138 Teacher and Disciple

A hard prod through the link between him and his locus snapped Chún out of a sound sleep.

"Yes?" he questioned as he lay motionless in his comfortable - some would say extravagant, the Essence sprites kept improving it - bed in his Immortal's Cavern and let his Essence Sense spread out.

There was no danger that the young True Cultivator could detect, but his link to Tai shivered like laughter.

Chún frowned and sat up, reflexively glancing upward where the wan light from the Silver Tree was barely visible as a dim glow - mimicking the light of the Princess and her attendants as they set in the early morning Gēngs outside of the cavern.

"Why did you wake me up before crow-rise, Tai?" Chún asked grumpily.

"You are aware that you no longer actually require sleep unless you have been severely injured?" his locus reminded him mildly.

"It does not mean that I cannot enjoy sleeping regardless," grumbled the young man, "especially after yesterday and the punishment my body is probably going to have... to endure... today…"

Chún trailed off as his recollection of the Dark Lady's ultimatum from yesterday pushed to the forefront of his thoughts, causing him to slump in resignation, "Ah, that would be - why - you woke me before dawn," he sighed softly, "thanks, friend. How much time do I have?"

"About a Diǎn before false-dawn," replied his locus, "I decided it was probably better not to risk hoping the Guardian was referring to actual crow-rise when she told you to be at the North Heavens before dawn. You should have enough time for a bath - if you are quick."

"If I travel at full speed afterward, you mean," the teen joked as he jumped for hot spring at the center of the cavern, barely noticing the near boiling water closing over his skin as he dived in.

"That too," agreed the Hidden Mountain. The link shimmered with a sense of ruminating, before his locus continued thoughtfully, "actually, you may have advanced enough to try some form of travelling technique beyond pure speed - I did note that your new female friend could never get ahead of you no matter how fast she moved - you might have been doing it unconsciously, too, because there were not any of the usual effects on the surrounding environment that usually accompany great speed."

"If I was moving like that, then how come she kept pace?" he asked skeptically, ignoring his locus' gentle teasing over Dàilán as he surfaced, briskly rubbing soap sand through his long, platinum colored hair, "I thought you have said that I have not gotten a handle on creating a domain to carry others with me when I move quickly."

"I believe you were 'carrying' her unconsciously as you 'stepped over' large areas. The sort of movement technique I am referring to is not the same as 'holding' an area around you 'still' - that is, creating the simplest form of a domain - as you move quickly through space," elaborated the Hidden Mountain, "holding a domain generally means you can carry other beings and objects with you as you travel at very high speeds that would normally damage them, because you control the space around your body. As I have previously explained, it is essentially using your own Dao to overwhelm and control the rules of the world in an area around you."

"However," Tai pointed out matter of factly, "if you had been moving at those speeds at ground level, there would have been widespread devastation along your route - from wind pressure, shockwaves, even friction."

"I do not understand what mot of those words mean," Chún interjected, the words trailing off as the link supplied the image of a brilliant flash of light and thunder that traveled in a straight line, leaving uprooted trees, a spreading wildfire and a deep, smoking gouge of blackened earth in its wake.

"Something like that," his locus responded dryly as the young True Cultivator froze in surprise at the 'memory', "most Cultivators traveling at those velocities stay many lǐ in mid air rather than travel at ground level - not only is it easier, but it leaves behind little more than a perception of movement which generally remains unnoticed by anyone else not accustomed to operating at such speeds. Any sound they would normally generate from moving so fast is generally muffled by their domain itself."

Chún shook his head to dispel the image of destruction from his mind as a sense of amusement flowed down the link from the Hidden Mountain, "since the landscape you crossed in your travel remained intact, I think you have stumbled on a movement technique that shortens the distance between you and your destination in some fashion - rather than simply traveling really fast." His locus paused and the young teen got the odd sensation in the link that the planet was nodding in satisfaction at its own words, "it certainly explains why you managed to travel so rapidly between here and her camp by simply walking briskly. It was several days north west of here at even a Sky Cultivator's regular walking pace, you know?"

There was a pause as his locus seemed to debate something, then an Essence illusion formed in Chún's vision, creating an image of the 'local area' of Golden Crow from a bird's eye view centered on the original Mountain site - the Fusou appearing like an 'ocean' covering the upper three quarters of the map, with the 'tamed lands' of the Lotus Empire appearing in the bottom quarter - like the rough outline of a coast.

The glowing point representing the village sat at the tip of a 'peninsula' of 'settled land' that thrust out and 'upward' from the Lotus Empire's eastern border towards the deeper parts of wilderness. The Mountain site was a little ways beyond the tip of the peninsula - with a larger blotch of light representing the city of Hujian sprawling at the peninsula's base.

As Chún rubbed the soap sand briskly over his skin and examined the Essence illusion, Tai continued, "you know, of course, that the spur of farmland that allows the village to exist on the 'edge' of the wilderness is actually a narrow wedge that has been carved out of the Fusou. It is not actually on the Eastern border of the Lotus - the official border only extends a quarter day's walk Eastward from Hujian. In reality, the village is surrounded from all directions by the Fusou - other than in the general direction of Hujian, of course."

The splodge of light representing the city glowed, before a dotted track representing the path of the refugees was sketched across the illusionary map - north towards the hills, then sharply eastward past the borders of the wilderness, traveling deeper into the Fusou as their route slowly curved south east - until they were actually east of the mountain site and swinging around to travel in a western direction - to approach the Mountain from deeper inside the Fusou, rather than travel directly northeast from Hujian as they would have if they had travelled the normal route.

"My original site on Golden Crow is actually much deeper into the wilderness than the Eastern border - if you exclude the settled area that the village sits at the tip of," advised Tai, "the refugees were at first traveling northward towards the gate of the Sect from Hujian, but since the collapse of the Sect they have traveled south east in a long loop into the Fusou - rather than back tracking towards the city, to avoid being detected by any Grass adherents still remaining - that will eventually leave them some distance to our east before curving around to approach from the west."

Various locations along the dotted track glowed as the mountain highlighted the segments of the journey it was referring to and Chún found himself frowning as the indicated path threaded deeper into the Fusou rather than taking the safer trade road to the village.

"They have had to travel into the wilderness without taking advantage of the settled route," pointed out his locus in response to his emotions, "they were at least two to three days north west of my original site, even at an high Earth Rank's fastest speed at that first camp," at his locus' observation another point just within the border of the wilderness and a good distance north of the Mountain's location shone like a small star, "but you made the trip there and back within a day when you brought the Heiress back - and again when you replaced her clothing. The only explanation is that you are somehow skipping the majority of the intervening distance between you and your destination when you are walking - especially if you are not thinking about it."

"That explains why laying out their route and the sanctuaries at a normal speed took so long," realised Chún, "they went way out wide and you had me mark them out a large loop around - why did you not just send them back to the village via the road?"

"Firstly, I merely retraced the Heiress' path when she traveled to visit the Village from her camp the first time. She was avoiding pursuit at the time and I judged it a wise precaution," his locus admonished somewhat irritably, "secondly, if I had suggested they travel back to the city, given the situation they would have either not agreed - or worse - been caught by anyone still hunting them. Having the group move deep into the wilderness has thrown off any pursuit."

Tai's presence in the link was slightly annoyed, "all of this is not the point - you will be late to your meeting with the Lady of the North Heavens if you delay any further. I was attempting to suggest that if you just focus on arriving at your destination as you walk - and do not consider too much - you will get there much faster than if you flew as fast as possible."

Chún hastily leapt out of the hot spring and sluiced off the water with an reflexive pulse of water Essence as he retorted, "you are the one who started distracting with this long explanation about…" he cut himself of hastily, shaking his head, "...never mind."

A robe wrapped around him in a swirl of Essence Sprites that swept in from the cavern exit. He noted that the outfit was new and somewhat resembled a generic 'Cultivator's Robe' - usually worn by low level Consumer Sect members throughout Golden Crow - raising his eyebrows questioningly.

"The robe was made to the North Guardian's request," answered Tai to his unasked question. "Apparently it is the uniform that her Disciples wear when training."

Chún shrugged as his Essence bound artifacts manifested - his Cloak wrapping itself around his body in a cloud of Essence Mist that exploded from his very skin - the tattoo that came alive and ran down his right arm to reform into the World Tree Staff.

A slithering sound alerted him to Shé Yin moving into the main cavern from the antechamber cave and Chún inclined his head hastily in a respectful greeting, "Silver Prince, good morning."

"For you, perhapss. I have been hunting all night, unssuccessfully. It iss sstill miserably wet out there - all the prey remained in their denss. I am heading back to the Ssilver Tree to ssleep."

Chún sighed at the news that it was still raining outside and looked at his rarely seen cavern-mate, "as you can see from my clothing," he gestured ruefully at the robe he was wearing, "I am heading to the Northern Heavens. The Lady has agreed to train me and since you have already been assisting me with my efforts in the Martial Dao, do you wish to come with me...?"

"Northh and Easst are rivalss mosst of the time, True Cultivator. We acknowledge the Xuánwǔ'ss sskilss, but I will need to sspeak with Father before I can go Northh," the enormous silver python rose up to match his height as he regarded Chún coldly, "you are wisse to accept her offer - Xuánwǔ are mighty warriorss, sscholarss and sskilled teacherss of Martial Dao and Techniquess."

He paused briefly, swaying slightly, "However, the Ssupreme Martial Dao of the Dragon iss the Ultimate Martial Dao. Do not cause me to losse facce as my sstudent."

Chún bowed and the snake nodded before moving swiftly out of sight, deeper into the cavern in the direction of the Silver Tree's ledge above the hot spring.

Moving swiftly through the antechamber cave towards the exit, Chún could hear the sound of heavy rain hitting the large leaves of the Heaven and Earth Vine that covered the entrance and with a thought expanded the Essence Mist of his Cloak outward to completely cover the area around him, "I assume the Essence Storm on Golden Crow is still affecting our weather?" he asked his locus irritably as his nose became completely overwhelmed with the sent of waterlogged earth and plants, "how much longer is that storm going to be causing issues around here?"

"Why does it matter to you?" inquired Tai with a sensation of confusion radiating through the link, "it is not like the rain can cause you any difficulty at your level of Cultivation."

"It is still annoying and less than an pleasant environment to have to deal with after several days, particularly this early in the morning," grumbled the young teen, "I am starting to forget what it feels like to have a feather of the Golden Crow brush across my skin."

"The added moisture is a bonus to my new world," admonished the Hidden Mountain, "I would prefer that you appreciate that. You have other concerns to focus on."

Chún pushed aside the vines and leaves as he exited into the cold and wet clearing. Even the light from the glowing fruits on the Heaven and Earth Vine and the intensity of the Dao patterns floating in the mist of the clearing seemed muted compared to normal. Chún sighed again in resignation as his Cloak billowed around him absorbing the rain, and looked briefly towards the East, where all still seemed completely dark, with no hint of a lightening of the night.

"O.K. so what is the best way to do this 'stepping through' you spoke of?" he pushed his puzzlement into the link only to receive an unfocused feeling in return, "it seems that you do it automatically," replied his locus unhelpfully, "as long as you are focused on reaching your destination, you seem to skip much of the intervening distance." There was a pause before his locus continued, "just do not become focused on being focused - if that makes any sense. Just travel as you would normally and focus on completing the journey."

"If we were not linked, I doubt I could make any sense of it," Chún replied ruefully, "you probably would have been better off saying nothing at all, if that is the case."

"At your level of Cultivation, controlling your mind to exclude unnecessary distraction should be trivial," his locus responded, "perhaps a moving meditation similar to when you train?"

The young True Cultivator shook his head, declining to answer and oriented himself northward, "Onward to pain and suffering - and the ability to shatter mountains with a single blow," he declared as he walked forward briskly into the tree line.

"Because - that - is such a fantastic ability to have," deadpanned the Mountain dryly.

"I wonder if all True Cultivator's locus' are as sarcastic as you,Tai," Chún remarked, making the link vibrate with suppressed amusement.

---

The pouring rain had long since frozen into a heavy snowfall by the time Chún stood on the ice rimmed shore of the high mountain lake, where Lady Bingqiǎo had decided to build her Palace of the North Heavens; creaking sheets of dark ice covered the shallows near the shore, but Chún could hear the splashing of water against the ice a little further out into the black water that vanished into the darkness and flurries of snow.

Glancing eastward, Chún was relieved that there was no visible lightening of the clouds on the horizon - although part of that might be a delay caused by the heavy cloud cover and snowfall - Chún was relying almost entirely on his Essence Senses to 'see' anything.

"Which direction from here is Lady Bingqiǎo's Palace?" he asked his locus and an Essence illusion of an arrow pointing along the shore of the lake to the right appeared in his 'vision'.

"My thanks," he responded, pulling his cloak which had assumed a semi-liquid flowing form in response to the low temperatures tighter around him on reflex, despite not actually feeling the cold. The material of the cloak felt like thick silk to his hands, but shifted like water.

As he walked, looking for any sign of a building, he mused over his journey to the location that had previously taken him several shí to fly to, but he now found himself at before crow-rise, in what felt like less than a kè.

Tai was right, there was definitely something happening when he simply let go of his concerns and moved towards his destination without being distracted. If he could activate it at will and combine it with his already high speed flight…

"Did you manage to see what actually happens when I am traveling to a destination?" he asked into the link.

"As you walked, uneventful areas were 'stepped through', is the best way I can describe it. If there was a significant change to the landscape, or a nearby threat, you walked through the area normally, but otherwise a thousand lǐ might pass in between one step and the next," explained Tai slowly, "because you were walking across me, I could actually track it - you did not actually jump over or skip the intervening space."

There was a headache inducing rush of odd symbols and shapes in the link and Chún winced as his locus tried to shape the concepts into words, "the distance between each step was simultaneously present and not present until your foot landed - you 'stepped through' the space - and arrived on the other side without needing to take the intervening steps."

There was a puzzled silence in the link and his locus added slowly, "a feline is involved somehow, something like 'there-not-there Cat's Walk'".

Chún blinked, "there-not-there? Like the numbers on the dice in a Sic bo box?"

There was laughter which felt like the mountain shaking, "more like the three cups game, but close enough."

"Ah. Guess the pebble, guess the cup…" the young street rat turned Cultivator laughed, "I was always amazed how many people fell for that. But this skill sounds like one of those old techniques from one of the StoryTeller's tall tales," he paused for a moment, looking up thoughtfully and blinking as snow fell on his face, "actually, now that I know he used to be a Consumer with a reasonably high level, I wonder how many of those stories are drawn from his own experiences."

The young man shook himself and continued following the Essence illusion around the lake, "Anyway, it sounds a bit like that Thousand lǐ Stride Technique he described once. I may as well call it that - even if it is something else, so much the better if an opponent tries to counter the wrong technique and fails."

"Makes sense," agreed Tai, "you are about to hit Lady Bingqiǎo's palace wall, by the way."

Chún grunted in acknowledgment as the darkness suddenly resolved into a solid form and the Essence illusion arrow vanished, causing him to stop and sink into Essence Sense. Much to his surprise, it failed to detect anything even though snow had stopped striking him from ahead.

"The material the Palace of the Dark Heaven is made of absorbs active attempts to find it with Essence," offered Tai and Chún rolled his eyes in exasperation before he could stop himself, "of course it does. Do you think you can help me find the entrance before dawn?"

"What reasoning leaves Quilin staring blankly at walls - instead proceeding within?" interrupted a familiar cold voice and Chún slumped in resignation, feeling a familiar embarrassment, "Lady Bingqiǎo - well, in my defense, I did make it by dawn," he protested weakly, gesturing vaguely at the Eastern horizon, "I just did not know exactly where around the lake you had built your Palace - for some reason, my locus could not guide me to its precise location."

There was a brief pause and a small chuckle, "Palace protected. A Fortress easily found, less effective. Quilin only found, because Palace is - on - True Cultivator's locus." There was the distinctive squeak of snow crystals being compressed as she moved, "Follow."

Chún nodded to himself, considering his Northen Guardian's words as he followed the Xuánwǔ further along the wall. The Heaven and Earth Vine's clearing was just as protected, if not more so with all those obscurity and distraction Dao Patterns in the mist. If it was not for the fact he was renting from her Highness on top of being a True Cultivator, he doubted he would find his own Immortal's Cave easily either.

A breath or two later of walking behind the Xuánwǔ and a cool bluish-white light shone steadily through the flurries of snow. The figure a step or two ahead of him disappeared into the light, which Chún quickly recognised as an open door. The young teen followed her in, blinking as the snow and wind cut off - replaced with a stillness.

There was a soundless impact that Chún felt in his bones from behind him and he looked over his shoulder to see a mammoth set of elaborate looking double doors, made of a black material he could not recognise, banded and framed with what appeared to be elaborately worked cast iron closed tightly behind him. A small flurry of snow, fast melting on a polished white stone floor, indicated that was indeed where he had just entered from.

The scale of the doors fit the rest of an enormous square hall which soared loftily above him in massive chiseled blocks of black stone and flying arches made out of some dark metal - all of it feeling implacably substantial despite the interlocking elegance inherent in the spans of metal - that held up the almost-out-of-sight vaulted ceiling.

All of the cavernous structure was lit in that blue-white light that did not seem to have any definable source. There was a sense of a massive fortification or an unshakable bulwark about the architecture - a sort of distant grandeur that only existed as a side-effect of its immensity.

"Where… How did you build something this gargantuan so quickly?" marvelled Chún as he looked upward and swivelled his head around in an effort to take what he was seeing in, his voice echoing sharply around the otherwise empty expanse of polished stone and metal.

"A treasure discovered," Lady Bingqiǎo, answered crisply, already moving to the other side of the hall with a rhythmic stride. The sound of her boots marching across the polished stone cracked and echoed loudly, "not large - constructed main Palace only. Quilin can explore later," the Xuánwǔ looked over her shoulder with a impatient gaze, "training now."

Chún snapped out of his fascinated examination and hurried across the empty hall as Lady Bingqiǎo stopped at the far end and opened a regular sized door that was almost entirely lost against the oversized scale of the the rest of the architecture. As he quickly caught up, he spotted other similar doors visible at regular intervals on all four sides of the square hall, which he guessed led to other parts of the palace.

"Of course, Guardian, just unexpected. I would have expected to have noticed anything this large from much further away - well, perhaps not this morning," he joked, "but when you activated it - which I presume was a few days ago at least."

"Bigger on inside," the North Guardian explained and Chún's eyes widened as he thought out loud, "a spatial treasure? Or…" his own experiences with his locus suggested another possibility, " a small Plane. Useful."

"Yes," agreed the Black Tortoise, leading him into a corridor that was built to more regular dimensions as well as tastefully appointed with silk hangings hanging on the walls - in muted and dark colors, of course - and carved panels of a dark almost ebony colored wood that exuded a slightly spicy fragrance that reminded Chún of herbs, sandalwood, camphorwood and cinnamon.

Ordinary looking flames flickered in carved stone torches at regular intervals along the corridor, elaborate shapes and sculptures cut out of the coverings to allow the light to shine through them. The floor and ceiling were a polished black stone that reflected the flames in the torches, but the effect of the lamps reflecting off the ceiling above them and the mirror-like polish of the black stone of the floor below - accompanied by the constant crack of Lady Bingqiǎo's boots against the stone floor - left Chún unsettled.

The Xuánwǔ turned into a small open arch to the left of the corridor and walked through without halting her stride, although the sound of her footsteps disappeared. Following her through the hanging silk that kept the opening private, Chún found his own slippers sinking into a thick carpet.

The carpet lay across the entrance to a small, traditionally decorated room, modestly decorated with more of the same wood panels and carvings over an old style low wooden ceiling. More of those carved stone torches were affixed to the wall panels every few chǐ, their covered flames casting a warm light over the entire area.

A pair of heavy black boots sat pointedly at the other side of the square of carpet, while seated on the other side of an elaborately decorated wet tea table set several places away on a very traditional looking wooden floor, the Dark Lady regarded him calmly, only wearing an unadorned robe very similar to what the Essence Sprites had dressed him in, no signs of weapons or anything else besides her usual silver snake headdress braid, which Chún suspected was the outward manifestation of the Black Snake, rather than a weapon. A small sitting pillow positioned across from her on the empty side of the tea table suggested he was expected to join her.

Taking the hint, he dismissed the Cloak and World Tree Staff, smoothly stepping out of his slippers and leaving them with careful deliberation at the other end of the carpet from the North Guardian's boots and stepped onto the sanded and waxed wood of the floor, warm against his bare feet and dropped gracefully to the empty pillow.

The Xuánwǔ blinked and bowed from her seated position, then picked up a gently steaming pot and poured tea in one cup first then another before speaking carefully, in a much more diffident voice than her usual crisp tone, "This one will do her best to speak clearly, Honoured Guest. Human speech is… difficult. But it is… important to be clear."

She rested the teapot back on the table and gestured for Chún to take a cup, then carefully took the remaining one, bringing it to her lips for a gentle sip, regarding Chún with, what he was surprised to realise once more were, beautiful jet black eyes. Recognising the ritual for assuring a guest they were safe from poison, he took a sip from his own, savouring the flavour that danced over his tongue like smoke and melting snow.

"Normally, student... serves tea to ...master they wish to study under," the enormous tortoise and snake dragon that looked nothing more than a young woman, explained quietly, "in this case - since you are also part of World I now guard and Superior - power and position, if not ability, it is appropriate… that I offer tea first."

"I appreciate the gesture," answered Chún carefully, "but I was raised a peasant. I know very little of such things. Please forgive any offence."

The Dark Lady's lips quirked upward slightly, "I also prefer... tea to… ceremony." She inclined her head slightly, her eyes losing focus slightly as if debating something internally and Chún guessed he was probably talking to her Snake side much like he did with Tai. He focused his attention on the flavours of the tea as he took another sip, politely taking no notice of her distraction.

"Hmm…" the small vocalisation brought his attention back to her as she nodded, then spoke slowly, with a serious gaze on him, "you understand - become my student, then in matters of the martial arts - you are the student? Out there - you are Quilin Emperor and I follow your direction. In the Guan, you follow my instruction. Do you still wish to be taught and to learn?" she asked in a formal tone and he bowed his head, "yes," he agreed firmly.

She tapped the table between them and took a deliberate sip from her cup, her eyes fixed on his until he followed suit.

"In Guan, no ranks, except Teacher and Disciple. I Teach, you Listen. Do you agree?" Again the formal tone and intense gaze and Chún got the impression this was something of a modified master-disciple ceremony as he bowed again and agreed, "yes." Expecting it this time, he matched his sip with hers as she tapped the table.

"I swear by my Dao to teach without causing permanent harm to you or your Dao. Swear by your Dao that you will not use what I teach to go against your own Dao."

There was a strong pressure at her words and Chún considered carefully. As a True Cultivator, going against his own Dao would spell his destruction anyway. It was unusual that she would guarantee not to abuse her own power as a teacher over him - to his knowledge most Masters held the absolute power of life and death over their students. Perhaps it had to do with her own negative past experiences?

"Yes. I swear it by my Dao," he agreed firmly and copied her as she swallowed the remainder of the tea in a single drink, then placed the cups back on the table.

"Very well," the Xuánwǔ instructed, "make the appropriate greetings to your parents, your teacher and the Heavens. Then pour tea for your martial teacher as a symbol of your wish to be taught."

Chún blinked, then carefully poured tea in her cup, raised it to his forehead and bowed first towards his mother's grave on Golden Crow, towards the East where the Golden Crow rose each day, then across the table at his new Martial Teacher and proffered the cup to her respectfully, "Please accept this token of my esteem, Teacher. Please teach me."

His Northern Guardian bowed in return equally formally and took the cup, "I accept your gift, Disciple," she declared, then drank it all in one swift swallow.

There was a moments silence as Lady Bingqiǎo placed the teacup back on the table, then rose to her feet, "We start now."