6 The Lull Before the Storm

As I laid on the ground, the frequent drop of water fell from the ceiling upon me, preventing me from dying of thirst as much as it prevented me from falling asleep and adequately rest, yet far from enough to completely satiate me.

Unable to move and locked in a estate of half-conscience, it felt as if my body didn't belong to me anymore. I could barely move my chest to keep breathing, my limbs felt as lead, weighting more than I could ever hope to lift.

My eyes were no more than a single side streak, unable to open for more than seconds, and no bigger than barely enough to let me grasp the colours around me, although no image formed, making the world looks like as a molten watercolour canvas.

I felt the moisture in the air, the cold dusty rock, the footsteps that transmitted through the stone. I heard the sound of a water stream gurgling in the distance, echoing on the solid walls of this deep cave.

As I repeated the cycle of being unable to keep my conscience, and briefly recovering it, who knows how the time was passing? Minutes, hours, days? How much time has actually passed since the Armored Sting poisoned me? Was it her den? Was she going to eat me?

The last thought sent chills under my spine

Was that how my story was going to end? No epic fight? No fated lover? No treasure? No mission? Only the feeling of being caged inside one's own body. Paralyzed and helpless while starving and being eaten alive?

I would no longer be able to share laughs with my friends, to learn and pester Madam Chai, to hug tightly my parents nor to listen to the Open Preaching.

A deep melancholy and sorrow filled my heart, even if I have lived for measly eighteen years, those years were enough for me to meet wonderful people, for me to plant the seeds of my aspirations and dreams, for me to have fallen in love and be heartbroken multiple times.

And you want me to accept it would be all over?

I refuse!

My blood began to boil. I refuse to die victim of a betrayal. I spent hours in a death-or-life struggle, fighting back to back with her! How could I accept a death as a result of such a lowly betrayal!

Nonetheless, no matter how much my soul and mind were agitated, I couldn't even make my fingers budge. Slowly, I could only accept my fate and pray for a better life in the next reincarnation.

As I was almost done resigning myself to whatever the heavens had reserved to me, I hear a faint sound, but it was unmistakably getting louder, slowly but surely. The sound was reminiscent of leather being dragged over the stone, then projected over and hitting the ground once again. Those were steps! Newman steps! There is someone here!

Now, let us go back in time and watch from another point.

Meanwhile the struggle at the Spirit Forest was happening, it was possible to notice a small silhouette projecting itself on the windows of the Preacher Hall, whose shadow flickered, dancing under the movements of a single candle on a cold and serene night.

That was Preacher Yan, who was now calmly carving a piece of wood with a small knife, one of his many ways to find joy during the moments of rest. Little did the others know that woodcarving was also one of the ways Preacher Yan had to exert one of his abilities, to read omens.

With a deep frown marked in his face, as he carved a intricate bird, the pieces of wood he cut were delicate enough to float down instead of merely falling, his smooth and precise movements would only be attainable after decades of continuous practice, and he had them.

As the flying wooden bird gained shape, legs and talons, wings and feathers, tail and back, neck and beak, the moon raised and descended on the sky. The omens were good so far, a bountiful harvest, generous rains, plenty of hunting, growth of knowledge and science.

All that was left was the eyes of the bird, as they stood guard for danger.

As the knife slowly approached the soon-to-be eye sockets, the sound of falling trees, inaudible to those who were distracted, busy partying the many taverns of the city, savoring the orchard of forbidden fruits or merely deep asleep, reached the sensible ears of an apex six-star master, quickly enough for him to see dozens of trees falling quickly at the Spirit Forest.

This moment of distraction was enough.

Looking back to the wooden work at his hands, he noticed he had cut off both the eyes, and due to the spiritual energy he was infusing the blade with, instead of delicate and intricate eyes, now there as a burnt aspect lining the inside of the eye sockets.

A big disaster was coming, and they had no time to lose.

A look of fear and concern was stamped in Preacher Yan's eyes, as he walked, descending the long spiral stairs that lines the inner side of the Preacher's Hall, politely saluting every peer and apprentice he met on the way.

The Preacher's Hall was built to serve both as an archive, and housing to those who decided to learn the ways of the Preach, dedicating their lives to learn and teach everyone about the world and its ways, thus looking akin to a pagoda, stretching itself to touch the skies, with a hollow center that allowed one to see the adjacent floors through it. The Hall was built this way so that every single sound emitted from the inside would be amplified, forcing the Preachers to learn how to properly control their pace and voice.

Upon reaching the basement, he stood in front of a giant silver bell, being five meters tall, the one and only item that occupied the lowest floor of the Preacher's Hall.

Taking a deep breath, spiritual energy circulated through his body, as he entered a pose that projected the pressure of a leaping tiger, soon, a faint silver light could be seen covering his body.

"Honlooooooog"

The bell roared, reminiscent of a rising dragon, amplified by the acoustic of the tower. As Preacher Yan continued to infuse his energy of the bell, a column of light began to take shape rising to the skies with the might of the rising sun.

After a few minutes, similar pillars of roaring light ascended to the sky, tearing apart the sky.

In mere moments, there was no person who was subject of the Thousand Sword Emperor to not know what was declared.

The days of Provation have arrived!

Contenders from all over the empire would travel to the nearest Hall, in order to face the Provation and have their meridians opened, or be rejected, forced to wait for the next year.

The days of Provation were a millennial tradition, where those who reached the age of maturity delved into certain caves, searching for the Meridian Stone, having to overcome many obstacles and the beasts within. Upon reaching the Meridian Stone, they have their meridians opened, thus allowing them to control Chi and finally endeavor in the path of cultivation.

A curious characteristic of those caves is that they are under the influence of a primordial array, that limits the quantity of people inside, prevents the dissipation of the souls of the living beings inside and brings the beasts back to life after the last Newman has left.

It was the perfect testing place!

The rising sun brought many people with it, the gates of the Thousand Swords City were flooded with younglings, eager to test themselves against the elements and finally step up into the realm of cultivation.

As the guards controlled the crowds, merchants were happily selling their goods, from food to armor, from pills to guiding books, a myriad of items from different qualities could be seen circulating among those hands.

"Welcome, contenders!"

A sober voice reverberated through the city, catching the attention of all the people.

"Today, is the first day of Provation! And as dictated by tradition, we shall divide those who wish to enlist into groups of six, as they shall venture together and form a martial bond! Their very first martial kinship!"

The citizens rejoiced, holding fond memories of their own Provation, while others eagerly anticipated their own. The whole empire was in high spirits. Except maybe for a couple of people, namely, Madam Chai, concerned for her requested items and her almost apprentice, Madam Hon-Ei Bi and Mister Ali-Ei Bi, whose son did not return, even if only to greet them, which was strange.

As anxiety weighted on their hearts, Preacher Yan's heart was equally heavy, but for a different reason, the bad omen he received kept him from sleeping, making deep bags appear under his eyes. What could be coming?

"This year's Provation shall be held at our biggest cave! The Heaven Revealing Cave!"

As Preacher Yan forced himself to bare a strong front to the people, exaggerating at his movements and imposing tone, he could induce a state of fervor! Rallying the hearts of the people as moments of revel approached.

It was specially so because the Heaven Revealing Cave has a special trait, it bears the altar to the Goddess Moirai, and those who had their meridians opened by it would certainly attain greater heights!

Truly, a once in a lifetime blessing!

Quickly, the first party to enter was assembled. Six of the most promising younglings, bearing swords and bows, dressed in the ceremonial clothing, long blue robes with a carp drawn on the back, were being prepared to soon enter the Heaven Revealing Cave, among them was You Xia, a young lady as beautiful as it was talented. The clouds themselves would go away only so the Sun could caress her cheek. The moon would hide whenever she went out at night, envious and knowing it could not compete against her beauty!

Her long black hair was tied into a horse-tail, her body, whose curves resembled that of a viola, well protected with a leather armor that covered the ceremonial robes, almost all of her brown marbled skin was hidden, though it only highlited her silver irises.

The Heaven Revealing Cave was located in the northern face of the Sword Mountain, facing the cold fields of ice that extended far from the mountain base, as the tundra gave way to the permafrost in more distant lands.

The entrance to the cave is allocated under the ridge of the mountain, with its gates carved on the stone, forming the point of a blade, while the ridge represented the main body of the blade, complementing the idea of a sword.

As the party stood at the entrance of the cave, under the zealous gaze of their parents and friends, and the jealous gaze of those who had their Provation in much humbler ways, the Preacher invited the group to enter the cave and begin their turn.

A serious and somewhat fearful look took over the faces of the younglings, as they took their first step in their journey to cultivation.

Heavy stone gates closed behind them, locking them inside a damp cave, that smelled of rotten meat and stale air, yet, somehow, even if there was no light, it wasn't dark. They could clearly discern every nook and cranny of the tunnel that extended itself to receive them.

Advancing steadily, yet not too fast, proved that they had at least the consideration to not underestimate the Provation.

However, what awaited them inside was something they could never have been ready to face.