Xin gege

Over the next months, Fu Shulin trained obsessively with Yao Yan. During the day they sold Yao Yan's talismans in the market to make money to pay for their lodgings, and at night they tested the extent of Fu Shulin's control over his spiritual energy. For now, he could unleash it in great destructive torrents, needing Yao Yan to put him out with a talisman, or not at all.

He would never amount to anything as a cultivator if he couldn't summon his spiritual energy at will. If he couldn't bend it into the necessary shape he would only ever be a danger to himself and others.

Still, he persisted, meditating every night, trying to achieve the necessary clarity, and peace of mind Yao Yan kept instructing him to seek.

With the Jade Dragon Manor trials drawing nearer Longbei was flooded with cultivators from minor and major sects alike, coming from far and wide to try their luck. Fu Shulin had to resist his natural instinct to flinch, whenever he saw the bright, peacock colours of Soaring Crane cultivators. He never looked any of them in the eye, afraid to recognize any of the attackers from the inn, terrified that his rage could cause him to lose control again.

There were a number of wandering cultivators about, they were far less arrogant than the cultivators associated with formal sects, and were very interested in Yao Yan's and Fu Shulin's wares.

"Hey, these are very good." A middle-aged woman with a group of young kids trailing behind her examined a paralysis talisman between her index and middle finger, testing the paper's flexibility. "'A restful night summoning' that's very ingenious." She shot Fu Shulin a speculative glance. "Did you paint these, young man?"

Fu Shulin shook his head. "My shifu did, this disciple just prepared the ink and cleaned the brushes."

Yao Yan was away, gathering materials across the city. The paper they used for the talismans was expensive, they had to place orders days in advance.

"Ah, so you are a cultivator yourself," she grinned widely. "You and your Shifu are here for the trials as well?"

He nodded, avoiding her eyes. It was clear to him the woman was a wandering cultivator, and the children accompanying her were the various disciples she had taken under her wing. They looked clean, and well-fed, but one of the girls who looked to be around Fu Shulin's age had an unnerving severity about her face that made Fu Shulin wonder if she hadn't also been through something that had made her shed her childhood like snakeskin.

The older woman was still waiting for an answer, so Fu Shulin said only, "Yes, Noble Hero, I am hoping to take part in the trials."

She rested a proud hand on the shoulder of the child next to her. "So will all my disciples," her gaze narrowed. "Say, you could join us. It is best to train with others, if your Shifu only had you as a disciple, I'm sure you aren't making much progress."

Her offer was generous, which immediately put Fu Shulin on edge: before meeting Yao Yan he had looked for years for a master to teach him, but everyone expected him to pay for it. The woman must have second intentions.

"This one is humbled by the offer, but Shifu is the only teacher I will follow." The woman's friendly smile dropped. Fu Shulin pointed at the talisman she was still holding. "That will be three copper pieces."

"Listen here, you ungrateful brat-"

Fu Shulin stopped hearing the woman when he noticed a familiar face coming down the street. He had thought about him through the years, but sometimes he convinced himself that he had imagined Xin Rufei's good looks. For in all his years he had never met someone whose appearance matched his memory of him. He wrote it off as a child's natural imagination spinning Xin Rufei's fine clothing and refined manner into physical beauty.

Seeing him again in those teal Jade Dragon Manor robes, Fu Shulin felt that his imagination hadn't done him justice. His face had lost the last vestiges of childish roundness, while keeping the exquisite brushstroke of his fine features. He looked regal as he cast a long-lashed, indolent, looks at the wares being sold.

The woman was still berating Fu Shulin, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Xin gege," he called, raising his voice to be heard over the din of the hawkers and their costumers. "Xin gege, over here."

Xin Rufei turned his head in his direction, the tinkling of his silver hair ornaments cut through the noise like the melodious chime of a temple's bell. He made to move in Fu Shulin's direction, who felt his heart leap inside his chest, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. The hand was attached to Tao Yuanming, who hadn't changed at all in the past years. He looked as forbidding and imperious as Fu Shulin remembered.

"Rufei, who is that boy?" he asked, loud enough to make himself heard.

"I don't know," Xin Rufei said, his clear eyes locked with Fu Shulin's. "But I want to find out." He dislodged Tao Yuanming's hand and made his way towards their stall.

"Xin gege, I came back for the Jade Dragon Manor trials, like you said." Fu Shulin's voice wavered with trepidation. He hoped the other boy remembered the encounter that he could still recall so vividly.

It was overwhelming to see him so close, Fu Shulin couldn't understand why he was having such a hard time holding his gaze.

Xin Rufei looked at him askance, his proud nose angled upwards, and then down as he brought his face closer to Fu Shulin's. "I remember you," he smirked, showing a row of perfect, pearl-like teeth, "little beggar."