CG C90: The Pickpocket (Patreon)

Kai stood over the convulsing form of Su Jie, his expression a mixture of pity and disappointment. He'd followed the young thief at a distance, curious to see what he'd do with the stolen pills. This outcome, while not entirely unexpected, was far from what he'd hoped for.

I could have stopped him sooner, Kai thought, kneeling beside Su Jie. But I wanted to see if he'd notice the difference between a real pill and a poor imitation. There goes any hopes of selling off Poor-Grade Qi Gathering pills as Low-Grade…

Su Jie's body arched in pain, a strangled gasp escaping his lips. Kai's hand hovered over the boy's chest, sensing the chaotic Qi roiling beneath the surface.

Qi Deviation at Stage 6 isn’t too difficult to rectify, especially since it was caused by a pill, I just have to let out the toxic qi.

"Listen to me," Kai said firmly. "I'm going to help you, but you need to focus. Can you hear me?"

The disciple’s eyes flew open, and he managed a weak nod, his face contorted in agony.

"Good. Now, I want you to picture a calm lake. The surface is smooth, undisturbed. Focus on that image."

As Kai spoke, he placed one hand on Su Jie’s forehead and the other over his heart. "This is going to hurt, but it's better than the alternative."

Closing his eyes, Kai began to channel his Qi into Su Jie's body. He could feel the chaotic energy raging through the young disciple's meridians, threatening to tear him apart from the inside. Carefully, methodically, Kai began to guide the corrupt Qi out of Su Jie's system.

"That's it," Kai encouraged. "Keep focusing. Let my Qi guide yours. Don't fight it."

It was a delicate process, one that required all of Kai's concentration and control. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he worked, drawing out the poisonous energy bit by bit. Su Jie's body jerked and spasmed, but Kai held him steady, refusing to let go until the last traces of the poor-grade pill's effects were purged.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Kai sat back, exhausted but satisfied. Su Jie lay still, his breathing ragged but steady. The immediate danger had passed.

Now comes the hard part, Kai thought, watching as Su Jie's eyes fluttered open. Dealing with this.

"W-what happened?" Su Jie croaked, his voice hoarse and weak. "Am I... am I dead?"

Kai couldn't help but chuckle. "Not yet, though you came pretty close. How are you feeling?"

Su Jie blinked, focusing on Kai's face. Recognition dawned in his eyes, quickly followed by fear. "You! But how... why..."

"Why did I save you, you mean?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or why did I follow you in the first place?"

Su Jie struggled to sit up, wincing at the lingering pain in his muscles. "Both, I guess. I don't understand any of this."

Kai sighed, leaning back against the crumbling wall of the shrine. "Let's start with the basics, then. Do you know what Qi Deviation is?"

Su Jie nodded hesitantly. "It's when your Qi goes out of control, right? When you try to cultivate beyond your limits or use techniques you're not ready for."

"Close enough," Kai said. "It can also happen when you introduce corrupt or unstable Qi into your system. Like, say, by taking a poor-grade pill thinking it's a proper cultivation aid."

Su Jie's eyes widened in understanding. "The pills I took... they weren't real Qi Gathering Pills?"

"Oh, they were real alright," Kai replied. "Real failures, that is. Alchemy isn't an exact science, especially for beginners. Sometimes the process goes wrong, and you end up with pills that are more poison than medicine."

"But why would you have pills like that?" Su Jie asked, a tinge of anger creeping into his voice. "And why didn't you stop me from taking them?"

Kai's expression turned serious. "I was going to dispose of them properly. As for why I didn't stop you... well, I was curious. I wanted to see what you'd do with them. It was a gamble, I'll admit. One that nearly cost you your life. But you should never have stolen them"

Su Jie looked down, shame coloring his cheeks. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "You’re right. I…I shouldn't have stolen from you. I was just... desperate."

"I gathered that much," Kai said, his tone softening slightly. "Want to tell me why? It might help me decide what to do with you."

For a moment, Su Jie remained silent, weighing his options. Then, with a deep breath, he began to speak. He told Kai everything - his childhood on the streets, his recruitment into the sect, and his years of struggle and stagnation in the Outer Sect.

As Su Jie's story unfolded, Kai listened intently, his mind working to process the information. When the young disciple finally fell silent, Kai nodded slowly.

"I see," he said. "You're not the first to feel trapped in the Outer Sect, and you won't be the last. But stealing and taking unknown pills isn't the answer. You could have died today, Su Jie."

"I know," Su Jie replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I didn't know what else to do. I can't afford proper cultivation resources, and without them, I'll never advance. It feels like I'm running in place while everyone else moves forward."

Kai sighed, rubbing his temples. Part of him wanted to turn Su Jie in, to let the sect deal with a thief and rule-breaker. But another part... another part saw potential.

He's resourceful, if misguided. And that 'Fast Hands' title could be useful...

"Alright, Su Jie," Kai said at last. "I'm going to give you a choice."

Su Jie looked up, hope and fear warring in his eyes.

"Option one: I turn you in to the sect elders. The sect takes stealing pills very seriously. You'll be punished for theft and unauthorized use of alchemy products. Best case scenario, you're demoted or expelled from the sect."

Su Jie paled but nodded, accepting the possibility.

"Option two," Kai continued, "you work for me. In secret. I'll help you train, provide you with safe resources to advance your cultivation. In return, you'll run errands for me, gather information, and yes, occasionally use those 'fast hands' of yours for my benefit."

Su Jie's eyes widened in disbelief. "You... you'd do that for me? Even after I stole from you?"

Kai shrugged. "Consider it an investment. You have potential, Su Jie. It'd be a shame to waste it. But make no mistake – this isn't charity. I'll work you hard, and I'll expect results. Cross me, and you'll wish I had turned you in instead. Understood?"

Su Jie nodded vigorously. "Yes! Yes, I understand. I won't let you down, I swear it!"

"Good," Kai said, standing up. "Then let's get you back to the dormitories. You need rest after that Qi Deviation. We'll talk more tomorrow about your new... duties."

As they made their way back through the sect grounds, Kai's mind raced with possibilities. Chen Wei stayed mostly at the Legacy Disciple quarters, having a set of eyes and ears in the Outer Sect could prove invaluable. And if Su Jie's talents could be properly honed...

This could be the start of something interesting, I don’t trust him enough to recruit him yet but if he proves useful and loyal, then I may have just found another guild member…

Su Jie walked beside him in silence, still processing the night's events. His near-death experience, the unexpected mercy from the Legacy Disciple he had wronged, the sudden change in his fortunes... it was almost too much to take in.

As they reached the Outer Disciple dormitories, Kai turned to Su Jie. "Remember, not a word of this to anyone. As far as the sect is concerned, nothing happened tonight. Got it?"

"Of course. I won't say anything," Su Jie nodded.

"Good," Kai said. "Get some rest. I'll contact you soon with your first assignment."