34

While flying at a manageable speed, Onari and Yu Wu tracked whatever left that scent of malicious Qi at the warehouse. The sense of premeditated malice grew stronger as they flew farther from Kuoh proper.

"Definitely a trap," Onari sent Yu Wu through their bond.

"Yuppp," Yu Wu said in reply, popping her metaphorical lips on the 'p'. "We're probably being followed right now too…"

"So… you wanna spring the trap?"

Yu Wu shot Onari a confused glance, "Do you even have to ask?"

Onari chuckled out loud, swinging his sword over to touch tips with hers in an affectionate manner. They didn't have to travel much farther to find the source of the malicious Qi. Swooping down out of the sky, the pair hovered in front of the source.

"Oh my… How creative… A dark and creepy cave…" Onari deadpanned.

Yu Wu giggled, "Now who's the smartass? C'mon, let's check it out."

They both dismounted their swords, but didn't store them away. The giant blades floated along obediently behind them as they approached the mouth of the cave. Onari lit a small ball of foxfire in his palm and chucked it into the depths of the cave's darkness.

Nothing immediately stood out to Onari and Yu Wu, so they entered the cave. The inside was spacious, with more than enough room for their swords to float upright without touching the ceiling. They explored farther, following the light of Onari's foxfire.

The cave wasn't very deep, only a couple dozen meters from the mouth to where it suddenly ended. Waiting for them at the end of the cave was a beautiful young woman clad in green. Onari and Yu Wu exchanged glances and raised their guard slightly as they felt the woman's concentrated Qi, the most obvious sign of a cultivator.

Still curious, the pair approached the woman. She was a classic example of a 'jade-like beauty'. Her body was slender and lithe, with hints of her womanly curves shown off by her figure-hugging green dress. Her hair was long and black, falling behind her in a curtain of darkness.

She wore a veil over the lower half of her face. Her eyes were a bright emerald green that complimented her dress. Equal parts intelligence, curiosity and caution showed in the twinkling green orbs. The green parasol she carried only added to the sense of classical beauty the woman exuded.

She sat on the cave floor, kneeling in a spot she had obviously cleaned beforehand. A table was positioned in front of her. Three cups of freshly made tea were sitting on top of the table.

Onari and Yu Wu took the obvious unsaid invitation to sit down. They didn't lower their guard at all as they sat in front of the table. Focusing their senses on the woman, they could tell her cultivation was less than both of theirs, but they knew better than to underestimate cultivators.

They didn't drink the tea offered by the strange woman. The silence stretched as they waited for the woman to begin. The tension in the air continued to rise until she finally began to speak.

"This one is Xiao Li. This one greets the honored guests: Young Master Onari and Young Mistress Yu Wu… I apologize for going to such lengths to meet with you. My benefactors and I have a proposal/invitation for you that we could not approach you openly about," the woman said, introducing herself with a traditional greeting before switching to a more comfortable form of speech.

"Hello, Xiao Li. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm not sure it is yet. How do you know about us? Our status as cultivators is not exactly public knowledge…" Onari said.

Xiao Li nodded in acknowledgement of his inquiry, "My benefactor was an… acquaintance of someone you are both familiar with: the late Da Shuizhi. She began to distance herself from him when Da Shuizhi started going down a demonic path. Even still, she had certain… duties towards his child, Yu Wu.

"When Da Shuizhi was slain by the two of you, the unknown young cultivator named Onari was put on my benefactor's radar. From there it was simple for a woman of her standing to find out more about him."

Yu Wu bristled at the mention of her father, but she kept her anger under control. Onari gave her hand a squeeze under the table as he noticed her inner turmoil through the bond.

"Alright, that explanation sounds reasonable enough… Now, what about this 'oh-so-secret' proposal?" Onari asked.

"Very well. To explain the proposal, I must first give you some background on my benefactor. She was born an orphan. With no one in this world to look after her, she struggled to survive her harsh childhood.

"By a stroke of heavenly luck, she stumbled upon the art of cultivation. She was immediately taken with the beauty of the art. She began teaching herself how to cultivate. Through years of trial and error, struggle, and tribulation, she rose through the ranks of cultivation.

"She gained the power to control her fate, but she was still alone. She yearned to grant this power to other girls in her situation. She yearned to form unbreakable personal connections through cultivation. Eventually, she became determined to do something about all of this.

"She founded an organization. This sect was named 'No Teachers Required', and given life…"

"Wait, wait, wait," Onari interrupted. "The sect was called NTR?"

Xiao Li tilted her head in confusion, "Yes?"

"And you don't see any issue with that particular combination of letters?"

"No? Should I?"

"Nevermind…" Onari said, shaking his head. "Please continue."

"Very well… Where was I? Ah, yes. This sect is the crux of me and my benefactor's proposal. My benefactor wishes to fulfill her obligations to Yu Wu and scoop up a hidden gem in Onari with one foul swoop. And so, I would like to formally offer the two of you a place within the sect."

There was a short silence as Xiao Li's brazen offer set in. Onari and Yu Wu glanced at each other briefly before Onari spoke.

"I thought the sect was supposed to be only for females? And while Yu Wu is technically an orphan, she's basically been adopted by me and my family."

"Yu Wu's relationship with you and your family is irrelevant. My benefactor is dead set on observing her duties to Yu Wu. As it is, she is being more than benevolent by offering you a position in the sect. Though you will be given a position suitable for your… gender, she is still willing to make an exception and allow you to join."