The Fourth Stage - Chapter 31 preview (Patreon)

Wu Ying swept his gaze over the gathered cultivators, the remaining members of his department. He had gathered them at the department building, insisting that they pack for a longer expedition. When queried for exact length, he had but smiled.

As he stared at the group, sweeping his gaze over their gathered forms, he wondered how many had packed for a winter expedition. It was hard to tell with the introduction of storage rings, though he had no plans on staying outdoors that long. Even so, he did note that both Ya Zhu and Rou Gang carried external backpacks, expanding the number and quantity of spiritual herbs they might gather.

“You all have your lists?” Wu Ying queried the group. There were nods of confirmation all around.

A week ago, just after the tournament was completed, he had individualized list of spiritual herbs distributed to his students. While the top portion of the list contained generally desirable herbs, he also provided a specific list of demands. In a separate document, he explained the trial they were now faced with along with the region in which they would conduct the gathering expedition.

It was simple to the extreme. Each herb or set of herbs had a demand level, a number of contribution points the cultivators would receive for acquiring and delivering a good quality version of the named herb. To pass and not be removed from the department, the cultivators had to acquire a set number of contribution points. The individual who brought back the most would win greater rewards – varying from specialized training time to seniority within the department.

“Good. We leave for a month,” Wu Ying said, his voice dropping a little. “Assuming, of course, that there are not crises, inclement bad weather or predations of powerful demonic or spirit beasts.”

“Is that likely to happen, Sifu?” Gui Ting asked.

“Likely? No,” Wu Ying said. “But has it happened before? Of course. Part of the business of being a wandering gatherer is balancing the risk and reward of picking various herbs. While freshness and ripeness is important, circumstances can alter well laid travel and gathering plans. As it stands, you all have a greater advantage of knowing which location we travel to and the list of desired items, an advantage that not all of you might have in the future.”

Gui Ting bowed to Wu Ying, taking his explanation in stride. None of what he said was new, though Wu Ying found himself repeating some points regularly. It was strange how the same information, repeated again and again to a class might only be taken in or understood at different times.

“Any further questions?” Wu Ying asked, letting his gaze slide over the group. Finding no takers, he turned and made his way down a smaller path. It would, of course, link to the main path up the mountain before it branched off again, eventually leading them to a smaller path that led away from the city itself into the wilder environs that the sect bordered.

In fact, what he did not tell his students, was that he was bringing the group to a familiar gathering spot. Further than the area that he and Elder Li – and now, by extension of convenience, the students – would conduct training upon, into the deep wilds. Not too far, of course, that they would encounter the pixiu which had made its residence deeper in the wilds, but close enough that they might encounter a village or two of the xing tian.

If they did, however, it should be scattered and smaller groups. Ever since the war with the dark sect had subsided, the increased activity in the Verdant Green Waters sect and the training of martial cultivators had meant that they pushed outward more aggressively, hunting down and dealing with threats long before they became a problem.

In that sense, the attack on the xing tian – those headless, belly-mouthed creatures with eyes for nipples monsters – were a victim of the Sect’s new vigor. Wu Ying had confirmed that the main villages of the creatures had been destroyed, the majority of the creatures hunted down and driven further away. Now, only scattered small villages were left, the members of the villages no stronger than Energy Storage cultivators at best.

Perfect for training new Body Cleansing martial cultivators in team tactics, which was why their continued existence was allowed. Well, that and concerns that destroying or removing them entirely from the nearby lands would result in even more dangerous creatures taking their place.

As Wu Ying led the group down the mountain, he kept one ear out for the conversation and another fixed on the surroundings. In this way, he managed to listen in to the continuing speculation among his students about what was happening as well as discussions about changes in gathering plans, as they sought to figure out the best use of their time.

More importantly, he listened to see what form their speculation grew about how they would be split. After all, one problem with running an expedition for a group of gatherers was the necessity of security and proper distribution of goods as they were found.

If they moved as a group, it would be impossible for everyone to acquire their goods. On the other hand, he was not running a cutthroat competition, where individuals were thrown into the deep wilds where uncounted dangers might lurk.

This, of course, was why mystic realms were so important. In time, perhaps, his own World Spirit Ring might become a mystic realm that others could enter, a land separated from the middle kingdom. For now though, neither the Sect nor himself had a place to send the cultivators.

And they could not, would not, casually waste their lives. So some form of security and control was required, and yet, at the same time, keeping them all together would defeat the purpose of a test like this. The question, of course, was how Wu Ying intended to distribute them and the potential resources that were available for collection.

More importantly, right now, right here, he was able to ascertain and verify the groupings that they had created. The three women were, of course, moving together. Rou Gang had declined to join them. Going so far as to violently insist that he did not require their aid. And the two primary contenders for First Disciple – Gui Ting and Xia Hui – were also intending to travel separately.

Five groups then, which was four more than he could physical be present to watch over. And two more than he had hoped for.

Not the end of the world, but it would strain him. As it stood, even coming out to do this entire test had caused a ruckus with Liu Tsong and Physician Xiong. He could only hope that taking time off from his medicinal baths would be sufficient.

***

Two days. The students and Elder Long had traveled together as a group for two days. In that time, Ya Zhu knew, her ability to sense spirit herbs from a distance had deeply annoyed Gui Ting. After all, Elder Long had declared that whoever first located a spirit herb had first rights to collect it. With her extended wood aligned spiritual sense, that meant her – or her team.

Right now, the trio were continuing to travel and work together. They intended to continue this mutual aid all the way through the test, a fact that their Sifu had yet to comment or disallow. That had been their greatest concern – that their mutual co-operation would be blocked. In that case, it would rob the trio of one of their greatest advantages.

Even now, Ya Zhu could not say for certain that they would be successful at beating Gui Ting or Xiu Lian; but barring calamity, all three should pass the exam at least.

What she worried about most was Rou Gang. However, the boy’s loss in the tournament had sat badly with him. Even though Elder Long had made no mention of removing the boy from the department, his loss and lack of progress had made him withdrawn and sullen. She could only hope that his need to prove himself did not drive him to take unnecessary risks.

It was only at the end of the second day, as they set up camp in a clearing and the Elder emplaced a series of formation flags that concealed their location that their long journey was altered.

“Tomorrow and for the next two days after, we shall make this clearing our base of operations. You will all decide on which direction you will travel from in the morning but must return to this encampment each night,” Elder Long intoned. Hands behind his back, he sternly added. “Failure to do so without a very good reason is grounds for immediate failure.”

Ya Zhu made sure to hide her smile, though she was justifiably proud that she managed to guess how he would split them. The question of allocation of individuals and resources had plagued them all, with some like Xia Hui believing that they would all be allowed to wander as they wished – with the Elder keeping a watch via the wind only.

Others, like Ma Jie, believed they would continue to move as a group through the days. In truth, Ya Zhu had hoped for that outcome too since it most favoured them. The Elder had certainly done that before during their introduction, but the circumstances were different then. There, he only needed to ascertain the most basics of skillsets.

Now, he was searching for more than skill but business acumen and their ability to work together and co-operate, to weigh risks and decide upon the best course of action. He was looking to test their ability to survive as wild gatherers and also, to provide for the sect.

They were not ignorant about the pressures the department faced. The way the other cultivators looked down upon them, their newly established section in an organization that had lasted hundreds of years without change.

For the traditionalists, any change was a danger. For the entrenched powers, any alteration of the status quo was a challenge to them and their position. And for many, their very presence could only be a danger; not an opportunity.

Perhaps the wild gatherers would benefit the Sect by their presence. Perhaps new apothecarists could grow, new alchemical combinations be produced, pills that had once been too expensive or onerous to produce regularly now made available. In the long-term, perhaps, they might strengthen the Sect.

But what was certain was that in the present, their very presence would endanger livelihoods, cause merchants and cultivators who plyed the sect profit, make apothecarists who had regular clientele be forced to search for new customers. Even Elder Kim and the other gatherers would feel the effects of new or more numerous wild herbs arriving on the regular. In the short-term, loss was certain.

So better to pressure Elder Long, to search for benefit from the man now. Or destroy the encroaching department before it became more than a fledging program.

“Any questions?” Elder Long asked.

Of course there were. He answered the questions patiently, though mostly, their Sifu directed them to manage arguments between themselves. Whether it was in which direction everyone would go to or the acquisition of herbs, he would not dictate their resolutions.

When the group realised this, they stopped enquiring of the man, instead focusing on setting up the campsite fully before congregating.

“I intend to go east from here,” Xia Hui stated, stabbing a finger down at the map he had brought with him. Each group had a copy of the same map, created from the one available in the sect. What Ya Zhu was surprised to see was that Xia Hui’s was bereft of notes and markings unlike their own. He was either carrying all that information in his head or had planned ahead and had a second such map.

Which, she was uncertain.

“You’re after the Night Tiger Thorn Plum aren’t you?” Gui Ting said, eyes narrowing.

“I might be,” Xia Hui said. “I might not. We need only co-ordinate directions.”

“I will go south, if no one minds,” Rou Gang offered, meekly into the impending conflict. His finger came up to point at the map and then he lowered it, not finishing the gesture.

Ya Zhu narrowed her eyes, considering what was there. A field of high quality Spirit Grass, wild grown. Nothing special at all, though it might have patches of unusual elemental substance. Also, there were indications of a variety of sunflower types, but again, these were common spirit herbs – if they even progressed all the way there.

Had the boy found something they all – she – missed? Or was he pursuing another objective.

Before she could speculate further, an elbow dug into her side. Grunting, Ya Zhu glared at Ma Jie who gestured down at the map.

“We will go west,” Ya Zhu said.

“Gui Ting?” Xia Hui said, challengingly.

“I am heading east too.” Gui Ting met Xia Hui’s gaze fearlessly, the pair glowering at one another. In the end though, Gui Ting was the one who gave in, bowing his head in acquiescence.

“Then, our plans are set,” Xia Hui said, rolling up the maps. He glanced over to Elder Long, only to find the man seated near his tent on a simple mat, legs crossed as he cultivated. Winds swirled around the man, spinning a tiny cyclone centered around him that caught up stray twigs and leaves before drifting away. With each gust, new scents filtered in from all around the wilderness, blooming flowers, broken sap and rushing water. Through it all, he sat, at peace and silent.

It seemed whatever they decided, it mattered little to their Elder. Results were what was important, or so it seemed.