DDD Chapter 19: Meeting Willow (Patreon)

(AN: Just a heads up, this past week kicked my ass. On top of working a full-time job, I just felt terrible overall, so I wasn't able to get much writing done. There won't be any chapters released for TRT or DDD next week. Sorry.)

(Edited by Radriel7)

I woke up before dawn the next day with a slight headache. After enduring increasing mental pressure for the better part of yesterday, I was surprised that I only suffered from a mild headache. I assumed it would have been much worse, given how intense the pressure was towards the end. Still, I wasn’t going to complain. After changing into a clean set of crimson robes, I exited my room and headed outside to perform my daily dawn meditation.

A quick glance around the building with my spirit sense told me that most of the other exam participants were still in their rooms. While my spirit sense couldn’t go through solid objects such as wood or stone (yet), it could go through any openings it found. There also weren’t any arrays that restricted spirit sense in the building, so I looked around unimpeded.

Many of the exam participants were still sleeping, but a few were awake. Some were meditating, others were performing morning exercises, and a few were even cultivating. This didn’t surprise me. While the qi in this mountain wasn’t as abundant as the qi in Astra’s old immortal cave, it was still plentiful.

To my surprise, when I walked outside, I found one of the other exam participants sitting outside. They wore a thick black cloak that obscured their features, making it difficult to tell if they were male or female. The figure sat facing the east. A part of me wondered if they also practiced the Song of Dawn and Dusk technique, before I dismissed such thoughts. Even if they did, it would be rude to ask. Besides, it had nothing to do with me.

I found a spot that gave me a good view of the east, sat down, and waited for dawn to arrive. Since the sky had already started to lighten up when I walked outside, I didn’t have to wait long. While I waited, I examined my surroundings. It was chilly this morning, despite it being summer, though I found the cold rather refreshing. It was also quiet, except for the sound of a gentle breeze blowing through. I took all of this in, enjoying the simple pleasure of being alive.

As soon as the sun peeked above the horizon, I closed my eyes and started meditating. My headache receded as I recited the chant of dawn within my mind. By the time I finished, it had disappeared altogether. When I opened my eyes, the sun had fully risen above the horizon.

I glanced over to find the black cloaked figure looking in my direction.

“Good morning, fellow cultivator,” I called out to them.

The figure didn’t respond right away and continued to stare at me for several seconds, before they nodded.

“Good morning, fellow cultivator,” the figure said in a raspy, but clearly feminine, voice.

After that, neither of us said anything to the other as we both continued to watch the sunrise. However, my stomach grumbled a few minutes later, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten anything for lunch or dinner yesterday. While I had food in my storage ring, walking up the mountain had taken all of my concentration and focus. Stopping to eat hadn’t been an option at the time

Before I took any food out of my storage ring, a voice called out to us. It belonged to the middle-aged outer disciple from yesterday.

“Fellow cultivators,” he said. “Breakfast is ready. Please join the rest of the participants in the dining room.”

The black cloaked woman and I glanced at each other, before we both stood at the same time and made our way back to the hall. As we walked over, I studied the black cloaked woman from the corner of my eye. She was hunched over, as if humpbacked, and walked at a slow and steady pace. Despite this, she was as tall as I was. If she could stand up straight, she would be at least a head taller than me. Given how raspy her voice sounded earlier, I guessed that this black cloaked woman was elderly and likely reaching the end of her lifespan. Still, she managed to make this far, so I wouldn’t make the mistake of assuming she was weak and feeble.

Cultivators came in all shapes, sizes, and ages. Making assumptions based on surface appearances was a good way to get myself killed. Astra and Cultivator Raphael had warned me about that several times. This was why learning how to read auras was such a vital skill, since a cultivator’s aura could reveal details that their appearance wouldn’t.

However, I couldn’t read this black cloaked woman’s aura. She had an aura, I could tell that much, but little else beyond that. Even so, this gave me some insight into her abilities. This woman’s cultivation wasn’t that much higher than mine, since Foundation Establishment cultivators and above couldn’t participate in the entrance exam, which meant she had an ability that allowed her to conceal her aura. This all but confirmed to me that she practiced the Song of Dawn and Dusk technique, since the chant of dusk gave one the ability to hide one’s aura.

With this in mind, I suspected this woman had ties to the Dawn and Dusk Sect. In fact, she was in a similar situation as me. The Song of Dawn and Dusk was a mental refinement technique unique to the Dawn and Dusk Sect. The only reason I knew the technique was because Astra provided me with the abridged manual for it. While an outsider without ties to the sect could have learned the technique, I doubted it. Cultivation clans and sects treated their unique techniques as sacred treasures, making it difficult for outsiders to get their hands on them.

While intriguing, knowing that this black cloaked woman also had ties to the Dawn and Dusk Sect didn’t mean much in the end. After all, it had nothing to do with me and would have little impact on whether I joined the sect or not. Still, participating in the same entrance exam could be enough of a bond to form a friendship with the woman, or at least an acquaintanceship. I didn’t have many-…I didn’t have any friends outside of my kin, so the thought of making my first friend filled me with glee.

The dining room turned out to be a large rectangular room at the back of the hall. I had actually passed by it yesterday, on my way to my own room, but hadn’t noticed it due to my mental exhaustion. Two long wooden tables occupied the dining room, providing more than enough space for the exam participants to eat their breakfast in comfort.

The other participants were already there, eating and making small talk with each other. No one noticed our arrival. By some unspoken agreement between us, the black cloaked woman and I sat next to each other. As soon as we sat down, a pair of mortal servants brought us bowls of porridge before departing.

I stared down at my bowl of porridge in disappointment. Spending the past several months eating the delicious meals cooked by Cultivator Raphael’s cousin had spoiled me, to the point that now I found mundane food unappealing. What amused me about this situation was that before Astra took me away from Mt. Wind Dance, food like this porridge had been standard fare for me. It was amazing how much a person’s attitude could change within a short amount of time.

Still, it didn’t surprise me that the Dawn and Dusk Sect fed us something like this. While we were now disciples, or soon to be disciples, we were just outer disciples. Unlike inner disciples or core disciples, we weren’t valued all that much by the Dawn and Dusk Sect. There were many ways to get promoted from the outer sect to the inner sect. However, before that happened, outer disciples had the lowest status. The only ones below them were the mortal servants.

While I found the porridge unappealing, there were ways to make up for it. I retrieved a small covered dish from my storage ring and placed it on the table. When I removed the cover, an appetizing aroma reached my nostrils. The dish contained chunks of tender meat covered in a brown sauce. It was Braised Devil Hog Pork Belly. While it wasn’t exactly a breakfast food, it was better than eating just plain porridge.

The black cloaked woman next to me let out a chuckle.

“It seems that the food served by the Dawn and Dusk Sect isn’t to your tastes, fellow cultivator,” she said in her raspy voice.

For some reason, I felt embarrassed by her words.

“No one said that we couldn’t bring our own food,” I said in a defensive tone.

The black cloaked woman let out another chuckle.

“You misunderstand me,” she said. “I wasn’t trying to shame you. In fact, I feel the same way. Mundane food is beneath cultivators like us.”

The black cloaked woman reached for her own storage ring and pulled out a small dish containing several plump red fruits. They reminded me of pears, but they looked more vibrant and juicy than any pear I had ever seen. Each fruit also contained a small amount of Wood qi.

Ah, they were spirit fruits, which were a type of natural treasure. Like pills, consuming one would help advance one’s cultivation or provide other benefits. Unlike pills, one didn’t need to refine a spirit fruit in order to receive the benefits of eating it. That said, it was possible to refine a spirit fruit into a pill. However, the reward for doing this wasn’t usually worth the effort.

“Rather, I was hoping to make a trade,” the black cloaked woman said. “If you’re willing to share some of your…Is that Devil Hog meat?”

I nodded.

“If you’re willing to share some of your Devil Hog meat, I’m willing to share some of my Wood Essence Pears. They’re particularly beneficial for cultivators that practice Fire-aligned cultivation techniques such as yourself.”

I considered her offer. She made a fair point. When it came to consuming pills or natural treasures that advanced one’s cultivation, such as spirit fruits, the interplay between the five elements played a big part. Wood fed Fire, so pills and natural treasures containing Wood qi would benefit me more than pills and natural treasures containing qi of the other elements. Only Divine qi would benefit me more.

The inverse was also true. Pills and natural treasures containing Water qi would harm my cultivation, since Water defeated Fire. If I took in too much Water qi, I could end up suffering from qi deviation.

“Is that a good idea?” I asked in a concerned tone. “Won’t the Demonic qi in the Devil Hog meat have adverse effects on you?”

The black cloaked woman shook her head.

“No,” she said, before pulling back her cloak a bit, revealing a necklace. Strung up on the necklace was a token that was similar to mine. However, hers depicted the visage of a black demon against a drop of blood. Ah, so she did have ties to the Dawn and Dusk Sect; specifically Crimson Fiend Hall, which practiced blood mystic arts. “I practice a demonic cultivation technique, so consuming that Devil Hog meat would benefit me as much as consuming these Wood Essence Pears would benefit you.”

This filled me with relief.

“I see,” I said, before gesturing to the dish containing the Braised Devil Hog Pork Belly. “In that case, by all means. Help yourself.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” the black cloaked woman said.

She reached for the Braised Devil Hog Pork Belly, while I reached for one of the Wood Essence Pears. I lifted the wooden mask just enough to uncover my mouth, before taking a bite of the spirit fruit. It was juicier than I expected, and some of it ran down my chin. A light and sweet flavor washed over my tongue, while the Wood qi contained within the spirit fruit entered my body. I couldn’t help but let out a moan of pleasure.

I ate the Wood Essence Pear in a few large bites and saved the seeds for later. Astra and Cultivator Raphael told me that I should save the seeds of any spirit herb or plant that I came across. That way, when I established my own immortal cave, I’d be able to plant these seeds and start growing my own spirit herbs and plants. Even if I wouldn’t be able to use them for myself, I could sell them for spirit stones or trade them for other materials that I might need.

After I finished eating the pear, and stored the seeds in my storage ring, I glanced around and found the other exam participants looking at me with odd expressions on their faces. My face flushed with embarrassment when I realized what happened. I was so used to the moans I made when I ate delicious food that I hardly noticed them anymore. It hadn’t mattered before, back in Astra’s old immortal cave, since I only acted that way around Astra and Cultivator Raphael. However, moaning like that in public was another matter.

The tips of my ears burned with shame. I wanted to cover my face, even though I was already wearing the wooden mask. It took all of my willpower not to flee the dining room.

“It seems that you found the Wood Essence Pears quite delicious, fellow cultivator,” the black cloaked woman said in a teasing tone. “The only time I’ve ever heard a man moan like that was when I passed by a brothel in the pleasure district back home.”

I coughed in an attempt to dispel some of my embarrassment.

“I apolo-…” My voice cracked and I cleared my throat before trying again. “I apologize for that unseemly display, fellow cultivator.”

“You can call me Cultivator Willow,” the black cloaked woman said. “I think we’re more than acquainted enough to exchange names given the…intimacy we just shared.”

I resisted the urge to slam my head on the table.

“In that case, you can call me Cultivator Darian,” I said, ignoring Cultivator Willow’s teasing.

She stilled for a moment, before she nodded and continued eating. I followed her example a few moments later. I was still hungry, despite my embarrassment, and I wanted to keep up my strength. While we had passed the first part of the entrance exam, I knew that it was far from over. Since I didn’t know what lay in store for the future, it was best to be as prepared as possible.

However, I avoided eating any more of the Braised Devil Hog Pork Belly or the Wood Essence Pears, much to Cultivator Willow’s amusement. Instead, I ate the porridge and placed the rest in my storage ring, saving them for later.

***

Everyone finished eating breakfast not long after that. By that point, I had already absorbed the Wood qi I gained from eating the Wood Essence Pear, which boosted my cultivation by about half a day’s worth.

After breakfast, Cultivators Thurstan and Euphemia sent for us. We all gathered outside in front of the hall, where we found the two of them floating in the air, waiting for us. To my surprise, they were joined by a third Foundation Establishment cultivator, a familiar one at that. It was one of the inner disciples who had taken away the would-be spies yesterday, the youth wearing the iridescent rainbow robes. He hovered in the air a few feet away from the other two.

Unlike Cultivator Thurstan, who wore a bright expression, or Cultivator Euphemia, who remained as cold as ever, the youth in the iridescent rainbow robes wore a soft and benevolent smile on his face. His aura matched the color of his robes, an iridescent rainbow, and seemed Divine in nature. Based on this, I guessed he was part of Rainbow Healer Hall, which specialized in healing arts and refining medicines.

“Congratulations for making it this far, fellow cultivators!” Cultivator Thurstan said in a cheery voice. “You can now all be considered outer disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect.”

Our group broke out into excited murmurs. While being an outer disciple wasn’t as prestigious as being an inner disciple, and certainly not as prestigious as being a core disciple, it was still an honor. Outer disciples could still learn the Dawn and Dusk Sect’s techniques, attend lectures, and earn the chance to become inner disciples. There were many ways to accomplish the latter, though the most common way was to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator and join one of the halls.

“If that is the extent of your ambition, then please follow Senior Martial Brother Jasper,” Cultivator Thurstan said, gesturing to the youth in the iridescent rainbow robes. “He is the one responsible for overseeing the outer disciples.”

The youth, Cultivator Jasper, nodded his head but remained silent.

“For those of you who wish to continue with the entrance exam, then please remain here,” Cultivator Thurstan said.

“The exam isn’t over, senior?” one of the other exam participants asked.

Cultivator Thurstan snorted.

“Of course not,” he said. “There is one final test after this. Those who pass the next test will earn a spot as one of the Dawn and Dusk Sect’s inner disciples.” His expression turned serious. “However, the next test is much more dangerous than the previous two. There is a chance that you may suffer serious injury, or even die. Unless you’re confident in your ability to protect yourself, I suggest you follow Junior Brother Jasper.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Cultivator Thurstan’s expression turned bright again.

“There is no shame in acknowledging one’s limits, fellow cultivators,” Cultivator Euphemia interjected. “Sometimes it is better to preserve one’s strength for future endeavors rather than recklessly charge on ahead.”

While she didn’t look at me as she said this, I had a feeling that Cultivator Euphemia was referring to me and the meditation incident from yesterday.

“Keep in mind that even if you fail the final test, you are still outer disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect,” Cultivator Thurstan said. His expression turned malicious. “Assuming you survive that is.”

The group had mixed reactions to his words. Some were excited, even eager, to take the next test. After all, why not? We were now members of the Dawn and Dusk Sect. Failing the next test wouldn’t change that. However, there was a risk of injury or death, which was why most were hesitant to continue forward.

After a while, several of the exam participants walked over to Cultivator Jasper. At first it was only one or two, but soon most of the group headed over to him. Only about a dozen and half remained standing in front of Cultivator Thurstan and Cultivator Euphemia, including myself and Cultivator Willow.

To my surprise, Clarissa Wind Dance was also among the latter. Given what I overheard of her conversation with her parents, she had already accomplished her objective by reaching this point. There was no need for her to continue with the entrance exam. Still, I didn’t blame her for aiming to become an inner disciple. The risk was well worth the reward.

When it became clear that no one else would follow him, Cultivator Jasper reached for his storage ring and pulled out a leaf shaped flying magical treasure. He gestured for those in his group to climb aboard. Once they did so, they flew off with him in the lead. The entire time, Cultivator Jasper never said a word.

“Excellent!” Cultivator Thurstan said, rubbing his hands together. “We have a brave bunch this time around. I only expected less than a dozen of you to continue with the exam. Even if only half of you succeed and become inner disciples, then our Dawn and Dusk Sect will grow that much stronger.” He gestured for us to follow him. “Come along now.”

Cultivator Thurstan and Cultivator Euphemia headed off, flying slow enough for us to keep up with them. They headed to an area behind the hall where we spent the night. When we arrived, I saw another path leading down the other side of the mountain. After about a hundred feet, the path disappeared into a thick white mist that covered this entire side of the mountain. It swirled about almost like a living creature, reminding me of the purplish-black mist that gave the Black Mist Mountains their name. However, this mist seemed more benign than the purplish-black mist, though there was something strange and mysterious about it.

A forested valley lay on the other side of the mist, situated at the base of the mountain. It was about a mile wide and several miles long. Large hills flanked it on both sides. At the far end of the valley stood another mountain, this one much taller than the one we were currently on. I saw buildings at the base of that mountain, though they were too far away for me to see them in detail.

“Your next test is simple,” Cultivator Thurstan said, gesturing to the buildings in the distance. “You need to make it to the other side of the valley before sunset. Do so, and you’ll become inner disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Is this test like the previous one, senior?” I asked. “Simple, but not easy?”

Cultivator Thurstan grinned at me.

“Correct, fellow cultivator,” he said. “However, unlike the previous two tests, I won’t share any details of what you’ll face. You’ll have to discover that on your own. Whether or not any of you succeed will depend on your abilities and luck.” He reached for his storage ring and pulled out several yellow slips of paper, each one emitting a faint amount of qi. “However, we’re not cruel and heartless. Each of you will receive one of these talismans. If you find yourself in grave peril or unable to continue for whatever reason, then just rip your talisman in half and yell ‘Save me, seniors!’ Do so, and either Martial Sister Euphemia or I will come rescue you.” He shrugged. “You’ll forfeit the test, but you won’t lose your life.”

Several of our group let out sighs of relief. So the next test wouldn’t be as dangerous as we feared. At least, we would get a lifeline.

Cultivator Thurstan tossed the talismans in our direction. They hovered in the air for a brief moment, before they flew towards us. When I received my talisman, I studied it for a few moments. Magical symbols drawn in red ink covered one side of the talisman.

Thanks to my lessons with Astra and Cultivator Raphael, I understood enough of the symbols to figure out what the talisman did. It was rather simple. After being ripped in half, the talisman would release a ball of light into the air like a flare. The phrase “Save me, seniors!” was not necessary to its activation. I assumed Cultivator Thurstan added that part for his own amusement. After I finished studying the talisman, I put it away.

“Now then,” Cultivator Thurstan said. “You may begin whenever you are ready.”

As soon as he said that, a few people rushed forward, eager to get a head start. Within moments, they entered the white mist and disappeared from sight. Everyone else remained at the grass meadow, including Cultivator Willow and Clarissa Wind Dance.

“Are we allowed to work together for this next part, senior?” I asked.

Cultivator Thurstan gave me a surprised look, before grinning.

“All you need to do is make it to the other side of the valley before noon,” he said. “How you go about it is entirely up to you.”

“It is to your credit that you asked,” Cultivator Euphemia said. “Most exam participants don’t even consider the possibility of cooperating with one another despite the benefits of doing so.”

I nodded.

“Thank you, seniors,” I said, before turning to face Cultivator Willow. “Shall we pair up, Cultivator Willow? I believe our chances of success are much higher if we work together.”

Cultivator Willow studied me for a few moments, before nodding.

“I am amenable to that, Cultivator Darian,” she said.