Ch. 12

I lean my back against the tree as I studied the surrounding. The beast stop chasing or so it seemed. I was running around in circles. Trying to stay in the area my money was in. Not hearing anything for five more minutes. I dropped out the branch as I changed the bow into short sword. Even if they were using their kin as bait. I was prepared as I bent down and begin skinning the dead ones. I noticed all my arrows either hit the eyes into the brain or managed to pierce through their abdomen into their hearts. I felt a sense of pride at myself as I pack up everything neatly in my satchel. Only four cores which mean there was few more wolves hiding somewhere. I hurried up and left after I collect the furs and cores. Stronger beast could come for the smell of blood but most beast would wait until the killer left if he didn't look injured. No use getting yourself killed when perfect opportunities awaited the patience. When I walk out the forest, I noticed three guys dragging a village girl into it. They probably going to end up killed. Not far away from my house was a guard of the Luo family. I walk out the shadows of the huts and he seemed a bit surprised before walking up to me.

"We will be leaving first light." He turned and left. He disdain me but as long as he was the silent type it didn't bother me. Only loud mouth ones bother me. I walk into the hut and headed for my pallet. I grabbed my money pouch and the bundle of clothes I made before dropping off food for my donors. I left them ten gold coins before walking out the house. I headed for Luo clan tent area. The guards step aside and let me in. Luo Wuhan was huddle over a scroll in the dim light of a candle. I could only shake my head as I sat down. I took out the four furs. I laid one in front of me as I took jar of fat from inside the satchel. I began curing the leather. One after the other. Wuhan look at me with strange look of mixture of disgust and fascination. She wasn't smelling anything bad as I mix the fat with some herbs which produce a pleasant fragrances.

She walk on over and hover above me as I work swiftly. "You make your own clothes?" I rolled my eyes as I pick up the furs and took them outside to dry. By morning, I should be able to begin turning them into cloaks or sleeping bag. I walk back in and dropped onto spare pallet she sat out for me. She huffed and puffed her cheeks in an adorable attempt to pout. She put out the candle and crawled into her own bed. I was a bit disappointed as the guards woke up at dawn. I went to fetch some water before scrubbing myself clean using a scented soap I made from fat and herbs. I look at the wounds I got yesterday and noticed they were just one of various scars that now litter my body. Luo Wuhan spotted me bathing and walk over. She sniffed me before sniffing herself. "Why do you smell better than I do?" I shrugged as I pulled up my pants. She pick up the soap bar I set down on my dirty clothes. She sniffed it before dipping her hands in the water. She scrubbed them before taking another sniff. Her eyes lit up and I snatched the bar out of her hand before wrapping it up. "I want one!" I rolled my eyes as she gave me what she thought was a seductive look. "Fifty silvers a piece." She frowned as she hand over a gold coin. I reached into my satchel and brought out two of the more fragrant ones. When I was just testing out different combinations of smells. I already look like a female and been largely mistaken as one. Definitely didn't need to smell too delicious either. I am pretty sure if the guard didn't tell us we needed to leave now. She would have stripped out of her clothes. I poured out the water and pass the bucket back to the guy I borrow it from. He put it away in his storage ring and I had flash of envy. I sat behind a young guard who kept glancing at me as we hit the road. It kind of tick me off but I could understand. I was pretty young thing about his age. He was attracted and none of the other guards let him know I was actually a boy. I wasn't going to ruin their fun though. I sat in lotus and meditated the until they prepared to camp. I went out searching for herbs before coming back and setting up my own cooking area. Pushing Qi into shape of a large pot. I put stick through the handles and set it above the fire. I sniffed a few herbs before putting them in my bag. Taking out the seasons I already prepared before. Unwrapping several cuts of meat. I grabbed some and cut them into small chunks before rolling them into mixture of season. I dropped them into the pot and poured some water in. I dropped a few herbs into it after washing them. Followed by thin noodles I took some effort to roll from flour. I noticed a few guards watching me as they chatted around fire for themselves.

It wasn't until the aroma started drifting through the air that they started paying me a lot more attention. Few other of the Luo Clan young ones drifted closer but Luo Wuhan dropped down beside me. Claiming me as one of hers. I stirred the pot before going back into meditation. "Did that stranger teach you this stuff as well?" I open my eyes before inhaling the intoxicating aroma. I conjured two bowls and chopsticks. I scooped some out for both of us. Making sure we had adequate amount of meat and noodles. I lift the bowl to my face as I began slurping up the noodles. Fuck instant ramen. They got nothing on me! Luo Wuhan copy my gestured before she let out such a weird noise but didn't stop eating. I finished three bowls before selling the rest. I didn't have to worry about cleaning any pots out as all was created by my Qi. I meditated to restore the expenditures before turning to the talkative class.

"When we get to my clan, you will have to act like my servant. My clan is ruler of the city but there are other smaller clans and Sect not that far away. However, we don't accept outsiders very well. On the bright side, you will have a lot of resources as I will be heading to one of the best Academies in our Empire." She seemed very excited. "It will be my first year but I will be ahead of my peers within our small little city. That being said, tell me now. What are you interested in? That way I can help you find master to apprentice under or something." I rubbed my chin before smiling. "Formation. I would like to study formations." Luo Wuhan scratch her neck. "Not just anybody can become a Spirit Array Master but I'll see what I can do." i took out my fur and made a pallet by the fire before using other half to cover myself.

The morning was pretty dull as they left very little time to shower and eat before we hit the dirt roads. The young guard talk my head off even though I was obviously meditating. With how fast the mounts were going, we only spent three nights out in wilderness before reaching the city. It wasn't that impressive and the smell was worse than in the village. I could only maintain my silences as Luo Wuhan lead me to her quarters. I bathed the sweat away before taking a seat on her bed to meditate. I only open my eyes when she came back with two people in tow. "Father, teacher, this is…" Her face went blank as she realized she never ask for my name. "Chen Yi." She tried to stifle a laughed but fail miserably. Yes, yes. It is a bit embarrassing to be confused as so. She wiped a tear from her squinty eyes. "As I was saying, he is a genius. He can turn his Qi into useful tools. Like a bowl or chopsticks. He utilized water attribute Qi far better than teacher does and he is only in Origin stage." Her father turned to me and I felt him and her teacher qi float through my body. Kind of invasive and pervert like. I touched my chest in a girly manner and blushed a deep pink as I gave them a very shy look. It seemed to work as both stop immediately with guilty expressions. Luo Wuhan smirk as she walk over to me and pulled down my pants like it was casual thing. Her father mouth parted before he coughed. I pulled up my pants and bowed. "I am Chen Yi. Nice to meet you." I turned to the old hag who was studying me quite hard. I bowed to her but didn't speak.

"Who trained you as no rogue could be better than someone who had a master." I glance at Luo Wuhan before shrugging. "We just have different levels of intelligence." The Patriarch coughed before he patted his huge paws on my shoulder. "I am Patriarch Luo but you can call me Uncle Luo. I am going to adopt you into my clan. So how do you feel about the name, Luo Chen?" I shrugged as I hide behind Luo Wuhan as her master gave me such a scary look. "Sounds like a honor." Uncle Luo grumbled about my lack of enthusiasm as he pulled me along after him. He called for an assembly to show off his new toy. Not many people took the news well but he made me go up to stage. They sent their young to fight me and I demolished them easily. None of them had combat experience and was making deadly mistakes. Like being to flashy or talking to much.The next opponent was someone who just broke through to earth realm. A realm entirely out of my range today.

He boasted and that was when I attack. Predators don't wait for prey to finished being off guard. The moron barely got his defense up. I easily side step him counter attack and hit him with tiger palm. He grunted as he staggered to the left. I followed up with roundhouse kick. You could see the blue glow on my heel as it connected with his neck. I bowed before leaving the ring. They couldn't challenge me because they were too busy basking in artificial praise. Of course, nobody had anything to say after that and Uncle Luo got to bragged about me and his daughter talents. Later that night, Luo Wuhan came by with several scrolls and two books. She dropped them in front of me. "My father decided to let you read all the scrolls and books we had on formations. The books are rune language and the scrolls are actually formations. Enjoy." She left me to my lonesome and I focus my qi into little blue ball which gave adequate amounts of light. I began reading the books and trying to get an understanding for the glyph. Memorizing them and their uses. I don't even remember going to sleep but Luo Wuhan felt bold enough to cuddle with me. I didn't want to boast but I was definitely the better looking one. Right now, she had just about the same body type as I did but just little more breast whereas I was flat chested.

I don't know when she woke up but first thing she did after pissing in a hole and bathing. Was to come flatten herself against my back and comb my hair. It was highly annoying but I used it as test of will power. Otherwise, I would have knock her out. True reason I followed the girl was because her family was powerful merchant family. She was exceptionally bright for thirteen year old. It was probably due to her mother more than her father. I just finished the second book when the door came open and uncle Luo walk in with a smile that soon turned to guilty look as he abruptly spun around. "Please, put some clothes on!" I look at myself and realized I was naked but my hair covered much of my body. I glance back to see Luo Wuhan in same predicament. Most likely, it was her fault. Then it click on me the positions of her hands this morning. Am I the prey now? I pulled at the air and bundle of clothes flew towards me. Leaving Wuhan stunned. I quickly dress in clothes I tailor made to make me more appealing. Thus lower the guard of anybody I would attack. Any advantage is an advantage. Luo Wuhan look at her clothes than mine. I smirk as she pouted. Uncle Luo turned around and look us over before smiling again. "Good, now that you are dress. Let's go eat!" This was not the type of family environment I was suspecting but it was comforting to know. Not all squinties were like novels in their aggression and low ineptitude. I grabbed two scrolls as I followed them. My mind was coming up several different variations of the same formation. This was essences gathering array. However, it was low grade one. The great news was that arrays were similar in way to how I was using them in my fights before. I just had to envision them and make them appear in reality. According to the book, many spirit array masters drew in the air using their Qi. I was too godly for that. So as we walk to carriage. I began making my first array. However, I didn't realize how much qi they took just to make a simple glyph. They watch me the whole ride and dragged me out the carriage.

I didn't pay much attention to anything as I constantly fail at making it happen. I look through the scrolls one more time before it dong on me. There was nothing for it to bind itself to. I was making an array that binds itself to location. Before, I always bind them to crystals or water particles. Now, I was just playing with them. I was about to begin again when Luo Wuhan, the pervert, massage my little pecker. My eyes shot open as I grabbed her hand. It wasn't that I didn't mind women touching me but I was kind of off put by her aggressive approach. Plus she was bullying me considering her rank and mine. Her father acted like he didn't notice anything. Or maybe he really didn't as we were sitting on one side and he on another.

He smiled like he just devoured the sun and went super saiyan. "Hope you don't mind but I ordered for you." I shrugged while shooting Luo Wuhan a pointed look. She acted like she was perfectly innocent. So i turned to her father. "Did you know, when I went to sleep last night. Wuwu took off my clothes and grabbed my private parts until I woke up." Luo Wuhan eyes widen as she covered my mouth and largely denied such accusations. Uncle Luo covered his mouth while he was trying not to laughed at our cute display. "Yes, she is a bit of pervert. I remember when she and her mother went out to buy slaves. She stared way too long at the privates and even gave them.. Cough… thorough checks.. Cough." Luo Wuhan blushed and I raised an eyebrow. Is that really lady like? Or is it just because her parents are so free and laid back.

However, all jokes cut out as the food arrived. I also noticed how I ate with much more class than Wuwu. As I ate, I attempted my former experiment. Using water vapors in the air to form a medium grade essence gathering array. I didn't think it would work because but was surprised when it did. It circle me beautifully and I could feel the area gaining a certain level of density that was beyond anything I felt before. I couldn't help laughing as I absorb the energy but it was leaving me even faster than I was gaining it. I released the array and focus on drawing in the essences that was already gathered. When I was done, I noticed but Wuwu and Uncle Luo staring at me flabbergasted looks. I was only at the peak of Origin second stage. I needed some more yin essences to progress further. What a pity I wasn't old enough to actually enjoy sex yet. Wait, I remember people my age raping people back in the day. Uncle Luo look at me as if something was wrong. "That was a lot of energy and you only went up to peak from middle? Are you missing anything I can get you?" I smiled shyly before glancing at Wuwuy. "Yin essences." I spoke loud enough for him to hear me but low enough for Wuwu not to. He look like he wanted to say something embarrassing but cleared his throat. "We will stop by pill shop and I'll let your aunty help you with your.. Uh.. problem." Wuwu look at him with strange face before she rolled her eyes. "I can help him find slaves to get yin essences from." She puffed up her chest and I blushed a bit. It was kind of embarrassing topic for me.