sustenance. Even as we speak, your soul is slowly consuming what remains of mine and our memories and emotions have already intermingled. Soon, you will consume all of me.’
Silence stretched on for minutes as he took in that information.
Is there any way to stop it? He asked, his thoughts a mess as he considered the true nature of the phenomenon that was transpiring.
Boisterous laughter filled his mind.
‘I would tell you not to worry, for my soul is too damaged to seek dominion over yours. However, that is not your concern, is it? You wish to ask if there is a way to save me. Would you still be asking that question if it implied the reverse would need to take place?’ Xiao Feng asked, his tone sounding greatly amused within the confines of his mind.
I didn’t ask for any of this, He replied, unsure how else to respond.
‘Do you remember how I, Xiao Feng, died?’
I do, He replied after a pause, as memories that did not belong to him flooded his mind. Chaos surrounded him. The acrid scent of blood and ember filled the air. The cacophony of screams punctuating the air would have left him paralyzed by fear, but Xiao Feng on the other hand, moved.
He moved with an unnatural swiftness, empowered by the Wind Qi he was cycling throughout his body. He was merely a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in a battlefield where Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators existed, yet he strode forward unfettered.
His scimitar shot forward with a lacerating wind edge, bisecting one demonic path cultivator after the next that dared challenge him in combat. The Demons that slyly tried to flank him fell prey to the dagger he concealed along the length of his forearm.
He wasn’t sure if Xiao Feng was the good guy he claimed to be as he saw the man fight like, devastating the enemies rank in his wake. Even cultivators two or three layers higher than him in the Foundation Establishment stage fell prey to his vicious charge deep into enemy ranks, unaccompanied by any of his fellow sect members.
It was not loyalty to the sect that directed Xiao Feng’s charge. It was hatred for the Demonic Path Cultivators. They had taken from him that which mattered to him most. For that, they would pay.
They would die.
For years he had been waiting for the Frontier Sect to carry out the task they had been founded for. For years he had been waiting for the Demonic Path to invade the lands they were sworn to protect, so he could finally wet his blade with the blood of those that had robbed him of everything.
Xiao Feng knew where that path led.
So he was not surprised when retribution came, after he slayed a man that still possessed youthful exuberance, his impressive cultivation already at the fifth layer, foundation establishment stage.
An arrow devoid of sound pierced his back. It had come without warning, all his detection methods and even raw instincts failing him. The Sound Qi contained within the arrow erupted outwards, shattering his soul as quickly as Xiao Feng had killed the cultivators that had stood in his way.
There was no time for contemplation, no time for goodbyes or poetically waxing last words… only silence.
‘It is nothing short of a miracle that I am still here, that I still exist. My, Xiao Feng’s story ended in the battle for Zheyan Pass. There is no means or methods that can heal my soul besides demonic ones and that is the evil I have dedicated my life to fighting. I, Xiao Feng, do not regret the way I lived my life and neither shall I try to cheat death with what little remains of me.’
I….see, He acknowledged with a bitter expression. Why do you want me to live like Xiao Feng, then? You know I can’t fight, right? And I sure as hell can’t fight like you. I’ll just be a shitty copy that gets other people on my side killed.
‘I don’t intend for you to follow my path. But I had to warn you, lest you get yourself killed shortly after waking up. Try to act like me, if only for a little while. Now sleep, your wounds are not yet healed.’
My wounds? No I’m fi…ne..
Before he could protest any further, he felt slumber take hold of him— not noticing the warning in Xiao Feng’s words until the very end.
When he awoke again, Xiao Feng was gone.
No, that wasn’t right.
He had become Xiao Feng. He had to, if he wanted to survive in the Frontier Sect. And it was true, in a way.
A part of Xiao Feng lived on through him, even now.
Another thing that was gone was the pain.
He still felt weak, but he was frail no longer.
Mustering the strength in his arms, he forced himself to get back up to a seating position.
“Master!” A startled voice sounded out in his ears. “Xiao Feng is awake!” The declared, her tone carrying a trace of awe if he was reading the unfamiliar language right.
That’s right. I’m Xiao Feng now, I need to remember that, He thought, reminding himself.
Slowly but surely, he opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw in his swimming vision was a blurry figure clad in light purple robes. He fought his instincts to close his eyes at the influx of light flooding his vision, allowing a few moments to pass as his vision cleared.
He saw a young woman with smooth black hair tied back into a ceremonial bun, a purple short-sleeved hanfu that seemed to prefer practicality over style. Her stunning silver eyes gazed into his own with concern, though there seemed to be no attachment within them.
A second later the eye contact they shared was shattered, as another figure stepped in between them.
His tall, imposing presence forced his— no, forced Xiao Feng’s gaze towards his visage, taking in his steely expression, chiselled jawline and the unflattering, jagged scar that stretched from below his right eye down to his chin. The man had lived for over a century, yet in his eyes he appeared not to be a day over thirty, with his straight silver hair cut short,
He, Xiao Feng, knew this man.
“Elder Haoyun,” He spoke out loud, his voice a dry rasp.
“Xiao Feng,” The man, Elder Haoyun Liu of the Frontier Sect, a veritable middle-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator who was entire stages above him, acknowledged.
He moved, his motions a blur. Before he had even recognized it, the man was supporting him, his gentle palm making sure that he would not fall backwards.
“The healers told me you would require months yet before you regained consciousness. And even then, there was no guarantee. How do you feel?” He asked and Xiao Feng could tell— the concern in the man’s voice was genuine.
“I…,” Xiao Feng trailed off, his thoughts veering towards places it could not be allowed to go as he remembered that he was very much not Xiao Feng and the real Xiao Feng had already passed away. “I think I am fine.”
Enthusiastic whispers and awed gasps sounded out behind the Elder, but Xiao Feng’s attention was too focused on the man before him to pay them anything beyond the slightest flicker of attention.
He watched but did not resist as the elder placed a firm palm on his chest, his expression focused as he closed his eyes.
A few moments later, he opened them. There was surprise reflected in his gaze, but Xiao Feng could sense no alarm.
“Your soul has….,” Elder Haoyun trailed off, his lower lip quivering from what seemed like disbelief. “... completely recovered.”
Even the observing crowd of cultivators fell silent at that revelation.
“When we found you, it was uncertain if you would survive. The final cultivator you killed was the son of an Early-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator and his retaliation was as swift as it was unexpected. The Healer that first examined you administered a concoction of the Lingxi root, however he believed that the chances of you recovering were less than a single percent. Xiao Feng, do you truly remember who I am?” Elder Haoyun asked, his expression tense as he seemed to want to gaze into the depths of his soul.
“You are the Elder,” Xiao Feng rasped, requiring a moment to catch his breath. “Responsible for the Inner Sect. I am Xiao Feng, a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the second layer. It is the healing hall where I currently am, is it not?” He rhetorically asked, his tone calm.
“It’s a miracle,” A distinctly feminine voice whispered under her breath from afar, likely one of the unseen spectators he had heard before.
“Xiao Feng, do you wish to know what became of the Nascent Soul that attacked you?” Elder Haoyun asked him, his tone sombre.
“Yes,” He answered reflexively. It was not a question of want for him, but need instead. He needed to know what the result of Xiao Feng’s charge deep into the enemy’s ranks was, if only to honour his unexpected benefactor— and his memories that lived within and through him.
“That brief moment of distraction you forced the Nascent Soul into, as he was enraged by the death of his son, allowed Elder Zheng to slay him in battle. He has already declared publicly that if it were not for you offering him that distraction, it was more than likely that the conclusion would have been the opposite. You, Xiao Feng, were the primary reason behind a Demonic Path Nascent Soul’s death,” Elder Haoyun declared with aplomb, shocking Xiao Feng as he called upon the memories he had received and understood the staggering importance of the achievement.
“Hero of the Zheyan Pass!” One cultivator boisterously declared from near the back of the room.
Another call followed, repeating the same phrase.
Soon, a chant had begun, comprising at least ten different voices.
“Silence!” Elder Haoyun barked out the command, his right hand raised in the air signalling for the cultivators to halt.
His order was obeyed without resistance and silence filled the Healing Hall.
“Xiao Feng, their words are not incorrect. The honourable service you have rendered to our Frontier Sect is not something that can be measured in rewards of treasure and techniques alone. Tell me what you desire as a reward and for the face you have earned for me, I will make sure to obtain it for you. Elder Zheng too, owes you a great debt— he will make sure you get your heart’s desire”.
“Are you sure, Elder Haoyun?” Xiao Feng asked, his tone sounding audibly hesitant.
“As long as it is with mine and Elder Zheng’s ability to grant,” Elder Haoyun confirmed.
“Very well, Elder Haoyun. Then I would like to officially….,”
“....Quit.”
2:
“Xiao Feng,” Elder Haoyun spoke, his tone sombre. “Can you repeat what you just said?” He asked, even though the perceptions of a cultivator would not allow him to mishear in most circumstances.
“Elder Haoyun, I wish to quit the Martial Division of the Frontier Sect,” Xiao Feng repeated, his visage seeming unperturbed. He knew, of course, who he was addressing. He was well aware of the fact that the Nascent Soul Elder standing before him could survive an RPG or it’s equivalent at point-blank range.
Well, not just survive— he was pretty sure that Elder Haoyun would come out unscathed.
However, it had only been what… a day? A week? He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious for after that interaction with Xiao Feng, but it clearly hadn’t been too long since he had assumed the role. The respect and reverence the original Xiao Feng’s soul held towards Elder Haoyun did not carry over to him. The memories he could recall were just that—memories, lacking the accompanying emotion the original Xiao Feng would’ve felt towards the Elder.
Xiao Feng was a hero. Elder Haoyun could be offended by his words all he wanted, yet it would be unwise for him to deny the request of one responsible for saving another Nascent Soul’s life.
War heroes were important to the morale of any army, whether it be back on Earth or in the unfamiliar land he found himself in. After Elder Haoyun had publicly acknowledged him as one before a captive audience, he would more than likely capitulate to his demands. He would certainly not force him to stay in the Martial Division if he did not wish to be there.
The surprised gasps and whispered chatters were no longer something Elder Haoyun could ignore, it seemed, as the blood rushed to his face before he commanded, “Clear the room, all besides the injured. Now.”
The sharp emphasis on the last word signalled to his audience that his directive was not made in jest. That was enough for them to all but flee the Healing Hall, allowing him only glimpses at their robes, leaving behind Xiao Feng, the other injured cultivators and Elder Haoyun.
Then, to Xiao Feng’s surprise, Elder Haoyun exhaled a long, weary sigh.
“I suppose I cannot blame you,” He muttered wistfully, shaking his head. “While your actions have made you a hero in the eyes of the Frontier Sect, the rare few who possessed the wherewithal to observe your charge mid-battle described it as ...madness. Sheer madness. What were you thinking, Xiao Feng?”
“I wanted revenge,” He growled out as a wrathful impulse hijacked his body for a few brief moments.
“I wanted revenge,” He repeated again, this time willingly in a far softer tone. “And now you have informed me that my actions have led to the death of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. In the crucible of life and death that is cultivation, such an accomplishment is truthfully beyond what I expected. Since I will never know the names of the perpetrators that cost me so much, took away so much from me, this… it is enough. Now, Elder Haoyun, it is time I start living my life for myself,” Xiao Feng softly declared, his expression melancholic.
The silence stretched on from moment to moment as Elder Haoyun contemplated his words.
“You wish to leave the sect, then?” Elder Haoyun asked, his tone resigned.
“No,” Xiao Feng replied calmly.
“No? Elder Haoyun questioned, not following his intentions.
“No, Elder Haoyun. I do not wish to leave the sect. Instead, I request a transfer to the Frontier Sect’s Alchemy Division.”
“The Alchemy Division? What in the world do you intend to do there?” Elder Haoyun asked, his tone conveying his bafflement.
“I will develop my own tea, Elder Haoyun,” Xiao Feng calmly stated.
“Tea?” Elder Haoyun asked, his tone sounding even more baffled. “The mortal drink—tea? Crushed leaves steeped into water to stave away hunger during poor harvests. Why in the world would you want to make tea?” Elder Haoyun questioned.
“Not any tea, Elder Haoyun,” Xiao Feng corrected. “I will research alchemy to develop medicinal tea that can be beneficial to cultivators. To that end, I request a small shop within the premises of the Frontier Sect.”
“A shop… A simple shop pales in comparison to the rewards you could ask of me— from cultivation techniques reserved for the core disciples to pills that would greatly increase your chances at reaching the Core Formation stage. Are you still sure that a shop is all you want?” Elder Haoyun asked, his tone incredulous.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I will sell the blends of medicinal tea that I refine through the shop,” Xiao Feng explained.
Once again, there was silence.
“They say that cultivators who are pushed to the brink of life and death gain epiphanies. Though I have come close, it pales in comparison to you, Xiao Feng. You who survived the blow of a cultivator two whole stages above you… I suppose it would be remiss of me to deny you what you seek, even if I cannot yet understand it. Very well, I will accept your resignation once you have recovered completely,” Elder Haoyun declared before witnesses.
“Thank you, Elder Haoyun. While I may not be a part of the Martial Division for much longer, I shall never forget the kindness that has been imparted to me by all of you,” He said, actually meaning every word. It had been a dream of his back on his real home, Earth, to open a tea room of his own once he had saved up enough money. As a broke college kid, he was about as far from making his business idea a reality as one could be, but if he was going to be given a second chance….
“Go with pride, Xiao Feng. I do not understand what you hope to accomplish in the Alchemy Division, but that is no reason to stop you. You have done more for the sect than what most core disciples and even Sect Guardians do for it across their lifetimes. The least we can do in return is to give you the freedom to pursue what you wish to.”
The words that needed to be said had been exchanged.
Although Xiao Feng was still bed-ridden, that did not stop him from bowing as low as he could.
Elder Haoyun, an esteemed Nascent Soul cultivator of the Frontier Sect, bowed to him in return— granting him great face.
“I will see to it that you are not troubled in the Alchemy Division,” Elder Haoyun offered as his parting words, before he stepped outside the Healing Hall.
3:
It took another five days before Xiao Feng was discharged.
During those five days, there was little else for him to do other than rest and recuperate. Unfortunately for him, there were no smartphones to be found in the realm of Sephari, continent of Tian.
Of course, Xiao Feng could ask one of the healers to bring him a book, but that was a trap he was wisely avoiding. He had only inherited a portion of Xiao Feng’s memories, as most of his soul was destroyed by the Nascent Soul cultivator’s attack. He had a decent idea of the core memories that Xiao Feng had held close to his heart and soul, like the names and personalities of important individuals like Elder Haoyun and his cultivation techniques and martial forms.
However, as for Xiao Feng’s reading tastes or faux pas in cultivator society when it came to asking for reading material, he had no idea whatsoever.
The Martial Division was where Xiao Feng had spent the most of his time, known the most people and of course, gained the most strength.
That was why he could not linger within these halls for any longer than absolutely necessary.
Thankfully, Xiao Feng had no spouse that would be looking for him, otherwise he would not be anywhere near as relaxed as he was. There were two women that had hinted their interest in Xiao Feng, but the cultivator with the sole desire to refine himself into the sharpest blade had neither the interest nor the patience for such matters.
He had to stay away from those two and eventually planned to distance himself from almost everyone Xiao Feng spoke to from the Martial District, besides the Elder.
The consequences of having his identity exposed as an unintended body hijacker would mean being condemned to tortures better left unnamed. Still, that wasn’t the reason why he didn’t want to associate himself with Xiao Feng’s colleagues. He just thought that it would be scummy, to call upon the relationships of a dead man and rekindle them for his own gain.
The sound of approaching footsteps roused him from his reverie, as Xiao Feng’s gaze shifted to the new arrival.
Cultivator Fen Xu of the Healing Hall strode into his field of view with a slight smile on her face, one that seemed to grow larger as she turned her gaze to face him.
“Xiao Feng,” She addressed him with a gentle tone, her gaze looking into his own.
“Yes?”
“May I proceed with the check-up?” She asked as she had many times before, her mood seeming up-beat as she did so.
“Naturally,” Xiao Feng replied without missing a beat.
Fen Xu nodded and strode forward, until she was standing behind Xiao Feng’s seated figure. She placed a palm on his back and he felt a tingling sensation run across his body, stopping only after it reached a little below his navel.
She retracted her palm gingerly, walking over to face him before speaking, “Though it really is hard to believe after you got struck down by a Nascent Soul, the damage to your dantian has healed and your Foundation Soul has recovered completely. I see no reason to keep you in the Healing Hall any longer,” Fen Xu declared, a pleased smile on her face as she looked him up and down one final time.
“Does that mean I can leave?” Xiao Feng asked, having expected the outcome but still finding himself surprised when the moment arrived.
“Are you in a hurry to?” Fen Xu asked, her tone more curious than anything else. “I know it’s not really my place to say so, but I have been hearing too many whispers to ignore. Your fellow Inner Sect disciples seem quite lost at your decision to leave the Martial Division, especially since many of them seem to look up to you after what you accomplished on the battlefield.”
A few uncomfortable moments passed by them as Xiao Feng did not respond.
“I’m sorry, it was not my place to say—,” Fen Xu began to apologise, even though her status as a healer would normally place her above the ranks of a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Xiao Feng, only to be cut off by him.
“Cultivator Fen Xu,” Xiao Feng began, his tone ponderous. “Forgive me if I am overstepping, but if you are comfortable, can I know if you have ever lost family to the demons?” He asked, not alluding to the foul creatures from Earth’s mythology but rather cultivators who had strayed from the righteous path, delving into forbidden methods to increase their strength like blood sacrifice and soul tampering.
Fen Xu gulped as she finally remembered who she had been so casually addressing, a war hero capable of slaying cultivators many layers above him in the midst of a chaotic battlefield. She nodded twice, hoping she had not offended Xiao Feng too much.
“I have too,” Xiao Feng replied, his tone soft and understanding. “They call me a war hero, Cultivator Fen Xu, but I am no hero,” He explained softly as he began to throw his sect hanfu over his bandaged arms and back.
“I did what I did for revenge,” Xiao Feng continued, as he rolled outwards the bandages that had been covering his face before discarding them. He got back up on his feet, reaching for a cloth belt that had been placed on a small side-table next to his bed and looped it around his waist before tying a knot near the centre.
As he passed by Cultivator Fen Xu, he offered her a few more words out of the gratitude he felt for her treatment, “But that did not bring them back, did it?”
No, it had not. All it had accomplished was the death of the real Xiao Feng, who could have grown into a tremendous asset for the Frontier Sect if what he knew about him was even vaguely correct.
He strode out of the healing hall with a wide stride, exchanging no more words with Cultivator Fen Xu, heading towards freedom.
4:
Xiao Feng had not expected the reception that had been prepared for him as he stepped into the Healing Division’s main foyer.
Not in his wildest dreams would even the real Xiao Feng expect twenty of the most talented Inner Disciples to form a honour guard facing each other for him to walk through, at the end of which stood the ever-stoic Elder Haoyun.
“Xiao Feng, approach,” Elder Haoyun commanded, leaving him with no real option but to comply.
He walked forward gingerly, making sure his expression did not waver in face of the grand gesture. Cultivators did not show emotion easily, so it would almost certainly cause suspicion if he feigned tears or hugged members of the honour guard to show how moved he was.
So instead, he strode forward with a calm expression, albeit still found himself from taking in the expressions of the cultivators comprising the honour guard.
Xiao Feng found himself surprised, yet again.
Jealousy was a common emotion back on Earth, so Tom had expected to encounter it soon enough in Sephari. He recalled how back on earth, a college classmate of his had thrown snide remarks at him because he had edged him out by a mere two marks. But the cultivators he angled his gaze towards, did not seem to carry any of that jealousy.
Instead, he found awe in more than a few cultivators’ expressions.
They’re looking up at me, The realisation came to him a moment later. These people were Xiao Feng’s- no, my equals up until a month ago. Now they want to become like me.
He wondered if, despite having acknowledged Xiao Feng’s accomplishments, he was still underestimating their significance to the cultivators of the Frontier Sect.
No longer trying to hide it, he allowed his gaze to sweep over the arrayed cultivators.
The second emotion he picked up in their gazes and expressions was confusion. Three, no four, wore their confusion openly, unable to understand why a hero of the Frontier Sect was on his way to leave it.
In a single cultivator's eyes, a girl that physically appeared to be in her early twenties but had more than likely already crossed forty in reality, like most Foundation Establishment cultivators that were present, Xiao Feng picked up on a concealed, yet definite, fear.
I wonder if she saw the fight, He considered, thinking back on Xiao Feng’s ferocious charge, the intense focus radiating off his gaze as he cut down one enemy after the next with perfectly timed use of his Wind Qi reserves.
Not surprising to find her afraid of that, I suppose, He thought. Are Xiao Feng’s memories the reason why I’m able to see through their intentions so clearly? I was never this observant.
The moment for consideration was over as Xiao Feng came to a stop before Elder Haoyun.
The Elder made a show of clearing his throat that, if Xiao Feng had to guess, was directed at the group of three healers that were peeking onto the procession from the staircase that led to the first floor, their whispered gossiping not escaping the sharp ears of combat trained cultivators.
They immediately quietened down before Elder Haoyun began his address, “Xiao Feng, you who shall henceforth be addressed as Xiao Feng the Undying in official address are granted three rewards for your exemplary contribution in the battle for Zheyan Pass.”
“First,” Elder Haoyun bellowed, his right hand moving in a flicker of motion as he reached forward and then pulled back.
It took every ounce of Xiao Feng’s composure to not visibly flinch when Elder Haoyun plucked a sword out of thin air. He had known of the spatial ring that the Elder possessed, though Xiao Feng had never gotten an opportunity to witness him use it.
It was a slender blade that now rested upon Elder Haoyun’s cupped palms, a rapier whose length was a shimmering silver drawn to a blindingly sharpened point.
“The Peak-Layer Foundation Establishment Artefact, Windcarver. You will not be able to draw upon it’s full abilities yet, but the Sect has no doubt that you will eventually be able to,” Elder Haoyun declared, before offering the blade to him.
Xiao Feng did not wait for any more prompting, as he reached forward to gingerly accept the rapier.
The moment his fingers wrapped around its enchanting, translucent crystal hilt, Xiao Feng’s eyes widened in realisation. While the blade before him was shaped like a rapier, it’s function was anything like one.
The resonance between the Wind Qi nestled in his dantian and the blade, Windcarver, instinctively told him what he needed to know. He was the conductor and the wind was his choir. The tip of his blade could carve the wind into arcs of wind that he could shape to his desire, before releasing it towards his enemies. The artefact’s wind attunement properties meant that the effect of his own Wind Qi would become more pronounced by a significant degree.
Elder Haoyun offered him the sheathe of the blade a few moments, later, which he accepted and clasped to his waist before carefully retracting his newly owned blade.
“Secondly, you are awarded one thousand gold taels for your heroic act of bravery in assisting Elder Zheng,” Elder Haoyun retrieved a small pouch from his robe pockets and offered it to him.
Xiao Feng accepted with cupped hands, noting that the pouch was way too small to contain a thousand gold taels. A low-grade spatial pouch, then.
Before Xiao Feng could bow to express his gratitude, Elder Haoyun continued.
“Finally, as per your request, you are granted title deed to a shop within the frontier district’s territory,” Elder Haoyun declared, before he offered him a scroll.
Unable to contain his gratitude, Xiao Feng bowed to Elder Haoyun.
The sound of ruffled robes echoed out as the disciples that made up his honour guard bowed to him.
“Rise, Xiao Feng,” Elder Haoyun commanded, a hint of pride leaking into his tone.
He did as directed.
“Mei Chen,” Elder Haoyun called, and the black-haired cultivator next to him raised her head, reverting to a standing position. “Lead Xiao Feng to the Alchemy Division. Make sure he gets there unscathed.”
