Chapter 22: Mastering Illusions

Back at the cabin, Yee Rhys formed another Qi capsule and made another run of mental cultivation. This time he didn't push it to the limit and stopped when the Qi capsule ran out. Then he formed a second Qi capsule and made another run. After a dozen of these consecutive runs, the young man felt nauseous and his head was filled with a cast-iron heaviness.

After a few more hours of sleep, Yee Rhys found that it was time for dinner. The courtyard, on the other hand, remained empty. Thinking about it, the young man took out the techniques he had received today. He had originally assumed that mastering combat techniques would be a pain in the ass. His memories of mastering his first techniques were still fresh in his mind, and he couldn't get results for days at a time back then. The techniques scattered, torn, distorted, until he managed to catch the balance.

But since he managed to quickly get past the initial mastering of techniques for the tournament, it was a shame not to try new ones.

The new ones, surprisingly, proved unyielding. Yee Rhys had never dealt with illusions before and did not know how they were supposed to work, so he spent a long time trying to catch the balance. The techniques were like a tangle of thin, fragile wisps and fog. And it broke again and again.

After another failure, he sat down and scratched the top of his head. What was the matter? He covered his eyes and mentally ran through the text of the techniques, searching for clues. He was even more confused as a result. The explanations were too vague.

He scratched his head again, and now he was contemplating another question: to meddle or not to meddle in the ancestral memory. Fa-Al practiced illusions and everything should be clearly explained there. But the young man took these illusions as a challenge. Admit that you can't master a first level low technique by yourself? No. As long as there was no urgent need, he would learn these techniques himself.

In addition, Yee Rhys understood that ancestral memory is not a panacea. It contains the necessary minimum of information. But no more. Many of the techniques there had no formula, only a name and a description of the action. It was akin to a beginner's book which explained the basics but little mention was made of the higher topics. Right now his ancestral memory was a precious treasure, but as time passed, it would become less meaningful and more and more he would have to find out for himself. So the sooner he could think for himself, the better.

Putting the matter of illusions aside, the young man went to the next round of mental cultivation. The ring had already begun to thicken and the obvious discontinuities were gone, indicating significant progress. The Qi wisp was also slowly thickening, although Yee Rhys wasn't going to purposefully cultivate it yet. Right now, the basics needed to be strengthened. He had gotten to the first wisp very quickly as it was. There was no need to hurry.

A teacher in his family had instilled in him since childhood "move fast, but don't rush". Hurrying makes one to commit unnecessary moves and mistakes that could undo all previous efforts.

Yes. The young man sighed. There was no need to rush. And not just in matters of cultivation.

***

At twilight a frail figure appeared at the courtyard gate. She stood still, peering into the deserted courtyard, with a man seated all alone in the center of it, obscured by the gathering darkness.

The man did not move, and Na Hoa took a breath. The unexpected order to move threw her into a panic. Could it be that someone had noticed? Had she made a mistake? Where?

All day Na Hoa wandered around the Outer Sect, trying to calm down and figure out a strategy. In the evening she reluctantly made her way to her new living place. Suddenly she found herself in an abode of emptiness, where not even the only person present was willing to talk to her. It was beyond expectation.

Her heart suddenly felt better. She slipped quietly into her cabin and closed the door behind her. Everything is all right. They don't know. Or, at least, they are not going to punish.

Her body was shaking and her legs were buckling with belated terror.

***

Yee Rhys opened his eyes slightly, watching from beneath his lashes as the frail figure of a teenager, or rather a child of about ten, appeared in the courtyard. He must be at least twelve, though. Even the elders of the sect preferred to send their offspring into the Outer Sect only when they reached the proper age. More often their children came to the Outer Sect when they were even older than the minimum age in order to prove themselves as quickly as possible and move into the Inner Sect. True geniuses went straight to the Inner Sect, bypassing the Outer Sect.

After standing in the gate for a while, the figure quickly ran to the second house on the left and disappeared into it. And the young man stood still for a moment. The stranger's movements were soft, supple, silent. And somehow gliding. Hiding. Illusory.

Quickly completing the cycle of cultivation, Yee Rhys pondered. An illusionary figurine. Maybe that's what illusionary techniques are supposed to be? Soft, fluid, changeable. Trying to hold on to the unexpected enlightenment, the young man began to weave the Invisibility spell, trying to make his movements match as closely as possible this sliding fleeting feeling. The lines of the spell curved and flowed under his fingers. Yes, that's right. An unexpected realization illuminated Yee Rhys' mind. They are meant to flow and change. The form was not the permanent and rigid form he was used to in martial techniques.

The final line closed and the spell enmeshed the young man from head to toe, hiding him from view. The technique flowed and changed, like a weightless cobweb enveloping his body. It was a strange feeling that stunned Yee Rhys. So this is what it feels like to be hidden.

He smiled sadly as the spell was broken. He would have to get used to it. His whole future life was a game of hide-and-seek with those around him. There was a reason Fa-Al always hid their racial traits. They had more than good reason. Many times, even their best friends would die before they knew their sworn brother wasn't human. What about friends. Even wives and husbands, mothers and fathers often did not know their true race.

The moon is beautiful tonight.

So beautiful.

And lonely.

***

In the morning Yee Rhys set off again for his lecture through the canteen. Shortly before he left, he remembered the jade slip lectures and studied it. Most of the information matched what he already knew. But there were a number of not insignificant nuances concerning the actual state of affairs and the realities of using the rules.

Having taken note of the new information, the young man went to breakfast. There he learned the big news of yesterday: Untouchable's house had been burned down. The manager personally set fire to the hut, sent the dismantled fence into the fire, and finally danced on the ashes.

Loaded with food for the day ahead, Yee Rhys attended a lecture and returned home. Everything went surprisingly smoothly. It seems that everyone, except for the badass slackers, is also getting ready for the Beginners Ranking Tournament. It was for the best, though.

On his return, the young man found a surprise. House number two on the right had found its occupant. Next to the lodge was a young man of about eighteen in the company of a bottle.

Yee Rhys froze for a moment. He hadn't seen alcohol in five years. He'd even forgotten that such a thing existed in this world.

It was probably a good thing, though. If he'd had a drink, he'd have drank himself to death a long time ago.

- Want some? - The newcomer swung a bottle.

- If you're offering. - Smiled Yee Rhys.

- Sit down. - The young alcoholic rummaged in a bag and pulled out a couple of cups. - Tired of getting drunk alone.

- Is there a reason? - The old resident sat down next to him and took a cup.

- Yes, there is. - Initiator poured the rest of the wine, and in one single swoop poured a cup into himself. From the look of him, it was not the first.

- My name is Yee Rhys. - He raised his cup. - I am living in the third house. We're almost Neighbors.

- Re Coot. - The interlocutor took a new bottle out of the bag. - Second house.

- Two wisps of Qi at your age is not very good. - The guest remarked, taking a sip.

- And you have only one. You're as old as I am. - He parried and poured himself another cup.

- I have lost my cultivation. - Admitted Yee Rhys. - In a very unpleasant way.

And emptied his cup in one fell swoop.

- I'm sorry. - Re Coot filled his cup. - And I have a village...

Without saying anything, he emptied his cup in one gulp.