The Third Realm - Chapter 3 preview (Patreon)

Morning the next day, and Wu Ying was summoned before the Chief and the council elders. He was not surprised to see that the Chief was the Pan sister’s father. Such minor revelations had long ago been completed on their journey.

After the customary introductions and a period of small talk involving Wu Ying’s day before in the village, the group – which consisted of Chief Pan, Pan Yin, Pan Hai and one other elders of the council – got down to the meat of their conversation.

“My daughter speaks highly of you, your abilities and most importantly, your character,” Chief Pan said as preamble. Wu Ying inclined his head, keeping his features still even though he was shifting umcomfortably inside a little at the praise. “We are honoured to have you as a guest, Expert Long.”

“And I to be a guest,” Wu Ying said, bowing a little from his seat. “You have a lovely village. One that is reminiscent, in its own way, to my own.”

“Yes. My daughters mentioned you were a rice farmer before your ascension.” Chief Pan inclined his head. “A long way to climb, as I understand it, for your kingdom.”

“Longer in the majority of the State of Zhao,” Wu Ying replied. “Though it seems you follow a more traditional practice.”

“The Yellow Emperor decreed that all of humanity should cultivate. Why would we gainsay such a command?” Chief Pan said, rhetorically.

“Especially when one receives visits from an immortal ancestor at times,” Wu Ying said.

Chief Pan’s gaze flicked over to where Pan Yin sat, entirely neutrally. “Our ancestors do not visit often. After all, they have many duties in the heavens above. The last incident, you’ve heard of, of course.” He smiled a little as he continued. “But it is true, that we have benefited from their guidance.”

Wu Ying nodded. He would bet his World Spirit Ring that the latest Immortal to visit was a spear user.

“Now, there are many things we would like to discuss, but perhaps we should handle the commercial beforehand.” As Chief Pan received Wu Ying’s agreement, he gestured to the side. “Elder Mo will be handling the details, as he is much more conversant with our needs.”

Of course, this Elder Mo was not the Mo Heng of the day before, though familiar familial features were present. Brothers for certain, or perhaps close cousins. Since both were only in the Energy Storage stage – middling at best – neither would have benefited over the other from a slowed down aging process.

“Thank you, Chief Pan.” Elder Mo smiled at Wu Ying. “I must admit, I requested my brother to show you around so that we might shorten our discussion today. You have a broad understanding of what we grow, and as such, I hope perhaps we can focus on the kind of spiritual herbs and supplements we do not have access to.”

“Of course,” Wu Ying replied. “Now, obviously, this will be easier with an understanding of the general items in demand, but I noticed in particular that you had a preponderance of flame and earth based spiritual herbs, lacking in some of the rarer water based herbs like the Soaking Swamp Lotus and…”

In short order, the pair were bickering and negotiating over the contents of Wu Ying’s numerous spiritual herbs, some of which he extracted from his ring. In anticipation of this discussion, he had already carefully extracted the herbs he intended to trade from his World Spirit Ring, not wishing to reveal its presence even to the friendly Pan clan.

The negotiations took hours, Chief Pan occasionally excusing himself to handle pressing matters for the village. Snacks and later, lunch and tea, were served, with a constant influx of various forms of tea. By the time the clan had passed the sixth tea blend, Wu Ying lost count entirely and just chose to enjoy the event. Because the negotiation had become an event, with table banging, declarations of poverty and beggaring unto the fifth generation and even requests for them to undertake duels of honour.

While unusual, Wu Ying could not help but notice the glint of amusement in Pan Yin’s eyes and the exaggerated actions and bombastic words by Elder Mo. After a short while, he too fell into his part of the play, making outrageous statements and scoffing out loud with each offer. He even went so far as to grab at the various herbs, moving as though he’d take them off.

Eventually though, they came to an agreement with nearly two thirds of Wu Ying’s extensive collection of herbs spirited away. The biggest issue was how Wu Ying was to be paid, since the transfer of the large quantities of cash – even in paper form – was prohibitive. Wu Ying was more interested in a barter, picking up rarer herbs he required for his medicinal baths and the use of their alchemists – having them transform a portion of his herbs into pills for cultivation and development.

Most importantly though, since he was in the kingdom of Zhao; he bartered for the one thing they had in abundance – comparatively at least. Powerful, enchanted items. Of course, the problem was acquiring Sant-level items – even in the State of Zhao – was expensive. The Clan, even after hundreds of years of acquisition, only had a limited number they were willing to trade.

Still, as the light grew dark, a deal was finally concluded. At least, tentatively.

“Now, I’m sure Pan Yin didn’t invite me here just to acquire all my herbs,” Wu Ying said, half-smiling. “What else did you have in mind?”

“Smart.” Again, that relaxed tone of voice from Pan Hai. “And I assume you didn’t bargain for access to our library because you expected as much?”

“In part,” Wu Ying replied. “Due to my unique element, many of the works held by others are of less use to me.”

Chief Pan nodded. “Truth enough. We had our librarians review our library when Pan Yin first mentioned your particular… percularities. Unfortunately, we seem to be lacking in documents about your particular element. So outside of cultivation exercises and combat techniques…” He trailed off, shrugging. “And of course,  information on apothecary, formations and gathering, we have little enough to offer to you.”

“It’s fine,” Wu Ying said, waving his hand. “I might want to browse the library anyway, you never know when inspiration and enlightenment might hit. Depending on what we discuss.

“When we get to it eventually.”

Chief Pan laughed. “It is getting late.” A look outside to the fading sunlight, then at the herbs that members of his family kept taking away, now that the group had come to an agreement. “My daughter was not lying when she spoke of doing you a good turn. But, as you probably realized, she had other reasons.” Wu Ying nodded, exhausted already with the constant repetition of information he already knew. “To begin with. There is a child in our care, a member of a branch family who has shown a degree of skill with the jian that we would like to further.”

“I’m not that much of a teacher…” Wu Ying said, hesitantly.

“Understood. We still wish you to showcase and teach your Long family style to him.” Chief Pan murmured. “The child in question is… special.”

Wu Ying frowned. “You’re still asking me to showcase my family style.”

“It is a big request,” Chief Pan said, entirely unemberassed. “However, I believe that you’ll find it to your benefit.” Chief Pan raised a finger. “One lesson. We’ll bargain for one lesson.”

Wu Ying blinked. He had an understanding of people, and the fact that Chief Pan was asking for a single lesson even after he had declined. “He’s a prodigy isn’t he?”

“I told you, it wouldn’t work.” Pan Yin spoke up for the first time. “My cousin is a true genius, one who has reached the Heart of the Sword already.”

“Then, what does he need me to teach him for?” Wu Ying said, surprised.

“Experience.” Pan Hai, the Fourth Uncle said curtly. “Pan Chen is a hothouse flower, grown in perfectly groomed conditions. He is strong, vibrant – and has never had to face true adversity.”

“Not that again,” Chief Pan said, snapping at Pan Hai. “It’s not about that.” A slight pause. “Well, perhaps if you stay longer. But Ah Chen is too young for what you envision.” Then he shook his head. “No. What we need now is for him to study, to learn as many styles as possible. To expand his knowledge.

“You know what Grandmother said.”

There were a series of nods from the group as they acknowledged his words. Frowning, Wu Ying spoke up. “I don’t.”

“Apologies,” Chief Pan replied.

Still, he made no move to answer Wu Ying’s question. It was Pan Yin who, rolling her eyes, clarified. “Grandmother Pan has a minor gift of foresight. She can thread the weaves of fate, prone as they are to changing. And she spoke of Ah Chen’s chance at achieving the Spirit of the Sword, if given proper guidance.”

Wu Ying was shocked and he chose not to hide it. Grasping the different degrees of understanding and knowledge of a weapon could help one in bypassing both concerns of enlightenment and also, breach the difference in strength between cultivation levels.

One who had a grasp of the Sense of their weapon stood among the peak of those in their grade. An understanding of the Heart allowed one to fight a level above – in most cases. As for the legendary levels of Spirit of the Sword? Well, it was legendary for the stated reason – the degree of strength it imparted was only spoken of in fables and legends of the past. Slicing apart mountains and killing Nascent Soul cultivators as a simple sword cut were all part and parcel of such tall tales.

“And you’re willing to sacrifice much for him to achieve such heights.” Wu Ying nodded in understanding. Having such an individual as part of their Clan would offer great assurance, but the possibility of someone achieving those lofty heights could also bring danger. For many felt the need to prune such promising buds before they could fully flower, rather than risk a weapon pointed at them.

It also led Wu Ying to another thought. “It’s surprising, to know of two such prodigies from such a small clan.” He left the rest unsaid.

“Not so surprising, when you understand that Pan Shui’s improvement can be traced to Ah Chen’s influence,” Chief Pan replied, answering the unspoken question.

“Ah…” Wu Ying sat back, staring at the group before him. Something was niggling at him, a memory of a conversation long before. He remembered Liu Ping, how the Pan sisters had mentioned being able to help her with her bloodline. Then, there was the story of the Immortal. The admission of not just a single immortal from their clan. The presence of two prodigies in the Heart realm.

Bloodlines. Immortals. Prodigies.

“The blood of the immortal flows through your people, doesn’t it?” Wu Ying said. “That’s why you have so many prodigies.” Realisation a moment later, that perhaps he should not have spoken his assumptions aloud. For some secrets were worth killing for.

“Smart. Too smart,” Pan Hai said again, his voice stern and no longer half-amused. His gaze turned to Pan Yin, who returned the look with just a little hint of concern now as she sensed the killing intent that had begun to leak from him. “How many more secrets do you intend to ferret out? Give him another week and with your daughter’s help, he’ll have our formations in disarray.”

‘Enough, Ah Hai.” Chief Pan scolded the other. “Expert Long is among friends. We have extended guest rights to him, and we will not forsake our honour. My daughter has reasons for her actions and Expert Long has already proven he is honourable.”

“Honour matters not, when loose lips and the torturers blade both exist,” Pan Hai said. “The kingdom has always desired our riches.”

“Which is why we must grow in strength. And we have reached the limits of our current possibilities,” Chief Pan argued back.

“I’m also not going to stay in Zhao” Wu Ying added. “There’s much to see in this world, and my path will take me far away.” A trickle of wind, brushing against his hair, reminding Wu Ying of his destination and what he searched for.

“See?” Chief Pan replied. “My daughter chooses well. Something you should heed well.”

Pan Hai’s lips tightened, the Fourth Uncle reluctantly bowing his head. Altercation complete, Chief Pan looked at Wu Ying, offering apologies for the brief distraction and unseemly argument. Wu Ying, of course, dismissed the matter.

“Now, will you?” Chief Pan asked.

“And what do I gain from offering my form, my knowledge, of the sword to your nephew?” Wu Ying asked, leaning forwards. “Why would I offer up my secrets to him?” And endanger himself, it went without saying.

“Lessons. You are on the cusp of the Heart of the sword and yet been unable to achieve it. As you’ve heard, Ah Chen has a gift for enlightenment. Sword or spear, if there is the spark within you; he can fan it aflame.”

Hunger flashed through him, his throat growing parched. Wu Ying reached for his teacup, noting idly the smallest tremble in his fingers as he wetted his dry throat, the desperate desire almost too much to contain. Desire raced through him, and like his beating heart, Wu Ying waited.

Finally, as control returned, Wu Ying spoke. “A generous gift. But I believe, have to believe, that I can achieve much the same myself in time.” Even if he had been banging his head on the same wall for years. Then again, it could take decades to achieve that understanding. Decades, maybe even a century. Maybe never.

But as he said, he had to believe he achieve it himself. Without that belief, Wu Ying knew intrinsically, that such a step could never be achieved.

Mastery was as much about the heart as the hand.

“Then, what else do you desire?” Chief Pan asked.

Wu Ying turned the teacup around and around, debating what else he wanted. When he spoke, it was slowly and haltingly, as he searched his heart outloud too. “Information on bloodlines. Not yours in particular, but your experiences, the changes you’ve seen. Improving it, if you have done so, outside of the use of spirit herbs and the like that help concentrate or develop it.”

The group looked at one another, Pan Hai shaking his head and the other Elder nodding in agreement. Chief Pan hesitated for a long time, before he sighed. “I cannot authorize this alone. We shall have to speak of it as a council.”

“Very well.” Wu Ying nodded to the other Elder Mo. “I’d like to spend more time working with your gatherers, as partners. Trading further pointers.”

“How long?” Chief Pan said, flicking a glance at Elder Mo who rubbed his chin but offered the slightest of nods.

Wu Ying paused, considering. Judging by the season and timing… “Until the beginning of spring at the earliest. Perhaps till the end of the first planting season.” That would give him both a lot of theoretical training around this time when the soil was still cold and not much was being grown beyond the greenhouses and the planting season if they accepted both. More than enough to study up on their formations and test new ideas. Maybe even go through their library further.

It was a good deal for them too, since the formations Wu Ying knew were different from theirs. They did the same thing, of course, to some extent – but any knowledge was a benefit. And his copius notes on wild herbs could be of use to them.

“We’ll want your aid in planting and growing some of the wild spiritual herbs you sold us,” Elder Mo said.

“Which ones?” Wu Ying said. “You understand that many will not be as potent if grown domestically?”

“Of course. But we will still want to experiment and understand the process,” Elder Mo replied immediately.

Wu Ying nodded. He could understand that. Even if none of the plants they attempted to grow did so, a single successful domestication of a wild spirit herb would pay for decades if not centuries worth of experimentation.

That, in the long-term, this might cause problems for someone like Wu Ying was a concern much further in the future. And frankly, from his understanding of many of the needs, it would never entirely remove the need for gatherers. So long as they were willing to traverse the deep wilds.

“Then, it seems, we have the overall outline of an agreement for your stay, Expert Long,” Chief Pan said, smiling a little.

“We do,” Wu Ying said. He did not forget that they had mentioned one of a few things, but had now cut it off.

Whatever it was that they wished to ask him further, the Chief had chosen to discard it for now. Perhaps in the future, it might be brought up. In the end, it mattered little. He could wait and see. He was, after all, in no hurry.

***

It was nearly a week later, of long languid days, spent being shown around the hills and gulleys of the land before the Chief and the other Elders returned to confirm their agreement in full. Their bloodline records, their experimentations and even access to their secret medicinal bathing areas were all part of the offer, though in turn, Wu Ying was to teach Pan Chen the fullest extent of the Long family style and part with his own wide collection of sword manuals.

It was a small sacrifice, since the collection he had would be copied by students and scholars from the Pan family before being returned to him. His travels had allowed Wu Ying to purchase a variety of such documents, but none of them were particularly secretive. Like a squirrel, Wu Ying had hoarded manuals from passing merchants, auction houses and bookstores, acquiring them without care for origin or quality.

As such, the volumes of work he had acquired included everything from martial art manuals written by those who barely understood which side was the pointy end to the everyday martial arts manuals of the Shen army to private manuals from defunct martial art sects and fallen families.

It had become a hobby, to read them late into the night whilst gathering, practicing and laughing at the inaccurate representations. Attempting to weave together or gain enlightenment of his own family style from exposure to others.

In his secret chamber of his heart, where unspoken ambition dwelt, he held hopes of weaving his own style. Building upon his understanding of the Long family style to form something powerful, something that reached beyond the manuals offered to him and the fifth form that he had only begun to practice recently.

For none of his family had ever reached the heights of Nascent Soul formation, at least not recently. And what sparse notes there were explaining forms in the fifth style, the flow of chi and the projection of energy all came from those who had reached Core Formation with the original notes offering only the sparsest of guidance for one at the stage.

Leaving Wu Ying… bereft.

And if perhaps inspiration or understanding might come from works that were as fanciful as they were practical, so might it be.

In the meantime, whilst Wu Ying had waited for an answer to his request, he had spent the time being a grateful guest. Even for one who had grown familiar with the rigours of travel, the long months from the Seven Pavillions home through country roads and ill-kept inns had taken its toll.

A chance to rest, to wander through conditioned fields of tea and wild plains of sheep, to clamber across windswept lands and dance among the clouds without care was gratefully taken. Time to breathe the air, to relax the soul and to cultivate.

Days where Wu Ying’s greatest was whether he made it back in time for dinner. Hours spent cultivating on lonely hilltops and under cloudy skies, while the wind danced through the air and as he bathed in medicinal baths meant to strengthen his body and leach out impurities.

All the while feeding the Nascent Soul in his core with the glimmering touches of the winds that danced through the sky, as the Formless Realm that it sat within grew, and Wu Ying sought his dao. Cultivating, filling his dantian and waiting.

For in stillness, there too was growth. And wisdom.