Qi Fan and Qi Sword

Hong Zhao couldn't get back to sleep after Lan left. He didn't know if he had time to sleep anymore. Now that he knew the looming timeline, he wondered what he truly had time to do. He broke out into a cold sweat thinking about the leagues he would have to jump in order to be prepared for even this one particular fight. He had to not only build his strength past student, but even further than disciple. If he wanted to have a chance at helping this village and to break the hold of Krohias, he had to at least be a warrior ranked cultivator within ten years.

Eating a spirit fruit in seconds, Hong Zhao sat upon his pillow on the balcony and began to cultivate. He had just sparred a great deal with Li Wuhan and knew his strength a little better, yet he also knew that the qi within his dantian was low compared to what it had been the previous ranks. As it looked, the qi actually condensed within his dantian, shrinking and gaining more power the higher his rank reached. As far as he could tell, his dantian wasn't truly getting better as much as the qi was getting smaller. He wondered at that. Maybe if he saw Lan again, he would ask her, if he didn't figure it out for himself first.

As he sat upon his pillow, the energy roiled above him. The cyclone of energy hit his dantian and the sucking force began. His body refined as much qi as it could, then he would distribute the qi to the many organs within his body. If he was to defeat everyone within this tournament, he had to at least have some defense. He wasn't used to having to go head to head as much as he had to in this world. Usually, all he would need is a fifty caliber sniper rifle or his trusty silencer, yet none of these existed in this world. And even still to his amazement, he wasn't trying to kill anyone.

He shoved all of these thoughts aside and focused solely on cultivating. The night passed into day in a blink of an eye, then back to night again. His qi would shrink, then expand, then shrink again. Each time, he gave his qi to his organs. He could feel the muscles under his robe expand and contract, as if they were roiling with energy, which of course they were.

On the third day of constant cultivating, he felt something break from within him. Opening his eyes, they flashed a silvery white before settling back into the normal hazel. "There goes six star student rank." He smiled wryly. He now knew how trivial this strength was compared to the strength his enemies would have.

Hong Zhao decided to take a break from his own cultivating and check on the Li siblings. He also stored all of the fruit, pills and books in his ring before leaving his courtyard.

The sun had just risen outside and he was greeted with a fine mist. The grass within the courtyard glistened with the morning dew. He relished the feeling of having such a peaceful life. If one were to look closely at the expression on his face, they might not believe he truly was a six year old boy. His look alone spoke of age and experience. Of many choices made, and some regretted.

There was now little more than two weeks left before the tournament, he felt that he was almost as prepared as he could be. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that there was still one last thing he could do. He made his way to the Li family estate and opened the front door. On the inside, one of the servants stopped cleaning and checked the door. "Master Hong Zhao! How nice to see you!" She bowed slightly as she held a dusting rag.

Hong Zhao returned the bow with a curt nod. "You wouldn't happen to know where Li Wuhan and Li Wei are, would you?"

"They are in the library studying, young master." She bowed once more before setting back to work on dusting the stairway.

Hong Zhao made his way to the double doors leading to the large study. Opening the doors, he saw both of the siblings sitting at a table reading a book a piece. "This won't do." He sighed theatrically. "How exactly are you going to gain strength if all you do is read?"

Li Wei looked up from her book. A brief smile lit her face before returning to her book. "A sharp mind is sometimes better than a sharp sword."

"You would have to have something sharp to compare that mind to then." Hong Zhao winked as he took two jade slips out of his storage ring. He placed one in front of Li Wuhan, and one in front of his sister. "I wouldn't mind giving you something to sharpen, at least."

The siblings eyes went from their books instantly to the jade slips in front of them. "What is this?" Li Wuhan asked. He undoubtedly knew it was an ability before him, yet he didn't know why or how Hong Zhao had it.

"Think of them as gifts and a proposition. I would like the two of you to drop your books and come with me into the forest. You have been in this village for far too long, you need a moment to stretch your legs." He made a show of stretching himself out in front of them to prove his point. "If you join me on a two week trek into the forest, I can promise you will come out far stronger than you are now. You may even have a chance to win in the upcoming tournament."

"Wouldn't we have to beat you in order to win?" Li Wuhan seemed skeptical.

Hong Zhao raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to give you strength, it's your choice what to do with it."

Li Wuhan picked up the jade slip and placed it to his forehead. In moments, his eyes went wide. "This is.." He trailed off without completing. His mind was devoted fully to the task of memorizing the qi pattern. Hong Zhao could see the lights in his eyes, he had already decided to go.

Li Wei was curious about what might be on her own jade slip. After seeing her brother's reaction, she couldn't help but pick hers up and put it to her forehead. Moments later, she too seemed to be in a trance.

Hong Zhao smiled as he watched the two siblings stare off at what he assumed was the memories of the abilities they had just gotten. Both abilities were carefully and meticulously suited for them. When they learned to use the abilities, they would feel like an extension of their bodies. Knowing that he had them, he started walking to the door once more. "I will be waiting at the exit to the family estate in two hours." He turned back with a smile. "Pack lightly and do not keep me waiting."

Li Wei and Li Wuhan managed small nods before Hong Zhao exited the study and headed for the door. Before he had a chance to go down the stairs, a hand grasped his fine black and gold robe. "I understand what you are doing, Hong Zhao, but I do not understand why." Li Wen's hand shook slightly as he let go of the young boy. "Even though I don't know your true intentions, I thank you for all that you've done for us."

"Elder Li Wen," Hong Zhao bowed his head. "I am only doing what should be done. What anyone should want to do for others. All I want to do is protect those who I hold close to me, no matter how many that should be." Hong Zhao took out a few more pills from his storage ring, along with a few spirit fruit and handed them to Li Wen. "These should help you advance to the first star disciple rank. You will also need to build your own strength up for the times to come." Hesitantly at first, he also took out the piles of books that Lan had given him. "Make copies of these books. Read them yourself first, then make copies. I want the originals back for myself. They will help the village move to the next stage of cultivation.

Hong Zhao descended the stairs, leaving Li Wen staring after him. Who exactly was this child to give him such wealth? He could tell by the titles of the books that they were some he had never heard of before. He also could tell by the fruit that it was yet again more that he would never be able to identify, and as for the pills, alchemists were so hard to come by, yet this child seemed to be giving them out like candy. He not only had luck, but he also didn't horde it for himself.

Li Wen's children seemed to benefit greatly from Hong Zhao's friendship, and now he too was a benefactor. On multiple occasions, he had stood before Hong Zhao as the young boy bowed and thanked him for allowing him to stay, yet Li Wen felt like he should be the one to thank the boy for what he had done. So many times he had expected a hidden agenda. Even as he stopped the boy today after he had just given his children most likely rare if not never heard of techniques, he somehow felt like their must be a secret reason why he was being so giving of his resources, yet then he gave more to him as well as the means to make the town stronger than they had ever been, if that was even possible.

Hong Zhao left the older man standing in a stupor. He did feel bad for the emotional turmoil he must be sending Li Wen through, yet he didn't see another way around it. He knew that the older man knew something was off about him. He didn't necessarily blame him. If someone started going around giving out all the wealth a world could afford, one would start asking questions. Yet Hong Zhao knew if he were to go around the village, handing out supplies and books, others would probably corner him and milk him for all he was worth. But if he had someone produce the books in mass quantity and distribute them to the village elder, they wouldn't know who supplied the books and he could remain anonymous. The only risk he was taking was with Li Wen, and the older man had shown his support on many occasions. Hong Zhao felt that if he were to trust anyone, it was this family.

"The Li family." Hong Zhao said to himself. "Li Xiao must have been a relative of this family!"